The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Hour 2: The Massive Package

Episode Date: October 17, 2024

Mina Kimes is here to discuss pedantic buzzsaws and a variety of topics around the NFL including Davante Adams, Amari Cooper, Aidan Hutchinson and the Lions, and Russell Wilson. She also gives us the latest on Love is Blind. Plus, it's time for a brand new episode of The Pitch Clock. Mike Schur joins Jeremy and Chris for what might just be the toughest game of Taylor's Trivia yet: naming the 9 longest postseason hit streaks of all-time. Jeremy chats with Adnan Virk about 2024 Postseason action in the AL and NL Championship Series including the crucial performances of Walker Buehler, Kiké Hernandez, and Luke Weaver. STAR POWER! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're listening to Giraffe King's Network. world's number one vodka and is an official vodka partner of the NFL. And this year Smirnoff is giving fans and select areas of the country a chance to win the ultimate game day experience from tickets to sideline passes and much more. Just head to wedogamedays.com until November 15th, 2024 to enter for your chance to win. That's wedogamedays.com. Smirnoff, wedogamedays. Please drink responsibly. Smirnoff number 21 vodka distilled from grain. 40% alcohol by volume. The Smirnoff company, New York, New York. Please do not share with anyone under legal drinking age.

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Sell my car in Carvana. It's just not quite the right time. Crazy coincidence. I just sold my car to Carvana. What? I told Sell my car in Carvana. It's just not quite the right time. Crazy coincidence. I just sold my car to Carvana. What? I told you about it two days ago. When you know, you know. You know?

I'm even dropping it off at one of those sweet car vending machines and getting paid today. That's a good deal. Great deal. Come on. What's your heart saying? You're right. When you know, you know.

Sold. Whether you're looking to sell your car right now or just whenever feels right, go to Carvana.com and sell your car the convenient way. Terms and conditions apply. This is the Don LeBattor Show with the StuGuts Podcast. And I think that would be fair. We bring in the Southern Belle, Mina Kimes, the host of the Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny. You just did first take, so is this second take, Mina Kimes, host of the Mina Kimes show featuring Lenny.

You just did first take, so is this second take, Mina? Hmm. I think it is. Deguts. Hmm, I heard that sound. First take, that's the sound I make when I hear first take. Yeah, hot takes. No, second take.

Yeah, second take. Speaking of reheated takes, Tony had his top five earlier, and among the top five, he mentioned three buzz saws, Mina, three buzz saws. His buzz saws were neither of the undefeated teams. It's the Ravens, the Lions, and the Texans. But the confusing part about all this is he made it sound like buzz saws actually cut other saws. So do you know what a buzz saw actually does?

I assume a buzz saw is just like an electrically, like electric saw, right? Like it's a normal saw, does. I assume a buzz saw is just like an electrically, like electric saw, right? Like it's a normal saw, but it has power. So it goes, I don't think it has to be a circular saw. So it could be just any kind of power saw, electric, electronic saw that cuts through other saws. Buzz saw is one of those great words though, that like we only use to describe NFL offenses

in particular. That are scary. You're right, yes. Right, like what, like have you ever heard someone say, Meena Cimes coming on, what a buzz saw, or like the candidate is a real buzz saw. My neighbor's a real buzz saw. I think Jeremy has the final answer for what a buzz saw does.

Another term for circular saw. There we go. That is the literal definition. Has to be circular? Yeah, it does, yes. That is the literal definition. It's the only thing about it, apparently. But Mena's right, we only say buzzsaw as it relates to football. Like that's it. No one ever says buzzsaw, do they? I'm gonna go buy a buzzsaw today.

Nobody had like a high-scoring NBA team, nobody says buzzsaw. I would say, for example, like the elves walked into a buzz saw with the Uruk army and rings of power. Interesting. I want to think about that. You call fighters buzz saws. You can have a buzz saw fighter. You're right, like a college basketball team could be walking into a buzz saw.

You know? You walk into a buzz saw. Yeah, you walk into one. So disgusting if you actually really imagine what that would look like. So what do you think about his three circular saws, the Ravens, the Lions, and the Texans? They're good.

Tony's come a long way. Can I say that? Yeah. You know, I followed you on your football taking journey. I don't know when it really started, maybe a few years ago. And I like the fact that you're like looking outside of records and actually, I think that's a pretty good,

sorry, I realize I sound incredibly pedantic. I feel like this whole thing sounds so patronizing. So pedantic. I'm trying to compliment you and say that I agree. No, I've been hanging around Pablo too much. It's true. Ouch. Mina doesn't need to hang around Pablo.

