Talkin' Baseball (MLB Podcast) - 50 | The Nats Win Game 6, Bat Runs, Interference & An Ejection

Episode Date: October 30, 2019

We had a crazy game 6! Running the bat to the first base coach, big home runs, interference calls and an ejection! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What's up, everyone? The Nationals win game six. They go to a game seven. This game had it all. Bat runs, interference, go ahead, home runs, and an ejection. What's going on, everybody? How are you doing? Welcome to talking baseball.

We've got a fucking lot to discuss on this game. So much happened. So much happened. There's so many talking points. I'm very excited. My name's John Boy. I'm coming to you from New Jersey. I got my co-host.

Jake. Coming from Denver, I think they got nine inches of snow. Jake, how are you doing? Yeah, nine was an exaggeration. There's a half a foot out there from a couple days. There's a weird one. Don't normally get durations of snow like this. Normally it's like, holy shit, something rolled off the mountains and hit us quick,

but it was like a day and a half. It was actually kind of cool, snow globe effect. So, avalanche. Yeah, that's the rumor. Avalanche and bat runs is what everyone's are talking about these days. you like that term? Bat runs. I don't.

I don't, but I'm okay with it. It sounds so not swaggy because I think it's not swaggy. Right. Well, there's a couple different things going on there. Yeah, bat runs, bat carries. Ooh, that carries worse. Yeah, the bat runs felt like you just combined the two first things you thought of. And it works.

Well, bat flip it, the same thing. Right. That drop. Bat hold? and hold the carry the baton pass i don't know there's so many different ways you go with it we're making up new baseball uh and jim we uh we had some tech issues i think we got a couple people that are writing out the storm with us denver storm look at that shit um but yeah man i'm i loved everything during the game i hated everything after the game yeah well i didn't because a lot of

People want to breakdowns, so I got some up. I got three breakdowns up of this game already, and there's a fourth one coming after this. So I have some marshmallows to reward myself. Yeah, eight. It's now seven. Now seven. I'm putting them in my coffee.

Okay. It's going to be like a nice little treat. Wow. So I'm excited. Yeah, the conversations after the game. And we'll get into it because that's kind of what everyone wants to talk about. And we will be talking about the interference call, the objection, first ejection, in a world series in,

Some amount of years. I forget. Since Bobby Cox in Atlanta. Bobby Cox. Bobby Cox. Chip Hale, big loser on the night? Chip Hale's a winner, man. Warrior.

Chip Hale fought as good of a fight as he could against someone he couldn't fight back against. Chip Hale, if it was an NFL game, Chip Hale would have had like five holding penalties. He did his best, man. Dave Martinez was bull rushing. Dude, that was funny. Chip Pail is the assistant or bench coach or whatever.

And he was trying to hold Dave Martinez back if you haven't seen it. It was wild, man. There was a second, and you could see it in like the frames of the video where Dave Martinez, it looks like he could have got a shot in against the home plate dump, and I'm kind of rooting for it. He was actually more mad at the other hump who must, I don't know what he said, but he was yelling at the home plate dump, and then the other end. Trump said something and that's when Dave kind of like flipped shit.

Set it off. Yeah. And then he's making a huge scene and he yells to the home play dump. What the fuck are you looking at? And that's right before he got ejected. And it's like, Dave, come on. Everyone's like 50,000 people are looking at you, man. Yeah.

Eyes on you currently. Oh, there's so much to talk about. I'm excited for game seven, man. Hey, we got another game of baseball. We got this series to a game seven. So good job by the series. Good job by the series. Good job by the Astros, not caring,

thinking they were going to win the first two games. Good job by Justin Verlander falling off a little bit at the right time. Things worked out. Yeah. Do you have a burn? I mean, it's kind of... Oh, yeah. So has the annoyance of the debate wade you down from your excitement of everything that happened?

No, I'd say, and yeah, I might as well get these out. obviously the debate call and I don't know for some of the baseball stuff I try to not to watch it before we get on but I saw you posted it this morning I was waiting for you and I was like you know what I want to listen to this a little bit just to see because if you and me were on a different page we might not make it through the whole episode to be completely honest and I I clicked on it your about my breakdown yeah and I think I I think the first word that I heard you say was judgment call. And the fact that so many people have lost sight of what those words mean is it's mind-blowing to me.

I'm not a person with a good brain. I openly admit that. But the fact that so many people are being vehement about a judgment call when guess what, the worst judgment was used, like, yes, everything from there was followed up. They couldn't review it. they could not challenge it. You're totally right. But the judgment was wrong.

That's the whole fucking problem. And that's the part that really made me mad after the game was Joe Tori came in defense. Well, I mean, we're getting into it, but. And then Bregman and Soto both walking down off their bat runs or their run bats or whatever you're calling them. That was the most disappointing thing of the night. Oh, okay. I disagree with you. I like their responses

because I think that's a whole, let's burn it. Then we have so much to talk. So there's a little preview of all the conversations we're going to have. I am excited. First a word from a sponsor or two and then Jake's burn.

Ooh. Yeah, man. There's a lot of good talking points here. Dude. Burn. Jakey burn. World Series game six. A rematch.

of game two with a much different vibe. Justin Long Verlander and the Stros with the chance to be accepted as a new dynasty if they weren't win versus Stephen Colbert Strausberg who are hoping his Nats could have one more daily show. Top one Tony Rendoni slaps a shift beating RBI single to give his Nats an early lead. But here's a tip kids, butterfly that glove because Houston, Nuo's coming in the first. Play the music. Jose Artouva. Jose Artouva.

