OverDrive - OverDrive - July 15, 2025 - Hour 2

Episode Date: July 15, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jonas Siegel, and Jason Strudwick for hour two of OverDrive! Eric Hosmer from the Diggin’ Deep podcast joined to discuss the MLB All-Star Game. The guys then played Confirm or Deny and discussed whether Erik Karlsson would be a fit in Toronto.

Unmistakably Canadian. It's the music that raised you. The artists raising the bar. Hi, this is Bryan Adams. Hey, my name's Brett Emmons. I'm from the Glorious Sons. Hi, I'm Nellie Furtado. Made in Canada.

The station that champions Canadian music. Loud, proud, and all yours. No passports required. Just press play. Tap into Made in Canada now on I hear radio.ca or the free I heart radio app Power to overdrive continues powered by fan duel bringing you everything from the opening line of the final score Brian Hayes Jonas Siegel the athletic and Jason Strudwick. We've got a big hour coming up. Eric Hosmer will join us in a few moments He was an all-star back in 2016

coming up. Eric Hosmer will join us in a few moments. He was an All-Star back in 2016, World Series winner. Get his take on, you know, what he's looking forward to most tonight. Like for me it's Skeen's judge. That's what I want to see. And I want to see both of them dial it up. Like that's what's important. And we'll ask Hosmer about that. Like how difficult it is to actually... Care? Yeah, I guess care. Like as a pitcher, you can't have. Prepare. Yeah, but you can't half throw though.

Like skeins, that's when you get injuries. So that is why I do think the baseball all-star game is the best of the bunch, because the pitchers have to throw. You can't just half acid. And you can't like, remember Kucherov in the skills competition, you can't really do that at bat, right?

Right. You can't say like, ah, whatever. Like, I guess hitters could, but why would you? You know, like, why would you want to look so silly? Like, you're going to go in there and try to contribute and try to hit. And I'm sure there's some peer pressure, like your teammates are there, colleagues are there, you want to represent your home club and your home fans. But that's it for me.

I want to see, I want to see skeins, which is pretty incredible because I Don't ever care to see the Pittsburgh Pirates play Right yet skeins in his second year is already starting the all-star game and is already already the man and It's all about Paul skeins They're gonna have the challenge system tonight, did you not see that yeah They're doing like the automated strike zone and are you ready for this? Well, it's it's happening like Manfred I think was on with McAfee and Said the reason why like the umpires union has come around on using this type of technology is the amount of heat they get

From the media because so many people are scorching these umpires, especially the old school ones, the Angel Hernandez types and guys like that who are just public enemy number one all the time. I guess even umps are like, fine, we realize that you can't win. And with the technology currently available, they're eventually going to get there. So it kind of feels like baseball, like it's going to happen pretty quickly. Yeah. It it kind of feels like baseball, like it's gonna happen pretty quickly. It's pretty amazing how much baseball's already changed when you consider what Manfred and company have put in with a pitch clock and pitching change rules

and the size of the bases and what they do in extra innings, all that kind of stuff. You get an automated strike zone that could be in place as early as maybe next year. Like that is so different from even where we were four or five years ago, let alone 30 or 40 years ago. Yet I think the essence of the sport is still, still there. It's strikes and balls and hits and home runs and that's baseball. I remember reading.

I'm sorry, what's that? Yeah, no, it's going to say, I was just going to say like I read about it and I think That's baseball. I remember reading.. Listen, I'm fine with umpire. I'm anti robot. I am too. I have been Yes, I am I am pro human error Everything everything across the board too. I have been a large proponent of that But I also know when you got to fold them and you lose and this is just the nature of it Right strut like sports are never gonna go backwards. They're not gonna take Technology out of the site. They're not going to do it. Replay has made hockey and the NHL better. No.

I think it's made it worse. I think it's made it There's no more clarity. We don't actually go from goaltender interference and be like, yeah, they got that right. Yeah. Offside rules, it sucks. It's the dumbest rule they've ever implemented. It's so stupid. Yeah, just quickly, I like the humanity of sports. And yeah, there are frustrations when a ball is a strike or strikes a ball, whatever, but that's humanity.

