Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - National League FLEXES Muscles in Power Rankings

Episode Date: April 29, 2025

This episode dives into the Cubs' impressive start, analyzing their performance against top-tier teams and their potential for a deep playoff run. The discussion also covers the financial hurdles faced by small market teams like the Pittsburgh Pirates and Colorado Rockies, highlighting the importance of player retention and draft strategies. Plus, what is your favorite walk off moment? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Amazon Fire TV Stick 4kDid you know your Fire TV is also an Xbox? Turn any TV into your gaming and entertainment hub with Fire TV Stick 4K devices — no console required. Head to Amazon.com/firetvlockedon to get started. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription and compatible controller required.Wonderful PistachiosGet snackin' and get crackin' with the snack that packs a protein punch. Visit WonderfulPistachios.com to learn more!Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONMLB for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelRight now, new customers can get TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS when your first FIVE DOLLAR BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's really early, but I feel like there is one key thing that you can trust so far as a top team in the power ranking is concerned in Major League Baseball. Step up to the plate. It's the Locked-on MLB Squad Show, sponsored by game time. From the Dodgers to the Astros, the Mets to the Rangers, and everyone else in the league, with the experts of the Locked-on podcast network bringing you the most comprehensive breakdown of all the action around the horn. We're coming in Spikes Up. No hurt feeling allowed. So squad up. Welcome in to the Lockdown MLB Squad show. My name is Jeff Carr.

I am the Lockdown Reds co-host and channel manager of Lockdown Major League Baseball. With me is Paul from Lockdown Rockies. We've got Gary from Lockdown Pirates. We've got Sully, the man who hosts Lockdown MLB. We've got Brett from Lockdown Astros and Sam from Lockdown Cubs. For those of a certain age, it's almost a pseudo-Innell central show here. But we're going to be talking about the entire. league because we all love baseball here on the lockdown MOB squad show. I want to begin today's show by

looking at some power rankings, looking at some odds for pennant winners. Yeah, I know it seems early, but there's one thing I think that we can trust. And I really want to dive into that here to begin the show. Later on, we're going to look at the week ahead, what we can see from some contending teams or what we think can be contending teams later on in the season. And then later on in the show, I want to talk about good and bad walkoffs because we saw one of the worst walkoffs I think you can possibly see. It was amazing. It was awesome. I guess it depends on who you ask, right?

Definitely. I think Ben will like it and I don't think Bryce would like it all that much. That's all coming up on today's Lockdown, a movie squad show that's sponsored by GameTime, download the GameTime app, create an account and use the promo code Lockdown MLB for $20 off your first purchase. All right. Where are we going to start? Like, the odds currently say that the Yankee.

and the Dodgers are favored to win the AL and the NL. That seems pretty normal. The teams that are right behind them are very interesting, though, because in the American League, the Texas Rangers have the second shortest odds to win the American League. And in the National League, it's the NL East and it's the Chicago Cubs that are right behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. And quite frankly, and I kind of want to throw this to Sam to start,

I think the Cubs are getting a little bit disrespectful because they're behind the NL East because they have played nothing but teams above 500 and they've played pretty well against them. Like I think when you play all of your games against 500 or better ball clubs and you have the winning record that the Cubs have and you have the run differential that the Cubs have, then you're a lot better than people think you are if you're just fifth in the odds to win the pennant. Yeah, it's interesting because I think they're getting a little bit. too much love in terms of the division odds because they're they're minus,

I think they're minus 2.30 right now to win the Central, which just seems like a little bit high. But I think in your case, yeah, maybe maybe a little bit disrespect. The thing with the Cubs, though, is, you know, over the last couple of years, they've, they've always been able to hang with the, with teams like the Dodgers. They took four out of six for the Dodgers last year as well. It's the, the NL Central games. It's the divisional games. your Cincinnati Reds beat up on the Cubs last year. The Brewers have beat up on the Cubs recently, and they start this NL Central week this week in Pittsburgh,

and then they play the Brewers. So I think I'll feel like they've been a little bit disrespected if I see them beat the teams that they're supposed to beat because that's actually been the bigger hurdle for them over the last couple years versus actually hanging with the big boys. But yeah, it's been a good start for them. And I think that they definitely should be in that conversation. early in the year.

