OverDrive - OverDrive - October 7, 2025 - Hour 2 - Mike Johnson/Eric Hosmer

Episode Date: October 7, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 2 on OverDrive! TSN Hockey Analyst Mike Johnson joins to discuss the NHL season beginning on the ice, Connor McDavid's contract extension and the winning element of the deal. Former MLB Infielder Eric Hosmer joins to discuss the Blue Jays' series lead in the ALDS against the Yankees, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. taking it up a notch and the series around the league and Bryan gives his FanDuel Best Bets.

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Hour two overdrive continues, powered by Fanduil, bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. Brian Azeo, Doug Jeff O'Neill, Jamie Noodles, McClennan, Eric Hosmer on Jay's Yankees tonight. Coming up later this hour, we'll get his take on what's gone wrong for the Cubs, what's gone wrong for the Phillies. Looks like a rain delay, Detroit, Seattle, at least to start that game. By the way, somebody wrote us Hayes and said Milwaukee versus the Dodgers this year, 6 and 0 Milwaukee. Wow, Milwaukee. They're not concerned about the big, powerful Dodgers, six and O in the regular season.

Very different. The Dodgers are like the Panthers, though. They just want to get to the postseason. They just want to get to the postseason, and then they'll start crushing you. Right. I think they care that they lost to Milwaukee in the regular season. They don't care.

Like, the brewers can take that as confidence. Sure, you might as well filter that and try to apply it. That's great. Good for you. Look at the Jays. Jays have owned the Yankees this year. Absolutely dominated the Yankees, and especially at the Rogers Center. Now you're hitting the road.

Jays are about a 500 team in the road, you know, different splits, different stats, different vibe. It's going to be crazy tonight. Like, it's going to be crazy to start at Yankee Stadium. Yankee fans are going to show up and they're going to be loud and they're going to be waiting for the team. They're looking to jump one way or the other. Yeah, they're looking to jump one way or the other. If it goes south, they just got their asses handed to them two games in a row. So they're like, you want to even think about doing this at Yankee Stadium.

We are going to give it to you like you've never heard before. Or we could turn it around. You're right. This can go one of two ways, though. If the Js jump on them early, like this could be another blowout, and these guys have their U-Hauls packed. And it's like, hey, we'll take the heat tonight because tomorrow we're on birds and we're out of here type of thing.

Like that's, you know what it's like, oh, like you're, they're heading to the stadium tonight going, there's a chance that I'm done tonight. Like you have that, you have that in the back of your mind. You do. It's only human nature. Now, the Jays can do everything they can to bring that out of them as well. Like to go, okay, like, we're not letting you off the mat here.

That's where the Jays have to have the killer instinct. I don't know how you have killer instinct in baseball. You know, it's more individualistic. You know, in more of a team sport, hockey, you heard, like, if you saw that prime, like, could Chuck just giving it to Willie, like, could Chuck giving it to McDavid and all them? I'm like you, that Panthers team had killer instinct. They were all over you. I don't know how you do it in baseball.

Is it chirping or is it just getting it done with the bats and the pitching, right? Yeah. I mean, it's obviously a very different sport and very different approach. But, you know, you're right. It's more about the psychology. Like now the Yankees, like the crowd over the weekend was crazy, man. Like it was hostile for the Yankees. It was loud.

It was a party. And the Js just kept going and going and going and making it worse and worse and worse and now the Yankees should be comfortable but it is a very fickle fan base like every fan base where the fans are walking in there and they want to believe but they probably don't really believe and it's the same thing for the players like you just talked about it you guys have been in those positions on both sides yeah but you can go to the park or go to the rink or whatever and be thinking do we really like are we really going to battle this back like are we really going to win three in a row or are we just

that's going to be it and it's done Philly is a great example we got to get on a bird and travel six hours and get off of it and play a team that's on a here right now like that's the mental side of it like you really got to dig in to go and win a couple games in L.A. man you really do

yet if you get one that's where it gets scary because again if the Yankees win tonight whichever way they patch that together blow out tightly contested game extra innings who knows crazy comeback, then they can reset. With Schlittler.

With Schlittler up against an opener. I hate saying that guy's name. It's terrifying with a month. It's horrifying. What if he has a game of his? The thing is, the way that things have been going for the Jays, like, Schlittler maybe becomes the rock star out of nowhere. That's what I've been taught.

That's how everything has been perfect for the Jays. Maybe they leave one on the table and he delivers to win. Anything is possible. Anything is possible. But they've got to get through tonight, clearly. All right, joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline. Here's our TSN hockey analyst, Mike Johnson. What's happening?

Johnny? What's going on, boys? I'm coming you right for the belly of the beast. I'm in New York. And flying down here today, everybody going to New York was going to the Jay's game. Like 85% of the flight walking by Jay's gear, Jay's hats on. And I was sitting beside a couple of people going to the game. And I'm like, you wearing the Jay's hat to the game?

They're like, maybe the T-shirt under the over-shirt, just to keep things on the nice and calm. But, yeah, it's going to be a little, but you guys are so right. Like, just being here for eight hours, the mood of the media is not optimistic at all, sort of realistic, but also ready to flip on them. If it goes badly on New York, the media is ready to pounce and the fans, I think, are too. Yeah. Oh, they're ruthless down there, and that's it. It's similar to the way the media up here reacts to the Leafs if they put themselves in a bad place.

