Latest / Bucco Territory: A Pittsburgh Pirates Podcast / Early Spring Training Recap & World Baseball Classic Preview

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Early Spring Training Recap & World Baseball Classic Preview · Bucco Territory: A Pittsburgh Pirates Podcast

• 0:09
  Speaker 1: What's up, everybody.
• 0:10
  Speaker 2: Welcome back to Bucco Territory, presented to you by the
• 0:12
  Speaker 2: Foul Territory Network. My name is Noah Hyles and joining
• 0:15
  Speaker 2: me as always on this fine program or my co hosts,
• 0:18
  Speaker 2: Josh Harrison aka j Hay and Platinum Key aka Mark Fellas.
• 0:23
  Speaker 2: Spring training is in the thick of things now they're
• 0:27
  Speaker 2: playing games. We're gonna talk about that. We're gonna talk
• 0:29
  Speaker 2: about a little World Baseball Classic action as well. We
• 0:33
  Speaker 2: have a guy on this show who played in the
• 0:35
  Speaker 2: World Baseball Classic spoiler alert it is not Platinum Key
• 0:40
  Speaker 2: or myself.
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: Uh so we're gonna talk about.
• 0:42
  Speaker 2: His experiences and maybe break down a little bit of
• 0:44
  Speaker 2: the World Baseball Classic field. I feel like we're gonna
• 0:46
  Speaker 2: talk about the World Baseball Classic more on the show
• 0:50
  Speaker 2: as it continues to unfold, But why not dive into
• 0:53
  Speaker 2: it now. With the news of Trek Skoogle saying that
• 0:56
  Speaker 2: he's only gonna pitch once, maybe that will.
• 0:59
  Speaker 1: Apply to Paul's sans. We can weigh in on all
• 1:01
  Speaker 1: of that and more.
• 1:02
  Speaker 2: But before we do, want to talk real quick just
• 1:05
  Speaker 2: about the pirates who played some spring training games. I've
• 1:10
  Speaker 2: tuned in here and there I won't pretend that I've
• 1:12
  Speaker 2: watched every inning, but I know one guy who has,
• 1:16
  Speaker 2: because that's just his whole life existence is to watch
• 1:20
  Speaker 2: the Pirates. It seems now he's worth a lot more
• 1:23
  Speaker 2: than that. But Mark, we're gonna start off with you
• 1:26
  Speaker 2: giving us a recap. I mean, they've played a handful
• 1:29
  Speaker 2: of games now. They had a couple of split squad
• 1:31
  Speaker 2: games over the last few days. They opened the spring
• 1:34
  Speaker 2: training season at ed Smith like they always do on Saturday.
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: What have you noticed so far? What have been the highlights?
• 1:43
  Speaker 3: Yeah, so I have six just general takeaways that just
• 1:47
  Speaker 3: go through here really quick. The first one being that
• 1:50
  Speaker 3: the pitching depth is really encouraging. There's a lot more
• 1:54
  Speaker 3: options in the bullpen than just Santana Soto. Those guys
• 1:59
  Speaker 3: looked really good. But you saw Nicholas Shove on Monday today,
• 2:04
  Speaker 3: and then Mattson and Sisk on Sunday looked really good.
• 2:08
  Speaker 3: Sanders he was kind of a shocker, and Domkowski his
• 2:13
  Speaker 3: stuff looked really good below the hood. And then you
• 2:17
  Speaker 3: had Dotel, Murdoch, Bayliss on Saturday who all looked really,
• 2:23
  Speaker 3: really good. Bayless was the name I wasn't familiar with,
• 2:27
  Speaker 3: nor was the broadcast, they originally had his name wrong,
• 2:30
  Speaker 3: but he has a really interesting arm slid, so it
• 2:33
  Speaker 3: could be a unique thing to pull out of the pen.
• 2:36
  Speaker 3: So overall pitching depth seems pretty good. Second point was
• 2:41
  Speaker 3: just the new bats already making an early impact. You
• 2:45
  Speaker 3: saw O'Hearn hit a home run, you saw Ozuna hit
• 2:47
  Speaker 3: in an RBI, you saw Justinson Garcia hit an RBI.
• 2:51
  Speaker 3: So really really nice seeing those guys fitting in already
• 2:56
  Speaker 3: limited sample size. Don't want to overreact to any of this,
• 2:59
  Speaker 3: it's just bring training, but it's nice to see the
• 3:02
  Speaker 3: new guys do new things in the Black and gold.
