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Kikuchi Off the Board · 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 Sea Geek. This is episode 491.
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I'll be your host Kyle Corden. I'm here with my Co host Nate
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Reyes. Nate.
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I am he, this is we three O take.
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Welcome welcome welcome welcome one welcome all for your first
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time guest welcome if you're an OG welcome we're in the middle
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of it we're. Just just surviving out here,
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just treading water. Speaking of surviving before we
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get into baseball, it's still it's baseball related, but I
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still, I still got a little bit left in the tank in this old
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wing of mine. Interesting.
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I told you how I was helping out with our Meredith and I are
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helping out with our youth group at church.
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And tonight we have like a little Thanksgiving, little
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Thanksgiving party. And at the end, our game
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involved marshmallows. And by the end of the game, it
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had evolved into, let's just call it marshmallow dodgeball
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and it's the jumbo size marshmallows.
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Absolutely. I wasn't necessarily going to
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participate, but then I started seeing marshmallows flying
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across the room and I'm like, well, I have no choice now.
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So exactly loosened up a little bit and I was dotting kids from
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across the room as if I was still in the six hole.
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That's good smoking little kids. Smoking kids in the eye, giving
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kids black eyes with marshmallow.
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Not that far, but yeah, still got a little juice in.
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Little little juice left. I like it.
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I like it. Get that thing loose, man.
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Couple couple cracks as I was loosen it up, but I got it
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going. I eventually got it there.
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Paige and I, we got the first Christmas movie and we watched
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Elf the other day and class that that scene where he's just
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whipping snowballs at kids in the park and I'm like, man, I
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miss. At that age.
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I miss, I miss the day. Missed the day where this old
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wing could handle it. Not anymore.
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Not anymore. How fast do you think you could
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throw a marshmallow? Crow hop?
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Janitor's throw? Just air it out.
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You think you can get that thing above 65?
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Not above 65. You don't think so?
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A marshmallow. You think he's got enough weight
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those jumbo ones can get? Kind of the jumbo ones, yeah.
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Got a little weight to them. Got a little weight to them
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maybe. No, no, I'm not even stop. 50
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I'd be happy with 50 I'd be happy to.
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Get the radar gun out. We may have to do that next time
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we're together, might have to be part of the content, the plan
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for content next time we're together.
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All Star game in Atlanta. That's true.
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Marshmallows feel like we had to save it for a time.
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We're we're down deep in the in the trenches of this move less
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offseason so far. You say Kikuchi would like a
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word. Babuchi.
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You say Kikuchi would like a word.
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But before we talk about you say Kikuchi, just wanted to plug the
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plug real quick. The Facebook group, the Today in
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Baseball, it's on our Facebook page.
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You'll see it pinned up at the top.
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We've had it around for for a little while now, but I realized
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I hadn't plugged it in some time.
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So if you're looking, if you're on Facebook, which I know
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that's, that's like a controversial thing, like, oh, I
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would never be on Facebook, But then I know people people have
4:12
their entire lives on Facebook. If you're on the platform, we
4:15
have a group for you. You can chat with other baseball
4:18
fans. You can talk some trash with
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some other baseball fans. You can share some updates.
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You can catch our lives on there.
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Check out the group on our Facebook page.
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It's pinned at the top. You're more than welcome to
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join. We'd love to have you just want
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to get that plug out there Now let's talk.
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You say, Kikuchi, the audacity of you to sit here and say that
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this is a lifeless or move less offseason and we have.
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I can't say. I can't say it with a straight.
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Face, I know. I think I read a tweet.
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I don't remember who it was, but it was like, I think it was a
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writer with MLB.com that was like, we have like our Top 40
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board and this is the first name on the Top 40 board to get to
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sign somewhere where? Well, I mean, in that regard, I,
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I like referencing MLB trade rumors.
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So I mean, what is what are we looking at there?
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Because, I mean, you got Sodo, you've got you've got Burns,
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you've got Bregman. They've got Bregman third on
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their list of top 50 free agents.
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You got Snell. All right, I mean, let's go
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down. You got Pete Alonzo, Jack
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Flaherty. Yeah.
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I mean, literally no. Yeah.
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Nothing. Shawn Minaya even.
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Yeah. No slight towards him or
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anything. To Oscar Hernandez.
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You say Kikuchi. They OK, so they they rank.
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You say Kikuchi on MLB Trade Rumors as their 12th free agent
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and they were predicting 360. Wow, nice prediction.
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There's all their their crew. Three out of the four guys had
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Orioles, by the way. Really.
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Yeah, Well. Which, to their credit, did
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anybody really see the angels doing this?
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There's there's no. Logic here that I digress.
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Let's, let's talk a little bit more about it, OK?
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Can we just for a second or for a few minutes, set aside our
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Angel? I mean no such promises.
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Whatever. Whatever we have against the
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angels, can we just set that aside for just a minute?
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I don't have anything against the angels.
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You do, and you're lying. Stupid.
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You're lying. Say otherwise.
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No. Yeah, No, I don't have anything
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against the angels. I just think they're a bunch of
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idiots. No, that that's fair.
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Seems reasonable to sit there and say that you have nothing
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against the angels and. They don't register to me like I
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just like they just never come to mind about anything except
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except stupidity or injuries. OK.
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And I'm trying to add contracts legitimately hand up here.
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I'm trying to be as unsarcastic as I can be here.
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The ain't. Say what you will about the
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angels, they're the only ones doing anything right now.
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Yeah. Like anything.
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And we even talked last week or, or made mention of it again, how
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sneaky of a move we felt like the the Jorge Solaire move was.
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And then you go out and get Kikuchi.
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Maybe you get a little bit of the Kikuchi you saw there in the
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second-half last year in Houston.
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I don't know. I mean, they're not, these
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aren't headline moves. And I say that or leading off
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with Kikuchi, that's more about the state of the the hot stove
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right now. But All in all, not headline
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moves, but they're at least something.
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Yeah, I'm trying to. Sorry.
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I'm just looking up there payroll real fast.
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Speaking of less on the books than I thought.
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Speaking of money, Kikuchi signed a three-year, $63 million
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contract. Last I mentioned the last the
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second-half of last year he had a 27 and 10 starts with the
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Astros after being traded from the Blue Jays.
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But looking at his season as a whole, posted a four O 5 across
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34 ERA, four O 5 across 32 starts.
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It's solid second-half, Yeah, solid second-half.
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There was there were a few starts that come to mind that
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looked like the Astros had pulled off a a heist.
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It was like the first, what, 3-4 maybe.
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Yeah, two to four starts there. Right off the right off the jump
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when they acquired him and before they made the
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acquisition, we're going, this doesn't add up.
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Something's not making sense. The Astros clearly know
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something that the consensus general public does not know.
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And they made us look like idiots because at the at the
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time, like I said, he ugly, ugly first half and then he helps him
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make up. I mean, we know the story of the
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Astros last year helped him continue to make that push
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towards the their inevitable appearance in the post season.
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That's the beauty of a good scouting department.
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You know, that's the beauty of of seeing a guy and recognizing
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philosophy matching with potential and a guy that is is
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kind of like a buy low, low risk, high reward kind of thing.
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And it was a high reward I've had.
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I thought he looked really, really good in Astros uniform.
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So I'm not coming down on the angels for making this move.
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I think it's just I don't know. I like I was looking at the
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there have spot track has them at the projected total of 185
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mil for next year, because obviously they're still that
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there's like estimations on or estimates on their arbitration
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guys. So they're like they're just
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kind of guessing that number of what they're going to settle at.
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It's a lot of arbitration guys, a lot ARB and pre ARB.
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So as far as like, you know, heavy hitter money, this is
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basically it. Like it's Rendon, obviously Mike
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Trout both above 37 mil. And then there's a big drop off
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to Kikuchi at 21. And then they got Solaire for
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16. As I'm saying AV here, Tyler
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Anderson at 13, Robert Stevenson at 11.
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You know, even like Kyle Hendricks, he's down to 2.5.
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Kevin Newman 2.5. So like.
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What was the Travis star no deal again?
