September 19, 2024 • 32 mins
On this week’s edition of Inside the (Rob) Parker, Rob discusses the Milwaukee Brewers winning the NL Central for the third time in four years, the massive payday that awaits New York Yankees slugger Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani's quest to secure his third MVP award. Plus, Houston Astros first baseman Jon Singleton swings by to discuss the club’s season thus far. Later, Detroit radio host Jeff Riger checks in to discuss the Tigers' postseason chances, ace pitcher Tarik Skubal's uncertain future with the club and much more! Finally, we’ve got appearances by MLBBro.com managing editor JR Gamble and analytics guru Anthony Masterson.
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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 seventy, Rob Parker.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Welcome into the podcast. I'm your host, Rob Parker. What
a show we have for you today, Astro's first Basement.
John Singleton will drop by as the Astros flows in
one yet another division title in the Al West. Also
from ninety seven to one, the Ticket in Detroit, Jeff
Brieger talks about the amazing run the Tigers have had
(00:43):
and they were in the playoff line.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Let's go better to lead off, it's getting robbed to
keep them on. Rob's hot take and the three biggest
stories in Major League Baseball. Number one, give it.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Up to the Milwaukee Brewers, who won the National League
Central and are going to the postseason again.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
And what a season it has been.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Remember before the year started, they lost their manager, Craig Council,
to the rival Chicago Cubs. They also lost their star closer,
Devin Williams for most of the season, and yet they're
going to the postseason and they have a chance to
win their first World Series and make it back, i
should say, to the World Series for the first time
(01:31):
since nineteen eighty two. Back in nineteen eighty two, the
Brewers lost in a seven game series to the Saint
Louis Cardinals, So it's been a long time since the
Brewers have gone to a World Series. And they have
the kind of team that this year has been incredible.
(01:52):
What a incredible celebration that they had in clinching the division.
They did it by not having to play. Actually, the
Cubs lost to the Oakland a so that gave them
the division title. And man, they have a really good
young team. Nobody expected much from them, but here we are.
(02:15):
The Brewers have now made the playoffs three of the
last They've clinched their third National League Central in four years.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
So this team continues to win.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
The problem has been in the postseason where they can't
get seem to get out of the divisional round, you know,
either wild card or divisional round. They wind up losing
every year and never really get a chance.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
To make a run.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
So this will be different and we'll see if they're
able to make it happen this year with this third
National League Central title in four years. Number two. I
was wrong about Juan Soto. I was wrong. What a
magical season he's having for the Yankees. I thought he
(03:01):
was crazy nuts with Sugarnow when he turned down that
four hundred and forty million dollars from the Washington Nationals
and then was traded to San Diego. Had a soso
rest of that year with the Padres.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
The following year was much better. He made the All
Star team.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
But this is the first year in New York with
a free agency looming after the regular season, and what
did he do?
Speaker 3 (03:28):
He has a career high forty home runs.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Him and Aaron Judge first Yankee teammates with over forty
home runs in the same season. Get this Since nineteen
sixty one with Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. That's how
long it's been since two Yankees have hit forty home
runs or more each in the same season. I don't
(03:54):
Soto's number. I know people don't want to believe it.
I think it's five fifty six hundred million. It's not
gonna be Shohil Tani. It won't be seven hundred. But
how is it not going to be five hundred million
with what this guy gives you. He has big hits,
he's clutch on base percentage, he knocks in runs that's
(04:17):
around three hundred. I mean, will what doesn't he do?
And the fans in the Bronx, they love him. You know,
there's a lot of Dominicans in New York. He's Dominican.
They have embraced him fully. He has embraced New York
and he's proven that he can play under the pressure cooker.
So it's either the Yankees or to met. Somebody with
(04:38):
money is gonna pay this guy. He's a young guy,
twenty five years old with many many years ago. If
he gets a ten year contract, he still would only
be thirty five years old and still could be a
tremendous player for a long time to come. His best
years are ahead of him, so it's pretty incredible. So
I thought he was crazy not to take that money
at the time, but it looks like he's gonna get
(05:00):
even more and he wound up betting on himself and.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Being right number three.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Coming into Thursday show, Hail Tani has forty eight home runs,
forty nine stolen bases. It's hard to imagine that with
ten games to go in the season, that he's not
gonna get two more home runs and one more stolen
base it and be the first guy to do the
fifty to fifty. You know, I'm not crazy about the bases.
I think they're pizza boxes. I said it last year
(05:28):
when Ronald Leacuna stole all those bases. You know they're
a little tainted, But I'm not going to say that.
It's still not an accomplishment. He's playing within the rules.
These are what the bases are. Nobody else has fifty bases.
I think he has a ninety two percent success rate,
ninety two percent stealing bases. It's incredible, it's insane. So
(05:52):
it'll be celebrated. It'll be the reason that he wins
the America the National League. I should say MVP. No
DH has ever won it, but no one has ever
done this. When you start doing stuff that no one's
ever done, which is fifty to fifty, you will be
rewarded and you will be decorated, and you will be
(06:13):
given the major accolades, which will be an MVP award.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
So Showhy is going to win the National League MVP.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
Here comes the big interview, Listen and learn.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
It's so good.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
All right, Now, let's welcome into the podcast Houston Astros
First Basement, John Singleton, John, Thanks, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
Yeah, glad to be here. Thank you, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
So I've done a lot in your career. But the
other day you had your first major league triple. Let's
start there. What was that?
Speaker 4 (06:47):
Like?
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Did you not know it as you were around in
second base?
Speaker 5 (06:51):
It was one of those moments, you know, Dooey likes
to say it. Soon you hit second base, you know
you got to go, you know, So it was definitely
one of those moments. But uh, you know, I appreciate it.
You know, it's it's rare that it happens for people
like me, But I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
But did you know you didn't have one? Do you
know what I mean? Going into that, Like, what had
that ever been in your mind? Or when you got
to third base you realized that that was the first one?
Speaker 1 (07:16):
Not at all.
Speaker 5 (07:17):
It's never been a thought on mind that that was
actually a thing. That's never like, That's one thing that
I don't keep track of is how many triples ahead?
Speaker 4 (07:25):
But you know, it is what it is. So I'm
just grateful.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Let's talk about this team again. Left for dead earlier
in the season, didn't look like things were gonna go well,
and then you guys turned it around and here we
are about to win another division and make another playoff push.
What is about this team and why is it so resilient?
Speaker 4 (07:45):
No one on this team quits.
Speaker 5 (07:47):
Every single person, every single person on this roster is
wanting to put it all out there for just one day.
And it shows, you know, and I think that's the
most important thing that we have going on. And we
all know at stake and we love it, so you know,
we continue to play with with with everything out there.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
When you when do you guys just block out? I'm
sure you heard all the talk. It's over, you know,
when Houston move on, there's gonna be other teams. Do
you just block it out? Not concerned about it? Was
it talked about at all that people were counting you
out or.
Speaker 4 (08:21):
No, there's nothing to think about. You know.
