The Kevin Sheehan Show - Soto As We Heard It

Episode Date: August 2, 2022

Kevin and Thom today doing the podcast as if it was a live radio show reacting in real-time to the news that Juan Soto had been traded to San Diego. Kevin and Thom on "Stranger Things", the Dolphins tampering punishment, and Thom's terrifying trek into virtual reality along with his thoughts on Bill Russell's passing.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You don't want it. You don't need it. But you're going to get it anyway. The Kevin Cheehan Show. Here's Kevin. Tommy's here. I am here and we'll tell you up front as of the recording of this podcast right now. There's been no Juan Soto trade at this point.

So when you start listening to this, it's very possible that a trade's happened or a trade hasn't happened if you're listening after 6 o'clock. It's also possible during the recording of this podcast that we get new. of a Juan Soto trade. I am all over it, Tommy. It's as if we're doing a live radio show. I am on Twitter waiting to see if there's any news. There's a lot of right now, as Coach Thompson used to call scuttlebutt. There's a lot of scuttlebutt around the Padres right now and their interest in the package they may put together.

But if something happens, we will tell you. Do you think it's going to happen or not? I don't know. I mean, I've thought all along he's going to get traded before the trading deadline, but he's only getting traded if the nationals get the package they want. They're not going to trade him, say, well, we've got no choice. We have to accept, you know, the best offer we've gotten. They can say, we're taking the best offer we want.

If they don't trade them, they can trade them this winner. And that's the way it should be, right? I mean. Yes. Yes, that's right. You shouldn't make this deal until you get what you want. Right. Yeah.

I mean, I think that that makes a lot of sense. I think part of the conversation about the trade urgency before August 2nd, before the deadline today, was this was the best package you will ever get. Because somebody, if it's a contender, will have the player for a minimum of three post-season, potentially. But the more and more I talk to people, including you, the more and more I realize, you know, whatever package they get, it's probably get offered. It probably won't be that much different than what they get in the off season. Now, if they were to wait two years and trade them before the deadline in 2024 or the deadline even next year, you know, a full year from now, that's different. But an off-season trade, you know, in some ways, you know, I had Chelsea James. on the radio this morning and she made a good point. She said, look, some teams feel comfortable

with their position right now because they're in contention, you know, like a St. Louis, like the Dodgers who have the best record in baseball. And they may just, they may prefer to wait and you may get the same or a better deal when the season's over. So you know Rizzo. He's not, he's not trading him unless the learners have told him they've got, he's got to trade him without getting a major hallback because this is something he's done well, which is trade players, make trades. Yes. Yes.

And now the other caveat, speaking of the learners, is Rizzo can make the deal, have it all set ready to go, and then the learners can pull that rug out from under him and say, no, don't trade him, like they did with Bryce Harper in his contract here. Rizzo had a good deal with the Astros set up to trade him at the trading deadline. line, and the learners got cold feet, right at the second. Right. And they could decide that they don't want to be the bad guys right now. They don't mind being the bad guys in the winter because, you know, I mean, it's baseball

in the winter. People pay attention to it for a couple of days in December, you know, and that's it during the winter meetings. But in the middle of the season and have to ride out the rest of their last season as being the bad guys who train them. Rated Juan Soto, the learners may not want to do that. Well, I wanted to say, and like these are people who cover baseball on a regular basis, much more plugged in than me, and I'm sure they're accurate in their reporting about the

teams that are interested in Soto. But I'm kind of surprised that some small market team like, or smaller market, lower payroll team like the Indians, the Guardians, or some people, else isn't taking a shot at Soto. I mean, because you're committing to him for, it's probably, you know, for two and a half years, you're not committing to him for, I mean, which means probably about $50 million over the next two and a half years. Right, exactly.

It's right around there. And I think, I think that's manageable, even with a small market team knowing that, you know, this is, this is, I mean, the tickets that you could sell, the revenue you could create from being in the postseason, if you think you've got a chance at the postseason, and your small market team, and Juan Soto, you think can put you in there. And it's a set that scares off teams are the long-term commitment, not necessarily the annual salary. I think, I think most teams in baseball would love to pay players per year, you know. I mean, they paid them, they paid them $50 million.

a year if they could pay them per year per performance. But it doesn't work that way. So I'm just kind of surprised the small market team doesn't take a chance on this. Because, again, you know, you're free and clear after 2024. If I told you that he does get traded that tonight by 6 o'clock, who's the team that you think pulled the trigger and got it done? Well, this is just based on the buzz that's out there. I would say the Padres, Rizzo has dealt with the Padres before.

That's how he got Trey Turner and Joe Ross in that deal. He's familiar with the Padres GM. He has a relationship with the Dodgers. We know that Sancast and the team president of the Dodgers is the one who hired Rizzo here in Washington as the assistant. DM. I would say to Padres. Barry's Verluga did report. Because the Padres have to compete with the Dodgers. And they can't afford, not only do they have to compete with the Dodgers, they can't afford to have him

go to the Dodgers. Zuckerman's point on the Padres this morning with me on radio was, you know, the Padres are probably willing to overspend more than anybody because they're not where the Dodgers are. And they need to get to where the Dodgers are. They've never, never won the World Series. They were in it in 84, they were in it in 98. They've never won the World Series, and they've had a good team here the last couple of years. Barry's Ruluga did report a little while ago that as the trade deadline approaches, there's a growing sense that the Padres are the most likely landing spot for Juan Soto. And in a twist, perhaps Josh Bell, too, multiple people have heard there's momentum in those talks.

So we shall see. I mean, I'm not going to sit here and ask you to break down each of the, you know, prospect possibilities for each of the three likely teams, Dodgers, Cardinals, and Padres. But I would say to you this, that regardless of the deal they make, if there isn't at least one big league player, if not two, that are ready to contribute much sooner rather than later, it's going to make an impossible thing to sell. even more impossible. Because you can't really win the PR of this if you're Mike Rizzo or the learners, if it happens. Trying to explain this is going to be pretty hard because you can't guarantee anything. The only thing you can say is we didn't think we would be able to sign them in two and a half years. And this was the time and probably the best offer we're going to get.