• 3:05
  Speaker 3: Third point was it's really great seeing some of the
• 3:09
  Speaker 3: older faces that we're familiar with do really well. Brian
• 3:13
  Speaker 3: Reynolds is three for three with the double. He had
• 3:17
  Speaker 3: two walks today on Monday. O'Neil Cruz is two singles
• 3:21
  Speaker 3: off of left handed pitching and then picked up a steal.
• 3:24
  Speaker 3: He also looks like he may have like put on
• 3:25
  Speaker 3: some weight, put on some muscle, so love to see that.
• 3:29
  Speaker 3: And then Andy Roderigue's back from injury, had a home run.
• 3:33
  Speaker 3: Love to see that. Andy brings a ton to this team,
• 3:36
  Speaker 3: so would love to really see him find a position
• 3:40
  Speaker 3: and a role on this club that he can fit
• 3:43
  Speaker 3: fifth or fourth here. Uh, the young Bucks making an impact.
• 3:49
  Speaker 3: He had the esmerlnd Valdez Grand Slam, the Tamar Johnson triple,
• 3:53
  Speaker 3: the Nick Simillo home run, the Tony Block Junior, Tony
• 3:56
  Speaker 3: Blanco Junior had an RBI. So a lot of guys
• 4:00
  Speaker 3: a pirate's name or a lot of names that pirates
• 4:02
  Speaker 3: fins are familiar with, uh popping off. Uh, so you'd
• 4:06
  Speaker 3: love to see that. Fifth point is, uh, just don't
• 4:10
  Speaker 3: panic and be patient when it comes to guys like
• 4:14
  Speaker 3: Connor Griffin and Bubba Chandler. Connor's oh for five right
• 4:18
  Speaker 3: now in spring, but he had some a couple of
• 4:21
  Speaker 3: really hard hit balls, one that probably should.
• 4:23
  Speaker 4: Have been a home run.
• 4:25
  Speaker 3: Uh, he had an infield single that was just a
• 4:28
  Speaker 3: blown call by the umpire, maybe a call going Bryce
• 4:31
  Speaker 3: Harper's way. So be patient on on those two guys. Uh.
• 4:36
  Speaker 3: It was cool seeing Bryce Harper talk about Connor Griffin too,
• 4:40
  Speaker 3: So some great quotes there and Bubba will be fine.
• 4:43
  Speaker 3: Just didn't have the control today.
• 4:45
  Speaker 4: Then.
• 4:46
  Speaker 3: Last thing is just limited injuries. So far. Jack Brannigan
• 4:50
  Speaker 3: took a ball off his face. Uh, so, but I
• 4:54
  Speaker 3: mean other than that, like we're we're pretty uh pretty
• 4:58
  Speaker 3: clear for injuries as far as spring training goes. So, yeah, no,
• 5:02
  Speaker 3: I think you're muted.
• 5:03
  Speaker 1: Sorry, yeah, I can't believe you just said that twice.
• 5:06
  Speaker 2: I mean we you you guys are three games, three
• 5:10
  Speaker 2: days worth of games in the spring train. You can't
• 5:12
  Speaker 2: be bragging about how about health yet? I mean Josh's face.
• 5:18
  Speaker 5: No, no, no, no, I just saw him say he
• 5:20
  Speaker 5: got hit in the face or something like that, and I.
• 5:22
  Speaker 1: Was, oh, you didn't see that?
• 5:23
  Speaker 5: Yeah yeah, yeah, no, no, no, I mean, yeah, no,
• 5:26
  Speaker 5: injuries obviously gonna pop up.
• 5:28
  Speaker 4: I was more like I hadn't seen hit in the face.
• 5:31
  Speaker 3: It was on defense, so it was a.
• 5:34
  Speaker 1: Lot drive to third base. Yeah, took it off the nose,
• 5:39
  Speaker 1: made the play.
• 5:40
  Speaker 3: Yeah, it was the ball with blood spewing out of
• 5:43
  Speaker 3: his nose.
• 5:44
  Speaker 4: Yeah.
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: Yeah. It was pretty impressive. And Jack Brandigan said some
• 5:47
  Speaker 2: tough injury luck too.
• 5:48
  Speaker 4: Yeah, that's tough. That's the great they're talking about.
• 5:52
  Speaker 2: Mark a couple of notes just from my observations. Uh,
• 5:56
  Speaker 2: you mentioned it a little bit. I mean Connor hit
• 5:58
  Speaker 2: two balls with a one hundred mile power low. Yeah, yeah,
• 6:03
  Speaker 2: in his first game, so I mean that's that's probably
• 6:05
  Speaker 2: what you're looking for more than you know spring training stats.
