1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,960 Speaker 1: But as I wrote, the passivity that we're seeing is 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:12,479 Speaker 1: a little disturbing. It's a little weird. Actually, Welcome everyone 3 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:16,079 Speaker 1: to the Tuesday edition of Fair Territory. We're going one 4 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 1: day later this week. Hope everyone enjoyed their Labor Day weekend, 5 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: and we're going to start today and talk in this 6 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 1: first segment about something that is really actually quite important 7 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,760 Speaker 1: in Major League Baseball right now. It's players coming back 8 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: off of injuries. Now, whenever people ask me at the 9 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:36,839 Speaker 1: start of a season, who do you think is going 10 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: to win the World Series? Who's going to make the playoffs? 11 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 1: I always say, tell me who's going to get traded? 12 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 1: And tell me who is going to get hurt. Now 13 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:47,560 Speaker 1: we know who has gotten traded. We've seen that, and 14 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 1: we've seen the early results of the deals that took 15 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: place before the deadline. We don't know exactly which teams 16 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:57,240 Speaker 1: are going to be in which states of health by 17 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: the end of the season, because it is ever evolved. 18 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: And I'm going to take you through a number of 19 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: teams and a number of big names that some of 20 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 1: which are coming back, some of which are back already recently, 21 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:12,959 Speaker 1: and some of which we don't know about. So let's start. 22 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 1: We'll start with the American League in this particular exercise, 23 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: and you're going to find it quite interesting because when 24 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 1: you see these names, you'll understand the impact that some 25 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: of these players can have should they return and return healthy, 26 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:29,399 Speaker 1: return to themselves. All right, Let's start with the American League. 27 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 1: The Minnesota Twins. Those two guys, Byron Buxton and Carlos 28 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:36,679 Speaker 1: Korea are two of their three best players, Royce Lewis 29 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:39,759 Speaker 1: being the other best positioned players. Buxton is a guy 30 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 1: who's dealing with hip information. He's on a rehab assignment 31 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:46,320 Speaker 1: right now, could be back Friday. Coorea planter fristritis in 32 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: his right foot. We don't know when he's coming back. 33 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: If he's coming back, it seems to be progressing, but 34 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: so far he is still not there. The Astro is 35 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: another team on this list. My goodness. Kyle Tucker now 36 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: as Chandler Room of the Athletic reported yesterday that issue 37 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:05,640 Speaker 1: he's been dealing with is not a bone bruise as 38 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 1: the team had said for months. It is actually a 39 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 1: fractor and that's why it has taken him so long. 40 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 1: Players don't generally need three months to recover from a 41 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 1: bone bruise, but he is expected back maybe Wednesday. Alex 42 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 1: Bregman has been out for several days, four straight days. 43 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,640 Speaker 1: He is expected back from his elbow issue at some point. 44 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: And Justin Verlander, he already is back, but he has 45 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: said he's in spring training mode and as he gets stronger, 46 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 1: he can make a difference for the Astros. The Red 47 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:36,919 Speaker 1: Sox you saw up there as well. Trevor Story surprised 48 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 1: that he is indeed even going to be a factor 49 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 1: in this particular season coming off that dislocated left shoulder, 50 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: but he's on a rehab assignment. Started it on Sunday. 51 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 1: He looks like he's going to be back at some 52 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: point before the end of September. And Liam Hendrix coming 53 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 1: off Tommy John surgery, he's on a rehab assignment, already 54 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 1: has made five appearances. He too, is returning. The orioles 55 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: of all the teams in the American League. Look at 56 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:05,640 Speaker 1: these names that are missing from NACT squad. Grayson Rodrigez. 