You know, it's Bedlam, it's crazy, here we go. And the Yankees get it, and I've been reading it and watching clips down there, and everyone's got to go. Everyone stinks, everyone's terrible. The Blue Jays have embarrassed them. It's awful, yet they'll flip because, again, like the Leafs, there's a steeped in arrogance because it's New York, it's the Yankees.

If they win tonight, everyone down there will say the J's stink it was a fluke you know they're cheating up in Toronto you know they got the hotel up there a man in white you know Yankees are going to roll now it flips quickly

who's been accused of cheating though is it the Yankees or the Js well somebody but from idiots from morons that are that are Yankee fans that are south but Max Fried but Max Fried

the pitcher who got lit up a game to their ace sort of passive aggressive like well I mean, they made good pitches, but they were on to everything. Like, sort of suggesting something strange was going on without actually coming out and saying it. Meanwhile, and I don't even have a problem with this, you got Aaron Judge on second base. Every time the side is coming, he's tapping his head. Here it comes.

Here it comes. So, like, I mean, he's doing it in open. I guess if you're not doing it like Houston Astro style with the technology, but they're not. The guy just has a crazy delivery that no one's ever seen before. But, yeah, there has been sort of intimations by the media that, the Jay's got something cooking at home versus the road. Well, we'll see. And again, every team, every great team is better at home and they're on the road.

Like, everyone has better home stats than they do on the road, clearly. Bring out the trash cans. Where was that? Houston banging on trash cans? Houston was doing that. Well, we've got puck drop down in Florida, Johnny. What the hell is going on here? Can you go talk to someone at the NHL head office?

Like, why are the cup winners, the team that run the league? league playing at 5 o'clock Eastern time to open their season. Are you aware of why this is happening? So that ESPN can have a triple header uninterrupted and that the Rangers and the penguins can be prime time.

So it's got to go 5-8-11 or something like that. And maybe you go early because it's a long ceremony. New York's bigger. New York gets it. Like put Florida at 8 o'clock. It doesn't matter ultimately, but They deserve that.

They deserve the 8 o'clock primetime game. Have the Rangers fly to New York and play them. If you want New York in the game or you want sit in the game, to me, it's like disrespectful to a team like that. You've got to play at 5 o'clock to start your season on a Tuesday. You know, listen, give another reason to have a chip on their shoulder. That's all they want. Give it another little fuel for the fire.

The entire league doesn't respect them. But you know what it's like. Money talks. You can put Florida at 8 or New York at 8. More people will tune in to watch New York, even though they're not the two-time champs, and that's why they get the prime time slot. Ask the Vancouver Canucks fans when the Leafs go out there and play at 4 p.m., 7 o'clock Eastern on a Saturday night.

It's how it goes. Money talks. Johnny Pitt playing the Rangers, like Sidney Crosby, how long do you think he plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins this season? You think he finishes the whole year there? There's just no way in hell this year, do you? Feels like I'm in the minority, but I don't think so. And maybe I like to quote, Oh, I played on some garbage teams.

And it's terrible. And I'm, you know, nobody here is Sidney Crosby, but it's not fun. No. And for a guy who's wired to win and has done so well, he doesn't want to be languishing in 13th place out of it by December. And he's like, well, I got the Olympics and maybe another year after. Like, I think he's going to want that competitive juice will start going. And if they ever chip away Latango somewhere,

or Malk can go somewhere, and then I think it really would open up the floodgates. It's going to have to be a delicate dance for how the organization would handle it, but I can imagine if they are like, you know, 12, 20, and 3 after 35 games, that he'd be thinking, you know what, there's probably a better place for me to spend the last year and a half of my career. I agree. I think they're, and as the season goes on, like Johnny, do you not think that some of these teams that, listen, everybody's in this, in first place, as of right now and things you know 20 games into the season there are teams that think that they're

going to be good this year and it just doesn't work out either players don't work out bad seasons injuries you name it do you not think that there will be some follow where teams will start to pick at the carcasses a little bit at at u.s. Thanksgiving and pitts. thanksgiving and pittsburgh is obviously open for business like if if pittsburgh is 410 and 2 you know, in their first

16, like, do you not think that people will be, it'll be noisy for Sydney to move on potentially? It will be if he lets it get there, because all he has to say publicly is I am not going anywhere. And then no one will ask him about it. Right? Because he has the full no move protection. If he wants

to quell any chatter, he's like, it's not happening. Leave me alone. And then it'll be left alone. But I imagine behind the scenes, the ownership group, the management group, they are rebuilding. Respectfully, they would be better off long-term trading these guys, including Sid, than they would be having them around for a couple of years. So that's what they're going to try to juggle. But, you know, I'm sure he's going to play hard. It's going to get ready

for the Olympics. I just, you just wonder, and then you wonder if he gets the Olympics around some of those other good players and Nate gets in his ear, hmm, Colorado's looking real good. Colorado, you could, you could be the piece. And like, you know, you have those kind of conversations, And all of a sudden, maybe it plants a little seat as well. So it'll be something to watch. I think Pittsburgh's probably preseason picked a bottom three in the east, probably. Yeah. Yeah, that seems about right, yeah.

