The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Inside the Parker - Mookie Betts Blockbuster; Hands Off Playoffs; No HOF for Pete Rose; Guests: Rod Allen, Jerry Hairston, Jr.

Episode Date: February 12, 2020

This week on Inside the (Rob) Parker, Rob discusses the Dodgers blockbuster trade for Mookie Betts and David Price from the Red Sox, why MLB should leave the playoffs alone, and why Pete Rose still shouldn't get in the Hall of Fame.Guests: Rod Allen - Former MLB player and current analyst talks proposals to change the postseason, the Astros cheating scandal, the Mookie Betts blockbuster trade, and his World Series favorite heading into spring training. Jerry Hairston, Jr. - Former MLB'er and current Dodgers Analyst discusses the Mookie Betts trade and expectation for the Dodgers. 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 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 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 Smigel 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. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her.

What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was harmed. You just understood.

That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis come in to her, he's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Funderstruck, adjective.

Shocked and amazed by the power of fun on Carnival. Riding Bolt, the world's first roller coaster at sea. Brian got thunderstruck so hard, his 93-year-old grandmother felt it 3,000 miles away in Nebraska, and immediately booked a cruise. Hooray! Get funder struck starting at 289. Carnival. Choose fun.

Cruise is earned U.S. dollars per person double occupancy, taxes fees, import expenses, additional restrictions, apply, full details on carnival.com, ships, Redstreet, Bahamas, Panama. From the Berkshires to the sound. From wherever you live in MLB, America, this is inside the parker. You give us 22 minutes,

and we'll give you the scoop on Major League Baseball. Now here's Baseball Hall of Bain voter number 103. Rob Parker. Welcome back to the podcast, Inside the Parker. It's Rob Parker with a very special edition. We'll continue to do monthly podcast until the start of the regular season at the end of March. And then we'll be back in full swing with our weekly Inside the Parker podcast. I'm your host, Rob Parker.

Coming up on the program, we're going to talk with Rod Allen, the former Major Leaguer, and of course, analysts on my radio show, the odd couple on Fox Sports Radio, and Jerry Hirsten Jr., another former Major League player, world champion, and the Dodger analyst for Spectrum Sports Net, L.A. That and much more coming up on a podcast, but first, let's get you to Getting Rob. To lead off, it's Getting Rob. Rob's hot take on the three biggest stories in Major League Baseball. Number one.

Mookie Betts and David Price coming to the Los Angeles Dodgers. And I don't know if anybody thinks this isn't a great trade. It absolutely is for the Dodgers. They get a big-time right-handed hitter, a guy at the top of their lineup, one of the top five probably baseball players. the game today in Mooky Betts. He will make that already dangerous and potent lineup even better. There's a big press conference at Dodgers Stadium later on today to introduce these two guys.

And David Price, David Price, they got on for 50 cents on the dollar. The Red Sox will be paying half of his contract, but you take it. A healthy David Price, maybe he can help you, maybe as a third starter with the pressure off. This will work out and he can have a bounce back season. So these two guys are going to help the Dodgers. I've been critical of the Dodgers for always playing like the Tampa Bay raise and they're cheap and they don't want to spend money. But I don't believe that you would go out and make a trade for a guy like Mookie Betts who could be a free agent after this season and has already asked the Red Sox previously for $400 million. He was,

He wants a big payday. He wants a long-term contract. And with the Dodgers making this move, it feels like they're finally going to go. I wanted them to get Bryce Harper. I wanted them to sign Manny Machado. I wanted them to go out and do it big. The Dodgers deserve better. This is a franchise that hasn't won a World Series since 1988.

And I think they're really serious about it. They understand their window won't be open forever. They do have a lot of good young players, but you've got to get guys who are more than potential and can produce in the big moments. And Mukie Betts has already done that. We know that he's been an MVP and he's won a World Series with the Red Sox. So this is all good. The Los Angeles Dodgers are serious about winning.

And that's good news for long-suffering Dodger fans. Number two. There has been shockwaves all over Major League Baseball about the story that Joel Sherman from the New York Post broke that Major League Baseball is entertaining the idea of changing some of the postseason, adding two teams from each league into the playoff mix. So instead of having 10 teams, it would be 14 teams. Also, the teams with the number one seeds would have buys. And also, the other teams would be able to pick who their opponents would be. So these are some of the changes that are being tossed around.

