OverDrive - OverDrive - March 11th, 2025 - Hour 3

Episode Date: March 11, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Frank Corrado and Jonas Siegel for Hour 3 on OverDrive! SiriusXM NHL Radio and Daily Faceoff Analyst Carter Hutton joins to discuss the Maple Leafs' goaltending perspective, Rasmus Dahlin denying exit reports and the Sabres' pursuit for wins. TSN Baseball Insider joins to discuss Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s contract value, the Blue Jays' roster for the season and Gerrit Cole's injury impact to the AL East and Bryan hands out his FanDuel Best Bets.

Let go from your job without a severance package? You need employmentlawyer.ca. Your employer is legally required to give you as much as 24 months pay when you lose your job. Call Leor Samferu and get what you're owed. Employmentlawyer.ca. Final hour overdrive continues powered by FanDuel bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score.

Brian Hayes, Frankie Corrado, Jonas Siegel Siegel of the athletic Carter Hutton coming up here in a few moments Steve Phillips later in the hour on the Garret Cole injury what that means for the AL East Max Scherzer will skip a start on Thursday due to some soreness in his thumb what what does he make of that what does he make of you know what the Jays are doing as we get closer and closer to the opening day? For Major League Baseball, so Phillips coming up a little bit later on Breaking news this afternoon Tiger Woods had surgery and a ruptured Achilles

It just kind of feels like that's the end of the road for Tiger and uh Yeah, we got the players this weekend players this weekend and I had a little confirm that I set up I wanted to get to confirm it than I Scotty Scheffler will win one of the players or the Masters Give an answer on that Frankie. You can jump in to Jonas Do you think you'll win one of these two tournaments because he won both of them last year? I'll confirm it but is Scotty was going through something recently. I don't remember what was Scotty dealing with

He cut his hand. That's what it was the hands. I don't know if he had surgery I think he did have surgery cut his hand like yeah You know baking or making pasta or something like which really like it shouldn't affect him that much I'll say just because of his track record of the familiarity at those courses like just knowing how to get around They're not easy places to get around Where do you miss where you leave the ball to give yourself a good chance the fact that he like he knows that and He can execute on that. I'll confirm one of the two not two of the two. Okay yeah I'm gonna deny it man I just I think it's very difficult to continuously win at the rate that he was winning at. Like last year he went Arnie

Palmer players masters and then one at Harbor Town the next week he won like four elevated events in a month and a half and that's just absurd what he was doing and he's still playing well but this week he wasn't really in contention at the arnie palmer and uh... i guess top the doom and uh... to win your third masters in four years i think it would be very difficult to do and the players is a tough track it's tough to score consistently at that place uh... i think you'll be in tough but i'm looking forward to see what the

canadians do this week a lot of canadians in the field and i believe four going to august a national in a few weeks so it's gonna be a really fun time of year for a golf fan i saw someone tweet note about cory connors just like one of those you know if you're on your for you page you just see a random tweet someone you don't follow and i saw i was like cory Connors is going to win the Masters. He loves playing there, man. He plays really well at that course.

You just got to putt, you got to go low on Sunday. Like that's the thing with Connors. Like he, he, he had 17 pars in a birdie on Sunday, one under really good score, but that's not going to win. Like you got to shoot like 65 on Sunday. That's what he's got to do to get over the top and you'd have to do that at Augusta as well And but he plays it really well. He's a really good player and he's playing very well right now Kind of feels like golf weather a little bit in Toronto. Like I saw shorts guy is just flaunting. I was

Shorts today outside. Yeah, that's a bit of a mistake. That's absurd behavior. Jonas, explain yourself. Today was like 12. No, it wasn't 12. It was maybe 10. I was running, so I... It looked so sunny, and then I got outside and it was just like gushes of wind. Yeah. I was like, what are you doing wearing shorts? It's a three club win today, okay, Jonas? Three, four club win. Yeah, it's tough. You shorts I was in shorts yesterday because like garbage day is today So I put everything out yesterday and I was out there in shorts and a t-shirt and flip-flops and I'm sure I'll give you that If you're looking at it, they're like shorts guy is is Jonas who is his like entering Society, you know what I mean?

And in with risking running into people and seeing people and you're doing something outdoors. Taking garbage out doesn't count. All rules are off for that for the most part. People do that in housecoats, no gear. It's prison rules when it comes to that stuff. But Jonas going outside in ten feels like five weather and shorts

is uh... borderline prison move you don't know i just can't have that i get it and i agree you're saying this is how adults are supposed to act so that's what it like people like me they live in the burbs and then go downtown like you know with the young kids to be like yet honey like people are crazy down here and they're pointing at you running in a sharp

thing is like last week I was think I saw people in shorts when it was like legitimately cold I was like what are these jokers doing yeah it's freezing it's so cold still like it was beautiful today sunny and 10 degrees or whatever we'll take it but you got to wear pants Jonas like you got to work I got excited about the weather I would appear so do by or whatever, we'll take it, but you gotta wear pants, Jonas. Like, you gotta wear pants. I got excited about the weather. I would appear so. Do, by the way, I know we have Carter Hutton coming up. Don't let me forget, someone dropped by the studio

and was really not happy with you, so I need to bring that up. I have a feeling I know where this is going. Yeah, this. I mean, I, we'll see, all right, Jonas? I don't know if I'm in the mood, because I know who it's gonna to be and I don't want to hear from this guy.

