October 23, 2024 • 35 mins
Rob and Kelvin pay their respects to the late-great Fernando Valenzuela and discuss which athletes have had the greatest rookie season of all-time. Plus, MLBBro.com managing editor JR Gamble swings by for this week’s edition of Foul or Fair.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcasts. Be sure
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Our number three on a worship Wednesday. Rob Parker, Kelvin, Washington.
We are the Odd Couple and we're broadcasting live from
the tier rach dot com studios tire rack dot com.
We'll help you get there on unmatched selection, fast free shipping,
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(00:48):
rac dot com. The Way tire buying should be in
about twenty eight minutes bottom of the hour, a foul
Affair with JR. Gamble from mlbbro dot com, and of
course last call is well in about forty five minutes.
You have a chance to call in and case you
missed something in the show where you wanted to chime in,
or you want to tell Kelvin he was wrong on
(01:09):
a couple of topics.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
Or stuff like that. It'll be your opportunity.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
You know, they ain't calling.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
All the phones will be jammed, Rob, He'll be mad.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Oh stop it.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
No doubt about it. And we lost a iconic player
and someone who I remember vividly when he broke onto
the scene.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
I was in high school.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
But Fernando Vealezuela, at age sixty three, passed away and
we don't know the cause of death. I will say
this to you, Kelvin. I we're going to say the
same thing I saw him, yeah about at the nitty
end of the season, when they said he was going
to cut back, and remember they announced that he wasn't
going to be involved to do the games. He does
(01:54):
the Spanish language broadcast or for the Dodgers on radio.
And I saw him and I said to myself, Oh,
he does not look good to me. And you know
what I mean, and that and Matti, you work out
there too. Anybody who had seen him knew that and
(02:15):
just wasn't good. He's very gone then, you know, And
I was like, oh.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Man, to be honest with you, Rob. So you know, obviously,
as you mentioned, I work in the same building with
the Dodgers television network SNLA Sports in LA and he'd
come in periodically and you you know, you kind of
keep to yourself, don't want to say anything that's not
your plumsiness, And to be honest to you know, anyway,
I'll just leave it alone. You just was wondering, you know,
(02:41):
maybe he's trying to get better health, maybe lose some weight.
But you know, as I've seen him over the last
couple of years, it was like, Okay, my thought was
something isn't right, but your stay hopeful. I heard Dusty
Baker talking about it today. They had him on as
they were paying homage to him, and he had mentioned
that he saw him, and people were kind of telling him, hey,
just you know, he doesn't like to talk about it.
Just just kind of converse with him like you normally do,
(03:01):
have a good time. He doesn't want to necessarily talk
about that, and so you you know, there were a
lot of folks who had quietly been concerned for a Laker,
a Dodger legend, City of La legend, obviously, a Mexican legend.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Oh god, I mean a god in Mexican iconic god,
it for sure. And let me tell you, you know,
I've been coming sports for a long time, but not
long enough to have covered him in his prime or
in nineteen eighty one. I was in high school, right,
and I remember fer Nandomania like for real, like when
(03:38):
people talk about it. I remember it very vividly because
I was in high school in nineteen eighty one. The
Mets were awful, terrible team. That was my team growing up.
I would get my five dollars to you know, take
the train and number seven train to share stadium, go
to the game.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
I'm not lying to you.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Back in those days, five dollars got you a bleacher seat,
a hot dog, a drink ready, a drink, a scorecard,
and car fare, you know what I mean, busting trained
to get to the ball, and you would have fifty
cents leftover. No lie, it used to cost four point fifty.
(04:20):
I just told you all the stuff you could go
and have, right, So Fernando back, You know, the Dodgers
didn't come to New York that off.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
They come from one road trip, right.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
They come to New York one time of the year,
three game series, pitching mesro averaging eight or ten thousand
people per game.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
They sold out the games.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Do you hear me?
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Like this bad team got a sellout crowd because Fernando
was pitching. That's when people used to you know, when
you would go for the pitcher who's pitching today?
Speaker 4 (04:53):
What Tom sever whatever?
Speaker 3 (04:55):
You know, Fernando, Oh no, I'm going Jim Palmer, Oh no,
I'm going.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
Of that game. So anyway, it was very vivid in
my mind.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
And when you think about what he was able to
accomplish in his career, it's pretty amazing.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Yeah. I mean, shoot, man, I'll start as somebody who's
not from here, who's been out here now for shoot,
almost fifteen years in Los Angeles, uh, but also a
sports fan, you started to see the Fernando Valenzuele, you
know that they would honor him and you pop up
maybe during a postseason game they remember that time when
and I was like, yeah, I know, I want to
know the story. That's great. But then moving here, living
(05:33):
where there are so many Mexican and Mexican American folks,
so many folks who remember growing up or what it
was like, so many who felt underrepresented, even though the
population here in the greater Southern California area is you know,
predominantly or at least largely Mexican Mexican American, but maybe
not feeling that, especially when they watch their baseball and
(05:54):
half somebody that they can identify, half somebody that can
say he's one of us. Half someone. Remember, the Dodgers
had a really rough relationship with the locals here because
of how they where they built Schevez Ravine and they
where they built Dodger Stadium. There was friction there the
way they kind of took that area over and just
kind of moved people out. So there was a lot
of friction within the Mexican Mexican American community here, and
(06:17):
so they were trying to bids that bridge that relationship,
and they needed somebody who could be as they said,
are Mexican Sandy Kofax. And they found that guy in
Fernando Vealezuela. Now, just because you find him doesn't mean
that person gonna live up to the talent wise, and
he did. He did, he embraced it. And sometimes Rob
that's what makes sports great as being the real reality TV,
(06:38):
if you will, the only real reality TV where you
just don't know what's gonna happen. You got this Mexican
uh God picture playing for an iconic franchise and a
Dodger in an area that needed it most at a
time where they're trying to still build relationships and bridge
the relationships. He comes, He's a star. He needs a star.
Right off the bat, he creates his mania and to
me reminds me there's other this happens, like, you know,
(07:01):
I think of Jeremy Lynn, what he meant for the
Asian community to have, Wow, we have someone in the
NBA that's balling, that's doing his thing, and we can
point to our kids can say wow, I want to
do that. And so it's Tiger Woods what he did
for golf where a lot of young black players and
other players, but a lot of young black kids were like, Wow,
you know what, I want to play golf.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
Fortunately nobody came out of that.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
That's the most unbelievable that we could do our whole
segment on I have a response to that. We'll do
that absolutely, that's another way. But I think that's what
it meant for. Again, for an area like Los Angeles,
it would have been amazing if he was in Minneapolis.
It would have been amazing if he were with uh,
you know, the Cleveland Indians at the time, but the
Guardians now he could but it was where it should
(07:45):
make stories great man. And sometimes when you get that
perfect match of the person, the time, the place, and
the talent.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
And then for people who don't know and and really,
I mean the dude, Fernando was rookie year Cy Young
and helped the Dodgers win the World Series in nineteen
eighty one. They got that crazy MLB network showing the
highlights and the games.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
Yea from eighty one or whatever.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
Back then, Dusty Baker, this is how long ago Dusty
Baker was playing for the Dodgers. He's outfielder, right, he
was a young guy that played for the Dodgers back then.
That's how long ago it was. You look at Dusty
now as an elder statesman, a retired manager, seventy some
years old. But my point is that is how great
he was to win Rookie of the Year Cy Young
(08:37):
and then helped the team win a World Series.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
And I'm gonna say this to you.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
And this is not prisoner of the moment, and I'm
making it hyperbole because of his death and just trying
to say the nicest things about him. How was that
not the greatest rookie season by anybody I'm in sports.
I would love to hear like we talked about last
year Wimby. Right, Oh, look at what Wimby did in
(09:06):
the No, no, no. They only won seventeen games, you
know what I mean, Like they didn't transform into some
winner or to be a rookie. Rookie of the years
are given Cy Young, Cy Young, Okay, that's what every
pitcher in the league. And then to be that big
of an impact so that the Dodgers win the World
(09:29):
Series in nineteen eighty one, somebody would have to help me.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
I have somebody that I'll throw at you. I'll throw
it at you now. Actually, and then we're also eight
seven seven ninety nine on Fox. You can get some
calls to if you want to just you know, show
your appreciation.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
But we also, right, we also want to hear about.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Just amazing that that rookie campaign. You know who else
had an amazing one in the same city, Magic Johnson.
