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Most (and Least) Dangerous Contenders · The 3-0 Take

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Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Three O Take where we talk
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all things Major League Baseball.
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Here's Kyle Corwin and Nate Reyes.
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It all starts right now. Welcome back to the Three O Take
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presented by Chinook Cedry this episode 567, I'll be your host,
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Kyle Korne. I'm here with my Co host Nate
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Reyes. Nate what episode?
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This is five episode 560. 7 the 567 stop. 6-7 don't.
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Do. That I don't know what it means,
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but I. Didn't you're going to give me
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100 guesses as to what you're about to say right there?
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And that was not it. You know, I usually have an eye
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for seven. I usually have an eye for stuff
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like that, being chronically online as they say, but I I did
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not see that coming well. Well played.
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You're the younger one. Well played.
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Oh, OK. Well, you know by what?
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You're the you're with the youths.
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Four months. It's enough.
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It's enough. If you were comparing our backs
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30 years, there's a 30 year difference.
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Between. Our backs, you know, Says who?
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What? I mean, why do you just assume
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that your back is worse than the same?
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What are your? Issues.
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What are your issues that you're dealing with over there?
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General What's that thing that Giancarlo Stanton suffers from?
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General Soreness. That's that's me.
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He. Suffers from something general
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soreness. I think that's what was on the
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injury report, general soreness. Suffers from a lying front
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office, is what he. Suffers from congratulations
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Giancarlo you and every other 30 year old suffering from the same
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thing. We're more alike than than we
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think how about that how about that let's speaking to the
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Yankees. Let's talk about some teams that
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aren't really going to be much of A threat come post season
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time. But more importantly.
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It's a fire shot. Well, you know, hey, 6-7, I, you
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know, more importantly, I, I want to talk about the teams
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that that matter are, are going to be a threat.
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Most dangerous teams. If, if, if, if I do say so
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myself, but with where this conversation is going to get
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interesting, I think is sort of you're going to have two buckets
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here. You're going to have the bucket
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of here's why this team is dangerous.
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And then you're going to have on the flip side, here's why this
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team is in dangerous. And I'm curious if there's going
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to be some, some heavy disagreement amongst us because
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I pulled, I was, I was trying to collect my thoughts leading up
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to this. And there's a team or two where
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I some may consider it a, a hot take, but I, I feel like I have
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some reasoning behind it. So I'll be curious to see where
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that's or, or conversations plural potentially go.
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But right off the top here. Get her, get her fired up.
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How do you how do you want to do this?
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How do you want to do this? You you send it guy.
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I'm coming in per use all. Right.
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And no and notes in no particular order.
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The most dangerous, again, no particular order.
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This is sort of we're just talking buckets here.
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OK, dangerous bucket. Philadelphia Phillies.
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OK. And here's why.
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They have many stars, but two stars as it pertains to the post
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season that they have on their team in Bryce Harper and Kyle
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Schwarber heard of them. They pretty good.
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They're due to heat up because they've both had a little bit of
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a slide as of late. Kyle Schwarber, believe it or
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not, like I feel what was it a week ago, maybe to the day,
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maybe two weeks, we were talking about, you know, what's this MVP
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race really look like? And you know, we're throwing out
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reasoning reasons for and against as of late, though, has
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kind of sort of reverted back to typical Kyle Schwarber stuff
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since August 10th. Coming into the day he's in
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$1.95, has 9 homers and an OPS just north of eight at eight O
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6. Not bad.
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Not bad for Carl Schwaber, but not MVP stuff, but not MVP
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stuff. It gets worse when you go back
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to the beginning of this month. Somewhat of a small sample size,
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but it it's it's it's gotten worse since September 1st.
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He's hitting $1.56 with just one Homer, 4 RB is and an OPS of
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6/22. You combine that with the fact
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that Bryce Harper has cooled off a little.
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He All in all just hasn't had a Bryce Harper esque year in my
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opinion. Which you know brings truly
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brings a tear to my eye. Doesn't make me excited but when
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you consider that this guy has an OPS in the post season over
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1000 August, you can look at the splits.
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I was looking at him today. I think August is actually one
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of his better months, if not his best month.
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OK. When you look at month to month
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splits, takes a little bit of a dip in September, but like I
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said, once the postseason hits, once the lights flip on, as we
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very well know, he can flip a switch.
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So, Oh no, I think the, I think the Phillies combined with their
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pitching that we know is, is strong, is solid.
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You just have this sense that there's something brewing there.
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I mean, one of the best teams in baseball this year, no doubt.
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But I, I just, I, I feel like I, and I've alluded to this, I feel
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like we're on the verge of getting vintage Phillies again
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this year when really for the first few months you were
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starting to wonder like, what is this Phillies team?
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I'm, I'm liking the identity that we're, that we're seeing
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with the Phillies. So very much, very much looking
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forward to seeing what they can do in in October.
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All right, I'll wear the devil's advocate hat.
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How much of this skid that you're talking about with their
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superstars is revolved around the fact that they have a 10
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game lead at the time of this recording in the division and
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does the cruise control button? Because let's face it, I, I know
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that we're never going to hear this from players.
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We're never going to hear it from anyone in the like involved
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with the team. But if you have a 10 game lead
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and your, your eyes are focused on a deep postseason run, in my
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mind, there's less hard 90s, there's less stretching singles
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into double s. There's less crashing into walls
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it there is a level of let's not get too aggressive.
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We need to stay safe and then kind of stock up for what we're
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about to go do. And that's all that's the
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age-old question, right? Because we always talk about
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like that that team that sneaks into the into the wild card and
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sneaks into the postseason and spends the last few weeks just
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super hot. And they seem, you know, a lot
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like the Mets last year. They just, they earn their way
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in and they they kept the momentum rolling through versus
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a team that there's no one in the rear view we can coast.
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That plays a factor. I don't care what they tell us.
