WEBVTT - Sea Change 0:00:00.680 --> 0:00:05.480 Kaboom. If you've thought four hours a day, minutes a 0:00:05.480 --> 0:00:09.160 week was enough, I think again. He's the last remnants 0:00:09.160 --> 0:00:12.440 of the old republic, a sole fashion of fairness. He 0:00:12.560 --> 0:00:15.480 treats crackheads in the ghetto cutter the same as the 0:00:15.600 --> 0:00:20.200 rich pill poppers in the penthouse, to clearinghouse of hot takes, 0:00:20.280 --> 0:00:24.080 break free for something special. The Fifth Hour with Ben 0:00:24.120 --> 0:00:29.040 Maller starts right now, hold your horses. We are back 0:00:29.120 --> 0:00:33.040 at it. The weekend is underway. It is a Friday 0:00:33.280 --> 0:00:38.760 edition of the Fifth Hour with Ben Maller and David Gascon. 0:00:38.880 --> 0:00:41.519 Unfortunately west of the four or five, because four hours 0:00:41.560 --> 0:00:44.760 a night not enough on the overnight. This the spinoff show. 0:00:44.800 --> 0:00:47.839 You found it, You have found the talk of the 0:00:47.920 --> 0:00:51.720 podcast world. We do this eight days a week, and 0:00:51.880 --> 0:00:56.880 every Friday we attempt to have a conversation, a chit 0:00:57.000 --> 0:01:01.760 chat with someone, someone in the wacky world of sports 0:01:02.440 --> 0:01:05.960 that we like, or know or want to know. And 0:01:06.040 --> 0:01:08.520 that is what today's podcast is all about. We will 0:01:08.520 --> 0:01:11.400 tell you who we're chatting with in a minute. Guest count. 0:01:11.440 --> 0:01:15.200 But we have survived another week of the radio a 0:01:15.240 --> 0:01:19.080 wars the radio Wars. Here we are surviving and back 0:01:19.120 --> 0:01:21.480 at it again. In the podcast. Now, are we moving 0:01:21.520 --> 0:01:27.040 the Mallard Mansion to a a more um diverse city 0:01:27.040 --> 0:01:29.759 and state since we have done so with Major League 0:01:29.800 --> 0:01:31.679 Baseball's All Star Game? Are we doing that with the 0:01:31.680 --> 0:01:35.920 Mallar militia and the Mallard Mansion? The third roiotam, that's 0:01:35.920 --> 0:01:38.280 the third route out there. I don't know what you're 0:01:38.280 --> 0:01:41.280 talking about. Man, I you know, life goes quick. You 0:01:41.319 --> 0:01:43.920 know you gotta gotta stay up with the stay up 0:01:43.959 --> 0:01:45.960 with the noise. There, my man, stay up with them 0:01:45.959 --> 0:01:49.000 against Rob Manfred could have moved at to Tampa right now. 0:01:49.920 --> 0:01:52.880 Rob Manford, My goodness. Uh, we should just do a 0:01:52.960 --> 0:01:55.720 podcast bashing Rob Manford. But this would not be the 0:01:55.800 --> 0:01:57.960 podcast to be doing that today. This would not be it. 0:01:58.040 --> 0:02:01.840 But we have some long opinions about Major League Baseball 0:02:01.880 --> 0:02:03.680 and their decision to move the All Star Game. And 0:02:04.040 --> 0:02:06.040 the good news is we've been proven correct and the 0:02:06.040 --> 0:02:09.520 amount of criticism that Major League Baseball has gotten has 0:02:09.560 --> 0:02:13.040 been immence. But we do love baseball despite all the noise, 0:02:13.080 --> 0:02:16.239 at least I do. I have been enjoying the I 0:02:16.280 --> 0:02:18.000 don't know about you, but I've been I've been enjoying 0:02:18.040 --> 0:02:20.720 the hell out of the baseball season. I've been watching 0:02:21.360 --> 0:02:25.160 tons of games here, and you know, during the day, 0:02:25.200 --> 0:02:28.320 I wake up and for most people it's the afternoon. 0:02:28.400 --> 0:02:30.880 For me, it's the morning, and I'll flip a game 0:02:30.919 --> 0:02:34.280 on and I don't care whether it's a Marlin's game 0:02:34.520 --> 0:02:38.200 or a Mariners game or whoever. Check out a little baseball. 