June 16, 2022 • 30 mins
On this edition of Inside the (Rob) Parker, Rob leads off with his take on the Braves impressive 13-game winning streak, the Padres staying at the top of the NL West despite not having Fernando Tatis Jr., and if the Angelos family’s infighting could lead to the Orioles relocation. Also, the Pocket Protector Stat of the Week, Betting on the Bases and Foul or Fair.
Guest: Phillies Commentator and 2 time All-Star Michael Bourn on Philly getting hot after firing Joe Girardi, if they have a chance to catch the Mets, and Bryce Harper’s impact on the team.
Yankees Beat Writer Erik Boland on the Bombers impressive first half pitching, and if there’s added pressure on this team to win it all.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
From the Berkshars to the sound from wherever you live
in MLB America. This is inside the Parker. You give
us twenty two minutes and we'll give you the scoop
on major League Baseball. Now. Gear's Baseball Hall of Fame
voter number seventy six, Rob Parker. Welcome into the podcast.
(00:22):
I'm your host, Rob Parker. What a great show for you.
Today we're gonna talk with former Major League outfielder Michael Bourne,
who also does the Philadelphia Phillies Radio. Will catch up
with him. Plus Eric Boland, the Yankees beat writer for Newsday.
That plus foul or fair. Let's go up to lead off.
(00:50):
It's getting robbed and keep him on. Rob's hot take
on the three biggest stories in Major League Baseball. Number one,
the Atlanta the Braves. Yes, the team that won the
World Series last year. In shocked Baseball America is at
it again. This year has all been about the New
(01:10):
York Metropolitans have been about the Yankees. They've been rolling.
But don't look now. The Atlanta Braves are hot. How
does the firecracker coming into Wednesday's action. The Braves have
won thirteen straight games. They hit five home runs. In
attend to four victory down in d C against the Nationals,
(01:35):
and the braves thirteen game win streak is the longest
in the Majors this year and also the club's longest
since when it reeled off fourteen in a row and
tied for the third longest enfranchises modern era since nineteen hundred.
The two thousand Braves won fifteen in a row to
(01:59):
set a franchise modern era record. The only bad news
Ozzie albis Uh is gonna be out. He was injured
um their second baseman, so that is a bummer there.
But everybody thought maybe the East was gonna be a
runaway for the Mets. But uh, here come the Atlanta Breves, saying,
(02:21):
don't forget about us. I know people thought once Freddie
Freeman left and some other things happened, that they were
going the other way. But the Braves are alive and
well number two don't look now, but the San Diego
Padres are for real. Despite the bad news that Fernando
(02:44):
Tattoos and his rich surgery really hasn't taken. He hasn't
gotten any swings in in the past three months, and
maybe the Padres are gonna wait him out. Let him
get as healthy as can be, and with good reason.
They're in a virtual will tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In fact, the Padres coming into Wednesday have more wins
(03:06):
than the Dodgers, thirty nine to the Dodgers thirty eight. Uh.
The Dodgers, of course have a better winning percentage because
they have twenty three losses and the Padres have twenty four.
But this is an incredible run by the Padres when
you think about it, that they don't have their best
player and yet they're right there with the vaunted Dodgers
and everybody penciled them in basically to win the division.
(03:29):
Come out of the National League, and they have their
own bad news as ace pitcher Walker Bueller. Uh is
going to be out with um an injury, and Walker
Bueller is not gonna be able to touch a ball.
They're saying for what could be six to eight weeks so,
(03:50):
and then he'd have to get back in shape, so
he might be out for three months and the Dodgers
might not have him. So that is a scary situation
if you're the Dodgers when you think about not having
Uh Walker Bueller at the top of your rotation. Number
three say it isn't so. But there's a controversy in
(04:12):
Baltimore with the Orioles, as the Angelo's family is in
a full blown feud and uh the brothers are pointing
fingers at each other. One brother now has said that uh,
his brother wants to take over full control so that
they can move the Orioles to Tennessee. Can you imagine
(04:34):
that Baltimore has already been through it, remember in when
owner Robert Ursay moved to Baltimore colts to Indianapolis in
the middle of the night with moving vans. And now
there's a chance maybe that the Orioles will not be
uh in Baltimore. Of their leases up at the end
of next year. They do not have a new lease
(04:56):
for Camden Yards in place, so this will be interesting
to watch. And you just wonder, with as uh poorly
as the franchise has done with tendency wise, winning wise,
maybe Baltimore isn't a major league city anymore, and maybe
this is a real discussion that needs to be taken place.
(05:16):
Here comes the big interview. Listen Hendler. Good, Now, let's
welcome into the podcast former major league outfielder Michael Bourne,
who of course, started his career with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Also played for the ass Shows, the Braves, the Cleveland
baseball team, Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Baltimore Orioles.
(05:40):
Two time All Star Michael Board Welcome to the podcast, Buddy,
how are you? I'm good, Rob, Thank you for having me,
man no doubt, And let's talk about the team that
you currently call as a radio broadcaster, the team you
are broken with, the Phillies, and man are they hot
since the firing of manager Joe Girardi. Uh. Coming into Wednesday,
(06:04):
they had won nine of the eleven games since Girardi
was fired. How surprised all you that their season got
jumped started with the move? I am very surprised. I
have to say, Rob, I don't really think it was
Joe's fault. You know what happened, but the team has responded,
and you know, it just seems like the team made
(06:24):
a good move. You know, you never know what's gonna
happen when that happens, but it seems like the teams
responded and they liked the manager they're playing for them.
Like you said, they have won nine the last eleven.
The only problem with it that Atlanta is had at
the same time, they are hot. But you know, y'all
control what you can control, and they're controlling their team
play right now, and they just like they're clicking on
all cylinders. I was gonna say that in the NL East,
(06:48):
it looked like the Mets were gonna do it in
the runaway, right. They've been playing great from the start
of the season, and as you said, coming into Wednesday,
the Braves at one thirteen in a row. The Phillies
are so the NL least, uh looks like it's gonna
be a race. You know, buckle up. There three really
good teams, uh in the East. Yeah, you're right, Robin.
(07:10):
You know, in the baseball the saying is like, you know,
you really started seeing what's going on probably after the
All Star break. Then you started buckling down and seeing
who's in the race and who's doing what, And of
course the players are playing every day, but as a
fan you probably started really seeing what's gonna map out
right after that because it's such a long season. You
got a hundred and sixty two games, and uh, you
(07:31):
know you're gotta have some ups and downs, and you know,
you just gotta stay consisted as you can and see
it and see where you end up at the end.
