0:00

Hey guys, Drew Pond from Stone Creek here. If

0:03

you don't mind, I'd just like to use

0:05

my ad time to address what

0:07

I think are pretty egregious anti-small

0:10

business takes from TC in

0:12

Big a couple of weeks

0:14

ago. You

0:16

know, their opinions on tipping are

0:18

well documented. I personally would agree. They're

0:21

muddy waters right now. That's not

0:24

my beef. My beef is with

0:26

the insinuation that small

0:28

businesses should leave the opportunity area

0:31

of app-based ordering to

0:34

the big guys like Starbucks. And

0:37

I just want to recap why I think that's such

0:39

a horrendous take. Primarily

0:42

because we didn't choose this.

0:45

If you go back to COVID, the world

0:47

shut down. People weren't allowed in spaces. The

0:50

whole six feet thing. Hey, you know, looking

0:52

back on that, maybe not a great idea,

0:54

but that was the world that we lived

0:56

in. So our only

0:58

way of continuing to

1:00

care for our customers, deliver coffee,

1:03

was to establish an

1:05

app and get that rolling. The

1:07

world changed on us and we changed

1:09

with it for sure. And, you

1:11

know, now here we are some four years later

1:14

and those apps are still around. People

1:17

still get their coffee that way. They look

1:19

for that. It's an expectation. Now we didn't

1:21

choose that. That's not something that we decided

1:23

we were going to put in place. It

1:25

was forced on us. And

1:27

if you want us to just now cut

1:29

out 30 percent of our cafe business because

1:31

you don't like it when

1:33

somebody orders that way. You

1:36

know, I just I don't know what to tell you. I've

1:39

always been a big fan of Mr. T.C. and

1:42

his takes. I try to live my

1:44

life by them. Just a big ascriber

1:46

to the T.C. way. So,

1:49

yeah, I think that we have some work to

1:51

do, but that there is a future. But, you

1:53

know, at first for someone I'm let

1:55

big off the hook here, but for somebody who

1:58

claims to represent the little guy so much. I

2:00

was shocked to see him go

2:02

along with this and not

2:04

question it. So I just would like

2:06

some introspection on Biggs part and I

2:08

would like TC to continue to, you

2:11

know, really think about the consequences

2:13

of the things that he stands for. Also,

2:17

go to stonecreekcoffee.com, use the code

2:19

TRAPDRAW for 15% off

2:21

your first two orders and free shipping. Hey guys,

2:23

we're a small shop. You know that. You can

2:25

support us even when TC fails to do

2:27

so. I'm

2:30

a small shop. Hey. Hey.

2:36

Hey. Hey.

2:40

Hey. I told

2:43

you to break your face and dip

2:45

your dick. Right on my waistline,

2:47

that's why I kept that trap. I

2:50

remember nights, I remember

2:53

nights. I damn knew it was

2:55

great, I had to get a ride. I'm

2:58

your favorite rapper, favorite rapper. Hey.

3:02

I'm your favorite rapper, favorite rapper. The

3:04

absolute most. Yeah, no

3:06

joke. Ladies

3:09

and gentlemen, welcome

3:11

back into the Trap Draw Podcast. Thank

3:13

you to Mr. GZ. My name is Randy

3:16

and you are listening in

3:18

on the first meeting of

3:20

the Seamsters Union Local

3:23

401. We

3:25

have myself, we have Mr. Chris

3:27

Solomon from Jacksonville, Florida. Solly, good

3:30

afternoon. How are you today? Randy,

3:33

I'm excited to be here for the

3:35

first chapter meeting of the union.

3:38

I don't know how unions work, let's just be

3:40

honest. But I'm excited to be here. Excited to

3:42

get exposed on some baseball tanks, but a lot

3:44

we could talk about. And also

3:47

joining us present at the meeting,

3:49

let the record show present is

3:51

Mr. DJ Piehowski from Milwaukee. DJ,

3:53

what's going on with you, man?

3:55

Greetings, guys. Yeah, very much present.

3:57

I'm going to abstain on any

3:59

voting. I don't really know what I'm

4:01

talking about, but I'm here to learn and I'm

4:04

here to make some informed decisions going forward. Thank

4:06

you for having me. Of course, of

4:08

course. Thank you guys for being here.

4:10

This is, like I said, the seamsters union. We

4:14

got the ball knowers. They're over there doing

4:16

their football thing. We

4:19

want to talk baseball. We want to talk

4:22

ball here. This is going to be somewhat

4:24

of a regular show throughout the year. I

4:26

don't know, guys. What? Maybe

4:28

every month? We'll play it by

4:30

ear a little bit. I think we'll get together

4:32

when we need to get together. I think that's

4:34

what we reflect. The news of the day when

4:37

we need to meet, we'll meet. Exactly

4:40

right. We might have guests

4:42

with us from time to time. We're

4:44

going to have fun with this. So anyway, baseball

4:47

is here on the trap draw. Solly,

4:49

how did this all come about? I

4:51

mean, I'm just thinking back like three,

4:53

four years ago. This would have been

4:56

the most unfathomable thing. I

4:58

think maybe up there with anything in

5:00

the history of our company. But here we are.

5:02

We're talking baseball. Walk us through how this

5:04

came to be. I can only

5:06

tell you my story, which is I

5:09

was a massive, massive, massive red fan

5:11

up through college and after

5:13

college, living in Chicago. They'd come to Chicago two

5:16

or three times a year, whatever it was, or

5:18

regularly I'd go to all the games and followed

5:20

all the minor league developments. I was honestly

5:22

way too into it. I burned myself out

5:26

and kind of into my late twenties, got the

5:28

opportunity to move abroad. I was

5:30

kind of like, man, might be time to do

5:32

a little something different with my life rather than

5:34

reading like red's minor league box scores online. Like

5:37

it just, like there's probably more to life. Like

5:39

there's probably more to it. And red's had some

5:41

success in that time period. That's a lot more

5:43

failure in that time period. But moving abroad rocked

5:46

me in terms of like being able to follow

5:48

American sports, especially baseball, like everything happened in the

5:50

middle of the night. And dude, I

5:52

just was out doing other stuff and it

5:54

just fell by the wayside. I was, I got

5:56

some really rewarding experiences out there and I just

5:59

fell out of love with baseball in general. When

6:01

I came back, baseball had changed just in

6:03

that three year time period of like everyone's

6:05

talking launch angles and like as much as

6:07

I love data, you know, it stat

6:10

cast and all this stuff, it became three true

6:12

outcomes. The shift was awful. Games were taking forever

6:14

and it just was like, dude, I don't recognize

6:16

this anymore. The red sucked all

6:18

over again. And I was like, dude, why would

6:21

I bring this back into my life? Like I

6:23

don't have any interest in this. I think I

6:25

followed it still regularly. I still always got the

6:27

alerts for every run update, you know,

6:29

everything that happened in a Reds game, but like I'd never

6:32

watched them. Like there's no way I followed the prospects a

6:34

little bit, but I could not imagine

6:36

investing my time back into it. Our jobs

6:38

are busy. Golf takes up all my sports

6:40

energy. And last

6:42

summer, like we heard about the pitch clock, all

6:44

this stuff happened, but I still didn't dream of

6:46

like watching baseball again. And the

6:49

Reds, you know, we were, we were on baby

6:51

watch starting in June last year, I was stuck

6:53

at home. I didn't travel for four straight months.

6:55

And like some time windows opened up a little

6:57

bit for me and I flipped on some baseball

6:59

and the pitch clock was like revolutionary. It was, you

7:02

can't, you don't have enough time to look at your

7:04

phone in between pitches, which is like a crucial thing

7:06

for me. Adjecting to my phone, the shift was gone.

7:08

The excitement of a ball back in play, uh, was,

7:11

you know, brought back into the game. The

7:13

Reds is exciting on prospects and like, it

7:15

was just fun to flip on and like follow for like two and a

7:17

half hours. And I got a resurgence

7:20

of my baseball interest. Like my

7:22

thing I've said is like I was a fan of

7:24

all sports before I left, be able to work your

7:26

way back into it. Like college football never came back

7:28

to me. NFL did, uh, NBA never

7:30

came back in for me. Like baseball worked

7:32

its way back into my rotation last year

7:35

and I'm in on it, not just because the

7:37

Reds are good. Like Reds are good in 2019. They were good in 2020,

7:39

2021, and it never, it

7:41

didn't draw me back in. Uh, it

7:44

took them bottoming out and then some exciting young prospects

7:46

to bring me back into it. And now like I'm,

7:48

I'm ready to do this. I'm ready to go. What

7:51

a lot to

7:53

unpack there. I'm not sure the roads were actually the

7:55

Reds weren't like good, good in those years,

7:57

but yes, they, for our state, for our

8:00

state. Yeah, they were competitive. Yeah, I know.

8:02

I know. No, it's

8:04

funny. Chris and I,

8:07

we would cross paths on the same

8:09

Reds message board. I would always get

8:11

a chuckle out of that. Well, before

8:13

no laying up was a thing. I'm

8:15

like, oh, I see Solis still

8:17

paying attention, has some

8:20

takes on the minor leaguers. So I've always

8:22

loved that. DJ,

8:25

you've had quite a journey too. I know you've

8:27

kind of told bits and pieces of this story,

8:29

but can you kind of lay out your relationship

8:32

with baseball? Because I think it's

8:34

a really interesting one, just tracing

8:36

your fandom and where

8:39

it was, where it peaked, how

8:41

it fell off. And now here

8:43

we are back as a member

8:45

of the Seamsters Union. Yeah, of

8:47

course. Very similar. I mean, a

8:49

lot of echoes to Soli's story. Just

8:51

a couple of hundred miles to the west. Grew

8:55

up just outside Chicago, as you

8:57

guys know. And it was a massive,

8:59

massive Chicago White Sox fan. A

9:02

big like when I'm 12, 13

9:05

years old, just watching every night. I

9:07

mean, watching 100 plus games a year,

9:10

Hawk Harrelson, Hawk and Wimpy, things of

9:12

that nature. And probably some

9:14

takes that I would love to revisit. I

9:16

would pay a lot of money to go

9:18

back and watch those games again, because I

9:20

would imagine there's probably some stuff said that

9:23

would be pretty provocative and interesting these days.

9:26

But got super, super into it. And

9:28

obviously the peak of that was 2005 when

9:31

I was like whatever, 16, 17 years old. White

9:35

Sox sweep the Astros in the World

9:37

Series. That is the peak of my

9:40

adolescence. All of these hundreds and

9:42

hundreds of games have led up to this World

9:45

Series championship. And a real

9:47

big David Duvall coming back from the

9:49

British Open feeling of just like, oh,

9:51

like, that

9:54

was it. Like, OK. I

9:56

mean, that was super fun. I'm glad we did it. That

9:59

was great. I guess we just kind of

10:01

started the back at the bottom now and just

10:03

like a wildly immature Way

10:05

to look at uh, the american pastime.

10:07

I think of like, you know looking

10:09

at it now as a 36 year old I'm like,

10:11

oh that's like yeah winning the

10:13

world series is great. But listen, it's about like

10:15

killing time on the couch It's about listening on

10:18

the radio. It's about following prospects It's really like

10:20

you can't expect the highest to be that high

10:22

which I think I did At

10:24

the time and so that you know coincided right

10:26

with the time. Sorry a lot of what you're

10:28

saying Going to college Just

10:31

having a lot of stuff to do in the

10:33

evenings and during the days and during the weekends

10:35

and it's just really hard to find At

10:37

that time, you know four hours to sit down and

10:39

watch a baseball game And so it kind of fell

10:42

out of it and moved to jacksonville where they

10:44

don't play baseball and so there

10:46

was never really a uh You

10:48

know Baseball has never been hotter

10:50

with the jacksonville suns. You guys know that so I

10:52

would go watch a couple of those games but just

10:55

No real reason to get back into it until I

10:58

think I kind of like Maybe

11:00

just fried my brain with too much golf stuff,

11:02

you know golf was just Consuming

11:04

every moment of every day of

11:07

every season. It never stopped It

11:09

was always like uh, you know It's just

11:11

there's always a golf tournament as we've talked

11:13

about uh on our our golf podcast many

11:15

times And so I think I was home.

11:18

Uh Like back in illinois.

11:20

I think this was would have been what summer

11:22

of 21 uh

11:25

and went to a game with uh

11:28

My brothers and their partners

11:30

and just had like the best summer

11:32

afternoon at the ballpark in chicago This

11:35

was like midsummer The white talks are

11:37

like right at the start of what

11:39

is supposed to be kind of like peak rebuild

11:41

We've got all these exciting young guys Back

11:44

in the city. The weather's great. I I literally like

11:46

on my phone at the stadium was like, okay I'm

11:48

ordering m ob tv right now So

11:51

that i'm like locked into to following the team

11:53

watching it and then over the next couple years

11:55

had Just this really fun peek

11:57

with the white, you know quote unquote

12:00

with the White Sox with the field

12:02

of dreams game was super fun. I

12:04

know that's got a place in your heart, playoff birth,

12:08

having the unbelievable fortune

12:10

I would give a ton of credit for getting

12:12

back into baseball to our

12:14

guy Jason Benetti. Getting to know

12:17

him a little bit and meet him and listen

12:19

to him and Steve Stone call games every night.