She's smarter than Pablo. Well, that is true. Wow. No, Mina, I feel it and I appreciate it. You've been on my football taking journey. You've helped me along the way. So yes, I accredited to- I can tell you've been putting in the work. Thank you.

I mean, everything about Tony is perfect. Everything about him is wonderful and his top fives are great and his tears are great. And we should be praising God. Okay, wait, so that's a picture of a buzzsaw. Why is there blood on it? What are they doing with that saw? So pedantic.

That's what happens. You walk into a buzzsaw, you start bleeding. It it? What are they doing with that saw? So pedantic. That's what happens, you walk into a buzzsaw, you start bleeding, I mean. It's a Ravens offense right there, Mina. Is that blood or is it just a red saw? Looks like blood. Raw. I don't know, I saw it differently. Mina, I'm disappointed because that's not a good take

by Tony, if you really wanna stand out, you and I have had these conversations before, what you need to do is do what I did a week ago and say the Bengals at one and four, best team in the NFL going to the Super Bowl. That's the way you do it. You don't believe that. I do believe that. Let me ask you a question. Who of the two and four teams, who do you think has a better chance of winning the Super Bowl, the Jets or the Bengals? The Bengals. Really? Yeah. That's the standby is take Mina. Yeah. I have to. Bengals defense The Bengals. Really? Yeah. That's the standby is take, Mina.

Yeah, I mean, I have to. Bengals defense is really bad, Stu. Yeah, I know, but once I make the take, you can't talk me off my position, Mina. Have you ever been talked off of a position? Never, no. Not once. I don't think so, no.

I mean, you see what LeBron James is currently doing. He's not even coming close to approaching Michael Jordan's status. You can't talk him off of anything. I love when my mind is changed. I know that I don't know if that sounds, I don't know, like self-congratulatory or whatever. But I sometimes fans will come at me and say, wow, you were, you know, super critical of Josh Allen in the draft, famously, not famously, but famously for me on this show.

And I love the fact that he proved me wrong. I love watching him play football. I thought the Washington offensive line was gonna tank this offense and obviously I'm dead wrong about that. And I love it. I love watching Jaden Daniels cook. I know, I feel like I'm kind of going,

what's his name, Hayden Christensen, in turning up against my mentor here. Stu was my OB1 of takes. I'm going to go to Hayden Christensen. It's the stupidest, weirdest metaphor possible. But I do feel like one of the greatest pleasures of talking about football has been when players change my mind.

Mina, which team got better this past week? Was it Buffalo or the Jets? The Jets got better, but the Bills, I take more seriously because of it. The Jets were more desperate, I felt, right? Like they really, in part because that offense, it's so dependent on having like a true like a truly good skill players. It's based on timing. It's based on communication.

Obviously, that's been off with Rogers and the receivers. Some of that is Rogers fault. Some of it is the nature of the offense. But the only fix I saw was bringing in a Devante Adams. And it does. It's going to help a great deal. That said, the Bills are a better football team and I love the acquisition of Amari Cooper. I just didn't feel like they had as much of a gap

that they had to close. So they improved less, but they're better. So with Devonte Adams, is it just a familiarity thing with Aaron Rodgers? You said the nature of the system. And does that mean that Aaron isn't really as good as we think he is? It's just the receivers that are on the same page as him?

Oh, boy. I think, especially at this point in his career where he's not as mobile and he's less likely to create, it is very important for Aaron Rodgers to trust his receivers. That ball is coming out fast. And that trust, what you're alluding to, it's something that has developed over many years. So some of it is, like when we talk about chemistry

between a quarterback and receiver, much like human chemistry, it can be kind of hard to describe. But the way I would characterize it for Rogers is knowing that his guy is going to be in the right place at the right time and then make a play. And that has just not been the case consistently. Even with Garrett Wilson,

who's an amazing receiver. He's so talented, but clearly it hasn't been there. I mean, another part of my top five, number one was actually it's over in Dallas. That was more of my Stu gots coaching tree. It was like, it's over. They don't have an identity. They can't run the ball. Their defense isn't good.

Things are just off in Dallas. And I think that would be fair. Thank you. I think that would be fair. What happened to your accent? I agree. I kind of softened it a little bit. I tried to do a little light, a little light something.

Yeah, you're right. I do think it's over. I mean, that run defense is just a non-starter, even if the offense looked better and they don't. And I think there's a multitude of reasons for that. You can't win in the NFL consistently if you can't defend the run in Dallas. There's no solutions to on the horizon for them. How big of a loss is Aiden Hutchinson for the Lions? Are they still contenders without their best defensive player?

