Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - St. Louis Cardinals Seek to DERAIL Milwaukee Brewers' Championship Dreams in Crucial Series

Starting point is 00:00:00 It's an NL Central Division showdown between the Milwaukee Brewers and the St. Louis Cardinals. How have the Brewers been able to sustain success on a budget while the Cardinals have floundered trying to do it? This is a Locked on Cardinals Locked on Brewers crossover. You are a locked on MLB crossover, part of the Locked on podcast network. Your team every day. Hey there, baseball fans. I'm J.D. Haffron, your host for Lockdown Cardinals. We got Chuck Freeman with me, host of Locked on Brewers. We are part of the Locked on podcast network covering your team every day.

Starting point is 00:00:41 We want to thank those of you who make both Locked on Cardinals and Locked on Brewers your first list in each and every day, free and available wherever you get your podcast. Today's episode brought to you by Fandle. Right now, new customers can bet just $5. And if your bet wins, you'll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. So download that app today. Division games always have a little more juice to them. And this one, despite the discrepancy and wins and losses, still have some flair to it with the Cardinals and Brewers clashing in Milwaukee one last time

Starting point is 00:01:11 this season. And as always, great to see my brother from the north, Mr. Chuck Freeman from Locked-on Brewers. Feels really good to see you, Chuck. Always feels good. But it's even better after a Packer's victory on Thursday night football. I got my little flag here, buddy. Go, Pac, go, Chuck. How are you in the rest of Wisconsin feeling today?

Starting point is 00:01:30 Well, we do share that even though we're on opposite ends with our baseball teams, you're a Packer fan, I'm a Packer fan. And yeah, things are going well in the state. And, you know, got the game done Thursday. So there's no conflict with the game on Sunday. You know, you'd be surprised. When the Packers and Brewers do play at the same time and the Brewers have a home game, the Packers, the Brewers still get good crowds.

Starting point is 00:01:53 I don't notice any difference. You don't look at the crowd and say, man, the Packers are playing. No wonder why there's nobody here. No, they still draw really well on a Sunday afternoon. Now, in this case, the Brewers will play Sunday. unopposed against anybody. So it'll be cool. Great to join you. I figure since now you've joined Lockdown MLB become a big star with the network. I don't know. I didn't think you remember your boy in Milwaukee anymore. I will never forget you, Chuck. You're one of my first real friends on this

Starting point is 00:02:22 network, man. We've always clicked really well, obviously having the love for the Packers, which by the way, moving forward, I must be announced as an owner of the Packers. I'm not just a fan. I am I am an NFL owner for the last, what, two years or so. I was able to get on on that. So that's how I want to be addressed from here on out. Owner, Packers owner, J.D. Haffer and as well as hosts of Locked on Cardinals. But the excitement surrounding the Packers, obviously, is massive right now. At the same time in Wisconsin, you're also enjoying the best record in baseball.

Starting point is 00:02:55 Things are really, really good for Wisconsin right now. The Milwaukee Brewers, who despite ranking 23rd in total payroll with a little under 113 million spent this year have outperformed the rest of the league here in 2025. This is nothing new that Milwaukee has been amongst the elite teams in baseball during the regular season. Fourth best record last season, fifth best the year before that. Haven't had a losing season since the COVID year in 2020, which nobody really counts anyway, unless you're the Dodgers who won that year. And before that, it was 2016.

Starting point is 00:03:30 Chuck, I'm going to ask you this. I'm going to ask you nicely. spill your guts. What is the secret to the brewer's sustained success while not overspending on players and having this bloated payroll that some of these other teams have? Well, I feel it's a little page of the St. Louis Cardinals' playbook in that doing things right, playing baseball right, high baseball IQ guys, guys who are smart guys, guys who don't make mistakes. I don't have the most talented team in the world out there.

Starting point is 00:04:02 They don't have All-Stars up and down their lineup, but they have a lot of good players, a lot of good, smart, heady players who make good decisions out there. And I feel like this team, you know, has been delivering so much this year. Now, you look at it, they've been able to get to the best record in baseball.

