Latest / The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon / State baseball set, Caitlin Clark's injury, Twins talk with Nick Nelson & Cardinals with Brian Walton

Transcript

State baseball set, Caitlin Clark's injury, Twins talk with Nick Nelson & Cardinals with Brian Walton · The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon

0:00
All right, good afternoon. Welcome to Miller and Condon on
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a Thursday, one day closer to sports, returning to our
0:07
televisions and to our world. But here's what's coming up on
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our show here today. Miller and Condon with you until
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two. We are going to talk some
0:16
baseball. Take a look at a couple of the
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regional teams as they, as everybody does, begins play in
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the second-half. What it might mean as we get
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closer to the trade deadline and first team in the spotlight will
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be the Minnesota Twins. We'll take a look at the Twins,
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what they're going to do potentially will there be some
0:32
big names that have been made available as we get closer to
0:36
the deadline. We'll talk to the we'll talk
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about the Minnesota Twins coming up here in about 20 minutes and
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follow that up with brianwaltonthecardinalnation.com.
0:44
Quick check on the red birds, potentially what Brian is
0:48
hearing that they may do and that'll be at 12:45.
0:52
Our number two more baseball Tommy Birch covers the Iowa
0:55
Cubs. Want to get Birchy in here to
0:57
talk about some of the names that when you see a trade rumor
1:02
out there when it comes to the Cubs, obviously depending on
1:05
what the status of the player that's coming back to Chicago's
1:08
way, what the asking price would be.
1:11
But on Casey and a Contra and by a Sterils, etcetera, we'll pick
1:15
Tommy's brains on brain rather on how he would rank them and
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the potential that they may be heading on.
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I know what it's like for players, you know, as the trade
1:25
deadline gets near in hockey, I'm wondering if it's the same
1:29
in the I Cubs locker room when it comes to, you know, just
1:33
they're looking at their phones. When your phone you get a text,
1:36
you're excited to get it, etcetera, etcetera.
1:39
So Tommy Birch is coming up and then we'll switch gears late in
1:42
the show. We will talk some NFL and do so
1:44
with Vinny Iyer who covers the NFL for the Sporting News.
1:48
He's also parked part of the Locked on network.
1:51
He's their fantasy football guy and I'm guessing a lot of people
1:56
that play fantasy football are starting to get ensconced with
1:59
all their materials, etcetera as they try and navigate their
2:02
through way through another fantasy season.
2:05
How many games, how many teams will you have this year?
2:08
Oh. Usually 4-5 right in that range.
2:10
Still at that number. Yeah, you, you brought that up
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in literally as we were coming on the air, I got a text message
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for my favorite fantasy league that I've the Guillotine League.
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So if people haven't heard of this before, I've been doing it
2:22
now. I think this is year #5 So what
2:25
it is, is a just a fantasy league like you play any other
2:28
fantasy Football League. However, at the end of each
2:32
week, the lowest score is kicked out of the league.
2:35
You're done. I won the league in year #1 year
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two. I was out in week number one.
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That is the what? Happens to your roster.
2:42
When you get kicked into free agency back and and they are all
2:45
available. So it is.
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Starts reverse order. Yes.
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So you got like a waiver order and it sets that that way.
2:51
It is so much fun. There is so much thought process
2:54
that goes in you constructing your roster.
2:56
The way this one's set up, it is limited bench space.
2:58
Did somebody? Patent this idea.
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I I've heard like national people talk about it.
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So if they did, I don't know if they're getting their money for
3:07
it. I mean, we just set it up in an
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ESPN fantasy league and then the commissioner just kicks
3:13
everybody out. So that's the way that it's set
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up. But it's an incredible idea.
3:16
It's so much fun and it is. I think it aided my love of
3:20
fantasy sports and and taking it because it just.
3:22
Was it kind of getting stale? Yeah, it's just kind of same
3:25
thing year after year and more than anything, and it's excuse
3:28
to, you know, get on a chat with your buddies, hopefully get
3:31
together with your buddies, do a fantasy draft.
3:32
That's kind of anymore really the best part about it, but now.
3:36
Having some beers with it with your buddies.
3:38
Yeah, now you got this part of it and.
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And it takes it to another level and a different way of doing it.
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So if you're looking for something to maybe spice up your
3:44
fantasy league, the. Guillotine League.
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Look into the guillotine league, I think you will enjoy it.
3:48
So once you're once you're done, you're done, right?
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I mean, if you're knocked out of the first week, you're just your
3:52
fantasy season comes to an end. Well, then you download an app
3:55
and bet on sports, especially if you're here stateify well.
3:58
And we recommend Circa Sports if you're going to do just that.
4:02
So just what when you called the baseball game last night, did
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you have a good game to call last night about the sounds of
4:08
things? Yeah, 2/1 was the final A6
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inning run pushed across by a Waukee NW proves to be the
4:13
difference in that one. Both pitchers getting up to
4:16
their pitch limits so they had to go to the bullpens.
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Both sides Fitzpatrick, the young man that came in for
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Walkie. Northwest, a left-hander, throws
4:22
hard. What year is he, do you know?
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I believe he's a senior him, he's a senior, a very senior
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laden roster walkie. Southeast Polk, they'll return a
4:31
lot of guys next year. They're I think it'll be
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certainly a preseason, probably top five type of team because
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they return a ton, including their top 2 pitchers.
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I believe are both back in like 4 of their top five S Southeast
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Polk had a good season but going through it in the CIML just year
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after year. But this could have a little
4:47
more Eastern Iowa flair and I saw the alert that Bettendorf
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won their game last night. That was the sub state that the
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number one right team in all four.
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A Pleasant Valley got upset in the first round.
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Did you hear this story? I did not.