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Wasn't very much. What's weird is that he's
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blanked at the bottom. There's no number next to his
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name, so I don't know what that total is, but overall I mean 2.
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Years $12 million. Yeah, so I it's it's funny
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because it's like they're doing stuff, they're getting a lot of
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mid level free agents. And for the most part, I'd say
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guys that are money wise is pretty movable.
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If you're having a down year and you know, many of these guys
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would be a target at the deadline for, you know, a
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playoff contender. But this one just felt like a
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little bit of a reach for me. This just felt like financially
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this is a a little much. I know it was a good
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second-half, but it's still like you got to feel like he's going
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to fall back to the means a little bit of what is, you know,
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back of his baseball card shows. Yeah, but sure.
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But if you're the Angels, you have to look at this from the
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perspective of like, OK, it assuming that the Angels were
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going to do something this offseason, you're probably going
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to assume that they're out on these premier free agents that
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are going to be demanding just insane money.
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And so, you know, once those big dominoes fall, once those names
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come off the board, that and this happens every offseason
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because it's just a, it's a natural reaction.
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Once those big names fall, start falling off the board, then you
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start seeing team scramble for for Plan B's, Plan C's and they
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start to plug in the holes as best they can to sort of
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recreate maybe what they missed out on in the aggregate or, or
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something close to it. But the angels are probably
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looking at this going, you know, we don't really stand a chance
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for any of these these top arms. So before Kikuchi even has a
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chance to be pursued as a Plan B or Plan C, let's just go ahead
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and make him our plan A, assuming that we're not in the
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mix for a Snell or a Burns or a Freed.
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So maybe that's what they were thinking.
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To your to your point, I think it was a little bit of an
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overpay. But if you're going to pull a
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guy off the board that quickly, that's that's you're going to
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have to. You're swaying me a little bit.
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You're swaying me. You're pulling me to your side.
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And who knows, maybe, maybe he does go out and give you a,
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yeah, a somewhat replicated effort that we saw last year the
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last half. Yeah, I mean, I, I, I guess so I
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guess it could be there. And I, I'm sure there's a little
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bit of self-awareness there. It's like, you know, no need to,
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to limit ourselves to, you know, some of these lower tier names.
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And and no offense to these guys, but like, you know,
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Lorenzen, Clevenger, Cobb, you know, Cal Quantro, like there's
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no need to drop yourself that low this early.
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So I guess you're right. I guess you're right.
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I like the move. I'll I'll just say that I, I,
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I'm OK with the move. Was it a little bit of an
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overpay? Sure, but it's still
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significantly less than what you would have had to pay for these
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guys. Yeah, that again.
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You we can assume that you're already out on anyway.
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A reminder, he's 34, it's a 3 year deal.
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Takes him at 37. It's it is what it is.
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I'm trying, I'm trying to get hyped.
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I'm trying to get hyped up enough to talk about this.
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All right. So you're lukewarm on the you
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say Kikuchi deal at best. Best case, I know you probably
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feel a little bit better about this Jonathan India Brady singer
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deal. I feel real good.
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We were texting, dude. This feels like a This feels
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like a win win. I like this trade, I really do,
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because you and I, you and I have been talking about this
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whole Jonathan India limbo for a while now.
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Where? It's I've been high on India.
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Yeah, it's like a year. It's, I know it's kind of, you
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know, hasn't been much since, but I think it's in there.
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It's kind of a situation like, what's what are we doing here?
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Are we are we trying to stick this out long term in Cincy or
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are we trying to look for a fresh start elsewhere, see if we
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can recapture what we saw in that that rookie season.
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So he will now be heading over to Kansas City.
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Brady Singer will be heading to Cincy as well as Joey Weimer
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will be heading to Kansas City as well.
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Yeah, dude, I like this. I really like this.
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It's I love what I, I don't know what it is, but in my mind I'm
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like, why do I feel like Bobby Witt's going to like pull
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something out of India? Like sharing a field is one
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thing, but like an up the middle partner is a whole different
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kind of thing. It's a whole different kind of
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connection. And I don't know, man, I feel
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like there's a lot of upside with Jonathan India.
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Now. I might be over playing this
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little bit, but like I just, I don't know what it is.
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I just, I like what he brings to baseball.
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I like the way he plays. And I don't know, I feel like
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there could be a little, you know, a little spark there
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playing next to a Bobby Witt. Feel like anybody looks good
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next to a Bobby Witt, you know? So currently, Michael Massey is
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listed as their starting second baseman.
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They've got India slotted into ADH troll.
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But I feel like this this is going to pan out more as like a
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worst case, like a revolving door situation now, because I
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feel like you have some options there you could entertain.
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Is Massey a big guy? You're asking the wrong guy.
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I let's see 6 foot 190 So what he's listed at.
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I don't know, you got a little small man infield.
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Think India can can play a little 1B2, but that's not
18:26
necessary with Pasquatch. I don't know what they're going
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to do. Yeah, third base it's I, I can
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see him playing a little bit everywhere.
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Melendez is still there. Yeah, yeah, kind of feel like
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he's going to DHA couple times a week.
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Maybe they maybe you're right. Maybe it's just kind of a
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floating around athleticism everywhere.
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We can, we can put it kind of thing, you know.
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Stick him in the outfield. He can, he can spot catch for
18:57
you. Yeah.
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And as that is. I like this Brady singer had I I
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think he I texted you this. I think he found a little
19:06
something last year too. So I do think this is a win win.
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I really do like, I like that the Reds kind of recognize that
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maybe there wasn't necessarily room for India anymore.
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You'd like to think that Hunter Green really just kind of
19:26
evolves into an ace the next few years.
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Brady Singer just kind of fits right into that rotation after
19:34
him. I like this.
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I'm a fan. I like it a lot.
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What did Singer do? I'm just, I'm not crazy here,
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right? I'm pretty sure he.
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Had numbers last year, well he posted a 371, but he went 9 and
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13 so yeah he made 32 starts and during his time in Kansas City
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he posted a 428 so last year obviously better than his what
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his career numbers in Kansas City would show and 2023 was
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really the the year where he took a a major hit in the.
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The counting categories of 552 ERA the year before last.
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So All in all, I think I think he's going to serve as a good
20:22
middle of the rotation guy. And if he can, I don't know.
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I mean, what is since he's pitching lab look like, I mean,
20:29
is it is it possible that maybe they make some changes over
20:32
there, maybe establish a new pitch for him or it or an
20:37
increase usage of 1 He already has that maybe pushes him a
20:42
little bit closer to what he's capable of being.
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We'll see. I mean that's that's the the
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questions you ask with any guy that ends up in a new location
20:50
like that. But I think the thing that Brady
20:54
singer has working for him is, like you said, he did find
20:56
something last year. So it's it's going to be
20:58
interesting to see if he can build off of that or if the new
21:03
I'm just trying to play both sides of the coin here could
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build off of what he he he found last year or the change of
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scenery still somewhat young could I don't know young ish.
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I don't know if that'll if that'll set him back at all, but
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I'd like to I'd like to hope for the former.
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I I I think if this is going to end up being a good just overall
21:28
baseball trade. I think it has.
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It has to see Yeah, I think it has to see Brady Singer go build
21:34
off the last year I'm. Cool with that?
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I'm cool with that soft contact, bottom of the zone kind of guy
21:42
too. Good.
21:43
Good for Cincinnati? I don't know.
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I don't know if I've been able to make sense of him as a
21:51
competitor, though. I don't know if he's like,
21:54
because you go back to like his days at Florida and he was very
22:00
much like, at least from my point of view, seemed like a
22:05
very like demonstrative, emotional guy.
22:10
And I'm like, how much of that is for show and how much of that
22:13
is actually competitive nature? I'm not, I'm not calling him
22:20
soft. I'm not trying to put him in in
22:22
one camp or the other. I'm just saying that's that is
22:25
an element of his game that I know a lot of people look to a
22:28
lot of manufactured correct. That's just something that that
22:32
gets brought up a lot with him because he is very he's he's
22:35
very emotional and I just I don't know how that's going to
22:39
you think that's just how they. Breed him down in Florida.
