On this week’s edition of Inside the (Rob) Parker, Rob discusses the Philadelphia Phillies’ hot start to the season, Aaron Judge’s return to form for the New York Yankees and Jack Leiter’s ugly start to his MLB career. Plus, former MLB All-Star and NBC Sports California analyst Bip Roberts swings by to discuss the Oakland A’s refusal to go quietly into the night and how Bay Area fans are dealing with the club’s impending move to Sacramento. Later, MLB.com reporter Jason Beck checks in to discuss the Detroit Tigers’ season thus far and the AL Central division as a whole. Finally, we’ve got appearances by MLBBro.com managing editor JR Gamble, analytics guru Anthony Masterson and gambling expert David Gascon.
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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 seveny Rob Parker.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Welcome into the podcast. I'm your host, Rob Parker. What
a show we have for you today.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Former Major league infielder Rip Roberts.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
He'll tell us about the surprising A's and some other
thoughts on major League baseball loss. Jason Beck, longtime baseball
writer for MLB dot comm.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
He covers the Detroit Tigers.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
We'll get a closer glimpse of the al central that
plus foul affair.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Let's go better.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
To lead off it's getting robbed and keep them on.
Rob's hot take on the three biggest stories in Major
League Baseball. Number one coming in. It's a Thursday.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
The Philadelphia Phillies have the best record in baseball?
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Hello is this on? Did you hear me?
Speaker 2 (01:09):
The Philadelphia Phillies, Not the Dodgers who spent three billion
dollars on players in the offseason, Not the New York
Yankees that seemed to make the playoffs every year except
for last year, and always have.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
A good team.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
But no, not the Atlanta Braves. That a team that's loaded.
Everybody believes in that team and the pitching and the
hitting and all they have. It is the Phillies. And
why should we be surprised. We really shouldn't be surprised.
Last year they got upset, looked like they were going
to make a second trip to the World Series. They
lose to the Arizona Diamondbacks, a team out of nowhere.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
The year before they make it to the World Series.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
And let's be honest, they got one of the best
players in baseball, Bryce Harper, ten home runs already this season.
They have a formidable lineup, they have a great pitching staff.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
We shouldn't be totally surprised.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Zach Wheeler, he's got four wins, Aaron Nola has five wins.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
And then you know, they just got Taiwan Walker back.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Taiwan Walker led the staff and wins last year, didn't
even pitch in the postseason. He's back this year and
guess what his record is. He's three and zero since
he came off the injury list. So why are we
surprised that the Phillies have thirty one wins, two more
than the Yankees and Dodgers.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
As we enters action on Thursday, it.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Still comes down to can the Phillies get out of
the National League this year and finally win a World Series?
Because they have the team, they have the pitching, they
have one of the best players in the game in
Bryce Harper, so this should not be a shock that
they are there, and they probably the Dodgers will probably
(03:05):
have the best record. They'll probably have the second or
third best record, but they're going to be formidable.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
But what a great start to the season.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
The last few years they actually started off poorly and
played better late, so this will be interesting to see
how this plays.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Out for the Phillies.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Number two, Nobody should be surprised that Aaron Judge is
starting to heat up.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
This guy's resume and his.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
History and his numbers are just too big and too
resume is too strong to think that he was going
to scuffle all year. Here we are in May, coming
into a Thursday. He was coming off a fourth to
four day Wednesday night against the Twins, had a home run,
(03:49):
couple of rbi and actually in his last three games
coming into Thursday, he had seven hits in twelve at bats,
a couple of home runs for RBI. So he's starting
to heat up for the Yankees, who were looking for
a sweep on Thursday of the Twins in that three
game series in Minneapolis, and the Yankees.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
This is the thing that's surprising.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Aaron Judges average sat at two point fifty five coming
into Thursday. Most of the year it was like two
twenty two thirty somewhere around there. And the Yankees didn't
have Garrett Cole there saw young award winning pitcher, and
they didn't have Aaron Judge playing at his full potential.
Yet they have the second best record coming into Thursday
(04:38):
in baseball.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Who was the Phillies, the Yankees and the Dodgers.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
And if Aaron Judge heats up and starts to hit
and perform like we know he can when he's healthy,
the numbers are through the roof. The only time he
scuffles or as the issue is when he's hurt. The
dude is a stud. So Aaron Judge is alive and
well and swinging the bat for the Yankee number three,
no one is going to write off Jack Lighter. Okay,
(05:07):
let's not write him off. He's twenty four years old.
He was the second overall pick in the twenty twenty
one MLB draft by the Texas Rangers.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
We know his dad out Lighter.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
We know the Lighter family has been tremendous when it
comes to baseball and the pitching and all that. But
my goodness, gracious, is he off to a terrible start
his first three starts in the major leagues. His el
ray is now sixteen point thirty nine. Can we get
to infinity? Sixteen point thirty nine? Gave up seven earned
(05:44):
runs and his debut against the Tigers, four against the
Oakland A's, and his second start, and on May fourteenth
against the Guardians, he lasted one and two third innings,
gave up six earned runs, one home run, three walks,
had only one strikeout, and hence the ballooned erra.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
This is going to be a work in progress.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Obviously, some guys catch lightning in a bottle out of
the box, but that's not.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Going to be the case here for mister Jack Lighter.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Here comes the big interview. Listen and learn.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
It's so good now, let's welcome in Bib Roberts, former
Major league infielder outfielder Speedster and a's analyst for NBC
Bay Area.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
What's up, Bip? Are you doing hey, brother?
Speaker 4 (06:38):
I'm doing well. As we were speaking earlier.
Speaker 5 (06:39):
Hey, any day above the earth is a blessing for
us man, especially sixty year old men.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
I know, unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
I can still remember interviewing you in the clubhouse at
the All Star.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Game nineteen ninety two in San Diego. That was like,
what was that thirty two years ago, bib Man?
Speaker 5 (06:58):
That was a long time ago, brother, Pus, probably twenty
nine or something like that.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
I'm go, man, I had nobody fat then either.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Hey, join the club man. Are you kidding?
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Now?
Speaker 3 (07:10):
I got double body fat? You know?
Speaker 2 (07:13):
All right, Well, let's talk about the Oakland A's. I mean,
what a surprise in the American League. I mean, that's
the only way you could do it. I know that
they're under five hundred, but they're around five hundred. They
got off to a good store in nineteen and twenty
six coming into Thursday. They've had a bump in the
road the last few games. But just tell me what
(07:37):
has been what has made this team form of a
bull and at least playing around five hundred?
Speaker 5 (07:44):
Well, you know, they did get to five hundred, and
when they got to five hundred, I think they became
relevant and started expecting to go out there and win,
put a little more pressure on themselves. But what I
think this team has really started to learn is how
to compete. They normally now they compete because pitching it's
been so good, especially with the back end of that bullpen,
with Mason coming in throwing one hundred and one hundred
(08:06):
and two hundred and three, just bringing it with a
nasty slider man. And so I think a lot of
these young players who play every day, they have a
year U under their belt now, so they've been around
the league.
Speaker 4 (08:17):
They're starting to understand the level.
