0:01

From the berkshears to the sound from

0:04

wherever you live in MLB America.

0:06

This is inside the Parker.

0:08

You give us twenty two minutes and we'll give

0:10

you the scoop on major League Baseball.

0:13

Now here's Baseball Hall of

0:15

Fame voter number seventy, Rob

0:18

Parker.

0:20

Welcome into the podcast. I'm your host,

0:22

Rob Parker. What a show we have

0:24

for you Today. We're gonna talk with Bobby

0:27

Nightingale. He covers the Minnesota Twins

0:30

for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. He'll

0:32

break down the Twins as they win the Central

0:34

and head to the postseason. We'll

0:36

do that plus foul or fair. Let's

0:40

go.

0:43

Better up to lead off, it's getting.

0:46

Robbed and keep them on.

0:47

Rob's hot take on the three biggest stories

0:50

in Major League Baseball. Number

0:53

one.

0:54

We already knew this guy was a superstar,

0:56

but my goodness, gracious, really, twenty

0:59

twenty three has big off the charts

1:01

for mister Ronald Acunya Junior.

1:04

Yes, we know. On

1:07

Wednesday night in the Brave sixty

1:09

five victory over the Cubs

1:12

in ten innings, Acunya

1:15

did something no player has ever done

1:17

in Major League Baseball. You know what

1:19

that is the unthinkable. The

1:21

forty seventy club, forty

1:24

home runs and seventy stolen

1:26

bases. It has never been done.

1:29

Forget about forty forty, which it doesn't

1:31

happen that often, but forty

1:34

seventy and I get

1:36

it, he's already

1:38

fast. They made the bases

1:40

bigger, let's be honest, and

1:43

this is what's obviously fueled

1:45

him and to be able to do with something

1:48

that no one has ever done in baseball, which

1:50

is seventy steals with forty home runs.

1:53

I mean, obviously he could steal bases. He

1:56

would have stolen at least

1:58

probably had this year forty four, but

2:01

a forty seventy is definitely

2:03

inflated because of the pizza size boxes

2:05

we have in baseball. I'm not knocking him.

2:07

He's a great player, always

2:10

has been a great player, one of the

2:12

best power speed combos in the

2:14

history of baseball. So I'm

2:16

I'm you know, I'm going to allow

2:19

him to have this moment without

2:21

trying to, you know, taint it or anything

2:23

like that. But baseball,

2:26

I'm sure when they thought about expanding

2:29

the sizes of the bases, was

2:32

hoping to have more people still

2:34

stolen bases, just

2:37

think about this. Previously, no

2:40

one had ever tallied more than

2:42

forty six stolen bases

2:44

during a forty home run season, So he

2:46

didn't just beat the forty six, he shattered

2:48

it with seventy. So

2:51

let's just be realistic about it. But

2:53

I'm gonna tip my cap to Ronald Lacuna,

2:55

who has put together one of the most incredible

2:58

seasons, and it is clear to me, at least

3:00

right now, that he

3:02

is the National League MVP. There

3:05

was a race going on between

3:08

a few people, including Mookie bats and

3:11

Freddie Freeman and Matt Olsen, all who

3:13

have had great years. But come on, you

3:16

just can't get past somebody

3:19

doing something that's never been done

3:22

in the history of baseball. And so

3:24

here we are. Acuna stands at

3:26

forty one home runs on the season and

3:28

seventy stolen bases.

3:32

Incredible.

3:33

Number two.

3:35

Don't look now, but the Miami

3:37

Marlins are fighting their way

3:40

back in this thing. And on

3:42

Wednesday, with a ninth inning rally

3:45

of Game two and a doubleheader against

3:47

the Mets, they have jumped

3:50

into the third wild card spot.

3:52

Incredible. This

3:55

is going to be some race as the wild card.

3:58

The Cubs are there, the

4:00

Reds are only a game and a half out with the

4:02

final few games of the season.

