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Speaker 1: Welcome to the Hammer Territory Podcast. My name is Sean Coleman. Hope,

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Speaker 1: wherever you are and wherever you are listening, you were

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Speaker 1: having an absolutely wonderful start to your week. The Braves

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Speaker 1: are not playing baseball today, so hey, that's music to many,

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Speaker 1: I'm sure in Braves country right now. But we're going

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Speaker 1: to set aside the disappointment that this year has been

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Speaker 1: and have a bit of a celebratory addition of the

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Speaker 1: Hammer Territory Podcast, a special edition of the Hammer Territory

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Speaker 1: Podcast as we celebrate the All Star selections for three

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Speaker 1: of the best Braves. Now, many may not think the

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Speaker 1: Braves deserve that with the season that they're having, but

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Speaker 1: we're gonna get into why we feel these individuals definitely

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Speaker 1: are deserving and also what it means in the grand

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Speaker 1: scheme of things when it comes to where they stack

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Speaker 1: up at certain points in their career. And of course,

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Speaker 1: as always, I'm joined by my podcast partner, one of

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Speaker 1: the best in the game when it comes to covering

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Speaker 1: not only the Braves but the sport of baseball, Stephen Tolbert.

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Speaker 1: You could have seen him recently on Foul Territory. Stephen,

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Speaker 1: how are you doing sir.

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Speaker 2: What's up, buddy. Yeah, we haven't been able to do

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Speaker 2: a lot of positive, celebratory episodes this year. It's just

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Speaker 2: the nature of how it's gone, you know. We we

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Speaker 2: kind of pride ourselves as a podcast of being pretty

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Speaker 2: realistic about where things are, and so most of the

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Speaker 2: episodes we've done this year have not been all that

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Speaker 2: positive because the team's been in the dumps most of

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Speaker 2: the year. But we're gonna take one episode to celebrate

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Speaker 2: some of the positive things that have happened. And you

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Speaker 2: make an all star team, it's not a small thing.

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Speaker 2: You know. It gets used in terms of deciding who

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Speaker 2: makes the Hall of Fame, you know, when you get

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Speaker 2: to judging careers at the end, like all starts, a

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Speaker 2: lotions get used in all of that. And so the

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Speaker 2: Brads had three guys obviously Acunya Olsen Sale, they probably

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Speaker 2: had two more that could have been. I think Schwollenbach

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Speaker 2: had a real case. I think Baldwin probably had a

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Speaker 2: real case if he had played a little more. I

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Speaker 2: think the only reason he's not is because he just

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Speaker 2: didn't get the games played. That's not really is Dylan

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Speaker 2: Ly maybe, Oh and Dylan Lee. That's a good point. Yeah,

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Speaker 2: so maybe six sixth total. Dylan Lee definitely had a case.

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Speaker 2: I think if he had been the primary closer all year.

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Speaker 2: You know, they al Star they love like closers. They

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Speaker 2: don't really love the setup guys, and I think that

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Speaker 2: probably hurt him. So yeah, the Brad's probably had six guys.

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Speaker 2: They got three in. Schwallow Back would have been in

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Speaker 2: if he didn't get hurt. But yeah, we're gonna take

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Speaker 2: a minute just to celebrate these guys because they have

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Speaker 2: had good years. Some of them, you know, are capping

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Speaker 2: off some you know, Hall of Fame level careers, and

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Speaker 2: you know it's good to celebrate that.

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Speaker 1: Absolutely, let's jump right into it with the name that

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Speaker 1: that many kind of had hoped may even be able

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Speaker 1: to start on the mound for the National League. But

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Speaker 1: unfortunately he's still going to get the distinction of All Star,

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Speaker 1: though he will not be in the actual game. That

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Speaker 1: of course is Chris Sale, who earned his ninth All

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Speaker 1: Star appearance, and Steve and I you know, me and

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Speaker 1: you will both give a few facts here in the moment,

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Speaker 1: but the first thing that stands out to me is

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Speaker 1: you want to talk about someone who at the age

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Speaker 1: of thirty five is acquired by a new team. Now

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Speaker 1: I could go and look up some different statistical thresholds

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Speaker 1: and all that about just how rare it is that

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Speaker 1: a person at sales age is doing what he's doing

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Speaker 1: for a new team in his mid thirties. But it

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Speaker 1: speaks for itself. A second straight All Star appearance, he

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Speaker 1: comes off a cy Young Award last year, was on

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Speaker 1: his way to potentially being in contention this year, and

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Speaker 1: as I mentioned, probably would have had a good case

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Speaker 1: to start the game for the National League had he

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Speaker 1: not got injured. A more than deserving nod for Chris Sale,

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Speaker 1: who's just been absolutely phenomenal in this time in Atlanta.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, this was the one I was probably most unsure

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Speaker 2: of because of when the injury happened. You know, the

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Speaker 2: the position players get voted on you all right, just

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Speaker 2: it looked like you were in a hurricane there.

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Speaker 1: Sorry, sorry, sorry, trying just to renew the computer to

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Speaker 1: where it looks a little bit better.

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Speaker 2: So go ahead, just checking out, my boy. So, yeah,

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Speaker 2: Sale was the one I was unsure of because he

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Speaker 2: got hurt at a really awkward time. The position players

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Speaker 2: get voted on by fans, but like the starting pitchers

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Speaker 2: the reserves. That's done by the league and by the players.

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Speaker 2: I wasn't sure if Sale was going to get then

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Speaker 2: I'm really happy he did. It's a big honor. Obviously.

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Speaker 2: You can hear the way he talked about it. You know,

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Speaker 2: he did interviews with Bowman in and DLB both had

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Speaker 2: articles on it today, and he was proud. And even

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Speaker 2: though he's not going to be able to pitch that sucks,

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Speaker 2: he was extremely proud of it. And he should be.

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Speaker 2: And you know, we're gonna talk about it. You've got

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Speaker 2: a cool stat about starting. I think he would have

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Speaker 2: started had he not been hurted. Obviously, the game's in Atlanta.

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Speaker 2: You know, Chris Sale is one of the legacy pitchers

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Speaker 2: in the game, kind of along with Kershaw and Sersier

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Speaker 2: and Erlander, and you know, he's one of those guys.

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Speaker 2: And I think he would have gotten the NOD, which

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Speaker 2: would have been really cool. It sucks he got hurt, man,

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Speaker 2: I mean, just just such a freak injury kind of

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Speaker 2: just randomly diving for a ball really kind of robbed

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Speaker 2: us of what would have been a cool moment. I

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Speaker 2: know it's been a down season, but that still would

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Speaker 2: have been a cool moment to see Chris Sale potentially

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Speaker 2: start in in Atlanta, Braves Jersey in Truest Park for

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Speaker 2: the All Star Game, but still a big honor. And

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Speaker 2: it's ninth All Star selection. He made it seven straight

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Speaker 2: years between twenty twelve and twenty eighteen. Then obviously he

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Speaker 2: started dealing with injuries, and now he's made it both

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Speaker 2: years he's been in Atlanta, and you know, that trade

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Speaker 2: just continues to be the gift that keeps on giving.