You can't tell us and sell us on the players that you got. we won't know anything for three or four years minimum if they're all prospects, if they're all 19, 20, and 21 years old. So I think they need a great. They need a big league player that people have heard of that makes, you know, gives them a chance with what they have now and what they might be able to add, by the way, when they don't have Soto's $47 million on the books for the next two years. Because remember, if they do trade them, they're not going to, oh, and forget the four,

40. He's 17 next year, right? And I think it's 30-something the year after that. Because you just said it was... I think it's more like, I think he's making 17 this year. Oh, okay. I think he's going to be in the 20s next year and probably in the 30s the year after that. So that makes it even more. So you're talking about half of what's left this year. So call it, you know, eight and a half and then, you know, just call it 50 in, 55 in combination. So, yeah, I mean, you're going to have all of that money to spend on other players when free agency comes. I mean, you've got to be able to sell the fact that with this big leaguer or these two big leaguers and these prospects and by the way, and hopefully they're under contract and they've

got years left on their deals too, because that's going to be crucial too. We've also got the money that's freed up over the next couple of years to go round out what we think will give us a better chance to contend by 2024. You were the one that told me that you thought they would be better than they were this year. I'm not knocking you for it. They've had all these injuries. No Strasbourg, Corbyn's been terrible, et cetera. But that next year that they would be competitive,

and in 2024, they would be contending for something. And if that's true, by the way, and if it's still true, then I wouldn't trade them. I don't think I'd trade them anyway. Here's the point. Here's the point. I would trade them. That premise was based on Strasbourg being normal and Corbyn being normal. neither of those things have happened.

Right, for this year. So, I mean, yes. And for the foreseeable future, I think you have to assume. I don't think you can count on either of those guys. Well, you definitely kick forward. Corbyn. I mean, he's one of the worst pitchers in baseball. He appears to be done. Yes.

So, I mean, the premise that they were going to be competitive this year was based on a lot of things going right. Nelson Cruz, hitting over 30 home runs like he did last. year. Victor Robles, bouncing back to the player that they thought he was when he was their top prospect. Corbin and Strasbourg pitching well. Their bullpen not being decimated by injuries. None of it, none of the, all the things that were supposed to go right, none of it's gone right for them. So, and like I said, you can't plan for moving forward with a starting rotation right now, other than Josiah Gray.

And Kate Cavali, hopefully. Well, yeah, I mean, among the major league pitchers right now. Yeah, you've got, you've got the minor league pitchers down there, Cole, Henry and Cavali. Could have Austin both. Who's doing really well in Baltimore. In Baltimore, but he's not a pitcher. It's not the kind of pitch you want.

But, you know, what's interesting, did you see the news that, you know, The Atlanta Braves signed Austin Riley to a 10-year $212 million deal. Yeah, it did. And that basically means that, I mean, they have like at least three or four of their young prospects. Ronald Acuna under a long-term deal. Yeah. Where else is it? Going to be tough to win in that division.

Yeah, they've got Ozzy Albies under control to 2020. Matt Olson, the guy they traded for to replace Freddie Freeman, is under control until 2030. I want to point out, none of these players are Scott Forrest clients. That's the key. Okay? I was having a conversation in my Frederick cigar hangout, quartermaster's, the other night. And all, trust Kevin, all anyone wants to ask me about is Juan Soto. that's number one topic of conversation when people, you know,

talk to me. Not not West Schweitzer or Trey Turner at right guard? No. No, no. Right now it is Juan Soto. And I was explaining how, you know, you've got to get these guys like a Soto or a Trey Turner. You've got to recognize much earlier that they're going to be.

this good and sign them far earlier in the process. Trey Turner, the baseball player, not the right guard for the Washington commanders. Yes. Yeah. No, I know. But even then, my logic is flawed because it's Scott Forrest. If you have figured out, like after Trey Turner's first year that he's going to be great, well, Boris figured it out before you.

okay and he knows that these contracts are very team friendly not player friendly and there's no way he's letting his clients sign any of these contracts that the braves have signed these brave players have signed so i mean they need to you know it's funny because for years peter angelo's would not deal with scott boris i mean would just refuse to deal with them and it hurt them in the long run coach they missed out on some good players. But, you know, they've had a marriage with Scott Boris ever since Steven Strasbourg, probably about 12 years. And I think it's time for a separation, if not a divorce.

Well, you know, there's going to be a new ownership group by when? By the end of this year? I don't know. Like, Kevin, like I wrote a column about the ownership group about a month ago, you want to buy a box of papercliffs from the learners, how long do you think that's going to take? Right. Okay. Try buying a team from the learners.

Yeah. I mean, there's no predicting how long it's going to take. Yeah, I just... But I want to... Yeah, go ahead. I mean, the thing is that the Braves are really set, and they have found them formula that really is going to work in this day. age if you don't have to deal with a Scott Boris.

Because Boris is going to take almost every single player to free agency. I mean, it's just, even if the nationals offered Soto, you know, over $50 million a year for 15 years, when he's a free agent, if he's a free agent two and a half years from now, he'll be able to make more. Yeah. You know? All these offers, too, are just creating a floor for the Boris deal for the next deal. Yes, they are.

I mean, that's why people said people, and they probably did. People criticized the team saying that they leaked the 440 number. It was advantageous for Boris to get that number out there as well. You pointed that out. And by the way, I would just add that I think the leak of him passing on that deal is a good thing. for the Nats. And I'm not saying that we didn't feel that way at the moment. But here on the day of the deadline, can you imagine if you, if none of us knew? And I'm not saying that in the last couple of days, there wouldn't have been some smoke around, you know, discussions involving Juan Soto.

But can you imagine if we couldn't, the fan base didn't have time to prepare for the losing of Juan Soto by this trade deadline? That would have been shocking. and I don't think would have worked in the Nats' favor. So I think it is kind of beneficial that there's been a two-plus week period of sitting on this and contemplating this. And that leads me to something that I wanted to say about last night. You know, Soto's, first of all, great game last night he had against the Mets. He homered.

He walked three times. He stole a base. I mean, he was fantastic in the game last night if it was his last one. And he got this standing ovation after his last at bat. And I thought it was strange. And apparently he said the same thing that it was weird. But from my perspective, it may be a different weird. I just sat there and I thought, you know, it's the same thing I said to you.