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Right. But it's the question of does
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that benefit them in the long run or does that hurt them
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because if you let the foot off the gas too much with under a
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month left? That's what I'm saying.
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Do you have enough of a runway to ramp it back up when when
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things heat back up? That's what I'm saying.
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That's what that's that's what I'm worried about.
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So I understand that I don't know if they're one of those
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teams are just like this feels like it's too easy, like there's
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something weird that's hiding in the corner ready to pounce kind
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of thing to ruin this story. That's that's my devil's
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advocate argument. Would you?
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Which bucket are you putting the Phillies in?
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I mean, obviously I'm going to put them in dangerous just
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because like you talked about, like the roster that's been
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there a deep rotation. Can I jump in real quick?
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I'll give you a third option. I I forgot to make.
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It's it's really three options. It's the dangerous, it's the non
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dangerous. And then it's just the teams
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that you're sort of lukewarm about because I mean, let's face
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it, there are teams that are going to make it into the
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postseason. They're going to give them, you
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know, give whoever they're up against to run for their money.
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But like on this side of things, at least you're looking at them
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going. And when I say them, it could be
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any team fill in the blank. You're looking at them going,
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yeah, they don't really move the needle.
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But I also don't think that they're just going to roll over
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once the calendar turns, you know?
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Yeah, that's fair. It's really.
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The third bucket. I'll still keep them in the
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dangerous bucket. I, I don't think we talked about
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home team advantage and I, I don't think that it, I think it
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plays more of a role in certain cities than others.
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And with how Philly is rolling, not just in baseball, but for
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football as well, Like there is, there is an expectation amongst
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those fans and there is a level of hype that it's like you can't
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be, you can't really coast, you can't hit cruise control.
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If you're a player and you're in that stadium and you're
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absorbing the atmosphere, you can't help but want to show up.
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So I still keep them in the dangerous bucket.
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I worry about maybe like a little bit of a slow start to
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the postseason, something weird, you know, maybe the offense
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doesn't get going, but their pitching is there to like kind
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of hold it down. Like I wonder if that's going to
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be the narrative. I'm just curious on that because
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it it's got to play a role. If the last month of baseball
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just doesn't really mean anything to you because of the
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lead that you have, it's my only concern.
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Fair enough. Yeah, let's how, how about the
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how about the Blue Jays? How do we, how do we feel about
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the Blue Jays? Because I have them in, you
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know, I've just had to accept, I've had to accept my fate.
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I've had, as we've mentioned, I've had to come to terms with
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the fact that I just need to eat crow with my stance on the Blue
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Jays from really the first half of this year and even maybe into
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the second-half. This team is legit.
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And this is not a team that I would necessarily want to run
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into in the post season. And therefore I'm putting them
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in the dangerous bucket. And it really for me, at least
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I, I say this as Kevin Gauzman just goes out today and throws
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ACG shut out against the the Strohs.
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But for me, it really comes down to their offense.
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And that's even with, you know, the news that we just got the
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other day. I think of what Boba Shett
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hitting the shelf for the the 10 day.
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The offense still, however, is is just rolling.
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I mean, George Springer, I, I, I don't think I realized how, how
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much of A renaissance year George Springer's having Like I
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was just throwing career year, an absolute throwback.
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George Springer year on coming in to today, he's got, he's
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leading the team with 28 homers, got an OPS AT-935-A WAR of 3/7.
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Once he hit, he's, is that 297? I mean, having an excellent
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year. And then, you know, Vladi,
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Vladi's not exactly lighting the world on fire, but he's he's
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having, he's having a Goodyear good to great year, 23 homers,
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890 OPS. He's got a WAR of five.
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So. He's I got a something all you
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crow on. He's also been lights out at
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first. Like, has he really?
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I haven't even luxury. At first base, dude.
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OK, good. Yeah.
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All the more reason. Like I'm surprised I don't know
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what, not that I'm like a huge believer in defensive metrics at
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the moment. Not that I'm really a believer
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in any metrics at the moment, but I would bet if you looked it
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up, it would be a lot better than what you've seen in the
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past for him. While you look that up, I'll
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agree with you. I do have them in the dangerous
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bucket as well. Achilles heel would probably be
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pitching where we've and it's not necessarily so much of like
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recently or or even this season in general, but like I think we
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all have this in the back of your head where there's like
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there's some clunkers out there. You know what I mean?
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There's some clunkers that that brios would would throw out
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there for you. There's some clunkers with
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Scherzer, like there's like little tense sometimes.
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I mean, what do we, what do we legitimately?
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So I mean, I wonder if that's in the back of your head.
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The other thing is. Sorry the Internet bugged out
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there for a second. Are we good?
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Are we good? We caught up.
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I was trying to play it off for a SEC.
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What'd you say? Yeah, I'm here if you're there.
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No, I'm kidding. No, I was just going to say,
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what do we legitimately think Max Scherzer could could provide
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us in the postseason? Because I, I genuinely don't
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know, because I'm like, if I had to put money on it, I'm like, I
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think we're just going to get a, a, a regressing Max Scherzer.
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But every start that he goes out, and I mean, mine is, you
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know, and I'll start here there as of late, he's just been
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throwing it a lot better. I, I then then what we would
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have expected. I just think you see quick
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leashes, you know what I mean? Like I don't, I don't see him
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going 567. Like I genuinely see like 6-7.
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I genuinely see like 4 innings in the postseason for him.
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And it's like one of those where let's kind of like keep momentum
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rolling. If you give us 4 strong innings,
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like doesn't matter, we're going to shut you down.
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We're going to carry that into the next start.
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And just like have you build off of that?
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Yeah, let's face it, like there is a got to be a little bit of
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like some load management involved with him just for his
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age. So that's kind of how I view it.
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But what I was going to say, another Achilles heel and and
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something you already brought up is the fact that like the the
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the team leader in home runs is only at 28.