I mean, you talk about coming out of a state
a college Championshi thinking, all right, he was really good,
and you know, we'll see how it works out in
the league and you come in and you ball, you
start a thing called showtime, you win Rookie of the
(10:09):
Year or didn't matter if actually think Larry Bird won
Rookie of the Year. I'm not mistaken. Yeah, I can
say that's what I mean. But he balls out right
there in contention for Rookie of the Year. Go to
the finals, you got Kareem goes out Game six, You
put up that iconic game with forty two, fifteen and
eight or whatever it was. You win in finals at MEP.
(10:30):
I'm not saying it's better, but I'm just trying to
throw other options that Magic's up there.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
I think that magic the idea that he didn't win
the Yeah, it is, but he didn't win the Rookie
of the Year, which is the part that hurts Magic's argument,
right because even though tremendous, everything you said is one
hundred percent spot on, and he won.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Bird didn't win a championship. Magic won it right, right.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
So eight seven seven Fox, rob G you got any what.
Speaker 4 (10:58):
About Dwight Dwight good? Yeah, No, Dwight was a Rookie
of the Year.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
He didn't want to saw Young that year because he
only won seventeen games. He won cy Young the next year,
but not the first year. It's just funny to hear
you say he only won seventy times. I know, and
he was a kid, Dwight.
Speaker 5 (11:17):
Dobey Lyon when he said you hate greatness, he only
won seventeen games hates.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
I don't know what. I don't know what it is.
Speaker 4 (11:24):
I got, I got too Okay.
Speaker 5 (11:25):
Yeah in football in the NFL Friend of the Show,
Eric Dickerson, yep.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
I was looking at that. Eighteen touchdowns, Yeah, eighteen hundred yards.
Speaker 5 (11:32):
He was Rookie of the Year, second in the MVP
as a rookie, and then the other one and w
kind of alluded to it. It doesn't seem that way
because we don't think of golf as seasons. Tiger Woods,
in his first year on tour, breaks the Masters record
and becomes the fastest player ever to reach number one,
which he held for like a decade plus, like to
(11:54):
be that dominant right out of the gate?
Speaker 4 (11:57):
Is he cost me my marriage? How in the world
he cost me my maverage?
Speaker 3 (12:05):
I mean we went to on our honeymoon to Japan,
and my wife and I were sitting on the edge
of the bed watching him compete in the Masters, and
you know we didn't get a chance to really you know, consummate, yes,
consummate the wedding.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Just hold on, man, you were worried about the wrong
nine iron right now about your today?
Speaker 2 (12:25):
It was fun.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
You was worried that man worried about the wrong I
ain't supposed to worry about your own club player. I'm
so mad you got who got a better up and
down game? Rob Tiger?
Speaker 4 (12:37):
You there you go.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
You was missing out on the back nine, and I
did because I did hit it in the bush thoughole
few times. But that was just I don't know if you.
I don't believe you. I don't believe I think you
got mos what I think. I think you missed your
tea time though.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
Faced big time. No, but I'm not kidding you.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
We were.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
We watched my wife and there's no lie. I'm dead
serious because it was so amazing. You remember that he
destroyed and it was it was history making, and we
watched We're sat on our bed and watched Master and
watch him win the Masters. No, that's a good one,
Rob g eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox. Let's
leave some time for people to chime in on their
(13:21):
thoughts on Fernando.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Fernando Valinzuela man amazing and you're an amazing person by
all accounts. You know, it's just amazing run.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
And we're looking for the greatest rookie season ever? Was
it Fernando's nineteen eighty one Rookie of the Year Cy
Young and helped his team win a World Series?
Speaker 4 (13:40):
All right? Eight seven seven ninety nine.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
On Fox, it is The Odd Couple Rob Parker kelvin
Washington on this Worship Wednesday. Stick and stay unless you're
a waitress with the Tiger Woods voicemail in.
Speaker 6 (13:52):
The US boys, It's Uh, It's Tiger.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brusso then Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Fox Sports Radio. The Odd Couple, Rob Parker, kelvin Washington,
coming to you on a worship Wednesday, and we're coming
to you live from the tire rack dot Com Studios, Folks,
Rapid Radios are the official communication device of Fox Sports Radio.
Rapid Radios our incidant push to talk walkie talkies offering
(14:29):
national LTE coverage and no subscription or monthly fee. Ever,
perfect for instant contact with aging parent. We use them
around the show, so make sure you go to Rapid
radios dot Com now for up to sixty percent off
and free shipping. We are honoring the late great Fernando Veleinsuela.
We're taking your phone calls on it as well and
talking about his rookie season was incredible. He was Rookie
(14:52):
of the Year, Cy Young winner World Series Chat with
the Dodgers. We're asking are there any comparable rookie seasons
in any sport? Eight te seven nine on Fox eight
seven seven ninety nine on Fox. What we got?
Speaker 4 (15:03):
All right?
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Art in Glendale, Arizona, You're on the odd couple of
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
What up? Art Man? What they do?
Speaker 6 (15:09):
Uncle Rob? Magic? Sydney Parker?
Speaker 1 (15:11):
How you wouldn do?
Speaker 6 (15:13):
Calt?
Speaker 1 (15:13):
What's up? Man?
Speaker 7 (15:15):
Man?
Speaker 6 (15:15):
I'm telling man, I'm just miund you. I just want
to say this, Robin. You know I'm gonna take you back. Yes,
you a baseball for faniciato if I said that right now? Yes, sir, Rob,
you remember back in the day. I'm a lifelong Dodgers man.
I'm from Top Central, Los Angeles, nine thousand and one.
Shout up. Okay, anyway you remember back in the day.
(15:36):
If you watch any Dodgers game from the middle eighties,
to the man nineties. The guy in the back behind
home plate with the Fedora hat on, smoking a cigar
with the speed gun. Yes, he's the one discovered. Fernando Venezuela.
He went down to the Mashkin Baseball League. He was
(15:58):
looking at a hitter, but he's seeing him, you know, Fernando,
he'll he'll do the shout out Tomo, he'll do that
that leg but put his eyes up in there. But
he had one of the wickedest screwballs in the world,
and everybody thought it was a change up whatever, and
it'll start hiring it a go love Nobody, nobody can
(16:22):
hit that. But the way when he came in, he
took la oh ring. You know it's moti very see
in La Blacks love Latinos, Latinos love blacks. It's a culture, right,
So this was so huge. This was bigger than when
Kobe came to the Lakers.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
No, no, no, no doubt because you're right with the
And the scout's name was Mike Brido.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
Is that the guy Manti Yeah?
Speaker 3 (16:48):
Okay, but but his point is well taken because and
you know this, it's a testament to Dodgers.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
Okay, when I go to Dodger games.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Okay, Hispanic people Mexican mean Mexicans, they're everywhere. They love baseball.
They love the Dodgers right, without question. And the Dodgers
show four million tickets every year, four million tickets, and
Fernando encompasses city right. Just became an icon here. There's
(17:18):
no doubt about it.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
I think your game, man, when you think about the
bridging he did, right, you gotta remember there was a
friction between the Mexican and Mexican American community with the
Dodgers for some years, and he kind of helped bridge
that relationship.
Speaker 6 (17:32):
Man.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
It was That's why I said, sometimes God just throws
out amazing moment. It's like Larry Bird going to Boston
and Lakers showtime, smile flair. This guy hard working, blue
collar and just kind of I want to just go
to work and play.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
I'm not saying that Larry couldn't have played in La
or you know what, but if it's better a white
star in Boston and a showman in LA.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
I was gonna use that example earlier as well. Just
sometimes things just fit, it makes sense for the perfect place.
Uh Derreck Rose from Chicago number one pick and then
he balls out because of the m v P for
the hometown team, Lebron would accron in Cleveland. It just
sometimes things just work out great in sports, all right,
Mark and Sacramento. Man, Mark, you're in the odd couple
of Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 7 (18:16):
Yo, Yo, what's going on?
Speaker 1 (18:18):
Guys?
Speaker 7 (18:18):
Hey, Rob, I got a bad connection, So I hope
I don't put you guys.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
Okay, okay, go ahead.
