The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Colin sits down with Rob Parker to talk about his new podcast: Inside the (Rob) Parker

Episode Date: April 27, 2019

Colin talks with Rob Parker about his new baseball podcast, "Inside the Parker" on The Herd Podcast Network.  They talk about the problems with being too analytically heavy and how the shift has really hurt the sport.  Plus, in this exclusive podcast Rob explains who he thinks is the best team in baseball and his answer may surprise you. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise,

breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headlines. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Life is full of hurdles. So how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions, about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward. At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world. can do anything. I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of

IHeart Women's Sports. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on, a Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multi-million dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance? last. Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. They have a formula, but they don't spend a lot of money and they play a different brand of baseball. The only problem is fans don't like it. They don't show up. What team wins 93 games and can't

draw any fans. All right, welcome everybody to our Saturday morning podcast. That is my pleasure. He is now part of the Heard Podcast Network. He is launching a new baseball podcast this week called Inside the Parker. Rob Parker, his first guest is Daryl Strawberry. He's a Hall of Fame voter of all the personalities at Fox Sports, FS1. He is by far and away, the biggest baseball fan again, through the years covering multiple teams and a Hall of Fame baseball voter. So, Rob, let's start with this. Mega contracts.

Every sport has different deals. NFL guarantees a lot of sports. front. NBA has shorter, very lucrative deals. Baseball now has a 12-year Mike Trout, a 13-year Bryce Harper, a 10-year Mani Machado. Good or bad for baseball? It's good. It shows that the game is healthy. It's always been different, Colin, from this standpoint. That baseball, they hold on to your rights, and when you're really young and say you get off, you know, to a great start and put up some numbers, you kind of get paid for that because you can't go anywhere through your first six or seven years.

They have you. So it's a payment for a guy like Aaron Judge who's making $500,000 for the Yankees. And two years ago, his rookie year hit 50-10 home runs. He's grossly underpaid. But in time, he'll get that big contract and it'll make up for those years. So either baseball has to redo the CBA to allow guys, to get paid sooner and not have their rights, or they have to continue doing what they do, which is mostly you get paid for what you have accomplished, not so much of what you're

going to accomplish. It's interesting, though, the Angels are really a non-factor, whereas the Dodgers did not pay years ago, they had a chance to pay a pitcher. They let them go to Arizona. They wouldn't pay for Machado. They wouldn't pay for Bryce Harper. and yet the Dodgers continue to dominate their division. Couldn't I say analytically that the big superstar, Joey Votto, Mower with Minnesota,

that the big superstars overrated, the Dodgers in a big market won't pay for him. Yeah, I'm not always so sure. Sometimes I think the Dodgers, you know, and Friedman still thinks he's in Tampa Bay, and he's running that organization. The Dodgers have plenty of money. Money's not an issue. And you know what? Maybe that's the reason Colin every one of the world.

series since 1988. I think that if they would have spent the money, actually, with the team that they have and the team that they've won six NL West Division titles with, that if they weren't cheap and say if they would have gone out and traded for Verlander, who still had two years left on his contract at $29 million per year, that they would have won the World Series two years ago instead of the Astros. And then not only did Burlander do that, he wound up getting another. 60 million tacked on.

So sometimes I think you've got to be careful when you look at it and you're playing the dollars game and you're not really trying to win. I get it. I'm not saying be fiscally irresponsible and just throw on money at people. But when you're in position and you're ready to win, you should spend money. I'll tell you this. Look at the Mani Machado deal. Everybody thought Padres are crazy.

What are they doing? They're giving this guy $300 million. They don't have a good team. they're going to finish the last place. And I know it's early and it's only April, but they're still a game or so, you know, behind where the Dodgers are, not that far.

They're playing good ball. They're getting attendance. People are buying tickets. It's a business. Yeah. Rob Parker, inside the Parker on the Hurt Podcast Network, a full-fledged baseball podcast. Yankees are all beat up,

but they're still really good. They just have 10 key stars out on the DL. Red Sox were great. Last year, have struggled this year. Why? I'll say first, I think the Yankees are the best team at baseball, and it is incredible when you think where they are, Colin. They have actually 13 people on the injured list,

and they have a star team. The team that's on the injured list is better than the team that they're fielding, and yet they keep winning. So it's amazing where they are. The Red Sox, it's a mystery because that team is loaded. We saw them win all those games a year ago, win the World Series. You know, Chris Sale hasn't been the same. He's been getting beat around.

