WEBVTT - Rays Keep Rocking in Cleveland 0:00:12.880 --> 0:00:16.400 It's time to raise the roof for our latest regular 0:00:16.440 --> 0:00:18.759 season episode. Welcome back to the plot everyone, I'm host 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:22.280 Ax Murphy with me today, my co host Evan Lynch, 0:00:22.320 --> 0:00:24.560 and Gibby's gonna be coming on later, so stay tuned 0:00:24.600 --> 0:00:24.759 for that. 0:00:24.760 --> 0:00:25.599 But Evan, how are we doing? 0:00:25.640 --> 0:00:26.720 Man? Good? Good? 0:00:26.720 --> 0:00:27.360 How are you doing? 0:00:28.560 --> 0:00:31.600 Can't complain? The Rays have been way better than I thought. 0:00:32.280 --> 0:00:34.600 I am prepared to eat a lot of my words. 0:00:34.840 --> 0:00:35.040 Yeah. 0:00:35.040 --> 0:00:37.919 I know it's still early in the season, but I 0:00:37.960 --> 0:00:43.400 am prepared to humbly accept that I at this point 0:00:43.400 --> 0:00:45.479 of the season at least wrong, so we can get 0:00:45.479 --> 0:00:47.320 into that a little bit later, which I am pleasantly 0:00:47.360 --> 0:00:51.360 surprised by. But no, yeah, I mean six out of 0:00:51.400 --> 0:00:54.639 seven winning, it's a It was a weird series. It 0:00:54.680 --> 0:00:57.320 was a weird road trip, just a three gamer on 0:00:57.360 --> 0:01:01.080 the road, which is kind of strange. But beeping getting 0:01:01.120 --> 0:01:03.600 that in a little bit, Yeah. 0:01:03.480 --> 0:01:03.840 For sure. 0:01:03.840 --> 0:01:05.760 I mean, if you look at what the race have 0:01:05.840 --> 0:01:09.200 done recently, especially you know that series in Cleveland, I 0:01:09.560 --> 0:01:12.479 do wonder how much the rain did play a factor 0:01:12.480 --> 0:01:15.080 into it, whether that killed momentum. 0:01:14.680 --> 0:01:15.760 For the raz or whatever it might be. 0:01:15.840 --> 0:01:19.080 But to take two out of three there and then 0:01:20.080 --> 0:01:22.640 coming off a home stand where you were able to 0:01:22.640 --> 0:01:28.200 take four or six, especially sweeping the sweep, sweep swee 0:01:28.319 --> 0:01:32.360 sweeping the Twins. As you mentioned, the six wins in 0:01:32.440 --> 0:01:35.720 last seven games overall, that dates back to the last 0:01:35.760 --> 0:01:39.440 game in the Red Series, of which Nick Martinez pitched 0:01:39.480 --> 0:01:44.720 an absolute gem. He pitched another gem against Cleveland, which 0:01:44.840 --> 0:01:47.400 I think he's only given up what. 0:01:47.440 --> 0:01:47.680 Is he not? 0:01:47.760 --> 0:01:49.280 I think I said it in just like as an 0:01:49.280 --> 0:01:51.240 opening to the last spot. He's given up like one 0:01:51.320 --> 0:01:52.760 run in his last fifteen innings. 0:01:53.080 --> 0:01:54.320 I get now. 0:01:54.760 --> 0:01:57.680 I don't know how much you should actually take into 0:01:57.720 --> 0:02:00.640 account and affect everything when it comes to training, but 0:02:01.040 --> 0:02:05.320 I do legitimately. I mean, it can't all be legit 0:02:05.560 --> 0:02:07.840 like he had to have been working on stuff because 0:02:08.840 --> 0:02:12.919 no one, I think expected this kind of success from 0:02:13.000 --> 0:02:14.720 him after what he did. 0:02:14.760 --> 0:02:16.320 Like if he put up like a four. 0:02:16.200 --> 0:02:19.520 Era, I would, you know, maybe there was something to it, 0:02:19.560 --> 0:02:22.079 but like a one to seventy RA and one of 0:02:22.120 --> 0:02:24.280 the best pitchers in baseball, I did not expect. 