Talkin' Baseball (MLB Podcast) - The All-Star Break is HERE | 686

Episode Date: July 10, 2023

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Hello and welcome to Talking Baseball. We are coming live from the Pacific Northwest. All-Star Week is here. Who's disappointing us? State of the Union? Trev, touching me. EBD, go full contact. Hello and welcome to Talking Baseball.

Myself, Trevor Plouf, Big Baby David. Coming live from Seattle, Washington for the 111th annual All-Star game. How many is it for real? I feel like I should have looked down. I definitely overshot it. Because I think it started in like the 40s. Anyways. I think they used to do two of them.

That was like Chris Rose was saying all this fuck facts. That is about the All-Star game. Chris Rose was at him. We should wait Chris Rose up right now. No, don't wait Chris Rose. How are there? Right over there. Instead of Googling things.

Not for long. Just ask Chris Rose questions. What's going on, everyone? We're here. We, 93rd edition of the midsummer classics. I think that's probably... Everybody knows that. Okay, that's my bad.

How are you doing, Trev? We a little travel day yesterday for you. I've been here for two days now. Yeah, no, I'm doing great. I'm excited. I love doing stuff together. The vibes just resonate through the room. Yeah, feel it.

When you and I get together, Bebebs over there. We went out last night. A little bit of MLB players house. A couple glasses of red. What'd you drink? I was having some, you know, Seattle double IPA. Why is that my Seattle voice?

It's pretty good. Okay. Yeah, it's not bad. You see a nose ring now. Yeah. If you had a nose ring, you're in. No, we're doing great. It's early in the morning.

Chris Rose is asleep, like literally right over there. Zach is down there. He's down there. He may be alive. We're not sure. He's having sex. He might be. He might be.

But yeah, 93rd All-Star game. We're going to the homer and derby. later today. We got our cool jerseys on. Check these out. I'm popping my chain because obviously, when you go to the All-Star game, you've got to be show.

And, yeah, man, I'm living. I'm excited to tuck ball. This little state of the union app where do the team stand? I mean, we're 90 games in, essentially. Right. So much more than halfway. That's a math equation for you guys to do at home.

Nine. Yeah. Yeah, I think we're obviously going to hit you know, some of the big boys. I think it's kind of funny that, you know, the Braves, we'd probably say a lot of the same stuff we'd normally say. They're really good. Braves are good.

There's a couple teams that have kind of limped into the break a little bit that I'm excited. I'm not going to say limp. Jess is also sleeping. Jess is right there. A couple feet over. I think she's awake. Why did you think of Jets when you said that? Right next to Chris Rose.

Everyone has their stuff, you know? We're off to a great. The AL team in particular I'm kind of mad at. And the games were actually kind of fun this week. And so we're going to burn through them and then we're going to hit some of the big topics. And I kind of haven't processed. We've been doing so much stuff. We're content guys.

Yesterday we're cranking videos. Wow. That the home run derby and then our live event tomorrow still tickets available. Sure. Like how fun those are, I haven't even gotten there yet. Because I have to check so many boxes before we get there. We come here to work. We're working.

And we're like midway through the work. This episode, we're going to record another one. But yes, we have Homer Derby tonight, which will be like 10 or 11 of us. And then the big watch party tomorrow, which will be hundreds of people. And it's going to be a day, man. But guess what? We like it. We're not the same.

Like it. It's going to be a lot of heavy petting this episode. Already. Let's get into. What's money? day. A.L. NL? Nobody knows. We don't know. I seriously, I just make it up every time. I think you make it up. I don't. It's A.L.

Alphabetic. Dude, Siri, go away. Oh, God. What's the door? I've been battling with Siri. It's like gophers to crows, not a Siri. I think it's not good because crows are diabolical. Siri is a robot computer thing. They aren't crows like no evil. I'm in trouble. I'm in trouble. Birds aren't real. Whatever. Okay. You might hear about bird dogs later. Right now you're going to hear about Factor.

That's right. First time we're talking baseball, beeps. First read on this show. Okay. And we're excited. So Factor's been with us for a little bit. They kind of, they raided the office a few weeks back, and we had a bunch of these meals in the fridge.

And if you've worked anywhere ever, you know that's an interesting conversation start. Whose meals are those? Can we eat those? Are those up for grabs? Turns out they were. our guy Joe's McFly has been going ham on the factor meals and Trev I'm excited when we get back I believe we have some factor waiting for us

because they were going to send us another box and we were like well we're actually going to be in Seattle ripping some cold brews Yeah obviously so it's going to be there waiting for us It's delicious sure But it's healthy That's kind of the specialty here And I'll be honest I was skeptical

You're telling me a healthy pre-made meal. Gonna be honest with you. I've ran into some bad ones with those. Factors legit. And with code talking 50, code talking 50, factor meals.com. Oh my God. 50% off.

That's the 50. I didn't even put that together yet. There's a link in the business. There's a link in the description. They've got like keto and calorie smart ones. What did I have? I think there's a lot. like a pulled pork mesh taters yeah i leaned into that i leaned into that so go check out factor

that's just stop talking 50 mash taters talking 50 you would pull the pork oh that's where you were that's what you had all right start the ale american league baseball Trevor and we were starting with my seattle mariners because we want to big series, three out of four from the Houston Astros, which means a couple different things, Trev. They won three out of four from the Astros. They come into the All-Star break in Seattle, the Pacific Northwest, a game above 500. I know.

And, you know, every time the broadcast starts talking about, oh, you know, the Mariners are a game below. No, Mariners are actually game above 500. You know, they're playing a good brand of baseball. I think that's so massive. And my guy, Logan, Gilbert. That's not a Seattle. That's not a Seattle. Get grungy with it. Logan Gilbert, Luis Castile, Brian Woo-Woo, and George Kirby, your boy.

They all pitched really well. I think we got six innings out of each starter. A. Ennis-Swarres, our whole standout performance is Mariners hitters. Your hole. My hole. Don't say my hole. The game Houston won. Framber was on the bump. Maybe your best pitcher in the American League. Kind of sneaking porn for Seattle. We'll talk about them. The Guardians take three. of four from the Royals. Okay, your first place. Guardians, Trevor Plouffe.

It's a vibe. Savali drops it. Gavin Williams, top prospect with eight strikeouts. Our guy Yarby's back. He's back. Twirling the pill for Casey. He wins it in the final game.

You might hear some stuff about the Naylor brothers, three of them now that are in our lexicon. Josh Bell has a big game. Ahmed Rosario, and Chris Rose has a has a Guardian's baby video that just went out on J.M. Baseball, so make sure you go check that out. Add, mid-read, the Baltimore Orioles sweep, the Minnesota Twins. He's a tough one. Trev.

They need some power. What, dude? They lose that first game and extras. This was in Minnesota, too, right? Yeah, heading into the break and swept below 500. That last game is 15 to 2. Kyle Kinsen. Talk about Kyle Gerson.

How about the Orioles, man? We got to talk about them. The Blue Jays take two out of three. Old friend Alec Manoa back on the bump, and he drops at six innings, one earned run. Happy for him. You should be rooting for him. What happened the next day? Combine no hitter.

Your guy, guy, Matt Manning. You DMed him after he was stoked. Pretty cool for you guys. And then they lose the series. Blue Jays. In next. You know who had a massive homer to save the series for Toronto? Oh, Danny Jansen.

I know. I knew it. Daddy Jansen did. Good for Toronto maybe. Red Sox sweep the Oakland Athletics, and that's obvious. The only game that kind of came into question was the last game, the Sox Kid. They come back in that one. Yoshida, Duval, and the last one.

Sharon Durant, socks fans are like getting nutty with him. And I kind of get it. He's been killing it. Good for him. And that is what happened in your American life. Ah, dude. Where to go, bro. Is my Seattle voice a bad California voice?

It sounds like an Orange County voice, too. Yeah. Yeah. I don't even know what a Seattle voice would sound like. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. The only... They're kind of buttoned up up here.

They're always... It's always cold. Are they gentle? I think they're a little ornery, bro. They stay. inside a lot. They're wired. A lot of coffee.

They yell at us a lot. Seattle people do yell at us. Treve. They yell at us. Rays, 58 and 35. Sheesh. Pretty good first half, right? Well, could have been better.

Lumping in. And the Baltimore Orioles are two games back at 54 and 35. Same number in the loss column. How about that? The Toronto Blue Jays land in third place, mostly because of the disappointment from my New York Yankees. And Boston is a game back of the Yanks. 7, 8, 9 games back of the race.

I mentioned the Guardians are in first place at 45 and 45. Is that funny to you? I don't know what it is. I don't know what it is. It's tough division. Tough for what, Pop. Twins. Tough to watch.

Twins. 45 and 46 a half game back. Detroit Tigers. know what might be a little a measuring stick for me this episode? Okay, yeah, sure. Is your team closer to first place than the Detroit Tigers?

Interesting. Because the Detroit Tigers are 39 and 50. They are five and a half games back of first place. They're right there. That is closer than the Blue Jays, the Yankees, and the Red Sox. My God. White Sox are eight games back,

same as the Yankees, kill me. Kansas City Royals, oh my God. I think their second most losses heading into an All-Star break. That's crazy. Texas Rangers 52 and 39, one of the stars of the first half. But the Houston Astros are two games back and feel like they haven't even clicked this year. Seattle Mariners, like I said, they salvage the whole season by being one game above 500. The Los Angeles Angels are a game below 500.

The Oakland Athletics are awful. Trev You mentioned you want to go more state of the union I agree with you What did you just hear In my five minutes of rambling Between the burns, the standings I think we could go division by division

You want to start with the AAL Central We can start with the AO Central I think the Guardians are a very fascinating team As we approach the deadline They get to 500 They get the lead in the Central going into the break whereas the twins, you know, they had jockeed back and forth over the last couple weeks.

But before that, the twins had held first place pretty much the entire way. And now they have these decisions to make on Beaver and they got some guys coming back and where are they going to be as an organization. I feel like they always kind of tow the line of, we sell a little bit, we buy a little bit. They're never one way or the other necessarily.

