Speaker 1: Hey, Will Salmon is back on foul territory. You can
Speaker 1: follow him and his coverage in The Athletic, and right
Speaker 1: now it's getting very interesting his coverage. Senior writer for
Speaker 1: The Athletic, joining us covering the Mets all year. Well, Will,
Speaker 1: here comes the roller coaster back down your thoughts on
Speaker 1: what you're seeing lately from the Mets. But I want
Speaker 1: to make sure we include the big picture here. The
Speaker 1: Reds are two games back, which is really what like
Speaker 1: one game back because if they're tied, the Reds actually
Speaker 1: have the tiebreaker and would take them down for a
Speaker 1: playoff spot no game one sixty three these days.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you were very gracious, Scott with calling the coverage
Speaker 2: interesting because it feels like it's kind of been like
Speaker 2: the same story every day for a little while. And
Speaker 2: it's been that way for a little while for the Mets,
Speaker 2: even beyond this five game losing streak, because it keeps happening,
Speaker 2: these streaks, and so it's very concerning when you're almost
Speaker 2: at what midway point through a season, it's like seventy
Speaker 2: seventies and the amount of games where they played fifteen
Speaker 2: games below five hundred at this point, So that's highly
Speaker 2: unusual for a team.
Speaker 3: That's should be headed for the playoffs.
Speaker 2: We think is headed for the playoffs, but that's all
Speaker 2: but guaranteed at this point, obviously with just not only
Speaker 2: the Reds, it's also the Giants too, and the Mets
Speaker 2: own the tiebreaker over them, but like you said, it's
Speaker 2: more than them. It's a three team race at this
Speaker 2: point because of what the Mets have failed to accomplish,
Speaker 2: and that's increased the distance between those teams. That really,
Speaker 2: I don't know if you look at those teams and say, Okay,
Speaker 2: those are playoff teams, I don't. I'm not really convinced
Speaker 2: of that. But at this point, I'm not convinced of
Speaker 2: the Mets either. Every day they tell us that they're
Speaker 2: not good enough to be in the spot, especially lately,
Speaker 2: and it's been that case for the past couple of months.
Speaker 4: Really, who's the stopper. I'm not even just talking about
Speaker 4: the rotation. I'm talking about like this team, Every good
Speaker 4: team needs some But it says, okay, we've lost five
Speaker 4: in a row, we're playing a division opponent that you
Speaker 4: know what, we've annihilated him at home. I'm stepping up
Speaker 4: to be the stopper. Sometimes some teams, it's like a
Speaker 4: Terrek Scooble. It's an ax. Clearly this team doesn't have it.
Speaker 4: And I know you're gonna point to like a Nolan
Speaker 4: McClain and all that stuff, But is there somebody in
Speaker 4: the offense, in the in the bullpen, somebody that can say,
Speaker 4: you know what, this is the end, We're not losing today.
Speaker 3: I'm not sure they have that guy.
Speaker 2: I'm really not I think it should be somebody like
Speaker 2: a Francisco Lindora or a mon Soto or somebody like that,
Speaker 2: but I'm not convinced that that person in that specific
Speaker 2: role exists. I think that they have players that exhibit
Speaker 2: good leadership qualities in other ways. I think Lindor checks
Speaker 2: a lot of boxes in that way, but I'm not
Speaker 2: sure if he's the guy that is raw, raw, hey,
Speaker 2: we're going to win this game today type of guy,
Speaker 2: and he's that guy that sort of brings that edge
Speaker 2: to the roster or to the clubhouse, I'm not sure.
Speaker 2: And to be fair to the Mets, I'm not sure
Speaker 2: if there are more than say five or six guys
Speaker 2: in baseball who qualify for that sort of moniker'. That's
Speaker 2: just not the way it is these days. I don't
Speaker 2: think that there are too many guys who are very
Speaker 2: vocal in that way. Unfortunately in a lot of cases.
Speaker 2: And as far as the talent goes, yeah, they have
Speaker 2: guys who will theoretically step up in those situations you
Speaker 2: mentioned McLain. He could be that guy from a starting
Speaker 2: pitching perspective, But the other day he threw a fairly
Speaker 2: solid game and they lost, and they really can't afford
Speaker 2: to be doing that anymore, and so it's not guaranteed there.