0:02:38.200 --> 0:02:40.880 I love it great. A little add that Oakland got 0:02:40.919 --> 0:02:43.640 its first one of the season off of the Dodgers, 0:02:43.720 --> 0:02:45.760 But as soon as I know Kenley Jensen came into 0:02:45.800 --> 0:02:48.800 the ninth inning and a runner got on Matt Chapman, 0:02:49.040 --> 0:02:51.359 I knew ball game was over blown save and a 0:02:51.440 --> 0:02:54.560 loss was coming the Dodgers way. It is fascinating that 0:02:54.720 --> 0:03:00.080 Kenley Jansen, who was at one point wonderful, is still 0:03:00.160 --> 0:03:02.160 encouraged to go out and be the closer when he's 0:03:02.200 --> 0:03:06.000 been very mediocre. It boggles the mind. Really. For years, 0:03:06.320 --> 0:03:10.520 Kenley Jansen has been doing a tightrope walk on the 0:03:10.600 --> 0:03:14.639 regular and despite Dave Roberts knowing the risk of sending 0:03:14.720 --> 0:03:17.679 Jansen out there, he continues to do it. And now, 0:03:17.960 --> 0:03:19.760 the way I look at this not that we're breaking 0:03:19.760 --> 0:03:22.600 this down because we're gonna talk some some baseball. With 0:03:22.639 --> 0:03:25.799 the Dodge arrival in a minute here. But the thing 0:03:25.840 --> 0:03:28.560 about the dynamic with the Dodgers, my theory is every 0:03:28.560 --> 0:03:31.480 time Jansen goes out and pukes all over the mount 0:03:31.560 --> 0:03:34.160 I don't get upset because I feel like we're closer 0:03:34.200 --> 0:03:36.640 to him being removed as the closer, Like he's getting 0:03:36.640 --> 0:03:38.520 near the end of the rope there. So I think 0:03:38.560 --> 0:03:40.680 that's a good thing. So every time he blows a save, 0:03:40.840 --> 0:03:44.880 that means later on someone else player X, whether they 0:03:44.880 --> 0:03:47.600 trade for that player, it's somebody else in the bullpen 0:03:48.480 --> 0:03:51.240 will get the opportunity to sink their teeth in as 0:03:51.280 --> 0:03:53.680 the closer. So that's that's what I like, no doubt. 0:03:53.680 --> 0:03:56.280 I mean that in Baltimore beat the Yankees the other day, 0:03:56.320 --> 0:03:59.640 to Red Sox got off to a horrific start. I mean, 0:03:59.680 --> 0:04:03.360 it's not all bad. I saw Nick Castellanos get ejected 0:04:03.720 --> 0:04:05.880 or not injected, suspended for a couple of games because 0:04:05.880 --> 0:04:08.680 he was talking at home played after sliding in safely 0:04:08.720 --> 0:04:11.120 on a wild pitch doing the mad dog. He was 0:04:11.160 --> 0:04:14.160 doing the mad dog. Can't do the mad dog in baseball. 0:04:14.240 --> 0:04:17.400 The Cardinals won't allow it. The Cardinal way. It's gonna 0:04:17.440 --> 0:04:19.800 be all buttoned up. The St. Louis cars it's always 0:04:19.800 --> 0:04:24.360 that Yaddi Ra Molina who's always griping and complaining about 0:04:24.760 --> 0:04:27.600 playing baseball the right way, the cardinal way. You know, 0:04:27.680 --> 0:04:30.880 it's so annoying, so annoyed, But I can't pip yourself. 0:04:30.920 --> 0:04:34.160 When you slide in safely at home in game two 0:04:34.240 --> 0:04:38.080 of one sixty two, you can celebrate. You can live 0:04:38.160 --> 0:04:40.760 life there. People in the crowd there that paid their money. 0:04:40.839 --> 0:04:44.080 They want to be entertained. And it is plausibly the 0:04:44.279 --> 0:04:48.600 entertainment business. Last I heard it was the entertainment business. 0:04:48.600 --> 0:04:51.640 But now anyway, entertaining as it is. Do you think 0:04:51.760 --> 0:04:54.719 there's mass panic in San Diego? And are you hoping 0:04:54.760 --> 0:04:59.560 for mass panic? No? Listen, I love San Diego. I 0:04:59.640 --> 0:05:02.359 got my start in radio in San Diego. I have 0:05:02.560 --> 0:05:05.640 fond memories of hanging out at the old Jack Murphy 0:05:05.680 --> 0:05:08.680 Stadium qual Calm whatever they called it at the end there, 0:05:09.200 --> 0:05:12.040 and I'd buy the cheapest ticket and I'd sit wherever 0:05:12.040 --> 0:05:15.400 I wanted because the padres had usual fire sale there. 