1
00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:09,400
Speaker 1: Welcome into Northside Territory. Foul Territory Networks Cubs Podcast. I'm

2
00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:13,920
Speaker 1: Sahadev Sharma with my partner Patrick Mooney with us today

3
00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:17,400
Speaker 1: once again is Chandler Rome. Since the Cubs and Houston

4
00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:20,759
Speaker 1: Astros seem to just, you know, be in love with

5
00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:26,160
Speaker 1: each other and can't get enough, he can moves, Chandler

6
00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:28,800
Speaker 1: is our Astros beat writer. I didn't say that Astros

7
00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:31,160
Speaker 1: beat writer over at the Athletic. Patrick and I cover

8
00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:35,640
Speaker 1: the Cubs for the Athletic. This is yet another move

9
00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:38,360
Speaker 1: between the Cubs and Astros Chandler. Obviously it's a big

10
00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:41,720
Speaker 1: one for the Cubs. They needed a back end reliever

11
00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:44,360
Speaker 1: and experience reliever. Just tell us a little bit about

12
00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:48,239
Speaker 1: Presley more like I've been hearing a lot lately now

13
00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:50,440
Speaker 1: about his leadership and I'm really curious about that.

14
00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:52,440
Speaker 2: Just tell us about him as a person.

15
00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:55,000
Speaker 1: What he did in that clubhouse that kind of set

16
00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:56,240
Speaker 1: things apart for him.

17
00:00:57,200 --> 00:01:02,000
Speaker 3: Yeah, he is he epitomizes to me the veteran. He

18
00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:05,400
Speaker 3: is the epitome of a seasoned vet, like just shows

19
00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:08,600
Speaker 3: up to work every day, does his stuff very rarely,

20
00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:12,959
Speaker 3: seeks the spotlight very rarely. I mean he'll he'll, he'll

21
00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:15,160
Speaker 3: give you time for interviews if you ask for it,

22
00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:17,319
Speaker 3: but is not going to be the guy that's front

23
00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:20,320
Speaker 3: and center, does not want his you know, face or

24
00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:24,039
Speaker 3: voice or much out there publicly as like you know,

25
00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,800
Speaker 3: team spokesman sort of thing, but is certainly within the clubhouse.

26
00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:32,520
Speaker 3: Then the Astros clubhouse revered, and that really only manifested

27
00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:35,680
Speaker 3: itself within the last year year and a half. This

28
00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:40,200
Speaker 3: past year. He was one of the the main reasons

29
00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:43,440
Speaker 3: why they survived that twelve and twenty four start. I mean,

30
00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:46,720
Speaker 3: he was kind of a sounding board. He was, you know,

31
00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,640
Speaker 3: I can remember during that stretch. I think there was

32
00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:52,240
Speaker 3: actually one time in Kansas City, and there was another

33
00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:55,280
Speaker 3: time at home, like I walked in a postgame clubhouse

34
00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:58,960
Speaker 3: after a loss and there were about five or six

35
00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:02,040
Speaker 3: young pitchers and young players just kind of gathered around

36
00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:04,760
Speaker 3: Presley's locker and they were just you know, I don't

37
00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:06,160
Speaker 3: know if it was a come to Jesus, but it

38
00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:08,680
Speaker 3: was kind of just more of a debrief kind of

39
00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:13,240
Speaker 3: just a you know, just talking through a start that

40
00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:15,400
Speaker 3: I don't think any of them could have ever envisioned.

41
00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:17,080
Speaker 3: And then, you know, I wrote about this a little

42
00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:20,840
Speaker 3: bit but you know, Hunter Brown, young young starter for

43
00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:24,119
Speaker 3: the Astros, had one of the worst starts in Major

44
00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:26,919
Speaker 3: League history in Kansas City last April. I believe he

45
00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:29,640
Speaker 3: gave up nine runs and thirteen hits in two thirds

46
00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:32,280
Speaker 3: of an inning. They were on the that was a

47
00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:35,160
Speaker 3: getaway day game. They were on the plane back from

48
00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:38,200
Speaker 3: Kansas City to Houston, and like Presley made it a

49
00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:42,639
Speaker 3: point to go sit with Hunter. They talked about just

50
00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:47,200
Speaker 3: kind of how to come back from this, how do

51
00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:49,480
Speaker 3: you put this behind you? And look, Ryan Presley can

52
00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:51,679
Speaker 3: speak from experience. This is a guy that was dfaid.

53
00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:55,520
Speaker 3: He was a Rule five pick, like he got optioned

54
00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:59,160
Speaker 3: pretty close to right before he got traded to the Astros.

55
00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:01,639
Speaker 3: So this is not a guy that has come by

56
00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:06,000
Speaker 3: success easily like this is. I mean, he's had to

57
00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:08,360
Speaker 3: go through it in the big league. So he's got

58
00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:10,760
Speaker 3: a lot of wealth and knowledge air and he shared

59
00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,720
Speaker 3: that with Hunter, shared that you know it'll get better.

60
00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:15,720
Speaker 3: It can't get any worse after you give him not

61
00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:19,280
Speaker 3: a nine runs and thirteen hits in two thirds of

62
00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:22,840
Speaker 3: an inning. But you know that helped catalyze Hunter Brown's

63
00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:26,040
Speaker 3: turnaround last year. He Hunter still talks about that conversation

64
00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:29,320
Speaker 3: in parts, so you're getting a good picture. He's not.

65
00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:31,480
Speaker 3: I'm not gonna sit here and say he's as elite

66
00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:35,640
Speaker 3: as he once was. I think he's better than Astro's

67
00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:37,920
Speaker 3: fans give him credit for. I think he's better than

68
00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:42,320
Speaker 3: maybe the stats show. But along with that, you're getting

69
00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:45,280
Speaker 3: a the epitome of a veteran the epitome of a

70
00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:47,200
Speaker 3: veteran leader, but a guy that does it in a

71
00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:49,520
Speaker 3: different way. You're not gonna hear him raw raw. You're

72
00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:51,800
Speaker 3: not gonna hear him yell. He's not gonna be the

73
00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:54,400
Speaker 3: one to stand up in a team meeting, but just

74
00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:57,280
Speaker 3: leads by example, leads by just his his experience.

75
00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:01,800
Speaker 4: Jayler, It's interesting you say that because I think back

76
00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,160
Speaker 4: to this cubsteam the last two years, and what's done

77
00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:07,720
Speaker 4: them in is like the four game losing streak. Bad

78
00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:11,280
Speaker 4: week becomes like two bad months that totally sink their season.