They're still contenders. They need to make a move and I think they will make a move, but it's a massive loss because not only because Aiden Hutchinson was having incredible season, defensive player of the year stuff led in both traditional and advanced metrics. He's really all they have at edge. They've been able to get pass rush on the interior. But like, for example, Hutchinson, when he, before he got hurt, had 40 pressures. There's not another edge rusher on the Lions roster with more than seven. They lost Marcus Davenport, who they brought in.

There's no, they are bereft there. I do think they're going to be aggressive because they are very aware this is their chance, not the only chance, but they have a great chance to contend because of that offense. So I think that they're going to be active. Can the Raiders be sellers here? Can we see Max Crosby maybe moving over? I think they're sellers. They're obviously sellers, right? They moved Adams. I have a hard time seeing them move Crosby because he's really like the face of the franchise, right? Even when you look at tanking teams, not tanking teams, but really, really bad teams who are sellers, which is kind of a euphemism for tanking, if you think about it, they don't move off of their core guy. Like he is, if you drive around Vegas, he is the face of the marketing. The

owner would have to sign off on that, even if it was for a massive package. And I would be very shocked if Mark Davis was willing to do that. Mina, Chris, I hate you. You just said massive package out loud, right? As I was about to start talking. I'm laughing there, man.

It's important. Okay. Mina, I heard you yesterday say that you weren't sure why the Steelers were considering playing and starting Russell Wilson this weekend, given that he hasn't really been great in the last couple seasons. And Chris. Chris.

That's on me, I was talking to Chris there. Come on, man. Let Chris's a shade of red that we love to see. And I agree. Is this all because of massive package? Yes. It is. And I agree. Is this all because of massive package? Yeah, it is. It is, and pedantic.

I agree with you that I don't understand the move. However, I also have watched a lot of the Steelers this year. I've watched every game. And Justin Fields really hasn't been great. How do you quantify the different levels between the two quarterbacks? Because neither is a perfect option. I think Justin Fields obviously is able to move outside of the pocket a lot better and

use his legs, which Russ isn't and the Steelers O-line has a ton of injuries. But both probably aren't great. So I don't know what to make of this choice. Yeah, there's no real good answers on the roster, to be honest. My take was more, it was less born of Justin Fields has proven himself and he deserves a job and look at his record. It's more, I watched Russell Wilson play football in 2023.

And I kind of feel like a lot of people did based on some of the takes I'm seeing floating around because we always talk about how the best position in sports is like the backup quarterback, right? Because the fan base roots for you and they want you until you come in and they get upset with the starter. And I think that that dynamic is at play here. The defense of this move that I've seen

or the argument in favor of it, Moxie Lowe's fans is that, well, it can't be worse. Yes, it can, guys. Like I watched the Denver Broncos last year. It could absolutely be worse. I've seen like Cherry picked up in the red zone. He was bet. No, no, I'm telling you that offense was checking it down,

taking sacks occasionally cool deep shot. And maybe he can be better than he was last year, but that tends not to be what happens with older quarterbacks. And look, I don't think Fields has played particularly well, but I think what he brings in the QB run game, which is not what Russell Wilson is capable of at this point in his career.

Mike Tomlin said as much. For me, that's enough of a difference. For this move to be defensible, Wilson would have to be significantly better than who he was in 20. I'm not even talking about 22, I'm talking about 2023, and that just seems unlikely, but we'll see. Mina, through five or six weeks here,

is it crazy for me to say that Baker Mayfield is the NFL MVP? Yeah, yeah. Why? The MVP? I thought you were gonna say good, and I was ready to say it. MVP, no, no, no.

That stands for it, right? No one means more to his team than Baker Mayfield means to the Bucs. Maybe Crosby to the Raiders, maybe Spacks to the Chiefs. They have to be hyperbolic. We can't give a tape that someone's good at. They have to be the greatest. Guys, he's had a great year.

I mean, come on. He's back. Sometimes I feel like, you know how like on those refrigerator word magnets games that you have like the words? Sometimes I feel like, like you look at it, you have like a bunch of players and some words and then you just kind of at the last second throw up

like player, MVP. I can't, yeah, no, it's amazing. It's a- I take one word from group A, one from group B, one from group C and I stitch it all together on the fridge, yes. You should play a game where we do like a player, a verb, an adjective,

and then you make Stugots defend the combination. No matter what it is. Too easy, that's a piece of cake for him. It is. Too easy? Okay, well if you guys have the technology to do that, you should do it.

No chance. He's not, done more for his, he's played well. I was like excited to, I'm on board with the idea that he's played well, but he's played well with Mike Evans and Chris Gottman. He's not doing the most with the idea that he's played well, but he's played well with Mike Evans and Chris Gottland. He's not doing the most with the less. I mean, he's also not played as well as the likes of CJ Stroud, for example, I think has been better.

