Talkin' Baseball (MLB Podcast) - Mookie Betts is the Dodgers Shortstop & Noelvi Marte Suspended for PEDs | 801

Episode Date: March 11, 2024

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Hello and welcome to Talking Baseball. Two of the big ones. We got PEDs, and we got a couple shortstop situation, and a couple weeks from baseball. Let's do it. Players owner. Players only. Hey, yo.

Hello and welcome to Talking Baseball, presenting you by Seat Geek. Make sure you download the app. Use Code Talking $20 off your first purchase. You could go see Mooki Betts play short. shortstop. You cannot go see Noelvi-Marté for a little bit. Wow. And CINCY.

Uh, you might be able to see Joey Vado in the Great North. And you might be able to see Brian Beyo twirling the pill in Boston for the next little bit. Download the Seek app, number one rated ticketing app, 70,000 events. And with Code Talk and you'll get $20 off your first purchase. Coach Trev, Bebes, uh, Jamalow. A little spring training action.

Big weekend, some family stuff he's dealing with. He's good. He's good. He'll be back. Trev, you're back out west. How are you? I'm doing great, Poppy. Shout out to James.

Miss you, bud. This is going to be an interesting show for us because prior to the show, Jake, everyone was mad at me, or is mad at me. So we're going to see how we can get through that on this show. Is it going to be a testament to our friendship, I think, right here? How this episode plays out. I think, I think we can get through it, man. See, disagree.

Our friendship's been ruined, but we're professionals. That's not true. We're doing a show. We're doing a show. So that's, you know, when we're on the field, it's A. Rod Jeter, you know. No, it's not. Who's A-Rod?

I think Treve and Jake really hate each other. What's this guy? What are these guys' deals? I just can't stand up. I think I'm more like Rayrod than I'll ever admit. Oh, now we're talking. We'll get into that. I think so.

We're going to empty out our darkest thoughts later in the program. And we'll get there. We'll get there. But I think first, Treve, is it drugs or is it a super team? Our international kind of, I don't know, baseball is shiny diamond right now. The Dodgers, they're mooky bets.

Can he play baseball? He's the shortstop or Noelvie Marte in the 80-game PED suspension, which, you know, there's a lot of layers to that between obviously my Reds, but, you know, just kind of that ripple effect that it always leaves. Like what's next for him? Like what's going on, you know, do ballplayers hate him? forever. We just mentioned Rod a little bit. So you,

you, Chris Rose, and Dan Rourke in person had an electric baseball today. So I've gotten a little bit of your thoughts on both. But which way do you want to head first? You said a lot of sentences right there that didn't really follow. I think we're starting with Mookie and the transfer over to shortstop.

This is, we've kind of, we've been talking about this a lot during the off season. Mookie Betts being this insane athlete, that's able to play anywhere on the baseball field at a high level. We know the bats there. We know he can play outfield. We know he was a middle infielder, you know,

because everyone's a middle infielder when they get drafted. But to go, what, I mean, how many years was he an outfielder? Eight, nine, full-time outfield? Yeah. Moving to second base already had us shocked, but he did it so easily and so seamlessly that, you know, I feel like people's respect level for Mookie Betts has only gone. up as he's gotten older.

Like this guy continues to reach into his bag of tricks and entertain us. So second base is crazy. We're like, dude, this is, the Dodgers just have this ability to move him wherever they need a piece, and it's a cheat code for them.

Gavin Nux comes in. Now, I watched a lot of balls. Gavin has been fielding in spring training, and he's kind of had this issue before throwing, doesn't have the strongest arm, coming off an ACL injury. the feet, the legs just weren't there

early on in spring training. I mean, it just, he never got set. He never was moving towards the base. Every time I saw him feel the ground ball, the motion stopped and then started again. There was just so many things mechanically wrong that at first I chalked it up to it's spring training.

You're just getting your feet under you again. You got cleats on. Things like, you know, take a little bit of time. But the Dodgers must have seen something, or seen enough on the backfields as well to say, this is just, let's nip it in the bud right now.

And I think I respect that move from the Dodgers. I think that's why, well, Mookie's so valuable and why the Dodgers are so good at what they do. Like, they're making decisions here. They didn't let this thing linger on into this season. Because if they did, if Gavin Lux goes and starts a season and just gets blown up at short stuff,

and just looks like horrible, That really, really crushes the confidence. Not that this doesn't, but it's on a different stage when you start the regular season and you got those numbers and the highlights and all that stuff. Doing it in spring training, I think, is great for his mental capacity, and it gives him some time to get back into the second base mode. So this whole thing has just been, I think the Dodgers have done a good job. They've said all the right things before.

Gavinucks are shortstop. You've got to have instillers. as much confidence into this guy as possible coming off a year where he didn't play any baseball. But then they were smart to quickly transition and put Mookie over there, give Gavin some time. He's been by metrics, a good second baseman. Some Dodger fans have reached out and said,

he's not great over there either. But if throwing's the issue, if throwing's the issue, second base is a spot for you. Throws are easier. They're shorter. You have more time. All those things.

Shortstop, you don't have time to make any missteps. Like, if you make a misstep, people are safe. Second base, you can double clutch. You can, you know, miss the grip on a ball and re-grip and do all these things. You still have time to do it. So I think it'll end up being a good thing. And I did say this on baseball today. I think I'm not taking anything away from Mookie, like ever, because he's the best.

