1 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:08,080 Speaker 1: Welcome everyone to this week's edition of Fair Territory. We've 2 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:10,479 Speaker 1: got a fun show planned for you today. We're going 3 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:13,040 Speaker 1: to start off talking about one of my favorite things 4 00:00:13,039 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 1: in baseball, one of my favorite events of the year. 5 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: I didn't go this year because I had other things 6 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:22,080 Speaker 1: going on, but I want to discuss the BBWAA Dinner 7 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 1: that took place Saturday night in New York City. Again, 8 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 1: it is a gathering unlike any other. All of the 9 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:34,200 Speaker 1: award winners are there, MVPs cy Young's Managers of the Year, 10 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:37,519 Speaker 1: Rookies of the Year, and it's just a unique and 11 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 1: special night that is put on by the New York 12 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 1: Chapter of the BBWAA. This year, Tim Healy was the 13 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:47,200 Speaker 1: chapter chairman. Mark Finesam was very involved. Joel Sherman's always 14 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:49,879 Speaker 1: a big part of what goes on, and it is 15 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 1: a massive organizational effort. It is a really big undertaking 16 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 1: to get everybody into New York City in the middle 17 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:01,120 Speaker 1: of winter to gather in this hotel ballroom. It's an 18 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 1: event that is open to the public. You can buy 19 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:07,120 Speaker 1: tickets and go. People do all the time. That's part 20 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 1: of the magic of it. There's probably a thousand people 21 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: in that ballroom. But again they show videos. They have 22 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: other awards as well. Some New York people are honored, 23 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: some others are honored. There are all kinds of awards 24 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:23,480 Speaker 1: that are given out and it's just a really cool, 25 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: cool event. So I want to show you two things 26 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 1: that happened this year, maybe talk about a few others. 27 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 1: I want to start off with sho Heo Tani's speech 28 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 1: or a clip from it. And what is notable about 29 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 1: this speech, just as it was when he won the 30 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 1: MVP the first time, is that he spoke entirely in English. Now, 31 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: Shoeo Tani, like a lot of Japanese players, and frankly 32 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 1: a lot of players from Latin American countries, has a 33 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 1: good understanding of English. Actually, he has an excellent understanding 34 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 1: of English. When I interviewed him twice for Fox during 35 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 1: the WBC, as I was asking the questions to his interpreter, Ipe, 36 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: Otani was nodding along. He knew exactly what I was saying. 37 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,080 Speaker 1: But a lot of players who aren't born in the 38 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 1: US just prefer to use the interpreter because they're more 39 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 1: comfortable that way. So anyway, here's Otani accepting his MVP. 40 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 2: So deep apliciation goes out to all of you that 41 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 2: voted for me to win this, a NBD abody to 42 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 2: my fellow listients, Congratulations to all over you that and 43 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 2: as you had and we'll be up here that kid, 44 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:41,920 Speaker 2: as you had to dangerous organization, ownership, front office and 45 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 2: the entire stuff. Thank you for the past six Yes, 46 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:52,200 Speaker 2: I always appreciated your support and allowing commedia opportunity to 47 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:56,360 Speaker 2: play it, to play this game I'm so passionate about. 