Lamar Jackson has certainly been better. Just a couple of players who come to mind. So I would not put him in that conversation. All right. I mean, I have to ask you a Travis Kelce question. I haven't seen this myself, but I'm told in the latest season of Love is Blind, somebody said that he looked like Travis Kelce,

which famously, or actually no infamously, last year a woman said she looked like Megan Fox and just got dragged by the internet, probably still to this day. Does this gentleman look like Travis Kelce? Was this a Megan Fox situation? So he didn't say that. He did say he looked like a less buff version

of Henry Cavill, which is extremely not true, and it ended up blowing back on him when they met. The way it went down was when the man and the woman who do not look like Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift were in the pods, he was revealed that he played football. I think she said she was a cheerleader and they were like, yeah, we could be like Travis and Taylor.

And as the audience, you're watching this thinking, no, now they both have a incorrect assumption about what this is going to look like. The other important thing to note, Stu, is he did play football, but he was a kicker. And he looks like a kicker. Yeah, so no Travis Calcio. I was curious because you're,

like I respect your TV recommendations. You've got me on, my favorite comedian is now James Acaster because of you. And you, obviously you do the Love is Blind podcast. I don't know if you're still doing that, are you? Yeah, yeah. Okay. Our newest episode just dropped.

How good is this season? Do I need to watch? Because you told me yes the last couple of times and I believed you, but I was on the edge. I was on the verge of quitting it last season. I'm enjoying it. A lot of people aren't because there's a lot of really terrible people and terrible relationships.

And if you're listening to this and you're watching and you're not clued into the internet discourse, please don't get mad at me. Cover your ears because I'm about to talk about something. One of the couples that is successful, the man has three secret children and the internet and it came out and he has said that, you know, I didn't, I just donated. I was just a sperm donor to like my gay friends and the internet slews have found multiple pictures and videos of him just with these children.

So there's this kind of weird story. I heard they had matching jammies on. Can you confirm? What? Yeah. So you're watching, it's an interesting dynamic, right? When you watch reality TV now, where you watch what's happening on the screen, and then there's also this like subtext playing out

off screen, and so you're watching this guy say to a woman, yeah, you know, I don't know if they would recognize me, if they saw me, and meanwhile, on Reddit, there's like Jessica said, videos of him spending Christmas with these kids. So I think that dynamic has put a lot of people off. That's insane, Mina. What city are these people in?

Because I'd like to avoid it. They're in DC. It's been a tough, tough luck for DC, yeah. Is there anything else, by the way, Chris has no idea who James A. Castor is. That was Joe Biden, I know who he is. I'm sorry. But if anybody has not paid attention,

James A. Castor, hilarious, go watch his repertoire. That's four straight standups. He's great. He's great. Folks, stop being pedantic. Yeah. Mina, is there anything else that you need to recommend on the streaming services that you're watching lately?

Oh gosh, yeah. We really liked the season of Bad Monkey. Are you guys watching that? It's my... Yes, it's great. Yeah, I liked that a lot. I know, you're right, the guy who created it is a friend of the show, right?

Yes, a friend. Bill Lawrence. I enjoyed that a lot. I thought it was very smooth. Also on Apple TV, Slow Horses is very good. Little bit. It's a lot of seasons of that one. It's a lot of catching up.

I do have a Vince Vaughn question because I was watching that movie or that show and it's based on I think a Carl Hiaasen book isn't he a former Miami Herald guy? Yeah. And it feels like they wrote it and then they cast Vince and then they rewrote it for Vince because he can only play one character.

Like one personality. And I think that would be fair. Problem is when I hear that voice, my own voice starts to mimic that voice because I'm like one of those parrots where if you just play a sound, I'll just talk in the voice that sound. Yeah, I think he just kind of put his own sauce on it.

Like you can tell when you're watching it, he's sort of improvising a little bit. I mean, some of his mannerisms, because he does that like rapid speech thing, right? And I feel like, God damn it, I'm doing it. I just did it. Do you feel like it? Bill Lawrence did come on the show

and talk a little bit about Bad Monkey and said that with Vince Vaughn, he was like, he's one of the easiest guys to write for, because you're writing the plot, but because he's ultimately gonna do so much improvisation and nail it on so many different jokes, you get credit as the writer for the best jokes, whether you wrote them or not, which is awesome.

I will touch you, I'll touch you. That's that voice, do that voice. Yeah, I need you to mock that voice for the rest of the show. Do I have a lot of lines? I'm not a trained monkey, I need you to mock that voice for the rest of the show. Do you have a lie? I'm not a trained monkey. I don't take commands. Bad monkey.

