1 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: Welcome to the holiday edition of Fair Territory, and we've 2 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:09,959 Speaker 1: got a special show for this week. We're not going 3 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:11,960 Speaker 1: to talk about the off season. We're going to take 4 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 1: a break from the off season. In part because I'm 5 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: taping this on Friday. We don't want to get the 6 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:19,440 Speaker 1: show dated by next week. Okay, But there are other 7 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:21,919 Speaker 1: reasons why I want to do the show a little 8 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 1: bit differently this week, and it involves celebrating the twenty 9 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: twenty three season. We're always so caught up in the 10 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 1: nitty gritty and all the details of what's going on, 11 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:34,959 Speaker 1: we sometimes forget to kind of bask in what has 12 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: happened in a good way in baseball in twenty twenty three. 13 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 1: So I'm going to go through my five favorite things 14 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 1: of the twenty twenty three season. This is the non show. 15 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:48,360 Speaker 1: Hey Otani division I believe he's kind of all of 16 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 1: our favorites, and we'll get to him later, but these 17 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 1: are the five things that kind of stood out to 18 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: me this year more than anything. And we'll start with 19 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 1: number five. Some would have this at number one, and 20 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: I can understand that, but it's the pitch clock. The 21 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:06,840 Speaker 1: pitchclock that made our game watchable again. For so many years, 22 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:10,320 Speaker 1: it had been dragging and taking forever, and a lot 23 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 1: of people were just getting bored and kind of wondering 24 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: if baseball was ever going to snap out of it. Well, 25 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 1: let's take a look at some numbers from the past season, 26 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:22,680 Speaker 1: and it'll show you just how dramatically the clock impacted 27 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 1: the game, and not just the time of game, which 28 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 1: of course is the big thing, but also the pace 29 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:30,319 Speaker 1: of the game. All Right, you see it here. The 30 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 1: average time of a nine inning Major League game dropped 31 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 1: to two hours forty minutes in the first year of 32 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:39,400 Speaker 1: the pitch clock. That was a twenty four minute decrease, 33 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: putting the average time of game at its lowest since 34 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty five. That alone was caused for celebration among 35 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 1: a lot of people. But again, it was more than that. 36 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 1: It was the pace. It was the ability to watch 37 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 1: games again flow, and that hadn't been the case in 38 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 1: many years. And I have a friend who used to 39 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 1: be a baseball writer and now he's doing some other 40 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 1: things in journalism, and he said this year, for the 41 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 1: first time in a long time, he actually enjoyed watching 42 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 1: baseball again. A lot of people seem to feel the 43 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:15,360 Speaker 1: same way, and to show you vividly just what a 44 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 1: decline in the time of game it was. Take a 45 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 1: look at this. Essentially, we're going from three hours four 46 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:25,359 Speaker 1: minutes in twenty twenty two to two hours forty minutes 47 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty three, and on this graph it basically 48 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:31,800 Speaker 1: looks like the time of game is falling off a cliff. 49 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:35,679 Speaker 1: It did, Thank goodness. There are some more adjustments being 50 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: made for twenty twenty four, but I expect that the 51 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:40,360 Speaker 1: pace is going to continue to be good and the 52 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: times of games will continue to be good as well. 53 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 1: Pitchclock number five on my list of favorite things, number four. 54 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 1: This is a guy who was the MVP of the 55 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: National League this year, and he did some remarkable things. 56 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 1: I'm talking, of course, about Ronald Acunya Junior. What an 57 00:02:57,040 --> 00:02:59,639 Speaker 1: amazing season he had. We can go through the numbers 58 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 1: and we will right here just showing you what Acunya did. 59 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 1: It's worth repeating again who this guy was for the 60 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 1: Atlanta Braves last season. Batting average three thirty seven, on 61 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 1: base four sixteen, slug five ninety six, and of course 62 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 1: seventy three stolen bases to lead the majors. You might say, yeah, 63 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: the rules helped juice that total. Maybe so, but he 64 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 1: led the majors by a pretty good margin. Also led 65 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:29,399 Speaker 1: the majors in runs, hits, an on base percentage. Now, 66 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 1: what I liked about Acunya, beyond what he did on 67 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: the field, was the things I heard from Braves people 68 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 1: about how he was off the field and the year 69 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 1: before when he was still coming off his injury it 70 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 1: was his first full season since he still wasn't right. 