WEBVTT - Front Office Unfiltered w/Bowden: Brewers rule & big market stumbles 0:00:09.440 --> 0:00:13.760 Front Office, unfiltered resident GM Jim Bowden joining us right now, JB. 0:00:13.880 --> 0:00:15.680 I actually want to start with a statement for you, 0:00:15.920 --> 0:00:17.400 just like our old days when we still host some 0:00:17.480 --> 0:00:19.919 radio shows together. So I'm just gonna start with this statement. 0:00:19.960 --> 0:00:23.279 The game is broken, JB. It is broken. We have 0:00:23.360 --> 0:00:27.760 the smallest TV market in Major League Baseball with by 0:00:27.840 --> 0:00:30.800 far the best record in baseball. This is exactly what 0:00:30.920 --> 0:00:33.960 everyone said all off season long, JB. Everyone was like, 0:00:34.080 --> 0:00:37.879 it's so unfair. The smallest TV markets always are the best. 0:00:38.159 --> 0:00:41.239 It's not fair that the Dodgers always stink. They get 0:00:41.240 --> 0:00:43.360 to spend all the money and yet they're looking behind 0:00:43.360 --> 0:00:45.440 them and the Padres might catch them. Oh wait, that's 0:00:45.479 --> 0:00:48.120 not anything that we said. Most people said, one hundred 0:00:48.120 --> 0:00:49.800 and twenty wins for the Dodgers. No one else has 0:00:49.800 --> 0:00:52.960 a chance. Small markets have no chance. Oh wait, maybe 0:00:53.040 --> 0:00:54.920 the Brewers are just run well. So what do you 0:00:54.960 --> 0:00:57.640 think about where we're at as a sport in mid August. 0:00:58.240 --> 0:01:00.720 Yeah, it's been exciting, hasn't it. The fact that we 0:01:00.760 --> 0:01:02.880 have so many middle of small market teams that are 0:01:02.920 --> 0:01:04.440 in the middle of a race. It's been a lot 0:01:04.440 --> 0:01:06.800 of fun. And as you mentioned, the Milwaukee Brewers. I mean, 0:01:06.840 --> 0:01:08.880 they have been the best team in baseball, and it's 0:01:08.880 --> 0:01:11.360 been really fun to watch, right, the first team since 0:01:11.400 --> 0:01:15.400 twenty nineteen to put together two ten game winning streaks 0:01:15.400 --> 0:01:18.600 in the same season, Like that's just incredible. And yet 0:01:18.640 --> 0:01:21.160 you look at their team and you understand why they 0:01:21.160 --> 0:01:25.240 have three number one starters. Right. Freddy Peralta, who faces 0:01:25.280 --> 0:01:28.280 Paul Skins today, has thirteen wins and a three o ERA. 0:01:29.360 --> 0:01:32.360 Before Missarowski got hurt, he had four and one with 0:01:32.440 --> 0:01:35.440 a two seven ERA, and Brandon Woodruff looks like the 0:01:35.480 --> 0:01:37.280 ace was before he got hurt. He's four and oh 0:01:37.360 --> 0:01:38.800 with a two two ERA, and oh, by the way, 0:01:38.840 --> 0:01:41.959 the fourth starter, Jose Cantana, has ten wins in a 0:01:42.040 --> 0:01:45.120 three four ERA, and Quinn Priestra has eleven wins and 0:01:45.200 --> 0:01:47.680 a three four ERA, and oh, by the way, they 0:01:47.680 --> 0:01:50.440 have an impact closer and Trevor McGill who's converted twenty 0:01:50.440 --> 0:01:52.840 eight to thirty one save opportunities with a two to 0:01:52.880 --> 0:01:56.000 two ERA, and oh, we'll talk about the offense fifth 0:01:56.040 --> 0:01:59.080 in baseball and run score second in stolen bases, and 0:01:59.240 --> 0:02:02.000 depending on what the defensive metrics you like, they're either 0:02:02.080 --> 0:02:05.520 fourth or fifth or sixth. Right, pick your poison whatever 0:02:05.560 --> 0:02:07.960 you want, but this is a complete team. Their manager 0:02:08.000 --> 0:02:11.360 Pat Murphy's done unbelievable job. Their GM, Matt Arnold is 0:02:11.440 --> 0:02:13.960 the reigning executive of the Year in Major League Baseball. 0:02:14.240 --> 0:02:16.600 It's a small market team that is going out there 0:02:16.639 --> 0:02:20.280 and is legitimately has a chance to not only win 0:02:20.360 --> 0:02:23.120 this division, but get to the World Series and maybe 0:02:23.120 --> 0:02:25.200 win the World Series. So it's been great for baseball. 