Talkin' Baseball (MLB Podcast) - Is The New Golden At-Bat Rule Good For Baseball?

Episode Date: December 4, 2024

Watch Blitzball Battle 5 NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@WarehouseGames Try VIIA Hemp! https://bit.ly/viiatalkin and use code TALKIN! Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app and use promo code TALKIN Grab Your Mountain Dew today: https://lets.shop/2141/dothedew/ Coach Trev and Jake break down the newest rule that Rob Manfred has proposed, the “Golden at-bat” rule! The guys give their thoughts on if they like this or not, how other players are responding, the pros and cons of the potential rule and how it can impact the game. They also discuss if this is the beginning of the Boston Red Sox offseason by signing Aroldis Champman and Kyle Higashioka to the Texas Rangers! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello and welcome to talking baseball. We're talking golden at bat rule. Maybe some other rules. Higie to the Rangers, Chapy to the Red Sox. Okay. Let's talk ball. Chapman.

I don't want any part of it still. Right. Hello and welcome to talking baseball. Presenting you by Sikh Geek. Go Talkin Ted. Jake Storyelli, Trevor Plouf, Rob Chiracco, as we dive in to the teeth of this offseason.

in a couple signings, one of the top catchers, one of the top relievers. But I think the big story today, and we've seen this with rules the past couple years when there's a little bit of smoke,

there's been a little bit of fire recently, and Uncle Robb, Mr. Manfred, Trev's best friend, he kind of got out in front of this one that, I don't know, I feels like over the course of this show, going back to

you know, 20, 2020, 2019. We're pitch clock. Banning shifts and now the reality we live in. So we'll talk about that rule. We'll talk about probably some other rules and the signings. Trevor Plouffe, how are you? What's up, Jacob? I'm doing well.

I am excited to talk to you about this. I think there are some interesting points to it, but obviously we'll get into it. I told you before the show yesterday. You know, I'm out there on the tennis court. Yeah. I'm swinging that thing. really well and there's like a rogue tennis ball on the court step directly on it and just blew my ankle up

so i'm playing hurt today but that's you know that's what i do i'm gonna play through it we're gonna get a good conversation i thought about bringing my foot onto the screen to show people my ankle but i can't give that away for me no feet picks for free that's other than that i'm doing great that's fair um god i hope thoughts and prayers everyone Yeah, I need them. If you guys could comment below. You know I need them. When I get hurt, I'm down.

Send your best wishes to Coach Trev as we try to get him through this. December 4th, winter meetings start up this weekend. Kind of snuck up on me a little bit because we didn't make a plan to go down there this year. So interested to see if the signings really pick up before then, during then, or after then. although the past couple winter meetings that is kind of you get all those baseball people assembled and it's in my Dallas this year

I'm having a little I'm having slight regrets They pour some drinks And all of a sudden the idea start flowing Right We're gonna have the golden at bat We're gonna have the silver at bat Oh I love it, Trey I look

Silver at bat's only if you're hitting under 280 That's your silver Yeah the bronze at bat Wow, okay. Well, hey, we've already stumbled into it. Let's start talking about it. Because the Golden App Bat Rule, Trev, this is something, and Rob Sorakko dug up some audio where this could just be you.

And this sounds, honestly, when I first heard this, this sounded kind of like something we would do in our warehouse. Oh, and speaking of, look at this Blitzball Battle 5. We are getting ready as the postseason continues inside the warehouse walls. Blitzball Battle 5. We've got two-time champion Forgotten Rotten, the two-seed, taking on the eight-seat in hookline sinkers. We saw a very good hook line in the last game.

Well, let's say very good Drew Davis. With Trevor Pluth, the bat has kind of gone missing, if I'm honest. I think it's time we see him show up. It's still hard for me to pick against Forgotten Rotten in this game. I don't know how much old man Dan's arm can stand up to it. Trevor's going to figure it out at the plate. We know he can pitch. Shelfi's been solid this tournament.

It's forgotten rotten for me, guys. I also think that the amount of games is going to be either a positive or a negative, but I'm not sure yet. I'm picking hook line. I've got forgotten rotten. I think Trevor Plouffe is pissed and embarrassed. In the batters box where he allegedly played for eight seasons in the Major League. Allegedly.

That's where he made his money. Trevor Plouf, live up to your own bravado. We will see you later today. Blitzball Battle 5 inside the warehouse. All right, subscribe to our warehouse games channel. Make sure you check that out. The playoffs are here. It's actually, I watched late night.

McFlurry versus We Got Ice. It was electric. Electric game. We got mice. We got mice, yes. Hey, Rob, I guess play the clip because I... Trev, you're the guy. Your team is down two or more runs going into the ninth inning.

of a baseball game, I think you should be able to choose where you start hitting in the lineup because every other sport does that, Jimmy, where the best player that has the ball in their hands at the end of the game. Wow.

Can I provide some contact? Please. Okay. The question, for people that are watching on YouTube, you saw the question. If you're on audio only, the question was asked,

you know, we have the baseballs back in the Olympics in 2028. And they were saying, And what rules changes could you implement to make baseball, you know, popular on, you know, what's, you know, a worldly stage? And I said, well, let me think about it. And I thought about this before. It's not like this is some crazy new idea about football, basketball, all these sports, you know, the ball is in the best players' hand at the end of the game. And it makes for drama.