71 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 1: He still wasn't right physically, and it seems that he 72 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: wasn't right mentally. He was a little bit down because 73 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 1: he couldn't be himself. This year he was, of course 74 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:59,120 Speaker 1: back to Ronald Acuna junior. And you didn't hear anymore 75 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 1: that little bit of a problem. He's this, he's down, 76 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: he's sulking. No, you heard he was a good teammate. 77 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 1: You heard he was doing great things. He played in 78 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: one hundred and fifty nine games. Like all the Braves, 79 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: he seems to want to play every day. So Akunya, 80 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 1: he could easily be a Dude of the Year candidate, 81 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: But of course he's the National League MVP, and he's 82 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: good enough for number four on my list of favorite things. 83 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:24,479 Speaker 1: Just the way he came out of it, both on 84 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:26,720 Speaker 1: the field and I guess off the field, you would 85 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:30,040 Speaker 1: say as well, lifting his own spirits with his play 86 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:33,160 Speaker 1: and getting back to who he was and who he 87 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:36,680 Speaker 1: could be. Number three on this list, Well, this is 88 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: an interesting one. It's kind of one that's closer to 89 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 1: my heart because I worked in Baltimore for so many years, 90 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:46,840 Speaker 1: and it's the Orioles resurgence. Now, granted, the Orioles tanked, 91 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:50,760 Speaker 1: and they tanked in a big way, and really after 92 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 1: a while they had nowhere to go but up. But 93 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: in the last two years they've gone up in a 94 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:59,159 Speaker 1: big way. And what's most heartwarming about all this. I 95 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 1: don't root for anyone one team, but obviously I have 96 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: a lot of affection for Baltimore having worked there for 97 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:08,920 Speaker 1: so many years. I was there from nineteen eighty seven 98 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 1: to two thousand and nine in one capacity or another. 99 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 1: I lived there, my family basically was started there. So 100 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 1: Baltimore was always in my mind a baseball town that 101 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:22,599 Speaker 1: was kind of the equivalent of Saint Louis. It was 102 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:25,480 Speaker 1: the east coast Saint Louis. And when I say that, 103 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 1: I'm talking about the passion of the fans loyalty, really 104 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,479 Speaker 1: the upbeat nature as well. And when you look at 105 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 1: their records year by year the last five years, you 106 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 1: can see how far they've come. This team under Brandon 107 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 1: Hyde and michae Elias, they've done some great things. Now, 108 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 1: eighteen nineteen and twenty one, I'm not including twenty twenty here, 109 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:48,719 Speaker 1: it was a shortened season. Those were horrible years. Horrible 110 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 1: and listen, none of us is a fan of tanking. 111 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 1: That's what the Orioles did. They were upfront about it. 112 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:57,680 Speaker 1: They were not hiding anything. They just went all the 113 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 1: way back and then made some great moves, and most 114 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 1: of them not that big. A lot of waiver claims, 115 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:05,360 Speaker 1: minor league free agents, all kinds of things along those lines. 116 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:08,480 Speaker 1: Twenty twenty two was a step forward. Eighty three and 117 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 1: seventy nine and then twenty three. This year, the one 118 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,479 Speaker 1: hundred and one wins, one of their best seasons in 119 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: a long time, and of course they got upset in 120 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 1: the playoffs by the Rangers. Actually might not have been 121 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: an upset considering the Rangers went on to win the 122 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 1: World Series, but that was a disappointing end for them, 123 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 1: getting swept like that in the Division Series. No matter Adley, Rushman, Gunner, Henderson, Santander. 124 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:33,880 Speaker 1: All of the guys they have and all of the 125 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 1: players who are coming make them a team to watch, 126 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 1: not of course, just in twenty twenty four, but in 127 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 1: all the years to come. Great job by the Oriols. 