OverDrive - OverDrive - March 3, 2025 - Hour 3

Episode Date: March 4, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jonas Siegel for Hour 3 on OverDrive! The Athletic Senior Writer James Mirtle joins to discuss the Maple Leafs' trade deadline priorities, potential trade assets and the goaltending tandem impressions. MLB Network Analyst Ryan Dempster joins to discuss Max Scherzer's role with the Blue Jays, the ceiling in the AL East and the ABS challenge system and Bryan gives his FanDuel Best Bets.

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Switch to Bell PureFiber, Canada's fastest internet, awarded by UCCLA. Starting from $60 a month. Visit bell.ca for more details and to check availability. some guys sent me a tweet and it reads Fred has a better international career than O-Dog you have a gold medal representing Canada. You used to.

I guess it isn't around anymore, but you still earned that and you won it. So Fred has to really top that. He's got some work to do. He would have to win, yeah, he would have to win I think three or four over Europe. Yeah, what the equivalent of the World Juniors is, Fred's got to do that to be on par with your international resume. I think that's fair. And I get worried about, like I guess I don't really get worried because it's just a reality

like you know, algorithms and your phone here listening to you and all that kind of stuff. And I'm not really doing that many interesting things. But we just talked about CADS for a good 15 minutes. And this, well this is a story that happened to pop up anyway, but I saw this on Twitter from the Toronto Sun like an hour ago that an influencer, I guess some flight influencer, someone that travels a lot, was irked by a Delta flight attendant

who allegedly told her to silence her cat or get off the plane. So now I'm getting cat stories as a part of my algorithm because of what we just talked about. And I guess her cat was like meowing really loudly and the Attendant was like you have to tell that cat to stop or you're gonna have to get out of here But I think is reasonable What are you gonna do midair throw the person off the bird like you did the cat person brings the cat on the plane

You're dealing with the cat Right, but I think have you ever brought Fred on a plane? No, I have not brought my cats on a plane I will only next year to if you go international Yeah, we are gonna put Fred in the competition to see if we can win, okay Yeah, so I guess in the end it worked out the cat kind of calmed down and everyone was okay But this tip I on a sec you want to get over here and tell these guys what you, what we're doing next? Get over here. Come on. No, she won't do it. She will not.

She's not going to parade around with Fred. She's not coming on this show. I mean, she's obviously not in the mood for that, but we have a year. We got one year. It's like a happy Gilmore right after he got cut from the hockey team. It's got one year to figure out what's going to happen with Fred at the cat Stravaganza. Um, all right, we got James Murdo coming up here in a moment to leave Sirin Action tonight. Macklin Celebrini in town. Yeah. His first game in Toronto and he was game time decision earlier and then he came out right after his coach I

think said that and admitted he was good and he's excited for the game tonight and he's a needle mover. Like I think he really is. Like I keep wondering who's gonna win rookie of the year. It's probably him or Lane Hudson at this point Mitchkoff was in the competition at one point Dustin Wolf would be in there, but I think it's a two-horse race Hudson's been phenomenal for the Habs You can justify both guys like you could really make a good good case for both But celebrating in 10 you're only gonna see him once He looks he's been great man Like he's really really been an impactful player even for a team that is committed to the tank still

Like it's kind of the way in and they have optimism to say We think we have kind of Not a McDavid not a Matthews But a Jonathan Taze type of a leader that can do it offensively and if we build around him There's like there can be light at the end of the tunnel. Yeah Which like I would you who would you be more optimistic about with their with their draft pick and what's moving forward? I think you'd almost have to say San Jose is more optimistic than Chicago right now probably Yeah, like I think it I mean you do have to consider when you look at the fact that they're dead last in the league.

Like they're awful still. They are horrendous. They've lost eight in a row. They have 39 points. But I think they have like the number one prospect pool. That's where it goes. And they've got some of these kids with like Will Smith and they've got Eklund and they've got the defenseman down in London, the Knights that they just picked. Can I ask you guys a mini Jerry's? Yeah. Am I allowed to do that? Yeah of course go ahead. Everyone is. Mini Jerry's. Macklin Celebrini will be on the 2026 Olympic team. Percent. Ten. That's exactly what I was about to say ten percent. That's all you think that low he's he's 19 years old He's like young guys

That's a tough tournament man, and I think that Cooper's Cooper realized that Sid and McKinnon and Reinhardt and McDavid and Braden point are gonna be the point producers and other guys are gonna fill a role So what role is he gonna fill a role so what role is he gonna fill yeah that's the question where is he gonna play right you know your top two yeah yeah is he and is he's maybe is he your 13th or 14 forward it's possible because they take more players to the Olympics I think

they take 14 forwards eight defensemen so there'll be more players than we're at the four nations I just think it's asking too much of a young player I don't think I think by 30th 2030 you're clearly looking at celebrini and bedard There's a bit of a turnover at that point, but that's four and a half years away five years away How old was Sid at 20 in 2010? 23 he'd been in the league for four or five years is an 87 So so yeah, he was 23. And that was Sid.

