Talkin' Baseball (MLB Podcast) - WORST Collapse In History Is Happening!

Episode Date: September 22, 2025

Go to http://shadyrays.com and use code TALKIN for 35% off polarized sunglasses.Upgrade your skincare routine at https://CalderaLab.com/TALKIN and use code TALKIN at checkout for 15% off your first or...der.Use code TALKIN2025 for 10% off your next SeatGeek order*: https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/TALKIN2025. Sponsored by SeatGeek. *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discountDownload the DraftKings Sportsbook app and use promo code JMBASEBALL Coach Trev and Talkin’ Jake discuss the Tigers downward spiral while the Guardians are surging, The Mariners starting to run away with AL West, the Reds jumping Mets in NL Wild Card standings, Clayton Kershaw’s last start at Dodgers Stadium and more! 0:00 Intro3:50 AL Burn10:30 AL Standings11:58 AL East playoff picture14:30 Yankees back end rotation16:30 Red Sox / Rays18:24 Red Sox / Blue Jays upcoming series19:25 AL Central playoff picture21:00 Guardians offense is awful23:40 Guardians pitching has only allowed 27 runs  32:20 AL West - Seattle Mariners32:45 “This was a bloodbath”35:00 Astros starting pitching is in trouble37:25 MVP discussion  42:44 NL Burn45:40 NL Standings49:40 Cubs / Reds56:50 Reds remaining schedule is interesting57:26 Nationals / Mets57:55 Jacob Young catch1:06:30 Say the Mets don’t Make the post season1:08:20 Diamondback playoff chances1:09:00 Clayton Kershaw last start at Dodger Stadium1:12:10 Standout Performances1:18:10 En Fuego - Corona1:22:00 Batters who are struggling1:26:55 Awards  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Hello and welcome to talking baseball. Baseball is hot in the streets. The guard dogs are in the playoffs as of today. So are the Cincinnati Reds? Mets, baby. We got to talk ball. We got to talk Paul. The Mariners?
Starting point is 00:00:20 Senor Smoke, Andre Munoz. Dailin Lyle, I'm fast. You're fast. I throw hard. Hello and welcome to Talkin Baseball present you by Seek-Cotech. in 2025. There's less than a week of regular season baseball to be played. It's September 22nd.
Starting point is 00:00:45 It's happening. I can't wait for you guys to see the standings brought to you by Trevor Plouf in MC studio, back out west. We got to play together this weekend, Trev. Great seeing you. We didn't get our city night in. We'll earn that another time. How are you doing?
Starting point is 00:01:02 We need the city night, though. Pop. We had like a, we had a Jersey City night, but we need a city city night. And that's us. We're kind of being the clubhouse elder statement that that night. Yeah. We're showing them the ropes. We're showing them how to operate. Tip your bartenders, people. Oh, yeah, I got to tip them. There's a, I can't talk about a lot of things that went on because not like anything bad happened, but I don't want to blow people spot up a little bit. Drew Davis, shout out my guy. A little bit right there. I had something I was going to say. It was going to be really funny. And now you got me off track with that.
Starting point is 00:01:38 Happy to be home, though. Happy to talk some ball. It's been, I mean, you're talking about a roller coaster of a season. I felt like we have had that. But then usually at the end of roller coasters, it's like, all right, it's mellow. Like you get all the good stuff in the middle on a roller coaster. Not this one. Not this season.
Starting point is 00:01:58 We're still going through the loops right now, Jake. We've got six games left. It's insane what's happened. Super stoke for some fan bases, and I am super sorry to some of the other ones. Yeah, there's going to be interesting Mets discussion coming up. How about the Cincinnati Reds, the Seattle Mariners with, I mean, their most impressive weekend and blank year ever?
Starting point is 00:02:27 That there's a lot that has to be discussed. The AIL Wild Card is insane. The Central, the Tigers had a 15-and-a-half game lead in the division. That is down to one as we stand here today. Chris Rose's MF and Guardians have somehow done it again. For everyone tuning in, hey, thank you so much. Subscribe and all that good stuff. We're gearing up for the playoffs, which is our biggest grind.
Starting point is 00:02:56 We go every day. There's playoff games. We're going to be live streaming. And if you just like ball, how about Bobby Golfs put out a video this weekend? All the triple plays from, what was it, last season? Last three years. And that's popping off. So we got more coming.
Starting point is 00:03:16 It's go time. It's the playoff push. Pat Murphy's insulting his best players and inspiring them. We are right. Kind of what he does. Blue Jays pop bottles. Brewers pop bottles. Uh, your fills, the cubbies.
Starting point is 00:03:34 Um, Clayton Croshaw. Dodgers pop bottles. Clayton Kirshaw's last start at Dodger Stadium question mark. Um, Jesus, coach. Let's, uh, let's sink our teeth in. And because it's Monday. Hit the music, Bob. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:03:52 Yeah. How about we talk about the New York Yankees? They went down to Baltimore. and they won three out of four. It started in impressive fashion. Max Fried, how's your seven innings? 13-punched tickets most of the year for the Yankees, and it ended in dramatic fashion as Ben Rice, Rice Baby,
Starting point is 00:04:17 grand slam and extras. Yanks take three out of four. They couldn't get past Trevor Rogers because nobody does right now. That's what happened there. A little hope in the division for the Yanks. The guard dogs. They face the mighty, mighty Minnesota twins, and the Guardians take the first three in that series.
Starting point is 00:04:38 You know why? It's impossible to score against them. That's been the recipe. Some of these Guardian stats are out of their mind. They won 10 in a row until they ran into the future. Brooks Lee, Royce Lewis, left side. No more fucking Twins talk. Sorry, kids.
Starting point is 00:04:58 The Red Sox, they're in an interesting position. They took two out of three from the race. They went on Crochet Day as they open up that game late. They win on the next day as they open up that game late. Speaking of left side, strong side, Bregman and Story in this series. But young Connolly Early, the young Irish Southsider from Boston. I don't know. The Red Sox lose the final game.
Starting point is 00:05:27 Joe Boyle in the mix there. Brandon Lowe is 30th Homer. We need one more. We need one more. The Toronto Blue Jays, they actually dropped the series to the Kansas City Royals. How's your 20 spot? After we said Max Scherzer gets the playoff pill,
Starting point is 00:05:46 he doesn't get out of the first inning, seven earn runs. All the Royals put up crazy offensive numbers that day. They follow it up. Back to back, Witt and Pasquintino. That's how they win a two-to-one game. Blue Jays, salvage this set.
Starting point is 00:06:03 You know Ernie Clement was involved as they clinch going to the postseason this year. Snaps for Toronto, as always. Detroit. Oh, my God. They get swept by the Atlanta Braves. Our final words were, handle your business against the Braves. They certainly did not. They lose 10 to 1 on that first game.
Starting point is 00:06:28 Drake Baldwin with a couple homers. Hassan Kim. And then on the final day, they lose 6 to 2. And it is getting dark in Detroit. Huge part of the conversation. Padres, they take two out of three from the White Sox. Tilling Seas can't win his homecoming game. Padres end up taking the series.
Starting point is 00:06:50 Jackson Merrill, Rhino, Hearn. A couple big hits in that one. Miami versus the Texas Rangers Rangers where'd you go I miss you so you ran into the fish They've got another wind streak going Jansen junk Jacob Marcy will not stop Troy Johnston turns on balls and Otto Lopez three hit day The final series in the American League It's time for your road warriors brought to you by best western hotels and resorts Life's a trip make the most of it
Starting point is 00:07:24 bestwestern.com. The Seattle Mariners, standing on their business, they sweep the Houston Astros. It's a new chapter in the AL West. And part of it is because Logan Gilbert throws an unhittable pitch, try to catch up to that Split Johnson. J.P. Crawford, Grand Slam in the last game to seal the deal. Victor Robles is back making game-saving. diving catches. And do you like the most home runs by a switch hitter ever? Because Cal Raleigh has
Starting point is 00:08:01 done that. 58 homers on the year. The Seattle Mariners take control of the American League West and get it done on the road in Houston. That is what happened in the American League. Pop, you're the best. You're the best. I like your shirt. Your hair looks good. And another great burn, as always. I got the standings. It's like the most important thing we're doing today, Trev. We'll start out east.
Starting point is 00:08:35 Where the Blue Jays, yes, they clinched a playoff spot, but still need to clinch the division. There are two games up, six games to play. I think every team is there now. We don't have any teams with double-headers. I don't think I was kind of looking at the standings earlier, prepping, my bad. Definitely not in the American League.
Starting point is 00:08:52 So here we go. Blue Jays, 90 and 66, Yankees, two games back 88 and 68 their red socks 85 and 71 i called them to win the division they're not it's not it's not going to happen people just not going to happen uh the tampa bay raise 76 and 80 73 and 83 for the baltimore orioles in the central this one is a tight one jake 85 and 71 for the slumping tigers 84 and 72 for the team had one game back for the team that has one of the worst offenses in all of baseball. It's insane. I love you, Guardians so much, but what's going on there?
Starting point is 00:09:30 78 and 78 4. The Royals, my twins, 6789, and the White Sox 58 and 98. The Mariners, as you mentioned, a pretty commanding three-game lead with six to go, 87 and 69 for them as they sweep the Astros. 84 and 72 for the Astros.
Starting point is 00:09:45 They're still trying to get in the dance. The Rangers, yes, where did you go? Five, or eight games back in the division, five games back in the wildcard. are packing their bags ready to take a vacation. I don't know where they're going to go. It's fall. You can kind of go anywhere in the world right now. Seventy-nine and seven, it's not fall yet. It's still summer. A 79 and 77, 73 and 83 for the A's and 70 and 86 for the angels. Now the wild card, Jake, say it. They don't call it the mild card. I'm not saying nobody wants that. Not saying that. Don't know. Pencils down and don't say nobody call it.
Starting point is 00:10:24 Pencils down. Pencils down is so out. Trade deadline. So out, yeah. Because it's not even true. It's just nothing. Everyone has their pencil still after the trade deadline. Anyways, we'll go to the wild card here.
Starting point is 00:10:38 Yankees holding the number one spot right now. There are four games up. The Red Sox holding the number two spot. They're one game up on the Guardians and the Astros who were tied for the last spot in the American League. So if the playoffs started right now, right now, Houston would be out, by the way. Okay, they would be out. The Guardians would head to Detroit for an AL Central freaking matchup.
Starting point is 00:11:07 And I can't believe that the Mariners caught Detroit. Okay. Insane. They were planning their vacation during the wild card round. You're not having one now. You're not. Guardians would go to Detroit and that could flip at any moment. as they have a three-game series.
