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Speaker 1: Welcome one and all to the hem A Territory Podcast.

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Speaker 1: My name is Sean Coleman. Hope, wherever you are and

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Speaker 1: wherever you may be listening, you are having a great week.

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Speaker 1: It's the new year. A lot of excitement going on.

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Speaker 1: The Braves have had an excellent off season. Everybody's excited,

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Speaker 1: just you know, we're all waiting to see what happens

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Speaker 1: with the biggest name on the free agent market and

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Speaker 1: Steven Tolbert podcast partner, one of the best when it

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Speaker 1: comes to breaking down the Braves. Kyle Tucker. Possibly the

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Speaker 1: best free agent hitter we've seen outside of one so

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Speaker 1: too you know, in a few years, and potentially the

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Speaker 1: best reagent hitter that we're gonna see over the next

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Speaker 1: few years. A lot of speculation of where he may go,

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Speaker 1: but it's a little surprise of where he wound up going.

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Speaker 2: What's up, buddy, Yeah, So right before we got on,

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Speaker 2: like twenty minutes before we hit the record button on

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Speaker 2: tonight's episode, news came down that the Dodgers were signing

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Speaker 2: Kyle Tucker. About five minutes after Jeff Passing broke that news.

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Speaker 2: I think it was Robert Murray actually a foul territory

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Speaker 2: who broke that. He is making two hundred and forty

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Speaker 2: million dollars over four years, which means that Kyle Tucker,

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Speaker 2: who is a really good player, he's like a perennial

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Speaker 2: like four and a four and a half win player

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Speaker 2: or something like that, like not never, he's never gonna

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Speaker 2: be mistaken for like the best player in the sport,

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Speaker 2: but just a really solid, really good player, is making

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Speaker 2: sixty million dollars a year for the Los Angeles Dodgers,

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Speaker 2: which means, you know, for years and years and years,

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Speaker 2: the the free agent market has used kind of this

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Speaker 2: eight million dollars per win formula that really hasn't changed much,

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Speaker 2: like it's bumped. It's been bumped up to nine a

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Speaker 2: couple of times, but it's it's really hovered around eight

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Speaker 2: for a long time if you look at value versus

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Speaker 2: projected production, and the Dodgers just blew that out of

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Speaker 2: the water with this deal, like they're paying basically fifteen

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Speaker 2: million dollars per win, which is almost double what it

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Speaker 2: I mean, that's crazy, that's crazy. And we're listen, this

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Speaker 2: is this We're not a Dodgers podcast. This is not

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Speaker 2: gonna be a Dodgers podcast, We're not gonna spend This

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Speaker 2: is a This is a five minute ran at the

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Speaker 2: beginning of the show, because it literally just happened. We

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Speaker 2: got to fix the sport, like you can't have you

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Speaker 2: can't have one team that can just outspend everybody by

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Speaker 2: double and triple. And just like every other fan base

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Speaker 2: is like, all right, well, I mean shit, I guess

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Speaker 2: I'll i'll, you know, I'll take up a different hobby

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Speaker 2: this summer, Like we gotta fix a sport. Like I

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Speaker 2: don't know. A salary cap is very complicated, and I

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Speaker 2: know there's gonna be a lockout after this season, and

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Speaker 2: I'm guessing the finances are gonna play a massive role

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Speaker 2: in it. I don't know if they'll get a salary cap.

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Speaker 2: Even if they got a salary cap introduced, they would

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Speaker 2: have to give it a runway. They would have to

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Speaker 2: be like, all right, we're gonna introduce this in four years,

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Speaker 2: because every team's got contracts on the books that you

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Speaker 2: can't just implement a salary cap tomorrow. Like it doesn't

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Speaker 2: work that way. So it's an insanely complicated thing to do.

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Speaker 2: And I'm I'm not gonna pretend otherwise, But Damn man, this,

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Speaker 2: I mean, this is just like they've won back to

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Speaker 2: back World Series. They are the I mean I haven't

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Speaker 2: looked at the odds since the Tucker signing, but they

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Speaker 2: are going to be the heavy, heavy favorites. And listen,

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Speaker 2: the baseball players are random. They could get knocked off.

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Speaker 2: But it's it's a brutal time to be a one

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Speaker 2: of the other twenty nine fan bases in this sport

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Speaker 2: right now.

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Speaker 1: Yeah no, And I won't go as far as to

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Speaker 1: say my immediate reaction probably probably in my mind I

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Speaker 1: may have mentioned it to you, it's it's not fun.

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Speaker 1: I won't say that it takes the fun out of

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Speaker 1: watching the game for me. But there is truth that

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Speaker 1: the Dodgers are the only team that can do this

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Speaker 1: because they've got the most money that they're willing to

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Speaker 1: spend on the sport. Like anybody who mentions that, well,

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Speaker 1: anybody else could do this if they want.

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Speaker 2: To do That's not how this go. Look at how

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Speaker 2: much money the Dodgers bring in on their TV, Like,

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Speaker 2: the Dodgers have the ability to spend money at a

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Speaker 2: level that really only maybe the Mets just because they're

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Speaker 2: owned by somebody who make who's worth twelve billion dollars

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Speaker 2: like no one else can no one else can spend

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Speaker 2: like this. Yeah, it's not even close. Like I just

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Speaker 2: tweeted it out, the Dodgers top six players make more

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Speaker 2: money than the Braves entire roster. And the Braves are

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Speaker 2: one of the highest payrol teams in the sport, like

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Speaker 2: they they've been one of the most aggressive teams this offseason.

