The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Inside the Parker - Pitchers Cheating Scandal; Ohtani Moonshot; Cedric Mullins O's Surprise -- Guest: CJ Nitkowski on Pitch Doctoring

Episode Date: June 10, 2021

This week on Inside the (Rob) Parker, Rob looks at the developing scandal of pitchers doctoring the ball with illegal substances, why Shohei Ohtani's 470-foot blast is the latest must see moment in a year full of them for the 2-way savant, and why O's centerfielder Cedric Mullins is Baltimore's only bright spot. Also, Pocket Protector Stat of the Week, Foul or Fair.Guests: Rangers Analyst and former MLB Pitcher CJ Nitkowski discusses the pitcher cheating scandal and his experiences using substances on the ball. MLB Writer Craig Calcaterra breaks down the AL and NL division races and biggest surprises as the All-Star break approaches.Click here to subscribe and download all of the latest Inside the Parker podcasts and follow Rob on Twitter!! 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. 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. 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 crying.

You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Mark keep coming to him. He's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. Listen to a point game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Therapy is fantastic, but once again, it does not have a monopoly on healing. That's why I create the resources and that's why I create the community because I really just want you to have more access. On the podcast, Cultivating Her Space, Dr. Dom and Terry Lomax create a space where black women can show up fully and be heard. It's tough because we're suppressing our emotions and so many of us are like high achieving individuals.

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To order today, visit 1800flowers.com slash tune in. That's 1,800flowers.com slash tune in. 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 Fame voter number 83. Rob Parker. All right, welcome into the podcast.

I'm your host, Rob Parker. What a show we have on tap for you today. First, we're going to talk with us, C.J. Nikowski, the former Major League pitcher, about all the goings on with the strange stuff and substances with pitchers. We're also going to catch up with Craig Calcutera, who has a daily newsletter called Cup of Coffee,

He'll give us some baseball insights. That and much more. Let's go. To lead off, it's getting robbed. And keep him up. Rob's hot take on the three biggest stories in Major League Baseball. Number one. Here we go again.

Yes, baseball has an issue with players cheating, doing things they're not supposed to. And yesterday we saw Garrett Cole front and center looking like he saw a ghost when he was asked a question of whether or not he put foreign substance on the ball and he said he didn't know how to answer the question. It's either yes or no or no comment or, you know, saying he didn't know how to answer it was very, very well. I felt bad for the guy like he didn't know what was coming.

And, you know, baseball has another issue that has to deal with and something has to be done because we're seeing the, He's no hitters all across the board, a record number. We're seeing ERAs all-time low. We're potentially going to have the lowest batting average in the history of baseball. Something is off-kilter and not right. And maybe it was hitters before had an advantage, and now pitchers have a big advantage.

And it's just not good for the game. We need to get it right to put people on a fair level playing field so that hitters can be hitters, Pitchers can be pitchers and neither side dominates too much. But definitely, baseball needs to jump in and get something straightened out. Number two. Tuesday night, Shohei Otani was on display in Anaheim. That's right.

Better known to me as Shohei Me the Money Otani, the two-way phenom hit a projected 470 foot home run to right center field. He jumped all over a two and two change up and blasted it. It was incredible. It was surpassed his previous record of 451 feet. And I don't even know what to say. What kind of season this guy's had. And what an impact he's had on baseball.

And he is something to watch. He's must-see TV. I live in Los Angeles whenever they're playing. I'm always trying to catch his at-bats and put on the TV because it's worth it. I want to see his at-bats. If he's going to pitch, I want to watch him pitch. It's incredible. This is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of guy.

We didn't get to see Babe Ruth, but this is as close as we'll probably ever see it. And I don't know. Well, let's spur on other guys to play two ways. But I'm watching this guy all the time. Number three. We know the Baltimore Orioles aren't having a great year. They're in last place in the ALEs, but their center fielder,

Cedric Mullins, is having a great year. The center fielder coming into Wednesdays batting 325 with nine home runs, 19 RBIs, nine stolen bases, and an OPS of 935. And last week, he was named MLB Bro, Homeboy highlights winner when he batted 535. He's swinging a great bat, playing a great center field.

