OverDrive - OverDrive - January 30, 2025 - Hour 2

Episode Date: January 30, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jason Strudwick for Hour 2 on OverDrive! NHL on TNT Analyst Eddie Olczyk joins to discuss Sidney Crosby's prime leadership for the Penguins, being named the captain at the 4 Nations Face-Off and Alex Ovechkin's goal chase with the Capitals. MLB.com Blue Jays Reporter Keegan Matheson joins to discuss the Blue Jays landing Max Scherzer, his role in the starting rotation in Toronto and the team's outlook leading up to start of the season.

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Sounds like everyone down in Utah is listening to the show. We're listening to strut or dud because This literally just broke five minutes ago Utah has taken out the wasatch option For a name and they've replaced it with outlaws So now it's either Utah hockey club, Utah mammoth or Utah outlaws. Yeah, but when if I was utah mammoth for utah outlaws but when if i was uh... about the stars got world but if i was sitting down what's market uh...

shot i was sitting down with the market people give me a second yeah let him breathe you can't drop that on people Do I act like I'm the smartest guy in the world? You got it you got go I Would sit down with the marketing people and be like did you really think that that was gonna fly like it was gonna be in contention Like people get paid to be smart on their feet like that. What are you doing putting that in there?

I know. Especially when you're a new franchise, you can't have that as an option. Wasatch. Wasatch. Wasatch. And it's a local term, I guess. And Mike, I wouldn't be surprised if the NHL said this.

It's tough for people to get and follow. And if it's in there, what if it gets voted on? You can't say, hey, everyone gets to vote, democracy, and then what if that's the name, then what are you going to do? But the owner's a smart dude. He knew Wasatch is not going to make it. I know, but they're trying to cater to their market, but at the same time, you have to

consider people around the league and around the world that are like, okay, we're marketing your team. You're in town. Who's playing tonight? The Utah Wasatch? Okay, let's change that. How stupid does that sound? It doesn't roll off your tongue, clearly.

I think that's why they heard Strutter Dunn, so we've got to change it up. Because let's be honest, Outlaws, that's the name of Division 7 men's league team in Sudbury. The logo is a gun leaning against a dart or maybe a beer in there. That doesn't have a chance either. Let's just call it what it is. It's mammoth. Just say we decided. They're forcing them.

Go with mammoth. That's right. Go with mammoth. You're right. Outlaws have a big cowboy hat and a mustache. That'll piss somebody off, the outlaws. Well that'll bother people. Exactly. Someone will say, Well that'll bother people. Exactly.

Someone will say, well that's not right. You shouldn't be promoting outlaws as if we still live in the wild west. But it's got to be Mammoth. Last night it was Sid that actually scored the winner in OT against the Wasatches. And Sid's still been on fire and Pittsburgh, they're largely out of it, but he's still been on fire and you know Pittsburgh they're largely out of it but he's still playing with fire and he's the captain of the Canadian team and it was announced today the four captains for the four nations is Sidney Crosby for Canada, Austin Matthews for the US, Victor Hedman for

Sweden and Sasha Barkov for Finland. That all seems about right. I mean the question is with Matthews, because he hasn't had a chance to play in a tournament like this, he has no history in doing so and you know he hasn't won anything clearly but he's been the he's the best American, he's the face of the United States, I think face of American hockey. I could be wrong, I understand I'm in the bubble here up here in Toronto, I'm not an American But I think they just went with best player He's you know, he's got swag. He scores a million goals like it's kind of the American way They can't make him the captain and ultimately who cares about who the captains are. We're in Canada We like talking about this stuff. This is just to create some buzz for the upcoming tournament correct like yes are people really going home and saying man I can't

believe Matthew Kachuk is not the captain of the United States highly I doubt it and I think most people understand or should understand the Kachuk brothers are likely gonna have they're gonna have a louder voice than Austin Matthews right like Austin's pretty reserved Austin's not gonna be rah rah guarantee Chris cellios Jeremy Ronick type the the Ronick slash cellios of this era are the Kichuk brothers right like that's as close as you're gonna get They're they're gonna be talking they're gonna be probably making guarantees And they're the guys that this tournament need like you need someone to throw a massive hit and start a scrum and punch someone in The head to prove that it's real. If I'm taking bets on who I think is most likely to do that,

I would say it's probably Matthew and Brady Kachuk. I think in a weird way, Strud, if you're the tournament or if you're Gary Betman and the owners, you need the Kachuk brothers to be at the forefront of this tournament because if they're taking their foot off the gas That's not a good sign No, you need emotionally evolved in this tournament to get everybody else emotionally evolved quickly into this tournament Exactly. All right. Here is Formerly one of our favorites here you see him and hear him on the NHL on TNT joining us here the maple Toyota hotline

Here's Eddie Olchuk. Eddie, we're just discussing the captains, the four captains named for the four nations as a proud American yourself. What do you make of Austin Matthews being the captain for Team USA? Can't go wrong. Plenty of ops, obviously, on all four teams. But nice to be with you guys. Happy New Year. Haven't talked to you guys in a while. Hope everything is going well. And hard to believe we're, what, it's less than two weeks now, right?