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Speaker 2: And the Dodgers have six players their top six players

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Speaker 2: make more money than the Braves entire roster. Yeah, and

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Speaker 2: it's crazy.

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Speaker 1: And you know what's not out of the realm with possibility,

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Speaker 1: right because they they got the prospects to do it.

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Speaker 1: They absolutely could go out and trade for tark Schooble

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Speaker 1: if they want.

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Speaker 2: And if they don't trade for him, they're gonna sign

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Speaker 2: him next offseason. Yeah, he's gonna be a Dodger next year. Yeah.

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Speaker 2: You can add Toischooble to this roster next year. Yeah.

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Speaker 1: So, but you know what, the reason why we react

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Speaker 1: to it is because listen, the Dodgers, that the Dodgers

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Speaker 1: of the cream of the crop when it comes to

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Speaker 1: the sport. But yes, there there's definitely, there's definitely some

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Speaker 1: things that need to be looked at, I can certainly say,

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Speaker 1: but this is a Braves podcast, and the and we

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Speaker 1: do start off the show with talking about the Kyle

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Speaker 1: Tucker signing is because in multiple ways, I think that

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Speaker 1: this certainly does impact the Braves. You know, obviously, the

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Speaker 1: Dodgers are in the National League. They have been a

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Speaker 1: very hard heal to climb for the Braves over the

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Speaker 1: past decade plus when it comes to playoffs, and one

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Speaker 1: time the Braves were able to get past them, they

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Speaker 1: won the World Series. So that that certainly is relevant.

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Speaker 1: But the other thing that this does, Steven, is because

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Speaker 1: we've talked about it for months now, is you know

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Speaker 1: the fact that so many of the top free agents

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Speaker 1: in this class weren't signing. Well, now we're starting to

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Speaker 1: see that. Over the past what four to five days,

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Speaker 1: You've seen Alex Pregnant to the Cubs. You've seen Rangers

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Speaker 1: Warrez to the Red Sox, and now you've seen Kyle

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Speaker 1: Tucker to the Mets. I imagine Cody Bellinger, probably Boba Schett,

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Speaker 1: you know, and others will probably be on their way elsewhere.

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Speaker 1: And again, we talked about it on the last time

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Speaker 1: we did an episode. Several of these players are likely

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Speaker 1: going to go to the biggest rivals in the National League.

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Speaker 1: For the Braves, shit has been heavily linked to the

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Speaker 1: Phillies over the past couple of weeks. I would imagine

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Speaker 1: that the Mets, with Cody Bellinger and from Bersuarez out

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Speaker 1: there or from ar Valdez out there, they're probably gonna

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Speaker 1: pivot to try to at least land one of those guys.

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Speaker 1: So you've seen the Dodgers at a big fish, You've

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Speaker 1: seen the you know, Phillies. Potentially adding a big fish

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Speaker 1: is the same with the Mets. We'll see what happens.

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Speaker 1: But all that is relevant to the Braves because not

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Speaker 1: only has it been potentially rumored the Braves could have

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Speaker 1: interest in a few of those guys, but while the

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Speaker 1: Braves have done a great job of of you know,

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Speaker 1: adding pieces here and there to become better, all of

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Speaker 1: their rivals are adding impact players. So that could mean

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Speaker 1: it's a bit more you know, immediate, it's a bit

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Speaker 1: more pertinent that the Braves potentially look through the same.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, the Mets have had a pretty miserable

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Speaker 2: off season to be honest, Like they've lost who do

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Speaker 2: they lost? They lost edwin Diaz. I actually did like

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Speaker 2: the trade they made for nim They traded Nemo to

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Speaker 2: the Rangers for uh Simeon Uh Marcus. Simeon actually did

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Speaker 2: like that trade. But yeah, they need a bat. They

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Speaker 2: need a bat and the word like I thought Tucker.

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Speaker 2: I really thought Tucker was gonna be a met or

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Speaker 2: a blue Jay, but yeah, it's it is gonna be

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Speaker 2: fascinating now. I mean, obviously Tucker is the big domino.

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Speaker 2: I imagine all the hitters will start falling after this.

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Speaker 2: I still don't know where these pictures are gonna go.

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Speaker 2: The Mets need a picture as well. Like the Mets

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Speaker 2: need like a top of the rotation arm and a

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Speaker 2: middle of the older bat, which is kind of wild

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Speaker 2: to say. In the middle of January. They really haven't

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Speaker 2: done much. I think the Phillies need another picture. I'm

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Speaker 2: very surprised the Phillies have kind of stood pad in

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Speaker 2: their rotation. Zach Wheeler's hurt. Uh, you know, Ranger Sorez

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Speaker 2: just signed with Boston. They got Christopher Sanchez, who's also

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Speaker 2: but Aaron Nola was crap last year, like I really thought,

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Speaker 2: and maybe this well, but I think the Phillies need

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Speaker 2: another picture and I don't trust that lineup's getting very

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Speaker 2: old very quickly. No, obviously they might sign, but shit,

