1 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:05,640 Speaker 1: Noah Hyles joining us right now. You can hear him 2 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:08,480 Speaker 1: on Bucco Territory. I'm wearing the shirt. I love the 3 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 1: logo Buco Territory shop dot com. Also sports enterprise reporter 4 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: and columnist for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. 5 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 2: Noah, great to have you on. 6 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:19,640 Speaker 1: Let's go to that Marcelo Zuna signing for the Pirates, 7 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 1: and I want you to open everyone's eyes to your 8 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:25,799 Speaker 1: column and why it's nice to see this move, but 9 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: it is also a product of perhaps a mismanaged off 10 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: season in terms of who they targeted. 11 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, and I wouldn't even say it's a mismanaged off season. 12 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:39,960 Speaker 3: I think it more just highlights the realities of the 13 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 3: Pirates offseason. Had they operated this way in past off seasons, 14 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:48,960 Speaker 3: they wouldn't have been used for leverage by every free 15 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:53,519 Speaker 3: agent they essentially tried to acquire this offseason. And because 16 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 3: that happened, because the likes of Kyle Schwarber, Josh Naylor, 17 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 3: Gino frown berval Dez, you go on and on just said, Okay, 18 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 3: Pirates are interested in anybody else, and then they chose 19 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:10,000 Speaker 3: anybody else. The Pirates had to take what they could 20 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 3: get and what they could get didn't necessarily fit the 21 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 3: needs of their team altogether. Now, their overall need was 22 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:21,680 Speaker 3: to add offense, yes, but after acquiring Lao and O'Hearn 23 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 3: in the same week, those needs became a little bit 24 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:28,039 Speaker 3: more specific. They were getting a little bit of overlap 25 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 3: on that right side of the infield, the right side 26 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 3: of the outfield, and heck, even the designated hitter position. 27 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 3: And when you don't have the credibility of as an 28 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:44,200 Speaker 3: organization to just go out and directly acquire a quality 29 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 3: player at a specific position that meets a specific need, 30 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 3: that's a problem. And I think that's the big story 31 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 3: of the Pirates offseason is they found some decent players, 32 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 3: but they had to take what they could get, and 33 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 3: that's not the best takeaway for an organization. If you're 34 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 3: asking me, I mean, Marcelo Zuna, does he make this 35 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 3: offense better? 36 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 2: Sure? 37 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 3: I mean this team had one player hit twenty home 38 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 3: runs last year. They just added two in the offseason, 39 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 3: plus Ryan O'Hearn who was an All Star designated hitter. 40 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:17,920 Speaker 3: So yes, this offense is better. But when you look 41 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 3: at all of the additions, Now, how does Ozuna's arrival 42 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 3: impact some of the other bats in this lineup, you're 43 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 3: probably going to be asking more from O'Hearn defensively, You're 44 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:32,880 Speaker 3: gonna be asking more from Reynolds probably defensively. And did 45 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:38,360 Speaker 3: those extra asks take away from their offensive output? And 46 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 3: if so, did this team actually get better? I don't 47 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:43,799 Speaker 3: really know. I mean I think on paper, yeah, they 48 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 3: have a better offense. And that's probably the big takeaway 49 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:51,520 Speaker 3: here overall is that they needed slugging percentage and they 50 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 3: went out and got it this offseason. But because of 51 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 3: their organizational reputation and their inability to overpay to erase it, 52 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 3: they had to take what they can get rather than 53 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:05,919 Speaker 3: directly acquiring guys who met their specific needs. 54 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 4: Okay, well then why didn't they know? Why didn't they 55 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 4: go after the guys that fit their needs? You mentioned 56 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 4: Schwarber and you mentioned all the big free agents, right 57 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:14,840 Speaker 4: Gino Swaraz. 58 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 5: We keep saying, oh, they were in on them. 59 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 4: They were in on Schwarber, and they were in on Fromber, 60 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:21,800 Speaker 4: and they were in on this. Were they really in though, 61 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:23,960 Speaker 4: Because if they really wanted these guys, they would go 62 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 4: get them. That's my thing, Like, is it more of Hey, 63 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:30,680 Speaker 4: we didn't get from ber Valdez but we got Marcelo 64 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 4: Zuna to a one year deal. Hey, we didn't get 65 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 4: Kyle Schwarber, but we traded for Brandon Lao right, and 66 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 4: we shined Ryan O'Hearn and these guys or good players 67 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 4: that they got, but they're not what you say, which 68 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 4: is fit the exact needs of the team now they have. 69 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 4: I mean, I'm sorry to say this, but they got 70 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 4: a bunch of dhs that are going to be running 71 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 4: around the outfield in PNC Park, which right field is small, 72 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:57,240 Speaker 4: but left and center are gigantic. So it's gonna be 73 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 4: interesting to see how the defense plays. But also like, 74 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 4: why didn't they just go get the guys in You 75 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 4: pay the extra. I've said this on the show a 76 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 4: million times. You're gonna have to overpay if you're the 77 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 4: Pittsburgh Pirates because teams won't take your serious and they'll 78 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 4: just use your offer to go get the offer they want. 79 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, no, I agree, And I echoed the same thing 80 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:17,360 Speaker 3: on Bucco Territory. I echoed it in my writing. I mean, 81 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 3: that was something that was known from the moment they 82 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 3: went out and said, Hey, we're gonna try to be 83 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 3: different this offseason. We're gonna try to do things differently. 