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Speaker 2: And again, it sucks he got hurt, but it's a

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Speaker 2: it should be a relatively you know, it's not a

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Speaker 2: long term injury. So hopefully he's got a couple more

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Speaker 2: All Stars in the works for you know, his time

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Speaker 2: in Atlanta. Hopefully it's not you know, hopefully it's a

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Speaker 2: couple more years in the making.

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Speaker 1: Absolutely, And you know, when it comes to Chris Sale,

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Speaker 1: like when you start looking, you mentioned nine All Star appearances,

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Speaker 1: and we think of position players and you think to yourself, okay,

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Speaker 1: nine's not necessarily all that much. Well, again, because of

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Speaker 1: the fact that there's a little bit more selectivity in

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Speaker 1: the process when it got I don't know if selectivity

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Speaker 1: is a word, but there's a bit more complexity in

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Speaker 1: the process. When it comes to us two pictures, nine

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Speaker 1: stands out a bit more for pictures that level than

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Speaker 1: it does for hitters. As a matter of fact, Chris

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Speaker 1: zil is only the eleventh pitcher in Major League Baseball

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Speaker 1: history to have nine All Star appearances. He also is

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Speaker 1: only the fourth active player to have that distinction. We

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Speaker 1: just mentioned him, Clayton Kershaw, Justin Berlander, as well as

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Speaker 1: Max Schurzer. But where it gets a little bit more,

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Speaker 1: you know, kind of cool with Chris is what he's

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Speaker 1: done throughout his career by being an All Star for

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Speaker 1: multiple teams. I believe there may have been one or

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Speaker 1: two others, but I believe that Chris Selle and Roger

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Speaker 1: Clemman's only two pitchers in baseball history who have had

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Speaker 1: multiple All Star appearances for three or more teams. Clements

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Speaker 1: that it with four different teams. Sale has now done

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Speaker 1: it with three different teams. Again, that there may be

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Speaker 1: others who have done it out there, just from some

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Speaker 1: limited research that I did. But the other thing that

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Speaker 1: we're kind of missing out on is that, as Steven

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Speaker 1: had mentioned, if Chris Sale would have gotten the start,

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Speaker 1: I believe that he would have been the first player

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Speaker 1: in baseball history to have started an All Star Game

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Speaker 1: as a member of three different organizations. He did it

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Speaker 1: for the White Sox twice, he did it for the

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Speaker 1: Red Sox, and did it three straight years from sixteen

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Speaker 1: to eighteen, and he also would have done it this year.

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Speaker 1: Maybe he'll get to do it in the next year

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Speaker 1: or two. I know that's a lot of stats and everything,

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Speaker 1: but it shows just how rare of a career Chris

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Speaker 1: Sail was having when it comes to the consistency of

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Speaker 1: him being among the elite in his peer group. That

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Speaker 1: to me is what stands out from all those numbers. Steven,

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Speaker 1: and it's really awesome to see him doing it now.

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Speaker 1: He's basically had two peaks of his career now with

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Speaker 1: the Braves and obviously back you know at the latter

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Speaker 1: end of last decade with the White Sox and Red Sox.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, that's the cool part is that he's come back

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Speaker 2: after five years basically of being hurt at different times,

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Speaker 2: multiple different injuries, and he's come back better than ever.

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Speaker 2: I Mean, this version of Chris Sale is as good

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Speaker 2: as we've ever seen. I mean, he's still throwing the

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Speaker 2: ball almost as hard he can still touch ninety seven

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Speaker 2: ninety eight his fastball velociit is actually exactly the same

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Speaker 2: this year as it was last year, And like if

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Speaker 2: you go back to like twenty eighteen, he's still in

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Speaker 2: that exact same range of he averages about ninety five,

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Speaker 2: but he can jump it up to ninety seven, ninety eight,

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Speaker 2: even ninety nine when he needs it. The slider is

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Speaker 2: every bit as devastating as it's ever been. You know,

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Speaker 2: you can just tell you can watch hitters and tell

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Speaker 2: who good pictures are, Like you don't, you honestly don't

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Speaker 2: even need the numbers. You can just watch hitters and

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Speaker 2: they'll tell you who the good pictures are. And when

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Speaker 2: when guys get in the box to face that slider,

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Speaker 2: you'll never see guys take more uncomfortable, awkward swings. I mean,

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Speaker 2: he's just devastating, And you know, I think we're gonna

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Speaker 2: talk about his Hall of Fame stuff here in a minute,

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Speaker 2: but like he really has built and I'm glad he's

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Speaker 2: getting to finish it with the Braves. And again I

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Speaker 2: hope it's I hope we're not at the end. I

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Speaker 2: hope there's another two or three years of this that

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Speaker 2: he's you know he's gonna be able to submit a

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Speaker 2: Hall of Fame career with the Braves, and you know, again,

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Speaker 2: I hate that he's not gonna be able to pitch

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Speaker 2: in the home ballpark, you know, to Atlanta fans, that

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Speaker 2: would have been really cool. But still being a being

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Speaker 2: a selection and kind of restarting your career basically where

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Speaker 2: you left it off. And now you know, like you said,

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Speaker 2: he would have started. I mean, if he not gotten hurt,

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Speaker 2: he would have started this game. They would have definitely

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Speaker 2: allowed him to do that in Atlanta, and like you said,

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Speaker 2: he would have been the first guy ever to start

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Speaker 2: three All Star Games with three different teams. That would

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Speaker 2: have been incredible. And it's just it's it's amazing how

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Speaker 2: good this guy is. And you know, obviously the Braves

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Speaker 2: got him for Dirt Sheep, they got him for Von Grisome.

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Speaker 2: The Red Sox even paid his salary last year. It's

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Speaker 2: just incredible. He's been incredible. I hate that he got hurt,

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Speaker 2: but congrats to Chris Sale. It's just a testament to

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Speaker 2: how unbelievable he's been for how long he's been that

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Speaker 2: he's ninth all. Like you said, it's not easy for

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Speaker 2: pitchers to make the All Star team. It's much different

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Speaker 2: than position players, and nine All Stars over a career

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Speaker 2: is absurd work. Yeah.