And we debated this, I think, when it came to Bryce Harper, that Bryce Harper wants to play in a real sports town, a gritty sports town that really, you know, blanking cares. Not that Philadelphia is the greatest, okay? And playing in New York or playing in Boston or Chicago. whatever, but that there was, there's always been this sense that, look, it was great during the playoff games in various years. It was great during the World Series. I went to, you know, I went to game three. I think people at game three were more there to be seen than to watch that particular game. I mean, the baby shark song got the biggest ovation of that night in game three, which

drove me nuts. But beyond that, I just thought last night it was like, wow, I mean, everybody's just kind of tapping out on this. It's like if one Soto were on the verge of being traded in Philly or New York or Boston, there would be outrage at Mike Rizzo and at the learners. And there would have been major league kind of chance that were anti-management. And instead, there was just this kind of warm ovation like, you, Juan, you were great. Thanks for the World Series. And I've asked you this before in the last couple of weeks, but what does it say about this organization that, you know, two of the

generational talents of the last, you know, few years are, started their careers here and will end their careers somewhere else and maybe play the significant majority of their careers somewhere else. It just doesn't make the organization look very good. Yeah, I know that. But there's, you know, let's go back to the explanation for that. Scott Boris. He wasn't going to have, he wasn't going to let Harper sign here either. Well, you know, Harper could have, Harper could have the nationals control at that point. You know, Harper is not, you know, Harper doesn't work for Scott Boris. Scott Boris works for Bryce Harper. So I understand. I understand.

the control and the influence he has. But if he really wanted to be here and the Nats really wanted him to be here, then maybe there's a better chance. By the way, on your example of trying to see this before the agents do, well, you were never going to do that with Harper or Strasbourg, but you had a chance with Soto. Soto wasn't this. Not when it comes, again, not when a compiling a pair of... Boris is smarter than them, okay?

He just is. Kevin, he's the best. He's got it figured out. Okay? This is why I jokingly said, basically baseball should not just sell Boris the team. They should give him one. Like, give him the pirates to say, here, Scott,

we're giving you a baseball franchise. That way, he becomes one of you, and you don't have to deal with him anymore. And he'd probably run the pirates a lot better than they've been run for the past two decades. You know what, though? I don't know, Scott Boris, but a lot of guys like that are much better at being, you know, dust kicker uppers, not, you know, in the, you know, as they're basically dealing with and not in the game. I mean, he is in the game to a certain degree, but he's not in the game.

He's not in the arena, you know. and I think guys, sometimes guys like that are just better where they are, and they may not be successful. You might be right. And owning a team and running a team. But you didn't answer the question because you said, well, there are reasons for it. Forget the reasons why they didn't resign Bryce Harper or why they have to trade Juan Soto and the reason being Scott Boris.

What does it make the nationals look like? It doesn't make them look good, makes them look bad. But inside baseball, in the industry of baseball, people know what's going on. In the stands, it looks bad at this point. Absolutely looks bad. Why don't they just trade him for Otani straight up? I mean, I can't believe the angels are dangling Otani out there. Well, the latest I've read is that he's not being traded.

Because he and Rui Hachamura could make D.C., you know, quite the sports capital for that island. If they could, Godzilla and Rodan. Yes, sir. I want to read this. So anyway, everybody, oh, you know, there was one other thing real quickly on all of this. And that is just this. I'm asking you this, and I didn't think about this over the last couple of days. But if they do trade Juan Soto and then you get new ownership in here.

And let's just say the trade, you know, it'll take a while more likely than not for the trade to be. be sort of evaluated, you know, player for player. Is this hurting Mike Rizzo at all? Is the fact that they don't have a good farm system right now and they haven't drafted well? Like what will the new owners think of Mike Rizzo? Well, you know, you bring up a good point. They haven't drafted well. Their farm system is not deep. They've been hit or miss with some of these prospects. And the ones that have been good, they've traded, you know, to get players who help them win. So I think his run from 2012 through 2019 as, you know, I think like one or the top, one or two most winning as franchises.

Dodgers had the most wins. The Nats had the second most wins during that stretch. So I think that gives him cover for any new owner. but yeah, it's something that he's going to be called on when the new owners came over that says, you know, what's happened to the farm system? Now they can say, and, you know, this would be a legitimate argument. Well, we've been drafting low.

You know, we've been down in the draft because we've had winning records. You know, we have not had the top draft picks. and that doesn't mean that you still can't draft smart. The Cardinals have been pretty much a perennial winner. Yeah, but the Dodgers have so much money. I know, but they have a great farm system. The Dodgers, too.

Yes, they do. Yes, they do. So you can do both with a good farm system, but there's only maybe a couple of teams where that happens. But Rizzo will be called to account by that from the new owners, I would think. Is it enough to really damage them? I don't think so. because he does have the cover.

I think Mike Rizzo left the Nationals. He'd have a job tomorrow with another team. I think so, too. Do you, you don't have to tell me, but do you have any insight on who the leading candidates to be the new owners are? No. Okay. I'm saying bet on the long shot.

Bet on the dark horse that where the only one is, counting is me, and that's Larry Latina. When all is said and done, I bet on Larry. This, again, could be dated by the time everybody listens to it, but we will certainly be back here tomorrow to talk about whatever the conclusion to this Juan Soto and Trade Deadline thing is. Don't forget to rate us and review us, especially on Apple and Spotify. This review, Tommy, and a five-star rating from Caleb, he writes,

I started listening to Kevin on 980 way back when he was with Doc Walker and then with Tom Leverro and then Chris Cooley. When I moved from Silver Spring to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, I fell out of touch with sports for a while. Then I heard Kevin started a new podcast and I was instantly hooked. Kevin is the best, thank you. And I love the banter with and then in capital letters, the great Tom Levero. Keep it up, fellas. Caleb in Saigon. Man, we have listeners. I need to go check the Vietnam football rankings on Apple to see where we rank in Vietnam. We've been very highly rated in Bermuda and Jordan. But thank you to Caleb. And don't forget to rate us and review us if you

haven't done that. It's really helpful for us. Tommy had quite the experience over the weekend when he was at the beach or late last week whenever that was. I have a new show that I'm going to recommend it. It's not one that Tom's recommended. And we've got some football to talk about as well. We'll start to do all those things right after these words from a few of our sponsors. Well, as we discussed there in the opening segment, there was a chance as we were recording this podcast that news of a Juan Soto trade would come.

And it has. John Morosi. God, I was watching John last night on MLB Network, and he kind of predicted either an outside team or the Cardinals, but he is reporting that the Padres and Nationals have agreed in principle on a Juan Soto trade with Josh Bell also going to the Padres. And the players that they're getting back, they're going to get C.J. Abrams outfielder, Robert Hassel,

the third outfielder James Wood, right-handed pitcher Yarlane Susanna for Soto and Bell. So they're getting four players, at least as of now, according to John Morosi of the MLB Network. That's what the deal is going to be. So Juan Soto looks like, if the reporting is accurate, is going to be traded. There you go. Okay. C.J. Abrams was drafted in 2019 by the Padres.

He's a shortstop. It was the sixth overall pick in the draft. Okay, he was considered one of the top prospects in the MLB draft in 2019. So, I mean, that was the sixth pick in the draft. I'll try to run down these. He's hitting 232. He's got two homers and 11 RBIs this year. And his first year up in the Bigs, he's just 21 years old.