Starting point is 00:11:24 And then the Red Sox will go to the Yankees. So a couple inner division wildcard rounds if the season ended today. That will be awesome. Those are the standings in the American League. Pop, let's get into it. My gosh. Trevor, well done per usual.
Starting point is 00:11:37 And yeah, it's going to, people, it's a different time of year. Padres white socks. They know. People know, Jake. Let's get into the freaking meat. Oh, I love it. Throw me down on the bed.
Starting point is 00:11:51 Let's go east to, West a little bit because the east, I think the east is the easiest to check off right now. Yankees had a nice series in Baltimore, three out of four. One of their better wins to end the series in Max Fried looked really good. I guess in the landscape of what happened here, like Toronto loses to Kansas City, and that is what it is for now. Kansas, Jesus, Jake, you're running hot. You got me going, Big Dog.
Starting point is 00:12:17 Toronto and Boston play this week. Yeah. which is going to dictate a lot of can the Yankees get in the mix to try to win the AL East. Toronto has the tiebreaker. So it's essentially a three-game lead or a two-and-a-half game lead as Trevor and I have to date. But they all land with the same amount. Anyways, I think it's a half game. I think we're going to have more AL East coming up at the end of this week,
Starting point is 00:12:50 because we're going to know if the Yanks have a chance. The Yankees are playing the White Sox. So, like, if Boston handles their business in the Great North, the Yankees have an actual shot at the division. If they don't, it's going to change. If Toronto wins, then Boston standing in the wild card is going to get different as we now have the Guardians and Houston in the mix. So I went round there, Trev.
Starting point is 00:13:15 I know you don't like when I do this, but where do we go from here? It's, yeah, I mean, this is the week. I mean, this is, it's not, I don't know if this is the best week of baseball during a season. It's one of them. I think trade deadline is awesome. You can talk about opening weekend. I don't even really like that. It's just, like, it's fun because we need it and we're just jones in for it.
Starting point is 00:13:37 But let's get real here. Like this, like, we're starting this. I feel like the season is starts going at opening weekend is nuts. It's great. It's great. It's surface level great. This matters more. It just does.
Starting point is 00:13:52 I think when you start to get to July is when you start, okay, let's hammer it in. Where are we? What are we going to do with the trade deadline? You get the All-Star game. Great. And then August gets a little sloppy. His teams kind of, you know, they make some other moves.
Starting point is 00:14:06 Some teams are in. Some teams are out. But this last week, when we do have actual races, it's besides the playoffs, this is the best form of baseball we're going to get. Nobody gives a shit about their numbers anymore. We're all trying to jockey for position. We have some great matchups, thankfully. Good job schedule makers.
Starting point is 00:14:24 It's probably AI by now, but good job, computers. Yes, I have a question for you for the Yankees because I'm genuinely interested. I was kind of going over the sheet and stuff. I think they're starting pitching is in a decent spot because you got Fried and Rodon, who've been awesome, and then heel and Schlittler. What about the bullpen? What are we doing back end-wise there? So is it is it hot hand right now?
Starting point is 00:14:52 Is it is it Bednar Weaver William's-ish? Like what are we doing? Bednar's been amazing. He is the closer that he's also gone multiple innings Yes. Out of force with the Yankees that he's he's the guy. Weavers had struggles,
Starting point is 00:15:09 but in the moments they've needed him, he's still been good that he has a lot of, he earned up a lot of leash for the Yankees. Devin Williams is in the mix. The Yankees are going to try to find him righty lanes. His writing numbers are still really good. He is going to pitch in postseason innings a la Clay Holmes last year. Like Clay Holmes had his struggles.
Starting point is 00:15:29 After that it gets sketchy. So that's kind of where the Yankees are at. Who are they going to kick to the bullpen? And yet, it's been a question mark throughout the year that the lineup's been fun. They got shut down by Trevor Rogers, which we'll talk about a little bit because everyone has, and that's crazy. But you're right, they're starting pitching some of the stats that have come with the Yankees has been, I think it's been the best in baseball for the last like 43 games,
Starting point is 00:16:00 but the Guardians might be changing that. I think if you need more Yankees, go check out talking Yanks. I don't want any more Yankees. I just wanted to know what the Boone's plan was with the guys at the back end of the bullpen. You didn't really give me anything. It sounds like it's going to be a hot-hand-ish thing. Gave you everything. gave you the full details.
Starting point is 00:16:18 Okay. Gave you everything. I'm not sure what else you'd want. Maybe you guys don't have a lockdown plan. That's fine. That's kind of what I was asking. Okay. I guess what Red Sox,
Starting point is 00:16:35 any Red Sox thoughts you need to get off your chest? I mean, yeah, you got to, they got to make the dance. The more and more I think about it, and you know, we're talking about the Guardians and the Astros falling out of it, but as I read the standings perfectly. I mean, they have a chance to not make the playoffs as well.
Starting point is 00:16:52 So there needs to be some sort of push here from the Red Sox. I think a lot of, at least in my mind, I'm like, yeah, they're going to be in it. They got the second wild card, but they haven't run away with anything. They haven't really sealed the deal at all. So these six games, last six games for their life. And I think that's what's interesting about this type of the season as well, Jake, is some teams can set their pitching up. some teams can't like you got to you you got to get there that's very interesting to see kind of how
Starting point is 00:17:21 teams you know go about this week especially the red sox you know i think the blue jays do they want um to win the east do they want to have the buy all these things yes but like having already clinched a playoff spot softens like the you know what's the word i'm looking for softens the awareness they're not fully fully in on this last week whereas some teams like the Boston Red Sox have to have to absolutely go So that's going to be
Starting point is 00:17:53 A great series there and I think I think really this comes down to I mean I guess there's so much to chew I was going to say guardians tigers But you have to talk about the Mariners and the Astros too This is a lot going on right now I'm kind of all over the place
Starting point is 00:18:09 Yeah let me We're excited. Yeah, I mean, let me close the loop. And I gave some Yankees details because you asked, and apparently my answer was dog shit. But in Toronto, starting Tuesday night, Giolyto versus Gossmann,
Starting point is 00:18:27 Crochet versus Scher, Bayo versus Bieber. And again, if there's a sweep either direction, that changes each of these teams outlook significantly. If Toronto gets swept, the east is wide open, and after dominating the east for months, they could find themselves in a wild card, a la what just happened out west. If Toronto sweeps Boston, Boston is looking like they could be out of the playoff picture when they've been in for so long.
Starting point is 00:18:55 So I guess more so teeing up that series after what both teams did this weekend, and all eyes are going to be on that, where these teams and how we feel about that, is going to change so, so much. And I guess the difference is and where we should put the east in the rear view for now because we're going to find out. The Central has happened live in front of us. We talked about it, and it was brewing,
Starting point is 00:19:23 but we were like, okay, you know, nice. Here come the Guardians. Will they get in the wild card mix? Trev, your guard dogs, who are a team that, I feel like they used to torment me mentally. now they torment you mentally because you see them from the twins perspective and you have to deal with Chris Rose regularly
Starting point is 00:19:42 who he doesn't even really like the Guardians right now but here they are the hottest team in baseball and they control their own destiny. They don't torment me at all. I try to give them flowers regularly to Chris Rose. Look, man, like I love that it's, I don't want to call them a cast of no names because that's not exactly true
Starting point is 00:20:02 but I love that it's next man up mentality. I love that, you know, it's all about one-run games for them. I love that they either get blown out or just barely squeak by in a win. Like, I think that's a lot of fun baseball. And, you know, do they have Jose Ramirez doing his thing? Of course. And that's, I mean, you have to have a guy like that. Like, he is the centerpiece.
Starting point is 00:20:25 Everything goes around him. But it's, you know, I think it's fun that it's about their pitching right now, man. And it is, it's in. saying I talked about, I think I already said this. Maybe we talked to us before the show. 27th in runs per game. Like their offense, Jake, overall on the year. I'm going to give you some numbers, which is just crazy. They're 30th and average. That's last. That's last place. And there's, the Colorado Rockies have cemented themselves as one of top five worst season ever. 29th in OBP, 29th in OPS, 27th in runs.
Starting point is 00:21:04 they're also 27th and runs per game. 20th in homers. Like they're not doing anything particularly well offensively except getting the job done when it counts. And maybe you move some runners, you get the big hit. You got guys that just, you know, Stephen Vogt always says this and whatever.
Starting point is 00:21:25 Like I think every manager says this. But it's taking that next man up mentality and rooting for the guy and passing the baton and all these things. Cleveland does that. But it's the story of their late season surge has been the pitching. 28 runs in the last 18 games. 28 runs allowed in the last 18 games.
Starting point is 00:21:51 Math-wise, quick math. That's under two runs per game. That's crazy. I played on a lot of teams, Jake, they gave up a lot of runs. I can't imagine a stretch like. that. I really can't fathom going to the park and saying, we just need to score two guys. We just need to score two. When you give some back hands to some of your old twins pitching staff, it makes me laugh.
Starting point is 00:22:20 It's not the staff, it's the front office. Hello. Well, and clearly as we're seeing. Love you, Terry Ryan, though. Love it. Yeah, there's a lot of stats in baseball, and sometimes it can almost get confusing. 18 games. In the last 30 years, with this Guardians team, it's happened three times.
Starting point is 00:22:44 The 2010 Giants, what did they go on to do? The 2017 Indians, who actually are now the Guardians, that's the only time it happened. Over an 18-game span, It's just kind of loony tunes. And I guess if you give a stat, I like when you give something that puts it in perspective.
Starting point is 00:23:13 In the last 18 games, the Guardians have given up 28 runs. Second closest on the list, the Chicago Cubs have given up 65 runs. That's the two-hole. If you want a little more perspective, the Minnesota Twins, don't know.
Starting point is 00:23:35 Are in last place with 119. Basically a hundred more runs in 18 games. Now, if they weren't the twins, would I have mentioned them right there? Probably. But the Guardians are pitching their dome out. And I know it's like, dude, it was a joke on this show that it was like, here's Parker Messick.
Starting point is 00:24:00 He's gross, huh? The Guardians found another good young pitcher. He's been amazing. The Gavin Williams breakout that baseball geeks have been, like, is it going to happen? Well, dude, his stuff is filthy. 30 starts a 30-606 ERA. It happened. He's leading the big leagues in walks.
Starting point is 00:24:19 This guy can get, he can get better. He's probably going to. They lost arguably the best closer in baseball to a gambling scandal. And one of their starting pitchers. Like, it's nuts, man. And dude, they also, and I think if you follow a ball closely, which is me just calling out our audience, 24 games and 24 days.