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Speaker 1: Now, also, you know quiet clarified a bit more. You

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Speaker 1: know that he's one of eleven, you know, pitchers who

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Speaker 1: have mainly been starting pitchers who have had nine plus

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Speaker 1: All Stars. And again that you know research about him,

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Speaker 1: you know, potentially being the first to ever start three

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Speaker 1: all start or to start an all start as part

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Speaker 1: of the three organizations. There may have been someone else

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Speaker 1: that did that, but setting that to the side, all

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Speaker 1: that was meant to paint the picture of how rare

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Speaker 1: it is that someone has done what Chris Sel has

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Speaker 1: done in his career. And I want to end with

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Speaker 1: this point, is that when you look at active pictures,

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Speaker 1: when you look to tier in terms of a historical

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Speaker 1: context active pictures, there's three giants. There's three giants. There's Kershaw,

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Speaker 1: there's Verlander and Max Schurzer. Well, folks, I'm here to

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Speaker 1: tell you Chris Sale can make it to where there's

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Speaker 1: a mount rushmore of active pictures right now. If you

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Speaker 1: want to put him on a tier below, that's fine,

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Speaker 1: but he shares that tier by himself due to the

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Speaker 1: injuries that he had from twenty to nineteen two, twenty

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Speaker 1: twenty three, He's not going to have the counting numbers

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Speaker 1: that those three other guys I mentioned have. But in

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Speaker 1: terms of the quality metrics, he's right there with them.

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Speaker 1: Strikeouts per nine innings, overall effectiveness, the consistency of being

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Speaker 1: an elite pitcher, it's all there. And when you mentioned

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Speaker 1: we've talked about I think the magic number for Sale

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Speaker 1: to be without a data hall of famer. He is

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Speaker 1: three thousand strikeouts. He needs about four hundred and fifty more.

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Speaker 1: I think he'll get there. But in addition to that,

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Speaker 1: the All Star appearances, how many he started, the fact

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Speaker 1: that he started three in a row, and how rare

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Speaker 1: that's being. This is just another bullet point on that

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Speaker 1: resume that, without a doubt, in my mind, makes Chris

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Speaker 1: Sale a clear Hall of Famer.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, you and I have talked about this before, about

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Speaker 2: you know, picture wins and how you know the standard

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Speaker 2: used to be three hundred wins and it's just not

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Speaker 2: a number we're gonna see anymore. The game has changed.

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Speaker 2: Teams don't care about picture wins. You know, It's just

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Speaker 2: not a number that accumulates the way it used to

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Speaker 2: and so we're gonna have to use something else and strikeouts.

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Speaker 2: Strikeouts feel like a pretty strong like this is the

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Speaker 2: number we should be using. And Chrisselle is at twenty

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Speaker 2: five hundred, like you just said, And I think even

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Speaker 2: if he doesn't get to twenty five hundred, all right,

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Speaker 2: if he doesn't get to three thousand, he's gonna be

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Speaker 2: a Hall of Famer so close already, just just with

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Speaker 2: the I mean, he's got the peak where he was

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Speaker 2: the best pitcher on the planet Earth for a substantial

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Speaker 2: amount of time. He's got the World Series ring with Boston.

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Speaker 2: He was also just nails in that entire postseason. I

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Speaker 2: want to say he actually closed Didn't he close the game?

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Speaker 1: He closed the game?

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Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, he closed out. Yeah with the Red Sox,

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Speaker 2: he closed the World Series out. So he was a

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Speaker 2: monster in that postseason. He's not gonna have the wins,

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Speaker 2: but you know, voters are gonna have to get over

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Speaker 2: that for the next ever, like we're not gonna have

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Speaker 2: three hundred wins again, and at twenty five hundred strikeouts

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Speaker 2: and again he's not done, Like he could easily get

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Speaker 2: the three thousand strikeouts over the next two years, two

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Speaker 2: and a half years. It's again, it sucks he's gonna

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Speaker 2: miss so much time this year. He could have really

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Speaker 2: knocked a chunk of that out. But yeah, I mean,

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Speaker 2: I think he is a Hall of Famer. And like

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Speaker 2: you said, those other three guys er Lander, Kershahl, Scherzer

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Speaker 2: are no doubt hall of famers. They didn't have the

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Speaker 2: big five year gap of injuries that he that Sale did.

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Speaker 2: If Sales didn't have that, this is a you know this,

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Speaker 2: this conversation is a foregone conclusion with that gap is

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Speaker 2: kind of where the question comes in. But I think

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Speaker 2: even with that, he's been so good and he's not

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Speaker 2: done again, he still looks as good as he's ever looked.

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Speaker 2: I think he's going to be.

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Speaker 1: In absolutely, But of course Chris Sale is not the

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Speaker 1: only Brave who certainly deserves some recognition for not only

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Speaker 1: what he's done this year, but also what it means

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Speaker 1: in terms of the context of his career. We'll discuss

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Speaker 1: Matt Olsen in just a moment, who will be making

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Speaker 1: this third All Star Game, and the Spray and I

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Speaker 1: So Stephen, we go from Chris Sale to a bit

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Speaker 1: more polarizing. If you were to talk to some in

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Speaker 1: Braves Country figure, We're not going to get into that.

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Speaker 1: It's just funny that he's even polarizing at all. And that,

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Speaker 1: of course is Matt Olson. Matt Olson earning his third

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Speaker 1: All Star selection, his second in three years with the

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Speaker 1: Braves and Listen. Twenty twenty three was an absolutely monster

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Speaker 1: campaign for Matt Olsen. He's not to that level, but

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Speaker 1: this year it's been a bit more well rounded. He

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Speaker 1: still is doing pretty good damage with the bat, but

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Speaker 1: what stands out is the overall impact he's making with

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Speaker 1: the glove as well. He right now is the most

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Speaker 1: valuable first baseman in baseball, according to Fangrass, and that

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Speaker 1: really has a lot to do with his defense. But

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Speaker 1: more than anything in a season where so much has

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Speaker 1: gone wrong with the Braves, Matt Olsen has stood out

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Speaker 1: above and beyond as being a clear sign of post

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Speaker 1: production and definitely deserving of this All Star.

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Speaker 2: Not yeah, I'm glad, I mean it is a shame

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Speaker 2: the way Matt gets talked about by Braves fans, not

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Speaker 2: all Brace fans, I should say, a small section of

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Speaker 2: Brace fans who just will never get over Freddie Freeman.

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Speaker 2: And I don't care who you blame for Freddie Freeman

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Speaker 2: not be here, whether it's Alex and Thoppolis or Freddie

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Speaker 2: or his agent, whoever it is. Who I know you

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Speaker 2: don't I know you shouldn't blame is Matts. Matt Olson

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Speaker 2: had nothing to do with it. He was traded here, remember,

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Speaker 2: and all he's done is produced. Like I understand, he's

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Speaker 2: a little bit more streaky, but overall, like you can't

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Speaker 2: argue with the numbers. And this year he's been fantastic.

