1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,360 Speaker 1: Welcome here, Neil y'ah. 2 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:06,920 Speaker 2: Just when they. 3 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:17,079 Speaker 3: Pull me back, all right, welcome back, everybody, Welcome back. 4 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:22,600 Speaker 3: My guest today is longtime ESPN baseball reporter Buster Only. 5 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:25,080 Speaker 1: How you doing, Buster, I'm doing great. 6 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 4: We're coming down the stretch. It feels like every day 7 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 4: somebody spraying champagne says it's one of the most fun 8 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 4: times of the year. 9 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 3: So I wanted before we get started to introduce my 10 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:39,960 Speaker 3: audience to my favorite baseball book, The Last Night of 11 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 3: the Yankees Dynasty by Buster Only. Anything come to mind 12 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 3: when you when you think about this book. 13 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 4: Oh man, I I well, first off it you know, 14 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:51,479 Speaker 4: it's written around Game seven of the two thousand and 15 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 4: one World Series. People will always ask me, you know, 16 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 4: what was the coolest thing you got to cover in 17 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 4: Major League Baseball? And I always say it's something that 18 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 4: I hope never see again, you know, because the context 19 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 4: that just after nine to eleven, but that two thousand 20 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:07,320 Speaker 4: and one World Series was absolutely incredible. You know. It 21 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:10,760 Speaker 4: was the one time that I've seen where you actually 22 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:14,399 Speaker 4: had an entire nation rooting for the Yankees. But the 23 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 4: biggest thing for me is I just love covering that 24 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:20,120 Speaker 4: group of players. You know, that group of guys on 25 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 4: that team. They love baseball. They were really great about sharing, 26 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 4: and it was a lot of fun to write that book. 27 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 4: It was a lot of fun to write about those players. 28 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:30,199 Speaker 1: Yeah. 29 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 3: So for the people who haven't read it, I strongly 30 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 3: recommend it. I compare it to a Quentin Tarantino movie 31 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:37,679 Speaker 3: because it's kind of told out of order. You go 32 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 3: through the game, and as you're going through the game, 33 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 3: you kind of tell the story of how all these 34 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:46,279 Speaker 3: different players, you know, their journeys to get to that spot. 35 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 1: So it's a really, really great read. I read it 36 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: every winter. 37 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 3: But let's talk a little bit about current times. About 38 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 3: the twenty twenty four Yankees. I've been thinking about how 39 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 3: they've improved a lot from last year and not a 40 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 3: lot of people expected them to, you know, win the division. 41 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 3: The Ools were pretty much everybody's favorite. Do you think 42 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 3: that they've done enough to where Aaron Boone will at 43 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 3: least have his option picked up, if not get an extension. 44 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 4: So I'm gonna sound like I'm hedging, but I'm really not. 45 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:22,520 Speaker 4: I think they absolutely could. But that bullpen and that 46 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 4: what as you know, as it's constructed now, as we 47 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 4: head in the postseason. It's a total mystery how it's 48 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 4: gonna do in October. When they made the decision to 49 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 4: make a change a closer, and the word that Aaron 50 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:38,520 Speaker 4: Boone used was creative going forward. What that guaranteed is 51 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 4: whatever they decide to go with down the stretch in October, 52 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 4: it's an experiment, and you know what the experiment may 53 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 4: work out. You know those guys. Weaver might be terrific, Cainley, 54 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,919 Speaker 4: you know, he could do great, But these guys are 55 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:54,960 Speaker 4: going to be in situations they've never seen before. There's 56 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 4: a lot about the team you absolutely love. Nobody can 57 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 4: match them when you're talking about, you know, having Judge 58 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 4: and Soto batting back to back, But you just don't 59 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:07,360 Speaker 4: know how that bullpen's going to do. So, if you 60 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 4: told me and I, you know, before the season started 61 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 4: to pick the Phillies to play the Yankees in the 62 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 4: World Series, and if you told me that that played 63 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:15,360 Speaker 4: out it was right, that the Yankees got to the 64 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 4: World Series, it wouldn't be a shocker to me. It 65 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 4: also wouldn't be a shocker to me if they got 66 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 4: knocked out in the first round. I just don't know 67 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 4: how the bullpen's going to react once you put the 68 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:24,360 Speaker 4: pressure on it. 69 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 3: And we got some news this morning and I were 70 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:30,959 Speaker 3: talking before we hit record Nestor Cortes getting an MRI 71 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 3: on his elbow. 