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Speaker 1: The Book of Joe podcast is a production of iHeartRadio.

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Speaker 1: Hey there and welcome back to the Book of Joe

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Speaker 1: Podcast with Me, Tom Berducci and Joe Madden and Joe.

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Speaker 1: After last week's episode in which we previewed the Masters,

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Speaker 1: I got to get your quick take on what just

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Speaker 1: happened down in Augusta, Georgia with Rory McElroy riding the

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Speaker 1: roller coaster to the Green Jacket.

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Speaker 2: First of aft ad mid I did pick Justin Thomas.

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Speaker 2: He had a rough time, started out okay and then

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Speaker 2: really faded. Regarding the conclusion going into that last day,

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Speaker 2: I truly believe these chambau is going to catch him,

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Speaker 2: just based on history, how McElroy where recently has responded

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Speaker 2: to those moments and how the Chambeau has so I

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Speaker 2: really thought, and it says started out with the double bogie,

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Speaker 2: I thought, here we go. But I give him credit, man,

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Speaker 2: he hung in there really well. And the guy's like

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Speaker 2: super to he was just he just had this albatross

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Speaker 2: attached to his neck for a couple of years regarding

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Speaker 2: this and it really truly truly has I think prevented

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Speaker 2: and now that's gone and you know, even at the

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Speaker 2: end of the tournament when he got to his knees

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Speaker 2: and just buried his face in the in the green,

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Speaker 2: I mean you could see what was relief was a

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Speaker 2: relief more than joy, I don't know, but it was

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Speaker 2: very interesting.

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Speaker 3: Quite frankly, I can't.

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Speaker 2: I'm a big mclroy fan, you know, I respect his abilities.

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Speaker 2: But I was happy for him because to have not

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Speaker 2: won that really, I think could have been somewhat devastating

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Speaker 2: and could have carried over into so many different parts

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Speaker 2: of his life. That's what I was saying. So I

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Speaker 2: was happy that it occurred. I'm glad I d Chambeau

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Speaker 2: is gonna win another one. There's no doubt. I really

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Speaker 2: believe he's that good, and I love his personality and

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Speaker 2: the way he attacks the day in the game. We

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Speaker 2: need more of that in all of our sports. But anyway,

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Speaker 2: I was happy he won because now the guy can

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Speaker 2: breathe and live again.

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Speaker 1: One hundred percent agree with you, Joe, That's what I saw.

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Speaker 1: I saw a relief more than joy on that eighteenth

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Speaker 1: green there, and you'd hate to think about what would

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Speaker 1: happen if he didn't close that out after it was

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Speaker 1: in his hands a couple of times. But give him

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Speaker 1: a ton of credit. I mean, you know how hard

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Speaker 1: it is Joe and sports to just hang in there

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Speaker 1: and come back immediately from adversity. You know, It's one

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Speaker 1: thing to have a bad day and come back the

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Speaker 1: next day and reset everything. But he had to do

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Speaker 1: that on the fly on several different shots and holes,

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Speaker 1: you know, including a putt to win the Masters that

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Speaker 1: he missed on the seventy second hole. So I give

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Speaker 1: him a ton of credit. With all the scar tissue

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Speaker 1: that guy has to somehow get through that. I thought

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Speaker 1: it was a courageous performance, if you will, in terms

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Speaker 1: of athleticism, in terms of sticking through tough times. And

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Speaker 1: you know what that's like, Joe, for a player to

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Speaker 1: kind of in any sport, especially when you've had so

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Speaker 1: many disappointments and it means so much to you to

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Speaker 1: find a resolve to fight through it.

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Speaker 3: Kind of a Cubs moment there, I though.

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Speaker 2: That's what I was thinking about too, And like you're

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Speaker 2: talking about his game itself and the comeback whatever, But God,

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Speaker 2: he has such an advantage just from the way he

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Speaker 2: drives a golf ball.

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Speaker 3: I mean, it makes the course shorter.

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Speaker 2: It's like he is a starter and a middle relief

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Speaker 2: pitcher to get closer to the to the green, which then,

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Speaker 2: of course for the people that do player don't play,

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Speaker 2: you know, those shorter iron shots lot easier to control,

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Speaker 2: command and control, So that part of it is truly

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Speaker 2: incredible to watch. I mean, every swing that he takes

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Speaker 2: with his driver is so confident, and then the other shots,

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Speaker 2: you know, he can be wonderful but sometimes less confident.

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Speaker 2: So that's that's part of his game. He just overpowered.

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Speaker 2: We were talking years ago, several years ago about d

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Speaker 2: Chambeau overpowering when he went I can remember the tournament,

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Speaker 2: but all of a sudden he came to this brute

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Speaker 2: strength and his ability to drive the ball farther than

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Speaker 2: anybody else, and how that was going to lead to

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Speaker 2: a tournament after tournament victory. But you play it and

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Speaker 2: I play, you know how much the other part of

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Speaker 2: the game is so vital and success. But McElroy's ability

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Speaker 2: to drive the golf ball gosh, I mean, that really

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Speaker 2: provides an advantage, especially when the course is playing as

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Speaker 2: long as that one does. But again that's just going

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Speaker 2: around in about just give him credit. But he's truly

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Speaker 2: a rare talent and to watch the ball. Watch that

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Speaker 2: swing on the driver is really incredible to watch.

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Speaker 1: I'm glad you brought up the Cubs because this is

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Speaker 1: the tenth year anniversary of your first year right with

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Speaker 1: the Chicago Cubs, and you inherited that group of young players,

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Speaker 1: brought him to the finish line the next year in

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Speaker 1: twenty sixteen. Yep, and one of your young players back

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Speaker 1: then Rookie of the Year in twenty fifteen MVP. In

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Speaker 1: twenty sixteen, Chris Bryant in the news again, unfortunately for

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Speaker 1: wrong reasons. Health wise, he went on the injured list

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Speaker 1: with Lombard degenerative disease, which sounds really bad. Basically, his

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Speaker 1: back has been killing him and you know, he saw

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Speaker 1: doctor Watkins out in LA and he has to shut

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Speaker 1: it down. The Rockies are hoping it's not a long

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Speaker 1: term issue. But ever since he signed his contract with

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Speaker 1: the Rockies, which is seven years, one hundred and eighty

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Speaker 1: two million dollars, Chris has had a hard time staying

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Speaker 1: on the field. He's played just one hundred and seventy

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Speaker 1: games in the fourth seasons since he signed with the Rockies.

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Speaker 1: And when he has been on the field, he let's

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Speaker 1: face it, he has not been very good. Two forty

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Speaker 1: four batting average, three seventy slug and even with Corus

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Speaker 1: Field as your home field, his adjusted ops is eighty four,

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Speaker 1: whereas one hundred average. Joe, you saw this guy in

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Speaker 1: his prime, which was when he first got to the

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Speaker 1: big leagues.

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Speaker 3: Right.

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Speaker 1: He slugged five oh eight with the Cubs, thirty nine

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Speaker 1: home runs in his MVP season, ran like the wind

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Speaker 1: on the bases, played multiple positions. I want to start

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Speaker 1: by asking you this, Joe, and you had Chris Bryant

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Speaker 1: in fifteen and sixteen. What did the future look like

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Speaker 1: to you watching Chris Bryant play?

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Speaker 2: Yeah, it was virtually unlimited, right, because you just described them.

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Speaker 3: Will He's just he was.

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Speaker 2: He is a complete baseball player. He did everything well,

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Speaker 2: played multiple positions, had a fine arm, really ran well

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Speaker 2: and ran the basis as good as anybody in baseball

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Speaker 2: at that particular time, had big pop, hit home runs

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Speaker 2: to all parts of the field, and could keep a

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Speaker 2: batting average alive. Even because he ran so well, he

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Speaker 2: had this tendency sometimes to like get his butt out

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Speaker 2: and just flick a little ground ball, make the short

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Speaker 2: stop move to his right. He beat it out great teammate,

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Speaker 2: good guy. I mean, I really enjoyed my conversations with him.

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Speaker 2: There was nothing to not like about KB. And to

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Speaker 2: see the decline more recently, it's it's been really hard

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Speaker 2: to watch. I guess the back has been bothering. I

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Speaker 2: understand that. You know, with that, the way his swing

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Speaker 2: is broken down, and inability to kind of like to

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Speaker 2: maintain like a posture in his in his swing and

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Speaker 2: constantly like leaning over to reach at pitches probably had

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Speaker 2: something to do with it. The back had something to

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Speaker 2: do with all of that, and that's where the decline

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Speaker 2: really showed up. You're right going to cors My god.

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Speaker 2: I mean when he first came up with the Cubs

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Speaker 2: is one of probably his greatest strengths was driving the

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Speaker 2: ball to right center field and with power. It was

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Speaker 2: how he came out of University of San Diego. THEO

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Speaker 2: told me that from the beginning, and of course there

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Speaker 2: it was, and then it started to become more pol oriented,

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Speaker 2: and I think, just like I said, he started leaning

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Speaker 2: over a little bit and wasn't able to let the

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Speaker 2: ball get to him and drive it to the other

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Speaker 2: side of the field.

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Speaker 3: So there's a lot been going on. I had all

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Speaker 3: kinds of.

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Speaker 2: Conversations with KB and he's one of my all time faves.

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Speaker 3: Love to see this somehow rectifyself.

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Speaker 2: But when you talk about degenerative stuff, obviously that's not

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Speaker 2: normally going to get better. So we'll see it all

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Speaker 2: plays out. But I want people to know this is

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Speaker 2: a really good guy. Like him a lot and wasn't

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Speaker 2: just a great athlet He was a really good baseball player.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, I second all that too. I mean,

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Speaker 1: I feel for him. You know, it's not for lack

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Speaker 1: of effort. And you know when you have these physical injuries,

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Speaker 1: and he's had a variety of them. It has not

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Speaker 1: just been the back. He's had plant dark FASTI, He's

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Speaker 1: had leg issues, won't. It just seems like he's not

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Speaker 1: been able to stay healthy through any length of time.

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Speaker 1: And you mentioned THEO seeing him, you know, in college

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Speaker 1: and drafting him number two pick in the draft that year.

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Speaker 1: The Rockies thought for sure the Cubs were going to

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Speaker 1: take John Gray, and they thought they were going to

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Speaker 1: get Chris Bryant. It's one of the reasons why they

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Speaker 1: signed him as a free agent. Like, you know, they

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Speaker 1: missed out on Chris Bryant as an amateur when they

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Speaker 1: really were surprised the Cubs went with Brian, But I

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Speaker 1: remember THEO saying he sat down with him, interviewed him himself,

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Speaker 1: and of course you could see the skills and the

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Speaker 1: home run power. You talked about Joe, but THEO was

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Speaker 1: so impressed with him just from a character side of it, saying,

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Speaker 1: this is the kind of guy you want as a

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Speaker 1: franchise player, and he did turn out to be that

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Speaker 1: kind of player. It was a great evaluation. Not to

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Speaker 1: say that John Gray hasn't had a really good career,

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Speaker 1: He's had his own issues with health. But Chris Bryant,

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Speaker 1: it's just it's kind of sad because I do think

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Speaker 1: you were looking at a guy who came out of

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Speaker 1: the shoot there as the Rookie of the Year, MVP

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Speaker 1: World Series champion, looked like he was going to be

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Speaker 1: a repeat All Star every year for you know, a

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Speaker 1: decade or more, And now you're around Joe at some

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Speaker 1: of your guys there, and you know, Hovey Baiaz has

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Speaker 1: kind of followed that same arc. You know, he's had injuries.

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Speaker 1: He signed the big contract with Detroit and you know,

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Speaker 1: six years, one hundred and forty million, he's hit two

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Speaker 1: twenty two with the Tigers and a three forty eight slug. Now,

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Speaker 1: I think the game kind of caught up with Hobby Bias.

