Talkin' Baseball (MLB Podcast) - The Angels are for Sale | 532

Episode Date: August 24, 2022

Go to http://getroman.com/talkin TODAY. If approved, you’ll get fifteen dollars off your first order of Roman T-support. 21+ in most eligible states but age varies by jurisdiction. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings dot com slash sportsbook for terms and resources. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. In Tennessee, call or text the Tennessee redline at 1-800-889-9789. In New York, call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369). One per new customer. Min. $5 deposit and wager. $200 issued as eight (8) $25 free bets. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 2:30 Good Teams Will Miss the Playoffs 7:46 Red Sox Stink 23:03 Angels are For Sale 28:15 Derek Jeter 30:04 Robo-Umps in the Minors 39:55 Pitch Clock 47:50 Pickoffs & Stolen Bases 51:35 Bigger Bases 57:05 Shift Rules 58:59 Some Aces Don't Scare Certain Fans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello and welcome to talking baseball. Jake's got some thoughts on the Red Sox. Replay in baseball got put to a cool test and good pitchers stinking. Hello and welcome to talking baseball presented to you by Seatheek. Thank you very much for tuning in. Appreciate as always. It's the midweek episode August 23rd, 2020. episode number 532 of the program.

How about that? Trev, nice glove. How you doing? I'm doing great. I'm happy to have all the boys together here. I believe when this comes out, it'll be August 24th, so that's awesome. That is true. Today we are recording on the 23rd. Happy birthday, Kobe. My guy, I know you're up there looking down on this show. He was a baseball fan.

I'm doing great, though, and I'm looking forward. to all of our topics. There's some good ones, specifically Jake's. I want to see how he dances around this one. Jake, how you doing? Oh, Trev, John, Davis, everyone with us, you know I'm a phenomenal dancer, so it won't be an issue for me. You actually are. I am. I don't know. I think it's a, it's a nice mix of my weird body, athleticism, willingness to look bad if necessary. Yeah, you're fearless. That's what it is. Amens sexuality. So, yeah, excited to get into a topic ep for the boys as we're escaping the dog days, like we talked about. And heading towards this final, final stretch, like month and a half, not even almost.

So pretty nuts, Jimmer. Month and a half. Well, it's a little over, right? Because it goes to October 4th now or October 6th? When is it? Get the first week of October. So you got another week of August and you get a week of October. six weeks left that's cool

those last three weeks are kind of when you're like what do we need what's like what's happening and a lot of races are spreading out it's kind of interesting how it's going to unfold we'll see we'll see how it goes because a lot of teams that aren't going to make the playoffs that we've been talking about for a while that have been like kind of like on the good radar for a long time and I just

was realizing like, oh, wait, a lot of them aren't going to make it. There's probably like three or four teams that we've talked extensively about that just will be out of the playoffs. And I think it's the races here with the added wild card, I think are going to be really good. It hasn't messed too much up. I think the season means something. I'm excited about the three game or two.

I think that's the one thing I wasn't sure about because I did as a fan enjoy, the freaking one game winner take all thing. But this rewards the better team, I think. We'll see how it plays out because the one game was really fun. It is excruciating if you were in it. But as far as a marquee event, it was really good. But yeah, right now the twins, the White Sox, the Orioles, the Red Sox, not that there's too many surprises.

You knew the Central was most likely going to be a one team division. But they got a lot of run here and they're on the outs looking in. Well, for me, go ahead. Central's three games right now, Minnesota, Chicago, and Cleveland. So that's got a chance to be a really good division finale, although we don't love that division. Braves, three game back from the Mets as we record this. So, you know, Milwaukee, that's one that we circled last step without you, Jim. It's like, whoa, they're currently out of the dance five games back of St. Louis.

That's one. I mean, that's kind of the biggest shock on the board. The Central, both one-bid conferences. basically. Potentially. I really hope that's not the case. I really hope that's not the case. Well,

that's kind of what everyone thought going into the season. We thought that an NL might get two, and they might. So we're there. Looks like the AL's going to be one, right? Depends what happens the rest of the way. I'm still holding out hope for my Chicago White Sox. I don't know why.

I have no idea why. Tony LaRusa is just infuriating everybody, even White Sox fans, mostly White Sox fans. you should he just did to copic yes I mean that's kind of where I was going with that

it's it's bad man if anyone doesn't know he was he was hurt he threw an 88 mile per hour fastball he sits like 94 they went checked on him got a reliever warm and then kept him in

threw 18 more pitches he's been left with injury yeah once you check on him you're just taking that once you notice that first fastball down that much I mean I'm sure everybody in the dugout

looked and was like what's going on. And that's, you just go right away. Yeah. This kid has had a phenomenal year for you and he's part of your future for sure. Like it's, I don't know. There's really no words for it. Yeah.

All right. Well, we got, uh, there was so cool updates on the testing between the new, like, all the stuff they're testing out in the miners, the bases, the pitch clock, the robo um, so we're going to chat about that. Jake wants to talk about the Red Sox. And then I fell into a, a little. rabbit hole that ended up not as interesting as I thought I was going to be. So I'll do that at the end.

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Guys, take care of it. Specialty, you raised your hand? so I can call Roman, set up an appointment. They let me know how my T level is. They will, let's see, we've got their- I'm going to talk to a qualified, you know, physician, and they're going to let me know. I might check it out.

Why not? You're getting older. Because imagine if I was this good on low T. Right. I can't imagine. Get your T-levels right. You can't imagine. You'd be like Raula Banias,

hitting homers in your 40s. Mm-hmm. 300 Jimmy Jacks. 305, Mr. Worldwide. Yeah, and we talked about some teams at the start today, and I want to check in kind of where we were at with certain teams. We've been tough on the Central this year, the AL Central, aka the ALMid.

It's literally Middle America, and the performance has been mid. You know, we've been tough on the White Sox. We just hit him in the open. We didn't even talk about it, and the White Sox got a little shrap. That's true. And that's just kind of how it's been this year. And then the news today, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim,

Artie Moreno, is looking to potentially sell the team. Big headlines there. We'll see what goes on with that, but that is big news in the sport. And the Angels are the other team that kind of gets the most shrapnel from this show and baseball fans. It's easy to say, and it's kind of right to say, right? The Angels, I think they've missed seven straight post seasons.

You know, we've talked ad nauseum about Trout and Otani and how can you have the two most talented players and nothing else around them. As we check in and Jim, you mentioned the standings again and, you know, hesitant to Will Thing shuffle again. And we'll see what happens. I mean, this time last year with less games to play, the Cincinnati Reds were still in the playoffs. I believe the San Diego Padres were still in the playoffs and they faded out. So, you know, there's a chance that we're still going to get a shake-up in this baseball season. And the one team, the Boston Red Sox, who they had their trade deadline. They did a reshuffle of sorts.