0:02:25.600 --> 0:02:27.480 It's a lot of fun to watch in the vibe 0:02:27.520 --> 0:02:29.520 that's going on in Milwaukee is just sick. 0:02:29.600 --> 0:02:32.200 I love it if you're the GM of this team. 0:02:32.360 --> 0:02:35.160 Besides like saying, hey, these guys are winning, like I'm 0:02:35.200 --> 0:02:36.919 just gonna let them, let them do what they do. 0:02:37.800 --> 0:02:40.639 You've lost. Matt Arnold's been there before when David Stearns 0:02:40.680 --> 0:02:43.880 was there, and this team just bows out in the playoffs. 0:02:44.360 --> 0:02:49.440 Is there some kind of message that you're sending down saying, hey, okay, analytically, 0:02:49.520 --> 0:02:53.560 we need to make sure that our manager makes this 0:02:53.639 --> 0:02:57.160 adjustment because in the playoffs this hasn't worked because all 0:02:57.240 --> 0:03:00.600 those names that you just said, it's all the same numbers, 0:03:01.040 --> 0:03:04.440 just rinse and recycle different names. Besides Freddy Peralta in 0:03:04.520 --> 0:03:06.720 Big WU, like it's a new closer. They've had the 0:03:06.720 --> 0:03:10.800 best closer for the last six years in baseball. Like 0:03:10.840 --> 0:03:13.560 it's just constantly they're just rinsing new names in. But 0:03:13.600 --> 0:03:15.760 they haven't been able to push it through in the playoffs. 0:03:16.040 --> 0:03:17.959 Yeah, that is true. And you know, I think when 0:03:17.960 --> 0:03:19.760 we go back and we look at the ccs of 0:03:19.800 --> 0:03:21.639 Atthew days when he was pitching on two in three 0:03:21.720 --> 0:03:24.359 days rest just to go out there and try to win. 0:03:24.760 --> 0:03:26.680 And then we had the run when they had Hater 0:03:27.000 --> 0:03:30.160 and they were babying him, right, they weren't pushing the 0:03:30.320 --> 0:03:34.680 envelope with him, which you know, maybe not caused them 0:03:34.680 --> 0:03:37.400 a chance to get there. But I think this particular 0:03:37.480 --> 0:03:40.840 team is a little bit different than the rest. I mean, 0:03:40.880 --> 0:03:44.800 when you have three guys of Paralta, Mazerowski, and Woodruff 0:03:45.160 --> 0:03:48.920 pitching up to their capabilities. With McGill and what he's 0:03:48.960 --> 0:03:51.840 done the first time All Star this year, and the 0:03:51.880 --> 0:03:56.080 way they play defense, the way they're so athletic, the 0:03:56.120 --> 0:03:58.080 way they move the chains, and yet they have the 0:03:58.160 --> 0:04:01.800 veterans like Christian Yell that can also carry the team. 0:04:02.400 --> 0:04:04.240 I think this team is a little bit different. I 0:04:04.240 --> 0:04:07.280 think this team has a better ceiling just because of 0:04:07.480 --> 0:04:10.040 how deep they are. And again and I think, I 0:04:10.120 --> 0:04:12.680 think Pat Murphy has just done a brilliant job with 0:04:12.760 --> 0:04:15.480 this group. They're very close. They can beat you in 0:04:15.560 --> 0:04:18.599 so many different ways, right, and you know Bryce Terank 0:04:18.600 --> 0:04:21.200 can make a diving play up the middle, uh to 0:04:21.279 --> 0:04:25.640 win your game. Durbin's jerseys dirty by the national anthem. 0:04:25.720 --> 0:04:29.080 They're just knit. There's grit, there's it's a complete team. 0:04:29.240 --> 0:04:33.120 So I actually like this team a lot better than 0:04:33.160 --> 0:04:35.400 any Brewer team since Sabbathia was on the bump. 0:04:36.600 --> 0:04:38.840 Everyone loves when Cec was pitching those games with the 0:04:38.880 --> 0:04:40.680 Brewers because he pitched on two days resting, went nine 0:04:40.720 --> 0:04:44.320 innings every time, Jim, So it's tough to fault anybody. 