I have a hard time understanding why, yes, I know this team has been on a little bit of a, a little bit of a slump these last couple of weeks, but San Diego has so much talent on that team. And San Diego has, you know, they have stuck alongside the second place Dodgers, notice the first place San Francisco Giants, which might be a mirage right now. But, you know, the- Is it 20-21 years? Is it?

The starting pitching for San Diego has been terrific. Suarez is having, Suarez has let up only one more run than I have this year. And he's pitching great. You know, they're getting good production out of some of their players. And they're not getting All-Star production out of, you know,

some of their key players in their lineup. And yet they're still winning a bunch of games. Yes, they stub their toe. Tampa Bay clearly has their number. But I think, San Diego deserves a lot of love. But yes, tip your hat to the Cubs for going through a gauntlet of contending teams. That includes Arizona, who is a team that is good and has a good pitching staff.

They have a winning record against the companies that have a winning record against Arizona. They have, I believe they have a winning record against San Diego. They are even, they're even three and three against San Diego. They beat two out of three from San Diego. Texas. They took four out of three from the Dodgers, and they took three games from the Sacramento A's in front of friends and family. And there you go. And I think that you've got to give the Cubs credit for a division, which I thought was completely wide open. And it still is. Obviously, it's way too early. But the Cubs made an early stance and started winning games that they don't

have to pick up later. Well, look, the team that I grew up watching on WGN, the Cubs, before we had an Astros network, I remember those days of the Sean Dunstan's, the Ryan Sandberg, you know, Sutcliffe, all those guys, the great Cubs. Look, you guys got Kyle Tucker. And Kyle Tucker has been an injection

into the lifeblood of this team. And PCA basically made a, He talked about it before the game the other day about how him and other veterans have really helped this team. And that's what you need. You need veteran leadership. And Sam, correct me if I'm wrong. I think that's really where the Cubs have been struggling to find their identity. And they found it.

You know, the Astros right now have been scuffling because they lost two players that identify highly with the Astros and Bregman and Tucker. and they are trying to find their stride. I mean, they even had these last two games, Altuva has volunteered. He volunteered to move out of the lead-off spot. And he said, I think Jeremy Pena needs to bat lead off. And the last couple games so far, it looks like it's working.

And that's what you need. And so not that this is supposed to be locked on Cubs love theft. This is crazy. I mean, I'm sad that I started this. I'm not going to lie. Well, no. But I think they, I think they're due. because all the talk going into the season was the NL West and respectfully so.

It's an amazing division. But yeah, the Cubs, look, man, they just got to keep putting things together and they will be one of the leading contenders. I mean, right now, if you got the Cubs playing the way they do and the Dodgers or the Padres, I think the Padres really have a shot this year with the way Tatis Jr. is playing. The NLs got, they're very top heavy. They got a lot of powerful teams. The sad thing is only one team from the NL can go. I'm coming on every week, man.

This is a great. A difference maker, too, for the Cubs is that division being one that's winnable, right? There's one that certainly there's no clear favorite outside of the Cubs, I guess, now at this point, in that division. And when you're there, winning the division is so important because you know that'll shake out better for you when you get to the playoffs. There might, you know, you don't want to sneak in as a wildcard team if you're the Cubs because God knows who you're going to play. So if you can win that division,

you're going to set yourself up for the best possible run, most likely, and you can handle business against a weaker wildcard team or a team that the Cubs have already matched up favorably against. That's the benefit of playing in a division that's actually got a chance. The NL West will see how it actually shakes out at the end of the year, how who's actually going to, you know, the Dodgers eventually, if they're still playing catch up towards the end of the season, it's going to get real interesting how the season's going to finish for the NLS

and how they end up beating each other up on who's going to be the division winner and who's going to be the wildcard. So it's important for teams like the Cubs to make sure they're locking down their divisions and getting that best possible route in the playoffs because you don't want to match up with a really good NOS team in a wildcard game. Have you guys in, I'm sorry, but in defense of the Cubs here and welcome to Lockdown Cubs. But they've shown that they've shown that they can hang with some of the top teams. They've shown that they're not afraid of that unless they're going to face Philadelphia. They've shown that they can play alongside them. And that's something I think psychologically for this Cub team to be like, we're not afraid of Los Angeles.