128 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 1: Good to see Baltimore alive again. My number two story 129 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 1: or favorite thing, well, this one is similar to the Orioles, 130 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:55,200 Speaker 1: but their great accomplishments happened more in the postseason than 131 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 1: the regular season. During the regular season, the Diamondbacks were 132 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 1: only eighty four and seventy eight. No one really took 133 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 1: them all that seriously going into the playoffs. But I 134 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:07,279 Speaker 1: remember Jason Stark of the Athletic telling me I sort 135 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:09,880 Speaker 1: of like them to upset the Brewers. It's thought Jason 136 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: was nuts, But if you remember the Brewers lost Woodruff 137 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 1: right around that time, it seemed to just deflate them, 138 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 1: and credit to the Diamondbacks. They took full advantage. So 139 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 1: let's go through the Diamondbacks postseason run because it was 140 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,640 Speaker 1: genuinely remarkable. I loved what they did. It was so 141 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 1: cool to watch the Wildcard series, the two games sweep 142 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 1: of the Brewers, the Division series. This was the Shaker 143 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: the three game sweep of the Dodgers. Another great Dodgers 144 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 1: team goes down in October. Then the NLCS the seven 145 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 1: game win over the Phillies, and it wasn't just your 146 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 1: basic run of the mill seven game triumph. The Diamondbacks 147 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: were down to nothing in this series. Then they were 148 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: down three to two in this series going back to 149 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 1: Philadelphia and they won the series. Now granted, in the 150 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 1: World Series, it all kind of faded on them. And 151 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 1: when I finally picked them up, I was with the 152 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 1: American League with Fox until the World Series. I looked 153 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 1: at that middle of the order, Gabriel Moreno, Christian Walker, 154 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 1: Tommy fam and I thought, those are good players. That's 155 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: not a World Series triumph middle of the order. And 156 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 1: it turned out that it wasn't a World Series triumph 157 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 1: middle of the order. But credit to the Diamondbacks. They 158 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 1: did some amazing things this year. They've had a good 159 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: offseason going forward, resigning Guriel, signing Edward Rodriguez. They're going 160 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: to be a team to watch. I know they're not 161 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 1: the Dodgers, they're not spending a billion dollars, but they're 162 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:34,199 Speaker 1: going to be quite competitive with some good young players 163 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 1: to come and now my number one favorite thing from 164 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 1: this year, and this might surprise people because it really 165 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:43,439 Speaker 1: had nothing to do with the regular season or the postseason. 166 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:47,320 Speaker 1: My number one favorite thing was the World Baseball Classic, 167 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:49,960 Speaker 1: which I had the privilege of covering for Fox and 168 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:52,960 Speaker 1: The Athletic. I said this at the time, and I'll 169 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:56,240 Speaker 1: say it again that period in March, it was about 170 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 1: two weeks or so when the WBC was going on 171 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 1: and I was at game's every night. That was about 172 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 1: the most fun I have ever had covering baseball. I 173 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 1: can only compare it to the nineteen ninety one World Series, 174 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 1: which I remember vividly Minnesota Twins Atlanta Braves. That was 175 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 1: a closely fought World Series, went seven games, and I 176 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:20,160 Speaker 1: remember the feeling of I couldn't wait to get to 177 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 1: the ballpark every day. That's how it was with the WBC, 178 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 1: and I can run through all the games and tell 179 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:28,440 Speaker 1: you all about all the great things that happened. From 180 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:31,559 Speaker 1: Great Britain's run, well it wasn't really a run, but 181 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 1: the shocking upset of Columbia, then of course Puerto Rico's 182 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 1: victory over the Dominican Republic to day Edwin Diaz suffered 183 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 1: a most unfortunate injury, and then right up to the finals, 184 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:45,360 Speaker 1: we had some amazing games in the quarters and semis, 185 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 1: and then the ultimate conclusion with Otani striking out trout 186 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:54,280 Speaker 1: for Team Japan and Team Japan winning the title. It 187 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:57,840 Speaker 1: was a blast every night. There was no pitchclock, the 188 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 1: games took however long they I took, but it was 189 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 1: just a lot of fun. So the WBC was my 190 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:07,560 Speaker 1: number one favorite thing of twenty twenty three. I imagine 191 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: some of you might say, Ken, You're crazy. There was 192 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:12,680 Speaker 1: so many better things that happened, but no, this is 193 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:16,199 Speaker 1: my show. That's my number one favorite time out for 194 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:18,080 Speaker 1: the inside Dish. This is the part of the show 195 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:20,440 Speaker 1: where I talk about maybe a story i've written, something 196 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 1: going on in the game. And this week we've got 197 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:25,840 Speaker 1: a special inside dish because I'm going to talk about 198 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:29,079 Speaker 1: the Hall of Fame vote. Our ballots are due December 199 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:31,960 Speaker 1: thirty first, so it's coming up. I'm not going to 200 00:10:32,040 --> 00:10:34,199 Speaker 1: reveal my vote just yet, but I'm just going to 201 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:36,559 Speaker 1: take you through the ballot, take you through a bit 202 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 1: of my thought process, and also give you some insight 203 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:42,640 Speaker 1: into what I believe will be at least my toughest 204 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:46,200 Speaker 1: decisions this year. Now, let's start this segment with going 205 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:49,480 Speaker 1: back to my ballot from last year, from twenty twenty three. 