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Speaker 2: so we'll see. But yeah, it's all connected. But again,

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Speaker 2: when you got one team out on the West Coast

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Speaker 2: just doubling and tripling up everybody else and starts a

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Speaker 2: payroll paying four win players sixty million dollars, I can't

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Speaker 2: get over that. Like it's one thing with Otan, it's

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Speaker 2: one thing to with Oughtani because Otani is like the

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Speaker 2: greatest player we've seen with our eyes in like one

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Speaker 2: hundred years. I get that. Kyle Tucker is like, I

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Speaker 2: don't mean this disrespectful to Kyle Tucker, but he's like

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Speaker 2: a he's like a very run of the mill four

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Speaker 2: win player. He's like a Matt Olsen type. Can you

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Speaker 2: imagine paying Mandilson sixty million dollars a year? That's crazy? Like,

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Speaker 2: that's crazy, And they just do it because they can exactly,

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Speaker 2: there's no mechanism to stop them from doing it, and

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Speaker 2: they know no one else can do that. If anybody

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Speaker 2: else even tried that, their owner would lose their mind

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Speaker 2: because it just blows up the entire equation, the formula

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Speaker 2: that you use to sign free agents into smithering. It's

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Speaker 2: just it's wild. It's wild the world we live in

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Speaker 2: right now in baseball. And I am fascinated how this

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Speaker 2: lockout and this next CBO CBA negotiation CBA negotiation goes

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Speaker 2: because there's gonna be a lot of fans that are

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Speaker 2: on the side of the owners in this CBA, which

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Speaker 2: is not normal. Like I and even for me, like

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Speaker 2: I'm a very pro player. I want players to make

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Speaker 2: money and get big contracts, but like at some point,

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Speaker 2: the health of the sport matters more, and so like

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Speaker 2: the players are not gonna have public sentiment on their

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Speaker 2: side in this negotiation, and the owners know that. And

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Speaker 2: this is gonna.

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Speaker 1: Get wild, No, it definitely is. And you know, hey,

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Speaker 1: it's it's gonna make this season fun. You know, this

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Speaker 1: is kind of like this is this is probably the

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Speaker 1: closest thing that we have seen in sports in general

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Speaker 1: since since the Heatles fifteen years ago. And you know,

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Speaker 1: when Durant joined the Golden State Warriors, you know, those

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Speaker 1: you know were pretty you know, they were like, man,

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Speaker 1: just how can this happen when we're starting to see

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Speaker 1: it in baseball? But you know what the thing about

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Speaker 1: it is this, you know, when I talk about the

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Speaker 1: fact that the Braves may have a little bit more

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Speaker 1: motivation to go get a significant move taken care of.

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Speaker 2: Again.

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Speaker 1: I know that alex Andhopolis doesn't react to what other

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Speaker 1: teams do. He's focused on doing what makes the most

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Speaker 1: sense for his team. But we talked about it a

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Speaker 1: few weeks ago. With the free agent free agency frenzy

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Speaker 1: going on right now, that's probably driving prices up, which

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Speaker 1: probably drops down the chances of the Braves making a

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Speaker 1: major splash. What that does is it takes the spotlight

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Speaker 1: and puts it on potential trades. We'll discuss more about

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Speaker 1: that in just a moment after a word from our partners.

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Speaker 1: So stephen I mentioned it on social media yesterday, the

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Speaker 1: fact that it felt like that as we were seeing

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Speaker 1: more and more talk about the big hitters. You know,

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Speaker 1: after Bregman signed Michette Bellinger as well as Tucker, you

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Speaker 1: had six teams that were interested in those players. You know,

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Speaker 1: we mentioned them, the Phillies, the Red Sox, the Mets,

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Speaker 1: the Dodgers, the Yankees, and the Blue Jays. You know,

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Speaker 1: those were the six teams that were in on those

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Speaker 1: three hitters. And then if they were going to if

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Speaker 1: they were going to lose out all those hitters, that

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Speaker 1: means they still had the money that they were planning

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Speaker 1: to spend on them, so they likely were going to

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Speaker 1: spend them on pitchers in Long and Behole. We saw

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Speaker 1: what happened with Prendres war Is in the Red Sox. Again,

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Speaker 1: as I mentioned in the first segment, now that we're

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Speaker 1: seeing that, you know, the free agency is still allowing

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Speaker 1: for these top free agents to earn top dollar. That's

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Speaker 1: just not where Alexanthopolis operates. But I don't think that

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Speaker 1: that means that that closes the door on another significant ad.

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Speaker 1: It just means that it may be a different door

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Speaker 1: that we choose to explore, and that is the trade market.

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Speaker 1: And I know that we've talked about, you know, trades,

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Speaker 1: especially starting pitching trades, quite a bit this offseason, and

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Speaker 1: we've seen several starting pitching moves. You know, Edward Cabrera

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Speaker 1: traded to the Cubs, you saw Ryan Weathers traded to

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Speaker 1: the Yankees. You saw Shane Baz traded to the Orioles.

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Speaker 1: But a lot of the most speculated about names are

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Speaker 1: still out there. And so while I don't necessarily know

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Speaker 1: if the Braids want to pay that type of price

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Speaker 1: to go get a pitcher who can make a significant difference.

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Speaker 1: If that picture comes with control, that could change things.