Speaker 5 (08:24):
There's one goal that that goes on on our minds
is to get to the postseason and and and at
the back of all of our minds is the winning
World Series. That's the whole, that's the whole reason we
played this ball game. So the talk that goes around,
no one actually pati. So you know, it is what
it is. We we love to be here, and we
(08:45):
want to play hard and we want to win the
World Series.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
How about you in your season, I know you've been
in and out of the lineup. Is that tougher to
when you're not playing every day or is there a
different mindset? How do you how do you deal with
that when when you're not in there every day.
Speaker 5 (08:58):
Yeah, it's definitely difficult. Last year I think it was
more difficult. I'm starting to understand, like how to maneuver through,
you know, playing every day or not playing every day.
I'm trying to understand that. But but it's definitely difficult.
You know, when I get my opportunity, I'm trying to
understand what's going on. I'm trying to understand the game
(09:21):
as it is when I don't have the opportunities necessarily
given to me on a day to day basis. So
you know, the aggressiveness is kind of, you know, dictated
off of the opportunities I get. So, I mean it's
it's it's a game. You know, you got to play it,
you know, So it's it's up and its down. So
(09:44):
but nonetheless, you know we're always going to give our
off for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
When when you come to the ballpark, you just got
to be prepared to play every day. You can't be thinking, oh,
it's a lefty, I'm probably not going to play, right.
Could you psych yourself out as that the way you
approach it, just like I might be.
Speaker 5 (09:59):
In definitely, because you know, you know, there are always injuries,
there are always, you know, things that go on throughout
the ball game that you can never actually count on,
you can never think of. So although they may be
ALEXTI and I'm not starting on a certain particular day,
but that doesn't mean that I might not hit in
the second aim. You know, anything can happen, and I'm
(10:22):
very well aware of that and I always try to
stay ready.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
I guess is John Singleton first basement for the Houston
Astros joining us here on inside the parker just your
ride and your whole story obviously being out of the game,
getting back in the opportunities and just being able to
get back. Do you savor it every day? Do you
think about all those other times bad times or do
(10:46):
you block those out and just think about the future
and the good stuff that's happened.
Speaker 5 (10:51):
But honestly, I see baseball from a different perspective now,
you know, I have a different opportunity now, so I'll
see from a different lens. So I respect it a
little bit differently. I don't want to say I respect
it more or less, but it's just it's just different
as as opposed to how it was when I first
came up.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
But is that because it was taken away from you?
Do you know what I mean? Like, like at one
point you probably just expected to be there because you
were a talented player, and then it's gone and now
you appreciate it more.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
I would.
Speaker 5 (11:23):
I wouldn't say that it was taken away from me
by any means. I just I'm older now, you know,
I've had two kids, So like life is different, I
had to have a different, different perspective on just just
life in general. And then when it comes to baseball,
that's even more different. So it is what it is.
You know, Uh, I still love the game. You know,
(11:44):
I'm willing to give my all any day at any
point in time.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
That's never changed.
Speaker 5 (11:49):
But you know, at the same time, it is still baseball,
and it is a game, so you have to respect
it for what it is and at that moment.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
So one last question, do you guys have enough to
win the World Series in this club.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
Out without a doubt, without a doubt.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Pretty confident.
Speaker 5 (12:10):
Yeah, there's nothing else to say. We have everything that
we need to win a World Series for sure.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Okay, John, thank you so much. I appreciate it.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
Definitely, thank you. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
It's time for the pocket Protector Centrum. The analytic numbers
you need to know?
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Well, maybe Anthony Masterson is his name, BS analytics is
his gay?
Speaker 3 (12:32):
What do you got for me? Anthony?
Speaker 6 (12:34):
Aaron Judge and Jan Soto recently made history is the
third set of Yankees teammates with forty homers and one
hundred rbi in a single season, joining Mantle and Marris
from the Fame sixty one campaign and a couple guys
named Gary Goodruth who did it three times. Of course,
those names are the items that pop from that tidbit.
But how common is it for teammates to truly dominate
like that? There have actually been three instances of teams
(12:55):
with three players to most forty homers and one hundred
rbi in a season. Yes, two of them were at
mid nineties cors Field with the Colorado Rockies, but the
other came just last season with the Braves as Ronald Acune, Junior,
Matt Olsen and Marcelo Zuna pulled off the feed. Add
the wrinkle of forty one hundred plus one hundred walks
into the mix, and the list gets a whole lot shorter.
(13:16):
Judge and Soto are the first teammates to pull that
off since sixty one as well, but not with Mantlin
Marris with Norm Cash and Rocky Colorvido of the sixty
one Tigers, plus Ruth and Garry three other times. For
Judge as well. He's driven in a league high one
hundred and thirty six runs at this point, which is
eighteen point seven percent of the Yankees' entire RBI total
(13:37):
this season. That's the highest mark in baseball this year,
and the highest for a Yankee since Joe DiMaggio in
nineteen forty eight. Soto and Judge are setting records, but
it remains to be seen if it'll be enough to
lift the trophy next month.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
That ball is it.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Was a big week in the big leagues. USO's is
it foul or is it fair? And now from mlbdbro
dot com here's jrgambo.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Jr. Is it foul or fair to say that a
fifty home run fifty still season by Sho hal Tani
makes him the best speed and power combo player of
all time?
Speaker 4 (14:24):
Foul?
Speaker 1 (14:25):
That is a foul ball show.
Speaker 7 (14:28):
Hal Tani is only the sixth player to ever go
forty forty, so it's definitely an accomplishment. He should get
the fifty to fifty by the end of the season,
so that would be remarkable. However, we know stolen bases
are thirty to forty percent maybe more easier to get
than they were before they made the bases bigger and
(14:49):
limited the amount of pickoffs the pitcher can throw, and
that changes everything. I can't honestly say that Otani, who's
incredibly talented, with be even attempting to steal this many
bases if it.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Wasn't so easy. That's why.
Speaker 7 (15:05):
Also, Ronald Acunya's forty seventy season that came in the
season that they changed the rules doesn't overwhelm me the
same way. Really, Jose consikos inaugural forty to forty season
was crazy, and so was a Rod's forty two to
forty six still season because they were functioning under the
old rules, where, let's be honest, stealing bases was an
(15:29):
art form. It's not anymore. If you got speed and
you can get on base and you want to run,
you'll probably not get thrown out. The catcher probably won't
even really try to throw you out. Catchers aren't even
throwing guys out like that anymore. It's like armstrength for
catchers was the top priority.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Now it don't matter at all. Really.
Speaker 7 (15:51):
It will go down in the record books as a
fifty to fifty season for Otani, but he will never
be considered a true speed and power a guy, even
like a Ricky Henderson who never came close to forty homers.
Especially the baseball peerists who know what they're looking at.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
It's the Gambler here.
Speaker 7 (16:11):
Vice president of operations for mlbbro dot Com and executive
producer of the MLB bro Show podcast The Mixtape.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Every Friday. You heard that right, Every Friday, we.