4:05

Is not set yet, but the Marlins

4:07

at eighty two and seventy six coming

4:10

into Thursday night,

4:13

and the Cubs have the identical record

4:17

at eighty two and seventy six, but they're both

4:19

in the third wild card spot. The

4:23

Marlins are ahead of them because of the tiebreaker,

4:26

So there you go. The Marlins have a shot

4:29

at overtaking the Cubs. People thought maybe

4:31

the Cubs were there, were in

4:33

there for good, but it didn't happen big

4:36

rally by the Marlins in the ninth

4:38

inning of the game two of a doubleheader. And

4:41

here we are down to the wire. Nothing

4:43

is set the third wildcard.

4:46

This is gonna be interesting over the final

4:48

weekend. Marlins Cubs,

4:51

Reds not out of it yet, but

4:54

it looks like it's gonna be a knockdown dragout

4:57

between these two teams,

5:01

Miami and the Cubs.

5:04

I don't know. I thought the Marlins had fallen

5:06

out of it, they had a bad patch. Thought

5:08

the Cubs had looked

5:10

like they were on their way, and now they've fallen

5:12

on some hard times. So now

5:15

it looks like the Marlins have just

5:17

as good of a chance to get

5:19

there as they do as the Cubs. So

5:22

I'm anxiously watching this because

5:27

when you don't know who's going to make the playoffs up

5:29

until like the last day, that's pretty exciting

5:31

for baseball. They've done a good job

5:34

with that third wild card. Look at all of these

5:36

teams that were still alive in the

5:38

final days of the season. Number

5:40

three, without question, the

5:42

Padres were one of the most disappointing

5:44

teams in the twenty twenty

5:47

three MLB season. I

5:49

met me, you know what. A matter of fact, it might be

5:51

one of the most disappointing teams in sports

5:54

because they just the

5:56

team was loaded. They made a run

5:58

of the playoffs last year. They didn't have

6:01

Fernando Tattoos Junior. If you remember,

6:05

Xander Bogertz hadn't been signed.

6:08

I signed him as a free agent. With

6:10

the pitching that they have with the closer

6:13

and Josh Hater, and with the

6:17

big bats and lineup that they have, and

6:20

don't forget they got Bob Melvin as their manager.

6:22

I mean, I just thought like they're going to

6:24

the World Series. I really did, and

6:27

instead a flop no playoffs,

6:30

just could struggled out the gate, never

6:32

really regained anything, any kind of magic.

6:35

They just kind of couldn't put anything together.

6:37

It was a very very disappointing season to

6:40

watch. Sold out the stadium

6:42

all year in San Diego. People down there,

6:44

no doubt bummed out. But here's the worst

6:46

part. According to multiple reports, the

6:49

ownership is planning to cut the salaries

6:51

by at least twenty percent for twenty twenty

6:54

four, which means like a big names

6:56

like Blake Snell's could be who's a free

6:58

agent and Juan Soto

7:00

could be on the move. You know, they made

7:02

that big trade for Juan Soto, gave up a

7:05

lot, had plans assigning

7:07

him to a big deal, but I

7:09

don't know where that is now. Do they try to move

7:12

him. He still has a couple more years.

7:14

I think another year at least before he

7:17

is eligible for free agent, but Blake Snell

7:19

will probably be on the move if they're looking

7:21

to cut salary. I think it's a mistake.

7:24

The Padres are making a mistake. They

7:27

have a good team, it's something

7:29

just the mojo to chemistry. Something

7:31

just wasn't right this year. I

7:34

would give it one more shot. I can't believe

7:36

that that team is going to do

7:38

the same thing it did this past year. I

7:41

think they have a lot of talent. I

7:43

would keep Blake Snell's going to be the National

7:45

League Cy Young Award winner.

