Latest / Cardinal Territory: A St. Louis Cardinals Podcast / Is Bunting A Dying Art? Victor Scott II Optioned, Oli Marmol to ASG

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Is Bunting A Dying Art? Victor Scott II Optioned, Oli Marmol to ASG · Cardinal Territory: A St. Louis Cardinals Podcast

• 0:09
  Speaker 1: Hello everybody, and welcome to another edition of Cardinal Territory
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: and we have a full house today. Jim Hayes alongside
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: Kyle Gibson, Lance Lint, Matt Holliday makes his return, and
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: just so Matt knows, has been a while, Lance has
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: missed a couple of shows. We're still grinding to get
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: to seven thousand and subscriber wise, and Lance put on
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: a tank top today trying to get some of the
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: lady viewers to subscribe. So if you're already subscribed, thanks,
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: If you know someone that hasn't and you like Cardinal Territory,
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: ask them to subscribe because we're still grinding to get
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: to seven thousand. Gentlemen, nice to be back with all
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: of you. I'm gonna start with Matt Holliday because we
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: haven't chatted in a while, but here we are today.
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: What is it June eighth, and the Cardinal seven off
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: day to day. They just swept the Cincinnati Red so
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: I think we're kind of exposed in the series. And
• 1:05
  Speaker 1: here the Cardinals are deep into June and there are
• 1:09
  Speaker 1: seven games over five hundred. So my first question I
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: start with Matt, is what has surprised you about this
• 1:18
  Speaker 1: ball Club. What's the one thing that maybe you didn't
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: see coming with this team?
• 1:24
  Speaker 2: Well, I mean, I think that what jumps off the
• 1:25
  Speaker 2: page to me is Jordan Walker's emergence as a as
• 1:28
  Speaker 2: a aircraft carrier in the middlebour line up. I mean,
• 1:31
  Speaker 2: I think that's the one thing coming into the season
• 1:34
  Speaker 2: when you looked at their roster potentially breaking in JJ
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: Weatherholt and then who was gonna hit in the middle
• 1:41
  Speaker 2: of the order with with Barlson and and you know,
• 1:46
  Speaker 2: you're gonna need somebody to step up and be, uh,
• 1:50
  Speaker 2: somebody that has power and and Jordan Walker has to me,
• 1:54
  Speaker 2: has stepped into All Star form, and you know at
• 1:59
  Speaker 2: this point he's gonna the All Star team, and uh,
• 2:01
  Speaker 2: he's taken a huge, huge step forward and starting to
• 2:05
  Speaker 2: fulfill maybe what you know, Cardinals fans thought he would
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: do a couple of years ago. So I think that
• 2:10
  Speaker 2: that one jumps out. I think the fact that they're
• 2:12
  Speaker 2: playing just really good team baseball. You know, there's been
• 2:17
  Speaker 2: a couple of people emerged from the bullpen O'Brien as
• 2:19
  Speaker 2: a closer, But I think to me, the one thing
• 2:22
  Speaker 2: that has has you know, really made this team a contender.
• 2:27
  Speaker 2: Number I think they're the first wild card as of now.
• 2:31
  Speaker 2: I think it's Jordan Walker that to me, it jumps
• 2:33
  Speaker 2: off the page. And I would like to say that
• 2:35
  Speaker 2: maybe maybe we should all wear tank tops at the
• 2:39
  Speaker 2: next show to get over seven thousand. I'd like to
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: get you we're.
• 2:45
  Speaker 3: Gonna to wear a sunglasses. Kyle's got a tank top on.
• 2:48
  Speaker 3: Just the heads up, Oh.
• 2:50
  Speaker 1: I got tank tops? Lentz. What is what is surprising
• 2:53
  Speaker 1: to you about about this team?
• 2:58
  Speaker 3: I mean, he Matt had the nail on the head there.
• 3:00
  Speaker 3: If if Jordan doesn't do what he's done to kind
• 3:03
  Speaker 3: of anchor the you know, the lineup, that's been the
• 3:06
  Speaker 3: big surprise, especially because of kind of where he's been
• 3:09
  Speaker 3: the last couple of years, right, it was he's kind
• 3:12
  Speaker 3: of lost in a lot of ways, been sent down,
• 3:14
  Speaker 3: up and down. So that's the huge surprise, and that's
• 3:17
  Speaker 3: kind of the has been the huge hope the last
• 3:19
  Speaker 3: couple of years that he was going to turn into
• 3:21
  Speaker 3: this guy. So I think what he's done everyone else
• 3:24
  Speaker 3: is a would have been able to fill in around him,
• 3:26
  Speaker 3: which is huge for the group. And then they're playing
• 3:30
  Speaker 3: great defense. I don't know if I'm surprised they're playing
• 3:32
  Speaker 3: great defense. I'm surprised at how well everyone is playing
• 3:36
  Speaker 3: great defense because you knew Mason was going to play
• 3:38
  Speaker 3: good defense. You didn't know where you know, jj Is
• 3:41
  Speaker 3: was at his true position at second or not. He
• 3:43
  Speaker 3: plays great defense barely at first plays good defense. You
• 3:47
  Speaker 3: know you're looking at Gorman at third, very solid defensively.
• 3:50
  Speaker 3: So I think with what Jordan's done and defensively, you've
• 3:53
  Speaker 3: really shown the surprises that are there. I guess that's
• 3:57
  Speaker 3: why they're winning the way they are because of those
• 3:59
  Speaker 3: two things. And those two things kind of help carry you,
• 4:02
  Speaker 3: especially if you if you defend and pitch, you know,
• 4:05
  Speaker 3: you don't have to have one uh, you know, one
• 4:08
  Speaker 3: thing offensively to go. You know, then have to be
• 4:10
  Speaker 3: perfect all the time to win games. And that's what
• 4:12
  Speaker 3: they're doing.
• 4:14
  Speaker 1: You know what, when I wear my tank top, Kyle,
• 4:17
  Speaker 1: you will see first hand I have a tat right
• 4:19
  Speaker 1: here on my shoulder, and it's a Kyle Gibson tattoo,
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: So that will be seen.
• 4:24
  Speaker 3: Superman getting a tiny little Superman tet is what I
• 4:28
  Speaker 3: had him from.
• 4:31
  Speaker 2: How much man, how much would it cost us to
• 4:34
  Speaker 2: get a Kyle Gibson tattoo on your shoulder.
• 4:40
  Speaker 4: And then how much one hundred k?
• 4:46
  Speaker 2: Serious?
• 4:49
  Speaker 4: If I give you? If we put five grand cash
• 4:52
  Speaker 4: in front of him, I think.
• 4:53
  Speaker 2: That's what I was going to say, like a thousand
• 4:55
  Speaker 2: to five thousand, I would consider you a hundred thousand dollars. Jim,
• 4:58
  Speaker 2: Are you serious?