You know, they're going to get 70 points. That's going to be a long and sort of miserable season for everyone there. Well, with the start of the game tonight, Sid, Malkin, Latang, will make NHL history, the first trio in NHL history to be teammates for 20 seasons together, which is... Wow, that's an incredible feat. It's been an incredible run, clearly. But, yeah, you've got three games tonight, and then Leafs Habs tomorrow.

And, you know, outside of Scott Lotton, I guess Joseph Wall, but that's not an injury-related scenario. But they got out of the preseason. They're a veteran team. They're a bigger team this year. But when you look at this group, you know, in terms of getting out of the gates, where does your head go? first like the idea that wall maybe isn't going to be here the fact that you know marner's not

here anymore they're they're a slower team like where do you go first in terms of the potential landmines they have to get around to get off to a good start well we prefaced it by standard experience team but are already you guys sort of optimistic by what you saw in training cap not by what we know what they are but what you saw in training cap that anyone like I called three of their games. Not a ton to be like, oh, yes. Scott Lawton was sort of the reason to be excited. Him and Easton Cowan playing together, Stephen Lawrence.

Beyond that, it wasn't like anything really to get too excited about. So you're assuming that it will just work because it has and because they have been good. So that's sort of pitfall one. Like, can they flip to switch, play with more intensity, play with better execution, play faster, as you mentioned, because they have looked slow at times. So that's my first concern.

The other one is, you know, Stolar's was incredible last year. And he can be still above average and be not as good as last year. And if he has any sort of dip, especially early, Klan Mags the Games will be close, probably be pretty low scoring. That, you know, that could make them vulnerable. And without a backup there that is proved as well was, that does offer up a little bit of area of concern. So, yeah, I mean, trying to figure out these new,

pieces trying to see how it works is what you know they don't they don't want to find themselves 20 30 40 games in in the crowd from fifth to ninth they don't want to be there they want to be sort of in the upper echelons right away and and they'd be well served to try to get off to a good start to be there but i guess we're just trusting them because they haven't they didn't show much in training camp to warrants you know overwhelming positivity they're coming to coming charging out the gates quickly johnny we're talking to chief about austin matthews with no mitch marner and he said he wants him to hang on to pucks more. I don't know whether that means he wants him to just take it to the net and do different

things out there, but how do you see that as far as him still being the best goal score in the game right now? It's interesting, though, because he became the best goal score in the game playing the way he played. And it's not to suggest that he can't, but trying to take guys one-on-one while he can do that occasionally. I don't know if that makes him any better. We'll see how this shakes itself out.

I still think if you're as good as Austin Matthew is, you've got to trust. your linemates. They got to be able to make some plays for you. You got to be able to give them the puck go and do what instinctively feels right. The only thing I would say is maybe through the neutral zone. Not so much in the offensive zone, but in the neutral zone where oftentimes it was like Marna would sort of stretch

it or grab it and transport it up and then everyone else would get in their routes. Maybe he has to do more of that and it's Nize and Machelli that are going and stretching it out and Matthews carrying it through the neutral zone. I did see a lot of that in the preseason. maybe that's what he's talking about,

and that would be a bit of a change for him. So how big of a surprise when McDavid's contract came across your ticker and you read that 12.5? Like what was, you know, a guy like you, I saw you on the preview show last. I was like, you looked flabbergasted still after absorbing it after many hours. I was stunned.

And I think none of us were not surprised by two years. I think we all knew it was probably going to be short. And we sort of heard it's not going to be pushing the limits. So to me, that's like, oh, he'll take 15 instead of 19. Like, that was already an enormous concession, two years at 15. And then when I saw it 12 and a half, immediately you check, is that a fake account? Is that actually real information? And, you know, you guys fleshed it all.

I was listening to you guys yesterday. You talked it all through. He's happy, so it doesn't matter. As long as he's happy, who are we to say that's a good idea, bad idea? As long as he's, please, good for him. It offers up more flexibility, like $7 million extra to the team for the next couple of years. Basically, they get Jake Walman on their team versus not having Jake Walman because of the sacrifice he made. That's a really big deal.

The only thing I don't like, not it. Now, no, and it's true, no, you're right. You know me well enough. I wouldn't do that. But if I had 130 in the bank, I might. I might. It is a little bit different than, like, if I've already set for life and life and life, then maybe, you know, you can shave three or four million and it doesn't seem quite the same thing.

But the only thing I don't like, and I sort of heard it from multiple people, including you, Mr. Hayes, was the idea that him doing this is proof positive that somehow he cares about winning more than guys who didn't do this. And I'm okay for celebrating him for making a really big decision financially to help his organization to try to better their chances of winning. But does that mean Leon Dry Settle is not committed to winning? He didn't take any discount. He got to be in the highest pay playing league. Would you say that's true about Dry Settle? Should it, or Dry Settle shouldn't have done that?