And it'll be interesting to see if he makes the All-Star team and whether or not fans look at him and maybe even consider him as a starter in center field for the American League. I know Byron Buxton is coming back from injury from the twins. He should be the starting center fielder, but he's missed time. but let's tip our caps to Cedric Mullins and the hot bat he's swinging in Baltimore. Here comes the big interview. Listen and learn. Oh, it's so good.

All right, now let's welcome into the podcast, former left-handed pitcher, C.J. Nekowski, who is currently a color analyst for the Texas Rangers on Bally Sports Southwest. And a friend of mine who I covered in Detroit, C.J., welcome to the podcast. What's happening? Not too much, Rob. Good to catch up with you. No doubt about it. Hey, you're the perfect guy to talk about this, you know, pitching and what's going on in baseball.

We know we're at a record rate of more strikeouts than hits. I mean, it's just an incredible phenomenon what's happening this year. We've seen all these no-hitters. CJ, you know, Jacob de Grom has like a ridiculous IRA that we haven't seen since Bob Gibson. and they had to lower the mound, you know, after Bob Gibson. So where are you on this and the whole spinning the ball or putting foreign substance on the ball? And then we had Gary Cole yesterday,

who basically was asked about putting foreign substance on the ball and said he didn't know how to answer the question. Help me out. What kind of answer was that? That was amazing, really. And I watched that and my heart sang from a little bit. Right, because here's the thing. There are things that have been accepted within the game,

even though they're against the rules. No choice about it. That's not a surprise. But to get flat out asked that question the way that Ken Davidoff did in that Zoom and to see his reaction, I mean, there was a lot of silence, there was a lot of pauses in between words. And, you know, he said, without saying it with his words, I think we all kind of knew exactly what the answer was to that question.

And I'm not a big fan of yes or no questions. I always want to give a guy an opportunity to talk through it a little bit more. But there had to be a yes or no in there somewhere, and there wasn't. And so we were left to draw our own conclusions, and I think we all probably drew the same conclusion. Going back to what you were talking about in 1968 and Bob Gibson, and thinking about how ridiculous pictures were so much so that they had to lower the mound, the strikeout rate back then was about 15%.

You know, basically played appearances that ended in the strikeout were 15%. That number is now 25%. Wow. It was 10% worse from the strikeout standpoint when we lowered the mound in 19%. You get to get to have an idea of just what a difference it really is when it comes to putting the ball in play. And Major League Baseball has shown us in the past they're not afraid to make some changes to the rules to try to even things out. And how common of a practice is this? I mean, without giving up secrets or naming names, I mean, is this going on throughout Major League Baseball?

And is this the norm rather than, you know, the anomaly? Yeah, listen, it always has. It's very difficult to put a number. and I'm always careful to do that. He tried to do with the PED era, and I was even surprised, quite honestly. Like, I had an idea maybe what we were, and then if things started kind of falling apart, I was like, oh, wow, it's probably more than I realized even when I was playing. So I can tell you that, you know, I threw my last pitch in January of 2012 down in the Dominican Republic,

and we were certainly still using the den. I do fine-tarred different parts of my career struggling, you know, maybe with Crip or just wanted to get my curbst in a little bit more maybe, though, she's struggling on the mound. So I'd go through phases. I wouldn't call it in every day all the time thing. And I'd say that's probably the case for a lot of guys. And weather does play a role. I would talk about trying to pitch in Chicago and April was tough.

It was really tough. You know, to be able to get a grip on the baseball was a real challenging nose spot. And so definitely, you know, I would look for something to help you whether it was firm grip, whether it was some point in time, maybe with some other concoction. I mean, you know, players are trying anything to keep the dream alive and to continue to stay in the game. So it's difficult to put a number, but I will certainly say, and feel comfortable saying more common than uncommon.

We're speaking with former Major League left-handed pitcher, C.J. Nekowski, who broke in with the Cincinnati Reds in 1995, played for the Tigers, the Astros, the Mets, the Rangers. I'm running out of breath here, C.J., the Braves, the Yankees. My family doesn't even know what team. I mean, you start going overseas to every country. Des. It's a challenge.

It's real. No doubt. And last in the big leagues in 2005 with the Washington Nationals. Here's my other thing in the major leagues with pitchers and putting stuff on the ball or whatnot. We have a couple legendary pitchers. Gay Lord Perry's in the Hall of Fame. And that was his whole M.O. You know, whether he was doing it or faking batters out.