7:48

This is the same team that offered Aaron Judge

7:50

four hundred million at the final

7:53

hour of that before he went back

7:55

to the Yankees. So how did you go from

7:57

that to now you're gonna cut You had a

7:59

soul out building all year, you made

8:01

money. I

8:03

think it's a mistake. Padre should

8:05

go forward, double down on it, San

8:08

Diego, double down

8:11

and run it back. I

8:13

think it's a good team. I think it's a team that could

8:16

win a World Series. And I think

8:18

ownership is making a mistake.

8:23

It's time for the pocket protector centro.

8:26

The analytic numbers you need to know, Well,

8:29

maybe.

8:30

Anthony Masterson is his name,

8:32

BS analytics is his game.

8:34

What do you got for me, Anthony?

8:36

The twenty twenty three season is almost in the books,

8:38

and among other things, and Mike go down is the year of

8:40

the leadoff hitter when all of a sudden done

8:42

will likely end up seeing this season rank in the top three.

8:44

And home runs, extra base hits RBI and

8:47

ops for leadoff hitters throughout MLB, and

8:49

there have been some incredibly noteworthy performances.

8:52

Ronald Acunyu Junior is surely to take home the MVP

8:54

Trophy in the NL, and he already owns the most

8:56

home runs ever out of leadoff spot in a single season,

8:59

though Mookie Betts is all close on his tail. We'll

9:01

talk about him later. Acunya became

9:03

the fifth forty to forty player in MLB history,

9:05

and also the first forty fifty and forty sixty

9:07

and probably the first forty seventy ever. He's

9:10

also on pace to become the fourth leadoff hitter with an OPS

9:12

over one thousand, joining Handy Ramirez

9:14

in two thousand and seven, Ricky Henderson in nineteen

9:17

ninety, and the aforementioned Bets. In his MVP

9:19

season of twenty eighteen with Boston. He's

9:21

also within shouting distance of Charlie Blackman's

9:23

total bases record for a leadoff hitter of three

9:25

to eighty three, set in twenty seventeen. Speaking

9:28

of Bets, he currently holds an MLB record for

9:30

most RBI in a single season out of the

9:32

number one slot, though Acunya is also

9:34

hot on his heels as they became the third

9:37

and fourth ever leadoff hitters with one hundred,

9:39

joining Blackman and Darren Urstad. Bets

9:42

currently has twelve leadoff homer this season, one

9:44

shy of tying Alfonso Soriano for the most

9:46

in a single season in MLB history. Two

9:49

other hitters hit double digit leadoff home runs this season,

9:52

with the Phillies Kyle Schwarber and the Rangers Marcus

9:54

Semion becoming just the ninth and ten players

9:56

to do so in a single season, respectively. Considering

9:59

the WB he got the season started out hot, it's

10:01

no surprise we saw leadoff guys take center

10:04

stage.

10:07

It was a big week in the big leagues.

10:10

Who's a believe?

10:15

Is it foul or is it fair?

10:17

And now from mlbdbro

10:20

dot com, here's jrgamball.

10:24

Minnesota has locked up the AL Central

10:26

Division and now must try to prepare

10:29

a roster for the start of the

10:31

playoffs despite the uncertainty concerning

10:33

the injury status of key players.

10:35

Jr. Is it foul or

10:38

fair to say that the Twins

10:40

have no shot of advancing past

10:42

around of the playoffs this season?

10:45

Fair? It's a fair ball.

10:47

Look, their club's three best players

10:50

are banged up, and Iffian every Way

10:53

Byron Buxton, Royce Lewis

10:55

and Carlos Korea. Currently

10:57

the team scrambling to know what they're going

10:59

to do by the October third date that

11:02

begins for wild card Rowns. A

11:04

Minnesota Twins executive was on the Mad

11:06

Dog Chris Russo show on High

11:08

Heat and he says Buston

11:11

was doing some rehab in trip Ala, but

11:13

he can't get any more bats there because

11:15

the season's over, so he'll

11:17

continue to get him live at bats from live

11:19

pitching and continue to move him around

11:21

and see where they are at the end of

11:23

the week. Nothing definitive

11:26

though, that's the problem. They're

11:28

just sort of playing it by ear when

11:31

Buckston. If Buckston does return,

11:33

he'll be strictly a DH because they don't

11:36

want to flare up up the tendonitis

11:38

that put him back on the IL in

11:40

the first place. Royce Lewis, he's

11:43

been a beast in that lineup for the Twins.