48 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 1: Again, there's Otani speaking to a ballroom of maybe a 49 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 1: thousand people or so, maybe more, I don't even know. 50 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 1: And he handled that beautifully, just as he did a 51 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: few years back when he won his first MVP. And 52 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 1: again that's not easy. Think about speaking your second language 53 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 1: in front of all of those people. That's something that 54 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 1: takes some guts and he did it. He pulled it 55 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 1: off beautifully as he did the first time he won 56 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: MVP as well. And there was one other moment that 57 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:25,959 Speaker 1: when I talked with Mark finesand about the dinner last night, 58 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:30,360 Speaker 1: he mentioned to me as really special. And this was 59 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 1: an award that the BBWAA gave called the you Gotta 60 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 1: Have Heart Award. You Gotta have Heart, of course, is 61 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: a very famous song from the musical Damn Yankees, and 62 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 1: it's an award that is presented annually to someone who, 63 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 1: frankly has shown a lot of heart. And this year 64 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 1: that award went to Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen. And 65 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: not because the Diamondbacks made the World Series, No, because 66 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 1: a few years back, in August of twenty twenty two, 67 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:01,160 Speaker 1: Mike lost his wife Nicole to do you a rare 68 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:05,440 Speaker 1: and aggressive form of brain cancer known as geo blastoma. 69 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:09,520 Speaker 1: It's an awful disease and Cole fought it for two years, 70 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 1: just about two years. And Mike and Nicole they had 71 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 1: four sons, so Mike was left to be essentially a 72 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: single parent to four boys. And he is someone who 73 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:23,600 Speaker 1: is deeply respected in the game, very well like very popular. 74 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 1: Theo Epstein, his former boss in Boston, introduced him, and 75 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:29,719 Speaker 1: here's part of what Mike had to say. 76 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 3: Realize, I'm not alone and having to deal with the 77 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:35,480 Speaker 3: sudden onset of sickness and the death of a spouse, 78 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:40,359 Speaker 3: and certainly not alone when it comes to cancer and glioblastoma, 79 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 3: which to date still has no known cure. We're still 80 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 3: talking about prolonging lives in months, not in years, and 81 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:51,919 Speaker 3: that should not be the fate of anyone that's stricken 82 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 3: with this brain tumor. 83 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:57,840 Speaker 1: And Mike Haysen has been fairly open about what happened 84 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 1: with his wife and the whole process they went through. 85 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:02,600 Speaker 1: There was a beautiful article written in the Washington Post 86 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:06,280 Speaker 1: by Zach Buchanan during the World Series, and Mike has said, 87 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:09,279 Speaker 1: and he said it even in his speech, that he 88 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 1: wants people to remember Nicole. It was important for her 89 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 1: not to be forgotten, and she will always be remembered. 90 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,479 Speaker 1: There's a foundation in her honor, and there are all 91 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 1: kinds of things that people do to put forward the 92 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 1: memory of Nicole Hazen. And there are other highlights as well. 93 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,719 Speaker 1: In this dinner of former Yankees Say Young Award winner 94 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 1: Ron Gidrey introduced the current Yankees Say Young Award winner 95 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: Garret Cole. There was also a speech by Dusty Baker 96 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:38,600 Speaker 1: at the end of the night. And again, this is 97 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 1: a night that just gets everyone excited for baseball. Spring 98 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 1: training is almost here. You have all the award winners 99 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 1: in one place, you have all these other awards being 100 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 1: given out. It's something special and you can see from 101 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 1: the two speeches or the clips we've shown how unique 102 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 1: the night is. We rarely get to see these baseball 103 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: people speaking in public the way they do at the event. Okay, 104 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 1: onto the business of baseball. The offseason continues, signings taking place, 105 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 1: some good ones in recent days or interesting ones. I 106 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 1: should say, Jack Peterson to the Diamondbacks, Adam Adovino to 107 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:16,919 Speaker 1: the Mets, the Tigers signing of Cold Keith, an infielder 108 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 1: who has yet to play a game in the major leagues, 109 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:23,719 Speaker 1: signed one of those pre debut extensions. And then there's 110 