On this week’s edition of Inside the (Rob) Parker, Rob discusses Sammy Sosa's return to Wrigley Field for the first time in two decades, Chase Burnes' MLB debut with the Cincinnati Bengals, and the positive impact the late, great Scott Miller had on baseball media. Later, Washington Nationals outfield James Wood swings by. Plus, a conversation with MLB Media contributor Sweeny Murti, a hot and fresh edition of Foul or Fair with JR Gamble, and Rob's latest appearance on MLB Network.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
From the Burke shears to the sound from wherever you
live in MLB America. This is Inside the Parker. You
give us twenty two minutes and we'll give you the
scoop on major League Baseball. Now here's Baseball Hall of
Fame voter number fifty seven. How you have another hot take?
Will not not made the playoffs? Show me the money,
(00:22):
Rob Parker.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Come on, I've been covering Major League Baseball for almost
forty years now, in New York, in Cincinnati, in Detroit,
in LA.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
I love this game. Let's go.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Welcome into the podcast and I'm your host, Rob Parker.
And what a show we have for you today. Before
we even get started, remember press this button, the subscribe button,
so that you're always here, always up to date with
all the best coverage of Major League Baseball. As you know,
I've been harver and baseball since nineteen eighty six.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
I love the sport.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
This is the place for your Baseball fix.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Inside the Parker sponsored by Cuffing Season. Lock in the
flavor of your taste. Buds will love at Cuffinseason dot us.
Get yours today and for an extra ten percent off,
use the code MLB bro in all Caps. Welcome into
the podcast. I'm your host, Rob Parker, and what a
(01:28):
show we have for you today. Coming up, we'll talk
with Washington National Stars, young slugger James Wood he joins us,
plus Sweeney Murdy.
Speaker 5 (01:42):
From MLB Media.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Plus we'll do a little foul or fare that and
much more.
Speaker 5 (01:48):
Let's go better up.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
To lead off. It's getting rocked.
Speaker 5 (01:52):
Keep them mind Rob's hot.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Take on the three biggest stories in Major League Baseball.
Number one.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
This past week, outfielder slugger Sammy Sosa return to Wrigley
Feel for the.
Speaker 5 (02:07):
First time in twenty one.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Years, and I gotta tell you I was touched by
It was an enormous ovation by the Cubs faithful and
despite all the stuff about the juice and all that
not making the Hall of Fame, I think it was
very clear that people appreciated the moments that he supplied
(02:29):
for them over those many years and those fun summer
days and nights at Wrigley.
Speaker 5 (02:35):
Take a listen to the ovation for Sammy so for.
Speaker 6 (02:39):
The first time in twenty one years. Please welcome back
comes legend Sammy So.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
Same Number two.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
On Tuesday, Chase Burns made his major league debut for
the Cincinnati Reds, their top pitching prospect.
Speaker 5 (03:13):
The twenty two year old.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Right hander pitched against the Yankees at the Great American
Ballpark in the minor leagues. He was seven and three
had a one point seven to seven el ray eighty
nine strikeouts in sixty six innings with just thirteen walks.
I was in Cincinnati and I got to watch him
pitch in person.
Speaker 5 (03:36):
Here's what I saw.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
To say the least, Chase Burns was electric.
Speaker 5 (03:43):
Oh my God.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
To be in Great American Ballpark and see this fine,
hard throwing right hander make his debut against the Yankees
was amazing. He struck out the first five batters he faced,
and then after giving up a hit to Chishma, struck
out his six spatter, So the first six outs he
(04:05):
recorded in Major League Baseball were all strikeouts. His stuff
was electric. It was a memorable moment. The crowd was wild.
It was a great scene, and to see this young
picture burst onto the scene was amazing. We got a
lot to look forward to in this guy's very young
(04:27):
major league career, and I'm glad I was incensing for it.
Number three at this point, I'd like to have a
moment of silence for Scott Miller, the longtime baseball writer
who lost his battle with cancer this past week at
age sixty two. Scott and I were friends. We covered
so many big games together, spent time around each other,
(04:50):
a great guy who loved baseball, wrote a lot of
great baseball books.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
And it's gone way too soon.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
One of our BBWAA brotherre In is gone, and we
will miss him, his love, his laugh, his friendly time
spent with each other in the press box.
Speaker 5 (05:09):
It is definitely a sad situation.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
Here comes the big interview. Listen and learn.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
It's so good now let's welcome into the podcast.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Washington Nationals outfielder and slugger James Wood. James, thanks for
joining us, Thanks for having me appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
What a season you're having home runs? I'll be eyes
every day. How much fun are you having so far?
Speaker 7 (05:39):
I mean it's been a it's been an experience. I mean,
I'm not a whole lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
We got a good group of guys in a lot
of comment.
Speaker 7 (05:46):
It's just it's just a blessing head.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Coming to the ball. Far your fear. How about the idea.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
I know you've heard people talking the ones trying to
talking about making the All Star team and season the
two foot What would that mean to you to make the.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
All Start team?
Speaker 8 (06:03):
And is that something that maybe you dreamt about or
thought about when you were coming up with a kid.
Speaker 7 (06:09):
I mean, yeah, it it'll be cool. I mean I
was who was watching the All Start.
Speaker 9 (06:13):
Game and all of that growing up, And I mean
it would just be something really special.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
To be a part of some favorite player of all times.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Who were you idolizing back in when growing up?
Speaker 7 (06:26):
I mean when I first picked up a bat, I was.
Speaker 9 (06:29):
Trying to swing like Barry Bond since that was like
the earliest typer.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
My min Barry Boss.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Most people consider him the best hit or ever and
obviously the power.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
To emulate his baddings things.
Speaker 7 (06:42):
Uh not really, I just he just had the bad
with the tape on it. And I mean the bad
I had look nothing like it, but I thought it
looked like I thought I would like hating sing in it.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
So how about the hitting home runs of power? Everybody
can't hit home runs?
Speaker 5 (06:57):
Talk about it all the time, right, did.
Speaker 10 (06:59):
You you know or do you try to hit home runs?
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Is it just natural you try to make solid connection?
And what are you trying to do when you have
to play.
Speaker 9 (07:09):
I mean, I just want to hit the ball hard.
I mean, I've just sen good things happen when when
that's when that's my plan, I.
Speaker 7 (07:17):
Just sing it, sympathize it, and yeah, I can't really
try and hit. I feel like that kind of gets
me into trouble. So I'm gonna just try.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
And make it come to that.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Our guest, James Wood from the Washington Nationals of.
Speaker 8 (07:29):
Course, uh slugger outfielder, talk about playing basically in your hometown.
You know, when you're from Maryland, here's the local team.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
What is that like?
Speaker 1 (07:40):
And how how much fun is you have to.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
Be able to play in front of your.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Parents and family and friends houses.
Speaker 9 (07:46):
Yeah, I mean it's it's I mean a lot of
guys don't really get to experience that.
Speaker 7 (07:51):
So I'm just super fortunate. I know my parents like
it a lot, and they get to come to a
lot of them. All games really, so I mean I
mean a special one. I mean, as I can't really
take her, you know.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
And how much you love for baseball.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
I mean, you're six foot seven, obviously played basketball.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Was there a moment where you decided you just knew you.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Were a baseball player and not a basketball player.
Speaker 7 (08:17):
And I think I knew, like real early on.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
I just think.