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Speaker 2: He's got a one forty WRC plus he's been one

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Speaker 2: of the best defensive first basemen in baseball, if not

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Speaker 2: the best leads all first basemen in war, and like,

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Speaker 2: if you look at how how much he got voted

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Speaker 2: on by Atlanta Braves fans, Like, I think he got

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Speaker 2: fewer votes than Ozzie Albi's, which is just crazy. Like

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Speaker 2: this guy just does not get the respect that he deserves.

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Speaker 2: And so I'm glad his peers understand how good he

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Speaker 2: is and gave him the reserve spot. Honestly, I mean,

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Speaker 2: he had an argument to be the starter. Quite honestly,

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Speaker 2: he probably should be starting this game. But listen, you

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Speaker 2: know he's on the team and he's getting the recognition,

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Speaker 2: and he is fantastic, and I understand he is streaky,

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Speaker 2: and he'll be the first to tell you that. And

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Speaker 2: I understand that there was a time earlier in the

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Speaker 2: year where he was not going well, the team was

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Speaker 2: not doing well, and people piled on even more. But

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Speaker 2: you know, he got hot and he got his numbers

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Speaker 2: back up to where they should be, where I expect

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Speaker 2: him to be. I expect Matt Olson to be a

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Speaker 2: one thirty five one WRC plus level hitter, Like that's

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Speaker 2: his talent level. That's what I expect, and he wasn't that.

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Speaker 2: Last year. He had a down year last year, and

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Speaker 2: I just had a feeling that he was going to

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Speaker 2: bounce back. Obviously, that massive twenty twenty three almost certainly

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Speaker 2: gonna be his career year. I mean, I don't see

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Speaker 2: him passing fifty four homers and almost a seven win

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Speaker 2: season and a one to sixty WRC plus and all

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Speaker 2: the ridiculous numbers he put up in twenty twenty three.

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Speaker 2: But I do expect him to be what he is

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Speaker 2: this year, which is a you know, a one forty

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Speaker 2: WRC plus five win, you know, forty homer thirty five

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Speaker 2: forty homer or first baseman, and that's what he's been

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Speaker 2: and with really good defense, and that guy deserves to

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Speaker 2: be an All Star. That guy deserves respect from his

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Speaker 2: fan base. I don't care who the first baseman was

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Speaker 2: before that. That guy deserves respect. And you can tell

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Speaker 2: that he has the respect of his peers, he has

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Speaker 2: respect around the league. I hope he does the home

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Speaker 2: run derby. That would be incredible. Scott and I talked

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Speaker 2: about that on Sunday if him and Acuna both did

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Speaker 2: the home run derby. But that guy deserves respect, and

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Speaker 2: there's just too many people in this fan base that

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Speaker 2: don't respect him and it pisses me off. And I'm

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Speaker 2: glad he's getting the recognition, his third All Star, his

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Speaker 2: third All Star appearance, much deserved. Congrats Mount. I'm glad

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Speaker 2: he got in. I was pissed out the voting went,

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Speaker 2: he didn't get enough respect in the voting, but he

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Speaker 2: got in as a reserve and it's much, much deserved.

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Speaker 1: So let's put it into context, because I don't think

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Speaker 1: that this is discussed enough when it comes to Matt Olsen.

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Speaker 1: Over the past decade, Matt Olsen is a top three

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Speaker 1: first baseman in baseball according to F four. You've got

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Speaker 1: Freddy Freeman and you've got Paul Goldschman, two likely Hall

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Speaker 1: of famers who are clearly, you know again they're on

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Speaker 1: their own tier. But below that is Matt Olsen, and

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Speaker 1: he's on his own tier. So again, top three first

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Speaker 1: baseman over the past decade. Since joining the Braves in

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Speaker 1: twenty twenty two, he's the second most valuable first baseman

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Speaker 1: in the game according to F far, trailing Freddy Freeman.

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Speaker 1: And again, I know we won't get into that discussion.

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Speaker 1: You know, if you still if because of that, you

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Speaker 1: still feel disappointment that the Braves acquired Matt Olson. It's

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Speaker 1: a fall of perspective and the problem lies with you,

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Speaker 1: and that's where all leave that. But the even more

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Speaker 1: impressive point of this is the fact that Matt Olson

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Speaker 1: is one of five first basemen through age thirty one

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Speaker 1: in their career, one of five position players who were

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Speaker 1: primarily first baseman in Major league history to have hit

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Speaker 1: two hundred and seventy five home runs, have an eight

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Speaker 1: to fifty year better career ops, and have thirty five

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Speaker 1: or better be war through the age of thirty one.

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Speaker 1: I know that's a lot of criteria, but this is

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Speaker 1: a list of names. Who is on that list with

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Speaker 1: lou Gary, Eddie Murray, Fred McGriff, Mark to Shera, and

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Speaker 1: Matt Olson. Now, I know that Olson compares with to

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Speaker 1: Shera a bit more than he does the other three,

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Speaker 1: but that just goes to show the company that Matt

430
00:21:46,119 --> 00:21:48,959
Speaker 1: Olsen has kept up to this point in his career.

431
00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:52,120
Speaker 1: We're not just talking about a first baseman who's had

432
00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:55,720
Speaker 1: a good two or three career years. We're legitimately talking

433
00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:58,520
Speaker 1: about a career that right now may not necessarily be

434
00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:01,000
Speaker 1: on a Hall of Fame trajectory. But if he continues

435
00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:03,960
Speaker 1: to produce well into his thirties. He definitely could be

436
00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:08,120
Speaker 1: on that trajectory. The quality is there with the quantity,

437
00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:10,800
Speaker 1: and the other really cool thing about it, he keeps

438
00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:14,240
Speaker 1: getting better. He's having the best defensive year of his career,

439
00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:17,760
Speaker 1: and to me, one other part of his overall game,

440
00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:21,679
Speaker 1: Steven that's not talked about enough how clutch he is

441
00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:25,359
Speaker 1: when he's facing quality competitions. Again, in his time with

442
00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:27,959
Speaker 1: the Braves, he is second in Major League Baseball in

443
00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:30,560
Speaker 1: RBIs when facing teams with a five to fifty year

444
00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:34,360
Speaker 1: better winning percentage. The Braves overall have been very disappointing

445
00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:37,360
Speaker 1: in quality games, especially the playoffs, over the past three

446
00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:40,200
Speaker 1: to four years, Matt Olson's been our one consistent source

447
00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:43,439
Speaker 1: of offense. So when you put all that together, yes,

448
00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:45,560
Speaker 1: we need to celebrate the fact that he has made

449
00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:48,000
Speaker 1: the All Star team this year, but it just adds

450
00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:50,679
Speaker 1: to the context of how awesome of a first baseman.

451
00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:53,480
Speaker 1: He's been one of the best in his generation and

452
00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:55,680
Speaker 1: obviously one of the top three over the best decade.

453
00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:56,800
Speaker 1: Over the past decade.

