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MLB Baseball ⚾ May Best Teams & Players Review + June Preview image

MLB Baseball ⚾ May Best Teams & Players Review + June Preview

BALL and BUDS
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10 Plays3 days ago

MLB Baseball ⚾ May Best Teams & Players + June Preview ft. Omar 'Sports Professor' Fonseca

MLB Insiders Amul the Agilist (IG @AM23Photography) & Rec Room Sports' AP (IG @Trainer.AP)

TOPICS:

Houston Astros No Hitter vs AP's Texas Rangers

Nick Kurtz OBS Ties Mark McGwire for Las Vegas Athletics (Bandits or Gamblers?)

Standings Review + Power Rankings

Los Angeles Angels Failed Shohei Ohtani Trade

Click LinkTree for ALL @BALLandBUDS Social Media Profiles!

https://linktr.ee/BALLandBUDS   #sports #mlb #mlbb #mlbbaseball #baseball

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Transcript

Introduction and Show Announcements

00:00:00
Speaker
You can't pretend, now get ready for the show.
00:00:17
Speaker
Yo, yo, yo, what up, friends? Welcome back. Ball and Buzz back at it again. Three more shows this week, and tonight we have our Major League Baseball Monthly Series. And you know I brought two of my brothers who are always with me on the baseball shows. Let me go ahead and introduce them first of all.
00:00:44
Speaker
To my, well, it's my right, it's probably the left as you're looking at it. But one of my brothers I have known pretty much my whole entire life, Amul the Agilist. How are you doing today, sir? How are you doing everyone? I'm doing well. I'm doing well. How are you doing? I'm on your right, by the way.
00:01:01
Speaker
For those watching, I'm on your right. Oh, okay. So you are on my right. Okay, I didn't know. I wasn't sure if like it was like

Guest Introductions and Social Media Plugs

00:01:06
Speaker
backwards. All right, let them know where they can find you, brother. AM23Photography.com. Feel free to drop me a note if you're looking to, ah you know, get in some head shots or, you know, other types of shooting. We can talk.
00:01:23
Speaker
ah We can sketch it out. No, I will vouch for him. His pictures are amazing, and he does really good work ah with you know subjects like models and and and and also like you know features and structures around town, and the especially the sky.
00:01:43
Speaker
I really love his galaxy photos and things like that. So definitely check him out. Modern-day Peter Parker right here. You got the modern-day Peter Parker. Wow. I mean, yeah I will ask you to not hype his head up like that because is not true. And he doesn't need that ego. I that. appreciate that. Everybody always remembers the Spider-Man part, but nobody remembers Peter Parker was an excellent photographer. There you go. That is a true statement. That's true.
00:02:14
Speaker
Yeah, maybe. Our brother on the other side, introducing the Peter Parker metaphor. He comes from Rec Room Sports as well as Let's Talk Sports. Our brother, AP. What's good? Hey.
00:02:30
Speaker
Yes, yes, yes. Is it football is it football season yet? Because I'm ready to get going. Oh, wow. Really? ah Well, hey, game five tonight. Tony Brothers is refereeing. Anything can happen.
00:02:43
Speaker
So, yeah. Yeah, see, the good part about it is we don't all just talk baseball. We talk all the sports here at Ball & Buds. So we know our football. We know our basketball. And we really appreciate y'all tuning in. Tonight is baseball, though. But there is a good and NBA game on. It's going to be a doozy. So we're going to try to wrap this up before the before the game gets too much into it But we appreciate you tuning in. ah Oh, you forgot to tell them where to let you find you at, AP.
00:03:13
Speaker
So, yeah, I'm on a have Facebook. A lot if you want to find me there. ah On ah X at Aprilis30. Also, that is on TikTok, I believe.
00:03:27
Speaker
TrainerAP on Instagram if you want to follow me there. i But, yeah, here, there, everywhere. um And Rec Room Sports. Shout out for the ESPN. was about to say, don't forget that. Rec Room Sports. Usually Wednesday nights, our baseball show might be on a little bit of a hiatus for a bit. um But usually you can find our baseball show, weekly baseball show on Wednesday nights.
00:03:49
Speaker
Thursday is the Rec Room Sports radio show, which is on ESPN 690 in Jacksonville. Also on our YouTube page. um That's at 4 p.m. Eastern every Thursday, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern, if you want to check that out.
00:04:07
Speaker
Saturday is Lock It In, our betting show with myself, Scott, and Tanner. And then Friday is In the Hoop, which is our NBA show, which we did it last night because, you know, and NBA final mba conference finals are going on. so Yes, sir. That is awesome. As always, I'm happy for my brothers there at Rec Room Sports on ESPN Radio. Now, how freaking cool is that? But anyway, yeah, make sure you tap in with everybody. I'm one of the few people, Omar. I'm one of the few people that can say that they've worked for both Walmart and Disney.
00:04:40
Speaker
two Two of the majors. That's pretty good. That is pretty good. um
00:04:47
Speaker
Everybody, make sure you tap in with everybody here. There are everybody's links and IGs are in the description as well. At the bottom, there's a banner there. You can find their IGs as well. For the channels, search them on YouTube right after you go subscribe at Ball and Buds, B-A-L-L-A-N-D-B-U-D-S on YouTube. Hit that like button.
00:05:08
Speaker
Whether they're watching now or on the replay, it helps out everybody here in the algorithm, gets us out to people that don't know about us. And last but not least, hit that notification bell or smash it as the kids say. So that way you know every time we go live.
00:05:22
Speaker
Yo, Ashley Johnson, 2513. We appreciate you tuning in. Thank you so very much. And to everybody tuning in, hit that like button so everybody else can see us.
00:05:34
Speaker
um 89? Are you really 89 years old? i Wow. Well, that would be tremendous. I mean, I hope this is true. Shout out to our... That would be septuagenarian. What would that be? It kind of would be. Octuagenarian. I didn't realize that you had that demo, Omar. I didn't realize that your demo reached that level. didn't realize I had that demo, but I liked it. It's pretty great. It's pretty great.
00:06:02
Speaker
that's good news i knew we're in foreign foreign lands like uh you know ukraine and uh and even in china and other places like that we're big in india uh but really that's cool yeah yeah we're huge in india for some reason for some reason my column won't reach thailand they they don't like being thailand but everywhere else they they love me so i don't know what's going on there ah the the shadow band of asian and middle eastern countries All right, cool. Well, hey, we really appreciate it. Ashley says, I'm her son. Hey, thank you for tuning in.
00:06:37
Speaker
Appreciate everybody tuning in. Hit that like button for us, brother, and we hope you are doing well. Let's kick this bad boy off, shall we? First of all, let us start off with, as we always do, a little bit of the standings. and check in where we