• 4:59
  Speaker 1: You never even expose your shoulders.
• 5:01
  Speaker 4: Just a little? You know what I'm saying?
• 5:03
  Speaker 1: Maybe what's that's from? That's for the holiday? Hundred k
• 5:09
  Speaker 1: is one one step through the drive through at the
• 5:11
  Speaker 1: food place for the holiday.
• 5:14
  Speaker 4: I don't want to.
• 5:15
  Speaker 2: I don't want to line your pockets that kind of money, Jim.
• 5:21
  Speaker 5: Matt's not going to come back next time.
• 5:22
  Speaker 4: You don't need that around Jim. You won't know what
• 5:25
  Speaker 4: to do with it.
• 5:26
  Speaker 1: That's true. Kyle, what are your thoughts on this ball club?
• 5:32
  Speaker 5: I mean, first my thoughts on this podcast? Is great
• 5:35
  Speaker 5: to have that back, you know, I mean, we just
• 5:36
  Speaker 5: we needed this. You know, Lance has missed a couple
• 5:39
  Speaker 5: We got Jim rolling and laughing, we're cracking jokes at him,
• 5:42
  Speaker 5: and I just didn't have this kind of material for
• 5:44
  Speaker 5: Jim without these guys here.
• 5:45
  Speaker 4: So that's good.
• 5:47
  Speaker 5: H The Dame Top makes it too. I mean, he's
• 5:54
  Speaker 5: in full summer form. The beard has got to be hot.
• 5:57
  Speaker 5: I mean, it's I.
• 5:58
  Speaker 4: Can see something.
• 5:59
  Speaker 2: I see some some some shoulder hair too, if I
• 6:01
  Speaker 2: want to trim the shoulders up there, buddy.
• 6:03
  Speaker 4: No, I'm all authentic all the time. You know that.
• 6:07
  Speaker 3: You know that there's no trim in the chest nothing.
• 6:09
  Speaker 3: It's all that will always Okay, all right, you've seen it.
• 6:13
  Speaker 3: You've seen it in a shower like you.
• 6:16
  Speaker 2: It's glorious on a jet ski.
• 6:23
  Speaker 4: Oh, it's majestic as fuck.
• 6:29
  Speaker 6: Is.
• 6:29
  Speaker 2: Yeah, we gotta make we gotta make the quota.
• 6:32
  Speaker 5: We haven't had any of the last couple of weeks,
• 6:34
  Speaker 5: so Lance has got to get us back to number
• 6:37
  Speaker 5: all right, back back to live action here. I would
• 6:40
  Speaker 5: say my surprise for this team that I think is
• 6:44
  Speaker 5: a bigger reason why they're here is their comeback wins
• 6:47
  Speaker 5: and how they stay in the game and they end
• 6:50
  Speaker 5: up finding a way to win those close games. Normally
• 6:54
  Speaker 5: with a young team, I feel like that's something that
• 6:56
  Speaker 5: can be kind of hit or miss. It's been a
• 6:58
  Speaker 5: pretty consistent A big part of what this team has
• 7:03
  Speaker 5: done this year. And the other thing that I want
• 7:05
  Speaker 5: to point out is they have I want to say,
• 7:07
  Speaker 5: the fourth most wins against teams over five hundred, and
• 7:12
  Speaker 5: if you're going on record alone, I think they're the
• 7:15
  Speaker 5: sixth best team in the Big Leagues against teams with
• 7:18
  Speaker 5: a over five hundred record. So they're playing well against
• 7:22
  Speaker 5: good teams, not only the bad teams, and they're winning
• 7:25
  Speaker 5: the close games and having comebacks. That sounds like a
• 7:28
  Speaker 5: pretty good recipe.
• 7:31
  Speaker 1: Look, you're all right, but we didn't throw in their
• 7:34
  Speaker 1: starting rotation like I thought at this point in the
• 7:37
  Speaker 1: season that rotation could be in tatters. Right now, it's
• 7:40
  Speaker 1: been pretty solid, hit some ups and downs. Bullpen has
• 7:44
  Speaker 1: come into form and given them a lot of endings too.
• 7:46
  Speaker 1: So look all what we're saying is right. And here
• 7:49
  Speaker 1: the Cardinals are probably a head of where most people thought.
• 7:52
  Speaker 1: Victor Scott the Second, we all know the talent that
• 7:56
  Speaker 1: he has speed in center field. He was sent back
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: to Memphis as Nathan Church set to come off the
• 8:03
  Speaker 1: I l I don't think the Victor Scott the second,
• 8:07
  Speaker 1: and I'll start with you on this holiday is where
• 8:11
  Speaker 1: the Cardinals had hope. But we see that with young players.
• 8:14
  Speaker 1: Just your thoughts on the weapon that we've seen. When
• 8:18
  Speaker 1: Victor Scott the Second is in a good place, what
• 8:21
  Speaker 1: he can be, we haven't seen enough of it. What
• 8:23
  Speaker 1: are your thoughts on Victor Scott the second.
• 8:27
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think this is a case where
• 8:28
  Speaker 2: when you're seven up or seven over five hundred and
• 8:32
  Speaker 2: you're right in the middle of the wall card, the
• 8:35
  Speaker 2: least is not as as lengthy, you know. I think
• 8:38
  Speaker 2: his ops is in the five hundreds, and you have
• 8:42
  Speaker 2: new Bark coming back in Church coming back, and you
• 8:46
  Speaker 2: don't really want to carry a young player like him
• 8:49
  Speaker 2: as just a bench player. So I think maybe you
• 8:52
  Speaker 2: try to go back, send him back to Memphis, let
• 8:54
  Speaker 2: him look for his production a little bit with without
• 8:58
  Speaker 2: much of the stress of competing in in a in
• 9:02
  Speaker 2: a big league game. Maybe finds finds his swing, finds uh,
• 9:06
  Speaker 2: finds some confidence, and and you get him back up
• 9:09
  Speaker 2: in a couple of weeks. So I think this is
• 9:12
  Speaker 2: is just one of those things with young players where look,
• 9:15
  Speaker 2: hitting is hard, and you're gonna go through periods where, uh,
• 9:18
  Speaker 2: you're a little bit lost. The thing with him is
• 9:20
  Speaker 2: he brings a great defense and base running, so at
• 9:23
  Speaker 2: some point he's going to be valuable for the team,
• 9:25
  Speaker 2: particularly as you get later in the season, and and
• 9:28
  Speaker 2: if you're in the middle of the wild card in
• 9:29
  Speaker 2: the middle of getting into the playoffs.
• 9:31
  Speaker 4: Even if you have this guy on the bench.