Let's talk about Bryce Harper, and you know, came on
strong last year one the National League MVP. It looked
like it was gonna be tattoos most of the year.
Harper had a really good season and he's having another
(07:51):
great season, batting three eighteen home runs, forty six RBIs
coming into Wednesday. Just talk about Bryce and you know
what he's done for the Phillies. Uh, well, you know,
of course, you won the m v P last year.
One thing I noticed about Bright A lot of people
don't get you to know. I got to go down
the spring training and, uh, he has a real hard
work routine, especially in the cage. I got to sit
(08:11):
there and watch him and see him go through his drills,
and man, he puts into work every day, you know.
So it's not about the mistake that he's doing what
he's doing. You know, he actually goes in there and
prepares and you know, even at the superstar level that
he's at, he works like he's a rookie. He's trying
to prove himself. So you know, they got a star.
Of course, you know, he's a true veteran, but he's
only twenty nine, so he got some gears left in it.
(08:33):
But man, he goes in there, he puts in the work,
leads by example, and you know for the young players
that they follow him and and they look at him
and what he's doing every day, and he knows when
to push it on and push it off for his work.
But when I was there the spring trying not got
a chance to see him, and I watched the whole
routine and it was a it was a it was
a it was a work routine. Man, he really went
through it. In the cage, our guest as Michael Born,
(08:56):
the former Major league outfielder and radio in the list
for the Philadelphia Phillies, joining us here on inside the
Parker Phillies don't have everything's not going great. The bullpen,
Corey Canoe bll out as Phillies closure blew is force
saved and fifteen chances um, and they gotta get that fixed.
(09:18):
Who will they go to? What can they do? Well?
You know, even you look internal, uh, or you look
to try to ask somebody through the trade value, Uh,
that's that's available. And I'm for the sure the team
is looking at that because you know one thing about
a closer, you can lock down games and the end
with that one run lead or two run lead, those
those games come up big um as far as you know,
(09:40):
down the stretch. So they're gonna need somebody that they
can they can rely on. And maybe because they even
figure it out, you know, maybe it's a tweak here
and there that you're trying to work on right now,
and they give him a break to work on that
and put them in a different role, just like somebody
does in a bad and order. Then sometimes you move
them back to that role as time goes on, when
he feels more comfortable and he's fixed with these fix
and then you can roll with him. But for right now,
(10:02):
I think they're probably looking at internal and then I
would have to say they're probably looking for somebody they
can add on the trade that trade block because of offensively,
why they have it. You know, it's not like they
can't score runs. You know, they could score runs at
any time, but we all know that picture. The defense
is what when you when your championships and win you
games in the playoffs. And I think that's what they
(10:23):
tell me about the Phillies. Anybody else we don't know
who's playing really well or who's come up big. You know,
we know we know, of course we talked about Bryce Harper,
but who else is playing? Uh lights out for the Phillies.
I like what the Gorgies are doing. He's really you know,
held that position down. He came in the frame trying
and they told me he was gonna have to earn spot.
(10:43):
He's earned it and he succeeded that. He's a veteran,
veteran and uh, he's really holding it down, especially with
the Mr Genes the girl for a little while. You know,
Jane is out with a dislocated finger, I think, and
you know that takes time to heal, and I think
he was a big key to him succeeding too. But
with him going down, man, they still be able to
whole courting and do what they do. And I think
(11:05):
that d D is really picking up the slack and uh,
he's you know, he's doing what he normally does and
he's having one of those years where he wants to
prove that he still have some more left of the time.
Last question intra manager Rob Thompson, who had never been
a manager, who's got the post for the rest of
the year. Um is he doing anything different? What kind
of guy is he? Um? And and why do you
(11:28):
think the players have responded? Well, sometimes you know the
beach coaches, you know, before they've become the manager. Who
I think it's the manager now? Uh, they sometimes talk
to the players more than the manager does, you know.
And I think that he probably has a good relationship
with them. They feel loose, they're playing loose with them,
you know. Uh, haven't been in the locker room with
him to see what they what they think. But I
(11:49):
would be there tomorrow to get engage on that. But
I would say that he wants them to just you know,
play loose and beat themselves. You know. Sometimes you know,
in the manager like Joe, he's a veteran manager, you know,
sometimes a young players are not comfortable around that. But
in today's game, but you know, I don't at the
end of the day, I still don't think it's Joe fall.
I just think they responded in the right situation at
(12:10):
the right time. And now it's looking good right now
with the move they made. So Rob Thompson is a
guy and I can't see why he won't continue to
be a guy if he's doing what he's doing right now.
You know, of course they look at his end of
the season to see what happens. But I mean, man,
you know somebody's there's one nine out of a living
and it's his first time being the manager. That's that's
a hell of a start. I can say. The head
(12:31):
no doubt. His name is Michael Bourne, former Major League
outfielder and radio broadcaster for the Philadelphia Phillies. Hey Mike,
thanks for the knowledge. Appreciate you. Thank you, Rob, I
appreciate you any time. Man. Fox Sports Radio has the
best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of
our shows at Fox Sports Radio dot com and within
(12:52):
the I Heart Radio app search f s R to
listen live. It's time for the Pocket Protector Central the
analytic numbers you need to know? Well maybe Anthony Masterson
is his name? BS analytics is his game. What do
you got for me, Anthony? At this point, the American
(13:12):
League MVP is probably a done deal, with Aaron Judge
likely running away with the award even though it's only
mid June. However, it's time to give some love to
the little guy. Seriously, the little guy standing at five
nine hundred ninety pounds of pure baseball talent, Yeah Cleveland,
Jose Ramirez. Ramirez has finished in the top three and
m VP voting in three of the last five seasons,
(13:33):
so he's already well respected throughout the league. But he
was a punch and judy hitter over his first three
seasons just nineteen total home runs, but since he has
been an all around machine in those last six seasons,
only two players have a hundred home runs and a
hundred stolen bases. Ramirez in Boston's Trevor Story. His three
hundred seventy five extra base hit since are twenty more
(13:56):
than any other player. A hundred sixty home runs seventh
most more than guys like Mike Trout, Romany Machado, and
only Nolan Arnado, Jose Brayu, and j D. Martinez have
driven in more runs. This season, He's leading the a
L and triples and r BI, and his ten thirty
ops only ranks behind Judge. He has fifty nine RBI
in fifty six games. The last player with more than
(14:19):
one sixty two r b I in a season a
full season's worth of games that would be Jose's brother
from another mother, Manny Ramirez, for Cleveland back in n
But Ramirez isn't your typical power hitter. He's only struck
out seventeen times to go along with his sixteen home runs,
the best rate in the league. The last two players
with more home runs than strikeouts in a season two
(14:40):
thousand four Barry Bonds, considered arguably the greatest offensive season
of all time, and George Brett in nineteen eighty when
he flirted with four hundred. Those were both MVP seasons.
