Latest / The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon / David Kaplan talks Cubs & Bears, Brian Walton on the Cardinals & Trent's Picks presented by Circa Sports

Transcript

David Kaplan talks Cubs & Bears, Brian Walton on the Cardinals & Trent's Picks presented by Circa Sports · The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon

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Hour number two, Miller and Condon, welcome back, Iowa
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Sports Radio Network, wherever you're listening in the state of
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Iowa. We are grateful that you are
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Brian Walton. We'll talk some Cardinals with
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Brian at the bottom of the hour, Trent.
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We'll make some picks on today's sports games that are going to
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unfold here this evening. Circa Sports sponsor those right
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now. Let's get to Chicago.
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David Kaplan back from Louisville where he watched in
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person the run for the Roses and got soaked, I'm guessing Kapa.
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Trent, Ken, thanks for coming on.
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Let's start there because I know it was on your bucket list.
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It's on a lot of people's bucket list.
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Sadly, the weather did not cooperate by any means.
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It just it pissed down all day long, unfortunately.
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How was the experience, cap weather aside?
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Oh, it was awesome. We had a great time and, you
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know, we had seats that at least were covered, so I didn't get
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soaked in terms of my seats. But it was cold Friday.
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We got all dressed up, went to the oaks.
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It was beautiful. And then all of a sudden, all
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this horrible weather blew in. And then Saturday we had, I had
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great clothes ready to roll and we decided let's dress so we
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don't wreck our beautiful clothes.
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And I had a master's hoodie, jeans and a jacket on.
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And I was glad I did because it was chilly and, you know, muddy,
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but I had a great time in the buzz in the crowd.
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It's it's literally electric when they're loading in for the
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Derby. Like all day was great.
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And I hit the Super factor in race 11 and it was really nice
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score. And then my wife hit the try in
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the Derby. I did not.
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She liked the 18. I did not and so I played 1258
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and they're turning for home and I think it was 1-2 or two one
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and I'm like oh, if these two speed horses can just hang on
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here. And then they got run down and
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of course my wife hit the try so.
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At least it stayed in the family, no doubt about it.
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Of course, the big story coming out of it is sovereignty is
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going to pass the Preakness, the sports change cap.
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It has I and it's it's unfortunate that we won't have a
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chance to win the Triple Crown, but I know why trainers, yeah, I
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know why trainers are, are, are looking after the horse as
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opposed to trying to, you know, to placate the industry in a lot
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of ways. And that's what's behind it,
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don't you think? Yeah, I think it probably is.
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I mean, that's disappointing. You know, I hear people, well,
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we should put more time between the races, No?
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Then that's not winning the Triple Crown.
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No, I don't. But don't you think it has to
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change because I'm with you. I was always in your camp.
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But look, I mean, there were 28 complete games pitched last year
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in baseball. Bob Gibson pitched 28 himself in
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1968. I mean, sports change and and I
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was always your wake up. But but now I think if we want
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to see, and it would be a different Triple Crown, it would
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have to have its old separate column, you know, first Saturday
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in May, June and July. Doesn't that make sense?
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Well. Then don't call it a Triple
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Crown because it would not be right.
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Do not dare put you know some horse in the same category as
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secretary. Absolutely.
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Affirmed. Or, you know, one of these
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Great. Justified.
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American Pharaoh don't put them in the same category because
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they didn't do what those horses.
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Did true Yep, true, but we might have a chance.
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But but anyways, well glad you had a good time.
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So let's go to what wasn't a good time and that was extra
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innings last night with the Cubs.
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Fun game really was this team is so much fun to watch offensively
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but here comes the bullpen and and they blew one in the was it
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the 11th I think yeah nobody scored in the 10th Cubs had a
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chance of they had brought two men on with with one out PCA
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strikes out and then Dansby was it Dansby hit a liner to the
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third baseman but. Regardless.
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Right. Regardless, didn't go the Cubs
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way, The bullpen blows up. How big of a concern is that
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bullpen cap still in your mind? Well, I mean, you know,
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everyone's firing on Ryan Presley today.
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He had a bad night, no question about it.
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You know, he hadn't given up an earned run since March 29th.
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Not one earned run allowed in the month of April from probably
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your number one reliever and everybody.
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That guy's terrible. He is not terrible.
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He just doesn't have the swing and miss stuff that he used to
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have when he was younger. So that that's a fair comparison
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or fair comment to make. But when you go an entire month
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without allowing 1 earned run, it's pretty good.
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Pretty good. So I like Porter Hodge, I do
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field bar has a role. I don't think he's a high
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leverage elite guy. And then let's see what happens.
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I mean, they've Jed has said publicly, I've got plenty of dry
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powder, so to speak, if I want to go do something.
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So we haven't seen any trades yet, Major League Baseball of
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any consequence. Let's see how this goes, and
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then we'll figure it all out and we'll get it done.
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Presley the lack of strikeouts 5 on the season that doesn't
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concern you? By who?
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By Ryan Presley Just five strikeouts all.
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Your life swinging this stuff is not there.
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That is a fair thing to say. But to say like I'm having
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people tweeting at me. DFA, this guy, he's terrible.