Heard about this and we're two hours in and there's a yeah. He'll be upset with me if I don't. It hasn't come up. All right. If you're in a position where the guy's going to be annoying and if it's who I think it is, he will be annoying. He'll bother you and annoy you. So we'll get to it.

We'll play it later on. Steve Phillips coming up. Best butts later in the hour. Here is former NHL goalie. You hear him on SirusXM and see him also on daily face off. Here's Carter Hutton back on overdrive. What's happening Carter? Hey, not much buddy. I'll tell you, Jonas, you're not going to wear shorts up in Thunder Bay. That's a crazy move. No chance. I know you're in the beautiful place of Toronto

But come on buddy Shorts this time of year is a wild move I'm all on board for that You just get tricked Like you look outside and you're like Man, it's great out there It's March 11th though, Jonas Like it's one of those things

You shouldn't even be thinking shorts Until you get to mid-April in my opinion It said 12 and I must have missed the real feel Real feel is the actual temperature too Can Can we clarify that like I don't know if it's 30 100% for it's for Yeah, like it doesn't know the worst when they yeah, it says it's like minus 10, but it feels like minus 12 Whatever what Thunder Bay that's how we roll but the feel like just get rid of everything else Tell me what it feels like exactly. I want to know completely I played with a irrelevant the other number.

In junior hockey what is up with you guys in Thunder Bay because I played with a guy from Thunder Bay and he made it a point in the middle of winter to still wear crocs and a hoodie and not wear his coat and just be like ah this is fall weather in T Bay and we're in Sudbury. He's like ah we're just you know T Bay we're just built different. That's a tough that's a tough book i don't know i can i can say i'm on board with and the crockett yes or before cross or to when you're playing junior to sell

uh... that's valid into your point it's not good you're not you know you're not in north carolina like the sub reason credible it's you know central ontario it's not necessary to try to you know beat the elements in suburb at all uh...

how about that we saw mark last night we haven't brought up his game yet today we've been talking a lot about the leaves and march on a florida boston tonight forty eight saves uh... some of them were just remarkable like he he they almost beat him right before the wilds credible last night the end of the game and detroit all the sudden like a month ago was like you can't stop on now they can't win

but if all mark place anything close to the way he played last night are you prepared carter to say like the sensor a lot they're gonna make the playoffs i am right now you know i've been a big spot or since they got all market i guess i'm biased to rest at three years of them and i saw how easy he gets it done right i think it was a time in buffalo where again it last night a great sample that he's you like he gets what he ended up with forty nine states that forty eight days on forty

nine shots and i remember a few times in baffled one time we're playing the devils and we we watched him like six one or something at home. And he came to the bench at the third period, second time out, it was after the 10 minute mark. And I think at that point he had 41 saves. And he's leaning on the bench and he's taking a drink of water and he doesn't have an ounce of sweat on him.

And I'm like, this guy is so amazing the way he can manage the game. At that point in his career, I guess he was like misunderstood because he's a unique guy, right? Even you hear his interview last night and he's always comes up, he's a great guy to interview, right? Because he comes up with some interesting stuff.

But for Linus, he is just so elite, the way he can manage the game, the way he manages emotion. And he has that like carefree about him where I think he can compartmentalize things in that side of the game, which is so important. I think for him was just maturity and going to Boston for him with like a more, I don't want to Buffalo's had a tough enough time as it is but you get out of the leadership group we had in Buffalo and he gets to go to a place like Boston where he has

leaders ready has guys to like learn under it and understand how to be a pro and now it like he branches out to a younger team and now he has that good foundation of his skill and his goaltending to go along with a younger Ottawa Senators team I think it's a perfect mix and if you get a healthy i consider them a real big threat to get the playoffs and you know who knows what happens when they get an expression the top six is looking pretty uh... pretty good in the east but for that being said i think he's been awesome so far and i assume that will continue

speaking of goalies that have been awesome you called something on this show i think it was back in september you said up at thunder, I've been training with Mackenzie Blackwood, this guy is up to something this season, and like, anyone would have been a little skeptical, just based on the way the past few seasons have gone, but he's been unbelievable. He was great in San Jose, he's been great in Colorado.

Like, what have you seen, what gave you that notion that Mackenzie Blackwood was gonna have this great season? Cause you called it, like you called it before the season. Well, I'm glad you remember Frank, because usually they just remember the bad stuff, right? Like when I tricked Bill Armstrong into a contract and I played three games and gave up seven goals against the game. But honestly, you know, Mackenzie is just one of those guys, like growing up, I, he was always so elite athletically, like he's a big bill. He's like built like a linebacker. And I remember when he was young, he was always so elite athletically. Like he is a big build. He's like built like a linebacker. And I remember when he was young,

he was doing giant power lifts and lifting. Like I was like, remember grabbing him being like, hey, you need to find someone to teach you how to be the best goalie you can be off the rink, right? And at that point in my career, selfishly I was trying to figure out what I needed to figure out. But as you started to see him put the pieces together

on the rink and add the tools to his toolbox, right? Cause there's not many goalies like him that have the build, the athletic capabilities to move around the net and function the tools to his toolbox. Because there's not many goalies like him that have the build, the athletic capabilities to move around the net and function the way he can. So it's interesting to see the experience coming into play. And again, in the NHL now we see all these young guys come up and we want guys to be good right away.

