1 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:08,760 Speaker 1: Welcome everyone into another edition of Fair Territory. We of 2 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: course will be talking a lot about baseball and the 3 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: Pennant races and the awards races today, but I want 4 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,799 Speaker 1: to start off by just pausing to remember nine to eleven. 5 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,239 Speaker 1: It is nine to eleven today, and those of us 6 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:23,120 Speaker 1: who were alive on that day, of course, we will 7 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: never forget it. It was a horrible day. It was 8 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:29,600 Speaker 1: a day that just remains etched in my memory, and 9 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:32,519 Speaker 1: I hope everyone just takes a moment today just to 10 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: kind of remember what that was, what it meant, and 11 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: of course all the people who were lost. As for baseball, 12 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 1: I've got something to start the show today that is 13 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,800 Speaker 1: going to encapsulate this season better than anything I can 14 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 1: even think of before or maybe even since, and that 15 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 1: is this Thursday on Fox we will not be doing 16 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: the finale of Yankees Red Sox. No, we will be 17 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 1: doing the first game of the ore Raise Series from 18 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 1: Camden Yards. That's right, the Oriols and Rays, not the 19 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 1: Yankees and Red Sox. And why look at the standings, 20 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 1: The Oriols and Rays have the two best records in 21 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:16,199 Speaker 1: the American League. The Oriols, in fact, are only three 22 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:18,960 Speaker 1: games behind the Braves as of Monday for the best 23 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:22,039 Speaker 1: record in baseball. The Braves have been rampaging through the 24 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:25,679 Speaker 1: National League all season. Now, what's interesting here is the 25 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: spread between the clubs. Right now, the Oriols lead this 26 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 1: division by three games, and I had someone with the 27 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:34,160 Speaker 1: Rays tell me over the weekend, we've got to get 28 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:37,479 Speaker 1: a little closer to really make that series meaningful. At 29 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:39,960 Speaker 1: the time, the spread was four games, it's now three. 30 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 1: The Oriols, as we will see, host Saint Louis for 31 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 1: the next three Tampa Bay at Minnesota. Now, Tampa Bay 32 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 1: has the superior run differential by quite a bit. They 33 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:53,160 Speaker 1: are plus one ninety five. The Oils are just plus 34 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: one eighteen. The Ools actually behind the Astros in that regard. 35 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: But the Oriols have played at an extremely high level 36 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 1: all season, and in some ways they are like the Rays, 37 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: rarely beat themselves, play excellent defense, run the basis extremely 38 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 1: well offensively, they're opportunistic, and they are a team that 39 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:16,839 Speaker 1: just has done some really good things all season long. Now, 40 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 1: the battle of the rotations is where the argument starts. 41 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 1: Right the Rays have a big three, even with all 42 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:26,960 Speaker 1: the injuries that they've suffered. M Klanahan and Rasmussen, everyone 43 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:30,920 Speaker 1: on down. They still have Glass now and Efflyn and Savali, 44 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:34,640 Speaker 1: But the Oriols rotation, which to me still is the 45 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 1: biggest question of this club. Maybe the bullpen too in 46 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 1: some respects now with Bautista out, but the Oriol's rotation 47 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:45,519 Speaker 1: has a front three as well. It's Bratish, it's Rodriguez, 48 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 1: It's Kramer. Each has made ten starts since the All 49 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 1: Star break. Each has a sub three e A. And 50 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 1: John Means, who was the former ace of this team, 51 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: the ace when they weren't so good. He's coming back 52 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: Tuesday night from Tommy John surgery and he had another 53 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 1: issue that set him back in may be pitching for 54 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 1: the first time since April twenty twenty two, and who 55 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: knows what he could give them down the stretch. Now, 56 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:13,960 Speaker 1: the bullpen with aut Bautista, I mentioned it, it's a 57 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 1: bit of a problem. There's no doubt about that. It's 58 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 1: not the same, not as deep, not as dominant. But 59 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:23,920 Speaker 1: Jeneo Cano had a tremendous August, did not allow a 60 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 1: single earned run. He's been a little bit rocky in September, 61 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:30,360 Speaker 1: and they've got some other relievers pitching well. In addition 62 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 1: to Cano, Fuji Nami is kind of a wildcard. He's 63 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 1: the guy who came over from Oakland in mid July. 64 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 1: He's a bit of hit or miss, but when he's on, 65 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: and he's been on the last few outings, he is 66 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 1: really good and dominant. Two of the lefties, Cnel Perez 67 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: and Danny Koulom, they've been outstanding as well. Neither has 68 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 1: allowed an earned run going back to July. So the 69 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 1: Oriels bullpen might not be the same with aut Bautista. 70 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 1: Obviously it's not the same, but at the same time, 71 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 1: it's still pretty formal, and I expect that this is 72 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: going to be a team that competes really well until 73 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 1: the end of the season and also in the postseason. 