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So my memory goes back to those great Des Moines East teams that
5:02
had Malik Ziegler, who played the minor leagues for a long
5:04
time. Was it Carmichael was on that
5:08
team? They were tremendous and that
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group senior year. Give me an idea time wise.
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Probably about 15 years ago now, maybe 12 years ago.
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Right in that range. They lost to Hoover in the first
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round. One seed plays the six, two
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verse 5, three verse 4. After that the top remaining
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seed then goes to the sub state final.
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The 2 remaining teams played in the semi final.
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Same structure. It's been now in the 4A level
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for a long time. They got upset by a Hoover team
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that was like 4 and 30. Oh my God in the first round.
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But it rarely happens that a one seed in any sub state gets beat,
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not only A1. So Pleasant Valley gets beat on
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that Friday last week where there was rain all over the
5:46
state. The game was called after 5
5:50
innings because of the rain. They did not complete the game.
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It's an official game because so.
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Unfortunate. Isn't there?
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Doesn't something need to be done about that for the boys and
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Boone where it's not official until free playoff game, right?
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For a state tournament game, it's not official until 7
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innings are completed. Unless there's a run rule,
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obviously, but you know what I'm saying.
6:15
No, I agree with you. For those kids, yeah.
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It's not like, you know, Game 6. And not only that, I think it
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was Davenport W that upset them. Their number one pitcher was up
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to 88 pitches through five. He wasn't.
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He was coming out. He was going to be coming out
6:27
soon. The likelihood that he was going
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to be able to get through the next two innings and stay under
6:32
that 110 pitch threshold is. Unlikely.
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Yes, unlikely is a fairway to put it and to have your season
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come to an end in a shortened game, I think that's something
6:42
that needs to be looked at. But Bettendorf is a team that
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came out of the Quan City area. Guess how long it takes to go
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from Bettendorf? To Sioux City, that's got to be
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as long as a as a road trip as you're going to have in the.
6:54
State right a pretty great one of.
6:55
Them, yes, maybe northeastern Iowa down to Shannon Doe or
6:58
something like that. Five hours, 45 minutes.
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That's crazy. That is going to be a haul for
7:05
the Bulldogs, but them how about Bettendorf making the state
7:07
tournament for the first time in 23 years?
7:09
Well done. We think of Bettendorf and all
7:11
the great football teams that they've had and just athletics
7:14
in general. Great wrestling program there to
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not make state baseball in 23 years.
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Congratulations to the Bulldogs. Enjoy your drive and Can you
7:23
imagine the drive if they get beat?
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How about? They better get themselves the
7:27
charter right that that's not a school bus. 5 hours 45.
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And in a school bus, Trent, you're probably pushing over 6.
7:33
Yeah, because that thing's not. Yeah, that thing's going to be
7:35
rattling once you get up 6060. 5 booster club get those funds put
7:39
together and I think Bettendorf, I think they got some funds over
7:42
there. I think they're going to be OK.
7:43
Jeez. Well, there's a lot of money in
7:44
the kiddie room. Charter a plane, that's how.
7:47
Lots of drives all. You know, that's a that's an
7:50
interesting question. You know what?
7:51
You do wonder and there's rich people everywhere.
7:54
No. Is there some kind of booster
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that could make make that happen?
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You know what? Yes, make that happen.
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Because six hours in a bus, then you got to play a baseball game.
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That doesn't sound very fun. No, I'm, I'm with you.
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You got to stay the night. You have to stay the night,
8:09
right? You get there that five hours,
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45 minutes, enjoy. Well, congratulations to them
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and hopefully somebody in that community is listening or if
8:16
they don't, they'll know somebody that will and will pass
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this on. I want to start this on away
8:21
from sports. Did you did you see the Coldplay
8:24
concert video that came out on on XI?
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Didn't I don't know how to describe it to you.
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So I won't. Maybe I'll we'll just move on.
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It's just unbelievable. Were the brothers fighting
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again? No, this was, this was, you
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know, they always do crowd shots at concerts, right?
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And so the, the camera zoomed in on a couple who was, you know,
8:46
I'm embracing, watching, kind of rocking back and forth.
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He's standing behind her with his arms around his, his lady,
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and they're standing there having some fun, and they looked
8:55
up at the board and they realized that they're on the
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Jumbotron. Pretty cool.
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Oh, I'm seeing it right now. Except he's married, and so is
9:06
she. And not to each other.
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Oh no. Oh no.
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And he's the CEO of a company and she's the head of human
9:13
resources. And the terror that comes over
9:18
not, not just hers or his, both of their faces at the same time
9:22
when they realize, Oh my God, that the jig is up.
9:28
They finally found me. Wow.
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I mean, it's, it's just incredible.
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It I, I mean, Oh my God, so and somebody said on, on X him
9:39
realizing that half of his fortune is just suddenly gone.
9:43
This guy is apparently ACFOCEOCEO.
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I have astronomer is the name of the tech company and he and she
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is the head of human resources. But if you haven't seen it, just
9:54
go to X Wow, it's Oh my God. Anyways, also, that's kind of
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night and that's what you kind of get when there's absolutely
10:01
no sports. I tried to watch the fever last
10:03
night without Caitlin Clark and I just I've come to the
10:09
realization I'm a Caitlin Clark fan, you know, and, and if she
10:13
went to another team, I'd be I'd watch their games.
10:16
It's just, it's just not because I don't know the players, I
10:19
don't know the players. I know some of the big names and
10:21
be honest, Stewart, what my God, she must be one of the best
10:25
players to ever grace the grace of the league.
10:28
But she's unstoppable. But this team without her and I
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think his pace to play as much as anything when Caitlin's on
10:34
the floor. It's just I I couldn't watch it
10:36
Trent, I couldn't watch it. I know the number was 10/10/11
10:40
and they just blew by that and ended up what, 19 or 20?
10:43
And I certainly could have been worse.
