1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: Ray Miller said after a Sunday afternoon loss. He was 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 1: managing the team at the time. Go talk to the players. 3 00:00:05,960 --> 00:00:08,560 Speaker 1: They're the ones making all the money. They didn't fire 4 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:11,520 Speaker 1: them the next day, but they fired them eventually, and 5 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:13,840 Speaker 1: it's just that kind of thing that never sits. 6 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 2: Well, let's hit the inside scoop with that. FT senior 7 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:24,440 Speaker 2: insider Ken Rosenthal, Ken, good to see you, And I 8 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 2: want to start with I guess the hottest team in 9 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 2: Major League Baseball that Toronto Blue Jays with a really 10 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:32,520 Speaker 2: soft schedule heading into the All Star Break, already riding 11 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 2: such a winning streak. What do you think about this team? 12 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 2: And I am going to do something that I don't 13 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 2: love to do, but I guess I do it very often. 14 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 2: I do check out comments and there's a lot of 15 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:44,519 Speaker 2: people like oh, Ken, who are the paper Tigers now? 16 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:46,599 Speaker 2: And I'm like, I commented on a few of them 17 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:48,839 Speaker 2: for you, Ken, I said, those were the twenty twenty 18 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 2: four Blue Jays. 19 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 3: These are the twenty five Blue Jays. So what's different. 20 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 1: What's different is they're getting contributions from guys that most 21 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 1: fans probably have not heard of. Fucus Addison Barger, who 22 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 1: has really come on, and Ernie Clement, he's another one. 23 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,920 Speaker 1: All of these guys Joey Lo Perfido last night are 24 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: playing major role for the J's. I wouldn't say major, 25 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 1: but a significant role. And it's not just Flatty, it's 26 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:19,119 Speaker 1: not just Bobaschet. That's one thing that's definitely standing out 27 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 1: about them. Also, they're off season acquisitions Santander Hoffmann Andres Jimenez, 28 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:26,480 Speaker 1: who's back on the IL. 29 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 3: They haven't been great. 30 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:31,280 Speaker 1: To say the least, and yet they've finally come together 31 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 1: as a team now. When I called them the paper 32 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: Tigers last. 33 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:37,679 Speaker 3: Year and maybe even the year before, what I. 34 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:39,560 Speaker 1: Was referring to was a team that had a ton 35 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 1: of talent but wasn't playing to its potential. This team 36 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:46,760 Speaker 1: has a lot of talent and he's definitely playing to 37 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 1: its potential. And of course I've forgotten the one huge 38 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 1: part of this resurgence, and that's George Springer, comeback Player 39 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 1: of the Year candidate. He's having an amazing run at 40 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: age thirty five. It's great to see him playing the 41 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 1: way he used to play in Houston. So all of 42 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: these factors combined, and I haven't even mentioned their pitching yet, 43 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 1: they're starting rotation. Now that Scherzer is apart has stabilized 44 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:10,800 Speaker 1: to some degree, they could still use another starter. They 45 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:14,240 Speaker 1: could perhaps use an impact bat, someone who would make 46 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 1: them better than they are right now, and a higher 47 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 1: leverage reliever. And I expect and their general manager, Ross 48 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:23,520 Speaker 1: Atkins has said that they will be aggressive at the deadline. 49 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 1: So it's a great moment for the Blue Jays. Right 50 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 1: now they are paper tigers. 51 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 4: No more, no more like never again, Wow, Ken, look 52 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 4: at you? 53 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 3: Never again, but no more. 54 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:38,119 Speaker 1: For now. This team is different. And Eric also one 55 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 1: more point. Starting in spring training, they were talking about 56 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 1: how the culture is better, they're getting along great. You 57 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:45,920 Speaker 1: hear this from every team every single year, and with 58 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 1: the Blue Jays there was ample reason to be skeptical 59 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 1: because they just hadn't produced. Now they're still talking about 60 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:56,519 Speaker 1: how this team is particularly close and for whatever reason, 61 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 1: it all seems to be working for them. And the 62 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 1: manager too, John has mentioned that he was not as 63 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 1: good as he should have been last year relative to 64 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: a number of things, communication, line of construction, all kinds 65 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 1: of issues, and that too has been quite notable with 66 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 1: the Jays. 67 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:16,919 Speaker 4: When they say they're going to be aggressive at the deadline. 