Speaker 7 (18:24):
But because it talk to you, mister Washington, first time
talking to you.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
I appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
Great to talk to you.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
Mark from Sacramento is our long time gatekeeper of the
odd couple.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Sack town.
Speaker 7 (18:34):
Back town up. So I want to talk about Fernando
because he's absolutely right in his effect in transments at
that time. But and they tell you there was I
have been a game in my in my memory with
they're playing the Mets. It was light, good and pitching
and they went they went Ziro zero into the ninth.
(18:55):
David Johnson took me getting out at the bottom of
the night and and and left then play the second
pitch of the Starberrys hit the home run into the
right field. Then they just started sucking my mind.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
Yeah, you know what, that's incredible.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
He hit three. He hit three hundred as a pitch hitter.
And don't sleep on the athlete too.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
And and the thing that's crazy is, uh, back then
that I did at Dwight pitch nine and Fernando pitch ten,
like that was baseball back then.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
Ain't nobody coming out.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
Those guys weren't coming out because nobody in the bullpen
was better than those guys even after they pitched.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
So they rolled around their grave. Right now, man, seeing
what these pitcher as doing. They happy they get three
and a half four out of them.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
Andre in Massachusetts, you're on the couple of Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
What's up, dra, how you doing?
Speaker 8 (19:44):
Thanks for taking the call. All due respect, Fernando bounds
well in terms of taking MLB by storm his rookie year,
as you said, Rookie of the Year Cy Young and
winning the World Series. For me, I gotta go back
to Luel Cinder.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
He's a there for sure.
Speaker 8 (20:01):
Came in the NBA twenty eight points, fourteen rebounds, four assists.
Speaker 9 (20:06):
They weren't keeping.
Speaker 8 (20:07):
Track of blocks that back then did not secure the
championship had to go to the New York Knicks in
nineteen seventy, but the very next year his sophomore sensational
sophomore year with Oscar Robertson, they go ahead and secure
the NBA title. So Kareem how he started then his
longevity pound for pound, he may not get over because
(20:28):
since Val Fernando was able to secure it with a
championship and Kareem didn't. But that for me and again
he couldn't play right with Kareem, you couldn't play in
college as a freshman, right right, He had to wait
that freshman year and then his three years that UCLA
were absolutely dominant, comes to the NBA, maintains that dominant
wins the championship in his second year. That to me
(20:48):
is the best starts that I can think of.
Speaker 7 (20:50):
Thanks taking the call.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
Hey, let me tell you some of you talking about basketball.
One name I ain't gonna argue with you with is
a few Michael, Jordan, Lebron and Kareem. Anything with Kareem
absolutely is worthy of anything he gets. Follow affair with JR.
Gamble that is on deck right now. What's trending?
Speaker 2 (21:08):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
It is time now for foul or fair with our
guide JR gambles that ball is it.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
Was a big week in the big leagues.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
Who's a Who's A five?
Speaker 2 (21:35):
Is it foul or is it fair?
Speaker 10 (21:37):
And now from mlbdbro dot Com here's jrgamball.
Speaker 5 (21:43):
That's right, it's fouler fair. Here in the OD couple,
JR gamble sitting in with the I couple. We're up again.
Just don't have to speed through this. No time for
the introductions again.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
JR.
Speaker 5 (21:51):
Though, is the star of the segment. Y see her
first crack at every single question. Let's get to it, uh, JR.
Otani's fifty fifty home run balls officially been sold at
in Auxy for four point three nine million dollars, almost
one and a half times more than the previous mark
set in nineteen ninety eight by Mark McGuire's seventieth home
run ball.
Speaker 4 (22:09):
Here's the question.
Speaker 5 (22:10):
It took about twenty five years for Otani to break
McGuire's record, So JR. In the next twenty five years,
fat or fair to say another ball will sell for
more than Otani's four point three to nine MILLI fair
that's a fair ball.
Speaker 9 (22:27):
Of course, if we're paying a third amount of money
fellas for every broken record, because that's what it seems like. Man,
this is by no means like the greatest accomplishment in
Major League Baseball history. But the heights behind Otani's always
a little extra. So fifty to fifty is nine number.
But where somebody gets sixty to sixty or hit seventy
homers again, I'll get eight hits in the game, one
(22:49):
hundred stolen bases or something crazy like that, and I
think we'll eclipse O Toanny's record. There's something called inflation
in the higher cost of living that makes these things
happen in short order.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
Now, nop, I say fair, it's a fair ball.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
If Aaron Judge or somebody old Tawny you know, has
a chance to break Barry Bonder's record, the ball is
going to sell for a gazillion dollars.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Simple fair. Yep, he goes what the guy said. Especially.
I was going to go full all mister, but Jr.
Stole my moment when I was going to say inflation
it thinks are just always going up. So four point
whatever million in twenty years.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
Can you imagine going to the ball ball game and
catching the ball.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
That's where four million.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
So did you see the guy who took it from
the teenager who had it. That's the crazy. He's suing
the guy because he had in his hand. But the
guy locked his hands and with his knee so he
couldn't get his arm out. He took the ball.
Speaker 4 (23:41):
From him like he ran out of the stadium with.
Speaker 9 (23:44):
Yeah, money, money, money, money, money, money.
Speaker 4 (23:48):
All right, question number two.
Speaker 5 (23:49):
Yankee g and Brian Cashman said today on MLB Network
that he has a problem with people who bring up
the Yankees fifteen year World Series drought because he quote
discounts that some other organization cheated us. We were all
the way there in the end, shots fired at Houston.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
JR.
Speaker 4 (24:05):
Fowler Fair say.
Speaker 5 (24:06):
The Yankees would have at least one World Series title
if it wasn't for those cheating astros.
Speaker 6 (24:13):
Fair it's a fair ball.
Speaker 9 (24:15):
I mean, those contests were pretty evenly matched, and the
Yankees were more than up to the task. If you
actually watched that series. I was at two of those games,
and it seems as if you think got every single
big break to every pitch to layoff, every pitch to
hit in the key moment so much that is perplexed.
The players manages more than usual. Everybody knew something fishy
(24:38):
was up, and you could never cheat all throughout a
series that close and say you are the chance and
feel good about it, because I don't think they would
have won without cheating. What other conclusions can you draw
unless you're just hating on the Yankees?
Speaker 4 (24:54):
I say fair, it's a fair ball.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
Remember the walk off home run Bile two vevers, like
he knew it was coming. It was like a Chapman
of rold As Chapman was like stunned. If you go
go back and watch a video, He's like, how did
this dude crush it like that?
Speaker 9 (25:10):
His wife? His wife didn't want to take off his shirt, right.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Oh yeah, that was what he said. Well, for me,
it's foul.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
That is a foul ball.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
I'm going with the larger conversation of let's say what
you're saying about that one is right, y'all still ain't
won the other fourteen years, so like it ain't like
y'all played in fourteen to fifteen years in a row. Y'all,
I had got the chances to get it done in
other years, So I think it's foule. I get his point,
but it's fifteen years this the expectations that come with
the Yankees, all right, last.
Speaker 5 (25:42):
One foul a fair Jr. Gamblesitting in with the eye
coming Jr. Don't expect any bulletin boarded material heading in
a Friday's Game one of the World Series. Because Aaron
Judge told reporters on Tuesday he thought that show al
Tani is the.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
Best player in the game.
Speaker 5 (25:56):
Here it is very simple, not controversial at all, faul
or fair to say that Sho is the best player
in baseball right now.
Speaker 9 (26:06):
Everybody knows what I'm gonna say. Fact that is a
fallI ball what No, He's among the top five players
in the game. He's probably the most feared dinner outside
of Judge. But it's hard to put Otani over players
about the winning second MVP and has the al reckond
for homers and Jeff as lethal or more than Otani
(26:28):
when he's grooving. What about RONALDA Kunya. He was out
the season, but he plays every day with forty seventy.
To me, that's a better season than fifty to fifty Fellas.
Otani's not even a three hundred career hitter if he
was still pitching, maybe, but Jeff as a DH No way,
that's not playing the game the full games. We can't
(26:49):
ever dismiss defense. If we do, we've forgotten what baseball is.
Speaker 7 (26:53):
By Q.