10:45
I so I couldn't get into that. But I got back into quarterback
10:48
and I'm down to the I'm I'm midway through the penultimate
10:51
episode and just keeps getting better and better.
10:54
It keeps keeps getting better. I'm so into this show that I
10:59
wish there were more episodes. Did I tell you so?
11:02
I'm just an episode into that, and I'll keep digging away and
11:04
chipping away at that one. I did watch softball.
11:07
What did you think? So you mentioned the the misty
11:11
moment, yes. And at the end, boy, that is
11:15
impactful, right? Hearing him talk about the lives
11:18
that he impacted. From when they were kids writing
11:20
him letters to now finding those people as grown adults, moms,
11:25
dads in their own right. And what that he what Jim Abbott
11:29
meant to them knowing as a kid. Because kids are cruel.
11:32
Kids are cruel as we all know, but he gave them hope.
11:38
But but I didn't over exaggerate, did.
11:40
I not at. All I mean, it's, it's struck me
11:42
in a big, I mean, I'm, I'm kind of getting choked up thinking
11:45
about it now. It's a very emotional be it's a,
11:49
it's a good, it's an E60 on ESPN.
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That's what we're talking about, the Jim Abbott story, and I
11:55
didn't know everything that went along.
11:57
I'm glad I watched it. I'm glad there was no Sunday
11:59
night baseball on that Sunday night.
12:01
I won't say that this week. There is something, thankfully,
12:04
because I will watch it at Circa Sports.
12:06
Trent yes you will. You'll be there a day earlier
12:09
than me, so you'll get a jump start on things.
12:11
Will you be back in time for the end of the OR get there in time
12:14
for the end of the British? Open well, Trent, I'm flying on
12:16
Southwestern. I'll watch the entire entire two
12:19
hour, 45 minute flight because there's TV.
12:22
Unlike Allegiant, you can watch TV on Southwest.
12:26
I can watch TV too on. Your phone?
12:27
Yeah. Pharma tablet.
12:29
Do you have to pay for the Internet?
12:30
You got to pay for the Internet. Bags no longer fly fly free.
12:33
That's right, I will save the $300 the difference each way.
12:38
It is. Well, it's so I'm glad you, I'm
12:39
glad we got here because I've not flown Southwest since the
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new seating policy came in. So what do you do?
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Because I paid full freight, you know, you can get the one to get
12:51
away 119 or you can get the Business Select for $485.
12:56
So I bought that just because it's just better for my mental
13:01
makeup that I'm not trying to, you know, get in line before
13:04
everybody else. I've got a phobia that way.
13:06
So what do I do? Because I'm supposed to get one
13:08
of the prime seats. I'm supposed to be a 15, you
13:11
know, a one through 15. In the past you obviously want
13:14
to be a one, which I've been a million times, but I pay for it
13:19
so I can pick my seat first before anybody else.
13:21
But I don't know what to do now. I would go to the gate agent
13:24
when you get there. But what if I know you?
13:26
You'll probably be there, what, 4 hours early?
13:28
Really. I do, yeah.
13:29
Yeah. Another one of your perks, you,
13:34
you do not want to miss that flight.
13:36
No. And you will make sure of that.
13:37
Yeah. I would just go to the gate
13:39
agent. You'll probably be there before
13:40
the 200 people. Everybody's got their tickets or
13:43
got their pass before me. Might I be well middled and have
13:47
paid the more than the majority of people flying on the plane
13:52
for the privilege of having a good seat?
13:54
I don't know how to do it. Now you're asking the wrong
13:56
person because I am much different than you as it
13:59
pertains to that and. I hate being meddled.
14:02
I hate being meddled. I will sit anywhere.
14:04
Don't care. I'm all good.
14:07
I don't have long legs. That's not a problem for me, do
14:09
I? So it's those are not issues for
14:11
me when everybody when when we land and everybody's on buckling
14:14
and get trying to stand up, go ahead.
14:16
I I sit in row one on the exit row on the on the bulkhead so I
14:20
can get the hell out of here. I'm fine now.
14:22
I also am going to be taking the equipment along, so I know it's
14:25
going to be a little bit of weight once we get there.
14:27
You got to wait for You got to wait for the baggage, Yeah.
14:29
So I'm rarely in a rush, but boy, that is one thing.
14:34
So when we flew back from Florida a couple of weeks ago
14:38
and. There are these two ladies from
14:40
Sanford. We were no, we flew back from
14:43
Miami. Oh, so you on the Legion though?
14:45
No, that was. That was an American flight.
14:47
OK. Yeah.
14:48
And there are these two ladies. So it's me, the kids.
14:53
My wife was. Yeah.
14:55
And get the kids all packed up. And we're trying to jump ahead.
15:00
What are you doing, people? You see, yes, we had all our
15:04
bags under our seat, so we weren't even going to the
15:05
overhead. There was nothing there.
15:07
We're just getting our two children going for what, 3
15:11
seconds? Yep, Yep, I know.
15:12
And guess what? We were right up your back.
15:14
You saved 3 seconds one step and we couldn't get out of our seats
15:18
because you're stated right there.
15:20
Knock it off, everybody on the air.
15:21
Knock it off. Yeah, the one.
15:23
Sit down. Relax as.
15:23
Soon as the seat belt sign goes off, race to try and get to the
15:26
No, that's not how you do it. Right.
15:29
Please take your real one. One row goes when that row
15:32
empties, and the next row goes, and so on and so on.
15:35
It's not hard, folks. It's not difficult.
15:37
Now, I have never travelled with Lucas before, so this is going
15:40
to be interesting because we're on the same flights both there
15:42
and back. I'm so pumped to see how he
15:44
handles. This I don't think he knows.
15:47
No, he doesn't. He has no idea.
15:49
He has. I had no idea when I got there
15:50
for the first time. I don't think anybody does.