• 6:08
  Speaker 2: Is is he barreling balls? So like that's obviously encouraging,
• 6:14
  Speaker 2: to be honest, Like, it's the young guys stuff. Is
• 6:16
  Speaker 2: that's I'm most excited about in these first three days,
• 6:19
  Speaker 2: Like just insant Garcia, Like if he performs well, he
• 6:24
  Speaker 2: could earn him spot himself.
• 6:25
  Speaker 1: A spot on this roster.
• 6:26
  Speaker 3: He looks like a player, right.
• 6:28
  Speaker 2: And like he's big league ready and just because you
• 6:31
  Speaker 2: know their outfield is a little bit of a chaotic mess.
• 6:34
  Speaker 2: I mean, he's a true outfielder and if he hits,
• 6:37
  Speaker 2: he's got a spot here. So that's that's one thing
• 6:40
  Speaker 2: that I'm I'm really interested in in monitoring moving forward. Yeah,
• 6:44
  Speaker 2: I'm not too worried about how a young pitcher looks
• 6:48
  Speaker 2: in his first spring outing.
• 6:49
  Speaker 1: I'm sure Bubba was pissed about it because that's what type.
• 6:51
  Speaker 3: Of guy he is.
• 6:53
  Speaker 2: Yeah right, Yeah, but overall, yeah, over overall pretty good stuff.
• 6:59
  Speaker 1: We're gonna talk about the World Baseball Classic here.
• 7:01
  Speaker 2: As we move on, but before we do, want to
• 7:04
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• 7:08
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• 8:02
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• 8:05
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• 8:08
  Speaker 1: Mark.
• 8:09
  Speaker 2: So now we're gonna talk some World Baseball Classic and
• 8:12
  Speaker 2: before we get into this year's World Baseball Classic, team
• 8:16
  Speaker 2: I want to talk about, uh, you know, this show's
• 8:19
  Speaker 2: favorite player in World Baseball Classic history, this guy right here.
• 8:23
  Speaker 1: Josh Haris said, Josh, what team were you on?
• 8:25
  Speaker 2: Was that twenty sixteen seventeen, twenty seventeen, right, that was
• 8:30
  Speaker 2: my teen that was my senior year of college.
• 8:32
  Speaker 1: I remember watching you guys wanted that year, right, Yeah.
• 8:37
  Speaker 5: I mean part of history only team to win it. Yes,
• 8:43
  Speaker 5: to this day, you know, we still you know, go
• 8:46
  Speaker 5: down to history with the only US team to win it.
• 8:49
  Speaker 5: And that definitely got memories from from from that whole time.
• 8:54
  Speaker 2: So let's talk about that. I mean, how did you
• 8:56
  Speaker 2: get asked to be on it? And you weren't the
• 8:58
  Speaker 2: only pirate. Cutch was on that team as well, if
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: memory serves correctly, right, Yeah.
• 9:03
  Speaker 5: Cutch was on the team. And I just remember being
• 9:07
  Speaker 5: Spring Trains by the start. And I don't know if
• 9:10
  Speaker 5: my agent got it. I don't even think it was
• 9:12
  Speaker 5: my agent. I think my agent might have got a call,
• 9:14
  Speaker 5: but I think it was Clint that called me in
• 9:15
  Speaker 5: the office and it was like, you got a request
• 9:21
  Speaker 5: Team USA, you know, to play for the Classic. I
• 9:23
  Speaker 5: think would be a good opportunity, and you know, in
• 9:26
  Speaker 5: my eyes, you know, it's like, yeah, that would definitely
• 9:29
  Speaker 5: be cool. And at the same time, I'm like, man,
• 9:31
  Speaker 5: I get to miss a little bit of spring training,
• 9:33
  Speaker 5: you know, to go play in a classic, which for
• 9:37
  Speaker 5: me was kind of cool because I never played winter
• 9:39
  Speaker 5: ball or like play international, So you know, for me,
• 9:42
  Speaker 5: it was gonna be an experience in itself, not just
• 9:46
  Speaker 5: joking to say I got to miss a couple of
• 9:47
  Speaker 5: weeks of spring training, but knowing that I was going
• 9:49
  Speaker 5: to be, you know, representing USA, playing you know, amongst
• 9:52
  Speaker 5: some other you know, you know, great players, and just
• 9:55
  Speaker 5: being able to it almost felt like the All Star
• 9:57
  Speaker 5: Game for two weeks.