You talk about the WBC, Shohayotani, going up against me. Mike Trout. That's about as good as baseball gets right there. But, you know, because we're a unique game, that doesn't always happen in our sport. We referenced before the show, the 2016 World Series ended. I'm going to try to get this right. I think it was Mike Montgomery and Michael Martinez. Bobby Golfs, can you check that for us? And that's, you know, there's some beauty in that, Jake.

I'll admit that I believe in that there's some beauty in, in, in, a lesser hero. But I also, you know, if you're a fan, you want to see the best of the best. Now, again, I was talking about the Olympics doing this. I wasn't saying let's implement this

in Major League Baseball. A little back pedal. I would even take it in the WBC. These are, you know, this is a showcase event, if you will. So like, you know, I, I could see it being used in those to events and I like my idea better where it's not one at bat you get to pick where you start in the lineup on a clean inning it's not hey this is all the sudden we have bases loaded let's put our guy up it's like no like okay you're trailing by a couple runs they're the team that's up is going to have their closer in you know that's their best pitcher or best reliever now let's put the best part of the lineup up I think that is an interesting idea for the Olympics and for

the WBC. Shoot, we could do it in the All-Star game. People have said that, but I think at that point, everyone's an All-Star, so let's just let the guys play. So that's kind of like where I stand on. And I don't know when that episode aired. I think that was sometime this summer in August or something like that, whenever Chris Rose was out of town.

But that's kind of where I'm at on it. If you're talking about bringing this into Major League Baseball, I just... I'm not into it just yet. I'd like to see it happen on other stages and maybe it'll change people's mind, but I don't think this can be implemented first at the Major League level,

and I'm not sure it will ever be implemented. Yeah, I mean, there are rumors that they're going to look in a minor league options on it, which we've seen them do that with a lot of the rules. That's become baseball's testing ground, and that's really smart. It's like one of the smartest things they've done, like, sure. Try different stuff, the pick-off rules, All of that. And then, you know, the athletic article,

we should shout out Short King Jason Stark, who put it together, that he talks to a couple hitters and a couple pitchers, and they're like, yeah, you know, the All-Star game, why not? Like, this is an exhibition for entertainment. WBC, similar. I mean, they're playing for some pride in some different things.

And it gets really tricky. It's that fine line between sports and entertainment because we're so used to the game being like that. And having the cool moments that, like, there was a Kevin Euclis tweet that was talking about all, you know, baseball's unsung here, the Bucky Dance of the world, Rajai David, like moments like that that could potentially be taken away from us.

And that's where, that's where, and it's funny, we just, you know, showed you guys a promo for our warehouse stuff. Like, rules, you want them to be simple. But it gets really tricky because go look at, if you get a second, go look at a baseball rule book or go look at a basketball or football rule book. And we, how many, I'd say three or four times a year, there's a play that comes up and we're like, well, you know, in 72C in the rule book, it says that if this happens and it's like, whoa, rules get crazy quick, man.

And that's where I was laughing, you know, I'm a huge sports nerd that coming out of the playoffs this year, like November was a haze for me, man. Like, it was kind of like, whoa, that was a lot of baseball. I'm going to watch my football on Saturday, Sunday, and recover. I'm starting to get into basketball, or back into basketball, I should say. And, dude, I laughed a little bit because it's funny how many rules are in sports. Like, turn on a basketball game and look at how many little lines are on the court. So when you're adding a rule like this, I think what becomes the big step is,

where does it actually land? And I like some of the concepts that I've seen around it early on. It's like, okay, you can't do it to the seventh inning or later. Like, for me, that was an instant light bulb of starting the conversation. Because how much, how bad would it be if you bring the family of four to the game, Trev? You know, you get some nice seats. You're doing well. You're in that YouTube money game now.

And, you know, it's a four nothing game. game and the third. You know, the Dodgers are clicking. They, they get another couple runners on base. They use their golden batter rule. Show hey, it's a grand slam. It's 8-0 and the game's over. Like, it shouldn't be able to be used like that just to ruin a starting pitcher's day and mess up the series and mess up a day at the ballpark. The late innings, it gets interesting. And that's where the, is your team losing or tied? Tide gets really, tricky for me because if a game's tied and one team hasn't used it or didn't use it, I don't know.

I have to wrap my head around that more. But man, there'd be some good entertainment value in eighth or ninth inning. Your team's down and instead of the backup catcher on a Sunday getaway day, it's, hey, we're going to send up Otani or we're going to send up whoever. So my heart's open. Okay, that's my question. That's what you was going to be like generally how do you feel about it? and I guess you answered that your heart is open.

I say that too much, Trev. You know I say that too much. I get very vulnerable at some of the local coffee shops. I'm interested. I mean, again, like I... Because my view of my social media, people are just anti-anti this. But you're open to it.

Right, but I mean, how many people were anti-pitching? clock. Like, I'd say the majority was anti-pitch clock, right? It's baseball, man. It's the, we're the only game that doesn't have a clock. And it's like, well, okay, even I kind of, I, again, I left my heart open. I always do. Yeah, you do. But I, I was worried and the game was moving kind of slow, but the game of baseball always adjust. Now every hitter uses their timeout. So, like, there was a couple baseball games that were happening that they were like, 2.10, And it was just like, whoa, this is moving too fast for me. Maybe we need to think the hitters kind of bounce back.