So Sid, Sid in 2006 wasn't there. No. And he was in, I know he was. He was playing, he was a rookie by then. Yeah, that was, he came out of the lockout. Like he was a rookie that year. So I don't think it's reasonable. It might be less than 10%.

What's yours i thought you'd make a good point and sold and then prices right you guys eleven percent just go a bit above the i think celebrini i will say celebrate he's got a better chance of a guard because the details of his game he wins a lot of park battles at chicago team they're gonna have a handful of that butard How many more years is he gonna watch that and be like?

This not only sucks. My game is suffering. I'm not but darting it right now I'm telling you they better From the outside looking in I don't know what I don't think they know what they're doing there It's really not and even the deal they made like seth jones Yeah, you have to retain some money not the end of the world, but you had to retain some money and Spencer Knight. I Don't know what he is like his numbers haven't been great. He's still a young goalie You're gonna get a first-round pick. That's probably gonna be what that's the high 20s. Hey, that's the old you think they'd take Spencer night Yeah, that's kind of what it feels like

Yeah to me that Florida paid him and he I think he's an RFA maybe after next year But they weren't sure what Bob was gonna be and now they've got Bob that they've trusted in Bob And I think they look back and say I wish we kept Stollers I'll bet you they really wish they kept stores, but they went with night and then four months into the project They're like screw it. We'll move you so I'm not I would bet that Florida gets it right before Chicago gets it right would be the stance that I would currently have all right here's your boy our boy love having him on from the athletic we have

him on a few times a year when you're in here Jonas here's our good friend James Myrtle how you doing James good guys good how's it going we're doing pretty well what are you expecting tonight this is it possible to be a trap game when you're playing a team in San Jose that's lost eight games in a row and is dead last in the league well I think history tells us the Leafs have a way of turning any kind of a game into a trap game so I mean I maybe this year has been a little bit different than some of the other years, but yeah, I think you come into this one and you say, you know, it's back to back, the

Leafs have won eight of nine and maybe, you know, I've watched quite a bit of San Jose this year because they've been on late and they've got some young guys that can burn you and they've made some games closer than what their record shows that it is. They've got a few guys that can score and I know granland's gone now and but it's not like it's a team totally bereft of town and they're going to get up to play in this game for sure what you just touched on the lease record of late jonas impressive as the record was or is jonas was trashing them at the beginning of the show talking about the defy her lead

like i heard where where where are you at? With their overall play what you've seen and what you think the expectations should be going forward Well, I mean Jonas will tell you guys we've been arguing about this almost all season So I'm not I'm not anywhere near and down on the team as Jonah said You're down on you said I'm down. Look at this. Well how can you not say you're down on it? You said you don't want their team or not off the top of the shelf. I said I'd pick it apart and there's some stuff that doesn't look amazing and it's like I don't just judge it on wins and losses. I'm sorry. You're deeper than that? Well like- You're a surgeon of analysis. Okay. I like it. Here's an example guys. Like Jonas is talking about you know they don don't score the way that they used to but if you look at over

the last You know since December 1st, they're one of the highest scoring teams in the league and where are they? Yeah, no, I know and then that's not but but you're pointing out that they don't score But I'd like they've been a really dangerous offensive team for a while now So I was like that was months ago when we were talking about that and they weren't scoring like that was not an unfair point Yeah, but they were like six guys out of the lineup, right? I just I think that there's they've got great goal tending They've reemerged as one of the top scoring teams in the league. The power play has come back to life the last few months

Are they perfect? No, but one of the things that Jonas and I argue about all the time and with I say on my side Is that there's no perfect teams in the n.h.l. right now it's so wide open the parity levels so high and with the biggest differentiator for the leases that they've got really high-end star talent and really good goaltending and that's a pretty big those are two pretty big wins in your favor that you're not getting on on another a lot of other rosters around the league

i agree with that i i i'd never said that wasn't true. When they weren't scoring, I was saying they're not scoring and they don't have a lot of players that I look at beyond the core group that are going to score. I think that concern is still relevant. I don't look at this little spurt. I don't know if you guys do and say, well, all these guys that are scoring now are going to score. How deep? Like when we don't think they're deep, like offensively, I just don don't know you're saying beyond the four obvious guys the six they have six guys I think you can count on to school you would include knives and who McMahon

yeah I mean after that everything is like oh but you could say panthers other than there are six guys how many guys are you counting on to score in Florida it's a fair point but we have anyway no but continue I guess we just have seen this team I mean you guys know the history They don't score enough in the playoffs and now they're even more top-heavy than they were that is concerned like I think I never thought Of them as more depth in the past what team are you referencing that had more? Scoring depth in the past they're more top-heavy now than they have been if you look at like the person I mean, it's changed recently, but they were getting like six

75% of their goals from six players. They were never that top heavy before. Okay. I guess one point I would make on that is that I do think, like Knies in particular is the best fifth player they've had like throughout this. Like maybe look at Orion O'Reilly as an example, sure. And O'Reilly, he would remember he was hurt kind of down the stretch. He played well in the first round and then was hurt for the second round. O'Reilly as an example, sure. And O'Reilly, he would remember he was hurt, kind of down the stretch. He played well in the first round and then was hurt for the second round. O'Reilly though, is not an offensively explosive player,

but I think what Nyes proved to me in the playoffs last year, James, and I'm curious where you stand on this, like he elevated his game. Even the first year he was. Absolutely, before he got hurt. Like, I think there's something to that where you look at the core four

and their reputation in the the playoffs that is one thing Nice has the opposite reputation You know shorter sample size and Bobby McMahon didn't play in the playoffs last year So I'm curious what you think you'd expect out of those two guys come playoff time. Yeah Well, I and not only that but the big guys as well too, right? Like I mean Jones is right that they've've run into scoring problems in the playoffs, but it's, it's been their stars and their third top six boards that haven't delivered.