So I'm very curious to see where they go. The twins have coughed a leaf. up, man, and they just haven't hit with runners and scoring position. They haven't hit in general. But in particular in this series, I mean, just no hits with runners in scoring position and the Orioles are kind of rolling offensively, so

that's how sweeps happen. And you can't score runs and the other team is scoring runs. That's how sweeps happen. So now they're sitting one game back. They lost three in a row, obviously. And despite having, I think it's, as of now, the second best starting pitcher ERA

in all the big leagues. they're one game under 500 second place in their own division and it's crazy man I don't know what to say about them other than they need instant offense and I don't know where that's going to come from let's cut out a little bit of the riffraff in the central

I mentioned that Tiger's barometer snaps on the no-hitter oh yeah happy I don't know why you're snapping maybe I thought you were going to say for the word barometer because that's a big one for you But for the no hitter two snows. I can't. Some good barometer humor early.

This division is Twins' Guardians, and one of them will not be a wildcard team. The Twins or the Guardians will be in the playoff. Right now, what would you guess the fan graph's odds to win the division are? I bet they're still in Minnesota's favor, I think. and I would give it like a 60% to win the division. You're around it.

They have Minnesota as 56% and Guardians at 40%. So there's a little, there's 2% for the Tigers and the White Sox. Why? Why do they have them? I mean, what's up with that? Which number? Why would you have the twins favored to win the division? Just because of the pitching?

They haven't shown any signs of life offensive. I don't mean, like, to be rude, we have Eddie Julian doing some things. We. The twins. Yeah, look at you. Yikes, guys. I'm not on the twins. I don't know.

I don't really understand that. But yeah, there's going to be some teams that are selling. Kansas City's already sold a Rollis Chapman. Probably some more people are going to be gone from there. Maybe some relievers. Scott Barlow or something like that. White Sox are going to sell. Lucas G. Alito is going to be somewhere new coming up.

Tim Anderson might be somewhere. There's a lot of guys that are going to be changing teams. I don't think the Tigers are going to make a ton of moves. they want to be set up for the next couple of years. Right. So I think that's kind of where we stand in the central. I think both the guardians and the twins need offense. I think that's no secret there.

And where they go to get it, I don't know. Yeah, I think that's, what's interesting here for me is that I think if all things were equal, the twins should be the favorites. Like I think Fangraphs has that. Yeah. I think part of that on the, it's on the, Strength of schedule-wise, according to the one, the website I'm looking at. The twins have the easiest schedule remaining in baseball in the second half.

That's right. Cleveland's middle of the pack. You guys kept bringing that up on your draft episode. I was like, well, the problem is they're a bad team. For the twins, the pitching has been great. They need hitting. So that can come in a couple different ways. That can either someone clicks, someone comes off the IL, you call up a kid,

or the trade deadline, I'm a lot more confident in what Minnesota will attempt to do because, you know, they've been about it. They traded for Pablo Lopez. They signed Gallo. Like this team, they extended Buckston. This team has shown that they want to go for it

as a franchise. And they're, you know, technically, on any given day, they're in first place. The conversation with the Guardians and Chris Rose, who's sleeping next to Jess right now, who's on the poll. of everything. He's been on that they're going to trade Bieber.

He keeps saying that. I know. And I don't know, but I guess I'm saying front office and confident-wise what the next steps are. Like, Cleveland could either stand Pat or trade away Bieber, and we'd be like... I think they stand Pat. And we'd be like, okay, that's the Guardians.

I think they stand Pat. Where the twins are going to do something. That's the thing, though, is Falvey came out. I think we talked about this yesterday on baseball today a little bit, But Falvi came out. Derek Falvey. I don't know if he's a GM or head of baseball ops, whatever. One of those two.

Kind of a two-headed monster there. He came out and said that most of the offense needs to come from the guys there, the 26-man roster. So I don't know how aggressive they're going to be. They don't really have spots to put guys. Right. They don't. Like, we have Polanco coming back.

Eddie Julian's been one of the better hitters on the Twins. So now you have to find a spot for those guys. Maybe Pelancho coming back. who plays first base when they come back. I think that's the one place they kind of need someone is like a legit first baseman. Kiroloss been starting there. They're moving to the outfield during the games.

They do a lot of like plug and play with that. So we'll see, man. From what they're saying, it's not going to be a very aggressive trade deadline. But that could just be GM speak. Bring CJ Crone home. C.J. Crone. Paul Goldsmith, I mentioned, but like that.

That's probably not happening. Turn that off. Let's do some east. Yes. You know I'm too close to the situation, but I think if you've been following any of my tweets, I don't think you're getting a biased Yankee fan. I think you're getting an honest,

a sad Yankee fan. They just hired their hitting coach. They're fired their hitting coach. Excuse me. Opposite. Rumors are they might be hiring the next one soon. Yeah. Might be moving fast, which is.

I don't, they came out with, they said it's going to be someone outside the organization. The bizarre quote was they said they want to bring in someone from outside the organization and they want to bring them in during the All Star break. During the All-Star. They want it to be, they want them to be with the team in their first series. So they fired the head hitting coach. There's a. There's a cut. Yeah, they have like three hitting coaches. But that's the weird part is, okay, you're bringing someone from the outside. You fired this person yesterday. Yeah. They already have someone lined up. Otherwise you don't say, or down to two. You don't say we're going to hire someone from the outside.

They've been talking behind the scenes for sure, yeah. So I'm interested to see what that is. And it seems like, because they were kind of a 1A, 1B hitting coach situation, and 1B is staying. And by the way, it might, it might not matter. I don't know who's, I don't know who's, who does what, but the rays are listed at 72% to win the division. The Orioles are listed at 12.7%, which is still just insulting.

Maybe you should just flop that around because they're two games back, and the rays have lost 7 of 8 in July. You're not worried about the raise though, right? I mean, that just feels like we limped into the break, we played the Braves. It feels like every team's going to have a rough stretch throughout the season.

And every team's going to have a great stretch throughout the season. Maybe not a couple teams, but most teams will have a great stretch, which the raise we saw in April had that, and they've continued that through the first couple months. but yeah, you're going to have a week of games, two weeks of games that just don't go your way, whether you play good teams or you just play a bad brand of baseball. I think it was good for them to at least get the last one before the break. If you roll into the L-Star break eight in a row, that's kind of tough to fall.

That one game can just be like, all right, breathe, go ahead, hit the reset button over the All-Star break, although a lot of them are coming out here. That's going to be interesting to see. like all these teams have all these all-star guys they're not going to get a break and this is like not a break whatsoever for them if you talk to anybody that's ever been to an all-star game yeah they're fly up here they are i mean they they all charter and all that good stuff but during these next few days they get asked a lot yeah do a lot of media um the clubhouse is just different they're signing a bunch of stuff like they don't really have a lot of time to just chill and and digest if you will so i'm

curious to see and you know you're doing the Randy Rosemary is doing the homerun derby and will they come out better in the second half because of it or will it be like a sluggish type of thing I'm banking on the first it's going to be funny to see they open with three games of the Kansas City Royals so you can you can get off to a hot start out of the also break off again then they go to Texas um I'm for that I think it's funny being one in seven in July, can you turn that month around? Like, can you land at 500?

They can, obviously. But if you stumble again, like the rays can look back and be like, whoa, we had a 8 for 18? Or no, they play less games. It'd be like a 7 and 16 July. Well, they're just not going to win a game again in July, that'd be bad. I mean, they're going to win some games. But, I mean, like, the Orioles catching them.

They've found an offense that it's just kind of firing right now. now. Gunner Henderson's been going off. Aaron Hicks has become just like a stud once he got away from that hitting coach. You should mention. Just kidding. I don't even know who the hitting coach is. So many more guys on the Orioles before Aaron Hicks. I understand that. We're going to be talking about another. They called up two more kids. Yeah. Couser in Westberg. They're doing it and they're kind of flexing their organizational depth on everybody right now. Cedric Mullins, who's Jimmy's most electric player in baseball. have been, I don't know, I think if you went around the league and you did kind of like guys, like good leadoff hitters, like Cedric Mullins.

I think the OPS doesn't always land in a crazy spot, but he can steal, he can hit homers. Right now it has them sliding Mullins down to six in the lineup. Henderson's kind of taken over the leadoff spot on some days because he's been going nuts. He had an accidental Homer against the Yankees the other day. That these aren't the name. you're probably most familiar with. Right now, Ryan O'Hern has been getting a lot of middle of the lineup at bats and he's been killing it. But man, Austin Hayes, who's an all-star in their five-hole, Kouser, Westberg, two top prospects for them, seven and eight on a given day. Their lineups

gnarly. Everyone's been scared about the pitching, and I don't know. The pitching's been fine. So, do they do anything at the break? Or before the deadline, excuse me. We're going to do a whole trade draft coming up after this. We don't want to give away a lot of things. I think they can be aggressive if they want to be aggressive. Things are kind of good there right now. I mean, you entered the break with a 607 winning percentage. So, you know, could you take a flyer on a rental starter?

I think people will probably point there. But you mentioned, I mean, they have guys getting the job done, and then the bullpen's been great. So that's kind of the formula. a bunch of runs, get the ball in the hands of the bullpen. But, you know, Wells for a while was leading the league in whip. He still has a 0.9 whip. So he's doing it.

Ghibie's pitched well enough for times, and Braddish has done his thing. Swerving Irvin just shut the twins down. Do you bring, this feels like a traditional, just bringing a veteran pitcher and see if something clicks. Like, where's Lance Lynn's contract at? Like, I think he's expiring. It feels like he could pitch to that stadium, just make him hit it. To left field.

Yeah, maybe, maybe. He's been striking everyone out. Are you buying any Blue Jays, Yankees, Red Sox, anything? I feel like you kind of have to. And what are the, let's see, the wild card standings right now? The Red Sox, hey, they just swept the Oakland Athletics. Five in a row. Good job.

Five in a row. They come into the break the right way. So what do you mean buying stock? Because these are good teams that are obviously they're going to... Like, do you think the Blue Jays could win the East? There's seven games back. They just got my nail back. I do.

I'm not afraid of seven games at this point. Now, nine games for the Red Sox. I'm going to assume you're not into them. I'm not out on any of it because it's baseball and there's still plenty to be played. That would mean a lot of teams would have to slip. So you're in on the Yankees one in the division. I'm in,

yeah, I think the division is still up for grabs. I am. Okay. Or I think so. We got our clip. We can end the episode. It's fine.