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 1: the one that I want to talk about a little 111 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:27,719 Speaker 1: bit here. It's the one I wrote about a couple 112 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 1: of days ago. It involves Hector Narris, who signed with 113 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 1: the Cubs one year, nine million dollars. Hector Aaris last 114 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 1: year had a one point seven to one ERA as 115 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 1: a reliever. It was his third consecutive season of seventy 116 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 1: or more appearances. So my expectation, and I think the 117 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 1: expectation of the average fan, was that he would get 118 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 1: a multi year deal. He did pretty well, and there 119 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:55,919 Speaker 1: was some talk in the media. There was some things 120 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 1: written and printed. He was looking for two years. He 121 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 1: was looking for three years some time. Some of these 122 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:03,840 Speaker 1: things are accurate, sometimes they're not. Sometimes they lead people 123 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:07,040 Speaker 1: to have a false sense of what actually might happen, 124 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 1: And in Nerras's case, as I wrote, one year probably 125 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: was appropriate. Now, the relief market has been robust this season, 126 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 1: and David Robertson, a pitcher who is four years older 127 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 1: than Nerris, He's thirty nine, Narrows is thirty five. Robertson 128 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 1: got more money than Ners two and a half million 129 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 1: dollars more, even though Robertson didn't really finish the year 130 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: strongly at all for the Marlins to get removed from 131 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: the closers role. Well, Ners, he was trusted in huge 132 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 1: moments for the Astros, pitching in the ALCS five of 133 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:43,680 Speaker 1: the seven games. So let's start off with an explanation 134 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 1: of why this happened, and let's start off talking about 135 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 1: the contracts themselves, because the numbers here don't tell the 136 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 1: entire story. And let's take a look for those watching 137 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 1: on YouTube, and I'll show you what I mean here. 138 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 1: So nearis yes, one year nine million with the Cubs, 139 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 1: Robertson one year eleven and a half million with the Rangers. 140 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 1: But the narest deal includes a club option for a 141 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 1: second season that can turn into a nine million dollar 142 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 1: player option if he makes sixty appearances, and again, he's 143 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:16,000 Speaker 1: made seventy or more in each of his last three seasons. Now, 144 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 1: Robertson's breakdown has a five million dollar salary for this year, 145 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 1: a one point five million dollar buyout on a mutual option, 146 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 1: and then five million deferred one million each year from 147 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 1: twenty twenty seven to two thousand and thirty one. And 148 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 1: the deferred money, as I know fans have come to 149 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:37,560 Speaker 1: understand with the Shohatani contract and others over the years, 150 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:40,960 Speaker 1: that lowers the present day value of the deal. So 151 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:44,719 Speaker 1: in some ways Naris's deal is better than Robertson's, or 152 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:48,200 Speaker 1: at least comparable. The other part of this is the 153 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 1: way they performed last year, and the big thing, the 154 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:54,080 Speaker 1: big thing I think that hurt Nerris is that his 155 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 1: velocity dropped, dropped from ninety four point three miles per 156 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:02,320 Speaker 1: hour in twenty twenty two to ninety three miles per 157 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 1: hour in twenty twenty three. That's a drop in average 158 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:09,200 Speaker 1: fastball velocity of nearly one and a half miles per hour. 159 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:12,720 Speaker 1: For teams that are looking for future performance, and trying 160 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:15,960 Speaker 1: to figure out in free agency which guys can be 161 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:18,720 Speaker 1: as good as they want them to be going forward. 