RBI, Sack, Fly. Speaking of Fly, Alex Bregman, hits the scared little kid home alone, home run because he's walking around with his baseball bat. Astros 2, Nats 1 after 1. Both starters would lock in until top 5. Adam Levine Eaton with the moves like Jagger's solo job to tie it.

Mr. Soto Dolo, Juan Solo, the lead. He carries his bat for protection as well. Three, two, Nats, top seven. Controversy on the Trey Tina Turner interference. Looks like it's going to kill a rally until Anthony run, don't throw it there. Two-run, Yabo, it's five to two. Tony two-backs comes out with a double in the ninth for the Geico runs. But how about Stephen Strausberg, 8.1, 7Ks, two earn run only in the first. Doolittle does a little as seven to Nats final. We are going to game seven.

Jakey Burns. Walking like a kid home alone with his baseball bat. When else does someone walk around with a baseball bat? It's kind of it. Spot the lie. Every now and then I just do a little Joe Tori where I just like have a baseball bat in my hand. You know how I used to sit in the dugout? I actually have a mini hockey stick that I found recently in the closet and I've just been holding that.

But yeah. Saw that. It's pretty good. Now I want to talk about Strasbourg. I want to talk about so much about this game. Strasbourg is the real. Baseball first because it was really good baseball. Strasbourg is the real deal, motherfuckers.

Yeah, man. 8.1. So the next breakdown I want to do it. I said I want to do another one is on the tipping pitches. So in his post game, he said, oh, yeah, they were, they were, they were, I had to start shaking my glove because they were all over me. They saw what was coming. After the first inning, he went into the tunnel.

And his pitching coach, I don't know what coach. was like, thank God he let me know. And after that, he goes scoreless for 7.1. Kind of ridiculous and crazy. Well, and Jim, what the crazy part was that he did that after the game and I was watching all that and you're like, oh, cool. And there's been so much about pitch tipping this World Series. What I think has gotten overlooked on this, I mean, Gurriel hit a bomb to left after Bregman.

Altuve got some. got some decent wood on it that like and again knowing what we know now that those are essentially going to be the only runs strasberg was going to give up because he was tipping his pitches i mean think about how much different like what would we be saying about stephen strasberg right now if he gave up three in the first or four in the first how much leash does he get later in the game do they do they panic and go to shurser like that's right off the rip uh something that i don't think is being talked about at all could have totally affected this world series Stephen Strasbourg everyone yeah he gave up two hits in the first and then two hits the rest of the way two runs in the first and then two run and then zero

runs the rest of the way I want to go look into it and see what he was doing with his glove because he he said he started shaking his glove before every pitch and flaring it yeah he started butterflying it um and so yeah I don't I don't know if he just what if it was hand position like that was the glass no thing or whatever but he he went full buttering fly the rest of the game. It's pretty cool. Yeah. And, uh, I mean, will he get world series MVP if the Nats win? I think this is something we do at the end. Um, there's a few different candidates for each team. I mean, dude, a guy had five RBIs in this game, but you'd have no idea because he looked like he was at his family barbecue having a good time. I, I really can't look at just straight stats for

World Series MVP. Just my personal opinion. Because, like, Rendon's last two, while important, his first two were even more important, but really the Eaton home run was the most important swing and the Soto home run. Like, Eaton and Soto had the most important swings. Yeah. And I mean, you say those last two aren't important, but it was a three run game. If Sean Doolittle lets two runners on base.

I shouldn't have said they're not important. I just think there were bigger swings and moments. And some of these games were you just. like stacking stats works for Hall of Fame and stuff for me. And even for like regular season MVP, I don't care. But like when you have the small sample size, like who changed the game? But I'm not trying to knock Renton.

He had a fantastic game. Yeah. And I mean, Soto's got three homers, including the one to take the lead in this one. Strasberg with two wins and how crazy he's been. I mean, what if Max Scher goes out and wins game seven tonight? I mean, you can you can go up and down the board. and it's same with the Astros.

I know where... Did you hear my patterns tweet? I did not see your patterns tweet. I must have missed the pattern. Scherzer, this 2009 playoffs opened up with Scherzer. That wasn't a pattern tweet. That was a poetry tweet. Someone responded poetry and someone responded pattern, so I liked it.

But it's pretty cool. Scher opened up the 2019 playoffs. They started with him pitching in a do-or-die game for both teams and the last game of the 2019 postseason. we'll have Scherzer starting a do-or-die game for both teams. Cool. Yeah. Hashtag cool.

Hashtag cool. All right. So they open up right away and they get the Nats actually score first. Verlander has first inning woes, but they only push one across. And it's very much small ball. Eat in Bunce to move him over. Beats out an infield single. Trey Turner, kind of a bigger storyline later on.

And then Bunce him over. And then how do you get the third? How did he score? What's the question? How did the Nets score? Rendon. Rendon hit a shift beating single. Yes, yes. He was on second.

And he was on second. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And he was a single. So they small ball Verlander, which Eaton, man, and he's going to get overlooked in all this melee. Eaton had a crazy game. Sackbunt that helped push a run across, a walk, game tying home run. And then what did he do in his last step out of something else that was positive?

Hit by pitch. Hit by pitch. He's just all over the fucking box score. What a pesky fuck. And I'm sitting there thinking, oh shit, you know, Verlander first and in Wows again, I wonder how much that creeps into the mindset of just the dugout and Verlander like, but they've returned fire immediately. They take the lead in the first.