72 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 1: Today. 73 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 3: He's been so valuable fifteen and two thirds innings, one 74 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 3: earned run over his last several appearances. How concerned should 75 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 3: the Yankees be about losing Nestor? 76 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 4: Well, first off, you know, when I saw that, I 77 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 4: said in my initial thought was man, that he was 78 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 4: a guy who you know this about Nester in the postseason, 79 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 4: He's not going to be afraid, like he loves the stage, 80 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 4: he loves the spotlight. We saw it, you know, in 81 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 4: the All Star Game where he's wearing a microphone, something 82 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:05,440 Speaker 4: other players wouldn't be comfortable doing, and it really said 83 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 4: a lot about his personality. So for this to pop 84 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 4: up this late in the season, it's a concern. At 85 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 4: the very least, you would assume it's tied to some 86 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:16,920 Speaker 4: sort of discomfort. They're going to have to rest him, 87 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 4: and then when he comes back and pitches, you know, 88 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 4: how effective will he be? You know, you hope that 89 00:04:22,839 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 4: it's just a one minor blip and that he's able 90 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:28,279 Speaker 4: to come back. And I do think he potentially is 91 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:30,039 Speaker 4: going to be a weapon for them out of the 92 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:33,040 Speaker 4: bullpen as a left hander in a big spot, because 93 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:36,840 Speaker 4: he's going to respond I think positively when he gets 94 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 4: into those moments in October. 95 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:40,920 Speaker 3: And the Yankees have been one of the more healthy 96 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 3: teams you know, down the stretch here. It's nice that 97 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:46,480 Speaker 3: you can have Marcus Stroman at least step in. I 98 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:48,840 Speaker 3: don't know if he'll get a playoff start, but at 99 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 3: least you know he can take a start here down 100 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 3: the stretch where you don't have to kill the bullpen. 101 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:55,919 Speaker 3: Any thoughts on the state of the rotation as it 102 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 3: compares to the other teams in the American League as 103 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 3: we head into the post. 104 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:04,600 Speaker 4: Well, first off, to me, one of the big questions is, 105 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 4: you know, in the American League playoffs, which teams are 106 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 4: the most complete teams? And for me, as the AL 107 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 4: playoffs starts, the Astros are the most complete team when 108 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 4: you look at you know, the fact that Valdez has 109 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 4: rediscovered a sinker, Hunter Brown has stepped in. My guess 110 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 4: is Justin Merlander probably is not going to be part 111 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 4: of the Astros rotation because he hasn't pitched well. But 112 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 4: Yuseka Kuchi has been tremendous since they got him from 113 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 4: the Toronto Blue Jays. So for me, the Astros are 114 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:35,280 Speaker 4: probably the most dangerous team in the field. But all 115 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 4: these teams, you know, we saw last year with what 116 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:41,720 Speaker 4: happened with the Rangers and Diamondbacks. These are teams at 117 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:44,479 Speaker 4: the bottom of the seedings and they found their way 118 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 4: into the championship round. I can't remember a time since 119 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 4: I've been covering baseball where I felt like it was 120 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 4: more wide open. So their concerns about either the rotation, 121 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:57,719 Speaker 4: you know, which Garrett Cole you're going to get, you know, 122 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:01,719 Speaker 4: the great Garrett Cole or somebody who struggles, it seems like, 123 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:04,840 Speaker 4: you know, and that you'll you'll remember that playoff game 124 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:07,440 Speaker 4: he had against the Red Sox and Fenway Park. You 125 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:11,159 Speaker 4: just you know, you don't know. But I think that 126 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 4: the whole field like is like that. You don't know 127 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 4: how some of these guys are gonna respond. 