Phil Necro is another guy. If you remember, I think it was Phil, who had an memory board. He flipped out of his pocket right on the mound in front of everybody. I mean, this has been attached to baseball for a while. can baseball honestly clean this up? Can this be cleaned up? I think they can. And we almost laugh about those old days

because it's a little bit of a difference, scuffing the baseball compared to using maybe a foreign substance. And I say different just in the practice, you're still going to get a similar result. But you don't get a guy that we try to scuff one once in a while. You wouldn't do it all the time.

If you were worried about getting caught, but I do think with a sticky substance, you pretty much, once you have it on your hand, you have it on your hand. And not that one is better than the other, but they are a little bit different. and perhaps we should have been a little bit more harsh about it over the years because the rule has always been in place that you could do it.

But the idea of reversing this thing is going to be a challenge for baseball. They're now pulling out all the stops, and I think part of it going back to what we were just talking about is because the pitchers are so good and the offensive struggling. We are at a historic low in batting average. And if this keeps up, we will have the lowest batting average ever in the history of our game. And Trevor Bauer kind of brought this thing to light a couple of years ago, right? when he sort of kind of called out the Houston Astros

without naming specific names and saying, well, these guys have made huge jumps and spin rate, you shouldn't be able to do that unless you're cheating. Right? And so all of a sudden now there was a spotlight on this thing because of that. And now we're seeing the really bad offense and the domination of pitchers. And so he is a guy that's been kind of behind this,

whether he wanted to be or not, he probably pushed the attention on this a little bit more than maybe he intended. And now maybe he was supposed to do something about it. It's going to become a real challenge. I think it'll be interesting to watch these next couple of weeks, especially after what we saw with Dura Cole. Nobody else wants to stand up there in front of reporters

and have to answer that question. Now, it could be, are using something now or how do you use something in the path? Those are two different questions, but I think a lot of guys will probably be extra careful because all eyes are on them, but now it's even more eyes, and it's more cameras, and people try to figure out exactly what the heck is going on here.

So they will try to crap down like anything else. As will try to do what they can and try to still be sneaky. But it does happen in our game. It has been happening, and major league baseball got their hands full trying to stop this thing. CJ, last thing, and I mentioned Jacob de Grom earlier, you know, his ERA is, what is it, 062 or something like that? Yeah, like a crazy number.

Should we look at him and go, man, he is just lights out? Or now do we have to look and go, you know, I don't know. Is he that good? Or is it what's going on in the game? Do you know what I mean? It kind of takes a little bit away from we always knew he was a great picture, right? Even before this has come out. But to have a 062 ERA, which we haven't seen, I think I'm going to have to question it.

Am I wrong? Yes. Well, no. I think it's fair. And that's the reality. That's the nature of what we do now in the media is when something sticks out so drastically and then you hear about what some other guys are doing, you can't help but wonder a little bit. and as much as it may seem unfair to the player,

it's probably a fair question. Now, again, goes back to the thorough there, right? To me, it's one of the biggest tragedies of our sports history is that it was so fun, right, when we were kids, to sit there and watch a guy say with 50 home runs going in September and wondering, could he be the one? Could he do it? Could he beat Roger Maris's record?

And it never, ever happened. And it's the six, I don't believe it's six times now that it happened since. Everything the guy has tied to BEDs. I wouldn't talk about Maris anymore in 61 home runs, And that is a tragedy in our game. And I feel like we've been robbed of something because these guys just went nuts with the 60-plus and then 73 home runs. And so now we're seeing guys do some unbelievable things which strike our rates in ERAs,

and now you start hearing about other things that were going on. You can't help but be a little bit suspicious. I have no suspicions personally about Jacob de Grom, but at the same time I get why people may ask that question. And anybody else in the Mississippi, you saw the look on Gary Cole's face. What if you're the New York Yankees right now, and you gave him that huge $300 million contract, You saw how much better he got going from Pittsburgh to Houston,

and you start to wonder about, okay, was he using some substances that helped him be that good? And if you're going to stop now, and what does that mean for the rest of the time under this contract with the Yankees? I don't doubt that they're at least a little bit concerned, and I don't doubt that the fans are really concerned. Hopefully it's not going to be as drastic as a drop-off, and he's not back to the guy who he was in Pittsburgh, and I don't think that'll be the case. But when you have guys that have dominated over these last few years

and have been better than they were a couple of years ago at this level. And now we're hearing about the sticky stuff and what effect they can have on their pitchers. I think we all need to be a little bit curious in the people that they're asking. 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. 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 run up the court, licking his fingers, why he got the ball like,

after 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. American Soccer is about to explode. The World Cup is coming.