74 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:10,280 Speaker 1: I know some people with Tampa Bay are thinking, well, 75 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: how will the Orioles respond to the pressure of a 76 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 1: big series coming up. They've responded to the pressure all year. 77 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 1: They've applied pressure, and that is what they've continued to do. 78 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 1: So let's look at the remaining schedules and they'll give 79 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 1: us some insight into just how this might play out 80 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 1: the rest of the way. Start with the Orioles remaining schedule, 81 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:31,159 Speaker 1: and I mentioned that three with Saint Louis, then four 82 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 1: with Tampa Bay. That's a seven game homestand then they 83 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 1: go to Houston and Cleveland, neither an easy opponent. Then 84 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:40,120 Speaker 1: two with Washington, four with Boston to end the season. 85 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: Tampa Bay their schedule about the same, maybe a little 86 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:49,160 Speaker 1: bit easier, go to Minnesota, go to Baltimore, Angels at home, 87 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:52,599 Speaker 1: Toronto at home, and then at Boston at Toronto to 88 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:55,479 Speaker 1: finish the season. Actually it's not easier. It's at least 89 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:58,719 Speaker 1: as vulnerable as the Orioles. So the Al East Race 90 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 1: will be the focus of baseball really starting on Thursday 91 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 1: when that series begins. And it has been a remarkable 92 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:08,679 Speaker 1: year when you consider again that the two best teams 93 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:12,520 Speaker 1: in this league have been two of the lower revenue teams, 94 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:15,800 Speaker 1: two teams that I don't know that many people expect 95 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 1: it to be as dominant this year. And the Rays 96 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 1: have done this even without as I said, McClanahan and 97 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:25,919 Speaker 1: Rasmussen and now Franco. They were without Glass now for 98 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 1: some time. Shane Bose is hurt, Jeffrey Springs out for 99 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:33,680 Speaker 1: the season. They've had a series of unfortunate events, and 100 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 1: yet they have survived two other big races going on 101 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:40,560 Speaker 1: as well right now, actually more than that, but we'll 102 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:45,159 Speaker 1: focus on two, the AL wild Card and the NL Wildcard. Now, 103 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: let's start with the American League Wildcard because we have 104 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:51,480 Speaker 1: some clarity here that we've been waiting for really all season. 105 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 1: The Astros have kind of taken a commanding lead in 106 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:56,840 Speaker 1: the American League West. They're up two and a half games. 107 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 1: They've won ten to fourteen, nine of their next twelve 108 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 1: or against Oakland and Kansas City. They are odds for 109 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 1: winning the division right now eighty one point five percent. 110 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 1: So I'm going to sit here and hand them the 111 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:13,719 Speaker 1: division just for the purposes of discussion. And let's look 112 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:17,359 Speaker 1: then at the three teams vying for the two wild 113 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 1: card spots that remaine because Tampa Bay or Baltimore is 114 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:22,280 Speaker 1: going to get one of them. You see Tampa Bay 115 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 1: right now, playoff odds of one hundred percent, Toronto at 116 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:28,919 Speaker 1: seventy nine point two percent, Seattle sixty eight point seven percent, 117 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 1: Texas fifty one point seven percent. Now, Toronto and Texas 118 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 1: begin a critical four game series in Toronto on Monday night. Texas, 119 00:06:37,680 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 1: let's face it, they're reeling. They've lost sixteen of twenty two. 120 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: We talked about this last week. They're without Josh Young, 121 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 1: who might be coming back shortly, without Adulas Garcia, who 122 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 1: we don't know is coming back, and Jonaheim. Since returning 123 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 1: from his injury, he has not been the same. So 124 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:57,839 Speaker 1: that's three pretty important hitters, three very important hitters that 125 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 1: they don't have either at all or at full strength. 126 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 1: It's been a problem for them. Toronto is on a 127 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:06,479 Speaker 1: bit of a role here. They fat aweaker schedule of 128 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 1: late one, six of seven, nine or fourteen. Bashett's back. 129 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 1: Chapman is hopefully coming back soon from his finger injury. 130 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 1: This is a team I equate them a little bit 131 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 1: to Seattle because if they get in they're a problem. 132 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 1: They've got starting pitching Gossman, Burrios, Bassett, Cahuci. They've been 133 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 1: very good. So the Jays. We've kind of been waiting 134 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 1: for them all season to take off. Maybe now this 135 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 1: is their time. Seattle. I just saw them over the weekend. 