We see it all the time, especially with players where you're drafted, you've got to be good right away. Like, what's going on? Why is this guy? This guy's a flop, he's not good. and there's so many other things that go into hockey, and I think Mackenzie now Has all the experience he's been exposed to everything he has the maturity to understand about it And I think what's really important to me is like having conversations with a summer where we were on the ice He said he's learned how to care less and that's it's never something you really want to hear I guess from your goal if you're a fan

But I get it because like sometimes you care so much and you want to do well and you prepare and you try to get ready, where it almost has an opposite effect because you're putting too much pressure on yourself. You've got to be in the moment when it's the moment, right? And then be able to get away from it. And I think for him, that's where his maturity has come in. And now we're seeing it full tilt. He's in a market where they're expected to win. You have Nathan McKinney, your captain, who is a demanding captain, and he's able to market where they're expected to win your yet nathan mckinnon captain who is

i've demanded captain and he's able to go to the rink have fun uses ability and then turn it off i think that's where we see a full tilt right now it's been fun to watch in colorado is a threat that trade deadline change everything i think all says we just got a lot more but in these last twenty games here big-time before manager gold god-gooling carter hot and i want to reference this stat that I saw last night

and I got into earlier this afternoon from the NHL on TNT where they said going into last night's game, Joseph Wall had stopped 42 shots faced during crunch time situations. The only goalie in the league with a perfect save percentage in those situations. So this is how they define crunch time situation. The final five minutes of a regulation and overtime game when the game is either tied or within a one goal margin. When you hear a stat like that, do you put any stock into something like that? When you were playing, when you evaluate current goal goalies how do you separate maybe the first fifty five minutes

compared to the last five minutes or in overtime or is that just simply arbitrary like that you could pick anything why is it five minutes instead of ten or the third period instead of the first two periods how do you kinda look at a stat like that when you see joseph wall and how comfortable and how successfully seems to be when games are really really tight late late in the game I Guess you'd say a bit arbitrary in the sense of like you could grab any time and make it work right cuz I know in

The NHL we love to do that like from January 12 funds Sunday games that are matinee games right exactly right But yeah at the end of the day though. He is showing that he can get it done when it matters, right? I think that is something that's really important. I think last night's a great example of a team that's on the road, it's a tough game. Now you're up three nothing, right? And you could view it in the sense of like, well, we blew a three goal lead, right? But in the same sense, he comes up with timely saves.

And something that was taught to me when I was younger was, it's not necessarily how many saves you make, it's when you make them, right? And there's key moments in games that can flip a game on its side. And I think last night's a great example of, imagine being in that situation, because I've been in it where you've

blown a three goal lead, right? And now the other team is coming in, they're all over you, to have the mental capacity to stay with it. And some of you've seen from Joseph Wallen, and I always love the clips of him, especially last night and throughout the season, is you can see him almost like in his zen state

when he's in that, right? He's focused, he's dialed in, and his demeanor doesn't really like go up and down with the play And I think that's something that's very reassuring and he's in with you the fact that sometimes these stats You never really know what to take from him because I feel like sometimes we can spin them and make them sound better than they Are but for a young goalie his maturity level is unbelievable again I think this has been a great season the the sense of he never got hurt again. Right? He came back. Stowars was out.

He had to carry the mail. He's done well. And yes, there's been a little bit of blips on the Raider, but who doesn't have that? We look at every goalie in the league. This is a humbling league in that sense. So I feel like it's a really good stat for him to go off of. And for me, it's not even this numbers, it's the eye test, right? Watching him in a moment last night where he needs to be dialed in, he was so locked

in in that shootout and overtime and able to get the two points for his team which was huge. Carter on a different front you played with Ross Mastellin in Buffalo. I want to play you his quotes today and see what you make of that. There's a clip circulating on social media from the spit and checklets podcast that said if you guys don't figure this out soon, you want to be moved. Is that accurate? Who? Paul Bissonnette.