15:53
I don't think anybody does. It's just.
15:57
It's just a sight to behold. It's, it's overwhelming.
16:00
It's. A lot because you don't know
16:02
where to look, right? Absolutely.
16:05
And Fremont Street is an experience unto it's own.
16:09
We got a group of people coming over.
16:11
It's Halas is coming. Is he good?
16:13
I'm excited to. I haven't talked to Mike in a
16:15
while and he's just a different personality.
16:18
He's excited to go play some craps a little bit later on in
16:20
the evening. Think he's going to the Plaza,
16:24
the veteran elf. Has two lanes.
16:25
Yep, one of those two that him and and Kate are going to be
16:28
going to but just Vegas in general and I can't wait.
16:32
We're going to have Kirk on Thursday.
16:33
Kirk's going to stop by radio row and trying to get him for
16:36
both our show and also for with Lucas after and Kirk Ference in
16:43
Las Vegas. That's a question that I have on
16:45
the docket is how Kirk, who seems as vanilla as vanilla, can
16:49
be. So what does he do?
16:50
Any idea how where he vacations? He's got to get away and get
16:54
away from Iowa City for a couple of weeks a year.
16:57
Think so. He doesn't golf.
16:59
Does he fish? I don't think he's a hunter, no.
17:02
I have no idea. You never hear any of these
17:04
stories. Is he a guy on the beach?
17:06
No. Why?
17:06
Doesn't anybody ask him that in their sit down interviews with
17:09
him? What?
17:09
What's he like? Well, we're going to have time.
17:11
So there you go. Ask him.
17:12
Yeah. It's going to be on the list.
17:14
We're going to find out a. Little bit more because if he
17:16
would have been in I'm, I'm guessing, I mean, you're out and
17:20
about in Vegas, somebody would have seen him, right?
17:22
If that was the case, if he in the family travel out there a
17:25
bunch. Saw Jamie Pollard fishing in
17:27
Canada today on on Twitter. I know where he gets away like
17:31
Sewell in Ontario. Lucky duck.
17:34
God, it's so much fun up there, especially this time of year.
17:37
June's the best month, but it's still, I mean, you throw a line
17:40
in, you're going to catch something.
17:42
That's a nice place. No, it's unbelievable.
17:44
Truly is. So Caitlin Clark apparently is
17:46
out of the three-point contest. She has bowed out.
17:50
This goes back to yesterday for why did they originally list her
17:56
as questionable? I mean, who are they trying to
17:57
kid? What were they trying to gain by
17:59
doing that? What, what, what possibly could
18:03
be in, in their mind not to just rule her out at noon or whatever
18:07
time it was when they, you know, five hours later they're going
18:10
to come out and say she's out. Well, of course she's out.
18:12
Yeah, I that was difficult to wrap my mind around.
18:15
I. Couldn't figure it out.
18:16
I could not figure it out. Because you mentioned the
18:19
ticket. Well, the tickets are sold.
18:20
Tickets are sold. It's a secondary market.
18:22
I don't think that the Liberty have a big deal with scalpers,
18:25
right, to make it happen. Yeah.
18:26
So it's not that. What?
18:29
What was to be gained? Nothing.
18:32
Nothing. There's nothing, there's not an
18:34
answer to that because when I saw that yesterday, I'm like,
18:37
well, maybe this injury isn't as significant as we thought, but
18:41
we saw it when we saw how frustrated she was, she had.
18:44
A towel over, she was in tears walking off the floor or
18:47
fighting tears. So it's not that the injury was
18:51
not as significant. Now we see I I really don't
18:55
know. I don't think there's a good
18:56
answer for it. It was just, it was odd.
18:58
Very much so. Very much so.
19:00
Apparently today is the anniversary of your twins doing
19:05
something that I, I mean, I'm sure it's been done.
19:11
I triple plays. Twice.
19:12
Twice in the. Game.
19:14
It's funny they say that so 3. So I was racking my brain 91
19:17
they had a long win streak about this time of year.
19:19
So I was wondering that and that jumped also to mind to try.
19:23
To Al Newman. To Kent Herbeck against the
19:27
Boston Red Sox and they lost the game one zip.
19:29
Wow, so was that 87 or 9191? It was the 91 season, yeah.
19:35
Lose 1, nothing. Wow, it unthinkable.
19:39
Man, it is. Yeah, it is.
19:41
Who else? Who are the newcomers to that
19:44
squad? Because Guy Eddie left.
19:45
He only won one ring. He did right.
19:48
Yes, so the 91 team Chili Davis. Was Davis was a right fielder or
19:52
was it DH? Obviously, Jack Morris that.
19:56
Was a. Huge AD Yes, that would be the
19:58
big one. So instead of a third base, they
20:00
had a platoon over there with Scott Leis.
20:02
And peggled. Rule, Yeah.
20:04
Those were the two guys. Gagne stole the short.
20:06
Gagne was back. Yep, he was the shortstop for
20:08
both of the World Series. Newman was at 2nd, Herbick was
20:11
at first. Nablock at 2nd in 87.
20:14
It was Steve Lombardosi. We've got a fight with Dan
20:17
Gladden. Did he over?
20:20
Maybe a woman. Probably.
20:21
I think it was, and apparently I think it was in Lombardozi's
20:24
house in the front yard. They were brawling nice.
20:27
Who was the Brian Harper was the catcher for?
20:30
The second one wasn't. Tim Laudner.
20:32
Tim Laudner in Mason City, IA. That was a big deal in North
20:38
Iowa growing up. Oh, yeah.
20:39
Tim Lauder's coming back to sign autographs.
20:41
You got to get your way over to South Ridge Mall, South Ridge
20:44
Mall, whatever the mall was called, and see Tim Laudner in
20:46
person. Tim Laudner.