128 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:17,479 Speaker 3: A lot of parody this year. It should make for 129 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 3: an interesting postseason, you know, for entertainment value. 130 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 1: At least. 131 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 3: Let's talk a little bit about the Martian. The Yankees 132 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 3: gave him five point one million dollars as a sixteen 133 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 3: year old they really haven't had a lot of international 134 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 3: amateurs turned into stars in recent years, which is something 135 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 3: that I know a lot of fans you know, expect 136 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:36,600 Speaker 3: them to do. You know, we look at you know, 137 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 3: they signed Bernie Williams and and you know, Alfonso Sorian, 138 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 3: all these guys of days past, and they really haven't 139 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 3: done that much recently. What are the early returns saying? 140 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 3: You know, for the people who are around the team, 141 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:51,159 Speaker 3: you know, baseball insiders, what do these guys think about 142 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 3: the Martian and do you think he's done enough to 143 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:57,800 Speaker 3: supplant Verdugo in the postseason? Last night, Virdugo obviously got 144 00:06:57,800 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 3: the start in left field. I felt like that was 145 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:01,480 Speaker 3: one of those things where the Yankees are trying to clinch. 146 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:03,360 Speaker 3: Let's put the guy out there who's been the biggest 147 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 3: part of the team all year long. But now you know, 148 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:07,919 Speaker 3: all bets are off, you know, I think a lot 149 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:09,480 Speaker 3: of fans want to see the Martian out there in 150 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 3: left field. Any thoughts on Jason Domingez. 151 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think it's going to come down to, quite simply, 152 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 4: who's the hottest player in the moment. I think that, 153 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 4: I mean, that's what you and I have seen through 154 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 4: the years, is that when you get to the biggest 155 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 4: games of the year, the managers like the history doesn't 156 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 4: matter as much. And so alex Erdugo might have been 157 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 4: one of the regulars during the course of the year. 158 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 4: But if they feel like that in a given day 159 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 4: that the Dominga is going to give him a better chance, 160 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 4: then he's going to play. And I think that's what's 161 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 4: going to happen, because you know, and I was thinking 162 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 4: back to different examples this. I remember back in that 163 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 4: ninety eight team, and I wrote about the thing Shane 164 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 4: Spencer had that amazing finish at the end of the year. 165 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 4: You wouldn't have guessed in the middle of August that 166 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 4: he would have been a guy who would have been 167 00:07:56,920 --> 00:07:59,080 Speaker 4: in the everyday lineup. But he was so hot, Joe 168 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:02,000 Speaker 4: Torre was going to play him. You know, Aaron Boone 169 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 4: in the postseason in two thousand and three, when he 170 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 4: hit the walk off home run against the Boston Red Sox, 171 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 4: he got into a terrible slump and after he hit 172 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 4: that walk off home run, he wound up being benched 173 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 4: during the World Series. That's how managers think. So if 174 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 4: alex Perdugo, let's just say, for argument's sake. You know, 175 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:21,360 Speaker 4: you and I are talking on Wednesday morning. If he 176 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 4: threw up three hits on Wednesday night, he's gonna play. 177 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 1: Yeah. 178 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 4: If Domingez has a good game, if he plays well, 179 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 4: he's gonna play. I think that's how managers think. All 180 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 4: the loyalty goes out the window, and I think that's appropriate. 181 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 4: I think most players understand that. 182 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, And going back to your example ninety eight, they 183 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:43,320 Speaker 3: actually removed Shane Spencer for Ricky Leday against Kevin Brown, 184 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 3: do you remember that? And Leda ended up hitting i 185 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,559 Speaker 3: think six twenty five in the World Series, and then 186 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:52,440 Speaker 3: you know, Enrique Wilson was in there, you know, instead 187 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 3: of Aaron Boone against Pedro. So yeah, I agree with 188 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:59,080 Speaker 3: you that it's gonna come down to the manager's decision. 