79
00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:16,680
Speaker 4: And I'm curious what Presley can bring, Like how much

80
00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:18,800
Speaker 4: do you think he has left in the tank, And

81
00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:21,880
Speaker 4: you know, looking back on it, how much did the

82
00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:26,359
Speaker 4: Josh hater situation weigh on him? Like if they don't

83
00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:30,240
Speaker 4: make that impulse move, maybe is his season slightly worse

84
00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:33,880
Speaker 4: than the year before, but still, you know, all star caliber,

85
00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:36,320
Speaker 4: and we're not really having this conversation.

86
00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:40,360
Speaker 3: Yeah, with the with the caveat that relievers are the

87
00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:43,640
Speaker 3: most volatile people in baseball, Like I mean this, I

88
00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:46,039
Speaker 3: mean I talked about this on Crush City yesterday. But

89
00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:51,600
Speaker 3: like smart teams don't invest long term money in their bullpens,

90
00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:54,279
Speaker 3: like just because of the nature of volatility, the nature

91
00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:57,320
Speaker 3: of relievers and how they vary from year to year,

92
00:04:57,440 --> 00:04:59,040
Speaker 3: Like it's tough to you know.

93
00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:00,800
Speaker 2: Say this.

94
00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:03,760
Speaker 3: It's tough to speak with any like absolutes about any

95
00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:06,760
Speaker 3: reliever minus like maybe two or three guys. I mean, heck,

96
00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:09,160
Speaker 3: look at Josh Hater last year. I mean, the Astros

97
00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:11,440
Speaker 3: thought they were getting a guy that you know if

98
00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:13,040
Speaker 3: they took a one run lead in the ninth in

99
00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:15,360
Speaker 3: and he was shutting the door. Josh Hayter was good

100
00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:18,159
Speaker 3: last year, but he was not anywhere near this elite.

101
00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:21,039
Speaker 3: I mean, I think he blew seven saves, like, gave

102
00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:23,279
Speaker 3: up more homers last year than he had given up

103
00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:25,680
Speaker 3: I think in the last three years combined. So I

104
00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:32,120
Speaker 3: mean the position is volatile. To the Hater point, everyone

105
00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:35,039
Speaker 3: with the Astros last year They all said the right

106
00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:38,080
Speaker 3: like Presley said the right thing, jo spotted Dana Brown.

107
00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:41,880
Speaker 3: They said the right stuff, but made no mistake. There

108
00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:45,680
Speaker 3: were some There was some part feelings and I and

109
00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:48,120
Speaker 3: I understand that. And when I say this, I don't

110
00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:50,720
Speaker 3: want this to sound like Josh Hater and Ryan Presley

111
00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:52,560
Speaker 3: didn't like each other. That is the furthest thing from

112
00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:55,479
Speaker 3: the truth. Their kids of this around the same age

113
00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:57,560
Speaker 3: they hung out off the field together. Those two guys

114
00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:00,479
Speaker 3: are actually pretty tight. But it's just more of like

115
00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:04,000
Speaker 3: I think it's human nature. Like he got Ryan Presley

116
00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:07,599
Speaker 3: got demoted for no reason, like he was fine in

117
00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:11,640
Speaker 3: twenty twenty three. He was very well, did nothing on

118
00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:15,840
Speaker 3: the field to earn a demotion. The Astros wanted to

119
00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:18,600
Speaker 3: build a big, you know, three headed monster at the

120
00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:20,520
Speaker 3: back end of their bullpen. So they got it done.

121
00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:24,040
Speaker 3: They they they kept him involved. They kept Presley involved

122
00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:26,359
Speaker 3: a little bit in the in the Hater negotiations. But

123
00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:29,280
Speaker 3: it's not as if they saw his approval. It was

124
00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:31,720
Speaker 3: they called him and were like, hey, we're probably gonna

125
00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:33,240
Speaker 3: do this. We just want to let you know before

126
00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:37,240
Speaker 3: it comes out on Twitter. So again, everyone said the rights,

127
00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:39,599
Speaker 3: Everyone said the right things. But it was it was

128
00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:41,720
Speaker 3: tough for him. Joe Spotta basically said that at the

129
00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:44,160
Speaker 3: Winter meetings this year that it took him a while

130
00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:48,359
Speaker 3: to adjust that setup role just and I think it

131
00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:52,240
Speaker 3: left a bad taste in Presley's mouth just for kind

132
00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:54,480
Speaker 3: of what he had done for the organization. I mean

133
00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:57,320
Speaker 3: that's and look, baseball's a baseball is a cruel business.

134
00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:01,000
Speaker 3: Like it's a very rarely sure jose L Tuv, like,

135
00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:04,039
Speaker 3: very rarely do you get like you've done this for

136
00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:05,920
Speaker 3: the franchise, So we're going to like defer to you.

137
00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:09,159
Speaker 3: Like it's a tough business in that way. But I

138
00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:10,920
Speaker 3: think there was part of Presley that thought, you know,

139
00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:15,960
Speaker 3: he has been, you know, maybe the second best reliever

140
00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:18,880
Speaker 3: this franchise has ever seen, behind Billy Waddner who just

141
00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:21,520
Speaker 3: got into the Hall of Fame, like uh, and to

142
00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:23,560
Speaker 3: demote him like that, you know, I think it hurt

143
00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:26,760
Speaker 3: a little bit. And I think he wanted a an

144
00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:30,880
Speaker 3: opportunity to close. I'm not sitting here saying that putting

145
00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:33,040
Speaker 3: him back in the closures role is going to get

146
00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:35,640
Speaker 3: him back to a sub three era with twelve k's

147
00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:38,600
Speaker 3: per nine, But it's a role he's more comfortable with

148
00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:40,920
Speaker 3: as far as how much does he have in the tank?

149
00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:43,440
Speaker 3: I don't think he was that bad last year, like

150
00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:46,320
Speaker 3: everyone wants to talk about, you know, the everyone wants

151
00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:48,200
Speaker 3: to let it always declining. And look at his numbers.

152
00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:50,040
Speaker 3: I mean he had a three ten FIP with a

153
00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:52,320
Speaker 3: three five era. He saw it a one fourteen e

154
00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:56,640
Speaker 3: er plus. Like this is still a really good reliever, right.

155
00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:57,040
Speaker 2: Is he?