Speaker 5 (08:19):
And what it takes to be successful, especially getting to
the ballpark, get your early work in, and just trying
to work smart. The coaching staff has done a real
good job. I think they've really marcottsee is really kind
of instilled it to these guys.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
Kind of his personality.
Speaker 5 (08:35):
You know, Marcott say, you know, if you see him
off the field, he's got his hat on his brim hattie.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
I said, man, you look like a gangster homie.
Speaker 5 (08:42):
You know, he's a tough guy, And I think that's
instilled it to his team.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
And he's not a guy who throws guys under the bus.
Speaker 5 (08:51):
But he's also not a guy who coddles these guys,
so he expects a lot out of them.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
So that's what I see. I see a lot of
growth in his team.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Tell me about Abraham Touro, I mean second basement bat
into eighty seven, leads a team in hits, leads a
team in ops.
Speaker 5 (09:08):
Yeah, yeah, he's just got just look in his eye
right now. He looks hitterish. He looks like he comes
to the ballpark ready to play. He's one of those
guys that you can see the intensity on his face
and in his body language from both sides of the plague.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
He's had a good swing.
Speaker 5 (09:24):
He's been one of those guys that each and every
game he goes out there and gets you one, two,
three hits.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
But he's getting some big hits and he's scored some
good runs.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
You know.
Speaker 5 (09:32):
He came over from I think he came up from Houston,
where he had started with Seattle, and Seattle kind of
had him at third base most.
Speaker 4 (09:39):
Of the time.
Speaker 5 (09:40):
So now with Geloff being hurt, he's moved around a
little bit but he's played mostly second base and it
seems like he's been.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Comfortable there moving around.
Speaker 5 (09:48):
Hasn't heard his swing, But he's just one of those
guys at the top of the lineup that he likes
to swing the bat. He's aggressive in the batter's box,
and he seems right now to be making solid contact
every time he swings the bat.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
I said, ops, but I meant on base percentage three
forty on base percentage. How about the right field of
Brent Rooker ten home runs already?
Speaker 4 (10:09):
Yeah, he came in. He's just all of a sudden
just picked it up.
Speaker 5 (10:12):
He's one of those guys that every time he gets
in the box, you think he's going to hit a
home run based on when you see a swing, and
when he does make contact, he is driving the ball
well into the seats. The guy who made the All
Star team last year is coming off of a good year.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
So I think he has really that confidence you.
Speaker 5 (10:29):
Need as a hitter, because you know what baseball is
all about, it's about confidence. And you know, at one
time last year, he was hot, he got cold, he
got hot, he got cold, and he got hot again.
So I think the experience is really starting to show.
He's been a team leader. He's mostly dhing right now
because they have a young kid, Lawrence Butler and right field.
But this guy Rooker in the middle of that lineup,
(10:52):
he's definitely producing. He's producing RBIs, he's producing big hits
even you know two. He's getting jammed with sliders, but
he's still able to drive the ball over the infield
and drive in run.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
So he's been spent clutch so far.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Tell me about Butler, I mean, I know he got
off to a great start last year, had some home runs,
some exciting player, only batting one seventy thus far coming
into Thursday.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
What's been his issue this time around?
Speaker 4 (11:16):
Well, you know, he's a.
Speaker 5 (11:17):
Good athlete man, He's got a nice little left handed swing.
I think he's a little poor happy right now. I
see a lot of balls hit to the right side
of the field. When you know baseball, you got to
use the entire field, and if the opposing pitcher sees that,
you're pretty much looking inside.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
Where they work you outside inside, inside, outside.
Speaker 5 (11:37):
And he's been gettingit with some change ups and some
fastballs right down the middle for strike three. So I
think what he needs to do is just relax you know,
he's got great talent. I tell him all the time.
I said, hey, man, talent comes back, so don't worry
about it. We all had rough starts at the beginning
of our career because we got to catch up. You're
facing the best of the best, and it's going to
be like that every day, So get your mind ready
(11:59):
to go out out there and fight and battle. He's
time to go out there, But until you to work
on your craft, because you got to learn how hit
the ball hard the other way. It took me a
while to learn that too. I have my ups and
downs with that. But he's a young guy with a
lot of talent. He can run, he can hit, he
can steal bases. He's got a cannon of an arm
and right field and he gets a good jump on
(12:19):
the ball to the outfield.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
So he's going to be okay.
Speaker 5 (12:22):
I'm happy that the age allowing him to find this way,
because a lot of times with young players, if you're
not playing well, if you're not hot, if you're not
helping the team, they'll send you back to TRIPLEA. But
they see the talent that he has and they're giving
him time.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Last thing, you know, we'd be crazy not to talk
about just the fans reaction.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
We understand what's going on.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
The team is moving to Sacramento and next year until
the eventual move to Las Vegas that looks like is
still going to happen.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
How are the fans of people who do show up.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
I know the crowds aren't big, but what is it
like at the ballpark?
Speaker 5 (12:59):
You know, people are coming right now because it's the nostalgia.
They're starting to understand that this is the reality two
days of leaving bro and if you don't come out
and see them now and open after this year, they
won't be here. They're going to Sacramento. The crowds are
small right now, They're really small, and a lot of
people are just boycotting based on, you know, not liking
(13:20):
the ownership. So it's one of those games where robins
people out there. We could sit in one place, but
then find a seat down there behind the plate and
we can sneak down because and they're like, hey.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
You know, we're just happy you have the ballpark.
Speaker 5 (13:35):
But I think that what's happening is that most are
waiting until that last game of the season to go
out there. I think that game has already sold out,
so they want to go out with a bang. And
some people tell me they're bringing wrenches and things so
they can take seats.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
I said, go have Oh my goodness, gracious.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
And you know, the sad part is that Oakland was
one of America's great sports towns. Anybody who doesn't understand
that or know about the history of the great Oakland
A's teams, the great players that played there, the Oakland Raiders,
we all know, the Warriors in the day. I mean,
(14:13):
that's the sad part is that we're losing a sports
city of Oakland's history.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
That's it's It's sad.
Speaker 5 (14:21):
It really is, because you know, I'm a born I'm
born in raising O and all my life it was
those three teams, and you know, I always looked forward
to it. And then one year we had champions in basketball, football,
and baseball.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
But it was always my love for the Open A's.
You know.
Speaker 5 (14:37):
I went out there at four years old, so that
large green grass field and said, man, that's a really
big field, Dad, and he's like, maybe one day you
could play on that. So the A's became a dream
of mine. One day one I wanted to play for
the Open A's. But I also loved watching Kenny Staylor
and the Raiders all the way back then Freed Blitnakov
and all those guys got to even meet Fred bulivn
the Call. And then with the Warriors, that was way
(14:58):
back when they had Phil Smith and and Clifford Ray
and Lloyd b Free and all these guys. And so
you know, my history is of Oakland, sports man. It's
a shame that they're no longer here and part of
the history of Oakland, a part of my history is
now being transferred to some other cities and states. But
I'm just thankful to Warriors are still here. But bottom
(15:18):
line is that they're not in Oakland and Oakland right now.
