September 11, 2025 • 31 mins
On this week’s edition of Inside the (Rob) Parker, Rob discusses the New York Yankees' chances of winning the AL East, whether a 60-home run season would be enough for Seattle Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh to lock up with AL MVP award, and why it's premature to say that we're watching the slow death of the the no-hitter in real time. Later, FOX Sports MLB columnist Deesha Thosar swings by to share her thoughts on all the biggest headlines surrounding the New York Mets and the New York Yankees. Plus, Foul or Fair with JR Gamble, Pocket Protector Central with Anthony Masterson, and Rob's latest appearance on MLB Network.
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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, here's Baseball Hall of Fame
voter number fifty seven, Rob Parker.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Come on, I've been covering Major League Baseball for almost
forty years now, in New York, in Cincinnati, in Detroit,
in LA.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
I love this game. Let's go. Welcome into the podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
I'm your host, Rob Parker, and what a show we
have for you today. Dsha Thosar from Fox Sports. She's
an MLB columnist. She'll join us give us some insight
on what's going on baseball wise in New York. Will
do that, plus a little foul affair and much more.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Let's go better up to lead off, it's getting runned
and keep them mind. Rob's hot take on the three
biggest stories in Major League Baseball Number one coming into Thursday.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
I get it. I saw it.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
The Yankees had back to back ten run losses in
the Bronx for the first time in Yankee history. So
of course the sky has fallen, but I'm not buying it.
After this three game set coming up this weekend against
the Red Sox. The Yankees will finish the season with
thirteen straight games against bad teams teams under five hundred,
(01:36):
the Twins, the Orioles, a couple series, and also the
White Sox. The schedule is in the yankees favor. I
still believe the Yankees are gonna win the AL East.
The schedule lends to it cupcakes to finish out the
string of the twenty twenty five season, and I think
(01:57):
they get it together just in.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Time for the postseason.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
I'm not gonna look at these two losses on Tuesday
and Wednesday to the Tigers and say the season's over.
They're right where they want to be in the wildcard race,
and they're only coming into Thursday three games out of
the division lead in the AL East.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
I think they get there. Number two Cal Rawley coming.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Into Thursday has fifty three home runs. That's right, the
Seattle catcher doing all kinds of damage from behind the
plate with the bat. And the question being tossed around
is if he gets to the magical number sixty shitty
automatically win the American League Most Valuable Player. And the
(02:45):
answer simply is no way, no how. Everything has to
be factored in. And I know a lot of people
don't want to put stock in a batting average, but
two forty one coming into Thursday is not MVP, Like
get the fifty three home runs and where he might
wind up and does he get to sixty? I think
you have to look at everything, and it's still hard
(03:08):
to bypass and look at Aaron Judge, who missed three weeks,
two weeks, two or three weeks of this season with
an injury, still batting over three twenty. The league average
is two forty. He's very close in home runs and RBI.
It's not like cal Riley is running away with everything,
(03:29):
and it's not even close.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
It's close.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
It's close despite missing time and the almost one hundred
point batting average better, and Judge still leads an ops
and all kinds of stuff. So it's gonna be interesting.
I don't think that that should be automatic. People are
going to vote the way they want, and maybe they're
tired of voting for Aaron Judge. I don't think that
should be the way it's handled. So this will be interesting.
(03:54):
It'll be an interesting call. Will let's be a repeat
of the Lamar Jackson kind of Josh Allen kind of
MVP race. This will be interesting to see. I'm voting
right here, right now for Aaron.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Judge number three. Always seeing the death of the no hitter.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Right now, with about eighteen games sixteen games of going
to major league season, there hasn't been a no hitter
this season, and if that has accomplished, it'll be the
first time since two thousand and five that there wasn't
a no hitter in the big League.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
That's a long time of talking, twenty years. But let's
not bury the lead.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
The Dodgers lost two no hitters in the ninth inning
in the past week, so they were right there. Yamamoto
had one in Baltimore, two outs bottom of the ninth,
holiday hit a home run, and then the Dodgers wound
up losing that game. Going from a potential no hitter
(04:58):
to a loss. I'm not buying it. I still think
there's a possibility. We just almost saw two with the
Dodgers in the span of a week.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
It will be interesting.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
But even if there aren't any this year, I don't
believe it's the death of the no hitter. Even in
the Yamamoto one Dave Roberts allowed him to have a
career high in pitches. They saw how well he was pitching.
They gave him an opportunity to get it. They didn't
just automatically go all right, we're cutting you off. You
(05:29):
pitched through seven innings, they're gonna start hitting you the
third time around. They didn't do that. He had a
no no and they allowed him to try to get it.
And I think managers and teams will do that when
someone's having a special night. So the no hitter is
not going to be dead, no way, no how.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
It was a big week in the big leagues, believe
Is it foul or is it fair? And now from
mlbbro dot com, here's Jrgambo.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Mookie Betts has had a tough season.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
In fact, he has career lows in almost every category,
but he's playing better here in the month of September Jr.
Is it foul or fair to say that Mookie Betts
will be his.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Old self when it comes postseason in time? Fair?
Speaker 1 (06:27):
It's a fair ball.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
He's already turning the corner as the season shifts. He's
got eleven hits in his last twenty three at bats.
You see the leagues starting to turn a ten of
brown outside. The days are still hot, but the night
chills formar us of the fall season that is upon us.
Mookie Betts is about to turn it up even more.
(06:49):
Future Hall of Famous like Mookie Betts, whose greatness isn't
measured in numbers but in World Series rings and performances
heat up when the weather gets cool.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Let's give Moki his props.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
He has the average up to two sixty after slow start,
and it looks like he's headed towards his eighth twenty
homer season in twelve years.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
He went four or.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Five with five RBI when a nine to nothing went
over the Rockies on Wednesday, And that was Mokie's breakout
game this season. And let me tell you, and Mookie
Betts is just now breaking out. The rest of the
league is in trouble with the postseason right up the block.
People forget Mookie for the nasty undiagnosed stomach illness this
(07:39):
past spring when he said he felt like his body
was eating itself. It ravaged him and dropped his weight significantly,
but he decided that he was healthy enough to get
out on that field and play shortstop at one hundred
and fifty pounds. We don't know how much he was
fighting through. He's a proud dude and a dog on
(07:59):
the with the team first mentality, so Raphaeld Devers won't
switch positions to improve the Red Sox chances of winning.
In contrast, Mookie is ready to hit the bench for
the Dodgers, the world champs at one point if it's
hitting didn't improve. He said it a notion that they
that Dave Roberts, the Dodger's manager, definitely laughed off.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Is what makes Mookie special.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
In addition to his prowess with the back, his ability
to play multiple positions. Any rumors of Mookie Bets's demise
is highly exaggerated and everyone will see in this postseason
it has Mookie Betts World Series MVP written all over it.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
It's time for the pocket Protector Centro. The analytic numbers
you need to know?
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Well, maybe Anthony Masterson is his name, BS analytics is
his game.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
What do you got for me, Anthony?