156
00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:00,360
Speaker 3: Is he Edwin Diaz? Is he Josh Hater is like

157
00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:03,640
Speaker 3: that ilk? Probably not? But I think the one thing

158
00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:06,120
Speaker 3: about Presley and I talked about this yesterday when we

159
00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:10,200
Speaker 3: were on Crush City, was the thing that fans are

160
00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:13,360
Speaker 3: going to have, the thing that Astro's fans maybe had

161
00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:16,800
Speaker 3: trouble with. He doesn't throw a hundred. He doesn't have

162
00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:21,960
Speaker 3: that one aesthetically pleasing like wicked pitch that's gonna end

163
00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:24,880
Speaker 3: up on pitching Ninja a bunch or like he doesn't

164
00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:28,360
Speaker 3: do it with like palpable dominance. Like he's not Ben

165
00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:30,440
Speaker 3: Joyce going out there throwing one oh five. He's not

166
00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:34,080
Speaker 3: you know other guys that have these like crazy breaking

167
00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:35,800
Speaker 3: balls and things. His breaking balls are really good, but

168
00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:38,839
Speaker 3: like he's gonna be ninety three to ninety five, maybe

169
00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:41,240
Speaker 3: touch ninety six. He's gonna rely on both of his

170
00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:45,640
Speaker 3: breaking balls. It's not this dominant like, oh my goodness

171
00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:48,880
Speaker 3: when this guy comes in like you're gonna see like

172
00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:52,160
Speaker 3: one hundred and two. Like, it's not that. But he

173
00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:55,080
Speaker 3: misses enough bats. He didn't miss bats last year. That

174
00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:57,520
Speaker 3: was his biggest problem, Like he struggled to miss bats.

175
00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:00,560
Speaker 3: He got some poor batted ball luck as a result,

176
00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:04,640
Speaker 3: the walk rate ticked up a little bit. But a

177
00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:06,240
Speaker 3: couple of things I will say about him. He takes

178
00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:08,959
Speaker 3: the ball. He will pitch three days in a row

179
00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:13,600
Speaker 3: if you need him. He's a gamer, very tough. It's

180
00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:15,800
Speaker 3: been on the il a couple times, just a little

181
00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:19,920
Speaker 3: bit nagging stuff, but nothing that is a concern. But

182
00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:23,440
Speaker 3: I think he's still a very good relievers. He as

183
00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:27,040
Speaker 3: good as maybe he was in twenty nineteen, twenty twenty one. No,

184
00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:29,240
Speaker 3: but he's also going to be thirty six years old,

185
00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:34,679
Speaker 3: so I think it's I think he's maybe been unfairly miscasts,

186
00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:38,440
Speaker 3: like on a gradual decline, like on a steep decline.

187
00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:40,880
Speaker 3: But like, I think he's still a really really good

188
00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:45,840
Speaker 3: reliever and a he can close for a contending team.

189
00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:49,240
Speaker 5: News flash, ft FAM America's number one meal kid has

190
00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:51,320
Speaker 5: a new offer for you. But first crats tell us

191
00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:52,559
Speaker 5: why we love Hello Fresh.

192
00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:55,120
Speaker 6: Figuring out dinner is so much easier now I go

193
00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:58,120
Speaker 6: online and pick from fifty recipes each week. They pre

194
00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:01,080
Speaker 6: portioned the ingredients and then ship them right to your doorstep.

195
00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:04,280
Speaker 6: Now that's the service we all deserve at an affordable price.

196
00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:06,960
Speaker 7: Don't forget about those new ready made meals that go

197
00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:09,640
Speaker 7: from fridge to fork in just three minutes. It's the

198
00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:13,000
Speaker 7: same high quality ingredients and restaurant worthy flavor you always

199
00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:15,280
Speaker 7: get from HelloFresh, just with none of the work.

200
00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:16,520
Speaker 3: We love that.

201
00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:19,480
Speaker 5: If you're looking to fit a specific lifestyle, Hello Fresh

202
00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:23,040
Speaker 5: features preferences like fit and wholesome or my personal favorite,

203
00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:25,720
Speaker 5: quick and easy. This week, I'm crushing a sizzlin shrimp

204
00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:29,079
Speaker 5: bowl with roasted broccoli and spicy mao, plus a dreamy

205
00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:32,400
Speaker 5: mustard apricot chicken dish with roasted potatoes and green beans.

206
00:10:32,559 --> 00:10:34,640
Speaker 7: Get up to ten free meals and a free high

207
00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:38,000
Speaker 7: protein item for life at HelloFresh dot com slash ft

208
00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:42,200
Speaker 7: ten FM one item per box with active subscription. Free

209
00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:44,679
Speaker 7: meals applied as a discount on the first box. New

210
00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:46,720
Speaker 7: subscribers only varies by playing.

211
00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:51,199
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I think there's a few things here that

212
00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:53,640
Speaker 1: the Cubs really respect.

213
00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:59,400
Speaker 2: The leadership angle. They've looked for that because they've lacked.

214
00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:02,480
Speaker 1: It in years past, and I think fans hear that

215
00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:05,559
Speaker 1: and immediately think of Hector Naris and the season he

216
00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:08,880
Speaker 1: had last year. They see the velocity decline, they see Houston,

217
00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:13,040
Speaker 1: and they immediately go to Naris. They're not the same

218
00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:16,640
Speaker 1: type of pitcher like Naris needed that fastball desperately to

219
00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:20,440
Speaker 1: make the splitter work. Presley has these two really good

220
00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:23,719
Speaker 1: breaking balls that the Cubs in all likelihood will have

221
00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:25,800
Speaker 1: him use more of that, and they hope to tease

222
00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:27,360
Speaker 1: a little bit more velocity out of him.

223
00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:30,120
Speaker 2: I really think they need.

224
00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:32,800
Speaker 1: They like having that veteran go look at their past,

225
00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:37,160
Speaker 1: like when they've had good bullpens. David robertson Michael Gibbons.

226
00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:41,200
Speaker 1: Yesnaris last year stood up and did a lot of

227
00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:43,680
Speaker 1: things in the clubhouse. He was a guy that I

228
00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:46,400
Speaker 1: saw him get on relievers that didn't know how to,

229
00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:49,120
Speaker 1: you know, go through the day and work on things,

230
00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:52,000
Speaker 1: the day to day routine that it takes to be

231
00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:55,320
Speaker 1: a successful reliever. So while he didn't maybe have the

232
00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:57,080
Speaker 1: positive impact they wanted on the field.

233
00:11:57,120 --> 00:11:59,599
Speaker 2: He was a positive impact in the clubhouse.

234
00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:03,400
Speaker 1: Obviously, you hope Presley is built like that's what the

235
00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:05,520
Speaker 1: Cubs are hoping, and I think that's what the expectation is.

236
00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:08,360
Speaker 1: And you've kind of touched on what I was thinking,

237
00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:11,240
Speaker 1: Like this velocity drop, I think people see and expect

238
00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:14,120
Speaker 1: him he's going to like it's going to crush his

239
00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:15,240
Speaker 1: career that he's done.

240
00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:17,240
Speaker 2: It just doesn't seem like that's the case.