12:21

It wasn't just me, it was like

12:23

the other big part of me getting back into it was my

12:25

wife, which I think was just super

12:27

into listening to Jason just because he's

12:29

so funny and so personable and charming

12:31

and even when the White Sox are

12:33

awful. Just making these

12:36

games, basically big long podcasts

12:38

to just sit and listen to. And

12:40

so we had a great time getting

12:42

back into the game and then obviously moving up

12:44

here to Milwaukee have had a whole other opportunity

12:48

to go to a bunch of games in person. The

12:51

first stadium is 12 minutes

12:53

from my house and so we went to a million

12:55

games last year and I've just had a really fun

12:57

time getting back into it. So I

12:59

guess summing all of that up, I am just

13:02

in a wildly different spot with how I follow golf

13:04

versus how I follow baseball, which I think is like

13:07

the biggest benefit to this,

13:09

whereas golf is just I want to

13:11

know everything, data, right pins, left

13:13

pins, launch angles, ball speed, give me

13:15

all of it. Baseball, I'm

13:18

like, I referenced this on the

13:20

Oscars pod, Randy, but the Kevin Clark tweet

13:22

about how baseball is perfect because I don't

13:24

understand any of the defense metrics and

13:26

I just get to say like the Dodgers can't get

13:28

the big hit and crack a cold beer is like that's

13:30

where I'm at with baseball and I'm trying to keep

13:32

it there. That's a great place to be.

13:36

Willful ignorance, blissful ignorance. You

13:38

know, these can't get these

13:40

runners in. There's

13:42

no playing small ball. Yeah, yeah, exactly.

13:44

In my day, you know, God, what happened

13:46

to the sack button, the sack fly? Come

13:49

on, boys. Well,

13:51

speaking of your journey, Deja, is

13:53

there any type of official announcement

13:55

you wanted to make? I know

13:58

there's been a lot of. chatter

14:00

on our Slack channel about is,

14:03

you know, is DJ, is he a White

14:05

Sox fan? Sure. Ruhr's fan. What's,

14:07

what's the pecking order? Yeah, no, I tried

14:09

to stress any news about this, this announcement

14:11

would come directly from me and my team.

14:13

TC was not, was not having it. He

14:16

was trying to force, force a decision. Here's

14:18

where I'm at, Randy. Uh,

14:20

you and I talked about this at spring training. I

14:22

think two things are true. One, I

14:25

need, I have the brain space to follow

14:27

one team very, very closely. And

14:29

I like following all the moves. I like following who's

14:31

coming into town, who's leaving, who's pitching, who's what's

14:33

the bullpen look like? I got bandwidth for one of

14:36

those teams too. I

14:38

want to go to a ton of games in person

14:41

and it's, I cannot stress to you how

14:43

hard I know Chicago's not far from Milwaukee.

14:46

The idea of going to a White Sox game

14:48

is like, I might as well go to like

14:50

Pensacola. Like it is, it's

14:53

brutal trying to get down there. And it's just, I

14:55

have this idea that I'm going to go to all

14:57

these White Sox games. It's miserable experience. I

14:59

can be to a Brewers game so easily,

15:02

but if I'm going to like get the

15:04

full extent out of, uh, you know, going

15:06

to those games, like it's gotta be, it's

15:08

gotta be my team. I gotta know what's

15:10

going on. I gotta care about the outcome.

15:12

And so that's where I, I, you know,

15:14

have just launched in a month of introspection

15:17

about is how, what does this say about

15:19

me? Can I change hats? How does this

15:21

work? And I really went back

15:23

to, you know, my dad who I grew

15:25

up growing, you know, watching a bunch of

15:28

baseball games with was a diehard twins fan.

15:30

When he was, when he was a kid, he grew

15:32

up in Minnesota, knew every player, watched every game, all

15:34

of that stuff. When he moved to Chicago,

15:36

he's like, well, listen, man, this just isn't practical anymore.

15:38

So like, I guess me and the kids will be

15:40

White Sox fans. And I kind of feel a little

15:42

bit of that going on with, you know, with me

15:44

and Justine, and if we, if we were to have

15:46

kids in the future, it's just, it's

15:48

a lot easier, right? To, to move over. I

15:50

wish the White Sox all the best. We can

15:53

certainly do a whole other hour about what's going

15:55

on over there and, and turning a once proud

15:57

franchise into, you know, quad A. pseudo

16:00

royals of the south

16:02

side of Chicago. But that's

16:04

where I'm at. So I'm all

16:06

in on watching the Brewers, rooting for the Brewers.

16:08

I wish the White Sox the best. Still gonna

16:11

watch a bunch of games. The other thing I

16:13

should have mentioned, the whole Benetti aspect is gone

16:15

now. Like that was the big thing with Justine

16:17

and I is like we would pop on the

16:19

games every night. Because

16:22

at least we had that one constant, Loy Jimenez and Yann

16:25

Mancotta and all these guys are gonna be hurt and we're

16:27

not gonna see them every night. But at least we'll see

16:29

Benetti and Stoney kind of going back

16:31

and forth. And even the White Sox

16:33

ruin that for me. They drove a

16:36

fucking hometown kid who grew up. You

16:38

saw the note, Randy, like handwritten note. I

16:40

really his dream. I would love my dream

16:42

is to be the play by play guy

16:45

for the Chicago White Sox. And guess what?

16:47

It worked. He did it. It

16:49

happened and they still screwed that up. So

16:52

that's just, we need to take a break. And

16:54

so we're gonna go all in on the Brewers this year and see

16:56

how that goes. I commend

16:58

the decision. I've 100% supported,

17:00

you know, Soli and I, massive

17:02

Reds fans. It sets up a

17:05

little NL Central rivalry here. But

17:07

your reasoning is sound. There's

17:10

nothing more soul crushing and depressing

17:12

than not just

17:14

bad ownership, but actively

17:16

harmful ownership. And it's

17:19

still amazing to me that the Reds are

17:22

where they are, considering how I felt about

17:24

the Reds ownership. Like two

17:26

years ago, three years ago. But

17:29

yet they were able to pivot. So, you

17:32

know, maybe there's hope ahead for the White

17:34

Sox and, you know, you can keep

17:36

that love alive. But DJ,

17:39

I commend you. That's, it's a difficult

17:41

decision. And I thank you for sharing

17:43

it publicly. Thank you guys. Without,

17:45

I'm excited for it as well. DJ, I'm proud

17:47

of you for making the decision. Honestly, some people

17:49

call that fair weatherness, but I, no,

17:52

no, I'm not joking on this. Like I truly

17:54

think, like that's how we all acted

17:56

in our teenage years and into our 20s and like.

18:00

to your adult years where you have serious time

18:02

commitments, it's truly fucking stupid to

18:04

waste your time and energy investing in shit. Like shit

18:06

that you don't actually believe in, right? I get it,

18:08

it's not worth your time. Like pay

18:10

less attention when the team is, yeah. Well, like if

18:12

you don't like believe in the future and the mission

18:14

and all that, like that's what one thing reading the,

18:16

I read the Future Value Fangraphs book, which is a

18:19

tough read, honestly. It's not the most electric read, but

18:21

it's also like, dude, the

18:24

stuff you've said about the White Sox scouting

18:26

and whatnot and their player development, if

18:28

you can't do that, you have no hope, like no

18:30

hope as a franchise, none, like absolutely none. And reading

18:33

up the depths of what teams have to go through

18:35

to properly scout and make all these

18:37

decisions and evaluate players and all this stuff, it's

18:39

like, dude, if you don't have like a decent

18:41

system set up for that, you have no shot.

18:43

And it sounds like the White Sox are truly

18:46

boned in that category. Yeah, I

18:48

think that's right. It's been really tough, you know, through the

18:50

podcast, like you have a lot of people reach out and

18:52

we're just like very fortunate to meet a lot of people

18:55

who also happen to be golf fans, you know, and

18:57

everybody inside of the baseball world that you talk to,

18:59

just like, oh, you know, I'm

19:01

a huge White Sox fan, like, oh my

19:03

God, like what a trash organization. Like they're

19:05

just, no, I mean, I know they

19:07

look bad on TV, but like you should see all

19:09

the shit that's going on like behind the scenes, like

19:11

truly awful, awful, awful stuff. And it's

19:13

just, again, if, you

19:15

know, guaranteed rate field or,

19:18

you know, the White Sox future home in Nashville

19:20

was 12 minutes away from my

19:22

house, we wouldn't be having this

19:25

issue. I have no problem sticking it out with

19:27

the losers. It's just, it's hard to, you know,

19:29

we've got a beautiful situation here. We might

19:32

as well just lean in, it's kind of where I'm at.

19:35

That's all fair, that's all fair. Well,

19:38

guys, we have a sponsor for

19:40

this episode. We have a

19:42

couple, but the sponsor, and I think it will

19:45

tie into where I want

19:47

the discussion to go is our good

19:49

friends at ServPro. You guys know ServPro.

19:51

ServPro is the number one brand in

19:54

cleanup and restoration. It's known for making

19:56

any mess like it never even happened.

19:59

They have over 2,000, They're faster to any size

20:01

disaster. If

20:04

you need disaster relief, if you need to

20:06

make something like it never even happened, visit

20:09

servepro.com or call

20:12

1-800-ServePro today. Guys,

20:18

my question, through your

20:20

youth, we were all young and dumb

20:22

at one time, is there a player,

20:24

is there a team? Is there something

20:27

you believe wholeheartedly in

20:29

that now looking back with age

20:31

and wisdom, you're like, what the

20:33

hell was I thinking? Perhaps

20:36

I would like to make that belief like

20:38

it never even happened. Why

20:41

don't you kick it off, Brady? Okay.

20:44

So, Solly, when did you

20:46

really start paying attention to

20:48

the Reds? Deep

20:51

invested, 06-ish, 07, right? I

20:55

watched a bunch when I was still in high school when Griffey came

20:57

over after 99 season. I thought that was

20:59

like the Reds were going to be basically

21:01

what's happened with the Astros. I thought that was going to be them.

21:03

I thought they were going to be incredible. It did not happen. But

21:06

06 was kind of around the time when I was

21:08

like really, really getting into it. And then they traded

21:11

two starters away in the middle of

21:13

the season for two relievers. And that didn't go great. It

21:15

just didn't go great for quite some time after that. Well,

21:18

let me take you... So this is about

21:20

five years prior to that, the

21:23

Halcyon days of 2001. In

21:29

1999, the Reds won 96 games and

21:31

yet lost a one game playoff to the

21:34

Mets, failed to reach the postseason. That was

21:36

a wild card playoff. But it put

21:38

an owl in lighter. That's right. One

21:41

of my favorite Reds teams of all time. That

21:44

off season, before 2000, they make the

21:46

infamous Ken Griffey Jr. trade with the

21:48

Mariners. So it's like literally like

21:51

things could not be better as a Reds fan

21:53

at that time. 2000 was

21:55

disappointing. But then in 2001, they have this young crop

21:57

of pitchers. who

22:00

the Reds notoriously are not able

22:02

to develop their own pitching. But

22:04

I thought, guys, this time, this

22:07

time it will be different. Led

22:10

by a gentleman named

22:12

Jose Acevedo, of

22:14

course, who could forget Lance Davis.

22:17

You had Brian Reith who came up

22:19

and I believe in his big league

22:22

debut, pitched something

22:24

like five or six perfect

22:26

innings and then his arm

22:28

got completely wrecked eventually. But

22:31

I thought on the backs of these fine

22:33

gentlemen, the future of the

22:35

Cincinnati Reds, with Ken Griffey Jr., it

22:37

was going to be the big red

22:40

machine and spoiler, it

22:42

was not. So that taught me,

22:44

God, what was I? I was

22:46

like 18, 17, 18,

22:48

just graduated high school, think I know it

22:50

all. That was a humbling moment when I

22:52

was like, oh, okay, yeah, you

22:55

got to be a little bit critical. We

22:57

got to look at things through more

22:59

even-keeled glasses. Yeah,

23:02

baseball will humble you, man. It

23:04

will humble you. You can, everyone,

23:06

your instincts are always to picture

23:08

the best possible case scenario, best

23:11

stretch of ball you've seen your player perform,

23:13

you think he is that guy. When in reality,

23:16

the back of the baseball card is much more of

23:18

a reality of who that guy actually is. I was

23:20

quickly looking at the Reds pitching staff that year. The

23:23

leader in the rotation in strikeouts per nine

23:26

innings was Jose Acevedo with 6.4 per nine,

23:29

which is a different era of baseball. There

23:33

weren't as many strikeouts, but again, the leader in WIP

23:35

was 1.35. This was

23:38

a steroid era also, so

23:40

some dudes were sending balls

23:42

out of the park on him. It

23:44

just, yeah, it just wasn't good. Anyway,

23:47

that was my wish that, wish those

23:49

beliefs had never even happened. How about,

23:52

Solly, do you have one? Yeah,

23:55

mine's a little quicker. Honestly, I go back to

23:57

a moment that was probably rock bottom of

23:59

the recent- reds fandom, which was the Phil

24:01

Castellani quote of where are you going

24:03

to go after the reds started

24:06

shedding payroll. Things were really lined

24:08

up really well for the 2020

24:11

reds before COVID hit. They had their highest payroll ever. They

24:13

were contenders in 2019, looked like

24:15

they were actually going to be good. They

24:17

just got crushed on

24:19

the books. For a small market team that was

24:22

finally ready to invest, they got absolutely crushed in

24:24

2020. They were somewhat competitive in 2021, but

24:26

then just started shedding people in 2022, made

24:28

some really curious moves, trade away their top

24:31

two pitchers. It was like a full on

24:33

rebuild. I hated every second of it. I

24:36

hated the Jesse Winkler, Euanio Suarez trade to

24:38

Seattle was the one that was really just

24:40

like, dude, what are we doing here? We're

24:42

trading two starters for just okay return. I

24:44

still think that return was just okay. Winkler

24:46

went to shit after that. The next year

24:48

they traded Luis Castillo for Nueve Marte, Edwin

24:50

Arroyo and a couple of guys. Marte

24:53

just got suspended eight against the PDs, but that was a

24:55

tough draw. They turned two assets

24:57

that were going to be expiring at the

24:59

end of 2023

25:05

and what they deemed to be a non-competitive window and

25:08

turned that into something that's going to be competitive for

25:10

them for a six year run, which I'm

25:12

a huge fan of. I hated it at the

25:14

time. I thought they were light returns for both

25:16

those guys at the time. Those trades have looked

25:18

pretty good. Suspension aside for Marte,

25:21

it has opened up this window of like, dude, there's

25:23

a lot to be excited about as a Redfin. 2024,

25:25

maybe not as much. I'm still kind of bearish on

25:27

2024. We can chat about that, but I've

25:30

got a team that I feel like

25:32

decent about what they're building, what their

25:34

philosophy is. I did not

25:36

have that feeling in 2022. I remember, I was just pissed. They

25:41

started three in 2022. It was really, really

25:43

sad, but honestly, you got to bottom out.

