WEBVTT - Ryan Leong on the Giants struggles & honoring Mike Krukow 0:00:00.640 --> 0:00:03.640 All right back on sports Phone KBR with Bill Laski. 0:00:03.760 --> 0:00:05.880 The Giants lose the first game of a three game 0:00:05.960 --> 0:00:09.040 series against the Colorado Rockies five to two, five and 0:00:09.080 --> 0:00:13.000 six hits, one error for the Rockies, two runs, seven hits, 0:00:13.039 --> 0:00:15.920 two errors for the San Francisco Giants. Giants now are 0:00:16.000 --> 0:00:19.279 fifty and seventy two, and don't worry, the Rockies are 0:00:19.360 --> 0:00:22.239 right behind him at forty nine and seventy three. They're 0:00:22.239 --> 0:00:24.360 going to tow it up again tomorrow. One to oh five. 0:00:24.440 --> 0:00:27.280 Logan Webs on the hill for the Giants. He's seven 0:00:27.320 --> 0:00:30.160 and seven with a three point five earned run average. 0:00:30.400 --> 0:00:33.280 His last game threw a gym against the Tigers eight innings, 0:00:33.280 --> 0:00:37.120 four hits, one to earn run. Going against Michael Lorenzen 0:00:38.040 --> 0:00:41.400 twenty twenty five games he started, He's three and ten 0:00:41.520 --> 0:00:44.239 with a six point eight earn run average. He threw 0:00:44.280 --> 0:00:46.320 the ball well against his Cardinals, he went four and 0:00:46.360 --> 0:00:48.320 a third, only giving up two earned runs, But his 0:00:48.840 --> 0:00:52.280 game before that, the Tampa Bay Rays beat him up 0:00:52.280 --> 0:00:55.440 pretty well with seven earned runs. All right, let's talk 0:00:55.480 --> 0:00:58.040 to my good friend, of course, he's a senior producer, 0:00:58.360 --> 0:01:01.639 a Bay area sports rep and Ryan Leong. Ryan how 0:01:01.680 --> 0:01:06.720 are you on a Friday? 0:01:06.920 --> 0:01:07.280 Are there? 0:01:07.360 --> 0:01:07.600 Ryan? 0:01:08.680 --> 0:01:10.880 Oh? There you go? 0:01:12.440 --> 0:01:20.880 You got me? Ryan, I can't hear you, Ryan. All right, 0:01:22.720 --> 0:01:25.200 all right, all right, we'll get him right back. Ryan's 0:01:25.400 --> 0:01:27.640 having a little issues there. But let's go into a 0:01:27.640 --> 0:01:30.240 little bit about what Logan Webb's done. He's pitched really well. 0:01:30.280 --> 0:01:32.640 His last three outings the Cars to the Tiger game, 0:01:32.720 --> 0:01:35.680 eight innings, four hits, one an run. The Texas Ranger 0:01:35.800 --> 0:01:39.160 game he went six innings, five hits, nowhere and runs. 0:01:39.240 --> 0:01:41.600 Got to win in that game. At the Brewer Game, 0:01:41.720 --> 0:01:43.959 six innings, five hits, two were in run. So his 0:01:44.040 --> 0:01:46.800 last three starts he's two and oh but boy, he 0:01:46.880 --> 0:01:50.000 pitched really well against the Detroit Tigers. All right, Ryan, 0:01:50.040 --> 0:01:51.440 are you there, my friend? 0:01:52.080 --> 0:01:55.200 Yeah? Sorry about that's. I guess we'll self thinking where 0:01:55.240 --> 0:01:56.400 I was at. So sorry about that. 0:01:56.600 --> 0:01:59.280 Oh, no problem, Ryan. Well before the game today, they 0:01:59.360 --> 0:02:02.440 announced the All Star Games coming to San Francisco in 0:02:02.520 --> 0:02:05.080 twenty twenty eight. The last one that was here was 0:02:05.120 --> 0:02:08.880 two thousand and seven. Excited about that, Ryan, and the 0:02:09.200 --> 0:02:11.520 jump to have the All Star Game back at Ooralle 0:02:11.520 --> 0:02:12.600 Parks pretty exciting. 0:02:14.160 --> 0:02:16.120 Yeah, it is. I covered the seven game and that 0:02:16.240 --> 0:02:18.840 was actually a you know, very memorable game. Of course, 0:02:18.840 --> 0:02:20.760 you know Barry Bonds was in it. But the thing 0:02:20.800 --> 0:02:23.120 that probably wasn't very memorable was the home run derby. 