0:04:44.520 --> 0:04:46.559 Oh hey, Cec, go throw a shut up. Okay, guys, 0:04:46.720 --> 0:04:48.840 I pitched, Go do it again. Okay, I'll do that. 0:04:49.040 --> 0:04:51.039 I mean, that's pretty tough to beat that. Speaking of 0:04:51.080 --> 0:04:53.359 CC one of his other teams, I thought you were 0:04:53.360 --> 0:04:54.800 talking about the Yankees and we were talking about a 0:04:54.800 --> 0:05:00.560 complete team athleticism, well managed, pitching, defense, all. Oh wait, no, 0:05:00.680 --> 0:05:02.520 you were not talking about them. What's going on in 0:05:02.560 --> 0:05:05.120 the Yankee lamb? And who's to blame? I keep saying, 0:05:05.160 --> 0:05:07.400 it's not Aaron Boon's fault. He's given a roster, he 0:05:07.480 --> 0:05:09.479 does the best he can, he stands up for his players. 0:05:09.600 --> 0:05:11.440 But who's really to blame for Yankee woes? 0:05:11.960 --> 0:05:14.240 Well, first of all, you're completely right about it not 0:05:14.279 --> 0:05:16.120 being on Aaron Boone, who, by the way, is a 0:05:16.200 --> 0:05:20.400 defending American League champion manager and not only managed into 0:05:20.440 --> 0:05:23.159 the World Series last year. But you know, look, this 0:05:23.240 --> 0:05:26.960 team is built on their offense and more I guess 0:05:27.000 --> 0:05:30.279 better said their power right, their first in the American 0:05:30.360 --> 0:05:33.600 League and run scored, they lead Major League Baseball and homers, 0:05:33.640 --> 0:05:36.839 they lead Major League Baseball and slug We know Aaron 0:05:36.920 --> 0:05:39.359 Judge has most to do with that, But the fact is, 0:05:39.360 --> 0:05:41.240 as a team, that's not the part of the team 0:05:41.279 --> 0:05:43.600 we're worried about that. That part's good. It's how they 0:05:43.600 --> 0:05:45.640 win games. They have to win with their power, but 0:05:45.760 --> 0:05:48.039 they can do that. But then we get to the 0:05:48.040 --> 0:05:50.680 pitching part, and I'm looking for Garrett Cole but oh, 0:05:50.760 --> 0:05:53.159 I guess he had Tommy John surgery. Oh I was 0:05:53.160 --> 0:05:56.160 looking for Clark Schmidt. He's not there. I didn't get 0:05:56.160 --> 0:05:59.039 to see Lewis heel in the first half. Marcus Stroman 0:05:59.120 --> 0:06:03.599 got released, and there's seventeenth and TmrA. The starting pitching 0:06:03.680 --> 0:06:06.120 is tenth because you know, when you have freedom, you 0:06:06.120 --> 0:06:09.560 have Rodon and now heelback's that's okay, and the kids 0:06:09.600 --> 0:06:12.160 a pitch well, right, Schuittler has been really good for them, 0:06:12.480 --> 0:06:15.400 which is a positive sign. Will Warren pitch great last night. 0:06:15.760 --> 0:06:18.039 So the starting pitching kind of gives you a shot. 0:06:18.120 --> 0:06:20.520 And then we go to the pen, which has been 0:06:20.560 --> 0:06:23.720 a huge problem. Right they're twenty second in baseball and 0:06:23.800 --> 0:06:26.480 TMRI back there. Devin Williams has been a nightmare as 0:06:26.520 --> 0:06:29.200 we all know. But GM Brian Cashman does what he 0:06:29.240 --> 0:06:31.159 always does. He stepped up of the deadline, went and 0:06:31.200 --> 0:06:34.200 got David Bednar and made some other moves to try 0:06:34.240 --> 0:06:37.279 to fortify it defensively. As you guys know, it's not 0:06:37.320 --> 0:06:39.560 a good defensive team, right, It's in the middle of 0:06:39.560 --> 0:06:41.279 the pack no matter how you want to break down. 0:06:41.560 --> 0:06:44.880 They're not very athletic, they're kind of one dimensional offensively, 0:06:45.400 --> 0:06:47.960 and they're a team that you know, maybe gets a 0:06:48.000 --> 0:06:50.120 wild card and maybe goes home. It's kind of a 0:06:50.360 --> 0:06:53.240 it's kind of a borderline team right now, it's going 0:06:53.279 --> 0:06:55.719 to come down to pitching, and that's that's gonna be 0:06:55.800 --> 0:06:58.600 the focus. They're gonna have enough offense, the defenses are 0:06:58.640 --> 0:07:01.720 going to be great. But at the same time, how 0:07:01.760 --> 0:07:03.159 do you pitch the rest of the way. He's going 0:07:03.240 --> 0:07:05.200 to determine if they're a playoff team and how far 0:07:05.240 --> 0:07:07.320 they