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Speaker 1: Hello everyone, and welcome to episode one thirty three of

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Speaker 1: the Hammer Territory podcast. I am your host s Brad Rowland,

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Speaker 1: coming to you on a Sunday afternoon here in early January.

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Speaker 1: I'm joined by Scott Coleman. Scott, for once, you're not

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Speaker 1: the headliner on this podcast. What's going on, hey, Brad?

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Speaker 2: That's right. We brought in the big guns for the

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Speaker 2: first weekend show of twenty twenty five. I guess actually

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Speaker 2: the second weekend show because you did a really nice

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Speaker 2: piece yesterday on our beloved Charlie Morton Leaving Town. Yes,

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Speaker 2: as is always the case, I am far from the

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Speaker 2: headliner on the show today, that's right, and.

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Speaker 1: We are joined by the AJC's owned Justin Tiscano. I

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Speaker 1: will be refereeing these arch rivals. Justin as an Arizona state.

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Speaker 1: Scott's an Arizona guy. Will let them deal with that.

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Speaker 1: I'll be off the podcast, but Justin. We appreciate you

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Speaker 1: doing this, man, How are you?

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Speaker 3: Yeah? Yeah, no, of course, man, appreciate your referendus. But Scott,

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Speaker 3: I think we settled this on the field actually in

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Speaker 3: late November, so I think we're all We're all good.

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Speaker 2: Now, right, We did. Yeah, this year, we don't talk

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Speaker 2: about football in Tucson for the last twelve months. It's

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Speaker 2: been a rough go. But hey, I it is in

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Speaker 2: my DNA to never root for Arizona State in anything football, basketball, soccer, swimming, whatever.

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Speaker 2: But you know, Arizona State a hell of a performance

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Speaker 2: against Texas last week, and I maybe wasn't quite ready

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Speaker 2: to cheer for you guys, but I was awfully close.

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Speaker 2: And Kenny Dillingham has you boys rolling really well.

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Speaker 3: Oh oh man, And I love you guys, but I

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Speaker 3: hope Brent Brennan doesn't get you there. I think he's

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Speaker 3: a great guy and a great coach, but I hope,

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Speaker 3: I hope for my own personal selfish state, he doesn't

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Speaker 3: get you there.

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Speaker 2: Yeah.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, of course we're off the rolls already, which is

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Speaker 1: what I appreciate about the two of you being on

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Speaker 1: the pocket.

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Speaker 2: Why am I even here?

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Speaker 1: I'm not even sure why I'm on this podcast. I

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Speaker 1: try to get Scott to just do one on one,

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Speaker 1: but no, again, we say, just justin we appreciate you

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Speaker 1: being here. If people just findanced for the first time,

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Speaker 1: we are Hammer Territory. We cover the Braves for Fouat territory.

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Speaker 1: Justin does a great, great, fantastic job at the AJAC

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Speaker 1: all year round when he's not cheering on Arizona State,

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Speaker 1: basically the only time he's not working on the Braves. Look, Justin,

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Speaker 1: let's just dive right in and we'll ask you the

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Speaker 1: question that everybody always asks us, and I'm sure ask

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Speaker 1: you what is going on with the Braves and the

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Speaker 1: quiet winter? Because the big story so far here on

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Speaker 1: January fifth is that the Braves have done basically nothing

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Speaker 1: this winter. We've done our absolute best to try to

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Speaker 1: quell the people screaming and being and panicking about what's

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Speaker 1: going on. But hey, you're on the ground, what's going

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Speaker 1: on with the Braves and not all the quiet right now?

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Speaker 1: And you're mine of what you've heard.

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Speaker 3: Oh my god. Yeah, you guys. You guys are doing

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Speaker 3: the Lord's work putting these out regularly this offseason. Man,

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Speaker 3: I haven't had to do one since dude, November. Just yeah,

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Speaker 3: I don't. I'll take the floor for you guys here

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Speaker 3: so you can give the vocal cords the rest. Yeah,

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Speaker 3: you know what, I think I've had the feeling ever

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Speaker 3: since the beginning of the off season that the Braves

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Speaker 3: didn't have a ton of money to spend. And the

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Speaker 3: way usually that works is, you know, Alex and Thoppolis

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Speaker 3: will get a number from from up on High, from

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Speaker 3: Liberty Medium, and that's what he's got, you know, to

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Speaker 3: work with. That's what he knows, you know, he can do.

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Speaker 3: And really from the second day of the off season,

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Speaker 3: Alex said that payroll will rise. And I talked to

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Speaker 3: him at the GM meetings and just some little background.

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Speaker 3: When you talk to Alex, you almost have to key

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Speaker 3: in on like the small things he says, because they're

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Speaker 3: not really going to say anything big, And that's just

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Speaker 3: like who he is, protecting the leverage, protecting kind of

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Speaker 3: whatever plans he has, keeping it close. Totally get it.

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Speaker 3: I would do the same thing. The one thing I

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Speaker 3: keed in on there, just in terms of how he

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Speaker 3: views this thing is payroll rising for him is opening

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Speaker 3: day to the next opening day. So if we are

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Speaker 3: to take that, that means the bravest cash pay would

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Speaker 3: just have to be above like two twenty three to

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Speaker 3: twenty four million, and that would theoretically be considered an increase.

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Speaker 3: Uh in their eyes. I still think they're gonna do

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Speaker 3: something big, right Like I think they're gonna do something big.

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Speaker 3: But I get it from the fans side of things, Like,

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Speaker 3: I mean, ever since I've covered this team, the guy

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Speaker 3: just hammers out all his work in late October, you know,

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Speaker 3: when there's a break in the postseason, and then throughout November,

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Speaker 3: uh and in the early December, so you kind of

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Speaker 3: know who's gonna be on the team. You know what

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Speaker 3: they're working with. And now is the point of year

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Speaker 3: where a lot of fans the point of year, I say,

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Speaker 3: the point of the offseason where a lot of fans

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Speaker 3: of all teams are getting a little skiddish and a

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Speaker 3: little scared because I guess, what is this Like January

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Speaker 3: fifth spring training starts and basically like five weeks I

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Speaker 3: think dead on. And I still think the Braves have

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Speaker 3: an impactful move or to up their sleeve, but I

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Speaker 3: have gotten a sense that there isn't as much to

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Speaker 3: spend as you know, fans might hope. And maybe I'm

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Speaker 3: wrong there. You know, obviously none that like comes from Alex.

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Speaker 3: You just read the tea leaves, you talk to people

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Speaker 3: like you know, and his number, whatever he got is

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Speaker 3: obviously not public or even private amongst anybody who might

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Speaker 3: not be in that that direct inner circle. But look

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Speaker 3: like I thought Max Freed was some you know, a

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Speaker 3: guy who probably deserved more consideration in terms of a

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Speaker 3: long term extension. And I don't mean more consideration as

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Speaker 3: in the front office did a poor job. I mean

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Speaker 3: more consideration as you wish the budget were higher to

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Speaker 3: get something like that done. I thought Taoscar Hernandez made

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Speaker 3: a ton of sense for Atlanta. If you can get

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Speaker 3: another pillar in the outfield. There an approven guy. Obviously

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Speaker 3: he got what he did, and I think probably always

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Speaker 3: wanted to go back to La I keep I kind

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Speaker 3: of I think your guys, Guy Stevens said it best

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Speaker 3: in a tweet. What I've been waiting for since the

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Speaker 3: middle of November is that blue box or to hear

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Speaker 3: about you know that text I get on Jordan Montgomery

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Speaker 3: and the Diamondbacks sending over some money. That one I

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Speaker 3: think makes a ton of sense. Like that one, I

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Speaker 3: would say is probably still most likely, just based on

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Speaker 3: the way things you know, might shake out, and if

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Speaker 3: the money's there, Guys, I think Tanner Scott makes a

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Speaker 3: lot of sense. I don't know that the Braves would

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Speaker 3: if that means the Braves are traded Glaciers. You might

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Speaker 3: think they could if they were to sign Tanner Scott,

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Speaker 3: but I think right now, with the profile of those

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Speaker 3: two guys, the way I looked at it, I kind

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Speaker 3: of go back to two years ago when ken Lee

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Speaker 3: Jansen was the closer, but Alex brings in Iggy, right

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Speaker 3: He's so then they're both from the bullpen. He takes

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Speaker 3: over the next year. Sort of a similar thing here,

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Speaker 3: Like I was really impressed with not only the season

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Speaker 3: he had, but I mean, you know, I've watched him

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Speaker 3: being in the NL East for a few years, watched

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Speaker 3: him and he was just awesome. And then he goes

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Speaker 3: out to the nl A West and goes like, you know,

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Speaker 3: he wins all seven battles against Otani in that DS

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Speaker 3: Like that right there, guys, I think I would try

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Speaker 3: to put a lot of stock into trying to get him.

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Speaker 3: If I'm the Braves, I don't know where the budget is,

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Speaker 3: how much money there is to spend, but if you're

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Speaker 3: kind of setting this thing up right, like, I think

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Speaker 3: you need a good starting pitcher, like not just any

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Speaker 3: starting pitcher, you need a good starting pitcher. At this point,

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Speaker 3: I can live with a platoon in left field, though

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Speaker 3: I would not you know, I would not want that

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Speaker 3: as a fan. I'm just saying, if the Braves aren't

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Speaker 3: gonna spend a ton of money, get a good starting

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Speaker 3: pitcher and then a great reliever, And I think Tanner

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Speaker 3: Scott works perfectly, especially when you consider in the East

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Speaker 3: you've got Harper, You've got Schwarber, now you have Sodo

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Speaker 3: that would force Lindor back to the right side. There's

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Speaker 3: all these reasons that I think Tanner Scott profiles so

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Speaker 3: well for this ball club if it's not going to

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Speaker 3: take too much to get him. But guys, I'm right

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Speaker 3: there with you. I'm wondering when something's going to happen,

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Speaker 3: and I you know, I almost hate it for fans.

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Speaker 2: So justin you just listed off, I guess three of

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Speaker 2: the four positions of potential need starting pitcher, reliever, outfielder,

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Speaker 2: and then shortstop, which I mean, I've kind of resigned

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Speaker 2: myself to another six hundred plate appearances of Orlando Orcia.