136 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: They won that first game in Tampa Bay, won nothing game, 137 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 1: great performance. Then they lost the next three, finished a 138 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 1: three and seven trip to the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, 139 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 1: and Tampa Bay, and they fallen back a little bit. 140 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 1: And one of the issues they're having is they've got 141 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 1: some young pitching that they're having to kind of pace 142 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 1: along here a little bit. They had a bullpen game 143 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: Saturday because they didn't want to push Brian Wu. They 144 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:06,040 Speaker 1: moved him back to Tuesday. But Seattle again, if they 145 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 1: get in, they are a tough team. They're a tough opponent. 146 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 1: Castillo and Gilbert and Kirby, so three formidable starting pitchers. 147 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 1: They've got a decent bullpen as well. It's not as 148 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 1: strong without Paul Seawall. They've had some hiccups. But I 149 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 1: like the Mariners, but they've got to get there now. 150 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: Over in the nationally, that Wildcard race is a free 151 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 1: for all, and let's look at it from the top here, 152 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 1: all right, I'm gonna say that Philadelphia and Chicago are in. 153 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:36,800 Speaker 1: You can see Philadelphia is at ninety six point two 154 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 1: percent Cubbies or eighty five point seven percent. It's the 155 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:45,679 Speaker 1: other four teams that are really interesting here. Arizona Diamondbacks 156 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:48,760 Speaker 1: won three or four at Wrigley Field in front of 157 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:52,760 Speaker 1: packed houses all weekend. That was an impressive series win 158 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 1: by them, and it puts them in. I don't know, 159 00:08:55,679 --> 00:08:58,960 Speaker 1: I'd say, a commanding position. But they're in a good position. 160 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 1: And after they play four on the road in New 161 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 1: York City against the Mets, they come home for five 162 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 1: against two of the other wild card contenders, the Cubs 163 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 1: and the Giants. The reason I like them and have 164 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 1: liked them all along, here are their top two starters, 165 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 1: Zach Gallen and Merrill Kelly. Both will get cy Young consideration. 166 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 1: Those two guys, to me give them an edge over 167 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 1: the other teams in this race. Not over the Cubs, 168 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 1: who of course have Justin Steele and a really good 169 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:30,560 Speaker 1: thing going. But I'm talking about the teams behind them now. 170 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 1: The Marlins are in a really interesting spot. They have 171 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:38,680 Speaker 1: survived a lot lately. They've survived the losses of Sandie 172 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:42,199 Speaker 1: al Contra and Jorge Solaire, and they keep going. They 173 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 1: are right there in the thick of this thing. Their 174 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:47,680 Speaker 1: schedule is not easy. They've got seven left with Milwaukee, 175 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 1: three left with Atlanta, as well as six with the Mets, 176 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 1: and then they end with the Pirates. They're right there, though, 177 00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 1: and they have shown a lot of resourcefulness and spunk 178 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:02,360 Speaker 1: and just overall quality that we did not expect from them. 179 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 1: Their bullpen's been outstanding. So the Marlins are right there. 180 00:10:06,559 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: The Reds. Their odds were the lowest as you might 181 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:12,240 Speaker 1: have seen there. They've got a problem with their pitching, 182 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:16,200 Speaker 1: and it's young. It's not as experienced. They've had the 183 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:19,280 Speaker 1: COVID issues. But they did get Jonathan India and Joey 184 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:22,679 Speaker 1: Vado back to their lineup over the weekend, and they 185 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:25,199 Speaker 1: have a schedule that is reasonable the rest of the way. 186 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:29,480 Speaker 1: Their toughest opponent is the Minnesota Twins and finally the Giants. 187 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 1: Here's a team that offensively since the All Star Break, 188 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 1: has not been good. Over the weekend against their annual 189 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:39,960 Speaker 1: punching bags, the Rockies, they revived a little bit. But 190 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:42,319 Speaker 1: there's been a lot of noise in San Francisco about 191 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 1: the futures of far Anxiety as their president baseball operations, 192 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 1: the manager Gabe Kapler. Steam has not exactly endeared itself 193 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:53,199 Speaker 1: to its fans, and they're gonna have to hit their 194 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 1: way and find a way to get there. They've done 195 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 1: this with two starting pitchers, Logan Webb and Alex Cobb. 196 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 1: They've been bullpenning like crazy. They haven't been hitting much, 197 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:06,319 Speaker 1: but maybe now this series against Colorado will revive them. 198 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 1: They've got three at home against Cleveland and then a 199 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:15,079 Speaker 1: ten game road trip to Colorado, Arizona and Los Angeles Dodgers. 