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MLB ⚾ All-Star Game | Power Rankings | Trade Deadline | Awards Predictions
11 Plays17 days ago
BALL & BUDS ⚾ MLB Midseason Review
Featuring MLB Insiders Mike W, Lion Reece Penn (Wreck Room) & Jersey Boy MJ (I.O.W. Sports)
Topics: All-Star Game Selections/Preview + Power Rankings
Subscribe/Watch on YouTube @BALLandBUDS / @ballanbuds
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#sports #mlb #baseball #mlbbaseball #worldseries #allstargame #mvp #cyyoung
#newyorkmets #newyorkyankees #bostonredsox #losangelesdodgers #atlantabraves
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Transcript
Street Pro's Rap Introduction
00:00:02
Speaker
He's with the millions! It's that world heavyweight flow Championship belt wrapped around my waist, yo I got that Ric Flair fake it flow Slam you on the page, that's why they call me Street Pro Create heat on beat flow Like Jordan after the second time he three-feated folks Get ready, set, let's go Fight toe to toe, release the flow Created by this mic pro Lights, camera, get low Action packed, back to back, in fact this monster will grow, y'all better let em know.
00:00:35
Speaker
Man with the master playing and have no need to know. You can't prepare, now get ready for the show. Oh!
00:00:47
Speaker
Yo, yo, yo, what up, what up, what up friends?
Ballin' Buds MLB Roundtable Begins
00:00:53
Speaker
You know what it is, Ballin' Buds is back at it again. We are here with our Major League Baseball Roundtable and you see I got some special guests joining me today.
00:01:07
Speaker
On the far right, you know him as always, my MLB insider here at Ballin' Buds, my brother Mike. How you doing today, sir?
00:01:18
Speaker
Good to see you, man. Good to see you as always here on with always been on every single and MLB stream or podcast I have had. That man has been there and I appreciate it. And joining us here in the middle, a very special guest for the first time on Ball and Buds, but not a stranger to the Ball and Buds family because he is part of the IOW Sports Network family. And you know them from Wild Car, Mar, Detroit, Mel, Nick and the boys. Holla at...
00:01:47
Speaker
their other boy that you've never seen but you're seeing now Jersey boy MJ. What up, what up, what up? good Good to be on. Good to be on. Let's get this fucking rolling, boys.
00:02:00
Speaker
There you go. So, yeah, make sure you tap in with Jersey Boy and the rest of the IOW Sports crew, Wild Car Mar, the rest of them, you know, Detroit Melnick. Please tap in with all of them. The content is amazing.
00:02:12
Speaker
Also, make sure you subscribe to Ball and Buds, B-A-L-L-A-N-D-B-U-D-S. There's a handy QR code up there at the top. You can stream. Matt, and that'll take you to our link tree you can find our YouTube, Instagram, and everything else.
00:02:26
Speaker
Also, so please make sure you hit that like button. Whether watching now or on the replay, it is free to you, but it is invaluable to us.
Personal Story: Lou Gehrig Tribute
00:02:33
Speaker
Shout out, Mark. We see you, brother. Thank you for tuning in.
00:02:37
Speaker
And so so y'all know, I collect jerseys for a living. So tonight, I'm wearing something that that means a lot to me. There's sentiment behind this. I'm wearing number four Lou Gehrig.
00:02:50
Speaker
okay My closest friend, brother, family, lost his father last year to Lou Gehrig's disease. So I got the number four on for that.
Favorite Baseball Jerseys
00:03:00
Speaker
To my left, I got my Joe DiMaggio number five.
00:03:05
Speaker
is Here's my DiMaggio. Do little of this action and we can make that a little better. There's why my DiMaggio. Yes, look at that bad boy.
00:03:16
Speaker
Yes, sir. That is nice. And it's the old school color. You like that cream cream of white sort of? Oh, yeah, back in the 50s they used to have that cream color.
00:03:28
Speaker
Well, since we're showing jerseys, I might as well show a couple I had brought in out the closet just in case we were showing off. Got me a little. You can make me go to the closet.
00:03:38
Speaker
No, you're good. you got i want I just want to help out a little bit. There we go. A little Nolan Ryan Jacksonville Suns jersey. That is dope.
00:03:49
Speaker
And also, this one is a, where did it go? Where's the blue one at? Oh, i have to find it later. I have a Oaks Goose Gossage. Goose. Like light baby blue. It's beautiful.
00:04:01
Speaker
basic but And while Cardinal knows, I got an authentic George Brett jersey from the 1980 season. Ooh, yes. He was one of my favorite players growing up. it was George Brett and Don Mattingly.
00:04:15
Speaker
They was my two
Bobby Bonilla's Infamous Contract
00:04:16
Speaker
favorites. The craziest moment ever when he hit the home run and the the pine tar. I have an autographed picture of that. Just as he's getting onto the field, you can see the rage in his face.
00:04:29
Speaker
And that's where the camera the picture was taken. That's awesome. Mike, what's your favorite jersey you've ever had, baseball jersey you've ever had? I don't do jerseys. They just don't fit right on me. i Understandable. enough I mean, a lot of the shit i I collect and don't even wear.
00:04:45
Speaker
I'll wear like inside for something like this. Like, like, I think the only Jersey never had that i that I actually wore. I had a, I had an Adam Jones Jersey like 10 years ago. That's not that. was all will mar little morris says I got more jerseys than the athletes.
00:05:00
Speaker
sure He knows I got a lot and I'm still collecting more. Well, hey, let's talk about some of those athletes today. We're also waiting on one more. Hopefully, Lion Reese Penn from the rec room will join us. Hopefully, everything's right with him. But before we go on, just want to say happy Bobby Bonilla Day to – oh, I'm sorry. That was last week. I'm still under trauma from celebrating too hard.
00:05:26
Speaker
He had the greatest agent ever. Anyone have – go ahead, Georgie. What are your thoughts? What a contract that was.
00:05:36
Speaker
Bobby Bonita's days? I mean, that was that was great, great investment that he you know they did with him. For him to get a contract and getting paid to, what is it, 2030? 2035. 2035, getting a million a year?
00:05:51
Speaker
You've long gone playing, but you're still getting it every year.
MLB Season Insights: Injuries & Team Performances
00:05:56
Speaker
That's that's that non-adjusted inflation. That non-adjusted inflation is what got it. That I don't know how they the lawyers missed that. That was as crazy.
00:06:06
Speaker
and So it just gets bigger every year. It's crazy. Now it's blown up. It was five point nine million dollars. And they were like, oh, we'll pay it off with the Madoff Fund, which we all know what happened there.
00:06:19
Speaker
Goodbye. And now they're paying them like, it's like $25, $30 million dollars after it's all said and done. I'm like, that's ridiculous. ah Anyways, yeah, I just had to lament on that real quick. But let's go ahead and get your thoughts on the season so far. It's been a really um good season, in my opinion. I think that we have seen...
00:06:40
Speaker
who most of the good teams are and most of the bad teams are. I think we know at this point of the season earlier than most seasons who those top tier teams are. But give me your thoughts on the season, anything that sticks out really permanently. Mike, we'll start with you.
00:06:58
Speaker
Yeah, the the injuries have been what really sticks out to me this year. Just a lot of teams that people thought were going to be good took some poundings injury wise.
00:07:08
Speaker
Think about the Braves losing half their pitching staff.
00:07:15
Speaker
um yeah it's been a uh it's been an interesting year a lot of teams that i didn't think were going to be this good turned out doing pretty well uh think about like the cubs um this run the the blue jays are on if you can call it that um so yeah a lot of teams i expected to be good i still think there's some sleepers out there i think there's some teams that are laying in wait that i've seen that are really good teams that the records just don't show it yet.
00:07:41
Speaker
So I think the second half, you're going to see ah difference, at least in the wild cards in both divisions, on what this is going to look like. I think a lot of stuff's going to turn upside down. Okay. Would you like to share any of those
Team Analysis: Texas & Minnesota
00:07:53
Speaker
teams? Maybe the one you think?
00:07:54
Speaker
Sure. Yeah. I mean, when we talked before the season started, I was i was pretty hawkish on ah on Texas. and I'm still pretty hawkish on Texas. um They're under 500 right now. I think they're like a game or two under 500, but that that's a good team.
00:08:09
Speaker
They've got everything it takes to to be ah to really make a run, right? They've got two aces up top, real game-changing pitchers up top.
00:08:19
Speaker
If they can go out there and get a bat and get maybe another one or two bullpen arms, they're two games under 500, but that team can be dangerous. And the other one that I think of, it's goingnna it's going to sound absolutely crazy.
00:08:34
Speaker
I've watched ton of games this year, and the best team that I've seen every time I've seen them has been minister Minnesota. That team, their bullpen, you remember, what was it, 2014, 2015, when the Royals had that team where they had like seven closers.
00:08:50
Speaker
It just felt like everyone they brought in was just right incredible. That was when they had like Joe Ryan. in Minnesota just had it. Yeah. Yeah. They've just got this bullpen full of absolute studs.
00:09:03
Speaker
These dudes that can come in and just fireball their way through anything. It's another team. they go out and get a bat, that's the thing. I think the bats are going to be premium and they're going to cost a lot this year because there are teams like like ah like Texas that I think are just a bat away.
00:09:19
Speaker
Minnesota, I think, is probably two bats away. A team like your Mets, think if if the Mets can can go out and get bullpen arm and ah an actual third baseman, like someone that can actually play the position, um I think they've got a real chance to you know turn things around and by the end of the season, you could be talking about them being like the best team in the league, that kind of
American League Standings Review
00:09:43
Speaker
tournament. Interesting. Wow. No, I love that. I love the two under-the-radar teams. as you As you remember as well, I had Texas in the running there for world my one of my World Series contenders. So, yeah, I agree with you on that. I think that they can bounce back. I do love the Minnesota pick because they were actually hot early.
00:10:03
Speaker
And then they mj on mute real quick they were hot early, but then they they fell off. And now they're starting to come back. So actually, let's take a quick look at those standings, as you just mentioned, and show everybody what we're talking about here. So this is the American League here. So as you were mentioning there in the middle, right, we have our AL Central with the Royals there.
00:10:24
Speaker
I mean, the Twins there, three games under.500. The Rangers, as you mentioned, two games under.500. And you mentioned the Blue Jays. who swept the Yankees and are now ah five three games excuse me above the Yankees um and in first place alone in in your AL East, which, by the way, four teams above.500 there. What do you think about that?
00:10:52
Speaker
Yeah, but I think Toronto being 15 games over.500 is probably the biggest anomaly to me. I've watched – probably eight different Toronto games is very flawed team, but Hey, they tenacity. They find a way to win.
00:11:08
Speaker
you're 15 games over 500, it's not an accident. You know, um, a big run differential guy though. I think it tells a lot of stories that, that sometimes the record alone can't tell.
00:11:19
Speaker
I think they're plus 20 and the Yankees are three games behind them. Yankees are plus 102. If that if that's so that tells you any difference, I think there's a little bit of luck here. But, I mean, it's happened before Teams stay lucky and they they make the playoffs. So, um I think if I was a betting man,
00:11:42
Speaker
ah I'd bet the under for them in the second half.
Yankees' Struggles & League Dynamics
00:11:45
Speaker
But, you know, hey, hats off. Cheers to them and their fans. They've had a good little ah good little first s half. All right.
00:11:53
Speaker
Cool. And then, MJ, before we get back into these standings, what were your overall thoughts there on the season so far? What's the things that stick out to you the most? I'll be right back.
00:12:07
Speaker
Did you hear me, MJ? Oh, my bad. Hold on one second. I forgot. There you go. You're good. Yeah, I'll admit it. Okay. The biggest thing in baseball for me, being a fan who I am, I can't believe how bad the Yankees have a looked at times.
00:12:26
Speaker
Absolutely terrible they've looked. And you know what? The Mets are the same way. At times they look good, and then other times it's straight trash. yeah So there's going to be damage control.
00:12:38
Speaker
you know Come um trade that line. you know, because the Yankees, they DFA'd DJ Mayhew today. Saw that? Yeah, saw that coming. Well, you know, you might saw it too, but I saw that coming. and You because he just, you know, he still has a decent back, but he cannot play the field anymore. Like, hes he's done in the field.
00:12:57
Speaker
You know, and at that point, you you can't just need a guy off the bench for a, you know, maybe like a contact hitter. It ain't worth keeping. You know, I feel bad for the man, but, you know, get on with the Yankees. Yeah.
00:13:10
Speaker
I'll tell you what, the Dodgers, as much as they're hurting, I thought they would be better than what they really are. I mean, they're they're a good team, but they're not not last year's team.
00:13:23
Speaker
I think they are beatable. Okay. I mean, if you look at the other night, like it could be it could be just me going there. They played Houston. Houston clobbered them 18-1.
00:13:37
Speaker
It seemed to me that and Houston batters kind of knew what pitches were coming.
00:13:44
Speaker
ah A little trash can. act I mean, when you i mean you when you dive into it, signs are there and it just makes you think. like they They cheated. And the way i say it, they have these pitch comps now.
00:13:59
Speaker
You tell me they can't get tapped into?
00:14:03
Speaker
we're We're in America, and you know the government's got every way to get into shit. You tell me, if let's say you Houston alone, if they could do what they did in 17, 18, who's to say they can't tap in? That's what hackers do.
00:14:17
Speaker
Hackers hack into shit. So you tell me you don't have somebody on your team in that field of business that can hack into these, and come on.
00:14:29
Speaker
There's no reason for a pitch on. Go back to the
Ballpark Critiques: Tampa & Oakland
00:14:32
Speaker
the normal shit. yeah i mean look i'm not gonna i'm not gonna disagree with you they they have definitely have the capabilities there is definitely someone on every team in the it department that could uh definitely get ah hacked into these networks would they do it again after being caught with the trash cans the first time that would be very very bold but uh anything past anybody if you think about it bold why nothing happened to okay they they
00:15:00
Speaker
They suspended the manager and and the GM, but the manager is already back on a job in Boston, which I think a lot of times facing the Yankees, like that's my that's where my mind goes. is like It just seems like Cora has this team doing the same shit.
00:15:16
Speaker
Okay. I mean you can't be terrible against everybody else, but then also when you play the Yankees or you know a better team, all of sudden you look great. and but Boston, like they suck.
00:15:28
Speaker
I'm going to say it. They suck. But somehow they seem to know things. I mean, they, how did, I'm not going to.
00:15:39
Speaker
say whether they know anything or not, but they, they well as we mentioned earlier, there are four teams in the AL East that are above 500. That does include the Red Sox, um but the Blue Jays are heads and tails right now above everybody on their little nine and one run.