454
00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:04,760
Speaker 2: Yeah, and he has missed a game since May second,

455
00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:08,560
Speaker 2: twenty twenty one, I think was when the streak started.

456
00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:10,879
Speaker 1: Seven hundred and ten straight games, the longest in the

457
00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:11,439
Speaker 1: game right now.

458
00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:14,000
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, he is the current iron Man in baseball.

459
00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:18,680
Speaker 2: Seven hundred and ten straight games, almost four four and

460
00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:21,480
Speaker 2: a half full seasons, hasn't missed a game since he

461
00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:24,439
Speaker 2: put on a Braves uniform. There's plenty that will tell

462
00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:28,399
Speaker 2: you the best ability is availability, and no one beats

463
00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:30,920
Speaker 2: Matt Olsen in that category. And yeah, I do think

464
00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:32,760
Speaker 2: he has an outside chance as a Hall of Fame career.

465
00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:37,040
Speaker 2: He's gonna have to play deeper into his thirties. He

466
00:23:37,119 --> 00:23:40,120
Speaker 2: probably needs I think he's at two, he's I think

467
00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:47,199
Speaker 2: seventy seventy eight to seventy eight. He's got an outside

468
00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:49,360
Speaker 2: shot at three hundred this year if he gets hot

469
00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:51,960
Speaker 2: in the second half. He's hit twenty two homers in

470
00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:57,440
Speaker 2: a half before. If he gets to five hundred homers,

471
00:23:57,760 --> 00:23:59,240
Speaker 2: obviously he was gonna you know, he's gonna have to

472
00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:02,080
Speaker 2: play into thirty seven, thirty eight, thirty nine. The dh

473
00:24:02,119 --> 00:24:04,200
Speaker 2: will help, the fact that he's good defensive first base

474
00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:06,480
Speaker 2: wall help. Then, yeah, he's got a shot at a

475
00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:09,320
Speaker 2: Hall of Fame career. And that's what people miss. And

476
00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:13,600
Speaker 2: I understand, you know, Freddie Freeman Freddie Freeman's great. Freddie

477
00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:15,679
Speaker 2: Freeman's a Hall of Famer. I love Freddie when he

478
00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:18,080
Speaker 2: was here, but I'm not I don't understand the people

479
00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:20,800
Speaker 2: that take that out on metals. It's not Matt Olson's fault.

480
00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:24,280
Speaker 2: He's just he's just a really damn good player. And

481
00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:28,280
Speaker 2: I really hope he I really hope he agedes well

482
00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:31,080
Speaker 2: where he gets a real legitimate shot at a Hall

483
00:24:31,119 --> 00:24:34,680
Speaker 2: of Fame career, because he does have a shot, and

484
00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:37,119
Speaker 2: you know, playing the ballpark he plays in, which is

485
00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:41,920
Speaker 2: his favorable to lefties, he can absolutely pop five hundred

486
00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:44,360
Speaker 2: homers in his career. I think that's real. I think

487
00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:46,119
Speaker 2: there's a real chance at that. He's got to stay healthy.

488
00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:49,480
Speaker 2: But nobody stays healthier better than Matt Olson, at least

489
00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:52,240
Speaker 2: in the last four years. So we'll see what happens.

490
00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:55,240
Speaker 2: But really happy for him that he had a bounce

491
00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:56,880
Speaker 2: back year. Was not a great year, Like it wasn't

492
00:24:56,920 --> 00:24:59,159
Speaker 2: a bad year last year, it just wasn't like to

493
00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:01,639
Speaker 2: his standard. It was like a one what do you have,

494
00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:03,960
Speaker 2: like a one twenty five WRC plus or something like that.

495
00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:07,200
Speaker 2: Last year just you know, still very good, just kind

496
00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:09,240
Speaker 2: of below what I expect from Matt, because Matt's so

497
00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:12,000
Speaker 2: damn good. This is what I expect, what he's doing

498
00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:15,000
Speaker 2: this year, and he deserved to be an All Star,

499
00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:17,800
Speaker 2: and I was pissed the way the voting went. He

500
00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:20,520
Speaker 2: didn't get enough respect from Brace fans. Still doesn't get

501
00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:23,800
Speaker 2: enough respect from Brace fans, but he got recognition by

502
00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:28,000
Speaker 2: his peers, and honestly, that's for players, I guarantee you.

503
00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:30,560
Speaker 2: For a lot of players, it almost means more that

504
00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:33,879
Speaker 2: you get voted in by your peers, by coaches, you know,

505
00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:37,800
Speaker 2: because you know, having recognition within the game is probably

506
00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:41,200
Speaker 2: pretty valuable and pretty special to these guys. So good

507
00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:41,600
Speaker 2: for Matt.

508
00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:44,280
Speaker 1: He deserved it, and I don't care what anybody else

509
00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:45,920
Speaker 1: has to say, to be honest with you. The two

510
00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:50,720
Speaker 1: best actual transactions, the two best additions outside of the

511
00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:54,679
Speaker 1: organization to the Braves during the era of Alexanthopolis and

512
00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:58,040
Speaker 1: Brian Snicker has been Matt Olsen as well as Chris Sale,

513
00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:00,720
Speaker 1: and this year just goes to show why that's the case.

514
00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:04,800
Speaker 1: They have been the two most valuable outside editions of

515
00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:07,320
Speaker 1: Alex and Thopulss's ear Now there are two of the

516
00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:11,040
Speaker 1: three best overall transactions, and I think that you can

517
00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:13,199
Speaker 1: guess what the number one transaction of all has been

518
00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:15,800
Speaker 1: during the Alex and popless era. We'll discuss that plus

519
00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:17,359
Speaker 1: that individual in just a moment.

520
00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:21,520
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Speaker 1: So Stephen Ronald Acuney Junior is, of course who I'm

541
00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:25,119
Speaker 1: talking about, his extension being the top transaction of the

542
00:27:25,119 --> 00:27:27,480
Speaker 1: alexand Populis era. But the reason why I feel that

543
00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:29,639
Speaker 1: it's significant. I'm not going to go to a stats

544
00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:31,560
Speaker 1: died with him, like I did you know, Chris Sale,

545
00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:33,879
Speaker 1: Matt Olson, because everybody knows, you know, just how incredible

546
00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:36,159
Speaker 1: Ronald acune Junior is. But what stands out to me

547
00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:38,800
Speaker 1: is this, he's twenty seven years old and he's about

548
00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:41,880
Speaker 1: to start his fifth All Star Game. Now, I'm sure

549
00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:45,120
Speaker 1: that others have done that, but others I don't really

550
00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:49,280
Speaker 1: know have done that coming off two ACL injuries, including

551
00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:52,720
Speaker 1: after one year after the first winning MVP and started

552
00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:55,320
Speaker 1: the All Star Game that year, and then less than

553
00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:57,880
Speaker 1: two months after coming back from a second one starting

554
00:27:57,960 --> 00:27:59,560
Speaker 1: the All Star Game again. Now I know that it's

555
00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:02,040
Speaker 1: in Atlante. But another thing that stands out to me

556
00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:05,000
Speaker 1: is we want to talk about polarizing a player that

557
00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:08,840
Speaker 1: you know inside outside the organization has had some polarizing

558
00:28:08,880 --> 00:28:12,160
Speaker 1: opinions about him throughout his career. It's clear that he's

559
00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:14,720
Speaker 1: also pretty popular with how much he staid, with how

560
00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:17,840
Speaker 1: often he started the All Star Game, even with being

561
00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:21,040
Speaker 1: out too significant periods of time due to knee injuries.