We're not afraid of San Diego. We're not even afraid of Colorado. The West and the Eastern meat grinders too. So the Cubs could actually wind up having a better record than those other teams just from fighting it out. Right. Have you guys solely, you'd probably be the best to answer this, not because of your age, but because of your knowledge. Have you guys,

have you guys ever seen the NL, speaking of Jeff with the, with the fan dual odds, be this much stronger historically? Like, when's the last time it's been this, this much stronger than the American League? Well, I'm going to say 2015. When you had the,

the Pirates and the Cubs and St. Louis were the three best teams in baseball. And you also had Los Angeles, where they had Kershaw, and Grinky and the team that want them going to the World Series with the Mets who were pretty stacked. In Kansas City, who were a good, solid team, but they were the best team in the American league that year. You had the Yankees were a wildcar team.

The Red Sox were playing golf. You had the Rangers had, you know, the Rangers and the Blue Jays were the other, you know, playoff teams. None of those teams were bad. But the superstars were all in the, you. National League. I'm sure if I, if I, you know, dig back, I could come up with a couple of more years kind of like that. But the fact that matters, in 2015, you know, the, the, the, the National League was really top heavy and better than the American League. So naturally, the

Royals won the World Series. I definitely want, I want to dig in a little bit more on the National League versus the American League right here, but also why the Pirates might have something to say about how much we love this, this Cubs team right now. coming up next. Reach for wonderful pistachios the next time you get a hankering for a snack while watching a game because let's face it, watching baseball makes me snacky. I don't know if it makes you snacking, but it makes me snacky and wonderful pistachios fits in perfectly.

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pirates guys that i can name they got a shot to really knock this thing back a little bit Mitch Keller. Yeah, there you go. Is Connor Joe a pirate? Who's that? Connor Joe. No. No, no, he's not on the pirates anymore.

I think he's, I think he, the Cubs just played him. It comes off the bench. Is it for San Diego? Something like that. Jason Kendall is a pirate. I'm sure he's playing. No, I got rid of Connor Joe. We got rid of Connor Joe and upgraded.

Connor Joe's awesome, man. What about Sid Bream? How about Sid Bream? What about? Omar Marino. But they got a chance here, Gary. Tell us why they're going to knock down the Cubs with Peg here. I don't know if they're going to.

But they have the right kind of pitching to go against them. It's an exciting, this is an exciting week for the Pirates. They've actually been in the midst of four real tough series for them. And they held their own on the West Coast. Had a chance to take two or three from the Dodgers. That's not that bad. Cubs obviously did better against them. We're excited to play the Cubs.

We always handle them pretty well. well, even in down years, we've managed to come out of it on top sometimes in the final record on the season against them head to head. As long as Ian Hap doesn't play, we might be okay. He always kills us. But we'll see. We are throwing Paul Skeins and Mitch Keller at you. So giving you some of our best.

Is it Mitch Keller? I thought it was Heaney and then the other guy that Jeff just mentioned. Oh, Maginsky. I thought it was Heaney, Maginsky. It might be. I'm sorry, I'm in the middle of rumors about Maginsky being replaced with Bubba Chandler. So we'll see what happens.

If you get Bubba Chandler on Wednesday, then we might actually sell out. That'd be pretty good. When you look at people talk about Skeens and of course, Keller had a terrific year last year. The person who, as of right now, leads the pirates in war, is Heaney.

And Heaney has paid really well so far. And Skeens has thrown more innings. But, you know, Heaney has pitched terrific. one of the reason why I have a huge soft spot in my heart for the Pirates because the first World Series I watched, the Pirates won the World Series. And that's in 1925 when they defeated the Washington Senators, seven games, Red Oldham's got the final out. But, um, we're at game three, weren't you? Yeah, in the rain, in the rain, there.