It's fine. End the episode. No, I'm serious, man. I know it's not probable. The likelihood of it is, in high, but when you're talking about, you know, the race just lost seven in a row,

like things like this happen. And I don't know, you tell me if I'm wrong, have the Yankees, like, gone on the streak yet? The Yankees for me is all Aaron Judge, if he comes back or not. They're not going to go on a run without Aaron Judge. So bottle that up, clip that one. You know, and I guess... See if the Internet's talking about that. Yeah, I mean, obviously people know that.

If you watch the Yankees at all, you're like, please, Aaron judge. I think he played catch on the field. That's good for you guys. You think all five teams could win the ALEs? I don't think it's probable, but yes. I mean, weirder things have happened. Nine games, I know it seems like a lot. To jump that many teams is a lot, but I don't know, man. Like, there's still a lot of baseball to be played. If I had to give a, if I had to give like a percentage for each team in the East,

let's see if I could do that right now. Trevor Ploops percentage. For the Red Sox to come back for nine games. down. It's going to take a lot. I give that like a 20% chance to happen. For the Yankees to win the division? Yeah. Yeah. 20%. Is that a big

percent? I mean, do the rest of the math because yes. There's only 80% left to split among 14. There's all ahead of them. Yeah. So that would be giving everyone 21%. This is, I didn't expect you to challenge me on this. I was just going to throw some arbitrary numbers out there, buddy.

I thought 20% was low. Just a couple of Stanford, man. I don't know. There's a chance. Don't make me talk about it too much. Do I think the rays have a stranglehold on the division right now? No. I don't.

No. Do I think the Orioles have a stranglehold on the division? No. Would I be surprised if one of Toronto, Yankees, or Boston was within two or three games in September? No. Think about that, dude. We still have the rest of July. We still have August and September.

We're talking, if you can. gain two games a month and you're the Yankees, you're right there. So if I gave you... So maybe this is the exercise. If I said, raise versus the field in the ALEs to win the division, you'd take the field, it sounds like. Ooh, that's a good question. Thank you.

Young Chris Rose, they call me. Shoot. I mean, you got the Red Sox. It's funny. Oriel's been right on them. I don't know. I don't know. That's a great question.

I have to think about that. I don't want to just throw that out there for the internet to clip. Go check it on baseball today. They'll steal it. See, Rose. repurpose that. I would... I think I might.

I think I might take the field. It's interesting, because there's definitely a way to chop up their numbers if you take out April. That would be a little less impressive. Let's talk about the West a little bit, and then we'll get into the National League. This is my most

interesting division in all of baseball. This was your answer. Yes. Because you did this on baseball today. I am... I'm not breathing so much. I can't. It's the altitude. It's the altitude.

I had, me and Jolly got lunch the other day. Well, we were waiting for you guys. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I just started to order, and I just lost my words. And I, you know, Jake, like, try to save it, recover. And I go, you know, altitude out here. And she goes, we're at sea level. We're at sea level.

And I was like, okay. The ocean's right there All right You and me might not work out I'm so mad at the Angels I think I think the Shohei conversation

is open They drop to fourth And they're a game below 500 I think we're going to be talking Shohay for the next two weeks We should be talking to Shohay Which is a good thing But

But if you talk to Angels fans They'll tell you that Artie Marino is not going to trade a Shohey that's just he won't do it. Right. They want to be able to keep him and try to sign him back. Well, and I agree with that. I don't know if that's this.

That's part of the frustration without talking about it. They just got crushed by the injury bug. So I don't want to say I want to be fair to them, but they had like a whole infield catcher and Mike Trout on the IL and that tied into them playing bad baseball, which makes sense. It's like right when the people started talking about them having momentum. You know, it was happy. for them. I've complimented them multiple times this year for keeping this conversation away,

because I don't think you can trade show, like just the mass of all of it. A, what do you trade for? B, how can you be a franchise that lets a person like that leave your franchise willingly? But now I think we're going to be talking about it, and I think it's not going to happen. Unless they would have to dig such a deep hole in the next week and a half. Which they could do. This is the halos. the rest of the division is interesting to me I was going to give an award to the Dodgers in Houston for kind of

I was going to call it a Twister Award, weathering the storm, that's a plan on words. You know, they've been decimated with injuries as well to their starting staff. You know, Altuvay is now there. Alvarez has been out for a long time, so they've had the test of depth and they've done a good job of it.

I mean, they're sitting nine games over 500, only two games back of the Rangers. The Rangers seemingly have had everything go right for them right everything's gone right for them um the pitching has been really good the offense has been we talk about the braves offense all the time go look at the stats man the rangers are right up there with them five five all-star starters yes i know that's not everything but they're they're doing it but they're only two teams up they kind of limped into the break three and seven in their last 10 doesn't that feel off man it's it feels like houston it feels like houston it feels like

Houston's been laboring and Texas has been the bell of the ball. And they're separated by two games? Two games right now. Seattle has put themselves back into discussion. What are they going to do at the trade deadline? I'm so fascinated with this year's trade deadline because I think a lot of teams, with the expanded playoffs, a lot of teams think they have a chance. Now, I don't know how far they'll go as far as trade acquisitions and what they're willing to give up. but a lot of teams think they have a chance.

Seattle being one of them. I think L.A. is a lot, the next couple weeks, you're going to say a lot about them. I mean, Trout's out for at least four weeks, probably more like six. You don't have that guy in the lineup. You're missing a bunch of other guys like you mentioned. That's their schedule. They're beat up right now. They open Astros.

Astros, Yankees, Pirates, Tigers. It's not a great. It's not a great. They got swept by the Dodgers. which we'll talk about in a little bit, two games set. How about this? Do they have a shot of the wild card, the Angels? 45 and 46, they're five games back.

They got to catch the East teams. I mean, man. The pitching, like, they got some guys that can fucking... Same record as Minnesota. ...thin it up there, man. Seattle just jumped them. The whole A.L. East is ahead of them. I don't know.

I think maybe, and this is the saddest part of it, I think the Angels are going to end up out of it and Sho Hay is going to keep doing his thing. You know? Yeah, I get it, man. Like, isn't that the safest bet on the board if you had to press a button right now? It seems like that's what happens. If we did like a Show Hay Angels grid right now.

And it was like missed playoffs, make playoffs, trade Shoah, don't trade Shoay. The most filled out box would be they don't trade Shoah, they don't make the playoffs. And that's the worst case for baseball. I don't. We're going to talk about it after the season, probably a lot. But if it ends up that Mike Trout and Shohay played together, six full years, essentially, and have nothing to show for it, it's, it's, it kind of grosses me out.

Yeah, it's like a, it's a bad taste. It's like a fantastic thing about baseball and an awful thing about baseball. That it's such a team sport, that it's not star-driven. but when you have two guys that people argue are the best on the same team, it feels like that should be more of something. And maybe that's a franchise reflection. I'm going to say this, and I'd probably say this every time we get together, Trev. You have some oven mitts for hands.

Yeah. That's a fucking pot. Thanks, bro. I wasn't expecting compliments from you today. Like, your finger has an extra finger on mine. Yeah. All right. This is your most interesting division?

Yeah, because there's just a bunch of storylines that we just talked about. I mean, the A's are historically bad. Angels, what are they going to do, show? Hey. Can the Seattle Mariners win the West? Or you just, or should I stop asking that because you're just going to give me the, I believe, in baseball answer? They can win the West. That's fine.

They can win the West. There's six. It's mathematics. I live in the same boat. Like, that's how I view baseball. Like, haven't you, I mean, if you watched baseball over the years, I mean, you've seen this story happen. and teams come from behind and they, you know, go on runs. Yeah.

No, I mean. There's still, how many games left? 70 games left. 70 games. Right. Where if the Texas Rangers go 500, which, by the way, BPD, can you get the Rangers butter knife with how bad it's actually been? Yeah, at the top of your head, do you have the, like, date?

I don't. That's fine. I know at one point there was a 10 and 15. Since June 1, there's 17. and 19. So, no, I mean, and that, okay,

let's play the grid. 10, 12 and 17. Most likely scenario. Do you think it's Houston? I hate the way now. I have a fake grid in front. Houston wins division. Is that the most like pressed button?

Of baseball fans? If you, for you. Like if you're trying to, if I had to bet a team to win the West, I would currently bet the Houston Astros. It feels like they, it's crazy to say that.

It feels like they've been in a slog. and this could not matter at all. But think about the Astros personalities. DGAF. DGaf. To the mex. Slash. Ooh, give me a slash.

They kind of want to shit down your throat. Oh, I wasn't going there. That's not in my lexicon. Do you know what the Houston Astros love? That the Texas Rangers have five all-star starters, man. What a team they are. I think they probably do like that. They fucking drink that shit in, dude.

Their favorite thing is not sending people. Let me just tell you this. Because I have the Fangraph's roster resource resource page. Oh, shout out of that. The Rangers are second and OPS for their offense, first in runs. Those are two good statistics. Great stats. You probably want that.

So for everyone that talks about the Braves' offense, which we love the Braves' offense, Rangers first in average, first in OBP, second in OPS first and runs. That's good. Starting pitchers, fourth and whip, third NERA. Relievers, sixth in whip. ERA's gotten away from then, a couple blowups, but sixth in whip. With relievers, I think WIP's probably the most important stat for me. And there are only two games above the Houston Astros.

What does that even mean in the whole, like the grand scheme? of things. Like the Astros just know how to win. Like, simulation? Baseball games or... The Astros are really good. And they haven't had Yordon or Altuve. Like...

Yeah, it's... Mauricio Du Bonn has been great for them. Framber Valdez. Wow. Chris Rose just woke up and he looks so proud of us. Oh, man. Yeah, that's us. We woke up, Chris Rose.

Yeah. Way to... up the show. God, that's our bad. That's the state of the union on the AL. I mean, I think we kind of covered everything. It's, it's, I can't wait to see what happens. And we're looking at the standings right now. And in my belief, they're going to look a lot different come September. The teams that are around, no, the Central screws everything up. One of the teams around 500, the Mariners, the Angels, the Twins, or the Guardians, is probably going to end up with like a 90-win season.

