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Mets and Reds team checkups · Foul Territory

0:04
Speaker 1: Hey, Will Salmon is back on foul territory. You can
0:07
Speaker 1: follow him and his coverage in The Athletic, and right
0:10
Speaker 1: now it's getting very interesting his coverage. Senior writer for
0:14
Speaker 1: The Athletic, joining us covering the Mets all year. Well, Will,
0:16
Speaker 1: here comes the roller coaster back down your thoughts on
0:21
Speaker 1: what you're seeing lately from the Mets. But I want
0:23
Speaker 1: to make sure we include the big picture here. The
0:26
Speaker 1: Reds are two games back, which is really what like
0:30
Speaker 1: one game back because if they're tied, the Reds actually
0:33
Speaker 1: have the tiebreaker and would take them down for a
0:35
Speaker 1: playoff spot no game one sixty three these days.
0:39
Speaker 2: Yeah, you were very gracious, Scott with calling the coverage
0:41
Speaker 2: interesting because it feels like it's kind of been like
0:43
Speaker 2: the same story every day for a little while. And
0:46
Speaker 2: it's been that way for a little while for the Mets,
0:48
Speaker 2: even beyond this five game losing streak, because it keeps happening,
0:51
Speaker 2: these streaks, and so it's very concerning when you're almost
0:55
Speaker 2: at what midway point through a season, it's like seventy
1:00
Speaker 2: seventies and the amount of games where they played fifteen
1:02
Speaker 2: games below five hundred at this point, So that's highly
1:05
Speaker 2: unusual for a team.
1:06
Speaker 3: That's should be headed for the playoffs.
1:08
Speaker 2: We think is headed for the playoffs, but that's all
1:11
Speaker 2: but guaranteed at this point, obviously with just not only
1:15
Speaker 2: the Reds, it's also the Giants too, and the Mets
1:18
Speaker 2: own the tiebreaker over them, but like you said, it's
1:24
Speaker 2: more than them. It's a three team race at this
1:26
Speaker 2: point because of what the Mets have failed to accomplish,
1:30
Speaker 2: and that's increased the distance between those teams. That really,
1:34
Speaker 2: I don't know if you look at those teams and say, Okay,
1:36
Speaker 2: those are playoff teams, I don't. I'm not really convinced
1:39
Speaker 2: of that. But at this point, I'm not convinced of
1:41
Speaker 2: the Mets either. Every day they tell us that they're
1:45
Speaker 2: not good enough to be in the spot, especially lately,
1:49
Speaker 2: and it's been that case for the past couple of months.
1:51
Speaker 4: Really, who's the stopper. I'm not even just talking about
1:55
Speaker 4: the rotation. I'm talking about like this team, Every good
1:59
Speaker 4: team needs some But it says, okay, we've lost five
2:01
Speaker 4: in a row, we're playing a division opponent that you
2:04
Speaker 4: know what, we've annihilated him at home. I'm stepping up
2:09
Speaker 4: to be the stopper. Sometimes some teams, it's like a
2:12
Speaker 4: Terrek Scooble. It's an ax. Clearly this team doesn't have it.
2:15
Speaker 4: And I know you're gonna point to like a Nolan
2:17
Speaker 4: McClain and all that stuff, But is there somebody in
2:20
Speaker 4: the offense, in the in the bullpen, somebody that can say,
2:24
Speaker 4: you know what, this is the end, We're not losing today.
2:28
Speaker 3: I'm not sure they have that guy.
2:30
Speaker 2: I'm really not I think it should be somebody like
2:32
Speaker 2: a Francisco Lindora or a mon Soto or somebody like that,
2:35
Speaker 2: but I'm not convinced that that person in that specific
2:39
Speaker 2: role exists. I think that they have players that exhibit
2:43
Speaker 2: good leadership qualities in other ways. I think Lindor checks
2:47
Speaker 2: a lot of boxes in that way, but I'm not
2:49
Speaker 2: sure if he's the guy that is raw, raw, hey,
2:52
Speaker 2: we're going to win this game today type of guy,
2:55
Speaker 2: and he's that guy that sort of brings that edge
2:59
Speaker 2: to the roster or to the clubhouse, I'm not sure.
3:02
Speaker 2: And to be fair to the Mets, I'm not sure
3:04
Speaker 2: if there are more than say five or six guys
3:07
Speaker 2: in baseball who qualify for that sort of moniker'. That's
3:11
Speaker 2: just not the way it is these days. I don't
3:12
Speaker 2: think that there are too many guys who are very
3:14
Speaker 2: vocal in that way. Unfortunately in a lot of cases.
3:18
Speaker 2: And as far as the talent goes, yeah, they have
3:22
Speaker 2: guys who will theoretically step up in those situations you
3:25
Speaker 2: mentioned McLain. He could be that guy from a starting
3:28
Speaker 2: pitching perspective, But the other day he threw a fairly
3:31
Speaker 2: solid game and they lost, and they really can't afford
3:34
Speaker 2: to be doing that anymore, and so it's not guaranteed there.