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He went an entire month without allowing one run.
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Now, is he the guy I want to hand the ball to in game, You
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know, seven of the World Series? Maybe not, but let's let this
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play out. Nobody's trading you an elite
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closer today. Nobody is going to trade you an
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All Star #1 starter today. So let's see where we're at.
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Speaking of game seven of the World Series, it'd be great if
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they got there. It'd be a hell of a series.
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Obviously Birdie's not on third base, is he?
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Who's playing third base? He'd be up and back by then.
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God, I hope so. So they're good that that that's
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the answer. That's the answer to Bruhan and
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Birdie. And you know, I don't think
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Turner's going to get too many opportunities there anymore.
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But shot down here, when, when are they I guess kept back of
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their minds, when are they thinking that he would get that
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call? End of May, few more weeks.
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I mean, how did you got you guys are there?
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I see the stats, I see the highlights.
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I haven't sat down and watched an entire Iowa Cubs game this
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year. So when you know, what do you
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guys see? Well, this because number wise,
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he looks like he's making progress.
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Birchie said the same thing. We had Tommy Birch went right
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Monday or Tuesday earlier in the week and Birchie kind of said
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the same thing. Well, you know what it was?
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It was when we speculated that Kate Horton might be coming up
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and we we talked to Birchie about that, then dovetailed into
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Matt Shaw. And he thinks obviously that
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that that the Cubs made the right decision and Horton's
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probably a little bit away and he kind of felt the same way
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with Matt Shaw. He.
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Had a couple of seeing eye singles in there.
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He hasn't quite. The numbers don't paint the
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picture exactly where Shaw is is how he relayed it to us.
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Capy, that you just look at the raw numbers.
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Oh yeah, he's ready. Still some work to be done, is
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the way that he phrased it. That makes sense to you, Cap
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what you're hearing. Yeah, absolutely.
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And then so they're trying, I think, to clean up his approach
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at the plate, you know, with that, the way he was when he was
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here with the front leg, the foot was turned all the way
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like. And then this humongous leg
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kick. Look how much better Miguela
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Maya is playing since they got rid of that leg kick.
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So let's see if they can make some, you know, mechanical
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adjustments. Those are not easy.
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Take guy who's had success, Obviously he's been a top
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prospect. He's highly drafted, got a huge
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bonus. Tough to tell him, hey, man, the
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thing you did to get you here, we need to blow all that up.
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So I think it's going to take a little time, but if you're
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asking me today, I would tell you if the Cubs are making a
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deep playoff run, that's the guy who's the 3rd baseman.
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PCA, we've talked about him a time.
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How about that? Dive the other day.
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What was he thinking? He's a character.
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He is this fan base, though. I mean, are we already seeing
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the the beginning moments of a cult hero, a guy that's going to
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be so beloved in Chicago that that this is going to be the
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Duke kind of like Rizzo was in his career?
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Is that what PCA is becoming in front of our eyes?
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Yeah, I think he's going to be a hell of a player.
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He had a terrible approach at the plate the other last night
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in the 10th inning. I still want to know why they
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didn't bunt. Why would you not bunt him in
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that situation? He's got speed.
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I know the Giants are playing, looking for it, but all you have
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to do is get the ball down. I feel like he could do that and
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if he can't, then that's something that he should be
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working on. He's not going to be a fifty
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home run guy. He's not Sammy Sosa going to the
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plate, he's PCA. I know he's got 9 or 10 home
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runs. That's awesome.
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He's not Aaron Judge, he needs to be able to hit the ball the
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other way. He needs to be able to lay a
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bunk down and I see too many of these freaking Major League
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players that can't get a bunk down.
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I remember the Cubs had first and second in the eighth inning
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trying to take the lead and I they didn't bunk with Aramis
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Ramirez. We take care all your guys.
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They there was nobody out and they did not lay a bunt down to
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get guys over and that they end up losing the ball game.
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And I said to I want to say Dusty, I'm trying to remember.
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Hey, Dusty, you guys ever heard of sacrifice Bunty?
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You want me to sacrifice bunt with Aramis Ramirez?
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He doesn't know how to bunk. I said, well, then that's on
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you. You should have gotten him to
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learn how to bunt. I learned how to bunt Little
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League. I don't care that he can hit the
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ball 9 miles. I need one run.
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I've got an All Star closer back.
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Then all I need is get get him over, get him in, close the game
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out and I walk out with a victory and he said I just let
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them swing away. I don't believe in that
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philosophy. And I would tell Craig counsel,
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you're a really good manager. You screwed up last night.
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That kid should have been bumping and if he can't get a
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bump down then sit his ass on the bench and bring a pinch
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hitter up who can. How big of a start today is this
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for for Ben Brown, cap important.
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I mean, he's been good. I I think that the criticism
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after his last one, everybody has bad ones.
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He's he's young, he's still figuring out.
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One the one before. Was it the one before?
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Well, I go back to Dodger Stadium on that Saturday night
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where he was unhittable. I mean, this is the Dodgers
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we're talking about. Two starts ago he was not good
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and Craig counsel said we need to see he needs to be better and
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his last start five days ago, trying to remember this is what,
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Wednesday? So who did we play?
