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00:00:01
Episode 55 - 2026 Season Preview
21 Plays7 days ago
- Division Projections
- Award Predictions
Will Zach stick with his Red Sox prediction?
Does Josh like the Reds this year?
Who's in Mac's top 5?
All this and more in the latest COB Preview!
Recommended
Transcript
Preseason Preview Introduction
00:00:01
Speaker
Well, it's about a week before opening day. So as Ben Verlander is going to say on a multi-time-a-day basis, Shohei Otani, what's up, everyone? Welcome to our third annual. That good. A lot more coming after it than that. That was pretty good. Nope, was just going to stop Shohei Otani because was going to say.
00:00:19
Speaker
What's up, everybody? Welcome to our third, i think third, maybe fourth annual preseason preview of Championship Robust with Max, Zach, and Josh. Apologies in advance up front if we lose some focus at times. We're actually live recording tonight during the World Baseball Classic final between Team USA and Team Venezuela. ah It's been a really fun tournament. We've gotten pretty invested in it. We've argued about it a bunch of times, but you know we actually have gotten
World Baseball Classic: Importance or Fun?
00:00:41
Speaker
invested. We've gotten invested coming from the guy who said this tournament didn't mean anything. It wasn't important. He didn't care. And now he's sitting here watching it. I never said it's not important. absolutely world by and I shouldn't say that. I did say it's not important, and I stand by that. You said it's not important. You said you didn't care. These words came out of your mouth. I never said it wasn't fun, and I did say it was very fun. I always did.
00:01:01
Speaker
I'm treating it like a el lead of the elite all-star game, which is what it is, because it's been a very riveting tournament so far. Team USA just beat the Dominican Republic. Team Venezuela just beat Team South Jersey.
00:01:11
Speaker
Oops, I mean Team Italy. ah Anyway... On with the show. ah How do we want to do this? we want to start with the ah the divisions? do we want to go with the awards? let's do I think it was the divisions first. Yeah, let's do that.
00:01:25
Speaker
All right, I guess let's just get the elephant in the room
AL East Predictions
00:01:27
Speaker
out of the way. Let's start with the AL Easts. Hooray! Let's first. I can go. i um i already mentioned this off pod. I did pick the Red Sox again. i feel like I picked them a year too early, but they got better got better this year. Their pitching is great.
00:01:41
Speaker
um I do have the Blue Jays in second, Yankees in third, and the Orioles fourth. And to quote Sherm, I wanted to say this on pod, need pitching. Need pitching. Definitely need pitching. Definitely need pitching. And a lot of it.
00:01:56
Speaker
Yes. It was like when they let Corbin Burns go, or not let him go, but when he left, it was like, man, this team really needs pitching because they had Burns and nothing else. And then the only thing they did was trade away one of their one of their better pitchers.
00:02:11
Speaker
Well, they're getting a full season to Kyle Braddish, right? Yeah, totally. I mean, I thought they would have signed Valdez, to be honest with you. Same. That made so much sense. You know, I'm not going to claim to be an Orioles, you know.
00:02:24
Speaker
prospect wizard. Like they have guys coming up. i I wouldn't know, but like you gotta have a bunch coming up or this season's gonna get ugly pretty fast. Yep. But yeah, Kyle Braddish is actually projected by baseball reference to have a 3.38 ERA and play and go four and three on the season. So that's great. Awesome.
00:02:46
Speaker
Yeah. They have him, his projections. They have him at four and three with 3.38 ERA. Yeah.
00:02:52
Speaker
Does it say how many innings pitched? Because four and three sounds very low for a starting pitcher. 80 innings pitched. Oh, he's getting hurt. He's getting hurt. I think they do the average of the last three seasons, so that might be why. I'd have to actually sit and calculate it.
00:03:07
Speaker
Is healthy now? um I believe he is. They're saying he could the opening day starter. Trevor Rodgers said he could be the opening day starter for any team in the league.
00:03:22
Speaker
So yeah, it looks like he's... I don't know if I would go that far, but he is healthy currently, yes. It does
AL Central Predictions
00:03:27
Speaker
look like it, yeah. We'll see how long that lasts, though. He's thrown three games in spring training. Yeah. a
00:03:37
Speaker
Josh, go ahead. What's yours? Oh, yes. Mine is ah not Zach's. Thank you. Mine neither. I have um Toronto first.
00:03:48
Speaker
I don't know how you could possibly say that otherwise. They had one of the best teams in the AL, if not the best team in the AL, and only got better in the offseason. Well, yeah, but you know what? the Yankees got worse.
00:04:02
Speaker
I did pick the Yankees last year, to be fair. i think I don't know who I picked. I think picked the Orioles when I was done. I think I picked the Yankees last year. um So, Jays won. have Yankees second.
00:04:15
Speaker
I still think Boston is not as good. I think their hitting leaves much to be desired. And by much, I mean very, very much. Yes, Roman Anthony is here, and he's fantastic. But I have questions about the other of the two big three, ah Campbell and Mayer. I don't think Mayer is even going to make the team, or looks like he's going to get there anytime soon.
00:04:38
Speaker
So I have them three, and then ah the next two teams are ah inconsequential at best with the Orioles and the Rays. I have the same five. We're completely in sync there. Same order.
00:04:52
Speaker
um It's... For me, I think, ah you know, you said the Yankees got worse. I feel like they're generally,
AL West Predictions
00:05:00
Speaker
we're overblowing a little bit because we're the ones examining it and we expected more. I think it's more a case of just, you know, we had higher expectations for what they were going to do.
00:05:09
Speaker
I don't think they're too much different than what they were and you know, last year. And last year they won a lot of regular season games. Barring injuries, I think they're going to win a lot of regular season games.
00:05:20
Speaker
I think we'll end up a wild card team in second place in the division. um I was going to say on that mark that their bullpen is worse than it was.
00:05:31
Speaker
I think their lineup and starting pitching is pretty much exactly the same as it was. The thing is, I don't think other than Cole, obviously, they really didn't get hit with the injury bug to any of the starting players.
00:05:45
Speaker
I don't think that's going to happen a second year in a row. Right, but if somebody gets hurt, now we have Cole back probably in late May, early June. I'm i'm more focusing on position players. Okay. Volpe's already hurt, but he's you know trash. Volpe's no different. But I think if you lose a bat, if Judge or Rice or Stanton goes down, i just there's nobody else that's going to pick up the slack, or or
NL East Predictions
00:06:10
Speaker
Bellinger. i There's just nobody else is going to pick up the slack. I don't think you're going to get another you know ridiculous season at a Trent Grisham.
00:06:16
Speaker
yeah You know, somebody's going to have to step up. Well, it's a well-design. It's going to finally have become the player that they thought he was. Well, Jazz is going to get thirty thirty So it's all right. Yeah, yeah, sure. Yeah, he's going to get 50-50, Zach. Oh, sorry. Yeah, no, you got to say it right. Yeah, it's only having one time, and this guy who barely made it to 30-30 is going to hit 50-50, right? Yeah. Okay. I do think we're going to get another— He's got about as much of a chance of getting 50-50 as he's actually becoming a British citizen.
00:06:42
Speaker
World Baseball Classic, baby. Yep. Got to love it. Sorry, go ahead. No, I just said got to love it. You're good. Oh, gotcha. um But yeah, I think Jazz will have another solid statistical season, and I think they will be hesitant about starting him in certain games in the playoffs, and it'll just be pretty much another replica of last year.
00:07:03
Speaker
But Boston, I do like their pitching a lot, um so I don't disagree with you there. It's just losing Bregman's big. Where are they getting that offense from outside of that? you When you made your prediction, they had Devers on the team.
00:07:16
Speaker
Devers no longer there. Other than Roman Anthony, where are they getting this ah offense? their Their pitching has gotten significantly better, and their hitting has gotten significantly worse. Right. That's my concern. But then again, it's similar to the blueprint where I laid out for Seattle last year. So maybe there's one guy who pops up. Maybe Roman Anthony puts up a 50 home run season.
