Talkin' Baseball (MLB Podcast) - 51 | The Washington Nationals are World Series Champions

Episode Date: October 31, 2019

The Nats stayed in the fight and won it. 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.

The Washington Nationals are your 2019 World Series champions. Let's talk about it. What's going on, everybody? Welcome to talking baseball. Thank you for tuning in. Thank you for watching live. If you're watching live on YouTube, thank you for tuning in. If this is Thursday morning and you're on your way to work, thank you for tuning in.

Just thank you for tuning in hanging out with us as we recap this final game of an exciting World Series seven games. We had a late inning comeback. If you're an Astros fan, it sucks, and you're probably not listening to this unless you're a glutton for punishment. But if you are any other baseball team, besides maybe, do the Nats have any rivals? The Mets, majority of people if you're a baseball fan, we got a good game tonight. We got a lot of storylines to talk about. My name's John Boy, I'm coming to you from New Jersey. Co-host Jake coming from Denver. Haven't talked to Jake yet. Don't know where his mind's at. How are you doing? great jim i mean it's that's about as girl girled as good as a world series gets yeah um i mean all the

stories are kind of unbelievable it's it's what makes sports awesome i mean you can you could point to almost any player on the nationals roster and there's like a cool story or something behind it and you know what we could kind of do the same thing with houston too but they kind of already won one and they became the bad guys. The national story is awesome, man. I mean, the losing record to start the year, where they're at now, it's unbelievable. And, yeah, it was being pretty tough to Houston fans, but that's because they were kind of tough all season.

And good for the Nats, man. Yeah, in the end, the nationals, the first time. Like, World Series are always cool. But when you see guys like Zimmerman and Scher and. and these Howie Kendrick like getting up there and this is their chance. It's really cool to see. The Zimmerman celebration was really cool. Just holy shit.

Like I just made a breakdown of the celebrations. And Juan Soto, I was like, you know what? Fuck that. You're too young, dude. Like this came too easy. He came too easy to you, man. Everyone else fucking like Mr. Nat Zimmerman, he was on a lot of teams that should have done a lot of good things.

didn't. But really cool. I mean, this this Nationals team played better when you counted them out, when Granky was rolling and the Nats were up and their Nats are down to O. And you're like, damn, Houston's going to pull this through. And then, oh, oh, bam, bam, bam, bam. Just like the silent killer Rendon hitting that home run. And it's kind of how it was. Like I did, I tweeted it out every series, the Wildcard game, they were down. It was looking bad. It took a Trent Grisham. Yeah. And I think. I'd change it. And then the next series, the Dodgers go up to one and they're down and they win two elimination games in a row. Then the Cardinals were bad. They, they don't, they don't last in this thing. Sorry Cardinals fans. Sorry, Cardinals fans. You didn't put up a fight. And then they win the first two

games easily and everyone's saying, oh, it's the Nats. They got this. Like, wow, they just slapped them in the face. And then they lose three in a row at home. And they're like, uh, uh, there's no way they come back. There's no way. And count it out again. Down, were they down in game six? I don't even remember it so long ago. They were down in game seven. Like, they were just the stay in the fight. Stay in the fight's a pretty cool slogan. Yeah. And it added up for the team. And yeah, let me, let me get all my nasty stuff out of the way. My one low blow at Houston that I'll say that's kind of just outside of the baseball in the series, but Houston officially has the worst home field advantage in the history of

professional sports. Wow. So if any Houston fans act up in the coming years, you will get that response. And the nationals, and Jim, this is what we kind of, we tried to tell ourselves with the Yankees, but you also talk to yourself out of it because you want them to be better. and you start second-chancing trades and signings and everything. If Trent Grisham fields a single to right field in the wild card game, we could have had extra innings.

We could have had more baseball. Who knows what happens. If the Dodgers don't go to Kershaw, the guy who's got a bad playoff reputation, who knows what happens. And then today, if Houston goes with Garrett Cole, who knows what happens. And so this is what we're kind of trying to say is that you need to be really good and this nationals team is really good, but you need some shit to go your way. And they also ended up getting some of that.

Oh, yeah. Dude, Astros fans were so mad at you when you said like at the end of the Yankees Astros series and the comments, they were like, oh, yeah, it's just luck. And it's like, no, it's like 80% skill. But every team that wins the World Series had bounces, had lucky stuff. had mistakes made by the other team. And yeah, we can get into this game a little longer. We got to burn and stuff.

But how are you feeling? It's not that late for you. I'm like on this weird bubble of tired, gas, but still super kind of excited. And I'm trying to like, you know, I feel like trying to like milk this. Like I don't want like Christmas to end. Like, no, it's still Christmas day. Like let's hang out, play with the presents. Let's not go to sleep.

That's how I feel. Because tomorrow we, wake up baseball's gone for four months or whatever i've i've got a little bit of that going and yeah all of hollinois is the final day of the 2019 season and then it's on to 2020 which i'm excited for but uh yeah i also think i'm getting sick um so i've been pounding emergencies so i'm kind of juiced up not organically and i've got that little end of season high going on so i'm i'm pretty good and i you know i I should be full disclosure for the people. Like, yes, I mean, Midway, once Houston came back, I was full bore rooting for the nationals.

I'm sorry, that's, like, probably if you are, if you're the Houston guy or gal who's at your office today and you're like, I'm not going to listen to any baseball stuff, then it's 2.30. You're at work and you're like, I'm about to kill myself. Let me listen to some baseball self. Like, this isn't what you want to hear, but I should be full disclosure. Like, yes, this Nats team, they hadn't done it before. They have so many old guys, so many cool stories. Soto, they, yeah, ended up ruined for them. So I'm kind of surprised. I didn't think they'd do it, Jim. And I think that was Houston's biggest thing, too.