0:05:15.440 --> 0:05:19.520 You watched Tony Gwyn and a bunch of nobody's. It 0:05:19.720 --> 0:05:22.719 was Tony Gwyn in the three Stooges are in this 0:05:22.760 --> 0:05:25.359 case the eight other stooges that were out there. But no, 0:05:25.440 --> 0:05:28.120 I don't have any animosity towards the Potteries. Now the 0:05:28.120 --> 0:05:30.200 Dodgers are gonna end up winning, and I'm obviously more 0:05:30.240 --> 0:05:33.400 loyal to the Dodgers, But the Padres are a monster, 0:05:34.200 --> 0:05:37.200 a rags to riches situation for the Padres, and where 0:05:37.200 --> 0:05:39.520 they were a couple of years ago, and where they 0:05:39.520 --> 0:05:43.440 are right now from the outhouse to not the penthouse, 0:05:43.480 --> 0:05:46.359 but they're they're close to the penthouse there. They can 0:05:46.400 --> 0:05:49.760 they can see the country club up ahead, and they 0:05:49.800 --> 0:05:51.760 were in the trailer park, so they've they've gotten a 0:05:51.800 --> 0:05:54.360 lot better. And we're gonna have a conversation here with 0:05:54.600 --> 0:05:59.000 one of the Podre broadcasters, a staple over the last 0:05:59.200 --> 0:06:03.400 decade in San Diego and very smooth. I like this 0:06:03.400 --> 0:06:06.040 guy because he's got big pipes, he's a he's an 0:06:06.040 --> 0:06:09.200 old news guy, did the did the nightly news, did 0:06:09.240 --> 0:06:13.960 the morning news in Minnesota and in New York as well. 0:06:14.680 --> 0:06:19.480 Mike palmerants is gonna hang out with this right now. Now? 0:06:19.480 --> 0:06:21.159 Do you do you do you know him in the 0:06:21.200 --> 0:06:23.880 past year? Do you go back with him? Gascon? Do 0:06:23.880 --> 0:06:25.640 you have a history with him? Well, I mean, like 0:06:25.720 --> 0:06:28.960 yourself I got my start in San Diego with Extra 0:06:29.000 --> 0:06:32.080 Sports thirteen sixty, which was the old flagship station that 0:06:32.160 --> 0:06:35.160 you were at for the San Diego Chargers, and our 0:06:35.200 --> 0:06:37.719 afternoon drive shows would have Mike on on the regular. 0:06:37.960 --> 0:06:40.159 And then yeah, I did a couple of events with 0:06:40.240 --> 0:06:43.719 Mike um a few years ago, the Los Angeles Kings 0:06:43.720 --> 0:06:46.920 the Anaheim Ducks. They had a massive hockey day where 0:06:46.920 --> 0:06:50.080 the Kings played in the afternoon, Ducks played at night, 0:06:50.120 --> 0:06:53.200 and in between that their junior clubs played and Mike 0:06:53.240 --> 0:06:56.400 and I were on the broadcast for that from uh 0:06:56.560 --> 0:06:59.840 the Anaheim ice practice facility for the Ducks, So we 0:06:59.839 --> 0:07:02.160 were on that together. And Yeah, I've known Mike for 0:07:02.279 --> 0:07:04.720 quite a bit. Good dude and this extremely nice man. 0:07:05.200 --> 0:07:09.560 He's everything that you are not. He's positive, he's encouraging, 0:07:09.680 --> 0:07:13.840 he's engaging. He talks on the phone. He calls people back. Well, 0:07:14.000 --> 0:07:16.960 I I wa way tough guy. I called you up 0:07:17.000 --> 0:07:19.800 this week. Did you answer your phone? I was working out. 0:07:20.160 --> 0:07:22.720 Did you call me back? I did? You did not? Did? 0:07:23.080 --> 0:07:26.320 That's a lie. I will screw that call back. I 0:07:26.360 --> 0:07:29.960 am looking at my phone right here, I'm holding my iPhone. 0:07:30.520 --> 0:07:33.400 I do not see a return call from my phone call. 0:07:33.920 --> 0:07:37.280 I did not get a call back, no callback. So 0:07:37.360 --> 0:07:39.040 you just lie you want you want to bet on that, 0:07:39.240 --> 0:07:41.120 You're gonna have to wash your mouth out with soap 0:07:41.160 --> 0:07:43.520 and water. Okay, you just told a lie. You're not 0:07:43.560 --> 0:07:46.000 allowed to lie on a podcast. It's a bad job 0:07:46.040 --> 0:07:50.120 by you. You're breaking the podcast rules, is what you're doing. 