162 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 1: That obviously is significant. And I'll show you one other 163 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:25,680 Speaker 1: thing as well here in the comparison just between Ners 164 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 1: and Robertson. Ners, while he had the showy era, his 165 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:34,080 Speaker 1: expected numbers weren't quite as sexy, and you can see 166 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 1: his expected era was three point three three, actually higher 167 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:41,200 Speaker 1: than Robertson's expected era, even though Robertson had the higher 168 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:45,079 Speaker 1: actual era. So all of these things come into play, 169 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:48,600 Speaker 1: and you put it together, put it all together, and 170 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 1: you can understand why Neris received the deal he did 171 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:56,320 Speaker 1: and why I said, again, probably this ended up in 172 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:59,360 Speaker 1: the right place time. Now for the inside dish. This 173 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 1: is the part of the show show where I go 174 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: inside a story i've written, inside something going on in 175 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:07,440 Speaker 1: the game, or maybe go off the board entirely. But 176 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:09,599 Speaker 1: today I want to talk about a column that I 177 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:13,959 Speaker 1: published on Monday, and the headline of the column why 178 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:19,200 Speaker 1: I remain skeptical about the A's grandiose Vegas plans. Now, 179 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 1: obviously I've written about the A's before, but there have 180 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:25,199 Speaker 1: been some things recently that I've learned or thought about 181 00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:29,280 Speaker 1: that I kind of wanted to explore again, and this 182 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:33,200 Speaker 1: column kind of the genesis of it for me was 183 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 1: when I started thinking about the idea that the A's 184 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 1: are going to play the twenty twenty five to twenty 185 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 1: twenty seven seasons three years and a place that right 186 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 1: now is undetermined. They've got one more year in Oakland, 187 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:50,000 Speaker 1: the final year of their lease there. They moved to 188 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:53,760 Speaker 1: Vegas the new Stadium in twenty eight, so there are 189 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 1: three years in the interim that are not yet accounted 190 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:01,240 Speaker 1: for and will be accounted for. And my first thought 191 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:05,080 Speaker 1: here was has this ever happened in baseball? And the 192 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: answer is no. There's never been a team play three 193 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 1: years in a city that is not its home. The 194 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:16,000 Speaker 1: last time it happened in baseball was nearly a century 195 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:19,840 Speaker 1: and a half ago. It was the Hartford Dark Blues. 196 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:23,600 Speaker 1: They played one season in Brooklyn, only one. They played 197 00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: one game in Hartford that year, but then they moved 198 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 1: back to Hartford. Now, when a team relocates, it's quite 199 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 1: common for it to play in a ballpark in its 200 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 1: new city that isn't necessarily its new park. The Nationals 201 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 1: are a great example of that. Three years at RFK 202 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 1: Stadium while they were waiting for Nationals Park to be built. 203 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 1: But the A's are not going to do that. They're 204 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,720 Speaker 1: not most likely going to be playing in Las Vegas, 205 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:51,199 Speaker 1: though that is one of the options summer lynn Nevada, 206 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 1: the home of their Triple A team. But they're talking 207 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:57,439 Speaker 1: about Sacramento, They're talking about Salt Lake City. They're also 208 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 1: talking about Oracle Park in San Francisco. And here is 209 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 1: the interesting catch here, as first reported by the San 210 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:08,920 Speaker 1: Francisco Chronicle, for the A's to keep collecting their money 211 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 1: from NBC Sports California, their regional television sports network, they've 212 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 1: got to stay in the Bay Area, and no, Sacramento 213 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 1: doesn't count. So that's one incentive for them to stay 214 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:21,600 Speaker 1: at Oracle. It might even be an incentive for them 215 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 1: to stay in Oakland. As crazy as an idea as 216 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 1: that sounds, that contract paid the A's sixty seven million 217 