go. But to sit there and blame any of 0:07:07.360 --> 0:07:10.160 this on the manager's foolish. I love the way he 0:07:10.240 --> 0:07:12.119 stands up for the players, and by the way, behind 0:07:12.120 --> 0:07:15.080 the scenes, he's a pretty good communicator, and you know 0:07:15.160 --> 0:07:17.920 he'll get tough on a player in his office one 0:07:17.920 --> 0:07:21.600 on one. But he doesn't embarrass players, right, not publicly 0:07:21.640 --> 0:07:24.960 and not privately does he embarrass him. He's done a 0:07:25.000 --> 0:07:28.840 great job and as I said, American League champion. But 0:07:29.080 --> 0:07:30.640 we all know what it's like in New York, right 0:07:30.920 --> 0:07:33.200 if you're not in first place, everyone needs to be fired. 0:07:33.760 --> 0:07:36.040 I remember coming home from the World Series game in 0:07:36.120 --> 0:07:39.080 New York in the taxi cab and the cab driver goes, 0:07:39.200 --> 0:07:41.680 you know, if we don't win tonight, boom boone's gonna 0:07:41.720 --> 0:07:46.320 get fired. He's gotta go. It's like, okay, okay, enough. 0:07:47.600 --> 0:07:50.040 Kratz tell everyone why they need to look into a 0:07:50.120 --> 0:07:52.800 virtual private network aka a VPN. 0:07:53.840 --> 0:07:57.200 It's kind of like wearing trousers. It keeps everything private 0:07:57.240 --> 0:07:59.200 and secure whenever you venture out. 0:08:00.120 --> 0:08:00.560 That's good. 0:08:00.760 --> 0:08:03.880 That's really good. And surf Shark creates user friendly privacy 0:08:03.920 --> 0:08:07.800 and security solutions to protect your data and your privacy online. 0:08:07.840 --> 0:08:11.520 It enables you to virtually explore the globe browse privately 0:08:11.600 --> 0:08:14.840 by encrypting your Internet activity and block ads and malware 0:08:14.880 --> 0:08:19.040 that may disrupt your experience. So go to surfshark dot 0:08:19.080 --> 0:08:23.120 com slash foul or use the code foul at checkout 0:08:23.160 --> 0:08:26.720 at surfshark dot com to get four extra months of 0:08:26.840 --> 0:08:30.400 surf Shark VPN. It's a risk free, thirty day money 0:08:30.440 --> 0:08:34.280 back guarantee and the ftfam is hooked up with four 0:08:34.440 --> 0:08:38.000 extra months of surf Shark VPN when you sign up 0:08:38.040 --> 0:08:41.120 at surfshark dot com and use the code foul. It 0:08:41.240 --> 0:08:44.760 is time to take control of your online security. Try 0:08:44.880 --> 0:08:48.439 surf Shark today. JB. That was not a perfect roster 0:08:48.600 --> 0:08:50.920 last year. That was evident, right, that was a clunky 0:08:51.040 --> 0:08:54.120 roster that Aaron bood led to a world series. And 0:08:54.160 --> 0:08:57.240 also we know the front offices have as much, if 0:08:57.280 --> 0:08:59.800 not a bigger impact than ever on our sport. Right 0:09:00.120 --> 0:09:03.680 help on some sides to side lineups they script games 0:09:03.720 --> 0:09:06.080 the whole deal. So my follow up here, because I'm 0:09:06.120 --> 0:09:08.600 getting into many debates with Yankee fans, including some right 0:09:08.640 --> 0:09:11.920 now that are in our YouTube chat, revolves around Devin Williams. 0:09:11.920 --> 0:09:12.840 Two parter for you. 0:09:13.320 --> 0:09:16.240 One, do you fall to any of the usage Like 0:09:16.320 --> 0:09:19.439 I believe it was Friday's game when Boonie said afterward 0:09:19.760 --> 0:09:21.920 he can't really find a soft landing spine. You got 0:09:21.920 --> 0:09:24.360 to use your relievers. So essentially it's like, unless you're 0:09:24.720 --> 0:09:26.679 cutting this guy, you got to put him in some 0:09:26.720 --> 0:09:28.880 games if they're all tight games. That's the first portion. 