• 9:32
  Speaker 2: For for pinch running and playing defense, he's a valuable
• 9:35
  Speaker 2: asset as as as you look towards later in the season.
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: But you know, I think right now, it's it's hoping
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: that he goes back and and uh, you can kind
• 9:44
  Speaker 2: of spend some time finding his swing and and find
• 9:47
  Speaker 2: some production. So you you you don't, like I said,
• 9:51
  Speaker 2: you have you have plenty of left handed hitters in
• 9:54
  Speaker 2: the outfield right now, and and uh, you don't want.
• 9:56
  Speaker 4: Him to just you know, sort of rod on the bench.
• 9:59
  Speaker 2: So I I think it's it's one of those things
• 10:01
  Speaker 2: that you you know, you don't want him to sitt,
• 10:03
  Speaker 2: and so you send him back to Triple A.
• 10:05
  Speaker 4: He's got options.
• 10:07
  Speaker 2: Get him going and then get him back up because
• 10:09
  Speaker 2: he does bring a lot to the table in a
• 10:10
  Speaker 2: lot of other ways.
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: Different dynamic lands, like as Matt points out, Newt is back.
• 10:17
  Speaker 1: He's already had an impact right We actually saw him
• 10:20
  Speaker 1: play a little bit of center field in that game.
• 10:22
  Speaker 1: He came off the bench. He had the heel surgery
• 10:24
  Speaker 1: on both heels. Seems like he's not quite one hundred percent.
• 10:28
  Speaker 1: He says it's not one hundred percent, but still quality hitter,
• 10:31
  Speaker 1: a guy who can play in the outfield. But this
• 10:33
  Speaker 1: team is different in that I get the sense they
• 10:36
  Speaker 1: want new healthy playing well because he's a piece that
• 10:41
  Speaker 1: they could flip and try to get more prospects. How
• 10:45
  Speaker 1: do you see this whole move.
• 10:47
  Speaker 3: I mean, Newt was one of those guys that was
• 10:50
  Speaker 3: looked at in the offseason as very high trade value,
• 10:53
  Speaker 3: even with the you know, surgeries that he had going on.
• 10:56
  Speaker 3: So I think Newt brings an aspect to the lineup
• 10:58
  Speaker 3: of Walks. He's patient to play, but he also brings
• 11:02
  Speaker 3: power and does a lot of good things. Can play
• 11:04
  Speaker 3: all three outfield positions. So you know, the impact with
• 11:07
  Speaker 3: Vic going down to the minor leagues is he just
• 11:10
  Speaker 3: needs to go hit man. They need to let him
• 11:12
  Speaker 3: hit leadoff and tripa a find some confidence, figure out
• 11:15
  Speaker 3: how to get on base, whether it's bunny, and hit
• 11:16
  Speaker 3: the ball on the ground, just find contact, find contact
• 11:19
  Speaker 3: that's not in the air, and do those things. Because
• 11:22
  Speaker 3: he is a asset, especially in the playoff time. When
• 11:25
  Speaker 3: you have a guy that can run like he does
• 11:27
  Speaker 3: and play defense like he does, he will be on
• 11:29
  Speaker 3: a playoff roster just for those two things. But if
• 11:32
  Speaker 3: he can figure out how to hit two fifty and
• 11:35
  Speaker 3: get on base a little bit more, you know, maybe
• 11:37
  Speaker 3: try to walk a little bit more, be more of
• 11:39
  Speaker 3: a pest in the box where he's you know, fallon
• 11:42
  Speaker 3: balls off and doing things like that, and might get
• 11:44
  Speaker 3: himself some walks and stuff like that. That's good, just
• 11:46
  Speaker 3: going to elevate who he is. You know, I don't
• 11:49
  Speaker 3: know what the mindset is on if he we're trying
• 11:51
  Speaker 3: to hit homers and doubles and this and that. But
• 11:55
  Speaker 3: for him to be the most valuable big leaguer he has,
• 11:58
  Speaker 3: he has to figure out how to get on base
• 12:00
  Speaker 3: some way or the other so he can use the speed.
• 12:03
  Speaker 3: Right now on the offensive side of the ball, he
• 12:05
  Speaker 3: brings not a whole lot to the table, and the
• 12:07
  Speaker 3: other guys do and they can play defense. So this
• 12:10
  Speaker 3: is a huge spot for him to go down and
• 12:12
  Speaker 3: figure out something that will work where he can be
• 12:15
  Speaker 3: an everyday big leagueer because he has the talent, but
• 12:18
  Speaker 3: offensively it just hasn't arrived yet at the big leagues
• 12:21
  Speaker 3: and some things need to change, whether it's approach, the
• 12:24
  Speaker 3: way he's trying to, you know, take pitches, there's got
• 12:27
  Speaker 3: to be a whole kind of overall in what he's
• 12:29
  Speaker 3: trying to do, and you can only do that in
• 12:31
  Speaker 3: the minor leagues.
• 12:32
  Speaker 4: You can't do that sitting on the bench in the
• 12:33
  Speaker 4: big league.
• 12:33
  Speaker 3: So hopefully he's able to do that and kind of
• 12:37
  Speaker 3: come back and when it is time that he can
• 12:39
  Speaker 3: bring impact on both sides of the ball.
• 12:42
  Speaker 1: Yeah, no question, that is a talented young guy, Victor
• 12:45
  Speaker 1: Scott the second who is a weapon and can be
• 12:47
  Speaker 1: a weapon. I'm sure he will be when he comes back.
• 12:50
  Speaker 1: But let's not forget Nathan Church really good defensively, He's
• 12:54
  Speaker 1: coming off the il. He's a guy can do all
• 12:58
  Speaker 1: those things too. So to be honest about what the
• 13:01
  Speaker 1: Cardinals have, they got a lot of different pieces that
• 13:03
  Speaker 1: they're trying to fit in their time.
• 13:06
  Speaker 7: Yeah.
• 13:06
  Speaker 5: I mean, and Jim, I know that you're in the
• 13:10
  Speaker 5: end here with the front office at home and you
• 13:12
  Speaker 5: know all the plans. But how come you're already talking
• 13:14
  Speaker 5: about trading newtaway when he just came back. I mean,
• 13:18
  Speaker 5: this is a guy that LinkedIn's out the lineup. I
• 13:21
  Speaker 5: think it's something that if if the Cardinals could improve
• 13:26
  Speaker 5: on one thing and really kind of take this team.
• 13:29
  Speaker 5: Excuse me, So, like maybe even the next level right
• 13:32
  Speaker 5: now on the offensive side is having Church and New
• 13:36
  Speaker 5: Bar linked in that lineup a little bit and add
• 13:38
  Speaker 5: some thump past the two, three, four and really get
• 13:43
  Speaker 5: six or seven hitters up there a game in and
• 13:46
  Speaker 5: game out to really make a difference. And I think
• 13:48
  Speaker 5: New Bar and Church does that. So I'm actually a
• 13:51
  Speaker 5: fan of New Bar staying around.
