The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - Tim Kurkjian & Grounds Crew Shenanigans

Episode Date: September 29, 2023

Billy, Stugotz and Mikey react the the New York Mets' grounds crew latest round of shenanigans last night against the Marlins. Tim Kurkjian joins the show to calm Billy down and to preview a wild final weekend in the MLB regular season and looks ahead to the first round of the MLB playoffs! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Stu Piotty, home of the greatest medium I had ever to walk the planet. Ok show here's a deal, he's a true icon in ever since the word. He's loved and feared more than any being to grace his planet. They stewed guys to ya, they are bad with the voice, they sound like bearer wh Ice, they had a Jewish baby, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. God himself would pay $39.99 for a cameo. Fact of the matter is, you are about to embark on a transcendent experience that can only be described as psychological nudity.

This is StuGox and this is StuPotony. Here we go, Jim. Tony! This is Stu Goss and this is to party here we go Jeff Exciting time of year the baseball playoffs Mike Ease upset because the Yankees are needed this year I'm upset because the Met spent the billion dollars. They're not making it to the postseason, but such is baseball because the Marlins, they didn't spend that much money. And here they are just a couple of days away from making it to the postseason as a wild card team,

Billy, why you shaking your head? Why are you not more excited about this? Your team is going to make it to the playoffs, Billy. I know, but these damn bets in their grounds keepers are doing everything that they can to ruin this week for me for some reason. I don't understand it. And it like, they've ruined my life, the match, Billy.

You can take a week of it. I mean, it's the grounds keepers. I don't get me started on them. I don't know what they're doing. They don't seem to care about their jobs. They're like, oh, the season's over. And they're just playing around. I don't know if you saw what happened last night. Last night, there was a three hour

of rangelate. At one point, the grounds keepers were taking group photos on the field instead of keeping the ground or whatever it is that they do. Like, I don't know why they were taking group pictures. They were laughing about. They were removing the tarp, making puddles in the outfield. Not the puddles that we've wanted in the outfield to make the game more fun. The puddles that cause games to not continue, they've just been an absolute disaster. This grounds creeper team. I don't get me started on them. I'm not going to do it.

You're not going to make me do it. You're not going to make me do it. It's not going to happen. The fact that the Marlins have to go back on Monday to play an inning and a half is absurd. Observed. The match you're just like, you know, just like, you know what, guys, we already we already screwed you enough early this week. Let's just forfeit this one. You guys can take this one. We're not going to make you come back because

if the more I was going to play us, they're going to have to make an extra stop in New York just to have one guy get out for the Marlins and then hopefully have a one two three inning, which you know is not going to happen. You know, they're not going to have a one two three inning. You know that buck is going to go out there. He's going to put some of all starts him out there. They're going to acquire players. God knows what's going on. This is why they should have had Madison Bumgarner start one of those games.

Like I said, they should have this would have been done by now. They should have been done. And at some point in that review yesterday, someone should have come up and said, like, you know what? Doesn't matter. Take the run away from the Marlins. Let's just keep this game moving. Rain is coming. Inclimate weather. We know what's Doesn't matter. Take the run away from the Marlins. Let's just keep this game moving. Rain is coming.

Inclimate weather. We know what's going to happen here. Let's just keep the train on the tracks and keep things moving. Because if this game gets delayed, then we're going to have complications. But no, there was no foresight. They decided to have this replay review. Go on for like 15 minutes when it couldn't have been clearer

that the umpires made the wrong call. And do you even know the play I'm talking about? I'll tell you the play that I'm talking about. Here's what happened. They need an out, right? Bases are loaded for the Marlins. What ends up happening is that they go and they throw the ball to second base. They ruled that the runner was safe at second base. So the inning didn't end, but the runner oversled second base and took out the second base

and the second base and fell on top of the runner. So then ended up tagging the runner. Now the Marlins had a runner coming home from third, so the ruling initially was the play was safe at second, the run scored, and then the tag happened. So the run would have counted because it was no longer a force out because of the fact that the player was safe at second and overslid the base. Now, upon further review, it was very obvious that the runner was tagged out immediately, and the runner coming home was lolly gagging and did not score before that third out was

made. So it should have been a very easy situation. Now both teams somehow challenged the same play. Both managers ran out on the field and both of them challenged the same play. They were challenging different things. It was a whole disaster where the umpires like, oh, the marlins are challenging this, the meds are challenging this. And it's like, guys, you don't both need to challenge.

