1 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:08,399 Speaker 1: Welcome everyone to another edition of a Territory. I hope 2 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:11,160 Speaker 1: everyone had a great Memorial weekend. Maybe it took some 3 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:14,320 Speaker 1: time to reflect on those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. 4 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:17,599 Speaker 1: This is a very important holiday in our country. But 5 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 1: of course we have a lot of baseball to discuss, 6 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:23,479 Speaker 1: as we always do, and Memorial Day, as many of 7 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: you know, is an important check mark, kind of a 8 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 1: mile post in the season usually comes at about the 9 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:34,159 Speaker 1: one third mark, with about one third of the games played, 10 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 1: and teams at this point can really start assessing themselves 11 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:40,559 Speaker 1: and seeing where they are now. I went on my 12 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 1: it's not early Dia tribe a few weeks ago, but 13 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: it's really not early now. And I want to start 14 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:49,879 Speaker 1: by talking about some teams. Seven teams in fact, that 15 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: reached the postseason last year, but I would say qualify 16 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 1: as disappointments thus far. So I want to show you 17 00:00:57,360 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: these teams and then we'll go through it a little bit. 18 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 1: It starts with the Seattle Mariners. I'm gonna almost exempt 19 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: them from this list. I kept them on because of 20 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 1: two games above five hundred. That's not where they want 21 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,199 Speaker 1: to be, but they're at least sixteen to ten in May. 22 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 1: The Blue Jays. They have not played the way anyone 23 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 1: is expected. They lost nine to eleven to the Alias 24 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:19,480 Speaker 1: to one point rally over the weekend, two of three 25 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:23,120 Speaker 1: over the Minnesota Twins. The Mets, well, you look at 26 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 1: the record, you can see that the most expensive team 27 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 1: in history is a disappointment, coming off a two to 28 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 1: four trip to Wrigley and Coors after their five game 29 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:36,039 Speaker 1: winning streak. The Phillies the World Series hangover. Their record 30 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:37,800 Speaker 1: is not all that much better than it was last 31 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 1: year when Joe Gilready got fired. They've got some issues. 32 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:45,120 Speaker 1: Cleveland Guardians, lowest scoring team in the majors. Cardinals arguably 33 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 1: the most disappointing team in the Majors. They look like 34 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 1: they were getting hot, then they had a rough road 35 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 1: trip to Cincinnati and Cleveland lose seven to nothing to 36 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 1: the Royals on Memorial Day. Yes, they've played eighteen games 37 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 1: in eighteen days. I get it, but my goodness, every 38 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:03,919 Speaker 1: team goes through this. And then the San Diego Padres 39 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: arguably the most disappointing team in baseball, even beyond the Cardinals. 40 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 1: I should have mentioned them that way. The Padres have 41 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: lost fourteen of twenty. For whatever reason, they have not 42 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 1: taken off yet and again we're to point in the 43 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 1: season now where things start to become a little bit 44 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 1: worrisome for teams like that, to say the least. Now 45 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 1: you might say, whoa, whoa. Look at recent history, we've 46 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 1: had some teams get off to really rough starts and 47 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:36,640 Speaker 1: come back and make the World Series, even win the 48 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:39,799 Speaker 1: World Series. Yes, that is true. I'm got to show 49 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 1: you these teams right now. We can talk about them. 50 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: Patrick Mooney of The Athletic referred to these clubs in 51 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:47,080 Speaker 1: an article about the Cubs. We'll get to them at 52 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: a second, and here you see it. Yeah, the twenty 53 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: nineteen Nationals nineteen and thirty one. On May twenty third, 54 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 1: won the World Series twenty twenty one. Braves, they were 55 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 1: still below five hundred in August, of course, made all 56 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 1: those great trades at the deadline, won the World Series 57 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two. Phillies. They fire their manager, Joe Girardi. 58 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 1: They ultimately with Rob Thompson, go on to the World Series. 59 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:13,480 Speaker 1: Tremendous run in the playoffs, but they lose the World Series. 60 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 1: Still a positive outcome. Okay, Yes, there is recent history 61 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 1: to suggest that some of the teams. I just showed 62 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: you on that list. Some of the uber talented teams 63 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:27,080 Speaker 1: in particular, have a chance to do some big things still. 64 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 1: And if you go to Fangrafts and you look at 65 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 1: their playoff odds, they've still got the Mets and Padres 66 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: above fifty percent, not much above fifty percent, but above. 