Baseball Standings and Updates

00:06:54
Speaker
are. Actually, before we get to standings, let's give an update on our games here that we got going on right now. AP just told me earlier, and it looks like it might finish out. The Nationals may beat the Guardians.
00:07:06
Speaker
ah They're up 4-1 in the top of the ninth. The Orioles are beating the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays, 6-1. A crazy one here. The Pirates, yes, the Pirates are beating the Cubbies.
00:07:20
Speaker
10 to 1 in an interdivision rivalry there. Yeah, they're whooping that. But as well, you got the Tigers over the Angels 6-4. The Braves are leading your Red Sox themo five to more right now.
00:07:33
Speaker
The Blue Jays 2-1 over the Marlins. My Mets as usual, sucking ass, losing 5-0 to the Reds. And the Twins are up 2-0 over the South Side. White Sox 1-0 Brewers over the Cardinals.
00:07:51
Speaker
9-1 Yankees over the Royals. Hopefully we'll get an Averill sighting if her power comes back on. Shout out to her. And last but least, the Rangers hate nothing after last night's no-hitter. Yes, AP, your squad got no-hit like some bums to your division rivals, the Astros, but now you came back to put a whipping on them. What say you about last night's no-hitter?
00:08:19
Speaker
At least we aren't the Mets. Oh, damn. Also, by the way, how's Marcus Simeon doing in New York, buddy? How's Marcus Simeon doing in New York? I mean, come on. Hold on. Let me focus on the no-hitter. All right, you don't always have to go right back my head. Brandon Nimble's doing just fine in Texas, by the way. Like, how did you feel three pitchers get a hit?
00:08:42
Speaker
Three pitchers combined to no-hits you. How did you feel? Like, were you just begging for your readers to get hits last night? I mean, honestly with with the way ah with the way our offense has been lately, I kind of expected it at some point. Not really to the Astros, but, you know, this is what the Texas Rangers are. They're they're either going to have no offense whatsoever in a game, or you're going to have a game like tonight where they put up eight runs in the first inning and they'll only win by two runs. So, yeah.
00:09:12
Speaker
and that's That's just what this ball club is right now. No Corey Seager right now. No Wyatt Langford right now. Both of them are still out. Pitching has been kind of questionable at times. that It wasn't as good as it was last year. ah DeGrom's been kind of hit and miss lately, although have all these gotten better with you know each and each start he has had?
00:09:34
Speaker
um Except last night. Last night was not good. um Jack Leiter struggled. Kumar Rocker struggled. it's It's been a struggle is what it is. There's still the fact that they're still alive right now is a testament to really how bad not just the American League is, but the AL West in general.
00:09:56
Speaker
Because like the Astros are terrible this year. the Angels are the Angels as we kind of expected. No one expected the A's to be leading the division right now, but they're a 500 team. And then the Mariners haven't broken above 500 for a while. So none of these teams are playing great baseball overall. But the fact that you're still alive in a wild card race because the AL in general is just an awful, awful, playing awful baseball right now is that says something.
00:10:29
Speaker
Yeah, you're not wrong, actually, and we're going to get into this in our standings right now. Shout out to you. We appreciate you tuning in. Ashley Johnson's son, who is apparently only three years old now. I'm not sure.
00:10:42
Speaker
I think this is a little kid that got onto their parents' iPod. Well, we appreciate all the comments because it helps us in the algorithm. think I think we're being trolled right now. We're being trolled right now. I have to go. It doesn't matter. We're going to keep moving. It's awesome. We love those comments. Keep them coming. But, yeah, talking about those standings, AP, you mentioned it. The AL West is the only division in baseball that their division leader is at 500 or below with the athletics.
00:11:11
Speaker
At 500, every other division is there division met above 500. And everyone in your division has a losing record over the last 10 games, except the Astros, who are 7-3.
00:11:24
Speaker
So you're completely right about that. Yeah, it know it's it hasn't been great. Like I said, it hasn't been great baseball all year long in the AL West. Astros got off to a really bad start.
00:11:36
Speaker
you know You know, the Angels, other than having that great series with the Yankees early on in the season, they haven't really done much since. um The A's have been the only consistent, really consistent team this year, and it shows because they're a 500 team and they lead the division. um nick kurtz has been unbelievable so far we talked i think we talked before the show went on as yeah we're gonna talk about that later yep he's continued his on base uh streak keeps it going and he has a chance to break it tonight uh with the mariners in town um we kind of figured that the the jose rodriguez experiment was not going to work again after a little bit of a
00:12:19
Speaker
They're missing Inuhenio in Seattle right now. They're missing Inuhenio Suarez. Yeah, Suarez. And then Cal Raleigh has just completely hit rock bottom. He is nowhere to be found for Seattle this year. so Especially after last year, right, after the year he had.
00:12:37
Speaker
um No, and you mentioned it, right? Big Mac meet Big Amish. Yes, Athletics first baseman Nick Kurt has etched his name in franchise history books for the Athletics. Shout out my brother Philly Fingers. But in his second at bat, he reached base for the forty eighth consecutive game tying Mark McGuire's longest streak for the A's. No active major leaguer has ever put together a longer single season on-base streak. um And also, no one has made it to 60 games on base in a row since Orlando Cabrera, how about that throwback of a name, in 2006.
00:13:19
Speaker
The record belongs to, as we know, one of the greatest hitters and one of the greatest players of all time, ah Ted Williams, who made it in 84 consecutive games during his second AL MVP ah run.
00:13:37
Speaker
So, Amul, what do you think about not only Nick Kurtz's on-base streak, but also the no-hitter that the Astros threw last night? i I'm going to start with Nick Kurtz and the A's in general. I think Nick Kurtz, ah you know, has something a chance to do something special.
00:13:55
Speaker
I think the A's have a chance to do something funny. And by funny, I mean, if they beat the A's, if they beat the Mariners tonight, they've got a winning record.
00:14:06
Speaker
But then also, if they continue on, I'm not saying go 10-0 in the next 10 games. 7-3. goes seven and three Go six and four. Like if he, if they keep this up and actually play winning baseball, we're going to be rooting for him come, you know, but the the dog days of August and then down the stretch of ah um September. Are you okay? you Are you, are you starting it early? ah i was going to say, are you crashing out early tonight?
00:14:35
Speaker
No, no, no, no. I didn't. I don't like the light is in my glasses. So I just tried to turn off. Oh, OK. I was like, if you're a little moonlight, just in case there's any ladies watching, just a little moonlight.
00:14:49
Speaker
We've already already you've already dumped on the Mets already. So Omar's fine for now. For now. Yeah, we'll get to them in a second. Um, but, you know, cut off our mics.
00:15:01
Speaker
But, uh, I think the, uh, I think, uh, the Astro is getting no hit. I don't think it was a matter of time. I think that's more tempted fate, if if anything.
00:15:12
Speaker
You're, you're, you're trying to not get no hit in an MLB game. And I realize I've rooted for two teams in my life that on a occasion should have gotten no hit, one more than the other.
00:15:25
Speaker
um But and that said, you know, the Astros are, it's, you got, you're three and a half back.
00:15:36
Speaker
Like you keep swooning, like you're not swooning, but you keep not playing great baseball and, you may end up tied with the Angels. Is that where the Astros are headed, AP? I'm asking that question to AP directly because he's more of an Astros fan than either one of us.
00:15:56
Speaker
I'm Rangers fan. Or a Rangers fan, sorry. But you know the AL West better than i than we do. Will the Astros, you know, he continue their free fall?
00:16:09
Speaker
Or the Rangers, rather. It's all going to depend on... It's going to depend on the health of Jordan Alvarez. If he's able to play a top shape, I think you you have a chance. cause let's Let's face it, Altuve's starting to get past his prime.
00:16:24
Speaker
um a lot of their their good pitchers are now out of out of the system. um And Hunter Brown's been in and out of the lineup with injury. So it's... Yeah.
00:16:35
Speaker
It's going to have to depend on Jordan. It really is. um Rangers-wise, they've got to get healthy too because you've been missing Seager, although his bet has gone pretty cold lately.
00:16:51
Speaker
Wyatt's been out for a majority of the season thus far. um You're getting contributions from guys like Jake Berger. you know Josh Young's had a great season thus far, and he he continues to swing a good bet.
00:17:04
Speaker
Zeke Duran has been good as ah as a utility middle infielder. Obviously, Josh Smith has hurt too. So you've got to get healthy if you're Texas. You've got to get healthy. You've got to find your offense. They found their offense tonight for some reason. It took them one inning tonight to find their offense. But you've got to find your offense consistently. If you do that,
00:17:31
Speaker
and you get healthy, ah you know Texas is going to be there at the end of the year if they if they do that. Yeah.
00:17:38
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, that division is usually always up for grabs every year. and It's usually the Rangers and Astros that are doing it. But surprisingly, again, the athletics, and this is hilarious, when you look at the MLB standings on LB.com, there is no city, no Las Vegas, no Sacramento, just