Speaker 4 (26:54):
Violin, Yeah, I agree, I say foul, right, foul.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
That is a fallible because he's the best player when
he's doing both. That's what makes him the best player.
If it is just hitting. Uh, while he does, he
is a great hitter and does a lot of stuff.
He doesn't lead in all the categories the way Aaron
Judge has had a better season at the plate, and
(27:19):
he plays center field every day.
Speaker 4 (27:22):
So I do not think.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
I don't think Otani's a better player as an everyday
player than Aaron Judge. But when he pitches every fifth
day and you add that to the mix, there's no
question about it.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
I'm going fair, but I don't say anything. I don't
think you guys are crazy for saying foil. I think
there's two or three guys that are right there. So
if you pick one, I paid twato Tomato. But for me,
I'm going foul, and I'll say a couple of reasons. One,
we know he's gonna pitch again, and even if he's
just a solid starter, that's just remarkable. Also because he
steals basis, so it's not like he's just coming. He's
(27:53):
not big poppy coming to hit home runs and that's
all I do. Also, when that man can play in
the outfit if they ever really needed him to, he
can play in the outfit. So it's not like he's
not this world class athlete. He can do just about anything,
and he's doing things we haven't seen in a hundred
years and even better than when we did see a
hundred years ago. So to me, yes, it is foul
and he is. I believe he is the best player.
(28:15):
Was a fair I'm just saying I forgot any best player.
Speaker 6 (28:18):
You go.
Speaker 4 (28:18):
You know what you're talking about, all right, Jr? Thank you,
my man. We appreciate you.
Speaker 9 (28:23):
Thank you. Kelvin and Rob actually go to work unlike Paul,
George and Joellen.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
I'm just right, oh man, dang, you know what. I
wish we could disagree with you, but you're right right
on the money spot on, my man. Thank you, appreciate it.
We appreciate you Jr.
Speaker 4 (28:38):
As always, that's what time it is, Kelvin.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
Let's good that's right, eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox.
If you couldn't get in earlier, eight seven seven ninety
nine on Fox is the number to reach us. We
want to hear from you. We've dropped a bunch of
great conversations today. We talked about the Chiefs, We talked
about Bronnie. We showed love and just switch. You would
tune it down a little bit. You're too contentious every
day you know on this show, No that man. Listen,
(29:01):
Trey wing Go. You're lucky he like you because he
would never call back my guys. You lucky. That's your
man's We talked about the legacy of Fernando valencewell as well.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
So whatever it is, that's the first time he mixed
it up in about since he's been off a ESPN.
Speaker 1 (29:12):
He needed that he got. I'm telling you, I hope
nobody was around him because when he got the phone,
he was fired. He yelled at the next person he like,
I said, I want to locked he with eyes extra caramel.
They're like, dang, Trey, my bad time. What were you
on the show on the radio where Rob Parker and
somebody the barista was like, only Rob Parker can make
somebody that man eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox.
(29:34):
Last call It is the Odd Couple. Rod Parker, kelvin Washington.
One war time for you guys coming up Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 10 (29:40):
It's last call time on the Odd Couple. If you
had a take and couldn't get in a whole show,
where's your chip?
Speaker 7 (29:46):
You call.
Speaker 10 (29:47):
Un ninety nine on Fox. Hurry up, Robin Kelvin, gotta
get out of here. Fox Sports Radio has the best
sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our
shows at Fox Sports Radio and within the iHeartRadio app.
Search FSR to listen live.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
It is the Odd Couple, Fox Sports Radio. Rob Parker,
kelvin Washington. We're broadcasting live from the tire rack dot
Com studios.
Speaker 4 (30:17):
Tire rack dot Com.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
We'll help you get there, and I'm Matt selection, fast
free shipping, pre Roade has a protection and over ten
thousand recommended installers. That's why tire rack dot Com the
way tire buying should be. And yes, it is last
call time here on the Odd Couple.
Speaker 4 (30:41):
Hello, uh oh, can you hear me? His daughter's are day?
I don't see why can you hear me? Kelvin with
your dad? Has he got no Dad, we're back on air. Yes,
tell dad, We're back on Okay, thank you.
Speaker 5 (30:55):
This is.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
Come this last call, last call time on the Odd Couple.
Speaker 11 (31:07):
Oh oh that's a long call.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
Wow, last call and uh Andrew and Bakersfield, California. You're
the last call on the Odd Couple.
Speaker 1 (31:30):
What's up?
Speaker 4 (31:30):
Andrew?
Speaker 12 (31:32):
What's up? Guys? Great show?
Speaker 3 (31:34):
Thank you, my man. Thank you appreciate that. Thanks for
the continued support of the Odd Couple.
Speaker 7 (31:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 12 (31:41):
First segment, Oh, by the way, I got you olled
back rob and first segment, I was with you. Second segment,
I was with Kelvin. But as far as Fernando goes,
I was born in September of nineteen eighty one in
southern California, and so I didn't watch that World Series,
(32:02):
or maybe I did. And I remember watching the Dodgers
in nineteen eighty eight, oral Herscheizer Kirk Gibson limping around
the bases. I was sitting cross legged in front of
the TV. And Fernando just as a personal tribute, obviously
(32:25):
a great pitcher, looking to the heavens every pitch, and
what stood out for me was just he was hilarious.
He was such a funny guy, and he was such
a hard competitor. But then I was wondering, was he
(32:45):
also a pretty good hitter like orl Or Clayton.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
Yeah, yeah, he hit over three hundred. That's what's crazy.
He was Andrew talking about how much appreciate you, Andrew,
how much of an athlete? He was like, absolutely, was.
Speaker 4 (33:00):
It look like an athlete because it's kind of.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
A rolling kind of you know the story about that
they try to get him to lose weight and then
he just kind of lost himself and then they were like,
all right, put the way back up.
Speaker 3 (33:09):
But time that's not good. I remember when CC Sabati
lost all that weight. He just wasn't hisself. Like you
want to be you have a certain body size and type,
you know what I mean. Everybody's not supposed to be
John call Stanton, you know what I mean, Like, everybody's
not supposed to look like.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
And it's like it's like, uh, I mean, Yokas just
got an amazing shape compared to what he came into
the league. But you know what I mean, some people
it ain't never gonna look the part, you know what
I mean. Paul Pierce never really looked a part. Uh,
you know, Yo kid or some other guys. They don't.
It doesn't boris di out, it doesn't.
Speaker 4 (33:40):
Look but they get a job.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
None exactly, and they're highly successful. So you know, you
don't have to. Everybody ain't walking around looking like Russell
Westbrook without a jersey on.
Speaker 4 (33:48):
But here's crazy speaking of this.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
We end here is they're a report stories rob g
stories out or what gtt but whatever you want to say, yeah,
because I mean there's no official story like in the
Boston Globe or anything, but that Girod Mayo, the first
year coach at the Patriots, is on the hot seat already,
(34:11):
and there's questions about whether or not he was really
ready to be a head coach and how he deals
with the players and all kinds of stuff.
Speaker 4 (34:19):
I remember the way he handled the quarterback situation.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
He threw his team under the bus, talking about their
soft to the and this was publicly to the media
rather than talking to them. So and we talked about
it earlier, Kevin, when I was saying, dude, you think
you got time and you can wait on the quarterback
and all that. No, you don't have time. That's just
not how it is. But this sounds like this is fast.
(34:44):
But we did see Nathaniel ken Hackett get whacked after
one year in Denver, so it can't happen. Who was
the other guy in Arizona? Irvin Meyer didn't even make
it a whole year in Jacksonville.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
Man, Yeah, that was all bad. That was an all
bad situation.
Speaker 6 (34:58):
Fans.
Speaker 4 (34:58):
Joseph is the one who got.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
Yeah, man down, man down. Yeah. Only thing I will say.
I just feel like sometimes at least give people the
fair shake. I ain't saying he gotta get a three
four five year deal, you know, out of it, But dang,
six seven, eight, ten games, My goodness, it ain't like that.
We had high expectations for the Patriots anyway. It gotta
be something else to it. Robert can't just be their
their record, you get what I mean. You didn't think
(35:22):
the Patriots are gonna be ten and seven?
Speaker 4 (35:25):
No, not at all? All right, Hey, Happy birthday.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
The Cameron, my birth my Birby's birthday, Happy birthday to you.