Speaker 7 (16:24):
Bring you the best from the world of black and
brown baseball. We cover the seven point two percent of
melanated Major leaguers from soup to nuts, but with our
own cultural flair and unique voice. Will take you on
a ride reflecting on the accomplishment, clutch moments, and contribution
to culture that the Bros continue to breathe into baseball.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
From Mookie Wilson to Mookie.
Speaker 7 (16:50):
Bets, Doctor k to Doctor Styx, from Bro Bombs to
stolen bases to Black Aces. We're live at the ballparks
and also bringing you secgments 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
(17:10):
that truly capture.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
The voice of Black baseball. If things get out.
Speaker 7 (17:14):
Of hand, is the Boss, Rob Parker, He's kicking up dusk.
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.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
The Negro leagues.
Speaker 7 (17:31):
I the Gambler, your friendly neighborhood diamond checker, making sure
that you stay on top of the game and in
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Speaker 1 (17:54):
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Speaker 7 (17:57):
Listen to the MLB bro Show podcast the Mixtape on
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Speaker 1 (18:08):
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 2 (18:18):
Now let's welcome into the podcast a longtime friend of mine,
Jeff Rieger from ninety seven to one The Ticket in Detroit.
He's covered the Targets for a long time. Obviously he
has the ins and outs on what's going on in Motown. Jeff,
welcome to the podcast. How are you, buddy cool?
Speaker 1 (18:37):
How are you out?
Speaker 8 (18:38):
What's going on?
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Man?
Speaker 2 (18:39):
Honor to be here man, always a pleasure and it's
a great time to talk. With ten games left in
the Major League Baseball season, the Tigers, who were dead
this summer, have a chance to make the postseason. And
it's been an incredible run.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
What has gone right? Jeff?
Speaker 2 (18:58):
There is what twenty five and in their last thirty
five games, coming into a Friday series against Baltimore Robins insane.
Speaker 8 (19:09):
It's sorcery, it's magic, it's voodoo, whatever you want to
call it. This team was dead, so dead that Scott Harris,
their POBO president of Baseball up said hey, we're gonna
sell as they should have. They got rid of Marcanna,
and they got rid of Andrew Chafin, and they got
rid of, of course Jack Flaherty, who's with the Dodgers pitching
(19:31):
pretty well. And they also said, we're gonna limit Schoobl's innings,
who should win the Cy young and we're gonna bring
all the kids up and we'll just see what happens.
Since August eleventh, you mentioned at twenty five and ten,
and they have the best era in baseball. So it's
not just that they're hitting, which they are, they averaged
five to six runs a game, but they're pitching has
(19:52):
been out of this world and they're doing it rob
with bullpen guys for the most part, Like, yes they
have Schoobl and yes they have kaidermont Zaro who's gotten
a ton better. And they just got to resol some
back and they got Casey Meis back for.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
The majority of these wins.
Speaker 8 (20:05):
Though aj Hinch has had an opener like Allah the
Rais ten years ago, and then he brings out a
bulk pitcher guys we haven't even heard of really that
have no track records, and next thing you know, they're
a half game out of the wild Guard maybe a
tide after when we're recording this. And they still got
a chance to catch the Orioles as well, which is insane.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
No doubt.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
The only problem that they do have with ten to
play is that they don't have the tiebreaker with the
Twins or the Royals, so that if they somehow finished
with the same record, those two teams are going to
make it in and not the Tigers. That's the only, uh,
you know, sore spot for the Tigers going forward. Let's
talk about the pitching and school Well, there was even
(20:50):
talk that maybe they might trade him, and I thought
that was lunacy because when you get a number one
pitcher at the top of your rotation, like when Verlin
came to Detroit and turn that franchise around, you can't
give that guy up where people like going crazy when
it was even talk of maybe trading school Bols.
Speaker 8 (21:10):
All right, so I was guilty of winning the trade.
Schooble I wass me tell you, I want to argue
with you for just a quick second.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Let's do it.
Speaker 8 (21:19):
Trek Schouble has two and a half years of control left.
That the deadline he did, so you get him for
a playoff in two years. You would assume a team
like Baltimore, who's got unbelievable amounts of talent in their
farm system, might have wanted to be desperate. They stink now,
but maybe they wanted to be desperate to try to
win a World Series. And we know pitching can help
you win a World Series. But if you look at school,
(21:40):
he's been magnificent. He might win the Triple Crown of pitching,
which hasn't been done since Verlander did it back for
the Tigers in like eleven, right or twelve?
Speaker 4 (21:47):
Was it?
Speaker 8 (21:48):
My point is, though, pitching isn't what it used to
be as far as starters. Starters go five innings, they say, hey,
nice job. Back in our day, Rob, you had to
go seven or eight innings like the old John Lowell
quality starred six innings in three runs. We used to
make fun of that. That's a four and a half thera.
Now it's celebrated. So are you gonna pay trek scouble
(22:09):
thirty million bucks a year. A is the owner Chris
Hillich gonna pony up that money when he doesn't seem
like he's a lot like his dad. Furthermore, he's a
Scott Morris client, and you know he's going to free agency,
and by the time he gets the free agency, he's
thirty years old and he's got a huge history of
arm issues. So I said, if the deal was right,
(22:29):
I would have dealt them. Now, obviously I don't know
what they got offerwise, they didn't deal him, but he's
been great, so I probably look like a bonehead, and
I'm not so certain he'll be a longtime Tiger. I
don't think they're going to extend him. But he's been fantastic.
And as you saw the other day, I mean only
five innings, which apparently is now the new norm. But
when he had to strike out Salvador Perez to keep
(22:52):
the game in check in a four to one lead,
he was able to do it.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
And he's been great.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Here's my thing, and I hear you on the way
that pitching is handled today, but you still need pitching.
The reason the Dodgers will not win the World Series
is they don't have pitching, and guys are out and
I get it, five to six sometimes maybe even longer.
But I just think at the top of your rotation,
when you have a guy like that, what he does
(23:16):
is he stops you from having eight and nine game
losing streaks because he gives you a chance to win
every time he goes out there. He might not win
every game, but he's gonna give you a chance. And
that's what makes a team, the difference between being a
bad team and a team that can stay afloat, and
that's what he was able to have them do all year.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
One hundred percent agree with you.
Speaker 8 (23:39):
To my defense, if I was on a trial here,
to my defense, the Tigers at the deadline, we're seven
and a half games out of the world.
Speaker 3 (23:47):
I get it.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
I get it.
Speaker 8 (23:48):
There were like twelve games they had no core like
it was Riley Green and maybe Carrie Carpenter and that
was essentially it. Mimbi Cole Keith right, And now you
look around the Diamond and you got a bunch of
guys that actually seem to have a future with the organization.
So I think if the Tigers looked like they were
actually going to contend, I would have never said trade him,
(24:10):
but at the time it seemed pretty dire and it
seemed like it wasn't gonna happen with the hell do
Wina right.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
Our guest is Jeff Rieger.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
He's a talk show host AND's covered the Tigers for
ninety seven to won the ticket and let's talk about
Hobby biaz Also, when they decided that they weren't going
to play him any more, things did turn around.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
Just the Tigers tried.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
They went after a guy who had great years of
Chicago with the Cubs and was a complete bus for
the Tigers, and they just eventually had to pour ketchup
on that contract and just eat it.