68 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,360 Speaker 4: This is a front office, in my opinion, should their 69 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:23,080 Speaker 4: jobs should be on the line. And quite frankly, the 70 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:26,359 Speaker 4: guys like you said that they've picked up haven't been 71 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:28,800 Speaker 4: all that great. So it's the guys that have been there. 72 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 4: Do you see their front office saying, oh, man, yeah, 73 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 4: I might be on the hot seat here. We're going 74 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 4: all in because ownership clearly isn't afraid to spend. 75 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 1: I don't know that I would say it from that 76 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 1: perspective that they're going all in because they're scared to 77 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 1: lose their jobs. If they make the playoffs, they probably 78 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: will keep their jobs. That would be my guess anyway, 79 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 1: and they're headed in that direction. Ben Nicholson Smith of 80 00:03:56,320 --> 00:04:00,040 Speaker 1: Sportsnet wrote a story yesterday pointing out how when the 81 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: have been buyers, they have been aggressive, something like three 82 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: trades every time they've been buyers. So this would be 83 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: normal behavior for them to be aggressive, not unusual behavior. 84 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 1: So I do expect that they're going to go for it, 85 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 1: so to speak, all in as a phrase that I 86 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,119 Speaker 1: don't know that any team looks at it that way, 87 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: But yes, they're going to be aggressive, and I don't 88 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:24,600 Speaker 1: know that it's out of fear of losing their jobs. 89 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 1: It's simply the way that they've acted in the past. 90 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:32,479 Speaker 5: And we had Dan Shulman on yesterday the biggest jinks 91 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 5: in sports history, Okay, which I called him out on. 92 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 5: You didn't watch, so you don't get it, But he 93 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,480 Speaker 5: said the Yankee series was the best series the Blue 94 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 5: Jays have had in Rogers Center since twenty fifteen, twenty sixteen. 95 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:45,840 Speaker 5: What does that mean for them going forward? Because they 96 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 5: went out swept the Yankees in four games, took over 97 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 5: first place. Is this the kind of series that can 98 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:53,480 Speaker 5: just propel them to the postseason with this one four 99 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:55,840 Speaker 5: game sweep, then obviously they beat the Angels and then 100 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:56,559 Speaker 5: the White Sox. 101 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:57,280 Speaker 3: Do we count them? 102 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 1: I don't know. 103 00:04:58,080 --> 00:04:59,840 Speaker 5: I guess it's a big league game. But they've won 104 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 5: these games in a row. But it all started with 105 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 5: the Yankee series and that put them up and now 106 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 5: they're just riding the momentum. Can they ride this to 107 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 5: the end of the year. 108 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:10,479 Speaker 1: Ag I'm always reluctant to assign too much importance to 109 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:13,640 Speaker 1: any one series, especially one that takes place. 110 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:14,479 Speaker 3: In June July. 111 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:18,720 Speaker 1: That said, that was an impressive four game sweep. It 112 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 1: was emotional. They had the candidate Day victory. They had 113 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:24,719 Speaker 1: all kinds of good things happening and it did vault 114 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:28,320 Speaker 1: them into first place. So it remains to be seen 115 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:29,719 Speaker 1: how things will go from here. 116 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:30,320 Speaker 3: Who knows. 117 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:33,799 Speaker 1: They could get hit by injuries, they could start performing poorly. 118 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:36,839 Speaker 1: All kinds of things can happen. But in terms of 119 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 1: this season to this point, it was quite memorable. And 120 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 1: it's the kind of series that if they do go 121 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 1: on to the playoffs and do great things this season, 122 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 1: that they will remember as a turning point for them 123 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:53,359 Speaker 1: because it kind of showed that they did belong with 124 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:57,920 Speaker 1: the Yankees in that echelon of upper class AL teams, 125 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:01,560 Speaker 1: and they prove themselves. Now. They probably felt going into 126 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:03,600 Speaker 1: that series that they were on a level playing field 127 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:05,840 Speaker 1: with the Yankees, but it's one thing to think that, 128 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:07,160 Speaker 1: it's another thing to do it. 129 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:08,040 Speaker 3: They did it. 130 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:11,479 Speaker 2: Hey, let's do a little player spotlight thanks to Arena 131 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 2: Club AJ. Give me a player this season that you 132 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 2: think is underrated and you might want to try and 133 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 2: grab his card. 134 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:19,719 Speaker 5: James would. I don't know that he's underrated, but Washington 135 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:22,720 Speaker 5: National's superstar in the making, and the first slab pack 136 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:25,040 Speaker 5: I ever opened had him in it. His rookie card, 137 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 5: and the value is only going to go up and 138 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 5: up and up. And I'm not gonna sell it Kwi yet, Scott. 