Speaker 5 (08:59):
After sign up a record setting seven hundred and sixty
five million dollar contract in the offseason, to say much
was expected of Wan Soto would be an understatement, especially
in New York the knives were out after the first
two months, where he hit just two twenty four with
eight homers and a seven to forty five OPS. But
since then, we've seen a different one Sodo, meaning well,
we've seen the same old Won Soto. New York media,
(09:21):
of course, notoriously tough, and the overwhelming sentiment was wan
Sota was not pulling his weight. But since June first,
Soda was hitting two eighty one and leading all of
baseball in OBP at four to twenty eight ops at
ten twenty four and is tied with Jose Ramirez and
stolen bases in that time with twenty three. You heard
that right. Soto is a base Steeler, now becoming just
(09:42):
the fifth met ever with a thirty to thirty season,
and considering he had only fifty seven total steals in
his first seven seasons combined, that is not an insignificant accomplishment,
but as one of the most accomplished young players to
ever hit free agency, all it took was a couple
months for the real Soto to appear. His two eighty one, one, four,
twenty eight, five ninety six slash line is pretty much
(10:03):
in line with his career numbers of two eighty two
for eighteen and five point thirty one. And yes, it's
likely Shoho Tani will walk away with this third straight
MVP Award unless Kyle Schwarberz steals it. But Soda has
been one of the most valuable players in the league
for a Mets team hanging out to the final wildcard spot.
His offensive WINSBO replacement of six point three is the
best in the National League, the first time he's ever
(10:25):
led his respective league in that category. Seems like nobody's
talking about the seven hundred and sixty five million dollar man.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
But maybe they should be.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
When Rob was a newspaper columnist, he lived by this motto,
if I'm writing, I'm ripping, Let's bring in a writer
of broadcaster old or new.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Now let's welcome into the podcast.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Dsha Thosar, who of course is a columnist baseball columnist
for Fox Sports.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
Dsha, how are you.
Speaker 6 (10:52):
I'm great, good to be here.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Absolutely, let's talk.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
I can't believe we're winding down the baseball season bout
eighteen games depending on the team left before it's all over,
and you got two teams in New York.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
I'm going to start there. Mets are really scuffling.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
I think everybody had it at the Mets is a
foegone conclusion of making the postseason coming into Thursday, had
a brutal two games in Philadelphia. Just they look dead
and they're struggling. Where are you on the Mets? Are
they going to make it? Do they have enough pitching?
I know they got the kids. Give me the state
(11:31):
of the New York Metropolitans.
Speaker 6 (11:33):
Yeah, it's definitely rough. I think it has always started
with their starting pitching. For me, even going back to
spring training, I'm not convinced that the front office did
enough to bolster that pitching staff, and we've seen that
over the course of this season with injuries. Now those
injured guys are back and they're really struggling. Looking at
Sean Mania to the point where the Mets had to
(11:54):
call up rookies, and that's great. They've had solid starts,
they look promising, but going into the postseason with three
starting pitchers where a rookie is just a bit of
a stretch. Of course, they can surprise us, but it's
kind of not been done in history for a reason,
and if they're counting on these rookies, it is just
a lot of pressure, a lot of mental pressure on
(12:16):
top of having to perform well and save that pitching staff.
So the offense is disappointing too. But for me, it
really it goes back to the starting pitching not being
strong enough from the beginning since February, and when you.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
Talk about the offense, I know, Wan Soto's put together
some numbers, but it just doesn't feel the same.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
I don't care what anybody says to me.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Despite him coming on in the second half, the Mets
are actually worse since he started hitting.
Speaker 6 (12:45):
Does that make sense, Yeah, it's definitely strange. When you
think about the beginning of the season. In April, Pete
Alonzo was on and carrying the offense when Franstisce Goo
Lindor and Wan so Frizislador has had a pretty good
have two, Wan Soto was struggling, so there was this
belief that, oh, when all three of them start clicking,
(13:06):
this is going to be a dangerous offense. Now we're
seeing Juan Soto clicking and he's unable to carry the
offense in the same way that someone like Peter Alonzo
and Francisco Lindor were able to.
Speaker 7 (13:17):
Why.
Speaker 6 (13:18):
I think that goes back to clutch hitting, and he
is starting to pick it up in the second half.
He's had a better batting average with runners in scoring position.
But I think that is the missing piece that, of course,
we saw last year with Sodo and the Yankees. He
was always coming through in those clutch moments where his
overall stats are going to look great at the end
of the season. But if he started to come through
(13:40):
in those moments, those high leverage moments, this would be
a different looking offense for the Meds.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Speaking, you brought up Peter Alonzo. I thought the Mets
did him with disservice. I know he wound up coming
back signing a contract. I think he can opt out
of it right.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
Which he will.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
He's had a really good year, first time, first really
good year in a couple of years for the Mets.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
They didn't want to pay him. They had all the
money for Soto.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Do you see Alonso getting interest from other people, maybe
even the Yankees or somewhere somewhere else.
Speaker 6 (14:11):
There's definitely a need for first basement around the league.
I'm curious what his market is going to look like,
especially after what he went through last offseason and was
kind of disappointing league wide. I think even he was
expecting more. Ultimately, still wanting to go back to the Mets.
But now that he broke that franchise record, he's their
home run leader. It's a little different, right. The tone
(14:32):
with the Mets is different. He is producing in big moments.
They still are in line right now to make the playoffs.
He could have another big performance there. I think he's
really pushing the Mets to give him that big contract,
whether they will or not, whether they're willing to go
beyond three years, even since he is already thirty one,
it's a little tough. I think he's not going to
(14:53):
get that six to seven year deal that he wanted
from anyone. So he might have to kind of see
his choices and go with what makes sense for him.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Ultimately, Yeah, I think he gets the short end of
the stick. He has since he came into the big league.
Him and Aaron Judge are closer. Home runs. You know,
he's gotten big hits for the Mets, big home runs.
That home run against Devin Williams saved the Mets in
that series.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
I just I think people shure change.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
It's hard to hit home runs and big home runs
sometimes you need those. I do want to ask you
about one more before we get to the Yankees real quick.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Clay Holmes came over from the Yankees. It was a reliever.
They made him a starter with the Mets, got off
to a good start.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
Everybody thought, oh, the Mets hit paid her and now
looks like he's hit a wall and not able to
continue or pitch as well, you know, as a starter
as he did as a reliever.
Speaker 6 (15:47):
Yeah, this again goes back to their plan in February.
I mean think we all expected Clay Holmes to hit
a wall, turning into his starter his first year, pushing
past his career high end limits. This was sort of
expected to happen. Now if the Mets always thought, hey,
we have some high end triple A pitchers we can
call up to make up for that loss. That's the
(16:07):
game plan they're now enacting. But Clay Holmes fell off
that cliff even sooner I think than anyone expected. He
had a super strong first half, really really good numbers
leading that rotation, and now it's really not even a
Clay Hoolmes problem. It's everyone is struggling to even get
through the fifth inning. We're looking at a rotation that
really only makes it four plus. It is really going
(16:29):
to be tricky. I think David Stearns is going to
have to be creative, whether he wants to piggyback starters
do something that way. But I think in the end
this is just it's unsustainable. And it does go back
to Clay Hoolmes, but it also goes back to guys
like Sean Manaiyah who were really good for the Mets
last year and I've struggled this year.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
D Shitosa is our guest here on Inside the Park
of course Baseball columns for Fox Sports.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
Let's go to the Bronx.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
And the Yankees, and again you don't want to be
a president of the moment. They have a tough stretch
they were going through, got blown out two games in
a row to the Tigers and coming into Thursday, but
they're in the driver's seat as far as the wild Card.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
They have a good lead.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
You know, not many games left, but they also have
a chance at the division, and the Blue Jays and
the Red Sox and the Yankees are three games separating
the three teams coming into Thursday.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
Who wins the division?