I think, In the game today, if you have lateral ability like Mookie does, and you have the range, I think shortstop's easier to play than second base. If you're just coming into it new. The hardest thing is the amount of range you have to have in the arm. Mookie has those things in spades. So everything else, now you're just working one way. Because at first I was like, is Mookie going to be able to handle shortstop?

and I started thinking about it it's like yeah he will like everything's going one way it's easier just to go over to first base second base you're moving away from the bag to turn to play you're doing all these different assignments on bunt coverages and whatever it is

I think this is gonna be really really good for the Dodgers in a long run I just said a lot right there without letting you talk but like it's this is a really important move and I'm glad that they did it now I think that's my biggest point here is doing it in spring training is great.

I'm glad they made the decision like that. Trev, I want to start, I want to do a little bit on Lux. And I like what you said about the Dodgers. Like to just get in front of it. And like, man, I, again, we relate back to the Yanks because it's the team we follow the closest, but they love to be ambiguous. Like, they don't want to let the outside in.

It's old school like Patriots sometimes. Like, why even give the other team the information? because sometimes your team knowing, like in having the media know and having everyone know, that's more important than trying to play it cool and all that. So the fact they did go out and get it, and they're attacking it a little earlier because they are playing in that Korea game.

So, you know, they're nine days out from playing a game that counts as part of their regular season. So they went out and they did that. The Gavin Luck side of this. Shortstop's really hard. Shortstop's really hard. There's the amount of guys that can play that position well defensively and hit at a plus major league level.

I normally compare it to quarterbacks. It blows your mind that there's, in the amount of people that we're having compete to do this in the world, there's only X amount of guys in a given year that can do it at a high. competitive level. So there's no shots fired at Gavin Luxe here. Again, final Yankees twist.

Glaber Torres, man. Glaber, they tried to make him a shortstop. He came up as a shortstop, like a lot of ball players. Not mooky bets, really, which is the crazy part. And, man, his offensive numbers were down when he was playing shortstop. He was a lesser defensive player at shortstop. That for Gavin Lux, hey, man, let's get you on the, field, 26 years old, you're coming off a, you know, a tough baseball injury, Achilles, like just

a weird one, you don't see a lot. It shouldn't affect your baseball game, but go out there and try to replicate what you can from your 2022 season, because the other thing is that season isn't gangbusters. Like, it's a nice season. It's 276, 346, 745, a 109 OPS Plus. And I think when you're talking about Gavin Lux's the top prospect, and things like that. Like I was just saying,

if you can get that and a little more out of your shortstop, that's a ball player. That's a plus plus ball player. So if you're Gavin Lux, that's in the back of your head a little bit, like when you're thinking about your career. But let's get you back on the field.

Let's get you balling out for this Dodgers team and we can figure out the rest later. Mookie, man. If he does this, Trev, if he just does this clean, he goes to like inner circle, Hall of Famer for me. Because it's nuts, dude.

Because what you did say about shortstop is right, and I love that you said it, because, you know, I'm a little guy. I'm like 5-11, 190, something like that. That for a lot of my... Give or take. Give or take. For a lot of my baseball short kings, second base is the short king position. Look what Altuve's doing, who's, you know, probably closer to my stats than I just

listed as my fake, my baseball reference height and weight. I hated second base, dude. The angles of the game are all off. They're all off. It's not an easy position to play. The throwing is easier. But dude, you feel like you're facing the wrong way. If you're like a true baseball guy, everything's off.

So that's like my worst short guy baseball take. If Mookie does this clean, because he also, he had 12. starts there last year. He played under 100 innings. Short stops a grind, man. And this is why I've, if Mookie does this clean, whatever, dude, he's that guy. Maybe it's why we love the A-Rod big poppy quotes about Mookie so much. We see him bowling. We see him playing like his football highlights that, you know, you start dreaming of Mookie bets in the slot. I don't see anyone guard in that guy. If he does this clean, Trev, I don't know, man. It's just, it's looney tunes.

You're not supposed to be able to do this, especially at 31. You know, I think his last time getting a little bit of shortstop in the minors was like 2013, 2014. It's 2024. Like, what are we doing? And that's where, in this season for the Dodgers, that there's, you know, we just handed out over a billy. Over a billy. I'm interested to see the next part. because Mookiee Betz had a resurgent year last year.

And I don't want to be talking about, you know, Mookie Betz is having a lesser year because he's playing shortstop. And, you know, they still have Miggie Rowe. And I know Chris Rosie was getting passionate about it. Shortstop is different. That if you can turn around and that guy behind you is going to make the plays, sometimes that's a lot more valuable than whatever OPS you're getting out of them.

So I don't know, man. If he does this clean, like I'm, If I'm making an all-time nine, I think Mookie's got to be in it. Don't know where, but he's on there. First of all, Mookieie is baseball subomp pages. Just bleeding. It's bleeding.

It's disgusting. Although, I thought the sprint speed's 47% out. Which I didn't. That was a conversation at the start of last year. It was like, wait, Mookie's not like a speed guy anymore, which isn't necessarily a direct correlation with range, But yeah, it definitely helps. All right.