Nothing official for Major League Baseball. Some players have pushed back. Trevor Bauer, not happy, calling out Commissioner Rob Manfred about the potential of these changes that would take place in 2022 if they did. And all I'm going to do is, like, pump the brakes. You know I'm a traditionalist. You know I love baseball. I wasn't even in for the wild card.

That has turned out to be fine. so I'm willing to bend and look at different things. As Major League Baseball is trying to get more people involved, included some young people, I get it. I'm not saying the game should never change. I'm just, of all the things that people talk about in baseball these days, the one thing I never heard complaints about was the postseason. The postseason is baseball's glorious time.

Last year was amazing when the Washington, Washington Nationals won the World Series, and we had some great playoff series. And normally the playoffs are not the issue. It's about length of games. It's about the style of play, home runs and strikeouts only. It's stuff like that that you hear more fans complain about than the postseason. So I'm just very leery of changing things. And here's my biggest takeaway and my biggest fear when you talk about adding more teams to the playoff.

mix. I don't want Major League Baseball to turn into the NBA or the National Hockey League where more than half the league makes the playoffs. In the NBA, there are 30 teams and 16 teams make the playoffs. It negates the regular season. It makes people not want to pay attention and they just say, well, I'll wait for the playoffs because most of the good teams, you know are going to make the playoffs. It's, not about them making it. And to me, you want to make the regular season be worth more and make people have to fight. I love the way it is. I love that only 10 baseball teams out of 30 make it. That means two-thirds will not make the playoffs. That's the way it should be. Doesn't mean that

they're not in the wild card, but this is the slippery slope that I just do not like. Major League Baseball postseason is one of the best in all of pro sports. Don't. Don't mess it up. Don't fix something that's not broke. Look at some of the other things in baseball that can be handled. Please leave my postseason alone. Number three. Pete Rose, please.

Sit down. Be quiet. What are you talking about? Oh, oh my, I just cannot get over this whole idea that Pete Rose is trying to seize an opportunity to get sympathy about his place. and what he did with gambling with baseball and of course wants to put it up against other people and their sins against baseball, that what he did was not nearly as bad as people who use PEDs or as bad as what the Astros did with signs stealing.

Can I tell you something, Pete? It's all bad. And let's be honest, had you been honest when it first happened, you would be in the Hall of Fame by now. But you took the bad road. You decided to lie for 14 years about your involvement in it. And then when baseball softened, you remember when they invited you to the All-Star game in Cincinnati and allowed you to participate even though you were a band player? Do you remember that?

They were softening. And what did you do? You ruined that moment by coming out with a book. And after 14 years of lying and telling people you didn't bet on baseball, you did it in the book so that you can make money. That's why you're still banned. That's why you're not on the ballot. And the other thing, too, is your argument and the people who are making in our case for you,

they've got one big problem. The guys you're talking about, Bonds and Clements, they're not in the Hall of Fame. And the Astros and Altuvae, we don't know how that's going to affect them. You know what I mean when their time comes? So you're using it as if they've let those guys in and you're still out. No, they're not in. And that's the point. So people can have sympathy for you.

I understand you were a great baseball player. Anybody who's ever been in the major league clubhouse knows that the biggest sign in the room. Last night, a blown call changed the game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending. Opinions are flying. 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. Sports Slice 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. Trip Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch.

Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth. Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person.

Join me, Keer Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the hard way and listen now. What's up guys? This is Clever Taylor the 4th.

And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff, like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker walks up to me, he goes, Hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Quarterback on office blue 42.

Hey, ref, my mama wants you to wave at her. What? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam, Ms. Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about Defendant. the odds.

Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series

because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball.

Like, you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah. You figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. tells you about the dangers and the penalties of gambling on the game, messing with the integrity of the game. Stop making excuses for Pete Rose. What he did was potentially damage the game with the integrity question.

That's why you can't poo-poo it or act like it's not a big deal. It is a big deal. And unfortunately, Pete, because of it, you're not in the Hall of Fame, and I don't think you'll ever get in. Becoming a magician takes thousands of hours, right, Ashley? Oh, I'm not a magician. I'm a design specialist at the container store. But you transform closets and pantries. Well, I turn your most frustrating spaces into ones you love.