Yeah. If you had to pick one of those teams, who would you pick? A 90-win season? Yeah, I mean. Like, one of those teams probably gets hot at some point. Okay, the best of those teams, Mariners, twins, guardians, angels. Angels. I think right now the Mariners probably have the best roster.

I think you're right. That's what we would have said coming into the year. Yeah. The Central throws. George Kirby. Oh, George Curry. He was good. Where is JP?

You know, I need to hit J.P. Crawford up. He said he was going to cook me a tri-tip. Okay. We'll see. You think he's out here? You think he stayed? I think so. I don't know.

Playing with his dog cooking meat. I think he went on a minikation. Okay. He's on one of those, like, Seattle Islands. We'll text him. You want to do some National League? I do. National League is brought to you by

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We're starting out with the Cincinnati Reds versus the Milwaukee Brewers. This one jumped off the page to me, Trev, because the Reds, Ellie De La Cruz, he should be out here. Why isn't he out here? The Brewers, Take two out of three from the Cincinnati Reds. We have the L.A. Taylor Cruz stolen base games, so we will talk about that.

But the Brewers take two out of three. It ends with Ben Lively versus Wade Miley. Obvious. The pitcher's duel. One nothing game. You and Dalton's guy guys. And what does this mean for Milwaukee? I don't know.

Willie Adama's two homer game. He really needed that. Chilli Weamer, he had a big one. the first one. Owen Miller. What? Bowers. Going the voice now?

Brewers. One game back of the Reds. And think about all the momentum that just happened in that central. We'll get there. Marlins take two out of three from the Phillies, because that's all they do at this point.

They win the final two games after dropping the first wheeler, Alcantata. Ooh, pump that into my veins. But these fish are different. Your guy, Dane Myers, gets the call, Trev. Couple multi-hit days. Brian Dela Cruz, 4-4. Marlins, go check out their record.

Third best in baseball? I think we're going to be talking about them a lot. D-backs take two out of three from the Pittsburgh Pirates, and good for them. Chris Rose is riding them off. Like big time. Third-best, Marlins. Third-best record in baseball. You're Miami Marlins.

D-Backs, take two-odd-a-3. of three, they win that second game in extras. Mitch Keller, though. My God. What a first half for him. All-Star Mitch Keller. He's a friend of the pod. He came to the All-Star House, Spring Training House. Corbyn't Carroll walk off. And it was like, why should he even be playing? He keeps banging up his shoulder. Maybe we shouldn't. No, he's fine, and he's walking you off. We'll press see him tonight. He's Seattle's finest. Yeah. Him and Jolly Olive kind of have the same hair going right now. Christian Walker made a big play in that second game. Padres in Mets, the disappointment bowl to end the first half.

In the Mets, 10 innings, oh my God, hilarious. This is what I used to deal with all the time. This is so funny. There's a guy outside that just came through with a weed whacker at our house. So if you hear that, get in the bad count. Mets, Jeff McNeil and extras, they win that first game. The Miracle Mets, right? We can't be stopped.

We're getting hot at the right time. They lose the final two. to the Padres. Snell, gross, unhittable. He gives up one hit. Is he here? It was an infield single. He might be here anyways. He might just, he might be sitting in the crowd with us. That would be a very Blake-Snell move. Hang with us. I'm the best pitcher here, but I'm just in the field in Seattle. He'd be doing something charitable with the kids. Yeah, he's a stud. He's going to be gaming. Mets, eat bugs, dude. Padres. Musgrove Shurzer, a little wild card, uh, eargate rematch. Eargate. Oh, yeah.

And the Padres get it done, man. Mets, what is we doing, baby? Another team that wins, and we should probably talk about more, the San Francisco Giants. They take two out of three from the Rockies. Logan Webb. I shouldn't mention Logan Webb. They might hear about him later. Don't. And the other guy also don't mention him.

Chady Davis? Michael Conforto. Alex Cobb. Congratulations, bro. That's pretty awesome. It is cool. I like him a lot. And that's what happened. Should I just, should I do the IL too?

We're kind of doing an ALNL thing. Let's cut the music here. Cut the music here. What's talk NL and then you can just burn the ALIL. Hey, hey, man. Zach, can go yell at this guy taking care of our yard. I'm trying to ground out there later with my bare feet. We did that this morning.

We did ground to start the day. The three of us. I feel connected. Zach, have you grounded yet? Okay. Indoor ground. Indoor ground. I do a lot of indoor grounded.

Trev, your National League. My National League. Where do you want to start? Let's go Central Central again. Yeah, we did Central Central. That is my most interesting division in baseball, and interesting means different things to different people. I have no idea what happens.

Let's start from the bottom, because that's what Drake would do. Cardinals, one of the worst teams in baseball. Let me say that again. Cardinals, one of the worst teams in baseball. We're sitting right now with a 422 winning percentage. 38 and 52. They still make me mad. 14 games, right?

Is that the math? Under 500? I think you nailed it. I think they're going to sell. You have to. Cardinals fans keep telling us, that's not what they do. I don't know, man.

Yeah, that's because they're normally good, but they're fucking terrible. They got a couple guys who are, you know, free agents at the end of the year. I think they move those guys. I think Flaherty is pitching somewhere. I don't know what to say about them, man. It's been tough.

It's been disappointing. And they have, like, they still have such a good roster. I just... The numbers... I just don't understand it, man. Cardinals fans in the comments, just help me out here. I don't get how it's gone so poorly for them. I think the secret is, Jake's secrets.

Winning's contagious. That's a popular sports phrase. Okay. Losing's fucking contagious, dude. That team loses. But they should, yeah, I guess. I mean, that's... Right.

That is some analysis. Basically the same record as the Nationals? They're a little bit better than the Nationals. Oh, okay. That's good. They're 11 and a half back of the division. I don't think we need to spend a lot of time on the Cardinals. Don't.

The Pirates as well, after the really hot start, we know where they stand. They're three and seven in their last 10. 41 and 49. They're out of it. Is it too proud if they'd, don't trade McCutcheon Santanas, or do you say, hey, this has been the fun year,

these guys have been a part of it, let's just let it ride, what prospect capital are we really going to get for them? Although McCutcheon's had a nice year. Yeah, I don't know what I would do in that situation. Yeah, give me front office Trev. What do you do? Well, you bring, I think you did bring Cutch back to be a mentor,

and it is a nice story. I know that nobody wants to say that, but I don't know if they were banking on production like he's given them. He's done really well this year. So I think they find themselves in a position now. We're like, shit. Like, we could get something of value for him.

Trade him. Or, I mean, I don't know. Does he want to come back? This isn't like he's done playing after this year. And he, like, lives in Pittsburgh. Like, he has like... I don't think he lives in Pittsburgh. I thought he did.

I think that was a whole thing. I don't think so. He's probably got a couple cribs. He's probably got a couple of cribs. He's probably got a couple days. Beautiful family. I'll say that. Beautiful guy.

I love Andrew McCutcheon. Like he is a couple, let me just give you my list of guys I love. And this is not the end of the list. This is just off the top of my head. Trade Turner, love watching you play a ball, bro. Evan Longoria,

I just love you. We knew that was going to be there. And Andrew McCutcheon. Like, just love you. That's nice. I have my friends too, but those are like my guys like I'm looking at as ballplayers

who I just love. The more interesting topic, if we're being honest, a lot of teams want to plunder the Chicago Cubs. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. And if you're the club, if you're the clubs, if you're the Cubs, do you get plundered?

I think you do. 42 and 47 right now, seven games back in the division, and the wild card, they are six and a half back. Yes, I think they end up trading some of the people they brought in. Bellinger's had a really nice first half. I think you kind of cash in on that. That's a, he's a premium piece for a contender. An outfield that can play, really good D, who's kind of found him. his stroke of the place.

You're getting the offense back. You can dream upon a lot of different things offensively with him. And he's going to play a great outfield, center field, wherever you put him. So I think he's gone. They have some other guys that you could probably talk about. This is kind of, you know, preseason when we talked about the Cubs, this is kind of where we landed with them. Like they have these guys, they could go for it, see what happens.

You know, we like the roster. but if not and they kind of find themselves middling around they have some you know some trade pieces no it's going to be that's right now with them

essentially I think they're going to go if you are trying to plunder the Cubs I think they're going to wait till the very last moment because they have a pretty they open with the Red Sox and Wrigley that series can go either one

sure it's baseball the nationals Nats Cardinals White Sox Cardinals they have a nice court here too that's the thing you got say Suzuki locked up you locked up you and have him for a long time you have Niko Horner I mean you have like a nice group of young players um steel and stroman have been like the best one two punch in baseball

um you not the best but one of the best i think stroman trade stuff like i don't know That situation is very interesting to me. He has the opt out. He's going to opt out. He keeps saying, I want to stay in Chicago, putting the pressure on. I kind of love that from him. And I don't know what they do with him. Because they keep saying they're not negotiating and they haven't talked about it.

But it's like, you should probably like try to negotiate a little bit. Negotiate just a little bit. Yeah. But he could demand a lot of money too. So, you know, he says he wants to be there, but that's what he's supposed to say. And he can be asking for a lot in a long-term deal. He's 32 years old. What do you think he's asking for right now?

Stroman. I'm 32. 32. I'm one of the best pitchers in baseball. You just saw guys get locked up into their 40s. I mean, I'm asking for everything, right? But I think... Do you think he's asking for six years or eight years? I think he's asking for eight. I would think he lands at five.

He's one of those guys. It's always saying, I'm going to age better. I work harder than everyone. I take care of my body. I think he's going to land at five years. with the high A. With what he just did, he could also do,

you know, put another opt-out in there. He's like, he's a big bet on himself guy that he would probably sign like a four-year deal, four-year deal higher money and put that second year opt-out in there just so he can hit it again because he believes in himself, which, I don't know.

If I told you now that Marcus Stroman would sign a five-year-150, is that like outlandish? No. It's kind of like the price of a, good starting pitcher now, right? Yeah. 30Ms? Or is that too much? Do you think it's more in the 20 range? That's 30?

I'm so bad at math. I'm so bad at math. I had that as 25 a year, so that's where I'm at. Okay, that'd be... All of this is kind of irrelevant, Trev, because I want to know who's going to win the NL Central. Well, you didn't answer my question. Is five years 150 appropriate for Marcus Stroman right now? Right now, yes.