Starting point is 00:24:43 Yeah. Like that matters. With how much bullpens get used in today's baseball, teams wear that. And they just put together one of the best stretches of the baseball season, and they are sitting in the playoffs as of today, and they're about to play the Detroit Tigers. who are playing the worst baseball.
Starting point is 00:25:05 They've lost six in a row. They have coughed up a 15-and-a-half game divisional lead that if they keep struggling, they are going to be in that same conversation I just talked about where they could be out of the playoffs if they screw up this week. This is such a fascinating series. Cleveland, all, like, this is, you couldn't have a, a more, you know, surging team and a declining team meeting at the right.
Starting point is 00:25:36 This is everything that you want as an outside baseball fan. You could talk about Cleveland fans, Detroit fans. If you're just on the outside looking in, this is some of the best storylines you're going to get. Even the pitching matchups are amazing in this series. You got Scoobel going for the Tigers tomorrow. But he's matching up against that guy. We just talked about Gavin Williams. Like how fun is that?
Starting point is 00:25:59 Scuba on his way to another Cy Young, Gavin Williams. you know, 25 years old, seemingly figuring out at the big league level, they're going to match up against each other. And then I feel like you got to give it to the guardians the rest of the way. We're on Tanner Bybee, who's had some excellent starts as of late, going up against Jack Flaherty, and then Parker Messick, your guy, going up against my guy, Cater Montero. I mean, that's also been a part, you know,
Starting point is 00:26:24 to transition over to the Tigers talk here a little bit. Shout out Jimmy Norp. They've been struggling on the mountain. 3-2 ERA in September. You know, they didn't really do a lot to address their starting pitcher needs at the deadline. Who'd they bring in? They brought in Saltman, Charlie Morton. They just DFA'd him.
Starting point is 00:26:47 He gone. Charlie Morgan. That didn't work out. Chris Paddock. Paddock, Montero, Raphael Montero in the pen. Finnegan's been great. Paul Seawald, Finnegan. Seawald just got back.
Starting point is 00:26:59 He's back. Like, that's bullpen stuff. But we're talking. about a team that needed starting pitching, and everyone in the world saw it. And who's their guy, Harris? I believe is their GM or baseball president, whatever. Box at paying the price.
Starting point is 00:27:17 And, you know, it's obviously come back to haunt him. He has a quote saying, they were asking about, someone asked him about like the Terrick Scoobel window. Like, isn't it important now to push all the chips in, which we wanted Bregman to go there? Yeah. We wanted him to go there.
Starting point is 00:27:34 And they haven't. As Perez was rumored at the deadline for, for, they haven't pushed the chips in. He said the window, that's an illusion. That's not a real thing. It is a real thing. Terrick Schuble being on your team and then not being on your team in a couple of years. That's a real thing. Unless you fork up $400 million, which I don't think they're going to do.
Starting point is 00:27:53 So that means there is a Terrick Scuba window. And if you can't see that, maybe you and I, I mean, we always talk about going into a front office tigers we saw that we know there's a window call the orioles about their window call the white socks about their window it's uh it's it's it's it's look it's look has some of the offensive stuff come back down to earth yes yes it has for the tigers it's been the pitching there was the problem at the deadline they address the bullpen uh which you know that's been one of their strengths they got more bullpen help they haven't gone to pitching chaos yet is that going to happen?
Starting point is 00:28:33 Like what? I just get this one. Go get some starters. Merrill Kelly would have been great for you. I know, right? Texas. Like that's one of the crazier things. All of that being set,
Starting point is 00:28:49 we've seen the ups and downs of baseball this year. We've seen it with Cleveland, who's been one of the most volatile teams we've ever seen. The Mets have been one of the most volatile teams we've ever seen. That Hinch, who I've been very complimentary of this year, You know, he did say, hey, like if you told us before the season that we were going into the last week and we were in first place and controlled our destiny, you'd sign up for that. If you told them the rest of the details, I don't know if he would have. I don't know if he would have.
Starting point is 00:29:17 But they got scoves on the mound. They win that first game and it would give them a two-game lead. But that's Toronto and Boston, like, this is corny. and, you know, I follow a lot of college. I follow every sport. My first AOL username was Sports Jake. That's it. I follow college football a lot in the expanded playoff,
Starting point is 00:29:40 and was that going to hurt the sport? It kind of brings in more pseudo-fake playoff games. Like, yes, the top teams you get to survive losses in college football better, but you bring in other games that matter more. In this week, the Tigers in Cleveland and Boston and Toronto are pseudo-playoff games that are going to dictate the rest of their week. Because think about this, what if Detroit, what if Cleveland rolls them? Okay, so Detroit's fighting for the last wild card.
Starting point is 00:30:13 Now they have to juggle their scuba usage because, okay, are they guaranteed a wild card game? because then you're not using scoble on one of the last couple games of the season because you need them for the wild card. If they are going to be in the wild card, now you're not using scuba to sit. And this is a debate the Yankees are doing with Max Fried right now. The logistics of it are getting very tricky. But yeah, we kind of didn't see this last,
Starting point is 00:30:43 or at least with the top tier teams, it felt like they could line up their rotation and it was set, and that should be an advantage. now I just don't know. But those two series, like you laid out with Cleveland and Detroit, we've got two playoff series this week, Tuesday through Thursday. Tigers, here's a pep talk for you. Just be the same as the Astros. That's all you have to do. You own the tiebreaker. You're a game ahead of them right now. They're also reeling and not and feeling very poor about themselves.
Starting point is 00:31:22 All you have to do is keep pace with Houston or even be one game worse than them. You just can't keep nose diving. That's the only thing. You'll make the playoffs if you just find it in you to play like reasonable baseball. Well, and the other, I know baseball doesn't work like this, but it also does.
Starting point is 00:31:45 And you need your best players to ball out and like Riley Green and a big slump and Carrie Carpenter, like, you need the dudes to step up so then you can have all those other guys contribute and that's where Jose Ramirez is fucking insane. Third curse, I'm sorry. You need an earmuffs that one? No, man. It's no time for it.
Starting point is 00:32:07 No time for earmuffs right now. And dude, you want to talk about time for something? How about the Seattle Mariners? We talked a couple weeks ago, them, Texas, and Houston, they were all in the same pot. And then it's going down to Houston, and we've seen this script, right?
Starting point is 00:32:28 Not this time. Seattle lays it down on them. Brian Wu, who he's got a little peck thing going on. Let's keep eyes on that. But they shut them out in the first game, and they get four home runs. Naylor, Robles, Julio, and Suarez.
Starting point is 00:32:44 Yep. Coach, this is a bloodbath. This was a bloodbath This was not even close Like don't even let I guess like If you if you look to the box scores You're like oh man like it was Where is this now?
Starting point is 00:32:59 It was six to four and seven It's like no this was this was a blood bath Okay you mentioned the first game Brian Wu does this thing to shut him out Four solo homers awesome And then in game two I mean they're up six nothing Right
Starting point is 00:33:14 And Jerry Payne hits a grand slam Great got it within two great You were losing, I mean, there was just Seattle Mariners stood on business. Is that what you said? I think I said that. Is that a Marshawn Lynch thing?
Starting point is 00:33:28 I don't know. I can Google it. I don't think I should be talking like that. Who first said standing on? And then in the last game, they're up seven to nothing in the second inning. Yeah. Like, this is,
Starting point is 00:33:44 the Houston Astros are in trouble. It has coincided. whether you want to believe it or not with the Framber Valdez stuff. He's looked like crap since that all went down. You know, they bring in Carlos Correa who should really solidify kind of what's going on in the clubhouse. I don't think even a guy like that could handle that situation. I think it's a mess, Jake.
Starting point is 00:34:05 I do. I think the play has been bad. I think the vibes have been bad. And I think there's obviously there's been some injuries. Like it's all bad. Like the Houston Astros do not have it right now. And am I going to be wearing that when they, they freaking end up in the ALCS again, probably.
Starting point is 00:34:21 Good. But it just doesn't, it really doesn't feel that way right now at all. Like there's no, there's nothing that you can take and say, good vibes. This seems fun. Yeah, I, um,
Starting point is 00:34:34 hey man, Yordon being out again. Yeah, that's, it's crushing. Like if you look at their pitching, like Josh Hater, I still have him as the bad man.
Starting point is 00:34:45 And I, I think he is. Like, Aragetti who's had moments for them. Garcia, Blanco. I know every team has their injuries, but these ones feel like they're catching up with Houston. And yeah, you're right.
Starting point is 00:34:59 At the same time, and this is the chaos that we're in, you know, if it's Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez in a three-game wild card, that I don't have Framber Valdez in that anymore. I don't have him in that anymore, Jay. He hasn't looked that way in a long time. It's true. It's true, but also I think October.
Starting point is 00:35:18 still matters, and I think I just seen him snap too many curveballs at people's back foot in October to get past them. I don't believe right now. But the other thing that needs to be said, in that game, too, you mentioned it's 6-0. Payne-A grand slam makes it 6-4. Victor Robles, who talked about an interesting career. This guy was patrolling center field with the Nats that won it as a 20-year. year old.
Starting point is 00:35:49 The stick was never really there, gets cut, goes to Seattle, balls out for a little bit, mini extension, gets hurt this season on a tough injury. In the minor leagues, throws a bad at a pitcher because he's having a bad time out there. He makes a game-saving catch, Trev, that when you talk about, I mean, he's not in the picture for a lot of that shot. You're hoping Julio has the Superman cape on. Here comes Victor Robles out of right field to make a game-saving catch, which think about everything we're talking about with these win-streaks and these losing
Starting point is 00:36:27 streaks, and momentum matters. We're clearly seeing this. And what if this turns into a loss? That ball gets down. It gets past the right fielder. And Houston salvages the set or changes the whole narrative of the series. Instead, you dunked on them. could only imagine the locker room after that game.
Starting point is 00:36:48 Like, we just won the series. We made a game-saving double play, diving, catch in right field. The vibes are immaculate, and you've got a catcher that's doing something a catcher's never done, that a switch hitter's never done. We've got to get into that conversation now? I don't know, Truss. I don't know either, because it's taken a back seat, hasn't it? At least in my mind, I'm focusing on teams and playoffs, but here's Cal Raleigh, who I said,
Starting point is 00:37:14 if he has to win the MVP if he breaks Judge's record in the AL. That is my take. Is that your take as well? Because we gave Judge the MVP over Shohei. Right. Because he broke the home run record. My dry take, if he gets to 60, I think he's going to win the vote. Like the vote still comes down to people.