I don't know what Hasmer would think about that, but like, you know, what's next? Put robot players in there so they don't swing at balls? You know what I mean? Like I, and I know I'm being a little bit, you know, over dramatic here, but I like that in every sport. I like humanity, whether it's players, coaches and or the officials. You're pro-human. Totally agree with you strut and also like I like

Interactions with managers and players and umps. Oh, yeah. I love seeing guys complain. What do you get? What's the guy gonna do turn around and start yelling at a robot? Like what's John Schneider gonna do you have been ejected? Yeah, like that's You might as well allow them to yell at the robot the robots got no emotions they don't care so maybe it'll lead to actually base you know what's gonna happen some guy's gonna swing at a robot at some point yeah break but I don't think there's literally gonna be a robot behind a plate but that would be great blowouts bad bad call just takes the robots head right off all right here's a guy who was at the All-Star game in 2016. Had a great experience in 16. World Series winner, longtime MLB'er and a host

of Digging Deep joining us here on the Maple Tota 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. Because of that, he said that human interaction is going to take so much excitement out of the game and it really has. Every call now, safe or out, it's like bang, bang, oh, they're going to 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've been smashing 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 yeah that would be great TV I will say that like from 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 gonna 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 my take on it is if they do end up going to it, which I'm iffy on it, I don't know if I love it, I think it's going to take a two to three year adjustment for them to get it right because think of the curveball. A lot of pitchers are talking about the curveball. They can bounce a curveball 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 going to 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's going to be so frustrating because they're going to work the angles and someone's going to 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, you just know it. 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 is gonna be delayed another four or five minutes

because it's inevitable 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, 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, we need as much as 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. Um, go ahead Strutt. Yeah, you know, how's when you look at the whole situation like a guy like great matters i i i you know whether i but it felt like what he would pitch he would find a way to extended to extend that strikes on by the way he'd pitch in that it was a striking move over a quarter to still strike since i sold i'm guessing batters would be happy with that being out of there but is that part

of the arts of the game you know channel work work that strikes on the get creative bigger or shrink it i guess if you're a batter Isn't that part of the art to the game? You know, trying to work that strike zone to create a bigger horse. Shrink it, I guess, if you're a batter. Yes, and 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 this guy is usually a little bit lenient 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. 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 like unspoken rules that kind of you know 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 robot I'm 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 gonna do it like Kirk just naturally everyone's still gonna 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 block and it's just crazy man. The catching position, they're not gonna value defense like they did, that's just gonna 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 got the All-Star Game tonight I've been saying you know all throughout the afternoon for me it's Skeens versus Judge like Scoville versus Otani like that that's the build-up 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 seeing play out? Yeah, I'm really looking forward to that skeins judge matchup I know skeins got him last year in the All-Star game and judge is one of those like just he's a competitor Everybody 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 gonna be at the top of the lineup good chance skeins is gonna be starting for the other side So that's the matchup. I'm waiting to see I think he marked this one on the calendar. He knew he's going to be at the top of the lineup. Good chance skeins is going to be starting for the other side. So that's the matchup. I'm waiting to see I think what baseball man the home run derby is the big deal during the all-star break and 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 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 that 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 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 you know, that's what it is It's more of you really want to 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 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 man

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 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 two, two times through the rotation or whatever, he's going to get two at bats by the fifth inning, that guy's on his way to New York or whatever. Like what, what happens with these players and do they have to say goodbye?

Like are they going through the dugout and shaking hands and let 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 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 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, my God, like starstruck, 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 clubhouses those guys are gonna be watching you man. They're gonna be watching your every move They're gonna be watching how you work so understand that and do that and Robinson Kano stood up Eduardo Nunez He was with Minnesota Tw twins in this guy's their whole areas man and canoes stands up and says obviously you're telling me

when it goes back to minnesota these guys are going to be watching him like they're watching you know i don't know i don't know i don't know i don't know everybody just lost it may start laughing so it was a great memory i love it man uh... with their customers so who do you like pop big poppy at that point because it was the Sox too and Boston and what he had represented and what he had done. Like who do you think that is in the game today? Is Judge at that level? Can he be considering as a one-on-world series yet? Who's the guy that would be at the top? Yeah right now at the top it's got to 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, 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 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 is incredible how Judge, like when he got to 62 home runs,