The pitching isn't the same. And they got off to a really bad start to start the season and really haven't been able to jump out of it. And I don't know if they will. Sometimes teams can happen where you're just not good from the start and it never gets there. and last year they were good from the start. They were great, and they never faltered. So it could be one of those things. I think there'll be a lot better than they have been,

but I don't know. I'm not sure if they'll win the division. I really believe when the Yankees get all their players back, they'll be the team to win to beat, I should say, in the ALE. Rob, you covered the Pistons, the Tigers. You grew up in New York. You covered major sports. Over the course of the last 20 years,

the social currency in baseball has dipped, and the NBA's social currency, talk shows, opinion shows, has flourished. Can I make the argument that baseball's not done a great job of marketing, promoting, and elevating their stars, or perhaps that because the season is so long, there's less of a sense of urgency for baseball, and we feel like there's always a game tomorrow. But over 20 years, there does feel like a true separation. NBA talking points and baseball talking points. I think that that's partially fair on both points.

The problem is the NBA has a thing that works for them really well, which is their stars, and there's only a handful of them, Colin, when you talk about the NBA. Even you're on your show. You don't talk about the entire NBA. Nope. You talk about the seven stars that everybody talks about. So I get it.

But the other part is these guys have massive sneaker. contract. We all wear sneakers. So they're getting the pub along from, you know, Jordan or Nike or Adidas, you know, Hardin has Adidas, and Steph Curry has underarm it, underarmor. So those things count two people look and they see them. They don't wear a hat. Their faces are very recognizable. You might not be able to name Stars 4 through 12 on an NBA roster, but you know the top three or four of those guys. And the other part in baseball is you just had an unbelievable era with Bonds and McGuire and Sosa and Jeter and A-Rod. And I can go on and on and on. I can name you probably 20 Hall of Famers who have all bowed out of baseball in the last four years. So there's a restocking

of it. You know, you're starting to get some people. Bryce Harper is a star. Aaron Judge is a star, but you just can't replenish the Hall of Famers who just bowed out of the game. And I think that's hurt. It's kind of cyclical, but I'll give you that. And basketball has done a better job with the social media aspects, the African-American players who are out there with the young kids, much more on the social media. I think that's a plus for the NBA.

You know, what I think. Rob, it's interesting. I remember when I worked at the other company, I was talking to an executive about this, and he said the NFL's always had an understanding. It's a television show. And the NBA very much knows it's a soap opera. Whereas in baseball, it's more connected to tradition.

They're not as willing to promote. There's a certain way to play a game. They don't want flashy players. Let me throw something else at you. I'm not a fan of the defensive shift because I believe I want Bryce Harper and Mani Machado and Aaron Judge and handsome guys and home run hitters. I want the camera on them. I want them to hit singles and doubles.

I don't like the idea that Bryce Harper strikes out or hits a home run, circles the bases, and goes right back to the dugout. I want my stars, Brady, LeBron. I want to see their face all the time on television. Every other sport limits where you can stand. Football, there's penalties and you're on the road. Hockey, the crease, you can't sit there. Basketball, you can't stand in the lane. What about this suggestion?

The defensive shifts are taking power hitters, the big stars in the sport beyond pitchers, and they're putting them in the dugout. They're keeping them off the bases, and I think it hurts the marketing of a sport in games. I think you're right on this one. I hate the defensive shifts because what you have done is taking away a lot of base hits and action. Yes, action.

You know, being on the base pass, and guys don't steal. And I don't understand the one negative I will say that I criticize baseball is why in the world are these teams following the Oakland A, you know, a lot of the analytics and what they've done, a lot of people of Billy Beans have adopted, and the only problem is that they never win. You know what?

They don't win. And here's a better one. They won 93 games made the playoffs and ranked 28th in attendance. So yes, they did they have a formula, but they don't spend a lot of money and they play a different brand of baseball? The only problem is fans don't like it. They don't show up.

What team wins 93 games and can't draw any. fans, the Oakland A's. So I don't understand why other teams are following their lead when they don't win anything. Yeah. As any coach or general manager will tell you, the foundation of any great team is great talent. So it's no surprise teams dedicate so much time and effort towards finding the right players. And the same rule applies when it comes to hiring. You need top talent. But you don't have endless resources to find it. Luckily, you do have zip recruiter. They scout talent for you. One click sent your job to over 100 of the web's leading job boards. The powerful matching technology scans thousands of resumes to find people with the right experience and then

invites them to apply to your job. ZipRecruiter is so effective that four out of five employers who post on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate through the site within the first day. And right now our listeners can try ZipRecruiter for free at this exclusive web address. ZipRecruiter.com slash Colin. That's C-O-L-I-N. ZipRecruiter.com slash Colin. ZipRecruiter is the smartest way to hire. Rob Parker, joining us now part of the HARD, a network. You know on my HARD Network.

I have Doug Gottlieb, the all-ball. John Middilcoff covers my draft NFL, former NFL, former NFL scout, and Rob Parker's a baseball Hall of Fame voter. And I thought, let's get Parker on this HARD podcast network. He also co-hosts a show with Chris Brousard, the odd couple on I-Heart Radio and Fox Sports Radio. I want to shift to a couple of things. in the media because you've been doing this. How long have you been in this business?

