1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,200 Speaker 1: That is about one of the most ridiculous things I've 2 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:03,560 Speaker 1: heard in recent times. 3 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,040 Speaker 2: Aaron Judge is one of the great players in the game. 4 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 1: You won't be booting Aaron Judge for long. Welcome everyone 5 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:16,960 Speaker 1: to the Monday edition of Fair Territory. We are back 6 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 1: for another week Monday Show, Thursday Show. And what I 7 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:24,280 Speaker 1: want to start off talking about today is the fact 8 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: that it's getting a little. 9 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 2: Bit later in the season. 10 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:30,840 Speaker 1: Now. I know we're not a month in, but the 11 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: question must be asked with regard to certain players, is 12 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: it too soon to panic? And I'm going to talk 13 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: about four players today, Four players in different circumstances, all veterans, 14 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 1: of course, but four guys that, to varying degrees are 15 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:51,880 Speaker 1: causing concern with their respective fan bases. And you talk 16 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: all the time in baseball. You hear all the time 17 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 1: in baseball about the back of the baseball card. Managers 18 00:00:57,800 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 1: will say this constantly. 19 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 2: Hey, go to the back of the baseball card. You'll 20 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 2: see what this guy is capable of doing. 21 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: That's correct, and in most cases, the back of the 22 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: baseball card does not lie. And players generally go to 23 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:14,679 Speaker 1: their performance over a career, whether good or bad. They 24 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 1: revert to that performance. So I expect that in some 25 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:21,640 Speaker 1: of these cases that we're going to talk about, some 26 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:24,320 Speaker 1: of these players will get back to their career norms. 27 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 1: But there is cause for concern in each case, and 28 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:31,400 Speaker 1: let's go through it. Starting with a guy who attracted 29 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 1: a lot of attention this past offseason, a guy who 30 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: is the reigning National League Young Award winner signed very 31 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:41,199 Speaker 1: late in spring training. You know who I'm talking about, 32 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 1: Blake Snell, left handed pitcher, San Francisco Giants. It's off 33 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: to a horrible start, first three starts, eleven point five 34 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: to seven ERA. Now, remember Blake Snell did not have 35 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: a spring training for the most part, and he joined 36 00:01:56,440 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 1: the Giants late March. Like the guy he faced Friday night, 37 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 1: Jordan Montgomery. Jordan Montgomery, making his first start for the 38 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: Arizona Diamondbacks, pitched really well six innings outpitched Blake Snell 39 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 1: and what I kind of called the Boris Bowl too. 40 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 1: Scott Boris' clients, or at least one Scott Boris client 41 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 1: and one former Scott Boris client. Montgomery has since left 42 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:22,919 Speaker 1: for Wasserman. So what do we make of Snell. Well, 43 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:26,960 Speaker 1: here's the thing. He generally has been not always, but 44 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: generally has been a slower starter in his career. And 45 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: let's go back to last season, his cy young season, 46 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 1: when he did some remarkable things after starting slowly. His 47 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: first nine starts last year five point four zero ERA. 48 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 1: His last twenty three starts one of the great runs 49 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:49,520 Speaker 1: in recent memory one point two zero ERA. So is 50 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 1: Blake Snell capable of doing the same thing. Absolutely, he 51 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:56,800 Speaker 1: is capable of doing the same thing you do. Wonder if, 52 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 1: after signing that two year, sixty two million dollars free 53 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:02,960 Speaker 1: agent contract with an opt out after one year, if 54 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 1: he might feel a little extra pressure, because, of course 55 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 1: the idea was to opt out after this year. But 56 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 1: at the same time, he had the same circumstance last 57 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 1: year he was going to become a free agent. So Snell, 58 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: we would expect, is going to get better. The question 59 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:22,799 Speaker 1: is how soon. And let's face it, the Giants aren't 60 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 1: off to the greatest of starts. Another Scott Bors client 61 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: who signed late, Matt Chapman, is running about a league 62 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:33,640 Speaker 1: average ops plus right now. The Giants need Snell to 63 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: be really good, and they need him to be really 64 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 1: good quickly. So we'll have to see how that plays 65 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 1: out with Blake Snell. But again you go back to 66 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 1: last year alone, and he was really good. The second 67 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: guy on our list is someone that I never expected 68 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 1: to see struggle like this in his career period, but 69 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 1: is struggling mightily right now after struggling in the spring. 