By the way, now, Ramirez might not win it this year,
but he might be the game's most fun player to watch.
That ball is it was a big week in the
(15:01):
big leagues? Who's Who's? Is it foul or is it fair?
And Now from mlb bro dot com, here's j R gamble.
The Mets and Yankees hold the best records in baseball
coming into Wednesday. Is it foul or fair? Jr? To
(15:25):
say that there will be a Subway series for the
first time since two thousand foul? That is a foul ball.
The early success of these teams has the baseball world
thinking subway series. Both teams have solid pitching and the
Yankees are just pounding teams into submission. Aaron Judge, Leeds
(15:45):
mL being Homer's and Giancarlo Stanton hit them as far
as anybody, but the power rush goes all throughout the
Yankees lineup. They have a great mixture of young players
like Labor Torres and veterans such as Anthony Rizzo. They
also have more balances are players who can move runners
and get singles and doubles. They can still use some
more athleticism and dynamic playmakers, but every MLB team needs that.
(16:11):
The Mets are well balanced squad led by Buck Showalter,
who was still seeking his first World Series. Buck was
prominent managing those early nineties Yankees teams that were just
about to bust out into championship form before Joe Tory
took over and led the Yankee dynasty to four rings
in five seasons. Two thousand was the last time we
(16:32):
had the Subway Series. The Yankees won four games to
one over the Mets to win their twenty championship. The
Mets were scrappy bunch who fell short. I don't see
a Subway Series happening this season. The Yankees have a
better chance of going than the Mets. The Yankees are
in the toughest division in the American League East, So
if they win that division going away like it appears,
(16:56):
they should be able to beat any team in that league.
The Mets, on the other and are supposed to be
getting the Graham and Shares them back shortly, which would
change everything. But you can't count on their health, and
the Mets don't have enough hitting in my opinion, to
defeat the Padres or Dodgers or San Francisco Giants, who
(17:17):
will slug it out all season, steel shoppening steel. So
it would be great for New York to have a
subway series, and this is the closest they've been in
twenty two years. But nah, money into more money. Now
it's time for betting on the basis with Dave Gascott.
Love that money, that money, Rob. It's the brand new
(17:40):
weekends will kick things off in Los Angeles Dodgers and Guardians.
Clayton Kershaw didn't make his return last week against San Francisco.
Pitch well, even in a loss, it's gonna four one
record with an e r A at two twelve. I'm
gonna take Los Angeles at home against the Guardians on
Friday night. The other one. I'm looking forward to the
since day reads at home against the Nowaukee Brewers. I
know you don't to put a lot of money on
(18:00):
the Reds. I get it, I understand it. But they
have recovered. They look somewhat respectable, you know by the
way Hunter Green and his blistering fastball or back on
the mountain tonight Friday night, a fair between the Brewers
and the Reds. I'm taking Hunter Green and the Cincinnati
Reds as a home dog in that contest. All listen things.
I'm going north of the border Rosstrip thing versus Jordan
(18:21):
mcgomery and the pitching matchup Montgomery so far this season
two and one record with an e r A at
two seventies, stripling three to one with an e r
A at three four I'm gonna take the Blue Jay's
Yankees over in this contest. That there's all kinds of
firepower on both sides of the Diamonds. So Rob, one,
two and three, that's what I got. Your comedy act
last weekend was awesome. Catch again next week. I'm out.
(18:43):
When Rob was a newspaper columnist, he lived by this motto.
If I'm writing I'm ripping, let's bring in a writer
and broadcaster older new all right, now, let's welcome into
the podcast a friend of mine, one of the best
baseball writers in the country, Eric Bolan, who covers the
Yankees for Newsday in New York. Eric, Welcome to the podcast, buddy,
(19:05):
Rob is a pleasure to talk to you again, and
also a belated congratulations on your stand up debut. Man,
I appreciate it. It was a lot of fun. I
didn't know. You know, you never know you get out there, Eric,
whether or not people are gonna laugh, and it was fun.
It really was. Well. I was amazed, Rob. You don't
(19:25):
write funny, but you were actually funny on stage, so
you you exceeded my low expectations. There we go. Sounds
like my ex wife, but that's another story. All right,
let's get there. The team you cover is red hot,
blistering hot, ridiculously hot coming into Wednesday. The Yankees best
record in baseball five and sixteen, seven thirty eight winning percentage,
(19:50):
a ridiculous home record of seven and seven, and Eric,
on Tuesday night, they couldn't get a hit to save
their but they're pitching is so good. They went to nothing.
What what? What's going on with the Yankees? Yeah? Look,
I mean and Aaron Judge said this early on in
the season, rob even before he took off, and he
(20:11):
clearly is the front runner for for a l M
v P two and a half months into the season.
But the Judge has said several times, quote, our pitching
has carried us UH, and it really has because, I mean,
obviously the offense has been tremendous, but they have had
games like last night. UH. Whether it's because the opposition
has has good starting pitching or good relief pitching, of
which there's short supply across Major League Baseball. There's so
(20:34):
many bad teams out there, both in the in the A,
l M, the NLUM. But they've had games like last night, UM,
or they just for whatever reason have not hit uh.
And when those occurrences have happened, unlike last season and
unlike the year before UH, and really unlike sometime maybe
since the two thousand seventeen team, which was judge a
(20:54):
Rookie of the Year campaign and Joe Girardi's last UH season. UH,
they just it doesn't matter, or they'll find a way
to win that the starting pitching will keep them in
the game. The relief pitching, you'll keep them in the game.
Whatever it is. And there's just this overwriting belief in
the dugout and every team says this, but it's not
always true. And you know this, rob them have been
around the sport a long time. UM, they honestly think
(21:15):
that there's not a deficit that they're not capable of overcoming. Um. Obviously,
if they're down nine nothing in the eight thing, that
might be a little bit different. But they're down one
nothing to nothing, uh in the sixth, seventh, any whatever,
there's an overwriting belief that they're going to come back.
And they do lead MLB I think last time I checked,
uh in comeback victories. So any which way you can
(21:35):
beat the opposition that the Yankees have have done it
this year. They uh, you know, they boat raced them
offensively when they would blow out. So like you saw
the a team that fore massacre of a horrible Cubs
team on Sunday or games like last night against a
good Race team. Uh, they just find a way to
beat you. And it's uh, it's probably two and a
half months into the season, but it really reminds me.