Cam TV themes on Thursdays
Thanks for listening to The Odd Couple podcasts. Be sure
to check us out live every weekday from four to
seven pm Pacific seven to ten pm Eastern on Fox
Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd Couple
on Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us every
day on the iHeartRadio by searching FSR. Please get this parties.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Our number three on a worship Wednesday. Rob Parker, Kelvin, Washington.
We are the Odd Couple and we're broadcasting live from
the tier rach dot com studios tire rack dot com.
We'll help you get there on unmatched selection, fast free shipping,
free roadhazard protection at over ten thousand recommended installers tire
(00:48):
rac dot com. The Way tire buying should be in
about twenty eight minutes bottom of the hour, a foul
Affair with JR. Gamble from mlbbro dot com, and of
course last call is well in about forty five minutes.
You have a chance to call in and case you
missed something in the show where you wanted to chime in,
or you want to tell Kelvin he was wrong on
(01:09):
a couple of topics.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
Or stuff like that. It'll be your opportunity.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
You know, they ain't calling.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
All the phones will be jammed, Rob, He'll be mad.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Oh stop it.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
No doubt about it. And we lost a iconic player
and someone who I remember vividly when he broke onto
the scene.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
I was in high school.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
But Fernando Vealezuela, at age sixty three, passed away and
we don't know the cause of death. I will say
this to you, Kelvin. I we're going to say the
same thing I saw him, yeah about at the nitty
end of the season, when they said he was going
to cut back, and remember they announced that he wasn't
going to be involved to do the games. He does
(01:54):
the Spanish language broadcast or for the Dodgers on radio.
And I saw him and I said to myself, Oh,
he does not look good to me. And you know
what I mean, and that and Matti, you work out
there too. Anybody who had seen him knew that and
(02:15):
just wasn't good. He's very gone then, you know, And
I was like, oh.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Man, to be honest with you, Rob. So you know, obviously,
as you mentioned, I work in the same building with
the Dodgers television network SNLA Sports in LA and he'd
come in periodically and you you know, you kind of
keep to yourself, don't want to say anything that's not
your plumsiness, And to be honest to you know, anyway,
I'll just leave it alone. You just was wondering, you know,
(02:41):
maybe he's trying to get better health, maybe lose some weight.
But you know, as I've seen him over the last
couple of years, it was like, Okay, my thought was
something isn't right, but your stay hopeful. I heard Dusty
Baker talking about it today. They had him on as
they were paying homage to him, and he had mentioned
that he saw him, and people were kind of telling him, hey,
just you know, he doesn't like to talk about it.
Just just kind of converse with him like you normally do,
(03:01):
have a good time. He doesn't want to necessarily talk
about that, and so you you know, there were a
lot of folks who had quietly been concerned for a Laker,
a Dodger legend, City of La legend, obviously, a Mexican legend.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Oh god, I mean a god in Mexican iconic god,
it for sure. And let me tell you, you know,
I've been coming sports for a long time, but not
long enough to have covered him in his prime or
in nineteen eighty one. I was in high school, right,
and I remember fer Nandomania like for real, like when
(03:38):
people talk about it. I remember it very vividly because
I was in high school in nineteen eighty one. The
Mets were awful, terrible team. That was my team growing up.
I would get my five dollars to you know, take
the train and number seven train to share stadium, go
to the game.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
I'm not lying to you.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Back in those days, five dollars got you a bleacher seat,
a hot dog, a drink ready, a drink, a scorecard,
and car fare, you know what I mean, busting trained
to get to the ball, and you would have fifty
cents leftover. No lie, it used to cost four point fifty.
(04:20):
I just told you all the stuff you could go
and have, right, So Fernando back, You know, the Dodgers
didn't come to New York that off.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
They come from one road trip, right.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
They come to New York one time of the year,
three game series, pitching mesro averaging eight or ten thousand
people per game.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
They sold out the games.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Do you hear me?
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Like this bad team got a sellout crowd because Fernando
was pitching. That's when people used to you know, when
you would go for the pitcher who's pitching today?
Speaker 4 (04:53):
What Tom sever whatever?
Speaker 3 (04:55):
You know, Fernando, Oh no, I'm going Jim Palmer, Oh no,
I'm going.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
Of that game. So anyway, it was very vivid in
my mind.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
And when you think about what he was able to
accomplish in his career, it's pretty amazing.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Yeah. I mean, shoot, man, I'll start as somebody who's
not from here, who's been out here now for shoot,
almost fifteen years in Los Angeles, uh, but also a
sports fan, you started to see the Fernando Valenzuele, you
know that they would honor him and you pop up
maybe during a postseason game they remember that time when
and I was like, yeah, I know, I want to
know the story. That's great. But then moving here, living
(05:33):
where there are so many Mexican and Mexican American folks,
so many folks who remember growing up or what it
was like, so many who felt underrepresented, even though the
population here in the greater Southern California area is you know,
predominantly or at least largely Mexican Mexican American, but maybe
not feeling that, especially when they watch their baseball and
(05:54):
half somebody that they can identify, half somebody that can
say he's one of us. Half someone. Remember, the Dodgers
had a really rough relationship with the locals here because
of how they where they built Schevez Ravine and they
where they built Dodger Stadium. There was friction there the
way they kind of took that area over and just
kind of moved people out. So there was a lot
of friction within the Mexican Mexican American community here, and
(06:17):
so they were trying to bids that bridge that relationship,
and they needed somebody who could be as they said,
are Mexican Sandy Kofax. And they found that guy in
Fernando Vealezuela. Now, just because you find him doesn't mean
that person gonna live up to the talent wise, and
he did. He did, he embraced it. And sometimes Rob
that's what makes sports great as being the real reality TV,
(06:38):
if you will, the only real reality TV where you
just don't know what's gonna happen. You got this Mexican
uh God picture playing for an iconic franchise and a
Dodger in an area that needed it most at a
time where they're trying to still build relationships and bridge
the relationships. He comes, He's a star. He needs a star.
Right off the bat, he creates his mania and to
me reminds me there's other this happens, like, you know,
(07:01):
I think of Jeremy Lynn, what he meant for the
Asian community to have, Wow, we have someone in the
NBA that's balling, that's doing his thing, and we can
point to our kids can say wow, I want to
do that. And so it's Tiger Woods what he did
for golf where a lot of young black players and
other players, but a lot of young black kids were like, Wow,
you know what, I want to play golf.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
Fortunately nobody came out of that.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
That's the most unbelievable that we could do our whole
segment on I have a response to that. We'll do
that absolutely, that's another way. But I think that's what
it meant for. Again, for an area like Los Angeles,
it would have been amazing if he was in Minneapolis.
It would have been amazing if he were with uh,
you know, the Cleveland Indians at the time, but the
Guardians now he could but it was where it should
(07:45):
make stories great man. And sometimes when you get that
perfect match of the person, the time, the place, and
the talent.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
And then for people who don't know and and really,
I mean the dude, Fernando was rookie year Cy Young
and helped the Dodgers win the World Series in nineteen
eighty one. They got that crazy MLB network showing the
highlights and the games.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
Yea from eighty one or whatever.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
Back then, Dusty Baker, this is how long ago Dusty
Baker was playing for the Dodgers. He's outfielder, right, he
was a young guy that played for the Dodgers back then.
That's how long ago it was. You look at Dusty
now as an elder statesman, a retired manager, seventy some
years old. But my point is that is how great
he was to win Rookie of the Year Cy Young
(08:37):
and then helped the team win a World Series.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
And I'm gonna say this to you.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
And this is not prisoner of the moment, and I'm
making it hyperbole because of his death and just trying
to say the nicest things about him. How was that
not the greatest rookie season by anybody I'm in sports.
I would love to hear like we talked about last
year Wimby. Right, Oh, look at what Wimby did in
(09:06):
the No, no, no. They only won seventeen games, you
know what I mean, Like they didn't transform into some
winner or to be a rookie. Rookie of the years
are given Cy Young, Cy Young, Okay, that's what every
pitcher in the league. And then to be that big
of an impact so that the Dodgers win the World
(09:29):
Series in nineteen eighty one, somebody would have to help me.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
I have somebody that I'll throw at you. I'll throw
it at you now. Actually, and then we're also eight
seven seven ninety nine on Fox. You can get some
calls to if you want to just you know, show
your appreciation.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
But we also, right, we also want to hear about.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Just amazing that that rookie campaign. You know who else
had an amazing one in the same city, Magic Johnson.