57 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:07,799 Speaker 1: It's a big pitcher for them, one of their three 58 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 1: best starters. He is a guy that is dealing with 59 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 1: the right latch strain. We don't know when he's coming back. 60 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 1: Jordan Westburg, an All star one of their best offensive players, 61 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 1: fractured hand mid to late September. Ramon Urias was carrying 62 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 1: them without Westburg, and then he sprained his ankle and 63 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:26,839 Speaker 1: Mountcastle with a wrist brain He too, is undetermined as 64 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 1: far as when he is going to return. I mentioned 65 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: also one other team when I compiled that list, that 66 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 1: was the Yankees. They've got two important pitchers coming back, 67 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 1: Clark Schmidt and Louis Heel. Schmid dealing with the right 68 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 1: latch strain, made his third rehab start on Monday, could 69 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 1: be back next week. Louis Heel this weekend versus the Cubs. Again, 70 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 1: all of these players that I just mentioned, they're important 71 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 1: players for these teams. Now, we don't know the level 72 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 1: of health they're coming back at and the level of 73 00:03:56,040 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 1: production that they can provide. But there are teams, these 74 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 1: teams in particular, waiting on guys and waiting to see 75 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 1: just how much these players can contribute. Okay, let's go 76 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 1: to the National League. Now we'll do the same thing. 77 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 1: It's the same kind of exercise, and again some really 78 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 1: big names are in play. Let's start with the Padres. 79 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: Fernando Tatists junior back yesterday. Didn't have a hit, but 80 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:21,720 Speaker 1: he feels great. He is ready to go. Hasan Kim, 81 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:23,919 Speaker 1: of course, an important player for them, hasn't had the 82 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 1: best year. He too, will be back at some point. 83 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: And you Darvish expected to start against the Tigers on Wednesday, 84 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 1: coming off the restricted list. If you have Darvish effective 85 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 1: and healthy and he's had a lot of rest now 86 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:38,839 Speaker 1: in the mix along with Musgrove who missed some time, 87 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,919 Speaker 1: along with Dylan Cees and Michael King, that's the makings 88 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 1: of a strong postseason rotation, all right. The Dodgers were 89 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 1: the next team on this list. The Dodgers have dealt 90 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:52,160 Speaker 1: with pitching injuries all season, going back before the season, 91 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 1: and they're waiting right now on Glass now right elbow tendonitis. 92 00:04:56,720 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 1: Supposedly this was going to be a ten day thing. No, 93 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:03,160 Speaker 1: it's to take a little bit longer. They're hopeful, hopeful 94 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:05,039 Speaker 1: he's going to be back by the end of the 95 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:09,719 Speaker 1: regular season. Yamamoto mid September and Bruce dar graderol another 96 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:12,560 Speaker 1: addition to their bullpen. They've had some pieces come back 97 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:15,800 Speaker 1: to their bullpen already, such as Trying and Well. He 98 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:18,719 Speaker 1: is due back a roughly the end of this week. 99 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:21,599 Speaker 1: So that's the Dodgers. Then there are the Diamondbacks. The 100 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 1: Diamondbacks have been one of the hottest teams in baseball 101 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 1: without three key players. Ktel Marte left ankle sprain, possibly 102 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 1: on this next road trip. He'll be returning. Christian Walker 103 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 1: left oblique early September as well, and Gabriel Moreno left 104 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:40,279 Speaker 1: a doctor strain. We don't know exactly when or if 105 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 1: he is coming back. Those particular types of injuries, the 106 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: ductor obliques, they are always so hard to know when 107 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:49,839 Speaker 1: a player is going to shed them and be ready 108 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:52,360 Speaker 1: to play again. And finally I mentioned the braves. They're 109 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:55,679 Speaker 1: Assi Albi's, he's got that fractured left wrist. He's nearing 110 00:05:55,720 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 1: a rehab looking at mid September. Austin Reiley maybe the 111 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 1: end of the season, more likely October should they get there. 