July 13, 2026 • 38 mins
A great Bucco Roundup as the Pirates head into the All-Star break, Mark discusses the World Cup final four with Mike DeCourcey, and the Trifecta wraps up the first hour.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Well, well, well.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
As we consider the Bucko sweep of Milliwauka and consider
what they got to do to keep it going and
get to the postseason. I got this for my buddy
Keith James, a great radio guy retired now did play
by play for the Pittsburgh Spirit indoor soccer team, and
(00:28):
he knows baseball, James.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
He said, and I agree.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
If the Pirates believe Bealdez is for real, it's a
small sample, but if they think he can keep a
semblance of what he's done going.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Then the guy you trade his cruise.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Trading O'Neil Cruz would leave you with Valdez, Reynolds, o'hearne,
and Mangam.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Is opfield options.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
And there's not a real center fielder among the top
three options among Valdez, Reynolds and o'hearne.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
But Cruz ain't a real centerfielder.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
He butchers more than he makes great plays at that spot.
You'd get very good return for Cruse because people like
his potential here in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
We've been waiting all too long for him to realize it.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
So maybe Mangdam plays center field and you rotate the
other three guys through the outfield and DH. If you
want to make the playoffs, you got to make a
bold move to improve That's what I think. Well, there
you go, there's your bold move. Trade Cruise for what
(01:46):
you tell me, But you.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Don't really need him.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
The guy's got great talent, but he disappoints as much
as he comes through.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
I say, trade O'Neil Cruz. This m mark Man show.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
You can call right now eight three three four one
two wxdx. Because Tom I don't refund the drug test
something like that, paid leave of absence.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Maybe he got fired. I don't know. I just know
he's not here.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
So you can dial eight three three four one two
wxdx anytime you like. During today's program, Should the Pirates
trade Cruise? Could that be the big move that you
fix the bullpen? I don't know, Get a catcher. Whatever
you do, can cruise leaving bring back something that gets
(02:34):
you in the playoffs. Eight three three four one two wxdx.
I went to the game yesterday, big fifteen to four
win over Milwaukee at PNC. Good crowd thirty four thousand
and change. And we all know sports doesn't care about
the fans. But since I went this time, it's personal.
(02:57):
I bought expensive tickets to that game, and I did
it for one reason, to see Skeens versus Misowski. But
mis got pulled from that start as of Saturday night,
less than twenty four hours before that game at PMC
Sunday at twelve fifteen yesterday due to arm fatigue unquote
(03:21):
arm fatigue. I'm not the only person who bought a
ticket to see that matchup, and we didn't see it
because Miz is tired. F Miz too tired to pitch yesterday,
too tired to go to the All Star Game. F him,
maybe if you didn't weigh seventy pounds, you purecelanimous scarecrow.
(03:45):
I am major, major, big time hunting bothered about that.
Not because of the money.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
We know.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
I'm loaded, because of what I got promised being pulled.
It's a classic bait and switch, But that sports these days,
Like last uhload management in the NBA, Like how both
managers punked out for Skeens versus Scooball in that doubleheader
(04:12):
in Detroit last year, could have pitched him head up. Instead,
they pitched him in opposite ends of the doubleheader. Like
pitchers get pulled from perfect games, like Jared Jones last
week after six perfect last Wednesday, like all these big
names who won't be at the All Star Game, including
Skeens and miz and Otani and Judge. You had a
(04:36):
chance to have Skeens versus Otani when La visited last month,
and that didn't happen. It used to be the customer
is always right. Now the customers can go f themselves.
MLB doesn't want you to have anything special, so f baseball,
don't you agree?
Speaker 1 (04:57):
How can you not do'll? Eight three to three, four
to one two w the X.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
It's an affront to the fans, not just in baseball
but in any sport. Total mass defication, no vasiline yo.
From that matter, let me attack further evidence, your honor,
Connor McGregor. That fight Saturday night, first fight in five years,
(05:21):
That was a con too.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
He lasted sixty nine seconds.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
He was obviously hurt before the fight, unsteady on his
feet in the octagon before the fight started. But the
live gate was a UFC record twenty five mili. They
weren't going to give that back. So he went in
there and didn't take a dive. Just couldn't go because,
(05:47):
like I said, he.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Was almost certainly already hurt. What else do we got?
Speaker 2 (05:55):
We got more baseball talk here somewhere checking my notes. Oh,
I talked about how they should trade Cruise. I don't
get trading that comp pick for that shortstop. The thirty
fourth pick overall in the draft had just completed for
a shortstop, Jacob Gonzalez. Gonzalez is twenty four. He looks
(06:16):
like a four A player, not quite good enough to
be a major league regular, good triple A guy twenty
four and eight made it, that speaks volumes just ninety
seven big league at bats. I'd rather have that pick,
a thirty four overall than I would a guy who's
twenty four and eight made it. They got a bummy
(06:38):
relief pitcher two. I don't get it. I think Sherrington
made a trade just to make a trade. But I
would rather have the pick than the bums they got.
At the number five overall pick, the Pirates took an
outfielder from LSU, Derek Curiel.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
That's a slight overdraft of him. According to Scotting reports.
They say he's good defensively. Here's a great line from
his Scotting report. He's like Kristin Yellick without the power,
like Christian Yellick without the power. Although that said, I'd
rather take a college bats than you know, some high
(07:22):
school you know, maybe higher.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Ceiling, bit more iffy. Get the guy here as quick
as you can.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Oh. When the Scotty report also says and this curial
kid says that he plays like Pete Rose, hope he
doesn't bet on baseball like Pete Rose. Be a short
stay in the majors. If that would come out. Uh
eight three three four one two WXDX number to call.
Like I said, I don't know what happened to Tom.
(07:51):
I don't put me care either. Let's go to John.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
John. You're all with Mark?
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Mark?
Speaker 3 (07:57):
How you doing today?
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Great? What do you want?
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Hey? I watched the wonder if you saw the Fox
special on the ninety four men's soccer team this past weekend.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
No, in fact, that one interest me at all. Why
what was revealed about that?
Speaker 3 (08:12):
Well, just watching it, it just really was very reminiscent of.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
The reminiscent of the reminiscent of the Miracle on Ice,
the miracle on Ice. Yet four US soccer team was reministe.
Shut up, get out of here, never call here. Again, idiot.
The ninety four US soccer team, like what lost in
the first knockout game, didn't even do as good as
this year, I don't think. Or did they win the
first knockout game. I don't know, but it weren't no
(08:37):
miracle on ice. They had one thing in common with
the miracle on ice, they wore US A jerseys. Other
than that, not even close. Same thing with this year's
soccer team. They wore US A jerseys, not even close.
I was on the Tim Bens podcast today and somebody
said that they were making fun of the soccer team
not doing well at the World Cup, not doing well enough.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
I mean, they did as well as I expected.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
But the guy said, well, you know, soccer is a
fringe sport in the US, along with along with the hockey,
and I go, wait a minute, the US won triple
gold men's women's Paralympic. Hey, throwing ball hockey. That's not
too bad for a fringe sport, you dipstick. I called
(09:22):
the guy an idiot like seventeen times, and buddy, if
you're listening, I meant it. You're an idiot. Okay, up
next more Bucco talked to Bucco round Up. At the
bottom of the hour, we have Mike the Coursi of
the Sporting News to talk about the World Cup one
oh five nine. Sam Neil passed away the actor age
seventy eight. T Rex didn't need him, Velociraptor didn't need him.
(09:48):
He was the Antichrist and now he's passed away. Sam
Neil rip Now it's time for the Buco round up.
As we've been talking about. The Pirates swept the Brewers
big win yesterday fourteen to five.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
With me in the his heat.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
I was mad miss didn't pitch, but I do acknowledge
they probably wouldn't have had a ten run fourth inning
against miz It was a day of miracles. In the
second inning, Davis hit a home run and Ozuna got
a ribby. In the fourth inning, Ozuna hit a home
run and Davis got a ribby, the impossible dream. Valdez
(10:25):
was relatively quiet yesterday, but he had those three home
runs in that doubleheader sweep on Saturday and big home
runs two. He had four go ahead hits on Saturday,
three go ahead home runs and while you're at it,
go ahead Grand Slam home run and eight Ribby's total.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Is Valdez for real. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
It's a small sample, but yeah, the numbers and the
very visible power. Ten home runs in his first twenty
seven MLB games. Like I said, small sample, and now
there's more video teams can watch before they pitched to him.