They ended up with Hosmer. They snagged Tommy Fam, yet they traded away Vasquez. And, you know, they're floating around there six games back of the wild card. But more importantly, there's three teams in front of them. So that is a tall, daunting task. They've been done in the East for a while. They're two games below 500. They would have to jump the White Sox,

as aforementioned, are two games ahead of them. The Minnesota Twins are above them. And the Baltimore Orioles. So the Boston Red Sox, we've mentioned it and we've come and gone on it, but they are sitting in a pretty bad spot. A pretty bad spot. And, Jim, you've mentioned,

it a few times. Usually when Boston collapses, it's a significant collapse. We've seen that in a couple years. But I want to go back since 2018. They win the World Series. Awesome year. 108 wins, dominant force in the playoffs that they rolled. And, you know, that was the Dombrowski effect. And there's a little after effect of that, right? And that's the whole thing with Dombrowski. If you're going to sell out, there's going to be a ripple effect to that. In 2019, we saw the start of that ripple effect. They went 84 and 78. They had the highest payroll in baseball, $222 million, and they did not make the playoffs. 22, became a really weird year, really quick, right? No Cora. Reneky was in there looking like the ghost of Hagerstown, basically running that team.

They had the fourth highest payroll. Trude. They had the fourth. I'm taking that from you. They had the fourth. Ghost of Hagerstown is like an all. awesome guy. So is Ron Renicki.

He's a baseball hero. He was a different kind of ghost. He was like a bad vibes ghost. Different vibes ghost. The Boston Red Sox had the fourth highest payroll of the top five teams with the highest payroll. They did not make the playoffs. Sure, 2020 was a weird year. Everybody basically got invited to the dance, but not the fourth highest payroll,

Red Sox. So following up next year, you know, the Red Sox kind of sneak up on us. They host that wildcar game. They do have a nice run to the CS, which kind of didn't feel expected that year. They were sixth in payroll, but, you know, they end up going to CS. That's a lot of teams, you know, only two teams from each league is going to get there. A nice year for Boston. And now here they are, six in payroll again.

And I was just going through how many talking baseball episodes we said, give Heim some time. And, you know, we're year two and a half, year three-ish, of Hime, and the Boston Red Sox are fifth in the American League East. The Orioles have passed them this year. They just played in Williamsport, and the Orioles, again, were the better team. That, I don't know, the questions this year around Boston, are they going to re-sign Devers or Bogarts?

That hasn't happened. And we're talking about a fifth place Red Sox team that now, three times in four years are going to have a top six payroll and it's looking like they're going to miss the playoffs. And if I'm a Red Sox fan, and I know they've been hot about not having Bogarts or Devers extended,

I'd be hot about pretty much everything involved. It's, you know, this is a proud franchise. This is a championship franchise, especially the last 20 years. And we're entering a really interesting spot here. So that, that kind of caught my attention today when I dig through and I was like, what is a topic we should talk about?

Because the White Sox are right behind them, seventh in payroll, but they still have a shot to win their division if they can find it in the next month and a half. And yeah, the Angels who have been kind of a punching bag of this show in baseball for the last little while, they're 10th,

and they've kind of fluctuated around there for years. But if you're the Boston Red Sox, man, I don't know. It could be a very interesting, off season this year and I don't know I don't know what you do yeah I think the butterknifing out like 18 is is the big thing here I mean they won the world series in 18 you get a lot of time after that I think in the gates kind of everything like you win the world series you get a big buffer period like I had much rather the red Sox 10 year history than the Yankees they've had a

similar budget they got two world series in the last decade and the two years before 18 16 and 17 they won the ALE. So I think this is more of a shot at the Hime time. Which is supposed to be rebuilding. Like last year was a surprise. This year they have contracts coming off the books. Like this was the time period that they've been eyeing. If last year goes according to like what they thought and prepped for it,

I don't think we're like upset or we're shocked. Well, are they rebuilding? Well, they were waiting for Bogart's to come up, Devere or J.D. to come up. off like a valdi to come off like it's all these sale comes like a lot of contracts end after this year yeah i think this is this off season was the off season where it was like okay let's see what's going on because a lot of money shit gets shed and they go get Trevor story and anticipation of this off season they sign them long term so like it's I think we're going to have to

see what Heim does here um are we going to go out I think this is what I believe will happen And they'll get some marquee names this off season. They have to make a few decisions. I think Bogart's probably, he's gone. And then make a decision on Devers. And then they'll see what's, there's a big, huge free agent class. I mean, like a hundred plus comes off the books this year for them.

Yeah. So they can either go make the splash this year, which I imagine they will do something. And then I still believe in Heim and give Heim time. I think last year what kind of happened randomly for them, don't you think? Yeah, but yes. Well, I mean, that almost makes it a little worse if we're calling their ALCS trip random and not a credit to their success.

And Trev, I think I have to, the free agent pool next year is not a flashy one. I mean, I think the biggest name is Trey Turner, which is they make a move on him. But we're also talking about them losing Bogart's. and they lost bets. And you're talking about them losing a lot of veteran talent that... Isn't Aaron Judge on the market this year? Aaron Judge will be there. Yeah.

So go get Judge. So why didn't you mention him as the biggest one? Well, he's already with the Mets in my head, Trev, after winning the World Series this year. So I think Trey Turner would fit in perfectly with the Red Sox. I mean, that, and you think about where that goes, Trevor Story, Trey Turner, Zander Bogarts, and then they still have more room to go. So you have them resigning Bogarts and Trey Turner? I mean, Devers. I said Devers. I meant Devers.

Well, I mean, as you mentioned, the names coming off the books, Native Aldi's been very good for them this year. Sandra Bogart's has been really good for them this year. So I don't know if I put that as part of the solution as we're watching the Orioles pass them. You know, the Blue Jays have their young core together. The Yanks have dominated the division this year outside of their lackluster recency.

And then the rays on the opposite side of the spectrum, you know, going through the recent. years in their payrolls and how good they've been. It is insane. I know we mention it in passing in every episode we say Ray's going to raise, but the fact that they are nearly a bottom five payroll for the past five years now and have been in the playoffs, what they're doing is, I mean, it's so impressive. I know a frustrated gym when every team try to copy the race and do their version of it,

but what the raise do is very impressive. that I don't know. I mean, if you're Boston, it's tough to picture them coming into next year, gung-ho, unless they sign Judge Turner and three starting pitchers, which I don't think that's Heim's formula. I don't think we fully know yet because I think we need the money to come off the books and then it's his turn to start mixing the witch's brew.