Who wants to be moved? You. I want to be moved? You said you told Adam Sampson. That I want to be gone from Buffalo? No, that's, I don't know what he's talking about. I've never said I want to out of here. I'm not happy where we're at. I don where we at. I don't want to lose. We have to get better. I've never said I want out of here. I thought that was pretty clear. Alright, what do you make of that? Yeah, I honestly, I believe him that he doesn't like want to leave but in the same sense he wants to win This is a guy that I got the chance to play with when he first came in

He was competitive right over the gate And I mean a lot of times we lost games because of Rasmus Dallin and our group because he was a young guy that Played with a lot of high risk in his game, but he's at a point now where he wants to win I think this like I think everybody ever how hockey wants Buffalo to win, right? And again, I think they've done a better job of him now getting some better core pieces around him, some leadership where, I remember a moment when I was in Buffalo,

and I don't really think I've ever confessed this to too many people, I'm doing it now on national TV, but there was a, after a game we had lost, I forget who we played, whatever, there was a lot of losses in Buffalo, as you can imagine. And Rasmus Ristelainen was a guy that wore it on his sleeve, very, you know, he was sandpaper, right? He was a guy that wore it on his sleeve very, you know, he was sandpaper, right? He was a guy that we would get in a lot of FU matches after games

and we'd come back the next day and we'd go to work and that's part of being a man and playing the NHL. And I remember coming in, I had done media and I went into the locker room and Dallin was already out of his, out of the shower in his suit ready to go. Like he didn't go into the gym, didn't work out, he was 18 years old. And I remember grabbing him, and I was pretty hot at the time because we had lost a important game, and getting it into him with him.

Because Rista Lyon had done it before, and the precedent had been sent, I think that was by our, where our culture was at as a team. And I remember Darlene coming back to me the next day and apologizing. And I was like, you don't have to apologize to me. I'm just trying to help you become a pro

like where you need to get, right? You have all the tools and this is part of the building process. And even at that point, he wanted to win so bad that like he couldn't really see the forest through the trees, right? Like that was where he was at. And I think he's grown a lot as a person

but I can't imagine like being able like, you know I played in Nashville where we made the playoffs. It was in Chicago where I was part of their Stanley Cup run. St. Louis, we had really good teams. And then all of a sudden you've been there for so long losing. I spent three seasons losing, and it really is almost like a blip in my radar during that, like how much it hurt my career and just the way dealing

day to day, coming to the ring. So I can't imagine what he's dealing with. But there's one thing I will tell you about Rasmus Dulley. He's super prideful, and he will do everything he can to win. So I'd assume he wants things to get better, but there's no way he's going to try bail. He's gonna try to be part of the solution. So I get things get spun in the media but I understand where he's coming from. I thought he handled it perfectly. Like he said exactly what he was

supposed to say. He didn't divulge anything more. He was very direct and to the point. But when it comes to Buffalo, okay, like we know Pittsburgh is trying to turn things around.. Boston has traded pieces. They're going to try and get back into the top three in the Atlantic. Philly is a rebuilding team. If you're Buffalo or you're a Buffalo fan, how hard is it to look at everyone making moves around you and say, there's no guarantee that we're going to be out of the basement next season or the season after that?

Yeah, I think that's probably the hardest part looking at it, right? And some of those contracts obviously moving on from Cousins getting him out of there, the Samuelson deal and just locking guys up long term and I came from Nashville, David Poyle, that was just one of his favorite things, right? Getting guys on those eight-year deals early for small money hoping that they pan out. I remember Roman Iosi at one point was the most underpaid defenseman in the league. I remember the boys, we used to always ask him, he was okay for money because he was only making

four million a year. And that was like the running joke, right? Because he was so underpaid, and makes him get enough money for groceries. But I get it in Buffalo, right? It's like, and I think that's always the interesting part now about the NHL and the salary cap era is, do you just rip it down to the studs, right?

Because now I think everybody looks at that template in Buffalo and you're a little bit worrisome, right? It's like, yeah, we can go and get all these picks, but it doesn't mean it's gonna turn around, right? You need the right leadership, you need the right group. And I think at some point, Frankie, they have to go get some guys now that are gonna help this team go in the right way.

I feel like they've tried to, but I feel like you need to make a big splash. You need to send a message to your fan base Someone that like we're trying to move in the right direction and and again like like I talked about with Mackenzie Blockwood. I Love you PL. I think who could pack a Luka Nins a great goal I think Devon Levi's a great goalie, but like they rush guys into this league It's so hard to play in this league and sustain it and like we see it We see it this year with sheilov's in Vancouver right after his playoff run last year we're like hey we don't have to worry about Demko we have Shilov's he's

the next coming right where now you got to grind every day and figure it out and not that he lost skill right like Mitch Corn great goalie coach used to always tell me you don't lose skill overnight right and it's a great example but this league can humble you right when you're playing on emotion and you're trying to find you know I guess that Zen of being a pro and I think that's where Buffalo fans and people really need to I guess be reassured that this organization is organization is gonna trend in the right direction because it's been a it's been a long run and I'm pulling for them but it doesn't seem like it's heading the right direction this year. No it's been a long time man 13-14 years without the

playoffs and likely to finish last in the East again this year? It's it's been a grind He is former NHL goalie you hear him on serious XM. You can see him also on daily faceoff He is Carter Hutton great catching up with you Carter. We always appreciate you doing this Thanks, boys. Thanks for having me on you got it. There is again Carter Hutton always great insight Buffalo thing I'll tell you what man, there's a lot of good young players there and they traded cousins and they got a good player back in Josh Norris. It's almost like you got to look at the blue line and one of those three guys, whether it's Dallin, which I wouldn't want to trade, or Power, or Byrom, you got to talk another

team into saying, you guys gotta give us something really nice for one of these guys and overhaul it that way. Because by the time you draft these guys, they're not gonna be ready, you're gonna have a hard time building your team in free agency like we talked about with MJ and there's gonna be other teams that are in better positions to win that are gonna win those bids. That's the avenue for these guys. That's the only way they can go if they want to change it. Yeah, it's crazy that it's been this long where not only have they missed the playoffs, they haven't been close to making the playoffs.