Ramos sending on the Army, score at the chip. Score! I'm Tad Ramos. I'm Tom Boe. On our podcast, Inside American Soccer, you'll get the real storylines. I'm not worried about Policicic. I'm not worried about Balagan. I'm not worried about McKinney.

My only concern is what happens in the back. The biggest decisions. If you're going to look at stats and numbers, he has no shot at making this World Cup team. And the truth about the U.S. national team. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if our team ends up in the quarterfinals or potentially a great run into the semifinals. The World Cup is almost here. Experience it all with us. Listen, inside America. I'm talking soccer with Tom Bogart and Tab Ramos on the IHeart Radio app. Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast.

Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1021. And I'm Kunky, his best friend and business manager. And we've got a new show called The 1021 Podcast. I'm taking you behind the scenes on how I became one of Twitch's most popular streamers. We also love sports. And with the World Cup right around the corner, we'll be breaking down the biggest storylines ahead of the big tournament. here in the USA.

Listen to the 1021 podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and IHeart Podcasts presents soccer moms. So I'm Leanne. Yeah. This is my best friend Janet. Hey. And we have been joined at the hips since high school.

Absolutely. Now a redacted amount of years later. We're still joined at the hip. Just a little bit bigger hips. Wider. This is a podcast. We're recording it as we tailgate our youth soccer games in the back of my Honda Odyssey. With all the snacks and drinks.

Sidebar. Why did you get hard seltzer instead of beer? They had a bogo. Well, then you got it. Do you want a white collar or something here? Just hit it. Oh, what are y'all doing? Microphones?

Are you making a rap album? Oh, I would. Come on. Could you believe? I would buy it. Cuts through the defense like a hot knife through sponge cake. That sounds delicious. Oh, you're lucky.

I'm not a drug addict. You're lucky I'm not an alcoholic. You are. You are. I love this team. And I'm really. trying to be a figure in their lives that they can rely on. Oh.

Listen to soccer moms on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The question is you doubt about it, man. CJ, thanks for your knowledge, man. We really appreciated C.J. Nikowski with the Texas Rangers broadcast team on television doing the games down there. CJ, we'll catch up with you soon, my man. Stay well. All right, sounds good, Rob. Ready to catch up.

Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox SportsRadio.com. And within the IHard Radio app, search FSR to listen live. 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. Adoption of teens from foster care is a topic not enough people know about and we're here to change that. I'm April Dinwiddie host of the new podcast, Navigating Adoption, presented by Adopt U.S. Kids.

Each episode brings you compelling real-life adoption stories told by the families that them with commentary from experts. Visit Adoptuskids.org slash podcast or subscribe to navigating adoption presented by Adopt U.S. Kids. brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families and the Ad Council.

It's time for the Pocket Protector Central. The analytic numbers you need to know, well, maybe. Anthony Masterson is his name. BS analytics is his game. What do you got for me, Anthony? Offense and baseball this season. like resistance is futile. The league-wide average is the lowest since 1968, the OBP, the lowest

is 1972, and of course, strikeout totals are in an all-time high, continuing a decades-long trend. But what hit the news this past week was the outing of a dirty little secret the men on the mound possess the use of foreign substances on the baseball in order to increase spin and movement. Take a picture who gets a league average spin rate on his four-seem fastball, this year about 2,300 RPMs. Basically what Indian starter Aaron's Cavalty records. His foreseamer getting hit around a 254 clip this year, again, about average. Then take the Dodgers spin rate maven Trevor Bauer, whose foreseamer goes up there at a clip of over 2,800 RPMs, over 130 Rps higher than the next closest pitcher in the league. His foreseamer

is hit at a 143 mark this year. That's a big difference. Now, Garrett Cole, Clayton Kershaw, and Bauer, among others, saw significant decreases in spin rates in their first start since MLB announcement on the crackdown. Bauer's first start in Atlanta on June 5th, for example, saw his spin rate on his fastball dip over 200 RPM's lower than his yearly average to date. Could be coincidence, sure, but you can bet stat heads and the commissioner's office alike will be hitting up the baseball savant game feed on Bauer starts going forward. That ball is. It was a big week in the big leagues. Who's up? Who's up? Or is it fair? And now, from M.