We're gonna be getting this opportunity to see the, you know, I'm calling it the appetizer for the Olympics, you know, from almost a year and a month from now, so it should be great. But look, Austin Matthews will do an amazing job and he has obviously a boatload of help inside that locker room just like the other teams do. You probably legitimately have 15, 16 leaders and captains and alternate captains inside each room. So I don't think you could go wrong, but great choice and certainly wish Team USA well in

the foreign nations face off. Edzo, what's your kind of assumption on what the caliber of like the intensity? I've heard wavering things like It's just going to be some kind of weird extension of the all-star game And I'm not sure guys are going to be into it And then you hear some of the American guys like the Kachaks they're going to be going yes and crushing guys Yeah, what do you think it's going to be like? Oh? I think once they're in it old dog. I think it's going to be for keeps

I mean, I sure hope so. Me too. You know, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we,

we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we, we're getting the last few games with Boston in the preliminary round. So we have a double header that day. And I think it's the 17th of February, but, um, you know, sure hope both those games mean something, you know, because there could be a possibility where you get to a game, you know, obviously at the end of the, you know, the round Robin or whatever we're calling it, the preliminary round is where you could, I mean, it could happen that the last couple of games don't mean anything, you know, and I've obviously, you know, for us selfishly

or I mean, just for hockey fans in general, I mean, that would be, you know, that wouldn't be the greatest thing. But look, I think it's going to be a competitive tournament. I mean, you know, highly unlikely that both games aren't going to mean something, but that is a distinct possibility. But look, I would hope that these guys would look at this as a, as an opportunity to set up what's going to happen in 13 months from now and set themselves up and, you know, for the Olympics. But it's an opportunity here to get away from the regular season for a while and go play with the best players in the world and represent your country.

Any of the guys I've talked to from any of the four countries, they all theme and are saying the right things. So I'm anticipating a plums to the wall type of feeling for these games. And, you know, if you get a game where it doesn't mean anything, okay, yeah, maybe we do have an exhibition, you know, maybe, maybe it does. But I would say when there's money on the line and there's a chance to get to the championship to me, I think that these guys want to win and I don't think anybody wants to embarrass themselves and I think it's going to be all out. So I could just speak from experience again. It's a different time. I

know it's in the middle of the season, but having gotten the chance to play in the 84, 87 and 91 Canada Cups, you know, going into a season, I mean, that was as high intense and, I mean that was as high intense and you know, it was just another level. I mean it really was and all these different times and different type of tournament but it's, I think there's something to it when you're going up against the very best. I played in the Olympics in 1984 for Team USA as an amateur, so even though every other country was so-called professional, we have the best players in the world playing in the Olympics now again. I think that as a player, I think you go out there and you give it all and whatever happens, happens. But I just got a feeling that it's going to be some entertaining hockey and hopefully

everybody will be able to enjoy it and then get back to the national hockey. John, Betty, old Chuck, Eddie, much like yourself, I have some international experience. I dominated the Spangler Cup. Sounds like you played in a few more tournaments than I did. So chemistry, how do you get the chemistry quickly for any of the teams to be ready? Because it could be over before you even know it. Yeah, that's a tough one, Strati. That is going to be the, you know, the difficult part for everybody.

You just better hope that your goaltender or goaltenders have the chemistry, because maybe they could weather the storm in a game or weather a couple of periods and allow you to get a goal on a power play or whatever, you know, like, yeah, it's fair. It's a fair question. I don't think that there's, you know, I don yeah, it's fair. It's a fair question. I don't think that there's, you know, I don't think that there's an answer to it. Now, I would assume that these coaches, you know, would look at players and, you know, the teams that they come from or if there's been a relationship in prior, you know, the prior years with teams

or whatever is that you're going to go ahead and label guys up and let them play together like McCarr and Taves obviously for Canada. You can just go up and down and you can see where you can get that chemistry right away. But it is all a part of the process. And look, a lot of these guys, and that's what these tournaments are about, is lot of these guys and that's what these tournaments are about is all of these guys are usually on the first power play. You know, all these guys are usually going over the board's first kill penalties. Uh, you know, all these guys are usually out there at the end of the game. Well, that's not going to be the case. So I think accepting and executing your role, regardless of what it is. And there what it is and there's well documented