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I think it was Milwaukee Friday night.
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He was really good. We won, I don't know, 10,
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nothing or whatever the final score was.
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I think it was 10 to nothing. He was really, really good.
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Control was good. Velocity is always going to play
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for him and his breaking stuff was really good.
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So yeah, this is a big start. Do you look at the analytics,
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just how they pitched? The last three I use a lot.
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I look at the pitching chart and it will be the last three
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starts. We'll go look at Robbie Ray the
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last three starts and go look at Ben Brown.
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And you would put your money on Robbie Ray to win the baseball
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game today. I hope I'm wrong.
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I'm a Cubs guy. But you know, there's a big
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start for him against a real quality opponent.
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This is not, you know, playing against the White Sox in
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Wrigley. This is the San Francisco Giants
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who have as good a record or maybe 1/2 game better than you
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do, so this is a big one. And raised what, three years
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removed from Masai Young in the American League and was hurt for
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a couple of those years. So right, it's a very.
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Good throwing the ball really well, really well.
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Now, last year, the bounce off the head from Thais the other
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night would have been perfect to kind of be that front level of
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it. What have you said for the White
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Sox, if anything? Do you do you see any guys that
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have caught your eye? Anything that maybe down the
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line? Is there anything at all for the
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White Sox fans to glob onto right now?
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Yeah, I mean, I like Edgar Carroll.
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I do. I think he's a good player.
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Chase my draw. He's fine.
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He's OK. He's not a star.
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He's not Dustin Pedroia over there at second base.
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He's a really solid, nice, solid player.
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Edgar Carroll, I think, has a real chance to be your regular
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catcher and a really, really good player.
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So let's see how that all shakes out.
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They're best guys, great Montgomery and a handful of guys
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down in the minors. And then what if Luis Robert
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can? He started to play better the
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last 10 days. He can keep this going.
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You'll be able to move him, and once you move him you should get
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a decent package back. Will they move him, Cap, do you
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think? They would love to.
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They would move him tonight. They would let him play for your
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softball team. He would be able to get a
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package back for him. I don't know if they can.
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We'll find out. I can offer you a case of Coors
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Light in a deep dish pizza. You get me a milkshake from the
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Drake Diner on here. Throw that in, you're good, huh?
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We got rookie mini camps with the Bears happening.
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Anything you're keeping an eye on, Anything that interests you
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as it pertains to the newbies making their way to Chicago.
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I mean, Colston Loveland said he's going to be able to do a
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lot. There's no tackling or anything.
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I know he had some shoulder issues he had worked on by the
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doctors, but he said he's got a clean bill of health.
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I want to watch. How does Ozzie Trapillo look in
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some of these drills and can he play left tackle?
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If he can, then I can keep Darnell right, who's a pure
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right tackle over there. And I can let your pillow battle
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with Braxton Jones and Karana Magaji for that other spot.
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We played a game with Ryan Polls the other day.
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We had him on our radio show. And every day at 8:00 we do
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something called shot or no shot.
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And we had Ryan polls only time he could do was 8:00.
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I said, OK, let's play Ryan play shot or no shot with him.
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I said shot or no shot we're making and the fan base is
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making way too much out of left tackle and rush edge.
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And he, Ryan was awesome. He goes shot and I said tell me
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why. And he went into this great
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answer like he knew exactly what we do.
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I think he's a listener. You could tell he knew what shot
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or no shot was and it was super cool.
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And he feels like they've got enough with Tooney and Dahlman
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and Jackson and Darnell Wright. He just got to figure out one
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spot. And so I think he feels like
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they're in a way better spot than we may think they are.
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I couldn't agree with you more. I just think that they're the
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the highest price right now. So let me run this by in the
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North, the to win the NFC North Lions are plus 140 Packers, plus
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260 Vikings 4:00 to 1:00 and then plus 425 for the Bears.
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I take some of that, don't you think?
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I mean, don't you think the Bears are alive in the North?
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I do think they're alive in the north now.
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The Lions are better football team right now.
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They are, but it changed. No coordinators.
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They changed D coordinators. Antoine Randall L left.
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I think another coach went with Aaron Glenda, The Jets.
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So you're like a whole new staff.
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There's got to be some level of change that's going to affect
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how good they are. But they got a lot of talent, so
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they're rightly so that they're the favorite.
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But you're telling me the Bears, with their schedule, can't go
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out and win 1011 ball game? OK, I think you're wrong.
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Doesn't mean they will, right? They certainly can.
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Who would you rather invest in the next teams, the Vikings or
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the Packers? Who concerns you more from the
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Bears? Perspective.
16:18
I think the Packers are finishing last.
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I do too. I do too.
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And that doesn't mean they're a horrible football team.
16:24
I think it's the best division in the NFL.
16:27
But I'm I'm not all in on that roster.
16:30
I think it's fine. But I would absolutely.
16:33
Last year, if you go back and look, they blocked the field
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goal in Chicago to save the game.
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If that field goal, which was blocked by the tip of the finger
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like a fingernail, if they make that kick, Matt Lafleur goes,
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Oh, and 6th in the division. Yeah, didn't win a game other
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than that block kick. Unbelievable.