I think we got to celebrate the guy who did it, but don't come down on Caprizz off. Like, he doesn't want to win because he got full value for his contract. I just, it's this notion. And then Austin's getting asked about it today at practice. And it's already setting up for him to say, well, if you don't do it, you don't care. and that I don't want to see it go down that way because I don't think that's fair

it did come off a little bit poor on Austin where he goes I guess he just wants to win like so then right away people are like oh well this guy doesn't want to win like so now he's got to defend those comments I know you know that Toronto got a hold of that comment where but Austin left easily a million and a half plus on the table last deal easily he could have pushed it if you wanted to so the idea that he took every cent. Not true. Yes, he became maybe the highest paid, I think, at the moment.

But he left money on the table. Not as much, but a little bit. So, yeah, and I just, Haysey, I see you chuckling over there. You're smirking. You're like, I don't think so. These guys, I've been saying it for years. Who says you've got to take all the money? Here we go.

And celebrate Connor, but don't crucify the other guys. Listen, it's not about crucifying the other guys. It's just proving the point that they can if they really want to. and I would push back on the idea that this doesn't prove that he doesn't want to win more. I think it's clear if he had a cup already, he would have signed for $20 million. If he had a cup, he would sign for $20.

So you're going to separate cup winners from everyone else. And that is different. That is why McKinnon would be different. Although, I believe, did McKinnon signed before or after he won a cup? I can't remember. But he signed after. I think he had signed after. And he still was like, I'm just going $100,000 over Connor,

I don't want to get too crazy. And the reality has always been that it's up to the players to determine. And it sucks. I get it. I understand it. And we use other examples in other leagues and say, well, this guy's making that. That guy's making this. Like, Andreas Jimenez is going to bat 9 tonight, probably go 0 for 5.

He's making $15 million. You know, like that's the truth as a Blue Jay. And there's guys with the Rapplers who will play on average eight minutes a night tonight, yeah, or throughout the year and they're going to make more than him. but it's all the reality is it's a fixed cap it's a hard salary cap that's just the way it goes so every penny you're willing to give up to your team to possibly help you improve your chances is a smart play if winning is the highest priority that's just a fact it's just a reality maybe they screw it up maybe stan bowman doesn't get it right maybe maybe maybe that happens it maybe in three

years, Conner's going to look back and say, I should have taken the 20 because it wasn't going to matter anyway. Jake Wolman didn't help me. He might have regrets, but I don't think he will if he wins. And if Jake Walman factors in or whoever it else factors in significantly to help him win, he's not going to have those regrets. And that's just the nature of the hard salary cap. That's always been my point.

It's, I'm not anti-player. How much is enough? Well, how much is enough? Hayes, you can't argue the fact that this is the only guy in the world. If he really matters that much of him. Well, here's what I would say, Johnny, is if his current deal wasn't 12-5, if it was 10, he'd sign for 10. If it was 8, he'd sign up for 8. He just continued his current deal.

You think so? I believe that. Yes, I think he knew, I can't go back below 12-5. I've established I'm 12-5. Why not? If he wants to win, if he cares about winning in a fixed-trap league, it's all the players. Maybe he'll do it next time. Maybe he'll do it next time.

There are people out there, and they always use, what is it, the Korea, Salani, you know, didn't they go Colorado for like a million bucks? Korea took a one year, one million dollar deal to try to go play a Colorado and Salani. Let me ask you, and I know this is probably somewhat unfair because it's hyper that. We can't actually know the answer. Right. Do you think McDavid is more rabbit about winning than Kiro Caprisov? Do you think he is?

Not when they're playing, no. Oh, I think he is. I don't think there's any... I think he's obsessed with winning. And I think the negotiations are proof... When they're on the ice, Hazie. When they're on the ice, there's no difference. They're both doing everything in their possible power to play.

Well, you think Caprizov takes it home? David tries harder. Do you think Caprizov takes at home like David does? No, there's just no way in home. Like, David lives and breathes at every single second of his life. I don't think that's... But maybe him not taking it home makes him better than someone taking it home.

He, like, Prezok was better than almost, he was a better goal score than McDavid the first half of last year. So it's hard to say, well, if only he cared more. Like, how much better do you want him to be? And this is what I'm saying. Like, this is this. And, and it's okay. Like, not everyone can be the guy who cares the most. Not everyone can be the hardest worker.

Only one guy can be the first on, last off. You can't have seven guys a team that are the first on last off. That's not how it works. Only one guy. I wish I was more like Sidney Cross. Cosby. I'm not. My career was okay. Could have been better. Don't come down on me that I'm not wired like him. And so I think when they're playing, then yeah, I think they are both doing everything that they can possibly do and they care about winning as much as they possibly can.

Now, does Connor manage his business different than Carol Caprizo? Clearly. But I'm not going to come down on Caprizo for doing that. Not at all. I think he took care of himself. And the idea I am also probably more hesitant than Brian Hayes to trust the owners and the general manager to manage the money I'm giving you out of my kid's pocket and do something smart with it. Because we've seen probably more instances of them not doing something smart than actually being really astute with the money I'm giving you. So there is that too. Like I'm giving you opportunity. I'm cleaning up your mess. You know, you're relying on me to manage your job. To do your job and I'll do mine and I'll get paid accordingly, if I want to.

