Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - REVEALED: The St. Louis Cardinals Can COMPETE With Everyone In The National League Central!

Episode Date: May 7, 2026

Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals split their first meeting of the year, igniting questions about who can keep pace in a red-hot NL Central race. Is Jackson Chourio’s explosive return—goin...g 6-for-8 in the series—the spark the Brewers need, or will Jordan Walker’s emergence as a middle-of-the-lineup powerhouse push the Cardinals further up the standings? Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… 🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-st-louis-cardinals/ Locked On MLB League-Wide: Every Team, Prospects & More 🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/leagues/mlb/ Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonstlcardinals.supercast.com/ Follow the show on Twitter/X: @LO_Cardinals Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! 5-Hour ENERGY The funfetti flavor is BACK on https://5hourEnergy.com or Amazon, crack open Confetti Craze 5-hour ENERGY®️ shot today! Rugiet Get 15% off your treatment → https://rugiet.com/lockedonnhl Rugiet. Performance medicine for men. Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast KALSHI For a limited time, download the Kalshi app and use code LOCKEDON to get ten dollars when you trade ten. Kalshi. Trade on anything. Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now new customers can bet just five dollars and get one-hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets if your first bet wins. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game. 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) #ForTheLou #stlcards #mlb #lockedoncardinals #stlouiscardinals Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 The Cardinals and the Brewer split. What did we learn, if anything, from this short two-game series with the brew crew? This is a locked-on Cardinals and Brewers crossover. You are Locked-on MLB crossover, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network. Your team every day. Happy along. My name is Chuck Freeman. J.D. Heffern from Locked-on Cardinals, a part of Lockdown Podcast Network,
Starting point is 00:00:34 your team every day. both of our podcasts, the number one podcast, not only in Cardinals and Brewers Nation, but the entire universe. JD can second me on that, right, Jay. I am fully on board with that. The stats, we're still waiting on confirmation, but I'm cool with that. Yes, the whole universe. We're ruling it, Chuck. We are. We are on top of the world. That's what we're together today. And our teams just played each other this week. This episode is brought to you by Fanduel. Head to Fanduel right now. New customers, bet five bucks you get 150 in bonus bets when your first bet wins.
Starting point is 00:01:08 Head to Fandual.com to get started today. Coming up here, we'll talk about the Wild NL Central. And how's this all going to shake out? Is anybody could catch the Cubs who just keep on winning, especially at Wrigley? Where both the Brewers and Cardinals stand after this week and this series wrap up. Jady, I texted you jokingly the other day, and I was falling in line. This is exactly what I told Brewer's fans not to do, but I texted you anyway during the game on Monday. And I said, man, we are going to get swept in this series.
Starting point is 00:01:38 I did it half jokingly, but I'm sure a lot of our fans, they took it in serious. Yeah. And I put up the stop sign on your, on your text too. I was like, slow down, slow down. It's just one game. And luckily, nobody could sweep anybody because that one ran out. So it was just the two games set. So that was actually kind of nice from other day.
Starting point is 00:02:02 I don't know how many games you guys have played in a row, but these were like, we were right in the middle of 17 and 17 days for the Cardinals where we weren't supposed to have a day off. So that actually kind of worked out for us, even though we got the L on Wednesday, it was nice to have the day off on Tuesday just to kind of reset things for the bullpen and for the rotation.
Starting point is 00:02:23 So it kind of worked out for it to happen, but, you know, we get a split, which is kind of on par for what I expected in this series. I thought this was going to be. be a tight one because you got two teams who play a similar style. I think the Cardinals have copied what the Brewers have done the last few years, took their blueprint, ran with it. And you saw both of them do it to each other in both games.
Starting point is 00:02:49 Yeah, without question. And that first game, I mean, you guys did all the little things to get that game in your direction from the very beginning. And then I just thought, man, this was some of those games. Brewers were just not going to win this game. And then Wednesday, the Brewers came back and hit the four runs of the first, hitting three on a Vaughan home run. Say the Brewers have not been hitting home runs, JD.
Starting point is 00:03:13 And that's been their big problem. So they had home runs consecutively for the first time in a while. Monday's game, they got a home run late by Terang. And then in this game, they got one from Vaughn. But, you know, I just, I am not surprised that you guys are doing this. And I even told you before the season. And I told our listeners to never count those guys in Missouri out. And I'm not talking about the Royals.