84 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:29,640 Speaker 3: You know, you don't get credit for offering the same 85 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:33,919 Speaker 3: thing everyone else is offering because historically you've been a 86 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 3: worse workplace. You don't normally pay as well, you certainly 87 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 3: don't win as often, and just organizationally, your reputation isn't great. 88 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 3: So in order to overcome that, if you really want 89 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 3: these players, you have to go the extra mile. I 90 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:51,600 Speaker 3: think they probably did go the extra mile on Alhearne, 91 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:53,400 Speaker 3: but I mean the rest of this, I mean, low 92 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 3: didn't have a say they traded for him. He came here. 93 00:04:57,320 --> 00:04:59,480 Speaker 3: You know, every other deal they signed was a one 94 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:02,720 Speaker 3: year deal, and in Ozuna's case, I mean, you look, 95 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:06,039 Speaker 3: guys are reporting to spring training this week. Everyone's looking 96 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 3: to you know, finalize a certain situation. I mean, he 97 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 3: checks certain boxes, right. They needed a right handed bat, 98 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:15,479 Speaker 3: they needed an additional slug. But yeah, I agree with you, aj. 99 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:17,719 Speaker 3: I mean, this was an opportunity for them to make 100 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 3: a statement. And even if they did overpay, which again 101 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:23,359 Speaker 3: was super necessary to do, they would have made that 102 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:26,240 Speaker 3: money back. I really do think that, like if fans 103 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 3: saw the organization actually recognize and take accountability for its 104 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 3: situation and say you know what, We've saved so much 105 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 3: money in recent years by not overspending that we can 106 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 3: overspend just this once on a player that is a 107 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:46,800 Speaker 3: direct need both you know, positionally and what he contributes 108 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 3: from value. Fans would have showed up to the ballpark more, 109 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:51,839 Speaker 3: and I still think they will. I still think fans 110 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 3: overall are encouraged by this offseason. But like you mentioned, 111 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:57,839 Speaker 3: I mean, now they have to figure out this weird 112 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:02,039 Speaker 3: puzzle where you're gonna have one of the worst defensive 113 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:05,479 Speaker 3: outfields in baseball, and that's not necessarily a recipe for 114 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:08,480 Speaker 3: success for a team that's built to win through its pitching. 115 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:11,720 Speaker 3: I mean, the strengths of this team heading into the offseason, 116 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:15,359 Speaker 3: we're starting pitching, and I would say overall team defense, 117 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 3: especially in the infield. I think both of those areas 118 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 3: got worse now. The offense got better, but this is 119 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 3: still a team that's going to need to win on 120 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 3: the margins. They're not going to overpower many opponents. They're 121 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 3: not going to win a lot of ten to nine 122 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:33,920 Speaker 3: ball games. And when you're sacrificing defensive runs saved just 123 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:36,200 Speaker 3: to get guys who are going to slug a couple 124 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 3: points above league average. How much better did you really get? 125 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 3: I don't know. 126 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:45,600 Speaker 1: Hey, sometimes we do a little game on foul Territory 127 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:47,040 Speaker 1: called role play. 128 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:48,279 Speaker 2: It's not what you think. 129 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 1: We're just picking up our phones and we're talking as 130 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 1: if we're somebody in baseball. But if you'd like that 131 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 1: phone to be a little bit cheaper for making phone calls, 132 00:06:57,440 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: who should you call? 133 00:06:58,400 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 2: Krats? 134 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:04,279 Speaker 6: Mintmobile because you get all the same speed with a 135 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 6: tiny little. 136 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 1: Price, same coverage, tiny price. Ready to stop paying more 137 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 1: than you have to? New customers can make the switch 138 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:16,120 Speaker 1: today and for a limited time, get unlimited premium wireless 139 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: for just fifteen bucks per month. Switch now at mintmobile 140 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:23,720 Speaker 1: dot com slash territory. That's mintmobile dot com slash territory. 141 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: Upfront payment of forty five dollars for three months, ninety 142 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 1: for six months, or one eighty for twelve months. Plan 143 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:32,360 Speaker 1: required fifteen dollars a month equivalent taxes and fees extra 144 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: initial plan term only over fifty gigabytes. May slow when 145 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:39,679 Speaker 1: network is busy. Capable device required, availability, speed and coverage varies. 146 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 2: See mintmobile dot com. Save money Get after at FTFAM Do. 147 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 5: They still have a little bit of money left for ESOC? Parades. 148 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 3: I didn't think they had this much money left. I 149 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 3: mean honestly, oh, y'all, honestly, I mean, like you look. 150 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 3: And I know this has been brought up everywhere that 151 00:07:57,200 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 3: this move essentially marks the end for Andrew McCutchen and pits. 152 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 3: The reason I thought McCutcheon made sense was just because 153 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 3: he would give them a little bit more money to spend. Now, 154 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 3: if they have more money to spend, then absolutely go 155 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 3: get parades. I think this team looks a lot better 156 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 3: if you go get a third baseman and a left 157 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 3: handed starting pitcher, you feel a lot better with that roster, 158 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 3: or at least a utility infielder, because right now they 159 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 3: only have one person who knows how to play third base, 160 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:25,040 Speaker 3: Jared Triolo, and he might need to be your opening 161 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 3: day short stuff if Connor Griffin isn't ready. So yeah, 162 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 3: they need to make an addition in the infield. They 163 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 3: probably need to make some pitching additions as well. I 164 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 3: don't see a lot of guys they could really trade 165 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 3: away to clear up money, so that either tells me 166 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:42,720 Speaker 3: they're going to be banking on some you know, minor 167 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 3: league camp invites, or try to find a last second 168 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 3: bargain toward the end of February like they have in 169 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 3: the past, I personally, I mean parades. I know that 170 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:57,720 Speaker 3: they're still reportedly in the mix for him. The name 171 00:08:57,760 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 3: I've been hearing just from conversations is Vien is the 172 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 3: guy that I think is probably more realistic. I still 173 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:06,680 Speaker 3: don't know how realistic that would be for the Pirates, 174 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 3: but he's certainly more in their financial wheelhouse, and I 175 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:12,440 Speaker 3: think the demand for him would be far less than 176 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:13,000 Speaker 3: pre eighties. 