22:42
Pete Alonzo is really similar. I don't know, man, that's a good
22:46
point. That's a very manufactured, very
22:48
similar. I don't know, man, I don't know.
22:53
Just be interesting to see how that develops as he gets older.
22:56
That's true. One note I made in my head was
23:00
that when I saw this, it was it makes things interesting for the
23:06
Glaber Torres market 'cause I think there were a lot of teams
23:10
in on India. I think that that was
23:15
potentially a backup plan if they didn't get Glaber Torres.
23:19
Or remember, this goes back to the deadline too.
23:21
India's name had been floated around right a healthy amount.
23:25
So it was. It was only a matter of time.
23:28
And and you talk about like, I'm not going to sit here and say
23:32
that I think Labour Torres is necessarily like a a top
23:41
priority free agent. It's just that there's such a
23:45
drop off after him at that position.
23:48
There's just question marks all over the place.
23:51
I mean, it's a big drop like Nikki Lopez with Merrifield,
23:58
Jorge Polanco, Brandon Drury, Tony Kemp, Joey Wendell, like
24:08
this isn't necessarily a slot in the line up everyday kind of
24:11
name. And I think Glaber probably is
24:18
just compared to the rest of the league at the second base
24:23
position. So I do think that Jonathan idea
24:27
was a backup plan for a lot of teams and I just I didn't see it
24:34
coming with the Royals. It was a little bit of a
24:36
surprise. It was a surprise landing spot
24:44
looking at the drop off, huh? Well, you're just going through
24:47
the list of names. I'm I remember seeing what was
24:50
it just a few days ago, the Rockies non tendered Brendan
24:53
Rodgers. So I'm like sort of a not
24:58
necessarily in that group of guys you were talking about, but
25:01
just a name that I was thinking about like a depth or not a
25:04
depth, but. Yeah, that's a.
25:05
That's a high potential pivot. A pivot I should say.
25:08
I think that's a for some teams that's a buy low name in my
25:11
mind, because you know, that was for those who don't remember,
25:16
that was the shortstop that came up in the drafts right around
25:21
the Troy, not Troy too. It's you.
25:24
It's the Trevor story era and he was drafted as a shortstop and
25:28
kind of transitioned over to second because Trevor was still
25:30
there. And I think they flip-flopped a
25:33
little bit and then eventually just kind of left him at second.
25:37
But that is like I pretty sure he's a first round pick.
25:41
So I think there's some potential there in in Brendan
25:45
Rodgers that could maybe. 3rd overall pick.
25:50
Yeah, could maybe do something as he's, you know, getting into
25:56
there's I think we're we're so caught up in the game of like we
26:02
think that anyone over 2728, we know who they are.
26:06
And in reality for our sport, like for decades, this is like
26:11
peak, this is where you hit your peak.
26:13
You finally feel like you're there athletically and mentally
26:18
at the same time, when we're recently, we're just so used to
26:21
so much like success from youthful guys 20212223 that we
26:27
forget that sometimes. So with names like that, like
26:30
I'm not ready to give up on a Brendan Rodgers, I think that
26:32
there could be a little something there.
26:34
There's a reason why I got drafted that high, right?
26:37
Not saying every draft pick in the first round pans out, but
26:41
there may be something that could be extracted out of that.
26:46
Speaking of something getting extracted, and by no means am I
26:50
right in this guy, this this particular individual off, but
26:54
there have been some Nolan Arenado rumors floating around,
26:59
specifically as it pertains to the Boston Red Sox, which.
27:04
I haven't seen this so if. This was if this was if.
27:12
This was five years ago. It's hyped.
27:16
I would, I'd be buying the custom jersey all like right now
27:20
and it, it wouldn't even be official and I'd be buying the,
27:23
I'd be buying the jersey. But the reality of it is, is I,
27:28
I, I just think with Nolan, as much as I love Nolan, as much as
27:32
you love Nolan, I, I think we're maybe starting to maybe there
27:40
may be a resurgence coming. There may be a Nolan or an
27:45
Arenado Renaissance coming, but I'm not counting on it.
27:50
What I am counting on is the defense continuing to play.
27:56
But to answer your question or to to bring you up to speed as
28:02
to what I've been hearing, there was a report talking about from
28:08
Sean McAdam of Masslive, some talk about maybe moving Devers
28:14
off of 3rd and slotting them in either a first base position,
28:18
ADH role, some some options at play there, but ultimately
28:25
freeing up third base to entertain somebody else that's
28:29
currently out there looking for a home.
28:33
Nolan Arenado is one of those guys.
28:35
Alex Bregman, I think is also another name that's been getting
28:37
tosssed around out there, which it I'm just mentally preparing
28:43
myself for that being a a very realistic possibility at this
28:46
point. Do I think it's going to happen?
28:47
No, but I'm just going to go ahead and get out in front of
28:50
that. So in case it does happen, I'm
28:51
not going to be shell shocked by it.
28:54
But yeah, this the the report from Sean McAdams said that
28:58
there's been quote, there's been some internal talk about moving
29:01
Raphael Devers off third base at some point.
29:03
And Aronado is viewed as a potential Plan B.
29:06
The Cardinals who are watching their payroll carefully,
29:08
wouldn't be opposed to moving him if a team is willing to take
29:10
on most of the remaining money. One potential obstacle Aronado
29:14
has a full no trade clause. Definitely.
29:19
Boston obviously has the financial room to make that
29:27
work. I think it's like like from an
29:31
outsider perspective, I think it's about time Devers gets
29:34
moved off a third base. I can we can we agree there.
29:38
It's been pretty rough defensively for a while now.
29:43
First percentile in terms of outs above average back in 2021.
29:51
Jumped up in 2022 to -2 outs above average, 2023 negative 8
29:58
outs above average, 2024 last season -6 outs above average.
30:04
So I'm with you. I've, I mean, I've, I've been,
30:08
I've been like the way I look at it, the way I've looked at it
30:14
really since he's been up. It's sort of like a Manny
30:16
situation where it's like, you know.
30:19
Just deal with it. Whatever, just deal with it.
30:21
We'll take your bat as as often as you're willing to to give it
30:25
to us, but it's just a little bit different because you're on
30:29
the infield it it's not quite the same comparison.
30:33
But I'm with you. I I think it's it's just time to
30:37
to make a change their third. But I say that and also say that
30:45
I don't think he needs to be at first base.
30:48
First base is not not the answer there.
30:50
Make him your DH. Usher in this like latest
30:54
version of David Ortiz. As as best as you can.
30:58
Make him become that. As as best as he can.
31:01
Evolve into that as he gets older.
31:06
Take that route. Don't just have a first baseman
31:09
at first base. You don't need Raphael Devers
31:12
there. Here's here's the tough thing
31:14
though, and here's the the interesting part of that
31:17
argument is that we don't know. There are some guys that just
31:22
don't do well mentally as a full time DH, right?
31:28
Like we don't know if Devers fits into that category.
31:31
I think that's the beauty of ADH is that when you grab somebody
31:38
who is confident, sitting there and having his mind fixated on
31:45
hitting, I think there's guys that can do it and there's guys
31:49
that can't, and I'm interested to see if he is or isn't one of
31:55
those guys. That I mean, that's a fair
31:58
that's a fair question. He, he's definitely a head case
32:01
at times and he, he lets stuff eat at him.
32:05
But unlike other guys, maybe I have seen instances where he, he
32:12
harnesses that in a, in a positive way.
32:15
Like there there's been clips that have have gone viral.
32:19
I think it was Cal Quantrell. That's that's one example that
32:21
comes about. Where?
32:23
Quantrell was yapping at him after after strikeout and then I
32:27
think it was either later that game or later in the season sees
32:32
Quantrell again and takes him like 450 feet.
32:35
So and and you could tell that he was he was recalling that
32:40
previous strikeout. So he's able to he, he sits on
32:44
things mentally, but it's a matter of.
32:49
Locking in positively or negatively.
32:52
Locking in positively over the course of 162 games, when that's
32:57
all you're being really asked to do is just like lock it in and
33:01
and harness that that energy in a positive way.