3:38
Speaker 2: And mon Soto too has performed fairly well or exceptionally
3:43
Speaker 2: well in some cases over the last few weeks, and
3:46
Speaker 2: they've still suffered through this, and so I think it
3:49
Speaker 2: goes beyond that.
3:51
Speaker 3: But that's part of it.
3:51
Speaker 2: I think that that is kind of part of it,
3:53
Speaker 2: that in that clubhouse there may not be a guy
3:55
Speaker 2: that rises to the occasion.
3:57
Speaker 3: In that way.
3:58
Speaker 2: And again, like Lindora is a great leader in some
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Speaker 2: ways and then some facets, but that may not be
4:04
Speaker 2: one of the boxes that he checks off definitively.
4:08
Speaker 5: Well, it's got to be a picture, though what picture
4:10
Speaker 5: you mentioned, McClain. It's got to be a picture that
4:12
Speaker 5: stuffs his guys I'm throwing a shutout tonight. Score me
4:15
Speaker 5: one run. Do the Mets have that guy? Because I
4:17
Speaker 5: don't see that. Even McLain, you mentioned he pitched pretty well,
4:20
Speaker 5: he gave up one run and lost. They lost one nothing,
4:23
Speaker 5: So Manaiah hasn't been at that guy. Peterson's been their best,
4:27
Speaker 5: but he struggled lately. Senga's in triple A tong?
4:30
Speaker 3: Is it tong?
4:30
Speaker 5: He's too young, right, I mean, is it sprout? I mean,
4:34
Speaker 5: who can it be? Because it has to be a picture,
4:36
Speaker 5: Like you can say, oh, the lineup has to do this,
4:37
Speaker 5: but their lineup doesn't always come around to Lindor Soto
4:40
Speaker 5: Alonso in big situations. So who's the picture that they
4:43
Speaker 5: can count on to say, all right, guys, I'm gonna
4:45
Speaker 5: give you six shutty, go score once so we can
4:47
Speaker 5: get the ball to Diaz in the ninth and we
4:49
Speaker 5: can finish this game off and get a win and
4:51
Speaker 5: get get straightened out.
4:53
Speaker 3: Yeah, for me, it's going to be McLain.
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Speaker 2: He's to me, he has exemplified and he has exhibited
4:58
Speaker 2: the marks of a quality pitcher, if not even a
5:00
Speaker 2: number one type of guy. For me, he would be
5:02
Speaker 2: their Game one pitcher. And it's kind of a shame
5:04
Speaker 2: because in him, I do think that they have a
5:06
Speaker 2: game one pitcher. It's just will they have a Game
5:09
Speaker 2: one to play? I don't know, maybe, but.
5:11
Speaker 3: I feel like McLain is that guy.
5:13
Speaker 2: And yes, you pointed rightfully so to that game recently
5:16
Speaker 2: where he did throw a fairly good game and they
5:19
Speaker 2: ended up losing, But that's not on him. I think
5:21
Speaker 2: that he has done everything throughout his five starts to
5:23
Speaker 2: put them in a position to win each of those games,
5:26
Speaker 2: and then four of them they have, and then that
5:28
Speaker 2: one they didn't because they're just not clicking on the
5:31
Speaker 2: other facets of the game.
5:33
Speaker 3: So McLain I like a lot of what he has shown.
5:36
Speaker 3: I think everybody has. He is that guy.
5:38
Speaker 2: For me, it's just a shame because they don't have
5:41
Speaker 2: anybody who is really coming close to being that otherwise, because,
5:44
Speaker 2: like you mentioned, Peterson had been that guy for a while.
5:48
Speaker 2: He has lately stumbled, and I think that's going to
5:50
Speaker 2: come with the territory a little bit. With just the
5:52
Speaker 2: style of pitcher that he is, you have more balls
5:55
Speaker 2: in play with him. He's not somebody that racks up strikeouts,
5:58
Speaker 2: so the ball will be there and if your defense
6:00
Speaker 2: is not on par, which a lot of times for
6:02
Speaker 2: the Mets it has not been, sometimes it's not going
6:05
Speaker 2: to look that as good as it otherwise would. So
6:07
Speaker 2: that's been the issue there. And then, like you mentioned,
6:09
Speaker 2: you went through the list. Aj Manaya has not been
6:12
Speaker 2: that guy. Saga's in triple A, Clay Holmes has not
6:15
Speaker 2: been that guy. So that and then the other two
6:17
Speaker 2: rookies that you mentioned have a combined what two or
6:19
Speaker 2: three starts between them, so they're not going to be
6:22
Speaker 2: that guy quite yet. So that's the situation that they're in.
6:26
Speaker 2: They're just not getting quality or length from their veterans
6:30
Speaker 2: in that rotation, and it's really put them in a
6:32
Speaker 2: bind because you're asking a lot of the bullpen, and
6:35
Speaker 2: the bullpen has not been as good as it should be,
6:37
Speaker 2: and then you're relying on the offense, which has been
6:40
Speaker 2: widely inconsistent.