70 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 1: I'm talking about Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmith. Paul gold Schmidt, 71 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 1: one of the great players in our game. In the 72 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: past decade, first baseman guy's done some amazing things offensively, 73 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 1: He's been a good defender, He's been a really good 74 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 1: player overall, maybe even a borderline Hall of Fame case. 75 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 1: And yet this season, let's look at the numbers, they 76 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 1: are not pretty at all. Goldschmidt his career ops in 77 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 1: March and April. This is not a slow starter. His 78 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 1: career ops entering this season March April eight fifty five 79 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:34,720 Speaker 1: spring training this year four seventy eight ops, and now 80 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 1: through twenty one games, five oh seven. Now Paul Goldschmidt 81 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:42,200 Speaker 1: is thirty six. Paul Goldchman is a guy also in 82 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:43,159 Speaker 1: a contract year. 83 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:43,600 Speaker 2: And if you. 84 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:46,479 Speaker 1: Remember, the Cardinals said, you know what, We're gonna hold off. 85 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:49,040 Speaker 1: Let's see how the season goes let's see how it starts, 86 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 1: and maybe we'll revisit it during the season. 87 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 2: Maybe we'll just wait until after the season. 88 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:58,039 Speaker 1: I don't believe Paul Goldschmidt is being affected by contractual pressure. 89 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 1: I don't know why he is struggling, and people who 90 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 1: have seen him aren't quite clear on it either. He 91 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: did have issues in spring training. He was trying to 92 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 1: get his timing down and really never got untrapped. So 93 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:14,800 Speaker 1: here's a guy that again is a major part of 94 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 1: his team, along with No. One Arnado, who has nothing 95 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 1: great either. Noan Arnado won home run in eighty six 96 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:25,760 Speaker 1: at bats the Cardinals as a whole thirteen home runs. 97 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 1: The entire team has thirteen home runs. Only the White. 98 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:29,600 Speaker 2: Sox have fewer. 99 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:33,680 Speaker 1: And we know this. The Cardinals rely heavily on gold 100 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 1: Schmidt and Arnado to be all star, borderline Hall of 101 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:38,719 Speaker 1: Fame type players. 102 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:41,280 Speaker 2: Arnatto, I'm sure, will be a Hall of Famer. 103 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:45,479 Speaker 1: So Goldschmid is another one that you have to be 104 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,039 Speaker 1: worried about at this point. Will he eventually click? Will 105 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 1: he give back to the player he once was? Obviously 106 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:52,920 Speaker 1: I would imagine. 107 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:53,479 Speaker 2: We all expect that. 108 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:56,919 Speaker 1: I can't believe Paul Goldschman is going to struggle like 109 00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 1: this the whole year, but he's struggling now. And the Cardinals, 110 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:02,679 Speaker 1: a team that needed to get off to a hot start, 111 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:06,160 Speaker 1: has not done anything of the sort. Third on this 112 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 1: list another first baseman, and this guy makes Paul gold 113 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:13,279 Speaker 1: Schmidt look hot. I'm talking, of course, about Astro's first baseman, 114 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:18,360 Speaker 1: Jose Abreu. Jose Abreu is also an older player. He's 115 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:22,320 Speaker 1: thirty seven. He's a guy that had his difficulties last season, 116 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 1: if you remember, and they made a mechanical adjustment kind 117 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 1: of quieted down his approach at the plate less movement, 118 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: and in September and the postseason was something like the 119 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 1: Jose Abreu of old. Right now though, it is anything 120 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:41,480 Speaker 1: but that for Jose Abreu. And let's look at his 121 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 1: numbers as we go forward here. These are astonishing. Jose 122 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,840 Speaker 1: abrew is four to fifty nine, one extra base hit 123 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:52,159 Speaker 1: point zero, six to eight batting average and a. 124 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:54,040 Speaker 2: Two twenty three OPS. 125 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 1: That's his combined on base and slugging percentage two twenty three. 126 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: He has nearly as many errors three as hits four. Now, 127 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,360 Speaker 1: this is a huge problem for the Astros. He has 128 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 1: a three year fifty eight point five million dollar contract. 129 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 1: This is the second of those three years. They have 130 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 1: started mixing in John Singleton, a left handed hitter and perhaps. 131 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 2: Can go to something of a platoon. 132 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:21,960 Speaker 1: But Singleton is not exactly an accomplished player. He hasn't 133 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 1: been hot himself. And how this works out for the 134 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 1: Astros really, no one has any idea. They've got a 135 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 1: kid at Triple A, Joey Lo Perfido, who has a 136 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 1: chance to be a pretty good prospect. He's been really 137 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 1: hot to start the season. Buddy, Are you gonna throw 138 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:38,520 Speaker 1: him in there and expect him to be a productive player? 