Speaker 2: And mon Soto too has performed fairly well or exceptionally
Speaker 2: well in some cases over the last few weeks, and
Speaker 2: they've still suffered through this, and so I think it
Speaker 2: goes beyond that.
Speaker 3: But that's part of it.
Speaker 2: I think that that is kind of part of it,
Speaker 2: that in that clubhouse there may not be a guy
Speaker 2: that rises to the occasion.
Speaker 3: In that way.
Speaker 2: And again, like Lindora is a great leader in some
Speaker 2: ways and then some facets, but that may not be
Speaker 2: one of the boxes that he checks off definitively.
Speaker 5: Well, it's got to be a picture, though what picture
Speaker 5: you mentioned, McClain. It's got to be a picture that
Speaker 5: stuffs his guys I'm throwing a shutout tonight. Score me
Speaker 5: one run. Do the Mets have that guy? Because I
Speaker 5: don't see that. Even McLain, you mentioned he pitched pretty well,
Speaker 5: he gave up one run and lost. They lost one nothing,
Speaker 5: So Manaiah hasn't been at that guy. Peterson's been their best,
Speaker 5: but he struggled lately. Senga's in triple A tong?
Speaker 3: Is it tong?
Speaker 5: He's too young, right, I mean, is it sprout? I mean,
Speaker 5: who can it be? Because it has to be a picture,
Speaker 5: Like you can say, oh, the lineup has to do this,
Speaker 5: but their lineup doesn't always come around to Lindor Soto
Speaker 5: Alonso in big situations. So who's the picture that they
Speaker 5: can count on to say, all right, guys, I'm gonna
Speaker 5: give you six shutty, go score once so we can
Speaker 5: get the ball to Diaz in the ninth and we
Speaker 5: can finish this game off and get a win and
Speaker 5: get get straightened out.
Speaker 3: Yeah, for me, it's going to be McLain.
Speaker 2: He's to me, he has exemplified and he has exhibited
Speaker 2: the marks of a quality pitcher, if not even a
Speaker 2: number one type of guy. For me, he would be
Speaker 2: their Game one pitcher. And it's kind of a shame
Speaker 2: because in him, I do think that they have a
Speaker 2: game one pitcher. It's just will they have a Game
Speaker 2: one to play? I don't know, maybe, but.
Speaker 3: I feel like McLain is that guy.
Speaker 2: And yes, you pointed rightfully so to that game recently
Speaker 2: where he did throw a fairly good game and they
Speaker 2: ended up losing, But that's not on him. I think
Speaker 2: that he has done everything throughout his five starts to
Speaker 2: put them in a position to win each of those games,
Speaker 2: and then four of them they have, and then that
Speaker 2: one they didn't because they're just not clicking on the
Speaker 2: other facets of the game.
Speaker 3: So McLain I like a lot of what he has shown.
Speaker 3: I think everybody has. He is that guy.
Speaker 2: For me, it's just a shame because they don't have
Speaker 2: anybody who is really coming close to being that otherwise, because,
Speaker 2: like you mentioned, Peterson had been that guy for a while.
Speaker 2: He has lately stumbled, and I think that's going to
Speaker 2: come with the territory a little bit. With just the
Speaker 2: style of pitcher that he is, you have more balls
Speaker 2: in play with him. He's not somebody that racks up strikeouts,
Speaker 2: so the ball will be there and if your defense
Speaker 2: is not on par, which a lot of times for
Speaker 2: the Mets it has not been, sometimes it's not going
Speaker 2: to look that as good as it otherwise would. So
Speaker 2: that's been the issue there. And then, like you mentioned,
Speaker 2: you went through the list. Aj Manaya has not been
Speaker 2: that guy. Saga's in triple A, Clay Holmes has not
Speaker 2: been that guy. So that and then the other two
Speaker 2: rookies that you mentioned have a combined what two or
Speaker 2: three starts between them, so they're not going to be
Speaker 2: that guy quite yet. So that's the situation that they're in.
Speaker 2: They're just not getting quality or length from their veterans
Speaker 2: in that rotation, and it's really put them in a
Speaker 2: bind because you're asking a lot of the bullpen, and
Speaker 2: the bullpen has not been as good as it should be,
Speaker 2: and then you're relying on the offense, which has been
Speaker 2: widely inconsistent.