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Speaker 2: Pray for us all. You know, Let's say, let's say

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Speaker 2: that you are right and again you I mean, I

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Speaker 2: gotta say, man, you cover this team more than probably

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Speaker 2: anybody on the earth. You're always there on the road,

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Speaker 2: which is commendable. You're at the GM meetings, you're at

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Speaker 2: the winter meetings, you're in you know, a tip of

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Speaker 2: the cap to you for your coverage because I know

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Speaker 2: I learned something from your pieces every day whenever you're

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Speaker 2: on the ground. So with that said, let's say that

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Speaker 2: you're right that the Braves are strapped for money, whether

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Speaker 2: they should be or not. And that's probably a two

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Speaker 2: hour conversation we could have. But if in your estimation

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Speaker 2: of this team, if you only had the money to

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Speaker 2: add one true impact player at one of those positions,

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Speaker 2: whether it be in the outfield, whether it be in

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Speaker 2: the rotation, or whether it be at the back end

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Speaker 2: of the bullpen, especially without Joejammenez next year, is there

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Speaker 2: one position group that you, if you were made GM

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Speaker 2: of the Braves for a day, that you think is

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Speaker 2: maybe the most important or where you think the most

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Speaker 2: effective use whether it's a Tanner Scott in the bullpen,

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Speaker 2: a you trade for, I don't know, pick a well

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Speaker 2: paid starting pitcher, or you trade for a good left fielder.

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Speaker 3: Yeah. Man, that's a great question. A lot of times

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Speaker 3: when topics like this come up, I tend to think

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Speaker 3: about the biggest value to a team in terms of

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Speaker 3: how I can quantify that. You know, and we know

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Speaker 3: that a premium position, for example, is more valuable than

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Speaker 3: one that isn't. A starting pitcher in this case would

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Speaker 3: be uber valuable, and you'd be basically winning the starting

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Speaker 3: pitcher against the left fielder against the shortstop.

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Speaker 2: Right.

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Speaker 3: But I think I'm gonna go reliever, and I'll tell

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Speaker 3: you why because so watching this team down the stretch

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Speaker 3: last year, horrific bullpen for most of the season, but

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Speaker 3: down the stretch after the mentor injury, when guys start

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Speaker 3: to get a little bit tired. Rice Elli Glaciers aside,

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Speaker 3: I thought there were some cracks in that bullpen, and

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Speaker 3: I thought there were some things there that that you know,

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Speaker 3: it really especially toward that final week or two of

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Speaker 3: the season, you could start to see guys getting tired.

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Speaker 3: I think a Tanner Scott makes all the sense in

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Speaker 3: the world if you're going to keep Iglaciers, like, if

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Speaker 3: you can keep both of them, That's where I go

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Speaker 3: because I don't want to know a world without a

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Speaker 3: Joe Jimenez type setup man. Right in that and I'm

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Speaker 3: where I'm coming from in that is I'm weighing out

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Speaker 3: two things. One, I'm weighing out do I think Jared

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Speaker 3: Kalnick has shown me enough to be an everyday baseball player? No?

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Speaker 3: Like the answer is no, And I you know I

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Speaker 3: love Kalnick. I respect him tremendously. I think the best

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Speaker 3: is still yet ahead of him. I'm just saying, on

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Speaker 3: terms of merit from last season. If I'm in the

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Speaker 3: front office, I don't think he's shown enough where I want.

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Speaker 3: That is my worst case scenario. But if it is

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Speaker 3: my worst case scenario and he bats eighth or he

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Speaker 3: bats ninth, fine, I think I have enough offense. If

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Speaker 3: my offense is healthy unlike it was last year. Shortstop,

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Speaker 3: I probably do the same thing. I know. I can

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Speaker 3: see I can see Scott just die inside and I'm sorry,

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Speaker 3: but I think I do the same thing, just because

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Speaker 3: when you have long term extensions all around the field.

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Speaker 3: This was a thing with the Braves, and it was

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Speaker 3: a conversation when you know they were deciding how to

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Speaker 3: move on from Dansby and how to replace him. A

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Speaker 3: conversation was when you have have so many pieces around

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Speaker 3: the diamond that are extended long term, and you have

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Speaker 3: higher salaries for those guys, You've got to build in

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Speaker 3: some cost control. Again, we could have the two hour

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Speaker 3: argument that you shouldn't have to do that, but we're

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Speaker 3: We'll get to that at some point. But I think

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Speaker 3: Arcia for two three million, which you're gonna pay him,

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Speaker 3: I almost bet on just putting him at the bottom

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Speaker 3: of line up, Battom ninth whatever. I'm hoping that with Rightley,

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Speaker 3: and with Olson, and with Harris and with eventually Ronald

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Speaker 3: Lacuna Junior. I'm hoping you have enough offense in those

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Speaker 3: other guys, and I'm hoping Sean Murphy has a better year,

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Speaker 3: especially playing more regularly, that you're gonna be able to afford,

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Speaker 3: you know, some lapses at the bottom of that lineup.

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Speaker 3: I don't know that I want to see a bullpen

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Speaker 3: that doesn't have the dudes. And what I mean there's

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Speaker 3: I think Daves Bell Hernandez is great. I think Paris

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Speaker 3: Johnson's great. But we saw at the end of twenty

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Speaker 3: twenty four what happened to Pierce Johnson. We saw what

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Speaker 3: happened to other guys after the mentor injury. They just

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Speaker 3: fit didn't have much how should I say it? You know,

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Speaker 3: variability in terms of the way he could handle things.

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Speaker 3: You know, at that point, I want a Tanner Scott

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Speaker 3: because I still think this team has enough offense to

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Speaker 3: give it a lot of leads, and that bullpen is

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Speaker 3: kind of an equalizer. What I do is, I think

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Speaker 3: I waited out and if I really want to upgrade

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Speaker 3: across the diamond or you know, in the outfield, I

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Speaker 3: do it at the trade deadline. Again, I leave some

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Speaker 3: money for that, which has been a conscious decision that

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Speaker 3: I think the Braves have tried to do in years

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Speaker 3: past and talked about, is leaving enough money for the

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Speaker 3: deadline when they've had their conversations in the offseason. And

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Speaker 3: so that's what I do. That's a very long winded

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Speaker 3: way of saying, I go Tanner Scott because I just

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Speaker 3: I mean watching him and just whatn't equalize what that

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Speaker 3: can be and really a separatory having another reliever like that, like,

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Speaker 3: I think that is most valuable. And in addition to

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Speaker 3: the fact that I guess I broke down the other couple,

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Speaker 3: but the starting rotation, I think you can get by

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Speaker 3: with either a lesser addition or just filling from within.

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Speaker 3: I think you can get by. I know that fifth

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Speaker 3: you know, six state whatever, however, option many options you

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Speaker 3: want to say. I know that back end wouldn't be

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Speaker 3: pretty all the time, but I think there's enough talent

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Speaker 3: there where. I steel good enough about Strider Stale, you know,

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Speaker 3: Lopez Schwellenbach. Then again, you're not gonna have Stride at

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Speaker 3: the beginning of the season, and then again you're not

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Speaker 3: gonna have a Cooney at the beginning of the season.

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Speaker 3: So I guess that has to change it. But you're

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Speaker 3: really looking at maybe I think they're truly planning for

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Speaker 3: the possibility that Jmenez could be out all year, like

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Speaker 3: that is that is a distinct possibility, like he's going

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Speaker 3: to be out most of the year at the very least.

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Speaker 3: I think you need another guy back there.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it's almost been and it's been covered plenty,

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Speaker 1: but I don't think it's always clicked in the fing

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Speaker 1: yet that him and is not going to be there

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Speaker 1: for a long time, and he's a huge piece of

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Speaker 1: that bullpen. There's also a joke to be made that

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Speaker 1: we've made before about Alex is not afraid to pay

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Speaker 1: or invest in a reliever. He is certainly willing and

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Speaker 1: eager to spend resources in the bullpen, even if it's

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Speaker 1: just like to embolden the strength, and there's this conversation

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Speaker 1: we can have even about you know, is it better

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Speaker 1: to make your strength stronger or to patch a hole

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Speaker 1: somewhere else, and that there's a kind of philosophical thing there.

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Speaker 1: I was going to ask you this sho just I

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Speaker 1: guess I'll just do it now about covering this front office,

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Speaker 1: because you know, we should use your insight on this,

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Speaker 1: because you know you referenced it earlier about the braves

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Speaker 1: usually work quickly early in the off seasons. They also

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Speaker 1: usually just announce things very rare. We do things get

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Speaker 1: a lot of build up with this front office. It's

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Speaker 1: not like the source wars for days on end like

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Speaker 1: this with some other teams. It just kind of like

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Speaker 1: pops up, whether it's broken by somebody else or by

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Speaker 1: the team or whatever. Fans always more curious about this.

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Speaker 1: I wanted to ask you, like, how is it to

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Speaker 1: deal with the office that just like very very actively

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Speaker 1: does not want to leaked to you or anybody else,

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Speaker 1: like they want to be really buttoned up. How does

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Speaker 1: that change things? And also like what do you just

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Speaker 1: make of that in general? Because as a fan, obviously

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Speaker 1: we joke about it all the time. It's bad for us,

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Speaker 1: it's bad for content creation. But also if I'm just

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Speaker 1: a fan, like I think I actually kind of like that.

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Speaker 1: That's my world personal view, Like, I think I kind

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Speaker 1: of appreciate it. It's the only we had a little

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Speaker 1: bit more to talk about. But as someone that's doing

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Speaker 1: the job full time like you are, and also just

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Speaker 1: within the framework of baseball, like what do you make

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Speaker 1: of the way that the braves have operated and how

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Speaker 1: it might kind of make them. I don't think Alex

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Speaker 1: cares about this, but like it also is it the

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Speaker 1: greatest for pr Sometimes when they just kind of they

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Speaker 1: go silent for six weeks and it's like, all right,

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Speaker 1: fan basically just kind of run wild with whatever they

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Speaker 1: want to say.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I think it's probably like what I what I

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Speaker 3: assume it would be, like covering the White House or

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Speaker 3: like the Cold War or World War two or something

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Speaker 3: like that. Like it's it's pretty impenetrable in terms of

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Speaker 3: of inform I think I think the what I appreciate

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Speaker 3: about Alex is his transparency on how he handles things

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Speaker 3: and that you know, if you're a beat guy and

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Speaker 3: you're actually looking to understand something. He's very accessible and

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Speaker 3: he's not going to hide in that way. That's what

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Speaker 3: I really appreciate about him is that, you know what,

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Speaker 3: One he's honest about as tough as it makes our jobs, right, Like, One,

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Speaker 3: he's honest about how he goes about things and not

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Speaker 3: leaking things. Two he doesn't go out and give stuff

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Speaker 3: to national guys like I think it is a Beat guy. Like.

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Speaker 3: That's the important thing I think fans should understand is

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Speaker 3: it would be one thing if this guy, we're like, Okay,

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Speaker 3: I'm gonna shut out the Beat, but every time you know,

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Speaker 3: I have something, I'm gonna give it to I don't know,

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Speaker 3: one of the national guys.

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Speaker 2: Or Rosal.