But I've seen enough where I would trade O'Neil Cruz.
I'd have Valdez, Reynolds, Mangum and O'Hearn is my outfielders.
(11:12):
Mangum every day in center field, the other guy's rotating
through outfield and designated hitter.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
That's how i'd do it. What are your thoughts?
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Eight three to three, four one two w XDX Skeins
was okay yesterday, seven strikeouts in five and a third,
but he didn't even crack ninety eight miles per hour,
let alone one hundred. He retired the first nine hitters.
He only threw seventeen pitches in the first two innings.
Maybe he is pitching more to contact like Garrett Cole,
(11:41):
and to me, that ain't the preferred formula considering what
he did, doing it different, doing it better, doing it
faster in terms of velocity the first two seasons of
his career. So now we are at the All Star break,
and too many of the actual All Stars are not playing,
including Schemes including Miss, including Judge, including Trout, including o'tawni,
(12:04):
and now Ashcraft isn't going.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
I'm not sure the Pirates are going to be represented
at all, and who cares?
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Okay, So here's the tail of the tape as we
go to the All Star Game and the home run
Derby tonight, which I pointedly will not watch. Bryce Harper
wanted to use aluminum bats in the home run Darby.
I'd used him in games. You'd have the infielders playing
five steps back on the infield grass and the pitcher
(12:32):
might die. I'd pay to see that if Missing could
have pitched. I got double crossed on that. So let's
try this for my entertainment. The Pirates are only two
games out of a wild card and only two teams
to jump over, so they're positioned okay, and they got
legit momentum after sweeping Milliwaukee. It's a shame the Pirates
(12:55):
weren't closer to Milwaukee before that series. They went from
twelve games behind the nine games behind, and they're obviously
not remotely contending to win the NL Central. I am
encouraged by the Pirates and I don't think they're going
to stop hitting, but it is odd that they lead
MLB and runs scored at the All Star break and
(13:17):
still are not in a playoff spot. And that's the
BUCO roundup for Monday. And then we got the World Cup.
We're down in the final four and the chalk held
France versus Spain tomorrow, Argentina versus England and a reenactment
of the Falklands loir on Wednesday. Those are the semis
(13:40):
and I had those four teams as the four best
teams going into the World Cup. France has the most talent,
Spain plays great together, Argentina has Messi and England has
it once since nineteen sixty six. And you had the
controversies like Switzerland got that red card for diving, but
the guy did dive and England scored a goal when
(14:05):
the ball hit the wire supporting the VAAR camera above
the field and they blew that. I don't know what
they would have done though, because that's just never happened before.
There's no president been said, so you can always suspect FIFA.
(14:26):
Craig Burley on ESPN talked about that we'll hear what
he had to say later in the show. But I
think the best four teams are in the semifinals. In fact,
I think these might be the best final four teams
in World Cup history. Let's go real quick to Shaw
(14:48):
and Sewan.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
You're on with double.
Speaker 4 (14:49):
M Mark Mark, good afternoon, right. I disagree with the
O'Neill Cruz trade. How about Brandon Lowlens? Thank he I mean,
we're not gonna pay the guy, dump him. Cruise right
now would probably have.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Yeah, Brandon Law is a much better player than O'Neil Cruz,
much better hitter, right, but.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
He's gonna he's gonna get a better return.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
We're not going to get a better return.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
No, he's a rental player, O'Neil Cruz, you still have
arbitration control over him. You'd get a better return for
O'Neil Cruse and Brandon Laws a better player. So you're
wrong on both cons. Dummy, Thank you for the call.
Though they might trade Lyle if they're way out of
it at the at the deadline, although I should have
mentioned this earlier. I'm told they're not trading line no
matter what because the optics up next World Cup. Talk
(15:37):
with Mike the Course, he's the Sporting News. He is
Pittsburgh's own and he'll join me on the X. We
got a great final four in the World Cup. Semifinals
start tomorrow, joining me on to discuss. He's covering the
World Cup for the Sporting News. He is Mike de Corsi.
Mike the chalk held in the World Cup. Do you
agree that the four best teams are in the semis?
Speaker 5 (15:59):
Yes, it's interesting, Mark. I just learned today. I wasn't
aware of this that this is the first time that
the World Cup was effectively seated in terms of who
could advance this far. Obviously, they've always had the seeds
relative to the groups, the number one seeds go in
each group, et cetera, et cetera. But this time they
(16:22):
seated it so that one, two, three, four, that those
teams couldn't all meet prior to this round. If indeed,
first of all, they had to win their groups in
order to maintain that status, right, but if they did
they then this was how it would end up if
they continue to advance. So I think that the FIFA
has done some really good things in regards to this tournament.
(16:46):
There are still some things you'd obviously like them to fix,
but the expansion hasn't hurt the tournament and in some
ways helped. And the seeding really is a long overdue
ideas as every other major event wimbled in the US Open,
NCAA Tournament, etc. All see these teams, So why wouldn't
(17:10):
the biggest sporting event on the planet.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
We've not talked since the US got eliminated. Did the
US have a good World Cup or a bad World Cup?
Speaker 6 (17:18):
It's really weird mark because it leaves you with this
feeling of ambivalence because the last game, it wasn't just
a loss if they had played great and Belgium lucked
one in, or they both had played to the absolute.
Speaker 5 (17:34):
Peak of their ability and one team one on Penry
or whatever else. But like, they were so bad and
so far below what they're capable of that it's hard
to look back and feel good about it. But at
the same time, they did things in this World Cup
they've never done before. They were an offensively dominant team
that never been the case before. They not only controlled
(17:57):
possession as they did in twenty two, they created great
chances and as well they I mean, they'd never won
three games in a World Cup before and they did
that and part with that. Part of that was that
they added the extra runal, but the other part was
I don't know there were many times prior to this
where they won two games. I know they did it
oh two, but that may have been the only other
time that they even won two. So they made some
(18:20):
significant progress.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Yeah, but I think we remember what we saw last
and like you said, the ball the Belgium game was
a disaster. I thought all of the four goals conceded
were embarrassing. And furthermore, Policity has been cast as the villain.
He had a quiet World Cup, mostly hurt in a
one off early injured in the loss to Belgium. Where
do you stand on the criticism he's fielding.
Speaker 5 (18:42):
Yeah, I don't think much of it is fair. He was.
If you want to say he was terrible against Belgium,
you're one hundred percent right. The only problem with ident
singling him out is that everybody was terrible. The only
player who could get exempted from that was Fuller and
Balligan because the ball never got that far. Everybody behind
Alligan was.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Awful, even him, Mike.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
He had some chances were his first touch totally abandoned him.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
It was it was.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 5 (19:11):
He didn't have as many chances to stink as the
others did, but they were all awful. Now, what has
bothered me is that when when Christian did play, he
was either great as he was against Paraguay, or good
to very good as he was against Bosnia. Uh and
the Turkey A game was just really to get him going,
but he played well in it. And so I had
(19:34):
a problem with the revisionism there, which there was a
lot of. And then the one the one person I
think that's not catching any heat in all this, and
it's astonishing to me it's the guy who was in charge.
I mean, his team went out and absolutely had nothing.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Yeah, but so the attacking flair you cited, I traced
the poach so well. I do too, even and a
lot of the players didn't.
Speaker 5 (20:00):
Well I don't know that's true. I mean, because they
were executing the attacking players. So why does he get
a pass for Belgium but none of the players do.
I think that. I think that I'm not necessarily opposed
to him returning. I'm just saying that if you're going
to be critical, then you need to be critical of
the fact that he got pretty much out coached by
(20:24):
a guy who was hanging around looking for a job
until the beginning of twenty fifteen when Belgium hired him.