0:02:23.360 --> 0:02:25.640 Everybody figured out very quickly that even though you have 0:02:26.240 --> 0:02:29.320 a cubby cove and it looks so inviting, it's pretty 0:02:29.320 --> 0:02:31.120 hard to hit the ball there, and a lot of 0:02:31.200 --> 0:02:33.400 guys found that out. In fact, I think the only 0:02:33.440 --> 0:02:35.320 ball that was hitt into the water that was foul 0:02:35.400 --> 0:02:38.000 was a home run or a long salt ball by 0:02:38.120 --> 0:02:42.200 Justin Morneau. Wow at home run Derby. How about remember 0:02:43.000 --> 0:02:44.840 Wedd Guarrel I believe won the home run Derby. 0:02:45.680 --> 0:02:47.960 I was just going to say that. I'm pretty sure 0:02:48.040 --> 0:02:50.600 Vlad did. He was smoking him out the left field. 0:02:50.680 --> 0:02:52.600 And you know it's going to be a fun game 0:02:52.680 --> 0:02:55.280 the whole week. Of course, fan Fest and the MLB 0:02:55.520 --> 0:02:58.880 Draft is now at the All Star Break and Futures Game. 0:02:59.440 --> 0:03:01.720 I just think a whole aura of the All Star 0:03:01.800 --> 0:03:04.079 Game coming to San Francisco is like I said, it's 0:03:04.120 --> 0:03:04.840 pretty exciting. 0:03:06.400 --> 0:03:08.120 No, it definitely is. And I think I think for 0:03:08.160 --> 0:03:10.880 this franchise, you know, it have the memorable moments with 0:03:10.919 --> 0:03:13.680 the All Star Game. I'm of course everybody thinks about 0:03:13.680 --> 0:03:16.200 the Stutent Miller blown off the mounted candlestick, and then 0:03:16.200 --> 0:03:19.079 the game in eighty four candlestick, they had quite a 0:03:19.080 --> 0:03:20.760 few Hall of famerus and I believe I'm trying to remember. 0:03:20.760 --> 0:03:23.200 I think it was a was it, I guess Fernando 0:03:23.400 --> 0:03:25.880 and then I think Dwight Gooden. They combined to strike 0:03:25.880 --> 0:03:29.160 out like five guys or something like that. It sounds right, 0:03:29.520 --> 0:03:32.440 means yeah, they had a great player for that game. 0:03:33.120 --> 0:03:35.760 Yeah, let me ask you, this is the Olympics again, 0:03:35.920 --> 0:03:38.880 gonna be behind the All Star Game? Is that kind 0:03:38.880 --> 0:03:41.400 of what they're linking to the Olympics down in LA 0:03:41.560 --> 0:03:43.640 Is that one of the reasons why the Giants have 0:03:43.720 --> 0:03:44.480 the All Star Game? 0:03:45.720 --> 0:03:47.840 It is correct, I mean that way, they figured that 0:03:47.880 --> 0:03:49.760 if they can figure out a way to get some 0:03:49.800 --> 0:03:53.400 of these major league players to play in the Olympics, 0:03:53.400 --> 0:03:55.000 and then that way they can go back and forth 0:03:55.000 --> 0:03:57.840 between San Francisco. It's much closer to Los Angeles. Obviously 0:03:57.840 --> 0:04:00.360 it's just a one hour flight away. So but apparently 0:04:00.400 --> 0:04:05.360 there's also being talked about some heavy penalties if the 0:04:05.480 --> 0:04:08.240 MLB players choose not to participate in the Olympics. 0:04:09.320 --> 0:04:11.880 Yeah. I read all that article about that and then 0:04:11.920 --> 0:04:14.320 also players that want to go on the i L. 0:04:14.440 --> 0:04:17.920 They're going to really look into medical histories and they 0:04:17.960 --> 0:04:20.160 want the best players to play. And that's one thing 0:04:20.200 --> 0:04:22.520 the Major League Baseball players are going to have to 0:04:22.560 --> 0:04:25.800 be aware of because this is something that Major League 0:04:25.839 --> 0:04:27.760 Baseball's taken. I think it's going to be a two 0:04:27.800 --> 0:04:31.000 week hiatus. Isn't it going to be like that for 0:04:31.040 --> 0:04:33.000 the season. Aren't they going to wait for almost two 0:04:33.040 --> 0:04:33.560 weeks for this? 0:04:35.360 --> 0:04:37.880 I guess they could. Yeah, I know the hockey's done 0:04:37.920 --> 0:04:39.520 that before. The NHL, as a matter of fact, had 0:04:39.520 --> 0:04:41.599 an Olympic break, so when they had all the players 0:04:41.600 --> 0:04:44.919 playing and