Team Highlights and Performances

00:17:56
Speaker
athletics. That's all I have in the standings. I love that. Or as I like to call them on our show, the traveling A's.
00:18:04
Speaker
The Trap, yeah, that's a good one. I still call them Oakland, even though they're not, like I still call them Oakland because they're not in Oakland, but you know, whatever. they are and they are playing a couple games and They are playing a couple games in Vegas this year, I believe. so ah wanted to We can talk about this later, ah Omar, if you want to move on to other topics, but I think a trademark was filed for them to change their name to the Aces at one point.
00:18:30
Speaker
uh so yeah I mean so that makes sense because of where they're going because the owner of the Las Vegas Aces is Mark Davis but why would you want two teams in the same city in different sports with the same name yeah that doesn't I don't know that's all I know is it was a trademark was filed several trademarks were filed but uh I think the menu is that I believe that Oakland would retain the name of the A's if they ever got like an expansion team. But again, your women's basketball team is named the Aces. Why would you want to do the same thing? You need to have some distinction between teams because then what are you going to do? Have a search in Google for what you do.
00:19:11
Speaker
Bring up. I mean, you see what i'm saying, though? It's just like have have your own branding for a team. What would you call them, though? What would you want to name them? I was just trying to think. Let's see. Obviously, aces make sense because you're in Las Vegas.
00:19:24
Speaker
Poker, cards, gambling kind of thing. What about the...
00:19:34
Speaker
the the ah no, that's not that's not good enough. The Lost, damn. right, I'm going to about this. I'm thinking. i don't want to cold up the show on this, but I'm gonna keep thinking about that. tom I'll come up with one by the end of the day. That's actually not a bad. That's actually good.
00:19:49
Speaker
i like that. The Las Vegas Bandits. I very much like it. The Bandits isn't bad. i like that. Or the Gamblers, if you want to go, oh, Houston Gamblers style. You know what I mean?
00:20:02
Speaker
All right, cool. Let's move it on to your division. I'm all the AL East. The Tampa Bay Rage, man. i've been i talked about this with my pops on the Poppy and the Professor show that we have started now.
00:20:17
Speaker
co that laptoppped um I hope you like some of it It's going to be awesome. But i did I was talking to him and I said, it's crazy how Tampa Bay has year in and you are year out one of the lowest payrolls, but year in and year out, they are in the playoffs.
00:20:34
Speaker
And now, not only are they leading the division, but they are 17 games above 500 and three and a half games above the Yankees in the AL East. And let's not forget, Amur, because I know you like to make fun of my Mets, your bum-ass Red Sox.
00:20:53
Speaker
are eight games below 500. So y'all suck just as bad as the Mets do. So stop sending me videos about my Mets sucking when your Red Sox suck just as bad.
00:21:06
Speaker
this is You know, I kind of enjoy that from time to time. i do. I do enjoy, you know, sending to you stuff like that. No, honestly, I believe, and I'm just going to go ahead and say it, like, we're a couple months away from from from but for preseason football, from camps opening, and, you know, I'm fairly certain that Diana Rossini is still... seeing Mike Vrabel, like, you know, even though that's out and that's been out for a while. So maybe the Red Sox are just distracted by that. I could go AP's way and say, hey, listen, you can't do very much with Trevor Story being out, Eric Herschel being out, Cassis being out, Roman Anthony being out. Oh, I keep going. Cutter Crawford being out. Cutter Crawford's been out for so long. have a lot injuries so I know. but I believe in in the teams actually like having a like next man up, that sort of mentality, especially with with ah Tracy being the interim manager.
00:22:08
Speaker
um I do believe, and I do think that Brian Baio, whatever name is, Baio should be traded. Scott Baio's brother? Is that his name? Brian Baio? Yeah. Yeah. you the former Formerly known as ah Baby Pedro, he doesn't like that nickname anymore.
00:22:24
Speaker
ah Mostly because he can't perform like Pedro Martinez. What show did Scott Bale star in first person?
00:22:35
Speaker
Oh Lord.
00:22:38
Speaker
Neither one of you. Yeah. ah Why did my mind go blank and go Charles in charge? Charles in charge, man. Charles in charge. Charles in charge. My mind went blank and nearly went that way. And my nights. Charles in charge of my wrongs and my rights. You know what the crazy part about this, though, you.
00:23:05
Speaker
You're talking about the A.O.E. It's him singing the Charles in Charge song is what it's what's crazy. I don't want to get it i don't like any copyright. Go ahead, AP. You know what's funny you know it's funny, though? The Red Sox are the worst team in the division, yet they have a better record against winning competition than the Yankees do.
00:23:23
Speaker
The Yankees are only 2-9 against winning competition, which tells you kind of how slow the Yankees schedule has been this year. That's true. Very good point. very That's true, but still, we the Sox need more help than Vrabel's PR team at this present moment. I'm just going to go out there and say it. Sorry, I'm taking shots at you, Mike Vrabel, but we can talk about it later. um The Sox weren't expected to do better, i think, especially through New England.
00:23:55
Speaker
But it is what it is. I mean, it's going to a song. Hold the thought on the Red Sox, please, before I forget this. Hey, Pete, you just mentioned that the Yankees were 2-9 against competition above.500. So I went to take a gander at the rest of the American League.
00:24:16
Speaker
And I see a trend that the American League only has two, yes, I repeat, two teams above 500 against teams above 500. And since I was an analyst in the military and an analyst growing up, a data and analysis was my job for and has been my job for 15, 20 years now, my analytical mind went into motion and said, what that tells me,
00:24:44
Speaker
is that the AL has been playing all NL teams at the beginning of the year and that the NL is the better conference right now ah because of the fact that all of their teams or most of their teams are above 500 against 500 teams and ah those teams being in their own own conference as well, the NL. I mean, look at the talent in the National League, though. looking on yo The Braves in general have one of the best rosters, the Dodgers. yeah The Cubs have a great roster, although they are, I don't know what's going on with them right now. um The Reds have a solid roster. The Pirates, you know, it's more than just Paul Skeens right now.
00:25:24
Speaker
The Brewers, you know everybody writes the Brewers off, but they have a solid roster. Sure do, yeah. Washington, the Nationals are the surprise right now. They're above 500, and they won today. They're two games above 500. And they won today. They're two games above 500. are our fun The Marlins are always a feisty team, no matter how good or bad they are on paper.
00:25:46
Speaker
And even Colorado's improved this year. and i know they've only won 20 games, but the last last year, they didn't win 20 games until almost July. So they're already ahead of ahead of their their previous schedule. So there's a lot of talent in the National League. and The American League... um It's kind of the, all the talent, the talent pool in the American league either is in New York, Tampa Bay, or Cleveland right now, essentially. And you've got a young, and you've got a young, and you've got a young ace team that's still learning how to win.
00:26:19
Speaker
So, yeah. And so let's continue talking about that because I want to get your thoughts on the ALEs too, AP. Finish your thoughts on the Red Sox symbol. I just feel like it's, I don't know, man. It's just, you're at a point where the populace of New England, we're in May. We're in the end of May.
00:26:39
Speaker
give it another three weeks we're gonna be here back here at the end of june right you do this you do these once a month these shows once a month i'm trying to do them about month they're gonna be ready for training camp is my point i realize it's a whole different sport but they're gonna be ready for for full for the patriots training camp because or they're gonna be summering uh you know on nantucket uh and manta's vineyard and then just basically being like yeah forget about the socks So, yes, I did just- They might be there very soon too. Yeah, so like, I mean, if the Glove's already given up on them, like, my God, I'm slipping into it. If the Glove's already given up on them, like, might as well. Like, I'm not saying I'm giving up on them. I'll watch them, sure.