Houston had the same feelings that I had that they had won the World Series beating the Yankees going on to face this kind of mish-mosh Nats team that had Howie Kendrick batting FIP. And they got punched in the mouth. They fought back. But they stayed in the fight. They stayed in the fight. Big shout out to John Robinson. Just gave a $2.1 donation says, let's go Nats. Love you. So appreciate you. You have a burn for us. I'm excited to hear it.

A World Series game seven burn. Don't even understand how you could, how you could fathom to write such a thing. You know what? I think is going to be, you know what? You said like we have one day to celebrate this. Then we move on to 2020.

If you're a Nats fan, obviously that's different. You relish this all winter. Baby Shark at the parade is going to crush. Baby Shark's already crushing it. Every bar in Washington, D.C. Oh, my God. I'm kind of jealous of that.

Every jukebox is being outpurchased by someone and they're just playing Baby Shark. Just fucking dropping dimes baby shark on repeat. There's a couple miserable, significant others at the bar. All right. All right. Let's go to your burn. first a word from a sponsor or two.

Not for you guys on the YouTube though. Just the podcast listeners. You ready? Oh yeah. There we go. On your mark. Get set. Burn. Jakey Byrne.

The two best words in sports game seven. The Houston Astros hope that Zach has the green key to success hosting Mad Max Scherzer hoping to finish off the Nats Fury Road of a season. Buckle up. Bottom two, you lay you lie.

Solo dolo in the Crawford box. One-nothing Houston. Scherzer was getting in and out of trouble like a prep school kid whose dad was a lawyer until the bottom of the fifth. CC me on that email. Carlos Correa, RBI single, Off Rendon's glove, 2-0-Astros.

Grinky was grooving until Tate. Top seven, Anthony Wren, don't throw it there. Nats are on the board. Grinky gets pulled for Garrett. Oh, Will Harris. And here's Howie Kendrick Lamar. Pitch don't kill my vibe. Howie goes pole dancing to make it three to two lead. Wow. Top eight, so young, so good, so toe. Juan gets an RBI single, showing the mental fortitude to make the score four to two. Top nine, the Pesk, Adam Eaton, two RBI single. It's six two nationals. Washington goes Scher to Patrick Kirk Corbane as they send Nats fans into a state of Nirvana while the Astros season goes floating down the Daniel Hudson River.

Six two final, the road team won every game, and the Washington Nationals are your 2019 World Series champions. We've, uh, Jake, we've, this is 2017. No, we didn't do them then. 2018, 2019. You burn every single Yankees game on talking yanks. So that's like 162 times two. Nobody can do that math. No idea what that is.

Plus all of these postseason games you've burned. And on game seven of the World Series, you roll out. Pitch don't kill my vibe. I mean. it's uh i the only thing i compare it to is is howie kendricks postseason run um i i found myself in a big spot i swung hard and good things happened oh so young so good so too so that's pretty good good good yeah it's good jake good job thank you well done we got a lot of people rolling in uh some donations and i really appreciate it thank you guys um but we got to roll on with the show so

save questions for the end and we'll do that after we wrap up the recording because the people on the podcast have no idea what you guys are asking and all that good stuff they're not in the chat um all right how fucking bizarre is it that granky was rolling and sherser was in trouble every inning yeah every inning besides the first and he gave up a run in the first i don't even remember but the the second the third the fourth and the fifth he had at least two base runners on. And he finished five innings and only allowed two earned runs. And he, he didn't have his plus stuff. He didn't get his first strikeout until the fourth inning. And I know, you know, you could point to Babbip, Babbib gods and all that kind of stuff.

But yeah, there was hardline drives to each outfielder, it felt like, with two runners on base, every inning. This is the performance from Scherzer that turns you into an old man. And here's what I mean. Like when you're a young kid and you're like, how good was Don Larson? And they're like, well, he didn't have the best stuff, but he had the guts. He had the guile.

He had the moxie. Nobody knew how he got out of it. On his worst day, he'd find the way. This is the shit that makes people say that. Like if anyone asked me about Scherzer's performance in 20 years, when I'm 50 years old, my kid asked me,

I'd be like, oh, he was, he was, I don't know how he did it, son. Like, that's the type of answer. Like, how did he get out of it? You know what it was?

There's a lot of hard hit balls that were luckily right at someone as kind of luck. But there was a genuine moment in the fourth inning where I think they were just doing like kind of a mini recap so far. And I was, I would like just blanked. I had a brain fart for a second and it was like like the score had escaped me and how they scored had escaped me. but I knew the nationals hadn't done anything because Grinky had been incredible and they were like, yeah, it's 1-0 on the Guriel Homer and I was like, that's it?

Because it's, they had runners on the bases for their big dudes and it just, it never hit the turf. There was the one Soto got a little nervous on liner at him. He had the little scoop. There was a couple to Robles, I think. It was unreal.

If this was talking Stroes, we would be significantly depressed by how bad our quote-unquote luck was. Well, there's some bad luck. That fucking bunt is so stupid. Yeah. Trinos has two hits in game six, two hits in game five. Scherzer just gave up home run, single, single. Ask David Cohn, ex-pitcher, if he would have, if he would have taken

a free out when your backs against the ropes in game seven. Yeah. You give up a fourth hit in a row. You're going to give up a second run that that crumbles you. Instead, Torino's tries to bunt it. He's never been a bunter. His last bunt he popped out. It's you're literally telling shares are like, don't worry.

Catch your breath, bud. We'll give you a breather. And you have Reddit coming up next anyway. That was, I was blown away that he. He tried to get that bunt down. I don't know who called for it. And there's a lot of game after that. And they had runners on like every inning after.