maclin Celebrini was representing Team Canada and you 0:04:44.960 --> 0:04:48.000 had some guys representing the USA, the NHLs a two 0:04:48.040 --> 0:04:51.320 weeks off. So yeah, it'll be interesting to see what 0:04:51.400 --> 0:04:53.840 they do because you know, as you know, Bill, I mean, 0:04:54.400 --> 0:04:56.479 the Major League Baseball All Star Game is truly the 0:04:56.520 --> 0:04:58.800 only real All Star game that's left. I mean, yeah, 0:04:58.800 --> 0:05:02.159 the NBA has got one, but the NHL, you know, 0:05:02.200 --> 0:05:04.919 they vacillate on what they do. And then the NFL 0:05:05.000 --> 0:05:07.320 Pro Bowl. I mean, unfortunately, you really can't have a 0:05:07.320 --> 0:05:09.599 Pro Bowl anymore because you don't want to have tackling, 0:05:09.680 --> 0:05:10.960 so now they have five football. 0:05:12.000 --> 0:05:14.920 Yeah, both those All Star games are useless to the 0:05:16.000 --> 0:05:18.680 NBA wins like one hundred and eighty points, it seems like. 0:05:18.800 --> 0:05:22.479 And the Major League Baseballs definitely have changed, and I'd 0:05:22.520 --> 0:05:24.640 like to see a little bit more players play. I 0:05:24.680 --> 0:05:27.440 always wanted to see more All Stars. There's no reason 0:05:27.520 --> 0:05:29.839 why that roster can't be built a little bit more 0:05:30.080 --> 0:05:32.440 because there's always like four or five guys that don't 0:05:32.480 --> 0:05:35.640 get selected to the All Star Game and they deserve it. 0:05:35.680 --> 0:05:37.880 There's no reason why you can't expand rosters. 0:05:39.040 --> 0:05:40.560 Well, it's interesting too, Bill. You know, you used to 0:05:40.560 --> 0:05:43.279 have guys that used to play a whole game, and 0:05:43.320 --> 0:05:45.080 then it became like three innings, right, and then you 0:05:45.240 --> 0:05:47.120 even have pitchers that used to pitch three innings. But 0:05:47.200 --> 0:05:48.880 Willie may Is, I think back at his day, he 0:05:48.920 --> 0:05:51.400 would play the whole game, if not most of the games. 0:05:51.480 --> 0:05:54.400 And now guys will get what they get. They might 0:05:54.440 --> 0:05:56.880 get two at that's pitchers will pitch if that if 0:05:56.880 --> 0:05:58.279 they're lucky one inning. You know. 0:05:58.480 --> 0:06:03.480 Yeah, Ryan Leone joining me on sports phone. Kblready can 0:06:03.560 --> 0:06:06.400 read his work at Bay Area Sports Rap. Let's talk 0:06:06.440 --> 0:06:08.920 about Little Land and roupe. Today again, Land and Roop 0:06:09.000 --> 0:06:11.719 hits that hurdle. He gets three nice innings in the hurdle, 0:06:11.760 --> 0:06:14.080 into fourth inning, walks a couple of guys, gives up 0:06:14.080 --> 0:06:17.560 a couple of hits. The fifth inning, they score, and 0:06:17.600 --> 0:06:20.320 then he goes right out there and Sullivan hits a 0:06:20.400 --> 0:06:22.360 double and he gives up another run. But I thought 0:06:22.440 --> 0:06:26.200 the home run ball by Zach Veen was a curveball 0:06:26.279 --> 0:06:28.560 that was thrown in the wrong place to a lefty, 0:06:28.960 --> 0:06:31.680 and that kind of chased him at good times. Today 0:06:31.760 --> 0:06:34.080 there was some good landing roup and then on the 0:06:34.120 --> 0:06:36.920 other side he struggled. Again, Why is this going on 0:06:37.040 --> 0:06:37.440 so long? 0:06:37.520 --> 0:06:41.440 Ryan? You know, I don't think he's got his confidence 0:06:41.520 --> 0:06:43.120 right now. And I think like you said, and I 0:06:43.120 --> 0:06:44.839 think a lot of pitchers do this. They just get 0:06:44.839 --> 0:06:47.040 they followed them up too much with the velocity. I'm 0:06:47.040 --> 0:06:49.279 looking up at the scoreboard and I'm looking at at 0:06:49.080 --> 0:06:52.680 that pitch speed and they're pitching to it. Because back 0:06:52.720 --> 0:06:54.360 in your day, as I know, they didn't have them, 0:06:54.440 --> 0:06:56.560 you know, on the scoreboards, and they really didn't start 0:06:56.560 --> 0:06:59.200 doing that in ballparks until I think the late nineties. 