16:53
David Kaplan, Great stuff. Cap, Glad you enjoyed the Derby.
16:56
Hopefully if you get back there again it's it's a much nicer day
16:59
because it is a hell of an experience. 148,000 was the
17:03
attendance, something like that I think.
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Crazy. Crowded.
17:05
Crazy. What was the drive from
17:07
Lexington like? It's not a long drive, but what
17:09
it seemingly was that there were a lot of folks doing the same
17:12
thing you did. Yeah, but the only problem was
17:15
the traffic through Indianapolis is horrible.
17:18
Yeah. But other than that, it was
17:20
great, had a great time, it really did.
17:22
Good stuff, Kappa. Thank you, buddy.
17:23
Talk to you next week. All right.
17:25
See you man. Yep, good to talk to you, David
17:26
Kaplan. Check in on Chicago sports with
17:30
our buddy the Cap Man Packers last.
17:33
Here's your exacta. Number one.
17:37
Pairs. I'm not.
17:38
It's not crazy, Trent. I know I don't like the Packers.
17:42
You don't like JJ McCarthy. No, I still think the Lions have
17:45
the most talent in the division and I trust Dan Campbell.
17:48
But the Eagles lost both coordinators 2 years ago.
17:52
They went in the. Crapper, right, they did and
17:54
with with Dan Campbell, his personality, it works great when
17:59
he got 2 veteran coordinators, 2 guys that have been there, they
18:03
can kind of calm the waters, if you will.
18:06
What happens if they have a three-game losing streak and he
18:09
got Dan Campbell freaking out? It's it's great when your leader
18:12
meant like that and you got the troops that are buying in, it's
18:16
great. I haven't seen it when it goes
18:18
the other way and all of a sudden that message, it's so
18:21
easy to listen to when you're winning football games now, you
18:25
get that eye roll, you shake your head.
18:28
So would you put Packers one because I know you don't like
18:30
McCarthy, you don't trust McCarthy?
18:33
I don't like. Any of them see McCarthy.
18:34
I don't like any of them. I like anybody in this division.
18:37
I can poke, I think, more holes in the four teams in the
18:41
division. But it's so competitive.
18:44
This is more of a dart board. We got a dart board in there,
18:46
right? Yeah, we do.
18:47
Actually put it in four quadrants and I'll just Chuck it
18:49
up there. That's how I'm I'm not confident
18:52
in anybody. The Lions losing their
18:54
coordinator, I think that's a big deal.
18:56
The Vikings, I don't believe have a quarterback, you know,
18:59
that's a big deal. The Bears are the Bears and the
19:03
Pack I guess would be the Packers because default.
19:06
But I also don't think that the Packers are some team that I
19:08
look at that. It's 12:00 and 5:00 maybe it's a
19:11
lot of 10 and seven this year, 9 and 88 and 9.
19:14
They're all just it's who gets a break, who has a miss field goal
19:18
at the end, who has. That's going to be the
19:20
difference in this division. Fascinating to see it unfolded
19:23
at the competition. We'll get a schedule by the way,
19:25
one week from today. We know they're playing with
19:29
home and away. We don't know when or a week
19:31
from today. We'll find out.
19:33
We'll take a time out. Before we do that though, let's
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Walton on the Red Birds next. Are they a threat in the NL
20:31
Central? We'll talk to Walt when we come
20:33
back. It's Miller and Condon on the
20:34
Iowa Sports Radio Network. 130. Welcome back, Miller and Condon.
20:40
Iowa Sports Radio Network taking you until 2 trends, plays of the
20:45
day, Circus sports sponsor. Those of us come up in about,
20:48
oh, 15 minutes or thereabouts. Giants have a couple of runners
20:52
on top of the first. Did Wrigley Field 2 out, no
20:55
score there. The Cardinals on the other hand,
20:57
they have struck first. They're playing in the 5th and
20:59
they have a 2. Nothing lead on the Pirates.
21:02
We bring on brianwaltonthecardinalnation.com.
21:05
Catch up with Brian on those red birds as they try to get the 500
21:09
here today with a win. They would do that.
21:11
Brian Trenton, Ken, thanks for coming on.
21:12
How are you, Brian? I'm doing fine, thank you.
21:15
It's good to hear from you. That means Cardinals wants to
21:17
win a few games. Absolutely love it.
21:19
Hope that they can continue. You know what?
21:21
Every now and then you come across one of these anomalies in
21:24
sports, right? Paul Skeens, phenom, such a
21:27
terrific pitcher, one of the best already in the game.
21:30
And yet since he's been in the major leagues, is it true that
21:33
he is? He never beat the Cardinals.
21:35
He's had five starts and he's O and four against the Red Birds.
21:38
Is that right? Isn't that amazing, really?
21:41
I guess even Superman had his kryptonite.
21:44
I guess for now at least, the Cardinals are that for schemes.
21:46
But I think he's going to have a very long, successful career
21:48
ahead of him. Yeah, and he'll beat them
21:50
eventually, but so far they've had his number, no doubt about
21:54
that. Well, when you look at this
21:55
team, Brian, when we go back to March when we spoke about, you
21:59
know, what we think the team is going to look like, What's one
22:02
guy maybe that you didn't expect to have the positive start that
22:07
he's had to this team so far in 2020?