Starting point is 00:04:22 They've had two long winning streets this summer, an 11 game and a 14 on two separate occasions. I mean, what baseball team? You don't see too many times that happens over the years. in MLB where you get two double-digit winning streaks. Now, since this 14-game winning streak, which ended a few weeks ago, the Brewers have gone 11 and 14. So they're playing a little sub-500 baseball since then.

Starting point is 00:04:46 But since that 14-game winning streak, expectations have skyrocketed. And if the team goes on, maybe a little bit of a two-game skin, it's like, oh, no, the sky is falling. But I still think this is the best team, not only record-wise they are, but they're the best team, I think, in baseball. Now, on the roster, you know, you look at the Brewers roster and like you said,

Starting point is 00:05:09 it's not littered with superstar players, you know, I mean, Christian Yalach in his day, yeah, you know, obviously it was an MVP winner. But, you know, Jackson Churio, we think is going to be a superstar at some point. But, you know, the injury this year kind of knocked him down a few notches just because he wasn't on the field, not because his numbers have suffered at all. But you've been able to get the best out of guys like Bryce Terang and Sal Freelick and Isaac Collins and Andrew Vaughn. Like what is it about the Brewers and your coaching staff maybe? What's the secret to getting the most out of guys that other people would say is just, you know, they're okay ball players.

Starting point is 00:05:50 But they seem to go to another level while wearing that Brewer's uniform. there's very much a college coaching approach to way brewers do things. It's they have a young team and they have a college coach. Pat Murphy. And when I say coach, he's a manager, but he's also coaching these guys too. If you watch him, he'll get on guys in the dugout, just like you'll see on the college level, some of these coaches. He was a coach at Arizona State, coach at Notre Dame, and he took over for Craig Counsel, and he manages this team, but he coaches this team, too, if that makes any sense,

Starting point is 00:06:30 where he is, he demands that the teams go out there and execute and play smart baseball. There's been times when a player has made a mistake, a mental mistake, like, you know, trying to steal home or not getting a good jump or making the throat of the wrong base, and that player will come back in the dugout, and Murph will let him have it. or he'll get pulled in a game. You don't see that on the professional sports level. This team operates like that, and they have a bunch of hungry guys on this team.

Starting point is 00:07:02 Just a bunch of hungry guys who are trying to make their own bones in Major League Baseball. Now, you guys have been able to make some pretty bold transactions in recent years, you know? And I'm not talking about so many much as guys that you've signed, but the names that you've let leave Milwaukee that has shocked some people. They moved on from Josh Hader, Corbyn Burns, Willie Adomas, Devin Williams. You moved on from your manager, Craig Counselor. You're like, bye, see ya, take the money. See ya.

Starting point is 00:07:37 Which one of those moves do you feel like was the best move that they've made so far? And which one do you feel like, if we could redo it, maybe we should have brought that guy back? Or is there anything like that at all? Maybe you don't regret any of. I don't regret any of them. At first, losing counsel and then I'm not all that impressed with him as a manager. As I see him down in Chicago, because some of the things that he did as managing, does it managing the Cubs, we see it here. The Brewers, when counsel was the manager, you'd see them just sometimes completely lifeless.

Starting point is 00:08:12 And I like to tag the Cubs as team lifeless. And I know Cubs fans don't like it, but that's just the way it is. I see sometimes those Chicago teams, I feel like, man, they get down and that's ballgame, or they get an early lead, and they kind of sit on it. Brewers don't do this. Under Murphy, they're not that way. There's a fight. There's a fire and there's a passion, which I didn't see under Craig Counsel. So losing Craig Counsel, the Brewers got the better of the two managers. Pat Murphy clearly a better manager. And then, then Craig Counsel. So I'm glad the Cubs didn't take Pat Murphy, and they kept them for us, who was kind of an afterthought in the process. But the players they've lost, like Corbyn Burns. They traded him in a contract year.