00:15:54
Speaker
But again, as Mike mentioned, the run differential is so substantial there you would expect that the Blue Jays to regress and then the Yankees to eventually overtake, but you can never put out those Tampa Bay Rays who even playing in a minor league stadium have been, Hey, come on. even That stadium is awful. Have have you guys seen that stadium? I have not, but I hate the name.
00:16:19
Speaker
It is, it is, it is a, it is a child stadium. boom is I mean, it's a, it's a, it's a spring training stadium and that's what it is. It's, It's wild. they There's nothing in that in right field to stop the jet stream in the summer from coming through.
00:16:36
Speaker
So you can just toss a fly ball towards right field, and it'll just go forever. Yankees were nice enough to let them play in that park. So they could have an advantage, can't they?
00:16:47
Speaker
But they don't. Who? You know Even though that's their quote-unquote home field right now, it's not their home field. Oh, of course not. That feels pretty bad.
00:17:01
Speaker
the The one that the A's are playing in is pretty wild too. therere a Their left field, it's on the other side, but their left field is kind of the same way. Like these fields were not built for major league no bats.
00:17:14
Speaker
So if you watch these games that that ah that Oakland, or the A's, I'm sorry, are playing in Sacramento, i call those balls, man, they are just flying. Yeah, and to back you up on that, Luis Severino actually went off on the A's organization recently for playing in such of a sham of a ballpark.
00:17:36
Speaker
They're bad. they're both ah both They're both not major league stadiums, and they're not even close. But, you know. Everyone gets a same amount of games. So I know that Tampa is playing all their home games or like 80% of their home games in the front half of the season because there's no roof on the stadium.
00:17:55
Speaker
So that the second half of the season, they're playing so many road games. Like they're barely at home at all in the second half of the season. you look at the schedule, it's pretty crazy. oh um And even
AL East & NL Standings Deep Dive
00:18:07
Speaker
home's not home. So I would not expect that Tampa team to stick around, to stick around,
00:18:13
Speaker
that third place in the AL East, you know, not that there's a whole, they're not going to catch Baltimore, but um you know, I, there, I don't think they're really too much of a threat. They're good team though. They've got good players, good arms, like the same thing they always do.
00:18:27
Speaker
They've got good arms and they've got these little players. You don't know where they came from. drafted in like the 14th round from Drexel who somehow, you know, smack singles and steal bases and are a thorn in your side for an entire series. Yeah.
00:18:43
Speaker
Yeah. um yeah I mean, yeah, is they are. They are definitely like that. look Look, this is what we got say. That is a tremendous, indication of what is going to become of the AL East.
00:18:58
Speaker
I did not realize, and i I'm glad you reminded me of that, that they were playing so many road games in the second half. That is bound to take a toll on them with all of the travel, and you can only expect negative regression. And if we're expecting regression from the for Blue Jays as well, then you would expect that the Yankees would probably pretty easily win that division unless the Red Sox make some sort of miraculous comeback.
00:19:29
Speaker
no The Red Sox have the one thing you need. If you want to have a shot, you got to have an ace. They've got the ace. So Yankees got their ace in the offseason. Yeah. Cole's gone, but they got they got freed. So those are the two teams. they've both They've got the Aces. They've got control. Well, let's look at the NL. We just talked about – Jersey boy MJ just talked about the Dodgers.
00:19:52
Speaker
They are obviously um right now well ahead in the division, five games above the Giants. But obviously five games can be – can be easily overtaken in a second half of a season. So the Padres and Giants right there.
00:20:08
Speaker
Diamondbacks, not too far behind. They could catch up, but probably not. And you're looking in the Central, the Cubs and Brewers battling it out there. You got the Cardinals hanging it back a little bit, although they've been up and down this season.
00:20:21
Speaker
And then my NL East, the Braves, all the injuries they had early in the season really set them back, but they're coming back. ah They're coming back with everybody now getting more healthy like Acuna and everybody like that. So we'll see.
00:20:34
Speaker
They still 12 games under. That's, you know, they're 13 and a half back from Philly. they got They got some work to do. Yeah. and Baltimore just swept them too. And that's my team. And there they are not good.
00:20:47
Speaker
And they Baltimore just went in there. I mean, if you look at it now, you got the Marlins ahead of Atlanta. You got the Brewers. You got the Cardinals. Yeah.
00:20:59
Speaker
You got Cincinnati, San Fran, San Diego, and Arizona all ahead of them in the standings. So they got work to do just to make the wild card.
MLB Trade Deadline Anticipation
00:21:13
Speaker
not mean I mean, they're in it, but they got work to do. Big disappointment for sure. And so the Mets and the Phillies battling it out there. And we'll see, you know, how it comes down in the end. But obviously the Mets have dealt with a lot of injuries.
00:21:30
Speaker
Their pitching is not where it's all the trade deadline. Exactly. It's all the trade deadline. Those two teams, whoever goes out, can the. Can the Mets go out and get a third baseman and which team can get the best bullpen on?
00:21:45
Speaker
And that's going to decide who wins the division. Those two teams are so equally matched. But the Mets just have that man that they have. It's it's just a cavernous hole at their base.
00:21:58
Speaker
You ain't got to tell me. Mauricio had a good game last night, so we'll see if he can beat the end. Mauricio and Beatty and Viento. If you've got three third basemen, you don't have You zero third basemen. That is correct.
00:22:12
Speaker
Mauricio should be playing second base every day for the next five years and not leave that spot. They've got to go get a third baseman. All right, cool. Well, we got my brother from the rec room coming in and I got to sincerely apologize to him.
00:22:29
Speaker
I told him that it would be ah so sorry, bro. um I told him accidentally 730, forgetting that he's in Nashville with me and not on the East Coast.
00:22:41
Speaker
So he's out here trying get his buff Magnus on before getting on for the show. Now he got to run very quickly to get back to the computer. I'm very sorry, my brother, but we're happy you're on.
00:22:51
Speaker
From the rec room, make sure you subscribe on YouTube. The Lion, Reese Penn. What's good, brother? What's going on, y'all? Sorry I'm late. little mixed up on time, you know. It is what it is. How little in before you came on camera? Yeah, you know, I figured get in the baseball shape. We're in midseason. I gotta get in the form.
00:23:11
Speaker
Yes, sir. Hey, you ain't missed nothing. We just started out and I went around the horn to ask everybody's thoughts on the beginning of the season and what stuck out to them most. So if you want to go on from there, please do.
00:23:24
Speaker
and um detroit Detroit Tigers, you know, you know, you know, Mel's happy, but Detroit Tigers are very, very good, good team. They're solid. Listen, had a baseball podcast at the beginning of the year, right before the season started, and I predicted the Tigers would win that division. I think they were on their way at the end of last year. You saw them kind of heat up, and I kind of said, if Gleyber Torres and Javi Baez could turn back into the guys we know they've been in the past, this team could be really good. You already know Torkelson and Riley Green, and those guys can match.
00:23:54
Speaker
And Tariq's the best pitcher in the league. There's no one better than Scoops. You got Flaherty behind him. I mean, the teams, yeah, they're right there. They're one of my favorites coming out of the AL. Yeah, best team in the league so far. Most wins, 58. Like you said, reigning Cy Young of the Year, Tariq Scooble, MJ. He shouldn't even repeat.
00:24:14
Speaker
I was just going to he's definitely leading the way as of right now. There's guys like Brown in ah in ah Houston, and DeGrom's having a good year. Obviously, my boy Crockett in Boston has been phenomenal, but I think right now Scoob leads the pack in the AL.
00:24:26
Speaker
Did you forget to mention Max Freed? No, I mean, listen, i'm not going to mention any Yankees on this show. You know what mean? Yeah. I'll leave those guys out. i I inadvertently didn't even realize that we're just basically having an ALE show on here with the Orioles. see it on the right side of the screen. That's crazy. They got the same record as the Rockies the last 20 games, so we'll leave it at that.
00:24:48
Speaker
Oh, yeah. Mike, your Orioles are are bad, bro. It's been a tough year, man. the injured list The team on the injured list is really good, though. The team on the IL is.
00:25:00
Speaker
That's a wild card team on the aisle. We'll just take the L this year and play spoiler. Would you consider that to be the biggest disappointment of the season is the Orioles?
00:25:11
Speaker
How could it not be? I mean, or Atlanta, one of the two. Yeah. yeah Those are the two biggest disappointments for me. i can I can't imagine. i mean, I know what it's because I'm in the fan base, but those fan bases are just crushed. I would say Atlanta definitely.
00:25:24
Speaker
And the Orioles, like as good as those those young guys are, they're just not putting it all together. If they could find a way, Orioles will be a problem. So it's just a matter will they trade off.
00:25:37
Speaker
yeah Hope is not a strategy. Yeah, that's true. they Their strategy in the off season is these guys are going to get better because they're 23. I'm just saying, like, you know, for the Orioles, for their sake, don't get rid of, you know, like Adley Rushman, you know, and things like that. don't Don't do that.
00:25:52
Speaker
Build around them. You know what you have in them. Give them time to develop. You'll be solid. And as good as that young team has played with a bunch of those guys, you still have a very good farm system. There's still a lot of good prospects in that system. Baltimore is definitely in a good place. It's been weird this year, but we'll see.
00:26:10
Speaker
just gotta just kind of put Yeah, their their triple a team is in my backyard, so I get to go watch some big boys. Norfolk Ties, baby. Let's go. Yep. i will We were looking at the standings as well, Reese, and we're about to go into the power rankings. So the MLB.com power rankings obviously have the Tigers number one for all-stars, including the starters, as they were all just mentioned. Most all-star starters since 2015.
00:26:38
Speaker
ah But they have Dodgers at number two, as we mentioned in the standings, right? The Dodgers 56-2. And 38. They're right behind Detroit, who has 59 wins. So there three wins there behind Detroit.
00:26:52
Speaker
um They got the Dodgers at number two. At number three, they have the Astros. So the surging, assh never out of it, ah maybe ah tapping with their IT people, hacking into pitch comms, allegedly Astros.
00:27:07
Speaker
anybody here getting banged on right now i don't know what's going on hey before you came on go ahead jerseys you you you can't take my jersey off no my wife doesn't want me to show off my tattoo i have so let me run down the tunnel and come out with a regular shirt on not my jersey what the fuck are you doing you we ain't stupid we ain't stupid So there were allegations of of of hacking into pitch comms by the Astros. So we'll see. ah
00:27:39
Speaker
They have 55 wins. The Cubs there at number four in the power rankings, 54 wins. And then rounding in out is the Phillies at number five in the power rankings with 54 wins. So how do we feel about those power rankings? Any comments?
00:27:54
Speaker
I think that's crazy that the Dodgers are still two, and in their last five games they've been outscored like 45 to five or whatever the heck it's been. they're dirt tail yeah They lost again today. That's what I'm saying. I mean, they're they're ah in a spiral right now. Now, obviously, that team's uber-talented. They've spent more money than just Bezos has.
00:28:10
Speaker
It's insane how many talented guys they have. But, I mean, five-game losing streak. Houston's definitely playing better right now. The Cubbies have been good all year. They've gotten all kinds of production from guys that we would have never seen coming. Shocker that team is. Yeah, I mean.
00:28:25
Speaker
Who saw PCA being this good? Yeah, I mean, what Boyd's doing, what Crow Armstrong's doing. help Michael Bush at first is quietly having a phenomenal year. I mean, they're stacked up, man. Kyle Tucker was a big ah signing a couple years. Listen, that team's ready to go. They've made some good moves.
00:28:40
Speaker
Yeah, Crow crow Armstrong, that is the guy to watch. I had them winning the Central, by the way, on my first podcast for baseball. So, again, I've only been wrong on on New York in the East so far, which was a surprise.
00:28:52
Speaker
I just don't. Yeah, the um the the thing about the Dodgers, Omar, is that there there's so much pitching that's on the I.L. right now, right? Like, I don't know if Sasaki is going to make it back this year, but they still got Blake Snell, who's about to start a rehab assignment, just a two-time Cy Young Award winner back, just out of nowhere. Can he pitch more than five minutes ago?
00:29:16
Speaker
doesn't matter. to Cy Young is doing it already. You know? Good point. Very good point. You don't even have to do that. You're going have a tax bullpen by the time he gets back.
00:29:27
Speaker
I have a feeling they'll be all right. Trinan's coming back. They, I mean, they've got a goal. It's embarrassing, the riches. They've just got all-stars. He's right. Their IL's crazy. I mean, they've been been missing all kinds of guys all year. If they had Glass now, if they had Snell, if they had those guys, we're probably looking at a team that's five, six games up right now.
Trade Deadline Tactics & Predictions
00:29:52
Speaker
now Now, to give the MLB.com their credit, because I don't want us to just be shitting on them for no reason. Although, when you and I, Reese, went over their other one a few weeks ago, it also got got shit on. But this was three days ago that this came out. So, they probably didn't see the last three Dodgers losses. So, we'll give it to them there. But, yeah, now that the Dodgers have lost six in a row, yeah, they've fallen down a little bit. And we'll see. But, again, it's all about that trade deadline as Mr. Mike, my MLB insider, mentioned earlier. So let's go ahead and move into that.
00:30:21
Speaker
And let's talk. Oh, somebody got an alert. I don't know what they got on their phone, but let's go ahead think about it. That was me. Jorge Polanco hit a solo shot against the Yankees. Oh, there you go. Yankees up for for two though.
00:30:33
Speaker
Okay. All right, cool. Well, let's go ahead move it into the trade deadline and talk about what we could see. um So a lot of people are thinking that with the the new playoff expansion that we've seen in the past, you know, a few years with more teams getting into the playoffs, that there will be a lot less action. Logically, that makes sense.
00:30:54
Speaker
A lot more teams are not out of it yet. They're still the hunt. They're not giving up. They may not want to just start selling off players all of a sudden. But there, as was mentioned on this show plenty of times already in the first 10 minutes, like all of the contenders need big pieces in order to be able to ah round out their team and solidify themselves as playoff contenders. So Reese, you just came in. We'll start with you on this one. What are your thoughts about the upcoming trade deadline? Who do you see could be traded? What teams are you looking at? Anything like that?
00:31:32
Speaker
I mean, obviously one of the teams is going to be the most active, and it's the reason why you can never count those homosexuals out is those Yankees just above me there. I fucking hate those guys, but you know they're going to be active. They're going to add somebody to that team.