It's going to be 22 in October. and so that appears to be at this point, I mean, well, let's go through them one by one. Hold on for one second. By the way, Mark Zuckerman now, nothing officially yet, but multiple people in the know are saying that a trade will be finalized in the next hour or two. So it does look like this thing is going down right now. Twitter, of course, right in front is blowing up all over the place. Yeah, what? Robert Hassel, one of the other players they got, was selected eighth overall by the Padres in the 2020 draft.

So these are two top ten picks right away that they've gotten so far for Soto. He's an outfielder. Okay, see here. We're doing this like we would do our radio show. Yes. Susanna is 18, 6-7, 250 pounds, and has right now 44 strikeouts in 28, it looks like innings pitched in rookie ball. Hassel is only 20 years old, too. So they got a 20-year-old, a 21-year-old, two top 10 ticks.

in the draft when they were drafted so far. Again, these are pro-you know, nobody knows if these are going to wind up being players or not, but they certainly are getting at least these two top prospects. Let's see how the rest of it pans out. Jesse Doherty, who covers the Nats for the Post, is now confirming Morosi's report that multiple minor leaguers are on the move. Oh, okay, are on the move to Washington, which is a signal that a trade is very much in the works. I'm not sure how many or who quite yet will keep you posted as we gather information.

So there we go. I mean, Soto's being dealt to the Padres. And he's being traded for C.J. Abrams, Robert Hassel, James Wood, right-handed pitcher Yarlane Susanna, who's a big dude, apparently, for Juan Soto and Josh Bell. So he's gone. And everything that happened two and a half years ago, because that's all it was, people, it's coming up on three years. It's gone. It's over.

I mean, they're all gone, Tommy. All of them. Nobody's left from one of the most exciting sports seasons in D.C. history. And it seemed like sort of a run was in store. they were already a really good team, and I didn't expect it to end quite that quickly. I didn't think that Game 7 in Houston in October of 2019 would be the last hurrah for the Washington Nationals. But it appears as if that's the case. Yes.

You could even point to the time when Kyle Schwabler pulled his hamstring. Right. And then Steven Shostberg went on the DL a week later. The Nats were two games out of first place when that happened in 2020 when that happened. One of the other players, they got James Woods. He's an outfielder. He was picked in the second round of the 2021 draft. He's 19.

I think he's from Rockville. His father was a professional basketball player in Europe. His sister is the captain on the Northwest University. women's basketball team. He's 6-7-240. James Wood and outfielder, 19-year-old outfielder.

He went to the IMG Academy. And he was born in Rockville, Maryland. Barry's Verluga. Nationals are trading soda to the Padres. Heyman was the first on this, apparently, according to Barry. C.J. Abrams, Hassel, Wood, Susanna, Soto Bell, but they're also going to get lefty McKenzie Gore.

That is another player that apparently they're going to get McKenzie Moore, a pitcher. This is like old times. This is like olden times. Like I should completely scratch everything we've done and then we just start, we record the podcast all over again. But why? Why do we don't have to do that? By the way, Tommy's not available to do that because I did suggest it to him.

But he has plans today. Mackenzie Gore, by the way, is a 6-1197-pound left-handed pitcher born on my birthday. February 24th. He is a Pisces, Tommy, just if you were wondering. In 13 games this year as a 23-year-old for the Padres, he is in 13 starts. He's 4 and 4. with, where is his ERA at this point? I don't see his ERA.

That should have popped up pretty quickly, but it didn't. But anyway, they have another pitcher that's being thrown into the deal. I'm going to let people that really understand these prospects evaluate the trade and what they got back. But to your point, I think that they, you know, he didn't have to do this unless they got a shitload back. McKenzie Gore's ERA is 4-50, by the way, 4-5-0. So there you go. What else on this? I'm trying to see.

The kid that the Nationals just drafted, Elijah Green, okay? He's like about, what, about 6-4-2-20? Yeah, 220. And this kid that they just got James Woods is 6-7-240. These are two huge housewilders. As a pitcher. As a pitcher.

So they're going for the basketball team again. Maybe. There was a time around 2005, 2006, where it seemed like everybody on the pitching staff was 6'5 or taller. James Wood, like you said, born in Rockville, Maryland, went to the IMG Academy down in Florida. Man, is that an academy? So did Elijah Green.

Elijah Green came out of the Academy. me. So I'll bet these two guys know each other. You could be looking at the National Southfield within a year or two. Are any of these guys Boris clients? I don't know. I have no idea. All right. There we go. We've got the trade. We'll continue to update on this. And you can listen to how we took it in as we were taking it in, because that's what we're doing right now, even though what we should do is scratch this and start from the beginning. But we can't, because Tommy's not available to do that.

Tell me, tell everybody about two experiences that you had here recently when you were on vacation. Well, you know, I was in Wildwood for our weekly, our annual Beach Week, family beach week. You know, about five different families rent five places all close by. We all get together. and my son brought this virtual reality game called Oculus. Have you ever played this or done it? I mean, have I ever done like a virtual reality game? No.

I know what the result of this was, and I'm going to let you describe it, but the same experience that you had, I actually don't want that experience, but please continue. Okay. And everybody did it, you know, but me. I wasn't particularly interested in doing it. I mean, even my 12-year-old granddaughter did it and was okay. And that was my turn. And the thing they wanted me to pick was elevator, where you get into an elevator. So I've got these glasses on. And I'm watching, you know, this scene take place virtually. these real big sick glasses of visor, I guess you'd say, and I step into an elevator, and the elevator goes up 100 floors, quickly. And that it opened, the door opens.

And you're right there, okay? You are standing on the edge of the Empire State Building. Okay. and they want you to walk a little skinny plank out there as part of this game. And the minute the doors open, and I looked down, I said, no, no, no, take this thing off me. I felt like I was on top of the Empire State Building with my toes hanging over the edge about to fall. The feeling of falling, of fear of falling was unbelievable. I begged them.

I said, take it off, I'm going to rip it off. Yeah, I know. This whole scene that played out was recorded by somebody. Was it your son? Your son was in the video with you, so somebody else was taking the video. And Tommy freaked out like a little girl. I mean, he was screaming like a child for the thing to be taken off his head. And so what did you think was going to happen?

You were going to actually walk the plank and fall 100 stories to your death? You know, I wasn't thinking. I wasn't thinking, oh, I felt. And this is a relatively new thing for me. But I don't remember a fear of heights when I was younger. But I've noticed I have it more as I've gotten older. And I didn't think it was a real fear of heights. It's just I get queasy if I'm real high.