139 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 1: Are you going to release Jose Abrellu with thirty plus 140 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 1: million left on his contract? These are questions that the 141 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 1: Astros suddenly are facing that they never expected to face. 142 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:51,800 Speaker 1: He's not the reason they are off to such a 143 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 1: terrible start, of Braillu, but he is part of the problem. 144 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:57,600 Speaker 1: They have not hit to the level that they need 145 00:07:57,640 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 1: to hit to be the team that they want to 146 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 1: be because they've had pitching issues as well. Josh Hater 147 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 1: he could be on this list. He is not off 148 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:08,160 Speaker 1: to a good start himself. As a closer. Presley has 149 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 1: struggled Brian Abrawo has struggled. This is a team that 150 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 1: is a bit of a mess right now, all right, 151 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 1: moving on to a team that is not a mess, 152 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 1: but a pitcher who is having his difficulties. Again, like 153 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: all of these other players, we're talking about an accomplished veteran, 154 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 1: and actually this guy is one of the great gentlemen 155 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 1: of the game, someone who has had a really nice career. 156 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 1: Even though he doesn't throw a million miles an hour, 157 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 1: he is the professor. He is Kyle Hendricks. And Kyle 158 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 1: Hendricks's numbers right now are goodness gracious, awful. He is 159 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:40,719 Speaker 1: a guy that. 160 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 2: Is really kind of trying to find himself. 161 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 1: As we look at what he's doing right now, you're 162 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:48,000 Speaker 1: looking at some of the worst numbers in Major League 163 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:51,440 Speaker 1: Baseball for a starting pitcher. Five starts, twenty one innings. 164 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:54,080 Speaker 1: Pitch has yet to go more than five innings. Eight 165 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 1: home runs allowed. That's the most in the Majors era 166 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:01,480 Speaker 1: of twelve, He's allowed thirty even hits in twenty one innings. 167 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 2: That's tied for the most. 168 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 1: He's also allowed the most earned runs. Now, Kyle Hendricks 169 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:10,440 Speaker 1: yesterday on Sunday, thought that he made some progress and okay, 170 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:12,520 Speaker 1: maybe he did still less than. 171 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:13,439 Speaker 2: Only four innings. 172 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 1: And I'm always concerned when I hear players in the 173 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:18,840 Speaker 1: middle of a slump like this say, well, I saw 174 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 1: some good signs. I wonder if they're reaching and trying 175 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 1: to justify to themselves what's going on and rationalize, or 176 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: maybe they are seeing good signs, and maybe Kyle Hendricks 177 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:32,680 Speaker 1: is about to come out of this in some fashion. 178 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:36,439 Speaker 1: He too is an older guy, he's thirty four, and 179 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 1: obviously you wonder. 180 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:40,719 Speaker 2: With all of these players, is this the start of. 181 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:42,520 Speaker 1: A major decline? Is this the end? 182 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:44,199 Speaker 2: Kyle Hendricks is. 183 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:46,320 Speaker 1: Going to get more of an opportunity with the Cubs. 184 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 1: And what is interesting about the Cubs right now, they're 185 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:53,360 Speaker 1: also having a closer issue. Adverert Alzolay is not the 186 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 1: guy as we've seen to this point in this season. 187 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,000 Speaker 1: He has had some difficulties. He is not going to 188 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:03,600 Speaker 1: be necessarily the going forward temporarily. But at the same time, 189 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 1: with all the issues that the Cubs are having, say 190 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:11,040 Speaker 1: a Suzuki being out right now he's injured, well, they're 191 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 1: still thirteen and nine with Hendrix without Suzuki, with this 192 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:18,280 Speaker 1: situation in the bullpen, that's thirteen and nine. They're not 193 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:19,359 Speaker 1: in first. 194 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:21,880 Speaker 2: Place because the Brewers have been red hot, but. 195 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 1: The Cubs are continuing to go forward and maybe with 196 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:28,400 Speaker 1: cred counsel they'll be able to figure it out. But 197 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 1: those four guys, Snell, goldschmid A, brall You, and Hendrix. 198 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 1: Is it time to panic about them? I don't know 199 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 1: that I would say panic is the right word, but 200 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:42,280 Speaker 1: certainly concern and in some of those cases are braill 201 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:46,719 Speaker 1: you in particularly, we are tilting toward panic. Time out 202 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:48,480 Speaker 1: for the Inside Dish, the part of the show where 203 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:50,760 Speaker 1: I talk about maybe a story I've written, a trend 204 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 1: in the game, something going on that has caught my attention. 