So I don't, I don't know that there's any team that you look at that's going into the playoffs. You're like, Oh, there's third line is so good that they're going to produce all of these goals and it's going to be able to cover up our stars, not producing. Like that's just not a reality in the league. So I, I'm of the mind that I look at where they are right now and what's going on and I think that they desperately need to add another defenseman almost more than they need to add another offensive weapon to this

team right now. That's where I'm at. And in terms of what you you know what we believe is available is there anything reasonable out there that would you know if they acquire that player you'd'd say, okay, that's enough and now we're going to feel better about the way their defense kind of stacks up on paper and the way it possibly plays come playoff time. Well, I think you're just looking for someone who's going to take minutes away from Timmons and Myers and Benoit. And we've also seen too with Tannin out of the lineup that if they have one injury in

the playoffs, all of a sudden you're going to be kind of white-knuckling it through all the games and when you're playing against another good team. So that would be where I would be on. It goes for center too though. Is there anyone out there that they might potentially get that we're really excited about? It doesn't sound like the Braden Shinn things can happen. So you look at what else is available and you're going pretty far down the depth chart.

And do you want to give up one of your top prospects or our first round pick for someone who's gonna play 13 14 minutes and maybe not make a huge impact? That's what they have to figure out and you're right about that third pairing like the fourth line is in flux right now I don't know what they're good they don't have one that's defined like I believe it'll be camp and Lorenz and then they got to figure out who's gonna play on the right side it could could be Jan Kroek, I think he's gonna play there tonight. Lorenz is still hurt. But that third pairing in the playoffs, like you look at the teams that have won the last few

years, generally the third pairing are two veterans with some size that played like last year I believe was Ekman, Larson and Kulikov. I remember when Colorado won it was the two Johnson's back there. This, if it's Benoit and Timmons, that is really terrifying. There's no other way around that. That's a scary third pair

on paper right now. I'd be looking to get someone like David Savardo to Montreal. Like get someone who is what you're talking about. Just a really safe veteran that can play the 16 minutes kill penalties And nothing flashy Probably not gonna cost you what he would have cost you a year or two ago when the Leafs were rumored to be in on him and I

Think that that's a really important piece for them at the deadline and it was interesting to me that I don't know how much stock He put in this Jonas, but tree living it seemed to talk on the weekend about Maybe defense it has to be more of a priority for them than upfront. Yeah, I wonder if that's just what you're talking about, like with what's available and what they want to spend. But this gets into what I want to ask you about. You've been kind of Debbie Downer about what they can do with the trade deadline. And but you wrote today about the cap and some of the obstacles that they have to get around. How I mean how big an obstacle do you think the cap is for them heading into

Friday? As long as they're willing to make some tough decisions I think they can open up enough room to bring in and someone who can play in the third line and someone who can play you know third pair D I think they can do that but when you're talking about bringing in Braden Schenick it's really gets really complicated because even if they start putting guys on waivers and trading players, they're probably only going to have three, four million to work with. If you're trying to fit in a guy that makes six and a half million, it gets really tough. If you're asking St. Louis to retain on that six and a half million for three more years, all of a sudden they're going to be asking for way more if they are going to do it at all.

So that's where I think the shen thing breaks down for them. And then you start looking at what plan B is with the amount of money that you have and the assets that you have. And that's why I think you're probably looking at like second tier additions here and just kind of bolstering your debt a little bit. With James Myrtle of the Athletic and the Leaf Report podcast. Well a couple of years ago, remember when Dubas had that crazy crazy trade deadline Where there was like every six to eight hours a new deal was happening and that's when they brought in O'Reilly and they brought

In Luke Shan and they brought in other players and they moved some pieces off the roster that maybe weren't Necessarily all back did like Engvall went out and then Sandeen went out Like I'm curious James if you if you could see a scenario where Trey Living does that where we're always focused on players who aren't here but could he have a player or two circled like a Yarncroak who returns tonight maybe a Max Domi like where you look at it okay that's three and a half million that freeze up or four four and a half million that freeze up the ability to avoid those cap

issues you're talking about and Possibly bring in different players who would not have been available if you didn't have that cap space Yeah, I I don't see them moving Domi I think that's too hard of a contract to move right now with three years left on it And he's got the no trade clause with I think it's a 13 team no trade clause that makes it really complicated, but They'll get enough bang for their buck by just moving some guys that are down the lineup because it adds up if you have two or three of those so if it's a Connor Dewar who makes 1.2 if you decide to

Move Ryan Reeves and put him through waivers that could free up some money for you at 1.1 You know, they could look at if they're trading for a defenseman They could send a defenseman the other way Connor Timmons makes 1.1 So I think if you're bringing in a right shot defenseman you've already got Tanev, you've already got Myers, you probably don't want to have too many other right shot D and you probably move someone the other way so I think those are probably more of the names that they look at. Nick Robertson I think still potentially could be moved

because if you're bringing in someone on the third line Nick Robertson's probably losing his spot there and yeah, start adding those up and that's where you get to the, you know, three, three and a half million dollars that you have to work with to bring players in. So, we were talking with this off the top, you know, in terms of what you can rely on come playoff time and the goaltending is as Jonas points out, there just isn't any history of them playing in the playoffs.