Starting point is 00:08:54 He was going to play his final year under arbitration. And that was it. They traded him. They got Ortiz out of it. They traded Devin Williams. It worked out. They got Caleb Durbin, who's been just unbelievable and fits into what the brewers have to do. So I would say, I can't regret anything the brewers have done.

Starting point is 00:09:11 Even at the trading deadline, JD, they did not make any moves. They didn't do anything. Not at all. They got Danny Jansen earlier in the week, and some would question that. But so far, you know, they didn't go out and make any big moves. And, you know, you look at it and they've been just fantastic so far, despite not making any of those deadline moves, really. Yeah, and it says something about your front office, which, you know, is very confident

Starting point is 00:09:41 in the people that they have in the building already. And we're like, look, we don't need that. We just need some complimentary pieces to go along with, you know, this, this core that they've already built and put together. And it's, it's been something very, very special to watch. You know, people don't talk about the brewers quite enough just because they're not in a major market. And they don't get the attention that I think they deserve for being as consistent as they have. And you mentioned that's something that the Cardinals used to be, you know, for the longest time. And, you know, they're still not like bottom of the barrel type of team in the league,

Starting point is 00:10:15 you know, or they're still hovering around 500, but, you know, that's not good enough for what we're used to as St. Louis Cardinal fans. But to see how a team like Milwaukee and similar to like teams like Cleveland and other guys that are in smaller markets, they don't overpay, they don't have bloated budgets. And yet they're competing with the big teams in the big cities each and every year. And this year, the Brewer is still hanging on to that top spot in the major league. So we're going to talk about the playoff picture in just a little bit, but we're going to, discuss in more detail the specifics about this upcoming series between the brewers and the Cardinals. coming up next on this locked on crossover. Today's episode is being brought to you by NutraFull. Now you've probably seen a million ads for hair growth products and thought, yeah, right, sure.

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Starting point is 00:12:08 and pre-shipping when you go to NutraFol.com and enter the promo code, Lockedon MLB. That's NutraFol.com promo code Locked on MLB. Thanks for making Locked on Cardinals and Lockdown Brewers, your first listen every day. If you enjoy daily content about the Cardinals or Brewers or both, be sure to like, subscribe, and follow us on all of our social media platforms and on YouTube. And we greatly appreciate your support. Chuck Freeman from Lockedon Brewers, JD Haffern here from Lockedon Cardinals doing our crossover here

Starting point is 00:12:42 because our two teams are going to be button heads this weekend, Chuck. Brewers are all, you know, they were all, you mentioned earlier, those winning streaks that they had. They were on quite a heater for a while there. And you mentioned as well that they've cooled off just a little bit recently. In your opinion, what's been going on with the brewers in the last, you know, a week or two? And does what you're seeing now make you nervous that maybe they got hot too quick?

Starting point is 00:13:05 Because some people will say that. You know, you need to be playing your best baseball the last two weeks of the season. Obviously, we're not quite there yet. But, you know, people wonder, oh, oh, did the brewers get hot too quick this season? Your thoughts? Well, the brewers are just coming off getting swept. by the Texas Rangers in Texas. Talk about a hot team, those guys right now.

Starting point is 00:13:27 Oh, without question, man. And, J.D, this is the first time the Brewers have been swept in a series, a three-game series, since the end of March when the seat, yeah, when they open the city against the biggest. That's, you know, this is a second time. And, you see, they bounced back. They had the off day on Thursday. You guys are coming to town.

Starting point is 00:13:45 I know you had a tough series in Seattle against the Mariners. We're hanging in every one of those games. In fact, I think you guys had early leads in all three of those games, right? Yes. Yeah, I think we had early leads, but, you know, Seattle's good, and Seattle's have one of those magical years as well. I saw they won last night against the Angels and extra earnings. But, yeah, we'll see how the Brewers bounce back against the Cardinals.