189 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:01,440 Speaker 3: You know, Dimingez, he's had a couple of nice swings 190 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 3: here recently, yet at a couple of home runs on 191 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 3: the West Coast trip. I think a lot of fans 192 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 3: kind of just want to see what he can do, 193 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:10,240 Speaker 3: you know, given some extended playing time. So it'd be 194 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 3: interesting to see who gets the bulk of the at 195 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:14,280 Speaker 3: bats as we go down the stretch here. 196 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: Let's talk a little bit about. 197 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 4: Want and I think that might come down sorry interrupt, 198 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 4: I think that's going to come down the quality of 199 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 4: at bats. You know, we've seen stretches during the course 200 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:25,960 Speaker 4: of the year when Berdugo just look lost, you know, 201 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 4: where Alex looks like he's beating up on himself. And 202 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 4: the Yankees aren't going to stand by and just watch 203 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 4: that happen and keep running him out there in the 204 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 4: way that they did during the regular season and giving 205 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:39,960 Speaker 4: him time to figure that out. If he's not playing 206 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 4: well and they're in a short series, they're going to 207 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:42,800 Speaker 4: get him out of there. 208 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:46,439 Speaker 3: In his last fifteen played appearances, he's made seventeen outs 209 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 3: because he's got a couple of double plays there, so 210 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:51,640 Speaker 3: he is. He is struggling right now. But the question 211 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 3: on everybody's mind, and we can spend a little bit 212 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 3: of time on this one, is is Juan Soto. We're 213 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 3: about six weeks out from free agency. I saw your 214 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 3: comments on the Michael ca Show where you just weren't 215 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 3: entirely sure that he would resign with the Yankees. The 216 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 3: Mets are obviously going to be a factor. I don't 217 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 3: know if we've ever seen a bidding war I can't. 218 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:11,320 Speaker 3: I've been racking my brain between the Yankees and the 219 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:14,360 Speaker 3: Mets for a player. Have you ever seen one over 220 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 3: the course of the years. 221 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 1: I can't think of. 222 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 4: One, not head to head now. I remember writing earlier 223 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:21,760 Speaker 4: in the last offseason that we knew that the Mets 224 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:23,599 Speaker 4: wanted to go after Yama Moto, and we knew the 225 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 4: Yankees wanted to go after Yama Moto, but there were 226 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:29,320 Speaker 4: other teams involved heavily, right the Dodgers wind up winning 227 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:33,080 Speaker 4: the bidding form the Giants were involved. This will be 228 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 4: the first time these two teams go toe to toe. 229 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:39,000 Speaker 4: You know what did feel like in the first years 230 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:42,640 Speaker 4: of Steve Cohen's ownership, maybe because the concerns of other 231 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 4: owners that he was going to go absolutely nutty, it 232 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 4: felt like that he continued to sort of veer around 233 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 4: the players the Yankees wanted. And to your point, you know, 234 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:55,840 Speaker 4: I mean, when Mike Messina was a free agent after 235 00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 4: the two thousand season, the Mets got involved, but Messina 236 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 4: had told me early in the prom you know, he said, look, 237 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:04,360 Speaker 4: no matter what happens, just know this, I'm going to 238 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:06,600 Speaker 4: sign with the Yankees. He played the process, but in 239 00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:08,320 Speaker 4: the end, the Yankees were the team that were going 240 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 4: to land him, but they don't go ahead to head 241 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:13,120 Speaker 4: the Will Ponds seemed to always veer around and he 242 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:15,960 Speaker 4: had to head thing with George Steinbrenner. That's not going 243 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 4: to be the case here. I was told in spring 244 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 4: training that's our guy. Like Soto is the focus on 245 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 4: what the Mets are going to try to do. And 246 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 4: the Yankees obviously love him. I think they're going to 247 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 4: make him a great offer. And as we sit here 248 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:33,760 Speaker 4: today and try to assess all this, all we can 249 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 4: do is look at the player's history. He got a 250 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 4: huge offer, as you know, from the Washington Nationals to 251 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 4: stay there. He turned it down. He was looking for 252 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 4: something better. 