139 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 5: I'm going to hold on to it because after he 140 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 5: continues to hit big homers and put up the stats 141 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 5: make All Star teams, it's going to get more expensive 142 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 5: for someone to buy. 143 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 2: For me, this is his first full season in the majors. 144 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 2: Keep that in mind. I think he's underrated. He's on 145 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 2: a Nationals team that's man adding enough attention. 146 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:47,599 Speaker 5: He might underrated when he makes the All Star team 147 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 5: this year, They're not going to be underrated. 148 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 3: That helps. He's been intentionally walked four times in a game. 149 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:53,960 Speaker 2: Anyway. If you want to try and find a wood 150 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 2: rookie card, go check out slab packs on Arena Club 151 00:06:57,440 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 2: and right now you can get twenty percent off your 152 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:00,719 Speaker 2: first lab pack. Or if you just want to go 153 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:02,920 Speaker 2: with a card purchase, go to Arena club dot com. 154 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 2: Slash foul, use code foul. If you buy, sell, trade, collect, 155 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:07,600 Speaker 2: go for it. 156 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:08,720 Speaker 1: Ken. 157 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 2: I'll change directions to a team that could sell some parts, 158 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 2: but could do it in a different way. If there's 159 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:17,800 Speaker 2: a front office shake up, can you tell us about 160 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:20,880 Speaker 2: what you wrote in The Athletic this morning regarding the 161 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:24,360 Speaker 2: Rockies front office, and my little follow up to include 162 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 2: is do you think that firings can be contagious in 163 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 2: Major League Baseball? Being that they are generally done by 164 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:36,000 Speaker 2: really one person per team, the control the owner of 165 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:38,560 Speaker 2: that particular franchise, They. 166 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: Definitely can be contagious. Whether they will be in this 167 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 1: case remains to be seen. Now full disclosure, I was 168 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 1: working on a Rockies front office story even before the 169 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:50,800 Speaker 1: Nationals dismissed Mike Rizzo and. 170 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 3: Davey Martinez the other day. 171 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 1: And one reason I was reluctant to even advance the 172 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 1: idea of what I was hearing, which was chatter about 173 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:05,680 Speaker 1: Bill Smith getting reassigned, is that teams generally don't replace 174 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 1: general managers or heads of baseball operations before the deadline. 175 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 1: And I looked up, and I don't know that this 176 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: is exactly accurate, but it's what I came up with. 177 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 1: The last GM to be fired before the deadline before 178 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:20,600 Speaker 1: Rizzo was Terry Ryan in twenty sixteen. You generally want 179 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 1: to keep your front offices together for the draft, for 180 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 1: the deadline, and then you make moves later. The Nationals 181 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 1: broke that mold the other day when they made those 182 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:32,880 Speaker 1: moves with Rizzo and to a lesser extent Martinez, would 183 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 1: the Rockies do the same. They're not an organization as 184 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 1: we know that is very aggressive, very forward thinking, very 185 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: cutting edge, any word or term that you want to use. 186 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:47,199 Speaker 1: But certainly after what the Nationals did, you could say 187 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 1: their Rockies have even more reason to act because, of 188 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:55,000 Speaker 1: course they're headed toward a record historic losing season. So 189 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:58,440 Speaker 1: I don't know that it's going to transpire in that 190 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:00,959 Speaker 1: way the way that the Nationals did. But at the 191 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 1: same time, their owner Dick Montfort has talked about how, yes, 192 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:09,760 Speaker 1: we understand the criticism that we're too insular. The other 193 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 1: co owner, Charlie Montfort, less influential with the team, has 194 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 1: said we need new faces. So when they talk about 195 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 1: that with regard to the front office, it seems almost 196 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 1: fade a complete that. 197 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:21,960 Speaker 3: Bill Schmidt will be replaced. 