205 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 1: And today I want to talk about the Mets because 206 00:10:57,679 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 1: I had them over the weekend for FS one. They 207 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:01,640 Speaker 1: were stadium, They won. 208 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:02,080 Speaker 2: Two of three. 209 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:05,240 Speaker 1: They had a really good weekend, extended their winning streak 210 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:08,440 Speaker 1: to six games before, of course losing Sunday ten. Nothing 211 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 1: in a rat So the reason I want to talk 212 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:13,200 Speaker 1: about the Mets is kind of an extension of the 213 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:16,079 Speaker 1: column I wrote today in which I listed five reasons 214 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:19,600 Speaker 1: to believe and five reasons to be worried. And I 215 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 1: go back to spring training now every spring in both 216 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:24,000 Speaker 1: Florida and Arizona. 217 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 2: I tore the camps. 218 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: I don't hit every camp, but I hit most every camp, 219 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:32,120 Speaker 1: and in some places I spend more time than others. 220 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:35,840 Speaker 1: Some teams are more interesting than others. Right with the Mets, 221 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:40,840 Speaker 1: I stopped by, walked into their clubhouse, didn't see Justin Verlanders, 222 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: didn't see Max Schurz or Now they still have some stars, 223 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:47,720 Speaker 1: of course, Lindor and Alonzo and some others, but this 224 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:50,120 Speaker 1: was a team that in an off season of Luis 225 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 1: Severino's and Adrian Hauser's and Sean Benaias and just didn't. 226 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:55,880 Speaker 2: Seem all that interesting to me. 227 00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 1: So I talked to a few guys, renewed acquaintances, did 228 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 1: some normal things that I would do while stopping in 229 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 1: the spring training camp. But I came out of there 230 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:08,960 Speaker 1: with nothing really that I wanted to say. Now I 231 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 1: could have, I guess, written essentially the column I wrote today, right, 232 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 1: But at the same time, at that point I didn't 233 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 1: see them as particularly competitive, particularly interesting, and I remarked 234 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 1: to their beat guys as I was leaving the park 235 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:26,720 Speaker 1: that day in Port Saint Lucie, I said, guys, I'm 236 00:12:26,720 --> 00:12:29,320 Speaker 1: not writing about the Mets tomorrow. I don't have much 237 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 1: to say about the Mets right now. I don't think 238 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:35,080 Speaker 1: they're that interesting. And the Beat writers, a couple of 239 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:37,480 Speaker 1: them that were there, said, you know what, Ken, we 240 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:40,520 Speaker 1: don't think they're that interesting either. Well, guess what. The 241 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 1: season has started. The Mets were zero to five to 242 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 1: start the season, nearly went oh to six because they 243 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:48,760 Speaker 1: were no hit into the eighth inning of their sixth 244 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 1: game before rallying. And yet they have come out of 245 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 1: this really nicely. They're twelve and nine. They obviously are competitive. 246 00:12:57,360 --> 00:12:59,480 Speaker 1: They're a much better team for a lot of the 247 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:02,839 Speaker 1: reasons I listed today. But the thing that stood out 248 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:06,199 Speaker 1: to me this weekend watching them and being by their 249 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:10,520 Speaker 1: dugout was their manager, Carlos Mendoza first year as the 250 00:13:10,559 --> 00:13:13,640 Speaker 1: manager after six years as the New York Yankees bench coach. 251 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:17,199 Speaker 1: He's a guy that a lot of people were high 252 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:20,600 Speaker 1: on when he got this job. But in my career 253 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 1: I have developed over the years a bias against first 254 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:29,319 Speaker 1: year managers. Now it's a ridiculous bias in some fashion, 255 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:33,560 Speaker 1: because you can't have a manager unless he starts in 256 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:37,160 Speaker 1: his first year, right, Everyone has to start somewhere, and 257 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 1: the reason I have this bias is not unfounded, but 258 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 1: it goes back to my days in Baltimore late nineties. 259 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:48,440 Speaker 1: The Orioles had two managers back to back who were 260 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:51,600 Speaker 1: first year guys. Phil Reagan was the first. He was 261 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 1: fired after one year, and then they went to Davey 262 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:56,720 Speaker 1: Johnson for a time, and then they went to Ray 263 00:13:56,720 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 1: Millers or wasn't back to back two guys that were 264 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 1: separated by David Johnson. Ray Miller also was a first 265 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 1: time manager after a long distinguished career as a pitcheon coach, 266 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:09,960 Speaker 1: and he didn't farewell either with the Orioles and eventually 267 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:13,480 Speaker 1: was fired. So I witnessed these two first time managers 268 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:16,880 Speaker 1: as a columnist in Baltimore, and I was like, this 269 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 1: is not a great thing. 270 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:20,760 Speaker 2: And I carried that with me all these years. 