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MLB/ Ohtani. Cardinals and the NCAA
73 Plays10 months ago
I start season 4 talking about the winter meetings, Shohei Ohtani, The Cardinals, College football, and the Fighting Illini! with special insights from Ron Nuttal and Pete Geddis
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Transcript
Introduction to 'Talking Sports on the Bleachers'
00:00:00
Speaker
This is Gateway City Sports. The rumors are true.
00:00:24
Speaker
This is Talking Sports on the Bleachers with Don Glenn. A confident young man, a superb athlete. A look at the sports issues of the day. Holy cow! Grab a seat, pop a cold one. Gee, that sounds kind of interesting. And let's talk some sports. You got to get it done! Who holds
Albert Pujols' Historic Home Runs
00:00:51
Speaker
with the widespread stance, arms out over the plate?
00:00:54
Speaker
Bickford from the stretch. The 1-1 pitch. A swing, and there it goes! Left field! Way back! That's home run number 700! Pujols hits a three-run homer, and he hits 699 and 700 at Dodger Stadium on September 23rd, 2022. 8.23pm Pacific time.
Alumni Team's Thrilling Victory
00:01:38
Speaker
Badgers have no timeouts. They can't stop it. The court for the win in the area. It is up and it is good! Yes! Good! Let's go baby! Upset is champion. The Alumni win 24-23.
00:02:19
Speaker
You don't understand. I could have had class. I could have been a contender. I could have been somebody. Are you crying? There's no crying? There's no crying in baseball?
00:02:51
Speaker
playoffs don't talk about it playoffs you kidding me playoffs
00:03:28
Speaker
Hey, Dad? You wanna have a catch? I'd like that. Well, well, well...
Kickoff of Podcast Season 4
00:03:54
Speaker
Hello, everybody!
00:03:57
Speaker
It's been a while, I know. But that sound you heard is a kickoff to season four of Talking Sports on the Bleachers. Welcome back. I knew I took some time off here.
00:04:11
Speaker
But it was kind of well deserved, I guess. I bet this is now the fourth season for talking sports on the bleachers. And I appreciate everybody that's been around with me for the four years and hopefully we'll have a few more years to go. So we're going to get this going and rolling here. And
00:04:33
Speaker
If you've been listening here before, you know, I appreciate you coming back. If you're brand new, I hope you become a frequent flyer. You know, we've had lots of guests and specials over the years and I plan to have some more, but today's is going to be you and me.
00:04:49
Speaker
and kind of get back to what we've done. Last time we talked, it was December so it's January 30th now. I took over a month off. Then I've been a little sporadic. I've had some issues lately with some family stuff going on. I've got a cousin that has been needed some lung surgery, lung replacement actually.
00:05:12
Speaker
Finally got that done. He's on the mend. And so now I kind of got everything out of clear from that. So we're back to talking sports on the bleachers. Now it's a proud part of the gateway city sports network. And at gateway city sports, you're going to find blogs, articles, and podcasts on many sports in and around the St. Louis bi-state area. Check it out at gateway city sports.com.
Winter Meetings Highlights and Lows
00:05:35
Speaker
Okay, so last time we talked the winter meetings hadn't happened yet and they just went, they just, well they finished last month and it was probably one of the biggest nothing burgers I think I've ever seen as far as the
00:05:51
Speaker
how winter meetings go. The biggest real, the Yankees made the biggest splash, I guess you will, if you could say, and it wouldn't mean they're making the trade for
00:06:07
Speaker
Juan Soto, they traded Drew Thorpe, Michael King, Randy Vasquez, and Kecher Hagasashoa Choka to San Diego for Soto and Trent Grisham. They also made a trade right before that to pick up Alex Verdugo, so they're kind of shoring up their outfield, if you will.
00:06:25
Speaker
After that it got really pedestrian in the in the For winter meetings if you will You know some of the names of note that got moved around where Eduardo Rodriguez was signed by the diamond actually diamond backs He got a four-year eighty million dollar contract Jamir Condolario got a three or forty five million dollar contract and other than that to go that he was playing for the Reds or place for the Reds now other than that the winter meetings were just almost
00:06:53
Speaker
Almost a waste of time. I just, this is what it was. A few rumors, but no action, no urgency. Now I want to play you something that Ronda and Pete Getty's talked about on team arrivals podcast, which also can be found at gateway to see gateway city sports.com. This is about a week or so before the Dodgers landed Otoni and they were discussing the winter meetings and I'm going to play this clip now and I've got another one later.
Ohtani's Game-Changing Deal
00:07:22
Speaker
Hey, the winter meetings are done, Ron. And all I can say is, um, no one even knew they started. Yeah, exactly. This was terrible. Like if there weren't even, there weren't even rumors. I mean, yes, there were rumors, but there were no rumors. Nothing happened. My button's better for the winter meetings. Okay. That's exactly like, it's just, there were like two,
00:07:51
Speaker
teams that made noise, I think maybe, um, but this is, this is what it is, Pete. This is what it has not sat well with me and it traces back to the same player. And it's not rational. It's not fair to the individual, but it comes down to one name, one person, like it was years ago that all this noise was made about. And yeah, I know he's a two way player.
00:08:21
Speaker
I know he's the next Babe Ruth, although he hasn't even come close to Babe Ruth's numbers. Babe Ruth, this is, but Shohei Ohtani. Oh, I thought you were talking about Michael Lorenzen. No, this is, you said to a player, I immediately thought Michael Lorenzen. No, I mean, I mean, it's just, it's just, it's gone ridiculous again once a year. Another year we go by where it's all controlled by,
00:08:51
Speaker
hype. Well, I will tell you, Ron, I think what is complicated it more. So it sucks, man. Like we shouldn't have to deal with this shit. Like the off season, the winter meetings have been frozen by this guy's decision. And that's the truth, Pete. And you know it like a lot of teams are frozen. They won't make other little moves. They won't make other moves because they're waiting to see what the hell he'll do.
00:09:17
Speaker
Well, I don't disagree with you, but I think what has complicated it is that there are so many teams in on Yamamoto and it's not the same group of teams. And so, but they're talking about a guy who's never thrown a single, I know, major league pitch ever.
00:09:40
Speaker
And just like the US media did with Shohei Ohtani showing his picture right next to the world champion Astros.
00:09:49
Speaker
They're doing the same thing with this guy and it is just frozen the off season and it sucks. I hate it so much. I don't disagree. And what I, and honestly, I do think that because there is a little bit of overlap, right? Supposedly the Cubs were interested in Yamamoto, but the report is, is that they're out. It's gotten too rich for them, but the Dodgers are interested in him. The Yankees are interested. The Mets are interested. Um, but there are other teams that are interested in him.
00:10:14
Speaker
And it's not a perfect overlap with the teams that are the supposed finalists on Otani. And so I think that with the exception of the Dodgers, right? The teams that do overlap, like the Cubs did for a little while, weren't going to commit to either one until they knew what was happening with the other. And so it's in each player's interest to wait to see what happens.
00:10:39
Speaker
Unfortunately, it means that the winter meetings got all bollocks up because when you normally might have seen moves, you might have seen trades, right? Normally, the Soto trade would have been the beginning of the onslaught, right? As soon as teams knew that they were out on Soto, then they start making their other moves. And that can't happen this year because, you know, what these guys are saying is not wrong.
