The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Parker – Inside the (Rob) Parker - Yelich's 50/30 Shot; Maddon's Hot Seat; Tito's Turnaround; Guests: Former MLB'er Pat Mahomes; Writer Jason Beck

Episode Date: August 14, 2019

Listen to Inside the (Rob) Parker in Podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-rob-parker/id1460750158This week on Inside the (Rob) Parker, Rob gives looks at Christian Yelich's shot to become the first 50 HR, 30 SB player ever, why Joe Maddon is probably done with the Cubs, and why Tito Francona deserves credit for the Indians coming back to take the AL Central lead after appearing dead in the water. He also names his Top 3 MLB Teams of the Week, this week's 'Twitter Trash Talk' Winner, 'Foul or Fair' and the Analytic Stat of the Week. Guests: Pat Mahomes - Former MLB pitcher discusses his son, NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes' baseball career, and why he thought he would make it in baseball over football; Jason Beck - Tigers' beat writer for MLB.com discusses everything that's gone wrong for Detroit during a brutal season, and the decline of Miguel Cabrera 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. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you're not to be played. with and just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to listen to learn the hard way on the iha radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast imagine an olympics

where doping is not only legal but encouraged it's the enhanced games some call it grotesque others say it's unleashing human potential either way the podcast's superhuman documented it all embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year within probably 10 days I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, Singles, do you feel like a tourist in your own town?

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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 103, Rob Parker. Welcome into Inside the Parker podcast. I'm your host, Rob Parker, and coming up on the show, Pat Mahomes, former Major League pitcher in Yastafo. of NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Plus, we'll talk with MLB.com's Detroit Tiger Beatwriter Jason Beck. That and so much more. Let's go.

Better up. To lead off, it's getting robbed. And keep him on. Rob's hot take on the three biggest stories in Major League Baseball. Number one. What a season for Christian Yellich from the Milwaukee Brewers. he has a chance of doing something so special. In fact, no one in Major League Baseball has ever done it.

He has a chance to be the first player in baseball history to hit 50 home runs and have 30 stolen bases in a single season. He's got a Major League best 39 home runs as of Tuesday and 23 steals. So he needed 11 more home runs. and seven more steals in the Brewers' final 43 games. It's definitely not going to be easy, but it is not impossible for him to break through to this threshold.

It would be incredible. What a season he's been able to put together. And right now, with his current numbers, he's on pace for 53 home runs and 31 steals. Who would have ever thought that Christian Yellich would be that guy to be the first devil? We always heard about the 40-40. There used to be the 30-30 club. But imagine the 50-30 club and Christian Yellage would be the first guy to enter those uncharted waters.

I'm watching, I'm waiting, and I'm hoping. Number two. Don't look now, but one of the most popular managers, baseball. Joe Madden is a lame duck manager with the Chicago Cubs. Doesn't have a contract for next year. Cubs, of course, are in the playoffs. Madden, of course, is the only manager who was able to win a World Series breaking that 108 year drought back in 2016 with the World Series win over to Cleveland Indians. Madden is the only manager in Cubs history. to lead the team to four consecutive postseason births.

He's done everything in Chicago, and yet he has no deal for next year. And you know what? People should wonder about it, wonder if Joe Madden's going to go the same way of all the other veteran managers in Major League Baseball. Owners have decided they don't want to pay the older guys. They'd rather use young guys, analytics.

They'd rather make out the lineups in the front office rather than let managers do it in the dugout. We saw Dusty Baker. We saw Joe Girardi. We saw Buck Showalter. We saw John Farrell. We saw all these old-time skippers get shuttled out and not to be seen again. Is this going to happen to Joe Madden? Madden says he remains optimistic about getting a new deal with the Cubs.

but it is interesting that he went into this season without having more than just this season on a contract despite the Cubs all the success that he's had. Theo Epstein, the president of baseball operations, says that he'll wait and see, sit down at some point and they'll discuss the future of Joe Madden. But let's face it, unless they win a World Series, it doesn't seem as if the Cubs are interested

and bringing back Joe Madden. Number three. Just when you were ready to write the Cleveland Indians off in the horrible AL Central and the twins have been dominating most of the year, the Indians now went back in the first place on Monday. They somehow some way were able to do it on a walk-off home run. The Indians were 26 and 26 in the last. week of May. They were like 11 and a half games behind the Minnesota Twins in the first week of

June. But since June 4th, their record went to 43 and 17, the best in baseball. And it's hard not to look at their manager, Terry Francona, and not think to yourself, Terry had something to do with this. Terry was able to get this team righted. It just looked like it was going to go astray. that the Indians were basically dead in the water, weren't going to have a chance to compete again, come October, come the playoffs, maybe even the World Series. But you know what? There it is.