I mean, you talk about coming out of a state
a college Championshi thinking, all right, he was really good,
and you know, we'll see how it works out in
the league and you come in and you ball, you
start a thing called showtime, you win Rookie of the
(10:09):
Year or didn't matter if actually think Larry Bird won
Rookie of the Year. I'm not mistaken. Yeah, I can
say that's what I mean. But he balls out right
there in contention for Rookie of the Year. Go to
the finals, you got Kareem goes out Game six, You
put up that iconic game with forty two, fifteen and
eight or whatever it was. You win in finals at MEP.
(10:30):
I'm not saying it's better, but I'm just trying to
throw other options that Magic's up there.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
I think that magic the idea that he didn't win
the Yeah, it is, but he didn't win the Rookie
of the Year, which is the part that hurts Magic's argument,
right because even though tremendous, everything you said is one
hundred percent spot on, and he won.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Bird didn't win a championship. Magic won it right, right.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
So eight seven seven Fox, rob G you got any what.
Speaker 4 (10:58):
About Dwight Dwight good? Yeah, No, Dwight was a Rookie
of the Year.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
He didn't want to saw Young that year because he
only won seventeen games. He won cy Young the next year,
but not the first year. It's just funny to hear
you say he only won seventy times. I know, and
he was a kid, Dwight.
Speaker 5 (11:17):
Dobey Lyon when he said you hate greatness, he only
won seventeen games hates.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
I don't know what. I don't know what it is.
Speaker 4 (11:24):
I got, I got too Okay.
Speaker 5 (11:25):
Yeah in football in the NFL Friend of the Show,
Eric Dickerson, yep.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
I was looking at that. Eighteen touchdowns, Yeah, eighteen hundred yards.
Speaker 5 (11:32):
He was Rookie of the Year, second in the MVP
as a rookie, and then the other one and w
kind of alluded to it. It doesn't seem that way
because we don't think of golf as seasons. Tiger Woods,
in his first year on tour, breaks the Masters record
and becomes the fastest player ever to reach number one,
which he held for like a decade plus, like to
(11:54):
be that dominant right out of the gate?
Speaker 4 (11:57):
Is he cost me my marriage? How in the world
he cost me my maverage?
Speaker 3 (12:05):
I mean we went to on our honeymoon to Japan,
and my wife and I were sitting on the edge
of the bed watching him compete in the Masters, and
you know we didn't get a chance to really you know, consummate, yes,
consummate the wedding.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Just hold on, man, you were worried about the wrong
nine iron right now about your today?
Speaker 2 (12:25):
It was fun.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
You was worried that man worried about the wrong I
ain't supposed to worry about your own club player. I'm
so mad you got who got a better up and
down game? Rob Tiger?
Speaker 4 (12:37):
You there you go.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
You was missing out on the back nine, and I
did because I did hit it in the bush thoughole
few times. But that was just I don't know if you.
I don't believe you. I don't believe I think you
got mos what I think. I think you missed your
tea time though.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
Faced big time. No, but I'm not kidding you.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
We were.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
We watched my wife and there's no lie. I'm dead
serious because it was so amazing. You remember that he
destroyed and it was it was history making, and we
watched We're sat on our bed and watched Master and
watch him win the Masters. No, that's a good one,
Rob g eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox. Let's
leave some time for people to chime in on their
(13:21):
thoughts on Fernando.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Fernando Valinzuela man amazing and you're an amazing person by
all accounts. You know, it's just amazing run.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
And we're looking for the greatest rookie season ever? Was
it Fernando's nineteen eighty one Rookie of the Year Cy
Young and helped his team win a World Series?
Speaker 4 (13:40):
All right? Eight seven seven ninety nine.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
On Fox, it is The Odd Couple Rob Parker kelvin
Washington on this Worship Wednesday. Stick and stay unless you're
a waitress with the Tiger Woods voicemail in.
Speaker 6 (13:52):
The US boys, It's Uh, It's Tiger.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brusso then Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm
Eastern four pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the
iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Fox Sports Radio. The Odd Couple, Rob Parker, kelvin Washington,
coming to you on a worship Wednesday, and we're coming
to you live from the tire rack dot Com Studios, Folks,
Rapid Radios are the official communication device of Fox Sports Radio.
Rapid Radios our incidant push to talk walkie talkies offering
(14:29):
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and free shipping. We are honoring the late great Fernando Veleinsuela.
We're taking your phone calls on it as well and
talking about his rookie season was incredible. He was Rookie
(14:52):
of the Year, Cy Young winner World Series Chat with
the Dodgers. We're asking are there any comparable rookie seasons
in any sport? Eight te seven nine on Fox eight
seven seven ninety nine on Fox. What we got?
Speaker 4 (15:03):
All right?
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Art in Glendale, Arizona, You're on the odd couple of
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
What up? Art Man? What they do?
Speaker 6 (15:09):
Uncle Rob? Magic? Sydney Parker?
Speaker 1 (15:11):
How you wouldn do?
Speaker 6 (15:13):
Calt?
Speaker 1 (15:13):
What's up? Man?
Speaker 7 (15:15):
Man?
Speaker 6 (15:15):
I'm telling man, I'm just miund you. I just want
to say this, Robin. You know I'm gonna take you back. Yes,
you a baseball for faniciato if I said that right now? Yes, sir, Rob,
you remember back in the day. I'm a lifelong Dodgers man.
I'm from Top Central, Los Angeles, nine thousand and one.
Shout up. Okay, anyway you remember back in the day.
(15:36):
If you watch any Dodgers game from the middle eighties,
to the man nineties. The guy in the back behind
home plate with the Fedora hat on, smoking a cigar
with the speed gun. Yes, he's the one discovered. Fernando Venezuela.
He went down to the Mashkin Baseball League. He was
(15:58):
looking at a hitter, but he's seeing him, you know, Fernando,
he'll he'll do the shout out Tomo, he'll do that
that leg but put his eyes up in there. But
he had one of the wickedest screwballs in the world,
and everybody thought it was a change up whatever, and
it'll start hiring it a go love Nobody, nobody can
(16:22):
hit that. But the way when he came in, he
took la oh ring. You know it's moti very see
in La Blacks love Latinos, Latinos love blacks. It's a culture, right,
So this was so huge. This was bigger than when
Kobe came to the Lakers.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
No, no, no, no doubt because you're right with the
And the scout's name was Mike Brido.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
Is that the guy Manti Yeah?
Speaker 3 (16:48):
Okay, but but his point is well taken because and
you know this, it's a testament to Dodgers.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
Okay, when I go to Dodger games.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Okay, Hispanic people Mexican mean Mexicans, they're everywhere. They love baseball.
They love the Dodgers right, without question. And the Dodgers
show four million tickets every year, four million tickets, and
Fernando encompasses city right. Just became an icon here. There's
(17:18):
no doubt about it.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
I think your game, man, when you think about the
bridging he did, right, you gotta remember there was a
friction between the Mexican and Mexican American community with the
Dodgers for some years, and he kind of helped bridge
that relationship.
Speaker 6 (17:32):
Man.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
It was That's why I said, sometimes God just throws
out amazing moment. It's like Larry Bird going to Boston
and Lakers showtime, smile flair. This guy hard working, blue
collar and just kind of I want to just go
to work and play.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
I'm not saying that Larry couldn't have played in La
or you know what, but if it's better a white
star in Boston and a showman in LA.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
I was gonna use that example earlier as well. Just
sometimes things just fit, it makes sense for the perfect place.
Uh Derreck Rose from Chicago number one pick and then
he balls out because of the m v P for
the hometown team, Lebron would accron in Cleveland. It just
sometimes things just work out great in sports, all right,
Mark and Sacramento. Man, Mark, you're in the odd couple
of Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 7 (18:16):
Yo, Yo, what's going on?
Speaker 1 (18:18):
Guys?
Speaker 7 (18:18):
Hey, Rob, I got a bad connection, So I hope
I don't put you guys.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
Okay, okay, go ahead.