• 13:53
  Speaker 4: Jim.
• 13:54
  Speaker 5: I know you're you're looking here to the future seemingly,
• 13:58
  Speaker 5: but I think Newt coming back is a big thing
• 14:01
  Speaker 5: in Church, like you said about the defense, and offensively,
• 14:04
  Speaker 5: he's had some big hits. So I think both of
• 14:06
  Speaker 5: these moves come in a time where the Cardinals are
• 14:09
  Speaker 5: facing some teams where they can really rattle off some
• 14:12
  Speaker 5: wins here and get even maybe a little bit more
• 14:15
  Speaker 5: cushion in the wild card and and inch closer to
• 14:19
  Speaker 5: the Brewers here before this stretch in you know July
• 14:22
  Speaker 5: comes where it's gonna be pretty tough where they face
• 14:24
  Speaker 5: the Brewers and Braves quite a bit.
• 14:28
  Speaker 1: Just so for the record is clear, I've always believe
• 14:31
  Speaker 1: if you have an opportunity to jump into the playoffs,
• 14:35
  Speaker 1: you seize that moment. And I'm a new guy and
• 14:39
  Speaker 1: bring energy.
• 14:43
  Speaker 5: The a new guy, you're this guy, you're a that guy,
• 14:46
  Speaker 5: but you want to trade him away.
• 14:49
  Speaker 1: No, I didn't. I'm just saying that the Cardinals have
• 14:51
  Speaker 1: talked about what this season is and what they're looking
• 14:55
  Speaker 1: to do, and I do think based on what heinm
• 14:57
  Speaker 1: Bloom has said that the long pan is still in place.
• 15:01
  Speaker 1: Even if they're playing well. They have to be creative
• 15:04
  Speaker 1: in the way they try to upgrade where they think
• 15:06
  Speaker 1: they need it, but that long term plan is in place.
• 15:09
  Speaker 1: We're going to take a quick break here. Ali Marmel
• 15:13
  Speaker 1: is going to the All Star Game. We're going to
• 15:15
  Speaker 1: talk about that. You're watching Cardinal Territory on the Foul
• 15:18
  Speaker 1: Territory Network.
• 15:23
  Speaker 5: My dog Bella would do anything for a treat, and
• 15:26
  Speaker 5: I want to give her a treat and that will
• 15:28
  Speaker 5: take care of her long term.
• 15:30
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• 16:20
  Speaker 1: So news yesterday was that Ali Marmal has been asked
• 16:25
  Speaker 1: to join Dave Roberts' staff for the upcoming All Star
• 16:29
  Speaker 1: Game on the obviously the National League side, part of
• 16:32
  Speaker 1: the coaching staff. And it kind of underscores the job
• 16:37
  Speaker 1: one that Ali's done with the team this year that's
• 16:39
  Speaker 1: supposed to be a team that's resetting, rebuilding, and here
• 16:42
  Speaker 1: they are seven games over five hundred see at all
• 16:45
  Speaker 1: ties together. But also the respect that Ali has around
• 16:49
  Speaker 1: the league and Matt you're friends with Ali, I know
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: that you work on his staff. Briefly, this is a
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: guy who, whether the team wins loses, the players play
• 17:02
  Speaker 1: for Ali Marmal.
• 17:03
  Speaker 2: Tell me what makes him special in your eyes? Yeah,
• 17:07
  Speaker 2: I mean, look, Ali's a great person. I mean, first
• 17:09
  Speaker 2: and foremost, he's he's just a great guy. I mean,
• 17:11
  Speaker 2: he's a great human. And I think people respect who
• 17:14
  Speaker 2: he is as a man and who is as a
• 17:16
  Speaker 2: father and a husband. And so I mean that's you know,
• 17:20
  Speaker 2: kind of where you start. And and when you talk
• 17:22
  Speaker 2: about leadership and you talk about somebody that you're willing
• 17:26
  Speaker 2: to play for, run through a wall for, or whatever
• 17:29
  Speaker 2: you know term you want to use somebody that that
• 17:32
  Speaker 2: sets a standard both you know, personally and professionally, and
• 17:35
  Speaker 2: how they do their job and and and how serious
• 17:39
  Speaker 2: they take their job and and how serious you know
• 17:41
  Speaker 2: they they they take being a husband and a father.
• 17:44
  Speaker 2: So I think they you know, first and foremost, he's
• 17:46
  Speaker 2: a he's an incredible person and and uh he's a
• 17:49
  Speaker 2: great friend and and just you know, somebody that I
• 17:52
  Speaker 2: really really enjoy. But you know, he's proven to be
• 17:55
  Speaker 2: a very uh, very good manager, a very good leader
• 17:59
  Speaker 2: of people. And then I think people around the league
• 18:02
  Speaker 2: respect him. I mean I'm sure if you've ever spent
• 18:04
  Speaker 2: any time with him, you walk away very impressed, like
• 18:10
  Speaker 2: he he wants to pick your brain, Like he's very
• 18:12
  Speaker 2: interested in other people. So I'm not surprised that that
• 18:15
  Speaker 2: other managers and somebody like Dave Roberts has the kind
• 18:18
  Speaker 2: of respect he has for Ali to to ask him
• 18:20
  Speaker 2: to do something like this. So look, you asked me
• 18:23
  Speaker 2: about Ali Marma. I've got nothing but great things to say.
• 18:25
  Speaker 2: He's one of my favorite humans. And and uh, I
• 18:28
  Speaker 2: never had a chance to play for him. I think
• 18:31
  Speaker 2: both Lance and Kyle, I think you guys did. But
• 18:33
  Speaker 2: as far as just a friend and and somebody that
• 18:36
  Speaker 2: that I've enjoyed over the years getting to know I.
• 18:40
  Speaker 2: He's he's easy to root for and and somebody that
• 18:43
  Speaker 2: that I'm super proud of the way he's handled, you know,
• 18:46
  Speaker 2: the ups and downs.
• 18:47
  Speaker 4: Of of UH.
• 18:48
  Speaker 2: You know, sort of this cardinal rebuild and and turnover
• 18:51
  Speaker 2: from mode to him and and navigate all the things
• 18:55
  Speaker 2: that this organization is is sort of transitioned UH to
• 18:58
  Speaker 2: and from and the past few years.
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: So I put the hat backwards when we talk about
• 19:05
  Speaker 1: Ali out of respect respect Lance, you played for him.
• 19:10
  Speaker 1: What I see in in the room in the clubhouse.