112 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:06,279 Speaker 1: So again, we just went through a list of I 113 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:10,039 Speaker 1: don't know twenty thirty players, guys who are missing, Guys 114 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 1: who could make a substantial impact in the month of 115 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:17,159 Speaker 1: September toward their team's pushes for a playoff berth and 116 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: the question in almost every case is, Okay, most likely 117 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:23,839 Speaker 1: they're going to come back, But at what level do 118 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 1: they come back at. Again, I go back to the 119 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 1: Vierlander example. He's back, but he has said he's in 120 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:32,039 Speaker 1: spring training mode. He's still kind of building up to 121 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 1: where he can be or where he should be. And 122 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:36,919 Speaker 1: then with the hitters, it's a little bit different. But 123 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 1: it often takes hitters time to regain their timing. And 124 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 1: with hitters coming off wrist or hand injuries, that's a 125 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 1: whole other issue in itself because hitters are so reliant 126 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:51,719 Speaker 1: on their hands. Hands are so important to hitters, so 127 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:54,040 Speaker 1: you don't know exactly how it's going to play out 128 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 1: for them. I go back to my former colleague at 129 00:06:56,480 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 1: MLB Network, Mark Durosa. His career was never the same 130 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:02,920 Speaker 1: after a risk injury. Now, I'm not saying that's going 131 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:04,440 Speaker 1: to be the case with all of the guys I 132 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 1: mentioned to have hand injuries, but they can take time 133 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 1: to recover from. They can be tricky to recover from. 134 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 1: So what I'm saying here is in the month ahead, 135 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 1: we've got a lot that's in play here, a lot 136 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 1: in flux, a lot of players who will be returning, 137 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 1: and a lot of teams anticipating big things. Hey, I 138 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: want to talk about baseballsm the official lifestyle brand of baseball. 139 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 1: As you can see, I am wearing one of their 140 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:33,640 Speaker 1: T shirts today. It's six four plus three equals two. That, 141 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: of course is a double play for those of you 142 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 1: who might not be familiar with the game. I would 143 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 1: imagine if you're watching or listening to us, you're familiar 144 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 1: with the game. But anyway, yesterday big birthday game for 145 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 1: Willy Adamas of the Milwaukee Brewers. You see the quote 146 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 1: from Sophia Minher here, she says, have a birthday, have 147 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 1: a season, Willly Adamas. He ties Ken Griffey Jr. With 148 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 1: thirteen three run homers for the most in a season. 149 00:07:56,040 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 1: He's homered in five straight games, twenty nine homers, ninety RBIs. 150 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: And this brings to mind Ken Griffy Junior, of course, 151 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 1: and it's always good to have a reminder about how 152 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 1: great King Griffy Junior was, and he certainly was that. 153 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:13,440 Speaker 1: When I think about Griffy Jr. I think about, of course, 154 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 1: the nineteen ninety five playoffs, I think about the cap backwards, 155 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 1: all of that. But I remember, in talking to Griffy, 156 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 1: the thing he liked talking most about was not his 157 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 1: play or not the game itself, but it was his children. 158 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 1: In fact, when you interviewed King Griffy Junior and you 159 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 1: started talking about his children, the conversation usually would go 160 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:35,679 Speaker 1: a long time and you may not be able to 161 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 1: get to the questions you wanted to get to. So 162 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:41,559 Speaker 1: that always stuck with me about Griffy and Baseball Lizen. 