00:31:45
Speaker
I'm hearing Giancarlo Stanton's on the market. He might be going somewhere. I'm not really sure. He never plays anyway, but – They definitely need to add a couple of people after Max Freed. I mean, that pitching staff has questions for sure. So they definitely have to look there. And in the lineup, it's got a couple guys. They just designated DJ LeMethieu for assignments. So obviously they've got some holes they've got to fill. I think they'll add another bat too. They'll probably be the most active.
00:32:09
Speaker
All right. ah Jersey boy MJ, follow that up. That's your team. What do you think about that? And what do you think about any other teams on the trade deadline? This is a little reply to you, Reese. Hmm.
00:32:22
Speaker
You're talking to a fan of a team that's got 27 world titles. 20 before you were born. 27. 20 before you were born. Here we go. I knew this was good. More than 20.
00:32:34
Speaker
I love that they dominated the 20s, bro, but, I mean, it was like 17. I saw them win five and lose two. so You ain't seen them win one in a little while now.
00:32:45
Speaker
Ain't that long. One in like the last, what, 10 years? And who you root for Listen, since the 2000s, we've got four.
00:32:57
Speaker
Who do you root for? know who I root for. Yeah. I wiped ass with that hat. the only time The only team to ever come back from 3-0, boys, in case y'all forgot.
00:33:08
Speaker
Yeah. That's great. So. You have that one. non-Yankees then, Jersey boy, what else do you think about the trade deadline since you already talked about your team?
00:33:18
Speaker
No, well, what what I want the Yankees to do, I i honestly, i would go out and get Nolan Aranato. Ooh. That would be a move I would make for third. You know, because you putting Jazz back to second, perfect. That's his natural position.
00:33:34
Speaker
Now you got young Peraza, you know, they're going to move to third. You ain't got much else for third with Osvaldo Cabrera being down. I would literally go out and I would get an Arenado for sure because they wouldn't have to take on that much money.
00:33:47
Speaker
And that's a good part about that. And him you know him and Goldsmith were teammates. Gold glove third baseman with a good bat. Why not insert him into that lineup?
00:33:58
Speaker
Now, the back end, Yankees have problems with their bullpen. Their bullpen is trash, straight trash. And ever since Weaver came up to IL, the dude's ERA is over 10.
00:34:10
Speaker
That's unacceptable. That's not somebody you can rely on right now. He's not what he was, and neither is anybody else. like They traded for Devin Williams. He's had like a good last 15 games or so. He's been good, but he's another one. He can't be trusted when he's brought that game in a big situations.
00:34:30
Speaker
yeah so They're going to have to go out and get a back in peace, maybe if not a closer. I don't know who's available to close, but maybe maybe the guy from Oakland. What's his name, Miller?
00:34:42
Speaker
Jason Miller? Jason Miller. Maybe it's good to ask him prices on him. You know, just to go out and sure up the back end. You know, starting pitching, they've been all right. Is that me?
00:34:55
Speaker
He is right, because the last time the Yankees were really dominant, it was that bullpen that you could give a lot of credit to when they had Chad Green and all those guys, even when they had Andrew Miller and stuff. So the bullpen's definitely ah a place to go for them.
00:35:10
Speaker
So looking at the top bullpen arms, you got Emmanuel Kasse from the Guardians. You got Johan Duran from the Twins, Griffin Jacks from the Twins, and that's that's it. that he a roll chap I don't think these teams are out of it.
00:35:27
Speaker
I don't think they're goingnna i think the Twins are going to trade away the best part of their team when they're they're hunting for a lot cards. And Cleveland, too, like Kasse. four teams that are selling. That's it. The other thing you got to think about, too, is that if they're on the last, and I don't know their contract status, but if these people are the last year of their contract, that doesn't really matter sometimes. Sometimes you really want the younger prospects at a, and you pick up a bullpen arm later and just hope for the best in the playoffs. So that could also be the case for Class A. I don't know his actual contract status, but for the Twins, you got Durant and Griffin Jacks.
00:36:03
Speaker
You can afford to trade one of them. They've got like, they've got like five of those dudes. there you go So Mike, what do you think about the trade deadline? Go ahead. I've never seen a time where everyone needed like a first baseman and there haven't been first baseman.
00:36:17
Speaker
like I don't ever remember a time in my entire life where there's just no first baseman that you don't exist. What happened to like, you know, you get the fat guy, you throw him in the gym. may put something in his butt and have him hit the weight. All he has to do is go out there and mash the ball to right field. What happened to that? Like we don't have any of those guys.
00:36:36
Speaker
Everyone needs a first baseman and there's none out there. So I think it's going to be a race for, for for a first baseman, a third baseman and those bullpen arms, whatever, ah whatever's left. Cause there's only like four or five teams that are out of it.
00:36:49
Speaker
Right. now the The first baseman might, that has been bandied around the most would be your first baseman, Ryan O'Hearn. no um where could you possibly see him getting traded to?
00:37:01
Speaker
I mean, I think Seattle would love to get a hold ah a hold of him. i think they're just a bad away. I think, you know, there's there's just there's a lot of teams that need that need first baseman. The Twins could use the first baseman.
00:37:15
Speaker
don't think there's a lot of teams that that don't. wouldn't want a first base which is why so which is why i'm glad that the yankees signed goldsmith because they got him for like 11 and a half or two million one year know what i mean like yeah it was like they got him on the cheap but they weren't but they weren't buying into him to be their cornerstone going forward they bought him to be a bridge for the next year or two for maybe like a bed rice or if they go and get somebody you know he could be the teacher sort of you know passing it on to him so that was a great pickup and what he's doing for yankees it's been
00:37:46
Speaker
You know, unbelievable so far. So I'll, I'll take it cause it was cheap and I understand why they did it. You know they weren't, they weren't looking to invest for like 10 years, a year or two. Okay.
00:37:56
Speaker
That's what we're looking for.
00:37:59
Speaker
Now, I know you mentioned Nolan Arenado earlier, and he was talked about being traded to the Astros, but then he pulled his name out of those talks with his no-trade clause. So he does have that no-trade clause. So if not Arenado, the only other one that could actually be out there, and that's if the Red Sox decide that they are going to be out of it and trade another superstar, would be Alex Bregman.
00:38:21
Speaker
But I can't imagine they would do that after trading Devers last week, right? Devers, but... um Yeah, I mean, there have been talks about Bregman. Actually, the Yankees have been linked to Bregman. I know they never push they made a little push for him. He's definitely out there, but I don't think he'll move.
00:38:35
Speaker
Now, one you should look at is actually someone who did just recently get traded, and that's Rafael Devers. I'm hearing that there's a lot of friction going on San Fran, much of the same stuff that was going on in Boston. What? you I'm serious. He no-showed on Will Clark the ground to to ah pick grounders the other day, and they have Chapman over there. So, I mean, don't be surprised if one of those guys could move.
00:38:56
Speaker
Ryan McMahon in Colorado is another guy. I think there's going to be – there's just not a lot of third basemen out there There's a lot of teams that need him. I think a guy like McMahon can fetch Colorado quite a bit right now. Which which I which i wouldn't if they can you wouldn wouldn't do that.
00:39:12
Speaker
Not for him. Also, hey, look out for Manny Machado. Look how bad they are. What are they going to do? The Rockies suck. There's no point in them keeping them. Which I understand, but I'm saying i wouldn't break the bank to go and get them.
00:39:25
Speaker
if um If I'm a Yankee man, like I – So you think his power is from Coors Field more than anything? anything I mean, he can have that look and in New York, but I just don't see him as a – Go ahead, Reese. I mean to cut you off. Go ahead, Reese. Oh, no, was just saying. I mean, but I don't even remember what i was saying.
00:39:46
Speaker
but Oh, I was saying Manny Machado. Manny Machado, sorry. I'd look for him. Is he block? don't know he's on the block, but he's been a guy that's been talked about a lot. That team has a lot of young talent. They also have a lot of big contracts. I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to maybe get rid of one, and Manny is the older of most of their star guys, so I could see him possibly getting moved, especially to a team that offers big for him.
00:40:08
Speaker
Yeah, that's very logical, very logical. That's a big contract to have to bring in. For sure. I think they would have to cover some of it for someone to take on. Hey, Reese. It was what, $350 million, right? Let me ask a question, Reese.
00:40:21
Speaker
How do you feel about that Devers move? How do you feel that about him ah as a player, the way he was with that organization, and why they traded him? and when again I can't speak about what exactly went on in there. I know there was a lot of turmoil and it was something I talked about in my first podcast that I was kind of worried that it could kind of linger. It could be an issue. There could be something wrong with the chemistry and it could mess the camaraderie of the team up.
00:40:45
Speaker
So they felt they had to make the move. I don't mind it. Listen, the guy can hit homers. We get that. He's been mashing since he came into the league, but he's made more errors than anyone at third base the last seven years. He's a complete liability over there and he wasn't flexible. At the end of the day, you're not a superstar your position. You're a good hitter, but That's about it. So you've got to be some kind of flexible in that kind of situation. So I didn't really like the way he handled it and just was it was.
00:41:09
Speaker
you know If one is true, you know he said he didn't want to play first base. like He wanted to play third, third only. You're a professional, man. like Who's to say you can't move to another position?
00:41:21
Speaker
It's not like they asked him to go from like third base to right field or closer. like It's a corner. like Or from third to starting pitcher to the catcher. Well, no, no, no. I understand the first the first request to move. for And i my bad, y'all in the chat.
00:41:36
Speaker
I see y'all chatting. My bad. I apologize, Mar. I'll get to you in one second. My bad, man. I'm out here leaving my man Mar hanging. But I understand him getting requested to go to DH. But them requesting me to play first base, which I've never played before, and the and the two requests are back-to-back. Like, why didn't you just make that request at the beginning? didn't make that request at the beginning because Tristan Kastis wasn't hurt.
00:41:56
Speaker
Once that situation occurred, I feel like if you're a team guy, if you're one of the leaders on the team, you are at least open to it, to have the conversation, to consider it. And he was just basically like, F that, I'm doing me.
00:42:08
Speaker
So I don't know. I wasn't feeling it. I think a lot of guys would have accepted a at least tried it out. I mean, Jesus. We've seen guys make that move to first. We've seen Bryce Harper go to first. We've seen bigger stars make that move. So.
00:42:21
Speaker
Shit, I mean, not that he's a former MVP and the former MVP. But look at codium Cody Bellinger. He'll play first. You know, and there's no.
00:42:32
Speaker
Center, left, right. You need to play first today. By the way, I love Cody Bellinger. When y'all got him, that really upset me because he's definitely one of my guys in the league, man. and And I was glad when Boston got rid of Devers because he absolutely kills the Yankees. I know. That was the only part that hurt me. I was like, you just can't get rid of guys who kill the Yanks. Like, we need those guys in the lineup. Yeah, I heard i heard that i was actually driving to my boy's house, who's a Met fan.
00:42:55
Speaker
So I was on his way to the house, and I got the alert, and I was like driving. I'm like, fuck. Devers is gone. He's added AL East. o Goodbye. Goodbye. rees play I'll play devil's advocate on the, uh, on the, on that trade. Like if, if I took a discount and took those years to be a part of a team that told me that I was going to be a part of the decision-making process.
00:43:20
Speaker
And my job was to sit back and hit but hit bombs over that monster or into that little short corner and right field. and then you turn around and you sign a third baseman and don't talk to me about it, I would feel some kind of way too. Now, is it the right thing? Did he make the right move by throwing a fit and saying no?
00:43:38
Speaker
No, obviously not. but Looking at it from the other perspective, I can see how he would be a little, he would feel some kind of way about them paying a whole lot of money for another third baseman when they told him, you're our guy for 10 years, take this discount for this long-term contract. and and and um Hey, he's not know you told me we're going steady, Reese.
00:44:00
Speaker
Right, but and while I can get that, it's been certain other chick. I mean, I can get, listen, I can appreciate that, but things are fluid in that kind of way. And at the end of the day, if you wanted to solidify your spot, you should have worked on some damn grounders. The fact that you made more errors than anyone at that position makes you liable to get moved from that position. I mean, what are we supposed to Just watch him kick the ball over there all year?
00:44:22
Speaker
And that's the thing, too. You played that your whole life, let's say, third base like he has. How are you terrible? Right. How are you? okay at How can you not feel your position? His job is not to play defense. yeah His job is to hit home runs into the short porch at Yankee Stadium and run slowly around the bench. They a position for that. It's called the H.
00:44:45
Speaker
Which he was going to go to. Yeah, he could have been Poppy. I really thought he should have just turned into Poppy. That was my opinion, bud. Yep. Okay, so, hey, before we move on to Red Sox, we all talked about real quick because we were looking at the standings.
00:44:58
Speaker
We all were on and off on whether we thought the Red Sox could make a run with how far they are. Made it to our last 10 games. One of the hottest lineups in baseball, I'm just saying. guys still suck.
00:45:11
Speaker
I love it. Regman's been out the whole year. Gialito didn't come back until later in the first half. He's pitching phenomenal. His last five starts. If Brian Bellow gets going, we already know Crotchet's of the three best pitchers in the AL right now.
00:45:25
Speaker
And we can hit the ball with those young kids. We've got a shot. We're not out of it yet. I promise you that. Hey, there you go. And stay tuned. We're going to have our and our MVP Cy Young and World Series picks at the end of the show. So stay tuned for that with a tease.
00:45:37
Speaker
I can guarantee what three teams I'll tell you won't make the World Series. Well, you know what? We'll wait till we get there. We can all name three teams that won't make the World Series. I mean, that's not hard. I got three fan bases in front of me.
00:45:51
Speaker
we know i got I got what you were saying. um All right. The Yankees might not even make it. He said mice. i't I can't see that i think that. I think the Yankees and Mets most likely are pretty much in. I'd have to look at the percentages, but I'm pretty sure unless there's some.
00:46:10
Speaker
ah and In the playoffs. Yeah, what's on the World Series, Omar? Oh, yeah. Well, I mean, they both have a chance for the World Series, too. It's not like they don't. Any team that makes the playoffs has a chance for the World Series.
All-Star Game Coverage Plans
00:46:20
Speaker
All right. Anyways. Tell him Omar.
00:46:22
Speaker
Tell him Omar. He knows. ah Any other thoughts on the trade deadline?
00:46:29
Speaker
No. What's up? Any other thoughts on the trade deadline before we move on? I mean, you know it's going to fun, man. There's going lot of teams that make some moves. The Yankees will be there. The Dodgers. I can see the Giants because they're actually kind of close. They're right there with the Dodgers. um Milwaukee's hanging in there with Chicago. Look for them. And Atlanta needs to figure something out. i don't know what's going on over there, but they can't just let the Phillies and the Mets just run wild in this division right now.