Just have one of you challenge it because they're going to look at the thing anyways. Like, you don't need this, right? So then it goes to New York and New York never knows what the hell is going on. That's been very apparent by the ground screw, but they go to the replay booth in New York. And then it's this weird dark room. I don't know if you guys have ever seen it. Whereas like this dark room with a thousand TVs under there. You don't know who's looking at what you wonder why it is.

They can't have lights on in the room. It's very weird. It's like the banker in deal or no deal. You know that room, the banker room, banker that goes and sends you the deal or the no deal that he's sitting in a dark room. You can't see what's going on. You just see the screen. That's the that's the replay situation that I will be. So yeah, I had that going on. Have that not taken 15 minutes. They could have ended that game without a rain delay. If I'll also by the way, we don't need to go any further. It's fine. What are we doing today?

What are we doing here? What is this? I'm glad we didn't get you started. What is this? What show is this? What are we doing? It's too potty. And I'm going to put a smile on your face right now because you are pretty damn.

I doubt that you can. I dare you. I dare you to put a smile on face. I'm not going to smile this weekend. I'm telling you right. I dare you. I dare you to put a smile on me. I'm not going to smile this weekend. I'm telling you right now, I'm not going to smile this weekend. That is my foul to you. Even if the Marles make the playoffs, I refuse to smile because of the way that this

end of the season has been going. I will not do it. There is one person. There is one person I believe that even while in this frustrated state, even is Billy frustrated and upset. Yeah, he seems a bit. Yeah. I'm happy. My team's about to make the playoffs potentially, but this shenanigans must stop. But you're not going to smile. You're telling me I can't make you smile because I feel like I can because I think that person, it's not me. It's not

Mikey. A it's not going to as much as you love them. It's certainly not fucking Chris Sims. Okay. But I have a guy. I have a guy, sorry about that, I have a guy. I have one guy, it's the only person. It's not your wife, it's not your parents, it's not anyone in your family, not even your kids. Stim and purchase. Oh. Yeah, it's a purchase, good.

I have, I have everything. I like to live this by all. He's smiling. Wait, I found not to. Dammit. to. Damn it. It is so hard being me sometimes. This is never easy and I'm sorry every day. Okay, you can see me and you can hear me. I can see you and we can hear you, Tim. And we love you, and it's great to see you, and it's great to hear your voice, but it's not, Tim, it's just getting old.

Like, I could say this as a person who was now considered to be old. Getting old sucks, Timmy. I know, I'm 66, I know all about that. Okay, all right, I'm ready to go whatever you are. I just started by asking you about getting old. So, whatever you are. I just started by asking you about getting old. Why are you so exasperated right now? What's the matter with you? Because I tried to get on a

Zoom chat and it didn't work because my camera doesn't work on my computer and I can't figure out the camera is like a small sub-pin hole and I can't figure it out. Now we're straight. Now I'm on a phone and I can't figure it out. So now we're straight. Now I'm on a phone and I'm speaking to you guys. All right, we're good. All right, Tim, I will have you know that this is a, this is a very excited Billy Gill because his Florida, Marlon's,

as it stands right now, they are in a wildcourt spot in the National League. And Bill, well, I'll allow Billy to speak for himself, Billy. This is, this is as excited as you've been being a Marlin fan, correct? Because I don't think anyone really, well, you want a world series. No, we've, no, the Marlins have won two world series. I know, but 97, how old were you in 97? I was 10.

I was at the games. It was a fun time. Yeah. Okay. So this is the third, the third greatest time in Billy's life into a game. You were going to allow me to speak for myself. Speak for yourself, Billy. Yeah. It's an exciting time to be a Marlon's fan. It's an exciting time to be a based off fan. But Tim, it's also been a very frustrating need to be a Marlon's fan because there's mentionant against a play. It would appear with the New York meds and their grounds crew. They somehow managed to botch the first game of the series where there was a hurricane and they had a tarp situation and then they deemed the field to be Unplayable.