(21:57):
This is my four teams year covering the team team
is the most reminiscent team to the two thousand and
nine championship team that I've seen in my tenure covering them.
Let me ask you about the bounce back. Uh Tuesday
Night by Garrett Cole. He got beat up by the Twins.
In his previous start, it was ugly seven earned runs
(22:19):
and two and the third innings. But last night, I
should say Tuesday Night, six innings, five hits, no run,
seven strikeouts, only one walk, and he's six and one
with a three point three three e er. Right, So, uh,
that was a great bounce back for him. Yeah. I mean, look,
he's he's a great picture. You know. I know that
sounds pedantic and and uh, well do Eric. But I
(22:42):
think sometimes people, because of the expectations with him being
with obviously the team that he grew up rooting for
in the huge contract that he got before the two
thousand in twenties season, I think that the expectation is
that he's gonna do what he did last night each
and every time out. And he certainly lets go on
runs like that and has gone on runs like that,
(23:03):
but this year it's been a little bit on. Even
his first three starts were kind of up and down. Uh,
he got bombed in Detroit and a memorable start when
he couldn't find the strike zone a month month and
a half ago, and then laid an egg as you
referenced in Minnesota and last week. But each time he's
had those type of outings, he's bounced back, like what
we saw last night. I fully expect him to be
(23:25):
in Los Angeles for the All Star Game, health permitting, obviously,
and uh yeah, he's he's but but what he is
Rob is it's not Garret Cole and everybody else. He's
the ace of this staff. Absolutely, But you could make
an argument that they've got five number ones at least
the way that everyone's pitching right now, and again, that's
something that I have not seen in my time covering
(23:47):
the Yankees, and even the oh nine pitching staff, as
good as it was, uh, it wasn't what we're seeing
two and a half months into this season. Who's the
who's the best out of that group? I know everybody,
a lot of guys are pitching, Well, who's been the
I mean, you probably go with the guy that's pitching tonight,
even though, uh, you know, his his last couple of
starts hasn't been quite as as ace like but I
(24:09):
mean Mr Cortez takes the I believe it's still a
sub two e r a uh into tonight's start, so
you would probably say he's been the best of the bunch.
But last time I checked, every starter had an under
three uh e r A. I mean Garret Cole actually
went above three. I think he went to three six
two or something after the Minnesota start. I can look
at the status this morning to see if he dropped
(24:30):
back to the low three. But uh, ironically, and that
work gets misused. As you know, Robin Off a lot
in our business, but uh, he may have the worst
e r A of any of the five. Unbelievable. Now
that's that, that is unbelievable. Guest is Eric Boland. He
covers the Yankees for Newsday and and Eric I wrote
a column the other day for dead Spin, and I said,
(24:51):
the Yankees, I'll be impressed when they went in the
postseason because they have become the Green Bay Packers of
Major League Baseball. They pile up wins, the most wins
of any team since two thousand but only one championship
since two thousand nine. And this team reminds me of
that ninety Is it a Padre, the team that beat
(25:11):
the Padre. Yeah, that you want to combine the hundred
and they want a five games counting season run, which
of course is a record. Yeah. So so I mean,
do they need to to finish the job here and
win something otherwise it's another year of winning, you know,
piling up regular season wins, but being disappointing in the playoffs.
(25:32):
I mean, look, Rob, I mean George Steinbrewer and you
know this covering the sport longer than I have. Um
that for him it was the World Series or bust
you win the World Series or the season as a failure.
I don't believe that things are are that black and white,
but you know who does Aaron Judge. And Aaron Judge
is leader him and him and Tony Rizzo. Anthony Rizzo
(25:54):
are the two guys that run that clubhouse. And Judge
makes very clear and he has said it since his
rookie year in two thousand seventeen when they lost in
Game seven the LCS to Houston, and he said it
after each subsequent postseason disappointment that they have had during
this most recent to run, if you will, started in
two thousand seventeen. Um that the seasons are failures if
(26:17):
they if they don't make and win a World Series.
So I don't believe that if this team wins a
hundred and ten games or whatever. I mean, they're on
pace for more than that right now. But if they,
let's say one a hundred and ten games and they
lose in the LCS, did you we automatically just say, oh,
the year was it was a categorical failure. I don't.
I don't go there. I think that you can take
(26:38):
more from a baseball season, uh than just didn't end
in a World Series title or not. But it doesn't
matter what I think that the standard uh that's in
that clubhouse is that they have to finish this off
with a World Series championship or the season as a failure.
And one last thing, Eric in New York, I mean,
I'm calling New York to baseball capital of the United States.
(26:59):
It's the fifties all over again. I mean, uh, the
Yankees and Mets both playing good baseball. Just what's the
buzz like in the city about baseball? We already know
it's a baseball town, unlike any other places that tell
people all the time, where talk show host will break
down a baseball game for three hours on the radio
you know where. That never happens anywhere else. But what's
(27:21):
the what's the mood like in the city. Yeah, no,
I mean it's everyone's looking forward to a baseball summer.
Like hasn't occurred around here in a in a very
very long time, because since interleague play started in UH
nineties seven, I believe, um, both teams being really good
just has been a very infrequent occurrence. And I believe
(27:44):
since then there's only been two years where both teams
have actually made the postseason at the same time. The
most recent was two thousand and fifteen. The Yankees got
bounced in the wild Card Game by the Astros and Dallas,
and of course the Mets that year made their kind
of surprising run to the to the World Series, where
they lost to the Hills. But um, I love the
Subway Series. I don't know if it's because I can
(28:04):
grow up here, but there's just a different uh, because
I know some people have gotten a little bit tired
of it. I don't think Mets are Yankees fans have
necessarily tired of it, because the buzz in the ballpark,
even in years where the Mets have been bad or
the Yankees have been slightly disappointing. Whatever the combination is.
The buzz in both ballparks is always like a playoff game.
I expect that to be ratcheted up obviously about you know,
(28:26):
five or ten times more when it comes to intensity
when they meet for the first time, which I believe
is is late July, and I'm very much looking forward
to those games because I think that they'll be uh
fascinating for variety of reasons and just a lot of fun.
His name is Eric Boland, one of the best in
the business. Coming to Yankees for Newsday. My friend. Thank you.
(28:47):
We'll see you at the All Star Game in l
A in July. Rob. I I look forward to it.
Then look forward to seeing more of your stand up.