You don't have to do. McDavid is great. Caprizo's great. I'm just saying I, as an athlete, don't like the idea that Austin Matthew is going to get criticized or Caprizoff or whoever goes big next. He said a president. That they don't do what McDavid did.

I know, but he said, that's what I'm saying. I don't like it. And I get it why he wouldn't. And I get why those players won't like it. But the fact of the matter is, it's been established now. Because, you know, again, McKinanan went 100 grand up. Then it was math. used it went up because he was the next one up then dry settle it was like all right well i'm back up

this is the first guy who said i'm not playing by those rules i'm not doing it so now if it applies to mac david because of something he's established whether they like it or not it's coming it's coming for those guys like and it's coming again for the non-cup winners i think it's different for the guys who have won but like in austin's an example we're getting we're getting way out in front of this because austin's not up for you know dry saddle ask him why didn't you do this Leon? Why didn't you do this, Leon? Because he kept playing by the rules that guys like you established and the PA established that you have to take more.

When you say it's coming, Hayes, what are you saying that the question is going to come up saying why didn't you take less to make this work? Let me set the example here again. This is way out in front of it. But if the Leafs have not won anything in the next three years, these questions are going to be applied and the standard will be applied to Austin. It's just, it's happening. It's coming.

I can guarantee it. Now, he may not care. He may leave. Who knows? Like, it's his right. It's his career. But if this happens with the Leafs where they haven't won and he comes up again, it will be expected. All right, 13.25, just keep going, man.

You got to keep rolling until you win because that guy did it. And he's better than you. So that's what's come. And again, it's his choice. It's his career. It's all the players. It's their lives. But a precedent has been set.

by the man in the PA. Not by someone else. The face of the league established that. Let me jump in here quickly, though. Because I think McDavid, we should treat this like it's on an island. Why? Well, here's why. Because Sidney Crosby said, I need 8.7.

He's superstitious. He's superstitious noodles. But you know who's not superstitious? Gino Malcolm that said, I want a heart and I'm going to take 9.5 or whatever. And they won cups. They already won. But what I'm saying is, is I look at it individually. Like I, you know, if Connor McDavid wants to do this, I see what you're saying.

But it's, it's, Connor McDavid signed a two-year deal. Caprice-off signed for, what, eight? Eight, and that is different. So keep in mind. A dry saddle signed for eight. Drysettle was coming off a long-term deal at eight and a half where he was grossly underpaid. So I think that's why we've got to be careful in look at everyone's individual situation. This one is an outlier, and I don't know if you can compare it to everybody else.

I know you will. I will be. Because I love it. I can't tell you how happy I am with this. I just would have loved to see you. I would have loved to see you in that situation. You would have been like, stuff my pockets with all the money you got. I would have won by now.

I would have won by now. If I was in his shoes, I would have won by now. And that it would have been different. This is the problem. Like, when is it, like, if you're a $6 million player, can you not get a raise? Is it only the best players you can't ask for raises? How much do you think? It's just a slippery slope.

What am they have to 140 million? Your contract's up in five years. Like, no, I can't take a raise because Connor didn't want to come. He did rules. You'll hold it against everyone the rest of his broadcasting career. You will. I can't, I know. I can see this conversation for the next three years.

We're going to have it. Connor McDavid, man. Go talk to him. Don't talk to me. I didn't sign the deal. Connor McDavid's signed it. I'm happy. He's happy.

I'm happy. He's happy. I'm very happy. He's happy. All right, Johnny. Enjoy New York tonight, buddy. We'll do it again later in the week. All right, boys.

Cheers. There he is, Mike Johnson, our TSN hockey analyst, joining us here on the Maple Toyota hotline. Get in and go where adventure takes you in a new 2025 Tacoma from Maple Toyota. Near Canada's Wonderland and the Maple Auto Mall is at MapleToyota.com. Jay's Yankees tonight, Eric Hosmer, on that and more next. Best bets later in the hour, Jay's Yankees game three tonight. Shane Bieber on the mound, Carlos Rodon for the Yankees, Jays with a chance to party in New York tonight.

Party in New York. Tell you what, a lot of tweets, a lot of people down in the States, baseball pundits, they're like, Vladie, worth every penny. Two games. That's how important, like, playoff performances is everyone will just turn a blind out of your regular season. Just say, nothing to see there.

You get it done in the playoffs, you're a legend. Well, and a step further on that. If he went four for four, and then four for four, eight singles, people would be like, hey, it's looking all right. It's home runs and grand slams, man. Yeah. Like, that's what it is. Worth every penny of $500 million.

Exactly. Eight for eight with eight singles. Yeah, it's probably worth $400 million. Grand slams. He's got an OPS of like $2,500 through two games. It's absurd. It is. Here's longtime MLB, World Series champ, Eric Hosmer, back on overdrive.

What's happening in Eric? not much i'm excited i'm excited for the game tonight i know you guys are excited out there and six absolutely we're jack for it tonight i'm curious if you can you know tell us about what you think the mentality of the yankees have been showing up tonight like how much do they really believe they can still win this series man i tell you what well they're back home they're back in the bronx and everybody knows in baseball you know weird things can happen in yankee stadium but for me i think if i'm a yankee i'm trying to get the momentum back any way possible.