25:46

I'd rather you be really uncompetitive

25:48

bottom out if you have a plan long

25:50

term and they've gotten there faster than I would

25:52

have imagined. It's got me

25:54

believing in where they're going, how

25:56

they're developing talent, how they're drafting. I may

25:58

have called them. I didn't

26:00

understand that crawls plan at the time and

26:03

man I'm I

26:05

I don't know if it's quite to the level I

26:07

wish never even happened because I feel justified in my

26:09

doubt there But they've gotten back way faster

26:11

than any of us would have expected Amen

26:14

to all that God Phil Castellini is

26:16

is a buffoon, but Deidre

26:19

well, how about you? Yeah, I'll do a

26:21

kind of quick one Randy a little bit

26:23

on on your block I'll

26:26

go back to my my beloved white Sox and

26:29

I think I'll preface this with just One

26:32

thing I love about baseball is that you do only really

26:34

watch one team So it's so easy

26:36

to just lose perspective And I

26:38

think that's like almost like it's outrageous

26:40

and it's a horrible way to like actually

26:42

have good takes on On

26:44

the sport as you're about to find out in this series

26:47

of podcasts But it's a it's a really

26:49

it just does really funny things to your brain So

26:51

like I all I do is watch the white Sox

26:54

2022 they have this, you know, really really

26:56

solid year win the division go to the

26:58

playoffs You know

27:00

coming into 2023 they lose Jose Abreu They

27:04

open the season in Houston right, you

27:06

know get ready to get punched

27:08

in the mouth by by you know

27:10

The big bad Houston Astros Dylan

27:13

cease goes in shuts them down. They win

27:15

three to two and I think

27:17

I was texting Benetti that night And it was just like man, you

27:19

know, I didn't know what to believe until I've like I watched this

27:21

game Like I think I think we've got some

27:23

good stuff ahead of us. This was this is it I think

27:25

all the pieces are gonna click this year and they obviously went

27:27

on to lose 100 games. So just

27:30

say Wish I had that

27:33

text back Jason if you're listening, you

27:35

know apologies, but just a tough one

27:37

there So that that's what that's a baseball can kind

27:39

of do to you I think can we

27:41

pause at this moment ready just to say like we're

27:44

gonna we all got some I don't speak for you Randy, I know

27:46

me and D's we got some catching up to do like if you

27:48

want a 30 team roundtable

27:51

Discussion on all the things like if you want this to

27:53

be the ball knowers You got to give us a little

27:56

more time. All right. Well, listen, listen people accuse the

27:58

ball knowers of really only talking about like five

28:00

teams. So I think

28:02

we're fine from that standpoint. As a listener,

28:04

I've really enjoyed, you get caught up on

28:07

a lot of things, you know,

28:09

what you guys do. I really enjoy that. But like, hey,

28:11

if you want me to assess like the, you know, what

28:14

the Red Sox got coming down the pipe from a

28:16

farm system, I'm not there yet. It's going to take

28:18

me some time to get back into it. We did

28:20

just draft our fantasy baseball league, the NLU fantasy baseball

28:22

league last night. Max

28:24

Homa is in this league. We got a 10 team league. It's a

28:26

keeper. It's going to be really fun. It's kind of something that I

28:28

think is going to help inform a

28:30

lot of us on and getting caught up on what's happened

28:33

in baseball in the last 10 years when we've been sitting

28:35

it out. Yeah, we

28:37

had one guy, Casey's

28:40

husband was putting together with, what

28:42

was he calling it? Like a

28:44

2015 All-Star team. 2015

28:46

All-Star team. Yeah. Our

28:49

poor guy Polo wasn't aware of the Garrett

28:51

Cole news. It was a mess last night,

28:53

but in the best way possible. I'm

28:56

very psyched for fantasy baseball, but it's all

28:58

you're exactly right. We're, we're, we're, we

29:01

got a lot to catch up on, but that's not

29:03

going to stop us from having takes. And that's the

29:05

beauty of it. Yeah, we're going to,

29:07

we'll be, you can make fun of any of

29:09

this is truly coming from a relatively

29:12

casual fan perspective right here. I

29:14

will also say there's no, no better way to

29:16

hone your takes than putting them out there publicly.

29:18

Right. It's like, Oh, the Red Sox are going

29:20

to suck. Oh cool. Here's 150 Red Sox

29:23

fans coming into the DMS with, you

29:25

know, war data and fan

29:27

graphs, information, baseball, Savant charts. These

29:29

like, I just, you know, they're

29:32

not enough wins from their starting

29:34

pitching. I saw

29:36

that road replay of, you know, I just

29:38

don't see it. No complete games from

29:40

their starting. Nobody's getting into the seventh

29:42

or eighth inning. What are we doing?

29:45

Have you got to be on the grid? Are you still

29:47

immaculate gridding? Sometimes. No,

29:50

but that's a great reminder. I got to

29:52

start. I admittedly, I kind of stopped doing

29:54

it when baseball ended, but look forward

29:57

to it now that the season's kicking up again.

29:59

I wish you could. like form groups within that

30:01

and do like daily stuff like kind of the New

30:03

York Times stuff that you guys do. Yeah I'd

30:05

love to compete against you guys in this That

30:08

would be great. Yeah, see everybody score each

30:10

day. Yeah All

30:12

right. Well in the spirit of tanks, let's

30:14

let's just get into it. Okay, we're gonna

30:16

play a game It's called the three true

30:19

outcome game and we're gonna go division by

30:21

division of course the three true outcomes in

30:23

baseball are strikeout

30:26

a walk and a home run

30:29

Nobody has exemplified the three two outcomes in our

30:31

lifetimes maybe more than one of my favorite

30:33

players ever the big dog Adam Adam. Yes Number

30:37

44, you know, he was he was the king

30:39

of the three true outcomes So

30:41

what I want to do Solly I've assigned

30:43

you the the West divisions of each of

30:46

each league DJ you're gonna have the central

30:48

divisions of each league and I'm gonna have

30:50

the East divisions of each league You

30:53

got to tell me which teams you're

30:55

you're striking out of competition Which

30:58

teams you're issuing a free pass to maybe

31:00

a wait and see, you know too early

31:02

to tell and then which teams are a

31:04

home Run, so how do we want to

31:06

start? Should we start in the East? Sure,

31:09

let's start in the a-l-east This

31:12

is guys. I we are kind of

31:14

in an upside-down world in terms of

31:17

I think maybe you know Solly speaking

31:19

of like catching up. I'm I'm

31:21

striking out both the Yankees and the

31:24

Red Sox. Hell. Yeah, let's go big

31:26

Yeah, which which is wild right to

31:28

have traditionally the the biggest spenders Listen,

31:31

the Red Sox were not they didn't

31:33

even finish 500 last year. I think

31:35

their rosters gotten worse They're

31:37

big free agent starting pitcher. They signed

31:39

Lucas G Alito is gonna have Tommy

31:42

John surgery, so I'm saying the Red

31:44

Sox get out of here. You're not

31:46

contenders We're striking them out

31:49

the Yankees. I think the Garrett Cole

31:51

obviously a big deal. I don't know I

31:53

a little it's just anti Yankee bias, but

31:55

we're telling them to get out of here

31:57

I'm issuing free passes to the

31:59

Jays and the Rays, the

32:02

Jays are gonna be my adopted AL

32:04

team. I'm desperately

32:06

hoping that Vado gets

32:09

the call up and has a good year there. The

32:12

Rays are just the model, Soli,

32:14

you're talking about a team that has

32:16

a philosophy and sticks to it. I

32:19

think the Reds, not that they wanna

32:21

go Tampa Bay, necessarily, but

32:23

man, the Rays just, they do

32:26

what they do unapologetically. They win

32:28

games and so I can't count

32:30

them out, but that leaves the

32:32

Baltimore Orioles as my true home run.

32:34

I'm super high on the Orioles. I

32:36

know that's not really sticking my neck

32:38

out, but to think where the Orioles

32:41

were six, seven, eight

32:43

years ago and where they are today

32:45

with loads

32:47

of exciting young talent, they got a

32:49

great farm system. They just traded DJ

32:51

for your guy, Corbin Burns. I'm

32:54

saying the Orioles are a true

32:56

home run. Do you guys disagree with

32:59

any of that? No, I think

33:01

the Yankees, the Garakol things interesting. I think

33:03

they were like third highest

33:05

projected wins in the league before

33:08

the Garakol news, but I don't know that

33:11

they're gonna bottom out. I think the Juan

33:13

Soto thing's really fun and interesting. I respect

33:15

it. I respect it. I just don't

33:17

know if I'm jumping over the line with you on

33:19

the Los Yankees. Okay, all right,

33:21

that's fair. That's fair. I

33:24

had them in a bold prediction later on

33:26

as being anti-Yank this year as well, as

33:28

much as I'm a Juan Soto guy. Just,

33:31

I'm not buying with a solid. It's not coming

33:33

from an informed place. And this is, I can't

33:36

say how gut, hell yeah. As somebody as a

33:38

data guy, these are field plays only for this

33:40

year. That's great. That's great. I

33:42

will say. That's a good place to be. I think

33:44

number one on my bucket list of ballparks I need

33:46

to get to, I don't know that it's gonna happen,

33:48

but I would love, love, love to go to a

33:50

Baltimore game this year. I think that would be

33:52

really fun. I would too. I think they're gonna be such a fun

33:54

team to watch. I've never been to

33:57

the ballpark. I need to go up and see KVV and watch

33:59

the O's in person. They take

34:01

a lot of boxes to excited

34:03

great logo really good uniforms great

34:05

ballpark Like I said

34:07

young team they're easy to root for in

34:09

that division too obviously going against the Red

34:11

Sox and in Yankees So you just I'm

34:14

with you gotta get all those all

34:16

American white boy prospects. That's that's what you're about

34:18

in the most Gunner

34:20

Jackson like the the man of the

34:23

names they have of their prospects is

34:25

they really do have a type Yeah,

34:27

yeah, that's true. That's true. All right.

34:29

Let's go AL Central Deej. This is you

34:31

sure we don't have to spend a lot of

34:33

Time here probably the worst division

34:35

in baseball. I think On

34:38

everybody yeah pretty much Randy. I will say I

34:40

didn't know that it was possible to put multiple

34:42

teams in one division You

34:44

don't have to I wasn't sure I

34:46

should have clarified that last night, but yeah,

34:48

I'll be brief I

34:51

am striking out the White Sox I think there's gonna have

34:53

a little bit of a little bit

34:55

of red ass on the you know, no

34:57

one believes in us We're a ragtag group

34:59

of aging, you know former prospects. We're

35:02

getting duct tape back together. We're gonna we're gonna show everybody

35:04

I think maybe it could be like one of those first

35:07

two months of the season. They're hanging out They're they've got

35:09

a chip on the shoulder and then I think you

35:12

know, the rest of the vision is gonna there's a reason you

35:14

Play 162, right? I think they're gonna end

35:16

up getting past So I will say in the in

35:18

the you know The the worst division

35:20

in baseball quote unquote the White Sox are

35:22

still a massive long shot to win that

35:24

division If you write not not good I

35:26

think it was the was it the pecoda

35:29

thing that gave them as quote

35:31

0.0 percent chance of making So

35:35

sick, it's pretty sick. I think that

35:37

was when they still had Dylan Sees, too. That's exactly

35:39

right. That's exactly right I'm

35:41

gonna give a free pass. I'm gonna ignore the

35:44

Royals no offense to Ben You know, the Royals

35:46

are always but we're gonna need to

35:48

we're gonna need to see some more I know they

35:50

locked up Bobby Witt and they've got some other pitching

35:53

coming in but they're still the Royals I'm

35:56

gonna give a free pass to the Guardians

35:58

and the Tigers I think kind of

36:00

in that middle, you know, fatty middle of

36:02

the, of the league, both very young, don't

36:04

know what the offense is going to be

36:06

for either, you know, maybe a slight bonetti

36:08

bump to the Tigers. I think the Tigers

36:11

are a little more fun than the guard

36:13

dogs, but I still, you know, my guy,

36:15

Josh Naylor, I love, he's

36:17

got his brother coming up, getting more, more

36:19

catching time. We like that. Uh,

36:21

so I don't know, kind of a kind of a

36:23

coin toss there and I'll, I'll make my lock, which

36:25

is a soft, soft lock. It's not even locked. You

36:27

can push the door open if you want, uh, to

36:29

the twins, if they stay

36:32

healthy, you know, Byron Buxton and,

36:34

and maybe Correa bounces back. He's

36:36

still Carlos Correa. Uh, you

36:38

know, I know they, they lost, uh, your guys's

36:40

boys, Sony Gray, but they always tend to, uh,

36:42

kind of replant guys when they needed one of

36:44

the division last year. So we'll just, we'll give

36:47

them the edge right now. Have

36:49

you, have you heard much about that twin stadium? No,

36:52

I've never been here. I mean, people really

36:54

love it. It's,

36:56

it's kind of shocking to me that they

36:58

just built an outdoor stadium in Minneapolis,

37:00

but it is a flex.

37:03

I get another one would be an easy drive. I need to

37:05

go see that too. Yeah. Um,

37:08

I don't have any quibbles there. I don't think Solly,

37:10

any, anything to cry with? What are the white's actually

37:12

going to do with Luis Robert? I mean, he's kind

37:14

of on an Island out there. They got, he got

37:16

two years, two years left in his deal with two

37:18

club options after that. He's like maybe acquisition

37:20

target number one for me and major league baseball.