00:11:02
Speaker
And it's not, I mean, you had an entire week of what is normally the, um, I don't know what you call it, the, the, the fastest week in baseball, maybe, but you know, where there's a lot of moving and shaking going on and nothing happened. And it was holding because of two guys, you know, and Pete made a good point. And it's, it's kind of what the thought I had too, was that you, you're looking at all these teams.
00:11:31
Speaker
that didn't make a move. Why didn't they make a move? And Pete said it. It's because they're looking at this whole, who's gonna sign him so that, you know you already had a plan A, B, C, D and E, okay? You had contingency plans if you weren't gonna get this guy. And it just really boggles my mind that, you know,
00:11:59
Speaker
Let's face it, you knew the Dodgers, Blue Jays, Giants, Mets, possibly Cubs, maybe Padres were going to be swimming in those waters. Although the Padres have back, you know, they completely went the other direction. Once they traded Soto, I didn't think they were going to be in on Otani at all. But, you know, and you had teams like the Cardinals and Phillies that made some signings ahead of the winter meetings. But these teams that were swimming in the deep waters, you know, uh,
00:12:28
Speaker
They knew they were going to be there. But what about the other teams? What about the ones that didn't have their Archie Sandals on? You know, that were over standing in the wading pool. You know, why were they waiting? They knew they weren't. I mean, the Pirates, the Reds, the Braves.
00:12:51
Speaker
They knew they were not going to be in on Marlins. They knew they were not going to be in on Otani. They knew they were not going to be in on Yamamoto. There was some rumor about the Braves. The Royals. Why did the Royals wait until after the winter meetings to go after Seth Lugo? Did they think they had a shot at Otani? Did they think they had a shot at Yamamoto?
00:13:15
Speaker
why not get the deals that you were going to go ahead and make those deals? I don't understand what, why to me, it just doesn't make any sense. Now, you know, other international players were in the mix too. I mean, you had, what's his name?
00:13:40
Speaker
No, can't think of it right now thought top of my head. Oh, there it is. Yes You know Jung who Lee who signed with the Giants we had
00:13:51
Speaker
Yuki Matsui, who the Cardinals actually entertained, met with, and he signed with the Padres. The Cubs picked up Japanese starter Shoto Emenaga. So there's been some movement around of some different players from the, from the, across the pond, the Pacific pond, if you will. But, you know,
00:14:16
Speaker
I just, again, like I said, I don't understand why, and even since then, since even though there has been moves, you still have guys like Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery. They're out there waiting to be picked up. The Cubs just signed Hector Nerise to a contract, but it's still moving slow. I mean, Cody Bellinger is still out there and available.
00:14:45
Speaker
Jorge Soler, J.D. Martinez.
00:14:49
Speaker
you've got a lot of guys that are still out there looking for a team to play with and you know still not much going on now some of it could be linked to the in the whole tv contract thing and what's happening with that and you just you just do not know uh... you know what they're going to do with deal with their uh... a lot of rumors flying around about uh... amazon and other entities wanting to pick up games and
00:15:18
Speaker
certain teams are already looking into buying their own regional networks and you know It's time like this. I would love to have a stock in like Tom's or my land Because you got to figure out these baseball execs are either as good as headache powder They're always you know these execs have got headaches and upset stomachs by the score just because of the stress and
00:15:43
Speaker
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00:16:08
Speaker
that's going to fit your budget. So give Brandon or Donna call today 573-259-1306 and check out stress free car buying. That number again is 573-259-1306 and make sure to tell them that Don Glenn from Talking Sports on the Bleacher sent you. All right, so now let's talk a little bit about that Shohei Otani deal.
00:16:34
Speaker
and what effect it has had and what it could have in the future. Now time to get to 10 years, $700 million deal. 680 million of that is deferred until after the contract expires or he's done playing, whichever happens to come first. Uh, so that basically means from 2034 to 2043, he's going to get paid $68 million a year to do nothing and not a bad gig when you can get it. I'm telling you folks,
00:17:02
Speaker
But here, as Paul Harvey used to say, is the rest of the story. In an article by the LA Times, the deal is a little more complex than what people are given to think. Now, while the basics are true, Otani is going to get $2 million a year
00:17:21
Speaker
in salary to play for the next 10 years for the Dodgers. That part is true. $68 million a year for 10 years from 2034 to 2043. That part is true. But under the MLB collective bargaining agreement,
00:17:37
Speaker
Money that is deferred to a player must be fully funded, and this is in quotes, must be fully funded by the club in an amount equal to the present value of the total deferred compensation obligation within two years of when the deferred compensation is earned. Basically what that means is they have to start setting aside in the next two years
00:18:01
Speaker
They have to start setting aside money to make sure that it is available for the $68 million. Now it doesn't have to be $68 million. According to what they say that the CBA requires only present value. So this year money is going to be cheaper than down the road money. So.
00:18:22
Speaker
According to the article than what I read the present value of the 68 million dollar payment in 2034 right now is worth 46 million dollars so in two years and that could change over the next couple years But in two years they're gonna have to start putting aside 46 million dollars a year in some type of a escrow type account that in theory or
00:18:49
Speaker
projected to be $68 million when the payment comes due. Now, again, like I said, that $46 million figure could grow over the next couple of years, depending on the economy and so forth. So where does this put the Dodgers in terms of the luxury tax? It puts them in a catbird seat if you actually want to be honest, because the deferred payments do not count until 2034.
00:19:14
Speaker
And at that point, I have 68 million dollars. Oh, two players not counting. So that's when it's going to kick in. It's not going to kick in now of these next few years. That's why they had the ability to sign a moto to extend class now. They because they they're only on the hook for two million dollars. So if you're only hooked to me in dollars, you got to worry about that luxury tax.
00:19:39
Speaker
Now, what's going to help the fact of keeping coming up with that money and paying the luxury tax is the estimated $50 million a year in merchandise and endorsements that Otani is going to bring into the Dodger coffers, if you will. So one thing has to be considered is how long, though, is he going to be at that level? I mean, and this is something again, I'll play another clip here from Ron in a second about about Otani is
00:20:08
Speaker
Yeah, he's all the big rage hype now in Japan. But as we're seeing with with Emanaga and Yamamoto and all these guys coming over, how long is he going to be that high? How long are fans going to want his jersey?
00:20:29
Speaker
You know, yeah, they did with, with, uh, uh, each hero. I mean, each hero was a, was a big seller for many, many, many years. Uh, phenomenal, uh, player from Japan. Um, and, you know, Otani and I'll get to this clip from Ron in a second. And I didn't realize this, you know, everybody talks about how big of a power hitter. Yeah. He had 40 some bombs this year, but his average is only 28 home runs a year.
00:20:59
Speaker
You know, his biggest claim and the biggest draw, the reason he is a big draw, I should say, is because he pitches and plays a position. So there you have the situation that next year he's not going to pitch because he's still going to be recovering from the Tommy John surgery, which is his second Tommy John surgery, I might add.
00:21:26
Speaker
So he's not pitching in 24, at least not until probably September. If he pitches at all, then 24. And when he comes back in 25, will he be able to be the same elite pitcher that he has been? Or will he suffer a setback? I mean, a decline, I should say. You know, is he going to be that top pitcher he's always been?
00:21:55
Speaker
I don't know. I don't think the Dodgers know. I mean, the Dodgers took a hell of a gamble in the respect of what they've got paying him after his contract, not during the game. He's only going to get making two million. So that's not a big skin, but.