So we talked about Mookie and all this going right. What if it goes horribly wrong? I think that's an interesting conversation to have. Because I just said short-ups easier than second base if you have the range and the arm. What if Mookie doesn't have the range? What if the angles are bad? What if he's out there and he brings his defense,

if it's poor, to his offense? Like there are things that can happen. could wear on you mentally. Shortstop is a I'm going to get so off track here. They're him and Dancy Swanson sat down for a talk. On base with Mookiee Betts. He has a podcast. They sat down and talked about it

a ad for them. And they were just talking about Danzby was talking about like the prestige of being a shortstop and like what it means. Like is everyone, we always say that on the show. Everyone's a shortstop. It's a short stop. Everybody's a shortstop.

shortstop. It's the pinnacle position defensively on the field. More so than center field, more so than catcher, more so than pitcher. Shortstop is the defensive position. So it means a lot to these guys to be able to do it. Now, Mookie's

stepping in. What happens if it goes wrong? Let's just say this, because I got to add another wrinkle in this, because the easy answer is move back to second base and bring Miggy Row or maybe even Kiki starts there, or they acquire Willie Domas, whatever it is.

Let's just say Gavin Lux is flourishing at second base. Handling it great defense is there, banging the ball around the yard, and Mookie's struggling at short stuff. Then what happened? I think we need to talk about. What do you think in that situation, Lux is going off and Mookie is like,

the defense isn't there. He's still hitting, but the defense isn't there. What do you think the plan is then? Well, if that scenario is playing out and Lux looks great, I'd be- Can be outfield? I'd be interested to switch again. And like I, this is part of the luxury of the Dodgers, right?

Like, say-Lux comes back and he's building up his legs again. He looks good. Mookie looks weird. Switch back, right? Like, if you're going through the articles and Mookie made the call and he's like, you know, trying to be good guy, teammate Mookie Betts, and he said, hey, we're still up the middle. Like, that was the plan.

Like, don't let this part get into our heads. Mookie should live up to that the other way. And if you go back to that and, hey, say, Lux is finding it. And that's cool. And if we're being honest, I think they're probably going to platoon Lux a lot this year. He's got a 587 career OPS versus lefties. And you have Miguel Rojas, who can still go and get it at shortstop. So you probably start him versus lefties.

You have him as a defensive sub or you have him as, you know, get the starts first lefty. Let's see how this team feels. And it's going to be one of the storylines of the season because I think they wanted Willie Adomas. I was trying to read the tea leaves on that early. When we thought the brewers were going to hard sell off this whole team, then they didn't.

And it was like, okay. And then they did. They traded Burns. But the brewers treat themselves as one of the more elite organizations. And in a way, they've deserved that credit. Like the Central has somewhat gone through Milwaukee. the past handful of years. I think they held on to Willie Adomis

because they wanted him to show Cherio, their super prospect, the ropes of being a young Latin ball player, which we'll talk about in a second when we get to our guy, Noel V. Marte Trep. That's why we're different. That's how we bring it all together. And then you've got a real situation

if Lux doesn't click it short again. Because you got a lot of bodies on this, team, man. And I think if you're reading the room, Mookie ain't going anywhere. I still got a lot of positions that guy can work at. You've got a lot of bodies in the outfield that you like. That, yeah, it would become decision time pretty quickly. And even if it gets to that point, what's the decision, dude? Trade 26-year-old Gavin Lux, who could still be a plus-plus player.

for a baseball team and what? The Dodgers go out and get probably another really good starting pitcher or something. This is going to solve itself, and this is probably the perfect team for it, because you know Dave Roberts' personality. You know this whole team, like when we rolled up to their backfield at spring training a couple years ago, it was kind of like, what's up, dudes? Justin, like, you guys are cool with us because we're cool with us. Like we know we have World Series expectation.

We all know that we're dudes. Like if you guys want to talk some junk on your little podcast, that's fine. But you're probably not because we're going to win 150 games. I'll never forget that spring training we went there because, you know, I've been a part of a lot of spring trainings. The vibe was never like that. That wasn't. That didn't feel like twins can.

No, the vibe was like, what's up? Yeah. Fucking look at us. Yeah. Come out. Like we're hitting Beachy. come come on the field. It was a car show.

It was like one of those weekend antique car shows. Like, look at this one. This one's fucking Max Muncie. Yeah, this one's Max. We actually just picked up. That's a good point. That's a good point. About Max Muncie.

Not known for his defensive prowess at their base. True. But like that left side of the infield, like they got to get defense from somewhere. I'm very curious to see how this plays out. But I think the general, my general take on it is Mookie is otherworldly and he'll probably be excellent at shortstop, give him some time

like there might be some hiccups here and there like you know, it's not always going to be pretty it's a very difficult position but he'll figure it out and then it's up to gab him man like honestly congratulations by the way he's got engaged so happy time in his life

it's up to Gavin like this is probably the year for him dude like you gotta put some shit up like you got to put the numbers up eventually at the biggie level you can't rely on prospect status and, you know, like hopes and dreams. Like, you got to go produce.

It's a results-oriented business, and eventually you've got to put up the results. We challenged Austin Riley to this four years ago. And he said, you guys are idiots. Yeah. I'm the best their basement of baseball. So, I mean, it's, I think this is, if Gavin goes out and doesn't have a great year this year, I don't know what the plans are for him in the future with the Dodgers. And I don't know, I don't think that's like a, a rough take or like shots fired.

I think he understands that. I mean, you just said it. Like they're not, the stats aren't like jump off the page. Great. And let's see. When is he arb eligible? First year, this year. This is first year.

Start making some money, bro. I know the Dodgers have money, but like they also are like, hey, we're spending a lot of money here. If we can save a little here and you're not performing, they'll do it. So this year's paramount for Gavin. And that's, uh, yeah, man, that's, if, if I'm Gavin Lux, like you said with shortstop, there's something to that. Like there, there's always been something of shortstop. And it's, it's a weird thing.