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Speaker 1: He wasn't able to make adjustments to seeing all those

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Speaker 1: breaking balls and really stay off pitches out of the zone.

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Speaker 1: And you know, I think the Ross skills are still

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Speaker 1: there with Hobby Bias.

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Speaker 3: Joe.

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Speaker 1: He still can play a good shortstop, but the lack

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Speaker 1: of plate discipline just has really held him back.

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Speaker 3: Agreed.

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Speaker 2: I mean, he's a classic example of analytics catching up

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Speaker 2: to him and him not making the adjustment.

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Speaker 3: He's always been a wild swinger.

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Speaker 2: The first time I saw him in Puerto Rico, I

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Speaker 2: food down there when I got the job. Eddie Perez

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Speaker 2: was the manager, and I sat with Eddie before the

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Speaker 2: game finally got to meet Hobby.

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Speaker 3: I was just trying to.

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Speaker 2: I went there to really want to get to know him.

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Speaker 2: Heard all about it him this wonderful athletic ability, etc.

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Speaker 2: And the night I saw him, I made some great

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Speaker 2: base running plays, great play to his left. He was

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Speaker 2: playing some second base, which I still believe is his

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Speaker 2: best position, and I saw the wild swing more. Let's

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Speaker 2: turn the clock forward right now, when we had him

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Speaker 2: with the Cubbies. You know, he was surrounded by a

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Speaker 2: pretty good group, a very good group, and I just

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Speaker 2: believe he was more able to, or more willing to,

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Speaker 2: or whatever you want to call it, to use the

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Speaker 2: other side of the field, which I still believe is

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Speaker 2: his friend. I say that right center is your friend,

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Speaker 2: that's your buddy. If you could just stay there, he's

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Speaker 2: still gonna have a big swing. It's really hard to

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Speaker 2: get him to knock that down to something smaller than

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Speaker 2: but at least it's a mental adjustment more than it

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Speaker 2: is a physical adjustment for him. That's the first part

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Speaker 2: about it. Second part more recently, actually talked to Scotti Harris.

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Speaker 3: Last year I think was last year.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, and I said, this might sound nuts, but I

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Speaker 2: would really consider him becoming a swingitter. Mari Wills did

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Speaker 2: that later in his life. Mariy Wills, I don't think

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Speaker 2: started switch hitting to his letter later twenties, if.

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Speaker 3: I remember correctly reading about it.

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Speaker 2: If you ever watched Tobby and batting practices, screwing around

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Speaker 2: hitting left handed, wow, you wouldn't even know. If you

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Speaker 2: walked up there and saw him doing that, you would

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Speaker 2: think he was a left handed hitter. If it's not

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Speaker 2: working and we're not seeing any kind of adjustments, it's

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Speaker 2: primarily there's two things.

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Speaker 3: That's chased with.

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Speaker 2: The fastball elevated and it's chased with the breaking ball

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Speaker 2: down down in a way. So just give him a

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Speaker 2: different seat, like let him watch the movie from the

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Speaker 2: left side with the right he coming at him, and

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Speaker 2: see if there's anything that goes with that.

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Speaker 3: I still think it was worth.

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Speaker 2: It's a worthy try to do something like that, because

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Speaker 2: he's that talented. Right now, he's hitting over I think

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Speaker 2: right around three hundred. He's doing a little bit better.

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Speaker 2: I follow him all the time. I follow KB box

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Speaker 2: score wise all the time. But Hobby seems to be

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Speaker 2: making some in roads right now. And again I haven't

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Speaker 2: watched enough to know that, but I've always stopped for him.

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Speaker 2: It might be interesting to put him on both sides

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Speaker 2: of the plan and see if that just perks him up,

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Speaker 2: and see what that would do for him now and

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Speaker 2: in his career.

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Speaker 1: A fascinating idea like the just the thought of giving

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Speaker 1: it a try, right why not? And I have seen

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Speaker 1: him swing the bat left handed is pretty darn impressive.

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Speaker 1: A couple other guys from your Cubby's team. You know,

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Speaker 1: Anthony Rizzo, of course, couldn't get a job, couldn't find

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Speaker 1: a job this offseason. Four years with the Yankees, he

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Speaker 1: had two thirty four, and injuries caught up with him,

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Speaker 1: especially it seemed like he never really came back from

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Speaker 1: the concussion. And then Kyle Schwarber. You know, you look

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Speaker 1: back at the core of that team and to me,

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Speaker 1: the one guy who who really actually improved it got

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Speaker 1: better as he's aging here through his thirties is Kyle Schwarber.

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Speaker 1: I mean, he he has slugged four ninety three with

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Speaker 1: the Phillies. That's higher than it was before. And he's

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Speaker 1: scheduled to hit free agency at the end of the season.

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Speaker 1: And you know, he's a steady run producer who still

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Speaker 1: takes his walk and does a ton of damage from

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Speaker 1: the left side. So give me your quick takes now

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Speaker 1: as we're catching up with your former cubbies here on

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Speaker 1: Riz and Schwartz.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, well, Riz obviously the big difference with him.

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Speaker 2: He's a little bit older, and he's had a lot

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Speaker 2: of issues himself and particularly his back, and the concussion

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Speaker 2: was huge, no doubt about it, but his back has

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Speaker 2: always been problematic. Every year during the season he'd have

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Speaker 2: to sit out a couple of days, maybe.

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Speaker 3: A week, in order to get the back back on track.

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Speaker 2: So there's always these little nick spumps and bruises that

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Speaker 2: eventually wear he done. He's a big guy. Riz is

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Speaker 2: not little. Brizz is a big guy. He is a

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Speaker 2: really good baseball player. He's got as good of a

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Speaker 2: baseball IQ as anybody I've ever had. He's almost like

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Speaker 2: he was born in Puerto Rico. His baseball IQ is

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Speaker 2: that good. Good teammate, does a lot of things really

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Speaker 2: well in the field, really creative. He and I did

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Speaker 2: all those little creative things with the bunt when I

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Speaker 2: had him post up between the mound on first baseline,

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Speaker 2: so that the was the Brewers primarily would bunt right

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Speaker 2: to and we would be turning double plays.

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Speaker 3: But he has fear spearlessness about getting in there.

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Speaker 2: A lot of guys wouldn't even think about doing stuff

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Speaker 2: like that. But that was he and I talking about things.

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Speaker 2: We would talk about all these different little nuances on

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Speaker 2: defense to just try to mess with the other team.

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Speaker 2: Part of it was because of Leicester Johnny not being

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Speaker 2: able to throw over to first base, so just trying

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Speaker 2: to become creative. Rizzo has that kind of an IQ.

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Speaker 2: Swarve's on the other hand, I think he has gradually

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Speaker 2: steadily gotten better. And I saw him the other day

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Speaker 2: was at Sale that he hit the bomb against Sale.

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Speaker 2: I think he hit a ball off the wall and

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Speaker 2: the ball over the wall against him. He's gotten better

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Speaker 2: against left these is what I'm saying. And the thing

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Speaker 2: that really I don't think will abandon him is is

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Speaker 2: a command of the strike so and that's really a

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Speaker 2: separator for Schwarves. His command, he doesn't let one at

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Speaker 2: bat bleed into the next one. He could strike off five, six,

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Speaker 2: seven times in a rows, not going to impact his confidence.

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Speaker 2: He goes up there with the same kind of game plan.

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Speaker 2: So I think that's going to continue. I think it's

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Speaker 2: a good bet. I don't even know how old is

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Speaker 2: he Not twenty eight, twenty nine, thirties.

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Speaker 1: He's thirty thirty one.

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Speaker 3: Okay, So the.

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Speaker 2: Free agency numbers got into the years isn't going to

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Speaker 2: be as great. But I still think because of his

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Speaker 2: strength level and his command of the strike zone, and

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Speaker 2: the fact that he's gotten better against left handed pitching,

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Speaker 2: it's still.

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Speaker 3: Going to be He's still going to be attractive.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, he just turned thirty two, by the way, And yeah,

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Speaker 1: you made a great point about against left handed pitching.

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Speaker 1: I mean, I don't know if I remember a situation

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Speaker 1: where a guy has improved this much to this deep

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Speaker 1: into his career. And give credit to Kevin Long, the

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Speaker 1: Philadelphia Phillies hitting coach ever since he got there, and

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Speaker 1: obviously Kevin had him in Washington as well briefly. But

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Speaker 1: you know, Kevin makes sure and Kevin's left handed himself,

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Speaker 1: but say, for instance, he's giving him soft toss, Kevin

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Speaker 1: will make sure that he does it from an angle

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Speaker 1: where the ball is coming from behind his back the

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Speaker 1: way it would from a left handed pitcher on the

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Speaker 1: first pace side of the rubber. When he sets up

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Speaker 1: the pitching machine, he makes sure that is angled from

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Speaker 1: a left hander's point of view. So Kyle's seeing over

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Speaker 1: and over and over again that ball coming at him

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Speaker 1: or away from him, and starting at him and moving

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Speaker 1: away from him. And last year he hit three hundred

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Speaker 1: against lefties, and he's off to a terrific start this

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Speaker 1: year against lefties.

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Speaker 2: He's not missing his pitch when he sees his pitch,

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Speaker 2: he's not missing it against the lefties.

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Speaker 1: Yeah. I mean, he's gonna have a great market as

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Speaker 1: a free agent, obviously because of age and maybe not length.

356
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Speaker 1: But there's a whole lot of baseball left in Kyle Schwarber, Joe,

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Speaker 1: we're going to take a quick break. There's some teams

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Speaker 1: that I need to talk to you about that are

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Speaker 1: off to you. Just starts that really caught my attention.

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Speaker 1: The Padres, the Rockies, and the Marlins. Yeah, the Marlins,

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Speaker 1: they're all doing really, really interesting things, and we'll.

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Speaker 4: Talk about that right after this on the Book of Joe.

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Speaker 1: Welcome back to the Book of Joe. We've talked about

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Speaker 1: Chris Bryant and things have well, not been going real

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Speaker 1: well for the Colorado Rockies. Joe off to a really

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Speaker 1: tough start. Three and twelve. They've been outscored. This is

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Speaker 1: hard to believe, eighty four to forty, so that the

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Speaker 1: run differential is greater than the amount of runs that

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Speaker 1: they've scored. I mean, you just don't see this in

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Speaker 1: the major leagues. The team batting average is two eighteen.

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Speaker 1: They went thirty two consecutive innings without scoring a run

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Speaker 1: against the Padres and the Dodgers before they finally get

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Speaker 1: on the board, and poor Buddy Black, our good friend,

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Speaker 1: Bud Black, manager of the Colorado Rockies. You know, he

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Speaker 1: lives in San Diego in the offseason. He figures he'll

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Speaker 1: stay at home during the series at Dodger Stadium and

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Speaker 1: take the train up to Dodger Stadium for the game.

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Speaker 1: So he's on the station waiting for the train to

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Speaker 1: go to Union Station in La. It's in the morning

380
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Speaker 1: on Monday, and there's an announcement that there is well,

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Speaker 1: he felt it there was an earthquake and the train.

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Speaker 1: They couldn't run the trains because that they make sure

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Speaker 1: the tracks had not been compromised from the earthquake. So

384
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Speaker 1: to get to the ballpark you at the grab a

385
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Speaker 1: ride share. It cost him two hundred bucks to get

386
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Speaker 1: the Dodge Stadium from San Diego. Stay hot, Buddy Black.

387
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Speaker 1: But man, they listen, it's a tough division. There are

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Speaker 1: no breaks in that division. Right, It's a very maybe

389
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Speaker 1: the deepest division in baseball. But the Rockies just can't

390
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Speaker 1: seem to get it right. And after a couple of

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Speaker 1: one hundred lost seasons, Joe, this may be the worst

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Speaker 1: of all the way it's starting out.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I've been watching that.