The Indians are alive and well, and it's hard not to give Terry Francona most of the credit. Here comes the big interview. Listen and learn. Oh, it's so good. All right, let's welcome into the podcast. Pat Mahomes, the former Major League pitcher, pitched with a number of teams. Minnesota, Boston, the Mets, Rangers, Cubs, Pirates, also played a couple years in Japan.

Pat, thanks for joining the program. Thanks for having me. Pat, how much has baseball changed since you pitched back in the last year you pitched was 2003? Do you recognize this game? It's a lot different. You know, I actually, you know, do a lot of stuff with MLB and the, I mean, MLBPA, you know, running camps from some of the younger kids, the kids that are getting ready to go into high school or the kids that are in high school. So we have about 30, 35 former big league players, and we have camps down in Beiro Beach, Florida.

So, you know, it's still the same game, but we're just trying to bring some of the old stuff back. No doubt about it. Now, I saw, of course, your son is Patrick Mahomes with the Kansas City Chiefs, who just had an unbelievable breakout second year, MVP. I've seen video of him as a pitcher. How good was he, we know how good he is as a football player, how good was he as a baseball pitcher? Well, he was a hard thrower.

You know, I think he topped out of it by 96 by the time he was a senior. As far as a pitcher, I mean, you can use the word loosely. I mean, he threw a lot of strikes, struck out a lot of guys, didn't give up a lot of hits. But he was more of a position player than he was a pitcher. How did you get him to play two sports? You know, the big thing now in AAU and a lot of these coaches is they want kids to specialize in one thing. And I'm still bothered by it because we just saw Kyla Murray play baseball. baseball and football and become the first player ever to be drafted in the first round in both sports.

So how did you get Patrick to play both? Well, he actually played three. You know, he played all three, the big three. You know, I played all three. He grew up that way playing all of them. So, you know, I just didn't want to limit his options. And as people, you know, are starting to realize, you know, the others can help, you know, whatever sport you choose, you know, to specialize in once you have to make that decision.

but until somebody makes you make a decision, you know, I think it's best to keep all your options open because you never know what's going to develop like, you know, him. I mean, he really didn't start playing quarterback to his junior year in high school, and he took off. So, I mean, he always had baseball, you know, option open.

He had the basketball option open, and he actually would have been drafted, you know, at the sandwich pit in the first round, but he told him that the money wasn't wrong, right, so he ended up, he wanted to go play football, and that's what he did. Did you know, I mean, I know everybody says, well, I can remember having conversations in Detroit, and Cecil Fielder back then was always telling me about Prince. Man, my son, man, he's a stud, you know, he's so good.

Did you know your son was going to be, I mean, rip up the record books in the NFL, or did you think he had a chance to be a really good quarterback, or did you really know I had something special. To be honest with you, football would have been the last one I thought he would have played. I knew about the age. He was five or six years old. I actually made a bet with one of my coaches that I was playing with, that he was going to be a first round pick in baseball.

I mean, he was just a special kid. The way he learned, the way he processed information, I knew that with his ability and how strong his arm was, that he was going to have a chance to do some things. There was a report that just came out about the drop in kids participating in the state of California in football. I think it's down 20% participation. Do you understand why some people wouldn't want their kids to play football? Are you concerned about the long-term effects on your son playing football,

or do you just accept it that it's a part of the game? Well, I understand the concerns. I mean, anytime that you see what's going on and with the guys, you know, with all the concussions and all the things that are happening, I mean, I have some lingering effects from playing baseball, you know, that, you know, things are still bothering me every day. But, you know, I got lucky. I mean, he got to play the position where they don't get hit too much, you know,

as long as you're smart, you know. You can always take the intentional ground and you can always throw the ball away. So I was, you know, fortunate and lucky enough to actually he chose that position to play and he excelled at it. I said earlier that you had played for six or seven different Major League teams, including a Japanese team, and you played the longest in Minnesota. Is that the team you feel because they drafted you, they brought you up, is that you debuted with them, is that the team you feel most closely to the twins?