Like, that wouldn't have affected me before. Queasy how? You get nauseous, you get dizzy, or you get fearful? All of the above. And it was on red alert when those elevator doors opened. And I looked it down. And I thought, oh, my God. this feeling in my stomach i'm not i don't want this isn't fun your family not doing this

this isn't your family got a kick out of it your family got a kick out of it they were laughing at you uh you know so you know when um you'll get this warning in a movie or on television that you know the flashing lights if you suffer from epilepsy you know that it could you know throw you into an epileptic fit you know i i don't have that i don't have that but what i do have is I do get motion sickness. And I'm not a big boat guy. It's so funny we were having this conversation last week with my boys. And I'm just, I go on boats. I don't mind going on boats, but the boats have to be moving or they've got to be really big boats where you can't feel the rocking back and forth. Or I get seasick. I get motion sickness. By the way, do you know that if you suffer,

from motion sickness, that there's a primary reason for this. This is what I was told many years ago. And it could have been just to make me feel better about the fact that I got motion sickness. But the truth is, is that I actually do have this. People will say that if you have excellent peripheral vision, you're more prone to seasickness. Like, I can't read in a moving car. I can't read on a plane when the plane's on the ground moving because there are objects that are passing which creates that feeling and I'll get sick very quickly. I mean, I've known this forever. But once the plane's up in the air I can read, it's not a problem because there are no visual distractions. You can't even tell that you're actually moving. So if you get that sense, I've been told this,

I don't think I've ever looked this up, but I've been told that it means you have good peripheral vision. And I do have, or I used to have, good peripheral vision. Now, the other thing you said about heights, I never was afraid of heights. Never. Now, Tommy, I swear to you, there have been a couple of moments where I've been on, you know, driving over a super tall bridge. Like I went over the Bay Bridge last weekend. It didn't really bother me.

but there's this anxiety associated with it. It's not overwhelming. It would never force me to, you know, park my car and use a drive-over service to get to the other side. But I've also been in tall buildings on a deck looking from, you know, 15, 17, 25 stories high. I don't like it. I used to love it. I can't stand it now. I used to love rides.

That's me. I mean, look, I don't have motion sickness. I mean, I can... You don't have good peripheral issue. Or anything like that. But actually, but when it comes to the hiking, it's something new, like you. Yeah.

Something new for me. I mean, I don't recall having it before. And this was as scary a moment virtually as I could think of. I mean, I felt, the pit of my stomach was dancing the shot, shot, shot, baby, and I needed to get out of there. Real quickly, updating as we're doing a live radio show today, there are reports that Eric Hosmer is part of the deal as well. Now, he is represented by Scott Boris. Scott Boris also reps, we know Soto and Bell, but also reps James Wood and McKenzie Gore in terms of the players involved in this deal. But Hosmer has a no trade provision and must give his blessing for this trade to be consummated.

But the reporting is now that Hosmer is likely a part of this deal as well. So that's a name that everybody knows. Everybody knows Hosmer from, you know, certainly his days in Kansas City as they were, you know, competing for championships there for a brief period. It's almost like they did what the Nats did. They were real relevant for a couple of years and then boom, right back to the bottom.

Yeah, he was the MVP of the All-Star game in 2016. No, I'm just trying to see. what he's been doing this year. So, Hosmer, this year. It's an eight home runs. Yeah, 40 RBI's. 72 and 335 at that.

Exactly. There you go. In 90 games. So we'll keep you posted on all this. So I, um, there was something else that you wanted to tell me about. Tell me about the restaurant that you went to. Tell everybody about the restaurant. It's in a restaurant.

Oh, no, no. No, no. The family outing. I'm sorry. The restaurant comes from Donnie Brasco, which you will hear here momentarily. But tell everybody. Yeah. We went to a family party on Sunday.

The day after we got back from the beach, I drove back up to Philly for a family party. And it was indoors and outdoors. And I guess when it came time to time. to go indoors, all of a sudden I noticed that there's a whole bunch of shoes lined up outside the screen door. And I said to my wife, what's this? And she said, oh, they want you to take your shoes off. And I knew she was enjoying this moment because that's what she would like to do here, where

I live now. And that's never going to happen. That is an absolute never going to happen situation. So I'm sure it triggered something in both of us. And what it triggered in me was, oh, you know, I'm not taking my shoes off. Of course not. And I'm not going in, you know? So I sat there, I sat outside for the whole three hours of the party.

The problem was the bathroom was inside. Oh, God. Okay. So that required a little resolve on my part to conduct this silence. protest. Did they know that the silent protest was going on? No, they didn't know it. My wife knew it, and I knew it.

But no, the... How many... Did anybody participate in this with you? Not refusing to take off their shoes and go in the house? No. I mean, I was the lone one. Did you say hello to your host? Did you say to hello to your hosts, or did they never see you?

Yes. Oh, no, I spoke to them. They were outside and in. outside and inside. I was just outside. And I'm sure my reaction was in part because I've had this discussion here at home with my wife. I said, no. I said, I'm not taking the shoes off of my shoes off in a house that I pay for. That's not going to happen. So I, I mean, I've had people say when you walk in, especially like if it's a new house or new floors or something, do you mind taking your shoes off? You know, I think that's happened. It's been a long time since that's happened.

And I'm sure that I was irritated, but I didn't protest probably at that point. By the way, you know, in the summertime with shoes on, and especially if you're not wearing socks, which in the summertime a lot of people aren't wearing socks, that's actually kind of gross, to be honest with you. to be walking around and bare feet, and why would you want them walking around and bare feet in your house anyway? What was the reason? I mean, this was not a Japanese restaurant where you're required to take your shoes off,

like in Donnie Brasco in that famous scene, where Donnie certainly doesn't want to take his shoes off. Take off shoes. You kidding me? Take off your pants. What's that? I'm afraid it's necessary. He's a Japanese tradition.

Is that right? We'll forget about it. I ain't doing it. I'm afraid he's necessary. Sorry. Forget I didn't take my fucking shoes off. Hey, Donnie. What?

Went in Rome. Who won the fucking war? Huh? Um, and, and, and, and, and, I don't know what, I don't know what the reason was. And again, I didn't inquire. I didn't push. I didn't want to make a scene, because this was a young couple with their, celebrating the one-year birthday of, of their child.

Uh, this was a nephew. and I just said to myself, well, I'll just, I'm not taking my shoes off. Did you bitch to Liz about this? Like when she walked out to check on how you were doing, like, was the food outside? Was the, were you able to consume beverages and eat food? Okay, good. Yeah, that was okay. And that worked out okay.

Or else I would have sent, I would have sent my 12-year-old granddaughter in the house to get my booze for me. You know, if that would have been the case. So. No, but no, the liquor was outside and the food. Wow. But again, you know, if you had to, if nature called, you had to take your shoes off and go inside. Yeah. All right. Well, I mean. So I won my little battle as far as I'm concerned.