177 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:17,120 Speaker 6: When Andrew McCutcheon made it up to the big leagues 178 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 6: and he signed his extension, he joked with me. He goes, well, 179 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 6: I know what year I'm getting traded And I was like, well, 180 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:24,240 Speaker 6: what is that? 181 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 5: He said? 182 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 6: He said, it's the year that I'm gonna make this 183 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 6: much in my contract. I was like, why is that 184 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:34,960 Speaker 6: because Bob Nutting doesn't go over that price? Is fifteen million, 185 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 6: two hundred and fifty thousand that new price? And is 186 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:41,679 Speaker 6: that where we can see like they stopped short because 187 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:44,560 Speaker 6: Brian Reynolds he's not going to make more than that 188 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:48,680 Speaker 6: on his contract. Before the number was ten million, and 189 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 6: they gave ten million to Key Brian Hayes and his 190 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 6: first year of his extension and then it went down. 191 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:56,400 Speaker 6: Is that number fifteen million? And you can just look 192 00:09:56,440 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 6: at it and say, okay, well that's not what they're 193 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:00,560 Speaker 6: going to give anybody, And does that mean all schemes 194 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 6: his time is now cut by another year short based 195 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 6: on what Terrek Schouobile just got. 196 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 3: I think the Scheens thing is probably a more relevant 197 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 3: point to the pirates. I don't know if Bob Notting 198 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 3: still has that specific number. I mean, I know in 199 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 3: Mitch Keller's deal he's set to eventually make more than that, 200 00:10:18,120 --> 00:10:20,079 Speaker 3: and I mean that might explain why they're trying to 201 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 3: trade him this offseason. But I digress. The Skeens thing 202 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 3: is a legitimate concern because I can't even begin to 203 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:29,840 Speaker 3: fathom what his first year of art will look like. 204 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:32,560 Speaker 3: If he's going into that back to back cy young 205 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:36,959 Speaker 3: winner pre ARB in this market after a potentially new 206 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:40,200 Speaker 3: CBA is negotiated, I mean, he might be out of 207 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 3: their price range right then and there. And the longer 208 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:47,120 Speaker 3: you keep them, the lesser his trade value goes down. 209 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:51,760 Speaker 3: So that's obviously something to monitor. But yeah, it's just 210 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 3: I don't necessarily think the one year value is something 211 00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:59,960 Speaker 3: nutting shies away from I think it's just as simple 212 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:04,200 Speaker 3: as he gives his general manager a number at the 213 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:06,959 Speaker 3: beginning of the offseason and says, this is your number 214 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:09,880 Speaker 3: that you have to spend on everything from you know, 215 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:14,400 Speaker 3: the forty thousand dollars a year entry level data analysis 216 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 3: guys and your baseball op staff to your highest paid 217 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:19,000 Speaker 3: free agent, and you have to find a way to 218 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:21,920 Speaker 3: make it all work and don't really come asking for 219 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:24,200 Speaker 3: more because it's probably not going to happen. That's kind 220 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:26,760 Speaker 3: of how it's always worked in Pittsburgh. And so because 221 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:28,960 Speaker 3: of that, because you have to feel so many spots 222 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:32,000 Speaker 3: on the roster, it makes more sense to have your 223 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 3: best player making fifteen million so you can have a 224 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:37,320 Speaker 3: couple more guys making five to ten million as opposed 225 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:40,000 Speaker 3: to one guy making thirty million and everyone else playing 226 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,400 Speaker 3: for league minimum. That's just kind of the reality of 227 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:44,200 Speaker 3: how this club operates. 228 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:50,439 Speaker 4: Hey, Noah Connor Griffin, you mentioned and he's number one prospect. 229 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:54,200 Speaker 4: Is it okay if he comes up I mean in 230 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:56,960 Speaker 4: play shortstop? Is he going to play third? I mean, 231 00:11:57,000 --> 00:11:59,240 Speaker 4: I know short stops his position. Would they just say, hey, 232 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,200 Speaker 4: you're our short stuff, go get him? At nineteen and 233 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:05,240 Speaker 4: see what happens, and then if he fails, maybe you know, 234 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 4: send him down and bring him back up or do 235 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 4: they not want to or do they want to avoid that, 236 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:12,040 Speaker 4: because that seems like the move to make now is 237 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 4: like just throw him out there and see what happens. 