And maybe it's, maybe it is dumb baseball guy stuff. Maybe it is just from everyone playing on a team up and through like double A, kind of the best dude is that shortstop that maybe guys just need to try to get out of their head. but you don't. And that is kind of for life. So I don't know. If I'm Gavin Lux, I say I would try to take it as much of a blessing as I can.

Like, hey, that's one less thing to worry about for now. Why don't I just go out there and hit and everything else is going to take care of itself? And he's a good dude. We met Lux a couple times like, I don't know. It'll be interesting to see how the Dodgers injury sort out this year. Because if an outfielder goes down. Oh, you know, are there going to be eyes on Mookie? Their bench is veteran.

It's Kiki and Chris Taylor, who they can play everywhere. So, like, I don't know, man. The Dodgers will spin this into a good problem. But I don't know. It's, I think it's one of the bigger storylines. It's continued this off season. It's going to continue into the season. Like, if the Brewers start limping,

Willie Adamas, if your team starts limping, you know. You've been on that train for so long. It just, if you're going to invest in everything else. It makes so much sense for them because he's a free agent at the end of the year. I believe he's not another year, is there? Gavin Lux and a Brewer's Uni? Yeah, this is Willie's last year of his contract. It makes so much sense for the doctors.

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Neutrefall. What do you got, Gavin Lux? Yeah. Kenosha, Wisconsin? I mean, it's only a stone's throw from Milwaukee. Why are we saying this? I know.

It's fucking. Gab. I hope at the end of the year, talking about Gavin Lux's this guy was born in 97 though crazy Bebes same

Brewers Dodgers Infield BBD and Gavin Lux I think I'm having a midlife crisis I'll let him play short Now we're talking I think I am not like a real I am too a little bit

When I see my children Right It's freaking me out man Yeah they're not like babies They've got opinions now Trow I remember being that age. Right. Teddy can outthink me. Dude, he, he's, oh man. Oh, boy. I mean, I, so that's, that's it. I started looking at these kids. I'm like, dude, how old am I really? 37 years old,

turning 38 in a couple months. Like, how many years that really got left to me? Okay. I keep saying I'm going to live to 115. Let's close the show with this. Let's do, uh, I'm sorry. I just, I started thinking, man. Oh, man. Okay. I'm there every night. Noel V. Marte, again, maybe this topic should be called life decisions. Noelvi Marte, super prospect for my Cincinnati Reds, gets popped. 80 games suspension. I think he's eligible to come back June 26th or something like that for Cincinnati.

If you guys have been listening to the TPPs, thank you guys and go check them out. you know the Reds kind of have won over my soul because I just can't believe how many young ballplayers hit on their team last year. And this guy was one of them. It was more of a limited sample size. It was 30 plus games. But, you know, I think it was a 120 OPS plus.

And a team filled of talented infielders. This guy was kind of getting slated in to become the third baseman, take over. And if you were believing in the Reds this season, and there was a chance this was one of the young guys you were believing in, and he's going to be out for at least half the season, and we'll see what their roster looks like. I'm fascinated.

I always wonder with these kind of things, you know, what did the team know and when? Because this is a team we've talked about trading Jonathan India, and they didn't. This is a team we've talked about their depth, and are they going to cash in for some more pitching or something like that, and that never happened. So how long did they know?

that this could potentially be in the pipeline. And there's just the whole young ballplayer side of it, young Dominican ball player side of it, Trev, that, you know, I know you're passionate about for a lot of different reasons. So where do you want to go with this? First of all, what is you doing, baby? Like, what are we doing here?

Like, what are you doing here? Like, Marte, you got the world by the balls. I said this at the warehouse. if you have a competent season in 2024, not even a banger season, a competent season, they're going to extend you. They're going to give you seven years, 70, 70 years, 80 million dollars.

Like that was your next step, dude. And now what? You're not going to get that. They're going to make you go year to year to year to year to year, unless he just goes off and forces the hand. But like you, you come. kind of like, you ruin that a little bit. Now you soured the taste of your name, which is tough, man.

I don't have any, I really don't have any, like, what's the word I'm looking for? Sympathy. I don't, man. Because you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes. Like, you got, like, you gotta be better than this. We got to like know what's going on, getting put into our bodies, all of that stuff. Like you're missing out on 80 games now, giving somebody else a chance because we know the reds are flush with infielders.

You're giving someone else a chance to come establish themselves. And you might come back to a very crowded infield and you might not have a spot. How can you do that as an organization? This guy gets popped. Your team's going on. Because they don't need it. I mean, like, obviously they need him. They want him.

But they don't necessarily need him. There's enough guys there that they can, from within the organization, from within the 26-man roster, they can fill that. So now you're given a chance to someone to come steal your freaking job, which was yours. You earned it last year, had a pretty good year. You earned it. It ain't yours anymore, dude. Like, this is crazy stuff to me. I just, I don't understand.

I understand free, like, the bonds, Clemens, kind of all of that era because there wasn't really regulation. Like, it was rampant. A lot of guys do it. Now we know. I mean, come on, dude. Like, this is, you know what the tests are. You know that, like, there's many, many more rules and regulations in place. But you can't be doing this shit.

anymore but year after year after year we get these guys dude but isn't and for what you're looking for an edge dude you're a fucking super prospect I if it was some fringe roster guy you almost say like oh I get it I guess like you're you're teetering in and out of baseball you're giving yourself a shot that's not what happened here dude right but isn't the counter to that like if if to become the super prospect to become the guy that gets called up to the show at 21 like Isn't that part of his thought process of like, hey, if I'm going to do this, I'll get to the show quicker.