253 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:44,200 Speaker 1: You know. 254 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:50,320 Speaker 4: The Yankees in they're handling a Baron Judge. They wanted 255 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:53,959 Speaker 4: the player, but they actually wound up being outbid by 256 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:56,960 Speaker 4: the San Diego Padres, and in the twenty fourth hour, 257 00:11:57,679 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 4: hol Steinbrenner steps up. He gives them that ninth year, 258 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:01,880 Speaker 4: the three hundred and sixty million dollars. 259 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:02,000 Speaker 2: And they win. 260 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:06,800 Speaker 4: Well, in this case, it might be that unlike Aaron Judge, 261 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:11,080 Speaker 4: you didn't take the highest offer one Soto might you know, 262 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 4: like a lot of other clients of Scott Boris, they 263 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 4: often take the most dollars. That's what happened with Alex 264 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:19,680 Speaker 4: Rodriguez when he went from Seattle to the Texas Rangers 265 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 4: in the winner of t two hundred and fifty two 266 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:24,400 Speaker 4: million dollars. And so that's what Michael and I were 267 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:27,440 Speaker 4: talking about last week. As we sit here, we don't 268 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:31,120 Speaker 4: know really what's in Soto's heart. Does he really want 269 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:33,840 Speaker 4: to stay with the Yankees, all things being equal, or 270 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 4: like a lot of players, and by the way, this 271 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:40,959 Speaker 4: is totally their prerogative. Some players equate money for respect. 272 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:45,079 Speaker 4: Is Soto looking to get a record number of dollars 273 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 4: from one of these teams? And I do think in 274 00:12:47,559 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 4: the end the Yankees are going to be outbid by somebody. 275 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:54,080 Speaker 4: I can't see how going to nutty numbers. And we 276 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 4: don't know if Steve Cohen is going to do like 277 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 4: he does with some of his art and just blow 278 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 4: the competition out of the water and say, uh and 279 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:03,080 Speaker 4: I'm just making up the numbers. Let's say the Yankees 280 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:06,080 Speaker 4: offered five hundred million. Is Steve Cohen gonna say, you 281 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:08,320 Speaker 4: know what I want the player? It's if it's gonna 282 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:11,120 Speaker 4: cost me six hundred million, I'll do it. What SODA's 283 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:13,800 Speaker 4: reaction going to be at that point? You know, if 284 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 4: I'm sitting here and guessing, knowing the history of Scott Boris' clients, 285 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:19,200 Speaker 4: I think the safe money at this point, not the 286 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:22,679 Speaker 4: safe money, but I think the probably the uh, the 287 00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:25,600 Speaker 4: betting line for me would be he's gonna wind up 288 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:26,080 Speaker 4: with the Mets. 289 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:30,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, And and I think about that makes sense you it does? 290 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 3: And I think about this other factor too, is he 291 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:35,920 Speaker 3: goes to the Mets, he he becomes the guy, right 292 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:39,160 Speaker 3: Aaron Judge is gonna be the guy with the Yankees, right, 293 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:42,120 Speaker 3: and and and Soto would be the guy with the Mets. 294 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 3: There's got to be some kind of I don't know, 295 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 3: pride involved in that and not wanting to be, you know, 296 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 3: second fiddle on your on your own team in terms 297 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 3: of star power. 298 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:55,200 Speaker 1: Uh. But you know, I think I would say this. 299 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:57,959 Speaker 4: I would say this though, if you don't mind, I 300 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:02,040 Speaker 4: really feel like that. And Judge a boy, they have 301 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 4: worked it out. Like in San Diego, there was clearly 302 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:08,240 Speaker 4: a lot of stuff going on between Soto and Manny Machado, 303 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 4: maybe other guys in the clubhouse about who you know, 304 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 4: was the biggest guy in the room. With the Yankees, 305 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:15,840 Speaker 4: that doesn't seem to be the case. It seems like 306 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:18,200 Speaker 4: that they carved out some space for each other. And 307 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 4: I'll never I mentioned Alex Rodriguez's free agency. When he 308 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:25,160 Speaker 4: came to Sunday Night Baseball, I talked to Alex and 309 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:27,160 Speaker 4: I told him that one of the saddest things that 310 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 4: I can remember seeing in the time that I've covered 311 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 4: baseball was about a couple of weeks after he signed 312 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:35,040 Speaker 4: that deal with the Rangers, he did an interview with 313 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 4: The New York