Speaker 8 (24:44):
So they haven't yet though, but you gotta believe they will, right.
Bayez has been an utter disaster in Detroit. And you know,
he's not like your typical sports villain because he's a
really nice guy, but he just has socked. I mean
you're talking about at one point he was flirting with
the worst ops in Major League Baseball history, not just
(25:06):
a modern era like history of the game.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Oh god knows how long.
Speaker 8 (25:11):
Ironically enough, you're right, they decided that trade of the deadline,
they get rid of Sweeney. They bring in a catcher
that's in the miners killing it and they bring in
Tray Sweet I'm sorry. They get rid of Flirty and
they bring in Tray Sweeney. Now, Trey Sweeney might not
have a future with them, but he's been pretty good
and he's been a hell of a lot better than Baiaz.
And they told Biez we're gonna give this Sweeney kid
(25:33):
a chance. So Biez pretty much was left with a
huge contract but no position. Next thing you know, Biez
was put on the IL. Ironically enough, his last game
was August twenty second. They lost ten to two to
the Chicago Cups. Next thing you know, Bias is gone,
never to be heard from again. They're eighteen and seven
(25:54):
since they've gone. It's miraculous run. So for everybody that
says dude was a cancer, it's hard to argue that
he wasn't because they're in such a better spot without
him than they were with him. And you're right. I mean,
at the time, everybody wanted Carlos Korea and he's still
playing well for the Twins despite getting injured all the time.
Bias has been an absolute disaster, and hopefully the Tiger
(26:16):
fans have seen the last of them.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
I think you said Bias was a cancer. I think
he was born in January. He's a Capricorn. No, yes,
we needed the rim shop for that one. Anyway, So
the Tigers fans excitement like the thing. And you know,
I worked in Detroit for twenty years and it's a
(26:39):
baseball town. I know people love football there and hockey
town or whatever. But you know, Jeff, you watched it,
you were there, you were part of it. When they
had a really good baseball team and were in the mix.
They were selling out that place for America Park on regularity.
I mean, people love baseball there, but you got to
(27:00):
give him a.
Speaker 8 (27:00):
Product one hundred percent. So the last ten years have
been an embarrassment. I mean the era you're talking about
from six to fourteen was magical. They had stars, they
had a different owner. I mean Mike Ilich one day
times in he's I get we're bringing to princefielder right,
and we're resigning Victor Martinez, Like, hey, we offered Max
Schur's are a ton of money he left us.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
Screw them. We'll go win anyway.
Speaker 8 (27:21):
So for that run with Dave Dombrowski as the GM,
it was freaking magical. And then for the last decade
they have the longest stretch in baseball without going to
the postseason.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
It's been awful.
Speaker 8 (27:33):
So anybody that's gone to the game, it's almost like
they're giving the Tigers their charity because there's nothing to watch.
But now, yes, the buzz is insane. They had thirty
plus thousand the last home stand. And now it's interesting
because they come home on I think it's Monday. No,
Monday's not off day, so Tuesday, Tuesday, they're gonna take
on the Tampa Bay Rays for three those games during
(27:56):
the week. And you know this, once the kids are
back in school, Balpark doesn't really sell out. I bet
you there's a ton of people there. And then you
end things with the lowly, pathetic, awful Chicago White Sox
and the Tigers. Last game is Sunday, the twenty ninth,
and ironically enough, the Lions play the next day. They
play on Monday night Football against the Seahawks. So every
(28:17):
Detroiter is going to be watching the Tigers if they're
still in it, which I assume they would be. Yeah,
maybe a game as well, So you're right, like Detroit
is an awesome sports down, as you know, but you
got to give them a product pretty much like every
other sports down. The Wings finally made a little contention
for the postseason. LCA was packed, the Tigers starting to
make a turn. People are talking nothing but Tigers. I mean,
(28:40):
look at the Lions, for crying out loud. You can
go anywhere in the state of Michigan and see Lions
gear for what they did last year. So now we
need the Pistons to have a little help. But that's
okay overall, though, yes, I would expect the ballpark to
be packed, and there is. I was looking at this
right before I got down with you. If they sweep
the Orioles, which again is a big ask, but the
(29:01):
Orioles are three and nine in their last twelve and
we're recording this. They're getting ready to play the Giants again.
If they sweep the Orioles, they legitimately could be one
game behind Baltimore for that top spot sixty And if
that were to happen, like you mentioned, Minnesota's got the
tie breaker, Casey's got the tie breaker, Baltimore doesn't. So
(29:22):
could you imagine the way the wild card is set up?
If the Tigers they've been red hot. Magic's been happening.
If they could get that top wildcard spot again, huge ask,
but they would get three or two home playoff games
in the wild card, which would be insane.
Speaker 3 (29:39):
No doubt about it.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
It has been an amazing story, and my man, Jeff
Wriger from ninety seven to one, the ticket has broken
it down for us. Always a pleasure, Jeff Man, thank
you so much, thanks for joining the podcast.
Speaker 8 (29:52):
Just say you know you inspire me. You know right,
people are trying to tell the story real quick about
you and Mark. Yeah, I got fired at my first
radio job.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
Fired.
Speaker 8 (30:04):
I was depressed. I was living in my parents' basement,
and one day I was driving down to the casino
in Detroit with my brother to spend my last forty dollars.
I had no more money left, and I was listening
to you and Mark Wilson and the best radio theme
song in the history of radio, Hakka. Don't get discouraged,
(30:24):
you know, man, He's not so hard to understand anyway.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
I love you, buddy.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
Listen to always my man. You know that, Jeff. I've
always been pulling for you.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
I'm proud of your career continued success, all right, buddy, bye, BA,
thanks for.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Having I see. Now bring in the closer right. Here's
why MLB is better than the NFL or NBA, and
it isn't even close.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Readson number five hundred and fifty five Why Major League
Baseball is better than the NBA and the NFL.
Speaker 3 (30:58):
People fancy it all the time.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
You go to a baseball game, you see something that
you've never seen before that certainly happened Wednesday night in Seattle,
Yankees and Mariners are in a game. In the tenth inning,
Mariners have first and second, nobody out.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
Randy A.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
Rose Arena strikes out, but by doing so, he loses
the grip on the bat. It goes down the third
base line and Julio Rodriguez jumps out of the way
of the bat, but then is casually walking like towards
the dugout and realizes, you know, the game is still
going on. He tries to get back to third base
(31:38):
and gets thrown out for the second out of an inning.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
Can you imagine a double play?
Speaker 2 (31:44):
And the play by play on it by Dave Simms
with the TV guy for the Mariners is spectacular. Take
a listen, dang spot Rose Arena and the Mariners two two.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
The battle said earlier, Get.
Speaker 6 (32:05):
Two.