I appreciate you. Now bring in the clothe there. Here's
why MLB is better than the NFL or NBA, and
(29:07):
it isn't even close. Reason number one thousand why Major
League Baseball is better than the NBA and better than
the NFL, and it's because fans get involved. Fans in
Chicago this past week we're mad at Tony LaRussa and
the way their White Sox are playing, and it was
(29:30):
great because they started channing that they want Tony LaRussa
out in Chicago listen, and they have a lead late
(29:59):
in the words of New York TV legend the late
Bill Jorgensen, thanking you for your time this time until
next time. Rob Parker out he can't get it. This
could be an inside the Parker to see you next weekend,
same bad time, same mass station. H
From the Berkshars to the sound from wherever you live
in MLB America. This is inside the Parker. You give
us twenty two minutes and we'll give you the scoop
on major League Baseball. Now. Gear's Baseball Hall of Fame
voter number seventy six, Rob Parker. Welcome into the podcast.
(00:22):
I'm your host, Rob Parker. What a great show for you.
Today we're gonna talk with former Major League outfielder Michael Bourne,
who also does the Philadelphia Phillies Radio. Will catch up
with him. Plus Eric Boland, the Yankees beat writer for Newsday.
That plus foul or fair. Let's go up to lead off.
(00:50):
It's getting robbed and keep him on. Rob's hot take
on the three biggest stories in Major League Baseball. Number one,
the Atlanta the Braves. Yes, the team that won the
World Series last year. In shocked Baseball America is at
it again. This year has all been about the New
(01:10):
York Metropolitans have been about the Yankees. They've been rolling.
But don't look now. The Atlanta Braves are hot. How
does the firecracker coming into Wednesday's action. The Braves have
won thirteen straight games. They hit five home runs. In
attend to four victory down in d C against the Nationals,
(01:35):
and the braves thirteen game win streak is the longest
in the Majors this year and also the club's longest
since when it reeled off fourteen in a row and
tied for the third longest enfranchises modern era since nineteen hundred.
The two thousand Braves won fifteen in a row to
(01:59):
set a franchise modern era record. The only bad news
Ozzie albis Uh is gonna be out. He was injured
um their second baseman, so that is a bummer there.
But everybody thought maybe the East was gonna be a
runaway for the Mets. But uh, here come the Atlanta Breves, saying,
(02:21):
don't forget about us. I know people thought once Freddie
Freeman left and some other things happened, that they were
going the other way. But the Braves are alive and
well number two don't look now, but the San Diego
Padres are for real. Despite the bad news that Fernando
(02:44):
Tattoos and his rich surgery really hasn't taken. He hasn't
gotten any swings in in the past three months, and
maybe the Padres are gonna wait him out. Let him
get as healthy as can be, and with good reason.
They're in a virtual will tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In fact, the Padres coming into Wednesday have more wins
(03:06):
than the Dodgers, thirty nine to the Dodgers thirty eight. Uh.
The Dodgers, of course have a better winning percentage because
they have twenty three losses and the Padres have twenty four.
But this is an incredible run by the Padres when
you think about it, that they don't have their best
player and yet they're right there with the vaunted Dodgers
and everybody penciled them in basically to win the division.
(03:29):
Come out of the National League, and they have their
own bad news as ace pitcher Walker Bueller. Uh is
going to be out with um an injury, and Walker
Bueller is not gonna be able to touch a ball.
They're saying for what could be six to eight weeks so,
(03:50):
and then he'd have to get back in shape, so
he might be out for three months and the Dodgers
might not have him. So that is a scary situation
if you're the Dodgers when you think about not having
Uh Walker Bueller at the top of your rotation. Number
three say it isn't so. But there's a controversy in
(04:12):
Baltimore with the Orioles, as the Angelo's family is in
a full blown feud and uh the brothers are pointing
fingers at each other. One brother now has said that uh,
his brother wants to take over full control so that
they can move the Orioles to Tennessee. Can you imagine
(04:34):
that Baltimore has already been through it, remember in when
owner Robert Ursay moved to Baltimore colts to Indianapolis in
the middle of the night with moving vans. And now
there's a chance maybe that the Orioles will not be
uh in Baltimore. Of their leases up at the end
of next year. They do not have a new lease
(04:56):
for Camden Yards in place, so this will be interesting
to watch. And you just wonder, with as uh poorly
as the franchise has done with tendency wise, winning wise,
maybe Baltimore isn't a major league city anymore, and maybe
this is a real discussion that needs to be taken place.
(05:16):
Here comes the big interview. Listen Hendler. Good, Now, let's
welcome into the podcast former major league outfielder Michael Bourne,
who of course, started his career with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Also played for the ass Shows, the Braves, the Cleveland
baseball team, Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Baltimore Orioles.
(05:40):
Two time All Star Michael Board Welcome to the podcast, Buddy,
how are you? I'm good, Rob, Thank you for having me,
man no doubt, And let's talk about the team that
you currently call as a radio broadcaster, the team you
are broken with, the Phillies, and man are they hot
since the firing of manager Joe Girardi. Uh. Coming into Wednesday,
(06:04):
they had won nine of the eleven games since Girardi
was fired. How surprised all you that their season got
jumped started with the move? I am very surprised. I
have to say, Rob, I don't really think it was
Joe's fault. You know what happened, but the team has responded,
and you know, it just seems like the team made
(06:24):
a good move. You know, you never know what's gonna
happen when that happens, but it seems like the teams
responded and they liked the manager they're playing for them.
Like you said, they have won nine the last eleven.
The only problem with it that Atlanta is had at
the same time, they are hot. But you know, y'all
control what you can control, and they're controlling their team
play right now, and they just like they're clicking on
all cylinders. I was gonna say that in the NL East,
(06:48):
it looked like the Mets were gonna do it in
the runaway, right. They've been playing great from the start
of the season, and as you said, coming into Wednesday,
the Braves at one thirteen in a row. The Phillies
are so the NL least, uh looks like it's gonna
be a race. You know, buckle up. There three really
good teams, uh in the East. Yeah, you're right, Robin.
(07:10):
You know, in the baseball the saying is like, you know,
you really started seeing what's going on probably after the
All Star break. Then you started buckling down and seeing
who's in the race and who's doing what, And of
course the players are playing every day, but as a
fan you probably started really seeing what's gonna map out
right after that because it's such a long season. You
got a hundred and sixty two games, and uh, you
(07:31):
know you're gotta have some ups and downs, and you know,
you just gotta stay consisted as you can and see
it and see where you end up at the end.
Let's talk about Bryce Harper, and you know, came on
strong last year one the National League MVP. It looked
like it was gonna be tattoos most of the year.
Harper had a really good season and he's having another
(07:51):
great season, batting three eighteen home runs, forty six RBIs
coming into Wednesday. Just talk about Bryce and you know
what he's done for the Phillies. Uh, well, you know,
of course, you won the m v P last year.