00:07:34
Speaker
who Who knows? Campbell's good too. I do like Christian Campbell a lot. But a lot of factors... Christian Campbell significantly changed his entire approach at the plate. I don't know what to make of him.
00:07:47
Speaker
It was not working last year. yeah
00:07:52
Speaker
AL Central?
00:07:56
Speaker
Should I go first on this one? yeah we but Can we go team by team for this? or do we think Yeah, have we go team by team, I guess. how do you want to do it? Well, do we all have Detroit winning, yes or no? I do. yes yeah okay ah Kansas City, too?
00:08:10
Speaker
i do. No, I would have put Cleveland, too. I thought about it. I thought about it hard. No class A. Yeah, no and no relievers. Where are their pitchers? Where's their bullpen? That's my only... yeah They seem to always have some guy I've never heard of pitch and pitch well.
00:08:30
Speaker
I feel like that's the same case of the Yankee bullpen, though, is that the one thing I trust Kasher with is finding... That's the difference. That's the difference, is that the Cleveland guys will pitch for a full season and pitch well. The Yankee guys have a two-month span where they're unhittable, absolutely unhittable, and then they become absolutely dirt trash for the rest of the year.
00:08:49
Speaker
Fair. That's the difference. That's the difference. So we have a slight switch on Royals-Guardians, where Josh has Guardians, Zach, and I have Royals. um I'm assuming Josh should have Royals third then?
00:08:59
Speaker
Yes. Twins 4. Yes.
NL Central Predictions
00:09:02
Speaker
yep White Sox 5. Absolutely. so Yeah, we didn't need to talk much here. Yeah. But I do i like... I think the White Sox are not as bad as they were in years previous. They have a lot of interesting young talent. Are you drafting Murakami?
00:09:17
Speaker
Am I drafting Murakami? I can confidently say no. I will not be drafting Murakami. I think that's way too big of a risk. ah But there are other players in the White Sox I would consider. i see.
00:09:28
Speaker
I will say I do really like Valdez being in Detroit, a team that is yes pretty much win now where they're going to probably win the division. It's a pretty weak division if we're being honest, but having a guy who has several years of World Series experience under his belt to go with Scooble, that's going a dangerous team in the playoffs. Agreed.
00:09:50
Speaker
Not to mention Verlander. Yeah, Verlander is back. I'm not worried about him. ah He's a good five starter. they got what? Reese Olsen and Olsen's hurt though, right? Mize is this hurt, I thought. Oh, Mize is this hurt? One of them got Tommy John, I think. I thought i thought it was Olsen, to be honest. There's one more guy. There's one more pitcher on that team whose name is escaping my mind right now. Oh, Olsen has a shoulder injury, so it's not Tommy John.
00:10:18
Speaker
Oh, wait, no. He's done for the year. Yeah, entire season. He's done for the year, though. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, so it's my... Actually, Jobe got Tommy John. Jobe. Jobe got Tommy John. That's right. That was the name who was escaping me.
00:10:29
Speaker
And they also have a solid bullpen, too. They picked up Jansen. They have Kyle Finnegan, who's a solid closer. Yep. They can
NL West Predictions
00:10:36
Speaker
kind of decide where they want to go with it. Kenley Jansen is closing in on 500 career saves, so... um Not a real name recording, Zach. No, no, I will be voting. We already went over this. I would vote for him.
00:10:47
Speaker
Well, he got 29 saves last year, and he's 24 away from 500. Wow. he'll be the the third guy ever to do that. He'll only be the third guy to get 500 saves, so I'd have to vote him in. Wow.
00:10:59
Speaker
Love it, Zach. All right. Turn the corner. her Relievers' lives matter. Yes, do. Good Lord. RLM, baby.
00:11:09
Speaker
ah ah put that Put that on a flag. Absolutely. Okay. AL West. of and so Instead of ah a fist being up in the air, it'll just be a telephone.
00:11:22
Speaker
Yeah, i like that. Call to the bullpen. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. yeah You got it. I like that. right It's funny.
00:11:34
Speaker
yeah How do we want to do this too? I feel I'm honestly... Are most of these like self-explanatory now? Almost. I mean, I think we're going to disagree here on AL West, though. Oh, you don't have Seattle?
00:11:44
Speaker
I have Seattle 1. Okay. have Seattle 1. I have the A's, too. Whoa. I like the A's this year. A lot. Were you drinking some before you came out here? I actually was. I mean, the problem is they have negative pitching. I get it. Their lineup is sick. I don't even know who's on that team. Nicholas Kurtz. Their lineup is sick. Nick Kurtz.
00:12:06
Speaker
Jacob Wilson, Brent Rooker, Tyler Soderstrom. Oh, God. When you said A's, I thought you said Angels. No. well hi I was going to say Oakland, but then I realized I can't. I mean the Athletics. Sacramento, I'm sorry. Okay. this makes This makes more sense now. No, I have the Athletics, too.
00:12:23
Speaker
Okay. I still know. Yeah, agreed. What do you guys have, Astros or Rangers? Rangers. Yeah, I have Texas. Oh, I have Texas 4. I don't like Texas this year. Oh, We lost Simeon Seager, had a full season last year, which means he definitely won't this year.
00:12:39
Speaker
ah Jacob deGrom, I like a lot. If he has a full season, great, but he's another one who had a really – he played a lot last year, and he's not somebody who exactly is known for staying healthy.
00:12:51
Speaker
um Beyond that, Nathan Evaldi is coming off of a big surgery. i don't know what – I don't see a lot of redeeming qualities here. They lost Simeon. I mean, it didn't do anything for that. That's the thing. don't think they're really losing much there. But beyond Wyatt Langford, I don't trust the guys to stay healthy.
00:13:09
Speaker
That's fair. And that that's my concern there. So I actually had the Rangers fourth. I had the Astros third. Astros are bad either. Astros just figure things out. Like they always do I don't think they'll make the playoffs. I think there'll be like one of those odd man out third place teams, but I can't put the Astros any lower than three. And I really do like what used to be Oakland.
00:13:31
Speaker
Yeah. Well, Zach, would you like to tell us yours before I tell you mine? Yeah, I have Seattle 1, Texas 2, Houston 3, A's 4, Angels in dead last, as they always are. Okay. I have ah Seattle, Texas. I have A's 3, Astros 4, and then Angels, probably the worst team in the AL.
00:13:52
Speaker
I didn't say that loud, but I obviously had the Angels 5 as well. They're forgettable. It's okay. Yeah, I mean, the the A's, I guess I'm a little higher on the Josh, but at least Josh and I are somewhat close there. But at least we had a little shuffle. I mean, like you said, they have negative pitching. Yeah, they have no I actually was considering putting them in as a wildcard team in the playoffs, but I looked at their pitching, I'm like, oh no. no I can't do that. I can't get that far.
00:14:15
Speaker
But it's a weak division, clearly. And I think that's a team that could win a bunch of games 7-5. agree. bad. i agree yeah ah bird So that's our AL.
00:14:29
Speaker
Do we want to do our World Series, our AL champ first, or do we want to just go straight to NL and then do World Series? I'm cool. Let's do in the world. Yeah. series All right.
World Series Predictions and MVP Discussion
00:14:40
Speaker
NL East. I think we'll have some splits here because I can already call them. No, no, no. I've come back down to earth.
00:14:47
Speaker
Okay. i I fully expect us to have three different winners. Really? are You go first. What? yeah yeah Who's your first place? you I have the Mets. Whoa. Oh.
00:14:57
Speaker
I have the Mets. I have Freddie Peralta's a legit ace in a contract year. I think he's going to have an incredible year. No matter I mean, I think the Mets come back to figuring it out. They blew the team up. I think that gives everybody the kick in the butt.
00:15:12
Speaker
There's not status quo anymore. You have, and at the the you still have Lindor and Soto. And, you know, I'm not a big fan of the Bo Bichette acquisition, but the end of the the guy gets on base. Yes. I can't, I cannot wait. I cannot wait to see who Lindor decides to fight with this year. Now they threw all the conservatives out of the locker room.
00:15:30
Speaker
It's 100% going to be Bo Bichette. Are you kidding It's a no-brainer. Absolutely. But I think at the end of the day, you have Bo. You have Simeon with a chip on his shoulder because he got traded for a sack of peanuts.