20:48
My parents would never take me. I was always disappointed voted.
20:52
Closer was Reardon. For what for?
20:54
What for 87. Aguilera 91.
20:56
Aguilera Yeah, Viola was gone then.
20:58
Or. Was he Viola was gone.
20:59
Your rotation was Ericsson in 91 Tapani who married.
21:06
The TV anchor Lisa Guerrero. Lisa Guerrero.
21:12
Yes. Yep, and he ended up at
21:14
Baltimore. Well, maybe not ended up at
21:15
Baltimore, but he left Minnesota to go to Baltimore.
21:18
I think dead arm he was. He had one incredible season and
21:24
put it together. 11 was 87. 87, who started game three of the
21:29
World Series? In what?
21:31
Year in 87. This is 1.
21:33
You want to win a bar bet? OK, even with the Minnesota Twin
21:37
fan, I think this is an incredibly difficult 1.
21:39
Frank Viola Burp Light 11. Give me his initials.
21:45
LS. Les Strucker.
21:49
There it is. That guy started the world.
21:53
Striker, strucker, striker, striker.
21:55
Yeah, he was awful. Les Striker started a World
21:57
Series game. I loved going up there.
22:00
I loved it. Loved.
22:01
It how long of a drive? 8.
22:03
More than Bettendorf to Sioux City.
22:04
Yeah, No 8. But you know why I loved it?
22:07
And I tell they say it all the time.
22:09
If I'm gonna drive 8, I'm gonna see a game regardless of what
22:12
the skies look like because I'm gonna be underneath the roof.
22:15
Yep. I loved the Metrodome.
22:17
Loved it, loved it, loved it. One of my favorites of one of my
22:20
favorite venues. All right, we'll take a timeout.
22:22
We'll come back when talk some baseball.
22:24
More Twins talk coming up. We'll get into that.
22:27
We'll take a look at the Cardinals as well, Miller and
22:30
Condon. But before we go to break, time
22:32
to give somebody an opportunity here to win some cash.
22:35
It is bonus bucks after all. KX and o.com, This nationwide
22:38
keyword is money. Money at KX and o.com, your
22:41
chance to win $1000. Miller and Condon on the Iowa
22:46
Sports Radio Network. Hi, Miller and Condon, welcome
22:50
back. Iowa Sports Radio Network.
22:52
This song reminds me of those 8791 twins.
22:55
Really does. Sounds old.
22:57
It does, pumping through Dome Souvenir Plus across the street
23:02
into there. Spent a lot of time there.
23:04
Was so much stuff packed into that building.
23:08
And then on the other side of the of the Dome was Huberts, and
23:11
it was packed as well. Good stuff.
23:14
Let's get to Nick Nelson. He covers the Minnesota Twins.
23:18
We're grateful to have him on. Let me push the right button.
23:22
Hello, Nick Nelson. Trenton.
23:23
Ken, thanks for coming on. Good to speak with you.
23:25
How are you? Doing great.
23:27
How are you guys? Doing well twins daily, of
23:29
course, for Nick should have mentioned that right off the
23:31
jump. So obviously for is it's the
23:33
same for a lot of teams this next two weeks very critical
23:37
whether they're going to buy or sell or stand pat.
23:40
We're two weeks out kind of give us some you know where you what
23:44
do you think is going to happen here Nick?
23:46
Regardless of you know, let's say they kind of spin their
23:48
wheels that there's still three teams that they have to jump to
23:52
get to that wild card. I think it's three at this
23:55
point. What are they going to do?
23:56
Are they more likely to buy, sell or stand pat in your mind?
24:01
Well, I'm not sure what they will do.
24:02
I know what I think they should do and I think I have a pretty
24:05
good idea of what they will do. You know, I would buy.
24:09
Obviously, I don't know how realistic that is given all the
24:12
situations with everything and their history.
24:15
But personally, I don't really see selling as an option.
24:19
You know, I just this team is just a couple games below 500.
24:25
They have a healthy Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton and
24:27
Royce Lewis. They have a top tier pitching
24:29
staff. I just, it's just so strange to
24:31
me to see the same people who, you know, are ripping the pole
24:35
ads and saying the ownership doesn't care.
24:37
They don't want to win. They're they're checked out.
24:39
But then at the same time these people are saying, I don't
24:41
believe in this team. They should sell.
24:43
They should get rid of Harrison Bader and Joe Ryan.
24:45
That's just giving cover in my opinion, for cutting payroll and
24:48
giving up where I don't know this team.
24:50
I can't say I'm super optimistic Mystic about them based on what
24:53
I've seen, but they've got all the pieces they need in place to
24:55
make a run and even do some noise in the playoffs.
24:58
You look at any of the projection systems and out of
25:00
that team out of the mix right now, the twins have as good a
25:02
chance as anybody of making a run the ownership situation,
25:06
looking to sell the team coupled with we don't know if it is
25:10
sold, what the front office is going to look like.
25:11
It's kind of two blocks that are interesting to look at what the
25:14
twins do you want a front office that might not be around making
25:17
trades and and what the ownership group is going to look
25:20
like going forward. How big are are those two pieces
25:23
to what's going to happen at the trade deadline?
25:25
I think that's a major factor. I mean, it sounds like something
25:28
is getting pretty close to happening.
25:29
There's been some reporting over the last couple weeks that
25:31
indicate that it's not only likely to happen a sale, but
25:36
probably getting pretty close. I mean, there's been some
25:38
reporting that they're in the financing stage.
25:40
I think we'll probably see some names start to surface pretty
25:42
soon. So yeah, with that being the
25:44
case, you know, if you're a buyer looking to acquire this
25:46
team and then they trade Joe Ryan and All Star ace pitcher or
25:51
I mean Byron Bucks, I don't think he's even on the table.