Speaker 7 (08:22):
For me like I could always you know, I could
hit in the cage until my hands were killing me,
and kind of.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Saying with baseball like the practice and.
Speaker 9 (08:30):
All that, and never really I never really felt like
where it goes enjoyed that.
Speaker 7 (08:35):
I think once I realized that, I think that's gonna
do there. Ase balls was my sport.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
And what part of the game was the most fun
for you?
Speaker 5 (08:43):
Isn't obviously you're a slugger, but.
Speaker 8 (08:46):
Hitting defensively, do you get you know, joy out of
throwing somebody out?
Speaker 5 (08:51):
You know we could throw making a diving catch? What
what part do you love the most?
Speaker 3 (08:57):
I mean, I think everything.
Speaker 9 (08:58):
I mean, I think like obviously your own ride and
doubles and a lot of fun, but.
Speaker 7 (09:04):
I met, I think I'll take a lot of pride in.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
My defense and my base running.
Speaker 9 (09:07):
So I just thing and take it away and and taking.
Speaker 7 (09:11):
At your base or or if it's just as fun.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
To all you guys had a bump in the road,
bad losing street.
Speaker 5 (09:17):
But how did you work through that?
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Because you guys weren't.
Speaker 5 (09:21):
You weren't playing good baseball, you but just awesome games.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Things they go either way. It wasn't like you were
totally out of it and you couldn't compete.
Speaker 5 (09:28):
You How did you go through that patch and be
able to just say, you know, we're a good group
and we could get through that.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (09:35):
I mean, I just think just having the confidence in ourselves.
And I mean I think early.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
On maybe so weird game below, it doesn't.
Speaker 7 (09:44):
Mean it's like you said, it's just a bump in
the road. And I mean I think you're just knowing
that what we're able to get back to it makes
it easier to kind.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Of go through those struggles.
Speaker 5 (09:55):
Last thing, Mike, have been building here.
Speaker 8 (09:57):
I got a lot of young players, some guys from
you know, look like they're going to be good players
from all time.
Speaker 5 (10:04):
You know what you said, Gray's been heard, He's gonna
eventually come back.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
It feels like the team is building something for the future.
Do you feel that way?
Speaker 9 (10:12):
Yeah, I mean, I think we got a lot of
young talent in the year, and we got a lot
of episode that we can lean on and time where
I'm from, so I mean, yeah, I mean I.
Speaker 7 (10:20):
Think there's a lot of potential in my locker room,
and I just think it's just kind of on us.
Just get the best version out of each other.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
All right.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Our guest James Wood from the Washington Nationals the Slugger.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
See you at the All Star Game in Atlanta. Maybe
let's see it. Yeah, that'll be great. All right, buddy,
thank you so much. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
In case you missed Rob Parker on the MLB network,
here's his latest appearance on mL.
Speaker 11 (10:48):
Dina you love Rob Parker in the showdown here in
the Flesh spa band. I will talk to you the
same way, right in front of you. That's it, do,
let's do it. You're an opinionated sort of fellow. I
thought it was pretty funny because you predicted before the
season started that Wan Soto would struggle.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Then he became one.
Speaker 11 (11:07):
So so as you say, what do you say now, though,
be fair?
Speaker 4 (11:11):
I'm gonna be fair and bkay.
Speaker 12 (11:12):
It's not as if he's having like this terrible season
and you have.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
The numbers, but it doesn't feel as good. It really doesn't.
If you're a Mets fan, you.
Speaker 12 (11:21):
Were expecting extra white meat and a biscuit. I'm not
there's something missing. The two fifty six bat average the meal,
the two fifty six doesn't feel good. He had a
great June and that's why things have turned around.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
But still I.
Speaker 12 (11:38):
Don't feel like he's the best player.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
He's seven sixty five.
Speaker 12 (11:43):
He's made the Mets, which was which was a good
team last year even better.
Speaker 11 (11:48):
I'm gonna be fair too. You wanted the splash that
he showed last year with the Endcaps. Last year was
a splash.
Speaker 4 (11:53):
What did he do when he showed up in Houston
on the opening game? Guy out right and had the
game winning hit? Do you remember that it was from
the jump street?
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Ye?
Speaker 11 (12:01):
And the lack of effort. Even our guys are pushing back.
Our research is like, come on, he's top ten in
the league in hitting. He is, he's he's had good
at bats all year. He works hard there. He didn't
work hard in other situations though, and that's on him.
Come on, you're the highest paid guy in the history
the franchise and the sport. I think there's no excuse
for that because he's supposed to represent something that was
disappointing and he doesn't.
Speaker 12 (12:23):
It doesn't look like he's happy, I mean, and that's
just I'm reading into it. You should be happy, seven
sixty five.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
Very happy, But he doesn't look like he's like, really,
he's got a sweet?
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Didn't he want the sweet?
Speaker 4 (12:34):
He got a sweet?
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Yankees wouldn't give a sweet.
Speaker 4 (12:36):
That's well.
Speaker 11 (12:36):
But he's top ten in hitting now, want to be fair,
Juan Soto right now top ten in hitting in all
of baseball.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
That's very good. He's delivering, he's not not delivering.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
I'll remove this so so for now, so so advised.
Speaker 11 (12:48):
Are you ready to remove the brakes You're always pumping
the brakes famously on Elie de la Cruz. He's a
top five shortstop right now, he's played in all eighty one.
The guy's making it happen. Perhaps it's not the envy
season that I saw coming. All right, I know you
before you could throw that my way in my face again.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
But that's a good year. He's having very good year.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
I'm gonna give it up to you. It took a
couple of years. You were ready to put him in
the All Star Game after.
Speaker 5 (13:12):
I wanted.
Speaker 4 (13:14):
Was let's wait a little bit. And now we're starting
to see him mature.
Speaker 12 (13:18):
And you know what, the strikeout rate is the thing
that I kept pushing back on you that he struck
out way too much.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
His first year he bated two thirty five.
Speaker 12 (13:25):
That wasn't good with a ton of strikeouts, and I
think it's down six percent of strikeout rate. So he
is making those steps as batting average is higher.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
I'm going to give it to you.
Speaker 12 (13:35):
He's en route to being the start that you wanted
him to be.
Speaker 11 (13:38):
Okay, I thought after yes, completely fair in spring training,
I thought he was going to explode onto the league
because the tools are so outrageous and he gets it.
I think he gets he's he's not quite polished at shortstop,
but he's always working and I think he's at a
certain point. Last year he was ready to get into
the MVP conversation and then he hit a swoon. So
(14:00):
he has to prove himself this summer. You know, he
gets hotter and hotter, and his team is good that
he doesn't do that. He continues on this space and hey,
a top five shortstop in this the golden age of shortstops.
That's a superstar player.
Speaker 5 (14:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 12 (14:11):
No, And I talked to a lot of people went
the Reds. I was actually in Cincinnati on Tuesday, and
they all love him, and they all things that he's
put in the work and all.
Speaker 11 (14:20):
That he is on the basis he tears it up.
That's what we want to see. You want to see effort.
All right, you went on a ballpark trip. You're in
the middle of the ballpark. Yes, you're showing the country.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Tell us about your trip.
Speaker 12 (14:29):
So I've been Chicago Monday, Cincinnati Tuesday, I did the
Mets game last night here in New York, going to
the Yankees A's on Saturday, and.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
Then the Tigers and Twins. My buddies from high school.
We had kind of a reunion. We all went to
high school. One van you're in high school to eight
of us in Queens.