I'll be looked at as more. You think this has been going on for a long time? I don't know. I guess that's kind of what I'm asking, right? Like, I doubt like the first time he did it was before his first test. Yeah, I mean, look, 100% agree. Like, how long has it been going on? We have no idea.

How long was Fernando Tatee's doing what he was doing? We have no idea. The shit never comes out. the real, real truth doesn't ever come out. I mean, dude, I'm like best friends with a guy that got popped. And I don't know anything about it. Yeah. Like these things that go to the great will never know the true instances of what happens.

We really won't. So I don't understand it. I think this is actually, I'm hesitant to talk about this a little bit. But I think it's, I've been around baseball enough, clubhouses enough where I can, I think I can kind of say this. it's a little bit different for like Venezuelan Dominican players than it is for American ball players. There's a little bit different stigma to it where it's seen, and this is from conversations I've had with guys and being around the clubhouse, it's seen in a different light. Let's just say, you know, in the Dominican Republic. They're trying to get their families like kind of out of poverty, bring everyone over.

it's almost like, hey, I'm trying everything I can. It's not that way with American ballplayers. American ball players, if another American ball player does it, you're just a cheat. You're a cheat. That's what people think of you. It's not that way with Latin American ball players. It's so strange to me. And I had this like really first-hand experience, Irvin Santana, signs a deal with the twins and then gets popped.

I don't think the same way about him as I do. of my American counterparts. It's a strange thing in the game of baseball where it is a little bit different culturally. And I don't know if that had anything to do with this, but kind of, I don't know. I don't want to overstep my bounds here, but I just feel like it's true.

So can he come back and be like a guy and kind of everyone forget about it? Yeah, because if you go down the list, I'm going down the list of guys that got popped. And like, I forgot about, like, a lot of these guys. Right. Do you know what I mean? Right.

It's a, it's a tough mental exercise, man, because you, you know, the opportunity to play Major League Baseball for a lot of people that, that dream leaves pretty early. If that dream is in front of you and, yeah, you start, you start thinking about family. And, you know, we, like you said, there, there are some cultural differences there, but. 100%. So, you know, sometimes there aren't. And, like, maybe that's a lot of the, maybe that's the decision to make.

And for some people, it feels like, hey, this is the move I've got to make. For some people, it's like, well, screw it. Like, if I get caught, but I put myself in the right position, like you said, there's a lot of examples out there of guys that, hey, as long as you get to that spot, you know, and I know you were reading off the drug names before this and we were kind of laughing at ourselves just because it's like, well, you know,

I've got nothing to add. I don't know. Like, I think the scouting report you had on the one that he got popped for was like, not the best muscle builder, but, you know, better stamina. Like, okay, sure. That's, that's the little bit of edge you needed and wanted. Um, and I don't know. I don't know. Because I hear what you're saying, Trevor, because I've been all over the Reds and this part of the reason why. They signed Jammer, Candle, he's probably going to slide to third. That guy's got some great stats over the past few seasons. Spencer Steers floating around.

He's probably going to be in the outfield, but he's a body that moved around a lot last year. And Carnaccio and Strand, he's slotting into first base right now, and that guy is 24 years old. And he had an 805 OPS last year. So I know what you're saying, like, hey, if everything goes for this Redstein, no LV, you might be fighting for A-Bs or whatever. At the same time, this is the guy they traded for for Luis Castillo,

that when he's back, it turns into a business real quick. And I doubt all of those guys are clicking. And there's really no-at-bats-to-be-had that we tend to move on pretty quickly from it. And it's kind of your own mental process, right? Like, hey, if he's still getting tested and he's clean now, whatever, I get that's within the rules. or like, you know, some people will always look at him and link him to that for now. But it kind of depends how you play ball after this.

And maybe you're right about the extension stuff. Maybe that's where the Reds are, no, no, don't touch. Like, let's just ride him out for the next five years. And if baseball comes up and nips him at some point, that's how he screwed himself. But I kind of doubt it. or maybe they signed them to a seven year $25 million contract and say you better take this right now son right now take it

what do you think you would do right now he's serving 80 games and they offered him an extension would that be crazy the low ball extension in could you imagine if this news came out that Nelva Marte signs an extension and people like wait a minute I mean doesn't MLB have to like approve contracts like they could probably kind of be like hey fuck you guys like no way

I don't know I mean Salvador Perez signed up a five year seven million dollar contract like how was that ever approved or was it a seven year five it was something like that anyways i don't know man like uh i'm having a difficult i always have a difficult time talking about this because it it's such a polarizing that's i don't know polarizing's right word i mean it sucks dude it sucks being in the clubhouse with someone who feels cheated you know because the vast majority guys are clean and they've worked their ass off And it's like, dude, I've, I've gone through injuries. I feel like shit today.

And you're just taking some shit that makes you feel good. Like, I will love to do that. Here I am, like an idiot, drinking coffee. Right. And muscle milk. Like, I don't know. Yeah. I want the best for all the players.