0:02:25.040 --> 0:02:27.000 No, he's been. I mean, he's been the sign of 0:02:27.040 --> 0:02:30.960 the offseason. He's been. I mean, you could argue he's 0:02:30.960 --> 0:02:34.080 been our best player. Like he's been unbelievable. I mean 0:02:34.120 --> 0:02:35.880 he went Yeah, like you said, he went eight innings, 0:02:36.400 --> 0:02:39.120 and I mean he probably could have gone nine. He 0:02:39.160 --> 0:02:42.800 could have. I mean he was at like ninety something pitches. 0:02:42.919 --> 0:02:44.480 Yeah, and he could have gotten more in the game 0:02:44.520 --> 0:02:47.560 against Cleveland too. It wasn't like he was out of 0:02:47.600 --> 0:02:49.440 gas or anything like I think he was only at 0:02:49.480 --> 0:02:53.960 like seventy or eighty pitches. Yeah, he was under I 0:02:54.000 --> 0:02:57.880 believe eighty five pitches almost guaranteed ninety pitches for sure, 0:02:57.960 --> 0:02:59.120 so he could have gone into the. 0:02:59.120 --> 0:02:59.880 Eighth if he wanted to. 0:03:00.520 --> 0:03:03.520 Yeah, I mean, but he's been spectacular, Like, I mean, 0:03:03.600 --> 0:03:06.120 he's kind of been the ace of this this rotation 0:03:06.200 --> 0:03:09.160 so far. And like you said, he did not have 0:03:09.240 --> 0:03:11.240 a good spring training, but he did say I mean, 0:03:11.400 --> 0:03:14.560 it's kind of cool that he he was like, don't 0:03:14.680 --> 0:03:17.000 he kind of had that mentality of don't worry about it, 0:03:17.120 --> 0:03:19.079 Like I think he's I'm reading the quotes he said, 0:03:19.080 --> 0:03:20.720 He's like, a lot of this spring was me trying new, 0:03:21.160 --> 0:03:23.560 trying new things that they were recommending, and a lot 0:03:23.560 --> 0:03:28.880 of it was, yeah, trying to feel out. So yeah, 0:03:28.919 --> 0:03:31.200 I mean when you when that happens and then you 0:03:31.320 --> 0:03:33.360 kind of back it up with your play in the 0:03:33.400 --> 0:03:38.360 real season. I believe that. And he's been incredible. He's 0:03:38.400 --> 0:03:42.120 what he got paid what twelve thirteen million, which has 0:03:42.160 --> 0:03:43.160 been which is looking like. 0:03:43.200 --> 0:03:44.320 I believe it's thirteen. 0:03:44.400 --> 0:03:46.400 It was it was nine, and then there was the 0:03:46.480 --> 0:03:49.040 mutual like he was gonna end up getting thirteen, but 0:03:49.120 --> 0:03:51.840 it was base salary of nine million this year and 0:03:51.880 --> 0:03:52.120 then a. 0:03:52.160 --> 0:03:53.480 Mutual option whatever it is. 0:03:53.520 --> 0:03:56.360 The buyout was like four mil for next year if 0:03:56.360 --> 0:03:58.760 they don't want to resign him again, which I doubt 0:03:58.760 --> 0:04:01.880 that they would considering what the option would be for 0:04:01.920 --> 0:04:02.560 twenty seven. 0:04:03.320 --> 0:04:06.960 Yeah, I mean, and he's thirty five, but whatever's that's 0:04:07.000 --> 0:04:10.200 in that's a next season type issue. So I mean, 0:04:10.240 --> 0:04:12.839 I mean, his stats are incredible. He's two and one 0:04:13.240 --> 0:04:16.160 with a one to seven ERA and a one even whip, 0:04:17.440 --> 0:04:20.600 which is fantastic especially for what he's kind of our 0:04:20.640 --> 0:04:21.559 fourth or fifth starter. 0:04:22.320 --> 0:04:24.039 Yeah, I mean, coming into the year, I think he 0:04:24.160 --> 0:04:27.520 was projected to be what I'm trying to think. I 0:04:27.520 --> 0:04:29.760 think Matts was probably gonna be the five if you 0:04:29.800 --> 0:04:33.480 think about it, because Matts was kind of at times 0:04:33.480 --> 0:04:35.320 he was stretched out last year, but in the grand 0:04:35.320 --> 0:04:37.120 scheme of things, he was more of a long reliever 0:04:37.200 --> 0:04:39.320 than he was a starter. So I think if we 0:04:39.320 --> 0:04:41.640 were going to categorize things, he would probably have been 0:04:41.680 --> 0:04:43.080 the five, the four. 0:04:43.240 --> 0:04:45.919 And maybe even three, just because Shane hasn't pitched in 0:04:45.960 --> 0:04:47.320 two years, so you never so. 0:04:47.480 --> 0:04:50.600 Like, at best the three, at worst the four is 0:04:50.640 --> 0:04:51.800 what I would have presumed. 