Speaker 12 (14:51):
In Queens, we all got together first time in year
five year friendship.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
It was awesome.
Speaker 11 (14:56):
What's your favorite park then, from what you've seen or
park experience?
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Who does it best?
Speaker 12 (15:03):
I would get My favorite ballpark is pack Bell I
know they don't call it that.
Speaker 4 (15:06):
What is it Oracle in San Francisco? Yeah? I like
that's gorgeous, right, just absolutely.
Speaker 11 (15:11):
What about ballpark experience as far as like blaring music,
not blaring music, mascots, things being shot into the stands.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Who does it best? I'm going to say of all
of them.
Speaker 12 (15:24):
I'm still I'm out of Dodger Stadium a lot, so
I like what they do there.
Speaker 11 (15:28):
Really, yeah, you know what, well, no, it's a beautiful
ass one that my ears were splitting. I bet people
and I don't know who loves the the you know,
the blaring, thumping music that they're pounding at you and
they're screaming at you. Make some noise and it's like,
it's the World Series. We know how to make noise.
That makes me and then people will accuse me, Oh no, you're.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
An old No, no one.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Likes this, Like who likes what?
Speaker 11 (15:50):
Kids you're jumping around going oh this is great.
Speaker 4 (15:52):
I can't hear it.
Speaker 12 (15:53):
But when I first went to Dodger Stadium as a
beat reporter covering the Reds covering the game, I go,
this is in the nineties. Everybody at the ballpark had a.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Radio listening to Vince Scully. It was the most unbelievable.
Speaker 12 (16:07):
Go to the ballpark to listen to Vince Scully while
you're at the ball Well, you can't do that now.
Speaker 11 (16:12):
You can't listen to whatever was calling the games on
the radio now because you can't hear a thing.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
That's my say.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
I'm blasting you now on that. But no, of course
the ball again.
Speaker 11 (16:19):
You go to a major league stadium, you feel that
you're in the rare air.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
I like Cincinnati, and that was a few years ago.
Speaker 11 (16:25):
I went to Cincinnati and I could have a conversation,
I could hear the murmur of the crowd and all right,
that sounds sleepy.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
No, it's exciting for me. The baseball game is a
major league game.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Is enough?
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Okay?
Speaker 12 (16:35):
And where you just said Oracle, Pittsburgh, It's right, PNC
and Camden yas those.
Speaker 11 (16:41):
Are my No, No, Wrigley, Fenway, No, I count those
are a separate because because they're great.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
We know, I don't know you're talking about it? All right,
good stuff.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
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 (16:59):
Now, let's welcome into the podcast Sweeney Murdy, who is
a longtime friend of mine and from MLB Media.
Speaker 5 (17:08):
Sweeney, how are you?
Speaker 10 (17:10):
I'm good, buddy, I'm starting.
Speaker 13 (17:11):
I think it's like thirty years you and I have
been working together in some capacity.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Right at least on Friday, the Yankees open up a
three game series against the A's in the Bronx, and
that will be like almost exactly the halfway point. It'll
be the yankees eightieth game. So I thought this would
be a great time for us to do like a
mid season awards. I would look on some of the
(17:36):
big awards that we expect at the halfway point.
Speaker 5 (17:39):
Aaron Judge, let's start to the American League.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
MVPs wanted a few times, and here we go off
to a great start in twenty twenty five. Aaron Judge
or the catcher for the Mariners, who has thirty one
home runs he hit in his first seventy five games.
Speaker 5 (18:00):
Who do you like for al MVP?
Speaker 10 (18:03):
Yeah, I think you know Judge is going to be
the guy to beat.
Speaker 13 (18:07):
You know, cal Raley's had an amazing season and he
might maybe he's gonna hit more home runs.
Speaker 10 (18:12):
I don't know that.
Speaker 13 (18:14):
But if you look at where Judges Yankees are our
first place team, you expect them to be a playoff team.
If Seattle's a playoff team and cal Raley is the
driving force, then he'll certainly get some consideration. But if
you're going to look at the historic nature of Judge's season,
if it continues in this path, he's going to be
(18:34):
leading in average and on base and slugging again, if
he's going to at least contend for a triple Crown,
then I think you have to recognize that because that's
kind of where he's been with his MVPs so far,
the two that he's already won. Think about this with
the you know, I never thought that, you know, Judge
was going to battle four hundred. That's just something that
(18:56):
nobody does. But even if he's in this range where
he stays over three point fifty, let's just set the
bar there.
Speaker 10 (19:05):
That's something if you look.
Speaker 13 (19:06):
At in Yankee history, if you take out Ruth and Garrett,
the only guys.
Speaker 10 (19:10):
In a Yankee uniform of it over three.
Speaker 13 (19:12):
Fifty DiMaggio Mattingly Mantle, that's gonna be hard for anybody
to topple when you're talking about an MVP.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
All right, let's go to the al Cy Young targ
Schooble with the Tigers, of course, had the triple Crown
last year, one of the best pitchers in the game.
He's off to another fantastic start. Hunter Brown for the Astros,
and then Jacob de gram what the Rangers has put
together an impressive season.
Speaker 5 (19:39):
Al Cy Young is it Schoolble with the Tigers.
Speaker 13 (19:43):
I'll throw another name at you, Max Freed with the Yankees,
who's had an amazing season. I'd like to see where
all these final numbers go as people go down the
stretch here. You know, you don't win the SA Young
in the first half of the season. So I think
Scooble is the guy to beat because he is you know,
he is the defending winner, and you mentioned the triple
(20:04):
crown last year. I'd like to see where where Freed
ends up here in battling him, because again, he's gonna
have opportunities to win games. And I know we don't
necessarily reward wins anymore for pitchers, but when you rack
up a lot of them, you have to pay attention.
So I think I think those are the guys I
(20:24):
would to me it's Freed versus Scooball.
Speaker 10 (20:28):
I think, as he's watched the second half.
Speaker 5 (20:30):
Unfold, I think that's fair. I really do. I'll guess
the Sweeney Murdy from MLB media.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
Social media guru over there doing all kinds of stuff.
Speaker 5 (20:40):
Let's go to the National League Shoho Tani's unbelievable. He's
a unicorn.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
But coming into Sunday that in two ninety one ton
of home runs a small amount of RBIs And I
get it. He's a pitcher, so everybody thinks he should
win the MVP if he pitches hits. But Pete crow
Armstrong is having a really fantastic season for the Cubs
(21:06):
as well.
Speaker 3 (21:07):
Where are you?
Speaker 2 (21:08):
Is it just show Hay as long as he pitches,
where are you in the National League MVP?
Speaker 13 (21:14):
I mean, he's leading off most of the time. He's
sitting a lot of solo home runs. You know, he's
better in the leadoff spot.
Speaker 5 (21:19):
But here's the follow the issue.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
He bet at leadoff last year knocked in one hundred
and thirty this year he was on pace for like
seventy nine or eighty RBI. So you can't tell me
like it was all because of the other people on base.
And I'm just saying I don't think that that's fair.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
I'm saying that's.
Speaker 13 (21:36):
Part well, that's well, that's part of it. He was
having a better season last year. But you know, it's
it's about you know, RBIs are dependent on the guys
in front of you, and.
Speaker 10 (21:48):
So that's a big part of it.
Speaker 13 (21:50):
I think show Hayes ops is if it's if that's
going to lead the league and he's going to be
in you know that, you know, forty fifty home run range. Again,
I don't see any and he can't be the MVP.
