1 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 1: What's up? Everybody? Welcome into another edition of Crush City Territory. 2 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:12,080 Speaker 1: I'm Chandler. Room joined is always by Tyler Stafford and 3 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: a very special guest, FT Senior Insider, the Athletics senior writer, 4 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: and everyone's favorite bow tie wearing sideline reporter Ken Rosenthal. Ken, 5 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: what is up? How are you? I know this is 6 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:24,440 Speaker 1: a busy time for you. You're actually about to come 7 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 1: to Houston to work the WBC. You're getting a little 8 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 1: bit of time to yourself before all the chaos starts. 9 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:34,640 Speaker 2: No, Chandler, but we don't need to go into that, 10 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 2: so we. 11 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: Wanted to add you on because this past weekend you 12 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 1: wrote what Tyler and I have been talking about for 13 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 1: a very long time, which is the Astros infield surplus 14 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 1: is untenable and you know they're going to have to 15 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: solve this somehow, and it's probably going to come in 16 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 1: the form of an estoc Paradus trade. I'm gonna guess, Ken, 17 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 1: with everything going on in baseball, you didn't wake up 18 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: three days ago and decide, you know what I'm going 19 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: to write about the Astros in field surplus today? What 20 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 1: kind of prompted you to look into this and write 21 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 1: this column. 22 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 3: Well, first of all, I read Channeler Room regularly. I 23 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 3: listened to his podcast with Tyler Stafford regularly, and I 24 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 3: knew this was an issue. And I was at Astro's 25 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 3: camp I believe it was Saturday, and the whole issue 26 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:25,520 Speaker 3: kind of crystallized for me while I was there talking 27 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:29,039 Speaker 3: to people, just seeing the team, seeing the guys, and 28 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:30,760 Speaker 3: sometimes when you're. 29 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 2: Out of place, not just talking to people, but just 30 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:35,680 Speaker 2: kind of getting the lay of the land. 31 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 3: It helps to visit a camp and understand the dynamics 32 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:40,640 Speaker 3: of what is going on with the. 33 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 2: Team in a particular time. 34 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 3: And when I go to a camp and smaning training, 35 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 3: I go to one to day generally, so to me, 36 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 3: it's what's the most interesting story of that day. This 37 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 3: is by far the most interesting compelling. 38 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 2: Thing with the Astros right now, in my opinion. 39 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 3: If I wasn't going to write a feature about Korea, 40 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 3: this was it, and I'd like to write about compelling 41 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 3: things that try to and again, this was. 42 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 2: The one thing that really jumped out at me. 43 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 1: You know, Tyler and I have tried to explain it 44 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: to people and you know, they come back with, oh, hey, 45 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 1: they can play this. Many they can play Jordon Alpha, 46 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:17,920 Speaker 1: is this many games here? They can play Eastock Parade, 47 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 1: It is this many games here. But Ken, you know, 48 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:23,640 Speaker 1: as well as anyone that covers a sport, veteran players 49 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:29,520 Speaker 1: and established players normally don't love not having a routine, 50 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: not knowing that where they're going to play the next day, 51 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:35,640 Speaker 1: not knowing a specific number of games are going to play. 52 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: If the Astros were to keep this infield configuration going 53 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:42,359 Speaker 1: into opening day, what kind of problems do you think 54 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:45,800 Speaker 1: that could create for Joe Aspada, for Dana Brown, for 55 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 1: the guys that have to manage twenty six pretty big 56 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: egos inside of a major league. 57 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 3: Clubhouse, Candler, it does create problems. And I know fans 58 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:58,919 Speaker 3: don't necessarily see this the way we do because we're 59 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 3: the ones in the clubhouse talking to people, and we 60 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 3: understand clubhouse dynamics. 61 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 2: I'm not saying we're perfect and we. 62 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 3: Have a perfect track record of reading situations, but generally, speaking, 63 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 3: as you said, when you have this kind of surplus, 64 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 3: and when you're saying, well, we'll get them all one hundred, 65 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:17,399 Speaker 3: two hundred and forty games, whatever the numbers, might be 66 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 3: easier said than done. 67 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 2: Now, the one thing they have in their favor. 68 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:24,360 Speaker 3: Here, if you want to keep all these guys is 69 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:27,360 Speaker 3: someone's probably going to get hurt, someone's going to need 70 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 3: time off their feet, whatever the case might be. 71 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 2: That's a heck of a thing to count on. 72 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 3: And when you enter a season, you want things a 73 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 3: little bit more clear cut, and right now it's hard 74 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 3: to see how they would be clear cut. And you 75 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 3: ask about the manager, Joe Spotty. 76 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 2: He's the guy that's got to deal with all this. 77 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 3: He's the guy that has to divvy out the playing 78 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 3: time and manage the egos, and it is not always 79 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 3: an easy thing to do. 80 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 2: Would it rip up the team to have this continue? 81 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 2: I don't know that it would rip up the team. 82 00:03:56,920 --> 00:04:01,839 Speaker 3: Is it an uncomfortable form of Yes, it is, and 83 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 3: everyone involved knows it. Paradis knows it, Joe Spott knows it. 84 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 2: The other infielders know it as well. 85 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 1: So Ken. 86 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 4: Watching one hundred and sixty two Astros games last season, 87 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 4: I can tell you that that lineup was a lot 88 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:20,680 Speaker 4: of guys that swung at the first and second pitch. 89 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 1: It was. 90 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 4: It was a whole lot of just swing and see 91 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 4: what happens. And Esto Parados was really the only real 92 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 4: consistent kind of that veteran presence in the lineup. You know, 93 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 4: they haven't added anybody really that you could argue is 94 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:38,039 Speaker 4: going to be able. 95 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:38,280 Speaker 1: To do that. 96 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:43,040 Speaker 4: Why is he the one that is on the trading 97 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 4: block when when he clearly provides so much value money. 98 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 3: Christian Walker is making almost twice as much over the 99 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 3: next two years as Zach Parades, and he's coming off 100 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:57,280 Speaker 3: a lesser year. I would expect Paradis has more value now. 101 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 3: Kind of an X factor here is if teams are 102 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 3: scouting the Astros and watching them this spring, and they believe, 103 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 3: like the Astros do, that Christian Walker is on the 104 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:10,719 Speaker 3: verge of a revival, maybe they would be more willing 105 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 3: to take on the money and work out an arrangement 106 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:14,159 Speaker 3: with the Astros. 107 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 2: Maybe the Astros would chip in something. I don't know 108 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:17,680 Speaker 2: that is an option. 