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Speaker 2: And I think it's.

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Speaker 1: Becoming more clear that the Braids want to go a

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Speaker 1: route to add a significant arm. Trade's becoming more and

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Speaker 1: more the way to do it.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, the you know, there are multiple benefits.

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Speaker 2: Of course, you don't give up the draft pick that

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Speaker 2: you would to sign. Either Framberg or Zach Gallon I

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Speaker 2: think are the only two left that have qo's attached.

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Speaker 2: Now you can always go sign like a Chris Bassett

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Speaker 2: type and not pay the QO either and not give

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Speaker 2: up any prospects. That might be the best way to go.

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Speaker 2: But yeah, I mean, you know the interesting name, the

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Speaker 2: two interesting names that have been out there, Well, there's

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Speaker 2: three interest names that have been out there all off

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Speaker 2: season that we haven't seen any movement yet on. I've

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Speaker 2: been Freddy Peralta, I've been Joe Ryan, and have been

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Speaker 2: Pablo Lopez, two of the Twins and one of Milwaukee.

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Speaker 2: And of course Milwaukee's trying to win. But they do

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Speaker 2: this is how they operate. They they did the exact

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Speaker 2: same thing with Corbyn Burns. We did a whole show

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Speaker 2: on Peralta, like last week or two weeks ago. I

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Speaker 2: can't remember what it was, so you can go back

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Speaker 2: and listen to that if you want to. But the

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Speaker 2: Joe Ryan Pablo Lopez part are interesting to me because

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Speaker 2: they they had this massive teardown at the trade deadline

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Speaker 2: last year where they traded everybody and it looked like

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Speaker 2: it was the beginning of a complete, like tear it

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Speaker 2: down to the studs kind of rebuild. And then we

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Speaker 2: got to the off season and they had kind of

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Speaker 2: three big pieces left, which were Byron Bucks and Pablo

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Speaker 2: Lopez and Joe Ryan, and like they've just stopped, which

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Speaker 2: I don't get. I don't understand. If you're gonna tear

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Speaker 2: your house down ninety percent of the way, just just

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Speaker 2: just take that one last swing with a sledgehammer and

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Speaker 2: finish the job. Like they're not contending, Like the Tigers

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Speaker 2: are so far and away better than them in that division.

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Speaker 2: The AL East is insane, Like, oh, I can guarantee you,

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Speaker 2: like all the wildcard teams are probably coming out of

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Speaker 2: the AL East because there's five teams in that division

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Speaker 2: that could win the division. So like the AL East

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Speaker 2: is so stacked, you pretty much have to win your

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Speaker 2: division if you're in the al Central So and the

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Speaker 2: Twins aren't winning that division, so I don't really understand

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Speaker 2: what they're doing. They came out, their GM came out

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Speaker 2: at one point this offseason and said they're gonna build

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Speaker 2: around Joe Ryan and Pablo Lope. Those are two thirty

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Speaker 2: year old pictures. Like you don't build around thirty year

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Speaker 2: old pictures when you just started to rebuild. It's very weird.

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Speaker 2: I don't know what they're doing. So, but if they

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Speaker 2: those guys are actually available, which they a thousand percent

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Speaker 2: should be, then yeah, that's probably the name I flipped

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Speaker 2: to is Joe Ryan. Probably Joe Ryan first and then

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Speaker 2: Pablo Lopa second. Both guys have two years of team control.

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Speaker 2: Two years is tricky because of the lockout next year,

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Speaker 2: which matters in these conversations. It might be why they

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Speaker 2: haven't seen the offers they want. But yeah, I mean

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Speaker 2: Joe Ryan is a is a big name that I think.

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Speaker 2: I mean, you got to see what Freddy Peralta costs,

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Speaker 2: but I think Joe Ryan's probably the guy I'm targeting

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Speaker 2: at this point.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, and you know there are other names that are

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Speaker 1: out there, you know, the Freddy Parolto of course, you

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Speaker 1: know that you had mentioned Mitch Keller is out there.

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Speaker 1: He he had been mentioned. You know, he's not on

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Speaker 1: the same level as these guys that we're discussing. I

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Speaker 1: know that the Padres had been potentially open looking for

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Speaker 1: a deal with with Nick Pavetta, and they were just

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Speaker 1: rumored to be in on Freddy Peralta. You know, there

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Speaker 1: were some members out there that they could be the

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Speaker 1: favorite for Freddy Peralta. Could the brace potentially you know,

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Speaker 1: pivot to where you know, if they don't go get

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Speaker 1: one of these obvious names, maybe they go after a

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Speaker 1: Nick Pavetta. That's the thing though, that I'm getting at

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Speaker 1: when it comes to Alex and Topless and potentially looking

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Speaker 1: to add another significant arm. There's creative options that are

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Speaker 1: out there. And like we discussed at the first right

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Speaker 1: after Drake Baldwin one Rookie of the Year and got

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Speaker 1: that extra draft pick, so many thought that that means

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Speaker 1: that we could perhaps be there was a bigger chance

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Speaker 1: that we'd be players from one of these bigger free

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Speaker 1: agents with the qualifying offer. Me and you both discussed it.