00:27:23
Speaker
But, you know, I also watch the other teams too. Like, I'll put it to you like this. I realize you have crash outs with the Mets, but I'm a bit of a realist when it comes to the Sox. If I go to MLB, the app, and I'm like, oh, well, the Sox are down by like,
00:27:42
Speaker
eight, I'll go to another team, another game that like that is more competitive than than, you know, watch the the Old Town team. Oh, don't worry.
00:27:53
Speaker
Because I'd rather do that. You know what I mean? I know you're a hopper of teams because somehow you became a Washington Nationals fan, even though you're a Red Sox fan. They moved here. Come on. They moved here. You you you and I went to the same went to game together in 2009. You remember this. Don't say there is Oh, remember because it was the day that Michael Jackson, the king of pop, died. And we were both at the National Stadium drinking a beer on the deck.
00:28:22
Speaker
And we both got the alerts on our phone. And then we look around and everybody else is getting the same alert on their phone because that's how famous Michael Jackson we're watching the we're we're watching um were watching the TVs. And TVs have changed to the the news channels. but the uh somebody you laughed at me earlier this year when i said i'm rooting for the socks to be third it's not i i mean i'm still rooting for the socks to be third but like it's looking more like fourth every day i think it might have been peach don't know who it was but like no it's okay you and the mets looking in the same position so ap what are your thoughts more or less
00:29:00
Speaker
I mean, it's it's Tampa Bay playing old school baseball, which is why they're leading the division right now. um You know, they bunted the Yankees to death the first series they played. Took two or three out of from them this past weekend. Yankees have only won two games a but against winning competition, which, you know, kind of tells you that their schedule's been kind of soft. We'll supposed see how they do against tougher competition down the road. But, um you know,
00:29:28
Speaker
ah Right now, it's just it's just a product of the rest of the American League is dog water right now. And you have two good teams in the division who are playing solid baseball, solid to good baseball.
00:29:41
Speaker
album Toronto's gotten better. they're They're starting to find their footing a little bit. Baltimore's been here hit or miss at times. you know red sox are really the only team where it's just like they've kind of bottomed out right now and like like a mole said it's like yeah it's like a mole said it's like where where's the help coming from where's the help coming from if you're a red sox fan uh they're actually soliciting fans help that's what's happening that's what's happening i've been contacted the the nats have reached out to me too but then they started doing well so i they no longer need my help so you know it
00:30:18
Speaker
Even the Vets, I think, reached out to me. The popcorn vendor in Gillette Stadium is is playing center field tonight. Yes, actually, that is true. That is true. Raffaella has the night off. If they recruited Hamul for anything, he would be the peanuts vendor. That's what he would be. because it would be Yeah, and I'd throw some peanuts your way is what I would do. They're going to trade Garrett Cochet to the Braves for a bag of peanuts.
00:30:45
Speaker
Oh, please. That would be the ultimate nightmare. That would be the ultimate nightmare right now. um Speaking of, um really quick. Ultimate hat mask. No, one guy that needs to be signed to his squad, and maybe he may help the athletics get over the hump.
00:31:06
Speaker
and Into the playoffs, maybe they need to send sign this fan of new a bull you shared this with me Let's see if I can let's see y'all It wasn't something I did I don't know I should know no no I shared it with you, but I don't it wasn't a video of me No, no, no, no, I don't okay cool. So look at this it's the same dude So you see this guy? I share that.
00:31:35
Speaker
He makes three catches. Look at this. Look at the tremendous third catch he made, bro. I told you he wasn't done. I told you he wasn't done. Sign the dude up, bro. Oh, my goodness. Can he hit?
00:31:49
Speaker
If he can hit, to sign him up. Look at this. I don't care. He can play second base for sure, man. you yeah you've already You've already got it. There's one. Braves to the right.
00:32:02
Speaker
Let's bat it in. You've already got Leroy Butler in the center. You just need to put this guy in, like, left or right field. it's the same dude. yeah Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Aren't you aren't you glad i send aren't you glad that I sent you these memes? now No, that very that was very good because was like, holy shit, that was a nice catch that fan made. I know, right? I know, right? he He definitely needs to be signed ah to the A's. But anyways, ah let's talk about that AL Central division.
00:32:30
Speaker
um yeah but You brought it up earlier when you talked about the Guardians. Can we get an update on that game? Do we have a score update on the Guardians game?
00:32:42
Speaker
Nationals did win the game. They won 6-3. Okay. okay So Guardians lost that game. That takes them down to 32-25. By the way, the Tigers' misery continues. It is now nine six Angels.
00:32:56
Speaker
ah yeah Oh, by the way, I want to talk about the Angels a little later. I got one story at the end of the show that I want to bring up about the Angels to show how incompetent Artie Moreno is. But let's continue on. And we're talking about the AL Central. So go ahead, hit us up on the AL Central with the Guardians. You got the White Sox there. Surprisingly, the White Sox...
00:33:17
Speaker
ah who have been completely horrendous the past 5-10 years, setting records for infertility. um But, I mean, shout out to the Southside boys, Clubber Dees boys, the White Sox out there, one game above 500.
00:33:33
Speaker
but And then the Tigers, like you said, man, 12 games below five. How have they fallen? And Mark, I don't forget too, Mark.
00:33:44
Speaker
Mar, I don't forget you. Hold on. Kansas City Royals, 10 games below 500. Mar, don't let me think you I left you out. Go ahead and move. What were you saying real quick? Setting records for infertility, sir. That's a stat.
00:33:57
Speaker
Where are you pulling that stat from? I don't know, but it sounded good in my head. It sounded good in my head when I made of it up. AP, what's up, brother?
00:34:09
Speaker
Oh, no. Oh, shout oh hello shout out. Hey, Derek Club, shout out for tuning in. ah I was talking about your A's. We were just talking about the A's. We were talking about Nick Kurtz on a 48-game on base streak, tying Mark McGuire. And we talked about what their name should be.
00:34:28
Speaker
when they move to Las Vegas, because apparently Oakland's going to keep the athletics. So far, we've come up with bandits, which is in the in the lead, or gamblers. Let us know what you think. Gamblers might not work with sports gambling now that I think about it, though.
00:34:41
Speaker
AP, what you got on Central? So Central wise, I mean, the two biggest disappointments in sports right now are the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers. Facts. Because we've a lot of shows, including some of our shows have touted Kansas City was going to win the Central or the Tigers were going to win the Central again. um because of how talented both of these teams are. Bobby Witt's supposed to be the superstar of this team. He's been kind of hit or miss at times, although he's played better recently. um But I want to talk about the Tigers because if i memory serves, last month on this show, I said when Tyreek Scoble went down, Romber Valdez was going to have to step up and be an ace.
00:35:22
Speaker
What did he do that night that we had the show? Let's give up 10 runs and hit Trevor Story in the back. Why not? Yes, he did Yes, he did it. And what did we both say? What did we both say? We said if he doesn't pull off his hot head, then he's going to end up taking the the Tiger season.
00:35:43
Speaker
And actually. here's more ladies gentlemen up If he keeps this up, he's going to be out of the league. Forget screwing over the Tigers. He's going to be out of the league by next year. Like no team is going to want to take a chance on him. Is it? Is it? I'm going to ask you this. I'm going to ask you this, AP. I'm going to do a little cross cross reference here with