562
00:28:21,200 --> 00:28:24,199
Speaker 1: It's just incredible to see what he can do when

563
00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:26,760
Speaker 1: he's on the field and at one hundred percent. And

564
00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:28,480
Speaker 1: it's going to be awesome to see him at the

565
00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:31,600
Speaker 1: home run derby and starting for Atlanta in the outfit

566
00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:33,640
Speaker 1: of the All Star Game, especially in the season where

567
00:28:33,640 --> 00:28:34,919
Speaker 1: we haven't had much to look forward to.

568
00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:39,760
Speaker 2: Yeah, and he was going to start. Remember he was

569
00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:43,600
Speaker 2: going to start in twenty twenty one because he tore

570
00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:45,920
Speaker 2: up his knee right before the right before the All

571
00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:48,440
Speaker 2: Star Game. He was going to start that year. He

572
00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:50,560
Speaker 2: was he was already voted in. That counts as one

573
00:28:50,560 --> 00:28:52,080
Speaker 2: of the years he made it. But obviously he didn't

574
00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:54,280
Speaker 2: play in that game. He was going to start. He

575
00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:56,280
Speaker 2: was the best player in the in baseball that year.

576
00:28:56,320 --> 00:28:59,560
Speaker 2: But yeah, he definitely has respect among his period. I

577
00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:01,760
Speaker 2: remember once they asked Mike. I think it was on

578
00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:04,240
Speaker 2: an All Star Game. They were asking all the players

579
00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:08,080
Speaker 2: like if you had to pay money. Obviously, players get

580
00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:09,200
Speaker 2: in the games for free. But if you had to

581
00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:12,280
Speaker 2: pay money to see somebody, who would you see. And

582
00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:14,240
Speaker 2: Mike Trout, who was the best player on Planet Earth

583
00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:16,640
Speaker 2: at the time, said I would pay to see Ronald,

584
00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:19,840
Speaker 2: and people who watch Ronald, people who know the game.

585
00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:23,040
Speaker 2: Chipper Jones has called him the most talented player he's

586
00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:25,360
Speaker 2: ever seen in a Braves uniform. He didn't call him

587
00:29:25,360 --> 00:29:28,680
Speaker 2: the best player. There's a distinction there. Obviously, Hank Aaron

588
00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:32,880
Speaker 2: deserves the respect of being the best player in Braves

589
00:29:33,160 --> 00:29:36,400
Speaker 2: franchise history, and so does Chipper, by the way, but

590
00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:39,160
Speaker 2: Chipper Jones called him the most talented player he's ever

591
00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:44,760
Speaker 2: seen in a Brave uniform. And you understand why. When

592
00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:48,480
Speaker 2: the dude is locked in he weighs one hundred and

593
00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:50,360
Speaker 2: eighty pounds. He can hit the ball four hundred and

594
00:29:50,360 --> 00:29:55,200
Speaker 2: eighty feet like it's just like a perfect swing, and

595
00:29:55,400 --> 00:30:01,160
Speaker 2: he he just oozes like raw power. And of course

596
00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:03,280
Speaker 2: before all the knee stuff, he was fast as hell.

597
00:30:03,320 --> 00:30:07,240
Speaker 2: He's still pretty fast. He's got a rocket arm. He's

598
00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:10,480
Speaker 2: an extremely talented baseball player, and he's come off the

599
00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:14,360
Speaker 2: second ACL this year and looked incredible. Listen I know

600
00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:17,200
Speaker 2: he got cold in the last week, and you know,

601
00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:19,800
Speaker 2: that's kind of the last thing that happened, So that's

602
00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:22,960
Speaker 2: what's all on everybody's mind. But let's just not forget

603
00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:26,360
Speaker 2: the first month where he was Superman and he was

604
00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:30,600
Speaker 2: running a twelve hundred ops And listen, you know he's

605
00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:33,800
Speaker 2: cold right now. But Ronald's cold streaks usually lasts about

606
00:30:33,840 --> 00:30:35,280
Speaker 2: a week, and if it lasts more than a week,

607
00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:37,720
Speaker 2: that's rare. And that's another thing that makes them special,

608
00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:40,000
Speaker 2: is I remember in that twenty twenty three season, his

609
00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:44,880
Speaker 2: MVP season, his worst like his worst month was like

610
00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:48,520
Speaker 2: a nine to fifty ops. Like. He just doesn't go

611
00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:51,719
Speaker 2: through slumps the way you know other guys go through slumps,

612
00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:55,959
Speaker 2: which are month long, six week long slumps. His slumps

613
00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:58,320
Speaker 2: last like a week or five games or you know,

614
00:30:58,360 --> 00:31:02,000
Speaker 2: eight games or whatever. And that's valuable for a team

615
00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:03,640
Speaker 2: that has a lot of streaky hitters. By the way,

616
00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:07,040
Speaker 2: we don't talk about that enough. So yeah, I'm very

617
00:31:07,040 --> 00:31:09,840
Speaker 2: happy for Ronald. He earned it, he deserved it. He

618
00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:12,040
Speaker 2: was the best player in baseball all throughout the voting

619
00:31:13,080 --> 00:31:14,920
Speaker 2: and he you know, he earned it through the fans,

620
00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:18,480
Speaker 2: and there's not a soul there's not a person at

621
00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:20,680
Speaker 2: that All Star Game this or next weekend in Atlanta

622
00:31:20,680 --> 00:31:23,560
Speaker 2: that's going to think to themselves, man, Ronnie. Ronnie doesn't

623
00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:25,520
Speaker 2: really deserve to be here. Like it. They all know

624
00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:29,080
Speaker 2: he is. He is as talented a player as there

625
00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:32,000
Speaker 2: is in baseball. When he's healthy, baseball is a better sport.

626
00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:34,880
Speaker 2: And all those fans of other teams that whine and

627
00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:39,360
Speaker 2: moan about him, you know, his home run trot or whatever,

628
00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:42,560
Speaker 2: they would give body parts for that guy to be

629
00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:46,120
Speaker 2: on their team. They would give actual body parts. I mean,

630
00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:49,000
Speaker 2: I've been reading like everybody thinks the Brigs are gonna

631
00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:51,000
Speaker 2: trade a Kunya now that they've had a bad season.