Starting point is 00:03:38 I'm talking about you guys. Yeah, I will say this to our Cardinals fans that Chuck has always been somebody that, I don't want to say supportive of the Cardinals because he wants the Brewers to beat him every single time. But there's a lot of mutual respect between you and the Cardinals. And from all of the years that you've covered these teams and seeing how the Cardinals have been, you know, very consistent with their winning for so long, 20 some odd years before they'd finally had a team that was under 500. And things had been down the last couple seasons. But each year, it was always Chuck, who was like, look, I'll never count you guys out until game 162.
Starting point is 00:04:18 I think you guys are always, always somebody who's always lurking. And this year, here was the thing is this year's team, most people thought they were going to be way worse. Like coming into the season, and you saw people, but we had our, our No, Central, our episode where everybody was like, ah, 60 something wins, maybe 70. And I never believed that. I was like, I think they're going to be right around 500. I don't think they're as bad as everybody thinks they're going to be. Of course, they needed a few things to go the right way to get to that point. But just back to these games that we played against each other, because I know we're going to talk about how we got to this point in a little bit. But these particular games, you know, this one, first,
Starting point is 00:04:59 off, good for you guys to have Jackson Churio and Andrew Vaughn back in the lineup. Two huge pieces. The next one that you need to come back is Christian Yelich. And then it'll be more of the complete Brewers team that you guys haven't had yet. You know, missing Jackson Churio is a monster for that lineup. And for him to come out and go four for four in that first game, did more damage in Wednesday's game as well. I'm pretty happy that he's getting out of town. Go pick on somebody else, Jackson.
Starting point is 00:05:27 We don't need to see in here anymore. That was one thing that for the Brewers, you know, having him back in there, I'm sure it, like, also brings their aura of the team back as well, because he's just, you know, he's that thing that makes your whole lineup go. Yeah, he got six hits of the series. And he, the, the second best start in Brewer's history to a season, because this was his first game on Monday and Wednesday, the second best, Cecil Cooper back in 1982,
Starting point is 00:05:54 had seven hits through his first two games of the season. So you talk about Sharia, you know, Walker in right field, I could never understand why he was always being just not dominant. I looked at him as a guy who's got so many skills. And I'm like, how is this guy not figured it out? And it was like, boy, does there come a time where they just said, well, we just had enough. And we're just not going to get enough of this guy. But then I've seen you guys play and I've seen him in right field.
Starting point is 00:06:24 And, you know, the 10 home runs was bat in 307 or so. coming into this series. And I think, I think this is the Jordan Walker, you guys are going to see. I sure hope so. It's the guy that most people have waited for. You know,
Starting point is 00:06:39 he's really been, as far as difference makers for this team, being where they are now, he's been the biggest reason why to put somebody who's got that thump, that speed and everything. He's just this monster in the middle of the lineup. And to be able to rely on him now
Starting point is 00:06:57 each and every day, as that guy that can be your cleanup better. It's been a difference maker for things. I mean, and the Brewers kind of pitched around them in today's game, a couple of walks. They were like, we're not going to let this guy beat us this time. So they did the smart thing. And it ended up working out in favor for the brewers because the Cardinals weren't
Starting point is 00:07:14 able to get much of anything going against Brandon Sprout, who the Cardinals fans were coming at me. They were like, how are we losing to this guy? He's got an ERA close to seven. And I'm like, well, he had a really bad first game of the year where he got knocked around. I think the White Sox got a hold of them and just just crushed him. And sure, he's had a couple of games here and there where it's like three, four earned runs, but we know the talents there. He's one of those top 100 prospects. He was part of the Freddie Peralta deal. So you knew at
Starting point is 00:07:41 some point or another, the talent was going to rise up to where everybody expects it to be. And he was on his game on Wednesday. That had to be really impressive for you guys as Brewers fans. Because I know on our side, we were like, how is this dude got a 6.75 ERA? He looks amazing. I'm more impressed that you're able to break down what start he had against the white socks this year where he got roughed up a little bit, man. You've, you've been watching some Brewers baseball, JD. Yeah, you got to keep your friends close and your enemies closer, Chuck. So we got to watch the guys. I agree. That's why I've been watching. I'm glad this was a day game because we got to watch the Reds and Cubs later on tonight as we take this on a Wednesday after our