So it's not, it's really like, you know, we shouldn't magnify it that much. But I tweeted at the time, like, that's, that's crazy. That's ridiculous. Yeah, I had, I had a pretty good snarky night at Twitter. At that point, I tweeted, good job by Scherzer and Hinch to get out of that inning. Yeah, I wonder if Hinch made the call. But I couldn't believe it. Imagine if Scherzer goes four hits in a row, two runs store.

They had to. They had to. Cherinos had two home runs this series. Torinos was playing pretty well. Oh, dude, it doesn't make any sense. It doesn't make any sense. And then there was Alvarez got into one off Scherzer with two outs and two on, deep center field.

Altuve hits squares one up and it almost drops in. It kind of hung up there. It was a gutsy performance by Scher, and people are going to forget that Granky out pitched him by a lot. There was a while where, Zach Grinky was a hero. People were tweeting there. You know, Zach Grinky's proven he's in the Hall of Famer,

which he probably is anyways when you end up looking at the raw numbers. But he was kind of doing this special performance that when we did the show about this game, we were talking about like, what could the storylines be? And Zach Grinky cementing himself as this kind of player in baseball history, which this sounds rude, but he's kind of currently not. Like he's a really nice ball player. Like Zach Grinky, you know, when we do the 20 years from now game, which is kind of this hilarious and sick world series. Well, I'm already telling my son about the guile of, uh, of Scherzer 20 years from now.

So we're already there. And what are you going to tell them about Grinky? Probably some jokes that are cool between me and my son, but not cool on the podcast. Well, and so I think I have been tough on Grinky on the podcast. Can I say something real quick? sure the people babying granky you're treating him worse than people that make slight jokes people are treating him like people are treating him like he has no brain like he has he has social anxiety uh i have existential anxiety jake's been depressed many of days of his life like he's he's not a brainless child that you need

a wheel around the halls of the high school that like you can't like make a joke about yeah and that's that's what overprotective people are treating him way worse than people who are just kind of busting balls well that's that's what i i had been tough on grinky because he had that one press conference where he gave one word answers and i was like dude what are you doing and i don't know if you saw his press conference before this game it was actually great he made a couple jokes he was talking about how he wished it was an n l game so he could swing the bat i was like yes that's a real interview um and and you're exactly right because because i i saw those stories tweets too and people are like, oh, anyone that makes fun of Zach Grinky. And it's like, I was making

fun of Zach Grinky because he had a five plus ERA in his last five playoff games or whatever. Like, can I still not critique him playing baseball? But that's, that's sending us down kind of a bad alley. But no, I think it's going to be funny when your kid looks at the box score and you're like, oh, Max Scherzer showed such guile and they're going to be like, well, Grinky outpitched him. And it's like, oh, yeah, he totally did. Yeah. Yeah. Uh, do you want to, want to do you want to get to the Rondon home run is interesting because I don't know if you saw Pitch Ninja was tweeting it out. Granky's fastball and his changeup are the same exact speed at times. They're both like 88 miles per hour. His fastball can get up to 92. Sometimes it's like 88.

And the change up to Rendon was a change up after a fastball that didn't break. Like usually it has that drop in that big tail. So it was basically batting practice fastball. It Rendon crushes. Rendon in his post game's like, well, I'm pretty thankful for that short portion left. Yeah. It's like a nice little joke from him. Yeah, Rendon has, I don't think Rendon even knows that he was twisting the knife on Astros fans there a little bit.

I think he was self-deprecating. He's like my favorite person all time. I still can't believe Anthony Rendon and his just personality traits. But yeah, that's huge. And I think we need to go back to Grinky because, Hey, he put on an exhibition. You mentioned the fastball and change up almost being the same thing to change up a little different movement.

But not only was he mowing people down, but the soft contact was ridiculous and all the soft contact back at Zach Grinky. He put on a PFP exhibition in Game 7 of the World Series. Oh, A-Rod had a really good tweet. I think someone probably fed him the stats, but did you see his tweet on that? Oh, was it like the most plays by a pitcher

since Greg Maddox in a World Series game or something like that? Granky's defense led MLB in fielding attempts by pitchers. He allowed only two steals in six tries all year. That's kind of insane to me, and that's the third coolest stat. And he turned 12 double plays this year. No other pitcher turned more than five. So the numbers two pitcher turned five double plays. Granky turned 12.

That's insane. He put on an exhibition, and it was awesome seeing him in game seven, watching how composed he was. And literally, you know, the lines are easy. But yeah, if you see Zach Rinky pitching in May and you see him in Game 7 of the World Series, you're getting the same dude. Same dude.

And the compare and contrast between Max Scherzer on the other side is unbelievable. You're getting the same dude with Scherzer too, just a totally different dude. Yeah. Just a dude. Shurzer's the weirdo if we're being. honest. Yeah. I was happy with how great he was

in his post-game interview. Yeah, and you, I know how much you love the single cams of everyone's reaction, his running out of the dugout. I mean, you could just see, like, the relief, and, and, I mean, we'll get to some of the emotional stuff

for a lot of these guys later, but I mean, you know, someone like Max Scherzer, that was the last box he has to check. Oh, yes. I, yeah, I mean, he is, He's everything. He already has like a Hall of Fame career and stuff and that's the only thing that was missing

and you know, this was going to be his best shot at it if we're being honest. And so yeah, you just, you change as a person. That's why it's hard to repeat as a champion. Like it's, that's the mental, well, I was going to say fortitude and that was the score for a little bit. Fortitude, all right, hold on, going back to the gameplay.