67 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: The problem with all this for those seven teams is, yeah, one, two, 68 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:44,119 Speaker 1: maybe even three of them go on big runs, maybe 69 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 1: even four of them. But they're not all going to 70 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 1: go on big runs. And there are going to be 71 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 1: some interesting things that happened over the next two months 72 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 1: leading to the deadline, to see if these teams fortify themselves, 73 00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 1: to see if they start to play better. It's all 74 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 1: in play now. Of course, I'm not mentioning here the 75 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 1: positive surprises we have in the game. Texas Rangers foremost 76 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 1: among them, Baltimore Orioles as well Arizona Diamondbacks. I would 77 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: even put the San Francisco Giants on this list. They've 78 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:16,159 Speaker 1: played much better of late. But what stands out to 79 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:20,240 Speaker 1: me on Memorial Day are those seven teams, the Mets 80 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 1: and Padres in particular, and yes, the Cardinals too. They 81 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 1: have yet to put it together. Now, I was in 82 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: Chicago over the weekend for Reds at Cubs, red sweptot series. 83 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 1: Marcus stroman big performance yesterday against the Rays snaps the 84 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: losing streak with a one hit shutout. Just brilliant, But 85 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,080 Speaker 1: the Cubbies are in trouble. They would climbed out a 86 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:45,720 Speaker 1: last place with that win yesterday, climbing just over the Cardinals. 87 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:49,840 Speaker 1: But they too have been an immensely disappointing team. They 88 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:53,239 Speaker 1: start off the season twelve and seven. Since then they're 89 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:56,279 Speaker 1: eleven and twenty three, and there are problems all over 90 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 1: the place. The offense. When you look at their individual 91 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 1: numbers go play by player, it's not that bad. It's 92 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 1: actually kind of impressive. But overall they are not an 93 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:09,239 Speaker 1: impressive offense. And there is a metric that Fangrafts uses 94 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:13,440 Speaker 1: called clutch. It's a measure of offensive performance in high 95 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:18,360 Speaker 1: leverage situations. The Cubs are last in that metric, and 96 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: the distance between them and the twenty ninth team is 97 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 1: almost as great as the distance between the twenty ninth 98 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: team and the first So offensively, the Cubs have underperformed. 99 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 1: The bullbend though, has probably been the biggest problem. And 100 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 1: I can show you over the years. Last few years, 101 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:39,240 Speaker 1: I should say they've been pretty successful at signing one 102 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 1: year relievers and turning them into something getting good performances 103 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:45,760 Speaker 1: out of them. Here are some examples, and the President 104 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:48,799 Speaker 1: of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer actually referred to this group 105 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:52,839 Speaker 1: earlier this week. Chafin to Para, Chris Martin, Michael Gibbons, 106 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 1: and David Robertson. The latter three all traded at the 107 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: deadline last year. So the Cubs have done well in 108 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: this regard. This year, they've missed Boksburger did not perform well, 109 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 1: goes on the injured list, Michael Foehmer has had a 110 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 1: horrible run. I'm not even talking about Jamison Tyne in 111 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 1: the rotation, who also has been a major disappointment. Their 112 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 1: bullpen has been a problem. It has brought scrutiny to 113 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:21,160 Speaker 1: the manager, David Ross. Hoyer defended Ross last week by 114 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 1: basically saying, yeah, but in the past, we've gotten better 115 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 1: performances out of the guys we've signed, and I didn't 116 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:30,039 Speaker 1: do a very good job signing the ones we got 117 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:33,800 Speaker 1: this year. Ken Thompson also a disappointment back in the minors. 118 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 1: So the Cubs have a number of different issues going 119 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:40,280 Speaker 1: on here, and I wrote this weekend. I talked to 120 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 1: Marcus Stroman about this, the possibility of a selloff now. 121 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:46,919 Speaker 1: Our Cubs beat writers at The Athletic, Patrick Moody and 122 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 1: Sahadev Sharma, they've been writing about this for about a 123 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:52,920 Speaker 1: week now, and it's sheer reality for this team, stark reality. 124 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:56,839 Speaker 1: If they don't turn it around, they're going to probably 125 00:06:56,880 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 1: make some moves at the deadline that are not the 126 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 1: kind that they were in visioning at the start of 127 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:03,720 Speaker 1: the season. Stroman is a guy who has an opt 128 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 1: out at the end of the year, obvious choice to trade. 129 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 1: He's pitching extremely well all season long. He has Drew Smiley. 130 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: He's a little bit older, he's thirty five. He is 131 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 1: also a guy that could be on the move. He 132 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,480 Speaker 1: has an opt out clause that kicks in if he 133 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: reaches one hundred and ten innings. He's on pace to 134 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 1: do just that to exceed that total, so he could 135 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 1: be someone that brings them something and Cody belland once 136 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 1: he gets healthy, he too could in a trade perhaps 137 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 1: bring a decent return. The problem with all this is 138 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 1: that the Cubs rebuild is supposed to be accelerating at 139 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 1: this point, they're supposed to be on the rise, not 140 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:44,720 Speaker 1: kind of middling along again. And yet this is where 141 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 1: they are, So they have a big two months in 142 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 1: front of them. They have got to get it together 143 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 1: because this is an improving division. The Pirates have fallen 144 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: off since their twenty and nine start. They are now 145 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 1: under five hundred, but they have some interesting young players. 