I thought 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 of hitting his style of mechanics It's 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 gonna keep throwing high fastballs. you can't get to it and he made that adjustment it seemed like one offseason 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 curse but when yeah the cur 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 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 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, Fladdy Guerrero Jr. hit his 1000th 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. That's probably going to be the significant one is Fladdy Sr. 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 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 Vladimir 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, Freddie Freeman, have that chance to get 3,000 hits. And when you think of all of those guys, they're pure hitters, man. They

are, there's no holes, they're tough at bats 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 games 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 focus 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 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 a hundred RBI's 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 we're having great seasons Lorenzo Cain Escobar's the Mike Moustakas Alex Gordon those guys so I always felt that I was gonna get the opportunities and if I had a hundred that that would make sure like I was 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 gonna stick with me and be old

school and curmudgeon and we're yelling at the clouds like do 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 could be first and foremost but the thing is is everyone says it you want to see the ball you you wanna 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, like again, you look at Cal Raleigh, man, like 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 didn't 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 4th of July whatever it is

So the home run derby we got to get right man We want to see guys hit him as far as they can and no clock ten 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? You know, Tony, do you think that 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 what he's getting paid to do is win World Championships. So they're just going to have to sweet the deal somehow some way and change the format like imagine if you told Aaron judge You're gonna you know 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 in that He is longtime MLB or World Series champ all-star Eric Hosmer you can catch cats the digging deep show as well uh... always great catching up with the air we appreciate you doing this man enjoy the game tonight appreciate your 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 toyota hotline drive the built in canada fuel-efficient funded drive toyota rav for gas or hybrid models available visit mapletoyota.com he's awesome to catch up with and he did win the MVP that year in the All-Star game in 16 that's fascinating to me that all the guys just leave like skeins is gonna give you his two innings or whatever and he's like I'm out of here man like no one sticks around after the game that I don't know why I'm surprised by that but that to me it seems very baseball like baseball they got so few

days off like I know the nature of baseball we've talked to a lot of guys over the years like there's no end of the season locker cleanout they are gone game 162 right strut like you know in NHL, it's like locker cleanout, and then you're going to have exit meetings. They have, like, double the games. Well, exactly, and that's why I understand the nature of it, but, like, you get to game 162, like, final out, 27th out, you shake hands, and you're like,

I'll see you guys in spring training. I am out of here. Immediately. It's a long time. But I think, you know what, in the NBA here, the players wanting to win an MVP of the All-Star game. I've heard guys talk about wanting to do that, especially in the NBA. I don't feel like I hear that in Major League Baseball. Now, maybe you've heard them talk about it, but I still think it's that same. So I think they're more, we're going to do what we need to. We're going to play our two, three innings, whatever it is,

and then I'm gone. And I kind of get it. You're like, I'm just gonna go home. I'm never home or maybe I get a chance to see my wife or kids really quickly. But I don't think that MVP has the same allure for the players, Jonas, as it does for sure in the NBA. Well, I think because they don't wanna stick around. That's why they don't wanna win the MVP. And they gotta do interviews, yeah.

They wanna leave, man, as quickly as they can. But yeah, I guess you're right. I mean that that is a good trivia question. Like I don't remember who won any. Yeah. Like who won the MVP in the NHL All-Star game? I don't even remember what team won. Were there multiple teams? Yeah, there's the four teams or the yeah, the four teams, right? Each division is represented. It changes all all the time but like the American League is won 11 of the last 12 All-Star games I believe yeah the American League has kind of owned it which means the MVP is coming from the American League but I don't have a clue but it is kind of cool

like we can say to him All-Star game MVP yeah that's pretty cool World Series champ yeah I'll start all-star game yeah like that. He admits he's like we're absolutely drinking before the game like a hundred percent we're having beers and drinks and Like think about that you're going up there now. He didn't say he was half-cut But let's say you are half-cut and skeins is throwing 98 inside Like wouldn't that be a little bit of a kind of, wouldn't that be a little

bit nerve wracking? Like if you're up there and you're like, man, I'm seeing two balls and these guys firing these at me. Like what is happening here? I don't know. There's got to be a limit to how much fun you're willing to have. Well, I mean, remember the Red Sox in 2000, what year was that? 2004? When they won their first. When they took the shots before the game? Yeah, that didn't come out until after they won the World Series, I believe, right? That's like an actual game, serious game.