198 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 1: The question is when. 199 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:27,679 Speaker 4: Some of the Times in the article you wrote about 200 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 4: how but history says the Rockies are maybe just going 201 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 4: to not replace him, but just redelegate his. 202 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 3: Duties. 203 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 4: Is there a chance that the league steps in in 204 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:46,440 Speaker 4: this situation with the Rockies in the sense of there's 205 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 4: not a competitiveness, but they're willing to. They're like checking 206 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:52,840 Speaker 4: all the boxes that the League would just be like, hey, whatever, 207 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:54,520 Speaker 4: if you just want to keep putting your money in, 208 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:56,960 Speaker 4: you have a team, we don't ever need to step 209 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:00,680 Speaker 4: in because they're so insular, but they're never they haven't 210 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 4: been competitive for a long time. 211 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:06,200 Speaker 1: First of all, Eric, it seems to me they realize 212 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 1: that they need to go outside, and going outside with 213 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 1: that organization is a little tricky because, as I wrote, 214 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:17,080 Speaker 1: you have to have, it would seem some familiarity, some 215 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:19,400 Speaker 1: intimate knowledge of the challenges of. 216 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 3: Playing a Coors Field to succeed. There. 217 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 1: Doesn't mean that you can't hire someone who has never 218 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 1: been there and have that person turn the team around, 219 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 1: but someone who has worked for the Rockies, who understands 220 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 1: the challenges of altitude, that probably would be the way 221 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:36,400 Speaker 1: to go. So in that sense, they might be a 222 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:39,680 Speaker 1: little insular still, but at least they be going to 223 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:42,360 Speaker 1: someone who has gone to other organizations after working for 224 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:45,480 Speaker 1: the Rockies, and I mentioned some names in there. Now, 225 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 1: will the League ever step in on a situation like this? 226 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 3: The answer seemingly is no. 227 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 1: Only only times the League has stepped in to kind 228 00:10:55,760 --> 00:11:00,959 Speaker 1: of disrupt things. Would be when an ownership is financially negligent. 229 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:04,040 Speaker 3: Them courts in Los Angeles, that was one. 230 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: But generally speaking, MLB lets the clubs run themselves. They're 231 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 1: franchises of Major League Baseball, but they are independently owned, 232 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:15,880 Speaker 1: and they don't ever get in the way of a 233 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 1: front office. Even if a front office is performing really poorly. 234 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:22,200 Speaker 1: It wouldn't just be the Rockies we'd be talking about. 235 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 1: If we wanted the mL one of the league to 236 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 1: step in and do some things, it would be other 237 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:30,200 Speaker 1: teams as well. They don't do that, and I don't 238 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 1: know that they should. When an ownership is committing financial 239 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 1: malpractice or doing things that are borderline unethical, then that's 240 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:42,000 Speaker 1: different story. Yes, the league should step in, but to 241 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 1: correct the ills of a front office, No, they don't 242 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:47,439 Speaker 1: do that, and I'm not sure sure that they should. 243 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:50,920 Speaker 5: Great, But speaking of front offices, can you mentioned it 244 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 5: a little bit when you talked about the Nationals. It 245 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 5: was weird timing for me that they fired Rizzo right 246 00:11:57,559 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 5: before the draft. They have the first pick in the draft. 247 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:03,080 Speaker 5: I'm sure that pick has already been you know, consummated 248 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 5: or whatever. You know, whether it's Holiday or Kate Anderson 249 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:07,959 Speaker 5: or whoever it is that they decide to pick first. 250 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:10,320 Speaker 5: But it's just strange timing. You fire the GM. I 251 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:12,839 Speaker 5: know they promoted an interim GM, but usually you want 252 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 5: to wait till after the draft and after the trade 253 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:17,559 Speaker 5: deadline to do this, Like you mentioned, why do this now? 254 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 5: I don't know this for a fact, but I was 255 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:21,520 Speaker 5: on teams Tom Kelly one time. You know, they wanted 256 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:23,200 Speaker 5: to get rid of his pitching coach, and he said no, 257 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:25,360 Speaker 5: so he left with them. Is this the case where 258 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:27,800 Speaker 5: maybe Learner came to Rizzio? And again, I don't know 259 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 5: if this is the fact or it just is such 260 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 5: weird timing. And Rizzo has been there for so