0:04:52.080 --> 0:04:53.680 And I guess you could move him up even further 0:04:53.760 --> 0:04:55.640 because Pepio is probably going to be our second so 0:04:55.720 --> 0:04:57.839 and he hasn't pitched an enning the season yet. 0:04:57.960 --> 0:05:00.200 Well, I think if you look at the rotation, I 0:05:00.240 --> 0:05:04.000 think that the expectation was that, of course Papio was 0:05:04.000 --> 0:05:08.480 going to be healthy, and then who was the Yeah 0:05:08.520 --> 0:05:10.760 it was I mean I thought in my head it 0:05:10.880 --> 0:05:15.479 was gonna be Drew was gonna be the one, pap 0:05:15.680 --> 0:05:17.440 was gonna be the two, Shamee was gonna end up 0:05:17.480 --> 0:05:20.560 becoming the three, Martinez was going to be the foreign 0:05:20.560 --> 0:05:21.640 match was going to be the five. 0:05:22.200 --> 0:05:23.679 Yeah that's fair. 0:05:24.360 --> 0:05:24.560 Yeah. 0:05:24.640 --> 0:05:27.280 Now like Jesse Schultens is essentially the. 0:05:27.200 --> 0:05:32.520 Five, which I mean, he's he's fantastic that he's looked great. 0:05:32.520 --> 0:05:34.560 He didn't heed that Reds game. It was what two 0:05:34.560 --> 0:05:38.479 mondays ago. I think he had the he that definitely 0:05:38.600 --> 0:05:40.599 had some mistakes in the Reds offense is good enough 0:05:40.600 --> 0:05:43.400 to take advantage of that. But whatever that was, that 0:05:43.440 --> 0:05:46.600 was a while ago. But anyway, going back to this 0:05:46.839 --> 0:05:50.520 the series against the Guardians, it was all I mean 0:05:50.520 --> 0:05:53.400 the Monday game that was a textbook steal. I don't 0:05:53.400 --> 0:05:55.400 know how we won that game, Like that was a 0:05:55.440 --> 0:05:58.960 game we I don't think we deserve to win. Ryan 0:05:59.040 --> 0:06:01.240 Valaide is incredible. 0:06:01.279 --> 0:06:03.560 He's he has been another guy who I'm eating my 0:06:03.600 --> 0:06:06.640 words about because yeah, I didn't expect And again when 0:06:06.640 --> 0:06:09.839 the Raids pick up these guys, considering how some of 0:06:09.880 --> 0:06:12.120 these players have done, and I don't want to put 0:06:12.160 --> 0:06:14.160 in the direct comparisons of guys, but if we want 0:06:14.200 --> 0:06:15.919 to do direct comparisons. 0:06:15.600 --> 0:06:18.479 Like you know, a hundred food should being brought in. 0:06:18.600 --> 0:06:22.680 Like we we've already seen what Alex Jackson did in 0:06:22.760 --> 0:06:25.719 a large, rather large sample size with the Rais and 0:06:25.800 --> 0:06:28.279 was not successful. So that was a guy that people 0:06:28.320 --> 0:06:32.400 had concerns about. Valaide. I'm sure people had concerns about 0:06:32.480 --> 0:06:35.200 him kind of looking like Christopher Morrell to an extent 0:06:35.240 --> 0:06:39.240 of someone who was was good or supposed to be 0:06:39.320 --> 0:06:43.559 good against a certain type of pitcher and then wasn't 0:06:43.640 --> 0:06:45.919 fully good or I guess not fully good in the 0:06:45.960 --> 0:06:49.000 sense of Morell not having a good season. But Vlaide 0:06:49.040 --> 0:06:52.640 has been fantastic. He's been a very good bench piece. 