I mean he got fired at a Napoli in twenty
three and then I don't know if he was actually working,
but he didn't have a head coaching job from then
until Belgium hired him. And I mean he made some
(20:46):
changes to his lineup. He went without Doka. You and
I a week ago spend all this time time about Doka.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
I thought, who would torture the US?
Speaker 2 (20:54):
But yeah, he didn't even start, you know, I mean no,
I mean I think Posts deserves some criticism. Uh, I
gotta be honest. I think polistic. I side with Land
and Dunovan. I think you need to be stretchered off
there if you're polistic. I thought he left the game.
Speaker 5 (21:10):
Since then, we saw we saw Holland go off in
in a in a more advanced game where he was
more needed. Uh. We saw Tibo Cortois go off U
And so why why is why do they get an
okay but not him?
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Because because they're not horribly overrated, because they're the US's
best player.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
That's why.
Speaker 4 (21:29):
No, no, no, no, no.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
I I think Polistic is underrated because he plays for America.
That that's it. It's been the way it's been for
one hundred years. Weston McKenny keeps going to Juventus and
they keep saying, well, we don't really like you, and
then they and then the season starts. Well you're kind
of what we have, so you're better than everybody else
we've got at that position, so we'll play you.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
I'd rather you'd rather.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
Have Mckennylistic, if that means anything. Uh hey, the first
semis tomorrow, it's gonna be great.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Is Spain?
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Is Spain versus France the real final? Are those the
two best teams? I think probably?
Speaker 5 (22:06):
So I don't. I don't necessarily agree with you because
I think that England at their best can be as
good as Spain.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
Yeah, but I don't trust them. Yeah, but no, I
know that's a different conversation. I trust Spain more than England.
I mean it just Spain the holes greater than the
s of the parts. I'm not sure they've they've attacked.
I don't think the kid Jamal is done as good
as we hoped, But but he.
Speaker 5 (22:34):
Is not healthy, and Nico Williams clearly is compromised. Rights
Without those two at their peak, they have really lacked
for dynamism. They don't have a great center forward, so
everything has to come either from those two wings and
one barely there, or from the midfield, and sometimes the
ball doesn't get where it needs to go in order
(22:56):
to create goals. And so that's my problem with Spain
right now is that I'm just not so sure how
dynamic they are and can you hold down France.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
Well, that's the problem I think France. I'm not saying
France is a lock to win the tournament. I think
they're close, they're attacking. It's just and I hate him,
so I'm telling the truth.
Speaker 5 (23:19):
I watched that game last week and you he just
You're looking at Membape and he just finds a way
in every game and when he gets a chance, and
it might not even be a great chance, he turns,
he turns loose. Something that works just amazing on this
stage and especially look, I don't watch a ton of
(23:41):
Real Madrid except for when they're in the Champions League,
but it's amazing that there are complaints about him there
and that they haven't achieved as much since he went
there as one would have expected when he comes onto
this stage, he's as good as as anybody.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
Yeah, but that's because he's a prima down for real Madrid.
People don't want to be a prima donna for their
national team. There's no good optics to that whatsoever, and
there's no other team to go to.
Speaker 5 (24:10):
Yeah, it's weird. I don't I don't understand why he's
not the same player there. But when you bring in
that many stars, you have to make sure they mess together.
And the generation, the the Beckham group, the original group
of superstars that they put in place that never really worked.
(24:33):
The generation six or seven or eight years ago worked great,
and this group it's just not totally connected. And I
don't think that they ever really stop and say, wait
a second, what if we just did it with a
few superstars and a bunch of guys who really want
to win.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
Like Barcelona does, like for that matter, Paris Saint Germain
did once they got rid of once they got ridby Right,
we're talking to Mike the course, Pittsburgh's owne here on
the mark Mann Show. Now in the other semi I
think Argentine has a very good team, but they've had
such an easy path to the Semis. And Messi really
(25:11):
looked out of gas in the quarterfinals, didn't he.
Speaker 5 (25:15):
Well, yeah, but he had to go one hundred and
twenty because they feared penalties and so they He really
shouldn't like if it weren't if that were a normal
game and there weren't extra time.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
Yeah, but even the first ninety he won great.
Speaker 5 (25:30):
Well, he wasn't great, but he was great at the start.
The first few times he touched the ball, magic happened,
and then ultimately that led to the corner kick to
cap in the light up and lead, and you know,
all honesty, if this Argentina team were what it was
four years ago, that nothing lead would have either turned
into nothing or would have stood for ninety minutes. But
this team loses concentration. They're not as focused as they were.
(25:54):
Maybe it's what you said, Oh it's just Cabo Verdi,
Oh it's just Switzerland. They can't score, and then all
of a sudden they do. Maybe it's that. And now
England comes in with Bellingham and Caine and they're like, okay,
we'll play now. Maybe that happens, but they have not
been as good through the course of this tournament as
they as they were four years ago. And I don't
(26:15):
just put that down to Messi's age, because he still
has his magic when he needs it. Having as many
goal contributions in this tournament as he does is remarkable
for anyone, let alone someone that just turned thirty nine.
But I do see holes in this team. I don't
think they're as good in defensive midfield. I don't think
the central defense is what it's been in the past,
(26:37):
and so they are beatable. And if England were to
come out on Wednesday with their best effort, something more
like the Croatia game and less like the Ghana game,
I think they can win that game in advance to
their first final in sixty years.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Yeah, there won't be any pressure in England if that happens.
It'll be like the Battle of Britain. Just they'll be
the overhype will be incredible. Uh yeah, I think that
probably is going to be the RGS in England. I
I will say though I thought England could have played
better against Norway. I know thought so and Bellingham refuted that.
(27:18):
But I thought they played played good. I thought they
did a real good job not letting Holland shake loose,
even for that one moment, although there was the one
time the guy had a liot open and wouldn't give.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
It to him.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
Oh, that was just dreadful. I mean, if it was
your team and you had that chance to go up
to nothing and you're and you're whoever guy ignored your
superstar who finishes every chance he gets and doesn't pass.
It was a two on one. It was a straight
two on one. There was nobody either in a.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Lengthy one like the only reason it's strong in two
on wonder is because he turned back into the defense.
Speaker 5 (27:55):
Yes, I couldn't believe that he didn't do that. And
and if that had if that had happened, if he
if he if he put it over to Holland had
gotten it past the one defender, that that that becomes
to nothing. There's no way Holland misses that chance.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
If Argentina wins the World Cup is MESSI the goat?
Would that cut him from the pack?
Speaker 5 (28:18):
I think he already is removed from the pack. I
really do. I think that happened.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
No, I think he's at the top of the pack.
If that makes sense.
Speaker 5 (28:26):
I know what you're saying, I can make an argument.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
For Maradona because I saw him play, and I know
that the impact he had not just for the argues,
but for Napoli. He was like just such a one
man gang. But I think if Messi wins this World Cup,
it's there's no argument.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
The argument disappears.
Speaker 5 (28:44):
Mark. I think you have to give something to to
longevity and and and Maradonna short circuited his own for
the most part.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
Ought to be fair, Mike, he liked cocaine.
Speaker 5 (28:57):
Well. If he had paid more attention to longevity and
less too.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
If he would have played more attention to longevity, he
wouldn't have been Maradonna.
Speaker 5 (29:11):
I don't buy that necessarily.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
He was such a romantic figure, especially for me as
a kid.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
Not that I was rooting for the cocaine, but you
know what I mean.
Speaker 5 (29:22):
I know what you're saying. But I you know he
could have come here in ninety four and not been
the shadow of himself. He could have been in Italy
and ninety and been the conquering hero that did what
MESSI could do now win to in a row. Those
things all were impacted by how he comported himself. The
question and Messi here is thirty nine years old. Thirty
(29:46):
nine and he's got seven.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
World Cup goals. It's amazing how much walks though, isn't it.
I mean, I'm not putting him down.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
That's his game now, but but he picks his spots
and you know how somebody analyzed it why he's still successful.