632
00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:54,760
Speaker 2: They would give body parts for Acunya to be on

633
00:31:54,800 --> 00:32:00,960
Speaker 2: their team. So even fans that that hate him and

634
00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:03,680
Speaker 2: would take him in a heartbeat, so good for him.

635
00:32:03,720 --> 00:32:05,400
Speaker 2: I'm glad he's on the All Star team. He deserved

636
00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:07,160
Speaker 2: it absolutely.

637
00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:09,000
Speaker 1: And we're talking about you know, we were talking about

638
00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:11,680
Speaker 1: Chris Sale, you know, being among the top four pitchers

639
00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:13,960
Speaker 1: active and all that different stuff. Listen, I think this

640
00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:16,480
Speaker 1: year is kind of put it into perspective what Ronald

641
00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:19,480
Speaker 1: can do coming off a year off with a significant

642
00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:22,160
Speaker 1: injury and just coming right back and dominating. He is

643
00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:24,720
Speaker 1: a top five offensive player in this game. I think

644
00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:26,920
Speaker 1: you can even make a case top three. I think

645
00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:30,320
Speaker 1: Otani and Judge obviously are one and two, whatever order

646
00:32:30,320 --> 00:32:31,920
Speaker 1: you want to put me in, but I think Ronald

647
00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:33,840
Speaker 1: has a case to be right there with number three,

648
00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:37,400
Speaker 1: whether you Wan Soto, Bryce Harper, whoever else do you

649
00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:40,080
Speaker 1: want to put in that conversation. But the thing about

650
00:32:40,120 --> 00:32:42,720
Speaker 1: it is, this is again just like Chris Sale, just

651
00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:45,680
Speaker 1: like Matt Olsen. This isn't a right now. I'm not

652
00:32:45,760 --> 00:32:48,400
Speaker 1: saying this because of the month long hot streak that

653
00:32:48,440 --> 00:32:50,680
Speaker 1: he just came over. I'm saying it after a one

654
00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:53,000
Speaker 1: to fifty eight WRC plus and twenty twenty on one

655
00:32:53,040 --> 00:32:55,640
Speaker 1: fifty seven WRC plus when he got injured in twenty

656
00:32:55,680 --> 00:32:58,320
Speaker 1: twenty one, where he legitimately was a favorite for the

657
00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:01,360
Speaker 1: MVP of order one seventy one WRC plus in twenty

658
00:33:01,480 --> 00:33:03,400
Speaker 1: twenty three when he won it, and so far on

659
00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:06,680
Speaker 1: one of the two WRC plus this year. That's the

660
00:33:06,720 --> 00:33:09,040
Speaker 1: thing that I want to end the podcast on, Steven,

661
00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:11,440
Speaker 1: is that when we talk about Sale, when we talk

662
00:33:11,480 --> 00:33:14,040
Speaker 1: about Matt Olson, when we talk about Ronald o'cunya, junior.

663
00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:17,960
Speaker 1: This isn't just some aberration, This isn't just some career year.

664
00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:20,360
Speaker 1: This isn't due to a hot streak or anything along

665
00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:23,280
Speaker 1: those lines. All three of these players, the best case

666
00:33:23,320 --> 00:33:26,160
Speaker 1: being Ronald A. Couonya junior. All three of these players

667
00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:28,800
Speaker 1: are the biggest reason as to why despite the fact

668
00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:30,560
Speaker 1: that we're now going into a year and a half

669
00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:33,160
Speaker 1: of utter disappointment when it comes to this Braves team,

670
00:33:33,440 --> 00:33:36,200
Speaker 1: the Braves remain focused on if it's not going to

671
00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:38,240
Speaker 1: be there this year, they're going to make damn sure

672
00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:39,560
Speaker 1: that they're going to try to be there in twenty

673
00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:42,720
Speaker 1: twenty sixth World Series contenders. These are three of the

674
00:33:42,760 --> 00:33:45,800
Speaker 1: biggest reasons why, maybe the three biggest reasons. And it's

675
00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:48,560
Speaker 1: awesome to see them getting center stage in Atlanta, and

676
00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:52,920
Speaker 1: you hope, you hope that beyond that we get them

677
00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:56,240
Speaker 1: back into the opportunity of contributing to a contender for

678
00:33:56,360 --> 00:33:58,840
Speaker 1: years to come in twenty twenty six and beyond.

679
00:34:01,160 --> 00:34:02,680
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think it's fair to say these

680
00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:06,720
Speaker 2: are the three best players on the team. Schwallenbach certainly

681
00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:10,400
Speaker 2: would have something to say about that, and so a

682
00:34:10,480 --> 00:34:14,040
Speaker 2: Drake Baldwin. But I'm fine and Strider as well. But

683
00:34:14,120 --> 00:34:17,080
Speaker 2: I'm fine saying these are the three best players on

684
00:34:17,120 --> 00:34:19,640
Speaker 2: the team, and these three guys are the main reason

685
00:34:19,640 --> 00:34:22,680
Speaker 2: why there is still hope for twenty twenty six, even

686
00:34:22,680 --> 00:34:24,600
Speaker 2: though twenty twenty five is not going the way. Anybody

687
00:34:24,680 --> 00:34:27,359
Speaker 2: wants all these guys a run a contract for next year.

688
00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:29,960
Speaker 2: You know, Ronald will be another year away from the injuries.

689
00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:32,520
Speaker 2: Sale should be you know, it's just a broken bone,

690
00:34:32,560 --> 00:34:34,640
Speaker 2: so he should just he should be fine for next year.

691
00:34:34,880 --> 00:34:37,719
Speaker 2: Matt Olson still in his prime. Like, yeah, they are

692
00:34:37,760 --> 00:34:40,359
Speaker 2: the reason you have hope that this is not some

693
00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:43,040
Speaker 2: big rebuild the Braves are about to start. But this

694
00:34:43,160 --> 00:34:45,960
Speaker 2: is just a bad year. And it's not a bad

695
00:34:46,040 --> 00:34:47,960
Speaker 2: year because of these guys. You know, it's a bad

696
00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:49,920
Speaker 2: There's a lot of reasons. And listen, we're gonna do

697
00:34:49,960 --> 00:34:54,040
Speaker 2: a full post mortem of this season when it's time,

698
00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:57,319
Speaker 2: but I can guarantee you the reason the Braves are

699
00:34:57,320 --> 00:34:59,440
Speaker 2: where they are. It has nothing to do with Chris Sale,

700
00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:01,640
Speaker 2: thing to do with Matt Olsen, has nothing to do

701
00:35:01,680 --> 00:35:04,680
Speaker 2: with Ronald Jr. Except if you want to say their

702
00:35:04,719 --> 00:35:07,640
Speaker 2: absence when they weren't on the field, But when they've

703
00:35:07,640 --> 00:35:09,560
Speaker 2: been on the field, they've been among the best players

704
00:35:09,560 --> 00:35:13,040
Speaker 2: in baseball, and obviously, you know, being voted All Stars

705
00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:16,000
Speaker 2: or being selected as All Stars is just proof that

706
00:35:16,080 --> 00:35:18,759
Speaker 2: they are among the best of their peers and they

707
00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:22,200
Speaker 2: deserve it. I'm happy they got the recognition. Especially happy

708
00:35:22,239 --> 00:35:25,120
Speaker 2: for for Chris because after the injury, I was thinking

709
00:35:25,160 --> 00:35:27,839
Speaker 2: he was going to get robbed of this, and he didn't.