37:23

If I'm as a red fan of like, like

37:25

field and hit and like, if you're going to

37:27

sell off, why aren't you going to start, uh,

37:30

you know, you know, are you going

37:32

to ride this out for four years with him? Or can you get a

37:34

lot more return for someone like him? Well, I think those

37:36

that don't know why it's always just hired a

37:38

new GM, Chris gets Solly, your boy, good friend

37:40

of mine. Uh, and I

37:44

just, just doesn't, you know, far be

37:46

it from me to, uh, project what's,

37:48

what's going on behind closed doors, it just doesn't

37:50

seem like there's like a plan there right now.

37:53

So it seems like there's just a lot of

37:55

like, you know, the whole, it was

37:57

the air plumber trade, I think. over

38:00

for five players and every White Sox fan

38:02

was like, holy shit, Chris gets on a

38:04

magician. And then you double click on the

38:07

news that it's like, well, all these guys

38:09

were about to get cut from the Braves

38:11

anyways. It's a lot of like, you

38:13

know, nice prospects from seven

38:15

years ago that have had like

38:18

debilitating injuries. So it's just

38:20

the way one White Sox podcast I was listening

38:22

to said it was like, Chris gets

38:25

very nice start, but like hasn't made any

38:27

moves that like I couldn't make as the

38:29

GM, meaning like there's no relationships going

38:32

on there. There's no like masterful, you

38:34

know, how did they possibly get that

38:36

prospect type of stuff? It's just very

38:38

like meat, potatoes, X's and O's.

38:41

We're trying to keep the lights on and

38:43

like get some prospects in the door. So

38:45

like short of like a big,

38:47

big plan, I mean, I know that Colson Montgomery

38:49

is like a big time prospect they have coming

38:51

up, but outside of him and Luis Robert, it's

38:54

like, I mean, you got

38:56

to build around something, but also you need, you only have

38:58

like one bargaining chip now. So

39:01

it's just a really weird spot to be, but I

39:03

think my guy Lou Bob is a star. Like

39:06

he's a so good weapon. He

39:10

might be just mired in Chicago for

39:12

the next couple years. Yeah, he just

39:14

drips like five tool. I

39:17

mean, I would love the Reds to put

39:19

a very serious packet. I mean, I'm not

39:21

talking like, I'm not talking bottom of

39:23

the barrel stuff. Like we got some prospects.

39:25

I wouldn't move some big

39:27

ass names in our farm system to get my

39:30

hands on Luis Robert Jr. He fits so

39:32

well for the Reds. He does. Yeah,

39:35

he does. And if the Reds are going to make

39:37

a big swing, I want them targeting actual

39:39

premium talent, controllable premium talent.

39:42

Yeah. Will Sully take

39:44

us out to the AL West? What we got out there?

39:47

Couldn't be more of a field play. I know nothing

39:49

about the AL almost, and I know even less about

39:51

the AL West, but we're just going

39:53

to kill the A's automatically. That's easy. Thanks

39:56

for digging me in a couple easy ones here. We're going

39:58

to kill the angels. I couldn't

40:00

be less of a fan of what they did

40:03

last year of just like down

40:05

five games at the trade deadline. Not trading

40:07

Shohei Ohtani was truly one of the dumbest

40:09

things I've ever seen a baseball team do.

40:12

And a few weeks later, just cutting everybody.

40:15

They did miraculous to get under the competitive

40:17

balance tax by doing all that. But

40:20

just talk about not having a plan

40:22

over there. That's going to be an

40:24

ugly, ugly thing. That's malpractice to let

40:26

Ohtani walk. It really is malpractice. I'm

40:30

going to pass on the Rangers and Mariners. I

40:32

think the Rangers overachieved last year. Obviously, they won

40:34

the World Series. But I'm saying,

40:36

I don't think it's that sustainable. I'm not in

40:38

love with what they've done. They kind of just

40:41

hit a crazy hot streak. And Mariners

40:43

had a really confusing offseason. The projection systems love

40:45

them. I do love their pitching staff, but I

40:47

just can't really figure out if they're trying to win or not. I

40:49

don't know why they shipped out. Yeah. Maintain

40:53

vibes. Yeah, just

40:55

kind of weird. Can't really figure out what you're doing

40:57

there. I hate the Astros

40:59

more than any maybe professional sports franchise

41:01

right now. They're so good. They're

41:04

just so good. I'm going to marry them. They're

41:07

not dropping off. I don't think anytime soon.

41:10

No, it's not married. This is the three

41:12

true outcome game. Folks

41:15

may know this game by another name, but this

41:17

is the three true outcome game. So they're a

41:20

home run. Okay, that's fine. That's

41:23

my A.L. West. I

41:26

think the only he, you know, the Rangers. Some

41:30

disrespect on the Rangers. I'm with you though

41:32

that the pitching really stepped up in the

41:34

postseason. How sustainable is that? We

41:36

shall see. But where's our guy Monte going

41:38

to end up still unsigned as

41:40

of press time here. I

41:42

signed them to my to my fantasy team.

41:45

I'd like to have a team, but I

41:47

mean, I'm looking at it. The Rangers are projected to

41:50

win 82 games this year, right? I mean, it's, you

41:53

know, yeah, I mean, their pitching is just not that

41:55

good. Yeah. And I don't

41:57

know. That's from it. I

41:59

love it. Yeah, I think

42:01

that's fair. All right. Well,

42:03

you want to snake you want to do the

42:05

NOS or we'll snake back. I Am

42:08

gonna kill the Rockies easily. That's an easy one.

42:10

They Speak I'm not really

42:13

having a plan. I'm not really sure what's going on over

42:15

there When I hear

42:17

anything, I'll let you guys know I've got my ear

42:19

to the ear to the ground out here Did you

42:21

read that Chris Bryant thing? I sent you yeah,

42:23

I did weird, right? Almost

42:25

was weird whiffs of like a dude going to

42:27

live almost like this is very much reading between

42:30

the lines But a lot of it was just

42:32

like dude It's hard like being on billboards in

42:34

Chicago and having all this pressure and like do

42:36

I don't know if you guys are putting some

42:38

Massive contract in front of me like ah, I

42:40

don't know. I'm not gonna think about it that

42:42

much I'm just gonna I'm just gonna sign it

42:45

and it's just a really weird. I was

42:47

in the athletic I would recommend seeking that

42:49

out Rockies are projected to Give

42:52

up 186 more runs and they're

42:54

projected to score like projection systems

42:57

are conservative, right? Estimating

42:59

these things and they're saying 108 more

43:01

than a run per game difference. Are

43:03

you kidding me? Like that's so you're

43:05

dead Padres

43:08

I I'm gonna I'm gonna marry

43:10

two things between the eye test here and the data

43:12

test here is like the data would say like This

43:15

is a better team than what we saw last year

43:17

Like what they ended up getting wins and lost out

43:19

of yet in baseball as much as it is a

43:21

numbers game there is something to a clubhouse culture and

43:24

Being able to like scrape out wins and be

43:26

held accountable that I clearly was lacking last year

43:28

I have it I

43:31

tend to think that the numbers will catch up in

43:33

this in this coming year of less Bad

43:35

luck in one run games and

43:38

I think I'm gonna let the Padres walk bad

43:40

culture from what I gather But like they should

43:42

be a really solid team. They got some solid

43:44

pieces there I can't really explain to you why

43:46

they weren't good last year and I just

43:48

I'm gonna let I'm not buying just yet Or I'm not they're

43:51

not a home run, but I'm gonna let them walk I

43:53

also like a fascinating just situation right with

43:55

their ownership, you know, their owner kind

43:57

of passing away and fashion

44:00

and having the slash payroll because he was

44:02

kind of the guy pushing all the chips

44:04

in and the TV deal falling apart just

44:07

a lot of like extracurriculars going on for

44:09

the Padres but I mean they're

44:11

still like go look at the lineup man they're

44:13

really good. And just trying to put

44:15

down seats. And they just got down seats yeah so I

44:17

don't know I think the Padres are really interesting this year

44:19

I'm actually excited to watch quite a few of their games.

44:22

No real quick on the Padres I

44:25

never really liked them but man

44:28

they had something going there a few

44:30

years back before the Tatis suspension for

44:32

PEDs and it just seemed like that

44:35

took all the wind out of that

44:37

organization sales and they have struggled to

44:39

get back up there which is a

44:41

shame for for baseball in general. I

44:44

think having you know a fun confident

44:46

cocky team out in San Diego that

44:48

can play spoiler to the Dodgers would

44:51

be a good thing. So I actually hope they're

44:53

kind of good but I don't really like them.

44:56

This is the total gut field play I'm gonna

44:58

kill the Giants just I don't like what you

45:00

got going on I don't like any of it

45:03

just not a believer I know they're pitching supposed

45:05

to be good I just I think like their

45:07

vibe stinks I don't know why. Nothing

45:11

to that. I'm

45:14

gonna home run for the D-backs they are really

45:16

impressive upcoming team they got a lot better they

45:18

made some really savvy moves I like adding Suarez

45:20

for them it's kind of

45:23

you know they added Eduardo Rodriguez which he might be hurt a

45:25

little bit but I really wanted the Reds to add him. Corbin

45:28

Carroll is an absolute nightmare to play against

45:30

he makes me really uncomfortable. Katell Marte just

45:32

seems to demolish the ball every time the Reds

45:35

play them. I see back string be

45:37

nuts when the Reds played them last year

45:39

and I really like that team. Gallon and

45:41

Dottley they're like yeah their whole situation is

45:44

awesome. I know I am curious and getting

45:46

better is isn't impressive. I know

45:48

I am curious there seems like there could

45:50

be some regression though in that pitching. Yeah

45:54

it's gonna be very interesting to watch them this

45:56

year. Dodgers are I

45:58

mean I'm gonna call it a home run. run.

46:00

You know, I'm bet big, bet big on the

46:03

Dodgers this year would be, you know, we can

46:05

talk about the Otani situation, but I have,

46:08

they're going to cruise to the West, they'll win the West.

46:10

But you know, what happens in the

46:12

playoffs is the of course, trillion dollar

46:14

question. So at least

46:17

billion dollar questions as one. So in

46:19

their off season, yeah, the we're very

46:21

early in this Otani story, but it

46:23

stinks, right? Like, like it, some,

46:26

some just stinks about this whole

46:28

thing, which is either was, he

46:30

either was massively betting on bait

46:32

on sports, something himself, or at

46:35

minimum, he made an illegal payment, illegal

46:38

transfer to a bookie from his own funds, unless

46:41

the interpreter had access to his bank

46:43

account and truly had stolen the

46:46

money, because like the story's already changed. And

46:48

it sure seems like lawyers are saying like the original

46:51

story was that Otani had paid off

46:53

the debt, and it became like, no, this guy

46:55

stole the money from Otani to pay it off,

46:57

which, you know, that's true. Or that's gonna be

46:59

a tough thing to fake and, and, you know,

47:01

not be able to prove or whatever. It's,

47:04

it's a, it's gonna get really

47:06

ugly, very soon. Well, and

47:08

it is fascinating to like, him

47:11

deferring all of that money, like, if

47:13

I had an unbelievable gambling addiction, what

47:16

would be something that would help me like, well,

47:18

give me all that money now pay me well

47:21

into the future. It just, oh,

47:24

it's gonna be fascinating to follow

47:26

this story. These any quibbles with the

47:28

NOS? Or should we move to the the

47:30

central? No, I love it. Okay,

47:32

the central is fascinating. Guys, this could

47:34

be the tightest division at all. Baseball.

47:36

Yeah, I feel you guys. This is

47:38

a tough assignment here, especially, you know,

47:40

with considering the audience that I'm speaking

47:42

to here. So I am going to

47:46

kill the Pirates, you know, and

47:48

even even that even that you didn't let me

47:50

finish. Even that is like, that's just

47:52

a half step below the

47:54

rest of the teams in the division. I

47:56

feel they are like, still solid. I

47:58

don't know that they really got much better. I

48:01

know they started hot last year, had

48:03

some injury problems. But they're still projected

48:05

right in that like 75 win

48:08

area, which is like, listen,

48:10

that's always going to be always going to

48:12

be interesting, add a little bit of pitching

48:14

depth. So I mean, killing them wildly reluctantly,

48:16

right? And that's only because I thought I

48:18

had to kill somebody. Honestly, I might have

48:20

put all five teams in the next category,

48:22

which is just I'm giving them a walk.

48:24

And I don't know if there's any foam

48:27

runs, right? I mean, I think Cardinals, Brewers,

48:29

Cubs, and the

48:31

Reds are all like, pretty neck and neck.

48:33

I mean, it's gonna be really, really tight. I

48:36

might just because I hate the Cubs give just

48:38

a teeny tiny bit

48:40

of an edge to the

48:42

Cardinals and the Brewers.

48:46

Just because I know you, the Reds have some,

48:48

have some weird injury stuff going on. I'm hearing

48:50

you guys freaking out every day about like, where

48:52

are we getting these innings? Who's playing first? What's

48:54

going on over here? I think

48:57

there's a lot of, I was pumped

48:59

on the Reds going into spring training.

49:01

And now speaking of plans, spending

49:03

a little more time following the Brewers, it

49:06

is exciting to watch like the prospect to

49:08

starting pitcher, starting bullpen

49:11

guy, whatever, all of that, that whole process

49:13

in an actual like small market team, rather

49:15

than just like a big market team that's

49:17

run like a small market team, is

49:20

really fun to watch. So I am stoked

49:23

on the Brewers. I do think it's gonna be

49:25

fun. The Jackson-Tureo situation is really

49:27

interesting. Added a little bit of pop

49:29

with Reese Hoskins and Gary Sanchez. And

49:31

they're, you know, they're defending division champs.

49:33

And so someone's got to knock them off.

49:36

Speaking of the opposite of that, the Cardinals, it's been

49:38

bleak the last couple of years. They

49:40

added a bunch of old boys on the, on the Hill.