109 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 3: I don't know that it is as attractive an option 110 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 3: for the Astros because I don't know that they would 111 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 3: get as much in return as they would for Paradis, 112 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 3: who is of course less expensive and right now has 113 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:32,719 Speaker 3: greater trade values. So he is the odd man out 114 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 3: in that sense. And he also is a guy that 115 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 3: they talk about second base with I don't know that 116 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:40,919 Speaker 3: he can really play second base and they can't shaking 117 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 3: his head. So it's third base where Karrea plays, or 118 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 3: first base where Walker plays. 119 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:48,839 Speaker 2: And there's a DH that is maybe the best DH 120 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 2: in the. 121 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:51,200 Speaker 3: Game who will play left field, but you're not going 122 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:54,040 Speaker 3: to play left field one hundred and fifty games. So 123 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 3: this is why the roster as currently constructed is ill 124 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:00,840 Speaker 3: fitting and needs to be addressed. 125 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 4: So what teams need a good third baseman, first baseman 126 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 4: who can take seven pitches in a bad who's out 127 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 4: there for the Astros to be able to float him 128 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:15,320 Speaker 4: as a trade target Tyler. 129 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 2: That's the problem. 130 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 3: It seems to be only one team right now that 131 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:22,200 Speaker 3: has that specific a need. Other teams could create an 132 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 3: opening by doing other things, of course, but the Red 133 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 3: Sox are the team they've been talking to, not lately, 134 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 3: but they've been talking to them about this whole scenario. 135 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 2: The Red Sox actually have what the Astros need, a 136 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:36,280 Speaker 2: left handed hitting outfielder. It would be most likely to 137 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:37,520 Speaker 2: Ran and not a bray you. 138 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 3: And it's so interesting that the Red Sox have the 139 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 3: exact opposite problem. The outfield surplus, the m field shortage, 140 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 3: the Astros. Of course, the infield surplus, the outfield shortage. 141 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:52,480 Speaker 3: It seems to me this is a pretty obvious match, 142 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:56,040 Speaker 3: but clearly that hasn't gotten to the finish line yet, 143 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:58,799 Speaker 3: if it's even in percolation right now. 144 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 1: Going to bring up one quote that Dana gave you 145 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:06,040 Speaker 1: for the quote for the columns who wrote uh Ken, 146 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:08,840 Speaker 1: And you know, everyone's just kind of been They don't 147 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 1: maybe they don't believe us when we say it's a thing. 148 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: But here's what Dana said. He's what Dana told you 149 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:15,240 Speaker 1: in camp this weekend. He said when I said we're 150 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 1: not done yet, it was with the vision of looking 151 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 1: for a potential left handed bat. We've also been talking 152 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 1: about a backup catcher. And not done yet is we're 153 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: still on the grind all that suffice to say, he 154 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 1: ain't trading for an infielder like they already have too 155 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:30,920 Speaker 1: many infielders. Like Dana is telling you without telling you 156 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 1: that he is still in you know, negotiations is probably 157 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:37,760 Speaker 1: a strong word, but isak Paradis remains available? And I 158 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 1: think question yeah, And I think the walker thing you 159 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: said is is pretty prevalent to this guy had an 160 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 1: eight hundred ops after the All Star Break last year. 161 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 1: Like it's not as if he's Jose a bray you 162 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 1: and unplayable. But the money will be cumbersome. How much 163 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 1: Jim Crane would want to pay down of the forty 164 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 1: million dollars remaining on his salary also pretty cumbersome. But 165 00:07:57,200 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 1: it is one of those things that again, if Christian 166 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 1: Walker shows up in Great Fruit League play he turned 167 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 1: on one hundred and one mile an hour fastball last night, 168 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 1: by the way, if he shows that he's revived, then 169 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 1: maybe he becomes a target. But yes, you're right, as 170 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:12,600 Speaker 1: of right now, Esak Paratus is the pre eminent target. 171 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 1: Before we let you go, Ken, I do want to 172 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:17,320 Speaker 1: get one thought from you on kind of the state 173 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 1: of this franchise where they are in their competitive window 174 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: that Jim Crane has said multiple times will never close 175 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 1: while he's the owner. They have a lame duck general manager. 176 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 1: They have a lame duck manager which is no uh, 177 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:33,839 Speaker 1: which is not foreign for Jim Crane, But where do 178 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 1: you kind of see the Ashers in the state of 179 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 1: their franchise, the state of the organization right now, They're in. 180 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:43,320 Speaker 3: A situation where Chandler they need to win now and 181 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 3: It doesn't have to be this year. 182 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:47,080 Speaker 2: It could be next year. But their window is shrinking now. 183 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:49,560 Speaker 3: I know Jim Crane talks about leaving an open forever, and. 184 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 2: They've done a great job of that. 185 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 3: It's ten years now of a team being really, really competitive. 186 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:58,560 Speaker 2: And a World Series champion at times. But it's an 187 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:01,240 Speaker 2: aging group. It's Altove getting older. 188 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 3: It's Korea who is not old but has different issues 189 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 3: that flare up from time to time. It's Alvarez who 190 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:11,440 Speaker 3: is somewhat limited in what he can do physically. It's 191 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 3: all of this, and it's also a farm system that 192 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:18,000 Speaker 3: is not as productive as probably they would like. 193 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:19,439 Speaker 2: And maybe it's getting better. 194 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 3: All teams think that the farm systems that they have 195 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:25,479 Speaker 3: are getting better, but again, it's not spewing out prospects 196 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 3: the way the Mets, for instance, are just churning out 197 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:31,959 Speaker 3: pitching prospects. So all of that combined would lead you 198 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:34,960 Speaker 3: to believe that, yes, they need to act with some 199 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:38,680 Speaker 3: urgency with the way they construct their team, and they 200 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 3: have for the most part. They've done some things this 201 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:43,840 Speaker 3: offseason and I kind of liked in my Burrows trade 202 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 3: was good in my opinion, but they kind of have 203 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 3: to keep going, and again the parade is scenario. The 204 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:53,679 Speaker 3: trade scenario fits into what we're talking about here. You 205 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 3: got to get that left handed hitting outfielder because their 206 00:09:56,080 --> 00:10:00,160 Speaker 3: outfield is so thin right now. And if you do 207 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:02,440 Speaker 3: do that, then the team looks a lot better to me, 208 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 3: particularly if the infield thing is resolved. 