stories over the years in all these great tournaments that have happened from Canada Cups to back in 96 and the World Cup of Hockey and all that kind of stuff. You got guys that, hey, I hey I need to go out take a face off and then get the hell off the ice and get the big boys out there. That's that's what you got to do. So I think you could develop chemistry I think off the ice and hopefully it carries to on the ice and I think only time will tell but to me the most important part will be is it might take a little bit of time and there is no time so your goaltender or goaltenders might have to be the ones that you got to make sure

that they're ready to go and give yourself a chance to get your you know get your seed legs under your so to speak. Eddie you were calling the the Penns win last night and yeah you know Sid, Sid's always gonna be a guy that you know I think a lot of Canadian hockey fans are tracking just because of who he is. We referenced he's the captain and he's going to the Four Nations, but the fact of the matter is Pittsburgh's in a pretty tough place, second last in the East. You got to see him up close.

Brian, it's been like that. Exactly. It's been like this for a handful of years now, you know, I think it's, you know, it's obviously, I mean, it's sad because you look at Sid like last year, I thought he was, I thought he should have won the Selkie Trophy last year. I mean, I know Barkov had an unbelievable year, but I thought Sid had just as good as a year, maybe one of the best years he's had in a very, very long time when it comes to the 200 foot game.

So look, I didn't mean to interrupt you there, but I mean, this is like, I, like, I, I, sometimes I, when, when people say, you know, like they're really surprised that the Penguins are, are where they are or whatever. Well, I mean, unless you just kind of woke up and you just see what's going on and go, geez, well, yeah, how does this team, you know, but like, if this has been on the horizon here for, you know, a good, what, four years, five years, maybe, I mean, I think that that's fair. Now look at, he does have, Sid still has the

ability like he did last night, um, to keep you and drag you into the fight and give you a chance. But, you know, like, you know, last time I checked father and mother time are undefeated and you know, like, you know, last time I checked father and mother time are undefeated and you know, like he needs help. I mean, there's, there's no doubt about it. And they're, they're in must win situations, you know, each and every night now. And I'm talking to Mike Sullivan, you know, before the morning skate yesterday, I mean, you could just, you know, you can just tell like, he feels like they played

their best game of the season in LA a couple of games ago and then they go and lose to Anaheim in Seattle and then they're lost to San Jose. I didn't think they played all that great in San Jose, but not that that really matters. They think that they deserve better in some of these games but you know you know you've played 50 games now and you know you're a bubble team I mean you were bubble team last year you missed your bubble team this year and unless you go on a you know 8 of 10 or 15 of 20 here you know you're gonna be on the outside looking in so I mean yeah I mean it's I feel you know I feel for Sid but I mean look at we've seen this in a lot of different markets

where you have Hall of Fame players playing in their 16, 17, 18 season and having a difficult time getting their teams to where they were before. I mean, it's happened in Detroit, it happened in Chicago, it's happening in Pittsburgh now, so I mean it's just inevitable is that if the ownership and the franchises aren't ahead of it, this is what's going to end up happening. I mean look what's happened in Chicago here now. I mean you're going, you know, you're going on almost eight years now. Detroit, it's been a battle, right? I mean, since the days of Lichtrom and Datsuk and Zetterberg

and Holmstrom and Steve and all those guys. I mean, that's, so, you know, like that's, but I think a lot of hockey people saw this coming a couple of years ago is if they didn't turn the page or try to go in a different direction and they just kept coming back with it and now they're in the same spot that they were last year. How did he get out of it?

They're going to be a bubble team again next year, right? Oh, at best. At best. Don't know how they're going to get out of it. Look, watching him play is still amazing. best at best. Don't know how they're gonna get out of it and look, I mean watching him play is still amazing. I mean look, I was lucky enough to be there in Pittsburgh when he came, when he was a rookie in the National Hockey League and the mood was going a lot of punch on him and did not disappoint. I mean from the first day he stepped on the ice at practice, he just knew that this guy was breathing different air and this guy is going to go down without a doubt one

of the greatest players ever playing international hockey. Absolutely. With Eddie Olchuk and that's kind of where I was going was the teams not helping him but he still looks great and then you look at the other end of the spectrum in the east you got the Capitals running away with the conference and there's Ovi doing his thing and You know, I'm curious, you know, are you a believer in Washington and how big of an impact do you think Ovi can have? You know every other night in the playoffs Yeah, well Shreddy and O'Dock and I mean they can certainly relate is that you know what when you do have that