206 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 1: Of course, Scott Rowland was the big one. He was elected. 207 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:55,920 Speaker 1: I voted for him, voted for Todd Helton and Billy Wagner. 208 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:58,320 Speaker 1: Both of those guys are really close and I would 209 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 1: be surprised if they did not get in there this year. 210 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 1: Andrew Jones also making a strong run. Gary Sheffield in 211 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 1: pretty good position as well. The problem for him now 212 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:09,959 Speaker 1: is that this is his last year on the ballot. 213 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 1: And then Jeff Kent, who I voted for pretty consistently, 214 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 1: he falls off the ballot after his tenth year only 215 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 1: got to forty six point five percent of the ballot 216 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:22,720 Speaker 1: last year. This year, obviously Roland is no longer there, 217 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 1: Kent is no longer there. But we do have some 218 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:28,200 Speaker 1: really interesting newcomers, and I want to talk about them 219 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 1: a little bit as we get into this. Adrian Beltray 220 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:35,600 Speaker 1: is the numero uno newcomer, and he is a guy 221 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:39,480 Speaker 1: that I feel really certain will get huge support and 222 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:41,880 Speaker 1: be a likely first ballot Hall of Famer, and he 223 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 1: should be. All the numbers are there. He is a 224 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 1: third baseman that is an underrepresented position in the Hall 225 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:51,640 Speaker 1: Sterling character. No one ever said a bad word about 226 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:55,160 Speaker 1: Adrian Beltray. He was valued as a teammate, so he's 227 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 1: a guy. You can look at the Fangrafts version of War. 228 00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 1: I don't take War completely as a guide for the 229 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:04,800 Speaker 1: Hall of Fame, but my goodness, he is way up. 230 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 1: There also newcomers that are of great note. Chase Utley 231 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:12,400 Speaker 1: from the Fillies. You see his ward inflated by his 232 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:16,440 Speaker 1: base running and by his defense Joe Mauer and David Wright. Now, 233 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:19,679 Speaker 1: the problem for Utley as we discuss this, and we'll 234 00:12:19,679 --> 00:12:22,920 Speaker 1: get into it, he is under two thousand hits for 235 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 1: his career. Since the expansion era began nineteen sixty, no 236 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:31,280 Speaker 1: player with fewer than two thousand hits, no position player 237 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:34,080 Speaker 1: has been elected to the Hall by either the Baseball 238 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:37,320 Speaker 1: Writers or one of the small committees. So that's an 239 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:39,800 Speaker 1: uphill fight for him. Mara got to two thousand hits 240 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 1: late in his career, so he doesn't have that black 241 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 1: mark against them. And I'm not sure it's a black 242 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 1: mark against Chase Utley, but that is going to be 243 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:50,959 Speaker 1: an issue for him with at least some voters. Now, 244 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:53,960 Speaker 1: as we get into this, thing. Let's talk about what 245 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 1: I believe will be some of my toughest decisions. One 246 00:12:57,520 --> 00:12:59,679 Speaker 1: of them is going to be Chase Utley, and it's 247 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:02,360 Speaker 1: actually going to be a combination of Chase Utley and 248 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 1: Jimmy Rollins. They are quite different as candidates. Jimmy Rollins 249 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:10,440 Speaker 1: has more of the counting stat case. He's got almost 250 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:13,480 Speaker 1: twenty five hundred hits, He's got an MVP. He played 251 00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 1: a long time, played for the Phillies and was their 252 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:20,320 Speaker 1: shortstop and leader. Chase Utley a shorter peak, but what 253 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:24,080 Speaker 1: a peak. And granted he doesn't have the volume that 254 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:27,960 Speaker 1: Rollins has. They're very different as candidates, but he is 255 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 1: someone who excelled at every aspect of the game. He 256 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:33,880 Speaker 1: was a student of the game, as savvy as they 257 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:37,720 Speaker 1: come on a baseball field, and someone who really was 258 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:40,480 Speaker 1: a role model for a lot of players during the 259 00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:43,600 Speaker 1: era in which he played. So my question with Rollins 260 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:46,720 Speaker 1: and Utley is that for me, it's very difficult to 261 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 1: separate them on a ballot. I'm not sure either is 262 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 1: totally deserving, at least for me right now. Rollins his 263 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 1: offensive career numbers is ops plus is below league average 264 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:01,959 Speaker 1: in an era that was an offensive era for shortstops 265 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:05,200 Speaker 1: and Utley. I mentioned the volume issue, and I do 266 