Speaker 2 (17:25):
Do you still have Toronto or could one of these
other two teams jump over.
Speaker 6 (17:32):
Yeah, it's tough. I've been going back and forth myself.
Of course, when the Yankees look good, they're beating up
on basement dwelling teams, and then they look fully capable
of winning the division. They did have a good record
against the Astros. They actually won that series. But now
they're falling into this stretch again which we've seen too
often from them, is falling apart, like really collapsing against
(17:53):
good teams. We saw it with the Tigers getting fully outscored.
Now they have a tough opponent in the Red Sox
at Fenway. Right now, I think it is the Blue Jays.
They really have not convinced me otherwise that they won't
win the division. They've been in the driver's seat at
the top of the division all year, and even just
watching them play, they're spunky. I think the other teams
can a little underestimate them and that gives them confidence.
(18:15):
And they have a huge weapon in George Springer, who's
having a renaissance season over there. So it's not like
there are a bunch of no names. There's a big
starver there who has that postseason mentality in him, who
can really get into a run down the stretch. So
for now I'm going with the Blue Jays. They haven't
convinced me otherwise.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
Otherwise, as Anthony Volpi basically played itself out of shortstop.
I mean, this year was a disaster, not just the hitting,
but the unreliable fielding on routine grounders and plays that
you have to make in the big leagues. I noticed
Guy want to gold Glove already in his career. This
(18:54):
year was really, really weird, and I don't know if
the Yankees could feel like they can trust him go forward.
Speaker 6 (19:01):
Yeah, it's a really a bizarre situation. I mean, I
feel bad for him because the Yankees are putting him
in a tough spot. I think he should not be
out there every single day kind of repeating the same
results and hoping for something different. Yankee should have sent
him down to the minors earlier in the season, similar
to what the Mets did with Francisco Alvarez, who was
(19:22):
really struggling. He was sent down for a month. He
came back on fire. I just don't understand why, especially
after the trade deadline. Before that there were limited choices.
It was really only Oswald Parazza who could play short
After the trade deadline, they had Ahmed Rosario Jose Caballero.
Both of these guys can play a decent shortstop that
(19:43):
is not going ranked in the bottom of the entire
MLB entire majors. So that's when it should have turned.
They still had an opportunity to get Bulty right in
late July early August. They blew past it, and the
Yankees still continue to say he's this elite stop. They
have so much confidence and belief in him. At this point,
(20:03):
I think they're just relying on what he did last
October for the Yankees and kind of hoping that he
can repeat the same performance that we're now a year
out pass this is not the same player. I think
it is just a little weird the situation that they're
not just giving Caballero at least or Rosario more starts
on the daily basis.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
All right, last thing, Cody Bell and your boy. He
fits in at Yankee Stadium. He's had a really good year.
Do you see him resigning with the Yankees?
Speaker 6 (20:33):
Yeah, I mean he's like the epitome of a Yankee player.
To me, he really brinds too and he doesn't really
call too much attention to himself.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
He just.
Speaker 6 (20:44):
Rip. Yeah, I don't I don't think I've heard that comparison.
But he that's a really good example. I think he
just is happy to be here, he wants to win,
and he's kind of, without even knowing it, the glue
guy right in that offense. Everyone looks at Judge in
Stanton to be the big power hitters, but since Glaber
into the Tigers Labor torre As, they kind of needed
to fill that role of a guy that just gets
on basis homers, and he's been that guy. I think
(21:06):
the Yankees have to have to go out resign him.
Will they do the same with Tran Krisholm. I don't know.
He might have played himself out of a contract there,
I mean, really exceeding expectations. But the Yankees have to
look at Bellingder and circle his name as an offseason target.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Here, D sha Those are from Fox Sports A baseball
columnists checker out A. D.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Shaul, thank you so much, love yoursight. I appreciate you.
Speaker 6 (21:32):
All right, thank you for having me on.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
As always, it's the Gambler here. Vice president of operations
for mlbbro dot Com and executive producer of the MLB
Bro Show podcast the Mixtape. Every Friday, you heard that right,
Every Friday, we bring you the best from the world
of Black and Brown baseball. We covered the seven point
(21:56):
two percent of melanated Major leaguers from soup to nuts,
but with our own cultural flair and unique voice, will
take you on a ride reflecting on the accomplishment, clutch moments,
and contributions to culture that the Bros continue to breathe
into baseball.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
From Mookie Wilson to Mookie Betts.
Speaker 4 (22:17):
Doctor k to Doctor Styx, from Bro Bombs to stolen
bases to Black Aces. We're live at the ballparks and
also bringing you segments like Classic Hits with David Grubb,
the Black Ace Report, the Rundown, the Walk Off, and
Going Deep, just to name a few of the segments
that truly capture the voice of black baseball. If things
(22:40):
get out of hand, as the Boss Rob Parker, he's
kicking up dust, we will gladly pay you on Tuesday
from an MLB Bro doubleheader today. Remember the heart of
the game lies in the diversity of the game and
the spirit of black baseball that dates back to the
Negro leagues. I've the Gambler, your friendly neighbor, diamond checker,
(23:01):
making sure that you stay on top of the game
and in touch with the soul of MLB, fucking up
for a wild baseball journey, showing respect to the Ogs
and highlighting the new breed of melanated Malma Robin. First
thing through MLB's pipeline, all pitching with the sound of
black Baseball. We got the best starting five in the business.
(23:23):
Listen to the MLB bro Show podcast the Mixtape on
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Speaker 1 (23:35):
In case you missed Rob Parker on the MLB networks,
here's his latest appearance on MLBA.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
Showdown Time.
Speaker 7 (23:45):
Rob Parker is here. Rob growing up in New York,
Down on New York teams, worked for decades in Detroit.
Down on Detroit. You have no loyalty, Rob, Welcome back.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
What's up? BK. No, I'm gonna call it straight.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
No matter where I worked and no matter what what
city I've worked in, they always say.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
I'm a hater.
Speaker 7 (24:03):
I that's shocking. I don't know why. They have a
little bit of that tendency. All right, So are the
Mets done?
Speaker 2 (24:11):
The Mets are absolutely done. They're not making the playoffs.
I mean, you guys, I just heard the segment before,
and you know you're talking around it and hoping, wishing
and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 7 (24:22):
They're there, they're up to They have a very baseball
the team, by the way, you know they do have
they have Soto is a great at bat. We'll talk
about him. They've got power. Uh A Kunya is a
terrific fielder and runner. They're kind of baseballly, they're they're
hitting a bad spot. Everybody has hit a bad spot.
But I tell you what, they have the tie break
(24:43):
on the Giants. Giants e with a good rotation. Abbott
was excellent last night. They don't have the tie break
on the Reds. But the Reds are flawed too. I've
been waiting all year on the Reds.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Yeah, but the Mets are flawed as well.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
I mean, here's my issue is that this team, if
they're down in the eighth inning, forget.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
It, like zero and a million, you know, they don't win.