The XMLBBro.com. Here's J.R. Gamble. The scrappy San Francisco Giants have surged past the glitz and glam Dodgers and the new breed Padres in the NL West standings, given the divisions three teams that could legitimately win a World Series. J.R., is it foul or fair to say that the NL. West is the best division in baseball? Fowl. That is a foul ball. It's still the American League East.

It's a dog fight in that division. I get it. The Padres are the fancy new toy with Tatees Jr. and company. And they're exciting. And media can't stop talking about how Tatee Jr. compares with the all-time greats like Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth at this juncture of his young career. But we get it. When the new girl comes into the school, the head cheerleader isn't the most sought after anymore.

But she's still A1. Let's not forget. She's just not getting the same attention. The American League East remains the only division in baseball, where four of the five teams have records over 500. Nobody's is slouching that division. And even the last place, Orioles, the only team in the division with the losing record,

they're tough out. After the three California teams in the National League West, there's a significant drop-off to the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies. who, let's be honest, folks, they're just both god awful right now. And once they start unloading veterans later in the season, they'll basically be automatic Ws for anybody that plays them, especially the three powerhouse teams within their division.

So I'll say the best divisional race in baseball, yes, it's in the top heavy NL West, but the best division in baseball remains the American League East, where the Yankees are in fourth place. The Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Lashes, AL champion, raised obviously were underrated entering the season. The Beast Division remains the AL East, as it's been for some decades now,

give a take a few seasons. Take out the papers in the trash. It's time for Trash Talk Twitter. Your chance to trash anyone or anything in Major League Baseball. this week's trash comes from at the smack and he tweeted me this enough already with

Aaron Boone and the Yankees I can't watch my team the Yankees need to make a move Boone or the GM Cashman need to go the Bronx deserves better

I'm tired of watching this end quote That came from JD at the smack on Twitter. And if you want your tweet read on trash talk and hit me up on Twitter at Rob Parker FS1. 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, now let's welcome in Craig Calcutera.

formerly of NBC Sports, but doing his own thing these days. He has a daily newsletter called Cup of Coffee, and we're going to talk baseball with Craig. Hey, Craig, thanks. Welcome to the podcast. Thanks for having me on. No doubt. So many different things to talk about.

A couple teams I want to pepper you about and find out. Let's start in the AL East and the Tampa Bay Rays, who just, I mean, they've traded Blake Snell. Everybody thought they threw the towel in. They went to the World Series a year ago. And here we are in June, and they're in first place, game and a half ahead of the Red Sox going into Wednesday. Can they sustain this? Are they really this good?

They are really this good. And that's the thing about the raise. You mentioned them getting rid of Blake Schnell. You mentioned them. They got rid of Charlie Morton. It doesn't matter with the raise. They're the epitome of the next man up kind of team in baseball. You don't see that in baseball very often.

You hear about that in football basketball. ball, but the rays are definitely that way. The depth of that team is absolutely incredible. Tyler Glasno is a future-sci, young winner as a starter, so they're not going to miss Blake Snow. Rich Hill, 41 years old. They're getting a new level out of him this year. And then the real power of this team is the bullpen.

They are always five or six guys deep, and five or six guys who are better than the top two on half the teams in baseball. And this year, for the first time, in a long time, they're getting a lot of offense, too. They're getting a lot of power. They're getting on base at probably the best clip in the league, if not the best. They're definitely up near the top. Solid team, probably the strongest team, top to bottom in the American League.

Let's move to the AL Central. We all know the White Sox. They survived that little storm with Tony LaRusa and Mercedes and the clubhouse not feeling that great about Larusa calling out the young player. But I want to talk about the Minnesota Twins. and what has happened to them. Byron Buckson is coming back for them. But when he went out, they went straight down to the bottom. They're in last place in the AL Central,

even below the Detroit Tigers who are rebuilding. What happened there, Craig? Just a complete across-the-board failure. You know, the starting pitching did not come through. J.A. Hap has been a disaster. Matt Shoemaker has been an even bigger disaster. Those were a couple of guys that really needed to step up. their ace, Jose Berrios, he's good, but he's not where they need him to be right now.