It's just it's a shamble in sports of what it
used to be. But you can't take that history, you
can't take the images that we have in our minds
away from us.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
No doubt.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
His name is Bib Roberts, one of the best in
the business. Bib always the insight. We appreciate you. And
the Oakland A's are a nice story in baseball. They're
not the worst team in baseball and they're competing every
day and that's good to see. Bill.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
We'll check in with you again down the road. Thank you, buddy.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
All right, brother, I appreciate you. Man, take care of.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
It was a big week in the big leagues.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Who's an believe it?
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Is it foul or is it fair? And now from
mlbdbro dot Com here's Jrgamba.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Jr.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Is it foul or fair to say that it's a
coincidence that the Chicago White Sox went from cellar dwellers
to playing above five hundred ball since Tommy Fam joined
the lineup.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Foul That is a foul ball.
Speaker 6 (16:30):
There's no coincidence here. Tommy Fam is the man. After
going two for four and a two nothing went over
the Nationals on Wednesday, Fam lifted his batting average to
three nineteen with two home runs, ten rbi and ten
runs scored in his last eighteen games.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
And guess what.
Speaker 6 (16:48):
The White Sox are eleven and eight in the past
nineteen games after starting the season three and twenty two,
lifting the team's record to fourteen and thirty as of Wednesday.
It's a clear indication of the Tommy Fam effect. So
Fam is doing what he's done throughout his career. He
impacts winning last season, Tommy Fam wasn't the sexiest trade
(17:13):
deadline acquisition, but he proved to be the most impactful
piece to an Arizona Diamondbacks team that went to the
World Series. His first week with the team, Fam hit
three point fifty with six RBI and a homer and
never looked back. Fam provided consistency in the middle of
a young lineup and drove in twenty four runs in
(17:33):
his first thirty two games played. Arizona became a different
team and slayed some of baseball supposed juggernauts en route
to the World Series. Fam is a run producer who
can grind out at bats, and as far as pressure goes,
he doesn't feel it, He's made for it. He hit
two seventy nine with three home runs and a point
seventy seven to two ops during last year's playoffs, earning
(17:57):
a spot in Arizona's starting lineup in enough their last
seventeen crucial games and the White Sox were downtrodden and
ready to tank this season of finding out why Fam
is one of the must have veterans in the game.
Fam is always able to take his team up another notch,
whether it be in the playoffs or a scuffling team
(18:18):
that wants to give up.
Speaker 4 (18:20):
He won't let it happen.
Speaker 6 (18:21):
Fam is a three thirteen hitter with thirty six hits,
six home run, ten RBI and fifteen runs in thirty
one postseason games. Everywhere Fam goes, they quickly find out
he's needed in the lineup.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
It's time for the pocket protector, centro, the analytic numbers
you need to know?
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Well, maybe Anthony Masterson is his name.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
BS analytics is his game. What do you got for me, Anthony?
Speaker 7 (18:51):
We never stopped looking for ways to understand baseball, and
we've long graduated from pitcher wins and RBI as ways
to evaluate talent. Now, statcast has debuted a new metrics
a tale of how hard batter swing and what it means,
called bat speed. Thanks to special hawkeye cameras, we're able
to see not only bat speed, but also the angle
of the swing in super slow motion. Once the data
(19:12):
is gathered, we can start to identify what it actually means.
We know players try to chase hard, quick swings in
their training, and it's no surprise to see the top
of the leaderboard in bat speed contain some of the
most ferocious swingers in the game. Sean Carlo Stanton is
an exit velocity king, and now we know it's because
his average bat speed of eighty point six miles per
hour is nearly three miles per hour faster than the
(19:35):
next closest batter, the Pirates O'Neil Cruz. The next guys
on that list are big power guys like Kyle Schwarber,
Ronald Counye Junior, Chris Morel, and Aaron Judge. Why is
it better to swing hard? Batted balls with the bat
speed of eighty plus miles per hour have a three
twenty one average with a slug of six sixty five
seventy to seventy nine miles per hour, the average drops
(19:56):
to two seventy four with a four to seventy seven
slug and under seventy mi an hour, it's a two
oh two average and a two to fifty four slug.
Now that's not to say there's no value in a
slower swing. The bottom two players on the average batspeed
list this season are two time raining batting champ Luis
Arise and current ALE batting leader Stephen Kwan. As more
data gets captured, it will be fascinating to find new
(20:18):
ways to enjoy the game. We love.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
Turn money into more money. Now it's time for betting
on the basis with Dave Gascott.
Speaker 4 (20:27):
Love that money, Love that money.
Speaker 8 (20:28):
Hey, Rob, got a lot of chalk this weekend. Yankees
and White Sox on Friday Night. Nestor Cortez so far
the season one in four era at four to oh
two against Mike Clevenger on one five forty era Yankees, though,
taking this all the way New York at home against
the White Sox. Meanwhile, Braves and Padres from Atlanta. Max
Frieda is on the bump this one. He's very well
(20:48):
so far this season three and one, three fifty seven era.
I'll take the a Til at home against the Friars.
Last one Friday Night from Arlington. Andrew Hayning the Texas
Rangers against the Angels Tyler Anderson. He hasn't been bad
this year three and four record, but the era is
sub three at two ninety two. Han, he's still looking
for his first win of the campaign. I will take
Texas at home as a fave. So a lot of
(21:11):
chock across the board. They got the Rangers, the Braves,
and the Yankees.
Speaker 6 (21:17):
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 cover the seven point two percent
(21:37):
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 4 (21:55):
From Mookie Wilson to Mookie.
Speaker 6 (21:57):
Betts, Doctor k to Doctor Stick, from Bro Bombs, the
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
(22:17):
that truly capture the voice of black baseball. If things
get out of hand, is 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 the Gambler, your friendly neighborhood diamond checker,
(22:42):
making sure that you stay on top of the game
and in touch with the soul of MLB. Fuckle up
for a wild baseball journey, showing respect to the Ogs
and highlighting the new breed of melanated Malma.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
Robins.
Speaker 6 (22:56):
First thing through MLB's pipeline all pitching with the sound
black Baseball. We got the best starting five in the business.
Listen to the MLB bro Show podcast the Mixtape on
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
Wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
When Rob was a newspaper columnist, he lived by this motto.
If I'm writing, I'm ripping. Let's bring in a writer
or broadcaster, old or new.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
Now let's welcome into the podcast.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Jason Beck, longtime Detroit Tiger beat writer for MLB dot com.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
Friend of mine, Jason, Welcome to the podcast, my.
Speaker 9 (23:37):
Friend, Hey Rob, how's everything going?
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Man?
Speaker 3 (23:41):
Doing great baseball season, chugging along.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
Here we are in May, and I wanted to chime
in and check in on the Tigers to see where
they are, where they're headed right now going into Friday,
when they take on the Arizona Diamondbacks. They are twenty
one and twenty two, fourth in the AL Central. So
(24:05):
right at five hundred, is this where we were expecting
them to be, Jason or have they fallen down a not?
Speaker 9 (24:13):
You know, the expectations I think change a little bit
with the best start they got off to. You know,
they won their first five against the White Sox and Mets,
and they seem to, you know, really be poised to
take the next step, you know, especially with the pitching
and uh So, in the context of that, I think
(24:35):
it's you know, it's been a step back. I think
in the context of what we expected going into the season,
I think it's right around where we were expecting that,
you know, right around a five hundred team. Maybe a
little bit below expectations right now, simply because of the offense.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
No doubt. And you mentioned pitching.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Let's go there and we'll get back to some of
the players and Riley Green nine home runs and stuff
that he's doing. We'll do that, but let's get to
the pitching and uh to talk about how good the
pitching has been.