MLB Labor and Management Discussions

00:36:06
Speaker
sports. Is it going to be a James Harden type situation?
00:36:09
Speaker
where people aren't gonna wanna sign him and he's gonna have to just, you know, is he just gonna become unsignable? Yeah. is Do you think Frambois is gonna go that route or is it just, you know, you think he's just gonna, he's done and no one else gonna pick him up? I'd say, if I had to use an analogy, it's it's basic yeah basically Trevor Bauer without the allegations.
00:36:34
Speaker
right now. Wow. Okay. Yes. yeah And it's, I mean, you can't meet yourself football but you can paint yourself a pariah, even if you're not doing anything bad off the field, you can just be like, he's not doing anything bad off the field. And even though like, you know, Brower has been cleared and whatnot, but, um,
00:36:52
Speaker
Look at Fromber on the field. He's already shown that if you get under his skin, he will get agitated and he will get angry and he will go off kilter.
00:37:04
Speaker
he's already cross catch me He threw out his own catcher, crossed up his own catcher last year in the Houston. ah um That's right. it's Purposely pelted Trevor Story in the back after giving up 10 runs.
00:37:16
Speaker
Yeah, we did. And we talked about this on our show too. he Guys, he has not been the same. And i and i even Astros fans agree with me on this. He has not been the same since game six of the ALCS against Texas.
00:37:30
Speaker
A few years ago. cause that be little hi went He went one, two, three, the first inning. That second inning, he gave up, I want to say, give up five runs or something like that, and they pulled him.
00:37:42
Speaker
like none That shakes your confidence as a pitcher, and I don't think that was the last um last time he pitched in that series. That's a good point. Because obviously Texas to point back went back to Houston and won game seven, so that fact knocked him out.
00:37:57
Speaker
But yeah, Frambert has not been the same pitcher since the ALCS two years ago. So long-term damage from that last bad playoff appearance is what you're saying. Yeah, it's it's gotten under his psyche. It's gotten under his psyche to where if the teams get to him, if teams are hitting him, he's he's he's not going to he's just going to just throw ducks up there at this point. He don't care. He's not going to care.
00:38:21
Speaker
i'm I'm also going to bring this He's always, to an extent, if you catch him, at the right, well, really the wrong time, he's always been hittable to a degree.
00:38:32
Speaker
Whether he's with, you know, ah Houston or he's with Detroit, like, he's always going to throw it, away at least from what I have seen in the last few years, he always throws it at batters. He always throws his own players from time to time. you Like, this is just MO. hothead, admittedly. He's hothead. This is his MO.
00:38:57
Speaker
I can relate. What doesn't help, too, guys? What doesn't help is there's nobody in that Tiger clubhouse to help him. There's no veteran leadership in that Tiger clubhouse to round him up. yeah Like, the the war the reason why they brought him there was because of A.J. Hinch and the connection there with the Houston Astros.
00:39:16
Speaker
Not even AJ's helping him. Not even AJ's helping him. Justin Verlander hasn't stepped up? I know he's back with the Tigers. Justin Verlander hasn't done anything. Yeah. Wow. He's former teammate, too. That's surprising. No, that's ah that's that to me is surprising because Verlander was signed as a vet as a v presence and to rally the troops, more or less, and to basically be the Max Scherzer type.
00:39:39
Speaker
that you had in Toronto last year. ah And that that surprises me that Relator hasn't done that. um But to be honest, I kind of get it.
00:39:50
Speaker
i kind of get it. Go ahead. No, but you would say in that division, though, even though Frambois Valdez and the Tigers have sunk, you would say that the Guardians now have probably found their footing at seven and three in their last ten, even though they lost two in a row now, or three in a row now, or two in a row now.
00:40:06
Speaker
um Oh, yeah, the guard the Guardians are doing their own Guardians of the Galaxy impression, complete with Thor. that They're doing the Asgardians of the the, yeah, that's right. I'm throwing different. I like it. And so. Which one is Korg? Which one is Korg?
00:40:21
Speaker
i gotta know I don't know. I don't know. We'd have to look. we'd have to look it's ramiro It's not Ramirez. It's got to be Chase the Lotter at this point. Nerds!
00:40:33
Speaker
Nerds! I have admittedly never seen Guardians of the Galaxy. Y'all are some nerds. Get out here with that crap. You've never seen Guardians of the Galaxy yet? Why would I want to watch animated animal superheroes? go and i don't want to That's crap. I don't want to see that.
00:40:50
Speaker
Go ahead. I know Derek's going to hate me for that, too. I know Derek's going to hate me for that, too. Yeah, yeah. What are you doing, sir? We'll have to talk about this on another show. But um the the Guardians, the Nats aside, have done a really decent job. Like, all of a sudden, like they're the team to watch ah when you're tuning into AO Games. Because...
00:41:13
Speaker
They actually play sound fundamentals. They play good baseball. Then aside from the the Rays, of course, being old school, um you've got I mentioned this to AP earlier. I don't know if it was it was in the studio chat, but what I said, what is up is down. What is down is up. What I meant by that was All the old heads that like, I mean, we can be considered old heads, but, you know, those that wanted the Red Sox, the O's, the J's or the Y's to be like number one. And then like the Rays will forever be bottom feeders or, you know, the Guardians will forever be middle of the pack.
00:41:48
Speaker
You know, the Guardian's time to shine this down. Same with the White Sox, who I think are getting a little bit of a boost from the Obama Presidential Center. ah Shout out to 44. But, ah you know, it's, you know, it's coming together a little bit. The Angels will always be the Angels. I feel bad for Kurt Suzuki. I know you'll talk about that later in the show.
00:42:10
Speaker
But, you I'm liking where Cleveland's going. They could easily win the division, I think. Maybe not easily, but they could.
00:42:23
Speaker
yeah Also, yeah well, richard Suzuki having to be the manager of the LA Angels is not a good thing. Oh, I mean, I feel bad from that. That's all I meant by that. It's an impossible situation. Also, it helps when you have a Japanese import who can swing a good bat, too, for the White Sox. Murakami's been a fan of the past.
00:42:47
Speaker
He has. He's been fun to watch. He's been fun to watch. The White Sox only regret with that is they only signed him to a two-year deal. They need to get him more years. They need to sign him to a long-term deal and pay him his money. That's the other thing. You owners. I'm sorry. I'm not going to go on a rant like Omar does, but...
00:43:07
Speaker
But I realize a lockout is coming at some point. Pay your players. Just pay your players. Because if you're not paying your players, it's going to be harder once you come out of the lockout to legitly to to legit pay your players what they're worth unless they're already on existing contracts. Sorry, I'll stop there. oh I want to ask you why i ask you guys this real quick. Can I ask you guys this? This was a question I posed on our baseball show last week. Sure. Sure.
00:43:32
Speaker
you talk we We were talking about how they've they've started to talk a little bit. It hasn't been like elongated talks, but they're at least chatting a little bit. If we don't hear anything positive, like where's the threshold of where we need to hear something positive in order to say, hey, we might get baseball next year. is it I think we kind of said it was going to be in between the all-star break and the end of the season.
00:43:56
Speaker
Well, how do you guys feel about it? I feel like it's not going make a difference at all. I feel like they're going to strike regardless just because they need to have that leverage. um I believe that the leverage that they can create in negotiations with the union would be advantageous for the league itself. But it would not be advantageous in terms of the fans, right? So the league will be able to probably get more leverage and extract what they need from the union, but it's going to be at the detriment of us fans and eventually the detriment of the
00:44:31
Speaker
the league as a whole because we remember as we talked about on the last show what happened with the 94 strike how it almost completely demolished baseball and they had to you know come back from the dead with the mark mcguire sammy sosa you know steroid era kind of thing um home run chase so i that's my thoughts on it amul
00:44:53
Speaker
I'm going to put this, I'm going to etch this in stone. I know we don't do that. I don't know we don't do it as much here, but I'm going etch this, what I'm about to say, in stone. They have about six weeks.
00:45:05
Speaker
oh They have about six weeks in my opinion. Technically, just to say the deadline is December 1st. Right. For me, for me yes to not believe, to if they if they and want to invest in the fans, if they want a a fair and equitable deal, talk is cheap.
00:45:22
Speaker
You can talk about talking, um you know, I've been talking about, i don't know, ah publishing a book for years now, I haven't done it yet. my My point is, if so you don't, yeah, if you're talking a little bit, come to the table, buy the All-Star break, before the All-Star game happens, announce the deal.
00:45:46
Speaker
If you don't do that, in my opinion, like, or just my gut feeling will be like, there's less of a likelihood. I know that that it's December 1st. That's great. if You want to get it, you want to get it wrapped up before Christmas or right after Diwali.
00:46:00
Speaker
Good for you. But... you know, get it done for the fans' sake, get it done in season so that we can, you know, all have a sigh of relief. Like, okay, there'll be a baseball in 27, there'll be baseball in 28 or 29, you know, as long as, but but make it fair and equitable, which I know is hard for you all owners because you all are, you know, hanging hanging out in the FSG.
00:46:26
Speaker
But um that's what I would say. I would say the the hard deadline for me is six weeks from now. So you want them to share? Oh, go ahead. I can already say, guys, no matter what happens, somebody's going to come out of this unhappy. Of course. Someone is going to have to cave in order for a deal to get done because not all sides are going to be happy about what happens, that they're to have to make a sacrifice if we want to have baseball next year.
00:46:57
Speaker
Yeah, the sacrifices are going to have to come from both sides, just like WNBA had to do this offseason as well. Yeah. And the thing is it's given that that we've seen no but we've seen this before. We've seen this story before. And what happened? Bud Selig was very, you know, um Pro strike. He didn't care about what happened. yeah And then he had to rectify that situation afterwards. I'm sorry, but I think Rob Manfred, and we talked about this, and Averill was right.
00:47:29
Speaker
Kathy Engelbert is actually the worst commissioner in sports. But Rob Manfred is my vote for worst commissioner in sports, and I think he would do the same thing. I don't think he cares about now, I will say i will give him his credit over the past few years with all the changes that have been made it seems like he's starting to care a little bit more about the sport because before i didn't think he cared at all although that could just be a forcing of the hand uh considering the fans were starting to walk away so right but it's one of these things where where he actually i agree with you that i think he's one of the worst commissioners in sports if not the absolute it's not it's not gonna be able to do something
00:48:11
Speaker
Yeah, sorry to cut you off a mole, I apologize. But it's not going to matter because he's always going to be known as the guy that reinstated Pete Rose. e and That's true. At some point it will happen. Which is why he did it because he has that positive note on his record.
00:48:26
Speaker
yeah Yeah, but it's one positive note. It's one positive note. Like I realize it'll carry some weight, but I don't think it'll carry the same amount of weight it did in the mid-90s or early aughts, you know?
00:48:39
Speaker
Like that's like saying, oh, that's great. Like to me, that's like saying Manfred is gonna be happy that he's got, you know, dial up or 28, you know, i'm i'm aging myself obviously, but like,
00:48:52
Speaker
it that It doesn't hold as much weight, I don't think, anymore. Okay. All right. Well, before we move to the National League, let's go ahead and take a look at the MLB.com power rankings for this week.