But, um, the fact of the matter is, is that I, I'm, I'm, I've taken the Pirates, to task. They're a bottom five payroll right now, and they have a generational talent at the top of their rotation, and they have a good rotation, and they also have a guy named Dennis Santana, who's pitched pretty well out of the bullpen.

They have a couple of guys. I got a guy named Justin Lawrence, who has one more earned run than I've thrown. So far on the aisle with elbow, Laureness. That's right, because I hit him in the elbow, because I was mad. That sucks to hear. Justin Lawrence, man. He was a guy that I had a huge hopes for

for the Rockies last year. One of the guys that I thought was actually going to be a game changer and possibly the closer of the future for the Rockies. And then I saw as the Rockies are, you know, what they are with Justin Lawrence with like a sub one ERA at a certain point this year. Just, I mean, dang to hear that I couldn't believe when he hit the waiver wire. As soon as he did, I was all over X like, please pirates jump on him. And they did.

It just goes to show you what happens when you go to places that know what, I guess, I don't know, know what they're doing when it comes to guys that are interested. and guys that need adjustment. Well, when it comes to pitching, the pirates have that. And I, Gary, I want to ask that question for you here is, is how important is it for a team like the pirates to have a Paul Skeens, a face of the league type of guy on a team like Pittsburgh? Colorado was hoping that that Chris Bryant was going to be that.

And they're looking for their next superstar. They might have a couple. But a big problem that Rockies have right now is there's no true star power on this team amidst all the other struggles that they're going through. But to have a guy that Major League Baseball is actually. promoting, turning into an anime character, putting on the cover of the games, like, that's got to be huge for Pirates fans. It's not something we're used to now.

We had Andrew McCutcheon with one real summer in the sun where he won the MVP and was considered the best player in the league. That's it. You know, we had Garrett Cole. He never really peaked here so that you don't get the greatness here, never had playoff success. Barry Bonds was really our last generational before that. Andrew McCutcheon, itch, if the Hall of Fame resume, you know, maybe if he keeps going another

couple of years, Paul Skeen's, you know, unicorn. So it's great. I'll let you know after I've experienced it for more than a year. I haven't yet, you know, I mean. So do you think you guys wrap him up early? Do you think he's, he's the guy that finally breaks the mold in Pittsburgh, or do you think it's just they're going to do what they've always done? And because you guys, to believe that it's hard to believe you know musgrove and garrick cole and those guys to walk it's hard to believe they would change anything and so i mean we just had a report come out here local guys did a really really in-depth report about what they make it came out they're losing money we've heard other teams are the twins are losing money and i mean they they have no legal recourse here to do anything about it they're within the rules to me it's on the game to make this change I don't think this is a guy that's got enough to catch up to anybody, but maybe the Brewers in this division and the Cincinnati Reds. And Jeff knows exactly what I'm talking about.

He's in the exact same boat as I am. And Sam wants his cheapos to spend more. But you don't have to compete with the Mets or a Dodgers or a Yankees in the spending. That's one of the things. I mean, yeah, you'll have the Cubs. And we all know the Cubs. They've bought many, many champions. over the years with their spending.

You don't have to be one of the big players. You have to be a mediocre player. You turned on me. You turned on me. If you want to wrap up of Paul Skeens, you very much so have to compete with those other teams. Because he knows what he can get on the market. He knows yesterday what he can get on the market.

Well, maybe it's not Skeens, but maybe you can't constantly be a bottom feeder and expect anything except, you know, the occasional fluke wild card spot. Well, Bob nutting begs to differ. What? Bob nutting begs to differ. I would say Dick Lumpler joins that conversation. Not well. Not well, but like they think they fancy themselves the Tampa Bay race,

except they're not hiring smart enough people. They're not going to play on. They took a step forward, I think, on the pitching side. They really have. They've invested in that. Oscar Marin's done great. They brought in Brent Strom. You know him, probably Brett.