And I got to be honest, from then on, the place was rocking and I was like, that's, might be it. Like, that's, there's a lot of momentum here. But baseball doesn't care about that. You and, you and Lindsay Edler with the athletic, we're having a little bit of like, oh, we've seen this Astros game about five times this playoffs already. The other team will stay close. Houston will have a break and then a big inning and call it a game. But yeah, Houston rallied.

And I think the biggest at-bats in the game were top of the third. Justin Verlander had just retired seven in a row. And then Adam Eaton comes up. He goes down one, two, foul ball, three straight balls, seven pitch walk. So you're like, okay, A, you broke up Verlander's seven hitters in a row streak. B, you keep him out on the mound to throw more bullets. So Rendon comes up after him. He goes down one, two, and then he has that 10 pitch at bat, which he ends up in a walk. So Justin Verlander just went from cruise control to now he's got two on with Soto, and he's in basically a 25 pitch

inning. He gets Soto to ground out, but I think the bigger thing there is, A, Verlander had to work and he looked like invincible again. Like you thought there was a chance that Justin Verlander locked in and was the Justin Verlander we've known for the past few years. And the bigger thing, that's the heart of their lineup. And they just saw a lot of Verlander pitches. And you saw it come around the next round of at-bats. That's a great, great find, great call.

A lot, a lot of people probably talking about because there's just two walks that led to nothing. But in the grand scheme of things, so many pitches were thrown, so many pitches were seen. Great call, Jake. I didn't even have that a nugget in my head because Soto grounds out to end that inning. Yeah.

But yeah, if he gets eaten there, then it's what, retires eight in a row and Verlander's sitting pretty going into the fourth? It would have been eight in a row and he would have been essentially quick math. He would have been like 45 pitches through three instead I think he was closer to 60, something like that. Wow, that's cool.

That's how much it can change. And that all lies on fucking Adam eating again being a pesky fucking. Oh, man. And then, I mean, the next action really was the fifth inning when the Nationals take the league and Eaton goes deep. What was it, a 1-0 pitch or 0-1 pitch? Well, I think in the fourth, the Nats got a couple guys on. Kendrick had a single and then Zimmerman walked.

And again, I think it was kind of that wearout effect again. And then that inning end with that Jan Goams kind of face. foul ball homer you were like yo did he rock that wait is that foul oh it's fair brantley caught it that was weird yeah but we you you saw verlander starting to work a little bit and then yeah turner fouls off eat and gets him uh with the home run kind of a slider over the middle uh rendone flies out and then soto with the uh the bat run the bat run yeah okay so ian's home run was a fucking terrible slider from Verlander just hanged it and eaten crushed it the Soto at bat i did a little breakdown on it because i was doing the bat run breakdown he's uh he gets a two o fastball that you know he gets into a

two o count he's geared up for verlander's fastball but verlander gets him high fastball he just fouls it back and so to's thinking damn that was my shot then comes that man then comes the two one pitch right and Verlander tries to go to the same high fastball, but bring it inside on him. And he misses a tiny bit. But Verlander, Verlander's yelling that it was a strike. And the um said,

no, it's a ball. And then you can see Soto say, no, that's a ball, but you can see Soto. Ball. You can see Soto just locked in like, oh yeah,

he's going to bring that again because he wants to prove it's a strike. He thinks that was a really good pitch that he just didn't get the call on. So he's going to throw that motherfucker again. And Soto fucking tattoos it, man. That was a bomb. And then, I mean, this can go into the bat run conversation and the quotes about it after the game. So Brighman, it's his home run. He carries the bat all the way to the first base coach and tries to hand it off to him. And the Astros first base

coach wanted nothing to do with it. He was like, fuck that, dude. Like, I'm not just going to carry your bat for you. And, Altuvae's reaction was very much cringe. Like, yeah, that's not good. And I think I like Bregman's quotes on it afterwards because it was lame and stupid and like too much. Because they lost. But even his own teammates and his first base coach, like, weren't into it. Like, that's like, dude, don't, that's not necessary.

It's good entertainment. but what were his comments? That's what baseball needs. Baseball needs more entertained. I mean, I loved all of it, but my opinion is it didn't come off as like Breggman's a badass. It came off as like, dude, that's a little much. Yeah, that's, I agree with that. I saw, you know, there's a couple accounts that like, are you believe in this dude,

Bregman, man, he's doing it again. It's like, no, like it's something. I mean, we just were making up fake terms to call it. So it's something new, different, and entertaining, which I like that. But yeah, to think it's. It's like badass or rebellious or anything. Like, no. I'm not angry that he did it.

It's good for baseball that he's having fun. Great for baseball. But my personal opinion is like it didn't come off as like, that was cool. So anyway, when Juan Soto, because everyone's like, you got to throw at him, blah, blah, when Juan Soto does it, that's the perfect retaliation. Like that's what makes it fun. If that upset you that he did that, you do it back, you know?

And he had a bomb. And he actually bat drops right in front of the first base coach. Got to get the bat drop in for Soto. And they're both go-ahead home runs. So I like the symmetry there. It's Soto's comments. Now, maybe I'm just reading this into how I want to read into them. Because I didn't hear them.

I read them as very tongue-in-cheek. Like, oh, yeah, when I saw him do it, I thought it looked cool. So I thought I'd do it as well. Not honest. Oh, no. I think, yeah, I think you're doing that. forgetting that he's, there's a rumor out there, he's 21 years old. But yeah, I don't know.