Yeah, you're right, I guess that just, you know, you're not gonna be drunk on one shot. I mean, like way back in the day, weren't players in the NHL like having a dart between the ribs? Oh yeah, cigarettes all the time. Yeah, yeah, I mean, a dart I think is maybe a little different than a shot of whiskey. You know what I mean? Maybe not. I don't know. I guess maybe on this. Like, would I rather smoke a dart or have a shot of whiskey before going out trying to stop Ovi?

Which one would you choose? Whiskey. Would you choose a whiskey or cigarette? Yeah, probably. I mean, I can go. You know, I drink while I golf. Not a ton, but I get it going, obviously, to be social. I've never really smoked. I used to like red tipped, one of those things called red tipped cigars or something. Those are good. But I think I'd rather have the shot rather than the dart to try to stop, I believe, player.

Yeah. Well, the dart might mess with your breathing. Yeah, exactly. Like, I don't... Not too many. Yeah, I guess. I mess with your breathing. Yeah, exactly like I don't not too many Yeah, I guess I guess but you're you're right like back in the day like famous pictures Intermissions getting dressed warming up. There's the famous. There's a football picture I want to say the first Super Bowl or one of the first two or three Super Bowls Starting quarterback sitting there smoking like at halftime.

Starting quarterback, Super Bowl. Where's Brian? Oh, he's just having a smoke. Yeah, totally, totally in the stream. He needs five minutes. Yeah, exactly. It's gotta happen, Darty's gotta finish it off. And he wouldn't have been alone,

the coach is probably right there with him. Let's have the meeting out here. Yeah, let's, exactly. Let's just, everyone light here now let's not exactly let's just everyone light up and let's have a good time tonight let's go out there and regroup for the second half uh... i confirm it and i come in up dan white you will join us in the l a times on

lebron in the lakers the future lebron james in l a lebron in his future will come up and confirm it that i studies in your jones's in your own brian haze overdrive continues to yes and ten50 and on TSN 4. I can neither confirm or deny that this is in fact a signal. Austin trades Andrew Raycroft to Toronto in exchange for the rights to Tuca Arras. It's been my honor and a privilege to serve as the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs Hockey Club.

It's time for Confirm or Deny. Do you regret giving all those gentlemen the no trades or no movement clauses? I can neither confirm or deny that. I can't confirm or deny that. Alright, Confirm or Deny, here we go. Strut or dud, also an option. You can take it whichever way you choose. Lots of options here

but statements are made whether confirm them or we deny them very simple stuff confirm and deny the home run derby has fallen off more than the slam dunk competition i've watched the slam done contest every year and it it's like it's so bad it's because i get what you said every year and it's like, it's so bad.

It's because like, it's what you said off the top. It's like the people who are in it just aren't relevant. Like they're YouTube dunkers. Yeah. It's like, you may as well just have YouTube dunkers. It's like, and one mixtape. Like, it's like this isn't the hot sauce. Get hot sauce.

Remember skip to my Lou. Absolutely. Ray for Alston, great wrap. At least the home run derby, it's like you kind of know what you're going to get. I watched more than I thought I would last night. And it's just like it's predictable, it's too long. But the speed hitting, like Hosmer,

I think hit the nail on the head. I don't need to see rapid fire stuff. You want to see the ball leave the park. Like even the camera angle last night was strange because they flipped through it in right field then he'd be hitting and I'm like, is that a replay or is he still just hitting? It was kind of difficult to follow.