00:46:54
Speaker
There's always some team that everyone thinks is in it. That's just gonna start selling. It's gonna everyone it's goingnna blow everyone's head up. so And always look for those small markets to get rid of guys.
00:47:05
Speaker
Yeah, the Tampa's, the A's, those kind of teams will be moving someone. so Minnesota. So right now um i have the fan graphs up, so you know what I'm looking at. The best percentages to win the World Series right now, the Dodgers have a 21.2% chance. an 11.3% chance.
00:47:23
Speaker
The Phillies are at 10.9%. The Astros 8.7%. Cubs are, sorry, Mets 7.1%. Cubs 6.3%. Those are your five percentages in fan graphs. cubs are sorry mets seven point one cubs six point three those are your top five percentages in fan grabfts So they got the Dodgers as the prohibited favorite right now with the Tigers and the Phillies in second and third.
00:47:48
Speaker
that's your fan graphs percentage playoff chances at the moment. All right, cool. That was a great trade deadline discussion. We are at the midpoint though. So let's go ahead and talk about the mid season game and who will be covering it. Ball and buds, baby.
00:48:04
Speaker
I will be in Atlanta in the ATL hot land of covering the all-star game for all. Are you going to the game? I am. Yes, I am. i went to the 2017 All-Star Game in Miami when Pitbull and Keshen, all of them were there.
00:48:19
Speaker
Yes, sir. Yeah, me and my pops are headed down there to go hang out and check the festivities. I was i was invited to come down and cover the events. I got some good tickets. You're doing the derby too? On the third baseline. I'm not going to do the derby. I don't feel like Alonzo's not going to be there.
00:48:33
Speaker
ah But I'll be covering the fan fest the best in ever. Listen, hey, do you want to really know where I'm gonna be Monday night? Because I'm planning on going to Magic City. Because I've got to hit Magic City on my only trip to Atlanta. So that's why I plan on being Monday night. if you Listen, I went to the Derby, and that man's boy Aaron Judge put on a show in Miami. It was crazy to watch him hit balls in a space.
00:48:55
Speaker
That's the only part about the, you know, the All-Sorts is the home run derby. I like, you know, the main game just, it doesn't have like that. baseball feeling to it. know I mean? It's like, let's say, let's say Tariq Skubal, he starts.
00:49:11
Speaker
Let's say he goes three innings, no hits. They're going to pull him out. And that sucks. You know mean? You want to see him against the best. Best of the best. Here's what I got. Here's what you got.
00:49:22
Speaker
In fairness, they're going to pull him out for another number one guy. It's not like you're pulling him out for like bullpen. Like you're giving all these number one guys their shot to do their thing. I'm not coming in. yeah And they're not putting me in. Oh, go ahead. Go ahead, Jersey. The one thing I thought about is I understand they want they want one player from each you know from every team in a league.
00:49:47
Speaker
How about you just make it, if you're deserving of it, you get the call instead of just saying, okay, well, let's look at let's look at Colorado as bad as they are.
00:49:58
Speaker
ah We're going to put something in the all-star game from them. And let's say that guy don't deserve it. Let's say, you know like you got like the bets or the Tigers, Yankees, Sox, whoever it is.
00:50:09
Speaker
Let's say they got like five, six guys that very well could or should be on it. But some guys are missing out because of the, you know, including every team and in the league to have a player.
00:50:23
Speaker
It should just be based on whether or not you're good enough. For sure, and I agree with that to an extent. I mean, obviously, i get what they're doing. They want every team to have a representative and all that. But at the end of the day, if your team's really bad, bad enough that you don't have an all-star, you probably don't have any fans that are watching baseball anyway, so you don't need your guy there. yeah That is not true. Do not do that to the coaches. I'm just saying. I mean, come on.
00:50:44
Speaker
Who goes to Marlins games? There's, like, more people at a high school gym. i get it but they's still I get it, but at the same time, yes. No, you're completely right, both of you. going to snub a guy who has 20 homers, 60 RBIs, for a guy who has like five homers hitting 250 because he needs to represent Colorado? like if you could have If you can have 10 more Rockies fans pay for the money to come to the All-Star game than you have to But you know at the end of the day, it's a business, right?
00:51:10
Speaker
and So I can either engage Denver, the 15th or whatever biggest market in the country, or I could have a fourth player from Detroit on the team that's not going to get any more eyes on my on my program.
00:51:23
Speaker
At the end of the day, i mean, we all love the game, but they're trying to make some money. Like I said, up I definitely understand. get that for sure. Yeah. you You can't just leave entire markets.
00:51:34
Speaker
just turn the light switch off and not let them not let them watch. as a As a Washington Wizards fan, this is what I do every year at NBA All-Star Weekend. I go, I don't mean to watch that shit.
00:51:44
Speaker
but I got no reason. i don't care about it. But an Orioles fan, now you watch this year because you're going have, i don't know, you have... dude i i watched the all-star games when melvin mora and brian roberts were the the players from the orioles on the on the all-star team so just to watch but also too i know you say it's a business but there's also the insegrity to game and if you're deciding home field advantage in the most important series of the year the world series then wouldn't it be safe to say you should each have your best players? Like, how is it fair if one league has more bad teams and gets more bad representatives playing against a more stacked team if it's deciding home field in the World Series?
00:52:24
Speaker
Are they still doing that? yeah I thought they stopped that. I thought they had stopped that. No, they're still – the winner gets home field advantage in the World Series, so that's why I think it should be your best team forward.
00:52:35
Speaker
Have a good man. Especially teams like the Rockies, the Whites. They're not going to be in the World Series. So those guys don't care anyway. But again, you've got to think about the fact that what what Mike said, people like him who are Orioles fans that may not even be interested in the the team may be interested in going to the All-Star game if it's to in their locale or even just watching it on TV because one of their players is in there. And that's just more money for the business.
00:52:59
Speaker
I promise you the All-Star game is going to sell out no matter who's in it. Correct. You're right. You're right. I mean, I'm not. um Okay, so wait. I am looking this up, and so it says –
00:53:12
Speaker
sit Now, I mean, somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but it says right here, I Google searched it, and I'm looking at a couple ah sources here. That's no longer the case. They no longer get home field advantage.
00:53:23
Speaker
Really? When did that change? It's based on the best record in baseball. It's based on the best record season. That's not one for a long time, but I thought they changed that like five, six years ago. whenever it They did. Yep. 2017. Okay. Yeah.
00:53:37
Speaker
like you're right yeah And no, Mar, it's not ah it's not a participation a trophy per se, but it is a participation game and it is meant meant to represent all players and teams.
00:53:47
Speaker
And also, if you're looking at the history of a game on ah on a yearly basis, if you have one team that's not represented, how do you represent that history? Yeah, but maybe if you don't just give an automatic to every team, it would entice teams to get better players on their team so they could be actually represented through merit.
00:54:05
Speaker
but they also have like the, like Clayton Kershaw is on the team this year, just cause everyone likes Clayton Kershaw. He didn't even get voted in. ri I come me and next year was Like Justin Verlander going six, they'll do it next year for him.
00:54:21
Speaker
Like they, they always have that like legend pick now that comes yeah, it's, yeah it's Now, we will talk about Kershaw in just a second because the reason he did get elected, let's not lets not throw shade on him. He did get his 3,000. He didn't get elected. They selected him.
00:54:35
Speaker
There's like a legends. a legend But it was because he got his 3,000 strikeout, though. That's why they
Robo-umps & Umpire Performance
00:54:40
Speaker
did it. Right. And we've seen this before. Cal Ripken won all-star MVP in a year. He shouldn't have been in the game. so Yes, I know. I mean, that thing was groove down the middle, but I'll give you, he did hit it out. Ah, it sure was.
00:54:52
Speaker
I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm not saying All right, let's do some comments real quick. Champ, shout out my brother Champ Ross tuning in. If y'all love boxing, he runs a boxing predictions group. You can pick fights weekly and win money, and it's free to play. So if you like boxing, get with me. I'll get you to them.
00:55:07
Speaker
I'm glad my Giants finally got a big bat who haven't had a 30-home run guy since Bonds. We just talked about Devers. You're lucky um that you got him. He's definitely to mash as long as these rumors of the ah the the discontent already are not true.
00:55:22
Speaker
Mar, that's exactly what ah happens, and I did not do this on purpose. I promise I did not do an ALE stream on purpose. It just happened this way. Chad says Red Sox fans are always delusional. Yes, that is correct. He also says Goodman has 17 home runs and 50 RBIs for the Rockies. Not a bad year for a rookie.
00:55:43
Speaker
That's a very good point. Very good performance. He hes a good deserves to be shown out there. He also says they are using Robo-UMPs. for it too, for the All-Star 2. So they are using the Robo-Otoms apparently in the exhibition game. Robo-Otoms are awesome. Yeah, go ahead. What do you think? They're awesome. like I said, I got a minor league team in my backyard, and it's so fast. Like, you get it, and then you just tap your head in like two seconds later. Wait, so want computers calling balls and strikes?
00:56:15
Speaker
I'm totally fine with it. Totally fine with Because the fan, as a fan, you get you look up you look up at the big screen and it shows the box and it shows the pitch come in and you get to see that just the just the three millimeters, two millimeters of that ball wasn't in the strike zone.
00:56:30
Speaker
it's It's exciting. It's fast. I'm telling you, it doesn't sound great. I didn't like the way it sounded either. But then when I saw it, i was like, oh, this is cool. This is good. So you got to see it.
00:56:41
Speaker
You have to watch it in play. Watch it in the game. Hold your judgment until you see it in the All-Star game and then come back and and talk about it Because once you see it, that the grandpa in you that's, oh the game ain't the same as it was. when When you see it play in front of your eyes, you're going to like it.
00:56:59
Speaker
It's the same thing the way that I felt about about ah the changes they made with the pitch clock and all that stuff. I didn't like it. Then I watched it I was like, oh, yeah. Greg Maddox would be having an aneurysm if he was called by a robot. I'm just like, no, no. This guy lived two inches off the corners. Nolan Ryan with nolan ryan would fist fight that interview. Exactly.
00:57:17
Speaker
getting right in a headlock in a headlock yeah yeah robin victor but watch it seriously give it a shot when you watch it at the all-star game it's really interesting it brings it's just like other exciting little bird thing out there it's Now, I will say, in the future, if they are going to use the Robo-Arms in the major leagues, it's only going to be on a challenge basis system.
00:57:42
Speaker
Yeah, they're not – yeah. It wouldn't be every single ball and strike. the The team would have to ask for it. So – Look, all that dirt around home plate, you've got to have someone to kick it at, right?
00:57:53
Speaker
You've got to – yeah I agree. I don't like the the human element being taken out of it. But if it it is only for challenge calls, I have no problem with that because there are times when umps are very horrible.
00:58:05
Speaker
ah We all know. At times. Shit. Every game. Every night. I was about to shit on old boy, but I really don't want to i don't want to make any and make him feel any worse than he probably already does for being the worst.
00:58:16
Speaker
For big calls, I don't mind it. Obviously, we saw a perfect game get ruined by human error so long ago in Detroit with Galarraga and that thing. Jim Joyce. Right, exactly. So for big calls and things of such, I don't mind it, but I don't want an entire game being called by a robot squeezing these pitchers into these small boxes and turning the MLB into every other sport where we're just lighting scoreboard up and nothing else matters.
00:58:40
Speaker
It is pretty crazy when when they show the box and they show the pitch come in and you can see it. It just taps the corner of that strike zone by ah buy a pubic hair. And you're like, what the?
00:58:50
Speaker
I can't believe that was a strike. and It's pretty much. One thing I just can't fathom how this keeps happening. hey How are umpires this fucking bad?
00:59:03
Speaker
across the board, cross every every sport every day where they are terrible. Like how can you, you know especially when you something happens and you go to replay and replay shows what really, where it was, it' safer you know safe out, foul, whatever it is, foul fair.
00:59:20
Speaker
And you go to revere review and you overturn the shit I mean, there's an easy answer to that. Sports gambling is legal now in the United States. I know. I know. That's that's the thing. like it's it's just It just amazes me, especially watching Yankee games.
00:59:36
Speaker
Right away, they've got the instant view. Boom. And they will zoom in on something. I mean, what other explanation when some of the calls are as egregious as they are? it has to be pocket lining. They were probably always that bad, but we didn't have ah cool little box in the strike zone that shows you what the strike zone We didn't have instant replays at second base to show the guy, you know, lifting his hand up to do a swim slide to avoid a tag. He just would have been out.
01:00:04
Speaker
like we didn't I think technology is just showing us they've always been bad. like Technology, yeah analytics. yeah real deal but Exactly. with the emergency With the emergence of technology and having that in their back pocket to correct mistakes when they are, then you see the the human element in play. Now, the only thing is, yes, these we know every sport, the umpires are horrible. I have been lamenting on umpires, referees forever. yeah But a lot of times they don't invest in their own refereeing.
01:00:38
Speaker
Like these these people are like most of them are – they have second jobs as teachers and janitors and like garbage men. And I don't need like my garbage man that picks up my trash at 7 a.m.
01:00:49
Speaker
to be calling strip balls and strikes at 7 a.m. because his busy vision is probably a little off by that time. They got a union. They should talk to their union about that then. Just saying. Just saying, make them full-time refs, at least in the NFL too, because the NFL is only 16 weeks long or 18 weeks long now.
01:01:06
Speaker
So at least make them full-time refs where you're paying them to not do anything else in the season but get calls right. And another thing I always want, I want accountability. in front of everybody. Like, you know how the the players get interviewed after the game or have the little press conference, have these umpires and referees sit up there and get drilled with questions.
01:01:26
Speaker
How can you blow this call? Why did you call this? Why you call that? It's, Put them up there and see what their fucking answer is to you. Somebody look outside for dark clouds because it's crazy how much I'm feeling what a Yankee fan is saying right now. I've been saying this for years. Put in front of the camera. Make them answer for these calls sometimes.
01:01:44
Speaker
Have them do pressers too. We need answers sometimes. Now, whether right or wrong, I want to hear from your from the horse's mouth, okay, you you made this call. Why? That no call pass interference and that Saints guy, know we're talking baseball, I'm sorry, but that was great when he just lays them out. like I'm just like, come I can you exactly how that ah that press conference would go from the other side. Just be like, talk about that play. Like, oh, I i thought he was safe.
01:02:10
Speaker
a Upon a review, we saw a review, he was out, you called safe. He looked out. He didn't answer that. I do like how they have ump scorecards, like the ones they post on Twitter.