One thing I noticed about Bright A lot of people
don't get you to know. I got to go down
the spring training and, uh, he has a real hard
work routine, especially in the cage. I got to sit
(08:11):
there and watch him and see him go through his drills,
and man, he puts into work every day, you know.
So it's not about the mistake that he's doing what
he's doing. You know, he actually goes in there and
prepares and you know, even at the superstar level that
he's at, he works like he's a rookie. He's trying
to prove himself. So you know, they got a star.
Of course, you know, he's a true veteran, but he's
only twenty nine, so he got some gears left in it.
(08:33):
But man, he goes in there, he puts in the work,
leads by example, and you know for the young players
that they follow him and and they look at him
and what he's doing every day, and he knows when
to push it on and push it off for his work.
But when I was there the spring trying not got
a chance to see him, and I watched the whole
routine and it was a it was a it was
a it was a work routine. Man, he really went
through it. In the cage, our guest as Michael Born,
(08:56):
the former Major league outfielder and radio in the list
for the Philadelphia Phillies, joining us here on inside the
Parker Phillies don't have everything's not going great. The bullpen,
Corey Canoe bll out as Phillies closure blew is force
saved and fifteen chances um, and they gotta get that fixed.
(09:18):
Who will they go to? What can they do? Well?
You know, even you look internal, uh, or you look
to try to ask somebody through the trade value, Uh,
that's that's available. And I'm for the sure the team
is looking at that because you know one thing about
a closer, you can lock down games and the end
with that one run lead or two run lead, those
those games come up big um as far as you know,
(09:40):
down the stretch. So they're gonna need somebody that they
can they can rely on. And maybe because they even
figure it out, you know, maybe it's a tweak here
and there that you're trying to work on right now,
and they give him a break to work on that
and put them in a different role, just like somebody
does in a bad and order. Then sometimes you move
them back to that role as time goes on, when
he feels more comfortable and he's fixed with these fix
and then you can roll with him. But for right now,
(10:02):
I think they're probably looking at internal and then I
would have to say they're probably looking for somebody they
can add on the trade that trade block because of offensively,
why they have it. You know, it's not like they
can't score runs. You know, they could score runs at
any time, but we all know that picture. The defense
is what when you when your championships and win you
games in the playoffs. And I think that's what they
(10:23):
tell me about the Phillies. Anybody else we don't know
who's playing really well or who's come up big. You know,
we know we know, of course we talked about Bryce Harper,
but who else is playing? Uh lights out for the Phillies.
I like what the Gorgies are doing. He's really you know,
held that position down. He came in the frame trying
and they told me he was gonna have to earn spot.
(10:43):
He's earned it and he succeeded that. He's a veteran,
veteran and uh, he's really holding it down, especially with
the Mr Genes the girl for a little while. You know,
Jane is out with a dislocated finger, I think, and
you know that takes time to heal, and I think
he was a big key to him succeeding too. But
with him going down, man, they still be able to
whole courting and do what they do. And I think
(11:05):
that d D is really picking up the slack and uh,
he's you know, he's doing what he normally does and
he's having one of those years where he wants to
prove that he still have some more left of the time.
Last question intra manager Rob Thompson, who had never been
a manager, who's got the post for the rest of
the year. Um is he doing anything different? What kind
of guy is he? Um? And and why do you
(11:28):
think the players have responded? Well, sometimes you know the
beach coaches, you know, before they've become the manager. Who
I think it's the manager now? Uh, they sometimes talk
to the players more than the manager does, you know.
And I think that he probably has a good relationship
with them. They feel loose, they're playing loose with them,
you know. Uh, haven't been in the locker room with
him to see what they what they think. But I
(11:49):
would be there tomorrow to get engage on that. But
I would say that he wants them to just you know,
play loose and beat themselves. You know. Sometimes you know,
in the manager like Joe, he's a veteran manager, you know,
sometimes a young players are not comfortable around that. But
in today's game, but you know, I don't at the
end of the day, I still don't think it's Joe fall.
I just think they responded in the right situation at
(12:10):
the right time. And now it's looking good right now
with the move they made. So Rob Thompson is a
guy and I can't see why he won't continue to
be a guy if he's doing what he's doing right now.
You know, of course they look at his end of
the season to see what happens. But I mean, man,
you know somebody's there's one nine out of a living
and it's his first time being the manager. That's that's
a hell of a start. I can say. The head
(12:31):
no doubt. His name is Michael Bourne, former Major League
outfielder and radio broadcaster for the Philadelphia Phillies. Hey Mike,
thanks for the knowledge. Appreciate you. Thank you, Rob, I
appreciate you any time. Man. Fox Sports Radio has the
best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of
our shows at Fox Sports Radio dot com and within
(12:52):
the I Heart Radio app search f s R to
listen live. It's time for the Pocket Protector Central the
analytic numbers you need to know? Well maybe Anthony Masterson
is his name? BS analytics is his game. What do
you got for me, Anthony? At this point, the American
(13:12):
League MVP is probably a done deal, with Aaron Judge
likely running away with the award even though it's only
mid June. However, it's time to give some love to
the little guy. Seriously, the little guy standing at five
nine hundred ninety pounds of pure baseball talent, Yeah Cleveland,
Jose Ramirez. Ramirez has finished in the top three and
m VP voting in three of the last five seasons,
(13:33):
so he's already well respected throughout the league. But he
was a punch and judy hitter over his first three
seasons just nineteen total home runs, but since he has
been an all around machine in those last six seasons,
only two players have a hundred home runs and a
hundred stolen bases. Ramirez in Boston's Trevor Story. His three
hundred seventy five extra base hit since are twenty more
(13:56):
than any other player. A hundred sixty home runs seventh
most more than guys like Mike Trout, Romany Machado, and
only Nolan Arnado, Jose Brayu, and j D. Martinez have
driven in more runs. This season, He's leading the a
L and triples and r BI, and his ten thirty
ops only ranks behind Judge. He has fifty nine RBI
in fifty six games. The last player with more than
(14:19):
one sixty two r b I in a season a
full season's worth of games that would be Jose's brother
from another mother, Manny Ramirez, for Cleveland back in n
But Ramirez isn't your typical power hitter. He's only struck
out seventeen times to go along with his sixteen home runs,
the best rate in the league. The last two players
with more home runs than strikeouts in a season two
(14:40):
thousand four Barry Bonds, considered arguably the greatest offensive season
of all time, and George Brett in nineteen eighty when
he flirted with four hundred. Those were both MVP seasons.
By the way, now, Ramirez might not win it this year,
but he might be the game's most fun player to watch.
That ball is it was a big week in the
(15:01):
big leagues? Who's Who's? Is it foul or is it fair?