146 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 1: The Reds, we're gonna get to them. I sort of 147 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:04,520 Speaker 1: love where they are, even though they're not a perfect 148 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 1: team by any stretch of the imagination. But they're coming 149 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:10,000 Speaker 1: to the Cardinals. You have to figure they're going to 150 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 1: play better. They need pitching at the deadline. There's not 151 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 1: much issue or question about that starting pitching in particular. 152 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:19,880 Speaker 1: And then the Brewers are the Brewers. They're always there. 153 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 1: They've got huge injury problems, yet they're still in first place. 154 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 1: So the Cubs are in a very winnable division that's 155 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 1: winnable for all of these teams, and yet they cannot 156 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 1: seemingly get going. So the Cubs have a lot of 157 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:37,960 Speaker 1: questions and a lot of decisions to face in the 158 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:43,600 Speaker 1: coming weeks. Finally, let's talk about a team that ended 159 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 1: in eleven game losing streak yesterday, a team that well 160 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 1: really hasn't played all that well this season. You might 161 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:53,080 Speaker 1: have noticed a team that is eleven and forty five. 162 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,840 Speaker 1: Now you know what I'm talking about, the Oakland A's. 163 00:08:57,200 --> 00:08:59,840 Speaker 1: They are back, I should say, back on a thirty 164 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:03,559 Speaker 1: win pace. That would leave them at let's see thirty 165 00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 1: two and one hundred and thirty for the season. They 166 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 1: run differential which has been shockingly bad, historically bad now 167 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 1: at negative one ninety four. We've talked about the A's 168 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 1: a lot with regard to their stadium. We haven't talked 169 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:20,319 Speaker 1: a lot about their play. Their play has been terrible, 170 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 1: and their front office has to own some of this. 171 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:26,439 Speaker 1: They did not bring in quality veterans. They perhaps trusted 172 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:29,560 Speaker 1: too many kids in that rotation. They did get Paul 173 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:32,320 Speaker 1: Blackburn back yesterday. He gave them a start. He's a 174 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 1: respectable starting pitcher in this league. All Star last season. 175 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 1: That helped. But at the same time they designated Hazus 176 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:45,840 Speaker 1: Aguilar for assignment. They're horrible. They're going to stay horrible. 177 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 1: I don't see it getting better. And while they have 178 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 1: some interesting young pieces, and while Rooker has been a 179 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:55,680 Speaker 1: great story in the early going, come on. Man, they're 180 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:58,199 Speaker 1: not very good at all. So the Oakland A's keep 181 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:01,200 Speaker 1: your eyes on them. I means some teams be bad 182 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 1: in the past. I'll show you two of them right now. 183 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 1: The New York Mets in nineteen sixty two, the expansion 184 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 1: Mets forty and one twenty one twenty is the record 185 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:14,600 Speaker 1: number of losses in modern baseball history. And then the 186 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:18,280 Speaker 1: eighteen ninety nine Cleveland Spiders. Now, the A's I would assume, 187 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 1: are going to finish up better than the Spiders. But 188 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 1: even though the Spiders played at a one hundred and 189 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 1: fifty four game schedule, I would say nothing is guaranteed. 190 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 1: The A's are sitting on eleven wins, so let's see 191 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 1: them get to twenty one before we start proclaiming them 192 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:36,559 Speaker 1: better than the Spiders in eighteen ninety nine. Either way, 193 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 1: this is not a conversation any team wants to be 194 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:43,199 Speaker 1: having at any point. This is a historically bad team, 195 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 1: and it's a team that has brought a lot of 196 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:50,000 Speaker 1: unwonted attention on itself at a time when it's considering relocation. 197 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 1: I wrote about this last week. You might have read it. 198 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 1: I would suggest go back and look at it again 199 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 1: because to me, and I've said this on foul territory, 200 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:00,640 Speaker 1: I've said it on fair terror ratory, I have said 201 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 1: it ad nausea. They're an embarrassment. And if I was 202 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:06,400 Speaker 1: an owner of another team, I'd be looking at that 203 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 1: before saying, hey, guys, go to Las Vegas, no relocation 204 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:12,719 Speaker 1: feet We're good. Time out for the inside dish. This 205 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:15,560 Speaker 1: is the segment in which I go sometimes inside a 206 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:17,560 Speaker 1: story that I might have written over the week, or 207 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:20,439 Speaker 1: go a little deeper on something that might be developing 208 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:23,319 Speaker 1: in Major League Baseball. This week, I want to talk 