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Speaker 4: Is the reason that a thirty to thirty season from
Speaker 4: Juan Soto just kind of got glossed over? Was it
Speaker 4: the fact that he stole third down by five and
Speaker 4: it was kind of a look at me, I'm gonna
Speaker 4: get my stats with two outs and get that. Or
Speaker 4: is it the fact that when you sign a seven
Speaker 4: hundred million dollar contract that fans and even some media
Speaker 4: kind of expect great things like thirty thirty and we
Speaker 4: just gloss over it.
Speaker 2: He's the highest paid player ever we and he's paid
Speaker 2: that much because of what he does as a hitter,
Speaker 2: right Like that's he is in the top one percent
Speaker 2: of hitters. That's why he is paid. He is not
Speaker 2: in the top one percent of base running or defense
Speaker 2: things like that. He is a hitter and he is very,
Speaker 2: very very good generational talent at that, and so that's
Speaker 2: why he's getting paid that amount of money. And I
Speaker 2: think when that happens, we look at his numbers and
Speaker 2: we say, Okay, he should also be doing this, that
Speaker 2: and the other thing, and that's just never been the
Speaker 2: case for him. So and with the stole mass, yes,
Speaker 2: it's some of that has happened where he has been
Speaker 2: a little bit too aggressive with it and it almost
Speaker 2: feels like he's just kind of doing it in weird spots.
Speaker 2: And you pointed, rightfully so to the last slow base
Speaker 2: where it was they were down five late in the game,
Speaker 2: and it was it was irrelevant and it just was
Speaker 2: not a team kind of first played because it didn't
Speaker 2: really change anything.
Speaker 3: It wasn't going to change anything.
Speaker 2: They were still going to have a lot of work
Speaker 2: ahead of them to win that game, whether he steals
Speaker 2: third base or not in that situation. So when that
Speaker 2: starts to happen, it loses its luster a little bit.
Speaker 2: And a lot of his stolen bases, frankly, have happened
Speaker 2: since August, and so I think the number kind of
Speaker 2: crept up on a lot of people where yes, he
Speaker 2: was showing signs of like being a threat on the
Speaker 2: basis for a little while, even though he is not fast,
Speaker 2: he has been doing it in other ways, getting big jumps,
Speaker 2: that kind of thing. But it all kind of picked
Speaker 2: up the pace in August, and I think he set
Speaker 2: his sights on thirty stolen bases, and now he may
Speaker 2: set his sights on forty. I think that that's it's
Speaker 2: in the realm of possibility. Even though we're down to
Speaker 2: sixteen games left in the season for the Mets. The
Speaker 2: way that he is running, I think it's all on
Speaker 2: the list of possibilities for Soda.
Speaker 5: Well, the main question is are the Mets fans happy
Speaker 5: with Wan Soda his first year. I mean, look at
Speaker 5: the numbers. The numbers are nine to twenty one ops,
Speaker 5: nine to twenty ops around there are the Mets fans happy?
Speaker 5: And is this maybe the better way to put it?
Speaker 5: Is this a hollow thirty thirty especially if the Mets
Speaker 5: don't make the postseason? Because you mentioned the stolen bases?
Speaker 5: He had a home run down eleven to two last night.
Speaker 5: But is this what the Mets fans expected or do
Speaker 5: they want more? Has this been a good year for
Speaker 5: Wan Soda? Not numbers wise, but according to Mets fans,
Speaker 5: which is as we know in New York, it's all
Speaker 5: that really matters.
Speaker 2: Yeah, and the context is everything right Again, he's the
Speaker 2: highest paid player in baseball history, and we have these
Speaker 2: huge expectations.
Speaker 3: So yeah, I think he's having a great season, even
Speaker 3: by Mets fans measures.
Speaker 2: And that may not have been my cake maybe a
Speaker 2: month ago, but since say August, he has really really
Speaker 2: turned it on. And yeah, the last couple of games
Speaker 2: it's been like the equivalent of racking up some style
Speaker 2: points in garbage time. But I would not pin that
Speaker 2: on mon Soto. I mean, that's the Mets problem as
Speaker 2: a team, and I think a lot of fans now
Speaker 2: have seen that Juan Soto has sort of he has
Speaker 2: risen to the occasion here late in the season, and
Speaker 2: I don't think you.
Speaker 3: Could take that away.