So, like, we'll wait and see. But I don't know. I mean, they've won a World Series recently. So I don't think Red Sox fans are too upset. Yeah, I agree with that. There's three in our office today that are pretty not happy. And I think next year, think about what we're saying. The Red Sox have the chance to finish last place this year.

And they have the chance to finish, I don't know, fourth or fifth next year, depending on how their free agency goes. I don't know how much time Heim is going to get. Because that's a town that does demand winning. I mean, look how quick they gave Dombrough the hook. So I don't know. I think if you're a Red Sox fan, this season hasn't been what you wanted.

And pending the off season, which, hey, Red Sox, hope you make some massive moves. We just talked about you signing two awesome free agents and hopefully some pitching around that, that I think there's going to be some other teams in the mix for those guys. And I don't know. Did their farm improve? They're the 11th. They just updated the farm system rankings. They're 11th in that regard, which is like the highest they've been since 2016.

team. They have a lot of their higher. That's a lot of like, was the problems this year. They, they, they didn't have any depth. They had to go to their triple A roster and it was like non-prospect, non-prospect, no potential like guys, like not like, you know, he's here. It was like, oh, it's like, hopefully this plugs the whole a little bit. Marcelo Meyer is their top-ranked prospect. He's eighth overall in baseball.

He actually is a shortstop. So maybe that does take. them away from signing a turner to a long-term deal. Maybe they give them a three-year. I don't know what they would do with that. But I think what you're referencing or what Red Sox fans will be feeling now is like the hate of uncertainty. And I think maybe as a franchise like the Red Sox, you shouldn't have too many years

of uncertainty. And yeah, it's just going to, we have to see what goes on in this offseason and then how it transpires. but I think Haim is not on a short leash right now. I wouldn't say that. I'm interested to see because I know Marcelo Meyer, his projected ETA, 2025. Kossis, he's the one that next year, I know there's a lot of hope for him, and they called up Bello this year, Beyo.

If he can be a good young pitcher for them, that would obviously be important. But I don't know. That's a proud sports town. I love the Commonwealth. And I just, I think we might be on a tipping point that think, think about what we just said. The solution is to sign Aaron Judge and Trey Turner. If the Sox do that, awesome. That's not what we said.

Okay. Yeah, that's not what we said. Okay. Then what did you, then what did you say is the solution for next year's Red Sox? We didn't. We said that that's when it, like, we'll start, we'll wait and see what Heim does. But I don't think the plan was to be a winning team last year, nor this year. I think they're looked at it as when all these come off the books, let's prep.

So the farm system gets better, work with guys, so you can make some trades in the offseason and then sign guys. But it'll start happening then is what I think. And I agree. And I think they could make a splash and free agency this year if they want someone that they could see what they want with their team long term. That matches up more with their quote unquote window, I guess. But I'm on the other side too where I just said, like, I don't think a franchise like this should have too many years of uncertainty. I don't think that's it should happen.

I mean, that's kind of what I'm saying. I mean, we're talking three out of four now and depending what does happen next year for a really proud sports franchise that's also paying a lot of money. I don't know if I know a World Series ring can cover up a lot, but, you know, 2018 will be five years ago next year, something like that. I mean, I mean, how many teams can say that, though, Jake? I mean, they got two in the last 10, like five in the last 15.

They got some stuff to fall back on. Well, I will circle up with you guys this time next year and we'll see where the Boston Red Sox are. Well, I'm not saying they're going to be good next year. So I don't know why you keep saying you're going to circle up with us this time next year. I actually called and being mid this year. I said they're going to be 500 club. You're kind of missing the point of my topic. So I'll kick it to you guys.

Is it your job of the Red Sox stink? that the franchise is kind of in a worse spot than I think you guys are leading on. Yes. I like that. I like it. Yeah, it could be worse. I think they're rebuilding. Retooling.

You know, when Theo went to the Cubs, he said five years. When Guter went to the Marlins, he said five years. We're in year two and a half. So, you know, I think that that's the plan. The Marlins. The Marlins had very different payrolls and standards than the Boston Reds. Sox. Of course, but I'm saying that new GMs usually say it's a five-year window.

Well, we will see. And that's why I can say. The Marlins have another electric pitcher, too. I don't know if they just keep finding these guys. It could be worse for Red Sox fans. You could be Angels fans. I feel like we do need to touch on the potential sale of the team from Artie Moreno. Why is that bad?

Wouldn't Angels fans want that? Well, I'm saying you could be Angels fans over the last decade. You just mentioned how many World Series titles the Red Sox have won. Oh, yes. Just had nothing to show for it. But yeah, you have the announcement now, I mean, the potential sale,

which means they're going to sell the team. Nobody comes out and says that and then doesn't sell the team. So he's looking to make a lot of money. I think it was purchased like $184 million or something like that. 183, something like that, yeah. And it's worth over $2 billion now. So I guess good on Artie Moreno. And the initial reaction that I got

from Angels Twitter, because I'm pretty plugged in there. Yeah. My guy Soto, my guy Max, they were out there. Also, obviously, Nate Steele, our guy, everyone's happy. Everyone's happy. And this makes me wonder about what happens with Otani and Trout. And I think that everyone's saying, oh, well, this makes it easier to trade Otani this offseason. This makes it, you know, easier to trade Trout or something like that.

I don't know if I agree with that. I think this is something where if you're selling this team, you want both of those guys on your team. And then you let the person that comes in, the ownership group that comes in, decide that. If you have control over what we're calling the baseball is unicorn, you keep control over that and let somebody else decide what to do with it. This is kind of changing my thinking of how they're going to handle a tonne now.

I don't know if you guys agree with that or not, but I don't see how it goes any other way. well i mean that's what kind of was soto is they want to sell the teams they wanted to lock them up or or just shed everything because he was owed a lot of money so it's one of the he wasn't owed a lot of money he was just going to be a free agent so i well in arbitration if they stayed it would he's going to get up he's going to break the record sodo he's going to get 30 million in his arm too um or more than that i think i don't think that it's weird that they would even care about that because it's one year deals the entire time. I don't know. Yeah,

I don't know either. My question is like baseball hot in the streets that we're just getting so many teams sold, it feels like. Do you think you're, this is a signal that teams are trying to get out while the getting's good? I don't know. I don't know. I mean, I guess we had a big window at the end of turn of the decade like when I'm looking at it now Rangers in 2010 Astros in 2011

Padres in 2012 Dodgers in 2012 so maybe it is just constantly going I think what we're seeing is it's just been a good deal to be an owner and these guys are businessmen and when they say you know what

how much did we lock in right now how much can we lock in with this sale what is the what's the valuation of our team? And these guys see these numbers. And it's hard not to go. And maybe Ardi Marino's getting a little old now and he's a day-to-day guy. He's at the field all the time.

You go down there, you're going to see Artie Marino. Maybe he's over it. What team's been the same ownership for the longest? Any guesses? The longest. New York Yankees. Yep. By.

eight years 1973 Polad's had been there for quite some time in Minnesota as well 1984 it says 84 and the Philly's

1981 no middle fans yeah knows are that old told you he's jacked he's an old guy but he's got abs interesting

Hardy wants to go chill on the beach he's 76 give me my three bill and let me hang out man yeah yeah

that's basically I think what's happened is these guys are just businessmen. They're seeing an opportunity to cash out, go whatever. You know, there's a lot of stress when you have Mike Trout, Shohay, Anthony Rendon. I wonder if there's something where MLB doesn't want two for sale at the same time,

although it has happened in the past a bunch. In 2002, it says three teams got bought in that year. But now it's going to be nationals and the angels. Which team would you rather buy? Angels. That's tough Angels Angels yeah

Yeah Yeah Either I'll take either You want to hand me a team I'll be like I want to be like the guy Who's like a minority stakeholder Doesn't really call the shots

But is the face I want all the questions coming to You want Jeter That was Jeter's role That Jeter Magic Johnson With the Dodgers I think he had something like that I'd be perfect for that

I think Magic got some significant mistake, though. He's crazy business, man. Yeah. Let's pivot to the... Wait, yeah, ask you one question about Jeter? Yeah, always. Since we're here.

You guys watched the doc? No, I watch two and a half episodes. I'm like four in, I think. Has it made you like him more, like him less? Or the same? The same. Tough for me to like him anymore.

So I don't know. I would guess, maybe a little more, but probably the same. Yeah, it's kind of same with just a reminder of what I haven't learned anything new. Yeah, I haven't learned anything new. So I'm guessing people that didn't grow up like with him as their like eight, like he was my hero. Like I read every book written about Jeter.

I follow. I listened to every post game press conference like because I was diehard Yankee fan. So I haven't really learned much new. So I would say it's the same. The one thing I learned was about how he like really just didn't hang out with anybody. Is that really true, though? Like the way they portrayed it, it makes it seem like he just like hung out with what,

Posada and like his boys. Well, he had a, that was what like Strawberry told him. It was like keep a very tight knit group of people. It was really hard to crack. Yeah. He had to have like go out with his teammates every once in a while.

Well, I mean, he went out all the time. They like made commercials about it. He got in trouble by Steinbrenner for partying too much. But with his boys, like on the team? Yeah, I think that's who we would go out with.

I think he went out with them. Okay. Certain friendship thresholds. I like, it's made me like him more. Good. Feels authentic. Sometimes I thought, am I getting real Jets? It feels authentic.

I think people want real Jets to be a little different that that's who he is. Yeah. I think is, yeah, yeah. All right. There's some interesting stats and articles about the new rules. testing out in the minor leagues. MLB network actually broadcasted a AAA game. That's using some of these new rules.

Trev, you were excited about this, as was I, because I did not realize they're doing basically what Jake's been asking for for a while with the robot strike zone. In some levels, they're just, the robot strike zone makes the call out of the,

it was like the Atlantic League and the independent leagues. We don't like that. I will be okay. with that when the technology matches what everybody understands as the strike zone, which it's not right now. Like someone just posted recently a strike that

like you can see how the technology would say it nipped the corner, but it didn't like go through the plate and someone tweeted at me. I'm like, yeah, but that's why they're guinea pigging it. They're testing it out. Yeah. Make sure it's good. But it's still not great. Yeah.

What they're doing is they have a challenge system in place. And I love the parameters by which teams can challenge. So each club starts with three challenges of balls and strikes. A correct challenge is retained. So obviously you get it right. You don't lose a challenge. Incorrect challenge is lost.

Challenges may only be made by the batter, the catcher or the pitcher. No help from the dugout, no replay. You can't check it and then like then signal to the pitcher. And it has to happen pretty quick. I watch the one that they challenge and got overturned. I mean, it happens immediately. The pitcher goes like this on his head,

taps his head and and then they challenge it and it got overturned. That's awesome. I'll stop there because we can talk about some more of the data and other stuff. but I think that excited us that they couldn't, the dugout doesn't challenge, just the people on the field. I like that a lot. I think that is the best thing that they could do with this.

We've been calling for the challenge of balls and strikes. I think that it works for me, even if there isn't an automated zone, if there's just an umpire back there and they have the automated, automated zone as a backup for the replay, like I'd be okay with that as long as you have these challenges, you know, three a game and you can do it. I love the fact that they've taken the dugout out of the game.

I love the fact that there's not some dude and no offense to all these dudes because I know some of them that just sit back there on a computer and watch the fucking game and they're why are they involved in the game? Like they're not part of the team and they've become part of the team because of this and like again no offense to these guys, but like I feel like everyone's probably would rather just the people on the field play the game be part of the game. So having that I like this system even for challenging. on the field. No calling to see if there is we should challenge not. Trust your players. And what they've said in this article is, you know, these teams now have had to decide, okay, how are we going to approach this? Are we going to, one organization said, we're not letting our pitchers challenge whatsoever. The only our catchers can do it. I love that. because we know how we I know how pitchers are you guys know how pitchers are they'll be challenging every dang thing that comes across so I think there's a little bit of strategy involved in that we can still get the calls right and then it just it makes it seem more like baseball right right I get I guess with any implementation there's a reason you test right like pitchcom was a little nervous this year but you know generally it's all right you know I know we've comments

how, you know, maybe get a different audio system or a different system because we see pitchers stepping off and they can't hear it. And it's like, okay, let's try something else. Maybe that might work a little better. But, you know, pitchcom I was very hesitant on. And, you know, it's worked decently. It's worked decently well. The athlete part of this is fun, right? But it's also scary for me. Because you mentioned, you know, in that same conversation, you guys said how you liked team saying a pitcher can't challenge because they're trying to compete

their goal is to get you out, take it out of their hands where the catcher, A, they have the best view in the house for it and catchers are usually a little more composed and I guess that's where I'd actually get nervous about this because think about when we talk about when players don't act like normal members of society because Jim, you say it a lot like, you know,

these guys are running hot. These guys are like our version of Roman warriors. I wanted to expect them to be clearheaded at the time. I would just be worried that I would have a couple hitters come up early in the game and they'd see that borderline strike three and they go, well, check it. And it's like, whoa, hey, hey, man, you know, that was two outs, no runners on base and that was a close pitch. I don't think you should be challenging that.