Post in which he said, you know, 314 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:39,440 Speaker 4: all things being equal, I would have rather have signed 315 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 4: with the Mets. And once it became his colleague on 316 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 4: Sunday Night Baseball, I said, Alex, that's that's ridiculous, Like 317 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:49,120 Speaker 4: you should have gone where you wanted to play, Like, 318 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:51,760 Speaker 4: you know, if you had gone to the Mets and said, look, 319 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 4: let's work it out and two hundred million dollars, you 320 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 4: might not have gotten two fifty two, but you would 321 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:58,160 Speaker 4: have gotten a lot of money and you would have 322 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:02,480 Speaker 4: been really happy. And and Jan SODA's heart, he loves 323 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 4: playing alongside Aaron Judge. We don't know that. And it 324 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:07,840 Speaker 4: was probably smart business for him not to tell us 325 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:10,720 Speaker 4: exactly what he's feeling as he heads into free agency. 326 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:14,160 Speaker 3: You know, Aaron Judge was he played his free agency 327 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:16,320 Speaker 3: pretty close to the vest too. We had that stage 328 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:19,280 Speaker 3: thing in San Francisco, And I think he always wanted 329 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:22,080 Speaker 3: to be a Yankee too, you know. I I think 330 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:25,560 Speaker 3: about this dynamic and Aaron Judge doesn't seem like a 331 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 3: guy who craves attention, right. I mean, he's always get 332 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 3: gotten the attention because he's probably always been the biggest 333 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:33,480 Speaker 3: guy in the room and the best player on the 334 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 3: team on whatever sport he's. 335 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:37,520 Speaker 1: Played, and he's just been bigger than life. 336 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 3: And you wonder, if you know, having Sodo there, he 337 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 3: kind of looks at that as kind of a relief, like, Hey, 338 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:44,960 Speaker 3: somebody else to maybe share the spotlight with. 339 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 1: It's just there's a lot of. 340 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 3: Factors that play into this, and I just I think 341 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 3: it's gonna be extremely interesting to see where he ends up. 342 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 3: I saw David Samson give an interview last week, I 343 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:58,760 Speaker 3: think it was with Rich Eisen where he said that 344 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:01,040 Speaker 3: the Yankees might not even be able to afford to 345 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 3: go where the Mets can go because they might not 346 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 3: really be as profitable as people think. You know, they 347 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:08,320 Speaker 3: got the regional sports network that you know, regional sports 348 00:16:08,360 --> 00:16:11,200 Speaker 3: networks are not doing great right now. I don't know 349 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:14,360 Speaker 3: how Yes is doing financially, but uh and and how 350 00:16:14,480 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 3: doesn't tend to just blow everyone away financially. 351 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 1: It's the way that that that Cohen does. So it's 352 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: just gonna be. 353 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:25,800 Speaker 3: Uh, it's gonna be a really interesting off season to stay. 354 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:27,880 Speaker 4: And I want to point this out, you know about 355 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:30,040 Speaker 4: what David Sampsons said, you know, well, the Yankees might 356 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:31,040 Speaker 4: not be able to afford him. 357 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:32,000 Speaker 1: Of course they can. 358 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:37,040 Speaker 4: Right in the Cidiga, Padres have demonstrated that with how 359 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 4: they've handled business. You know, they spend all this money 360 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:42,440 Speaker 4: on guys like Manny Machado and the you know other players, 361 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:45,880 Speaker 4: and maybe they weren't making a profit year to year 362 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 4: with their business, but the value of that franchise has 363 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:53,520 Speaker 4: risen so dramatically because they're filling the ballpark every night. 364 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:57,200 Speaker 4: Uh and so in the end, the Padres could certainly 365 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 4: afford it. And the Yankees, you know, the most record 366 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 4: guysible franchise in the world, can certainly afford to pay 367 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:06,240 Speaker 4: whatever they would need to pay to keep Sodo. Now 368 00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:08,680 Speaker 4: if Hal wants to, you know, go year to year 369 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:11,679 Speaker 4: making a profit, it would cut into that, There's no 370 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:13,720 Speaker 4: question about it. And you were talking about Aaron Judge. 