238 00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:17,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'll honestly be shocked if he's not on the 239 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 3: opening day lineup at this point. I mean, if he 240 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 3: goes out this spring and bats one hundred or if 241 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 3: he you know, god forbid, gets injured. Those are the 242 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 3: only two scenarios where I don't see him making the 243 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:32,800 Speaker 3: team because again, they don't have a true shortstop on 244 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 3: this roster right now. It's probably gonna be Nick and Zalez, 245 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 3: who's a second baseman and wasn't that great of a 246 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:41,600 Speaker 3: defensive second basement as is now. I think injury might 247 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:44,200 Speaker 3: have had something to do with that. But nonetheless, Carter 248 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 3: Griffin is the best defensive infielder in this organization not 249 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 3: named Jared Triolo. Triolo is the best defender, but he's 250 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 3: gonna be there everyday third basement because he's the only 251 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 3: guy who knows how to play that position that's big 252 00:12:57,120 --> 00:12:59,200 Speaker 3: league ready right now. So they're less side of the 253 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:02,880 Speaker 3: infield is very That's why again, I really think they 254 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:05,440 Speaker 3: could benefit from adding a utility guy who could play 255 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:08,080 Speaker 3: both spots, because you know what happens if Griffin, who 256 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 3: I think we all can agree has a very high 257 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:14,120 Speaker 3: chance of being a productive Major League baseball player, But 258 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 3: what happens if you know he can't figure it out 259 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:17,480 Speaker 3: at nineteen years old? 260 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:18,640 Speaker 5: What do you do then? 261 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 3: Because you're already sacrificing offense at third base to have 262 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:24,360 Speaker 3: a great defensive player. But are you gonna let a 263 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:27,960 Speaker 3: nineteen year old struggle through an entire rookie campaign when 264 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:31,160 Speaker 3: maybe he's showing that he needs some time in TRIPLEA 265 00:13:31,679 --> 00:13:34,600 Speaker 3: like other guys his age have shown earlier in their career. 266 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:37,320 Speaker 3: I think that would be bad for everyone involved. So 267 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:39,480 Speaker 3: I do think, yes, they need to add some depth there. 268 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:42,720 Speaker 3: Connor Griffin probably is still the primary option. I don't 269 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 3: see them going out and acquiring a shortstop who they 270 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 3: think could be better than Connor Griffin this year. But 271 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:50,960 Speaker 3: I do think they need someone who has a utility background, 272 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 3: who can play both spots on the left side of 273 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 3: the endfield. That can kind of be a high floor 274 00:13:56,800 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 3: emergency case in case of any or just you know, 275 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:03,959 Speaker 3: a nineteen year old not being ready for the major 276 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 3: leagues yet. 277 00:14:05,160 --> 00:14:06,640 Speaker 4: And by the way, if the Pirates don't know if 278 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:08,920 Speaker 4: he's ready by now, you can't take you can't look 279 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:10,520 Speaker 4: at the spring training numbers. If he hits one hundred, 280 00:14:10,520 --> 00:14:12,680 Speaker 4: if you had seven hundred and say, oh man, he 281 00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:14,880 Speaker 4: didn't make the team because he hit one hundred, that 282 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:16,680 Speaker 4: would be the excuse they use if he doesn't make 283 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:18,080 Speaker 4: the team. But that tells me they didn't think he 284 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:22,040 Speaker 4: was ready anyways. So that's that's I hate that. Oh 285 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:23,880 Speaker 4: if he hits a hundred, now, if he gets hurt, 286 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 4: I understand, But if he hits a hundred, that cannot 287 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 4: be the Pirates excuse. He's either ready or he's not. 288 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 4: However he does in spring training is irrelevant in this conversation. 289 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 4: But we're gonna move on. We had a super chat 290 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:36,040 Speaker 4: here and it's about the Pirates, and it's one of 291 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 4: those things it needs to be said. Pirates had to spend. 292 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:41,080 Speaker 4: They aren't draft letter lottery eligible next year. 293 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 5: Either. 294 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:44,800 Speaker 4: Thank you Cuch for everything we needed bat upgrades. What 295 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 4: what Schnoa shnow I guess Shnoa is saying is what 296 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:51,560 Speaker 4: the White Sox went through what I think the the 297 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 4: Rockies went through it. If you don't finish, if you 298 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 4: finished in a certain area, you can't draft till tenth, 299 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:59,240 Speaker 4: no matter what right, you can't win first. And also, 300 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:02,320 Speaker 4: I'm gonna throw this on top of their SHNOA certain 301 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:04,880 Speaker 4: teams have been asked to spend because there's a CBA 302 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:07,440 Speaker 4: coming up, and they want teams to say, hey, look guys, 303 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 4: we've actually spent money. We don't need this so called 304 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:12,840 Speaker 4: floor that everyone's asking for. We can't spend money we 305 00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:14,440 Speaker 4: need to. The A's have done it now, the Pirates 306 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:16,440 Speaker 4: are doing it. The Marlins, for some reason, still haven't. 307 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:18,880 Speaker 4: But what are your thoughts on this and what it 308 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 4: means for why the Pirates are spending. 309 00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:23,560 Speaker 3: No, I think you're spot on, aj. I think that 310 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 3: had an absolutely huge influence on this desire to spend 311 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:32,080 Speaker 3: a little bit more of this offseason, because if you 312 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 3: go back and review the rhetoric of the front office 313 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:40,880 Speaker 3: the day after the offseason, they stated numerous times team 314 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 3: president Travis Williams being the main culprit, that they the 315 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 3: resources that they had was more than enough that they 316 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:52,880 Speaker 3: just need to allocate them better, which just is factually 317 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:55,680 Speaker 3: incorrect because they haven't won a division since nineteen ninety two, 318 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 3: So yeah, I do think that there's no coincidence in 319 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:03,480 Speaker 3: the fact that Evan Drelich reported what your the notion 320 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:05,600 Speaker 3: of what you're saying, AJ, and I believe it was 321 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 3: in late October in the Athletic And then sure enough, Yeah, 322 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:11,720 Speaker 3: the Pirates payrolls going up, and it's going up despite 323 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 3: them probably having less revenue coming in last season because 324 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 3: their attendance dipped because they weren't a very good baseball team. 325 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 3: So yeah, I think that. And then you also just 326 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:25,520 Speaker 3: look at their financial commitments. None of the money they 327 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 3: spent this year will be on the books past twenty 328 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 3: twenty seven. I mean, they only signed one multi year 329 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 3: deal and that was o'hearne for two years. Everybody else 330 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 3: has been a one year deal or they acquired pre 331 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 3: ARB guys like Mangum and Garcia. So yeah, they they 332 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 3: they spent a whole bunch of not a whole bunch. 