33:04
Can he do that? That's a, that's a fair
33:06
question. I I don't we haven't really seen
33:08
that. Yeah, 'cause I watched that guy
33:11
like almost implode in a game mentally where you know, that
33:16
it's like you're just waving at everything and it's like you're
33:22
trying to hit this ball to the moon every swing to the point
33:27
where you're potentially hurting yourself.
33:30
I know we had shoulder issues, right?
33:32
So like, that's just a part of the mix.
33:34
And I'm, I'm interested in it. And, and I, I wonder if that's
33:37
been a part of like the Red Sox hesitancy of, of making that
33:42
move, if maybe he's just not that guy, but like, hello, you
33:46
have the world's best resource and David Ortiz to tap into, you
33:52
know, give him a full spring training to settle in like that.
33:56
And, and have, you know, David as the, the special invitee to
34:01
spring training and just let them, let them mentor that
34:04
position a little bit. But back to the Aronado stuff.
34:07
I, I was because I've heard rumors in my mind, I didn't
34:13
really have the Red Sox in the mix.
34:16
But I guess the more you explain it like maybe they are, but I've
34:21
am in the mind that the Yankees and the Astros are the names I'm
34:27
hearing the most of Arenado and the Astros are almost like, you
34:34
know, if we miss out on Bregman, we go trade for Arenado.
34:40
And it's kind of a similar situation for the Yankees as a
34:45
Plan B to not signing Soto. Then I'm just wait for these
34:52
dominoes to fall once Soto finally signs because that like,
34:57
you're hanging on, you know, 45 to $50 million AAV of
35:04
understanding what your maneuvers are.
35:07
And I think it's silly if the Yankees do resign an Arenado or,
35:12
excuse me, do resign Soto to go make that move for Arenado.
35:16
I just don't see it happening. They'll settle with Jazz at
35:19
third because he looked OK. Bregman, I don't know.
35:26
I struggle seeing him anywhere else I could see.
35:33
My Sneaky team is Detroit. My Sneaky team is a little
35:38
reunion with Hinch. And if Detroit goes and gets a
35:47
bat and and a couple rotation arms, like run it back, you know
35:52
what I mean? So I don't know.
35:56
I like that fit. I could write.
35:58
I would love yeah, I'd love that for the Tigers, man.
36:02
Get some, get some. I mean to, to put it simply,
36:07
like without like overthinking it, just get some guys that that
36:11
are going to sell some jerseys. Like you've got some.
36:13
I mean, you've already got some young names up there that are
36:15
eventually going to fill that role.
36:16
But like, go out and get some guys, right who are going to be
36:19
able to do that right now, who are going to add to the
36:21
excitement, going to build off the excitement that we saw at
36:24
the end of last year, really the whole second-half, you could
36:28
say, and just keep that, keep that ball rolling.
36:33
But yeah, the, the Aronado thing, I just, I, if I had to
36:41
say yes or no in terms of wanting it or not, I I just
36:44
don't want it. And that's crazy that I'm saying
36:46
that I don't want Nolan Aronado on my team.
36:48
But there's just there's just better ways to go about that I.
36:53
I don't think the Cardinals have much leverage here to sit here
36:57
and say that the wherever he goes needs to take on majority
37:00
of that contract. Like the Rockies are paying a
37:03
chunk of it and you have an aging third baseman who's
37:07
definitely trending in the wrong direction.
37:09
You have no leverage. You have no leverage.
37:12
So you can't sit here and have demands.
37:15
I think you got to eat some of that contract, the majority of
37:20
that contract in order to move them.
37:22
I have I've I've seen rumors that Yoshida would be involved
37:26
in that trade. I don't I don't think it'd be a
37:27
one for one necessarily, but Heim Bloom, who is the guy that
37:32
signed Yoshida is in Saint Louis right now.
37:35
And also Red Sox have been trying to escape that contract.
37:39
Not I still not as egregious. Yeah, maybe not as egregious as
37:44
as Arnottos at this point. I don't, Maybe it is.
37:47
I some people probably have different feelings about that,
37:50
but they've been trying to get rid of that contract for a
37:54
little bit, maybe a little bit of buyer's remorse there.
37:57
So that could be a deal that would maybe make sense for both
38:02
teams from a financial standpoint, maybe not structure
38:06
standpoint, but. I don't, I don't like the
38:09
Yoshida disrespect. I mean, I don't either, but I've
38:12
also, I think I've had, I've, I've gotten what I needed to get
38:16
from Yoshida. At this point.
38:17
I'm like, I'm not, I'm not necessarily emotionally attached
38:20
to it anymore. So I'm like, if, if there's a
38:22
move that makes sense, I mean, if it means getting Nolan
38:26
Ronado, sure, go for it. Like we'll see.
38:29
A thanks for your thanks for your time here.
38:33
But I mean, if there's if there's a move that makes even
38:35
more sense that you could slot him in forward and and get rid
38:38
of the contract, sure, I'm all for it.
38:40
I'm not. I don't need Mastaki Oshita,
38:44
that's all. Speaking of not wanting somebody
38:50
on your team, the Cubs are. They could not be Moreover Cody
38:58
Bellinger I'm hearing. What is this?
39:02
I don't know. Bob Nightingale says that the
39:07
Cubs are offering Cody Bellinger to quote anyone and everyone.
39:11
And quote, No team has expressed strong interest thus far.
39:20
I don't get it. Shocker.
39:23
Like, is there a lack of like business sense to some of these
39:30
organizations? When you have when you buy a
39:37
stock at a certain price and then it dips and then you want
39:46
to sell, there's no point. You might as well hang on and
39:52
let that stock rise again. I don't understand why they went
39:58
so hard after him last year if this is how you're going to flip
40:03
the script a year later. The Cubs, I feel for Cubs fans.
40:10
They are so directionless. And so confusing.
40:15
And the report just came out today that said that who was it?
40:21
Jed Hoyer? I don't want to misquote here,
40:24
but basically coming out of Cubs camp said that they are pretty
40:29
much all all but out of the the big name free agent Soto Burns,
40:37
Freed and Snell, which like I'm, I'm, I'm kind of torn on that.
40:46
It's like, do you want transparency?
40:47
Yes, but also just don't come come out right away and
40:55
eliminate any shred of hope that maybe your fan base, whether
40:59
it's delusional or not of any hope that your fan base had of
41:03
like, OK, maybe we make a splash this offseason.
41:05
Maybe it's not Soto, but maybe we go out and get a Max freed.
41:08
I don't know, but you're coming out and saying, yeah, now we're
41:12
we're sort of all good on that front.
41:16
Yeah, it it just, it contributes to the the sense of feeling
41:21
directionless. They just don't do the math.
41:25
Like look at the free agent class for first baseman.
41:30
Christian Walker is going to get paid.
41:33
Pete Alonso is going to get paid, believe it or not.
41:37
If you don't believe me, look up last year.
41:38
But Carlos Santana is going to get paid.
41:42
Paul Goldschmidt is going to fit somewhere.
41:45
Anthony Rizzo will probably fit somewhere.
41:48
Josh Bell. Like if you're going to take on
41:55
I I don't understand what was the contract?
41:58
Bellinger's Yeah, I just. It was a three, three-year, $80
42:03
million contract. Yeah, I'd rather take my shot
42:09
with any of those names for a one or two year deal versus, you
42:14
know, I mean, to be fair, I think Pete Alonso and is going
42:19
to get more than this, but a Bellinger at 27 mil this year,
42:22
25 next year, who has a player opt out next year.
42:28
So it's like, what are we taking on here?
42:33
What are the Cubs getting in return for selling this?
42:38
You're selling so low when there's so many other names at
42:43
first base that have had more success recently.
42:49
I'll be honest with you, I don't know if I remember the fact that
42:51
he had opt outs after each year. I don't remember that being a
42:55
part of the the contract, but. Yeah.
42:59
Talk about a win for him, dude. I mean, that's a that's a no
43:02
brainer. After 24 and 25.
43:06
And if you get more of the same, what do you think he's going to
43:09
do next offseason? So this was AI mean.
43:12
I'm, I hope I'm not rewriting history here.