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7:44
Speaker 4: Is the reason that a thirty to thirty season from
7:49
Speaker 4: Juan Soto just kind of got glossed over? Was it
7:52
Speaker 4: the fact that he stole third down by five and
7:55
Speaker 4: it was kind of a look at me, I'm gonna
7:57
Speaker 4: get my stats with two outs and get that. Or
8:00
Speaker 4: is it the fact that when you sign a seven
8:03
Speaker 4: hundred million dollar contract that fans and even some media
8:09
Speaker 4: kind of expect great things like thirty thirty and we
8:12
Speaker 4: just gloss over it.
8:16
Speaker 2: He's the highest paid player ever we and he's paid
8:21
Speaker 2: that much because of what he does as a hitter,
8:23
Speaker 2: right Like that's he is in the top one percent
8:26
Speaker 2: of hitters. That's why he is paid. He is not
8:29
Speaker 2: in the top one percent of base running or defense
8:33
Speaker 2: things like that. He is a hitter and he is very,
8:36
Speaker 2: very very good generational talent at that, and so that's
8:39
Speaker 2: why he's getting paid that amount of money. And I
8:42
Speaker 2: think when that happens, we look at his numbers and
8:44
Speaker 2: we say, Okay, he should also be doing this, that
8:46
Speaker 2: and the other thing, and that's just never been the
8:49
Speaker 2: case for him. So and with the stole mass, yes,
8:52
Speaker 2: it's some of that has happened where he has been
8:55
Speaker 2: a little bit too aggressive with it and it almost
8:58
Speaker 2: feels like he's just kind of doing it in weird spots.
9:02
Speaker 2: And you pointed, rightfully so to the last slow base
9:04
Speaker 2: where it was they were down five late in the game,
9:07
Speaker 2: and it was it was irrelevant and it just was
9:10
Speaker 2: not a team kind of first played because it didn't
9:13
Speaker 2: really change anything.
9:14
Speaker 3: It wasn't going to change anything.
9:16
Speaker 2: They were still going to have a lot of work
9:17
Speaker 2: ahead of them to win that game, whether he steals
9:19
Speaker 2: third base or not in that situation. So when that
9:23
Speaker 2: starts to happen, it loses its luster a little bit.
9:27
Speaker 2: And a lot of his stolen bases, frankly, have happened
9:30
Speaker 2: since August, and so I think the number kind of
9:32
Speaker 2: crept up on a lot of people where yes, he
9:35
Speaker 2: was showing signs of like being a threat on the
9:38
Speaker 2: basis for a little while, even though he is not fast,
9:42
Speaker 2: he has been doing it in other ways, getting big jumps,
9:44
Speaker 2: that kind of thing. But it all kind of picked
9:46
Speaker 2: up the pace in August, and I think he set
9:49
Speaker 2: his sights on thirty stolen bases, and now he may
9:52
Speaker 2: set his sights on forty. I think that that's it's
9:54
Speaker 2: in the realm of possibility. Even though we're down to
9:57
Speaker 2: sixteen games left in the season for the Mets. The
9:59
Speaker 2: way that he is running, I think it's all on
10:02
Speaker 2: the list of possibilities for Soda.
10:06
Speaker 5: Well, the main question is are the Mets fans happy
10:08
Speaker 5: with Wan Soda his first year. I mean, look at
10:11
Speaker 5: the numbers. The numbers are nine to twenty one ops,
10:13
Speaker 5: nine to twenty ops around there are the Mets fans happy?
10:17
Speaker 5: And is this maybe the better way to put it?
10:19
Speaker 5: Is this a hollow thirty thirty especially if the Mets
10:22
Speaker 5: don't make the postseason? Because you mentioned the stolen bases?
10:24
Speaker 5: He had a home run down eleven to two last night.
10:27
Speaker 5: But is this what the Mets fans expected or do
10:31
Speaker 5: they want more? Has this been a good year for
10:32
Speaker 5: Wan Soda? Not numbers wise, but according to Mets fans,
10:35
Speaker 5: which is as we know in New York, it's all
10:37
Speaker 5: that really matters.
10:38
Speaker 2: Yeah, and the context is everything right Again, he's the
10:41
Speaker 2: highest paid player in baseball history, and we have these
10:44
Speaker 2: huge expectations.
10:45
Speaker 3: So yeah, I think he's having a great season, even
10:48
Speaker 3: by Mets fans measures.
10:50
Speaker 2: And that may not have been my cake maybe a
10:53
Speaker 2: month ago, but since say August, he has really really
10:56
Speaker 2: turned it on. And yeah, the last couple of games
11:00
Speaker 2: it's been like the equivalent of racking up some style
11:02
Speaker 2: points in garbage time. But I would not pin that
11:05
Speaker 2: on mon Soto. I mean, that's the Mets problem as
11:08
Speaker 2: a team, and I think a lot of fans now
11:10
Speaker 2: have seen that Juan Soto has sort of he has
11:14
Speaker 2: risen to the occasion here late in the season, and
11:16
Speaker 2: I don't think you.
11:17
Speaker 3: Could take that away.
