PHNX Arizona Diamondbacks Podcast - Dodgers Win World Series Again, Pushing MLB’s Doomsday Clock Closer to Midnight

Episode Date: November 3, 2025

JOIN THE SUPPORTERS CLUB ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/yc6km2r4The Dodgers found a way to battle back against the Blue Jays and win their second consecutive World Series title. While the fans in L.A. pre...pare for their championship parade, we prepare for this win by the Dodgers to be the final nail in the coffin for the 2027 work stoppage in baseball. We recap their wins in game 6 and 7 and discuss how it will be used by the owners as the biggest example of why MLB needs a salary cap. We are also mad about Corbin Carroll losing the Gold Glove Award to Fernando Tatis Jr, but we give you the reasons why it was probably the right call. Plus, we answer your Mailbag Monday questions about free agency as we prepare for moves to start happening this week.An ALLCITY Network ProductionSUBSCRIBE to our YouTube: https://bit.ly/phnx_youtubeALL THINGS PHNX: http://linktr.ee/phnxsportsMERCH https://store.allcitynetwork.com/collections/phnx-lockerALLCITY Network, Inc. aka PHNX and PHNX Sports is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by the City of PhoenixPHNX Events: Get your tickets to PHNX events and takeovers here: https://gophnx.com/events/ALLCITY — including us here at PHNX — is teaming up with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America for an exciting three-year partnership. To learn more, visit https://www.bbbs.org/allcity/APS:  Find instant rebates, discounts and special offers on smart thermostats, energy-efficient appliances and more at https://marketplace.aps.com/default/heating-cooling/smart-thermostatsBranded Bills: Use code BBPHNX at https://www.brandedbills.com/ for 15% off your first order!Husband & Wife Law Team: If you’ve had a serious injury, Call The Husband & Wife Law Team first at 602-783-8841 or visithttps://husbandandwifelawteam.com/?utm_source=allcity-padcasts&utm_medium=digital-phx&utm_campaign=allcityShowNotesCrown Royal: Visit crownroyal.com/PurpleBagProject to learn more!Chicken N’ Pickle: Family friendly fun awaits! Visit chickennpickle.com to plan your visit today!Access Auto Insurance Agency of Arizona, LLC (Access Auto) is a renowned agency offering personal and commercial auto insurance options to Arizona residents. If you’re on the hunt for a new policy, call Access Auto today at 1-480-400-0546 or get a free insurance quote by visiting our website www.access-insurance.com.Visit https://www.macu.com/accounts/checking/mystyle-checking?cid=ea-PHNX-AZ-mystyleAugust2025-checking to learn more about their MyStyle Checking Accounts!bet365: https://www.bet365.com/hub/en-us/app-hero-banner-1?utm_source=affiliate&utm_campaign=usapp&utm_medium=affiliate&affiliate=365_03485317 Use the code PHNX365 to sign up, deposit $10 and bet $5 to get $150 in bonus bets!Disclaimer: Must be 21+ and physically located in AZ.  If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-NEXT-STEP, text NEXTSTEP to 53342 or visit https://problemgambling.az.gov/Gametime: Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code PHNX for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.Shady Rays: Head to https://shadyrays.com and use code: PHNX for 35% off polarized sunglasses. Try for yourself the shades rated 5 stars by over 300,000 people.Circle K: Join Inner Circle for free by downloading the Circle K app today! Head to https://www.circlek.com/store-locator to find Circle Ks near you!Monarch: Use Monarch to get control of your overall finances with 50% off your first year at https://www.monarchmoney.com/phnxWhen you shop through links in the description, we may earn affiliate commissions. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Miguel Rojas, really? Whatever. We're here. It's, uh, yeah. It's the pH and X Diamondback show. You know what studio we're in. Studio K. Presented by Circle K.
Starting point is 00:00:23 Don't expect me to be happy about this. Don't expect me to be here all gleeful. Don't expect this ski out of me today. Not today. Not as we stand here with the baseball season officially over, looking once again at the Los Angeles Dodgers being world series championship. It makes me sick. Makes me sick.
Starting point is 00:00:43 And Damon almost couldn't come into work today. Damon almost literally. I almost quit. I almost quit. I mean, that was a whole other three-hour conversation. You and I had to have on Sunday. Yeah, you had to talk me out of it. It was crazy.
Starting point is 00:00:56 He was almost wrapped up his career, not just covering baseball, but like, U of A, everything. He was just done. He wanted to just not ever look at sports ever again after the Dodgers. What's the point? What is the point? Well, the point is we press on. and the baseball season is officially over. And we welcome you here to the first episode of the PHNX Diamondback Show,
Starting point is 00:01:16 no longer the Blue J Show. And we press on now that the offseason is here. Free agency is happening. Deborah, great to see you. Zabe, great to see you as well. And, of course, this show is brought to you by our friends. At game time, you know what time it is. It's always game time.
Starting point is 00:01:33 Make sure to go download that app and then, of course, create an account. Use code PHNX for $20 off your first purchase. terms do apply. The Los Angeles Dodgers did in fact win the World Series, and we are truly in the darkest timeline. I was going to drink an entire bottle of maple syrup on this show. Do you remember that, Damon? That was like good karma that you were trying to put out into the world there.
Starting point is 00:01:58 I was trying my best. Someone even questioned it. They were like, why do you do these stupid bets? I wouldn't call them bets. I would call them motivational acts, if you will. Fair. I would call them. Trying to get the boys to the finish line.
Starting point is 00:02:13 And unfortunately, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Toronto Blue Jays. No, Toronto. Yeah, the Toronto. We're pronouncing the T now. They lose game six and seven, and the Dodgers go on to win their second consecutive World Series title. Yeah, I threw up a little bit back here. The Blue Jays were up three to two, if you don't remember. Last time we talked, last time we were here doing this show.
Starting point is 00:02:38 we were in good spirits Damon was on vacation Kevin Thomas and I were tequila and lime we made up for that previous fight we had where he beat me up on our last episode together and we were all looking at the Dodgers facing elimination
Starting point is 00:02:53 of course we knew it was going to be a tough road there in game one with the Oceanobu Yamamoto on the line on the mound for the Dodgers there in game six and man I will tip my cap to that man because he became a legend in this world series. He absolutely did. He had another strong start. He went six innings, allowing only one run, striking out six, and holding the Blue Jays at Bay long enough to give LA a chance to win that game, which they did. Of course, the Dodgers did have a big three-run third inning. They scored all their runs on a double by Tommy Edmund, a walk by Otani. Mookie Betts finally showed up. He had his first RBIs of the series, but...
Starting point is 00:03:35 That guy stinks, by the way. Yeah, we don't even get on talking about that. What really stinks, though, here is that what happened there in game six is still one of the most disgusting things I've ever seen. Like, there are times where, you know, we've been asked on this show, why do you hate the Dodgers? What reasons do you have? They're not a hateable team. I've even said that. It's one of the reasons why Damon has labeled me a Dodgers fan now, then, and forever.