Speaker 2: There was a game against Detroit where they don't win
Speaker 2: that game unless Wansda performs the way that Wansta performs,
Speaker 2: where he had the Grand Slam and the triple. You know,
Speaker 2: he just he won them that game, and that's been happening.
Speaker 2: So my answer would have been different a month ago,
Speaker 2: because that was not happening. He was failing in critical spots.
Speaker 2: His numbers with runners and scoring position were not good.
Speaker 2: But that has changed lately. And so I know some
Speaker 2: of the instances and examples that you cited are not
Speaker 2: great for this conversation, But that's also a little bit
Speaker 2: of like recency there with just the past couple of games.
Speaker 2: But when you look at just since August, I think
Speaker 2: he's redeemed himself in a lot of Mets fans' eyes,
Speaker 2: and they look at this, I think, at least as
Speaker 2: the team is sort of is crumbling, whereas he's been
Speaker 2: like one of the only guys who have steadily performed
Speaker 2: since August and into September, and I think that he
Speaker 2: deserves some credit for that.
Speaker 4: Actually, Okay, were you at the You're at the home
Speaker 4: series for the Mets against the Phillies, and you've been
Speaker 4: at this series in Philly. What on earth is the
Speaker 4: difference in the Phillies. We've kind of hit on the
Speaker 4: Mets a lot, but what do you see different from
Speaker 4: the Phillies. I get it, you know who lined up
Speaker 4: in the starting rotation did matter, and who's thrown for them,
Speaker 4: But what do you see different? Because when we get
Speaker 4: to the playoffs, and I think the Mets will most
Speaker 4: likely make the playoffs, there's a good chance and the
Speaker 4: Mets play the Phillies at City Field at some time
Speaker 4: and then also at Citizen Bank.
Speaker 3: Yeah, at this point, yes, the only difference is the venue.
Speaker 2: It's the setting, right, Like, for whatever reason, the Phillies
Speaker 2: just cannot win at City Field.
Speaker 3: It's crazy.
Speaker 2: And I think that everybody wanted to say, like when
Speaker 2: that started to happen and the Mets played exceptionally well
Speaker 2: against the Phillies at City Field, people want to say, like, oh,
Speaker 2: the Mets have their number. That's not the case, and
Speaker 2: that wasn't really the case, even dating back to last
Speaker 2: year where the Mets had a hard time in Philadelphia,
Speaker 2: and then they had a hard time in Philadelphia in
Speaker 2: Philadelphia earlier in the season too, and that was the
Speaker 2: site of another bad stretch of games for the Mets earlier.
Speaker 3: So it's for I can't really explain it.
Speaker 2: I think it's a little bit baffling, to be honest
Speaker 2: with you, I will say that the difference that I've
Speaker 2: noticed in this particular series has been really the trade
Speaker 2: deadline acquisitions on both sides. I think for the Phillies
Speaker 2: they've hit on those guys, whereas the Mets, and I
Speaker 2: like their moves, to be completely honest, I like their offseason,
Speaker 2: I like their trade deadline, but the results haven't worked out,
Speaker 2: and I think that's been the biggest difference lately when
Speaker 2: you look at both those teams, in addition to just
Speaker 2: also you know, you're getting fifty home runs from Shorebur
Speaker 2: the difference of the lineup. But when you subtract the
Speaker 2: entire let side of the infield from the Phillies at
Speaker 2: the start of the series and they still take the
Speaker 2: first three games and they do so rather easily, that's
Speaker 2: problematic and it just speaks to a lot more issues
Speaker 2: other than the venue and other than just one or
Speaker 2: two things. It's just two teams in totally different directions
Speaker 2: right now.
Speaker 5: Well, two things, how worded are you about Ryan Helsley?
Speaker 5: Is he tipping? We keep hearing this, but everyone I
Speaker 5: know that Sluke hasn't seen anything. And then two have
Speaker 5: to answer that. I have a quick follow up and
Speaker 5: a yes or no question for you.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm worried about Hellsley because he hasn't had even
Speaker 2: consecutive outings with the Mets yet where he hasn't given
Speaker 2: up a run. He's had some outings that he's been okay.
Speaker 2: The other day he had a clean inning and a
Speaker 2: lot of people within the Mets were pretty confident and
Speaker 2: happy about that, and they were optimistic that maybe he
Speaker 2: had turned the corner. But then yesterday last night, he
Speaker 2: again had a bad inning and it just didn't look good.