That's what is maybe even more staggering or possibly just difficult to digest if you're a Sabre fan If you if you've been on the border or you're pushing up against it You just you know you finish with 88 points, and you just how do you get over the top? How do you get in there at the bottom of the barrel every single year? Every year they're terrible and this year is no different and you know they took it down to the studs for Eichel but they were basically there before he showed up like they took Sam Reinhardt second overall that was before Eichel and McDavid and they had Ryan O'Reilly on the team they had Brandon Montour they had

Almark they yeah oh they've had countless examples. There's been so many great players that have been there at the same time yes at that that's the thing all these good players that have gone elsewhere and have had success they were in buffalo at pretty much the same time and it still didn't work which is fascinating they had all mark and look at the way he's playing um all right steve phillips coming up Jonas. Do you want to set this up? We can play whatever this is that? Evidently we have to play you want me to do this now or I guess so. Yeah, what do you have? so I came to the studio and Someone popped in and he was really hot and he said where is that Hayes? He's a fraud Okay, and then he

is that Hayes he's a fraud okay and then he can hear what else he had to say all right since to Brian Hayes and the bot farmer himself Al's bro you guys made a deal there's nothing worse than human beings who can't keep their word there's a deal in a statement that was supposed to be made for the losers of the Super Bowl do we try to jams didn't work all dog and myself one the symbol one the championship i need our we need our hats and we need a statement case this is the ultimate fraudulent move and i will not stand for you be

saying statement and get me in parts your hats thank you all rights so there's a lot of detail there for starters i i do have their hats you can see the the playoff champs I I will get them their hats these idiots and that's what they are the two of them Luke Wilson and Jeff O'neil They had a lead going into the Super Bowl right last year. We beat them in the playoffs They've never actually acknowledged that it's it's like election deniers, right last year Al's brother

And I won in the playoffs. They still contend that it didn't happen it was a tie so I'll stay I'll give you my statement where they wanted us to come on and say they're the best and we suck or whatever it was I don't even remember the details of the statement I haven't seen Al's brother I'm assuming he's on a cruise somewhere right now but if and when I get to meet up with Al's brother, we will issue a statement. But I want a statement myself in response. I want full acknowledgement that we won the playoffs last year. When they do that, they can have their statement. So you send that back to Luke Wilson and wherever he is in there, Jonas, if you see him crawling

along the halls anywhere, I don't even know what he's doing in there. I know NFL's got a lot of free agency kind of news and notes coming in daily. But we'll get to a statement when he makes his own statement. Is there ever a world where the teams all change and you guys get to be partners? Well, that was the whole thing. At the forefront of all of this was Luke was with Al's brother and oh going up against me and I was dismantling them and then they fired Luke and Luke crawled over to me and I accepted him with pity I said you can be on my team fine I'll let you you know show you the ropes on how to win sure

enough we went on this remarkable run we won and then he flipped on me and then he went back to to Oh and Al's brother and they fired Al's brother so Al's brother came over with me it's been a whole circus but as of now I'm very confident in myself and my partner I don't want anything to do with Oh or Luke when it comes to NFL gambling so I'll stick with Al's brother but anything's possible Jonas to answer your question anything's possible, Jonas. To answer your question, anything's possible. And we got a long time before we get back to September. And I don't wanna press fast forward, man.

We're just getting out of winter. Like we're just getting into nice weather in the spring and stuff like that. I don't wanna fast forward anything because before you know it, Stanley Cup playoffs, NBA playoffs, the Masters, outside golfing, running with shorts on. Shorts, there's nothing like, hey Jonas, there's nothing like going to morning skate in shorts. You ever go to morning skate in shorts?

I would never do that. People do that and I just think, God, come on. Players must just destroy you if you were to do that. If you show up in shorts, I think there are certain coaches that would be like, yeah, you're not a part of this presser today let's go put some pants on i don't think that should be allowed like that that should honestly be a fine

or you're just banned from the building if you show up in shorts to cover a morning skate or a scrum or a game i think i've seen people come in sandal what really no socks we can stand on shoes or his shorts Yeah, I imagine Jonas. You're just going for a jog and you're like, I'll go check in on morning skate Sweating with your getch on crazy to me I mean, I maybe cup final off day in Florida's like maybe even that I think is pushing it like it were professionals here come on but uh...

there's gotta be there's gotta be at least a couple shorts guys that work in our toronto little media scene that have done it in the past and i could see that i could definitely see i could see like a summer press or like one matthews was announced as the captain there would have been people in their shorts t-shirts, sandals. That's no go for you. I don't.