Pete Armstrong is having an amazing season. I'd love to
see where he goes, where he finishes, and where the
Cubs finish. But if you're going to tell me that
(22:10):
second half is going to feature show Ao Tani as
a pitcher as well, you know that's going to be
hard to knock him off the MVP pedestal there. That's
a big reason why he won the American League MVP.
Obviously wasn't a factor last year because he didn't pitch.
But if he's going to pitch and pitch, well, you know,
we saw him throw a scoreless inning on Sunday, and
(22:33):
you know what his potential is there. If he's going
to throw boy Robbie. I don't know if he's gonna
pitch you know, sixty innings. I'm making up numbers here
because I haven't done the math.
Speaker 10 (22:42):
But if he's gonna.
Speaker 13 (22:43):
Throw me fifty or sixty innings, at an elite rate
in the second half of the season and hit the
way he is.
Speaker 10 (22:50):
I have a hard time seeing him not.
Speaker 13 (22:52):
I have hard time believing he's not going to be
the MVP.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Okay, let's go to NL. Saw Young Yamamoto with the Dodgers.
He's a top contender. He's the ace of the Dodgers
staff now. And also Paul Skeins, who is rokied to
ye last year in the National League.
Speaker 5 (23:10):
Those seem to be the two top front runners for NL.
Cy Young, where are you?
Speaker 10 (23:15):
Yeah, I was.
Speaker 13 (23:16):
Trying to see if there was going to be a
closer that, you know, simply because I you know, uh
schemes won't necessarily wreck up the wins because the team
he's on. I was not going to see if there
are any closers in the mix that are just blowing
away that field. And nobody jumps out to me right now,
I've got it. Unless unless Youmamoto goes on one of
(23:38):
these second half runs with the Dodgers, I got to think,
and unless you know, Skimes has a little bit of
a blow up that's going to cause that Eer two
to jump up, I got to think it's his to
lose at this point right, I think we all look
at him as the best pitcher in the league and
(23:58):
waiting for him to throw up the best staff.
Speaker 10 (24:00):
And if that Erra still stays, you know, Christine, that is,
if that is.
Speaker 13 (24:04):
An elite era going into August and September, I think
you've got the makings of a real special season there,
and he would be probably my front runner at this point.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
There.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
It is the halfway point the major awards in Major
League Baseball. Thanks to Sweeney Murdy for joining us here
on Inside the Park of Sweeney.
Speaker 5 (24:23):
Always a pleasure, my man. I appreciate you, Robbie. Great
talking to you always.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
Here's the best from mlbbro dot com. What's up everyone?
Speaker 14 (24:34):
This is Justin Patrulli from mlbbro dot com and I'm
here to tell you what's popping. Christian Moore is starting
to break out in the show. On June twenty fourth,
Moore had his best performance as a big leaguer. He
had two home runs, including a walkoff two run shot
in the bottom of the tenth, and three rbi. He
was responsible for all three of the Angels runs.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
In that win.
Speaker 14 (24:56):
He's gotten five RBI in his last three games and
has a six to seventy seven ops.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
In thirteen games in the BIGS.
Speaker 14 (25:03):
The twenty two year old second Basement was drafted eighth
overall in twenty twenty four out of the University of Tennessee,
in which he spent three years there. In his third
and final year, he set the school single season record
for home runs and was a crucial part to the
twenty twenty four College World Series. After being drafted by
the Halos, he played a total of seventy nine games
for the single, Double and Triple A affiliates and batted
(25:24):
a combined three to zero two with eleven home runs
and fifty two RBI. With the Angels having the longest
current pro season drought in the league, they've been desperate
for a culture change of new energy. More's been bringing
a high energy and has championship experience at the amateur level,
so it'll be very interesting to see if he could
have a ripple effect on the club as a whole,
as he looks to be the future everyday second basement
(25:45):
for the team. That's what popping today on mlbbro dot com.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
It's sponsored by mlbbro because you need to know that
ball is It was a big week getting the big leagues.
Speaker 13 (26:01):
Who's who's a five?
Speaker 9 (26:03):
I believe it?
Speaker 1 (26:06):
Is it fouled? Or is it fair? And now from
mlbbro dot com, here's jrgambo.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Hey Jr.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Chase Burns made his major league debut and struck out
eight batters, including the first.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
Five outs of his major league career.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Is it foul or fair to say that he's the
real deal?
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Fair?
Speaker 15 (26:34):
It's rare that a highly tited pitching prospect like six three,
two hundred and ten pounds Chase Burns comes up and
it's almost lights out in his first start. Sure, he
gave up a few runs, but striking out the first
five New York Yankee batters something that hasn't been done
in the Expansion era dating back to nineteen sixty one.
(26:57):
That's like jump off the page dopeness. I'm awake for
as product. He had all of his pitches going, and
he was topping one hundred miles an hour on some
of them. I am amazed personally by the movement on
his pitches. They're wicked and he has years left to
(27:17):
perfect them, which is scary. He looked like a vet
out there. Some are already projecting multiple Cy Young Awards.
Health Willing. What excites me with Chase Burns is the
thought of watching him and Hunter Green in the same
rotation when Green returns to the Reds from his nagging injuries.
(27:38):
That's gonna be something. Those two have a chance to
be the best one to two bro punch in a
starting rotation.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
Maybe an NLB bro history.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
Yeah, I said it.
Speaker 15 (27:49):
The Reds are slowly putting the pieces together, and Chase
Burns definitely puts fannies in the seats as must watch TV,
right up there with Tory's school pass games and other
generational arms. So look out for Chase Burns. He's the
real deal and proved that and start one.
Speaker 1 (28:10):
Make way for weekend wagers.
Speaker 16 (28:13):
Yo, it's seanbo fire up those dead naps.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Let's go.
Speaker 16 (28:19):
It was a rough week last week. Zero wins, two
losses brings a season total to fourteen up, twelve down.
But let's get it right this wee can go to
and zero and you know when we started off, We're
gonna start it off in the Boogie down Bronx where
the Bombers, the New York Yankees welcome in those westsac
A's and when the A's are in town, you know
that long ball is leaving the building.
Speaker 5 (28:40):
Go ahead and bet on.
Speaker 16 (28:40):
The Bros John Carlow and Aaron Judge to go over
that eight to half total runs. The a's of pitching
here and there, but you know they're good man, that
over eight and a half.
Speaker 7 (28:49):
To little runs.
Speaker 4 (28:50):
Saturday, let's double up on this matchup and.
Speaker 16 (28:52):
In the second game of the series, we're taking the
Yankees minus one and a half on the run line.
Speaker 5 (28:58):
They should do damage to those Hi.
Speaker 8 (29:00):
I'm Rob Parker, the founder and editor of mlbbro.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Dot com, where we cover black.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
And brown major leaguers.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Seventy five percent of the content will be about the
current black and brown stars in.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
Major League Baseball.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
The other twenty five percent will take a look back
at some of the great black players. On the site,
there will be a ton of great written stories and
videos and features.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
MLB bro because you need to know MLB fans. When
it comes to Major League Baseball baseball, no one covers
it better than the odd cover fact.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
I am the baseball kid, first, second, third, and we're
leading shows with baseball.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
They'll watch it again all in one place, yo, right
here on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
I love baseball.