209 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:26,480 Speaker 1: about a story that I wrote with Trent Rosecrans, our 210 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 1: Red's beat writer, one of our best, the other day, 211 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:32,240 Speaker 1: and it was a story about the Reds impending roster 212 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:36,319 Speaker 1: crunch with the arrival of one of the game's top prospects, 213 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:40,160 Speaker 1: Ellie Delacruz, switch hitting shortstop described to me by some 214 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:45,160 Speaker 1: Reds people as a switch hitting tattis with upside. Think 215 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 1: about that for a minute. The problem with Ellie dela 216 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 1: Cruz joining the Reds, and it's one of these proverbial 217 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:53,960 Speaker 1: good problems to have, is that it might lead to 218 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:58,200 Speaker 1: the displacement of one of their best players, their heart 219 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:02,560 Speaker 1: and soul. They're unquestioned leader, yes, even with Joey Vado 220 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 1: on the team, and that player is Jonathan India. Jonathan 221 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 1: India is their second baseman. He was the twenty twenty 222 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:12,440 Speaker 1: one National League Rookie of the Year, and yet just 223 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:16,840 Speaker 1: two years later, the Reds are so loaded with infielders 224 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 1: middle infielders in particular, that they have this situation developing 225 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 1: where it might end up. Elie Dela Cruise is a 226 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:27,119 Speaker 1: shortstop and Matt McClain, another one of their top prospects, 227 00:12:27,520 --> 00:12:31,280 Speaker 1: is at second base. That would be probably the alignment 228 00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 1: that at second base would give them their best defense. 229 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 1: India good offensive player, not as good a defender as 230 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:42,000 Speaker 1: McLain at second base. So Trent and I combined on 231 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 1: the story kind of laying out all of the issues. Now, Normally, 232 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:50,040 Speaker 1: when I write a story or column anything at all, 233 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:53,240 Speaker 1: I don't look at tweets in response, and I don't 234 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 1: look at fan comments under the story, which we do 235 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:00,640 Speaker 1: in the Athletic. The reason for that is that fans 236 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:05,480 Speaker 1: have a different agenda than sports writers do. Fans worry 237 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:08,720 Speaker 1: about their team. They want writers, in many cases not 238 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:12,959 Speaker 1: all to kind of wave the pom Poms tell them 239 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:16,360 Speaker 1: what they want to hear, and that's not our job. Also, 240 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 1: I find. 241 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:20,800 Speaker 2: In this day and age, reading comprehension is a real issue. 242 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:22,960 Speaker 2: I don't know what's going on in schools today, but 243 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 2: people are not always understanding what they're reading. And this story, 244 00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 2: which I thought was a relatively innocuous story about a 245 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 2: fascinating situation with the Reds, an intriguing team that is 246 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:37,079 Speaker 2: playing better. 247 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:40,760 Speaker 1: That has this amazing prospect and yet has this roster 248 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:44,880 Speaker 1: crunch woman. Really interesting stuff about a team that's been 249 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:47,560 Speaker 1: down for a few years. Well, this story got some 250 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 1: fan reaction that kind of boggled my mind. For lack 251 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 1: of her better term, some people said we were overthinking it. No, 252 00:13:56,200 --> 00:13:58,600 Speaker 1: the Reds are thinking about this quite a bit right now. 253 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:01,760 Speaker 1: Some people accuse us of bait. Know The Athletic is 254 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:05,480 Speaker 1: a subscription site, and you can't have clickbait on a 255 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 1: subscription site. Either click if you're a subscriber or you don't. 256 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 1: And then finally there was a tweet from ESPN's Kirk 257 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 1: kerb Street. Kirk of course, big time announcer, legendary guy, 258 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:20,640 Speaker 1: and he writes, this team hasn't had a leader that 259 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 1: pushed his teammates every day since Scott Rowland left in 260 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 1: twenty twelve, and we finally have that guy, and you 261 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 1: write this article, India's value goes far beyond the numbers. 262 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:33,360 Speaker 1: As excited as we all are about the young talent 263 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 1: coming up, India needs to be the rock and catalyst 264 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:39,359 Speaker 1: for years to come. Put Dela Cruz in the outfield 265 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:44,040 Speaker 1: and move on. Well. I certainly appreciate all reader comments, 266 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:46,960 Speaker 1: and it's all part of it. People can say what 267 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 1: they want to say, including Kirk, who of course is 268 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:52,320 Speaker 1: in the media and has somewhat of a more valid 269 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:55,240 Speaker 1: opinion than some would. At the same time, I would 270 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:57,760 Speaker 1: suggest Kirk read the article again, and I would suggest 271 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:01,680 Speaker 1: everyone who is rising up in defense of Jonathan India 272 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:04,840 Speaker 1: to read the article again, because the article, which was 273 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:09,400 Speaker 1: mostly written by Trent, deals with the fact that India 274 00:15:09,440 --> 00:15:12,480 Speaker 1: has extreme value to this team, both on and off 275 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:15,800 Speaker 1: the field, and for that reason, while it would be 276 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:19,680 Speaker 1: easy to trade him from a pure numbers perspective, it's 