271 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 1: And for whatever reason, when ever a guy is a 272 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 1: first timer, I kind of hesitate and wonder if he's 273 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:29,440 Speaker 1: going to succeed, and wonder about all these jues that. 274 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 2: He might face. 275 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 1: And I go back to when Aaron Boone was hired 276 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: as the Yankees manager in twenty seventeen. 277 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 2: You can look at Aaron right there. 278 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 1: He looked a lot younger than before he had to 279 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 1: go through all his trials and tribulations with the Yankees, 280 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:44,120 Speaker 1: and I questioned that higher. I was maybe the only 281 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 1: person on a national level, even the local level, I 282 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 1: think to say, hey, what are they doing here? 283 00:14:49,880 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 2: This is a big risk. 284 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:53,960 Speaker 1: This guy has never managed. Aaron Boone has done just fine. 285 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:57,480 Speaker 1: A lot of first year managers have done just fine. 286 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:00,720 Speaker 1: In fact, we're seeing some hot teams right now led 287 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:03,840 Speaker 1: by first year guys, the Brewers with Pat Murphy, the 288 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:08,040 Speaker 1: Guardians with Stephen Vote, and yes, the Mets with Carlos Mendoza. 289 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:10,960 Speaker 1: And here's what impressed me about Mendoza over the weekend 290 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:12,520 Speaker 1: and over these first. 291 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 2: Couple of weeks of this season. 292 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:19,680 Speaker 1: One, he is not afraid to make unpredictable decisions, go 293 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 1: with unpredictable matchups rather than platoon advantages in certain situations. 294 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:27,720 Speaker 1: Now he'll have his reasons for doing everything. He's not 295 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:31,320 Speaker 1: simply going on his gut. He's going on what a 296 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:35,000 Speaker 1: pitcher might be throwing, what a hitter might be doing 297 00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:38,720 Speaker 1: at the particular moment, just all kinds of different equations 298 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:41,560 Speaker 1: that add up into the big equation. The decision of 299 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:43,960 Speaker 1: whether to pinch hit in a certain spot or whether 300 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:46,560 Speaker 1: not to he has impressed me in that way. He 301 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 1: also impressed me Saturday, bringing Edwin Diaz into the eighth 302 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 1: inning of a game, the closer into the eighth inning 303 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:55,880 Speaker 1: of a game with a run on first, one out 304 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:59,360 Speaker 1: and Shohio Tani Freddie Freeman coming up to bat. Now 305 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 1: Edwin Dia in that inning, walked Otani and Freeman to 306 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:05,520 Speaker 1: load the bases and then got out of it by 307 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: retiring Taskar Hernandez and Max Muncy. Did he come back 308 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:10,800 Speaker 1: for the ninth? Was this going to be a five 309 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 1: out save for Edwin Diaz. No. At that point, Mendoza 310 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 1: went to Read Garrett. Read Garrett one of the great. 311 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 2: Surprises of this early season, a guy. 312 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:22,760 Speaker 1: Who has been absolutely brilliant, but had thrown thirty three 313 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:27,120 Speaker 1: pitches the night before. So Mendoza was unafraid to use 314 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:29,840 Speaker 1: Daz in the highest leverage spot in the game. Then 315 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 1: he was unafraid to bring back Garrett after Diaz threw 316 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 1: twenty pitches and kind of exhausted himself. 317 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 2: In that inning. Didn't want to go to Edward Diaz. 318 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:40,160 Speaker 1: For five outs this early in the season. 319 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:42,240 Speaker 2: This is cool stuff. 320 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 1: This is this kind of thing a veteran manager might 321 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 1: do a guy who has some security might do, a 322 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:52,400 Speaker 1: guy who is not afraid might do. And Carlos Mendoza 323 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:55,600 Speaker 1: did all of those things. He is aggressive, he's on 324 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 1: the attack all the time. That's the way Pete Alonso 325 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 1: put it to me. The guy is on the attack, 326 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 1: and for a first year manager in a market the 327 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:07,320 Speaker 1: size of New York, it's impressive. Another thing that impressed 328 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:10,400 Speaker 1: me was the pure emotion he showed in the dugout. Now. 329 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 1: Most managers, including his predecessor Buck Showalter, are rather stoic. 330 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:15,840 Speaker 2: Figures in the dugout right. 331 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:17,160 Speaker 1: They don't show much at all. 332 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:18,160 Speaker 2: They're not fiery. 