It's a professional setting. Like throw on some pants and shoes. You have to wear a credential to get into these things. Right. You're recognized as a company or yourself. Come on. All right. We will catch up with Steve Phillips.

Get his take on Garrett Cole, Tommy John, what does it mean for the Yankees, what does it mean for the American League East, and what's he hearing out of Jay's camp down in Dunedin in terms of how they're looking, and as we get closer and closer to opening day Major League Baseball. Best bets later in the hour. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050N on the TSN app. Let go from your job without a severance package?

You need employmentlawyer.ca. Your employer is legally required to give you as much as 24 months pay when you lose your job. Call your Sam Firu and get what you're owed. Employmentlawyer.ca. All right, best bet's powered by Fandor later in the hour. We're getting through spring training and it's always a war of attrition.

Like who's going to get to the finish line of spring training healthy? And there's always injuries and if it happens to specific players on specific teams, it's going to make more noise and it's going to open the door to more debate as to how it's going to affect the season. And I think when you consider what's going on with the Yankees, Juan Soto leaving in free agency, I don't think Stanton's going to play this year and now Garry Cole we know won't play this year, he's having Tommy John, he's done for the year. Does it open the door for other teams in the American League East?

What does it mean for the Yankees to get into that more? Here's our TSN baseball insider Steve Phillips. Steve, I don't know how you felt about the Yankees coming into spring training but when you consider the news on Stanton and now the news on Garrett Cole how does it change your projection for what they might do this season? Yeah I think I think it takes them really I mean throwing Luis Gille as well in there remember he was the guy that saved their season last year as much as Aaron Judge was the American League MVP. He wasn't really the MVP of the Yankees. I think you could

make a case that despite Soto having a great year and Judge having a great year, Luis Heal saved their season. That when Garrett Cole went down for the first two plus months of the season, it was a rookie starting pitcher, Luis Heal, who saved their year that he pitched like Garrett Cole, and really was the one who got them through the first couple months until Cole came back. And now he's out with the last string, potentially, for a couple of months. And so they've lost two key parts of that rotation

to where Marcus Strohman, who was whining that he wanted to be traded and wasn't happy, is now their number four starter. And Will Warren, who was whining that he wanted to be traded and wasn't happy is now their number four starter and Will Warren who was a guy that was going to start the year in AAA is now their number five starter and you know Max Fried who was added in the offseason and they didn't get one so to boost to the number one spot in the rotation and they're going to have to you know mix and match and pieces together. I thought the Yankees and the Red Sox were there, the class of the East. And right now I think the Red Sox

are the best team of the East. And the Yankees will have to fight for a wild card spot right now. And so now Hill will be back at some point, cold loss for the year, but I have some real questions about how the Yankees are gonna score runs this year. You know, in 2023, they were 25th in runs scored

in the American League when they didn't have Juan Soto. And yeah, in 2023, they were 25th and run scored in the American League when they didn't have Juan Soto. And yeah, they're going to have Jazz Chisholm for the full year and they have Cody Bellinger. But Paul Goldschmidt has not had a great spring. I think he's hitting like 250 and he can't hit the hard fastball. Maumehue is limping around the clubhouse. Uh, you know, they, Dominguez doesn't really handle the fly balls and left field all that well. And, and so there's some questions about whether he's going to be able to hit enough right now too. So, you know, they've got some major questions, the Yankees and, um, you know, they've rebuilt

their bullpen a bit, but, think that to me, they're not necessarily the runaway leader in the American East right now, and they have fallen back to the pack. It always feels like with the Yankees too, a lot of it hinges on Judge. The year that he was going on his historical home run pace, it was like, well, if Judge isn't doing it, they had a hard time generating it elsewhere. I think where the Blue Jays factor into that is they're gonna have a strong rotation, but now Max Scherzer dealing with a right thumb soreness, his start gets pushed back. Is that kind of what you expected to get things up and running for Scherzer or is that a little

more of a concern? Well that's a concern because the thumb issue is tied to the nerve issue. I was just in their camp just the other day and he was talking about how good he felt in that the nerve issue was the thing that was the problem that his back was so much better but the nerve was the issue and it was feeling so much better. But whenever that thumb started acting up it was because the nerve was running down from his shoulder down through his arm down the forearm to the thumb and now that the thumb's flaring up it does make you worry a little bit about that that nerve that starts up in the shoulder

and that that may be something that continues to be an issue for him so you know that is a concern and and you know that is where some of the power and the velocity comes from for him. So something to keep an eye on. We'll see whether that's a thing or not, but you know, even with that, I think that, you know, the Blue Jays should still have a good rotation. Even, you know, I think that, you know, the question was, were you going to expect 30 starts or 32 starts from Scherzer? I was hoping that maybe you'd get 24 quality starts from him.