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Speaker 3: Something like that. Yeah, but he doesn't. He doesn't do that,

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Speaker 3: So you can take him seriously and at his word

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Speaker 3: and it's like, okay, whatever. That's just how he operates,

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Speaker 3: right because I get it. It's uh, it stinks for

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Speaker 3: you guys. It stinks for us because anytime anybody has something,

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Speaker 3: it's almost always coming from like the other team, which

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Speaker 3: like you know, like I wouldn't know a player development

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Speaker 3: person on the Rockies or something like that, you know,

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Speaker 3: unless I cross paths with them before. But it's so

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Speaker 3: so a lot of times it's you know, trying to

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Speaker 3: get things in very unique ways. But even then it

359
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Speaker 3: could be tough because you don't want to you don't

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Speaker 3: want to burn your sources because if if people know

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Speaker 3: that things aren't gonna come from the president of Baseball

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Speaker 3: Operations and general manager, then there's kind of a process

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Speaker 3: elimination that can be done for sometimes for how you

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Speaker 3: you get things. And so Brad, I know you're very

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Speaker 3: aware of of that game and then trying to keep

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Speaker 3: those people, uh, you know, keep them protected. So that's just, uh,

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Speaker 3: it is. It's interesting. I like it in a way

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Speaker 3: because it means you're not always rumors because there's really

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Speaker 3: no rumors to be had with this team. Like I

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Speaker 3: truly think they check in on everybody, like he does

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Speaker 3: his job right, Like that's Alex's job is to find

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Speaker 3: you know, think you know what what every guy's looking

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Speaker 3: for and what you know to to kind of keep

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Speaker 3: his ear to the ground in that way. But you're

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Speaker 3: not having again, like you said to do like the

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Speaker 3: source wars, you're not having to go chase down all

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Speaker 3: these non updates throughout the off season. But then again,

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Speaker 3: it certainly would be easier for content sake, because my

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Speaker 3: editor came to me tomorrow and said, what are you

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Speaker 3: gonna write? Like, I don't know if I can write

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Speaker 3: about the rotation for the fifth time this offseason, Like

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Speaker 3: I don't know if that, you know, I'd have to

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Speaker 3: find a unique spin on that one. So it's it's fun.

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Speaker 2: I think.

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Speaker 3: Look, you know, as a beat guy, you're probably not

386
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Speaker 3: gonna get screwed over. You know. It's like you're not

387
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Speaker 3: really gonna get beat locally unless somebody is getting something

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Speaker 3: from another source. And that's that's what I try to do. Uh,

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Speaker 3: And then too at least sees trans parent about like, hey,

390
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Speaker 3: you know this is this is the way. You know,

391
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Speaker 3: I just don't like it. And I know he said

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Speaker 3: that publicly, like he just doesn't like to to have

393
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Speaker 3: a bunch of rumors out there because then people can

394
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Speaker 3: even spend things more than they could if there's nothing.

395
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Speaker 3: So I do get why he does it, But my

396
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Speaker 3: whole psa like in terms of like this is my shoot,

397
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Speaker 3: I've been to college for oh god, almost six years,

398
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Speaker 3: Like this is more than six years. That seems like

399
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Speaker 3: a long time. But uh, sports should be fun. Like

400
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Speaker 3: I understand this is a multi billion dollar business, but

401
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Speaker 3: I've never understood like the just the secrecy, like and

402
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Speaker 3: I'm not talking about Alex in general. I'm just talking

403
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Speaker 3: about in general, like I've never understood like like who cares.

404
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Speaker 3: Like I remember there was a day You'll talk to

405
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Speaker 3: the baseball Riders the winter meetings, this twenty years ago,

406
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Speaker 3: and they'd say it was just like way better you

407
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Speaker 3: just like pull up to the hotel bar, you're talking

408
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Speaker 3: to everybody. You know things get here, you know out

409
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Speaker 3: here and there people are willing to tell you some stuff.

410
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Speaker 3: Now it almost feels like everything is just such a

411
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Speaker 3: state secret, which I think, you know, there's there's certain

412
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Speaker 3: ways to get things, and then the question would be

413
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Speaker 3: is it reportable? But I almost sometimes almost laugh because

414
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Speaker 3: I'm like, this is baseball, Like this is like life

415
00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:21,280
Speaker 3: or death. Like nobody's dying here if like the Brads

416
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Speaker 3: don't sign Tanner Scott or don't trade for Jordan Montgomery

417
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Speaker 3: or at least I hope nobody's dying. But yeah, it's

418
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Speaker 3: it's an interesting experience because I think when you've got

419
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Speaker 3: a front office that's pretty hell bent on keeping everything

420
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Speaker 3: in I truly think you can do that as long

421
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Speaker 3: as everybody's committed to not leaking things. And for the

422
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Speaker 3: most part, I think that's how it's been. So like

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Speaker 3: kudos to Alex, like he's institute of that, and I

424
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Speaker 3: think it helps him, like it it eliminates the distractions

425
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Speaker 3: and like trying to get things done, and like, you know,

426
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Speaker 3: it eliminates the distractions in terms of like you know,

427
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Speaker 3: players seeing something on social media or you know, and

428
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Speaker 3: so I think I think players do see things on

429
00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:06,240
Speaker 3: social media from us before I know that for a fact,

430
00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:08,560
Speaker 3: sometimes from us before you know they hear it in

431
00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:11,000
Speaker 3: the house. But I think a lot of times it

432
00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:15,919
Speaker 3: eliminates the distraction of you know, of like the Aaron

433
00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:17,919
Speaker 3: Nola thing last year where it was like, yeah, the

434
00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:21,640
Speaker 3: Braves went super hard after Aaron Nola, but they did

435
00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:24,680
Speaker 3: not pay as much as as was reporter. They did

436
00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:26,880
Speaker 3: not offer I should say, as much as was reported.

437
00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:29,919
Speaker 3: And I think if you kind of keep it in

438
00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:32,280
Speaker 3: like one straight line, it probably makes it easier if

439
00:22:32,280 --> 00:22:34,600
Speaker 3: you're like a baseball decision maker. So I get that,

440
00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:38,480
Speaker 3: but sometimes I wish people would just be like, yeah,

441
00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:40,280
Speaker 3: you know what, like we offered that guy, or yeah,

442
00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:42,639
Speaker 3: we offered our top five prospects for that guy and

443
00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:45,520
Speaker 3: couldn't get it. Like, yeah, we really wanted Mike Trout,

444
00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:47,959
Speaker 3: but we offered, like you know, they wouldn't take our

445
00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:50,480
Speaker 3: top ten prospects. I don't know, you know, you wish

446
00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:53,640
Speaker 3: you hear some of that stuff, but it is, uh, yeah,

447
00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:55,960
Speaker 3: it's it's kind of a weird experience. And like I said,

448
00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:59,439
Speaker 3: what I would I would think covering you know, the

449
00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:03,679
Speaker 3: White House or something, you know, clandestine operation like that

450
00:23:03,720 --> 00:23:04,200
Speaker 3: would be.

451
00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:08,840
Speaker 2: So justin I wanted to get your take because you're

452
00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:11,840
Speaker 2: around the team closely and in the clubhouse and all that.

453
00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:14,760
Speaker 2: And obviously in the last couple of weeks now Max

454
00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:18,600
Speaker 2: Freed left to go to the Yankees. Not a shocker

455
00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:21,560
Speaker 2: to anyone. Correct me if I'm wrong, But you had

456
00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:24,240
Speaker 2: some reporting that maybe a year or two ago, the

457
00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:27,920
Speaker 2: Braves did try to work on some contract extension talks

458
00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:31,280
Speaker 2: with Max. Is that right? Am I remembering that? Right? Yeah?

459
00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:35,520
Speaker 3: So last off season I had heard that I was

460
00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:37,879
Speaker 3: trying to do I think it was it was winter meetings.

461
00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:41,880
Speaker 3: I was trying to do something onlike I remember the situation.

462
00:23:42,520 --> 00:23:44,959
Speaker 3: Oh you know what, So last off season we were

463
00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:47,200
Speaker 3: cut at the same place, right, Like we're all talking about, Okay,

464
00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:49,239
Speaker 3: the Braves need like another starting pitcher, like it's got

465
00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:51,159
Speaker 3: to be a good starting pitcher, Like it can't just

466
00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:54,040
Speaker 3: be any starting pitcher. And I was riding on how

467
00:23:55,359 --> 00:23:59,199
Speaker 3: they That was even more pressing considering that, like, you know,

468
00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:03,320
Speaker 3: like Freed last year was probably almost certainly going to

469
00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:06,679
Speaker 3: be twenty twenty four, and so I had heard that

470
00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:12,000
Speaker 3: the at the you know, the before the twenty twenty

471
00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:16,720
Speaker 3: three season was the first time I think that's what

472
00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:18,680
Speaker 3: it was. I'm trying to get my dates pecked up. Yeah,

473
00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:21,600
Speaker 3: before the twenty twenty three season was the last time

474
00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:25,080
Speaker 3: that that, you know, the Braves and then Freed and

475
00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:29,960
Speaker 3: his representatives from CIA, you know, had discussed the contract

476
00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:35,439
Speaker 3: extension and you know, they they exchanged numbers, you know,

477
00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,560
Speaker 3: and they went back and forth, but they kind of fizzled.

478
00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:42,240
Speaker 3: And that kind of told me. I was like, like,

479
00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:49,480
Speaker 3: not great, especially because then you know, in twenty twenty

480
00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:52,800
Speaker 3: three Freed had the forearm, right, so he like makes

481
00:24:53,119 --> 00:24:56,000
Speaker 3: what I think it was fourteen regular seasons starts, I believe,

482
00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:00,399
Speaker 3: and then like at that point you kind of think, like,

483
00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:06,359
Speaker 3: you know, why would the Braves go you know, what

484
00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:09,479
Speaker 3: would if they weren't willing to you know, if if

485
00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:12,280
Speaker 3: those sides didn't match up back then, like why would

486
00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:15,280
Speaker 3: they now? Right? And as guys get close to free agency, obviously,

487
00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:17,679
Speaker 3: as you guys know and a lot of diehards know,

488
00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:21,960
Speaker 3: they become more expensive than most cases. So yeah, and

489
00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:27,280
Speaker 3: then I so I checked in with somebody this this

490
00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:29,760
Speaker 3: time around after he signed with the Yankees, because I

491
00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:32,280
Speaker 3: figured I was like, well, maybe they you know, maybe

492
00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:34,720
Speaker 3: they did discuss it more. And I heard that that

493
00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:37,639
Speaker 3: was still the last time they discussed it. So my

494
00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:41,600
Speaker 3: inkling at the time about a year ago was was correct. Uh,

495
00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:44,000
Speaker 3: but just a bummer, Like just a bummer. I think,

496
00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:45,840
Speaker 3: like you can see both sides of it, Like one

497
00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:49,480
Speaker 3: I would have liked, you know, you're covering the teams,

498
00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:51,680
Speaker 3: you want the you know, it's it's in I'm objective,

499
00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:53,480
Speaker 3: but it's in my best interest for the team to

500
00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:56,160
Speaker 3: be good because that makes it fun and not terrible.