333 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:22,640 Speaker 1: If anything, they are quite stoic. Mendoza is not that 334 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:25,720 Speaker 1: way now. Maybe he will be that way over time. 335 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:28,399 Speaker 1: Maybe he's living and dying with every move right now. 336 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:32,920 Speaker 1: But when something goes right, he is top step, emotional, fiery, 337 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:37,159 Speaker 1: kind of congratulating his guys. It's a cool look, actually, 338 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:39,880 Speaker 1: a very cool look for a manager. And one other thing, 339 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:44,159 Speaker 1: here's a guy again, first year manager. You never know 340 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:46,800 Speaker 1: what you're getting. A guy who's only been a bench coach, 341 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:49,240 Speaker 1: managed in the minor leagues, done some other things, but 342 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:52,600 Speaker 1: still first year and he's doing it in New York. 343 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 1: New York is the most intense media market perhaps in 344 00:17:56,600 --> 00:17:59,520 Speaker 1: the game. Boston and Philadelphia would be right there with 345 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:03,080 Speaker 1: New York, but New York has more media than either 346 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:06,840 Speaker 1: of those towns, and fans that can be on edge 347 00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 1: very quickly like in Boston and Philadelphia, and just an 348 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:15,240 Speaker 1: overall high pressure environment. Well, Mendoza has done well so 349 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 1: far in that environment, and he explained to me that 350 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:22,840 Speaker 1: his six years as the Yankees bench coach kind of 351 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:27,119 Speaker 1: taught him what it's like as the head guy in 352 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:29,560 Speaker 1: New York. He worked under Aaron Boone all those years, 353 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:34,360 Speaker 1: and in twenty eighteen, his first season, what happened. Yankees 354 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:37,359 Speaker 1: win one hundred games. Great year, right, Red Sox won 355 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 1: one hundred and eight, beat the Yankees in the Division Series, 356 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:42,680 Speaker 1: then went on to win the World Series, defeating the Dodgers, 357 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:46,159 Speaker 1: and Mendoza, as he recalls it, said that everyone was 358 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:49,520 Speaker 1: calling for everyone's head. Boone cashed been the whole deal, 359 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:53,960 Speaker 1: and as he put it, I learned quickly how this 360 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:58,560 Speaker 1: place works. So again, it's early for Carlos Mendoza, as 361 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:01,879 Speaker 1: it is for every player, coach, and manager and executive 362 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:02,480 Speaker 1: in the game. 363 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:04,560 Speaker 2: But so far, so good. 364 00:19:05,119 --> 00:19:08,040 Speaker 1: He didn't panic after the zero to five start, He 365 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:12,320 Speaker 1: has not shown any fear in making moves, and he 366 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:17,440 Speaker 1: has been a positive, fiery, emotional presence for his players. 367 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 1: All of these qualities are things you'd like to see 368 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 1: in your manager. 369 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:21,840 Speaker 2: Now. 370 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:23,600 Speaker 1: I don't know where the Mets are going to end 371 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:25,760 Speaker 1: up this season, and that's kind of why I wrote 372 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 1: what I did today. I wrote five reasons to believe, 373 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:31,960 Speaker 1: five reasons to be worried. But if they're in contention, 374 00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:36,000 Speaker 1: they suddenly get interesting, right because at the deadline, they're 375 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:39,159 Speaker 1: already over the Steve Cohen tax threshold, they've got the 376 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:42,400 Speaker 1: highest payroll in the game. They will, I would imagine, 377 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 1: try to do some things at the deadline if they're 378 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:47,040 Speaker 1: in it now. Last year was just the opposite, and 379 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:50,440 Speaker 1: that's why they traded Orlander and Scherzer and David Robertson. 380 00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:54,480 Speaker 1: They went backwards because they wanted to point towards twenty 381 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 1: twenty five. Now, they weren't punting on twenty twenty four, 382 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:01,600 Speaker 1: and they didn't punt it. Did some things this offseason, 383 00:20:01,640 --> 00:20:04,480 Speaker 1: not as aggressive as maybe their fans would have wanted, 384 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:07,040 Speaker 1: or maybe what Cohen would have done in the past, 385 00:20:07,720 --> 00:20:11,440 Speaker 1: But they again made some additions, and right now they 386 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 1: look like they're going to be in this big, big 387 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 1: mix in the National League for the wildcard races. Come 388 00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 1: the deadline, the Mets could get interesting, and come the 389 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:23,400 Speaker 1: rest of the season, they could get even more interesting. 390 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 1: And then in the offseason they gained tremendous payroll flexibility. 391 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:32,600 Speaker 1: The payroll commitments for next year are about half of 392 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:36,119 Speaker 1: what they were for this year. So good job by 393 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:38,600 Speaker 1: the Mets. Hiring Mendoza by David Stearns. 394 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:39,639 Speaker 2: The President Baseball Operations. 395 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:43,040 Speaker 1: Good start after they're zero to five. Initial beginning here, 396 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:45,840 Speaker 1: and it's going to be really interesting to see how 397 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:48,600 Speaker 1: this team and how this manager fare the rest of 398 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:51,480 Speaker 1: the way. Time now for Brill and Ken. Let's get 399 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:56,560 Speaker 1: to your questions. First question comes from Groot asks which 400 00:20:56,600 --> 00:20:59,520 Speaker 1: small market team has surprised you the most? Surprised they 401 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:02,800 Speaker 1: are better, and surprise they are worse. I'm going to 402 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:05,439 Speaker 1: go with the better, and I'll say the White Sox 403 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:07,880 Speaker 1: are surprising me. As far as the worse, Yes, they're 404 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 1: not really small market, but they're so bad it's kind 405 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:11,160 Speaker 1: of unfathomable. 