Speaker 9 (25:10):
It's been tremendous, you know, Derek scoopo looks like a
legit cy young candidate right now in the American League.
You know, he's anchoring the staff. You know, the best
homegrown uh starting pitcher that they've had since Berland here. Honestly,
I'm gonna send their respect to Fulmer right.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
His whip is what zero eighty six?
Speaker 9 (25:30):
Yeah, it's it's right around now. I mean it's low.
You know, he's I believe, right on the fringe of
the top five in AL in the e r A.
You know, his strikeout rate is up. He's just he
hit one hundred miles an now a couple of starts
to go. You know, it's it's a combination of things.
It's just he's really dealing right now. And you know,
(25:52):
especially for the left handed pitcher, he's really coming on
to his own to really become one of the formidable
starters and in the American League. And it goes down
from there with you know, Jack Flaherty's had a nice
bounce back season, which they felt like they could get
that out of him.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
He doesn't have a win, but he's pitched well Jason
hasn't he Yeah, Well.
Speaker 9 (26:15):
He's got company there. You know. Flarity does not have
a win despite pitching. Well, you know, reees Olsen does
not have a win. He's zero and four with like
a two O nine e r A.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
That's ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
Both of them already struck out fourteen and didn't get
a win.
Speaker 9 (26:31):
That is correct. Yes, he he is, you know when
when his curve ball is working, he's really nasty. He's
gotten that below bump back. They've worked with some stuff,
you know, Robin Lund has done some done some good
work with him in terms of getting his body moving
better and really recapturing some of the power and that delivery.
(26:55):
He's a legit young number one, number two starter right now,
and depending on where the Tigers are at come August
or come July, it's going to be interesting to see
what they do with him in terms of whether to
go for it and hold on to him or whether
to you know, try to trade him and see what
they see if they can get more prospects.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
All right, let's talk about Riley Green and his season
nine home runs nineteen. RBIs to start the season batting
two thirty nine, but just talk about his progress and
the pop in his bat.
Speaker 9 (27:31):
He looks like the Riley Green we remember from you
know when he came onto the scene a couple of
years ago, and that's key. I think we they they
needed part of that's hell. You know, he's gone through
a lot of injuries the last couple of years, a
lot of them pretty freak, you know, freaky, and it's
not like it's been one particular area that that's really
(27:54):
bothered him to where it would be a career concern.
You know, it was Tommy John surgery last September on
a dive diving play. You know, he had a stress
fracture in his leg earlier last season. He's over that
now and you're starting to see him get the repetitions
he needs to develop as a hitter, and he's developing
(28:15):
pretty quickly. You know, he's his April was extremely impressive.
He's fallen off a little bit in May, but he's
far and away the folk from around which this lineup revolves,
and they they put together the order with the idea
of getting him as many apt bets and productive situations
as possible.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Our guest is Jason Beck covered the Detroit Tigers for
MLB dot Com, joining us here on Inside the Parker
Hobby Biaz. Can you help me, Jason, I mean, I
mean batting one sixty seven, one home run, thirteen RB.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
What does he have on that contract? Ten years left
or whatever?
Speaker 2 (28:57):
I mean, the Tigers are stuck, and boy is he
fallen off the map.
Speaker 9 (29:03):
It's amazing, you know, And to Hobby's credit, he showed
signs of making changes this year and still does. You
see him go through stretches where he is more patient
as a hitter, where he's not expanding his strikes on
as much and he's not chasing those sliders like two
feet off the plate. But then he'll regress from time
(29:27):
to time, or he'll get a tough call on a
pitch off the plate and then he'll get frustrated, or
you know, he he'll go away from what his game
plan was going into the at bat. And it's just
he's not as predictable of an ounce as he was
in the past in terms of how he's gonna be,
(29:49):
you know, be retired. But he's still not seeing to
bump in production for you know, moderately tougher at bets,
but still not good enough. No good enough for him,
not good enough for the Tigers either. So it's it's
been frustrating and you can see it on his face,
you know, every time he pops out or straggle out.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
Unbelievable final thing, al Central I think, as you said,
got off to a five and oh Start had a
couple of bad teams. They beat up on them. But
this division isn't the cakewalk. I think people might have
thought or maybe the Tigers could slip in and win
the division. The Guardians, of course, are very good, and
then the Twins wind up running off like eleven or
(30:34):
twelve wins in a row at one point, and they
got good and they still have some injuries and they
could even get better. How tough is this Central Division
going to be with the Guardians with the Twins? And
could the Tigers possibly pass one of those?
Speaker 9 (30:49):
You know what, it's your respectable division. You know. Cleveland
honestly has been way better than I expected. I did
not think they had the offense to you know, to
support their pitching and.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
Them exactly.
Speaker 9 (31:04):
You know, the Naylor brothers have have bring breakout guys,
you know, and they've even just even just getting Miles
Straw up the lineup and putting Tyler Freeman in there
has made a huge difference. Now we'll see what they
do without kwand for a little while, but you know this,
right now, they they look really impressive and they look
(31:25):
like a team that's going to be in it through
the hardest schedule. The Twins, on the other hand, I
did not think had enough pitching, and right now they do.
You know, Pablo Lopez is looking like a genius of
an acquisition right now, especially after you watch the Marlins
trade Luisa Rice to San Diego and just get a
(31:47):
couple of prospects in return. You know, it's they they
have a good order to their you know, to their
rotation and their line up. Now the guys are getting
healthier again. It's formidable, and it's it's the type of
lineup where there are obvious week spots where you can
(32:08):
exploit and gig your outs. And you know, if they
can get a good, healthy stretch from Byron Buxton and
Carlos Korea, you know, they probably would be the best
team in the division now. In fairness, their winning streak
and park came with a fair number of games against
the White Sox. But as we've seen, you know, the
White Sox can sneak up and get guys every now
(32:29):
and then if teams aren't careful.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
No doubt, his name is Jason Beck. One of the
best in the business, one of my favorites. Jason, always
a pleasure. Thanks for joining us here and inside the Parker.
Speaker 9 (32:43):
Thanks Rob, always good talking baseball with you.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
Now bring in the closer. Here's why MLB is better
than the NFL or NBA, and it isn't even close.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Read number four hundred and fifty five where Major League
Baseball is better than the NBA and the NFL is
What's gonna happen Thursday night at Dodger Stadium.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
It's show hey, old Tahani babohead night.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
Yes, they played at Cincinnati Reds and they're given out
show hey baboheads. And my goodness, gracious, baboheads were like
twenty five years old and they still have steam.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
But only in baseball.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
To me, I don't know what other sport is given
out babbleheads still at the rate that Major League Baseball
gives out babbleheads still a big draw. We know that
Dodgers draw four million people every year they come into
the game regardless, but I can just imagine the maneuvering
of people getting to the ballpark Dodger Stadium early to
(33:49):
try to get a bobblehead. This could be a collective's
item if he winds up being the greatest player or
ever played major League baseball as a two way star show.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
Hey Otani, babblehead night.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
It goes hand in hand with major League baseball, and
that's what makes the game so much fun and so great.