The bullpen has been terrible. They've also been extraordinarily unlucky. They're a record in X-Raining games. I don't have it off the top of my head, but it's like really, really bad. I think they've won one-ex-ritting game out of something like eight or nine. They've lost a lot of one-run games. If anything has gone wrong for this team, it has. And like you mentioned, Buxon, he is the straw that serves the drink there,

and losing him for so long, makes this lineup so much easier to pitch to. They're going to be a seller at the deadline at this point. I don't think they're going to be able to dig out of this hole. You're going to see someone like a Nelson Cruz on the market. And it could be a retrench year. A lot of talents. They're going to be fine again next year probably,

but I think they dug themselves too deep a hole. Our guest is Craig Calcutera from the Cup of Coffee Daily Newsletter. Let's go to the National League in the NL East. I don't know how to Mets are in first place, but they are. I guess it's all pitching 29 and 24 coming into Wednesday. Do they have enough offense? Will they be able to survive this? I know the pitching has been outstanding.

You know, the worst thing that happened to them was in that first month, beginning of May, when they lost all those guys, the injuries. They lost Conforto. He's still gone, obviously, but they have lost Pete Alonzo for a while. They're still out Jeff McNeil. And Francisco Lendor has been. played well at all, and they're still in first place. I think that's the thing that's going to tell me that they have some staying power.

They took a big hit, and they did it at the right time. They did it when the Braves weren't doing anything. The nationals are clearly not the team. We thought they'd be the Phillies have been a mess in a lot of ways. A good time for the Mets to get hurt. I think, if anything, they're going to be stronger. Lindor is not going to be a below-average hitter all year. He's not a 200, 2-12 hit or whatever he's doing right now.

That is not going to be sustainable. he's going to do better. He's going to go on a tear. Conforto's going to come back and he's going to be all right. Pete Alonzo, what can you say about him? He's been fantastic, but he has another gear over what he's doing now. I think the Mets are pretty formidable. And look, let's not undersell. I don't believe in all the good, juju, bad juju, and all that stuff that surrounds the team.

But getting a new owner, getting a new mindset, getting a new front office, that's a big deal for this team. I think the defeatism that you often see with the Mets, that, oh, when is the other shoe going to drop? That's not there anymore, and that's a big, big thing for them. Last thing, I want to ask you about the NL West. Before the season started, I picked the San Diego Padres over the Dodgers. They've won the division eight years in a row, and they won the World Series last year.

I just thought at some point, you know what I mean? You're not going to win, not that they're not a good team and formidable, but the Giants have staying power. Coming into Wednesday, they were seven and three in their last 10. What's up, fam? This Isaiah Thomas. I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying 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 Nass would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court licking his fingers why he got the ball. Like, after 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,

I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. American soccer is about to explode. The World Cup is coming. Ramers sending on to Ernie Stewart the chip. I'm Tab Ramos. I'm Tom Boe. On our podcast, inside American soccer, you'll get the real storylines. I'm not worried about Policic.

I'm not worried about Balagan. I'm not worried about McKinney. My only concern is what happens in the back. The biggest decisions. You're going to look at stats and numbers. he has no shot at making this World Cup team. And the truth about the U.S. national team. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if our team ends up in the quarterfinals

or potentially a great run into the semifinals. The World Cup is almost here. Experience it all with us. Listen, Inside American Soccer with Tom Bogart and Tabramos on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast. Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1021. And I'm Kunky, his best friend, business manager. And we've got a new show called The 1021 Podcast. I'm taking you behind the scenes on how I

became one of Twitch's most popular streamers. We also love sports. And with the World Cup right around the corner, we'll be breaking down the biggest storylines ahead of the big tournament here in the USA. Listen to the 1021 podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva. Actress, Mother, Lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a paramedipausal chin here you do. So let's talk about it.

Join me on my new podcast. How hard can it be with the Adamania Riva, where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden, I'd had hanginess happening on my own. I was like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how. empty that nest is going to be. Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex? Dating at 45. How hard can it be? Getting naked at 50 with the new guy. That one's kind of hard. Well, that's

lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears or tears of laughter, and dive into it, unfiltered and unbothered and ask, how hard can it be? I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva as part of my Coutura. network available on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Padres with 3 and 7. They lead the Padres by two games. Can the Giants stand up to the Padres and the Dodgers and win the division? They are the team that surprises me more than anything else. I thought they'd be better than they have the last couple of years, but I still

thought they were on the downslope on the way towards a rebuild as opposed to having that rebound year that they've got right now. But who would have guessed Buster Posey after all of his injuries and all the miles on his odometer would have a comeback year like this? He's an MVP candidate for crying out loud, and he's been doing it. Longoria, he just got hurt, obviously, but Longoria has been, like his old stuff with the raises, like 10 years ago for him. Mike Ostrinsky, again, he's hurt too.