Starting point is 00:08:25 games. Yes, Broke was decent. He walked some guys, gave up a hit. You know, there was some talk that this, this game Wednesday, the Brewers might have carried a no hitter into the eighth inning. If that was an error, I don't know how that was called a double from. Did he not touch it, I guess, maybe is what happened. But that's clearly an error on the third basement on the double by Herrera in the first. Yeah. And Herrera was another guy alike. He is an he's another guy like apparently um did not like it did not like the other night i heard where i forgot who was walked ahead of him to get to him j jay weatherhole that was it yes he was guys went with the the chad patrick was the you wanted to go righty righty with j j is the lefty in the leadoff hole
Starting point is 00:09:13 and uh you took it you let him because first base was open hoping that maybe you can get a a double play from herrera which made sense like i didn't i don't look at that move in game one as a dumb move by any, you know, at all for Pat Murphy. Like I was like, I was like, I get it. Like you, you trust your, your guy to get the ground ball and you got force outs all over the place and you're trying to keep what turned into a beginning. You were trying to keep it quiet and Herrera Beach. It happens from time to time. You know, these guys are pretty good, you know, these baseball players and these hitters. And sometimes they just come through in situations and it doesn't work out. So we liked it on our side because it was the reason why Cardles fans were kind of
Starting point is 00:09:54 laughing about it. And I think Herrera even said he chuckled a little bit because he was like, wait a minute, am I the weakest link that they're going to walk people to get to me now? Considering last year, he was like their alpha guy. He was the big dog in the lineup. So anytime anybody wants to load the bases for Yvonne Herrera, we would love to bring that on, more of it. But it also goes to how good J.J. Weatherholt's been this year where there's respect there. Okay, righty, lefty match up here. We like what J.J. does. So why would we give them an opportunity to burn us? So let's see if our righty, righty can get it done.
Starting point is 00:10:29 And it just didn't work for you guys. And it worked that well for the Cardinals. That's baseball, right, Chuck? Oh, absolutely. And that's why, you know, and I'll tell you here after the break here, why people think that the Brewers were just going there and sweep this series. And I don't know if you get that on your end. Back when, you know, you guys were the rulers of this division.
Starting point is 00:10:48 But we'll talk about that coming up next. Chuck Freeman, Lockdown Brewers, J.D. Hafford from Lockdown Cardinals. on the Lockdown Podcast Network. We are your team every day. All right, good to have you along here. And this podcast is brought to you in part by the good folks over at Fanduel. Fanduel right now, you want to get there for the live betting, especially with the NBA playoffs. Maybe there's a heavy favor that gets down early.
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Starting point is 00:12:05 But you've got to go to Fandual.com to get started today. FanDuel, play your game with Fanduel. Chuck Freibin and Jadie Haferrin here on our Locked on Podcast Network, Locked on MLB crossover today. And I get this, Jady, from... from Brewers fans. I got this Sunday night. Well, we should just stroll into St. Louis and win this game. And I was on a talk show as well. And I was like, hey, even though the Cardinals, you know, he had one six in a row, got beat by the Dodgers on Sunday, which ideally, that's, I like playing a team when they're
Starting point is 00:12:43 hot because you think they're going to cool off when you play them. I don't want to play a team that's struggling. So you guys had one six or seven. But I said, no, that's not how baseball works. Do you get the same thing at all when, even when you guys really, the kingpins of this division, you're playing Milwaukee or you're playing Pittsburgh. You should just roll in there and win these games. For sure. There's a confidence that comes with being somebody who's consistently good. And you see it when we talk to some of our, you know, NL Central locked on hosts, you know,
Starting point is 00:13:16 when they talk about the brewers. There's this, you know, respect that like, you know, it used to be the devil magic that the Cardinals had where they were just all of a sudden, they just get random players to become good, and they would just always win 90 plus a season. And now that's kind of shifted to the Brewers for the last few seasons. Four out of the last five titles have gone to Milwaukee. There's a consistency there and there's a stability there that a lot of these other franchises would give up their left leg for. But it's certainly something that you just bring an aura with you of like, you know, confidence that you're going to roll into a series. And I always said, hey, just try to take two