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Speaker 2: I've listened to Buddy Black Pepe Pepe Negro, so I

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Speaker 2: refer to him Pepe and I stay in touch. I

396
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Speaker 2: haven't yet this year, but yeah, it's been. It has

397
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Speaker 2: been tough to watch and you're just hit on it.

398
00:18:42,838 --> 00:18:47,678
Speaker 2: I mean, the discrepancy in the batting, the hitting, the power,

399
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Speaker 2: whatever you want to call it. Here in Colorado, it's

400
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Speaker 2: a different world. You're you're playing on the moon. You know,

401
00:18:52,878 --> 00:18:55,518
Speaker 2: the zero's gravity when you're playing in that ballpark. I

402
00:18:56,158 --> 00:18:57,998
Speaker 2: just haven't watched them enough. I probably need to just

403
00:18:58,038 --> 00:18:59,358
Speaker 2: tune them in a little bit more to see what

404
00:18:59,398 --> 00:19:03,678
Speaker 2: I actually think about, you know, the group and how

405
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Speaker 2: they're performing and fundamentally and all that kind of stuff.

406
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Speaker 2: I just don't know, but it is. It's incongruent. I mean,

407
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Speaker 2: I've played, I managed in Midland, Texas, and Midland is

408
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Speaker 2: kind of like that really windy ballflies West Texas.

409
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Speaker 3: Dry air. It's not unlike playing in Colorado.

410
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Speaker 2: And the one thing about that teams that I had

411
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Speaker 2: down there and the other ones that even roven in

412
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Speaker 2: and out of we would always hit well at home.

413
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Speaker 3: My concern was always on the road.

414
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Speaker 2: Then we go to Beaumont, Texas, you go to Shreveport,

415
00:19:33,438 --> 00:19:37,998
Speaker 2: you go to Little Rock, you go to Tulsa, San Antonio, Boumont,

416
00:19:38,038 --> 00:19:41,358
Speaker 2: all these places was completely different version of baseball. So

417
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Speaker 2: the last couple of days before we would leave town,

418
00:19:44,958 --> 00:19:47,878
Speaker 2: I would insist on in batting practice line drives and

419
00:19:47,918 --> 00:19:49,918
Speaker 2: hard ground balls and if you hit the ball on

420
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Speaker 2: top of the screen or the net at all and

421
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Speaker 2: VP you're out next hitter, Just to try to really

422
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Speaker 2: emphasize thing on the line and try not to lift

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Speaker 2: the ball on that because I know that's pretty much

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Speaker 2: what the world's all about right now, getting the ball

425
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Speaker 2: in their etc. So again, I don't know enough philosophically

426
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Speaker 2: about what they're doing there. I don't know anything about

427
00:20:08,078 --> 00:20:13,038
Speaker 2: what they're doing there, but to not be offensive, i'd

428
00:20:13,078 --> 00:20:15,918
Speaker 2: be and play in that market right there. It just

429
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Speaker 2: doesn't make any sense. I played, actually played myself in

430
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Speaker 2: Boulder a couple of summers, and I even hit for

431
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Speaker 2: power up there.

432
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Speaker 3: I was like crazy. So it's like.

433
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Speaker 2: I'd love to be, you know, fly on the wall

434
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Speaker 2: just or just go scout them for a week and

435
00:20:28,798 --> 00:20:30,598
Speaker 2: come back with a better idea of what I think.

436
00:20:30,638 --> 00:20:34,518
Speaker 2: But it just doesn't make any sense even I mean,

437
00:20:34,558 --> 00:20:38,158
Speaker 2: these are still big League ballplayers. It doesn't make any

438
00:20:38,198 --> 00:20:41,358
Speaker 2: sense that there'd be such a two eighteen team batting

439
00:20:41,358 --> 00:20:44,358
Speaker 2: average in that and that zero gravity. Maybe the weather's

440
00:20:44,398 --> 00:20:47,278
Speaker 2: been cold. I don't know, but I have to believe

441
00:20:47,278 --> 00:20:48,278
Speaker 2: they're going to get better than that.

442
00:20:48,678 --> 00:20:52,238
Speaker 1: Yeah, As you know, one of the difficulties the Rockies face,

443
00:20:52,278 --> 00:20:54,558
Speaker 1: and there are many when you play at altitude, is

444
00:20:54,718 --> 00:20:59,038
Speaker 1: adjusting to not playing at altitude. And you know, the

445
00:20:59,038 --> 00:21:02,478
Speaker 1: balls just don't break as much at course field at

446
00:21:02,478 --> 00:21:04,878
Speaker 1: altitude as they do on the roads, so they're constantly

447
00:21:04,998 --> 00:21:09,278
Speaker 1: adjusting to seeing. Especially to me, it's more about breaking

448
00:21:09,318 --> 00:21:12,118
Speaker 1: pitches and seeing them break more when they go on

449
00:21:12,118 --> 00:21:14,558
Speaker 1: the road. So that's what happened. This was obviously a

450
00:21:14,598 --> 00:21:17,238
Speaker 1: small sample, but they just came off a long homestand

451
00:21:17,318 --> 00:21:18,958
Speaker 1: and they go to San Diego. Now you're on the

452
00:21:19,038 --> 00:21:23,358
Speaker 1: road and you're seeing that pitching staff and everything looks

453
00:21:23,438 --> 00:21:27,278
Speaker 1: like it's extremely difficult to hit because you're always going

454
00:21:27,358 --> 00:21:29,518
Speaker 1: back and forth. It's never the same break on a

455
00:21:29,558 --> 00:21:33,398
Speaker 1: pitch that you're looking at. So I've always thought, Joe,

456
00:21:33,638 --> 00:21:37,798
Speaker 1: it's so hard to put a winning team together in

457
00:21:37,878 --> 00:21:41,198
Speaker 1: Colorado because the game is just played so differently in

458
00:21:41,238 --> 00:21:43,638
Speaker 1: that ballpark. And that's not going to change. All these

459
00:21:43,718 --> 00:21:46,838
Speaker 1: years the Rockies management, no matter who it is, they

460
00:21:46,878 --> 00:21:49,558
Speaker 1: still haven't figured out what wins in Colorado. I don't

461
00:21:49,598 --> 00:21:50,278
Speaker 1: think they ever will.

462
00:21:50,518 --> 00:21:51,718
Speaker 2: But part of it is, I mean, if you look

463
00:21:51,718 --> 00:21:53,318
Speaker 2: at the ballpark, it so if they built it bigger,

464
00:21:53,318 --> 00:21:55,278
Speaker 2: the gaps are huge, huge.

465
00:21:55,678 --> 00:21:57,318
Speaker 3: I mean, the ball stays in there forever.

466
00:21:57,878 --> 00:22:00,758
Speaker 2: And so for me, it's always been about don't necessarily

467
00:22:00,838 --> 00:22:03,478
Speaker 2: change your game, take advantage of that. I mean, when

468
00:22:03,478 --> 00:22:05,478
Speaker 2: you're in a ball park like that, or played in Middland,

469
00:22:05,478 --> 00:22:08,838
Speaker 2: Texas or Albuquerque, all these places, you're almost playing analytically.

470
00:22:08,998 --> 00:22:09,638
Speaker 3: Never wanted to.

471
00:22:09,558 --> 00:22:11,798
Speaker 2: Make outs on the basis because you never wanted to

472
00:22:11,838 --> 00:22:14,878
Speaker 2: subtract a runner before that two or three run home run.

473
00:22:14,918 --> 00:22:17,838
Speaker 2: That was always a concern. And I had some guys

474
00:22:17,918 --> 00:22:19,958
Speaker 2: that could run, but I turned them loose. A Devon White,

475
00:22:19,958 --> 00:22:22,918
Speaker 2: I had Mark Macklamore, Gray Key, had a lot of

476
00:22:22,958 --> 00:22:25,558
Speaker 2: guys that could really go. I'd let him go because

477
00:22:25,638 --> 00:22:28,318
Speaker 2: I knew that when it came to development, they're eventually

478
00:22:28,358 --> 00:22:30,598
Speaker 2: going to play more at sea level and their speed

479
00:22:30,678 --> 00:22:32,638
Speaker 2: is going to be a part of the game. So

480
00:22:32,918 --> 00:22:36,198
Speaker 2: I just again i'd philosophically, I don't know, but I

481
00:22:36,238 --> 00:22:38,558
Speaker 2: do know that I would really want to get some

482
00:22:38,638 --> 00:22:41,118
Speaker 2: ground ball pitchers in that ballpark, and of course guys

483
00:22:41,118 --> 00:22:42,598
Speaker 2: that misbats, that's what you're looking for.

484
00:22:42,638 --> 00:22:45,398
Speaker 3: From the mound. You got to play defense there.

485
00:22:45,398 --> 00:22:47,278
Speaker 2: You gotta have guys in the middle that could really

486
00:22:47,358 --> 00:22:49,998
Speaker 2: run it down and don't give extra outs. You have

487
00:22:50,038 --> 00:22:52,038
Speaker 2: a tendency to play deeper than there's a lot of

488
00:22:52,078 --> 00:22:53,838
Speaker 2: more balls falling in front of guys there.

489
00:22:54,798 --> 00:22:55,318
Speaker 3: But as a.

490
00:22:55,318 --> 00:22:57,918
Speaker 2: Hitter, you have all this room to put the ball down.

491
00:22:58,278 --> 00:23:00,158
Speaker 2: So again, are you just trying to hit home runs?

492
00:23:00,158 --> 00:23:02,198
Speaker 2: Take advantage with the ball in the air, go with

493
00:23:02,278 --> 00:23:05,758
Speaker 2: the thought de ju and that's just too back leg

494
00:23:05,838 --> 00:23:07,078
Speaker 2: and put the ball in the air. Of that kind

495
00:23:07,118 --> 00:23:09,358
Speaker 2: of stuff. So it's a there is a different game.

496
00:23:09,398 --> 00:23:12,038
Speaker 2: There's a it's a different game needs to be discussed.

497
00:23:12,078 --> 00:23:15,838
Speaker 2: That's probably been discussed at nauseum. But for me playing

498
00:23:15,838 --> 00:23:19,598
Speaker 2: it in that situation like that, especially how big the

499
00:23:19,638 --> 00:23:22,158
Speaker 2: ballpark is, I really would almost like to see a

500
00:23:22,158 --> 00:23:26,158
Speaker 2: whitey version there and just like disregard which you think

501
00:23:26,198 --> 00:23:28,518
Speaker 2: would be right, which would be you know, home run hitters,

502
00:23:28,518 --> 00:23:31,038
Speaker 2: et cetera. If you could get guys that really just

503
00:23:31,118 --> 00:23:32,798
Speaker 2: move the ball, because there's a lot of places to

504
00:23:32,798 --> 00:23:35,758
Speaker 2: put it down there, a couple thumpers in there just

505
00:23:35,798 --> 00:23:38,358
Speaker 2: to see what would happen. Because it is different. I'm

506
00:23:38,398 --> 00:23:40,838
Speaker 2: here to tell you, folks, it's different. When I managed

507
00:23:40,878 --> 00:23:44,198
Speaker 2: at Midland, I had to think differently, even when regarding

508
00:23:44,278 --> 00:23:45,478
Speaker 2: when to take a starting.

509
00:23:45,158 --> 00:23:46,078
Speaker 3: Pitcher out of the game.