Speaker 17 (29:55):
In the words of New York TV legend the late
Bill Jorgensen. Thanking you for your time this time until
next time. Rob Parker out he can't givin. This could
be an inside of Parker.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
See you next week, same bat time, same Matt station,
From the Burke shears to the sound from wherever you
live in MLB America. This is Inside the Parker. You
give us twenty two minutes and we'll give you the
scoop on major League Baseball. Now here's Baseball Hall of
Fame voter number fifty seven. How you have another hot take?
Will not not made the playoffs? Show me the money,
(00:22):
Rob Parker.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Come on, I've been covering Major League Baseball for almost
forty years now, in New York, in Cincinnati, in Detroit,
in LA.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
I love this game. Let's go.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Welcome into the podcast and I'm your host, Rob Parker.
And what a show we have for you today. Before
we even get started, remember press this button, the subscribe button,
so that you're always here, always up to date with
all the best coverage of Major League Baseball. As you know,
I've been harver and baseball since nineteen eighty six.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
I love the sport.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
This is the place for your Baseball fix.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Inside the Parker sponsored by Cuffing Season. Lock in the
flavor of your taste. Buds will love at Cuffinseason dot us.
Get yours today and for an extra ten percent off,
use the code MLB bro in all Caps. Welcome into
the podcast. I'm your host, Rob Parker, and what a
(01:28):
show we have for you today. Coming up, we'll talk
with Washington National Stars, young slugger James Wood he joins us,
plus Sweeney Murdy.
Speaker 5 (01:42):
From MLB Media.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Plus we'll do a little foul or fare that and
much more.
Speaker 5 (01:48):
Let's go better up.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
To lead off. It's getting rocked.
Speaker 5 (01:52):
Keep them mind Rob's hot.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Take on the three biggest stories in Major League Baseball.
Number one.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
This past week, outfielder slugger Sammy Sosa return to Wrigley
Feel for the.
Speaker 5 (02:07):
First time in twenty one.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Years, and I gotta tell you I was touched by
It was an enormous ovation by the Cubs faithful and
despite all the stuff about the juice and all that
not making the Hall of Fame, I think it was
very clear that people appreciated the moments that he supplied
(02:29):
for them over those many years and those fun summer
days and nights at Wrigley.
Speaker 5 (02:35):
Take a listen to the ovation for Sammy so for.
Speaker 6 (02:39):
The first time in twenty one years. Please welcome back
comes legend Sammy So.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
Same Number two.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
On Tuesday, Chase Burns made his major league debut for
the Cincinnati Reds, their top pitching prospect.
Speaker 5 (03:13):
The twenty two year old.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Right hander pitched against the Yankees at the Great American
Ballpark in the minor leagues. He was seven and three
had a one point seven to seven el ray eighty
nine strikeouts in sixty six innings with just thirteen walks.
I was in Cincinnati and I got to watch him
pitch in person.
Speaker 5 (03:36):
Here's what I saw.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
To say the least, Chase Burns was electric.
Speaker 5 (03:43):
Oh my God.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
To be in Great American Ballpark and see this fine,
hard throwing right hander make his debut against the Yankees
was amazing. He struck out the first five batters he faced,
and then after giving up a hit to Chishma, struck
out his six spatter, So the first six outs he
(04:05):
recorded in Major League Baseball were all strikeouts. His stuff
was electric. It was a memorable moment. The crowd was wild.
It was a great scene, and to see this young
picture burst onto the scene was amazing. We got a
lot to look forward to in this guy's very young
(04:27):
major league career, and I'm glad I was incensing for it.
Number three at this point, I'd like to have a
moment of silence for Scott Miller, the longtime baseball writer
who lost his battle with cancer this past week at
age sixty two. Scott and I were friends. We covered
so many big games together, spent time around each other,
(04:50):
a great guy who loved baseball, wrote a lot of
great baseball books.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
And it's gone way too soon.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
One of our BBWAA brotherre In is gone, and we
will miss him, his love, his laugh, his friendly time
spent with each other in the press box.
Speaker 5 (05:09):
It is definitely a sad situation.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
Here comes the big interview. Listen and learn.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
It's so good now let's welcome into the podcast.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Washington Nationals outfielder and slugger James Wood. James, thanks for
joining us, Thanks for having me appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
What a season you're having home runs? I'll be eyes
every day. How much fun are you having so far?
Speaker 7 (05:39):
I mean it's been a it's been an experience. I mean,
I'm not a whole lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
We got a good group of guys in a lot
of comment.
Speaker 7 (05:46):
It's just it's just a blessing head.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Coming to the ball. Far your fear. How about the idea.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
I know you've heard people talking the ones trying to
talking about making the All Star team and season the
two foot What would that mean to you to make the.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
All Start team?
Speaker 8 (06:03):
And is that something that maybe you dreamt about or
thought about when you were coming up with a kid.
Speaker 7 (06:09):
I mean, yeah, it it'll be cool. I mean I
was who was watching the All Start.
Speaker 9 (06:13):
Game and all of that growing up, And I mean
it would just be something really special.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
To be a part of some favorite player of all times.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Who were you idolizing back in when growing up?
Speaker 7 (06:26):
I mean when I first picked up a bat, I was.
Speaker 9 (06:29):
Trying to swing like Barry Bond since that was like
the earliest typer.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
My min Barry Boss.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Most people consider him the best hit or ever and
obviously the power.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
To emulate his baddings things.
Speaker 7 (06:42):
Uh not really, I just he just had the bad
with the tape on it. And I mean the bad
I had look nothing like it, but I thought it
looked like I thought I would like hating sing in it.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
So how about the hitting home runs of power? Everybody
can't hit home runs?
Speaker 5 (06:57):
Talk about it all the time, right, did.
Speaker 10 (06:59):
You you know or do you try to hit home runs?
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Is it just natural you try to make solid connection?
And what are you trying to do when you have
to play.
Speaker 9 (07:09):
I mean, I just want to hit the ball hard.
I mean, I've just sen good things happen when when
that's when that's my plan, I.
Speaker 7 (07:17):
Just sing it, sympathize it, and yeah, I can't really
try and hit. I feel like that kind of gets
me into trouble. So I'm gonna just try.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
And make it come to that.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Our guest, James Wood from the Washington Nationals of.
Speaker 8 (07:29):
Course, uh slugger outfielder, talk about playing basically in your hometown.
You know, when you're from Maryland, here's the local team.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
What is that like?
Speaker 1 (07:40):
And how how much fun is you have to.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
Be able to play in front of your.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Parents and family and friends houses.
Speaker 9 (07:46):
Yeah, I mean it's it's I mean a lot of
guys don't really get to experience that.
Speaker 7 (07:51):
So I'm just super fortunate. I know my parents like
it a lot, and they get to come to a
lot of them. All games really, so I mean I
mean a special one. I mean, as I can't really
take her, you know.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
And how much you love for baseball.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
I mean, you're six foot seven, obviously played basketball.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Was there a moment where you decided you just knew you.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Were a baseball player and not a basketball player.
Speaker 7 (08:17):
And I think I knew, like real early on.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
I just think.
Speaker 7 (08:22):
For me like I could always you know, I could
hit in the cage until my hands were killing me,
and kind of.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Saying with baseball like the practice and.
Speaker 9 (08:30):
All that, and never really I never really felt like
where it goes enjoyed that.
Speaker 7 (08:35):
I think once I realized that, I think that's gonna
do there. Ase balls was my sport.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
And what part of the game was the most fun
for you?