I'm going to tell you real quickly, and I'm not going to spend much time on this, because there's other things and there's other news breaking here today, too. something in the NFL, which we'll get to here in a moment. But I just wanted to tell you that this is another show that you would have no interest in because it's got a sci-fi nature to it. And I know that this has been a very, very popular show for several years now. It is now, I think, past the office as the most successful Netflix show of all time. but I watched season one in a binge session on Saturday night into early Sunday morning of Stranger Things. You're familiar with the show or not?

I'm kind of familiar with it. Okay. Well, it's now the most watched show ever in the history of Netflix. And my wife watched it, and there have been multiple times over the last several months where I've walked into the bedroom and she was watching it. And she's like, you've got to watch this. And I'm watching it and there's like monsters and there's different things. I'm like, no, I would have no interest in this at all. But for whatever reason, she convinced me to just watch the first episode of season one and then take it from there.

Well, eight hours later, I came up for air and I was, and I can't wait to get to season two. I didn't have time to do it yesterday. I'm hopeful of having time to do it here in the next few days. But it is so, so well done. And I'm not going to sit here and try to convince you because I understand that that is, you know, it's not something that I've ever been able to do with you on television shows. That's fine. You've given some shows, but you're never going to give a sci-fi show a chance.

But like I said about Game of Thrones, that Game of Thrones was very light on the fantasy and the dragons and very heavy, extremely heavy, on just characters, which is why I love. love the show and why most people love the show, because I don't love fantasy, I don't love sci-fi, I don't like horror movies or horror shows, to be honest with you. But the reason Game of Thrones is the greatest show, or certainly one of the two or three greatest shows of all time, is not because of fire-breathing dragons, but because the characters and their relationships and storylines are so incredibly well done. Well, that's the same thing with stranger things, although it is heavier on the science fiction than Game of Thrones is on the fantasy.

There are monsters and there is a lot of kind of parallel universe kind of stuff going on, but the characters are so good. Winona Ryder's excellent. This dude, David Harbour, for those of you that have watched it, he plays Hopper. He's by far and away my favorite character in this show. He is excellent. Do you know who he is, Tommy? He was in Black Mass.

He was in Black Mass. He was in Black Mass. About Whitey Bulger. Yes. Yeah. He's excellent in this. He's my favorite character by far in this. And there are more stars, when I say stars, I shouldn't say stars.

There are more recognizable names coming. I know that. And the next season or two, there are four of these. these seasons. And the fourth season, which just came out in July, is got a shitload of attention. And apparently it's a phenomenal

show. I got a question for you. Yes. Did Papa say you could watch it? Ah, very good. Very good. I've been watching Stranger Things since 2016, buddy. What?

Yes. I've been watching this show since the first season. I love it. Have you told me about it? I can't wait until... No. I don't think I have. I don't think you have either.

Why did you just let me go through all of that without immediately saying? What are you talking about? I've watched it. Why have you never recommended this show? Why have you never recommended this to me? I don't know. I don't know. I guess I didn't think he'd like it.

Why? But I don't know. I love it. I'm absolutely. Absolutely love it. Well, I'm shocked that you love it. And it's not the same as Game of Thrones. Because you're right.

It's science fiction. It's not fantasy. Yeah, it's science fiction. But whenever you have monsters in a movie, there's a bit of fantasy and horror wrapped into it. Don't talk to me about monsters. Because monster movies are a whole different. Yes.

Okay. Yes. I'm convinced I'm going to look at. look out on the ocean one day and see Godzilla pop up before I die. Well, maybe you ought to put that virtual reality mask back on and see if you can go where, you know, where Hopper and Joyce went there at the end. You know, I don't think they got this part on tape. But I kept asking my son, where's the sex button?

I want to do the sex button. Where's that part? Where's the hot chick? Can I do that game instead? Yes. This is fascinating to me. That I watch. Oh, I love it, Game with Thrones.

I mean, I can't believe. We're probably going to have to wait about two or three years. Oh, yeah. So you're two or three years for season five. Are you all caught up? Oh, God, yeah. I don't understand this. What am I missing?

Why haven't you suggested this to me? There are several shows that you've suggested to me here recently. Are we forgetting, and maybe you did mention it at some point, and I just ignored you? Maybe I did. If I did, it would have been early. It would have been four or five years ago if I did. Yeah, but the fourth season just came out in July, and everybody was going nuts over. I know, but it started.

It started in 2016. As the show goes on, they take longer and longer in between. I know that, but you must have binged it last month when the four. season came out. Yes. Well, how is it that you never brought it up? It never seemed like a topic of conversation for you. What's wrong with you?

Are you heard? No. Are you heard? I just, you really confuse me a lot. I mean, you'll tell me about these certain shows. I told you, and I've been telling you, to watch Game of Thrones for years, and here you've been watching Stranger Things. telling me that you would never watch a show like Game of Thrones.

And it's... Not the same kind of show. You're right, it isn't. It's nowhere as good. At least not yet. But yes, there's an element of similarity. This is science fiction. This is monsters. These are made up things.

And you apparently resist anything that has that kind of fantasy in it. And yet you've been watching Stranger Things. By the way, it's really good. Do you agree with me on David Harbors as Hopper? Yeah. Does he continue to be a great character in this? Yes, absolutely. But you don't want to know anymore.

No, I don't. I also think the kid without the teeth is an outstanding character. He's hysterically funny. Yeah. But I don't want to tell you what happens. Thank you, Papa. You don't really want to know what happens. Thank you, Papa.

You know? Oh, boy. All right, let's finish up with Bill Russell and some breaking NFL news right after these words from a few of our sponsors. Go to My Bookie for all of your sports betting needs. They also have a great online casino. Use my promo code, Kevin D.C., and they'll match your first deposit, dollar for dollar, all the way up to a thousand bucks. There's some breaking NFL news. The Dolphins have been stripped of their 2023 first round pick

and their 2024 third round pick for violating the integrity of the game. Additionally, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross also has been suspended through October 17th and fined $1.5 million. This has nothing to do with tanking games or Brian Flores. This is what it has to do with. The NFL ruled that the dolphins had impermissible communications with Tom Brady in 2019 and 2020 while he was under contract to the New England Patriots. Those communications began as early as August 2019 and continued throughout the 2019 season and postseason. The NFL also said that the discussions happened with Brady and his agent during and after the 2012.