Oh, no. I made the same joke as Jaren. Aha! Victory! Even Mina knows. That's tough. Do you guys remember when we hired the accent coach? Who?

I do remember that, actually. Like, deep pandemic, maybe? That was a long time ago. Yes. That was a Mike Ryan production, right? He was like, it was. Nina's had so many access because she lived in so many places. We're going to hire a dialect coach. I remember that.

This is how I spin the accent thing so that I look like less of a sociopath when people, you know, because I don't want to be like the Brian Kelly of the NFL media. When people point out, uh, see Stu you would like this, I say, well I'm sorry I had to grow up in a lot of places because my dad was in the Air Force. Do you not respect the troops? Sorry about that. Wow, that's so good Mina, I'm so proud of you.

And if they don't say thank you for your service on the way out, you should give them another dirty look. Sorry I didn't have the privilege of growing up in one place my entire life and having one coherent accent. Got all the good daggers, the trigger words right there. I saw your face, by the way, we went to go do a victory lap here in the gym and I saw your, well, your face isn't giant, but it was projected giant.

It was on a big TV. It was on a television. That's all he was trying to say, me, a big TV. That's it. I saw a giant television with your face on it. How's that? Well, I was working out and staying spelt. I noticed your gigantic head. And. Holy crap.

What is the one place that you've walked by the most embarrassed, other than this moment right now, by seeing yourself on a large projection? Okay, so I've been at restaurants where one of my shows is on, and it's usually on the TV, and I've been on the TV, by seeing yourself under large projection. Okay, so I've been at restaurants where one of my shows is on, and some of the shows are pre-taped on NFL Live,

but like around the horn. And it's not embarrassing when you're on TV while you're somewhere, in fact, it's kinda cool. It's embarrassing when someone notices you watching yourself on TV. Oh yeah. It's like, you know, television masturbation. Can we say that?

Anyways. And I think that would be fair. It is embarrassing because then you feel like people think you watch yourself all the time. Right. And I don't. You look like a narcissist. I miss those days.

Mina, in your best Southern accent, because you're the natural person to do this, can you say, stay tuned, we've got pitch clock up next. Stay tuned, we've got pitch clock up next. Thank you. That was good. That's the greatest tease I ever could have asked for. Thank you, Mina. Was that good? Yeah, that was great.

You couldn't ask for any more Southern. Yeah, thank you. And I think that would be fair. Howdy listener, it's Mike Ryan. You probably like football, don't you? You're listening to a sports podcast? How can you not love football? From defending your favorite team after a bad loss, to obsessively checking your fantasy lineups. Football fandom is bigger than just Sundays. Miller Lite knows the passion that comes with rooting for your team, like the debate that sparked in 1975. Great taste versus less

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Did you get lost on the way to Home Depot today, Dan? Like what? What's going on with the plants? Get his ass, Mina. Stugats. You look like you're about to ask me to like check the oil on my car. Get him. Or like come over and like look around and point things in my house that need to be fixed. This is the Don Lebatard show with the Stugats. Welcome to the Pitch Clock. Here's the Pitch, a two-part baseball segment. Combining a nostalgic baseball trivia game and an interview with an expert.

This is the Pitch Clock. The competition is increasing, both in the MLB postseason and here on the Pitch Clock. Chris Cody is with me, Mike Schur is with me. We are about to play. Taylor's trivia game will have an expert joining us soon, but this is my focus at the moment because I am sick of losing. Unfortunately Mike Schur is here. Taylor, what is our actual trivia game for this week?

The game today is three strikes and you're out. The lists in front of you are the nine longest postseason hit streaks in baseball history. Ooh. So you have how many games, the team, and then the timeframe that the hit streak lasted until. This is spectacular. This is impossible.

Yeah, I don't know how we're going to do this. Chris Cody, you're on the clock. I'm going to go 2020 through 2021, 16 game history for Jose Altuve. That's a strike. Oh my God. That's what I was gonna guess too. Oh boy, if it's not Jose Altuve.

All right, I'm gonna go all the way down to the Royals in 2015 and say Alex Gordon. It was not Alex Gordon. You feeling good about this game so far, Taylor? How you feeling so far about this? This is hard. Yeah, this is really difficult. The old ESPN show, Stomp the Schwab, I want to win.

Mike, sure, you're on the clock. I mean, Manny Ramirez was the MVP in 04. I'm going to guess in the Red Sox as Manny Ramirez. The Red Sox with the 17 game hit streak was many It's so fun great All right. Well, so Mike is gonna win one. Yeah with one the mic is gonna win Chris You're back up talk to me with your eyes and I'm gonna go with

What you're did I hate this? I hate this, I hate this, I hate this. You need a name. You need a name, I'm gonna give it to you right now and that name is, Jermaine Dye. Not Jermaine Dye. What? In 2000.