You're right, and sometimes they weren't even showing the ball going out. And like remember back in the day with Chris Berman, it was like back, back, back, back, back, back. They don't do any of that because there's no time. Yeah, now the boomer took it a little was like back back back back back back back they don't do any of that because there's there's no time yeah now the boomer took it a little far with the back back back after a while you're like the whole night's back back back but yeah I'm gonna deny it as well I think

the slam dunk competition is is worse and in a worse state than the home run derby where do you stand on that strut yeah I'm gonna strut this aka confirm yes I believe that the home run derby is, I think more people could hit a home run than stunk a basketball. Yes. And the athleticism shown with these athletes, even though they're not the premier names, is incredible. Now, there's no doubt hitting a ball 515 feet is incredible.

And I actually participated in a home run derby one time. I was so bad, I was booed off the home plate. My dad was shaking me off and it was for charity. It was for charity and they kicked me out. My own hometown of Emmett said the Cracker Cats game gave me the boot. So I'm not very good at it, but I could dunk a basketball. So I think it's harder to dunk a basketball than it is to hit a home run. So for that reason, I'm watching the slam dunk competition. Yeah. Yeah. And you're, you're right like from a physics standpoint But not for NBA players. It's not harder. I don't know like I say for baseball players

They should all be that's like everyone has to be able to hit a home run if you're in the major leagues Yeah, but some of the batting practice standpoint. These are the winners of the slam dunk competition the last few years McClung McClung McClung Obie topping good player. Mmm, Anthony Simons. McClung, McClung, McClung, Obie Toppin, good player, Anthony Simons, no, okay, Derek Jones Jr. No. Hamadou Diallo. No. Donovan Mitchell, pretty good. Yeah. Glenn Robinson, the third. No. And then Zach Levine twice. Yeah, Levine was great. Levine Gordon, I was in Toronto. That's pretty good. In 16, I believe. That one was phenomenal. That was like an all-time great

dunk contest but Yeah, I don't know man. I think go ahead strong Let's look at it this way in Basketball you're dunking on a 10-foot hoop in this home run derby You have an uncle throwing you a beach ball right down the pipe So they're making it easier for those players to hit the home runs. Maybe they should put the basket at nine feet tall, right? So I think that for me watching it last night, I just, I have a hard time getting excited and I'm not a

huge fan anymore of the basketball, but I still, the slam dunk contest, but I'd still watch that over the other one because it's so much easier. I'm cutting it on a tee. I didn't think about field of dreams. You mentioned that off the top. I forgot about that. Dad pitching the sun. Yeah, exactly. That's what they're just watching. It's cool. Yeah, I think that's what they're building off on VCR. No, we have these things called streaming services. Oh, okay. And you never seen it before? No, I watched it when I was a kid. So I wanted to see it again and it holds up. Yeah. Does it resonate? Does it resonate still? Yeah, like there's some parts of it that were cornier than I remember, like when the voice is like whispering to him. Even like the how

old the baseball players are. Yeah, it's like kind of crazy. Ty Cobb is mentioned. Yeah. Who's the one? Well, Shoeless Joe Jackson, shoeless Joe Jackson's like the main character. It's Ray Liotta. Yeah Yeah, I know like it's natural. I haven't seen that since I was a kid. Should I watch that? That's Robert Redford. That's oh So we have seen at least that's one of my favorite. I love Robert Redford loves that guy Absolute stud and in that movie. He's so good Wonder Boy, wasn't it that Dave is bad? Yeah. Okay. There you go. You guys have figured out your plans for tonight absolute start and that movie he's so good wonder boy was that that they was back you guys have figured out your plans for tonight

don't watch the whole time runs a natural uh... confirms that i've lati junior should be expected to double his home run total by the end of the season he's sitting on twelve home runs so twenty four plus needs to be the bare minimum for for Vladimir by the end of the year. Confirm or deny? Confirm. Yes. But even that like 24 home runs. I know. But that's why it's like an auto-confirm for me. Like yes you got less games they've played you know more than 81 games so

you're dealing with a shorter span to get there, but you've got to get hot at some point You can hit 12 in a month Like it's that happens, you know, like 12 in a month is probably lofty expectations I'm not expecting him to do that in August or September but if he doesn't get to 24 by the end of the year, it's a massive disappointment and underperformance and We talked about a yesterday strut. It's a glass half full if you're flatty your team has pulled its weight. You're in a position to win. You're healthy. You're in your prime Go mash I get on base hit home runs. I gotta get you got to double up your home run Like you said he's like he had a good year last year