Speaker 7 (18:24):
But because it talk to you, mister Washington, first time
talking to you.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
I appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
Great to talk to you.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
Mark from Sacramento is our long time gatekeeper of the
odd couple.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Sack town.
Speaker 7 (18:34):
Back town up. So I want to talk about Fernando
because he's absolutely right in his effect in transments at
that time. But and they tell you there was I
have been a game in my in my memory with
they're playing the Mets. It was light, good and pitching
and they went they went Ziro zero into the ninth.
(18:55):
David Johnson took me getting out at the bottom of
the night and and and left then play the second
pitch of the Starberrys hit the home run into the
right field. Then they just started sucking my mind.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
Yeah, you know what, that's incredible.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
He hit three. He hit three hundred as a pitch hitter.
And don't sleep on the athlete too.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
And and the thing that's crazy is, uh, back then
that I did at Dwight pitch nine and Fernando pitch ten,
like that was baseball back then.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
Ain't nobody coming out.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
Those guys weren't coming out because nobody in the bullpen
was better than those guys even after they pitched.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
So they rolled around their grave. Right now, man, seeing
what these pitcher as doing. They happy they get three
and a half four out of them.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
Andre in Massachusetts, you're on the couple of Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
What's up, dra, how you doing?
Speaker 8 (19:44):
Thanks for taking the call. All due respect, Fernando bounds
well in terms of taking MLB by storm his rookie year,
as you said, Rookie of the Year Cy Young and
winning the World Series. For me, I gotta go back
to Luel Cinder.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
He's a there for sure.
Speaker 8 (20:01):
Came in the NBA twenty eight points, fourteen rebounds, four assists.
Speaker 9 (20:06):
They weren't keeping.
Speaker 8 (20:07):
Track of blocks that back then did not secure the
championship had to go to the New York Knicks in
nineteen seventy, but the very next year his sophomore sensational
sophomore year with Oscar Robertson, they go ahead and secure
the NBA title. So Kareem how he started then his
longevity pound for pound, he may not get over because
(20:28):
since Val Fernando was able to secure it with a
championship and Kareem didn't. But that for me and again
he couldn't play right with Kareem, you couldn't play in
college as a freshman, right right, He had to wait
that freshman year and then his three years that UCLA
were absolutely dominant, comes to the NBA, maintains that dominant
wins the championship in his second year. That to me
(20:48):
is the best starts that I can think of.
Speaker 7 (20:50):
Thanks taking the call.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
Hey, let me tell you some of you talking about basketball.
One name I ain't gonna argue with you with is
a few Michael, Jordan, Lebron and Kareem. Anything with Kareem
absolutely is worthy of anything he gets. Follow affair with JR.
Gamble that is on deck right now. What's trending?
Speaker 2 (21:08):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
It is time now for foul or fair with our
guide JR gambles that ball is it.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
Was a big week in the big leagues.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
Who's a Who's A five?
Speaker 2 (21:35):
Is it foul or is it fair?
Speaker 10 (21:37):
And now from mlbdbro dot Com here's jrgamball.
Speaker 5 (21:43):
That's right, it's fouler fair. Here in the OD couple,
JR gamble sitting in with the I couple. We're up again.
Just don't have to speed through this. No time for
the introductions again.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
JR.
Speaker 5 (21:51):
Though, is the star of the segment. Y see her
first crack at every single question. Let's get to it, uh, JR.
Otani's fifty fifty home run balls officially been sold at
in Auxy for four point three nine million dollars, almost
one and a half times more than the previous mark
set in nineteen ninety eight by Mark McGuire's seventieth home
run ball.
Speaker 4 (22:09):
Here's the question.
Speaker 5 (22:10):
It took about twenty five years for Otani to break
McGuire's record, So JR. In the next twenty five years,
fat or fair to say another ball will sell for
more than Otani's four point three to nine MILLI fair
that's a fair ball.
Speaker 9 (22:27):
Of course, if we're paying a third amount of money
fellas for every broken record, because that's what it seems like. Man,
this is by no means like the greatest accomplishment in
Major League Baseball history. But the heights behind Otani's always
a little extra. So fifty to fifty is nine number.
But where somebody gets sixty to sixty or hit seventy
homers again, I'll get eight hits in the game, one
(22:49):
hundred stolen bases or something crazy like that, and I
think we'll eclipse O Toanny's record. There's something called inflation
in the higher cost of living that makes these things
happen in short order.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
Now, nop, I say fair, it's a fair ball.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
If Aaron Judge or somebody old Tawny you know, has
a chance to break Barry Bonder's record, the ball is
going to sell for a gazillion dollars.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Simple fair. Yep, he goes what the guy said. Especially.
I was going to go full all mister, but Jr.
Stole my moment when I was going to say inflation
it thinks are just always going up. So four point
whatever million in twenty years.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
Can you imagine going to the ball ball game and
catching the ball.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
That's where four million.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
So did you see the guy who took it from
the teenager who had it. That's the crazy. He's suing
the guy because he had in his hand. But the
guy locked his hands and with his knee so he
couldn't get his arm out. He took the ball.
Speaker 4 (23:41):
From him like he ran out of the stadium with.
Speaker 9 (23:44):
Yeah, money, money, money, money, money, money.
Speaker 4 (23:48):
All right, question number two.
Speaker 5 (23:49):
Yankee g and Brian Cashman said today on MLB Network
that he has a problem with people who bring up
the Yankees fifteen year World Series drought because he quote
discounts that some other organization cheated us. We were all
the way there in the end, shots fired at Houston.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
JR.
Speaker 4 (24:05):
Fowler Fair say.
Speaker 5 (24:06):
The Yankees would have at least one World Series title
if it wasn't for those cheating astros.
Speaker 6 (24:13):
Fair it's a fair ball.
Speaker 9 (24:15):
I mean, those contests were pretty evenly matched, and the
Yankees were more than up to the task. If you
actually watched that series. I was at two of those games,
and it seems as if you think got every single
big break to every pitch to layoff, every pitch to
hit in the key moment so much that is perplexed.
The players manages more than usual. Everybody knew something fishy
(24:38):
was up, and you could never cheat all throughout a
series that close and say you are the chance and
feel good about it, because I don't think they would
have won without cheating. What other conclusions can you draw
unless you're just hating on the Yankees?
Speaker 4 (24:54):
I say fair, it's a fair ball.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
Remember the walk off home run Bile two vevers, like
he knew it was coming. It was like a Chapman
of rold As Chapman was like stunned. If you go
go back and watch a video, He's like, how did
this dude crush it like that?
Speaker 9 (25:10):
His wife? His wife didn't want to take off his shirt, right.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
Oh yeah, that was what he said. Well, for me,
it's foul.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
That is a foul ball.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
I'm going with the larger conversation of let's say what
you're saying about that one is right, y'all still ain't
won the other fourteen years, so like it ain't like
y'all played in fourteen to fifteen years in a row. Y'all,
I had got the chances to get it done in
other years, So I think it's foule. I get his point,
but it's fifteen years this the expectations that come with
the Yankees, all right, last.
Speaker 5 (25:42):
One foul a fair Jr. Gamblesitting in with the eye
coming Jr. Don't expect any bulletin boarded material heading in
a Friday's Game one of the World Series. Because Aaron
Judge told reporters on Tuesday he thought that show al
Tani is the.
Speaker 1 (25:55):
Best player in the game.
Speaker 5 (25:56):
Here it is very simple, not controversial at all, faul
or fair to say that Sho is the best player
in baseball right now.
Speaker 9 (26:06):
Everybody knows what I'm gonna say. Fact that is a
fallI ball what No, He's among the top five players
in the game. He's probably the most feared dinner outside
of Judge. But it's hard to put Otani over players
about the winning second MVP and has the al reckond
for homers and Jeff as lethal or more than Otani
(26:28):
when he's grooving. What about RONALDA Kunya. He was out
the season, but he plays every day with forty seventy.
To me, that's a better season than fifty to fifty Fellas.
Otani's not even a three hundred career hitter if he
was still pitching, maybe, but Jeff as a DH No way,
that's not playing the game the full games. We can't
(26:49):
ever dismiss defense. If we do, we've forgotten what baseball is.
Speaker 7 (26:53):
By Q.
Speaker 4 (26:54):
Violin, Yeah, I agree, I say foul, right, foul.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
That is a fallible because he's the best player when
he's doing both. That's what makes him the best player.