43:14
I I hope if you went back and listened to the the recordings
43:18
that we did after this deal was signed, I hope we approach it
43:23
with the same sort of skepticism because objectively this just
43:27
isn't a great deal. And I think this was, again, I
43:31
hope I'm not rewriting history here, but I feel like you could
43:34
have seen this coming because you didn't get enough, you
43:37
didn't get enough consistency out of Bellinger to warrant
43:41
taking really, in my opinion, any sort of risk.
43:45
Should you have paid him? Yes, but you shouldn't have
43:48
been. I mean, 27 1/2 for a guy that's
43:52
given you like a somewhat solid year once out of the last five
44:03
going back to his MVP season. I just don't know if that was
44:06
an. I just feel like that was a
44:08
little bit of a panic move and trying to trying to lock down a
44:12
guy that you thought maybe had figured it out once again, but
44:16
it turns out that possibly not the case.
44:19
I. Don't know.
44:21
And I think any of those teams that were in in on him last
44:24
offseason are kind of like a dodge the bullet after watching
44:29
this year. So you got to assume that
44:32
they're not buyers this offseason after a bad showing.
44:36
I, I don't, I really, I don't understand what the Cubs are
44:40
doing. And I bet they're going to get
44:43
weird and like bring back Rizzo. You know what I mean?
44:46
Like, I, I could see that. Like, I just, I don't
44:50
understand. It's never made sense to me to
44:56
sell this low. I I just it doesn't add up.
45:05
I don't get it. I mean it if.
45:07
They're going to have to eat a ton for me to go in.
45:09
I'm not showing you any prospects.
45:12
I'm going to I'm going to say I'm going to have half of this
45:15
half of this contract and I'm probably going to offload some
45:18
money with the guy I'm sending back in a the low way guy.
45:26
I'm not saying anything over for this.
45:29
I mean, all things considered, though, if we're looking at this
45:33
Cubs lineup for next year, I don't hate it.
45:39
If we're being really honest here, I don't hate it.
45:44
It just doesn't make sense that we're not seeing the results.
45:50
It just I don't I don't understand what what the problem
45:56
is. Here I don't.
45:59
Know, because I mean, you, you, you run down the line up here,
46:02
Ian Hap, Dansby Swanson, Cody Bellinger, who we obviously just
46:05
talked about, say, Suzuki, Michael Bush, Issac Pereides,
46:09
Nico Horner, Pico Armstrong, Miguel Amaya.
46:15
I mean, and then you've got, you've got Shota, you've got
46:18
steel. There's talent there for sure.
46:22
There's talent there. There's an, we'll call it a
46:25
window. I feel like coming into this
46:28
season to where if you add a little bit of strength to that
46:31
rotation and maybe go out and get a, a more reliable power bat
46:40
and maybe not have to rely on a guy like Cody Belcher to find
46:44
what he did two seasons ago. Because I, I tell you what, if
46:49
there was a guy who's MVP, who's outdated MVP gets referenced
46:56
more. There's nobody in baseball who's
46:58
MVPI feel like it's referenced more when we're this far out
47:02
from it. Like I hit 2019 MVP, Cody
47:05
Belanger. It's like, OK, well, we clearly
47:07
don't have that Cody Bellinger anymore, so we can it's.
47:09
This is same thing as Kris Bryant.
47:11
It's rinse repeat, man we. Can set aside that descriptor,
47:15
but with this Cubs team that they're not I, I, I personally,
47:20
I don't, I don't feel like they're, they're far off.
47:23
Yeah, I agree. It's just it, it's odd.
47:28
It's odd. You got to you got some guys
47:29
that are like in between positions, you know, they keep
47:33
bouncing them around and and I say Suzuki doesn't seem to want
47:37
to stay healthy. I don't know how, how, what kind
47:42
of offensive numbers you're going to get out of Crow
47:44
Armstrong. You know, are you going to
47:47
commit to Michael Bush at first? You're going to commit to him at
47:49
third. Like, I'd like to just see some
47:57
decisiveness out of them. There's a.
48:00
There are worse corner duos in baseball than Michael Bush and
48:04
Esock Perez. I I feel like there's 100.
48:07
Percent there's 100% some potential now Esock looked
48:10
terrible after coming over, so I hope that that's not that was.
48:13
A Well, that's what I'm saying coming into this season, if, if,
48:17
if, if Bush can build on the the flashes that we saw last year
48:20
and if Perez can figure it out some, some potential for pop
48:25
there. Yeah, I don't know.
48:28
Do you think of any buyers for Cody Bellinger?
48:32
No, because I wouldn't want this car.
48:34
I, I, I I'm not touching this with a 10 foot pole.
48:37
I have no interest in this because it you pretty.
48:43
Much for half, I'd be happy with half I'd be happy with 13 mil or
48:48
12 mil, whatever it is. Told the Cubs to take half and
48:56
not giving up a prospect in your top 25 send a bag of chips over.
49:05
I would do it just just in case he taps something in and he does
49:11
at least give you the versatility of playing center
49:14
field in first base at A at a pretty good level.
49:22
That's fair. Just saying, but again, this is
49:27
if you miss out on all these other first base names.
49:32
If you're really that you know that struggling at first, you're
49:35
you're looking elsewhere. Want to get in some listener
49:41
questions? Let's do it.
49:42
I like this. We haven't done this in a while.
49:45
Yeah, I mean, obviously we're headlining with Kikuchi so that
49:49
that that sort of shows you with the shredding water, sort of
49:52
shows you where we're at. But it, it was a perfect
49:56
opportunity because I'm like, you know, we're coming up on
49:57
Thanksgiving. We could, we could benefit from
50:02
maybe a little bit deeper of an episode, give some folks who
50:04
maybe are traveling a little bit of extra content.
50:07
So I said, you know, let's flip some questions with some folks.
50:10
So I got, I think I got 5 questions listed here.
50:14
And we can, you know, I'm going to, I'm going to try something
50:17
new here. Can I, let's see if I can do
50:20
this. Can I, can I put this up here?
50:22
There we go. Let's put the question up on the
50:24
screen for the folks watching at home.
50:26
Brayden asks. What do you think the Jays and
50:29
Red Sox need to do to compete in the AL ES next year?
50:34
Well, you lead it off with the Red Sox.
50:41
You need pitching. Yeah, pitching.
50:43
You need pitching. And it it's sort of concerns me
50:55
not not terribly so, but it, it concerns me that we're even
50:59
having conversations about third base, Who's going to play there,
51:03
who's good defensively there, who's not good defensively
51:06
there. Should they move to first base?
51:08
That's not important right now. We need starting pitching.
51:12
And honestly, with the way that I'm not, I'm not going to drive
51:17
myself crazy getting swept up in this Sodo nonsense.
51:21
But it does sound as though you can laugh.
51:25
I can laugh. It does sound as though they're
51:28
in the final four here. And offers this week.
51:34
We are, we are in Soto Offer Week.
51:37
It is upon us. But you know, I, with the way
51:45
that that front office has has managed things the last few
51:48
years, I'm not, I'm not holding out any hope.
51:52
But if they just want to blow the lid off this thing, not a
51:56
bad guy to start that process with.
51:59
And they're talking. There's there's reports coming
52:01
out saying that the Red Sox are are determined to get two of the
52:07
three big arms, whether it be Freed, Burns or Snell.
52:11
They want two of those guys. So that's that's good news.
52:15
But for for the for the Red Sox, that's that's first and foremost
52:19
what you need to you need to address right now because
52:23
everything else at that point would to me would be a bonus.
52:27
I would love if you could go snag Tanner Scott.
52:29
I think that'd be a great addition for the pen.
52:34
But yes, starting pitching is it's, I mean, it sounds obvious
52:39
if if you've been following the Red Sox for any length of time
52:42
or been dabbling in, in their rumors at all.
52:44
But it's, it's right there in front of them.
52:47
That's, that's what they need to handle.
52:49
That's what they need to address.
52:50
Yeah, the Jays are a little bit of a head scratcher for me.
52:57
I I think it's just coming down to your guys need to be your
53:01
guys. They need to do their job.
53:06
George Springer needs to stay on the field.
53:08
Dalton Var show needs to be what you gave up a top catching
53:14
prospects for. He needs to show up and hit.