333 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:48,440 Speaker 3: They spent money to get over that one hundred million 334 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 3: dollar payroll mark to make it look like they're trying. 335 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 3: And heck, I mean, Pirate fans don't care what the 336 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:56,120 Speaker 3: reason is behind it. They just want to see this 337 00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:58,880 Speaker 3: team get better, and it did get better. I just 338 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 3: think if it was, you know, coming from the true 339 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 3: intention of wanting to actually win and compete and maybe 340 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 3: win the National League Central, which I think was very doable, 341 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 3: if this team's payroll just got up to like one 342 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 3: hundred and twenty million, they could have probably spent it 343 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:20,480 Speaker 3: better on things that they're addressed direct needs. 344 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:25,159 Speaker 4: That's fair, that's fair. Agreed, all right forward, Let you go. 345 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:27,480 Speaker 4: I see you're a Mountain Union fan. They used to 346 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:29,320 Speaker 4: be good at football, right, they were good. They won 347 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:30,200 Speaker 4: a couple of times. 348 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 3: We listen, we stopped giving money to the school. They 349 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:34,920 Speaker 3: haven't won a national title since twenty seventeen. 350 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:40,480 Speaker 5: Exactly. They stink. They stink. So but here's my question. 351 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 4: Before you came out, we had this whole argument about 352 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 4: like the Pirates now or there was more of the 353 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:49,400 Speaker 4: Brewers and the Diamondbacks. Right, the Brewers they make the playoffs, 354 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:51,200 Speaker 4: but they never win, kind of like the Steelers under 355 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 4: Mike Thomlinson's twenty ten have kind of made the playoffs, 356 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:55,840 Speaker 4: but they never get to where they are. 357 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:58,600 Speaker 5: Would you rather be a team like we used were? 358 00:17:58,640 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 4: Scott brought up the Diamondbacks where every once in a 359 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:02,720 Speaker 4: while they just go for it, they make a deep run, 360 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:04,359 Speaker 4: and they might suck for a couple of years, but 361 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:06,640 Speaker 4: then they go for it again when they see the opportunity. 362 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:09,439 Speaker 5: So how should Pittsburgh fans feel about this? 363 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:11,679 Speaker 4: And do you agree with that assessment that, like the 364 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:14,280 Speaker 4: Brewers are kind of how we get there, We get there, 365 00:18:14,320 --> 00:18:16,920 Speaker 4: but we never make the final push. Or would you 366 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 4: rather be a team and we're using the Diamondbacks and 367 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:20,640 Speaker 4: just throws it all in every once in a while 368 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:22,000 Speaker 4: and makes that push. 369 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:26,840 Speaker 3: I think championship appetites are developed over circumstance, right, Like, 370 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:29,560 Speaker 3: if you're asking me a Pirates fan right now, I 371 00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:33,399 Speaker 3: think every Pirates fan would kill to have the similar 372 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:36,000 Speaker 3: run that the Steelers went on where they were just 373 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:38,840 Speaker 3: you know, barely sneaking into the playoffs, get the doors 374 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 3: blown off every year in the opening round, but hey, 375 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:44,880 Speaker 3: it worked out right because they haven't seen a lot 376 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:47,160 Speaker 3: of playoff baseball. I mean, I'm thirty years old, I've 377 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:49,679 Speaker 3: lived in Pittsburgh almost all of my life, and I 378 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:52,320 Speaker 3: think I've watched this team play what would that have 379 00:18:52,359 --> 00:18:57,440 Speaker 3: been seven playoff games total in my life? So I think, yeah, 380 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 3: Pirate fans would sign up for what the Brewers are 381 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:03,440 Speaker 3: doing right now, or even if they could get eight 382 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:05,960 Speaker 3: of ten years like the Cincinnati Reds had last year, 383 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:09,160 Speaker 3: going eighty three and seventy nine and just absolutely looking 384 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:11,520 Speaker 3: like they didn't even belong on the faield with the 385 00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:13,920 Speaker 3: Dodgers last year, they would sign up for that because 386 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:18,200 Speaker 3: that's been such a foreign thing. Now, when you show 387 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:23,040 Speaker 3: to be capable of reaching the playoffs consistently, those expectations change. 388 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:26,359 Speaker 3: That's where you see, you know, Steelers fans going absolutely 389 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:30,120 Speaker 3: nuts over Mike Tomlin because this city's known for winning 390 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:34,439 Speaker 3: Super Bowls. So the expectation, the standard, as Mike Tomlin 391 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 3: liked to call it, was a little different on the 392 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:38,440 Speaker 3: grid iron compared to the baseball field. 393 00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:39,800 Speaker 5: So, I mean, in. 394 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:43,120 Speaker 3: Milwaukee, it's it's interesting because, I mean, they've never won 395 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:46,440 Speaker 3: a World Series, and it does feel like they are 396 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:52,600 Speaker 3: appreciative for the consistent success despite their small market limitations 397 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:56,080 Speaker 3: and everything. Whereas I don't know, I think it's a 398 00:19:56,119 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 3: fan base by fan base thing. I think it goes 399 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:01,720 Speaker 3: into how the other teams in that town are playing. 400 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:05,159 Speaker 3: I think it goes into the organization's history. It's certainly 401 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:07,120 Speaker 3: a new thing. But I think, yeah, if you could 402 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:10,920 Speaker 3: tell any Pirate fan sign this and the Pirates will 403 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:13,600 Speaker 3: make the playoffs four of every ten years a decade 404 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 3: or yeah, four years of every decade, they would sign 405 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:18,640 Speaker 3: without even knowing what the ramifications were. 406 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 5: But you have Mike McCarthy. They have Mike McCarthy now. 407 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 4: And just for reference, the Pirates haven't won a World 408 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:27,399 Speaker 4: Series since nineteen seventy nine, so I mean they're not 409 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 4: that far. If you go back to the I think 410 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:31,119 Speaker 4: they've won two in the time that the Brewers have 411 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:33,919 Speaker 4: been as franchise. The Brewers have won nine, but the 412 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:36,679 Speaker 4: Pirates haven't won one in almost We're going. 