WEBVTT - Fair Territory: Braves & Red Sox Rolling, Dodgers Slump, NL MVP Race 0:00:06.320 --> 0:00:09.240 Welcome everyone to the Thursday edition of Fair Territory. I'm 0:00:09.280 --> 0:00:12.360 Ken Rosenthal here with my friend and colleague Alana Rizzo. 0:00:12.440 --> 0:00:15.880 And Alana, we have an extremely hot team in this 0:00:15.960 --> 0:00:18.759 sport right now. That team is the Boston Red Sox. 0:00:19.000 --> 0:00:22.319 They've again won seventh straight. They're twenty five and three 0:00:22.400 --> 0:00:25.520 since July third, and we're going to talk about them 0:00:25.560 --> 0:00:27.520 a little bit, but we're really going to talk about 0:00:27.520 --> 0:00:31.840 a team that suddenly is struggling, team invincible, team that 0:00:31.920 --> 0:00:35.440 can't be ever beat Los Angeles Dodgers. 0:00:36.200 --> 0:00:38.680 Tim Aher Can I tell you what It's funny because 0:00:38.720 --> 0:00:41.239 I was thinking about this yesterday, how much of a 0:00:41.320 --> 0:00:43.519 change it's been over the course of a month in 0:00:43.680 --> 0:00:46.280 change for the Boston Red Sox. And everyone's freaking out 0:00:46.360 --> 0:00:48.760 about what's happening with the Los Angeles Dodgers. But they 0:00:48.880 --> 0:00:52.360 have a sizeable lead in the division. But let's talk 0:00:52.400 --> 0:00:55.320 about that for a second. Ken, we don't expect the Dodgers, 0:00:55.320 --> 0:00:58.160 back to back National League champions, back to back World 0:00:58.200 --> 0:01:01.760 Series champions, to have scuffed this mightily losing six straight. 0:01:01.760 --> 0:01:02.360 What's going on? 0:01:03.320 --> 0:01:05.760 Well, for one thing, they've played two hot teams. The 0:01:05.800 --> 0:01:08.039 Red Sox are one of them, and nobody can beat 0:01:08.040 --> 0:01:10.520 the Red Sox for the last five weeks, and the 0:01:10.600 --> 0:01:14.920 Cubs at Wrigley were really impressive those last three days, 0:01:14.920 --> 0:01:18.039 so that's part of this. Obviously. Keep in mind too, 0:01:18.240 --> 0:01:21.480 they lost seven straight last year and teams will go 0:01:21.560 --> 0:01:24.920 through this over one sixty two. Now during this streak, 0:01:24.920 --> 0:01:28.039 they've been outscored forty two to twenty two. They haven't 0:01:28.040 --> 0:01:31.120 played their best, they lost Schoobls first start. All these 0:01:31.120 --> 0:01:34.320 things have happened. They are going to be in an 0:01:34.400 --> 0:01:37.440 interesting spot going forward here because they have, of course, 0:01:37.640 --> 0:01:42.240 some really talented pitchers coming back, snow Glass now eventually Otani, 0:01:42.680 --> 0:01:46.080 so I'm not worried about them. But at the same time, 0:01:46.200 --> 0:01:50.160 the one aspect of this that is somewhat significant is 0:01:50.200 --> 0:01:54.160 that they no longer are in position to land a bye. Brewers' 0:01:54.200 --> 0:01:57.120 best record in the National League Braves right behind them. 0:01:57.240 --> 0:02:00.000 Dodgers have slipped into third now. They didn't have a 0:02:00.080 --> 0:02:03.040 bye last year. People forget this. They had to beat 0:02:03.080 --> 0:02:07.160 the Cincinnati Reds in that first wildcard round, but it 0:02:07.240 --> 0:02:11.160 is better to have the buy to obviously skip that 0:02:11.200 --> 0:02:14.240 first round get a weaker opponent in the division series. 0:02:14.680 --> 0:02:18.200 I still expect the Dodgers will be there, but I 0:02:18.200 --> 0:02:22.560 wouldn't call this situation perilous. It's just a little bit disturbing. 