OverDrive - Hosmer on the future of umpires, watching Skenes vs Judge tonight, and his own All-Star memories

Episode Date: July 16, 2025

Eric Hosmer, host of "Diggin' Deep Show" on the future of umpires, watching Paul Skenes vs Aaron Judge tonight, and his own All-Star memories

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16 World Series winner long-time ML beer and a host of digging deep joining us here on the maple turtle hotline Here's Eric Hosmer back in overdrive. How you doing Eric? Doing great fellas hazy's in a good spot. I came just in time. Yes. I love it man. It's great to see you man So what do you what do you like? How would you react to where this is going like if you were still playing like an automated strike zone? Are you a proponent of that? Are you cool with that idea? Where do you stand on the kind of human element of sports and umpiring in particular? Yeah, you know, it's tough because in 2014, I remember Dayton Moore, he was the Kansas

City Royals general manager and he was the only general manager that voted against replay and because of that, he said that human interaction is going to take so much excitement out of the game and it really has I mean every Call now safe route. It's like bang bang Oh, they're gonna replay it so it really takes a lot of that excitement out The balls and strikes is tough man because you look at some of these games and you would hate For a game to be decided by just a terrible strike three call But then at the same time I would always say I sacrifice a helmet when times are bad

I would have to sacrifice a robot in that time. I would smash in that machine if it got me. I'd love to see that man. A robot with a bad call. You just turn and absolutely slug that thing. That would be great TV. I will say that. Like from an entertainment perspective, it would be great.

But I also like I'm curious, you know, like hitters, you're going to look at it through that lens, you know, like a bad strike call What have you heard from pitchers throughout the game in terms of how they feel about it? I Know guys were back and forth on it because at the my take on it is it's if they do end up going to it Which you know, I'm iffy on it. I don't know if I love it I think it's gonna take a two to three year adjustment for them to get it right because think of the curve ball a lot Of pictures are talking about the curve ball They can bounce a curve ball in the dirt and clip the bottom of the zone

So if they find a hack in the system like that and they throw a pitch that you just physically can't hit or do anything I mean that's gonna be terrible if games are deciding their outcomes are decided like that Yeah, you know that's coming someone's hacking the system too, man And that that's gonna be so frustrating because they're gonna work the angles and someone's gonna figure that out that's a very good point and like even the idea of the like the challenge being almost so predictable right Eric like you just know it like there's a play at first play at the plate whatever it is you're like what's the point of getting up and clapping or getting up and booing or whatever I know that this going to be delayed another four or five minutes because it's inevitable.

Like they have the option to do it. It's the worst. There's nothing worse than a big play happen and you just see the manager. He's telling the umpire, like, hold on, hold on one second. Let me check. And then he just goes like this, like, we're not checking. It takes all the excitement out of the game. And especially in the postseason, I mean, we mean we need as much excitement as we can get,

especially with baseball, they've shortened the game now, so let's not take any more excitement out of it. Big time. Go ahead Strutt. Yeah, you know Haslund, you look at the whole situation, like a guy like Greg Maddox, you'd know more than I, but it felt like when he would pitch, he would find a way to extend that strike zone

by the way he'd pitch, and then it was a strike, then move it over a quarter inch and it was still a strike and still a strike. So I'm guessing batters would be happy with that being out of there. But isn't that part of the art to the game? You know, trying to work that strike zone to get it created bigger or shrink it, I guess, if you're a batter. Yes. But and you're going to get you're going to get me sounding real old school. I'm going to give you one of those back when I played or back in the beginning of my career.

You know the umpires had a zone, right? And then this guy is usually a little bit leaning on the inner half and outside, he doesn't call it, vice versa, whatever it is, the rookie veteran thing, all that. The umpires have then been engaged on this system that they get about an inch or two off the plate and it's changed everything.

Like if the catcher was setting up outside and the pitcher misses his spot inside, they would never call that a strike. Now, I think the way the umpires are getting rated, it's getting to them mentally, and they're calling strikes and stuff that they would never have called in the beginning of my career.