Starting point is 00:13:54 of three each time because sweeps are so difficult to do, especially if you go to a four game series, they're almost impossible, which is why the Cardinals getting four in a row in Pittsburgh over Pittsburgh was such a big deal because it just doesn't happen very often. And, you know, there are our fans that are, you know, like, oh, how are we losing to this team? And I'm like, I mean, these guys are all professional players too. So it's just, it's very difficult to go through it all and there's going to be days off for people and certain pitchers are not going to be available and some guys are going to have bad days, you know, they're not machines, they're not terminators, they get tired, they break down. There's a human element to it all. And it's just part of
Starting point is 00:14:33 the grind of the Major League season. And, you know, I think Cardinals fans have started to learn that by the amount of losing that has taken place in St. Louis the last few seasons, which is why I think the excitement for what they've done so far this year is peaking, right now because they know what it's like. They're like, okay, maybe we did take it for granted all those years, how good we were and how difficult it is to stay at that level, which is where the brewers are right now. So understandably, hearing all the preseason talk about how the cardinals are supposed
Starting point is 00:15:04 to be in the toilet, they're rebuilding, they're not spending money. I could see why the Milwaukee fan base would be like, shouldn't we go in there and destroy them? And paper, maybe, yeah, but this is a different Cardinals team than many people thought was going to be on the field this year as far as talent-wise, the numbers they're putting up. There's a lot of guys that for years, and you mentioned the big one, Jordan Walker, the guys that they thought were going to be people they could rely on for the last couple of seasons, and he's been nothing.
Starting point is 00:15:35 He's been a no-show for a couple of years. And now we're finally seeing him progress and mature and blossom into that star hitter that people touted him to be four years ago when he was like one of the top five hitting prospects in baseball. All right. Well, we sit right now, our team, your team, the Brewers, three games over the 500 mark heading at an off day on Thursday, fourth place. Again, the Cubs and Reds are playing, but Brewers got some bats back this week. And we talked about that earlier, getting Vaughn and Shurio, things heading into the right direction. Brewers fans sometimes don't feel that way, but I think things are going to end.
Starting point is 00:16:17 A big series coming up with the Yankees this weekend. I'll talk more with that on tomorrow's episode. But a big series coming up with the Yankees this weekend. And, you know, the Brewers did split this series with St. Louis. That game Tuesday is going to be meeting it up later on in July. So right now, Brewers are, you love to be better. The Cubs are way out in front, but I'm okay with where they are. I wish there were a few more games over the 500 mark, but I'm okay.
Starting point is 00:16:43 you guys in second place again as we stand second place three games behind the cubs going into their game you have to love where you guys are yeah nobody expected us to be here we didn't expect us to be here like and uh you know when they interview some of the guys after games they're like can you did you ever think that you guys could be doing this and all the guys like well yeah of course we we did but just because everybody else didn't agree with it uh that's not our fault But there's a confidence that is building within this team. It's the youngest roster in baseball, the youngest starting nine just about every time they go out there.
Starting point is 00:17:23 They played together for a number of years. And that's kind of the cool thing is these guys all came up together. You know, they're all 22, 23, 24, 25. These guys have played together for years. And in the minor leagues and, yeah, it's the minor leagues. But there has been success when these guys have been a group together, whether it's a double A or a triple. AAA, J.J. Weatherholt coming up for whatever reason. When J.J. Weatherholt joins a team,
Starting point is 00:17:50 they win. And, you know, when it's baseball, it's hard for one guy to make that big of a difference. But for whatever reason, everywhere he goes, they win baseball games. When he went to college, West Virginia, they became somebody that people had to pay attention to nationally. When he went to Springfield with the Cardinals, they won the division. When he goes up to Memphis, as they go on a crazy streak and are winning at the end of the year as soon as he joined that team. And he just, he's been so good. When you talk about the new things that the Cardinals have gotten this year, where replacing some of the names that you're used to seeing like Aronado and Brendan Donovan,
Starting point is 00:18:26 well, now you got JJ and Jordan Walker taking those spots and they, they've done it with flying colors so far. So the bullpen is still a work in progress and it's going to be the whole year. They, they're just not very good. There's a few arms out there that aren't very trustworthy. But most bullpins are that way. The brewers have been usually pretty good at putting together a bullpen, although you've seen some struggles this year.