After the Rendon Homer, right then Soto's up and he he ends up walking Soto there's a two one pitch that's a borderline off speed pitch that's granky's most emotion he showed about a call because he knew kind of where he was at he probably knew his he probably knew like you know if I walk him I'm going to get pulled all that stuff and he's like come on that's a strike and Soto's got his tongue out having fun that goes to a three one count he walks him now he's at 80 pitches and I think that had to be the worst two batters back to back all game a home run and a walk two guys reached in a row I don't think that happened all game so hinge pulls them they had coal warming up I actually don't think anyone can be that gung ho about like he needed to use coal I don't know if you are because you can go if they bring in coal and cole gives up a home run then you're you're so easily saying like we have have relievers? Why would we use the guy that's never relieved in his MLB career? Yeah, I don't think so.

You went to the best pitcher in baseball. I think that's the argument. The thing that neutralizes this argument is they made a conscious decision and you do have a guy that pitched three days ago or two days ago who is going to be a free agent this year, who has never come out of the bullpen. And the Astros made a decision before the game that they were only going to call for a clean inning. So that's what you hide behind. And one of my buddies texted me this. He goes, is a starting pitcher not being able to pitch out of the bullpen the most overrated thing in any sport? Because, hey, end of the day, you got to get the dude at the plate out.

And, like, yes, there's something there coming in with runners on and you got to throw strikes immediately. You can't find the groove. But at the same time, like, hey, be good and get that dude out. Yeah. Will Harris had a really good series and a really good postseason besides game six when he gave up a home run. So I would have stayed with Granky. If it was me, I would have stayed with Granky. Will Harris, that sucks, dude.

Howie Kendrick, it wasn't even that bad of a pitch. It opens up with a great curveball. And then that pitch from Howie was a low outside fastball that might have got in the corner. And Howie goes hunting after it and pokes it to the pole. I mean, it's a really good swing by Howie. I don't think it's that terrible pitch by Will Smith, but I feel bad for him because he actually kind of had a good postseason. That's not how we'll be remembered now. But I think that I think I would have left Grankian.

He was at 80 pitches and they were so confused by him. And it's not like you had, you know, Howie was up. He got past Rendon and Soto, even though he didn't get them out. But like, you know, and not a knock on Howie, but I would have left Granky. and I would have went and gave him a talk. Like he went out there and he kind of touched his butt and was talking to him. And I was like, oh, he's just going to gauge how he feels and all that. Maybe Granky was like, I'm done.

I doubt it. Yeah. Yeah. And it's the part that ends up being funny about it is in the booth. John Smoltz had just given, had just given Hinch so much love for staying with Grinky. Because coming into this game, they thought best case Grinky was going to give him five innings. and Grinky ends up looking incredible, and they were given Hinch credit for audibling from the script,

and now look where we are two hours later or whatever. It's tough. He gave up two hits. He gave up the single to Soto and a homer to Rendon. I mean, those are the two guys that are going to get you. And, yeah, for me and the other part that makes this brutal for Houston fans, besides losing Game 7 of the World Series. Not more brutal you can get.

Yeah, is that I think Hinch had a quote before the game that they were actually thinking of kind of dodging Will Harris if they needed because he's been so worked this postseason and he gave up the home running game six. So if you're a Houston fan, now you see he's the first guy out of the bullpen. If anything, I mean, I think you have to go Smith or Azuna there if you've made the conscious decision that you're not going Cole mid-inning. but I tweeted it beforehand and people were giving me some Jakey Nostradamus stuff, which it wasn't really that. But I don't know, man, if I was a fan of that team and we had the lead and we didn't go to Garrett Cole, the best pitcher in baseball, that would kill me. Yeah.

I think he killed Cole. Did he see all the tweets about his post game? Yeah, and I think we're going to hear more about that because right now it sounds and looks awful for a guy that ends up doing the press conference. But if he's wearing a Boris hat and not an Astros hat, like if that's a real thing, that's fucking weird, Jake. Yeah.

So the tweet is that he, they asked him to do his post game and he said, well, I don't have to. I'm not an employee of the Astros anymore. And they said, okay, well,

I'll do it representing myself. If that's very joking, the tone, because they didn't, the reporters didn't say that it was joking, but if that's very joking, who cares? the fact that you're wearing a Boris, who's his agent,

who's a free agent now, hat? Like, if that's real, that's fucking weird, man. Yeah. I mean, that is weird. Why is he own a Boris hat? If you're, exactly, like, why do you have that with you? You had that ready in case they lost? What?

And you're a team that's considering shelling out 250 million for a guy that, 10 minutes after the World Series does that. I don't know. Again, I think it's tough. I hope that's not a real thing. It could also be Garrett Cole. I mean, picture if you are Garrett Cole, who you're a part of the Astros, and, you know, you were ready to go to the bullpen and throw this game, and it feels like your manager kind of fucked you. I don't know.

I would be pissed off as a competitor, so I don't know. I feel like we're going to hear more about that. I feel like right now it's kind of getting overblown, but maybe it's not. I don't know. I would hope that it was like tongue and cheek or something like that. But, oh, man, what does that even mean? Fucking took off his aster's hat and put it on Borer's hat for the post game and said right away, I'm not an employee anymore.

Like, it's weird. I don't like it. I'm all for him being mad that he didn't get pitched, but it almost makes me like, just kind of weirded out about who is Gary? Cole. Yeah, there's a little who is Garrett Cole. I think it's more so

and if I was a Yankee fan and Garrett Cole was a Yankee, and then a free agent and we lost and he did that, I'd be fucking mad. My fandom would make me really dislike him.