And Now from mlb bro dot com, here's j R gamble.
The Mets and Yankees hold the best records in baseball
coming into Wednesday. Is it foul or fair? Jr? To
(15:25):
say that there will be a Subway series for the
first time since two thousand foul? That is a foul ball.
The early success of these teams has the baseball world
thinking subway series. Both teams have solid pitching and the
Yankees are just pounding teams into submission. Aaron Judge, Leeds
(15:45):
mL being Homer's and Giancarlo Stanton hit them as far
as anybody, but the power rush goes all throughout the
Yankees lineup. They have a great mixture of young players
like Labor Torres and veterans such as Anthony Rizzo. They
also have more balances are players who can move runners
and get singles and doubles. They can still use some
more athleticism and dynamic playmakers, but every MLB team needs that.
(16:11):
The Mets are well balanced squad led by Buck Showalter,
who was still seeking his first World Series. Buck was
prominent managing those early nineties Yankees teams that were just
about to bust out into championship form before Joe Tory
took over and led the Yankee dynasty to four rings
in five seasons. Two thousand was the last time we
(16:32):
had the Subway Series. The Yankees won four games to
one over the Mets to win their twenty championship. The
Mets were scrappy bunch who fell short. I don't see
a Subway Series happening this season. The Yankees have a
better chance of going than the Mets. The Yankees are
in the toughest division in the American League East, So
if they win that division going away like it appears,
(16:56):
they should be able to beat any team in that league.
The Mets, on the other and are supposed to be
getting the Graham and Shares them back shortly, which would
change everything. But you can't count on their health, and
the Mets don't have enough hitting in my opinion, to
defeat the Padres or Dodgers or San Francisco Giants, who
(17:17):
will slug it out all season, steel shoppening steel. So
it would be great for New York to have a
subway series, and this is the closest they've been in
twenty two years. But nah, money into more money. Now
it's time for betting on the basis with Dave Gascott.
Love that money, that money, Rob. It's the brand new
(17:40):
weekends will kick things off in Los Angeles Dodgers and Guardians.
Clayton Kershaw didn't make his return last week against San Francisco.
Pitch well, even in a loss, it's gonna four one
record with an e r A at two twelve. I'm
gonna take Los Angeles at home against the Guardians on
Friday night. The other one. I'm looking forward to the
since day reads at home against the Nowaukee Brewers. I
know you don't to put a lot of money on
(18:00):
the Reds. I get it, I understand it. But they
have recovered. They look somewhat respectable, you know by the
way Hunter Green and his blistering fastball or back on
the mountain tonight Friday night, a fair between the Brewers
and the Reds. I'm taking Hunter Green and the Cincinnati
Reds as a home dog in that contest. All listen things.
I'm going north of the border Rosstrip thing versus Jordan
(18:21):
mcgomery and the pitching matchup Montgomery so far this season
two and one record with an e r A at
two seventies, stripling three to one with an e r
A at three four I'm gonna take the Blue Jay's
Yankees over in this contest. That there's all kinds of
firepower on both sides of the Diamonds. So Rob, one,
two and three, that's what I got. Your comedy act
last weekend was awesome. Catch again next week. I'm out.
(18:43):
When Rob was a newspaper columnist, he lived by this motto.
If I'm writing I'm ripping, let's bring in a writer
and broadcaster older new all right, now, let's welcome into
the podcast a friend of mine, one of the best
baseball writers in the country, Eric Bolan, who covers the
Yankees for Newsday in New York. Eric, Welcome to the podcast, buddy,
(19:05):
Rob is a pleasure to talk to you again, and
also a belated congratulations on your stand up debut. Man,
I appreciate it. It was a lot of fun. I
didn't know. You know, you never know you get out there, Eric,
whether or not people are gonna laugh, and it was fun.
It really was. Well. I was amazed, Rob. You don't
(19:25):
write funny, but you were actually funny on stage, so
you you exceeded my low expectations. There we go. Sounds
like my ex wife, but that's another story. All right,
let's get there. The team you cover is red hot,
blistering hot, ridiculously hot coming into Wednesday. The Yankees best
record in baseball five and sixteen, seven thirty eight winning percentage,
(19:50):
a ridiculous home record of seven and seven, and Eric,
on Tuesday night, they couldn't get a hit to save
their but they're pitching is so good. They went to nothing.
What what? What's going on with the Yankees? Yeah? Look,
I mean and Aaron Judge said this early on in
the season, rob even before he took off, and he
(20:11):
clearly is the front runner for for a l M
v P two and a half months into the season.
But the Judge has said several times, quote, our pitching
has carried us UH, and it really has because, I mean,
obviously the offense has been tremendous, but they have had
games like last night. UH. Whether it's because the opposition
has has good starting pitching or good relief pitching, of
which there's short supply across Major League Baseball. There's so
(20:34):
many bad teams out there, both in the in the A,
l M, the NLUM. But they've had games like last night, UM,
or they just for whatever reason have not hit uh.
And when those occurrences have happened, unlike last season and
unlike the year before UH, and really unlike sometime maybe
since the two thousand seventeen team, which was judge a
(20:54):
Rookie of the Year campaign and Joe Girardi's last UH season. UH,
they just it doesn't matter, or they'll find a way
to win that the starting pitching will keep them in
the game. The relief pitching, you'll keep them in the game.
Whatever it is. And there's just this overwriting belief in
the dugout and every team says this, but it's not
always true. And you know this, rob them have been
around the sport a long time. UM, they honestly think
(21:15):
that there's not a deficit that they're not capable of overcoming. Um. Obviously,
if they're down nine nothing in the eight thing, that
might be a little bit different. But they're down one
nothing to nothing, uh in the sixth, seventh, any whatever,
there's an overwriting belief that they're going to come back.
And they do lead MLB I think last time I checked,
uh in comeback victories. So any which way you can
(21:35):
beat the opposition that the Yankees have have done it
this year. They uh, you know, they boat raced them
offensively when they would blow out. So like you saw
the a team that fore massacre of a horrible Cubs
team on Sunday or games like last night against a
good Race team. Uh, they just find a way to
beat you. And it's uh, it's probably two and a
half months into the season, but it really reminds me.
(21:57):
This is my four teams year covering the team team
is the most reminiscent team to the two thousand and
nine championship team that I've seen in my tenure covering them.
Let me ask you about the bounce back. Uh Tuesday
Night by Garrett Cole. He got beat up by the Twins.