It would be the Mets. You know, I always wanted to be a New York Met when I was in high school. You know, I grew up, you know, following, you know, Doc Gooden and Darry and those guys. And I always wanted to be a Met. And then once I got the chance to go there, I actually thought I was going to get drafted by them. And then the twins scooped in and chose me as a pitcher because the Mets were going to draft me as an outfielder. And once I got there and the success I had there and the success the team had, You know, going to the NLCS in 99 and then going to the World Series in 2000,

it just felt like home. Playing the Yankees in 2000 in that Subway Series, what was that like in New York, just reliving that, the crowds, both two teams in one city. What was that like? Do you remember that? Yeah, it's a feeling I can't describe. You know, I was actually with the Twins and 91, we went to World Series,

and that was pretty amazing. I actually wasn't on the team yet. They called me up to, you know, they get the experience because they knew I was going to be there the next year. 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 SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slices 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? 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 hard way and listen now.

Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.

Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app. or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Clivert 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 42. Hey, ref, my mama want you to wave at her. What?

Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. In 2000, the Yankees and the Metz, I've never seen anything like it. You know, it's electric. Great series. One we should have probably won, but, you know, you know how the ball bounces, you know, the Clemens Piazza thing and all that stuff. You just took a turn for the worst. His name is Pat Mahomes, former Major League pitcher, of course, his son, NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Hey, Pat, thank you so much for doing this. We appreciate you joining the podcast. Anytime, Rob, and once again, I would thank you all for having me, and thank you for all the words you're saying about my son and everything. I watch you on TV all the time, and it's great to be on here. I appreciate that. Thank you so much. All right, thank you. I'm always upgrading my car

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It's time for the Pocket Protector Central. The analytic numbers you need to know, well, maybe. FS1's Anthony Masterson is his name, BS analytics is his game. What you got for me, Anthony? Well, Rob, the term clutch has been a point of contention between the old and new schools for years. Is there really a clutch gene?

Is it just hitting with men on, hitting in the postseason? Well, we've got a stat here that we put a number on the whole clutch controversy. Win probability added. Now, WPA is a perfect context-dependent stat goes in conjunction with the game's win probability graph and players get credit based on how much or how little their action contributes to their odds of winning.

Now, a home run in a tie game in the ninth is obviously worth more than a homer in the fifth inning of a 10-to-one game, right? Now, win probability added highlights the big and usually most exciting moments of a game. On Monday, the Red Sox Zander Bogart did a game-tying double up Indians closer Brad Hand with two outs in the ninth. The win probability added of that play was 0.38 or 38% because it took Boston's win probability from 8% to 46%. Ad plays like that up over the course of a season and this year the Brewers Christian Yelich owns a plus 6.1

WPA this season. More than a full number better than the next two on the list. Cody Bellinger and Mike Trout. Win probability ad it can tell you who the real clutch players are once and for all. Wow, Anthony, something that I finally can use. I love it. Thanks so much.

That ball is. It was a big week in the big leagues. Or is it fair? And now, here's shadowleague.com MLB insider, J.R. Gamble. Tanking in MLB seems to be at an all-time high this season. There are so many bad teams. Is it fair or foul, JR, to say that MLB should take a page out of the Premier League's book and institute relegation where the six worst teams, three from each league,

are sent down to AAA. It would never happen, but should it? That's fair. It's a fair ball. MLB has to do something. The Tigers and the Orioles have already lost, what, 80 games, the Royals are on pace to lose 100 games,

and the Blue Jays are staring at 100 losses for the first time in four decades. The major market teams are dominating, and I never thought we get to the point where MLB squads are thinking like NBA teams, and take it for draft picks. Well, here we are. When the season began,

they were realistically about 10 teams with a shot to win it all. Now there's about four. Yankees, Houston, Cleveland, maybe the Dodgers. You can change a couple of different teams, but you get my drift. From 2000, 2006,

we had a different team win the World Series every year. Since 2006, we could have Boston win it three times, the Giants win it three times. And in recent years, it's been all about Boston, Houston, and the Yankees. The players union will never allow it, but sending the worst three teams down from each league would not only be embarrassing for the franchise, but definitely inspired them to at least

not be the worst team in the league, even while rebuilding. It's a creative idea, but unfortunately, I don't think it would ever happen. I'm with you. It would never happen. So let's just scrub that. Fasten your seatbelt Give you fuel, give me fire Give me that what I desire Here comes Parker's top three MLB teams this week

Number three The Houston Astros Coming into Tuesday They were 77 and 41 And just continue to win The only bad spot Was that everybody once they traded for Zach Grinkey thought it was going to be a piece of cake

that they had three top guys in their starting rotation. Of course, Garrett Cole, Justin Verland, and Zach... 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 Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic 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, Tript 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, 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 Hard Way and listen now. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all,

embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app. or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Clivert 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? Quarterback on office blue 42. Hey, ref, my mama wants you to wave at her.