Great job he did in Houston. Great job he did in, you know, Arizona. He came here specifically to work with Paul Skeens, came out of retirement to do it. And the pitching staff's great. I mean, they've got that for days. They can trade for more talent. Holding on to it, they've tried to make some strides. They have signed Brian Reynolds to the largest contract they've ever handed out.

Right after they gave Cabrion Hayes one of the last. largest contracts they've ever handed out, whether that's a mistake or not. And Mitch Keller, they locked up. So we'll see. The payroll is scheduled to go up, 120, 130 here in the next couple of years, just from looking at the thing. We'll see. It's going to be intriguing how small market teams move because the deficit,

I saw that the deficit is like the worst it's ever been. And the reds are definitely culprits, the Rockies, the pirates. all that it's just weird when you've got guys like skeins in pittsburgh and and ele de la cruz and cintanetti and you're wondering like how long are these guys going to be around because it's not like it used to be where guys are career players anymore like a lot of these guys move on and that's just how the game goes and i i don't know that that affects my enjoyment of it but there's definitely a lot of people that that seems to be a factor well it's annoying and the n l central is so enabling for Tom Ricketts and the Cubs because the Reds don't spend, the pirates don't spend,

the brewers don't spend. I think the only thing the Cardinals did the entire offseason was get Phil Mayton this year. So to Solie's funny point, Tom Ricketts looks like the big spender in the NL Central because he goes out and, you know, I think the Cubs are like 12th or 13th in payroll. And we sit once a week and debate, hey, are they going to be able to extend Kyle Tucker? Are they going to be able to extend Kyle Tucker? And then Tom Ricketts just comes and says, well, even if we don't, we still should be winning the division because look at the spending of the other teams in the division. And it's just, it's this, it's this, you know, a trickle-down effect that I just don't think is good

for the game. The Cubs, I think, should be spending, you know, with the big boys, but they don't. So you're saying, Jim Ricketts is the Steve Cohen of the NL Central? I'm not even going to make it. I'm not even going to say that. I always say, too, like, just because they're not spending as much doesn't mean that they can't do things better. There's tons of things they could do better and smarter and make better decisions and make better trades and be more shrewd with your draft choices. And there's a lot of

mistakes they make. I can't force the owner to spend. I'm watching the team. I'm, I'm fendell. Right. Gary, I feel you on that where it's like the Rockies can't just wave a magic wand of go spend them, you know, and get a bunch of money and it's going to work. Their biggest contract right now has not played a full season of baseball for the team. He made it on the IL 10 games into the season this year. He's getting reevaluated for a degenerative back disease. And so his body's betraying him. It stinks.

But if he was producing, I mean, the Rockies have so many more issues on top of not spending. But you look at, I'm looking at the Rockies lineup right now, as they're currently losing and on track to again, not win their fifth ball game yet this year. as a team that has a higher payroll than other teams in this league. Spending money and just throwing money at the problem isn't going to solve everything for you. The Rockies need a complete organizational overhaul, but they have an owner that really isn't all that concerned about it.

He did mention he might step back if you ask him again in July to an early spring report about what might happen with the Rockies this year. But his big thing was, oh, the Dodgers and they just spent. all the money and they're in that agent, he controls baseball. And it's like, well, you're not sitting there doing anything either. The Rockies don't embrace analytics. The Rockies don't do so many things and just spending a bunch of money won't fix their problems. Sully, wrap us up on this point and we'll move on.

I think one of the biggest things that the Pirates and the Rockies have to do is draft better. I mean, how many early draft picks have they whiffed on? If you want to, if you brought up a bunch of players and suddenly, you know, course field when it's packed is rocking PNC in when they were in the play and they play that wild card game in 2013 and down the stretch in 2015

that's one of the most exciting places to watch a baseball game and if you bring up a young team have the fans show up and show a reason to do that then great but we're our this is Paul Schen's second year and people are already things oh do you think he's going to be a Matt or a Dodger what do you think what do you think

people are already going on Photoshop you know, to put them in a Red Sock uniform, you know, there are teams that have locked up their players. There are a team, there are a bunch of players who are, you know, going to spend their entire career with one squad. And it's not all the Mets and the Yankees. It's Bobby Witt Jr. signed a long-term contract. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signed a long-term contract. Remember all the different teams Joey Votto played for? Oh, yeah, you only played for the Reds.