501
00:25:56,520 --> 00:26:00,040
Speaker 3: But I think, like you would like to see the

502
00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:03,920
Speaker 3: braves have you know, I don't want to say, try

503
00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:06,680
Speaker 3: it harder, but ben more able to resign a guy

504
00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:11,080
Speaker 3: like that. But on the other hand, I could totally see, like,

505
00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:14,199
Speaker 3: like I never foresaw two hundred and eighteen million, Like

506
00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:16,120
Speaker 3: that's crazy, And I'm not saying that, Like, I don't

507
00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:18,520
Speaker 3: mean that in any disrespect to Max, who is a

508
00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:23,560
Speaker 3: terrific competitor, got five terrific pitches. Never gives guys the

509
00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:25,840
Speaker 3: same at bat twice in a game, like the dude's

510
00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:28,120
Speaker 3: phenomenal and he's going to do great in New York.

511
00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:31,120
Speaker 3: He just he deserves it. But I can see where

512
00:26:31,119 --> 00:26:33,480
Speaker 3: the Braves weren't willing to go even near there, like

513
00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:35,600
Speaker 3: you kidding me, Like I would use And if you

514
00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:38,840
Speaker 3: had that money to spend, why not spend it, you know,

515
00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:40,840
Speaker 3: in a couple of different places, if you're willing to

516
00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:43,639
Speaker 3: go that high. So it makes sense like that business side.

517
00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:47,120
Speaker 3: But yeah, I had heard that. So a few weeks back,

518
00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:50,440
Speaker 3: I heard whenever the winter meetings, whenever he signed, he

519
00:26:50,480 --> 00:26:53,479
Speaker 3: in December or something about a month ago, that that

520
00:26:53,560 --> 00:26:55,480
Speaker 3: was still the last time they talked was before the

521
00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:57,879
Speaker 3: twenty three season, which kind of tells you. I think

522
00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:00,480
Speaker 3: that the Braves got to their point of comfort same

523
00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:02,800
Speaker 3: way they did with danzby Swanson, and then it was

524
00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:06,080
Speaker 3: like off the table, right like, and I think that's

525
00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:10,120
Speaker 3: kind of what they do They're very rigid in that way,

526
00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:12,960
Speaker 3: and to a degree you have to be when you operate,

527
00:27:13,320 --> 00:27:16,600
Speaker 3: you know, as as they do. And it's I'm not

528
00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:18,720
Speaker 3: saying it's bad business at all, Like I totally see

529
00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:20,480
Speaker 3: why they do it. I can see both sides of

530
00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:23,560
Speaker 3: the equation. If you're a fan, you're hurt, But if

531
00:27:23,560 --> 00:27:25,960
Speaker 3: you're the Braves, like, no way you're paying that guy

532
00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:32,160
Speaker 3: that much. But certainly a you know, weird to see

533
00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:35,320
Speaker 3: another main piece of the core and a guy from

534
00:27:35,359 --> 00:27:37,520
Speaker 3: that twenty one team just like gone, you know.

535
00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:41,320
Speaker 2: And I mean another kind of like I mean legendary

536
00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:44,080
Speaker 2: piece of that twenty one team was Charlie Morton, who

537
00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:48,840
Speaker 2: signed twenty four hours ago as of recording this. You know,

538
00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:51,639
Speaker 2: I think everybody who covers the team day in and

539
00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:54,960
Speaker 2: day out seemingly has a Charlie Morton story or two

540
00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:58,600
Speaker 2: or three or four. You ask any of the players,

541
00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:00,800
Speaker 2: you know who in this organization means a lot to you,

542
00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:03,760
Speaker 2: and I feel like the answer is always Charlie Morton,

543
00:28:04,400 --> 00:28:07,520
Speaker 2: and even Travis Darnaut too, who of course just left,

544
00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:10,800
Speaker 2: you know, justin you talked to Charlie a lot. Any

545
00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:12,840
Speaker 2: I mean, what what kind of impact is it going

546
00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:15,800
Speaker 2: to have because sure, Charlie maybe was not an ace

547
00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:18,840
Speaker 2: at age forty anymore, but behind the scenes, man, it

548
00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:21,160
Speaker 2: seems like he was just the guy for a whole

549
00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:21,800
Speaker 2: lot of things.

550
00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:27,679
Speaker 3: Totally. Yeah. And one thing I think, I think he

551
00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:31,840
Speaker 3: gets a bad rap, like on social media, especially because like, dude,

552
00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:34,280
Speaker 3: I get it, like if you're giving up five runs

553
00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:36,560
Speaker 3: or something like and I'm I'm a fan watching the

554
00:28:36,560 --> 00:28:39,000
Speaker 3: baseball game, but he like roll my eyes, like come on, man,

555
00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:41,840
Speaker 3: But I think it's tough to put up a four

556
00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:44,160
Speaker 3: era at age forty. And I think we see a

557
00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:46,840
Speaker 3: lot of these teams who have guys they wish would

558
00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:49,120
Speaker 3: put up a three eight or a four or even

559
00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:52,160
Speaker 3: a four to two can't do it. So that consistency

560
00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:57,080
Speaker 3: here provided was was big. But you know what, like

561
00:28:57,320 --> 00:29:03,040
Speaker 3: I I think the impact behind the scenes is that

562
00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:07,400
Speaker 3: the clubhouse loses not only a leader, you know, because

563
00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:09,680
Speaker 3: Charlie's not that raw rock guy. He's just not, but

564
00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:14,000
Speaker 3: like like a father figure. And that's big. Like when

565
00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:15,920
Speaker 3: you had a guy like Spencer Schwellenbach, when you had

566
00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:19,080
Speaker 3: a guy like Spencer Strider two years ago as we're

567
00:29:19,080 --> 00:29:22,160
Speaker 3: talking now, when you had a guy like even Max Breed,

568
00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:24,440
Speaker 3: would talk to Charlie Morton and they would go back

569
00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:28,760
Speaker 3: and forth, and Charlie was sort of that steadying hand.

570
00:29:29,280 --> 00:29:33,520
Speaker 3: Charlie was sort of the the you're never as bad

571
00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:36,000
Speaker 3: as you think you are guy when like, you know,

572
00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:38,960
Speaker 3: when guys are struggling, because I mean, and he lived

573
00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:40,920
Speaker 3: it right, like he was a guy who thought he

574
00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:43,600
Speaker 3: was going to be done after twenty fifteen, Like he

575
00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:45,840
Speaker 3: thought he was done and thought he'd never like play again,

576
00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:48,640
Speaker 3: never pick up a ball again. And ever since then,

577
00:29:48,920 --> 00:29:52,760
Speaker 3: every single year he's had you know, that inkling like, oh,

578
00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:55,240
Speaker 3: you know, should I retire? Is it over? You know? Okay?

579
00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:57,280
Speaker 3: Then a team makes a decision for him and he

580
00:29:57,360 --> 00:30:01,960
Speaker 3: keeps going. I think it's huge because you lose more

581
00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:05,560
Speaker 3: of that personality. Like every pitching staff needs one of

582
00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:07,719
Speaker 3: those guys. Now it's gonna be sale like sales as

583
00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:12,760
Speaker 3: much as much as anybody in baseball is a vocal

584
00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:15,760
Speaker 3: and an by example leader, uh you know, by and

585
00:30:16,080 --> 00:30:19,080
Speaker 3: by all accounts you know from guys in the clubhouse. Ah.

586
00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:23,320
Speaker 3: But Morton was kind of that just that really like

587
00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:27,840
Speaker 3: gentle fatherly figure for guys who were figuring it out.

588
00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:31,960
Speaker 3: He was always there, really funny, like I don't think

589
00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:34,920
Speaker 3: people know that, but like he's like super funny, like

590
00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:37,560
Speaker 3: he like he just and the way he thinks about

591
00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:42,360
Speaker 3: things is very I always really appreciated that, and he's

592
00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:44,560
Speaker 3: very vulnerable, and I think it's like cool to see

593
00:30:44,560 --> 00:30:47,560
Speaker 3: a guy who's done everything he's wanted to do in

594
00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:50,840
Speaker 3: baseball and and can now reflect on it. I think

595
00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:55,440
Speaker 3: my favorite. I have so many times like stories of

596
00:30:55,600 --> 00:30:58,600
Speaker 3: going to Charlie for what I thought was going to

597
00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:01,280
Speaker 3: be like a quote for like a story. I had

598
00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:03,520
Speaker 3: to ask him and was standing there for thirty minutes

599
00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:06,480
Speaker 3: and then had like too much to transcribe and it

600
00:31:06,840 --> 00:31:10,880
Speaker 3: made my job tougher. For all the best reasons, he

601
00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:15,560
Speaker 3: was just awesome. And I think like this last year,

602
00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:18,120
Speaker 3: the last really the last two years, the last last

603
00:31:18,120 --> 00:31:21,840
Speaker 3: September and then well two Septembers ago twenty three and

604
00:31:21,880 --> 00:31:25,880
Speaker 3: then this past year almost felt like the duality of

605
00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:30,080
Speaker 3: man's passions and intentions in a way that that sounds

606
00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:33,080
Speaker 3: way more elegant than than I mean. I mean, on

607
00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:35,320
Speaker 3: one hand, you had the guy who felt and I

608
00:31:35,360 --> 00:31:37,000
Speaker 3: talked to him about this a bunch like you had

609
00:31:37,040 --> 00:31:39,160
Speaker 3: the guy who felt that if he was still hitting

610
00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:42,440
Speaker 3: ninety six on the gun and spinning like three thousand

611
00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:46,560
Speaker 3: RPMs in the curveball like he could pitch, like he

612
00:31:46,640 --> 00:31:48,440
Speaker 3: had to pitch the next year, like it wasn't time

613
00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:51,280
Speaker 3: to give it up. And on the other hand, you

614
00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:55,040
Speaker 3: had the father who knew that every second he was

615
00:31:55,080 --> 00:31:56,840
Speaker 3: talking to me, he would say this, He's like, I know,

616
00:31:56,920 --> 00:31:59,959
Speaker 3: every second that I'm in this clubhouse, I'm away from

617
00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:01,760
Speaker 3: my wife and I'm away from my kids, and I'm

618
00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:06,080
Speaker 3: missing those important steps being a dad. And you almost

619
00:32:06,080 --> 00:32:08,160
Speaker 3: could feel as much as you can, like I don't

620
00:32:08,200 --> 00:32:10,640
Speaker 3: know that Charlie wears emotions on his sleeve. That's not

621
00:32:10,680 --> 00:32:14,440
Speaker 3: the right term. You could just feel the palpable poll

622
00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:16,400
Speaker 3: between each of those things. And I thought that was

623
00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:19,640
Speaker 3: really interesting of somebody who was like so vulnerable in

624
00:32:19,680 --> 00:32:21,920
Speaker 3: that way of like willing to be like, yeah, like

625
00:32:22,520 --> 00:32:25,080
Speaker 3: you know, like I'm making this money and I'm pitching,

626
00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:26,840
Speaker 3: and I'm doing what I love and I'm a competitor,