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There's not a ton of pop that we've seen and that is been the
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narrative and obviously they're really good at everything else
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offensively there. We've already talked about like
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how pesky they are. They don't strike out.
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They they, they just are good on bases.
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They they do everything right on offensively.
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But there isn't like a ton of pop and we've seen post season
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games just kind of flip on their head anytime a home runs hit and
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it can happen. They can completely flip a
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series. So that would be my only concern
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with them. But in my mind, if if you close
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your eyes and you picture your favorite team being in the
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postseason and LRAL just kind of take the scenario out of it.
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Do you want to face the Blue Jays?
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I don't. So that means that means they're
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dangerous. I'm putting them in that bucket
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all day. Imagine where this team would be
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with Anthony Santander of 2024. Oh yeah, you forget he's there.
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I genuinely forget that he's there.
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Yeah, been on the shelf, been a non factor.
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Like just imagine it, it would it would help solve the issue
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that you're talking about the void of of little to no pop.
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And and we mentioned the the I mentioned the George Springer
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year or the year that George Springer's having.
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And it's like, I'm looking at that in a vacuum.
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It's like, you know, take out the fact that he's the team
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leader. I'm just looking at the George
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Springer year and be like, that's incredible at this stage
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of his career. But to your point, if that's, if
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that's the best you're getting in terms of pop, that yeah,
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causes some or raises some questions.
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Yeah. All in all though, think we're
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in agreement. Still wouldn't want to run into
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that team. Tell me if you disagree or
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agree. Feel like I know where you're
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going to go. This Milwaukee Brewers
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dangerous. They're doing their thing, man.
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The primary, the primary talking point here with the Brewers is
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as we very well know, they're pitching.
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They've got the second best ERA in all of baseball.
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The set and these these two things are to me are important
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in terms of what they're bringing to the table from the
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pitching side of things. 7th best WHIP in all of baseball
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team WHIP, which tells me that once October hits that they're
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going to continue being as good as they've been or or one can
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assume they're going to continue being as good as they've been
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this year. Limiting traffic in high
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leverage games, high leverage innings.
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You, you cannot let your foot off the gas whatsoever in the
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post season because as we've seen even in recent years, you
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let you let two guys get on the game can get out of hand real
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fast. So the, the fact that the
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Brewers are, are very good at limiting that, I think.
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And and you know, having home field advantage, I I think is
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going to to pay dividends for that team really.
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I would agree. I would agree.
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I kind of want to see. Sorry, go ahead, sorry, I had.
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I had one more note adding on to that.
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Another thing that I think is important is.
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They have the 4th, 4th most strikeouts in all the baseball.
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So really it's it's it's not like a well, we're just, you
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know, kind of pitching to contact, which could be a
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detriment in the post season. If you were a, if you're a
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strikeout heavy team, you're really bringing to the table,
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Hey, our best stuff versus your best stuff.
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Let's see what happens. And the Brewers have have
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proven, as we knock on the tour of October, that they have been
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able to do that. Yeah.
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For the duration of the season and do it well.
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Similar story on the pop side of things.
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That's what I was looking up. They ranked 20th in baseball and
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home runs 11th and OPS so very similar.
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What's it arch type or how do you say it archetype with the
21:01
with the Blue Jays? Yeah, I don't know.
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I mean it's one of those things where like it they're it's crazy
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to me that they're an 89 win team at the moment and they're
21:13
still like flying under the radar in a way.
21:17
It's it's very odd. I I know it's just it's the way
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of the Brewers. That's just kind of how it goes.
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But I don't this has got to be the best Brewers team we've seen
21:26
in a while, right? Like.
21:28
Well, I mean, what I just got done talking about with the
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pitching, like that's really the the driving force here with this
21:33
team, but it's like Freddy Peralta and then who else?
21:38
And I don't mean that like in a derogatory way, but it, it just
21:41
in terms of name recognition. Yeah, you're, you're getting
21:45
quality starts from guys that. Brandon Woodruff in there
21:49
aren't. Really, household names, Brandon
21:51
Woodruff, but like Jose Quintana, Quinn Priester, Chad
21:54
Patrick. I mean, these are all guys with
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like mid to slightly above mid 3/3, no, like 3 1/2, three eight
22:04
ER as that we're talking about here.
22:05
Jacob Mesorowski has has definitely, yeah, definitely
22:09
scuffled for sure. But you know, you, you have, you
22:12
have the depth. So it's not just like it's
22:14
Freddy Peralta and then a bunch of you know, we'll have to,
22:17
we'll have to fill in the gaps. You're getting you're getting
22:20
strong outings from a number of guys and that that can obviously
22:28
do wonders in the post season so.
22:30
I think it's it's one of those things where like, I don't know,
22:34
like a lack of knowledge of who they are and how they go about
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it makes them dangerous in a way.
22:40
It's like they're a mysterious team where because their lack of
22:44
stardom there isn't like this like, oh, we need to scout
22:48
against the Bryce Harper. We need to scout against Oh no,
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oh Tawny. Like there's no one that like
22:54
really just it's like Lookout. It's just a whole team of solid
22:58
baseball. It's a it's an old school brand
23:01
of baseball and it's refreshing. It really is.
23:04
It is. They're going to be cool to
23:05
watch. I'm I'm excited to see them like
23:07
on a national scale and like doing it in the post season and
23:11
see what they're really about. I hope they don't shy away.
23:14
Honestly, two, I can't believe I'm saying this, but two of the
23:17
most exciting or teams I'm most excited to watch in the playoffs
23:23
are the Brewers and the Blue Jays.
23:24
Two teams that I think you and I both, you know, for I don't know
23:29
how many years have just been like, kind of meh.
23:31
About no, no disrespect this time of year, Radar.
23:35
No disrespects the Mets. I I pose you the question of, of
23:45
how you feel about the Mets with the very real caveat that they
23:53
may not, they might not even make the play offs.