0:09:28.960 --> 0:09:31.320 The second portion I'm getting into right now with a 0:09:31.360 --> 0:09:34.040 fan who's who wanted to ask you why they didn't 0:09:34.040 --> 0:09:36.760 trade Devin Williams at the deadline, and he said, they 0:09:36.760 --> 0:09:38.600 already have two closes they brought in, why would they 0:09:38.640 --> 0:09:41.679 have another? So can you explain how teams like to 0:09:41.840 --> 0:09:44.320 gather high leverage relievers. And also, if Devin Williams was 0:09:44.360 --> 0:09:47.400 that broken that a contender's trading him away, then what 0:09:47.520 --> 0:09:49.680 team would even want him at that point? 0:09:49.880 --> 0:09:52.520 Yeah, they're not gonna want them. And look, when you 0:09:52.600 --> 0:09:55.040 have a talent like Devin Williams that has a bugs 0:09:55.040 --> 0:09:57.200 bunny change up, you know, you're hoping you can get 0:09:57.280 --> 0:09:59.240 him back on track. You know, we've seen a lot 0:09:59.240 --> 0:10:01.400 of relievers go through bad slumps and all of a 0:10:01.400 --> 0:10:04.000 sudden they figured out and they can be dominant. We 0:10:04.080 --> 0:10:07.600 have six weeks left in the season. But I think 0:10:07.600 --> 0:10:11.079 there's an argument that sometimes Devin Williams has been brought 0:10:11.080 --> 0:10:14.199 into games where you know, I probably would have done 0:10:14.240 --> 0:10:17.800 something differently, right, I mean, you got to win, and 0:10:18.080 --> 0:10:19.800 I can't sit there and hope that I'm going to 0:10:19.840 --> 0:10:22.600 get the Devin Williams of last year. I have to 0:10:22.679 --> 0:10:25.040 understand that I had the Devin Williams of this year, 0:10:25.320 --> 0:10:27.959 and I have to use them accordingly. I mean, that's 0:10:28.000 --> 0:10:30.400 why it was great that Cash went on got Bednar. 0:10:30.600 --> 0:10:33.160 You've got your closer. Now Bednar could be that guy. 0:10:33.440 --> 0:10:36.000 Weaver can get to him. And yeah, there's gonna be 0:10:36.040 --> 0:10:38.600 games where you know, you have to use Devin Williams 0:10:38.640 --> 0:10:41.280 in high leverage just because that's you know, he's one 0:10:41.320 --> 0:10:44.480 of thirteen guys and everyone's got to be used. But yeah, 0:10:44.520 --> 0:10:47.360 I think you can manage that. But look that this 0:10:47.480 --> 0:10:51.320 Yankee team is flawed, but it's still as a team 0:10:51.360 --> 0:10:53.120 that could get to the playoffs, and they're going to 0:10:53.160 --> 0:10:54.800 have to earn it. And let's wait and see. 0:10:55.040 --> 0:10:56.959 We talked about the Yankees, Let's talk about two other 0:10:57.000 --> 0:11:00.440 teams with high expectations, the Mets and the Dodgers. I mean, 0:11:00.440 --> 0:11:02.000 the Dodgers are only one game in front. 0:11:02.679 --> 0:11:03.120 The Mets have. 0:11:03.160 --> 0:11:06.720 Fallen well well behind, six games behind the Phillies at 0:11:06.720 --> 0:11:09.559 this point. Which one has the better opportunity? Well, the 0:11:09.760 --> 0:11:10.959 first of all, I'm asking you this, do you think 0:11:10.960 --> 0:11:12.920 the Dodgers will win the division? And then if they 0:11:12.920 --> 0:11:15.360 get to the playoffs, do you think the Dodgers by 0:11:15.400 --> 0:11:17.400 far have a better chance to make a deep run 0:11:17.600 --> 0:11:18.360 over the Mets. 0:11:19.720 --> 0:11:21.720 I think they have a better chance to run a 0:11:21.800 --> 0:11:24.000 deeper run than the Mets. But I think the Padres 0:11:24.040 --> 0:11:26.640 win the division, so kind of kind of go through that. 0:11:27.000 --> 0:11:29.840 And I worry a little bit about the Mets rotation. 0:11:31.400 --> 0:11:33.440 I think they'll turn things around. They're not where they 0:11:33.440 --> 0:11:35.880 won to nine in their last ten. I know they're 0:11:35.880 --> 0:11:39.400 not playing well. And I'll ask you this, AJ, what 0:11:39.480 --> 0:11:42.160 do you do when your star players aren't hitting right? 0:11:42.240 --> 0:11:46.800 Alonzo last games hitting one ninety, Lindner hitting one sixty eight, 0:11:46.920 --> 0:11:49.600 Nimo's hitting two oh five in the last twenty games. 