0:06:52.680 --> 0:06:54.800 I've wanted the Rays to have good bench pieces, like 0:06:55.080 --> 0:06:57.200 I not as much this year, but I use the 0:06:57.200 --> 0:07:01.160 Phillies as what I would consider to be a team 0:07:01.200 --> 0:07:04.240 that has some good bench pieces. So like recently you 0:07:04.240 --> 0:07:09.760 know ed Mundo Sosa, Otto, Kemp West and Wilson, guys 0:07:09.840 --> 0:07:12.000 like that are good pieces to come off the bench 0:07:12.040 --> 0:07:14.280 and do things. And I think that Valaide is fitting 0:07:14.320 --> 0:07:15.840 in that role nicely for the race. 0:07:16.440 --> 0:07:18.720 And I just feel like, I mean, this is based 0:07:18.760 --> 0:07:22.320 on total total field, no statistics whatsoever, So if anybody 0:07:22.320 --> 0:07:24.480 wants to prove me wrong, please do it. But I 0:07:24.480 --> 0:07:27.880 feel like this team is a heck of a lot 0:07:27.920 --> 0:07:31.480 better than last year's team was against lefties, and maybe, 0:07:31.520 --> 0:07:34.080 and like Vlaid is a huge reason for that. Like 0:07:34.120 --> 0:07:36.080 I mean, you look at recent past and ever Ray's 0:07:36.120 --> 0:07:39.040 hitters they were more so power hitters, but like the 0:07:39.360 --> 0:07:44.520 platoon guys like Hunter Renfro you mentioned Morell, they just 0:07:44.560 --> 0:07:48.040 they didn't come close to what Vlai is doing. Granted, 0:07:48.120 --> 0:07:51.200 like I said, it's it's only been half a month 0:07:51.320 --> 0:07:54.200 or what it's been a month of the season, so yeah, 0:07:54.240 --> 0:07:54.680 but I mean it. 0:07:54.720 --> 0:07:56.360 Is better that he's done at all, like in his 0:07:56.640 --> 0:07:57.760 entire career. 0:07:57.720 --> 0:08:00.680 Right, So, but he's he's kind of give me the 0:08:00.840 --> 0:08:04.160 Moderizario vibes from what three years ago when he just 0:08:04.320 --> 0:08:08.240 was very good against left handed hitting. And I mean 0:08:08.520 --> 0:08:11.160 Parker Messik, who started that game on Monday for the Guardians, 0:08:11.200 --> 0:08:13.240 he has been one of the best pitchers in the game. Like, 0:08:13.240 --> 0:08:15.800 he has a point eight eight whip one point seven 0:08:15.800 --> 0:08:18.880 to three and the Rays they didn't score a lot 0:08:18.920 --> 0:08:20.800 of against him, but they made him work. I mean, 0:08:20.840 --> 0:08:23.080 he went five and two thirds with ninety five pitches. 0:08:23.480 --> 0:08:25.880 He did have nine strikeouts, but they made him throw pitchers. 0:08:25.920 --> 0:08:27.440 He didn't get through six and they were able to 0:08:27.440 --> 0:08:30.280 get to the bullpen. So and Stephen bats also looked 0:08:30.320 --> 0:08:32.680 great too, don't you can't can't he spends that. 0:08:32.600 --> 0:08:33.719 He's been strong this year. 0:08:33.800 --> 0:08:35.680 I know that he hit some blips here and there, 0:08:35.800 --> 0:08:38.000 but in the general sense, he's been a very strong 0:08:38.040 --> 0:08:39.920 pitcher for the Rays, which I've been very happy about. 0:08:40.000 --> 0:08:42.520 He I mean, I wouldn't even say the home run 0:08:42.559 --> 0:08:45.320 that Schneeman hit was a mistake. It was a good 0:08:45.320 --> 0:08:48.840 pitch and I don't I still don't know how Schneman 0:08:48.920 --> 0:08:50.959 hit that out. But yeah, he went seven innings for 0:08:51.200 --> 0:08:55.319 four hits, two earned, one walk, only two strikeouts, which 0:08:55.520 --> 0:08:57.640 I know he's not a strikeout pitcher, but that's pretty 0:08:57.679 --> 0:08:59.320 insane and ninety five pitches. 0:08:59.400 --> 0:09:01.760 So I was gonna ask you quickly about Mattz. 0:09:02.720 --> 0:09:06.720 Did you like coming in were your expectations of him 0:09:06.840 --> 0:09:10.839 higher than they were for Martinez? Because mine, for for 0:09:11.000 --> 0:09:15.199 whatever reason, I felt way more confident in Nats. 0:09:14.960 --> 0:09:16.080 Than I did in Martinez. 