11:45

He's nursing a hamstring of

11:47

all things. Here's the guy that

11:49

beat two ACL injuries and he's

11:51

just getting it going. He's another guy

11:54

like Buston who has all the talent in the world

11:56

but can't seem to get a break. Lewis

11:58

has started his career with four Grand Slams

12:01

in an eighteen game span. That's

12:03

the shortest span in which a player has hit

12:05

four Grand.

12:06

Slams in Major League history.

12:08

He's brought the power to Minnesota that they've

12:10

desperately lacked over the years, and

12:12

without him, this playoff push just

12:14

won't be the same. And then you have Carlos

12:17

Correa. He's had a tough year.

12:20

He's been battling plantar Festshiis

12:22

all season and it's been really

12:24

hard. According to Minnesota, he's

12:27

going to gut through it. They say

12:29

he's tracking well. He hasn't really played

12:31

much and could technically be active

12:34

during their last Colorado series. So

12:36

Minnesota has no shot with the playoff

12:39

just days away and the status

12:41

up their three most important players still

12:44

up in the air.

12:46

Sorry, turned

12:48

money into more money. Now it's time

12:50

for betting on the basis with Dave Gascot.

12:53

Love that money, Love that money.

12:55

Well, Rob, we got a dramatic ending to the

12:57

regular season with a Boatlet the team still

12:59

fighting for playoff positioning or a playoff

13:01

spot start Friday off with the Marlins

13:04

and Pirates from Pittsburgh. Bucco

13:06

has recently been playing kind of like this wrecking

13:09

ball of vile against playoff potentials.

13:11

Marlins need this game the worst kind of way.

13:13

They've been playing great ball this season, still

13:15

trying to find a spot in the wild card. I'm

13:17

gonna take the Marlins on Friday night, go

13:19

to the nightcap with a couple of games intriguing.

13:22

An American League West standings jam

13:24

packed at least with the top tier teams the Rangers,

13:27

the Astros, and the Mariners. This game

13:29

features the Rangers and the Mariners in Seattle.

13:32

I'm gonna take Nathany Voldi and the Rangers

13:34

to take this one. He's twelve and four this season

13:37

with an ERA at three twenty six.

13:39

Meanwhile, a little bit different of a scene,

13:42

and we take our way north of the border in Toronto.

13:44

Blue Jays and Rays tampas or a clinch

13:46

the playoff spot. They don't need this one, but

13:48

the Blue Jays do. Hinge and Reeus so far

13:51

minimal set of games three and three, three

13:53

thirty one ERA. But I'll take Toronto

13:56

to pull off the upset.

13:58

When Rob was a newspaper columnist,

14:00

he lived by this motto. If I'm

14:02

writing I'm ripping. Let's

14:05

bring in a writer or broadcaster, old

14:07

or new.

14:08

All right, now, let's welcome into the podcast

14:10

Bobby Nightingale. He covers the Minnesota

14:12

Twins for the Star Tribune in

14:15

Minneapolis, and Bobby, let's

14:17

welcome to the podcast. My friend, how are you

14:19

doing great? Thanks for having me, no doubt.

14:22

Here we go postseason. I can't believe

14:24

the season's over and ready

14:27

to go to Twins have

14:29

locked up the third seed. They're going to

14:32

host in the first round,

14:34

right a two out of three in Minneapolis

14:37

at Target Field. How

14:40

good are the Twins and should

14:42

they Should you feel like they're gonna move on?