413 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:39,680 Speaker 5: On almost fifty years now, sure, which is insane. 414 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 2: That's quite the boomer bust. 415 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:44,159 Speaker 5: Yeah, that's definitely boomer. 416 00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:48,440 Speaker 1: Hey we're good for one in seventy nine, then it's 417 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:50,840 Speaker 1: going to be a minute, but maybe again. 418 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:53,360 Speaker 5: In twenty twenty nine. Every fifty nine, Yeah. 419 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:53,639 Speaker 2: That's fine. 420 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:57,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, Hey, championships a championship, no good stuff. Great to 421 00:20:57,800 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 1: have you on as always, and check I got nos 422 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:02,399 Speaker 1: work in the Pittsburgh Post is at this morning, and 423 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:04,720 Speaker 1: of course I'll plug Bucco Territory on the way out. 424 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:05,200 Speaker 5: Thanks. 425 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:08,000 Speaker 3: Bud Absolutely, guys, thanks for having me on. 426 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:11,480 Speaker 1: And there it is Bucco Territory. I've got the shirt 427 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:16,080 Speaker 1: on to cool logo. You got the pirate on the 428 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:16,960 Speaker 1: right side for the o. 429 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 2: Check out the show. 430 00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:22,840 Speaker 1: Noah Hailes, Josh Harrison and Platinum Key running point part 431 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:23,840 Speaker 1: of the Ft Network. 432 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:26,200 Speaker 5: Yeah, that's what he said. 433 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:27,240 Speaker 2: That's what he said. 434 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:29,520 Speaker 5: That's what he said. 435 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:30,720 Speaker 2: That's what he said. 436 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:33,880 Speaker 5: By the way. 437 00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:36,760 Speaker 4: By the way, I had to text my stat people 438 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 4: and tell them, hey, I have a game coming up 439 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:40,720 Speaker 4: on March six, so just you know, so I could 440 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 4: take care of those stat guys crats, just in case 441 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:45,240 Speaker 4: you're wondering about those stat guys behind the scenes that 442 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 4: no one knows, who's ever heard of, Just so they 443 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:50,879 Speaker 4: know that they're taken care of. My favorite part of 444 00:21:50,920 --> 00:21:54,040 Speaker 4: that rant was the fact was the fact that the 445 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 4: dude threw me in there like he's been taking care 446 00:21:56,640 --> 00:21:59,439 Speaker 4: of me for for it might have been it might 447 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:01,159 Speaker 4: have been a girl, I don't know, even taking care 448 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:03,440 Speaker 4: of me behind the scenes. It was a boy because 449 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:05,199 Speaker 4: he said his name, I forget what his name was, 450 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:07,919 Speaker 4: but he said, you miss this whole thing, didn't you? 451 00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:08,840 Speaker 2: Was I out this day? 452 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 4: No so this weekend, that's what he said. Well, yeah, 453 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:14,440 Speaker 4: you know what this is actually perta. So we had 454 00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:16,480 Speaker 4: a Twitter thing where we put out our thing where 455 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:20,679 Speaker 4: we said the analytics oh when everyone just blew up 456 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:23,440 Speaker 4: and like we hate, which we don't. You're just saying 457 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 4: you can selectively apply anything to anything, make whatever you 458 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:29,720 Speaker 4: want look good or bad. Fine, we have different opinions, 459 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 4: although we actually kind of have the same opinion, but 460 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:32,879 Speaker 4: we just said it different. 461 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:33,760 Speaker 5: Whatever. 462 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:40,560 Speaker 4: Okay, some guy on there goes this take is terrible, 463 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 4: but these two behind the scenes are even worse. I 464 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:45,880 Speaker 4: used to run I used to find stats for him, 465 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:50,919 Speaker 4: So these guys are terrible behind the scenes, terrible, terrible. 466 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 4: So then so then I'm like, uh this, and then 467 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:00,119 Speaker 4: I said uh so then I'm I'm like, well, if 468 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:01,879 Speaker 4: you're gonna call me names, like who are you? 469 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:04,080 Speaker 5: When did I work with you? Have I ever met you? 470 00:23:04,119 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 4: And he's like no, And I'm like, okay, then how 471 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:09,159 Speaker 4: do you know what I'm like behind closed doors? And 472 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:11,760 Speaker 4: he's like, well, all the broadcast associates are just so 473 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:13,760 Speaker 4: mean to me when I worked at Sports Radar and 474 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 4: I'm so happy I never got to meet you. I'm like, 475 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:19,480 Speaker 4: what are you talking about. So he's first of all, 476 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:21,720 Speaker 4: every Stack guy that I've ever met. I don't know 477 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:24,400 Speaker 4: that I've ever met anyone from Sports Radar, but every 478 00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:27,120 Speaker 4: Stack I love my stat The stat guys are awesome. 479 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:29,040 Speaker 5: Those guys bust. 480 00:23:28,720 --> 00:23:31,480 Speaker 4: Their ass and get no reward at all other than 481 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:34,120 Speaker 4: just handing us cards during the game. And the guys 482 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:36,760 Speaker 4: behind the scenes, I don't even know anything about it. 483 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:39,719 Speaker 4: Like if I meet some and you've done games, if 484 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:41,920 Speaker 4: you're stacked, you hit the talk back and there's somebody, 485 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 4: usually a BA broadcast associate assistant that's there, and you say, hey, 486 00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:48,560 Speaker 4: can you give me this stat? And they and they 487 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:51,960 Speaker 4: here it is, and they they hit you in your 488 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:54,440 Speaker 4: ear with it, or they run it on the thing 489 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:56,199 Speaker 4: that no one can see, like they say, hey, how 490 00:23:56,240 --> 00:23:58,280 Speaker 4: about if we build this graphic for you. You love 491 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:01,159 Speaker 4: those guys, I know, and they make my job so 492 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:02,320 Speaker 4: much better and easier. 