Starting point is 00:04:01 But what happened there with that goddamn lodged ball will be. be something that I will never forget as long as I live, Damon. If you did not watch game six, there was a hit by Addison Barger, who basically doubled and would have scored a run late in the game in the ninth inning to score at least one run and make it a three two game late. Instead, what happened was the Addison Barger ball was hit towards the wall. You might have seen this in a replay or something and it was slightly lodged at the base of the wall if you want to, if you want to use the word lodged at all. Decision, whatever the Dodgers want, Derek. That's what it always seems like it is. I mean, that's really what it was. And the
Starting point is 00:05:03 lodged ball situation was just kind of amazing overall and the Dodgers outfielder there was it Pahes in that one
Starting point is 00:05:17 threw his hands up I thought it was who was it was a Kiki Kike? No I don't believe so I think they made a defensive substitution oh they did you're right they changed things in that game but it was just incredible
Starting point is 00:05:31 lodged ball All you got to do is ask. What's that? All you got to do is ask. Yeah. Hey, can you please call a ground rule double? Sure. Sounds good.
Starting point is 00:05:43 I think the craziest part of it all is right after it was called a ground rule double and the runners were called back to their bases, second and third. We had an amazing situation where they were just able to magically unlaug the ball. and throw it into the infield immediately after the ground rule double was called. That is interesting, Derek. I didn't think about that. Yeah, it's funny how when you really put it together, you're like, wow, I don't. So you're telling me it wasn't stock. Yeah. It was Justin Dean, by the way. That's who it was.
Starting point is 00:06:23 That's why we can't remember the man's name. It was Justin Dean that threw his hands up in the air. and like you said, the Dodgers were granted. I mean, he didn't even attempt to pick it up. That was the other thing too. He didn't make even an attempt to get the ball to find out if it was stuck or not, knowing that if he did and it moved, then they wouldn't have gotten it, right? The holding his hands up and getting the lodge ball call there was somehow, you know.
Starting point is 00:06:55 And to be fair, if a fair, the rule reads, if the rule, this is, the rule reads Damon this is why it's so stupid if a fair ball gets lodged in the outfield wall padding it is ground rule double period on all ground rule doubles the ball is dead the batter runner goes to second all additional runners move up two bases from the one they occupied at the time of the pitch and so unfortunately it's hard it's such it's such an interpretation thing because did it get lodged in the in the padding sure but was it was it enough to cause them not to be able to grab the ball and throw it in? Absolutely not. So I think that was like in the moment to me I was saying it's people I was at like a house party on Halloween and I was like it feels like a judgment call. It feels like it feels like if
Starting point is 00:07:39 the umps wanted to say no that's not a ground roll double I can see you can clearly grab that ball right now. I feel like the interpretation of the ruling like they wouldn't be able to to argue that it shouldn't be inside the park home run. But the call on the field mattered in that circumstance. And and again, And I don't have a way to, I don't have these specifics on this, but Blue Jays fans do because there was another instance where this happened to Toronto. And they tried to call for a ground rule double during a game. And they were denied. And they ended up having to pick the ball up and throw it in. And runners scored in advance while they were holding their hands up.
Starting point is 00:08:17 There was no stoppage in play. There was nothing. So they just had to figure it out. Well, isn't that fun, Derek? It is fun. And it is fun that especially in one of the biggest games, you know, in the season, in the history of baseball, you could say. It really did matter, and they did not handle that ground rule great.
Starting point is 00:08:35 But the Dodgers once again pulled out all the stops there in game six, game seven. And then with the Blue Jays threatening in the bottom of the ninth, the winning run on second, no outs. Aligner by Honduras Hennas was caught by Kiki Hernandez and left center. And then he doubled Addison Barger off second base. and Barger admitted that he made a bad read. I feel bad for Addison Barger, considering how vastly, how everything changed for him there,
Starting point is 00:09:00 from being an absolute hero to having that run reverse to then being the reason why that double play happened because he was caught off base. But overall, the Dodgers, again, they were able to have their backs against the wall here in two straight games in Cleveland, or in Cleveland, in Toronto,
Starting point is 00:09:19 and they come out on top. Game 7, winner takes all game in Toronto there. The Blue Jays were just one out away from a title. Just one out. Away from winning a title. And yeah, really what ends up happening there. It doesn't get any worse than that. Down to the last out, the Dodgers get a clutch blast from Miguel Rojas of all people
Starting point is 00:09:42 who hadn't been playing in the postseason, who had just kind of been stuck in there by Dave Roberts, who had a feeling, and his feeling was correct. because Miguel Rojas was able to tie the game at four in the ninth inning and completely shift the momentum over to the Dodgers there. But man, in the ninth inning, the Blue Jays had an absolute chance to win it. An absolute chance to win it. And Isaiah Kinnerfalepha, that's how you say it. I always mess up saying his name.
Starting point is 00:10:13 I'm just going to call him IKF so I could stay out of trouble with mispronouncing his name. he gets thrown out at home with bases loaded on a play where you could argue and many people have that he should have scored on that play. If you go back and look, he did not take a sizable lead in any way over there at third base. He had a lack of a secondary lead. He was staring directly at Miguel Rojas the whole time and not paying attention really to running home. he slid in feet first instead of with his hands which could have altered you know even with the lack of having a lead at third base could have altered him being safe at home plate so many things
Starting point is 00:11:00 got misplayed there on that play not to mention the fact that as as many analysts that many experts that are familiar with the Toronto Blue Jays have put out there online you could absolutely say that Dalton Varsho, who was at the plate when this play happened and was the one swinging the bat, does not line out to the third basement. In fact, there are statistics that prove he was the least likely person to hit a line out to the left side. So there was no reason with multiple outs still, or I believe just one out at the time for ICF there not to have a bigger lead. Had he just had a little bit of, I mean, he's a fast runner. there was no reason that he couldn't have gotten in there based on that softly hit, you know,
Starting point is 00:11:49 line out or not softly hit grounder to the right side. But unfortunately, he gets thrown out at home. The game gets sent into extra innings. And then the 11th inning with two outs and runners on, Will Smith launched a go-ahead home run to left field to give the Dodgers a five-to-four lead. And no runners-on. He had no runners on. But in the bottom of the 11th, L.A. turn, yet another game ending double play. to seal this title.
Starting point is 00:12:14 And the Dodgers once again come away with another championship. For the Blue J's so close. But man, blowing that 3-0-0 lead, blown 4-2-3 edge there late in the game, the tie-breaking home run off their closer, just a lot of things there that were heartbreaking for this team, not to mention the fact that they were, again, just one out away from winning their first title since 1993.
Starting point is 00:12:39 I don't know. There's a lot of people you can blame. You can blame ICF, definitely. Maybe Shane Bieber. Maybe Jeff Hoffman. I choose to blame this man. Damon, I mean, why in the world is any Toronto-based sports team still allowing this man into their building? Drake?
Starting point is 00:13:01 Drake, who's now embroiled in a Spotify scandal for fake streams, shows up just in time for game six and seven. to watch the Blue Jays lose. Yeah, tough. That's a tough one. I don't want to give credit to anybody. I'll give credit to him for causing the loss, but I don't want to give credit to anybody on the Dodgers for being specifically good,
Starting point is 00:13:30 but I will give credit to Yoshinobu Yamamoto. I think we are seeing a generational pitching arm, I think quite frankly, of all the... So gross. I hate it, I know. But, I mean, again, when you... you talk about this team, when you talk about the Dodgers winning this world series, I just can't imagine that they do it without Yamamoto's performance in this series.
Starting point is 00:13:57 Yeah. I mean, the only the only person, unfortunately, that MLB.com and Fox and everybody is able to compare it to is one Randy Johnson and what he did for this team in 2001. And it's hard to deny looking at these numbers of exactly why that. That's a comparison. I mean, it's scary how close the two performances were on the biggest stage in baseball. Randy Johnson in game two went nine innings allowing no runs. In game six of the 2001 World Series, he went seven innings giving up two runs. And then in game seven, he came in out of the bullpen for one and a third inning of relief giving up no runs. Yamamoto, meanwhile, nine innings pitched one run allowed in his complete game in game two.