And now we've cut out a lot of the waste in the game that the pitch clock overall is kind of beloved, which is insane to have any group of people land in a close to consensus on anything today. That it does feel super gimmicky. I will say that. Like, this is a horse of a different color. You know, it is funny thinking of the different loopholes. Like, I think there was another player tweet that was like, was it Chipper Jones or Wade Boggs that they were like,

you know, if you're a batter, you could get another 100 at-bats a year. And that's where things get complicated because that's where the other rules come in. You know, if the Dodgers are winning 105 games, well, then they're not going to have the opportunity to golden at-bat show hey every game. that I don't know that's where I need more rules to wrap my head around the concept because it can work

it could very much not okay I am a I think I've said this before in the show the further I get away from actually playing the game the more open I am the more like

the way I think about the game becomes more fan-esque and I'm I think about what is best for the fans because I think that is the crux of an entertainment business. How can we entertain people? Before I would have been, what's the player?

I still think like a player, but I've seen enough now. My vision has gotten broader, I guess, with the game of baseball. With that being said, I don't like the way that they've come out with, you know, the construction of this rule.

Like the one batter at any, not at any point of the game, but, you know, potentially giving a guy back to, back, it bats. Right. It just, it doesn't feel right to me. I,

I don't know if it's because I came up with it or it's just how I think. I like the idea of choosing where you're at in the lineup with an empty basis. Like I think putting somebody up there with, like I said, an advantageous situation basis loaded. Like, I don't know about that. Like, I still think there needs to be,

you still got to be able to do it in a clean inning. Like to me, that makes more sense. And I don't know if I'm, if I'm, portraying that clearly enough. But in my head, putting a guy up there, nobody out with bases loaded,

that's a little too advantage. That's a little too much. That's a little too gimmicky. But if we were, again, to start the ninth inning off, you have your clothes run and nobody on, nobody out. We just get to pick where we're out in the lineup. I think that creates the most drama to me. So for you, it's, if it was your MLB brings us in

and they've got two options, and it's like, hey, we're trying one of these. We're going to do one of these. We're either going to do the golden at bat, or if you're down in the ninth inning, you can start your lineup wherever you want. You'd easily hit the start your lineup wherever you want. Yes.

I think that makes much more sense. And I think it's a little bit more fair to the opposing team or the opposing pitcher. I don't know why I'm thinking about pitchers. I know they're all against this, obviously. My friend Jack Clarity. What was his tweet? Can we not? Yeah, he tagged C.C. and Dexter Fowler, you know, basically baseball's

Aluminati. They're the guys that run the show now. And Jack was like, they are. Please don't. I was texting somebody about that. They were saying, like, oh, I hung out with Cici. I played golf with Cici. And I was like, dude, I said, look, C C C C's been so nice to me. And I, like, I'm so grateful on that. I was like, if you get C C C C's blessing, like, he's the godfather. Like, you're good. If baseball was Game of Thrones, like C C C C C C C C. would be like the heir to the throne. It's like, okay, that's our biggest, coolest guy? Like, yes.

I'm just in. I'm like, whatever I got to do, bro. I asked Evan Longoria. That's, you know, that's our guy. Hopefully he doesn't care about me sharing his text. He might. He might put me in a juke hold. Yeah.

I said, what do you think about the golden rule? First text, bullshit. Second text. It's hard enough to get a win, let alone having to try and pitch to that bleeping best player at the end of the game. So that's, that's, that's a, that's a, that's a hitter. That's a hitter.

I think a lot, I think a lot of guys feel that way. I mean, that was, like I said, on my socials, guys are speaking up, whether it's fans, whether it's players, most of them are saying, this is stupid, this is stupid. And like, I'm mostly on that side, but I can, again, I don't know what happened to my brain, Jay, but it started, my brain opened up, your heart opened up, my brain opened up and I I truly do think I think what it was is the warehouse games has opened my brain up a little bit we're trying to create entertainment and it and we've taken that from just a sport to like sports and entertainment I feel like baseball obviously at the professional level it's still just a sport and

let's go play that sport and the best man wins instead of trying to drum up you know the excitement or or dramatic you know scenarios I think at the game just does it itself which I still believe in that but I'm open to trying this at different level I don't think an affiliated ball just yet but again the Olympics I'd be interested in it WBC I'd be interested in it and then you know maybe we think differently there are a few rules that we've implemented I don't think all the stuff the Manfred has done has been great we'll probably get into that in a little bit but I don't I don't see this at the major league level and

I mean, anytime soon. And they really have to try it out somewhere. Treve, I was going to say kind of similar to what you were saying, but I felt like I was going to come off a little, well, I guess I come off a little dushy to people anyway, so I'll say it, but like, accurate. There's sports and entertainment are closer than we think. Like, you know, as someone who I'm an absolute sports junk.

I will now, like I, God, what game did I throw on last night? college basketball, North Carolina. Like, and again, I'm entertained by it. Like, that's what I like. I enjoy sports. Now, there's sports gambling. A lot of people, they watch a football game and it's on in the background, and they're just like, whatever,

you put $100 on the over, and you're a lot more locked into that game. Like, there's different ways. The Super Bowl is going to be coming up. Like, look at the whole spectacle that's turned into, because with Kendrick as the halftime show, that brings in a whole collection of people. So like sports are entertainment

That it's tricky because you don't want to get away from the purity of the sport While entertaining nice Jake This feels really close to the line Now it could be electric man like thinking Thinking about a closer coming into a game and you get to see that best player And that's where you started the convo And maybe that's where like if that's where the convo starts maybe it's like, okay, let's tap into that and figure out where this rule works.