00:15:43
Speaker
You have Lindor. You have Thor. You have ah Freddie Peralta. You are bringing in Nolan McLean, who you know didn't have a full year last year, has really good stuff. I know the World Baseball Classic hasn't really shown it. He's actually pitching as I speak right now, so hopefully he's doing a little bit better.
00:16:01
Speaker
um They have a lot of good young pitching, and I do think that Sengo will have sort of a progression back to his mean. he won't be He won't have a great, great season, but I think he can be a solid three.
00:16:14
Speaker
He's not an ace anymore. So, yeah, I have Mets two. I have the Braves one. Everybody's healthy. Strider, Acuna, Schwellenbach. Everybody's back. I think this is the year they're going to finally take back the division.
00:16:28
Speaker
Josh? You know, i think this is actually a really a really hard division. It is. It is. um I am going to go with...
00:16:42
Speaker
You know what? I'm going to say it. Don't do it. I'm going to do it. oh Don't you dare. I'm going to do it. No, sir. That's one. Yep. Thank you. you going to Phillies. I thought you were going to go Phillies. Yeah, really wanted to get Zach going. I can list chapter and verse why the team sucks now. I really wanted to get that going. I really don't think they suck.
00:17:04
Speaker
They lost Suarez. Wheeler's hurt. well Wheeler's hurt. He's a blood clot. He's never going to be the same. No guys are the same after the blood clot thing. um Everybody's older. JT. Oh, it's basketball. He's not throwing, but what's his name?
00:17:22
Speaker
ah Real Muto's terrible. Garcia's fine. They still have a third baseman. Alec Bum's trash. Bryson Stott can't hit anymore. team i i'll Listen.
00:17:33
Speaker
I would take Al Palma to the Yankees in a heartbeat. He's trash. He can't play defense. That's fine. You know how Josh sometimes watches the Yankees and finds ways to, you know, when you, when you look at something like when you look at your face in the mirror, right. You tend to find faults in it a lot because all you're doing is looking at your face.
00:17:54
Speaker
When you're looking at the Phillies all the time, you're going to find faults in them. Same way when Josh looks at the Yankees all the time, he's going to find faults in them. At the end the day, they're still a damn good baseball team. No, they're a good team. They're not winning the division. I think they come in second, though.
00:18:05
Speaker
They're third. have three. I agree. yeah Oh, not the Phillies. No, I have Phillies three. Sorry. I have Braves two. Yeah. I have Philly two, Braves three. Sleeping on the Braves. Acuna's back. hopeful Yeah. For how long?
00:18:17
Speaker
I mean, how many times? I've bought into the Braves so many goddamn times and every time they get hurt. I don't trust a single one of them to stay healthy except maybe Austin Riley. And I can't trust Austin Riley to actually produce. You trust the Phillies to stay healthy?
00:18:30
Speaker
Good point. I do. Really? Christopher Sanchez is legit. You're right, Bryce Harper is doing so much holistic medicine that he cannot possibly get hurt because some shrink is going to magically start doing chants over his body and heal him. He drinks for all the alcohol.
00:18:45
Speaker
I'm in an attempt to not give Brian Cashman any credit whatsoever for this, but do you remember when Brian Cashman made those comments about Stanton and Stanton said he was hurt by them? And Stanton, when he played, actually had a really good year last year. yeah Do you remember when Cashman also said he wouldn't trade for Bryce Harper or sign Bryce Harper because there's no way he'll play first base?
00:19:03
Speaker
I understand that. I get that. However, I'm just saying the the comment he made about Stanton reminded me a lot of what Dombrowski did with Harper this year. I think he looked like a, a hole and Harper. It's going to light a fire under Harper.
00:19:18
Speaker
I think the big season is coming for Bryce. Really? i don't know. Have you watched him swing in the world baseball classic? I understand. It's the World Baseball Classic. Yeah, it's more part spring training. We've been over this. It's but You're not wrong. Yeah, it is spring training-esque, but yeah. as there you on People thought Harper had a down year last year. He had a 129 OPS+. plus The fact that that's down for him, yeah.
00:19:41
Speaker
Right. I mean, it's the lowest he's had since 2019. Yeah. yeah He's been consistently really, really good. He's a good player. And, you know, if he has a slightly better year this year, he had 27 home runs in 132 games. Let's say he plays 140 and hits 35. Yeah, but you're expecting a guy like that to be a perennial MVP candidate, and he just has not been.
00:20:03
Speaker
i don't think he has to be good for the Phillies to be good. I don't disagree with that. but that's the player he you're expecting him to be, and that's why you're saying it's a down year. yeah Any year he's not getting multiple MVP votes is is down year.
00:20:15
Speaker
That's fair. I'm just saying, like, I think it's going to be a bigger year for him. You're right. He'll be bad. do you have Marlins 4 or Nationals 4? What do you go with that? Marlins 4. Yeah, same.
00:20:26
Speaker
Marlins 4 as well. ye Cool. And Nationals are a trash. Poor James Wood. The trashinals. We're going back to the Braves.
00:20:37
Speaker
Like, Schwellenbach, Sale, Acuna, Albies. I don't trust single one of them to stay healthy. Michael Harris did not pan out the way we thought he would. I don't know who thought he was going to pan out. I don't know where that one came from, but I still i didn't understand it then, and I still don't understand it now.
00:20:53
Speaker
I liked him. He had a couple he had like a good stretch to start his like in his rookie year. I think he's another Trent g Grisham. He's a flash in the pan kind of guy. He'll play, you know... you know, middle high defensive stats and he'll, you know, he'll hit a couple home runs, but he's going to, he's going to be two 50 hitter. That's what he is. He will have a nice 10 year career and then be done.
00:21:16
Speaker
Yeah, but he's not a superstar and I don't know why they ever made him out to be like, he was going to become one. He'll get 70% of the vote in the hall of pretty good on Instagram. Yeah, more or less. yes All right, Josh, it's your time. Tell us why the Reds are winning the division. I do not have the Reds winning the division. i oh Yeah, I know. Who would have thought? I have the Cubs winning the division. Same.
00:21:38
Speaker
I don't. i have the Brewers. okay I think it's tough. I think it's tough, but I think the Brewers got worse. They lost their ace. I know they did, and I do think Peralta has a great year. i just think they'll figure it out.
00:21:49
Speaker
they they They're another team that lately has always kind of seemed to just find ways to make it work. True. That's fair. ye but And I have the Cubs, too, though. Yeah, and I have the Reds, three.
00:22:03
Speaker
Reds 3 as well. yeah Reds 3, Pirates 4, Cardinals trash. We are right in sync, man. Look at us. Look at us. but this one I honestly think, is it a crazy take to say that this is the weakest division in the sport?
00:22:18
Speaker
AO West might be. Oh, no.
AL MVP Candidates
00:22:20
Speaker
Sorry, no. It's not a crazy to take. It's three garbage teams and two okay teams that will make the playoffs, but I'm not intimidated by either one of them in the slightest. This is true.
00:22:30
Speaker
Yeah, that's a good point. The NL champions either going come out. It's going to be the Dodgers or somebody from the East. I don't i don't think the Brewers have it. yeah yeah and Yeah, they have no chance. no i agree.
00:22:44
Speaker
And the NL West. So, Dodgers won. Yep. yep Padres, too? Yep. Oh, really? what do you have? I went Giants just because... Wow!
00:22:55
Speaker
Hopefully they figure it out. They signed some people. Harrison Bader for the win. Okay. Huh? Maybe I don't agree, but okay.
00:23:07
Speaker
is that Is that what you said last year about the Phillies and the World Series? Yes. All right. At least he's consistent. Yeah, I will give him that. Consistently stupid. They did pick up Adrian Hauser.
00:23:21
Speaker
yeah huge huge additionion Yes, Yes. That's going to carry you to a World Series. Yeah. this is No, no. Luis Arise. Yeah, Luis Arise. My favorite player. sure my god a Another guy who gets on base. Damn it.