510
00:23:46,358 --> 00:23:47,958
Speaker 2: You don't want to go to your bullpen too early

511
00:23:47,998 --> 00:23:50,078
Speaker 2: a lot of times because you think your team's going

512
00:23:50,118 --> 00:23:52,398
Speaker 2: to score runs too And you don't want to start

513
00:23:52,478 --> 00:23:55,838
Speaker 2: using up pitchers early because this is probably it's going

514
00:23:55,878 --> 00:23:59,238
Speaker 2: to be a high scoring game and you just can't

515
00:23:59,278 --> 00:24:02,918
Speaker 2: constantly go to that bullpen. So there's different attitudes here

516
00:24:03,398 --> 00:24:06,478
Speaker 2: at play. I'd love to see Pep based group make

517
00:24:06,518 --> 00:24:09,518
Speaker 2: a strong comeback, but again, philosophically, i'd have to see

518
00:24:09,558 --> 00:24:11,078
Speaker 2: him for at least a week or ten days to

519
00:24:11,518 --> 00:24:12,318
Speaker 2: really figure out.

520
00:24:12,238 --> 00:24:12,758
Speaker 3: What I think.

521
00:24:13,038 --> 00:24:15,478
Speaker 1: Yeah, it reminds me of the great observation from Jim

522
00:24:15,718 --> 00:24:19,838
Speaker 1: Jim Leland who hated managing in that ballpark right and

523
00:24:19,878 --> 00:24:21,758
Speaker 1: he said they got it all wrong. They built the

524
00:24:21,798 --> 00:24:24,158
Speaker 1: place backward. He said, what they should have done is

525
00:24:24,158 --> 00:24:26,798
Speaker 1: they should have built it very small with high walls

526
00:24:26,838 --> 00:24:30,158
Speaker 1: like Fenway Park, because they figured, oh the ball travels

527
00:24:30,198 --> 00:24:32,798
Speaker 1: at altitude. So let's push the fences all the way back,

528
00:24:32,838 --> 00:24:35,718
Speaker 1: and you're creating, as you alluded to, Joe, so much

529
00:24:35,798 --> 00:24:37,958
Speaker 1: room in the outfield. It's just too hard to defend.

530
00:24:38,358 --> 00:24:40,998
Speaker 1: Nobody gets thrown out on the basis at cours Field.

531
00:24:41,478 --> 00:24:44,478
Speaker 1: It's just too much room in the outfield. So if

532
00:24:44,518 --> 00:24:48,758
Speaker 1: you did have higher walls, you at least would prevent

533
00:24:49,198 --> 00:24:52,638
Speaker 1: you know, these extra bases, these you know, fly balls

534
00:24:52,638 --> 00:24:56,238
Speaker 1: that drop for doubles, not singles. Guys going first to third,

535
00:24:56,278 --> 00:24:58,838
Speaker 1: guys going second to home, standing up all the time.

536
00:24:59,358 --> 00:25:01,958
Speaker 1: It's an interesting idea. It'll never happen, but I think

537
00:25:01,998 --> 00:25:05,798
Speaker 1: guarding against the extra flight altitude, they actually created an

538
00:25:05,798 --> 00:25:10,678
Speaker 1: even greater offensive ballpark because it's just so darn big. Now,

539
00:25:11,478 --> 00:25:15,398
Speaker 1: talking about analytics, the Marlins are doing something on the mound, Joe,

540
00:25:15,478 --> 00:25:19,038
Speaker 1: which is this is crazy to think the Marlins are

541
00:25:19,038 --> 00:25:22,838
Speaker 1: throwing more breaking pitches than they are fastballs. Let me

542
00:25:22,878 --> 00:25:26,118
Speaker 1: say that again. The Marlins are spinning the baseball more

543
00:25:26,118 --> 00:25:30,678
Speaker 1: than they're throwing fastballs. They're throwing thirty five percent fastballs

544
00:25:31,398 --> 00:25:36,198
Speaker 1: and they're throwing thirty nine percent breaking pitches. I've never

545
00:25:36,278 --> 00:25:38,678
Speaker 1: heard of anything like that. We all know that you

546
00:25:38,718 --> 00:25:42,038
Speaker 1: know fastball usage has been declining as people want swing

547
00:25:42,038 --> 00:25:44,638
Speaker 1: and miss and spin and pitch shaping. They're being done

548
00:25:44,638 --> 00:25:48,318
Speaker 1: in labs. Great. We all know that major league average

549
00:25:48,358 --> 00:25:51,398
Speaker 1: is thirty percent breaking balls. It's throwing thirty nine percent

550
00:25:51,438 --> 00:25:54,118
Speaker 1: breaking balls. Is it working well? I don't know. The

551
00:25:54,158 --> 00:25:58,358
Speaker 1: Marlins are eight and seven, they're nineteenth in ERA, and

552
00:25:58,398 --> 00:26:02,278
Speaker 1: they have the second highest walk rate in Major League Baseball.

553
00:26:02,758 --> 00:26:04,998
Speaker 1: Give me your take on a team Joe throwing more

554
00:26:05,398 --> 00:26:07,438
Speaker 1: spin than fastballs.

555
00:26:08,238 --> 00:26:09,798
Speaker 2: Just keep throwing it, man, They're going to make a

556
00:26:09,838 --> 00:26:11,678
Speaker 2: lot of mistakes with it. It's going to go far,

557
00:26:13,358 --> 00:26:15,118
Speaker 2: that's the big thing. I mean, I'm watching more and

558
00:26:15,118 --> 00:26:18,758
Speaker 2: more you get this kind. Guys have thrown ninety five

559
00:26:18,878 --> 00:26:22,198
Speaker 2: plus that are not proud of their fastball. Makes no

560
00:26:22,238 --> 00:26:25,918
Speaker 2: sense to me whatsoever. I still believe and I'm watching it.

561
00:26:27,238 --> 00:26:29,398
Speaker 2: I'd like to have a list of who really hits

562
00:26:29,438 --> 00:26:33,398
Speaker 2: that high velocity with any kind of consistency. And again,

563
00:26:33,478 --> 00:26:35,878
Speaker 2: part of it is they're going for the breaking ball.

564
00:26:36,078 --> 00:26:37,518
Speaker 2: I guess they're going for the punch off from the

565
00:26:37,638 --> 00:26:41,278
Speaker 2: very first pitch. I know Peter, Peter Bennix. I worked

566
00:26:41,278 --> 00:26:43,118
Speaker 2: with Peter with the Rays a couple years ago. It

567
00:26:43,158 --> 00:26:47,758
Speaker 2: was part of the analytical renaissance, or actually the nouveau

568
00:26:47,998 --> 00:26:51,318
Speaker 2: concept in baseball. So there's a ton of that going

569
00:26:51,358 --> 00:26:55,198
Speaker 2: on down there, and it's all analytically driven, all of

570
00:26:55,198 --> 00:26:57,278
Speaker 2: that stuff, there's no doubt. So this is one of

571
00:26:57,318 --> 00:26:58,838
Speaker 2: those things you got to wait and see.

572
00:26:59,558 --> 00:27:00,238
Speaker 3: But I know this.

573
00:27:00,318 --> 00:27:04,278
Speaker 2: I mean, I watch and when the video compon of

574
00:27:04,438 --> 00:27:07,278
Speaker 2: MLB app I'll go back to the video because I'm

575
00:27:07,318 --> 00:27:10,118
Speaker 2: really curious about home runs and what kind of pitch

576
00:27:10,158 --> 00:27:12,678
Speaker 2: it was that went out of the ballpark. The other day,

577
00:27:12,758 --> 00:27:15,118
Speaker 2: Joe Odell, who I love, hit two home runs. Both

578
00:27:15,118 --> 00:27:17,598
Speaker 2: were hanging, breaking balls gone because of course you want

579
00:27:17,638 --> 00:27:20,758
Speaker 2: to throw Joe to Chase. I get that, you know,

580
00:27:20,878 --> 00:27:23,838
Speaker 2: Troty breaking ball down and away home run to right

581
00:27:23,878 --> 00:27:27,678
Speaker 2: field at Steinbrenner as an example, I'm always interested to

582
00:27:27,678 --> 00:27:31,638
Speaker 2: see who's really who's really turning around some gas writer

583
00:27:31,718 --> 00:27:34,758
Speaker 2: who's turning around ninety five plus, I'd love to see

584
00:27:34,798 --> 00:27:38,398
Speaker 2: what that looks like. I still believe, big believer in

585
00:27:39,038 --> 00:27:41,918
Speaker 2: a well located fastball still the very best pitch. And

586
00:27:41,958 --> 00:27:43,798
Speaker 2: when you do that and speed up the bat and

587
00:27:43,838 --> 00:27:46,118
Speaker 2: then here then here comes the breaking ball, et cetera.

588
00:27:46,598 --> 00:27:50,478
Speaker 2: So it's their cocktail it's their analytical cocktail that tells

589
00:27:50,518 --> 00:27:52,518
Speaker 2: them to do this last. But didn't we talk about

590
00:27:52,558 --> 00:27:56,278
Speaker 2: the Red Sox being very much into that also, So

591
00:27:56,438 --> 00:27:58,758
Speaker 2: this is part of the you know, the fall of

592
00:27:58,798 --> 00:28:01,118
Speaker 2: the leader kind of thing. So we'll see how it

593
00:28:01,158 --> 00:28:04,398
Speaker 2: all plays out. But I listen, I think you throw

594
00:28:04,518 --> 00:28:08,278
Speaker 2: too many of those. The big righty for the Red Sox,

595
00:28:08,318 --> 00:28:09,358
Speaker 2: how cutt he says.

596
00:28:09,238 --> 00:28:10,798
Speaker 1: Name, yeah, tenor helk.

597
00:28:11,078 --> 00:28:11,278
Speaker 3: Yeah.

598
00:28:11,278 --> 00:28:13,678
Speaker 2: I watched him yesterday or the day before. He got

599
00:28:13,718 --> 00:28:15,878
Speaker 2: his butt lit up and he kept throwing soft stuff.

600
00:28:15,918 --> 00:28:18,278
Speaker 2: And what's happening with his He's turning his pitch over

601
00:28:18,318 --> 00:28:21,718
Speaker 2: and his getting really flat, flat to the left hander's barrel,

602
00:28:21,838 --> 00:28:23,798
Speaker 2: flat to the point where the righties can get to it.

603
00:28:24,238 --> 00:28:27,718
Speaker 2: So it's hard to throw that many of those kind

604
00:28:27,758 --> 00:28:32,478
Speaker 2: of pitches successfully and really count on that to be

605
00:28:32,998 --> 00:28:34,278
Speaker 2: my liver die pitch.

606
00:28:34,638 --> 00:28:37,318
Speaker 3: So anyway, I'm not into that quite frankly.

607
00:28:38,158 --> 00:28:40,198
Speaker 2: I think it'll come back and bite you at some point,

608
00:28:40,438 --> 00:28:42,238
Speaker 2: or it will sooner rather than later.

609
00:28:42,838 --> 00:28:44,798
Speaker 3: I believe, like we always talk about it.

610
00:28:44,838 --> 00:28:46,558
Speaker 2: I love the word balance, but I still believe a

611
00:28:46,598 --> 00:28:48,998
Speaker 2: well located fastball is still the best pitch.

612
00:28:49,078 --> 00:28:50,718
Speaker 3: I love the changeup off of that.

613
00:28:50,798 --> 00:28:53,518
Speaker 2: I like a really a real curveball off of that,

614
00:28:54,038 --> 00:28:56,118
Speaker 2: and then if you have to go to split or whatever,

615
00:28:56,318 --> 00:28:59,438
Speaker 2: please do. But cutter, Cutter's become so cutter could be

616
00:28:59,478 --> 00:29:02,038
Speaker 2: just a bad fastball if it's not put in the

617
00:29:02,078 --> 00:29:04,598
Speaker 2: wright spot, especially against the guy that as like a

618
00:29:04,638 --> 00:29:07,238
Speaker 2: slider batspeed. So I could go on and on about this.

619
00:29:07,318 --> 00:29:08,918
Speaker 2: I'm just curious. I'll continue to watch it.

620
00:29:08,958 --> 00:29:10,438
Speaker 3: Thanks. I didn't even realize that.