So I think that's just thrown off the little unspoken rules that kind of, you guys I'm sure had that in hockey, they're gonna call certain things, certain things they're gonna let go and that stuff with baseball has gone completely out of the window so I think it's just confused everybody is what it's done well and also like the art of framing a pitch like when I was a kid playing if I'd catch that was like the one thing like the dad would say you got to learn to frame a pitch now the robots not gonna be

yeah the robots like dude you think you're fooling me like I know you're trying to frame that pitch but like I think instinctively like guys are still going to do it. Like Kirk just naturally everyone's still going to naturally do it I think. But yeah I mean that's that's that's I guess what's at stake like there's been so much change right Eric? I mean we consider what Manfred and company have done over the last three or four years it's kind of wild that we got a pitch clock. It's just crazy, man. Yeah. The catching position, they're not going to value defense like they did.

That's just going to be a slug position because, like you said, you don't need to steal that strike. You really, there's no incentive for that stuff. Absolutely. We're there, Cosmers. So we've got the All-Star game tonight. I've been saying all throughout the afternoon, for me, it's Skeens versus Judge, like Scoobel versus Otani. Like that's the buildup for me. How do you, like what are you

looking forward to tonight? Is there an individual matchup? Is there anything in particular with the All-Star game that you're really looking forward to see them play out? Yeah, I'm really looking forward to that Skeens-Judge matchup. I know Skeens got him last year in the All-Star game and Judge is one of those like just, he's a competitor. Everybody can can see it but I think deep down he takes those little battles to heart and I think he took that back to his room last year in the All-Star game. So I think he marked this one on the calendar he knew he's going to be at the top of the lineup good chance Skeens is going to be starting for the other side so that's the matchup I'm waiting to see. I think with baseball man the home run

derby is the big deal during the All-Star break and I I hate to say this being a baseball guy, but after the second or third inning, the All-Star game kind of loses a little steam. But those innings, those matchups in the first couple innings is what everyone's turning in to see. Absolutely. And like the idea that, you know, we all know it's not a real game. Like there used to be something on the line like home field and the World Series or whatever.

And obviously if you're a player on a good team, may have been meaningful but I'm curious like in your experience with the All-Star game and you know just discussing with other guys who have been there throughout their careers like how how much kind of time and energy and importance do you place in your individual at bat let's say you get two at bats like how would you compare your all-star at bat with the regular season at bat? Man, you can't really compare it. It's just the all-star game, you're having a good time.

I wouldn't be lying to you, Hazy. You might even have a pregame cocktail or something like that. You're just enjoying your couple days off and that's what it is. It's more of you really wanna get a hit just to say you got a hit in the all-star game and then other than that you're having a great time you're there just uh... enjoying the whole experience i would say but uh...

for them to put anything on the line i'm glad that they took the home field advantage out because my first all-star game and i'll never forget my only all-star game i had a chance to win the mvp so i had to stick around but i was so surprised because the fourth or fifth inning all all the starters were on PJ's private planes out of there. And I'm like, man, where's everybody at? I don't understand what's happening. No way. So everyone, once they're done like tonight, judge,

let's say he's got to two times through the rotation or whatever. He's going to get to a bounce by the fifth inning that guy's on his way to New York or whatever. Like what what what happens with these players? And do they have to say goodbye? Like, are they going through the dugout and shaking hands and letting the manager know? Or is it basically everyone understands the routine? Yeah everybody kind of understands the routine and it might be

different now because they have that extra day but back when it was only two days everybody it was kind of spring training rules you know spring training the starters after the fifth inning they come out you usually you usually get your work in, you get some extra work on the side fields and then you're free to go. And I think the all-star game, it's kind of everybody understands, you know, after this game is over, you only have that 24 hours plus. So get home tonight, do what you got to do and enjoy that full off day and then get ready to go for the second half.

Eric, was there anyone you got to meet at the all-star game where you were like, Oh my God, like starststruck or is it just all competitors Yeah, no big poppy man. That was my it was his last year we were in San Diego and we sent him off and man, he gave a whole speech in front of the team and it was so funny man because he He basically stood up and told everybody hey man Listen you guys you guys are the 1% of the 1% man

Like when you go back to your organizations your your clubhouses, those guys are going to be watching you, man. They're going to be watching your every move. They're going to be watching how you work. So understand that and do that. And Robinson Cano stood up, Eduardo Nunes, he was with Minnesota Twins, and this guy's, they're hilarious, man. And Cano stands up and says, Poppy, so you're telling me when Nunes goes back to Minnesota, these guys are going to be watching him like they're watching you? No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Everybody just lost it, man. It started laughing. So it was a great memory. I love it, man. With Eric Cosmer. So who do you, like Pop, big Poppy at that point, because it was the Sox too and Boston and what do you represent and what do you have done?