And I think a shutdown inning from Rodan against the top of that Toronto lineup, and the first inning is huge. And if the Yankees can get on the board in that bottom half, I think that'll get them a little bit of momentum, a little bit of positive energy in that dugout. Because, I mean, when you look at the first two games in Toronto, I heard you guys talking about Vladdy earlier. Vladdy, I mean, he set the tone.

That big swing, it just seemed like it just took a load of stress off of those guys' shoulders, that whole entire lineup, and they went out masked after that. And I think that's what the Yankees are looking for when they turn around back here in the Bronx. How much heat you think is on Judge to get something done here? He's a guy that needs to just be the man for the Yankees and get that crowd cooking. So much heat. And him and Vladia, they're under the same amount of pressure, and they've played themselves into that type of pressure.

I mean, we just saw another season, Aaron Judge, is probably going to win the MVP, right around 50-something, 55 home runs, whatever it was. And nobody really cares, man. And everyone's like, what have you done for me now in the postseason? And now when you look at the postseason, he's getting his hits, but he's not hitting for power. And everyone's like, ah, they're meaningless hits. They're not doing much. So these guys have played themselves because they're that good of players into a different amount of pressure.

But, you know, when you play for the New York Yankees, everybody knows if you're not doing what they expect you to do, then this is the type of talk that's going to happen. How impressive was the Savage performance for you? Oh, man. I tell you what, what was the most impressive thing? thing for me was when Grisham, the lead-off hitter, stepped out of the box, and he just stood right there on the mound and didn't even flinch, man. He got right back in there, ripped the splitter, struck him out, told him to go take a seat, and it was like, if I'm in that Yankees

dug out, I'm saying, boys, we just tried to mess with him, throw him off his game a little bit, and this guy didn't even budge, so that was impressive, man. I really was happy for the kid. I don't know him at all, but to hear him after, shout his family out and that type of outing and that type of atmosphere, man, that was impressive to watch. Yeah, body language, like a big part of it. You mentioned that with the Savage where Grisham was trying to throw him off. And Vladdy, when he hit that Grand Slam as well, same thing. You know, it was 2-0 count, I believe, and he chews on a strike, but he just sat there.

And it was almost Juan Soto like. He just sat there and stared at him and said, throw it again, throw it again and see what happens and he did. And he saw what happens. And, like, how much of that, you know, factors into the aura that you're talking about? Like, the Js have so much confidence right now that is just, it's part. permeating through the whole group, and a lot of that just appears to be what you're saying, like they're on their toes, and the Yankees are on their heels. Yeah, and it shows.

It definitely shows. And like I said, Vlad, he set the tone, like you said, that first swing. It kind of reminded me when Jose Batista hit the ball against Texas and just stood there. I've seen all the Instagram pictures and all the pictures online. But that's what playoff baseball is all about, man. It's all about getting that momentum and ride it out. And these series, you know, it can happen. The Yankees didn't go out there tonight and dominate it.

and people can feel like they're right back in the series. So you get the momentum back in your favor, especially at home. That's huge, and that's certainly what Toronto did, man. That seemed like a hostile environment at the Rogers Center, and it seemed like those guys were feeding off their fans, and it certainly showed through the TV, and it looked like it was an electric factory out there in Toronto. It was.

It was amazing down there, both games. In terms of Lattie, they just, again, they can't get them out. Like, they're not even getting deep in accounts. Like, he's all over them. Could you see them pitching around him? starting tonight, or is the rest of the offense so potent right now for the Jays that you can't, maybe you can't take that approach if you're Aaron Boone going into game three tonight? I tell you what, if I'm Aaron Boone, I'm telling them I cannot let Vladie Jr. beat me.

I understand he's red-hot right now. He's also got great numbers off of Rodon, and at the same time, Kirk is back there. Alejandro Kirk is protecting him in the lineup, and I'm fine. If Alejandro Kirk beats me tonight, that's okay. But the way Vladdy's swinging about right now and the way he's had his numbers have been off of rodon in the past it just does not seem like it's a good idea it's a good matchup for rodon to attack him so i would not let him beat me if i was erin boon and i would be okay with kirk beat me at the end of the day and that's just my game plan and i think if vladdie junior beats him in the bronx tonight that's not the smartest move boon can make yeah i got to believe that's something they're thinking about tonight just avoid

them all together at least try to get him off his game to an extent uh with eric osmer and you look at the first two pitchers for the Jays, Gossman, and Savage, both through nasty splitters. You know, the splitter for Yassavage was particularly gross. I mean, they had no idea how to hit it. And now you got Bieber on the mount tonight. He does not obviously throw that pitch. He'll throw, you know, four-seem fastball, slider cutter. What would you expect out of Bieber tonight?

Like, if you're the Yankees, how excited are you by the idea that you're facing kind of different repertoire of pitches? because the splitter in particular just killed them through two games. Yeah, they did. Like you said, both those guys, north and south guys, you know, heavy velocity at the top with that splitter. Bieber's a guy, I think that Toronto's probably going to want to try and get two times through the lineup and then set their bullpens up from, you know, the fifth inning on to match up.