209 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:11,200 Speaker 4: We're three weeks away, Kennon real quick, When does when 210 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:12,959 Speaker 4: does this have to happen? Do they do they need 211 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 4: to do it in the next couple of days? Is 212 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 4: this something that you can do the day before opening day? 213 00:10:18,120 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 3: Like? 214 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:20,040 Speaker 4: When when do you have to make a decision on 215 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 4: something like this? 216 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 5: You can do it at anytime, And in one sense, 217 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:28,880 Speaker 5: perhaps time is on their side because someone at third 218 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:32,040 Speaker 5: base or first base in some camp somewhere is going 219 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 5: to get hurt. 220 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 3: It's kind of inevitable in our sport. 221 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:36,800 Speaker 2: I hate to say it, but that's the reality. 222 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:41,079 Speaker 3: You would expect that if it's not an injury, maybe 223 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:43,440 Speaker 3: it's a guy that you don't think is going to 224 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:44,959 Speaker 3: be as good as you maybe you thought he was 225 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 3: going to be, So there is time, I would say 226 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:48,560 Speaker 3: before opening day. 227 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:50,559 Speaker 2: It's certainly the better, but it. 228 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 3: Doesn't have to happen until really opening day, and even 229 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:57,080 Speaker 3: then you can carry this scenario into the season see 230 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 3: how it goes. 231 00:10:58,160 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 2: But at some point it seems to me. 232 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:02,960 Speaker 1: It will have to be addressed twenty two days away 233 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:05,200 Speaker 1: from opening day. So maybe in the next twenty two 234 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:07,640 Speaker 1: days we'll have a resolution here. Ken, I know you've 235 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:10,199 Speaker 1: got to get to a numerous other appearances and you've 236 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 1: got a pack for Houston for the WBC. Thank you 237 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:14,480 Speaker 1: so much for joining us. We really appreciate it. 238 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:15,559 Speaker 2: Thanks guys. 239 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:21,880 Speaker 1: All Right, as we said, Ken will be in Houston 240 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 1: for the WBC, which begins on Monday. Well, no, it 241 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:28,000 Speaker 1: doesn't begin on Monday. I'm a dummy. We're recording this. 242 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 1: When what day is today? Today's Wednesday? 243 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 4: The four Today's coming up pretty quick. 244 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:36,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, it begins on Friday from dyk In Park. We'll 245 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:44,439 Speaker 1: be with Italy, Great Britain, Brazil, Mexico and Team USA. Tyler. 246 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:47,800 Speaker 1: We haven't really talked much about like the actual pool 247 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 1: that's gonna happen at dyke In Park, but Team USA 248 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:57,080 Speaker 1: is loaded. I don't think I don't think Team USA 249 00:11:57,120 --> 00:11:59,960 Speaker 1: will have a problem getting through this pool, especially when 250 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 1: they're going to throw Treek School in the first game. 251 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:05,760 Speaker 1: Paul Skeens is going to pitch. Logan Webb's going to pitch. 252 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 1: I believe I question their pitching going forward in the 253 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 1: in the tournament, but as far as what they're going 254 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:13,800 Speaker 1: to run out there. 255 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:17,800 Speaker 4: And who cares look at that lineup that the lineup 256 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 4: is silly. I mean, yeah, they're they are going to 257 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:27,560 Speaker 4: destroy at least this initial pool. Uh, and then you 258 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 4: know who knows from there. But look, they got Aggie 259 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:34,040 Speaker 4: legend Michael Waka on the team, so it should be fine. 260 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:35,719 Speaker 4: They'll be good to go. 261 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, and just remember, all of our World Baseball Classic 262 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 1: coverage is brought to you by our friends at Fox one, 263 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:43,720 Speaker 1: which is live. You can stream all your Fox favorites 264 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:47,200 Speaker 1: together in one place, including WBC games over the next 265 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:49,280 Speaker 1: few weeks, and after that the best MLB action all 266 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:52,120 Speaker 1: season long. Like we said, Ken Rosenthal will be in 267 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 1: Houston for Pool, will be doing sideline work for Fox. A. J. 268 00:12:57,400 --> 00:13:00,400 Speaker 1: Przinski of Foul Territory Fame will also be in the 269 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:06,200 Speaker 1: booth as the analyst in Houston for that. I think 270 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:09,440 Speaker 1: the game that I'm probably looking forward to most is 271 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 1: one of the last ones. It's it's Team USA in Mexico. Again. 272 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:15,440 Speaker 1: This is Team USA's pool to lose. But if they're 273 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:18,320 Speaker 1: going to have any stiff competition, if they're going to 274 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:21,440 Speaker 1: be pushed by any team, I'd probably say it's Mexico 275 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 1: with Randy Rosearno, with Jonathan Ronda, with Alejandrosna. They've got 276 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:27,560 Speaker 1: some established names on that Mexican team. 277 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's gonna be very fun. And then, like you said, 278 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:35,720 Speaker 4: you know, the the quarterfinals, you can kind of start 279 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:38,040 Speaker 4: looking at that that that is probably going to be 280 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 4: a USA Puerto Rico matchup, which is gonna be really fun. 281 00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 4: Bragman's going to be back in taking Park. That's gonna 282 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:48,200 Speaker 4: be fun. How soon do you think he pokes a 283 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:51,240 Speaker 4: three hundred and forty foot homer into the Crawford boxes. 284 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:54,280 Speaker 1: Well, East Soak Paratus isn't playing for Team Mexico like you, 285 00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:56,439 Speaker 1: so it would have been it would have been a 286 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 1: showdown of who could get who would hit the first 287 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:02,680 Speaker 1: row of bleachers to the Crawford boxes first, either Bregman 288 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 1: or parades I Bregman and a homer. Yesterday he homer 289 00:14:07,559 --> 00:14:11,320 Speaker 1: in their exit. They destroyed the Giants in their exhibition. Yesterday, 290 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:15,880 Speaker 1: the Astros beat tam Venezuela in their exhibition yesterday. Joseel 291 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:17,880 Speaker 1: two ve got to take out the lineup card before 292 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:21,280 Speaker 1: doing his little thing where he sits like on the 293 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:25,400 Speaker 1: dugout steps and watches what's going on. But uh yeah, 294 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:28,520 Speaker 1: WBC will be fun at dyke In Park. Team USA's 295 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 1: first game, I know that's kind of what everyone is 296 00:14:31,480 --> 00:14:33,800 Speaker 1: is kind of worried about. Team USA's first game is 297 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:38,080 Speaker 1: at seven pm Central Time on Friday. It will be 298 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 1: against Brazil. So Team USA against Brazil Friday at seven 299 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 1: pm at dyke And Park. And as always, you can 300 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 1: stream it on Fox one. From WBC through the World 301 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 1: Series to the World Cup, to NASCAR and IndyCar. With 302 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 1: Fox one, you get it all live. Start your seven 303 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 1: day free trial today. Offers are subject to change. Download 304 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:03,040 Speaker 1: five Fox one today and stream the World Baseball Classic 305 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 1: live March sixth through the fourteenth. Go to foxwe dot 306 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 1: com for complete terms and conditions. Fox one streaming now, 307 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:14,160 Speaker 1: and if you're watching on YouTube, you should have seen 308 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:17,000 Speaker 1: by now the QR codes that you can scan can 309 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 1: get you onto Fox one so you can start streaming 310 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 1: and you can get the WBC coming directly to you. Tyler, 311 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:26,440 Speaker 1: anything that King did, was there anything that Ken said? 312 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 1: Earlier that I don't want to say surprised you, but 313 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:32,240 Speaker 1: took you major raise your eyebrowers kind of what we've 314 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 1: been reiterating now for you know, two months. 