Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - Russ Dorsey talks Cubs & World Baseball Classic (Hour 4)

Episode Date: March 12, 2026

In the final hour, Mark Grote and Leila Rahimi were joined by Russ Dorsey of Yahoo Sports to discuss the latest Cubs and World Baseball Classic storylines....

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Starting point is 00:01:11 Why? Because knowing your options before you have surgery can help your care team develop a treatment plan that's right for you. Learn about a potential treatment plan before and after surgery at askbeforesurgery.com. That's ask before surgery.com and talk to an oncologist before your surgery. National MLB Insider for Yahoo Sports. My eye is on which version of Pete do you get in 26? Because if you can get, we'll call it 65%, even 70% of the first half, Pete Coramstrong offensively, with that same high-quality defense that we saw from him
Starting point is 00:01:53 since he's gotten to the big leagues, to be honest. Then you still have a high-quality player. Insider and analyst for Friday night baseball on Apple TV Plus. Hey man, postseason. We're a show hey. And in the biggest moment, on the biggest stage, the best player to walk the face of the earth showed us exactly where he was. Russell Dorses. On 1043, the score.
Starting point is 00:02:16 The score. The only thing we're missing is Marshall with all of his crew in here. We had Clay Harbor. Now we have Russell Dorsey, the noted baseball insider. He's an insider and analyst for MLB Network, Friday night baseball on Apple TV Plus. There's a lot of gyms. talk that went on between the Russell Dorsey and Clay Harbor
Starting point is 00:02:36 transition. I feel like there was a lot of... Clay was a professional athlete, though. The workout tips are strong. You were a college athlete. I was not. But you practically were? The only thing that stopped you from being an actual college baseball player was the injury you sustained. I can't
Starting point is 00:02:52 say it. I can't allow myself to say it. Because you were. You were a college baseball player. No, man, I can't do it. And they're Division 1, aren't they? In fairness, yeah. I think I'm a way better athlete right now than I've ever been in my life. He said that.
Starting point is 00:03:10 Clay said that too. Yeah. Clay has talked about how if he were in the same shape that playing that he is in now, he thinks his career would have lasted longer. Like, and that's a good thing. Like you want to get to 30 and be like, damn, I'm in good shape. Like that's, and I think for everybody out there, you don't have to look like Clay Harbor to be in good shape, right? work on your leg muscles
Starting point is 00:03:32 longevity in life is tied to leg strength and having muscle in your lower limbs. It's also mobility. Mobility moving around and keeping some muscle in your legs. A lot of people think
Starting point is 00:03:47 that their knees are hurting because they're older and your knees are probably hurting because of mobility issues. You know what's funny is like, yeah, you guys were talking to gym and talking workout and then when I got a hold of you, we're talking about you.
Starting point is 00:03:56 You're at bad at sports. Although I'm trying now. It's one o'clock. A good influence. This is the lunchtime show. That sounded great, though, a burger? A big sloppy cheeseburger with some fresh fries. Fresh cut.
Starting point is 00:04:09 French fries are sweet. The vat of oatmeal did the job today. A vat of Layla's special oatmeal. That's a lot of oatmeal. Well, I don't use, this is just a container. I don't actually. There's no way in hell. My oatmeal bill every week would be a billion dollars.
Starting point is 00:04:25 I'm like, damn, that's a lot of oatmeal. No, this is a 24-ounce. She's half a gallon. 24 ounces? She's feeding. She's feeding. Three cups of oatmeal. It's time for Layla's feeding.
Starting point is 00:04:38 Jeez. I'm randomly running at Arlington nights. Like, you come in at 10 o'clock so full. Like, oh, I've had three cups of oatmeal. It's like horse oats. Just sitting there like concrete. Oh my gosh. Yeah, I would just, I just end up like wanting to run like a race horse the entire time.
Starting point is 00:04:54 One day at work, I did bring oats, apple, and a carrot to work. And then I realized what I had done. What type of oatmeal? This is the rolled oats, just the traditional Quaker. You have like, there's all these different, like, steel cut. No, I just want the plain ones, but I don't like the quick cook. I like the ones you have to actually cook. They just taste better to me.
Starting point is 00:05:13 And that is enough of oatmeal talk on the score. Shout out to the oatmeal eaters out there. Shout out to oatmeal. We did have no espresso talk, so that was big for Team Italy. We'll get into Team Italy in a little bit. We had Italian beef talk, too. Yeah, we had Italian beef talk. in order of celebrating team Italy.
Starting point is 00:05:32 And it's 312 day, people. Chicago. Do what you like on 312 day. That's what I say. We also have some Cubs news. So this is new. They just sent out a media release. I consider it breaking whether or not you do is not my problem.