I hope this guy comes back and just falls out, never gets tested for PDs again. But right now he deserves it. What does you do in baby? And like, come on, man. Fucking be better. the cleanest guy in the game? That used to be one of your taglines. I feel like I haven't heard that in a little bit. No one's cleaner than I am. I don't know. You can't get cleaner than me. Okay. That's good. I guess if you've never taken creatine before. I've taken creatine. Okay. And I had to stop it because I kept

pulling my muscles. It was a negative performance enhancing drug for me. Performance negative drug. Okay. Performance negating. So if you haven't taken creatine, Yeah, I guess you're cleaner than me. Or, like, is protein or, like, fucking... Now, that's a fun game. Who are the guys that are literally nothing? Like, they just make up, they stretch. Well, no, Joey Wendell eats nails.

That's what... That's his advantage. That's his performance. Cold showers only. Vitamins in there. The worst performance enhancing drugs ever. Joey Wendell's... These guys that only do cold tubs, like, they do cold tubs every day.

Like, relax, guys. People love it. They're supposed to. to be some like serotonin release stuff that's like there's real science involved cold things touching my skin is one of my least favorite things in the world you put an ice cube on my neck i'm gonna like cock back and then what depends who's on the other side you should cock back cock back cock back oh oh anyways we're getting we're getting naughty Noel Vey, come on, man.

Come on, noelvie. But seriously, end the discussion here. We thought the Reds were silly for signing another infielder, especially a corner infielder, and here we go. That's, um, am I, am I off on the timeline stuff? Like, like, could they have known that beginning of the off season? Because they got Jamer done fairly early. Yeah, so, okay.

No. The way it happens is they inform, you first to give you a chance to appeal. Then they inform a team. But nobody should know until your appeal is over. I don't know if they appealed or not. But. Right.

I don't think it happened like that. I don't think they said, oh, shit, like, this might happen. Let's sign this guy. Or maybe, or maybe. Right. When did he sign? He signed early, though. It's pretty early.

was he pre-winter meetings? It was a silly sign. It was a silly sign. We're like, what? It was like vaguely team-friendly. All right, we're not saying it happened. We're not saying it didn't happen. I suppose the more likely one is, I don't know when they got this Tony Camp,

Kemp and are I done. But seeing him. Also, didn't they sign Josh Harrison? I think so. I think so. And I was like, Josh, why are you going there? There's 30 infielders. Well, Josh Harrison and Tony Kemp,

fighting for a last roster spot? A couple awesome baseball dudes. Tony's got the hand in disadvantage there. The other thing that's pretty awesome is the Draft King's sports book. And how about these words? March. The thrill of March mania is here

and the Draft King's Sportsbook is giving you a shot to turn five bucks into $150 instantly in bonus bets getting in on the college basketball action. I know we've got one of the big conference tournaments here in the city this week. I'm trying to get over there. But I also think I'm doing a midnight gaming stream with Shelfy and Joe. So that's a little bit of my life.

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Brian Bayo, our guy talking baseball legend. He signs an extension with the Red Sox, a very similar extension to a couple young ball players we've seen. Do we have the numbers? on this sheet. Six years with a club option for 2030 as 55 guaranteed.

It'll be 1 million in 2024. Then 2.5, 6, 8.5, 16, and 19. And that club option is for another 21. And there's a million dollar buyout. On baseball, or should be trade rumors,

they have M.M. next to the dollar amount. We're not doing just M's anymore? M.M. What's MM? Millions? Million millions. One M. I feel like I've seen that...

Oh, a million million? That's all the big contract. Did meters take down? Are they referencing the luxury tax hit on that? I think I've seen it used that way. What? The other similar extensions I was referencing without having the facts. Hunter Green, six-year, 53 million.

Yes. Spencer Strider was six for 75. And again, a lot of these contracts have escalators and stuff like that. But, I mean, eerily similar to the Hunter Green contract. And Boston, I mean, this is piggybacking a little bit off to Lucas Gialito news, that he's probably not going to pitch. Oh, my pitch for them next year, we'll see. And the part I did like was that they did this right before the Red Sox headed

to their spring training exhibition games in the Dominican, where Bayo's from, and he gets to celebrate with his family and stuff. So that's a nice little... I like that for you, Red Sox. Otherwise, I don't know. I guess what do you have, Trev? Because honestly, I started looking at the Red Sox roster,

and I know it's been some... They're players and managers. Relax. You're going to get in trouble right now. Ryan Beyo, Trev. why are like Red Sox fans and Teribus Jared they talk crap about us about Brian Beow

because we said what? He was like a prospect and he was going to perform at the major level this year we just didn't know that at that time they thought this guy was going to be an ace. We posted a graphic

that was fan graphs starting five for the Red Sox that did not have Bayo on it. They projected him starting the year in the minors. I do think whoever was on socials that day countered with like, Beyo hasn't really done much yet. And I think that was kind of the step too far

that we didn't say that was half true. That that flamed the fire a little bit, but go on. Okay, I just like all of a sudden, you know, we started getting tagged in all these things. We're getting banged on by Red Sox fans. Whatever. I used to share Fort Myers with those guys. I'm basically a Red Sox.

They offer me a contract. Yeah. Red Sox Nation. Anyways, I think it's like, this is like a going rate for young pitchers or for pitchers in general right now. I mean, look at those, like in his arb years, I guess it'll be, well, where does he add now? I mean, it's either two and a half, six and eight and a half. I guess his arb years would be six, eight and a half and sixteen. And then the one year free agency they bought out for sure is 19.