• 10:00
  Speaker 2: What was it like, I mean, it's funny that you
• 10:02
  Speaker 2: say the All Star Game because the All Star Game
• 10:04
  Speaker 2: guys are mid season form guys are stretched out. I
• 10:07
  Speaker 2: mean pitchers are stretched out, and obviously I mean the
• 10:09
  Speaker 2: position players they're dialed in, where in early March you're
• 10:13
  Speaker 2: still trying to figure out your swing. We've talked about
• 10:15
  Speaker 2: on this show how you approach things a little differently
• 10:18
  Speaker 2: in spring training. What was it like to have the
• 10:21
  Speaker 2: lock in and face the best guys from the Dominican
• 10:25
  Speaker 2: Republic from Venezuela, you know, who are all trying to
• 10:28
  Speaker 2: win for their country, like you were. How hard was
• 10:31
  Speaker 2: at the lock in?
• 10:33
  Speaker 5: Well, it was definitely different because, as I said, it
• 10:36
  Speaker 5: had the feel of like you know, the All Star Game,
• 10:38
  Speaker 5: where you know, we all from you know, whatever team
• 10:44
  Speaker 5: you come from, you know are considered one of the
• 10:46
  Speaker 5: key players on your team. And you know, but that
• 10:50
  Speaker 5: also means that not everybody's going to play as much
• 10:52
  Speaker 5: as they usually are or whatever, but there are ways
• 10:55
  Speaker 5: to stay fresh and granted we knew the intensity. For
• 10:58
  Speaker 5: me experiencing it, I was like, man, the intensity of
• 11:01
  Speaker 5: these games. You know, I definitely felt even though I
• 11:05
  Speaker 5: didn't play every game, and as you said, pictures not
• 11:09
  Speaker 5: being stretched out, you got, you know, a lot of pictures,
• 11:11
  Speaker 5: but you also got a lot of position players guys
• 11:14
  Speaker 5: that they're trying to mix in. But uh, you know,
• 11:16
  Speaker 5: for us, we opened up in Miami and I think
• 11:18
  Speaker 5: we played Columbia first, we played Canada and then we
• 11:23
  Speaker 5: played the d R and uh, with the exception of
• 11:26
  Speaker 5: the Canada game, I felt we were to visiting team
• 11:30
  Speaker 5: every game, especially down to Miami, Like that place was
• 11:34
  Speaker 5: so loud, and uh, you know, I think being in
• 11:38
  Speaker 5: that atmosphere pretty much put you in that competition mode
• 11:41
  Speaker 5: right away to where spring training you know can have
• 11:44
  Speaker 5: I don't want to say a little bit more of
• 11:45
  Speaker 5: a laxed feel, but it is because you know, the
• 11:47
  Speaker 5: World WBC I'm talking you know, Miami Stadium was fully packed.
• 11:53
  Speaker 5: So it's like, oh, yeah, you have no choice but
• 11:55
  Speaker 5: to go and feel like you playing a real live
• 11:58
  Speaker 5: game because you know you're not gonna go out here
• 12:00
  Speaker 5: and go through the motions.
• 12:01
  Speaker 4: You got adrenaline like you play, you know, a playoff game.
• 12:05
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean that's I I remember watching that World
• 12:10
  Speaker 2: Baseball Classic and that that atmosphere. I mean, where did
• 12:13
  Speaker 2: especially the Dominican game. I mean that's probably the fullest
• 12:16
  Speaker 2: that Marlin stadiums ever. Oh unfortunately, But.
• 12:21
  Speaker 1: Where does that atmosphere rank?
• 12:23
  Speaker 2: And games that you've played, I mean, you're part of
• 12:26
  Speaker 2: the twenty thirteen blackout, obviously, you played three home playoff
• 12:30
  Speaker 2: games in Pittsburgh. You played in huge markets out after
• 12:33
  Speaker 2: you left Pittsburgh. But where does that because I mean
• 12:37
  Speaker 2: you had there, It's not just crowd noise, it's you know,
• 12:41
  Speaker 2: they had the horns going, and no.
• 12:43
  Speaker 5: No, I was gonna say it would I'm going to
• 12:47
  Speaker 5: put it right behind at twenty thirteen Wildcard game, because
• 12:52
  Speaker 5: as I mentioned, I never played winter ball, didn't play
• 12:55
  Speaker 5: you know, international like growing up or anything.
• 12:59
  Speaker 4: So that was my.
• 13:00
  Speaker 5: First taste of playing against you know, Team Dominican, you know, Columbia,
• 13:05
  Speaker 5: all these teams.
• 13:06
  Speaker 4: So that was my glimpse of what it's like when
• 13:08
  Speaker 4: you watch.