Starting point is 00:14:40 comes in for a game six victory, six innings pitch one run allowed, and then again in game seven, just like the big unit. He comes out of the bullpen, two and two-thirds innings pitched, zero runs allowed. I'll say this, Otani's been getting an odd amount of like hate and criticism for not showing up in the World Series, but let's be honest. That man was walked constantly. Nobody ever wanted to see him take a swing. when he did, he was still very dangerous. So I'm not ready to get on that train. I will get on the
Starting point is 00:15:15 train of anything involving gambling and accusations there, false accusations, nonetheless, but accusations. But I will accuse the Los Angeles Dodgers here of dooming us in 2027. Now, I have said this before. It's not like the Toronto Blue Jays are much better. They're still a top five team in spending, but still spent about $100 million less this past season than the Dodgers did on their payroll. I don't know if I could be making this argument solely based on the Dodgers winning the World Series. However, you can't help to feel like the owners will. You can't help but feel like when the collective bargaining agreement ends in December of 2026 that this World Series, for all 29 other owners in baseball will be exhibit A
Starting point is 00:16:08 as to why Major League Baseball needs a salary cap. And I think that that once again is just going to drive us directly into the inevitable work stoppage in 2027. And I'm going to be bartending somewhere in the downtown area. I hope I get a job at Gracie's tax bar. I just learned about that place. That place looks electric. I know no free.
Starting point is 00:16:31 I know we normally wait for the free ads until Friday, but what the hell I'm doing it anyway. Also, stop by the threat, they have some amazing Cuban coffee. So since we're on this train of pissing Max off. Our friends over there. They are good people. They're good people. We have some good friends on this block in downtown Phoenix.
Starting point is 00:16:49 But what I will say is that in short, the Dodgers success just becomes symbolic of their wealth and the spending imbalance the owners want to clamp down on. And quite frankly, that's, what this is going to be seen as. I still, like I said, I'm being realistic. It's not like the Blue Jays winning was going to be like, hey, look at any small market team that doesn't spend can still win a World Series.
Starting point is 00:17:14 That's not the case. And even with the case of the Diamondbacks, getting to the World Series caused us just to jump into the spending. Just jump into spending even more than they were already spending. Now, at least the D-backs are a team that has been, been at the top as far as percentage reinvested back into their organization, as has, surprisingly enough, the Dodgers, right? The Dodgers are right up there, too, with the percentage of revenue generated by the team
Starting point is 00:17:42 being reinvested back into the team. That's because their team costs them a lot of money, right? But they're not right now in the... Huh, I didn't realize that. You didn't know that. You didn't know that. Yeah, their team does, in fact, costs them a lot of money. I thought they were, like, going on the bargain bin this whole time.
Starting point is 00:17:58 Well, okay. So this is, this to me, okay, just what the Dodgers are doing is kind of crazy because the investment they're making, reinvesting back in the team, making themselves a dynasty essentially here. A multi-time champion allows them to move their organization into such a bigger position globally, not only to attract future talent, but to attract future fans. And once again, cause a further imbalance in Major League Baseball based on how much they are, how popular they are. it's not a dumb move it's quite frankly a move every team and every sport should probably strive for the problem is is that the dodgers are doing it in baseball and because of the fact that it doesn't have any kind of structure in place with a salary cap or anything else the way that every other sport does it allow it's just going to allow for this imbalance to continue to grow and grow and grow and again some commentators some analysts some writers out there have all argue that the Dodgers winning is a data point in these negotiations. It's just an inevitable
Starting point is 00:19:01 data point that the owners will use, again, a high watermark used to justify limiting these runaway contracts. And quite frankly, maybe it's needed. We sit here as fans of this Diamondbacks team, and quite frankly, we've talked about how devastating the injuries and lack of performance by the guys the Diamondbacks spent a bunch of money on were to this organization. Corbyn Burns getting injured, Jordan Montgomery, just being bad at pitching and also being injured. These were catastrophic failures as far as investments go, and the Diamondbacks could not recover from them. They just could not.
Starting point is 00:19:39 And meanwhile, the Dodgers, as we've said, as we've joked about, that would just be a blip on their radar. They would just go pick up another guy or have somebody else show up that was pitching better than even those guys were pitching, you know? Yeah, 100%. Some random dude who was just awesome. is where they'd find. Right.
Starting point is 00:19:57 And again, this is, this is the reason why, as much as Dodgers fans probably think we're just being petty, and we are, don't get me wrong, Dodgers fans who showed up just to dunk on us in the comments, we are being petty, we are petty, mostly because it's just such an uphill battle for our particular team. I think you would understand this if you were in a similar position. Fair. Where not only is the team in your particular division, the champion, but on top of that, they look like they're in a position to win the championship year.
Starting point is 00:20:25 and you're out for the next five years. And it feels fairly hopeless going into a 2026 season where the Diamondbacks are already in a terrible spot with the injuries that we have to even try to compete, let alone compete with you and your spending and everything that you keep doing, right? So I hope you forgive us. I hope you understand.
Starting point is 00:20:45 And please feel free to dunk on us in the comments. I hope they don't forgive us. I know. I don't care, Derek. Their championship parade is today, Damon. and I just want to say in regards to that, I hope your championship parade causes a traffic jam that the city of Los Angeles never recovers from.
Starting point is 00:21:04 I hope the traffic jam caused by today's championship parade is generational. I hope your children are still stuck in this traffic jam when they turn driving age, and I hope their children are also still stuck in this traffic jam. That's how petty I feel about this championship parade and everything you've done to baseball. but again, kudos to you for winning it all and doing the thing. The Diamondbacks are in fact the last team to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the playoffs.
Starting point is 00:21:36 So when I posted that, I was hoping for a lot of hate from Dodgers fans, but I didn't get it. Damon, you know what I got? I got them thanking us because they were like, yeah, because of what you guys did to us, the Lance Lynn era ended really quickly. The next thing you know, we got Blake Snell and Otani. and they're not wrong because the Diamondbacks did beat that ass so bad that they went out and spent billions of dollars on their team and broke baseball. It's genuinely exactly what happens. It sucks.
Starting point is 00:22:05 Did we ruin baseball? Yeah, we did, maybe. Vindicator says Dodgers spent 73% of the revenue. Blue J spent 71% of the revenue on their team. Exactly. He's not wrong. He's not wrong. Like these are teams that spend a lot of their money because they,
Starting point is 00:22:25 They have big, or they have big payrolls because they spend a lot of the money they make on their team, right? And again, that's the reason why up here at the top, that's where they're at. You could definitely argue that a lot of teams in baseball, especially the ones that are consistently at the bottom, like the Pittsburgh Pirates, like the Colorado Rockies. Those are teams that need a floor for sure. So the CBA negotiation should involve a floor as much as it involves a ceiling of some kind. But as far as a soft cap goes, that merely pebble. analyzes the people for overspending and doesn't stop it. That's something that might need to come to an end.
Starting point is 00:23:02 Will it? Will the MLBPA allow it? I don't know. There's too busy setting up fake organizations, apparently, for their funds to go to. We're going to talk about that tomorrow, so make sure to join us for that. But we're going to take a quick break right now on the other side of this break. We're going to talk about Corby and Carol not winning the gold glove and why as mad as we want to be about it, it's probably the right calls. So don't you guys go anywhere. You're watching the PHA next time in Beck Show. Well, this was a weekend made for pure edibles.