Okay. You're looking at that. that sub three. Like we say with baseball, Marcus Roman has had bad halves of baseball, and like that could happen, and then it changes the equation so much. So if I could go back in time,

the one thing I would change in my career would be to try to really strike when the iron is hot. I think, you know, that's my secret to, like, the MLBPA winning is, like, figure out a way to get, like,

an early opt-out clause for players in their arbitration. What does that mean? Like if players Oh my God, our guy outside With the lawnmower Before I don't think Mike's Pricana, might be getting at least He's really letting it eat now

This is what I used to deal with back in Maganagan's Studios all the time I've always said I've always said You know six years of arbitration Right If you always said that If you could have players

If in your fifth year of arbitration You ball out There should be like an opt-out some sort of it's never going to happen i know but there's a way teams love control bro they've never it's never going to happen if you could do something i don't unless the player said okay we'll take a cap salary goes to the team it's never going to happen who wins the nl central shoot man um this is a very interesting division for me because with the reds and again i talked about this with chris rose i think that's going to be

coming out today and we do have a lot more and that's a blower and that's a blower i think Okay If you can hear me I'm curious to see how the reds respond In the second half Because He's blowing it this way The front is he blowing it to

He's just blowing to the other side of the yard He's like picking it up This is a 10 by 12 foot yard And my guy is out here With the blower eating right now Just feasting Did he even cut anything? Is the window shot

I can smell the gas from the floor right now, can't you? Yeah. I left the window crack. Kind of like it. Not to be, okay, anyways. Does it not have slight feels, the ALS,

which you said is your favorite division? The Reds have just had this magical run. The Cincinnati Reds, baseball is back in Cincinnati. Yeah, no, it is. They're a very good team. They can score, dude. They're a game up on the Brewers.

The Brewers have felt like They've been a malaise all year, and you've got a team with a track record of going to the playoffs in recent years. It's obviously not Houston's track record, but some kind of similarities here that you're telling me we come out of the All-Star break. Brewers have a good series. Reds have a bad series. Brewers are in first place. Yeah. No, I mean, that's where we're at. For me, Cincinnati is the story here because they have had this run that they've been on since L.A.

the cruise has been up. Yes, we know about everybody else. There's a lot of really good players on that team. Votto's coming back, having fun. It's a great story. Dude, balling out too. It's a great. He had a little lull.

This series. Yeah. I want to see how they respond. They're going to get some guys back too, which is cool. I hope for their sake that we didn't just see their best brand of baseball and they have more in the tank. What we still don't know.

No. Because they're scoring at an absurd rate. They're winning games in all these different ways. So, I mean, maybe that is, you could take that and say, well, that means they're going to continue to win. If they can win games in a bunch of different ways, and that means they'll continue to do it. We still don't know.

We still don't know what they are. What do you mean? Hold on. Why do you say that? Because Trev, they just went on a nuts run of baseball. They just went. 22 and 8 in their last 30, 14 and 6 in the last 20. Like, that's not sustainable.

That's what I'm saying. Is it not? Correct. Like the Reds aren't going to win games at a 75% clip. So it's just are they are they a winning games at a 60% clip? Are they just above 500? Are they, they could end up below 500?

There's a ton of kids on the team. I think they've proved enough now that they are going to be at the top fighting with the Brewers throughout the rest of the season. They're not going to, this team, not going to fade away. They're not.

Yeah. There's too much talent there. They are going to get a hunter back, which is going to be awesome to see. I mentioned that on baseball days. I want to see how he does coming back into this mix, which is he hasn't had this in Cincinnati. We're like, they're on top of the world right now. I think he's going to feed into that, dude. That's the kind of player I think he is where if you put him in a situation where it's like,

hey, we're good, make us better. I think he's going to take that challenge and run with it, man. I said with Texas and Houston, I like Houston. Again, they have a lot more of a resume. In the Central, if you're telling me to pick between Cincinnati and Milwaukee, I was just going to say Cincinnati confidently because there's something powerful about that much youth balling out and the city's into it, and Ellie de la Cruz is a special special.

Everyone's in on that. I was just about to say confidently, like, you know, I'll give me the Reds and let's see what happens. what's gone right for the brewers? Yelly good? Yelly's having a pretty good year right now. Like yelly's playing a little better than you'd expect? Otherwise,

the normal things have gone well for them. Every time we talk about the Reds, we say there's eight guys that we didn't expect to pitch, to play this well. Who on the Brewers is overplaying their expectations? Wade Miley, Julio, Toronto. Yeah. But I, those guys have done it.

Those are the guys. So that's, they've picked up the slack of a tough Peralta first half. Corbyn's been up and down. Had some good starts, had some bad starts. He's taken the pill, though. Woodruff spent out. You know, the bullpen's been fine. I've actually seen, for some reason, I've seen a lot of Devin Williams blowups.

Interesting. But he still has a 1-8. So, like, I've just been watching when he's giving it up. So they have a good back end of the bullpen. Like, the pitching is, that's their calling card, dude. And a couple guys have been better than, you know, advertised, I guess you could say. I mean, Tehran, I don't think it pitched in the big leagues for a while. He's just back.

Just came in and bawled out. Doing his thing. I'm going to fade the fade. Give me the Brewers. Willie Adamas hasn't done much for them. Yeah, I'd like to see them make a move. We always want to make a move. I think they're like in the same boat as the twins.

I mean, I don't know if Brewers fans want to hear that from me, but like they need a bet. What are their rankings? I need to check. I mean, it's not good. Good. It's not good. If you look at their offensive rankings throughout the league, I mean, they're bottom tier. Just let's see. Let's get some quick Milwaukee numbers. Okay.

Do the Reds do anything at the deadline? Same kind of veteran. Same thing you'd say about the Orioles, right? I don't know that. I don't know. Yeah, I mean, that would be nice. I don't know if they're going to or if they are going to say the same thing. Like, we have Lodolo coming back in August.

We have Hunter Green coming back. like, you know, Abbott's been great for us and we can figure out the rest. Ben lively. I keep mentioning his name. I do, and we had a lot of fun times together, me and Ben. I think they have enough on the squad. At least the way they've been playing,

I mean, do you want, every team can add a bullpen arm? Every team probably needs a starter. So maybe. Brewers are bottom 10 and batting average on base, OPS runs, and homers. Can I tell you, if, if I, was just a little better if I brought that 1% better every day. I would have known that the Reds and Brewers play right after the Elson trick.

Yeah, there was the games, break, and the games, yes. So that's going to be awesome. It's going to be great. Brew crew wins the series before the break. We'll see what happens at the break. And yeah, it's going to be a dog fight between those two teams. Ashcraft, Abbott, and Lively versus Burns, Peralta, and Miley. Here we go.

Fire me up. Easter West, Big Poppy. Let's go east. To the east To the best of the west. Atlanta's the best team in baseball. Easily. Like I don't think there's any dispute in that right now.

No. So Atlanta's the best team in baseball. They're going to win the division. Miami has been the surprise of the season, I think. You can talk about the Reds all you want and what they've been able to do and I know like it's flashy and Ellie's doing his thing and all this, but...

That's interesting, Trevor. How could it not how I mean this is they are the surprise of the season and Sandy who you know is the unquestioned leader of the staff hasn't even really pitched to what he's used to Diamondbacks that was my Chris Rosen impression I think it's the Marlins Diamondbacks have a case for it reds have a case for it but I think the Marlins are the surprise of the season in what they've been able to do one run games they're doing it they're getting some timely hitting they should be way better. People like to point this out that they've really only lost to the Braves. They're one and nine, I think, against them right now in the season.

And they've gotten just demolished in those games. Yeah, if you chop out the Brave games, I think they have like a plus 60 run differential or something like that. Yeah, and they'd be like instead of whatever this is, 14 games over 500, if you just put them at average, they'd be like 18 games over 500 doing their things. It's very impressive what they've been able to do. great utility player on there.

What's his name? Not saying it. Come on, the people love it. Not saying it. It's Joey Wendell. Did he not get invited out here? I don't know.

Joey Wendell? Hasn't he been an All-Star? Has he been an All-Star? I would bet on Joey Wendell. No, that was what Maryfield's coming out. If we set up that old MVP 2005 target practice and you had to, like, hit the targets for points, give me Joey Wendell. Joey Wendell would slap it around the field.

If you ever met you. Ready for that? been saying about me, dork, he grabs you with his bare hands. They're so calloused. What's going on over there? God, baseball, Miami Marlins. Yeah. Yeah, did he change his bio?

Oh, good one. We haven't checked his Twitter bio in a minute. Father, Father, infielder for the Miami Marlins. Play baseball on the side. A lot of guys do that. Okay. It's a really cute picture. Joey Wendell is awesome.

Really cute profiled pick. I don't like when you're. say his name like that, but it's so funny that I ask you to you all the time. I open it up more, the more you zoom, it's so cute. So I don't think Miami is going to be interesting to see what they do, how they

approach to deadline. They've swung and missed on a few bats here and there. But they're a team that I feel like really is like one trade piece away from being like legit. But that trade piece has

to be a hitter, right? Because if we're the whole Marlins stance. It's never been pitching. Yes. But who's one big hitter that the Marlins would bring in that would actually change our view of the Marlins, from surprising team to contender? Juan Soto.

You're not wrong. Give you an answer. It's not wrong, but... He's not available. But he's not available. He's not available. I'd have to... We're doing the trade deadline episode after this.

So just this is table all these talks. It'll come out Friday. We've done it. It's been on the Chris Rose Rotation. the past couple years, we're bringing it to talking baseball. So really fun episode, that's going to be the Friday up, FY. I don't know. There's a lot of guys they could bring in.

Phillies, I don't really think there's a conversation, right? Like, they got hot. They are the Phillies. They're in a wild card spot, I believe, right now. They're a half game back, excuse me. There's confidence that if there's a move to be made, they'll make it. Um, Browski's done that. I guess confidence factor on Phillies make.

the playoffs. Who were we wrestling with? They're a half back of San Francisco, two and a half back, or excuse me, three back of Arizona. I'm in. I'm in on the Phillies. Did they catch the Marlins? Trey Turner hasn't gone. Harper hasn't really gone, right? Like, I think they've got a lot more that can go right for them. Didn't Harper just exit a game? A little scary. You could barely throw. He's out there trying to hit. Maybe, maybe not. Dude's got three homers. That's the crazy thing.