200 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 1: So this NL Wildcard race, as I said, a free 201 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:20,559 Speaker 1: for all, It's going to be exciting right to the end. 202 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:24,280 Speaker 1: At this point, I still like the Diamondbacks. So those 203 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:27,719 Speaker 1: two races, n O Wildcard, AL Wildcard going right down 204 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 1: to the wire, and we've got some other races going 205 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 1: down to the wire as well. We haven't talked much 206 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 1: about the NL and AL Cy Young. A lot of 207 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:39,680 Speaker 1: us have focused on the MVP races, will Tani hold 208 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 1: on in the American League Akunya versus Betts, versus Olsen 209 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:46,160 Speaker 1: versus Freeman in the National League, But these cy Young 210 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 1: races are quite interesting. And I'll start with the American 211 00:11:49,559 --> 00:11:51,959 Speaker 1: League because I think that has a little bit more 212 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:56,839 Speaker 1: definition right now. I'm a guy who likes innings. When 213 00:11:56,880 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: I look at the cy Young races. Now, I know 214 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 1: innings are not in vogue right right now. Starters pitch 215 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:03,760 Speaker 1: five or six innings, that's it. But to me, that 216 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:07,600 Speaker 1: is what makes an innings eater even more valuable in 217 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:11,679 Speaker 1: this day and age, and in the American League. Garrett 218 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 1: Cole has both things going on right now. He's got 219 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 1: the best the ERA in the league, and he's also 220 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:19,320 Speaker 1: got the most innings of any starting pitcher or any 221 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:22,520 Speaker 1: pitcher in the league as well. He is the clear 222 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 1: front runner. To me, He's a pretty obvious winner right now. 223 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 1: You look at Sonny Gray as the era's close innings 224 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:32,160 Speaker 1: are not, Castillo is the one that to me has 225 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 1: probably the best case other than Cole. Innings are up 226 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 1: there nearly is good Gossman leader, and strikeout rate also 227 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 1: up there in innings. He's had some bad luck of 228 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 1: course this season. He is a strong contender as well, 229 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:49,959 Speaker 1: and from Ervaldez he's done some amazing things. But his 230 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:52,320 Speaker 1: ERA is more than a half run per nine innings 231 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:55,160 Speaker 1: higher than Cole's. I don't see him contending for the 232 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:58,720 Speaker 1: top spot, maybe in the top three. Now the National 233 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:02,440 Speaker 1: League is a bit more interesting, and the National League 234 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:07,360 Speaker 1: doesn't have an obvious front runner. J Jaffiy, Fangraft's friend 235 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:10,840 Speaker 1: of mine, wrote an interesting column over the weekend, basically 236 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 1: saying this race has no definition. Again, I prefer innings 237 00:13:14,679 --> 00:13:17,840 Speaker 1: Steele and Snell one hundred and fifty nine innings for 238 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 1: Steel one hundred and sixty one for Snell. They are 239 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:24,000 Speaker 1: the two era leaders by quite a bit. Snell won 240 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:26,120 Speaker 1: this award with one hundred and eighty and two thirds 241 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:28,880 Speaker 1: innings in twenty eighteen, pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays. 242 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:31,880 Speaker 1: He's got about four more starts left. He'll get there. 243 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:34,920 Speaker 1: He also has the highest walk percentage in the league, 244 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: so it's kind of tough to wrap your arms around 245 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:40,440 Speaker 1: him and Steele. He's been brilliant. He might be the 246 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:43,600 Speaker 1: front runner right now, but his innings aren't what you 247 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 1: can see right there where Zach Gallens are, and you 248 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 1: wonder is it going to be enough? I believe it 249 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 1: will be for one of those two guys. Now. Jay 250 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 1: wrote a lot about Strider. Spencer Streider of the Atlanta 251 00:13:55,679 --> 00:13:59,200 Speaker 1: Braves three point eighty three era that would be the 252 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:02,800 Speaker 1: highest for any Cy Young winner in history, three point 253 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 1: eighty three. Now, I know we're in an era of 254 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:09,800 Speaker 1: advanced metrics, and Strider has the crazy strikeout numbers two 255 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:15,240 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty overall thirty seven percent strikeout rate. He 256 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 1: also has the biggest gap between expected era and actual era, 257 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:22,960 Speaker 1: indicating that he has been a victim of poor luck 258 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:26,800 Speaker 1: to certain degree. That said, his era is more than 259 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:29,360 Speaker 1: a run per nine higher than the two leaders here 260 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 1: stealing Snell and I'm sorry. I'm all for advanced metrics. 261 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:36,960 Speaker 1: I'm all for looking at expected stats, but what matters 262 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:40,880 Speaker 1: in a cy Young race is actual stats. And I 263 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 1: am not ready at this stage in the sports evolution 264 00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:47,280 Speaker 1: to give this award to a guy with such a 265 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 1: high ERA, even though his expected numbers and strikeout numbers 266 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 1: might be really good. And I love Spencer Stryder, we 267 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 1: all do, don't get me wrong, But I'm just not 268 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:58,960 Speaker 1: ready to go there at this point. So we'll see 269 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 1: what happens in the final few weeks, but right now 270 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 1: for me, it's Cole in the American League and Snell 271 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 1: versus Steele International. Time out for the Inside Dish. This 272 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:11,600 Speaker 1: is the part of the show in which I go 273 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 1: inside a story i've worked on written of late, or 274 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:17,040 Speaker 1: a story developing in the game that I want to 275 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 1: take a deeper look at. This week, I'd like to 276 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 1: talk about a story I just wrote in conjunction with 277 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 1: Will Salmon of The Athletic. The story was entitled Beyond 278 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:30,720 Speaker 1: the