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 1: find it difficult to separate them when I think back 267 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 1: to Alan Trammel and Lou Whittaker. Now, Lou Whittaker fell 268 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 1: off the ballot the first year. He should be a 269 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 1: Hall of Famer. He has Hall of Fame numbers. He 270 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 1: was a victim of the crowded ballot at the time. 271 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: Alan Trammel is in the Hall of Fame. Now, they 272 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 1: were different players too. I don't know if they were 273 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 1: quite as different as Utley and Rollins, but to me, 274 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 1: it's almost a package deal. And I know people will 275 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:35,880 Speaker 1: say that's ridiculous, ken come on, man, this guy's this, 276 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 1: this guy's that. I get it, but they both were 277 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:42,800 Speaker 1: impact players for a team that dominated the late two 278 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 1: thousand's early twenty tens. So that's going to be one 279 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 1: really difficult decision for me. Another one, Carlos Beltron. I 280 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 1: wrote about him last year, his first year on the ballot, 281 00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:57,320 Speaker 1: and I did not vote for him. I outlined my reasons. 282 00:14:57,320 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 1: There are a lot of pros for him. Basically, he 283 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:02,640 Speaker 1: is a Hall Famer if you ignore the sign stealing scandal. 284 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:06,120 Speaker 1: And last year I just found it really difficult to 285 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:09,840 Speaker 1: do that. I just felt, don't elect the guy in 286 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:13,080 Speaker 1: his first year after what just happened, even though it 287 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:16,440 Speaker 1: was really so late in his career and a blip 288 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:21,080 Speaker 1: in an otherwise exemplary resume. So Carlos Beltron remains a 289 00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 1: guy that I'm thinking about and not so sure about. 290 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:25,640 Speaker 1: I said this last year, and I'll say it again. 291 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 1: Just because I vote one way one year doesn't mean 292 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:31,840 Speaker 1: I'm close minded for the rest of this guy's term 293 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 1: or ten years that he will be eligible for the Hall. 294 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:38,160 Speaker 1: I review this every season. I give additional thought to it. 295 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 1: And one of the issues with Beltron for me, in 296 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:46,360 Speaker 1: a positive way, is actually I believe the Astros players 297 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 1: have been punished enough. I know a lot of fans 298 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:51,760 Speaker 1: do not agree with that, and they say that's ridiculous. 299 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:54,640 Speaker 1: They were never punished by Major League Baseball. But if 300 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 1: you look at public perception, if you look at the 301 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:59,520 Speaker 1: way the players have been treated, the ones who continued 302 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:02,520 Speaker 1: on in the game and Beltron lost his job managing 303 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:05,960 Speaker 1: with the Mets really hasn't recovered in the game of baseball. 304 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 1: I would suggest that they have been punished enough in 305 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 1: a different kind of way than Rob Manfred could have 306 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:15,120 Speaker 1: done as commissioner, So that's another tough one for me. 307 00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 1: And then Tory Hunter. Now, Tory Hunter, in my view, 308 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:20,720 Speaker 1: does not have Hall of Fame numbers, a lot of 309 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 1: gold gloves, no question about it. Pretty good counting numbers, 310 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:26,680 Speaker 1: no question about that either, but he's a little bit 311 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:30,920 Speaker 1: short for me. The problem with excluding Tory Hunter is 312 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:34,840 Speaker 1: that he is a center fielder, a position that again 313 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:39,320 Speaker 1: is underrepresented. Andrew Jones should be in. Jim Edmonds should 314 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 1: have gotten a longer look. He was another victim of 315 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:45,200 Speaker 1: the crowded ballot. Tory I don't believe is at the 316 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:48,680 Speaker 1: level of either of those guys, but he is a 317 00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:52,640 Speaker 1: guy who had a tremendous career and certainly is worthy 318 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: of being on the ballot. I don't know that I 319 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: would vote for him this year, but I would like 320 00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:59,280 Speaker 1: to see some more centerfield representation if you want to 321 00:16:59,320 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 1: throw Bernie Wall into that mix as well, another guy 322 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 1: who fell off the baut He deserved a longer look. 323 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:08,800 Speaker 1: So when I put all this together, I just continue 324 00:17:08,840 --> 00:17:11,399 Speaker 1: thinking about it, especially at this time of year, and 325 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:14,639 Speaker 1: actually at all times of every year. This is a 326 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:17,520 Speaker 1: constant discussion that I have with other baseball writers with 327 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 1: people in the game. In fact, I've called a number 328 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:23,880 Speaker 1: of people in the game this week, managers, former players, 329 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:27,640 Speaker 1: people who knew these candidates best, and ask their opinions 330 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 1: because I'm just gathering information, trying to come to my 331 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:34,199 Speaker 1: own opinion as best as I can. It is not 332 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:37,400 Speaker 1: a perfect process. We all know that, and we all 333 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:40,480 Speaker 1: know fans have strong opinions on the Hall of Fame ballot, 334 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:43,200 Speaker 1: as they should. It's part of what makes the discussion 335 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 1: so great. My view is all opinions are pretty much valid. 