22:11
Well, there's a couple of guys I I was going to start with
22:13
Matthew Libertar, who has gone at least 6 innings in every one
22:18
of his starts. And he's a guy that the
22:19
Cardinals took a lot of heat for because they traded him away.
22:22
A trade acquired him when he was a prospect for Randy Rose Arena,
22:25
who of course was an immediate star in the postseason for Tampa
22:28
Bay's was Seattle now has cooled down some.
22:31
But you know, it's taken Libertar a few years to figure
22:33
out how to get right-handed batters out, which is kind of
22:35
important, but he's done that. But, you know, right when I
22:39
looked over at the screen, because of course the Cardinals
22:41
are playing the Pirates right now, I saw, you know, the center
22:46
fielder, Victor Scott, you know, get on base again.
22:48
And this is a guy that came into camp and it wasn't sure.
22:51
They weren't sure if he or Michael Ciani was going to get
22:54
the job. And all Victor Scott has done is
22:57
continue to play excellent defense.
22:58
Senator, That wasn't the question with him.
23:00
The question was whether he was going to be able to get on base
23:03
enough to be successful. And the Cardinals were smart.
23:05
They kept him, you know, got at the bottom of the order, kind of
23:07
let him be a second lead off man almost.
23:10
And Victor Scott's been a very pleasant surprise for the
23:12
Cardinals this year. Looks like he's going to know,
23:13
you know, going to play that center field job for them for
23:15
for some time now. So Brian, knowing that you were
23:18
coming on today, I was doing a little research last night and
23:20
going through a few cardinal things and just getting a little
23:23
bit more refreshed on things. So you know what that leads to
23:26
my algorithm this morning when I opened up his Cardinal news,
23:29
including today's game Nolan Aronato scratched and boy that
23:34
circle of the Internet when you start to get into I'm sure you
23:37
know it well, Cardinal Twitter. Oh he's traded it's over.
23:41
It's no he had back spasms. That's so it shows you the.
23:44
The hug they I think was a famous term that gets used to
23:48
that is hug watch and all the cameras.
23:50
Everybody's looking in the duck out to see if if everybody's
23:52
saying goodbye and you know, all that was you know, it's not
23:55
going to happen. I mean, you guys know May 7th
23:58
isn't the time of the year when big trades happen in baseball.
24:00
It's going to it's going to be a while if it ever happens.
24:02
And the Cardinals are playing well right now and I think they
24:04
probably don't want to disrupt that team.
24:06
And you know, nobody's desperate enough yet to to give what the
24:09
Cardinals are going to want to get for knowing Arenado.
24:12
So I I don't think anybody should be thinking about trades
24:15
anytime until the counter gets flipped over a couple of months.
24:18
You're exactly right. But it's the Internet and it's
24:20
social media and it's a dangerous, dangerous place.
24:22
But with that, as we look forward off to, I wouldn't say a
24:26
surprising start. They're just they're hanging
24:29
around. They're they're playing okay and
24:32
and that's okay. Maybe in this division, maybe
24:34
the National League, we'll see how things play out.
24:37
But as we Fast forward throughout the course of the
24:39
year, you know, a month into the season fan base, are they
24:43
anticipating, hey, we're going to see a little bounce back in
24:45
terms of attendance kind of where are when we look at
24:47
overview of things here for 2025?
24:50
I think that right now the Cardinals have been highly
24:54
successful at home and they played some good teams.
24:56
I mean, you know, they they took care of the Mets last week at
24:59
home. The regular home is 13 and six
25:00
could be 14 and 6 after today. But on the road, they've been
25:03
terrible. And so, you know, and the
25:06
positive is, of course, if you go to a home game, you know, you
25:08
might see might see him win. But let's face it.
25:11
Well, there's a lot of excitement right now.
25:13
But hey, the Cardinals can get back to 500.
25:15
Well, that's where they were on opening Day.
25:17
So, you know, it's like, OK, now they've kind of dug out of a
25:19
hole that they've been in. Now let's see, you know, what
25:22
they can do with it. And it's really going to depend
25:24
on some of these young players who the Cardinals have, you
25:26
know, gambled on these young players.
25:28
And right now they're winning, you know, these well, they won
25:32
six out of last 8. They're winning without any
25:35
contributions to speak up from either Nolan Gorman or Jordan
25:38
Walker. And those are the two big bats
25:40
that they were hoping would step up and sort of fill in for that
25:43
loss of Paul Goldschmidt and maybe the loss of Aronado.
25:46
But the reality is they've been winning without those two guys.
25:49
But the Cardinals, even those two to figure it out, if they're
25:51
going to be more than a 500 team, as you guys know, 500 well
25:55
doesn't mean the playoffs. No.
25:57
Are you surprised by Goldschmidt's start with the
26:00
Yankees? Not really.
26:02
I mean, Paul Goldschmidt's a good player, quality player, and
26:05
you don't know for sure, but guys can get stale in their
26:08
environment. And, you know, maybe it was good
26:10
for him at this late stage of his late stage of his career to
26:14
get a little rejuvenation in New York.