Like, who do you think that is in the game today? Is Judge at that level? Can he be considering his one on World Series yet? Who's the guy that would be at the top? Yeah, right now at the top it's gotta be Ohtani just because he won, right? He's MVP three times. I mean, that's a select few group of guys that have won that three times. He's pitching, he's really changed the game.

He's got baseball surging again to where it should be. But as soon as Judge, if he does win that championship championship you have to throw him right up there with Otani I understand he's not pitching but when you're talking about offense and dominance just pure dominance of the game I mean Aaron judge the numbers he's putting up now the average this year He got the 350 home runs so fast and he got a little started He got started later on in his career a little older than the normal guy, but what he's doing is nothing short of incredible.

Yeah, it's pretty amazing, man. Like we were talking about it yesterday, Cal Raleigh's had just an all-world incredible season, and yet Judge is right behind him in everything. And I think by the end of the year, he's gonna hit more home runs. He's batting like 360. Yeah, exactly. Like at one point, we were talking 400 chase like a month and a half ago and he cooled off for like a week and

A half and that came to an end But it's it is incredible how judge like when he got to 62 home runs I thought that's that's kind of him at his peak But I think he's probably better today than he was two or three years ago He really was man. He's got a unique style. He's style of mechanics has really changed the game. Like everyone's always about hands and all that. And he's just straight firing from the back hip. And the one knock was all, well, you can't get to the high

fastball, they're just going to keep throwing high fastballs. You can't get to it. And he made that adjustment. It seemed like one off season and he just got himself right back up to the top of the game. But the big dumper man, Cal Raleigh, I'm worried about him fellas. And I hate to be this guy. I hate to be this guy to say this, but when the curve, I mean, he took so many

swings last night in that home run Derby. And then on top of the fellas, he's a catcher, his legs. I mean, he, if he can maintain this offensive pace that he's on good for him, man. And I'm already impressed. What he's done is unbelievable, but it is so hard for that he's on. Good for him, man. And I'm already impressed. What he's done is unbelievable, but it is so hard for what he's doing and him to continue to catch the rest of the season and maintain those offensive numbers, man.

So I just hope they factor that in, that he's a catcher when this MVP race happens, because to expect him to stay at that offensive level is not realistic. Yeah, it's such a grind, man, to be behind the plate. And obviously when he's not, he's de-aging because he's playing so well and his bat is so hot. He's just not getting any time off.

And that is going to be a significant grind. With Eric Hosmer, in terms of numbers and how quickly you reach them, Fladey Guerrero Jr. he had his 1,000th hit over the weekend, I believe it was. He's only 26. And he said it meant a lot to him. And he wants to pass his dad at some point. I mean, that's probably gonna be the significant one,

is Vladdy Senior for him. But he said he's got visions of 3000. There's not a lot of guys who get to 3000 hits, but he's only 26. Do you think that's reasonable? Like you just signed a long-term deal. If he plays another 13, 14 years, do you think Vladimir, is it even possible to dream that big that he could get to 3000?

Yeah, I think so. And I think the main thing is just going to be health and just keeping him on the field. And obviously, you know, not to take anything away from Vladimir, defensively, he's eventually going to go into that DH role and maybe it ends up being like the next big poppy. This guy's 42 years old, having the best season of his career, whatever it is.

But the thing with Vladie Jr., man, guys like him, he is just a pure hitter. I don't think, I think the new stats now, the OPS and the stuff that they measure, doesn't do Vladie Jr. justice, because Vladie Jr. is a pure hitter. Him, Manny Machado, those are guys that I think of that realistically, Freddy Freeman,

have that chance to get 3,000 hits. And when you think of all of those guys, they're pure hitters, man. There's no holes, they're tough at bats. That big playoff situation when there's a guy on third base and less than two outs, you can almost count on Vladdy Jr. getting contact and getting that run in. And some of these are 850 to 900 OPS guys. I don't know if you can say the same.