23:56
Yeah, dude. Like we're looking at a
23:58
potential situation where the New York Mets, who have have
24:03
gotten plenty of the limelight this year, are not playing post
24:08
season baseball. And that's wild to me.
24:12
It's not a surprise when you look at their their pitching
24:15
situation as we've documented, which is a reason that I have
24:19
them as being one of the least dangerous contenders as it
24:22
stands right now. Because you know, once you know,
24:26
you have one soda, you got Frankie Lindor, you got Pete
24:29
Alonso, but you we say it all the time, pitching wins in the
24:36
postseason. And this isn't just a match that
24:39
we're not talking about a scenario where it's like, oh,
24:41
you got you got like some options that could work.
24:44
You have nothing on that side of the ball, New York Mets.
24:49
Nothing like I look at the road. That they have to go through.
24:55
You have to go through a Philly staff, you have to go through a
24:58
Brewers staff. Like I understand you can have
25:02
an incredible offense and like that can hide some holes at
25:06
times, but not this kind of hole, sorry.
25:11
No, I was just going to say like you, you look up and down the
25:14
staff and we I think it was a week ago that we were talking
25:18
about this. No one McClain could possibly be
25:24
your game one starter if you do make it in, which is baffling,
25:29
baffling. And like I said, when we're,
25:33
when we're breaking down, you know, a reason that each
25:38
contender could win it all, you know, had to come to bat for the
25:41
Mets cuz that's just the theme of what the episode was.
25:44
But I, I, I don't believe in the Mets really at all right now.
25:50
But I mentioned Jonah Tong, he could be an X Factor for you,
25:55
but that's not the basket. You want to put all your eggs in
25:58
you. You can't.
25:59
It can't be Noel McLean. No idea who they are.
26:02
No, I mean you have I think you have a better idea of what Noel
26:05
McLean can can provide you. I don't know if we've seen a a
26:10
full ish picture from Jonah Song, but the other names that I
26:13
was going to mention that I I I shed some light on last time we
26:19
talked to meds, Kodai Senga, who obviously got option David
26:22
Peterson and Sean and I, all three of them have somewhere
26:26
between like a 5 somewhere 5 or 6 plus ERA since the break.
26:34
So it's it you don't have a leg to stand on.
26:39
You really don't. And you know, you can, you can
26:43
try to bludgeon teams to death offensively, I guess, but it's,
26:50
that's not. Only lasts so long.
26:52
That's what I'm saying you these especially once the you know, we
26:56
get the seven game series. If you can somehow skate through
26:59
these early couple series, OK, but like you're not going to be
27:03
hit. That's just not how things work
27:05
in the post season. Like your hitters are not going
27:06
to be able to stream together 6789 runs every game.
27:14
So not in cold New York. I'm not.
27:17
I'm not holding out hope for the Mets, sorry.
27:20
Me neither. This this could be a little
27:27
controversial, although maybe not.
27:31
How do we feel about the Cubs? Lukewarm.
27:35
Lukewarm. OK, well, I kind of have them in
27:39
just like the not dangerous bucket, if we're being honest.
27:44
I'm in. I'm closer.
27:46
Yeah, that's fine. I'm fine with that.
27:48
I'm closer to them being. Not a threat.
27:52
In in the not dangerous than anywhere near the lukewarm to
27:56
dangerous side. Yeah, so that you have them.
28:01
Yeah, I got you. You have them in the lukewarm
28:04
bucket, but you've got them kind of crawling to the top, propping
28:09
themselves up, ready to plunge into.
28:12
The yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Not a dangerous contender
28:15
bucket. They're reaching into that
28:17
bucket and testing. Kind of dip in their toes a
28:21
little bit, they go what kind of like that?
28:23
Right. And they're like I might, I
28:26
could do it, I. Could don't don't, I mean don't
28:30
test me, I I will. If I have to watch another Bears
28:33
game, I'm going to. I'm just going to do it.
28:35
I'm going to go all the way in. And do it for me.
28:39
The biggest issue as it pertains to the Cubs, and real quick, I'm
28:45
just going to go ahead and point this out.
28:46
I'm going to shatter the glass for you, but I say as it
28:50
pertains a lot now, so I apologize.
28:52
So, you know, hold me accountable if I'm just dropping
28:54
it as it pertains to, you know, every.
28:58
It is a, it is a bit of a flex. It's a, it's a, yeah.
29:02
It's I'm overusing it, so hold me accountable.
29:04
You know if if it gets, if it gets carried away or if I get
29:09
carried away to. Use the the phrase.
29:13
Is it a term? Is it a phrase?
29:15
Is it a prefix? Prefix.
29:18
Prefix. That's a new one.
29:20
Pref Yeah. Suffix.
29:23
Is that the thing? Yes, suffix.
29:25
And prefix and suffix, yeah, that's it.
29:29
That's. It I think I confused prefix
29:31
with prefix. They they just.
29:33
Got nailed it. Nailed it.
29:36
The beginning of a book, right? Sometimes.
29:40
Well, it can be used as a verb. Let me let me preface my point
29:44
by saying this. Yeah, it can be as a verb,
29:47
Right, Right. Yeah.
29:48
Books as well. I'm a big reader, clearly.
29:53
I'm not. I know I'll go ahead and say
29:55
I'm, I'm not. However, I'll just use it this
29:59
last time because I had started the sentence.
30:01
So let me just get it out of the way as as it pertains to the
30:04
Cubs. My question is for the Chicago
30:07
Cubs, where's the star power? Where's the star power?
30:14
You've got stars, but we're not getting anything from them.
30:19
I saw I saw a tweet today and I updated it because I, I think it
30:23
was from the, I think it was from Tuesday, Monday or Tuesday.
30:30
So I've updated it from July 19th to today.
30:38
This is regarding homers. P Crow Armstrong had 26 homers
30:43
on July 19th, July 19th, today 28.
30:49
He went from 26 to 28 from July 19th to today.
30:53
Kyle Tucker 18 homers on July 19th to 22 homers today.