I would bank on some positive regression. Marlins versus the Phillies. Yeah. Right now they're three and a half games back of the Marlins. I'd go Phillies, but I'm not confident in it either way. And I want to say that more so as a compliment to the Marlins. Because I think the Phillies are good. I think the Marlins are good too.

I think winning is contagious. Like if you want to get caught up and run differential to the point that we have to butter night out the Braves games, whatever. But they've won a ton of baseball games. Third best record in baseball. Yes, yes. Mets, losers of the mid-bowl against the Padres.

They won the first game. Big for them. You're right. A lot of people were texting me, hey, we're back. Yeah. I mentioned Ken Fuchs on the last episode. Shout out. And he was really excited about that because he said people told him about it.

And now I don't think you're that excited, Ken, because we're talking about you guys losing the series, limping into the All-Star Break, six games below 500, 18 and a half back of the break. But seven out of the wild card. Okay, that doesn't sound any better. I thought that was going to sound better for you guys.

It doesn't. Are the Mets and Padres missing the playoffs? Like, yes. Yeah, yeah. There's a lot of. lot of good teams ahead of them. There's a lot of good teams ahead of them. I always get sucked into the Padres. What I think about for the wild card is this.

You can compare teams and say, okay, I can see them. And seven games doesn't seem like that much over the course of the season. I just kind of went on a rant about that in the American League. The amount of teams that you'd have to jump and the quality of teams that you'd have to jump means something to me. Yeah. So, like, they'd have to jump. They'd have to jump all the Padres.

they just lost you, but the brewers, the Phillies, Giants, who I think are just better baseball teams than them right now. Snakes or Dodgers would be in that equation, too. If you don't believe in the Marlins. I know we can't, we can't say it yet because we need to get to the deadline. And to give the Padres a little bit of credit, they've shown just enough juice to continue this conversation on and on, and maybe they'll continue to go more. I mean, these are two massive disappointments.

Oh, yeah. We just talked about the biggest surprise. I don't know. These are the two biggest disappointments. Historic sounds dramatic, but the spending sprees, these teams just went on? That's what's tough for me, you know, as a former player. You guys know that I used to play. One time I got a nice hit off Felix Hernandez in Seattle.

It was nice. You got beat, but I just, I was two strikes. I put the ball and play. The Yankees can learn something. When you're lost. Well, hitting coach. No. Coach Treve?

God, now I forgot what I was going to say, dude. I got so excited. What was I? I have no idea what I was going to say. Mets, Padres. I don't know. He used to be a player. Oh, yeah.

Thank you. Thank you. Well, you know, when you have owners that invest in players like this via free agency, I mean, the PA loves it obviously. The players love it. I mean, you're getting paid for, you know, what you're, you think is an accurate amount of money to fit your skill level.

When teams like this, the Padres and the Mets who have the payrolls and the expectations flounder, and we have the Marlins whose payroll is very low and the Reds whose payrolls very low, it just, it makes it more palatable for the ownership and the front office to say, look, see? All right. See? Why would I do that? And now fans are like, oh, we don't need a payroll.

We need prospects, and we need, and that's kind of the back and forth that the league and the PA plays. So this is bad, this is bad for the PA and player salaries, to be honest with you, when you have teams like this with the big payrolls not performing, because they can point to it and say, that's why we're not doing it. Fangraf still has the Mets with a 15% chance to make the playoffs. Do you agree with that? You're my percentage guy. I think 15's a great number for them.

Okay. All the teams that are, like, close to, like, being dead, I give them a 15% chance. That's not bad. That's not a bad rule to live by. Yeah. Everyone gets 15, a couple of you figured out. Has the Padres with 32%. So the nerds think the Padres have double the chance to make the playoffs in the Mets.

Well, let's get into the West. Which I think I agree with. I think the Padres' talent is more blinding than the Mets. They've been playing a decent brand of baseball. And if I'm being honest, like, do I think the Marlins have some slip-up potential? I do. I don't think the Phillies have a ton of slip-up potential. Like, they're just going to be the Phillies.

Yeah, I think the Phillies are going to make the playoffs. The Giant Snakes and Dodgers all have some slip-up potential. Obviously, the Dodgers, the brand, and what they are. But the feel of this Dodgers season has been different as they're in first place. That's the thing, dude. Just like the Astros, they've been hit with injuries, you know, kind of. throughout their lineup and their rotation. Had to bring the kids up,

you know, even preseason, Gavin Lucks going out, tough for them. He was going to play shortstop. Now they got Mookiee Betts playing shortstop. And mixing and matching guys, it seemed like a season that not a lot has gone right. You know,

you can talk about Kershaw and, you know, obviously you still Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts doing a thing. But, like, for their expectations, it doesn't, it hasn't seem like they've been, they haven't fired on all cylinders yet this season, essentially. Right.

You could say the Dodgers are in first place. You could say the Miami Marlins have a better record than the Dodgers. But like the Marlins have a great record. Like the Dodgers are 51 and 38.

They caught the snakes, which I think is a very interesting storyline because, you know, the snakes have been, I think, you know, playing a little bit over their head and things have just been really going right for them and they play a great brand of baseball that we really like.

And I'm happy for the season that they've had. And they've done everything. the right way and everything's just happened and all of a sudden the Dodgers have caught them. It's the all-star break. They're tied in the win-loss columns.

You also mentioned this with the Houston Astros. The don't give a fuck stat? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Dodgers. Dodgers don't care. They know they're going to be there. Their rotation right now is Eureas, Gonsolin, Grove, Sheeon,

and Miller. Yeah. Their I.L. Kershaw's fake I. Their IL rotation right now is Kershaw, Bueller, May, Cindergard, Pepio. So they've got two rotations. They've got two rotations. Bueller's still trying to come back this year. That would be crazy.

We're still working on the yard out there. We're still really working on the yard. I like it. I like it. Maybe some water would help. I don't know. They might not have sprinklers here. No sprinklers.

What do you got on the Giants? Because I think they're one of the more interesting teams. We do kind of lose them in the baseball world. We're talking about other teams. The Giants kind of just are there. They're doing their thing, but they're getting the pitching. The youth movement there has been invigorating for their environment. And here they are.

We talk about the Dodgers lying in the weeds. I think the Giants love lying in the weeds. Gabe is naked out there in the weeds waiting to pounce. He sure is. 49 and 41. two and a half games back of both the Diamondbacks and the Dodgers, they have all the pieces to make the playoffs. I think right now they are in the wild card spot,

half game above the Phillies, half game above Milwaukee. What do you give them? Do you think there's going to be three teams from the West in the playoffs? I'm not fully in on the Giants. Why? I'm a sucker for stars. You are a sucker for stars. You know, I think Gabe Kapler's their star.

He's not their star. He's not their star. No, no, no, no. No, and I know, you know, one of their pitchers, I think you're going to talk about it. Two of their pitchers. Two of their pitchers. I don't know. I like the snakes.

I like the Dodgers. When you start getting into the wild card teams, I think I just, I like those teams a little better. It's not trying to be giant slanderous. It's just, I think I like other teams more. And I'm just being attracted to players' names. if I'm being honest. Okay. I think the Giants know how to win baseball games

and don't give away a lot of baseball games. How about that? Okay. I like that. That's important. I think the lineup is long. They've had some guys really perform. You know,

Bailey's a guy they point to that has come up and done a lot of things. They're bringing the kids up as well. Motos, they called up. Yeah, he's been all right at the dish. Right now sitting at a 658 OPS. But, you know, guys like Lamont, had a really good year this year. Really good.

And then it's just kind of like a lot of, a lot of solid play. You had Jock Peterson at 120 OPS Plus. Conforos 101. Stremche's 114. J.Davis 119. Tyro is on the I.L. right now. He was 108. So you just have like a long lineup of guys.

Some of the guys they have brought up, like Akashi Schmidt and like Amatos, they're kind of struggling offensive right now, but they have enough length there where it doesn't matter. And then the back end of the bullpen's good. the stars have been really good. It's just they're going to be in the mix. Whether we want to talk about them,

whether you're attracted to their names or not, the Giants are going to be there. We've learned that over the last couple of years that organizationally, they're very sound. Are the Giants the new Cardinals? I have them. Let that sink in a little bit. Giants fans, close your ears.

Why am I making enemies in the play? You're making, yeah, too. It's early. I have them missing. I have them missing the, I have them as the first team out of the NL playoffs. I don't. I think ownership, I think like the front office and ownership are like

hungry to get into the playoffs. I think they're going to be aggressive. I'm in on the Giants, man. Okay. If I had to give you Giants or Snakes rest of the season, just straight up record. You're going snakes? Snakes.

Obviously, you're a snakes guy. Snakes. I like, love to line them. Okay. Love to line them. I think they're pretty similar teams. Hey, if the Giants outperform the snakes, I wouldn't be, would not be surprised at all. Okay, well, that you just changed your answer.

I'm not changing my answer. I'm taking the States. Padres, we don't have to talk about the Rockies, shout out Kelse. You kind of talked about the Padres a little bit. Yeah, what do you got? I got nothing more. You're out on them on the playoffs? If I had to pick one of...

You just said you're out on the Giants in the playoffs. Right. And no, if I had to pick one of the miserable teams, Mets, Padres, like Cardinals, if you really want to throw them. Who else has been like a big disappointment? Anyone in the AL? Not really, right? Off of my phone.

I'd lean the Padres. Like if I had to throw a flyer on one of the most disappointing teams, it would be the Padres. That's because you love Blake's now. They've been pitching so well. You love Blake Snow. I love Blake Snow.

Okay. That's like your guy. They've been pitching so, I've said it so many times, I've been pitching so well. They have a historic top half of the lineup. You said they were going to... Have they been historic, though? How many games have all four of them homered? Fuck.

None. Can you guys do that for me? I really put you out there. He said that was going to happen like 12 times. It should, dude. Like, if you really think about it, like, hit some homers, guys. Yeah.

I'm out. I don't know. Who wins the West? Dodgers. The Dodgers. They have been... It's just so impressive. what they've been able to do.