• 13:09
  Speaker 5: Winterball and you hear you know, the bells, the drums,
• 13:11
  Speaker 5: and if you go back and look at video, like
• 13:15
  Speaker 5: I'm standing on the bench the whole time I'm not playing,
• 13:17
  Speaker 5: but the whole time I'm like on the bench vibing
• 13:19
  Speaker 5: because I'm just like the energy, like you have no
• 13:22
  Speaker 5: choice but to be, you know, into the game, whether
• 13:25
  Speaker 5: you're playing or you on the bench.
• 13:26
  Speaker 4: And uh, you know, it also helps when you look
• 13:29
  Speaker 4: across the dugout and you see some of your teammates,
• 13:31
  Speaker 4: but they on the other side, you know, you know,
• 13:34
  Speaker 4: Martin Polanco was on the other side, you know, me
• 13:36
  Speaker 4: and Cutch like, you know, man, we can't let them
• 13:39
  Speaker 4: have bragging rights.
• 13:39
  Speaker 5: Granted, you know, Nelson Cruz hit that that that big
• 13:43
  Speaker 5: home run, you.
• 13:44
  Speaker 4: Know, but we got the last laugh one it at all.
• 13:46
  Speaker 5: But you know, it's one of those things where that competition,
• 13:50
  Speaker 5: you know, definitely kicks up because you represent your country
• 13:53
  Speaker 5: and you know you're playing against some of your teammates
• 13:56
  Speaker 5: that you're gonna be suiting up with in two weeks
• 13:58
  Speaker 5: for the rest of the season.
• 14:00
  Speaker 4: But it does get you a little ramped up.
• 14:02
  Speaker 5: But at the same time, there's some precaution to take because,
• 14:05
  Speaker 5: as you mentioned, you know, guys aren't fully stretched out
• 14:09
  Speaker 5: in a adrenalism.
• 14:12
  Speaker 2: We're going to talk about this year's World Baseball Classic,
• 14:14
  Speaker 2: but before we do, we're going to take another break
• 14:16
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• 15:19
  Speaker 2: The World Baseball Classics, scheduled to start on March sixth,
• 15:22
  Speaker 2: the Pirates are very well represented day players on Team Mexico,
• 15:27
  Speaker 2: Team Israel, Team Italy.
• 15:31
  Speaker 1: Who else am I missing? Teamine Netherlands? Yes?
• 15:36
  Speaker 2: And then of course they have the big guy on
• 15:39
  Speaker 2: Team USA, Paul Skeen's headlines the pitching staff. I feel
• 15:43
  Speaker 2: like we can open the conversation there. Trek Scoogle made
• 15:45
  Speaker 2: news on Monday by saying he's only going to pitch
• 15:48
  Speaker 2: once for Team USA. It's just going to be I believe,
• 15:50
  Speaker 2: their second game of their preliminary round against Great Britain,
• 15:55
  Speaker 2: and then he'll just kind of be a spectator.
• 15:58
  Speaker 1: I don't think Paul's been asked about what his workload
• 16:01
  Speaker 1: will be.
• 16:01
  Speaker 2: I don't anticipate him only making one start.
• 16:05
  Speaker 3: I think he'll probably I think he'll go a little
• 16:06
  Speaker 3: bit more like, yeah, if you wanted to know, it's
• 16:11
  Speaker 3: more than one.
• 16:12
  Speaker 2: So I will say that I think Paul is very
• 16:15
  Speaker 2: smart about how he goes about his build up, and
• 16:19
  Speaker 2: I think his ultimate goal is pitching for the Pirates in.
• 16:22
  Speaker 1: October, and so he will definitely have that in mind.
• 16:25
  Speaker 2: But I I and this could be old news by
• 16:28
  Speaker 2: the time we even published this on Tuesday morning. But
• 16:31
  Speaker 2: just going off pure speculation, I'd have to anticipate he
• 16:34
  Speaker 2: probably pitches at least more than once, uh for the
• 16:38
  Speaker 2: United States. But I want to open the discussion. I mean,
• 16:42
  Speaker 2: if you're a Pirates fan like you, Mark, I mean,
• 16:45
  Speaker 2: how often are you hoping to see Paul Sken's pitch
• 16:48
  Speaker 2: in this Like are you are you getting nervous if
• 16:52
  Speaker 2: you see him come back out for a third or fourth.
• 16:54
  Speaker 1: Ending of work in early March or in mid March.