315 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:37,280 Speaker 4: Yeah, And I mean I think the biggest thing is 316 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 4: we've tried to shoehorn other teams in as as options, 317 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 4: and it was it was interesting for Ken to say, like, no, 318 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:48,880 Speaker 4: there's just there's just one. It's the Red Sox are 319 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:50,720 Speaker 4: the only ones that really make sense right now. Like 320 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:54,120 Speaker 4: you said, you know, you can have injuries happen, or 321 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 4: you could have other trades happen where things could come up, 322 00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:00,520 Speaker 4: but sure looks like the Red Sox and the Astros 323 00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:02,680 Speaker 4: are about the only fit here, and it's just a 324 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:06,280 Speaker 4: matter of figuring out what that's going to look like. 325 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:07,800 Speaker 1: You know. 326 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:10,400 Speaker 4: Maybe maybe they're still trying to find a way to 327 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 4: have it be walker instead of parades, but it's certainly 328 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:18,880 Speaker 4: certainly is shaping up to be a and Astros and 329 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:23,640 Speaker 4: Red Sox trade. And uh, you know, the Astros and 330 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 4: Red Sox have traded a third baseman before in their 331 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:30,560 Speaker 4: history and it went pretty well for the Astros with 332 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:34,080 Speaker 4: with Jeff Bagwell, so maybe maybe they'll repeat this. 333 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:38,840 Speaker 1: That's a that's that's wishful thinking from you. I will 334 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:39,520 Speaker 1: say this is. 335 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:42,320 Speaker 4: Just a quick little Jeff Bagwell trade and then we'll 336 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 4: start the season. 337 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:47,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'll say this, And I want to again be clear, 338 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:50,920 Speaker 1: this is just me speculating, This is me thinking out loud. 339 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 1: I wouldn't say that the Pirates are like completely like 340 00:16:55,400 --> 00:16:57,880 Speaker 1: they could still use Esoc Paradus like I think they're 341 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 1: playing Jered Triolo at third base. You know, they them 342 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:04,200 Speaker 1: signing Marcelo Zuna just means that they have a DH 343 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:07,720 Speaker 1: like they still they still could upgrade. That is still 344 00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 1: an upgrade possibility. Now, I don't know that the Pirates 345 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 1: have maybe what the Ashers want in terms of, you know, 346 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:16,800 Speaker 1: left handed hitting outfielder, in terms like That's the thing 347 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:19,480 Speaker 1: that's going to be difficult is the Ashers want something 348 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:23,600 Speaker 1: so specific they want to round out their outfield that 349 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 1: it's gonna curtail the number of teams that could possibly 350 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:31,000 Speaker 1: even make this package. So you say that the Pirates, 351 00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm saying that the Pirates have made since 352 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:35,760 Speaker 1: they have talked to the Pirates about destock Paradus earlier 353 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:38,760 Speaker 1: in this offseason. But I'm just not sure that the 354 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 1: package is there to get that done. I'd also, again, 355 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:47,520 Speaker 1: this is speculation, this is not reporting. I'd keep an 356 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 1: eye on the Orioles for no other reason than you know, 357 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:55,119 Speaker 1: Jordan Westberg's got a UCL thing and his elbow that 358 00:17:55,119 --> 00:17:58,320 Speaker 1: they're going to try to do PRPs with, but you 359 00:17:58,359 --> 00:18:00,720 Speaker 1: know how that usually goes. There's no real timetable for 360 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 1: his return. Jackson Holliday is going to start the year 361 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:04,960 Speaker 1: on the IL because he's I think he had a 362 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:06,840 Speaker 1: handmate bone. So they don't have a second baseman, they 363 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:09,080 Speaker 1: don't have a third basement. The one thing the Orioles 364 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:11,080 Speaker 1: do have is they have a ton of young kids. 365 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:13,440 Speaker 1: They have Kobe Meyo that they can put at third base. 366 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 1: They've got a lot of guys in their farm system that, 367 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:18,919 Speaker 1: like their farm system is very good. I think the 368 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:21,639 Speaker 1: thing you look at with the Orioles is two things. 369 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 1: One like under the same auspice that Ken talked about, 370 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:28,479 Speaker 1: you know, the Ashers have to win this year. Like 371 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:32,200 Speaker 1: they've got a GM that's not under contract like beyond 372 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:34,680 Speaker 1: next season. They got him, Like the Orioles are kind 373 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:37,199 Speaker 1: of in the same boat. Michaelias got an extension, so 374 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:40,160 Speaker 1: I don't think he's in any danger. But last year 375 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 1: was was rough. It was a rough look for Mike, 376 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:44,439 Speaker 1: It was a rough look for that whole kind of 377 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:47,640 Speaker 1: front office. They have a new ownership group, they haven't 378 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: won a playoff game in a very, very long time. 379 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 1: They have to rebound. And you saw what they did 380 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:56,920 Speaker 1: this offseason, the aggression that they had signing Pete Alonzo, 381 00:18:57,760 --> 00:18:59,840 Speaker 1: going out and spending the kind of money that they 382 00:18:59,880 --> 00:19:02,800 Speaker 1: now really spend. It kind of shows you how aggressive 383 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:05,159 Speaker 1: they have to be, how aggressive they will be this season. 384 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:09,920 Speaker 1: I wonder, and again speculation, I wonder if as Ken 385 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:13,920 Speaker 1: sort of alluded to, if the Orioles get through Greape 386 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:16,439 Speaker 1: Fruit League play and they look at Kobe Mayo and 387 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:18,120 Speaker 1: they look at some of the young guys that they're 388 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 1: going to start the year with and maybe they're not 389 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 1: producing or they're not at the point where they feel 390 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:27,160 Speaker 1: comfortable rolling with them in the opening day. Do they 391 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 1: emerge as a sensible place to trade And you start 392 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:35,880 Speaker 1: to look at their roster and like I said, they've 393 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:38,040 Speaker 1: got a ton of young guys. They've got a ton 394 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:40,720 Speaker 1: of young prospects that have that have you know, hit 395 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 1: that have been very good. There's one guy that's interesting 396 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:47,119 Speaker 1: to me, and that doesn't really have a path on 397 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:50,760 Speaker 1: their team to every day at bats for the money 398 00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:54,760 Speaker 1: that they're paying him. And it's Tyler O'Neill. He's he's 399 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:56,640 Speaker 1: not a left handed hitter, he's a right handed hitter. 400 00:19:56,880 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 1: But he's on a three year, forty nine and a 401 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:01,639 Speaker 1: half million dollar This is a guy that has a 402 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 1: career one p fifteen ops plus. He's got a career 403 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:10,240 Speaker 1: four to seventy ish slugging percentage. They have freed enough 404 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:14,360 Speaker 1: money now that they feel okay taking on a bigger 405 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 1: contract in return for paradus. Again, this is me just 406 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:21,760 Speaker 1: talking out loud, but I wonder if the Orioles were 407 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:27,200 Speaker 1: to become legitimate suitors here. You look at Tyler O'Neal, 408 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:29,919 Speaker 1: and that's maybe that's what they're they're looking for. As 409 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:31,880 Speaker 1: we've talked about, they're looking for an adult. They're looking 410 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:34,440 Speaker 1: for an adult to come help them play the act, 411 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:36,719 Speaker 1: to come help shore up their outfield. I think they 412 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:38,639 Speaker 1: could do a lot worse than Tyler O'Neill if the 413 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:40,520 Speaker 1: Orioles emerge kind of as a target. 