11:18
Speaker 2: There was a game against Detroit where they don't win
11:20
Speaker 2: that game unless Wansda performs the way that Wansta performs,
11:24
Speaker 2: where he had the Grand Slam and the triple. You know,
11:27
Speaker 2: he just he won them that game, and that's been happening.
11:30
Speaker 2: So my answer would have been different a month ago,
11:32
Speaker 2: because that was not happening. He was failing in critical spots.
11:36
Speaker 2: His numbers with runners and scoring position were not good.
11:39
Speaker 2: But that has changed lately. And so I know some
11:43
Speaker 2: of the instances and examples that you cited are not
11:47
Speaker 2: great for this conversation, But that's also a little bit
11:49
Speaker 2: of like recency there with just the past couple of games.
11:52
Speaker 2: But when you look at just since August, I think
11:54
Speaker 2: he's redeemed himself in a lot of Mets fans' eyes,
11:57
Speaker 2: and they look at this, I think, at least as
12:00
Speaker 2: the team is sort of is crumbling, whereas he's been
12:03
Speaker 2: like one of the only guys who have steadily performed
12:06
Speaker 2: since August and into September, and I think that he
12:09
Speaker 2: deserves some credit for that.
12:10
Speaker 4: Actually, Okay, were you at the You're at the home
12:14
Speaker 4: series for the Mets against the Phillies, and you've been
12:18
Speaker 4: at this series in Philly. What on earth is the
12:22
Speaker 4: difference in the Phillies. We've kind of hit on the
12:27
Speaker 4: Mets a lot, but what do you see different from
12:29
Speaker 4: the Phillies. I get it, you know who lined up
12:31
Speaker 4: in the starting rotation did matter, and who's thrown for them,
12:34
Speaker 4: But what do you see different? Because when we get
12:37
Speaker 4: to the playoffs, and I think the Mets will most
12:39
Speaker 4: likely make the playoffs, there's a good chance and the
12:41
Speaker 4: Mets play the Phillies at City Field at some time
12:45
Speaker 4: and then also at Citizen Bank.
12:47
Speaker 3: Yeah, at this point, yes, the only difference is the venue.
12:51
Speaker 2: It's the setting, right, Like, for whatever reason, the Phillies
12:54
Speaker 2: just cannot win at City Field.
12:55
Speaker 3: It's crazy.
12:56
Speaker 2: And I think that everybody wanted to say, like when
12:59
Speaker 2: that started to happen and the Mets played exceptionally well
13:04
Speaker 2: against the Phillies at City Field, people want to say, like, oh,
13:07
Speaker 2: the Mets have their number. That's not the case, and
13:10
Speaker 2: that wasn't really the case, even dating back to last
13:12
Speaker 2: year where the Mets had a hard time in Philadelphia,
13:15
Speaker 2: and then they had a hard time in Philadelphia in
13:16
Speaker 2: Philadelphia earlier in the season too, and that was the
13:20
Speaker 2: site of another bad stretch of games for the Mets earlier.
13:24
Speaker 3: So it's for I can't really explain it.
13:26
Speaker 2: I think it's a little bit baffling, to be honest
13:28
Speaker 2: with you, I will say that the difference that I've
13:31
Speaker 2: noticed in this particular series has been really the trade
13:36
Speaker 2: deadline acquisitions on both sides. I think for the Phillies
13:39
Speaker 2: they've hit on those guys, whereas the Mets, and I
13:42
Speaker 2: like their moves, to be completely honest, I like their offseason,
13:45
Speaker 2: I like their trade deadline, but the results haven't worked out,
13:48
Speaker 2: and I think that's been the biggest difference lately when
13:50
Speaker 2: you look at both those teams, in addition to just
13:52
Speaker 2: also you know, you're getting fifty home runs from Shorebur
13:56
Speaker 2: the difference of the lineup. But when you subtract the
13:59
Speaker 2: entire let side of the infield from the Phillies at
14:02
Speaker 2: the start of the series and they still take the
14:04
Speaker 2: first three games and they do so rather easily, that's
14:08
Speaker 2: problematic and it just speaks to a lot more issues
14:12
Speaker 2: other than the venue and other than just one or
14:14
Speaker 2: two things. It's just two teams in totally different directions
14:17
Speaker 2: right now.
14:18
Speaker 5: Well, two things, how worded are you about Ryan Helsley?
14:21
Speaker 5: Is he tipping? We keep hearing this, but everyone I
14:23
Speaker 5: know that Sluke hasn't seen anything. And then two have
14:26
Speaker 5: to answer that. I have a quick follow up and
14:28
Speaker 5: a yes or no question for you.
14:30
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm worried about Hellsley because he hasn't had even
14:34
Speaker 2: consecutive outings with the Mets yet where he hasn't given
14:36
Speaker 2: up a run. He's had some outings that he's been okay.
14:40
Speaker 2: The other day he had a clean inning and a
14:42
Speaker 2: lot of people within the Mets were pretty confident and
14:45
Speaker 2: happy about that, and they were optimistic that maybe he
14:48
Speaker 2: had turned the corner. But then yesterday last night, he
14:51
Speaker 2: again had a bad inning and it just didn't look good.