Because maybe it's not every game and that's all the, like maybe it's bottom of the ninth and you're at home and you're down. And that's the only time this rule can come out. That, like maybe that's better. Like, it's not a part of every game. But when you're the home team and you can send up your best hitter again, that's kind of cool. So like maybe we don't need to overthink it. something like that could work. I'll tell you what, let's just go pros here.

Pros and cons. Let's start with the pros. Sure. The pros would be that, yeah, we'll get more dramatic scenarios. We'll get those at bats that we want. We'll get those showhays versus Mike Trouts. So, you know, we're going to get those big time marquee matches at the end of the game. I think that it's a pro. Right.

You know, people love those moments and we're creating more, like we'd create exponentially more of those moments. So I think that's a positive. Now you can say, yeah, well, let's keep with a pro. I mean. Okay. That's the only pro I really know. Okay. That's really it.

What other, I mean, that's all you need, though. That's kind of the whole thing. Right. I mean, you know, we could bullet point it more, but it's more entertainment. It's more baseball entertainment. Yes. Cons. Sure.

Sanctity of the game, purity of the game kind of is continuing to get thrown out window and that is what people they'll go back I told you the bigger basis the disengagement rule the pitch clock it was a slippery slope and we're sliding down the hill that's what they'll say so there is a little bit of that that's a con the other con is what you was saying and like yeah you you're gonna take away opportunities from lesser known players to kind of earn their stripes right and earn that you know connotation that they're great in clutch situations because you know if we go back to my time playing

I wouldn't get those abats right like it'd be Mao it'd be more no be Jim it'd be somebody like that I wouldn't get him and that would piss me off if I was on the team I'd like this is my fucking time to hit dude and I feel great and you're going to put up

this guy and maybe I don't even maybe I'm his teammate but I don't like him and he's taking my abat like that would so clubhouse friction Ooh. Could be a thing. You're gonna fight Jim Tomey if he takes here at bat, Trev?

No, I love Jim Tome. Yeah. I wouldn't. I like him, but there were guys I played with I didn't like. And his thighs are the size of your torso. No, but he, when I play with him, you were so slow, I could have got around. I could have got around. I, uh, yeah, you coulda.

That's my guy. I'm a headache. A crocodile, just run zigzags. He got it. Uh, Trev, I want to, I want to dive into this a little more. And, uh, while we got some rules, because there's, there's one rule I like a lot more that's close to what you were referencing, but different. Um, and dude, there's so many weird parts of this. Like, mentioned Bobby Witt grounds out. Does Bobby Witt get to hit again?

Bob, what if Bobby Witt hits a double? Do you put a runner out there and Bobby Witt gets it again? So let's, let's talk about all of that. Uh, with Vaya, need a break. from crowded stores and endless gift list. Restore your Zen and embrace the natural power of hemp this holiday season with VIA. VIIA is the only lifestyle hemp brand. They use compounds found in hemp along with active plant extracts to create products, each with a specific effect in mind. Their premium THCA flower helps us unwind after a long day of recording. Yep. While they're delta nine gummies, yep. Give me the perfect. boost of creativity when we're prepping for the next episode.

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Okay. Trev. So, well, let me jump to this and then we can do a final wrap up where there's some other tweaks and odds and ends we can think about. The rule that I think is the win that is kind of what this is aiming for, and it's a little bit of what you mentioned. And I've said this before on the show. I have no idea why not

for regular season extra innings we don't do pick your line like for me that is the biggest layup runaway like we've already done Ghostrunner and there are people that that still hurts their soul and I kind of get it man there's one or two games a year

you're like okay so my reliever did nothing wrong they got to run across on two outs and that's the end of the game that feels a little weird for me if in regular season extra innings, you got to pick your lineup. And for me, I even like being able to change it. So like, hey, if a young Trevor Plouf in the six hole

is three for four today, and they're bringing in a lefty reliever, you can be the third here. You can be the second hitter. Like, I'm open to creativity that way. But man, we laid this out before. Like, picture, if there's an extra inning game

now there's a lot of baseball junkies that listen to this and by the way it's Spotify rap season and everyone's posting their stuff so thank you guys you guys are the absolute best it's so cool to see so thank you make sure you subscribe to our YouTube and all that stuff but man if the Yankees and Mets went to extra

innings and it's like ooh all right the Yanks are going to send up Soto Judge and Stanton this inning. Like, okay. The Mets, they're going to send up Linder, Alonzo, and Vientos. I know, you know,

some moving parts there this offseason, maybe. Swaggy V. Isn't that, for me, we just made extra innings an instant click. Yeah. I like it. That's me and you being symbiotic right there.

That's, yeah, we just came together. Look at this. I use that word correctly. I don't hate it because we already zooed up. We zued extra innings. That's gone. And that was one of the rules I'd like that was what we're going to talk about.

Like we messed that up. There's a couple things. Like for all the good, the pitch clock has done, the stolen bases are kind of ridiculous. And you could add the three, I don't know why we have a three disengagement rule. I don't get that. I'm not super into that.