You know, you have teams have figured out. If we can't go on the open market now, let's sign Jackson Toritos to a long-term deal when we have the chance. Take the risk in the early years so we don't have to go compete with Los Angeles and New York later. But the pirates can't keep whiffing on top 20 draft picks and walk away. Well, I guess the Dodgers are going to spend anything. Dodgers also develop players. Yep. They draft well.

They scout well. And they use analytics smartly. And that's where the adros have the ultimate next man up lineup right there. They are just so good at every, it doesn't matter who's on the field. They just seem to have the best possible option. Well, the presidents from the race. They got, they got raise analytics with Dodger money. And it works.

In the Astros, if you look across the league at homegrown talent, the Astros are constantly at the top of the league with guys that have come out. I mean, you know, Hunter Brown is, is a top five side young candidate early on. He went to Wright State. He, you know, he was, what, fourth or fifth round guy, you know, he wasn't even, I mean, yeah, he was good, but man, he had the stuff and it's the way they look at players. So, yeah, you know, hoping you guys can bring, bring somebody in because that has, I mean, we've been through some really, like, big losing seasons, but man, to not even have

five yet that's that's got to be rough man yeah it's certainly a blast i can tell you so something we talked about on our last squad show would you rather get walked off or blown out and it was it was easy you'd rather get blown out easily so we saw some interesting walkoffs though on sunday and i just want i just want to run through like some of the worst and some of the best that you've seen coming up next baseball season is rolling right along and with the NBA playoffs also going on fan dole of has a great offer for new users. New users can place a $5 bet, and if it wins, you get $250 in bonus bets. Looking at the updated odds for pennant winners in the American League, the Yankees are still favored at plus 3.30, but Fandul has the Texas Rangers as the team with the second

best odds to win the American League at plus 550. Then right behind them are the Boston Red Sox at plus 750, Detroit Tigers, what's up, AL Central, 8 to 1 odds to win the American League. Then over in the National League, the Dodgers are the favorites at plus 140. Way behind them are the Mets at 5 to 1, the Phillies at 6 to 1, and the Braves at 8 to 1. Yeah, those are your only teams with better than 10 to 1 odds to win the National League. That's over on Fanduil, like I mentioned, new users can place a $5 bet, and if it wins, you get 250 in bonus bets. Van Duel is the official sports book of Locked On. Rolling right along with this Lockdown MLB Squad show,

remember you can always check out Sully on the daily version of the Lockdown MLB show, and you can check out Lockdown MLB game night, every single game, every single night on the Lockdown MLB channel. Make sure you check those out today. I want to wrap up today's show by kind of discussing walkoffs, because disgusted was Bryce Patrick on Sunday, whenever the Rangers got walked off because of the Little League home run, there's definitely been some very bad walkoff losses for teams in years past.

We've had ball coughs. We've had dropped pop flies, all sorts of bad stuff. I know Brett, you know a little bit about drop pop flies to walk off a ballgame. Yes. It's a heart-wrenching thing. And then when you really sit down and you think about it, you're like, wait a minute. That's the reason. That's why we lost.

Yeah, exactly. So I don't know. I mean, I don't look, I fortunately have not been a part of many walk-offs for the opponent because I've pretty much watched my baseball in Houston. But the two that I remember the most that I was at both of them, Chris Birx walkoff NLDS against the Braves, when we finally exercised that demon of beating the Braves to win the NLDF to win the NLD. and then Yordon Alvarez's famous home run to right field off of Robbie Ray against the Mariners where, and let me tell you, whenever Jose Al-Tuvae struck out two batters before, I was like, okay, if he strikes out, like, we're done.

If Jose Al-Tupe can't hit a ball and walk off, and then I was like, wait, we got Yordan on deck. And that's when Hensley got the famous walk. and then boom. I mean, actually, Hensley got the walk. Pena, I think, hit the, hit the ball. So boom, he gets up, wins a ball game, walkoff. And walkoffs are fun. They're definitely not fun when the team does it to you that you are rooting against.