That is odd?
Speaker 7 (25:04):
Is that happenstance or is that like I hate to
you know, clutch or not clutch, But that is odd.
I'm surprised by that.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
They they haven't won a game all year.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
About trailing after the eighth inning, I mean that that's
scary to me.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
It really.
Speaker 7 (25:18):
It's the same team though that facing elimination.
Speaker 4 (25:20):
Lindora's hitting home runs a lot.
Speaker 7 (25:22):
You know, Pete Alonzo famously staved off elimination by hitting
it off the Devin Williams. You know, I have trouble
saying that.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Well, they won't come through in big moments.
Speaker 7 (25:31):
I have trouble with that.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
Well, but but that was last year and this team, guys,
but the team was much better last year than this year.
I mean, I look at this team. Where's Grimace? Where's
Oh my god? Where where There's none of that? God,
there's no juice.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
God.
Speaker 7 (25:49):
I'd rather have Iglesias than Grimace. So you're right, Iglacias
is gone. He's you know, OMG, why don't you keep
that guy around?
Speaker 3 (25:56):
For some reason? They didnt.
Speaker 7 (25:57):
They didn't want to keep him around?
Speaker 3 (25:58):
All right? I want yeah, God, here's another thing too
real quick. Yeah, you're relying on three rookie pitchers to
get you through.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Good luck, good lucky, because when they will fall off
and they have the bad outing, when you really need
that win, you'll say, oh my god, we had to
pitch a rookie.
Speaker 7 (26:14):
They're blue chip kids. I'll give you that, but yeah, no,
they're brand spanking new. But they're blue chip kids. And
McClain's terrific. How about Wan Sodo? Take a look at
this wance and you know I'm with you on Soto right.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
He leaves me.
Speaker 7 (26:25):
Cold and awful lot, But like the facts are facts.
He is now second in ops plus, he's second in
war by the way, he is second in win probability
ded on the far right. That's WPA. That's how much
you're helping your team win. It's mathematical, it's clutch. It's
just Otania's first, Soto second, Freddy Freeman third.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
I don't know.
Speaker 7 (26:47):
It's our eyes are telling us one thing. But this
guy seems to be an MVP candidate.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
They're empty numbers and their meaningless.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
And let me tell you it is bka.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
The Mets were twenty one games over five hundred in
mid June when he wasn't hitting, when he wasn't making
the All Star team, when they get when they were
really rolling, and guess when he started hitting. Now the
team is no good and he's putting up all these numbers.
He stole a meaningless third base the other night.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
That's five shown.
Speaker 7 (27:18):
And that home run last night even there's an impressive
home run, but it's like you down eight, one, nine
to one.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
What are we doing? Right?
Speaker 7 (27:22):
No, and you got to keep playing. But I know
what you're saying. There's some meaningless sort of stuff happening
with him. True, but but the numbers aren't.
Speaker 3 (27:31):
The numbers like, the numbers don't do it for me.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
I get it when you put them all together, but
they just weren't impactful. This year the Mets won the
one Soto sweep stakes and got worse from a year ago.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
That makes no sense.
Speaker 7 (27:46):
I could argue that I have to go back and
look at that.
Speaker 3 (27:48):
A lot of things.
Speaker 7 (27:48):
I would say this we do generally, and this is
part of the sabermetric revolution go bout twenty five years.
We generally underrate the value of drawing the base on balls, right.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
We wanted to have more impact.
Speaker 7 (28:02):
He's getting on base at a four hundred clip again.
You know he's He's done it every single year. There's
real value to that. That's why last time, God Good'll
give you a last word on that.
Speaker 3 (28:11):
Yeah, only problem is they're not winning.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
So you can drain the walks all you want and
do all that and get blown out every night by
the Phillies.
Speaker 3 (28:19):
It's still about winning.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
Kwards has a short menu wins and losses.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
Nothing else matters.
Speaker 4 (28:26):
It's hard.
Speaker 7 (28:27):
They're getting hammered right now. Like I've watched every game.
I was like, Phillies is blowing the doors off them.
All right, all right, So now what I O get then?
If that's what you're thinking, have you been watching the
Tigers and Yankees last couple of day? At least drop
I drop in early and then I can leave early
because you know they're getting crushed.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
Yeah, it's an aborration.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
Yes, the Tigers won two big games in the Bronx
by ten runs.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
Hasn't happened in Yankee history.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
I get all that, and I'm not gonna discount it
or pooh pooh it.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
But coming into this series, did you see the Tigers?
Speaker 2 (28:59):
They scut They got swept, buddy, as they've They've lost
to some bad teams in the last three series, and other.
Speaker 3 (29:06):
Than Google, I'm not there's nobody who scares you. Does
Riley Green really scare you? Like, oh my god, how
you not this guy.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
The whole team, by the way, like they lost interest.
Speaker 7 (29:17):
This is they had a fourteen game lead on July seventh,
Rob and ansiin they lost interest, But you lose institutional
you know, you know, drive, because they're like, we've got
this division. So they did. They lost twelve out of thirteen. Yeah,
they lost two or three of the White Sox. But
they are righting the ship, as we say, right now,
Parker Meadows is back, carry Carpenter is hitting, and they're
(29:39):
not even the guys who have carried the load all year.
Take a look at their offense they have besides the Brewers,
they have more guys above league average offensively. This is
ops plus one hundred is league average. They have more
above average offense than anyone but the Brewers.
Speaker 4 (29:54):
So and they're just.
Speaker 7 (29:56):
Getting Carpenter back and Parker Meadows, who could be their
best players.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
Yeah, but just if you just take away to two
the last two games with the Yankees before this, in
their previous four series, they lost three of them and
won one and one, and.
Speaker 7 (30:10):
The division was a rap tya. The division was a
rapped months ago. So now yeah, they're kicking it back in.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
Everybody I can't.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
I can't buy BK. There are a lot of great teams.
The Mariners won one hundred and sixteen games. They didn't
wave the white flag and stopped playing the Yankees of
ninety nine.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
They kept winning.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
I can't buy into the idea that you've got a
big thing.
Speaker 7 (30:32):
They're the greatest team of all time. I'm not saying
they're the ninety eight Yankees. I'm not saying they have
each zero and Edgar Martinez.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
Right.
Speaker 3 (30:37):
No, No, I'm not to.
Speaker 2 (30:38):
Remember that stretch, that stretch when they lost twelve out
of thirteen.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
That's gonna be their postseason stretch. WHOA.
Speaker 6 (30:45):
No.
Speaker 7 (30:46):
By the way, they're a good tournament team. They have
an opener going tonight and Holton they're gonna they're They're
a tough out in the playoffs. They're a difficult team
to play. I know you hate De Troy or you
love De Truit, but you hate the team.
Speaker 3 (31:00):
I don't hate the TV. I'm only kay.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
I got a barbershop one seven Mile Road. I love Detroit.
Speaker 3 (31:07):
What are you saying?
Speaker 7 (31:08):
So your murals are everywhere in your high school and
your college. You have a press box, You're in Detroit,
You're you're coast to coast.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
Rob will talk to you next week.
Speaker 7 (31:18):
Thank you, rb K, thank thank God for Rob Parker.