414 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:43,280 Speaker 4: Yeah, I have to be more than Tyler O'Neill, but 415 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:46,399 Speaker 4: well we'll figure that out at some point you know 416 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:49,560 Speaker 4: who will be in dyk In Park playing outfield for 417 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:57,240 Speaker 4: Team Mexico pretty soon is one Jared Duran, So make 418 00:20:57,359 --> 00:21:00,399 Speaker 4: make that a quick little flight for him. You can 419 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:02,160 Speaker 4: just work that out. 420 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:05,000 Speaker 1: I also like maybe we should have asked Ken about this, 421 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:08,240 Speaker 1: but like it's weird, like what if Like what if 422 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 1: like all of a sudden, like the trade talks pick 423 00:21:10,640 --> 00:21:13,280 Speaker 1: up like in the next two days, like and they 424 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:16,560 Speaker 1: make this trade while like guys are at the WBC, like, 425 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:18,720 Speaker 1: are they gonna pause trade talks right now because like 426 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:22,640 Speaker 1: Jared Duran's like not in Red Sox camp and it's 427 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: not even just Duran, Like it'd be really hard to 428 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:28,440 Speaker 1: trade someone right now if like they're with their national team, 429 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:30,960 Speaker 1: if they're not in camp, if they're not around, Like 430 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:33,720 Speaker 1: I don't know that that'd be good form, but it's 431 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:36,119 Speaker 1: something I thought about, like pretty recently, when I was like, 432 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:39,200 Speaker 1: you know, like if because the way these trades work, 433 00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:41,520 Speaker 1: like it takes one phone call to accelerate things, It 434 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:44,360 Speaker 1: takes one phone call and things are hot again. And 435 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:47,119 Speaker 1: if that one phone call comes in like five days 436 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:50,960 Speaker 1: when Jared Duran's playing for Team Mexico or another trade 437 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:54,000 Speaker 1: target is playing for another country in the WBC, it'd 438 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:56,440 Speaker 1: be interesting, be interesting to trade somebody while they're gone. 439 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean you get traded in the miners, you 440 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:03,840 Speaker 4: traded on the road. Things happen. I feel like I 441 00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:06,520 Speaker 4: feel like people understand it for the most part. 442 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:13,879 Speaker 1: I don't know. Yeah, it's we'll see. Well. I think 443 00:22:14,240 --> 00:22:16,239 Speaker 1: I think one thing Ken said that is right, like 444 00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:21,119 Speaker 1: there is no rush to get this done. I just 445 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:24,719 Speaker 1: think they have such a high price on Paradus, they 446 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:27,159 Speaker 1: have such a high value of him, as they should, 447 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:29,800 Speaker 1: that they're not going to take They're not going to 448 00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 1: take less than what they deem he's worth. So and 449 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:36,000 Speaker 1: Ken is right, And as we have said, they can 450 00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:39,680 Speaker 1: carry this into opening day like this can this can 451 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:44,479 Speaker 1: be feasible, like for the first couple weeks of the season. 452 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:47,040 Speaker 1: But again, this is this is not going to hold 453 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:49,159 Speaker 1: up across one hundred and sixty two games. This is 454 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:51,439 Speaker 1: not going to hold up across a six seven month season. 455 00:22:53,320 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 1: Maybe the urgency isn't there right now to get it done, 456 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 1: but at some point it will be. But they've kicked 457 00:22:57,520 --> 00:22:59,600 Speaker 1: the can down the road so many different times. Like 458 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:02,480 Speaker 1: we've been talking about this since August when they reacquired 459 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:04,760 Speaker 1: Carlo's Korea. This was always going to come home to roost, 460 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:07,760 Speaker 1: and the road's getting short for them to kick the 461 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:08,280 Speaker 1: can down. 462 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:15,400 Speaker 4: Chandler, you've got a nice new haircut. Actually, Alicia commented 463 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:20,280 Speaker 4: on it yesterday watching our show, Thank you, Big Big Fan. 464 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:30,320 Speaker 4: Any other haircut news in your life? No, not really, Yeah, 465 00:23:30,359 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 4: I loved that story, man, it was so real quick. Look, 466 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 4: I'm gonna hype Chandler. Chandler is a very good writer. 467 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:41,399 Speaker 4: I really enjoy your writing. And I want to read 468 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:45,919 Speaker 4: just the second paragraph from your story about Xavier NaNs. 469 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:48,080 Speaker 4: It's really good. It's on the Athletic. Everybody should go 470 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:53,560 Speaker 4: read it. I love when people can write about baseball 471 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:58,719 Speaker 4: and it can be like flowery and read like a novel. 472 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:03,080 Speaker 4: And this is the second paragraph of a story about, 473 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:07,919 Speaker 4: you know, an Astros prospect cutting hair. But I think 474 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:10,760 Speaker 4: Chandler does such a good job writing this. So he says, 475 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:16,399 Speaker 4: the seafood restaurant below Nine's's balcony is bustling, but the 476 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:19,399 Speaker 4: sun has already set scrapping plans to set up on 477 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:23,520 Speaker 4: the patio. NION's improvises. He removes a lamp from one 478 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:27,280 Speaker 4: of the apartments in tables brings the barstool shaped piece 479 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:30,159 Speaker 4: of furniture into the bathroom and invites a client to 480 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:34,120 Speaker 4: sit a comb. A pair of scissors and clippers sit 481 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:37,119 Speaker 4: near the sink. The clippers cost one hundred dollars and 482 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:40,200 Speaker 4: came with a barber's cape, but Ninon's lost it while 483 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:43,680 Speaker 4: moving into his spring training apartment. I love that, man. 484 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:45,520 Speaker 4: I really enjoy your writing. 485 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:46,040 Speaker 1: I know I. 486 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:49,760 Speaker 4: Say that to you, but I really loved this story. 487 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 4: It was it was very fun walk us through how 488 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:55,600 Speaker 4: this came to be and what it was like writing this. 489 00:24:56,720 --> 00:25:00,159 Speaker 1: You're checks in the mail. First of all, Look, this 490 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:04,560 Speaker 1: job takes you to some interesting places. I've been. I've 491 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:07,800 Speaker 1: been to all thirty two I've been all thirty ballparks. 492 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:09,880 Speaker 1: I've been to a couple more that don't they don't 493 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:12,880 Speaker 1: play in anymore. I've been to Mexico to cover a game. 494 00:25:13,640 --> 00:25:15,880 Speaker 1: I've been. I've been a lot of places. I never 495 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:18,159 Speaker 1: really thought i'd be in a I'd be in a 496 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:22,160 Speaker 1: small bathroom of an apartment filming one guy cutting another 497 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 1: guy's hair, But there I was. It's always funny like 498 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:29,679 Speaker 1: young reporters and young journalists that are trying to get 499 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:31,920 Speaker 1: into the industry. They often ask me like, how do 500 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:34,520 Speaker 1: you come up with story ideas? How do you generate 501 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:36,960 Speaker 1: this stuff? Like I'm here to tell you that literally, 502 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 1: this one was me just sitting on Instagram Xavier Nions, 503 00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 1: who if you haven't read the story, it's on the 504 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:46,119 Speaker 1: Athletic and Tyler was just so kind to read a 505 00:25:46,119 --> 00:25:49,800 Speaker 1: little excerpt from it. But essentially, Xavier Nions is the 506 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:54,440 Speaker 1: astros you know by ranking. He may not be their 507 00:25:54,480 --> 00:25:56,720 Speaker 1: best prospect, he is their best prospect. He is there. 