Speaker 2: And whether he's tipping or not, he said that he
Speaker 2: has corrected the issue he thinks that he was. And
Speaker 2: sometimes even if like maybe that's a little bit overblown,
Speaker 2: you guys know, as former players, like that can get
Speaker 2: in guys heads a little bit or a lot, depending
Speaker 2: on the guy, and once that happens, it's problematic because
Speaker 2: then you're trying to figure things out.
Speaker 3: Maybe it messes with your mechanics, It could be a
Speaker 3: lot of things. He has said that he had.
Speaker 2: Figured it out, But if he's figured it out and
Speaker 2: he's still having innings like he had yesterday, that's also
Speaker 2: concerning because it's problematic either way. So it's a concern,
Speaker 2: and it's troubling because the Mets obviously didn't think this
Speaker 2: would happen. They gave up real value in that trade
Speaker 2: with the Cardinals. They expected a lot from this guy,
Speaker 2: and he's somebody now that if the Mets were to
Speaker 2: make a playoff roster right now, would he even be
Speaker 2: on it.
Speaker 3: I'm not sure.
Speaker 2: It's because you can't really feel good about pitching him
Speaker 2: in key situations right now?
Speaker 5: All right? That's making Do the Mets make it? Yes
Speaker 5: or no? Do the Mets make it with the way
Speaker 5: they're playing with the Giants reds ere going on their heels,
Speaker 5: Do they make it yes or no?
Speaker 2: I go yes. I still go yes. I just think
Speaker 2: that the two games plus the tiebreaker in one of
Speaker 2: those situations, it matters a lot. Still, it's still just
Speaker 2: enough and A lot of My answer is because I
Speaker 2: just don't think the Reds and the Giants are good
Speaker 2: enough to do it either. And that may be irrelevant
Speaker 2: because if the Mets continue to lose, it does matter.
Speaker 2: But I think that the Mets do enough, barely enough
Speaker 2: to hold on here.
Speaker 1: Okay, yeah, one more against the Phillies then tex here
Speaker 1: we go. That's Dodgers.
Speaker 5: Yeah, that's what it would be.
Speaker 1: They got to get through Yeah, Philly, then Texas, San Diego,
Speaker 1: Washington Cubs, and they finish with the Milins who love
Speaker 1: playing spoiler against the Mets. All right, so you got
Speaker 1: some basically playoff games that you're covering the next couple weeks. Well,
Speaker 1: thanks for joining us.
Speaker 3: Appreciate it. Everyone.
Speaker 1: Check out what Will is bringing to the table on
Speaker 1: the Athletic every Day cover in the Mets.
Speaker 6: Appreciate you will.
Speaker 3: Of course, thanks for having me on.
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Speaker 1: We have Andy Sabo joining us right now on FT.
Speaker 1: She covers the Reds on TV Reporter host and now
Speaker 1: with us. Hey Annie, great to have you on here.
Speaker 1: We appreciate the time. Are you surprised that the Reds
Speaker 1: are where they are right now?
Speaker 6: Yes, I'm completely surprised, guys.
Speaker 7: I feel like there have been several times this season
Speaker 7: where I feel like not only US local reporters, but
Speaker 7: the national media has completely counted the Reds out right
Speaker 7: and myself included, But every single time that I feel
Speaker 7: that way, they have scratched and clawed and fought their
Speaker 7: way back into the playoff picture, which is where they
Speaker 7: stand right now. So surprised I was earlier in the season,
Speaker 7: but I think now we're just kind of accustomed to
Speaker 7: the Reds being you know, everyone thinks they're completely out
Speaker 7: of it, and then they go on to win four
Speaker 7: of their last five and right now they're back in
Speaker 7: it again.
Speaker 4: Are they back in it because of the Reds or
Speaker 4: are they back in it because of the Mets?
Speaker 7: I think after Friday's loss to the Mets, right to
Speaker 7: go and win four of your last five, maybe a
Speaker 7: combination of both. I can't say I saw the Mets
Speaker 7: playing as poorly as they are right now a couple
Speaker 7: of months ago. I didn't necessarily see that coming. How well,
Speaker 7: for Cincinnati fans everywhere, we're everywhere will take it. But no,
Speaker 7: I think the Reds. I mean, in the clubhouse all
Speaker 7: season long, despite some skids, especially offensively throughout this season,
Speaker 7: there's a belief in the clubhouse that they can and
Speaker 7: will make the postseason. And I mean, here we are
Speaker 7: with sixteen games left to play.