Starting point is 00:37:43 and hey, like, Yankees fan, some judges, stats are insane. Yes, I acknowledge all of that 100%. I am a judge truther as well. I'm anti-judge fatigue. And where some of the stats lie, like I had a couple of conversations at the warehouse,
Starting point is 00:38:02 I think it's, I think the vote still comes down to humans that like where the numbers land is going to change things. Like that 6-0, will feel different than 59, which is pathetic. But it's just true. And, man, here's what I'll say.
Starting point is 00:38:20 With all the numbers we do have, being a catcher's different. That I don't know how to quantify it, man, because no catcher's ever done this. No catcher has ever done this. So I'll be honest. Like if someone, I think there's a lot of smart baseball people that are like, you know, how good judge is offensively? Like, he's the MVP and it's not a conversation.
Starting point is 00:38:43 And I'm a Yankees fan. And maybe that's right. You can't quantify taking two foul tips off your body every night. Like, you can't. So if you say you're a Cal Raleigh vote, I don't fight you on it. I'm in on the catcher thing. I'm not in on like Cal Raleigh means more to the Mariners. Because I don't believe that's true at all.
Starting point is 00:39:06 I think Aaron Judge means just as much, if not more to the Yankees. Like, it's, they go how he goes. the bottom line. I want for reference, I know what kind of year judge had and what year is this in 22. That was when he won it over Otani. I understand what kind of year he had. I mean, I'm looking at it right now. 62, 131. Right. A 1.1.1 OPS. He actually matched. It was an incredible year. I think he was, was he playing center field that year as well.
Starting point is 00:39:36 Yeah. Yep. So like awesome. Otani, not his best offensive year still 34 and 95 had an 875 OPS but he he threw 166 innings with a 2-3 ERA and a 1-0 whip like this guy was
Starting point is 00:39:51 right he should have won the MVP yeah like I'm no he should have for the MVP stop but we gave it to judge because he hit 62 not we didn't give it to him I hate saying that like I don't I'm not putting judge down at all
Starting point is 00:40:05 but my thought process was the guy just broke the ale home run record, maybe even broke the actual home run record if some people will consider it that without PEDs. If Cal Raleigh hits 63, I mean, that's game over. I don't think it's not 60 to me. It's not 60 to me. I need to see. I think the actual numbers will change how people, like, does Judge land his batting average at 330 or 323. Like, I genuinely think this is going to come down to almost human error.
Starting point is 00:40:44 And I, and again, like, as much as I was being nice to the Cal Raleigh, and if you want to believe that, I can't fault you. Like, Judge's OPS is, it's in a different area code. So 1-1-2-3 right now. And Cal's at 949. that like we're talking almost almost 200 points of OPS. And Cal doesn't pitch. Cal surely doesn't pitch. He catches the pitches.
Starting point is 00:41:18 He does. I'm interested to see how that plays out, but more so either way, I think the long and short of it is such snaps for the Mariners. Logan Gilbert Splitter has like a 1-1-1 batting average against. George Kirby goes sick shut out Like it's
Starting point is 00:41:37 It's all there for Seattle And Trev this was a corny take I had on I think I said this on Wake and Jake a few months ago I think their baseball players are clutch Like I know I know we've gone far away from believing in that From baseball which is dumb by the way
Starting point is 00:41:57 But like I think Randy Roserena is clutch His playoff stats have shown me that. I've seen Cal Raleigh have a lot of late, big inning hits. I think Nailor, I think Suarez have stones, dude. And I think Julio, he's shown this second half who he is in the standing of the league. That you talked about the deadline, what they did there.
Starting point is 00:42:26 Crazy impressive stuff from the Seattle Mariners. I feel like we didn't even really get into the J. We got to keep this thing wrong. Really get into the Jays. It's going to be a big Jays, Red Sox Friday. Okay. I think we've got to get to the NL where the Cincinnati Reds and the Mets will be the topic. But they said go west, young man.
Starting point is 00:42:52 So we will. The Dodgers face the Giants. They take three out of four Yamamoto. Six walks but zero earn runs. Okay. Learn from Snell. Clayton Kershaw's last start at Dodgers Stadium. him on the field by himself.
Starting point is 00:43:09 Pretty cool. Dodgers take that third game. Shohay opposite field power is just silly sometimes. San Francisco does take the last game and try and get some real booze from the Dodgers fans, which, holy cow. Dodgers take three out of four standing on their business in the NOS. You know who is?
Starting point is 00:43:31 The Cincinnati Reds four-game sweep the Chicago Cubs. This is one of the series we're going to talk about, but Hunter Green, nine innings, shutpiece. The boys were bopping. Spencer, Steer with a two-homer day. Tyler Stevenson Homer, Gavin Lux, Cincinnati is here. Wait to you see where they are in the standings. The debacks take two out of three from the Phillies to keep them alive. Corbyn Carroll goes 30-30 with a nice crop of players this year,
Starting point is 00:44:01 including a big home run that helps ensure them the final game. Phillies won the first one. otherwise it's D-backs there. Some interesting Philly's quotes. Maybe we get there. The Mets and the Nationals, we're going to talk about this. The Nationals take two out of three
Starting point is 00:44:16 after the Mets put up a 12 spot in that first game with everybody hitting and the Sproke Goat on the mound. They lose extras to the Nats in game two, and they lose on Sunday 3 to 2. Jacob Young making catches that you just don't see on a baseball field. It's getting late in flushings. Been there.
Starting point is 00:44:42 The Cardinals take two out of three from the Brewers, and it is what it is. The Brewers won the middle game. They do clinch winning the division, snaps for them, as always. Aeronado gets some applause. That's nice. Pirates take two out of three from the A's.
Starting point is 00:44:57 I'm sorry, everyone. That's just not happening right now. And same with the Rockies taking two out of three from the halos. They passed the White Sox from last year. They will not be the worst team ever. But close. Kyle Freeland, nice start. That is what happened in the national league.
Starting point is 00:45:18 You're the best there is. You say sproke goat? I don't... What do you mean? I don't love it. Nancy Reagan, people forget. What? Google it.
Starting point is 00:45:30 Google it. Google it. Oh, my, keep politics out of here. I got the standings. We'll start out east where the Philadelphia affiliates obviously have clinched the division. They were 12 games up as of today. 92 and 64 for them, 80 and 76 for the Mets, 76 and 80 for the Marlins, the Braves, 73 and 83 and the national 64 and 92. I can't wait to ask you about something later on the show. Just reminding me, it's going to be at the end of the show with awards. Love it.
Starting point is 00:46:03 In the Central, they also have a clincher here in the Milwaukee Brewers who are 95 and 61, 7 games up on the Cubs, 88 and 68 for the Cubbies who clinched a playoff spot, 80 and 76 for the Reds, who we're going to get into a little bit here. Cardinals, nice try, I guess, 76 and 80. I like their team. It just, they never got over, like, mediocre. I thought they could have, they just never, they never hit that stride. It is what it is. 67 and 89 for the Pirates. Out West, Dodgers have not clinched the division yet, but they have a three-game lead over the Padres. and 68 for them. Padres, 85 and 71. I believe the Padres can clinch tomorrow.
Starting point is 00:46:47 It's the magic numbers down to one, I believe, for a playoff spot. The Diamondbacks, 79 and 77, still in the mix. 77 and 79, the opposite of the Diamondbacks for the Giants and the Rockies, 43 and 113. Let's get to the wild card in the National League, Jake. The Cubs own the top spot. They're going to own the top spot. They will be the number one seed, I believe.
Starting point is 00:47:14 Ah, there's still a chance. Padres number two, 87 and 71. They're five games up on the last two teams. It's the Reds and the Mets. Tied at the bottom for the last wild card. The Diamondbacks, one game back. I'm not going to mention the Giants. I'm not.
Starting point is 00:47:32 There are three games back. Marlins, four games back. I can't start. I can't keep going down. It's like when you're at a party or having a party, I got to invite this person. but if I invite him, then I got to invite this person. It ends up being a shit show.
Starting point is 00:47:44 Just don't have parties, people. Those are the standings. But wait, if the season started today, excuse me, I forgot to do this. The Reds, because they own the tiebreaker over every single person that's coming. So, like, they should be considered a half game up. Sure. Put it that way. They'd be going to L.A., and the Padres will be going into Chicago.
Starting point is 00:48:08 but that that's like set the podj should just like set their hotel already get ready for that series it's the real eddie vedder bowl those are the standings in the national league let's get into it jay let's get into it it's all brought to you by caldera lab um arguably trev's favorite partner of ours yeah i you know i shouldn't probably shouldn't be saying that sales team might be mad but trev uses it all day it's why he's so beautiful the good the i serum the base layer Take care of yourself, people. And these skincare products are skincare products made for men. It's not overly complicated.
Starting point is 00:48:47 There's not questionable ingredients. And like some of the others, well, Caldera Lab, they deliver. And like I said, the good, the eye serum, the base layer. That's what you want. Men who use Caldera Lab products reported noticeable improvements. 100% said their skin looks smoother. That's pretty good. 96.9 saw an improvement in skin hydration and texture.
Starting point is 00:49:15 I'm going to throw something out there. I bet the other 3% got confused what those words meant. And I think it happened. They just didn't know it. Skin care doesn't have to be complicated, but it should be good. Upgrade your routine with Caldera Lab. See the difference for yourself. Go to calderaLab.com slash talk and use co-talking at checkout 15% off your first
Starting point is 00:49:35 order. Trev, do you want the Reds or you want the Mets? Ooh. Let's go Reds. Let's go Reds, because that's a little more exciting. The Cincinnati Reds are back in it after a four-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs. There's a lot of, I mean, there could have been a lot of standout performances from this series. The Reds are in the playoffs as of today.
Starting point is 00:50:02 And like you mentioned, the tiebreaker, the Reds are at the party coach. They own the tiebreaker over everybody. Like literally everybody. I think there's one that comes down to interdivision record. I think that was with the Mets. They beat the other teams, so head to head. But then there's one that came to Interdivision Record, which they have in spades.
Starting point is 00:50:26 So they're good. If they finish tied, they will be the team to get in. That's massive with six games to play. but this is like this is a team like I feel like we've the entire season what have we been saying about them like they could be pretty damn good like I like their roster starting pitching is awesome back in the bullpen they're kind of figuring it out like Emilio Pagan what okay yeah we just never got to the point we're like this is a team this is a team and now I think we have
Starting point is 00:50:54 it's it's now we're never yeah that we get into it they've had an interesting season though Jake first some stats on them as far as like play off stuff. 2013 was the last time they made like a non-COVID playoff. They got in it in 2020, and we thought they had a really good chance there. We liked their team. They ended up getting swept. They didn't score run in that set.