508 00:25:56,760 --> 00:25:59,879 Speaker 1: He is the prospect that is kind of giving hope 509 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:02,680 Speaker 1: to be the next kind of face of this farm 510 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:07,800 Speaker 1: system that needs rejuvenation. But one day, like in the 511 00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:10,000 Speaker 1: off season, I think I was I fought. I mean 512 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 1: kind of what you do when these guys get drafted, 513 00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:14,960 Speaker 1: When these guys come into the organization, you follow their 514 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:19,240 Speaker 1: their social media channels for many reasons, but just to 515 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:21,160 Speaker 1: you know, have them and kind of see what they're 516 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:22,960 Speaker 1: up to it. And in the off season I kept 517 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:25,720 Speaker 1: seeing that he would be Like when I would be 518 00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:28,480 Speaker 1: clicking through Instagram stories, I just kept seeing that he 519 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:32,879 Speaker 1: would have his haircut side Instagram like and he'd be 520 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 1: sharing it and I kind of started to look at 521 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:37,159 Speaker 1: it and I was like, oh, like, is this is 522 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:39,359 Speaker 1: this dude just messing around? Like is this like a 523 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:42,680 Speaker 1: is this a bit or is But as like more 524 00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:45,960 Speaker 1: guys and more different kind of heads of hair kept 525 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:48,119 Speaker 1: showing up, I realized, like, all right, he's not just 526 00:26:48,119 --> 00:26:51,080 Speaker 1: cutting one guy's hair. He's not just cutting like the 527 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:53,119 Speaker 1: same two or three guys. Like there's a lot of 528 00:26:53,160 --> 00:26:55,400 Speaker 1: different style. There's a lot of different things. I saw 529 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:58,200 Speaker 1: him he did a couple at home in Mount Vernon, Washington. 530 00:26:58,640 --> 00:27:00,120 Speaker 1: I was like, yeah, I want to look into this 531 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:03,920 Speaker 1: like this and to be fully transparent to like this 532 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:05,680 Speaker 1: is the time of year to do this story right, 533 00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:08,640 Speaker 1: Like there's nothing going on unless they trade Eesock Paradus 534 00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:12,040 Speaker 1: in the next four days. Like there's nothing going on. 535 00:27:12,119 --> 00:27:15,080 Speaker 1: Like I could sit here and wax poetic to you 536 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:18,679 Speaker 1: about how they're drawing walks and grape Fruit League games. 537 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 1: I could be breaking down like swing adjustments from an 538 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:26,119 Speaker 1: NRI in camp, Like I don't think that's what you 539 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:28,959 Speaker 1: guys want. I think this is this is the perfect 540 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:31,160 Speaker 1: time to do kind of these off the wall stories. 541 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:33,880 Speaker 1: And I mean it was honestly like I reached out 542 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:37,800 Speaker 1: to I reached out to Xavier Nine's his agent was like, look, man, 543 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:40,399 Speaker 1: would he be would he be game for this? And 544 00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:42,400 Speaker 1: after about a day he was like, yeah, man, let's 545 00:27:42,480 --> 00:27:45,480 Speaker 1: do it. And I was very upfront and said, you know, 546 00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:47,480 Speaker 1: I don't want to do like a phone interview for 547 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 1: five minutes because I don't think that's the I don't 548 00:27:49,560 --> 00:27:52,320 Speaker 1: think that's the genesis of this. Like, if I'm going 549 00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:55,040 Speaker 1: to be in Florida, I might as well go and 550 00:27:55,119 --> 00:27:59,680 Speaker 1: watch him cut hair. And Xavier was very nice enough 551 00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:02,399 Speaker 1: to me to his apartment, his spring training apartment, and 552 00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:04,680 Speaker 1: it's in Jupiter. It's not in West Palm. Jupiter is 553 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:07,919 Speaker 1: about twenty minutes away. But he had like six of 554 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:10,000 Speaker 1: his teammates come over. They were gonna go eat dinner 555 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:12,000 Speaker 1: that night. But he was like, yeah, I'll cut, I'll 556 00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:14,960 Speaker 1: cut Chase call who's like his who's another prospect in 557 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:18,640 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty five draft class. But Xavier calls him 558 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:21,480 Speaker 1: his his test dummy. He's the guy that tests all 559 00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:24,119 Speaker 1: the cuts on. So yeah, Like they went in the 560 00:28:24,119 --> 00:28:28,439 Speaker 1: bathroom and it was it was something, it was something 561 00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:31,880 Speaker 1: to watch. I did like I was filming it because 562 00:28:31,880 --> 00:28:33,359 Speaker 1: we have a big push to video right now in 563 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:36,200 Speaker 1: the athletic there's a video package with the story. 564 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:39,760 Speaker 4: So I loved the voiceover work that you did on 565 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:42,160 Speaker 4: that too, And my favorite part of the video is 566 00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:45,800 Speaker 4: him showing you these like clippers and he's like, and 567 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:49,200 Speaker 4: I spent a lot. I spent seventy five dollars on 568 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:51,640 Speaker 4: these clippers. And then in your story, like the next 569 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:55,440 Speaker 4: sentence is he signed for four point one two million dollars, 570 00:28:56,120 --> 00:28:59,200 Speaker 4: But I I can relate to that seventy five dollars 571 00:28:59,200 --> 00:28:59,959 Speaker 4: for clippers is a lot. 572 00:29:01,560 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 1: I think the thing that like really drew me to 573 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:06,080 Speaker 1: the story first and foremost is like what you just said, 574 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:09,280 Speaker 1: like this kid's nineteen years old, Like it'd be one 575 00:29:09,320 --> 00:29:11,720 Speaker 1: thing if this was like a college kid that had 576 00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:14,440 Speaker 1: been through college was like twenty three, twenty four, like 577 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:18,280 Speaker 1: pretty mature, like Xavier Nine's is like growing up like 578 00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 1: he's still and there's a certain like vulnerability. You have 579 00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 1: to have to be nineteen years old and open yourself 580 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:28,000 Speaker 1: up to be like, hey, like you guys need a haircut, 581 00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:30,200 Speaker 1: Like I'll cut your hair, But there also has to 582 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:33,120 Speaker 1: be like a supreme level of confidence inside of you 583 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:35,480 Speaker 1: to also do that, Like at the same time, you 584 00:29:35,520 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 1: have to be vulnerable and you have to be confident 585 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:42,000 Speaker 1: to do both of these things. And it's weird calling 586 00:29:42,040 --> 00:29:45,600 Speaker 1: him Xavier because everyone calls him x but x is. 587 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:48,640 Speaker 1: I don't want to be hyperbolic here. I spent two 588 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:50,800 Speaker 1: hours with him, so I'm not going to claim to 589 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:53,000 Speaker 1: know him any better now than I did before then. 590 00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:57,440 Speaker 1: But there's something about him like he's got a charisma, 591 00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:02,480 Speaker 1: he's got a presence, and he next factor if you will, Yes, 592 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:06,560 Speaker 1: he's got to perform right. The Astros have a long 593 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:09,720 Speaker 1: long list, too long for their liking of guys that 594 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:11,480 Speaker 1: they have paid a lot of money in the draft too, 595 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:15,360 Speaker 1: that have not panned out. First and foremost, Xavier NaNs 596 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:18,080 Speaker 1: has to pan out on the field. He had his 597 00:30:18,360 --> 00:30:21,400 Speaker 1: seventy power, has to translate, you know, he has. They 598 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:23,320 Speaker 1: have to see if he can handle third base moving 599 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:26,480 Speaker 1: over from shortstop. This kid, I want to underscore, and 600 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:28,120 Speaker 1: I underscored it in the story for a reason. This 601 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:31,600 Speaker 1: kid has not played in an affiliated game yet. It 602 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:33,680 Speaker 1: was part of his ramp up last year that they 603 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:35,600 Speaker 1: didn't want to put him in an affiliated game. They 604 00:30:35,640 --> 00:30:39,600 Speaker 1: wanted to, you know, because he's coming from Washington, because 605 00:30:39,600 --> 00:30:41,600 Speaker 1: he's coming from high schools. They wanted to, you know, 606 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:45,880 Speaker 1: slow play him a little bit, So certainly don't want 607 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:48,080 Speaker 1: to hype him up, hype up a guy like that 608 