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today. Look through your children's eyes to see the true magic of a forest. It's a storybook world for them. You look and see a tree. They see the wrinkled face of a wizard with arms outstretched to the sky. They see treasure and pebbles. They see a windy path that could lead to adventure. And they see you. Their fearless guide through this fascinating world. Find a forest near you and start exploring at Discovertheforest.org. Brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the ad council. And we're live here outside the Perez family home just waiting for the, and there they go. Almost on time this morning. Mom is coming out the front door strong with a double arm kid carry. Looks like dad has the bags. Daughter is bringing up the rear. Oh, but the diaper bag

wasn't closed. Dipers and toys are everywhere. Ooh, but mom has just nailed the perfect car seat buckle for the toddler. And now the eldest daughter who looks to be about nine or two, has secured herself in the booster seat. Dad zips the bag closed, and they're off. Ah, but looks like mom doesn't realize her coffee cup is still on the roof of the car, and there it goes! Oh, that's a shame. That mug was a fam favorite.

Don't sweat the small stuff. Just nail the big stuff. Like making sure your kids are buckled correctly in the right seat for their age and size. Learn more at nhtsa.gov slash the right seat. Visit nhtsa.gov slash the right seat. Brought to you by Nidza and the Ad Council. Here comes the big interview. Listen and learn.

Oh, it's so good. All right, let's welcome into the podcast, Rod Allen. Of course, former Major League player and a baseball analyst on my radio show, The Odd Couple on Fox Sports Radio. What's happening, Rod? I'm good. What's up, Rob? How are you doing?

Man, so much to do. Spring trainings around the corner. Pitchers and catchers ready to head to Florida. in Arizona, but let's talk about this story that came out that a potentially major league baseball is thinking of making some changes to the postseason, adding a few teams in each league, so you would have 14 teams making the playoffs instead of 10, a buy for the first team with the best record in each league, and then teams get to pick their opponents. What do you make of all this, and do you like all this stuff with changing the postseason?

You know, I really haven't had a chance to digest it 100%. But, you know, there are a lot of it that I do like. I mean, I like the fact that you'll have a couple of more postseason teams. I kind of like the fact that, you know, a lot of those games that you play during the day where really no one's watching, a lot of those games will be a elimination game. So there will be a lot of more interest as far as television is concerned. I think it's not for us, Rob. Anyway, we watch baseball no matter what, no matter where, no matter what planet.

but I think it's all about this next generation just trying to keep these kids involved and trying to get them involved and trying to give them a reason to watch. But, you know, I kind of like it. I kind of like a lot of aspects to it. I haven't been able to digest it totally, but there's a lot of it I do like.

The only thing, Rod, and I'll push back here, is I don't want Major League Baseball to be like the NBA and NHL where more than half the league makes the playoffs. Because that's why the NBA has a problem with its regular season, where people just kind of go, ho-hom, I'll wait until the playoffs, because most teams are going to make the playoffs.

Is that a concern that too many teams are making it in? Well, it'll be 47% of the teams that do get in, so that'll be quite a few teams, 14 of the 30s. So it doesn't concern me because I think back to when they implemented interleague play and when they implemented the second wild card and the first wild card, you know, I had apprehension at that time too, but it's been a true home run for so many cities and so many different fan bases to have, you know, your team's still in the hunt in July and August and September,

and you're playing some meaningful games. It's good for baseball. There's no doubt. It's good for fans. So for me, I think it's good in so many ways. I think they're probably going to tinker some things as they get closer to 2022. But I think the general idea has got a lot of people talking about it. There's no doubt about that.

How about what's bad for baseball has been this cheating scandal? With the Astros, the commissioner came down hard. Some people wanted them to take their championship away from 2017 and, you know, the sign stealing. What did you make of this rod? Everybody wants a little bit of an advantage. If you can peep and see the catcher and he's not covering up his signals, I think that's a part of the game.

But when you bring technology in and banging garbage cans and all the other stuff that went on, where are you on that? and what the Astros did? Well, that's bad for the game. There's no debate about that. I mean, 100% wrong for the game. And I think most of those players, when they do have an opportunity to speak about it,

they will tell us that, just as AJ Hintz told us that the other day. You know, me, myself, as a broadcaster for 21 years, I'd always be looking at the coaches, you know, down in the dugout. When we had them on the monitor, I'd be looking at the signs of the catcher. I'd be trying to figure that stuff out myself from a broadcast booth standpoint. So I can only imagine what the players are trying to figure. out, especially real time, getting an opportunity to get there and tell them exactly what pitches were coming.