Starting point is 00:14:12 You guys, a couple of games under the 500 mark, technically, still in the wild card chase. I don't look at it like, man, time to get three. fat on the Cardinals. I don't care if you guys were winless at this point. You're going to come in here and fight these guys with Palante on the Hill tonight. A priest who's going from Milwaukee. I'm hoping the Brewers can take two or three.

Starting point is 00:14:34 All right. I'm not expecting the sweep, but I would love to see them get back on the winning track and end this three three game skid tonight against the Cardinals. Yeah, the series with Seattle, it was really actually a lot of fun to watch despite the Cardinals getting swept. Like you mentioned, they jumped out to some leads, but the Seattle Mariners, the offense and their bullpen, like they got, that's a dangerous team come playoff time. I can promise you that.

Starting point is 00:14:59 And they're playing defense out of their minds, which is not something they were really that well known for, especially on that left side of the infield. And they just, dude, A. E. E. Oh, Hania was making diving plays. And so is JP Crom. I'm like, who the heck are these guys? This is not supposed to happen like this. But, you know, they were hard fought games that the Cardinals would lose. And but at the same time, like, for the most part,

Starting point is 00:15:20 well-played games. You know, there's going to be mistakes here and there. And that happens when your teams as young as the Cardinals are right now. But it was fun that they were competitive games. You know, that last game went 13 innings. And then like you mentioned, the Meriters had to play another way. I think it was 12 endings against the Angels last night. So 25 innings of baseball for those guys recently. They had 21 extra inning games already this year. And the Meriters are the first team of baseball history since we've gone to that courtesy runner at second base to play two extra inning games of 12 or more in a row. Yeah, that, that is nutty for them.

Starting point is 00:15:55 But I was proud of the Cardinals, the way that they competed against Seattle, who, you know, many are picking to do quite well. You know, some people were thinking that that's the team that's going to come out of the American League this year into the World Series. So I was proud of that. This is going to be, go ahead. Oh, I'm sorry. I want to ask you about your team.

Starting point is 00:16:15 you guys were supposed to have a rebuilding year. And by the Cardinal standards, it may be kind of has been. But I don't think it's as bad a year. I mean, from the outside, looking into you guys, as maybe we thought it was going to be for your team. You're still only a couple games under the 500 mark. Yeah, I think things have gone better than many predicted. It would that really good month of May has kind of helped them along.

Starting point is 00:16:43 They haven't been nearly as good in the. second half. But there's also been some injuries, you know, some of the guy, the veteran guys that were around like, you know, Nolan Aronado, although not having a great year offensively, it's still him. It's still Nolan Aronado and it's still him down at the hot corner playing and it's his vibes in the dugout. Brydonovan, the lone all-star from the team, you know, he's dealt with some injuries should be back this weekend against Milwaukee, though. So they had those issues. Wilson Contreras has been beat up again this year. He's been plunked a hundred times. It's been crazy. just came off that suspension.

Starting point is 00:17:15 Alec Berlinson was down for a little bit. So they've had some reasons why. And I don't want to say excuses. But overall, I just think it's just they need more talent. And this was a year that they were going to let a lot of these younger guys play more. And despite the injuries hurting them in the standings, it's actually opened up the door for some of these guys like a Nolan Gorman and a Thomas and J.C. And some guys that they're hoping will be big parts of their future to, you know,

Starting point is 00:17:39 see more action on the diamond. Pitching wise, it's been a, it's been an issue. You mentioned tonight's matchup, Quinn Priester, 12 and 2 this year against Andre Palante at 6 and 13. He has regressed in a big way from what he did in the second half of last year. It's been an issue, although he pitched well in his last doubting. So maybe, you know, he's figured something out and I can take that into tonight's matchup. But Quinn Priester, one of those guys that nobody predicted would be a big part of anybody's team this year. And here he is at 12 and 2 for the Brewers. What's been the big reason for the turnaround for Quinn.