Speaker 2 (31:28):
In the words of New York TV legend the late
Bill Jorgensen, thanking you for your time this time until
next time.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
Rob Parker out. He can't Davin. This could be an
inside of Parker.
Speaker 1 (31:39):
See you next week, same bad time, same man's station.
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, here's Baseball Hall of Fame
voter number fifty seven, Rob Parker.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Come on, I've been covering Major League Baseball for almost
forty years now, in New York, in Cincinnati, in Detroit,
in LA.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
I love this game. Let's go. Welcome into the podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
I'm your host, Rob Parker, and what a show we
have for you today. Dsha Thosar from Fox Sports. She's
an MLB columnist. She'll join us give us some insight
on what's going on baseball wise in New York. Will
do that, plus a little foul affair and much more.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Let's go better up to lead off, it's getting runned
and keep them mind. Rob's hot take on the three
biggest stories in Major League Baseball Number one coming into Thursday.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
I get it. I saw it.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
The Yankees had back to back ten run losses in
the Bronx for the first time in Yankee history. So
of course the sky has fallen, but I'm not buying it.
After this three game set coming up this weekend against
the Red Sox. The Yankees will finish the season with
thirteen straight games against bad teams teams under five hundred,
(01:36):
the Twins, the Orioles, a couple series, and also the
White Sox. The schedule is in the yankees favor. I
still believe the Yankees are gonna win the AL East.
The schedule lends to it cupcakes to finish out the
string of the twenty twenty five season, and I think
(01:57):
they get it together just in.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Time for the postseason.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
I'm not gonna look at these two losses on Tuesday
and Wednesday to the Tigers and say the season's over.
They're right where they want to be in the wildcard race,
and they're only coming into Thursday three games out of
the division lead in the AL East.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
I think they get there. Number two Cal Rawley coming.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Into Thursday has fifty three home runs. That's right, the
Seattle catcher doing all kinds of damage from behind the
plate with the bat. And the question being tossed around
is if he gets to the magical number sixty shitty
automatically win the American League Most Valuable Player. And the
(02:45):
answer simply is no way, no how. Everything has to
be factored in. And I know a lot of people
don't want to put stock in a batting average, but
two forty one coming into Thursday is not MVP, Like
get the fifty three home runs and where he might
wind up and does he get to sixty? I think
you have to look at everything, and it's still hard
(03:08):
to bypass and look at Aaron Judge, who missed three weeks,
two weeks, two or three weeks of this season with
an injury, still batting over three twenty. The league average
is two forty. He's very close in home runs and RBI.
It's not like cal Riley is running away with everything,
(03:29):
and it's not even close.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
It's close.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
It's close despite missing time and the almost one hundred
point batting average better, and Judge still leads an ops
and all kinds of stuff. So it's gonna be interesting.
I don't think that that should be automatic. People are
going to vote the way they want, and maybe they're
tired of voting for Aaron Judge. I don't think that
should be the way it's handled. So this will be interesting.
(03:54):
It'll be an interesting call. Will let's be a repeat
of the Lamar Jackson kind of Josh Allen kind of
MVP race. This will be interesting to see. I'm voting
right here, right now for Aaron.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Judge number three. Always seeing the death of the no hitter.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Right now, with about eighteen games sixteen games of going
to major league season, there hasn't been a no hitter
this season, and if that has accomplished, it'll be the
first time since two thousand and five that there wasn't
a no hitter in the big League.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
That's a long time of talking, twenty years. But let's
not bury the lead.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
The Dodgers lost two no hitters in the ninth inning
in the past week, so they were right there. Yamamoto
had one in Baltimore, two outs bottom of the ninth,
holiday hit a home run, and then the Dodgers wound
up losing that game. Going from a potential no hitter
(04:58):
to a loss. I'm not buying it. I still think
there's a possibility. We just almost saw two with the
Dodgers in the span of a week.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
It will be interesting.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
But even if there aren't any this year, I don't
believe it's the death of the no hitter. Even in
the Yamamoto one Dave Roberts allowed him to have a
career high in pitches. They saw how well he was pitching.
They gave him an opportunity to get it. They didn't
just automatically go all right, we're cutting you off. You
(05:29):
pitched through seven innings, they're gonna start hitting you the
third time around. They didn't do that. He had a
no no and they allowed him to try to get it.
And I think managers and teams will do that when
someone's having a special night. So the no hitter is
not going to be dead, no way, no how.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
It was a big week in the big leagues, believe
Is it foul or is it fair? And now from
mlbbro dot com, here's Jrgambo.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Mookie Betts has had a tough season.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
In fact, he has career lows in almost every category,
but he's playing better here in the month of September Jr.
Is it foul or fair to say that Mookie Betts
will be his.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Old self when it comes postseason in time? Fair?
Speaker 1 (06:27):
It's a fair ball.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
He's already turning the corner as the season shifts. He's
got eleven hits in his last twenty three at bats.
You see the leagues starting to turn a ten of
brown outside. The days are still hot, but the night
chills formar us of the fall season that is upon us.
Mookie Betts is about to turn it up even more.
(06:49):
Future Hall of Famous like Mookie Betts, whose greatness isn't
measured in numbers but in World Series rings and performances
heat up when the weather gets cool.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
Let's give Moki his props.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
He has the average up to two sixty after slow start,
and it looks like he's headed towards his eighth twenty
homer season in twelve years.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
He went four or.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Five with five RBI when a nine to nothing went
over the Rockies on Wednesday, And that was Mokie's breakout
game this season. And let me tell you, and Mookie
Betts is just now breaking out. The rest of the
league is in trouble with the postseason right up the block.
People forget Mookie for the nasty undiagnosed stomach illness this
(07:39):
past spring when he said he felt like his body
was eating itself. It ravaged him and dropped his weight significantly,
but he decided that he was healthy enough to get
out on that field and play shortstop at one hundred
and fifty pounds. We don't know how much he was
fighting through. He's a proud dude and a dog on
(07:59):
the with the team first mentality, so Raphaeld Devers won't
switch positions to improve the Red Sox chances of winning.
In contrast, Mookie is ready to hit the bench for
the Dodgers, the world champs at one point if it's
hitting didn't improve. He said it a notion that they
that Dave Roberts, the Dodger's manager, definitely laughed off.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Is what makes Mookie special.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
In addition to his prowess with the back, his ability
to play multiple positions. Any rumors of Mookie Bets's demise
is highly exaggerated and everyone will see in this postseason
it has Mookie Betts World Series MVP written all over it.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
It's time for the pocket Protector Centro. The analytic numbers
you need to know?
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Well, maybe Anthony Masterson is his name, BS analytics is
his game.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
What do you got for me, Anthony?