What? Where's he at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifferts show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. But Granky was rocked in his Houston debut. So that didn't make people feel that good, at least not yet. They're still one of the best teams. Easily, the top three teams could be interchange.

But we're going to go with Houston at number three. Number two. The Los Angeles. Dodgers coming into Tuesday, 79 and 81, an incredible record. They continue to win. Again, the only bugaboo is about the bullpen. I talk about it every week because I think that ultimately is going to be the Dodgers downfall.

But as far as everything else that the Dodgers have going, it's a team that's hard to not like, hard not to think that they're going to make it to the World's series for a third year in a row and also look as if they're going to be a hard out because they're so talented, so deep, and score so many runs. But the bullpen, remember I warned you, it's the reason the Dodgers aren't the number one team and instead are number two. Number one. The number one team this week, again, the New York freaking Yankees. I know you get tired of me saying it. I told you early on, way, way, way, even with all the injuries, how good this team has been.

They've won eight of their last 10 and coming into Tuesday. There was 79 and 41. Again, only 41 losses. When you look at all the injuries and all the things that's going on with this team, it's amazing where they are. And if they were able to get some of their star players back, how dangerous this team is. Again, as of Tuesday, they were a plus 159 second best.

the American League, and they just keep steamrolling over teams that aren't good. And they feasted on the Baltimore Orioles, and that's what you do to bad teams. You beat them up, you hit home runs, and you continue to mount those wins. Despite some bumps in the road by their starters, the Yankees are the best team in baseball. 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 winner is at Lee DeLap, and he tweeted this. My pick for National League rookie of the year is Fernando Tatis Jr. Forget Pete Alonzo and all his home runs. Tatis is only the second rookie shortstop ever with at least 20 home runs and 15 stolen bases in a single season. He is the National League rookie of the year. If you want a chance to win a new era snapback just like Lee, send your trash to at Rob Parker FS1 on Twitter.

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If you could talk to me a little bit about the process you went through, and I think it's good to not pat yourself on the back, but to put it out there so other people can kind of hear what it takes. I don't know. I always look at like this. Like, what do I want? I wanted to be a WWE superstar. All right, what does it take?

to be a WW Superstar. What are the tools I will need to give me every possible opportunity I can get? And so I took the tools of acting classes, improv classes, wrestling school, everything I possibly can to knock on the door of WW. The people of the, everyone on that real world show would wear my t-shirts,

would always ask me to do the MIS. Like, they were so supportive. Like, you don't get at that very often. You really don't. Listen to the MyCultura Podcast Network, available on the IHeart Radio app. Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. At Target, we come in for black-owned coffee and leave with change in our hands.

We come in for healthier snacks and leave feeling more fulfilled. At Target, better days are within our reach. What we value most shouldn't cost more. 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, a buddy of mine, longtime Detroit Tigers beat writer, 17 years, in fact,

Jason Beck from MLB.com. Jason, thanks for joining the podcast. Thanks for having me on, Rob. I'm a fan of the podcast. I love listening to it when I'm going for a run, and it's so great to be on. Thank you so much. Let's talk about the terrible tigers. That's what I'm going to call them.

And, boy, what a bad year. Detroit has had. At one point, they had lost 28 out of 32, and it looked like they might set the tigers or the losing record all time in the American League for

a regular season. They've kind of stemmed the tide a little bit. What's gone wrong in Detroit? Oh, gosh. I mean, you can look at it short, long term. You know, short term, they find some veteran free agents

who they hoped would kind of help them through this season, and basically none of them have worked out. Matt Moore and Tyson Ross, you know, we're supposed to stabilize the rotation. Moore was done for the year by the end of May, thanks to an knee injury. Ross, I'd be surprised we see him again this season between thoracic outlet symptoms and neck issues.

He hasn't pitched since, I think, May. You know, Josh Harrison really didn't do much of anything at all for them. They find him in the middle of spring training. Jordy Mercer has been okay, but not great. He missed a good chunk with quad issues. So, you know, those are short-term issues. So long-term issues, and you know this, Rob being around here.

You know, this team is paying the price for trying to extend a window of consensions for as long as they did instead of, you know, waiting so long to tear it down and try rebuild, you can look at what they tried to do in 16 and 17 as adding to the damage.