621
00:29:10,718 --> 00:29:13,198
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's pretty amazing. You mentioned the Red Sox. Last

622
00:29:13,278 --> 00:29:15,638
Speaker 1: year their er actually was a full run higher in

623
00:29:15,678 --> 00:29:17,358
Speaker 1: the second half of the season. The kind of caught

624
00:29:17,438 --> 00:29:19,878
Speaker 1: up with them leaning on breaking pitches so much, and

625
00:29:19,918 --> 00:29:22,278
Speaker 1: this year they're not throwing as many. They're throwing a

626
00:29:22,318 --> 00:29:25,318
Speaker 1: few more fastballs. Some of that is Garrett Crochet, who's

627
00:29:25,358 --> 00:29:28,118
Speaker 1: got one of the best fastballs in baseball. And last year,

628
00:29:28,158 --> 00:29:30,638
Speaker 1: by the way, was the first year in recorded history

629
00:29:30,678 --> 00:29:34,438
Speaker 1: that pitchers threw more cutters than curveballs. If you go

630
00:29:34,518 --> 00:29:39,398
Speaker 1: back ten years, curveballs outnumbered cutters two to one, and

631
00:29:39,518 --> 00:29:42,438
Speaker 1: last year there were more cutters than curveballs. So people

632
00:29:42,438 --> 00:29:44,718
Speaker 1: are in love with that cutter. But we'll see. We're

633
00:29:44,798 --> 00:29:46,718
Speaker 1: keep an eye on the Marlins because that's just a

634
00:29:46,758 --> 00:29:49,398
Speaker 1: staggering number to me to throw just thirty five percent

635
00:29:49,478 --> 00:29:52,038
Speaker 1: fastballs as a staff, and it's tied for the youngest

636
00:29:52,038 --> 00:29:54,958
Speaker 1: staff in baseball with Tampa Bay. Now let's talk about

637
00:29:55,438 --> 00:29:58,758
Speaker 1: here's a question for you, Joe. You've been to so

638
00:29:58,878 --> 00:30:03,278
Speaker 1: many ballparks, obviously, what would you regard as the best

639
00:30:03,398 --> 00:30:07,638
Speaker 1: at mishp sphere in terms of just energy and vibe

640
00:30:07,678 --> 00:30:11,038
Speaker 1: and just a fun place to watch a baseball game.

641
00:30:11,318 --> 00:30:13,478
Speaker 1: What ballpark would you go to?

642
00:30:13,918 --> 00:30:15,398
Speaker 2: There's a lot of groups that are a lot of

643
00:30:15,518 --> 00:30:17,998
Speaker 2: ballparks that are in second, third, and fourth and fifth place,

644
00:30:18,878 --> 00:30:21,838
Speaker 2: but Riglely, by far from me, was the best atmosphere

645
00:30:21,838 --> 00:30:25,118
Speaker 2: I've ever ever witnessed. Even walking into the ballpark, you

646
00:30:25,158 --> 00:30:28,518
Speaker 2: park your car right across the street in the left

647
00:30:28,558 --> 00:30:32,838
Speaker 2: field line. There's a firehouse out there, and people would

648
00:30:32,838 --> 00:30:35,838
Speaker 2: be lined up, I mean lined up as you walked

649
00:30:35,838 --> 00:30:39,198
Speaker 2: into the joint every day. And then you know, just

650
00:30:39,238 --> 00:30:43,478
Speaker 2: even batting practice, it's it's vibrant there. We played a

651
00:30:43,558 --> 00:30:48,518
Speaker 2: makeup game against the Indians on a Monday at one pm.

652
00:30:48,718 --> 00:30:52,158
Speaker 2: Don't remember the exact year, Lester versus Kluber. Forty thousand

653
00:30:52,238 --> 00:30:55,558
Speaker 2: folks at the game. It's just different. It's still the best.

654
00:30:55,598 --> 00:30:56,998
Speaker 2: I think it's one of the best venues in all

655
00:30:56,998 --> 00:30:57,518
Speaker 2: of sports.

656
00:30:57,718 --> 00:30:59,918
Speaker 1: Yeah, very good answer. By the way, I can't argue

657
00:30:59,958 --> 00:31:02,318
Speaker 1: about that. You got the Ballhawks out in the street

658
00:31:02,318 --> 00:31:06,158
Speaker 1: there on Waveland during beep. And I always tell people that,

659
00:31:06,438 --> 00:31:08,518
Speaker 1: you know, if you have a friend or a family

660
00:31:08,558 --> 00:31:11,318
Speaker 1: member who's not a baseball fan, maybe if they're from

661
00:31:11,558 --> 00:31:14,398
Speaker 1: another continent, right, and you want to give them full

662
00:31:14,478 --> 00:31:17,238
Speaker 1: taste of what watching a Major League Baseball game is like,

663
00:31:17,678 --> 00:31:20,638
Speaker 1: bring them to Wrigley Field. Bring them to a day game.

664
00:31:20,758 --> 00:31:23,718
Speaker 1: Especially night games are cool, but there's nothing like a

665
00:31:23,758 --> 00:31:27,638
Speaker 1: day game at Wrigley Field. That being said, I think

666
00:31:27,718 --> 00:31:30,678
Speaker 1: people Joe really have to understand what is going on

667
00:31:30,718 --> 00:31:34,438
Speaker 1: in San Diego because that place has become a huge

668
00:31:34,518 --> 00:31:39,118
Speaker 1: baseball town and it is such a fun vibe in

669
00:31:39,118 --> 00:31:43,718
Speaker 1: that ballpark. Monday night in April, that's like the worst

670
00:31:43,758 --> 00:31:46,398
Speaker 1: time for Major League Baseball teams to draw crowds, right,

671
00:31:46,438 --> 00:31:49,798
Speaker 1: you still have school in session, you know, other places

672
00:31:49,878 --> 00:31:52,078
Speaker 1: on the East Coast, obviously you're dealing with weather, not

673
00:31:52,238 --> 00:31:55,518
Speaker 1: really the case in San Diego. But anyway, Monday night

674
00:31:55,598 --> 00:31:59,718
Speaker 1: and San Diego, the Padres draw their usual forty seven

675
00:31:59,958 --> 00:32:05,158
Speaker 1: thousand at Peco Park. That place is rock and the

676
00:32:05,198 --> 00:32:08,718
Speaker 1: Padres started out winning their first eleven games at home

677
00:32:08,878 --> 00:32:11,678
Speaker 1: eleven and zero, best record in baseball thirteen and three.

678
00:32:12,438 --> 00:32:16,118
Speaker 1: It is an incredible vibe and you can see Joe

679
00:32:16,198 --> 00:32:18,438
Speaker 1: and I know your Cubs team did this as well,

680
00:32:18,998 --> 00:32:23,998
Speaker 1: the team responding and thriving off the energy in the ballpark.

681
00:32:24,078 --> 00:32:26,918
Speaker 1: You know, home and road records sometimes fluctuate, but I

682
00:32:26,958 --> 00:32:29,518
Speaker 1: think there's a true home field advantage right now. It's

683
00:32:29,558 --> 00:32:31,798
Speaker 1: not so much making things miserable for the other team.

684
00:32:32,358 --> 00:32:34,958
Speaker 1: It's just uplifting for the players to play in front

685
00:32:34,998 --> 00:32:37,638
Speaker 1: of forty seven thousand last night. That don't need to

686
00:32:37,678 --> 00:32:40,598
Speaker 1: be told when the cheer. It's just a great, great

687
00:32:40,678 --> 00:32:42,438
Speaker 1: baseball vibe going on in San Diego.

688
00:32:42,838 --> 00:32:45,758
Speaker 2: First of all, it's a gorgeous ballpark. They did Oh

689
00:32:45,798 --> 00:32:49,238
Speaker 2: my god, the location, everything about that place is first

690
00:32:49,278 --> 00:32:53,438
Speaker 2: class ballpark, dejure everything about it. But the thing that

691
00:32:53,518 --> 00:32:56,358
Speaker 2: really I wrote the word as you were describing the

692
00:32:57,478 --> 00:32:59,518
Speaker 2: fans of the fan base and what's going on there,

693
00:32:59,638 --> 00:33:02,718
Speaker 2: I think of cult. I've always believed there's kind of

694
00:33:02,758 --> 00:33:06,278
Speaker 2: like a cult falling with the the powerful Pods, even

695
00:33:06,438 --> 00:33:08,918
Speaker 2: when they had not been doing well. There's a certain

696
00:33:09,358 --> 00:33:13,158
Speaker 2: dedicated group. It's rather a large, dedicated group. It's almost

697
00:33:13,198 --> 00:33:15,998
Speaker 2: like as stuck in the sixties seventies kind of a group,

698
00:33:15,998 --> 00:33:18,878
Speaker 2: which I love because that's when true baseball fans, the

699
00:33:18,878 --> 00:33:22,198
Speaker 2: result residue if your dad, your mom, really real strong

700
00:33:22,238 --> 00:33:25,518
Speaker 2: baseball fans growing up in the post World War two era,

701
00:33:25,638 --> 00:33:28,398
Speaker 2: it's kind of like got this thing. And I've always

702
00:33:28,598 --> 00:33:31,598
Speaker 2: liked that about it. You'll see them coming out. They

703
00:33:31,638 --> 00:33:35,038
Speaker 2: support their group. They are very they are very vocal.

704
00:33:35,078 --> 00:33:36,798
Speaker 2: And then the other thing they do with the military

705
00:33:36,838 --> 00:33:41,758
Speaker 2: down there really creates another level of excitement and something

706
00:33:41,798 --> 00:33:44,598
Speaker 2: that they're all proud of and they should be. We're

707
00:33:44,758 --> 00:33:48,198
Speaker 2: just ballpark cult following, and right now there's just actually

708
00:33:48,238 --> 00:33:50,998
Speaker 2: got some pretty good ball players. They've done a wonderful

709
00:33:51,038 --> 00:33:53,038
Speaker 2: job of being patient and they put this thing together.

710
00:33:53,078 --> 00:33:57,398
Speaker 2: I think Machado's really understanding what leadership's all about. And

711
00:33:57,478 --> 00:34:01,158
Speaker 2: Tatista as well. And the shortstop is solid also, and

712
00:34:01,198 --> 00:34:03,638
Speaker 2: there's others of course. But and they got you know,

713
00:34:03,678 --> 00:34:08,278
Speaker 2: some pretty good pitching too, but Cole following, yep.

714
00:34:08,398 --> 00:34:09,598
Speaker 3: And a gorgeous ballpark.

715
00:34:10,038 --> 00:34:11,838
Speaker 1: Yeah, they got a good thing going on. They brought

716
00:34:11,838 --> 00:34:15,278
Speaker 1: in some real glue guys. Your buddy, our buddy, Jason Hayward,

717
00:34:15,718 --> 00:34:19,158
Speaker 1: Jose Iglesias. You know, they've done a nice job filling

718
00:34:19,198 --> 00:34:23,278
Speaker 1: in the roster with glue guys. And that includes Gavin Sheets,

719
00:34:23,318 --> 00:34:26,518
Speaker 1: by the way, and this is pretty cool. The crowded

720
00:34:26,638 --> 00:34:31,038
Speaker 1: San Diego has developed a chant for Gavin Sheets. When

721
00:34:31,038 --> 00:34:35,918
Speaker 1: he comes up, they chant, Holy sheets, Holy Sheets.

722
00:34:37,638 --> 00:34:38,798
Speaker 3: That's what I'm talking about.

723
00:34:38,838 --> 00:34:41,598
Speaker 2: There, you go, something like that is born of like

724
00:34:42,198 --> 00:34:47,518
Speaker 2: utilization of some kind of a product that illicits creativity.

725
00:34:47,718 --> 00:34:50,078
Speaker 1: Yeah, they got that going on, there's no question about that.

726
00:34:50,118 --> 00:34:52,838
Speaker 1: And what they also have their secret sauces. Their bullpen.