31:00
Say say A Suzuki 26 homers on July 19th to 27.
31:08
So between Pete Crow, Armstrong, Kyle Tucker, Saya Suzuki, we're
31:12
looking at from July 19th to today, a combined seven home
31:20
runs. And that's not even.
31:28
I mean, you're just barely, you're just scratching the
31:31
surface really when you look at that.
31:33
But I collectively, the Cubs are just the Cubs are sliding.
31:37
And I was looking at the, I was looking at the standings today
31:42
and I was like, where did the where did the race for the
31:47
Central go? Yeah, it's 5 1/2 games.
31:51
Brewers pretty much have it all but locked up at this point.
31:53
It is such a weird time of year because you go from like dog
31:57
days and then you're just like, I haven't checked the standings
32:00
in like a week. Let me look And there's just
32:03
massive, massive shifts, chaos, crazy, crazy shifts.
32:11
So they will host a wild card game or a series.
32:15
I should say they'll they'll host the wild card series.
32:17
If this position stays. I'm I'm if you want to write me
32:22
down for a receipt if you're in the mood.
32:24
Oh, I love when you. I love when you mood to keep.
32:27
I love when you. I love when you preface a point
32:29
with that. When you prefix a point with the
32:32
receipt, it's it's nice. So I will give them.
32:37
The Cubs will only have one postseason win, and it's
32:42
credited to the fact that Anthony Rizzo's throwing out the
32:45
first pitch at some point. There you go.
32:48
That's it. Wow.
32:52
That's it. They're only getting one wings.
32:54
Say it again. Say it again.
32:56
They're getting one postseason win this year.
32:59
That's it. And it's because Anthony Rizzo's
33:02
throwing out the first pitch. That's a quote card.
33:05
I love that. Can't wait to drop that one.
33:07
Because like, Padres are going to go in and roll through, dude.
33:09
Like I'm, it's, I don't care about how things are lined up in
33:15
the standings at the moment. Like I, they're, they're, I, I
33:20
might have talked myself into not dangerous.
33:21
I'm not even lukewarm anymore. They're not dangerous.
33:25
You're welcome. I'm glad.
33:26
I glad I got you to this point. Yeah.
33:30
I mean, as it stands right now, if things were to hold, we're
33:32
looking at a Dodgers, Mets, or excuse me, you said they would
33:38
host a series, wild card series against the Padres, correct?
33:43
Yes. And then the Dodgers and the
33:45
Mets. Correct, because the Dodgers are
33:50
obviously the worst division winner currently.
33:56
Yeah, I think so. Yeah, it it goes back to what
34:00
you said earlier. It's like the the road in the
34:02
National League is it's it's just going to be.
34:08
It's too tough. It's.
34:09
Going to be good. It's going to be a point of
34:11
television, I'll tell you that. Great TV.
34:13
Great TV for sure. But yeah, it's with the way the
34:17
Cubs have just sort of fought off a Cliff.
34:20
I'm I'm like I'm and especially I really wanted to say as it
34:27
pertains. Yeah, you did.
34:30
As as it relates to the central, even like forget the it's not a
34:34
good. Enough change.
34:35
It's not. It's too close.
34:38
That's a. That's a cousin, too, as it
34:39
pertains. In relation to regarding,
34:44
regarding the National League Central, even like forget the
34:46
forget the the whole National League picture as a whole or
34:49
even the post season picture for the whole league in terms of
34:56
National League Central teams. I'm excited about.
34:57
We just got done talking about like the Brewers at this at this
35:00
point. I'm like, yeah, I'm if I if, if
35:02
I got to pull A-Team out of the Central between those and even.
35:08
And you can even throw the Reds into the mix, obviously, because
35:10
they're they're sort of just they're just lingering.
35:13
They're sort of just, you know, currently tied.
35:16
They're like a little, like a little.
35:17
Giants only two games back. The Reds are like a little buoy
35:21
out in the ocean. They're just kind of like, we're
35:23
here, don't forget about us. Yo, the Mets have lost five
35:27
straight three and seven in their last ten.
35:29
They might not be in it. Yeah, the NL, very CS.
35:35
They're bobbing. We're bobbing.
35:38
Yep. I'm not making any sudden quick
35:41
movements, but we're here. We're not really going anywhere,
35:47
but keep an eye out for us. That's kind of what the Reds
35:50
are. So yeah, the sorry little NL
35:55
Central tainted there. Cubs, though.
36:00
Yeah, Cubs, though not all that excited about another team that
36:06
I'm I'm really losing steam on. I think I know what you're going
36:11
to say. I would love, I would love you
36:15
to take a guess. You want to stay at the same
36:18
time 321. Yeah, I'll count us down here
36:24
32. No, you kind of sum. 321 Houston
36:32
Tigers. OK, All right.
36:35
What's interesting is I was, I was on the fence about, I was
36:39
sort of like, OK, I want to slot like another team in here who I
36:42
want to go with. And I was deciding between the
36:44
Tigers and the Astros, but my head immediately went to for the
36:49
Astros. I'm like, how much of the
36:51
Framber Valdez thing is going to linger?
36:53
How much of that has maybe soured the clubhouse?
36:57
And how much of that is going to if it, if it all carry into,
37:03
into the playoffs? And I'm like, I immediately had
37:06
to dismiss that because I'm like, I got to think with, with
37:09
guys like Correa Altuve in there that that's I, I would venture
37:13
to say that that's sort of been cleaned up, you know,
37:17
conversations I'm sure have been had.
37:20
And so because that's where my head immediately went and I had
37:22
to sort of dismiss it. I'm like, I'm not going to
37:24
really, I'm not going to go down that rabbit hole.
37:26
So I'll just leave the Astros be.
37:28
And for me, if I've kind of got them in the middle, I'm not, I'm
37:31
not going to be so aggressive as to put them in the not a threat,
37:36
not a dangerous threat contender situation.