627
00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:31,320
Speaker 3: but I'm also a dad, And I think it just

628
00:32:31,360 --> 00:32:34,160
Speaker 3: goes to show how competitive these guys are that like, yeah,

629
00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:37,240
Speaker 3: like if you're like him and baseball, the game didn't

630
00:32:37,280 --> 00:32:39,480
Speaker 3: force you out. The game's not telling you you have

631
00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:42,600
Speaker 3: to retire right now that like, yeah, of course you're

632
00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:44,760
Speaker 3: going to keep pitching it. I didn't think he would

633
00:32:44,760 --> 00:32:46,600
Speaker 3: get fifteen million. Do I think it'd be worth it

634
00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:48,640
Speaker 3: for the Orioles? Sure? Yeah, Like I think in a

635
00:32:48,640 --> 00:32:51,880
Speaker 3: couple of different ways, that's very good for them. The

636
00:32:51,960 --> 00:32:54,760
Speaker 3: Braves weren't going to give him that, and you know,

637
00:32:55,320 --> 00:32:58,280
Speaker 3: and so I'll miss Charlie, But I think I think

638
00:32:58,360 --> 00:33:02,280
Speaker 3: those are I'm trying to think of. You know, he's

639
00:33:02,720 --> 00:33:05,360
Speaker 3: he's kind, you know, he's got a good heart. Like

640
00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:09,880
Speaker 3: teammates just absolutely adore him, Like you're totally right, Scott,

641
00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:12,400
Speaker 3: like they The answer you always get is you know

642
00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:14,800
Speaker 3: about how guys love Charlie and how you know he

643
00:33:15,160 --> 00:33:19,080
Speaker 3: you know, he's this to them, He's that to them.

644
00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:21,880
Speaker 3: I think the cool thing about him is he's just

645
00:33:21,920 --> 00:33:25,960
Speaker 3: such a regular dude. I don't usually share stories like this,

646
00:33:26,080 --> 00:33:29,000
Speaker 3: but I will in his case because he's he's awesome.

647
00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:32,400
Speaker 3: But like I'm flying back to you know, it was

648
00:33:32,440 --> 00:33:35,000
Speaker 3: weird in San Diego and if I'm flying back, you know,

649
00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:38,440
Speaker 3: during the all Star break and I'm like, you know,

650
00:33:38,560 --> 00:33:41,400
Speaker 3: I'm cooks that day, Like I stayed up till however long.

651
00:33:41,840 --> 00:33:44,240
Speaker 3: Last night was the draft night or whatever. So I'm

652
00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:47,240
Speaker 3: just I'm just exhausted. I just I step into my

653
00:33:47,280 --> 00:33:50,800
Speaker 3: window seat and by fall asleep. I wake up during

654
00:33:50,920 --> 00:33:53,720
Speaker 3: still boarding. There's a guy sitting next to me with

655
00:33:53,760 --> 00:33:56,840
Speaker 3: a kid, and you know, his wife is in front

656
00:33:56,840 --> 00:34:00,440
Speaker 3: of him, you know, another kid. Whatever. It's Charlie, and

657
00:34:00,480 --> 00:34:02,920
Speaker 3: you could not I mean, he might have had maybe

658
00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:07,040
Speaker 3: three people recognize him, like, because he's such a regular dude, like,

659
00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:08,920
Speaker 3: and he was nice to people like, hey, like you do,

660
00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:10,919
Speaker 3: oh my god, thank you? You know, wow, that's really

661
00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:12,840
Speaker 3: nice you to say thank you. Okay, yeah, thanks for

662
00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:14,520
Speaker 3: you know, people would say, well, we love watching the

663
00:34:14,560 --> 00:34:17,680
Speaker 3: pitch and he's just such a regular guy. And I

664
00:34:17,719 --> 00:34:20,640
Speaker 3: think that's a special thing about him. Is there are

665
00:34:20,719 --> 00:34:24,000
Speaker 3: certain guys in this game that make you feel like

666
00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:26,839
Speaker 3: they're they're still you know, there's a human in there.

667
00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:28,560
Speaker 3: And I know there's a human in all of them, obviously,

668
00:34:28,640 --> 00:34:31,880
Speaker 3: but they still they still seem like these just down

669
00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:36,200
Speaker 3: home dudes. And Charlie was one of them. And I just, man,

670
00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:39,480
Speaker 3: just the you know, I'll miss asking that first question

671
00:34:39,560 --> 00:34:42,120
Speaker 3: and getting like eight minutes and more than I ever

672
00:34:42,239 --> 00:34:46,040
Speaker 3: you know, I had thought, but the just the level

673
00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:48,080
Speaker 3: of you know, just like he would teach you things,

674
00:34:48,080 --> 00:34:50,919
Speaker 3: and he would, you know, he would. If you weren't

675
00:34:50,920 --> 00:34:52,839
Speaker 3: getting it, you could ask him and he'd be like, no,

676
00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:54,920
Speaker 3: no it's this, or no, no, no this, I mean this,

677
00:34:55,239 --> 00:34:58,200
Speaker 3: Like you'd ask him something and he'd go, he'd like

678
00:34:58,239 --> 00:35:02,160
Speaker 3: look at his stare out into the distance, go yeah,

679
00:35:02,320 --> 00:35:06,040
Speaker 3: you know, it's really weird because I don't know. I've

680
00:35:06,040 --> 00:35:07,840
Speaker 3: seen the numbers you're talking about in my curve, but

681
00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:10,160
Speaker 3: but I just don't. I just don't know. And I

682
00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:12,480
Speaker 3: don't want to think about it like that because honestly,

683
00:35:12,560 --> 00:35:14,160
Speaker 3: like this, and he'd bring up something else and go.

684
00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:17,120
Speaker 3: But then again, I mean, I really do need to

685
00:35:17,120 --> 00:35:19,880
Speaker 3: pay attention to this, and and sometimes I think that

686
00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:22,360
Speaker 3: like and he would, it was like you were seeing

687
00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:26,359
Speaker 3: somebody's mind unwined in time. And I know I'm going

688
00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:29,120
Speaker 3: on and on, but I think I think the guy's special.

689
00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:31,600
Speaker 3: And I think my favorite conversations with him were a

690
00:35:31,640 --> 00:35:34,960
Speaker 3: story I did before twenty three where he was like

691
00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:37,839
Speaker 3: he used to be just this like very anxious human being.

692
00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:40,239
Speaker 3: And I think maybe still, you know, is to a degree.

693
00:35:40,239 --> 00:35:41,759
Speaker 3: I don't know if that ever leaves a person, And

694
00:35:41,800 --> 00:35:43,600
Speaker 3: I don't want to speculate that. I just mean, like

695
00:35:44,080 --> 00:35:46,960
Speaker 3: he you can tell he's very self aware and he

696
00:35:47,040 --> 00:35:51,000
Speaker 3: thinks intently, intensely about things. And he was just explained

697
00:35:51,000 --> 00:35:53,960
Speaker 3: to me like how that, you know, having anxiety and

698
00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:57,040
Speaker 3: that day that had kind of gone away as his career,

699
00:35:57,520 --> 00:35:59,520
Speaker 3: you know, as you validate the things and as you

700
00:35:59,600 --> 00:36:02,640
Speaker 3: go through game sevens and you have success. And to me,

701
00:36:02,719 --> 00:36:05,759
Speaker 3: it was like it was so freaking cool, because that's

702
00:36:05,760 --> 00:36:07,840
Speaker 3: a guy that could have easily been out of baseball

703
00:36:07,920 --> 00:36:11,440
Speaker 3: after twenty fifteen, and now look we're going into twenty

704
00:36:11,440 --> 00:36:14,800
Speaker 3: twenty five and he's still pitching. Man, he deserves the best,

705
00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:17,239
Speaker 3: and I hope, you know, I hope he does really

706
00:36:17,280 --> 00:36:19,000
Speaker 3: well there because he'll have deserved it.

707
00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:22,840
Speaker 1: That's the resident Charlie Morton guy. That was That was

708
00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:23,480
Speaker 1: a fun trip.

709
00:36:23,560 --> 00:36:24,080
Speaker 3: I enjoyed.

710
00:36:24,080 --> 00:36:27,360
Speaker 1: That doesn't take you for all that, Oh I was not.

711
00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:29,960
Speaker 1: Actually this is not really this is more back to baseball.

712
00:36:30,000 --> 00:36:32,479
Speaker 1: But do you either the Braves had interest in bringing

713
00:36:32,560 --> 00:36:34,680
Speaker 1: Charlie back at all or was it a situation where

714
00:36:34,760 --> 00:36:37,680
Speaker 1: they were kind of just like we're gonna usually part ways.

715
00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:39,399
Speaker 1: Was there a number where they maybe would have brought

716
00:36:39,440 --> 00:36:40,879
Speaker 1: him back. That was a question that I was gonna

717
00:36:40,880 --> 00:36:43,720
Speaker 1: ask at some point, yeah, you know what.

718
00:36:43,719 --> 00:36:48,240
Speaker 3: Like I don't know this for sure. I I would

719
00:36:48,280 --> 00:36:51,720
Speaker 3: say it would have had to been like under ten million,

720
00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:55,080
Speaker 3: Like I don't think, you know, based on his level

721
00:36:55,120 --> 00:36:57,839
Speaker 3: of production, Like I don't think he was ever gonna

722
00:36:57,840 --> 00:37:00,239
Speaker 3: get ten or fifteen from this front office, you know,

723
00:37:00,280 --> 00:37:02,600
Speaker 3: from Alex And that's just again like my own speculation

724
00:37:02,719 --> 00:37:05,120
Speaker 3: reading the tea leaves, and you know, and and and

725
00:37:05,200 --> 00:37:07,319
Speaker 3: some of you know what you hear. But it's like

726
00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:10,799
Speaker 3: I know that it was a bit early in the

727
00:37:10,800 --> 00:37:13,799
Speaker 3: offseason when I first heard that he was leaning toward

728
00:37:13,840 --> 00:37:15,920
Speaker 3: pitching again. You know, it was still in the offseason.

729
00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:20,520
Speaker 3: Marcus hadn't been established. I get the sense that if

730
00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:25,440
Speaker 3: the Braves had the room, you know, budget wise, Charlie

731
00:37:25,440 --> 00:37:27,719
Speaker 3: would have there would have been a way to make

732
00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:32,280
Speaker 3: something work. Because I don't think. I don't think he's

733
00:37:32,320 --> 00:37:34,319
Speaker 3: he's done. Like, I just don't think he's done. Maybe

734
00:37:34,320 --> 00:37:35,960
Speaker 3: there'll be a point this year where you look at

735
00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:38,120
Speaker 3: it and you're like, okay, like he might be on

736
00:37:38,200 --> 00:37:40,759
Speaker 3: his way out, but I think he'll pitch fine for

737
00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:43,279
Speaker 3: the Ools this year. I just think it would have

738
00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:46,040
Speaker 3: had to been less than ten million. In my opinion,

739
00:37:46,120 --> 00:37:49,399
Speaker 3: like my perception of it, like eight seven six at

740
00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:53,800
Speaker 3: that point, like you know, that's you know, that's not cool.