00:23:34
Speaker
Yes. Mark DeRosa would say, he would be clawing up the base patch because he so goddamn slow. You know what mean yo know it was hysterical to me the other day watching actually should the World Baseball Classic talking about Luis Arias and all of a sudden he was one-two count and they're like okay, now he's going to shift. He's going to hit the ball, a weak ground ball to shortstop, and it's going to be the best thing ever because it's going to drive this – a weak ground ball to third base and it's going to move the runner, whatever it was.
00:23:58
Speaker
And that's exactly what he did promptly on the next pitch. And they were acting like it was like this great thing. They're like, great. Okay, good. He moved the runner up with two outs. Awesome. Great take, guys.
00:24:10
Speaker
But yeah, I have the Giants fourth, actually. ah Same. I have the Diamondbacks three and the Rockies five. Yep. Look at us. We got the same brand. We really did. Because of the shower. Look at us. This is weird. I'm not used to agreeing with you so much. I'm a little concerned. I know. Yeah.
00:24:27
Speaker
Don't worry. We'll get rewards. We'll we'll fight. I'm sure. um World Series.
00:24:37
Speaker
Unless anything else ran out last. I can go first here unless you have unless one of you would like to go first. Nope. oh yes Yeah, I'm going to want a rematch of last year. Ooh, okay. you go which is I like that. Yep.
00:24:50
Speaker
I think they got better, and I think they're only going to add a piece at the deadline. No, Bo doesn't matter to you. No. Okay. Yeah, he didn't play enough.
00:25:01
Speaker
So who wins your World Series? You know, that's a great question, and I think we all already know the answer to it. The Dodgers. Yeah. Who's your MVP? MVP of the World Series? Yeah.
00:25:17
Speaker
Yamamoto. No, I mean, it's going to be exactly who you think it's going to be. was saying that. would be I don't think Otani is poor. I mean, he should be back to full-time pitching by then. So, yeah, I will go with Otani. Oh, I can't wait for to hit three home runs and strike out 10 in Game 7.
NL MVP Candidates
00:25:36
Speaker
Because you know they'll never stop talking about it. Yeah. yeah i You know what? As long as as long as Canada loses, i you know, there' the worst things could happen. Keep the streak going.
00:25:46
Speaker
Yeah, keep streak going. Even if so even it has to be the Dodgers, just make sure Canada loses. So, Zach, who's winning your last ever World Series before the world ends and the sky comes falling down and immediately baseball? I hate to agree it'd be boring, but I don't know how you don't have the Dodgers at least going at least going to the World Series. So I did go Dodgers over Seattle, and I copied you, Mike, last year. Ooh, okay. I'll take it. oh I went Dodgers over Seattle.
00:26:14
Speaker
So i didn't. But agree with you guys on the Dodgers. Wait, so who who wins? did you say, Zach, wins? I did Dodgers over Seattle. And your World Series is... interesting Oh, shoot. ah Sorry.
00:26:30
Speaker
You're way too early, World Series MVP. Freddie Freeman. Okay, that's good one. I respect that. sir All right, I have the World Series. I also have the Dodgers in the NL. And um for the AL, I just wrote, does it really matter?
00:26:43
Speaker
Fair. That's a good one. That's a good point. Yeah, like I like you think. Then I added, fine, okay, I'm going the Tigers. Oh, I don't hate that either. i don't hate that either. It's straight by process of elimination. With the Mariners, I wanted to. I wanted to double down on them. You did a lot. Rowley is not going to be what he was. i don't think Josh Naylor is going to be what he was. I don't think Randy Rosarena is going to do what he did. And the Mariners rotation all gets a year older after a bunch of them were healthy.
00:27:10
Speaker
And again, you know how I feel when people are healthy. When pitches are healthy for a full season, I get concerned the next year. So I don't particularly like that. I'm not picking the Yankees. I refuse to pick Boston or Toronto. You can't make me do it. So screw it. Tigers and seven.
00:27:25
Speaker
Okay. yeah You always do give some bold predictions. I like it. It's fair. fair on He likes to not be boring. I won't say it. Listen, I don't think Tiger's making it is bold.
00:27:36
Speaker
um just simply I'm literally only not picking Boston or Toronto because I refuse. if i to like You're saying Detroit making it. if they're They're a top three team, but they're three. you know what i mean I think Toronto and yeah Seattle. That's fair.
00:27:49
Speaker
I think, again, it's about who gets hot. and I think adding i think it Seattle gets better in the first round. Really? Their pitching's good, though, man. they're pitching Like Mike said, they're not going to be healthy, and their hitting is going to be so much worse than it was last year.
00:28:04
Speaker
You're saying Seattle, Josh? Yeah, i said they're going to get bounced in the first round. Yeah, i I'm leaning that way in myself, and i just I don't trust any of them to repeat what they did. We were playing with House Money last year with the hitting, and I was i went all in on the location. Anything Cal Raleigh did was a bonus. Anything anybody else did was a bonus. Picking up Suarez was a bonus.
00:28:23
Speaker
And, you know, now that's dead. i think they have a lot of guys who are completely overrated as hitters. And they honestly didn't make that. They didn't get where they did last year. I guess it was it was the ALCS. They barely got into the playoffs. I know what you're saying. yeah they got there They don't make the ALCS without Suarez. Yeah.
00:28:42
Speaker
And that's gone. And Raleigh will have to do what he did and more to do it again. i don't like it. But I'm going Tigers. Like I said, I like their bullpen.
00:28:53
Speaker
And I like the fact of, so like, again, imagine a seven-game series and four of those seven are against Scoble and Valdez, who's been there before and done it plenty of times. I like that a lot.
00:29:03
Speaker
That's fair. Yeah, that's a good take. um But yeah, I don't honestly, I don't feel great about it winning like them winning, but I, I'm not doing the Dodgers. I'm sorry. School Bowl, World Series MVP.
00:29:16
Speaker
There you go. So that's where I'm at there. And you're going get paid so much money. I love that he actually did, but he listens to us. He's also a loyal podcast. I told him to bring your Cy Youngs to the arbitration. That's exactly what he did. He said he brought them. I did not have to take them out.
00:29:34
Speaker
I know, but he did bring them. He had the same thought I did because I told him to do it. Thank you. As you should have. Yes, it was definitely you. All right. Awards. Where are we going with this?
00:29:44
Speaker
We're going to do first. AL MVP first. Yeah. All right. ah Mike, you can go last because you like to give your top five. i always enjoy that. That's fine. Go ahead. I went Bobby Witt this year.
00:29:57
Speaker
Finished third the year Judge and Soto are on the Yankees together, I think. That a few years ago. So he's just. finished second, actually. Soto came third. Okay, there you go. So I went with him. i mean, you could, like I said, you could pick any of the top five guys in the league.
00:30:10
Speaker
I'm just going to go with Witt this year. Josh. Josh.
00:30:17
Speaker
I'm going to go with a safe one here. Sorry, Iron Judge. there can he me me me me me me me me I think yeah he's a great regularity employer yeah stick regular season the sentence or right there.
00:30:32
Speaker
Excellent. um I want to point something out here for you guys because Bobby Witt in his last three seasons, I mean, I guess if you want to combine the 150 game season 2022, but starting from when he got called up day one, he has 21.7 war in four and he's 25. Oh, we love him. He's great, man. He's just under a judge.
00:30:55
Speaker
Yeah. But yeah, Interesting. So we have a judge and a wit. Yeah. He's what Lindor wishes he was. True. All right. Top five. Number five. Get ready to clown me.
00:31:07
Speaker
All right. ohlthough We got Jose Ramirez. and five He's going to carry the team to just miss the playoffs and he'll get more sympathy votes like he always does. You're right.
00:31:21
Speaker
Zach, how do you feel about that? I don't care. i Again, i picked him a few years ago. You guys were like, that's so dumb. Why would you do that? He's so mad or right now. He's just hiding it. I mainly did that as a shout out to Zach. Just an ode to his anger over us clowning him years ago. Yes.
00:31:39
Speaker
All right. Number four is Roman Anthony. Oh, boy. Breakout year. He has a big season. Keep the clowning going. Roman Anthony is a problem.