37:40
But for me, it was attackers. Tell me about the Tell me why
37:43
you're feeling this way about the Astros, though.
37:45
Straight vibes, dog. Not even just just shooting from
37:48
the hip here, just going off of the way I feel, the way I see
37:52
it. Which I respect, but tell me
37:55
this does it not get to this time every year?
37:59
And when it gets to October, we're having the same
38:02
conversation every year where it's like, well, the Astros are
38:05
just going to do what the Astros do.
38:07
Why? Why is this year different?
38:08
Because I feel like even this season, you've made the point of
38:12
like, well, I'm not going to, I'm not going to say this or
38:14
that about Houston because inevitably they're going to,
38:18
they're going to do what they're going to do.
38:19
I hear you. I guess.
38:21
I mean, I would. I think they're better than the
38:25
Cubs. So I'm not going to go full on,
38:30
not dangerous. I'm just going lukewarm and
38:37
everybody's a little bit older. The only, the only things that
38:41
are keeping them out of the not dangerous bucket for me are it's
38:46
it's probably their staff, like Hunter Brown's had a fantastic
38:49
year. Framber is good for some post
38:53
season starts, even though it's he's kind of been up and down
38:56
this year. So like I there's still some
39:01
vets there, but like, I don't know, the offense just doesn't
39:07
doesn't do it for me. So yeah, that's it.
39:13
That's all I got for you. That's the end of my book
39:15
report. Suffix Excellent, excellent
39:20
preface with that book report for me.
39:24
Tigers. I'm putting them well.
39:27
Full transparency here. The lukewarm bucket that I
39:31
mentioned in the beginning that was sort of last minute thrown
39:34
into the mix like, OK, like let's, I mean, let's make it
39:36
fair here. We don't have to.
39:37
We don't have to pigeonhole ourselves one way or another.
39:39
But for me, when I was pulling my team list of teams together,
39:43
I had only put them in one or the other.
39:45
I didn't when when I was doing this, I wasn't looking at
39:47
through the lens of having a third option.
39:50
So for me, I've got the Tigers in the not a dangerous threat
39:56
category. Interesting.
39:59
And. I've talked about it a lot
40:02
already. Hitching.
40:06
Yeah. And, and honestly, OK, how many
40:10
wins do they have? Like what are we looking at with
40:13
the with the Tigers here? 8484 and 6280.
40:17
Four win team. They're what the best team in
40:23
the American League, tied with the blue ties tied with the
40:25
Jays. So we'll just say best team in
40:28
the American League. I'll be honest with you, I don't
40:32
know how they're doing it because it doesn't like you
40:35
don't have to get all too deep into advanced analytics.
40:40
So come to come to the realization that they don't on
40:47
either side of the ball, they're not they're not really lighten
40:51
things up. They're really not lighten the
40:53
charts up because really from a pitching side of things, you
40:57
look at Tarek Schuble after Tech Scubble, what do you got?
41:01
I think your next best option is Casey Meyes because Jack
41:07
Flaherty has been booty this year pitching to a tune of 469.
41:16
Casey Meyes at a 383 is he's they've only they've only got 3
41:21
guys over 100 innings and Casey Meyes is at 131 but.
41:29
You know, it's one of those really telling stats that's.
41:32
Not going to play in the postseason.
41:33
And I mentioned this when we were going through teams last
41:36
last episode. I'm looking at the one run games
41:44
that column, specifically how the records.
41:47
In one run games the Detroit Tigers are 20 and 9.
41:55
The next closest team in the loss column are the Houston
42:03
Astros at 16 losses. It looks like majority of the
42:08
league is, you know 500 or worse when it comes to one run games.
42:14
You're saying you meant sixteen wins for the Astros 1616?
42:18
Lot in the loss column. They're 20.
42:20
The Houston Astros are 26 and 16 in one run games.
42:24
Now I'm just saying that like I'm, I'm trying to look at the
42:27
losses because I'm just looking at the, the category in general,
42:32
because if that flips and they're 9 and 20, we're not even
42:37
talking about the Tigers right now.
42:38
You know what I mean? And I, I know we can kind of
42:41
cherry pick stats in any way, but like that to me is very, you
42:47
know, is that are you really good in those moments?
42:54
Or are we kind of counting some of these as lucky?
42:59
Like who are you? Because there's going to be one
43:01
run games in the postseason. There's obviously going to be
43:03
post matches. And I think knowing that in your
43:07
head of like, Hey, we're good in these scenarios, I think makes a
43:10
difference. But it just makes you wonder
43:12
that like I don't know if that if that's reversed we're one run
43:17
difference from being of not very good team or.
43:22
Even being talked about like you said and not to not to play
43:25
Homer, but the same could go for team like the Red Sox who at
43:30
least in the first half were abysmal in in one run games and
43:35
blown saves. This that in the third if if
43:40
they were even 500 in those situations.
43:43
I'm not even saying one run games.
43:44
I'm just saying like late inning games, you know where where
43:48
they're sort of hanging on hanging around.
43:52
We're talking about the best team, like a runaway best team
43:55
in the American League because you're only right now the Red
43:58
Sox are three games off the pace in the American League with all
44:07
of those first half choke jobs. If if, like I said, if you're
44:11
even 500 in those situations, you're you're running away with
44:15
the American League. But to your to your point, it's,
44:18
you know, I, I'm going to lean towards saying the good teams do
44:23
win those games more often than not.
44:24
So, you know, credit to them, but to your, that's what.
44:27
I'm saying like it's a weird stat where you're like, you
44:29
could, you could, I'm on the fence about it.
44:34
I don't know. Well, offensively, when you talk
44:41
about their ability to score runs, another situation where
44:47
it's like, I don't, I don't know how they're doing what they're
44:50
doing because they have one qualified hitter.
44:53
I looked up today, one qualified hitter with an OPS over 800.