He had 30 he's not really he's not he's not going to be a guy that racks up 40 plus home run seasons. He may never do that ever again. But if he has 21 home runs and he's about to start a $500 million contract, it's like, eh. Tough luck. Not great. Yeah. Yeah, I confirm it as well.

I think he's 25 to 30, 35 home run guy. I think that's kind of the expectations. I don't think he needs to bang out 50, but I think it's going to be hitter of his and he's strong. He's a strong, you know, he's strong physically. He's capable of doing it. Definitely. It is. I saw it the other day, he was only at 12 and it kind of caught me off guard. I was like, what?

It's a staggering stat. It's a staggering stat. If you had to predict right now, both of you, who would you predict will lead the Jays in home runs by the end of the year? Because I think Springer first? Yeah, Springer's leading them right now. He's got like 14? It's probably Vladdy. I guess I'd put money on Vladdy. Barger I think would be in the running. You'd say Santander but like he's not coming back. That's not gonna happen. Varsho when he was healthy was actually hitting for some power.

He had a chance to do it but he's not gonna do it now. Yeah, but Schutt's not gonna do it. Yeah it's probably Springer, Barger, Vlade. Hmm I think those are your options right now. So I guess I would go with Carrero which is kind of incredible but he's more than capable of doing it. He's the most capable of doing it. All right, confirmed and denied. Patrick Mahomes has more of a stranglehold on the title best player in his sport than Connor McDavid does in his. I'll take this one first. I'm going to confirm it. I think that when you look at the championships he's put up and the MVP is like, I think that he is the guy

that the other quarterbacks are chasing for both individual and team stats. And for that reason, I believe he's put ahead of Connor. I'm gonna deny, because like, those are great points, Shreddy. But you remember last year, like statistically, Mahomes wasn't having the best year and there was like, Mahomes is Josh Allen, the best player in football now?

Like that was a conversation that was happening. We don't have that conversation in hockey like ever. Good point. Yeah. Like who would you even say like who is definitively the second best player in hockey? Like it kind of seems to rotate. It could be his teammate. It might be Dry Settle, but you're right.

It could be McKinnon, it could be McC in the car could be Kuturov. Yeah Yeah, I think that was I think he's run away with it. I think it's I would still confirm it because I do think titles are important They're both about the same age my homes is 29 It's not like he's aging out of the conversation And I also think you got to be reasonable like McDavid didn't have some all-world year last year either No, so why didn't we have that conversation? Why is it only Mahomes has to keep up his gaudy statistics, but Connor doesn't? I think it's like a know it when you see it kind of thing, but Mahomes for me stills got like last year

Yeah, he had the highest completion percentage of his career his weapons He doesn't have weapons in Kansas City his line like his tackles weren't great last year And he still won 15 games and got back to a Super Bowl. Like for me, McDavid's got a knockoff. Like the reality is they're both moving towards losing the mantle, just based on where they are in their careers. I think so, I don't think so.

I think they got three, four. Mahomes is 29. Three, four, five more years? Maybe. Yeah, I think they got a few more here. Maybe more than Mc years. Maybe yeah, I think they got a few more here Maybe we're gonna make David. Let's go make David's been in the league for 10. He doesn't have 10 more No, but like who's the next young threat that's gonna push more because he has to remember mckinnon is getting older like all the guys I guess what I'm saying is it could be him taking him a step back