Speaker 5 (08:43):
Isn't obviously you're a slugger, but.
Speaker 8 (08:46):
Hitting defensively, do you get you know, joy out of
throwing somebody out?
Speaker 5 (08:51):
You know we could throw making a diving catch? What
what part do you love the most?
Speaker 3 (08:57):
I mean, I think everything.
Speaker 9 (08:58):
I mean, I think like obviously your own ride and
doubles and a lot of fun, but.
Speaker 7 (09:04):
I met, I think I'll take a lot of pride in.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
My defense and my base running.
Speaker 9 (09:07):
So I just thing and take it away and and taking.
Speaker 7 (09:11):
At your base or or if it's just as fun.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
To all you guys had a bump in the road,
bad losing street.
Speaker 5 (09:17):
But how did you work through that?
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Because you guys weren't.
Speaker 5 (09:21):
You weren't playing good baseball, you but just awesome games.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Things they go either way. It wasn't like you were
totally out of it and you couldn't compete.
Speaker 5 (09:28):
You How did you go through that patch and be
able to just say, you know, we're a good group
and we could get through that.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (09:35):
I mean, I just think just having the confidence in ourselves.
And I mean I think early.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
On maybe so weird game below, it doesn't.
Speaker 7 (09:44):
Mean it's like you said, it's just a bump in
the road. And I mean I think you're just knowing
that what we're able to get back to it makes
it easier to kind.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Of go through those struggles.
Speaker 5 (09:55):
Last thing, Mike, have been building here.
Speaker 8 (09:57):
I got a lot of young players, some guys from
you know, look like they're going to be good players
from all time.
Speaker 5 (10:04):
You know what you said, Gray's been heard, He's gonna
eventually come back.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
It feels like the team is building something for the future.
Do you feel that way?
Speaker 9 (10:12):
Yeah, I mean, I think we got a lot of
young talent in the year, and we got a lot
of episode that we can lean on and time where
I'm from, so I mean, yeah, I mean I.
Speaker 7 (10:20):
Think there's a lot of potential in my locker room,
and I just think it's just kind of on us.
Just get the best version out of each other.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
All right.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Our guest James Wood from the Washington Nationals the Slugger.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
See you at the All Star Game in Atlanta. Maybe
let's see it. Yeah, that'll be great. All right, buddy,
thank you so much. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
In case you missed Rob Parker on the MLB network,
here's his latest appearance on mL.
Speaker 11 (10:48):
Dina you love Rob Parker in the showdown here in
the Flesh spa band. I will talk to you the
same way, right in front of you. That's it, do,
let's do it. You're an opinionated sort of fellow. I
thought it was pretty funny because you predicted before the
season started that Wan Soto would struggle.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Then he became one.
Speaker 11 (11:07):
So so as you say, what do you say now, though,
be fair?
Speaker 4 (11:11):
I'm gonna be fair and bkay.
Speaker 12 (11:12):
It's not as if he's having like this terrible season
and you have.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
The numbers, but it doesn't feel as good. It really doesn't.
If you're a Mets fan, you.
Speaker 12 (11:21):
Were expecting extra white meat and a biscuit. I'm not
there's something missing. The two fifty six bat average the meal,
the two fifty six doesn't feel good. He had a
great June and that's why things have turned around.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
But still I.
Speaker 12 (11:38):
Don't feel like he's the best player.
Speaker 4 (11:41):
He's seven sixty five.
Speaker 12 (11:43):
He's made the Mets, which was which was a good
team last year even better.
Speaker 11 (11:48):
I'm gonna be fair too. You wanted the splash that
he showed last year with the Endcaps. Last year was
a splash.
Speaker 4 (11:53):
What did he do when he showed up in Houston
on the opening game? Guy out right and had the
game winning hit? Do you remember that it was from
the jump street?
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Ye?
Speaker 11 (12:01):
And the lack of effort. Even our guys are pushing back.
Our research is like, come on, he's top ten in
the league in hitting. He is, he's he's had good
at bats all year. He works hard there. He didn't
work hard in other situations though, and that's on him.
Come on, you're the highest paid guy in the history
the franchise and the sport. I think there's no excuse
for that because he's supposed to represent something that was
disappointing and he doesn't.
Speaker 12 (12:23):
It doesn't look like he's happy, I mean, and that's
just I'm reading into it. You should be happy, seven
sixty five.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
Very happy, But he doesn't look like he's like, really,
he's got a sweet?
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Didn't he want the sweet?
Speaker 4 (12:34):
He got a sweet?
Speaker 1 (12:35):
Yankees wouldn't give a sweet.
Speaker 4 (12:36):
That's well.
Speaker 11 (12:36):
But he's top ten in hitting now, want to be fair,
Juan Soto right now top ten in hitting in all
of baseball.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
That's very good. He's delivering, he's not not delivering.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
I'll remove this so so for now, so so advised.
Speaker 11 (12:48):
Are you ready to remove the brakes You're always pumping
the brakes famously on Elie de la Cruz. He's a
top five shortstop right now, he's played in all eighty one.
The guy's making it happen. Perhaps it's not the envy
season that I saw coming. All right, I know you
before you could throw that my way in my face again.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
But that's a good year. He's having very good year.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
I'm gonna give it up to you. It took a
couple of years. You were ready to put him in
the All Star Game after.
Speaker 5 (13:12):
I wanted.
Speaker 4 (13:14):
Was let's wait a little bit. And now we're starting
to see him mature.
Speaker 12 (13:18):
And you know what, the strikeout rate is the thing
that I kept pushing back on you that he struck
out way too much.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
His first year he bated two thirty five.
Speaker 12 (13:25):
That wasn't good with a ton of strikeouts, and I
think it's down six percent of strikeout rate. So he
is making those steps as batting average is higher.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
I'm going to give it to you.
Speaker 12 (13:35):
He's en route to being the start that you wanted
him to be.
Speaker 11 (13:38):
Okay, I thought after yes, completely fair in spring training,
I thought he was going to explode onto the league
because the tools are so outrageous and he gets it.
I think he gets he's he's not quite polished at shortstop,
but he's always working and I think he's at a
certain point. Last year he was ready to get into
the MVP conversation and then he hit a swoon. So
(14:00):
he has to prove himself this summer. You know, he
gets hotter and hotter, and his team is good that
he doesn't do that. He continues on this space and hey,
a top five shortstop in this the golden age of shortstops.
That's a superstar player.
Speaker 5 (14:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 12 (14:11):
No, And I talked to a lot of people went
the Reds. I was actually in Cincinnati on Tuesday, and
they all love him, and they all things that he's
put in the work and all.
Speaker 11 (14:20):
That he is on the basis he tears it up.
That's what we want to see. You want to see effort.
All right, you went on a ballpark trip. You're in
the middle of the ballpark. Yes, you're showing the country.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Tell us about your trip.
Speaker 12 (14:29):
So I've been Chicago Monday, Cincinnati Tuesday, I did the
Mets game last night here in New York, going to
the Yankees A's on Saturday, and.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
Then the Tigers and Twins. My buddies from high school.
We had kind of a reunion. We all went to
high school. One van you're in high school to eight
of us in Queens.
Speaker 12 (14:51):
In Queens, we all got together first time in year
five year friendship.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
It was awesome.
Speaker 11 (14:56):
What's your favorite park then, from what you've seen or
park experience?
Speaker 1 (15:00):
Who does it best?