And then last night they had a rain delay, which they probably could have avoided because they had a strange play, which I've never seen before, where both teams Challenged the same play at the same time, which seems like one team challenging would have kind of resolved that issue. That delay went on much longer than it should have. It seemed very apparent that the umpires got that wrong, and it should have been ruled in favor of the Metz, and they could have probably ended the game. And then they went on along delay three hours before they ultimately canceled the game or not cancel the game, postponed the game, and now they may have to come back on Monday to finish up the ninth inning, depending on how this weekend plays out. So have you ever seen anything like this with a team that is this close to be a playoff team at the end of the season?

Well, if they have to go back and play an inning on Monday, then yes, I will have never seen anything like that. As far as shenanigans go, when it comes to the tarp on the field, I've seen that many times. I've seen games that were, when I covered the Rangers and I think 83 it was, they didn't put the tarp on the field in Cleveland and they took all the players off the field. And it didn't rain for an hour. And the game was, so I've seen all sorts of things

with tarps and home teams and visiting teams being frustrated. The difference really is this is a pennant race. This is the final week of the season and there is no team wants to play a double header in the middle of the biggest week of the season. And that's what has happened to the Marlons. So if they end up having to play on Monday, when everyone else is getting ready to play on Tuesday, that would be very, very difficult to do. Because players are ultimate creatures of habit.

You gotta get to your site and be ready to play on Tuesday. And if you're playing in and somewhere else, that's a mess. Well, the interesting thing about that game too is like, let's say the Marlins for, they end up clinching the spot earlier in the week, right? And then they don't have to go there on Monday, which they may have to because they're close enough that they could get that second wild card spot,

which would implicate where it is that they have to go. So they have to go, they'll have to play that inning. I mean, it's great. Well, but here's the thing. If for whatever reason, they don't, then what do you do? Do you revert back to the stats that were in the bot? Do you end it in the eighth inning? So then the Marlins end up losing that game

and the Metz get the win? Or do you just not play the game and then Hesuse and Sardol loses all the stats that he accumulated? Because he surpassed 200 strikeouts for the season. But if for whatever reason they end up saying, you know what, forget that game, we're not going to count it. They didn't need it. Then he goes under 200.

I don't I don't think that in his contract that he has any incentives. But you lose all those stats if they don't end up finishing out that game. Right. But even in a suspended game like that, the stats are going to count whether the game is finished or not. And it's just the strangest rule in the world. It's a complete mess. So let's just hope it doesn't happen. But yes, once you get over 200 strikeouts in that spot, you're okay. Timmy, have the Marlins been the biggest surprise to you this year in baseball? Either way,

meaning it could be the match being this bad, the Yankees being this bad, or the Marlins being this good. What's been the biggest surprise for you this year in baseball either way, meaning it could be the meds being this bad, the Yankees being this bad or the Marlins being this good. What's been the biggest surprise for you this season? You know, I got the Marlins about fifth or sixth on that list. Wow. It just shows you how bizarre this season has been. I thought the Cardinals would win the division. They were terrible. I thought the meds would challenge the braves this year. They weren't even close. I thought the Yankees might win the division They weren't even close. I had the Padres winning or going to the World Series. They're not even gonna make the playoffs

I had the Diamondbacks as a fourth place team. They're going to the playoffs. I had the Reds potentially losing a hundred games They almost are going to the playoffs. I didn't see the Cubs as contenders, and instead they're probably going to the playoffs. I saw the Orioles winning 83 games. They won their 100th game last night. And so the Marlins fall somewhere at the back end of all of those surprises,

because we knew the Marlins had really good pitching. They always gave them a chance. Did I have them as a playoff team going in? Absolutely not. But I had six or seven other teams. Winterlute, I mean, bad or good that were a bigger surprise than the Marlins, which speaks again to this is one of the, if not the strangest baseball seasons I've ever seen. Just when you think you understand the game, you realize you don't. Good teams are bad, bad teams are good, and they all ate of them happen at the same season. I wanted to ask you about the Orioles because you spend a lot of time covering them. I think people thought they were going to eventually be good, but there's no way anyone

thought that they were going to have the best record in the American League this season. Billy, they finished 39 games out of fourth place two years ago. Only one other team, the Philadelphia A's, have ever finished that many games behind the next worst team in the League or the division. That's how bad the Orioles were two years ago. So now they've joined the 69 match as the only teams in history to win 100 games in a three year span in which they lost 100 games. That's the list. That's what the Orioles have done.