It's not about someone chasing him like no I don in the league is going to match him at his height. And I think the same thing should probably apply to Mahomes in the NFL. I guess I could picture Allen having a season that could match his greatness or Lamar. But like what I'm saying is we may be two or three years away from McDavid losing a step and still being great, but not like definitively the best. But you're right. Like last year, the better player was dry saddle, but we still thought the best player in the league was McDavid. But don't reapply that to the NFL too. Like last year, Alan had a better regular season than Mahomes,

but I don't think he's a better player than Mahomes. No, I don't think he's greater than Mahomes. I neither confirm nor deny. Don't think he's greater than my homes. I neither confirm nor deny Segal jr. Jonas Ferguson jr. Okay. All right All right confirm or deny the Oilers and the Maple Leafs should be interested in Eric Carlson If he's available via Pittsburgh I've thought about this one. Yeah, I wondered if there was like a way that they could get rust in Carlson. You're talking the Leafs in particular here. Yeah, like I'm just thinking the Leafs. Yeah, like they need, they need something like that. It's just like his contract.

He's got one year left. You presume Pittsburgh would eat half of the cap hit. Yeah. I think isn't he making eight five or something in pit? Yeah. San Jose still eating a little bit. No, I think it's 10. Is it 10? Okay, so let's say it's five million. I don't know if they'd be willing to do that,

but like for argument's sake, Strud, you can be included in this. Eric Carlson, one year left at five million. Is that a guy, if you're Edmonton, cup contention, if you're the Leafs and you're in that, cup contention. He's a weird fit here, but yeah, confirm it. Yeah.

So, because he has two years left though. Two years left. Okay. Two years left. Sorry, because I actually looked at this because someone asked me about this for the Withers. And you know, can he be a guy like Seth Jones where he moves to somewhere else and his game elevates? You know, we saw him play pretty well at that Four Nations Cup.

And I don't know where Pittsburgh is going right now. You know, I don't know if they're... I think we got a pretty. And I don't know where Pittsburgh's going right now. I don't know if they're- I think we got a pretty clear answer, don't we? They're pretty bad, aren't they, Strud? I know, but I don't want to think about that for Sid. I don't want Crosby to go out and- It's happening.

Then should he get traded? Then say I want out and get traded somewhere. I know. Okay, let's not get into the Sidney conversation. We all agree he deserves better. But here we are with Eric Carlson. I'd like to think that for two years, he can, again, with a little bit of salary attention, he can produce at a higher level.

And I think that Leafs could use a guy like that dynamic player that could really put up some numbers. I don't see Morgan Rielly in the same level as far as offensive production. And then who do you pair with? Carlson, right? That's what's weird. Yeah. Pairing guy. Because Carlson, right? That's what's weird. Yeah. Pairing guy? Because Carlos is the right shot, right? Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. So that doesn't fit. Tanev's the right shot. Well, he's probably playing with Ekman Larsson. I was just going to say- But that's like a weird- I don't know if I love that one either. But you know what- Maybe it's McCabe. I don't know. Like you find a way to make it work. And they need someone to run their power play. Like that's another thing Mitch Marner leaves.

They don't have- I'm denying denying this like even though I'm making the case for it I Carlson to me scares me where he is in his career I'm with you what you know how he but performs how he plays not a big guy clearly you know two years left too much but maybe you know how much of the cap they have 17 minutes he plays on your power play and that's you're not asking that much but wouldn't you want to spend that money elsewhere? Where? Well, I don't know, but you don't have to just take Carlson

because that's the only option right now. I would deny it. I don't think Edmonton, like he doesn't fit for Edmonton to me. Well, he'd be Klingberg, wouldn't he? Like he'd be an improved Klingberg who did play in the playoffs. You'd have to make the pairings, right?

You'd have, you know, Bouchard with that comb and then it would be, you have to trade one demon. It would have been Nurse on the way out or Kulak or is it, you know, Wallman? I don't know if you're trading. Bouchard and Carlson on the same defense would be pretty wild. Yes. Well, you know what I like about it? I like the fact that those guys can pass the puck and transition it.

Like I want speed from my D-men, moving that puck up, getting up in that play and I like that for that reason. But you can't keep all the D-men and Carlson because if you do that, you're pushing out Ty Armisen or Stetcher, which isn't in the world. But money-wise, you have a ton of cash on that back end. So either Nurse, because that comes out going to be Nurse, Kulak or Wallman who you just traded for so that I don't think it'd be him. So then it's Kulak or Nurse.