14:45

We don't know who the first first round opponent's

14:47

gonna be yet, but still just looking

14:49

at the Twins. How good is this team

14:51

and can it make a move in the postseason?

14:55

Yeah, I mean I think they have the They have the worst

14:57

record among the division winners. Kind

15:00

of a fact that AL Central was a terrible division all

15:02

season, But the Twins have played better

15:04

in the second half. They've gotten healthier and

15:07

had some rookies that have really stepped up in the second

15:09

half. So I think they're a more dangerous team

15:11

than kind of their record indicates, like, I

15:14

think Houston would be kind of the toughest wild

15:16

card opponent just because Houston's track record,

15:19

But Seattle Toronto, I mean, I think they match up well

15:21

with both those teams, and they took the season series

15:23

from Houston, so won't rule it out.

15:26

But I mean, you look at their pitching. I mean, Pablo

15:28

Lopez is going to start Game one, Sonny Gray

15:30

is going to start Game two. Sunny Gray

15:32

might finish second in the Sy Young voting. So I mean that's

15:34

as good of a one to two punch as I think Twins

15:37

have had in a very very long time.

15:39

You take dead in a two out of three series,

15:41

are you kidding? Those first two guys.

15:43

No doubt.

15:44

I mean it's just one of those. Yeah,

15:47

both those guys, I mean you could rely on them to pitch six

15:49

innings and feel good about it. Obviously,

15:51

the postseason is a different animal, but both guys

15:53

have playoff experience, so

15:56

that's exciting for them. And then offensively, Royce

15:59

Lewis and Carls Cray are coming back from injuries.

16:02

As long as they show their healthy in the next week

16:04

and they are, they're able to play. I mean, I think

16:06

the offense is that's what's carried him in the second

16:09

half, and they'll feel good about that.

16:11

Tell me about Sonny Gray. What turned

16:13

around for Sonny Gray? Because he was mostly

16:15

pitching like Cloudy Gray for a while

16:18

and all of a sudden, Bobby, I

16:20

mean, you said it's second in the cy Young probably

16:23

right in the American League. What

16:27

happened here, you know, New

16:30

York.

16:30

I mean that was just a couple of years

16:32

where he just did not pitch well at all, went

16:34

to Cincinnati and kind of refound himself and then

16:37

dealt with injuries the last couple of years. This is his first

16:39

the most Indians he's thrown in the season since twenty

16:41

fifteen. So I mean, he's finally kind of

16:43

showing, Okay, I can be the workhorse guy. He's a

16:45

free agent at the end of the season, so lighting

16:48

himself up for a big payday of this winter. But

16:51

I think that's been the big thing is just he's been healthy.

16:54

He's only given up more than three runs in a start twice

16:56

I think, or three times this year, which if

16:58

you're talking about a thirty three start season, you

17:01

know that's pretty hard to do. That type of consistency

17:03

and just one of those guys. I mean that's kind

17:05

of been his reputation. He can spin the ball. Kind

17:08

of had to reinvent himself a little bit as he got older and his

17:11

fastball isn't as fast as it used to

17:13

be. But he's a guy who's

17:15

gonna spin it and force hitters.

17:17

He's gonna keep hitters off balance that way.

17:20

Uh.

17:20

We always when you talk about the twins, you talk about

17:22

the injuries. You know, you mentioned that

17:25

Correa who they signed knowing that

17:27

he failed two other physicals

17:29

for free agent deals, so

17:32

so you knew what you were kind of getting into there.

17:35

Also, Byron Buckston just hasn't

17:37

been able to stay healthy for

17:39

a complete season. Talk

17:41

about Byron Buxton and where

17:43

you know he fits, and they thought making him

17:45

the DH, you know, and not putting

17:48

the wear and tear of play in the outfield. But that really

17:50

didn't work either, did it.