44:57
And that's Riley Green, who's having an exceptional year, 33
44:59
homers, especially in that, you know, playing at that ballpark.
45:02
33 homers, sitting two 68107 RB is on the year.
45:09
That's it, That's it. The only other guy that's you
45:14
know in the 800 conversation is Carrie Carpenter, but you know,
45:18
as an unqualified hitter who also has 24 homers.
45:21
So like the they've got some, they've got some good pop.
45:25
But if if Riley Green, no disrespect, but if Riley Green,
45:34
you know, we're talking about star power in the post season.
45:36
If Riley Green is the guy that's leading the leading the charge
45:42
here, what does that say about the rest of your your lineup?
45:47
Yeah, that's a good point. Spencer Torkelson, you know, 20,
45:52
what, 28 homers? He's got an OPS of 790 and he's
45:56
hitting 237. So you know.
46:00
And go cut it. I, I venture to say that's your,
46:04
that's probably your next best hitter.
46:09
Riley Green and Spencer Torkelson, who coming into this
46:12
year, we were not, well, not just us, but I think a lot of
46:15
people were like, is this it for Spencer Torkelson?
46:21
Had a great first month. Yes, I mean, I mean.
46:25
Goodyear in fantasy. Good, smart, smart, Goodyear All
46:30
in all. But I just again, no disrespect,
46:33
but I don't think Riley Green and Spencer Torkelson are going
46:36
to be what gets it done. And like I already said, with
46:39
the with, with the staff, it's Terek, it's Terek Skubal.
46:43
And then who else? Right.
46:47
So I may, I may come back to bite me.
46:51
I'm sure it will. But that's kind of it's kind of
46:53
where I stand with the Tigers right now.
46:55
So, yeah. And then really any other team
46:58
that currently holds a post season spot, I by default are in
47:03
kind of the middle for me. Yeah.
47:06
Are there any of it that I that we didn't cover that where
47:09
you're like, no, no, I feel this particular way about this team.
47:13
Well, I mean, I think we got to have a dialogue about the
47:15
Dodgers. I think like we got to we got to
47:23
have a stance at least. You know, I don't know.
47:28
I mean I. Yeah, we, I guess because it's
47:32
the Dodgers, but I think we, we and really the National
47:36
Baseball, you know, media landscape has really beaten the
47:41
the Dodgers negative to death where it's like, yeah, OK, kind
47:44
of limping to the finish line here.
47:46
They're beating up, they're getting guys back.
47:48
What will they do? What's a guy like Sasaki going
47:50
to do when he gets back? They're talking about putting
47:53
him in the pen because they got 6, you know, viable arms.
47:57
I just think. Rotation.
47:58
I don't know. I think strictly there's very
48:03
few times that you can. I can't think of any.
48:08
There's very few times where you can just like look at a roster
48:11
and say, I don't care how you've performed this year, when the
48:15
lights turn on, you're dangerous.
48:19
And that's what they have. They have.
48:21
And I, I think there is a level, I don't know how it necessarily
48:25
effects guys psychologically, but I think there has to be
48:28
certain guys that love a blank slate, you know, when they walk
48:34
into a clean scoreboard or in the, in the postseason starts
48:38
And it's like who finally, like, I don't have to look at that,
48:42
you know, 222 average or, you know, the 17 jacks when I'm
48:47
supposed to hit 30. Like I think there's something
48:49
that has a little bit of like a reset button.
48:55
And there's just so many guys that are just so damn good at
48:58
baseball on that roster that I feel like could do that.
49:03
And you know, everyone's talking about how bad the back end of
49:06
the bullpen is, but like, imagine again just what that
49:09
looks like. The second you're able to reset
49:11
that I I almost by default have to put them in the dangerous
49:19
category because of that. You know, they they're sleeping
49:26
giant. They're.
49:26
Sleeping giant is what they are. They've earned that benefit of
49:30
the doubt. I mean that that it's just
49:31
that's as simple as you can put it.
49:33
So yeah, I won't personally go there, but I respect your logic
49:39
in arriving at that conclusion because I think you're right.
49:42
I I think is sleeping giants a great way to put it like this.
49:46
You'd be, I think you'd be foolish to just write them off
49:51
all together. Not saying I'm not saying you'd,
49:54
I'm not saying you're, you're foolish to think that like this
49:57
might not be their year, but you'd be foolish to just write
50:00
the Dodgers off completely because that's just not how the
50:03
Dodgers operate. And that's not what they're,
50:05
that's not what they're going to show up to do so.
50:08
That's all my argument is. It's a valid point.
50:10
I'll I'll hear it. I'll hear it.
50:12
Thank you Hear, hear, hear anything else?
50:17
I, I wanted to be a Homer and put the socks in a in a
50:20
dangerous category, especially with some of these young arms
50:23
that they're calling up. I'm curious to see if if they
50:26
played in an impactful role in the post season, but it really
50:31
just depends on when they're getting Roman Anthony back
50:34
because that is going to play a huge factor into in my opinion.
50:40
And as to how they do. Yeah, but didn't want to talk
50:44
about it too much at length, so I'll leave it there.
50:46
But fair enough. I think we covered think we
50:49
covered the heavy hitters or the not heavy hitters, if you will.
50:54
Sure, closing the book here. You mentioned his name already,
50:57
Anthony Rizzo retiring retired 14 years in the bigs heck of a
51:05
career. Very, very strange, though,
51:10
given I don't want to say the fallout, but just the way it
51:14
kind of, you know, fizzled your thinking like, oh, he'll he'll
51:17
sign like a one year deal somewhere and then, you know,
51:21
May passes, June passes, it's like.
51:23
This was weird. I think it it was weird because
51:28
you've seen, I think lesser talents have that those
51:31
opportunities. Exactly.
51:33
Yeah, we've seen lesser talents and worse resumes get that extra
51:38
opportunity and I'm very surprised he didn't.
51:41
But I do really, really like the decision to do it good.