727
00:34:53,238 --> 00:34:56,798
Speaker 1: Oh my goodness, Joe. Their bullpen this year has started

728
00:34:57,158 --> 00:35:01,478
Speaker 1: four and oh well one point five to one area

729
00:35:01,518 --> 00:35:04,958
Speaker 1: the best bullpen in baseball. They've allowed thirty two hits

730
00:35:05,278 --> 00:35:10,758
Speaker 1: in almost sixty innings. Their offense is relentless. So what's

731
00:35:10,798 --> 00:35:13,678
Speaker 1: happening here is the bullpen just locks games down and

732
00:35:13,718 --> 00:35:15,638
Speaker 1: gives their offense a chance to come back in the

733
00:35:15,638 --> 00:35:19,158
Speaker 1: games that they don't have a lead. Mike Schuld does

734
00:35:19,158 --> 00:35:22,838
Speaker 1: an amazing job with that group as well. So I listen,

735
00:35:22,998 --> 00:35:25,198
Speaker 1: it's still the Dodgers who you have to start with

736
00:35:25,278 --> 00:35:28,158
Speaker 1: in that division. But San Diego to me, looks like

737
00:35:28,198 --> 00:35:30,638
Speaker 1: they are really really dangerous.

738
00:35:30,398 --> 00:35:32,318
Speaker 2: The whole group, right, I mean, you got the Giants

739
00:35:32,318 --> 00:35:35,798
Speaker 2: playing really well. Also, I mean the Diamondbacks always lurk

740
00:35:35,838 --> 00:35:37,518
Speaker 2: and then they spring eventually.

741
00:35:38,758 --> 00:35:42,158
Speaker 3: It is. It's a very interesting group, you know what.

742
00:35:42,198 --> 00:35:46,158
Speaker 2: The Dodgers just there's got that baseball malaise going on

743
00:35:46,238 --> 00:35:48,478
Speaker 2: a little bit right now. Great start, almost like some

744
00:35:48,558 --> 00:35:52,318
Speaker 2: baseball boredom right there, right now. They'll get over it.

745
00:35:52,478 --> 00:35:54,598
Speaker 2: They'll get over it almost. It's almost like somebody has

746
00:35:54,638 --> 00:35:56,598
Speaker 2: to get on top of them for them all to

747
00:35:56,638 --> 00:35:59,518
Speaker 2: wake up. But you got to be careful because if

748
00:35:59,558 --> 00:36:03,518
Speaker 2: this team the bullpen, when you get bullpens like that,

749
00:36:03,678 --> 00:36:06,518
Speaker 2: they could shut down anybody. But I do like the

750
00:36:06,558 --> 00:36:09,198
Speaker 2: Giants too. I like the vibe with the Giants right now. Also,

751
00:36:10,158 --> 00:36:12,958
Speaker 2: I think what Buster's done up there, It just seems

752
00:36:12,958 --> 00:36:16,158
Speaker 2: as though they've they've kind of again turned back the

753
00:36:16,238 --> 00:36:19,918
Speaker 2: clock in a good way. Bowmel is really probably managing

754
00:36:19,958 --> 00:36:22,158
Speaker 2: his best version of himself right now because he's more

755
00:36:22,198 --> 00:36:24,278
Speaker 2: comfortable with the vibe up from the front office on

756
00:36:24,438 --> 00:36:26,998
Speaker 2: down and the Giants to have this gritty way of

757
00:36:26,998 --> 00:36:29,238
Speaker 2: playing baseball. I've always been a fan. I mean, Boach

758
00:36:29,278 --> 00:36:32,158
Speaker 2: had been there back in the days in the National League,

759
00:36:32,278 --> 00:36:34,318
Speaker 2: go all the way back to Mays, McCovey, all the

760
00:36:34,358 --> 00:36:36,358
Speaker 2: way up to the President, there's always been a little

761
00:36:36,398 --> 00:36:39,158
Speaker 2: bit not dirty in a sense dirty, they're just down

762
00:36:39,158 --> 00:36:41,638
Speaker 2: and dirty. They play it hard, they play it right well, Clark,

763
00:36:42,118 --> 00:36:44,478
Speaker 2: all these guys. So they got this thing. They got

764
00:36:44,478 --> 00:36:46,518
Speaker 2: this thing. Maybe it's representative of the city that they

765
00:36:46,638 --> 00:36:49,558
Speaker 2: play in. So I would not discount the Giants right now.

766
00:36:49,638 --> 00:36:50,718
Speaker 3: I like what they're doing.

767
00:36:51,158 --> 00:36:53,878
Speaker 2: It's going to be very interesting n West during the

768
00:36:54,318 --> 00:36:54,918
Speaker 2: entire season.

769
00:36:54,958 --> 00:36:57,398
Speaker 1: I think it's a great point about the Giants, And

770
00:36:57,438 --> 00:36:59,238
Speaker 1: you're right, they have gotten back to the way they

771
00:36:59,238 --> 00:37:03,158
Speaker 1: played under Boach, which is, you know, good fundamental baseball pitching, defense.

772
00:37:04,078 --> 00:37:07,598
Speaker 1: They're a much better base running team. And this is

773
00:37:07,638 --> 00:37:10,398
Speaker 1: the team that obviously Buster Posey, you know, grew up

774
00:37:10,438 --> 00:37:12,918
Speaker 1: with as a player, and that's kind of the imprint

775
00:37:12,958 --> 00:37:14,638
Speaker 1: he's putting on this team. The other thing there have

776
00:37:14,758 --> 00:37:18,238
Speaker 1: Joe's stability. You know, the old group there in San Francisco,

777
00:37:18,478 --> 00:37:20,998
Speaker 1: they were moving roster pieces all the time, changing the

778
00:37:20,998 --> 00:37:23,838
Speaker 1: lineup every day, they were chasing every incremental edge that

779
00:37:23,878 --> 00:37:27,118
Speaker 1: they could. There was just this disruption that was going on.

780
00:37:27,358 --> 00:37:29,758
Speaker 1: You know they loved guys with options in the bullpen.

781
00:37:29,798 --> 00:37:32,998
Speaker 1: They go up, they go down. Buster and bow Mel

782
00:37:33,118 --> 00:37:36,798
Speaker 1: now are really emphasizing stability, not doing a whole lot

783
00:37:36,798 --> 00:37:38,638
Speaker 1: with the lineup on a day to day basis. I

784
00:37:38,638 --> 00:37:40,318
Speaker 1: know the first two weeks, two and a half weeks

785
00:37:40,318 --> 00:37:42,838
Speaker 1: of the season, they had no roster changes. And this

786
00:37:42,878 --> 00:37:46,438
Speaker 1: team is digging it. This team is leaning into stability

787
00:37:46,478 --> 00:37:48,918
Speaker 1: and finding out who they are as a group. So

788
00:37:49,478 --> 00:37:53,078
Speaker 1: I think they've got not just momentum, Joe, but they're

789
00:37:53,118 --> 00:37:56,238
Speaker 1: really starting to establish a culture of who they are.

790
00:37:56,278 --> 00:37:58,718
Speaker 1: And when you win games while doing that, you become

791
00:37:58,798 --> 00:37:59,598
Speaker 1: really dangerous.

792
00:37:59,958 --> 00:38:01,278
Speaker 3: They know who is in charge.

793
00:38:01,438 --> 00:38:03,958
Speaker 2: It's pretty simple, and I would I don't again, I

794
00:38:03,998 --> 00:38:07,278
Speaker 2: would believe that. It sounds as though bow Mill's able

795
00:38:07,358 --> 00:38:11,718
Speaker 2: to respond to the players needs, wishes, whatever directly without

796
00:38:11,758 --> 00:38:12,598
Speaker 2: having to consult.

797
00:38:12,918 --> 00:38:14,358
Speaker 3: That's what I kind of get from it. I would

798
00:38:14,398 --> 00:38:15,318
Speaker 3: have to believe.

799
00:38:15,438 --> 00:38:17,518
Speaker 2: Buster, growing up the way he did in the game

800
00:38:17,998 --> 00:38:20,558
Speaker 2: would kind of empower his manager to be able to

801
00:38:20,598 --> 00:38:23,398
Speaker 2: make some of these decisions where he doesn't have to

802
00:38:23,398 --> 00:38:25,118
Speaker 2: be checked in with all the time. It's got to

803
00:38:25,118 --> 00:38:28,238
Speaker 2: be that kind of trust going on. So there's it is,

804
00:38:28,278 --> 00:38:29,758
Speaker 2: it's it's refreshing to see.

805
00:38:29,838 --> 00:38:32,038
Speaker 3: Right now. I'm really pulling for them for a.

806
00:38:32,038 --> 00:38:34,318
Speaker 2: Lot of different reasons, but because I do like Bobby

807
00:38:34,318 --> 00:38:36,318
Speaker 2: a lot. But it's let's just see how it all

808
00:38:36,318 --> 00:38:38,758
Speaker 2: plays out, because it it just reeks in a good

809
00:38:38,758 --> 00:38:42,518
Speaker 2: way of tried and true and they're playing really well.

810
00:38:42,558 --> 00:38:44,838
Speaker 2: They just did a nice job with the Yankees. They've

811
00:38:44,878 --> 00:38:47,158
Speaker 2: done a nice job in general. So it's going to

812
00:38:47,198 --> 00:38:49,638
Speaker 2: be a really fun ride in the nl West this year.

813
00:38:49,678 --> 00:38:52,718
Speaker 2: And I the way it's broken, it looks so easily

814
00:38:52,758 --> 00:38:56,038
Speaker 2: to think that Dodgers are gonna just, you know, boat

815
00:38:56,118 --> 00:38:56,918
Speaker 2: race the whole thing again.

816
00:38:56,958 --> 00:38:57,518
Speaker 3: But I don't know.

817
00:38:57,758 --> 00:39:00,318
Speaker 2: There's there's too many suitors right now that really are

818
00:39:00,318 --> 00:39:01,078
Speaker 2: looking pretty good.

819
00:39:01,918 --> 00:39:04,318
Speaker 1: I agree. Hey, we're going to take a quick break,

820
00:39:04,398 --> 00:39:07,118
Speaker 1: and when we get back, I want to ask Joe Madden,

821
00:39:07,158 --> 00:39:10,118
Speaker 1: three time Manager of the Year World Series Champion about

822
00:39:10,158 --> 00:39:13,958
Speaker 1: something I call manager speak. We'll do that right after

823
00:39:14,038 --> 00:39:29,198
Speaker 1: this Welcome Back to the Book of Joe podcast. And

824
00:39:29,238 --> 00:39:33,238
Speaker 1: the other day Aaron Boone was talking about Carlos Redon.

825
00:39:33,398 --> 00:39:34,918
Speaker 1: I don't know if you caught it, but he got

826
00:39:34,918 --> 00:39:39,358
Speaker 1: beat by hanging a curveball to Jung Hu Lee. It's

827
00:39:39,438 --> 00:39:41,598
Speaker 1: probably I don't know his fourth or fifth best pitch,

828
00:39:41,718 --> 00:39:43,958
Speaker 1: that he'd flip up something there a little bit differently,

829
00:39:44,238 --> 00:39:46,718
Speaker 1: and Verdonna has been hurt by home runs this year

830
00:39:46,718 --> 00:39:49,798
Speaker 1: a big time. Aaron Boone after the game said he's

831
00:39:49,838 --> 00:39:55,478
Speaker 1: throwing the ball exceptionally well. Now Carlos Redon's velocity is

832
00:39:55,478 --> 00:39:59,198
Speaker 1: down two miles an hour. He leaves the American League

833
00:39:59,358 --> 00:40:02,398
Speaker 1: and earn runs allowed and home runs, and his walk

834
00:40:02,478 --> 00:40:06,518
Speaker 1: rate is a career worse. I know you have to

835
00:40:06,558 --> 00:40:09,798
Speaker 1: back your players and listen. Some of his underlying numbers

836
00:40:09,838 --> 00:40:12,038
Speaker 1: are good. He's still getting some swings and misses, and

837
00:40:12,518 --> 00:40:15,958
Speaker 1: strike out rate is fine. But I know sometimes Joe,

838
00:40:15,998 --> 00:40:19,478
Speaker 1: a manager, even especially after a loss, has to say thing.