241
00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:19,200
Speaker 1: It just doesn't seem like he's that type of picture

242
00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:22,400
Speaker 1: that yes, it's a drop in velocity and the effectiveness

243
00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:24,440
Speaker 1: is not what you said twenty one, twenty two, but

244
00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:27,800
Speaker 1: he's clearly a very good pitcher. I just don't see

245
00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:31,480
Speaker 1: how I think it's so easy. And I know I'm

246
00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:34,520
Speaker 1: probably looking too much on Twitter and seeing fans complaining,

247
00:12:34,559 --> 00:12:38,240
Speaker 1: and I shouldn't and I shouldn't assume that all fans

248
00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:41,720
Speaker 1: are like this. I think most fans hopefully understand that

249
00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:44,560
Speaker 1: this is this is a positive move in all likelihood.

250
00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:46,959
Speaker 1: But I think what you said at the beginning about

251
00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:49,320
Speaker 1: like relievers are volatile, we don't know what they're going

252
00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:51,640
Speaker 1: to be. Like you mentioned Edwin Diaz, Edwin Diaz had

253
00:12:51,679 --> 00:12:53,920
Speaker 1: like a two month stretch where he stunk last year

254
00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:55,760
Speaker 1: and lost the closers job, and he's one of the

255
00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:58,480
Speaker 1: most dominant forces in the game. So it's a It

256
00:12:58,559 --> 00:13:00,200
Speaker 1: is a crapshoot, and I think that's part of the

257
00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,800
Speaker 1: reason why Jed won't go out and spend that much

258
00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:06,960
Speaker 1: money on relievers. Although I'm still a little shocked that

259
00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,880
Speaker 1: they offered what they did to Tanner Scott, but I

260
00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:13,200
Speaker 1: just don't I think it is an overreaction to someone

261
00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:17,719
Speaker 1: that was dominant taking maybe a slight step back. This

262
00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:20,920
Speaker 1: isn't some precipitous downfall of a reliever.

263
00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:25,040
Speaker 3: And I think the main difference I see with between

264
00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:28,840
Speaker 3: Nars and Presley. You know, Nearris had very limited closing

265
00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:31,679
Speaker 3: experience before he came to the Cubs, and he may

266
00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:34,640
Speaker 3: have done it in Philly a little bit, he didn't

267
00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:36,560
Speaker 3: do it with the Astros. I mean, he would be

268
00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:38,920
Speaker 3: the closer on some days when a couple of guys

269
00:13:38,920 --> 00:13:41,920
Speaker 3: were down. But I mean there's something to be said

270
00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:45,600
Speaker 3: about Presley having as much experience in the ninth inning

271
00:13:45,679 --> 00:13:49,000
Speaker 3: as he does, and it's not something we can quantify,

272
00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:51,319
Speaker 3: you know, you can't look at a number you can't,

273
00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:54,920
Speaker 3: you know, quantify it statistically, but there's something to be

274
00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:58,520
Speaker 3: said for the fact that Presley has been in as

275
00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:01,760
Speaker 3: as tense situations as you can be in. I mean,

276
00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:06,400
Speaker 3: he He's pitched forty five postseason innings for the Astros,

277
00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:09,440
Speaker 3: most of which were as the closer. He's been on

278
00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:11,319
Speaker 3: the mound and the ninth inning of Thai games. He's

279
00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:12,720
Speaker 3: been in the mound and the ninth inning of one

280
00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:15,520
Speaker 3: run games with a lot of stuff on the line

281
00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:18,880
Speaker 3: in those games, like all big stakes. So that'd be

282
00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:21,720
Speaker 3: my biggest difference is that is that you know, Ryan Pressley,

283
00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:23,440
Speaker 3: the ninth inning is not going to phase him, and

284
00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:25,840
Speaker 3: like if he does blow a save or two, like

285
00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:28,720
Speaker 3: he's done that before, Like it's not It's not one

286
00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:31,080
Speaker 3: of these things that's going to like Creter. I'm not

287
00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:34,760
Speaker 3: saying that's the case with Neris, but that was Nearris's

288
00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:37,440
Speaker 3: first time really in about four or five years as

289
00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:41,320
Speaker 3: a full time closer. This will not be that for Presley.

290
00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:44,320
Speaker 3: I think he'll be able to handle the failures that

291
00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:47,640
Speaker 3: every reliever experiences during the season. I think could be

292
00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:50,560
Speaker 3: able to handle those really well. And I think I

293
00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:52,440
Speaker 3: think there's something to be said for the fact that

294
00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:56,000
Speaker 3: he was a closer as recently as twelve months ago,

295
00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:58,040
Speaker 3: and he had done it for six years before that,

296
00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:01,080
Speaker 3: So that'd be my biggest you know, difference with him

297
00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:04,640
Speaker 3: is that you know, you're getting someone with that bona

298
00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:07,400
Speaker 3: fide experience and that's something that you can't replicate. That's

299
00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:11,920
Speaker 3: something that you can't quantify, that you can't you conjure

300
00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:15,200
Speaker 3: up in a pitching lad that you can't overhaul and make.

301
00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:18,640
Speaker 3: That's just something that just inherently is going to make

302
00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:21,360
Speaker 3: Presley I think stand up may be better than that.

303
00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:24,680
Speaker 1: Yeah, and those postseason numbers are really strong, right, Like,

304
00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:25,880
Speaker 1: they're pretty dominant.

305
00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:30,400
Speaker 3: It's not a stretch to say he may be, if

306
00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:33,880
Speaker 3: not in the top two or three, top five postseason

307
00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:36,840
Speaker 3: relievers in Major League Baseball history. And that's not hyperbly

308
00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:38,440
Speaker 3: if you go look at the numbers.

309
00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:40,840
Speaker 2: Wow, Jamla.

310
00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:44,600
Speaker 4: This may be like an elementary question for people who

311
00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:46,720
Speaker 4: listen across city or read your great work on the

312
00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:50,000
Speaker 4: athletic but like, where is Jim Crane and all of this?

313
00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:51,240
Speaker 6: I mean, Ryan Presley is one.

314
00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:54,840
Speaker 4: Of the most accomplished, but you know, one notch below

315
00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:59,720
Speaker 4: Billy Wagner, maybe in franchise history, Alex Bregman is still

316
00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:02,200
Speaker 4: out there, and I asked, because you know, the Cubs

317
00:16:02,240 --> 00:16:04,880
Speaker 4: have an owner who sets a payroll around the same

318
00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:08,840
Speaker 4: area as the Astros, but very much stays out of it.

319
00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:11,040
Speaker 4: You know, when they trade Anthony Rezil, like, well, that's

320
00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:13,720
Speaker 4: just decision, or when Alex Pregnant is still out there,

321
00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:16,080
Speaker 4: it's like, well, Jed can do whatever he wants within

322
00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:20,440
Speaker 4: this Confine's like, where is Jim Crane sort of lurking here?

323
00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:23,400
Speaker 4: Is he you know, glad to see Presley go because

324
00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:25,760
Speaker 4: he wants Bregman more? Or how did you just explain

325
00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:29,440
Speaker 4: that dynamic generally to people who don't, you know, follow

326
00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:30,520
Speaker 4: the Astros as closely.