406 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:12,520 Speaker 2: I advise you to go back. 407 00:21:12,359 --> 00:21:14,920 Speaker 1: And read Jason Starts Weird and Wild on just how 408 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:18,280 Speaker 1: bad the White Sox have been three and seventeen. Not good, 409 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:21,960 Speaker 1: big market, small market, whatever you might be. Now, as 410 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:24,960 Speaker 1: for the good surprises, I mentioned them in the previous 411 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 1: segment and I want to go back to them in 412 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:32,240 Speaker 1: a little bit more depth. The Brewers man fourteen and six. Now, 413 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:36,119 Speaker 1: keep in mind what the Brewers are overcoming here or 414 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:40,360 Speaker 1: what they faced to start the season. Creg Council is gone, 415 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:46,560 Speaker 1: Corbyn Burns traded, Brandon Woodruff injured, Devin Williams injured. These 416 00:21:46,560 --> 00:21:50,399 Speaker 1: are four major pieces that the Brewers have had in 417 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:53,600 Speaker 1: recent years, four people who helped key their great success. 418 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:57,399 Speaker 1: And yet even with all that, right now going on, 419 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:00,960 Speaker 1: they are fourteen and six. As I mentioned, they swept 420 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:03,440 Speaker 1: the Cardinals this weekend. I don't know how long it's 421 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:05,600 Speaker 1: going to last. I don't know how they're pitching has 422 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:08,720 Speaker 1: held up this far, much less going forward the rest 423 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 1: of the season. They're doing this right now without Christian 424 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:13,920 Speaker 1: Yelich as well. But good for the Brewers. The way 425 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:17,119 Speaker 1: they're playing. They go all out all the time. They're young, 426 00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:20,560 Speaker 1: they're unafraid. Maybe they're a little bit clueless, which is 427 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:23,280 Speaker 1: a good thing sometimes, but it's all working for them 428 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:25,919 Speaker 1: right now. And the other team I mentioned as well, 429 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:30,440 Speaker 1: Cleveland Guardians sixteen and six. Folks, this is the second 430 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 1: best record for the Cleveland franchise after twenty two games, 431 00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 1: second best in the team's one hundred and twenty four 432 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:42,280 Speaker 1: year history. That's amazing. And the biggest stunner with the 433 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:45,960 Speaker 1: Guardians is not just what they're doing on the mound 434 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:49,159 Speaker 1: without Shane Bieber. It's been okay, and they, too, like 435 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 1: the Brewers, have pitching questions going forward, No doubt about it. 436 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:53,840 Speaker 2: Bullpen's been great. 437 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:57,040 Speaker 1: But my gosh, what about the offense. That's the stunner. 438 00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:00,879 Speaker 1: Last year they were twenty seventh in the May runs 439 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:05,320 Speaker 1: per game. Only three teams were worse utterly punchless. This 440 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:07,760 Speaker 1: year they kind of adopted a new philosophy, trying to 441 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:09,639 Speaker 1: hit the ball hard, not just put it in play, 442 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:13,280 Speaker 1: And so far, so good. They're fifth in the majors, 443 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:17,200 Speaker 1: fifth in runs per game, and that is a huge turnaround. 444 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:20,679 Speaker 1: So those are my two good surprises, the Brewers and 445 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:21,399 Speaker 1: the Guardians. 446 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 2: And yes, the bad surprise. We didn't think they would 447 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:26,800 Speaker 2: be good, the White Sox, but they're even worse than 448 00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 2: we thought. 449 00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:33,880 Speaker 1: All right, next question, this one comes from Peter Kennedy. 450 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:38,640 Speaker 1: Peter asks why doesn't MLB and other leagues mandate roofs 451 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:41,840 Speaker 1: for all new stadiums. Peter, it's a good question, I guess, 452 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:45,040 Speaker 1: because in many cities, of course, a retractable roof would 453 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:48,800 Speaker 1: be a desirable thing to have. But a league can't 454 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:53,359 Speaker 1: simply mandate it because the question immediately becomes who is 455 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:56,399 Speaker 1: going to pay for it. Now, if you want to 456 00:23:56,440 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 1: mandate it and make your owners pay for it, that's fine, 457 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 1: but leagues. 458 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:01,520 Speaker 2: Don't do that, do they. No. 459 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:07,400 Speaker 1: Leagues and owners always are asking for public money from 460 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:10,560 Speaker 1: new stadiums, from new stadiums with retractable roofs, for all 461 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:15,439 Speaker 1: kinds of things. So you can't just say, as a league, 462 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 1: we want the state of X to construct a ballpark 463 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:25,760 Speaker 1: for Team Y with a retractable roof, and by the way, 464 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:27,680 Speaker 1: State X, you're gonna. 465 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:28,479 Speaker 2: Have to pay for that. Sucker. 