839
00:40:19,558 --> 00:40:22,398
Speaker 1: It brings me back to Bobby Cox. I remember Tom

840
00:40:22,478 --> 00:40:25,878
Speaker 1: Glavin telling me that after a game, Glavin thought he

841
00:40:25,878 --> 00:40:28,838
Speaker 1: threw the ball terribly. Bobby Cox would always have his

842
00:40:28,918 --> 00:40:32,038
Speaker 1: back to such an extent. Tom would say, was he

843
00:40:32,078 --> 00:40:36,878
Speaker 1: watching the same game I just pitched. Give me your

844
00:40:36,918 --> 00:40:39,078
Speaker 1: take on what you have to present to a media

845
00:40:39,118 --> 00:40:43,478
Speaker 1: as a manager without being you know, deceitful if you will.

846
00:40:43,438 --> 00:40:46,278
Speaker 2: Right, Well, he did say he's throwing well, so maybe

847
00:40:46,278 --> 00:40:47,918
Speaker 2: like he's he sees the ball out of his hand,

848
00:40:47,918 --> 00:40:51,038
Speaker 2: but he's not pitching very well obviously, you know, so

849
00:40:51,118 --> 00:40:53,998
Speaker 2: you're always playing with semantics sometimes. One of my main

850
00:40:54,038 --> 00:40:57,598
Speaker 2: tenants was when addressing the media, was he to both

851
00:40:57,638 --> 00:41:00,998
Speaker 2: be Jack Ryan and you have to defend your brood

852
00:41:01,118 --> 00:41:04,478
Speaker 2: all the time. So being Jack Ryan would be being

853
00:41:04,638 --> 00:41:08,438
Speaker 2: upfront and honest as quickly as I possibly could, because

854
00:41:08,478 --> 00:41:12,038
Speaker 2: when you were able to do that, whatever the situation was,

855
00:41:12,238 --> 00:41:14,518
Speaker 2: you take all the heat out of it. So like

856
00:41:14,558 --> 00:41:17,398
Speaker 2: before the media would come in room, I talked to

857
00:41:17,558 --> 00:41:21,918
Speaker 2: Rick Vaughan or Peter Chase or Adam Chosco. We would

858
00:41:21,958 --> 00:41:24,838
Speaker 2: talk about in advance, because that's how this thing works.

859
00:41:25,238 --> 00:41:27,758
Speaker 2: And I'd always say, I'm going Jack Ryan. I'm shooting

860
00:41:27,758 --> 00:41:29,358
Speaker 2: it straight up and to be very honest with them,

861
00:41:29,398 --> 00:41:30,958
Speaker 2: and I'm going to tell them the truth because all

862
00:41:30,958 --> 00:41:32,718
Speaker 2: the time, a lot of times you'll get the word

863
00:41:32,758 --> 00:41:35,838
Speaker 2: from upstairs that they want you to say this or that,

864
00:41:35,918 --> 00:41:38,678
Speaker 2: especially when it came down to an injury potentially because

865
00:41:38,678 --> 00:41:42,598
Speaker 2: they always thought that it would impact potential trades and

866
00:41:42,638 --> 00:41:43,518
Speaker 2: things to that nature.

867
00:41:43,558 --> 00:41:45,318
Speaker 3: Whatever, So go Jack Ryan.

868
00:41:45,438 --> 00:41:49,158
Speaker 2: Jack Ryan famously protagonist in a lot of the Clancy novels.

869
00:41:49,878 --> 00:41:52,558
Speaker 2: When confronted with a situation with the presidents. Not only

870
00:41:52,638 --> 00:41:55,638
Speaker 2: was the president's friend was involved in a big drug

871
00:41:55,678 --> 00:41:59,078
Speaker 2: bust in or death in the Caribbean. Not only was

872
00:41:59,678 --> 00:42:01,278
Speaker 2: not only was he one of my friends, but he

873
00:42:01,358 --> 00:42:03,358
Speaker 2: was one of my best friends. Go right through it,

874
00:42:03,398 --> 00:42:05,678
Speaker 2: and that's what I chose to do. The other part

875
00:42:05,798 --> 00:42:07,878
Speaker 2: is to and this is where he gets tricky, to

876
00:42:08,038 --> 00:42:11,158
Speaker 2: praise publicly and criticize privately. And that's what Boonie was

877
00:42:11,198 --> 00:42:13,718
Speaker 2: doing right there. So maybe you know, Boonie's just trying

878
00:42:13,718 --> 00:42:15,198
Speaker 2: to take the heat off him a little bit, and

879
00:42:15,238 --> 00:42:15,678
Speaker 2: that's what you.

880
00:42:15,678 --> 00:42:16,158
Speaker 3: Try to do.

881
00:42:16,758 --> 00:42:18,998
Speaker 2: And maybe then afterwards you got to go talk to

882
00:42:19,038 --> 00:42:20,958
Speaker 2: the guy, you know, be a little bit more blunt

883
00:42:20,998 --> 00:42:24,958
Speaker 2: with him. I read that years ago and I still

884
00:42:25,398 --> 00:42:28,918
Speaker 2: abide bye to praise publicly, criticized privately, But when it

885
00:42:28,958 --> 00:42:31,838
Speaker 2: comes down to a general group, the team in general,

886
00:42:31,878 --> 00:42:35,718
Speaker 2: but not specifically to one particular player, and that would

887
00:42:35,758 --> 00:42:38,758
Speaker 2: be to go Jack Ryan and just be very very

888
00:42:38,878 --> 00:42:41,758
Speaker 2: upfront and honest about it, because that totally disarms the

889
00:42:41,758 --> 00:42:45,838
Speaker 2: situation as opposed to add fire to the to the

890
00:42:45,918 --> 00:42:46,678
Speaker 2: to the embers.

891
00:42:46,958 --> 00:42:49,598
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's really interesting what's going on with Radon. I mean,

892
00:42:49,678 --> 00:42:53,278
Speaker 1: obviously he was a fastball slider, guy big time through

893
00:42:53,318 --> 00:42:57,078
Speaker 1: most of his career, and just two years ago, for instance,

894
00:42:57,158 --> 00:43:01,718
Speaker 1: sixty percent for seemers and sliders, he's down with thirty

895
00:43:01,798 --> 00:43:05,638
Speaker 1: nine percent. They gave him a two same this year. Again.

896
00:43:05,678 --> 00:43:08,558
Speaker 1: The fastball velocity, which ninety five point four last year,

897
00:43:08,598 --> 00:43:11,318
Speaker 1: is down to ninety three point seven. I don't know

898
00:43:11,318 --> 00:43:14,398
Speaker 1: whether this is by design, whether they see that just

899
00:43:14,518 --> 00:43:17,198
Speaker 1: the arm strength isn't there in terms of foreseen velocity.

900
00:43:18,118 --> 00:43:20,438
Speaker 1: But he's a different kind of pitcher. We'll see how

901
00:43:20,438 --> 00:43:23,838
Speaker 1: it plays out. And the Yankees have the least velocity

902
00:43:23,878 --> 00:43:26,278
Speaker 1: of any staff in the major leagues. And listen, they

903
00:43:26,318 --> 00:43:30,118
Speaker 1: lost Garrett Cole, they lost Louise Heel, Clark Schmid is

904
00:43:30,158 --> 00:43:33,398
Speaker 1: just coming back. I get it. They're down three starting pitchers,

905
00:43:33,518 --> 00:43:35,998
Speaker 1: but this is a team that leads the league and walks.

906
00:43:36,598 --> 00:43:39,078
Speaker 1: They're also very high in strikeouts, by the way, but

907
00:43:39,198 --> 00:43:42,158
Speaker 1: their average velocity is just ninety two. Average below in

908
00:43:42,198 --> 00:43:44,398
Speaker 1: the major leagues is ninety four. So it's a different

909
00:43:44,518 --> 00:43:47,518
Speaker 1: kind of Yankee staff. But I'm really curious to see

910
00:43:47,518 --> 00:43:50,438
Speaker 1: how Rodain plays out here, if he's going to continue

911
00:43:50,478 --> 00:43:52,638
Speaker 1: to just, you know, kind of sit and coast. At

912
00:43:52,718 --> 00:43:55,118
Speaker 1: ninety three ninety four, we're not seeing the ninety sevens

913
00:43:55,118 --> 00:43:57,958
Speaker 1: and ninety eight is the way we we did for years,

914
00:43:58,398 --> 00:44:00,878
Speaker 1: the high four seam fastball, the arm angles a little

915
00:44:00,918 --> 00:44:04,638
Speaker 1: bit lower, it'd be transitioning to a different pitcher. Maybe

916
00:44:04,678 --> 00:44:07,958
Speaker 1: it's just April. I don't know, but I tend to

917
00:44:07,998 --> 00:44:11,238
Speaker 1: reserve judgment Joe in April because the weather tends to

918
00:44:11,278 --> 00:44:14,958
Speaker 1: be really bad and it's tough for pitchers, especially power pitchers,

919
00:44:14,998 --> 00:44:16,718
Speaker 1: to really find their stride early.

920
00:44:17,318 --> 00:44:17,878
Speaker 3: Totally agree.

921
00:44:18,078 --> 00:44:21,638
Speaker 2: I mean, it's not time to really get upset about anything.

922
00:44:22,238 --> 00:44:24,678
Speaker 2: One of my other tenants was that I always believe

923
00:44:24,798 --> 00:44:28,158
Speaker 2: that adrenaline plays early in a baseball season and then

924
00:44:28,198 --> 00:44:30,558
Speaker 2: real players play after that. It's normally like a two

925
00:44:30,598 --> 00:44:32,958
Speaker 2: to three week window for me. So you're going to

926
00:44:32,998 --> 00:44:36,678
Speaker 2: see ascending teams, teams that really need to get out

927
00:44:36,678 --> 00:44:39,358
Speaker 2: there quick and prove themselves that they're they have talent,

928
00:44:39,398 --> 00:44:40,758
Speaker 2: of course, and you're going to see that, and then

929
00:44:40,798 --> 00:44:42,878
Speaker 2: like the Dodgers, for instance, who are really really good.

930
00:44:43,478 --> 00:44:47,278
Speaker 2: Maybe a little bit more pedestrian right now. So I

931
00:44:47,438 --> 00:44:52,198
Speaker 2: used to when evaluating players, specifically guys that historically have

932
00:44:52,318 --> 00:44:54,958
Speaker 2: never hit like three hundred, are never hit for power whatever,

933
00:44:55,158 --> 00:44:55,438
Speaker 2: and all of.

934
00:44:55,438 --> 00:44:57,758
Speaker 3: A sudden they are. Give it a little time.

935
00:44:57,918 --> 00:44:59,598
Speaker 2: Let's see how this plays out over a period of

936
00:44:59,678 --> 00:45:02,838
Speaker 2: time as opposed to the guy that always hit for power,

937
00:45:02,998 --> 00:45:05,878
Speaker 2: always hit for a average. Really, like one of your

938
00:45:05,878 --> 00:45:08,638
Speaker 2: best players stinks right now. Just give it some time.

939
00:45:08,878 --> 00:45:12,398
Speaker 2: So adrenaline plays early and then after that real players play.

940
00:45:12,718 --> 00:45:14,718
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think I might have given you wrong numbers.