0:11:49.880 --> 0:11:51.520 I mean I'll ask you, what do you do to 0:11:51.559 --> 0:11:53.400 turn and a Roundron Soto is hitting two o two 0:11:53.440 --> 0:11:56.120 in the last twenty games. Those are your star players. 0:11:56.120 --> 0:11:58.800 So normally when one slumps, the others are carrying you. 0:11:58.880 --> 0:12:00.000 And now all of a sudden, none of them are 0:12:00.240 --> 0:12:03.120 at the same time. I mean, my guess is they're 0:12:03.120 --> 0:12:05.280 going to turn it around and get hot, and then 0:12:05.559 --> 0:12:08.880 they'll win eight out of nine and turn things around. 0:12:08.920 --> 0:12:10.520 But I'll ask you, how do you how do you 0:12:10.559 --> 0:12:13.079 fix those guys when in August they've had a twenty 0:12:13.120 --> 0:12:13.720 game slump? 0:12:15.600 --> 0:12:19.840 Bench them be them all, gimp, send them down, no 0:12:20.320 --> 0:12:25.040 trade up. No, no, Well there used to be Mark 0:12:25.080 --> 0:12:26.840 Grace used to have a great idea, but we can't 0:12:26.840 --> 0:12:31.079 do that anymore. So I honestly don't know. 0:12:31.280 --> 0:12:31.680 I don't. 0:12:31.720 --> 0:12:33.720 You just hope they all get hot, because, like you said, normally, 0:12:33.760 --> 0:12:36.440 they don't all get cold at the same time. So yeah, 0:12:36.600 --> 0:12:38.040 I just I'm just I'm going to go back to 0:12:38.080 --> 0:12:39.760 the other thing you said. Do you think the Padres 0:12:39.800 --> 0:12:44.720 are going to win the West? How disappointing for Dodger fans, 0:12:44.760 --> 0:12:49.400 Dodger organization, Dodger everything if the Padres somehow win the West. 0:12:50.240 --> 0:12:53.959 Yeah, of course, I think a couple couple of things. 0:12:54.000 --> 0:12:56.080 With the Padres, they made the back end of that 0:12:56.120 --> 0:13:00.920 bullpen so ridiculously dominant that if they get into the seventh, 0:13:00.920 --> 0:13:02.760 eight to ninth with the Dodgers, and they're going to 0:13:02.840 --> 0:13:05.640 play him two weekends in a row, this weekend in 0:13:05.800 --> 0:13:07.840 La the next weekend in San Diego, and this is 0:13:07.840 --> 0:13:09.840 going to be playoff baseball in August. I can't wait. 0:13:09.920 --> 0:13:12.440 I'm so excited for this. But that bullpen, you know 0:13:12.440 --> 0:13:14.840 you watched them last night, right when you get Miller 0:13:14.880 --> 0:13:16.920 and Sorez in those last two aning ball games over 0:13:17.960 --> 0:13:21.680 and so in that strata's dominant, Adam's dominant. I mean, 0:13:22.000 --> 0:13:24.200 that bullpen is so deep and strong, and it's so 0:13:24.320 --> 0:13:27.200 much better than the Dodgers, and I think that's going 0:13:27.240 --> 0:13:29.720 to be a huge factor. The other thing is the Dodgers' rotation. 0:13:30.800 --> 0:13:33.679 It's good, it's solid, some of it's getting healthier, but 0:13:33.960 --> 0:13:37.120 they're not as elite. And on the other side, King 0:13:37.280 --> 0:13:39.320 just came off the il. We'll see how he looks 0:13:39.320 --> 0:13:42.800 at his second start off. Darvis last night looked great. 0:13:42.840 --> 0:13:45.480 He was throwing his twelve pitches, including in the kitchen sink, 0:13:45.880 --> 0:13:48.840 didn't walk anybody, punched out six and looked really good. 0:13:49.840 --> 0:13:52.280 And then you know, the biggest problem with the Padres 0:13:52.320 --> 0:13:54.960 has been the bottom third of the lineup. You know, 0:13:55.920 --> 0:13:59.320 just wasn't producing all year. AJ Preler went out the 0:13:59.320 --> 0:14:02.800 deadline and said, no problem, here's Ramon Loriano, no problem, 0:14:02.840 --> 0:14:05.640 here's Ryan O'Hearn, right, And all of a sudden, Lewis 0:14:05.679 --> 0:14:08.560 Arrise has gotten hot after a relatively slow start even 0:14:08.600 --> 0:14:11.400 for him, and now you're getting production up and down 0:14:11.400 --> 0:14:14.840 the lineup been. In fact, in the last twenty days, 0:14:15.040 --> 0:14:17.840 Xander Bogartz has been their best power hitter. Right, He's 0:14:17.840 --> 0:14:20.440 got five home runs over that time to lead the team. 0:14:20.520 --> 0:14:24.280 So their lineup now top, the bottom is there, and 0:14:24.320 --> 0:14:27.640 the bullpen is unbelievable, and of course the vibe at 0:14:27.680 --> 0:14:31.720 Petco is tremendous as well. So yeah, I think it's 0:14:31.720 --> 0:14:33.840 gonna be a fun raise between the Padres and Dodgers. 