26:17
It wasn't he was a bad player. And it was that Paul Goldsman
26:20
made too much money for the Cardinals to afford him.
26:22
So, you know, they let him go because there was part of their,
26:24
you know, austerity plan. We know obviously the back end
26:28
of that bullpen is a lead. I mean, when he got a guy like
26:30
Kelsey back there, what you're going to be able to do closing
26:32
out games with that power. I've been a little bit surprised
26:35
though, I just guys that it didn't have a whole lot deeper
26:38
that bullpen, Maton and Leahy and and what they've been able
26:41
to get out of some of these guys a little bit deeper down the
26:44
list. What, How would you rank the
26:45
bullpen at this point and some of those new forms that have
26:48
popped up for the Cards? Well, Trent, I'm glad you asked
26:51
me now and not two weeks ago because because through the
26:55
through the middle of the like around April 23rd, their ERA was
26:59
over 5 and they had six blown saves and they weren't getting
27:02
to Helsley. I mean, Helsley just got like
27:04
his fifth save the other day. You know, he's getting like one
27:06
save a week barely because they were losing these close games.
27:09
Now in the last two weeks, the Cardinals bullpen is like 6th
27:13
best in baseball and they've kind of figured it out.
27:16
And as you said, that, you know, they the guys that they need to
27:19
get to Ryan closer Ryan Helsey Maton, who's a, you know, a
27:23
known veteran. But this Kyle Leahy's been a big
27:27
surprise guy that was pretty unheralded.
27:29
And now, you know, it looks like they're going to take Gordon
27:31
Graceffo, who was a a starter that was, you know, had great
27:35
stuff but didn't have the consistency and they're going to
27:37
put him in the pan. He came in and got a quick save
27:39
last night. So, you know, maybe it'll be
27:41
another young guy that can help them, you know, get through
27:43
this, this long stretch that they're going to have this year.
27:46
Give me your thoughts on the division.
27:48
What have you seen so far about the NL Central?
27:51
Well, I think everybody's seen the Cubs offense, you know,
27:54
power them to a very, you know, nice lead in the division.
27:57
Milwaukee, you know, they've just been bit time and time
28:00
again by injury, but they're still playing 500 ball.
28:03
I think Cincinnati will, you know, continue to continue to be
28:07
in the hunt to not be in last place because I think Pittsburgh
28:10
is, you know, shown they're, you know, going to be at the bottom
28:13
of the heap. So, you know, I think the order
28:16
that the divisions in right now is pretty close to way it's
28:18
going to be. I think the Cardinals maybe can
28:19
get past Cincinnati, but I think it's a it's a big stretch, at
28:22
least at this point to say, you know, they're going to be able
28:24
to play consistently well enough to get into the playoffs.
28:26
But you know, having said that, it's only May 7th, barely 1/4 of
28:30
the way, not even a quarter of the way in the season.
28:32
Which is also crazy to think about.
28:35
Brian, next week, the series against the Royals, obviously
28:38
the Interstate series that we get every year, every year.
28:41
You know what the Royals back to respectability, what they did a
28:44
decade ago with the World Championship.
28:46
What's that rivalry like down there?
28:48
I, I know it probably depends what side of the border you're
28:51
on and and maybe somewhere in the middle, it's a little bit
28:53
different. But in general, what's the
28:54
Cardinals, Royals, Royals rivalry like?
28:59
You know, it's, it's not the same as the Cardinals and Cubs,
29:01
to be honest, because those two have been in the same division
29:04
for so long. But you know, it's, it's a
29:06
bragging right series. And it's important to a point.
29:08
I know my son who's now, you know, pushing 40.
29:12
I took him to his first game, which is a Cardinals, Cardinals,
29:14
Royals game in Kansas City when he was about two months old.
29:17
So, you know, it's and, and folks like to travel to
29:20
different ballparks and it's easy, obviously, to get across
29:22
the state and get to 1 park or the other.
29:25
So the games are always well attended and they're always a
29:26
lot of fun. You know, whether maybe one of
29:28
those clubs are, you know, going to be playing in October is
29:30
another question. Yeah with pool host maybe not
29:33
being there being retired now maybe lose a little bit course
29:36
be born and raised right in Kansas City and when he was with
29:40
the Cardinals. I want before we get out of
29:42
here, Brian, I want to, I want to save a minute for this.
29:45
Walt Jocarty who was such a huge influence on the Cardinals in
29:51
90s into the first decade, the arts, of course, he got his
29:55
start here in Des Moines when the A's, the the farm team, the
29:58
Oaks, He was here in Des Moines for the longest time found Tony
30:02
Larussa, gave Tony Larussa his first opportunity.
30:05
We saw with that and that friendship over the years.
30:08
Walt Jochity in the Cardinals Hall of Fame passed away within
30:11
the last month or so. How do you remember his
30:13
contribution to the Saint Louis Cardinals?
30:16
Well, first of all, well, Jackie, it was known but not
30:20
talked about that he had been ill for some time.
30:22
And I have the honor of being on the Cardinals Hall of Fame
30:24
nominating committee. And when we met back in January,
30:26
there was a lot of discussion of, hey, you know, we need to
30:29
make sure Walt gets in and he knows that he's going to be in.