163 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: Right now, baseballism dot com has an awesome line of 164 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 1: King Griffy Junior shirts, sweatshirts, and hats. Yes, you can 165 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 1: wear the hat backwards, just like the guys on Foul 166 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 1: Territory do so again. Baseball Ism the official lifestyle brand 167 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: of Baseball. Time now for the inside Dish, the part 168 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 1: of the show where I talk about something I've written, 169 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:03,839 Speaker 1: a trend in the game, something else entirely. And today 170 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:06,480 Speaker 1: I want to discuss the column I published this morning 171 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 1: in The Athletic and you see it right there. Why 172 00:09:09,520 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 1: front office changes for most underachieving MLB teams appear unlikely 173 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 1: Now I'm constantly thinking about the sport and thinking about 174 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: different things that are going on. Actually, it's been percolating 175 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:23,360 Speaker 1: for a little while now that a lot of front 176 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 1: office shakeups do not seem imminent, even though a lot 177 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:30,880 Speaker 1: of fan bases are really angry. And one quote in 178 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 1: particular stood out to me in recent weeks along these lines, 179 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 1: and it came from Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro, who 180 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 1: was asked about the status of his general manager, Ross Atkins. 181 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 1: And what Mark said was, I'm a huge believer in 182 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:49,560 Speaker 1: stability and continuity, and those are competitive advantages in professional 183 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:55,319 Speaker 1: sports that reacting and change don't necessarily mean improvement. Now, 184 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:58,680 Speaker 1: Mark has a point, and listen, everyone should value stability 185 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:02,560 Speaker 1: and continuity, right jobs, that's the thing we all treasure 186 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:04,840 Speaker 1: in our jobs if we have it. The few of 187 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:08,200 Speaker 1: us who are lucky enough to experience that doesn't always 188 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:11,079 Speaker 1: happen for anybody. We all know that, right Okay, Now, 189 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 1: as I wrote, you cannot run a team based on 190 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:17,440 Speaker 1: fan reaction, particularly in the age of social media. You 191 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:20,600 Speaker 1: do that, you'll be firing somebody every ten seconds. That 192 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 1: doesn't work. But then, on the other hand, there are 193 00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: a number of fan bases, a greater number of fan 194 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:31,120 Speaker 1: bases than I can remember in recent times, that are 195 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 1: downright angry. I thought of six of them. The Blue Jays, 196 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:39,960 Speaker 1: the Cardinals, the Mariners, the Giants, the Reds, and the Pirates. 197 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 1: These are all teams that plan to contend and did not. Now, 198 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 1: for the purposes of this conversation, I'm not including the Dregs, 199 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 1: the White Sox, the A's, the Marlins, the Rockies. They're 200 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 1: in a different category, their own, little insular worlds. When 201 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:57,320 Speaker 1: I'm talking about with those six teams, which by the way, 202 00:10:57,360 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 1: comprise one fifth of the sports that thought they were 203 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:03,960 Speaker 1: going to be good and are not good. And in 204 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:07,160 Speaker 1: many of those cases, those teams haven't been good for 205 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 1: quite some time. And yet it does not seem that 206 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 1: there is going to be much front office movement, at 207 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 1: least based on what we know now. Now things might 208 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 1: be going on behind the scenes that we're not aware of, 209 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:22,680 Speaker 1: and it's possible that there might be change imminent for 210 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 1: one or more of these teams. I don't know, but 211 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:27,720 Speaker 1: I'm just kind of taking the mood of the sport 212 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:31,440 Speaker 1: right now and relaying this is where it seems to 213 00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:34,320 Speaker 1: be now. The purpose of the column is not to 214 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 1: advocate for any one person's firing. It was merely to 215 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:42,160 Speaker 1: ask the question why our owners so complacent? Why aren't 216 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 1: more front offices on the hot seat? And I offer 217 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 1: some theories. One theory is the expansion of the playoffs 218 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 1: that took place before the twenty twenty two season. What 219 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:55,080 Speaker 1: we have now are twelve playoff teams, three wild cards 220 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 1: in each league, And you always have if you're a 221 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:02,320 Speaker 1: team that's kind of on the frame, the illusion of contention. 