Okay. Well, Nurse, I mean, he's got a no movement clause and is he going to waive and is he going to waive to go to Pittsburgh? Why would he do that? No. Right. Pittsburgh. No, that's a... Yeah. And also if you're Pittsburgh, you're clearly just looking for young assets and picks and prospects. So I'm not sure it would work with either team but Carlson if he gets to the trade deadline next year which I think is more likely of the outcome like that they would trade him at that point

it's a bit it's a really compelling player 35 now I think but like he had a hundred points three years ago for a bad team yeah so horrible but he's won Norris trophies like he's a he's a superstar Hall of Fame player absolutely great hair great hair right it leaves Jersey yeah you know what it'd be an interesting I'm I'm I would be all the vibes of like when they've got Francis and Lindros and like all these yeah I get him right at the end. Plus the Ottawa connection would be kind of crazy to see him play in Ottawa as a Maple Leaf. Maybe Ottawa would look I could see them

kicking tires on Carlson like bringing him back into the fold like I could see that would be cool that would be cool all right more confirmed with the Knives still to come Overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on TSN for all right Dan white key coming up of the athletic in about 15 minutes on LeBron and the Lakers and that relationship and where it's going and I can't wait to see this one play out. It just it feels like it's gonna be a 12 month story of Does he stay in LA? Is he happy in LA? Do the Lakers want him, if he goes, where's he gonna go? What complicates things is how much money he's making and this new CBA, which no one seems to like, like with the different aprons and the different luxury taxes. It's a cap. Yeah, it

effectively is and it's gotten to a point where you just know like LeBron what he wants he's gonna want to go to a team that's successful and can win they just how can it work like he's not gonna go to the Clippers Dallas can't make it work Cleveland it's like it's impossible with what they're spending on certain players they just can't bring in LeBron so where's he gonna go Golden State and as people have said if he goes there it's gotta be jimmy but they're going the other way why would the lakers do that so

i don't know it just feels kind of strange that lebron could be in a position based on the nature of the new nba was just stock and neither party is going to be happy should lead to some fireworks the kind of a rare as rooting for. Passive aggressive tweets and... Passive aggressive tweets. Comments. Like is anyone rooting for LeBron to have like a great story,

like a kind of an incredible ending to his career? That's what kind of sucks. I don't know. The way like his career is like, in terms of like all the teams that he's gone to, he's kind of lost like a team. Like I guess Cleveland would be his team. Yeah, it probably would be.

But he's probably there twice and it's like, I don't know, like if it just ends like this, it's kind of, I don't know. Yeah, for a guy his stature. It's anticonactic. That's it, that's it, right. It's anticonactic. It's like, yeah.

Yeah. So you just go with the whimper a little bit, like you're at the Lakers and then. And he's not like a Laker like they like he that's Kobe's Towns right like remember Kobe's last game at the Staples Center at the time like it was a massive event You had to watch yeah, and he I think he had 52 points or something that night He he shot everything but it was incredible to watch and that's all he knew he was there his whole career exactly And that makes a difference.

Yes, it does. That truly makes a difference. I think when you stay at one place, that is who you are, right? And for LeBron doesn't have it. So I agree with you, Joseph. I think it's Cleveland. But does he wanna go back there a third time?

And even if he can make the money work. Yeah, that's a good question. Would he want that? Would Cleveland want that? I can't see why they wouldn't, but at the same time, maybe they finally have moved on. Like he kind of finished the story, right,

when he went back and they won in 16. Well, it's like the Lakers drafted his son, it's like his son's still there, he's on like a- That's what makes it complicated, like Ronnie's a Laker still. That's a mess. All right, we'll get into this mess into the next hour, and we'll continue with Confirm with the Nine,

our best bets coming up. Overdrive continues, TSN 1050 and on the TSN app. Made in Canada, the station that champions Canadian music. Loud, crowd, and all yours. No passports required, just press play. Tap into Made in Canada now on iHeartRadio.ca or the free iHeart Radio app.