long 261 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 5: that the learner maybe came to him and said, hey, Mike, 262 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:35,200 Speaker 5: you got to fire a Davy And he's like no, 263 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:37,320 Speaker 5: and he's like okay, you're both gone now. Again, this 264 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:39,560 Speaker 5: is all speculation, this is not a fact. I have 265 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:41,480 Speaker 5: no idea if this is the right thing, but I've 266 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:43,959 Speaker 5: seen this happen before. Is this the case, because it's 267 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:46,320 Speaker 5: just such odd timing, not for a manager but for 268 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:47,079 Speaker 5: a GM. 269 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:50,960 Speaker 1: If that's the case, AJ, I have not confirmed it yet, 270 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 1: and I've heard that theory. That theory makes sense to 271 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:56,520 Speaker 1: me that Rizzo would say you fire him, you gotta 272 00:12:56,559 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 1: fire me too, or something along those lines, but I 273 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 1: have not confirmed it now. The timing is related to 274 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:06,000 Speaker 1: the options in their contracts. It's been reported a couple 275 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:08,440 Speaker 1: of different ways, but they both had options for next year, 276 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:11,640 Speaker 1: and Davey Martinez is certainly was an option that had 277 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:15,600 Speaker 1: to be decided on this month. So when you have that, yes, 278 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 1: there is some decision that has to come into play. 279 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:22,440 Speaker 1: And Davey Martinez and Mike Rizzo have been so closely 280 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:24,920 Speaker 1: tied together they won the World Series together. 281 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 3: In twenty nineteen, that I. 282 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:29,480 Speaker 1: Could see the logic of if one goes, then the 283 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:32,720 Speaker 1: other has to go from ownership's perspective. The other thing 284 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 1: that might have driven this a little bit were was 285 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:39,959 Speaker 1: the comments made by Davey Martinez a couple of weeks 286 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:41,960 Speaker 1: ago when he said, hey, it's not on the coaches, 287 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:44,800 Speaker 1: it's on the players, And he later backtracked and tried 288 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:47,520 Speaker 1: to get out of it the next day. But that 289 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:51,560 Speaker 1: kind of talk never goes over well. And I remember 290 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:54,960 Speaker 1: covering the Oriols one year where Ray Miller said after 291 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:56,320 Speaker 1: a Sunday afternoon loss. 292 00:13:56,400 --> 00:13:57,880 Speaker 3: He was managing the team at the time. 293 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:00,840 Speaker 1: Go talk to the players there, the ones making all 294 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:03,440 Speaker 1: the money. They didn't fire them the next day, but 295 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:06,480 Speaker 1: they fired them eventually, and it's just that kind of 296 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:07,920 Speaker 1: thing that never sits well. 297 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 3: So given that in the. 298 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 1: Team's performance and the fact that they have the second 299 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 1: most losses in baseball since winning the twenty nineteen World Series, 300 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:20,359 Speaker 1: second only to the Colorado Rockies, all of these factors 301 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:24,000 Speaker 1: played a role, I am certain of that. Whether it 302 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:27,240 Speaker 1: was prompted by Rizzo's standing up for Davey Martinez or 303 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: trying to that, I do not. 304 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 2: Know ken to spin this forward. Where do you think 305 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:37,440 Speaker 2: the Nationals go at the trade deadline? I mean, they've 306 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 2: got their young core. There are definitely a few parts 307 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:42,960 Speaker 2: that they could probably sell off. But they had one 308 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:45,880 Speaker 2: guy running the ship for how long was it since 309 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:48,280 Speaker 2: two thousand and nine? I think Rizzo took over, and 310 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:50,320 Speaker 2: he's been with the ORC since two thousand and six, 311 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:53,320 Speaker 2: so close to two decades of the same person running 312 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:56,920 Speaker 2: point and trades are complicated. So could this mean that 313 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 2: the Nationals are kind of just flow voting around until 314 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 2: the offseason. 315 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 1: I don't know. 316 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 3: That this is what it means. 317 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:07,680 Speaker 1: They've got an assistant Jim that they elevated to the 318 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:10,720 Speaker 1: interim role. Mike de Bartelow, who has been in trade 319 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 1: talks before. 320 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 3: It's not like this is new to him now. 321 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:15,440 Speaker 1: He has not run an organization before. 322 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 3: That is new to him. So we'll see. 323 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 1: They don't really have a lot to trade. Kyle Finnigan 324 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 1: would be their most interesting guy on an expiring contract. 