Speaker 3 (32:06):
Incorpordibly bad face.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
Running mistakes by the various back to back lads. In
the words of New York TV legend the late Bill Jorgensen,
thanking you for your time this time until next time.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
Rob Parker out.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
He can't get it. This could be an inside of Parker.
See you next week, same bat time, same Matt 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 seventy, Rob Parker.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Welcome into the podcast. I'm your host, Rob Parker. What
a show we have for you today, Astro's first Basement.
John Singleton will drop by as the Astros flows in
one yet another division title in the Al West. Also
from ninety seven to one, the Ticket in Detroit, Jeff
Brieger talks about the amazing run the Tigers have had
(00:43):
and they were in the playoff line.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Let's go better to lead off, it's getting robbed to
keep them on. Rob's hot take and the three biggest
stories in Major League Baseball. Number one, give it.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Up to the Milwaukee Brewers, who won the National League
Central and are going to the postseason again.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
And what a season it has been.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Remember before the year started, they lost their manager, Craig Council,
to the rival Chicago Cubs. They also lost their star closer,
Devin Williams for most of the season, and yet they're
going to the postseason and they have a chance to
win their first World Series and make it back, i
should say, to the World Series for the first time
(01:31):
since nineteen eighty two. Back in nineteen eighty two, the
Brewers lost in a seven game series to the Saint
Louis Cardinals, So it's been a long time since the
Brewers have gone to a World Series. And they have
the kind of team that this year has been incredible.
(01:52):
What a incredible celebration that they had in clinching the division.
They did it by not having to play. Actually, the
Cubs lost to the Oakland a so that gave them
the division title. And man, they have a really good
young team. Nobody expected much from them, but here we are.
(02:15):
The Brewers have now made the playoffs three of the
last They've clinched their third National League Central in four years.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
So this team continues to win.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
The problem has been in the postseason where they can't
get seem to get out of the divisional round, you know,
either wild card or divisional round. They wind up losing
every year and never really get a chance.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
To make a run.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
So this will be different and we'll see if they're
able to make it happen this year with this third
National League Central title in four years. Number two. I
was wrong about Juan Soto. I was wrong. What a
magical season he's having for the Yankees. I thought he
(03:01):
was crazy nuts with Sugarnow when he turned down that
four hundred and forty million dollars from the Washington Nationals
and then was traded to San Diego. Had a soso
rest of that year with the Padres.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
The following year was much better. He made the All
Star team.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
But this is the first year in New York with
a free agency looming after the regular season, and what
did he do?
Speaker 3 (03:28):
He has a career high forty home runs.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Him and Aaron Judge first Yankee teammates with over forty
home runs in the same season. Get this Since nineteen
sixty one with Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. That's how
long it's been since two Yankees have hit forty home
runs or more each in the same season. I don't
(03:54):
Soto's number. I know people don't want to believe it.
I think it's five fifty six hundred million. It's not
gonna be Shohil Tani. It won't be seven hundred. But
how is it not going to be five hundred million
with what this guy gives you. He has big hits,
he's clutch on base percentage, he knocks in runs that's
(04:17):
around three hundred. I mean, will what doesn't he do?
And the fans in the Bronx, they love him. You know,
there's a lot of Dominicans in New York. He's Dominican.
They have embraced him fully. He has embraced New York
and he's proven that he can play under the pressure cooker.
So it's either the Yankees or to met. Somebody with
(04:38):
money is gonna pay this guy. He's a young guy,
twenty five years old with many many years ago. If
he gets a ten year contract, he still would only
be thirty five years old and still could be a
tremendous player for a long time to come. His best
years are ahead of him, so it's pretty incredible. So
I thought he was crazy not to take that money
at the time, but it looks like he's gonna get
(05:00):
even more and he wound up betting on himself and.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Being right number three.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Coming into Thursday show, Hail Tani has forty eight home runs,
forty nine stolen bases. It's hard to imagine that with
ten games to go in the season, that he's not
gonna get two more home runs and one more stolen
base it and be the first guy to do the
fifty to fifty. You know, I'm not crazy about the bases.
I think they're pizza boxes. I said it last year
(05:28):
when Ronald Leacuna stole all those bases. You know they're
a little tainted, But I'm not going to say that.
It's still not an accomplishment. He's playing within the rules.
These are what the bases are. Nobody else has fifty bases.
I think he has a ninety two percent success rate,
ninety two percent stealing bases. It's incredible, it's insane. So
(05:52):
it'll be celebrated. It'll be the reason that he wins
the America the National League. I should say MVP. No
DH has ever won it, but no one has ever
done this. When you start doing stuff that no one's
ever done, which is fifty to fifty, you will be
rewarded and you will be decorated, and you will be
(06:13):
given the major accolades, which will be an MVP award.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
So Showhy is going to win the National League MVP.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
Here comes the big interview, Listen and learn.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
It's so good.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
All right, Now, let's welcome into the podcast Houston Astros
First Basement, John Singleton, John, Thanks, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
Yeah, glad to be here. Thank you, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
So I've done a lot in your career. But the
other day you had your first major league triple. Let's
start there. What was that?
Speaker 4 (06:47):
Like?
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Did you not know it as you were around in
second base?
Speaker 5 (06:51):
It was one of those moments, you know, Dooey likes
to say it. Soon you hit second base, you know
you got to go, you know, So it was definitely
one of those moments. But uh, you know, I appreciate it.
You know, it's it's rare that it happens for people
like me, But I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
But did you know you didn't have one? Do you
know what I mean? Going into that, Like, what had
that ever been in your mind? Or when you got
to third base you realized that that was the first one?
Speaker 1 (07:16):
Not at all.
Speaker 5 (07:17):
It's never been a thought on mind that that was
actually a thing. That's never like, That's one thing that
I don't keep track of is how many triples ahead?
Speaker 4 (07:25):
But you know, it is what it is. So I'm
just grateful.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Let's talk about this team again. Left for dead earlier
in the season, didn't look like things were gonna go well,
and then you guys turned it around and here we
are about to win another division and make another playoff push.
What is about this team and why is it so resilient?
Speaker 4 (07:45):
No one on this team quits.
Speaker 5 (07:47):
Every single person, every single person on this roster is
wanting to put it all out there for just one day.
And it shows, you know, and I think that's the
most important thing that we have going on. And we
all know at stake and we love it, so you know,
we continue to play with with with everything out there.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
When you when do you guys just block out? I'm
sure you heard all the talk. It's over, you know,
when Houston move on, there's gonna be other teams. Do
you just block it out? Not concerned about it? Was
it talked about at all that people were counting you
out or.
Speaker 4 (08:21):
No, there's nothing to think about. You know.
Speaker 5 (08:24):
There's one goal that that goes on on our minds
is to get to the postseason and and and at
the back of all of our minds is the winning
World Series. That's the whole, that's the whole reason we
played this ball game. So the talk that goes around,
no one actually pati. So you know, it is what
it is. We we love to be here, and we
(08:45):
want to play hard and we want to win the
World Series.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
How about you in your season, I know you've been
in and out of the lineup. Is that tougher to
when you're not playing every day or is there a
different mindset? How do you how do you deal with
that when when you're not in there every day.