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Starting point is 00:23:55 kicks, which are their version of Starburst. So do not miss out on the entire array that Pure Edibles has to offer. And right now, they have a very special collaboration that's near and dear to my heart with our friends up there at Mother Road Brewering Company. Because who says Hoppy Hour has to end just because the baseball season is over with Noble Road and their new Tower Station IPA all in one, it's Hoppy Hour all the time. This new offering captures the crisp citrus and piney hops of Arizona's favorite IPA, but with a smooth THC twist in an all-in-one device. So if you're in Arizona, swing by select dispensaries and grab your tower station all in one from Noble Road, cheers to Hoppy hour all day, every day, and also find yourself some pure edible products
Starting point is 00:24:34 from one over 130 dispensaries across Arizona. And of course, at Healer River resorts and casinos, no one does it better. I love a good staycation at Heela River, and I need it now that the baseball season is over. I need to go get myself a little R&R time, and I can do that at their two, four diamond, AAA for Diamond Resorts. We're going to like relaxation take charge with unbeatable desert and mountain views. And of course, some time at the pool. Because even though it's November, it's still warm enough to get in that bathing suit,
Starting point is 00:25:05 spend some time with a frosty beverage in your hand outside. You can also go all in with over 4,500 slots and live table games or catch all of the action at any one of their sportsbook. So you do you at HilaBerrysorts and Casinos. Visit play at hila.com for more details. All right. Well, no gold glove winners for the Arizona Diamondbacks this year. The only finalists the Arizona Diamondbacks had was Corbyn Carroll,
Starting point is 00:25:33 and he gets robbed like he robbed others in the outfield. It's best I could do. I don't have a lot of energy today, folks. I'm still very sad. This makes me even more sad because this is the first time since 2021 that the Diamondbacks have had no gold glove winners. The Diamondbacks did not have any gold glove winners in 2020 or 2021. Shockingly, Damon, when I went back and looked at the record, at all of the awards they've won, they also had no gold glove winners in the 2001 World Series season, which was surprising to me.
Starting point is 00:26:06 But overall- Older team, makes a little bit of sense. They were an older team. They were an older team. That's a good point. Steve Finley was still pretty good on that team, though. That's one guy that definitely I think you could make the argument for probably should have won some sort of gold glove. Craig Counsel was pretty good.
Starting point is 00:26:21 But, of course, Fernando Tatum, Jr. has been pretty good. So you've got to tip your cap to him because he is who won the Gold Glove Award. Once again, we lose, though, to another Southern California team, and that just furthers my sadness and how done with baseball Damon is for the time being. He's so done. He's so mad at you baseball. I don't even know how to put it into words. But we do have their stats here. Corbyn Carroll versus Fernando Tatis Jr. Again, not a not a not a not a not a not a a ton of argument here for Corby and Carroll, but you could say here that he did have his strongest defensive season in 2025.
Starting point is 00:27:00 He posted eight defensive runs saved and a career high nine outfield assists. He logged 10 outs above average with a fielding run value of seven and his speed and range were standout features this year with observers noting just significant improvement overall in his arm accuracy and his arm strength. That's something that we've been talking about quite a bit is that his arm strength has gotten much better there. However, it's still in the 62nd percentile, as you can see, versus Tatis Jr., who has that cannon still from his time as a shortstop, now converting to the outfield. But the big thing here is defensive run saved. Corbyn Carroll
Starting point is 00:27:40 had eight defensive run saved in 2025. Meanwhile, Fernando Tatis Jr. had 15, and quite frankly, defensive runs saved just matter. They very much matter in baseball when it comes. to defensive metrics and I think that right there is is the winner for you I think the gap there between Corbyn Carroll and Fernando Tatis Jr. is is it it really comes down to you know the war being a mix of objective metrics and manager and coach voting Tatis Jr. is an electric player that a lot of people just think of as being an elite defender and yeah the 15 defensive runs saved there give them a clear statistical edge in one metric where you couldn't say that Corbin has that big of edge anywhere else here.
Starting point is 00:28:26 And anywhere, again, the arm strength percentile is the big thing here that also is an advantage in his favor. But you got to credit, Carol. It's just frustrating because this would have been his first gold glove. It would have been nice to see. It's just hard to claim that he was better than Fernando Tatis Jr. when you look at those metrics. Do we even care? I think LCO-L-C-O-8-2 in the chat says
Starting point is 00:28:54 there's only one trophy that matters and he might not be wrong, right? The whole hoisting that World Series trophy really is the only thing that matters. Any other banners you put at, any other trophies that you put in a case are merely second place, consolation prizes, whatever you want to call it. But even though it's a meaningless award
Starting point is 00:29:17 that is really just more for Corbyn personal, and his portfolio and who he is as a player goes into his negotiation and his ability to get the contracts he deserves as a baseball player. It just feels like this would have meant so much after a season where we needed a win, like we needed something. It's not to say we won't. Hopefully the Silver Slugger Awards will bring us the joy that we are seeking. And I feel much better about those than I did with Corbyn Carroll and this Gold Love Award.
Starting point is 00:29:46 We already looked at the metrics when the, you know, when the finalist, were announced and kind of discussed Carol's chances. It wasn't to say that he didn't have a chance for the award or didn't deserve to be nominated, but you did have a feeling that those, once again, 15 defensive runs saved there by Fernando Tattees Jr. was going to just be too much, essentially, to overcome too big of a gap there. But again, the Silver Slugger Award should kind of go the Diamondbacks way, and we should get that, I don't know, that small victory that I think we're looking for, just something to
Starting point is 00:30:19 make us proud of this team and the season they had in 2025. There's not a lot to be proud of, including the results, the final record, or the position that they're in for 2026. But again, this team fought hard, especially down the stretch.
Starting point is 00:30:36 And, you know, again, it would have been nice to see Corby and Carol get that first gold glove award. But this is where we're at. We're once again in the darkest timeline where we can't be happy and nothing good for us happens. we've grown accustomed to this. I mean, I made that Halloween video on Friday that hurt my own feelings, especially the part about the bullpen. Don't think, don't think that I don't have a soul that
Starting point is 00:30:59 dies a little bit when I make videos making fun of Arizona sports. It's really something that affects me probably more permanently than it affects any of you. But on the other side of this break, we have a lot of questions to answer in today's mailbag. So we're going to get to it. So excited to have you guys joining us. Of course, we will be back here. Don't you go anywhere you're watching the pH next time and back show. Of course, whatever the moment,
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Starting point is 00:32:44 Well, the best decision I made this weekend going out to Phoenix Raceway for the NASCAR Championship weekend was stopping by Circle K on my way and getting myself everything I needed for the race. They had all sorts of fun deals, including those beatboxes, which are very dangerous, but also key sometimes for fun tailgating experience. So do not miss out on all of the deals that you can get at Circle K. Of course, right now here in the morning, get yourself a $1.50 large coffee featuring Maple Pumpkin Coffee for a limited time, as well as buy two, get one free on Monsters and buy two get one free on Red Bulls.