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:32,360 Speaker 1: dollars last year. And as I wrote, you think John 218 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:35,560 Speaker 1: Fisher is walking away from sixty seven million dollars easily 219 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 1: based on all we know about him since he took 220 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:41,440 Speaker 1: over as owner in two thousand and five, I don't 221 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 1: think he's walking away so easily. The other part of 222 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:48,880 Speaker 1: this or there are two other parts that are interesting 223 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 1: to me here. So, the A's, like any team moving 224 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:55,520 Speaker 1: into a new ballpark, plan to ramp up their payroll, 225 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:58,840 Speaker 1: ramp up as they go forward and prepare to have 226 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:03,320 Speaker 1: their permanent relocation. Well, the figures I reported in this 227 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 1: column figures I received from a source with knowledge of 228 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:12,320 Speaker 1: the situation. He said that the A's plan is to 229 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:14,200 Speaker 1: have payrolls of one hundred and thirty million to one 230 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:18,640 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty million leading up to the permanent relocation 231 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:20,680 Speaker 1: to Vegas. So wherever they are, they're going to ramp 232 00:13:20,679 --> 00:13:23,439 Speaker 1: it up to one thirty to one fifty probably I 233 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 1: don't know, twenty six, twenty seven to twenty eight in 234 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:28,800 Speaker 1: that range, and then once they get there one hundred 235 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:32,680 Speaker 1: and seventy million plus. Now this is problematic as well. 236 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:36,160 Speaker 1: The A's. First of all, I've never spent more than 237 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:38,760 Speaker 1: ninety two million under John Fisher he took over in 238 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:42,400 Speaker 1: two thousand and five. That's their highest payroll. They are 239 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:45,320 Speaker 1: suddenly going to change their whole business model. That's the 240 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 1: premise here. The whole thing is changing. Okay, let's assume 241 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:51,080 Speaker 1: that that is the case. It has to be the 242 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:54,280 Speaker 1: case that's the plan they presented essentially to Major League 243 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 1: Baseball to get the votes that they needed. Okay, they're 244 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:02,439 Speaker 1: going to attract free agents when they're playing in Sacramento 245 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 1: or Summerlin or Oracle Park or I don't know. Maybe 246 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:09,480 Speaker 1: they will. Maybe they'll spend enough money and players won't care. 247 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 1: But the other part of this is John Fisher will 248 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:15,360 Speaker 1: be spending a lot of money before he gets into 249 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:17,559 Speaker 1: the new park where the revenues are expected to be 250 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 1: much greater. He's going to engage in deficit spending John Fisher, 251 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 1: based on all we know about him, I don't know 252 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 1: about that. And finally, is Vegas itself the fortieth largest 253 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 1: TV market in the country. Fortieth that'll be the smallest 254 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:38,200 Speaker 1: in baseball once the A's get there. So if you're 255 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 1: going to play in that small media market and have 256 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 1: lower revenues because of that from your local TV and 257 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:47,520 Speaker 1: media contracts, you're going to need to draw people. You're 258 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:51,760 Speaker 1: going to need to have very strong attendance. Well, the 259 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:54,360 Speaker 1: A's plan is, yes, we can do that because of 260 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:58,920 Speaker 1: the tourism industry in Vegas and because the local population 261 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:03,480 Speaker 1: has shown definitely support for the two professional franchises that 262 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 1: are there right now, the NHL's Golden Knights and the 263 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:09,560 Speaker 1: NFL Raiders. Well, that's not apples to apples, first of all. 264 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:14,239 Speaker 1: And second of all, if you want to have strong attendance, 265 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 1: if you're gonna build this robust fan base, you better 266 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 1: put a competitive team on the field. And that's where 267 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:23,840 Speaker 1: it goes back to the need to spend money. And 268 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:26,800 Speaker 1: I talked