30:33
And the hope was, of course, that he would, you know, still
30:36
be with us when the induction comes in August.
30:38
That's not going to be the case. But I understood that he's, you
30:41
know, worked on his speech before he passed and his
30:43
daughter's going to, I think his daughter's going to deliver it
30:45
for him. He, I mean, he was the architect
30:48
of the, the teams that were successful the early 2000s.
30:52
He made the trades. He brought in the Mark Mcguire's
30:55
and the Jim Edmonds and the the Scott Roland's, the Chris
30:59
Carpenters. I mean all those names that we
31:01
talked about him. And under him Poulos was drafted
31:04
and Molina was drafted. You know, every Cardinal that
31:06
you can think of and, and, and he acquired Adam Wainwright and
31:09
every cardinal star that you can.
31:11
Recent history was definitely directly due to Walt jockity and
31:14
unfortunately the environment in baseball changed and Jack and he
31:19
was a little bit resistant to it in Saint Louis and they're
31:21
caught. There were some political
31:22
problems that caused them to let him go.
31:24
And it's an unfortunate thing. It's it's too bad it got to that
31:27
because, you know, he moved on to a division rival, the Reds
31:30
and he, you know, helped them win some game stream.
31:32
I did not know that about you, that you're on the Hall of Fame
31:35
committee. How many members comprise that
31:37
committee? Brian, do you know?
31:38
There's there's 12 and I will tell you the first few years I
31:43
was beyond intimidated. I mean, realize I'm going into
31:46
this room and my vote is supposedly equal to that of Tony
31:50
Larussa and Red Shane DS and Whitey Herzog, and I'm thinking,
31:54
you know, this is not right. I woke up in a dream.
31:56
I'm some I'm somewhere I shouldn't be, right?
31:59
But. The reality is I, you know, I
32:00
followed the team for a long time and, and they invited me
32:03
because they know, I know Cardinals history well.
32:04
And it's a it's a great honor. And, you know, the Dewitts have
32:07
taken a lot of heat, the ownership of the Cardinals for
32:10
their austerity program that they're on right now.
32:12
But I will tell you, nobody cares more about the history of
32:15
the Saint Louis Cardinals and baseball and build Whip Junior.
32:18
He and his son both participate in all those meetings from
32:21
beginning to end. And they don't just sit there
32:23
and listen, they actually participate.
32:25
And you know, it's a it's great to have ownership that not only
32:28
cares about today, but they care about the past as well.
32:30
And, you know, there's a lot of hope that the current Cardinals
32:33
can show enough that they'll be willing to invest.
32:36
You know more fans will come back and they'll be willing to
32:38
invest more money on on players that they need to get over the
32:40
top. Brianwaltonthecardinalnation.com,
32:43
thecardinalnation.com. Brian, good to catch up with
32:46
you. Thanks for doing this.
32:47
We'll talk to you down the road. Thank you, Brian, good to talk
32:51
to you. Brian Walton,
32:51
thecardinalnation.com. That's pretty cool.
32:54
Unfortunately when he passed a couple of weeks ago, but knew he
32:59
was in and and good to know that he's actually working on his
33:01
speech. Trent will have some plays of
33:03
the day. They're coming up next.
33:04
Circus sports sponsor those. Miller and Condon are on the
33:08
Iowa Sports Radio Network. Miller and Condon welcome back.
33:12
Iowa Sports Radio Network plays of the day.
33:15
Circus sports sponsor those. There are three NL Central teams
33:19
already in action. The Brew Crew taking it on the
33:21
chin. They trail 61 Astros as the
33:24
Brewers come to bat in the bottom of 661 Houston.
33:28
Meanwhile, the Cardinals are blanking the Pirates that game
33:31
also win the six three nothing. Redbirds and the Giants have
33:35
jumped out in front one nothing over the Cubbies.
33:37
Cubs are batting in the second inning.
33:39
So those games have we started, Of course, Washington and
33:42
Cleveland well underway. There's baseball, there's NBA,
33:47
there's hockey. Let me ask you about 11 hockey.
33:52
One sports question. How much does the And the reason
33:56
I bring it up is The Jets had the stars number in the regular
33:58
season. They'll begin their series
34:00
tonight in the peg two weeks ago with the president with with the
34:05
number one seed on the line. So Dallas had something to play
34:08
for. The game was in.
34:09
Dallas just kicked the crap out of him before zip.
34:12
What does that mean tonight? Anything.
34:14
Zero. I agree none.
34:17
And I think it's sports in general.
34:19
I think we overeat. What happened?
34:21
Totally agree with you. Yep.
34:23
But I think hockey's an even different level.
34:26
Yeah, I think all sport, Yeah, I don't think it matters in any of
34:29
them, truly. How many times that we point to
34:30
that and then it doesn't mean a thing.
34:33
At times there's style that dictate things and it's a
34:37
difficult matchup because, but those are 10% of the time maybe
34:43
less than that, that that actually is indicative of the
34:46
way it is. I mean, the old adage, it's
34:48
difficult to beat a team three times in the end, right?