0:06:59.600 --> 0:07:01.960 And I think even in certain cases some pitchers actually 0:07:01.960 --> 0:07:04.560 have to have it turned off because they get too 0:07:04.600 --> 0:07:06.680 caught up and looking at that, you know, and back 0:07:06.720 --> 0:07:08.400 in the day it was just the speed. Now it's 0:07:08.560 --> 0:07:12.080 you know, it shows the actual pitch, slider sleep or curveball, 0:07:12.640 --> 0:07:14.760 and I think guys sometimes are just looking at that 0:07:14.800 --> 0:07:16.320 and they're not paying attention to just trying to get 0:07:16.320 --> 0:07:18.280 the batter out. Well. 0:07:18.320 --> 0:07:22.960 I remember justin Verdlander wanted the uh the analytics put 0:07:23.000 --> 0:07:25.400 on the scoreboard. Sometimes. He wanted to see the spin 0:07:25.480 --> 0:07:27.400 of the pitches. He wanted to see the location of 0:07:27.440 --> 0:07:30.320 the pitches. He had a different format that they used 0:07:30.360 --> 0:07:33.040 at the ballpark when he was on there and when 0:07:33.040 --> 0:07:34.880 he's on the mound. It was just kind of different 0:07:34.920 --> 0:07:37.840 because he was that veteran pitcher that wanted to know 0:07:37.880 --> 0:07:40.920 how tight his pitches were and the velocity of it 0:07:41.000 --> 0:07:44.080 wasn't as high. I just go back with landing Roup 0:07:44.120 --> 0:07:46.480 and I've said it a couple of times tonight with callers. 0:07:46.800 --> 0:07:49.400 I just want him to challenge the guys. He's got 0:07:49.440 --> 0:07:52.920 good stuff, he's got electric stuff. He just pinches the corners. 0:07:52.960 --> 0:07:56.120 He gets behind hitters too much. I'd just like to say, hey, 0:07:56.200 --> 0:07:59.040 here's here's my sinker. Go hit it. Here's my curveball, 0:07:59.080 --> 0:08:01.360 go hit it. Here's my chin, go hit it instead 0:08:01.400 --> 0:08:03.800 of going two O two oh two one three one. 0:08:04.000 --> 0:08:05.760 That's what I think he needs to clean up. 0:08:07.120 --> 0:08:09.160 Well, you know it is a while back though, but 0:08:09.160 --> 0:08:10.960 I'm sure you remember the name Bill Swift, and he 0:08:11.080 --> 0:08:13.160 was I mean, he was just dynamic. He was great, 0:08:13.560 --> 0:08:15.680 great singer baller, and he got a lot of ground 0:08:15.720 --> 0:08:18.360 ball outs. And what's interesting is a guy like Logan Web. 0:08:18.720 --> 0:08:20.280 He's got a great sinker, but he gets a lot 0:08:20.280 --> 0:08:24.280 of strikeouts with a sinker. And maybe, you know, Rupe 0:08:24.360 --> 0:08:26.160 is trying to he's trying to maybe he's trying to 0:08:26.200 --> 0:08:28.760 copy Logan Web, but he, like you said, he should 0:08:28.760 --> 0:08:30.840 worry more about just trying to pitch the contact because 0:08:30.840 --> 0:08:33.040 it's got such great movement. You know, if if you 0:08:33.120 --> 0:08:36.120 just can't make solid contact and you're inducing ground balls, 0:08:36.640 --> 0:08:38.600 what's the difference, Right, Outs, routs. 0:08:39.600 --> 0:08:41.559 Outs are outs. And that's what he needs to do, 0:08:41.640 --> 0:08:43.920 and that's how you can get through five and six innings. 0:08:43.920 --> 0:08:46.600 You know, the pitch count was fine. He after three 0:08:46.760 --> 0:08:49.400 innings thirty two pitches, twenty for strikes, and then the 0:08:49.440 --> 0:08:53.360 fourth inning he throws thirty five pitches twenty one for strikes. 