00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:51,600 Speaker 1: that has never appeared in an affiliated game, but just 609 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:54,400 Speaker 1: being around him and seeing the way he interacted with 610 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:57,720 Speaker 1: his teammates, seeing the way he is very confident in himself, 611 00:30:57,760 --> 00:31:01,560 Speaker 1: seeing the way he carries himself he performs, and if 612 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:05,000 Speaker 1: he lives up to the standard and the hope that 613 00:31:05,040 --> 00:31:09,760 Speaker 1: the Ashers hope he has, you're looking at like potential 614 00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 1: star just in terms of like off the field, because 615 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:16,480 Speaker 1: there's a certain charisma and a certain kind of aura 616 00:31:16,520 --> 00:31:19,000 Speaker 1: about him that I don't know that many nineteen year 617 00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:20,479 Speaker 1: olds have. Yeah. 618 00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:23,920 Speaker 4: Uh, and we know he takes good cuts, so you 619 00:31:23,960 --> 00:31:25,800 Speaker 4: know we got that going for us too. 620 00:31:27,520 --> 00:31:31,040 Speaker 1: It's hilarious. Like the whole thing was so funny, Like 621 00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:33,080 Speaker 1: I mean's he's doing these cuts and like I even 622 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:34,760 Speaker 1: wrote it the story a little bit, like he's like 623 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:37,680 Speaker 1: he's doing one side of Chase's head and he's like 624 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:40,840 Speaker 1: he goes, oh, this is the side I fed up 625 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:43,560 Speaker 1: last time, And like I'm sitting there looking at Chase 626 00:31:43,840 --> 00:31:46,360 Speaker 1: like I'm like, why are you letting him? Like Chase 627 00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:49,240 Speaker 1: call is like he was a senior sign from uc Irvine, 628 00:31:49,320 --> 00:31:52,160 Speaker 1: Like he's like twenty four years old. I'm like, why 629 00:31:52,200 --> 00:31:55,000 Speaker 1: are you letting him do this? Like and he's like, 630 00:31:55,080 --> 00:31:56,680 Speaker 1: I got no one to impress down here, might as 631 00:31:56,680 --> 00:31:59,400 Speaker 1: well let him do it. And like he's like like 632 00:31:59,440 --> 00:32:02,800 Speaker 1: they're having like conversations about like spring training and baseball. 633 00:32:02,840 --> 00:32:05,200 Speaker 1: They're asking like a lot of like the haircut was 634 00:32:05,240 --> 00:32:08,000 Speaker 1: them asking me like about the major league team, like, oh, 635 00:32:08,040 --> 00:32:11,400 Speaker 1: what's Korea? Like what's what's what was fromber like to 636 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:13,280 Speaker 1: talk to like and all this stuff. But like every 637 00:32:13,280 --> 00:32:15,120 Speaker 1: now and then X would just kind of be like, oh, 638 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:17,000 Speaker 1: hold on, I want to try this thing I learned. 639 00:32:17,280 --> 00:32:19,720 Speaker 1: I would like go with the combe and like be 640 00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:22,960 Speaker 1: evening out the edges and stuff. And he really does 641 00:32:23,080 --> 00:32:27,080 Speaker 1: like he's got no formal training. He's just watching, you know, 642 00:32:27,200 --> 00:32:31,560 Speaker 1: Instagram reels, He's watching tiktoks. He even said that he 643 00:32:31,600 --> 00:32:35,080 Speaker 1: will do some cuts where like he is literally watching 644 00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:38,040 Speaker 1: a TikTok reel while he is cutting hair to make 645 00:32:38,080 --> 00:32:41,080 Speaker 1: sure he is doing it right. It was a fun story, 646 00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:44,320 Speaker 1: Like I don't say that a lot. I know many 647 00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:46,680 Speaker 1: people listening are shocked, Like I don't say I don't 648 00:32:46,680 --> 00:32:49,080 Speaker 1: say a lot that, Like it's fun to write something 649 00:32:49,160 --> 00:32:51,400 Speaker 1: or it's fun to like this was a fun story. Yeah, 650 00:32:51,440 --> 00:32:53,600 Speaker 1: I'm happy I did it. It was one that like 651 00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:56,360 Speaker 1: I identified, like pretty early in the winter, I was like, 652 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:58,080 Speaker 1: I want to try to do this in spring training, 653 00:32:58,240 --> 00:33:01,160 Speaker 1: and I thought it turned out okay. I thought the 654 00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:05,280 Speaker 1: video people shout out to Lauren with the athletic shout 655 00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:08,120 Speaker 1: out to Jane like they were incredible. Like I sent 656 00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:11,360 Speaker 1: them like so much bad b roll that I filmed 657 00:33:11,360 --> 00:33:13,920 Speaker 1: on my iPhone and they made it look that good. 658 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:17,080 Speaker 1: Shout out to them. I think the video is awesome too, But. 659 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:20,160 Speaker 4: Yeah, it did he offer to cut your hair? 660 00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 1: He did? He did, and it was I'm good you. 661 00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:28,200 Speaker 4: Didn't trust him. You see all these other people doing 662 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:29,760 Speaker 4: it and you you couldn't go for it. 663 00:33:29,960 --> 00:33:33,880 Speaker 1: Well it was interesting. So like I originally thought about 664 00:33:33,920 --> 00:33:37,520 Speaker 1: pitching the story as I'm getting my hair cut by 665 00:33:37,600 --> 00:33:41,200 Speaker 1: Xavier Knight. That was that was my because we have 666 00:33:41,320 --> 00:33:43,840 Speaker 1: had stories like that that have worked out. Sam Blum, 667 00:33:43,840 --> 00:33:46,360 Speaker 1: who used to cover the Angels for us, he ran 668 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:50,880 Speaker 1: through Ron, He ran through Ron Washington's pregame infield work 669 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:53,040 Speaker 1: and wrote a story about it. It was like one 670 00:33:53,080 --> 00:33:56,720 Speaker 1: of the best stories that we had last year. We've 671 00:33:56,760 --> 00:34:02,080 Speaker 1: had instances where like reporter doing things has worked. I'm 672 00:34:02,080 --> 00:34:03,760 Speaker 1: going to be completely honest with you, I don't feel 673 00:34:03,800 --> 00:34:07,520 Speaker 1: comfortable like inserting myself that much into a story. Not that, 674 00:34:07,760 --> 00:34:10,359 Speaker 1: not at all begrudging Sam. Like Sam had a great 675 00:34:10,400 --> 00:34:13,840 Speaker 1: story idea and he executed it wonderfully. But I'm just 676 00:34:13,960 --> 00:34:17,400 Speaker 1: not I'm not comfortable doing that. I'm not comfortable like 677 00:34:17,480 --> 00:34:19,840 Speaker 1: putting myself in the like the story's not about me, 678 00:34:20,360 --> 00:34:23,680 Speaker 1: the stories about Xavier Nindes, the stories about the Astros 679 00:34:23,719 --> 00:34:26,319 Speaker 1: and their farm system, like it's the minute I make 680 00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:28,359 Speaker 1: myself a part of the story. It kind of goes 681 00:34:28,400 --> 00:34:31,919 Speaker 1: against everything you learn in journalism school. But yes, while 682 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:34,839 Speaker 1: he was cutting Chase's hair, he did. He did say, hey, 683 00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:38,319 Speaker 1: do you want to sit down? And I polite, I 684 00:34:38,320 --> 00:34:39,560 Speaker 1: politely declined for. 685 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:41,279 Speaker 4: Around two we'll do it. We'll get you one of 686 00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:44,800 Speaker 4: those cool little eyebrow cuts that everybody's doing. 687 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:47,440 Speaker 1: Now. There have been a few people that have asked, 688 00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:51,759 Speaker 1: is there is there a number of subs that we 689 00:34:51,840 --> 00:34:53,919 Speaker 1: could get that would one more? 690 00:34:54,200 --> 00:34:55,120 Speaker 4: One more in Chandler. 691 00:34:55,160 --> 00:34:58,520 Speaker 1: We'll do it all right. If you want me to 692 00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:01,759 Speaker 1: put a number out there, we have four thousand, one 693 00:35:01,840 --> 00:35:06,680 Speaker 1: hundred and sixty two YouTube subscribers. As we are talking 694 00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:14,480 Speaker 1: right now, if we hit ten thousand, what day to 695 00:35:14,640 --> 00:35:17,560 Speaker 1: what day do I want to? Okay, my birthday is 696 00:35:17,600 --> 00:35:22,840 Speaker 1: on June ninth. My birthday is June ninth. That's a 697 00:35:23,040 --> 00:35:28,520 Speaker 1: your your warning to get me something. If we hit 698 00:35:29,280 --> 00:35:32,280 Speaker 1: fifteen thousand YouTube subscribers. 699 00:35:31,680 --> 00:35:34,080 Speaker 4: Fifteen, well no, we're going with ten. You know you 700 00:35:34,120 --> 00:35:36,960 Speaker 4: don't get to walk this back ten thousand, that's funny. 701 00:35:37,239 --> 00:35:40,840 Speaker 1: If we hit ten thousand YouTube subscribers by June ninth, 702 00:35:41,920 --> 00:35:45,120 Speaker 1: I will try to arrange Xavier Nines will be in season. 703 00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:48,239 Speaker 1: I'm not going to go interrupt this kid at Fayetteville, 704 00:35:48,280 --> 00:35:52,000 Speaker 1: Asheville or maybe Corpus. If he's in Corpus, it'll be easier. 705 00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:55,120 Speaker 1: But I'm probably not gonna be able to fly to 706 00:35:55,160 --> 00:35:57,719 Speaker 1: North Carolina to get Xavier to cut my hair. But 707 00:35:57,760 --> 00:36:02,320 Speaker 1: we will arrange. Will arranged something, whether it's in next spring, 708 00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:05,480 Speaker 1: because I think I'm only be covering minor leaders next 709 00:36:05,480 --> 00:36:08,160 Speaker 1: spring training anyway, if they're not on the if they're 710 00:36:08,200 --> 00:36:10,759 Speaker 1: not on the forty man roster, then I'll be open 711 00:36:10,800 --> 00:36:13,000 Speaker 1: to cover. But we will find a way to get 712 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:16,439 Speaker 1: it done. If we get ten thousand YouTube subscribers by 713 00:36:16,719 --> 00:36:21,040 Speaker 1: my birthday June ninth, so we have four and sixty 714 00:36:21,040 --> 00:36:22,239 Speaker 1: two now, so all got work to do. 715 00:36:22,520 --> 00:36:25,720 Speaker 4: I mean ju June ninth, I didn't realize your birthday 716 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:27,520 Speaker 4: was so nice. That's exciting. 