Royals, I don't know man, I don't, this is stupid. I hate this game. Okay, moving away from the game that Taylor's torturing us with, we have Adnan Verk of MLB network with us again here on the Pitch Clock with some great baseball coming up today. Two postseason games, the ALCS and the NLCS. Adnan, thank you for coming back. We're going to dive right into this because the Dodgers and Mets played last night and the Dodgers absolutely blew out the Mets. Despite Shohei Otani moving to now 17 for his last 20 with runners in scoring position and being 0 for 22 in the postseason with nobody on base, a weird

stat, I want to start in what seems like a weirder place, which is the gutsy performance of Dodgers pitcher Walker Bueller. Look, he hasn't been the same guy coming off Tommy Tommy John surgery for the second time against San Diego. He gave up six runs in the second inning of his start last night. Looked like we might be headed that way. Bases loaded in the second inning, struck out back to back hitters, including Francisco Lindor, his 18 swings and misses in last night's game tied for the most in 4 innings of any start in his whole career which I thought was spectacular. In in the game against the Padres they were 6

for 10 against him with 2 strikes yet no strikeouts last night. That's where 0 for 9 with 5 strikeouts. He's the first pitcher in MLB history to throw 90 plus pitches in a postseason start of four innings or less and not give up a run. There are all these crazy stats on Walker Bueller. How important was a moment like that last night for the Dodgers to see Bueller bounce back that way and to eat up four innings on the mound to save a already fresh bullpen to have the ability to come

in today after a Yamamoto start a guy who hasn't thrown 80 or more pitches since returning from injury. I think it's absolutely critical Jeremy this guy is so powerful and so vital to the Dodgers hopes I've never been so happy to be so wrong because that's what the beauty of baseball is because I felt so confident I saw my God the Dodgers they're going to be the Padres they don't have enough pitching and I look to be right in the first three games that clearly I'm a profit. But I know what I'm talking about having covered in love

baseball for 3540 years and all of a sudden the part is couldn't score after a certain point in just her and it is a grand slam 6, 5, on the pot is completely shut down and bullpen games that's not going to work in the playoffs for Dave completely shut down. And bullpen games, that's not gonna work in the playoffs for Dave Roberts because the Dodgers bullpen isn't the Guardians, it isn't the Yankees, it's not as good as those guys. Not as good as the Royals bullpen,

no, Dodgers bullpen is spectacular. Completely shutting them down. Wow, okay, they beat the Padres. But their pitching will be tested against the Mets because the Mets during pitching has been bona fide when it comes to Severino and Manaya and Hintana. But lo and behold, in a game last night, couldn't be more wrong.

Their pitching's been awesome. And Bueller last night was fantastic. Two-time Tommy John, he's able to have that kind of gutsy performance in the Colett City field. And nothing better than that at bat against Francisco Lindor. Like, critical spot, you got guys on. And for him to be able to go fastball, fastball,

and then set up that great hook. I mean that is an all-time great curveball by Walker Buehler. What an unbelievable performance from him and and yeah that 12-6 curveball working in the wind as the wind is blowing out just a guy who completely changed his pitch arsenal from one game to the next it was so impressive and the type of performance that you see from the guys who have mastered the craft and speaking of mastering the craft. How about Kike Hernandez in the postseason? I want to call him Kike Pumpkins Hernandez because he really shows up in October when we don't think about him for the rest of the year. He has 15 career postseason home runs, which I believe puts him like fifth or sixth on the active list. A guy who is now hitting a homer every 13 at bats in the postseason.

During the regular season, that's every 29 at bats. So just a completely different player. How incredible is what Kike Hernandez is doing and how does it change the Dodgers when you can have guys like him and Tommy Edmond contributing the way they are at the back of the lineup? You're going to Tony Freeman, bats and you go, okay, well, if I can somehow neutralize guys like him and Tommy Edmond contributing the way they are at the back of the lineup. You're going to tiny Freeman bats you go K well if I can somehow neutralize MVP MVP MVP we can win this game but no because the rest of the death of the slot comes to make and hurt his one is OK where's my soft spot where can I as a

picture take a deep breath exhale and go OK now I can loosen up you can't because kick is your number 9 hitter and he's like Reggie Jackson come playoff time Because Max Muncie had great at bats last night, and he went deep. Because Teasker Hernandez is a key part of that lineup as well. And you mentioned Edmund, what a great pickup he's been for LA. And that's really what you've seen here for Dave Roberts' team is the length in that lineup.