01:02:24
Speaker
and Because those will really let you know how good the ump is. And we all know, I wasn't going to say his name earlier, but we just got to call out. Angel Hernandez. We all know who Angel Hernandez is and how horrible he is at as an ump buyer. The worst. If you say who, you don't know baseball.
01:02:39
Speaker
yeah His name is Sanana's around. He needs more training. He's gone now, right? Yeah. Yeah. i think he retired last year. Yeah. and yeah Last year. angel who own Yeah. He retired.
01:02:50
Speaker
But anyways. Okay. All right. Now that we all got that off of our chest, let's catch up on some comments here. Appreciate everybody tuning in again. Make sure you tap in with everybody here. IOW Sports Network, the rec room in here at Ball and Buds as well. We went through some of the comments earlier, but most of them had to do with um the integrity of the game being in only big calls.
01:03:13
Speaker
Let's see. Champ says, isn't there a baseball umpire school in Florida? You know, I don't know that. That's a big question. Possibly. If there is, they need to do more more OJT on the job training.
01:03:25
Speaker
Um, let's see what else we got. Oh, you know, I missed this one, Mar, but I promise you when I'm out in Magic City, I will be getting some lemon pepper Lou wings. And by the way, when I actually looked up Magic City to find the directions, I looked up Magic City Gentleman's Club, and it says Magic City Grill.
01:03:44
Speaker
So it really does consider itself a nice restaurant. I just
01:03:49
Speaker
And I will be there. All right. Anyways, keep it moving. um Speaking of pitching, though, going into the All-Star game, right? We talked about the great pitchers that are out there. A lot of them are young. We're looking at these All-Star games, the influx of young talent, right?
Young Talent & Veteran Absences
01:04:05
Speaker
Now, this could be...
01:04:07
Speaker
because a lot of the highest paid players are not on the team this year. Aside from Wheeler, Judge, and DeGrom, who are your two, three, and four highest paid players in the league, they are the only ones in there in the top 20.
01:04:21
Speaker
No one else is in there. So a lot of the high profile players, including Soto, not in there. lot of the young players being brought in as well. um So what do we think about the in with the new, out with the old sort of thing? Could this just be injuries?
01:04:38
Speaker
Could it be related to economics? Could it just be related to so to slow starts for older players? Jersey boy, we're going to start for you. Give us your thoughts on the new versus old in this world, in this ah all-star game.
01:04:52
Speaker
Well, I'm an old school guy. So, I mean, I and i completely understand, like, somebody Some of this young talent that is out there, if you watch them play like I'm sure y'all have, they are like Paul Skeens.
01:05:08
Speaker
He is amazing. Amazing to watch. Like you said, Tyreek Skubal, amazing to watch. And they're on the younger side. Skubal, I think, is in like his fifth season, I believe. Something like fifth, sixth season, something like Something like Something in his sixth, seventh, yeah. Yeah, you know, Skeens is in number two.
01:05:25
Speaker
I mean, and they, them two, just them two alone with nobody else said, them to are just amazing to watch. I don't know if you watched Mizorowski over there Milwaukee the other night. Mizorowski, yeah. But that kid is sensational. He can really bring it.
01:05:40
Speaker
No, I did i did not. ah I hate Milwaukee. He beat your boy Clayton Kershaw. So since we were talking about Kershaw earlier, he matched up with him the other night and beat him. so okay I hate seeing guys like that because I watch him and I'm like, man, he's just like a year away from Tommy John. These guys are are just throwing.
01:05:55
Speaker
Every time I see him, I can't get too excited because I'm like, man, going get excited about this guy. He's going blow ton of ass. mean, but listen, most come back stronger from Tommy John. I feel like we should just automatically Tommy John guys in their rookie years and just let Mike add a couple.
01:06:09
Speaker
I'm surprised how many people are having them in high school now. If you want to draft, they'll like, yeah, this guy had Tom and John at sophomore year. It's happening in high school from bad parenting. Kids in Little League throwing card balls absolutely ridiculous. If a coach ever had my kid throwing card balls at 12, we're fighting, period.
Walker Bueller & Young Players' Futures
01:06:23
Speaker
didn didn't um Didn't Clayton Kershaw have a teammate that was a pretty good pitcher? Walker Bueller? Yeah. He's got about some of them right now that are pretty good. Hey, Reese, how's he doing this year?
01:06:37
Speaker
e ah He's doing all right, know? ah so my He's not playing baseball well, but I hear he's doing pretty well. you know He's got millions of dollars, pretty wide. chilling. Sure, he's doing okay as a person. yeah he's got He's got a roof above his head and and food on the table.
01:06:52
Speaker
Listen, he's been terrible. I talked about him and Max Fried as two guys that I thought had a chance to maybe really do something on cheap price tags for the Yankees and Red Sox, and only your guy panned out. Our guy did not. I told you, Walker Bueller, that was a good investment. He was a hell of pitcher in L.A.
01:07:08
Speaker
I'm surprised. Had he resorted back to 2021 Walker Bueller, who was winning world series and a Cy Young candidate and all that, it would have been a steal, but it's just, sometimes it doesn't happen. Yeah.
Youth Talent Surge in MLB
01:07:20
Speaker
Now, 21 of the all-stars, Mike, are age 26 or younger. So that is that's a a substantial amount of these players, almost half.
01:07:31
Speaker
What do you think about the young versus the out with the old and with the new? This is going to be a crazy take, but I just think the young players are good. so call steve wa smith wow wow what'd it take right let let it let it loose let set the fire alarm off give me with the funk flex bombs but but yeah i mean we're just getting a lot of ah lot of injured old players a lot of the old guard goldschmidt and arenado and these guys just getting old it happens right um and then in comes the new blood it it happens every year just not to this not to this extent i mean
01:08:08
Speaker
I saw the Cubs play the other day and I was like, who the hell are all these good players? They have like seven guys on their team. I was like, man, these guys are all really good. um it i remember it happening in the NBA. i remember that year Kobe was at the All-Star game and you were just like, oh, oh, this it's different now.
01:08:26
Speaker
as Things have changed. Yeah. that when You remember Iverson that first year when he went up against Jordan? You're like, oh this is different. This is different now. this Yeah. we're not We're not banging down low anymore, and John Stockton is not going to be taking anyone to the championship anymore.
All-Star Starters & Records
01:08:44
Speaker
All right, well, let's ah let's take a quick look at our all-star selections. I'm at least going to show the starters. We're not going to go through the whole roster. But there's your all-star starters.
01:08:55
Speaker
ah So i just want I'll start out with the thing that sticks out to me the most, um and that's going to be the big dumper. Not because that's his nickname, but mostly so. I really do enjoy the fact that that's his nickname.
01:09:08
Speaker
but also because he tied up Ken Griffey Jr. with 35 home runs, the most for a Mariners player. He's got 36 now. Wow. Thank you, Jersey boy. Look at that correction. I appreciate that, brother. 36, he passed.
01:09:21
Speaker
Ken Griffey Jr. for the first half record. Look at that insider information. ah That's my standout for the first half of the year. Jersey boy, what you got on these American National League starters? Any thoughts on any of these players?
01:09:34
Speaker
All right. Let me look at this and get a quick dive. All right, Cal Raleigh, excellent. O'Hearn at DH?
01:09:45
Speaker
Maybe, I guess. He's a decent player. Vladdy at first? He ain't doing that all that good, is he? He's doing good, but not like Vladdy numbers you you expect.
01:09:58
Speaker
Yeah, but again, like our boy on the left there, sorry, i I don't remember everyone's names. I apologize. But he had a good take. First baseman is just a spot right now that's really lacking on a lot of ball clubs. There aren't a lot of great ones.
01:10:10
Speaker
I mean, Gleyber Torres, he's trying to turn back the clock a little bit. um Yeah, Ramirez, I've always liked him. He's an excellent player.
01:10:21
Speaker
Yeah, always a top five MVP candidate type guy. Exactly, yep. In a real, yep. Yeah, now you see Javi Baez in the outfield nonetheless. Javi Baez, resurgent Javi Baez, rejuvenated.
01:10:36
Speaker
There's only one man that makes the team, and you know who it is.
Debate: Aaron Judge vs Shohei Ohtani - Best Player?
01:10:40
Speaker
Oh, yes. We should have known that was coming. We should have known that was coming. I mean, he's the best player in all of baseball, and it's not even close.
01:10:49
Speaker
It's not close. Mike, would you like to have a disagreement on that? No, I wouldn't. Really? He's right. Wait a second. Yeah, Aaron Judge is the best player in the world. You are always keeping for Shohei. Don't. Until Shohei starts pitching again, Aaron Judge is the best player in baseball. Oh, my God. Dude's hitting like 360.
01:11:08
Speaker
I mean, you he's got as many home runs as Cal Raleigh. He's hitting like 360. Cal Raleigh's got him by two. mean, yeah, by two. Every time that man comes up against my team, I'm like, walk him. He's the only guy I've seen I want to give the Barry Bonds treatment to every time he comes to the play. Just – Get out of here.
01:11:25
Speaker
Go. David already walked in. Tonight alone, judges walk twice.
Aaron Judge's Journey to Success
01:11:31
Speaker
It is amazing that that that man a man that big can hit 350, almost 400 for a first half of a season. Right, Reese?
01:11:40
Speaker
Omar, I'll tell you a story. I saw him when he was in the minors. I watched a whole series here. Three games. Aaron Judge. And he looked like a monster, like nobody knew who he was, but he was just this mammoth in right field.
01:11:55
Speaker
I didn't see him touch a single ball of the whole series. He went 0 for 4 with four strikeouts, three games in a row. That is tremendous. I was like, oh, this guy's going to be awful.
01:12:07
Speaker
And then he comes up to them and just but boom. I don't know what turned on, but man. Yeah, i love that I love that story. You've told that story to me and ah before. I love it because it's like, damn, you think this guy's going to suck, and all of a sudden you see him in the majors. He's blown up, and he's sucked in the minors.
01:12:22
Speaker
It looked like if you gave Shaq a bat and put him in front of the plate. just It was crazy. It looked ridiculous. Reese, what are your thoughts on on these teams here that you got in front of you?
Fan Voting Influences All-Star Selections
01:12:34
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, obviously they're stacked, of course. Acuna is kind of strange just because he hasn't really played. I know he's one of the best in the game, but this is where we go back to taking up spots with like teams that shouldn't have someone. Well, at the same time, we have players that barely played that are in this game or that haven't been good enough to be in this game like Kershaw. So sometimes that throws me off. But, I mean, listen, the AL to me is stacked. They have more pitching and they have the bigger bats. I think they win this game.
01:12:59
Speaker
Now, I do want to say I agree with you on the Acuna thing. I have been lamenting that as well since he was injured most of the season. But I will say, since he's come back, ah who has he's batting like 350 with nine home runs and like 1,100 OPS. So, yeah you know, he's at home. Let him have the spot. I'm not mad about it.
01:13:17
Speaker
The thing I'm more mad about, Mike, is that Freddie Freeman is getting a spot over Pete the Polar Bear Alonzo when Polar Bear has a better stat line across the board fan Fan votes, man. ye Fan votes.
01:13:30
Speaker
This is ridiculous. That's what happens when you fan vote Blame your fans that don't show up. I know. i didn't vote either. Mike, what are you talking about?
01:13:40
Speaker
I mean, they're great teams. I like the American League team to win just because I like the guys they have coming <unk>m coming in off the bench. You know, sixth inning, you're just bringing Bobby Witt in as my backup shortstop. Like, you know, the theyre their backup outfielders are just crazy. And, yeah, it's going to be – I think it'll be an all-stop. Bobby Witt on the bench as is wild to me considering the year he's having. yeah That's crazy. That's my best friend right there, Carlos.
01:14:11
Speaker
That's the what I told you as a Met fan. We watched both games together. Oh, my bad. I, again, am off on the comments. I apologize, y'all. I'm still trying to get used to restream and noticing where the comments are. What Lois? What up, Lois? Shut up. What up?
01:14:23
Speaker
Thank you for tuning in, brother. We appreciate you. Let me get caught up on these comments. My bad, y'all. Champ says, billion-dollar business sports have these refs working 24-hour fitness trainer during the day. Referees at night. Yep. Exactly what happened.
01:14:34
Speaker
Skeens is that dude. Just hope he can stay healthy. Yep. ah ah Kids having Tommy John surgery is ridiculous. Blame the parents. I said that.
01:14:46
Speaker
ah You did. PCA is a player. now I'm goingnna say this. I am, I'm a Mets fan. So PCA will be the bane of my existence going forward as the Mets decided to trade him for one year of roided out Robinson Cano.
Mets' Trade Regrets
01:15:03
Speaker
And I will, I will never, ever forgive them for that.
01:15:08
Speaker
And now we have given up an MVP in PCA, a future MVP. And I'm very sad. That being said, all right, well, look, ah I missed this one more. That's great. You already know. Wings and cheeks, baby.
01:15:21
Speaker
Wings and cheeks. And there's a bunch of breweries in Atlanta. So you know going to be getting me some brew in the system as well. All right, cool.
Home Run Derby Popularity & Predictions
01:15:28
Speaker
Got through the comments. All right, so actually we went through all of the the players there for the All-Star Game. Let's move into the Home Run Derby, pick our winners.
01:15:37
Speaker
So for the Home Run Derby, where did I put that at? Hold on, let me get my link up. There it is. All right, so last year from the Derby in Texas. Actually, this event gets a lot of viewers in to what MJ was saying earlier.
01:15:51
Speaker
Even on national TV, they averaged 5.5 million viewers last year. Partly it's on a Monday night. There's nothing else to do Monday night, guys, outside of football season. Come on.
01:16:02
Speaker
Sorry, good point. I'm just trying to give them some advice. Like said, I had a lot of fun. I love the Derby. but All right, so let's go. Ronald Acuna, the aforementioned. He's up in there again. He came back from injury, so he only has nine home runs, but he's been on a tear.
01:16:17
Speaker
Kyle Raleigh, 36 home runs. How about James Wood from the Nationals, the Rook, in there with 23 home runs? You also got Byron Buxton back from injury all those years, 20 home runs on the season to start. O'Neal Cruz, 16 home runs to start. Junior Caminero, the star for the Rays, 21. Mr. Batflip, 800 feet in the air.
01:16:42
Speaker
All right, so let's go ah around the horn. Who do we think is going to win out of those people? Mike, let's go ahead and start with you.