Slap. Whatever you think you know about Tommy fam 279 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 1: you don't, and it was a story that kind of 280 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 1: came together in an unusual way. So shortly after the deadline, 281 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:39,360 Speaker 1: I'm at City Field and I'm talking with Met's assistant 282 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 1: hitting coach Eric Kinsky, and he mentions to me, we're 283 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:46,760 Speaker 1: really going to miss Fam and I said, really, I 284 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:49,080 Speaker 1: mean they just traded back shows Are and Justin Verlander, 285 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:50,720 Speaker 1: and he brought up Tommy Fam. Now I know he's 286 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 1: the assistant hitting coach, but that was the guy he mentioned, 287 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 1: and he said, guy was an amazing teammate. Go ask 288 00:15:57,560 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 1: Lindore about him and he'll tell you. He'll tell you 289 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:04,440 Speaker 1: that Tommy Fam taught him how to work harder. So 290 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 1: I asked Lindor about that, and he did, in fact 291 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:10,520 Speaker 1: say what Rakinsky predicted he would say, And I wrote 292 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:13,080 Speaker 1: a short item about that for the Wind Up the 293 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 1: Athletics Free Daily Baseball newsletter. And then a couple of 294 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:20,760 Speaker 1: weeks later, I'm talking with the Diamondbacks general manager Mike 295 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:23,760 Speaker 1: Hasy and I asked him, and this is a question 296 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:27,040 Speaker 1: I sometimes will ask of GMS, Hey, who's on your 297 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 1: team right now that maybe I should be writing about. 298 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 1: Who do you think maybe should deserve more attention than 299 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:35,480 Speaker 1: he's getting right away? Tommy Fam And he was the 300 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 1: one who said, whatever you think you know about Tommy Fam, 301 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:41,800 Speaker 1: you don't. So I mentioned this to Will Salmon, who 302 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 1: had covered the Mets all season, and Will said, it's 303 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:48,440 Speaker 1: funny you mentioned these conversations because I was just talking 304 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:52,200 Speaker 1: with Buck Showalter the other day and he informed me 305 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: that when Fam left the team, he had a meeting 306 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:57,360 Speaker 1: with Fam as a manager normally would with the player 307 00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 1: who's departing, and the meeting kind of touched him. The 308 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:03,440 Speaker 1: meeting was a little bit different, a little bit more 309 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 1: emotional than most of those kinds of meetings usually are. 310 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:10,120 Speaker 1: So from that point Will and I kind of put 311 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: our heads together and said, you know what, let's start 312 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 1: asking more people about Tommy Fam. Let's see what we 313 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:18,600 Speaker 1: can find out. Let's see if this is a consensus 314 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:21,960 Speaker 1: around the game that this guy. Though the perception of 315 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:25,120 Speaker 1: him is he's the guy who slapped Jack Peterson, he 316 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:27,119 Speaker 1: was the guy who was an innocent bystander who was 317 00:17:27,160 --> 00:17:30,119 Speaker 1: stabbed outside of a nightclub in San Diego. This is 318 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:32,920 Speaker 1: the reputation that a lot of fans have of him. 319 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:36,480 Speaker 1: The perception that a lot of fans have doesn't sound 320 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:40,719 Speaker 1: like it's necessarily the accurate perception. So Will and I 321 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:45,360 Speaker 1: talked to a dozen people, a dozen people who had 322 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:48,320 Speaker 1: played with Tommy, fam coached him, managed him, and we 323 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:51,360 Speaker 1: came up with the story. And the story was mostly 324 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:54,399 Speaker 1: about just what the headline said, Whenever you think you 325 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:57,440 Speaker 1: know about this guy, you don't. He's a great teammate, 326 00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:00,159 Speaker 1: he's a tremendous worker. He is a guy who is 327 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:04,080 Speaker 1: an extremely serious student of the game. He's always thinking, 328 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:08,000 Speaker 1: always working. So we write this story, and the idea 329 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:11,040 Speaker 1: was to give the reader insight into a player that 330 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:15,240 Speaker 1: he or she might have thought completely differently about. And 331 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:18,639 Speaker 1: what I like about it is I didn't know a 332 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:21,159 Speaker 1: lot of this, so we're sharing things Will and I 333 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:24,800 Speaker 1: that we didn't know, and we were confident that many people, 334 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 1: many fans, didn't know that either. So we published a 335 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:33,960 Speaker 1: story and the comments flow in, and listen, comments aren't everything. 