Yeah, and that's, I was going to tell the Houston listeners at their, you know, three o'clock witching hour that they're currently sat at work. I'd turn off your ears for a second, but is this kind of the

difference. When you look at these two organizations, I mean, you've got Max Scher yelling one through 25, like immediately after they won. And it's these old guys. None of the players had won a World Series. And they're just kind of this mismod. Not even, not a single one. Not a single player had won a World Series. That's cool. Dave Martinez had won one as a bench coach, but none of the Nationals players had won a World Series. And it's kind of this motley crew of dudes doing it. Asdruble Cabrera, ass crabs. We had a nice internet interaction over that the other day. I can't wait to meet Astruble and discuss it with him now. I mean, Howie Kendrick had his best season of Major League Baseball. Well, this was this was this was Hinch's whole postgame

or end of season speech that weirded me out when he was highlighting all the individual achievements and then you have Scherzer asked about his performance in the postseason. His answer right away is it's a one through 25 win. Whatever. It's weird. And I think it's, who is Garrett Cole? Who the fuck puts on a Boris hat?

And I think it ties into a guy who wants to get paid. I want a Boris hat. And I think this World Series and what I hope it really shows is that, and if you are an analytical person, know that's awesome. And like, know what is coming to baseball analytically is very cool. and improving the game. But know that there's another side to this. Like, if you're a GM, it's not a computer program.

It's knowing that Howie Kendrick and Adam Eaton would be buddies in the dugout. Like, that shit doesn't just happen. Like, you have to know personalities and know, like, that you have this old man crew and a lot of that stuff. So, I don't know. I think we've gotten a little away from the rest of the game. Know who's not getting talked about at all and needs. it you well yeah but dude corbin oh yes i was already in full making breakdowns making tweets about

like the end of the game and shit while corbin was out there he got in a little trouble in one inning right but he dude he got the only double play ball right he goes three innings he's a lot three inning shut out yeah game seven two hits in a one one run lead for part of that. 140 million bucks. I mean, Corbin's not getting mentioned enough for his performance. I guess he technically gets the win, so maybe people will be mentioning that more tomorrow. Corbin did an incredible job.

They put on the insurance run. Soto gets the RBI single. Adam Eaton with the bases loaded. I think if you were anyone that wasn't an Astros fan in that ninth inning, you were hoping Rendon or Soto just hit a crippling moon shot. Again, sorry Houston fans, but that's just the reality of it. Being mean. Yeah, that's just the reality of it.

And do you agree? Do you see Hudson at tears in his eyes before the last out was made? Like on the mound. I did not. Yeah, I put it in the breakdown of the celebrations. Who knows, maybe it wasn't like crying. It definitely looks like he's getting choked up before he gets the last out. Yeah, it was funny.

They interviewed him after the game and they were like, what was going through your mind? And I guess every game they've won, he's been out there and he's thrown his glove at someone in the dugout. But he said when he's been out there, I think two of them have been fly balls to center. So, like, he watches the fly ball. He gets a second to think about it and he throws the glove.

But he struck out Brantley. So he goes, yeah, I struck out Michael. I kind of froze up for a second. Then I was like, shit, got to throw my glove. Him and Gomes had it almost tied perfectly where Gomes through his face mask. Yeah. Jan Goams. And yeah, I don't know.

It's just, again, if you were an Astros fan and you're still tuning in for some reason that you were mad when we talked about luck, when you won a six game set against the Yankees, one game that had a walk-off and one that went 11 innings, I mean, this game was the perfect example. A couple balls don't go your way, and it's baseball, Susan. Yeah, I mean, yeah, not to discredit the Astros or the Nationals.

Like you need to be very, very, very good. But every baseball game, there's some breaks and some weird shit or some bad, bad stuff. I can't believe we had another home. The national season could have been over on October 1st. Do you think this postseason had the most amount of home runs that hit a foul pole? I think we had three. I would guess there's more. Straight clank jobs.

Yeah, and that's a, I mean, that was pretty cool. It was low, too. Do you agree with the Oh wow Jake usually we take a break And then the next section is We preview the next game Let's take a quick break

And then I'm going to ask Jake a question about the MVP Quick break Okay Okay Jake How do you feel about Strasbourg winning MVP? I'm good with it He won they won four games He won half of them

He fought off an elimination game in Houston to give them game seven. After they just lost three games, he looked incredible. And yeah, I mean, there is a little bit of me that gets the whole, you know, it goes back to like an MVP argument. Can a pitch, can a starting pitcher ever be an MVP?

Because they're going to play 34 games when you're going to have someone out there that's playing almost 160. So, yeah, there's a little bit that, like, I would have been fine if it was Rendon. Kind of would have been cool if it was, Soto kind of would have been cool if it was Kendrick. But yeah, I think I'm fine with it.

I thought something that was weird. I don't know if you were seeing this in the celebration, but they did a MVP chant with Rendon because he's their team MVP and he might win the NL MVP. But I thought that was a little odd because it's like, well, that the other guy just kind of got named it. Should have just done it for everyone. Yeah.

Like everyone's got their personal. I like the Strasbourg pick. I think that game six performance was insane. So, um, did you hear his Strausberg was like credit and this goes into your kind of, you need to build a clubhouse thing. Strasbourg said like credit to the nationals for bringing in guys that they knew would,

you know, fill the, fill the dugout and kind of change the vibe. They had, his quote was they had me doing things I've never done before like dance and hug. Yes. I'm like that. And he's like, I've gotten better at both of them.

Gotten better at both hugs his baby girl. And that's like it's crazy. And that's, you know, sometimes you go into the deep end. Because you know what was a huge part of them winning this? Anthony Rendon, Juan Soto. Yes, Gerardo Parra teaching them to have fun. That's important. Guys, I'm not here to play, but we will have fun.

Yeah. Here's deal. We have to bring up Rendon's stats, that tweet that you quote tweeted in the seventh inning or later. Holy fuck, that was insane. In the seventh inning or later in these last couple games for Rendon, I'm trying to pull it up. Anthony Rendon's played appearances in the seventh inning or later of the Nationals five elimination games this season. So that's wild card, two against the Dodgers, two against the Astros, two against the Astros. It was five elimination games.