941
00:45:14,758 --> 00:45:17,958
Speaker 1: I'm renown in terms of his percentage. His fastball percentage

942
00:45:17,998 --> 00:45:20,958
Speaker 1: has gone from sixty percent to thirty nine percent. If

943
00:45:20,998 --> 00:45:23,838
Speaker 1: you combine it with the slider, he's gone from ninety

944
00:45:23,838 --> 00:45:27,318
Speaker 1: two percent to sixty seven percent. So he's a different pitcher.

945
00:45:27,478 --> 00:45:29,918
Speaker 1: I get it. But I like your theory, Joe, about

946
00:45:30,118 --> 00:45:32,638
Speaker 1: you know, letting things play out here early in the season,

947
00:45:32,718 --> 00:45:34,718
Speaker 1: because listen, you've seen the weather in the East and

948
00:45:34,758 --> 00:45:38,078
Speaker 1: the Midwest. It's been super cold and wet in a

949
00:45:38,078 --> 00:45:41,638
Speaker 1: lot of places. So make determinations at your own risk

950
00:45:41,718 --> 00:45:42,198
Speaker 1: this early.

951
00:45:42,598 --> 00:45:44,638
Speaker 2: Right It's just like your driver and you're trying to

952
00:45:44,678 --> 00:45:46,358
Speaker 2: hit the ball in Princeton right now with your driver.

953
00:45:46,438 --> 00:45:47,758
Speaker 1: It's going to it's not going anywhere.

954
00:45:47,998 --> 00:45:48,998
Speaker 3: It can't. It can't.

955
00:45:49,038 --> 00:45:52,158
Speaker 2: It's too cold, it doesn't want to, and plus the

956
00:45:52,198 --> 00:45:54,398
Speaker 2: winds down here in Florida, Oh my god, it's like

957
00:45:54,638 --> 00:45:56,998
Speaker 2: a wind tunnel down here. It's one of those things

958
00:45:57,038 --> 00:45:58,038
Speaker 2: you got to learn how to do. You got to

959
00:45:58,078 --> 00:46:01,038
Speaker 2: learn how to play into the wind. Easy right when

960
00:46:01,078 --> 00:46:02,918
Speaker 2: it's breezy. Go easy. When you try to do it

961
00:46:02,958 --> 00:46:05,678
Speaker 2: too hard, the balls is scattered all over the place.

962
00:46:05,758 --> 00:46:08,638
Speaker 2: And same thing in baseball. They got the wind blown

963
00:46:08,638 --> 00:46:12,118
Speaker 2: in your face. You're swinging harder. It's just it's crazy.

964
00:46:12,158 --> 00:46:12,318
Speaker 3: Man.

965
00:46:12,598 --> 00:46:16,838
Speaker 2: Wind and weather. Probably wind. Cold and wind are the

966
00:46:16,918 --> 00:46:20,358
Speaker 2: two factors in all sports. When you talk about guys

967
00:46:20,358 --> 00:46:23,078
Speaker 2: that handle the ball. There's a quarterback in football, pitcher

968
00:46:23,078 --> 00:46:26,078
Speaker 2: in baseball, even you know hitter with the have hitting

969
00:46:26,078 --> 00:46:28,758
Speaker 2: the ball with the bat that's going to sting. Just

970
00:46:28,758 --> 00:46:30,798
Speaker 2: give a little time, man, Your can's got to warm up,

971
00:46:30,838 --> 00:46:33,998
Speaker 2: Your muscles have to be looser. And even psychologically, man,

972
00:46:33,998 --> 00:46:36,158
Speaker 2: when that winds blown in your face all the time,

973
00:46:36,278 --> 00:46:39,318
Speaker 2: it presents differently, and then all of a sudden your

974
00:46:39,318 --> 00:46:41,918
Speaker 2: mechanics may break down because you get too quick or

975
00:46:41,958 --> 00:46:43,238
Speaker 2: try to do things too hard.

976
00:46:43,718 --> 00:46:45,838
Speaker 1: Well, Joe, we as we tend to do here have

977
00:46:45,918 --> 00:46:48,118
Speaker 1: been all over the map. So I'm going to rely

978
00:46:48,198 --> 00:46:49,758
Speaker 1: on you. I don't know where you're going here to

979
00:46:49,838 --> 00:46:52,038
Speaker 1: end this edition, to the Book of Joe. But you

980
00:46:52,118 --> 00:46:55,878
Speaker 1: always end appropriately and interestingly. So what do you got today?

981
00:46:56,198 --> 00:47:00,078
Speaker 2: You brought up the word courage earlier, who's should have returned? Yeah,

982
00:47:00,278 --> 00:47:03,838
Speaker 2: exactly began right, and I think that's where I begin,

983
00:47:03,998 --> 00:47:06,718
Speaker 2: and nice because I was thinking about him and what

984
00:47:06,838 --> 00:47:10,038
Speaker 2: he had done there obviously, so I was researching a

985
00:47:10,038 --> 00:47:12,278
Speaker 2: little bit of different thoughts that I had. And this

986
00:47:12,358 --> 00:47:17,838
Speaker 2: comes from Thucidadise through Sydides, a former Greek dude, and

987
00:47:18,198 --> 00:47:21,078
Speaker 2: he wrote, the secret to happiness is freedom, and the

988
00:47:21,118 --> 00:47:26,038
Speaker 2: secret to freedom is courage. And you got to me,

989
00:47:26,158 --> 00:47:29,438
Speaker 2: you're never going to accomplish all that you want to

990
00:47:29,478 --> 00:47:33,038
Speaker 2: accomplish unless you conquer our fears. And the fears are

991
00:47:33,078 --> 00:47:36,558
Speaker 2: like we create them ourselves. I mean, we put ghosts

992
00:47:36,638 --> 00:47:40,758
Speaker 2: or whatever around every corner and we shy away from it.

993
00:47:40,758 --> 00:47:43,518
Speaker 2: And then with that and the secret to freedom is courage.

994
00:47:43,558 --> 00:47:45,198
Speaker 2: And then it made me think about something else. And

995
00:47:45,238 --> 00:47:47,878
Speaker 2: he didn't even realize that Churchill had said this, But

996
00:47:48,078 --> 00:47:50,838
Speaker 2: courage is the quality that guarantees all others.

997
00:47:51,238 --> 00:47:52,598
Speaker 3: I've always loved that one.

998
00:47:52,758 --> 00:47:56,158
Speaker 2: And so it took a high level of golfing courage

999
00:47:56,558 --> 00:47:59,198
Speaker 2: for what McElroy did when it came to Churchill, the

1000
00:47:59,238 --> 00:48:02,918
Speaker 2: courage you demonstrate it was, you know, having the England survive.

1001
00:48:03,038 --> 00:48:06,158
Speaker 2: I mean there's different levels of thinking regarding this, but

1002
00:48:06,198 --> 00:48:08,878
Speaker 2: it comes down to that one thing that permits you

1003
00:48:09,638 --> 00:48:14,678
Speaker 2: courage is the quality that guarantees all others courage, fearlessness, empathy,

1004
00:48:15,078 --> 00:48:18,958
Speaker 2: whatever you want to describe as the other qualities attach it.

1005
00:48:19,478 --> 00:48:21,678
Speaker 2: I think about those other qualities we have as humans,

1006
00:48:21,678 --> 00:48:25,958
Speaker 2: and with the courage really guarantees that this other quality

1007
00:48:25,958 --> 00:48:29,558
Speaker 2: can be present. So I thought that and like we

1008
00:48:29,598 --> 00:48:32,438
Speaker 2: talked about earlier, his way that they demonstrate it by

1009
00:48:32,518 --> 00:48:34,838
Speaker 2: just putting his burying his face into the turf there.

1010
00:48:34,878 --> 00:48:36,878
Speaker 3: Man, I'm curious how to see how he plays.

1011
00:48:37,438 --> 00:48:40,158
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm glad you brought that up, Joe, because I

1012
00:48:40,478 --> 00:48:42,718
Speaker 1: feel the same way. I feel like you saw that

1013
00:48:42,758 --> 00:48:46,638
Speaker 1: outpouring of emotion. And does this free him up now

1014
00:48:46,718 --> 00:48:51,398
Speaker 1: to be even better or does it satisfy him now?

1015
00:48:51,598 --> 00:48:54,718
Speaker 1: And he's got this feeling of I did it, and

1016
00:48:54,758 --> 00:48:56,678
Speaker 1: he could take a foot off the pedal. It'll be

1017
00:48:56,718 --> 00:48:58,598
Speaker 1: interesting to see where he goes. What do you think.

1018
00:48:58,798 --> 00:49:00,398
Speaker 3: I don't think you satiate it at all.

1019
00:49:00,478 --> 00:49:03,078
Speaker 2: I think he's one of those guys think about He's

1020
00:49:03,238 --> 00:49:05,958
Speaker 2: one of about five sixth dud's ever to win all

1021
00:49:05,998 --> 00:49:09,678
Speaker 2: the Grand Slam things. So that's Jordan, that's Bird, you know,

1022
00:49:09,758 --> 00:49:13,278
Speaker 2: that's Brady. That's like something that nobody really does. And

1023
00:49:13,398 --> 00:49:14,598
Speaker 2: those guys. My point is.

1024
00:49:14,598 --> 00:49:16,398
Speaker 3: Jeter that they they never backed off.

1025
00:49:16,718 --> 00:49:19,118
Speaker 2: I don't think he's capable of backing off, but I

1026
00:49:19,158 --> 00:49:22,558
Speaker 2: do believe that this would be my guest that this

1027
00:49:22,638 --> 00:49:25,198
Speaker 2: is going to permit him to breathe more easily in

1028
00:49:25,278 --> 00:49:26,398
Speaker 2: more difficult moments.

1029
00:49:26,918 --> 00:49:29,678
Speaker 3: And also, you know, I.

1030
00:49:29,598 --> 00:49:33,798
Speaker 2: Really believe if I had a bet, that the fluidity

1031
00:49:33,798 --> 00:49:36,598
Speaker 2: within his body's gonna actually become even more fluid, if

1032
00:49:36,598 --> 00:49:38,878
Speaker 2: that makes any sense. So heads up, and I read

1033
00:49:38,878 --> 00:49:42,038
Speaker 2: about it today. I guess the upcoming tournaments, the golf

1034
00:49:42,078 --> 00:49:44,798
Speaker 2: courses he's done really well at in the past, so

1035
00:49:45,358 --> 00:49:47,238
Speaker 2: let's see what plays out. But I'm saying this is

1036
00:49:47,278 --> 00:49:49,958
Speaker 2: like the lynchpin the freedom of movement for him right now,

1037
00:49:50,318 --> 00:49:52,158
Speaker 2: and I'm really curious to see how this plays out.

1038
00:49:52,478 --> 00:49:55,318
Speaker 1: Dangerous combination when you talk about that level of talent

1039
00:49:55,558 --> 00:49:58,638
Speaker 1: with freedom at ease of mind. I can't wait to

1040
00:49:58,678 --> 00:50:01,598
Speaker 1: see how it plays out. Absolutely, it's been fun, Joe.

1041
00:50:01,838 --> 00:50:05,478
Speaker 1: We'll keep an eye on the Marlins. The padre and

1042
00:50:05,518 --> 00:50:08,438
Speaker 1: the Rockies as things get better, or in the Padres case,

1043
00:50:08,478 --> 00:50:10,638
Speaker 1: if they keep it rolling, and we'll see you next

1044
00:50:10,638 --> 00:50:11,518
Speaker 1: time on the Book of Joe.

1045
00:50:11,638 --> 00:50:13,958
Speaker 3: Thank your brother and McElroy too. See you, babe.

1046
00:50:20,838 --> 00:50:24,078
Speaker 1: The Book of Joe podcast is a production of iHeartRadio.

1047
00:50:24,278 --> 00:50:29,278
Speaker 1: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,

1048
00:50:29,398 --> 00:50:31,158
Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts.