Talkin' Baseball (MLB Podcast) - What are the Best Moves From This Offseason? | 840

Episode Date: May 22, 2024

Use code TALKIN10 for 10% off tickets on SeatGeek. https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/TALKIN10*Up to $25 offGo to http://shadyrays.com and use code TALKIN for 50% off 2 or more pairs of polarized sunglasses.For 10% off your order, head to https://pestie.com/TALKIN and use code TALKINGet ahead of the game with Blackbox Sports AI! Visit https://shorturl.at/cFIX6 and use code BASEBALL for your first week free++++Timestamps:0:00 Intro2:00 Everyone was Wrong About Imanaga3:00 Who is Mad at their Team Right Now?5:35 What are We Doin Today6:40 LA Dodgers Signed Shohei Ohtani12:00 Cubs Sign LHP Shota Imanaga16:05 Braves Acquire Chris Sale & Reynaldo Lopez25:35 Yankees Trade for Juan Soto AND Alex Verdugo32:10 Orioles Trade for RHP Corbin Burnes36:45 Royals Sign Seth Lugo and He's the AL's Best Pitcher40:45 Padres Bring Back Jurickson Profar for $1 Million45:45 San Diego Trades for Dylan Cease!50:15 Our FINAL Picks 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. We are looking at the best transactions of the off season. Oh boy. Let's talk ball. And politics. The simulation. Mason Miller. Opposite field.

No way. Just go with it. Do you see him embarrass the Rockies? He's been embarrassing everyone. Speaking of embarrassed, hello and welcome to talking baseball. I'm presenting you by Seek. I am Jake Storelli. That is Trevor Plouffe.

David Mendelsohn is producing. Real names, real talk today. I wish we just recorded the pre-show conversation and posted it. We might be canceled. We might have talked real truth and the Illuminati might be coming for us. We covered... We were just talking bald. We talked tall.

We talked politics, simulation. Again, new show coming out. Jake in the crank. I think we should at least pose the question. Who would be a better umpire between the two seemingly presidential candidates? Joe Biden or Donald Trump? I don't know. Comment below.

Trump or Biden, better ump. We're not doing that. What we are doing, it's May 22nd. The season is underway. We want to go back because we spend a whole off season. I love this move. I can't, ooh, sunny gray.

Oh, I remember our reaction, and I don't want to, because I think he's going to be a guy that we're going to select coming up. When Shoda Imanaga signed, the fact his contract wasn't big money, we were kind of like, this guy must stink, huh? Kind of, yeah, I mean, because everyone's focused on a few other pieces, and we said, okay, Cubs looking for depth is probably what we said. His fastball's 90, and he only got. this contract. I don't know about Shoda.

Maybe he'd be an MLB guy, but... That changed really quickly because he got in the spring training and everyone was like, what is going on with this guy? I can't see his pitches. We changed our tune on that, but I agree with it. What are teammates supposed to say at the same time? You don't hear... You are true. You are true.

You don't hear people say that. The verbiage was different that they were like, gross. And it turns out they were right. So we want to go back because... now that the season's underway and you're mad at your team, you're disappointed at your team, maybe you're in a middle area. What team is the most middle area with their team? That was going to be another episode.

What does that mean? Like who's not happy or mad at their team currently? Part of the Cubs? I think they're happy with their team. Yeah. Could be happier. Like I was going to say the Mariners, but they just gave the Yankees the business a little bit.

Like I think they're kind of okay with what's going on. I just clicked in NBA standings. Yeah, I was kind of around the Rangers. Like just won the World Series. They're kind of not living up to whatever. Astros are like finally starting to be like, hey, we're going to be fine. They're not exactly happy with the way they perform,

but they're also like, we'll be all right. Giant. Either way, this isn't the episode. That we want to go through. I'm even thinking like, remember the Royals had a bit? off season and yeah and now they're good so

we want to go through and I think we're going to do it kind of draft formatted of our favorite best transactions of the off season and it's brought to you by shady rays I wear my shady rays every day I wear them in the morning I wear them in the night

warm to Yankee Stadium last night watch them lose go Mariners go fear the moose shady rays summer is here Treves got a nice little memorial weekend speech he's going to give at the end of this episode and Fridays up. You need sunnies this summer. And Shady Rays is where you should go.

Five stars by over 300,000 people. And they've got their loss or broken replacement guarantee. Because if you're listening to this, you probably lost or broken sunnies. And if you do that, you hit up Shady and you say, hey, it happened. I'm sorry. And they'll say, okay, here's another one. So you basically have sunglasses for life And with Code Talking

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First, the Cali boys East Coast, West Coast A rivalry You know, the rap game has seen it Sports have seen it I think we just go shot for shot on this one And me and BBD will punt We'll give you the ball

Trevor Plouf I've got a lot of respect for you I need You say that on air But do you really live that? way. Let me ask you this. Yeah. Because I need to know like, you know, yeah, I get the format and all that. But are we talking about like value signings? Like what's, what's the indicator here? What do we do in coach? Are we stealing second base? Are we what do we got here? Is this like,

is jerks in pro far. It's signed for one million dollars this year. So to me, that's, that means something, you know, as opposed to a guy that signs for 700 million. Not that Show Hay is not as good as profile or he shouldn't go number one. You know what I'm saying, though. Yeah, showy's kind of... Why do you mean anything? Showy's kind of worth it. The money means everything.

That's life. That's what runs this whole damn world. You know that. I get the number one pick. That's kind of why I kicked it to you. What if... I think it's a favorite situation. Take the edge off.

Maybe we can... You can only do it. one like $100 million signing or something like that? Let's just do faith. Best. Best. I'm taking show hell tonne.

I love it. I mean, the deferred money is something. We first saw that contract. It was nuts. Ten years, $700 million. Most of it deferred. Average annual values right around like, what, $45, $46 million.

At least that's what's going on on the CBT. But he's just his franchise altering. I don't want to dig at the rest of these guys, but none of them are like that. They're just not. Like, he is worth that.

I mean, he has to play well, but like the market that he brings, you go to that stadium right now, and there's a different feel at the ballpark. When Shohay is, when he starts pitching again, it's going to be nuts. On the days that he's pitching, look out, man. but so he's not doing that this year as we know

and he's still MVP 1 in the National League right now the guy is on track to win the triple crown 353 batting average as we speak today 424 OEP he's one dotting out on the season his OPS plus shake is 202 it's nuts man 3.1 war already and that is as a DH

and you know you get knocked for that like he's everything and all this is coming off the heels of a scandal like a scandal that would have like maybe... Oh, that's done, bro. We moved on.

It's like, how crazy is that? It went from being one of the biggest stories in sports and now we don't even hear about it. Oh, I peepa pleaded not guilty or some... Oh, he pleaded super guilty. It went not guilty, then guilty, I think it was the case. I'm not really sure. But that's like, think about that.

Like, that was a massive story, but it's overshadowed because he's played so well. It's wild, man. I mean, I don't know how you could pick anybody other than that. I get the money's different. But if somebody's willing to pay you that money, he's worth it.

They don't just throw around dumb money like that, man. So, like, Showhead to me is like buying. We almost, we talked about not even including him in this exercise because it's like he's different. He's different than any other player in the big leagues. And that's the truth. And he's not even fucking pitching this year. We did the whole, you know, is it best?

Is it value? Like how to, which way do we want to label it? Either way, at Shoah, he's getting, isn't he getting paid $2 million this year? Technically. What his salary for this season is is $2 million. So on the books, I think for the Dodgers, it's listed as 28, I think. No, you average, no. So how the CBT works.

No, that's easy. They just average out the contract. Yeah. That's that. Present day value, they had to put a mark on it. It's like 45 against the CBT. I'm laughing. Luxury tax 46.

I'm remembering us trying to figure that out originally. And God, we were. Yeah. That was, those episodes should have been called four guys hump and doorknobs. Show Hay's the right pick. Because, however, if you want to start, like, we could do our jersey sales speech and whatever. His stats are just silly. It's crazy, man.

And then I was laughing because how easy would it be? If Shohei had an 850 OPS right now, one of the better in baseball, we'd be saying like, oh, well, you know, show hay's been good. And, you know, coming off the Ipe thing, you know, he's probably rehabbing his arm. And to still be doing that, no.

Poppy's got 11 stolen bases too. No, got this guy's. It's a joke, man, like I'm not, you just don't see players like this. You don't. It's different. And again, go to the ballpark. Please go see this guy on the road. If he's coming to your city, just go see him play. I used to tell people that all the time when he was in Anaheim. Like, if you're in Los Angeles, like, you got a chance to go see Mike Trout and Shoy O'Tonnie play together. That's not going to be that way for a long time. Plus, the tickets are cheap. Like, go see this guy.

I still say the same thing. Anywhere this guy goes, you just, it's like a, you have to go see him. You have to be able to say, if you're a baseball fan in this generation, you have to be able to say, I saw Shohei Otani play on the field. That's going to be like saying, I saw Mickey Mantle or Babe Ruth. Like you have to be able to say that to your grandkids. Your grandkids will hate you if you don't go see Show Hey, Tommy play live, okay? A couple things on that. I remember when I was living in Denver, I went to a Rockies game,

and I saw Bryce Harper Homer. And I was like, that's really cool. And I'm going to remember that for the rest of my life. Shohay, I was just running through my head. Have I seen Shohay play? His first start at Yankee Stadium when they knocked him out in the first inning because he can't handle this city. Yeah, he can at all.

I'm going to go see Shohay some more because he's awesome. Trev, great first pick. I think you nailed that. I think there's a 1A or 1B. because and it's one of his countrymen which again

get ready for Treves Memorial Day speech at the end Shoda Imanaga dude 5 and O all right we don't care about wins losses 084 ERA

what was Shohay's OPS Plus 202 Shota's ERA plus is 498. It's a little different, Bob, but yes. It's a little different. He is making $9.25 million this year. One of my whole Cubs speeches

that Cubs fans didn't love, I was like, dude, you're replacing Stroman's first half from last year? Where he was an all-JM candidate guy? Well, now Shoda has been better than that. He's on the book for 1325 this year. We talked about this a little bit last episode that he's got some team option player option funk coming up in the 2026, 27, 28.

If Shoda stopped pitching today, he's outdone his contract. Listed 510. I don't know, did you guys see the picture of him with the WMBA players? I might need to get that on the screen B, because that's some short king. shit, listed 5-10.

And what do we love? We love a little moxie. We love a little energy. Him giving the flex on the mound at Wrigley. Like, who is this guy? We were saying his contract, if he's like a fourth or fifth starter for the Cubs, we're like, that's all you're looking for. He's been the best pitcher in baseball.

And look at that. Does it get any better? He's amazing. Angel Reese and Cardo. so? Yeah, they've been doing, they've been doing this around baseball. All the WMBA players have been out.

Shohay was just with the table of them. These are, these are like goddess women just walking around baseball field. Cameron Brink with Shohay. I'm a WMBA guy now. They got me. I'm on the line.

Okay, let me talk about, you know, Major League executives, because that's what we really like to talk about, right? You know, as I'm doing research for the show, I'm reading some articles. There's one on MLB.com talking about the execs and of course there are no-name execs. It's all fucking made-up stuff.

I don't know. They're telling you their top free agent science. This is what one guy had to say. The level of performance isn't sustainable, but it looks like Imanaga is at least a three-war pitcher in the near term, and the cost wasn't extreme. Who talks like that? First of all, this guy already is racked up three war.

He's already racked up three-war. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, is he going to have a .84 ERA, his whole career? No. he's not okay I understand that but don't say stupid say you know what we missed on this guy man I wish he was on our team why can't you say that why can't you say that it's fair to say he's exceeding expectations based on market value what are we talking about you swung and miss you

didn't go get this guy just say that man we screwed up wish this guy was on my team wish he was anchoring my rotation at 10 million dollars a year whatever he's making like let's just have some balls and say we messed up as a country it's Memorial Day let's talk about it have some balls in this country or you know not even that that's too gender specific just have some moxie have some moxie i don't know what i'm saying right now i'm just those those quotes got me fired up so i'm sorry memorial day um trev i think we'll kick it back to you and i i do want to throw this out there because me and bbd have been texting uh trying to line up the board Okay.

Are we going to keep this with free agents? Are our trades in play? I think trades have to moves of the offseason. Okay. It's part of it. Game on. Then where are you going? Can I do a two-parter?

Like, I want to take two guys because it makes sense for me. I'll hear you out on it, but like maybe no. And we might say, like, that gets labeled as this guy. Okay. There's so many ways you can go here. I mean, gosh, there's so many ways. I'm going to go with like the Braves or Sickos move. Okay.

So I want to take Chris Sale and Ronaldo Lopez and lump them together. Am I allowed to do that? I think I am. Like, Ronaldo Lopez is not getting drafted from you. Talk to me, Toots. Let's hear it. I have a counter to that maybe. Oh, you want to do that.

On our next. Like on our next. I know that. I know you guys are going to go once. I'm not stupid, okay? I like foresight. I like teams that get a little creative. I think that pitching has been going certain ways for a long time.

And I think there are still ways to take advantage of kind of like an outdated mindset in the pitching world. I'm sick of age being a factor in some of these things. It's what can you do on the baseball field? That's what needs to be talked about when you're in the front office. So you get Chris Sale. And, you know, he's pitching for the Red Sox. Red Sox don't want him anymore. Not that they don't want him.

They want him. They want to trade him. So they say, hey, Braves, do you want him? We'll take Von Grissom. We'll eat, you know, $17 million of his salary next year. And you guys can have Chris Sale. Anthopoulis is like, sure. Chris Sale has already already had a contract in place. And they said, you know what?

We like this guy so much. We think he can do well for us. So they trade for him. they give von Grissom up because what do they need Von Grissom for? They have everybody locked up forever. So like a position player for them is so expendable. They got Max Fried and his walkier like they're, he's thinking foresight, what do we got to do here? Okay.

Obviously he didn't know Spencer Strider was going to get hurt, but now these moves look even better. So Sale gets this deal and I'm still like trying to wrap my head around this deal because he had two more years left on the deal that he signed with the Red Sox, but the Braves, like, no, rip that deal up. We're going to give you a guaranteed second year and then we'll take a club option for the third year. So as part of his new deal, he's making $16 million this year. That's pretty close to the non-deferred money because his money was deferred in the last whatever. Bottom line is, Chris Sale has been an absolute nut for the Braves. He looks like an ace. He looks like he's found everything. I talked about this on baseball today with Chris Rose.

He's a guy that as long as he can stay healthy, he'll be an effective pitcher in the big leagues. just different. You don't see arm angles like that. You don't see guys throw like that. It's hard to prepare. You don't, you can't say, okay, we're facing Chris Sale. Let me go look at video of this guy who I faced last week. There's nobody like him. So, you know, he, I think it's genius for the Braves to say, we're going to take a chance on this guy. Like, let's go do it. We think he still has plenty enough in tank. And he does. Like the stats this year backed that up. We're not the Lopez. he goes from the white or what did he go from he went from the nationals to the white socks to the angels to cleveland yeah as a reliever sometimes a starter and the bra is like you know what we kind of like what this guy can do

we think he can be a starter everyone was like what are you what are you talking about he's going to be a starter that doesn't make any sense he's had success in the bullpen he hasn't done he hasn't done it uh as a starter eight starts this year a one five year a a 107 one whip. Like you bring both of these guys into your rotation and you stabilize it. Understanding, hey, Max Reed's walking. You didn't know Spencer Strider was going to hurt,

but he did get hurt. Now you have this depth and the Braves are doing Braves things. Are they back of Philly right now? Sure. But where would they be without for sale of Ronaldo Lopez? I just think, again, and these are easy contracts. Three years, 30 million for Ronaldo Lopez.

They have a team option. for 2007, 2007, Chris Sale, not breaking the bank for a starting pitcher of his caliber, especially what he showed this year. These are very smart, savvy moves. Anthopoulos is already regarded

as maybe the best executive in baseball, but this is just adding to the legacy, bro. So I'm doing Brazier Sicko's second pick, Chris Sale, Ronald Lopez. I think we're allowing it. And here's, well, A, because of our upcoming, move. And B, I think

Chris Sale is in theory the right answer because he's Chris Sale and they went out, they got him essentially for free if not like making money on it.

I do think there can well with any transaction another shoe can drop. But you poo-pooing the injury stuff I can't get there yet because like your twins

have been dealing with a lot of injuries Byron Buckson has gotten hurt again he just come back Chris Sale has an injury history the only thing that indicates future pitching injuries are past pitching injuries

so like every pitcher has injuries I get it every single person that steps on that mount is an injury risk and maybe the Braves Foundation is actually like with the German, like, the lab stuff they're doing that maybe they're pumping Chris Sale

and like he's going to be good and whatever. Go look at his baseball, Savant. You will like it. I love it. I love it. I guess even when Sale was down, I wasn't, like pitching wise, Sale got hit a little bit between injuries.

I still wasn't out on Chris Sale. Like it's still just the baseball I test is like, what the, what is this? I don't know who I was talking to this about yesterday or something, but like, so to Olivia about it, people have down years or an injured year or something like, go look at like the greats. Right. You know, baseball reference page of any great.

Like there's bound to be a year or two in a storied fucking 15, 20 year career where they didn't perform that well. Right. Or they were injured, whatever it is. But Chris Sale has picked the back up. Could you guess is whip right now? Just throw it out there. 0.88. 0.86.

Ooh. Yummy. That is yummy. I was born in 1986. Yeah, I remember Lorenzo Kane from 2014 through 2020. You know, it's a pretty good baseball page. Like Lorenzo Kane had a really, really strong career. There's one year that's down, 2019, and someone told us they're like, oh, yeah, he was, like, super hurt.

Like, he was banged up. It's like, oh, okay. And yeah, you can find a lot of players with that. I guess I was starting with the sale to knock it down a little bit, but then to also boost Reinaldo. Because, dude, what? It's crazy. What?

We thought when it came out, the 4 for 40 or whatever it is, 44, we, for 30. We thought it was to be a Braves bullpen back guy. Because like you mentioned, he went to Cleveland and had 11 games where he went shut piece. Sign up for that Jolly Olive video in a couple years. The Cleveland Guardians just picking up the scraps just to pitch their way through the season. What the hell was that?

That was the... That's awful. I think it was like one game back when I decided this... I don't know. Rinaldo Lopez, I mean, how much love have we given the Jordan Hicks signing? Because we were like, hey, you know, the worst case, he's a good back end of the bullpen guy. The best case is he's a great starter.

Renaldo Lopez has been awesome and without him in sale are the Braves like 500 this year? Like, you know, we've done a lot of the Braves or the Braves and they're going to be there and by the way, they are. They are. Because they're still winning games while not clicking.

But without these two, I think I looked at the records and their starts. I think they're like 12 and 5. We would be talking very differently about the Braves if Ronaldo Lopez wasn't an A starter and Chris Sale wasn't an A starter which if we said that last year we would have got laughed at. It's, yeah, it's not fair to say,

you know, they would have no other debt pieces because clearly that was on their mind of the Aussies was to get somebody to be depth. But the people coming up behind them, guys we saw come up last year as well, like they're not pitching like this. So yeah, I mean, I could confidently say that they'd be in a worse position,

a much worse position. We would be praising the moves if these guys had ERAs at like four flat. And it was like, hey, they're turning in fine innings. They're giving them a chance every time out. Yeah, sales thrown. Whatever. Sales throwing the ball will. Probably get better.

You know what? Let me add just in my brazier. Jesse Chavez as well. Come on. You're out. Speaking of, and we'll do this as a bandaid for the people that don't like it, because you made the unfortunate mistake. On Soto.

Of throwing in Lopez with Soto. BPD played the Trump card. I already wrote it down. Oh, you spotted it immediately. Verdugo and Soto. Yeah. That's good. Because Dugie was, we,

I originally thought that he was going to be a flip piece for Soto. We interviewed GM of the Yankees, Brian Cashman on talking Yanks, Flex, episode 1,000. He, Acknowledged that. And he was like, yeah, that was kind of part of it. The Padres said, no, no, no, no, we're good. Give us all your pitching ever.

We're going to go out and sign jerks and pro far. We might get brought up later in this and we'll be okay. Verdugo has played to Alex Verdugo. Juan Soto has played to Juan Soto. The energy they have brought has changed the Yankees that they have, Yankee fans are higher than them and the Yankee fans have ever been on and those two get as much credit

as anyone. It's primarily Soto but Alex Verdugo is good at baseball too. Revolving door and left field since Brett Gardner, right? So you have a guy that you can throw out there. Both have been playing great defense. Soto has been Virugo has been great.

Soto has been good defense. And he worked on it, and you talked about like spring training. We hear everything and like, oh, showed is gross. Soto said he was working on his defense. And everyone's like, okay, dude, like go be the historic hitter you are. And we kind of don't care. He has worked on his defense. He's been good.

I mean, look, it's no secret. Like, if you want to be better defensively, you just got to go out there and work at it. I mean, it's, and that's, it doesn't work that way with, other parts of baseball. You can't just go, like, take a million swings in the cage, and all of a sudden you're going to be a good hitter. Like, it might help a little bit, but it also might hurt you a lot. Pitchers just can't throw a bunch of pitches in the bullpen and be like, oh, I'm better now.

Like, that's just not the way it work. It's more detail-oriented mental. But defense, defense is go put the work. Go take a million fly balls. Go take a million ground balls. Like, it's the only thing in baseball where if you just work out of the ton, you're going to get better at it. It's the worst kept secret, but a lot of guys won't do it.

Right. Because they don't want to get tired. And everyone's telling him, you've got to save yourself for the game. Bullshit, get out there. And if you want to be a better defender, you can be a better defender. And we were just talking about if I was a hitting coach, what I would do. If I was a coach, every day you're out there. Your legs are going to be fine.

How old are you guys? You're in your 20s. Your legs are going to be fine. sick of all that. I'm... We'll find you one day off. Trev, I know... Here's my coaching glasses.

Oh, no. I know we're both running hot today and I love it. But even like, dude, twice a week, you play baseball for a living. Do some infield, outfield.

And more teams are doing that. That's become a much more common thing. You're going to see guys out there almost every single day doing the Ron Washington like every team does that now, every single. team. If you're not doing that, you're going to fall behind.

Every team does the Ron Washington. How dumb was it for a decade that we were like, oh, if your team's got Ron Washington, you're going to play defense. Hey, maybe do that. All they're... All they're doing is drills. They're sitting, they're kneeling down

doing drills. It takes about five minutes per player. It's crazy. But yes, look, I love it. I mean, Wandsel just like, okay, Verdugo, great. he's played to, like you said, like, Berdugo level. He's not a world beater.

Like, he's not going to... He's at his hot streaks. He's had his... Yeah, like, he can run an offense from time to time. But Soto changed... Soto, I said that Shohey is a franchise changer. I think Soto could also be that for the Yankees as well. I love, you know, we are experts in the field,

number one baseball show in the world. Thank you everyone so much. And we're highlight. the good transactions of Otani and Soto. No, no, it could be a good transaction for you. Pesty. Hey, I know we've got a lot of youngans that listen to this. If you got bugs in your home, let's take care of that.

Let's take care of that. And by the way, some of the houses I lived in, oh my God, I might have to dig up some pictures of me and Jimmy's college house in a hard hit New Britain. There was bugs. With Pesty, it's the do-it-yourself pest control company that allows pro-grade pest control products and an affordable price and a fraction of the cost. Get rid of the bugs.

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P-E-S-T-I-E dot com backslash talking 10% off. Tell them Jake sent you. I'm your bug guy. I'm your bug can I. What was that? Love it. I just want to throw this out there. I want people in the comments to comment on who I look like when I put these glasses on

It's a sports figure. We're not going to say anything. I should put the glasses on. Who are we saying he looks like pre-show? I mean, I look exactly like this guy. It's crazy. You labeled it before the show. You looked like you would,

if they were coming out with a biopic and they were casting him in a very nice way. Compliments to you. Unbelievable. Okay. Trev, let's go a little high and tighter. I loved everything we talked about. But we are burning and churn.

a little bit. I think now that those are off the board, I think we have to like I do think we have to value it up just a little more. Okay. So like I'm going into this a little bit different. I think people are going to hate my graphic and they're going to hate my picks, but

sometimes it's more about, you just kind of mention it. Like what is it due to a franchise when you bring a player in? I'm going to go Corbyn Burns. Ooh, interesting. I know they had to give up some decent players to get him. I think it was a competitive balance pick or a compensation pick excuse me uh joey or t's has been balling yeah so like it's they had to give something up but i think the orio's doing that like signaled to the

league like we are here and we're not going anywhere we went 101 games last year um and we're a juggernaut and like we what do we always do on this show we're like if you have this window or like you have this team like go make the move. Yeah. Like go make the move to fortify your position in the game of baseball. And I think when they made this move, everyone was like oh shit. Like

these guys aren't messing around. And guess what? They have the ability to make like three more of these moves if they wanted to with the guys that they've collected that are at the top levels of the minor leagues. Like they can go out and make some bangor moves. I know this

is a rental. He's here for one year. I understand that. But I think what it signified to the organization and the fan base, and then when they get into the playoffs, what this guy is going to be able to do, I mean, Corbyn Burns is a bona fide, Sy Young candidate every year ace of your rotation.

He's pitched like it. He started 10 games, 256 ERA, whip at 103. Like he's, the numbers are all there for Corbyn Burns. And again, I just think,

it meant a lot to Orioles fans and the team itself, the roster itself, to say, like, we're not resting on our laurels. We're not just, you know, reaping the benefits of a 100-win season. And I'm just going to say, hey, let's just try to do it again with what we got. No, like, let's go and prove the team. We always say, step on the gas, step on the gas, step on the gas. This is the Orioles stepping on the gas. So I'm taking Cortman Burns.

Trev, I mean, not much to counter on that. I think the Brewers fans are kind of laughing a little bit because they've been amazing this year. Yeah. I will say an interesting little mental case study for me. Because, you know, Joey Ortiz, top 50 prospect, and it's like, you know, he's going to play defense, will he hit? And he's been amazing, whatever.

D.L. Hall was supposed to be the hall of that trade. Of, like, first round pick, it just clicked. One of the best lefty fastballs we've seen in this league. like what the brewers are going to be able to do with them. Four starts got knocked around. Ney, he's been out this year that I guess for me, when we do trades, we're like, hey, you know, they didn't get the stud prospect, but they got four guys.

I think this is a little light example of it, that at the end of the day, the brewers are going to have that pick, who's going to be a borderline first round player, Joey Ortiz and D.L. Hall, that if I think the world of baseball is so dumb, that you don't know what's going to happen between injuries, performance, or whatever it is,

that I think GMs, that's why they spread it out a little bit and they don't trade for one guy. And they're like, hey, you know, we need options here because baseball's brutal and anything can happen. Sure. I'm not saying it's a bad deal for the Brewers and the Orioles fleece them. I'm not saying that whatsoever. I'm just saying, again, like, I've been in clubhouses

that haven't done things at the trade deadline. And, you know, I desperately wanted to go to the playoffs, okay? And a couple times, only a few times during my storied career, did we have a real chance? And when you don't make the moves or you make a move that's like, come on, man, it sucks. You make a move like this? Man, that energizes everything around your organization. So I just, I think for that, it deserves to be drafted here. Great job, Tref.

Like the angle on it. I'm going to go. We are going to go. With maybe the team and potentially the player that have both been the most overlooked this year. Okay. Because of those goddamn guard dogs. Seth Lugo.

I'm glad you picked him. Is leading the American League in wins, ERA, innings pitched, and ERA and ERA plus kind of go hand in hand. Innings and ERA, Seth Lugo, the Kansas City Royals, who are, what's their record as we record this? 31 and 19.

Fan graphs has your Royals with a 58% chance to make the postseason this year. Who had that coming in? We kind of laughed, dude. We said like the Royals kind of bandated it. Like, they brought in a couple guys. They revamped their bullpen, but what,

that might make them the most improved. Right. We said that, but even if they improved by that, does that make them a 75-win team? They have been bawling out. Their rotation is fourth in ERA in baseball. And Seth Lugo, another, Jakey Tommy John was dreaming this up

because the muscle in the arm doesn't get fully developed until you're 27 or whatever it is. Like that's part of the science that I'm working with. There might be something the guys coming out of the bullpen and starting again if you're an adult man who pitches well and has multiple pitches. Seth Lugo, he was in the Mets bullpen.

He was a really solid starter for San Diego last year. 26 starts a 357. And now 34-year-old Seth Lugo has arguably been. the best pitcher in the American League. And what was that contract? Do you have it, Beavs?

Is that $3? $15 million this year, $15 million next, player option in 26 for $15. So basically two years, 30 mil. That's a great contract. Seth Lugo! I'm happy you went there. And we did say that about the Royals.

They tried to improve their team more than a lot of teams did. They bring in Hunter Renfro, who really hasn't done much for him. It was Adam Frazier. We'll talk about that. next episode that brought in guys and Seth Lugo was one of them and he's just been a godsend for them. I just, he's one of those guys where he throws way too many pitches. I would hate to face him. Four Seamer 24% synchre 21% curbaugh, 15%, slider 12% slurve 12% or 11% cutter change or sweeper change up sweeper like what you're supposed to do? And usually you'd say jack of all

trades master of none but when you get in the box you don't know where the ball is going to go a la sunny gray it's just it's a nightmare for me i think a lot of hitters are feeling that way in the box against him and the royals have been one of the surprised teams it's not just him but he's obviously a massive massive part of it so i like that pick i'm glad you i'm glad you went there born in louisiana went to high school and college in louisiana yeah what's that college a cemetery college louisiana I hadn't seen that one. Centenary? I went to Shreveport, Louisiana once,

and that's a tough, it's a tough city. My first fake ID was from Metterie, Louisiana. That's good. Actually, the pitching coach of the Giants gave it to me, J.P. Martinez, thanks for that, JP. I think I just got him in trouble, maybe. Yeah, imagine he gets, like, arrested.

Allegedly. Legendly. B.J. Ryan also into Centenary. Wow. DJ Ryan. I haven't heard that name in a while. I would have taken him up top.

Who are you taking up top next? There's just, there's so many good people. Am I going to go Tyler Glass now? Because that was pretty good. Hot guy? I'm going different, man. I'm choosing between two Padres. For all the same reasons,

I could pick Dylan Cs here, the same reasons I talked about Corbyn Burns. I think that move signified to Padres fans like, hey, like, why are we like in the dumps? Like, why are we thinking about the team, like the way we're thinking about the team? Like, we're still in this contention window.

He's got this year, which is bawling out. He's got next year, which is great. I'm not going him. I'm going jerks and pro far because now I'm finally going the value play here. Do you know how much he signed for this year? Isn't it like one mill or something? It's $1 million. I mean,

We're talking barely over league minimum. League minimum is 750K. I don't know if he's got like incentive escalators. I don't think he does. I think it's a straight $1 million clip to come back and play left field for this team. And again, they've been searching for outfielders for a long time.

And what is this guy done? He's played in every single game. He's got a 943 OPS, a 175 OPS plus. He already has seven homers, 31 runs driven in. the walk to strikeout ratio 25 to 28 426 OBP like he's playing at an MVP level he might start the all-star game

and he's playing for $1 million. I mean, I don't know if this is going to continue because he doesn't have that track record Jake. He doesn't and that's just the bottom line and he has a track record. This is his 11th year the big is I think he just got to 10 full years in the show. But for right now, what he's doing,

I'm taking jerks in ProFar. I mean, I think that what's $1 million? And that's it. It's not next year. It's nothing. I hope he gets a follow-up bag because this is, didn't he, he opted out of 7 mil to hit free agency the year before. And then he came back and got like five or something.

Like, he. He. So he lost, he like, I remember him losing that transaction and then last year. So I think he got 775 last year with the Rockies. So he maybe just got more or just got less. I think 2020 he opted out of 8.3. I remembered him losing money in the transaction. Maybe there was a buyout or something.

Yeah, there was a buyout for a million. So I think he ended up making just a tad bit more. So technically, was the juice worth the squeeze there? But I think he did get more money out of the whole thing. This pick might, and I don't mean this to slight him, this pick at the end of the season might look a little different, but for what he's doing right now. May 22nd version of this exercise.

Yeah, the Padres are playing 500 ball right now. They're second in the NOS. They're right in the think of the wild card. And, like, they just, again, like, if it wasn't for him and Jackson Merrill, like, we're talking about a completely different quadres team. So I was going between him and C's, but I'm going to give it the pro far just because of the $1 million thing. It's incredible what he's been. And hearing on that team that he's been their best player,

I wonder, again, it goes a long way back. He was the number one prospect. And, you know, he got called irrelevant. by Will Smith this year, and you wonder, you wonder if, hey, this guy's played a lot of baseball, he's having a good couple months,

or like, I don't know, did it click? Like, that happens in this dumb sport. Go look at Justin Turner and Max Muncie's pages. A little different stories, but... He's 31 years old. He's got a lot of baseball left him. Is this the reverse crying Kershaw meme?

He got called irrelevant, and all of a sudden, he's going to be. going off? I don't know. Good for him, man. Hopefully he, even if he ends up on that

because teams just don't believe in like one year kind of. But you can get a one-year deal that's a chunk load of money more than he got this year. So hopefully that's coming for young Jurekson. Bebs, where do we want to go?

I mean, Trev said one name that I think we were thinking about earlier. There's a couple, couple arms. Let's follow up on it quick, because I think Trev danced all around it that we'll go cease. I mean, that transaction kind of blindsided us because we were so thirsty for baseball. He literally misses the team flight to Korea that he's got to fly over Solo Dolo.

59 innings pitch, 73 strikeouts, yo. The lowest hit per nine allowed in the National League. Ten starts a 305, Mr. Worldwide. Yeah, and let's see what happens, but Drew Thorpe was a piece they got in that Soto deal that we already talked about. And then it's another grab bag of prospects, which I just told everyone why GMs might do that. I mean, the other side of it is

if nobody from the grabback clicks, that looks bad on you. Let's see, we'll give our white socks some time because my God, do they need it. But Padres went out and got an ace. And if we're talking the pure value of that move, like the immediate reaction from San Diego fans after that was like, wow, two years of Dylan C's

and we didn't trade either of the top two pitchers and nothing that I think they're actively missing. They don't even remember they had. Drew Thorpe. Right? I think that they did a great job in the offseason. In some of its hindsight, like the profile signing is hindsight, but you know, bringing in, you had the trade one Soto.

And I think, you know, I think most industry people think that they did a good job in the return there. But also bringing in Cs, like bringing in those two guys. Again, it just signified to the franchise, the organization, the fans, everyone, like, We're still right in this thing. And I'm probably the highest on the Padres in me and Ryan Cohen. Yeah. In the company.

I'm high on the Padres. I think that they're a scary, scary team. They get into the playoffs. I know we've seen that before. They lost the Phillies. Rice Harper. Oh, gosh, do you remember that? No, it's, I, I see it with the Padres.

Can I see them be like six games over 500? Like, I'd love to see them. that. And then I can, and then I could really sink my teeth into it. What I have been sinking my teeth into, Treve. Mm. Black Box Sports AI. We've talked a lot of AI on this program. Yes, we have. Remember our AI episode? Yeah, that episode actually, that popped on the podcast apps. So it wasn't, really? Yeah, on the YouTube. People said that was the worst episode they've ever. Maybe we got the nerdy AI clicks on podcast. But, uh, that episode actually did great.

In two years, that'll get a jump. Black Box, it's an AI MLB bet. So this isn't like everything. This is MLB AI betting. Last year, they finished up 30 units. They hit on 68% of their picks. I will tell you, I've been doing this. There's Ebs and Flows.

Like, it is, you're still betting. so don't think like, you know, you're going to just constantly take down the world. But last year, they got to a really nice place and they're getting into it again this year. So, Black Box Sports AI, it's the tool to bet MLB smarter. Get started today by using the code baseball

at blackboxportsAI.com for your first week free. So there you go, people. Like if you're on the fence, first week free is the way to do it. Baseball at blackbox sports aai.com. There's a link in the description. Go check it out. And I don't know who's running it.

I'll have to double check. They send kind of cute texts. Let me tell you the pics. Who's running it? It's computers. Oh, that's true. Computers are good at comedy now. It's true.

You just got catfish. And know what else? I think I've said this last time. By a computer. There's been a couple days where they'll send, they'll send the email or text, like, however you want it. And there's been a couple days they said, like, hey, we don't have one today. The AIs, right?

Like, that's not them being like, oh, shit, we got to give you something. Trev, let's wrap this up. Our final move of the offseason. There's so many places I could go here. I'm actually mad rolling doing five. Can I do honorable mentions at the end? Just quick? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I could see us rattling through the other considerations. Okay. We've gotten through like a lot of guys. Do I do starting pitcher? Do I go here? I'm going to go somewhere. Okay, I'm going to use that for my... I got two guys for my honorable mention,

but I'm going to go with my boy, Jack Flaherty. Good. Last pick. Good for you. He started to like strike people out again. The Tigers, you know, they needed somebody to come in there. They needed a lot of, you know, help all over their roster. They probably should have brought in some bats as well.

but Jack's been really, really good for them. I'm getting his stats up right now. Had him, lost him. 379, he's got 72Ks in the 54 innings, a 106 whip, 11.85Ks per 9, bro. I think that might be, is that leading the big leagues right now? I look at it as savant. Like, he's doing it.

He's back. Yeah. Yes. And this is a one year 14 for them. So again, a value play. He is not He is. He's leading all the big leagues and strikeouts per nine. That's what I thought.

Jack. Got the girlfriend. Jeez. He's in a good place mentally. He's pitching well for them. Dark night. I have to give it to my boy, Jack. People are going to hate my graphic.

I just realize that your graphic is going to be so much better than my graphic. But I gave good points. Hold on, my friend. Because I just texted Beaves, and I'll be honest with the people, because that's who I am. This is a little bit for the content of it all. But also, if this was debate club, I think I could bring a pretty good debate to the table. Okay.

I'm going to go the other side of the Corbyn-Burns trade. Give me Joey Ortiz, who's been bawling out and has one and a half war already this year. OPS in the Nines, and his calling card is supposed to be his defense. Let's see when an FDL Hall comes back. And with my Brewers, let's see who that draft pick is

because it'll be somebody who's probably mowing your team down in a couple years. The Brewers have been great this year. I was looking at giving it to Reese because we've all loved the reiss signing. And he's been Reese and he got paid. It's a nice transaction. Okay.

Honorable mentions for me, this guy should have been on my list because he's just like every single year he's going to be on. David Robertson. No, but, Listen, dude. I know.

I know. Have you seen the Rangers bullpen is horrible except for him and Yates? Like if it wasn't for those two guys, where would the Rangers be? He's sitting with a 228-ERA.8.8-845 whip. 32 strikeouts and 23 and two-thirds in his pitch. Like the guy's doing what he's doing. I'm doing him and I'm doing Jock Peterson. He's been a menace.

Yeah. He's been a menace for the snakes. He went up top against the Dodgers last night and was like just field himself pointing out to the bleachers. You know, like he's like, this is my town too. So those are my honorable mentions is David Robertson and Jack Peterson. Dude, Jack, obviously different players, but Jack Peterson just doesn't get respected like he should.

Like, he's just mauled right. He drives a cyber truck, that's why. He's an interesting cat. But he's also just mauled right-handed pitching at, you know, a borderline all-star level for a career now. I mean, his numbers are nuts, right? He had 989 OPS. I was randomly going to compare him to like Adam Dunn for just not being appreciated

properly in his time. Jock might be in that boat. 989 OPS right now. He's going to reach 200 homers this year, which is like, that's a big number of homers, man. He's having like an incredible career. He has a 36 home run season in his, his bag. And yeah, as long as he stays healthy and you sit him against some of those lefties.

He was going to be my like him, Jordan Hicks, who we've talked about a lot on this program. I mean, there's a whole Yamamoto argument that if you're doing everything, you know, Otani and Minaga and that guy, you know, he's got a 317 and all we remember is his opening day where he got bashed. You take that out. You can put a knife that. You take that out. Yamamoto's been incredible.

If James was here, Eric Fetty would be talked about, no doubt. Always. Who's your honorable mention? Do you have an honorable mention? I mean, I just kind of named him with you a little bit. I won't go too over the top. I think, you know, could Severino get a shout out?

Maybe. I don't know. Why didn't you say Teosker Hernandez? That's your guy. He's been great for the Dodgers when he needs to be great for the Dodgers. I love me some Teascar. You do.

You know what? Mariners fans, you've been all over my bum and rightfully so. Luke Rayleigh. Yeah. Luke the nuke's been going nuts. I love you, Seattle. I can't wait to get back out there. And I can't wait to do this again on Friday,

as Trev does his Memorial Day tribute. Thank you to everyone for listening. Go subscribe, buy a shirt, whatever it is. It all helps us. You guys are the best. We thank you. Greatest country in the world. My other, if I was going full, silly,

I was going to say, like, could you do calling up Paul Skeens? Offseason. He's nasty. What about? We could have done Glass Now Great for the Dodgers, Pepio and Johnny DeLuca for the race. He's got powerful legs. They're doing it.

You want to Trev, with your right hand, you want to, like, punch. Oh, okay. Yeah, exactly. That doesn't make any sense. You know, that is a ground ball double play.