I loved our buddy Craig Calcutera, who's, if you don't follow him on the Twitter sphere, he's a little bit of a loose cannon, I guess, for the baseball community. He had my favorite quote. Let me see. Oh, so he did after the game, he goes, AJ hit, Bregman shouldn't have carried that bat. And then he does Dave Martinez. Soto shouldn't have done it either. Bregman, I'm sorry I did that.

Juan Soto. It was awesome, Bregman did it, so I thought it'd be fun too. All this is so fun. And then he just ends it with a, And a little child shall lead them. Yeah, I liked Soto's quotes after it, and I liked that Bregman kind of, because he did it first.

And they lost. So you have to eat your little humble pie. Yeah, you have to. So, I mean, I liked everything about that. I mean, again, I don't think Bregman looked cool. I've been on here a lot saying I like Breggman. I like that he plays the bad guy. Yeah, I just, it hurts me that when it was happening live, it was awesome.

Like, okay, Bregman does it. He hits the big home run. I mean, you know, if you're a Houston fan, you're starting to think Breggman, like, World Series MVP, he's hit a couple big home runs now. He kind of turned around his whole postseason. And then he does, he does something new, which, I mean, take it how you want it. But, I mean, we're here talking about it. And then Soto matches.

it in copies and you're like, yes. That's exactly how this is supposed to happen. And then afterwards and during it, everyone's like, yeah, let the kids play bat flips. We got bat runs. Oh, we're doing all sorts of stuff. And then immediately after the game, everyone comes off of it with the Joe Tori stuff. I'm like, come on everyone. Like, we just had one of the best nights in baseball in a long time.

And now we're walking away. I hear you there. And that Craig Calcuttaire tweets cool because Soto was the only one that was like. Like, why would I apologize? It was fun. Right. And, hey, eventually that's what will be happening. You know, it's slowly getting grandfathered in.

So that's cool. It was cool. I was shocked when eaten and soda went back to back. Like, I was like, oh, my God. And I got to think Houston feeling the same way. Or the fans. Yeah. Just utter gut punch.

Like, what the fuck? And Jim, I don't know where you go to check out the pitch sequencing. but every pitch to Soto in that at bat was a high fastball. He started with two high away, and then it's the one that Soto follows off, and then it's the missed up in him pitch. But everything is a four-seem fastball 94-96 to the guy that's the best high fastball hitter in Major League Baseball. And like I know Verlander lives up there, but A, Verlander, you haven't had the same gusto,

and B, this is the dude that's best at it, baseball. So I don't know if I'm a Houston fan. I would be questioning that in the fifth inning. You don't throw one breaking ball? I'd have to look at what he threw Soto and is at bat beforehand because Verlander very much has pre-written plans of how he's going to attack guys. You know what I mean? And we saw it with Robles. I was trying to have a lot of fun with that because he was straight up bullying Robles. Torture, yeah. I mean, he went five straight high fastballs the Roblese treated them like a pitcher in the National League, like not a care in the world.

There weren't even good fastballs. They were just here, fucking you can't hit that. Let's get on with you. Then his next step bat, threw a get me over breaking ball for strike one, like you're not going to swing at this, then pulled the string a little bit to get him to swing and miss, then pulled the leash even more to get him to fully chase with a check swing.

Robles got fucking like embarrassed his first two upbats. Yeah, umps aren't team Robles right now either. He got a couple tough calls, young guy versus Verlander, never mind kind of the hangover from the other game. But, and then I think what leads us to next that gets overlooked is that the nationals do that. They take the lead off of two solo homers, one to two to three to two. Soto mimics Houston's MVP. Bottom five, the very next half inning, Reddick gets a six. to set the table for the top of the order,

and Springer hits another double. It's second and third one out, and that Altuve at bat. Rob Friedman's sick emoji. The Altuva at bat versus, wait, which Altuve bat? I might have been making a breakdown and missed it. So top, it's bottom five.

Okay, so I was definitely making a bat run breakdown. So I missed this. Okay, so what happened? So Reddick singles, he sets the table for the top of the order. So it's one out Redick on first. Springer double. Second and third, one out, Jose Altuve at the plate. He throws his dirtiest pitch of the game.

He throws a high change-up that just makes Al-Tuvae look silly. And then he throws a curve ball that Al-Tuva follows off. So it's 0-2. And he just bounces one in the dirt. The whole world it was coming. Smoltsy said it on the broadcast. He's like, Jan Goams, you better. be ready. Like everyone knows what's about to happen, but it's how good does it look? Can

Al Tuve lay off? Or if it's not good enough, what can Al Tuvei do with it? He threw an awesome curve ball made Al Tuvei look silly. I remember that now because I remember thinking, wait, he didn't foul that. I thought like the way it looked. He had to have fouled it. And then they just walked away. And I was like, oh, he swung and straight up missed that. Yeah, he swung through it. And you saw, in slow motion, you could almost see the mindset of Altuve, like, okay, it looks like it's going to have a lot of the plate. It's probably the curveball. Okay, it's definitely the curve ball. It's a good curve ball. Let me go defensive mode and he still couldn't get it. And then, even more overlooked, because Strasbourg threw some filth there and Altuve got worked. Brantley hit one on the laces,

but it was right at Turner and he makes the nice pick on it. But that ball, if Turner doesn't pick that ball, we'd be like, oh, that was a hot shot. Turner did his best to stay in front of it. But he makes the play and that stops the instant kind of counterpunch. Yeah. Big. Do you think they should have let Strasbourg keep going? I mean a little bit. I've always had a little bit of that in me. unless like, I don't know if they think those 10 pitches give Strasbourg a Hail Mary chance to come into tomorrow, or today, excuse me. Otherwise, yeah, I would have let him finish it to kind of make a World Series memory. But I don't know, at the same time, Doo Little comes in and kind of does his thing. So it's, it's moot.