Starting point is 00:51:19 So if you go back to the last time they're actually in non-COVID is 2013, last time they won a home playoff game, 1995. The fans are great in Cincinnati. They're starved for a winning team. And I really want the Reds to get in because I do think. what we've been saying about them all year is correct let them in the dance they got some starting pitching that could kill you man they really really do and if you're um i was going over a bunch of articles you know reading up on the reds and a lot of times this was mentioned i think Jose trevino
Starting point is 00:51:52 um said this he said you know what kept us motivated uh was that we kept hearing from teams that damn we wouldn't want to play you in a three game set damn we wouldn't want to play you in a five game set so that kind of made them believe in like their roster and you kind of look around like it's true like they have the things to get the job done like in these playoff series and I want to see if that's actually true
Starting point is 00:52:17 if that's just stuff that we think of in our head on August 19th they were 67 and 60 Jake things are looking good they lost 16 of the next 24 dude and that's when I believe a lot of us, a lot of the fans, this show in particular probably gave up on the Red saying, ah, it's going to be another one of those seasons for the Reds because that's what we've
Starting point is 00:52:39 seen from them. They haven't really given us. They're not like the Houston Astros who say, oh, they're inevitable. They haven't, they haven't shown us. The track record isn't there. And they really haven't done anything spectacular as of late. They're 10 and 5 in their last 15. Pretty good. It's good. It's not Cleveland Guardians. No. Ball. But here's a thing. The Mets have just struggled. Four and 11 in the last 15. That's how they've made up all these games. But yeah, I mean, if you're talking about a team that has starting pitching, they're like the Dodgers in that where they've had to kick a bunch of guys to the bullpen because they've had, they have too much starting pitching. Nick Martinez has done an excellent job going in and out of the rotation.
Starting point is 00:53:21 They put Chase Burns back there with him. He's electric. You know, he's got some real nasty stuff. I mean, profiling him out of the bullpen. It's going to be, you know, it's not a sure thing, but he's got elite bullpen stuff. He's not going to be there long term, but for the playoffs, my goodness. And then you got the dogs in the rotation. Imagine going up against a guy like a hunter, a hunter green,
Starting point is 00:53:42 thrown a million miles an hour, nasty wipeout slider. The next day you got to face Andrew Abbott, the complete opposite. Like this team is so fun, man. I don't know. There's just something about him. I think they brought in the right guys
Starting point is 00:53:57 at the beginning of the season, trading for Gavin Lux. was cool. Brady Singer, even Trevino himself. These guys have playoff experience. I think that's important to bring guys like that into the clubhouse. Now I know these guys aren't like aging veterans or anything like that. They're still younger guys, but they do have that experience. I think that's super, super important. I don't know, man. There's just the roster's fun. They brought up one of their top prospects and Sal Stewart. He's been hitting the ball well. Like it's they've kind of done all the right things this year. And I hope they get rewarded for it
Starting point is 00:54:29 because I would like to see them in the playoffs. They wouldn't be hosting a series, but maybe they'd get a home game in the next round if they were able to get through that wild card. So Spencer Steer had a massive weekend, and it's been the offense. Like, Ellie de la Cruz hadn't homered since before the trade deadline. It was July 31st, I think, was his last home or something like that.
Starting point is 00:54:51 That's insane. Yeah, there's been weird different standouts at different times. Like you look at Anduhar stats, he hasn't really been playing too much. But like they need performances. And Trev, you know, you accidentally pooped on opening weekend earlier this show, and that's fine. But I told, Rob, do you have the Tyler Stevenson homer? Because our guy Tyler Stevenson hits an insurance homer. A little oppo Johnny, Trev.
Starting point is 00:55:22 And, okay, hey, this is a little bit of a Cincinnati hitter ballpark home run. But watch him round first. like tell me these games don't matter more oh of course they mad you're talking about this is well it was what you were saying before that it's not supposed to be shots fired like look it's packed stands it's late in the game it's kittridge on the cubs to go opo to put your team up like that like that's a feeling a lot of these young guys haven't felt before yes yes this is it's it's special what's happening there again i think they have an interesting bullpen.
Starting point is 00:56:03 I will say that. But if you can kick the starters back there and get some of that, I think that's really important again. Like a guy like Nick Martinez being able to kind of be your Swiss army knife, I think is really cool. What Amelia Pagons may all do. They have, they have guys. That guys that can get it done.
Starting point is 00:56:18 Do I trust that bullpen more than others? I mean, if I had to rank bullpens going into the postseason, they'd probably be near the end. But sometimes that doesn't matter. In the playoffs, it takes two guys to get hot. That's it. And if Hunter Green goes nine innings, one hit, that's a pretty good bullpen outing.
Starting point is 00:56:42 They've got an interesting next week. They have Pittsburgh, but they do have a Skeen's Day. So that'll be interesting. And then they finish at Milwaukee, which Milwaukee has been a bugaboo for them the past 80 years or so. So that'll be interesting because Milwaukee will also. have the buy, which Trevor, you remember from last year, if you have the buy, you still pitch your good pitchers.
Starting point is 00:57:07 Yes. Because you essentially line up. Four or five innings. Right, but you still get the best bullpen guys because you kind of want them to get their last throw day in. So that's going to be very interesting what we see in that series. Get through Pittsburgh first. Trev, the other thing, the other biggest story in the National League that I gave you the option,
Starting point is 00:57:28 the New York metropolitan's who got off to an amazing start. We started, these are new Mets, that's a new owner, it's a new guy running it. These are the new brewers. The brewers with money. The brewers with money. And things have fallen apart.
Starting point is 00:57:50 They've lost 11 of 15, 35 and 52 since mid-June. And here we are watching the Nationals make, like trick shot dude perfect warehouse challenge type plays against them that have Mets fans just that's relax on dude perfect and the warehouse a little bit. I won't. I won't. I won't. I don't see many plays being made like this.
Starting point is 00:58:22 I'm sorry. Right. That's what I'm saying, bro. Jacob Young put on an absolute show yesterday. but I mean the Mets are kind of the story here coach they're out of the postseason right now it's it's crazy and uh I'm trying to like go back in my time machine and think about like what we were saying about the Mets because I did start out 45 and 24 and Griffin Canning was the best pitcher in baseball and we're like how did he go from the worst pitcher in baseball to the best
Starting point is 00:58:50 pitcher in baseball it's like are the Mets just that are they that guy are they that guy they can just take the scrap pile and turn him into elite pitchers. Turns out no. And they've dealt with some injuries. He had an Achilles injuries. I mean, maybe that was the start of all this because he went out when did he go out in June. They kind of right around when they started failing. Griffin Canning goes out. Tyler McGill ends up being injured. And the guys they brought in just haven't really got the job done. You know, so like that that's been, I think, in my opinion, the biggest issue here is starting pitching hasn't been good. A lot of times, you know, you need to rely on them throughout a season, at least, you know, for a week or two weeks. Like, man, our offense isn't going to be there.
Starting point is 00:59:34 Like, can I have starting pitching step up? It just hasn't for them at all. So they invested in the bullpen at the deadline. Helsey hasn't been good. Cedric Mullen, who they brought over to play center field, hasn't been good. So really it's like, okay, what has kept them afloat? Juan Soto, being great, it's kept them afloat. But the offense in general, you know, there's a few guys that have also followed soup, but it's just, it's been a very, very subpar team for quite some time now. And they've kind of, they've, they've been riding that hot start to the season. And then if you're looking at the standings, you're like, okay, they still have this lead and all these things. But it's, it's been, I guess I'll call it a slow bleed for the Mets.
Starting point is 01:00:16 I think that's an accurate way to put it. Yeah, I mean, it's, it's just weird because Soto's been incredible. Pete's been incredible Lindor's been good That it's like okay That yeah man You're just looking at this pitching right now And I said this
Starting point is 01:00:33 What team was I comparing this to That I said this I think the last episode That sometimes there's teams you look back on Like two or three years later As a baseball fan And you're like holy smokes I think I said this with Houston And that's what's happening
Starting point is 01:00:49 Like Houston fans in a couple years Are going to look back at this current team and be like, what is going, what happened? I think Mets fans are entering this territory where it's like, okay, so we had our studs. We had three rookies taking the pill every five days. They're like, that was a really cool thing a week ago. Not so cool right now.
Starting point is 01:01:14 I don't, I don't know. I don't know, Trev. They're going on a roadie to Chicago. We're going to be there. Oh, my God. I haven't put that together yet. We're going to be there. We're doing a live show before the game on Wednesday.
Starting point is 01:01:30 So that's going to, at the Draft King's sports book, that's going to be a wild scene. And then they head to Miami, which over certain years has been a house of horrors for them. Things are looking Metsi, which we thought we were away from that. For me, we can go to this series with the Nats and you go to game two.
Starting point is 01:01:49 And I think we might look back of this, you know, because it's going to be still in recent memory. and I think we're going to look back at this inning and say, what the hell did we just do? Look, Soto comes back, game two, ninth inning, single up the middle, ties the game. They have a chance to win there, a couple of strikeouts, doesn't happen, fine.
Starting point is 01:02:08 But you go, and the nationals can't score in the top of the 10th. You get a bunt the pop out, James Wood grounds out, C.J. Abrams strikes out, boom, bam, boom. Here we go. Now you got Starling Marte on, second base and you got Luis and Helacuna at the plate.
Starting point is 01:02:27 Who should know how to bun? Right. Like that should be part of his skill set. But we don't bunt during the season because we're scared of giving up outs, but then we get into a crucial point of the season or a game where you need it and we
Starting point is 01:02:43 just haven't practiced it enough. And I've told you this. Like, if I'm a team and our team that we're going to run one day, like we're going to give up outs during the regular season. I'm sorry. Because we're going to get real game practice with this so we don't pop up bunch like this. Where Starly Marte, people are saying he should have been on third base. He can't go to third base right there. The catcher should have caught the ball. Akunia probably should have been out right there. I don't really know the rule on that. He kind of gets in the way of the catcher.