They brought a few guys up that have worked as far as the pitching staff. You know, she hens been pretty good. Bobby Miller's had his starts, a couple ups and downs. Grove and Stone or a little more of, yeah, kind of swingy for them, if you will. But they're going to be there. They're good. Come on, snakes. What are the Dodgers going to do?

It's Dodgers until it's not. They're not going to do. Starting pitcher and. And a reliever. That's what Chris Rose says. Package deal. Lucas G. Lito, Renaldo Lopez, to the Dodgers. Chris Rose trade draft.

That's nationally taught. You want to burn the IL so we can get in the second half of the show? Burn the I'll highlight some more of the series. You got it. You're out. You're outy 5,000. Take it sleazy. Like a bird?

I'll do the IL. I just got to find it. Cubs, Yankees. Okay. Let's do it, Bebs. in the Interleague the Braves took two out of three from the raise your two best teams in baseball why not braves won the first two two to one charlie morton verse tyler glass now the old man in the sea um sean murphy with the big two run homer that's the difference in that one big old feet

spencer strider comes out for the second game shuts them down sean murphy home run again The Rays get their first win in July. The Yandyman can Esock Parades or Rosarena. They win 10-4. They get to Bryce Elder on the first times he's been really knocked around this year. You've heard our thoughts on Atlanta. Race, get on the board for July. The Chicago Cubs take two out of three from the New York Yankees.

Jameson Tyone, who had been the worst starter in the National League, shuts out the Yankees for eight innings. Yankees win on Cold Day and they get a little bit of offense. Stanton, two homer day. And then they have a lead in the third game. Get a little momentum into the break, right? Fellas? Not so much.

Yankees, they blow the lead. Glaber boots, a tailor-made double play ball. And Yankee fans weren't surprised when that happened, and that's the worst part of it. Cardinals take two out of three from the white side. No thanks. Just no thanks at this point. Nationals, they take two out of three from the Texas Rangers.

Told you there's some Texas Ranger butternostats there that aren't looking so good. Meanwhile, these nationals, they're going to be a fun trade deadline episode team. Joey Menesis has a big game in that second one. Alex Call Luis Garcia, they won't be traded, but good games from the kids. And Patrick Corbyn. How about him? Seven innings pitch, one Ernie. Is he?

Are we finding it? Are we back? Dodgers, they win two games against the halos. 11-4-10-5. Just big boy. Mookie Betts. Are we too bored with Mookie Betts? I think so.

No, we're not. I think we need to talk more Mookie. And that's what happened. That's what happened in the Interleague. So with that, that essentially brings us to the second half of the show, which, Treve, you mentioned some bird stuff before. I'd like to mention bird dogs.

No, bird dogs are real. Other, like actual birds, fake. Right. Birds fake, bird dogs. Real nice. Very real. They make me look good. They do.

They make me feel comfy. You're wearing bird dogs last night. Out on the town. You look great. I'm a bird dog guy. They've become my travel clothing of choice. Two and fro when I went to Chicago last week. To Seattle.

Am I going to wear them fro? I think so. We'll see what the laundry situation. Oh, we have laundry. in the house. Yes, I'm definitely wearing my bird dogs. Bird dogs, they're so comfy. And if you go to Birddogs.com slash talking, you enter promo code talking. What will you get, Treve? For Yeti Tum. Yeti-style tumbler that I use all the time. Yes. I do. It's a great cup to sip water out of

or put some coffee. It doesn't matter. Keep your drink comfy. Keep your legs comfy with bird dogs. Click the link in the description. Thank you. Bird dogs. Stand out. Perform. Stand out. I want to make sure I'm not stealing yours. Great. So I'm going to point to it right now.

Okay. On the sheet. Okay. No. I'm giving the Royals some love. Wow. How about that? I love you guys.

It's been a tough one. Wow. Do you remember the 2012 home run derby? No. It was in Kansas City. I was going to say Kansas City, Because I remember asking you, did Minnesota host the Elser game? 2014.

So you just had to out Homer Dozier and you couldn't do it. He was in the Homer Derby, yes. His brother Clay threw him batting practice and was not good. Yeah. But a nice story for them. Enough about that, yeah. Kansas City's starting pitcher, our friend, Ryan Yarborough, comes back. It's his first start back from facial fractures.

Yeah. Let me tell you something, man. When you get hit in the face, it is not easy to get back in the box, back on the mound. It's, it takes some balls. For lack of a better term, to get back up there and do his thing. And that's exactly what he did, man. Six things pitched, six hits, one earned run, five K's, gets the W. Goes into the All-Star Rick feeling good about himself.

And I just, I could have went with the Tigers no-hitter, which did we even like talk about that a little bit? A guy Matt Manning. Three guy. Holy and Lange. Three guy combined. no-no. I didn't go there. I went with Yari because I think coming back from something like that is

very difficult and he did a great job and I wanted to give him a little bit of snaps, a little bit of love for Kansas City Royals. Trade for him Baltimore, former ALE East guy, big left field. I'm just trading everyone to Baltimore. Okay. Treve, that combined, no-no. I mean, my God. I liked it. Yeah. Would you say combined no-hitter is more impressive than a regular no-hitter?

Because multiple guys have to be on that day? Eh. I don't think that. I just pose a question. I don't think so. No. I don't think so either. No.

And I've decided, you know, perfect game. No-hitter. Combined no-hitter. I just lowered my hands each time I was making a tier list in person. Oh, Jess is out. There she is. Oh, Daddy's hungry. Oh, my God.

Who's Daddy in that scenario? I don't. I think DVD for a second there. I like it. I'm going to allow two people combine no hitters. Like I think that's cool. You and me head up to the podium after the game. Interesting. We did it. No hits. Come get us. When there's three, it loses me a little bit. What if there's like six? Way out. Way out. Give me your standout. So there's no point of, you know, it doesn't come back at all. Yeah, I don't think there was any point to what he was just talking about.

My standout. I'm going to combine it. I'm going to go Eugenio Suarez, Mike Ford, Luis Castillo, and I'm going to go Logan Gilbert, too. What are those guys that have in common, Jake? I just, you know, I'm not the type to come to Seattle,

suck up to a ton of their players, just so people at the homerun derby are nice to me tonight. I wouldn't do that. I'll go actual Logan Gilbert. He's one of my favorite pitchers to watch. Although, go look at Mike Ford's stats if you want to chuckle. I like it. He's trying to hit homers, and he's hitting Homer.

Yes. Good for him. I remember I asked Mariner fans, I was like, hey, Kirby or Gilbert, what do you got? And they were 6535 Kirby, and I get why the fastball is electric. I'm a Gilbert guy. I love the way he pitches. I always say kind of mini glass now, even though he's not that mini.

Fun pitcher to watch some right-on-right change-ups that always gets me going. And I don't know. I am sucking up to Mariners fans just because I don't want us to get beat up tonight. I don't think we're going to get beat up. Jess sees me get beat up in the stands. That would be strike three.

Why would you get beat up in the stance? I don't think Seattle's known for, like, beating people up. No. It's pretty like, they're like nice up here. They're very nice, but I think that's why they have questions about me. We missed a lot of people in stand-up performances. It was a big list today. Dalton put together a really nice sheet.

I'm trying to get back to it. This keeps reloading on me for some reason. So I wanted to read a few off before we moved on to the next one. You know, you have Loris Scriel Jr., three for four, two doubles a Homer. You have Lindor. Lindor doing his thing. Stanton doing his thing. You mentioned that big old ski foot, spend.

Spencer Strider doing his thing. Mani Machado, two homers. Yandi Diaz, three for five with a homer. A lot of guys went off. Can you tell me who's been in Fuego? Because you might even hear some of those guys. Dirt nasty's on Fuego. That means I'm all fire, baby.

Yummy. What did mine some right now? For the series, my good friend. Former teammate of mine, Joy Meneses, Washington's DH. Five for 11. One double four homers, though. only five stakes with those four homes.

Trade him. That's tough right there. He had a two daughter. You don't see two daughters too much. Your team needs a hitter. Go get Joey Manessus, man. I like Joey Manassas a lot. I think he's still under control for a long time too.

So let's see what Washington does there. He entered the series with only two homers and zero since May 7th. He had four homers in three games against Texas. So go do your thing. Speaking of Texas. Right across the field. That thick neck son of a gun, Josh. five for 10.

Oh, Olivia's FaceTiming right now. Two homers, five ribbies. Yeah, you can answer. I got to read this off. He leads all major rookies with 19 homers. 19. He's also at his fourth career multi-homer game and third of this season.

Our thick-neck king's going to have a 30 homer season. He's doing really well. Yandi Diaz went eight for 13 in the series with one-double one homer four ribbies. He's one-doubt-fiving it in a three-game series against Atlanta. He showed up to the dance. Boy, Yandi. For the week, July 3rd,

July 9th. Mani Machado's getting hot. Really? Okay. 11 for 23. That's a 478 Ave. Four homers, 13 rubies. That's what you want to see.

He's got five homers off next year. Hit two off them on Sunday. Awesome. Wilson Contreras. For those hot cardinals, no, they're not hot. Trade him. They're like my coffee right now,

disgustingly cold. Just trade Wilson. 11 for 17, 4 doubles, 2 homers, 5 ribbies for a 1.9. And how about Joy Votto? He is hot again. 9 for 22, 4 homers, 10 RBIs. Half of Joey Votto's hits since coming off the injury list. I've been homers.

He's swinging a big stick. Joy Votto likes to play chess. Don't you do that. I want it. I want it. He would kill me. And this, my people, is the list you want to be on. I love this.

From June 26. Yes. Through July 9th, we have Mookie Betts. Heard of them? Yes. Is he good at baseball? I'm glad we're talking about Mooky Betts tomorrow. 17 for 42 with seven homers, eight doubles, 15 ribbies, 15 runs for a 1.6.

When he plays right field, doesn't like it that much. 243 with 874, gross for Moogie Betts. I would have freaking killed, I would have done a lot of things to have those numbers. When he plays the infield, though. Would have killed what? I don't know where I was going with that. Well, that was strange. I would have killed.

A gopher. A crow. You do that for fun. When he plays the infield, he's batting 331 with a 1.1. He is a utility player, like it or not, people. How about Jaron? Would you have killed a former teammate to have Mookie Betts' stats? No.