336 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 1: I pay attention to them. I never respond to them, 337 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:38,720 Speaker 1: or hardly ever respond to them. People are entitled to 338 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:42,200 Speaker 1: their opinion. But it surprised me to see that a 339 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:45,479 Speaker 1: lot of fans reacted instead of saying, hey, that was 340 00:18:45,560 --> 00:18:48,399 Speaker 1: kind of interesting. Some did say that in fairness, but 341 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:52,119 Speaker 1: a lot said, no, he's still a jerk. I think 342 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:55,400 Speaker 1: he's a jerk. He slapped Josh Peterson. You know what. 343 00:18:55,520 --> 00:18:58,080 Speaker 1: Once my son asked them for an autograph and he 344 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:04,040 Speaker 1: said no. Well, okay, everyone's entitled to their opinion, as 345 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:08,639 Speaker 1: I said, but seems to me maybe the opinions of 346 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 1: people who have competed alongside Tommy fam should count more 347 00:19:13,240 --> 00:19:15,680 Speaker 1: than the average fan who's watching on his TV or 348 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:18,840 Speaker 1: even at the ballpark. And this is the kind of 349 00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:23,520 Speaker 1: thing that sometimes frustrates people in my business, when fans 350 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:27,400 Speaker 1: you present them with something and you're not necessarily trying 351 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:29,359 Speaker 1: to change their mind, but you're trying to give them insight, 352 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 1: and they still don't see it. Now, subsequent to the 353 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:37,720 Speaker 1: publication of that story, I received a long text from 354 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:40,879 Speaker 1: another former teammate of Fams, a guy we did not 355 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:43,920 Speaker 1: interview for the story, and he basically said, you guys 356 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 1: nailed it. He's one of my favorite teammates ever and 357 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:49,440 Speaker 1: I love him. I'm glad you guys wrote that. Then, 358 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:51,440 Speaker 1: when I was in Tampa Bay over the weekend, someone 359 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:52,879 Speaker 1: with the Rays came up to me and said, you 360 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:56,560 Speaker 1: know what, that guy. I love that guy, Tommy Fam. 361 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 1: He's the only player I keep a baseball card up, 362 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:04,560 Speaker 1: so clearly within the game. His reputation is one thing 363 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:10,719 Speaker 1: outside the game. Amongst certain fans, his reputation might be another. Now, 364 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:12,639 Speaker 1: I don't want to get too down on fans for 365 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 1: their negative perceptions, negative opinions. It's their absolute right. It's 366 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:20,119 Speaker 1: why we love sports, the debate, the opinions, all of that. 367 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:24,160 Speaker 1: It's a free country. You're entitled to say whatever you want, 368 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:27,359 Speaker 1: and heaven knows, in the age of social media, people 369 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:31,879 Speaker 1: will say whatever they want, and often without consequence. But 370 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:36,920 Speaker 1: that said, sometimes readers and viewers lose track or lose 371 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:41,679 Speaker 1: sight of what our jobs are. Our jobs are to 372 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:45,119 Speaker 1: tell you in a deeper sense what is going on 373 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,200 Speaker 1: with a particular player or a team. Could be positive 374 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:50,840 Speaker 1: in the case of Tommy fam here it was, could 375 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:54,640 Speaker 1: be negative, as it sometimes is when we're covering a team, 376 00:20:54,760 --> 00:21:00,359 Speaker 1: particularly a struggling team. That's how it works. I know 377 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:02,840 Speaker 1: there are times when fans will say, when I'm writing 378 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 1: negatively about their team, hey man, leave us alone. We 379 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 1: know all about it. We don't need to hear anything 380 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 1: more from you or anybody like you. Well, sorry, that's 381 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:13,960 Speaker 1: not the way it works. And I think back to 382 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:16,639 Speaker 1: the Mets this season, and there was a lot written 383 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:19,280 Speaker 1: by myself and others earlier in the season when they 384 00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:22,960 Speaker 1: were collapsing. And the reason it was all written is 385 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:26,520 Speaker 1: because this is the biggest fall in Major League history, 386 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:30,000 Speaker 1: but the biggest disappointment in Major League history based on payroll, 387 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:32,320 Speaker 1: and there was a lot that came with that, and 388 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:35,560 Speaker 1: there were trades that were made to hopefully, in their minds, 389 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:40,399 Speaker 1: set them on the right course. Again, readers and viewers 390 00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 1: are not going to dictate to me what I write. Really, 391 00:21:43,320 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 1: no one dictates to me what I write, and we 392 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:48,520 Speaker 1: are going to follow the stories that we think are 393 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:52,320 Speaker 1: the right stories to follow. On the other side of it, 394 00:21:53,600 --> 00:21:56,200 Speaker 1: when fans look at Beat writers and say, hey, why 395 00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 1: are you writing this about my team or this player? 396 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:01,320 Speaker 1: What are you doing? It's not our job to be cheerleaders. 397 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:04,920 Speaker 1: It's not how it works. It's our job to tell 398 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 1: you what's going on. And at the Athletic we are 399 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 1: more aggressive, i would say than most outlets in both 400 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:16,320 Speaker 1: a positive and negative sense. We cover this sport aggressively. 401 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:19,680 Speaker 1: We're going to continue to do that. That is kind 402 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:23,159 Speaker 1: of the ethic we've established, and some fans will like 403 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:25,119 Speaker 1: it at times, some fans will not like it, but 404 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:29,359 Speaker 1: the goal always in the stories that are positive like 405 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:31,280 Speaker 1: the one about Tommy fam and in the stories that 406 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:35,280 Speaker 1: are negative. The goal always is to tell the reader 407 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:38,920 Speaker 1: something he or she doesn't know, to give the reader insight. 408 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:42,400 Speaker 1: That's what we do. It's what we're going to continue 409 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:45,640 Speaker 1: to do, no matter what you guys say. Time now 410 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:48,600 Speaker 1: for dude and dork of the Week. Dude, my initial 411 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:51,720 Speaker 1: intention was to give it to Jose Altuve. Home runs 412 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:56,439 Speaker 1: in four consecutive played appearances over two games last week. 413 00:22:56,800 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 1: He's had a remarkable resurgence. He is Jose al two, 414 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:02,280 Speaker 1: one of the best players in the game. Went healthy. 