Starting point is 01:03:13 Catcher still should have caught that ball. Marte didn't do anything wrong right here. You can't, ball gets popped up. You got to go back to second base. And then pitchers on it. I think he might even been thrown out at third base because the pitcher looked at third as well. Like this was, did a good job of that. But you got to get the bunt down. All you got to do is see it down. Doesn't you have to be a great bunt there. He's going to get the third base. Then you can win the game. It doesn't happen. Francisco Alvarez next, next batter, double play. And like, it's the little things like that. They don't score next inning. This is another interesting thing. They don't send Dias back out that they bring in Rogers.
Starting point is 01:03:48 He's been great. But you know how I feel about. side slingers, right-handers going up against left-handed bats, Dale and Lyle, laser off the left-center field wall inside the park homer. It happens that fast, man. You got to get the job done. You know, you had the Nationals dead to rights. All you got to do is put a bunt down and score the runner from third base.
Starting point is 01:04:10 And you can't do it. Simple baseball stuff like that. It could cost them their season, Jake. And can you imagine? This is another thought I had. say the Mets don't make the postseason. One of the biggest spending sprees we've ever seen in the sport in the off season. One of the biggest payrolls we've ever seen in this sport.
Starting point is 01:04:32 And all of a sudden, the Reds are in the playoffs. The Brewers are in the playoffs. Like, what does that do for, like, the salary cap thing? They're going to bring up inevitably in 2026. I love that. I love thinking about that. Like, the parody's fine. Right.
Starting point is 01:04:50 Right. I don't know I'm just The Bunt thing crushed me We need to do it more during the season Give up some fucking outs So in the big time games We know what we're doing
Starting point is 01:05:02 But that's that was I was watching that's oh man that's bad Bad for the season right there You can't win that game against the Nats No offense to them But you give them You had a chance there and you didn't do it I'm excited to see the next pieces
Starting point is 01:05:19 Because if If they win enough this next week and the Reds don't, they could still be in the day. They could still be flying at L.A. If they don't, yeah, the Mets conversations for this offseason are going to be pretty interesting because they did spend a lot of money. Some of it wasn't the money we thought they were going to spend. You know, Montas on the IL right now.
Starting point is 01:05:47 Clay Holmes is in the bullpen. Manaya just came back and like let's, you know, maybe he has a heroic start to end this thing, but it's, um, it's going to be wild. It's going to be wild. Trev, what else in the National League? Again, there's, there is stuff. I have some Brewer stuff later. The Dodgers-Kershaw stuff was, was cool, but like as far as we stand in the National League right now, I don't know. It's another huge week. I'm the dimebacks are right there. I'm not. I'm not going to give the Giants a shout. I mean,
Starting point is 01:06:25 there, it could, the Diamondback sneak in with the deadline that they had. I mean, that's, what's that'll be one of the wilder stories of the year. They traded away their guys at the deadline. And here they are,
Starting point is 01:06:41 they're one game out. Again, the Reds hold the tiebreaker against them, but there's a chance. How many games had they pissed away this year that we- So many. How many? Yeah, Colorado Rockies,
Starting point is 01:06:52 game comes to mind. I mean, yeah, we watched them do that over and over and over again, like just eight spots giving it up, then scoring eight. They were a wild team to follow this season. They've got the Dodgers, Shohay Snell, and Yamamoto,
Starting point is 01:07:08 so they're going to have to earn it. I do want to say this about Kershaw, awesome night. It was really cool to see. I thought they did a really good job with everything. I love that Dave Roberts took him out after striking out Devers.
Starting point is 01:07:22 like get him out of there. Like the start was fine. Get him out of there. Get him in ovation. All that good stuff. Good. We talked about, is he going to get a postseason start?
Starting point is 01:07:30 And I didn't really think about this. Because the Dodgers are going to be in a wild card series, like he's going to get a start. Because they're going to have to throw their guys in the wild card series. And then the next series starts right away. You don't want to bring those guys back on short rest like that. Like I think he's going to get a start. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:07:51 And I'm interested to see how they, you know, we talked Emmett Shee into the bullpen or how are they going to navigate that whole thing. But yeah, and it's also, Clayton had a very solid year. 106 innings, a 355, like there's could be a lot worse of a situation that, and his playoff history has been well documented. But yeah, a really fun night for Dodger fans. Go check out Chris Rose talking to Clayton Kershaw. A lot of good casual old man and actual old man stuff there. And the diamond bags. Let's see.
Starting point is 01:08:35 Let's see. Go make it messy. Make it messy. I have another thing on the Phillies, but I can save it for later. I think we keep it moving, Big Daddy. Let's keep it rolling into stuff. standout performances. It's time for standout performance.
Starting point is 01:08:57 Stand out performances. Stand out performances. This guy stood out for Trev. Say what? Standout performances are brought to you by Shady Ray's. Get yourself some sunglasses. The sun's still out. Trev just told you it's summer.
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Starting point is 01:09:36 If you don't love your shades, exchange for a new pair or return worry-free within 30 days. And exclusively for our listeners, this is what I like. Shadyrays is giving out their best deal of the season. Go to Shadyrays.com. Use code talking. 35% off your next pair of polarized sunglasses. That's code talking at Shadyrays.com. Go get yours now.
Starting point is 01:09:57 Where are you going, Coach? It's not summer right now. No? Today's the last day. I just Googled. Is it still summer? No way. No, it's not still summer.
Starting point is 01:10:08 Astronomical fall or autumn began on September 22nd, 2025. It's September 22nd, 2025. Technically it ends at 2.15 p.m. today. Okay. It's still summer. It's summer until 2.15 today. Girl for the summer. All right.
Starting point is 01:10:25 My standout performance goes to a guy who has got the best name in baseball, maybe. Nacho Alvarez Jr. Wow. Unbelievable. Tiger fans like, fuck you, bro. He went three for four, two homers, three runs driven in on Saturday. And man, it was a big day for him. Spencer Torkelson thought he was going to be the hero there
Starting point is 01:10:50 They had been grinding He puts them ahead finally a two-run homer In the bottom of the seventh We're going to win this game Notcho Alvarez is like now top of the eighth I'm gonna hit a solo homer to get it within one Top of the ninth I'm gonna tie the game With a base knock here
Starting point is 01:11:06 Make it 5-5 before jerks and Pro Fart Goes and puts us ahead So look the Braves When playing a lot better baseball as of late And we've talked about that that's like snatching the soul out of a city right there I mean the place was going nuts
Starting point is 01:11:26 Spencer Torquson gets the job done and then Nacho the very next inning cuts the deficit down then game tying hit it's fun man you don't want to be in the position of spoiler but also playing spoiler is fun so shout out Nacharabros Jr he's a
Starting point is 01:11:45 I hadn't watched a lot of Nacho live since the Yankees played the Braves coming out of the All-Sler. He had a great series, so I was surprised to see that these were his first home runs in one game. Awesome name. And yeah, man, he really did. He devastated a city for a day. Nacho. Interesting off-season for that team. We'll get there when we get there.
Starting point is 01:12:10 And another team that I've had paired with them all year is where I'm getting my standout. from Trev, it's going to a Trevor. Trevor Rogers. So Trevor Rogers came back mid-season, and he's been good. Do you know how good? Because it's crazy. Trevor Rogers, 17 starts a 135 ERA, a 0872 whip.
Starting point is 01:12:41 Pitched against the Yankees, who have the best numbers against, left-handed starting pitching, and mowed them down kind of effortlessly. This is the guy that we said, whoa, Orioles, what is you doing, baby? You traded away Kyle Stowers. Trevor Rogers, in 17 starts, if you're into war, which I know is a debate we have on this program sometimes. Trev, Paul Skeins, Christopher Sanchez, Terrick Scouble, and Hunter Brown. I mean, those are probably your 1-2-1-2 in Sy Young voting in the AL and NL.
Starting point is 01:13:23 Skeen Sanchez, Scoobel Brown. I guess A-L may be a little up in the air. I guess this is the point. We still use war for a lot of accumulation of stats and an image of how to show how you're doing this year. Trevor Rogers is fifth in starting pitching war. It's Skeens, Sanchez, Scobel, Brown, Trevor Rogers. Now, do I think he's had a better season than Crochet?
Starting point is 01:13:51 I don't. But the whole point is Trevor Rogers has accumulated these kind of stats in 17 games. These other guys have 30 plus stats, and they consider what Trevor Rogers has done more valuable than Andrew Abbott, then Crochet, then Freddie Peralta, then Povetta, it's nuts what he's been doing. Get him ready for the Cy Young draft next year. And he's a part of the reason that the Orioles have been above 500 since June 1st
Starting point is 01:14:24 and looking like the Orioles team that we thought they should have been. For how good he's been, I know there shouldn't be a ton of Orioles talk this episode. He deserves to be talked about. The statistics on him and like his four-scene fastball are pretty insane. that's got an 18 run value right now. Guys are hitting 156 against it. I read an article about him, I don't know,
Starting point is 01:14:51 it was like last month or two months ago or something like that. And I was looking at like what the, trying to figure out like what the hell has changed. And basically he said, I got stronger. He went to drive line and they told him that compared to other pitchers, he's well below like strength wise. so you need to just strengthen your lower body.
Starting point is 01:15:13 That's why you're having fatigue issues with your back and they're causing these mechanical issues. So you get stronger. We'll clean up these mechanical issues. And all of a sudden, you look at the hell this guy's done, man. So that's a good lesson in life for anybody. Get the gym.
Starting point is 01:15:29 Get stronger. Here's life lesson one at one. I guarantee your life will be better if you go to the gym regularly. I guarantee it. Got to work out. If you're not working out, what are you doing? I guarantee it. It doesn't have to be lifting heavy.
Starting point is 01:15:42 Be active. Yeah, man. Like lift some weights. Lift some weights. Lift some weights. Lift some weights. Be active. Lift some weights.
Starting point is 01:15:52 You're going to like the results of it. Okay. That was an interesting spot to land. That's so true, though. Trev, you were mad. I didn't allow you to give it to Hunter Green because, again, he deserves to be mentioned again. Max Fried got a shout out earlier. Jorge Barrosa's first career
Starting point is 01:16:09 Homer. Obviously. You always want to talk Dalin Lyle. Pascuatch went four for four. I'm hoping we're seeing some of these cats on Enfuego. Dirt nasties on Fuego. That means I'm on fire, baby. Like Waco.
Starting point is 01:16:25 Enfuego is brought to you by Corona, the official serva of talking baseball. We'll start with the series. Alec Bohm, welcome back, dog. 8 for 13, 2 doubles, a homer four runs driven in. Spencer Steer, we talked about him, talked about a little bit of Sal Stewart as well.
Starting point is 01:16:42 He's kind of been mentoring Sal. That's nice for him. Three for ten, Jake. Oh, that's not that good, Trev. All three of them were homers. Five runs driven in. He is 21st Homer of the season on Sunday. He surpassed his season total from 2024.