49:43

You know, I know it's a lot of names people

49:45

recognize, but it's about 110

49:48

combined years of pitching. And

49:54

Lancelin. So, you know, I've

49:56

been watching the Lancelin movie the last couple of years. It's

49:58

not that fun to watch. I know he. He was

50:00

electric. I'm loving

50:03

the Jerry Rice, Dan Marino meme,

50:06

that meme of the Cardinals pitching staff rolling

50:08

out this year. I've been finally killing the

50:10

Cardinals. I was hoping you would kill them

50:13

because I'm not buying what they're selling. They're

50:15

very vampirey though. There's some about the Cardinals.

50:17

Somebody's going to have to stab them through

50:20

the heart for me to truly believe they're

50:22

dead. And I'm

50:24

just fascinated on what happens with

50:27

the Cubs. Obviously, the council, I

50:29

like the feeling of

50:31

especially being in Milwaukee, this idea

50:33

that the manager's going to get

50:35

you 25 games is really stupid

50:38

and funny. But

50:40

also, I think, again, being a

50:42

lifelong Brewers fan like I am, I think

50:45

the idea of him going there, just

50:47

stabbing the Brewers in the back

50:49

and then just getting punted in Chicago

50:53

would be fun. It would

50:55

be delicious. Solly, where do you stand right

50:57

now with the Reds? The

50:59

bad injuries starting to pile up. What's

51:02

your outlook? I have

51:04

been, I'm bullish on

51:07

the Reds window. I think this is going

51:09

to be a good team, a really strong

51:11

competitive team for the next five, six years.

51:13

I think it's going to be a good

51:15

window. I'm slightly bearish on 2024. It

51:17

just doesn't seem like the pieces are all

51:20

gelling together. They had a lot of

51:22

good depth, but before we even got to opening day, they've kind of

51:24

run through a lot of that. Starting second

51:26

baseman might be getting maybe season

51:28

ending shoulder surgery, potentially sounds like.

51:31

He was projected to

51:33

be their most valuable player this year. Their

51:35

most valuable player last year, TJ Friedel, center

51:37

fielder. He broke his wrist in a spring

51:40

training game. He's out at minimum several months.

51:43

The depth, you know, Brandon Williamson starting the season

51:45

on the aisle, Noeve Marte, their number one prospect

51:47

suspended 80 games. Edwin Arroyo is

51:50

out for the year with a torn labrum. He

51:52

was an exciting young shortstop prospect. Just

51:54

been a lot of bad news in the last couple of

51:57

weeks. The Best thing

51:59

they had going is kind of. Gone before even

52:01

opening day starts. so am. I

52:04

don't know man, they they. Outperform.

52:06

Their peripherals last year so colleagues resetting things.

52:08

They kind of felt like a seventy seven

52:11

when team to me, but then they had

52:13

a couple nice pieces: Frankie Montas, ah, Nick

52:15

Martinez coupled god as bullpen arms, and things

52:17

like that that I was enough to be

52:19

excited about. but we're not heading in there

52:21

with much momentum. It's. Gonna

52:23

come down to whether l he goes boom fl

52:25

ago a cruise like. You. Know take

52:27

the leap and goes nuclear a it the

52:30

team can be really good bye. Don't see

52:32

a path right now without him doing that.

52:34

Some I'm I'm you did Right now I

52:36

feel. I. Think that's all exceptionally

52:38

fair. Very fair analysis as I think

52:40

the the red shoes are just a

52:43

team of questions but in the sense

52:45

of like we just have to wait

52:47

and see the is you go up

52:49

and down that pitching staff even montage

52:51

right? You know he could have a

52:53

great year, he might not on a

52:55

green, maybe make the leap, Maybe doesn't.

52:58

Graham Ashcroft is is the year he

53:00

puts everything together and becomes the consists

53:02

of starting pitcher Abbott. What's he gonna

53:04

do in a sophomore year? You know

53:06

it's like is. There's so many

53:08

questions that. Is. It probably

53:10

is unrealistic for them to all

53:13

breaks in a good direction. for

53:15

the reds are map. But. Like

53:17

I'm okay with like that figuring some that out

53:19

this year right? I mean in and they didn't

53:21

do it all on the cheapest. spent a hundred

53:23

five million this off season and a bunch of

53:25

i'm on certain deals like health the competitive short

53:27

term window here but like until before they make

53:30

a movie that you know they got to left

53:32

the I'll feel that. Are. Kind of redundant

53:34

right? Jake freely and and Will Benson like.

53:36

ideally you would have a nice platoon split

53:38

between those two but ruptured either one of

53:40

those x they saw Really know what they

53:42

have with each of those guys. Like That's

53:45

kind of what this year is gonna be

53:47

more about. one more year develop in the

53:49

farms as they get the second overall pick

53:51

in the coming draft and that some other

53:53

options look unbelievable with the Charlie Condon who

53:55

is just absolute raking right now or chase

53:57

birds the pizzeria organ in a draft pick

54:00

for an average to be mad at us

54:02

and the like went over to the middle

54:04

that you know it are A Either though

54:06

they are, we are you going to take

54:08

that applied? Would I buy the paywalls? He

54:10

was okay. Heard that that So I'm at

54:13

their ah let's facing down the an alley.

54:15

Sorry I think this is maybe one of

54:17

the more boring divisions just because I'm I'm

54:19

striking out the Nationals they they are a

54:21

ways away but they do have some fun

54:23

young pieces on strike in out the Marlins

54:25

I've It's a shame all the pitching injuries

54:28

that that are piling up a has Sandy.

54:30

Our country error out for the you're already

54:32

sounds like you're a rose might be headed

54:34

towards Tommy John surgery some strike in the

54:36

Marlins out of on strike in the Mets

54:38

out on not by in a thing the

54:40

Mets are sell in this year. And.

54:42

We're we're gonna. We're gonna walk the

54:45

Phillies. I'll I'll I'll put some respect

54:47

on on the got pieces. That.

54:50

Wheeler I think. Really good. I think they spent

54:53

a shit ton on I'm so that's going to

54:55

be interesting to watch. Your. Price.

54:57

Move into first base on a on

54:59

a full time basis so we'll see

55:01

what the Phillies come up with. But

55:03

the Braves a home run a means

55:05

of the Braves are so freaking good.

55:07

Round Jr is I don't know. I.

55:10

Think. That. The best

55:12

like pure athlete hitter in

55:14

in baseball. The

55:17

pitching Staff: Spencer Striders amazing of

55:19

young watch Spencer Strider pitch he's

55:21

He's unbelievable. The Bridges have loads

55:23

and loads of talent up and

55:25

down. that roster will run team

55:28

I think. I'd. Only ago now

55:30

him with any those boys any any quibbles,

55:32

their. Know. I wish the marlins were

55:34

better. I feel like tc. As

55:36

a future as a Marlins fan as just feel

55:39

like with jazz says i'm they got Tim Anderson.

55:41

Now I just say there's a lot of pieces

55:43

that like they've The Marlins could be like really

55:45

Cp and flashy and I just thirty see as

55:47

a future as Marlins fan but they're going to

55:50

need to be better for him this to get

55:52

a good on his radar at thing. We also

55:54

think he could be like there's a world that

55:56

exists were t three in the Marlins manner like

55:58

and pretty tight. The much messages quite

56:01

also respect the air is only one

56:03

way to sands in the the to

56:05

them taken a private plane down bomb

56:07

as go fishing like that it's a

56:09

Andre did as the mild man Tt

56:11

story and. The. Ah ah

56:13

I were going to end this organ and

56:15

the seems there's union where we're going to

56:17

put some takes on the record. We're we're

56:19

gonna as you know put your name on

56:21

it. Let's go around the horn as their

56:23

body for for three baseball takes for this

56:25

year which we can revisit throughout the year.

56:27

Ah. Let's. Let's go let's

56:29

see. I started off the division Deja. Let's start

56:31

with you hear? what's what's? that? What's it take

56:33

for the people Sarah I'm just going to say

56:36

is probably not that hot of a take even.

56:38

But I'll say we're going to see a one

56:40

hundred team. Win. Or lose in

56:42

the first round again. I think that's

56:45

absolute becoming a thing as a green

56:47

have multiple hundred hundred when teams and

56:49

I think the more that. Like

56:51

that becomes a thing in baseball. It almost feels

56:53

like the more pressure there becomes fight when you

56:56

do get out to those big ass leads in

56:58

your division. Were you there Some pretty top heavy

57:00

divisions both with the Braves and the Dodgers and

57:02

I just feel I haven't outweighing the back of

57:04

both of those teams. Mind all yours going to

57:06

be really fun and I don't think both of

57:08

them are Make it out the first round. For.

57:11

The divisional round. I dig. It

57:13

I would say so we're looking at

57:15

maybe the Braves were looking at you.

57:17

Potentially the Dodgers thought shirt, Orioles Oreo

57:20

didn't Astros were down and a those

57:22

are the teams in the crosshairs. I

57:24

would say. Ah

57:26

sorry, what's give us a take. Ah,

57:28

so I'm looking at projections here.

57:30

It's gets giving the Brewers ace

57:32

eighteen percent chance of winning the Nl

57:35

Central onset the Brewers when the

57:37

Nl Central. Why he? I'm a buyer

57:39

of pitching in defense. I don't think

57:41

the Reds have invested enough in

57:43

defense. I, the Brewers will not die,

57:46

Are allowed sick of watching Redskins disrespect

57:48

them? Honestly, at this point they just

57:50

pretending like they're not good. It's

57:52

like. But. They've proven it from what

57:54

five last six years or whatever it is

57:57

like guy and they didn't damage forces by

57:59

trading to com. Burns are added Reese Hoskins

58:01

I had a being regulated. good outfields it's

58:03

nicer. Good writer. the starting lineup like from

58:05

from there's trade with Joey or Teas and

58:07

the a whole I just don't get write

58:09

them off at are all double I the

58:11

same production. I'll say the Cardinals will not

58:13

make the playoffs and they have a fifty

58:15

one percent at make the playoffs I'm saying

58:17

now so that's that's to takes in one

58:19

the other really wild to me on the

58:21

East and central i don't guy was looking

58:23

at what we're in Arizona. radius them it

58:25

married male sprinkling on the other person with

58:27

a division it plus seven fifty or whatever.

58:30

As. Well and let's see how the first one

58:32

I wrote down am. I got

58:34

the Reds winning the Central and then

58:36

I know we just one. Overall, the

58:38

question marks all those all the things

58:40

that could go wrong. Hey, how about

58:42

ma'am Acclaim shoulder injury not as bad

58:45

as as feared. He's back in May.

58:47

Tj Friedel you know he's back sometime

58:49

in June. Gets back to the top

58:51

of the line up and in he

58:53

starts hidden. L E De la Cruz

58:55

I I truly do think he's he's

58:57

made improvements at the plate or A

58:59

I think that will begin to translate

59:02

I think Christian and Encarnacion strand. As

59:04

a as a breakout year of sorts ah

59:06

I'm and I'm bullish on fine and

59:08

two or three pitchers that step up. I'm

59:10

also boasts on the front office adding to

59:13

this team and and making moves to

59:15

to stay competitive in to get better. Throughout

59:17

the year I got the read that I

59:19

think the fight I'm looking at they

59:21

were plus three eighty to win the division

59:23

A put my name on a baby.

59:25

I don't think this isn't the Reds year

59:28

year but I I look at a ton

59:30

of as Twenty ten. let's win the

59:32

division, let's get some playoff. Experience. And then

59:34

I think it sets them up for the next three

59:36

to four years, at least. Who. Have

59:39

that I love it or I'll give

59:41

you a second. Here are not a

59:43

hot one but I do think to

59:45

read about the Orioles and Corbyn Burns.

59:47

I got Corbyn winning the A Cy

59:49

Young and I only say that's a

59:51

bit of a own opinion or take

59:54

of. I think he's like. Listed.

59:56

Sixth or seventh. And the odds at

59:58

the moment. So. Gimme Corbyn

1:00:00

burns in in a contract year plan for

1:00:03

potentially the best team in baseball. I think

1:00:05

he has a huge season. That. Was

1:00:07

my second take as well. Ready serve Other put my

1:00:09

name on Allen to. I am

1:00:11

a second best odds on my site

1:00:13

to in the doesn't just in case

1:00:15

you are trying to claim that as

1:00:18

a sub. As a poll taken pretty

1:00:20

regular I've lived I would divert a

1:00:22

to.org a job didn't personalize. odd the

1:00:24

rear. Ah,

1:00:26

I'm. Did. You not make the postseason.

1:00:28

Ah, that's they have a seventy one percent chance

1:00:30

for fan graph. Some say they are not going

1:00:32

to be there. So. And

1:00:34

that all gunslinger my last. an elegant

1:00:37

feel. sixty four spaces deceased out of

1:00:39

a are you going to seal every.

1:00:41

Every time he gets on base at a

1:00:43

good can try I I truly think there's

1:00:45

a good discovery. Cavic to strong minded our

1:00:48

own out like twenty five times only. but

1:00:50

yeah he's he's He's gonna be a menace

1:00:52

on the basepaths. I think he had a

1:00:54

prop that like over under his stolen bases.

1:00:56

The season was thirty nine and a half.

1:00:58

I'll listen. This. Is not advice but

1:01:00

that over is just my last thing. The

1:01:02

only under arrest there's injury because he died

1:01:05

had first at thirty miles an hour into

1:01:07

the a guy threw his by going to

1:01:09

get hurt stealing a base this year like

1:01:11

that. that's the only reason others the under.

1:01:14

Yeah. There's a princess. Specific

1:01:16

that idea? What's your what's your final

1:01:18

on? Ah well with Er Vi. the

1:01:20

larger items week ago if you got

1:01:22

her are just gas and up your

1:01:24

hometown squads or out. I'll do the

1:01:26

same. Also Jackson Syria rookie the year

1:01:28

is a National League. ah you know,

1:01:30

obviously a massive prospect. It's not that

1:01:32

hot of a take both sides, the

1:01:34

big guy sides, the big eight year

1:01:36

deal. Without. Playing a major league

1:01:38

game and eyes kind of go right into

1:01:41

starting out field either centerfielder, right field but

1:01:43

these give a predator can be probably up

1:01:45

there are that store based out as well.