In his at-bats, in the seventh and year later, walk, double, home run, double, home run, double, home run. Dude's nails. Wanda Wye's nails? Because he's a monk. He's got no feelings or no emotions. Even in his post-game press conference on the field after winning the World Series, he was as chill. He was chiller than I've ever been.

I don't even get it. Like, I want to find Rendon's best friend from high school. and have him on talking baseball for like three questions and be like, yo, what's Anthony like? Like what's really good, though? What's the most he's ever been excited about? I don't know, man.

You think he's like a completely different guy, drunk or high? Yeah, dude, I think he's like good vibes. Like he never has negative vibes. Like he's so relaxed. But if you see a teammate talk to him in the dugout, he's like, yeah, man, that's cool. Like he's having a good time. out there. I really liked your tweet. It was so weird, but I really liked it.

It was my weirdest tweet. I should dig it up for Beda. I know it. It was good. You said that Rendon's vibe, Rendon's vibe on the baseball field is very much a guy who woke up on vacation, on a cruise, wearing clothes he's comfortable in, just kind of like walking around, like, just like live so content going to the buffet line. And if anyone says hi to him, he's just going to nod and smile and be like, good morning. It's resort vibes. That's exactly what it is. Resort life, yeah.

He's so relaxed. Weird to you. When you're at the, you know, you're at the all-inclusive resort and someone bumps into you and they're like, oh, would you like to try this? You're like, yeah, absolutely. I'm on vacation. That's Anthony Rendon just winning the World Series. I have a question.

Yeah, man. Okay, what's the next question? I got it. I just got tweeted at from, uh, Beacon the bitch. Beacon. Oh, I'm guessing it's weekend bitch, but with a be beekend bitch. And she said, we ain't for the socials.

Tighten up, young and at John Boy. What's that mean? What's she telling me? I mean, Jim, if you don't do it, you're in trouble. We ain't for the socials. Tighten up, youngen. What's that mean? Yeah.

What do I have to do? Just do it. And it's not a problem. beacon to bitch. It's really throwing me for a loop. But if you don't tighten up, I mean, there's going to be a situation on our hands. We ain't for the social. I don't know what to pluck that.

Let's do some parting, some slight parting stuff for Houston. Sounds like Garrett Cole's gone. Weird. I mean, I need to know so much more about what went down and the tone that he had. and all that shit. Because just we don't have enough context, but yeah, that's fucking, that's weird vibes. Zach Rinky is on the up and up. Houston, you're excited for him next year.

Verlander, you're still excited. You have some questions. It's, I don't know. I mean, they're still going to have that core back a full year of Jordan Alvarez. They're going to be legit. It's going to be an interesting offseason for them to see if they add a major piece. I mean, they clearly value starting pitching. do they bring in a big name? Do they not? Do they add someone else to that lineup?

Or does Kyle Tucker take off? And now they're eight deep. So I don't know. I mean, that's kind of Houston's deal. And I just, and AJ, oh, AJ Hinch manages the Mets now. So that's it. Imagine if like that, it's not going to happen. But imagine if that happened. Be crazy. Crazier things have happened. Wow. Garrett Cole blocked Julia Rose. He's really lashing out. Damn. Hey Garrett, we ain't for the socials. Tighten up, young. Tighten up young. Okay. Anything else you need to say about Houston because there's so much Washington stuff I want to talk about. Wow. I thought we were going to wrap up the show. Okay. Not even close. My end notes for Houston is for the 80% of fan base fans that are cool, that sucks. I feel for you. You got a fucking really good team though.

like you'll be back half the ale is tanking still you'll be back and you got uh you got one two years ago so i don't know be depressed for a little bit for the 20% of astros fans that are the most obnoxious motherfuckers in the world i hope you get humbled a little bit and realize that stop being so obnoxious and obviously there's yankee fans that are just as obnoxious i tell them the same thing constantly it ain't it ain't an astro thing it's obnoxious new to baseball fans. It's a humbling sport. Yeah, I mean, what you said,

Verlanders washed Springer's traded at the deadline, to Washington now. There is, it starts and stops with... Hold on out of either. Can you say your joke again? I don't even remember what I said. It was not mean. Say it again.

It was mean. Verlanders washed your trading Springer at the deadline. Hey-oh. Um, jokes, you'll be good. Maybe. Um,

they'll be fine. With the Nationals, it starts and stops with... Dude, someone just showed me a picture of Garrett Cole wearing the Boris hat. Fucking weird, man. That turns me so off on him,

even though it was the best pitcher in baseball, I'd love to have him in my team. That's such a fucking, I don't even understand the mindset of it. Right. Like, weird.

Anyway. go on Ryan Zimmerman yes retire go out on top go make babies no he's not you did you see his interview no what do you say so frank Thomas was like teeing him up he's like right I mean this is top of the mountain you know clearly you know what what's going on and his everyone goes feel good man I got something left um so he's not done yet and I wouldn't be surprised because from the way he made it sound he was like he said he has a lot left but he was like man I really love, like, you know, teaching Soto and teaching Robles and the young guys. Like, he's definitely at that part of his career.

I think the Nats bring him back on an old man one-year first base contract. But, dude, like, I've been trying to show, like, the poeticness of this story, and I haven't been able to do it properly. He's under contract for next year. Even better. Or no, don't. I think it's big money, and it's, like, a team. option or something. I feel like I looked into it.

They're not paying him what he's owed next year. I think there's like a team option for like 20 mil or something. I don't think he's getting that. Yeah, I don't know. It says he's got 18 million coming his way. But Ryan Zimmerman, he was the first pick in franchise. They call him Mr. National. I mean, just think about that for a second.