00:31:51
Speaker
And if you want to go by the short sample size of the World Baseball Classic, he has shown you he is a problem. You heard it here first. Mike Svegan, Roman Anthony, first round in fantasy draft.
00:32:03
Speaker
No, I'm actually not. However, he is a problem. i don't want to root for the Red Sox. You guys can have him. But he is a problem. He's definitely taking him. Well, I'll take Ranger Suarez. Thank you. I will give you a heads up.
00:32:15
Speaker
I will give you up. Derek is a Red Sox fan. Oh, good. I'll steal. Oh, good. wrong whoever took Ellie Dela Cruz fourth overall last year can take him again. I hope that happens. That was Derek, but Derek actually made the playoffs. Derek did well.
00:32:27
Speaker
That still blows my mind. de Derek picks who he likes and it works. that nothing nothing Nothing is as bad as ah the one guy who picked up ah Nolan Schmanuel and was convinced that he was doing really, really, really well.
00:32:41
Speaker
Yeah. Because he was a first baseman. He was getting points for put outs. Not really. that strike out out One time a month. least And that's why he was doing well because he doesn't lose points on strikeouts. That's Mike. I beg you to fix the loopholes this year. and yet That is so Mike. Did you fix it? I really don't think that was a loophole.
00:33:00
Speaker
I think you just found the one like random player that fits the point of not striking out. oh you guys I tried doing it. rent I tried to move the guts of Ramirez. It didn't work. Yeah. are Are we turning down the rent-a-pitcher everyday thing? How's that going work? Can we? I don't know.
00:33:13
Speaker
Should we? Maybe? How about we always do a gentleman's agreement not to pull that? <unk>s gonna do i think I think I remember saying last year that I was going to limit it. Yes, you did. it was not going be unlimited because it got out of hand really fast. It did.
00:33:26
Speaker
i was gonna be think i think I think I was limit it week. okay so you So you can, in reality, get two guys a day. Okay. I like that. Two pitchers every day. I think that's fair. That is fair.
00:33:40
Speaker
Okay. you can't You can't have somebody who doesn't draft pitchers at all. Yeah. means And then just, yeah, pick up guys every day. In the playoffs, you guys were dropping your whole rotation. i mean Correct. Yeah. It got in my hand. Like, I was setting alarms on my phone while I was at work. I, because are you weirdo. 115 for noon. And if I have i got on 117, they were all gone though. Fucking nerd. yeah I knew it. I didn't do it against whoever I played in the first round. I had to do it in the second round because I, it was a one o'clock game and I caught on it like 102 and everybody was gone. And I was like, I will not be outplayed.
00:34:17
Speaker
I would be in the room, and Mike's a music teacher, so I'd be in his room, and he'd be playing the piano with one hand and picking up the other. no way. Yeah.
00:34:30
Speaker
Not even looking at what it is. Just like, start oh you start tomorrow? Oh, add. Add. Shake the papaya down. Add. Hold on. Vito. Add.
00:34:43
Speaker
Oh, man. Again, feel free to cut all this out because we went on our fantasy tangent. But anyway, number three, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. That's fair. Oh, yeah. Number two. Big tubby.
00:34:55
Speaker
Number two, I have Aaron Judge. Oh, did he do it? Did he do it? Number one, I have Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Yay, let's go, Mikey. Let's Here's my reason. It's very simple. I think Judge has a hell of a season. i feel like this has Aaron Judge and Yankee voter fatigue written all over it. Oh, you mean like last year? They've been looking for every narrative to try to take it away from him between Witt two years ago and Rowley last year. Neither one of them did. i think if it's even slightly close, it's going end up going to Witt. I think Witt puts that team on his back, gets into the ah gets them to the playoffs, and you know that will be the narrative. Can I speak on this again one more time here? Uh-oh. I don't understand the Aaron Judge ah MVP fatigue.
00:35:39
Speaker
When you have Otani who wins every year. I'm going to get to that. Don't worry. But is it because the National League is just that trash?
00:35:50
Speaker
That there are actually guys who are almost as good as Judge and in the National League there just is not a guy that is that is that good? I'm going to answer that actually. i was going to answer that in my NL MVP. That 2-30 hitting Francisco Lindor is coming in second place in the voting because he plays defense.
00:36:08
Speaker
I think it's less. Oh, by the way, one, nothing Venezuela. Oh, McLean is trash, dude. Salvi scores it. Now, anyway, um what was going say? So with a judge, I think it's less of a judge fatigue and more of a Yankee fatigue. These writers all grew up in the eighties and nineties. They watched the Yankee dynasty. They don't want to see a Yankee succeed. I think that's what it comes down to.
00:36:32
Speaker
um No one really had that with the Dodgers. They're dealing with, with the Dodgers now, but, But they just don't want to see the Yankees have a great player. They don't want to see the Yankees have five-time MVP. It's not like DJ Khaled. It's not to happen. They don't want to win. also think there's going to a little fatigue between the fact that, and it shouldn't be this way, but I think writers will think like this, that Shohei Otani won the World Series even though he played like garbage in it. Aaron Judge hasn't gotten it done.
00:37:02
Speaker
I think that will be part of the narrative. Not that Witt has either, but hey, Witt is new and Witt is fun and Witt is small market and Witt doesn't get the attention that he deserves and they'll vote for Bobby Witt.
00:37:17
Speaker
I think Witt has to have a year like he did two years ago yeah to even have a chance. does I think he does. I'm very high on Witt this year. Me too.
00:37:29
Speaker
Oh, wait, Sherm, did you pick your MVP? Yes, I said judge. Oh, I'm dumb. NL MVP. I'll go last again. Go ahead. Sherm, you go first this time then. NL MVP.
00:37:42
Speaker
I mean, i think we know. Yeah. you You can move on. No, no, no, no. all right. I went Ronald Acuna Jr. full year of health. Boom. Whoa. Price it up. Oh, wow. Whoa, whoa, whoa. were really high on the Braves, huh?
00:37:55
Speaker
Yes. I'm going to clown you because not because i don't think it's a, i I hope you're right. I actually do. I'd love to see him be healthy for a year. I don't trust that at all.
00:38:08
Speaker
didn't want to pick Otani again. I get it. Listen, I respect it. um i Is he in your top five? Acuna? Yeah. No, i don't think he's going to play full year. Okay. But I do. If he played a full year, he would absolutely be.
00:38:24
Speaker
Okay. We'll see. We shall see. All right. The geriatric top five. Number five, Manuel Machado. Ew.
00:38:35
Speaker
Ew. I think he has a good year. I like it. Number four. Oh, it gets worse. It gets worse. Oh, my shit. Number four. Bryce Harper. No, I don't hate that.
00:38:50
Speaker
Really? He's still a great player. Josh hates
00:38:59
Speaker
I'm ready me. I think it's going to be the year of the old guy. The year of the old guy. I like it. Here's the honest, my reasoning for them. I think the old guys are going to have a little extra motivation out of concern that they're not going to have a season in 2027 and their prime might, that I won't say prime, but like the years of them being a legitimate major league baseball player are going to be numbered.
00:39:25
Speaker
So I think guys like Machado and guys like Harper are going to be extra motivated to you know, do well. I fear you're reading too much into this, but go ahead. Number three is Paul Skeens.
00:39:37
Speaker
Like that. I think Skeens going to have another great year. Number two is Juan Soto. How do I not? yeah And number one, yeah, it's Shohei. And my reasoning here is, and i the exact quote is, voter fatigue does not apply to Shohei O'Khani. He's perfect in every way. It's your bottom dollar that he'll be MVP as long as he maintains the slightest of pulses for 100 games. That's fair. did you ah Did you steal that quote from Ben Verlander? No, I did not. I'm paraphrasing him. um Well, there's other things we be going into that.
00:40:09
Speaker
But I was going to say I do not agree with Polskine's a three. and that that i i personally think yes, but he will never get the votes because he had one of the best pit way and one of the best ah years we've seen in the last five years of baseball and did not get high enough in the MVP voting.