MLB Power Rankings and Division Analysis

00:49:04
Speaker
your Oh, no, wait. I apologize.
00:49:06
Speaker
That is the wrong one. That is from last week. Let me get the new one up that I downloaded. My apologies. Give me one moment here. wow Get your nerd on. Get your nerd on.
00:49:19
Speaker
Anyways, hold on. yeah unsanctioned uh unsanctioned uh massachusetts institute of technology post just kidding okay uh moving on moving on to the national league um looking at the national league you have two of the best run differentials in baseball when you are looking at the end At the Atlanta Braves and at the at Los Angeles Dodgers.
00:49:50
Speaker
The Atlanta Braves have a run differential of 102. And that means the runs they've scored versus runs against for those that don't know what I'm talking about. The Dodgers are at 108.
00:50:02
Speaker
um And there's not another team close to them except the Yankees and Brewers, and they're 30 runs below 71 and So, the conference player.
00:50:13
Speaker
again the n l looks like the more powerhouse conference in ah in the league. um So glo go ahead. We'll start with, because obviously I'm a Mets fan, so we'll save that for last. We're going to start with that NL Central. We just talked about the Milwaukee Brewers there at 31 and 20, 11 games above 507 and three in their last 10.
00:50:36
Speaker
And then other than that, you've got the Cardinals, Cubs, Reds, and Pirates, all three games or two games, excuse me, a apart, bunched up right there behind the Brewers. So really,
00:50:47
Speaker
ah Even though we we all think the Brewers have a well-constructed roster and should be the favorites, it seems like that division is pretty much up for grabs. Amul, what are your thoughts?
00:50:59
Speaker
Mizorowski just broke the 102. Like he just threw a pitch that was 102 miles an hour. And I love that the i'm I'm sorry, I'm referring to my notes, but I love that the Brewers are in first place right now because it i know in the first part of the year, like I know we brought these shows earlier. I was like, oh, I like the Cubs or I think the Pirates are going to do great, which is fabulous. But I love like to a degree, like let them prove it wrong.
00:51:28
Speaker
So like the I'm rooting for the Brewers at this point to take the NL Central if they can. ah They have, according to SportTrack, they have the 20th ranked payroll, ah which is fabulous, I think, because, i mean, it's not fabulous, fabulous, but it's one of the things that, you know, ah you're doing less with more.
00:51:51
Speaker
And I love that their differential is, I mean, they can easily compete with the Dodgers. you can They can easily compete with the Braves. The others, they could. i mean, the other in the NL in the and Central, they could. But they got to get their differential up. The Cubs, ah honestly, i don't know what's going on with with my Cubbies. I don't.
00:52:11
Speaker
With your Cubbies? How many teams do you have What? No, it's crazy. I knew it. I knew it. I knew it. So, they're a sentimental favorite mine. But...
00:52:25
Speaker
Sir, sir, and for everyone else watching this program, let me put myself up on the screen real quick because y'all need to hear something. I have told Amul this many times in life.
00:52:38
Speaker
As a sports fan, as a fan of a sport that is a fan of a team, Whether grew up with them, whether they're from your city, whether your dad or mom liked them, whatever it is, that team that you start with,
00:52:56
Speaker
Don't ever be a traitor and go choose another team. And God forbid, at least if you do that, renounce the other team. Don't have two teams. And God forbid you have two teams like I thought Amul had with the Red Sox and then the Nationals when he was a Red Sox fan all his life. And then 40 years later, 20 years later, became a Nationals fan. And now apparently he's Cubs fan. he If you tell me.
00:53:22
Speaker
You like three teams in the same sport. I do not respect your opinion about such sport. Amul, you got to rectify this situation, my friend. Well, look, you're allowed to have sentimental favorites. You're not allowed to have favorites favorites, right? I realize it's a matter of degrees and a lot of people aren't going to like yourself. They're not going to agree with that. need you to claim a team right now.
00:53:43
Speaker
Who will be the number one team going forward the rest of your life? the red sox probably okay all right yeah definitely the red sox see probably hear that ap definitely what a waffler he's on the fence like here's the thing i can't not move for my father's team we i mean you you knew him so like i can't not move for for the red sox i the reason i'll tell you why i say probably because we all at times hate our team Right now, I hate the odor.
00:54:15
Speaker
i can do I can do a full two hours of your show. I understand that. How much I hate that i hate the odor. So, when I say probably, that's what I mean. Because I'm still going to tune into them. I'm still going to, you know, am I going to, you know, then pivot to the Rockies?
00:54:31
Speaker
Sure, why not? Because why not? you know, watch something a little bit more five wouldsome I would never, ever respect your opinion. You've got to stop. Shout out Rock Chalk. We appreciate tuning in. Everybody tune in to Rock Chalk. To be fair, to be fair, the best two-prime home, YouTube. Be fair to him. Well, the first MMOB game I ever saw was a Colorado Rockies game, so. Hey.
00:54:54
Speaker
Look, going to the Colorado, I've been to that stadium in Denver a few times. It's beautiful, right? Beautiful place to watch a game. It's on my list. It's on my list. but They don't suck, and they haven't since they had Dante Bouchette, Todd Helton, and the rest, Ellis Burks, and the rest of that crew. I will say, though, I have also been in the ballpark in Arlington, and that's a fun place to go watch a game, too.
00:55:18
Speaker
Now, don't they play it don't they play at the- at the It's Globe Life Field now, but I've been in the old ballpark in Ollington. Okay, i was going to say, not the Home Depot they have now, right? You like that one? one like the last time The last time I went was when they were still building Cowboy Stadium, AT&T Stadium. That was the last time I went, way back in the day. So when I went to the Cowboys game recently in Dallas a couple years ago, I thought that stadium looked atrocious.
00:55:47
Speaker
it's like a It's like a box store. It's like a Sam's Club. It's like a three-level Sam's Club. It's like just Yeah, Ballpark and Arlington was it kind of lost its luster after a bit, which is why they have Globe Life Field now because Globe Life Field is a much nicer stadium, which is why they had the COVID World Series there.
00:56:07
Speaker
They had the COVID World Series there. Hey, Rock Chalk, give us an update on that score since I know you're an OKC 49-44 Oklahoma City. Okay, we're missing a tremendous game. I want the Spurs to win. I want the Spurs to win that so badly. I mean, I got with that right there. so Yeah, I know. I know. I know you're an OKC fan. I know. They signed the signed finals jersey from last year.
00:56:37
Speaker
oh shoot my bad ap i'm thinking about hot take jake you're you're okc fan i take jake's fan my bad yeah yeah screw jake uh but let's go ahead and finish this up yeah you want to watch the second half of that game intense uh let's look at this power rankings braves 36 and 18 number one tampa bay rays aforementioned 34 and 17. dodgers and we just talked about them Brewers 31 and 20 and the Yankees at number five, 32 and 22. So gentlemen, you can rail on my Mets.
00:57:07
Speaker
You can rail on the Dodgers. You can extol the Braves. You can talk about the Phillies winning streak and how Don Mattingly has taken them to six straight series wins. um And he might set a record if he gets to the seventh. What are your thoughts on the NL East and NL West? We can get air everybody out here to watch the game.
00:57:31
Speaker
Go first, AP.
00:57:33
Speaker
Meet the Mets. Greet the Mets. Why do you hate me so much? I don't know. the ne'm I'm surprised by how good the Nationals are playing right now. They're two games above 500. They're being very competitive.
00:57:46
Speaker
And they're playing they're playing some fun baseball. so um So if you remember, what was it? Their World Series year, they ended the month of May. They were 19 and 31. They came all the way back and won that World Series. So they've theyve they've had some competitive teams in the past. so um and that but This is a fun team to watch. This is a fun team to watch. Obviously the bru the Braves dominate that division though.
00:58:12
Speaker
So, um that They're not going to catch Atlanta. Let's be honest. They're not going to catch Atlanta. Yeah, they're not going to catch Atlanta. Out West, obviously the Padres are playing well. It seems like they could be ah kind of a challenge to the Dodgers right now. The Dodgers, while they're still playing well, they they are also dealing with a bit of an injury bug, but they got a lot of talent on that team, so it doesn't really matter.
00:58:37
Speaker
Shohei's been hit or miss at times this year, although he's still going to get MVP votes because he's just that popular. um and Other than that, it's like you know we expected Colorado to be bad. They're bad.
00:58:51
Speaker
They're better than last year, but they're still bad. um you know Arizona's hit or miss at times, although having Eugenio back has helped their offense a little bit.
00:59:01
Speaker
um Other than that, it's really kind of just the same old, same old in the NL West at this point. It's just what we kind of expected. Yeah. Amor, are your thoughts on that? NL West and East. Yeah.
00:59:17
Speaker
To a degree, I agree with you. We always want the Rockies to do better in some form or fashion. I think you guys would agree with me to degree. What are you doing with the Rockies today? don't understand what's happening. Just let me. Just let me. Just let me. Let them cook. Let them cook. Let me cook. Let me cook. And the Dodgers are the Dodgers. They need to have been broken up with for all, you know, they need to split them up, that's not going to happen anytime soon.