Commissioner did the best that he could, I think. I think Boston that decision is going to come down. Rob, it's not good for baseball. There's no doubt about that. I don't think we're done with it. I don't think we're done hearing about it. But I do believe that Jim Crane hired the best man he could have hired for that job in Houston and being Dusty Baker, one that could, you know, get those kids to tell the truth, you know,

get everybody to kind of, you know, ask their questions and do whatever they want to do because he won't make sure they're accountable. So I think it's going to be some good in the end out of this. Speaking of the Red Sox, they haven't gotten their penalty yet, and that's coming down. But Alex Cora, who was fired as the Red Sox manager and who was involved in Houston and apparently in Boston and we're still waiting for the details.

But, Rod, if it is found out that he both did it in Houston and took it along with him to Boston, Can Alex Corr work back in baseball, or would he be finished because he was linked twice? You know, people make mistakes, I guess. But if he's linked twice, is that hard for somebody to look at him and entrust him with a baseball team again? I think he's so well respected. I think he'll have a place in the game somewhere. I don't know if he'll be a major league manager, but he is well respected in Puerto Rico.

He is well respected in the Latin community. I don't know if it would be an infield instructor. maybe a hitting coach, maybe not a manager, but I do think that he could possibly end up in this game again. But, you know, it just opens up another whole can of worms because some of those players are on that championship team. I mean, they're going to be asking questions about those players and their numbers and their stats.

So, you know, I just think that, you know, we just need to get it all behind us. And I do believe that most of those gentlemen that were guilty of whatever happened, whatever they did, I think if they come forward and say exactly what it is, I think baseball is a forgiving sport, I think it will forgive them and allow them to do something in the game. I think AJ Hintz will man.

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. Sports Slice 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 Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12

and 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. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it, and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch.

Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast,

learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, guys? this is Clever Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, the Cliverts show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff.

Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, ref, my mama want you to wave at her.

What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Cliverts show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast, Point Game is about defining the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what.

He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows. Without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the game. playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by,

like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash will get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers, why he got the ball. Like, you go through a training camp with that Isaiah, you figure, it out real quick. Oh, yeah. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

And it again, as a matter of fact. Our guest is Rod Allen here on the Inside the Parker podcast, of course, the former major leaguer and analysts for my radio show, the odd couple on Fox Sports Radio. Rod, what about Mookie Betts heading west to Los Angeles along with David Price? You like that deal? Oh, I love the deal. I mean, how could you not? I mean, now you have two of the top five players in all the baseball from an offensive standpoint, playing in Southern California, in Hollywood.

That would be Bellinger and Betts. You got Trout playing down the streets. You got Aeronado down the street. I think what it's going to do for baseball is going to allow a lot of those folks on the East Coast to stay up and watch the West Coast baseball for change because they're going to want to see those players because that's just how dynamic they are. The Dodgers were already a good team. Now they're a really good team, not to guarantee they're going to win the world championship. but Betts is a fun player to watch. There's no doubt about that.

All-Star Gold Glove, and he's going to make that lineup that much better. And David Price, if they use him correctly and don't overuse him, you saw what he could do in the postseason. If they keep him fresh, he might show up like that in the postseason for the Dodgers, and they desperately need a world championship. The one question I asked, though, do they still have enough to get Linddorpe? They really wanted him? Yeah, that's a good question.

I'm not so sure, but I think the Dodgers, if they really wanted somebody, can do it. I was thinking about that today. I mean, that was the talk all offseason. Imagine that they added him as well. Yeah. All right, last thing, World Series favorite. Is it the Yankees with the addition of Garrett Cole at the top of their rotation and you know what lineup they have and what they were able to do

and they knock everybody down in the rotation? Or is it the Dodgers with their offense and Mookie Betts and David Price? Who do you like if it came down to a World Series between these? two teams. Wow. I was not prepared to answer that question today, but since you ask the question, I'm going to go Yankees. I mean, with Severino coming back and Gary Cole and that bullpen, that's just unbelievable, that offense that is stellar. If Staten comes back and does what he does with those babies up the middle, I, you know, I like New York. I do. It's hard. to me. I do. I do. I like New York.