You can have one, you can have one guy who
walks around. You can't have two. But you can't have one, Yeah,
especially if he pings the ball all over the place
like Messi does.
Speaker 5 (30:09):
Yeah, I mean you to afford all that walking around.
I mean, it doesn't say a thing about Holland. He
doesn't really impact much unless other than maybe the defense
against a quartererkick. And I haven't seen him head that
many away.
Speaker 1 (30:21):
Well, Roy Keane said.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
Roy Keane said, if Holland didn't scraw all those goals,
he'd be in the third division.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
How about that Roy King?
Speaker 2 (30:28):
How about Roy King crippled Holland's dad and then insulted
the kid years later.
Speaker 5 (30:35):
But he's not wrong because he's not much that he had.
There's not much because but when you can do that,
when you can provide at the World Cup level more
than a goal of game, it really does matter that
much what you do the rest of the time, because
no question, Cup goals are so precious.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
Who's gonna win the World Cup? Might give me your pick?
Speaker 5 (30:55):
Oh I think I still I've said France all along,
and they have given me no reason to believe.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
Yeah, I hate to pick them, but I gotta pick him.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
I will say this though, if France is in the final,
it will be a great final in terms of the
hype because there are France against England, because England just
they're nuts. Now imagine if they're in the final, or
imagine mess he's.
Speaker 1 (31:18):
In the final. I mean, either way, my god.
Speaker 5 (31:21):
That's why the seating concept has turned out so well
and why I'm glad they finally bought into it. Now,
if they can fix the red card issue, I mean,
you can't red card someboch, I mean, not the red
the VAR issue. You can't. You can't wipe out a
goal because a file happened one hundred yards away.
Speaker 2 (31:40):
I agree, Come on, I agree. But here's the problem,
and I'm sure you agree with this. The minute you
go to VAR, you take any even small subjectivity out
of it.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
Stuff either happened or didn't.
Speaker 5 (31:52):
Well, you pass the rule that says, if we're going
var nothing that happened on the other side of where
the goal is scored matters. That it's midfield and that's
it mid midpoint line. Anything that happened back there, it's ore.
If our ref mi iss it, we'll deal with him.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
We're missing it, that's a good.
Speaker 5 (32:11):
Call, but we're not. We're not wiping out a goal
because a goal because of the vaar. Something saw something
that the ref didn't see one hundred yards away. There's
an assistant referee there too, that could have caught that file.
So you got two people on the on the scene.
If they miss it and then a goal happens one
hundred yards away, that's gotta stop coming. You can't take
that away.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
Totally agreed.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
Mike is always great stuff, great coverage at the Sportingnews
dot com.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
And we'll talk again next week to wrap it up.
Speaker 5 (32:38):
Sounds great, Thanks Mark.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
That's the great Mike.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
The course, he read his work at the Sporting News,
and of course he is Pittsburgh's own. Up next, I'm
going to tell you I'm doing the trifecta with Tom.
I don't know is he is he suspected, I don't know.
Something's going on with him suspension illness.
Speaker 1 (32:53):
I don't know, I don't know, I don't know. Uh,
but uh, I'm gonna do.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
The trifecta top three dumb pirates trade ideas. That's next
on one oh five to nine. I didn't know until
a moment ago that the home run Derby is on Netflix.
I wasn't gonna watch it anyway, But for us old timers,
that's having to go too far out of your way
to watch it, having to go to Netflix. Why does
(33:20):
every last dollar have to be milked in pro sports
when the sports, the teams, they just don't need every
last dollar. Why can't it can't be convenient? Why can't
it be fan friendly? Then again, I'm an old guy
that just doesn't channel serve Netflix. But again, I'm not
(33:43):
going to watch it. We've been talking about the potential
for the Powers to make a trade. Now that they've
seized some momentum, they go into the All Star break
on a.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
High, and.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
Valdez has made some possibilities interesting, like again, I would
rotate Valdez, Reynolds, and Ohearne through the two corner outfield
spots and DH and I would put Mangament center field.
That allows you to trade Cruise. You could get a
(34:21):
good return for Cruise for his potential. And I think
the powers have seen enough of Cruz to know that
he's not gonna reckon realize all of that potential. But
he's going to be some great moments, but no trace
of consistency. He's like what twenty seven. Now he's been
in the league for a while. He is just what
he is, and you can get, like I said, a
lot for Cruise. That's what I would do. And here's
(34:43):
my other move. You won't like this if you don't
want to trade Cruise, I'd put him a shortstop till
Griffin comes back.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
Forget about defense. Let's let him hit.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
And if Cruz doesn't like that, then well then you
trade him for sure, sent any of your all of
that eight three, three four one two wxdx. Like I said,
tom is, I don't know. Maybe he's Tommy unemployed. Now
there's something's going on there. Uh.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
Now it's time for the trifecta.
Speaker 2 (35:12):
With him not here at the lunch, you'll always find
us not to lunch.
Speaker 1 (35:21):
We're so pretty, oh so pretty with.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
A cun okay, Uh, the trifecta is three dumb pirates
trade ideas. Number one is trade Mitch Keller. Who the
hell wants Mitch Keller? What's gonna get for him? Number
two is fixed the bullpen. They do need to fix
the bullpen, but it's not like that's one trade. You
(35:46):
don't have to get two or three guys to really
fix that bullpen. And number three is the trade they
already made. They traded that compensatory pick, which is a
first round pick for a for a player who I
don't see how he fits. I don't think he's an
upgrade over Triolo. If he was, he wouldn't be for
(36:06):
a player, and I'm not the biggest Triolo fan either.
Speaker 1 (36:11):
So that is the trifecta.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
Brought to us by Danny's Petron Hogies on Route eighty
eight and Bethel Park, the family owned and operated since
nineteen sixty. That's Danny's Petron Hogies, which is absolutely delicious.
We got our baseball guy, Dave Smith at the top
of the hour. I want to know what you think
of the thought of trading O'Neil Cruz. I know you
(36:35):
don't want to. You have a cruise jersey. You blame
it all on Donnie Kelly because you don't have a
Donnie Kelly Jersey. But I think that is the way
to go. I wanted to talk about the Jason Robertson situation.
Let's go to this guy on Hold, Eric, you're on
with double.
Speaker 1 (36:54):
M Mark yep eight.
Speaker 4 (36:58):
What do you think I'm there with?
Speaker 3 (37:01):
Uh, Jason Robertson. Maybe the three way trade with Detroit
to Dallas something going on?
Speaker 5 (37:06):
And what do you think?
Speaker 2 (37:07):
Yeah, Well, Dylan Larkin allegedly, you know, wants to go
to Dallas.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
But I don't know.
Speaker 2 (37:11):
I mean, I don't think Robertson wants to leave Dallas.
Speaker 1 (37:15):
Uh, he could still be traded. I mean, I don't know.
I mean, the talk.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
About it isn't dying, even though I would have thought
it would by now reminds me of when Carlson came
to the Penguins. It was rumored for weeks and weeks
and weeks and weeks. Uh, it seemed dead, and then
when talk stopped, the deal got made. Let me ask
you this, though, why would Jason Robertson want to come
to Pittsburgh.
Speaker 4 (37:40):
Well, I think if Penguins got some prospects that are
coming up under.
Speaker 1 (37:45):
Readiness, Really, who are those a couple. Who are those?
Speaker 2 (37:50):
Oh, yeah, that's what I thought.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
Thanks for the calm.
Speaker 2 (37:57):
Yeah, by the time robertson, you know, like he's twenty six,
the team's gonna age out around him.
Speaker 1 (38:04):
I mean, is he sold on playing with Kendall n Chinikoff?
Speaker 2 (38:07):
Those are two real good players, they're not first liners.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
Can Dubus build the team around him quickly? I don't know.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
I'd like to think so. I just don't see why
Jason roberts would want to come here A three three
four one two w xdx. Oh. You know what a
move I would make, By the way I would, I
would I would put Malejinski in the starting rotation over Keller.