222 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:05,080 Speaker 1: And the example I used in the column was the 223 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 1: Cubs clubs have been terrible or were terrible for four 224 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 1: months or at least underachieving for four months. Suddenly they've 225 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:13,559 Speaker 1: had a good month to three and a half out 226 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 1: in the wildcard race. So there is always the illusion 227 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 1: of contention. Teams can always believe we're closer than it 228 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 1: might appear. If these things go right, we're going to 229 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 1: be in really good shape. Another thing that I was 230 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 1: thinking about here, and the reason why there might not 231 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 1: be more change, is that in front offices today there's 232 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:36,360 Speaker 1: kind of an analytically based group think. And I'm not 233 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:39,800 Speaker 1: saying it's complete, and i'm not saying it's throughout every team, 234 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:42,560 Speaker 1: And I'm also not saying it's a bad thing to 235 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:44,840 Speaker 1: have analytics. So let's not go there, and let's not 236 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:47,680 Speaker 1: jump me for that. What I'm saying is that a 237 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:51,200 Speaker 1: lot of executives today, most executives sort of think alike 238 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 1: sort of do it the same way. So if you 239 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 1: replace one, you're probably going to hire one who is 240 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:00,880 Speaker 1: not all that dissimilar from what you had before. Okay, 241 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 1: so those were two theories. But the biggest issue here, 242 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:07,040 Speaker 1: the biggest reason that it don't seem more change, in 243 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:11,840 Speaker 1: my opinion, is the lack of financial pressure on clubs. Now. 244 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:14,400 Speaker 1: Of course, clubs will cry poor, the sport will cry 245 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 1: poor at times, but let's face it, in most businesses, 246 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 1: there only is change when there is financial pressure. Businesses 247 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:26,280 Speaker 1: make moves when they feel that they're failing. None of 248 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 1: these teams is failing, and none of these owners seems 249 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:33,280 Speaker 1: to feel the real pressure from their fan bases from 250 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 1: a financial point of view, to make a change. Now, 251 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:39,080 Speaker 1: in Saint Louis, right now, we've seen a sharp decline 252 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:42,600 Speaker 1: in attendance, especially over the last month, but there's still 253 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:44,840 Speaker 1: one of the top drawing teams in Major League Baseball. 254 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:48,200 Speaker 1: They still have ballpark village where fans flock to, and 255 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 1: I'm not sure that that's going to force any kind 256 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:54,400 Speaker 1: of change. The decline that we've seen in I don't know, 257 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 1: the last month or so, and really the whole season, 258 00:13:57,240 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 1: So I'm not saying that there should be fan boycotts here. 259 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 1: No one wants that people like watching baseball. They want 260 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:07,079 Speaker 1: to go see their teams play, they want to enjoy 261 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:10,400 Speaker 1: the sport. So that's why we're in kind of the 262 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 1: position we're in. Fans aren't going to stop going to games. 263 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 1: Maybe in an extreme case like Oakland, they will, but 264 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:20,200 Speaker 1: that team is leading town. But for the most part, 265 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:23,960 Speaker 1: while attendants might diminish in some markets, in a place 266 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 1: like San Francisco where the team is sort of kind 267 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:30,960 Speaker 1: of nondescript and average, again, attendance actually is up. They're 268 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:35,000 Speaker 1: one of the highest rising attendance teams this year versus 269 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 1: last year in the sport. As long as teams enjoy 270 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 1: financial success, they're not necessarily going to be as concerned 271 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 1: about on field success as maybe we would like them 272 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 1: to be, and that to me is the crux of 273 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:51,400 Speaker 1: this issue. Now, there are numerous examples of on field 274 00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 1: success leading to greater financial success. I can think of 275 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:57,760 Speaker 1: San Diego being one. They've spent a lot on players, 276 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:01,080 Speaker 1: they've been a better team, their place is alive, They're 277 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 1: drawing huge crowds and record crowds for them. Philadelphia is 278 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 1: another example. They've kept a really competitive team on the field, 279 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 1: and they've benefited from doing that. But the way those 280 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:14,200 Speaker 1: teams are run are sort of anomalies in the sport. 