0:02:22.639 --> 0:02:24.239 They don't want to be in this spot. 0:02:24.280 --> 0:02:26.760 They want to buy and it looks like that the 0:02:26.800 --> 0:02:29.280 offense is a little bit flat right now. You mentioned 0:02:29.320 --> 0:02:33.120 some pitching reinforcements coming back, but Katie Woo are colleague 0:02:33.120 --> 0:02:36.160 here obviously on foul territory, your colleague with the Athletic 0:02:36.360 --> 0:02:38.240 wrote about it a little bit but looking a little 0:02:38.240 --> 0:02:41.840 bit flat in terms of the offense and obviously losing 0:02:41.919 --> 0:02:45.240 Trek Scooble's debut. notWe Scooble pitched well enough, certainly to 0:02:45.360 --> 0:02:48.160 win that game, but just didn't have the support around him. 0:02:48.919 --> 0:02:52.000 And it's see Katie mentioned there for cities in ten 0:02:52.440 --> 0:02:56.320 days on the road, that's not easy, and fans and 0:02:56.440 --> 0:02:59.079 even media sometimes we think, Ah, these guys, they live 0:02:59.120 --> 0:03:02.080 in luxury, they don't have a problem. They can travel. No, 0:03:02.200 --> 0:03:04.720 it's not easy, and that could be part of this. 0:03:05.280 --> 0:03:08.160 Could be just August dog days, they're just not where 0:03:08.160 --> 0:03:11.200 they are. It could be a number of things. But again, 0:03:11.919 --> 0:03:15.400 the one thing that's troubling is the catching situation because 0:03:15.480 --> 0:03:18.000 Smith is still not back and rushing might be down 0:03:18.120 --> 0:03:21.519 for really as far as a catcher the season, Yeah, 0:03:21.560 --> 0:03:23.600 they had to go get two catchers the deadline, kind 0:03:23.600 --> 0:03:27.359 of journeyman guys they've had before, Froduccia and Rod Fitt. 0:03:27.440 --> 0:03:30.400 But at the same time, all of these things are 0:03:30.520 --> 0:03:33.560 just not all that important in August. If they don't 0:03:33.600 --> 0:03:37.240 get the buy, that's something that would be tough for them, 0:03:37.360 --> 0:03:41.320 just troubling for them. But again, I'm not especially worried 0:03:41.360 --> 0:03:44.440 about the Los Angeles Dodgers. 0:03:43.720 --> 0:03:44.800 The Philadelphia Phillies. 0:03:44.840 --> 0:03:47.200 They don't seem to be worried about anybody ken right now. 0:03:47.200 --> 0:03:49.680 Everyone's making a big deal about the lack of what 0:03:49.760 --> 0:03:52.400 they did at the trade deadline. In terms of activity, 0:03:52.440 --> 0:03:54.800 they were nine to nineteen entering the break, but they've 0:03:54.800 --> 0:03:58.400 been really good since fourteen and five. Is what's happening 0:03:58.400 --> 0:04:00.000 with the Philadelphia Phillies and your estimate? 0:04:00.560 --> 0:04:03.000 Well, they did get a rise at the deadline, and 0:04:03.120 --> 0:04:06.160 they did some other things too to supplement themselves, so 0:04:06.600 --> 0:04:10.720 I wouldn't say that they're stagnant in any way. If anything, 0:04:10.800 --> 0:04:13.800 what they did in having three players change positions to 0:04:13.800 --> 0:04:17.400 accommodate a rise was kind of amazing and kind of odd, 0:04:17.480 --> 0:04:21.400 if anything, because it raises this question of their defense 0:04:21.480 --> 0:04:24.760 and will their defense be good enough? But keep in 0:04:24.800 --> 0:04:27.719 mind they're chasing a team that right now is hot 0:04:27.760 --> 0:04:30.760 again and the Atlanta Braves so funny along it. They 0:04:30.760 --> 0:04:33.440 were nine to nineteen entering the break. A lot of 0:04:33.520 --> 0:04:37.040 us thought the Braves finally regressing. Here the Phillies might 0:04:37.080 --> 0:04:40.120 get them, and they still might. But since the break 0:04:40.360 --> 0:04:43.599 Braves are fourteen and five, they've won seven straight, and 0:04:43.680 --> 0:04:47.080 they are a team that looks like, obviously they're going 0:04:47.120 --> 0:04:49.320 to be a force to be reckoned with in October. 