Like that's kind of the going rate for, we've seen it this off season for just like a starting pitcher. What did Shamanaya get? Two years 30 something? Something like that. I mean, Gialito was best example. He basically got 19 and a half a year to be with the Red Sox. So it's cost controlling, which teams love to do,

especially with the competitive balance tax. Like they want to know where they're going to be at. What moves can we make as they've imposed this cap on themselves? I think that's what this is. I mean, you know that you like this guy in your rotation. He's going to be your ace or a top of the rotation type of guy for you.

I mean, you hope. There's been some really good sports of pitching from this guy, and there's been some poor ones. But obviously, Boston believes he's a top of the rotation guy, and I think he is. You watch him pitch,

like he's got some great secondary stuff. The change-up is nasty. This is just them cost-controlling. And I'm happy for me. You get paid like this. I mean, that's everything, man. You don't, that's, we just talked about this. Like, $55 million, like in the DR is crazy money.

So, you know, it was either take this right now or go pitch and you can maybe earn more later, probably earn a little bit more later as you have good years. But I think he's smart to take this now, you know, set yourself and your family up for life. And then, you know, you'll have another chance at free agency if that's what you really care about. Yeah, and the numbers with Bayo for the baseball people, you know, he had a couple bad ones down the stretch that really hurt him. If he didn't pitch his final two games, we'd be talking about his, you know, 26 starts with a 371 for the socks.

And, you know, this guy, he's young. He's 24. He's locked up, let's go. He has two really awful ones that make it a 4-24 ERA at the end. And I think the numbers that really matter more so, because you see the arm talent and that changeup has a chance to be special, and some of the numbers on it are. He really struggled righty-lefty last year,

which you and I, we both did a head tilt because it's like, well, a right-hander with the change-up, that's the neutralizer. That's what can do it. He had one of the biggest gaps of any pitcher last year between right-handed batters and left-handed batterers. it's good news because it's usually mostly righties out there that he held to a 678 OPS. But lefties an 883 OPS. I mean, you're you're turning any lefty you see into an all-star caliber baseball player pretty much.

So I guess I can spin that two ways, right? Like you have what should be the lefty neutralizer. Let's figure it out. And maybe you can elevate yourself to a top-tier pitcher in baseball. or it's like what what's going on here? Why isn't this clicking? For young pitchers, I believe in the experience and going through the lumps,

and I think it's funny that his contract is so similar to Hunter Greens. Like, it's going to come together. It's going to click fully for these guys. And I think we'll be talking about them as top flight starting pitchers. But we just never know, is that going to be, is that the first start of this year? Is that the last start of this year? Is it next year?

But either way, the price that pitching goes for, if you're the Red Sox, I guess this is good news because you can, Red Sox fans really want to come up with a three-year plan or a five-year plan. And hopefully this is one of the first couple steps that they can start checking off because, again, I don't want this to be a New York guy

doesn't like what the Red Sox are doing. Exactly what it sounds like. Baseball guy doesn't love what the Red Sox are doing, Trev? That's fine. I'll say this. I'm going to stay on Bayo. For what he can become,

this could end up being a steal for the Red Sox. And he put up, you know, three and a half war last year, 3.1 war last year. Take that all day long for those numbers that you gave. And if he gets better,

which they believe he will, pitch mix to the lefties could change. All these things can happen. I think it's a great deal for the Red Sox. And, you know, it's a great deal for, bail, because he signed for $28,000. Played to the minor leagues. He's had one full season in the big leagues.

Like, the guy's like, you're a big leaguer, but you haven't really made any money yet. Then all of a sudden you get this flash in front of your face. Of course you're going to take it. And he doesn't, hey. Win, win, win. Four best hitters on the Red Sox are lefties.

He doesn't have to face those guys. Win, win, win, win. Tristan Casas is saying that they've talked to him about an extension. This is like maybe the first step into like, let's make sure we lock up this court. Because they don't have a lot of players locked up. I think I read that beyond 2027. I think it's only bail now. Devers.

They extended Devers. No, Devers. Sorry, Devers. I'm right about Devers. Stories, 2026. That's when story comes up. Yeah. Yoshita.

I know he got. I think he's also like 2026. Right around there. So, yeah. Let's see. I guess I will bite my tongue or you can bite it for me about the size. socks. Another fun one in the AL East, Homecoming.

Joey Votto. We got the picture of him in the Blue Jays uniform. It's an NRI, and I think his initial quotes were saying that, and actually this is an important part of it, saying he's going to start the year in Buffalo, and he's willing to go to AAA and stuff like that. So Votto's always been interesting for me a little bit. As a baseball player, and I did love this, they were posting, I think he has, like, the fourth highest active OPS or something like that.

So his name is listed with, like, you know, I think it's Judge Harper, Mugie, whoever else is up there. But it's respect how damn good Joey Votto was and like Hall of Fame, all of that stuff. His personality, sometimes he puts me through the ringer that I'm, I don't, I don't love it as much as everyone fully loves it. it's good for baseball and all that stuff. But, you know, some people, they lead the Votto train. I think Chris Rose is one of them. So I won't, it's not like I'm starting beef. Some of the stuff, it's a lot.

Welcome to my world, Pop, with you. I know. It can come off the world. Everybody loves this guy. I'm like, have you watched him recently? A couple alphas. It'll be interesting to see. I don't know.

Are they awaiting injury? Because is Votto, willing to be a depth piece on the bench for them? He has to be. He has to be. Yeah. So I don't know. I think he understands the role. He understands the role that he signed up for. Understand you're going to go to AAA, have an influence on the young guys.