0:09:16.440 --> 0:09:18.440 I'm the opposite. I don't know, I don't know what. 0:09:18.960 --> 0:09:23.280 In spring training. Maybe I think when they signed each player, 0:09:24.480 --> 0:09:26.200 I'm gonna go based on that because spring training. 0:09:26.280 --> 0:09:28.080 Yeah, yeah, no, no, that's what I was talking about. 0:09:28.120 --> 0:09:30.400 I wasn't talking about spring just just signing. 0:09:30.760 --> 0:09:33.920 When they signed him, I was definitely more optimistic about Martinez. 0:09:33.920 --> 0:09:35.600 I don't know why. Maybe, like it could be a 0:09:35.640 --> 0:09:38.120 reason just because I had Martinez on my fantasy team 0:09:38.160 --> 0:09:40.319 like a year or two ago and he was awesome, 0:09:40.800 --> 0:09:44.720 and I just had that like mentality ingrained in my 0:09:44.720 --> 0:09:46.360 brain this like, hey, this is a good picture. Thirteen 0:09:46.400 --> 0:09:49.760 mil might have been a lot, But yeah, I don't know. 0:09:49.800 --> 0:09:51.920 I didn't think Mattz really stood off the page a 0:09:51.960 --> 0:09:54.679 whole lot, but he's once again, I couldn't have been 0:09:54.720 --> 0:09:56.960 more wrong. Like this is this is an episode of 0:09:56.960 --> 0:09:59.640 me just eating all of my words, and I am 0:10:00.040 --> 0:10:02.480 ready to do so, and I'm happily doing it because 0:10:02.520 --> 0:10:06.760 the Rays are playing really good baseball. Also, Ian Seymour 0:10:06.800 --> 0:10:08.240 is another guy I think we need to talk about 0:10:08.240 --> 0:10:09.280 in this series again. 0:10:09.400 --> 0:10:13.040 He's He's had his struggles. 0:10:13.200 --> 0:10:15.600 I know he hasn't looked good this year this season, 0:10:15.640 --> 0:10:18.960 but he had two really really awesome outings in the 0:10:18.960 --> 0:10:22.920 Monday and Tuesday game where he didn't still didn't look great, 0:10:23.040 --> 0:10:25.000 but he was able to get through get an inning. 0:10:25.040 --> 0:10:26.560 I think he only went two and a third on 0:10:26.600 --> 0:10:29.920 the Tuesday game, but he got to He was able 0:10:29.920 --> 0:10:33.080 to get get in there on Monday and got an inning, pitched, 0:10:33.760 --> 0:10:37.240 gave up a walk, but struck out two and got 0:10:37.280 --> 0:10:39.400 through it, got the hold and then Brian Baker locked 0:10:39.440 --> 0:10:42.640 it down. And I don't know he and he I 0:10:42.640 --> 0:10:45.800 think he was thrown into a pretty crazy situation on 0:10:45.840 --> 0:10:47.719 the Tuesday game and he was able to get through 0:10:47.760 --> 0:10:50.760 it without giving up a run. So he deserves some 0:10:50.800 --> 0:10:53.040 full hours for those two performances too. 0:10:53.440 --> 0:10:57.280 I will say I've been bit too many times by 0:10:57.480 --> 0:11:01.160 Ray's pitchers not doing well and then go elsewhere, or 0:11:02.200 --> 0:11:05.640 just having bad seasons after you know, being like like 0:11:05.760 --> 0:11:08.960 Kevin Kelly pissed me off a lot last year. 0:11:09.080 --> 0:11:09.960 He has not. 0:11:09.880 --> 0:11:14.120 Been nearly as bad as as he was last year, 0:11:14.160 --> 0:11:16.480 which is like that was That's a positive for this 0:11:16.559 --> 0:11:19.920 team considering how many guys are currently on the IL, 0:11:20.040 --> 0:11:22.680 I mean on top, like Pepio was moved to the 0:11:22.720 --> 0:11:25.679 sixty day, who said it was moved to the sixty day. 0:11:25.679 --> 0:11:28.280 Clevenger is still working his way back. Those are three 0:11:28.520 --> 0:11:32.080 I mean Riguez, yeah, yeah, yeah, Man Rod is out. 0:11:32.160 --> 0:11:35.319 You know, on the bullpen side of things, probably your 0:11:35.320 --> 0:11:38.880 three best relievers, well, depending on how you want to 0:11:38.880 --> 0:11:41.280 look at Brian Baker, but coming into the season, I'm 0:11:41.320 --> 0:11:45.599 sure how people viewed things. Potentially your three more I 0:11:45.600 --> 0:11:49.720 don't know, because those five, if you include Baker and Jackson, 0:11:50.480 --> 0:11:54.040 but your best five relievers in a general sense, were 0:11:54.080 --> 0:11:56.720 either hurt coming into the year or got hurt earlier 0:11:56.760 --> 0:11:57.160 in the year. 0:11:58.120 --> 0:12:00.679 And if you want to throw I mean of comparing 0:12:00.800 --> 0:12:04.800 to last year, you also lost your best reliever to 0:12:04.840 --> 0:12:08.520 free agency. So that's another like you're kind of without 0:12:08.520 --> 0:12:11.559 your six best receive relievers from last year, which is I. 0:12:11.480 --> 0:12:14.160 Mean four four of your four of your six best 0:12:14.200 --> 0:12:17.600 relievers aren't there, and I know that not all of 0:12:17.600 --> 0:12:19.560 them were that are started the season four of them were. 0:12:20.000 --> 0:12:24.280 So your best four relievers technically to start last season, 0:12:25.000 --> 0:12:28.559 depending on how you consider Manrod knowing that he was injured, 0:12:28.880 --> 0:12:32.440 but when healthy, your four best relievers are. 0:12:32.280 --> 0:12:33.359 No longer there. 0:12:34.679 --> 0:12:38.720 Or are all either not there or hurt, and then 0:12:39.320 --> 0:12:42.480 Jackson Baker kind of doing their thing. Still not convinced 0:12:42.480 --> 0:12:45.600 on Jacks by any means. It's a lot of things 0:12:45.600 --> 0:12:47.680 that he needs to work out. I know that like 0:12:47.840 --> 0:12:51.240 spots start quote unquote, he looked pretty solid in that. 0:12:51.400 --> 0:12:54.720 So I do wonder if the Rays are considering trying 0:12:54.760 --> 0:12:59.240 to like stretch him out more turn him potentially into 0:12:59.240 --> 0:13:03.720 a starter if they too, because maybe just the the 0:13:03.840 --> 0:13:06.480 high leverage thing, it doesn't seem like it seems like 0:13:06.559 --> 0:13:11.120 Baker has more of that like closer type energy that 0:13:11.200 --> 0:13:12.120 the rings want, Like. 0:13:12.280 --> 0:13:15.760 He's a psycho. He's a psycho, and and I mean 0:13:15.760 --> 0:13:20.200 then the nicest way possible, he's It's exactly you need 0:13:20.280 --> 0:13:23.480 you need like an insane person to be a closer. 0:13:23.559 --> 0:13:25.800 That the more insane you are on the baseball field 0:13:25.840 --> 0:13:27.400 as a closer, the better you probably are. 0:13:29.280 --> 0:13:32.280 And and I don't know if Jack's quite has what 0:13:32.400 --> 0:13:32.959 Baker has. 0:13:33.320 --> 0:13:35.880 He definitely you can tell, I mean he has. He 0:13:36.000 --> 0:13:38.240 was unbelievable for the Twins. He has the talent, maybe 0:13:38.280 --> 0:13:42.200 a centle thing. But you but going back to your 0:13:42.240 --> 0:13:45.400 point about the bullpen, I think it definitely is, Like 0:13:45.640 --> 0:13:48.000 I don't, I still don't think it's like a top 0:13:48.040 --> 0:13:52.600 ten bullpen in the MLB. It's it's talented, but it's 0:13:52.640 --> 0:13:55.360 it's definitely finding its rhythm a little bit more. I think, 0:13:55.440 --> 0:13:57.360 like you said, they were kind of out of place, 0:13:57.400 --> 0:13:59.839 and I don't think Cash necessarily knew how to manage 0:13:59.880 --> 0:14:01.760 it earlier in the season just because of how many 0:14:02.040 --> 0:14:03.000 moving pieces there were. 0:14:03.400 --> 0:14:05.840 Yeah, he's got a lot better job of managing the bullpen. 0:14:05.679 --> 0:14:08.360 Right because because I think people, I think they've played 0:14:08.400 --> 0:14:09.680 their ways into their roles. 