53:18
You gave up Gabby Moreno and I. I look at Gabby Moreno as a top
53:22
ten catcher all day. They need to start being what
53:26
they'd like. Kevin Gosman needs to play to
53:28
the back of his baseball card. Bassett did not have a good year
53:33
last year. Their bullpen looked rough last
53:36
year. There's a lot going on.
53:39
Burritos like these guys just need to be their guys.
53:42
I feel like the Blue Jays have have made the right moves.
53:45
Whether they've made the right right decisions on committing to
53:50
a Beau Bichette or Vlad or trying to keep a core together.
53:53
That's a whole different argument.
53:54
But they've made the right moves in bringing guys in.
53:58
The production has not been there outfield wise.
54:03
I like the low Profito ad I if you're not familiar with Joey,
54:08
low profito, I think he's I think he's going to be really
54:12
good. I think he's be really, really
54:14
good. Keep an eye out for that name.
54:17
You know, Schneider can can kind of bounce around.
54:19
You see him play left. You see him play second.
54:21
So like there there's enough talent on this roster.
54:25
Boba Chad's going to be Boba Chad and I'm struggling on that
54:30
side of it. I am struggling to understand
54:32
the lack of commitment from the Blue Jays side.
54:35
But boba shet's going to be boba shet, and you kind of just have
54:39
to build off of that. But if the guys don't perform,
54:45
the guys don't perform. So it's hard to sit there and
54:48
blame the Blue Jays as an organization without looking at
54:51
the players and saying there's some responsibility.
54:53
Falling at your at your toes here.
54:55
They're falling at your feet and you're not showing up.
54:58
You think this is it for Vladdy? I think so in a weird way.
55:04
Unless they'd finally become what they're supposed to be.
55:07
I think it's it, this, the second my man started walking
55:14
back the Yankee hate. That's how I knew.
55:19
That's how I knew don't play anywhere.
55:22
Dude, shut up. It's a business.
55:25
It's a business. Hey, Vladdy comes out.
55:28
Wait, what are you talking about?
55:30
Yeah, just bust out the accent a little bit.
55:32
I don't know man. Savvy, savvy business move
55:35
credit credit to you Vladdy keeping it well, not not really
55:41
in the in the AL ES, but if if you want to reference last year,
55:44
Ian says Anthony Santader Santader will be the biggest
55:48
sleeper slash impact signing this offseason.
55:51
I could totally see that being the case.
55:53
Oh yeah, could. Totally see that being the case
55:57
and honestly coming into this year, I just don't like it
56:02
sounds crazy, but I just don't know if I was still fully on
56:06
board with Santander. I was like, is is he for real?
56:10
Like, is this, is this going to be what we get out of him moving
56:17
forward on a pretty regular basis?
56:21
And after this year, I'm going, this might be it.
56:26
I mean, looking at the last three years, 33 home runs, 28
56:30
home runs, 44 home runs. It was an All Star this year.
56:33
I mean, the pop is going to be there.
56:38
He's not going to hit for average, right?
56:40
Those three years he had 240-250-7235.
56:44
But he's a well above average OPS plus guy.
56:49
I mean, I'm. Going to go out and if he ends?
56:55
And if he ends up in a hitter's park, I mean, we, we just got
56:58
done talking about what happened with Camden, like a little,
57:00
maybe a little, little too little too late situation there
57:04
with, with making some corrections to the left field
57:07
wall. But or you know, just the
57:10
outfield in general, But it if he ends up somewhere it's even
57:18
more conducive to his style of hitting, watch out.
57:22
And as a switch hitter, dude like that plays anywhere that
57:26
plays anywhere. I'm not too worried about the
57:28
defense. I know it's not great, but I'm
57:31
looking at this list of free agents.
57:32
If we remove Soto from the conversation, there's I would
57:38
say only Pete Alonso that I feel more confident about.
57:51
For consistent pop, remove Soto from the list.
57:58
Pete Alonso is the only other one that I know there's going to
58:03
be consistent pop with. Santander is next in line.
58:07
He had the third most home runs in baseball this year.
58:11
He's next in line, dude. Not, not enough People are
58:14
talking about the fact that Anthony Santander had the third
58:17
most home runs in baseball and the the two guys in front of
58:21
them are just in a world of their own and Aaron Judge and
58:24
Shohei Otani. So you take out the unicorns.
58:27
In this case, Anthony Santander showed you he's one of the best
58:31
power bats in baseball this year.
58:35
Two years younger than Tay Oscar switch hitter.
58:41
There's a lot to like here. I think I, I, I take him over at
58:47
Tyler O'Neill. Oh, for sure, I take him over.
58:52
I mean, I not that we're going one for one for, for positions
58:55
here, but like, I have more trust in him than a Christian
58:58
Walker. Like outside of Pete Alonzo in
59:03
Juan Soto, This is what you want.
59:06
If you need pop, this is where you come.
59:10
This is where you go get it. What does trade rumors have him?
59:14
Let's see what they have him getting.
59:16
Four years, 80 mil. That's affordable dude if
59:20
Kikuchi just went for 21. Yeah, what are we?
59:25
What are give me? 40 homers dude.
59:29
Give me a switch. Hitting 40 homers. 20 mil a year
59:32
for 40 homers. Yeah, I'll, I'm taking that.
59:36
I'm in. I'm in.
59:38
Absolutely. In where?
59:42
Where? The trade rumor guys are are all
59:47
over on him too. We got the Royals, Blue Jays,
59:51
Giants, Yankees. Obviously, a backup plan for the
59:55
Yankees. I just don't love.
59:58
I don't love that because like, I don't know, feel like Judge
1:00:03
has to get back to right field and it just creates more
1:00:07
confusion there. So maybe, maybe you see what
1:00:13
judge looks like and left for spring training.
1:00:16
I'm not sure. But yeah, I like I like it in I
1:00:19
think Santander is is a stud. I've been high on him for a few
1:00:23
years. I I big fan.
1:00:27
I'm really excited to see where he goes.
1:00:29
He immediately changes the landscape for a lot of a lot of
1:00:33
lineups. And who doesn't want switch
1:00:35
hitting pop? Justin asks.
1:00:45
Will the Rockies do anything? No, Justin.
1:00:49
No. No, they won't.
1:00:54
No. And tell me why they won't,
1:00:56
Nate. Just a miserable franchise.
1:01:01
They're taking advantage of that fan base.
1:01:07
Perfectly happy we're selling tickets because it's a beautiful
1:01:13
ballpark. Perfectly happy going 50 and
1:01:20
110, whatever the whatever the numbers are, 60 and 100, you
1:01:26
know they're in that range every year.
1:01:30
They're not going to do anything.
1:01:34
It's disappointing. Rocktober was legit. 2007 was
1:01:40
hype. Here we are 17 years later.
1:01:45
Yeah, still haven't found a way to recreate it.
1:01:49
Not a care given in Colorado. No.
1:01:55
Don asks. Seattle Mariners have needed
1:02:02
bats for the last three years. Why will they refuse to get bats
1:02:05
yet again this offseason? Will they miss the playoffs by
1:02:08
less than three games? I love how assuming I'm
1:02:11
interpreting that the right way. I love how he's already just
1:02:13
assuming he's writing off this postseason.
1:02:16
What will be the reason the Mariners refuse to get bats yet
1:02:19
again this offseason? Well, I mean, I think we can go
1:02:28
ahead and assume they're not getting V bats in Juan Soto.
1:02:31
I think you're going to lose out on a guy like we just talked
1:02:37
about Anthony Santander, because I, I would imagine that that's
1:02:41
going to be one of those examples I was talking about at
1:02:43
the beginning where that's going to be a a very quick pivot.
1:02:48
If you see Soto go, you're going to see some of those bidders
1:02:51
that were more than likely in the mix for Soto.
1:02:54
You're going to see them pivot immediately to Santander and and
1:02:58
I when I say pivot, you have to assume that they're in their war
1:03:01
room or or whatever they are. They already have a plan in
1:03:04
place for Sansander if the soda thing doesn't work out.