Speaker 5: Any good question for you? How good has this rotation
Speaker 5: been this team? Lodolo, Abbott, Singer, all these guys the
Speaker 5: last few times too, has been really good. How good
Speaker 5: have they been? And can they finish this month off
Speaker 5: as strong as they have been for the last couple
Speaker 5: of times through.
Speaker 6: Yeah, I think so. I think.
Speaker 7: As I mentioned just a moment ago, the offense has
Speaker 7: been two inconsider for my liking at times. However, the
Speaker 7: starting rotation has been the strength of this team all
Speaker 7: season long.
Speaker 6: I mean, it was a.
Speaker 7: Huge blow when Hunter Green went on the il, but
Speaker 7: he's back in the bullpen. We're getting some arms back.
Speaker 7: Chase Burns and Graham Ashcraft were just recently activated. They're
Speaker 7: gonna be with the team in Oakland ready to go.
Speaker 7: But I mean the starting rotation, I mean, even you know,
Speaker 7: Brady Singer, who kind of started off the year a
Speaker 7: little bit slower. I mean, he's had a great month
Speaker 7: of August to you know, add to the overall excellence
Speaker 7: that we've seen day in day out from this Red
Speaker 7: starting rotation, and yeah, I mean, if everyone stays healthy,
Speaker 7: which is always year to year, if he for the
Speaker 7: Red starting rotation, if they can stay healthy and finish
Speaker 7: this year out strong. I mean we have Brady Singer,
Speaker 7: Hunter Green, and Nicolodolo going you know, Oakland coming up.
Speaker 7: Then Yeah, I mean I think they've been excellent and
Speaker 7: that's a unit that I count on when the offense
Speaker 7: isn't necessarily there. And yeah, I mean the Red starting rotation,
Speaker 7: not only this season but for years to come, has
Speaker 7: been a highlight and just so consistent.
Speaker 4: What about the bullpen. Let's say, let's say this happens.
Speaker 4: Let's say the Mets continue to drop like they're dropping,
Speaker 4: and the Reds win enough to get in because they
Speaker 4: have the easiest path, not schedule wise, but with the
Speaker 4: tiebreaker and everything. Is this bullpen built with Emelio Pegan
Speaker 4: and the boys to succeed in the playoffs?
Speaker 7: I do. I think that something that's been talked about
Speaker 7: this season in the clubhouse is that this clubhouse has
Speaker 7: a bunch of dogs in there. And I think, you know,
Speaker 7: despite some recent struggles from Amelio Pegan, I mean, he is,
Speaker 7: in my personal opinion, the best clubhouse leader there is
Speaker 7: in this locker room. Granted he's one of the oldest
Speaker 7: in there right now, but yes, I believe getting you know,
Speaker 7: I mean Chase Burns as a starter, I mean, he
Speaker 7: is a rookie.
Speaker 6: I mean, I do think he'll help bolster the bullpen.
Speaker 7: But having Graham Ashpath coming back to start the series
Speaker 7: in oak will be huge. Yes, I do think they
Speaker 7: have the strength to withstand these last sixteen games or so.
Speaker 7: And you know, I think it's nice that today the
Speaker 7: Reds have.
Speaker 6: Have an off day before the series, you.
Speaker 7: Know, Oakland begins, or with the A's begins, to maybe
Speaker 7: have a team meeting.
Speaker 6: If needed at all. But yeah, I mean I.
Speaker 7: Think the bullpen, I mean, I think the Reds have
Speaker 7: had their leads given up leads far too easily this season.
Speaker 7: But I think right now it's kind of do or
Speaker 7: die for the Reds and for you know, the starting
Speaker 7: rotation to the bullpen. And I think the bullpen, led
Speaker 7: by closer Emilie Opegan, will be able to get the
Speaker 7: job done and hopefully the Mets continue to crumble.