to team president Dave Cavill for this column, 269 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:29,400 Speaker 1: and he said, yes, it is necessary for us to 270 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:34,120 Speaker 1: be competitive to enact the plan that we want to. Again, 271 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:37,880 Speaker 1: this is John Fisher's owner. He's going to do all this. Now, 272 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 1: maybe all this will happen. The A's have their projections, 273 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 1: they have their plans, they seemingly have it all figured out, 274 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 1: at least in their own heads. But past performance is 275 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 1: an indicator of future performance, is it not. We hear 276 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 1: that all the time in television ads, right, So, in 277 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 1: summering all of this up, in considering the A's history 278 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 1: under Fisher, in considering the future, I'll just put it 279 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:05,440 Speaker 1: this way, and this is how I wrote in the column. 280 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:09,160 Speaker 1: I'll believe it when I see it. Time now for 281 00:16:09,200 --> 00:16:11,840 Speaker 1: the dude and dork of the Week. Actually this week 282 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:15,160 Speaker 1: it's Dudes of the Week. There are three Dudes of 283 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:17,440 Speaker 1: the week, and you know who they are. They're the 284 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 1: dudes who were elected to the Hall of Fame just 285 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:24,240 Speaker 1: last week. I'm talking about Adrian Beltra and Joe Mauer 286 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:27,480 Speaker 1: and Todd Helton. I voted for all three. I've made 287 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:30,160 Speaker 1: the case for all three. I believe all three are 288 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:33,680 Speaker 1: entirely worthy. They are the dudes of the week. They 289 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 1: will elevate the Hall of Fame by their presence. And 290 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 1: I feel sorry for Billy Wagner. I voted for him 291 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:42,200 Speaker 1: as well. He fell five votes short. He's got one 292 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:45,200 Speaker 1: more year of eligibility and hopefully next year we'll have 293 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:47,320 Speaker 1: him not only in the Hall of Fame but as 294 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:50,600 Speaker 1: our Dude of the Week in twenty twenty five. At 295 00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:53,440 Speaker 1: this time of year, along with a few others, the 296 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:56,240 Speaker 1: Hall of Fame, the announcement day is just a great 297 00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 1: day in the sport. This one, because it produced multiple 298 00:16:59,320 --> 00:17:05,080 Speaker 1: Hall of Famers, was especially lively and especially meaningful. Congratulations 299 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 1: to all three guys, Adrian Beltray, Todd Hilton, Joe Mauer 300 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 1: Dorks of the Week. I imagine some fans might object 301 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:15,160 Speaker 1: to this. I imagine some people might say can you're 302 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 1: being too easy on your brethren. But I'm gonna give 303 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:21,879 Speaker 1: the dorks of the week. It's multiple, it's plural to 304 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 1: all of the people who vote, shamee who go all 305 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:30,399 Speaker 1: crazy when they see a vote for Brandon Phillips. Okay, 306 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:32,680 Speaker 1: I can't figure that one out either, when they see 307 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:35,880 Speaker 1: nineteen people don't vote for Adrian Beltray when they see 308 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:38,800 Speaker 1: an obvious Hall of Famer. I'm thinking about each row 309 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:43,080 Speaker 1: next year when they see that guy is not unanimous. Now, 310 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:45,600 Speaker 1: the voting body this year consisted of three hundred and 311 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 1: eighty five members of the BBWAA that earned the right 312 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:52,640 Speaker 1: to vote through ten years of covering the sport. That's 313 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:54,040 Speaker 1: what you have to do. You have to cover the 314 00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 1: sport for ten years. Now, as with any group of 315 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:00,960 Speaker 1: three hundred and eighty five pe well, you're not going 316 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:04,480 Speaker 1: to have or you're rarely going to have unanimous opinion. 