• 16:57
  Speaker 3: I mean, if it was anyone else, I think I
• 17:00
  Speaker 3: might be a little nervous. But I have full faith
• 17:03
  Speaker 3: in Paul Skins. He knows his body, he knows himself.
• 17:06
  Speaker 3: He's going to put in the work behind the scenes
• 17:08
  Speaker 3: to be ready. So yeah, I'm not worried at all.
• 17:12
  Speaker 3: I mean, knock on wood, but yeah, I mean he's
• 17:16
  Speaker 3: a horse like he's gonna go out there, He's going
• 17:17
  Speaker 3: to shove as much as he possibly can. So yeah,
• 17:22
  Speaker 3: I'm looking forward to it, and I think that's great.
• 17:24
  Speaker 3: And I'd much rather see him pitching for a Team
• 17:26
  Speaker 3: USA right now taking the full advantage of that opportunity
• 17:30
  Speaker 3: than a Pirates spring training game. I think that benefits
• 17:34
  Speaker 3: not only him more in the long term, but also
• 17:37
  Speaker 3: the Pirates as a brand and getting the team out
• 17:39
  Speaker 3: there and having a face of baseball, and the way
• 17:42
  Speaker 3: you become a face of baseball is being in those
• 17:45
  Speaker 3: big moments like that sho hee o Tani Mike Trout
• 17:48
  Speaker 3: at bat in the last World Baseball Classic. So to
• 17:52
  Speaker 3: see Paul Skins in that moment would be really really
• 17:55
  Speaker 3: cool as a Pirates fan.
• 17:57
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I agree. I mean, and I think it's just
• 18:00
  Speaker 1: good for the game of baseball, right.
• 18:01
  Speaker 2: I Mean, that's been the critique of Team America and
• 18:06
  Speaker 2: years where they haven't won it. It's like you couldn't
• 18:08
  Speaker 2: get the Aces to really commit and understandably, so, I
• 18:12
  Speaker 2: mean they're being paid a lot of money.
• 18:16
  Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, but I mean that's part of it.
• 18:20
  Speaker 5: Yeah, there's gonna be a conversation with the pitcher, but
• 18:24
  Speaker 5: also not only that, you know team you say that
• 18:27
  Speaker 5: it's gonna be a conversation with that organization as far
• 18:29
  Speaker 5: as you know limits or restrictions.
• 18:32
  Speaker 4: Uh, you mentioned school.
• 18:34
  Speaker 5: I think when we played in seventeen, I want to
• 18:36
  Speaker 5: say Archer was with us, but I think Arch made
• 18:38
  Speaker 5: one start and didn't throw, you know, didn't pitch again
• 18:45
  Speaker 5: throughout the Classic. And I think a lot of it too,
• 18:47
  Speaker 5: is also going to be how it matches up with
• 18:48
  Speaker 5: where they are with their team, their days, where they're
• 18:51
  Speaker 5: supposed to start, where they open up, and uh, because
• 18:53
  Speaker 5: the ultimate goal obviously is you know, your regular season,
• 18:56
  Speaker 5: playing for your team and playing in the October. But
• 18:59
  Speaker 5: for those that are able to that, it fit lines up,
• 19:02
  Speaker 5: and you know, it's just a communication thing because there's
• 19:06
  Speaker 5: always gonna be that that that risk of injury. But
• 19:10
  Speaker 5: I'm also a firm advocate that there's a risk of injury.
• 19:12
  Speaker 5: Planning spring training games either way you're playing WBC or
• 19:16
  Speaker 5: spring training.
• 19:17
  Speaker 4: You're you're you're ramping up for the season.
• 19:18
  Speaker 5: And yes, WBC may be a lot more adrenaline, but
• 19:22
  Speaker 5: at the end of the day. We talk about practicing
• 19:25
  Speaker 5: how you play, but you know, I think there's just
• 19:28
  Speaker 5: as much risk planning spring training because you know, there's
• 19:31
  Speaker 5: some built in days with the classic. Spring training is
• 19:33
  Speaker 5: every single day, so there's give and take to both.
• 19:37
  Speaker 2: I thought you're gonna hit us with the at the
• 19:39
  Speaker 2: end of the day we're talking about practice.
• 19:43
  Speaker 5: No, no, just saying, you know, spring training and the
• 19:45
  Speaker 5: WBC the game is don't count, but they're gearing you
• 19:48
  Speaker 5: up to us the season.
• 19:51
  Speaker 2: So let's just take a quick look at the team
• 19:53
  Speaker 2: USA roster, Josh, I want to get your honest answer here.