14:53
Speaker 2: And whether he's tipping or not, he said that he
14:55
Speaker 2: has corrected the issue he thinks that he was. And
14:58
Speaker 2: sometimes even if like maybe that's a little bit overblown,
15:03
Speaker 2: you guys know, as former players, like that can get
15:05
Speaker 2: in guys heads a little bit or a lot, depending
15:07
Speaker 2: on the guy, and once that happens, it's problematic because
15:10
Speaker 2: then you're trying to figure things out.
15:12
Speaker 3: Maybe it messes with your mechanics, It could be a
15:14
Speaker 3: lot of things. He has said that he had.
15:16
Speaker 2: Figured it out, But if he's figured it out and
15:19
Speaker 2: he's still having innings like he had yesterday, that's also
15:22
Speaker 2: concerning because it's problematic either way. So it's a concern,
15:26
Speaker 2: and it's troubling because the Mets obviously didn't think this
15:28
Speaker 2: would happen. They gave up real value in that trade
15:31
Speaker 2: with the Cardinals. They expected a lot from this guy,
15:34
Speaker 2: and he's somebody now that if the Mets were to
15:38
Speaker 2: make a playoff roster right now, would he even be
15:41
Speaker 2: on it.
15:41
Speaker 3: I'm not sure.
15:42
Speaker 2: It's because you can't really feel good about pitching him
15:45
Speaker 2: in key situations right now?
15:47
Speaker 5: All right? That's making Do the Mets make it? Yes
15:50
Speaker 5: or no? Do the Mets make it with the way
15:52
Speaker 5: they're playing with the Giants reds ere going on their heels,
15:55
Speaker 5: Do they make it yes or no?
15:57
Speaker 2: I go yes. I still go yes. I just think
15:59
Speaker 2: that the two games plus the tiebreaker in one of
16:02
Speaker 2: those situations, it matters a lot. Still, it's still just
16:05
Speaker 2: enough and A lot of My answer is because I
16:07
Speaker 2: just don't think the Reds and the Giants are good
16:09
Speaker 2: enough to do it either. And that may be irrelevant
16:12
Speaker 2: because if the Mets continue to lose, it does matter.
16:14
Speaker 2: But I think that the Mets do enough, barely enough
16:18
Speaker 2: to hold on here.
16:20
Speaker 1: Okay, yeah, one more against the Phillies then tex here
16:24
Speaker 1: we go. That's Dodgers.
16:27
Speaker 5: Yeah, that's what it would be.
16:28
Speaker 1: They got to get through Yeah, Philly, then Texas, San Diego,
16:31
Speaker 1: Washington Cubs, and they finish with the Milins who love
16:34
Speaker 1: playing spoiler against the Mets. All right, so you got
16:37
Speaker 1: some basically playoff games that you're covering the next couple weeks. Well,
16:40
Speaker 1: thanks for joining us.
16:41
Speaker 3: Appreciate it. Everyone.
16:42
Speaker 1: Check out what Will is bringing to the table on
16:44
Speaker 1: the Athletic every Day cover in the Mets.
16:46
Speaker 6: Appreciate you will.
16:47
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17:51
Speaker 1: We have Andy Sabo joining us right now on FT.
17:54
Speaker 1: She covers the Reds on TV Reporter host and now
17:58
Speaker 1: with us. Hey Annie, great to have you on here.
18:00
Speaker 1: We appreciate the time. Are you surprised that the Reds
18:03
Speaker 1: are where they are right now?
18:06
Speaker 6: Yes, I'm completely surprised, guys.
18:09
Speaker 7: I feel like there have been several times this season
18:12
Speaker 7: where I feel like not only US local reporters, but
18:15
Speaker 7: the national media has completely counted the Reds out right
18:18
Speaker 7: and myself included, But every single time that I feel
18:22
Speaker 7: that way, they have scratched and clawed and fought their
18:26
Speaker 7: way back into the playoff picture, which is where they
18:30
Speaker 7: stand right now. So surprised I was earlier in the season,
18:35
Speaker 7: but I think now we're just kind of accustomed to
18:38
Speaker 7: the Reds being you know, everyone thinks they're completely out
18:42
Speaker 7: of it, and then they go on to win four
18:45
Speaker 7: of their last five and right now they're back in
18:47
Speaker 7: it again.
18:49
Speaker 4: Are they back in it because of the Reds or
18:51
Speaker 4: are they back in it because of the Mets?
18:57
Speaker 7: I think after Friday's loss to the Mets, right to
19:01
Speaker 7: go and win four of your last five, maybe a
19:04
Speaker 7: combination of both. I can't say I saw the Mets
19:07
Speaker 7: playing as poorly as they are right now a couple
19:11
Speaker 7: of months ago. I didn't necessarily see that coming. How well,
19:13
Speaker 7: for Cincinnati fans everywhere, we're everywhere will take it. But no,
19:19
Speaker 7: I think the Reds. I mean, in the clubhouse all
19:21
Speaker 7: season long, despite some skids, especially offensively throughout this season,
19:26
Speaker 7: there's a belief in the clubhouse that they can and
19:30
Speaker 7: will make the postseason. And I mean, here we are
19:32
Speaker 7: with sixteen games left to play.