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Starting point is 00:34:06 I don't know if you saw this come across your feed. Lordus Gurriel Jr. is exercising his $13 million player option with the Diamondbacks as expected. Guriel 32 is expected to return around mid-20206 after ongoing ACL surgery. last September via Francis Romero. Well, that's the most unsurprising, unshocking, breaking news that we've heard all, you know, winter. We knew that was going to happen. We knew Lourdes was going to come back.
Starting point is 00:34:37 And yes, now that the World Series is officially over, we are in the negotiation phase for opting in, opting out of contracts, as well as offering qualifying offers to free agents before they make that decision. Five days removed from the final day of the World Series, which will be this week on Thursday, the free agency period will open up and players can sign new deals with new teams. And that is where everything's going to get very exciting.
Starting point is 00:35:06 But Pena Pina Power is back, Jason Armstrong, and it's unfortunate that he is back and missing so much time because he is somebody who very much will be missed and is needed, quite frankly. The Diamondbacks have so little depth now in the outfield compared to the depth that they once had. And of course, now that results in them possibly having to address it in some way via trades or via free agency. So it'll be interesting to see how they do that, if they do that, or if they just turn to their farm system to supplement those needs. But it's Monday. And we got to get to the thing that we do around here because every Monday is a Monday around here. And you know,
Starting point is 00:35:48 what we do on Mondays. Every year is our year on this show. Every year is the year of the snake. Every month on this podcast is Hispanic Heritage Month. Every week on this podcast is Shark Week. Every day on this podcast is Earth Day because Damon and I recycle. But of course on Mondays, we go to the mailbag. Damon, let's go to the mailbag. My mailbox. I'm always something interesting in my mailbox. I try to get to everything in my mailbox. Jason makes a strong point about Lordus Curiel Jr. He says this dude builds sandcastles in the dugout. At least they are having fun.
Starting point is 00:36:28 Yeah, get him back. Even if he's injured, just get him sitting on the top step of the dugout. And I think things will be right with this team once again. I don't hate that idea. But, David, what do we got in the mailbag today? Yeah, first question here comes from Austin. And he just simply asks, is this our year, Derek? Every year is our year, Austin.
Starting point is 00:36:44 We say that on this show whenever it's Monday. every year is our year. But if you want to know, is this our year actually for the Arizona Diamondbacks? Well, I'll tell you, it's all in from the pitching, or from the front office, from the coaching staff, from that perspective, they are all in on this season. I think everybody understands the magnitude here, and I think that things will be different in 2027 and beyond
Starting point is 00:37:11 if this team doesn't find a way to succeed and make it to the postseason. And I don't even know if the postseason is strong enough to potentially keep everything together, including having Tori Lavoz return as manager and, you know, Mike Kaysen's future being solidified here. I'm not sure. I'm not sure what level of success would need to be achieved. But I do know that it's going to be a very, very tough year for this team. But I think they understand that. And they're up for the challenge. They have the offensive weapons.
Starting point is 00:37:44 They just need to figure out what to do this offseason. and how the hell they can get a five-man pitching rotation together with limited funds. All right, what else we got, Damon? Our next question here, Derek, comes from Peace of Yoshi, who asks, is this a sacrifice we must make in order to punish the evil John Schneider for his foul words against Halloween? John Schneider basically kind of disregarded Halloween. and I felt like it was a strong move at the time considering that it was a day that they were going to play a baseball game. There are spirits, there are witches involved, as we know, based on the Etsy witch.
Starting point is 00:38:34 There are a lot of things happening here. And he basically said that what he was doing last year was what most of us do. Kevin and I had this argument, in fact, Damon, on Friday. He said he was sitting at his neighbor's driveway last year, drinking a beer, giving out candy. Sounds like a great time to me, quite frankly. It's how I spend most of my Halloweens, and I enjoy that thoroughly. He did say this is way, way, way better,
Starting point is 00:39:01 which I can understand managing in the World Series is a way, way better experience in sitting in your neighbor's driveway, giving out Halloween candy. But then he went on to say, I think Halloween is a made-up holiday anyway. I don't dress up. It's kind of my least favorite holiday of the year. Well.
Starting point is 00:39:24 St. Patrick's Day exists, right? And Valentine's Day? Yeah. Valentine's Day is the worst. Oh my God. Damon. Easily. Because you're either, if as a man.
Starting point is 00:39:36 I've been in a relationship for 25 years. I absolutely know Valentine's Day is the worst. But not to, yeah, not to like, like, you know, make this like a stereotype thing. But, like, I think in general, in general, the man has a very stressful day ahead of them on a Valentine's Day in a man versus woman relationship. And so it's difficult. It's a lot of pressure on Valentine's Day. And if you're not in a relationship, it sucks even more. It just makes you feel bad about yourself as you are as a person. 100%. I think Valentine's Day is the worst. Here's what I will say. I think when you think of conventional holidays, Derek, a lot of times people think of the holiday season, which is Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Yeah, and they don't.
Starting point is 00:40:18 They don't necessarily think about the other ones as much. Right. Now, if I'm just going based off those three, I think Halloween is by far the worst. But that's a tough scale. That's a really tough scale. What about the amount of food waste during Thanksgiving? What about that? See, what about the stress of Christmas?
Starting point is 00:40:36 I will argue until I'm- What about the danger of Fourth of July? People get their fingers blown off every year, but we still keep selling fireworks and parking lots, right, Damon? Halloween has a lot of danger If we want to go to the Like tons of like vehicle Heading pedestrian stuff Yeah
Starting point is 00:40:56 pitch black outside I have no idea what these people are doing Yeah I mean listen Maybe this is a maybe you disarrut this take I think Thanksgiving and Christmas Are a lot more about your family And being around other people whereas Halloween's kind of about Yourself
Starting point is 00:41:11 You put on a costume You want everyone to be like that's a sick costume my guy yeah you want if you're a girl you're trying to look hot like it's a it's it's it's it's bold to curse the holiday on the holiday when you need to win the most important baseball game of your team's season on that day that's fair I would just say that I love Halloween and I hope all the good things happen to me on Halloween like how hard was that John Schneider how hard was that I that's my only question is how hard was that even if you don't mean it and Halloween will know if you don't mean it. However, just lie. Just lie. Just throw it
Starting point is 00:41:51 out there sometimes. You know, just tell us what we want to hear. Just tell Halloween what Halloween wants to hear. The worst holiday is the one that you have to work on. He's not wrong about it. That's a fact. And when we did Cardinals Bears Christmas Eve two years ago and the Bears in Justin Fields skunked Kyler Murray and the Cardinals walked us off the field. That was maybe the worst holiday of my whole life. Damon doesn't handle losses very well No I'm a really sore loser He is I am too Let's be honest
Starting point is 00:42:20 That's what makes us such good friends What else we got? Our next question Derek comes from That's the last one Mighty Shuman By the way Mighty Shoe Man
Starting point is 00:42:33 I'm still convinced is Jack Summers I don't know how it can't be But anyway I think it's just his alias Right we already did that one right No we did not But we did let's do this one No no no let's go back to this one
Starting point is 00:42:43 Sorry about that mighty shoe man. When should we expect the first major move trade signing to happen? And what specifically is likely to be the first? That's an interesting question. I personally think that it's going to take just a little while. But I feel like every year it's going to be like a big splash. I think obviously what's going to happen is the names that are on club options and such are going to come back. Right?