0:08:53.520 --> 0:08:56.840 He escapes Ryan with only one run, comes back in 0:08:56.880 --> 0:08:59.080 a fifth, gives up with the run. He only threw 0:08:59.200 --> 0:09:03.000 nine pitches, and I'm like, okay, let's let's dial back 0:09:03.040 --> 0:09:05.200 in see if he can get through seven. And of 0:09:05.200 --> 0:09:08.000 course the home run chased him. There was a times 0:09:08.000 --> 0:09:09.839 in this game I was like, he's on, he's got 0:09:09.920 --> 0:09:12.000 good stuff. He's hitting the corners, hes got a good 0:09:12.120 --> 0:09:14.040 you know, when you start looking what he threw today, 0:09:14.320 --> 0:09:17.280 mostly curve balls. He threw thirty three of them, twenty 0:09:17.320 --> 0:09:20.440 some sinkers and the rest were change ups and a 0:09:20.520 --> 0:09:23.400 few fastballs. He got some strikeouts with that, with that 0:09:23.520 --> 0:09:26.520 elevated fastball to cross seat, which I'd love for him 0:09:26.559 --> 0:09:29.599 to throw. But I thought, at times, Ryan, and I 0:09:29.720 --> 0:09:32.840 keep throwing this back at you, he fell behind the 0:09:32.920 --> 0:09:33.839 hitters too much. 0:09:35.440 --> 0:09:37.720 Yeah, and that's and that's and that's a recipe for disaster. 0:09:37.840 --> 0:09:41.840 I mean, you fall behind. I mean, there's a statistian 0:09:41.880 --> 0:09:43.240 I know, he used to always tell me that counts 0:09:43.280 --> 0:09:45.000 usually get you know that aret one to one and 0:09:45.000 --> 0:09:46.920 then the next pitch is really key. So yeah, if 0:09:46.920 --> 0:09:49.960 you're able to get ahead one two versus being behind 0:09:49.960 --> 0:09:52.440 two and one, I mean, then your people behind three 0:09:52.440 --> 0:09:54.200 and one. I mean, there you go, right, I mean 0:09:54.480 --> 0:09:57.839 the batter's got everything in his favor. And yeah, that 0:09:58.000 --> 0:10:00.320 Zach Vinn the home run, man, I was impressive. I 0:10:00.400 --> 0:10:02.559 was watching that town in the stands with Buddy and 0:10:02.679 --> 0:10:05.800 Ellis Man. He really crushed that ball. But yeah, he's 0:10:05.800 --> 0:10:07.240 a prospect. Question. 0:10:07.320 --> 0:10:10.480 He's a young left handed hitter, twenty four years old. 0:10:10.720 --> 0:10:13.079 He's only got two hints. He's only played in two games. 0:10:13.120 --> 0:10:15.160 Both of them was a solo home run in the second. 0:10:15.200 --> 0:10:17.440 One was that two run home run today. But he 0:10:17.520 --> 0:10:18.720 hit that ball roll well, hit. 0:10:18.640 --> 0:10:19.240 It a cove. 0:10:19.640 --> 0:10:23.240 But let's talk about the off yeah, because yeah, Ryan 0:10:23.320 --> 0:10:26.640 the offense once again, the bottom of the order elevated 0:10:26.679 --> 0:10:29.880 triple A hitters. They just cannot hit big league pitching. 0:10:29.920 --> 0:10:31.920 And that's pretty much what we're going to see here 0:10:32.640 --> 0:10:37.400 the rest of the season. I've been talking about Turner Hill, 0:10:37.640 --> 0:10:39.600 and I think we're going to be impressed with him. 0:10:39.880 --> 0:10:42.040 I had a nice interview on playing at tomorrow, which 0:10:42.080 --> 0:10:45.199 is unbelievable the timing of it. I spoke to him 0:10:45.200 --> 0:10:47.240 for a while and he's got a lot of confidence. 0:10:47.280 --> 0:10:50.800 Here's a kid that was not drafted, not drafted and 0:10:50.840 --> 0:10:53.640 he went to a tryout. They signed him. This guy 0:10:53.720 --> 0:10:56.000 can put the ball in play, he's got speed, he's 0:10:56.040 --> 0:10:59.400 a good outfielder. I'm really impressed. I'm really happy the 0:10:59.440 --> 0:11:03.319 Giants brought him up. Twenty five game hitting streak, come different, 0:11:03.480 --> 0:11:06.320 get something else in this lineup. What do you think 0:11:06.360 --> 0:11:09.120 this Giants lineup can do to change this offense? 