327
00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:34,600
Speaker 3: Yeah, this off season's been just fascinating in terms of

328
00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:37,360
Speaker 3: like the many different directions that this team has gone,

329
00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:40,000
Speaker 3: Like they trade Kyle Tucker to start the off season, like, oh,

330
00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:43,520
Speaker 3: like they'll take a soft like reset, but they'll still

331
00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:46,360
Speaker 3: contend like they're not gonna they're not gonna tear it

332
00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:48,320
Speaker 3: down this year, but you may see a little bit

333
00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:51,520
Speaker 3: lesser of a team. And then they signed Christian Walker

334
00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:55,520
Speaker 3: and you're like, okay, like they can again kind of

335
00:16:55,560 --> 00:16:59,200
Speaker 3: going along the lines of you know, not I mean,

336
00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:02,120
Speaker 3: they traded their best play, so but Christian Walker's a

337
00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:04,480
Speaker 3: good addition. You know, they want to contend in twenty

338
00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:07,120
Speaker 3: twenty five, but they're but they're not going to go crazy.

339
00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:09,480
Speaker 3: And then, you know, as Alex Bregman just kind of

340
00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:13,240
Speaker 3: remains out there, I think the allure of bringing him

341
00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:17,120
Speaker 3: back has has just kind of infiltrated. And they wouldn't

342
00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:18,919
Speaker 3: be doing this for any other player. Like if this

343
00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:22,280
Speaker 3: was literally any other player available, they would not be

344
00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:25,320
Speaker 3: exploring this. But I mean, let's face it, this is

345
00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:28,720
Speaker 3: a this We're past Dana Brown at this point as

346
00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:30,600
Speaker 3: far as the Bregman stuff goes. Now, I want to

347
00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:34,639
Speaker 3: make one thing abundantly clear. They've been shopping Ryan Presley

348
00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:37,800
Speaker 3: since November. Like, this is not like I think there

349
00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:40,880
Speaker 3: is a false narrative out there among you know, maybe

350
00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:43,480
Speaker 3: people that aren't following it as closely as that, Oh,

351
00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:45,800
Speaker 3: they saw Alex Bregman was back, so they started shopping

352
00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:48,239
Speaker 3: Ryan Presley like three days ago to clear salary. Like no,

353
00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:51,040
Speaker 3: this has been They've wanted to do this since the

354
00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:52,879
Speaker 3: beginning of the off season. Like I reported at the

355
00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:54,919
Speaker 3: GM meetings in November that they had put him on

356
00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:58,040
Speaker 3: the block. And it just so happens that it has

357
00:17:58,119 --> 00:18:02,240
Speaker 3: lined up at the time when Alex Bregman's market is

358
00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:05,720
Speaker 3: coming to a head. So does it Will it help

359
00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:07,919
Speaker 3: their pursuit of Pregnant that they cleared some of this

360
00:18:08,359 --> 00:18:11,480
Speaker 3: some of Presley's salary, Yes, it will. They did not

361
00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:16,080
Speaker 3: trade him solely because they're trying to get Bregman back.

362
00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:20,359
Speaker 3: You know, as far as you know where Jim stands

363
00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:22,920
Speaker 3: with payroll and everything. You know, the last two off

364
00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:25,760
Speaker 3: seasons I've reported, and it was right at the time

365
00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:28,119
Speaker 3: that he had told people that he didn't want to

366
00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:30,480
Speaker 3: go over to the lectric tax, that he did not want

367
00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:33,840
Speaker 3: to exceed it. Last year he gave Josh Hater ninety

368
00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:36,120
Speaker 3: five million dollars because he wanted him at the twenty

369
00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:39,280
Speaker 3: twenty three trade deadline and they didn't get him, so

370
00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:43,160
Speaker 3: he wanted him. And Alex Bregman's kind of that same

371
00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:46,400
Speaker 3: sort of ilk. I mean, no one knows Alex Pregman

372
00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:51,280
Speaker 3: better than the Astros, no one, no one realizes his

373
00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:55,560
Speaker 3: meaning here more than the Astros. And don't underestimate Josel

374
00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:57,960
Speaker 3: Tuovay's role in this either. The fact how vocal he

375
00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:01,840
Speaker 3: has been since September to bring him back. I think

376
00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:06,159
Speaker 3: has certainly carried some weight. I know there was some disappointment.

377
00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:09,840
Speaker 3: I think disappointment is putting it mildly. When Dana Brown

378
00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:14,200
Speaker 3: said in December that negotiations had quote stalled with Bregman,

379
00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:18,720
Speaker 3: there was some disappointment within that clubhouse, and I think

380
00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:21,920
Speaker 3: that made its way up the chain, and I think

381
00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:24,600
Speaker 3: that's where we are now. So as far as like

382
00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:28,640
Speaker 3: I I, it's so weird to me to think about

383
00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:32,280
Speaker 3: how this may look if this happens, because they're setting

384
00:19:32,359 --> 00:19:35,080
Speaker 3: themselves up like if they do bring Bregman back, like

385
00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:37,720
Speaker 3: and he's on that six year deal that's still out

386
00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:40,879
Speaker 3: there that they offered him, you'll have Bregman for six years,

387
00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:43,679
Speaker 3: you'll have al Twove through twenty twenty nine, you'll have

388
00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:46,680
Speaker 3: Jordan Alvarez through twenty twenty eight, and you'll have Esac

389
00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:49,640
Speaker 3: Paradus for the next three years. So it's like you're

390
00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:52,879
Speaker 3: probably moving Jose al Tuve to left field permanently because

391
00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:56,000
Speaker 3: this is not something that you can just flip after

392
00:19:56,040 --> 00:19:58,200
Speaker 3: the season. Because they have all these guys under control

393
00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:01,000
Speaker 3: for so long. You can't date two guys. You're not

394
00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:06,480
Speaker 3: going to dh Alvarez an l Twove. So it's fascinating.

395
00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:09,439
Speaker 3: Do they flip Paradus, like if they signed Bregman, Do

396
00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:12,120
Speaker 3: they try to find another trade partner in trade Esock

397
00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:16,520
Speaker 3: Paradis for the million time in the last I don't know.

398
00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:22,000
Speaker 3: It's you know, we are past now when you start

399
00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:26,199
Speaker 3: talking about maybe exceeding the luxury tax again, you know,

400
00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:29,040
Speaker 3: offering that sort of free agent deal to Alex Bregman.

401
00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:31,960
Speaker 3: We're past Dana Brown where this is. We're now in

402
00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:36,359
Speaker 3: Jim Crane's wheelhouse. And you know, if he wants something,

403
00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:38,240
Speaker 3: ninety nine percent of the time it gets done.

404
00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:43,040
Speaker 1: Uh, it's probably worth talking more about Bregman and outside

405
00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:45,479
Speaker 1: of the Astros as well. I mean, we Patrick and

406
00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:48,440
Speaker 1: I did some reporting a week ago, and it seemed

407
00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:52,240
Speaker 1: pretty clear that where the Cubs interested. Sure that Bregman

408
00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:54,400
Speaker 1: makes a lot of sense for the Cubs. I think

409
00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:58,280
Speaker 1: we've been saying this since they've traded for Tucker. Uh, okay,

410
00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:00,959
Speaker 1: you don't have a third basement now. Bregman makes all

411
00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:04,360
Speaker 1: the sense in the world. It's purely about finances. Why

412
00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:10,000
Speaker 1: they're not, you know, doggedly pursuing him. They just they're

413
00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:13,520
Speaker 1: not going to go past a certain number on the payroll,

414
00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:15,000
Speaker 1: they have, their budget.

415
00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:17,359
Speaker 2: It is what it is, and it would.

416
00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:20,000
Speaker 1: Just not be realistic in my mind for them to

417
00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:23,080
Speaker 1: be able to sign him, not for the years he

418
00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:25,800
Speaker 1: wants and the money he wants. The Cubs are trying

419
00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:28,640
Speaker 1: to be opportunistic, like they always are. It's it's kind

420
00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:31,920
Speaker 1: of their matra. Look for an opportunity where they can

421
00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:36,160
Speaker 1: find value. If Bregman somehow ends up in that position,

422
00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:39,720
Speaker 1: maybe they can make something work. I just feel it's

423
00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:42,680
Speaker 1: a long shot. I mean, what have you heard Chandler beyond?

424
00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:44,919
Speaker 1: Like where would you kind of like rank the teams

425
00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:47,040
Speaker 1: or maybe maybe that's unfair, but like, what have you

426
00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:50,680
Speaker 1: heard as far as who's there? What else he has

427
00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:55,399
Speaker 1: offered to him? And like just the realistic chances of

428
00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:56,600
Speaker 1: where he could end up?

429
00:21:57,480 --> 00:22:00,840
Speaker 3: I mean what I have heard that they're five teams

430
00:22:00,840 --> 00:22:03,840
Speaker 3: in and it's the Astros, the Cubs, the Red Sox,

431
00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:08,600
Speaker 3: the Tigers, and I'm missing the fifth one, oh the

432
00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:12,879
Speaker 3: Blue Jays, the Blue Jays on everyone. I guess it

433
00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:15,080
Speaker 3: should be noted that, like there was a Scott Morris

434
00:22:15,119 --> 00:22:17,240
Speaker 3: client like a month ago that signed with a random

435
00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:19,440
Speaker 3: team out of completely nowhere that no one was talking

436
00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:21,760
Speaker 3: about with Corbyn burns going to the d Backs. So

437
00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:24,080
Speaker 3: keep that in mind that there could always be that

438
00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:27,160
Speaker 3: team that's lurking that no one's talking about, that swoops

439
00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:31,400
Speaker 3: in and gets it done. You know, there's some reporting

440
00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:33,959
Speaker 3: out there that he has gotten multiple offers of at

441
00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:37,600
Speaker 3: least five years. I have not been able to independently

442
00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:41,200
Speaker 3: confirm that I do know that there are offers, there

443
00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:43,280
Speaker 3: are other off I have been able to confirm that

444
00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:45,359
Speaker 3: I haven't. I don't know the numbers, I don't know

445
00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:47,240
Speaker 3: the years, but I have been able to confirm that

446
00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:52,639
Speaker 3: there are offers out there within reasonable striking distance of

447
00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:54,760
Speaker 3: the ASTROS offer. Like, It's not one of these things

448
00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:58,960
Speaker 3: where I don't believe that the Astros offer is head

449
00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:02,800
Speaker 3: and shoulders above every other offer he has. I think

450
00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:04,800
Speaker 3: there are other teams that are in there to the

451
00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:08,600
Speaker 3: point where if they negotiate and if they get down

452
00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:10,760
Speaker 3: to the wire that some of these teams it would

453
00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:12,919
Speaker 3: be easy to kind of up it and you know,

454
00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:17,720
Speaker 3: get to that point. I it's tough for me to

455
00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:19,959
Speaker 3: look at the Astros as anything but the betting favorite

456
00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:23,560
Speaker 3: right now, just given what we know, Given you know

457
00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:26,919
Speaker 3: how vocal jose Al Twovey has been you know what

458
00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:30,240
Speaker 3: Jim Crane usually gets when he puts his mind to something.

459
00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:34,320
Speaker 3: But it is worth noting that, you know, all at

460
00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:37,400
Speaker 3: the Astros had their fan fest this weekend, and everyone

461
00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:39,560
Speaker 3: that we talked to was basically like, oh, yeah, it's

462
00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:41,679
Speaker 3: a long shot, like we're in there, but you know,

463
00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:44,560
Speaker 3: we don't. We don't think it's gonna happen. And now

464
00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:47,520
Speaker 3: most of the people Jim Crane did not speak. So

465
00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:50,880
Speaker 3: this is his this is his call, and if he

466
00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:54,040
Speaker 3: is okay exceeding the luxury tax for a second straight year,

467
00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:57,119
Speaker 3: then I think it gets done. I think that you know,

468
00:23:57,640 --> 00:24:01,160
Speaker 3: it makes a lot of sense. But make no mistake,

469
00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:04,560
Speaker 3: like you've seen how you've seen how Alex Cora has

470
00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:08,240
Speaker 3: basically gushed about Alex Bregman at any opportunity. It's very

471
00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:11,480
Speaker 3: clear Alex Cora wants him in Boston. Uh, the Blue

472
00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:15,000
Speaker 3: Jays are in a position where they can, for lack

473
00:24:15,040 --> 00:24:17,080
Speaker 3: of a better, for lack of a nicer phrase, be

474
00:24:17,119 --> 00:24:20,520
Speaker 3: stupid overpay, like overpay, give him the big offer that

475
00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:24,119
Speaker 3: he wants, don't count out the Tigers with aj Hinch.