01:16:51
Speaker
I'm going to take the the guy I think is the next Aaron Judge, and that's James Wood. That dude is just got natural. Bite your tongue. Bite your tongue. He just throws the bat at the ball, and and it goes flying. So if I had to pick, would be James Wood. But I think Sleeper, if you're going to Vegas,
01:17:09
Speaker
Put that money on O'Neal Cruz because that dude does nothing. That's some. That's some big hit. He hits. That's my pick. It's crazy you mentioned him. He is absolutely my pick in this thing. He hits bombs. I mean, shots that you just don't see often. i I like him in this. Or Acuna at home.
01:17:26
Speaker
That's what i i was just going to say that. i like I like everybody's picks, but him coming back from the injury, being in his home city that he plays for, I just think he is just going to step up and be like, you know what? going to smack in the face.
01:17:40
Speaker
This is what I can do. Here it is for everybody to see. If you ain't been following me, watch what I do during this derby. Because I do this all year long when healthy. That was so perfect how around the horn that went. Everybody's pick off the other. That makes me laugh. But I'm going to actually go back to what y'all were talking about in the middle and Reese's pick.
01:17:58
Speaker
I had O'Neal Cruz. And not only ah do i didn' not necessarily he's going to win. i'm not That's fine. I think he is the underdog and and and he has a good chance. If I were really to pick based off logic, it would be the Acuna pick because he's at home. So he already knows the ballpark.
01:18:15
Speaker
But yeah my prediction is you better watch out for O'Neal Cruz possibly breaking, you know, Mickey Mantle's record and hitting a ball 508,000 feet out into the the air. Sorry, Jersey boy. O'Neal Cruz is about to do very similar to what Mark McGuire did at Fenway Park when he was hitting balls completely out of the stadium.
01:18:37
Speaker
Woo! even that wind tunnel that Tampa Bay is playing in right now. Bananas. Might as well put the ball on a tee for him. All right, so there you go. You got ah you got one for ah James Wood, the 6'7", 22-year-old rookie crushing things in D.C.
01:18:54
Speaker
You got two for O'Neal Cruz, although we both hedged on you probably want to go with Acuna at home. And then you got Jersey Boy. um Damn, Jersey Boy, who'd you go with? I'm going with Acuna, but watch out for Calrani.
01:19:07
Speaker
I like this kid. ah yeah i'm watching him I'm watching him right now. you know He's playing in Seattle against the Yankees. so So he is going to be a problem going forward. So if you're looking at votes, youre you should be going with either Acuna or Neal Cruz if you're looking at the votes of the panel.
01:19:24
Speaker
All right, cool. Let's keep it moving. Now that we're through the All-Star break, we are through the All-Star game.
MLB Shutouts & Pitching Stats
01:19:30
Speaker
And now we're moving into the ah second half of the season.
01:19:34
Speaker
Let's look at the actual. I want to talk about a couple of things, a couple of stories that are standing out there for the second half. And then we'll get into our predictions to finish off the show. So first of all, I wanted to point out that shutouts, after having a resurgent of, you remember, it was like we couldn't stop the offense. And this happens in baseball. It fluctuates.
01:19:55
Speaker
It's offense, and then they try to adjust, and then it's more on the pitching, and then they adjust. and he goes But this year, we are on a streak of shutouts. The current record of shutouts in a single year is 359, which was the dead ball era of 1915. This year, we are on pace to break that record with 365 shutouts.
01:20:15
Speaker
five shut out um That being said, a lot of these players ah that are even a lot of these pitchers that are pitching very well are not necessarily getting the win totals to back them up. We've seen this argument over the years, win totals versus supporting metrics.
01:20:33
Speaker
How should that work in when deciding player awards and things like that? But we are obviously seeing a resurgence in pitching.
Cy Young Voting Criteria Debate
01:20:41
Speaker
So restart us off here. How does that resurgence in pitching work?
01:20:45
Speaker
i'm going to correlate with postseason baseball in the second half? I mean, obviously pitching wins championships. That's not going to change anytime soon. But what's incredible right now is that we have a bunch of guys basically doing what Pedro was doing at the peak of Pedro time. And Pedro's the greatest pitcher of all time. ah We're not, we can argue that another time, but just because of the era that he did it, the era he did it in Anyway. That's right. Hey, that's It's a choice. I'm not going to say that. When you're talking about sub two ERAs, that's ridiculous. And right now there's what, like three or four guys that are right there basically teetering with two or below. So, I mean, we're in a great era of pitching.
01:21:19
Speaker
Also, in part, we're in an era where guys don't care about striking out. There's less balls in play. Guys are just swinging crazy for the fences. So it's a different time, and I think that definitely helps. Yeah, okay. I always say play play small ball.
01:21:33
Speaker
Got play small ball. And what we were talking about with the pitching, Look at Paul Skeens this year, right? As filthy as he is, he's 4-7 with a 1-9-4 ERA.
01:21:44
Speaker
You feel bad for a guy who goes home to Livvy Dunn every night? She's from Jersey. I'm just saying, I have a hard time feeling bad for Paul Skeens. He's going to get an $800 million dollars contract, and that's his girl.
01:21:56
Speaker
He'll be all right. i'm not i'm saying We're just saying, like as a team, like as you as a pitcher, you look at his numbers, and they they don't compare how good he is. being four and seven is showing you he's not getting no run support around him.
01:22:09
Speaker
but we Especially when his ear raise one nine four right there is telling you like your team ain't doing shit for you. Do you think it'll hurt him in the Cy Young race? No, that's what I was going to ask. No, my bad. My bad. No, no, no, no, no. I appreciate that. I love when we have yeah bad conversation. No, that's what i was going to ask. so okay and How does that affect the Cy Young voting? Because this year,
01:22:30
Speaker
all of the pitchers have subpar records. And this goes back to like when DeGrom won, I remember a few years ago it had like 10 wins and 13 losses. Paul schemes could win with like a five and 10 record. So like, what do, how do we see this affecting Cy Young voting going forward? Jersey, keep going.
01:22:46
Speaker
to To me, to me, I, you look at the body of work, you know you can't just, you know, you can't just pinpoint like a couple starts. You look at his whole body there during the season. If his ear rate is under two,
01:22:59
Speaker
How can you not have him in that talk? It don't matter what the record is. He's doing his part. know what mean? He's not batting one through nine. I mean, he's just out there doing his job as a pitcher.
01:23:10
Speaker
And if he's out there giving up two runs or less, and you're losing, that ain't your right. And to bolt off of his point there, and MVP is different because that's the most valuable player, as in the player that brings the most value. Cy Young is just simply the best pitcher in baseball. He's the lead the league in Ks, et cetera. I just don't think they can take that thing from you.
01:23:34
Speaker
Because it used to be, though, in the – and that's what I meant. Thank you for that. I meant Cy Young if I said and MVP. But back in the day in the Cy Young voting, the starting basis of it, Mike, was based on a win-loss record. But it seems now that pitchers don't go longer than five innings. I honestly used to feel like it was an yeah ERA record because it felt like the lower ERA – tended to win back then. But now there's so many different metrics. oh They've added all these crazy metrics to whip now and all this K pretend. So there's just so many different things that play in the part that if Paul Skeens has all the best numbers across the board, even with five, six wins, i just you can't rob that kid. I mean, just just's like my friend Carlos said, you know the gro that was the Grom's career as a Met.
01:24:14
Speaker
I mean, he was filthy on the mound, absolutely filthy. But he couldn't get that support around him. yeah I remember. I remember every every night he'd go out, Mike. He'd pitch five innings, six, seven innings of shutout ball. The Mets would get one run or zero runs. I'd be going off to bed pissed off.
01:24:31
Speaker
What do you got? I mean, there's some guys right now that are pitching very well that have kind of records like that, like Seth Lugo or, you know.
Evolution of Cy Young Criteria
01:24:38
Speaker
You know what I mean? That have very good ERAs and they're not really winning as much. So that's just. no But the reason I bring this up, though, is going back to your point. The first 40 full seasons that the Cy Young existed, the the average win loss record was 21 and eight. And no starter won the award in a full season, winning less than 18 games until your aforementioned Pedro Martinez season when he went 17 eight with the Expos.
01:25:00
Speaker
with the expo Then we saw Felix Hernandez come along 13 and 12. He won the Cy Young. Then you see Jacob deGrom, 8 and 12. He wins. So it's like it's just getting more and more to the point where you're right. Supporting metrics is what we have to look at because obviously with pitchers only going five innings or less, wins and losses don't necessarily count that too much anymore.
01:25:23
Speaker
but I think it will. Like at the end of the day, if if it comes down to and Paul Skeens is doing great, but Logan Webb is close and they make the playoffs, then I think Logan Webb is going to take it.
01:25:37
Speaker
but I think there is there is some value in you know your team lost 94 games. If it's close, you don't get to win. um but If it's close, for sure. But I just mean, if one guy just completely dominates all the stats, he can't take it wrong.
01:25:53
Speaker
Now, obviously, if it's close, guys like Taylor and Boyd, they have advantages because their teams are more successful. Yeah, and like comes down the end of the year and the Red Sox end up making the playoffs and Crochet's your only pitcher and he leads the league in strikeouts like he does now and he's close with everything else,
01:26:15
Speaker
I think it'll be tough to just hand it back to Scoob again if it's close. I just don't think anyone's going to be close to Scoob. I mean, you look at his K-to-walk ratio, it's 11-to-1 right now.
01:26:26
Speaker
That's absolutely absurd with a sub-2 ERA and all that. I mean, the guy's ridiculous. He's by far the best pitcher in the league right now.
01:26:37
Speaker
Yeah. Go ahead, Jerry. I can agree. yeah He's definitely deathly the top of the top right now. Right now. Yeah. Right now. Yeah, absolutely.
01:26:48
Speaker
By far defending Cy Young winner with in the best team in the league. So definitely that is the case for him. So while we're there. It's going to be hard to dethrone him.
MVP, Cy Young, & World Series Predictions
01:26:59
Speaker
You know, you really got to bring it to dethrone him. yeah Yeah, so while we're there, because I know Mike has to get off here in a couple minutes, um we'll continue with the conversation after Mike gets off, but let's go ahead and go around the horn and get everybody's picks for your MVP, Cy Young, and World Series matchup and winner. So, Mike, since you have to get out of here, we'll start with you first.
01:27:23
Speaker
What do you got for your for your picks here? We'll start on the – let's start with the on the AL side for yours. Yeah, is judging Otani still. Judging Otani for MVP. For MVP. Because Otani's going to be pitching again. I don't see any reason that it would go to anybody else.
01:27:38
Speaker
i have a feeling that we're all going to kind of have very similar. Scooboole, Cy Young in the American League. um i Zach Wheeler, I think, will probably pull it off in the National League just because I think his team's going to be a lot better. And he's he's the ace on the you know one of the best teams in the league. Yeah, Wheeler's got a 2-1-7 ERA.
01:28:02
Speaker
o and He's great. yeah and ah Sorry, Omar. I don't mean to cut that. We've traded him away, too. We've traded everybody. um And the World Series, i actually I still, the same World Series that I wanted to see in the beginning of the year, i know they're not doing well right now, but I still think we're going to see Texas and the Dodgers in the World Series.
01:28:24
Speaker
I still think the teams that that have the most depth with the best pitchers at the end of the day in those short series are going to make it out. All right, there you go. Awesome.
01:28:34
Speaker
Thank you so much, brother. Appreciate that. ah and I know you got to get out of here. i got a Good meeting you, man. It was nice talking with you. Yeah, absolutely. Nice to meet you both. Nice to meet you, my man. Thank you so much as always. Appreciate you.
01:28:46
Speaker
That's my, you already know him. That's Mike Wiebe. He's been on, he's been, like I said, he's been on every single baseball podcast or live stream I've ever done. So he's been, was my first MLB insider. Will always be my original, but I love having new voices on. So we're going keep this moving with the rest of the crew.
01:29:01
Speaker
Jersey boy, what are your picks for MVP Cy Young and the World Series? MVPs. Right now. You know Judge's MVP, not even a question.
01:29:13
Speaker
Okay. National League MVP. I'm not an Otani fan. I ain't giving him shit. You're not an Otani fan?
Shohei Ohtani's Role & Media Portrayal
01:29:24
Speaker
Like you just don't like him at all? No. How can you not be a fan? He gets he gets too much talk.
01:29:30
Speaker
Oh, come on. Listen, hear me out. Hear me out. They're trying to make him the face of baseball to reel in Japanese endorsements, Japanese viewers.
01:29:40
Speaker
You money, all sorts of shit. What does the guy do? He is a glorified David Ortiz. He don't play the field. He sits on his ass all game long.
01:29:50
Speaker
Wow. All you got do is just get up there and swing the back. What the hell did David Ortiz do with 50 bases? I'm David Ortiz fan. He never stole the bases. He never pitched.
01:30:01
Speaker
He never did anything Otani did. What is Otani doing? hitting the ball out of the park, stealing bases, hitting for average, and soon he'll be dominating on the mound as well.
01:30:12
Speaker
He won't be dominating because he's going to blow his elbow out again. You watch. Dodgers dodgers are going to have him close. Dodgers are going to have him close. He's not going to starting for the Dodgers.
01:30:23
Speaker
And that would be crazy if they did it. Could you imagine 50 home runs, 50 steals, and 40 saves? Who's ever done anything like that? That would be crazy as shit, though. yeah i'm not I'm not an Otani fan. I personally...
01:30:36
Speaker
The way things are shaping out, you know, you could go and you'll like this old Marcus. You could go, you could look Pete, you know, you can, you can look at your PD and, you know, as a, as an MVP, you know, don't sleep on the, who was the other guy was thinking of?
01:31:00
Speaker
bla but
01:31:04
Speaker
Don't sleep on Trey Turner.
01:31:08
Speaker
don't Don't sleep on him. Don't sleep on Eugenio Suarez. Eugenio surez Suarez. tremendousosaures yeah From Arizona, yeah. You're right about that, Carlos. You're right. Henderson would steal 300 damn steals. Oh, absolutely. fuckingot that's yeah That's the thing. they don't When Otani's on first base, they don't guard him at first.
01:31:29
Speaker
They let him take a walk towards second. They're not even holding him on. And the base is the size of my kitchen table, for Christ's sake. Ah, ah. You know what I mean? And then the throw overs. You can only throw over three times.
01:31:42
Speaker
If you don't pick him off, he takes second. both really It's really easy. It is really easy. yeah So, of course, Tanya's going to look. like here's Let me ask you question. Why? Last year when he hit that 50th home run, why was why is that ball worse so much?
01:31:58
Speaker
Because he hit 50 home runs? Big fucking deal. Well, because it was 50-50. Or 50-50. Why did they sell the base then? why did they sell why did they sell the base then The 50th basing
Shohei Ohtani's Impact & Legacy Debate
01:32:09
Speaker
stole. How come that wasn't a big talk?