2021 season while he was under contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And those discussions focused on Brady becoming a limited partner in the Dolphins. Also, in January of 2022, okay, January of this year, the Dolphins had impermissible communications with Don Yee, the agent for Saints head coach, Sean Payton, about having Peyton serve as Miami's head coach. Miami did not seek consent from New Orleans to have these discussions. The discussions with Peyton occurred before Peyton announced his decision to retire as head coach of the Saints. Following that announcement, Miami then requested permission to speak to Peyton for the first time, which New Orleans declined to grant. Dolphins vice chairman and limited partner

Bruce Beale was fined $500,000 in order not to attend any league meetings for the remainder of the 22 season. Gidell's statement, quote, investigators found tampering violations. of unprecedented scope and severity. I know of no prior instance of a team violating the prohibition of tampering with both a head coach and a star player to the potential detriment of other clubs over a period of several years. Boy, I mean, that statement, and I don't even know if it matches, I mean, here's day two of me saying,

I don't even know if it matches the actual punishment. A first round pick and a third round pick, a suspension and a fine of a million and a half bucks. I know that that seems like a lot. But, you know, if truly Goodell thinks that this was unprecedented in severity, that it's unprecedented in the violating of the tampering rule, I mean, it seems like, you know, a couple of first round picks and maybe, you know, more money.

A million and a half is nothing. And what does the suspension to an owner mean anyway? I know. I know, you know, but this is part of the problem that is coming back to haunt them with the Sean Watson situation. Is their lack of discipline, of strict discipline among the owners, you know, it has contributed to the judge's decision on what seemingly is, you know, six-month, really kind of a light suspension for Deshawn Watson. It's just not going to come down on the owners, you know, because, I mean, they are the owners. Well, I mean, they'll work for the owners.

Well, it's a hell of a lot more than, I mean, they find Snyder, and they really didn't find Snyder. They fined the team, and they really didn't find the team because the team just made a charitable donation of $10 million. They just moved their charity donations around and sent $10 million to a, you know, the charities that the NFL wanted them to send it to. A million and a half of a specific owner and a, you know, a punishment, a suspension is very light to me and is, you know, as a hands, is a wrist slap. Taking away the team's first round pick next year is a big deal.

I'm not minimizing that. But this statement seems to, you know, describe a situation that was incredibly severe. And I don't know, it seems like maybe multiple first round picks. That's the way you get back at a team, by the way. You know, you get back at a team by hurting them competitively. If they're going to break the rules, you've got to hurt the team competitively, not just find the owner an amount that the owner can, you know, write the check quickly and without feeling it. Or as we're familiar with, find them $18 million in salary cap penalties.

a year. Yeah, well, there's that too, but that's hurting them competitively. $36 million was the salary cap penalty back then. Over two years. Yeah, speaking of Deshawn Watson, and I talked a little bit about this on the show yesterday, I just, you know, in reading all of the comments that came out from Sue L. Robinson, the, you know, disciplinary czar now for the NFL, to me, and I suggested this yesterday, there's just kind of a disconnect with her descriptions of Deshawn Watson's activity and the punishment. She, you know, she says that this was essentially proven, sexual assault was proven, and that his behavior was egregious and predatory. But she also said that the discipline was based on nonviolent conduct.

And I think, you know, there is, with sexual assault, there's a nonviolent, there's a violent, you know, distinction and you know she also banned him from you know ever getting a massage outside the club approved massage therapists she knows what a predator he was there and how many lives he impacted and and by the way how many civil suits he's paid off etc and she said as much and and yet it's six games i still think that the NFL will appeal this they wanted a A year. They wanted a year. I think they will too. We'll see what happens. I've been reading from some people that believe that it's not going to happen because Tommy,

this is her first case. And this was, you know, collectively bargained to have somebody other than Roger Godell be the judge, jury, and executioner. And to immediately, you know, and this is a tough first case. I mean, obviously, the case of Deshawn Watson, but to immediately appeal the first decision, And, you know, I was listening to some people last night who suggested that maybe the league, because it's her first decision, may back off. I don't know that they can afford to. I think they have a bigger issue than how it would look to appeal the first ruling by her. They've got bigger issues to deal with. I think they're going to appeal it.

Yeah. Bill Russell. I had Jimmy P Jimmy Patsos on the show yesterday He was great if you missed that Go back and listen to Jimmy Patsos Who grew up in Boston And was a Celtics fan

Talk about Bill Russell Go ahead Well I saw Bill Russell At the end of his career In fact his last season I saw him play But many years ago He wrote two biographies

The second one was called Second Wind and that came out in 1979 and that had a big impact on me reading that you know the things that he went through and

the things that that shaped his life and it's interesting because like there's a passage in there where he talks about his college team the University of San Francisco that won two national championships his junior

and senior year and he talks about how he learned there that it's not the individual that wins the championships, it's the team. And that stuck with them for years, he said, because his sophomore year, he said, they went 14 and 7 and didn't do very well, even though they had tremendous talent, but they didn't get along. They didn't play well together as a group. and that season haunted him for years.

So this guy who won 11 NBA titles and two national championships and an Olympic gold medal, the season that affected him the most is the one where he lost as a sophomore. I mean, to me, that illustrates what kind of a winner this guy was. I mean, he took that season as the lesson that says, well, you know, if my team isn't good, it doesn't matter how good I am. We have to play together as a team. And that was what dictated his play for the rest of his basketball career.

What happened his sophomore year at San Francisco. So I thought that was interesting. And there's one or two stories. One of them that really struck me was he recounted the first time his grandfather came to see him play in the NBA. His grandfather was in the Celtics locker room after the game, and Russell, you know, he saw him crying. His grandfather had seen John Havlicek and Sam Jones in the shower. This is a quote from his grandfather. I never thought I'd lived to see the day when water would run off a white man onto a black man,

and the water would run off a black man onto a white man. I've been to church all my days, but I never thought I'd see anything like this. And that stuck with Russell, too. He never forgot his grandfather's reaction to see something like that in the locker room. He was a civil rights advocate, was very bold and courageous in his pronouncements and fights for civil rights. And he rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. But when you're really good, when you're among the best ever, you can be. make up your own rules, then he pretty much did.

It's, I talked about this a little bit yesterday. So when the news came down Sunday, I actually just, I read, I mean, you've told me a lot about Russell people. My father's told me. My father was a Wilt guy more than he was a Russell guy. My father still, I think, believes Wilt's the greatest player that's ever lived. And in our conversations. And I do as well. Yeah, and our conversations over the years, you and I have, you know, had these conversations about, you know, these players and, you know, the debates about, well, you know, there are a few teams, but that meant that every team was stacked and, you know, the, it's, it's, look, the bottom line is, even though we have these conversations all the time, it's really hard to compare eras.