I'm with you on that, Rod. All right, man. Appreciate you. We'll be talking to you throughout the upcoming baseball season. Can't wait. Thanks so much for joining the podcast. All right. My pleasure. Have a great day. Thunderstruck adjective. Shocked and amazed by the power of fun on carnival. Riding Bolt, the world's first roller coaster at sea. Brian got thunderstruck so hard. His 93-year-old grandmother felt it 3,000 miles away in Nebraska

and immediately booked a cruise. Array! Get thunderstruck starting at 289. Carnival, choose fun. Cruise is earned U.S. dollars per person double occupancy. Taxes fees, import expenses, additional restrictions, apply. Full details on carthel.com, ships, registry, Bahamas, Panama. What grows in the forest?

Trees? Sure. Know what else grows in the forest? Our imagination, our sense of wonder, and our family bonds grow, too. Because when we disconnect from this and connect with this, We reconnect with each other. The forest is closer than you think. Find a forest near you and start exploring at Discovertheforest.org. Brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the Ad Council.

What grows in the forest? Trees? Sure. Know what else grows in the forest? Our imagination. Our sense of wonder. And our family bonds grow too. Because when we disconnect from this and connect with this, We reconnect with each other.

The forest is closer than you think. Find a forest near you and start exploring at Discovertheforest.org. Brought to you by the United States Forest Service and the Ad Council. When Rob was a newspaper columnist, he lived by this motto. If I'm writing, I'm ripping. Let's bring in a writer or broadcaster, old or new. All right, let's welcome into the podcast. Jerry Harrison Jr., of course, former Major League player

or world champion with the Yankees, and of course the Dodgers analyst for Spectrum Sportsnet, L.A. Jerry, welcome to the podcast. How you doing? Good to have you. I'm doing it very well, very well. Yes. On Wednesday afternoon, 4 o'clock, Eastern time, the big press conference at Dodgers Stadium, yes.

Mookie Betts and David Price coming to Los Angeles. I know you've got to like this trade and your thoughts. I'm extremely excited. You know, the Dodgers, the last a few years have put themselves in position to possibly win a World Series. It hasn't happened, but I really believe adding a guy like Mookie Beck's, in my opinion, top five baseball player in all of major leagues, excellent top of the order hitter. You know, I think this is, he's kind of like this generation's Ricky Henderson. Excellent speed. I'm not going to steal 130 bases because nobody does that anymore.

Really, nobody did that when Ricky played. But he gives you speed at the top, power, a great outfielder in right field, and you put him in the lineup with Max Muncie, Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner, and so on and so forth. This is arguably the best lineup in all baseball. Then add to this Dodger rotation a healthy David Price, who brings in championship-type pedigree, and I really believe he's going to be pitching with a chip on his shoulder, having something to prove this season. So I'm excited for the Dodgers and the city of L.A.

Jerry, the Dodgers needed a good right-handed bat. That lineup is loaded with lefties. Betts is going to help that, isn't he? Absolutely. You know, anytime you get a chance to have one of the best players in all of baseball on your lineup, excuse me, in your lineup, it's going to help. But you're always looking for balance. And, you know, like you mentioned, the Dodgers were heavy left-handed

the last few years with, you know, Jack Peterson, Corey Seeger, Cody Bellinger, Max Muncie. There's nothing wrong with having left-handed power, but you want to kind of offset that a little bit, especially with the emergence of Gavin Lux, the new Stutt-Second Baseball the Dodgers have.

He's a left-hand batter. So you want to make sure you're balanced when you're facing righties and lefties throughout the season and the playoffs. So why not get arguably the best right-handed hitting outfielder outside of Mug-Trout in baseball and that's Mookie Betts? And, Jerry, you don't look at this as some sort of rental.