19:36
Speaker 5: Any good question for you? How good has this rotation
19:39
Speaker 5: been this team? Lodolo, Abbott, Singer, all these guys the
19:43
Speaker 5: last few times too, has been really good. How good
19:46
Speaker 5: have they been? And can they finish this month off
19:48
Speaker 5: as strong as they have been for the last couple
19:50
Speaker 5: of times through.
19:52
Speaker 6: Yeah, I think so. I think.
19:54
Speaker 7: As I mentioned just a moment ago, the offense has
19:57
Speaker 7: been two inconsider for my liking at times. However, the
20:02
Speaker 7: starting rotation has been the strength of this team all
20:05
Speaker 7: season long.
20:06
Speaker 6: I mean, it was a.
20:07
Speaker 7: Huge blow when Hunter Green went on the il, but
20:09
Speaker 7: he's back in the bullpen. We're getting some arms back.
20:13
Speaker 7: Chase Burns and Graham Ashcraft were just recently activated. They're
20:17
Speaker 7: gonna be with the team in Oakland ready to go.
20:20
Speaker 7: But I mean the starting rotation, I mean, even you know,
20:22
Speaker 7: Brady Singer, who kind of started off the year a
20:24
Speaker 7: little bit slower. I mean, he's had a great month
20:27
Speaker 7: of August to you know, add to the overall excellence
20:31
Speaker 7: that we've seen day in day out from this Red
20:33
Speaker 7: starting rotation, and yeah, I mean, if everyone stays healthy,
20:37
Speaker 7: which is always year to year, if he for the
20:41
Speaker 7: Red starting rotation, if they can stay healthy and finish
20:44
Speaker 7: this year out strong. I mean we have Brady Singer,
20:47
Speaker 7: Hunter Green, and Nicolodolo going you know, Oakland coming up.
20:50
Speaker 7: Then Yeah, I mean I think they've been excellent and
20:53
Speaker 7: that's a unit that I count on when the offense
20:57
Speaker 7: isn't necessarily there. And yeah, I mean the Red starting rotation,
20:59
Speaker 7: not only this season but for years to come, has
21:02
Speaker 7: been a highlight and just so consistent.
21:05
Speaker 4: What about the bullpen. Let's say, let's say this happens.
21:08
Speaker 4: Let's say the Mets continue to drop like they're dropping,
21:12
Speaker 4: and the Reds win enough to get in because they
21:14
Speaker 4: have the easiest path, not schedule wise, but with the
21:18
Speaker 4: tiebreaker and everything. Is this bullpen built with Emelio Pegan
21:22
Speaker 4: and the boys to succeed in the playoffs?
21:27
Speaker 7: I do. I think that something that's been talked about
21:30
Speaker 7: this season in the clubhouse is that this clubhouse has
21:33
Speaker 7: a bunch of dogs in there. And I think, you know,
21:36
Speaker 7: despite some recent struggles from Amelio Pegan, I mean, he is,
21:42
Speaker 7: in my personal opinion, the best clubhouse leader there is
21:46
Speaker 7: in this locker room. Granted he's one of the oldest
21:48
Speaker 7: in there right now, but yes, I believe getting you know,
21:51
Speaker 7: I mean Chase Burns as a starter, I mean, he
21:53
Speaker 7: is a rookie.
21:54
Speaker 6: I mean, I do think he'll help bolster the bullpen.
21:56
Speaker 7: But having Graham Ashpath coming back to start the series
21:59
Speaker 7: in oak will be huge. Yes, I do think they
22:02
Speaker 7: have the strength to withstand these last sixteen games or so.
22:07
Speaker 7: And you know, I think it's nice that today the
22:10
Speaker 7: Reds have.
22:11
Speaker 6: Have an off day before the series, you.
22:13
Speaker 7: Know, Oakland begins, or with the A's begins, to maybe
22:17
Speaker 7: have a team meeting.
22:19
Speaker 6: If needed at all. But yeah, I mean I.
22:21
Speaker 7: Think the bullpen, I mean, I think the Reds have
22:25
Speaker 7: had their leads given up leads far too easily this season.
22:29
Speaker 7: But I think right now it's kind of do or
22:31
Speaker 7: die for the Reds and for you know, the starting
22:34
Speaker 7: rotation to the bullpen. And I think the bullpen, led
22:37
Speaker 7: by closer Emilie Opegan, will be able to get the
22:42
Speaker 7: job done and hopefully the Mets continue to crumble.