It has been remarkable to watch the big jump they made last year. And I've done all the research on this. Making that big of a jump like they made last year is hard to do. The even harder thing to do is to make that big jump and then make another big jump the next year. That's what they've done. And fellas, the lesson here is this is a young man's game and they are young, wildly aggressive,

absolutely hungry and so athletic. That's how you win today. That's who the reds are. That's who the dime of acts are. That's who the Orioles are. That's how you win today. You take a chance on your young guys, come up and say, all right, let's go out, let's go out, run everyone.

Let's go be more athletic than anyone. That's how the Orioles have won among many other reasons. So Tim, headed into the season, there were a lot of question marks with the different rule changes with the extra wild card team. We now have a full season of it. It seems like it's all worked. It seems like the excitement and baseball has gone up. It seems like more teams are still in it at the end.

It's the last week of the season. And you still have teams that would have been eliminated years ago, you know, a week, a week and a half ago, still competing for a playoff spot. So it seems like the rule changes have worked. I'm curious if you think that there's anything you would have done differently with any of them. Um, well, look, I'm always going to hate the runner on second base to start the 10th and I'm always going to hate that because we've cut down the time of games so dramatically

with the pitch clock that I think it's okay to say we're going to play until someone actually wins this game. And if we have to play 16 innings, then so be it. These are big leagueers. They're the best players in the world. We're allowed to ask a little bit more of them. As for all the other rule changes, look, I'm not a big fan of the bigger bases. I think the disengagement rule has made it too easy to steal a base, but I'm not going to get all upset about bigger bases and disengagement rule because you're

right. The game is better this year. There is more action. People enjoy it more. The ball is in play more. So I'm all in favor of that. I was first to tell you, I don't like the extra wild card team. I think it waters down who makes it. We got teams just over 500 battling for a playoff spot.

But I'm going to take the high road as always and say, count me in because people really are interested this time of year. And now way more teams are interested than normal. So because in part, because of the bigger basis, because of the disengagement rule, you have Ronald, the Kunya Junior becoming a 40-70 guy. So that's good, but I wonder how that impacts the way you look at like 40-40 seasons in the past. Yeah, there's no question. There has to be a many asterisks next to this season. When we recognize we change the rules. Every time we change the rules, whether we lower the mound or go to 162 games, you have to,

you have to acknowledge the game is different. It's way easier to steal a base today. Ricky Henderson would have stolen 175 bases, not 130 bases one year with all the advantages of today. But am I going to hold that against Ronald Lecunye Jr.? He's not the only one who's playing with bigger bases. Oh, no. He's washing out, Billy.

No, and it's not a criticism at all. Like, it's been an incredible MVP season for him. It's just, you know, you look back and you wonder, these old players a little bit bitter, Tim. You know what I mean? They look for any reason to talk about how their error was better than anyone else's. Now, Tim, you went out on a limb there

and you put a mini-astrous next to it. So where does that mini asterisk rank against the other asterisk that we have in baseball? Right. All right. Well, look, when you're playing a 10th inning ghost runner, that changes things. When you lower the mound, that really changes things. When you go from 154 to 162 games, that really changes things. So I'm gonna say this is just a small change and I'm not holding it against Ronald Cuny Jr. No one had ever had a 30, 60 season. He's had a 40, 70 season and he's not done yet.

So yes, we all have to keep in mind there was a rule change is what happened. I just looked up the, I saw something the other day that Andy Dalton is on the the all time yardage list and the next guy right for us is Johnny United's are kidding me and you Dalton is right behind Johnny United. So please let's make sure we understand the rule changes in football, the three point shot in basketball. That's changed everything also.