25:53
But you know, you just can't trade these like star caliber
25:56
centerpiece players at a time like this.
25:58
Even beyond sort of the competitiveness aspect and the
26:01
idea of making a run and going to the playoffs, these guys are
26:04
all under control for multiple years.
26:05
I mean, maybe, you know, you can give away a rental or something
26:07
and that wouldn't affect things too much, but I don't see a lot
26:10
of upside in that really. Manfred said during one of his
26:14
press conferences that he thinks that the sale is imminent.
26:16
I'm not sure that it was his exact words, but he said it's
26:19
moving in the right direction. So I think he echoes what you're
26:21
saying. So I know there's been no names
26:24
public. Do you have any idea of, you
26:26
know, names that may be involved in this?
26:30
Are there any rumors that are starting to percolate?
26:33
You know, I really have not heard any specific names and I
26:37
think that's, you know, when a name is as prominent as Justin
26:40
Ishbias was in the early phase of this thing.
26:42
I think as we came to learn, there's a reason for that.
26:45
So maybe it's a good thing that we're not hearing names because
26:47
someones not trying to sort of puff up interest elsewhere or
26:49
something like that. But I do think, you know, if
26:52
it's as far along as it sounds like, I don't know how much
26:54
longer that can really be kept under wraps.
26:56
The bullpen looks to be a place that definitely some moves could
26:59
be made. You start at the back end with
27:01
what we've seen this season. Obviously 2 headliners there
27:04
with Griffin Jackson, Johann Duran.
27:06
Danny Clone has put together an incredible season.
27:08
A lefty that is also a free agent I.
27:10
Like Farland? Trent, this is the strength of
27:13
the team. Is this bullpen?
27:14
It is an elite bullpen, but for a team that is still mired under
27:17
500, that would be the spot. What kind of return do you
27:20
believe that they can get? Let's even take Duran to the
27:22
side for Griffin Jax, who has saved games, but he's not a full
27:25
time closer for Cologne that is a free agent.
27:28
And at the end of the year, are we just looking at a couple of,
27:31
you know, low term prospects or couldn't there be more when
27:34
you're looking at moving some bullpen arms?
27:37
Yeah, I mean, that's the one kind of cell type move that I
27:39
would consider, you know, in light of what I just said.
27:42
Because you know, when you reach the trade deadline, it is a time
27:45
where our teams will get a little desperate for that relief
27:47
help down the stretch and maybe overpay significantly,
27:50
especially for guys with multiple years of control like
27:53
Jacks. So I would listen, but as you
27:56
said, that is the biggest strength of this team and
27:58
honestly the biggest reason to believe.
28:00
We saw in the last week leading up to the All Star break there
28:03
was like three wins where the bullpen came in and tossed 4
28:05
scoreless innings after the start.
28:07
Carter came out and that's why the Twins won.
28:09
You know, I posted this stat on Twins Daily or on Twitter the
28:12
other day. The Twins lead the major leagues
28:15
in wins above replacement from their bullpen.
28:16
And if you look back at like the last like 6 or 7 years, the
28:19
teams that have led the major leagues in bullpen WAR have won
28:23
100 games almost, you know, 90 to 100 games every single year.
28:26
Because when you when your bullpen is that good, you get
28:28
hard to lose, you know? Yeah, no doubt about it.
28:30
So how important is the, you know, once we resume here
28:33
tomorrow, they'll still head W Colorado 1st and then the
28:36
Dodgers, which won't be a picnic.
28:38
But I'm looking at the, you know, the three days, the three
28:40
games leading up to the trade deadline, one of the teams that
28:43
they'll be chasing the red hot Boston Red Sox.
28:45
So I don't believe in they won 10 games.
28:47
Give them credit for that. But how important maybe are
28:52
these next 4 series? Yeah, they're big.
28:56
I mean, I think as long as they can stay afloat, they're going
28:59
to be OK. I mean, the one thing that would
29:00
cause me to change my tune, obviously, is if they just
29:03
really flop here and and, you know, contending become sort of
29:06
a pipe dream, which is why I think that Colorado series
29:09
coming out of the break is is kind of key.
29:11
You know, if you'd like to think they're just going to go in
29:13
there and get a sweep and get above 500, that should be an
29:15
easy thing to do. It's a team that's going to lose
29:17
120 games. But if they lose two or three in
29:19
that series or get swept or something, then then the alarm
29:22
bells are really going off. And I think you can't avoid the
29:24
cell conversation. So that's a big one.
29:27
Obviously, the Dodgers are going to be tough and the Red Sox,
29:29
yeah, a hot team. So it's going to be big.
29:31
I think they just need to stay afloat and try to, you know, be
29:34
in a position where they can make a run in the final two
29:36
months because Lopez will be back, I think, within within a
29:40
month. Bailey Over and Luke Heschel are
29:42
starting rehab stints in Saint Paul tomorrow.
29:45
We just learned this team is getting back to full strength.
29:47
And that's why that's why the idea of selling seems so strange
29:51
to me. You know you're going to bring
29:51
Pablo Lopez back to a team that just gave up.
29:55
I'm just looking at their last five series of the year.
29:57
Remember the swoon at the end of September last year?
30:00
Three against Arizona, three against the Yankees, four
30:03
against the Guardians. Then they go to Texas.
30:06
We'll be in a fight, I believe, and to the Phillies, who will be
30:08
in a fight I believe so. Yikes.
30:11
Not easy down the stretch. Byron Buxton putting together
30:15
one of the most productive seasons of his career.
30:17
One of the most healthy seasons of his career and he was banged
30:19
up and came back and hit for the cycle last weekend.
30:23
He said over the week over at the All Star Game that he is a
30:26
Minnesota Twin for life. Great to hear as a Twins fan.
30:30
Can he keep it up though? Can he stay healthy?