Starting point is 00:18:49 What I worry about most for you guys, Chuck, and check me if I'm wrong about this, I worry a little bit about the starting pitching. And what you guys have been going through with Woodruff going on the IL, and, you know, you haven't had Quinn Priester yet. How are you guys feeling about your starting rotation? Is your pitching good enough to get you back to the 90-win area that you've been at the last few years?
Starting point is 00:19:11 Yeah, I don't think 97 wins, JD. That might be a lot, but to get to the 90-win plateau, that's what's going to take to win this division. I mean, everybody's over 500 mark, but we know that's not going to last. Someone's going to hopefully go in the tank, and hopefully it's you guys. Why can't it be the pirates? Why have got to be us? I think both have got to and the Cubs, everybody, except us.
Starting point is 00:19:33 No, yeah, the pitching has been the best part of this team so far. I think the starting pitching has been really, really good. Now, there's been injuries. The Brewers have some depth at the starting rotation. They have Woodruff on the injury to this priest or we don't know yet when he's going to come back, but they've had everybody who started really this rotation has been terrific so far. So, you know, it's like Sprode has been, how much longer Sproat going to stay up here? Is he going to go to the bullpen? But he's now at a necessity in that rotation. So the starting pitching has been fantastic with the Milwaukee Brewers. The bullpen has been shaky,
Starting point is 00:20:06 been bullpen by committee. The Brewers are one of the worst home run hitting teams in baseball. So I'm sitting here telling you all the bad things about the team. But here we are still, three games over the 500 park. That shows how good you guys actually are as a team and how, you know, doing the things that you did on Wednesday to win that baseball game, a lot of two-out action, you know, and doing the small things, which is what the Cardinals have kind of patterned themselves after.
Starting point is 00:20:34 And I've always said, like, I wish the Cardinals, played more like the Brewers the last few years. Like I hate watching guys go up there and just strike out and strike out and not put the ball in play. It drives me nuts when they make bad base running mistakes or they're throwing to the wrong base from the outfield, like all the little things that maybe we don't pay attention as much to if you're a casual fan, but guys like us are just you want to tear your hair out because you're like these are the reasons why you're losing games four to two, five to three, like and you're losing by a couple of runs because you make these dumb mistakes.
Starting point is 00:21:05 this year, the Cardinals aren't doing that. They're usually the one taking advantage of the mistakes, which is something the Brewers seem to always do, at least for the last four or five years. Which is funny to hear that you'd want to be like us because, like I said, no one ever about the Milwaukee Brewers from my entire lifetime, except the last couple of years, especially from a Cardinal guy, you know?
Starting point is 00:21:29 Well, look at our records the last four years, Chuck. Well, who wouldn't want to be the Brewers? went at 90 on average every year, going to the playoffs every year. How do you get past that hump of the playoffs has been the problem for you guys. But getting to the playoffs has been pretty easy. You guys got that down. All right, hang on. We're going to talk about the NL Central.
Starting point is 00:21:47 We come back after this time out. Chuck Freeman, J.D. Haffron. I'm from Lockdown Brewers. He's the fine host of Lockdown Cardinals. We're coming back after this. And by the way, the Every Day Air Club, the Every Day or Club. You see it in our links below. You get commercial-free audio podcast.
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Starting point is 00:23:42 locked on Cardinals and are crossed over that we do. And so we always hook up every time the brewers and cardals get underway and complete a series. Sometimes we do these before. Sometimes we do these after, but we're doing it after here in this division. It's been talked about is, by the way, do you look at this? All the records are there. But our division, people have not liked our division, we'll say, for a lack of better words, over the years.
Starting point is 00:24:05 They looked down on our division. The three teams from our division make the postseason last year. Where do you see our division stacking up with everybody else in baseball as far as top to bottom? Well, if the Cardinals continue to be the type of team that they are right now, and even if they fall off a little bit, it's hard to argue that it's not the best top to bottom one through five division in baseball, where everybody's competitive. You know, the cubs are going through a lot of injuries right now, but they keep winning.