Joe name it the guy who's been blasting Zach Wilson. Zach Wilson has a career first career. Timmy has a higher pass or reading Joe name it. Yeah That's why we have to be careful that we didn't even count block shots until 1971. When they were in Bill Russell block 10 million shots before we started to count them. So don't tell me that Elmore Smith is the all-time block shot leader for one game at 17 or so and so is the all-time block shot leader for a career when we're not counting all of Bill Russell and Will Chamberlain's black shots. Timmy headed into the postseason here, Billy, did you have something there?

I'm sorry. It's okay. No, no, okay. Timmy is rolling right now. I want to ask about the ALS, but we can get to that. I was going to ask about Damien Lillard. I mean, I'm not. Oh, I will.

I will. Go ahead, Timmy. Damien Lillard now playing with the Greek freaky, Greek freak, Yannis in Milwaukee. You're a big basketball fan. You're ESPN's best basketball player. I'm including Tim Legler in that equation, okay? You're better than him. Timmy, your thoughts on Lilla going to Milwaukee

instead of the heat. Well, he's a great player. I don't pretend to know him other than after Steph Curry, I've never, ever seen anyone shoot from that distance as well as he does. It's one thing to be a great three point shooter. I have never seen anyone other than Steph Curry shoot it from as deep as Damien Lillard does

and makes shots consistently. He's incredible and yes, he will be great with Yannis as long as he gets his feet squared and gets ready. He's one of the great three point shooters of all time. Can't wait to watch that team play. Yeah, it's going to be fun. Tim, headed into the postseason here, the team who's pitching staff, you have the most confidence in is blank. Uh, well, that's difficult because the Meruers's front three with burns, woodruff and pirata.

That is a devastating threesome when all three of those guys are right. And they have the big closer at the end of the game. That team is really good. The Braves have a really good rotation, but Max Reed has to be blister-free and Charlie Morton has to be healthy, and neither one of them is healthy at this point. I just did a Mariners game the other night. The Mariners are second in the American League in ERA, and they've got three starting pictures who never walk anybody and throw a million strikes.

So they're really good too. I just don't think there is that one team out there that you look at, like the Dodgers of recent years where you say, oh my gosh, they can throw four guys out there who might throw a shutout tonight. I'm not sure that exists, which is why it's so interesting that this entire playoff situation is way up in the air because I don't see that dominant starting pitching

for any team. Right now the ALS seems to be the tightest division where the Rangers have a two-game lead but they still haven't clinched it. The Astros are back and then the Mariners are one game behind that. So two out of those three teams are going to make the playoffs.

Which one do you think kinds of, doesn't make it? to make the playoffs. Which one do you think kinds of, doesn't make it? All right. Well, I just did the Mariners Astros game on the radio Wednesday night. By the way, I flew there on Wednesday morning. Long story. I had no choice. I had to fly to Seattle on Wednesday morning. I always get in a day in advance to do a game, but I had no choice. And then I took the red eye home Wednesday night from Seattle. Back to Washington, DC, what a trip that was. The Mariners, I think, are going to be the odd team out because they are 10 and 16 in the month of September.

They're not particularly good offense of team. They left 13 runners on base the other night in the game that I did. And Texas is just a dominant offensive team right now. And the Astros, they just find ways to win because they've been there so many times. None of those guys is intimidated by playing the biggest games of the season. So if I have to pick one, it's the Mariners because they just haven't played particularly well for the last month.

Well, the disadvantage for them too is that they're playing the Rangers who are trying to lock up the division. So you could have a scenario where the Rangers win the first game, they clinch the West, and then maybe take the two games off, which could benefit them if the Diamond Baxter is still playing for something against the Astros

or no? No, I don't think they're going to take any days off if they clinch because they Bruce Bochi doesn't work that way, but you're right. I just don't think mentally they say, all right, we're the division champs, but they can, if they close them out early, they can start to look at what are we going to do with our pitching? But I refuse to believe even after a champagne celebration, you're not going to show up the next day ready to win.

But you're right. It's going to be different if they clinch, say, earlier rather than later. Timmy, how many days does it take your body to recover from a red eye flight. Mm. Uh, well, I had to take a nap yesterday. I haven't taken a nap since 1979. And what? But, well, I'm exaggerating. But I had to, so I could get up and watch the games last night. The games are so, so important.