Speaker 12 (15:03):
I would get My favorite ballpark is pack Bell I
know they don't call it that.
Speaker 4 (15:06):
What is it Oracle in San Francisco? Yeah? I like
that's gorgeous, right, just absolutely.
Speaker 11 (15:11):
What about ballpark experience as far as like blaring music,
not blaring music, mascots, things being shot into the stands.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Who does it best? I'm going to say of all
of them.
Speaker 12 (15:24):
I'm still I'm out of Dodger Stadium a lot, so
I like what they do there.
Speaker 11 (15:28):
Really, yeah, you know what, well, no, it's a beautiful
ass one that my ears were splitting. I bet people
and I don't know who loves the the you know,
the blaring, thumping music that they're pounding at you and
they're screaming at you. Make some noise and it's like,
it's the World Series. We know how to make noise.
That makes me and then people will accuse me, Oh no, you're.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
An old No, no one.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Likes this, Like who likes what?
Speaker 11 (15:50):
Kids you're jumping around going oh this is great.
Speaker 4 (15:52):
I can't hear it.
Speaker 12 (15:53):
But when I first went to Dodger Stadium as a
beat reporter covering the Reds covering the game, I go,
this is in the nineties. Everybody at the ballpark had a.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Radio listening to Vince Scully. It was the most unbelievable.
Speaker 12 (16:07):
Go to the ballpark to listen to Vince Scully while
you're at the ball Well, you can't do that now.
Speaker 11 (16:12):
You can't listen to whatever was calling the games on
the radio now because you can't hear a thing.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
That's my say.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
I'm blasting you now on that. But no, of course
the ball again.
Speaker 11 (16:19):
You go to a major league stadium, you feel that
you're in the rare air.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
I like Cincinnati, and that was a few years ago.
Speaker 11 (16:25):
I went to Cincinnati and I could have a conversation,
I could hear the murmur of the crowd and all right,
that sounds sleepy.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
No, it's exciting for me. The baseball game is a
major league game.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Is enough?
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Okay?
Speaker 12 (16:35):
And where you just said Oracle, Pittsburgh, It's right, PNC
and Camden yas those.
Speaker 11 (16:41):
Are my No, No, Wrigley, Fenway, No, I count those
are a separate because because they're great.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
We know, I don't know you're talking about it? All right,
good stuff.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
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 (16:59):
Now, let's welcome into the podcast Sweeney Murdy, who is
a longtime friend of mine and from MLB Media.
Speaker 5 (17:08):
Sweeney, how are you?
Speaker 10 (17:10):
I'm good, buddy, I'm starting.
Speaker 13 (17:11):
I think it's like thirty years you and I have
been working together in some capacity.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Right at least on Friday, the Yankees open up a
three game series against the A's in the Bronx, and
that will be like almost exactly the halfway point. It'll
be the yankees eightieth game. So I thought this would
be a great time for us to do like a
mid season awards. I would look on some of the
(17:36):
big awards that we expect at the halfway point.
Speaker 5 (17:39):
Aaron Judge, let's start to the American League.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
MVPs wanted a few times, and here we go off
to a great start in twenty twenty five. Aaron Judge
or the catcher for the Mariners, who has thirty one
home runs he hit in his first seventy five games.
Speaker 5 (18:00):
Who do you like for al MVP?
Speaker 10 (18:03):
Yeah, I think you know Judge is going to be
the guy to beat.
Speaker 13 (18:07):
You know, cal Raley's had an amazing season and he
might maybe he's gonna hit more home runs.
Speaker 10 (18:12):
I don't know that.
Speaker 13 (18:14):
But if you look at where Judges Yankees are our
first place team, you expect them to be a playoff team.
If Seattle's a playoff team and cal Raley is the
driving force, then he'll certainly get some consideration. But if
you're going to look at the historic nature of Judge's season,
if it continues in this path, he's going to be
(18:34):
leading in average and on base and slugging again, if
he's going to at least contend for a triple Crown,
then I think you have to recognize that because that's
kind of where he's been with his MVPs so far,
the two that he's already won. Think about this with
the you know, I never thought that, you know, Judge
was going to battle four hundred. That's just something that
(18:56):
nobody does. But even if he's in this range where
he stays over three point fifty, let's just set the
bar there.
Speaker 10 (19:05):
That's something if you look.
Speaker 13 (19:06):
At in Yankee history, if you take out Ruth and Garrett,
the only guys.
Speaker 10 (19:10):
In a Yankee uniform of it over three.
Speaker 13 (19:12):
Fifty DiMaggio Mattingly Mantle, that's gonna be hard for anybody
to topple when you're talking about an MVP.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
All right, let's go to the al Cy Young targ
Schooble with the Tigers, of course, had the triple Crown
last year, one of the best pitchers in the game.
He's off to another fantastic start. Hunter Brown for the Astros,
and then Jacob de gram what the Rangers has put
together an impressive season.
Speaker 5 (19:39):
Al Cy Young is it Schoolble with the Tigers.
Speaker 13 (19:43):
I'll throw another name at you, Max Freed with the Yankees,
who's had an amazing season. I'd like to see where
all these final numbers go as people go down the
stretch here. You know, you don't win the SA Young
in the first half of the season. So I think
Scooble is the guy to beat because he is you know,
he is the defending winner, and you mentioned the triple
(20:04):
crown last year. I'd like to see where where Freed
ends up here in battling him, because again, he's gonna
have opportunities to win games. And I know we don't
necessarily reward wins anymore for pitchers, but when you rack
up a lot of them, you have to pay attention.
So I think I think those are the guys I
(20:24):
would to me it's Freed versus Scooball.
Speaker 10 (20:28):
I think, as he's watched the second half.
Speaker 5 (20:30):
Unfold, I think that's fair. I really do. I'll guess
the Sweeney Murdy from MLB media.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
Social media guru over there doing all kinds of stuff.
Speaker 5 (20:40):
Let's go to the National League Shoho Tani's unbelievable. He's
a unicorn.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
But coming into Sunday that in two ninety one ton
of home runs a small amount of RBIs And I
get it. He's a pitcher, so everybody thinks he should
win the MVP if he pitches hits. But Pete crow
Armstrong is having a really fantastic season for the Cubs
(21:06):
as well.
Speaker 3 (21:07):
Where are you?
Speaker 2 (21:08):
Is it just show Hay as long as he pitches,
where are you in the National League MVP?
Speaker 13 (21:14):
I mean, he's leading off most of the time. He's
sitting a lot of solo home runs. You know, he's
better in the leadoff spot.
Speaker 5 (21:19):
But here's the follow the issue.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
He bet at leadoff last year knocked in one hundred
and thirty this year he was on pace for like
seventy nine or eighty RBI. So you can't tell me
like it was all because of the other people on base.
And I'm just saying I don't think that that's fair.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
I'm saying that's.
Speaker 13 (21:36):
Part well, that's well, that's part of it. He was
having a better season last year. But you know, it's
it's about you know, RBIs are dependent on the guys
in front of you, and.
Speaker 10 (21:48):
So that's a big part of it.
Speaker 13 (21:50):
I think show Hayes ops is if it's if that's
going to lead the league and he's going to be
in you know that, you know, forty fifty home run range. Again,
I don't see any and he can't be the MVP.
Pete Armstrong is having an amazing season. I'd love to
see where he goes, where he finishes, and where the
Cubs finish. But if you're going to tell me that
(22:10):
second half is going to feature show Ao Tani as
a pitcher as well, you know that's going to be
hard to knock him off the MVP pedestal there. That's
a big reason why he won the American League MVP.