34:50
Except it isn't. Math shows us that it's actually
34:53
not right, and there's usually a reason that you already beat
34:56
A-Team twice, because you're better now.
34:58
Yeah, it's just ingrained with people's heads that you keep
35:00
hearing it over and over again. It must be true, right?
35:03
Like go back to the first segment of the program,
35:05
America's Team Up. Actually, Steve, right.
35:07
And it just sticks in there because that's what it is and
35:09
that's what we hear. So now I don't take anything
35:12
from that. Nervous tonight, Excited both,
35:15
Yes. Man don't like the 851st putt
35:18
drop but who cares right? I mean, it's you've signed for
35:21
that, Ken, Yeah. Shifley.
35:23
He's he went through the pre game skate and he and they went
35:27
through the power play drills with him on it now Morrissey
35:30
their best offensive, the best defenseman overall.
35:33
I don't think he'll play, but the stars 2 of their best
35:36
players are out as well. One of them game time one of
35:38
them out. So that's fair.
35:39
Here's the question when it comes to The Jets.
35:42
What what Connor Hallibuck shows up tonight?
35:44
Because here's what. Here's where I I'm cautiously
35:47
optimistic. Don't let him get confident.
35:50
Yeah. Because if he does, he can and
35:52
we set you in the regular year. So winning a playoff series,
35:56
there's step one. Doing it in the Game 7, that was
36:00
another big. Hurdle and letting a couple of
36:01
awful goals and then finding a way.
36:04
He was a brick wall from middle to first period.
36:06
He was, he's outstanding. So who knows?
36:11
You know it is. It's obviously there's a mental
36:13
part of it. I think yeah, for him for sure.
36:17
But can it flip the other way? Hope so.
36:20
Where you go from the mental side being a problem to you get
36:24
past that and now it's back to being the best goal in the game.
36:26
The Stars are an overwhelming favorite in this series despite
36:29
home ice advantage for The Jets. Why?
36:33
I think that it's kind of the roster for roster the the Stars
36:38
have a deeper roster. They have their, their trade
36:40
deadline was much more significant and impactful than
36:43
Winnipeg's. I mean, where would you rather
36:45
play, right? We want to play for a winner
36:49
though, too, yeah. Dallas is there, but like, I
36:51
think it's going to be a long series.
36:52
I do. I'll be disappointed if it goes
36:54
for No, it won't be if it goes our way, but I'd be disappointed
36:58
if the Stars dispatch my squad in four or five games.
37:01
So get one of these two and then everybody gets back.
37:04
Hopefully Josh Morrissey and Mark Scheif lead 100% and away
37:08
we go and let the chips fall where they may.
37:11
What are you betting on? Well, I'm going to be playing
37:13
some hockey tonight that that game though.
37:15
Taking the Florida Panthers or the Toronto Maple Leafs I'm.
37:18
Taking Florida and I'm going to lay the goal and 1/2 going to go
37:21
puck line plus 185 in a bounce back spot.
37:24
Even in Toronto, I will jump on the.
37:26
Toronto's number one goalie is out with a concussion.
37:29
He got hurt in that game. So that's good.
37:32
Yep, we'll take the Panthers and lay the 1 1/2.
37:34
For him it's not good, but. For my betting, very, very well
37:38
could be good 2 baseball plays. Well, one are already underway.
37:41
I told you earlier this morning I was on the Giants with Robbie
37:43
Ray against the Cubs and out to A1.
37:45
Nothing lead in that one. Grab the Rangers.
37:48
Tyler Malley's been outstanding. I know it's early, but he has
37:51
been great for the Rangers and the Red Sox.
37:54
He's starting to go the other way just a little bit like the
37:57
pitching match up here and the plus money that goes along with
37:59
it will grab the Rangers plus one O 8.
38:02
I can't quit him. Kikuchi's on the mound against
38:05
your Blue Jays. I will take the plus money with
38:09
Kikuchi in that matchup. He just.
38:11
Caught him last night. Looking for win #1 This season
38:14
he hasn't won a game. He hasn't won a game.
38:15
Oh, and four. What is it?
38:16
The Angels. That doesn't help.
38:18
And then I'm doing this to wrap up NBA tonight.
38:21
Boston's going to bounce back, right?
38:23
Do. You think they don't?
38:25
Thunder going to bounce back, right?
38:26
Both of them, yeah. Well, even a money line parlay
38:29
doesn't pay anything. Let's just lay the points in
38:31
both of them. Put it together.
38:33
Take a shot. Take what?
38:34
Are what are the numbers? I never looked. 10 1/2 for the
38:37
Celtics, 11 for the Thunder. Lay in big numbers.
38:40
I'd normally don't like to do it.
38:41
Let's give it a shot. Little fun, better bounce back
38:45
after a 2 and 4 yesterday. Yeah, but you were five and old
38:47
the day before. You can't take that one away
38:49
from me. You'll never take that away from
38:51
your TC. The drive is coming up next.
38:54
Heather Lucas take you until 5 Overtime Iowa at that time.
38:57
Trent and I are here every Monday through Friday from noon
39:00
until 2 talking sports with you on the Iowa Sports Radio
39:04
Network.