22:45
Speaker 4: We'll take that, all right, Well, nothing happens for the
22:49
Speaker 4: Reds if they don't get one guy going. And he's
22:51
Speaker 4: got four names, Ellie da La Cruz. His power has
22:55
Speaker 4: been absent. His star power is always there and he's
22:59
Speaker 4: always looming to me when I watch games now though,
23:03
Speaker 4: and I don't watch every Reds game, but when I do,
23:05
Speaker 4: I turn to Ellie's at bats because I'm like, this
23:07
Speaker 4: is way he's gonna turn it around. Some of us
23:09
Speaker 4: at bats, even from the left side where he's stronger,
23:13
Speaker 4: look like they're non competitive. Like it's like he's waiting
23:16
Speaker 4: for this certain pitch and he's not hitting it, and
23:19
Speaker 4: he's still striking out the same rate, and now the
23:23
Speaker 4: power's gone. Is there something we're missing?
23:26
Speaker 7: No, I don't think so, just kind of, I feel
23:28
Speaker 7: like the ebbs and flows for Ellie. I mean, I
23:30
Speaker 7: feel like we're yes, he has superstar ability at the
23:34
Speaker 7: plate and defensively, but at the same time, I think
23:37
Speaker 7: we forget that, you know, he's still a young kid
23:40
Speaker 7: and still learning. I feel like, especially this season, yes,
23:45
Speaker 7: he's had some slumps that have lasted a little bit
23:48
Speaker 7: longer in comparison to seasons past. However, it seems like
23:53
Speaker 7: whenever there is a moment for Ellie to show up,
23:56
Speaker 7: when situations get dire, I mean, looking ahead to the
23:59
Speaker 7: next six team games, it seems like, for whatever reason,
24:03
Speaker 7: he is able to turn things around. So I fully
24:09
Speaker 7: anticipate Ellie turning things around sooner rather than later.
24:12
Speaker 6: However, I do understand what you're saying.
24:16
Speaker 7: Some of his at bats this season, for longer periods
24:19
Speaker 7: of time, have been have looked to.
24:21
Speaker 6: Be more non competitive.
24:24
Speaker 7: However, I just that's a guy that you don't necessarily
24:27
Speaker 7: lose faith in ever throughout the season, despite him going
24:32
Speaker 7: through a longer slump like he is right now.
24:35
Speaker 1: Annie, Terry Francona has a highly decorated career. What's it
24:40
Speaker 1: been like for him taking over this team, especially right
24:43
Speaker 1: now where the team has kind of thrust themselves back
24:46
Speaker 1: into the postseason conversation? What's he like running the team
24:49
Speaker 1: over the last couple of weeks.
24:52
Speaker 7: Yeah, well, I think at first and foremost before I
24:54
Speaker 7: even get to that, I mean, having covered the Rents
24:56
Speaker 7: for several seasons, I mean, you hear all these stories
24:59
Speaker 7: about Terry Francona, and he comes as advertised. I mean,
25:02
Speaker 7: he's a breath of fresh air. He's hilarious and pre
25:04
Speaker 7: and postgame press conferences, and the players truly respect him
25:09
Speaker 7: and appreciate all of the experience that he brings into
25:12
Speaker 7: this clubhouse. He's really big on holding the players accountable,
25:17
Speaker 7: and you know, being accountable and not necessarily you know,
25:22
Speaker 7: yelling at players things like that.
25:23
Speaker 6: But I think that this year.
25:25
Speaker 7: There's just a new level of what's expected from the
25:30
Speaker 7: players because Terry Francona is here, and I think that's
25:34
Speaker 7: helped the team a whole lot.
25:35
Speaker 6: And I think that, I mean.
25:38
Speaker 7: Terry hasn't changed from game one to now. I mean
25:42
Speaker 7: even in pre impressed game post conferences, he doesn't look
25:45
Speaker 7: beyond one single game ahead or even you.
25:49
Speaker 6: Know, behind in the schedule.
25:52
Speaker 7: So I think that maybe his experience level and being
25:56
Speaker 7: able to deal with teams that are on on the
26:00
Speaker 7: brink of making you know, the postseason, could help this team,
26:04
Speaker 7: maybe the intangible side of things.
26:07
Speaker 6: But no, I mean he hasn't changed. I mean over
26:09
Speaker 6: the last couple of weeks.
26:09
Speaker 7: I mean, he's the same old guy looking at one
26:12
Speaker 7: game at a time. Task at hand is to win
26:14
Speaker 7: the game, and that's pretty much who he is. But
26:17
Speaker 7: I definitely do think, you know, this last stretch of games,
26:21
Speaker 7: just having his experience level and what he expects out
26:26
Speaker 7: of this team with sixteen games left, will be a
26:29
Speaker 7: huge help.
26:32
Speaker 5: Anny, I have your game next Thursday against the Cubby Bears.
26:37
Speaker 5: I'll be there, actually, thank god. I mean, if you
26:41
Speaker 5: weren't there, you guys, you can tell the rest of
26:44
Speaker 5: their one that they can take the night off. Okay, So,
26:46
Speaker 5: but what I want to know is, well, this is
26:49
Speaker 5: the fans. Are the fans behind this Reds team? Are
26:51
Speaker 5: they showing up and showing out? So when I when
26:53
Speaker 5: I walk into the small Park next weekend or next Thursday,
26:58
Speaker 5: a week from tonight, will there be a pack Red
27:00
Speaker 5: pro Red's crowded? Well, I have to listen to the
27:02
Speaker 5: Cubby Bear fans come down to sits now each year.