0:04:50.680 --> 0:04:52.640 They certainly look to be that way ken when it 0:04:52.640 --> 0:04:56.320 comes to the National League in the postseason. And again, 0:04:56.480 --> 0:04:58.880 I always worry about the Phillies. If you're a Dodger fan, 0:04:58.920 --> 0:05:01.159 you worry about the Phillies. Another team maybe we should 0:05:01.200 --> 0:05:03.360 be worried about, and perhaps a guy we should be 0:05:03.480 --> 0:05:06.000 worried about. If you're hoping that shohe Otani wins the 0:05:06.520 --> 0:05:10.360 nl MVP race is Pete crow Armstrong. I think any 0:05:10.440 --> 0:05:13.599 other time that you know showhy is not in the 0:05:13.680 --> 0:05:16.680 thing you're thinking, Okay, Pete crow Armstrong, And the fact 0:05:16.680 --> 0:05:18.560 that show Hay is in the National League. Maybe he 0:05:18.600 --> 0:05:20.640 doesn't get it, but he is making one heck of 0:05:20.640 --> 0:05:21.040 a case. 0:05:21.120 --> 0:05:24.479 Ken Kroh Armstrong is making a heck of a case. 0:05:24.560 --> 0:05:26.440 And a friend of mine a couple of weeks ago 0:05:26.440 --> 0:05:28.080 and I raised this to him, said, you know what, 0:05:28.240 --> 0:05:30.560 it might be a little closer this year, and he said, no, 0:05:30.720 --> 0:05:33.000 Otani is one hundred percent going to be the MVP. 0:05:33.839 --> 0:05:37.600 Maybe he still will be, but Pete crow Armstrong because 0:05:37.720 --> 0:05:40.600 of what he is doing offensively, and it's very comparable 0:05:40.680 --> 0:05:43.000 to Otani. If we put up the numbers here, I'll 0:05:43.000 --> 0:05:47.120 show you how offensively they're really close. Right now, just 0:05:47.120 --> 0:05:51.400 look at those numbers. Now. Defensively, kroh Armstrong does something 0:05:51.440 --> 0:05:53.680 that Otani doesn't do. He plays the field, and he 0:05:53.720 --> 0:05:56.159 plays the best center field in the major leagues. He 0:05:56.240 --> 0:05:58.800 is one of the top defenders in the Major leagues. 0:05:59.240 --> 0:06:04.120 Sho course is not pitching right now. Now. If he 0:06:04.200 --> 0:06:07.760 starts pitching again, then we're gonna have a different conversation. 0:06:07.800 --> 0:06:10.599 Perhaps he's also not having quite the offensive season he 0:06:10.680 --> 0:06:13.240 did last year. I want to show you show hey, 0:06:13.240 --> 0:06:17.680 twenty twenty five versus twenty twenty six, because this is telling. 0:06:18.120 --> 0:06:20.839 So you see in twenty six fewer homers. Obviously, the 0:06:20.839 --> 0:06:25.200 OPS is down about sixty points. He hasn't pitched lately, 0:06:25.400 --> 0:06:27.680 but he's still pitched almost twice as much as he 0:06:27.720 --> 0:06:32.119 did last year and at a higher level. So once 0:06:32.200 --> 0:06:35.440 this is all decided in September, if Shohy is back 0:06:35.480 --> 0:06:37.279 on the mound again, I would say he's still the 0:06:37.320 --> 0:06:40.960 front runner. But if PCA stays this hot, and if 0:06:40.960 --> 0:06:43.480 the Cubs, I don't know, catch the Brewers to win 0:06:43.520 --> 0:06:46.240 the division, even if they don't, it's going to be 0:06:46.320 --> 0:06:49.080 an interesting conversation. It's going to be the most interesting 0:06:49.120 --> 0:06:53.400 conversation we've had since Judge versus Otani a few years back. 0:06:54.520 --> 0:06:55.560 This is an interesting question. 0:06:55.720 --> 0:06:58.640 We'll get into more questions in grilling Ken coming up, 0:06:58.640 --> 0:07:01.599 but Mike G fifteen brings up a good one regarding PCA. 0:07:01.680 --> 0:07:03.360 That's why I want to address it now. He says, 0:07:03.400 --> 0:07:06.880 people will dissect every stat when comparing PCA and Otani. 0:07:06.920 --> 0:07:09.680 Here it is thanks for that, Clint in the MVP race, 0:07:09.720 --> 0:07:12.680 but shouldn't we also be placing way more importance on 0:07:12.720 --> 0:07:15.680 which team or which player rather is carrying a non 0:07:15.760 --> 0:07:19.880 super team. Clearly, Pete crow Armstrong interesting point there that 0:07:19.920 --> 0:07:20.720 he makes up that he. 0:07:21.040 --> 0:07:23.440 Is, but the Cubs are a really good team. That 0:07:23.480 --> 0:07:27.000 would be a better conversation if the Cubs were maybe 0:07:28.240 --> 0:07:30.560 out of the playoff picture, but they are a strong 0:07:30.600 --> 0:07:35.760 club offensively, defensively in particular, So that's always also a 0:07:35.800 --> 0:07:39.960 subjective analysis. What he means to his team. If you 0:07:40.040 --> 0:07:43.160 take him off his team, what happens. That's a hard 0:07:43.160 --> 0:07:46.160 thing to do, which is why most voters they look 0:07:46.160 --> 0:07:49.720 at these statistics and they judge based solely on those statistics. 