(38:37):
I would do that right now, absolutely for certain. Up next,
gonna talk to our baseball guy, Dave Smith.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
We'll see what he thinks of that. One oh five
nine x
Well, well, well.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
As we consider the Bucko sweep of Milliwauka and consider
what they got to do to keep it going and
get to the postseason. I got this for my buddy
Keith James, a great radio guy retired now did play
by play for the Pittsburgh Spirit indoor soccer team, and
(00:28):
he knows baseball, James.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
He said, and I agree.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
If the Pirates believe Bealdez is for real, it's a
small sample, but if they think he can keep a
semblance of what he's done going.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Then the guy you trade his cruise.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Trading O'Neil Cruz would leave you with Valdez, Reynolds, o'hearne,
and Mangam.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Is opfield options.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
And there's not a real center fielder among the top
three options among Valdez, Reynolds and o'hearne.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
But Cruz ain't a real centerfielder.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
He butchers more than he makes great plays at that spot.
You'd get very good return for Cruse because people like
his potential here in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
We've been waiting all too long for him to realize it.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
So maybe Mangdam plays center field and you rotate the
other three guys through the outfield and DH. If you
want to make the playoffs, you got to make a
bold move to improve That's what I think. Well, there
you go, there's your bold move. Trade Cruise for what
(01:46):
you tell me, But you.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Don't really need him.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
The guy's got great talent, but he disappoints as much
as he comes through.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
I say, trade O'Neil Cruz. This m mark Man show.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
You can call right now eight three three four one
two wxdx. Because Tom I don't refund the drug test
something like that, paid leave of absence.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Maybe he got fired. I don't know. I just know
he's not here.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
So you can dial eight three three four one two
wxdx anytime you like. During today's program, Should the Pirates
trade Cruise? Could that be the big move that you
fix the bullpen? I don't know, Get a catcher. Whatever
you do, can cruise leaving bring back something that gets
(02:34):
you in the playoffs. Eight three three four one two wxdx.
I went to the game yesterday, big fifteen to four
win over Milwaukee at PNC. Good crowd thirty four thousand
and change. And we all know sports doesn't care about
the fans. But since I went this time, it's personal.
(02:57):
I bought expensive tickets to that game, and I did
it for one reason, to see Skeens versus Misowski. But
mis got pulled from that start as of Saturday night,
less than twenty four hours before that game at PMC
Sunday at twelve fifteen yesterday due to arm fatigue unquote
(03:21):
arm fatigue. I'm not the only person who bought a
ticket to see that matchup, and we didn't see it
because Miz is tired. F Miz too tired to pitch yesterday,
too tired to go to the All Star Game. F him,
maybe if you didn't weigh seventy pounds, you purecelanimous scarecrow.
(03:45):
I am major, major, big time hunting bothered about that.
Not because of the money.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
We know.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
I'm loaded, because of what I got promised being pulled.
It's a classic bait and switch, But that sports these days,
Like last uhload management in the NBA, Like how both
managers punked out for Skeens versus Scooball in that doubleheader
(04:12):
in Detroit last year, could have pitched him head up. Instead,
they pitched him in opposite ends of the doubleheader. Like
pitchers get pulled from perfect games, like Jared Jones last
week after six perfect last Wednesday, like all these big
names who won't be at the All Star Game, including
Skeens and miz and Otani and Judge. You had a
(04:36):
chance to have Skeens versus Otani when La visited last month,
and that didn't happen. It used to be the customer
is always right. Now the customers can go f themselves.
MLB doesn't want you to have anything special, so f baseball,
don't you agree?
Speaker 1 (04:57):
How can you not do'll? Eight three to three, four
to one two w the X.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
It's an affront to the fans, not just in baseball
but in any sport. Total mass defication, no vasiline yo.
From that matter, let me attack further evidence, your honor,
Connor McGregor. That fight Saturday night, first fight in five years,
(05:21):
That was a con too.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
He lasted sixty nine seconds.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
He was obviously hurt before the fight, unsteady on his
feet in the octagon before the fight started. But the
live gate was a UFC record twenty five mili. They
weren't going to give that back. So he went in
there and didn't take a dive. Just couldn't go because,
(05:47):
like I said, he.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Was almost certainly already hurt. What else do we got?
Speaker 2 (05:55):
We got more baseball talk here somewhere checking my notes. Oh,
I talked about how they should trade Cruise. I don't
get trading that comp pick for that shortstop. The thirty
fourth pick overall in the draft had just completed for
a shortstop, Jacob Gonzalez. Gonzalez is twenty four. He looks
(06:16):
like a four A player, not quite good enough to
be a major league regular, good triple A guy twenty
four and eight made it, that speaks volumes just ninety
seven big league at bats. I'd rather have that pick,
a thirty four overall than I would a guy who's
twenty four and eight made it. They got a bummy
(06:38):
relief pitcher two. I don't get it. I think Sherrington
made a trade just to make a trade. But I
would rather have the pick than the bums they got.
At the number five overall pick, the Pirates took an
outfielder from LSU, Derek Curiel.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
That's a slight overdraft of him. According to Scotting reports.
They say he's good defensively. Here's a great line from
his Scotting report. He's like Kristin Yellick without the power,
like Christian Yellick without the power. Although that said, I'd
rather take a college bats than you know, some high
(07:22):
school you know, maybe higher.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Ceiling, bit more iffy. Get the guy here as quick
as you can.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Oh. When the Scotty report also says and this curial
kid says that he plays like Pete Rose, hope he
doesn't bet on baseball like Pete Rose. Be a short
stay in the majors. If that would come out. Uh
eight three three four one two WXDX number to call.
Like I said, I don't know what happened to Tom.
(07:51):
I don't put me care either. Let's go to John.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
John. You're all with Mark?
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Mark?
Speaker 3 (07:57):
How you doing today?
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Great? What do you want?
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Hey? I watched the wonder if you saw the Fox
special on the ninety four men's soccer team this past weekend.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
No, in fact, that one interest me at all. Why
what was revealed about that?
Speaker 3 (08:12):
Well, just watching it, it just really was very reminiscent of.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
The reminiscent of the reminiscent of the Miracle on Ice,
the miracle on Ice. Yet four US soccer team was reministe.
Shut up, get out of here, never call here. Again, idiot.
The ninety four US soccer team, like what lost in
the first knockout game, didn't even do as good as
this year, I don't think. Or did they win the
first knockout game. I don't know, but it weren't no
(08:37):
miracle on ice. They had one thing in common with
the miracle on ice, they wore US A jerseys. Other
than that, not even close. Same thing with this year's
soccer team. They wore US A jerseys, not even close.
I was on the Tim Bens podcast today and somebody
said that they were making fun of the soccer team
not doing well at the World Cup, not doing well enough.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
I mean, they did as well as I expected.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
But the guy said, well, you know, soccer is a
fringe sport in the US, along with along with the hockey,
and I go, wait a minute, the US won triple
gold men's women's Paralympic. Hey, throwing ball hockey. That's not
too bad for a fringe sport, you dipstick. I called
(09:22):
the guy an idiot like seventeen times, and buddy, if
you're listening, I meant it. You're an idiot. Okay, up
next more Bucco talked to Bucco round Up. At the
bottom of the hour, we have Mike the Coursi of
the Sporting News to talk about the World Cup one
oh five nine. Sam Neil passed away the actor age
seventy eight. T Rex didn't need him, Velociraptor didn't need him.
(09:48):
He was the Antichrist and now he's passed away. Sam
Neil rip Now it's time for the Buco round up.
As we've been talking about. The Pirates swept the Brewers
big win yesterday fourteen to five.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
With me in the his heat.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
I was mad miss didn't pitch, but I do acknowledge
they probably wouldn't have had a ten run fourth inning
against miz It was a day of miracles. In the
second inning, Davis hit a home run and Ozuna got
a ribby. In the fourth inning, Ozuna hit a home
run and Davis got a ribby, the impossible dream. Valdez
(10:25):
was relatively quiet yesterday, but he had those three home
runs in that doubleheader sweep on Saturday and big home
runs two. He had four go ahead hits on Saturday,
three go ahead home runs and while you're at it,
go ahead Grand Slam home run and eight Ribby's total.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Is Valdez for real. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
It's a small sample, but yeah, the numbers and the
very visible power. Ten home runs in his first twenty
seven MLB games. Like I said, small sample, and now
there's more video teams can watch before they pitched to him.