01:32:12
Speaker
But that whole run, everybody was jumping on that whole run ball. It ain't the first time. He didn't even leave the league in home runs last year. So he gets too much talk and just too much of the special treatment.
01:32:25
Speaker
He's not even the best player on his team. Oh, my. You heard me. you know i cannot agree I cannot agree with that. You know where I'm going with this, Reese?
01:32:38
Speaker
Who's better than him on the Dodgers? Mookie Betts. That's one of them. I knew you were going to it. mean, don't get me wrong. Of course, you've been arguing Mookie. He's one of the top ten, top five players in baseball for the last five, six years.
01:32:51
Speaker
I think Freddie Freeman is better than him. Because Otani don't do shit. He's a DH. He's a DH. He's a pitcher, too, but I feel you.
01:33:02
Speaker
<unk> crazy He ain't that much of a pitcher.
01:33:07
Speaker
I must correct myself. He didn't have 50 steals. He had 48 last year. Yeah, it was 52 homers and like 48 steals or something like that. So he didn't get there, but he was close enough. And I'm sorry. I don't care if you're only DHing.
01:33:19
Speaker
There's never been a 50-50 guy in baseball until he came around. Barry Bond, 40-40, was like unheard of. Because the rules have changed for him. If you you take Otani and you put him 1995, is he getting 50-50?
01:33:34
Speaker
is he getting fifty fifty Absolutely not. Why not? That's a good question. Different era, different play of games. First off, if he played in that era, he would have been on steroids, so he'd probably hit more home runs. More home runs, less stolen bases. That's what I think. They would have swept that one under the rug.
01:33:51
Speaker
Oh, he's not on steroids, just like he wasn't gambling. We're going sweep this under the rug. You're going to tell me millions of dollars missing from your account that was wired. I mean, they said I got to jail for that, so I'm going to let the courts handle that. According to them, it was him, so I'm – He was gambling.
01:34:08
Speaker
He was gambling. there ain't no You can't change my mind. He was gambling.
01:34:13
Speaker
No, he was gambling. But, no, like said, he's a glorified DH. So who is your NL MVP, though? Have you said yet? or My NL MVP right now,
01:34:26
Speaker
I'm going to have to take I'm going to have to say Pete Alonzo. Wow. If he keeps doing what he's doing, if he could bring that average up a little bit and just keep doing, he could.
01:34:47
Speaker
I don't know about Frankie over there. Juan Soto, no. Listen, Juan Soto heated up in June. In June, he got scorching hot. And if he has a second half like that, don't don't sleep on the man. We know what he can do.
01:35:01
Speaker
He will. he Remember, hitters get better when it gets warmer. August is a hitter's month. Yeah, and he won National League Player of the Month in June. He will be great going forward. I'm not worried about him at all.
01:35:11
Speaker
um Jersey, but what's your World Series pick? I know it's Yankees and somebody. how would you Why would you think the Yankees? No, why not? I'll tell you what. I mean, Yankee versus who?
01:35:27
Speaker
No, I'm saying if the if they're if they play like this going forward, Yankees won't make the series. They don't have a deep enough team to overcome. um Wow. They got a lot of injuries.
01:35:38
Speaker
Okay. Yankees got a lot of injuries. I mean, they're they're good, but I don't think they're on the same level until it's winning a World Series. They need some more pieces. Wow.
01:35:49
Speaker
didn't expect that at all. i mean But I will take them at the American League because they're gonna you know things are going to change. Trade deadline, that's going to tell you all. If they sit and don't do nothing, ain't going to shit this year.
01:36:03
Speaker
So I'm going with with them.
01:36:09
Speaker
National League.
01:36:13
Speaker
National League a little tough. Because I don't think the Dodgers, I won't pick them. I just can't.
01:36:21
Speaker
Naturally, I'm looking at,
01:36:27
Speaker
you know who really could do
Importance of Road Wins for Playoffs
01:36:28
Speaker
it? Chicago. Ooh, I like that pick. I would love to see the Cubs back in there. Hey, listen, they got the GM of the year right now, that's for sure.
01:36:39
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. All right, Reese, what are your MVP Cy Young and World Series picks? oh Oh, yeah, my Cy Youngs. Oh, shit, go ahead. That's Skeens and Scoobal.
01:36:51
Speaker
Skeens and Scoobal. All right, cool. Reese? Max Free could be a good good runner, but Scoobal's got to be – you've got to really top that man. It's going hard to do.
01:37:02
Speaker
I agree with that. Yeah, for sure. Barring injury, I just don't see anyone catching him. No. Cool. Who you Reese? ah Oh, a little ESPN app. Some of these ESPN apps going on. That's the Yankees. They're up 9-6 over Seattle.
01:37:18
Speaker
Wow, okay. There you go. All right, so can b the Judge got two more RBIs. I'm not going to harbor whatever animosity this guy's still holding from 1941 against Ohontia. Oh, my God. Bottom line is he's going to win the MVP in the National League.
01:37:31
Speaker
In the American League, barring injury, Aaron Judge is the clear-cut guy. There just isn't a better hitter in the American League, in baseball, period, but definitely not in the American League. Cy Young gets interesting. I think Scoobs is definitely the guy in the AL, I've already told you. Barring injury, I don't think there's anything like him.
01:37:48
Speaker
There's a couple guys who you could kind of say have an outside shot with Brown at Houston. and maybe even Jacob DeGrom over there in Texas. But I think it's going to be Tariq's school ball. In the National League, I like Zach Wheeler.
01:38:00
Speaker
I think Zach Wheeler is the best pitcher from the beginning to now, and I think he will continue to be in the second half of the year. There's a couple guys in the NL. Obviously, Skeens is going to be in it until the end, but I don't think he'll win enough, and I think the frustration could build.
01:38:14
Speaker
You can only lose 1-0 so many times before eventually you just – just Just can't focus, you know what I mean? So I think he tails a little bit. Obviously, Boyd's having a great year and there's some guys, but going go with Zach Wheeler over there.
01:38:26
Speaker
I already said MVP's right. And then World Series. World Series is so tough. There isn't a team that just completely is standing out, blowing everyone away. I think there's a bunch of teams that definitely are in it. And obviously, the trade deadline is going to change a lot of things from now on.
01:38:39
Speaker
so then So it's hard to say, but I like the Tigers the most in the American League. If not the Tigers, I'm going with Houston or Seattle. I know it's funny, but these three teams have one thing in common.
01:38:51
Speaker
They are the only teams in the American League with a winning record on the road. And at some point, you're going to have to win road games in the playoffs unless you get home field advantage and only one team can do that.
01:39:02
Speaker
So those three teams are the teams in the American League I like. But like I said, I like Detroit. That's going to be my pick for now. They've got the pitching. They've got the hitting. In the NL, man, it gets really tough. It really does. yeah Of course, everyone just wants say the Dodgers because they're the team. But I'm going to go. la I'm not going lie. have to agree on my guy here. I think the Cubs are probably the most complete team.
01:39:24
Speaker
I think he's winning GM the year over there. I think he's put together just a master class. Obviously, the Dodgers have kind of tailed little bit. And picking up Tucker. Right. And again, like like i like I said, with teams in the AL,
01:39:37
Speaker
but Don't say he like you don't know his name. Don't say he like you don't know his name. You know his name. You know his name. Don't try to just skip by what he, like you ain't had him for 15 years. Like you ain't love him like a daddy for 15. Get
Mets' Historical Performance Issues
01:39:50
Speaker
out of here. Listen, but, and and another thing, like I was talking about with the Cubs, like I was talking about those American League teams, the Cubs also have a winning record on the road, and I think that's going to really matter.
01:39:58
Speaker
Along with pitching, we ain't able to win on the road. There's only a few teams in the NL just like there's only a few teams in the AL. It's the Cubs, it's the Dodgers, it's the Phillies. So it's going to be one of those three teams that give me the Cubbies.
01:40:10
Speaker
you won' You wouldn't even think about a Subway series? but i the I don't – listen, no offense to the Mets. You saw what happened in June where they just kind of like self-destructed and just went completely terrible at the end that i month. I know they've turned it around. They've won their first two series in July, and that's all great.
01:40:27
Speaker
But they're the Mets. They find ways to fall at end. I don't know what it is. This team will lead you on more than a stripper on a Friday night. That's what my man Carlos knows because he hasn't had a chance to see them win.
01:40:42
Speaker
So all he knows is the big – You know, the big up and then the huge letdown. You're up. Listen, I've seen in the Mids blow a nine-game lead with like two weeks to go in a season. So, I mean, yeah, exactly. They're just known for these kind of things. I don't know what it is exactly in the culture.
01:40:59
Speaker
i For you, Omar, I hope that that changes this year. and Maybe they can make a run. Maybe they make a move. I don't know. But like I said, I just don't trust them when it matters. It's just that simple. They're a great team, but don't trust them when it matters. It's the borough. It's the borough that they play in.
01:41:12
Speaker
And also they have a losing record on the road. Again, they're not going have home field advantage. So if you're not going to win on the road, you're
MLB & Music Connections
01:41:18
Speaker
just not going to contend. Sorry. yeah I'm going to skip Jersey Boy's comment about New York versus New Jersey because I have no say in that as I have never lived in either place. But I'm sure a lot of New York people will have a lot of problems with what new Jersey Boy just said, especially the people in Queens.
01:41:34
Speaker
Shout out to all my Mets fans and Puerto Ricans hanging out in Queens. No, you got it. You got Queens, then you got the Yankees that are the Kings.
01:41:46
Speaker
All right. look i Bronx is the king of New York. I know who the little brothers are in terms of baseball. BX would be next, baby. That's what they said. Again, I'm a Wu-Tang head, so I'm going to with Staten Island, but I don't know.
01:41:59
Speaker
I have no clue. and really Well, if that's the case, then I'm going Yonkers because I'm a D-block guy. yeah dated as As my boy Carlos knows, Jada Kiss is one of my favorite rappers. Jada style like a little one. Those are my guys. When he says top five DOA, he ain't wrong with that.
01:42:15
Speaker
ya oh Yeah, you ain't lying. Love it. All right, cool. Well, let me go and finish out this stream for us with my picks. I'm going with the boys in the MVP race on the – or, sorry, the Cy Young race on the AL side. It's pretty cut and simple.
01:42:32
Speaker
Tarek Skubal is amazing, and he's only getting better in his past eight games. He has, like, a 0.61 ERA, which is just crazy because it's like, damn, you were good at the beginning of the season, and you're even better at midseason. Yeah, he's good.
01:42:45
Speaker
His ZRA right now is 2.02. Yeah. yeah they Yeah, there you go. So nothing there. um the The talk between the Cy Young and the NL, yeah, we're looking at Skeens versus Wheeler there pretty much. um And I agree with Reese again on this one. I think Wheeler has been the best pitcher all season. He just threw a one-hitter yesterday. So he's on track to – it was like an 8K – No, it was 12K, eight inning, one hit shutout. The first Phillies player to do that forever.
01:43:17
Speaker
So I got Wheeler in the NL Cy Young. Yeah, Wheeler's got a ERA. Woo. So look at that. There you go there. So I'll take him there, but I would not be mad if schemes wins, especially because like he also has the lowest DRA in baseball at 081. Just saying the lowest whip, the lowest whip, Zach Wheeler, 081 whip, whip. Okay. Whip. It's a whiz. Wheeler and school balls in the two leagues that are just dominating those stats. Like I said, their case to walks, their case per nine and their whips are incredible.
01:43:48
Speaker
Word. There you go. Alright, cool. And then for my MVPs, I would go with Judge because obviously the the way you start that season, he still has a 12-10 OPS halfway through the season. He's still hitting 360. It's not like He's not the league leader in the clubhouse. I get it.
01:44:07
Speaker
But what I am going to say is before the season, I picked Bobby Witt Jr. Now, is Bobby Witt Jr. having as good as a season as I thought he was going have? is he having as great of a season as maybe I want? No.
01:44:21
Speaker
But he's still an all-star. He's still playing very well. And I don't like to go back on my picks when there's still a chance, and there is still a chance. If Judge were to get injured, God forbid, even though I hate the Yankees, if he were to get injured and not play for three months, Witt could easily take that. If Judge gets injured, Cal Raleigh wins that award. We haven't seen catcher do anything like this since Mike Piazza. It's insane. just don't want to say Judge, okay?
01:44:47
Speaker
Leave me alone. just don't want to say a damn Yankees. Do you want me to go in my room and grab the judge out of my closet? No, please do not. Anyways. You want me to go to the theater? No, no. You want me to get the Mariano? No, please. How about the big roof?
01:45:03
Speaker
don't Don't keep doing this to me. I'm wearing the garage. Hold on. I got Mantle, Thurman Munson. Here we go. Paul O'Neill. Don Mattingly. Thank you. I got them all. I got them all. I appreciate it. I offer. Disgusting.
01:45:19
Speaker
ah For my NL MVP. Next show, there will be two New Jerseys out here. good For my now MVP, I'm going to do similar. I'm going to make the same argument here. I picked Juan Soto before the season started, and he had a horrible start to the season. Let's just say that. Very slow. But every person that comes to New York pretty much does this, and especially with the Mets.
01:45:39
Speaker
And Juan Soto won NL Player of the Month for June, and he's on a tear, and he's still in the top 15 in all measurable statistics, even with the first half that he had, because most people would love to have his first half.
01:45:51
Speaker
So even though I know Ohtani is the leader in the clubhouse since I picked ah Soto before the season, I will stay with him because he still has a chance if he has a really great second half and continues.
Subway Series Predictions
01:46:01
Speaker
For my World Series, I had at the beginning of the year, i was I was up in the air between the Dodgers and Mets. I couldn't choose, but I went with the Dodgers just because of what happened last year.
01:46:11
Speaker
And I had combination. You know what kind team you got over there in Queens. That's why. well I wasn't sure. They're not as good. Hold on a second. I'm not done yet. I'm about to tell you what I really think, though.
01:46:23
Speaker
In the AL, I had the Rangers and Red Sox as my two at the beginning of the season with the Orioles as a third. Looking back on that, that was a horrible. third choice there, as they have done horribly.
01:46:35
Speaker
um I think the Red Sox have fallen off too, so I can't really go with them. The Rangers, the as Mike mentioned earlier, the out underlying metrics are there, but I'm not going to do that either. No, I'm going with the Homer pick of my Mets, and yeah, I want to see the Subway Series so I can be there live.
01:46:54
Speaker
I'm going with the Subway Series Mets versus Yankees. I'll make you guys a promise. If it's Mets, Yankees, and the World Series, I will go to one of those games decked out in Red Sox gear.