0:07:50.240 --> 0:07:53.320 It is most valuable player, most valuable to his team 0:07:53.360 --> 0:07:56.160 and in the league. But it's a really hard thing 0:07:56.240 --> 0:07:58.760 to try to dissect. Well, if you pull that guy 0:07:58.800 --> 0:08:02.800 off his club, what happened. We've seen with Aaron Judge 0:08:02.920 --> 0:08:05.360 what happens when you pull a player like this off 0:08:05.360 --> 0:08:08.480 their club, and it can be ugly for sure. Now 0:08:08.480 --> 0:08:10.520 I wouldn't say ugly with the Yankees, but they're a 0:08:10.560 --> 0:08:11.640 different team without him. 0:08:12.240 --> 0:08:15.040 Ken, how do you think Pete crow Armstrong has taken 0:08:15.120 --> 0:08:17.560 his game to another level? We knew he was a 0:08:17.600 --> 0:08:20.520 dynamic player, but it seems like this year, in particular, 0:08:20.680 --> 0:08:23.240 he has really put it to a different gear all 0:08:23.280 --> 0:08:25.360 the way around, on both sides of the ball. 0:08:26.200 --> 0:08:29.360 Actually, Alana I asked him this in our postgame interview 0:08:29.400 --> 0:08:32.520 Saturday because he had a big game and he said, whoa, 0:08:32.520 --> 0:08:36.880 that's a lot to unpack. And certainly against left handers, 0:08:37.000 --> 0:08:40.360 he's moved up on the plate. He is clearly more 0:08:40.400 --> 0:08:43.360 disciplined than he's been in the past. Also, these two 0:08:43.360 --> 0:08:46.840 things have helped him. He is swinging less, but he's 0:08:46.840 --> 0:08:50.760 still an aggressive guy. He just is a player who 0:08:50.880 --> 0:08:53.480 is maturing in the game. And we see this all 0:08:53.520 --> 0:08:56.520 the time. We see guys go both ways. Actually, but 0:08:56.880 --> 0:08:59.520 he's credited to the Cubs assistant hitting coach John Mayley 0:09:00.240 --> 0:09:02.760 a lot with some of the adjustments he has made, 0:09:02.840 --> 0:09:07.000 and clearly it has helped. This guy's physical ability is 0:09:07.120 --> 0:09:10.079 right up there with anyone, and the way he plays 0:09:10.080 --> 0:09:13.480 center field, of course, it's breathtaking to say the least. 0:09:13.520 --> 0:09:16.800 So he is a viable MVP candidate. I'm not saying 0:09:16.840 --> 0:09:19.320 he would be the MVP now. I don't know it's 0:09:19.400 --> 0:09:23.120 August sixth, but come September twenty seventh, at the end 0:09:23.120 --> 0:09:26.120 of the season, it's going to be really interesting to 0:09:26.120 --> 0:09:27.760 see where this conversation is. 0:09:27.800 --> 0:09:30.520 Then, Ken, do you think it's even more magnified that 0:09:30.600 --> 0:09:33.720 he's doing this type of having this type of performance 0:09:33.760 --> 0:09:35.800 this season? The numbers are being so good when Alex 0:09:35.840 --> 0:09:38.000 Bregman is kind of regressing a little bit. I mean, 0:09:38.040 --> 0:09:40.640 think about where the Cubs could perhaps be without what 0:09:40.800 --> 0:09:44.320 PCA is doing. Considering Alex Bregman isn't having the best 0:09:44.400 --> 0:09:46.160 year statistically. 0:09:46.200 --> 0:09:49.520 You're right, and you never know what's going to happen 0:09:49.520 --> 0:09:52.480 in a season. We have all these projection systems, and 0:09:52.559 --> 0:09:55.760 the projection systems might have had PCA less and Alex 0:09:55.800 --> 0:09:59.000 Bregman more, and it hasn't worked out that way. Pregman 0:09:59.080 --> 0:10:01.280 has come on of late, looks like a much different 0:10:01.320 --> 0:10:04.040 player really since the break. But at the same time, 0:10:04.080 --> 0:10:06.960 you're right along it. Things never go exactly how you 0:10:07.040 --> 0:10:11.760 expect them to go, and PCA's emergence has actually masked 0:10:11.760 --> 0:10:13.760 a couple of things. Nico Horner has not been the 0:10:13.800 --> 0:10:17.920 same guy since Apel. Here they are yet the Cubs 0:10:17.960 --> 0:10:21.880 being a really formidable club, all right. 