• 19:57
  Speaker 2: You look at these names. Does this rival the twenty
• 20:00
  Speaker 2: seventeen group, the only American team to take home the Gold?
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: I mean, you look around the diamond.
• 20:06
  Speaker 2: There is a lot of potential here, and I think
• 20:09
  Speaker 2: the the the bullpen and the arms are a big
• 20:13
  Speaker 2: difference maker here too.
• 20:16
  Speaker 5: I mean, you look at the team. It's hard not
• 20:20
  Speaker 5: to get excited about a team like that. But uh,
• 20:23
  Speaker 5: I mean, I'm not gonna sit here and compare anything
• 20:25
  Speaker 5: to twenty seventeen.
• 20:26
  Speaker 4: You know that's nine years ago.
• 20:28
  Speaker 5: But at the same time, I know our team was
• 20:31
  Speaker 5: a team that was full of you know, some veteran
• 20:34
  Speaker 5: guys that I mean, it was Adam Jones, it was
• 20:37
  Speaker 5: Ian Kinsler. I'm just you know, Hassmer, Aaron Odo, Lucroy
• 20:43
  Speaker 5: behind the plate, yeah, you know, yeah, Yellich on the team,
• 20:47
  Speaker 5: Stanton on the team, gold Schmidt, myself, uh, Daniel Murty.
• 20:52
  Speaker 5: I'm just throwing out some of these names and then
• 20:54
  Speaker 5: a bullpen you had, I think Luke gregorson.
• 20:59
  Speaker 4: Patne, you know, just.
• 21:00
  Speaker 5: Throwing out some names where it's like, these are we
• 21:02
  Speaker 5: had some proven guys. And granted, times have changed nine
• 21:08
  Speaker 5: years down the road, you know, obviously it's a lot
• 21:11
  Speaker 5: more broadcast, they're gonna be, you know, different opportunities for people.
• 21:17
  Speaker 5: But at the time twenty seventeen, you know, it was
• 21:19
  Speaker 5: almost like we had a team full of guys that
• 21:22
  Speaker 5: you know, kind of been around and you look at
• 21:25
  Speaker 5: this team, there's a lot of youth. And that's not
• 21:28
  Speaker 5: to say that we weren't all youthful. It's just nine
• 21:30
  Speaker 5: years ago you was considered to be in your prime
• 21:32
  Speaker 5: at thirty, where nine years later you're considered to be
• 21:35
  Speaker 5: in your primate twenty four to twenty five, you know, right,
• 21:38
  Speaker 5: But you know, you look on paper, I don't see
• 21:41
  Speaker 5: why it's not a team that shouldn't you know, be
• 21:45
  Speaker 5: able to join us in the history books and you know,
• 21:47
  Speaker 5: be you know, a second team winning the goal because
• 21:49
  Speaker 5: I mean, realistically, we should be able to put a
• 21:52
  Speaker 5: team out there that should you know, be competing every
• 21:54
  Speaker 5: every year that the Classic is out there.
• 21:56
  Speaker 2: Yeah, and I think their biggest competition is the defending
• 22:00
  Speaker 2: champions Mark you have that roster as well, Japan. Yeah,
• 22:04
  Speaker 2: this is a loaded squad. Keep this up here for
• 22:06
  Speaker 2: a minute. I mean, you look, that guy at d
• 22:08
  Speaker 2: H is pretty good. You read some of the names
• 22:11
  Speaker 2: on the rotation. I mean you want to talk about
• 22:14
  Speaker 2: schemes having to be dragged off the mound.
• 22:16
  Speaker 1: I mean, I think the guy who.
• 22:21
  Speaker 2: Is going to be very excited the corner endfield on
• 22:24
  Speaker 2: this team is super interesting because you know those are
• 22:27
  Speaker 2: two guys the Pirates pursued in the offseason. And then
• 22:31
  Speaker 2: obviously Matt Suey and right familiar face to a lot
• 22:36
  Speaker 2: of Pirates fans having playing it in the division.
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: Yeah.
• 22:39
  Speaker 2: And it always just feels like Team Japan plays well together, right,
• 22:43
  Speaker 2: I mean that this is uh culturally, I mean, they
• 22:47
  Speaker 2: all play a very similar brand of baseball. It's just
• 22:49
  Speaker 2: how it's taught over there, and there's a reason why
• 22:53
  Speaker 2: they've won it more than any other country.
• 22:55
  Speaker 6: M h.
• 22:56
  Speaker 5: I think that's what we beat in the championship. It
• 22:58
  Speaker 5: was in LA. I think it was like a two
• 23:01
  Speaker 5: to one game.