281 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:17,320 Speaker 1: And while I didn't mention it in the column, this 282 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:21,720 Speaker 1: whole reliance and emphasis on financial success starts at the 283 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 1: very top with the commissioner, Rob Manfred. Rob Manfred's job 284 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 1: is to make money for the owners. And we can 285 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:32,800 Speaker 1: question this and that about Manfred's tenure, and certainly we have, 286 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:36,000 Speaker 1: but in terms of making money for the owners, it 287 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:40,000 Speaker 1: seems to me he does the job really well. And 288 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 1: when he makes improvements to the sport, as he sometimes does, 289 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 1: particularly with the rule changes that were implemented last year, 290 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:49,920 Speaker 1: they're not just for the betterment of the esthetic value 291 00:15:49,920 --> 00:15:51,920 Speaker 1: of the sport, but what is the long term goal? 292 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:55,840 Speaker 1: To get more people involved, more fans interested, to make 293 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:59,000 Speaker 1: the game more appealing, so that people spend more money 294 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 1: and that teams do better financially. That's just the way 295 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 1: of the world, and that's the way this sport is 296 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 1: run now. No one wants teams to fail financially, that's 297 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 1: not the point here. But as I wrote, the passivity 298 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 1: that we're seeing is a little disturbing it's a little weird. Actually, 299 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 1: the teams are just kind of sitting there and they're 300 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:20,320 Speaker 1: telling you trust the process. Trust the process will be 301 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 1: better next year, and then they never get there. So 302 00:16:23,680 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 1: this is the issue. And if changes are not made 303 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 1: in some of these cases, fans are going to be 304 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 1: left in the same position. They're going to have to 305 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:34,480 Speaker 1: trust the process because they're not going to have a choice, 306 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:37,880 Speaker 1: and the teams that we mentioned might just keep spinning 307 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 1: their wheels. 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Have to have a Churio 334 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:55,359 Speaker 1: versus Meryl talk. Mister Rosenthal, we can have that talk 335 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 1: and we can also include Paul Skeins Now, Jackson Churio 336 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:02,240 Speaker 1: has had a great run here. Jackson Merrill is still 337 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:04,720 Speaker 1: having the better season. And I want to take exception 338 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:07,479 Speaker 1: with a tweet from a guy that I work with 339 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 1: and as a friend of mine, but Mike Fassalo of 340 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:11,719 Speaker 1: the Milwaukee Brewers. The PR director put this tweet out 341 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:15,000 Speaker 1: there yesterday and he kind of made me laugh checking 342 00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:18,200 Speaker 1: in still not a Rookie of the Year candidate. Correct, 343 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:22,120 Speaker 1: And of course he's talking about Jackson Cheerio, Mike Brewers fans. 344 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:26,040 Speaker 1: No one has said Jackson Cheerio is not a candidate 345 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:28,680 Speaker 1: for Rookie of the Year. He's going to be top three. 346 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 1: But if I had to rank him right now, I 347 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:35,359 Speaker 1: go Merrill. Maybe Cheerio's second and Skean's third. Skean's Cherio 348 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:37,280 Speaker 1: kind of a toss up. All right, let's go to 349 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 1: the next question. Omar asked, Hi, Ken, do you think 350 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:42,240 Speaker 1: the d Backs can make a deep run again in 351 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:45,000 Speaker 1: the postseason? Yes, I do, Omar, and I've been pretty 352 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:48,160 Speaker 1: vocal about this. Actually they can make a deep run 353 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:50,719 Speaker 1: because obviously they've got the best offense in the majors. 354 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:53,000 Speaker 1: This is something not a lot of people realize. They 355 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:55,439 Speaker 1: are the highest scoring team, even with the injuries that 356 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:59,840 Speaker 1: they've had, and they've got a rotation that, if it 357 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:03,240 Speaker 1: into form, can be really good, just what it was 358 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 1: last year. I'm talking about Gowan and Kelly and Eduardo 359 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:10,439 Speaker 1: Rodriguez and Nelson Montgomery's really not part of the equation 360 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:12,800 Speaker 1: right now. He's kind of working out of the bullpen. 