You know that rallying cry or that rallying point inside that locker room. I mean, this is as big as it could ever get, right? When you've got a chance to take down the greatest goal scorer in the history of the National Hockey League, there is something, I think, inside that locker room that is galvanizing that team and wanting to be a part of it and wanting to see Ovi to get it, now whether or not he gets it or not this year, I mean, who knows what's going to happen, right? He's going to have a couple of weeks off here and when he comes back, is he going to be able to be moving like he has been here recently? I mean, he's kind of slowed down here a little bit,

but the team is playing unbelievable and that's certainly an important part for them too. But I think Ovi's chase has a lot to do with how well that they're playing collectively. They are playing so well without the puck. They're defending very well. When you add experienced defensemen on the back end like they have over the course of the summer, it's such an important part. You got Chickron in there, you got Matt Roy in there. You know, they went a little bit younger last year and it didn't work. Jersey did that two years ago. They went younger. It didn't work. They had an injury to Hamilton. That really

hurt them. All of a sudden, Jersey goes out and gets, you know, gets Brendan Dillon and gets Brett Pesci. They get Hamilton back and all of a sudden the Devils, when they're going, they look like they're a team that should be competing for a conference final in the East. But for me, when I watch the Washington Capitals, they just look like they're very comfortable. They play, they check very well, they're not giving up a whole heck of a lot. And they can play any way you want.

You want to play a 7-6 game? They got guys that would love to do that, but they got guys on that team that, you know what, they're willing to go ahead and play a 2-1 game, or if you want to go ahead and drop the gloves and play a real physical game, they can do that too. So I think you're looking at the coach of the year right there with Spencer Carberry. He's done an amazing job and all the moves that have been made off the ice but long-winded yes I think that the Caps can the Caps can carry over what they're doing into the playoffs. Now we know the game is much different in the playoffs the rink gets a little bit

smaller but I think the chase for the grade eight is certainly a big reason why that this team has kind of just found that chemistry and is having an unbelievable season. And they don't look like they're slowing down really. I mean, they've had maybe a blip or two, but other than that, they've been pretty damn consistent and that's pretty damn impressive. Absolutely, it is. Always great catching up with the Eddie. Enjoy the Four nations face off and we'll do it again soon. Thank you for this Okay, guys, nice to be with you. Thanks for having me

There is Eddie old Chuck joining us here on the maple Toyota hotline count on maple Toyota for the right winter tire package for your Toyota trade in your old tires buy a new set and get $40 back Is it maple Toyota comm So we got some breaking news here while Eddie was on with us. Max Scherzer has signed with the Blue Jays. Max Scherzer is on his way to Toronto. We've got to figure why wouldn't I come back and play one more season and pitch every five days for 15 point five million That's an enormous amount of money

Listen, he's a legend of the game, but his arm is man, you know He this guy's the first ballot unanimous stud Hall of Famer like yes, it's it's him. It's Verlander It's Kershaw like those are the big three the last fifteen years but And they need help like they but it is a bit of a gamble Because you know is he gonna give you a 30 starts? I don't know I don't know if you're banking on that is he gonna give you a hundred and fifty innings I'm not sure you know what this signing is. This is hey, don't look over here it possibly

Do you think it's connected to Pete Alonso? There has been no it's just don't look what we haven't done Look at hey, we got Mack Scherzer, so don't look back. Don't look over there at what we haven't done Look at our shiny new toy. It's yeah, sure sir. Hey, listen the warrior Don't don't look at what's happened the past two months just look over here I'll be the first to admit this will get me hook line at, and snicker. I'm gonna go watch this guy pitch. That doesn't mean I'm gonna adjust how I feel. There you go. Case closed as you say, man.

Gotcha. Yeah, I mean listen, it is entertainment in the end and the guy, he's an all time great arm. Could it feel like Joe Thornton? It could. It could. Could it feel like Elijah Wan? It could. could it feel like

Frank Thomas, you know, there's been countless examples of guys at the end of their careers, you know attaching themselves to a team I am curious and I don't think we'll get an answer publicly around the record. Is it about the money? Is it about opportunity? Does he think he could you know? Can he win here? I don't he's gonna say that right like role play If you're playing the role of Max Scherzer here, he's going to say, yeah, I only came here because I want to win. Of course he's going to say that. Oh, dude. He's going to have the whole thing.

I feel 25. I've always loved Toronto. He'll have the whole full meal deal. Of course. Packed up great off season. Yeah. Of course he will. This is my concern.

In the best shape of my life comes spring training. Yeah, never felt better, but this is what I see is that how does this help the Jays moving forward? Right? So he's at the end of his career, maybe one, maybe two more years. Well, to study, they don't have anybody in their system that they can bring along. That's a problem, yeah. But so you're not really fixing anything.

You're just kind of putting a bandaid on on it hoping to get by some time and i guess that's what i said don't look over here this is a don't look over here signing yes focus on scherzer but don't look over there at the other facets over there reasonable uh... i'd reasonable they'd they wanted they try to get corbin burns he didn't take their deal he went to arizona this is

the other end of that spectrum, right? Burns is in his prime, he's a horse, he never gets hurt, and it was going to be a six or seven year deal, long term planning. This falls in line with a, they have one year to prove they can win or they're all probably out. You know, that's what this is about. Like if you're Ross Atkins and Mark Shapiro you have to win this year and now you're gonna have Gossman, Barrios and you know obviously you're gonna make Scherzer in here.