And then, you know, Yurio Rodriguez might mix in for some starts there. And maybe later in the year, you'd mix in some of the, one of the young guys into the mix at some point too. And so, you know, your hope is you'd get as much out of Scherzer as you can, as healthy as you can, because when he's because when he's healthy to be pretty good but you know you gotta get him healthy and and he's not gonna help you if he's not on the field because when he is healthy i think he is going to be very good but

uh... you know you gotta keep an eye on it monitor it and it's going to be you know every start after we start you're going to be thinking about whether or not he's going to be healthy and able to make the next one. With Steve Phillips, there's still a number of things that need to be determined as we get through camp down in Dunedin. You said it, you were just around the team a couple of days ago trying to get a read on where they stand. The batting order has been kind of a daily conversation up here.

It sounds like Vladi will hit second, Santander will hit third, and I think Bichette's gonna get leadoff duties for a good portion of the season as long as he's comfortable in that role. I get the impression like Bowe kind of wants that. What is your read on the situation in terms of Bichette and the importance of them picking the right guy to lead off day in, day out. Yeah, I think that, that, you know, I think the lineup is going to be malleable. Uh, malleable. I think that, that, you know, John Schneider will ride a hot hand for it. And if somebody cools off, he'll put somebody else in there.

He may work matchups with it. I want somebody who wants the role. Uh, and you know, I think there's something about Bo Bichette who's hungry this year. And a lead off hitter who goes up there with some level of swag and energy and who's got something to prove, I kinda like that. And the idea that Bichette's got something to prove

and wants to go up there and lead the team and lead his career and, and, you know, make a statement like he, this is a statement year form. And so I kind of liked the notion of him up there to set things off and set the stage because he's got some ground to make up in his career right now. And so I don't mind that at all if that's something that he wants. And, and and and I wouldn't mind him being given that opportunity to go out there and do that right now and so I might reward that for him and

And see if he can't carry it for a while and if he can go run it And let's see what he can do and if finish some point he cools off a little bit and somebody else is hot Then I might run them up there too and just play it out a little bit in in a matchups come into play in you know you got a couple right here in the mountain and there's a left-handed back-up top and i will not go up there too so i don't think you have to necessarily lock in on it i just want somebody getting on base in front of let me grow junior which i think it's the most important factor

will stay speaking of vladimir grow junior i'm seeing a report from Ken Rosenthal at the Athletic and I will read you the first two lines. The number of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. wants is 500 million not 500 million before deferrals but 500 million in present value according to sources briefed on the first baseman's contract negotiations with the Toronto Blue Jays. What do you make of that report and number? Well, yeah, I guess it just depends upon over how many years, right? And, you know, and so is that over 10 years? Is that over 14 years? You know, that's where it matters, right? Is what's the annual average value of that contract?

And it seems like therein lies some part of the difference because what we heard was that what he told ESPN de Fortes is that they offered him 15 years just under $600 million. Now whether that was deferred money or whether it was just spread out over 15 years where the AAV was under a certain amount that he wanted the AAV more and he didn't want it spread out over a period of time, it all depends what the structure is of the deal. So I don't know what the $500 million means. $500 million spread out over what period of time it looks like fourteen million or fourteen years sorry is what he might be

looking for well john hayman i guess of the post reporting that toronto proposed an extension for around five hundred million with deferrals to vlady that would have put the net present value in the range of four hundred to four hundred fifty million you know i i'm assuming that's a you know is that a fourteen fifteen million put the net present value in the range of $400 million to $450 million. I'm assuming that's a 14-year, 15-year deal, something like that, Steve. I would have to believe it.

For me, that is surprising. Not that Vlad is asking for what he's asking for. I think that's become clear. What is surprising to me is this Heyman report, if it's true that the Jays were willing to offer him $400 to $450 million, that is a massive move for them over the course of like a six-month period. I don't believe they were comfortable giving them $300 million a year ago. Now they've gone up 100 million, 150 million.

That's a lot of money that the Jays have moved on, Steve. I agree, and I think that there's some level where I think that they deserve some acknowledgement of credibility that they're making a distinct effort to try to keep their player. He's not Juan Soto. They have made an effort and a statement that they want to keep them, that they have moved to a level that is a record-setting number for not only the organization, but it would

be a record-setting number for a right-handed hang first baseman. It would be a record-setting number, you know, beyond a Mike Trout contract, and quite honestly it's beyond where Aaron Judge's deal is. You know, it's an extraordinary offer coming from the Blue Jays, and you know this notion that that this front office isn't willing to invest or go there or you know, and you know, and for them to get ownership, and remember this these notion that this front office isn't willing to invest or go there. For them to get ownership, and remember, these are ownership decisions, but the front office has to convince them to do it. So for them to go there, to get them to go to that number and to push them off of where

they were before, the front office has to get them to do it. As much maligned as they have been, it has taken some convincing to get them to do it. And so, you know, as much maligned as they have been, it has taken some convincing to get them to go there. And, you know, they do deserve some credit for doing it. Now, they may or may not get it done. And if they don't get it done, they're going to catch flak for it. And I get it. But, you know, they have made what I think would certainly sounds like a very significant offer and people can judge whether or not they're serious enough about it, but it doesn't sound like an offer good enough to lose the player.