0:10:21.920 --> 0:10:24.160 You look at the standings as far as the NL 0:10:24.320 --> 0:10:27.720 Central is concerned, the Chicago Cubs five and a half 0:10:27.760 --> 0:10:30.560 games back behind the Milwaukee Brewers, but they do have 0:10:30.640 --> 0:10:34.079 a five game advantage in terms of that wild card race. 0:10:34.120 --> 0:10:37.040 So much more to come on fair territory with Ken Rosenthal. 0:10:37.120 --> 0:10:40.040 Make sure you guys, get your questions in. We are 0:10:40.080 --> 0:10:42.600 coming back after a few words from Foul with Grill 0:10:42.640 --> 0:10:44.400 and Ken after this. 0:10:44.400 --> 0:10:47.280 This is that time of year, aj It is Baseball's 0:10:47.320 --> 0:10:50.480 time to shine, and it is sea Geek's time to 0:10:50.600 --> 0:10:55.120 shine with MLB tickets and finding the best pricing, seating 0:10:55.440 --> 0:10:59.480 and games that are even sold out available on sea geek. 0:11:00.360 --> 0:11:02.520 Absolutely if you want to go to the biggest matchups 0:11:02.520 --> 0:11:04.160 coming up. We have Yankees Cubs coming up. 0:11:04.160 --> 0:11:05.679 Where's Yankees red Sox? 0:11:05.679 --> 0:11:07.920 That means stuff Again, there's some big moments that are 0:11:07.920 --> 0:11:11.199 coming up here in the as the penachases. 0:11:10.600 --> 0:11:11.480 Really heat up. 0:11:11.720 --> 0:11:13.760 Go to Cike you can find those green tickets with 0:11:13.800 --> 0:11:17.680 the best deals and get yourself out to an MLB game. Yeah, 0:11:17.720 --> 0:11:20.240 and they're straightforward with you. They will actually put a 0:11:20.280 --> 0:11:23.360 red dot next to a ticket that they don't feel 0:11:24.000 --> 0:11:27.760 is your best. Look. Green dot means very good code 0:11:27.880 --> 0:11:31.800 for you. It's Territory ten ten percent off your next 0:11:31.840 --> 0:11:35.280 set of MLB tickets at Seakeek. That's ten percent off 0:11:35.400 --> 0:11:39.040 MLB tickets when you use the promo code Territory one zero. 0:11:39.120 --> 0:11:40.800 Make sure you click the link in the description to 0:11:40.840 --> 0:11:43.120 download the app and have the code automatically added to 0:11:43.160 --> 0:11:44.640 your account so you can use it later. 0:11:46.720 --> 0:11:49.080 Looking to take your MLB action to the next level 0:11:49.160 --> 0:11:52.080 this season, Boosted Odds are here to crank up. 0:11:51.960 --> 0:11:54.200 Every pitch, swing and home run. 0:11:54.480 --> 0:11:57.160 But MGM is hooking you up with your very own 0:11:57.360 --> 0:12:01.200 MLB Odds Boost token to get things started all season long. 0:12:01.679 --> 0:12:03.000 Just add any MLB. 0:12:02.840 --> 0:12:05.840 Bet to your bet slip, activate your Odds Boost token, 0:12:05.960 --> 0:12:08.760 and lock it in. If your bet hits, you're catching 0:12:08.800 --> 0:12:12.439 out with an even bigger payout gambling problem called one 0:12:12.440 --> 0:12:22.000 eight hundred gambler or one eight hundred my reset. All Right, 0:12:22.040 --> 0:12:25.560 welcome to the episode of Grilling Ken here on Fair 0:12:25.640 --> 0:12:28.000 Territory with Ken Rosenthough. This is when you have the 0:12:28.040 --> 0:12:31.680 opportunity to ask Ken any question, anything that your little 0:12:31.720 --> 0:12:32.440 heart desires. 0:12:32.480 --> 0:12:32.760 All Right. 0:12:32.800 --> 0:12:36.840 Their first one, Ken is in regards to the Baltimore Orioles, 0:12:37.280 --> 0:12:39.559 as far as that is concerned. Half game back in 0:12:39.640 --> 0:12:43.480 the wildcard Guardians and Rangers above them. What do you 0:12:43.559 --> 0:12:45.560 like about this team? What are you seeing from the 0:12:45.559 --> 0:12:48.160 Orioles right now? And this is after they traded Adlie Ruschman. 0:12:49.080 --> 0:12:51.720 I like that they're playing the Angels. That certainly helps. 