277 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 1: really difficult to trade him because of what he means 278 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:26,640 Speaker 1: to the club. Now. I talk to Jonathan India about 279 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:31,040 Speaker 1: this whole situation this weekend in Chicago. He's quite aware 280 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 1: of what's going on. His reaction was just fine. He 281 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 1: basically said, listen, there are always guys coming up behind 282 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:41,160 Speaker 1: you in this game, always, and what I have to 283 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 1: do is just focus on what I can focus on, 284 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 1: helping my team win, playing the best I can, making 285 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 1: the decision as tough as I can for them. So 286 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:55,000 Speaker 1: I would advise again people who read the article and 287 00:15:55,080 --> 00:16:01,160 Speaker 1: didn't understand that it really quite delicately and carefully outlined 288 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:04,840 Speaker 1: what Jonathan India means to this team. Yeah, he means 289 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 1: a ton to this team. And that's why this is 290 00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:10,160 Speaker 1: such a quandary for the Reds. Yes, they're thinking about it. 291 00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 1: Their GM's thinking about it, they're managers thinking about it, 292 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 1: their coaches are thinking about it. They're trying to figure 293 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 1: this out. Now, you can say, move Jonathan India to 294 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 1: left field, move them to third base. But at third 295 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 1: base the Reds have other players. Nick Senzel's playing well 296 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 1: there now, Christian and Carnassian Strand another top prospect he's 297 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:31,720 Speaker 1: coming now. He ultimately might be a DH and you 298 00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 1: can use India at the DH spot as well. But 299 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 1: it might be that you need Christian and Carnassian Strand 300 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 1: there and you might want Senzel a third India at 301 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:42,200 Speaker 1: third base, his arm might be a little short. Same 302 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 1: in left field, his arm might be short there, so 303 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: there is no obvious spot to move Jonathan India. Now, 304 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:52,680 Speaker 1: Kirk Hurbstreet suggested dela Cruz to the outfield. Center field. 305 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:56,320 Speaker 1: Maybe right here's a guy who's a tremendous athlete, and 306 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:58,600 Speaker 1: I'm sure he can handle it, much like Tatis has 307 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 1: with San Diego. But at least right now, the Reds 308 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 1: still view him as a shortstop, and really, the way 309 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:08,679 Speaker 1: he's playing, you have to promote him probably within the 310 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:11,359 Speaker 1: next few weeks, if not sooner, and you're not gonna 311 00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:13,560 Speaker 1: have a position switch in the middle of a season. 312 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:17,240 Speaker 1: So they are all these things in play, including Spencer 313 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 1: Steer at first base, who has proven himself to be 314 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:22,320 Speaker 1: a pretty good player for them, a Rookie of the 315 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:25,040 Speaker 1: Year candidate. Kind of in a stealth way, maybe you 316 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:27,880 Speaker 1: move him to the outfield. You've got Vado possibly coming back. 317 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:30,399 Speaker 1: You've got all of these balls up in the air. 318 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:35,760 Speaker 1: And this is why we studied this, analyzed it, wrote 319 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 1: about it, because it's a really interesting situation. It's not 320 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 1: going away anytime soon. Once Ellie de la Cruz gets here, 321 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:46,159 Speaker 1: and he's getting here soon. It's going to be a 322 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 1: real thing time now for the dude and dork of 323 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:52,000 Speaker 1: the week. Some weeks it's difficult to choose due to 324 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:54,200 Speaker 1: the week, difficult to narrow down, and you've got a 325 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:57,639 Speaker 1: lot of great candidates. Other weeks, it's not so difficult. 326 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:01,359 Speaker 1: This week, it is not difficult at all. In fact, 327 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:04,439 Speaker 1: this might be the easiest choice I'll ever make in 328 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:06,399 Speaker 1: awarding a Dude of the week. I used to do 329 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:08,920 Speaker 1: this on the radio in Baltimore. We're doing it now 330 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:12,879 Speaker 1: on this show. The Dude of the Week, quite obviously 331 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:16,840 Speaker 1: is Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendricks comes back Sunday 332 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:21,320 Speaker 1: night from non Hodgkins lymphoma, appears at the Socks Park, 333 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:26,320 Speaker 1: comes out of the bullpen, standing ovation, people just greeting him, 334 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 1: loving that he came back in this way now, Liam Hendricks, Yes, 335 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:33,480 Speaker 1: he gave up two runs last night. I hardly think 336 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:37,480 Speaker 1: that is the story here. He was diagnosed in December, 337 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:40,200 Speaker 1: as you see right there, and here we are in May, 338 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:45,160 Speaker 1: and he underwent chemo, he underwent treatment and obviously went 339 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:49,399 Speaker 1: through a lot mentally, emotionally and physically, and yet remain 340 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:52,080 Speaker 1: committed to his team. And the best thing about Liam Hendricks, 341 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:54,879 Speaker 1: even beyond the fact that he's pitching again, is that 342 00:18:54,920 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 1: he's trying to take a negative and make it a positive, 343 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 1: as he always does. There are charitable efforts underway with 344 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:03,879 Speaker 1: the White Sox and with Liam himself. They gave one 345 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 1: hundred thousand dollars check last night to the Lymphoma Research Foundation. 