317 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:07,680 Speaker 1: You're always gonna have a few people that, let's face it, 318 00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:11,359 Speaker 1: are out there. Okay, we have that every year. But 319 00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 1: by and large, the vote ends up what the vote 320 00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:18,080 Speaker 1: should end up being. The social media shaming that happens 321 00:18:18,119 --> 00:18:19,840 Speaker 1: not so much this year but in the past, and 322 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: I'm expecting in the future. I just think it's tired 323 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:27,800 Speaker 1: and it's unnecessary, and actually, though I know it's not 324 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:30,240 Speaker 1: going to ever end, and I get that free country 325 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 1: for people who dissent on this point as well, I 326 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:37,159 Speaker 1: really don't care for it very much. Time now for 327 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:39,119 Speaker 1: Bill and Ken and I believe we're going to start 328 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:41,359 Speaker 1: with another Hall of Fame question. We've had a few 329 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:44,520 Speaker 1: in the past few weeks and always happen to answer these. 330 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:49,240 Speaker 1: Let's go to the questions. First one comes from Diana 331 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:52,960 Speaker 1: the Easy Lover. She asks, in an area of pictures 332 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 1: being on shorter leashes and more scrutiny, what will the 333 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:58,000 Speaker 1: new standard be for a Hall of Fame picture. This 334 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: is an excellent question, and a lot of us have 335 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:04,080 Speaker 1: written about this. The idea that a pictuer is going 336 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:07,240 Speaker 1: to win three hundred games again is probably far fetched. 337 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:10,200 Speaker 1: We might see it happen once or twice, but that's standard, 338 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:13,040 Speaker 1: which has always been the standard, along with three thousand 339 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:17,119 Speaker 1: hits and five hundred home runs, generally automatic induction for 340 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 1: players that reach those standards. That's changed. It's changed because 341 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:24,680 Speaker 1: of the way pictures are used today. So if it's 342 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:28,080 Speaker 1: not three hundred, then what is the standard. Well, it 343 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:31,400 Speaker 1: probably isn't an obvious one. For one thing, we don't 344 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:34,720 Speaker 1: take wins or assign the same value to wins that 345 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,239 Speaker 1: we once did. So even if you say, okay, two 346 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:40,160 Speaker 1: hundred wins is now the standard twoin fifty, we look 347 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:43,080 Speaker 1: at other things. We look at war we look at era, 348 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:45,919 Speaker 1: we look at adjusted eray, we look at strikeout rates. 349 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:48,920 Speaker 1: All kinds of factors go into whether you vote for 350 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:52,919 Speaker 1: a pitcher or not. So I expect that in future years, 351 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 1: both for pictures and position players, we're going to take 352 00:19:56,560 --> 00:20:00,080 Speaker 1: a harder look at the peaks, the seven year peak 353 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:03,159 Speaker 1: that Jay Jaffe speaks of when he writes for Fangraphs 354 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:06,480 Speaker 1: and he uses in his Jaws formula, and just the 355 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:10,440 Speaker 1: shorter peaks in general, and what players accomplish in those windows. 356 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:13,920 Speaker 1: I still prefer ten years of dominance, but ten years 357 00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:16,960 Speaker 1: of dominance today has a different meaning than ten years 358 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:20,119 Speaker 1: of dominance say in the nineteen sixties or seventies or 359 00:20:20,160 --> 00:20:23,680 Speaker 1: even the nineties. So yes, these standards, if you want 360 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 1: to call them, that will change. I don't know that 361 00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:29,520 Speaker 1: we'll have set criteria. We never really have, but certainly 362 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 1: we will look at things differently going forward. All right. 363 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:34,919 Speaker 1: The next question comes from the Mariner Mile, and the 364 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:38,520 Speaker 1: Mariner Mile asks any truth to the rumors around the 365 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:42,159 Speaker 1: Mariners trading one of their young pitchers. This could have 366 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 1: been asked, I don't know, six months ago, twelve months ago. 367 00:20:45,040 --> 00:20:47,680 Speaker 1: We've been talking about this for a while. The two 368 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:51,520 Speaker 1: pictures in question are Bryce Miller and Brian Wu. They 369 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:54,040 Speaker 1: are the mariners fourth and fifth starters, I guess in 370 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:57,359 Speaker 1: their current alignment, and they are guys who, because of 371 00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:01,200 Speaker 1: the demand for starting pitching, would at quite a haul 372 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:04,480 Speaker 1: because of all their years of club control remaining. And 373 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:07,159 Speaker 1: Bob Nightingale wrote over the weekend that the Mariners have 374 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:09,959 Speaker 1: shown interest in Dylan Cease. It would take Brian Ru 375 00:21:10,119 --> 00:21:12,919 Speaker 1: or Bryce Miller to get Dylan Cease, among other things, 376 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:16,080 Speaker 1: and that's why I'm sure the question is coming up again. 