Speaker 5 (08:58):
Yeah, it's definitely difficult. Last year I think it was
more difficult. I'm starting to understand, like how to maneuver through,
you know, playing every day or not playing every day.
I'm trying to understand that. But but it's definitely difficult.
You know, when I get my opportunity, I'm trying to
understand what's going on. I'm trying to understand the game
(09:21):
as it is when I don't have the opportunities necessarily
given to me on a day to day basis. So
you know, the aggressiveness is kind of, you know, dictated
off of the opportunities I get. So, I mean it's
it's it's a game. You know, you got to play it,
you know, So it's it's up and its down. So
(09:44):
but nonetheless, you know we're always going to give our
off for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
When when you come to the ballpark, you just got
to be prepared to play every day. You can't be thinking, oh,
it's a lefty, I'm probably not going to play, right.
Could you psych yourself out as that the way you
approach it, just like I might be.
Speaker 5 (09:59):
In definitely, because you know, you know, there are always injuries,
there are always, you know, things that go on throughout
the ball game that you can never actually count on,
you can never think of. So although they may be
ALEXTI and I'm not starting on a certain particular day,
but that doesn't mean that I might not hit in
the second aim. You know, anything can happen, and I'm
(10:22):
very well aware of that and I always try to
stay ready.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
I guess is John Singleton first basement for the Houston
Astros joining us here on inside the parker just your
ride and your whole story obviously being out of the game,
getting back in the opportunities and just being able to
get back. Do you savor it every day? Do you
think about all those other times bad times or do
(10:46):
you block those out and just think about the future
and the good stuff that's happened.
Speaker 5 (10:51):
But honestly, I see baseball from a different perspective now,
you know, I have a different opportunity now, so I'll
see from a different lens. So I respect it a
little bit differently. I don't want to say I respect
it more or less, but it's just it's just different
as as opposed to how it was when I first
came up.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
But is that because it was taken away from you?
Do you know what I mean? Like, like at one
point you probably just expected to be there because you
were a talented player, and then it's gone and now
you appreciate it more.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
I would.
Speaker 5 (11:23):
I wouldn't say that it was taken away from me
by any means. I just I'm older now, you know,
I've had two kids, So like life is different, I
had to have a different, different perspective on just just
life in general. And then when it comes to baseball,
that's even more different. So it is what it is.
You know, Uh, I still love the game. You know,
(11:44):
I'm willing to give my all any day at any
point in time.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
That's never changed.
Speaker 5 (11:49):
But you know, at the same time, it is still baseball,
and it is a game, so you have to respect
it for what it is and at that moment.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
So one last question, do you guys have enough to
win the World Series in this club.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
Out without a doubt, without a doubt.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Pretty confident.
Speaker 5 (12:10):
Yeah, there's nothing else to say. We have everything that
we need to win a World Series for sure.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Okay, John, thank you so much. I appreciate it.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
Definitely, thank you. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
It's time for the pocket Protector Centrum. The analytic numbers
you need to know?
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Well, maybe Anthony Masterson is his name, BS analytics is
his gay?
Speaker 3 (12:32):
What do you got for me? Anthony?
Speaker 6 (12:34):
Aaron Judge and Jan Soto recently made history is the
third set of Yankees teammates with forty homers and one
hundred rbi in a single season, joining Mantle and Marris
from the Fame sixty one campaign and a couple guys
named Gary Goodruth who did it three times. Of course,
those names are the items that pop from that tidbit.
But how common is it for teammates to truly dominate
like that? There have actually been three instances of teams
(12:55):
with three players to most forty homers and one hundred
rbi in a season. Yes, two of them were at
mid nineties cors Field with the Colorado Rockies, but the
other came just last season with the Braves as Ronald Acune, Junior,
Matt Olsen and Marcelo Zuna pulled off the feed. Add
the wrinkle of forty one hundred plus one hundred walks
into the mix, and the list gets a whole lot shorter.
(13:16):
Judge and Soto are the first teammates to pull that
off since sixty one as well, but not with Mantlin
Marris with Norm Cash and Rocky Colorvido of the sixty
one Tigers, plus Ruth and Garry three other times. For
Judge as well. He's driven in a league high one
hundred and thirty six runs at this point, which is
eighteen point seven percent of the Yankees' entire RBI total
(13:37):
this season. That's the highest mark in baseball this year,
and the highest for a Yankee since Joe DiMaggio in
nineteen forty eight. Soto and Judge are setting records, but
it remains to be seen if it'll be enough to
lift the trophy next month.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
That ball is it.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Was a big week in the big leagues. USO's is
it foul or is it fair? And now from mlbdbro
dot com here's jrgambo.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Jr. Is it foul or fair to say that a
fifty home run fifty still season by Sho hal Tani
makes him the best speed and power combo player of
all time?
Speaker 4 (14:24):
Foul?
Speaker 1 (14:25):
That is a foul ball show.
Speaker 7 (14:28):
Hal Tani is only the sixth player to ever go
forty forty, so it's definitely an accomplishment. He should get
the fifty to fifty by the end of the season,
so that would be remarkable. However, we know stolen bases
are thirty to forty percent maybe more easier to get
than they were before they made the bases bigger and
(14:49):
limited the amount of pickoffs the pitcher can throw, and
that changes everything. I can't honestly say that Otani, who's
incredibly talented, with be even attempting to steal this many
bases if it.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Wasn't so easy. That's why.
Speaker 7 (15:05):
Also, Ronald Acunya's forty seventy season that came in the
season that they changed the rules doesn't overwhelm me the
same way. Really, Jose consikos inaugural forty to forty season
was crazy, and so was a Rod's forty two to
forty six still season because they were functioning under the
old rules, where, let's be honest, stealing bases was an
(15:29):
art form. It's not anymore. If you got speed and
you can get on base and you want to run,
you'll probably not get thrown out. The catcher probably won't
even really try to throw you out. Catchers aren't even
throwing guys out like that anymore. It's like armstrength for
catchers was the top priority.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Now it don't matter at all. Really.
Speaker 7 (15:51):
It will go down in the record books as a
fifty to fifty season for Otani, but he will never
be considered a true speed and power a guy, even
like a Ricky Henderson who never came close to forty homers.
Especially the baseball peerists who know what they're looking at.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
It's the Gambler here.
Speaker 7 (16:11):
Vice president of operations for mlbbro dot Com and executive
producer of the MLB bro Show podcast The Mixtape.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Every Friday. You heard that right, Every Friday, we.
Speaker 7 (16:24):
Bring you the best from the world of black and
brown baseball. We cover the seven point two percent of
melanated Major leaguers from soup to nuts, but with our
own cultural flair and unique voice. Will take you on
a ride reflecting on the accomplishment, clutch moments, and contribution
to culture that the Bros continue to breathe into baseball.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
From Mookie Wilson to Mookie.