346 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:10,480 Speaker 1: That was money raised by the sale of close out 347 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:14,160 Speaker 1: cancer t shirts. Liam Hendricks just a shining light right 348 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:17,159 Speaker 1: now in our sport, and for that he is the 349 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:20,680 Speaker 1: dude of the week, dork of the week. Well, we 350 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 1: still want to hit on this area a lot or 351 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:26,399 Speaker 1: this subject matter a lot, but come on, it's the 352 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:28,480 Speaker 1: gift that keeps on giving when it comes to dorks. 353 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 1: Now this week, we're not going to give it to 354 00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:33,159 Speaker 1: John Fisher, the Oakland a'sonner. We're not going to give 355 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:36,160 Speaker 1: it to Rob Maffert, the Baseball Commissioner. No, we're going 356 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:39,560 Speaker 1: to give it to the Nevada lawmakers who held a 357 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:43,320 Speaker 1: public hearing on a bill that would give the a's 358 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:46,720 Speaker 1: public funding to relocate to Las Vegas. And they held 359 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 1: this hearing a Memorial Day, and they held it about 360 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:52,879 Speaker 1: an hour before the hockey team in Las Vegas. The 361 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:55,720 Speaker 1: Golden Knights advanced to the Stanley Cup. 362 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 3: Final last night, So you've got it on a holiday, 363 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:02,400 Speaker 3: and you've got on a night when people are distracted 364 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:05,040 Speaker 3: by the performance of the hockey team, which was a 365 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:06,879 Speaker 3: big performance gets into the final. 366 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:09,280 Speaker 1: I mean, come on, now, I get it that the 367 00:20:09,359 --> 00:20:13,200 Speaker 1: legislative session closes out on Monday, a week from today, 368 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:16,119 Speaker 1: as we tape this at the same time, maybe you 369 00:20:16,119 --> 00:20:19,359 Speaker 1: could have pushed the hearing to Tuesday, or maybe you 370 00:20:19,359 --> 00:20:22,119 Speaker 1: didn't want the public really paying attention to this hearing 371 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:24,840 Speaker 1: because you're ready to commit up to three hundred and 372 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 1: eighty million in public funds to a one point five 373 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:31,760 Speaker 1: billion dollar, thirty thousand seat ballpark. I don't know the 374 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 1: true motivations. I merely asked the question here, but you know, 375 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:38,520 Speaker 1: Nevada lawmakers, what you were doing. You know what you did, 376 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:42,840 Speaker 1: As my daughter always says, Nevada lawmakers dorks of the week, 377 00:20:42,920 --> 00:20:45,440 Speaker 1: and guess what, you may be suckers of the week 378 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:47,920 Speaker 1: if you prove this deal. This week on Fox, We've 379 00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:51,639 Speaker 1: got Yankees at Dodgers from Dodger Stadium. Great matchup two 380 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:55,800 Speaker 1: of the game's most storied franchises and most successful. Two 381 00:20:55,800 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 1: teams that are playing pretty well this year despite some obstacles, obstacles, 382 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 1: other things that have happened. What I'm looking to see 383 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:08,560 Speaker 1: here is how these teams short through their rotations. Now 384 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:11,520 Speaker 1: we have Garrett Cole lined up for Saturday. The Dodgers 385 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:15,639 Speaker 1: starter is listed as Gavin Stone, but I'm suspecting and 386 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:18,480 Speaker 1: people have reported that it might be Michael Grove. The 387 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:21,200 Speaker 1: Dodgers have a number of these young pitchers. Bobby Miller 388 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:24,080 Speaker 1: was brilliant on Sunday. They're trying to find the right 389 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:27,200 Speaker 1: pieces to fit, which guys will be best. Cinder Gard 390 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:29,600 Speaker 1: has not been good, Kershaw not good in the month 391 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 1: of May, and then the Yankees when Cole is not 392 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:36,240 Speaker 1: pitching well. Severino's back, but they're still awaiting Rodin. It's 393 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:38,000 Speaker 1: going to be really interesting to see how these teams 394 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:40,359 Speaker 1: sort through it and how they get through it. Okay, 395 00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:42,720 Speaker 1: let's move on to something that I was not sure 396 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:45,280 Speaker 1: was going to work. I was a little dubious about 397 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:48,800 Speaker 1: when our producer, Jeremy Meyer gave me the idea, but 398 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:52,440 Speaker 1: actually it was a great idea, and you guys responded. 399 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 1: We asked for something different. We asked for the fan 400 00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:58,719 Speaker 1: questions to be submitted, not just in print, on Twitter 401 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:02,440 Speaker 1: or wherever. We asked you guys to submit some videos 402 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:04,240 Speaker 1: and to go about it that way so we can 403 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 1: involve you in the process from a video perspective. Well 404 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 1: it worked. We've got some great questions. Let's start with 405 00:22:11,359 --> 00:22:14,120 Speaker 1: the first. Yo, what's up, Ken? My name is Garrett. 406 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:17,040 Speaker 3: Was just wondering, what's the craziest thing you've heard while 407 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:17,920 Speaker 3: you were in a dugout? 