Yeah. All right, let's get to the fun conversation. the interference Yes Trey Turner I'm going to try and come at this as as hinged as possible or whatever

you know because I part of me hates the people telling me they made the right call and I feel like the personality that says that is just like the personality that would go be an umpire

so that's my rude comment, I guess. There's two issues here, Jake. There's what the rule is and there's what the rule should be. So let's divide those right away. Sure. The rule is that if the batter, the rule is it's a judgment call. So there's no hard X's and O's.

And if the ump thinks that the runner got in the way of the ball, he can make that call. So by rule, it's totally a lot. allowed that the umpire makes this call. There's no way you can say, you know, that's why they say it's not reviewable because he's allowed to make that call. The issue is whether you think that's, should have been called. Trey Turner runs straight line. He doesn't know where the throw is coming. He has no idea what to do. And the rule says you have to be on the, you know, the last 45 feet. you have to be making your way to foul territory to touch the bag which is in fair territory

and he kind of does that like his last couple steps he lunges over he rode the line for longer than he probably should have um so like by rule you can say that that was interference i think that that's crazy to use that judgment there because he really didn't go out of his way he beat the throw anyway. It's just nonsense that never gets called. Every runner, right-handed runner, runs in that same path when they're trying to leg out an infield single. It's impossible not to.

And you don't see that get called so often. If you watch the N.OB, I could put a montage together of right-handed runners trying to beat out infield singles, and I guarantee they all make that same path. But then what people will say is, well, does it matter is, It just matters that he got in the way of the glove. And that's where we get into, well, it's a judgment call.

So the, like, making that judgment I just disagree with. And the rule itself is so stupid. Yeah, so that's the rule thing we covered to a degree. And, I mean, there's people online debating because it's three feet from the line. It's not just that box. It's the dirt itself. And you've got people, some people are mixing softball rules and baseball rules. There's, I mean, it's a nightmare.

out there right now. It's a judgment call. It's a judgment call. If they had called this the other way, I think Joe Torrey would be up there after the game saying, yep, that's the umpires judgment. He made the right call just because it was a judgment call. So whatever the ump calls there and says is right,

I mean, it's kind of like the, a little bit the Joe West home run call from last year. Like that was his judgment. so that was the call. If his judgment had been that it was a home run, that judgment would have been right. So where judgment's getting lost is kind of unfathomable for me a little bit. But yeah, and I think it's funny.

Everyone's talking about like, well, actually, you know, for the fielder or the pitcher, they're told to throw at that runner because there's a chance they get that girl. Guess what? A lot of base runners are told to run up in there too because it's a mind fuck. If you've ever been a third baseman catcher or a pitcher trying to make that throw to first base

and you see a base runner in the way, it's like a defensive back. So then you're saying, okay, am I about to hit this guy? What if I miss them? It rolls into the outfield. Like, it's a whole game of cat and mouse that kind of isn't organic in the game of baseball, but it's kind of coached both ways.

Trey Turner did none of that. You see a lot of guys who hit Tappers and you'll see him run into the glass. grass, excuse me, to kind of get in the way as a mind fuck. He didn't do any of that. He ran straight there, and I think that's what's getting lost in interpretation. Everyone's like, well, he wasn't in the box. He wasn't running in the box.

Well, he was running on dirt, and that's the judgment call there. The umpire could have easily made the judgment. Like, no, he was running where he was supposed to be. And I don't know. I mean, there's... If he didn't call it, do you think there would be anybody? Like so take the people that are saying actually that's the right call Do you think that same person that's arguing that if he didn't call interference

Would those same people be commenting that was interference? Because I don't think so at all I'd say right now it's the internet's kind of 90, 10 it was the wrong call And and I think there would be a 1090 the other way it would be mostly Houston fan saying like Well it's the umpire's judgment and he could have decided of this and he got in Guriel's way. So yeah. Yes, Houston fans. You've got to take Houston and national fans out of it.

And naturally they have a bias. But yeah, I think you'd lose some of the umpire point dexter people because it would be the umpires judgment that he was safe. And they'd say, hey, that's the umpire's judgment. He's in the line there. So that was his call. I don't think you'd have, I don't think you'd have, of the 100% of people that are currently saying it was. the right call, it's definitely interference.

I think 90% of them would not have this opinion if the call was called safe and no interference. I think 90% of them wouldn't be out there like, how did they not call interference? That's interference. No one would do that. I think the people arguing this are just people that are point Dexter lawyer people. Yeah, I think it's very much, well, actually, crowd. Yeah, it's people, I wouldn't even, I wouldn't say it's lawyer crew. I'd say it's people that got into umpiring for the wrong reasons.

And that, that was so funny having the people come out and be like, well, I impired a little bit. And I'd be like, well, I did too. I was a fucking terrible hump, but I did too. If we're just going to say shit like that, who gives this shit? You know how many fucking boys who like baseball umpired and went through the ump classes? Like I went through a full week of five-hour sessions of ump classes When I was in what high school middle school Like everyone did that

That doesn't make me know more than anyone else Just reading rules Yeah I mean if you're thinking I didn't apply to the job That gave me 30 bucks Motsarilla sticks and Swedish fish for every game I mean you have no idea who I am I was, I, I, I tweeted out something that was wrong, because I thought they were replaying it because that's what the broadcast said.