Like they just collectively have not had a lot of starts but Stolarz this year when he's been healthy has been outstanding and I credit him greatly for like the gap where remember when Wall got injured and he came back and it was like kind of a slow roll and he had to build back up Stolarz has not missed a beat like he returned to that game I think in Seattle was outstanding and has been great ever since like for my my money it's pretty clear still ours is the game one starter if he stays healthy

is there anything he can do or wall for that matter the rest of the way that would lead almost a definitive answer that he's just clear cut your number one in other words there's no discussion of he starts game one wall starts game two like do you think these goalies could play themselves out of any tandem talk in the playoffs? Yeah I think so. I think there's still room for that. I mean Stolar really just has to keep doing what he's done this year in order to claim that top spot. I mean like he's 1A right now. The only thing with Stolar's that I

would say is that durability has been a problem for him his entire career and that's why he's never been a number one until now. That's why the Leafs were able to sign him to the contract they did in the offseason. He's had so many injuries, you know, this year alone like he's missed a big stretch of time. So the only thing I would say with counting on him 100% to be the guy is that his body just hasn't been able to hold up over long periods of time and And he hasn't been able to be that starter where he's playing the playoffs. As you guys know really well, it's such a grind.

You got to play every second night and it's really hard on a goaltender. And if you haven't seen a guy do that before and if a guy's body's broken down when he has done that before, those are the red flags. But I think they should go with him for sure. But we don't want to do is just go with him right now. Put wall on the bench and we'll only place four or five games the rest of the way. And I don't think they're going with him for sure but what you don't want to do is just go with them right now put wool on the bench and wool only plays four or five games the rest of the way and I don't think they're gonna do that but there's the reason you don't want to do that is because you might need wool even if

Stollers plays lights out the rest of the way plays great in the first two or three games of the series you just don't know if that's gonna hold up the whole way James we brought up the idea of facing both of the Florida teams earlier and handicapping the chances or the probability of at least taking out one of the two How do you think they would stack up? I guess as of right now because we can't look a month and a half ahead Against Tampa and Florida like how would you handicap their chances of advancing in those series if they started right now? I mean honestly, I think both those series are pretty close to 50-50.

Tampa's had a really good year quietly. They have one of the best goal differentials in the league. Vasilevsky's played way better this year. The against acquisition has been excellent. You know there's some questions about their depth on defense but they're going to be a tough out. The only thing that I would say with Tampa is that the Leafs historically have matched up pretty well against them and their one series win that we've seen was against them.

So you probably feel better about that. And the thing you got to worry about with Florida is, as CJ likes to say, they're kind of like the butchers of the league. Like they just play such a physical aggressive style that that's hard for the Leafs to match. And I know they've changed their personnel and things like that. But I would, so I would say they match up better against Tampa even though the Lightning have had a great year and then Pitt the Panthers are gonna be a real challenge so I think you do everything you can to not take games

like tonight lightly and try and win the division because it's gonna be really important to avoid a war in the first round and maybe you get Columbus or Detroit or a team like that that hasn't been in the playoffs for a while and it's a bit of an easier road for you. Yeah it's hugely beneficial and in years past the first place team has generally been 10 points up by now, 12, 14 points up you know a couple years ago at Boston was like 30 points up by now. It's actually within reach and they're the only team that hasn't done it. But they never win the division. They're not that far from third.

Like it's so. Oh of course. You could be starting on the road easily in Tampa or Florida. And you know that Canadian bubble year they were first place in the division. You'd have to go back to I think 99-2000 the last time they won the division and then prior to that Dougie was I think had the stat last week. It was like in the 30s or something. They never win the division. Not not the president's trophy the division

They don't win like it's a massive carrot hanging out there that they've got to grab They have you have to win tonight like to your point You can't piss away two points against the San Jose team You've got to bank it because one of the two teams in Florida is gonna lose tonight They're playing each other and just keep banking points and keep moving because it will be massively beneficial to play a team that's obviously inferior to you as opposed to the two Florida teams. All right. Well, we'll see what comes of it, James. I mean, I guess we'll get you out of here with somewhat of a prediction between now and Friday in terms of Leafs trades over

under two and a half. Would you go over or under between now and Friday? No, I think they're going to make two deals and I think it's gonna be a defenseman in a center and who those players are they're still in talks and there's some posturing going on on both sides and I think they're probably I think they know who they want and they just got to get the asking price to where they feel comfortable with it so but I'd be very surprised if they make more than two trades just with their cap space and everything else going on. Okay. You can read them in the athletic and obviously hear him with Jonas on the Leaf