1:01:47

Ah and so excited to watch that. Hi

1:01:50

guys, this is a total hard pick. But if

1:01:52

if we can't believe in stuff we want to

1:01:54

believe in, you know what, Who are we? What

1:01:56

are we doing as a society? I got Joey

1:01:59

Votto gun for. Good plus that bad

1:02:01

through the Blue Jays this year and

1:02:03

if that happens, he's gonna hit more

1:02:05

than twenty home runs. The guy says

1:02:07

he's healthy. He he he loves be

1:02:09

and home in Toronto. He he's gotta

1:02:11

have vigor and an enthusiasm about him.

1:02:14

Loose. And saw you know on the Reds

1:02:16

message boards the that the Montreux the last

1:02:18

fifteen years was. I'm not. I'm not betting

1:02:20

against Joey. If Joe he says he feels

1:02:22

good, he's gonna figure out a way to

1:02:24

be productive. I think you've got one more

1:02:26

really good season and I'm and I'm hoping

1:02:28

it's this year with Toronto. Amazing Up

1:02:31

you're right. I I think really random on

1:02:33

anger at some point are going to trade

1:02:35

for Lane Thomas from the an outfielder from

1:02:37

the Nationals. I'm actually really level of the

1:02:39

Nationals have cook and they have a couple

1:02:41

out your prospects. They're going to become an

1:02:43

up at some point probably this year and

1:02:45

ah I think that's I think that they're

1:02:47

going to for decent return probably. but I

1:02:49

think the Reds are going to try to

1:02:52

stag the right handed offer from the Nationals

1:02:54

and I will say lane war their asses

1:02:56

out last year Cronyism? Yeah, totally crush them

1:02:58

or it Real quick quick hitters. Ah World

1:03:00

Series. Champion who got solid. Braves

1:03:03

over the Astros. Say.

1:03:05

I had the same thing. Man I know it's

1:03:07

like not exciting read the world. You know if

1:03:10

we can make it like a fake fix that

1:03:12

you know that the snakes are you to get

1:03:14

back there Man who does the put me on

1:03:16

the record for that would but I know it's

1:03:18

gonna be a brief god that's three of us.

1:03:20

A at the Braves over the Orioles and I

1:03:23

had the Orioles over the Astros. So we're we're

1:03:25

all in the same spot. Ah demure. know you're

1:03:27

out of your data. can be really fun as

1:03:29

if for no reason other than just like. Law.

1:03:32

Of return he backed out. I have the

1:03:34

Orioles set for a come back to Earth

1:03:36

this year for absolutely no. Absolutely no

1:03:38

reason other than now. Pride. Just as you

1:03:40

see how goes for smaller marketing. I think

1:03:42

what I'm looking for to most is the

1:03:44

Orioles. Losing. Feels pretty stern and

1:03:46

bring it in. Neil Guy Craig Kimbrell in

1:03:48

the close out, some of these playoff games

1:03:50

is gonna be electric. The guy got booed

1:03:52

by his hometown crowd at you know it

1:03:55

in some of the Phillies at L L

1:03:57

C as game last year with it's like

1:03:59

oh my. We're bringing Kimbrell. Are

1:04:01

you kidding me? Like that? That

1:04:03

electrics the of I love that.

1:04:05

These. He is a thrill ride

1:04:08

for sure! Ah or a year years

1:04:10

you to league Mvp so you got

1:04:12

Sally! A tune yeah and Who

1:04:14

Yell Rodriguez? A lotta people

1:04:16

he would admitted houllier. Who.

1:04:18

Is a lot of fun. Ah,

1:04:21

I had a coup near an ominous it wants

1:04:23

soda. You. Know, I know you're

1:04:25

You guys are out of the Yankees,

1:04:27

but you don't go put the pinstripes

1:04:29

out short ports in right field. I

1:04:31

think like the whole we're not going

1:04:33

to extend you already conversation. So just

1:04:35

like. Go. Ball out and try to

1:04:37

get yourself a billion dollars is just like

1:04:39

a really fun. Or that's a really

1:04:42

fun cocktail street ago. Really, really good are really

1:04:44

really bad. So. I. Am betting

1:04:46

a good. One. Sodas really really

1:04:48

good. I'll as had Corey Seager or

1:04:50

the I Just Love That fit for

1:04:52

I'm in Texas and movie bad I

1:04:54

think if a tiny if if this

1:04:57

of gets weird ah my I think

1:04:59

people are gonna look to movie is

1:05:01

like the the Driver of the Dodgers.

1:05:04

Is can play a lot of shortstop this

1:05:06

year apparently which is wild to me. Or

1:05:08

yards for your movie I saw Young Award

1:05:11

I'll I'll take it off. Know shocks here.

1:05:13

Oh yeah, Corbyn Burns and the In the

1:05:15

A L as I said and Spencer. Strider.

1:05:17

I think this the year. He. Is

1:05:19

so freaking Good. I the same

1:05:21

author of my guide don't see sat there for

1:05:23

the Potters. Maybe as a bounce back his second

1:05:26

in voting in in two thousand. Twenty Two may

1:05:28

be fine, but Striders cried for thick. And

1:05:31

thin Strider in the analysis. George Kirby and

1:05:33

the Ale never wasn't as before because of

1:05:35

her mouth. and pretty sure as hell yeah,

1:05:37

that's unlike his. I like his make up

1:05:39

on. It. And

1:05:42

I'll I thought about taking Luis Castillo actually

1:05:44

and l I think Louise has a huge

1:05:46

year. Ah okay rookie the year will one

1:05:49

that here? Why it? Langford saw you got

1:05:51

him in the draft last night. I was

1:05:53

disappointed by that. I got White Langford in

1:05:55

the I'll I got Kyle Harris and I've

1:05:58

that he's a lefty for the giant. Nasty.

1:06:00

Stuff or the I think he solidifies and that

1:06:03

rotation it's It's a good place. The pigeon in

1:06:05

the Nl West. I got to be Kyle Harris

1:06:07

and for rookie the year. I got

1:06:09

road Jackson Cheerio have already I think

1:06:11

another one I'd I'd put out there.

1:06:13

Ah Jackson Merrill on the Podres is

1:06:15

really fun party going into the into

1:06:17

the starting center field spot out there.

1:06:19

so keep an eye on ale as

1:06:21

I have no vote. I'm abstain as

1:06:23

don't know guess given. I've Langford

1:06:25

in L and then I've I've jackson cheerio

1:06:28

for the for the Burrow season leading to

1:06:30

the Earth and to division championship. Who.

1:06:32

They were there. We have it boys!

1:06:35

this is I mean so much fun

1:06:37

talking baseball. I absolutely cannot wait to

1:06:39

do this throughout the season is it's

1:06:42

got to springs me so much joy

1:06:44

to be able to have to share

1:06:46

my love of baseball and and to

1:06:49

see and hear you guys excited about

1:06:51

twos is awesome! So thank you guys!

1:06:53

Honestly Yes! Strap Spring Training like reminded

1:06:55

me of what I. Used

1:06:58

to love baseball in just in part

1:07:00

piqued my interest a little bit at

1:07:02

the start last year and ah, that's

1:07:04

I cried. You guys a a lotta

1:07:06

Olsson. Deed. Went back to Spring

1:07:08

Training. I mean I went down there

1:07:10

for a night. Spring Training is awesome!

1:07:12

Sali I. Gotta go next year.

1:07:14

We might all have to go next we're We're do

1:07:16

the drafted spring training next year. I. Think

1:07:18

that. I think that's exactly right.

1:07:21

Quello G. Randy, You know? Get

1:07:24

out to the long yeah, we've idea. Well.

1:07:27

I think with that I will

1:07:29

Our bang the gavel. An endless

1:07:31

first meeting of the seems there's

1:07:33

Union Boys. Enjoy opening day this

1:07:35

week. And I want

1:07:37

to react. If you get technical on mans be

1:07:39

on the other end of the. Speaking of a

1:07:42

guy that is like making like baseball. That's what

1:07:44

again for the trap draw. I hate

1:07:46

with it. You. Know where

1:07:48

do we do big things? Yeah, naturally.

1:07:50

so sick around. I'm talking to Joepa.

1:07:53

He's got a wonderful book out

1:07:55

why we love baseball. I've got

1:07:57

me so excited for the season

1:07:59

so thank you boy! And here's

1:08:01

my conversation with Joe Pavelski: Jordy

1:08:06

me now is Joe Pas Nancy This

1:08:08

is a big thrill. Joe is of

1:08:10

course I'd either your by listening knows

1:08:12

who you are job but just in

1:08:14

case they don't you're an award winning

1:08:16

journalist, your best selling author, I.

1:08:19

Would encourage people to check out

1:08:21

your Joe Bloggs sub stacked where

1:08:23

you write regularly. You cohost the

1:08:25

podcast with Michael Schur which is

1:08:27

of delightfully weird and wonderful talk

1:08:29

about and.you can find all all

1:08:31

Jos riding his, his tour dates

1:08:34

and everything else A Joe Pause:

1:08:36

nancy.com Joe Thank you so much

1:08:38

for making time at the start

1:08:40

a baseball season. I honestly couldn't

1:08:42

think of a better guess to

1:08:44

get to talk to a just

1:08:47

about finished with your your latest.

1:08:49

Book why we love baseball a history and

1:08:51

fifty moments and I want to talk to

1:08:53

you about that that I figure it's a

1:08:56

it's a perfect opportunity but let me stop

1:08:58

rambling. Welcome to the show! Are you back

1:09:00

home in Charlotte? I know you're just in

1:09:02

Cincinnati on a book tour and wonder where

1:09:05

are they? Yeah no I am. I am

1:09:07

back home in Charlotte up for the first

1:09:09

time in their in their little while Ah

1:09:12

and there will be here for least few

1:09:14

more days off. Ah it's good. it's good

1:09:16

did been incredible. I've just been all over.

1:09:18

The. Place and and Die in.

1:09:21

The response has been. Preposterous.

1:09:24

Sorry, just it's beyond anything I could

1:09:26

have ever imagined. So ah, so it's

1:09:28

been great. It's it's It really has

1:09:30

been wonderful. Would. Let

1:09:33

me let me dive into the book

1:09:35

I've I've I've really enjoyed reading it.

1:09:37

I tend to pick up baseball books

1:09:39

kind of at the start of spring

1:09:41

Training to to get me ready for

1:09:43

the upcoming baseball season and years was

1:09:45

just perfect for such an occasion. I

1:09:47

want to ask you I'm sure you've

1:09:49

gotten ask this question at every stop

1:09:51

as a book tour so I apologize

1:09:53

for being the one million person that

1:09:55

order. But. I'm just curious how

1:09:57

you went about distilling the history the

1:10:00

baseball into fifty moments. How hard of

1:10:02

a task that must have been for?

1:10:04

Yeah, in in how you ultimately arrived

1:10:07

at these fifty. Yeah I

1:10:09

mean it is interesting cause if

1:10:11

he was in. I mean

1:10:13

it was hard, but it was hard

1:10:15

more coming up with the concept that

1:10:18

it was actually coming up with the

1:10:20

moments themselves. Ah, you know I just

1:10:22

come off of the baseball one hundred

1:10:25

which was account that of one hundred

1:10:27

greatest players ever. And that one was.

1:10:30

You know, There. Was there was no,

1:10:32

there's not be the single stop I've

1:10:34

ever made up for that. Both that

1:10:37

people have a yelled at me for.

1:10:39

some were ranked third or whatever and

1:10:41

you know, so this was a different

1:10:43

kind of ranking than that. And the

1:10:45

way I looked at it was ah,

1:10:47

but I didn't want to list like

1:10:50

I didn't want us to be the

1:10:52

one hundred most important moments. Baseball History

1:10:54

added wanted to be the fifty greatest,

1:10:56

ah, most dramatic moments or or anything

1:10:58

like that. To. Me: The the

1:11:00

only thing that really mattered. Ah,

1:11:03

Elisa my mind for the ranking was

1:11:05

is this why we love baseball That

1:11:07

was. That was the only criteria that

1:11:09

I really had for any of these

1:11:11

mobile So would you do it that

1:11:13

way? Is it a lot of things

1:11:15

Sort of clear off I guess in

1:11:17

my mind or will be good for

1:11:19

me. Ah, Because you only have

1:11:21

all of these very famous moments of

1:11:23

the battalion. on provinces, tom, Rod, and

1:11:25

for Gibson's or Broad of the shop

1:11:27

around the world. And and on and

1:11:29

on and on you know? Ah, But.

1:11:32

There are a lot of moments in here that are not. That.

1:11:34

Kind of famous or not. that

1:11:36

sort of dramatic you know mean

1:11:38

I you mentioned that that I

1:11:40

that I do the podcast with

1:11:42

my sure of who's just the.

1:11:45

Year. We've been friends for a long time. Mike is

1:11:47

the and on the. Guy. Created Parks

1:11:49

Recreation and their Brooklyn Nine Nine the

1:11:52

good place and butcher others are He

1:11:54

told me while I was writing a

1:11:56

book. he specifically said to me if.

1:11:59

The. Bouncing off of Jose can

1:12:01

say goes headed jumping over the wall

1:12:04

is not number one. If it's not

1:12:06

on board, the entire book is illegitimate

1:12:08

Like that was literally of that's Not

1:12:11

at the very top. The whole book

1:12:13

is stupid pointless. Ah, So

1:12:15

it's not number one of the to give

1:12:17

it to be way while reading that book.

1:12:20

Yeah, but it is of the Balkan and very

1:12:22

much in the book. very high in the book.