0:07:50.240 --> 0:07:52.440 Can we get to the guests please? Yes, we will 0:07:52.480 --> 0:07:54.560 get to but not really guests, just someone hanging out 0:07:54.640 --> 0:07:57.080 with friends. But let me just point out though, as 0:07:57.080 --> 0:07:59.120 you know, I'm very critical. I think most people that 0:07:59.160 --> 0:08:02.080 do broadcasting socking or terrible and all that this is 0:08:02.120 --> 0:08:05.320 someone who actually thinks pretty good. Uh. I watched his 0:08:05.400 --> 0:08:08.000 work with the Padre pregame and postgame. He does some 0:08:08.040 --> 0:08:11.760 play by play as well. Mike Palmerants is his name? 0:08:12.320 --> 0:08:15.800 See him on balles? What are they calling it? Ballys 0:08:15.880 --> 0:08:17.920 San Diego? Is that what they're calling Valley Sports San 0:08:17.920 --> 0:08:20.800 Diego Sports San Diego. Yeah, they changed all the Fox 0:08:20.800 --> 0:08:25.440 Sports regional networks to the Bally's brand and Mike Pomerants 0:08:25.840 --> 0:08:29.360 joining us and it's a good time to talk Padre baseball. 0:08:29.440 --> 0:08:32.880 And I was in San Diego back in the day. 0:08:32.920 --> 0:08:35.360 The Padres didn't spend a whole bunch of money and 0:08:35.400 --> 0:08:38.640 all that. But boy, have things changed in a large way. 0:08:39.440 --> 0:08:42.360 What is different now? What is the big difference between 0:08:42.760 --> 0:08:46.640 the Padres now who are spending big money the Padres 0:08:46.640 --> 0:08:50.200 of the past season of watching uh, watching his teable 0:08:50.280 --> 0:08:53.600 for one, instead of hopes and prays that they might win, 0:08:54.280 --> 0:08:57.199 their actual expectations. That I think it's the biggest difference. 0:08:57.440 --> 0:09:00.920 And it's not just the fans, it's I think organizationally 0:09:00.960 --> 0:09:03.800 and the players actually have a feeling that they expect 0:09:03.840 --> 0:09:05.800 to win when they come to the ballpark, as opposed to, 0:09:06.080 --> 0:09:07.880 you know, say the right thing for the public and 0:09:07.880 --> 0:09:10.040 then hoping it works itself out. At to me is 0:09:10.040 --> 0:09:13.440 the most noticeable change in the obvious is quite clear 0:09:13.480 --> 0:09:15.640 to I think every team now playing as you're starting 0:09:15.640 --> 0:09:19.400 to see fans filter in there, and uh, it seems 0:09:19.440 --> 0:09:23.640 like their expectations are certainly are certainly greater, and there's 0:09:23.679 --> 0:09:28.160 just an atmosphere of fun and excitement. So it's been 0:09:28.200 --> 0:09:31.800 it's been a completely different vibe for sure. Yeah, So 0:09:32.160 --> 0:09:34.440 what has changed now? I worked in San Diego and 0:09:34.520 --> 0:09:36.760 I was around the Potters and they always spent a 0:09:36.800 --> 0:09:39.559 ton of money. You know, they had some good players, 0:09:39.640 --> 0:09:42.800 but they didn't back in those days. They didn't go overboard. 0:09:42.800 --> 0:09:45.200 They always used the small market thing. They couldn't spend 0:09:45.240 --> 0:09:48.480 a lot of money. But Fernando Tatis the contract that 0:09:48.559 --> 0:09:52.800 he signed this offseason, uh not that long ago here, 0:09:53.120 --> 0:09:57.240 Uh amazing, one of the biggest contracts in baseball history. 0:09:57.280 --> 0:09:59.880 What's the dynamic now? How how have things change the 0:10:00.040 --> 0:10:02.360 far as the ownership is concerned for the Padres. But 0:10:03.040 --> 0:10:07.800 isn't that literally the million dollar question? Uh? Pete Seidler 0:10:08.040 --> 0:10:12.000 has has taken over the primary rains and Ron Fowler 0:10:12.920 --> 0:10:15.559 has has moved into some other capacity. So so it 0:10:15.640 --> 0:10:19.520 seems like Mr Sildler has decided that he's gonna be 0:10:19.640 --> 0:10:22.400 final revenue or created himself and has decided he's going 0:10:22.440 --> 0:10:25.000 to spend it. You're right, it's unlike anything the market 0:10:25.040 --> 0:10:27.120 has seen in a while. Averting you think it's started 0:10:27.679 --> 0:10:30.200 if you're if you're really analytical about it. I suppose 0:10:30.280 --> 0:10:32.560 was Eric Hosmer signing because I think he signed an 0:10:32.600 --> 0:10:34.840 eight year, a hundred and forty four million dollar deal. 0:10:34.880 --> 0:10:36.960 Maybe we go back to Will Myers who had I 0:10:37.000 --> 0:10:40.800 think a sixty million dollars left on his deal right now, 0:10:41.040 --> 0:10:43.839 But you go Hosmer and you go Machado, And so 0:10:44.040 --> 0:10:49.920 the