It sounds like an offer where they thought they were really going to try to get a deal done. Yeah, like the way it reads to me now is that Vlad is not really negotiating. He's saying this is it and I'll stay if you take my number. In other words, I win the negotiation. I puff my chest out and you know, if you're not comfortable with that, so be it. Because you know, I'm reading the report is just coming out that I guess Vlad E eased his stance on deferrals closer to the deadline, but we're still seeking the present value at 500 million. So what what complicates this is the deferrals closer to the deadline but we're still seeking the present value at five hundred

million so what could what what complicates this is the deferrals you know there's some sort of calculation that puts you know seven hundred sixty five million or seven hundred million into context of what it actually means for current value when you consider deferrals being paid well into the future and inflation and all that and the way this is post report uh... I guess is crunching the numbers would indicate that if he is looking for present-day value of 500 million total to put that into perspective Shohei

Otani's 700 million dollar deal with the Dodgers last year before the season had a present-day value of 460 million. So in other words, Vlad wants more money than Shohei Otani. Which sorry is just absurd. Like obviously is absurd. Right. That's right. That's really what he wants is a present value more than Shohei Otani. And what makes it even more absurd is that when Soto took it beyond there it but what happened was that the agents will say well that was the market then but Soto created a new market and therefore Otani's contract isn't relevant anymore because Soto set a new market. Now I look at it

think Soto is a one-off because you had a perfect storm of two New York owners who weren't and so the reality is Soto's relevant, so is Otani relevant and you know you can make an argument that that you know Soto doesn't matter for Guerrero. You could say that thatani does matter, but I understand they're trying to tie it to Soto I get it, but it doesn't seem like there's any world in which you can justify Guerrero making more than Otani You can't I mean I get he's younger and he means a lot to this market and he is listen He's entitled to ask for whatever he wants and he's under contract and he's going to perform this year and if he's going to walk he's going to walk and

you know doomsday may hit and the Jays are going to have to make a tough choice but if these reports are accurate and you knew this was just a matter of time before the leaks came out on both sides like it was just a matter of time both are going to try to play the game and both try to win PR here if If Ladi's looking for more, you know, money technically than Otani, that's crazy. And I think if the Jays were willing to go to four, 450 million, that is legitimate negotiation. That's not low balling him. That's legitimate. Yet in the end, Steve, they still might have to, they might lose the player, you know, and maybe he gets that money somewhere else and they'll have to face that reality when they get to it

you know the other thing guys really interesting we interviewed Vlad in camp and one of the things that really was interesting is he said one of the things that needs to be better is our clubhouse our clubhouse wasn't good last year we need everybody in the boat going in the same direction and he said I think it's going to be better this year that we have to play for the name of the front of the uniform instead of the names of the back of the uniform. Which really pointed out, really something that I really wasn't all that aware of last year that there were some issues in the clubhouse. And he said, it's better already.

And I know, and from both the front office and the coaches and the manager and the players, the notion of Santander, Andres Jimenez and Scherzer all impacting the energy for the team and the clubhouse as a different energy was dramatic. Like everybody referenced it, that those guys were all bringing a whole different energy into this team about the front of the uniform that you know that that the name of the front of the universe of the back of the uniform about winning and bladdy said

that we need to be better that way and i need to make sure that we're better that way but for a guy in the last year of his contract legitimately and authentically worried about winning this year instead of worrying about the name of the back of the uniform. Look, he could be worried about the name of the back of the uniform. I was very convinced and surprised though by what the issue was last year and how important it was to him and everybody else this year.

Well, we're getting closer and closer to opening day. It is a beautiful thing, and we'll chat up chat I'm sure multiple times before we get there and we always appreciate you doing this. Thank you Okay, you got it guys. Thanks so much. There's Steve Phillips our TSM baseball insider. That's I mean, that's what you want to hear, right? We'll see what comes of it, but that is an interesting It's not even a report that's from the horse's mouth mouth. Vlad is saying the clubhouse wasn't great last year. Well what does that say about John Schneider and what he's got going on there? I wonder where he factors into all this.

He's the guy that never really gets talked about, right? Like at some point if the team continues to not meet standards, like he's got to be right there in the firing line, does he not? Yeah, they're all connected. I think Schneider, Akin, Shapiro. But this is a story that's just going to's just gonna keep going with what the jays were willing to pay and what he was really looking for and now the spin is going to be

well he wants more than a tiny that's just that's not going to let's not going to land with blue jay fans right cuz everyone wants most people want fladdy to stick around you want rogers to pony up got to pay a lot of money but you also got to be reasonable to an extent I get it's a negotiation it's your life but this is it's kind of like the Marner thing like do you really like you keep saying love it Toronto no I don't ever want to leave want to be here forever okay then you get a sign like here's a great offer are you gonna take it and we'll see. You know, deadlines, not talking.

Okay. Well, at some point, you got to prove it. You got to put up or shut up. Best bet still to come. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on the TSN app. Given five days or less to accept a severance offer, you need EmploymentLawyer.ca. You actually have two years to file a claim for a severance package, which can total as much as 24 months pay. Call your Sam Firu and get what you're owed. Employmentlawyer.ca.

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