Everybody in baseball's hurt right now. I have no idea what's going on. But Yistrinsky has been solid. They've got way more offense than I ever would have thought they would. And then another one, Brandon. Crawford, another of the old-timers, guy from the World Series team, just playing like it's 2012 again. I don't know if that's sustainable.

Unlike the other teams we talked about, I really couldn't tell you. I don't think, you know, Kevin Gosman, for example, has been their best starting pitcher. He's not as good as he's shown. He's not a 1.2 ERA kind of guy. So I think over the course of the long season, the giants, even though they're in first right now, are maybe the most vulnerable because L.A., San Diego, just way deeper, way younger, way healthier. And I, you know, if you ask me now, I'm going to say the Dodgers are going to win

the division again, just because they've got so much talent. But the giant team, absolutely wonderful surprise. I think we're going to get three playoff teams out of the NL. All right, Craig. How can people get your daily newsletter, a cup of coffee? You could just go to cup of coffee, all one word, dot substack.com. It's a subscription, but every Thursday is free, so you can check it out and get a tasty if you like it. I think you're going to like it. Every morning in your inbox. before 7 a.m. Eastern time, a full digest of everything you need to know in Major League Baseball. There it is, Craig Calcutera. We appreciate you, Craig. Thanks for the knowledge.

Thanks for having me. 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 is 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-armed kid carry. Looks like dad has the bags. Daughter is bringing up the rear. Oh, but the diaper bag wasn't closed. Dipers and toilet. 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 ten, 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 quack. 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 Netsa and the Ad Council. If I could be you. And you could be me for just one hour. If you could find a way to get inside. Each other's mind. Walk a mile in my shoes. Walk a mile in my shoes.

Walk a mile in my shoes. We've all felt left out. And for some, that feeling lasts more than a moment. We can change that. Learn how it belonging begins with us.org. Brought to you by the ad council. Closer. Track one.

Track one. Here's why MLB is better than the NFL or NBA. And it isn't even close. Reason number 150 why baseball is better than the NBA and the NFL, it ain't even close. That comes into paraphernalia gear that fans can where unlike the other sports. Everybody doesn't look good in a basketball tank top, right?

And a baseball jersey with your name on the back and a number of your favorite player and baseball caps, we know all that stuff is great. And anybody can wear a baseball jersey without looking dumpy or crazy looking. And nobody wears NBA hats or NFL hats. Not really. But Major League Baseball with your city reppping your city on the front? And then here comes Nike with the MLB City Connect series.

And they've been doing these funky, nice jerseys, different colors. And the next one that's coming out will be the Chicago Cubs are going to have one. And they're going to be worn on field for the first time on June 12th. And I got to look at the jersey. It is beautiful. It has like a blue, a navy blue and a light blue, and like a token, a Chicago token for the subway on it. So these are all these very special jerseys that represent the cities from the places where these teams are. And we saw the Red Sox had one that had a yellow jersey.

And the next one is the Cubs. So look out for it. It's the Nike MLB City Connect series. next up to Chicago Cubs, something to add to your closet. 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. If you love to be remembered as the person who gives the best birthday gifts, I'm here to tell you that 1-800 Flowers.com is your ultimate birthday gifting destination. 1-800 Flowers has thoughtful and artfully created options that are guaranteed to deliver the best birthday surprise.

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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, fam, it's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm CJ 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 calling it. You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Mark keep coming to, 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. Therapy is fantastic. But once again, it does not have a monopoly on healing. That's why I create the resources and that's why I create the community because I really just want you to have more access. On the podcast, Cultivating Her Space, Dr. Dom and Terry Lomax create a space where black women can

show up fully and be heard. It's tough because we're suppressing our emotions and so many of us are like high achieving individuals. Listen to cultivating her space on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. The story I told myself can then shape my behavior and that That can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown if you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole. This podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to Deeply Well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the Iheart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human