377 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 1: The Mariners under Jerry Depoto are never closed minded on 378 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:24,879 Speaker 1: any front. They will entertain any and all possibilities. But 379 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 1: it seems to me their greater need right now is offense, 380 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:32,760 Speaker 1: and by trading Robbie Ray and even Morco Gonzalez, what 381 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:37,400 Speaker 1: they try to do is shift their future financial burden 382 00:21:38,359 --> 00:21:40,960 Speaker 1: more to the offensive side, or at least balance it 383 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:42,919 Speaker 1: out better. That's a better way of putting it. Balance 384 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:47,800 Speaker 1: it out. This offseason, They've lost Deohano Suarez, Jared Kalenick, 385 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:53,200 Speaker 1: Tayo Hernandez. They've added Mitch Garver, Mitch Hannager who's often hurt, 386 00:21:53,320 --> 00:21:57,280 Speaker 1: Luis Urrius, Luke Railey, Sebbi Zavalla. In my view, they 387 00:21:57,280 --> 00:22:00,040 Speaker 1: still need offense. Now they can get Dylan Ce's for 388 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:02,800 Speaker 1: a reasonable price. Be my guest, go ahead. You put 389 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:05,560 Speaker 1: Louis Castillo and Dylan Sees together. That's a pretty formidable 390 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:08,399 Speaker 1: top of the rotation. But in my view, this team 391 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:12,399 Speaker 1: still needs offense more than anything else. All right. The 392 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:17,160 Speaker 1: final question this week comes from Stanley Southside Stan who asks, 393 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:20,320 Speaker 1: with O'Neill Cruz changing agents to the same one as 394 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:23,439 Speaker 1: Brian Reynolds, we're talking about Caia, does this mean a 395 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:27,480 Speaker 1: long term contract is about to be signed? Wishful thinking. 396 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:31,400 Speaker 1: I'm sure if you're a Pirates fan, and certainly it's 397 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:34,560 Speaker 1: possible O'Neil Cruz at some point will sign an extension. 398 00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:37,399 Speaker 1: But I would expect, for one thing, the Pirates are 399 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 1: going to want to see more. I don't want to 400 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:42,200 Speaker 1: see O'Neill Cruz on the field and doing his thing 401 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:46,000 Speaker 1: before they can figure out what his value going forward is. 402 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:48,240 Speaker 1: They've seen plenty and you can say, well can the 403 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:51,119 Speaker 1: Tigers just signed Cole Keith and the Brewers signed Jackson 404 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:53,159 Speaker 1: Triio and they have no idea what these guys are 405 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:55,480 Speaker 1: going to be. But if I'm the Pirates, I'm maybe 406 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:58,880 Speaker 1: exercising a little bit of caution there. The other part 407 00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:01,040 Speaker 1: of this is Brian Reynolds. I believe it was a 408 00:23:01,119 --> 00:23:04,080 Speaker 1: year away from free agency when he signs his extension. 409 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:08,160 Speaker 1: O'Neil Cruz is much further away. They're entirely different situations. 410 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:11,639 Speaker 1: The one thing you can say here is that CIA, 411 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:15,240 Speaker 1: certainly as an agency, has shown that it will sign 412 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:19,560 Speaker 1: extensions for young players. They will do that at times, 413 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 1: but I don't know that one thing leads to another. 414 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 1: Want to thank everyone for all their questions. They're always 415 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:29,520 Speaker 1: great questions. I appreciate you guys reaching out on x, Twitter, 416 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:31,240 Speaker 1: whatever you want to call it. I want to thank 417 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:35,439 Speaker 1: everyone for watching and listening on YouTube, Apple, Spotify. You 418 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:38,480 Speaker 1: know where to find us. Like us, subscribe to us, 419 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:41,359 Speaker 1: stay with us. We'll be back next week. Have a 420 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:42,240 Speaker 1: great week everyone. 421 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:45,119 Speaker 4: We've got a new offer for the ft fam with 422 00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:49,200 Speaker 4: the same bonus code foul foul that five dollars get 423 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 4: one hundred and fifty eight dollars instantly. 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