You know, the Jordan Zerman contract was a huge weight on these guys. The contract extension that they gave Miguel Carrera just the same. And they're really, they're caught in the middle ground right now where they're trying to rebuild a farm system that

really got decimated by some lost draft picks and also got ignored in their way now philosophy that they basically operated under for the better part of the decade. Speaking of Miguel Cabrera, what is the deal? Miggi lost his power. I mean, he's a singles hitter now, is he? Or what's happened to Miggie? I think the injuries have caught up with him.

I really, I mean, You saw some of the things he played through over the years here. I mean, he played through a growing tear at one point. He played through essentially what was a broken foot, the one year down the stretch. He's played through lower leg problems. He played through back injuries more recently. And he's paying the price for that. And he's had to remake his swing to an extent to try to take some pressure off of his legs.

because there's been so much wear and tear down there. And now you're seeing some better results, but you're not seeing the power that he used to have. And given his age and given the injuries, I don't know if we're going to see that type of power ever again. I do think he's got double-edged-home-on power. I just don't know if we'll see him get out of the teams again in his career unless he makes some sort of major adjustment

and find something that really clicks for him. And I think you can live with that if he's still a 300 hitter. And I think he's going to tweaks and adjustments right now to try to at least get back to that point. Speaking of home runs, unbelievable. The most home runs at Comerica Park this season, Jacoby Jones with seven. And in the list of the top like 10, six, five of them are visitors that have the most home runs. Comerica Park. What is that? Well, it's

a product of a lineup. They went into the season without a whole lot of power surrounding Cabrera and Cassiano's. We got into the reasons why Cabrera's not hitting for power. And Nick, I think it was a combination of not having a

whole lot of support around him in the lineup. And to be honest, I think the contractor got to him. I think that had a huge effect on him. He basically went into the season and as a lame duck knowing that this team wasn't going to resign him and knowing that he was playing for a new contract on a team that he had no chance of coming back to, but also a team that didn't have a whole lot around him to further his numbers.

And I think it was just creating an awkward situation. I think both sides would acknowledge as much. And I think you're seeing, you know, the impact. by looking at how free and easy he seems to be playing and how much he's enjoying the game ever since his trade to the Cubs a couple weeks ago. Hey, Jason, we got a minute to go. Tell me about Edwin Jackson.

The Tigers picked them up. Of course, he's been on like a million teams. What's the plan there? Is he just to fill a spot? Why did the Tigers pick up Edwin Jackson? Well, they needed the innings, you know, with all the injuries, especially once it became clear that Ross

was if he had come back at all. You know, they signed him to a minor league deal hoping he could provide some depth. They got to a point last week where they needed another starter. And the result was a really good start. Six and the third innings, one run. He got the same

evasion on his way off the field. I think a lot of people, you know, even those who don't remember them, appreciate the effort he put in for this team and talking with them before and after After that outing, he feels their kinship here. You know, this is a place that's special to him,

given what he saw here in that playoff race in 2009, how the city responded, and you've got some family here. He's got some cousins. I think it's a good marriage. I don't know if it's going to be long-term. I'd kind of be surprised, given the pitching prospects they have coming up. But right now they really like him, and he likes being part of his team. He wants to help some of the young guys out.

All right. His name is Jason Bell. one of the best baseball writers out there from MLB.com. Thanks, Jason. Appreciate you. Absolutely, Rob. Thanks for having me on. Now bring in the closer. Track one.

Strike two. Direct three. Here's why MLB is better than the NFL or NBA. And it isn't even close. On Sunday, we saw why Major League Baseball is better than the NBA or the NFL. It was a classic matchup. Toronto Blue Jays third basement, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Against Yankees Clouled or Aldous Chapman.

And boy, did they go toe to toe in the showdown Sunday in the ninth inning? We're basically the game on the line. A runner on, one out, slugger against flamethrower, veteran against 20-year-old rookie. It was a 13 pitch at bat for Glad Jr. and he battled. He fell behind in the whole 02 against one of the best closures in baseball and Chapman. And my goodness,

Vlad Jr. fouled off seven pitches in the 13 pitch battle. At one point he hit a foul ball for a home run. That would have won the game for Toronto. But indeed, it was foul. And in the very end, it was experience over 10. talent and youth, and it was Araldist Chapman getting the game-ending double play on Vlad Jr. to secure the win and the Yankees won the ball game. Very, won the game one to nothing.

Very rarely do you see mono-e-mono in most sports where it comes down to one against one. We saw that on Sunday, and it was spectacular thing to watch. That's why Major League Baseball is the best sport going. 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.

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