Tatis deal wasn't entirely shocking that the money might come, 0:10:50.160 --> 0:10:52.640 but I think the duration of fourteen year deal at 0:10:52.679 --> 0:10:56.520 what three forty uh surprised a little bit in the industry, 0:10:56.600 --> 0:11:00.640 mostly because of Fernando's injury history and lack of actual 0:11:00.679 --> 0:11:03.839 big league experience, But the money being there, I don't 0:11:03.880 --> 0:11:06.360 think he was in shocking this time around. The real shocker, 0:11:06.520 --> 0:11:08.480 as it felt down here to us, was really the 0:11:08.480 --> 0:11:11.400 Manny Machado deal three hundred million over ten years. No 0:11:11.600 --> 0:11:14.280 one UH in this area seemed to think that it 0:11:14.360 --> 0:11:16.920 was coming, and really nobody did, I think across baseball. 0:11:16.920 --> 0:11:18.840 If I remember right, Kenny Williams, the guy was running 0:11:18.880 --> 0:11:21.760 the White Sox, so the was who was also bidding 0:11:21.800 --> 0:11:24.600 on Machado. When he found out about that deal, he 0:11:24.640 --> 0:11:27.719 almost crashed his golf cart in spring training because no 0:11:27.880 --> 0:11:30.400 one thought it was coming. But it's a different vibe 0:11:30.400 --> 0:11:33.599 for sure. Now. Yeah, as far as Fernando Tis, you 0:11:33.679 --> 0:11:35.760 mentioned the injury history. I know it's early in the 0:11:35.800 --> 0:11:39.280 season and he's currently on the the injured list, but 0:11:39.600 --> 0:11:42.439 you know what's what's the vibe around this? Is this 0:11:42.559 --> 0:11:46.480 gonna be a season long situation. Could this end up 0:11:46.520 --> 0:11:49.360 in surgery? What's the real story there with Fernando Dutist 0:11:49.400 --> 0:11:52.680 that you're hearing, Well, what we're hearing is is pretty 0:11:52.760 --> 0:11:54.440 much what I think the public is now hearing from 0:11:54.440 --> 0:11:57.800 Major Crawler, the general manager, and that is right now, 0:11:58.120 --> 0:12:01.439 they're going to stay away from surgery usual, but they're 0:12:01.480 --> 0:12:05.559 open to that possibility that if this continues and recurs 0:12:05.679 --> 0:12:07.760 as it has basically three or so times at a 0:12:07.880 --> 0:12:10.480 span of one of us about three or four weeks um, 0:12:10.520 --> 0:12:13.640 if it becomes an issue on and on, they may 0:12:13.679 --> 0:12:15.560 have to go the surgical route. Though the right now 0:12:15.600 --> 0:12:17.520 they're trying everything they can opt it. He's on a 0:12:17.600 --> 0:12:20.480 ten day I l he's eligible to come off the 0:12:20.520 --> 0:12:22.960 teams on a road trip now. They start playing tomorrow 0:12:23.000 --> 0:12:25.960 in Texas. They'll be back in time to take on 0:12:26.000 --> 0:12:29.400 the Dodgers here after they go to Texas and then Pittsburgh, 0:12:29.520 --> 0:12:31.679 and he'll be eligible to come off the list then. 0:12:31.760 --> 0:12:34.240 But whether he'll be strong enough and ready, I think 0:12:34.280 --> 0:12:36.760 that's uh, that's the great question. And everybody here is 0:12:36.800 --> 0:12:39.800 a fan, and I think a watcher of this team 0:12:40.000 --> 0:12:43.120 always looks at him with a cautious eye. Because his 0:12:43.120 --> 0:12:45.559 history is so great. He had the stress fracture in 0:12:45.600 --> 0:12:48.120 his back last year, plus a hamstring or two years 0:12:48.120 --> 0:12:51.240 ago the hamstring injury as well. Then he had a 0:12:51.280 --> 0:12:54.240 hand problem in the minor leagues. He's never played a 0:12:54.320 --> 0:12:56.120 full season. I think right now he only has about 0:12:56.120 --> 0:12:59.240 a hundred and forty six or so games under his belt, 0:12:59.720 --> 0:13:02.240 um going into what is now his third year, So 0:13:02.679 --> 0:13:05.320 there's a cautious eye. I think right now everybody is hopeful. 