A couple lefties here and there, righties, whoever it is against Judge in that high leverage spot. But, man, I tell you what, watching those guys and watching that one at bad against Judge, one at bat first game against gosman i mean judge you rarely see him chase outside the zone and like i said with gosman he's a north-south guy you know that fastball's going to be at the top of the zone and he's going to try and throw that splitter down south on top of that so you really want to zone and i know judge knows that they like to work him with that fastball high And that three two count, Gosman threw him a splitter

that kind of started low and away and was never a strike. It went just even worse down in the zone and he went and chased at it and you never see Aaron Judge take abats like that. And to me, that just kind of showed me or told me that this is the first time

I've really seen number 99 put a little bit more pressure on himself. And I think that's the first time it's shown with that at bat. So hopefully tonight or not hopefully for you guys, but as a baseball fan, as an Aaron Judge fan,

I'd like to see him kind of get back into his own zone tonight in the Bronx. But I tell you what, man you you can tell he was not the same in those at bats in Toronto and even in the field that showed a little bit. What do you make of Toronto's relief pitching? I mean, you know, I wouldn't say the Yankees made it at least interesting last game, but they did get to, after the Savage came out, they did get to some of the pitchers after that. Yeah, I think they're in the same boat, similar boat as the Dodgers. I think they're not

really fully confident in their bullpen, at least the bullpen they used throughout the regular season. You're starting to see some of the guys that were starting, making starts for him throughout the year in the bullpen. You know, I know they went to Lauer and a couple other guys as well. So I think now that's kind of the toughest part for Schneider to do is piece together and get creative. And I think this is where you kind of, you really did to use your eyes. I know they've leaned down heavily analytics in the past, but if you go out there and look at Bieber two times through the lineup, but that's what you plan on getting him through and he looks good and his stuff looks good and he's getting some bad swings like the, you know, that judge at bat I was telling

the other night, this is a situation where you've got to let your eyes and trust your eyes and let him ride a little bit longer because, you know, they don't really have that shut down guy in the ninth, eighth inning that has proven themselves right now in the postseason. So I think they're going to try and get creative. They've been trying to get creative. But that's, in my opinion, that Schneider's tough as part as the manager is kind of mixing a match in those pieces down there. Eric, what's your gut telling you? You think the Yankees get back in this and make it a series or do you think the Blue Jays can show some stones here and get the job done? What's your gut telling you? you i know a lot of the you know jeter and the boys on the panel the other day we're saying

this is over like where where's your head at man i tell you what i want to see a good series you know obviously whoever wins or loses uh i'm not really pulling for one way uh or one team each way but to me i'm going to be looking early man at that momentum like i said if toronto gets out there and scores in that first inning it's going to be tough for the yankees to bounce back and at the same time for the yankees you know if they can go up and put up a good amount of runs there this game tonight. You've got the young kid Cam Schlitter that went out there against Boston and made a name for himself.

And then you go turn around with whoever it is, free to whoever in game three, game five, that can, anything can happen at that point. So I'm looking at that first inning to steal the momentum, but I tell you what, man, I've been saying it all long. The Toronto Blue Jays make you play baseball. You know, they make you

defend your position. They don't give away 90 feet. They're going to try and take advantage of an extra 90 feet on the base pass. And the Yankees, you know, they have not proven that in a couple of years that they can be fundamentally sound defensively or even on the bases. So that's a lot for them to clean up. And, you know, I don't know, man, the way Toronto's feeling right now, if they can go in there and score that first inning, I think it's going to be real tough for the Yankees to bounce back. With Eric Hosber, how does that apply to the other

two O2 series? I mean, Phillies and Cubs chasing it. And at least Chicago's going home, but Philly's got to fly across the country to L.A. down O2. Do you give either the Cubs or the Phillies a chance again back in those series? No, I don't, man. Honestly, you know, if you're looking at the Philly series, Aaron Nola has been great, but he has been struggling this year. He's had a great career in Philly, that is. So you put him against Yamamoto out there in L.A., on the road,

West Coast, that whole deal. That's a tough match-up for them. And then you look at Milwaukee and Chicago, man. There's a lot of, you know, a lot of hidden, I don't know what you call it, beef within that series. you know council a month before the season last year goes to chicago gets the big payday pat murphy ends up taking over he was the former bench coach actually coached council in college at nutter dame and at some point in time during this regular season you saw both teams get

into it at rigley after the game and murphy was chirping at their dugout over there so uh it seems like milwaukee is kind of living in chicago's dome right now and i tell you what every time they pan over to that chicago cubs dugout council's got his hat off scratching his head and he looks like he needs a cigarette, man. So I think Milwaukee's fully got the mental game over Chicago Cubs right now. I don't see any of those series really bouncing back. And I hate to tell you guys this, especially, you know, out there for my homies in Toronto. But the only chance of a team coming back, I think, is the Yankees in this O2 series.

It's going to be hard. It's going to be hard. Don't say that. It's going to be hard. But the other two, I think the other two teams, I don't think they have a chance. I really don't. Yeah. I mean, that wouldn't, that wouldn't be.