In the words of New York TV legend the late
Bill Jorgensen, thanking you for your time this time until
next time.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
Rob Parker out d can't Gavin. This could be an
inside of Parker.
Speaker 1 (34:27):
See you next week, same bat time, same batt 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 seveny Rob Parker.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Welcome into the podcast. I'm your host, Rob Parker. What
a show we have for you today.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Former Major league infielder Rip Roberts.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
He'll tell us about the surprising A's and some other
thoughts on major League baseball loss. Jason Beck, longtime baseball
writer for MLB dot comm.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
He covers the Detroit Tigers.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
We'll get a closer glimpse of the al central that
plus foul affair.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Let's go better.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
To lead off it's getting robbed and keep them on.
Rob's hot take on the three biggest stories in Major
League Baseball. Number one coming in. It's a Thursday.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
The Philadelphia Phillies have the best record in baseball?
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Hello is this on? Did you hear me?
Speaker 2 (01:09):
The Philadelphia Phillies, Not the Dodgers who spent three billion
dollars on players in the offseason, Not the New York
Yankees that seemed to make the playoffs every year except
for last year, and always have.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
A good team.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
But no, not the Atlanta Braves. That a team that's loaded.
Everybody believes in that team and the pitching and the
hitting and all they have. It is the Phillies. And
why should we be surprised. We really shouldn't be surprised.
Last year they got upset, looked like they were going
to make a second trip to the World Series. They
lose to the Arizona Diamondbacks, a team out of nowhere.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
The year before they make it to the World Series.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
And let's be honest, they got one of the best
players in baseball, Bryce Harper, ten home runs already this season.
They have a formidable lineup, they have a great pitching staff.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
We shouldn't be totally surprised.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Zach Wheeler, he's got four wins, Aaron Nola has five wins.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
And then you know, they just got Taiwan Walker back.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Taiwan Walker led the staff and wins last year, didn't
even pitch in the postseason. He's back this year and
guess what his record is. He's three and zero since
he came off the injury list. So why are we
surprised that the Phillies have thirty one wins, two more
than the Yankees and Dodgers.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
As we enters action on Thursday, it.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Still comes down to can the Phillies get out of
the National League this year and finally win a World Series?
Because they have the team, they have the pitching, they
have one of the best players in the game in
Bryce Harper, so this should not be a shock that
they are there, and they probably the Dodgers will probably
(03:05):
have the best record. They'll probably have the second or
third best record, but they're going to be formidable.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
But what a great start to the season.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
The last few years they actually started off poorly and
played better late, so this will be interesting to see
how this plays.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Out for the Phillies.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Number two, Nobody should be surprised that Aaron Judge is
starting to heat up.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
This guy's resume and his.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
History and his numbers are just too big and too
resume is too strong to think that he was going
to scuffle all year. Here we are in May, coming
into a Thursday. He was coming off a fourth to
four day Wednesday night against the Twins, had a home run,
(03:49):
couple of rbi and actually in his last three games
coming into Thursday, he had seven hits in twelve at bats,
a couple of home runs for RBI. So he's starting
to heat up for the Yankees, who were looking for
a sweep on Thursday of the Twins in that three
game series in Minneapolis, and the Yankees.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
This is the thing that's surprising.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Aaron Judges average sat at two point fifty five coming
into Thursday. Most of the year it was like two
twenty two thirty somewhere around there. And the Yankees didn't
have Garrett Cole there saw young award winning pitcher, and
they didn't have Aaron Judge playing at his full potential.
Yet they have the second best record coming into Thursday
(04:38):
in baseball.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Who was the Phillies, the Yankees and the Dodgers.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
And if Aaron Judge heats up and starts to hit
and perform like we know he can when he's healthy,
the numbers are through the roof. The only time he
scuffles or as the issue is when he's hurt. The
dude is a stud. So Aaron Judge is alive and
well and swinging the bat for the Yankee number three,
no one is going to write off Jack Lighter. Okay,
(05:07):
let's not write him off. He's twenty four years old.
He was the second overall pick in the twenty twenty
one MLB draft by the Texas Rangers.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
We know his dad out Lighter.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
We know the Lighter family has been tremendous when it
comes to baseball and the pitching and all that. But
my goodness, gracious, is he off to a terrible start
his first three starts in the major leagues. His el
ray is now sixteen point thirty nine. Can we get
to infinity? Sixteen point thirty nine? Gave up seven earned
(05:44):
runs and his debut against the Tigers, four against the
Oakland A's, and his second start, and on May fourteenth
against the Guardians, he lasted one and two third innings,
gave up six earned runs, one home run, three walks,
had only one strikeout, and hence the ballooned erra.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
This is going to be a work in progress.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Obviously, some guys catch lightning in a bottle out of
the box, but that's not.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
Going to be the case here for mister Jack Lighter.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Here comes the big interview. Listen and learn.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
It's so good now, let's welcome in Bib Roberts, former
Major league infielder outfielder Speedster and a's analyst for NBC
Bay Area.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
What's up, Bip? Are you doing hey, brother?
Speaker 4 (06:38):
I'm doing well. As we were speaking earlier.
Speaker 5 (06:39):
Hey, any day above the earth is a blessing for
us man, especially sixty year old men.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
I know, unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
I can still remember interviewing you in the clubhouse at
the All Star.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Game nineteen ninety two in San Diego. That was like,
what was that thirty two years ago, bib Man?
Speaker 5 (06:58):
That was a long time ago, brother, Pus, probably twenty
nine or something like that.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
I'm go, man, I had nobody fat then either.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Hey, join the club man. Are you kidding?
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Now?
Speaker 3 (07:10):
I got double body fat? You know?
Speaker 2 (07:13):
All right, Well, let's talk about the Oakland A's. I mean,
what a surprise in the American League. I mean, that's
the only way you could do it. I know that
they're under five hundred, but they're around five hundred. They
got off to a good store in nineteen and twenty
six coming into Thursday. They've had a bump in the
road the last few games. But just tell me what
(07:37):
has been what has made this team form of a
bull and at least playing around five hundred?
Speaker 5 (07:44):
Well, you know, they did get to five hundred, and
when they got to five hundred, I think they became
relevant and started expecting to go out there and win,
put a little more pressure on themselves. But what I
think this team has really started to learn is how
to compete. They normally now they compete because pitching it's
been so good, especially with the back end of that bullpen,
with Mason coming in throwing one hundred and one hundred
(08:06):
and two hundred and three, just bringing it with a
nasty slider man. And so I think a lot of
these young players who play every day, they have a
year U under their belt now, so they've been around
the league.
Speaker 4 (08:17):
They're starting to understand the level.
Speaker 5 (08:19):
And what it takes to be successful, especially getting to
the ballpark, get your early work in, and just trying
to work smart. The coaching staff has done a real
good job. I think they've really marcottsee is really kind
of instilled it to these guys.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
Kind of his personality.
Speaker 5 (08:35):
You know, Marcott say, you know, if you see him
off the field, he's got his hat on his brim hattie.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
I said, man, you look like a gangster homie.
Speaker 5 (08:42):
You know, he's a tough guy, And I think that's
instilled it to his team.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
And he's not a guy who throws guys under the bus.