It really never comes into. play. There's a way, I think, around the pitch clock and, like, base stealing, you know, because guys now, it's not just, you know, oh, he's picked off twice, he can't pick off again. Obviously, when that comes into play, yes, that is advantageous for the base runner. But I don't know, like, being able to count down and see the clock where, when he's got to go to the plate or he's got to pick over, like, it's coming now. And most of the time, hey, he's going to the plate.

that's when you start to get that extra little timing on your run. Maybe we just say position the clock somewhere or maybe have the pitch clock only in the pitcher's ear or the umpire's ear. Maybe get rid of the pitch clock on the field somewhere where you can actually see it. Maybe that would change and bring stolen bases back a little bit. Because I think that's kind of, you know, we've game the system with that. That's kind of where I'm out on the pitchcloth. So there's something to do there. I like your idea about X-Ratings.

The Ghost Runner rule, I think on our show, we talked, let's give us two innings of regular baseball and then do the Ghost Runner or the Manfred runner. You can't call them that. That seems, did he do that? Am I tripping or did we just call it that? Or did he put that in? There's people that call it that.

I know, but is that the rule, though? Oh, like what it says in the manual? No way. People call it the man for runner. I know that. I mean, we called the ghost runner because that's just, you know, we grew up playing bald,

but. Yeah. Anyways. I think the, I think the rule book says automatic runner. Okay. Um, I think we're both in agreement that

having the ability to pick where you hit in, and certain pressure pack situations is appealing. Right. I don't know. know how anybody could vote against that. Like, that is appealing. Now, do we need to implement it in our sport? That's a whole different conversation.

I would say no. But if we get to a point where, you know, baseball's losing viewership, which I don't think it's trending that way this year. I think we're kind of headed the other way. Sometimes you've got to take drastic measures. Again, I think my final point on this would be, I'm intrigued by getting those matchups

more and more in baseball games or seeing the best pitchers face up against the best hitters. I'm intrigued in that. I think that could be good, but let's test it out not in an affiliated baseball. Let's test that out other places.

If you want to do it in the Atlantic League, great, do it in the Atlantic League. The bananas are probably already doing. Do it, like I said, do it in the Olympics. Like there are places that you can do this and maybe it gains favor. But to say that this is just going to automatically go to the minor leagues and then we'll see if it gets implemented into the big leagues,

I think is far-fetched, although to my knowledge, if Manfred proposed this rule and said, I got the owners behind it, we're going to do it. The Players Association could say no. Right. But that's only for one year. and then after that year that they say no, he could implement it anyway. I'm pretty sure that's the case.

That's in the CBA. So all this talk about players, what they think, it could not matter. Right. If Manfred on the way out, it's like, hey, man, let's just throw this in there. Bang, bang. I'm not saying that's going to happen, but it could. Well, and I'll tell you, MLB, and I do think rightfully so, because I hear what you're saying about some of the base thing.

But I think those as slight side effects of the new rules are what they are. And I think the current MLB front office, they feel pretty good about themselves making it. Like the banning the shift. It wouldn't change if we just took the clock off of the field of play and only the umpire catcher pitcher here or something like that. I think that's... Yeah, but then you've got pitchcom issues and the pitchers pitchcom one out. so he had no idea. Right?

So that's, I don't know. I've felt my devil's advocates start kicking him pretty hard on me. Sure, I get it. Maybe it's like, yeah. Hey, throw the pitch with three seconds, so the runner doesn't get a head start at zero. Like, I don't know.

Elon Musk can catch a rocket, but we can't have a Bluetooth setup, work 60 feet. Now we're talking. What are we doing with those pitchconc thing? Who's, can we get somebody that can actually develop technology that works. I mean, this is simple stuff. Is it even called technology anymore if it's just

like a Bluetooth? Great question. That's a great question. Thank you. Is it even called technology? I don't know. Is a calculator technology? I'm sure it was at one point. T-I-83 plus, right? I had a T-89, big dog. Whoa. Yeah. Thick daddy. Yeah, I don't know. I'm there's something to be done. Like I said, I like the extra inning one. Hey, if you guys have something, comment, we'll check them out. The only other rule that's really on my mind that I'm all in on

and I don't really know how to do it, I want to ban outfield shifts, man. I want athletic outfielders who play great defense, who make defensive highlights. I want doubles, man. Doubles are electric. And I get guys are trying to hit homers, but dude, there's so many. And I bet every fan base has their one like, so Yankee Stadium has a short right field, right?

So notoriously. So there's a lot of guys that hit a line drive to right field and it either hits the wall and it's thrown back in quickly and it's a single. Or, dude, there's just so many balls where how many outfields play, on the warning track that those balls used to get down for doubles, and now they said, well, we're just going to put an outfielder out there, and we'll catch it and it's an out. I feel like there's so many balls that we have gotten so used to outfielders

being at the warning track and catching easily, that those used to be doubles, which are one of the most exciting plays in the sport that I... Those would be the two. I'd say, hey, extra innings, let's try bringing up a good point. part of the lineup and I would ban the outfield shifts. It sounds crazy. I mean,

I like it because we want to see our athletes make athletic plays, not just standing there. We've talked about that at the time. I don't want to sound like the back in my day guys, because I believe this is actually before my day. So I'm going back predating my day, back in those guys' day. Right.