01:47:05
Speaker
Hey, maybe the three of us can make a trip and we'll be the Mets, Red Sox, Yankees. You guys don't want to be with me when those shots start blazing and the knives come out. Trust me, just get out the way, boys. I'll take this for it.
01:47:16
Speaker
I want to ask you a question. That's great. Have you ever showed up to the Bronx wearing your Boston garb? It's actually funny you say that because it is a dream of mine. And and the caveat to that is that I do fear I'd probably lose my life that day. Oh, you would, definitely.
01:47:31
Speaker
Right. I mean, we've seen what happened at Dodger Stadium with the Giants fan, and it got completely impaled over there. So I already know going to New York, especially I'm a shit-soaker. I don't care to anything. I'm trying to talk my stuff. Trust me when I tell you, you come to Subway Series, just Subway Series alone wearing the Boston garb, yeah, you in trouble.
01:47:51
Speaker
You're going get spit on. You're going to get shit talk. You're going to get food thrown on you. Maybe if I wear a Buckner jersey, the Mets fans will feel bad for me or something, know? But you walk into Yankee Stadium wearing Boston, you're in trouble. Hey, I never said I would go to Yankee Stadium. I said I'd go to the Subway Series. I could go over there. Hey, I'm just saying.
01:48:10
Speaker
He said wearing the Buckner. He said I'll wear the Buckner. That's fucking great. sir I mean, the the only the only place that I have ever felt safe wearing a a different jersey, and shout out to our brother, Wildcar Mar, who's been tuned in the whole time, is when I went ah when as a Raiders fan to Kansas City for a December Christmas game.
01:48:35
Speaker
And I talked so much shit to the Kansas City fans, but them people are so damn nice. They just no-sold me and were just like, hey, great game. Would you like barbecue after? And I was like, no, I'm telling you you fucking suck. But they were so nice, I couldn't even be mad.
Rival Jersey Dangers
01:48:49
Speaker
I know enough to pay respect where it's My favorite time in Miami used to be wearing my patch jerseys at Dolphins games. And I got jumped plenty of times. I got a garbage can thrown at me. I got all kinds of things. But New York is different. New York is the zoo. And i already know it's a good chance I don't come out of there with my teeth or my health or my life. We'll see. But maybe I'm hanging out with you two studs, I'll give it a shot.
01:49:11
Speaker
Listen, yeah I would have your back. You would not get killed. ah appreciate and I that. And I would never let somebody put harm to you and I sit there and watch. I appreciate that. I mean, listen, I don't mind some shit talking or even like a track or something. but I just don't want to get stabbed over, ah you know, two ball teams that don't give a fuck about us at the end of the Listen, I got dragged out of your stadium.
01:49:35
Speaker
Mr. Fenway, I got taken out of there with another Yankee fan. Yeah. You think New Yorkers are dead? Yeah. All right.
01:49:46
Speaker
and Like I said, I'm not scared. I just – I kind of have some things I want to do before I die, so I'm waiting a little. I do want to go to Yankee Stadium decked in socks gear. I think that would be an experience in itself. Yeah, okay. You better sit like the upper deck.
01:50:02
Speaker
Sit in the upper, upper deck. Last row. going to sit on the lights. Yep. And I'm still going to my Teflon on just in case. um Yeah, that's that's definitely not a good idea. Yeah.
01:50:16
Speaker
And again, if you decide to go there, I do not know anyone in New York. I cannot help you. I'll try to jump in and and stop them, but they's not really much I can. That being said, thank you all for tuning in. We really appreciate it. Shout out to my brothers for joining me.
01:50:31
Speaker
um Obviously, you can catch the lion, Reese Penn. He is from the rec room. My brother, tell them where they can find you. You already know, man, line the animal 19 on IG, the rec room at YouTube. I mean, it's all the same. You know what I mean Yeah, please. It was really good. Me and you, my friend Jersey boy.
01:50:48
Speaker
It was cool. I always liked chopping it up with Yankee fans or just people that had different opinions in general. This was fun.
Sports Network Promotions
01:50:54
Speaker
And you know the thing is, like, I could talk to you as a baseball because you know what I'm talking about. I know what you're talking about.
01:51:00
Speaker
You root for who you do. I feel bad for you, but I root for I do. You to hear a little secret? I'll go ahead spill it on this. For 20 years, my favorite player in the game, and I hate saying this, was Derek J. Derek J. How could you not love that guy? He was, oh. And as much as I hated Pedro. Get the hell out of What the fuck? Pedro, Pedro was a fucking stud.
01:51:24
Speaker
as much as I she couldn't stand it. Hey, I was like, kicked me out. I should have left you out for that comment. What the fuck? Come on, bro. That catch against us diving into the stands first. Jake Jeter.
01:51:36
Speaker
If there's a person on earth I hate, it's Tom Brady and Derek Jeter. Both of those. Why do people hate greatness? I don't understand that. i object I'm not a Tom Brady fan either. I hate the fucking Patriots.
01:51:48
Speaker
it mike I mean, my boy Eli beat Tom twice, so I'm i'm good with that. He did. Yeah. i like Jersey boy, MJ, you're repping the IOW Sports Network, my brother. Tell them where they can find you and your crew.
01:52:02
Speaker
You can always find me floating around at IOW Sports. Absolutely. I'm on, yeah, what am I on? I'm on IG, Jersey boy, MJ. I am on, i guess, Twitter, X, whatever it's called.
01:52:15
Speaker
Mm-hmm, X. Yeah. Jersey Boy MJ. I'm always accessible. you know I'm always here to talk, jump in live, do what got to do, chop the shit up. you know i'm just a You said IG, it's Jersey Boy MJ?
01:52:30
Speaker
Yes, sir. I got you when I get out of here. There you go. Hey, making connections. And again, don't forget, like you said, i tapping with IOW Sports Network. They are our family here. Wildcard, Mar, Detroit, Mel, Nick, and the boys. They are our family here Ball & Buds. So please tap in on YouTube, IOW Sports Network.
01:52:48
Speaker
It's actually IOW Network 4035 on YouTube. I only know because the amount of times I've done work with them and I've gone back them. I know that. And as well, the rec room for Reese on YouTube. So please make sure you subscribe to the YouTube channels as we are all trying to grow.
01:53:03
Speaker
And as well, support Ball & Buzz. There's a handy QR code up there at the top on the overlay. go ahead and scan that. That'll take you to our link tree. You can subscribe to our YouTube, follow our Instagram, ah follow ClubberD's new YouTube, all those good things. So do that. Hit the like, whether you're watching live now or on the replay. It helps us either way. It will boost us up in the algorithm. So please give us that help.
01:53:24
Speaker
as we love you fans and love the support. Other than that, hey, I'm going to give these two boys a shout-out to give them their – or let them give a shout-out for us to get out of here. Jersey Boyd, are your final thoughts? My final thoughts
01:53:39
Speaker
is if y'all knew how far I've had to come to get to this point in my life to be able to do this again, you know, it's it it is ah it is a pleasure.
Personal Resilience Stories
01:53:51
Speaker
You know, I'm thankful to be alive. You know, I have what's called a traumatic brain injury. You know I had two brain surgeries and, you know, I had to learn how to reboot a lot of things in life.
01:54:05
Speaker
Walking, talking, chewing, swallowing. You know, it's, so I still have a lot of deficiencies, but I'm trying to gain it back one day at time. None of them are showing, my friend.
01:54:17
Speaker
Congrats, I'm coming back. None of them are showing.
01:54:21
Speaker
Yeah, not at all. If you saw the scar in my head, you'd like, oh, shit. listen I kind of get that. I was paralyzed a couple of years ago. I had to have cervical spine surgery. So I get it, man. But listen, you look good. You're doing well.
01:54:34
Speaker
You're blessed.
01:54:37
Speaker
Oh, wow. Wow. as The surgeon literally had to take my skull out on this side and put it back in months later.
01:54:49
Speaker
Yeah. well I mean, look, y'all. I'm not even going to lie. I love having Jersey boy MJ on j on um because the first time that I started streaming with Let's Talk Sports and I got with Wild Car Mar, started watching the IOW Network.
01:55:03
Speaker
One of the first people I saw on the show was Wild Car Mar, MJ doing his new baseball show. And then unfortunately, just two days later, he had his injury right after starting his new baseball show. um And unfortunately, was out for a while, but I am so happy that you're back and I'm so happy that you were able to join us.
01:55:19
Speaker
I'm definitely going to have you on more. And as as we said, ah you're the same, at least streaming wise, personality and everything, knowledge and everything that you were before that. So, you know, um as I mentioned, we hadn't met before this, but I've always been.
01:55:35
Speaker
supporting you from the background. And I think that ah the story that you have to tell is very powerful. And it's amazing when you see people keep fighting in their life at the most dire times. so Man, if if i if I gave the details, this shit would literally blow your mind.
01:55:51
Speaker
It would blow your mind when I told you what I had to go through. But I tell people this all the time. Like, just imagine, I said, i had my surgeon touch my brain twice.
01:56:05
Speaker
move it back. He had to move it from right back to the center. And then the second surgery, he had to lift part of my brain back up and then put the skull back in. So this is why i wear my my ribbon every day. This is brain injury awareness ribbon.
01:56:20
Speaker
I also have it. I can't even see my fucking light.
01:56:26
Speaker
I have a green ribbon right here. Oh, okay. But yeah, it's... ah mana it's a This is going to be a lifelong battle. I go to therapy every day, ah Monday through Friday.
01:56:38
Speaker
That's all I got. you know so Trying to get back into this. like this when When you reached out to me today, I was like, absolutely. like i told the app fucking movie I love to chop my base. My favorite sport. I will chop it up Any day, any time. there's not many of us, my friend. I feel like baseball kind of fell. So to hear another person say baseball is their sport, it's definitely mine, too. So salute you. I'm 45. I've been a baseball fan at least four years.
01:57:03
Speaker
There you go. it's and i'm you know And I'm an avid you know Yankee fan, but can watch any two-team play. it don't It don't have to be Yankees. It really doesn't. Yeah, well, I'll be honest. Everyone knows baseball is best when our two teams are good and we're competing.
01:57:20
Speaker
Oh, yeah, absolutely. I mean, all three of our teams because the New York area, that that market alone, I tell you what, like, if you're up here, talk radio, like, the Mets fans are melting.
01:57:34
Speaker
They're melting on on talk radio. It's unbelievable. It's like but the sky is falling like the season's over. Like, you know, the fuck July just started, like, and you're really giving up? oh Yeah, they're – Oh, man.
MLB All-Star Game Attendance Plans
01:57:48
Speaker
Well, again, it was such a pleasure to have you on. and And now that we have this good crew, I felt like the chemistry was really good today. I've been looking for a baseball crew going forward. So we'll go ahead and try to do this every couple of weeks then going forward in the second half if y'a are down.
01:58:01
Speaker
Also, oh, enjoy the hell out of the All-Star Game, my friend. Like I said, I've done it once. It's a phenomenal experience. We were talking a lot of stats. Here's a stat for you to kind of cue off the end of the show. But yes you're a handsome man, and Atlanta has the highest population of gay black males in the country. So you have yourself a time, my friend.
01:58:24
Speaker
First of all, I appreciate i appreciate the comment. Pause. Hey, if you hit the Coke factory, bring me back something. I'm a huge Coke fan. Coca-Cola? Yeah.
01:58:35
Speaker
I mean, both, but yeah. so they they made They make Coca-Cola? I didn't know that. Okay, anyways. Yeah, that's what factory is. I didn't know that. I didn't know that. What we're going to do, this this is our plan. We're heading down Sunday.
01:58:46
Speaker
We're driving from Nashville. It's about a four-hour drive, so we're heading down Sunday. We're going to the we're gonna stop in and go to the Fan Fest that's down there. ah It's $20 for like veterans, so we're both veterans. We'll get in, go see some Legend, see if I can do some interviews for Ball and Buds.
01:59:00
Speaker
Then we're waking up Monday morning. We're going to golf Bobby Jones' golf course down there by Atlanta. ah Monday night, I'm skipping the home run derby for Magic City Grill, which I will hope to spend a lot of copious amounts of money and have a great time.
01:59:16
Speaker
And then Tuesday, we're going go back to fanfare and then the game at night. And then during that whole time. When you go to Magic City, what do you spend your money on?
01:59:27
Speaker
We'll see how how much a backroom costs for- Hey, who's performing this year in Atlanta? Who do they got performing the All-Star Game? I have no clue. You mean performing what? Like an All-Star Party or something?
01:59:38
Speaker
I mean, they always perform at the game. There's always someone major from that city. So it could a guy or someone like that. But there will be someone there for sure. Why don't they bring out like Young Jeezy and T.I.? I'd be dope, man.
01:59:49
Speaker
That'd be awesome. And if I can meet any of y'all at the at the at the ah grill, I will see y'all at Magic City ah for some late night Monday wings. And then breweries. Me and my dad love breweries. So we're just to do all the Atlanta breweries around there.
02:00:03
Speaker
Sweetwater. Oh, Sweetwater is down there. Right next Atlanta. There's a couple of good breweries down there, man, for sure. going like those. Yeah, we're going to have a good time. Hey, thanks for the two hours for y'all sticking in. We really appreciate it. Again, make sure you tap in and subscribe to all of these channels, The Rec Room, IOW Sports, and Ball & Buds.
02:00:21
Speaker
That being said, catch us at Ball & Buds tomorrow night. 8 Eastern, we will have boxing champs, fight picks. We're going to do all the fights. We're going to do Amanda Serrano, Katie Taylor. We're going do Manny Pacquiao, Mario Barrios, Oleksandr Usyk, Daniel Dubois, Shakur Stevenson, William Zepeda.
02:00:38
Speaker
We're going to be predicting all of the upcoming huge boxing matches. So tune in tomorrow night, 8 p.m. Eastern, Clubber the Combat G, Bapit Chunyeo, Skywalker Boxing Media, and yours truly.
02:00:49
Speaker
Cool? We'll see you all next time. Holla there!
02:00:59
Speaker
He's with the millions! That world heavyweight flow Championship belt wrapped around my waist, yo I got that Ric Flair, fake it flow Slam you on the page, that's why they call me Street Pro Create heat on beat flow Like Jordan after the second time he three-feated, folks Get ready, set, let's go Fight toe to toe, release the flow Created by this micro Lights, camera, get low Action packed, back to back.
02:01:29
Speaker
In fact, this monster will grow. Y'all better let him know. Man with the master plan and you have no need to know. You can't prepare. Now get ready for the show. Sports, brother.