You mentioned Kike in the 15 home runs. How about this? He's tied with Babe Ruth on the most postseason career home runs. Now, it's a little bit with Babe Ruth on the most postseason career home runs. Now, it's a little bit ridiculous because Kike's done it in 78 games. Babe did it in 41.

How about a better comparable? Chipper Jones played 93 postseason games. Kike, 78. And you had Chipper, 13 postseason home runs. Kike with 15. That is insane. Right? Think about that.

Chipper's got 15 more games. Hall of Famer. No, no. A-Rod, 76 games. Kike, no. A-Rod, 76 games. Kike, 78. A-Rod, 13 playoff home runs. Kike, 15. And here's a good one for you.

And Taylor Loveless is a Yankee fan. Because you go, OK, well, compare them to the Yankees. Yogi Berra, 75 career postseason games. Kike's played three more. And Kike's got three more postseason home runs. It's incredible. When you're telling me you're at the same amount of home runs as Babe Ruth, more than Miguel Cabrera, Chipper Jones, Alex Rodriguez, and Yogi It's when you're telling me you're at the same amount of home runs as Babe Ruth,

more than Miguel Cabrera, Chipper Jones, Alex Rodriguez, and Yogi Berra. You're doing something special. Kike's been awesome. You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to try to stick with the Astros in that window that you talked about, and I'm going to hope that I'm getting this Astro right. Was the Houston Astro Alex Bregman? The Houston Astro was not Alex Bregman.

Oh, that's a six. Whoa, that's what I would have guessed. Oh my God. All right, Jermaine Dye retired in 09. Two strikes for Chris and I. Mike, sure, if you get a second one in a row, there's a 0% chance any of us wins this game. I mean, the Yankee 98 to 99.

That has to be right. I'll guess Jeter. That's what I was gonna say but I was like is he playing that? It was Derek Jeter. No! I was just like I thought that I don't know why you guys were guessing 2015 Royals when you had late 90s Yankees. Once he said Jermaine Die

it was very clear he did not watch those Royal teams. Yeah I mean come on. For the audio only audience we have have a 20 game history from a Diamondback from 2017 to 2023, a 17 game history from a Yankee from 1956 to 1958. We have the Astro 16 game history 2020 to 2021, a Blue J 16 game history, 91 to 93, a Royal 15 game hit streak 2015, a Brave 15 game hit streak 95 to 96, and then an A 15 game hit streak 89 to 90. Why did I not think that Jeter played yet

that in the late 90s? I mean, that was his whole run. I know, I just had a moment. I knew he was gonna- Oh my God, I know the Diamondback. Oh, I hate you. How, how- There's Cody. I'm up? Yep. How am I up?

I just just got it German diamond back Starling Marte Not so is he ever grabbing back? I believe he was thinking about cattel Marte. Maybe Jeremy you're on yeah I'm like annoyed at the diamond back. I just wanted to get it before Mike sure. I know that one can I be I'm gonna go with the Toronto Blue J 1991 to 1993. Was it Joe Carter? It wasn't Joe Carter. It was not?

It wasn't? It was not Joe Carter. That's you and Chris Cody shriking out on three pitches. Well. But let's move over to the Cleveland Guardians and New York Yankees because the Yankees have really dominated thus far. and it's in large part thanks to their bullpen. Something that,

you know, in July, in August seemed like a giant question mark for the Yankees and yet a.77 ERA for this bullpen in the postseason. Adnan, how does something like this happen and how sustainable is it for the Yankees as they try to not only win the series against Cleveland but then potentially go up against you know the Dodgers the Mets as we just spoke about. Yeah I do think at some point Jeremy need to get a little more length from your starting pitching but you know what in a short span I do think it's sustainable especially when you only have two more wins against Cleveland to get back their first World Series since oh nine and then it's a week, week and a half stretch

in the World Series, you can do it. You can ride that bullpen as strongly as you can. I think in a longer series, the more that obviously hitters get to see relievers, you start to gain an advantage. You saw that with Rivera and the Red Sox. So many times they would see Mo and eventually they could figure things out

as best they could against that cutter. As for the Yankees, Garrett Cole, listen, he couldn't even go five innings and they win that game. That shows you how good the Yankees, Garrett Cole, listen, he couldn't even go five innings, and they win that game. That shows you how good the Yankees are right now, particularly that bullpen. Weaver's been an incredible story. Nobody can stop Weaver.