Where you still tried to position yourself correctly. but you didn't really have the death. Right. Like you're like, he usually hits the ball over here or this guy's a big bopper, so let's take a few steps back. That's when the game, I think, was at its best. Trev, the comparison that I think is a lot more relatable to us who maybe didn't make it to minor league,

major league baseball is like, if you were playing high school ball and a kid turned on a fastball foul, it was like, okay, shit, he's early on it. She's like, that was kind of what they used to do. Coming your way. Yeah. You're right.

There's more, there's a little bit of fun in that. That's, that was one of the game was at his best. Yeah, what's this guy throw? I mean, his fastball gets on you,

bro. We're old heads. We're washed. But now the data has come and we can't go backwards. So, like, we have the data. Like,

like, too much. Way too much. And I agree with you. I mean, that's why we banned the infield shift. oh, we want to see these guys make plays. Yeah, we want to see the outfielders make plays, too.

I could get behind that. Of course, you'll have the pitchers who are against that, but, um, yeah, the no paper in baseball is the start. Like, you shouldn't have like a little key. And that's Jimmy and Dusty Baker, reminder for everyone. Together, yeah. Or no, that wasn't Dusty.

Was it Rod? It's one of the legends who mixes it up on Twitter. I think it might be Rod. I think it is Rod Carew, because he's just an absolute stud. but we've come so far there's like it we that's never going to happen again because we have so much data out there i mean back in those guys days they really had it good didn't they god we all big old big they i mean think about the days when they had they didn't know where the heat zone was when you're a hitter they just guessed the

position they had a big old skull like circle thing in their back pocket well that's I think it was Bruce Bochy that when analytics was going nuts, it was like, you know, we've always had analytics. We used to call him stat. So like they had information, but it's funny there used to be a scouting side to baseball that was blind. It was like, you know, that guy's good at taking the ball the other way. And then, you know, that could have been the two games he played against you

in every other series. He was the biggest pull guy that I don't know. I'm glad we've advanced and we have more stats. But dude, the other thing that just, just got my old old man gear itching a little bit like dude some of the infield shifts by the end of this year like i don't know if you saw like some of the short stops some of the short stops on the pitch would hop over to second base to like so it's teams teams are always trying to like trick the rules trying to find these loopholes it is being behind the scenes on some of these games and just

going down there and seeing like they have there's people there like you know game strategists is kind of what they call them now and like that's all they do that's their job is to think of ways to kind of game the system so we've gotten past let the boys go out there play the best team's going to win no it's not that way anymore like it truly truly is full organizational baseball. Organization versus organization. And that might make you want to throw up depending on who you are. Some

people love it. It becomes like a whole different type of game. And it really has. Our game has changed a lot, man. If you go back, what, 10 years it's changed a ton. Go back 20 years and it's almost completely different.

Makes me want to grab a Mountain Dew. And it might be a Mountain Dew code red, especially about to talk about the team in Boston that made a nice little free agent move. Get off your ass. This winter, all summer, whenever it doesn't matter. Grab a refreshing mountain dew with that citrus kick and bold flavors. It'll have you feeling like you're on top of an actual mountain.

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Grab your friends, grab an ice cold mountain dew wherever refreshing beverages are sold and do the do. All right, Trev. Let's talk a little ball. Because that's, I mean, we just did, but let's talk. This is the segue. Let's talk about the Jimmy's and the Jones. Okay, yeah, yeah.

Get your analytics out of here. I need dudes. And this guy, Joe's McFly has been saying he's a Hall of Famer the past couple days, interested. He has a lot. He said that a lot, hasn't he? Maybe that's just because he has a cell phone number. Eraldus Chapman. The Cuban Miss.

Nobody's ever thrown the pill like this guy. He signs with the Boston Red Sox for one year a little over 10 million, 10.75. That's so funny. Me saying a little over 10 million. That's another 750K. Jesus. That the Red Sox,

who have been one of your teams of this offseason, Trev, There's been a lot of rumor mill with them that they're in the mix for Soto. Are they going to make the big splash this year? And Eraldus Chapman, he ended up saving 14 games last year, was doing some setup. His numbers were still Eraldus Chapman-ish, and he still, his average sinker was the hardest thrown by a lefty last year. So even though he's 37 now, he's going over to Boston. that should spark some good Yankees Red Sox stuff this year.

What are your thoughts on? I love it. This was the guy I was talking to Derek Falvey last year with the twins. I had two guys. I said, these are the guys you need to bring over for this team. One of them was Nathan Evaldi. I thought the Rangers might trade and they end up keeping him. But the other one was the Rolls Chabin.

I said, go get this guy. We need somebody that's scary out of the back in the bullpen. We like the twins you know where rock Stewart was out uh yawn duran was doing his thing griffin jacks was back there but we needed like a lefty a guy that could get lefties out and like there's nobody's scarier in the game right now i mean there's guys that are better but only anybody that's scarier than are all the shatman for our left so um i i understand there's some flaws that come along with him but most of those are like command related.

Yes. Like the stuff is, the stuff is still there. So if there is a way that you get a hold of all this early, like they have, and maybe get them down to Fort Myers there for the Red Sox spring training and work out some mechanical kinks and get him right.

I mean, there is, is there a doubt in anybody's mind that we could see him actually just mowing down hitters for a 20-game span. Like, D has that potential easily. And, you know, the Red Sox are looking for

back end of the bullpen help. We know that Liam Hendricks will be back there. But they're losing, who are they losing? Kenley, Chris Martin. Yeah.