But I've seen enough where I would trade O'Neil Cruz.
I'd have Valdez, Reynolds, Mangum and O'Hearn is my outfielders.
(11:12):
Mangum every day in center field, the other guy's rotating
through outfield and designated hitter.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
That's how i'd do it. What are your thoughts?
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Eight three to three, four one two w XDX Skeins
was okay yesterday, seven strikeouts in five and a third,
but he didn't even crack ninety eight miles per hour,
let alone one hundred. He retired the first nine hitters.
He only threw seventeen pitches in the first two innings.
Maybe he is pitching more to contact like Garrett Cole,
(11:41):
and to me, that ain't the preferred formula considering what
he did, doing it different, doing it better, doing it
faster in terms of velocity the first two seasons of
his career. So now we are at the All Star break,
and too many of the actual All Stars are not playing,
including Schemes including Miss, including Judge, including Trout, including o'tawni,
(12:04):
and now Ashcraft isn't going.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
I'm not sure the Pirates are going to be represented
at all, and who cares?
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Okay, So here's the tail of the tape as we
go to the All Star Game and the home run
Derby tonight, which I pointedly will not watch. Bryce Harper
wanted to use aluminum bats in the home run Darby.
I'd used him in games. You'd have the infielders playing
five steps back on the infield grass and the pitcher
(12:32):
might die. I'd pay to see that if Missing could
have pitched. I got double crossed on that. So let's
try this for my entertainment. The Pirates are only two
games out of a wild card and only two teams
to jump over, so they're positioned okay, and they got
legit momentum after sweeping Milliwaukee. It's a shame the Pirates
(12:55):
weren't closer to Milwaukee before that series. They went from
twelve games behind the nine games behind, and they're obviously
not remotely contending to win the NL Central. I am
encouraged by the Pirates and I don't think they're going
to stop hitting, but it is odd that they lead
MLB and runs scored at the All Star break and
(13:17):
still are not in a playoff spot. And that's the
BUCO roundup for Monday. And then we got the World Cup.
We're down in the final four and the chalk held
France versus Spain tomorrow, Argentina versus England and a reenactment
of the Falklands loir on Wednesday. Those are the semis
(13:40):
and I had those four teams as the four best
teams going into the World Cup. France has the most talent,
Spain plays great together, Argentina has Messi and England has
it once since nineteen sixty six. And you had the
controversies like Switzerland got that red card for diving, but
the guy did dive and England scored a goal when
(14:05):
the ball hit the wire supporting the VAAR camera above
the field and they blew that. I don't know what
they would have done though, because that's just never happened before.
There's no president been said, so you can always suspect FIFA.
(14:26):
Craig Burley on ESPN talked about that we'll hear what
he had to say later in the show. But I
think the best four teams are in the semifinals. In fact,
I think these might be the best final four teams
in World Cup history. Let's go real quick to Shaw
(14:48):
and Sewan.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
You're on with double.
Speaker 4 (14:49):
M Mark Mark, good afternoon, right. I disagree with the
O'Neill Cruz trade. How about Brandon Lowlens? Thank he I mean,
we're not gonna pay the guy, dump him. Cruise right
now would probably have.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Yeah, Brandon Law is a much better player than O'Neil Cruz,
much better hitter, right, but.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
He's gonna he's gonna get a better return.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
We're not going to get a better return.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
No, he's a rental player, O'Neil Cruz, you still have
arbitration control over him. You'd get a better return for
O'Neil Cruse and Brandon Laws a better player. So you're
wrong on both cons. Dummy, Thank you for the call.
Though they might trade Lyle if they're way out of
it at the at the deadline, although I should have
mentioned this earlier. I'm told they're not trading line no
matter what because the optics up next World Cup. Talk
(15:37):
with Mike the Course, he's the Sporting News. He is
Pittsburgh's own and he'll join me on the X. We
got a great final four in the World Cup. Semifinals
start tomorrow, joining me on to discuss. He's covering the
World Cup for the Sporting News. He is Mike de Corsi.
Mike the chalk held in the World Cup. Do you
agree that the four best teams are in the semis?
Speaker 5 (15:59):
Yes, it's interesting, Mark. I just learned today. I wasn't
aware of this that this is the first time that
the World Cup was effectively seated in terms of who
could advance this far. Obviously, they've always had the seeds
relative to the groups, the number one seeds go in
each group, et cetera, et cetera. But this time they
(16:22):
seated it so that one, two, three, four, that those
teams couldn't all meet prior to this round. If indeed,
first of all, they had to win their groups in
order to maintain that status, right, but if they did
they then this was how it would end up if
they continue to advance. So I think that the FIFA
has done some really good things in regards to this tournament.
(16:46):
There are still some things you'd obviously like them to fix,
but the expansion hasn't hurt the tournament and in some
ways helped. And the seeding really is a long overdue
ideas as every other major event wimbled in the US Open,
NCAA Tournament, etc. All see these teams, So why wouldn't
(17:10):
the biggest sporting event on the planet.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
We've not talked since the US got eliminated. Did the
US have a good World Cup or a bad World Cup?
Speaker 6 (17:18):
It's really weird mark because it leaves you with this
feeling of ambivalence because the last game, it wasn't just
a loss if they had played great and Belgium lucked
one in, or they both had played to the absolute.
Speaker 5 (17:34):
Peak of their ability and one team one on Penry
or whatever else. But like, they were so bad and
so far below what they're capable of that it's hard
to look back and feel good about it. But at
the same time, they did things in this World Cup
they've never done before. They were an offensively dominant team
that never been the case before. They not only controlled
(17:57):
possession as they did in twenty two, they created great
chances and as well they I mean, they'd never won
three games in a World Cup before and they did
that and part with that. Part of that was that
they added the extra runal, but the other part was
I don't know there were many times prior to this
where they won two games. I know they did it
oh two, but that may have been the only other
time that they even won two. So they made some
(18:20):
significant progress.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Yeah, but I think we remember what we saw last
and like you said, the ball the Belgium game was
a disaster. I thought all of the four goals conceded
were embarrassing. And furthermore, Policity has been cast as the villain.
He had a quiet World Cup, mostly hurt in a
one off early injured in the loss to Belgium. Where
do you stand on the criticism he's fielding.
Speaker 5 (18:42):
Yeah, I don't think much of it is fair. He was.
If you want to say he was terrible against Belgium,
you're one hundred percent right. The only problem with ident
singling him out is that everybody was terrible. The only
player who could get exempted from that was Fuller and
Balligan because the ball never got that far. Everybody behind
Alligan was.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Awful, even him, Mike.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
He had some chances were his first touch totally abandoned him.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
It was it was.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 5 (19:11):
He didn't have as many chances to stink as the
others did, but they were all awful. Now, what has
bothered me is that when when Christian did play, he
was either great as he was against Paraguay, or good
to very good as he was against Bosnia. Uh and
the Turkey A game was just really to get him going,
but he played well in it. And so I had
(19:34):
a problem with the revisionism there, which there was a
lot of. And then the one the one person I
think that's not catching any heat in all this, and
it's astonishing to me it's the guy who was in charge.
I mean, his team went out and absolutely had nothing.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Yeah, but so the attacking flair you cited, I traced
the poach so well. I do too, even and a
lot of the players didn't.
Speaker 5 (20:00):
Well I don't know that's true. I mean, because they
were executing the attacking players. So why does he get
a pass for Belgium but none of the players do.
I think that. I think that I'm not necessarily opposed
to him returning. I'm just saying that if you're going
to be critical, then you need to be critical of
the fact that he got pretty much out coached by
(20:24):
a guy who was hanging around looking for a job
until the beginning of twenty fifteen when Belgium hired him.