17:52

No, not at all. I mean it was one of those he did

17:54

play. He had a stretch where he did play

17:56

a lot, but he didn't hit very well as a DH. And I think

17:58

that's I think it's adjustment for a guy

18:01

like him. I mean, he can make game saving plays

18:03

in center field, and when he's in his slump,

18:05

he can sell impact games when he's not playing center

18:07

field, which he hasn't it all this year.

18:10

You know, I think that kind of you can

18:12

you can go into prolonged slumps, and I think that's

18:14

where he's kind of struggled. Hasn't been

18:16

up in the major League since the beginning

18:18

of August, been dealing with some knee

18:20

pain. He got shut down, started to rehab

18:22

assignment at the end of August, got shut down when

18:25

some knee pain came back up. Played a

18:27

couple rehab games last week. But that's

18:29

he's kind of a huge wildcard. I mean, he's

18:32

if he comes back, it'll be as a DH only guy.

18:34

He's only played two games in the last four weeks,

18:37

so I wouldn't be shocked if he's left off the playoff

18:40

roster.

18:40

I mean, it's one of.

18:41

Those, especially if foryst

18:43

Lewis he's coming back from

18:45

a hamstring injury.

18:46

He might only be able to date. So if he's your.

18:48

DH and he hit as well as anybody

18:50

in the second half of the season, that doesn't

18:52

really leave a role for Buxton. So I wouldn't

18:55

be shocked if he's left off the postseason roster, but

18:58

they're trying to get him healthy and if he can play center

19:00

field, that would help his chances.

19:02

All Bob voyce lewis what a I mean,

19:04

what would they guy have four Grand slams

19:08

already in his major league career. I

19:10

mean he had such a stretch. How

19:12

lethal is that guy? In dangerous?

19:15

Yeah?

19:15

I mean you talk about people that are just

19:17

like stunned by what he's doing.

19:19

I mean, you ask any of the Twins coaches.

19:21

I mean, this is a guy who do ACL torn

19:23

ACL injuries twenty twenty,

19:26

didn't have the minor league season because of COVID,

19:28

so he's barely played the last three years, and he's hitting

19:30

like when he's healthy. You

19:33

know, he's been one of their best hitters. He's hitting above three hundred.

19:37

Pitchers are trying to adjust to him, and he keeps

19:39

hitting grand slams. He mean, he's clutch, he steps

19:41

up in big moments. I think he has fifteen

19:43

home runs this year.

19:44

I mean, this is the guy. He barely played above double

19:47

A and.

19:48

He's only played, you know, a half season in the majors, but

19:50

he's been dominant the entire time. So one

19:53

of those guys, I think he helped turn their season around.

19:55

I mean when he came back from an oblique

19:57

injury in August, he was

19:59

dying of night after that, and you could you could tell

20:01

the offense, just kind of the energy around the team change

20:04

when he came back.

20:05

Our guest is Bobby Nightingale. He covers

20:07

the Minnesota Twins

20:09

the playoff bound Minnesota Twins

20:12

for the Star Tribune in Minneapolis.

20:14

Carlos Carreer, let's get back to him and

20:17

just what this season has been. Is there any

20:20

way he can make

20:23

everything and people be happy. Obviously they

20:25

won the division, they're in the playoffs, but

20:28

is he going to be able to produce? And is he

20:30

a wild card? Could he get

20:32

healthy enough to be He's

20:34

had great postseasons and played

20:36

well in the postseason, so that's something we

20:39

know he can perform in those

20:41

moments, in those spots, but he needs

20:43

to be healthy. Is he a question a big question

20:45

mark? Or is he somebody

20:48

that they might be able to count on.

20:50

I mean, they definitely expect him to play. He's

20:53

been dealing with planter forsitis in his left foot

20:55

since May, so I mean he's

20:58

dealt with payn all year.

20:59

Give him credit.

21:00

I mean he he led the team in games played

21:02

until he went on the injured list a week ago, still

21:04

might leave the team in games played, So I mean.

21:06

He he's played solid defense.