00:59:45
Speaker
the Padres who are on the outside of this list uh I think they're sixth or seventh uh their power outage is astounding Machado not doing too hot uh Fernando Tatis uh you know I'm sorry but we're not going to trade for you in Boston if you if your power numbers are going to be that abysmal um mean because I know you're not trading hope you would not be buyers at this point without bad you'll so no no No. ah On to the NLEs. I've actually been to a couple Nets games outside of opening day this year. And, ah you know, they're they're a really fun team to watch. You know, know they're free.
01:00:22
Speaker
They're not free, but you know, it was actually they beat they beat your beloved Mets. I went with a Mets fan and I have tickets for four dollars i heard that's what I heard. they They were the district tickets are five bucks each. If you live in the district, if you live in the district, if you don't, then they're the than they regular price.
01:00:42
Speaker
ah As far as your Mets, I'm going to say this and and you might love me for this. Well, you know, brotherhood aside, but like I wish your Mets were doing better because then we'd have less we'd we'd have less crash outs from you because I know what happens. Then AP and I have to carry the show, which we don't mind doing.
01:01:02
Speaker
People love the crash outs. That's why they tune in. What do you mean? That's exactly why they tune in. I'm trying to appeal to your higher sense here, but but to that degree, like I'm okay. you know I do enjoy like that the Mets aren't doing too hot, but I'm not going to do what...
01:01:19
Speaker
AP's doing you know and sort of trolling you every time. i had Not every time. Although I do... He thinks it's bad now. Just wait until football season when the Raiders still stay. I just feel like right now it's enough. like If I feel like I need to... I was very impressed if the Nats were able to beat the Mets. That was kind of great. but like you know And then the inside the parkour run. let's not Let's not skip this without bringing that up and its No, no, no. yeah no no's It's the Bansimal. It can't just be an Inside the Park home run. It has to be an Inside the Park grand slam. It was the Inside the Park grand slam.
01:01:59
Speaker
Only the best can give up an Inside the Park grand From James Wood, too. Woods. So, like, um yeah. It was it was lovely to will say that. It was lovely to watch.
01:02:11
Speaker
yeah.
01:02:16
Speaker
i'm sure I'm sure you like that a lot. Thanks a lot. I appreciate that. Let's just hope we can find out what his college team is. and then we both up But UCLA, I think it's you still UCLA. Damn it! You're bad! You're not giving away my government. The Braves. You the 0-5 UCLA team for money? You know what?
01:02:35
Speaker
i like I like the Braves. that's lotudable Thanks Thanks a lot. You're welcome, sir. Anytime. I like the Braves coming out of the NL East. The Nets are going to be fun to watch. I do not think here, I'll say this, since I've been making a few pronouncements here and there.
01:02:50
Speaker
I don't think the Phillies okay. I feel like the Phillies aren't going to catch the Nets. I'll just leave it like that.
01:03:01
Speaker
Or maybe it'll it'll be mean the Braves. Catch the Braves. No, I mean the Nats. i don't i know though i think that that's yeah okay i don i don't know that I know they're not catching the Braves. That's why I'm not saying it I know the Phillies aren't catching the Braves. got it But I think it's going to be a toss-up between second and third place in the NL East now.
01:03:21
Speaker
So that's what I think. but before Before you get to the West and we'll like just saw this and I want to bring this up. yeah You're about to see the most expensive and NBA Finals tickets ever purchased.
01:03:33
Speaker
I've already seen that I think. 7,288 in the garden. yeah Yeah. These are cheap. These are the cheap tickets. These are the cheap tickets. Game three is projected the cheapest ticket in game three is projected to be $3,876.
01:03:49
Speaker
o Game six? Game six is projected to be hi not over $5,000 for the cheapest. game Game one, I saw a ticket for $11,800. That's nosebleeds, right?
01:04:01
Speaker
That's nosebleeds? Yeah. In the garden. Okay, so game one, I saw a ticket for $11,814. That was like 200 level. And somebody had retweeted that and said, um what is it? Mayor Mandani, please save us.
01:04:18
Speaker
So like... That's funny. Probably not gonna happen. Game one and two will thankfully either be in San Antonio or OKC. So we're economy friendly, ah unlike New York.
01:04:30
Speaker
Well, it would be nice if the Knicks won an NBA championship. I'll just say that. It would be nice. I mean, it would be good. It would be kind of good it would actually be good for the sport of the NBA if the Knicks were to win a championship this year. it would bring win It would bring a lot of fans back to the sport. but um You know, they say that with every New York team the Yankees have not won in a while. Mets haven't won in a while.
01:04:58
Speaker
The last championship was actually the New York Giants in 2011. Well, I mean, also New York Liberty. I keep forgetting the Liberty. The Liberty are the last championship. You can't forget the WNBA teams. You can't. And then, you know, the Rangers are kind of the New York Rangers have been kind of on a spill. The Devils have been hit or miss.
01:05:18
Speaker
So New York sports fans are just like praying for something right now. And the Knicks are like their final hope right now. This is the best opportunity that the New York Knicks have to win a championship.
01:05:29
Speaker
If they don't want it this year, then it's like, when will they ever win? That's true. Whereas Wemby, with the Spurs, their title window's open for at least, i don't know, three to five years. OKC, their title window's open, also open as well.
01:05:44
Speaker
So. And I'm praying, I pray every day and every night that the Knicks, whoever they play, get their punk asses swept so I can watch all you New York fans cry at him, salty, Nick tears.
01:06:02
Speaker
And I will laugh at you with our 18 championships hanging from the park, hanging above the parquet floor in Boston. Let's go, Celtics.
01:06:15
Speaker
Listen, listen, Omar, I say this respectfully and kindly, but no one cares about the Celtics right now. if They don't. That's not true this is this is about Yes, but this is about NBA history in general.
01:06:30
Speaker
Like, that's what this is about. hate the Knicks, and if I can say anything with the Knicks, And they're unrealistic, punk-ass fans out here playing one-on-one basketball with no basketball outside the stadium and all cheering each other on like some bums. There we go.
01:06:49
Speaker
Speaking of the Mets, I'm about to go off on the nerd tangent here. But I just saw a video of J.K. Simmons in full Mets gear. Get your nerd on.
01:07:00
Speaker
Watching watching ah the Mets game, there's a guy dressed up in a Spider-Man costume sitting right behind him. so that i thought That's great. That's great. That's fabulous.
01:07:12
Speaker
So you've got to like that sort of stuff. JK Simmons, j Jonah Jameson himself. Yeah. that Is that Ben Simmons? Jameson? No, J.K.
01:07:22
Speaker
Simmons was the guy that ran the paper. You uncultured swine, you. Yeah, we're taking over the professor's seminal mente one day. sorry, we're going to class something. You are older than me, and I know who J.K. Simmons is.
01:07:47
Speaker
And AP, I am sorry. am sorry that you've had to, you know, I mean, I at least know who J.K. Simmons is. I'm not a nerd. I'm sorry. I'm not a nerd. Do you need to put him to a nursing home? Because I know a couple good places for him. I've had to put him to a nursing home for a while. been tough to get anyone to take him. That's the problem. No one will take him.
01:08:14
Speaker
Just rack on Omar night. That's enough. I want to give a shout out to a Brave, even though I hate the Braves. ah Ronald Acuna made one of the most tremendous catches I've ever seen in my life.
01:08:29
Speaker
Amul, you, I believe, somebody sent this to me. Did I send this to you as well? I don't know. But all I know is it is. I'm supplying you with content at this point.
01:08:40
Speaker
Oh, I know, hold on. If I can blow this up a little bit, I want to get it bigger so I can see. how do you blow it up? How do you do this? Anyways, all right, y'all get to deal with it. I don't know how to blow the Instagram up. But anyways, Ronald Acuna makes one of the most amazing throws I've ever seen here. So y'all pay attention to this throw. I know it's a little small, and I apologize, but I don't know how to make that bigger.
01:09:03
Speaker
But look at this. Ronald Acuna goes back. Look at where he catches this ball. At the corner. And look at this throw. No hop straight to third base and tags the dude out on a frozen cannon. Let me let everybody watch this again. Look at him. He says, I got the cannon. One of the best outfield arms ever. Yeah, absolutely. Watch this again. Watch this again. Look at where he catches this ball.
01:09:32
Speaker
Look at this throw. No hop. Oh, right on the money, bring him in the chest, man. Just tremendous. Look, again, I hate the Braves. Also, even Aaron Judge is not immune to to still getting thrown out like that. Yeah, because ah if you saw the other night, he got thrown out at first. um Yeah. All right. Well, we 6151 OKC. Actually, and sixty it's
01:10:02
Speaker
Is it almost halftime or is it after halftime? It's almost halftime. It's almost halftime. Okay, cool. So let's finish up so we can get everybody to halftime. I got the game over here, but I haven't been paying attention. I do want to watch the second half without any distractions. So let's get this finished up. Let's give you some scores around the league. First of all, Reds beating my sorry ass Mets 7-2.