What I didn't know, as I did a bit of a deep dive on Russell the other night, I didn't realize the athlete he was. I know that that may seem silly to you because I'm a massive basketball fan and a massive NBA fan and remember a lot of the all-time great players. I did not watch Russell play. I do not remember Russell at all. I remember Russell as Brent Musburger's sidekick with Rick Berry on CBS, you know, calling games in the mid to late 70s.

But I know, you know, and I mentioned this yesterday, I think, I went to this basketball camp, Tommy, every summer of my life from like six years old, seven years old until I was like 14. It was the Metropolitan Basketball School. I've told you about it before. It was the best day basketball camp on the Eastern Seaboard. Kids came from all over. It was Morgan Wooten and the St. John's coach, Joe Gallagher's camp. And it was highly competitive. It was so much fun. They had the best of the best in terms of guest speakers. And Red Auerbach was a given every summer in every single session to come in and talk. to the campers. And one thing that always stuck out about Red Auerbach coming back every year is he basically told, you know, the same stories about Bill Russell every year. Like most of his

discussion was about Bill Russell and about, you know, when you blocked a shot, Russell didn't block a shot to block a shot. He blocked a shot to take possession of the basketball for his team, you know, and that was one of the things about Russell that I always remember as a kid. Bill Russell would block shots, but he would block him to a teammate or he'd block him to himself. he would never swat it out of bounds. Anyway, in watching a bunch of highlights and then reading a little bit more about him, and by the way, Coach Thompson, and I mentioned this yesterday, how many times in the bullpen would we hear him tell stories about Bill Russell?

And I remember the times that Bill Russell was on the show with him. I mean, it was must-listen to radio. But I didn't realize the athlete he was. He was a high jump and a long jump. guy in college and in high school. And the thing about him that when you, like there was a lot more film and video that I was watching the other night than I think I ever have. I mean, he was a great passer. He could handle the ball and lead the fast break after blocking a shot or grabbing a rebound. But what really struck me is just how incredibly athletic he was. And he was long-armed and then also

had the quick, big-time leaping ability. He was a long jumper. There are highlights of him leading a fast break and taking off almost from the free throw line and scoring on a layup or making a really good pass to somebody who's wide open. He really looks like a guy. Now, Patzo said the problem with Russell today is that 6'9, he would have been forced, 6.9 and a half, 610, whatever, would have probably been forced to play power. forward, even though there are centers, his size, and he would have never been, you know,

a guy that could stretch a defense in today's game, and that would have impacted him. But I don't know. I saw an athlete that much different than that 62 championship game that I talked about months ago, when I saw a guy in Jerry West who literally could not dribble with his left hand. And I'm not sure he would have started for this year's Dematha team. Russell was much different. My God, what an athlete he was. I mean, when you've talked about Russell over the years, it's the winning, and there's no debate as who the greatest team sport winner is of all time. It's Bill Russell. But, you know, where have you've had Wilt ahead of him, and Wiltz was an incredible athlete, too, obviously, and bigger and taller. But my God, where does Russell rank for

you on the all-time center list? Just the center list. Is he two for you behind him? He's two for me. It's Wilts and Russell, and then we can start the conversations about everybody else. So you can then start with Kareem, et cetera, after that. Kareem, Shaq, Elijah won after that. Yeah. Did you know what a prolific all-around athlete he was?

I'm assuming you did. I mean, he was a high jumper and a long jumper for the University of San Francisco. Joe. Well, it was a track athlete as well, a good track star as well. Actually, through the shot put, in addition to being a high jumper as well.

But yeah, I was familiar with that. You know, what's interesting, what I mean, and one thing I read through, like I said, I reread quickly Second Wind, and I recommend it to anybody his biography. co-authored by Taylor Branch, the guy who co-authored that the King,

who wrote the King trilogy, he didn't want to pull a surprise. And, you know, Russell named five players he played against. We respected the most, Wilf, Oscar, Jerry West, Baylor, and Willis Reed. I think you'd get him in somehow. Willis Reed. He had high praise for Willis Reed. Yeah, by the way, I would recommend for anybody to read the column that his daughter, Karen Russell, wrote in the New York Times like 40 some years ago about her father. It's what he went through as a star black athlete in Boston. It was horrific at times. And yet, as, as, you know, As Jimmy said yesterday, Russell still stayed and still tried to make it work.

But it was quite the open letter that she wrote. I think it was back in the late 1980s. Well, let me point out that, I mean, what else was Russell going to do? I mean, it was no competition for the NBA. And as soon as he got done playing, he fled ball. Boston and moved as far away as he could. He moved to Seattle. Well, and he was in Sacramento for a while, too, right?

Yes. Yeah. Yeah. He, as soon as he could get out of Boston, he was gone. As far as the football team that we haven't mentioned once during the show today, which is highly unusual, clearly for us, practice is over. for the day. Tanya Snyder was out there today at practice, apparently.

James Smith Williams, who is Chase Young's era parent, you know, when the season starts, he'll be stepping into that starting role more likely than not. He's got a hip injury, the team's evaluating, so he missed practice today. And that was really the biggest news from practice today. No big news like yesterday with Curtis Samuel. Looks like he's headed towards another training camp similar to the one last year. All right. Lastly, I can't tell if Hosmer's actually been included in this deal or not.

There were some reporting that he was, but apparently it's not official yet. They're talking about another big leaguer involved in the deal, and it's Hosmer, but I guess he's got to okay to deal because he's got a no trade deal. Soto's been told that he's, hold on, the nationals are on Eric Hosmer's no trade list, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. So if he's in the agreed upon deal, he'd have to approve going to Washington. So he's got a no trade list and Washington was on it. Okay.

So Hosmer apparently could be, at least for now, a little bit of a holdup. He's got to approve being traded and being made part of the deal. But basically what the Nats got overall is they got this guy Abrams, who's a 21-year-old shortstop with big league experienced. They got this guy Hassel, who was a first-round pick in 20, can play all three outfield positions. They got Wood, who's another big dude, who's 19, and was the second round pick in 21.

They got this big pitcher who's 18-year-old. years old. And they got another pitcher who's up in the bigs right now, who's 23 Gore, who was the third pick in the 17 draft. And I guess they're just waiting now on whether or not Hosmer's also going to be a part of the deal. So there it is. Eric Osmer, a Scott Forrest client. Yes. Yeah. So there you go. Okay. Weird show today. But I'm glad we got it in. We'll be back tomorrow. maybe Tommy will be with me. I'm not sure yet. It'll depend on his availability. It's very important and very busy these days.

Thank you for recommending Stranger Things. I will go ahead and watch the show. Yeah, go ahead and watch it. It's pretty good. All right, good. Back tomorrow.