In his previous start, it was ugly seven earned runs
(22:19):
and two and the third innings. But last night, I
should say Tuesday Night, six innings, five hits, no run,
seven strikeouts, only one walk, and he's six and one
with a three point three three e er. Right, So, uh,
that was a great bounce back for him. Yeah. I mean, look,
he's he's a great picture. You know. I know that
sounds pedantic and and uh, well do Eric. But I
(22:42):
think sometimes people, because of the expectations with him being
with obviously the team that he grew up rooting for
in the huge contract that he got before the two
thousand in twenties season, I think that the expectation is
that he's gonna do what he did last night each
and every time out. And he certainly lets go on
runs like that and has gone on runs like that,
(23:03):
but this year it's been a little bit on. Even
his first three starts were kind of up and down. Uh,
he got bombed in Detroit and a memorable start when
he couldn't find the strike zone a month month and
a half ago, and then laid an egg as you
referenced in Minnesota and last week. But each time he's
had those type of outings, he's bounced back, like what
we saw last night. I fully expect him to be
(23:25):
in Los Angeles for the All Star Game, health permitting, obviously,
and uh yeah, he's he's but but what he is
Rob is it's not Garret Cole and everybody else. He's
the ace of this staff. Absolutely, But you could make
an argument that they've got five number ones at least
the way that everyone's pitching right now, and again, that's
something that I have not seen in my time covering
(23:47):
the Yankees, and even the oh nine pitching staff, as
good as it was, uh, it wasn't what we're seeing
two and a half months into this season. Who's the
who's the best out of that group? I know everybody,
a lot of guys are pitching, Well, who's been the
I mean, you probably go with the guy that's pitching tonight,
even though, uh, you know, his his last couple of
starts hasn't been quite as as ace like but I
(24:09):
mean Mr Cortez takes the I believe it's still a
sub two e r a uh into tonight's start, so
you would probably say he's been the best of the bunch.
But last time I checked, every starter had an under
three uh e r A. I mean Garret Cole actually
went above three. I think he went to three six
two or something after the Minnesota start. I can look
at the status this morning to see if he dropped
(24:30):
back to the low three. But uh, ironically, and that
work gets misused. As you know, Robin Off a lot
in our business, but uh, he may have the worst
e r A of any of the five. Unbelievable. Now
that's that, that is unbelievable. Guest is Eric Boland. He
covers the Yankees for Newsday and and Eric I wrote
a column the other day for dead Spin, and I said,
(24:51):
the Yankees, I'll be impressed when they went in the
postseason because they have become the Green Bay Packers of
Major League Baseball. They pile up wins, the most wins
of any team since two thousand but only one championship
since two thousand nine. And this team reminds me of
that ninety Is it a Padre, the team that beat
(25:11):
the Padre. Yeah, that you want to combine the hundred
and they want a five games counting season run, which
of course is a record. Yeah. So so I mean,
do they need to to finish the job here and
win something otherwise it's another year of winning, you know,
piling up regular season wins, but being disappointing in the playoffs.
(25:32):
I mean, look, Rob, I mean George Steinbrewer and you
know this covering the sport longer than I have. Um
that for him it was the World Series or bust
you win the World Series or the season as a failure.
I don't believe that things are are that black and white,
but you know who does Aaron Judge. And Aaron Judge
is leader him and him and Tony Rizzo. Anthony Rizzo
(25:54):
are the two guys that run that clubhouse. And Judge
makes very clear and he has said it since his
rookie year in two thousand seventeen when they lost in
Game seven the LCS to Houston, and he said it
after each subsequent postseason disappointment that they have had during
this most recent to run, if you will, started in
two thousand seventeen. Um that the seasons are failures if
(26:17):
they if they don't make and win a World Series.
So I don't believe that if this team wins a
hundred and ten games or whatever. I mean, they're on
pace for more than that right now. But if they,
let's say one a hundred and ten games and they
lose in the LCS, did you we automatically just say, oh,
the year was it was a categorical failure. I don't.
I don't go there. I think that you can take
(26:38):
more from a baseball season, uh than just didn't end
in a World Series title or not. But it doesn't
matter what I think that the standard uh that's in
that clubhouse is that they have to finish this off
with a World Series championship or the season as a failure.
And one last thing, Eric in New York, I mean,
I'm calling New York to baseball capital of the United States.
(26:59):
It's the fifties all over again. I mean, uh, the
Yankees and Mets both playing good baseball. Just what's the
buzz like in the city about baseball? We already know
it's a baseball town, unlike any other places that tell
people all the time, where talk show host will break
down a baseball game for three hours on the radio
you know where. That never happens anywhere else. But what's
(27:21):
the what's the mood like in the city. Yeah, no,
I mean it's everyone's looking forward to a baseball summer.
Like hasn't occurred around here in a in a very
very long time, because since interleague play started in UH
nineties seven, I believe, um, both teams being really good
just has been a very infrequent occurrence. And I believe
(27:44):
since then there's only been two years where both teams
have actually made the postseason at the same time. The
most recent was two thousand and fifteen. The Yankees got
bounced in the wild Card Game by the Astros and Dallas,
and of course the Mets that year made their kind
of surprising run to the to the World Series, where
they lost to the Hills. But um, I love the
Subway Series. I don't know if it's because I can
(28:04):
grow up here, but there's just a different uh, because
I know some people have gotten a little bit tired
of it. I don't think Mets are Yankees fans have
necessarily tired of it, because the buzz in the ballpark,
even in years where the Mets have been bad or
the Yankees have been slightly disappointing. Whatever the combination is.
The buzz in both ballparks is always like a playoff game.
I expect that to be ratcheted up obviously about you know,
(28:26):
five or ten times more when it comes to intensity
when they meet for the first time, which I believe
is is late July, and I'm very much looking forward
to those games because I think that they'll be uh
fascinating for variety of reasons and just a lot of fun.
His name is Eric Boland, one of the best in
the business. Coming to Yankees for Newsday. My friend. Thank you.
(28:47):
We'll see you at the All Star Game in l
A in July. Rob. I I look forward to it.
Then look forward to seeing more of your stand up.
I appreciate you. Now bring in the clothe there. Here's
why MLB is better than the NFL or NBA, and
(29:07):
it isn't even close. Reason number one thousand why Major
League Baseball is better than the NBA and better than
the NFL, and it's because fans get involved. Fans in
Chicago this past week we're mad at Tony LaRussa and
the way their White Sox are playing, and it was
(29:30):
great because they started channing that they want Tony LaRussa
out in Chicago listen, and they have a lead late
(29:59):
in the words of New York TV legend the late
Bill Jorgensen, thanking you for your time this time until
next time. Rob Parker out he can't get it. This
could be an inside the Parker to see you next weekend,
same bad time, same mass station. H
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
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