Speaker 4: We'll take that, all right, Well, nothing happens for the
Speaker 4: Reds if they don't get one guy going. And he's
Speaker 4: got four names, Ellie da La Cruz. His power has
Speaker 4: been absent. His star power is always there and he's
Speaker 4: always looming to me when I watch games now though,
Speaker 4: and I don't watch every Reds game, but when I do,
Speaker 4: I turn to Ellie's at bats because I'm like, this
Speaker 4: is way he's gonna turn it around. Some of us
Speaker 4: at bats, even from the left side where he's stronger,
Speaker 4: look like they're non competitive. Like it's like he's waiting
Speaker 4: for this certain pitch and he's not hitting it, and
Speaker 4: he's still striking out the same rate, and now the
Speaker 4: power's gone. Is there something we're missing?
Speaker 7: No, I don't think so, just kind of, I feel
Speaker 7: like the ebbs and flows for Ellie. I mean, I
Speaker 7: feel like we're yes, he has superstar ability at the
Speaker 7: plate and defensively, but at the same time, I think
Speaker 7: we forget that, you know, he's still a young kid
Speaker 7: and still learning. I feel like, especially this season, yes,
Speaker 7: he's had some slumps that have lasted a little bit
Speaker 7: longer in comparison to seasons past. However, it seems like
Speaker 7: whenever there is a moment for Ellie to show up,
Speaker 7: when situations get dire, I mean, looking ahead to the
Speaker 7: next six team games, it seems like, for whatever reason,
Speaker 7: he is able to turn things around. So I fully
Speaker 7: anticipate Ellie turning things around sooner rather than later.
Speaker 6: However, I do understand what you're saying.
Speaker 7: Some of his at bats this season, for longer periods
Speaker 7: of time, have been have looked to.
Speaker 6: Be more non competitive.
Speaker 7: However, I just that's a guy that you don't necessarily
Speaker 7: lose faith in ever throughout the season, despite him going
Speaker 7: through a longer slump like he is right now.
Speaker 1: Annie, Terry Francona has a highly decorated career. What's it
Speaker 1: been like for him taking over this team, especially right
Speaker 1: now where the team has kind of thrust themselves back
Speaker 1: into the postseason conversation? What's he like running the team
Speaker 1: over the last couple of weeks.
Speaker 7: Yeah, well, I think at first and foremost before I
Speaker 7: even get to that, I mean, having covered the Rents
Speaker 7: for several seasons, I mean, you hear all these stories
Speaker 7: about Terry Francona, and he comes as advertised. I mean,
Speaker 7: he's a breath of fresh air. He's hilarious and pre
Speaker 7: and postgame press conferences, and the players truly respect him
Speaker 7: and appreciate all of the experience that he brings into
Speaker 7: this clubhouse. He's really big on holding the players accountable,
Speaker 7: and you know, being accountable and not necessarily you know,
Speaker 7: yelling at players things like that.
Speaker 6: But I think that this year.
Speaker 7: There's just a new level of what's expected from the
Speaker 7: players because Terry Francona is here, and I think that's
Speaker 7: helped the team a whole lot.
Speaker 6: And I think that, I mean.
Speaker 7: Terry hasn't changed from game one to now. I mean
Speaker 7: even in pre impressed game post conferences, he doesn't look
Speaker 7: beyond one single game ahead or even you.
Speaker 6: Know, behind in the schedule.
Speaker 7: So I think that maybe his experience level and being
Speaker 7: able to deal with teams that are on on the
Speaker 7: brink of making you know, the postseason, could help this team,
Speaker 7: maybe the intangible side of things.
Speaker 6: But no, I mean he hasn't changed. I mean over
Speaker 6: the last couple of weeks.
Speaker 7: I mean, he's the same old guy looking at one
Speaker 7: game at a time. Task at hand is to win
Speaker 7: the game, and that's pretty much who he is. But
Speaker 7: I definitely do think, you know, this last stretch of games,
Speaker 7: just having his experience level and what he expects out
Speaker 7: of this team with sixteen games left, will be a
Speaker 7: huge help.
Speaker 5: Anny, I have your game next Thursday against the Cubby Bears.
Speaker 5: I'll be there, actually, thank god. I mean, if you
Speaker 5: weren't there, you guys, you can tell the rest of
Speaker 5: their one that they can take the night off. Okay, So,
Speaker 5: but what I want to know is, well, this is
Speaker 5: the fans. Are the fans behind this Reds team? Are
Speaker 5: they showing up and showing out? So when I when
Speaker 5: I walk into the small Park next weekend or next Thursday,
Speaker 5: a week from tonight, will there be a pack Red
Speaker 5: pro Red's crowded? Well, I have to listen to the
Speaker 5: Cubby Bear fans come down to sits now each year.