• 23:01
  Speaker 4: It was rainy. It was cold, cold and rainy in LA.
• 23:05
  Speaker 5: But like, they're really disciplined team like we I remember
• 23:09
  Speaker 5: looking up at the dude that started. I think he
• 23:12
  Speaker 5: threw like six or seven innings and I think he
• 23:14
  Speaker 5: was throwing like ninety one ninety two, but you know,
• 23:17
  Speaker 5: he was hurricane jerky, you know, mixing in pitches.
• 23:20
  Speaker 4: They had good at bats and it was like.
• 23:22
  Speaker 5: No, man, They're they're really disciplined team. And you could
• 23:26
  Speaker 5: just tell, like that's that's what they put in your
• 23:29
  Speaker 5: year in the y out. But I think they all
• 23:31
  Speaker 5: play together a little bit more than you know, our
• 23:33
  Speaker 5: teams do. But I mean that's also part of baseball.
• 23:37
  Speaker 5: You gotta make adjustment, come together and you know, represent
• 23:40
  Speaker 5: for your country, and you know, excited for it to
• 23:43
  Speaker 5: starting a couple of weeks. I'm hopefully they, you know,
• 23:45
  Speaker 5: Team USA brings it home.
• 23:48
  Speaker 3: One more note about teams, A yeah, one other player
• 23:51
  Speaker 3: I want to highlight that I'm excited to watch Is
• 23:53
  Speaker 3: David Bennard get to root for the Renegade one more time? Yeah,
• 24:00
  Speaker 3: so really looking forward to seeing him back on the
• 24:02
  Speaker 3: mound on a team I'm rooting for.
• 24:05
  Speaker 1: Absolutely. We root for all of you to hit that
• 24:09
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• 24:11
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• 24:14
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• 24:17
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• 24:21
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• 24:24
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• 24:26
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• 24:29
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• 24:33
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• 24:41
  Speaker 1: Today the.
• 24:43
  Speaker 2: Mug might actually be my favorite out of everything I
• 24:46
  Speaker 2: might have to get right right, So, guys, any final
• 24:52
  Speaker 2: thoughts as we wrap it up here.
• 24:56
  Speaker 5: No, just as we say, you know, the UBC's coming up,
• 25:00
  Speaker 5: but with Mark's recap, as you said, it's only a
• 25:03
  Speaker 5: couple of games, but curious to see how you know,
• 25:06
  Speaker 5: things start to get into the swing and you start
• 25:08
  Speaker 5: to see guys start to you know, get more at
• 25:10
  Speaker 5: bats under day belt and work towards you know, opening
• 25:13
  Speaker 5: day and see how the roster shakes up, and you know,
• 25:18
  Speaker 5: and that's the spring training, you know, when games start
• 25:21
  Speaker 5: before we know.
• 25:21
  Speaker 4: It is going to be Opening Day.
• 25:24
  Speaker 3: Yeah, and I'll just end it by saying, loving all
• 25:26
  Speaker 3: the optimism, it feels rightful, like rightfully placed. This year
• 25:31
  Speaker 3: lots to be excited about if you're a Pirates fan,
• 25:33
  Speaker 3: So keep tuning in, keep following along. A lot of
• 25:36
  Speaker 3: good stuff coming.
• 25:38
  Speaker 2: I just want to sign off by saying, I'm super
• 25:40
  Speaker 2: excited to watch the World Baseball Classic and keep cheering
• 25:43
  Speaker 2: for Team America.
• 25:44
  Speaker 1: I had a lot of fun watching the Winter Olympics.
• 25:47
  Speaker 2: Shout out especially to all the female athletes who represented
• 25:51
  Speaker 2: our country.
• 25:52
  Speaker 1: Eight of our twelve gold.
• 25:53
  Speaker 2: Medals that came home to our country were from women's sports.
• 25:57
  Speaker 1: So women's sports matters. They are important.
• 26:00
  Speaker 2: They make our country very proud and everyone should be
• 26:03
  Speaker 2: proud of them, just.
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: As proud as we are of the men. Shout out
• 26:07
  Speaker 1: the women's sports for doing us right.
• 26:09
  Speaker 2: Yeah, we appreciate all of your efforts and you made
• 26:12
  Speaker 2: us all very proud on the world stage. So that's
• 26:14
  Speaker 2: all I got for Josh and Mark Noah Hayle signing off,
• 26:18
  Speaker 2: saying thanks for tuning into another episode A Bucco Territory
• 26:21
  Speaker 2: presented to you by the Foul Territory Network