0:14:09.840 --> 0:14:11.319 Yeah, I know, I agree with that. 0:14:11.400 --> 0:14:14.199 And Kelly, Kevin Kelly's a guy who and I think 0:14:14.240 --> 0:14:16.880 that's actually Ian Symour and Kevin Kelly are two guys 0:14:16.920 --> 0:14:20.840 who have kind of have maybe it was a mental thing. 0:14:20.840 --> 0:14:22.560 And I don't know, maybe they had the yips kind 0:14:22.600 --> 0:14:26.120 of earlier this season, but they have definitely found their rhythm. 0:14:26.120 --> 0:14:28.080 I mean, Kelly is down to a four to six, 0:14:28.560 --> 0:14:30.160 which is unbelievable. 0:14:30.560 --> 0:14:33.280 I mean, considering how horrible he was last year. 0:14:33.880 --> 0:14:36.640 Like he was he was the season, he was unpitchable 0:14:36.720 --> 0:14:38.960 last year and earlier this season, and he's down to 0:14:38.960 --> 0:14:41.560 a four to six, like that's a win. Ian seymore 0:14:41.600 --> 0:14:43.480 down to a six, seven to five. I mean his 0:14:43.480 --> 0:14:46.160 first outing this season, he gives up what seven runs 0:14:46.240 --> 0:14:48.240 in that one in that game against the Cardinals. Yeah, 0:14:48.280 --> 0:14:50.800 that was and Cole Sultzer, I'm going to just go 0:14:50.800 --> 0:14:53.080 and alund the line of the bullpen in the Tuesday game. 0:14:53.120 --> 0:14:55.600 He has been on a roll recently. I don't have 0:14:55.640 --> 0:14:56.760 the stats in terms of. 0:14:58.040 --> 0:15:02.840 And the not, like you know, these guys are expendable guys, 0:15:02.840 --> 0:15:05.240 like the Rays have needed these guys because of the 0:15:05.240 --> 0:15:06.400 injuries that have occrued in. 0:15:06.320 --> 0:15:09.440 The bullpen, right and he's he I mean he was 0:15:09.440 --> 0:15:12.720 able to give Brian Baker off on Tuesday in that 0:15:12.760 --> 0:15:15.320 one zero win. He got the save, not a one 0:15:15.320 --> 0:15:18.240 two three inning, but sixteen pitches got the got I 0:15:18.240 --> 0:15:21.560 mean he's a three two four era Like that's I mean, 0:15:21.640 --> 0:15:24.160 he's not gonna be He's not a closer, but still 0:15:24.160 --> 0:15:26.520 not bad for he's probably one of our worst arms 0:15:26.520 --> 0:15:29.880 in our bullpen, and he's been incredible in the last 0:15:29.920 --> 0:15:33.440 couple of weeks. So it is nice to see the 0:15:33.440 --> 0:15:36.600 bullpen kind of figure out what's going on and the 0:15:37.280 --> 0:15:38.920 Ray's record as the team reflects that. 0:15:39.320 --> 0:15:40.840 Yeah, it's a slowly but shirley thing. 0:15:41.160 --> 0:15:46.200 As our other co host gave you joins from is 0:15:46.200 --> 0:15:47.320 it gloomy Ohio? 0:15:47.480 --> 0:15:49.320 Like like, what what's the vibes in Ohio right now? 0:15:49.360 --> 0:15:50.800 Oh? It's pretty, it's gloomy. 0:15:51.560 --> 0:15:52.360 Oh it's blue sky. 0:15:52.480 --> 0:15:56.240 Oh it doesn't look too bad. Look at Ohio. 0:15:56.440 --> 0:15:58.640 It is Ohio, though we can't. It's not that nice. 0:15:59.120 --> 0:16:02.960 Yeah, we're not Columbus right now. I was. I was 0:16:03.000 --> 0:16:06.400 closer to Cleveland. I guess they weren't. 0:16:06.120 --> 0:16:10.240 Too gloomy about the Guardians losing the series, but they 0:16:10.280 --> 0:16:13.560 cared more about, you know, just the weather always being 0:16:13.600 --> 0:16:17.040 like this, but you know it's good when I got 0:16:17.240 --> 0:16:19.360 before I got here, it was like seventy degree weather, 0:16:19.560 --> 0:16:21.640 and then when I got here is like stayed at 0:16:21.640 --> 0:16:25.960 fifty found. Yeah, I mean It's great to be here. 0:16:26.040 --> 0:16:27.920 You know, the Rays are playing great. 0:16:28.840 --> 0:16:31.360 Well that's the last game in that series, but who cares. 