Speaker 7: Mixed bag because last time there were a lot of
Speaker 7: Cubs fans there. However, I do think I think it's
Speaker 7: dependent on you know, this series against the A's. However,
Speaker 7: I would hope that fans show up. The last four
Speaker 7: series or so are against division opponents mixed back based
Speaker 7: on the last series against the Cubs they played at
Speaker 7: Great American Ballpark, however, yes, I would expect this last
Speaker 7: sixteen games or so Great American Ballpark to be to
Speaker 7: be pretty packed. I mean, that's what it was like
Speaker 7: in twenty twenty three when the Reds were in the
Speaker 7: wild card hunt until the very final week of the season.
Speaker 6: I mean it was in twenty twenty three.
Speaker 7: That was one of my favorite moments of my entire career,
Speaker 7: just seeing Great American Ballpark so packed during the month
Speaker 7: of September until you know, the last week where they
Speaker 7: were finally, finally not in contention anyone. So yes, I
Speaker 7: would assume that that Reds fans should would be there.
Speaker 7: If not, if any Reds fans are listening to this podcast,
Speaker 7: I suggest that you show up for the entirety of
Speaker 7: this Red season right now.
Speaker 5: Agreed? Agreed? All right, Well then I'll lead you to
Speaker 5: our next question. Since you have all of the putters
Speaker 5: behind you, are you going to take me golfing on
Speaker 5: Thursday morning? That's a better question.
Speaker 6: Well, I am not the golfer. My husband is. He
Speaker 6: plays on the Page Tours.
Speaker 7: He's in Napa Valley right now playing in the Pro
Speaker 7: Corps Championship, so he this is his project behind me.
Speaker 6: I am, I am. I can play golf.
Speaker 7: I still have some athleticism left, but no, he is
Speaker 7: the golfer in the family, and we have way too
Speaker 7: many golf clubs. However, I can tell you places to
Speaker 7: golf in Cincinnati, and I have people there who could
Speaker 7: get you at tea time.
Speaker 3: Just let me know.
Speaker 5: Okay, thank you, because you have way too many putters,
Speaker 5: you have way too much money invested in your putters.
Speaker 6: Oh, don't don't even get me started about it. We
Speaker 6: have more in the garage. Don't worry.
Speaker 5: If your husband needs some lefties, though, let me know.
Speaker 5: I'm happy to sell them some.
Speaker 1: That's good, well, a j it's his job, so I mean,
Speaker 1: not spending too much money on it. That's that's his career.
Speaker 5: No, I agree. But still, usually you don't see putter
Speaker 5: covers hanging on the walls and put usual let me,
Speaker 5: let me change it. This is gonna sound really bad.
Speaker 5: You usually don't see women sitting in front of putters
Speaker 5: and putter covers on their wall. Usually guys. Yes, I
Speaker 5: know friends that have like hundreds of putters, which makes
Speaker 5: no sense to me. But you usually don't see women
Speaker 5: doing that.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 6: No, none of this is mine.
Speaker 7: I usually pick out the colors or like the different
Speaker 7: head covers prior to each tournament, which which I do
Speaker 7: do because I like certain colors and he usually takes
Speaker 7: those with him.
Speaker 6: But no, I mean I'll go out and to the
Speaker 6: driving range and hit balls and.
Speaker 7: If my two year old daughter eventually wants to get
Speaker 7: into it, then sure, I'll take lessons and start to
Speaker 7: really practice.
Speaker 6: But that's all him and he that was his project.
Speaker 5: The only the only golf course they're played in Cincinnati's
Speaker 5: Cold Stream, So that's the only one that I know
Speaker 5: in Cincinnati.
Speaker 6: That's a really good one. But I have others.
Speaker 1: If you're in Okay, you're gonna get the top secret list.
Speaker 1: AJ it's coming here right right.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 1: Well, Annie, thank you so much for stopping by and
Speaker 1: lightening us on the Reds, and we appreciate the time
Speaker 1: of course.
Speaker 6: Thanks guys,