371 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:16,960 Speaker 4: I really feel like in an error in which the 372 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:21,000 Speaker 4: baseball generally has a leadership void, Aaron Judge is one 373 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 4: of the true leaders. Like I think he's really good 374 00:17:23,560 --> 00:17:27,800 Speaker 4: at being a teammate and allowing them the space. He 375 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 4: doesn't seem like he's jealous at all of how great 376 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:36,080 Speaker 4: Soto is. He praises him, he honors him, and there's 377 00:17:36,119 --> 00:17:39,440 Speaker 4: not this back and forth around the edge. And so 378 00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 4: I think that's one thing from the Yankees perspective, you 379 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:44,439 Speaker 4: don't have to worry about. Oh boy, if we if 380 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:47,080 Speaker 4: we give Sodo a lot of money, how is that 381 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:49,840 Speaker 4: going to affect Judge's attitude? It won't, you know, he'll 382 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:51,520 Speaker 4: be great about it if they resign him. 383 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:54,959 Speaker 3: That's that's a great point. That's a great point. Hey, guys, 384 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:57,760 Speaker 3: back with more from Buster in just a second. But first, 385 00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:00,200 Speaker 3: a quick word from our sponsor of this episode. 386 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:03,399 Speaker 5: We're busy. 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Obviously, 409 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:09,840 Speaker 3: Austin Wells and Luisio both having fantastic years. We saw 410 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:13,879 Speaker 3: Colton Kowser last night with an absolute titanic of a 411 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:16,640 Speaker 3: blast into the bleachers. He's got twenty three home runs 412 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:18,680 Speaker 3: for the Orioles. Will you or Prahu's had a good year. 413 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:20,840 Speaker 3: How do you see the Rookie of the Year voting 414 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:23,840 Speaker 3: shake out? As somebody who's been involved with voting throughout 415 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 3: the years, Are these guys going to steal votes from 416 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:28,880 Speaker 3: me each other? Is there one favorite that you would 417 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 3: put above everyone else? 418 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:34,440 Speaker 4: So I think your point is dead on about that, 419 00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 4: the Yankee splitting votes. I think there'll be some writers, 420 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:41,720 Speaker 4: you know, who look at the two Yankee candidates and 421 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 4: they'll put one of them second or first and third, 422 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:48,760 Speaker 4: you know, maybe put Kowsers second. And I think in 423 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:51,080 Speaker 4: the end Kowser is going to wind up winning, which 424 00:19:51,119 --> 00:19:53,639 Speaker 4: is so different than any any of the other major awards, 425 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 4: which feels all feel like we're headed toward a unanimous 426 00:19:56,560 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 4: selection right right. Nationally, MVP American League, MVP, the Cy 427 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:04,440 Speaker 4: Young Awards, they're all going to be unanimous. The Nationally 428 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:06,320 Speaker 4: Rookie of the Year is going to be interesting with Skeins 429 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:10,359 Speaker 4: and Jackson Merrill. The Padres, but the American League MVP 430 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:13,239 Speaker 4: is not nearly as obvious, and so I think you 431 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:17,120 Speaker 4: can find logic strains with each of these three candidates, 432 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 4: which is why your point is the most relevant one 433 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:22,480 Speaker 4: that I think the two Yankees are going to pull 434 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:25,119 Speaker 4: support from each other because you can make a great 435 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 4: case with Heel and how he really stepped into the 436 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:30,480 Speaker 4: rotation early in the year when Cole went down and 437 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:32,679 Speaker 4: how important that was. You can make a case for 438 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 4: Wells a catcher stepping in for a period of time 439 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:41,000 Speaker 4: when people were pitching around Aaron Judge and making opponents 440 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 4: pay by doing more and more damage. Now, as you know, 441 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:46,200 Speaker 4: he's kind of slid a little bit as we goten 442 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:48,399 Speaker 4: toward the end of the season, but the Yankees have 443 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:51,280 Speaker 4: been incredibly impressed with his growth during the course of 444 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:53,960 Speaker 4: the year, and Kowser, I think, has had a terrific 445 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:56,760 Speaker 4: season overall. I think Kowser's gonna win it, and the 446 00:20:56,800 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 4: two Yankees finished second and third. 447 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:01,560 Speaker 3: I'm sure a lot of Yankees fans are gonna be 448 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 3: disappointed to hear that. I know that a lot of 449 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:07,120 Speaker 3: fans want Wells to win it because the Yankees would 450 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:10,439 Speaker 3: get that PPI pick whereas that's not the case for 451 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:12,720 Speaker 3: Luis Heel. But I just I think it's gonna be 452 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:15,360 Speaker 3: interesting to see how that shakes out. But it's good 453 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:19,320 Speaker 3: to have some youth that will hopefully help the Yankees 454 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:23,160 Speaker 3: grow in years to come. All right, final question here 455 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:27,240 Speaker 3: before we let you go. You mentioned how good Houston is. 456 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:31,440 Speaker 3: The Yankees have obviously handled them pretty well this year, 457 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:34,640 Speaker 3: but I still feel like there's this dark spot inside 458 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 3: of me that I don't want to go to. I 459 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:39,920 Speaker 3: still feel like the road to the World Series goes 460 00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:40,520 Speaker 3: through Houston. 