0:12:51.920 --> 0:12:55.240 And not only did they trade Rushman, they traded of course, 0:12:55.280 --> 0:12:57.680 Taylor Ward and Tyler Wells, who has been a valuable 0:12:57.720 --> 0:13:00.800 reliever for them. And it's funny. I remember talking with 0:13:00.960 --> 0:13:04.199 some executive before the deadline and he said, you guys, 0:13:04.440 --> 0:13:08.120 reporters overrate the deadline. Every year we see a team 0:13:08.280 --> 0:13:12.080 sell and then take off. Maybe the Oriols are that team. 0:13:12.120 --> 0:13:14.119 I don't know that they'll do it against better competition, 0:13:14.240 --> 0:13:17.760 but they still have a very talented group. They have 0:13:17.840 --> 0:13:20.120 not played well this season, That's why they were in 0:13:20.160 --> 0:13:22.920 the position they were in and sold the players they did. 0:13:23.120 --> 0:13:26.400 But it speaks to the American League's weakness that they 0:13:26.440 --> 0:13:28.559 are so close in the wildcard race. You see it 0:13:28.640 --> 0:13:31.199 right there, just a half game back, and it speaks 0:13:31.240 --> 0:13:33.880 to the talent that they do have on their roster 0:13:34.040 --> 0:13:38.439 that has largely disappointed this season. But the one thing 0:13:38.480 --> 0:13:42.000 they have going forward here is a pretty solid rotation, 0:13:42.360 --> 0:13:45.760 and if that rotation can continue performing the way it has, 0:13:46.360 --> 0:13:47.600 maybe they've got a chance. 0:13:47.360 --> 0:13:50.120 For a wildcard can I did the game the Red 0:13:50.160 --> 0:13:52.520 Sox game on Tuesday, and that's the first time I 0:13:52.559 --> 0:13:55.280 saw Eric Miller come out of the bullpen for the Socks, 0:13:55.520 --> 0:13:57.480 and he was pretty nasty. He needs to work on 0:13:57.520 --> 0:14:01.480 his walks, but he is a pretty nasty pitcher wicked better. 0:14:01.520 --> 0:14:03.680 Fifty four has a question for you in regards to 0:14:03.720 --> 0:14:06.360 this trade, looking back at the Marcelo Meyer trade, from 0:14:06.360 --> 0:14:09.760 what you know, did the Giants specifically target Meyer or 0:14:09.800 --> 0:14:12.520 did they feel that this was the best return for 0:14:12.760 --> 0:14:15.240 Eric Miller, that strong lefty coming out of the pen. 0:14:15.760 --> 0:14:17.560 You know what, I actually don't know the answer to 0:14:17.600 --> 0:14:20.160 that question. And I don't know if it was a 0:14:20.200 --> 0:14:23.920 case of the Red Sox showing interest in Miller and 0:14:23.960 --> 0:14:26.960 then that coming about, or the Giants showing interest in Meyer. 0:14:27.040 --> 0:14:30.400 Now my guess is it's the Red Sox who made 0:14:30.400 --> 0:14:34.920 the initial request. And I only say that because I 0:14:35.040 --> 0:14:37.720 did not hear that the Red Sox were shopping Meyer. 0:14:38.400 --> 0:14:39.960 That's not something I heard. Now, it doesn't mean it 0:14:40.000 --> 0:14:43.400 wasn't happening. And clearly the Red Sox felt this was 0:14:43.440 --> 0:14:46.120 a move that to get a controllable reliever as good 0:14:46.120 --> 0:14:48.960 as Miller, it was definitely worth giving up the future 0:14:49.000 --> 0:14:52.320 of Marcella Meyer. This is one of those challenge trades 0:14:52.360 --> 0:14:55.160 they call them that we'll see how it turns out. 0:14:55.240 --> 0:14:58.000 It's a baseball for baseball, major leaguer for major leaguer 0:14:58.400 --> 0:15:01.600 and this is one to follow going forward. 0:15:02.920 --> 0:15:03.360 Eric Miller. 0:15:03.400 --> 0:15:05.960 Obviously, a strong lefty coming out of the pen gives 0:15:06.160 --> 0:15:10.640 the Red Sox some advantage in terms of leverage situations 0:15:10.680 --> 0:15:12.360 from a left hander kin because all they had is 0:15:12.400 --> 0:15:14.800 you know better than anybody was a role this Chapman, 0:15:15.080 --> 0:15:17.840 who is their closer. So this is more of the sixth, seventh, 0:15:17.840 --> 0:15:20.600 eighth type of inning. Next question here is in regards 0:15:20.680 --> 0:15:25.400 to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Daniel Hyphen doctor nineteen nineteen wants 0:15:25.440 --> 0:15:27.600 to know why are people giving Pirates flag for their 0:15:27.640 --> 0:15:29.720 trade deadline. I thought they did a good job and 0:15:29.760 --> 0:15:31.720 there were no great bats on the market. 