Yeah, it's interesting where the game's at. Like there's, there's so much focus on power naturally. And there's always been an infatuation with that. Like our whole lives, there's been clearly focused on, you know, hitting certain numbers forever. It was 714. That's what Ruth had and then obviously Hank Aaron and then you got Barry Bonds and now you got these power hitters who were doing just crazy crazy things, Judge in particular, but I'm curious like as a baseball player yourself what what number was more like relevant for you or what did you put more stock into like the guy with it was chasing like a batting title the guy that was chasing the most home runs, like power hits production.

Like what what did you what did you take more pride in? I guess hitting home runs or maybe going three for four in a game. Yeah, I was a guy that was a doubles hitter, man. I was trying to find the gap and those would lead to homers. But my main thing being in the middle of the lineup was trying to drive in runs and RBI situations and the stuff that would make me lose sleep at night, man, I could be three for four,

and there's a guy on third base with less than two outs, and I don't cash in and drive that run in. That would eat me alive, man. And I just felt like those were the opportunities, those were the times to cash in, and that's the time where my team needed me the most. And I felt like 100 RBIs was, if you were consistent, you were consistent when you had the opportunities

with guys on base because the guys in front of me were having great seasons, Lorenzo Cain, Escobar, the Mike Mustakis, Alex Gordon, those guys. So I always felt that I was gonna get the opportunities and if I had 100, that that would make sure like I was doing it. Absolutely.

Well, we got the All-Star Game tonight, the Derby last night, you mentioned it. I mean, that's generally, that's the event. I don't love the way it's currently set up. Like it's kind of more difficult to follow, I find. Are you going to stick with me and be old school and curmudgeon and we're yelling at the clouds? Like you want to go back to the way it was 20 years ago

or where do you stand with a Derby? Yeah, I do. Somebody had a great idea first and foremost of making the Home Run Derby on 4th of July, and I think that's a phenomenal idea. That can be first and foremost. But the thing is, everyone says it. You want to see the ball, you want to see 500 foot homers and stop and watch every ball. You don't want this time and you don't want guys rushing in and out. And the format of it, again, you look at Cal Raleigh, man, the the big dumper, this guy is gonna be exhausted

for tonight, the second half, and you don't wanna put the guys at risk like that. And it's baseball as far as all-star games, the Four Nations, what you guys just did for hockey, that was unbelievable. I feel like baseball, this is our opportunity, the Home Run Derby is to get baseball where it needs to be and just to have that day, especially Fourth of July, whatever it is. So the Home Run Derby is to get baseball where it needs to be and just to have that day, especially 4th of July, whatever it is.

So the Home Run Derby, we got to get right, man. And we want to see guys hit them as far as they can and no clock, 10 pitches, whatever it is. So I think there's a good amount of stuff that they should change. I agree, man. And like ideally, you got the big boys in it. Like do you think they would have even wasted their time asking Judge and Otani? Do you think they like, or would it have just been a you think they would have even wasted their time asking Judge and Otani?

Do you think they like or would it have just been a formality they have to ask and they know they're going to say no? Yeah, you kind of know they're going to say no at this point because they value and they understand how training and taxing that is. So they value their season like Judge, he'll never do a home run derby until he wins the World Series because he's going to value the second half run and the playoff run to try and be there for the Yankees. And how can you blame him? That's when he's getting paid to do is win World Championships. So they're just going to have to sweeten the deal somehow, some way and change the format.

Like imagine if you told Aaron Judge, you're going to hook up one of his best friends with a house or something like that. I'm sure those guys would be willing to do that. So they have to figure out some kind of sweet deal for those guys. I like that idea for sure. His friends like that idea a lot. There's no question. He is long time MLB or world series champ, all star Eric Hosmer. You can catch the dig in deep show as well. Always great catching up with the Eric. We appreciate you doing this man. Enjoy the game tonight. Appreciate your fellas. fellows let's go man hopefully baseball doesn't disappoint

absolutely we're looking forward to it there is eric osmer joining us back on overdrive uh... here on the maple to the hotline drive the built in canada fuel-efficient funded drive toyota rav for gas or hybrid models available visit maple toyota dot com he's awesome to catch up with and He's awesome to catch up with. New interviews and newly unearthed archive footage make for a fascinating weekly deep dive. Stream Encore, the stories behind the songs you love on iHeart Radio or wherever you get your podcasts.