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Speaker 1: We discussed directly, which would we rather do give up

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Speaker 1: the pick and go make a free agent dining be

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Speaker 1: a little bit more aggressive on trades and be willing

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Speaker 1: to then recoup during the draft. Now you see all

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Speaker 1: this is going on with free agency. There's just a

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Speaker 1: lot of factors here where it makes sense for Alex

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Speaker 1: and Thopless to be creative on the market. And as

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Speaker 1: we mentioned, there are options out there to get creative.

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Speaker 2: For Yeah, I mean, you know, it's gonna come down

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Speaker 2: to prospect. That's where it starts, is you have to

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Speaker 2: you have to give up something and the Braves Alex

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Speaker 2: will disagree with this, and I understand his logic, but

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Speaker 2: the Braves still don't have a great farm system like

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Speaker 2: they can. They can acquire just about anybody, but the

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Speaker 2: level of prospect they have to give up versus what

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Speaker 2: other teams have to give up to get these guys

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Speaker 2: is more significant. Like it they have to go much

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Speaker 2: closer to the very top of their prospect list, or

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Speaker 2: to the very top of their prospect list, where other

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Speaker 2: teams can get deals done with like their fourth and

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Speaker 2: their eighth best prospect. You know, I don't know the

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Speaker 2: Braves can do that. So, like prospect cost is gonna

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Speaker 2: matter here, But I want to make sure I'm clear

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Speaker 2: about something. The Braves need a starting pitcher. They need

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Speaker 2: to start. Like I've seen some people like like being

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Speaker 2: wishy washy about it, the Braves need another starting pitcher.

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Speaker 2: We've said it all off season. I know they've done

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Speaker 2: really well and in adding to the bullpen, and the

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Speaker 2: bullpen does assist in the in the rotation, But I

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Speaker 2: don't I don't really think you can go into the

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Speaker 2: off seat or into the season with the current group

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Speaker 2: they have, with all the injury risks they have, and

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Speaker 2: not add a single starter, Like I think starter was

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Speaker 2: my number one. I have to go back and look

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Speaker 2: exactly what I said, but I think starter was my

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Speaker 2: number one, Like need this offseason because of so much

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Speaker 2: on The Braves had their entire rotation on the sixty

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Speaker 2: day IL last year. Like they have so much inherent

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Speaker 2: injury risk built into the rotation, you have to add

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Speaker 2: a start. So whether it's Joe Ryan, whether it's Pablo Lopez,

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Speaker 2: whether it's Freddy Peralta, whether it's signing Chris Bassett, you know,

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Speaker 2: I don't think they're I think I think Ranger Suarez

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Speaker 2: getting so much, Ranger Swarez beat his projections with that

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Speaker 2: Red Sox deal, and Kyle Tucker just blew his projections

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Speaker 2: out of the water. Of course, it tells me there's

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Speaker 2: all the guys at the top of the market are

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Speaker 2: gonna get crazy money right now, and I don't think

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Speaker 2: Alex is gonna do that. So I do think they're

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Speaker 2: gonna have to go maybe the trade route or maybe

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Speaker 2: like a Chris Bassett type. We'll see what they do.

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Speaker 2: But they need a starter. I don't want. I don't

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Speaker 2: want that to get lost, and I don't want I've

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Speaker 2: seen again, I've seen some people like wavering like, well

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Speaker 2: maybe not. No, they need a starter. You need to

403
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Speaker 2: add another starting picture to this group. There's just too

404
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Speaker 2: much uncertainty built ten. Go get one more starter and listen,

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Speaker 2: you can't control what the Dodgers do. But if you

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Speaker 2: go get a starter. In my opinion, you've had a

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Speaker 2: really damn good off season. Has it been perfect? No,

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Speaker 2: Like I would have probably liked a slightly bigger bath

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Speaker 2: than than Mikey Strimsky. But you address shortstop. You really

410
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Speaker 2: built out the bullpen, you have a fantastic bench for

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Speaker 2: the first time in a while, you've got true utility

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Speaker 2: players like go get a starter, and you can you

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Speaker 2: can confidently say this was a really good off season

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Speaker 2: by alex A. Thoppins.

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Speaker 1: And it's funny that you put it into that perspective, Stephen,

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Speaker 1: because after our break here in just a moment, I

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Speaker 1: have a very fun question that I want to get

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Speaker 1: your opinion on. I think it's relevant to ask now,

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Speaker 1: potentially ask at the start of the season, ask around

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Speaker 1: the All Star break, and then ask as we you know,

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Speaker 1: get into the playoff run in a season that's going

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Speaker 1: to mean a bit more for many, you know, depending

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Speaker 1: on what we see from from the you know, likely

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Speaker 1: lockout that comes after it. More on that question in

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Speaker 1: the moment after another word from our partners. So, Stephen,

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Speaker 1: one other thing that I'll add to the point of

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Speaker 1: going to get a starter. You have made this point

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Speaker 1: clear as well, is the fact that also going to

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Speaker 1: get a starter that can be controlled that helps your

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Speaker 1: rotation in the future. But basically that that's that's what

431
00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:46,159
Speaker 1: it comes down to, is that when it comes to

432
00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:49,240
Speaker 1: this team, they not only need to starter now, but

433
00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:53,680
Speaker 1: they also need to starter for the future. But what

434
00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:55,960
Speaker 1: I will say, Stephen is this is that with all

435
00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:57,919
Speaker 1: the moves that we've seen, you've seen the Dodgers have

436
00:22:58,280 --> 00:23:00,200
Speaker 1: a very you know, they go out and they make

437
00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:02,479
Speaker 1: another star signing. You see a lot of the other

438
00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:05,840
Speaker 1: National League teams who made either surprise signings or big signings.