1:03:07
So I would imagine that that domino would fall relatively
1:03:11
close in proximity following the Soto move.
1:03:18
But then it's like after that, who, who is going to in terms of
1:03:23
a bat, who is going to be somebody that would get you
1:03:25
excited? I mean, there's certainly names,
1:03:27
but you're you're going up against other teams that have
1:03:31
proven that they're more than willing to outbid you when it
1:03:34
comes to elite bats, elite arms, whatever.
1:03:41
When I look at the Mariners, I don't, I don't really think free
1:03:45
agents. I see them moving one of their
1:03:49
rotation arms. And even that they've said that
1:03:53
they're not really willing to do and I if.
1:03:56
The asking prices is there because I think Luis Castillo is
1:03:59
being offered. I think he's being put out on
1:04:02
the market. Not that not that it would get
1:04:09
it done for Luis Castillo, maybe one of the lower names in the
1:04:13
rotation. But you mentioned the Yoshida
1:04:19
move being a thing, and that's a good landing spot.
1:04:23
You know, the Red Sox need pitching.
1:04:25
They have a bat to to ship out. Mariners have a ton of pitching.
1:04:31
They need a bat that that that seems like a potential fit for
1:04:34
me. I don't know what the name is.
1:04:37
I don't know if it's a Castillo. I don't think Yoshida is good
1:04:41
enough to get that done. But you could see like a like a
1:04:46
like a quadruple a kind of guy, but it's got to be like a big
1:04:53
league bat ready to go. I mean, I don't know the the the
1:05:00
offer when the Reds were asking. I don't mean to keep bringing it
1:05:04
back to the Yankees, but like that's just kind of where my
1:05:06
mind goes for prospects like Spencer Jones and Jason
1:05:12
Dominguez were asked for. And I think at this point, the
1:05:16
Yankees, if they do bring back Soto or go get a Santander, I
1:05:22
think they move on from one of those names.
1:05:24
And I think Luis Castillo could be in play.
1:05:26
So I think the Mariners could get an impact bat, just in a
1:05:31
different way. I don't know.
1:05:33
If I see them spending the cash on the free agent pool, then I
1:05:39
don't think they'll miss the playoffs by, well, they missed
1:05:43
the playoffs by less than three games.
1:05:47
I think they're in the hunt. I'm not willing to give up.
1:05:51
Yeah, that's it. I mean, got to stay positive.
1:05:54
It's only November. Like can't be going, can't be
1:05:58
giving out eulogies in November for the 2025 season.
1:06:02
Just can't do that, you know? Let's wrap it up with this one,
1:06:09
Ron asked. What are the Rangers going to do
1:06:11
about their entire pitching staff?
1:06:13
Oh boy, I don't even know what that staff's looking like.
1:06:16
Let's pull it up. So the guys that are in the mix
1:06:18
for next year, how the how the rotation shakes out and
1:06:22
obviously we have yet to conclude free agency.
1:06:25
So it it could, it could change even from now.
1:06:27
But as of right now, you've got Jacob degrom, John Gray, Tyler
1:06:31
Malley, Cody Bradford, Kumar Rocker, Max Scherzer, Jack
1:06:35
Leiter. What a high upside here.
1:06:45
You're losing out or you're losing maybe Ivaldi, obviously,
1:06:51
which is going to be a huge blow for that rotation.
1:06:56
You don't really know what you're going to get for or from
1:07:02
Jack Leiter. Yeah, he he disappointed a
1:07:05
little bit. It was rough.
1:07:08
It was rough. Kumar.
1:07:12
I think I called up it didn't You have the September call UP
1:07:17
starts to work with. He did, yeah.
1:07:22
How do you look? Did it look OK?
1:07:25
Let me see here, I'll be honest with you.
1:07:29
Because once once the Rangers sort of fell off.
1:07:32
Yeah, it was hard to plug back into that I.
1:07:34
Sort of checked out. Dane Dunning had a down year,
1:07:37
but I mean, you know, maybe he he works his way back into the
1:07:40
rotation and, you know, gets a fifth spot.
1:07:43
But you're right. I mean, look it, there's a lot
1:07:45
of question marks here. Kumar made three starts, 11 and
1:07:49
2/3, had 14 strikeouts, 386 went O and two SO.
1:07:57
Some promising numbers there. Look Scherzer Scherzer's in
1:08:03
this. Why am I not seeing his name?
1:08:07
That's what Rotowires got. Or, excuse me, roto champ.
1:08:14
You sure about this guy? I'm looking at it right now.
1:08:24
Yeahandwontbe.com doesn't have them on there.
1:08:33
Rotor champs might go to for minor projections.
1:08:35
So all right, OK, let's just assume Scherzer's not really a
1:08:40
factor in in 2025. Even then, if let's let's look
1:08:49
at the glass half full with degrom.
1:08:51
Let's say you get what I mean. What's a number in terms of
1:08:57
starts from degrom that would have you feeling OK, Because for
1:09:02
me, this sort of goes back to like a glass now situation.
1:09:05
Last year, if you recall, there was a point in the season where
1:09:08
I was like, if he can reach, and I don't even remember what
1:09:11
number I set for glass now, but he, I think he ended up
1:09:15
surpassing that number that I'd set, set forth.
1:09:17
And I was like, if he can, if he can, if he can breakthrough that
1:09:21
threshold, I'm happy. I, and he went on to, to hit
1:09:25
the, he went on to the shelf, but I, it was at a point where I
1:09:28
was like, that's fine. Like he he got you the number of
1:09:32
starts that I feel like was a fair expectation.
1:09:37
And it's sort of the same thing with the Grom where it's like,
1:09:40
OK, I think a full season is a thing of the past for the Grom.
1:09:45
But can you give us X amount of start?
1:09:48
Like what are we what? What is a good number for a guy
1:09:51
like the Grom? I need 20.
1:09:54
That's kind of where that's sort of the number I was sitting at
1:09:58
to. I need 20.
1:10:00
I need 20 starts out of you because I know you're still
1:10:03
good, Jacob. Like I know you still got it.
1:10:07
I know it's still in there. We're not questioning the
1:10:09
talent, just questioning the health.
1:10:13
I need 20 starts. To put this somewhat behind you,
1:10:17
it's not dead, but the the narrative can change a little
1:10:21
bit with twenty starts. Last time he reached 20 starts
1:10:26
was 2019. We're actually at 32.
1:10:29
I don't know man, but are we saying they're out on Ivaldi?
1:10:33
Have they come out and said that?
1:10:35
No, but I think I think he's going to get snatched up by
1:10:41
somebody else. Not because I, I don't, I, I
1:10:44
don't think the Rangers are like, hey, see you hit the road,
1:10:47
but I just think somebody's going to come in and.
1:10:51
Yeah. Sort of overpay.
1:10:54
I think so too. Because you kind of can afford
1:10:57
to with a guy like Ivaldi, and that's a situation where I don't
1:11:03
think you're necessarily going to regret over pain if it's by a
1:11:06
little bit. Tigers, go get them.
1:11:10
Come on, Come on home, Nate. Come on, come on, home.
1:11:13
Back to Boston Tigers. We need you.
1:11:18
Look, if the if the reports from coming out of Boston's camp are
1:11:22
true, if they are actually serious about getting two of
1:11:25
those three arms between Burns, Freed and Snell, and that
1:11:30
happens, great. But if not, give me one of those
1:11:32
guys. Bring back Ivaldi.
1:11:35
And you're and you're good. Get me, get me maybe Tay Oscar
1:11:39
or or another another comparable bat and I'm good and Tanner
1:11:44
Scott. That's that's my Christmas list
1:11:46
right there. It's a good This is a good
1:11:48
offseason for starting pitching. I think this is a really good
1:11:51
offseason. I'd be excited.
1:11:54
There's going to be some good Christmas gifts.
1:11:57
Yeah, I don't know. Rangers need need to do a little
1:12:02
something, man. It's it's a fun core, but I
1:12:07
think if I don't know, I I think Bochy's probably done after this
1:12:12
next year. I, I, if it's like a, if you're
1:12:18
out 7-8 games like, and you're not even sniffing the postseason
1:12:27
and you're forking over that much money to Seeger and Simeon
1:12:31
like, it's just a, it's just a tough look.