So I would like to hear, do you all have any bad experiences with walkoffs? Have you guys seen them in person? I just. Sure, Brett. Let me read you from the great Thomas Hardings, who stood out what we learned from Rockies 24 season on MLB.com. No lead was safe. Colorado set an MLB record by blowing six leads of five or more runs in the ninth inning or later. To name a couple, there was a seven run meltdown marked by a disputed check swing and a home loss of the Dodgers and a four run blown

lead in the 11th inning of a loss at Oakland. Yeah. Last year, this year doesn't matter. The Rockies never a lead safe at home. But on the plus side, I've seen three very cool. walk-off home runs in my life. Nolan Aeronado hitting for the cycle. Carlos Gonzalez hitting for the cycle and Todd Helton starting Rocktober off with one of the greatest home runs in Rockies

history. Cargo's walk-off cycles against the Cubs, I think. Yeah, well, yeah, yep, exactly. And it was a blast. First pitch, it's it all the way up there. Carlis Gonzalez is one of the most underrated baseball players of all time. It wasn't a Halls' Famer, but was a legend in our eyes. But, uh,

the killer. Anyway, I have seen my fair share of painful, painful losses. And the Rockies find new ways to lose the ballgame pretty frequently. Paul, you just explained how we got Justin Lawrence. Yep, Justin Lawrence was a big part of that last year because he had a whole heap of trouble. Especially at home. Yes, especially at home.

You know, bad walks, course field. There's a million different things you can point to. But that was an eye-opening stat. I think that is something that I think people don't realize how bad the Rockies have been in certain points. I think the two that would stick out to me of recent Cubs memory would be positive was Sunday night baseball 2018. I don't know if you guys remember that. Cubs Nationals, David Bodie hit a grand slam. They were down 3-0.

It was off Ryan Mattson, bases loaded two outs. That's pretty much like what you dream of as a kid, down three, bases loaded, walk off. And then there's been a lot of. a lot of rough walkoffs. I would say the playoff, having a playoff one against you, 2017, NLCS, game two, current, now current Cubs, Justin Turner walked off John Lackey. And that gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. And that 17 Dodger team. I mean, Brett, you remember that team. They were nasty. And we had beat them in 16. And that was when I knew, I was like, this is a different Dodger team. The Cubs have no chance in this series. So those would be the two that stick out.

I think, I mean, obviously, Bill Buckner got way too much grief for that game. If he had made the play, the Red Sox would not have won the World Series. The ball went through his legs. The Mets did not win the World Series. So many things have been horribly exaggerated about that play. When I went to bed crying that night, I was thinking about the wild pitch that tied the game. I was not thinking about Buckner. and poor Buckner, who had a borderline Hall of Fame career, was defined by that.

I would tell you that watching, it's not a Red Sock game, but watching, I was in New York City at a bar called that doesn't exist anymore called the Yeo Triple Inn, which was a great comedy place in New York. And the show would not start until game six of the 1999 National League Championship series was over. The Yankees had already clinched. They beat the Red Sox. And the thought was there was going to be a subway series.

and the Mets had come back. They were down 5-0. And it was an amazing game, an incredible game. And the Braves rallied in the 10th to tie it again. And then Kenny Rogers with two outs, or no, there's one out, sorry, one out, and the base is loaded, walked Andrew Jones. And you just the absolute deflation in that bar. when he walked Andrew Jones of like, that's how this game ends. The season's on the line.

Throw it, lob it down the middle of the plate. The worst thing it happens is Andrew Jones hits a walk-off grand slam. But at least, or he could pop up, or he could ground out, or someone could make a great catch. And just walking him with the bases loaded with a pennant on the line was so stupid. But it's not the most stupid ending I've ever seen. I watched an Angels A's game, I believe it was 2005 or 2006. And Francisco Rodriguez was the closer for the Angels at the time.