Starting point is 01:16:56 You got to love that. He became the first Reds player to record three consecutive seasons of 20 homers since you know this one. Eugenio. Elgino Swarer. Anything with homers and reds go to Aohenio or Adam Dunn. That's my take on that. Drake Baldwin, who like sneaky has been had just,
Starting point is 01:17:15 what a season for him. Love that. Five for 12, a triple two homer, six runs driven in. We got weird stats here, but I'll read him anyway. He's slugging 662 on low breaking pitches this season. Don't throw it down there in the honey hole. Everybody knows that. Lefty.
Starting point is 01:17:32 He also has an OPS of 767 with two strikes this. season. That's second best in all of baseball among handers with at least 234 plate appearances. So, you know, a decent chunk hitting with two strikes. Important still. Stephen Kwan, seven for 18, a double, Homer six runs driven in in Cleveland's series against my twins who stink. It's okay. For the week, Yandi Diaz, what's up, dog? 13 for 22, two doubles a Homer, four runs driven in. He had nine walks, though. Welcome to the 100 career homer club. Yandi, I am the gatekeeper. Welcome. Since August 1st, he has a second highest average in baseball at 352. Qualified batters with
Starting point is 01:18:16 300 average and 25 homers this season. Aaron Judge. Oh, George Springer. And Yondi Diaz. Got to love that for him. Pete Alonzo continues the match 10 for 21, a double three homers, five runs driven in. How about Carter Jensen? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. He's the guy that's from Kansas City, right? Was in the stands in 2015, I believe. I saw his first big league hit. Awesome. Nine for 23, four doubles, two homers.
Starting point is 01:18:44 He batted a leadoff for the first time on Friday. And the first inning of that game became the fourth royal to hit multiple extra base hits in one inning. You know, they won 20 to one that game. So shout out. Tyler Hyneman pitched that game. We didn't even mention that. How about that? Ronald O'Kunya Jr. 11 for 26, two homers, four runs driven.
Starting point is 01:19:01 And he also walked nine times over the week. Corbyn Carroll stud, nine for 25, two doubles, a triple Homer, seven runs driven in. He became the first DBX player in history for the 30-30 season. The fourth player this season and in the 76th, 30-30 season in Amelby history. This year, there's been four of them. I'm going to name them now. Juan Soto, Jazz Chisholm, Jose Ramirez, and Corbyn Carroll. That's awesome, man.
Starting point is 01:19:29 Good crew. I wasn't going to give Jazz my award, but I found a new one, Jake. So be ready for that. Can't wait to hear your take on it. that's who was in Fuego. Thank you, Trevor. If there is a team or a report that comes out after the season that your team held on to a prospect
Starting point is 01:19:47 instead of trading for Yandi Diaz, that's a mistake. Hey, I don't, I'm not reporting anything. I don't know how it went down, but if your team had a chance to trade for Yandi Diaz and you didn't go get them, you messed up. That, that's, I'm a big advocate of, do what the other team doesn't want you to do.
Starting point is 01:20:09 That's a good way to coach sports. When I see Yandi Diaz up for the other team, bad things happen. That dude is a stud. Trev, I will bring down the program, as I tend to do. And we'll do that with batters that are struggling. We've got a collection mostly younger guys in one old bowl. Victor Scott Deuce for St. Louis,
Starting point is 01:20:41 limping to the finish line. One for 24. You know, the bat's not really wise out there, but we're going to need more than that, Vic. Josh Lowe, man, he's a ball player I really like. He's had a weird season. Three for his last 40. Struggling with the fastball trev. Get the Velo machine going.
Starting point is 01:21:00 What are we doing? Isaac Collins for Milwaukee, who's just been nails for them all year. He's in a two for 24, struggling with the elevated fastball right now. Milwaukee's playing time this postseason. It's going to be some interesting decisions to be made. Wensiel Perez. God, Wensile! He's had such a good season for Detroit.
Starting point is 01:21:24 They need him. 4-44, 0-95 with runners on base the last two weeks. That's the worst in baseball. Gonna need that. And then I mentioned one old dog, Jeff McNeil, in a 4-4-36, slugging 0-43 with two strong. That's the third lowest in the NL over the last two weeks.
Starting point is 01:21:46 So when you're on, batters who are struggling, that means we're trying to get you to infuego. So let's see who can do the flip. The other bad news, the IL, we are really up against it. If you got an IL update, that could be it for your season. And Yordon Alvarez with Houston might headline it the left ankle supposed to be out for the playoffs, if there are playoffs or there's a chance for late,
Starting point is 01:22:18 it's a really brutal year for one of the best hitters the game has ever seen. Brandon Woodruff, with a right lat, expected to be out for 2025, which that is a big blow, man. You bring up best pitchers in the last five years and you're going to find Brandon Woodruff's name high on the list. That is a big blow.
Starting point is 01:22:41 for Milwaukee. Let's see. Who else is on her? Chris Bassett, out for the regular season. Eligible to be activated from the shelf on October 3rd, which would allow him to be back
Starting point is 01:22:54 for the DS. Interesting. Interesting. Michael Kopeck for the Dodgers, right knee. Kind of unofficial for the year. Colt Keith, right rib cage,
Starting point is 01:23:05 out for the regular season. So, yeah, man. I mean, other dudes on here, less playoff implications. Lucas Erzig. Matt Walner, the Minnesota Moose, right oblique, send the text Trev, Zachaloff, Nolan Jones, Pablo Lopez, tough breaks. But we do have a couple people returning. And how about Alec Bohm, like you mentioned?
Starting point is 01:23:32 He's back and he ended up on Enfuego. Love that for him. Kyle Finnegan's back for Detroit. Let's see. A's Max Muncie. And one of the more electric players we had this season, Wheelier of Breu is back for Boston. That matters.
Starting point is 01:23:51 Yes, it does. Five tool wheel here. Let's see what he and how he can impact their final games of this season. Isok Paredes with a Hail Mary comeback for Houston, D-Hing for them. So we are in it, folks. Those guys are back. Let's start everyone's week the right way.
Starting point is 01:24:21 Great seeing Kelso. Great seeing, Draft Kings. This week's episode is sponsored by Draft Kings. The season is rolling, the NFL season, and every touchdown can bring you closer to a payout with our partners at the Draft King Sportsbook,
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Starting point is 01:25:39 slash audio. Coach. Yeah, look, I got an award here. By the way, great job for whatever you just did right there. I wasn't really listening because I'm trying to formulate an opinion here. And that's kind of my award. I'll call it still formulated an opinion award. There are things in life or sometimes, you know, I think everyone wants to just know everything right away, especially in today's age.
Starting point is 01:26:00 We have cell phones. We have like basically, especially with AI now, just world knowledge at your fingertips. So everyone wants it right now. what do you think? And then once you make that decision, this is what I think. We've talked about this on the show quite sometimes. You can change your mind.
Starting point is 01:26:18 Yeah. There's this one guy, his name is John Sharkman. Okay. It's not his real name. His real name's Tom. He runs like a toy company. I met him in Minnesota.
Starting point is 01:26:32 Fascinating individual. He played a quarterback at St. John's University. So I know you like that. See, I knew, I knew you were going to give that reaction right. Yeah. Okay. The Johnny.
Starting point is 01:26:41 He was, he put on his Instagram. So I think he was doing like some interviews. I think one of the most powerful things you could do as a person right now is admit that you're wrong and change your mind. Think about how like people just don't do that anymore. It's like you fight to the death with their. Oh my God, you're getting it up. Robbie, this is insane.
Starting point is 01:27:00 You can play the clip if you want. Wow. Actually, you got fucking three heads. One of the most powerful things you can do. It sounds counterintuitive. But it is because if you believe that now, go with it. Don't hold on to some vestige of something you used to believe. And I think that's what kids people in a rut a lot of times is they don't want to admit that they change your mind.
Starting point is 01:27:20 Right. Isn't that good life advice? Like sometimes you think something. Maybe you hear some different facts. Maybe you just change your mind. It's okay to do that. I think society needs more of that if we're being honest, okay? Something has me in a freaking pickle mentally in the big leagues.
Starting point is 01:27:37 And I already put my stance out there on the internet, and I don't know if I need to take it back or not. I'm still digesting information. The Marlins at the big league level are now having their pitching coach, or the assistant pitching coach, call pitches from the dugout. Jansen Junk and Liam Hicks working in tandem were getting their pitches called from assistant pitching coach Alan Leichman. Now, this is something the Marlin,
Starting point is 01:28:09 have done all through the minor leagues in 2025. So this isn't something they just came up with on a fly. They're doing it in the minor leagues. And they've been having talks about doing it at the major league level. And they said, yeah, let's just give it a whirl here. And it was, when I saw it, it was very jawing to see that at the big league level. Because, you know, these are professionals. You go over scouting reports.
Starting point is 01:28:35 Jimmy has the whole thing. Keep paper out of baseball. I also, you see it around. around the league now. I was calling a Twins game. And the pitcher, every pitch was going like this. And looking at the scouting report in his hat on what to throw. And I'm like, dude, that's number one, you're showing everybody your scouting report.
Starting point is 01:28:58 If you zoomed in on it, you can probably just decipher everything in there. Number two, like, isn't that what pregame meetings are for? Like, don't we want our athletes to study and then go out there and just play the game? Like, do we really want guys every second looking at a sheet of paper? Like, I don't. Jimmy surely doesn't. I don't know really know how you feel about it. You don't really care.
Starting point is 01:29:17 I don't know. That's fine. I don't need it. I mean, yeah, it's just a certain point. Like, if you're dedicated to your craft, wouldn't you want to go into the game saying, knowing that, yeah, okay, this guy doesn't like the inside heater. This guy does, like, yes, I don't need paper in baseball.
Starting point is 01:29:32 I first got a taste of this with the Phillies in 2000. 17, I think it was, or 18, excuse me. And teens have done it before where the hitting coach has a book. And it's like, you know, has just the scouting reports for each pitcher. The Phillies during that season had a book and it was basically all the managerial decisions. If this guy enters the game in this situation, this is who you should pinch hit. So I would go look at this book like, is my name green or is it red in this situation? A lot of the times my name was red.
Starting point is 01:30:06 so I knew I wasn't getting used, but certain times it was green. I was like, this is weird. Like, the decision's already made. Like, this doesn't seem right to me.
Starting point is 01:30:13 Like, isn't that what coaching's all about? And, you know, so like those things have become very, very commonplace. Coaches calling pitches is not commonplace. Mike Shosha did it a little bit.