• 19:13
  Speaker 1: Is Ali can relate to the young players, he can
• 19:16
  Speaker 1: relate to the veterans. You were a veteran on one
• 19:19
  Speaker 1: of Ali's teams. What's it like playing for him?
• 19:23
  Speaker 4: You know it was it was cool for me.
• 19:25
  Speaker 3: Oli and were teammates in the minor leagues too, so
• 19:27
  Speaker 3: you know, it's kind of a full circle when I
• 19:29
  Speaker 3: came back and played for him, to be able to
• 19:32
  Speaker 3: be his teammate in the minor leagues, see him rise
• 19:35
  Speaker 3: through the cardinal system as a as a manager, and
• 19:38
  Speaker 3: then I was on the team when he had his
• 19:39
  Speaker 3: first big league job as the first base coach. So
• 19:42
  Speaker 3: to see him go pretty much from where was it
• 19:45
  Speaker 3: the Gulf Coast League manager to being a major league
• 19:50
  Speaker 3: manager is an like it was just awesome as not
• 19:54
  Speaker 3: only as a guy that was his friend and his teammate,
• 19:57
  Speaker 3: but he deserves everything he's gotten. He's worked his butt off,
• 20:00
  Speaker 3: he's uh, you know, picked every brain that he could
• 20:02
  Speaker 3: possibly pick. He's learned so much throughout the years, and
• 20:06
  Speaker 3: he's been able to incorporate everything he's learned and being
• 20:10
  Speaker 3: him self at the same time. So you really respect that,
• 20:14
  Speaker 3: especially when you you know, you play for him and
• 20:17
  Speaker 3: see where where he started and where he is now.
• 20:20
  Speaker 3: I've had a luxury playing for Dave Roberts too, so
• 20:22
  Speaker 3: I'm not surprised that Dave sees all these things and
• 20:26
  Speaker 3: gives all of the honor of being, you know, a
• 20:29
  Speaker 3: coach on the on the All Star staff, because Dave
• 20:32
  Speaker 3: recognizes when people are hard workers and do the things
• 20:35
  Speaker 3: they need to do and they know what they're doing. So
• 20:38
  Speaker 3: I think it's a great honor. I think it's cool
• 20:39
  Speaker 3: that Dave was able to add him to the staff
• 20:43
  Speaker 3: and make sure that everyone understands around the league that
• 20:45
  Speaker 3: this guy knows what he's doing.
• 20:47
  Speaker 4: He wasn't just handed a job or whatever.
• 20:49
  Speaker 3: He's earned everything he's gotten, and he has respect around
• 20:52
  Speaker 3: the league, and he has respect from one of the
• 20:54
  Speaker 3: best managers in the game right now too with what
• 20:56
  Speaker 3: they're doing in LA and and I know, you know,
• 20:58
  Speaker 3: I've played for Dave. Everyone loves him. Very similar to
• 21:02
  Speaker 3: Ali in a lot of different ways. His way to communicate,
• 21:04
  Speaker 3: his way to get the best out of the players,
• 21:06
  Speaker 3: and he has your back just like Ali does. So
• 21:09
  Speaker 3: they have a lot of similarities. So it makes sense
• 21:11
  Speaker 3: for Dave to hav him to the staff from.
• 21:14
  Speaker 1: My perspective, when Ali sees him about to go live
• 21:18
  Speaker 1: on the field, he will throw sunflower seeds at me
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: and I don't appreciate it, but I still recognize that
• 21:24
  Speaker 1: he's a very good manager. Kyle, you respect It makes
• 21:31
  Speaker 1: me giggle to be honest with you. Kyle, You're a
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: little different. You didn't come up through the system and
• 21:37
  Speaker 1: know Ali like Lance did. You kind of came in
• 21:41
  Speaker 1: I don't want to say mercenary, but on a one
• 21:44
  Speaker 1: year deal to show up that starting rotation. What was
• 21:47
  Speaker 1: it like playing for Ali?
• 21:49
  Speaker 5: From your perspective, he seems like he would have been
• 21:54
  Speaker 5: a teammate. I would have enjoyed being around, just seeing
• 21:57
  Speaker 5: how he was relationally with US players, seeing how he
• 22:02
  Speaker 5: was as a manager. I could see him being a
• 22:03
  Speaker 5: really gritty player that you know, wasn't afraid to run
• 22:08
  Speaker 5: through a wall to catch the ball in the outfield,
• 22:10
  Speaker 5: diving and plays on the infield.
• 22:11
  Speaker 4: He just seems like that.
• 22:13
  Speaker 5: That would have been his kind of player from what
• 22:15
  Speaker 5: I heard. Maybe offensively wasn't his strong suit. But I
• 22:23
  Speaker 5: think what I got to know about Olie how he
• 22:27
  Speaker 5: is day in and day out with the players. Like
• 22:30
  Speaker 5: both Matt and Lance have said, it's a reason why
• 22:33
  Speaker 5: he's so respected around the league. He's also one of
• 22:36
  Speaker 5: the longest tenured managers in the National League, which is
• 22:38
  Speaker 5: kind of crazy, and all of the time of turnover,
• 22:42
  Speaker 5: he's He's found a place that really respects what he
• 22:45
  Speaker 5: does and respects what he brings to the table. And
• 22:48
  Speaker 5: if you talk to players in that locker room, there's
• 22:51
  Speaker 5: a reason why they believe Ali is the guy that
• 22:54
  Speaker 5: is still here leading this right now and hopefully gonna
• 22:57
  Speaker 5: to write the ship here this year and for years
• 22:59
  Speaker 5: to come. So nothing but good things to say about Ali,
• 23:03
  Speaker 5: and I appreciate my time with him in twenty four.
• 23:06
  Speaker 1: Look, if you're not winning, the fans might turn on you.
• 23:09
  Speaker 1: I mean, that's kind of them for any manager or
• 23:12
  Speaker 1: any head coach in any sport. I always weathered that,
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: and I think he's won over the fan base and
• 23:18
  Speaker 1: I think a well.
• 23:19
  Speaker 5: The thing that he does, Jim, the thing that he
• 23:22
  Speaker 5: does is that he is We talked about this when
• 23:24
  Speaker 5: we were doing serving it up as well. He's like
• 23:26
  Speaker 5: the perfect buffer between the players and the media, and
• 23:30
  Speaker 5: he takes the heat from front office, from the media
• 23:33
  Speaker 5: and he wears it all on him. Now he's going
• 23:35
  Speaker 5: to give you some cliche answers, and he's gonna maybe
• 23:38
  Speaker 5: not give the fans everything they want to hear. But
• 23:41
  Speaker 5: his job is to not sit there and serve the
• 23:44
  Speaker 5: fans and be a fan favorite. His job is to
• 23:46
  Speaker 5: protect his players and be the mouthpiece of the front
• 23:49
  Speaker 5: office as well. And that's one thing I think he
• 23:51
  Speaker 5: does really well. And I feel like his players really
• 23:53
  Speaker 5: the respect because every now and then he challenges his
• 23:56
  Speaker 5: players when he needs to, but he's not going to
• 23:58
  Speaker 5: let the players take the heat or for something in
• 24:01
  Speaker 5: a game that is a failure driven game, and he's
• 24:04
  Speaker 5: not gonna let them be blown up for them.