Starting point is 00:18:13 They got him on the night of the national championship game in college basketball. And they got him, they gave a big hall for him to Boston, which I was surprised at. And he was down there in the farm system. He's come up here. He's, it is, it is first year with the Brewers. He has set a franchise record. He's won 11 straight games in a row. Even the games that he doesn't get a decision, the Brewers seem to win.

Starting point is 00:18:38 So he's got that going. They just win with him on the mound. And he's been great. Now, he hasn't pitched in a week. The Brewers, not only with the day off, but they also gave their starters an extra day off by calling up Chad Patrick to pitch on Tuesday night. So they got that going for them. We'll see how pre-starred with that much rest, how he is tonight on the mound.

Starting point is 00:18:59 But he's been great. He's been absolutely great in making a case to start of the postseason game. Yeah. And he was actually a prospect that came up with the pirates. And, you know, that's just another one that looks like mine. gotten away from Pittsburgh, which has got to be driving them nuts. Saturday, it's a veteran match up between Sunny Gray and Brandon Woodruff. Sunny has been the Cardle's best pitcher. His issues really have been the long ball. If he can keep the ball in the ballpark,

Starting point is 00:19:25 he normally wins. If he doesn't, that's when problems start happening. And we know how well the ball flies in Milwaukee. Woodruff bouncing back from injury. How have you felt about his response to coming back from, you know, an injury that knocked him out for, almost two years. Oh, he's been great. Pitch shut out baseball to six innings his last time out last Saturday in Pittsburgh. If he starts, a couple of them before that, but I thought he really got back on track against the Pirates this past weekend. So far, better than expected for a guy who's, you know, coming off shoulder surgery has been excellent, I think, for the Brewers. Can make a case that he could be the

Starting point is 00:20:03 number one starter. I think he's got a for sure start a postseason game. Another guy tonight coming off a week's rest like we talked about with Priester. So I've been been feeling good about him, really good. I love what he's a competitor. And I'm looking forward to that matchup on Wednesday night against our Saturday night with Sunny Gray on the mound for you guys. Yeah, I know a lot of teams around the league, including the Cardinals, where when Woodruff was supposed to become a free agent, despite the injury,

Starting point is 00:20:34 everybody was like, ooh, this could be a guy. And he was like, no, I'm not going anywhere. So excellent. Yeah. Excellent exciting and putting faith in one of your guys for Milwaukee, and it's paying off for them. And then on Sunday, Miles Michaels against the Miz, Jacob Miz Rowsky, a lot of controversy earlier this year about whether or not the Ms.

Starting point is 00:20:51 should have been in the All-Star game or not. People got all bent out of shape about it. I'm like, dude, it's the All-Star. Who cares? It's a chance to put some of the young stars on a platform. Who cares? Let them have it. It's fine.

Starting point is 00:21:03 But things have gone not as good for the Miz. You know, we dealt with a little bit of injury there as well. How's he been looking recently? Well, his last start, too, in Pittsburgh last Sunday. Fantastic. Walked the first two guys of the game, bounced back, long the start of the year, seven innings, threw over 100 innings. They really stretched him out in that game.

Starting point is 00:21:24 So another guy who, he was so good when he first came up here and drew all that attention late June, mid-June, and then into the July, and into the All-Star, and they had a couple of shaky stars. Made his first start against the Cardinals in. blew right through him. That's right. Now, you know, it's a learning curve still for him. So the problem is sometimes he gets into issues walking guys and high pitch counts and all that. So another guy, I'm looking forward to seeing how he does on Sunday after a terrific start last time out. Yeah. As far as these matchups goes, best bet for the Cardinals to win a game might be, I would say,

Starting point is 00:22:01 Saturday with Gray against Woodruff because you just never know what you're going to get out of Palante and Michaelis. And there's always that chance. that they're just going to get murdered on the mound that things are not going to go well. So my goodness is bitch much better. So obviously we'll see how things play out. MLB playoff picture. I want to ask you about this next, Chuck. You know,

Starting point is 00:22:21 see if there's anybody that you might be worried about in the National League on the Brewer's side of things. As we get closer and closer to October, we'll talk about those coming up next on this lockdown crossover. The NFL season is here. And Fandole is making sure you're ready for kickoff with the cabinet. offer right now new customers can bet just $5. And if your bet wins, you'll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. I love using Fandall because it fits, however, you want to bet.