00:22:11
Speaker
They're banking on him being able to pitch at the elite level he pitched with the angels. And I don't know if he's going to pitch at that level. They don't know. And I said, Ron's going to get to that in just a second here with this. And let's just go to that. I'll play this clip from Ron Nuttle. And again, on the Team Arrivals podcast, which can be found at gatewaycitiesports.com.
00:22:39
Speaker
Like really somebody's going to pay him $50 million a year for what? To hit 28 home runs a year. That's what he's averaged since he's been in the big leagues. 28 impressive number. But really we're talking about that. We're talking about paying a guy to hit 28 home runs a year.
00:23:02
Speaker
$50 million and he might pitch again, but we don't know cause he's had his second surgery, right? And he definitely won't pitch next year. All of our energy and time talking about one guy who baked major league baseball was desperate to make the next, next each year row. And here we are now. And again, Ron is not wrong in his assessment.
00:23:28
Speaker
I mean, you know, he was saying 50 minute that time we didn't know what they were going to pay Otani. But, you know, this is a hell of a risk for the Dodgers. Not to mention the other risk they take, they took with Yamamoto and he mentioned that earlier in the reverse clip, you know, the guy has never thrown a pitch in Major League Baseball. And you signed him for the next 12 years. And we're going to pay him $27 million a year, I believe it is. If I remember, yeah.
00:23:59
Speaker
His deal carries him until age 37. $22.9 million a year for a guy that has never pitched a day in Major League Baseball. And then you also have Tyler Glass now, who hasn't pitched a full season in his six years in the league. Last year was his biggest year in terms of innings. He only won 120 innings.
00:24:24
Speaker
And, you know, they signed him to what was it? Twenty seven million dollars a year for him for the next five years, I think it is. The Dodgers have taken a hell of a risk. You know, if Otani was, it would have been that good if they would have jumped, if Otani would have been as good without the surgery and he's going to be able to pitch. I doubt they make the deal for Yamamoto or Glass now. Now, one of the two, they wouldn't have made, I don't think.
00:24:54
Speaker
Um, but without having him next year, they needed to show up the pitching and they, I personally, I don't know why they didn't take a snow, why they didn't take Montgomery. I think that would have been a better option. Um, you know, cause neither one of those are going to outlast the old tiny contract.
00:25:14
Speaker
Montgomery might, but I don't see them, but it is what it is, I guess. So let's talk about this money angle here. Okay,
Dodgers' Spending Strategy: Wise or Risky?
00:25:25
Speaker
so the Dodgers have got a billion dollars in overall salary for two free agent pitchers over the next 10 to 12 years, between 10 and 12 years. And then if you add glass now in, that puts them just a little bit of one billion two, I think, or something of that nature.
00:25:41
Speaker
in that realm of possibility, one billion two, one billion three. Anyway, the Dodgers have spent a ton of money, that's my point. And how many times have we seen that come back to bite a team in the ass? Last year with the Mets, top payroll in MLB and the New York Mets, they didn't even make the playoffs. They were selling off pitchers at the deadline.
00:26:10
Speaker
You've seen it with other teams. I mean go back over the Padres. Look at the money they've spent over the last few years. Started with Hosmer. Then they brought in Machado. Then they brought in Soto and Hader and Bogarts. They're not going anywhere. Now they're selling off play. They let Hader go. They traded Soto.
00:26:39
Speaker
You know, they've got Tatis. They just signed him to a big extension, but you know, they haven't done anything. Uh, then you look at, uh, like I said, the top three teams in payroll. I said match Yankees and Padres. Yankees didn't make the playoffs. They were number two in payroll. So not always is spending money. The best way to get into the playoffs or to guarantee you a world series.
00:27:08
Speaker
I mean, that's just the way it is, folks. You can't... I just don't think that the money is the... Now, I know I get pushed back from a couple of guys at Gateway City, and Mike, you know, Mike Stevenson and I have gone around about this numerous, numerous times.
00:27:31
Speaker
But yes, you do need to spend money. I mean, there's no two ways about it. In this day of free agency, you're gonna have to spend some money. You're gonna be spending $20 million on a picture. You're gonna be spending $15 to $18 million on a right fielder, things of that nature. It's going to happen, we know this. But you don't have to go out and get every bright, shiny penny that's on the market.
00:27:55
Speaker
You know, I've said this before, you need some of those dirty nickels and dirty dimes that are going to go out there and play their guts out no matter what they get paid. You're going to bring up those kids that aren't going to be making a ton of money.
00:28:14
Speaker
you don't always have to have a money in the mix to make something work. I mean, Charlie Finley did that and he managed to do it for three years with Oakland. Steinbrenner had a good run throwing money around in New York, but eventually that money ends.
00:28:31
Speaker
because eventually you run out of those, you don't run out of them, but you reach your limit and you've traded all these pieces, these young pieces. You don't have anything really because you're not investing in the minor leagues. And next thing you know, you need somebody to come up and pick up for an all-star right fielder.
00:28:56
Speaker
And you don't have one in your stable. You've got right fielders, but nothing that's going to be close to that category or even major league adequate. Many times that happens. So while you do need to spend money, I'm not a believer in opening up the bank vault and just getting every top player that's wanting $20 million plus and putting them on your roster. That's just the way I look at it.
00:29:25
Speaker
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00:29:55
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00:30:25
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00:30:40
Speaker
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00:31:04
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00:32:21
Speaker
Okay, so I've seen the post all over social media about how the Cardinals have just bollixed the offseason, if you will. Going after
Cardinals' Offseason Strategy
00:32:33
Speaker
low hanging fruit, Mo hasn't done anything. We should have been all in on Yamamoto. We're not gonna win until DeWitt sells the team and they're only caring about ballpark. I've heard it all people.
00:32:47
Speaker
And for what I'm gonna tell you people, quit your crying, okay? And start looking at what's actually going on. Because I'm gonna tell you. And it's gotten worse. It's gotten worse. A few days ago when they signed Matt Carpenter, I knew the onslaught was coming. And I get it, I understand the frustration. Last year was horrible. We don't wanna repeat a last year. Buy the same token. Give them a little credit for what they did do this year.
00:33:18
Speaker
I think Mo realized or the front office realized they were not gonna be in on Otani. They were not gonna be in on Yamamoto. So they decided, hey, let's do a preemptive strike because we know nobody's gonna be trading anybody over the winter meetings.
00:33:40
Speaker
No free agents are going to be signing until they know, you know, until we get in the winter meetings until they know where Yamamoto's going. So let's do our due diligence and we'll see what we can get now. And they did, you know, you picked up the, uh, Cy Young American league, Cy Young runner up in sunny gray. You picked up a 15 game winner in Gibson and you reunited your with Lance Lynn. Um, I'll go over all those in just a little bit here.
00:34:10
Speaker
That's not a bad little grouping. Now, you know, I have to admit I was a little dismayed at the Lance Lynn, but, you know, let's, and we'll go with him first since he was the first one picked or given a contract. Now people point to his ERA, which is 573 last year, 5.73 between the white Sox and their Dodgers last year.
00:34:33
Speaker
Now, the four years prior, his ERA was an average of 342, okay? So now if he actually figures runs per game, he has given up 784 earned runs in 231 games, because people are saying last this year, well, if he gives up five runs a game and only pitches six innings, how? Okay, first of all, if you think that's his ERA and he only pitches six innings, you have no idea how ERA is calculated, number one.