336 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:52,200 Speaker 1: However you feel about your ballot or fan feeling about players, 337 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:55,680 Speaker 1: that is perfectly fair game as long as you can 338 00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 1: justify it. And the problem with justifying about every single 339 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 1: year is is you can blow holes through virtually any argument. 340 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 1: And this was especially true of the steroid eary guys 341 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 1: and remains true of those players, but it's also true 342 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:13,080 Speaker 1: of others. If you say well I like this Canada 343 00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 1: for this and this reason, you can say, well what 344 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:17,960 Speaker 1: about this, this, and this? Again, that is part of 345 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 1: what makes our game so great. I will be revealing 346 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:23,480 Speaker 1: my full ballot at a later date. We'll talk about 347 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:27,800 Speaker 1: it again, but right now those are my thoughts. All right, 348 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 1: since this is the year end show, we are not 349 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 1: going to do dude and dork of the week. We 350 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:35,720 Speaker 1: are going to do Dude and Dork of the year 351 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:40,879 Speaker 1: the entire calendar year twenty twenty three. The dude should 352 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:44,520 Speaker 1: be fairly obvious. He is kind of the Taylor Swift 353 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:47,479 Speaker 1: of baseball. And I'm talking about shoe Heotani. I'm not 354 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:49,680 Speaker 1: trying to offend any of the swift he's out there. 355 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:53,080 Speaker 1: He's Joey Otani's not Taylor Swift, but in baseball he 356 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 1: is as big a deal as it gets. His year 357 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:59,200 Speaker 1: started with what I referred to earlier, his amazing performance 358 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 1: in the WBC, capped off by a strikeout of Mike 359 00:19:02,359 --> 00:19:05,600 Speaker 1: Trout in relief for the final out for Team Japan. 360 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 1: He then had his brilliant two way season once more, 361 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:13,159 Speaker 1: and actually it would have been even better had he 362 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:16,560 Speaker 1: not suffered an injury that required surgery. Regardless, he was 363 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:20,200 Speaker 1: still American League MVP. And then to cap it all off, 364 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: he signs the richest deal in baseball history, seven hundred 365 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 1: million dollars. If you account for the deferrals, it drops 366 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:30,359 Speaker 1: to about four hundred and sixty million, four hundred and 367 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:32,360 Speaker 1: twenty million, three hunred eight. However, you want to use 368 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 1: your interest rates, it's still a great deal. It might 369 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:38,399 Speaker 1: not be what some people thought he would get in 370 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:42,680 Speaker 1: terms of pure present day value, but you can even 371 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 1: say shohy is a dude for what he did with 372 00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:48,639 Speaker 1: the structure of the contract, deferring sixty eight of the 373 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:51,919 Speaker 1: seventy million dollars per season so he could help his 374 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:55,760 Speaker 1: team become even stronger. We saw this right away with 375 00:19:56,000 --> 00:20:00,440 Speaker 1: the signing of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, so Shoho Tani due to 376 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:04,040 Speaker 1: the year, pretty obvious choice. The dork of the year 377 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 1: also an obvious choice. Now, this cat was dork of 378 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:10,639 Speaker 1: the Week quite a few times. I kind of lost 379 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:13,719 Speaker 1: count after a while. But John Fisher, the owner of 380 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:16,760 Speaker 1: the Las Vegas A's or whatever they're going to be called, 381 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:19,159 Speaker 1: he is the dork of the year, and he's the 382 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:23,959 Speaker 1: dork of the year for his systematic takedown of that 383 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:28,359 Speaker 1: franchise that led to the inevitable decision to depart. And 384 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:31,000 Speaker 1: actually it might not have been inevitable if you listen 385 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:34,359 Speaker 1: to people in the Oakland City government. He simply wanted 386 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 1: to leave. Now, obviously, owners do these things. They do 387 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:41,520 Speaker 1: things that make us crazy from time to time. But this, 388 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:45,080 Speaker 1: to me was worse. There was a proud history of 389 00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:47,720 Speaker 1: the A's in Oakland. They had accomplished a lot, they 390 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:51,119 Speaker 1: had done some great things. They had become part of 391 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:53,679 Speaker 1: the fabric of the community. Now you might say, well, 392 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:56,080 Speaker 1: look at the way they were drawing. They deserve to leave, 393 00:20:56,119 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 1: they should leave. But the way they were drawing was 394 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 