Starting point is 00:43:10 you're going to have like maybe a Salvador Perez coming back. You're going to have Brandon Lowe or Jorge Polanco coming back to their teams, right? Obviously, Jorge Polanco is going to be back. Ozzy Albies. He's another guy. I'm sure the team will probably bring back. But again, it's going to be those options first that you'll see. And then from there, I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if it takes a little while for the market
Starting point is 00:43:40 to start moving until somebody big gets signed. Like, I think Kyle Tucker is likely to come back to the Chicago Cubs. That's exactly how I feel. But he's a guy that's going to test the market for sure. So I wouldn't be surprised to see a big name like Kyle Tucker or maybe even a Cody Bellinger sign as one of the first, you know, I guess, barometers for where the market's at. and then, you know, teams will go from there. As far as the Diamondbacks are concerned,
Starting point is 00:44:14 I do think that the first move, in my opinion, is probably going to be not their needs, right? So we know that their biggest need this off season is pitching, starting pitching, relief pitching. I wouldn't be surprised if the Diamondbacks first move is bringing back Paul Goldschmidt. And I think that could be the thing that kind of sets the tone a little bit, that the Diamondbacks are going to be active in the free agency. agency market. However, I don't see them going out and pursuing a starting pitcher until the market
Starting point is 00:44:45 decides to start dictating itself and how much pitchers are going for. What pitchers are available, whether guys or start negotiating down, maybe guys that were more expensive, either go up in price and just price themselves out of the Diamondbacks range or maybe some of them, you know, lack getting any offers, right? I would hope, I agree with Ryan. I would love for it to be Merrill. You know, a reunion either with Paul Goldschmidt or Merrill Kelly would be a great way to kick off the free agency, you know, offseason here for the Diamondbacks of free agency season. So, but again, I feel like across MLB, most likely it'll be, you know, one big position player that kind of starts to dictate the market and set the tone for what guys are going to start asking for or expecting to receive. So we'll see. What else we got, Damon?
Starting point is 00:45:33 Our next question is a laundry list of potential free agents here. I love it. Let's start off with Zach Gallen, Rangers, Swares, who we talked about on this show, Soroka, Trent Grisham, Cedricum, Cedric Mullins, Harrison Bader, Alex Verdugo, Tyler O'Neill, Paul DeYoung, Kevin Vigio, Glaver Torres, Paul Goldschmidt. How would we feel about a goalie reunion, chase to 400 home runs, and then retirement? Yeah, no, I love that idea. And I like your free agent targets here.
Starting point is 00:46:05 I don't hate this list, but I do think that it's ambitious. I think the biggest problem here is cost. Obviously, the Diamondbacks wouldn't be able to do half of this or a quarter of this. So that's the biggest problem. But, I mean, as far as looking at this list, I don't really have a huge interest in those outfielders myself. I kind of like Tyler O'Neill. Yeah, I think that's a good buy-low guy. I think I mentioned that on a couple of shows ago.
Starting point is 00:46:31 That's a guy who's been good in his career, isn't too old and had a down year. I think that he could have a bounce back next season for sure. I love Ranger Suarez, by the way. I know that the Diamondbacks will make that qualifying offer on Zach Galen. And Soroka is not a bad selection either. Again, I do feel like both of those guys, though, had a better season than, I guess, then you want them to considering what their cost is going to be because of it. And I do think that the Diamondbacks might be aiming more towards some of those guys,
Starting point is 00:47:02 like what Damon just said about Tyler O'Neill, that have had a down season, but they might be able to get some sort of discount or those guys might not get the offers that they were hoping for and take something from the Diamondbacks. And I think really that's the only way right now besides crossing your fingers
Starting point is 00:47:19 and hoping somebody else takes a Corbyn Burns-like discount just because they want to play in Arizona so bad. Those are the only routes, I think, to potentially solving their problems with the roster. You know, one name on here that I like, a lot more than maybe we haven't talked about him really at all is uh glauber torres oh glabre torres is a great selection as well i like that too yeah i think that that's a decent fit with this team um he's a venezuelan player we know the debacks love venezuelan players gabby irad gino uh you know uh you know
Starting point is 00:47:54 you name it there's herardo para even like let's keep going back you know there's there's venusuelans up and down this organization there's a lot of influence uh i believe so yeah um so I think that this could kind of fit into that model a little bit. And yeah, he just feels like he'd be a good fit. He plays multiple positions, second, first, third, wherever you need them. I like that potential option as well. 2BMC in the chat says the prophecy says to re-sign Goldie and Seawald, bring Ryan Roberts on as a coach and call up Ryan Waldschmidt.
Starting point is 00:48:26 Yeah, I'm good on Paul Seawald. 2BMC. We were talking about Hopi-hour anytime, but maybe not Hopi-hour this early in the day. Maybe that's all. Maybe that's all. I'm just, just a suggestion. But what else we got,
Starting point is 00:48:38 Damon? What else we have in the mailbag today? Our next question here comes from Caleb Bacon enthusiast who asks, what would be a successful off season for the debacks in your opinion? Free agency trades, call-ups, etc.
Starting point is 00:48:53 All right. Well, first it would be spending as much money as they possibly can, like somewhere in the neighborhood of $40 million. And that, to me, I know that's a weird way to kick this question off, but that to me would signal that they are once again all in on this season. And quite frankly, I think they're going to have to be. I think depending on how much money they spend is going to dictate what kind of year they have
Starting point is 00:49:21 in 2026. I know they do not have the budget essentially to fill all of the roster spots that they need to fill. So if they go out and they spend $35 to $40 million and are able to get themselves two relievers and two starting pitchers and one position player to help them out, especially over there at first base, I would consider that as successful offseason. I don't think that they'll be able to acquire five players with $37 million. I don't think that they can do that. They could. I mean, a position player like Paul Goldschmidt's probably going to cost you not that much.
Starting point is 00:49:59 The two relievers probably aren't going to cost you much. What's going to cost you a lot is going to be the. those starters. So that's where how creative, that's where it's determined. Is Merrill Kelly part of that equation? How creative were you able to get with it? Are you able to make a trade? Did you get the quality starting pitching that you need in order to compete in the National League West? So that's, I mean, again, if they go out and they're able to fulfill their needs, at least pitching-wise, and, you know, make this team better at DH first base, then that would be considered a successful offseason to me. I think that there are a lot of
Starting point is 00:50:35 players that are still in their developmental system that can come up and potentially shine next year. I do love a Ryan Waldschmidt. I do love some of these guys that were drafted in the same draft as a Traja Savage that might be ready themselves to make their major league debut
Starting point is 00:50:53 and start helping this team. I do think Ryan Waldschmidt is going to be an outfielder of the future for this team and I think that happens pretty soon. I think you know, by the time we're through whatever this terrible work stoppage CBA negotiation that we have to go through to get past the 2027 season. I think the future is very bright for the Diamondbacks and that Walt Schmidt is a part of that future. But again, he is also their biggest prospect. And he could be somebody,
Starting point is 00:51:23 if they get the right deal, the right trade package, he could be somebody that they move. And unfortunately, we could watch his development elsewhere. But again, as far as the question is concerned. Those are the free agency moves I think they need to make in order for this to be considered a decent offseason. I don't know how they get there. Again, that's not, it sounds like a lot of money. Thirty-five to forty million dollars sounds like a lot of money, but it is not. At least it's a little more than I thought that they were going to be held to because, you know, again, less than $30 million seemed like it was going to be impossible, impossible to do much with besides get, you know, a starting pitcher and, you know, one position player. So,
Starting point is 00:52:03 do want to ask a question to you guys. I know it's mailbag Monday for us, but have you signed up for the PHNX newsletter yet. If you have not, you are missing out on the biggest news in Arizona sports in your inbox daily at 6am. It's completely free. You do not have to be a diehard. You not have to join anything. And you can also be the smartest, smartest sports fan, you know. Our guy Alex Degasino, they had to put his name in there phonetically because people mispronounce it all the time is now running it. Shout out. Of course. to our guy Patrick Brown, who was previously our writer for that. He did an incredible job, and he will be missed around here.