Speaker 5 (08:59):
After sign up a record setting seven hundred and sixty
five million dollar contract in the offseason, to say much
was expected of Wan Soto would be an understatement, especially
in New York the knives were out after the first
two months, where he hit just two twenty four with
eight homers and a seven to forty five OPS. But
since then, we've seen a different one Sodo, meaning well,
we've seen the same old Won Soto. New York media,
(09:21):
of course, notoriously tough, and the overwhelming sentiment was wan
Sota was not pulling his weight. But since June first,
Soda was hitting two eighty one and leading all of
baseball in OBP at four to twenty eight ops at
ten twenty four and is tied with Jose Ramirez and
stolen bases in that time with twenty three. You heard
that right. Soto is a base Steeler, now becoming just
(09:42):
the fifth met ever with a thirty to thirty season,
and considering he had only fifty seven total steals in
his first seven seasons combined, that is not an insignificant accomplishment,
but as one of the most accomplished young players to
ever hit free agency, all it took was a couple
months for the real Soto to appear. His two eighty one, one, four,
twenty eight, five ninety six slash line is pretty much
(10:03):
in line with his career numbers of two eighty two
for eighteen and five point thirty one. And yes, it's
likely Shoho Tani will walk away with this third straight
MVP Award unless Kyle Schwarberz steals it. But Soda has
been one of the most valuable players in the league
for a Mets team hanging out to the final wildcard spot.
His offensive WINSBO replacement of six point three is the
best in the National League, the first time he's ever
(10:25):
led his respective league in that category. Seems like nobody's
talking about the seven hundred and sixty five million dollar man.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
But maybe they should be.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
When Rob was a newspaper columnist, he lived by this motto,
if I'm writing, I'm ripping, Let's bring in a writer
of broadcaster old or new.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Now let's welcome into the podcast.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Dsha Thosar, who of course is a columnist baseball columnist
for Fox Sports.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
Dsha, how are you.
Speaker 6 (10:52):
I'm great, good to be here.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Absolutely, let's talk.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
I can't believe we're winding down the baseball season bout
eighteen games depending on the team left before it's all over,
and you got two teams in New York.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
I'm going to start there. Mets are really scuffling.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
I think everybody had it at the Mets is a
foegone conclusion of making the postseason coming into Thursday, had
a brutal two games in Philadelphia. Just they look dead
and they're struggling. Where are you on the Mets? Are
they going to make it? Do they have enough pitching?
I know they got the kids. Give me the state
(11:31):
of the New York Metropolitans.
Speaker 6 (11:33):
Yeah, it's definitely rough. I think it has always started
with their starting pitching. For me, even going back to
spring training, I'm not convinced that the front office did
enough to bolster that pitching staff, and we've seen that
over the course of this season with injuries. Now those
injured guys are back and they're really struggling. Looking at
Sean Mania to the point where the Mets had to
(11:54):
call up rookies, and that's great. They've had solid starts,
they look promising, but going into the postseason with three
starting pitchers where a rookie is just a bit of
a stretch. Of course, they can surprise us, but it's
kind of not been done in history for a reason,
and if they're counting on these rookies, it is just
a lot of pressure, a lot of mental pressure on
(12:16):
top of having to perform well and save that pitching staff.
So the offense is disappointing too. But for me, it
really it goes back to the starting pitching not being
strong enough from the beginning since February, and when you.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
Talk about the offense, I know, Wan Soto's put together
some numbers, but it just doesn't feel the same.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
I don't care what anybody says to me.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Despite him coming on in the second half, the Mets
are actually worse since he started hitting.
Speaker 6 (12:45):
Does that make sense, Yeah, it's definitely strange. When you
think about the beginning of the season. In April, Pete
Alonzo was on and carrying the offense when Franstisce Goo
Lindor and Wan so Frizislador has had a pretty good
have two, Wan Soto was struggling, so there was this
belief that, oh, when all three of them start clicking,
(13:06):
this is going to be a dangerous offense. Now we're
seeing Juan Soto clicking and he's unable to carry the
offense in the same way that someone like Peter Alonzo
and Francisco Lindor were able to.
Speaker 7 (13:17):
Why.
Speaker 6 (13:18):
I think that goes back to clutch hitting, and he
is starting to pick it up in the second half.
He's had a better batting average with runners in scoring position.
But I think that is the missing piece that, of course,
we saw last year with Sodo and the Yankees. He
was always coming through in those clutch moments where his
overall stats are going to look great at the end
of the season. But if he started to come through
(13:40):
in those moments, those high leverage moments, this would be
a different looking offense for the Meds.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Speaking, you brought up Peter Alonzo. I thought the Mets
did him with disservice. I know he wound up coming
back signing a contract. I think he can opt out
of it right.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
Which he will.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
He's had a really good year, first time, first really
good year in a couple of years for the Mets.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
They didn't want to pay him. They had all the
money for Soto.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Do you see Alonso getting interest from other people, maybe
even the Yankees or somewhere somewhere else.
Speaker 6 (14:11):
There's definitely a need for first basement around the league.
I'm curious what his market is going to look like,
especially after what he went through last offseason and was
kind of disappointing league wide. I think even he was
expecting more. Ultimately, still wanting to go back to the Mets.
But now that he broke that franchise record, he's their
home run leader. It's a little different, right. The tone
(14:32):
with the Mets is different. He is producing in big moments.
They still are in line right now to make the playoffs.
He could have another big performance there. I think he's
really pushing the Mets to give him that big contract,
whether they will or not, whether they're willing to go
beyond three years, even since he is already thirty one,
it's a little tough. I think he's not going to
(14:53):
get that six to seven year deal that he wanted
from anyone. So he might have to kind of see
his choices and go with what makes sense for him.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Ultimately, Yeah, I think he gets the short end of
the stick. He has since he came into the big league.
Him and Aaron Judge are closer. Home runs. You know,
he's gotten big hits for the Mets, big home runs.
That home run against Devin Williams saved the Mets in
that series.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
I just I think people shure change.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
It's hard to hit home runs and big home runs
sometimes you need those. I do want to ask you
about one more before we get to the Yankees real quick.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Clay Holmes came over from the Yankees. It was a reliever.
They made him a starter with the Mets, got off
to a good start.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
Everybody thought, oh, the Mets hit paid her and now
looks like he's hit a wall and not able to
continue or pitch as well, you know, as a starter
as he did as a reliever.
Speaker 6 (15:47):
Yeah, this again goes back to their plan in February.
I mean think we all expected Clay Holmes to hit
a wall, turning into his starter his first year, pushing
past his career high end limits. This was sort of
expected to happen. Now if the Mets always thought, hey,
we have some high end triple A pitchers we can
call up to make up for that loss. That's the
(16:07):
game plan they're now enacting. But Clay Holmes fell off
that cliff even sooner I think than anyone expected. He
had a super strong first half, really really good numbers
leading that rotation, and now it's really not even a
Clay Hoolmes problem. It's everyone is struggling to even get
through the fifth inning. We're looking at a rotation that
really only makes it four plus. It is really going
(16:29):
to be tricky. I think David Stearns is going to
have to be creative, whether he wants to piggyback starters
do something that way. But I think in the end
this is just it's unsustainable. And it does go back
to Clay Hoolmes, but it also goes back to guys
like Sean Manaiyah who were really good for the Mets
last year and I've struggled this year.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
D Shitosa is our guest here on Inside the Park
of course Baseball columns for Fox Sports.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
Let's go to the Bronx.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
And the Yankees, and again you don't want to be
a president of the moment. They have a tough stretch
they were going through, got blown out two games in
a row to the Tigers and coming into Thursday, but
they're in the driver's seat as far as the wild Card.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
They have a good lead.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
You know, not many games left, but they also have
a chance at the division, and the Blue Jays and
the Red Sox and the Yankees are three games separating
the three teams coming into Thursday.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
Who wins the division?