Speaker 7 (16:50):
Bets, Doctor k to Doctor Styx, from Bro Bombs to
stolen bases to Black Aces. We're live at the ballparks
and also bringing you secgments 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
(17:10):
that truly capture.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
The voice of Black baseball. If things get out.
Speaker 7 (17:14):
Of hand, is the Boss, Rob Parker, He's kicking up dusk.
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.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
The Negro leagues.
Speaker 7 (17:31):
I the Gambler, your friendly neighborhood diamond checker, 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 mal Moroders. First thing through
MLB's pipeline all pitching with the sound of Black Baseball.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
We got the best starting five in the business.
Speaker 7 (17:57):
Listen to the MLB bro Show podcast the Mixtape on
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
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 2 (18:18):
Now let's welcome into the podcast a longtime friend of mine,
Jeff Rieger from ninety seven to one The Ticket in Detroit.
He's covered the Targets for a long time. Obviously he
has the ins and outs on what's going on in Motown. Jeff,
welcome to the podcast. How are you, buddy cool?
Speaker 1 (18:37):
How are you out?
Speaker 8 (18:38):
What's going on?
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Man?
Speaker 2 (18:39):
Honor to be here man, always a pleasure and it's
a great time to talk. With ten games left in
the Major League Baseball season, the Tigers, who were dead
this summer, have a chance to make the postseason. And
it's been an incredible run.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
What has gone right? Jeff?
Speaker 2 (18:58):
There is what twenty five and in their last thirty
five games, coming into a Friday series against Baltimore Robins insane.
Speaker 8 (19:09):
It's sorcery, it's magic, it's voodoo, whatever you want to
call it. This team was dead, so dead that Scott Harris,
their POBO president of Baseball up said hey, we're gonna
sell as they should have. They got rid of Marcanna,
and they got rid of Andrew Chafin, and they got
rid of, of course Jack Flaherty, who's with the Dodgers pitching
(19:31):
pretty well. And they also said, we're gonna limit Schoobl's innings,
who should win the Cy young and we're gonna bring
all the kids up and we'll just see what happens.
Since August eleventh, you mentioned at twenty five and ten,
and they have the best era in baseball. So it's
not just that they're hitting, which they are, they averaged
five to six runs a game, but they're pitching has
(19:52):
been out of this world and they're doing it rob
with bullpen guys for the most part, Like, yes they
have Schoobl and yes they have kaidermont Zaro who's gotten
a ton better. And they just got to resol some
back and they got Casey Meis back for.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
The majority of these wins.
Speaker 8 (20:05):
Though aj Hinch has had an opener like Allah the
Rais ten years ago, and then he brings out a
bulk pitcher guys we haven't even heard of really that
have no track records, and next thing you know, they're
a half game out of the wild Guard maybe a
tide after when we're recording this. And they still got
a chance to catch the Orioles as well, which is insane.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
No doubt.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
The only problem that they do have with ten to
play is that they don't have the tiebreaker with the
Twins or the Royals, so that if they somehow finished
with the same record, those two teams are going to
make it in and not the Tigers. That's the only, uh,
you know, sore spot for the Tigers going forward. Let's
talk about the pitching and school Well, there was even
(20:50):
talk that maybe they might trade him, and I thought
that was lunacy because when you get a number one
pitcher at the top of your rotation, like when Verlin
came to Detroit and turn that franchise around, you can't
give that guy up where people like going crazy when
it was even talk of maybe trading school Bols.
Speaker 8 (21:10):
All right, so I was guilty of winning the trade.
Schooble I wass me tell you, I want to argue
with you for just a quick second.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
Let's do it.
Speaker 8 (21:19):
Trek Schouble has two and a half years of control left.
That the deadline he did, so you get him for
a playoff in two years. You would assume a team
like Baltimore, who's got unbelievable amounts of talent in their
farm system, might have wanted to be desperate. They stink now,
but maybe they wanted to be desperate to try to
win a World Series. And we know pitching can help
you win a World Series. But if you look at school,
(21:40):
he's been magnificent. He might win the Triple Crown of pitching,
which hasn't been done since Verlander did it back for
the Tigers in like eleven, right or twelve?
Speaker 4 (21:47):
Was it?
Speaker 8 (21:48):
My point is, though, pitching isn't what it used to
be as far as starters. Starters go five innings, they say, hey,
nice job. Back in our day, Rob, you had to
go seven or eight innings like the old John Lowell
quality starred six innings in three runs. We used to
make fun of that. That's a four and a half thera.
Now it's celebrated. So are you gonna pay trek scouble
(22:09):
thirty million bucks a year. A is the owner Chris
Hillich gonna pony up that money when he doesn't seem
like he's a lot like his dad. Furthermore, he's a
Scott Morris client, and you know he's going to free agency,
and by the time he gets the free agency, he's
thirty years old and he's got a huge history of
arm issues. So I said, if the deal was right,
(22:29):
I would have dealt them. Now, obviously I don't know
what they got offerwise, they didn't deal him, but he's
been great, so I probably look like a bonehead, and
I'm not so certain he'll be a longtime Tiger. I
don't think they're going to extend him. But he's been fantastic.
And as you saw the other day, I mean only
five innings, which apparently is now the new norm. But
when he had to strike out Salvador Perez to keep
(22:52):
the game in check in a four to one lead,
he was able to do it.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
And he's been great.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Here's my thing, and I hear you on the way
that pitching is handled today, but you still need pitching.
The reason the Dodgers will not win the World Series
is they don't have pitching, and guys are out and
I get it, five to six sometimes maybe even longer.
But I just think at the top of your rotation,
when you have a guy like that, what he does
(23:16):
is he stops you from having eight and nine game
losing streaks because he gives you a chance to win
every time he goes out there. He might not win
every game, but he's gonna give you a chance. And
that's what makes a team, the difference between being a
bad team and a team that can stay afloat, and
that's what he was able to have them do all year.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
One hundred percent agree with you.
Speaker 8 (23:39):
To my defense, if I was on a trial here,
to my defense, the Tigers at the deadline, we're seven
and a half games out of the world.
Speaker 3 (23:47):
I get it.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
I get it.
Speaker 8 (23:48):
There were like twelve games they had no core like
it was Riley Green and maybe Carrie Carpenter and that
was essentially it. Mimbi Cole Keith right, And now you
look around the Diamond and you got a bunch of
guys that actually seem to have a future with the organization.
So I think if the Tigers looked like they were
actually going to contend, I would have never said trade him,
(24:10):
but at the time it seemed pretty dire and it
seemed like it wasn't gonna happen with the hell do
Wina right.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
Our guest is Jeff Rieger.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
He's a talk show host AND's covered the Tigers for
ninety seven to won the ticket and let's talk about
Hobby biaz Also, when they decided that they weren't going
to play him any more, things did turn around.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
Just the Tigers tried.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
They went after a guy who had great years of
Chicago with the Cubs and was a complete bus for
the Tigers, and they just eventually had to pour ketchup
on that contract and just eat it.
Speaker 8 (24:44):
So they haven't yet though, but you gotta believe they will, right.