00:40:26
Speaker
ah like Unless that team suddenly has some magical God turnaround and he's literally carrying it on his back. i ah Yeah, he'll never get votes to get up to third. I don't disagree with the with the premise. My reasoning was this. You you guys voted for you guys both picked one guy.
00:40:42
Speaker
And if I'm going bank on the fact that Ronald Acuna is probably going to play a full year, who else is there to fill in the top five? Francisco Lindor. Oh, thank you, Sherm. Right.
00:40:54
Speaker
ah Corbin Carroll, maybe. Maybe. ah No. as a great He's hurt already. Yeah, he's hurt already. That's why he's not playing tonight. That's why Roman Anthony is carrying World of the USA. What about Kyle Schwarber?
00:41:09
Speaker
I'll go Bryce. yeah I don't think Schwarber hits 60 again. I was joking. ah Kyle Tucker, boring. I don't think any if any Dodgers winning it, it's going to be O'Connor. I think anybody on the Dodgers is disqualified because they just won't get votes.
00:41:26
Speaker
So who else is there? There's not a lot of pickings because all the good NL players are on one team. Can Eli step up and be that guy that we all thought he was going to be? I did think about that. Can he just freaking do Waiting for it. Still waiting for it.
00:41:38
Speaker
I did think about that because he is absolutely electric. My concern was on a team that's going nowhere, I don't know if he'll get votes. That that was my thought. game this year and there was a guy sitting in front of me and he was talking about LA and he said probably the most accurate thing I've heard about a player and he said this guy is one of the most wildest players I've ever seen in my life he will go out there and make the ugliest defensive play you have ever seen in your life and look like wow how does this guy even make the team and then he'll hit a ball 600 feet out the right field They'll say, oh, that's how he made then he'll steal five bags too. and now Yeah, he'll steal five bags, and then and then he'll make some ridiculous play like deep in the hole on his back foot. But you hit a routine ground ball at him, it's an adventure.
00:42:18
Speaker
I mean, there's certain games that are— That's literally how he is. You hit him a routine ground ball as an adventure, but you hit one into the hole, he'll magically get it. yeah I mean, there's the certain games that just get esched in your memory when you go to them. you know Some games are very forgettable, and then there's some games where you see one guy perform, and it's just—you will never forget it. Ellie De La Cruz hitting a home run, a triple, and two steals.
00:42:41
Speaker
um when I went two years ago, I will forever be a fan of that guy. i think that at some point he's going to put it all together. just don't know about MVP. He just has to, i don't know, walk in.
00:42:54
Speaker
i don't know. so I point remember when he when he first came up, dude, he was and he was on a team maybe a week and I was at the game and God, they already sold out of all of his t-shirts. Wow.
00:43:07
Speaker
Yeah. That's cool. Yeah. But yeah, i'm I'm very high on Harper having a good year because I think that similar to the Stanton thing last year, I think the Dabrowski comments are going get under his skin.
00:43:21
Speaker
Machado, i kind of put as a stockpile at five because I couldn't really think of anybody else I liked. um But I think the fact that like he's kind of on the back nine of his career and he's about to lose a year.
00:43:32
Speaker
And he seems to be a guy who's pretty well in tune with his legacy, especially as he's gotten older. I think he's going to come in with a little extra motivation this year. He's definitely a tune with his legacy, not running.
00:43:43
Speaker
I know, but he's he's kind he's grown up Like, he kind of put Tatis in his place. you know, you're the best player in baseball, so, you know. Crazy, crazy. And he's the one putting Tatis in his place. Tells how much a head case Tatis is. I'm paraphrasing and leaving out the curses, but, know, you're the best hitter, so play baseball. Yeah. You can't be yelling at you.
00:44:03
Speaker
Yep. Well, that too.
00:44:07
Speaker
Cy Young.
00:44:11
Speaker
AL or NL? I'm going to be boring. going to be boring again. ah Go ahead
00:44:18
Speaker
I have Scoble contract year. It's going to happen. And obviously Skeens is the, ah you know, barring some ridiculous injury. He is the best pitcher in baseball. So has any guy won three signs in a row?
00:44:31
Speaker
Oh, I'm sure it's happened. We can find that. I didn't go Scoble just to try to think of. so I went Logan Gilbert. Anybody on Seattle. You're just, you're just bad. No, I'm just trying to be not boring.
00:44:44
Speaker
I think there were a lot of people that you could have picked him. He would not have been the one. What's his name? ah Wait, who'd you pick? I couldn't hear you. Gilbert or Brian Wu? Oh, okay.
00:44:56
Speaker
um Wow. Okay. Well, um I'm not against it. I'm actually not against it I'm against it. I didn't want to say Crochet either because I don't want to see Crochet do well. See, now you're speaking my language.
00:45:08
Speaker
yeah Oh, you went with Crochet? What? Did you go with Crochet for ARO? No, I did not. Okay. No, I'm saying, like, I'm not picking a Red Sox. You can't make me. No, I didn't want to pick Crochet there.
00:45:19
Speaker
And for NLO, it's going to be Skeens, but I just put Yamamoto just to be different. So for the record, there have been two pitchers to win three straight Cy Young. They got Randy Johnson and Greg Maddox. And Greg Maddox. I'm going to list you guys the players who have won three or more in their career, and it is 11 people.
00:45:39
Speaker
Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Steve Carlton, Greg Maddox, Clayton Kershaw, Sandy Koufax, Pedro Martinez, Jim Palmer, Max Scherzer, Tom Seaver, Justin Verlander. Dang.
00:45:51
Speaker
So i'm going to ask you the obvious question. If Scoobal wins the Cy Young, is he a Hall of Famer? Yes. yeah I believe so as well. Yep. Yeah, I have no problem with that. It's the three.
00:46:04
Speaker
If you win three major – if you win a major award three times, I think you have to be in. If you win a major award three times, especially back-to-back-to-back, I think you have to be in. Yeah. Yeah, I'm all for it. unless Unless you suddenly, you know, have a heart attack and die, I don't think there's anybody that can refute you being in.
00:46:20
Speaker
What if Tim Lincecum won three? Yes. He would be in. Yes. Ew. Yeah. um What if Jacob DeGrom wins this year? yes I think he has a chance regardless.
00:46:34
Speaker
It's funny. like People going to say no because the win total right now. I think he's a guy kind of like Felix where when he five years after he retires, people going to really remember him fondly. It's not his fault that he played on the Mets where he would literally go out there and throw nine innings and give one run and have to knock in two to win the game.
00:46:51
Speaker
So would you vote for him now?
00:46:55
Speaker
I'd have to look closer at his numbers before answer that question. Yeah, I think I would. I would lean yes if I had to answer that right now. Yeah, I've been thinking about it. I'm leaning that way myself. He has an ERA title at least, right? He he has one ERA title. He has seven top 10 Cy Young finishes, but only three top threes.
00:47:12
Speaker
Only three top fives even. It was one, one, and a three. And then it was seven, eight, eight, nine. i I'm kind of close on it. Yeah. I think I'd go yes.
00:47:24
Speaker
Wow. Look at small hall Zaki. I know. I'm coming around. It's taken years, but character development is taking place slowly. We get it. Josh, what you think?
00:47:34
Speaker
I love that. Character development is taking place slowly. What are your thoughts on DeGrom now, Josh? Being in the Hall Fame? You know...
00:47:51
Speaker
It's tough when you compare like Warren war stats like that because of how like ridiculous some pitchers are you know play back way back in the day.
00:48:02
Speaker
So it's really hard to compare to your average pitcher. But I think when you're comparing him to a guy that we voted on Like Cole Hamels, right?
00:48:17
Speaker
Yeah. The Crumsey Array is a full one lower. I know. Wow. And I don't see it being that you know that that of a stretch to say he can get another 10 war before he retires.
00:48:32
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, he'd need like four more seasons. He had to pitch to 41. That's true. Maybe not. Maybe five war. I think i he'll finish around 50
00:48:47
Speaker
How award did Felix Hernandez finish in? Oh, he's almost got the same award. He's in. Wow. If Felix Hernandez, if we voted for Felix Hernandez, which we did. Am I the guy? The Grom would get it right now.