439
00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:09,200
Speaker 1: The Braves have had a very efficient offseason. My question

440
00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:12,720
Speaker 1: to you is this, who's the second best team in

441
00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:13,800
Speaker 1: the National League right now?

442
00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:19,440
Speaker 2: Who's the second best team in the National League right now?

443
00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:28,440
Speaker 2: I mean, the free agency is not over talent. For talent,

444
00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:32,359
Speaker 2: the Braves are the most talent, the second most talented

445
00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:34,520
Speaker 2: team in the National League by far. Like, if you

446
00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:39,239
Speaker 2: look at projections, even conservative projections, there's nobody there's no

447
00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:42,280
Speaker 2: team in baseball. Well no, I'm not gonna say that,

448
00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:45,000
Speaker 2: there's no team in the National League behind the Dodgers

449
00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:47,719
Speaker 2: that is more talented than the Braves. When you consider

450
00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:49,600
Speaker 2: what the Mets have lost, the Phillies are getting older,

451
00:23:50,040 --> 00:23:52,120
Speaker 2: you know. I know Milwaukee was an incredible last year,

452
00:23:52,119 --> 00:23:55,160
Speaker 2: but they played so far above their heads. I don't

453
00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:57,600
Speaker 2: think anybody's projecting that. Again, there's nobody in the central

454
00:23:57,640 --> 00:24:00,399
Speaker 2: that you could put there. I don't actually love the

455
00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:03,000
Speaker 2: Cubs have done some The Cubs have done some stuff.

456
00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:07,040
Speaker 2: I don't know that it's stuff I actually think is

457
00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:09,919
Speaker 2: all that great. I mean I like Bregman, but like

458
00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:13,720
Speaker 2: their rotation is a massive question. Cabrera doesn't do a

459
00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:16,000
Speaker 2: lot for me in terms of like certainty, so I

460
00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:20,119
Speaker 2: wouldn't put anybody in the central. The Giants have a

461
00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:23,520
Speaker 2: really questionable rotation. The Padres have a lot of talent,

462
00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:28,080
Speaker 2: but they've lost some this this offseason too. Obviously, Robert

463
00:24:28,119 --> 00:24:32,040
Speaker 2: Suarez now places for the Braves. I think it would

464
00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:34,200
Speaker 2: come down to the Braves in the Phillies. I guess,

465
00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:37,160
Speaker 2: depending on how well you think that lineup is gonna age.

466
00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:41,160
Speaker 2: But again, the Phillies listen, the Phillies need another starter.

467
00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:48,200
Speaker 2: Like Christopher Sanchez is awesome, Hayes lous Lozardo is solid.

468
00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:50,280
Speaker 2: I have no idea what Aaron Nola's gonna look like

469
00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:53,160
Speaker 2: next year. Ranger Swarrez is gone. Zach Wheeler has this

470
00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:57,080
Speaker 2: massive injury stuff that puts his whole season in question.

471
00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:00,280
Speaker 2: Their bullpen is also not like elite. I mean, they

472
00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:04,439
Speaker 2: do have Duran Duran, who's awesome, but I think everything

473
00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:07,800
Speaker 2: behind him is pretty suspect. I would put the Braves

474
00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:13,040
Speaker 2: at number two pretty easily. I think, yeah, maybe I

475
00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:14,760
Speaker 2: could be talked into the Phillies, but I think yeah,

476
00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:16,639
Speaker 2: I mean just I know it's a Braves podcast, but

477
00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:19,720
Speaker 2: we try to be pretty objective. I think pretty easily

478
00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:21,920
Speaker 2: the Braves are the second most talented team right now.

479
00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:25,160
Speaker 1: Yeah, No, And I think that that it's pretty clear

480
00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:27,760
Speaker 1: because you've got levels to it, right. You've got one

481
00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:30,199
Speaker 1: of the you know, five best sitters in baseball or

482
00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:33,520
Speaker 1: five best you know, singular offensive sources in baseball, Ronald

483
00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:36,760
Speaker 1: Doccoonoo Junior. You've got arguably a top ten pitcher anchoring

484
00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:39,200
Speaker 1: your staff, and Chris Sale. You've got one of the

485
00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:41,639
Speaker 1: best back ends of the bullpen. You've got one of

486
00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:44,199
Speaker 1: the deeper lineups in baseball. And you've also got a

487
00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:46,200
Speaker 1: lot of players in their prime who, yes, over the

488
00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:49,679
Speaker 1: past couple of seasons have struggled, but they have the

489
00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:53,800
Speaker 1: potential to be, you know, in MVP talks and an

490
00:25:53,840 --> 00:25:56,280
Speaker 1: All Star player talks and things such as that. So

491
00:25:56,560 --> 00:25:58,200
Speaker 1: I agree with you. That's the reason why I asked

492
00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:00,480
Speaker 1: this question is that I know that the Raids didn't

493
00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:02,600
Speaker 1: make the playoffs last year. I know they were a disappointment,