1: a reflection of the amount of money Fisher was investing 395 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:05,359 Speaker 1: in the team, the way the team was torn apart 396 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:07,359 Speaker 1: every time, it seemed that they were on the verge 397 00:21:07,359 --> 00:21:10,480 Speaker 1: of something special. If you go back and look at 398 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:15,320 Speaker 1: some of the teams twenty nineteen in that range, Olsen, Chapman, Simeon, 399 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:17,840 Speaker 1: you can name a number of great players who got 400 00:21:17,840 --> 00:21:21,120 Speaker 1: great contracts later. They were all part of the Oakland A's. 401 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:24,280 Speaker 1: But John Fisher, well, he's going to Vegas. And here's 402 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:26,440 Speaker 1: the other part of the reason he's dork of the Year. 403 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:29,760 Speaker 1: I am not convinced, nor are a lot of people 404 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 1: convinced that Las Vegas is going to be some kind 405 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:35,399 Speaker 1: of salvation for the Apes. In fact, there are a 406 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:37,919 Speaker 1: lot of questions about whether this team will succeed in 407 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:41,680 Speaker 1: Las Vegas, and there are questions about whether, even if 408 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:45,720 Speaker 1: this team does succeed, will Fisher then invest in the 409 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:48,600 Speaker 1: club or will he continue to carry low pay rolls. 410 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:52,280 Speaker 1: John Fisher Dork of the Year for a variety of reasons. 411 00:21:52,520 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 1: We saw the fan protest this year. They were quite 412 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:58,520 Speaker 1: a reflection of the passion of that community and it's 413 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:02,320 Speaker 1: a shame what happened, And in my opinion, it could 414 00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:05,719 Speaker 1: have been avoided had different decisions been made over the 415 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:07,800 Speaker 1: course of I don't know, the past decade or so. 416 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:10,840 Speaker 1: This team should be in the Bay Area. It should 417 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:14,760 Speaker 1: not be in Las Vegas. Time now for grilling Ken. 418 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:19,400 Speaker 1: Let's get to your questions. First, we hear from Rick 419 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:22,680 Speaker 1: Daugherty from tall guy Talks travel Well, this is small 420 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:26,480 Speaker 1: guy talking baseball. He asks, does the silence around Snell 421 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:29,119 Speaker 1: indicate that he isn't as sought after as we thought? 422 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:32,480 Speaker 1: It seems like a lot of Yamamoto teams aren't necessarily 423 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:35,960 Speaker 1: into Snell as a second option. Good question, Rick, And 424 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:38,439 Speaker 1: one thing I always kind of warned fans about is 425 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:42,720 Speaker 1: not to take excessive talk in the media or minimal 426 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:45,280 Speaker 1: talk in the media about a free agent too seriously. 427 00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 1: We rarely know exactly what is going on behind the scenes. 428 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:52,560 Speaker 1: In fact, we never know exactly what is going on 429 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:56,720 Speaker 1: behind the scenes, and for those who pretend otherwise, they're 430 00:22:56,800 --> 00:23:00,359 Speaker 1: kidding themselves. I always think as much information as we 431 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 1: try to get, we're getting like ten percent, whatever the 432 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:07,320 Speaker 1: percentage might be. So with regard to your question on Snell, 433 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:10,440 Speaker 1: he definitely has not been a front burner issue for 434 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:13,560 Speaker 1: most clubs because those clubs you just mentioned, they've been 435 00:23:13,560 --> 00:23:16,680 Speaker 1: focused on Yamamoto. But I expect now we will start 436 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:19,320 Speaker 1: to hear more about Snell. He is a two time 437 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:22,040 Speaker 1: cy Young winner for goodness sake. I know he has flaws, 438 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 1: the walks, the lack of bulk innings, et cetera, but 439 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:28,639 Speaker 1: he is someone who is extremely talented. He's going to 440 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 1: do well in free agency. As I wrote last week, 441 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:34,399 Speaker 1: it's Scott Boris season. His guys are the big guys left, 442 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:38,600 Speaker 1: and I expect Snell to command not necessarily a Yamamoto 443 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:42,280 Speaker 1: type contract, but a good one. Next question comes from 444 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 1: Drew Box. Drew asks will the White Sox ever make 445 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:49,040 Speaker 1: being a fan of their team fun again? Twenty twenty 446 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:52,080 Speaker 1: one feels like decades ago, Drew, You're absolutely right about that. 447 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:55,040 Speaker 1: It's only been two years. My goodness, and they have 448 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:58,720 Speaker 1: fallen apart, of course, they replaced their entire front office 449 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:03,280 Speaker 1: Ken Williams. Rickon hired Chris Getz as their new general manager, 450 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:07,560 Speaker 1: and really his first test will be the Dylan c situation. 451 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:11,160 Speaker 1: Dylan sees two years of control remaining in high demand. 452 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:14,320 Speaker 1: The White Sox have been waiting for Yamamoto to sign, 453 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:17,800 Speaker 1: for the decks to clear so they could trade Cease 454 00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:20,439 Speaker 1: and hopefully, in their minds, get a really good return 455 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:23,920 Speaker 1: for him. They're trying to change their culture and we're 456 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:25,720 Speaker 1: going to see that in some of their player moves. 