30:31
Most importantly? There's no reason to not believe
30:35
it now. I mean, he's just there's just
30:37
been so many times this season where, I mean, even as recently
30:40
as I'm getting, getting hit in the hand with that 98 mile power
30:43
fastball and came out of the game where where you're like,
30:45
oh, here we go again. And and it's just continually
30:48
bust the trend, so to speak. So, you know, I think he's
30:52
playing great ball. He's clearly having so much fun.
30:54
It's amazing to see. I don't even want to think about
30:56
the concept of him getting hurt right now because really, I
30:58
mean, he's been the highlight of the twin season.
31:00
I love Bus. He's one of my favorite players
31:02
ever and it's given me so much joy to watch him do his thing
31:05
and be healthy and productive and happy, offsetting a lot of
31:08
what we've seen from the rest of the team.
31:10
Last thing for in our final 10 seconds we saw the the
31:12
struggles, the tennis wise, the beginning of the year.
31:14
I get it, school's in cold weather back in back in April,
31:18
now we're in the heat of summer. What are the crowds been like?
31:22
They've been pretty good. I didn't get off to the last
31:24
series, but I heard, I heard the Friday night game with with
31:27
Nelly performing at the end was was really well attended.
31:30
Yeah, the weather's getting great.
31:31
You know, the games are getting really meaningful.
31:33
So you like to think this team could put together a little run.
31:36
Maybe we'll get some ownership news.
31:37
I don't think we'll probably have any big trade deadline
31:39
acquisition, but it'd be good to see because people excited and
31:42
get them back out to the ballpark.
31:43
I know they'll come if this team shows them something.
31:45
Nicknelsontwinsdaily.com, twinsdaily.com for Nick.
31:49
Thank you, Nick. Appreciate you coming on.
31:51
Yeah. Thanks so much for having me
31:52
guys. Yeah, good to talk to Twins
31:53
Daily for Nick Nelson. Take your time out.
31:55
We'll go from the Twins to the Cardinals.
31:57
Brian Walton is next. Miller and Condon, Iowa Sports
32:00
Radio Network. Hi, Miller and Condon.
32:01
Welcome back. Iowa Sports Radio Network.
32:04
Talking baseball. Let's talk about those
32:06
Cardinals, shall we, Trent? I'm ready.
32:09
brianwaltonthecardinalnation.com And we got about 7 minutes, so
32:13
let's get right to it. Brian.
32:14
Trenton Kent, thanks for coming on.
32:16
Looking at the wild card standings, last time we spoke
32:18
they were clinging to, I believe the third spot in the in the
32:23
wild card race. They're a game and a half behind
32:25
now. But here's the good news.
32:27
The two teams ahead of them, the Giants and the Padres, they've
32:30
still got to play each other. They've got 7 against the Padres
32:34
and six left against the the Giants.
32:37
So it's all there in front of them.
32:38
Brian Walton, is it not? It is, and you know, there's a
32:42
number of folks who pointed out that the schedule gets easier
32:45
for the Cardinals. But the reality is in their last
32:48
four series before the break, they played two last place
32:51
teams, first place team and a second to last place team and
32:54
barely treading water. So the big question for the
32:57
Cardinals right now is are they going to be buyers or sellers at
33:00
the deadline or are they going to try to thread the needle
33:02
again and do a little bulls? So the squad hanging around and
33:08
there's Nolan Arenado. The Yankees need a third
33:10
baseman, the Cubs need a third baseman.
33:11
But I don't think that's going to be happening there.
33:14
What would it take here in these, what, 12 games before the
33:17
break for the Cardinals to suddenly go to sellers come
33:20
trade deadline time? I think that if the right deal
33:23
financially came along, no one Arenado would be sold.
33:27
But again, remember that the Cardinals had a trade worked out
33:29
with the Houston Astros over the winter and Arenado exercised as
33:32
no trade ability. And so a deal that was made
33:38
wasn't made and everybody kind of looked bad in the process.
33:40
I don't. What none of us know is whether
33:42
Aronado has said, yeah, I would entertain a trade in the middle
33:45
of the season or not. My guess is not, but you never
33:49
know. I see from a lot of Cardinal
33:51
fans, especially when Fetty takes the bumper, even Michaelis
33:54
at some point, that they can't believe that he's still in the
33:58
rotation. We've got this young kid at AAA
34:00
who's tearing it up. AI can't remember his name, but
34:03
how good is he and why isn't he here?
34:07
Young man's name is Michael Mcgreevy, a very durable
34:09
right-hander. Early pick a few years back.
34:12
Doesn't have wipeout strikeout stuff, but figured out his his
34:16
biggest challenges of pitching against left-handed batters.
34:19
He's figured that out this year. Very solid middle to bottom of
34:22
rotation guy, but he's all the depth that they have a normal
34:26
number of their pitching stars that they were hoping that they
34:28
could count on Tink, hence Tico Roby, both injured.
34:33
Quinn Matthews is another pitcher on the top of the system
34:35
and and he's been, you know, only so so this year.
34:38
So the problem is, while it'd be great to get rid of those
34:42
veteran guys that aren't pulling their weight, there's only one
34:44
guy really in the queue that's ready to help them.
34:47
Defensively, this team has been very good this season.
34:49
Was that by design? Was it something that the front
34:52
office said? We're not going to be able to go
34:54
out and spend at a big level. Let's make sure that we're
34:56
shored up defensively. I think that and you know, most
34:59
of the players on the infield are home grown.
35:01
Obviously the exception are not. Oh, and and Wilson Contreras,
35:03
let's face it, has been a pleasant surprise at first base.
35:06
Most folks thought probably he would be a below average guy,
35:09
but he's done a very credible job there.
35:10
And then of course, you know, up the middle you have Brendan
35:13
Donovan, the All Star and Mason Wynn, who are very, very good at
35:17
what they do. So but the Cardinals
35:20
traditionally trend have been a pitch to contact team.