415 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:06,879 Speaker 1: But even though he had this amazing week, I've got 416 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:09,159 Speaker 1: to give it to the Atlanta Braves as an organization. 417 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:11,840 Speaker 1: The Atlanta Braves are Dudes of the Week. And the 418 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:15,240 Speaker 1: reason is, yes, they've already clinched a postseason birth, that's 419 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:18,480 Speaker 1: what's prompting this. But they are also headed for the 420 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:23,000 Speaker 1: sixth straight division title, sixth straight all under Alex Anthropolis 421 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 1: since he took over as president of baseball operations and 422 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:31,840 Speaker 1: under manager Brian Snicker, whose first season full season was 423 00:23:31,920 --> 00:23:34,000 Speaker 1: at the start of this run. He took over as 424 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:38,040 Speaker 1: manager the previous season, but that first division title in 425 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:41,640 Speaker 1: this run was his first full season. So the Braves, 426 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:45,320 Speaker 1: they have been amazing all season long. They're on pace 427 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:47,439 Speaker 1: to set the major League record for home runs in 428 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:50,399 Speaker 1: a season. They're fun to watch. They've got starting pitching. 429 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 1: Their bullpen not really star studded, but good enough for sure. 430 00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:58,400 Speaker 1: They are the dudes of the week because six division 431 00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:01,600 Speaker 1: titles in a row, and that's common, that is quite 432 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:05,040 Speaker 1: an accomplishment. The Dodgers, of course, had eight in a 433 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:08,120 Speaker 1: row at one point from twenty thirteen to twenty Then 434 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:10,840 Speaker 1: the year they didn't get the division title, of course, 435 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:12,959 Speaker 1: they won one hundred and six games, got beaten out 436 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:15,320 Speaker 1: by the Giants, and they've won two division titles since, 437 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:18,800 Speaker 1: on their way to a third. Great stuff from the Dodgers, 438 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:21,919 Speaker 1: no doubt about it. But the Braves they're kind of 439 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 1: showing their dynasty side once again. They're not at the 440 00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 1: fourteenth straight like the Glaven, Maddox, Smalls, Chipper Jones teams, 441 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:32,000 Speaker 1: but six straight in this day and age, that would 442 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:36,399 Speaker 1: be quite an accomplishment. Dork of the week. Well, I 443 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:41,560 Speaker 1: wrote about this particular organization on Friday, and they're antics 444 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 1: of late. I'm talking about the Washington Nationals and I'm 445 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:47,160 Speaker 1: not going to give their entire organization gork of the week. 446 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:50,120 Speaker 1: That wouldn't be fair. The players, managers, coaches. Actually they've 447 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:53,199 Speaker 1: had a pretty good second half. But the dork of 448 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:55,760 Speaker 1: the week is their owner, Mark Lerner, and he's the 449 00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:57,960 Speaker 1: dork of the week because of the statement he issued 450 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:02,679 Speaker 1: Friday about the cancel retirement news conference for Steven Strasburg. 451 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 1: You know what had happened here. The Nationals had planned 452 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:10,159 Speaker 1: to kind of formally bid farewell to Strasburg and then 453 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:12,879 Speaker 1: they backed out of it. Now, Brick Garoli of The 454 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 1: Athletic Reporter, they backed out of it because they thought 455 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 1: maybe they could pay him less money when he signed 456 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:21,639 Speaker 1: through twenty twenty six. But no, his contract is guaranteed. 457 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:25,960 Speaker 1: Stephen Strasburg has not pitched in quite some time. He's 458 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:28,800 Speaker 1: got nerve damage in his arm. He's not going to 459 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:33,920 Speaker 1: pitch again. So Mark Lerner releases this statement basically explaining 460 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:36,720 Speaker 1: the National side of this. I didn't buy his explanation, 461 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 1: but that's beside the point. What really rankled people, myself 462 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:44,720 Speaker 1: and of course others who were paying attention was the 463 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:47,720 Speaker 1: last line in which Lerna said we look forward to 464 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 1: seeing Stephen in spring training. In other words, we look 465 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:54,119 Speaker 1: forward to seeing Stephen come and earn his money and 466 00:25:54,280 --> 00:26:00,040 Speaker 1: rehab in spring training. Stephen Strasburg is physically on a 467 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:03,760 Speaker 1: to perform. That's the reality here. He's not going to 468 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:08,199 Speaker 1: spring training, he's not going to rehab. He's done. The 469 00:26:08,280 --> 00:26:11,040 Speaker 1: Nationals have to pay him. They don't have insurance. They 470 00:26:11,119 --> 00:26:14,400 Speaker 1: have to pay him. That's the way guaranteed contracts work. 471 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:17,320 Speaker 1: The Nationals knew this when they signed Strasburg to that 472 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:19,800 Speaker 1: seven year, two hundred and forty five million dollar deal, 473 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:22,920 Speaker 1: and now they've got to pay. So that last line 474 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:27,360 Speaker 1: of pettiness that gets Mark Lerner dork of the week 475 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:29,000 Speaker 1: and for the rest of their shappy You can go 476 00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:31,040 Speaker 1: back and read my calm from Friday, because there is 477 00:26:31,119 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 1: more going on with the Nationals, not renewing scouts, letting 478 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:38,080 Speaker 1: people go, all the wonderful things that this organization is 479 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:41,119 Speaker 1: involved with right now. But Lerner is dork of the 480 00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:44,919 Speaker 1: week because of that line, that line alone, that was petty, 481 00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:48,240 Speaker 1: not right. 