00:49:00
Speaker
If you look at the two of them side by side, thousand percent, the Grom gets in. Are we putting him in the Championship of Us Hall of Fame tonight? Do it. Do it. Exactly. What do we devote on him?
00:49:11
Speaker
I'm going to put him in the spreadsheet. Are we doing this right now? Come on, Zach, girl pair. Put them in. It's not about that. It's about technicality. Sure, he could be in if you want to put him in. Go ahead. No, no. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. This is not a sure. Put him in. This is a yes or a no. To be fair, we have Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe in, and they're not eligible either. Right, right, right. Yeah, I would. You know what? If you're asking me on the spot today, yes.
00:49:36
Speaker
Put him in. Wow. Yes. Welcome. Welcome. Well, I still have to vote for him. I don't know if I'm there. That's okay. voted for you. i mightify On the same page, I voted for you. All right, Jacob DeGrom, championship bus Hall of Famer. There we go, boys.
00:49:52
Speaker
I'll put him on the Hall of Fame list tonight, later on. I'll figure out where I'm ranking him, I guess. He makes it. Congratulations, Jacob DeGrom. Wow. Okay, now that we got completely off topic, we'll call him class of 2026. That's like, shit, got a lot of work to do.
00:50:08
Speaker
I was joking. You're like, shit, got a lot of work to do. Yeah, I'm going have to really think about this. All right, I guess he's getting on. to figure out where he's getting ranked. um But yeah, above books that's for sure.
00:50:20
Speaker
Above Felix. yeah A thousand percent. Yes. Hey, fair enough. Remember how I talked about how voted when we voted for Felix and Hamels after the fact that we kind of opened the floodgates maybe a little too far? Maybe. I i think – I don't think you're going to see another pitcher like DeGrom though. I mean DeGrom is on the same level of schemes where like he's just better than everybody else. Yeah. yeah I think this is kind of like a you know going to our forty s episodes, a Dizzy Dean type guy.
00:50:49
Speaker
Yeah. where And DeGrom is a guy where as long as he stayed healthy, he was going to win the Cy Young. The problem was he didn't stay healthy. You know what? You're right. Jacob DeGrom is a Hall of Famer. Love it. the butd What am I doing? Go back and every one of DeGrom starts and see how many runs the Mets scored. And, you know, like Tally, oh, if the Mets scored like two runs here, DeGrom would have this many wins. I mean, you could probably go back on Twitter and find tweets like that, but there were there were people who were saying things like, hey, if the Mets scored, you know, I think they did it for Skeens too. Hey, if the Mets scored three runs in all all their games that DeGrom pitched, or if the Pirates would run all the games Skeens pitched, yeah, he would have like a 25-win season.
00:51:28
Speaker
That's insane. now yeah He had the first 30-win season and you know in the last 20 years. yeah Stuff like that. Yeah. Well, congratulations, Jacob the Grum. How are you feeling, Mikey? I can't wait for this to happen, but I'm glad I floated the question now.
00:51:45
Speaker
If it passes the small Hall Zaki's test, how could it not pass mine? i think I think he's just one of those guys that's too good when you really get into it. He's a guy we're going to tell our grandkids about, so I'm not against this at all.
00:51:58
Speaker
i I'm for it. All right. so yeah going way back to our original topic at hand, now that I completely threw us off course. um So Zach, you voted for ah one of the Mariners tandem and you said no to schemes because of fatigue on your own part in Yamamoto. Correct.
00:52:18
Speaker
Josh, what's your AL, NL? And I'll do my five for each, I guess. I'm pretty sure I said Scooboole and Skeens. did. He did. I know you said Scooboole. I didn't hear the Skeens, but okay. So Scooboole, Skeens.
00:52:28
Speaker
So my AL Cy Youngs. my Should i do AL or NL first? What would you rather hear? matter go ahead. All right. I'll do my NL because it's a little more chalk. Number five is Logan Webb. Number four is Zach Wheeler. I think he's going to end up playing early on.
00:52:42
Speaker
i liked I like Wheeler this year. Interesting. He's retiring after this year still. So, from what we're hearing, right? That's crazy. Yeah. So, I think this is going to be like a goodbye year. I think he'll get a lot of sympathy votes even if he doesn't play like immediately.
00:52:56
Speaker
Number three, I have Yoshinobi Yamamoto. Number two, I have Paul Skeens. oh um Number one, I have Freddy Peralta. Whoa. I can see that.
00:53:07
Speaker
i Contract year on a big market team that bounces back from a rough year last year. it's The narrative is going to be what was the reason why the Mets came back?
00:53:21
Speaker
And it's to be Freddy Peralta. Freddy Peralta saves the Mets. I like the take. Wow. I expected a lot more hate here. No, it's it's fun when you're not going chalk.
00:53:34
Speaker
um Well, i'm I'm going mostly chalk in the AL, so um bear with me. Garrett Crochet, five. Jacob DeGrom, four. Sonny Gray. I know i it's contradicting why said four with the Rangers. It fits my narrative that he is yeah he's healthy here. So we'll go Jacob DeGrom, four here.
00:53:54
Speaker
um Not that I'm super confident in his health. I have Sonny Gray 3. Disgusting. Yeah. Okay. We put this a little off odds. I don't have your surprises reactions for the public. They were ah um privy to this prior to. But I want to just write here.
00:54:12
Speaker
Sonny Gray a rough year last year. um But the last two times that he had an ERA above 4. He came back with ERAs of 2.87 and 3.08. I think he repeats that this year. And not counting the Yankees, Grace played on four other teams. And in his first season with each of those teams, his erara his average ERA in those four seasons is 3.11.
00:54:32
Speaker
He makes a lot of good first impressions, just not with us. Yeah. That's my case. I would like to refute your case by saying that he is a big weenie and doesn't like large market teams.
00:54:44
Speaker
ah So he is going to pitch like trash. Does he not like large market teams or does he just not like us? And now he's in a position where he gets to play against us a lot. He's going to love it.
00:54:56
Speaker
I think he's going to flourish. And I hate it, but I think he's going to flourish. Everything it just makes too much sense for Sonny Gray to do well. you know Bouncing back from bad seasons, he does a lot.
00:55:10
Speaker
um Playing, making a good first impression on teams that aren't the Yankees, he does a lot. Getting to be the vindictive pain in the ass against the team that treated him like garbage, he's going to love it.
00:55:24
Speaker
Yeah. I'm big on Sonny Gray this year. I'm sorry. I'm going to hate. Max Fried 2, Tarek Skubal 1. So that's chalk. Okay.
00:55:35
Speaker
So I guess we'll be voting for Tarek Skubal at the end of the season.
00:55:40
Speaker
Yep. uh and no i did nl already so we're good there um but yeah um i'll basically i my writing was if wheeler comes back before may i'll pick him but like i'll pick him to win it but i'll go with another nl east ace in a contract year in the meantime that was the way i wrote that gotcha boomer bust do we have any um I did the breakouts. Is that the same thing what you're saying? oh yeah also i'm' a ki yeah I wanted to make it him a little more liberal, so I'm saying breakout star and or like a guy who is not expected to pan like do well that pops off.
00:56:18
Speaker
do Do we want to do Rookie of the Year real fast first? We could do that. Okay, I'll just run through mine. i don't even know who's eligible for that. Somehow, You guys go first. Yeah, somehow Yosavage is. I did not pick him, though, for the AL. I went Samuel Bosalo, the catcher that the O's are bringing up to replace Adley with because Adley has fallen off a cliff.
00:56:38
Speaker
And for the National League, I'm doing Connor Griffin because he looks great, and hopefully Pittsburgh can treat him well. I'm going to be chalk here, but I went Connor Griffin as well, and I went Yosavage.
00:56:52
Speaker
I mean, it's pretty self-explanatory for both, I think. Yeah. it Looks like Griffin's going to play early, if not opening day. And if, for whatever reason, he only he starts his career on game two, I will be in attendance.
00:57:07
Speaker
I can't go on opening day. is in the day Is Akimoto eligible? He is. He is. I would pick him. There you go. And then...