361 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:15,880 Speaker 1: But they have the makings of a really good rotation. 362 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:18,960 Speaker 1: And I've left out Brandon Fought from that talk that 363 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:21,800 Speaker 1: I just gave there. So yes, I believe they can 364 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 1: make a deep run. Their bullpen is a bit of 365 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:27,360 Speaker 1: a concern with the decline of Seawald, but I do 366 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:30,679 Speaker 1: like the Diamondbacks. Yes, all right. Next question. This one 367 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:35,560 Speaker 1: comes from James Yrchak, who asked is the Brave season over? 368 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:38,400 Speaker 1: After losing the series to the Phillies at the Bank, 369 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:40,720 Speaker 1: they lost three or four. The Mets are within a 370 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:43,119 Speaker 1: half game now and are coming off a sweep of 371 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:45,520 Speaker 1: the White Sox. Braves and Mets play each other in 372 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:47,760 Speaker 1: the final week of the regular season. The truest park 373 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:51,479 Speaker 1: is the Brave season over? When they're leading the Mets 374 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:53,399 Speaker 1: by a half game and the Cubs by three and 375 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 1: a half for the final wildcard spot, I would suggest 376 00:19:56,359 --> 00:19:58,920 Speaker 1: that it is not over. And I would suggest also 377 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:02,159 Speaker 1: that despite what happened over the weekend in Philadelphia, and 378 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:04,120 Speaker 1: that was a really good series for the most part, 379 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:07,040 Speaker 1: and the Braves played not their best, but they were 380 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:09,439 Speaker 1: in the games. It wasn't like they were not competitive. 381 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:11,879 Speaker 1: Their season is not over. They've been one of the 382 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:14,879 Speaker 1: great surprises in the sport and their ability to withstand 383 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 1: injuries and still keep winning. They've done it with a 384 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:23,439 Speaker 1: rotation that has been quite formidable. Sale and Lopez and 385 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 1: Schwellenbach and Charlie Morton. They've done a really great job 386 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:29,600 Speaker 1: of hanging in there. They're going to get Alby's back. No, 387 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:31,960 Speaker 1: it is not over. I expect that they're going to 388 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 1: be in this thing and fight until the end. All right, 389 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:37,359 Speaker 1: final question, Let's get to this one here. This is 390 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:39,800 Speaker 1: a doozy. It's a lot of questions. It comes from 391 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:43,280 Speaker 1: Jeff Wax who asked me again a number of questions. 392 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:45,600 Speaker 1: There are six of them. I'm going to answer each 393 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:50,680 Speaker 1: one individually. Jeff asked, what is your favorite little debbies snackcake? Jeff, 394 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:53,200 Speaker 1: I've never heard of little debbies. Two? Did you ever 395 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:56,760 Speaker 1: date a supermodel? No? I did not, and I would 396 00:20:56,760 --> 00:20:59,359 Speaker 1: suggest that my wife is better than any supermodel that 397 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:02,840 Speaker 1: is out there. Quite happy. Three during your field of interviews, 398 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:06,160 Speaker 1: would you consider wearing a Nirvana T shirt? I like Nirvana, 399 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:08,679 Speaker 1: enjoyed listening to Nirvana. Thought they were one of the 400 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:12,040 Speaker 1: great bands of my generation. I'm not wearing a Nirvana 401 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:14,960 Speaker 1: T shirt. Maybe a Nirvana bow tie. Four how many 402 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:17,800 Speaker 1: tattoos do you have? Of what? The answer is zero? 403 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:21,639 Speaker 1: I'm not a tattoo guy. Five what's your dream car? Why? 404 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:23,720 Speaker 1: I don't care about the car I drive? And six 405 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:27,600 Speaker 1: what's your favorite karaoke song? Man? I don't do karaoke. 406 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:30,000 Speaker 1: I'm kind of a boring guy, as you can tell 407 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:33,439 Speaker 1: from my answers. Good questions, Jeff nice Try. Thanks to 408 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 1: everyone for their questions, including Jeff. Thanks to everyone for 409 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: watching for listening. You know where to find us YouTube apples, Spotify, 410 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:44,639 Speaker 1: like us, Subscribe and rejoin us Thursday at twelve thirty 411 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 1: Eastern our normal Thursday show with Alana Rizzo. Have a 412 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:49,640 Speaker 1: great couple of days. Everyone. 413 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:52,520 Speaker 3: Let's get that first bet offer going. 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