Starting point is 00:05:45 So guess what? Wildfire, you're hearing from me again. Breaking news on the score is brought to you by Wildfire. Enjoy a delicious meal, or if you're me, a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, at Wildfire restaurants with five Chicago land locations. The Cubs have trimmed their roster. It is now at 46 players. Left-handed pitchers Luke Little and Ryan Rawlison
Starting point is 00:06:06 and outfielder Justin Dean have been optioned to AAA Iowa. Right-handed pitcher Vince Velasquez, catchers Ariel Armas and Casey Optiz, and outfielder Brett Bateman have returned to minor league camp. I don't think that's a surprise. Who, who, who, and who? Well, Vince Velasquez is older. Chicago's spring training roster of 46 players
Starting point is 00:06:27 consisted of 25 pitchers, five non-roster invitees, four catchers, one non-raster invitees, 10 infielders, that's four non-raster invitees, and seven outfielders who are three of them, non-raster invitees. So that is the latest when it comes to the Cubs roster as they continue to trim here and there. Anything stick out to you, Russell, as far as trying to figure out who this team is going to be once everybody's back from the World Baseball Classic. We got the news today that Matthew Boyd is going to be the opening day starter. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:07:01 I think that's the one you could say, okay, that makes a lot of sense based off of what he was able to do last year, probably how stretched out he is right now. Yeah, that makes sense. I think the thing when it comes to the Cubs that I'm curious to find out is with the Tyler Austin injury, like that was a guy that was supposed to come over, hit against left-handed pitching and be that force off the bench for you. And with him not in there, does this allow Matt Shaw to play a bigger role than maybe he would have played had Austin not gotten hurt?
Starting point is 00:07:39 And so I think you saw the lineup with, you know, Matt Shaw playing a little bit of first base yesterday and like him getting work there. And increasing his versatility is only going to help him and help the Cubs. Because look, if you have a guy that can play a million positions, that's really, really valuable. So I think for Matt Shaw, him being able to be versatile defensively, but also be able to be a guy that's strong against the left-handed pitching. Like you find ways to, that's how you find ways to get guys in the lineup, right? What can you do? You're a right-handed hitter and you can bang against left-handed pitching. There's going to be a
Starting point is 00:08:14 spot for you on the roster. That's the thing, though, with Matt Shaw. We think he could play all these positions. Like, we, like, I don't, I mean, he's been fine so far. But can he really consistently play the outfield? Can he play the, I don't know they're going to use him at shortstop. We know we can play third base, but is he going, like we always think about Ben Zobrist, right? Ben Zobrist excelled at those positions. I think that we're just assuming he's going to be good. We don't know that yet about Shaw. Right. And he's going to get his opportunities to, like everything we've seen is that they are going to give him opportunities to. I think the other thing when it comes to Matt Shaw playing all these positions
Starting point is 00:08:55 is they have a lot of guys that play every day at short. Obviously, Dansby is going to play between 155 and 160 games a season. Nico is going to play between 150 and 160 games a season. So you're not going to have them
Starting point is 00:09:11 there. Now you bring in Alex Bregman. It's not like he's going to take that's way from Alex Brickman who you just brought in his free agent. And Alex is probably going to play between 140 games and 150 games at third base. The one thing with Bregman is there could be some days where maybe you dh him, right?
Starting point is 00:09:31 But he is also a good defender at third base. So it's not like you have that situation where nobody's a good defender and it's like, well, he's above average there so we could just plug him. So, yeah, they're going to have to do some work to find him at bats. But for him, it behooves him to play all these positions or at least attempt to play all these positions to get himself in the lineup. And I think we had the interview. The morning show played the discussion with Matt Shaw talking about him trying to adjust to all these different positions.
Starting point is 00:10:03 And I think you're right, Mark. We don't know that this is going to work out. Good teams need a player like this. Ideally, it's not your previously top prospect. You know, in the organization, ideally that guy's probably got a regular spot every day. But I see why they're trying to make it work. I think of a guy like Kike Hernandez who has made a career at whatever Dave Roberts needs him to do that day, he's going to do it. Hey, I need you to play left today.
Starting point is 00:10:35 He's going to play left. I need you to play center. I need you to come in and play third base for defensively and come in for Max Muncie late in games. He'll do it. If Mookie Betts needs a day off and McGarohas isn't playing like, hey, play short, play second base. It's a blowout. I need somebody to jump on the mound. and saved the bullpen.
Starting point is 00:10:53 Like, he's done that and made a lot of money in the big leagues doing that. Also, he hits against the left-handed pitching, right? And when the postseason gets there, he takes his game to another level. So there's a benefit of having guys that not only have the ability to do that, but also provide value in other ways. But, you know, the real find on Kiki was that he was not this Ballyhooed prospect coming up in the Astrosystem. He was a gift. And I think he was somebody who also came into the organization on the big league level
Starting point is 00:11:22 in that way. They needed him to step up from the minor leagues. He got his opportunity and made it impossible to go away. Yeah, I think for with Shaw, the draft positioning is always going to be a part of his story while he is in Chicago.
Starting point is 00:11:38 Now, I'm not saying they're just going to move him for nothing. But while he is a member of the Chicago Cubs, that's always going to be a part of, well, he was a first round draft pick and you want a first round draft pick to be a utility guy. Well, that's the situation him and the Cubs find themselves in.
Starting point is 00:11:54 So for all parties involved, you want to make the best of the situation, hit against left-handed pitching, be willing to play all these positions, which he seems like he is, and thrive at them, right? Like, if I had to say at the end of the season, how many at-bats does Matt Shaw have?
Starting point is 00:12:14 What would you guys say? Oh, man, that's a good question. 400? Is that reasonable? I mean, that's like below, like, last year, Michael Bushhead. Bush had the seventh most at bats. He had like 600 something. So I'm just like taking it from the end of the least amount of bats for the starters.