461 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:41,280 Speaker 1: Do you agree? 462 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:45,600 Speaker 4: I completely agree with you. And look, you know those 463 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:47,720 Speaker 4: teams that I covered with the Yankees from ninety eight 464 00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:50,760 Speaker 4: to two thousand and one, what happened consistently with that 465 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:52,920 Speaker 4: group is we got through you know, ninety nine and 466 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:54,920 Speaker 4: two thousand and two thousand and one. The regular season 467 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:57,600 Speaker 4: got long for that group of players. They began to 468 00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:00,679 Speaker 4: get more and more tired, almost bored at times of 469 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:07,280 Speaker 4: the regular season. But once the postseason hit, O'Neill, Scott brocious, 470 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 4: and the pitchers all of a sudden they would elevate 471 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:12,560 Speaker 4: their game. There's no better example that than two thousand 472 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:15,000 Speaker 4: and one, when they were on paper it felt like 473 00:22:15,040 --> 00:22:17,280 Speaker 4: the worst team of the American League playoff teams, and 474 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:19,720 Speaker 4: they wound up playing to Game seven of the World Series. 475 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 4: They find a way. This Houston team is the exact 476 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:25,879 Speaker 4: same way all of that experience. Guys like Bregman and 477 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:28,119 Speaker 4: Al Tube, they're not gonna panic. When I got out, 478 00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 4: they got off to a terrible start of seven to nineteen. 479 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:33,159 Speaker 4: I think the numbers were beginning of the year, and 480 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:34,800 Speaker 4: I talked to some of those guys who are like, yeah, 481 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:38,119 Speaker 4: we'll figure it out, and they eventually did you know 482 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 4: their heart rates are going to be at sixty once 483 00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:43,760 Speaker 4: we get into the postseason, and they're going to assume, 484 00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 4: as those Yankees teams did in the late nineties, that 485 00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:50,080 Speaker 4: they're going to figure it out. And let's face it, 486 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:53,119 Speaker 4: I mean time and time again over the last you know, 487 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:56,800 Speaker 4: eight years, we've seen the Astros be the nemesis for 488 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:58,240 Speaker 4: the Yankees in the postseason. 489 00:22:59,000 --> 00:22:59,679 Speaker 1: I agree with you. 490 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 4: I think the Yankees, if they're gonna win the World Series, 491 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:05,600 Speaker 4: then that path is gonna go through Houston at some point. 492 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:10,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, I agree with you, buster Buster, only with ESPN 493 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 3: obviously one of the all time Yankees reporters once again 494 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:17,120 Speaker 3: get his book. It's still available on Amazon. We get 495 00:23:17,119 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 3: a front of the camera here the last night of 496 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:22,080 Speaker 3: the Yankee Dynasty. I read this every year with Joe 497 00:23:22,119 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 3: Sherman's book Birth of a Dynasty and then the Verducci 498 00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:29,000 Speaker 3: and Joe Tory book The Yankee Years. Is kind of 499 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:31,879 Speaker 3: a trilogy, and it's a nice little, nice little winter, 500 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:35,760 Speaker 3: you know, dive back into baseball into the good old years. 501 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:38,480 Speaker 3: But Buster, thank you so much for taking your time today, 502 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:40,360 Speaker 3: and I wish you luck the rest of the rest 503 00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:40,879 Speaker 3: of the season. 504 00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:44,800 Speaker 4: Yeah, have fun in the postseason. It's gonna be absolutely wild. 505 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:46,800 Speaker 1: Appreciate it. See you guys later. 506 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:50,399 Speaker 3: As always, Like and subscribe and check us out on 507 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:52,080 Speaker 3: all your favorite podcast platforms. 508 00:23:52,119 --> 00:23:52,920 Speaker 1: We'll see you next time. 509 00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:01,639 Speaker 3: If you enjoyed this video, please drop a like and 510 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:04,640 Speaker 3: give us a subscribe. It helps other Yankees fans find 511 00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 3: the channel. We're also on all your favorite podcast platforms 512 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:11,720 Speaker 3: and social media. Join the community, have some fun. We're 513 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:17,679 Speaker 3: here after every game. This is Pinstripe Territory.