Done. And there was a while where Ryan Zimmerman was a great. player. I mean, this guy's a couple-time All-Star, a couple-time Silver Glover. You know, he's got a couple years, 33 homers, 36 homers. There was a while where Ryan Zimmerman was him and Bryce Harper were like Soto and Rendon. Or they were like, Soto and Turner, whatever you want to make it. They were the young guys that were like, you're just younger and you're more gung-ho about life. Like, yeah. we're going to win World Series. We're going to be great, man. And then, and I think you saw it on his face, this entire series, that Ryan Zimmerman had let that pass him by. Like, Ryan Zimmerman

kind of let the glimmer leave his eye, and then he found himself in this situation. And you could see it with all his heavy breathing around the field and his focusedness. Like, he was the only person on the Nats that had that vibe going on, because, like, it felt like he used to have that weight of his shoulders, it was gone. And now that the weight of that, the weight of the world was on those other young guy's shoulders, he was there like, oh shit, I can't blow this. He's getting carried now. I mean, he did some lifting, but, you know, he had a team. He had, he had the best reactions all series. So yeah, he's $18 million team option, two million buyout. So they probably do the buyout, buy out and then give him a contract for like 10 mil.

Four mil. He didn't have a great year. But he put a point. some tough at bats. Five mil. Okay. Dude, just, it's a team of weirdos, man. Okay. It's a team of weirdos. You said you had a lot to say about the nationals.

I need to hear more. How do you think Bryce Harper feels? I think he's happy for his ex-friends. And he's excited for the future of the Phillies and to win one of his own. Don't think there's any resentment, bitterness, or anything. I think people want there to be. I don't think there is one. I think, like, Harper seems like a pretty normal guy.

He's a douche on the field because that's what he does. He's very much like Bregman. But everything off the field seems normal. I'd guess he's very happy for his ex-teammates and the friends that he has there. Yeah, a little bit of slight jealousy. He doesn't have a ring, but I think that's, like, normal. Very normal, yeah. Yeah.

Okay, but, Jim, I'm just going to kind of semi-burn this. Don't play the music. I'm going to run hot through the baseball. baseball reference page. Jan Goams, when you look at their baseball reference page, Jan Goams is listed as their starting catcher, caught a lot of games this series. I mean, good, not great, had a couple okay years. First MLB player ever from Brazil. How about that? Yeah, well, there was another guy who was really, really close, but got kidnapped. Oh, that was the worst. Okay. They're listed first baseman, Matt Adams. He didn't even get used.

I already told you enough about Zimmerman. We're moving on. How we can The Grand Slam against the Dodgers, the home run in this game. This was easily his best season of baseball ever. Ever. And he's, how old is he? 34? All the car stuff, loves cars. The car stuff?

I mean, that's bizarre. Your backup catcher, Kurt Suzuki, he's 35. He had the homer off Verlander. By the way, the listed second baseman on this team is Brian Dozier. He didn't play at all this series. just pinch hitting. Trey Turner. Okay, he's kind of the one that doesn't fit in.

Like, he's young, athletic, good. Like, does Trey Turner have a bad time on this team? Him and Soda are both young, athletic good. Yeah, but Soto's so young that he's like, this is all he knows and they're almost his parents. Okay. Yeah, if you were like, who's the biggest, who's the most normal? If you were to compare this Nationals team to the rest of the league,

who's the most normal makeup of a player? You'd say, Trey Turner. Tray Turner. Yeah, he's like pretty good, borderline all-star year-to-year. Anthony Rendon, I already told you. Maybe Rendon. The only thing weird about him is he's a monk. I'm mad I haven't watched more Anthony Rendon. He's awesome. He's about to get paid paid. Juan Soto, the special one, the kid. He turns 21 during this World Series.

His career is going to be interesting to follow. Our guy, Craig Calcutero was comparing him to Mani Ramirez. He's like, I just see this. the vibes in him. Like he's fun-loving and he's a fucking insane hitter. Yeah. And he's dating his mom. Day and his mom. That's pretty cool.

Robles, interesting to see. Young really liked his celebration. Did you see his celebration? Yeah, he went with the shiver. Yeah, he did the drop to the knees, almost arm shiver punching yourself. Showed more passion than I thought in the celebration.

I am, you know, who's the other center fielder, Taylor? Yes, Michael A. Taylor. Michael A. Taylor, you need to watch him in the celebration. It's weird. He just stands on the outskirts and doesn't go in the dog pile at all. Like he's a trainer on the team. It's very odd. I didn't even point out my breakdown because I was weirded out by it.

And I was like, what's going on Michael Taylor? Interesting. Robles, I'm completely indifferent on. Adam Eaton. At a meeting. I mean, here's a guy like, again, if our kids are obsessed with baseball like we are and they go through baseball reference like I do, they're going to look at Adam Eaton and say like, what the fuck? this guy batted second.

He's never been an all-star. He's kind of just a guy with stats in this era that people are going to look back and be like, like, how many home runs did that? Adam Eaton had 15 home runs this year. Adam Eaton would have fit in really good with the 1919 White Sox. Who would have been huge. He would have been gambling. And would have got in so many fights.

So many fights. when it was cool back then and their baggy pants, just like trading gloves at second base, whatever he would have been. Oh, Dirty would have loved it. Born in the wrong generation. Sorry about it, Adam. Howie Kendrick hit 344 this year. Yeah, ass crabs.

I kind of did that thing. And I mean, we haven't even gotten to the pitchers. And I mean, it's, it sure's being so special. He finally gets the ring. Like, that's the generic story. You get it from a team. And he does this. But it's multiplied by the neck spasm stuff.

That's pretty crazy. and then, dude, the Straussberg Sturry is like a video game. Like, oh, number one pick. Oh, you join the team. You pitched really good. Oh, but you're kind of overlooked. And now he does this. I think he's going to opt out now and get paid paid.