And I don't know if that should be in the player's hands because now you're wrestling teammates and you could be affecting later in the game when the whole goal of this should be to get the calls right. we're trusting you're trusting your players you got to be a good teammate you got to know the situation you better not i think you'd stop having guys guys run hot going yeah but they'd have to know like this is how um like cricket and other sports is like the players on the field do it and in cricket there's a uh the captain is the only one that's a lot to like tell the umpire but he has to go ask his guys like really really they don't get to like look at it and review it and then they do it well

I almost like that more. Like have a designated guy that has to run it. Well, that's why, that's why teams are saying the catcher. Yeah. But if you're the hitter, if you're the hitter, you don't have a catcher.

Like, I almost like if there's a, if the hitter gets someone to check with, like the pitcher has the catcher. I would love if the hitter has like, who's going to check for the hitter? Who would know? Like the designated team captain,

like we're saying. And if they can't. But he doesn't have a good view of it. No, but he has a decent view of it. And he could say, say like, hey, man, it's the third inning and there's two outs like, no, we're not. I like the speediness of it.

It's so quick. You have to do it right away. You don't even get like five seconds. I like it because it keeps it moving and it stops like the bad thing about replay. And every guy slides in. They're like, review it, review it, review it. Takes that away because if you're wrong, you're now a bad teammate because you're taking something away that your team can use.

I think teams are probably like, hey, first four innings, unless there's runners in scoring position or bases loaded there'll be parameters no no challenge but that's that's up to the team like like we're not challenging a single ball and strike unless there's two outs and i like that and i like that there's some gameplay involved but also speediness because if if you get to step off and look to the dugout and then they get to look at it like treb's saying i i'm i i like this for replay on the field because it's it takes forever sometimes and every player hold on hold on hold on hold on hold on hold on I hate that every player just thinks that they're safe or out or you know and they're telling that they're always telling the dug out like to review that review that review that it would take that nonsense out like you would not be able

to just well there'll be a lot less reviews I think yeah yeah you'd have to keep yourself in check like you have to be a bit more honest like nah don't review that I was I was safe I guess that's my concern I I guess with players running hot. No, that's the great part about it too, Jake. I think what you're referencing is rogue players. That's a great storyline too. Dude, what if your team sets these parameters up and you're like, nope, fuck that, bam, hit your helmet, whatever the signal is.

Or I think the drama between a pitcher and a catcher, when a pitcher is like challenged that and a catcher's like, mm-mm, mm-mm, you know? I think that's great. I think this, taking the people out, I don't even like when a pitching coach is signaling to the catcher, like telling them when to pick off. Like when they're giving,

I hate that. Why? Why do you need to tell a professional catcher how to control the running game? You shouldn't have to do that. So like, and that's initially why I was for paper too in the field, although James, you've kind of convinced me otherwise.

I like the fact that dudes could just have the paper and not have to look in the dugout at their coach, waving his arms like that. I want the players to do the heavy lifting. of the baseball games. I mean, I get it, and I like it. My only concern would be the original problem here is umpires getting the call wrong.

Um, so if I end up in the ninth inning of a big game and a baller strike gets missed and a teams use their three challenge, we haven't necessarily cured the problem. Um, well, you just wouldn't, you just make sure like, you know,

don't waste them. Well, that's not necessarily how it works. If an umps having a bad day and you have to burn your challenge and some of them hit and one doesn't and now you're out, I don't know. That's my only concern. And I don't know.

I'd love to watch it play out. And I know that's what they're doing in the minor leagues. But the end of the day, the whole idea around this is to get the call right. And if we set up parameters where we get too far away from that, then it happens already, though. It happens already because you only have a certain amount of challenges now. Yeah, you got to save your challenges to the end. Be smart about it. I like it because it keeps the game.

moving, which is the next, the next thing that they're testing is the pitch clock. And this is another situation where people constantly post the videos of a batter, not getting in the, stepping in the boxing time or a pitcher taking too long. And then it counts as a ball and they're like, this isn't what people want to see. It's like, yeah, obviously this isn't what people want to see. We're implementing a new thing. So we don't like this, the goal is not to have balls charged to the, the pitcher. the or because he took too long.

The goal is that no one ever causes an infraction. And it's things for the guys that are testing this. But the results of, of the new pitch clock are awesome. The numbers behind it are really good. They've shaved, um, 26 minutes off total game time. So that's 26 minutes of nothing.

Yes. Like that's what they're taking out. It's just the standing around nothing's happening time. So they average game, was three hours and three minutes last year. It's two hours, 37 minutes this year. That's a nice time for a game. Like I don't mind longer games when they're good and engaging,

especially when you're at the ballpark. But man, two hours and 30 minutes on TV, that's like a good window of sport, especially if you want people to stick around and be, uh, or, or dive in and be new fans. Then when you get to the post season, they can run a little longer and be a little more like, you know,

ripping. The runs per game has stayed the same. The batting average has stayed basically the same 246 to 249. The strikeout percentage, 24.5%, 25.6%. Walk percent, 10.5, 10.5 again. And they hit by pitch 1.6 and 1.6. So it has not affected anything besides taking out a lot of non-action from. the total runtime and speed up the pace of play.

So that's good news. I don't want to sound like the old guy. You guys know I'm very guarded of that. I always tell myself, don't be that guy. I think the difference in what we're seeing in the game now and maybe what it was in the 80s, 70s, 80s, whatever it is. I think social media has a big part in that. Everybody now wants their shot.

Everybody now wants their sign. That's a lot of the dead part is guys. stepping out, you know, breathing, like knowing that this is my moment, this is me, me, me. And it just kind of happens for every part of the game, dude. Like you make a catch in the outfield. You know the eyes are on you, so you might like keep those eyes on you a little longer. You step out of the box. You're a pitcher.

You know, there's just so many things like that that are going on that I think have a little bit to do with like the social media generation. I have no problem those guys getting their shine on. but only when it's appropriate. This is going to help. I've played with the pitch clock before, and it's great. The only guys that get infractions on this are guys that are like, they just need to clean it up a little bit.

The game moves at a pace that feels a little bit quicker, but isn't where you feel like you're rushed to get into the box. And you know, you can always call timeout. The pitcher does have, this is interesting to me, because now they're limiting the disengagement from the rubber, whether that's a step-off or a pick-off. So you get two per, and that's interesting to me,

because that now lends itself to a more running, more stolen bases. So I think you probably have to keep one pick-off, one disengagement, so you have that threat of a pick-off. But I don't know. I like the pitch clock, the numbers support it, and it does only cut out the dead time.