• 24:06
  Speaker 1: I mean, except for the sunflower thing. You know, he's
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: doing a great job, no question about it. Time for
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: another break, and when we come back, I want to
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: ask you guys about something that I am really confused
• 24:19
  Speaker 1: by bunting. We're going to talk about that. You're watching
• 24:22
  Speaker 1: Cardinal Territory on the Foul Territory Network.
• 24:27
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• 25:25
  Speaker 1: So, in yesterday's game, Victor Scott the second had a
• 25:30
  Speaker 1: sacrifice bunt and cause chaos go ahead run scores on that.
• 25:35
  Speaker 1: And we've seen bunths succeed, we've seen them fail, and
• 25:40
  Speaker 1: I just wonder, like so many people, especially I think
• 25:43
  Speaker 1: the analytics guys will say that you can't ever give
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: away an out. You only get twenty seven of them,
• 25:50
  Speaker 1: and they're sacred and you can't give them away. Now, Matt,
• 25:55
  Speaker 1: I know you didn't bunt much in your tenure because
• 25:58
  Speaker 1: you were a big slugger, But how do you see
• 26:00
  Speaker 1: the bunt? I look at it as like a valuable
• 26:03
  Speaker 1: tool to put in your your toolbox. Maybe I have it.
• 26:07
  Speaker 2: Wrong, yeah, I mean, look, the bunt is always situational.
• 26:12
  Speaker 2: It comes down the time of the game, the player
• 26:15
  Speaker 2: that's at bat. I mean it's all to me like, yeah,
• 26:18
  Speaker 2: I look outer valuable. But you know, is it part
• 26:22
  Speaker 2: of your game? Are you asking somebody to do something
• 26:24
  Speaker 2: they're comfortable doing or they do this a lot. Are
• 26:28
  Speaker 2: you asking somebody to bunt that's not comfortable bunning that
• 26:30
  Speaker 2: doesn't it's not it's not something they do. So when
• 26:34
  Speaker 2: you put them in a position, even if it's first
• 26:36
  Speaker 2: and second, nobody out. If you ask somebody that's never
• 26:39
  Speaker 2: bunted in their career, hey, when you just sack bunt here,
• 26:42
  Speaker 2: you're probably not setting them up for success. And so
• 26:45
  Speaker 2: I think it's as you watch games and you and
• 26:49
  Speaker 2: you see situations where you might bunt and where you
• 26:52
  Speaker 2: might not bunt, it's it's just such a situational play
• 26:57
  Speaker 2: for me, that that uh, you know, it's who's pitching
• 27:01
  Speaker 2: and and how difficult are they to bunt? Like if
• 27:03
  Speaker 2: you ask uh somebody to bunt the closer for the
• 27:07
  Speaker 2: Blue Jays, who I was, uh you know, the guy
• 27:09
  Speaker 2: that that uh made his name, like I've been watching
• 27:12
  Speaker 2: because the Oriol has been playing him. If you asked
• 27:14
  Speaker 2: you asked me to bunt that guy, it's it's almost impossible.
• 27:16
  Speaker 2: I like, his stuff is is so good that it's
• 27:19
  Speaker 2: going to be very difficult to get a bunt down.
• 27:21
  Speaker 2: So I think it's it's uh, you know, look, Victor
• 27:23
  Speaker 2: Scott's got a five forty oh ps and he's up
• 27:26
  Speaker 2: at bat with a runner on second or first and
• 27:29
  Speaker 2: second nobody out. Yeah, I want him to bunt because
• 27:31
  Speaker 2: I think that's it puts a lot of pressure on
• 27:33
  Speaker 2: the defense. He's very comfortable doing it. Now, if you ask,
• 27:38
  Speaker 2: you know, Jordan Walker to lay down a sack bunt
• 27:40
  Speaker 2: in the in the eighth inning off a setup guy, like,
• 27:42
  Speaker 2: you're not really setting him up for success. So I
• 27:46
  Speaker 2: think it's it's a very situational play. I think there's
• 27:49
  Speaker 2: a time and place for it, and I also think
• 27:51
  Speaker 2: that there is also you know, time to play for
• 27:55
  Speaker 2: the beginning, and there's time to play for one run
• 27:57
  Speaker 2: and and uh, I don't think it's it's so cut
• 28:00
  Speaker 2: and dry that no, you never bunt or always bunt
• 28:05
  Speaker 2: with first and second, nobody out, no matter who's up,
• 28:07
  Speaker 2: or you know, the extra endings with a man on
• 28:09
  Speaker 2: second and nobody out and the other team didn't score,
• 28:12
  Speaker 2: so we're gonna bunt again. Like it matters who's who's hitting,
• 28:16
  Speaker 2: how comfortable they are, how much you trust that they
• 28:18
  Speaker 2: can get the bunt down, how many time. It doesn't
• 28:21
  Speaker 2: matter how much you practice bunning. It's different than doing
• 28:25
  Speaker 2: in a game. And I think both Kyle and Lance,
• 28:27
  Speaker 2: having played in the National League when they were you know,
• 28:30
  Speaker 2: asked to bunt a lot. It's a very difficult thing
• 28:32
  Speaker 2: to do, especially when you don't get You don't do
• 28:34
  Speaker 2: it very often. So it's just not one of those
• 28:37
  Speaker 2: things you're like, oh, he's a big leaguer, he should
• 28:38
  Speaker 2: be able to put a butt down. If you're not
• 28:40
  Speaker 2: actively doing that in the game, it's very very tough.
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: Yeah I'm not. I'm just saying it's a good tool
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: to have in your toolbox. I don't understand why if
• 28:49
  Speaker 1: you're a five to ten in fielder, you haven't gotten
• 28:53
  Speaker 1: good at bunting. If you can't get good at bunting,
• 28:56
  Speaker 1: so when it's required, no one's saying take your slug
• 28:59
  Speaker 1: or take about holiday and have him bunk. I'm saying,
• 29:02
  Speaker 1: I don't know why they don't teach it to guys
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: that aren't sluggers. Lance you have blunted. I know it's
• 29:08
  Speaker 1: a difficult thing. Do you look at it as if
• 29:11
  Speaker 1: you're pitching, Oh, they're giving me an out? Or because
• 29:14
  Speaker 1: here's the thing. Every time I see in a tight situation,
• 29:18
  Speaker 1: it seems like the pressure's on the defense, and a
• 29:21
  Speaker 1: lot of times a ball sales into center field ers.