466 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:33,120 Speaker 1: The states involved here, any states in the United States, 467 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:35,840 Speaker 1: all fifty well not all fifty have teams, of course, 468 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 1: but no state is going to hear it from the 469 00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:40,480 Speaker 1: league that, oh, you've got to build a roof to 470 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:43,760 Speaker 1: keep your team. Uh huh, doesn't work like that. Good question, 471 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:48,440 Speaker 1: but we move on next one comes from Stripes Yankee 472 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:52,520 Speaker 1: Stripes nine. The person asks, whoever this person is, can 473 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:56,119 Speaker 1: you realistically see Soto getting an a tany sized contract 474 00:24:56,160 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 1: in the upcoming off season? Depends how you define the 475 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:03,800 Speaker 1: size contract. Do I see Sodo getting seven hundred million? 476 00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:07,560 Speaker 1: Well maybe not, But do I see him getting what 477 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:10,679 Speaker 1: the present day value of Otani's deal was, which was 478 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:14,040 Speaker 1: around four hundred and sixty million, Yes, I see him 479 00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:17,720 Speaker 1: topping that. To me, the floor for Juan Soto, because 480 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:20,480 Speaker 1: he is so young, he's twenty five years old, the 481 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:24,160 Speaker 1: floor is going to be five hundred million, and frankly, 482 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:26,320 Speaker 1: I would not be surprised to see him exceed that. 483 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 1: I don't know how many years it's going to take. 484 00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:30,720 Speaker 1: I don't know exactly how this is going to turn out. 485 00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:34,040 Speaker 1: Remember he turned down four forty for fifteen from the 486 00:25:34,119 --> 00:25:37,320 Speaker 1: Nationals and an extension a couple of years back. And 487 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:41,040 Speaker 1: while he might not get this seven hundred, Otani's seven 488 00:25:41,119 --> 00:25:44,840 Speaker 1: hundred is not a real seven hundred because six hundred 489 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:47,160 Speaker 1: and eighty million of it is deferred ten years. That's 490 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 1: why the present day value is down below five hundred million. 491 00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:52,359 Speaker 2: So yeah, in that. 492 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:57,199 Speaker 1: Respect, I do expect Sodo to surpass Otani. All right, 493 00:25:57,280 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 1: we go to the next question here. This one's in 494 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,159 Speaker 1: interesting because it concerns one of the great stars in 495 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:05,439 Speaker 1: the game right now, a guy I could have put 496 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:08,880 Speaker 1: in the opening segment as one of the struggling players, 497 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:11,440 Speaker 1: but I don't believe he's going to be struggling for long. 498 00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:15,720 Speaker 1: This person asks Drfu as a concern blue Jay fan, 499 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:19,120 Speaker 1: ha ha is there something physically going. 500 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:20,240 Speaker 2: On with Judge? 501 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:23,920 Speaker 1: Now? I'm sure the Blue Jay fan is really concerned 502 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:27,240 Speaker 1: with Aaron Judge and how he's doing physically. I'm sure 503 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:31,439 Speaker 1: he can't sleep at night, or she just worrying about 504 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 1: how Aaron Judge is, whether that abdominal strain that caused 505 00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:37,800 Speaker 1: him to miss more than a week in spring training 506 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:41,040 Speaker 1: or about a week is flaring up again, and whether 507 00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:43,320 Speaker 1: poor Aaron Judge and the poor Yankees are not going 508 00:26:43,359 --> 00:26:46,359 Speaker 1: to be able to compete with the Toronto Blue Jays. 509 00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:48,680 Speaker 1: I don't believe that Blue Jays fan is actually concerned. 510 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:53,160 Speaker 1: But Aaron Judge about a one eighty three with three 511 00:26:53,160 --> 00:26:57,440 Speaker 1: home runs through one hundred played appearances, not a small sample. 512 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:01,639 Speaker 1: He obviously is struggling, but he feels he's close. I 513 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:04,199 Speaker 1: know the fans boot him at Yankee Stadium Saturday. That 514 00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:06,480 Speaker 1: is about one of the most ridiculous things I've heard 515 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:09,160 Speaker 1: in recent times. Aaron Judge is one of the great 516 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:12,239 Speaker 1: players in the game, and a guy who is the 517 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:14,240 Speaker 1: captain of the Yankees done a lot of great things. 518 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:14,920 Speaker 2: I know it's a. 519 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:18,240 Speaker 1: Badge of honor to boo in certain cities and certain ballparks, 520 00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:21,639 Speaker 1: but you won't be booing Aaron Judge for long. He 521 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:24,639 Speaker 1: says he's physically fine. There is no reason to believe 522 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:27,840 Speaker 1: that he is not physically fine. I expect him to 523 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:29,639 Speaker 1: come out of this and come out of this in 524 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:32,520 Speaker 1: a big way. Want to thank everyone for their questions, 525 00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:35,040 Speaker 1: Thank everyone for listening, for watching. You know where to 526 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:40,800 Speaker 1: find us YouTube, Apple, Spotify, Subscribe, like, and return with 527 00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:44,400 Speaker 1: us on Thursday for our live show, co hosted by 528 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:45,200 Speaker 1: Alana Rizzo. 529 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:47,840 Speaker 2: Have a great week everyone. We'll talk to your Thursday. 530 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:52,240 Speaker 3: The first bet fifteen hundred dollars offer is on Download 531 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:54,800 Speaker 3: the betmgam sportsbook app on iOS or Android, or visit 532 00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:57,360 Speaker 3: atmgam dot com. 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