325 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:29,840 Speaker 1: Mike Soroka would have some interest to teams perhaps. As 326 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 1: for the others, Nathaniel Lowe is on a two year 327 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 1: deal expires after twenty six He's not performing that well. 328 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 1: There isn't that much that they necessarily would want to do. 329 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 1: The one guy that I find very interesting is McKenzie gore, 330 00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:48,600 Speaker 1: all star left hander who is at the same level 331 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:52,000 Speaker 1: of service that Juan Sota was when the Nationals traded 332 00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:54,760 Speaker 1: him to the Padres at the twenty twenty two deadline. 333 00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 1: And he might say, well, why would you trade McKenzie Gore. Well, 334 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 1: he's represented by Scott bors. Scott Boris generally likes his 335 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:04,640 Speaker 1: clients to establish their values on the open market. An 336 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 1: extension would appear unlikely, especially with the Nationals not spending 337 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:12,840 Speaker 1: the way they once did, So that would be admitting 338 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:15,840 Speaker 1: that the team needs to go backwards before going forwards again. 339 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 1: And maybe the Nationals don't want to admit that, but 340 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 1: their system is not in a place to support Gore 341 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:21,400 Speaker 1: and James Wood and c. J. 342 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:22,119 Speaker 3: Abrams. 343 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 1: They've got those three guys from the trade and then 344 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 1: might get a few others from that trade as well. 345 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:29,760 Speaker 1: But it will be interesting to me to see if 346 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 1: they are willing to entertain Gore, because that guy, if 347 00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 1: he got out there, then we're talking a monster package 348 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:38,760 Speaker 1: in return. And let's face it, they need more players. 349 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 2: Ken, last one for you, and it's a fan question, 350 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 2: but it's going to spark a little bit of a 351 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 2: different twist from me. So MC in the chat said 352 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 2: Freddie Prato, Jose Cantana and Rhys Hoskins get traded, question 353 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 2: Mark and what kind of return. I know we've talked 354 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 2: about the Brewers and they're in a playoff spot right now. 355 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:57,520 Speaker 2: He brought up how they did the hater move several 356 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:01,440 Speaker 2: years back, but that obviously caused up roarer in Milwaukee. 357 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 2: So I'm curious. This is the twist I'll put on it. Ken, 358 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 2: could you see a team like this, do a baseball trade, 359 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:10,760 Speaker 2: and maybe there are more baseball trades this year, being 360 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:14,200 Speaker 2: that we don't have many sellers with big time assets 361 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:17,200 Speaker 2: to offer, including a team like the Braves. Right, they're 362 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:19,360 Speaker 2: probably not going to make the playoffs, but they don't 363 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:21,280 Speaker 2: have a lot to sell. So could you see a 364 00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:23,920 Speaker 2: team like Milwaukee saying, hey, let me trade from a 365 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:26,679 Speaker 2: strength to get something that we need that helps us. 366 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 1: Now, yes, I could see a baseball trade happening, and 367 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:33,119 Speaker 1: which you mean by that, Scott is not a money deal, 368 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:37,080 Speaker 1: not a player for prospects deal, pure need for need. 369 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:40,680 Speaker 1: Those kinds of deals should happen more often this year 370 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:43,200 Speaker 1: because so many teams are in the race. Now, granted 371 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:46,400 Speaker 1: we've got several weeks to go before the deadline, things 372 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:48,640 Speaker 1: could change, teams could fall out. 373 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:50,240 Speaker 3: The Brewers are not going to be one of. 374 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:53,199 Speaker 1: Those teams, in my opinion, and they're not going to 375 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 1: trade Peralta. The Hater trade scarred the organization and it 376 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:02,160 Speaker 1: left them with an understanding that that kind of deal 377 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:05,320 Speaker 1: when you're in a playoff position is while at the 378 00:18:05,359 --> 00:18:07,919 Speaker 1: same time it could be beneficial long term, and it 379 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:08,960 Speaker 1: did prove to be that. 380 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 3: That got them. 381 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:13,280 Speaker 1: William Contraras. It's something that was just too disruptive at 382 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:16,160 Speaker 1: the time and it cost them perhaps a playoff spot 383 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:20,160 Speaker 1: that year. So I could see them doing some things maybe, Kintana. 