Bayez has been an utter disaster in Detroit. And you know,
he's not like your typical sports villain because he's a
really nice guy, but he just has socked. I mean
you're talking about at one point he was flirting with
the worst ops in Major League Baseball history, not just
(25:06):
a modern era like history of the game.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Oh god knows how long.
Speaker 8 (25:11):
Ironically enough, you're right, they decided that trade of the deadline,
they get rid of Sweeney. They bring in a catcher
that's in the miners killing it and they bring in
Tray Sweet I'm sorry. They get rid of Flirty and
they bring in Tray Sweeney. Now, Trey Sweeney might not
have a future with them, but he's been pretty good
and he's been a hell of a lot better than Baiaz.
And they told Biez we're gonna give this Sweeney kid
(25:33):
a chance. So Biez pretty much was left with a
huge contract but no position. Next thing you know, Biez
was put on the IL. Ironically enough, his last game
was August twenty second. They lost ten to two to
the Chicago Cups. Next thing you know, Bias is gone,
never to be heard from again. They're eighteen and seven
(25:54):
since they've gone. It's miraculous run. So for everybody that
says dude was a cancer, it's hard to argue that
he wasn't because they're in such a better spot without
him than they were with him. And you're right. I mean,
at the time, everybody wanted Carlos Korea and he's still
playing well for the Twins despite getting injured all the time.
Bias has been an absolute disaster, and hopefully the Tiger
(26:16):
fans have seen the last of them.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
I think you said Bias was a cancer. I think
he was born in January. He's a Capricorn. No, yes,
we needed the rim shop for that one. Anyway, So
the Tigers fans excitement like the thing. And you know,
I worked in Detroit for twenty years and it's a
(26:39):
baseball town. I know people love football there and hockey
town or whatever. But you know, Jeff, you watched it,
you were there, you were part of it. When they
had a really good baseball team and were in the mix.
They were selling out that place for America Park on regularity.
I mean, people love baseball there, but you got to
(27:00):
give him a.
Speaker 8 (27:00):
Product one hundred percent. So the last ten years have
been an embarrassment. I mean the era you're talking about
from six to fourteen was magical. They had stars, they
had a different owner. I mean Mike Ilich one day
times in he's I get we're bringing to princefielder right,
and we're resigning Victor Martinez, Like, hey, we offered Max
Schur's are a ton of money he left us.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
Screw them. We'll go win anyway.
Speaker 8 (27:21):
So for that run with Dave Dombrowski as the GM,
it was freaking magical. And then for the last decade
they have the longest stretch in baseball without going to
the postseason.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
It's been awful.
Speaker 8 (27:33):
So anybody that's gone to the game, it's almost like
they're giving the Tigers their charity because there's nothing to watch.
But now, yes, the buzz is insane. They had thirty
plus thousand the last home stand. And now it's interesting
because they come home on I think it's Monday. No,
Monday's not off day, so Tuesday, Tuesday, they're gonna take
on the Tampa Bay Rays for three those games during
(27:56):
the week. And you know this, once the kids are
back in school, Balpark doesn't really sell out. I bet
you there's a ton of people there. And then you
end things with the lowly, pathetic, awful Chicago White Sox
and the Tigers. Last game is Sunday, the twenty ninth,
and ironically enough, the Lions play the next day. They
play on Monday night Football against the Seahawks. So every
(28:17):
Detroiter is going to be watching the Tigers if they're
still in it, which I assume they would be. Yeah,
maybe a game as well, So you're right, like Detroit
is an awesome sports down, as you know, but you
got to give them a product pretty much like every
other sports down. The Wings finally made a little contention
for the postseason. LCA was packed, the Tigers starting to
make a turn. People are talking nothing but Tigers. I mean,
(28:40):
look at the Lions, for crying out loud. You can
go anywhere in the state of Michigan and see Lions
gear for what they did last year. So now we
need the Pistons to have a little help. But that's
okay overall, though, yes, I would expect the ballpark to
be packed, and there is. I was looking at this
right before I got down with you. If they sweep
the Orioles, which again is a big ask, but the
(29:01):
Orioles are three and nine in their last twelve and
we're recording this. They're getting ready to play the Giants again.
If they sweep the Orioles, they legitimately could be one
game behind Baltimore for that top spot sixty And if
that were to happen, like you mentioned, Minnesota's got the
tie breaker, Casey's got the tie breaker, Baltimore doesn't. So
(29:22):
could you imagine the way the wild card is set up?
If the Tigers they've been red hot. Magic's been happening.
If they could get that top wildcard spot again, huge ask,
but they would get three or two home playoff games
in the wild card, which would be insane.
Speaker 3 (29:39):
No doubt about it.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
It has been an amazing story, and my man, Jeff
Wriger from ninety seven to one, the ticket has broken
it down for us. Always a pleasure, Jeff Man, thank
you so much, thanks for joining the podcast.
Speaker 8 (29:52):
Just say you know you inspire me. You know right,
people are trying to tell the story real quick about
you and Mark. Yeah, I got fired at my first
radio job.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
Fired.
Speaker 8 (30:04):
I was depressed. I was living in my parents' basement,
and one day I was driving down to the casino
in Detroit with my brother to spend my last forty dollars.
I had no more money left, and I was listening
to you and Mark Wilson and the best radio theme
song in the history of radio, Hakka. Don't get discouraged,
(30:24):
you know, man, He's not so hard to understand anyway.
Speaker 1 (30:29):
I love you, buddy.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
Listen to always my man. You know that, Jeff. I've
always been pulling for you.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
I'm proud of your career continued success, all right, buddy, bye, BA,
thanks for.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Having I see. Now bring in the closer right. Here's
why MLB is better than the NFL or NBA, and
it isn't even close.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Readson number five hundred and fifty five Why Major League
Baseball is better than the NBA and the NFL.
Speaker 3 (30:58):
People fancy it all the time.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
You go to a baseball game, you see something that
you've never seen before that certainly happened Wednesday night in Seattle,
Yankees and Mariners are in a game. In the tenth inning,
Mariners have first and second, nobody out.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
Randy A.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
Rose Arena strikes out, but by doing so, he loses
the grip on the bat. It goes down the third
base line and Julio Rodriguez jumps out of the way
of the bat, but then is casually walking like towards
the dugout and realizes, you know, the game is still
going on. He tries to get back to third base
(31:38):
and gets thrown out for the second out of an inning.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
Can you imagine a double play?
Speaker 2 (31:44):
And the play by play on it by Dave Simms
with the TV guy for the Mariners is spectacular. Take
a listen, dang spot Rose Arena and the Mariners two two.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
The battle said earlier, Get.
Speaker 6 (32:05):
Two.
Speaker 3 (32:06):
Incorpordibly bad face.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
Running mistakes by the various back to back lads. In
the words of New York TV legend the late Bill Jorgensen,
thanking you for your time this time until next time.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
Rob Parker out.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
He can't get it. This could be an inside of Parker.
See you next week, same bat time, same Matt station.
Host
Rob Parker
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