00:57:23
Speaker
You know what? I'm going to go with Nolan McLean. I like that. Wow. Okay. I like that, actually. Yeah. Yeah. Four innings, one run for him. Unfortunately, he's getting out-dueled by Eduardo Rodriguez. Oh, come on. Welcome back, Eduardo. Yes. New Rod.
00:57:43
Speaker
Yes. The USA lineup looks like ah hot garbage. Yeah. Hooray. Hooray. Did guys see the manager of the year or anything of that sort? I did not do that. I just did not either. think we're good there. a little much yeah I did not either. okay i just wanted to make sure I wasn't unprepared.
00:58:01
Speaker
No. Didn't mean to catch you off guard with the rookie stuff. I just had it ready. No, I like that. I'm glad you did. And I i had it like listed. I didn't have much elaboration. but Cool.
00:58:14
Speaker
Boom and bust or breakout star and disappointment. ah I'll do the breakout, but I actually... um So for my breakout, i don't even know if it really counts. i don't know. I picked Mikel Garcia, the third baseman from the um the Royals.
00:58:31
Speaker
He's a very, very good contact first hitter. You know, the guys know I like that. And he steals bases. Yeah, you love that. He hit about 280 last year, so I'm hoping he does better than that. i like that. He had a good season last year. I think he's underrated. He's very underrated.
00:58:43
Speaker
And for NL, I can make sure I'm talking about Matt Chapman, but I just went with him to piss him off.
00:58:50
Speaker
and Huh? Not Matt Chapman. What's his name? um Matt McClain. Oh, my God. Matt McClain. Wow. That's a good pick. Yeah, one of these years will be right. That's a really good pick. No, that's a great pick. What do mean? That's great pick. This is why I want to get him going. Get him going. Here we go. The Reds go as Matt McClain goes, baby.
00:59:14
Speaker
The Anthony Volpe of the National League. Oh, listen. No. You gotta be a special kind of trash be Anthony Volpe. OPS plus is 74. OPS is 643. Let's compare that, shall we?
Player Injury and Performance Concerns
00:59:25
Speaker
Because he had a separated shoulder.
00:59:27
Speaker
Anthony Volpe has a higher OPS and a higher OPS plus. He had separated shoulder. Who led the league in errors. He had a separated shoulder. Okay. That doesn't sound like it's very good. Yeah, yeah yeah well, yes. Now he's finally healed.
00:59:42
Speaker
Okay, let's see what happens. One of these years, you'll be right. You know who my bust as it is this year? ahead. Ellie De La Cruz. don't like that. i hate that. I think they're waiting for this guy to become a 280, 35 home run hitter, and it is just never going to happen. i I had your bust picked out, and I vote i had it too because I thought were going to be in sync, and I guess we aren't.
01:00:04
Speaker
Who's my bust? Cal Raleigh. Yeah, come on, Cal Raleigh. Oh, well, that's a different league. Oh, i didn't do league by league on this. Okay, I get you. Cal Raleigh is bust. He's trash.
01:00:17
Speaker
Cal Raleigh bust. Obviously. He was a flash in the pen, one-hit wonder. Whatever you know whatever whatever ah you know idiom you want to say, he is all of them and then some.
01:00:29
Speaker
He will never hit 50 home runs ever again in his career. Yeah. Okay. Listen, I agree with you on that. He was my best pick. Not necessarily because he won't be good. I think it's just he won't be what that season was, and I think the expectations are a little unreasonable.
01:00:47
Speaker
I think he'll be a 40 home run hitting catcher, which is great. Very good. He will never you will never get close to what he did last year. Not even not even near it. wait minute, ahead.
01:01:00
Speaker
No, no, go ahead. My other bust was Pete Alonzo. Oh, interesting. That was too easy. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, he doesn't have Lindor and Soto hitting around him anymore.
01:01:11
Speaker
Oh, right. I don't get... do you mean? He's got Jackson Holiday. Yeah, Gunner, Fine, who had a good half of a year. Westberg's supposed to be decent. Adley fell off a cliff. Westberg's supposed to be decent for like three years now. I know.
01:01:26
Speaker
He's only got a can't stay healthy. Yeah. But yeah, Raleigh and Alonzo are my guys. Looks like Josh has Ellie and Raleigh. Zach, who were yours again? For a bus, I actually didn't really like formally write them down, but now that I'm thinking about it, we forgot to mention Trent Grisham.
01:01:42
Speaker
um and't think Oh, that one just goes without saying. Yeah. That's a little low-hanging fruit there. So, yes. Trent Grisham.
01:01:53
Speaker
Okay.
Breakout Stars and Busts
01:01:54
Speaker
um Breakout star to kind of match yours. um I went with Denzel Clark. Oh, nice. Huh? I'm sure I'm just like, write that down.
01:02:06
Speaker
I've been very, very high on ah the athletics this year, as you can tell, having a second place. And this guy is an elite defensive outfielder. Denzel Clark went at the broadside of a barn.
01:02:17
Speaker
That's fine. He's going to change now because all these other hitters are getting better. So someone's going to have to see some pitches, and I think it's going to be him. and Yeah, someone's definitely going to have to see some pitches. you know Him, Anthony Volpe, it definitely works out like that.
01:02:31
Speaker
i mean, Anthony Volpe is just – he's also being grossly misused, and we're not mentioning that enough. um is um I don't want to completely exonerate Volpe, but I would say that at least some of the – he's not the complete problem in the reason why he hasn't. No, he's the complete problem.
01:02:48
Speaker
I don't know about that. We've talked a lot about Yankee prospects and other than judge. and right Right. Brian Cashman is a problem. Fire him. And Aaron Boone.
01:02:59
Speaker
Yeah. Push them both off the Brooklyn Bridge. buby And, know, I'd like to think that Clark will be in a better situation in Vegas or so Sacramento or wherever the hell they are now. Yeah. Yeah.
01:03:16
Speaker
So yeah, Denzel Clark, breakout star. You heard it here first. How about Chandler Simpson for my breakout star? I like that. Write that down. He's drafting him. Yep, that's exactly what I'm doing, Zach. You should definitely take him early in the draft so I don't get him.
01:03:31
Speaker
I truly love how I'm just making random things up on the fly, going with the exact opposite of my beliefs. Just a mess of you guys right now. How's Wyatt Langford doing? He said that last year about Hunter Nguyen. How did that work out for you?
01:03:42
Speaker
um It worked out great for me now. Worked out great for me. Are you cheering for injuries? That's so rude of you. I'm not cheering for injuries. I'm just remarking the fact that I wasn't wrong. I was just merely early. Well, Mike was like, I'm not green. guy's going to be great. That guy's going to be great. And he's like, oh, maybe Josh should take him earlier. And I took him earlier. And he was one of the best pitchers baseball.
01:04:02
Speaker
I like Hunter Green. I know. I'm actually very upset that I won't be seeing him in July. I had i actually had that date circled, ready to go with that series. It's all right. You can come out to Ohio and see anytime you want.
01:04:12
Speaker
Whenever he actually plays. Next year. up Home run. Will you're Bray? You do nothing. Oh, my God.
Critique of USA's Performance
01:04:20
Speaker
don't know if you're watching this game on Fox Sports app. Probably not.
01:04:23
Speaker
I'm watching it on the website, and it's like it'll play for a couple minutes, and then it just stops. Yeah. As much as I want to blame McLean, you're through four innings and you got like two singles. Yeah.
01:04:34
Speaker
Against a guy that's like a fourth starter in a major league rotation. Yeah, this isn't a terrible adding. With an all-star squad. No, I'm talking about USA's hitting. Oh, yeah. no You have an all-star squad playing as a fourth starter and you can't hit the guy.
01:04:48
Speaker
Yep. Yeah. yeah
Conclusion and Future Preview
01:04:52
Speaker
That's pathetic. Aaron Judge in a big spot. Aaron Judge is just like all of them. And that wraps up our third or fourth annual 2026 preseason preview of Championship or a Bust. Thank you for listening and come back in October and we can all discuss how we all went wrong. See you guys later.
01:05:11
Speaker
Peace.