35:22
They've never focused on the big strikeout guys unless you go
35:25
back maybe to Bob Gibson, but so and the reality is they they
35:29
have the kind of pictures that you have to have a defense
35:31
behind them or you're going to lose a lot of games.
35:33
Who are teams calling about at the top of the list?
35:36
Helsley. Yeah, absolutely right.
35:38
Helsley All Star closer and wasn't an All Star this year but
35:41
has been an All Star in the past.
35:43
His contract is coming up highly desirable for any team, whether
35:47
they put him in as a closer or make him as a setup guy.
35:49
The Cardinals said they haven't shown any inclination trading
35:52
him yet, but that, you know, that could change because
35:55
they're not going to be able to afford to keep him other other
35:58
than that, you know, the guys that are impending free agents
36:01
are guys like Fetty that other teams probably aren't going to
36:03
want or at least not pay. Maybe if they offset enough of
36:07
the salary that the Cardinals can get out from under, that
36:09
they can save a little money, they might do something.
36:11
What is the future of Oliver Marmal?
36:13
He has another year left after this season, got a contract
36:16
extension out last spring. March of 2024 is where's the
36:21
front office with him and obviously change is happening
36:23
there. What do you predict the future
36:25
of Marmal? Well, that's a very good
36:27
question and if I could be in the head of Hein Bloom, I would
36:31
know the answer to that question.
36:32
I will tell you that the Cardinals traditionally have not
36:34
want to eat contracts for anybody, whether players or
36:37
managers. Now, granted, managers make way
36:39
less than than players, but it's going to be how quickly and what
36:43
kind of changes Hein Bloom makes when he becomes president of
36:46
baseball operations after this season.
36:49
I think that my, my personal view is that Oliver Marmol isn't
36:52
a move the needle kind of manager, nor is he a guy that's
36:55
held this team back. I I think if Joe Torre was
36:58
managing the Cardinals, they probably still wouldn't be in
37:00
the playoffs. It's it's, you know, they,
37:02
they've got some issues with talent that they have to deal
37:05
with first. And, you know, a lot of teams
37:06
traditionally have a guy like Oliver Marmol to kind of keep
37:10
things warm until they get good enough.
37:12
And then they bring in the Joe Maddens of the world to, you
37:14
know, take the team the final step into the postseason.
37:16
I think you can ask baseball people, they've overachieved so
37:19
far this year. So we'll we'll see what they do
37:22
with him. I want to get to it.
37:23
You're not unbiased opinion when it comes to this question
37:26
because you watch the Cubs and you watch the Brewers.
37:29
Who do you think should be the favorite cup between those two
37:32
teams? Who's going to ultimately
37:33
prevail in the Central? Brian Walton.
37:36
I still, I still think the Cubs are the team to beat.
37:38
The Brewers have come on lately and they played very well and
37:41
you know, like Woodruff back is a big deal for them.
37:43
But, you know, I'm not sure that they have the depth necessary to
37:45
win. And I I really like that Chicago
37:48
lineup. Chicago for you.
37:51
Is that difficult to say, Brian? No, you know, it's
37:55
unfortunately, it's a sad reality.
37:56
The Cardinals missed the playoffs for the last two years
37:58
in a row, you know, looking up at these teams.
38:00
So it's, you know, it's a it's a tough way to go, but it's the
38:03
reality of the situation. Cardinals have to continue to
38:06
focus on their development. You know, they picked 5th in the
38:09
draft this past week and there's a lot of.
38:11
Excitement. They signed them already.
38:12
Young players, They signed that. Yeah, that's right.
38:15
Liam Doyle from University of Tennessee, 100 mile an hour
38:19
lefty. So you know, they went heavy on
38:21
on pitching, they went on heavy on college players because they
38:24
know that they can't compete for the top in free agents money
38:27
wise. So if they can't build from
38:29
within, they're going to fail. Last year, their rotation, their
38:32
entire rotation were guys that were brought in from the
38:34
outside. And that's not a sustainable
38:36
model to win. Saw an interview with that kid,
38:38
the the first rounder. He's got a little attitude to
38:41
him and I like that about him. Very confident.
38:44
Yeah, he really does. Very confident young man,
38:46
anxious to see him as he makes this progression through the
38:49
system. Brian Walton,
38:50
thecardinalnation.com. You can follow all of the draft
38:53
picks and all the prayers through the system.
38:55
thecardinalnation.com. A real strength of that site, as
38:58
well as talking about the big league club as we do with Brian
39:02
Walton. Brian, thank you, buddy.
39:03
We'll talk down the road. You got it.
39:05
Bye now. Good to talk to you, Brian
39:06
Walton, thecardinalnation.com as we take a look at the red birds.
39:10
They've overachieved. Yes, absolutely.
39:12
This roster is not a playoff roster in my opinion.
39:14
Look at any of the team's statistical categories.
39:16
They're like between 19th and 22nd and everything, both
39:19
offensively and and and pitching wise.
39:21
And here they are. Just suppose that with Nick
39:24
Nelson just said about the bullpen for the Twins, right?
39:27
And they should be a team that's winning 100 games and now
39:30
they're not going to do that. Trent, I think that's a safe
39:33
bet. All right, Tommy Birch covers
39:35
the Iowa Cubs, and obviously when the car the Cubs are trying
39:40
to acquire some talent, the team they're trying trying to acquire
39:44
Tom from is going to take a look at the Cubs system, and there's
39:48
a lot of them here. We'll talk to Birchie about some
39:50
of the strengths of some of those names when we come back.
39:53
Vinny Iyer from the Sporting News covers the NFL.
39:56
We'll switch gears at about 1:25 and do that.
39:58
Miller and Condon, Iowa Sports Radio Network.