It's not like it's working against the gameplay, pretty much whatsoever. It seems cool, right? And again, something I defer to the players. Terence Gore referenced in this article, Base running specialist World Series. Yeah, of course he likes it. Yeah, the players like it. And if they like it, I think the other thing that's, you know,

if you do the gap between the minor leagues and MLB, you're going to add some commercials there. the time comes back up a little bit. Yeah, you just, you hope there's a little bit of feel, because I know, like you said, Jim, you know, when there's a moment in a game and it's awesome, when there's a three to two playoff game and it's the eighth inning, no one's talking about pitch clock, right? Everyone's talking to the person next to him like, you got to throw the slider, right? And, you know, he goes back, he puts a little rosin on him. You see his wheels turn and you see the batter thinking, you know, those moments in baseball are the moments where you're like,

hey, turn the pitch clock off, babe. Let's let's let this happen. But yeah, man, there is a lot of funny business, kooky baseball going on as Trev was talking about that, yeah, if we could trim the fat a little bit, because even a three-hour baseball game is sweet. Three-hour baseball game is nice. you start getting 320, 3.30 of a bad baseball game, it gets a little long on you.

I use this comparison today. I can't believe I'm using it again. If any of you are runners out there, I'm not. But Trev, you're a runner. There's times when you run for 45 minutes and it's a breeze and you're like, that was a nice run. There's times when you run for 45 minutes and you're like, damn, that felt like hell today.

I think you could use that for baseball. And I don't think that's being rude to anyone, but, you know, a three and a half hour good game, awesome, a three and a half hour bad game, you know, it gets long quick. So, yeah, let's try it out. I'm even fine with them grandfathering in pitchers now. Like if they were to implement this next year, I would do a cutoff. We're like, Lance Lynn, you don't have to fucking abide by this, you know?

Or if you are, you have accrued this much service time, you're fine. Grandfathered in. because I don't want balls on especially at the MLB level. I don't want a pitcher to take too long and then a ball to be added to the count. So I hope by the time this comes, the minor league pitchers have been adhering to it. They're fine. And then I would grandfather in MLB pitchers because nobody wants that.

You just want the next generation to come up to be faster. And it's shaving off the time of the total runtime. But like that's pace is the much bigger problem. Right now, be games average four minutes between balls put in play. That's so bad. That's too much conversation, Jim. You always refer to this sport as a conversational sport.

Too much conversation for me. Imagine like an NBA game. It was four minutes between a shot. That's kind of what I think. I know there's way more shots than balls in play. But still, like that's too long. And they say pitchers are around the zone more like they've asked in. And batters are like ready to swing more because they don't step out of the box.

So they're saying the pace in between is good as well. It's, yeah, I mean, you can always call timeout if you want to have a, let a big moment breathe. I think teams can always call a timeout, whatever you need to do. Are we still going to be able to call baseball the only game without a clock? No. Well, yeah. Yeah. Because like, we have a clock.

Yeah, but that doesn't dictate the end of the game, dictate. It's the end of a pitch. Golf also doesn't have a clock. Yeah. True. People forget that. The pickoff thing, only two pickoffs. I thought that was really going to change the stolen base game.

I thought that was going to be huge. They have the numbers. It's not, it's not that crazy. Stolen base attempts are up. They were, what is this? How are they doing this?

Stolen base attempts and M.O.B. We are up from two. 2.23 in 2019. Is that per game? To 2.81. I don't know how they're, I don't know what those numbers mean. And the success rate has risen as well.

The success rate risen pretty decently, 68% to 77. The attempts are only up a little bit, but good. Stolen bases are fun. Have more of those. I'm for it. You know,

one of my general rule of rules is if this rule is implemented when I learn the game of baseball, would I question it? And if there is a two pickoff rule when I learned the game of baseball, I would have been like, oh, okay, yeah, sure. Yeah.

You can't throw over to first base eight times in a row? Yeah, that makes sense, actually. So, yeah, I'm cool with that. That's the one thing I'm iffy on, I think, is catchers don't like that. Pitchers probably don't like that. So when you have a couple groups of guys

that play the game that aren't going to be fond of it, and runners I feel like are probably really fond of that even though we can't really find the numbers on that but John Lester I think I think that that's just like them trying to prevent a loophole in the pitch clock system I think the greater good is for the game to be quicker so they're willing to sacrifice that yeah again that one I don't really love either but if it's not changing that much

we get a lot of, I wonder, what do you think the percent of pickoffs are where there's a purpose behind it? Because sometimes you throw a, and the purpose isn't to give the reliever more time in the bullpen. It just depends if it's a base dealer on base or not. That's the one thing if you have a base deal on base. I'd say it's 50% of the time, the pickoff has to do with the base runner right now.

You have so many empty ones where they're just buying time. Yeah. And this will incorporate more slide steps. I'd assume if you can't pick off. Okay. So if you can't pick off and you're the runner, can't you just get a humongous lead? Because I'd assume once you started going,

that's a different place, so then you can step off. But you can get an enormous lead and not go until he goes to the play, right? I think same with the challenges. and all stuff. You just got to keep one in your pockets. Be smarter about it.

Stop like doing stuff just because you can. You know, that sounds really good until you get picked off. You can't get picked off. I thought you got two throws. Yes, I'm saying. Say they did two throws. And then after that one, you could just get as far off as you want. You couldn't run.

The pitcher. I don't think you're, I wonder how many times I've got, people have gotten two throws. I'm curious. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I guess this hasn't been tested too much, so. You know, some pitchers have their B move that they need to set up their A move. And then that that would be risking both of the throws to get the guy out. Man, that's so funny.

A guy uses his two throws. Then we're just playing chicken. Just straight up. You can get off to, you can go 89 feet with your lead. Right? Yeah, there's got to be something around it. I don't know. Hey, sound off in the comments.

What we're missing. Sound off. Yeah. Speaking of basis, they're also enlarging the bases, which are 15 inches square. Now they're going to 18 inches square. And Terrence Gore, who's a base dealer, and in that article said, like, there's no difference. He was like, they're flatter and they, so you can push you off better, you pop up slide better,

your fingers don't get jammed as much because they're not just a straight square. They're like, they gradually go up and that's the bigger change. And he was like, they don't mess up my stride. haven't really like messed me up at all. The bases are like round right now. Like they have the flat edges, but in the middle of it, there's like a hump, which I never really understood. I guess it's to focus your foot on the inside.