0:14:33.880 --> 0:14:35.760 I think it'll go to the end. I'm gonna pick 0:14:35.800 --> 0:14:38.880 the Padres to win because of the bullpen and the 0:14:38.920 --> 0:14:42.000 depth of the lineup now, which I think AJ corrected. 0:14:42.000 --> 0:14:44.000 And then in terms of the nets, look, I think 0:14:44.040 --> 0:14:47.520 they get the last spot over the Reds because I 0:14:47.520 --> 0:14:50.320 think they're not as bad as what they're showing right now, 0:14:50.320 --> 0:14:52.320 and I think they'll they'll turn around. I think they're 0:14:52.360 --> 0:14:56.280 better than Cincinnati because the lineup should be much better 0:14:56.320 --> 0:14:59.040 than Cincinnati's, and I think that'll be the difference down 0:14:59.040 --> 0:15:02.400 the stretch. But in the postseason, if I had to 0:15:02.520 --> 0:15:05.280 rank the playoff teams, if the Mets get that six spot, 0:15:05.320 --> 0:15:07.600 I would rank them six out of the playoff teams. 0:15:08.320 --> 0:15:10.920 All right, you said about the Dodgers not winning the West. 0:15:10.920 --> 0:15:13.720 You know it's gonna be close. But isn't that the 0:15:13.760 --> 0:15:16.400 worst case scenario in the sense that a team that 0:15:16.480 --> 0:15:18.840 wants to play the least amount of games because their 0:15:18.960 --> 0:15:22.560 team that's built around a lot of guys that get hurt, 0:15:22.960 --> 0:15:27.160 needing to play an extra wildcard series could be the 0:15:27.200 --> 0:15:30.960 worst case scenario for them. And did the Dodgers go 0:15:31.080 --> 0:15:35.760 to all in on guys that are essentially injury risks 0:15:36.200 --> 0:15:38.880 and now they could be up against needing to play 0:15:39.000 --> 0:15:41.360 extra games to get to where they want to be. 0:15:41.880 --> 0:15:44.160 Yeah, I think that's fair. I mean, you know, Andrew 0:15:44.200 --> 0:15:48.360 Friedman has always tried to offset those risks by building 0:15:48.400 --> 0:15:51.640 so much depth, right, I mean to think of the 0:15:51.640 --> 0:15:55.080 injuries they've had to twelve starters and now to still 0:15:55.080 --> 0:15:57.440 be in first place today, I mean, how many teams 0:15:57.480 --> 0:16:00.680 could ever do that, right, especially when names that were 0:16:00.720 --> 0:16:04.800 down were like Snell and glass now and Sasaki and 0:16:04.840 --> 0:16:07.520 you're still in first place today. That's that's incredible. So 0:16:07.560 --> 0:16:09.760 they've tried to build it with depth. And you know 0:16:10.520 --> 0:16:13.120 the one thing that Dodgers just need to make sure 0:16:13.200 --> 0:16:15.720 is that their starting pitchers are healthy come October, that 0:16:15.760 --> 0:16:18.840 their big guys are ready to go, and then they 0:16:19.160 --> 0:16:22.240 can clearly, you know, possibly run the table here. They 0:16:22.280 --> 0:16:26.840 can afford to make those gambling risks that most teams can't. 0:16:27.160 --> 0:16:31.080 They can keep signing injury prone guys just because they 0:16:31.080 --> 0:16:33.840 can spend whatever they want. They don't have a salary cap, 0:16:33.920 --> 0:16:36.480 they don't have a limit. They don't have a problem 0:16:36.520 --> 0:16:39.000 spending three hundred million more than the Marlins this year 0:16:39.040 --> 0:16:42.240 on payroll because they can. And if you can, why not. 0:16:42.920 --> 0:16:45.600 So yeah, I mean, but yeah, I think health is 0:16:45.600 --> 0:16:47.760 going to play a big part of how far the 0:16:47.800 --> 0:16:49.960 Dodgers go when they get to October. They'll get there 0:16:50.960 --> 0:16:53.360 even as a maybe as a wild card team, but 0:16:53.440 --> 0:16:56.160 playing the extra round with injury risk players, sure that's 0:16:56.160 --> 0:16:56.920 going to be a factor. 