00:35:01
Speaker
Number two, ERA is not all, is not the be all end all. So there, just take those two facts and put it away in your brain somewhere. If you look at again, like I said, was earned runs per game because pitches, he pitches six innings a game or give, give or take six innings, uh, did for the Dodgers, uh, then the, when this, this past season. But if you look at that, he gives up 3.39 runs per start, 3.39. Now.
00:35:29
Speaker
If you're not scoring three to four runs a game yourself,
00:35:36
Speaker
no pictures going to be able to help you unless he is the rebirth of Cy Young and Don Sutton and you know all these other guys Bob Gibson you know you're just when you've got a team if you can't score more than three to four runs a game you're not going to many ball games I don't care how you how and if he's only given up three runs three less than three and a half runs in six innings
00:36:04
Speaker
And you've got a decent enough bullpen you should win a lot of games
00:36:08
Speaker
You should. Um, now some point to the extremely high amount of home runs he hit last, he gave up last year and now 44. And I'm not going to lie. That's concerning that we should be concerned with that. But I'm also going to say that could be an outlier because he's never only twice in his career as he given up more than 20 home runs, uh, to South 2017 with St. Louis, 2019 with Texas.
00:36:37
Speaker
I don't see him giving up 44 home runs in St. Louis. I really don't. You know, 81 games there. That is not necessarily a home run hitters ballpark. Um, and I think he's not gonna, he, I don't think he's going to give up that much. I think you're going to see a little bit better, but then again, we're talking about a number four, number five starter. So really I don't need him to be.
00:37:00
Speaker
have an ERA of under three with only five home runs given up a year and go seven innings. I don't need that out of my number four, number five. I need six innings who's going to keep me in a ball game and hopefully my offense can take care of it when he, when he, my offense and the bullpen can take care of it when he gets out, when he, we take him out of the game.
00:37:20
Speaker
Now, Kyle Gibson, this is a guy I wish they would have got a couple years ago. I was all for him a couple years ago when they had him. And he's a 15 game winner for Baltimore. Had 192 innings this past season. You know, that's not bad at all. We'll take that. 4-7-3 ERA's a little high, but then again, he's playing in Baltimore. But it was still good enough for 33rd amongst all pitchers with 160 innings or more.
00:37:48
Speaker
His 2.6 war was 33rd and in innings pitched he ranked 11th.
00:37:53
Speaker
He's never been a big strikeout per nine guy. I mean, he's not going to throw, you know, 10, nine, 10, 11 strikeouts per game. And he's going to read right around that seven, you know, seven and a half mark. So you take that. Uh, but he does have a 48.9% ground ball rate ranks him eighth amongst major league pitchers. Now, again, I'm not saying that this guy is an ace.
00:38:19
Speaker
I'm not saying that. What I'm saying is, he's a hell of a guy to have in the middle part of that rotation to fit with Michaelis and Matt's. And I'll get to Matt's here in a little bit. And you think I'm crazy, but I'll get to Matt's here in a little bit. So you've got those two guys. And then you sign Sonny Gray. Again, the runner up to the Cy Young last year. Oh, how was he? A Cy Young candidate with only eight wins.
00:38:48
Speaker
Look at the rest of his stats. I mean, the guy was very good. He had an ERA at 3.47, or he has a career ERA, excuse me, of 3.47 over the last 11 years. So this guy's been good for this long. It's a solid strikeout at 9Ks per 9 innings.
00:39:11
Speaker
he's got a 23% strikeout rate and a 47% ground ball rate. And if you put him in St. Louis with the defense that we've got, and I know it was not that great last year, but I do think we'll see a little bit of a resurgence in defense this coming season. And he's got a low home run rate of 2.2%. That guy's gonna get you some wins. And if we can put up the offense behind him,
00:39:41
Speaker
Now, some say, oh, we still have Michaelis and Matz. Okay, what's wrong with that? I'm going to be serious about it. What's wrong with that? You know, Michaelis has had back to back years, last year and this year, over 200 plus innings. Three times in the last five seasons. Now that does back to 2019, but he didn't play in 2020.
00:40:05
Speaker
He also has had bad run support this past season. 13 of his games this year, the offense scored two runs or less in the games he pitched, in 13 of those games. And in at least four of those games, when he left the game, he had given up two runs or less. So you figure that in.
00:40:33
Speaker
You figure the point, he should easily have had six to eight more wins last year if the offense would have been playing the way they should have played.
00:40:42
Speaker
So now Stephen Matts, he's coming off injury again and that's the big knock and I'm not gonna lie, that is a huge knock. He needs to stay healthy, he hasn't for two years now. But in his last seven starts in 23 before he had the last, I think it was a lat strain, something like that. He was consistently into the sixth inning. He had an ERA, now catch this, catch this people.
00:41:07
Speaker
In those last seven games, he had an ERA of 1.86. That's 1.86. That's very damn good. He had a 2.84 fifth. Opponents only at 190. Plus, outside of a couple of games, he pitched pretty well coming out of the bullpen, too. So you've got this guy now in Stephen Matz that, again, the knock, and I'll agree with you 100%, folks.
00:41:32
Speaker
If he can stay healthy and that's become a big if for him If he can stay healthy, he could really be a very good Performer either rotation wise or even out of the pen if they end up You know getting another picture, which I don't know if they will or not. We'll see Mo has not shut the door on any of that type of stuff to get another rotation piece I guess that Blake Snell is still out there which I don't see the Cardinals getting in on him because
00:42:00
Speaker
Scott Boris wants $200 million for 10 years for Blake Snell and I just don't see that happening. Jordan Montgomery is still out there and there's still been talk that the Cardinals have talked to him and we don't know if that's going to happen or not, but it could.
00:42:17
Speaker
But all things considered, I think the rotation is in much better shape than we were last year. And to say that it was low hanging fruit, because we didn't go after Yamamoto, we didn't go after Otani. Well, Otani wasn't going to help you in a rotation next year anyway. And as we've talked about earlier, he may never pitch again. So why worry about him? Yamamoto, yeah, would love to have him. But, you know, 200 and some odd million dollars a year? No, thanks.
00:42:45
Speaker
or over a 12-year deal, no thanks. You don't give a 12-year contract to a pitcher. You just don't. That's why I think that Philly and St. Louis, when they locked up, Philly locked up NOLA and we made our trades early, I think they played it smart. They did the smart thing.
00:43:02
Speaker
Now, the Cardinals made other deals after the winter meetings.
Cardinals' Recent Trades Analysis
00:43:06
Speaker
Of course, Tyler O'Neill was traded for reliever Nick Robertson and Richard Palacios just recently was traded for Andrew Kittredge.
00:43:18
Speaker
They just also Matt Carpenter I said earlier signed to a one-year league minimum deal and they just claimed awful waivers Alfonso Rivas So there's kind of the end they picked up a Josh James Minor league deal so they've made some other deals here and there to to provide some depth and things of this nature and
00:43:42
Speaker
The one thing we got that struck me as kind of strange is, you know, we also had the rule five pickup and I'll get to that guy here in a little bit. So we're kind of forced to carry a few guys in the roster here. So we'll have to see how this all plays out. I want to talk about Carpenter real quick though.
00:44:03
Speaker
You know, the carpenter deal, I thought initially was a retirement deal purpose, you know, sign him for, sign him, let him sit there for a couple of weeks and then he'll announce his retirement and he retires as a Cardinal and everybody else is all happy. Um, it didn't, it looks like it's not going to end up that way. They are serious about putting him on the roster and bringing him, bringing him into the fold. Uh, now it's not a guarantee and, and Mosay lock has said he's going to have to perform to be on the roster. And of course we've heard that before.