476
00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:28,760
Speaker 3: That that and I I think something else that I

477
00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:32,560
Speaker 3: wrote about this in November, but Alex Bregman doesn't want

478
00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:35,719
Speaker 3: to be in a part of a rebuild. He doesn't

479
00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:38,399
Speaker 3: want to have where he goes tear it down in

480
00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:40,320
Speaker 3: a year and a half. And I'm not saying the

481
00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:42,639
Speaker 3: Ashers are going to do that, but like you kind

482
00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:45,800
Speaker 3: of start looking at their long term future if they're

483
00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:48,439
Speaker 3: talking about moving jose Al Tuve to left field, like

484
00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:51,760
Speaker 3: what does that? What does that say? What they think

485
00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:54,640
Speaker 3: about their system? About what they have coming up? They

486
00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:57,040
Speaker 3: have nothing, like like they have Cam Smith and that's it,

487
00:24:57,440 --> 00:25:01,600
Speaker 3: Like they don't have anything. So and this core is

488
00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:04,879
Speaker 3: getting older. Who's two is gonna be thirty five? They

489
00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:07,120
Speaker 3: have Farmer Valdez coming up to free agency next year,

490
00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:10,439
Speaker 3: They're not going to pay him. It's It's one of

491
00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:13,280
Speaker 3: these things where like you could very easily envision a

492
00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:16,959
Speaker 3: scenario where if they start this season as poorly as

493
00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:20,199
Speaker 3: they started last season, and that can take Like you

494
00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:22,000
Speaker 3: could really see a thing where this goes off the

495
00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:25,679
Speaker 3: rails pretty quickly. I don't think it will, but I

496
00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:29,560
Speaker 3: think there are other teams in on Bregman that can

497
00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:34,480
Speaker 3: sell him on more long term, sustainable success through the

498
00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:36,000
Speaker 3: life of his contract. I think the Cubs are one

499
00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,600
Speaker 3: of them. I think the Cubs can certainly make that

500
00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:40,520
Speaker 3: pitch a lot better than the Astros.

501
00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:43,400
Speaker 4: I do think it's interesting, like this a little bit

502
00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:46,240
Speaker 4: behind the curtain here. When we wrote the other day,

503
00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:50,920
Speaker 4: you know, the Astros and Cubs in pursuit of Bregman.

504
00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:53,880
Speaker 4: It was us and Ken Rosendal, each of us had

505
00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:56,520
Speaker 4: we had four different sources saying the Cubs are in.

506
00:25:56,560 --> 00:25:59,879
Speaker 4: Now there weren't four sources saying Cubs are the favorite

507
00:25:59,880 --> 00:26:02,560
Speaker 4: of Cubs are willing to go there in terms of money.

508
00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:04,919
Speaker 4: In fact, there's a lot of skepticism about that. But

509
00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:09,320
Speaker 4: I do think it's interesting that the Cubs. I think

510
00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:10,639
Speaker 4: maybe this is the way to sum it up of

511
00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:13,320
Speaker 4: asid It says the Cubs are trying to be opportunistic,

512
00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:16,760
Speaker 4: whereas Jim Crane gets what he wants, and that I

513
00:26:16,760 --> 00:26:19,840
Speaker 4: think is a huge difference between the Cubs and Astros

514
00:26:20,359 --> 00:26:21,119
Speaker 4: in this case.

515
00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:25,040
Speaker 3: Maybe I'm maybe I need to I mean I don't

516
00:26:25,080 --> 00:26:26,720
Speaker 3: I don't follow the Cubs on a day to day,

517
00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:29,720
Speaker 3: but like, why are they trading for Kyle Tucker, Why

518
00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:32,400
Speaker 3: are they trading for Brian Presley? Why are they doing

519
00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:35,320
Speaker 3: all this if they're not going in a division where

520
00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:38,760
Speaker 3: the Cardinals are flat out The Cardinals have flat out

521
00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:42,000
Speaker 3: said they're not trying. The Brewers aren't going to spend money,

522
00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:47,040
Speaker 3: and like the Pirates are completely pirates. Yeah, like why

523
00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:48,840
Speaker 3: not like so much?

524
00:26:48,920 --> 00:26:49,320
Speaker 2: Hitler?

525
00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:52,800
Speaker 1: Yeah, you're you sound uh this is I mean, I

526
00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:55,359
Speaker 1: think we say this, and certainly the fans say this,

527
00:26:55,560 --> 00:26:57,840
Speaker 1: and and I mean the answer is that the payroll,

528
00:26:57,880 --> 00:26:59,919
Speaker 1: the budget is the budget, and that's what it is.

529
00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:03,560
Speaker 1: They don't have a top five budget in baseball, and

530
00:27:03,560 --> 00:27:05,240
Speaker 1: they should, but they don't.

531
00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:06,479
Speaker 2: So that's that's what it is.

532
00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:08,720
Speaker 1: So Jed and Carter in the front office have to

533
00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:11,679
Speaker 1: kind of work within that world, and they can't just

534
00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:14,080
Speaker 1: I think some people would be like, just go all

535
00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:17,560
Speaker 1: out for Bregman and don't sign players like Colin Ray

536
00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:21,200
Speaker 1: and Matthew Boyd or John Birdie.

537
00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:22,760
Speaker 2: I think they.

538
00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:24,800
Speaker 1: Believe they need both, right, they need that depth and

539
00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:27,640
Speaker 1: they need impact. They got one on the impact side,

540
00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:30,760
Speaker 1: and Tucker they didn't. They're clearly not going all out

541
00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:31,400
Speaker 1: for Bregman.

542
00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:33,200
Speaker 2: Yeah.

543
00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:35,640
Speaker 1: I think it's as simple as the budget. That's that's

544
00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:37,920
Speaker 1: the reality of it. You could you could, if you

545
00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:40,359
Speaker 1: want a Nippick and say they're not allocating the budget

546
00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:43,200
Speaker 1: properly that you know, we can have that debate. I

547
00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:46,560
Speaker 1: think it's spend two hundred and sixty million, not two

548
00:27:46,640 --> 00:27:49,160
Speaker 1: hundred and thirty five or something like that. To spend

549
00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:52,520
Speaker 1: two hundred and seventy because plenty of other teams do.

550
00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:54,560
Speaker 1: I'm not saying you have to act like the Mets

551
00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:57,320
Speaker 1: and the Dodgers, but you know, act like the Cubs

552
00:27:57,480 --> 00:27:59,119
Speaker 1: used to when they won a World Series.

553
00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:01,800
Speaker 2: But that's I mean.

554
00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:04,160
Speaker 1: I feel like Patrick and I have been talking about

555
00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:06,200
Speaker 1: this a lot lately because it's become more and more

556
00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:10,320
Speaker 1: of a topic, and it's just you're right what you're saying.

557
00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:14,200
Speaker 2: You're absolutely right. I just don't see it changing anytime soon.

558
00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:18,760
Speaker 3: It I mean to me, you'd want to parallel and

559
00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:20,760
Speaker 3: I'm not saying spend as much money as they do,

560
00:28:20,840 --> 00:28:23,200
Speaker 3: but like you'd want to parallel the Yankees. And I'm

561
00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:25,760
Speaker 3: not saying that Kyle Tucker's Wan Soto, but like, you

562
00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:27,880
Speaker 3: have one year of Kyle Tucker, you have one year

563
00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:31,240
Speaker 3: of this guy that you gave up a massive piece

564
00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:35,200
Speaker 3: of your farm system for, Like, why not maximize that

565
00:28:35,240 --> 00:28:39,120
Speaker 3: one year? Especially from what you're saying. If Alex Bregman

566
00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:41,480
Speaker 3: ain't gonna fit in the budget. Kyle Tucker surely ain't

567
00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:46,880
Speaker 3: gonna fit in. Why not? Why not surround Kyle Tucker

568
00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:48,840
Speaker 3: with To me, I.