I mean he got fired at a Napoli in twenty
three and then I don't know if he was actually working,
but he didn't have a head coaching job from then
until Belgium hired him. And I mean he made some
(20:46):
changes to his lineup. He went without Doka. You and
I a week ago spend all this time time about Doka.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
I thought, who would torture the US?
Speaker 2 (20:54):
But yeah, he didn't even start, you know, I mean no,
I mean I think Posts deserves some criticism. Uh, I
gotta be honest. I think polistic. I side with Land
and Dunovan. I think you need to be stretchered off
there if you're polistic. I thought he left the game.
Speaker 5 (21:10):
Since then, we saw we saw Holland go off in
in a in a more advanced game where he was
more needed. Uh. We saw Tibo Cortois go off U
And so why why is why do they get an
okay but not him?
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Because because they're not horribly overrated, because they're the US's
best player.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
That's why.
Speaker 4 (21:29):
No, no, no, no, no.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
I I think Polistic is underrated because he plays for America.
That that's it. It's been the way it's been for
one hundred years. Weston McKenny keeps going to Juventus and
they keep saying, well, we don't really like you, and
then they and then the season starts. Well you're kind
of what we have, so you're better than everybody else
we've got at that position, so we'll play you.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
I'd rather you'd rather.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
Have Mckennylistic, if that means anything. Uh hey, the first
semis tomorrow, it's gonna be great.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Is Spain?
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Is Spain versus France the real final? Are those the
two best teams? I think probably?
Speaker 5 (22:06):
So I don't. I don't necessarily agree with you because
I think that England at their best can be as
good as Spain.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
Yeah, but I don't trust them. Yeah, but no, I
know that's a different conversation. I trust Spain more than England.
I mean it just Spain the holes greater than the
s of the parts. I'm not sure they've they've attacked.
I don't think the kid Jamal is done as good
as we hoped, But but he.
Speaker 5 (22:34):
Is not healthy, and Nico Williams clearly is compromised. Rights
Without those two at their peak, they have really lacked
for dynamism. They don't have a great center forward, so
everything has to come either from those two wings and
one barely there, or from the midfield, and sometimes the
ball doesn't get where it needs to go in order
(22:56):
to create goals. And so that's my problem with Spain
right now is that I'm just not so sure how
dynamic they are and can you hold down France.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
Well, that's the problem I think France. I'm not saying
France is a lock to win the tournament. I think
they're close, they're attacking. It's just and I hate him,
so I'm telling the truth.
Speaker 5 (23:19):
I watched that game last week and you he just
You're looking at Membape and he just finds a way
in every game and when he gets a chance, and
it might not even be a great chance, he turns,
he turns loose. Something that works just amazing on this
stage and especially look, I don't watch a ton of
(23:41):
Real Madrid except for when they're in the Champions League,
but it's amazing that there are complaints about him there
and that they haven't achieved as much since he went
there as one would have expected when he comes onto
this stage, he's as good as as anybody.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
Yeah, but that's because he's a prima down for real Madrid.
People don't want to be a prima donna for their
national team. There's no good optics to that whatsoever, and
there's no other team to go to.
Speaker 5 (24:10):
Yeah, it's weird. I don't I don't understand why he's
not the same player there. But when you bring in
that many stars, you have to make sure they mess together.
And the generation, the the Beckham group, the original group
of superstars that they put in place that never really worked.
(24:33):
The generation six or seven or eight years ago worked great,
and this group it's just not totally connected. And I
don't think that they ever really stop and say, wait
a second, what if we just did it with a
few superstars and a bunch of guys who really want
to win.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
Like Barcelona does, like for that matter, Paris Saint Germain
did once they got rid of once they got ridby Right,
we're talking to Mike the course, Pittsburgh's owne here on
the mark Mann Show. Now in the other semi I
think Argentine has a very good team, but they've had
such an easy path to the Semis. And Messi really
(25:11):
looked out of gas in the quarterfinals, didn't he.
Speaker 5 (25:15):
Well, yeah, but he had to go one hundred and
twenty because they feared penalties and so they He really
shouldn't like if it weren't if that were a normal
game and there weren't extra time.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
Yeah, but even the first ninety he won great.
Speaker 5 (25:30):
Well, he wasn't great, but he was great at the start.
The first few times he touched the ball, magic happened,
and then ultimately that led to the corner kick to
cap in the light up and lead, and you know,
all honesty, if this Argentina team were what it was
four years ago, that nothing lead would have either turned
into nothing or would have stood for ninety minutes. But
this team loses concentration. They're not as focused as they were.
(25:54):
Maybe it's what you said, Oh it's just Cabo Verdi,
Oh it's just Switzerland. They can't score, and then all
of a sudden they do. Maybe it's that. And now
England comes in with Bellingham and Caine and they're like, okay,
we'll play now. Maybe that happens, but they have not
been as good through the course of this tournament as
they as they were four years ago. And I don't
(26:15):
just put that down to Messi's age, because he still
has his magic when he needs it. Having as many
goal contributions in this tournament as he does is remarkable
for anyone, let alone someone that just turned thirty nine.
But I do see holes in this team. I don't
think they're as good in defensive midfield. I don't think
the central defense is what it's been in the past,
(26:37):
and so they are beatable. And if England were to
come out on Wednesday with their best effort, something more
like the Croatia game and less like the Ghana game,
I think they can win that game in advance to
their first final in sixty years.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Yeah, there won't be any pressure in England if that happens.
It'll be like the Battle of Britain. Just they'll be
the overhype will be incredible. Uh yeah, I think that
probably is going to be the RGS in England. I
I will say though I thought England could have played
better against Norway. I know thought so and Bellingham refuted that.
(27:18):
But I thought they played played good. I thought they
did a real good job not letting Holland shake loose,
even for that one moment, although there was the one
time the guy had a liot open and wouldn't give.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
It to him.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
Oh, that was just dreadful. I mean, if it was
your team and you had that chance to go up
to nothing and you're and you're whoever guy ignored your
superstar who finishes every chance he gets and doesn't pass.
It was a two on one. It was a straight
two on one. There was nobody either in a.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Lengthy one like the only reason it's strong in two
on wonder is because he turned back into the defense.
Speaker 5 (27:55):
Yes, I couldn't believe that he didn't do that. And
and if that had if that had happened, if he
if he if he put it over to Holland had
gotten it past the one defender, that that that becomes
to nothing. There's no way Holland misses that chance.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
If Argentina wins the World Cup is MESSI the goat?
Would that cut him from the pack?
Speaker 5 (28:18):
I think he already is removed from the pack. I
really do. I think that happened.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
No, I think he's at the top of the pack.
If that makes sense.
Speaker 5 (28:26):
I know what you're saying, I can make an argument.
Speaker 2 (28:29):
For Maradona because I saw him play, and I know
that the impact he had not just for the argues,
but for Napoli. He was like just such a one
man gang. But I think if Messi wins this World Cup,
it's there's no argument.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
The argument disappears.
Speaker 5 (28:44):
Mark. I think you have to give something to to
longevity and and and Maradonna short circuited his own for
the most part.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
Ought to be fair, Mike, he liked cocaine.
Speaker 5 (28:57):
Well. If he had paid more attention to longevity and
less too.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
If he would have played more attention to longevity, he
wouldn't have been Maradonna.
Speaker 5 (29:11):
I don't buy that necessarily.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
He was such a romantic figure, especially for me as
a kid.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
Not that I was rooting for the cocaine, but you
know what I mean.
Speaker 5 (29:22):
I know what you're saying. But I you know he
could have come here in ninety four and not been
the shadow of himself. He could have been in Italy
and ninety and been the conquering hero that did what
MESSI could do now win to in a row. Those
things all were impacted by how he comported himself. The
question and Messi here is thirty nine years old. Thirty
(29:46):
nine and he's got seven.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
World Cup goals. It's amazing how much walks though, isn't it.
I mean, I'm not putting him down.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
That's his game now, but but he picks his spots
and you know how somebody analyzed it why he's still successful.
You can have one, you can have one guy who
walks around. You can't have two. But you can't have one, Yeah,
especially if he pings the ball all over the place
like Messi does.