Starting point is 00:24:39 Reds have had their injuries. You've had their injuries. The cardals have been relatively healthy, but everybody expected them to suck and they don't. And then you've got the pirates who are another young team. They made some moves to solidify things and get some veterans on there. But most people thought that they would be a contender this year for at least a wild card spot. So the only team in this division that anybody thought was going to be,
Starting point is 00:25:02 not good was the Cardinals. And they're not the team that everybody can kick around. In fact, they're doing a lot of the kicking so far in the first, you know, 35 games of the season. So when that, adding that person, because you go look at the other divisions. There are teams that like, some of them have two to three of them that are trash. I now we didn't expect the Mets and the Phillies to be where they are. I think they're better teams than what they've played so far. So it wouldn't shock me if a surge happens there at some point. But everywhere else, there's a lot of bottom feeders going on in those divisions where you go look at us and the new MLB power rankings speak for themselves. All five of the NL Central teams are in the top 10 right now.
Starting point is 00:25:44 And I don't think anybody predicted that. And it's impressive. And if I could high five all of our hosts that are in the division because, you know, yeah, we want to beat you guys on the field. But as a group, I think it's great that the Central is finally getting some recognition because they deserve it. These teams deserve it. These players deserve it. They've earned it. Well, except the Cubs.
Starting point is 00:26:03 I don't want to hide. That's not sure. I like Sam. But the Cubs, that's the common hate you and I have. And Brewers and Cardinals Nation has this. We both don't like the Cubs. Now the Cubs are right now, I saw an article today that they're being compared to the 2016 Cubs. They got that same fever again.
Starting point is 00:26:22 It is way too early to be talking about that. And I know they're off to a great start and are winning all these games at Wrigley, JD. But let's let's pump the brakes a little bit. on the Cubs running away with this thing. For sure. And all you got to do is look at their starting rotation and the injuries. That's what I would worry about. I think if Sam was here, he would say the same thing.
Starting point is 00:26:44 He'd be like, yeah, but look at all these injuries. Like our bullpen has been decimated for a while. We're losing all of our starters. Like, is it, can you rely on them to stay where they are and continuously winning these games by one run? I mean, it's not, it doesn't seem like something that you could, you can keep doing over and over. And I don't know.
Starting point is 00:27:04 We'll find out. I mean, it's been impressive that they've been able to steady the ship and be where they are so far this year. We haven't had a chance to play them yet. So I don't know how many other guys in our division have gotten a chance to go up against them yet because it was really weird scheduling at the beginning of the season for our division where nobody was playing each other. It was kind of I hate it. I think it's stupid. We played all American league teams for like two weeks straight. Like it was weird.
Starting point is 00:27:31 And I miss playing against our division a little bit more. but yeah do what we don't see the reds until like mid june we don't see them until mid june yeah i don't we should start the season should start off that's crazy being in the divisional teams don't you think i would love it i would i hated it when they scaled back the uh the amount of times that we played each other uh when they introduced the interleague play like where they made it manned you know where we're playing everybody all the time now i uh i was not not a fan of that. And I'm still not.
Starting point is 00:28:06 Cubs are, let's see, they're three and two now against the Central. So they've taken advantage of the East. They're 10 and three against the East right now. And the East has been trash, absolute trash so far, where, you know, the Cardals are five and four against them. Milwaukee's four and five against the East right now. So that's really where they're getting a lot of their wins from. And they're beating the Reds on back-to-back nights going into Wednesday and their last at bats. the funny thing. There's still a good team.
Starting point is 00:28:37 Like I still think their lineup is really good. I just, the amount of injuries, like you mentioned, Boyd goes down now. He's another one that's going to be missing. So I just don't know if you can survive all of those pictures falling off of your radar and just not being there and having to fill those roles,
Starting point is 00:28:54 man. It's going to be tough. And I think the Reds, I mean, the Reds are going through some issues right now as far as they can't win. I mean, he got swept in Pittsburgh and then they dropped the first couple of games against the Cubs, but I think the Reds, the Reds are going to be there.