00:44:33
Speaker
If he's on the roster, a lot of people said, well, whose spot does he take? Well, literally nobody's. You're not going to put him at first base over Goldie. You're not going to put him at third base over Aronado. You're not going to put him ahead of Donovan or Gorman at second base. People say Walker's a horrible outfit when you weren't watching Walker. If you think that number one.
00:44:52
Speaker
You know, because the starting lineup, I think at this point is penciled in and set for the most part as Newt Barr, Edmond and Walker in the outfield win and are not a win and either Gorman or Donovan at second base goal. Schmidt at first, contrast is your catcher. Your backups are going to be Carlson, Herrera, and again, like the Gorman Donovan thing. You already got a backup in that respect.
00:45:18
Speaker
You also figure that Alec Burleson is going to be in the mix there, probably is the DH, you know, and then you've got a guy like a Lucan Baker, Thomas Segecy. Those guys are all going to get their shots, Jose Fermin and the guy they just picked up, Afonso Rivas. So,
00:45:39
Speaker
Where does carpenter fit in well a lot of people said he's the 26th man that's gonna be there to provide leadership and be you know I Know they got rid of the shift per se But Does that really gonna help carpenter? Now he had a he had a great partial season with the Yankees a couple years ago after the st. Louis Let him go then last year
00:46:10
Speaker
He back under 200 again, and not playing well, and the Padres dumped him. Atlanta picked him up, or the Padres trade him. Atlanta, then after they got him in the trade, immediately released him. So what's that tell you about where they had him figured?
00:46:28
Speaker
So I don't know where he's going to play. I mean, a lot of it said, yes, 26th man. And it's not going to cost you anything but league minimum $740,000. Um, and if they, you know, now he's still under contract with Atlanta. So, you know, the one good thing about that is if they do decide to cut him loose, Atlanta is still, is still on the hook for the salary. So.
00:46:52
Speaker
Even at that, it's still fairly on the cheap side. He will provide some veteran leadership. That's a given. You know, there's people out there saying, well, if they need to bring him and they should have traded a gold in Aeronado, why can't they provide leadership? You know, get out of here with this bullshit, okay? Get out of here.
00:47:08
Speaker
Not everybody leads the same way. They don't, you know, you have different, different guys lead in different ways. And that's, and that's the way it is with Goldie and, and, and there are not a, besides that outside of Contreras and maybe a couple of pictures here and there that I think Matt's is one of them, uh, and not counting the new guys we designed, you know, the majority of that team, the vast majority of that team is under 30 years old and a lot of them are under 28.
00:47:37
Speaker
So that's a lot of guys to provide leadership for. Now I say, I know I hear you screaming out there. Oh yeah, but you know, they should be able to in the clubhouse meeting. Okay, fine. It doesn't hurt to have a little more leadership. Again, as long as he's not hurting you, he's the 26th man. So he's not going to be the immediate backup when, you know, Goldie goes tank. Cause you've got Burleson for that. You know, he's not going to go in and back up, uh, Aaron Otto at third base. Cause you've got Gorman for that.
00:48:07
Speaker
You know at shortstop he's never played shortstop anyway, but a second base Gorman Donovan Edmond are already well ahead of where if Carpenter excuse me Could he play for Walker maybe here and there? Yeah, maybe
00:48:28
Speaker
You know, I just don't think as much as I've looked at it, I just don't see him being that big of an impact. And like I said, if he isn't performing, they're going to get rid of him. I don't think they're going to be any shy about that. The last couple of years, they've kind of showed that that they, you know, they are going to look for performance out of you.
00:48:46
Speaker
Now, we've talked about the rotation line. In terms of the bullpen, Closer obviously this year is going to be Helsley, which I have no problem with. He put together a good season, even with the injury in the middle, posting a 245 VRA, 255 FIP. He had 14 saves, a 74% save rate.
00:49:05
Speaker
So unless they sign, and I don't think there's any closer is left to sign, but unless they sign one, he will be your closer. Jojo Romero became a very good back end option, if you will, especially when Hillsley was hurt, converting three out of five save opportunities, posting a three six eight ERA, but his FIB, and this is why I say ERA is not the be all end all because his FIB was a 2.22.
00:49:32
Speaker
So a lot better than his ERA is going to give you is going to suggest to you. He had a four to one strikeout to walk ratio. He makes a good fire firemen, if you will, you know, come in, put out a fire in an inning and move on. He's got the.
00:49:51
Speaker
Only 35% of his inherited runners scored last season. And he's going to be a decent back end piece. Giovanni Gallegos. I know a lot of you guys don't like Giovanni Gallegos. You bitched and moaned and griped and complained. But he's actually pretty good. He's got a career 65% save rate.
00:50:13
Speaker
He closed in 22 and 21. And it's understandable, fans cringe when you see him, because of the last two seasons, he does let a lot of inherited runners score. And people look at certain games, and they go, oh, he gave up this many. Yeah, that's going to happen. It's a relief pitcher. Live with it, all right? But I think he'll be OK in that seventh, eighth inning role.
00:50:40
Speaker
John King who came to St. Louis in the Montgomery deal Montgomery Stratton deal last year He had a pretty good year for St. Louis a low 145 ERA now his fifth was high 3.8 for fit, but that's still not bad. It's still under four He had very few inherited runners and a low 14% inherent a runner scoring rate So he's another one. I think you'll see in that six seventh eighth inning mix
00:51:06
Speaker
For st. Louis this year Ryan Fernandez was the rule five pickup from the Red Sox now He will have to be carried on to roster or he'll be go back to the Red Sox He's only a minor. He only had minor league experience last year for for the most part I think he made a cup of coffee in the in the big leagues, but He went through a double-a he's always had a pretty decent record except for last year and
00:51:33
Speaker
His triple-a numbers were just horrendously off the charts. Over six on his ERA. His runs per game are 6.75. He had a whip of 1.56. He did have a good strikeout rate. 35Ks and 30 innings. So he's going to get a chance to prove himself in the spring training. And like I said, if
00:51:58
Speaker
he shows up and pitches well he'll be on the club if not he'll probably end up back in uh in boston uh now kitridge the picture we got for o'neill uh posted very good above average numbers just about everywhere he's been he could be a valuable sixth inning seventh inning guy coming off a time of john surgery last year now though
00:52:19
Speaker
He did pitch 154 games with a 309 ERA 343 FIP, had a whip of 1.2. He's, again, another not a big strikeout guy, only 8.6 per 9, which is, I guess since it's not a big strikeout guy, but he's a good strikeout guy. He can get you some strikeouts. He has a good strikeout to walk rate of 3.68, so he's got good control.
00:52:46
Speaker
which is what you want to see for a relief pitcher. Nick Robertson was who they got from Boston for Tyler O'Neill. We've rated Boston a lot this year. He'll get good looks in the bullpen. He's 25, not arbitration eligible until 27, so we got a couple years to work with him.
00:53:06
Speaker
Now, he did have a high array with Boston and the Dodgers last year, but only a 3.88 FIP. Now, what does concern me is his whip. He does give up a lot of hits, so he's going to have to get his control
00:53:22
Speaker
make sure that those are ground balls and not fly balls. His strikeout rate is good at 10.5 per nine. He also 3.6 free passes to hitters so he could be a work in progress.