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Starting point is 00:23:42 by using fandle.com to get started. That's fandul.com to place your first $5 back. Thanks again for making Locked on Cardinals and Locked on Brewers. Your first listen every day for your second list and check out. Locked on MLB game night. It's every game every night until a World Series champion is crown. Get local analysis. But on a national scale, you can find MLB game night on Locked on MLB on YouTube

Starting point is 00:24:06 or wherever you listen to your podcast. All right, Brewers are trying to hang on to that number one seed. Chuck was kind enough to say, Cardinals aren't out of this plural picture yet. Well, okay. But the Brewers we know are in. Brewers we know are in. They're trying to hang on to the top spot.

Starting point is 00:24:23 Phillies, despite losing Zach Wheeler. And having Trey Turner out right now just humbled the Mets, took care of business there, which is helping some of the other teams in the National League wildcard chase, namely the Giants and the Reds. But right now, you've got the Brewers in the top spot. Then it's the Phillies, Dodgers, Cubs, Padres, and Mets.

Starting point is 00:24:45 First question for you, Chuck. Do the Mets make it? And if not, who do you think sneaks into that final wildcard spot? The Mets, man, beginning of the season, if you would have told me, I would have said the Mets are shooing because they were great.

Starting point is 00:24:59 They were like 20 games over. I don't know what. I saw the Mets here. I don't know. They have all this talent. I don't know what the problem is. I mean, even like yesterday, it jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the fields.

Starting point is 00:25:10 I don't know what their issue is, but they have no interest. There's just a lack of interest out there with them. The team that I would worry about, and I don't think the Brewers have to take a backseat to anybody. The Phillies are coming on strong right now, as you mentioned, nobody's swept the Mets,

Starting point is 00:25:26 and they're two and a half behind Milwaukee. I really think it's so important for the brewers to get a top seed. They've had this top seed for most of the summer. They've got to hold on to it, and they've got to stave off the Phillies. So I'm scoreboard watching these days, but not about the Cubs, because I think the Brewers are still going to,

Starting point is 00:25:43 even though they're only five and a half, only five and a half ahead of the Cubs. I'm worried about the way the Phillies are coming on strong right now. Yeah. If the Mets don't make it in, who do you like, Giants or Reds? Wouldn't that be something? Three more teams from the Central.

Starting point is 00:26:00 Oh, I'd love to see the Reds in there. I think the Reds, they, I think they play with some fight. I know that, you know, there's been times that they've struggled, and I've liked the Reds the last couple of years. In fact, I even picked the win the division last year. I'd love to see a team from our division to get in. And to our guys from Locked out Reds. I love to see those guys have their season extended for a little bit as well.

Starting point is 00:26:24 But yeah, I think the, you know, St. Louis, I'm sorry, San Francisco turned its season around, so to speak, here in Milwaukee. They won an extra. Out of nowhere, too. All of a sudden, you're like, where are the Giants are here? What is going on? Well, that's the thing. The Giants won a game here on a Sunday afternoon. They were down to their final out. And a two-run single up the middle gave them the win over Milwaukee.

Starting point is 00:26:48 And they've been on fire ever since. They cooled off a little bit here the last couple of days. But, man, yeah. Well, that's why when I say, you know, you guys are still in it, you could come here and play well. And who knows what's going to happen here in the final couple of weeks of the season? I know you got a lot of teams you're going to leapfrog. But I don't think you're out of it just yet based on the crew.