0:16:57.680 --> 0:16:59.520 Yeah, It's funny we said the same thing last year 0:16:59.560 --> 0:17:02.360 because was not a shiny rotation and they won a 0:17:02.360 --> 0:17:04.800 World Series. I would make the case the Padres are 0:17:04.800 --> 0:17:06.600 stronger this year. The Phillies are stronger this year, so 0:17:06.640 --> 0:17:08.160 it'll be a tough competition for them. 0:17:08.160 --> 0:17:09.040 But JB. 0:17:09.520 --> 0:17:11.560 Good catching up with you. JB. 0:17:12.000 --> 0:17:13.040 Yeah, you have crouchouts. 0:17:13.040 --> 0:17:15.399 We need to do JB's hoodie. So what's what's the 0:17:15.440 --> 0:17:18.560 hoodie today? Because I don't see a giant name brand. 0:17:18.280 --> 0:17:18.640 On that one. 0:17:18.720 --> 0:17:21.880 Yeah, we're just alo today, AJ that that's my goat. 0:17:21.920 --> 0:17:24.800 When the going gets tough, I just grab an aloe. Okay, 0:17:25.160 --> 0:17:28.560 it's good. I actually had another one on. It was purple. 0:17:28.640 --> 0:17:31.359 My wife said I look fatin, so she made me change. 0:17:33.440 --> 0:17:36.040 DUPD sweatshirt. Hey. 0:17:36.359 --> 0:17:39.840 Hey, she's a wonderful lady, so we give her all 0:17:39.840 --> 0:17:41.920 of the credit in the world, right, JB. She's only 0:17:41.960 --> 0:17:44.880 got your back, She's looking out for you. Yes, exactly, 0:17:45.119 --> 0:17:46.920 And I love the black. It looks good. 0:17:49.240 --> 0:17:50.440 They kill you, JB. 0:17:50.600 --> 0:17:51.640 Good stuff. We'll catch you soon. 0:17:51.640 --> 0:17:52.800 Okay, sounds good. 0:17:53.000 --> 0:17:54.560 I was going back and forth with Stephen in the 0:17:54.640 --> 0:17:57.399 chat during that conversation with JB. The question we didn't 0:17:57.400 --> 0:17:59.600 get to of his was about the Mets. He said, 0:17:59.640 --> 0:18:03.160 do you think that David Stearns will go after those 0:18:03.280 --> 0:18:07.760 big money Ace Bulldog guys in future off seasons? That's 0:18:07.760 --> 0:18:10.240 one of his things. He likes to avoid that. He 0:18:10.280 --> 0:18:13.280 doesn't believe in it. But I just wonder, Krats, when 0:18:13.320 --> 0:18:16.399 you spend so much on your team that's going to 0:18:16.480 --> 0:18:19.080 hurt you, is it worth taking that risk every once 0:18:19.119 --> 0:18:23.840 in a while. Frankie Montas has been an absolute disaster 0:18:24.080 --> 0:18:26.520 contract And I get it. It's not burning them. It's 0:18:26.560 --> 0:18:28.480 two years, thirty four million. I mean, for other teams 0:18:28.480 --> 0:18:31.399 it could really hurt. That's seventeen million dollars on a 0:18:31.440 --> 0:18:33.320 guy who hasn't pitched much this year and has been 0:18:33.359 --> 0:18:35.679 really bad since he returned. Those are the kind of 0:18:35.680 --> 0:18:38.840 guys that they hope they sprinkle a little Jeremy Hefner 0:18:39.320 --> 0:18:41.560 magic dust on and he turns into a star and 0:18:41.600 --> 0:18:43.520 some of them work. Not saying don't do that. I'm 0:18:43.560 --> 0:18:46.120 just saying they're not all going to work. And if 0:18:46.119 --> 0:18:47.480 you have a year like last year and then this 0:18:47.600 --> 0:18:50.080 year a few of them don't pan out, boom here 0:18:50.080 --> 0:18:50.400 you are. 0:18:52.320 --> 0:18:52.560 Yeah. 0:18:52.600 --> 0:18:54.720 I mean, I think I don't think they'll I don't 0:18:54.720 --> 0:18:57.160 know I guess. I guess if this year doesn't pan 0:18:57.240 --> 0:19:00.239 out the way he wants it to, maybe he'll revisit it. 0:19:00.480 --> 0:19:04.639 But there's contracts that are not the Frankie Montas sized 0:19:04.720 --> 0:19:10.320 contracts and not the Corbyn Burns contracts. There's stuff in 0:19:10.359 --> 0:19:12.480 the middle, like if you remember Zach Wheeler came over 0:19:12.520 --> 0:19:14.840