741
00:37:53,840 --> 00:37:56,359
Speaker 3: You're going down from twenty mil to on a guy

742
00:37:56,400 --> 00:37:57,920
Speaker 3: like that who's meant so much to you. So I

743
00:37:58,040 --> 00:38:00,719
Speaker 3: just it would have made a lot of sense them

744
00:38:00,880 --> 00:38:04,239
Speaker 3: or honestly, without the stadium situation, I think Tampa would

745
00:38:04,239 --> 00:38:06,200
Speaker 3: have made a lot of sense. He's kind of there before,

746
00:38:06,239 --> 00:38:09,680
Speaker 3: you know, close to where he lives. Easy in that way,

747
00:38:11,080 --> 00:38:13,920
Speaker 3: but I just, yeah, it was gonna have to be

748
00:38:13,920 --> 00:38:15,759
Speaker 3: a lot less than what he got. In my you know,

749
00:38:15,800 --> 00:38:17,000
Speaker 3: in my opinion.

750
00:38:17,000 --> 00:38:19,279
Speaker 1: It's almost easier. And you kind of alluded to it

751
00:38:19,280 --> 00:38:22,000
Speaker 1: there starting to go somewhere else, not because you know,

752
00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:24,680
Speaker 1: we agree that fifteen million for Morton was was going

753
00:38:24,719 --> 00:38:27,239
Speaker 1: to happen in Atlanta, but to go from twenty down, like

754
00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:29,080
Speaker 1: the logistics of that, it may not seem like it's

755
00:38:29,080 --> 00:38:32,080
Speaker 1: a big deal, but in this in this professional landscape,

756
00:38:32,120 --> 00:38:34,520
Speaker 1: like to stay in the same spot and take a

757
00:38:34,560 --> 00:38:37,160
Speaker 1: seventy percent pay cut is not usually what happens. It's

758
00:38:37,200 --> 00:38:39,040
Speaker 1: like you kind of have to do that going somewhere else.

759
00:38:40,200 --> 00:38:41,680
Speaker 1: It was bekes sens to be. Both of them also

760
00:38:41,680 --> 00:38:44,120
Speaker 1: has a bigger need. So it's not an Oriels podcast,

761
00:38:44,160 --> 00:38:47,479
Speaker 1: but they kind of needed him. Oh, I guess we'll

762
00:38:47,560 --> 00:38:49,319
Speaker 1: ask this question. Sorry, scot if you're going to do this,

763
00:38:50,280 --> 00:38:53,719
Speaker 1: AJ Mintor is still a free agent, justin any chance

764
00:38:53,760 --> 00:38:55,879
Speaker 1: of a reunion there given that, you know, we talked

765
00:38:55,880 --> 00:38:57,400
Speaker 1: about Tarry Scott I was and Taria Scotts had a

766
00:38:57,400 --> 00:38:59,280
Speaker 1: different tier than AJ I think given the health stuff

767
00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:01,160
Speaker 1: and all of that. But the Braves have a needed

768
00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:03,600
Speaker 1: both pen they have a relationship with aj day back forever.

769
00:39:04,120 --> 00:39:06,320
Speaker 1: It seems kind of quiet there. But does that seem

770
00:39:06,360 --> 00:39:08,640
Speaker 1: like it's a plausible scenario or that is that situation

771
00:39:08,680 --> 00:39:10,399
Speaker 1: where he just kind of looks to go somewhere else.

772
00:39:11,440 --> 00:39:13,560
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think that's plausible for sure. I mean as

773
00:39:13,600 --> 00:39:16,200
Speaker 3: much as anybody in that clubhouse. Mentor was like a

774
00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:18,880
Speaker 3: Braves way guy. And what I mean by that was

775
00:39:18,920 --> 00:39:22,120
Speaker 3: like always the guy you know when he had to

776
00:39:22,120 --> 00:39:24,600
Speaker 3: face the music or the team had to face the music,

777
00:39:24,680 --> 00:39:26,600
Speaker 3: where he was like, look like we're playing. You know,

778
00:39:26,920 --> 00:39:29,400
Speaker 3: he said it all the time, like we're playing. You know,

779
00:39:29,440 --> 00:39:31,680
Speaker 3: for all these Hall of famers that came before us,

780
00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:36,239
Speaker 3: like all Braves, you know, the quintessential Brave like was

781
00:39:36,280 --> 00:39:39,239
Speaker 3: aj Minteror, you know, and I think just such a

782
00:39:39,239 --> 00:39:42,279
Speaker 3: great person to have around two. That's totally plausible. Like

783
00:39:42,320 --> 00:39:44,880
Speaker 3: I think that would still be you know, if the

784
00:39:44,920 --> 00:39:48,120
Speaker 3: Braves have the money for that, and you would think

785
00:39:48,480 --> 00:39:51,919
Speaker 3: what he could command is lower because of that hip

786
00:39:51,960 --> 00:39:55,320
Speaker 3: surgery and the rehab and going through that. I would

787
00:39:55,320 --> 00:39:58,000
Speaker 3: think it's plausible it would work for both sides, right,

788
00:39:58,040 --> 00:40:01,080
Speaker 3: because the Braves get somebody at perhaps a little bit

789
00:40:01,120 --> 00:40:04,520
Speaker 3: lower of a value because of that. Aj Mint Mentor

790
00:40:04,640 --> 00:40:06,800
Speaker 3: gets to prove his health and kind of rebuild his

791
00:40:06,920 --> 00:40:10,160
Speaker 3: values somewhat similar to like a Kirby Yates type deal

792
00:40:10,840 --> 00:40:12,839
Speaker 3: from a couple of years ago, where now Kirby Yates

793
00:40:12,880 --> 00:40:15,160
Speaker 3: is dude, he's got like legs, He's got new life

794
00:40:15,239 --> 00:40:18,960
Speaker 3: like legs on that career, like it's been awesome to see. Uh.

795
00:40:20,120 --> 00:40:21,759
Speaker 3: I think it could be something like that because I

796
00:40:21,800 --> 00:40:23,680
Speaker 3: think aj Mint would want I mean, he said as

797
00:40:23,760 --> 00:40:26,040
Speaker 3: much right like on the record, you know this year,

798
00:40:26,080 --> 00:40:28,000
Speaker 3: like that he would want to stay, like after the injuries,

799
00:40:28,000 --> 00:40:30,600
Speaker 3: said that. Like I'm pretty sure, like if I'm remembering correctly,

800
00:40:30,600 --> 00:40:33,040
Speaker 3: that you know, he would want to stay. I've always

801
00:40:33,040 --> 00:40:36,440
Speaker 3: seen it as plausible. It's just gonna come down to

802
00:40:36,600 --> 00:40:40,560
Speaker 3: like money, and I think the one I would think

803
00:40:40,600 --> 00:40:42,560
Speaker 3: it's a shoe in, like I would have thought it

804
00:40:42,600 --> 00:40:45,480
Speaker 3: was a shoe in months ago. But then when Jimenez

805
00:40:45,560 --> 00:40:49,280
Speaker 3: got injured, when we men learned that Ronald and Strider

806
00:40:49,360 --> 00:40:52,280
Speaker 3: weren't going to be ready for opening day, that almost

807
00:40:52,320 --> 00:40:56,560
Speaker 3: created like two or three other pressing holes. But aj

808
00:40:56,640 --> 00:40:58,719
Speaker 3: Minner could be a nice fallback if the Braves don't

809
00:40:58,719 --> 00:41:03,160
Speaker 3: get you know, this stud you know, reliever slash closer.

810
00:41:04,560 --> 00:41:07,040
Speaker 3: You know it's somebody somebody I thought was definitely a

811
00:41:07,080 --> 00:41:10,160
Speaker 3: shoe in until I until it became clear that the

812
00:41:10,160 --> 00:41:12,880
Speaker 3: Braves had more holes than we thought, right.

813
00:41:14,800 --> 00:41:16,799
Speaker 2: And you know, justin we'll kind of we'll wrap up

814
00:41:17,080 --> 00:41:19,920
Speaker 2: for this, but just your take. And it's funny you

815
00:41:19,920 --> 00:41:21,560
Speaker 2: said a moment ago, it'd be kind of hard to

816
00:41:21,600 --> 00:41:24,960
Speaker 2: write about the starting rotation if we don't know what

817
00:41:25,000 --> 00:41:28,880
Speaker 2: the starting rotation might look like. But as we sit here,

818
00:41:29,120 --> 00:41:34,480
Speaker 2: it's first weekend in January, the projections and the folks

819
00:41:34,480 --> 00:41:38,279
Speaker 2: in Vegas, Fangrafts and everywhere still think very highly of

820
00:41:38,320 --> 00:41:42,080
Speaker 2: this baseball team. I think most people outside of Atlanta

821
00:41:42,120 --> 00:41:45,600
Speaker 2: anticipate the Braves doing something, even if it's not going

822
00:41:45,640 --> 00:41:48,120
Speaker 2: out and signing a half dozen free agents between now

823
00:41:48,120 --> 00:41:51,399
Speaker 2: and spring training. But I guess from your view going in,

824
00:41:51,880 --> 00:41:55,279
Speaker 2: you know, we're less than three months away from opening day. Now,

825
00:41:55,400 --> 00:41:57,080
Speaker 2: do you where do you see this team in twenty

826
00:41:57,120 --> 00:41:59,239
Speaker 2: twenty five. I know we've we've talked around it a

827
00:41:59,280 --> 00:42:01,799
Speaker 2: little bit on this show, but just I guess your

828
00:42:01,920 --> 00:42:03,799
Speaker 2: take on the state of the roster as we sit

829
00:42:03,920 --> 00:42:05,080
Speaker 2: here in early January.

830
00:42:06,280 --> 00:42:10,040
Speaker 3: Yeah, I still think excuse me, I still think it's

831
00:42:10,920 --> 00:42:14,880
Speaker 3: one of the best rosters in baseball. And I thought

832
00:42:14,960 --> 00:42:17,080
Speaker 3: last year it was the best roster in baseball going

833
00:42:17,120 --> 00:42:19,239
Speaker 3: into that season. Now the doctors have added to a

834
00:42:19,280 --> 00:42:21,560
Speaker 3: point where you know, it's got to be them, But

835
00:42:23,440 --> 00:42:25,920
Speaker 3: it's still one of the best rosters in baseball and

836
00:42:26,400 --> 00:42:29,279
Speaker 3: they're gonna win the Division. Like I think that. I

837
00:42:29,320 --> 00:42:32,799
Speaker 3: believe that just because I think there's a lot of

838
00:42:32,840 --> 00:42:36,919
Speaker 3: concerning things with Philly, whether it's that outfield, whether it's

839
00:42:37,000 --> 00:42:41,200
Speaker 3: you know, defensively, whether it's you know, the rotation that

840
00:42:41,280 --> 00:42:42,719
Speaker 3: slowed down toward the end of the year, whether it's

841
00:42:42,760 --> 00:42:44,880
Speaker 3: the you know, the bullpen and how they performed, you know,

842
00:42:44,920 --> 00:42:45,759
Speaker 3: in the postseason.