27:06
Speaker 7: Mixed bag because last time there were a lot of
27:09
Speaker 7: Cubs fans there. However, I do think I think it's
27:12
Speaker 7: dependent on you know, this series against the A's. However,
27:16
Speaker 7: I would hope that fans show up. The last four
27:19
Speaker 7: series or so are against division opponents mixed back based
27:25
Speaker 7: on the last series against the Cubs they played at
27:28
Speaker 7: Great American Ballpark, however, yes, I would expect this last
27:34
Speaker 7: sixteen games or so Great American Ballpark to be to
27:37
Speaker 7: be pretty packed. I mean, that's what it was like
27:39
Speaker 7: in twenty twenty three when the Reds were in the
27:42
Speaker 7: wild card hunt until the very final week of the season.
27:45
Speaker 6: I mean it was in twenty twenty three.
27:47
Speaker 7: That was one of my favorite moments of my entire career,
27:50
Speaker 7: just seeing Great American Ballpark so packed during the month
27:55
Speaker 7: of September until you know, the last week where they
27:57
Speaker 7: were finally, finally not in contention anyone. So yes, I
28:00
Speaker 7: would assume that that Reds fans should would be there.
28:04
Speaker 7: If not, if any Reds fans are listening to this podcast,
28:06
Speaker 7: I suggest that you show up for the entirety of
28:09
Speaker 7: this Red season right now.
28:12
Speaker 5: Agreed? Agreed? All right, Well then I'll lead you to
28:14
Speaker 5: our next question. Since you have all of the putters
28:17
Speaker 5: behind you, are you going to take me golfing on
28:18
Speaker 5: Thursday morning? That's a better question.
28:22
Speaker 6: Well, I am not the golfer. My husband is. He
28:24
Speaker 6: plays on the Page Tours.
28:26
Speaker 7: He's in Napa Valley right now playing in the Pro
28:29
Speaker 7: Corps Championship, so he this is his project behind me.
28:33
Speaker 6: I am, I am. I can play golf.
28:36
Speaker 7: I still have some athleticism left, but no, he is
28:41
Speaker 7: the golfer in the family, and we have way too
28:43
Speaker 7: many golf clubs. However, I can tell you places to
28:46
Speaker 7: golf in Cincinnati, and I have people there who could
28:50
Speaker 7: get you at tea time.
28:51
Speaker 3: Just let me know.
28:53
Speaker 5: Okay, thank you, because you have way too many putters,
28:55
Speaker 5: you have way too much money invested in your putters.
28:57
Speaker 6: Oh, don't don't even get me started about it. We
29:00
Speaker 6: have more in the garage. Don't worry.
29:02
Speaker 5: If your husband needs some lefties, though, let me know.
29:04
Speaker 5: I'm happy to sell them some.
29:09
Speaker 1: That's good, well, a j it's his job, so I mean,
29:12
Speaker 1: not spending too much money on it. That's that's his career.
29:15
Speaker 5: No, I agree. But still, usually you don't see putter
29:18
Speaker 5: covers hanging on the walls and put usual let me,
29:20
Speaker 5: let me change it. This is gonna sound really bad.
29:22
Speaker 5: You usually don't see women sitting in front of putters
29:24
Speaker 5: and putter covers on their wall. Usually guys. Yes, I
29:27
Speaker 5: know friends that have like hundreds of putters, which makes
29:29
Speaker 5: no sense to me. But you usually don't see women
29:32
Speaker 5: doing that.
29:33
Speaker 4: Yeah.
29:33
Speaker 6: No, none of this is mine.
29:34
Speaker 7: I usually pick out the colors or like the different
29:37
Speaker 7: head covers prior to each tournament, which which I do
29:39
Speaker 7: do because I like certain colors and he usually takes
29:42
Speaker 7: those with him.
29:44
Speaker 6: But no, I mean I'll go out and to the
29:46
Speaker 6: driving range and hit balls and.
29:48
Speaker 7: If my two year old daughter eventually wants to get
29:51
Speaker 7: into it, then sure, I'll take lessons and start to
29:54
Speaker 7: really practice.
29:55
Speaker 6: But that's all him and he that was his project.
29:58
Speaker 5: The only the only golf course they're played in Cincinnati's
30:01
Speaker 5: Cold Stream, So that's the only one that I know
30:03
Speaker 5: in Cincinnati.
30:04
Speaker 6: That's a really good one. But I have others.
30:07
Speaker 1: If you're in Okay, you're gonna get the top secret list.
30:10
Speaker 1: AJ it's coming here right right.
30:13
Speaker 3: Yeah.
30:13
Speaker 1: Well, Annie, thank you so much for stopping by and
30:15
Speaker 1: lightening us on the Reds, and we appreciate the time
30:19
Speaker 1: of course.
30:20
Speaker 6: Thanks guys,