And then the um comes out of the replay and says, no, he's out. Why did he do that? Because the whole stadium had no idea what was going on. The stadium, the stadium had official replay up on the big board. I know. It wasn't being replayed. Like, what? Everyone assumed it was, like, what?

Everyone assumed it was replay because they went there. So I think the umpire was just clarifying for the stadium because it was clearly a hubbub. Yeah. So I think I think he kind of decided he had to do something. When Trey Turner was calling out Joe Torrey, I thought he was calling out Joe Torrey to find out if he was like safe or not safe for like what the answer to the replay was. And I was like, what? That doesn't make any sense. It doesn't make any sense.

They couldn't replay it. It's not a reviewable call. They need that needs to be. looked at so thoroughly. Okay, let's let's have a big meeting and let's lay down what calls right now aren't replayable or aren't reviewable and let's grandfather some of these in. Catchers interference should be reviewable. Whatever the fuck this was should be reviewable. Almost all of them should be reviewable. And so Trey Turner's like Joe Torrey's right there. Ask him. So the next question was it's not reviewable. So Dave Martinez says, okay, well, if it's not reviewable, then I want to protest this

game. And the umps are like, well, we don't know if you can protest it based on this. And like, what the fuck? We want to protest it. So they go to New York and they ask New York, hey, can they protest this game? And New York was reading them the rules of protesting to find out. And Trey Turner knew this. So he sees Joe Torre.

And he's like, why don't you just ask him? He knows. Ask him if we can protest it. Which, uh, trade, Tray Turner's in the heat of the moment. And it makes so much sense. I was wrong. But I thought he was asking them to give the. play, which is yeah, no.

Insane. But no, he knew what was going on. But, uh, I don't know, man. I don't think Joe Torre's going to like Trey Turner. He, when he hears all that. Yeah, Joe Torre's getting old a little bit. Like Joe, Joe, Joe Tories is not his part of this combo. Yeah, Joe Torre's not as hip as he used it.

So, no, he's not a Trey Turner fan. We don't know if he's a John Boy fan. He had, he's had a meeting about me. Yeah. Um, but, uh, yeah, and that was, there, there was a couple funny things going on. there. So they added for the World Series a level of insurance if ums got something wrong that they could call New York for a rules check. So that's technically what that was. And I don't know if you saw Dave Martinez's interview after the game, but they were like, so Dave, what were you actually

appealing? And he's like, well, he mentioned the rules challenge thing and I wanted them to, you know, double check the rules. And then he goes, and I wanted them to make sure they watched that replay a few times. Just in like this coy, like, you guys know this is. wrong. I don't care what that book says. I don't care what the dude on either end of the phone says. So that was pretty funny. And then, yeah, I loved what Trey Turner was doing because that was the classic, like, I'm trying to think of a good Jakey example. Like, if there was a controversial home run call and Hank Aaron was this was in the stands, that would be the equivalent of Trey Turner being like, ask Hank Aaron what a fucking home run is. He knows. That's kind of what he was doing

That's fine, but when he was saying the part we're like, and he's just ducking his head hiding. Why are you hiding? And then saying it loud enough to try and get Joe to hear him. Like that was like, oh, no, dude, just step back. And ass crabs actually pulled him by the jersey at one point. I was like, shh, shut up, Trey. Well, and they had a hot mic on him for a couple seconds.

It was like, hey, I mean, I'm all four mics normally, but right now you do not want that mic on in front of Trey Turner. Yeah. I'm kind of over the let's interview athletes at their most heightened senses of irrationality. Yeah. It's kind of, I'm like,

we're going to put a mic in front of their faces when their brains are going so fast. Even like in-game interviews with managers, like the immediate post-game interview, like, that's a lot to do. That's what I sent you, I sent you a clip a while back. I don't know if you remember.

It was Bill Simmons and. And they were talking about like, this whole thing needs to be overhauled. Like it's ridiculous. Like even after a game that we're interviewing like naked guys after they blew the game. Like why do we have to do that? Like the whole process is really weird when you think about it. But yeah, that's a that's a little disconnect. How did you feel just blow that game?

And then if he's mad about it, like they're like, oh my God, he's handling this so poorly. Whoa. Be a professional. You just lost a super. Well, Cam Newton. What are you mad? What are you upset? Come on.

Yeah, dude, it's fucking weird. Anyway, and this leads me into pulling Joe Tori aside. I love Joe Tori fan. I'm a Yankee fan. He's like my great-grandpa. Grandpa, you know, big Tori fan. He taught me that it's okay to cry. Big Joe Tori fan.

Verduci pulling Joe Tori aside after the game. When we know Tori hasn't really seen replays, talked to officials, read the rules, gone over it and pulling him aside and thinking that he's going to give you something worthwhile just on the spot is insane to me when they did that Jake on national TV

I went oh no this isn't going to be a good look for anyone like what's old man Joe Torrey going to say on the spot he's going to talk out of his ass and defend the MLB blindly and then people are going to hang on to his quotes let the dude go to his office, talk to his officials and his crew, read the rules, watch all the angles, then make a statement. Like, what are we doing?