I'm with you, and in terms of those other two series. And I wonder how Craig Counsel's feeling. That counsel was up there, right? Milwaukee. It was like, get me out of here. Chicago's calling. I'm going to the Cubs. What do you think is running through his mind?

You can't blame him, man. He got 8 million reasons why, so you can't really blame him. But, I mean, when I look at the players, too, I mean, Contreras hit the home run the other day, and he mocks him with picking up the phone to the bullpen and just hangs it right up. So that tells a lot of the story, man. But I tell you what, Pat Murphy's a guy.

I was actually signed to go to him to play for him at Arizona State. And this guy knows how to motivate his players, man. So I know he's using every ounce of motivation that he can internally with those boys. And it's showing on the field, man, because they are playing with no fear. And they're executing everything they want to execute right now. Awesome stuff. Eric, it's always great catching up with you, man. Enjoy the games tonight.

We'll do it again soon. Thank you for this. All right. Likewise, fellas. There he is. Eric Osmer, World Series champ. And a longtime MLBier. I knew he felt that.

He felt the only, I know you had a feeling where it's like, yeah, the Yankees get cooking here, watch out, Jays fans. Yeah. Well, how he answered the Cubs Philly's question was, no, no chance. Absolutely not. And your question was, well, we'll see what happens in the first inning today. You know, that kind of indicated that there's other people that are saying that's done. So, I mean, you got to play the games.

And that's, you know, the game, what, two hours away? Are we two hours away from it? Yeah, just over two. And listen, a lot of that is the teams, you know, on the other side. You know, Milwaukee's been great this year. Milwaukee hasn't won anything in a long time. But the Dodgers are the Dodgers. So naturally, people expect them to hold on and they're going to win.

And Milwaukee has been the best team all year where this is the Blue Jays and the Yankees. And the fact is, a lot of people look at the Yankees in a certain light, And they look at the Js in a certain light, right? Like, this was an unexpected year for the Jays. All year people have been doubting them. All season, people have said, this isn't real, they're going to fall off, it's not actually going to continue, and it's still happening. They're up to nothing.

The start of the season, Hayes, Jimenez was their leading, like, offensive guy. Yes. Remember that? Like, they just, they were garbage offensively, and he was the only one doing anything. And everyone was like, these guys stink again. Jimenez was hit a cleanup, first game of the year, and he hit a home run. Yes. It was like, wow, what a play, Schneider.

Like, here he goes. And you're right. It's been Addison Barger and Ernie Clement and Nathan Lucas and, you know, all the, and obviously by the end of it, Trey you're Savage. And you go on and on and on in terms of what has been established. And on top of that, clearly, Bichette and Vlady and Springer. And Springer came alive in game two. again after it was done the game was over but he hit a home run had a single i believe maybe a double

i thought that was pretty big like he came his bat came alive a little bit and he's the first guy hitting the plate tonight like he could set a huge tone you hit a home run in your first at bat tonight and springer's done it as much as anyone he's got the DNA to do it he's got the DNA to step in and just make rodon chew on a home run and that play will silence, silent, silent immediately. What do you think it takes for the Yankees fans to go into hatred mode, like Lee Fan hatred mode after getting shellacked up here for two games? Losing five, be down, oh, it would be down like 4-0 after the first inning.

Yes, that's when it would be like. It might be too early for that, but I do, I think it's certain players factoring. I think it's an Aaron Judge strikeout or a couple of strikeouts from Aaron Judge and four or five nothing Js. You know, Rodon stinks and he gets pulled early. I don't know if the first inning will be enough. Like you'd think they should have enough life to get through that. But let's say Rodon gets pulled like Freed did.

You know, it gets three and two thirds and gets pulled and lopsided score and Yankees have two hits and judges struck out. Then it's turning time. Big time, turning time. All right, best bet's powered by Fanduel coming up. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN4.

Best bet's powered by Fandole, make your picks, and assemble the same game parlay and seconds on the Fandual Sportsbook app. I'm on the under tonight in the Jays game. It just feels like it can't continue the way it has. Tight game. It feels like in the playoffs. You're not going to have 15 runs scored every single game. So I think it's like a four two game tonight, three two game tonight.

It has to be. man, there's no other way around it. It just feels like a nail-biting, well-played game. So I'm on the under tonight. Vladie to record a hit, judge to record a hit. Playing the hits, that pan plus 280. Best bets powered by Fandwell. The first inning means as much as the ninth when you bet baseball,

or play-up baseball on the Fandwell Sportsbook. Yeah, please play responsibly 19-plus physically located in Ontario. All right. We've got game three tonight. Tomorrow we've got Leafs Habs tomorrow night. So we're team up, game one of the six. season tomorrow we're coming off game three possibly teeing up the championship series with the jays on route it's going to be a wild one this evening boys yeah it's going to be a fun one tonight

good stuff yeah it'll be a good one all right thanks to everyone behind the scenes for helping out we appreciate it everyone for tuning in today tv radio podcast web we appreciate that and of course up on youtube live on ts n's youtube channel we're out of here enjoy your evenings enjoy the games tonight we're back tomorrow at jerry jones thumbs up 4 p.m. We'll chat then. The newest tracks. Mystical, magical.

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