00:53:37
Speaker
3.6 That's three points. It's what six walks per game or per nine last year. So he's gonna need some work in progress But we'll see he may he's probably once gonna be slated for triple-a to see what they do or what he does I don't think he'll be with the team when they come north, you know Then you have the guys that are gonna be fitting in the middle like a Zach Thompson like a Matthew Libertor Andre Palante drew rom
00:54:04
Speaker
Adam Clafstein a lot of these guys that they picked up last year at the deadline That fit that long relief starter role, I think you're probably gonna see more that's Zach Zach Thompson and libertor and probably rom although I think rom's gonna be slated for a lot of innings in triple-a Because he just did not have a good big league experience last year if you will
00:54:35
Speaker
So I think what you know, I think that's what you've got in in that terms a couple one guy I think that people are talking about a couple guys really they're in the miners that they're talking about or Victor Scott the second and Thomas sogasi now sogasi is the guy we got in I Believe it was the flarity deal He had a really good
00:54:59
Speaker
Good half a year in the minors Hit very well at double-a kind of faltered up Memphis a little bit But he's got some good pop in his bat and he's not bad with the glove good middle infielder So he's somebody that they might be able to bring up in a year or two Victor Scott the second
00:55:21
Speaker
Stole 93 bases last year in triple and between high hay and double A ball. He's a minor league gold glove winner.
00:55:31
Speaker
And you know when he gets up here, he's gonna challenge. He's gonna be like Walker when he gets up or he's gonna play I mean, they're not gonna bring him up and sit this kid So whenever he comes up and I don't think it'll be this year I think he's you think he's slated for triple-a this year for the most part. You could see him in the in in September as a September call-up, but I think he's gonna be triple-a most of the year So there's a couple of guys. I think you want to keep a look out on so
00:55:58
Speaker
I
Impact of NCAA Transfer Policies and NIL Deals
00:55:59
Speaker
want to talk some college sports right now, but right after I talk about protection.
00:56:04
Speaker
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00:56:31
Speaker
They also offer great rates and savings. So give Sean and his team a call today at 636-764-6294. They're going to help you with an insurance quote right over the phone. I mean, that's how they roll folks. That number again, 636-764-6294. Even give them a call if you just want to talk sports. Cause they do that too.
00:56:53
Speaker
Maybe I can get them on the show someday. We'll have to see. With working kids and social functions, we all have busy lives. We do. So you can email Sean. Sean Wiley at Allstate.com. That's S-E-A-N-W-I-L-E-Y at Allstate.com. Talk to him about your coverage options. And remember, you're in good hands with Allstate.
00:57:17
Speaker
Well, a little bit of NCAA. Michigan is the top dog in college football for 2024. They defeated the University of Washington 34-13 in the national championship game. Not a complete run away as the score would suggest however, Michigan
00:57:34
Speaker
only led by seven at the end of the third quarter. Now they would dominate the fourth scoring 14 unanswered points. Michigan though would fully use the running game as Blake Corum had 134 yards on 21 carries and two touchdowns. Donovan Edwards had a big runs on the first quarter, one for 41 yards, one for 46 yards, scored a touchdown on both. In all he would carry the ball six times for 104 yards. So what is Michigan's reward?
00:58:04
Speaker
For all this, not just the trophy, but they had to get a new head coach because Jim Harbaugh is leaving the big blue to coach the Los Angeles Chargers. Offensive coordinator Sharon Moore has already been named head coach for the Wolverines for next year. Now, before the National Championship had that big flap with Florida State,
00:58:30
Speaker
being left out of the college football playoffs and after FSU played in the orange bowl and were thoroughly just embarrassed if you will by Georgia a lot of people were saying you know see you didn't deserve to be in the playoffs anyway
00:58:50
Speaker
Well, not exactly 100% true, I don't think. I mean, realistically, they did have the record to be there, if you will. But in that game against Georgia, they were missing 19 players who either opted out due to the NFL draft or announced intentions to transfer.
00:59:14
Speaker
And this included their top defensive players, their two best wide receivers. Opposing coach Kirby Smart, the coach of Georgia, he spoke out against that travesty that occurred. Now his quote was near the end of his press conference and he said, and I'll read it to you. Let me say something and maybe I'm wrong here. And maybe this will be a bad sound bite, but people need to see what happened tonight. They need to fix this. It needs to be fixed.
00:59:44
Speaker
It's very unfortunate that they, and he was talking about Florida state who have a good football team and a good football program are in the position that they're in. And, you know, first, let me say Kirby smart is not wrong. He is not wrong. And I, you've, you've heard my feelings on the transfer portal. I've talked about it with Dion Thomas before and a number of others.
01:00:08
Speaker
you know when you have upwards of a thousand kids every year trying to find a different school to play just because they're upset with their playing time or they think they can now with the NIL they can get a better NIL deal somewhere you've got teams and I'll tell you who it's hurting you got you got these teams like a Florida State you know who yeah okay the ACC is not the conference the SEC or the Big Ten is
01:00:39
Speaker
You played that full season to get where you're at. And then you're going to quit and jump ship. Now a lot of people say, well, it's because they have to be in class in the spring next year. Why? Why? So they can be part of spring drills. Who cares? Who really flipping cares? I don't. Why? Why do you have to have them there in the spring?
01:01:09
Speaker
They don't need to be there. So, you know, that's one of the few things that I say needs to be changed on the transfer portal. And I'll get to that in here in just a second, you know, because this transfer portal thing can change teams in a heartbeat. And I understand the kids that want to, you know, have a shot at the NFL, don't want to maybe play in that bowl game, but, you know, I can kind of understand it. But the other thing is I don't understand it.
01:01:37
Speaker
Because they said, well, we'll, we'll play it. And this happened last year with Illinois, Devon Weatherspoon, Chase Brown, Sydney Brown. They all opted to not play in the bowl game and then turned around and played in the senior bowl and the other, uh, All-Star games. Now people say, Oh, they're all, but they're only in there for a few plays and then, and now, well, why would you just be in there for a few plays when you can let them see you in an entire game?
01:02:04
Speaker
So I don't understand that really. I mean, I do, but I don't. So Kirby Smart also had this to say, I know things are changing and they're going to change next year. You know what? And he's talking about the playoffs expanding to 20 teams. There's still going to be bowl games outside of those. People got to decide what they want and what they really want to get out of it. Because it's really unfortunate for those kids on that sideline. And again, he's talking about Florida State.
01:02:35
Speaker
that had to play in a game and didn't have their full arsenal. It affected the game 100%. And again, he's right. And like I said, the changes he's referring to is the fact that there are going to 20 games. And the NCAA is going to say, well, this is because we're helping create the spirit of competition. That's a flat out lie.
01:02:55
Speaker
And you and I both know it. Anybody that thinks it's for, it's for companies that they were expanding to 20 or 12 teams, not 20, excuse me, I said 20, 12 teams. Anybody that thinks they're expanding to 12 teams for competition, competition's sake. I got a bridge. I got a bridge over in Arizona to say, okay. Because they aren't. It's for money. It's for TV contract.
01:03:22
Speaker
They get more money if it's a playoff game, then it's just a regular bowl game. So don't let that, let that whole competition crap fool you. The NCAA does not care about the teams or the players or anybody else. Coaches, they could care less. All they care about is that all God almighty dollar, they're going to get an advertising for those three, for those new playoff games. You know, it's the same thing as the schools involved in the NCAA basketball tournament.