0:11:10.920 --> 0:11:12.800 Who you know? It's gonna be tough. I mean again, 0:11:12.840 --> 0:11:14.280 I like some of your callers have been saying, I 0:11:14.360 --> 0:11:16.560 was listening in before I called in. What is but 0:11:16.640 --> 0:11:18.800 what is Buddy Nnedy doing on the future? I mean, 0:11:18.840 --> 0:11:20.840 the guys batting like, oh thirty seven, I think it's 0:11:20.840 --> 0:11:23.840 just wow. I mean, he just can't be much prolonged, 0:11:24.320 --> 0:11:26.120 you know, with the batting average like that. But I 0:11:26.360 --> 0:11:28.160 don't know what the answer is going to be, Bill, because, 0:11:28.400 --> 0:11:30.920 as you know, the trade deadline came and went and 0:11:31.320 --> 0:11:33.600 guys got moved, and like you said, now you're in 0:11:33.600 --> 0:11:36.079 a situation where you have all these you know, these 0:11:36.120 --> 0:11:38.480 Triple A guys that are playing now and this is 0:11:38.520 --> 0:11:40.640 their first exposure to the bigs, and they're you know, 0:11:40.640 --> 0:11:43.480 they're nervous, and they're in a big environment and you know, 0:11:43.600 --> 0:11:45.480 the fans are still clamoring for stuff. I mean, I'm 0:11:45.520 --> 0:11:47.880 out there watching the fans tonight and they're they're having 0:11:47.880 --> 0:11:50.000 a good time, but you know they're they're of course 0:11:50.160 --> 0:11:52.640 very disappointed. And why wouldn't you be. Yeah, when you're 0:11:53.000 --> 0:11:54.840 got big crowds and you're you know, you're not able 0:11:54.880 --> 0:11:56.000 to come through with anything. 0:11:57.440 --> 0:12:00.600 And the whole key is is I been on doing 0:12:00.600 --> 0:12:03.000 these shows for a while now. The fundamentals on the 0:12:03.080 --> 0:12:06.839 field are disturbing to me. The not covering first base, 0:12:06.960 --> 0:12:10.079 the outfielders throwing to the lead runner instead of splitting them, 0:12:10.120 --> 0:12:13.080 things that need to be cleaned up that aren't being 0:12:13.160 --> 0:12:16.360 cleaned up, you know, And that's the disturbing part of 0:12:16.520 --> 0:12:19.160 Just like what we saw Bearracota today in the ninth inning, 0:12:19.280 --> 0:12:21.440 just throwing to throw. He didn't even throw to a 0:12:21.640 --> 0:12:24.679 target or any he just let it go. Those are 0:12:24.679 --> 0:12:27.679 the things that it's just because you know, those are 0:12:27.679 --> 0:12:29.760 the things that should be done before they get to 0:12:29.800 --> 0:12:30.640 the big league level. 0:12:30.679 --> 0:12:34.040 Ryan, you know, I have a theory about this too. 0:12:34.080 --> 0:12:36.400 It's like, you know, I'm at a lot of the games, 0:12:36.440 --> 0:12:38.880 and you know, you never see you almost never see 0:12:38.880 --> 0:12:41.520 batting practice anymore, because it seems like if players want 0:12:41.520 --> 0:12:42.800 to work on their hitting, they can do it in 0:12:42.840 --> 0:12:47.440 the underground, you know, under underneath the stadium cages. But 0:12:47.559 --> 0:12:50.040 actually they go. 0:12:50.000 --> 0:12:53.040 Early before anybody's even there. They do early work. 0:12:53.840 --> 0:12:57.000 Right, But you never see players working on on on fielding. 0:12:57.040 --> 0:12:59.000 I mean I see some players working on drills with 0:12:59.000 --> 0:13:01.959 with with with Wan Wall Washington, but players never take 0:13:02.000 --> 0:13:06.000 infield anymore. You never see that. Yeah, these guys just 0:13:06.000 --> 0:13:08.160 go in the clubhouse and and they're they're there early. 0:13:08.240 --> 0:13:10.800 But you know, I think the clubhouse being their sanctuary, 0:13:10.800 --> 0:13:12.560 and it's a comfortable place. I mean, I've seen it, 0:13:13.000 --> 0:13:15.080 you know, even you know, they've got a lot of 0:13:15.080 --> 0:13:19.120 amenities now and guys just get comfortable. And I'm not 0:13:19.120 --> 0:13:20.800 saying they're lazy, but it's just like, you know, they 0:13:20.920 --> 0:13:23.280 I think they just get into a routine and and 0:13:23.280 --> 0:13:25.840 and they just you know, it just seems to me 0:13:25.920 --> 0:13:28.120 like guys are really only really working on things during 0:13:28.120 --> 0:13:31.679 spring training that could be wrong, but a valid point 0:13:31.720 --> 0:13:32.160 of ran. 0:13:32.200 --> 0:13:34.120 And then you know this as well as I did. 0:13:34.160 --> 0:13:36.719 We used to take infield and outfield every game. A 0:13:36.760 --> 0:13:38.920 couple of guys wonder if their arms were a little sore, 0:13:39.400 --> 0:13:42.920 but it definitely made the opposition. Watch the outfielders arms. 0:13:42.920 --> 0:13:44.760 You get out there and take some fly balls, you 0:13:44.840 --> 0:13:47.320 go down the corners, and then the infield has that 0:13:47.400 --> 0:13:51.720 snap infield around the corners and double play balls. That 0:13:51.760 --> 0:13:54.360 would be cool to see somebody else bring that back 0:13:54.400 --> 0:13:56.719 into the big league. Hey, we're going to take infield. 0:13:57.080 --> 0:13:59.480 The other team might be we're gonna take infield. I 0:13:59.480 --> 0:14:01.319 would love to see that come back. I think it 0:14:01.360 --> 0:14:04.240 would be pretty cool that Tony inherits something like that 0:14:04.320 --> 0:14:06.840 and says we're gonna change it up. We're take infield today. 0:14:07.800 --> 0:14:10.800 That's a great let's let's propose it Ryan. 0:14:12.600 --> 0:14:14.600 But even like real quickly, you think about the guys 0:14:14.600 --> 0:14:18.080 that played great defense, guys like Dave Parker, Ellis Valentine, 0:14:18.120 --> 0:14:21.080 and Andre Dawson. I mean guys that not only you 0:14:21.120 --> 0:14:22.760 know had some swagger when they were at the play, 0:14:22.800 --> 0:14:24.560 they had some swagger out in the field too. I mean, 0:14:24.560 --> 0:14:27.280 you don't think guys like like Parker enjoyed the fact 0:14:27.280 --> 0:14:29.240 that he would, you know, from rightfield, gun of guy 0:14:29.280 --> 0:14:32.160 over at third base or throw him out at home play, 0:14:32.320 --> 0:14:34.640 you know anymore. 0:14:34.800 --> 0:14:36.960 I used to love when Jack Clark picked up the 0:14:37.000 --> 0:14:38.560 ball and there was a runner on second and I 0:14:38.600 --> 0:14:40.800 give up a base hit and I'm between third and 0:14:40.880 --> 0:14:43.920 home and I see Jack Clark winding up and throwing, 0:14:43.960 --> 0:14:45.920 and you go, you don't have a chance to be 0:14:46.040 --> 0:14:48.760 throwing coming to score. I mean, those are the arms. 0:14:48.800 --> 0:14:51.800 Corey Snyder was another one, you know, and those are 0:14:51.840 --> 0:14:54.840 the arms that I love to watch. And you great 0:14:54.880 --> 0:14:57.560 point about taking infield. We used to go out there 0:14:57.600 --> 0:15:00.480 and just watch him play and watch their at work 0:15:00.520 --> 0:15:03.560 and watch their balance doing in college. They do it 0:15:03.560 --> 0:15:06.160 in high school. Maybe they got to inherit here in 0:15:06.160 --> 0:15:06.800 the big leagues. 0:15:08.040 --> 0:15:09.800 Yeah, I mean yeah, because they just need to take 0:15:09.840 --> 0:15:11.560 more pride in it, because I think guys are just 0:15:11.600 --> 0:15:15.240 they're just so focused on just not even just you know, offensively, 0:15:15.320 --> 0:15:17.200 they're just trying to focus on hitting home runs. It's 0:15:17.240 --> 0:15:19.760 like the pictures focused on strikeouts, the batter's focus on 0:15:19.800 --> 0:15:21.960 home runs, and all the stuff in between is being 0:15:22.040 --> 0:15:22.480 left out. 0:15:23.400 --> 0:15:25.600 Yeah, you're so right, Ryan Leong joining me for a 0:15:25.640 --> 0:15:27.600 few more minutes. You want to talk about Mike Kruco, 0:15:27.680 --> 0:15:29.600 and you and I have talked a little bit through 0:15:29.640 --> 0:15:33.720 some text messages. Kruk, of course is retiring. I know 0:15:33.760 --> 0:15:35.560 you want to talk a little bit about him, So 0:15:35.680 --> 0:15:37.200 let's hear what you have to say about