Report podcast. He is James Myrtle. Always appreciate you taking time. Thank you, James. Thanks guys. There he is. James Myrtle. You two just never, you don't, I'm surprised you and Myrtle don't see anything. Nope. You're not on the same page with anybody right now. He rides the waves like you guys do I just stay on the middle I just I just I just I just can't ignore all this stuff like winning five in a row and no like there's just like

there's stuff going on beneath the under the hood that I got to look at okay yeah I think but James is to ignore it. But I think his point is an accurate is a reasonable one too. That there is no perfect team. I acknowledge that. I'm not saying this, but it would be, I wouldn't be doing my job if I just said, well, everything's great.

There's just one. I know, but I think like the, the like curve of comparison is off where. But I cover it. We cover the leaf. I know. If we were talking about the. It comes across Jonas is like, there's nothing that this team could do

for you to be positive about that's not like they've won eight of nine a lot on the road what would have to happen for you to be positive send you what I wrote this morning there's lots of good positive stuff there you can tell me right now yeah you here's your run is lots of good stuff in there Okay, I told you that roadster that's impressive I can tell you that neanderth is gonna eventually be the second highest scoring player in the team history You can look at Jake McCabe season. He's played really well with tan of but he's also played really well without me tan of There's lots going on that's good

but there's also lots going on and this this team has a history that you have to look ahead to the playoffs and say, what is going on here? What is sustainable? So we were told coming into the year, this is gonna be a better defensive team. Well, it's like, actually they're not better defensive team, so are they gonna score more? Well, they're starting to score more, that's good.

There's a lot going on here, is my point. Well, the record book stuff with two additions over the weekend where Mitch Marner jumped into fifth all-time in points and Austin Matthews passed Darrell Sittler for second all-time in goals and like way fewer games oh yeah which like

oh of course the point about it is that at a pace that no one in like NHL history was on except for like Gretzky at his age or whatever. Even Ovi, he's been at a better like goals per game rate. So it's not at all a surprise and he is going to pass Sundini's what is he 30 away or something and we know he's going to be here for a few years. By next year he's going to pass him and I'm curious how they celebrate that because I think it's worthy of celebration. Like that is one thing with Leafs that I I think I don't think they did very well at all before Shanahan got here And then Brennan Shanahan when he arrived the first like 18 months to 24 months He put a real emphasis on their history and bringing kyon back and the legends row and they're going to retire numbers

Everything top shelf everything was great. And now, you know the last Handful of years there hasn't been a lot really there for them to present necessarily this will be one of them like when he passes Sundeen you would that should be something that is really highlighted and promoted by the team that's like a ceremony yeah like ideally it'd be great to have Matt's over here and like on a Saturday night perfect world you do a big montage of not all of his goals, but I guess I just don't know how you do it because like, let's say he's tied with him. How do you, you're not going to break the game to do a ceremony.

That's not going to happen. Well, you can ask the team to do the league to do that. Like they, the league, they asked permission for that when Tavares got a thousand points, was it, or 500 goals? Which one was it? Yeah, it was one or the other. asked the league could we can we stop the game and everyone come out and celebrate. One of them was a no. 500 goals. 500 goals I think. And I think it was on Long Island it was the Islanders. But that was a no that

was a game-winning goal. Was it? One of the records was a game-winning goal. I thought it was during the game because they had to ask Lou too they're like hey we're gonna do this and Lou Lamarello gave them permission and the league gave them a permission to stop the game. I think it was his 500 goal. Anyway, that's what I would expect when Matthews does that. When he passes Sunday and you tell the league, we're all coming out on the ice and we're going to celebrate it.

Like, why would you not promote your own history and record book, especially a guy like that? Same thing with Marner. Like if Marner stays ahead of Austin and passes Sundin on the points list, he's what 270 points behind him or something, that's like three years from now. That's worth, that's, that's big. That's you know something that Leaf fans should be aware of and be celebrating and I would fully anticipate the team would do that. All right, best bets powered by Fandu a

little bit later in the hour. Ryan Dempster coming up. We're cruising through the spring man. The J, like the games going on every single day. Opening day is what three weeks or just over three weeks away? Three and a half weeks. Like it's coming up quick and we saw Scherzer again over the weekend. He doesn't love this new challenge system. He's a big fan of the human element. I love this guy already. So we'll catch up with Dempster, get his take on what he's seen out of Scherzer, what he makes of these rules they're testing out in the spring that are not expected to be implemented during the regular season, which you never know. They

could be. If they go well, I guess baseball could possibly implement them. And what do you think of the Jays and other stories around them and elsewhere around the league? We'll catch up with Ryan Dempster. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN 2. Something to Chew On is brought to you by Boston Pizza, Canada's favorite sports bar. Enjoy $15 lunch at BP where you get an entree, a side and a drink and you'll get it all

in 20 minutes or less. A fast lunch doesn't have to be fast food. See you for a $15 fast lunch at your local Boston Pizza. All right, best bet powered by Fandu later in the hour. Spring training is officially underway. I mean, what are we eight, nine games in now? And there was a cool moment yesterday where Trey Turner called the first pitch of the game to be challenged.