Starting point is 00:12:39 I put that in air quotes because Bush didn't start a lot of times against lefties. So I'm going to say I'm going to go four hondo. Is that hondo? See? Yeah. There I go again. I was going to say between 300 or 400. So I'll split the difference and say 350.
Starting point is 00:12:51 And the only reason I'd say that I would have said higher if it's gone. The only reason I just don't know how many, because we listed off all the guys that play every day. So I just don't know in my mind where the at-bats are. Yeah. And so it's, okay, there's going to be some tough left-handed at-bats
Starting point is 00:13:07 for Michael Bush. Even though I think Michael Bush might get more opportunities. Seems like they really would like, I mean, they're letting them plow through obviously in spring training. There are going to be some matchups where it's beneficial for Matt, or for Michael Bush to be in the lineup. there's also going to be somewhere she's like, hey man,
Starting point is 00:13:23 Chris Hale on the Mountain Night. Don't even worry about it. We're going to put Shaw in there. Enjoy your day off. I think those situations will arise. I think there are going to be some situations where tough left-hander out of the bullpen comes in and you say, all right, let's go to Shaw late. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:13:38 The other thing, too, is like, you know, his name did pop up in trade talk. So you want to make him more about it. I mean, he still might be a tradable asset. Do you think he is at this point? Or do you think they need that guy on this? team that is in must-win mode, I think. Because of the Austin injury, I think you need him on the roster right now. Now, that changes if different things happen.
Starting point is 00:14:04 He's not thriving against left-handed pitching, but also that makes him less valuable. So, like, I think there are a lot of things that you have to try to balance. Is there a young kid in the minor leagues that's tearing it up and it's like, maybe we want to get this kid a look. I don't think you're going to ban. him to Siberia this short into his career. Like, I just don't think they're going to do that. I'm a never-say-never guy when it comes to transactions,
Starting point is 00:14:32 because I've seen a lot of guys get moved that I didn't think would get moved. You know what I mean? So it's not like he's costing you anything financially. But he just might look valuable to other teams. Like you said with the pedigree, being a first-round pick. He could potentially start somewhere else. Yeah, there might be other scouts and GMs. I see that.
Starting point is 00:14:50 club control portion of it where it's like he has five and a half years of club control. They have time to try to figure this out with him. Correct. And I think that that probably means more to them than it does to anybody else. Also, they don't have a ton of dudes under club control after the 2026 season. They're also up there in average age of team. Yeah. Aren't they in the top five in average age?
Starting point is 00:15:17 I think they are maybe top seven. It's somewhere higher than 10. So you're right. But yeah, Nico comes off. Is Swanson done after this year? No. Or did he got two more years? Ian Hap's last year is a year on his contract.
Starting point is 00:15:29 He has three more years after this year. Oh, is a three more years after this year. Oh, man, he's that guy. He signed in December of 22. Yeah, so that's seven. And that was a seven year deal. Yeah, 7177. He's that guy.
Starting point is 00:15:40 So three more. Always got three more years left on his contract. So yeah, Ian Hap, Nico. Look, say you. Say ya. Like, they have guys on the roster that. that will be free agents very, very soon. So it's not like you can just abandon him
Starting point is 00:15:55 and it's like, oh, shoot, I wish we had that guy with five years of club control on the roster still. And I think that probably means more to, that value is perhaps, I don't think it's his greatest value to the team right now, but maybe it's one A. The club control?
Starting point is 00:16:10 Yeah. Portion of it. Yeah, I mean, I think it's, it changes the calculation. And who's to say there isn't a point in the year where he has to get the bats in Iowa. But also, you just don't know. I don't, I guess the trade deadline is probably not going to be as active as in years
Starting point is 00:16:29 past, because last year's wasn't either. Right. But I wonder if they keep that in mind just in case it can be. It's just, we just don't know what their needs will be in July. Yeah. Which is why it's hard to say. Like, you hope knock on wood, everybody's healthy, but we know baseball. and that's just not how it is.
Starting point is 00:16:50 So I think it behooves everybody involved to keep options open. Yeah, and I feel like the years of control of nothing else, you're still at five after this year. You know, that's what makes this, well, four and a half, but still, that's what makes this such a big deal. Yeah. We talked about it a little bit, but Matthew Boyd gets the opening day started.
Starting point is 00:17:11 I think we could all agree. Like, hey, he earned it from last year. He's the veteran. I have no beef with that whatsoever. How do you line up their, the rest of the rotation. Is Kate Horton got to be your slam dunk number two? Where does Edward Cabrera fit in?
Starting point is 00:17:24 What's your kind of rough draft, Russ, as you look at the starting five for the Cubs this year? That is a good question. Do we want to say, like, from opening day, two weeks from today, or, like, by the middle of the season, what's the, like? Because then we got to add the Justin Steele component in there, too. When do you think he's coming back, by the way?
Starting point is 00:17:45 June, because there's no reason to rush them, because they have decent debt. Why don't we avoid lefty, righty, lefty thing right now to say like who their best pitchers are? Okay, so if Boyd's their open, okay, go ahead. Like your top five starting pitchers. You go Boyd, Cade Horton, Edward Cabrera. Yep, yep, yep, yep.