You're hoping Bowden Francis is a guy that pitches like he did from August onward and you're gonna have Chris Bassett. Like there's your five right Rodriguez probably goes to the bullpen. He becomes your sixth arm. You're gonna need him That's your rotation. It's not young It's not young Gossman had a down year for him Bassett had a down year and now you're bringing a 40 year old Scherzer Who was injured a lot? It's a it's a gamble. It's a gamble for sure But there is a marketing component to it as well and And it's, hey, we need something and someone,

and we gotta do something. Here's 15.5 million. That's a lot of money for a guy who, again, was injured a lot the last couple of years. But I guess you gotta pay to play if you want a big name like that, right? Like, Scherzer's not signing for a million bucks. Like, that's not gonna happen either.

Dude, he wouldn't have signed for nine. bucks as i did he was assigned for nine now now he he has so much money why city more thank you you keep he's gotta make sense they've i think or die you started out if he's not come here for free he's gonna be there's gonna be a good reason to come and play for and i just i just feels like this abandoned writers hold hold on this just hold on

for another year there's no real movement forward now. Those other guys do well and he can guide them, mentor them. Okay, maybe there's something there, but. Yeah. Listen, that's going to be a part of it too. The sales pitch will be when this guy shows up for pitchers and catchers, which is in like a couple of weeks, guys, it's coming up quick. If you're a young arm go watch this guy go

go stand you know like there's like a mentorship that's gonna come with I don't know if there's any value in that dude pay a coach not a I understand fifteen and a half million I'm trying to spin this as a glass half full you already you've already spun it the perfect way you just said I'm hook line and sinker I'm going to watch I want to I will go see him pitch at the Rogers Center I that is enticing to me it It has nothing to do with wins and losses. I understand that this isn't me suggesting Okay, now they're gonna win 93 games. It's like Kevin Costner in the movie when he was pitching It's just like the old veteran. You're just gonna go down there and watch that old crusty veteran on the mound

Yeah, and he just hear the mechanism He's snorts and snarls and he's, he's angry. Like that's him. Of all the pitchers in the past 20 years of watching baseball, can you think, I'm obviously there was Nolan Ryan, but can you think of an intensity of a guy on the mound more than Max Scherzer? Nobody. Yeah. Like he had like a hockey player mentality. Yes. He is like you go pull him out of the game. He's fighting you and he's pissed off

and if he doesn't get a call the umpire is gonna hear about it you know there's a there is a level of intensity that comes with him and he's a he's a first ballot Hall of Famer like the guy stats are off the charts yeah he's he's done it he's done everything in his career so there you go you know it. It's Santander and Jimenez playing second. Scherzer on the mound. Jeff Hoffman in the bullpen. Those are the moves so far and I'm sure they're still in on Pete Alonso because I believe Scherzer is a boarish guy.

But if they were in on Pete Alonso, wouldn't that have happened right now? It seems like Pete is just dragging this out and he's just going call colin at the last minute he's just gonna say can we just figure something out i can't feel the same way and i think they work yet he wants to stay with us there that yeah i was just like i don't know what he's he trying to sniff out an extra five or six million dollars i don't know how the mom was the amount is but it feels like he's going to capitulate at the last minute and just

say let me just get this done with the Mets Yeah, but very very very possible. I'm sure that's what he I don't think it takes a genius to figure that out That's what he wants to stay in New York, right? But the Mets gonna pay him I don't know like this Cohen feel he has to pay him. He had a bit of a down year last year Maybe they feel like they don't have to do that But yeah Scherzer man. He is He is a throwback. He is a Serious serious throwback like you look at the amount of games. He's pitched in the amount of games. He started

It's incredible. All right, we'll come back and Continue to touch on this again breaking news this hour Max Scherzer signing with the Jays 15.5 million on a one year deal. Overdrive continues. TAS on 10.50 and on TAS on 4. All right, so breaking news this hour, Max Scherzer is signing on with the Blue Jays one year 15.5 million. His agent is Scott Boros.

So now what this means is Boros us after i think using the jays basically the whole winter ticket you know a deal for that is good so i was gonna get a deal anyway but try to get a deal for a long so right all these different connections that forces are with the jays have been involved right out jays just missed jays were and jays were second jays with us you know the worst is going all circling the wagon?