0:16:31.400 --> 0:16:33.720 You know, we went on a little five game winning streak, 0:16:34.360 --> 0:16:36.600 more than I was expecting you from this. 0:16:38.040 --> 0:16:41.920 Stand we had ah, but you know, I don't have 0:16:42.080 --> 0:16:46.960 very much time. Uh, I'd like to pick. 0:16:48.040 --> 0:16:52.960 Well, first of all, mine blade's been a badas it's 0:16:53.240 --> 0:16:58.200 very good. Uh Yandi was great this whole series and 0:16:58.360 --> 0:17:02.240 he just continues to prove and be the most underrated 0:17:02.240 --> 0:17:03.160 player in the MLB. 0:17:04.960 --> 0:17:08.960 And then Paul Salcer has really turned it around. 0:17:09.160 --> 0:17:13.080 I really like what he's been doing. Brian Baker is 0:17:13.080 --> 0:17:15.879 a badass. When you guys are talking about the bullpen earlier, 0:17:16.760 --> 0:17:19.639 the pieces they're coming together a little bit better. So 0:17:21.040 --> 0:17:25.280 it's been it's been a pretty good situation going on 0:17:25.440 --> 0:17:27.719 for the Raids. Not what I was expected. You know, 0:17:28.359 --> 0:17:30.239 it was a very quick turnaround. You know, we were 0:17:30.359 --> 0:17:32.879 very mad like the first two weeks, and then you 0:17:32.880 --> 0:17:34.399 know they kind of went back to normal. 0:17:34.640 --> 0:17:36.440 Nick Martinez is a badass. 0:17:37.280 --> 0:17:40.639 I mean, I don't even know when we've had guys, 0:17:40.800 --> 0:17:42.760 but we ever had a guy who's pitched two back 0:17:42.760 --> 0:17:45.560 to back, seven eight plus games. 0:17:47.119 --> 0:17:48.600 I can't remember the last team that. 0:17:48.600 --> 0:17:51.840 Even happened, So yeah, that happens a lot of this team. 0:17:52.040 --> 0:17:55.679 Yeah, exactly. So, I mean he's just super effective. He 0:17:55.880 --> 0:17:57.280 munches on innings. 0:17:58.520 --> 0:18:04.040 Who else m Jonathan Ronda's been on his comeback? 0:18:05.160 --> 0:18:08.560 I want to in the al in RBI, right, is 0:18:08.600 --> 0:18:09.920 he Is he a home run hitter? 0:18:10.000 --> 0:18:10.160 Now? 0:18:10.400 --> 0:18:12.600 Like? I because he I mean his average is still 0:18:12.640 --> 0:18:17.479 pretty low, but I mean he's second And like I 0:18:17.520 --> 0:18:20.640 was thinking, it's like, does he did he change his approach? 0:18:20.800 --> 0:18:23.240 And I wanted to get your guys opinions on that, 0:18:23.280 --> 0:18:25.840 Like it seems like he's kind of a power hitter guy. 0:18:25.880 --> 0:18:28.320 Now, yeah, I mean he's definitely. 0:18:28.600 --> 0:18:31.680 I feel like, you know, when you have Yondy who's 0:18:31.760 --> 0:18:36.160 like basically suppose you would think he's a home run 0:18:36.200 --> 0:18:38.240 hitteror but he's not really. I mean he does hit 0:18:38.320 --> 0:18:41.040 home he doesn't hit bombs when he wants to. You know, 0:18:41.080 --> 0:18:44.440 he's more of that, uh, just productive, get on base 0:18:44.600 --> 0:18:46.840 kind of guy. And then we have a lot of 0:18:46.560 --> 0:18:49.080 kin get on base guys, you know, like Chandler Simpsons. 0:18:49.119 --> 0:18:51.840 So I bet you know there might be a reason 0:18:51.880 --> 0:18:54.680 to that. You know, maybe Kevin Cash told him having 0:18:54.760 --> 0:18:56.000 in the power a little bit more. 0:18:56.800 --> 0:19:00.320 Uh, show show it off a little bit more. So, Yeah, 0:19:00.760 --> 0:19:02.160 he's been really impressed. 0:19:02.320 --> 0:19:06.959 That one game Junior and Aronda hit two home runs. 0:19:06.960 --> 0:19:12.199 That was one of the best games I've ever I've watched, 0:19:12.840 --> 0:19:15.880 because you know, you know, I don't even know when 0:19:15.960 --> 0:19:18.960 less than that happened, you know, to two raised. 0:19:18.760 --> 0:19:20.920