So people are upset with what Joe Tori said. I'm upset they even fucking put the mic in front of him. I would have ducked that if I was Joe Tori. Like, no, no, no, no, no. I need to figure out my point of view first. Yeah, and I'll preface my statement too, which again, think about, you know, if you were looking to leave your, your five-star review and say, well, hey, these guys are Yankee fans. Yeah, yeah, we are open about that. We love Joe Tori. Joe Tori is a part of our life. And it, there was just, it was kind of one of these

whoa baseball moments where it's like, okay, you know, we just saw Juan Soto have an incredible series. Yorden Alvarez is the first player born in 1995 to Homer in a World Series. Turner's a young great player. Everything that's going on here. Oh, let's kick it to our rules guy. 79-year-old Joe Tori. And this isn't like, I don't want to be hella ageist. Oh, shit.

I don't know if those words have been combined before, but I thought that was funny in my head. You're being hell-ageist. Think about someone you know that is 79 years old. Got it. It's one. Wait, I got to. another way to put it. It's one year away from being 80.

It's one year away from being 80 years old. And just think about what your image is of an 80 year old person. And hey, Joe Tori's in great shape. He sounds good. But think about the position he was put in. It's like what you said. They threw a microphone in front of him. He did a press conference after the game. That's fine. I mean, that's normal. The press conference after the game is good. but the on the mic when they're not even like done celebrating. I'm like, this is irresponsible. Yeah.

So stupid. And he, uh, I don't know. Like he still had some good Joe Tori and him. Like they asked about the phone call and he's like, yeah, it took way too long. And it was like, oh, that was good. You know, normally you want to hear someone in his position say something that honestly. But yeah, the whole thing was a mess. And it's like, yes, he defended him.

Because it's the one thing that Joe Tori. was ready to go to war with and probably why he agreed to the interview was it's a judgment call and judgment calls can't be reviewed. That's it. Yeah. Yep. All right. Let's take your quick break and then we will come back and talk about this upcoming game seven, which is going to be wild. All right. I got my wish, Jake. Part of my wish has come true. Everyone kept asking me, what are you rooting for? Who are you rooting for? Who are you rooting for? And I said, I'm rooting for extra innings in game seven. It's a possibility.

Game seven's here. Little sadness, it's the last baseball game until April or March 28th or whatever. But strap in, we got Scherzer on the bump versus Granky and the kitchen sinks for both teams. I mean, this is going to be, please, play. please, please, call your friends, have a party, enjoy the game. Let's have a party. Yeah, man. Scherzer.

I think you, no, I don't want to start with Scher because I think everyone wants to start with Scher and I'm actually going to go to my dude Grinky. Grinky. And I think that's the wild card here. Like the story's going to be Scherzer because he missed the start. He was hurt. court his own shot. And he's, like, it's funny that Max Scherzer is like a half tier up from Zach Grinky, but that half tier just seems so much more impressive. Like, like Max Scherzer, it's like,

oh, he's one of the pitchers of this decade. He's going to be a Hall of Fame or three times Sy Young. And then it's funny, like, coming into this postseason, it was, Zach Grinke, he's got a sneaky Hall of Fame argument. And now I saw a couple tweets about it, and I was like, oh, I actually love that storyline. But they said it, like, if Zach Rinky has a special start tonight, he could be like punches ticket to the Hall of Fame, which that's hilarious. But I also think there's some truth to it. I think he's got a good case already.

But yeah, this would be like, you know, because as much as people don't want to admit that Hall of Fame voting is human and emotional, it is to a degree. And nice guys to the media will get in over dickheads to the media. media because the media votes. What's that? Harold Baines. The Harold Baines, like, old, like, he got to the old man committee that gets to vote you in.

And, like, one was the next teammate, I think two were, one was the next manager and one was his ex-owner or something like that. So, yeah. Yeah. So, and emotionally, if Granky does have, like, a special outing tonight, I think it cements it. It just kind of how. Yeah, just how it works.

Man, the hitters are hitting. Home runs, win ball games. If you're still out there trying to say, home runs don't win your game in the playoffs, well, how many solo shots that we have and two run shots have we had in the last couple games? This whole world series is solo shots and two run shots. It's a walk in a home run league.

And by the way, he was mentioned before, but Anthony Rendon's five RBI's, A, the first one is. start the game that gets the nationals on the board. The two-run homer that nullifies that whole conversation we just said, which would be a giant black eye on the sport, and that's my final thing I want to send out all the point texters. So you think it was a good call if the World Series was lost on that, and that's everyone,

what everyone would be talking about the sport of baseball for five months? No, it would be a fucking joke. It would be laughable. So, yeah, good for Tony meatballs for putting just a casual five Ruby Day. wanted to get back to him. Okay. So, I mean, got a lot of hitters doing good things on both sides now, which is exciting. You got Granky versus Scherzer.

Someone asked in the chat, who's not available? I think that's a great question. And I think Verlander is the only pitcher not available for Houston. Yeah, but I'd counter that with, tell that to Justin Verlander. Like, I think. I think no. If there was, if there was like one right hand batter to get out of an inning, I mean, he'll be out there. I agree with that. But I, but for the most part, I think, yeah, I think everyone else, like no one went more. Strasberg and Verlander aren't really available. Yes. And everyone else is. I mean, Corbyn's available.

Ani ball is available. Cole is available. Everyone's available besides Strasbourg and Ferlander. I think Strasbourg is straight unavailable, obviously. I think, come on, he's not going to do that. Yeah, it would have to be, Strausberg would have to be almost extenuating circumstances, like a 10th or 11th inning. And like a couple batters.