Speaker 5 (30:09):
Yeah, I mean you to afford all that walking around.
I mean, it doesn't say a thing about Holland. He
doesn't really impact much unless other than maybe the defense
against a quartererkick. And I haven't seen him head that
many away.
Speaker 1 (30:21):
Well, Roy Keane said.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
Roy Keane said, if Holland didn't scraw all those goals,
he'd be in the third division.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
How about that Roy King?
Speaker 2 (30:28):
How about Roy King crippled Holland's dad and then insulted
the kid years later.
Speaker 5 (30:35):
But he's not wrong because he's not much that he had.
There's not much because but when you can do that,
when you can provide at the World Cup level more
than a goal of game, it really does matter that
much what you do the rest of the time, because
no question, Cup goals are so precious.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
Who's gonna win the World Cup? Might give me your pick?
Speaker 5 (30:55):
Oh I think I still I've said France all along,
and they have given me no reason to believe.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
Yeah, I hate to pick them, but I gotta pick him.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
I will say this though, if France is in the final,
it will be a great final in terms of the
hype because there are France against England, because England just
they're nuts. Now imagine if they're in the final, or
imagine mess he's.
Speaker 1 (31:18):
In the final. I mean, either way, my god.
Speaker 5 (31:21):
That's why the seating concept has turned out so well
and why I'm glad they finally bought into it. Now,
if they can fix the red card issue, I mean,
you can't red card someboch, I mean, not the red
the VAR issue. You can't. You can't wipe out a
goal because a file happened one hundred yards away.
Speaker 2 (31:40):
I agree, Come on, I agree. But here's the problem,
and I'm sure you agree with this. The minute you
go to VAR, you take any even small subjectivity out
of it.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
Stuff either happened or didn't.
Speaker 5 (31:52):
Well, you pass the rule that says, if we're going
var nothing that happened on the other side of where
the goal is scored matters. That it's midfield and that's
it mid midpoint line. Anything that happened back there, it's ore.
If our ref mi iss it, we'll deal with him.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
We're missing it, that's a good.
Speaker 5 (32:11):
Call, but we're not. We're not wiping out a goal
because a goal because of the vaar. Something saw something
that the ref didn't see one hundred yards away. There's
an assistant referee there too, that could have caught that file.
So you got two people on the on the scene.
If they miss it and then a goal happens one
hundred yards away, that's gotta stop coming. You can't take
that away.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
Totally agreed.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
Mike is always great stuff, great coverage at the Sportingnews
dot com.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
And we'll talk again next week to wrap it up.
Speaker 5 (32:38):
Sounds great, Thanks Mark.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
That's the great Mike.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
The course, he read his work at the Sporting News,
and of course he is Pittsburgh's own. Up next, I'm
going to tell you I'm doing the trifecta with Tom.
I don't know is he is he suspected, I don't know.
Something's going on with him suspension illness.
Speaker 1 (32:53):
I don't know, I don't know, I don't know. Uh,
but uh, I'm gonna do.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
The trifecta top three dumb pirates trade ideas. That's next
on one oh five to nine. I didn't know until
a moment ago that the home run Derby is on Netflix.
I wasn't gonna watch it anyway, But for us old timers,
that's having to go too far out of your way
to watch it, having to go to Netflix. Why does
(33:20):
every last dollar have to be milked in pro sports
when the sports, the teams, they just don't need every
last dollar. Why can't it can't be convenient? Why can't
it be fan friendly? Then again, I'm an old guy
that just doesn't channel serve Netflix. But again, I'm not
(33:43):
going to watch it. We've been talking about the potential
for the Powers to make a trade. Now that they've
seized some momentum, they go into the All Star break
on a.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
High, and.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
Valdez has made some possibilities interesting, like again, I would
rotate Valdez, Reynolds, and Ohearne through the two corner outfield
spots and DH and I would put Mangament center field.
That allows you to trade Cruise. You could get a
(34:21):
good return for Cruise for his potential. And I think
the powers have seen enough of Cruz to know that
he's not gonna reckon realize all of that potential. But
he's going to be some great moments, but no trace
of consistency. He's like what twenty seven. Now he's been
in the league for a while. He is just what
he is, and you can get, like I said, a
lot for Cruise. That's what I would do. And here's
(34:43):
my other move. You won't like this if you don't
want to trade Cruise, I'd put him a shortstop till
Griffin comes back.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
Forget about defense. Let's let him hit.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
And if Cruz doesn't like that, then well then you
trade him for sure, sent any of your all of
that eight three, three four one two wxdx. Like I said,
tom is, I don't know. Maybe he's Tommy unemployed. Now
there's something's going on there. Uh.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
Now it's time for the trifecta.
Speaker 2 (35:12):
With him not here at the lunch, you'll always find
us not to lunch.
Speaker 1 (35:21):
We're so pretty, oh so pretty with.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
A cun okay, Uh, the trifecta is three dumb pirates
trade ideas. Number one is trade Mitch Keller. Who the
hell wants Mitch Keller? What's gonna get for him? Number
two is fixed the bullpen. They do need to fix
the bullpen, but it's not like that's one trade. You
(35:46):
don't have to get two or three guys to really
fix that bullpen. And number three is the trade they
already made. They traded that compensatory pick, which is a
first round pick for a for a player who I
don't see how he fits. I don't think he's an
upgrade over Triolo. If he was, he wouldn't be for
(36:06):
a player, and I'm not the biggest Triolo fan either.
Speaker 1 (36:11):
So that is the trifecta.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
Brought to us by Danny's Petron Hogies on Route eighty
eight and Bethel Park, the family owned and operated since
nineteen sixty. That's Danny's Petron Hogies, which is absolutely delicious.
We got our baseball guy, Dave Smith at the top
of the hour. I want to know what you think
of the thought of trading O'Neil Cruz. I know you
(36:35):
don't want to. You have a cruise jersey. You blame
it all on Donnie Kelly because you don't have a
Donnie Kelly Jersey. But I think that is the way
to go. I wanted to talk about the Jason Robertson situation.
Let's go to this guy on Hold, Eric, you're on
with double.
Speaker 1 (36:54):
M Mark yep eight.
Speaker 4 (36:58):
What do you think I'm there with?
Speaker 3 (37:01):
Uh, Jason Robertson. Maybe the three way trade with Detroit
to Dallas something going on?
Speaker 5 (37:06):
And what do you think?
Speaker 2 (37:07):
Yeah, Well, Dylan Larkin allegedly, you know, wants to go
to Dallas.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
But I don't know.
Speaker 2 (37:11):
I mean, I don't think Robertson wants to leave Dallas.
Speaker 1 (37:15):
Uh, he could still be traded. I mean, I don't know.
I mean, the talk.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
About it isn't dying, even though I would have thought
it would by now reminds me of when Carlson came
to the Penguins. It was rumored for weeks and weeks
and weeks and weeks. Uh, it seemed dead, and then
when talk stopped, the deal got made. Let me ask
you this, though, why would Jason Robertson want to come
to Pittsburgh.
Speaker 4 (37:40):
Well, I think if Penguins got some prospects that are
coming up under.
Speaker 1 (37:45):
Readiness, Really, who are those a couple. Who are those?
Speaker 2 (37:50):
Oh, yeah, that's what I thought.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
Thanks for the calm.
Speaker 2 (37:57):
Yeah, by the time robertson, you know, like he's twenty six,
the team's gonna age out around him.
Speaker 1 (38:04):
I mean, is he sold on playing with Kendall n Chinikoff?
Speaker 2 (38:07):
Those are two real good players, they're not first liners.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
Can Dubus build the team around him quickly? I don't know.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
I'd like to think so. I just don't see why
Jason roberts would want to come here A three three
four one two w xdx. Oh. You know what a
move I would make, By the way I would, I
would I would put Malejinski in the starting rotation over Keller.
(38:37):
I would do that right now, absolutely for certain. Up next,
gonna talk to our baseball guy, Dave Smith.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
We'll see what he thinks of that. One oh five
nine x
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