I don't know why they do that actually. And they're slippery as fuck. Yeah, you've seen the new ones though, right? Yeah. So they're a little softer, right? But they're sloped down, like way more. So for preventing the jam fingers. And like you can push off a little bit.

and pop up a little bit. This shouldn't affect anything, I don't think. No, I think they just kind of did it more for safety measure than gameplay. Yeah. I think I got news for people. I don't think this is going to be the last base change we see. Technology just gets better. Like, picture some of the bases you played with in Little League.

I had the base that popped out. I think people had the base that went in with stakes and was just a pillow. Like, hey, as base technology develops, let's do it. If it's a little bigger, cool, man. Like, I mean, if you're getting hot about the three inch bigger bases, sound off. Sound off in the comments.

Think about how sick base cam is going to be now. We've got three extra inches to play with. Well, but they're skinnier, so maybe they can't even do it. TBS is fucked. Well, yeah, because it's tough. That's a tough technology cameras. I don't. We'll just have the base runners hold a camera.

That was a book I wanted to write Maybe I still want to Why isn't there fucking 360 Fucking HD GoPro cameras In the base The base could probably be made out of a camera At this point The base should be a complete

Freaking camera With sensors I wanted to whatever When did they change from pillows to bases Oh no Because I want to go read all the quotes Has there been a lot of How many changes have there been to the bases

probably a lot. Probably. The slippery ones were the dumbest. That's what I had. Now they're softer and not as slippery. That's great. You couldn't wear molded spikes. Like if the game was a little wet

and those were like freshly painted bases because that's what they do. They just repaint these bases to make them nice and pearly white. And then they're slippery's all hell. Well, we're here. I know we've done this a few times and we'll probably do it,

I mean, over the years even more. But would you guys ever be? up for like a neighborhood rule like taking away the replays when a guy's food comes off the bag for a second? Yeah. Oh absolutely. Yeah. Absolutely. Let's do it then.

Not like the double play. Not the double play situation. Right. Like you beat the throw at a second base, but then you That was a neighborhood for a second. Yeah. Yeah. I'd give it like a hover zone or like two inches or less than a second if you like re-engage.

Yeah, that's, that's, you have to phrase it's not like overslides are getting called for, or getting like allowed, but. Yeah, if you overslide, you're automatically out. Even if you get back to the base, that's my new rule.

If you overslide like that, you're out. It gets too nuanced, but I agree with that. You get to figure out the phrase. It's such a dumb slide. If to overslide a base, or you're just really, really fast, I guess. Went too far.

Yeah. Slide earlier. Michael, K. always says maybe other people do as well well then just don't allow replays in slowmo like if you challenge it and you use replay you're not allowed to use slowmo shots or or zoomed in shots you that has to be wrong yeah so blatantly that you can see it in the replay and you're like yes that ball beat him that when we go like frame by frame and like enhance enhance it's like what what's this about that's why people complain about it

because the cameras got too good. Not in the bases. They can't figure that shit out. But the other cameras got too good. And so people started paying attention to stuff. Before, I mean, you didn't have to swipe the base at second on a double play. You could just, you would go, you would practice. And behind second base, if you're a shortstop, there would just be a big, like, semi-circle where guys would drag their toe.

They wouldn't be on the base at all. And that would be, you turn a play that way. That was the true neighborhood play. Yes. And then they like. And no one cared about that. and then the slow-mo cameras came. Yeah.

I like a hover rule. I think that works. But if you go past, no, no. I'm just starting to think about all the base technology that should be out there. You could have, listen to this. You could have like a radar surrounding the base that came out of the base that allowed you for a neighborhood play.

Yeah, you just have it pop up. And they'll let you know if you're in that zone. That's it. Straight up, yeah. Base technology, maybe it should be our next adventure. because that is sorely overlooked as an industry. It's bad. I know we're supposed to,

I wanted to move on, but this was another thing a while ago. Did we talk about this? Did when they put the actual lines for the shift on the field? Did you guys see them? So the way they're doing the lines in the infield, no one can stand directly behind second base. We were under the assumption that it was going to be like a straight line from,

or I was from second. to the outfield and then someone could still stand there but their foot would be like on the line but they'd still basically be behind second but no it's like it's almost like the zone like no fielder can be in this zone which I love

if the ball is hit over second base it needs to be an athletic play to get that ball and throw them out not just you can just stand right behind the base that's better those poor pitchers you're not to be fielders again. You're going to have to, you're not going to have all these guys

landing with their back towards the hitter because you've got to field your position now. I will say, dribblers up the middle. Having the lines on the field looks stupid. They'll be advertisers before we know it, just like a banner. It's true.

Bomboy media on the field. It'll be a bunch of pizza companies. Yeah, that's a big area. That'll be their slice. BBD has it on the screen now. It's a big area where you're, not a lot of out of fielder. Yeah.

Way, that's not how I pictured it. Yeah, it's like I just need to bring an angle coming off. Can they go in front of it? Yeah, I guess so. I think, yeah, I think you'd be good there. That's a good point, Jake. Wow. Lupal.

You're playing like, if you watched Sandy Alcantata pitch this year, you know he's a good bet unless he's facing the Dodgers, which is kind of the next little topic I had, some research into brought to you by draft kings because that's just letting you know don't bet on sandy alkan dada he's facing the dodgers just dumb you can also bet five dollars on any team and get two hundred dollars in free bets instantly win or lose and if that's not enough action you can also place the same game parlay for a shot at an even bigger payout by combining multiple bets and one like which team will get the win and which team will

score first. Last year, Jake and I loved the, this pitcher will give up a home run and his team will lose. And you just chose any Orioles pitcher and you won every night. I don't think they offered it anymore and the Orioles are have a good staff now, but that was the best combo last year. I was winning money. Download the drafting sportsbook now. Use promo code John Boyle. We bet just $5 on college football and get $200 in free bets instantly. That's code John Boy on that drafting sports book minimum age and eligibility restrictions apply see show notes for details so i was looking at some results and obviously i saw alcantara gets owned by the dodgers um his numbers are crazy only one start this year but it was bad and then um ryan finkelstein tweeted out

that zach wheeler has a four nine one er a against the met's this season he has a 272 against everyone else. And I remember back when we were kind of early on doing the show and Burrios, your old teammate, Trev, you were like he's a young candidate and Jake and I both kind of like, what? And it was because the Yankees never really had too much of a problem with him. I think he had some good starts, but he was never seen as a threat. And baseball is so regional, sometimes fans just judge guys by how do they perform

when they play your team, you know, if you don't follow the whole league. Like there's some 60 to 80 year old Dodgers fans out there that have no idea, Sandy Alcantara is good. They just see that name and think, we're going to win big tonight because that's what they've done all five times. They faced him in the last like three years or whatever it is. So I was trying to find if there's any other out there. It was a little tough of a task. So I guess commenters like comment below.