Yeah. That's awesome. That's really cool. Oh, man. I hope this is a good game. I hope it's a really good game. I don't know, man. Do you, Scher pitched in what game one?

Mad Max. He pitched in... Game one. Yeah. Seven or five innings pitch, two and run, seven Ks, 112 pitches in those five innings. So they made them work a lot. They went Corbyn to Rainey for one out, and then that was Hudson. Hudson and Doolittle each getting 1.1. Hudson not having the best of series. I don't think you can trust Rainey. I think the goal is Scherzer, Corbyn, Anabal, if you need them. Anabal is available.

And then Hudson and Doolittle. Do you think that the Nats are seeing red? Ooh. John Boy, first take. I don't think momentum really matters, but if you were to do the discussion, I think the Nats are watching that replay over and over. And even though they won the game and they're watching Davey Martinez get, get ejected.

And even though they won the game and they push it to game seven, I think they're kind of going to come out in a blind rage. The Ops won the Nationals, the World Series. I mean, that's what it is. Dave Martinez has the easiest pregame speech ever. Softsvers everyone. Fuck the Astros. Fuck the Ups.

Let's win the World Series. Yeah. Done. AJ Hinge's pregame is, hey, we're good. We're best team in baseball. Yeah, you know, we're going to stay to our game. The numbers are there for us.

Zach is going to go out there and spin rate's going to be high and we're, yeah, I don't know. Do it for Toffman. Oh, yeah. I apologize. Bad joke. Bad joke. Edit that out. Yeah.

I guess that's the part where I don't really know. Like, Max Scherzer versus Grinky. If anyone's been listening to talking baseball, you know I'm taking Scherzer. In Houston, I still think that lineup is better, and I mean, the play should be rocking. I don't know. Garrett Cole's kind of the wild card, right? When would they hand it off to him? Because Garrett Cole's got, what, three innings, maybe?

Yeah, maybe. So, I mean, is that, if they're up three-one? and Granky's struggling in the fourth, does that mean it's Garrett Cole time? I don't know. Yeah. He's what I can't get my mind wrapped around because he could be a true game over.

The great equalizer. So I don't know. And I'll be honest. There's obviously a little bit of me at this point that is rooting for the nationals, just because it's the old guys. Like I said, the Astros, the Astros started celebrating their second world series.

Let's be honest. Maybe not the players, but the fans for sure. Here's where I'm at. Here's where I'm at with the Astros. Still like watching a lot of their players. Altuve, Cole, Verlander, even Brangman, I like that he brings this talking point to the table, you know? I was rooting for them in certain games.

but Jake, Nationals fans haven't annoyed me in the slightest. Right. I haven't had any Nationals fans in my mentions being obnoxious, defensive, and crying. I've dealt with nothing but annoying, crying, whining Astros fans who don't understand that I was upset in the ALCS, because the Yankees lost.

I don't give a fuck. Who beat us? I don't care about you guys the way you think I do. But now you've annoyed me. And Nationals fans have been nothing but pleasant. So go get it, Nats. Yeah. But again, I don't really care if it's game seven,

like a walk-off in game seven of the World Series is pretty fucking cool. That would be cool. That would be a really good moment. Joe Carter, Big Daddy. Yeah, and I don't know. And it is tough to let the Internet affect your thoughts because I, you know, I literally just read a tweet that was like, oh, you guys are just mad. The Astros won the World Series last year. And it's like, well, it's actually the Red Sox last year, but I don't want to do this.

So it's tough to let those people affect you. No, Astros fans want us to be rivals. I don't care about the Astros. I care about the Red Sox. And I put a lot of energy into hating them. And I don't put energy into hating any other team. Don't care. Yeah.

I don't know. See, I'm a little, there's a little more NBA in me. Like I like a little more short-term rivalries. And yeah, they've been the two of the better teams than the AL. So there's something fun there to say like Houston's our daddy, which I saw some of those tweets. And it's like, well, you just lost. So good for you guys.

Enjoy that. Yeah, I don't know. Because like you're saying, I still enjoy a lot of these Houston guys. You know, it's who's going to be the hero? Who's going to walk away? way with the MVP. You know, if Houston, I think who's got an argument? I think Springer-L-Tuve-Bregman all could do it with one big game.

I mean, if Garrett Cole comes out and he does something special, does he have an argument? I don't know. Yeah, we'll see. How about Zach Grinky? Yeah, it could be special, man. Zanker could win his second game in Game 7. So that's where it's at and that's where it's wild. and I think it's so funny because we make a point out of it in the MLB season.

And I think this is the only thing because I know you were coming down on NFL fans, how it's easy to be an NFL fan. The part that sucks about being an NFL fan is after four games, your season could be out the window. You could play four solid games, lose at the end, and your season's done. That sounds delightful. You could do that and you could have a pretty nice week afterwards. You could come back, win the next three, and you're moving on up.

Band-aid instead of a slow, painful tear. We, or a slow-fun tear. Sounds like me in college. I would say this. It's pretty sick that a sport we say like, hey, baseball, one game. You can't let that get to you. And it comes down to one game and it's like, this is awesome. Yeah.

180-something games comes down to one. You could hit three-line drives at, you know, the shortstop second baseman and the third base. and you're looked at as a bad guy. You went 0 for 3. And someone, Zimmerman breaks his bat twice and bloops a couple in. So that's, uh, that's the beauty of it. It's a fucked up sport.

That ends this show. Enjoy game 7. Uh, we'll be live tonight or tomorrow morning, whatever, to recap everything that happened. Thanks, guys.