1:12:36
They got the ring, dude. They got the ring.
1:12:38
I don't think that they're having any sort of regrets.
1:12:41
Like, sure, financially you're probably going, man, it'd be
1:12:43
nice if we had a little bit more flexibility, but at the end of
1:12:46
the day, they got what they set out to get.
1:12:49
Right here, yeah. And if it results in a just an
1:12:55
apocalyptic fall off, then so be it.
1:12:59
There's a bad fall off. They got what they wanted.
1:13:05
Santon there there would be sick.
1:13:07
It's not going to happen, but that would be sick, man.
1:13:13
Hard to say. There's just so much talent in
1:13:15
that lineup. Get some pitching, go get it.
1:13:19
Go get it done. Go get after it talking to you,
1:13:24
Chris Young, you and you alone. Go get it done.
1:13:30
They've got names, they've had names.
1:13:34
It's just a matter of staying healthy.
1:13:36
That's the that's the thing. Well, I say we just wrap it up.
1:13:42
There went a little bit deeper than usual, but no episode this
1:13:50
this Thursday. Something going on Thursday, I
1:13:53
can't remember. Something going on Thursday.
1:13:56
I'm ready for. Let me ask you this.
1:14:01
Yeah. Macaroni, Thanksgiving food or
1:14:03
not? Absolutely.
1:14:05
OK. I, I don't know the most
1:14:10
interest in Mac and cheese. I didn't know people felt so
1:14:13
strongly about Mac and cheese as as in terms of it being a side
1:14:17
for Thanksgiving. Do you what's, what's going on
1:14:20
in your life that you're you're so unhappy about Mac and cheese?
1:14:26
I love Mac and cheese. Not you.
1:14:27
I'm saying like the just the haters out there, like what?
1:14:30
What's going on? Like what?
1:14:32
There's something we got to unravel there.
1:14:35
There's something there's, there's something going on in a
1:14:37
deeper level that you're not OK with.
1:14:41
Mac and cheese. I want Mac and cheese on every
1:14:44
holiday. That's fair.
1:14:46
I want Mac and cheese. Thanksgiving.
1:14:48
Christmas. I want it.
1:14:50
I want it Easter. I want it. 4th of July.
1:14:55
I want it every time. I see that I'm, I'm the person
1:14:59
that like doesn't necessarily need it at Thanksgiving.
1:15:02
Like I'm not going to, I'm not going to go sit in a corner and
1:15:04
weep if there's not Mac and cheese.
1:15:05
Do I want it? Like you said, pretty much all
1:15:07
the time? Absolutely, because I love Mac
1:15:09
and cheese. But there's some people that are
1:15:12
just that view it as such a controversial thing.
1:15:16
And I'm like, it's Mac and cheese.
1:15:17
Like, we're not saying that you have to.
1:15:19
We're not talk like we're not talking about Twinkies here.
1:15:23
Like if Twinkies was on the table, it's like, oh, you got to
1:15:25
have Twinkies at Thanksgiving. I'd be like, what are you
1:15:27
talking about? But it's Mac and cheese.
1:15:29
Like, why is that such a controversial side side dish for
1:15:32
Thanksgiving? I don't know.
1:15:34
I don't understand. Alma Ray is is just just dumps a
1:15:38
brick of Velveeta in there and it's just the creamiest Mac and
1:15:41
cheese. I don't care about anything
1:15:44
else. I'm not kidding.
1:15:46
I will. You can post a picture on the
1:15:48
store if you want. I will send it to you.
1:15:50
My plate is going to have Turkey. 9092% Mac and cheese.
1:15:56
That's all I need. I'm going to need to see that.
1:15:58
I'm going to need to see that. Picture, by the way, dressing or
1:16:01
stuffing. So settle this for me.
1:16:05
Well, I. When it comes to Thanksgiving
1:16:08
food, I'd sort of lean on on my mom's side of the family for all
1:16:13
things that I know Thanksgiving wise, for the most part.
1:16:16
Not all things, but most things. And for them, SW Pennsylvania,
1:16:22
that dialect lands on stuffing. OK, Did you marry into a
1:16:29
dressing or a stuffing family? Stuffing, I believe.
1:16:35
I'm the opposite. I'm dressing stuffing and I'm
1:16:39
married into dressing and I don't know, I feel like I'm the
1:16:43
weird one when I'm asking. What about the stuffing?
1:16:46
Dressing is Thousand Islands. What are we talking?
1:16:49
About. Yeah, I agree.
1:16:49
I agree. I'm there with you.
1:16:51
What are we talking about? Get stuffed.
1:16:55
Yeah, What are you? I'm not eating the stuffed one.
1:16:58
I'm not eating the stuffed part. It's weird that we do that that.
1:17:01
I don't know. It's a weird tradition.
1:17:03
Found that out. Yeah, like, you know what, let
1:17:05
me what if we grab a handful of this?
1:17:09
You see that big cavity in that, in that fried bird right there?
1:17:13
Yeah, let's, let's watch this. Let's see what happens here.
1:17:18
It makes me feel a little better.
1:17:20
I'm team stuffing, so it's good. Maybe that'll be the third thing
1:17:25
on the plate. Very small Turkey, little bit of
1:17:28
stuffing, 70% Mac and cheese. I might, I might raise that to
1:17:33
80. I'm going to need 8590.
1:17:36
I'll send. I'll send a picture.
1:17:38
I'm going to need it. But yeah, with that said, have
1:17:42
it that happy Thanksgiving, folks.
1:17:46
And I feel like I've said this in in years past, but like, do
1:17:50
your best to set the distractions aside.
1:17:52
The phones, I mean, the TV's are going to be a part of it.
1:17:55
Football, I get all that. But like just be present and,
1:17:59
and I know not everybody's family situation is ideal, but
1:18:03
like as best as you can, just try to just try to make the most
1:18:07
of it. Whoever you're with, if you're
1:18:09
with friends on Thanksgiving, if you're with family, if you're
1:18:12
with you and you and yours, if it's just you and your small
1:18:16
little family, be present. Just enjoy it because that's the
1:18:21
most you can make the argument that that's the most valuable
1:18:25
thing out there is your time. And how are you going to spend
1:18:28
that this this Thanksgiving and and holiday season?
1:18:31
You're going to put three O take on the speaker and you're put it
1:18:34
on this with the family. Spend some quality time.
1:18:37
Let us, let us say, let our voices serenade your 8090% Mac
1:18:43
and cheese ratio plates right as you enjoy time around the table
1:18:47
with family. That's right, and if you're anti
1:18:49
Mac and cheese, I'm done with you.
1:18:53
Careful, I'm done. But no, that that's my, that's
1:18:58
my words of wisdom for this Thanksgiving.
1:19:02
Please enjoy it and enjoy some good food, enjoy some football.
1:19:07
And like Nate said, enjoy, enjoy a little bit of us too.
1:19:09
Like we're don't don't forget about us, us baseball folks.
1:19:13
But we will be back. Should be back on schedule next
1:19:18
week. Yeah, and we'll keep this thing
1:19:20
rolling, but as as we're sort of alluding to taking taking
1:19:24
Thanksgiving off so we only get one episode.
1:19:26
This week went a little bit deeper than usual.
1:19:28
I hope. I hope to give you a little bit
1:19:29
more material, more some more content if you're in a car, if
1:19:34
you're on a plane, if you're traveling.
1:19:36
So you're dealing with an airport this week.
1:19:39
Good luck. Godspeed.
1:19:41
Wish me luck as well. Good luck my friend had,
1:19:47
couldn't be me. Wednesday night, too.
1:19:50
Yeah, that's. Awful.
1:19:53
That's like, that's straight out of a movie.
1:19:55
Like that's the chaos. That's the chaos they try to
1:19:58
illustrate in movies around the holidays.
1:20:00
I want no part in that. Yeah, yeah, I know any who's
1:20:06
they'll go chasing curveballs, folks.
1:20:08
We love you and as always, looking forward to talking more
1:20:10
baseball with you guys soon. Until next time, stay filthy.