0:13:05.559 --> 0:13:09.040 There are some guys who played through this, but not necessarily. Well, 0:13:09.080 --> 0:13:11.959 everybody brings up Cody Bellinger, especially folks in l A. 0:13:12.480 --> 0:13:14.400 But if you look at Bellinger, yeah he was on 0:13:14.440 --> 0:13:17.319 the field, but he's still not hitting, even after last 0:13:17.400 --> 0:13:20.360 year where he had the issues even then to the 0:13:20.480 --> 0:13:23.840 championship series. So there's questions to whether when you come back, 0:13:24.120 --> 0:13:25.920 what kind of player are you? And I think that's 0:13:25.920 --> 0:13:29.640 where we're all watching Fernando closely. Mike, so as temperate 0:13:29.679 --> 0:13:32.320 as fans are in San Diego, And obviously you covered 0:13:32.320 --> 0:13:35.160 the team for such lum print the time. What is 0:13:35.280 --> 0:13:39.960 the expectation and do you think they'll hit that mark? Well, 0:13:40.000 --> 0:13:43.160 the expectation is it's a playoff team. Um. I don't 0:13:43.160 --> 0:13:45.280 think they're getting too caught up in the numbers, because, 0:13:45.320 --> 0:13:47.440 as you guys know, I mean, the projections are insane 0:13:47.480 --> 0:13:51.040 everywhere because most of the league, it seems, isn't even trying. Um, 0:13:51.280 --> 0:13:54.960 they didn't, most teams didn't spend this past offseason. Most 0:13:54.960 --> 0:13:56.960 they are just trying to get their finances in order. 0:13:57.000 --> 0:13:59.679 So you've got three clubs in the National League West 0:14:00.040 --> 0:14:03.960 nearly capable of losing ninety games each uh and basically 0:14:03.960 --> 0:14:05.640 the same for the American League West, which for the 0:14:05.640 --> 0:14:07.880 Padres is going to be their primary focus when it 0:14:07.880 --> 0:14:09.880 comes to inter league play. So there are a lot 0:14:09.920 --> 0:14:12.440 of wins out there on the table. You could easily 0:14:12.480 --> 0:14:15.920 say this is a ninety win team if everybody is 0:14:16.160 --> 0:14:19.040 buying large healthy and obviously I say that knowing full 0:14:19.080 --> 0:14:21.920 well what we just discussed, um, but I would say 0:14:21.960 --> 0:14:25.440 the expectation is they've got to be at least a 0:14:25.480 --> 0:14:28.040 wild card team. They know the Dodgers of the team 0:14:28.040 --> 0:14:29.360 to beat in the West. I don't think it's a 0:14:29.360 --> 0:14:32.960 great mystery, but now that we don't have the expanded 0:14:32.960 --> 0:14:35.880 playoffs like we did last year, I think the expectation 0:14:35.920 --> 0:14:38.720 here is clearly this is at least the first if 0:14:38.720 --> 0:14:41.280 not the second wild card at the very least. So 0:14:41.520 --> 0:14:43.520 with that being said, I know there's high hopes for 0:14:43.520 --> 0:14:46.200 you Darvish to deliver same thing with Blake Snell. But 0:14:47.320 --> 0:14:49.800 where is Chris Pattick? Mix and all of this pack 0:14:49.880 --> 0:14:51.840 has been the one guy where two years ago he 0:14:51.880 --> 0:14:54.760 blew the doors off of everybody, last year he regressed 0:14:54.760 --> 0:14:58.000 in then this year at a slow start. Yeah, it's 0:14:58.040 --> 0:15:01.080 a it's a big question mark for them for sure, UM, 0:15:01.120 --> 0:15:04.080 because the expectations are that they win. Obviously the leash 0:15:04.160 --> 0:15:06.120 isn't gonna be as long. He came up with a 0:15:06.120 --> 0:15:08.280 lot of fanfare. Don't we see that a lot? Maybe 0:15:08.320 --> 0:15:11.240 too often with these young guys. UM used to be 0:15:11.640 --> 0:15:14.040 he didn't hear about prospects until they produced at the 0:15:14.040 --> 0:15:17.200 big league level, really, but in recent years with social media, 0:15:17.200 --> 0:15:19.640 there's this expectation and he came in with a lot 0:15:19.680 --> 0:15:21.880 of that and a lot I think is unfair on 0:15:21.920 --> 0:15:24.880 a young player until they started to finally get traction 0:15:25.000 --> 0:15:27.960 and the league tells you how good you are instead of, uh, 0:15:28.080 --> 0:15:31.080 the organization of the fans. So for Chris, he came 0:15:31.160 --> 0:15:34.440 up as a two pitch pitcher, fastball change up. UM. 0:15:34.520 --> 0:15:37.920 The league figured him out