• 29:24
  Speaker 1: You're putting pressure on deep balls in play can cause
• 29:27
  Speaker 1: chaos when you're pitching and a guy bunked it. How
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: did you look at it? Were you like, thank you
• 29:33
  Speaker 1: for giving me an out? Or what goes through your mind?
• 29:37
  Speaker 7: Uh?
• 29:37
  Speaker 3: It depends on the situation, right. If you know that
• 29:39
  Speaker 3: it's a leverage situation heightened things a lot more. There
• 29:43
  Speaker 3: was no oh, thanks for giving me an out. It
• 29:45
  Speaker 3: was okay, they got there. They have two runners in
• 29:48
  Speaker 3: scoring position. Now, now I can't bounce a breaking ball
• 29:51
  Speaker 3: which I threw five times in my career. But those
• 29:53
  Speaker 3: are thoughts that go into other pitchers' minds, right, It's like, oh,
• 29:57
  Speaker 3: now I have to be perfect because if a ground
• 29:59
  Speaker 3: ball gets to it scores two, then you start chasing
• 30:02
  Speaker 3: strikeouts and then next thing, you know, it could unravel
• 30:05
  Speaker 3: for the pitchers. So certain situations like that one, it's
• 30:08
  Speaker 3: a no doubt bunt, like you said, But if you
• 30:10
  Speaker 3: have first and second in your middle of your lineups up,
• 30:12
  Speaker 3: you don't bunt. I think it's a feel thing. I
• 30:14
  Speaker 3: think it's a who's in the box thing. I think
• 30:16
  Speaker 3: it's who's on the mound thing, what kind of defense
• 30:19
  Speaker 3: they have, and where you're at in your pen. And
• 30:22
  Speaker 3: once you have that day, I only need one run
• 30:23
  Speaker 3: to win because I have my back end bullpen ready
• 30:26
  Speaker 3: to go to close up a game. Or hey, I'm
• 30:29
  Speaker 3: got nothing left and I need to score more than one.
• 30:32
  Speaker 3: Then maybe you go another situation if you're trying to
• 30:35
  Speaker 3: get extra base hits this or that. So I think
• 30:38
  Speaker 3: that a bunt is very valuable, and I think it's
• 30:41
  Speaker 3: more valuable in today's game than ever because I think
• 30:43
  Speaker 3: most pitchers can't feel the bunt, most defenders aren't looking
• 30:46
  Speaker 3: for the bunts and things like that. So if you
• 30:48
  Speaker 3: have a group that can bunt, run and do some
• 30:51
  Speaker 3: things like that, you're going to cause problems. And one
• 30:53
  Speaker 3: run you scratch one or two runs out a game.
• 30:57
  Speaker 3: More by bunning and doing things like that, next thing,
• 31:00
  Speaker 3: you know, you're scoring five six runs a game instead
• 31:02
  Speaker 3: of four, and you're gonna win a lot more games.
• 31:05
  Speaker 3: So the bunt is valuable in the right situations. And
• 31:10
  Speaker 3: I think, you know, it's one of those things where
• 31:12
  Speaker 3: some teams don't you know, use it as much as
• 31:15
  Speaker 3: they should, especially with the bottom of their lineup and
• 31:17
  Speaker 3: guys like that. So I mean, there's teams that are
• 31:19
  Speaker 3: running out lineups that are giving away outs anyway, So
• 31:23
  Speaker 3: why not bunt.
• 31:23
  Speaker 4: That's my opinion, Kyle.
• 31:26
  Speaker 1: I'm not saying anyone who can't blunt should be traded.
• 31:31
  Speaker 1: For the record, I'm not talking about trading anyone. Kyle
• 31:33
  Speaker 1: gives it.
• 31:35
  Speaker 3: Always, always anybody who's close to thirty and on a
• 31:42
  Speaker 3: one year deal, get rid of them.
• 31:45
  Speaker 4: Get everything you can.
• 31:47
  Speaker 2: We can get the playoffs, so we can get rid
• 31:49
  Speaker 2: of the player.
• 31:50
  Speaker 4: You think he's back trading.
• 31:53
  Speaker 1: How about the sideline guys that are thirty times too,
• 31:56
  Speaker 1: and in the end trade them all. Right, Kyle, I
• 32:01
  Speaker 1: look at it as a dying art. Do you see
• 32:03
  Speaker 1: it differently? I think there's room to have more guys
• 32:07
  Speaker 1: who can bunt again, because situationally it's a very valuable tool.
• 32:13
  Speaker 5: This is one thing that I've not quite understood about
• 32:17
  Speaker 5: some of the analytics and stuff that we've brought into
• 32:20
  Speaker 5: the game. Right, we know the value of throwing strike one,
• 32:25
  Speaker 5: so you throw strike one. We know the value of
• 32:29
  Speaker 5: scoring first, but when it comes to scoring first, we
• 32:33
  Speaker 5: are not willing to have a leadoff double and bunt
• 32:37
  Speaker 5: him to third and increase our chances to score one run.
• 32:40
  Speaker 5: But when you score first, you win way more baseball games.
• 32:43
  Speaker 5: So that's one thing that is always interesting to me,
• 32:47
  Speaker 5: is that why are we not more aggressive to get
• 32:50
  Speaker 5: one run early. It's because I feel like what I
• 32:54
  Speaker 5: heard when I was playing was, yeah, one run is great,
• 32:58
  Speaker 5: but if we can score two, we go from winning
• 33:00
  Speaker 5: sixty percent of time to eighty percent of the time. Well,
• 33:04
  Speaker 5: what if you don't score at all? There's a risk
• 33:06
  Speaker 5: associated with going for a crooked number versus one.
• 33:11
  Speaker 2: So I don't know.
• 33:11
  Speaker 5: That's one thing that I feel like is always has
• 33:14
  Speaker 5: always interested me with how the bunt has faded. I
• 33:16
  Speaker 5: think now you're gonna see these the defensive miscues because
• 33:21
  Speaker 5: I've seen how we practice bunts, and we no longer
• 33:25
  Speaker 5: practice turning and throwing a second. You no longer practice
• 33:28
  Speaker 5: under pressure. It is all right, don't hurt yourself running
• 33:31
  Speaker 5: the field the bunt, pick it up, throw it the first.
• 33:35
  Speaker 5: It took five seconds to get there. We're going to
• 33:37
  Speaker 5: bank on the guy not running hard, and we got
• 33:39
  Speaker 5: it out. Now all of a sudden, Victor Scott's up there,
• 33:43
  Speaker 5: who's running a sub forard of first, and it's a
• 33:46
  Speaker 5: perfect bunt, and now you got a rock and fire.