843
00:42:46,320 --> 00:42:50,480
Speaker 2: Philadelphia, I think, sorry, Philadelphia has gotten really old in

844
00:42:50,520 --> 00:42:53,200
Speaker 2: a hurry, Like everyone on that team is on the

845
00:42:53,239 --> 00:42:54,840
Speaker 2: wrong side of like thirty two.

846
00:42:56,120 --> 00:42:59,000
Speaker 3: Totally and that was why, Like honestly, that big picture,

847
00:42:59,040 --> 00:43:01,200
Speaker 3: it's not a Phillies pot just like Brad said, it's

848
00:43:01,200 --> 00:43:04,719
Speaker 3: not an Orioles podcast. But they needed to win two

849
00:43:04,800 --> 00:43:07,000
Speaker 3: years ago when they were in it, you know two three,

850
00:43:07,080 --> 00:43:09,160
Speaker 3: you know two years ago, or you know a year

851
00:43:09,200 --> 00:43:13,000
Speaker 3: ago when they lost to the Diamondbacks, Like those were

852
00:43:13,000 --> 00:43:16,040
Speaker 3: the years. Like you beat a juggernaut Braves team, you're

853
00:43:16,080 --> 00:43:19,000
Speaker 3: playing with house money in that way, and they couldn't

854
00:43:19,040 --> 00:43:21,000
Speaker 3: do it. And now, yeah, like you said, like they're

855
00:43:21,000 --> 00:43:24,520
Speaker 3: getting old in a hurry, guys, I still subscribe to

856
00:43:24,560 --> 00:43:28,919
Speaker 3: the like the you know, I know, star power is good.

857
00:43:29,760 --> 00:43:32,680
Speaker 3: The Mets need to build around. So though David Stearns

858
00:43:32,719 --> 00:43:36,600
Speaker 3: is a proven organization and team builder, he's gonna be

859
00:43:36,640 --> 00:43:40,120
Speaker 3: great for them. That should scare Braves fans, like David

860
00:43:40,120 --> 00:43:43,200
Speaker 3: Stearns is a very smart guy. But I just still

861
00:43:43,239 --> 00:43:47,920
Speaker 3: think the Braves have the raw power and numbers in

862
00:43:48,040 --> 00:43:50,200
Speaker 3: terms of debt, like in terms of how many great

863
00:43:50,200 --> 00:43:52,480
Speaker 3: players the Braves have, like up and down the lineup,

864
00:43:52,800 --> 00:43:56,120
Speaker 3: up and down the pitching staff. I just still think

865
00:43:56,280 --> 00:43:58,920
Speaker 3: the Braves are the better team. I think the Braves

866
00:43:58,920 --> 00:44:01,520
Speaker 3: are gonna win the division. Uh And I think too,

867
00:44:01,600 --> 00:44:04,200
Speaker 3: like this is the first year it feels like in

868
00:44:04,239 --> 00:44:06,840
Speaker 3: a few or at least ever since I've been on

869
00:44:06,880 --> 00:44:10,959
Speaker 3: the beat that the Braves could have a legitimate chip

870
00:44:11,000 --> 00:44:13,440
Speaker 3: on their shoulder in terms of like you can have

871
00:44:13,480 --> 00:44:15,440
Speaker 3: a chip on your shoulder, but when you're the favorites,

872
00:44:15,520 --> 00:44:17,960
Speaker 3: the clear favorites, like, that's kind of a hard thing

873
00:44:18,000 --> 00:44:21,960
Speaker 3: to play into. I think this year it's gonna be like, Okay,

874
00:44:22,080 --> 00:44:24,560
Speaker 3: well people think this of us, people think that of us,

875
00:44:24,560 --> 00:44:27,080
Speaker 3: Like people think the roster wasn't good enough, Like okay,

876
00:44:27,120 --> 00:44:29,799
Speaker 3: well the Phillies did this. You know, the Mets did this.

877
00:44:29,880 --> 00:44:34,520
Speaker 3: Everybody's talking about them. I think the Braves are going

878
00:44:34,600 --> 00:44:38,360
Speaker 3: to come out, you know, with a little bit of

879
00:44:38,400 --> 00:44:40,280
Speaker 3: a chip on their shoulder, a little bit of a vengeance.

880
00:44:40,320 --> 00:44:43,640
Speaker 3: I think Chris Sale is going to feature that. I think, guys,

881
00:44:43,680 --> 00:44:45,719
Speaker 3: one of the biggest things I thought was missing last

882
00:44:45,800 --> 00:44:49,399
Speaker 3: year was Spencer Strider's personality, which is that of of

883
00:44:49,440 --> 00:44:51,560
Speaker 3: like a Chris Sale, like in terms of just that

884
00:44:52,520 --> 00:44:56,120
Speaker 3: go get them, like competitor, like leave no stone unturned,

885
00:44:56,120 --> 00:44:58,839
Speaker 3: Like he's gonna like that dude, will you know you're

886
00:44:58,840 --> 00:45:01,120
Speaker 3: gonna have to blow to him and drag him through

887
00:45:01,120 --> 00:45:03,640
Speaker 3: the street to beat him in the fight, like he

888
00:45:03,640 --> 00:45:06,719
Speaker 3: he's tough, and I think him and Akunya coming back

889
00:45:06,719 --> 00:45:09,960
Speaker 3: and having that, you know, motivation after losing another year

890
00:45:09,960 --> 00:45:12,520
Speaker 3: of his career, Like, I think there's a lot to

891
00:45:12,719 --> 00:45:16,160
Speaker 3: like with this team, and it is it is a funny.

892
00:45:16,200 --> 00:45:19,319
Speaker 3: It is like a funny juxtaposition with kind of how

893
00:45:19,360 --> 00:45:21,840
Speaker 3: we started this podcast, and that first question you guys

894
00:45:21,880 --> 00:45:25,520
Speaker 3: asked about the quiet offseason is like, yes, I would,

895
00:45:25,600 --> 00:45:30,040
Speaker 3: you know, for as much as much fan support as

896
00:45:30,040 --> 00:45:32,000
Speaker 3: the Braves get, as much as I see people in

897
00:45:32,040 --> 00:45:34,680
Speaker 3: the merchandise lines, as much as I see people in

898
00:45:34,719 --> 00:45:37,160
Speaker 3: the food lines, as much as people go to spring training,

899
00:45:37,200 --> 00:45:39,680
Speaker 3: as much as they support the events throughout the year,

900
00:45:40,680 --> 00:45:44,120
Speaker 3: I wish, you know, Liberty Media would would do more

901
00:45:44,200 --> 00:45:49,160
Speaker 3: to supplement that budget. But I kind of they still

902
00:45:49,160 --> 00:45:51,839
Speaker 3: have a terrific roster, Like it's still a top three

903
00:45:52,000 --> 00:45:55,560
Speaker 3: roster in baseball in my view, and that's if they

904
00:45:55,920 --> 00:45:58,680
Speaker 3: don't do anything else this offseason. I think there's still

905
00:45:58,680 --> 00:46:01,879
Speaker 3: got an impactful move or who had then I think

906
00:46:01,880 --> 00:46:03,600
Speaker 3: it's just had to been a little more of a

907
00:46:03,640 --> 00:46:06,760
Speaker 3: deliberate process for Alex, who's always got something up asleep.

908
00:46:07,080 --> 00:46:09,920
Speaker 3: Probably be a guy we haven't even thought of. It'll

909
00:46:09,920 --> 00:46:12,759
Speaker 3: probably go well, that's been the track record so far,

910
00:46:13,920 --> 00:46:16,440
Speaker 3: so you know, and they still have like a high

911
00:46:16,480 --> 00:46:19,279
Speaker 3: payroll in terms of like the luxury tax figure. And

912
00:46:19,280 --> 00:46:22,239
Speaker 3: they've still committed doing besting in the guy's long term,

913
00:46:22,280 --> 00:46:25,359
Speaker 3: which has been good. They're set up for years to come.

914
00:46:25,400 --> 00:46:27,560
Speaker 3: But I think this one, I think this one could

915
00:46:27,600 --> 00:46:30,000
Speaker 3: be special because for the first time in a few years,

916
00:46:30,719 --> 00:46:33,239
Speaker 3: it feels like they're not just dead in the center

917
00:46:33,280 --> 00:46:34,040
Speaker 3: of the radar, right.

918
00:46:35,360 --> 00:46:37,399
Speaker 1: I have a theory Justin before we let you go,

919
00:46:37,719 --> 00:46:39,400
Speaker 1: I think he was waiting And when I say he,

920
00:46:39,480 --> 00:46:41,920
Speaker 1: I mean Alex for Arizona State to be out of

921
00:46:41,920 --> 00:46:44,239
Speaker 1: the playoff and now they can make a move just

922
00:46:44,200 --> 00:46:46,439
Speaker 1: to bring I think he was just like, hey, Justin,

923
00:46:46,480 --> 00:46:48,359
Speaker 1: probably can't do anything for a couple of weeks. Here

924
00:46:48,400 --> 00:46:51,120
Speaker 1: he's busy. He's covering you know, he's not covering the

925
00:46:51,200 --> 00:46:52,920
Speaker 1: on devils, but you know, following. I know you neighboring

926
00:46:53,000 --> 00:46:55,680
Speaker 1: ability for the game. Now the dam can break, it's Sunday,

927
00:46:55,840 --> 00:46:58,400
Speaker 1: maybe it'll be tomorrow. Look, there's a history of the

928
00:46:58,400 --> 00:47:00,440
Speaker 1: Braves making some Monday mornings. I don't know if you're

929
00:47:00,440 --> 00:47:01,960
Speaker 1: aware of. Justin the day back to before you run

930
00:47:02,000 --> 00:47:04,360
Speaker 1: the beat, Monday morning has been a big circle for

931
00:47:04,719 --> 00:47:07,680
Speaker 1: Alex at times. So it's by the way, we noticed

932
00:47:07,680 --> 00:47:10,240
Speaker 1: because we do podcasts on Sundays and they're often ruined

933
00:47:10,239 --> 00:47:13,719
Speaker 1: by Monday morning transactions. So I'm just I'm nothing calling

934
00:47:13,719 --> 00:47:15,640
Speaker 1: my shot here. But now that you're back, you're back

935
00:47:15,680 --> 00:47:18,000
Speaker 1: at home, you're doing your normal stuff, it might be time.

936
00:47:18,400 --> 00:47:21,120
Speaker 3: Just a theory it it could be time, you know what.