494
00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:05,080
Speaker 1: so on and so forth, but I do want to

495
00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:09,200
Speaker 1: point out that many may not think that anybody really

496
00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:14,359
Speaker 1: is anywhere near the Dodgers level but but I will

497
00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:16,840
Speaker 1: say with confidence that if there is a team out

498
00:26:16,880 --> 00:26:20,159
Speaker 1: there that could step up in the playoff series and

499
00:26:20,359 --> 00:26:24,600
Speaker 1: likely give the Dodgers their toughest competition despite what we

500
00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:27,080
Speaker 1: saw last year, you know, against the Blue Jays and

501
00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:29,199
Speaker 1: the National League, I think it's the Braves. I do,

502
00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:31,880
Speaker 1: I do sincerely think that. I don't necessarily think we're

503
00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:34,760
Speaker 1: not gonna be favored obviously, but I do think that

504
00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:36,600
Speaker 1: if there is a team right now in the National

505
00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:39,600
Speaker 1: League that some will point at as being this is

506
00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:41,720
Speaker 1: the team I would be most confident in beating the

507
00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:44,280
Speaker 1: Dodgers on their path to the World Series, I think

508
00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:44,959
Speaker 1: it's the Braves.

509
00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:50,240
Speaker 2: Yeah. Now being the Dodgers is another level, because absolutely,

510
00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:56,560
Speaker 2: I mean, like I think I think Edwin Diaz makes

511
00:26:57,080 --> 00:26:59,520
Speaker 2: twenty seven million dollars a year for them, and I

512
00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:03,000
Speaker 2: think he's their ninth highest paid player or something like that.

513
00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:07,360
Speaker 1: Series you're gonna have to go through him and Yamamoto

514
00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:08,960
Speaker 1: and at the back end.

515
00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:11,840
Speaker 2: Of the ball and Otani and Susaki and glass Now

516
00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:19,520
Speaker 2: and Snell and Blake Snow. It's just it's just crazy. Yeah,

517
00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:22,280
Speaker 2: I just looked it up on Fancrafts. They have the

518
00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:24,280
Speaker 2: Braves as the second best team in the Nationals. We'll

519
00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:26,879
Speaker 2: see when the other model, like I think Pakoda comes out.

520
00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:30,159
Speaker 2: I think they wait until like early February when most

521
00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:34,359
Speaker 2: of the free agents have signed, and Pakoda is pretty

522
00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:38,120
Speaker 2: He's usually pretty conservative, especially around the Braves. Like famously,

523
00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:40,520
Speaker 2: they don't love the Braves model. So we'll see what

524
00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:43,240
Speaker 2: they say I get. I'm guessing they'll say the Phillies

525
00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:45,720
Speaker 2: is the second best team. Again. I could be talking

526
00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:48,080
Speaker 2: to like, if you tell me Bryce Hart like bringing

527
00:27:48,119 --> 00:27:52,160
Speaker 2: college wubback matters a lot. If they get Bobashett, they

528
00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:55,280
Speaker 2: still got they still got Bryce Harper, they still got

529
00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:58,280
Speaker 2: Trey Turner. Like the Phillies are still legit and they've

530
00:27:58,320 --> 00:28:02,600
Speaker 2: won the division the last two years, so you have

531
00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:04,840
Speaker 2: to give them the respect. I just don't trust that

532
00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:07,560
Speaker 2: rotation right now, and I don't trust the bullpen after

533
00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:12,280
Speaker 2: Johann Duran so, but the off season not over yet either,

534
00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:14,640
Speaker 2: so that could change. We'll see what they do. That's

535
00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:17,520
Speaker 2: a team that could desperately use Framber Valdez if we're

536
00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:20,920
Speaker 2: if we're being honest, so we'll see what happens. But yeah,

537
00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:22,560
Speaker 2: I think the bra I think I would pick the

538
00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:24,600
Speaker 2: Braves and so a lot of it is just like

539
00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:27,760
Speaker 2: a cunya. You're gonna get, hopefully a You're gonna get

540
00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:29,359
Speaker 2: a cunya from the start of the year. And I'm

541
00:28:29,359 --> 00:28:31,080
Speaker 2: not gonna say's gonna be a hundred percent healthy, because

542
00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:32,879
Speaker 2: he's actually got to get through the season healthy. But

543
00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:35,040
Speaker 2: you're gonna get a cunya for most of the season. Hopefully,

544
00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:37,080
Speaker 2: You're gonna get profar for most of the season. Hopefully

545
00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:42,160
Speaker 2: Riley's back. You know Olsen, you know, you added Hassan Kim,

546
00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:44,040
Speaker 2: you added a real shortstop, but you haven't had in

547
00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:48,040
Speaker 2: like three years. I have major questions about the rotation.

548
00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:52,200
Speaker 2: Just staying healthy. The bullpen is fantastic. Like, yeah, I

549
00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:55,720
Speaker 2: think the Braves are the second best team, but that's

550
00:28:55,720 --> 00:28:58,760
Speaker 2: on paper, and you know, being the best team on

551
00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:01,160
Speaker 2: the second best team on paper don't mean a whole lot.