569
00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:51,760
Speaker 1: Think the hope would be that the budget eventually moves up.

570
00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:55,400
Speaker 1: We don't have like firm indications that's the case, but

571
00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:58,560
Speaker 1: this is the budget for twenty twenty five, so that

572
00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:03,040
Speaker 1: Bregman doesn't fit in for twenty five budget beyond. I

573
00:29:03,360 --> 00:29:06,680
Speaker 1: can't say that they won't get to a top five payroll. Ever, again,

574
00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:09,480
Speaker 1: they just haven't been there in what how many years

575
00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:09,880
Speaker 1: has it been?

576
00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:10,520
Speaker 2: Patrick five?

577
00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:10,920
Speaker 3: Six?

578
00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:15,680
Speaker 1: Which is pretty unacceptable if you ask me, like, you

579
00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:18,160
Speaker 1: will go two years without doing that? Okay, I understand

580
00:29:18,160 --> 00:29:21,440
Speaker 1: you kind of reset things. I don't completely agree with it,

581
00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:23,400
Speaker 1: but at least I understand it. This is hard to

582
00:29:23,480 --> 00:29:25,960
Speaker 1: kind of swallow for fans, and it doesn't make a

583
00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,080
Speaker 1: lot of logical sense in the grand scheme of things

584
00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:31,600
Speaker 1: outside of well, the Diamondbacks made the World Series. Oh,

585
00:29:31,640 --> 00:29:33,520
Speaker 1: the Brewers keep winning? Look at how they do it?

586
00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:35,400
Speaker 1: How do they keep winning? How does Cleveland keep winning?

587
00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:38,560
Speaker 1: Tampa Bay? Like, if you keep hearing those excuses, then

588
00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:41,160
Speaker 1: then you understand the mentality that you're working with.

589
00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:42,959
Speaker 6: Well, thank you, Chandler.

590
00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:47,560
Speaker 4: For essentially writing a lead for us. Thirty second, what

591
00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:50,320
Speaker 4: is like our ninetieth episode. In thirty seconds, you summed

592
00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:56,200
Speaker 4: up everything that's wrong about the Cubs at this moment.

593
00:29:56,480 --> 00:29:59,680
Speaker 4: And basically the difference you know, between the Phillies or

594
00:29:59,720 --> 00:30:04,960
Speaker 4: Brave in the Cubs is essentially Bregman's projected salary, right,

595
00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:08,080
Speaker 4: Like that's what they were talking about. You're not even

596
00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:11,920
Speaker 4: saying it has to be Dodgers or Mats, but that's

597
00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:16,520
Speaker 4: a separator of you know, Sienn All Star third basement

598
00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:18,680
Speaker 4: or not. And that's kind of the gap between the

599
00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:21,760
Speaker 4: Phillies and the Cubs, roughly speaking in terms of payroll

600
00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:22,440
Speaker 4: for this year.

601
00:30:22,720 --> 00:30:24,880
Speaker 3: And you talk about look, I mean, you guys talked

602
00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:26,560
Speaker 3: about it earlier. We talked about like that lack of

603
00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:29,440
Speaker 3: leadership like that the Cubs have had, like you signed

604
00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:32,200
Speaker 3: Alex Bregman, Like like I could we could do an

605
00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:36,160
Speaker 3: hour long podcast about Alex Bregman's leadership qualities and what

606
00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:38,880
Speaker 3: he has done in Houston. And I'll always go back

607
00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:42,280
Speaker 3: to what Josel Tuove said in September during his first

608
00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:44,880
Speaker 3: interview where he really came out and said that Alex

609
00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:48,760
Speaker 3: Braign that they needed to keep Alex Bregman. He said,

610
00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:52,560
Speaker 3: this entire organization is better with him in it than

611
00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:54,440
Speaker 3: it isn't, And I was like, I was like, what

612
00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:55,800
Speaker 3: do you mean. He goes. He looked at me and

613
00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:59,080
Speaker 3: he said, no, the entire organization. It is not just

614
00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:01,520
Speaker 3: a clubhouse thing. It's not a team. It is like

615
00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:05,960
Speaker 3: a top to bottom thing that he is, that he's changed,

616
00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:09,400
Speaker 3: that he has been able to impact, and to me

617
00:31:09,680 --> 00:31:12,000
Speaker 3: like that, that is his biggest selling point to me

618
00:31:12,080 --> 00:31:16,120
Speaker 3: is he comes in to any clubhouse and immediately legitimizes

619
00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:20,600
Speaker 3: it as a championship contender. And I you know, look,

620
00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:22,920
Speaker 3: the power has declined. He's not gonna hit forty homers

621
00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:26,680
Speaker 3: ever again, I don't think you know. He doesn't run well.

622
00:31:27,040 --> 00:31:29,160
Speaker 3: He's had some soft tissue injuries in the past, though

623
00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:32,600
Speaker 3: he was very durable last two years. Gold Glove defender.

624
00:31:32,640 --> 00:31:35,080
Speaker 3: His war is dirty war. He's gonna post every day.

625
00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:36,840
Speaker 3: The defense is going to be great. He's gonna get

626
00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:41,160
Speaker 3: on base. But you know it's not the sexy forty

627
00:31:41,160 --> 00:31:44,480
Speaker 3: homer guy. But I'm telling you, like, he's gonna make

628
00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:47,920
Speaker 3: some team really really really happy and it may end

629
00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:48,840
Speaker 3: up being the Astros.

630
00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:52,400
Speaker 1: All right, Well, if if somehow the cubs sneak in

631
00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:55,320
Speaker 1: there and manage that. We'll we'll do that hour long episode. Chandler,

632
00:31:55,360 --> 00:31:57,480
Speaker 1: you can. You can just basically become our de facto.

633
00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:01,400
Speaker 1: But thanks so much for listening to everyone. This is

634
00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:04,760
Speaker 1: north Side Territory Foul Territory Network Scubs podcast. Make sure

635
00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:08,920
Speaker 1: to listen to Cross City with Chandler Rome, our Astros podcast.

636
00:32:09,320 --> 00:32:12,600
Speaker 1: Make sure to read all our work at the Athletic

637
00:32:12,680 --> 00:32:14,840
Speaker 1: Chandlers on top of the Astros, we got your cubs

638
00:32:14,840 --> 00:32:15,520
Speaker 1: to be covered.

639
00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:17,520
Speaker 2: Thanks so much for listening everyone. Take care,