I know just to piss, kind of rattle the cage of Max Scherzer. I thought it was awesome. I think it's good too. It's something me and you would have done haze it was just that it was a total veteran stud thing to do yeah and it's complete disregard for the fact that now your team is used one of the challenges on what he knew was that care less a properly called strike i believe it was and he's like i

want to challenge that i think that was a ball first pitch of the game first pitch and he knows surezik assures is on the record saying we just can't we just have humans judges like why do we need this ABS system yeah I love that why do we need it and they were teammates back in the day and both of them are laughing and it was it was great here's a long time MLB pitcher you hear him and see him on intentional talking off the mound here's Ryan Demtime mlb picture you here in c m on intentional talking off the mound here's ryan dempster uh... how would you react to a situation like that re turner mac shirzler for your former teammates

knew it was a strike but so i got a guy that challenge this because i know downstairs not gonna love it right now all right i love every fact in yet at the first time hearing about and um... i i think it's great. I think spring training is what that stuff is all about. I think that former World Series champions together, I'm sure that either way maybe that would have been funny.

I wonder if it was a ball if Max would have done the same thing. Yeah, well, he's on record, Scherzer, being like, I'm kind of cool with the way it's always been done. I don't need the technology. Praise the UMPs man. That's kind of crazy when you got a pitcher who's praising the UMPs. I guess if you're as good as Scherzer though Why wouldn't you love the UMPs? Yeah, I don't know I'm kind of all for the umpires just calling balls and strikes too. It's just me I get it why people want people want but i just don't i don't know i it

it's part of it white baseball where we just can take adversity out of the game so we don't have to overcome adversity like a bad call by the empire well no we don't have those anymore so now eventually chapter blame ourselves when we fail it's gonna be awesome yet that's music to my ears man i've been preaching that forever i'm cool with human element and in large part because of what I do and exactly what you just said.

Hang on a sec, Ryan, let me correct this guy. He loves the human element until his own team gets screwed. That's inaccurate and totally untrue. Totally untrue. Dude, if this was the days we're in the World Series and they got screwed and they wanted a robot up He would come on the show the next day and say I want robot ups. No, I would yell and scream about the idiocy of the umpire, which I can do as well as anybody, and that's what I'm saying. I love that the human element gives us some good content and something a little bit different

every once in a while. That's right. Yeah, where would we be if we would have had replaying, you know, Don Denkiger, I don't play it first, or we had you know Perfect game by milk Pappas with Bruce Freming behind the plate and apparently was right down the middle Or could he have tapped his helmet we can go back in time now and yeah angel those yeah, I'll be good No exactly like history that and who wants that man triple play by the Jays Kelly Gruber. We got him. He tagged It was great. They won the World Series anyway, who cares that he didn't get credit for the triple play they screwed it up it gave us something yell and scream about and they still went on to win and with Ryan Dempster

I'm curious what what go ahead go ahead I was gonna say that's like you know spring training's fun like that you know I kind of go back to that that's we we take it all because of the way it is now and tickets are more expensive and all of a sudden we feel like the wins and losses matter. They matter in a sense of learning how to win and execute and you want every player going out there and doing that. But the fun part, like I remember throwing to Randy Wynn and he was my former teammate in the minor leagues and he came up to bat and I just waved my glove like four seam fastball

and he was like, and then I threw a four seam fastball, I hit the ball. And then I did it again and then he hit it about 450 feet. It was great. And then I never threw him that pitch again, not one more time, that was it. That's the only time he got it. In a spring training game that doesn't show up on the back of my baseball card.

Right, you know you're making the team. You got that guaranteed money coming. He can hit one off you and it's all good. Like that's. Exactly. That's exactly what it should be. And with Scherzer, like I'm curious what your anticipation is for him this year and what you expect because you know he's coming off the surgery. He's been injured a lot the last few years. He's 40. He's now he's he's actually pitched against the Phillies twice but he's looked really good, looked good over the weekend. Like if you were to map out

what you think is a reasonable kind of stat line for him this year, what do you expect to see out of Scherzer? Yeah I don't know what to expect to be honest with you and I and I think that the expectations are kind of hard to nail them but the ceiling is through the roof. Like that I think that's why you take a shot on that not only that your leadership to watch guys what he does this guy's there's a reason he's a first gonna be a first ballot Hall of Famer and he's done the things in the games that he's done because of his work ethic his tenacity his diligence is you know leadership and those kind of things and he's a nuts man like he is he's very very like determined and i think that he could have a monster if

you think healthy you know that a pitch is good as anybody in the game even with stuff that isn't quite what it used to be it's still really darn good and with that change up we can have a break you know a comeback season and be sitting here going identity or america we come back player of the year is not third-order no, you can 100% see that happen. Ryan, there's so much that goes into an MLB season.