1:12:25

Because yeah, that's why we love baseball. We don't

1:12:27

You love baseball just because we. You.

1:12:29

Know by go to the ballpark as

1:12:31

he Sandy Koufax throw perfect game. we

1:12:34

gotta be focus a ball. My Bond

1:12:36

buff Jose Canseco said I read that

1:12:38

stuff was so great about baseball. To

1:12:40

be like that's all the sports have

1:12:43

their charge of the charm. For me

1:12:45

about baseball one of the best that

1:12:47

you might go to a ballpark or

1:12:50

the Arab completely seemingly meaningless gave in

1:12:52

July and see something you'll never forget

1:12:54

the it's funny I actually just read

1:12:56

the the Jose Canseco part of the

1:12:59

books. Couple days ago work a

1:13:01

good still remember seeing that for the

1:13:03

for the I'm and is it is

1:13:05

funny those those those moments. Of course

1:13:07

you have the famous moments but but

1:13:09

silly moments like that. Our

1:13:11

daughter and I forget the out Feelers name,

1:13:14

but the minor leaguer who ran through the

1:13:16

wall read on the wall. That's right, it

1:13:18

out our yeah has. I'm just trying to

1:13:20

think of other Malik, Bobby Valentine going in

1:13:22

disguise on the bench history of been thrown

1:13:25

out of a game. Yes, it's those moments

1:13:27

that make baseball just you know. A little

1:13:29

weird. And wacky as aside from

1:13:31

for been wonderful on. I.

1:13:34

Love the way you start your

1:13:36

fifty moments. It's it's a personal

1:13:38

account. Of. Your fandom Not

1:13:40

only of baseball, but Dwayne

1:13:42

Kiper. Who. Was your favorite

1:13:44

player grown up. I would love for

1:13:47

you to just kind of talk about

1:13:49

how you fell in love with baseball

1:13:51

and how doing Kiper fits in all

1:13:53

that for folks will. Yeah, yeah, you're

1:13:55

right. I think. What? I

1:13:57

tried to do with with the book. Was.

1:14:00

Ah, I'm. A I knew that that.

1:14:03

It. Was going to be all of

1:14:05

these moments when I knew that every

1:14:07

person has their own moment. That sort

1:14:10

of explains what it is villa, but

1:14:12

the game and everywhere are gone on

1:14:14

this tour. Have people just. Constantly.

1:14:17

Come up to me and want to tell

1:14:19

me that story he I and and they're

1:14:22

wonderful. Every single one of them are great

1:14:24

you know? Ah, so what I wanted to

1:14:26

do is you know? The. Thing

1:14:28

that I love is I grew up in Cleveland.

1:14:31

The. The team was terrible when I

1:14:33

was with i was growing up. Ah

1:14:35

but you know when your ten years

1:14:37

old it doesn't matter. I mean it

1:14:39

matters. You want the team to be

1:14:41

better than it is, But it doesn't

1:14:43

matter. You're still going to choose your

1:14:45

heroes from. The. Options given to you

1:14:47

now have you that was that was.

1:14:50

you know my option. I was the

1:14:52

second baseman. a little league between Piper

1:14:54

was Cleveland second baseman and.and I love

1:14:57

the guy. I just absolutely loved him.

1:14:59

I mean he. He. Hit

1:15:01

one home run. It is Bigley career.

1:15:03

you know that sort of. His claim

1:15:06

to fame is that he had the

1:15:08

longest career ah in baseball history or

1:15:10

with only one home run. Ah, I

1:15:12

see. hit one. Alright, he was not

1:15:14

fast. He he was caught stealing a

1:15:17

way more times that he was successful.

1:15:19

Ah, he never won a gold glove.

1:15:21

Emily was just like there's no. You

1:15:24

wouldn't choose to a paper route as

1:15:27

the guy that that seemed like the

1:15:29

obvious guy, but he played the game

1:15:31

a certain way. He died for every

1:15:33

ball I was. I just loved everything

1:15:36

about the way he played baseball. That's

1:15:38

how I wanted to play baseball and

1:15:40

and so I love the guy and

1:15:42

and you know I still do to

1:15:45

this day like he's still my all

1:15:47

time baseball here are of course now

1:15:49

he's a renowned broadcaster with the Giants

1:15:51

and and and so many other things

1:15:53

but ah. But you know, for me,

1:15:56

he's also been incredibly kind to be and

1:15:58

and. That's all anyone. It

1:16:00

could ever ask from from their all

1:16:02

time hero right? So ah so yeah

1:16:04

I mean, but I think that was

1:16:06

that was my experience and I knew

1:16:08

that if I could write a little

1:16:10

bit about my experience growing up in

1:16:12

Cleveland and buying love with when kiper

1:16:14

that somebody who grew up as a

1:16:16

Mets fan who fell in love with

1:16:18

Felix My yard or somebody who grew

1:16:20

up in his you know it in

1:16:22

Chicago and fell in love with salamanders

1:16:24

you know, whatever it is ah that

1:16:26

they would feel the same things that

1:16:28

that I would be that. Even though

1:16:30

the players are different of the situations are

1:16:32

different in the at the cities are different.

1:16:35

Ah Ra feeling the same thing that is

1:16:37

that is how much we we we you

1:16:39

know fall in love with this game. In

1:16:42

setting up your love of baseball and

1:16:44

doing capers you have a line that

1:16:46

says baseball is the best it has

1:16:48

been and the best there will ever

1:16:50

be when you ten years old. I

1:16:52

love that it made me laugh because

1:16:54

instantly I think as a by reading

1:16:56

it's like okay will wear what What

1:16:58

year was that when I was ten

1:17:00

years old what was going on and

1:17:03

ironically when I was ten or to

1:17:05

age myself was would have been the

1:17:07

summer of Ninety Ninety Four were baseball

1:17:09

eventually goes on strike that the see

1:17:11

things. It's. To preserve like ads. Yeah, I

1:17:13

don't have a fourth quite diverse when I

1:17:15

was ten years old, but maybe I'll give

1:17:17

eleven or twelve, you know. And when it

1:17:20

finally came back, ah, But.

1:17:22

I'm I'm curious. Your personal. Relationship.

1:17:25

With baseball. From. From

1:17:27

the time you were a kid

1:17:29

to getting into the sports writing

1:17:31

journalism industry, you spend a lot

1:17:34

of time as as. Around

1:17:36

the game Howard added your relationship planet

1:17:38

Ebb and Flow did. Did you have

1:17:40

a love for the game? Was it

1:17:43

strong throughout to? was there ever? Any

1:17:45

times have I don't know pessimism or

1:17:47

or anything like that for yeah. Yeah,

1:17:50

out to question. I guess

1:17:53

you know I loved. Baseball.

1:17:55

As a kid, I mean, that's you

1:17:57

know. Obviously it's where it starts for

1:18:00

a lot of the Us are and

1:18:02

nine I did. Ah, but I loved

1:18:04

other sports. Do I loved football? You

1:18:06

know I've got a football book coming

1:18:08

out in September. We talked about in

1:18:10

and I loved football. Deeply. Deeply

1:18:12

deeply you grew up in Cleveland. it is.

1:18:15

You're going to be a big football fan.

1:18:17

Ah, and I loved you know other sports

1:18:19

to an end. As a sports writer, I

1:18:21

wrote. About everything you know I've

1:18:23

dived. went to Olympics and wrote

1:18:26

wrote about the and be a wrote

1:18:28

about Paki wrote about golf and

1:18:30

tennis and and and everything else so

1:18:32

ah so baseball was always a part

1:18:35

of that. but. What? I think.

1:18:37

At least for me. I

1:18:39

didn't disposable storytelling sport it's it's

1:18:42

the sport that that I think

1:18:44

is as a writer is the

1:18:46

one that appeals the most because

1:18:48

it's of its pace, because of

1:18:50

it's history, because of the way

1:18:52

that the you can connect things

1:18:54

from from today, the yesterday. ah.

1:18:57

And so so I was really drawn to it.

1:18:59

To you know by I loved it is a

1:19:02

fan. But. I was. Even more

1:19:04

I think draw do it as

1:19:06

writer and and so yes of

1:19:08

course you know I mean the

1:19:10

strike was was stung cabbages was

1:19:12

terrible for for not just be

1:19:14

but for everybody ah. And

1:19:17

and their been plenty of things a steroid

1:19:19

era you know was at. It's at it's

1:19:21

highs and lows and and and all of

1:19:23

these other things that have come along. Obviously

1:19:25

the big fight about we should be in

1:19:27

the Hall of Fame is is kind of

1:19:29

a bomber and get on there. we go

1:19:31

into this season. you know, right? you're ready.

1:19:34

You're excited about this season in that the

1:19:36

show your tiny stop breaks saw mean like

1:19:38

baseball. You know that they say it's designed

1:19:40

to break your heart and a lot of

1:19:42

ways I'd utter of it's designed that way.

1:19:44

but it's really run. That. Way ah

1:19:46

so yeah. I mean, I think there's always

1:19:49

be those sorts of things, but the game

1:19:51

itself. And I just I

1:19:53

just love it and and that has

1:19:55

never changed and it's only grown as

1:19:57

it's as I've gotten the war, the

1:19:59

histories or got no more of the

1:20:02

players that got us to talk to

1:20:04

people and and people allowing people people

1:20:06

allowing me to get inside the game

1:20:08

with them and that hopefully be being

1:20:11

able to take other people inside the

1:20:13

game with us are is incredible. It's

1:20:15

just an incredible experience and I do

1:20:17

still think ah that it's the best

1:20:19

writing sport there is and and so

1:20:22

I you know from from that perspective

1:20:24

I'm I'm always gonna love it. That's.

1:20:27

That's well said. Oh the world is

1:20:29

it triggers a a follow up question?

1:20:31

What? What do you make of baseball

1:20:33

today as as a product have to

1:20:35

have you like the rule changes in

1:20:37

the efforts that have gone in you

1:20:39

know, speed the game up In a

1:20:41

gonna hate to see the designated hitter

1:20:43

has come to the National League. But

1:20:45

overall I feel like baseball for the

1:20:47

first time since I can remember my

1:20:49

whole life. It's like gathered they're trying

1:20:51

to make it better, they're trying to

1:20:53

make it more appealing and entertaining. and

1:20:55

and I appreciate that. Yeah, totally. Agree. I

1:20:57

agree with everything you said. Ah, I

1:21:01

think I think last year's rule

1:21:03

changes to the death rate. Here

1:21:05

was who saw a separate thing,

1:21:07

the pitch clock. Ah, pitch timer

1:21:09

I guess they call it. An.

1:21:12

And Shifted and the bigger bases.

1:21:14

I mean both. A really big

1:21:17

changes at. You know they don't

1:21:19

all feel like you changes, but

1:21:21

for baseball. Whether. They

1:21:23

don't change anything, right? Like nothing

1:21:26

changes at all. Ah, it was

1:21:28

a bold big step and it

1:21:30

was largely. Super.

1:21:32

Successful. I mean I I think people liked

1:21:34

it. I mean I liked it from the

1:21:37

start but I think people in general like

1:21:39

that. I think the you know attendance was

1:21:41

off and and and there was a a

1:21:43

sort of a new excitement about it. There

1:21:45

was a new energy to the game so

1:21:47

I think the all of that stuff worked

1:21:49

out great. Ah there's still a lot going

1:21:51

on in the game that that make it.

1:21:54

Ah, trying and tov I mean, you

1:21:56

know that obviously the the. Huge,

1:21:59

Huge. The strikeouts is is is

1:22:01

not. ah, not particularly. you know people

1:22:03

in are pretty fond of that. Ah,

1:22:05

the fact that starting pitchers kind of

1:22:07

her being phased out of the game

1:22:09

is kind of a bomber. Ah, there

1:22:12

are other things going on and of

1:22:14

course there's a lot of the effect

1:22:16

of baseball is really come to embrace

1:22:18

gambling. that's sort of a big you

1:22:20

know new element of all of this.

1:22:22

and and so so there's a lot

1:22:24

going on in baseball. I think. You.

1:22:27

Know baseball is had a different challenge to

1:22:29

the any other sport. Way different

1:22:31

from football. way to best Buy. waiter

1:22:33

from from hockey. ah in football if

1:22:36

something is sort of. Going.

1:22:38

Wrong if like, for whatever reason teams

1:22:40

are not scoring enough points. Ah, there's

1:22:42

less excitement that are used to be

1:22:45

a is T to rule i me

1:22:47

without even thinking twice. And that's why

1:22:49

every year they do a whole bunch

1:22:52

of different things to the rule in

1:22:54

the Nfl. ah to try to figure

1:22:56

out what a catch really is or

1:22:59

or whatever it is and and baseball

1:23:01

can't do that. I mean they really

1:23:03

can't because even the tiniest changes spark

1:23:05

tremendous backlash from baseball fans who are.

1:23:08

Saying I want the game to stay the

1:23:10

same. I don't want the game between football

1:23:13

and tear. I don't care. As a football

1:23:15

fan, I don't care. I just give me

1:23:17

exciting football. It's all I want from the

1:23:19

game but baseball I wanted subsided a pass

1:23:22

on. I want to be able to like

1:23:24

you know, like I see any other sports

1:23:26

would have rearrange the season. Ah,

1:23:28

they wouldn't have a hundred and sixty two

1:23:30

game season. I, as you know, They.

1:23:33

Would have shortened season but expanded the

1:23:35

play offs and and you know to

1:23:37

come out ahead from a financial standpoint

1:23:39

but also from a sort of ah.

1:23:41

This. Makes a lot more sense to me. Same

1:23:43

point in okay, I gotta get what you're doing here.

1:23:46

But. Baseball team. they they com hundred sixty

1:23:48

two games as become save percentage and now

1:23:50

it's like what have you or another six

1:23:53

you games did What a sixty one woman's

1:23:55

me even you know everything. Everything and baseball

1:23:57

has to be so tied to the past.