Well now he got them to give him 15.5 million. Again, if Scherzer pitches anything close to his capability, then the money's irrelevant and it's a good signing. Like if he gives them 25 starts, I'll take it. 25 starts, Scherzer shows up, good signing, good job. He becomes kind of the face and voice of the rotation but haze but if you were the J's wouldn't you say to boros? Actually, we're tired of your routine You can go stuff it with Max Scherzer. We've been dicked around by this

Yeah, I mean so those stuff like I would tell that guy to jump in a lake so far wouldn't even be He's just got so much power they all Kiss the ring and that's what's gonna be frustrating is Boris is gonna be like love the Jays there there They mean business. They got great ownership that spend it's like oh really that's not every at the start of like winter meetings He always says the Jays are so cheap and they've got exactly He rips the jays at the start of winter meetings all the time he always did it was always his routine it stopped a little bit when they signed Ryu in Jin Ryu was his his

client he got him Jin you know he got him is 80 million for him to give his well before that he carved the J's used to destroy them yes to destroy them and then they paid Ryu and now they've paid Scherzer. Now Boris will claim that the Jays are the best and everyone loves the Blue Jays. How often do you get a Hall of Famer? I understand where he is. He's 40 years old. He's 40.

This is not ace stuff. He's won three Cy Youngs, but it's been a decade I think since his last one. You're not getting ace like stuff but could you see glimpses of it? I think that's possible and I think will a lot of people be buzzing that Scherzer's on the mound for the Jays? Come on down to the ballpark and see the great veteran and I don't know we'll see if Keegan agrees but the way I look at this signing it's look right here for a minute don't look at that over there don't look at the team over there just look at this we'll see look right here for a minute don't look at don't look at that over there don't

get a team over there just look at this will see what he has to say tires keegan matheson of mo p dot com keegan how do you see this signing from blue jay perspective mac sure is there one year fifteen point five million i think it makes a lot of sense guys miles to agree it's another thing we're talking about like everything's up on there that is uh... changing the direction of the conversation leading for a little bit around the blue jays they've had this money to spend

through the office and they've got a lot of cash and this for one year fifteen and a half million to take a shot on anyone why not mac scherzer and why not one of the great pictures of this generation now Now he's 40, he's turning 41 in July. You're not looking for a 2.7 ERA dominant Max Scherzer, but if he gives you a 3.9 and makes most of his starts, that's pretty damn good. And now you bump

Yaryl Rodriguez down, you fill the bullpen a little bit better, it has a bit of a domino effect there. Now Max Scherzer, it's all about age, it's all about staying healthy, but if there's one thing the Blue Jays have done well, and at times this has been the one thing we can point to, but they've kept veteran starters healthy. So lines up, it's fascinating, and guys I keep coming back to to just like some time there this is a move that if you're going to do that just keep going you're going to find that sure sir push him at this point

so what what is that portion is it is it simply a long so is it more than that a lot of though i think it will be a top option at this point i continue to think that the Mets are still very possible, maybe likely in that case. When you see it going back and forth like this with a lot of the... the word reporting needs to be used extremely loosely here, maybe put in Comic Sans font, but when you see this going back and forth with Alonzo, a lot of the times it's a player waiting for the team he wants to bring the money out But the blue J's still have the opportunity to hit the trade market as well They've still got this real big group of young infielders that would be attractive elsewhere

but now that the J's have done this it feels like that lineup edition is the one thing left and That can be done a lot of ways. I still think the trade markets a big opportunity And that can be done a lot of ways. I still think the trade market's a big opportunity. But this, for me guys, takes care of a couple of things. If you do slide Yario Rodriguez to the bullpen, you might be a little more comfortable with that pen where it is right now. If you're the Blue Jays. And obviously this rotation just got better if he can stay healthy. This feels like we're getting pretty far down from option A, option B, option C. Where would you say it is as you work through being denied or granted access to signing a player?

Yeah, this tends to be when the Jays like to do their business too. They're a big January team and sometimes that's a team trying to look smart and wait out the market. Sometimes you get burned by that. Max Scherzer in terms of who they wanted going to this offseason was not one, two or three as a starting pitcher. They would have loved to land Corbin Burns. They were big in on Burns but he wanted to go to Arizona. Some of the other top end starters they certainly chased down. Now at this point I think what's most attractive about this guys is that you get them for one year. I mean we might be talking in late July about hey the Blue Jays are out of this but they can trade Mac Scherzer and get something

back. Maybe that's the way that all of this goes but if you're going to take this contract on anyone and I'm trying to think of other veterans on the market like Jose Quintana Andrew Heaney these types I Do think Scherzer makes some sense given the track record now his stuff has not gotten better as he's reached 40 But it hasn't gone off a cliff either and Man fascinated to cover a player like Scherzer to intense does not even begin to describe it as anyone who's watched him on TV knows But it's one of those players. You never really thought would be in a blue jays uniform or two. Intense does not even begin to describe it as anyone who's watched him on TV knows,