Like who's a stud pitcher? that your team doesn't fear. I found a couple from this year only. Let me pull it up. Where did it go? Hey, shit. Where did it go? All right, here it is.

So I just took the top 10 ERA leaders in both league. I found their their average stat line per game, not per nine innings. Because I think we should get away from that because they did per nine innings back when you were expected to go nine innings. Now pitchers don't go nine innings. So I like doing per game.

And then found teams that just do better than that. The one I found was Justin Verlander, I struggled against the White Sox this year. And for that was a matchup that was to happen in a DS somehow. or whatever, like that would, the White Sox fans, maybe they don't feel that bad. He,

he averages eight and a half hits a game. In two games, the average is eight against the White Sox, Verlander, uh, and five runs. He's got a three five, uh,

he's got a five nine one ERA, Verlander against the White Sox. So I wonder if white socks fans feel confident against him or this is just like a blip. But yeah, Verlander struggle against the white socks. Is that at, Is that both places, too? Has he pitched it both?

I can check that. I'm wondering if some of it has to do with how you feel at a certain park. I would guess both because that's how it is when they're not in the same division, right? Yeah. He's not going to pitch twice in the same series. So, yes, for that, it has to be both because Verland is not going to have. Yeah. That makes a lot of sense.

Yeah. Our guy Framber Valdez, so it was two Astros that had had some. Frammer Valdez, ERA on the year is two. his area against the Guardians is 405. Guardians have a 764 OPS against him. And they average, do seven hits a game where he averages only usually five hits a game. And, um, and, uh, one homer game, I guess. But that was the other one, um, Martine Perez, Trev, your twins have handled him

like easily this year. I saw him and said what's up to him this weekend. Got a six ERA against the twins, a 280 against for the season, which means it's lower against the non-twins. Yes. To me, this all could mean a couple different things. One, it's you just don't match up against their

lineup, plain and simple. What you do well, the other team doesn't care about, and then what you do poorly, they feast on that. Could be that. Another thing. could be this team's got something. Yeah, or completely random. Like it could be completely random. Like you just had two

bad nights. They happened to fall against the same guy. But I just always find it fascinating from the fans perspective. If twins fans are like, Martin Perez, it's a good year. Like, we've destroyed him. Sure. Definitely different views of different pitchers. We had, I think I've mentioned this

before, 2015, that's a long time ago, geez. Chris Seya with the white socks. his numbers against us. He finished one in four against us, 27 earned runs and 33 innings against us. I don't know what the math is on that. That's like an 8-something ERA against us.

And he was nasty that year. I think he ended up in the two somewhere. So you can imagine if he actually just pitched competently against us, but he'd be like you're saying, James. And they said, oh, we know you got something. and Tyler Flowers used to say that to me all the time. Even in this article I'm reading about it, he said, they must have a tip, blah, blah, blah.

Truth is, we didn't, or one of us did. Dozier had something on him that nobody else could see. Everyone was like, what are you talking about? And I'm good at that. You know I'm good at it. Couldn't pick it up. He had something. All the rest of us, I guess it was contagious.

I don't know what it was, but maybe was Dozier starting the game off with a banger. What I was going to say was he leading off? He was leading off. Maybe there was just the confidence we needed, whatever it was. We handled him that year. We knew he was a good pitcher. It's not like we were like, oh, yeah, we're going to feast on sale. I mean, we did think that, but it wasn't like, we thought he sucked.

It was just like, you know what? We see this guy well. Like, we understand what he's trying to do to us. We've seen him enough now. But that was definitely, shoot, man, tough year for sale against us. Dude, Dozier in his first, in Dozier in 2015 against sale 316 batting average 350 on base 982 slugging three doubles one homer it's cool so when he's trying to tell you that Trev when Dozier's like is he like trying to

explain it in like minutia like it's look at his pinky when he's doing this and you guys are all going up there and then you come back you're like Doge what the fuck are you talking about I don't know if I should give it away because maybe some teams still have it I don't know it it had It's something to do with his manual. He's trying to tell you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It had something to do with like his mannerisms during a certain pitch and like in the way his body was during that pitch. And try as I may, man.

I just, I just couldn't find it enough. There were times where I could see it, but I couldn't find enough where I ever used it. I love it. It'd be funny if it wasn't real, but it gave Dozier so much confidence and he guessed right a couple times. Could be. And you guys are like, Doge, that's not happening. He was like, trust me. Some guys convinced themselves of that 100%.

And that's so funny. I mean, think about the phrase a look in their eye. Like when you say someone has a look in their eye and, you know. It's almost what it was. Daddy Doge are just being like, you can tell when he's going to chuck a fastball, dude. He's got that look at his eye. Yeah. He's got that hunter.

He's got that hunter. He can tell when a deer is scared. So he knows when. sale's going to snap a slider. I mean, that still is your baseball. Boys from Hagerstown just had a triple, so. Huge. Hey, my dad said Hawaii is going to run through that tournament.

Canada looks good. Hawaii looks good. The Tennessee team, I thought they looked good, but Hagerstown gave them trouble. Chinese Taipei. Yeah, he said that was two Chinese Taipei and Hawaii. I think they're like Taiwan, guys. Taiwan. Taiwan.

They list the team as Chinese Taipei. Because they're scared of China. I'm not. Um, yeah, I mean, Chris Sale, or not Chris Sale, our guy, Garrett Cole against the Red Sox career in Fenway, uh, hitters have an 868 OPS against them. And like, like you were dancing around, Trev, I mean, is it the mound? Is it the hitters? Is it the ballpark? It's probably a little bit of all three. Devers got hot on him on him this year. But, uh, yeah, man, that's, uh, you know, it would be funny if, it'd be funny if one of those came playoff time. If, if, if, if, if, if,

If the midsocks could put it together and give me a Justin Verlander start, sign me up for that. Sorry, I'm ordering lunch right now. What are you ordering? Olivia asked what I wanted from In-N-Out. What's your internet order? Double-double? Double-double spread and chopped chilies. Only.

No onions? Choped chilies. Yeah. It's good. I don't eat anything all day, so I'm starving. I had a string cheese and a spoonful of peanut butter before the show, and that's all I've eaten. But it's 1220 for you. It's 3.20 for me.

Okay. Get you some food in you. Both bad. I will. Well, I don't eat breakfast, but then I've been on this mic since 10 a.m., so we'll see you. We might edit all this out, but if not, comment on your favorite hue of blue. Robin's egg. Robin's egg blue, Midnight blue.

My hat's not crooked. It's not crooked. Navy blue. A bum, boom, boom, deep ocean. I think this is Mets blue. Good thing. It's blue. That's New York.