Speaker 2 (17:25):
Do you still have Toronto or could one of these
other two teams jump over.
Speaker 6 (17:32):
Yeah, it's tough. I've been going back and forth myself.
Of course, when the Yankees look good, they're beating up
on basement dwelling teams, and then they look fully capable
of winning the division. They did have a good record
against the Astros. They actually won that series. But now
they're falling into this stretch again which we've seen too
often from them, is falling apart, like really collapsing against
(17:53):
good teams. We saw it with the Tigers getting fully outscored.
Now they have a tough opponent in the Red Sox
at Fenway. Right now, I think it is the Blue Jays.
They really have not convinced me otherwise that they won't
win the division. They've been in the driver's seat at
the top of the division all year, and even just
watching them play, they're spunky. I think the other teams
can a little underestimate them and that gives them confidence.
(18:15):
And they have a huge weapon in George Springer, who's
having a renaissance season over there. So it's not like
there are a bunch of no names. There's a big
starver there who has that postseason mentality in him, who
can really get into a run down the stretch. So
for now I'm going with the Blue Jays. They haven't
convinced me otherwise.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
Otherwise, as Anthony Volpi basically played itself out of shortstop.
I mean, this year was a disaster, not just the hitting,
but the unreliable fielding on routine grounders and plays that
you have to make in the big leagues. I noticed
Guy want to gold Glove already in his career. This
(18:54):
year was really, really weird, and I don't know if
the Yankees could feel like they can trust him go forward.
Speaker 6 (19:01):
Yeah, it's a really a bizarre situation. I mean, I
feel bad for him because the Yankees are putting him
in a tough spot. I think he should not be
out there every single day kind of repeating the same
results and hoping for something different. Yankee should have sent
him down to the minors earlier in the season, similar
to what the Mets did with Francisco Alvarez, who was
(19:22):
really struggling. He was sent down for a month. He
came back on fire. I just don't understand why, especially
after the trade deadline. Before that there were limited choices.
It was really only Oswald Parazza who could play short
After the trade deadline, they had Ahmed Rosario Jose Caballero.
Both of these guys can play a decent shortstop that
(19:43):
is not going ranked in the bottom of the entire
MLB entire majors. So that's when it should have turned.
They still had an opportunity to get Bulty right in
late July early August. They blew past it, and the
Yankees still continue to say he's this elite stop. They
have so much confidence and belief in him. At this point,
(20:03):
I think they're just relying on what he did last
October for the Yankees and kind of hoping that he
can repeat the same performance that we're now a year
out pass this is not the same player. I think
it is just a little weird the situation that they're
not just giving Caballero at least or Rosario more starts
on the daily basis.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
All right, last thing, Cody Bell and your boy. He
fits in at Yankee Stadium. He's had a really good year.
Do you see him resigning with the Yankees?
Speaker 6 (20:33):
Yeah, I mean he's like the epitome of a Yankee player.
To me, he really brinds too and he doesn't really
call too much attention to himself.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
He just.
Speaker 6 (20:44):
Rip. Yeah, I don't I don't think I've heard that comparison.
But he that's a really good example. I think he
just is happy to be here, he wants to win,
and he's kind of, without even knowing it, the glue
guy right in that offense. Everyone looks at Judge in
Stanton to be the big power hitters, but since Glaber
into the Tigers Labor torre As, they kind of needed
to fill that role of a guy that just gets
on basis homers, and he's been that guy. I think
(21:06):
the Yankees have to have to go out resign him.
Will they do the same with Tran Krisholm. I don't know.
He might have played himself out of a contract there,
I mean, really exceeding expectations. But the Yankees have to
look at Bellingder and circle his name as an offseason target.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Here, D sha Those are from Fox Sports A baseball
columnists checker out A. D.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Shaul, thank you so much, love yoursight. I appreciate you.
Speaker 6 (21:32):
All right, thank you for having me on.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
As always, it's the Gambler here. Vice president of operations
for mlbbro dot Com and executive producer of the MLB
Bro Show podcast the Mixtape. Every Friday, you heard that right,
Every Friday, we bring you the best from the world
of Black and Brown baseball. We covered the seven point
(21:56):
two percent of melanated Major leaguers from soup to nuts,
but with our own cultural flair and unique voice, will
take you on a ride reflecting on the accomplishment, clutch moments,
and contributions to culture that the Bros continue to breathe
into baseball.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
From Mookie Wilson to Mookie Betts.
Speaker 4 (22:17):
Doctor k to Doctor Styx, from Bro Bombs to stolen
bases to Black Aces. We're live at the ballparks and
also bringing you segments like Classic Hits with David Grubb,
the Black Ace Report, the Rundown, the Walk Off, and
Going Deep, just to name a few of the segments
that truly capture the voice of black baseball. If things
(22:40):
get out of hand, as the Boss Rob Parker, he's
kicking up dust, we will gladly pay you on Tuesday
from an MLB Bro doubleheader today. Remember the heart of
the game lies in the diversity of the game and
the spirit of black baseball that dates back to the
Negro leagues. I've the Gambler, your friendly neighbor, diamond checker,
(23:01):
making sure that you stay on top of the game
and in touch with the soul of MLB, fucking up
for a wild baseball journey, showing respect to the Ogs
and highlighting the new breed of melanated Malma Robin. First
thing through MLB's pipeline, all pitching with the sound of
black Baseball. We got the best starting five in the business.
(23:23):
Listen to the MLB bro Show podcast the Mixtape on
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
In case you missed Rob Parker on the MLB networks,
here's his latest appearance on MLBA.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
Showdown Time.
Speaker 7 (23:45):
Rob Parker is here. Rob growing up in New York,
Down on New York teams, worked for decades in Detroit.
Down on Detroit. You have no loyalty, Rob, Welcome back.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
What's up? BK. No, I'm gonna call it straight.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
No matter where I worked and no matter what what
city I've worked in, they always say.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
I'm a hater.
Speaker 7 (24:03):
I that's shocking. I don't know why. They have a
little bit of that tendency. All right, So are the
Mets done?
Speaker 2 (24:11):
The Mets are absolutely done. They're not making the playoffs.
I mean, you guys, I just heard the segment before,
and you know you're talking around it and hoping, wishing
and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 7 (24:22):
They're there, they're up to They have a very baseball
the team, by the way, you know they do have
they have Soto is a great at bat. We'll talk
about him. They've got power. Uh A Kunya is a
terrific fielder and runner. They're kind of baseballly, they're they're
hitting a bad spot. Everybody has hit a bad spot.
But I tell you what, they have the tie break
(24:43):
on the Giants. Giants e with a good rotation. Abbott
was excellent last night. They don't have the tie break
on the Reds. But the Reds are flawed too. I've
been waiting all year on the Reds.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Yeah, but the Mets are flawed as well.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
I mean, here's my issue is that this team, if
they're down in the eighth inning, forget.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
It, like zero and a million, you know, they don't win.
That is odd?
Speaker 7 (25:04):
Is that happenstance or is that like I hate to
you know, clutch or not clutch, But that is odd.
I'm surprised by that.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
They they haven't won a game all year.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
About trailing after the eighth inning, I mean that that's
scary to me.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
It really.