Like, guys at the back end of their bullpen, which was not great. I mean, I think they led the league in blown saves last year, if I remember correctly, at least the American League they did.

They're looking for guys. And then all this happened on a one-year deal. Ain't so bad, man. I like the move. I think there's more moves coming for the Red Sox. I am one of those people who think they're going to go all out. Maybe it's because I just watched that documentary on them.

But the simulation works in weird ways sometimes. When they're pushing that Red Sox team out there, it's a perfect time for their front office to go out and spend some money. Do they need Juan Soto? I don't know. Yeah. I mean, their offense was pretty good last year. They need starting pitching and they need bullpen help.

And Aroldus is kind of the start of that. I think their bullpen can be in good shape, depending on what they do with their starting pitchers. If they go out and get a few of these guys, and we talked about trading for like a Luis Castillo, but there's free agents as well. If they go out and get a max freed or they go out and get, you know, any of these guys,

does that bump like a Cutter Crawford into a reliever's role? Like, you know, there's things that they can do where, you know, if they sign two or three guys, they shuffle things around. I think the Red Sox have, if they make moves, have so much potential for 2025. I'm in on them early. And this is a great start to an off-season. Yeah, the Red Sox bullpen, and this is speaking from a Yankees fan perspective,

I know they tweaked it last year, but there was a few years there. It was kind of like, it felt like they were missing it. like guys, like, bullpins become a huge part of the game. And there was, you mentioned scary with the twins. There wasn't a person in the Red Sox bullpen. You're like, oh, crap. Like they're coming in. It's over.

Here we go. And man, Liam Hendrickson are all this Chapman. If they can get, keep those bodies good to go into the season, I mean, that's like a 2019 video game bullpen. And these guys still have juice. Like Chapman, it is weird. the scale we hold him to, man, because my God, like, he struck out 98 guys in 61 innings last. Like, he's still, it's never been, it's never been about arm talent. Yes. It's the command.

And, hey, like, going back, there was some off-the-field stuff that if you're a person that's never going to be able to wrap your head around that, that's fine. Like, that's okay. Um, it is, it is a while back now and he's you know he's 37 like he's uh he's he's a he's a full blown man now that um i'm interested to see how how boston reacts to him fenway's a scary place to be letting batters on base um so chapman's his whip has always been a little higher but he normally strikes out the next three guys that that'll be interesting to watch um but yeah if him and hendricks on the back end i mean that's a potential eight, nine, that the game can end really quickly.

So, and you're right, man, Boston, it's what we've talked about. They have a ton of pieces that if they, if they make some chips in moves, whether via free agency or a big trade, that it could be the first offseason in a while that they really have a chance to come into the season, like with us being like, hey, the Boston Red Sox,

huh, kid? It's, it's, they've just, you have to have guys come up, young guys come up and prove themselves at the big league level. And they did that. Their entire outfield essentially came up and it's like, okay, this is our outfield.

And we're paying them league minimum. And there's some prospects here that now we can either look to trade those guys or these guys, whether it doesn't matter. Like we have these three guys. Talking about like a Brayu, Raphaela, and Duran. like these guys are legit major league baseball players right and they're making league minimum so we can go out and spend some money on areas of need instead of having to go out and address those

areas in free agency like we can those are set we can draw from our prospect capital we can save the money that we're saving on those guys um because they're only making the league minimum we can put in other places like they are they are ready to go man i really feel like they are a team that again just like a little bit of fuel to the fire man they could really take take off. So I'm very excited for them. And I do think they are in on Juan Soto.

Trev, I know this doesn't hit a chord with you, but I think, like, they have a video game offseason gone. Like, they can go so many different ways. Like, dude, I saw a rumor, I think it was from Jim Bowden at the athletic, America's GM, Jim Bowden. Yep. That they were like,

hey, you know, Yoshita's kind of a weird fit for them right now, because he's kind of of a DH, but he can hit a little bit and all the lefties in Boston. There was, there was a talk of a Yoshida for Jordan Montgomery in Arizona. And it's like, okay, so the snakes could save some money, refill their DH spot with Yoshida. They want to get rid of him. Their owner has said it.

Like, they have so many different ways they can go about it, that they are one of the fun things, one of the fun teams to track this offseason. and hey, I'm obviously interested to see every team's next moves. But I have a ton of Red Sox fans, friends from growing up in Connecticut. And one of them last night was like, hey, we're spending 10 mil on Chapman. Like, you think we're done spending? Like, if they're willing to invest that into the bullpen, Boston fans are thinking that they're willing to invest in their front office has kind of said that

when they have the previous years. have to, dude. If they don't go and sign some big... Are they a Corbyn Burns team? They seem that Corbyn's a great fit for them. If they don't go out and sign a big time free agent or make a big time trade, I think that as a Boston Red Sox fan,

you have to be absolutely livid. Because they are in a prime, not too many organizations get in this position. Like I said, you have young, cheap, controllable players contributing at the big level. you have a farm system to draw from and your payroll allows you to go and spend money.

It's the trifecta, man. They're there. They're there. Another team that kind of fits the bill, your 2023 World Series champion, Texas Rangers, signed Kyle Higeshioca, another former Yankee great

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Higigashioca, who had the argument, him and Darno is probably the top two catchers in free agency. They both get two-year deals. Higgy gets a little more coin, 13 and a half mill. And I think what's interesting, a guy that we talked about a lot when Texas was having a good time, Jonah Heim, was there. He had a tough year and he had a wrist injury. and you're going to use two catchers anyways that the Rangers bring in Higgy.