Obviously wasn't a factor last year because he didn't pitch.
But if he's going to pitch and pitch, well, you know,
we saw him throw a scoreless inning on Sunday, and
(22:33):
you know what his potential is there. If he's going
to throw boy Robbie. I don't know if he's gonna
pitch you know, sixty innings. I'm making up numbers here
because I haven't done the math.
Speaker 10 (22:42):
But if he's gonna.
Speaker 13 (22:43):
Throw me fifty or sixty innings, at an elite rate
in the second half of the season and hit the
way he is.
Speaker 10 (22:50):
I have a hard time seeing him not.
Speaker 13 (22:52):
I have hard time believing he's not going to be
the MVP.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Okay, let's go to NL. Saw Young Yamamoto with the Dodgers.
He's a top contender. He's the ace of the Dodgers
staff now. And also Paul Skeins, who is rokied to
ye last year in the National League.
Speaker 5 (23:10):
Those seem to be the two top front runners for NL.
Cy Young, where are you?
Speaker 10 (23:15):
Yeah, I was.
Speaker 13 (23:16):
Trying to see if there was going to be a
closer that, you know, simply because I you know, uh
schemes won't necessarily wreck up the wins because the team
he's on. I was not going to see if there
are any closers in the mix that are just blowing
away that field. And nobody jumps out to me right now,
I've got it. Unless unless Youmamoto goes on one of
(23:38):
these second half runs with the Dodgers, I got to think,
and unless you know, Skimes has a little bit of
a blow up that's going to cause that Eer two
to jump up, I got to think it's his to
lose at this point right, I think we all look
at him as the best pitcher in the league and
(23:58):
waiting for him to throw up the best staff.
Speaker 10 (24:00):
And if that Erra still stays, you know, Christine, that is,
if that is.
Speaker 13 (24:04):
An elite era going into August and September, I think
you've got the makings of a real special season there,
and he would be probably my front runner at this point.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
There.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
It is the halfway point the major awards in Major
League Baseball. Thanks to Sweeney Murdy for joining us here
on Inside the Park of Sweeney.
Speaker 5 (24:23):
Always a pleasure, my man. I appreciate you, Robbie. Great
talking to you always.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
Here's the best from mlbbro dot com. What's up everyone?
Speaker 14 (24:34):
This is Justin Patrulli from mlbbro dot com and I'm
here to tell you what's popping. Christian Moore is starting
to break out in the show. On June twenty fourth,
Moore had his best performance as a big leaguer. He
had two home runs, including a walkoff two run shot
in the bottom of the tenth, and three rbi. He
was responsible for all three of the Angels runs.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
In that win.
Speaker 14 (24:56):
He's gotten five RBI in his last three games and
has a six to seventy seven ops.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
In thirteen games in the BIGS.
Speaker 14 (25:03):
The twenty two year old second Basement was drafted eighth
overall in twenty twenty four out of the University of Tennessee,
in which he spent three years there. In his third
and final year, he set the school single season record
for home runs and was a crucial part to the
twenty twenty four College World Series. After being drafted by
the Halos, he played a total of seventy nine games
for the single, Double and Triple A affiliates and batted
(25:24):
a combined three to zero two with eleven home runs
and fifty two RBI. With the Angels having the longest
current pro season drought in the league, they've been desperate
for a culture change of new energy. More's been bringing
a high energy and has championship experience at the amateur level,
so it'll be very interesting to see if he could
have a ripple effect on the club as a whole,
as he looks to be the future everyday second basement
(25:45):
for the team. That's what popping today on mlbbro dot com.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
It's sponsored by mlbbro because you need to know that
ball is It was a big week getting the big leagues.
Speaker 13 (26:01):
Who's who's a five?
Speaker 9 (26:03):
I believe it?
Speaker 1 (26:06):
Is it fouled? Or is it fair? And now from
mlbbro dot com, here's jrgambo.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Hey Jr.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Chase Burns made his major league debut and struck out
eight batters, including the first.
Speaker 3 (26:24):
Five outs of his major league career.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Is it foul or fair to say that he's the
real deal?
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Fair?
Speaker 15 (26:34):
It's rare that a highly tited pitching prospect like six three,
two hundred and ten pounds Chase Burns comes up and
it's almost lights out in his first start. Sure, he
gave up a few runs, but striking out the first
five New York Yankee batters something that hasn't been done
in the Expansion era dating back to nineteen sixty one.
(26:57):
That's like jump off the page dopeness. I'm awake for
as product. He had all of his pitches going, and
he was topping one hundred miles an hour on some
of them. I am amazed personally by the movement on
his pitches. They're wicked and he has years left to
(27:17):
perfect them, which is scary. He looked like a vet
out there. Some are already projecting multiple Cy Young Awards.
Health Willing. What excites me with Chase Burns is the
thought of watching him and Hunter Green in the same
rotation when Green returns to the Reds from his nagging injuries.
(27:38):
That's gonna be something. Those two have a chance to
be the best one to two bro punch in a
starting rotation.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
Maybe an NLB bro history.
Speaker 1 (27:47):
Yeah, I said it.
Speaker 15 (27:49):
The Reds are slowly putting the pieces together, and Chase
Burns definitely puts fannies in the seats as must watch TV,
right up there with Tory's school pass games and other
generational arms. So look out for Chase Burns. He's the
real deal and proved that and start one.
Speaker 1 (28:10):
Make way for weekend wagers.
Speaker 16 (28:13):
Yo, it's seanbo fire up those dead naps.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Let's go.
Speaker 16 (28:19):
It was a rough week last week. Zero wins, two
losses brings a season total to fourteen up, twelve down.
But let's get it right this wee can go to
and zero and you know when we started off, We're
gonna start it off in the Boogie down Bronx where
the Bombers, the New York Yankees welcome in those westsac
A's and when the A's are in town, you know
that long ball is leaving the building.
Speaker 5 (28:40):
Go ahead and bet on.
Speaker 16 (28:40):
The Bros John Carlow and Aaron Judge to go over
that eight to half total runs. The a's of pitching
here and there, but you know they're good man, that
over eight and a half.
Speaker 7 (28:49):
To little runs.
Speaker 4 (28:50):
Saturday, let's double up on this matchup and.
Speaker 16 (28:52):
In the second game of the series, we're taking the
Yankees minus one and a half on the run line.
Speaker 5 (28:58):
They should do damage to those Hi.
Speaker 8 (29:00):
I'm Rob Parker, the founder and editor of mlbbro.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Dot com, where we cover black.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
And brown major leaguers.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Seventy five percent of the content will be about the
current black and brown stars in.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
Major League Baseball.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
The other twenty five percent will take a look back
at some of the great black players. On the site,
there will be a ton of great written stories and
videos and features.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
MLB bro because you need to know MLB fans. When
it comes to Major League Baseball baseball, no one covers
it better than the odd cover fact.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
I am the baseball kid, first, second, third, and we're
leading shows with baseball.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
They'll watch it again all in one place, yo, right
here on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
I love baseball.
Speaker 17 (29:55):
In the words of New York TV legend the late
Bill Jorgensen. Thanking you for your time this time until
next time. Rob Parker out he can't givin. This could
be an inside of Parker.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
See you next week, same bat time, same Matt station,
Host
Rob Parker
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