Now, Ramirez did hit that home run off him in garbage time, so maybe that helps their confidence a little bit, but he's a baby-faced assassin, and Aaron Boone is using him the way Joe Torrey would use Mariano Rivera. Like, if it's a five-out save, he's going to Weaver without question. And here's the other part that's fascinating is that Clay Holmes

has been awesome. Like even though he gets moved out of that spot, you think, OK, could have hurt his feelings a little bit. No. When you look at all time players in terms of scoreless inning stretches to begin their career, he's at 14 and 2 thirds innings. Like Clay Holmes has been awesome in the playoffs.

So they're mixing and matching as best they can. And so far, there's been no answer from that Cleveland offense, which has been rather feeble so far. You got to give Aaron Boone some credit for the way that he's handled it. And maybe Luke Weaver, as a guy that was a starter, is a little more comfortable with those five-out saves,

being able to get up and down, not as locked in to being a guy that just comes in for one clean inning. But Adnan, that said, what do the Guardians have to do starting this afternoon with Matthew Boyd on the mound to be able to make this a series with the Yankees? Yeah, under the current two, three, two format, teams that win the first two at home have won the series 80% of the time, 44 and 55.

But Arizona just a year ago, the main thing for me is again, they're starting pitching. Their starters so far, Cobb and Bybee, have combined to allow six runs and 14 base runners in four combined games so far. They've got to get some length to other pitchers. Their bullpen's covered more than 60% of the club's total innings.

Now, he faced the Yankees back on August 20th in the Bronx, gave up consecutive home runs to Soto and Judge in the first inning, gave up three over five in the third, but he's got to work at least into the fifth. Like a five and dive would be great if he could give them a few wins and kind of ease that bullpen a little bit. I hope that offense steps up.

Stephen Kwan's hitting 440 during a 12 game postseason hitting streak going back to 2022. But their catchers are giving them nothing. Bo Nailer 0 for 15. Austin Hedges 0 for 9. Their Hitless in 23 combined at bats in the postseason, nine strikeouts. Those guys have to wake up.

Along with Jose Ramirez, they've done a great job of neutralizing him so far. It's been really impressive to see what the Yankees have been able to do. The Guardians need to get something from Matthew on the mound today, or they'll be saying, oh, Boyd. Huh?

You like that one? Even you didn't like that oned, huh? You like that one? Even you didn't like that one. Even you didn't like that one. If Adnan's not going for it, nobody's going for it. Adnan Burke, thank you so much for joining me today. Hey, if we're talking to you next week, it'll be to preview the World Series that starts next Friday.

Cannot wait for this. It's been incredible postseason baseball. Let's head back to our trivia game and see the final results of this torture that you know Taylor's putting us through I Think I know who the diamond back yet But I actually have a I have a better You just desperately want to go three for three show off because you already win So you could just guess everybody Mike if you'd prefer. I think the 89

To 90 a is Ricky. It is Ricky Henderson. Tony's favorite player, Ricky Henderson. I think Marte is the Diamondback. It was Katel Marte. No way! So I was half credit? Honestly? Jeremy said it and I was like,

I don't know why he's not guessing that. That's a foul tip into the catcher's mitts So it's still a strikeout, but you should feel good about the fact that you might get contact I do I would have guessed Bregman for the Astro George Springer for the Astros. It wasn't George Springer It's it's Jordan Alvarez wasn't yours. So it's Carlos Correa wasn't Carl. Are you kidding me? So it was Bregman what he just said it wasn't bright who else was on that team Those are five guys that were great that we just wait I saw that it was Michael Brantley. Oh on that team. Those are five guys that were great that we just saw that it was Michael Brantley. Oh

My god Michael. You feel good about that? Hate you for this is the Royal Hasbro Alcides Escobar. Okay Escobar These Escobar hidden 15 straight post this game is just hey think back to random playoffs And who was the hottest hitter on that team? Hey think back to random playoffs and who was the hottest hitter on that team? 1956 to 1958 as a Mickey Mantle. It was Hank Bauer. I'm gonna kill you. I can't believe this. When did Ruth play? Bauer? Way before that right? The 20s. The Blue J in 91 and 93 with the 16 game hit streak. Pat Borders

I've never heard of Pat Borders. I want to punch you in the face I'm so upset with you and then the final name from the list was the brave and in 9596 Marquis Grissom, oh fun. Wow, you said this name when you came on today, okay So I said yeah, he's Chris. I'm what I that's a joke. Hold on. Let me hear. Okay, so wait so here What am I doing? Marquis Grissom? This is by far the most random list of players we've had thus far on the pitch clock. This is a ridiculous game. I feel like I undid all my good trivia work from the previous couple months,

like with today's performance. I liked it. How did none of you take Derek Jeter from 98 to 99? How did you leave that for me? Sometimes we get too cute. I almost said Scott Brochus. Mike, thank you so much for joining us on today's pitch clock. I guess thanks. I guess

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