937
00:47:21,239 --> 00:47:24,439
Speaker 3: And for Braves fans, like, thankfully, you know, the Sun

938
00:47:24,480 --> 00:47:27,840
Speaker 3: Devils didn't go all the way like everybody expected them to,

939
00:47:27,960 --> 00:47:30,560
Speaker 3: you know, like we all aten, I expected to be

940
00:47:30,560 --> 00:47:33,799
Speaker 3: done January twenty first, after that January twentieth, Maddy, So

941
00:47:34,120 --> 00:47:36,239
Speaker 3: now we got it. Now, Now Alex has got a

942
00:47:36,239 --> 00:47:39,640
Speaker 3: couple more weeks freed up. But yeah, I think there'll

943
00:47:39,680 --> 00:47:42,439
Speaker 3: be something. I would be very very surprised if spring

944
00:47:42,520 --> 00:47:47,960
Speaker 3: training started and they hadn't done anything impactful like I

945
00:47:48,040 --> 00:47:51,279
Speaker 3: that would that would shock me. And I'll probably get

946
00:47:51,280 --> 00:47:54,840
Speaker 3: clipped for saying that. And if they don't do anything,

947
00:47:54,880 --> 00:47:57,719
Speaker 3: it'll get played by somebody one of your listeners. But

948
00:47:57,920 --> 00:48:01,720
Speaker 3: I I just I it would be very, very very shocked.

949
00:48:01,760 --> 00:48:03,399
Speaker 3: I don't want to throw the jinks in on that one.

950
00:48:03,440 --> 00:48:05,719
Speaker 3: For everybody who's just waited for what two and a

951
00:48:05,760 --> 00:48:08,040
Speaker 3: half months now for a move, it's felt like a

952
00:48:08,040 --> 00:48:09,920
Speaker 3: five month off season. It really has.

953
00:48:10,200 --> 00:48:12,719
Speaker 1: Yeah, we've been teasing for a while that we're going

954
00:48:12,800 --> 00:48:15,319
Speaker 1: to do a show in mid February of just like

955
00:48:15,400 --> 00:48:18,440
Speaker 1: screaming if they haven't made a move yet. And by

956
00:48:18,440 --> 00:48:20,279
Speaker 1: the way, you're welcome to come back on on your

957
00:48:20,320 --> 00:48:21,840
Speaker 1: West spring training if you want to come back on.

958
00:48:24,480 --> 00:48:27,160
Speaker 1: Definitely happy to have you back, Scott, there's anything else

959
00:48:27,200 --> 00:48:28,840
Speaker 1: you want to ask, Justin get it in there, and

960
00:48:28,880 --> 00:48:31,600
Speaker 1: if thought we could, we could let your longtime collegiate

961
00:48:31,719 --> 00:48:32,080
Speaker 1: rival go.

962
00:48:32,880 --> 00:48:36,239
Speaker 2: Yeah. No, thank you Justin for taking the time. I

963
00:48:36,280 --> 00:48:38,759
Speaker 2: would never wish work on anyone. But I hope you're

964
00:48:38,800 --> 00:48:41,920
Speaker 2: really busy for like the next four weeks because that

965
00:48:41,960 --> 00:48:45,040
Speaker 2: would mean that we've gotten some moves, some trades, some signings.

966
00:48:45,120 --> 00:48:48,239
Speaker 2: But sincerely, thank you for coming on the show. And

967
00:48:48,440 --> 00:48:50,120
Speaker 2: I'm not just saying it to say you do a

968
00:48:50,320 --> 00:48:54,080
Speaker 2: terrific job covering the Braves on the beat and open

969
00:48:54,120 --> 00:48:56,000
Speaker 2: invite anytime you want to come back on the show.

970
00:48:56,040 --> 00:48:59,360
Speaker 3: You are more than welcome to Thanks no, thanks for

971
00:48:59,360 --> 00:49:01,399
Speaker 3: having me, Thanks for the kind of words. Man means

972
00:49:01,440 --> 00:49:03,680
Speaker 3: a lot. You guys so brat. You mentioned that just

973
00:49:03,880 --> 00:49:06,000
Speaker 3: coming on and screaming if they don't do anything. If

974
00:49:06,000 --> 00:49:08,600
Speaker 3: they don't do anything, you guys should host your first

975
00:49:08,640 --> 00:49:13,759
Speaker 3: like live podcast event and you should fly over here

976
00:49:13,800 --> 00:49:15,680
Speaker 3: to Atlanta, Scott and you guys should go to one

977
00:49:15,719 --> 00:49:17,920
Speaker 3: of those rooms where like what did they call them,

978
00:49:17,920 --> 00:49:19,480
Speaker 3: Like would you break a ton of stuff and you

979
00:49:19,640 --> 00:49:21,759
Speaker 3: just like let all your anger out. So you guys

980
00:49:21,800 --> 00:49:24,200
Speaker 3: should have like everybody and all the listeners, like set

981
00:49:24,239 --> 00:49:26,799
Speaker 3: up like a feed and have everybody come out and

982
00:49:26,880 --> 00:49:28,800
Speaker 3: just like break a ton of things. If there aren't

983
00:49:28,880 --> 00:49:30,480
Speaker 3: I think there are. I don't think you'll need to

984
00:49:30,520 --> 00:49:32,160
Speaker 3: do that screaming podcast though.

985
00:49:32,560 --> 00:49:34,880
Speaker 1: Well we will see justin we don't. I'm sure you

986
00:49:34,880 --> 00:49:37,080
Speaker 1: don't need to plug your work on our podcast because

987
00:49:37,080 --> 00:49:39,040
Speaker 1: people that listen to us probably are reading you. But

988
00:49:39,120 --> 00:49:41,680
Speaker 1: anything you want to share about the AJAC or anything

989
00:49:41,680 --> 00:49:43,080
Speaker 1: else you want to get out there, I know people

990
00:49:43,120 --> 00:49:45,240
Speaker 1: should be paying for the AJAC if they aren't already.

991
00:49:46,480 --> 00:49:50,360
Speaker 3: Yeah, hopefully pay for the AJAC. Subscribe follow us on

992
00:49:50,440 --> 00:49:54,719
Speaker 3: ajac dot com Justin C. Tascano on Twitter, I try to.

993
00:49:55,200 --> 00:49:59,360
Speaker 3: I think now everybody is safe from Arizona State football

994
00:49:59,760 --> 00:50:03,160
Speaker 3: tape for a while reactions and for for yeah, for

995
00:50:03,200 --> 00:50:08,279
Speaker 3: a while. Uh so, yeah, it should be ramping up hopefully. Yeah.

996
00:50:08,400 --> 00:50:11,239
Speaker 3: Like I I would, uh to Scott's point about not

997
00:50:11,280 --> 00:50:13,920
Speaker 3: wishing to work on anybody. I've I feel like I've

998
00:50:13,960 --> 00:50:16,120
Speaker 3: had three months off, Like I went to San Antonio,

999
00:50:16,160 --> 00:50:18,960
Speaker 3: I went to Dallas, but I almost feel like refreshed

1000
00:50:19,000 --> 00:50:19,719
Speaker 3: for the first time.

1001
00:50:19,760 --> 00:50:23,120
Speaker 1: And you know, well, don't don't tell your editor that

1002
00:50:23,160 --> 00:50:24,840
Speaker 1: I know you have a new editor now because Christmas

1003
00:50:24,960 --> 00:50:28,480
Speaker 1: more my guy just left. Don't don't tell your new

1004
00:50:28,560 --> 00:50:30,320
Speaker 1: editor that you're like that you're refreshed. That's not a

1005
00:50:30,360 --> 00:50:32,200
Speaker 1: good thing to tell an editor. Hey, yeah, I got

1006
00:50:32,320 --> 00:50:34,239
Speaker 1: I'll send you to I'll send you other stuff. Well,

1007
00:50:34,280 --> 00:50:36,000
Speaker 1: do you can start to doing basketball or whatever? Like,

1008
00:50:36,200 --> 00:50:37,319
Speaker 1: don't make you busy if you want to.

1009
00:50:37,320 --> 00:50:40,720
Speaker 3: Be Oh yeah, oh yeah, no, okay, okay. I Actually

1010
00:50:40,760 --> 00:50:43,440
Speaker 3: what I meant to did I say? I was I

1011
00:50:43,560 --> 00:50:46,320
Speaker 3: met burned out. I'm sorry, but we've been doing that.

1012
00:50:46,440 --> 00:50:47,680
Speaker 3: I met burned out.

1013
00:50:48,360 --> 00:50:48,560
Speaker 2: Man.

1014
00:50:48,640 --> 00:50:50,960
Speaker 3: See, that's how burned out I am. Is that Uh

1015
00:50:51,320 --> 00:50:54,640
Speaker 3: now I'm getting my my phrases wrong. No, I it's

1016
00:50:54,680 --> 00:50:57,160
Speaker 3: gonna be fun. Guys, it's gonna be fun. And uh,

1017
00:50:57,320 --> 00:50:59,640
Speaker 3: I think there will be a day again when the

1018
00:50:59,640 --> 00:51:02,400
Speaker 3: Braves we'll hoist it all at the at the end

1019
00:51:02,440 --> 00:51:02,960
Speaker 3: of the season.

1020
00:51:03,440 --> 00:51:05,440
Speaker 1: Justin, thanks for one more time. We definitely appreciate you

1021
00:51:05,480 --> 00:51:07,120
Speaker 1: coming on. We hope you will do it again. We

1022
00:51:07,160 --> 00:51:09,160
Speaker 1: won't book you too often. I'll just put the bug

1023
00:51:09,200 --> 00:51:11,120
Speaker 1: in Scott's ear to kind of all right, Justin, it

1024
00:51:11,200 --> 00:51:12,839
Speaker 1: might be time for Justin again. We'll see what's going

1025
00:51:12,880 --> 00:51:15,640
Speaker 1: on there. Got Thank you for being here as always,

1026
00:51:15,680 --> 00:51:17,399
Speaker 1: my friend. It's always fun to talk with you, even

1027
00:51:17,400 --> 00:51:19,560
Speaker 1: if Justin's not here, or especially when he is. Ask

1028
00:51:19,600 --> 00:51:22,600
Speaker 1: for everybody else, please subscribe to us check out the AJAC.

1029
00:51:22,760 --> 00:51:25,760
Speaker 1: But I'll have a territory right there alongside. I'll follow

1030
00:51:25,760 --> 00:51:27,000
Speaker 1: Scott on Twitter, follow me.

1031
00:51:27,120 --> 00:51:27,640
Speaker 3: If you want to.

1032
00:51:27,680 --> 00:51:30,359
Speaker 1: The show's at Hammer's territory. We appreciate everybody listening. We'll

1033
00:51:30,400 --> 00:51:32,560
Speaker 1: have more coming up later on this week, and we'll

1034
00:51:32,560 --> 00:51:33,760
Speaker 1: see everybody next time.