probably about halfway through his 0:15:38.040 --> 0:15:40.800 first season, and if you remember, the good offensive teams 0:15:41.120 --> 0:15:44.000 hit him pretty well even in his first year. The 0:15:44.080 --> 0:15:46.640 patient teams and the Dodgers were one of those clubs 0:15:46.680 --> 0:15:49.320 at the time, um and still are and those teams 0:15:49.320 --> 0:15:51.040 that are waiting him out, and you know how it 0:15:51.160 --> 0:15:52.960 is if you're a starting pitcher and you're reduced to 0:15:53.000 --> 0:15:56.360 two pitches at that level, it's gonna be really hard 0:15:56.400 --> 0:15:58.600 to get through a lineup. So my anticipation is that 0:15:58.640 --> 0:16:01.800 he's going to get a handful more starts um to 0:16:01.920 --> 0:16:07.120 see if he can finally establish a little consistency, and uh, 0:16:07.160 --> 0:16:09.960 they may have to make some changes, you know, into 0:16:10.000 --> 0:16:11.600 May June if he if he can't do that. I 0:16:11.640 --> 0:16:13.520 don't want to be premature and say I don't have 0:16:13.520 --> 0:16:16.360 any inside information that he's on a on a chopping 0:16:16.440 --> 0:16:19.880 block immediately, but the patient's level is going to be different. 0:16:19.960 --> 0:16:22.160 Right when you're expecting to win is when as opposed 0:16:22.200 --> 0:16:24.120 to whether you're hoping to win. And that's where the 0:16:24.120 --> 0:16:26.680 padres are right now. Yeah, I think maybe some sentiment 0:16:26.720 --> 0:16:30.000 crosses over from the National Football League In the NBA, 0:16:30.080 --> 0:16:32.920 where guys come in right away and they hit the 0:16:32.960 --> 0:16:35.040 ground running, So why can't they do that in major 0:16:35.080 --> 0:16:39.160 league baseball. Yeah. It's the thing about baseball that has 0:16:39.240 --> 0:16:42.680 changed so dramatically as we know, is the little things 0:16:42.680 --> 0:16:44.680 that you were supposed to learn in the minor leagues 0:16:44.720 --> 0:16:47.600 aren't even required at the big league level anymore. For example, 0:16:48.000 --> 0:16:52.080 nobody really steals. You don't bunt. There is no situational hitting. 0:16:52.160 --> 0:16:55.000 It's max velocity. You swing out of your shoes and 0:16:55.080 --> 0:16:57.560 somebody's gonna click one, and it's often the guy you 0:16:57.680 --> 0:17:00.480 least expect, and it's a battle of walks, strikeout Homer's. 0:17:00.760 --> 0:17:02.880 So you're seeing guys up there with the fast twitch 0:17:02.920 --> 0:17:07.160 fibers years old, twenty two that don't seem to require 0:17:07.160 --> 0:17:10.520 as much seasoning, meaning learning the game as they did 0:17:12.320 --> 0:17:15.080 years ago. Uh, you just you. If you can hit 0:17:15.080 --> 0:17:18.080 the velocity and you can make a few routine plays, 0:17:18.400 --> 0:17:20.439 it seems like you're more likely to get a shot. 0:17:20.880 --> 0:17:23.800 UM the NFL is is is as much for shelf 0:17:23.840 --> 0:17:25.680 life and injury right as anything else. You got to 0:17:25.680 --> 0:17:27.560 get him on the field, because who knows how long 0:17:27.560 --> 0:17:30.439 you last in such a physical sport. UM baseball. You're 0:17:30.480 --> 0:17:32.719 starting to see it more and more. UM teams are 0:17:33.000 --> 0:17:34.960 sinking money in the prospects and then up you know 0:17:35.000 --> 0:17:38.080 they're they're thinking is Uh, they're like Derrito's, you keep crunching, 0:17:38.119 --> 0:17:40.399 will make more. If we've got guys blown out to injury, 0:17:40.440 --> 0:17:42.800 we'll just put a bunch behind them. Uh. And you're 0:17:42.800 --> 0:17:45.720 seeing teams run through cultures like uh, you know, like 0:17:45.760 --> 0:17:48.879 nobody's business. I think as a result. Yeah, and you 0:17:48.920 --> 0:17:51.720 mentioned the way baseball is played, and we we've all 0:17:51.760 --> 0:17:53.960 you know, guys our age have complained about this, said 0:17:53.960 --> 0:17:55.760 how you know what's going on with this? But they 0:17:55.800 --> 0:17:58.840 are trying that