You know all the pitches thrown, all the travel, all the games that go into it. But with the roster and the additional transactions again, do you see anything different than the Dodgers as the last team standing at the end of the season. I mean, it like for them to just continue to reload this off season, I thought was, it's looked crazy. Like do you see anybody taking them down? Um, well sure, but I do, I think on paper it's, it's a no brainer to not say there's odds on favorites to win the world series or at least get there. But I mean, a million things can happen between now and then and you hope that everybody stays

healthy just for the greater the game because they have so many superstars players. Like we do this thing at the network, at MLB Network where since 2017 there's the top 100 every year that runs on the network. This is a great staff for you. And there's a top 100 that players in the game right now. It's been going on at at MLB Network and in that top 100 since 2017 every team that has won the World Series has had at least five of those players in that list and the Dodgers have nine on that list like that they have guys on their bench like

Tommy Edmond who are in the top 100 like it's crazy like you Like, you know, what kind of roster they have now? Awesome. That's on paper and David and Goliath, I get it. But if you don't let that creep in and you really just go out there and worry about your team, there's plenty of good teams and like you're playing somebody in a series who can't beat, who can't be the better team for a week or for five days. But yeah, I mean, they're, they're definitely Goliath in the game of baseball right now. And it's gonna be fun to watch target on their back

the whole year. Ryan, where do you think the Jays fit in as a contender? Are they, I don't think they're top five, but are they top 10? Like, where do you see them this season? Yeah, I think the possibilities are there. I think there's just a little bit of lack of experience in the bottom half of the lineup. But that being said, I see them as a team probably in the top 12 right now.

That could change. You get off to a good start. You keep guys healthy. That's been a constant theme, is how to keep guys healthy and out there and some of those guys are in that boat so if they can do that in that locker room there's a good enough team to be a playoff contender and then you get yourself in a position that you can maybe acquire somebody that makes you a little bit deeper in your lineup and a little bit better but yeah they got a lot of talent and a good pitching staff

with Ryan Dempster and you know obviously two guys who will be free agents at the end of the year in Vlade and Beau Bichette. In your history, were you comfortable with one year left on your deal? Did you thrive under that type of pressure or would you have always preferred to pitch with security? To be honest with you, I think statistically if I looked at it all my free agent years, I had pretty good years. So I would say that I kind of believe in the Sparky Anderson philosophy of give me 25 guys on a one-year contract and I'll take you to the World Series.

I think it's inevitable when you have these guys who are Alpha, everything in their high school and they have it inside them and now they come to this moment where they got to produce the only Thing I think that stops those really good players from producing an injury It's not you know the mental side they all know how to rake they're confident as can be so Yeah, I think you could have some really big years out of a couple guys and that bodes well for your team playing Well, like that's what you want. You know a good season comes from a bunch of individuals You know having some really solid good seasons. He is Ryan Dempster, long time MLB pitcher.

You see him, hear him on intentional talking off the mound. Good Canadian boy as always. Great catching up with you, Ryan. Thank you for doing this. Yeah, absolutely, guys. I appreciate it. Thanks very much. There he is, Ryan Dempster. imagine like a casual Dodgers fan that went to I don't know bunch of games and

one person said to them you know they are a tani guy the guy that like hit dingers every time you were there he also pitches now yeah he's also going on the bump to throw heat and they'd be like are you serious the guy that hit a home run every time the guy stealing bases now he's pitching yet over 50 home runs and over 50 stolen bases and now the guy's gonna pitch he's gonna pitch and he's ramping up and it sounds like everything's gonna work out like it is a really difficult task to mentally get to a place where you don't see the Dodgers in the World Series.

Maybe they get there and they burn out or their injuries or the other team, whoever that's going to be, beats them. It's really difficult to get away from that. Rematch of last year, I don't think it's difficult to get away from that either i think it's the yankies that they've got a polar weight and get there now i'd like to know that i don't know if they had to go through do it they had to go through by the c cleveland cleveland i know

that's that's the thing in the american league baltimore the wheels fell off down the stretch boston boston's get better and they get a great farm system against young kids come in as don't know if they can really compete the Jays are a good team on paper like they're a good team Are they a great team? No, they got to prove a lot based on what happened to them last year. They got to stay healthy But they're a good team, but not a team that I think the Yankees are scared of and then Who else is it like who else are you looking at? That really would terrify you?

Like Houston has had ups and downs. Maybe Texas lost back then. Texas had a really bad year last year, but did they bounce back? Maybe. Kansas City, do they keep growing? Cleveland's always there. Maybe. Yeah, but that's it.

Like I hear what you're saying. It's the Yankees in a bunch of question marks to be honest with you more than likely that's the case more than likely that's the case like as of right now you as a rank the a l east yankees baltimore boston

boston toronto tampa there's a team baltimore they seem to be stacked and loaded and they were at the bottom of the barrel four years ago But they can't get it done in the playoffs like they literally stink the join out Yeah, and and that was it like down the stretch last year It just it really it really kind of fell off and now like pitching they've lost Burns they've lost corbin burns, which is significant um He was almost a j almost a j lost burns they've lost corbin burns which is significant uh... he was almost a j

almost a j so most sure i was a guy i'm not up of almost a j they have the greatest almost of all time i think or on the other pick of the cn tower and said what's up canada a and i was like all yeah i think he was up here for something he was doing something up here and it was right around the kind of recruiting time and i was like, oh. Yeah, I think he was up here for something. He was doing something up here. Yeah, and it was right around that kind of recruiting time.