493 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:04,879 Speaker 2: Wait, so there's a disgruntled but I'm not going to. 494 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:06,960 Speaker 4: Say the guy's name. He actually threw his name out there, 495 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:09,080 Speaker 4: did Oh yeah? He said he worked at Sports Radar 496 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:09,720 Speaker 4: for two years. 497 00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 2: Ago, but you never worked with him and he hated 498 00:24:11,640 --> 00:24:14,160 Speaker 2: his job. So now he's taking it out on you apparently. 499 00:24:14,359 --> 00:24:16,680 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, I did not know any of that. 500 00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:17,360 Speaker 5: Oh yeah, you mess. 501 00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:19,199 Speaker 4: So Crawtston text me yesterday He's like, hey, do you 502 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 4: know this? And so I reached out to my people 503 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:23,000 Speaker 4: at Fox that were like my DA's at this time. 504 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:24,680 Speaker 4: I'm like, do you guys know this guy is? And 505 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:27,399 Speaker 4: I sent him and they're like no, But I asked 506 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:28,760 Speaker 4: this first one, then I asked the next person. 507 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:32,360 Speaker 2: Clearly made an impact and I don't even know. 508 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:34,679 Speaker 4: I don't even know, but I was just like, I mean, 509 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:36,280 Speaker 4: I was, I mean, I tried to be as nice 510 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:38,840 Speaker 4: as I could be, like without being like dude. And 511 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:40,800 Speaker 4: I finally said, he sounds like you're mad at the 512 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:43,480 Speaker 4: ba's but I'm glad you're doing well. Now he has 513 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:47,679 Speaker 4: some some stupid Twitter thing he does, but but not 514 00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:51,080 Speaker 4: a ton of followers. But it was like, dude, like 515 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:53,240 Speaker 4: you need to, Like, I figure, I see you're trying 516 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 4: to get clicks here, but let's calm down. 517 00:24:55,040 --> 00:24:58,000 Speaker 2: Wow and krats, how dare you? You're terrible too? 518 00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:02,840 Speaker 1: According to this guy's friends, I was uncles dry cleaning representative. 519 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 6: I was just I was just riding to school with 520 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:09,280 Speaker 6: AJ and I caught astray like, oh man. I was like, 521 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 6: I was like, hey, AJ, how's your day? And this 522 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:13,360 Speaker 6: dude just came in. It was like Cratch and Saw 523 00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:16,359 Speaker 6: two and I was like, oh man, I don't have 524 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:18,840 Speaker 6: a good career banning average, but. 525 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:21,400 Speaker 1: Wow. 526 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:24,120 Speaker 5: Anyway, so I don't know what we're going to talk about, but. 527 00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:25,720 Speaker 2: I'm doing tonight when I can't sleep. 528 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:28,800 Speaker 5: That was a whole threat. I was just like, I 529 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:30,440 Speaker 5: was like, what is this guy talking about? 530 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:33,480 Speaker 1: I was it was apparently trending when you guys, you know, 531 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:35,960 Speaker 1: whatever clip we put out, we put out so much 532 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:36,880 Speaker 1: and I missed it. 533 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 2: So I am going to have some fun tonight. Let's 534 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:41,680 Speaker 2: get to That's what he said. 535 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:44,359 Speaker 1: Clip wise, We'll start with the Philly Show part of 536 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:47,879 Speaker 1: the FT Network, offering Bryce Harper in a different role. 537 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 7: Sho hey o Tani last season had six hundred and 538 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:54,440 Speaker 7: eighty played appearances hitting leadoff. 539 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:55,720 Speaker 2: That's a big seller. 540 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:58,000 Speaker 7: Mike Trout when he was healthy and playing a lot, 541 00:25:58,080 --> 00:25:59,520 Speaker 7: he was starting to hit lead off a lot for 542 00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:02,840 Speaker 7: the Angel You know, he's obviously the lead hitter. A 543 00:26:02,840 --> 00:26:05,240 Speaker 7: Fernando Testis Junior hit lead off a lot last year, 544 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:07,520 Speaker 7: a little bit of a different player. But the fact 545 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 7: that shohe Otani hits lead off, he's up there all 546 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:14,520 Speaker 7: the time. Every spot you drop in the lineup is 547 00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:17,800 Speaker 7: about seventeen fewer play appearances over the course of the season. 548 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:22,400 Speaker 7: So hypothetically you have moved Harper up from third to first. 549 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:24,480 Speaker 2: He hits thirty. 550 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 7: Four more times in twenty twenty six than he would 551 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:27,440 Speaker 7: if he hits third. 552 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:30,520 Speaker 2: I like so, That's why I would love to see it. 553 00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:32,240 Speaker 7: I don't think Bryce would go for it. I don't 554 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:34,400 Speaker 7: think Rob is necessarily going to push him into it, 555 00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:39,920 Speaker 7: But I love that idea of having Harper hit first, Turner, Schwarber, 556 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:41,040 Speaker 7: and then Alec Bohm. 557 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:44,280 Speaker 5: I like it too. It makes a lot of sense. 558 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:48,159 Speaker 5: But he's got to buy in rights. That's gonna be 559 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:48,840 Speaker 5: a hard buy in. 560 00:26:52,160 --> 00:26:54,240 Speaker 4: Okay, sure, if you think it makes a better Sure 561 00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 4: why not Torboro? Though I thought it leads off, hit 562 00:26:57,600 --> 00:26:59,960 Speaker 4: leads off a lot, not anymore. 563 00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 5: That end of last year. 564 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:05,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, just Trey Turner speed get a run on the board. 565 00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:11,119 Speaker 6: I agree they cut down their strikeouts last year as 566 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:14,800 Speaker 6: a team. You know, whether or not people are like, well, 567 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:18,200 Speaker 6: that's a good idea, bad idea they did. So if 568 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:21,840 Speaker 6: you're not, if you're not an all or nothing team, 569 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:27,159 Speaker 6: Maybe it doesn't play. Shohotani was also coming off a 570 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:30,480 Speaker 6: year where he had shoot. I forgot how many stone 571 00:27:30,520 --> 00:27:33,600 Speaker 6: bases he had? Did you have forty the year before? 572 00:27:33,760 --> 00:27:35,760 Speaker 6: Like he's not gonna he's not gonna steal as much. 573 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:38,960 Speaker 6: So like everybody makes such a big deal out of 574 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:42,480 Speaker 6: the leadoff spot. Philly was burning because they were like, 575 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:44,639 Speaker 6: Schwarmer's got to get out of the leadoff spot. 576 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:45,320 Speaker 5: He has to. 577 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:51,280 Speaker 6: The leadoff spot is such a miss misinterpreted spot in 578 00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:54,399 Speaker 6: the lineup, Like you're only leading off once. 579 00:27:55,560 --> 00:27:58,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, you get more late appearances, you'll. 580 00:27:58,280 --> 00:27:59,360 Speaker 5: Get more plate appearances. 