Starting point is 00:27:09 craziness, what we've seen in September. Yeah, I just, my thing with the Cardinals and why I feel like it's a bit of a lost cause, it's not because they're not trying and it's not because they're a terrible team or anything. I just don't trust the starting pitching, you know, like when you get the series that we're going into right now, Sunny Gray, you're like, okay, we'll probably get a decent start out of him. But again, the question marks over Palante and Michael is. And when every third day, there's somebody like that that is throwing for you where it could just go haywire and it could just destroy your bullpen because that guy can't get through three

Starting point is 00:27:43 innings. It's just, it's tough to trust, which is where I'm at right now with the Cardinals. But I am enjoying the fact that, you know, like I said, that Seattle series, I had a great time. They got swept and I had a great time watching them play ball and compete with one of the best teams. And I hope we get the same fight and the same type of intensity out of them in Milwaukee this weekend when they face the Brewers. If they get swept again, I'm not so much concerned about wins and losses right now. I just want to see progress out of what the Cardinals are doing. Second question for you, American League side of things. I know this is a National League Crossover, but American League side of things. Who are you like over there in the AL?

Starting point is 00:28:25 I do like Seattle. You know, you talked about them earlier. I do like the Mariners. I saw them in their series with your team and I saw them play last night against the Angels. And a lot of them this here. Randy O'Rosarina, man. He has just got the clutch gene in him. Who would trade that guy? I mean, I would love him here, man. That guy is just so clutch. And Cal Raleigh, of course, you know, what he's done this year, playing on an MVP caliber. But I think the Mariners, man, are just, they do a lot of things right as well. You mentioned how well they play defense, too. Seattle has my pick to come out of the American League, although the game.

Starting point is 00:29:05 He's no plane much better again. They blew out Detroit last night. Maybe the Tigers, but I like Seattle. Who do you like? I mean, after coming from Seattle, it's hard not to be impressed with what they've got. And I'll tell you what, it's because their lineup one through six is disgusting.

Starting point is 00:29:22 Like 7, 8, 9, you know, you could probably get through those guys and not have too much concern. But one through six is just nuts. And even Polanco, like maybe it's one through. It's a deep team when it comes to their lineup. And then you've also got obviously very good starting pitching out of those guys. Some of them haven't quite gotten to the level that we thought they were going to be at this year. But they're bullpen with Munoz and Matt Brash.

Starting point is 00:29:48 Like, holy cow, I don't even know how people hit that, dude. It's insane. So it's going to be tough. It's going to be tough to take them down in a series, which brings me to my final question for you. Brewers, they get in the playoffs, which we're pretty sure that's going to happen. Who do you think are going to be your top three pitchers? come that first series in the postseason. I think Freddie Peralta, without question, is the number one starter on this team.

Starting point is 00:30:13 It's been getting in high pitch counts. You won't see him this series, but he's been pretty good. I struggled the other day, though. 16 wins. Sign young Canada. I'd say Woodruff in game two. And if you're telling me right now, game three, I'm going with Quinn Priester. I'm going with Quinn Priester, and those are to be my top three guys as of right now.

Starting point is 00:30:33 I think a priest has earned himself as of the moment the number three spot in the postseason. It makes sense. All they do is win when he when he's on the mound. So that's the whole idea of this thing. All right. Well, we're looking forward to a fun series in Milwaukee. Once again, thank you guys for making lockdown Cardinals and Lockdown Brewers your first list in every day.

Starting point is 00:30:53 If you haven't already, please give us both a follow on X, like, subscribe on YouTube and help our channels grow. Because without you, there is no us. And Chuck, best of luck in this series, dude. I'll be texting with you. And just remember, I'm a Packers fan too. I know you're nice.

Starting point is 00:31:11 If things don't go well, be nice. Don't get too cocky. As I've always said, yeah, even though our two teams don't like each other and a fan bases don't, you and I can still be friends. That's right. We'll remain that way. Thank you guys for being a part of this locked on crossover, part of the Locked-on podcast network, your team every day.

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