1:24:00

And. Yet they also want to be

1:24:02

procedure solberg or it will keep the

1:24:04

hundred sixty two games. Bobble Also expand

1:24:06

the play offs will all the you

1:24:09

know it and everybody is is sort

1:24:11

of running around you know, trying to

1:24:13

figure out what the heck is the

1:24:15

years. So ah so that's a challenge

1:24:17

and added says you know baseball It's

1:24:19

a unique challenge for baseball. I don't

1:24:21

think like I say, I cannot think

1:24:24

even even a sport like golf were

1:24:26

history is such a part. Of

1:24:28

of the game. It

1:24:31

sees all the time right? I mean

1:24:33

that you know the the balls change,

1:24:35

the equipment changes, the length of this

1:24:37

courses change everything changes are to to

1:24:39

sort of fit the modern day. A

1:24:41

baseball has to sort of rebel against

1:24:43

that a little bit so it's a

1:24:45

real challenge. It's It's a real challenge

1:24:47

to try to keep the game or

1:24:49

keep the game press but also keep

1:24:51

it tidy. It's past. Yeah.

1:24:54

Yeah, that's that's well said. Ah,

1:24:57

Would. Where it's funny you mentioned

1:24:59

golf because I we spend a lot

1:25:01

of time thinking and talking about gone

1:25:04

and ah I I joke that you

1:25:06

know we've we've made the joke or

1:25:08

oh my goddess if baseball is baseball

1:25:10

can make these changes yeah I'll certainly

1:25:13

golf can do some things that to

1:25:15

help you know move the sport more

1:25:17

into into the twenty first century. it's

1:25:20

It's funny though that you know holding

1:25:22

baseball up now as as a as

1:25:24

a shining example of progress of money

1:25:27

because. Golf really is a me. Think those

1:25:29

to their their their the me the most

1:25:31

similar in that they really rely on the

1:25:33

past and really focus on on you know

1:25:35

keeping the past and try to keep you

1:25:38

know if you got you know Jack Nicklaus.

1:25:40

try to keep a golf ball you know

1:25:42

the same like it was in Nineteen, Sixty

1:25:44

Three or whatever and you know it's it's

1:25:46

it's There's a lot of similarities in sort

1:25:49

of the The Blowback Five. What?

1:25:51

I would say is different is. That.

1:25:54

The Golf. Through. Through

1:25:56

baby because they couldn't help.

1:25:58

it has dramatically. He used to

1:26:00

tab because the equipment has changed. So much.

1:26:03

Adage: If you watch an idea either you

1:26:05

watch the Masters and I did seventy five.

1:26:08

It's. A lot different than watching The Masters and

1:26:10

Twenty Twenty Four Rights. but if you want to

1:26:12

ninety seventy Five World Series. V.

1:26:15

D Dream scenario. Is that what

1:26:17

happened yesterday and that? yeah, that's

1:26:19

the sort of illusion. That

1:26:22

baseball wants to believe and and

1:26:24

fans want to believe and is

1:26:26

at. It's like I say that

1:26:28

that is great. It's also you

1:26:30

know it's if if kept baseball

1:26:32

connected through all these years. but

1:26:34

it's also really difficult. Yeah.

1:26:37

Yeah, I'm. A

1:26:39

Go Back to your book. I meant

1:26:42

it. It's such a wonderful mixer As

1:26:44

you said between some of the most

1:26:46

famous plays and players and and moments

1:26:48

that I think any even casual baseball

1:26:51

fan has a lease. A good idea.

1:26:53

But. I think some of

1:26:55

my favorite chapters have been

1:26:58

the ones that you know.

1:27:00

I am thinking of Chelsea

1:27:02

Baker learning the knuckleball as

1:27:04

and be in a dominant

1:27:06

Little League World Series Pitcher

1:27:08

Jackie Mitchell from the thirties

1:27:11

striking out Babe Ruth. I'm

1:27:13

curious Joe how. Those.

1:27:15

Stories got on your radar, did

1:27:18

did you? I imagine you learned

1:27:20

a ton through assembling and writing

1:27:22

this book. Did you outsource any

1:27:24

of that her out Our: how

1:27:26

did you even gather ideas that

1:27:28

eventually turned into the city moments?

1:27:30

Disagree. It's a great question. Ah,

1:27:32

and it's very specific to Chelsea.

1:27:34

You all talk about it a

1:27:37

second, but in general. A

1:27:39

lot of these. I. Knew at

1:27:41

least something about like I like

1:27:43

most of these I would say

1:27:45

even if I didn't know the

1:27:47

great details of it, I knew

1:27:49

a little bit about Ponderous Job

1:27:51

Bauman. Breaking. Bug you know, minor

1:27:54

league or broader idea. And I do a little

1:27:56

bit about Jackie Missile Strike in out of Babe

1:27:58

Ruth and Lou Gehrig. and I do it. Little

1:28:00

bit about ah you know a lot

1:28:02

of be used sort of. Mine are

1:28:04

smaller moments. But. Chelsea Baker's a

1:28:07

great example of something I do nothing

1:28:09

about. I have not ever heard of

1:28:11

Chelsea Baker and I was in Cooperstown

1:28:13

doing research when I came across her

1:28:16

story. I just literally walking through the

1:28:18

museum. There was a little picture on

1:28:20

the wall of Chelsea you know, in

1:28:23

her uniform and below it talking about.

1:28:25

Are. The two perfect games that she

1:28:27

threw in a in a little league

1:28:30

season and I you know was like

1:28:32

who is this, what is the story

1:28:34

about and then you know locked into

1:28:36

one of the coolest people that I

1:28:38

know. Now you know I got to.

1:28:41

I connected with Chelsea and and she

1:28:43

ended up being sort of like the

1:28:45

heart of this book Abby a lot

1:28:47

of ways. Ah she changed the entire.

1:28:50

Complex. It of this book I was

1:28:52

told me about how she fell in love

1:28:54

with the game and and how she still

1:28:56

loves the game but it's but she's also

1:28:58

had to move on from the game because

1:29:00

of the opportunities kind of dried up for

1:29:03

at some point it she wanted to do

1:29:05

other things in life ah personal story i

1:29:07

me just crazy story about being six years

1:29:09

old and begging the little league coach the

1:29:11

teacher out of for the knuckleball and of

1:29:13

a coach denying it did say no no

1:29:15

I'm not going to do that of in

1:29:17

her wearing it down and that a turning

1:29:20

out that. That little league coach was Jody

1:29:22

Browse. You know what of the great

1:29:24

knuckleball features ever and as a bed

1:29:26

and then him you know did sadly

1:29:28

died which is nine and and her

1:29:30

her promising to like her last. Her

1:29:32

last thing the him saying to him

1:29:34

that she was gonna learn how to

1:29:36

perfect the not a bomb it it's

1:29:38

just a. It's. Just as

1:29:40

beautiful, beautiful story. Ah,

1:29:43

that I completely just came across an

1:29:45

end. There are there are couple of

1:29:47

things like that in this book. Up

1:29:49

most of them I knew. But.

1:29:52

Yeah I think the Chelsea Baker

1:29:54

because. I. Didn't know anything

1:29:56

about it and because I just

1:29:58

completely stumbled on. The way ah that

1:30:01

that to me and in a lot of

1:30:03

ways is just most special chapter in the

1:30:05

entire books. And he really did. As I

1:30:07

say. It. Is set to

1:30:09

told that book that that that's where

1:30:12

I found the books heart was was

1:30:14

after talking to Chelsea. If.

1:30:17

I may I thought one other

1:30:19

in a in a book that

1:30:21

again I mean every every one

1:30:23

of the the fifth. The chapters,

1:30:26

stories vignettes are are just wonderful

1:30:28

in there. So nostalgic. Would put

1:30:30

the other one I wanted to

1:30:32

specifically ask you about show his

1:30:35

number thirty two and your book.

1:30:37

It's the chapters called perfection. It's.

1:30:40

It's from September ninth. Nineteen Sixty

1:30:42

five, Sandy Koufax thrown a perfect

1:30:44

game. But. What really struck

1:30:47

me and as somebody that you

1:30:49

know wasn't alive when this happened.

1:30:51

I loved. How You

1:30:53

included Vin Scully And I almost

1:30:56

thought, I mean reading your words.

1:30:58

It almost was like the chapter

1:31:00

titled Perfection. It's almost talking about

1:31:02

Vin Scully and and how he

1:31:05

was able to to deliver that

1:31:07

moment over the radio. I just

1:31:09

absolutely love that chapter. And.

1:31:11

Really, really appreciated the way.

1:31:14

You. Let Vince words. Just.

1:31:16

Be there on the page. Yeah, I did

1:31:18

it. Is another one of my

1:31:20

favorite chapters armed and I wasn't alive

1:31:22

year with would set a corporate for

1:31:25

the perfect game. So Ah so to

1:31:27

me it was like and edu you

1:31:29

you nailed it. Perfection is not just

1:31:31

about Sandy Koufax it. I think that

1:31:33

nobody's ever been more perfect in the

1:31:35

booth that Vince Gully was that day

1:31:37

with Scaly was the greatest of all

1:31:39

announcers anyway. Ah, but he was ever

1:31:41

greater that he was that day. and

1:31:43

I and I go line by line

1:31:46

with him or through the final letting

1:31:48

of of that perfect. Game or

1:31:50

which is so. Such.

1:31:52

A remarkable cause. It's remarkable more with everything

1:31:54

about it is beautiful. I will tell you

1:31:56

there was one. Sneaky

1:31:59

little. Problem. With

1:32:01

that chapter that I did not see

1:32:03

coming at all. Ah so this was

1:32:05

the first. Up. Block.

1:32:07

That. I actually narrated for the audio book.

1:32:10

I have never I've never narrated for

1:32:12

any my books and but this was

1:32:14

a person all. That. I

1:32:16

I really wanted the asked

1:32:18

me and I really wanted

1:32:20

to. Have my

1:32:22

own voice it. even though I idol they.

1:32:25

my voice is that great. But I didn't

1:32:27

I wanted that sauce so I did it.

1:32:29

I actually shared it with my friend Ellen

1:32:31

a day or is this wonderful actor a

1:32:34

baseball fan and ah but I. I. Was.

1:32:36

Going to it and I was really nervous

1:32:38

about the thing and I'm reading and I

1:32:40

wouldn't school okay of the and I know

1:32:42

how to pronounce the words I've of of

1:32:45

I'd be survive words I know how to

1:32:47

say of all that. and then I got

1:32:49

chapter thirty two and I was like. I'm

1:32:52

gonna have to read this, call

1:32:55

his words and and i just

1:32:57

everything about that was so weird

1:32:59

because like you can not. Use.

1:33:02

Vin Scully words without sort of trying

1:33:05

to sound a little bit like Vin

1:33:07

Scully so you know so I'm I'm

1:33:09

sitting there I'm trying not to but

1:33:11

I like going out to do it

1:33:13

rv key like there's no there's no

1:33:15

way so my say those words without

1:33:17

at least a little bit south So

1:33:19

i even though I I regret it

1:33:21

deeply there's just like of the doing

1:33:23

a bad Vin Scully or for I

1:33:25

said on by audio voc either by

1:33:28

added all the other way to do

1:33:30

I like I wish we could abroad

1:33:32

the. Actual. Call. Ah,

1:33:34

but there was no way to

1:33:36

do that. So he was. It

1:33:38

was be reading Vin Scully and

1:33:40

Add and Dad it was. It

1:33:42

was really farted and really challenging.

1:33:44

The try to do that is

1:33:46

it up. Yeah I do not

1:33:48

envy you have. Gosh what it?

1:33:50

What is? Awesome advertiser though for

1:33:52

for folks at maybe are torn

1:33:54

between the hardback years and the

1:33:56

audio version. Now don't get our

1:33:58

back over another. Edit: without

1:34:01

a clear lie jolly get stay away

1:34:03

as they were for the bad and

1:34:05

Scully present. What? Do you

1:34:07

just just thought Vin Scully want

1:34:09

one thing as is just my

1:34:11

personal experience. What I think baseball

1:34:13

the the best medium to consume

1:34:16

baseball it besides be in in

1:34:18

the stadium and watching and person

1:34:20

I think it's such it's it's

1:34:22

made for radio is it is

1:34:24

such a wonderful radio sport and

1:34:26

I find that the people in

1:34:28

my life who love baseball the

1:34:30

most. I think. Ninety.

1:34:33

Nine percent of them are. I

1:34:35

believe that love came from a

1:34:37

a wonderful experience growing up listening

1:34:39

to the game. Is that something

1:34:41

you've ever thought about? Her eared

1:34:43

you notice. The same ever? Absolutely notice

1:34:45

Exactly the same yeah I'm in. Baseball

1:34:48

is just. Such. A wonderful

1:34:50

radio Sport it you know in and

1:34:52

I mean that you have the cliche

1:34:54

you know of people this the you

1:34:56

haven't moved their little radio under the

1:34:59

under the you know their pillow and

1:35:01

their lives matter at it. And course

1:35:03

now having your I phone under your

1:35:05

pillow and listening to what I read

1:35:07

a valid get a big changes I

1:35:09

read it's it's technology changes but the

1:35:12

feeling stays the same or having all

1:35:14

the game on what you're doing a

1:35:16

barbecue, the backyard or you know, religious

1:35:18

it's just there. And it's It's

1:35:20

interesting cause there are some great.

1:35:23

Football. Radio announcer sounded

1:35:25

really really good at it and

1:35:27

play basketball announcers as well. And

1:35:29

you know, Soviet it's This is

1:35:32

not in any way downplayed. Marv.

1:35:34

Albert on the radio or or Bureau

1:35:36

or any of these great college football

1:35:39

guys with the radio other they're great.

1:35:41

But. Baseball is different. It's different. It's because

1:35:44

the exit is not. That.

1:35:46

Ah, it's not moving fast right?

1:35:48

so so you have time for

1:35:50

the for the guy to tell

1:35:52

stories you have time for them

1:35:54