but it's one of those players you never really thought would be in a Blue Jays uniform. It's going to be strange to see, but you never know where an offseason will take you, especially in January. Keegan, in spring training before the first pitch is thrown and the question is asked to Ross, what do you believe the expectation for this team is what do you expect to hear back i think you'll say there's a lot of exciting options and alternatives and and she'll many words like that but

and the optimism will be spewing out of the blue jays again because it always is going to be and i i never think that's a an accurate barometer maybe is the the best way to say it but the blue and it was what was it two years ago it was world series aspirations what would it be now with these additions and where the team stands i don't think they're team that's shooting at that final wild card spot i don't think it raised the bar enough to be chasing the division whatsoever but

i think that this is still a team that's going to be if they can make a run going at one of those final wild card spots and we've seen how that works out guys all of those o2 exits they've had in 2020 22 and 23 the wild card it's it's great to participate and get in but you've got to do something with it eventually and god guys we've been saying this for five six years eventually you've got to do something with it eventually and God guys, we've been saying this for five six years eventually You've got to take a run at the division get yourself into the ALDS with a five-game series where you can settle in and play some baseball But they've been getting bounced from that wild-card spot. So the the sights still need to be higher I still think one more move turns this into a real good offseason

But I'm also not so sitting here thinking that they're suddenly projected to win 95 games. Not at all. There are still issues with the team. They still need to round out that lineup, absolutely. And there will be a ton of optimism. There always is. My God, the Chicago White Sox will be saying that they're optimistic on February 14th. But yeah, they're a little closer than they were a day ago.

We'll say that for now. With Keegan Matheson, MOB.com, breaking news this hour. Max Scherzer is signing a one-year deal with the Blue Jays, 15.5 million. So that sets up presuming no more deals or anything and everyone shows up healthy and breaks camp, healthy and everyone has a good spring training. Gozman, Bassett, Barrios, Francis, Scherzer, how does that starting rotation match up compared to the others in the AL East? I think it's a damn good one, especially if you can get Bowden Francis looking anything like he did a year ago.

I think that Kevin Gozman will be better than he was last year if he gets a normal spring because he was forced to catch up last year. Guys if I have learned anything, I haven't learned much over these last 10 years covering the team, but I've learned one thing is that if you get behind in spring training you're screwed. If you're trying to catch up all year you're not going to and that's what Gosman had to do early in the season. I think he's going to be better. Chris Bassett will be himself, Jose Barrios will be himself, they always year you're not going to and that's what got to do early in the season i think he's going to be better crisp ass it will be himself was a very us will be himself they always are but if you get something out of sure sir and if you get a little bit of upside

out of chris bassett that's a real good rotation not the best in baseball will get carried away but the very good rotation and how you line it up with interesting as well. I'll probably just intentionally annoy John Schneider on day one on February 13th, ask him who the opening day starter is but it's uh, you can roll out any of those four, those veteran four and you're not going to find many quartets in baseball with that much experience. These guys have been around forever.

Yeah, it's interesting like with Scherzer now, cause when when the news broke, because he'd been linked to the Jays for weeks now, but we're so immune to that because of all the linkage, you know, the linking of different players and different free agents over the last few years, I don't think we've put a lot into it and haven't really discussed it. So we're really getting into it for the first time now that he is officially signed. I said right off the bat Keegan, earlier this hour, this has got me hook, line and sinker as a customer and a fan because I want to see him pitch for the Blue Jays. I'm curious,

opening day is a big one, the home opener is a big one, and the marketing component that comes with Scherzer, how do you think they link all of that together? Where ownership, management, marketing, they're going to want to capitalize on this guy because of who he is. But Schneider's got to deal with, you know, Gosman who's been the kind of alpha dog in the clubhouse for a while. Barrios is the guy who signed long term. He's gotten the ball opening day in the past.

How do they mix Schurzer into this in terms of baseball dynamics, but also the marketing component considering he's an all-time great, he's going to Cooperstown and it'll probably be a 100% vote when he goes. Oh yeah, marketing dream and guys I try to think of just taking a step back. My brain is too far inside baseball all the time but the average fan, one of our buddies who watches a couple of games a week your mom your uncle They know who Max Scherzer is and they know he's damn good They're not going to care too much about his back surgery a year ago that he's 40 how his fastballs moving yeti yeti