Speaker 5 (08:51):
But he's also not a guy who coddles these guys,
so he expects a lot out of them.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
So that's what I see. I see a lot of
growth in his team.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Tell me about Abraham Touro, I mean second basement bat
into eighty seven, leads a team in hits, leads a
team in ops.
Speaker 5 (09:08):
Yeah, yeah, he's just got just look in his eye
right now. He looks hitterish. He looks like he comes
to the ballpark ready to play. He's one of those
guys that you can see the intensity on his face
and in his body language from both sides of the plague.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
He's had a good swing.
Speaker 5 (09:24):
He's been one of those guys that each and every
game he goes out there and gets you one, two,
three hits.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
But he's getting some big hits and he's scored some
good runs.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
You know.
Speaker 5 (09:32):
He came over from I think he came up from Houston,
where he had started with Seattle, and Seattle kind of
had him at third base most.
Speaker 4 (09:39):
Of the time.
Speaker 5 (09:40):
So now with Geloff being hurt, he's moved around a
little bit but he's played mostly second base and it
seems like he's been.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Comfortable there moving around.
Speaker 5 (09:48):
Hasn't heard his swing, But he's just one of those
guys at the top of the lineup that he likes
to swing the bat. He's aggressive in the batter's box,
and he seems right now to be making solid contact
every time he swings the bat.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
I said, ops, but I meant on base percentage three
forty on base percentage. How about the right field of
Brent Rooker ten home runs already?
Speaker 4 (10:09):
Yeah, he came in. He's just all of a sudden
just picked it up.
Speaker 5 (10:12):
He's one of those guys that every time he gets
in the box, you think he's going to hit a
home run based on when you see a swing, and
when he does make contact, he is driving the ball
well into the seats. The guy who made the All
Star team last year is coming off of a good year.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
So I think he has really that confidence you.
Speaker 5 (10:29):
Need as a hitter, because you know what baseball is
all about, it's about confidence. And you know, at one
time last year, he was hot, he got cold, he
got hot, he got cold, and he got hot again.
So I think the experience is really starting to show.
He's been a team leader. He's mostly dhing right now
because they have a young kid, Lawrence Butler and right field.
But this guy Rooker in the middle of that lineup,
(10:52):
he's definitely producing. He's producing RBIs, he's producing big hits
even you know two. He's getting jammed with sliders, but
he's still able to drive the ball over the infield
and drive in run.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
So he's been spent clutch so far.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Tell me about Butler, I mean, I know he got
off to a great start last year, had some home runs,
some exciting player, only batting one seventy thus far coming
into Thursday.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
What's been his issue this time around?
Speaker 4 (11:16):
Well, you know, he's a.
Speaker 5 (11:17):
Good athlete man, He's got a nice little left handed swing.
I think he's a little poor happy right now. I
see a lot of balls hit to the right side
of the field. When you know baseball, you got to
use the entire field, and if the opposing pitcher sees that,
you're pretty much looking inside.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
Where they work you outside inside, inside, outside.
Speaker 5 (11:37):
And he's been gettingit with some change ups and some
fastballs right down the middle for strike three. So I
think what he needs to do is just relax you know,
he's got great talent. I tell him all the time.
I said, hey, man, talent comes back, so don't worry
about it. We all had rough starts at the beginning
of our career because we got to catch up. You're
facing the best of the best, and it's going to
be like that every day, So get your mind ready
(11:59):
to go out out there and fight and battle. He's
time to go out there, But until you to work
on your craft, because you got to learn how hit
the ball hard the other way. It took me a
while to learn that too. I have my ups and
downs with that. But he's a young guy with a
lot of talent. He can run, he can hit, he
can steal bases. He's got a cannon of an arm
and right field and he gets a good jump on
(12:19):
the ball to the outfield.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
So he's going to be okay.
Speaker 5 (12:22):
I'm happy that the age allowing him to find this way,
because a lot of times with young players, if you're
not playing well, if you're not hot, if you're not
helping the team, they'll send you back to TRIPLEA. But
they see the talent that he has and they're giving
him time.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Last thing, you know, we'd be crazy not to talk
about just the fans reaction.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
We understand what's going on.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
The team is moving to Sacramento and next year until
the eventual move to Las Vegas that looks like is
still going to happen.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
How are the fans of people who do show up.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
I know the crowds aren't big, but what is it
like at the ballpark?
Speaker 5 (12:59):
You know, people are coming right now because it's the nostalgia.
They're starting to understand that this is the reality two
days of leaving bro and if you don't come out
and see them now and open after this year, they
won't be here. They're going to Sacramento. The crowds are
small right now, They're really small, and a lot of
people are just boycotting based on, you know, not liking
(13:20):
the ownership. So it's one of those games where robins
people out there. We could sit in one place, but
then find a seat down there behind the plate and
we can sneak down because and they're like, hey.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
You know, we're just happy you have the ballpark.
Speaker 5 (13:35):
But I think that what's happening is that most are
waiting until that last game of the season to go
out there. I think that game has already sold out,
so they want to go out with a bang. And
some people tell me they're bringing wrenches and things so
they can take seats.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
I said, go have Oh my goodness, gracious.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
And you know, the sad part is that Oakland was
one of America's great sports towns. Anybody who doesn't understand
that or know about the history of the great Oakland
A's teams, the great players that played there, the Oakland Raiders,
we all know, the Warriors in the day. I mean,
(14:13):
that's the sad part is that we're losing a sports
city of Oakland's history.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
That's it's It's sad.
Speaker 5 (14:21):
It really is, because you know, I'm a born I'm
born in raising O and all my life it was
those three teams, and you know, I always looked forward
to it. And then one year we had champions in basketball, football,
and baseball.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
But it was always my love for the Open A's.
You know.
Speaker 5 (14:37):
I went out there at four years old, so that
large green grass field and said, man, that's a really
big field, Dad, and he's like, maybe one day you
could play on that. So the A's became a dream
of mine. One day one I wanted to play for
the Open A's. But I also loved watching Kenny Staylor
and the Raiders all the way back then Freed Blitnakov
and all those guys got to even meet Fred bulivn
the Call. And then with the Warriors, that was way
(14:58):
back when they had Phil Smith and and Clifford Ray
and Lloyd b Free and all these guys. And so
you know, my history is of Oakland, sports man. It's
a shame that they're no longer here and part of
the history of Oakland, a part of my history is
now being transferred to some other cities and states. But
I'm just thankful to Warriors are still here. But bottom
(15:18):
line is that they're not in Oakland and Oakland right now.
It's just it's a shamble in sports of what it
used to be. But you can't take that history, you
can't take the images that we have in our minds
away from us.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
No doubt.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
His name is Bib Roberts, one of the best in
the business. Bib always the insight. We appreciate you. And
the Oakland A's are a nice story in baseball. They're
not the worst team in baseball and they're competing every
day and that's good to see. Bill.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
We'll check in with you again down the road. Thank you, buddy.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
All right, brother, I appreciate you. Man, take care of.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
It was a big week in the big leagues.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Who's an believe it?