0:15:32.800 --> 0:15:35.720 That's a good point. And the problem with the Pirates 0:15:35.800 --> 0:15:38.360 is since the All Star break they've struggled. I believe 0:15:38.560 --> 0:15:40.960 they're seven and twelve since the break might be wrong, 0:15:41.080 --> 0:15:42.920 don't hold me to it, but it hasn't been great. 0:15:43.600 --> 0:15:47.080 Their offense has struggled in particular, and yes, they were 0:15:47.120 --> 0:15:50.080 looking for a right handed bat, but they were in 0:15:50.200 --> 0:15:53.680 short supply. What I liked about what they did is 0:15:53.720 --> 0:15:56.640 they really tried to fix the bullpen and did it aggressively. 0:15:57.160 --> 0:16:00.600 Luke Weaver, Kirby Yates and from the Miami Marlins Balker. 0:16:01.120 --> 0:16:04.640 Those guys should help what has been the weakest area 0:16:04.760 --> 0:16:07.840 of the team by far. Now you also have some 0:16:07.920 --> 0:16:11.080 injured players coming back. They just lost Ryan O'Hearn. He'll 0:16:11.120 --> 0:16:14.920 come back eventually, Connor Griffin. I believe Spencer Horwitz is back, 0:16:15.320 --> 0:16:18.640 don't hold me to that, but that alone should help 0:16:18.680 --> 0:16:21.240 them too. O'Neil Cruz is still on the il, So 0:16:21.880 --> 0:16:25.680 as these players return, perhaps then their offense will return 0:16:25.720 --> 0:16:26.160 as well. 0:16:27.120 --> 0:16:30.880 Our favorite Met fan armand is Amazing is back in 0:16:30.960 --> 0:16:33.360 our chat here on Grill and Ken has a question 0:16:33.520 --> 0:16:36.480 about this. What grade would you give these three teams 0:16:36.520 --> 0:16:38.160 that sold on deadline Day? 0:16:38.240 --> 0:16:40.880 The Angels, His Mets, and the Giants. 0:16:41.200 --> 0:16:42.720 All Right, First of all, as I said on my 0:16:42.800 --> 0:16:48.120 show Tuesday, I don't love giving grades right away because 0:16:48.880 --> 0:16:50.840 you just don't know what's going to happen. All you 0:16:50.920 --> 0:16:54.520 can do is judge a team's aggressiveness and how you 0:16:54.600 --> 0:16:59.320 think they fared in the initial decisions to do what 0:16:59.400 --> 0:17:02.320 they did. The Angels I thought did really well, and 0:17:03.480 --> 0:17:06.920 the returns obviously matter, but it was more what they 0:17:06.960 --> 0:17:10.679 did and finally, acting as a seller. We've been waiting 0:17:10.680 --> 0:17:12.760 for years for them to do that. They did it. 0:17:12.840 --> 0:17:15.560 They did it rather effectively. I thought the Mets did 0:17:15.600 --> 0:17:17.920 what they had to do, and they made a good 0:17:17.960 --> 0:17:21.679 trade to get the Cubs prospect Jefferson Rojas in the 0:17:21.680 --> 0:17:25.359 Holmes Taylor trade Tyrone Taylor and Holmes going to the Cubs. 0:17:26.119 --> 0:17:27.800 Some of the other trades are not going to net 0:17:27.840 --> 0:17:30.920 them that much. They had expiring contracts. It wasn't going 0:17:30.960 --> 0:17:33.960 to be that big deal. Weaver also brought them a 0:17:34.000 --> 0:17:36.159 prospect because he had an extra year of control, a 0:17:36.160 --> 0:17:38.520 pretty good one from the Pirates. And what was the 0:17:38.560 --> 0:17:40.320 other team on that alta I'm missing one. 0:17:40.440 --> 0:17:42.280 We have the Angels, the Mets, and the Giants. 0:17:42.800 --> 0:17:45.720 The Giants. The Giants did well in my estimation, and 0:17:46.280 --> 0:17:51.040 they did well because they acquired two really good prospects 0:17:51.080 --> 0:17:54.920 for Robbie Ray from the San Diego Padres. I shouldn't 0:17:54.920 --> 0:17:57.320 say two really good. Two of the Padres better prospects. 