457 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:28,000 Speaker 1: We're going to see it perhaps in the way Pedro 458 00:24:28,160 --> 00:24:31,200 Speaker 1: Rafaal handles the team in his second season. They've got 459 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:33,520 Speaker 1: a long way to go now Tim Anderson has gone. 460 00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:36,560 Speaker 1: Now there's going to be some more turnover, but I 461 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:40,320 Speaker 1: do expect gets at some point in a weak division too. 462 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:42,960 Speaker 1: As you put it, make this team more fun again. 463 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:46,600 Speaker 1: Next question from Kyle Welch. Kyle asks are the Guardians 464 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:50,240 Speaker 1: considering moving Bieber where they be interested in an expanded 465 00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:53,640 Speaker 1: deal with other players as well. Yes, the Guardians are 466 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:57,520 Speaker 1: considering moving Shane Bieber twenty twenty American League sy Young winner. 467 00:24:58,119 --> 00:25:00,480 Speaker 1: I don't know that it's going to happen. The reason 468 00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:04,560 Speaker 1: is that Bieber has lost velocity since twenty twenty, really 469 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:07,840 Speaker 1: almost every year. He's not quite the same guy. He's 470 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:10,159 Speaker 1: coming off an injury, came back at the end of 471 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:13,360 Speaker 1: the season, but that was it. So, as one executive 472 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:15,840 Speaker 1: put it to me, I'm not sure anyone is really 473 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:18,639 Speaker 1: going to be that interested in Shane Bieber at the 474 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:24,000 Speaker 1: price that the Guardian's likelihood request understandable. Now, if you 475 00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 1: package him with let's say am Manuel Classe, who has 476 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:29,880 Speaker 1: been another player that they've been discussing, then you get 477 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:33,159 Speaker 1: into a more interesting conversation and perhaps that is the 478 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:37,320 Speaker 1: way this will go. But Bieber alone, he's not Burns 479 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:39,879 Speaker 1: Corbyn Burns. He's not still unceased in terms of the 480 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:42,960 Speaker 1: quality of picture right now, only one year of control 481 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:46,840 Speaker 1: left as well, So I'm not sure if they will 482 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:50,800 Speaker 1: trade him this offseason when they can keep him and 483 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:53,159 Speaker 1: hope that he kind of gets back to more of 484 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:55,159 Speaker 1: who he was and then they can move him at 485 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:58,880 Speaker 1: the deadline. And finally, our last question comes from Jay's guru, 486 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:03,720 Speaker 1: who asked, why are you so biased against Canada? Now? Basically, 487 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:06,480 Speaker 1: fans of all thirty teams could ask me the same question, 488 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 1: why am I so biased against their team? Some have 489 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:11,480 Speaker 1: more of a beef with me than others. But this 490 00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:14,480 Speaker 1: particular question, I know where it comes from. It comes 491 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:17,240 Speaker 1: from the column I wrote after Shoheo Towani signed with 492 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:20,720 Speaker 1: the Dodgers, choosing the Dodgers over the Blue Jays. I 493 00:26:20,760 --> 00:26:23,080 Speaker 1: wrote that it was good for the sport, it was 494 00:26:23,119 --> 00:26:25,280 Speaker 1: good that he was in LA, that if he had 495 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:27,760 Speaker 1: gone to Toronto, it wouldn't have been the same impact 496 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:31,800 Speaker 1: for Major League Baseball. Now, I don't know how you 497 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:34,800 Speaker 1: can really interpret that as me being biased against Canada. 498 00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:37,520 Speaker 1: But if you want to be my guest, you guys 499 00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:40,000 Speaker 1: have your opinions. You're entitled to all of your opinions. 500 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:43,120 Speaker 1: I happen to love Canada. I love going to Canada. 501 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:47,000 Speaker 1: I have covered Gray Cups in Canada. The Baltimore Stallions 502 00:26:47,680 --> 00:26:50,159 Speaker 1: in the nineteen nineties, they won a Gray Cup and 503 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:52,920 Speaker 1: I was there in I believe it was Winnipeg, it 504 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:56,199 Speaker 1: might have been Regina. So I've been to Canada. I 505 00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:59,879 Speaker 1: love Canada. I know Canada. I'm not biased against Canada. 506 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:03,919 Speaker 1: I was just writing my opinion that day. Thanks for 507 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:07,200 Speaker 1: all of your questions. Including the one from Jay's Guru. Hey, 508 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:10,359 Speaker 1: thanks for listening all year long, Thanks for watching. You 509 00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:12,119 Speaker 1: know where to find this. You have found this, and 510 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:17,200 Speaker 1: I'm really appreciative. Apple, Spotify, YouTube like, subscribe, do whatever 511 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:20,200 Speaker 1: you want to do. We'll be back in twenty twenty four. 512 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:24,200 Speaker 1: We'll do it again. Hey, get in on the action 513 00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:27,600 Speaker 1: with the ft fam At BETMGM. New customers use the 514 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:32,400 Speaker 1: bonus code foul foul for a fifteen hundred dollars first 515 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:36,520 Speaker 1: bet offer. Download the BETMGM Sportsbook app on iOS or Android, 516 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:39,399 Speaker 1: or visit betmgm dot com. Sign up and deposit at 517 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:42,800 Speaker 1: least ten dollars into your BETMGM Sportsbook account. 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