I don't know if it is an injury to get a roster spot or just how you need to go down and make sure like you're in baseball shape and I've seen enough life pitching. And then as soon as we see that, you can come up. I don't know what they've told them. I'd assume they've been very clear with him what his role will be and what the timeline is. I don't think this is like, hey, Joey, we'll throw you a bone and put you in AAA.

I don't think that's the case. No. And you know, what's cool about Joey is, even last year when he was injured coming back and the team was going fucking off. He goes, I got to earn my spot in that lineup. Like, I need to earn it back. This is a guy who like, go look at the baseball reference page,

people. He's earned everything that you can earn as a baseball. baseball player and he has that mentality and I think he'll have the same exact one this year. I got to earn it back. So I guess I don't have much on it. I'm happy for him. I think Toronto's the only place that I wouldn't

have felt weird about him going. Like it needs to look great in a Blue Jays uniform. Obviously the Canadian roots. It's just a great fit. If it wasn't Cincinnati and it never was going to be this is like this is the

fit. until you get straight to the Dodgers. Hope. I'm just kidding about that. People relax. Yeah, and it's 65 games last year. 99 OPS plus. He was still getting walks and he still had some pop.

So, you know, the batting average the past couple years isn't where you'd like it after his kind of silly 2021 campaign. I'm interested to see the next steps. Like you're saying, what was he promised? because this is, you know, this is a Hall of Fame veteran. So was he told, hey, get your reps in, you're probably not starting the season on the squad,

but we are going to call you up? Or was it like, hey, man, you're Joey Votto, and we respect that, but you are going to have to earn it and the injuries have to fall right and whatever it is. I kind of lean the first option, just because, I don't know, not to be shots fired at Names. Nathan Luke's, but he's currently listed as the last guy on the roster that Toronto needs lefties.

That, I don't know, Joey Votto's presence, get a couple DH days, Justin Turner plays third, get a lefty with a good eye in the lineup. Makes sense to me. Brandon Belt played a big role for this team last year, and he's currently not on the roster. So I don't know. I'd like to think if Vado's doing this

after posting his silly waiting on the bench for a team to call and stuff like that. I'd like to think there is a little like, you'll be on the squad this year, but I don't know. I mean, there's a guy on the Blue Jays team who's been effectively, you know, we've said things that he probably wouldn't like, but, I mean, that KFs are listed third baseman.

You can pretty easily Justin Turner play third. I think he still picks it over there. Fine. Red Sox had Devers last year, which is a lot of those Turner DH days, one of Vladia Urvado, D.H. a day here, there. I think the at bats are. there. Sure. I think they're there. Sure. Anything. I KF out of this, you guys. I didn't say he who shall not be named.

I thought Jimmy wasn't on his episode. Good, good athletic article just came out where he admitted that he just struggled with the routine plays, which circle back to Mookie Betts playing shortstop. Anyways, J.D. Davis, the last piece of baseball news that I want to bite off was put on waivers. Can you see what day that was? was beeps, because that depends the timeline. Yeah, we could be approaching a follow-up. J.D. Davis, a guy that you've probably seen around the league for a while now, known as a hitter.

And San Francisco Giants fans were telling us last year that he was playing a third base that they were happy about that usually if a fan base doesn't like you, they'll let us know pretty quickly. I have that happening Saturday morning. Or maybe night Saturday. We've got a couple days to find out if he clears waivers, which then any team can sign him for the right price. He's making $7 million.

He doesn't necessarily have a position, but he does have a career 775 OPS 113 OPS Plus, that J.D. Davis, whether it's in a bench roll or he started 144 games last year, he can be a valuable major league player. and I'm interested to see are the Giants going to eat a little bit to be able to trade J.D. Davis for something

or are they just going to let him through the cracks? But he's a guy that he can be an impact player for your team for a couple months. Yeah, I mean, that'll be the discussion. Okay, what's the package for him? Is it strictly monetary? Is it, are the Giants saying, hey, we'll take this money off the books?

Or if you take some of this money off the books, like you can have a better prospect, or if we pay the full money, you don't really get a prospect. Like there's, I guess they, it's all discussions they're going to have to have. And yeah, you're right. It's happening like right now. So I don't have much on that. You never know.

Yeah, I'm, I'm excited to see. I think he's got a lot of, if, if you're a ball player or if your team is in a kind of retooling year, this is a guy you could put out there. Some could have a big season, BBD. Gary Cole's having an MRI on his pitching elbow. Okay. Okay. Sure.

All I've got, one minute ago. I might get an MRI. I'm not worried about that at all. People just get MRIs on her elbow all the time. Judge Wince the other day. Okay. That'll be a fun talking Yanks episode coming up for that. Treve, midlife crisis.

What do you want to talk about? Seven out of a quarter life crisis? Because I'm not going to live to 160. Probably. I don't have anything to talk about, man. I go through it some days. I love my kids. Sad to see them growing up.

I like it. But I'm also like, hey, man, how many years you got left? And you really put it into perspective. So I don't know. I don't have anything. Let's,

let's end the show. No, it's, no, I'm not ready. No, we are right around an hour. So we will wrap it up. Thank you guys.

Appreciate you. 34. 34 is kind of a bad age. Nothing's uphill. Third life crisis. Yeah. I still think I'm gonna live for a long time. I've got you going.

Just move out to bum fucking golf every day. I don't know. That doesn't sound bad. I think it's all about diet. I gotta get the sugar out is good. Alcohol is probably to rein that in a little bit, I would say. The diet. Mine is so good though.

Do like boozing a little bit. Tequila? The rock drinks tequila.