717 00:36:28,040 --> 00:36:31,160 Speaker 1: You're You're the only person that's ever made that. You're it. 718 00:36:31,440 --> 00:36:34,680 Speaker 1: You're the only person that's ever caught onto that. I figure, Yeah, 719 00:36:36,840 --> 00:36:42,000 Speaker 1: what else anything catch your fancy about Team Team Venezuela 720 00:36:42,040 --> 00:36:45,360 Speaker 1: against the Astros yesterday. Christian Walker turning on one hundred 721 00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:47,239 Speaker 1: and one mile an hour fastball in the first day 722 00:36:47,239 --> 00:36:49,200 Speaker 1: of March was okay. 723 00:36:50,440 --> 00:36:53,759 Speaker 4: I didn't I didn't love the Christian Hobvier only hit 724 00:36:53,920 --> 00:36:56,359 Speaker 4: like ninety one ninety two. But it's the first one. 725 00:36:56,440 --> 00:36:59,759 Speaker 1: That's all right. Well he's never been a velo guy anymore. Yeah, 726 00:36:59,800 --> 00:37:01,520 Speaker 1: but you need some vlo. 727 00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:06,440 Speaker 4: But you know again, first, first one out. 728 00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:09,320 Speaker 1: No man, I'm so pumped for the WBC. 729 00:37:09,480 --> 00:37:12,719 Speaker 4: I can't wait. I was watching highlights of all the 730 00:37:12,719 --> 00:37:17,960 Speaker 4: other teams. Shay Whitcomb hit a just bomb. That was fun. 731 00:37:18,360 --> 00:37:20,480 Speaker 4: So I'm excited. 732 00:37:20,760 --> 00:37:21,560 Speaker 1: Did you know that. 733 00:37:23,719 --> 00:37:26,880 Speaker 4: There's a couple Astros legends on the USA coaching staff 734 00:37:26,920 --> 00:37:29,320 Speaker 4: as well, Brian McCann and Andy Pettitt. 735 00:37:29,680 --> 00:37:32,280 Speaker 1: So I knew Brian McCann was, I didn't know Andy Pettit. 736 00:37:32,440 --> 00:37:35,720 Speaker 4: Andy Pettitt's the pitching coach, and of course Tony Paris 737 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:39,800 Speaker 4: Chica is the third base coach from Mexico. So I'm 738 00:37:40,040 --> 00:37:42,080 Speaker 4: I'm ready, man, I can't wait. 739 00:37:42,560 --> 00:37:45,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, it'll be fun. I'll be out there. I'll definitely 740 00:37:45,600 --> 00:37:48,560 Speaker 1: be out there Thursday. We're recording Wednesday. Thursday is the 741 00:37:48,560 --> 00:37:50,799 Speaker 1: big workout day. I don't think fans are allowed into that, 742 00:37:50,880 --> 00:37:52,600 Speaker 1: but you wouldn't want to be anyway. It's just a 743 00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:55,800 Speaker 1: bunch of batting practice and then it all starts Friday. 744 00:37:55,840 --> 00:37:59,080 Speaker 1: I'll be there at least through the weekend. I'm flying 745 00:37:59,120 --> 00:38:02,040 Speaker 1: back to West Palm on Tuesday, I believe. So I 746 00:38:02,320 --> 00:38:04,200 Speaker 1: think my last game that I'll be in attendance for 747 00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:05,160 Speaker 1: is US Mexico. 748 00:38:05,280 --> 00:38:09,080 Speaker 4: So Italy has some some pictures. They got Aaron Nola, 749 00:38:09,400 --> 00:38:12,799 Speaker 4: Aaron Lorenzen, and Adam Outovino. 750 00:38:13,800 --> 00:38:16,080 Speaker 1: Sam Alde. Gary once upon a time was like a 751 00:38:16,120 --> 00:38:19,120 Speaker 1: big prospect in a trade. He was a Phillies prospect 752 00:38:19,160 --> 00:38:21,920 Speaker 1: that went to the Angels and I think it was 753 00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:24,480 Speaker 1: the Brandon Marsh deal. I can't remember though, but he 754 00:38:24,560 --> 00:38:27,760 Speaker 1: was he was once a decent pitching prospect. 755 00:38:28,080 --> 00:38:33,280 Speaker 4: And uh Jack Cagileon is on Italy Asuentino. 756 00:38:33,600 --> 00:38:35,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, Zach Dezenzo. 757 00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:38,640 Speaker 4: Cag is insane. I love watching him hit. 758 00:38:39,040 --> 00:38:42,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, him and Vinnie Can. They'll dent some, They'll dunce some, 759 00:38:42,280 --> 00:38:46,640 Speaker 1: dent some walls in dyke In Park. Randy Rosarino will 760 00:38:46,640 --> 00:38:49,799 Speaker 1: be back at dyke In Park, where he has had 761 00:38:50,120 --> 00:38:54,680 Speaker 1: many successes. Man terrifies me, Well, it's at least not 762 00:38:54,760 --> 00:38:57,319 Speaker 1: at at least it's not at Petco Park, because at 763 00:38:57,320 --> 00:39:01,080 Speaker 1: Petco Park he like ripped. Everyone's so ruined my life. 764 00:39:01,360 --> 00:39:03,399 Speaker 4: Yes, ridiculous. 765 00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:06,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, but the WBC will be fun. I'll be out 766 00:39:06,160 --> 00:39:09,799 Speaker 1: there starting on Friday. If you're around, say hello, say 767 00:39:09,800 --> 00:39:12,600 Speaker 1: what's up. I'm gonna try to go to one. It's 768 00:39:12,640 --> 00:39:15,359 Speaker 1: spring break for us next week and we are we're 769 00:39:15,360 --> 00:39:18,359 Speaker 1: going up to Oklahoma to visit Alicia's side of the family. 770 00:39:18,440 --> 00:39:21,520 Speaker 1: But I'm gonna try to get one in maybe before 771 00:39:21,520 --> 00:39:26,040 Speaker 1: we go, or I'm really targeting those quarterfinal games when 772 00:39:26,560 --> 00:39:27,399 Speaker 1: when we get back. 773 00:39:27,440 --> 00:39:28,839 Speaker 4: I'm hoping to go to one of those. 774 00:39:29,360 --> 00:39:33,399 Speaker 1: Yeah. I don't want to like give free advertisements to people, 775 00:39:33,440 --> 00:39:37,120 Speaker 1: but I think tickets are not terribly expensive. I know 776 00:39:37,200 --> 00:39:40,440 Speaker 1: the ones for US Mexico are kind of expensive, but 777 00:39:40,840 --> 00:39:44,000 Speaker 1: I know for all the other US games. Again, you 778 00:39:44,040 --> 00:39:47,560 Speaker 1: have a family of five, so everything's expensive. But I 779 00:39:47,600 --> 00:39:51,880 Speaker 1: think generally speaking and relatively speaking, it's it's not gonna 780 00:39:51,880 --> 00:39:54,399 Speaker 1: brea figure something out. It's not gonna break your bank 781 00:39:54,440 --> 00:39:56,440 Speaker 1: if you want to go to the other team US. 782 00:39:56,719 --> 00:39:59,400 Speaker 4: And I gotta see the new Water Burger. I gotta, 783 00:39:59,800 --> 00:40:01,359 Speaker 4: you know, know that's that's out there. 784 00:40:01,560 --> 00:40:04,480 Speaker 1: We've a do they do they not have the patty 785 00:40:04,520 --> 00:40:05,840 Speaker 1: melt on the menu? 786 00:40:06,640 --> 00:40:09,120 Speaker 4: It didn't look like it. I think they just have some. 787 00:40:09,360 --> 00:40:13,040 Speaker 4: I am interested. I'm excited to order a beer out 788 00:40:13,040 --> 00:40:16,879 Speaker 4: of Water Burger that that feels like that that's made 789 00:40:16,880 --> 00:40:19,520 Speaker 4: in heaven there. And of course now we have the 790 00:40:19,560 --> 00:40:25,080 Speaker 4: twenty five dollars LTMPO Margarita's, so I'll wait in line 791 00:40:25,120 --> 00:40:28,640 Speaker 4: for one of those too. And the stars back the 792 00:40:29,320 --> 00:40:31,920 Speaker 4: big Star in center field. I saw that. 793 00:40:32,640 --> 00:40:33,480 Speaker 1: It's big and bright. 794 00:40:33,920 --> 00:40:38,400 Speaker 4: Mm hmmm mm hmmm. Olivia loves that one. Uh I, 795 00:40:38,840 --> 00:40:41,440 Speaker 4: what's what's the mural situation? When do when do they 796 00:40:41,480 --> 00:40:43,720 Speaker 4: unveil that? I want to see what's going on out there. 797 00:40:44,480 --> 00:40:47,200 Speaker 1: It's usually on opening day. I don't think they're going 798 00:40:47,239 --> 00:40:49,080 Speaker 1: to do that at the WBC. It's us that it's 799 00:40:49,160 --> 00:40:51,880 Speaker 1: usually on opening day. They usually will unveil whatever is 800 00:40:51,920 --> 00:40:54,160 Speaker 1: painted out there on opening day. So well, I have 801 00:40:54,200 --> 00:40:55,520 Speaker 1: to wait twenty two days for that. 802 00:40:55,600 --> 00:40:57,360 Speaker 4: I'm gonna I'm gonna have to get me a picture 803 00:40:57,400 --> 00:41:00,439 Speaker 4: in front of that mural and uh, well, we'll run 804 00:41:00,480 --> 00:41:02,880 Speaker 4: with that again this year. Hopefully it's a good one. 805 00:41:03,280 --> 00:41:05,680 Speaker 1: Hopefully, but it can't go any worse. It can't go 806 00:41:05,680 --> 00:41:09,319 Speaker 1: any worse than last season did so, but we. 807 00:41:09,280 --> 00:41:13,879 Speaker 4: Can't see orbit. Orbit's train cracked me up. I mean 808 00:41:14,000 --> 00:41:17,319 Speaker 4: literally the entire year. I cannot believe that that was 809 00:41:17,360 --> 00:41:20,839 Speaker 4: out there. It's so funny. Uh and I can't wait 810 00:41:20,880 --> 00:41:24,000 Speaker 4: to see what is on the mural for this year. 811 00:41:24,840 --> 00:41:27,319 Speaker 4: I'm excited, man, baseball, I mean it's here. 812 00:41:27,520 --> 00:41:28,920 Speaker 1: We're a couple of weeks. 813 00:41:28,800 --> 00:41:32,280 Speaker 4: Away, and and real baseball. I'm counting WBC as real baseball. 814 00:41:32,320 --> 00:41:35,120 Speaker 4: It starts in two days, so you should I mean, 815 00:41:35,520 --> 00:41:38,240 Speaker 4: did you see I mean, the crowds were going nuts 816 00:41:38,239 --> 00:41:40,280 Speaker 4: at all these exhibition games. 817 00:41:40,120 --> 00:41:44,160 Speaker 1: The Dominican and the Dominican. Oh that like that looks 818 00:41:44,200 --> 00:41:46,200 Speaker 1: so they were in the Dominican. So it should be 819 00:41:46,280 --> 00:41:48,640 Speaker 1: noted that they weren't in they weren't in Lakeland doing this, 820 00:41:48,760 --> 00:41:50,839 Speaker 1: but like they were in the Dominican and that was lit. 821 00:41:50,960 --> 00:41:55,200 Speaker 1: And I heard, uh, the Red Sox played Puerto Rico 822 00:41:55,239 --> 00:41:59,240 Speaker 1: in an exhibition yesterday and from judge judging from videos 823 00:41:59,239 --> 00:42:02,000 Speaker 1: from that, it was very Puerto Rico heavy. It was 824 00:42:02,280 --> 00:42:05,040 Speaker 1: very loud, there was chanting, it was it's gonna be great. 825 00:42:05,440 --> 00:42:09,120 Speaker 1: The US and Mexico on Sunday is Sunday. It's gonna 826 00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:14,279 Speaker 1: be just incredible, a great one. But until then, you 827 00:42:14,320 --> 00:42:16,320 Speaker 1: can follow me on x at Chandler Underscore Room. You 828 00:42:16,320 --> 00:42:18,759 Speaker 1: can follow Tyler at Tyler C. Stafford. Please rate and 829 00:42:18,760 --> 00:42:22,560 Speaker 1: review us on Apple and Spotify. Please like the YouTube video. 830 00:42:22,600 --> 00:42:24,680 Speaker 1: Please subscribe to the YouTube channel. If you want me 831 00:42:24,719 --> 00:42:26,680 Speaker 1: to get my haircut by Xavier Nine's you have to 832 00:42:26,680 --> 00:42:29,799 Speaker 1: get to ten thousand YouTube subs by June ninth, and 833 00:42:29,840 --> 00:42:32,440 Speaker 1: then we can talk about it. But we will be 834 00:42:32,480 --> 00:42:35,200 Speaker 1: back probably later this weekend before I head back to 835 00:42:35,760 --> 00:42:39,640 Speaker 1: West Palm Beach for one final Maybe we can recap 836 00:42:39,640 --> 00:42:42,520 Speaker 1: what we've seen the WBC. Maybe ZC. Paratius will be 837 00:42:42,520 --> 00:42:44,839 Speaker 1: traded by then, who knows, But we'll be back later 838 00:42:44,880 --> 00:42:47,359 Speaker 1: this week. Until then, thanks for listening and we'll talk 839 00:42:47,360 --> 00:42:47,759 Speaker 1: to you soon. 840 00:42:48,160 --> 00:42:51,600 Speaker 4: Chandler, get ready, you're gonna have a perm mullet. We're 841 00:42:51,600 --> 00:42:59,239 Speaker 4: gonna get that going. So everybody helped me out. Bye 842 00:43:00,640 --> 00:43:00,680 Speaker 4: the 843 00:43:02,239 --> 00:43:02,799 Speaker 2: Pum