21:08

His hitting has been below his standards

21:11

by a long shot, but he's kind of he's

21:13

kind of made the point himself, saying, Okay, you

21:15

know I've stepped up in the postseason before. Yeah,

21:18

it's been a disappointing regular season. But if I have another

21:20

postseason like like I've done in the past,

21:23

you know that'll make up for it, and I think everyone will kind of

21:25

forgive me for it. So you

21:27

know, he's been gutting through it. He's not gonna be one hundred

21:29

percent when the playoffs start. I mean, planter Phocidas

21:31

is something that you probably need two three months

21:34

of not playing for it to actually feel better.

21:36

But his

21:38

defense at shortstop, I mean, he makes the he makes

21:41

the infield better and if he steps

21:43

up in big moments, I mean that that that's

21:45

the key. But he's he's had

21:47

some trouble this year. I mean, he's he leads the league in

21:49

double plays, growning into double plays, and

21:52

he hasn't hit with his usual style, so playoff

21:56

playoffs will be a big moment for him, just trying to prove

21:58

kind of save his season for himself.

22:00

Last thing, are Twins fans

22:02

geek pumped? I mean, they won the division,

22:05

Well, it doesn't matter postseason.

22:07

Are they into it?

22:10

I think they're nervous.

22:10

I mean it's they haven't won a playoff game since two

22:13

thousand and four. They've lost eighteen straight playoff

22:15

games.

22:15

Well, they're not playing the Yankees, so they got

22:17

a shot. I mean right, I mean they

22:20

lost like fourteenth straight to the Yankees.

22:22

Yeah, but then you look at it and it's like if they match up

22:25

against Houston, the defending champions. I mean, doesn't

22:27

feel like you got any easier. So I

22:30

say a lot of fans are anxious there. They're happy

22:32

they won the division, happy that the pitching

22:34

is probably better than it has been in the last couple decades.

22:37

But that's a long streak

22:39

you have to overcome.

22:41

No doubt. His name is Bobby Nightingale.

22:43

Check out his stuff the Minneapolis

22:45

Star Tribune. One of the best young

22:47

baseball riders in the country. Bobby, you know, I appreciate

22:50

you always.

22:51

Yeah, appreciate you. Thanks for having me.

22:53

Now bring in the closer. Here's

22:58

why MLB it's better than in the NFL

23:01

or NBA, and it isn't even

23:03

close.

23:05

Reason number one hundred and fifty five

23:08

whur Major League Baseball is better than

23:10

the NBA and better than the

23:12

NFL, it's because the stories

23:14

like this. Are you ready? Former Major

23:16

leaguer and sixth overall pick

23:18

of the nineteen eighty four MLB draft,

23:21

Eric Pappis is back

23:23

playing professional baseball. That's

23:26

a story. Fans with love get

23:28

this. He's fifty seven

23:31

years old and just signed to play

23:33

for Greece in the European

23:36

Championship fifty

23:39

seven. You couldn't play basketball

23:41

at fifty seven, or you couldn't play

23:44

football at fifty seven.

23:46

For baseball, doing

23:49

good shape, probably

23:51

could still get out there, play first base,

23:53

playing one of the corner outfields, right,

23:57

move around, catch some fly balls. You

24:00

ain't beating out many hits, but

24:02

you might be able to still swing a bat at

24:04

fifty seven and get some knocks. It's

24:07

a pretty fun story. It'll

24:09

be interesting to see how he winds up. At

24:12

some point, We're gonna update this story and see

24:14

where Eric Pappus and what

24:16

he was able to do. Getting back

24:18

into baseball at age

24:21

fifty seven. But those are enough

24:23

stories that you only hear in

24:25

Major League baseball. In

24:33

the words of New York TV legend the

24:35

late Bill Jorgensen, thanking you for

24:37

your time this time until next time.

24:39

Rob Parker out d kid

24:41

Davin.

24:42

This could be an inside of Parker. See

24:44

you next week, same bad time, from the

24:46

same Matt's station.