Artie Moreno's Trade Decisions

01:10:23
Speaker
Twins and White Sox tied at two in the bottom of the eighth.
01:10:26
Speaker
Brewers up 6-0 over the Cardinals. Yankees beating the hell out of Mars Royals, 11-1, top of the seventh. Your Rangers AP still holding on nine to four in the in the middle of sixth inning. The Mariners Athletics just got started. The aforementioned Phillies won nothing over the power ah Padres. And the Diamondback Phillies Giants just got started. or Sorry, Diamondback Giants just got started. Rockies, Dodgers, Dodgers. Hang on real quick. nick start Nick Kurtz is at bat right now. So hang on just one second. see Okay, so people keep us updated while you're doing that. I do want to bring up a story that came up today that I really wanted to talk about.
01:11:06
Speaker
Artie Moreno turned down not one, But two deadline deals for Shohei Ohtani. As we all remember, he turned down the Padres for Shohei Ohtani, who apparently were willing to give him more than they gave the Nationals for Juan Soto.
01:11:24
Speaker
They were also willing to give Jackson Merrill, possibly, in that deal. So Artie Moreo turned that blockbuster down. But then the year after that, right before Ohtani got hurt, even though he didn't know going to get hurt, He turned down a trade to the Rays for Junior Caminero, Carson Williams, and other players. Obviously, Caminero would have been the starting third baseman with the Angels right now had he not turned that down. he Yes, he didn't know he was going to hurt.
01:11:53
Speaker
But he could have gotten a bunch of prospects for a Otani. Instead, all they got was a seventh round compensation pick, which turned into a pitcher, Ryan Johnson, who has not done anything for them so far. Sorry, not 77th round, 74th pick.
01:12:09
Speaker
which and all And all they got out of it was baseball's equivalent to Ben Simmons and Anthony Rendell. Pretty much. Pretty much. yeah So what do y'all think about Artie Marino turning down two blockbuster trades, back-to-back years, not getting anything for Ohtani before he walked to the Dodgers?
01:12:25
Speaker
He was running scared. He's running scared because he made two big free agent and signings and they both flopped. The Albert Proulos tenure deal flopped.
01:12:37
Speaker
Rendon completely flopped. oh josh hamiltons Josh Hamilton completely flopped. You only got one good year out of Vlad Guerrero before he went to Texas. um that the The Angels really haven't done anything.
01:12:53
Speaker
since that 2002 World Series. yeah like They really haven't been that relevant. and They've won a couple divisions here and there, but they really haven't been relevant in postseason baseball or even in baseball. and matt Mike Trout's only been to one postseason series.
01:13:10
Speaker
he's he supposed to be He's supposed to be a generational player. He's only been to one postseason series in his entire career. And we talked about this last show. He's playing really well this year. Does Artie Moreno do the same thing again and not trade Trout because he's their franchise player? Or do you finally say, let me get some damn prospects back for one of my great plays?
01:13:31
Speaker
half time Halftime Halftime. So here's the with Artie um And I i felt that he wanted AP to go first because you guys know me. I like to look at investments and stuff like that. Find the connection, as it were. He doesn't own any FSGs.
01:13:50
Speaker
and move Real quick, I want to bring up one ah one other thing before you continue. I'm sure im and i'm sure that that you'll bring it up too. They had an entire draft the last a few years ago that was nothing that was nothing but pitchers.
01:14:04
Speaker
not None of them are on the or are on the team right now. None of them. Wow, that's crazy. That's how that how bad of a job they're doing. That's why I don't trust I was going to bring up the pictures. I was going to bring up the pictures as a segue back into the conversation, but i wanted to bring this up because so he's worth an estimated 5 billion, which stems from his 98 sale of 8.3 billion about a company called Artie Moreno. If he sells, if he sells
01:14:38
Speaker
the the The Angels. ah He is on the hook for 40% taxes, which is roughly $1.2 billion.
01:14:48
Speaker
That's why he doesn't sell the team. He doesn't want to sell the team because of that. And that's the thing. Call that breaking news. But that's the thing. MLB Baseball, can we get all the owners to put a fund together to subsidize this so we can get the hell out of baseball? No.
01:15:05
Speaker
No, no, this is what I want. This is, and the fund might be the way to go. I need owners that don't care. like the Trump's lunch fund. Yes. The owners that don't care, please.
01:15:18
Speaker
Moreno, you've got your own investments. You've got real estate. John Henry, you've got FSG. Move to London. Like, Let us have these new owners for for at least the Angels and the Red Sox and other teams too that actually care so that baseball can be enjoyable for those fan bases. I can include the Rockies. I can include the Pirates and in in that as well.
01:15:41
Speaker
But I think that's what Manfred should focus on if he stays on as commissioner is that because it would be more fun. for for all fan bases if their teams were a bit more competitive.
01:15:54
Speaker
I'm sure you guys would agree. But to have a draft of of straight pitchers is not only diabolical, but it trolls the franchise is what it does.

Oakland A's Strategy and Future

01:16:05
Speaker
Yeah, diabolical. and a lot a of people are And a lot of people are are looking at what's going on with the A's right now too as like, oh, they're they're basically, you know, basically sold off everything to now be competitive on their way into Vegas, which, you know, the Oakland fan base is sitting here like, you know, why did we do this while you were still here?
01:16:25
Speaker
ah Because really, because ownership didn't care for Oakland. It's kind of the same way. with the ownership, not to bring it about the NBA again, but kind of like what with the Supersonics did before they moved.
01:16:37
Speaker
um Ownership didn't really care. They ended up moving anyway. um But this is kind of a different scenario because it's like,
01:16:47
Speaker
We know that what this team is doing. we've seen it from a mo We've seen it from a mile away. They knew that they were going to move regardless of whether the MLB was going to let them or not or whether or not you know the city of Oakland was going to give a new deal or not. They were focused on moving to Vegas.
01:17:03
Speaker
So what do you do? You tank your last few years in Oakland. i mean you're a terrib You're terribly run organization. Now you're a nomad team with no, no set home right now because of that deal ending. And you basically said, sign and art to the city of Oakland, but now you're trying to build a winning program. So that way you can have a successful first year in Vegas.
01:17:30
Speaker
I mean, that sounds that sounds spot on to me now, obviously. It's Stan Kroenke moving the Rams, too. Stan Kroenke moving the Rams to back to L.A. from St. Louis. Yeah, that's true. That's very true. Yeah, no, I mean, it makes complete sense to me.
01:17:43
Speaker
I believe that. I believe that completely. um All right, cool. Well, hey, gentlemen, what an amazing show today. Oh, by the way, happened Nick Kurtz? Did he get on or no? No, it struck out. ah All right. Well, we'll hope for him to get on later tonight because obviously we like broken records here. He's not going to break Ted Williams' record, let's be completely honest. But it's still fun to watch the chase.
01:18:04
Speaker
All right. You might. You never know. Well, I mean, that's going to be pretty hard. 84 games is pretty hard.

Show Promotion and Future Plans

01:18:10
Speaker
But anyways, let's go ahead here and buy give their give their socials. Amul, let them know where they can find you.
01:18:16
Speaker
AM 23 on IG, am23photography.com. And for those that want to check out my writing, called ddoergozoom.net. I'll be back to writing eventually. I realize time is a flat circle in some cases.
01:18:30
Speaker
It's all timey-wimey. I realize I have stuff that I need to post. Please bear with me. Life is happening. So um I'll get back to that eventually. That's what I got. Like we said earlier, we all plan things and then it takes time to do all of them and we end up putting some off and some on and yeah, it is what it is. You know, well we we all try to do our best. AP, let them know where they can find you.
01:18:53
Speaker
Rec Room Sports Hub on YouTube, if you want to check that out. We have our radio show on Thursday afternoon, ESPN 690 in Jacksonville. That'll be at 4 p.m. Eastern to 6 p.m. Eastern.
01:19:06
Speaker
Check that out there. and I'm usually on the second hour with that show. because I get home more later. But um you got that show, our NBA show in the hoop on Friday nights, and then our betting show Saturday morning with myself, Scott and Tanner, and then a host of other shows. We usually do our baseball show on Wednesday nights. Probably won't be able to do it this week, but it's usually, if we do do it, it's a Wednesday night show.
01:19:28
Speaker
um and this that and everything else and we got some big plans ah for a college football season too because we might be doing some ah live watch alongs for college football this year so oh And actually, yeah, I'll be reaching out to you about college football to get on my new college football show, AP.
01:19:47
Speaker
I'm looking for college football people. All right, Rock Chalk, night to you as well. We appreciate you tuning in. We appreciate everybody that tuned in. Y'all make sure you subscribe at the Best True Crime Podcast on YouTube at Rock Chalk True Crime as well. Make sure you subscribe to Ball and Buds.
01:20:03
Speaker
B-A-L-L-A-N-D-B-U-D-S on YouTube. Follow on Instagram. Handy QR code up there at the top right. We'll take you to our link tree. You can find all our social media. Hit that like button whether watching now or on the replay. It does help everybody here in the algorithm. Check out the descriptions for these brothers here. Tap in with them and all of their channels. These are all great channels that I watch and I follow. So make sure everybody gets up with us. Hit that like button as RockShox said and hit smash that notification bell. So you know every time we go live,
01:20:31
Speaker
I will be live tomorrow. The professor of seminar mente. I will have my brother canteen. The stat man from the bottom line sports will be joining me. That will be eight Eastern tomorrow night. And then Thursday night, six central or seven Eastern myself versus hot take Jake total evisceration. It's going to be another hot one. You're not going to want to miss it. And sometimes y'all, I say things that I regret on that program. So I usually put it to private right away and give the edited version. So if you want to catch me say say something that might get me canceled at other points in time, you might want to watch it live because I quickly edit all that stuff out afterwards. Especially if the Spurs lose. Especially if the Spurs lose game six and five.
01:21:12
Speaker
Yeah, Hot Take Jake is going be very pissed off. That being said, y'all enjoy the game tonight again. Good. hes a longbo He's a Longhorn fan too, and I hate him for that as well. He is because you're a Sooners fan. Y'all are all button heads.
01:21:24
Speaker
Next time we will be on, I want to schedule this now. It's going to be for right before the All-Star game. It looks like Monday is the best day day for everybody. um So let's go ahead and plan for the 29th of June, Monday, and that will be our All-Star preview, first half of the season review. the 29th of June. Y'all let me know if that's a problem, but if not, we'll plan for that.
01:21:46
Speaker
Sounds good. that work who brothers Have a great night. Everybody, thank

Conclusion and Viewer Suggestions

01:21:50
Speaker
you for tuning in. We really appreciated you, everybody out there. Have a wonderful evening, and until tomorrow, me and Canteen Professor Sim and Grogu, they say watch the Mandalorian in Grogu. I may give it a shot as a Star Wars fan, so we'll see. You go check it out as well. Until next time, holla, five down.
01:22:07
Speaker
Awesome bugs by my side, the cracker, and talk.