710
00:35:27,840 --> 00:35:30,439
Speaker 2: He still got selected, which is fantastic. Good for him.

711
00:35:30,960 --> 00:35:33,920
Speaker 2: And if Matt Olsen, if by some chance you're listening

712
00:35:33,920 --> 00:35:37,120
Speaker 2: to this, let's do that home run derby, my guy,

713
00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:40,400
Speaker 2: Let's do that derby. We already talked about it on

714
00:35:40,440 --> 00:35:42,919
Speaker 2: the last show. Get Bryce Selder out there to throw

715
00:35:42,960 --> 00:35:47,440
Speaker 2: some pitches for you, that uppercut, that natural uppercut swing,

716
00:35:49,440 --> 00:35:53,600
Speaker 2: the chop house truths. You know, Tru's park favorable to lefties.

717
00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:58,919
Speaker 2: Let's do it, Bud. That's my plea.

718
00:36:00,080 --> 00:36:01,560
Speaker 1: Be a lot of fun to see those two, you know,

719
00:36:01,560 --> 00:36:04,399
Speaker 1: and hey, have him just go one two in the order,

720
00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:06,839
Speaker 1: you know, as being off for maybe the last two.

721
00:36:06,920 --> 00:36:09,279
Speaker 1: You know, I don't care. It's it's really it's really

722
00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:11,760
Speaker 1: up to what you would like to see, I guess,

723
00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:13,960
Speaker 1: but it would be fun to see. And you know what,

724
00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:16,320
Speaker 1: it's not like Matt Olson Ronald Acuna Junior need to

725
00:36:16,360 --> 00:36:18,480
Speaker 1: save energy for the second half. We're not going anywhere,

726
00:36:18,600 --> 00:36:19,520
Speaker 1: so just.

727
00:36:19,440 --> 00:36:21,720
Speaker 2: Makes me fun, just have fun with They did announce

728
00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:26,800
Speaker 2: They did announce Byron Buxton today, which is which is cool.

729
00:36:27,239 --> 00:36:31,840
Speaker 2: So I mean James Wood, cal Rawley, Byron Buckston, and

730
00:36:31,840 --> 00:36:34,200
Speaker 2: the Kuna are the four confirmed. Obviously we're waiting on

731
00:36:34,280 --> 00:36:37,439
Speaker 2: four more. So I'm excited about this, serb. I don't

732
00:36:37,480 --> 00:36:39,279
Speaker 2: get excited about derbies. I used to when I was

733
00:36:39,320 --> 00:36:41,520
Speaker 2: a kid, like the Ken Griffy Junior derbies I used

734
00:36:41,560 --> 00:36:43,279
Speaker 2: to get really excited about. I haven't in a couple

735
00:36:43,280 --> 00:36:45,560
Speaker 2: of years. But this one is actually shaven up to

736
00:36:45,560 --> 00:36:46,160
Speaker 2: be pretty good.

737
00:36:48,040 --> 00:36:51,640
Speaker 1: Yeah yeah. The Byron Buckson sorry about his son's reaction, also.

738
00:36:51,719 --> 00:36:54,480
Speaker 2: Was yeah, I saw yeah.

739
00:36:54,520 --> 00:36:56,759
Speaker 1: But hey, can I thank you for enough for joining us.

740
00:36:56,760 --> 00:36:58,160
Speaker 1: I know that this is a bit of a rare

741
00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:00,719
Speaker 1: edition of the Hammer Territory podcast. Hey, you know, we'll

742
00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:03,320
Speaker 1: celebrate and obviously the Braves have a week of baseball

743
00:37:03,360 --> 00:37:05,960
Speaker 1: ahead of them, you know, six or three out in Oakland,

744
00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:09,960
Speaker 1: three in Saint Louis. Sure truly will be there. Sacramento, Sacramento,

745
00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:13,399
Speaker 1: excuse me, Sacramento. I apologize signed via the Oakland A's

746
00:37:13,520 --> 00:37:16,840
Speaker 1: via Sacramento. But beyond that, still got some baseball to

747
00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:18,600
Speaker 1: look forward to, and then of course the All Star

748
00:37:18,640 --> 00:37:21,200
Speaker 1: festivities and we're gonna have you all covered. Plus plenty

749
00:37:21,239 --> 00:37:25,160
Speaker 1: of perspective on the upcoming MLB Draft, Plenty to discuss

750
00:37:25,239 --> 00:37:27,440
Speaker 1: there as we get closer in time. For Steve Ontibert,

751
00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:29,080
Speaker 1: you can find and find him at the under Square

752
00:37:29,120 --> 00:37:32,279
Speaker 1: Outliers on Twitter, slash x myself at stats sac on

753
00:37:32,280 --> 00:37:35,520
Speaker 1: Twitter slash x Hammer Territory across all forms of social media,

754
00:37:35,600 --> 00:37:38,880
Speaker 1: part of the Foul Territory family of podcasts. Listen, I

755
00:37:38,920 --> 00:37:40,759
Speaker 1: know it's been a long season. I know it's far

756
00:37:40,840 --> 00:37:43,640
Speaker 1: from over, but at least over the next week or so,

757
00:37:43,960 --> 00:37:47,360
Speaker 1: we have very very good reasons to be able to

758
00:37:47,360 --> 00:37:50,200
Speaker 1: celebrate the game that we all love. Sell Olsen as

759
00:37:50,200 --> 00:37:51,840
Speaker 1: well as Acoon. You know that Sale is not going

760
00:37:51,920 --> 00:37:54,640
Speaker 1: to pitch, but Olsen coun you can certainly make the

761
00:37:54,680 --> 00:37:56,680
Speaker 1: most of this weekend for the Braves and feze country.

762
00:37:56,760 --> 00:37:59,279
Speaker 1: Until next time, Go Braves. We'll talk to you again soon.

763
00:37:59,320 --> 00:38:01,080
Speaker 1: Here Territory Podcast