You don't make a trade for a guy, a player like Mookie Betts, and not be willing to sign this guy who can be a free agent after next year. You fully expect the Dodgers to ante up and pay this guy to be a Dodger for a long time, don't you? Absolutely. I liken this to like an Anthony Davis. You know, you trade for Anthony Davis, get him in the fold, let him see L.A., let him be at Laker and see how great it is to be living in L.A., very similar with Mookiee Betz. You get him over here, let him play in this ballpark, be a Dodger every day,

get accustomed to, you know, the lifestyle in L.A., which really is second to none. Being in the bright lights of Hollywood, I think he's going to love it here and want to sign back. And certainly the Dodgers have the resources to sign a guy like Mookie Betts. So hopefully he's comfortable here, which I think he will be and will love to play here because everybody that's played here, including myself, has loved to put on a putting on that Dodger Blue. Our guest on Inside the Parker podcast is, of course, Jerry Hirston, Jr. Former Major League player and an analyst for the Dodgers in their TV broadcast.

The other part is Mookie Betts and Price come from Boston, and they're under a cloud of suspicion. They're under investigation for what went down with their ex-manager now, Alex Cora. And the Dodgers got a brunt of it. They lost in the World Series in 2018 to the Red Sox. Where do you make of that where Mookie Betts and David Price could possibly be implicated and, you know, talked about that they took part in what could wind up being yet another cheating scandal in baseball? Well, you know, what I've heard it, you know, before the commissioner ruled on the Astros,

we had heard rumblings for a couple weeks what was coming down the road, and we knew it was pretty, pretty bad. We know that the commissioner is going to rule on the Red Sox pretty quickly. That's what we're hearing. and we've also heard it's not nearly as bad as the Astros. So I'm kind of banking on that. Anytime you play a team in the World Series in the Super Bowl or the NBA Finals, you want to make sure both sides are on the up and up.

And I'm hoping that was the case with the Red Sox. I'm hoping Alex Cora didn't implement everything that he had with Houston in Boston. But that's just to be seen. But, you know, now that the guys like Buki Bess, and David Price are on the fold. You've got to wait and see. I'm hoping they weren't a part of it. Obviously, David Price being a pitcher,

certainly wasn't a part of it, because it was on the offensive side of the ball, but I'm hoping Mookie wasn't part of that as well. So that's up to be seen. I'm hoping for the good and not the bad. Jerry, last thing, there was a story that broke that Major League Baseball is going to look at the possibility

of doing some changes with the playoffs. And I understand baseball is trying to evolve and do some stuff and get some other people involved and younger viewers. I get all that. But I just wonder about tinkering with the playoffs. I never hear anybody complain about the baseball playoffs. I love the way they are.

I don't want Major League Baseball to wind up like the NBA or the NHL where more than half the league makes the playoffs and you make the regular season almost irrelevant. Where are you on the idea of upping the number of, teams to 14, given the number one seeds buys, having them pick their opponents. There's a lot of moving parts here. Where are you? It's funny how you brought this up because we had talked about the MLB playoffs formats.

I live in Scottsdale, Arizona, too, and I work out with a lot of athletes here in Scottsdale, both whether it's football, former football players or basketball players. And we talk about the baseball playoff format, how it's almost perfect. You have that one wild card game. and then you have the five-game series in the NLDS, ALDS, and then obviously you have the LCS, ALCS, and the World Series. It's almost that perfect format. Right. And how great Major League Baseball is done of kind of not watering down the playoffs, but having enough teams have a chance at the World Series.

Now we're talking about expanding the way the NBA does it, the way the NHL does it. I don't see this gaining any traction. You got to remember, Rob. You know, MLB can go out there and have certain proposals, but they have to run it through MLB Players' Union. The players have to agree on this, and just judging and hearing the players on social media and talking to a couple of them right now, personally, they don't like this format. And I don't think this would get much traction. So it's always good to revisit certain things, but leaving the playoff format as is is nearly perfect. Nothing's going to be perfect.

I understand that. But leave it as it is now because it's been exciting, especially the last seven, eight years. No doubt about it. All right, Jerry. Always a pleasure, man. We'll be talking to you. Spring training, pitchers and catchers, man. You can feel it in the air.

Can't wait. I can't wait. I can't wait for another season. Dowdure baseball. All right, man. Appreciate you. Thanks so much. Anytime.

In the words of New York TV legend, the late Bill Jorgensen, thanking you for your time this time until next. time. Rob Parker out. He can't get it. This could be an inside of Parker. See you next week. Same bad time. Same bad station. Get right to the romance and find the way to wow this valentines with 1-800flowers.com.

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