him. 0:15:38.320 --> 0:15:40.200 Yeah. I mean I've got a chance to see Mike 0:15:40.280 --> 0:15:42.760 over the years, and I got lucky one once many 0:15:42.840 --> 0:15:45.200 years ago, and this is before he had his unfortunate 0:15:45.240 --> 0:15:48.400 my muscular disorder that is why he's retiring. I was 0:15:48.400 --> 0:15:51.080 able to get a photo with him and Dwayne Kuiper, 0:15:51.160 --> 0:15:54.280 and who happened to be there also was Al Michaels 0:15:54.280 --> 0:15:57.280 and Bob Costas because they were there for MLB Network, 0:15:57.280 --> 0:16:00.160 and I happen to catch him on a on a 0:16:00.160 --> 0:16:02.080 a day where they were visiting the ballpark a day 0:16:02.120 --> 0:16:04.800 before their they're telecast, and so I got them in 0:16:04.800 --> 0:16:08.200 the photo. And also Mark Grant, former Giant who's now 0:16:08.240 --> 0:16:10.120 the color analyst for the Padres. 0:16:10.880 --> 0:16:14.600 So you know, I saw that it was a great picture. 0:16:14.640 --> 0:16:17.560 It really was a great picture. And and and of 0:16:17.600 --> 0:16:20.800 course all the relationships you've had, You've talked to many people, 0:16:20.880 --> 0:16:23.320 and you know the John Miller's and Dave Flemings. But 0:16:23.880 --> 0:16:25.800 I think what you want to do is just kind 0:16:25.840 --> 0:16:28.880 of show the fans a little bit more of Mike Cruco, 0:16:29.400 --> 0:16:30.680 tell me a story or two. 0:16:32.440 --> 0:16:34.400 Oh my gosh, well, I think now you know the 0:16:34.440 --> 0:16:36.040 thing I think of most of the time with with 0:16:36.120 --> 0:16:38.480 Kruk was talking to him. He's always got a baseball 0:16:38.480 --> 0:16:40.120 in his hand as you watching the telecast, But I 0:16:40.120 --> 0:16:43.080 remember asking him about how you throw a curveball, and 0:16:43.120 --> 0:16:45.680 he always told me it's like hammering and nail. That's 0:16:45.720 --> 0:16:47.360 the best way to describe it. You kind of you know, 0:16:47.360 --> 0:16:49.600 you basically like if you if you can make the 0:16:49.640 --> 0:16:51.800 gesture of hammering and nail, that's how he would throw 0:16:51.840 --> 0:16:55.360 his curveball. So that's that's the one example of something 0:16:55.400 --> 0:16:56.400 I can take a good one. 0:16:56.520 --> 0:16:57.480 Oh, he had a good one. 0:16:57.520 --> 0:16:58.840 He had one fast. 0:16:58.840 --> 0:17:00.760 I could throw it hard, he could throw it soft, 0:17:00.800 --> 0:17:03.680 and it was always twelve to six and where his 0:17:03.920 --> 0:17:06.399 arm slot was was the perfect place to throw it. 0:17:07.560 --> 0:17:09.719 Yes, And speaking of which, now there's not a lot 0:17:09.720 --> 0:17:13.080 of footage of him out there, but there is on YouTube. 0:17:13.119 --> 0:17:16.280 And if you type in the nineteen eighty seven NLCS 0:17:16.400 --> 0:17:20.359 Game four, that's Kruko's only playoff appearance, and he pitched 0:17:20.359 --> 0:17:23.200 a complete game win over the Cardinals. And so I 0:17:24.000 --> 0:17:26.159 am poor fans to go up and look for that 0:17:26.240 --> 0:17:28.320 game because he pitches the entire game. And then he 0:17:28.359 --> 0:17:30.560 did a postgame interview on the field with Jay Randolph 0:17:30.600 --> 0:17:33.960 one of these great legendary broadcasters, and so it's just 0:17:34.000 --> 0:17:37.240 cool to see Bruco go the distance. So he's the 0:17:37.240 --> 0:17:39.680 only pitcher in that game. Like I said, the Giants win. 0:17:40.440 --> 0:17:42.760 He I think it was struck out like like like 0:17:42.760 --> 0:17:44.600 like three guys, because you know, again, he pitched the 0:17:44.680 --> 0:17:48.760 contact and in his day, guys just didn't throw fastballs, 0:17:48.800 --> 0:17:52.080 just a foll hitters away unless you're Nolan Ryan. And 0:17:52.200 --> 0:17:53.200 so yeah, I think. 0:17:53.040 --> 0:17:56.280