What's this one do for you? I like it. I guess I say that when a team signs anyone. I like that they're trying to improve your team, but specifically with the catcher position, you're right. You do nobody besides who, like Sal Perez and who else catches that many games?

Is it just Sal Perez? I was going to say, I think Cal Raleigh. I think big dumper caught a ton. But does he DH too? I know Sal played some first base and other stuff as well, but in my mind, I go back to him and he catches all the time.

Anyways, this is nothing to do with what I'm talking about. You need two catchers, essentially. And if you can bring a guy like Higigan who has some framing stuff where he's considered one of the better ones in the league and provides you some pop,

I mean, that's a hell of a backup catcher, a guy that you wouldn't mind starting. So now essentially you have two guys who, you know, that's a position when we talk about it quite often on this show where if you have an offensive-minded catcher, you know, you have the advantage over most teams because that just doesn't happen. So you have when you're able to, most teams have kind of an offensive minded catcher and then a complete like defensive-minded catcher that's the backup. That's kind of how things go. But I think teams understand, hey, we'll take offense anywhere we can get it. And if we

don't have to sacrifice defense too badly. Like, let's go, let's go make sure that when Jonah's not out there, we got Higgy and he can hit. And vice versa. Like, this is, I think, now going to be a spot where the Rangers have the advantage over other teams because they have two guys that have shown that they can produce offensively at the big league level as well as defensively. So I like it, man. It's having two good catchers is like a nice.

It's like a bonus, essentially. And the thing about getting a catcher like Higgis doesn't cost so much money, man. Yeah, and I'm, we, we were lucky enough to interview Higgy some early talking Yanks days. Awesome dude, very cerebral kind of quiet processing. The joke that it makes me laugh to this day is, you know, we're, me and Jimmy trying to figure out how to do interviews on the fly. Yeah, yeah. And, you know, we talk for 30. minutes and I was like, oh, you know, Higgie, you got anything else you want to talk about?

And he's like, no, I'm not really a big talker. And we're like, okay, this is a podcast, but that's fine. He is free swinging, Trev. The OBP is going down, but the power numbers are going up. He had a 476 slug last year, 17 homers in 84 games. The power's real. it was another one of my running jokes with Higgy as a Yankee was that if the Yankees had a team home run derby that he would sneaky finish top five, which at times that was a big

ass because it was Judge Stanton, you know, a couple other big bodies on there. But Higgies power is very real. And San Diego saw that with 17 homers in 84 games. He's one of the best pitch framers in the game. The OBP gets a little scary. The pop time isn't is an elite. but for who he is as a baseball player and he's kind of in that sweet spot

those middle 30 catchers that stay around long enough that know enough about the game that we've seen a lot of guys make that like a sweet spot to their career if you can handle the staff handle the pitching staff correctly do a few things good defense

I know Higgy you know suffered like some pass ball stuff last year but you mentioned the framing is good pop time probably needs some work but if you can pass defensively as a big league catcher and you can offer anything offensively you're gonna play pro long that is the bottom line

yeah so I like it for them yeah Rangers are the the forgotten team in baseball right now not by me man for me yes I didn't think about them once last year I did not dude because they never gave us

a reason to think about them Jake they never got going they were in a horse racing isn't there's are there some horses they just like they they never really get out of the stall go on give us more of your horse racing I don't know I kind of am an officiant I went to one horse race but they never did anything there was never a time where I was oh the rangers are a threat never not one I was trying to I was trying to get them to trade Nathan yovalli to my twins who didn't even make the freaking playoffs. It's funny. Dude, the Rangers are going to be a part of this. The guys who currently left their roster,

Avaldi, Heaney, Scherzer, in the bullpen, Yates, Robertson, Chafin LeClerc, a couple other bodies in there, but it's just like, this is a team that has Jacob de Grom coming back next year. This team has Tyler Molly is coming back. They have some young players.

They still pay Simeon and Seeger a ton of money. Adolese, Lankford, Evan Carter, remember when he was baseball's next guaranteed star and he went missing for a year? So like, the Rangers are going to be involved in this offseason. Them and the Red Sox have been my two, like, giants lurking in the grass that I think you're going to see them do a lot. We'll see. We will see. Jose the Clerk, not going to be a ranger, man, for the first time in his career. Okay. 2016 through 2004.

Kind of crazy, right? Got some swing and miss stuff. That's for sure. And another thing you'd like about Higgy that I don't know if you know. Tempton Beach Callie guy. Yeah, he shreds on the guitar. And he shreds.

Dude, he got Travis Barker or no. It was the long game of guitar. That was pretty casual. It was the most. Yeah, no, it's awesome. Most excitement Higgies ever shown. getting that guitar, not the three postseason homers he hit.

Awesome dude. Hey, I think we can call it. We're at 57 minutes. Yeah. So, all right. All right. Thanks for tuning in, everyone. We took some voicemails.

Maybe we'll say them for next step. Maybe the offseason's about to start rolling. Trev, next time we talk, winter meetings are on. What do you think they drink there at the winter meetings? Is it wine? Uh, I like to think every executive has their, like, signature, that they try to, like, leave a mark. I go non-alcoholic drinks the entire time, just get everyone else boozed up. And I'm like, hey, you want to make that trade?

Yes, yes.