Starting point is 00:29:08 They're not going to fall off. They will not finish. Someone's going to have to finish in last place, but I don't think it's going to be the Reds. Yeah, you know, they haven't had Hunter Green. Nicola Dolo's been out and they've got their team, like the batting outside of like Ellie and then South Stewart, like they're batting, like they're batting. They're last in the league and batting average. Like, yeah, I think the other night they had at least four guys batting under 200,
Starting point is 00:29:33 starting like normal regular people like it wasn't like a bench guy that's just platooning for one night no these are guys that are there every day like key brian hayes and uh t j friedall um will benson like you're like these are like main dudes for that but they're they're still under the mendoza line so that's something that's been a little bit shocking considering the ballpark they plan uh south steward has cooled off after his monstrous first half you know how it is chuck you start getting some tape on these guys, these new, these new hitters, and they figure out how to attack you, kind of like in football, as soon as they figure out what you're doing, you got to make the adjustments next. And so far, the pitchers are figuring out South Stewart's start.
Starting point is 00:30:14 Ellie Dela Cruz continues to be an MVP caliber guy, but that rest of that lineup is going to have to pick it up or they're just not going to have enough offense to win this division, which is the ultimate goal. All right. Before we go, Brewers have the day off. I mean, mentioned the Yankees coming to the town. It's always a big deal when the Yankees are playing the Yankees. I mean, big crowds, judge, you know, the Yankees come here once a year. And they're on fire, Chuck. And they are on fire.
Starting point is 00:30:41 They are. They are. Man, I just, I just don't, I, I, I, I, the brewers right now don't have the firepower to match. So the pitching better be pretty good this weekend for Milwaukee. I'm glad it's going to be at home. You guys go out to the West Coast. This is the first time, right?
Starting point is 00:30:58 Because you're playing San Diego on the first. four coming up. Yes. Yes. We hit the Padres this weekend and then I think we go to the to the A's after that. So we'll be out west for about a week here. And you know, the Padres for a while there, they were right there with the Dodgers for the best record in baseball. So it's not like, you know, they're a bad team by any means. They're still 22 and 14. So, and then let's see, what are they in their last 10? I don't have it in front of me. But they, they've been a good team. They're still a very good team and they haven't had. Did you notice that Fernando Tatsy's Jr. does not have a home run yet this year or at least going into yesterday. He didn't have one yet. No, they're in Milwaukee next week after
Starting point is 00:31:41 you guys get done when they're coming here. Yeah. I was shocking. I was just kind of browsing to see some guys and, you know, I do the fantasy baseball stuff. So I'm like looking at my whole wait, hold on a second. He does not have a home run yet. So that's, that's been a big, you know, the Mason Miller. and him doing what he's doing and he had that whole, you know, street going. That's really been the excitement for that team. Yeah, Fernando Tatis right now, 242, no home runs on the season. Zander Bogartz is the guy that's like,
Starting point is 00:32:18 oh, we have a little screen freeze. I was going to say, I'm glad we're able to hook up on this locked on crossover because like a couple of them might have been like beginning of the season. I know I texted you. I said, Jady, we still have to lock. we're talking about something else. We were texting back and forth. I said, we still have to hook up on a locked-on crossover when our team's play.
Starting point is 00:32:41 And I'm still waiting for the return text on that one. I apologize. What? I'm your guy. I didn't ghost you. I probably just forgot to respond because I'm an idiot. That's really not anything meant to be derogatory towards you. My bad.
Starting point is 00:32:59 My bad. Hey, always great talking to you, my friend. a fellow packout band as well as we all know. Go back. Yeah, absolutely, man. Hey, we'll catch up with you. July, I think we play again. We've got a four-game series in St. Louis.
Starting point is 00:33:15 I think you guys are coming here soon, right? I haven't looked past San Diego and the age yet, so I wouldn't know. I know when we do make up our game, that that's going to be five games that we play against together. Oh, and in the five-game series? Yeah. That's a five-game series. So four. the day night double header. Okay. Wow.
Starting point is 00:33:37 Oh, hopefully some good weather. That's July, so it'll be warm. Hey, Jay. Hot. Yeah, that'll be like our own, the only warm week in Milwaukee or we'll be on the road that week. So, yeah. All right. We'll catch up with you soon, my friend. That's J.D. Haffin from Lock on Cardinals. My name is Chuck Freeman. Lockdown Brewers, part of a Lockdown podcast network. We are your team every day. Have yourself a great day, everybody. Thank you.

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