they're talking about changing it and trying 0:17:58.840 --> 0:18:01.159 to get more back the way the game had been 0:18:01.160 --> 0:18:04.159 played in the past, with stolen bases and hitting behind 0:18:04.240 --> 0:18:07.520 runners and actually bunting occasionally and things like I remember 0:18:08.160 --> 0:18:12.080 about fifteen, maybe even more than that years ago, Uh 0:18:12.760 --> 0:18:16.000 manager Terry Collins. Uh it was he was managing as 0:18:16.080 --> 0:18:18.640 I guess it was long before that, but he there 0:18:18.680 --> 0:18:22.080 was a situation that called for a bunt and he 0:18:22.160 --> 0:18:25.479 didn't he didn't use the bunt, and and then one 0:18:25.480 --> 0:18:27.359 of the writers after the game said why didn't you 0:18:27.520 --> 0:18:30.240 do that? And he then explained that the guys didn't 0:18:30.240 --> 0:18:33.040 know how to bunt, so they just didn't practice it. 0:18:33.160 --> 0:18:36.480 And uh, I mean, what's it gonna take, Mike in 0:18:36.480 --> 0:18:38.440 your open You've been around baseball a long time now 0:18:38.440 --> 0:18:39.920 with the pottery, what do you think it's gonna take 0:18:39.960 --> 0:18:42.880 to get the game back to not completely the way 0:18:42.920 --> 0:18:45.320 it was, but a little bit closer to that style 0:18:45.359 --> 0:18:47.840 play where it's not just swing from your heels and 0:18:47.840 --> 0:18:50.720 try to hit a home runs home run derby every night. Oh. 0:18:50.800 --> 0:18:53.000 It really is so that they say, right, the three 0:18:53.040 --> 0:18:56.359 true outcomes just home runs, walks, and strikeouts. And I 0:18:56.400 --> 0:18:59.360 think you got You're you're asking the great question, Ceo Epstein, 0:18:59.400 --> 0:19:01.080 you just moved for in the Cubs front office, as 0:19:01.119 --> 0:19:04.159 you know, to the league has verbalized that need to 0:19:04.240 --> 0:19:07.240 make the game more exciting and interesting to fans. How 0:19:07.320 --> 0:19:10.720 do you do it? Is the toughest question. Bob Manford 0:19:10.720 --> 0:19:13.320 and his group, as you know, putting all these ideas 0:19:13.320 --> 0:19:15.680 and experiments in the minor leagues to try to pick 0:19:15.760 --> 0:19:17.840 up the pace. But it's not so much the pace 0:19:17.880 --> 0:19:21.400 of play that I find challenging and what we hear 0:19:21.440 --> 0:19:23.639 from the fans, and remember we're watching a hundred and 0:19:23.680 --> 0:19:26.960 sixty two plus every single year. It's not the pace, 0:19:27.440 --> 0:19:30.400 it's the fact that nothing's happening in that span of time. 0:19:30.440 --> 0:19:32.720 If it's if there's movement in excitement, you don't even 0:19:32.720 --> 0:19:34.760 notice it's a three hour ball game. But if it's 0:19:34.760 --> 0:19:37.080 walks and strikeouts and you're waiting for a homer, three 0:19:37.080 --> 0:19:39.679 hours feels like eight hours. And I think there's no 0:19:39.760 --> 0:19:44.520 real easy answers somehow, whether by lowering the mound, whether 0:19:44.640 --> 0:19:47.560 by adjusting the strike zone, whether by backing up the mound, 0:19:48.080 --> 0:19:50.760 uh something, maybe to give the hitter a little better 0:19:50.840 --> 0:19:53.600 chance to put it in play, eliminating the shift wouldn't hurt, 0:19:53.920 --> 0:19:56.679 or making it such that left handed hitters had a 0:19:56.720 --> 0:20:00.359 fighting chance. You're seeing a bunch of really good fleets 0:20:00.440 --> 0:20:04.080 do non athletic things that's never good for any sport. 0:20:04.359 --> 0:20:06.720 They're just standing there. The ball is never in play, 0:20:06.760 --> 0:20:10.240 and fans love right the highlight play. You're looking to 0:20:10.280 --> 0:20:13.119 see somebody who's more gifted than you are athletically do 0:20:13.320 --> 0:20:16.080 something you can't do, and you're not seeing enough of 0:20:16.119 --> 0:20:18.600 it in baseball. How do you get there? Buddy? I 0:20:18.600 --> 0:20:21.320 have no earthly idea what the definitive answer is, but 0:20:21.359 --> 0:20:23.840