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Is it foul or is it fair? And now from
mlbdbro dot Com here's Jrgamba.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Jr.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Is it foul or fair to say that it's a
coincidence that the Chicago White Sox went from cellar dwellers
to playing above five hundred ball since Tommy Fam joined
the lineup.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Foul That is a foul ball.
Speaker 6 (16:30):
There's no coincidence here. Tommy Fam is the man. After
going two for four and a two nothing went over
the Nationals on Wednesday, Fam lifted his batting average to
three nineteen with two home runs, ten rbi and ten
runs scored in his last eighteen games.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
And guess what.
Speaker 6 (16:48):
The White Sox are eleven and eight in the past
nineteen games after starting the season three and twenty two,
lifting the team's record to fourteen and thirty as of Wednesday.
It's a clear indication of the Tommy Fam effect. So
Fam is doing what he's done throughout his career. He
impacts winning last season, Tommy Fam wasn't the sexiest trade
(17:13):
deadline acquisition, but he proved to be the most impactful
piece to an Arizona Diamondbacks team that went to the
World Series. His first week with the team, Fam hit
three point fifty with six RBI and a homer and
never looked back. Fam provided consistency in the middle of
a young lineup and drove in twenty four runs in
(17:33):
his first thirty two games played. Arizona became a different
team and slayed some of baseball supposed juggernauts en route
to the World Series. Fam is a run producer who
can grind out at bats, and as far as pressure goes,
he doesn't feel it, He's made for it. He hit
two seventy nine with three home runs and a point
seventy seven to two ops during last year's playoffs, earning
(17:57):
a spot in Arizona's starting lineup in enough their last
seventeen crucial games and the White Sox were downtrodden and
ready to tank this season of finding out why Fam
is one of the must have veterans in the game.
Fam is always able to take his team up another notch,
whether it be in the playoffs or a scuffling team
(18:18):
that wants to give up.
Speaker 4 (18:20):
He won't let it happen.
Speaker 6 (18:21):
Fam is a three thirteen hitter with thirty six hits,
six home run, ten RBI and fifteen runs in thirty
one postseason games. Everywhere Fam goes, they quickly find out
he's needed in the lineup.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
It's time for the pocket protector, centro, the analytic numbers
you need to know?
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Well, maybe Anthony Masterson is his name.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
BS analytics is his game. What do you got for me, Anthony?
Speaker 7 (18:51):
We never stopped looking for ways to understand baseball, and
we've long graduated from pitcher wins and RBI as ways
to evaluate talent. Now, statcast has debuted a new metrics
a tale of how hard batter swing and what it means,
called bat speed. Thanks to special hawkeye cameras, we're able
to see not only bat speed, but also the angle
of the swing in super slow motion. Once the data
(19:12):
is gathered, we can start to identify what it actually means.
We know players try to chase hard, quick swings in
their training, and it's no surprise to see the top
of the leaderboard in bat speed contain some of the
most ferocious swingers in the game. Sean Carlo Stanton is
an exit velocity king, and now we know it's because
his average bat speed of eighty point six miles per
hour is nearly three miles per hour faster than the
(19:35):
next closest batter, the Pirates O'Neil Cruz. The next guys
on that list are big power guys like Kyle Schwarber,
Ronald Counye Junior, Chris Morel, and Aaron Judge. Why is
it better to swing hard? Batted balls with the bat
speed of eighty plus miles per hour have a three
twenty one average with a slug of six sixty five
seventy to seventy nine miles per hour, the average drops
(19:56):
to two seventy four with a four to seventy seven
slug and under seventy mi an hour, it's a two
oh two average and a two to fifty four slug.
Now that's not to say there's no value in a
slower swing. The bottom two players on the average batspeed
list this season are two time raining batting champ Luis
Arise and current ALE batting leader Stephen Kwan. As more
data gets captured, it will be fascinating to find new
(20:18):
ways to enjoy the game. We love.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
Turn money into more money. Now it's time for betting
on the basis with Dave Gascott.
Speaker 4 (20:27):
Love that money, Love that money.
Speaker 8 (20:28):
Hey, Rob, got a lot of chalk this weekend. Yankees
and White Sox on Friday Night. Nestor Cortez so far
the season one in four era at four to oh
two against Mike Clevenger on one five forty era Yankees, though,
taking this all the way New York at home against
the White Sox. Meanwhile, Braves and Padres from Atlanta. Max
Frieda is on the bump this one. He's very well
(20:48):
so far this season three and one, three fifty seven era.
I'll take the a Til at home against the Friars.
Last one Friday Night from Arlington. Andrew Hayning the Texas
Rangers against the Angels Tyler Anderson. He hasn't been bad
this year three and four record, but the era is
sub three at two ninety two. Han, he's still looking
for his first win of the campaign. I will take
Texas at home as a fave. So a lot of
(21:11):
chock across the board. They got the Rangers, the Braves,
and the Yankees.
Speaker 6 (21:17):
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 cover the seven point two percent
(21:37):
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 4 (21:55):
From Mookie Wilson to Mookie.
Speaker 6 (21:57):
Betts, Doctor k to Doctor Stick, from Bro Bombs, the
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
(22:17):
that truly capture the voice of black baseball. If things
get out of hand, is 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 the Gambler, your friendly neighborhood diamond checker,
(22:42):
making sure that you stay on top of the game
and in touch with the soul of MLB. Fuckle up
for a wild baseball journey, showing respect to the Ogs
and highlighting the new breed of melanated Malma.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
Robins.
Speaker 6 (22:56):
First thing through MLB's pipeline all pitching with the sound
black Baseball. We got the best starting five in the business.
Listen to the MLB bro Show podcast the Mixtape on
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
Wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
When Rob was a newspaper columnist, he lived by this motto.
If I'm writing, I'm ripping. Let's bring in a writer
or broadcaster, old or new.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
Now let's welcome into the podcast.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Jason Beck, longtime Detroit Tiger beat writer for MLB dot com.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
Friend of mine, Jason, Welcome to the podcast, my.
Speaker 9 (23:37):
Friend, Hey Rob, how's everything going?
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Man?
Speaker 3 (23:41):
Doing great baseball season, chugging along.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
Here we are in May, and I wanted to chime
in and check in on the Tigers to see where
they are, where they're headed right now going into Friday,
when they take on the Arizona Diamondbacks. They are twenty
one and twenty two, fourth in the AL Central. So
(24:05):
right at five hundred, is this where we were expecting
them to be, Jason or have they fallen down a not?
Speaker 9 (24:13):
You know, the expectations I think change a little bit
with the best start they got off to. You know,
they won their first five against the White Sox and Mets,
and they seem to, you know, really be poised to
take the next step, you know, especially with the pitching
and uh So, in the context of that, I think
(24:35):
it's you know, it's been a step back. I think
in the context of what we expected going into the season,
I think it's right around where we were expecting that,
you know, right around a five hundred team. Maybe a
little bit below expectations right now, simply because of the offense.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
No doubt. And you mentioned pitching.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
Let's go there and we'll get back to some of
the players and Riley Green nine home runs and stuff
that he's doing. We'll do that, but let's get to
the pitching and uh to talk about how good the
pitching has been.
Speaker 9 (25:10):
It's been tremendous, you know, Derek scoopo looks like a
legit cy young candidate right now in the American League.