01:03:51
Speaker
You know, it's just, that's the way it is. They expanded from 32 to 64. Then they expanded from 64 to 68. Now I hear there's been bromings of expanding and even to like 72. It's stupid.
01:04:08
Speaker
all they're doing it for is so they can get a few extra games to make a few a couple extra bucks are you really that goddamn greedy you really okay so now again i don't know how and i i've talked about this with russ robinson you know how that uh 12 team expansion is going to affect now that uh uh
01:04:28
Speaker
The Pac-12 is officially, well, I shouldn't say officially, but I haven't heard any efforts to save it. They're gone out of the mix because it was a Power Five. Now we don't have Power Five anymore unless the ACC grabs a couple teams or the Mountain West gets a few extra teams in, but I just don't see it happening. So that's going to change a little bit. And it's not just Kirby Smart speaking out about this whole thing.
01:04:58
Speaker
You know, um, on January 2nd, Dean Straca for CBS.com said there were a number of games that saw teams being short-handed with the exception, uh, uh, of the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl. Now the situation is not going to change. So the NCAA addresses what he believes are three reasons we're seeing a number of mass defections. And those are the early signing period, which I already talked about the fall transfer portal and the NIL no goes.
01:05:27
Speaker
He said, quoting now, the problem is not the bowl games or the bowl system. The problem is the unregulated circumstances around it now that doesn't occur in any other sport. That's what has to be fixed. Now, the first two of these items are kind of intermixed. The fall transfer portal went to open up early December and goes through the playoff season. And then there's another round of transfer portal in the spring.
01:05:54
Speaker
Now in the middle of all that transfer stuff is the three-day signing period for the high school kids that the kids are bringing in from high schools. Now Carapelli suggested that
01:06:09
Speaker
Uh, back up one quick second here. The, uh, Dean Strocker wrote the article. He was talking with executive director, Nick's Carapelli. Now, Carapelli suggests that there may be only, there's only be one transfer window at the end of the academic year. And I like this idea. I really do because that is going to protect a lot of different things and it's going to give some kids a time to reflect and look back. You know, it's going to make, uh,
01:06:36
Speaker
What they do a little bit more, they got to put thought process into it instead of a knee jerk. I mean, if you look at it, the regular season ends for most teams, the last week of November for first week of December, and then you have the teams that are preparing for the bowl games are also involved in the early signing period for high school kids. So why add that early
01:06:58
Speaker
a fall transfer portal. Why allow that to happen? So now you're not only dealing with trying to get the high school kids to sign letters, now you gotta take care of all these kids that are in the transfer portal. So get rid of that spring or that fall transfer portal. Do one in the spring after. I like the idea. And it helps everybody. It's gonna help the schools. It's gonna help the high school kids.
01:07:22
Speaker
You know, maybe you might start seeing more high school kids actually go. Maybe you start seeing less people in the transfer portal. I don't know if that'll all happen, but we'll see. The other thing is here, I'd also like to see for one true simple reason that these kids are students and should be students first and foremost. I know that is an outdated dinosaur attitude.
01:07:42
Speaker
I realize that, but I do believe that if you want to play college football, you should compete for, you should compete, complete, excuse me, your academic year. Really, you should. You should go through, finish your academic year, then if you want to move on, move on.
01:08:00
Speaker
And the kids, they transfer no consequences. They don't have any consequences that they transfer. It's nothing. So the NCAA does limit immediate transfers to one, meaning the ability to play without sitting out of season. You get one of those, then you have to apply for a special
01:08:18
Speaker
a waiver to do that if you transfer a second time. And like I said, the NIL further complicates things. And you know, you've got teams that are competing. It's not free agency, but it is. I mean, that's what you've got to think about it.
01:08:38
Speaker
You know this this place gonna mean Kansas is gonna be able to play put out more nil money than Southern Miss or Michigan's gonna be able to put out more nil money than Dayton I mean, that's just the way it is So the something's gonna have to happen then on the nil front as well
01:09:01
Speaker
Have my own idea and it's and I agree first we're just that I agree with the first option of reducing the transfer portal I would limit it to 90 days and It takes effect one month before the end of the academic year I'll give them one month prior to when they graduate, but they still have to graduate or not graduate What there's not to finish that year? Second make all transfers a one-year sit-out no more immediate play
01:09:28
Speaker
unless there is a coaching change or family duress. Those are the only two situations I can see allowing a kid to play immediately after he transfers. Make them sit out of here. That's going to reduce a lot of those transfers. Third, all NIL contracts will coincide with the academic year. If an athlete leaves early, he forfeits any future payments. Because right now they don't. Right now a kid can transfer and go sign with another school and get and have basically two NIL contracts.
01:09:58
Speaker
And that just ain't right. I don't care how you look at it. That just ain't right.
01:10:03
Speaker
Fourth place a cap on all nil payment. You can't be just spending money willy-nilly and and Because you do create some other things too. If you're paying this key if you're paying the the the center 800,000 a year on an i nil, but The running back is only getting a hundred thousand year nil, you know You got a little problem there. So I think maybe make you know do something to that I see all those things is doable
01:10:33
Speaker
I think it's all possible. I think the NFL could also chip in with maybe a developmental league that like the NBA's got. I mean, if you got kids that aren't interested in school, why not have a developmental league? Doesn't have to be a full time league, uh, like the NBA, but you know, have something where they can, they can, uh, present their wares if you will, and you know, see what happens with that.
01:11:00
Speaker
Okay, let's switch to some things real quick here on Illinois. I know I'm running long tonight, but like I said, I've been off for over a month, so I got a lot to say.
Illinois Football Team Challenges
01:11:09
Speaker
The football season for all practical purposes for Illinois was a train wreck. And I mean that literally. It was a train wreck. Fans, coaches, they all, everybody had high hopes for the season after going eight and five last year. But you had to also figure you were losing some players in Brown and Witherspoon. Well, both Browns, Witherspoon and a couple others.
01:11:30
Speaker
Nobody in their right mind figured that it would be as rough as it got. I mean when you have to start the season with a last second field goal to beat Toledo. Now granted Toledo has been a Mac champion for I don't know the last however many years.
01:11:47
Speaker
But a big 10 school should not have to resort to a last second field goal to win that game. But they did. Then you have a let, and you figure that's a game that, okay, you get a big emotion out of that. They went into Kansas and just went through the motions. Then, you know, right after that, you gotta play Penn State, and of course,
01:12:13
Speaker
Nobody thought we could win that game and we didn't. Then you have to hold on to win against Florida Atlantic. People were happy for the win, but it's like, are you kidding me? These are teams we should be beating handily. We shouldn't have to wait and wait out the game. But I think that the real downplay of the season,
01:12:40
Speaker
was losing to Nebraska and then getting just thoroughly embarrassed by Purdue.
01:12:47
Speaker
And there's no way Purdue should have beaten us as bad as they did. But then they turned around, they won three out of the next four. And you think, okay, this is fantastic. We may be a shot at a bowl game, we might be able to redeem this season. And then you have back to back losses at Iowa and Northwestern. And it really, really just, it just was a bad season all the way around. Some good things come out of it.