408 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 1: Garrett, this is a good question. The truth is, I 409 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:23,720 Speaker 1: don't hear much down there because it's so loud in 410 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:26,239 Speaker 1: the stadium, and I'm a little bit removed. I'm not 411 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 1: in the dugout. I'm usually a camera well that is 412 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:32,800 Speaker 1: adjoining the dugout. But I will tell you two stories 413 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:36,679 Speaker 1: about things I have heard that are actually kind of cool. 414 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:40,280 Speaker 1: The first goes back to the NLCS last year when 415 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:44,600 Speaker 1: I was in the dugout at times. The times were 416 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:46,640 Speaker 1: when something big would happen in the game, and you guys, 417 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 1: remember I would interview players after big moments. So Harper 418 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:53,520 Speaker 1: hit a home run of you, Darvish, the Phillies, Bryce Harper, 419 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:57,200 Speaker 1: padres you Darvish, and I'm in the dugout waiting to 420 00:22:57,320 --> 00:23:00,479 Speaker 1: get Bryce Harper trying to arrange an interview. She's just 421 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:03,479 Speaker 1: basically trying to signal him to come over, and I 422 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 1: hear Harper, Yelle, stay on the heater. I thought that 423 00:23:07,760 --> 00:23:10,400 Speaker 1: was pretty cool. What he was doing was telling his 424 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 1: teammates to stay on Darvish's fastball. That's where to get him, 425 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:17,119 Speaker 1: That's where he's vulnerable. So naturally I said this on 426 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 1: the air. Naturally, that was kind of gray area on 427 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:23,520 Speaker 1: what I could and couldn't report from when I was 428 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:25,600 Speaker 1: in the dugout. So we had a little bit of 429 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:29,600 Speaker 1: a conversation with Major League Baseball after that turned out okay, 430 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:32,080 Speaker 1: no one was too upset, but I think in the 431 00:23:32,119 --> 00:23:35,480 Speaker 1: future and from that point on, I sort of stayed 432 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:38,359 Speaker 1: away from reporting things like directly heard while in the 433 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:42,320 Speaker 1: dugout waiting for an interview. The other one didn't happen 434 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:44,680 Speaker 1: in the dugout, but it happened at Wrigley Field before 435 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 1: they sort of remodeled the camera wells down there and 436 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:51,400 Speaker 1: did some things to expand them make the site lines easier. 437 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 1: So I go on the pregame show one Saturday and 438 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:58,560 Speaker 1: I talk about Carlos Samburano, remember him, and I talk 439 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:01,080 Speaker 1: about a contract situation and that he was involved with 440 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:05,080 Speaker 1: with the Cubs negotiations. I don't recall exactly what I said. 441 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 1: I do recall Zebrato in the middle of the game 442 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:12,840 Speaker 1: walking to the end of the dugout signaling me to 443 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:16,080 Speaker 1: come over and talk to him. Now, Carlos, you might remember, 444 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:18,720 Speaker 1: was a pretty emotional guy. I don't know that he 445 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:22,240 Speaker 1: was terribly upset, but he was gesturing and making all 446 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:25,720 Speaker 1: his points and kind of just unwittingly making this a 447 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:28,240 Speaker 1: public thing because everyone could see it and the cameras 448 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:31,399 Speaker 1: could see it. If I recall correctly, Joe Buck joked 449 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:35,840 Speaker 1: about it, but more interestingly, the Cubs general manager at 450 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:38,720 Speaker 1: the time, Jim Henry. He calls me on my cell 451 00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:41,919 Speaker 1: phone after this happens. He says, what the hell is 452 00:24:41,960 --> 00:24:45,040 Speaker 1: going on down there? I said, Jim, no problem, it's 453 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:47,119 Speaker 1: just Carlos that I have in a conversation about what 454 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:50,480 Speaker 1: I reported. He was concerned that it was actually uglier 455 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:53,200 Speaker 1: than he might have thought, that it was a real 456 00:24:53,320 --> 00:24:56,240 Speaker 1: argument and a real confrontation, when it wasn't that at all. 457 00:24:56,359 --> 00:24:58,920 Speaker 1: It was just Carlos being Carlos, and that was how 458 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:02,479 Speaker 1: it went. My name is Mason, and I was wondering, 459 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:05,000 Speaker 1: in your opinion, what has been the most surprising team 460 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:09,160 Speaker 1: this season, whether it's been overperforming or underperforming. Mason, good question. 461 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 1: We dealt with some of the underperformers in our first segment, 462 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:14,920 Speaker 1: the Mets and Padres certainly would be the biggest surprises there. 463 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:19,000 Speaker 1: But let's talk overperformance, and maybe it's not overperformance when 464 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 1: you sustain it this long and when you play at 465 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:23,920 Speaker 1: the level that this team is playing at, and I'm 466 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:27,359 Speaker 1: talking about the Texas Rangers. I did not see this coming. 467 00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 1: I shure didn't see it coming without Jacob deGrom being 468 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:34,080 Speaker 1: a major participant, and he has not been. This team 469 00:25:34,119 --> 00:25:36,360 Speaker 1: has gotten great work out of its rotation. But the 470 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:40,159 Speaker 1: one thing that I definitely underestimated and maybe other people 471 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:45,280 Speaker 1: did as well, was the offense. Their offense is outstanding, 472 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:46,840 Speaker 1: one of the best in the league. And they've gone 473 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:50,200 Speaker 1: stretches without Seeger and Mitch Garver. They've had some things 474 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:54,119 Speaker 1: happen offensively that weren't so good, and yet here they 475 00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:59,080 Speaker 1: are this absolute behemoth offensively one to nine. So I 476 00:25:59,080 --> 00:26:01,879 Speaker 1: would say, for sure, Mason, they were the team that 477 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:05,440 Speaker 1: surprised me the most from an overperformance standpoint this year. 478 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:07,560 Speaker 1: Spencer Ray is a big Mets fan here, and I 479 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:09,919 Speaker 1: want to know what moves can the Mets make to 480 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:12,439 Speaker 1: improve on their team only going five hundred so far 481 00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:16,920 Speaker 1: this season, really really struggling. I agree, Spencer, and they're 482 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:18,640 Speaker 1: going to make some moves of the deadline. I don't 483 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:20,760 Speaker 1: know that there's much doubt about that, and I would 484 00:26:20,760 --> 00:26:25,320 Speaker 1: expect their moves or reinforcements from a pitching perspective. We've 485 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:28,760 Speaker 1: seen them promote Bret Batty, We've seen them promote Francisco 486 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:32,880 Speaker 1: Alvarez Vientos. Yes, Mauricio is still down there. I don't 487 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:34,359 Speaker 1: know that they're going to be able to squeeze him 488 00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:36,760 Speaker 1: in as well. But they have made some moves to 489 00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:40,840 Speaker 1: improve their offense, and the offense has gotten slightly better, 490 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:43,880 Speaker 1: it still lacks power. For me. I still think they 491 00:26:44,359 --> 00:26:48,520 Speaker 1: need one more big slugger. Maybe Beatty turns into that guy. 492 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:51,880 Speaker 1: Maybe Alvarez is that guy. I don't know, but they're 493 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:54,359 Speaker 1: bigger issues. It seems to me are going to be 494 00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:58,320 Speaker 1: again on the pitching staff now if Verlander insurance are 495 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:01,119 Speaker 1: healthy and pitching well and Carlos Rasco is able to 496 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:03,760 Speaker 1: build on what he did in his first start, they 497 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:06,840 Speaker 1: should be okay, but I would expect they'll still be 498 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:09,200 Speaker 1: in the market first starter, and yes, they need bullpen 499 00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:13,240 Speaker 1: help as well. Without Edwin Diaz, it's not the same 500 00:27:13,280 --> 00:27:15,919 Speaker 1: combination as it was last year. There's no question about that. 501 00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:18,400 Speaker 1: So that is where I see the Mets looking as 502 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:21,280 Speaker 1: we get closer to the deadline. But stay tuned. Injuries 503 00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:24,600 Speaker 1: can affect that, performance can affect that. All kinds of 504 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:27,159 Speaker 1: things can change in the next two months. Hey, my 505 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:31,480 Speaker 1: name is Owen Lapp. Will Ferrell is discussing playing John 506 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:34,520 Speaker 1: Madden in an upcoming film, So I was wondering who 507 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:37,879 Speaker 1: should play Ken in a movie about his career. Thanks, Ellen, 508 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 1: one thing about your question, which I appreciate. Of course, 509 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:45,639 Speaker 1: I don't believe anyone in Hollywood is even considering a 510 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:49,600 Speaker 1: movie about any sports writer, much less me, anytime soon. 511 00:27:49,760 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 1: But let's run with your idea. Let's go with this. 512 00:27:53,160 --> 00:27:58,520 Speaker 1: So I thought about it. I Donald Schwarzenegger probably would 513 00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:02,360 Speaker 1: not be the choice. Sina probably would not be the choice. 514 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:07,480 Speaker 1: Brad Pitt I don't think he would be the guy either. Besides, 515 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:10,560 Speaker 1: he's already played Billy Bean, right. So I asked my 516 00:28:10,640 --> 00:28:14,080 Speaker 1: wife this question this morning. I said, Hey, if someone 517 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:16,560 Speaker 1: ever had to play me in a movie, who do 518 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:19,600 Speaker 1: you think it would be? She actually had a good suggestion. 519 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:26,560 Speaker 1: Her suggestion was Harry Potter, but not Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe. 520 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:29,919 Speaker 1: And the reason she said Daniel Radcliffe was, as you 521 00:28:29,960 --> 00:28:32,280 Speaker 1: guys well know from looking at me on Fox seeing 522 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:36,119 Speaker 1: me interview Aaron Judge like this, I'm not the biggest 523 00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:38,920 Speaker 1: guy in the world. Daniel Radcliffe not the biggest guy 524 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 1: in the world either, so he would be my choice. Now, 525 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:44,440 Speaker 1: if this had been maybe ten years ago, and we're 526 00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:47,920 Speaker 1: way overthinking this, perhaps Dustin Hoffman would have been the guy. 527 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:51,600 Speaker 1: The problem with Dustin Hoffman is he played Carl Bernstein 528 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:55,240 Speaker 1: in All the President's Men, Carl Bernstein, Bob Woodward you 529 00:28:55,320 --> 00:28:58,880 Speaker 1: might remember them, Bob Woodward played by Robert Redford. I 530 00:28:58,920 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 1: believe what Woodward and Bernstein did from a journalistic perspective 531 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:06,920 Speaker 1: was just slightly more important than what I do on 532 00:29:06,960 --> 00:29:10,240 Speaker 1: a daily basis. All right, Thanks everyone for watching, Thanks 533 00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:13,560 Speaker 1: everyone for listening. Remember you can subscribe to us on 534 00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:16,280 Speaker 1: YouTube or like us, and of course you can subscribe 535 00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:19,000 Speaker 1: to us wherever you get your podcasts. Have a great 536 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:21,760 Speaker 1: week everyone, We'll be back next week on our regular 537 00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:23,200 Speaker 1: day that would be Monday. 538 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 4: Thanks again, Foul Territory fans. Listen up. Our friends at 539 00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:30,400 Speaker 4: BETMGM are running an MLB bet ten dollars, get one 540 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:34,520 Speaker 4: hundred dollars instantly promo with the bonus code spicy MLB. 541 00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 4: Here's how it works. Sign up and deposit at least 542 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:40,080 Speaker 4: ten dollars into your newly created account. Download the bet 543 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:43,480 Speaker 4: MGM Sportsbook app on iOS or Android. 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