384 00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 1: They are deep in starting pitching. I've talked about this 385 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:26,480 Speaker 1: all season long. It's crazy they can do some things 386 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:28,760 Speaker 1: with a starting pitcher. I just don't know that it 387 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:32,360 Speaker 1: would be Peralta Reys Hoskins hurt right now. I don't 388 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:34,320 Speaker 1: know that they would do it with him either. They 389 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:37,360 Speaker 1: need all the offense they can get, but a starting 390 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:38,920 Speaker 1: pitcher perhaps, Yes. 391 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 2: I like it, Yeah, maybe Kintana. I like what Brandon 392 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:45,280 Speaker 2: Woodriff was thrown to the table, thrown on the table 393 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:47,400 Speaker 2: this past week and another guy returning for them. It's 394 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:49,960 Speaker 2: good stuff. Ken, Thank you appreciate it. We'll catch on 395 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:54,399 Speaker 2: Fair Territory later this week. Thanks guys, and you'll also 396 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:57,640 Speaker 2: be able to see Ken in Atlanta. Of course, he'll 397 00:18:57,680 --> 00:18:59,760 Speaker 2: be on the game coverage for Fox for the All 398 00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:02,200 Speaker 2: Star Game on Tuesday. He'll make a little stop by 399 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:03,840 Speaker 2: on Monday or Tuesday. We're going to be at the 400 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:06,720 Speaker 2: Truest Community Corner. It's in the Battery on the fourteenth 401 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:09,200 Speaker 2: and the fifteenth. Those are the two big Days Monday 402 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:12,160 Speaker 2: and Tuesday. It's presented by Truist. We're excited to be there. 403 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:14,960 Speaker 2: We'll do our live show in front of an audience, 404 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:17,200 Speaker 2: which could be you. If you're in the area, or 405 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:19,720 Speaker 2: if you are traveling over there and making a whole 406 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:22,080 Speaker 2: little trip out of it, then stop by, just look 407 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 2: up where it is and go for it. One to 408 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:27,439 Speaker 2: three Eastern we will do live shows back to back days. 409 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:30,000 Speaker 2: I'll be there, AJ will be there, Crats will be there, 410 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 2: and guests of course, including Ken our foul Territory Atlanta 411 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:38,000 Speaker 2: Takeover Krats. I don't think no, you weren't there, but 412 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:42,399 Speaker 2: the Josh Hayter trade obviously rocked Milwaukee. To me, I 413 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:44,440 Speaker 2: don't use that as a trend. I use that as 414 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:48,200 Speaker 2: a learning lesson for a franchise that said to themselves, hey, 415 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 2: even if there's something that makes sense for us, we 416 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:53,240 Speaker 2: have to be careful about the timing. There is a 417 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:54,720 Speaker 2: pr component to trades. 418 00:19:56,040 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 4: I mean this would be an example of hey, you 419 00:19:58,040 --> 00:20:00,840 Speaker 4: know what, it's good they hired a g that was 420 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:03,679 Speaker 4: here during that time so they understand. You know, we 421 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:05,800 Speaker 4: just talked about the Rockies. Don't want to be insular 422 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:08,640 Speaker 4: with things. Matt Arnold understands he brought it up when 423 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:11,760 Speaker 4: he came on the show. David Stearns understands it didn't 424 00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:14,119 Speaker 4: go well. Doesn't mean you can't make those trades. I 425 00:20:14,119 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 4: think teams like the Brewers, I think teams like the 426 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:20,440 Speaker 4: Pirates need to make those types of trades. They have 427 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:23,439 Speaker 4: to be able to handle it ahead of time so 428 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:27,040 Speaker 4: that the team doesn't just fall apart. And they were pissed. 429 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:29,600 Speaker 4: Obviously the team still has to win, but the players 430 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:30,119 Speaker 4: were pissed. 431 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 5: Yeah, I went in there right after. They weren't very happy, 432 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 5: went in there, did a Brewers game right after. They 433 00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:40,120 Speaker 5: weren't very happy about that tree. But listen, the certain 434 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 5: organizations have to do things to what they feel is 435 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:44,080 Speaker 5: good for the long term. And yeah, it hurt in 436 00:20:44,119 --> 00:20:46,240 Speaker 5: the short term, but what they got back, you know, 437 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 5: they hope will help them down the road to continue 438 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:50,360 Speaker 5: to stay in playoff relevance. So the Brewers have done 439 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:52,440 Speaker 5: a good job on it of it. So you can't 440 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:55,880 Speaker 5: really fault the front office of what they've done. 441 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:56,520 Speaker 3: Where they play as much as he saw them. 442 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 5: But as much as it sucks, as much as it 443 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:00,119 Speaker 5: sucks for the for the players on that team in 444 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 5: that year. 445 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:04,439 Speaker 2: AJ where the players like damn it, stupid front office. 446 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:05,640 Speaker 3: When you saw. 447 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:08,359 Speaker 5: Them, they were just sad because they couldn't believe that 448 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:09,960 Speaker 5: it happened right. They thought they were a race and 449 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:11,879 Speaker 5: trade dis closer. It doesn't happen