You know, he's anchoring the staff. You know, the best
homegrown uh starting pitcher that they've had since Berland here. Honestly,
I'm gonna send their respect to Fulmer right.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
His whip is what zero eighty six?
Speaker 9 (25:30):
Yeah, it's it's right around now. I mean it's low.
You know, he's I believe, right on the fringe of
the top five in AL in the e r A.
You know, his strikeout rate is up. He's just he
hit one hundred miles an now a couple of starts
to go. You know, it's it's a combination of things.
It's just he's really dealing right now. And you know,
(25:52):
especially for the left handed pitcher, he's really coming on
to his own to really become one of the formidable
starters and in the American League. And it goes down
from there with you know, Jack Flaherty's had a nice
bounce back season, which they felt like they could get
that out of him.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
He doesn't have a win, but he's pitched well Jason
hasn't he Yeah, Well.
Speaker 9 (26:15):
He's got company there. You know. Flarity does not have
a win despite pitching. Well, you know, reees Olsen does
not have a win. He's zero and four with like
a two O nine e r A.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
That's ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
Both of them already struck out fourteen and didn't get
a win.
Speaker 9 (26:31):
That is correct. Yes, he he is, you know when
when his curve ball is working, he's really nasty. He's
gotten that below bump back. They've worked with some stuff,
you know, Robin Lund has done some done some good
work with him in terms of getting his body moving
better and really recapturing some of the power and that delivery.
(26:55):
He's a legit young number one, number two starter right now,
and depending on where the Tigers are at come August
or come July, it's going to be interesting to see
what they do with him in terms of whether to
go for it and hold on to him or whether
to you know, try to trade him and see what
they see if they can get more prospects.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
All right, let's talk about Riley Green and his season
nine home runs nineteen. RBIs to start the season batting
two thirty nine, but just talk about his progress and
the pop in his bat.
Speaker 9 (27:31):
He looks like the Riley Green we remember from you
know when he came onto the scene a couple of
years ago, and that's key. I think we they they
needed part of that's hell. You know, he's gone through
a lot of injuries the last couple of years, a
lot of them pretty freak, you know, freaky, and it's
not like it's been one particular area that that's really
(27:54):
bothered him to where it would be a career concern.
You know, it was Tommy John surgery last September on
a dive diving play. You know, he had a stress
fracture in his leg earlier last season. He's over that
now and you're starting to see him get the repetitions
he needs to develop as a hitter, and he's developing
(28:15):
pretty quickly. You know, he's his April was extremely impressive.
He's fallen off a little bit in May, but he's
far and away the folk from around which this lineup revolves,
and they they put together the order with the idea
of getting him as many apt bets and productive situations
as possible.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
Our guest is Jason Beck covered the Detroit Tigers for
MLB dot Com, joining us here on Inside the Parker
Hobby Biaz. Can you help me, Jason, I mean, I
mean batting one sixty seven, one home run, thirteen RB.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
What does he have on that contract? Ten years left
or whatever?
Speaker 2 (28:57):
I mean, the Tigers are stuck, and boy is he
fallen off the map.
Speaker 9 (29:03):
It's amazing, you know, And to Hobby's credit, he showed
signs of making changes this year and still does. You
see him go through stretches where he is more patient
as a hitter, where he's not expanding his strikes on
as much and he's not chasing those sliders like two
feet off the plate. But then he'll regress from time
(29:27):
to time, or he'll get a tough call on a
pitch off the plate and then he'll get frustrated, or
you know, he he'll go away from what his game
plan was going into the at bat. And it's just
he's not as predictable of an ounce as he was
in the past in terms of how he's gonna be,
(29:49):
you know, be retired. But he's still not seeing to
bump in production for you know, moderately tougher at bets,
but still not good enough. No good enough for him,
not good enough for the Tigers either. So it's it's
been frustrating and you can see it on his face,
you know, every time he pops out or straggle out.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
Unbelievable final thing, al Central I think, as you said,
got off to a five and oh Start had a
couple of bad teams. They beat up on them. But
this division isn't the cakewalk. I think people might have
thought or maybe the Tigers could slip in and win
the division. The Guardians, of course, are very good, and
then the Twins wind up running off like eleven or
(30:34):
twelve wins in a row at one point, and they
got good and they still have some injuries and they
could even get better. How tough is this Central Division
going to be with the Guardians with the Twins? And
could the Tigers possibly pass one of those?
Speaker 9 (30:49):
You know what, it's your respectable division. You know. Cleveland
honestly has been way better than I expected. I did
not think they had the offense to you know, to
support their pitching and.
Speaker 3 (31:03):
Them exactly.
Speaker 9 (31:04):
You know, the Naylor brothers have have bring breakout guys,
you know, and they've even just even just getting Miles
Straw up the lineup and putting Tyler Freeman in there
has made a huge difference. Now we'll see what they
do without kwand for a little while, but you know this,
right now, they they look really impressive and they look
(31:25):
like a team that's going to be in it through
the hardest schedule. The Twins, on the other hand, I
did not think had enough pitching, and right now they do.
You know, Pablo Lopez is looking like a genius of
an acquisition right now, especially after you watch the Marlins
trade Luisa Rice to San Diego and just get a
(31:47):
couple of prospects in return. You know, it's they they
have a good order to their you know, to their
rotation and their line up. Now the guys are getting
healthier again. It's formidable, and it's it's the type of
lineup where there are obvious week spots where you can
(32:08):
exploit and gig your outs. And you know, if they
can get a good, healthy stretch from Byron Buxton and
Carlos Korea, you know, they probably would be the best
team in the division now. In fairness, their winning streak
and park came with a fair number of games against
the White Sox. But as we've seen, you know, the
White Sox can sneak up and get guys every now
(32:29):
and then if teams aren't careful.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
No doubt, his name is Jason Beck. One of the
best in the business, one of my favorites. Jason, always
a pleasure. Thanks for joining us here and inside the Parker.
Speaker 9 (32:43):
Thanks Rob, always good talking baseball with you.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
Now bring in the closer. Here's why MLB is better
than the NFL or NBA, and it isn't even close.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Read number four hundred and fifty five where Major League
Baseball is better than the NBA and the NFL is
What's gonna happen Thursday night at Dodger Stadium.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
It's show hey, old Tahani babohead night.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
Yes, they played at Cincinnati Reds and they're given out
show hey baboheads. And my goodness, gracious, baboheads were like
twenty five years old and they still have steam.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
But only in baseball.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
To me, I don't know what other sport is given
out babbleheads still at the rate that Major League Baseball
gives out babbleheads still a big draw. We know that
Dodgers draw four million people every year they come into
the game regardless, but I can just imagine the maneuvering
of people getting to the ballpark Dodger Stadium early to
(33:49):
try to get a bobblehead. This could be a collective's
item if he winds up being the greatest player or
ever played major League baseball as a two way star show.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
Hey Otani, babblehead night.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
It goes hand in hand with major League baseball, and
that's what makes the game so much fun and so great.
In the words of New York TV legend the late
Bill Jorgensen, thanking you for your time this time until
next time.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
Rob Parker out d can't Gavin. This could be an
inside of Parker.
Speaker 1 (34:27):
See you next week, same bat time, same batt station.
Host
Rob Parker
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