Starting point is 00:18:04 He's probably three. That's what we were working with. And then whoever you want. Shoda. Oh, you say whoever you want. So you're saying like maybe a sod, sprinkle a dash of Ben Brown. That's the benefit of depth. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:18:19 They don't have to have that. You don't have to. And at some point, you might have to go six-man when Justin Steele returns. That was the concept. That's what they thought that the discussion was going to be. Craig Counsel touched on it a few weeks ago. And we talked about it a couple weeks ago when I was here of like the benefit of depth is you could have three guys have 25 starts.
Starting point is 00:18:40 You can have three guys have 10 to 15 starts. You can have a handful of guys that have five to seven starts. And if the goal is to get yourself to October as healthy as possible in your rotation, right? Like that's what the Dodgers were able to do last year. And then their starting rotation was very strong going into the postseason. The goal is to avoid the ever-loving hell that was the starting pitching situation in the playoffs. Yes. Yes.
Starting point is 00:19:06 That's the goal. Running out of gas. That is the goal. Well, I don't know who's going to pitch tonight. And then you're like trying to avoid starting Shoda and that whole. thing. Disastrous. We will have you pitch
Starting point is 00:19:18 two-thirds of an inning when we feel like it to begin the game, maybe or maybe we'll just I mean, no, I want none of that next season. Feel bar, feel bar,
Starting point is 00:19:28 feel bar, he's back. Yeah, he is. They, that game where they finally say, all right, Shoda's going to start in Milwaukee. And you,
Starting point is 00:19:38 you just knew what was going to happen. And then it happens. And then you're just like, man. And then they win the off season. They're like, no. enough. And that's the thing is that I can't tell if Craig Counsel is more flexible than I give
Starting point is 00:19:53 him credit for or if he's sneaky stubborn sometimes. Because I feel like he is flexible, but then I also feel like he's sneaky stubborn. I do like the idea of pot luck fifth starter. You know what I mean? Yeah. You like the idea of a wild card. I guess so. Colin Ray. Yeah. Roddy gets a dash of unpredictability. A dash. Yeah. Colin came up earlier. Yeah. I always mentioned Colin. You could have made the argument. We tried to for Colin Ray
Starting point is 00:20:21 during some of those playoff conundrums. Oh, don't get Marshall going. No, Marshall and I were on the same page with that. James and Tyone could be their fifth starter by the end of the season. He was the one guy you could depend on in the playoffs. And that's not a knock to Jamo. That's just like they're going to have Cade and Matthew Boyd and Edward Cabrera and Jamo and Justin Steele if all are healthy by the end of the season.
Starting point is 00:20:45 And that's a really good problem. that. Yeah, it is. I really, let's just save this feeling. Let's save it. Okay, so now we've got to talk to you about the World Baseball Classic, because I want to hear your reaction to the misstep, to say the very least, by, by, I mean, yeah, Dero. Do you speak Italian, by the way? I don't, it's not one of languages. Okay. And then, yeah, the game last night was pretty entertaining. I'm not J.P. Morosi. Marose. Yeah, he's amazing, man. He does speak Italian.
Starting point is 00:21:13 I know, and he does all the access. There's a guy who's tearing it up in the World Baseball Classic for Team Italy that I talked about the last time I was here. And I got some smoke for the morning show too. Oh, we got a lot. We got a lot. Spring is here, and the shopping list is long. Time to make a Lowe's run. Buy three bags get three free of stay green one cubic foot garden soil.
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Starting point is 00:21:52 Point boosters subject to exclusions and more terms apply. One-time only offer. You don't have to live in Chicago to stay locked in. We've got you covered throughout the Bears off season. Moline Hall, cover it the way Chicago fans expect. Chicago Sports Talk that travels with you. Catch Moline Hall on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcast. It's Charles Barkley here with Wayfair.
Starting point is 00:22:14 And let me tell you, game day is serious. business at my house. If I'm grilling, chilling, and watching hoops, my outdoor setup better be ready to play. That's where Wayfair wins. From patio seating and umbrellas to grills and grill accessories, Wayfair's got it all, and it shows up fast. I'm talking fast and easy delivery. So level up your grill game and your outdoor chill game. And head to Wayfair.com to get your outdoor space ready for the season. Wayfair, every style, every home. Have you or a family member been diagnosed with early stage non-small cell lung cancer that can be removed by surgery? Consider talking to an oncologist about your treatment options. Why? Because knowing your options
Starting point is 00:22:56 before you have surgery can help your care team develop a treatment plan that's right for you. Learn about a potential treatment plan before and after surgery at ask before surgery.com. That's ask before surgery.com and talk to an oncologist before your surgery. Hey, it's Captain Ron, and as a Washington native, it's so important for me to work with companies who love it here just as much as I do. I want someone who calls it I five and not the five, or laughs at me when I say I kind of miss the Tacoma aroma. That's why I use Pinkies Plumbing for every plumbing need I have. They're rooted in Seattle. They get Seattle.
Starting point is 00:23:31 So remember, not all heroes wear capes, but in Seattle, our hometown heroes wear a big old pig on the side of their van. Pinkiesflumbing.com. Harrison Grody. We are the best show in this town. to have the coach and or quarterback sit right here. Because we're here for a good time. We are here for a good time. We're fun. We're
Starting point is 00:23:57 funny. We're serious sometimes. Sometimes we cry. Sometimes we laugh. Like, this is perfect. If you want a high chance of a drink spilled all over the studio, we are definitely repeat. Middays 10 to 2. Maybe we're the show for you. On 104, the score.