So my body hasn't really recovered. But I'll get through it today. And I'm going to Toronto tomorrow to see the rays and the blue jays, because it looks like I'm gonna cover that series for us on TV on Tuesday. So I gotta go up and do some reconnaissance a couple days early. Hmm.

You take the not to do it. What is that? I actually believe Tim with his nap. That's something. I did. Timmy, will Aaron Boone be back next year as the Yankees manager? Yes. I note my hesitation.

Really? We're never sure about New York. It looks like they're going to finish over 500. And as of the other day, they had the best record in baseball from August 28th on. And I think they're going to look at this and say, terrible season, almost finished under 500, finished in fourth place, very disappointing. But there were some signs that the young guys who have just come up have really started to make a difference as I told you guys this is a young man's game and it's the kids

that are carrying and this is what the Yankees have figured out. I am not going to blame Aaron Boone for the fact that a bunch of older guys on that team just didn't hit. They just didn't produce. So I think he'll be back and I think he should be back. How much cashman, yeah, how much longer does cashman have? I think Brian Cashman is going to be back and should be back. Again, he just signed a four year contract. This is the first of a four year deal.

I just don't see the Yankees who actually care about saving money here and there, getting rid of a general manager with three years left on his deal. I just don't see the Yankees who actually care about saving money here and there getting rid of a general manager with three years left on his deal. He would get a job in 10 minutes. If they were to fire him, I don't think he's going to. I don't think he should be because I think they have now recognized, right, we have some kids in the system who can help us. We just got to put him out there and take a chance because it's better to take a chance on a young guy Then put it in the hands of an aging veteran whose way past his prime How about buck to the meds

Again note my hesitation. I think buck is going to be back also I'm not going to blame him for the injuries the first one to Edwin Dia, and then to all sorts of other guys on that team. The way that team failed to produce mostly offensively, I'm not gonna blame him for that. I think he's gonna be back. I think he should be back. And I think he works a lot better when the expectations aren't enormously high.

And with the young guys there starting to bring in, he's really good with young guys, getting them better, developing them. I think he'll be back. I think he should be back. All right. Two more to me. We get you out of here. Quick ones for me. Otani, where's he playing next year? Oh, impossible question. Total guess. I'm going to say he goes to the Dodgers. The Dodgers have everything that he wants there because they're going to obviously have

to give him a chance to hit and pitch in 2025, which I think they will be willing to do. But he has this entire career mapped out when he was 15 years old. And the one thing he doesn't have is playing for a championship. And I think he's going to look at the Dodgers and say they are going to give me the best chance to win long term. It's not far from Anaheim. I'm going to say he plays for the Dodgers next year, but again, Stugots, this story is going to change a hundred times before he signs this off season. All right. And last one for me, Timmy, I think the Braves are the best team in baseball.

That doesn't mean they're going to win the World Series, but I have to think they will win it again. The Atlanta Braves win the World Series. Do you agree? Again, impossible question because any team against the field, I'm usually taking the field. But the team that I plan on picking, not like that matters to win the World Series, are the

they are a devastating team. They are going to this year for most home season. And you win in by hitting the ball out look at the numbers about home or others in the post 75% of the time. There one through nine.

There is thunder in that order. Again, the danger is if Max Reads blister doesn't heal and he's not really good. Charlie Morton's finger doesn't heal and he's not really good. They're going to have a hard time with Spencer Strider and

others winning the world series. But I still think they'll be the team to beat when October starts. They're going to have a hard time with Spencer Strider and others winning the world series, but I still think they'll be the team to beat when October starts. All right, Timmy, we love you. We miss you. Get some rest. You seem tired. You seem cranky.

I think ESPN is working. You too are. Timmy, I mean, I'm not tired. I'm not cranky. I am happy because the greatest baseball games happen every night now. That's really cool. We know. Hopefully, the Marlins will make a deep run for Billy. the greatest baseball games happen every night now and that's really cool. Hopefully the Marlins will make a deep run for Billy. We'll check in with you

throughout the playoffs, Timmy. Thank you very much. All right guys see you. you you