33 years. Wow. I've enjoyed every single moment, Kyle. I've really hit since 1986. Well, you were a writer, and then you moved into TV, and then you moved into radio. And I've said this. Newspapers died 20 years ago. Magazines 10, and websites are dying now. But TV and audio slash radio have never died. Audio is as popular as it's ever been. Podcasting is now exploding. When you were a newspaper guy, there was always a feeling 30 years ago that radio and TV were the enemy. They were just talking heads. Why were you willing to move into radio TV?

If you go back to when you first started, years and years before many people in your industry were willing to do it? You know what? It's funny you say that because I was criticized. Yes. Actually, when I was doing it and people thought I was like, you know, like, what are you doing? you should pay attention to your column. I'll give you this, Colin. I was the first on-air guy hired at WDFN in Detroit,

and we were the first All-Sport station. And I was the first newspaper columnist to have a full-time radio show. And the other columnist in town just thought I was crazy. Oh, I would never do that. How in the world, you know, why would you do that? You should just do your column and not worry about that. And what's funny is when I wound up leaving to go to New York for another job, they couldn't run in there fast enough to try to get the job, Colin.

But I was one of those guys who just thought that you should diversify, that you know what, if you could have your voice on radio, on TV, and in print it made you more powerful. So I was one of those guys who was open to it. And when I got on as a guest, I used to say stuff. So people always wanted me on, and I think that's where it was. And I love radio. I really do. Chris Bichard and I have a lot of fun on the radio show. And television is another great way to reach people. So I was always embracing all three. And it worked out for me and a lot of

other guys who didn't embrace it, you know, fell by the wayside. Yeah. No, this is the same reason. I did the same thing. I just thought, you know, the world's changing 30 years ago. Local sports was getting marginalized by ESPN. And I thought, I got to figure out a way to stay relevant. And so I started doing radio out of basically necessity. And then I wrote a book out of what I thought was necessity. And I always say I'm kind of running from the sheriff. I'm just trying to stay ahead of the posse here before I get... You have to. Yeah, I mean, before he gets swallowed up by the next platform. Rob Parker is joining us. Heard Podcast Network inside the Parker. You actually, it's fascinating when I first met you, I like business. You, for years and years,

do you still own the barbershop in Detroit? I do. 16 years and it's flourishing. It is the greatest investment column I ever made. It's called Sporty Cuts. It's on 7-mile road and outer drive in the city, in Detroit. And it's just great. You get a vibe from the people, the community. You know, this is where guys are letting you know.

I always felt like an extra like I had an advantage over the other columnist and people. Because I heard what Joe Regular was talking about. And I would come in on a Saturday. sit around and people would love to pick my brain and we would talk sports and debate. And it was great. It has been great. I'm hoping to open up one, the same sporty cuts in L.A. I've been looking around, Con, and try to get a barbershop here.

So I love the business. It's a great business. And it was the best thing I ever could have done. What was the hardest as a local writer? Because locally, when you're in Detroit, and my wife's from Michigan, so I've been all over Detroit and Michigan, the state, Birmingham, Farmington, got cousins there. In fact, they're in town this weekend.

Locally, you see people at the grocery store. You go to your own barbershop. It's different. I sit up here as a national guy, and I can talk about Cleveland. I never have to go to Cleveland. What was the toughest story you ever covered in Detroit, where you had to be critical of somebody and still go to the games and deal with the coach or the player?

Yeah, I mean, we don't have enough time on the podcast. Because, Colin, I was that guy who refused to be a homer. And I just, I've always felt like my job was the lookout for the fans of Detroit. And when I was a columnist there, I was a columnist at the Detroit News for nine years and a free press for two. But when I was there, the tigers were awful. You know, the lions were awful. The pistons were awful. So I was in a thing where I was writing all these bad things about everybody.

I mean, Randy Smith was the general manager of the Tigers, and I wrote a column where I called him Rancid Randy 13 times in the column because he was such a bad general manager. When the Lions went 0 and 16 with Rod Marinelli, you know, I used to rip Rod Marinelli all the time. When Matt Millen was the GM, Colin, I wrote a column saying that we had to put together a milling man march and march him out of town because he was the worst executive ever um so i was there i had players confront me tell me that they hated me because you know i was always

uh ripping i'm i'm coming out with a book in fact uh later this year called because this was my model when i worked in detroit if i'm writing colin i'm ripping and and it's a book of columns that i had to write you know while i was there So I never looked at it like that. I looked at it like, I'm going to tell the truth, no matter whether people like me or not. And to be surprised, people used to stop me in the supermarket. Some people would say, hey, lay off my tigers or lay off my lions. But a lot of people used to say, man, I appreciate your honesty.