Not that he wasn't getting paid paid, but it is really cool hearing him say the stuff. Like, a guy that just won the World Series is talking about Gerardo and a couple weirdos on the team making him hug and dance more. Yeah. But that kind of shows baseball. Like, it sounds like from everything that Stephen Strasbourg kind of got lost in the sauce and maybe, and not to be shots fired at Max Scherzer, but when the dude who's your

one-two punch is as intense as they come, you probably tell yourself you need to be as intense as they come. And I don't know. Like, it's just so cool all around. The team in 2019 with the worst MLB bullpen wins the World Series. Yeah. Wild. Good summary, Jake.

Thank you. I'll play a sound for you real quick. Okay. Congrats. The bike bell sound. Thanks, bike bell. Thank you. Thank you.

You got anything else? No. I mean, this is a talking Yank specialty that we don't bring to talking baseball a lot. but what should we do next? Next Monday get together or what? Behind the scenes. Yeah. Yeah.

Well, thank everyone for listening. If you were listening to the episodes, you know, we did daily episodes from October 3rd to now. A couple days off here and there. But for the most part, the full month of October, majority of the days, we did an episode. So if you follow it along, thank you. We appreciate that. As most of you know, this show started after the All-Star break. super young.

We got to the number one spot on the charts at one point. We sit in the top 10 regularly for baseball podcasts. And that's all thanks to you guys. So we appreciate that a lot. We will be keeping it going in the off season. I think the rough plan is one episode a week. Anytime there's breaking news, we'll jump on to do like a shorter episode and maybe some shorter episodes if there's kind of topics.

But Jake and I have a lot to figure out. We have 14 podcasts. on the John Boy Media Network. We have some trips coming up, some big plans. So hang with us. I mean, what's today? Thursday morning, it's Thursday, Jake. So we'll take the weekend off, come back and maybe do something next Wednesday, unless

something happens. Sometimes there's news. Oh, yeah. I think you're going to want to be in it by Monday because, I mean, we've kind of ignored the new managerial stuff. People are going to be opting in and out of options and stuff. So I'd be surprised If Monday, Tuesday

We're not ripping Yeah, we'll figure it out So hang tight If you aren't subscribed On the podcast app Or whatever podcast app you use That'd be cool If you want to leave a review

And say Say I don't know I don't care what you fucking say Just give us five stars Yeah, cook the books For a couple days The reviews help do that

It would be cool to get another High moment on the chart Yeah, what? Everyone goes swamp up push us to number one again. That'd be awesome. Swamp up. And we'll be back next, yeah, probably next Monday or Tuesday.

And then we'll set a plan. We have a lot going on. So I think that's it, Jake. Someone in the chat just keeps saying the Yankees spent all that money for nothing. And it's like, well, so did the Astros. So did 29 other teams. So did a lot of, only one team wins. That's what they say.

Cubs and Red Sox have more money spent. Only thing that's really getting me, man, is like Zach Rinkie was so good. Scher wasn't, but he's Max Scherzer. The Nationals only struck out three times tonight. Yeah, that's crazy. Well, okay, but that's true, but home runs still win. This game was won on home runs. Yes.

I think what the end game is for all these. hitting arguments is like just put together the best at bats you can and that's what the Nats did because yeah you know at at the same time the Nats only had three strikeouts but they had what four ground out to the pitcher and like two check swing out so like are those better not really we are a pattern pod you know pattern pod um is it a pattern or is it some symmetry that like verlander and Scherzer are the top dogs both of them had less than performances the postseason than their counterparts, Cole and Strasbourg, who are both free agents. Well, we don't know Strasbourg is yet.

We're assuming. Well, okay, Strasbourg, if you're listening. Opt out, you dumb bitch. Opt out, because instead of four years, you can get like seven. Yeah, there's some symmetry there. God, I don't know. I don't think there is a ton of symmetry between these two teams. Like, they both had good starting pitching, and then,

After that, like, no, good third baseman. But the Nats are an odd group. Like, there's a lot of chosen one on the Astros. Altuva is won an MVP. Springer had a crazy year. Yorden Alvarez is supposed to be next. Correa is supposed to be one of the best short stops. Like, I mean, you can do that.

He's an apex predator. Yeah, you can do that for a lot of this Houston's team. And the, you know, the calculations and numbers say they are, the best team and they had a historic season, but they ran into a bunch of pissed off Howie Kendricks and it's Drewbel Cabreras. Okay, here's a fun game and then we'll leave. Okay.

Which national fits most on the Astros and which Astro fits most on the Nationals. I'll go first. Juan Soto fits most on the Astros and Josh Reddick fits most on the Nationals. Yeah, Soto feels unfair because, like, Young Studd. Soto fits pretty good on any kind.

team. Well, no, I'm saying, like you said, they have a lot of chosen ones over there in Houston. He's a chosen one. Reddick's a bit role player is kind of the Adam eating of the Astros, so he fits over there. Yeah, a little bit. Gerell, I don't know. Yeah. Yeah.

Guriel. If you like that, sure. I don't really know what to make of Uly. Yulie, yeah, it's tough. He impressed me with his inside power. There's times when I love his game, and then there's times and I'm like, you're not a threat at all. And then he's also kind of the racist thing.

So you just naturally take a step back from you. He made some incredible plays at first base until the one ball does go off his glove. Yeah. All right. That's the end of this, guys. That's the end of our 2019 season. We will have off-season coverage. We will be at winter meetings.

So much. We will be doing breaking news, weekly episodes. We do have a voicemail line. I don't know if we're going to set up for this because that might get crazy. but stay tuned, subscribe and thank you guys very much we appreciate it.

We're out and shout out to Mike Rutano for the music. Ooh! You want to stay for like five minutes? Talk to the chat. Yeah.