552
00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:05,400
Speaker 1: Yeah, it definitely has not worked out. The Braves have been,

553
00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:08,000
Speaker 1: you know, arguably the best team, you know, besides the

554
00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:10,160
Speaker 1: Dodgers in the National League now going on five years,

555
00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:13,440
Speaker 1: and it hasn't worked out. But I bring this point

556
00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:17,040
Speaker 1: up to say this, I think that a lot of

557
00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:19,280
Speaker 1: people would agree with you. The Braves are the second

558
00:29:19,280 --> 00:29:23,200
Speaker 1: best team in the National League. And to me, what

559
00:29:23,240 --> 00:29:26,440
Speaker 1: that means is it doesn't mean stan padd It doesn't

560
00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:30,840
Speaker 1: be satisfied with that you know, high lofty status because

561
00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:35,120
Speaker 1: you've underwhelmed when you've been had those expectations before. To me,

562
00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:37,600
Speaker 1: it gives even more reason to be aggressive. So you know,

563
00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:40,320
Speaker 1: we we we keep beating that drum. Hopefully it'll lead

564
00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:43,240
Speaker 1: to the sweet sound of a blue box. As many

565
00:29:43,360 --> 00:29:45,560
Speaker 1: like to point out on social media at some point

566
00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:45,920
Speaker 1: in time.

567
00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:47,640
Speaker 2: Now, I want to make this point. I don't want

568
00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:50,240
Speaker 2: the Braves to sign a starter because the Dodgers soign

569
00:29:50,360 --> 00:29:52,960
Speaker 2: Kyle Tucker agree. I want the Braves to sign a

570
00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:57,800
Speaker 2: starter because they have major questions all throughout the rotation. Yeah,

571
00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:01,760
Speaker 2: both an injury and performance, and they need another starter.

572
00:30:01,840 --> 00:30:04,360
Speaker 2: It's nothing to do. And I know Alex will say

573
00:30:04,360 --> 00:30:07,080
Speaker 2: this when he's like, you can't respond to other teams

574
00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:09,680
Speaker 2: deals and you really can't, like you can't operate that way.

575
00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:13,720
Speaker 2: But there should just be enough internal There should just

576
00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:18,200
Speaker 2: be enough internal arrows pointing to the rotation as an

577
00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:20,960
Speaker 2: area that needs to be upgraded, where the Kyle Tucker

578
00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:24,000
Speaker 2: news shouldn't factor in at all. You should just want

579
00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:29,120
Speaker 2: another starter because you need one, So go get another starter,

580
00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:31,480
Speaker 2: like you can't control with the Dodgers, do go get

581
00:30:31,480 --> 00:30:35,280
Speaker 2: another starter. You had a really good off season. Payroll

582
00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:38,080
Speaker 2: is the highest it's ever been in franchise history already

583
00:30:38,200 --> 00:30:40,480
Speaker 2: right right now today. I think we're still gonna do

584
00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:44,240
Speaker 2: a payroll episode at some point, probably in late January,

585
00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:46,479
Speaker 2: maybe early February, once all the deals have been signed.

586
00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:48,760
Speaker 2: But I can already tell you it's the highest pay

587
00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:51,920
Speaker 2: roll in the history of the franchise. So go get

588
00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:57,160
Speaker 2: one more starter, one more solid starter somewhere, and I

589
00:30:57,200 --> 00:30:58,960
Speaker 2: will come on here and say, the Braves had a

590
00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:01,920
Speaker 2: really good off season. Yeah, not a perfect off season,

591
00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:05,800
Speaker 2: not maybe not like a Grand Slam off season, but

592
00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:08,520
Speaker 2: a really damn good like a an off season you

593
00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:11,640
Speaker 2: could be proud of that. I would, I would never

594
00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:15,120
Speaker 2: complain about a very very very good off season. And

595
00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:18,840
Speaker 2: they're they are adding one starter away from being able

596
00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:20,480
Speaker 2: to say that. Yeah.

597
00:31:20,560 --> 00:31:23,560
Speaker 1: And an off season that you know, you know, I

598
00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:25,920
Speaker 1: know he said it last off season, an off season

599
00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:30,520
Speaker 1: that potentially, you know, uh, had more writing on it

600
00:31:30,560 --> 00:31:32,760
Speaker 1: than one that had had in quite a while, you know,

601
00:31:32,960 --> 00:31:35,320
Speaker 1: and the and they delivered so far, they need to

602
00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:39,200
Speaker 1: deliver another starting pitcher. I agree with you one hundred percent.

603
00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:41,560
Speaker 1: But for Steven Talbert, you could find him at b

604
00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:44,840
Speaker 1: Underscore Outliers on Twitter, slash x. My name is Sean Coman.

605
00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:48,760
Speaker 1: You can find me at Stat's sec Stats. Sac Hammer

606
00:31:48,880 --> 00:31:51,080
Speaker 1: Territory across all forms of social media. Part of the

607
00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:55,520
Speaker 1: Foul Territory family of podcast see us everywhere, YouTube, Spotify, Apple,

608
00:31:55,520 --> 00:31:59,960
Speaker 1: wherever you enjoy listening. That's where we'll be until next time.

609
00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:02,600
Speaker 1: I'm gold Raids. We'll talk to you again soon here

610
00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:04,200
Speaker 1: gmra Territory.

611
00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:07,840
Speaker 2: Yeah,