01:13:11
Speaker
You know, we did see some guys in the post that made the postseason rosters Isaiah Williams Johnny Newton Keith Randolph You know, of course now all three of those guys are gone. They're going to the pros Reggie Love is transferring out They lose a couple of guys from the O line and
01:13:29
Speaker
Wide receiver Casey Washington's graduating So, you know, they're gonna have some other holes to fill and they've already got some guys already on the team I think and fill those holes I think wide receiver Malik Elsie is someone who showed some early skills or some skills early in the year Running back Kaden Fagan. I think that kid is just a tank
01:13:52
Speaker
He got some really good exposure when McCray went and Love were both out. Luke Altmeyer will be back under center and I think he's had another full year now as a starter. So he'll be a little bit better. We've picked up some beef for the offensive line to kind of shore that up a little bit. So we'll see how that works into it. You know, we got a couple of kids going to come back from injury.
01:14:15
Speaker
Um, on in the defensive backfield. So that's going to help. So we'll see how it all pans out. Uh, but it's not just players are going to have to worry about because, uh, they have to, uh, they let go of Andy boo, the inside linebacker coach and Antonio for Nellis, the cornerback coach. Uh, also wide receiver coach, Jordan McDonald, uh, has left to take, uh, the offensive coordinator, excuse me, the wide receiver coach job at old miss.
01:14:43
Speaker
Uh, one position they did fill though, the Atlanta added defensive back coach, Dave Gibbs, that our staff gives us a 23 year coaching veteran who for the last three Sears has been a co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach at the university of central Florida. So, you know, the football team's got some work to do. And, uh, but I think, uh, Bilema will have a handle on it. He's now got his players in the system that are going to be working with his system. Um, so we'll see how this all works out.
01:15:13
Speaker
Now on the hardwood Brad Underwood's a line I team is currently ranked 14th in the country with a 15 and 5 record 6 and 3 in the Big 10 They're averaging 82 points a game and letting allowing only 68 Out rebounding opponents by 10 rebounds a game you're shooting 41 percent from the floor and 34 percent from the arc now that can't be understated considering they were just barely above 30 percent 30 percent from the arc last season and
01:15:41
Speaker
They've had some turbulence. They didn't have superstar swingman, Terrence Shannon Jr. for five games. But in those five games, they did go three and two. They only lost to Purdue at West Lafayette, which is no shame in that because they are also the number one team in the nation at the time. And the loss that did hurt was Maryland at home, however.
01:16:02
Speaker
Um, they are three and one since his return though, losing only to Northwestern up in Evanston. Now the reason Shannon was gone, he was suspended pending criminal investigation, criminal proceedings in Kansas, stemming from an incident where he attended Illinois, Kansas football game.
01:16:17
Speaker
He's charged with rape according to the report so but it the rape is not what you would think of as a as rape the incident was or the the situation was that supposedly
01:16:33
Speaker
He had his arm around a woman and put his hand where it shouldn't have been. And, uh, there was, as they, as they say, uh, digital penetration, which that in Kansas is considered rape. Uh, now.
01:16:50
Speaker
He has not there hasn't been no grand jury. There has been no indictments There really hasn't even been any I just don't understand how this whole thing is Gone to where it's at because this was during the Kansas football game. This was back, you know September and They didn't bother Trying to arrest him until December So they've had all this time
01:17:18
Speaker
And yet he was arrested and released after posting bond and allowed to come back to Illinois. A lot of people just didn't understand that. After that happened, he was suspended by Illinois and it was pursuant to Illinois policy. This is not something they just picked on him for.
01:17:38
Speaker
It was the only policy that anybody involved in sexual misconduct is suspended from sporting events or activities now his fate went to the hands of border review they upheld the decision so he retained a lawyer.
01:17:57
Speaker
And just recently was granted a preliminary injunction injunction to allow him back on the court that and that the injunction stemmed from the fact that he does have a Good shot at making the NBA. I think he's ranked 14th right now as a 14th pick and
01:18:13
Speaker
In the NBA. So, you know being suspended is going to affect that which affects his income and a judge saw that as not giving him his due process and Violating his 14th amendment rights. So he was he granted preliminary injunction allowing him to go back on the court. So
01:18:34
Speaker
You
Illinois Basketball Team Performance
01:18:35
Speaker
know, and Brad Underwood is more than happy to put him back on the court. He's still leading the team in points, points per game. So this is down a little bit from when he went on, went on suspension. But in the interim, while he was gone, Marcus the Mask was a one man show.
01:18:58
Speaker
He was just became the offense and the guy when you, that you wanted, uh, but he's had some help too with, uh, Damascus now running a 15 to 15.2 points a game Coleman Hawkins, 11.9. And Quincy Gary is 11.3 points a game. And Gary, who had a slow start coming out of the off in the season with the wrist injury, he's got his outside dash outside shot down.
01:19:23
Speaker
and been strong on the boards. He's leading the team in 7.9 rebounds a game. He has eight double doubles this year, including two streaks of three games apiece. Like I said, the mask has scored double figures in 14 games this season afar and has five games of 20 points or more, including a 33-point game versus Florida Atlantic early in the season and a 32-point game against Northwestern.
01:19:48
Speaker
He's averaging about four, almost five rebounds a game and just over three assists per game. Coleman Hawkins, the big story about him this year is his three-point shooting, he was like 27% last year. His three-point shooting is now up to 36%. Ty Rogers, while not being a traditional point guard, has performed very well at the points, scoring a modest six points a game, but averaging five rebounds a game.
01:20:15
Speaker
In short, the Atlantic guards are all good rebounders. Rogers, I said at 5-1, Damascus at 4.8. Luke Goody is averaging four rebounds a game. And Justin Harmon, probably the shortest guard we got, is averaging 3.2.
01:20:29
Speaker
And this team can score in so many ways. They can hit the outside shot. They can drive. Damascus doing what they call the booty ball. He gets the ball at the top near the free throw line and just works his guy backs his guy back down and takes a nice little turnaround.
01:20:45
Speaker
you know eight ten twelve foot jumper just that's what they call booty ball now I guess and then you got Shannon who can just drive and penetrate you've got Gary A with a hit the three good he can hit the three Coleman's hitting a three now Justin Harmon has come in and played some very good minutes
01:21:07
Speaker
freshman Dre Gibbs Lawhorn and Amari Hansberry have provided some good minutes off the bench. Kind of the forgotten man, if you will, has been Dane Danger. He's only getting about four or five minutes a game, but when he's in there, he makes things happen. So all in all, this team is really working well as a group.
01:21:27
Speaker
So we're at the halfway point of the season now they play in Ohio State tonight And it's a win they're gonna have to get because there's gonna be from it from this point on it's gonna be very few quad win Quad one wins available in the big ten because the big tens down you know as I told Russ Robinson our last ain't see double Airport and
01:21:51
Speaker
You know, it would not shock me if only six teams from the Big Ten made the NCAA tournament. That's just the way it looks like. This year has just not been good for the Big Ten. But anyway, that's going to do it for me tonight and I want to thank you guys for joining me. And remember to check out Gateway City Sports at Gateway City Sports. You can find content on sports in and around the St. Louis bi-state area.
01:22:14
Speaker
A number of writers we have with Russ Robinson, Bryan Swope, Gene Bonds, Cedar Rivera, and yours truly. Check out the other podcast, The Team Arrivals with Ron Nuttle, Pete Geddes, and Elliott Dewey. The two for three with the Mighty Moose, Mike Stevenson, The Derek King Sports Show with Derek King. Check us out at gatewaycitiesports.com And again,
01:22:38
Speaker
I hope you had a great holiday season. I hope 24 brings you everything you want. And until I see you guys again, have fun, stay safe, and we'll see you again when we're talking sports. On to bleachers. Good night, everybody.