• 33:49
  Speaker 5: They probably haven't done that play. I mean, even if
• 33:52
  Speaker 5: he's a veteran, he probably hasn't done that bunt at
• 33:55
  Speaker 5: that speed, maybe in a year and a half. So
• 33:58
  Speaker 5: you're asking somebody to do something that they haven't done.
• 34:01
  Speaker 5: Just like Matt said, you're asking a hitter aupunt who's
• 34:03
  Speaker 5: never bunted. You're asking a pitcher to go do something,
• 34:06
  Speaker 5: or a third basement anybody for that matter. You've got
• 34:08
  Speaker 5: to do something with the game on the line that
• 34:10
  Speaker 5: they haven't done in a long time. So I don't
• 34:12
  Speaker 5: know that we're going to see resurgence. But I do
• 34:15
  Speaker 5: think analytically it's really interesting as far into the numbers
• 34:19
  Speaker 5: as we've gotten is that we're not trying to set
• 34:22
  Speaker 5: ourselves up for the best chance to win a game
• 34:24
  Speaker 5: as early as possible.
• 34:26
  Speaker 1: Lance is Kyle saying that when when you guys take
• 34:29
  Speaker 1: that infield practice for ten minutes before a game where
• 34:32
  Speaker 1: it's bring training and everyone's giggling and joking around, that
• 34:36
  Speaker 1: you guys are not taking that seriously.
• 34:39
  Speaker 4: I don't recall even doing it.
• 34:41
  Speaker 5: So that's because you always throw a bullpen. Lance would say, Okay, hey,
• 34:45
  Speaker 5: we're doing our boatwork tomorrow, I'm gonna throw an extra
• 34:50
  Speaker 5: side bullpen so I don't have to do it.
• 34:53
  Speaker 3: Just had a good relationship with the bench coach, and
• 34:56
  Speaker 3: he just so happened to always put the right sk
• 35:00
  Speaker 3: schedule together on the right day, and I just so
• 35:02
  Speaker 3: happen to work out. But here's the truth of the matter, too,
• 35:05
  Speaker 3: is ninety percent of pictures nowadays where pictures only in
• 35:08
  Speaker 3: high school, so they don't even know what the hell
• 35:10
  Speaker 3: they're doing. You tell them to throw a ball to first,
• 35:12
  Speaker 3: they might throw it into the stands. So I think
• 35:14
  Speaker 3: it's something that you know, if you have a guy,
• 35:16
  Speaker 3: the's guys that can do it and you need to
• 35:19
  Speaker 3: it's it's not giving away and out either. If you
• 35:22
  Speaker 3: have guy like Victor Scott doing it where he can
• 35:24
  Speaker 3: run and do stuff, that's it's I mean, you look
• 35:27
  Speaker 3: at his ops and his batting average and all that,
• 35:29
  Speaker 3: He's got just as much of a chance to get
• 35:31
  Speaker 3: a hit out of that than he does swinging right now. So,
• 35:34
  Speaker 3: I mean you're looking at a lot of things. There's
• 35:36
  Speaker 3: a lot of different ways to win ball games and
• 35:38
  Speaker 3: get on first and nowadays, like Kyle said, it is
• 35:41
  Speaker 3: a different ballgame when it comes to fielding your position
• 35:44
  Speaker 3: and doing stuff, especially when it comes to a guy
• 35:46
  Speaker 3: running down the line fast and doing those things. So
• 35:50
  Speaker 3: I think it could be useful in a lot more ways,
• 35:53
  Speaker 3: especially for hitters that you know can run a little
• 35:56
  Speaker 3: bit from the left side. There's a lot a lot
• 35:58
  Speaker 3: of usefulness there at any time in the game.
• 36:01
  Speaker 1: Matt. Last thing, I'm just curious in your big league
• 36:05
  Speaker 1: career outstanding numbers, did you ever bunt? Were you ever
• 36:10
  Speaker 1: ever once even called on kumbunt?
• 36:14
  Speaker 2: So when I was early maybe my rookie year with Colorado,
• 36:19
  Speaker 2: I was scuffling a little bit. So I was like,
• 36:22
  Speaker 2: all right, the third basement was way back. I'm like,
• 36:24
  Speaker 2: all right, I'm gonna I'm gonna lay down a bunt
• 36:26
  Speaker 2: bass hit right here. And I went to bunnett and
• 36:31
  Speaker 2: I fouled it off, and so I was like, oh,
• 36:34
  Speaker 2: we I'll screw that, you know, And I came back
• 36:37
  Speaker 2: to the dugout and Todd Green was a backup catcher veturing.
• 36:42
  Speaker 2: I don't know if people remember he was the one
• 36:44
  Speaker 2: that caught George W. Bush's throw after nine to eleven
• 36:47
  Speaker 2: with the Yankees, but he was our backup catcher and
• 36:50
  Speaker 2: he was really good to me as a young player
• 36:52
  Speaker 2: and took me to lunch, he and Mark Sweeney every day.
• 36:56
  Speaker 2: And I came back and he's like, he said, he
• 36:59
  Speaker 2: called people slick. He said, hey slick. He said, if
• 37:03
  Speaker 2: you get to a point in your career where they're
• 37:06
  Speaker 2: asking you to bunt or you need to bunt, it's
• 37:08
  Speaker 2: gonna be over soon. They're not going to pay you
• 37:11
  Speaker 2: to bunt. So you know what you should do with
• 37:13
  Speaker 2: that fastball you just filed off. You should hit over
• 37:15
  Speaker 2: the fence. And I said, okay, yeah, I probably shouldn't
• 37:18
  Speaker 2: buy that's not really my deal. So that was it.
• 37:20
  Speaker 2: That was the last time I tried to bunt in
• 37:22
  Speaker 2: the big leagues. There was certainly times where I thought
• 37:26
  Speaker 2: I had a better chance of bunning for a hit
• 37:28
  Speaker 2: than I had hitting, But I always remember Todd Green's
• 37:31
  Speaker 2: voice in the back of my head saying, what if
• 37:34
  Speaker 2: he throws you a fastball down the middle and you
• 37:35
  Speaker 2: could have hit it over the fence. So that was
• 37:38
  Speaker 2: my one and only attempt, I think in the big leagues.
• 37:41
  Speaker 1: Outstanding, outstanding gentlemen. Great show. That's gonna do it for
• 37:45
  Speaker 1: this edition of Cardinal Territory. Hopefully we'll get the crew
• 37:49
  Speaker 1: together again for the next one, and hopefully that episode
• 37:53
  Speaker 1: won't suck.