If it is just hitting. Uh, while he does, he
is a great hitter and does a lot of stuff.
He doesn't lead in all the categories the way Aaron
Judge has had a better season at the plate, and
(27:19):
he plays center field every day.
Speaker 4 (27:22):
So I do not think.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
I don't think Otani's a better player as an everyday
player than Aaron Judge. But when he pitches every fifth
day and you add that to the mix, there's no
question about it.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
I'm going fair, but I don't say anything. I don't
think you guys are crazy for saying foil. I think
there's two or three guys that are right there. So
if you pick one, I paid twato Tomato. But for me,
I'm going foul, and I'll say a couple of reasons. One,
we know he's gonna pitch again, and even if he's
just a solid starter, that's just remarkable. Also because he
steals basis, so it's not like he's just coming. He's
(27:53):
not big poppy coming to hit home runs and that's
all I do. Also, when that man can play in
the outfit if they ever really needed him to, he
can play in the outfit. So it's not like he's
not this world class athlete. He can do just about anything,
and he's doing things we haven't seen in a hundred
years and even better than when we did see a
hundred years ago. So to me, yes, it is foul
and he is. I believe he is the best player.
(28:15):
Was a fair I'm just saying I forgot any best player.
Speaker 6 (28:18):
You go.
Speaker 4 (28:18):
You know what you're talking about, all right, Jr? Thank you,
my man. We appreciate you.
Speaker 9 (28:23):
Thank you. Kelvin and Rob actually go to work unlike Paul,
George and Joellen.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
I'm just right, oh man, dang, you know what. I
wish we could disagree with you, but you're right right
on the money spot on, my man. Thank you, appreciate it.
We appreciate you Jr.
Speaker 4 (28:38):
As always, that's what time it is, Kelvin.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
Let's good that's right, eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox.
If you couldn't get in earlier, eight seven seven ninety
nine on Fox is the number to reach us. We
want to hear from you. We've dropped a bunch of
great conversations today. We talked about the Chiefs, We talked
about Bronnie. We showed love and just switch. You would
tune it down a little bit. You're too contentious every
day you know on this show, No that man. Listen,
(29:01):
Trey wing Go. You're lucky he like you because he
would never call back my guys. You lucky. That's your
man's We talked about the legacy of Fernando valencewell as well.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
So whatever it is, that's the first time he mixed
it up in about since he's been off a ESPN.
Speaker 1 (29:12):
He needed that he got. I'm telling you, I hope
nobody was around him because when he got the phone,
he was fired. He yelled at the next person he like,
I said, I want to locked he with eyes extra caramel.
They're like, dang, Trey, my bad time. What were you
on the show on the radio where Rob Parker and
somebody the barista was like, only Rob Parker can make
somebody that man eight seven seven ninety nine on Fox.
(29:34):
Last call It is the Odd Couple. Rod Parker, kelvin Washington.
One war time for you guys coming up Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 10 (29:40):
It's last call time on the Odd Couple. If you
had a take and couldn't get in a whole show,
where's your chip?
Speaker 7 (29:46):
You call.
Speaker 10 (29:47):
Un ninety nine on Fox. Hurry up, Robin Kelvin, gotta
get out of here. Fox Sports Radio has the best
sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our
shows at Fox Sports Radio and within the iHeartRadio app.
Search FSR to listen live.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
It is the Odd Couple, Fox Sports Radio. Rob Parker,
kelvin Washington. We're broadcasting live from the tire rack dot
Com studios.
Speaker 4 (30:17):
Tire rack dot Com.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
We'll help you get there, and I'm Matt selection, fast
free shipping, pre Roade has a protection and over ten
thousand recommended installers. That's why tire rack dot Com the
way tire buying should be. And yes, it is last
call time here on the Odd Couple.
Speaker 4 (30:41):
Hello, uh oh, can you hear me? His daughter's are day?
I don't see why can you hear me? Kelvin with
your dad? Has he got no Dad, we're back on air. Yes,
tell dad, We're back on Okay, thank you.
Speaker 5 (30:55):
This is.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
Come this last call, last call time on the Odd Couple.
Speaker 11 (31:07):
Oh oh that's a long call.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
Wow, last call and uh Andrew and Bakersfield, California. You're
the last call on the Odd Couple.
Speaker 1 (31:30):
What's up?
Speaker 4 (31:30):
Andrew?
Speaker 12 (31:32):
What's up? Guys? Great show?
Speaker 3 (31:34):
Thank you, my man. Thank you appreciate that. Thanks for
the continued support of the Odd Couple.
Speaker 7 (31:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 12 (31:41):
First segment, Oh, by the way, I got you olled
back rob and first segment, I was with you. Second segment,
I was with Kelvin. But as far as Fernando goes,
I was born in September of nineteen eighty one in
southern California, and so I didn't watch that World Series,
(32:02):
or maybe I did. And I remember watching the Dodgers
in nineteen eighty eight, oral Herscheizer Kirk Gibson limping around
the bases. I was sitting cross legged in front of
the TV. And Fernando just as a personal tribute, obviously
(32:25):
a great pitcher, looking to the heavens every pitch, and
what stood out for me was just he was hilarious.
He was such a funny guy, and he was such
a hard competitor. But then I was wondering, was he
(32:45):
also a pretty good hitter like orl Or Clayton.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
Yeah, yeah, he hit over three hundred. That's what's crazy.
He was Andrew talking about how much appreciate you, Andrew,
how much of an athlete? He was like, absolutely, was.
Speaker 4 (33:00):
It look like an athlete because it's kind of.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
A rolling kind of you know the story about that
they try to get him to lose weight and then
he just kind of lost himself and then they were like,
all right, put the way back up.
Speaker 3 (33:09):
But time that's not good. I remember when CC Sabati
lost all that weight. He just wasn't hisself. Like you
want to be you have a certain body size and type,
you know what I mean. Everybody's not supposed to be
John call Stanton, you know what I mean, Like, everybody's
not supposed to look like.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
And it's like it's like, uh, I mean, Yokas just
got an amazing shape compared to what he came into
the league. But you know what I mean, some people
it ain't never gonna look the part, you know what
I mean. Paul Pierce never really looked a part. Uh,
you know, Yo kid or some other guys. They don't.
It doesn't boris di out, it doesn't.
Speaker 4 (33:40):
Look but they get a job.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
None exactly, and they're highly successful. So you know, you
don't have to. Everybody ain't walking around looking like Russell
Westbrook without a jersey on.
Speaker 4 (33:48):
But here's crazy speaking of this.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
We end here is they're a report stories rob g
stories out or what gtt but whatever you want to say, yeah,
because I mean there's no official story like in the
Boston Globe or anything, but that Girod Mayo, the first
year coach at the Patriots, is on the hot seat already,
(34:11):
and there's questions about whether or not he was really
ready to be a head coach and how he deals
with the players and all kinds of stuff.
Speaker 4 (34:19):
I remember the way he handled the quarterback situation.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
He threw his team under the bus, talking about their
soft to the and this was publicly to the media
rather than talking to them. So and we talked about
it earlier, Kevin, when I was saying, dude, you think
you got time and you can wait on the quarterback
and all that. No, you don't have time. That's just
not how it is. But this sounds like this is fast.
(34:44):
But we did see Nathaniel ken Hackett get whacked after
one year in Denver, so it can't happen. Who was
the other guy in Arizona? Irvin Meyer didn't even make
it a whole year in Jacksonville.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
Man, Yeah, that was all bad. That was an all
bad situation.
Speaker 6 (34:58):
Fans.
Speaker 4 (34:58):
Joseph is the one who got.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
Yeah, man down, man down. Yeah. Only thing I will say.
I just feel like sometimes at least give people the
fair shake. I ain't saying he gotta get a three
four five year deal, you know, out of it, But dang,
six seven, eight, ten games, My goodness, it ain't like that.
We had high expectations for the Patriots anyway. It gotta
be something else to it. Robert can't just be their
their record, you get what I mean. You didn't think
(35:22):
the Patriots are gonna be ten and seven?
Speaker 4 (35:25):
No, not at all? All right, Hey, Happy birthday.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
The Cameron, my birth my Birby's birthday, Happy birthday to you.
Cam TV themes on Thursdays
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