I would have a person. Nobody finds out. No. That would just haunt me the rest of my life. Yeah, I mean, you know about it. I'm like not into killing people. You don't have to do the killing. You just declare him dead real quick.

I apologize. don't want to kill people. Jaron Duran, 17 for 35, 6 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers, 11 runs, 3 stolen bases. People are calling him Corby and Carol Light. That's not a knock on you, Jaron. I'm sorry. That sounded like a knock on you.

Spencer Strider, obviously, doing his thing. 3-0, 3 games started, 20 innings pitch, 3 earned runs, 30Ks, 1-35, ER8.85 whip. He just is so good, dude. over his last four starts he's allowed one homer two starts prior to that he left five homers

that was a you got hit around a little bit he answered he's fine he's gonna be pitching in the World Series probably and that's uh who's in fuego those guys

Spencer strider man dude his legs and his feet are not real like that's how I know we're in a simulation too because like someone messed up they just kind of fuck that one up okay I like that

legs too big Freaking skis for feet. That's interesting. Yeah. 30 strikeouts and 20 endings. He strikes out hitters so easily. It's kind of bizarre. My sweet Jessica was in the kitchen and got really excited for a moment.

I was like, what just happened? She has a friend who named their dog Mookie Pets. Love that. So when she heard Mookie Betts, she got really excited. My uncle, when I was young, had a golden retriever named Mooki. Before mokey bets. Wow. Yeah, this was like 1990.

Early in the mooky game. Yeah. There's been other mookies around. Yeah. I'm going to do this, I.L. Because it's important to know what's going on. Going into the break, coming out of the break. Tommy Edmund for those Cardinals, hot teammate, Wilson Tarras.

Key Brian Hayes. Yeah. Shoot. I think Cutch went on too, right? Cutch. Yeah. So that's interesting for Pittsburgh. Estuary Ruiz.

who had been leading the A.L. and Sullen Bases by a mile. Yeah, yep. He goes on the aisle. Jake Bowers for the Yankees. Dansby Swanson for the Cubs. That's supposed to get. Jess got excited again. Go Dors.

And Dansby. Hello. He's hot. Jose Alvarado for Philly. Returning from the aisle. This is more fun, and I didn't mention it and shows where Yankee fans are at. Carlos Rodon, one of the best pitchers in baseball. Yes.

Returned for them and became an afterthought really quickly. He was good in the game. He was really good. He looks good. He's a very fun presence and character. We didn't get to care about it. Gman Choy back for Pittsburgh. Love that.

Yeah. Kielbadoo. Where you at, Fuzzy? Riley Green back for Detroit. They're always, the gamer guys are here. They're here. They show up. They're gaming.

Oh, Ben lively after the game Sunday. No, he's returned on Sunday. Oh, he came back. Thank God. Dude, this is why this segment. He came back and shoved. It was him and way. Midmiley dueling it.

And another hitter came back for the Orioles. Just what they need. Ryan Mountcastle also related to my Jessica, his wife's bachelorette was the same weekend in Key West as theirs. They met up on the party floor. Couple ball players wives. Yeah, 100%. Must be nice.

Wags. I think that's what they call. BPD, hit that. Hit that. Awoy. I am going to shout out Kelsey shout out Kelsey shout of Casey

shout of Casey hot I am going to give out the Christmas in July award do you know what month it is July and do you know that month the word month is derived from a moon I heard you guys doing this yesterday

yeah I didn't but now I do yeah anyways Christmas in July right when you think about Christmas Right. What do you think about? Like, as far as like...

As treats. You're a treat guy, right? Why is that so funny? I love treats. What do I think about Christmas? I'll get into it. Man, the tree. That's a good one.

Gingerbread cookies. Yes. Yes. You, uh, you let me write in. Mill. it. You bake the cookies. Hell yeah.

And you decorate them. Yes. Gingerbread houses. Now let me add. Gingerbread house. Do you, before I get into my ward, you have a gingerbread cookie? You're not into your work yet. They're shaped like little men.

Do you bite the head off first? Yeah. Are you an appendage guy? I eat all the limbs. So I'll go head, arms, legs that I just end up with the... We just got an image. Chris Rose is walking across the lawn now and he's got an animal. now and he's got an energy drinking his hand at 80.

We're getting a little bit. We got a little kooky. Everyone's waking up. We're kooky now. Gingerbread. Yes. Love it. You apparently eat the head first.

Great. Christmas and July. Why am I saying that? Why am I relating? Great question. I'm going to bring it all together for you. You're a storyteller. That's what you do for awards, bro.

Going into the break, we had, speaking of ginger, three redheads. Ball out before the break. Number one, my guy, Logan Webb, what did he do on his last start before the break? Was he complete game shutout?

Complete game shuddy with 10Ks, no walks. Redhead, hot, doing it. Wow. Kyle Gibson, famous Redhead. Probably the most famous Redhead in all the baseball now is Kyle Gibson. What did he do against my twins? Seven innings pitched.

Two earned runs, 11Ks, one walk. He gets it going into the All-Star break. And another one, probably the most important one for me, the most special one, I think. Alex Cobb, sneaky Redhead. One of our friends, early spring training in 2020, we always talk about that. That was before the world changed.

Sixth innings pitched against the Mariners, no earned runs, seven Ks, no walks. Three gingers, Christmas in July, getting the job done. You know what they get to do during the break? Sit back and think about that last start. Alex Cobb going to the All-Star game. I think he's 35 years old right now. It's his first time going.

There was a really cool video of Gabe Capler telling him, and like he was emotional about it, man. He's worked really hard to, like, stay an elite pitcher. To be good at baseball at 35 years old is really hard. And he's just done. What he needs to do. He's peaking. He's an All-Star.

I wanted to shout that out. I wanted to relate it. I thought the ginger thing was good, so I went Christmas in July. Yeah. And that's how we got here. So snaps for Alex Cobb. I can't believe you went ginger bread. Where else would I have gone?

Well, if you're going ginger, like we had like sushi last night. It could be some... Pickled ginger. I gave Chris Rose a turmeric ginger shot before we went to the airport. A lot of different ways, but those three guys doing it before the break. And then Alex Cobb getting the All-Star knot, I thought was. cool. Go check the video out. Gibby punching 11 tickets.

Well, twins are down bad offensively. He's got two 11 strikeout games this year, Twins and Tigers. What's your award? Alex Cobb in your book, Trev? I think he is. He is in your book. I think he's got a splitter off.

One for three homer. Just turn on it? Yeah. Hands in. Gibby, I don't think I ever face Gibby. Can't. Great award, Trev. What do you think about with Thanksgiving?

What pie do you think about? I think about football. Okay. First, I don't like Thanksgiving food. Really? I'll crush it. It's great. I do.

Everyone's like, you get the leftover turkey sandwich? I don't. I don't, bro. It's the trick of turkey. Like, turkey's kind of mid, but everything else around it is pretty good. See, but I think turkey's really good.

Dark meat or white meat. Both. But I don't eat it the next day. I don't care. I'm back to, like, my regular schedule program. Give me some tacos, give me some sushi. Know what I think you need on Thanksgiving? Humble pie.

Hmm. It's a time to check in. I feel like I humble myself. Know who got a lot of humble pie? Yes, I do. I know where you're going with this. Alec Manoa. He got a lot of humble pie.

Yeah. He talked that talk for a couple years. Let's just talk about the timeline real quick. Because if you remember early on, we had Recker, Anthony Recker, call him out. How about that? Saying like get in the gym, bro? Yeah. So we had to deal with that.

Bad start the season, go on. And Jake's rule of winning and being good cures everything, he was that. For two years, he was one of the best pitchers in the American League. Yes. Young. Comes out this year. People thought there might be some shift regression.

Chris Rose and I took him to be our Cy Young. Me and BBD did a, we did a top young pitcher's draft because it felt like kind of a generation of pitchers had graduated, like that Flaherty, Gialito-Free generation. They became vets. Sure. That it was like, who are the next young guys? You couldn't make the list without Manila.

It was impossible. He'd been incredible. Some people thought there'd be shift regression. His pitches and seeing them and watching them, it was like, wow. And I guess all the metrics were like, they're moving three less inches. Crazy stuff.

He lost it. That he gets sent down to the Gulf Coast League. We're theorizing what they're going to do, get in the lab, just let him rest. He comes out for that first game, and, hey, as someone who represents the Yankees fan base, boy, were the kids excited to fire off their tweets about Alec Manoa again, laid up in rookie ball. Yanks, rookie ball. And then the sports cycle moves on. He gets another minor league start, and it's kind of clean, and everyone's like, okay, good.

Alec Manoa, good for you, dude. He shows up Friday night, six innings, one earn run. Yep. And a team, we've talked about a lot of the teams, Toronto, for where they're sitting, Ray's fluttering in a little bit. Toronto, it doesn't feel like they've clicked, and they're still sitting in a fine spot. Yep. And who knows what they get out of Alec Manoa.

But, I mean, in baseball circles, the conversation, you know, was Alec Manoa going to go down as an asteroid? Like, is he going to be a Jolly Olive video? Oh, my God. He's back in four weeks. Six innings one and run. I'll pat myself on the back a little bit. So might get in a jolly video.

He might. He might. I told everyone, don't worry about the complex league start. It doesn't matter at all. Like, he needed the mechanical tweak, dude. Maybe a little mental reset. Guys have gone on the mental health list. The twins put Jorge Lopez on it.

And like, so, like, could have been that, too? I don't know, man. I don't know the guy. I didn't talk to him about it. But I did know that, you know, You don't just go from here down to the ditch that quickly. Like, there's still plenty of great baseball from Alec Winone. And he showed it.

So I am happy for him because not only did he get called by Anthony Rekker and that Alex Verdugo called him out, like it's been a humbling year for him, for sure. And maybe he'll end it on a high note. Go Jays. Trev, Davis, Chris Rose in the kitchen, Jess floating around. I have my chain point. Popped the whole episode. Didn't know.

Yeah. Did, it looks good. Whoops. Julio. Talked about it. How gives that a yard look out there? Going to the derby tonight. Thank you guys.

Jake sucks. Live at midweek, optimism brewing. Roll through. And then the trade draft episode. Friday. Giants going to make the playoffs. They miss on the final day. Oh, my God.

Oh, that hurts. Yankees tonight playoffs.