Starting point is 00:52:41 Of course, Alex does an amazing job writing about the Cardinals, and so make sure to check out his writings over there at the newsletter. Just go to go phtnx.com slash newsletter. All right, Damon Wells, we got in the bag. That's how you sign up, by the way, Deborah. Go phtonx.com slash newsletter, and you can sign up right there for free. All right, what else we got? Our next question comes from El Gaya, who has.
Starting point is 00:53:03 asks Alec Thomas and Christian Walker are on MLB trade rumors what are the chances Diamondbacks make an Astros make a trade zero zero yeah less than zero or if you're talking about a trade specifically for Christian Walker I doubt that they're gonna want to give them back to us nor do I know if the Diamondbacks want to pay what the Astros have committed to paying Christian Walker so I feel like quite frankly again when when they have so many holes to fix and pitching is such a major problem for this team right now. That's what they have to address. As much as I would love a trade for Christian Walker, again, part of a trade bringing on
Starting point is 00:53:39 that player is that their salary is now part of your payroll. So I believe Christian Walker's owed like, what was it? Like he signed like $3 or $60 million or something like that. Again, there's a lot of money being invested into Christian Walker that, quite frankly, the Diamondbacks could have paid for and didn't. And again, they might regret not doing so, not keeping Christian Walker here. but it's also something you have to consider with trades is that we can't exactly trade for a guy that has a huge salary, huge contract because that gets factored in. But I still think there's a good chance that Alec Thomas does get moved, and that breaks my heart because I love Alec Thomas.
Starting point is 00:54:17 I think he's a great player. I think he's going to get better as his career goes on. And I would like it to be a member of this team, but it is starting to feel like the likelihood that he is involved in a trade package in some way is there. I just feel like he's expendable for some reason to this team and also has value to another team that would want to bring him on. Yeah, I think you could see Alex Thomas traded for sure. Christian Walker, like you said, I think the Diamondbacks would need the Astros to eat some money of that contract.
Starting point is 00:54:45 And I don't think the Astros would be willing to do that one year after signing him to an extension. They would want to send them to a team like the Yankees who would eat all of the contract instead. Oh, yeah, they would love to just take them. Exactly. So I don't say that being much of a realistic scenario. All right. What else we got? Jarme asks if McCann does walk, who is the backup catcher, ADC?
Starting point is 00:55:05 For now? Yes. And I know people might not love that. I know he's definitely not the best option, the Diamondbacks, you know, that they want back there. I know that they do want to figure out a way for Del Castillo to get playing time to be a part of the roster to play DH. But there's just some issues with his game behind the plate that they still don't feel comfortable with at a major league level. And at least for right now, that's really who they have. I mean, it could be another young player.
Starting point is 00:55:38 We could see Kenny Castillo maybe get Major League playing time. He's somebody right now that's in the Diamondbacks minor league system. He's been playing in the Arizona Fall League. And he looks pretty good out there. So I wouldn't be surprised if the Diamondbacks don't bring McCann back to see them commit to maybe another young pitcher but not have it or catcher behind the plate. but not have it be ADC. I really don't know what's,
Starting point is 00:56:04 I don't know what exactly his role is going to be in the future. I don't know if he can be developed into a catcher that they do feel is strong enough. But I will say as far as backup catcher is concerned, it's just a different position. You're going to see playing time regularly. Gabby Moreno is probably going to be the catcher one regardless, the number one on the death chart.
Starting point is 00:56:28 but he's not going to play, you know, a bunch of days in a row. So whoever is that backup catcher is going to see close to 30% of the reps behind the plate throughout the season, they need to be a viable option and not just somebody like in an emergency catcher type situation. I still don't think ADC is that guy for this team, or at least the organization doesn't feel like that, yet considering that we really didn't see him back there in any capacity in 2025.
Starting point is 00:56:56 Hopefully, though, they figure out something with James, McCann because like we've covered on this show, his value is very high for this team. And I definitely think that they need that veteran presence in the clubhouse and out there on the field. What else we got, David? Next question comes in Pcioshi again, who asks, why are they just randomly announcing the gold gloves? I had no idea this was even happening.
Starting point is 00:57:18 It's like 10 p.m. Yeah, this was stupid. This, I mean, this is once again, just a prime example of why Major League Baseball is so bad at everything they do when it comes to scheduling. playing a game on Halloween. You know, one of the biggest games of the year being played on Halloween. In general, their events, just being like hodgepodge together. You know, All-Star weekend is when the draft takes place.
Starting point is 00:57:42 And then you just have other awards and events being randomly given out at random weird times. No pomp in circumstance about it. No big deal being made about it. Like the Silver Slugger Awards and the Gold Glove Awards are really important to a lot of people. across baseball and I think we feel like we we want this to be during an exciting you know presentation not like piece of yoshi said at 10 o'clock at night on a random Monday after the or on a random Sunday after the season has already wrapped up right Derek i think i just cracked the code what do you want two simple google searches is all it took um to to find out this one what time
Starting point is 00:58:22 is 10 p.m. eastern time assuming that's when yoshi is up because yoshe's in New York. In Japan. Oh, what time is it in Japan? 12 p.m. noon, prime time. Here's another one for you, Derek. Do Japanese people celebrate Halloween?
Starting point is 00:58:42 It says they do, but I doubt it. I think we crack the code. Yeah, Damon's still, Damon's still out here on the international fan. Well, it's just, I mean, I think it's clear as day. The MLB offices, they frequently, do not care consistently about doing this stuff in a timely manner that makes sense for their majority of their fan base. But when you truly think about those kind of details, it doesn't really seem like it matters to them. They want the international fans right now. That's what they're going for. I'm used to people disregarding my feelings and me as a fan lately. So I completely, I completely understand. Classical Feng Shui Solutions just became a member of our supporters club. Let's go. CFSS. Glad to have you here. Appreciate it.
Starting point is 00:59:29 And of course, Deborah, the kindest fan we have, welcoming our new members. So thank you again. We are going to go into overtime here, and we're going to chat some more. We've got some more questions in the mailbag. So if you are watching on your favorite app or on TV, come on over to go phnx.com. Let's keep this conversation going. And now I can curse. I'm going to curse the Dodgers is what I'm going to do.
Starting point is 00:59:54 But what else we got in the mailbag, Damon? By the way, did a little bit more research on this. Gemini told me that they do celebrate it in Japan, but it's like a barely thing. They don't really care that much. No, I'm see. The facts show that it's not really cared about. The facts show that there's a reason why we played a game six on Halloween.
Starting point is 01:00:10 Correct. What do we got from our guy, Michael? Michael Rokeke is the outcome of this World Series going to give us that Derek and Leah collab, we didn't know we needed? I don't know if Leah's ever going to recover from this World Series loss. I will say that this playoffs, the 2025 Yoffs steamrolled the shit out of this office.
Starting point is 01:00:34 They have left members of this office in shambles. Shane has lost his smile. Shane will never smile again. Shane, Halloween brought him no joy. Candy brings him no joy. I saw him the other day. He spent two hours just trying to throw pieces of Reese's peanut butter cups into a bowl from across the room just so that he could feel again.