0:17:57.320 --> 0:17:59.480 They don't have a great system, but they were guys 0:17:59.480 --> 0:18:02.360 that would want They got Meyer. They did some other 0:18:02.440 --> 0:18:05.440 things as well. And for a team that has really 0:18:05.440 --> 0:18:07.639 had a down season and for a front office that 0:18:07.680 --> 0:18:10.399 has been under a lot of scrutiny, and rightly so, 0:18:11.480 --> 0:18:14.879 they came out okay, maybe even better than Okay, okay. 0:18:15.000 --> 0:18:16.199 I like this next question. 0:18:16.600 --> 0:18:20.240 Why aren't players asked for their opinion or informed in 0:18:20.359 --> 0:18:22.760 advance when they are being traded enough some are, don't 0:18:22.800 --> 0:18:25.800 they consider that they have to abruptly relocate their families 0:18:25.840 --> 0:18:27.800 and lives. This is a good question because sometimes we 0:18:27.880 --> 0:18:30.800 forget ken that these guys are people before they're players. 0:18:31.080 --> 0:18:33.320 It's funny. My wife asked me this the other day, Alana. 0:18:33.440 --> 0:18:36.400 She said, do guys not like getting traded? It's kind 0:18:36.400 --> 0:18:40.120 of disruptive. Right, Yes, it is disruptive, there's no question 0:18:40.200 --> 0:18:44.479 about it. At the same time, players generally recognize that 0:18:44.880 --> 0:18:47.080 it's part of the business and it's something that can 0:18:47.160 --> 0:18:50.080 happen now. Tyler Stevenson, I don't know if you caught 0:18:50.080 --> 0:18:53.520 the salana the night before the deadline. He did something 0:18:53.520 --> 0:18:57.320 big in the Reds game. Was interviewed by Jim Day 0:18:57.359 --> 0:19:00.600 after the game and he was very emotional, want to go. 0:19:01.000 --> 0:19:04.400 He's been read his whole career. Trevor Rodgers another example, 0:19:04.480 --> 0:19:06.919 pitch really well for Baltimore. He thought after ward and 0:19:06.960 --> 0:19:09.680 Rushman were traded, he was going to go and was 0:19:09.760 --> 0:19:14.439 greatly relieved not to. In many cases, guys do not 0:19:14.560 --> 0:19:19.000 want their routines disrupted, and yet in some cases, example, 0:19:19.040 --> 0:19:21.560 if you're going from a non contender to the middle 0:19:21.600 --> 0:19:25.119 of a world series push Elliott Ramos for instance, Giants 0:19:25.160 --> 0:19:28.320 to the Yankees, it's pretty exciting and it can be 0:19:28.359 --> 0:19:29.120 a really good thing. 0:19:29.840 --> 0:19:32.359 I think it's more disruptive for the family than it 0:19:32.440 --> 0:19:34.840 is for the player because they have to manage the 0:19:34.880 --> 0:19:37.480 schooling and the housing and all of that stuff. But 0:19:37.600 --> 0:19:39.720 it is a business after all. All right, Ken, you 0:19:39.840 --> 0:19:43.600 are going to be doing a game this weekend. Of course, 0:19:43.680 --> 0:19:45.760 Dudent Dork is coming up, but let's preview you that 0:19:45.920 --> 0:19:49.840 Saturday game on Fox with Fox One streaming now. I 0:19:49.840 --> 0:19:52.439 would love to have your thought on this game coming up. 0:19:52.480 --> 0:19:55.760 It is the White Sox who have an opportunity to 0:19:55.760 --> 0:19:57.600 be swept I guess by the Red Sox. 0:19:57.359 --> 0:19:59.920 Today and the Cleveland Guardians. What are you looking forward to? 0:20:00.720 --> 0:20:04.280 Well, getting back to whatever that park is called, the 0:20:04.320 --> 0:20:09.159 South Side Park Tarranty Guarantee. The last time I was 0:20:09.200 --> 0:20:11.880 there was a few years ago. Dylan Cees almost threw 0:20:11.880 --> 0:20:14.199 a no hitter. We did that game, but before that 0:20:14.320 --> 0:20:16.800 it had been many years. We haven't had the White 0:20:16.800 --> 0:20:19.960 Sox on at least with my team very often, so 0:20:20.280 --> 0:20:22.920 Number one. I'm looking forward to seeing the first place 0:20:23.040 --> 0:20:24.919 team in the AL Central, a team that has had 0:20:24.960 --> 0:20:29.800 an incredibly surprising and fun year. And while they're pitching 0:20:29.840 --> 0:20:32.679 Anthony k I'm really looking forward to seeing who the 0:20:32.680 --> 0:20:35.600