581 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:01,800 Speaker 6: And I think the number is actually closer to forty 582 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:07,280 Speaker 6: two than the thirty four. But you know, we're splitting hairs. 583 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:10,400 Speaker 6: But to me, I don't hate it. I don't think 584 00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:13,760 Speaker 6: Bryce Harper is Kyle Schwarber. But I know Kyle Schwarber's 585 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:16,280 Speaker 6: you know he's gonna run up there some years with 586 00:28:16,400 --> 00:28:21,320 Speaker 6: a three eighty three ninety on base percentage. And you 587 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 6: want guys on base when you hit bingers, Like that's 588 00:28:24,359 --> 00:28:27,080 Speaker 6: how teams are building, building their lineup. 589 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:29,200 Speaker 5: So if you think, if you think. 590 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:34,000 Speaker 6: Harper, I think I think it blends more to the left, right, left, right, 591 00:28:34,040 --> 00:28:37,120 Speaker 6: the platoon advantages, which I think will help the rest 592 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 6: of the lineup. The only time you'd have a left 593 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:42,600 Speaker 6: left is when you have Crawford. Most likely Crawford play 594 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:45,120 Speaker 6: center field for them. He'd be hitting nine, so you 595 00:28:45,160 --> 00:28:48,200 Speaker 6: would have that, So there's your platoon advantage. I think 596 00:28:48,240 --> 00:28:52,120 Speaker 6: that's why most people why the Dodgers like having show 597 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:54,840 Speaker 6: Hey leading off. They even started kept them leading off 598 00:28:54,840 --> 00:28:56,920 Speaker 6: when he was pitching, which I would have thought, Hey, 599 00:28:56,920 --> 00:28:58,840 Speaker 6: maybe we'll slide him down a little bit so he's 600 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:01,479 Speaker 6: not running in from the mound to get all of 601 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:04,040 Speaker 6: his armor on to go up to hit, but they 602 00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:07,560 Speaker 6: never did, and those few extra bats could be a 603 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:08,080 Speaker 6: difference in. 604 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 5: Winning the division or needing to play in a wildcard series. 605 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 1: By the way, Otani in twenty twenty four fifty nine 606 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:22,680 Speaker 1: stolen base members, fifty to fifty runs nine, I know 607 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:25,719 Speaker 1: it does it. It's insane. I get to show Hey 608 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:28,520 Speaker 1: Otani for our last clip of the day. Mark Pryor, 609 00:29:28,560 --> 00:29:31,479 Speaker 1: pitching coach for the Dodgers, was on Dodgers territory, and 610 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:33,280 Speaker 1: we have a little clip right now. 611 00:29:33,280 --> 00:29:36,160 Speaker 8: He's throwing bullpens. Last year, you know, was obviously a 612 00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:38,240 Speaker 8: very unique year. He was coming off Tommy John and 613 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:40,560 Speaker 8: then he had the shoulder injury on the non throwing arm, 614 00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:44,040 Speaker 8: and this year, yeah, full version. The WBC will maybe 615 00:29:44,120 --> 00:29:46,880 Speaker 8: provide a little bit of wrinkle. But he's so flexible 616 00:29:46,920 --> 00:29:49,320 Speaker 8: with what he does, his ability to win, he can pitch, 617 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:52,440 Speaker 8: and how he goes about keeping himself sharp, So it's 618 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:54,720 Speaker 8: gonna be fun to watch him. We'll go into spring training, 619 00:29:54,800 --> 00:29:56,920 Speaker 8: he'll keep throwing bullpens, you know, try to get him 620 00:29:56,920 --> 00:29:59,720 Speaker 8: to face some hitters before he leaves for the WBC, 621 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:02,160 Speaker 8: and then we'll just from then we just kind of 622 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:04,280 Speaker 8: have to wait and see where everything's at. The fun 623 00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:06,640 Speaker 8: part about show is as long as he knows when 624 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:09,400 Speaker 8: he's pitching, he'll pitch whenever, if it's six days rest, 625 00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:12,480 Speaker 8: if it's eight days rest, if it's three days rest. Like, 626 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:14,600 Speaker 8: he's willing to do what he needs to do to 627 00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:17,200 Speaker 8: help this club win ball games. And so we'll just 628 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:19,400 Speaker 8: kind of plant it out and kind of go day 629 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:21,320 Speaker 8: by day like we always do when we're in kind 630 00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:24,120 Speaker 8: of these unorthodox situations where you can't just map out 631 00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:25,160 Speaker 8: the next four weeks. 632 00:30:29,320 --> 00:30:30,240 Speaker 2: What are you laughing about? 633 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:34,240 Speaker 5: Just ah, whatever, you we'll figure it out it's fine. 634 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:37,080 Speaker 5: We're gonna make the playoffs. Like we'll figure it out, 635 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:40,440 Speaker 5: Like it's totally fine. Most teams will be like, oh crap, 636 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:45,520 Speaker 5: one of our best pitchers. It'll be fine, Like we'll definitely. 637 00:30:45,560 --> 00:30:47,240 Speaker 5: Prior is like, it's fine. 638 00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 6: If he's got to take an extra you know, a 639 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:50,960 Speaker 6: week or two at the beginning of the season, until 640 00:30:50,960 --> 00:30:52,440 Speaker 6: he's ready to pitch, it's totally fine. 641 00:30:52,440 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 5: He'll hit a couple dangers and then we'll be good 642 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:57,360 Speaker 5: to go. True. I just had him Mark Prior for 643 00:30:57,440 --> 00:31:00,480 Speaker 5: a long time ago, and it's not his fault for 644 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:01,960 Speaker 5: being a Cub. No. 645 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:06,160 Speaker 4: Well, yeah, actually, you know what not yes, because in 646 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:08,479 Speaker 4: two thousand he's actually a really nice guy. In two 647 00:31:08,520 --> 00:31:11,400 Speaker 4: thousand and one, when I was of the Twins, they 648 00:31:11,440 --> 00:31:14,920 Speaker 4: picked Joe Mauer one, and Prior went to to the Cubs. Okay, well, 649 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:17,640 Speaker 4: we lost two thousand and two ALCS to the Angels, 650 00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:19,520 Speaker 4: two thousand and three DS to the Yankees. 651 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:21,440 Speaker 5: We could have had Mark Pryor, and I listened. Joe 652 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:22,680 Speaker 5: Mayer went on to be in the Hall of Fame. 653 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:25,160 Speaker 4: I get it, But for selfishly, it would have been 654 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:27,720 Speaker 4: nice to run Mark Pryor out there in those playoff 655 00:31:27,800 --> 00:31:31,040 Speaker 4: series and with Johan Santana, Brad Radkey and some of 656 00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:34,000 Speaker 4: those other guys. Yeah, I'm not saying but so yeah, 657 00:31:34,080 --> 00:31:35,840 Speaker 4: I mean just selfish reasons. 658 00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:37,200 Speaker 2: Not right, you wish you had him? 659 00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:40,320 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean I mean Joe and he got hurt obviously, 660 00:31:40,360 --> 00:31:43,760 Speaker 4: but Joe went on and. 661 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:44,600 Speaker 6: And then the Twins would have The Twins would have 662 00:31:44,600 --> 00:31:47,080 Speaker 6: paid you. Oh no, they would have. They still would 663 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:48,120 Speaker 6: have traded you. 664 00:31:48,280 --> 00:31:50,720 Speaker 2: True, they've changed, No, they haven't.