Starting point is 01:00:58 And he didn't. And he never felt. And he never got happy and it never happened. I wanted to go into the office today and I wanted to go directly to Leah and be like, IKF not getting that lead. What's with the lodged ball thing? And she, I think the words were, get the fuck out of my office is what she said to me. I might be paraphrasing that incorrectly.
Starting point is 01:01:22 But she did scream at me. told me to get out. So I don't know. I will say that I absolutely do adore this Toronto Blue Jays team. And I am on board with Leah here in our pain. And maybe we will give you the collaboration we need. She needs some time to get over it, though. See, Damon and I have been hurt so many times before that we don't feel feelings any longer. We don't. It's like when your hand is desensitized to burning and you can touch like hot items, that's me and Damon when it comes to the pain of losing baseball games and just the pain in general that baseball as a sport causes us, right? Dude, the last two years have just sucked so bad, haven't they?
Starting point is 01:02:04 I mean, it's just been a train wreck for us. It's been a train wreck emotionally. Expectations, you know, through the roof, fan base that actually is like trying to show up and care more than they have in years past. Yep. Owner that's trying to spend and how do we get rewarded post-world series appearance and runner up in the league? Nothing.
Starting point is 01:02:23 Two Dodgers championships and two missed playoff appearances. I mean, it couldn't be worse. If you scripted something up, it couldn't be worse. It's really our fault. Yeah. We did it. We did this to baseball. We did this to us.
Starting point is 01:02:37 The four home runs in a row broke the Dodgers. And then they were like, we're going to break baseball. Like a true villain, right? A true villain would be like, you hurt us. We're going to hurt you all so bad. because of the diamond bags. But yes, we will bring you that collab with me and Leah just being sad together. Brutal.
Starting point is 01:03:00 Drinking the Lord. Yeah. I might be drinking. That might be where I drink the maple syrup. I might still drink the maple syrup out of this mug just slowly, but still drink it. You know, I know he didn't win, but it wouldn't be the first time where I set some sort of stupid bet up. It didn't go the way that it should have, and I still was a man of my word. But we'll figure it out.
Starting point is 01:03:21 We got one more question from one of our most important question askers. Yeah, we do from Zabe. One final question from Zabe. And it was, who hurt Kevin as a child to make him hate Starbursts? Can we talk about Kevin in general about just his general demeanor? Like I probably asked the question, who hurt Kevin as a child at least once per day? Right? There's always something where Kevin takes joy in the pain of those around the office, whether it's the Cardinals guys, whether it's the son's team, whether it's me and Damon, just being sad about baseball.
Starting point is 01:04:01 For some reason, Kevin, who seems like the nicest guy has a great grandfather and great mom. Know them both. June. Shout out to June. I do not understand why he is the way he is. I don't understand why he hates us and our. sports teams. I don't know why our sadness powers him and gives him such joy deep down inside, but I will never, I will never understand what causes, is that causes any individual to hate starbursts. Starbursts are, which, what's your favorite starburst? Pink. I feel like that's, that's the, that's the common answer. That's what, that's the mainstream answer. Well, because pink, I don't, I can't, I can't. It's, I don't know. I also like red starbursts. I think I'm a red man.
Starting point is 01:04:50 Red and pink guy. I'm a red man. But, you know, I do think that, you know, the pink does seem to be the most popular answer whenever you ask that around. Yeah. No one's saying yellow, right? Oof. Like, I'll eat them. No one's saying orange.
Starting point is 01:05:06 Yeah. No one's saying orange. That's the bastard stepchild of the starbursts for sure. Yeah. But I'll eat. I'll enjoy a lemon yellow one. I will enjoy it. I'll even enjoy an orange one.
Starting point is 01:05:17 Hell, I like Starbursts. as a whole. But overall, I'm not a big like fruity candy person. In fact, when my daughter brings home her like a trick or treat candy,
Starting point is 01:05:30 I immediately demand that we separate it. How was the hall, by the way? Not great this year. Really? Yeah, she's 14. So she doesn't care anymore
Starting point is 01:05:37 about the hall. Like the mission is different. She's there to like have fun and shit. Yeah. It's not about a, it's not as much of a hype anymore. She's there to talk and fucking, yeah, socialize.
Starting point is 01:05:47 No. Go. get me candy. That is the reason why I put you on the good street. The good street with the full size candy bars. I was like, oh, you got, did you go to the house with the full size candy bars? She's like, yeah. I'm like, did you go twice? She's like, no. And I'm like, I gave you a costume with a jacket for a reason. Fine. I guess I'll go do it myself. I'll go do it myself. Derek flings his cape over top of his body. I didn't have many trick-or-treaters myself either this year. That was a bit disappointing as well. I just want to say. I love having trick-or-treaters come out. I love people when
Starting point is 01:06:23 they bring their dogs, small children dressed adorably. There was a kid dressed as Diddy Kong. I wanted to give him my entire basket of candy. Do you know what a B-side hit that is? Diddy Kong, especially to someone that's been playing Donkey Kong Bonanza religiously lately? Oh, kid, top five costume, but Emily, thank you for your super chat. Emily wants to make sure I do not miss her comment. Derek bring the D-backed jersey list. Yes. I am so in debt. I have pass-due rent to pay to Emily
Starting point is 01:06:56 when it comes to this D-Backs jersey list. So I'm going to get cracking on that. I have no excuse anymore because now that the season is over, Emily, I have plenty of time to handle that. So we'll get looking into that this afternoon, but we appreciate you stopping by as we appreciate all of you. R.A. is not Ron. Kevho is the embodiment of evil.
Starting point is 01:07:16 Transonic says pink is the worst, red is the best. I can't even understand that logic. If you're a red man, I feel like by association, you're a pink man. You're a pink boy. You're a red man and you're a pink pony boy. I don't know. I don't know. That one doesn't make any sense to me.
Starting point is 01:07:32 But I love you guys. We appreciate you guys so much for your time. We will see you tomorrow back here at noon. Of course, until then, you can follow us on Twitter. I'm at cap underscore caveman with a K. Damon is at Damon Dog. Shout out to Christian Candler. Christian Candler for becoming a member.
Starting point is 01:07:49 Woo-hoo! Let's go. Thank you so much, Christian. You probably in another chat, but we're still going to take credit for you ourselves. And appreciate all of you guys. Emily says, go Cowboys, tonight. I am on board with that. I'm this close to beating Shane. He is projected to win, but as you know, Shane's team has been projected to win before, and they lost.
Starting point is 01:08:11 That was nasty. That probably didn't need to be said. Anyway, I'm looking to take him out next year, and I need to be. help from Ferguson and and their kickers. So let's go Cowboys. Anyway, appreciate you guys. Follow us on Twitter. I'm at Cap on. I'm sorry, what? Let's go who? Cowboys. It's a whole fantasy football thing. Don't worry. You can follow Damon Dog at Damon Dog with the DAWG at the end. We're all Damon's dogs. Bark, bark. Our show is at PHNX underscore Dbacks, but as always all roads lead to at pHNX underscore sports on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Thank you guys again for your time. We appreciate you so much. We will see you
Starting point is 01:08:45 tomorrow. Until then, have a wonderful evening. Behave yourselves, Deborah, and remember kids, baseball is fun, but it's so much more fun when the Dodgers don't ruin it.

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