They're not going to care much about that yet. They're going to hear Max Scherzer is on the Blue Jays and think holy crap that's pretty good and I don't know if all of the bobbleheads are in yet I don't know if they can get the mismatching contact lenses for one eye in as a giveaway or what they can do but I know they'll be all over this guys and in the clubhouse I think that Gosman and Barrios Bassett I think those guys are the right ones to handle it at times things like this can become a distraction you know I think back to last year when Joey Vato was trying to get up to the big leagues

and every time I'm asking John Schneider where is he, there's no update. It seemed a bit odd for a bit of a stretch there, but I think Scherzer should be a guy who is contributing and not making, you know, not drawing attention anywhere else. I really do think Gosman, you know, Bassett, I would love think Gosman, you know Bassett I would love to witness a conversation between Chris Bassett and Mac Scherzer about pitching that would be incredible but I think they're the right guys to take it in and Man probably sells a few tickets. I don't know how that's going right now, but the average fan I tell you what is gonna be excited about this. Yeah. Well, and and I guess we'll get you out of here on a

Day one hour one prediction here Or I guess the the bar like the bottom of the barrel in terms of the amount of innings amount of starts That you feel would make this a valuable play in other words They're paying him 15.5. They want to compete They've signed him because they need him to help them compete because they just don't have enough in the system if all these guys get injured 20 starts 25 starts 130 innings 140 like where does your mind go first in terms of mandatory amount of innings and starts for Max Scherzer to make this worth it yeah I look back to his 20 23 guys that's when I got traded

from the Mets to the Rangers now that year Had about 150 innings 27 starts in a three point seven seven ERA that's pretty good. Yeah, so maybe bump the bar from there down an inch if you're looking at a hundred and forty 24 25 starts an e ra that's just squeezing under that four mark That's still a good starting pitcher and a guy that's going to not get blown up in the first inning. He's going to give you consistent innings. So I think really just looking at 2023 and maybe a lower the bar an inch, but 25 starts

getting close to 150 innings. He doesn't need to be doing what he did back in 16, 17, 18. That's not gonna happen that's fine he's 40 but 25 starts in an ERA that maybe slips under four I think you are real real happy at that point and by the end of the season the Blue Jays will have more depth around if injuries prop up to they've got Jake Bloss Ricky Tiedemann Alec Manoa could come back and Yario Rodriguez can celebrate back in as well that

the jay's rotation depth just haven't been good enough for a few years now it is in case something happens in sure there's still a guy who may be for one more year can really do something out there absolutely uh... i think it appreciate doing this man especially short notice thank you for this

you got a fellow stockton keegan matheson of mlb.com yeah Max Scherzer you look at his prime like it the years from like 2012 through 2020 2021 where was that like Detroit into Washington yep Detroit into Washington he won three Cy Young's in five years and over the course of i think seven straight years he was top five for the site on and uh... what's crazy is the year in twenty eighteen he threw to walk two hundred twenty point two innings

yet three hundred strikeouts and he didn't win the site young that year uh... to grow on one it and that again may not be that surprising as to grow on was just so insanely good remember how good he was i saw on the you talk about going to watch a picture live me and my wife went to a match game and i just luck of the draw that i was on the mound yep that is was something to see insane

saying how good that guy was he's like six he's massive and you just threw absolute smoke mm-hmm god he was so good the Mets weren't that good that year but he had a 170 era remember he didn't win that many games because they never scored runs he'd lose to one every night or one nothing and yeah the ground was so good that year sure is a 300 strikeouts didn't win the Cy Young and nobody blinked an eye because the ground was so good anyway yeah Max Scherzer had 300 strikeouts, didn't win the Cy Young and nobody blinked an eye because deGrom was so good. Anyway, yeah, Max Scherzer a Blue J. More on that still to come.

Dear Hazy B at 6.30, Chris Johnston coming up as well. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN 4. All right, we've sent out his brother out into the city with a pair of Leaf tickets. You have to guess where he's hiding for your chance to win them. Here is the fourth and final clue of the week hey OD fans happy Thursday it's time for the final clue of the week to find out where I've been hiding at this week to win yourself those Leafs and Canes

tickets on February 22nd here is your final clue this place this dingy old rink shares the same name as a former Blue Jays MVP alright everyone knows where it is now you have to buy now but you gotta wait for the cue to call tomorrow the cue to call tomorrow the first caller through with the correct location wins a pair of tickets to see Leafs Hurricanes February 22nd finals brother is brought to you by McAlpine Ford in Aurora our family the Ford

family and you full details at TSN 1050 dot CA. Leafs will not have a home game until that game February 22nd I don't think they're home until then man that's almost a month because of the four nations and this road trip and Like they start on the road when they come out of four nations. So a lot of road games. They desperately need this road trip, man I think they just need to get away and Sometimes it helps but you better be careful because they're playing some good teams. That's right, man Edmonton Calgary's obviously nitty-gritty right now. Vancouver's won three in a row, right? All of a sudden.

And you got Seattle in there, you gotta take care of business, for sure. All right, more on that into the next hour. Chris Johnston coming up, dear Hazy B, Struddy's here, Overdrive continues. TSN 1050, soon to be up on TSN too. TSN Plus is taking game day to a whole new level with NFL Red Zone.

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