You know, not a lot of these guys are willing to stand up to these guys and call it like you see it. And you really do. So I knew I'd struck a nerve and people appreciated it. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo.

Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark.

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Learn the Hardway. Open your free Our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back.

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You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On hurdle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness,

professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going. From the WNBA standout, Kate Martin, and rising hockey star, Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't feel like.

Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladecki. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything.

Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app. Podcasts for wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of I Heart Women's Sports. Rob Parker, Inside the Parker, on the Hurt Podcast Network. His first guest, by the way, is the enigmatic Daryl Strawberry, who is one of the great talents of all time. Daryl was from, I believe, Los Angeles when you used to have more urban baseball powers in America.

He was a, Daryl's one of those athletes, Dave Winfield reminds me of this, where I I almost thought he could have played basketball, football, baseball, and if you wanted to be a soccer goalie. Yeah. Give me your take on Daryl Strawberry. Daryl Strawberry was unbelievable. And I had the reason he was my first guest, Colin, is because the first pro athlete I ever interviewed was while I was in college was Daryl

Strawberry in 1983. I was 20, and he was 21, and he had just come up with the Mets. so it was kind of great. But Darrell was a talent. A time All-Star. He had a beautiful left-handed swing. He had some of the most monstrous home runs. He was a fan favorite because he was one of those guys.

He used to be able to steal faces and, you know, and leg out triples and make diving catches in right field and the whole nine yards. So those are the kind of players. I still believe people want to see. And, you know, his career. got derailed because of drugs and other situations. But I'll tell you, when he came to the Mets, him and Dwight Good and both of them, they turned that franchise that was a Sad Sack franchise into one of the teams that was talked about, even so that there were a few years there when they won the World Series in 86,

when the Mets got more press on the back pages of the tabloids in New York than the Yankees. That's how popular they were. Well, they also had just a cast of characters. They just had big, huge, huge... outspoken personalities and quirky baseball players. You know, one of the things about baseball that's kind of driven me crazy, I'm not a big fan of rigidity and rigid people. I can remember as a kid growing up, Mickey Rivers, I love, Mark Fidrich, I love,

Pete Rose, I loved, Al Roboski, I liked quirky players. Mani Ramirez, it does seem like over the last 10 to 15 years, the quirky player is marginalized. Yassio Pueg is shouted down. Why is that? Yeah, that's a good thing. And you know what? Aliboski, the mad Hungarian.

You'd probably be politically incorrect to call him the Madh Hungarian now, right? Right. But, yeah, I don't know what that's where they get that from. They didn't even like when King Griffey Jr. Wors' hatback was during batting practice and stuff. He didn't wear it during the game like that. And there were some people who thought he was disrespecting the game. Older people. I didn't get it.

I think all that stuff is fun. I love the bat flip. You know what? If you don't like it in your picture, I don't have a problem with a pitcher throwing at a guy as long as he's not trying to hurt him. But I don't think you should take that out the game. I think it's exciting. You remember the one Jose Batista hitting the playoffs at home?

It was awesome, right? And we just saw Bryce Harper and his return to Philly hit a monster home run with a bat flip. Now, nobody threw at him. But, you know, some pitchers don't say that they don't like to do it. Some do. I love all that stuff. Any kind of thing. It's a game.

It's a show. You know, it's entertainment. Do not make it like it's some sort of math of homework or whatnot. It's fun. It should be fun. Finally, who was your favorite Detroit athlete you ever covered? Joe Dumas. I knew you were going to say that.

Joe Dumars, and I'll tell you this, we're still very close. Joe Dumas came to my wedding, in fact. I wasn't working there at the time. We had become very close. And Colin, this is when athletes were different. And Joe and I had a friendship that had nothing to do with me being a newspaper commerce, him being a player and then the general manager. I'm telling you, I could have been a garbage man.

He could have been a bus driver, and we would have had the same connection. You know how you just connect with people? Yeah. And we used to talk on the phone. This is no lie. When he was a player from his hotel room, there were no cell phones. pre-cell phone. He would call me from the hotel. We would have an hour, 35-minute conversation, and never talk about the game that night. I would never ask him, did they win or how many points

he scored? It would just be a conversation about life. And so I'd have to say Joe Dumas. I would ask you your least favorite, but that was such a nice story. Let's end it there. Sure. My least favorite was Rod Beriddele. I'm going to tell you that. Inside the Parker, her podcast network, my friend on couple, Chris Broussard and Rob Parker. Good talking to you. Thanks for joining our network.

Always. Thank you so much, Colin. It's going to be a lot of fun, fun and informative every week. Thanks, man. Appreciate it. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you, exactly what happened.

That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear.

Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman

help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcast. Podcasts. Wife is full of hurdles. So how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward.

At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHart Women's Sports. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on. A Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman.

Multi-million dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast, guaranteed human.