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Try for yourself. 502 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:02,320 Speaker 1: The Shades rated life stars by over two hundred and 503 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:05,800 Speaker 1: fifty thousand people all right time now for Grill and Ken, 504 00:28:05,920 --> 00:28:08,160 Speaker 1: Let's get right to your questions, and the first one 505 00:28:08,280 --> 00:28:12,200 Speaker 1: is a doozy from Stephen Caswell and Steven asks who 506 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:16,359 Speaker 1: next season has a better chance of competing the Red 507 00:28:16,359 --> 00:28:20,000 Speaker 1: Sox or the Yankees. Now, I wish I could put 508 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:22,440 Speaker 1: on my crystal ball here or look into my crystal ball, 509 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:26,399 Speaker 1: I should say and give you an exact answer. I 510 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:29,880 Speaker 1: would say, off the top of my head, the Red 511 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:33,400 Speaker 1: Sox perhaps stand the better chance of competing. And I'm 512 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:35,480 Speaker 1: gonna qualify everything here because we don't know what's going 513 00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:38,240 Speaker 1: to happen in the offseason with these teams, right, But 514 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:42,320 Speaker 1: the Red Sox have a core that has emerged this season, 515 00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:45,400 Speaker 1: a younger core, and we're seeing actually some other players, 516 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:48,360 Speaker 1: youngsters come up in September and do some good things 517 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:50,640 Speaker 1: for them as well. Now the Yankees are doing the 518 00:28:50,680 --> 00:28:53,280 Speaker 1: same kind of thing, and we've seen that. Unfortunately, the 519 00:28:53,360 --> 00:28:56,760 Speaker 1: injury to Jason Domingez kind of changes that perspective a 520 00:28:56,760 --> 00:28:59,880 Speaker 1: little bit. But I sort of like where the Red 521 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:03,920 Speaker 1: Sox are Offensively, They're fine. Defensively, They've got a lot 522 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:07,760 Speaker 1: to clean up. Run prevention is not good and watching 523 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:10,720 Speaker 1: them can be painful running the bases as well. But 524 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:14,240 Speaker 1: I like what they're building. They need to supplement. Obviously, 525 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:16,800 Speaker 1: they need to fix the rotation and at least decide 526 00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:18,640 Speaker 1: on which pitchers are going to be part of that, 527 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 1: which ones they believe will be healthy. The Yankees, Yeah, 528 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:26,000 Speaker 1: they have the same kind of outlook, perhaps with their 529 00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:31,240 Speaker 1: younger players, but I'm still not happy with the older 530 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:36,400 Speaker 1: collection Stanton Lemayhew Rizzo. Rizzo less so from a critical standpoint, 531 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:39,640 Speaker 1: but they're still kind of a plotting team. And I 532 00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 1: know you can say the same about the Red Sox. 533 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:44,640 Speaker 1: But the Yankees have a lot of work to do, man, 534 00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:49,360 Speaker 1: and they've got some things to figure out overall with 535 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:53,280 Speaker 1: their organization. So I'll lean toward the Red Sox a 536 00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:56,120 Speaker 1: little bit, but it really all depends for both teams 537 00:29:56,200 --> 00:29:58,840 Speaker 1: on the offseason and what they decide to do. Next 538 00:29:58,920 --> 00:30:02,320 Speaker 1: question comes from Michael Mike Underscore Jays fan, who says, 539 00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:05,360 Speaker 1: what's the feedback been like from MLB players and execs 540 00:30:05,360 --> 00:30:08,360 Speaker 1: on the more balanced schedule? Michael, I like the question, 541 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:11,480 Speaker 1: and what's interesting is I haven't heard much about this 542 00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:14,560 Speaker 1: in terms of feedback, in terms of negative or positive 543 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:19,040 Speaker 1: reinforcement about the new schedule. That would suggest to me 544 00:30:19,640 --> 00:30:22,719 Speaker 1: that it's fine that the players, the coaches, the managers, 545 00:30:22,760 --> 00:30:26,520 Speaker 1: the executives are not unhappy with it. When those people 546 00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:29,239 Speaker 1: are unhappy with a rule change or something different in 547 00:30:29,280 --> 00:30:33,320 Speaker 1: the game, they invariably let people like myself know. So 548 00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:36,560 Speaker 1: the balance schedule or the more balanced schedule, we should say. 549 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:39,480 Speaker 1: I would think it has been a success in the 550 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:42,560 Speaker 1: eyes of most. It's changed travel a little bit for 551 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:45,840 Speaker 1: certain teams, but it's going to balance out the way 552 00:30:45,960 --> 00:30:50,560 Speaker 1: MLB has it planned and the idea of each fan 553 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:54,280 Speaker 1: base getting to see each team every other year at minimum, 554 00:30:54,840 --> 00:30:57,320 Speaker 1: that's a healthy thing for the sport. It's a good 555 00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:01,080 Speaker 1: thing when a fan in Pittsburgh knows he will see 556 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:05,000 Speaker 1: a player like Shohei Otani come back. Now Otani, of 557 00:31:05,040 --> 00:31:06,880 Speaker 1: course might not be with the Angels next season, but 558 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:09,680 Speaker 1: that fan in Pittsburgh is going to see Otani once 559 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:12,480 Speaker 1: every other year. That's pretty good. I want to thank 560 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:15,240 Speaker 1: everyone for their questions. Want to thank everyone for listening, 561 00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:20,920 Speaker 1: for watching. You know where to find us by now, YouTube, Apple, Spotify, subscribe, 562 00:31:21,240 --> 00:31:24,719 Speaker 1: like whatever you want to do. We'll be back next Monday. 563 00:31:24,920 --> 00:31:27,920 Speaker 1: Have a great week. Everyone down with the BETMGM sports 564 00:31:27,920 --> 00:31:30,440 Speaker 1: Apple on iOS or Andswerid or visit BETEMGM dot com. 565 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:32,560 Speaker 1: He's the bonus Code Battle. 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