And I was like, man, maybe he's going to be a J. Just fell short. Go on Arizona. Off to Arizona we go. But the Diverbacks are a pretty good team. So you can't blame people. The odds are the Dodgers don't win, though. You agree with that? Yeah, I mean it's very difficult to go back to back.

Typically, best on paper, never. Yeah, when was the last time we had a back to back in baseball? Like, because the Dodgers, they won in, was it 17 they won? Houston never went back to back. Houston, no, they go to the playoffs every single year. They've been to the World Series a ton. Was it the Yankees in the 90s? Yeah, Yankees in the 90s So it hasn't happened in like 30 years you've seen it back-to-back so Dodgers of the field

Who would you take I probably in the Dodgers man? I'd probably go with the field even though we just said everything we said about how great they are and they're better than everyone and the Depth that they have at every position The fact that it is so tough to go back to back would suggest that the field is so much randomness and luck in baseball. Yeah. But there's also good things might have something to say the Braves, maybe the Mets, maybe Philly, like the Phillies are a pretty good team.

You know, there's, there's going to be teams that are knocking on their door, but they're going to the playoffs. Like they're going to finish with 95 plus wins're going to the playoffs. Like they're gonna finish with 95 plus wins and go to the playoffs. All right, Leaf Sharks tonight. Jonas, you're on your way down there? Head in there. Okay, that should be a barn burner tonight

on a Monday night. I'm looking forward to it greatly. I bet it'll be entertaining, more entertaining. I think Celebrini in town, and this is, you know, the Leafs again, they've won five in a row, but a lot of road games, they've had a hectic schedule. Brutal schedule.'s been and they play tonight

for nations guys exactly like if you're Matthews Marner Nylander you played a ton you've been on the road a ton and they played tonight then they hit the road again yeah yeah I think the schedule like I understand you fit that in and you had to do what you had to do but there was some two-day breaks in there that were just unnecessary in that four nations. Yeah. Like you're talking about four games total, like get them going. Yeah. But the guy again on their break, you're not playing back to backs and stuff like that. And I don't know, the Leafs are going to have to deal with it.

They don't have a tough schedule based on competition necessarily, but they're going to have some tough road trips. They go out West twice. They got to go through California and now later this week they're going Vegas and Colorado and Utah and so yeah it's gonna be tough. Alright Jonas enjoy it tonight. Nereus Jonas Siegel of The Athletic will come back with our best bets powered by FanDuel. Overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on TSN 2. Alright today's best bets are powered by FanDuel. Make your picks and assemble a same game parlay in seconds on the FanDuel Sportsbook app.

Leafs Moneyline, Austin Matthews, 4 plus shots, William Nylander, 2 plus points tonight, paying plus 400. So a lot of juice, the Leafs are, you know, minus 360 to win the game, but I think they will win the game tonight. San Jose, they're tanking. Like San Jose, it's all young players, they're trading anyone that's a veteran status. They've lost 8 in a row. I know the Leafs played last night. They've been playing with some fire recently, but this is a game. If you're going to win the division, you got to win this tonight. I thought Matthews was dancing a bit last night.

I expect that to continue. And Willie Willie's a point producer. Like last night that, that overtime winner by Willie William Nylander was as nonchalantant like just dices through the neutral zone, cuts in the middle of the ice and off one foot just snipes. That was like screwing around after practice type stuff like yeah the pens were just like, well maybe this guy's gonna shoot it in the net maybe he's not and then he does it. It was just so weird to watch him like what are the

pens doing? I know. And two of them were LaTang and Crosby Well, and they you got to get a save there. The goaltending was horrendous. Did he got sent down today? Yeah, like that's a horrible goal that you've Awful goal, but wall matched them on a couple like Joseph Wall gave up a couple yesterday. They were terrible Terrible, but that's how you get a game like that. You get 6-5 because the goalies, they didn't show up either. Today's best bet is powered by Fandl. Live, same game parlays are now available for every NHL game on the Fandl Sportsbook

app. Please play responsibly. 19 plus physically located in Ontario. Okay. Tomorrow, I think Noodle's will be back. Tomorrow, who knows? Who knows with Noodle's? Where he is? What he's doing? But, we'll be noodles will be back tomorrow. Who knows who knows with noodles where he is what he's doing But we'll be coming off a Leaf game. We're getting closer to the trade deadline on Friday as well

So it should be a fun one as always. Thanks again to Jonas. Thanks again to everyone behind the scenes for helping out We're out of here. Enjoy your evenings. Enjoy the games tonight. We're back tomorrow at Cat Stravaganza. We'll see you next year with the ice cream truck on site 4 p.m. we'll chat then lights camera action the 2025 juno awards are hitting vancouver on march 30th and i-har radio is your ticket to the stars hosted and performance by michael buble Hosted and performed by Michael Pouble. Good evening Vancouver! Plus a final performance by Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees. Sum 41.

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