Starting point is 00:24:13 That one. There it is. If we got it all, let's see. It's deep. That's the Rizzo song. Why isn't he on the Italian team? He was once. Yeah. This is Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 104.3, the score. Russell Dorsey is in with us today on this Thursday.
Starting point is 00:24:41 And the World Baseball Classic was a lot of fun. That highlight courtesy of Fox. It was supposed to be on Tooby, but they switched it over to that FS1. Yeah, can we talk about that? Are you on board with Tooby? I'm not on board with the fact that the better game got bounced to Tooby for some game that people potentially could watch because Team USA had implications.
Starting point is 00:25:04 That's whack. As somebody who lives in America and was born here, I did watch the Team USA game or the Italy game, curious about what was going to happen to Team USA. I was a self-centered American in those moments. The Dominican versus Venezuela game was elite baseball and elite baseball atmosphere. That game should have gotten the better treatment.
Starting point is 00:25:27 but oh yeah you did a post you did Instagram post didn't you on that your three your three observations yeah one of the number two was that the Dominican Republic and team Venezuela had the best vibes of any teams and who had the better you had one one's vibe was better than the other
Starting point is 00:25:43 no I said that uh or maybe there was something in the music well Cardi B called out Venezuela on one of the social media as it was like you don't want this smoke no Venezuela had drums before the game like every game and Team Dominican Republic has like choreography and dances and everybody got a handshake,
Starting point is 00:26:03 which is crazy because none of these dudes play together. And then in two weeks you come up with handshakes and stuff, it was great. But like that game was amazing. Fernando Tatis Jr., bombs away. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a bomb. Junior Camino didn't, Homer in the game. Juan Soto home, like, Junior Camerero is 22 years old and hit 45 home runs for the Tampa Bay raised last year like get to know that name it's just the environment of pure joy of baseball and
Starting point is 00:26:33 country pride in lone depot park in miami and i think seeing that ballpark which to me i actually like going covering games there and seeing games that matter in that building is so awesome and and seeing the crowd rocking in that stadium was great. It is an innately baseball. The fallacy of Miami is that there is a huge baseball-loving audience in South Florida. It's just that the Marlins are sometimes good and sometimes not. Sometimes they'll win a world series. Sometimes they'll tank.
Starting point is 00:27:14 And Yasmati Grandal and I talked about this because I go, it's interesting to me that this is such an epicenter at a place where Latin players love to play. Yasmi is from Hyalea, South Florida, Miami suburb. Manny Machado,
Starting point is 00:27:26 captain of Team Dominican Republic from Miami. Yonder Alonso at the time was a teammate when I talked to who called the game last night too.
Starting point is 00:27:33 Bingo. And so, and these guys talked to me about this. I said, let me get this straight because as Texan who loves football
Starting point is 00:27:39 where football is the thing, you would think the equivalent would be the same at the pro level in Miami and it's not. Yeah. So I was thrilled to see the crowd
Starting point is 00:27:49 actually fill up that ballpark like they do and I agree with you it is an easy place to do our jobs it's a fun place to work which says a lot they built a wonderful ballpark there and then to have it filled with the crowd of like the OG
Starting point is 00:28:03 baseball fans who absolutely just love the game for the love of the game the ballpark is in Little Havana it has a neighborhood feel outside and then I'm a big crowd pop guy like it's football like I think of
Starting point is 00:28:19 the DJ Moore touchdown against the Packers or the Colquemette touchdown and you just hear the crowd like erupt after the Fernando Tocci Jr. Homer yesterday like you get that type of feel where it's like I know the building is shaking right now. Yeah. Yeah. It's like I wish I was in there in that environment. Yeah. It's just seemed really cool. And I think for people who love baseball, it's just there's no team, blinders of team. It's just like, no, this is really cool high level baseball. Well, it's fun. Like Cardi B talk a noise about Team Venezuela saying you don't want the Dominican Republic smoke. Like that's what it, that's fun.
Starting point is 00:28:57 Right. Like you have people who are fans of, who are just, I'm Dominican or I'm Venezuelan and it's just like, I don't even watch baseball, but I want the Dominican Republic to win. You know what I mean? It's funny. I know a lot of people like that. But that's why we love the Caribbean series. Right. Like the Caribbean series, if you don't know, has the exact same type of vibe.
Starting point is 00:29:15 I was talking crap with Ray because I'm like, yo, team Mexico, got to do their thing because team, I, I, selfishly wanted to see what the fallout from Team USA getting bounced. Right. And then Team Mexico. DeRosa got bailed out. They blanked the bed. Bailed out, man. They slugged around.
Starting point is 00:29:33 Got rocked against Team Italy. He was playing really well. Sorry, Javier Assad was fine, Ray. It was fine. Until he wasn't fine. Two home runs, four to third. And think about the world baseball classic, Javier Assad had three years ago.