51:46
Like it's almost like a good for him to not like, I don't want to
51:52
say like embarrass himself through another offseason, but
51:55
like there are levels to it. I'm sure there's a pride level
51:59
here where you're just like, I don't think I can go through
52:02
another offseason and not get a call so.
52:05
Or like a, like a let let me be ADH for the A's or something.
52:09
Yeah. And.
52:12
Then you're at this weird spot where, like, am I going to turn
52:14
down this opportunity? You know, haven't been in the
52:16
league for a year. Like you have all of these weird
52:19
narratives. I think it was it was cool to
52:22
see. I feel like he I would guess he
52:24
probably stayed in shape this whole year, waited for a call
52:29
and. He's been doing media coverage
52:31
right for. It's all on Fox, Fox.
52:34
Yeah. So like, I think it was cool to
52:40
see that. And I think it's just like, I
52:42
don't know, I always have respect for self-awareness.
52:46
I feel like this is a very self aware decision.
52:51
Great career favorite. One of my like under under the
52:57
radar favorites. I loved watching them.
52:59
Loved. It's just impossible to not root
53:01
for that guy. Kyle Schwarber, 50 We already,
53:07
you know, we already covered Schwarber, but he did.
53:10
He did notch his 50th Homer of the season earlier this week.
53:16
So noteworthy there. I think I saw where was it
53:23
joined Ryan Howard as the only Philly player Phillies to reach
53:28
50 homers in a season. Ryan Howard had 58 and O 6
53:35
another milestone. Paul Skeens recorded as 200th K
53:40
and then went on to tally a few more on Wednesday, last night,
53:44
Wednesday against the OS in a game in which the Pirates were
53:49
going to lose. Yeah, had a had a strong outing,
53:55
got pulled early just to limit the workload and then Pirates
53:57
are going to lose. But hey, full, you know, got to
54:00
raise my hand here. Pirates, I do believe went on
54:04
went on a run. There was skiing where they were
54:08
winning ball games that were started by him.
54:10
So I don't want to, you know, I don't want to just brush that
54:13
out of the rug. Going to give them the credit
54:15
they're due there because we were getting on them there for a
54:16
while. But maybe back to their back to
54:21
their ways, maybe with dropping that game anyway, don't want to
54:24
take anything away from skins out 200 KS on season in a year
54:29
that they are very much limiting.
54:31
Like I said, his workload. Like you look at his, you look
54:34
at his outings, he's going 567. No, no, he's not not really
54:41
going 7 all that all that often, but so press the feet for
54:44
schemes and we'll see what hardware awaits him in the
54:47
offseason. And lastly, couple housekeeping
54:51
items, merch reminder, check out the shop 3otake.com/shop.
55:00
And truly last reminder about the keeping book live stream
55:06
this weekend. I think Meredith's in.
55:08
She was like, yeah, yeah, I'm I'm in so order up some grub,
55:16
let me know, send me the bill for whatever you and Paige want
55:20
to do. What?
55:22
We'll do it right. We'll do a big.
55:24
She's pumped. Going to be given away.
55:26
She did specifically ask, which I think I already knew the
55:29
answer, but her book will not be on screen.
55:32
I think that's one of the. So here's a thought.
55:36
I, I mean, I can, I, I really can't.
55:40
Like it's not, it's not an issue.
55:41
I can order another one. But I'm also like, what if I
55:44
just give Meredith like you and I can, you know, like talk, talk
55:50
these things through and maybe you want to keep your own book.
55:52
That's fine. But I'm just thinking like,
55:54
well, maybe I just give her my book and I can be like an extra
55:57
set of eyes. Done well, but we'll do the same
55:59
thing. Is that fair?
56:00
You have two books? Yeah.
56:01
So let's do that. I mean, I could, like I said,
56:03
it's not a problem. I was just thinking like,
56:05
because I know when I was first learning earlier this year, I
56:09
was having to ask you like, oh, what was that?
56:11
What was the pitch? What was the count?
56:12
So if if I'm not having to worry about keeping.
56:16
Yeah. I mean, hey, if Meredith is cool
56:18
with her book being on screen, I don't know if you you got to get
56:23
that green. It might be like, it might be
56:24
like a joint effort. I might like, yeah, I might
56:27
like, you know, help fill some things out.
56:29
But yeah, we're going to be like, like Nate said last
56:32
episode, if if you want to learn to keep score, if you already
56:36
know how to keep score, just want to hang out with baseball
56:38
fans or if you're not interested in learning and just want to
56:43
hang out. That's right.
56:48
Did I say that? May I say that twice?
56:49
If if you want to do that, we're we'll be doing it this Sunday,
56:53
Sunday night Baseball, probably 6:45 is the the time slot we've
56:58
been doing recently. Just give ourselves some time to
57:00
prep the books and run through any questions that people might
57:04
have. So join us for the last one.
57:06
It'll be the last one of this year.
57:09
No, obviously with with October looming and we're going to we're
57:13
going to go out right. We're going to go socks Yanks as
57:16
a mentor can be giving away going to give away some merch.
57:20
I may even give away this Nolan Ryan 8 by 10 signed 8 by 10 by
57:24
Nolan Ryan. I keep mentioning it.
57:25
I don't we'll see. We'll see how.
57:28
We'll see how the people respond.
57:29
If if they're into it, then I may give it away.
57:31
But if, if they couldn't care less than I'm going to keep, I'm
57:33
going to keep them. That's right.
57:36
I'm just going to give this stuff away just because I say
57:38
that I might. It's good that you prefixed it
57:40
with that. Prefixed it.
57:42
Yep. So that's all I got.
57:44
Anything. Anything from you before we hop
57:48
out of here? No, I love you guys.
57:51
Thanks for listening. And in all things, don't go
57:54
chasing curveballs. We'll have you all, and as
57:56
always, looking forward to talking more baseball with you
57:58
guys soon. Until next time, stay filthy.