Starting point is 01:30:23 I'm sure there's been other instances where we just don't even recognize or realize that it's happening. You'll see guys in the dugout doing like this whole thing, whatever. Mostly that is for pickoffs. And,
Starting point is 01:30:35 you know, you used to be for pitchers. out stuff like that to see a pitching coach relaying signs to the catcher and the catcher calling those very college it's very college and the big leagues is kind of being infiltrated by a lot of college tech college practices um and i don't know how to feel about it i don't like it i i don't my initial reaction to it was i don't like seeing leum hicks having to call what the pitching coach called because isn't that part of the game as a catcher? Like if we have ABS coming next year and teams, which mark my words, this is going to be
Starting point is 01:31:16 throughout baseball shortly, what does a catcher do? If you don't have to worry about catching and framing anymore because you can challenge, and then you're not even thinking about sequencing or anything like that because your assistant pitching coach has it, what do you do? Is that position going to end up being what we thought it was going to end up being just a bunch of sluggers and hopefully you can block the ball a little bit like no you're not no one's throwing bass runners out anymore so you don't even really have to do that guys are just stealing at will so you we're just going to put big boppers back there now so like there's there's there's
Starting point is 01:31:48 ripple effects to all of this but i just don't know how to feel about it man like my initial reaction i saw this on pitching ninja was the first thing i saw and i put like i said i'm i absolutely hate it and you can see all like the the old heads in baseball like Shane victorino was there as well being like, what the fuck are we doing, earmuffs. But I reserve the right to change my mind. I still haven't really formulated a huge opinion on this. And I don't know, man. I just, I wanted to highlight it.
Starting point is 01:32:16 I thought it was interesting. And I guess I kind of want to hear what you have to think about it too. Kind of. Man, I'm a fan of my team playing well. So like, however we got to get that done, that I think players need to be comfortable with what's happening and I think sometimes we get far away from that. So if you've got a pitcher out there, who doesn't care?
Starting point is 01:32:44 Like a lot of pitchers, like I have super... This isn't about the pitchers. This is more about the catchers. Right, right, right. But if, well, we've brought it into the pitcher's hands too. We've got a lot of old dogs that are now calling their own games because they're saying screw that. There's very few pitchers that do that anymore.
Starting point is 01:33:01 Like the twins, for instance, only three guys on their pitching staff have their own call. Right, but I'm saying everything's on the table right now. And if you want that and you're a pitcher that's going to feel good about your day and the catcher's cool with it and the team's cool with it, do that. If you're a pitcher out there that just wants to get the call and you don't care if it's coming from a coach or the catcher or whatever, that's fine by me. Where the catcher position goes, I think that that's the part they got my ear the most. it's still, it's the most prideful position.
Starting point is 01:33:34 Everything we talked about with Cal Raleigh that... That was my, giving me my follow-up to you. If Cal Raleigh was getting pitches from the dugout, does that diminish the way we look at him as a catcher? Not for me, because, I mean, there's still discussions and decisions that have to happen before the game, I'd assume, and, like, you still have to be back, like, you still got to do it. You know why I perked up?
Starting point is 01:33:56 It wasn't fully because of St. John's. We got a couple Johnny's fans in the office. I have to dunk on them during basketball season. Go Huskies. I'm more so perked up from the fact that you're like, he played quarterback at St. John's. Anyone that plays a level of college quarterback, I'm like, hey, you got to be back there
Starting point is 01:34:12 and be willing to have a large human just truck you over. So that's kind of, that's where my head tilt came from, that if you're a catcher, you got to be behind the dish and the ball's coming at you. And if they foul it off and it hits you in the balls, you still got a squat back there for the rest of however long that inning is. If it catches you in the shoulder, you're going to have a bruise for the next two weeks.
Starting point is 01:34:41 And we don't calculate that. So I just think it's interesting, you know, we still get a ton of managers that are catchers, that if we do start taking more of that part of the game away from them, Trev, I would think we're going to see what we've seen happen with analytics in baseball is that everyone sprints in one direction, hey, let's get that meathead with a cannon behind the plate because we don't have to care as much about framing and blah, blah, blah.
Starting point is 01:35:07 We still will because ABS won't cure all of that because they're going to limit how many times you can do it. But I think you would see the article four years later being like, catchers are going back to calling pitches and being more in the game and having more of a leadership role. Because I think that's just been proven over time matters in baseball. So I don't know I just I want the players to be comfortable with what's happening
Starting point is 01:35:33 And I'll tell you what If my coach called a pitch that I didn't necessarily believe in And that got rocked Oh I'd be a pissy Oh I'd be a pissy little fire ant Well he had a Jansen junk by the way Great name for a pitcher Had a great start
Starting point is 01:35:50 And he in fact did throw more junk In this game Changeup usage weighed down Now there was a lot of right-handed hitters in the lineup sweeper up but that's also i'm curious to see like what would the changes be like what is the coach seeing in real time as for and then what's the catcher seeing in real time so it's a very fascinating part of the game and baseball usually slow to change it hasn't been that way as a lay i feel like we've been making changes a lot lately pop and again initial
Starting point is 01:36:18 reaction to me not great and now i'm thinking about it let me let me let me like marinate a little bit and i'll give back to you and we all could change our minds if you learn some information or just sit in some thought with it for a little bit. That's my award. Shout John Sharkman. Shout out John Sharkman. I grew up with a John Sharky. Good guy. And yeah, maybe there's fun stuff that comes. Maybe there's just pitch. There's pitch calling gurus out there. Maybe teams have fun with it. Maybe it's like, hey, Greg Maddox is here. Why don't you call it for a day? Let's see what you got. I don't know if that'll happen, but we'll see. Trev, I'm going to give out the communications major award.
Starting point is 01:36:57 I mentioned how big of a sports fan I am. You watch a lot of... Sorry. Chris Rose is like yelling at me. Yeah, we rolled. The communications major has become a kind of a running joke in college sports. That's kind of like the athlete major, right? It's been that way for years. We've got some communication going on with a pair of managers that I'll send us out with.
Starting point is 01:37:20 One, and it's one of these weird things. things. We never know how much managers matter. Should we have shouted out Terry Francona more with the Reds? Probably. I think so. The Phillies that have become, you know, one of the standards in baseball of where we'd like to be. We had some weird quotes. Castiano's and Rob Thompson. Castiano's came out. I don't really talk to Rob all that often. So that's just I play wherever he tells me to play, then I sit whenever he tells me to sit. Communication over the years has been questionable at least in my experience. Whoa.
Starting point is 01:37:55 I think there's a lot of your teams that if that happened, that's like a drama show. Rob Thompson comes back. He says, as far as the communication part, not only Nick, but anybody else in the clubhouse that doesn't think I'm communicating with them enough, I'm probably not.
Starting point is 01:38:12 I got to do a better job. That's just being accountable, but there's two ways of communicating. That door is always open. I'm not a mind reader. I can't tell the future. I'm not a mind reader. So I urge the players, I want players to come in here and tell me what's on their mind.
Starting point is 01:38:25 But yeah, obviously I have to do a better job. So you get the full, Fully's treatment there. You get Castellanos kind of critiquing his manager, while his manager critiques himself while also kind of going at the players, that it's everything Phillies right there. Like, it's all on the table. We got a bunch of alphas. And hey, does it matter?
Starting point is 01:38:48 Does it not matter? if the Phillies have a bad postseason, I bet we'll talk about it a lot. If the Phillies have a great post season, I bet we won't. Another manager, who's been one of our favorite storylines this season, had an interview come out that I'm just going to have Rob play it because it's more all over the board than what we just talked about. So what do you say to him, either in the dugout immediately or after the game? Nothing.
Starting point is 01:39:16 I don't say anything because I know who Sal is. I know how that killed him. I know why the mistake was made. But I rarely say a nice word to him. I told him earlier this year that he needs to stop doing the crosswords. He does crosswords every day. You need to do some applications for grad school because you're 5-9, 170 pounds. You're not going to be in the league very long.
Starting point is 01:39:40 You need to get an NBA or you're not going to be very successful. So that was Pat Murphy. Maybe I should have teed it up better. That was Pat Murphy talking about Sal Freelick. One of the Brewers' best players this year. The best team in baseball, one of their best players this year, Sal Freelick, that's his manager talking about benching him. He benched Sal Freelick for missing a relay throw.
Starting point is 01:40:07 Again, I watch a lot of Yankees baseball. If you got benched for missing a relay throw, the Yankees would have to bench a guy every other night. Sal Freelick got bench for missing a relay throw. Their third highest position player in war this year, he goes on to compliment Sal. He says, I know that killed Sal. He knows the mistake.
Starting point is 01:40:29 And he's going to come back and be better about it. He then goes on to send a silly jab at Sal Freelik saying he's 5-9-170. He shouldn't be doing crossword puzzles. He should be applying for jobs because he's not going to stick in the majors. If you know anything about sports and coaching, you know this is motivational inspiration in a way. And it's also, when Pat Murphy got this job, we told the story years ago when we went to the Brewers game, the famous sausage race where Jimmy pulled his hamstring. Pat Murphy was like the punky bench coach.
Starting point is 01:41:10 Like he was talking about to Rowdy Telez. Routy Telez had a game-winning hit where he hit a double down the line opposite field. and Pat Murphy was like, Ah, Rowdy, you got beat on that pitch. Like, what? Like, I had the game-winning hit, dude. And you're making fun to me? He said he's told Rowdy he had an elephant swing
Starting point is 01:41:32 or how slow it was. Pat Murphy's an interesting man. Whatever's going on in Milwaukee. Part of it is with Pat Murphy and part of it is with that organization. We didn't get to talk about them a lot today. I think the Brewers have their feelings. of their fifth playoff appearance now since 2018.
Starting point is 01:41:50 Is it their fifth division win? It's their fifth division win since 2018. Six? What Milwaukee is doing? It's five. I added this year again. As a smaller budget team as just a well-run organization, they lost Craig counsel, income Pat Murphy.
Starting point is 01:42:12 The guys that are doing it on this team seem to change every year, but whatever they're doing works. And Pat Murphy needs to be studied in a lab because that is crazy. Your 5-9-1-70? Should be applying for gigs? It's one of your best players. That's where I'm ending the show today.
Starting point is 01:42:31 I hope you guys had a fun one. It was juicy. So juicy Trev had to leave. We will see you Wednesday. A special episode. Stay tuned. You're not going to want to miss it. We love you.
Starting point is 01:42:45 I stink. This rose is mad.

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