Starting point is 00:29:46 Exactly. That's when he really bust onto the seat. No, no glasses, though. Did you notice that? He went contacts. Is that what he did? I don't know for a fact. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:29:55 But like the logical conclusion is he either got LASIC or. Yeah, I'm disappointed, man. That's like his signature piece right there. The glasses. He also looks slimmer. Maybe it's because he doesn't have the glasses. That part is good. Yeah, that's very good.
Starting point is 00:30:05 I will say I did tune in. I confess. I tuned in to the Fox Sports 1 game because I wanted to see what was going to happen to Team USA over Venezuela and Dominican Republic. I'm sorry. I was the one. I was the self-centered. You wanted to see Vinnie.
Starting point is 00:30:20 Pasquantino hit home runs. No, no, I had seen enough of those watching White Sox baseball. I've beened up right now. I'd seen enough of those watching the socks, but I did want to see what was going to happen if they were going to hit enough runs. And Pasquantino actually acknowledged it after the game. Like he knew it was very much on team Italy's mind that they had to score a certain
Starting point is 00:30:40 amount of runs and win by that. You're welcome, USA. Yeah, there it is. We were thinking of you guys. All right, what did you think about the DeRosa thing? I feel like you got a mouthful for us on Dero. I think it's easy for people. Let me start here.
Starting point is 00:30:57 My guy Dero messed up, right? Like, I love Dero. We all do. We all do. We work together at M.O.B. Network. He knows baseball. Like, I think there are a lot of people out there. He don't know blank about it.
Starting point is 00:31:10 Dero knows baseball and guys respect him. I think he definitely got caught up in the moment. Oh, hey, we clinched already. The problem is they didn't clinch. Then they lost. And then they needed somebody else's help to get in. And then today he was asked about it and said, hey, that's my fault. I shouldn't have said that on the network.
Starting point is 00:31:35 But then he doubled down and said, but I knew we hadn't clinched it. I'm like, ah, zero, come on, man. You just got to say, hey, I messed up. But my issue is, number one, how about Team USA just doesn't lose to Italy? that's the thing I think you'd start there there was a point in that game where you're like
Starting point is 00:31:54 is team USA about to get run ruled by team Italy like that was that was gonna happen until PCA hit two homers and kind of kept team USA in the game that's one number two
Starting point is 00:32:08 Dero isn't the only person who's supposed to know that they hadn't clinched on that staff should all be embarrassed he has a whole coaching staff including a former Cubs manager they have a GM Don't they?
Starting point is 00:32:19 There's a G. There's a, the PR staff, somebody has to tell Gero. So media relations. Hey man, we actually have to win three games and go three and O in, in,
Starting point is 00:32:30 or four and O is, right? You got a four and on group A to move on for sure, for sure, or be one of the top two, you know, and somebody has to tell him,
Starting point is 00:32:42 hey man, we didn't clinch nothing yet. So that's, I can't put it 100%. He plays a role in it because he's the figurehead. but to say it was just his fault is unfair to the other people who were supposed to know that they hadn't clinched yet. All right.
Starting point is 00:32:56 Speaking of Team Italy. Amen. You got the floor. There's a guy who's been playing shortstop for Team Italy by the name of Sam Antanachi. And people are tweeting about him. He's having multi-hit games and, you know, his IQ is on display and catching people off guard on the bases, getting out. And a couple weeks ago, here on this show, here on this very show. Right here.
Starting point is 00:33:23 I told a story about a scout that two years ago told me, hey, people need to keep an eye on this kid because he's going to be good. And then the next day, I'm scrolling on Instagram and I see, I hear my voice. But the figures on the screen weren't of me or the two of you guys. it was of the morning show. Mullen Hall. Mullian Hall. And there was a lot of laughter after our clip there. And I'm like, what's going on here?
Starting point is 00:33:59 So I made sure I listened back and there was the, they were taken aback by my story. Now, a couple things. Number one, my main point of telling that story was that people outside of the Chicago White Sox. years ago, identified Sam Antanachi and said, this guy has tons of tools, and tools like this keep a guy in the big leagues for a long time, right? The average career of a player in the major leagues is five years, maybe a little bit less these days.
Starting point is 00:34:39 And so for a scout who's been doing it for a while to say, this guy has the tools to play in the big leagues for a long time, I think that matters. And if you want to say, oh, 12 to 15 is crazy. He's going to be better than Braden Montgomery. That's crazy. He wasn't saying that he's going to be the best prospect of the ones that they had. He was just saying with his skill set, that guy, you can say he's going to play in the big leagues for a long time. That's it.
Starting point is 00:35:09 That's the only smoke I have for Mollion Hall. Like there's no beef, nothing like that. I'm not doing not doing radio wars here. No, man. I just had no radio wars. I just wanted to let... We'll push back. Yeah. It's okay.
Starting point is 00:35:20 That's what we do. That's the essence. It's okay. The other part of that story that you told of your favorite scout who loved to Sam Antanachi, you said he hustles everywhere. Yes, and you're seeing it on display.
Starting point is 00:35:32 Yep. On the biggest stage. Like, hey, man. Shout out to Springfield Sacred Hart Griffin. And really, Sam Antanachi and Kyle Teal, go get him, White Sox. Poor Kyle Teals now hurts. I was watching the game and saw him hit...