Speaker 7 (25:18):
It's the same team though that facing elimination.
Speaker 4 (25:20):
Lindora's hitting home runs a lot.
Speaker 7 (25:22):
You know, Pete Alonzo famously staved off elimination by hitting
it off the Devin Williams. You know, I have trouble
saying that.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Well, they won't come through in big moments.
Speaker 7 (25:31):
I have trouble with that.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
Well, but but that was last year and this team, guys,
but the team was much better last year than this year.
I mean, I look at this team. Where's Grimace? Where's
Oh my god? Where where There's none of that? God,
there's no juice.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
God.
Speaker 7 (25:49):
I'd rather have Iglesias than Grimace. So you're right, Iglacias
is gone. He's you know, OMG, why don't you keep
that guy around?
Speaker 3 (25:56):
For some reason? They didnt.
Speaker 7 (25:57):
They didn't want to keep him around?
Speaker 3 (25:58):
All right? I want yeah, God, here's another thing too
real quick. Yeah, you're relying on three rookie pitchers to
get you through.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Good luck, good lucky, because when they will fall off
and they have the bad outing, when you really need
that win, you'll say, oh my god, we had to
pitch a rookie.
Speaker 7 (26:14):
They're blue chip kids. I'll give you that, but yeah, no,
they're brand spanking new. But they're blue chip kids. And
McClain's terrific. How about Wan Sodo? Take a look at
this wance and you know I'm with you on Soto right.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
He leaves me.
Speaker 7 (26:25):
Cold and awful lot, But like the facts are facts.
He is now second in ops plus, he's second in
war by the way, he is second in win probability
ded on the far right. That's WPA. That's how much
you're helping your team win. It's mathematical, it's clutch. It's
just Otania's first, Soto second, Freddy Freeman third.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
I don't know.
Speaker 7 (26:47):
It's our eyes are telling us one thing. But this
guy seems to be an MVP candidate.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
They're empty numbers and their meaningless.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
And let me tell you it is bka.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
The Mets were twenty one games over five hundred in
mid June when he wasn't hitting, when he wasn't making
the All Star team, when they get when they were
really rolling, and guess when he started hitting. Now the
team is no good and he's putting up all these numbers.
He stole a meaningless third base the other night.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
That's five shown.
Speaker 7 (27:18):
And that home run last night even there's an impressive
home run, but it's like you down eight, one, nine
to one.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
What are we doing? Right?
Speaker 7 (27:22):
No, and you got to keep playing. But I know
what you're saying. There's some meaningless sort of stuff happening
with him. True, but but the numbers aren't.
Speaker 3 (27:31):
The numbers like, the numbers don't do it for me.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
I get it when you put them all together, but
they just weren't impactful. This year the Mets won the
one Soto sweep stakes and got worse from a year ago.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
That makes no sense.
Speaker 7 (27:46):
I could argue that I have to go back and
look at that.
Speaker 3 (27:48):
A lot of things.
Speaker 7 (27:48):
I would say this we do generally, and this is
part of the sabermetric revolution go bout twenty five years.
We generally underrate the value of drawing the base on balls, right.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
We wanted to have more impact.
Speaker 7 (28:02):
He's getting on base at a four hundred clip again.
You know he's He's done it every single year. There's
real value to that. That's why last time, God Good'll
give you a last word on that.
Speaker 3 (28:11):
Yeah, only problem is they're not winning.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
So you can drain the walks all you want and
do all that and get blown out every night by
the Phillies.
Speaker 3 (28:19):
It's still about winning.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
Kwards has a short menu wins and losses.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
Nothing else matters.
Speaker 4 (28:26):
It's hard.
Speaker 7 (28:27):
They're getting hammered right now. Like I've watched every game.
I was like, Phillies is blowing the doors off them.
All right, all right, So now what I O get then?
If that's what you're thinking, have you been watching the
Tigers and Yankees last couple of day? At least drop
I drop in early and then I can leave early
because you know they're getting crushed.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
Yeah, it's an aborration.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
Yes, the Tigers won two big games in the Bronx
by ten runs.
Speaker 3 (28:49):
Hasn't happened in Yankee history.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
I get all that, and I'm not gonna discount it
or pooh pooh it.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
But coming into this series, did you see the Tigers?
Speaker 2 (28:59):
They scut They got swept, buddy, as they've They've lost
to some bad teams in the last three series, and other.
Speaker 3 (29:06):
Than Google, I'm not there's nobody who scares you. Does
Riley Green really scare you? Like, oh my god, how
you not this guy.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
The whole team, by the way, like they lost interest.
Speaker 7 (29:17):
This is they had a fourteen game lead on July seventh,
Rob and ansiin they lost interest, But you lose institutional
you know, you know, drive, because they're like, we've got
this division. So they did. They lost twelve out of thirteen. Yeah,
they lost two or three of the White Sox. But
they are righting the ship, as we say, right now,
Parker Meadows is back, carry Carpenter is hitting, and they're
(29:39):
not even the guys who have carried the load all year.
Take a look at their offense they have besides the Brewers,
they have more guys above league average offensively. This is
ops plus one hundred is league average. They have more
above average offense than anyone but the Brewers.
Speaker 4 (29:54):
So and they're just.
Speaker 7 (29:56):
Getting Carpenter back and Parker Meadows, who could be their
best players.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
Yeah, but just if you just take away to two
the last two games with the Yankees before this, in
their previous four series, they lost three of them and
won one and one, and.
Speaker 7 (30:10):
The division was a rap tya. The division was a
rapped months ago. So now yeah, they're kicking it back in.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
Everybody I can't.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
I can't buy BK. There are a lot of great teams.
The Mariners won one hundred and sixteen games. They didn't
wave the white flag and stopped playing the Yankees of
ninety nine.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
They kept winning.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
I can't buy into the idea that you've got a
big thing.
Speaker 7 (30:32):
They're the greatest team of all time. I'm not saying
they're the ninety eight Yankees. I'm not saying they have
each zero and Edgar Martinez.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
Right.
Speaker 3 (30:37):
No, No, I'm not to.
Speaker 2 (30:38):
Remember that stretch, that stretch when they lost twelve out
of thirteen.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
That's gonna be their postseason stretch. WHOA.
Speaker 6 (30:45):
No.
Speaker 7 (30:46):
By the way, they're a good tournament team. They have
an opener going tonight and Holton they're gonna they're They're
a tough out in the playoffs. They're a difficult team
to play. I know you hate De Troy or you
love De Truit, but you hate the team.
Speaker 3 (31:00):
I don't hate the TV. I'm only kay.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
I got a barbershop one seven Mile Road. I love Detroit.
Speaker 3 (31:07):
What are you saying?
Speaker 7 (31:08):
So your murals are everywhere in your high school and
your college. You have a press box, You're in Detroit,
You're you're coast to coast.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
Rob will talk to you next week.
Speaker 7 (31:18):
Thank you, rb K, thank thank God for Rob Parker.
Speaker 2 (31:28):
In the words of New York TV legend the late
Bill Jorgensen, thanking you for your time this time until
next time.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
Rob Parker out. He can't Davin. This could be an
inside of Parker.
Speaker 1 (31:39):
See you next week, same bad time, same man's station.
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
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