I don't know if they played in Los Angeles or Anaheim at the time. But there was a runner on third, bottom of the ninth of a tie game, and he didn't get a call. He thought he got a strike. He didn't get a call. And so the catcher threw the ball back. And he just kind of held up his hand to catch the. ball but was still staring at the umpire as if to say uh you know you blew that call right

and he missed the ball being thrown back by the catcher and the runner from third base scampered home to win the game so he put a priority over i'm just going to show you how cool i am be nonchalant while staring you down and a's win that was the stupidest walk off i've ever seen in my life. Gary, do you remember Cubs Pirates, 2015 Gregory Polanco at Wrigley? It was bases loaded one out tie game and like Matt Caesar. It was a pop-up in a short right field and Starlin Castro was a third, but he wasn't going to tag. He had no chance of scoring. It was really shallow.

And Polanco just wiped out. He was right under it and he just fell. It's the most famous gift in Pittsburgh. Yeah. We call it the baby giraffe. Yeah. That's what we looked like. Yeah. So you remember that. Yeah. Oh, yeah, he tripped all over the place. Looked like a spider learned.

Yeah, that was crazy. That was a wild one. We had a good walkoff against you, actually, at home. I'm sure you did. Neil Walker. Neil Walker. Neil Walker. On the 2015.

Cub killer. Over the Clemente Wall to win two one. And then we have the best walkoff ever. Bill Mazurowski, 1960. October 13th every year, we get together at the old Forbes Field Wall and listen to the broadcast. But do you know what, Gary? I'll tell you something about the Masoroski Homer. It is an all-time great moment. And I would argue it was the second most dramatic home run in that game. Because the three-run homer, that third string catcher, Hal Smith, hit a three-run home run

in the bottom of the eighth. The pirates were losing with two outs. He hit a three-run home run that gave the pirates the lead. And if you listen to the radio broadcast, I know you have Gary, the the announcer, I don't remember who the announcer was, forgive me. I'll just say Bob Prince, was just saying, oh, my goodness, this Hal Smith's home run, one of the greatest, most dramatic moments in the history of baseball. It is an unbelievable, his name will live on forever, and because that's what it was, the Yankees were invincible, and Hal Smith was the person who became the great, that was one of the greatest moments in baseball history.

and I obviously didn't get to watch it live or listen to it live, but it was a good game. I bend to this wall with my grandfather for, you know, 20 years over the years. That that series is the series I always love to talk about run differential on. Yeah. It's like, hey, man, just win. Just win baseball games. Who cares how much you win by. Yeah.

My mother grew up a big Yankee fan in Bridgeport, Connecticut. And every Yankee fan I met from my mother's generation, you do not. bring up Bill Masoroski's name. They don't care how many titles they won. They're bitter, that they club the snot out of the pirates, the entire series. And one home run meant that Casey Stangle's final year as manager ended in the game seven walkoff. And that was, if you haven't listened to that game or watch the broadcast that they did

on MLB network, you've got to do it. It is a, it is before. Maseroski came up. It is an unbelievable game. And then, of course, it has the great, obviously, Mazurowski is one of the great moments of baseball history. I'm using a little hyperbole in saying it wasn't the most dramatic hit. But the House Smith hit was, there was more on the line. It was, they were down with like four outs to go. And Maserowski was a leadoff with the game tied. So anyway, it was, it's a great game. You know, if, you know, everyone's well, listen to some great old games or watch some old great games on YouTube.

A great deep dive is watch the entire 1980 National League Championship Series between the Astros and the Phillies. And I'll say it, that's the greatest postseason series ever played. The 1980 National League Championship Series, both on AstroTurf, both in circular parks, doesn't matter. Playoff baseball never got better than that series. And obviously Brett left when I was. I mentioned that because the Astros twice had a chance to cleanse the pennant, and there you go.

He had to jump for a live show. I'll defend him on that one. But no, I think that's a great spot for us in today's Lockdown MLB Squad Show. Thank you so much for checking out. Our league-wide talk every Tuesday afternoon, we will be back with cast characters from the Lockdown MLB channel, as we love covering this baseball season all year.