Starting point is 00:35:45 And true White Sox fashion. We have a soft tissue injury. Saw him hit the back and then just, I'm like, oh, no. And my dad texts me, who's a notorious White Sox fan. What's up, Ricky? And he's like, yeah, man, that's probably going to be six weeks. The White Sox next day. He's going to be out there at least four to six weeks.
Starting point is 00:36:05 On the scale of, on the newly created White Sox, White Sox, So White Sox, So, White So, Scale of Soft Tissue injuries. Where do you rank Kyle Teals? Listen, it didn't, he didn't rip the hamstring off the bone, like happened with, that's what happened with Luis Robert. Like his leg exploded and run down the line. That was bad. That was, he missed like half the season with that one.
Starting point is 00:36:29 And then there was the Eloy Humana's smattering of hands. Just jumping in the nets and whatnot. Okay. I think the worst Alloy injury for me is, it was one of his first spring trainings with the White Sox when we knew he'd be on the team where he tried to rob a Homer and hung on the wall. his shoulder popped out the socket. I should laugh. And it was just like, brother, not only were you not robbing that Homer, that was like
Starting point is 00:36:56 20 feet over the wall. What are you doing? It is like in a spring training game, we shouldn't be trying to rob homers. And you know, you should know your body enough. But yeah, like he hangs on the wall, shoulder pops, and it's like, he had a torn pectoral muscle. You know he's only 29? Eloy? He feels like he should be 33 right now.
Starting point is 00:37:16 He's been swinging it for the... Baltimore. He's on the Blue Jays. He had a son of the minor league with the Blue Jays. Oh, okay. He was with Baltimore last year. And he's been swinging the Batwell, so he might make the team. Okay.
Starting point is 00:37:28 All right. The Blue Jays? No reason to not root for Eloy. I mean, it's not a nice guy. He was very popular. He plays with the joy of life. Yeah. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:37:39 Sometimes it doesn't happen in your first stop. That was a guy who was a top five prospect of major league baseball. I was very excited about him. Notable soft tissue injuries in recent White Sox history. Hamstring. Didn't he injure Charlie Tilsen back in the day? Like he ran into Charlie Tilsen. Don't you hurt Charlie Tilsen?
Starting point is 00:37:58 Poor Charlie Tilsen. Charlie's doing fine. He's doing fine. Yeah, he's got a beautiful family. Charlie Tilsen, I think. Shout out to Charlie Telson. That was like bad White Sox good stories. Charlie Tilsson.
Starting point is 00:38:10 Yeah. I hung out with him weirdly enough at a birthday party two years ago. What? We love. a good person from the area. And he was very happy. Of course he wanted to go better with the White Sox. But he's enjoying his life.
Starting point is 00:38:23 And I haven't checked back with him for a little while, but he seems to be a very happy man. And he could always say that he played for the White Sox. As a kid who grew up in the North suburbs, like shout out to Chuck Tilson, man. Pretty sure we created a graphic at one point. Charlie Tilson. I'm glad we got to Charlie Tilson.
Starting point is 00:38:41 I am too. That's great. We had a graphic one time that had his war just so we can have the graphic that said Charlie Tilsons war. Oh, very good. Charlie Wilson's war, Charlie Tillson's war. It was his actual, you know, war measurement.
Starting point is 00:38:56 Yeah, yeah, yeah. That made it make sense. Coming up next year on. Let me tell you about Charlie Tilson. Coming up next to Rahimi Harris and Grotie, let me show you a trick. Hey, Grody, when'd you get in?
Starting point is 00:39:06 Oh, I'm excited. Next. On the score. I'm beamed up right now. I'm in Beed out. Spring is here, and the shopping list is long. Time to make a Lowe's run.
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Starting point is 00:42:13 When's you get in? This is Rahimi Harrison Grotie with Russell Dorsey in on this Thursday. And Russ, you are now going to be present for a tradition we like to call, when did you get in? Okay, A.k.a. When did you get into spring
Starting point is 00:42:31 training? Pat Hughes, Ron Coomer, take it away. Seventh inning? Ron, I've been in Arizona now for a few days. I know you've been out here for a couple of weeks. But you always hear the similar questions when you first arrive.
Starting point is 00:42:48 And it becomes kind of comical after a while. You anticipate hearing them and then you just smile when you do. But it doesn't take long. Do you remember the four questions that we have informed our audience that you invariably
Starting point is 00:43:04 will hear over and over and over again every single spring? You'll hear four questions. Do you remember what the first couple were? Yeah, I remember them. Go ahead. No, I do. I know. This is... Well, the first one they see you.
Starting point is 00:43:22 Usually they've forgotten your name. That's A. And then B, when did you get in? Here's the ground ball to short. And the throw to first is going to be in time. It's a one, two, three inning. Bottom of the eighth inning gets underway. We are chuckling about the four questions that you hear when you arrive at spring training every year.
Starting point is 00:43:46 The first one is, when did you get in? and that's exactly the way you hear it many times too especially if the person hails from the southern portion of our great country when did you get in so in other words you know when did you arrive then the next one where you stay in
Starting point is 00:44:04 that one always kind of puzzles me where are you staying do you really care where anybody else in the entire traveling party is staying during the spring no nor do I really care share where I'm staying. I'm in the state of Arizona.
Starting point is 00:44:24 How's that? Yeah. I sometimes think that that question is put to you only so that they can then tell you where they are staying. Yeah, yeah, I could go with that. Yeah, we're staying over in Scottsdale, a real fancy place.
Starting point is 00:44:40 Uh-huh. Well, good for you. Yeah. I'm staying over in the mudflats. Yeah. Oh, solid. The old. Mudflats.
Starting point is 00:44:50 Yeah, the mudflats section of the valley of the sun. Glad I haven't been over there lately. You wouldn't want to be. And then those of us that arrive in spring training, did you have a good winter? And I'll tell you why it confuses me. How much detail do you want? There's the pitch on the way, a swing, and a chop fowl.
Starting point is 00:45:14 Most of the time you just say, yeah, great. Yeah. Good. Yeah. Sometimes you feel like discussing things in detail. Do you ever go into detail about your winter? Well, our dog got sick and had to put a bandage patch on him for a while. The last one is always, well, have you lost some weight?
Starting point is 00:45:35 You look good, have you lost some weight? I like to say, no, but I've gotten a little taller. I have. I'm working with a trainer and some real good stretching. And as a result, I'm actually much taller than I was a year ago. Thanks for asking. I didn't know at our age. We could get taller.
Starting point is 00:45:52 It's a lot of stretching. Yeah, a lot of stretch. That's what it is. Yeah. I need to get one of those machines for the house. The very first day I got into camp, you know, I wasn't thinking about your four questions, to be honest with you, but I got blasted with the first one really before I even got out of my car.
Starting point is 00:46:15 When did you get in? Right now. Because I pulled into the lot, saw somebody in it. That was the first question. And I'm like, well, you know, I still got stuff in the back if you want to help. Sure. Right now. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:46:32 And next year I'll send you my itinerary. So you'll be waiting for me. He's not wrong about the questions. It's not at all. Right? Like, as somebody who's been to Arizona, those are generally, and they might be different variations of those. four questions.
Starting point is 00:46:49 That's great. When did you get in is the best. Did you notice Pat tried to be formal about it the first time. He said like, when did you get in? And I'm like, nah, Pat. When did you get in? But then it became, where'd you get in? I don't necessarily ever remember it always being the Southern accent with the when to get in far.
Starting point is 00:47:11 I love that that's what it is because that really makes the whole bit. But I don't necessarily remember in my three. years of covering spring training full-time having an extra amount of southern accents. What did you get in? The underrated question in there was how was your winner?
Starting point is 00:47:27 And it's usually how is your off-season. But that's a big question that people ask when I haven't seen you since the postseason. Yeah, the weight loss thing too is real. I definitely ask about the off-season. I ask how people's off-season. That was your off-season. Where are you staying?
Starting point is 00:47:41 That's a safety concern. I don't know if I like that one. Yeah. Don't tell him what you don't tell. I think Coom was on to something. I really don't want to tell you. By the way, that was Pat's last spring training game of the year before the real stuff starts. So I also think, like, he was hilarious throughout that whole game.
Starting point is 00:47:58 I think it's because that was like his Friday. Yeah, he's like, I'm letting it fly. Yeah, exactly. I'm letting on all the notes. We're going to do. I'll be on a flight here soon. I guess. I'm playing the hits.
Starting point is 00:48:09 That was Saturday. And then Sunday, he was funny, too. So we may play that for you tomorrow. I don't know yet. But always, always, always. love listening to Pat and Rod, and yeah, we all had points. We were laughing at what they were saying over the weekend. Coming up next, it is time for our afternoon show. Lawrence Holmes, Matt Spie, thanks for coming in today. Thank you guys. Happy to see you. Spring is here, and the shopping list is
Starting point is 00:48:34 long. Time to make a lows run. Buy three bags get three free of stay green one cubic foot garden soil. Plus, right now, members can earn four times the points on an eligible purchase. Start spring off strong with these deals and more. Our best lineup is here at Lowe's. Valethan 325, while supplies last. Soil offer excludes Alaska and Hawaii. Loyalty program subject to terms and conditions. See Lowe's.com slash terms for details. Subject to change. Point boosters subject to exclusions and more terms apply. One-time only offer. Have you or a family member been diagnosed with early stage non-small cell lung cancer that can be removed by surgery? Consider talking to an oncologist about your
Starting point is 00:49:10 treatment options. Why? Because knowing your options before you have surgery can help your care team develop a treatment plan that's right for you. Learn about a potential treatment plan before and after surgery at ask before surgery.com. That's ask before surgery.com and talk to an oncologist before your surgery. Hey, it's Captain Ron, and as a Washington native, it's so important for me to work with companies who love it here just as much as I do. I want someone who calls it I-5 and not the five or laughs at me when I say I kind of miss the Tacoma aroma.
Starting point is 00:49:42 That's why I use pinkies plumbing for every plumbing need I have. have. They're rooted in Seattle. They get Seattle. So remember, not all heroes wear capes, but in Seattle, our hometown heroes wear a big old pig on the side of their van. Pinkiesplumbing.com. What's going on? I'm Arch Manning, Viori athlete and college quarterback. Whether I'm running, training, traveling, or just unlining at home, I love doing it in my core shorts from Viori. With a breathable boxer brief liner, they're quick to dry, super versatile, and stand up to even my most intense training sessions. Plus, they come in three inseams and a ton of colors. Ready to try pair, go to viori.com
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