February 12, 2020 • 26 mins
This week on Inside the (Rob) Parker, Rob discusses the Dodgers blockbuster trade for Mookie Betts and David Price from the Red Sox, why MLB should leave the playoffs alone, and why Pete Rose still shouldn't get in the Hall of Fame.
Guests: Rod Allen - Former MLB player and current analyst talks proposals to change the postseason, the Astros cheating scandal, the Mookie Betts blockbuster trade, and his World Series favorite heading into spring training. Jerry Hairston, Jr. - Former MLB'er and current Dodgers Analyst discusses the Mookie Betts trade and expectation for the Dodgers.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
From the Berke 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 one oh three, Rob Parker. Welcome back
to the podcast Inside the Parker. It's Rob Parker with
(00:24):
a very special edition. Will continue to do monthly podcast
until the start of the regular season at the end
of March, and then we'll be back in full swing
with our weekly Inside the Parker podcast. I'm your host,
Rob Parker. Coming up on the program, we're gonna talk
with Rod Allen, the former Major League and of course
(00:46):
analysts on my radio show, The Odd Couple on Fox
Sports Radio, and Jerry Hairston Jr. Another former Major League player,
World champion and the Dodger analyst for Spectrum Sport. It's
net l a, that and much more coming up on
a podcast. But first let's get you to getting Robbed
(01:08):
to lead off. It's getting Robbed to keep him Robs hot,
take on the three biggest stories in Major League Baseball.
Number one, Mookie Betts and David Price coming to the
Los Angeles Dodgers, and I don't know if anybody thinks
this isn't a great trade. It absolutely is for the Dodgers.
(01:31):
They get a big time right handed hitter, a guy
at the top of their lineup, one of the top
five probably baseball players in the game today in Mookie Betts.
He will make that already dangerous and potent lineup even better.
There's a big press conference at Dodgers Stadium later on
(01:52):
the day, UH to introduce these two guys and David Price.
David Price, they got on for fifty cent sol the dollar.
The Red Sox will be paying half of his contract.
But you take it, UH, healthy David Price, maybe he
can help you, maybe as a third starter with the
pressure off. This will work out and he can have
(02:13):
a bounceback season. So these two guys are going to
help the Dodgers. I've been critical of the Dodgers for
always playing like uh, playing like they're to the Tampa
Bay Raised and they're cheap and they don't want to
spend money. But I don't believe that you would go
out and make a trade for a guy like Mookie Betts,
who could be a free agent after this season. And
(02:35):
has already asked the Red Sox previously for four million dollars.
He wants a big pay day, he wants a long
term contract, and with the Dodgers making this move, it
feels like they're finally going to go. I wanted them
to get price Harper. I wanted them to sign Manny Machado.
I wanted them to go out and do it big.
(02:56):
The Dodgers deserve better. This is a franchise that hasn't
won a World Series since and I think they're really
serious about it. They understand their window won't be open forever.
They do have a lot of good young players, but
you gotta get guys who are more than potential and
can produce in the big moments. And Mookie Betts has
already done that. We know that he's been an m
(03:18):
v P and he's won a World Series with the
Red Sox, So this is all good. The Los Angeles
Dodgers are serious about winning, and that's good news for
long suffering Dodger fans. Number two. There has been shock
ways all over major League Baseball about the story that
(03:39):
Joel Sherman from The New York Post broke that major
League Baseball is entertaining the idea of changing some of
the postseason, UH, adding two teams from each league into
the playoff mix, so instead of having ten teams, it
would be fourteen teams. Also, the teams with the number
(03:59):
one see leads would have buys and also the other
team would be able to pick who their opponents would be.
So these are some of the changes that are being
tossed around. Nothing official from Major League Baseball. Some players
have pushed back. Trevor Bauer not happy, calling out Commissioner
Rob Manfred about the potential of these changes that would
(04:24):
take place in two if they did. And all I'm
gonna do is like pump the brakes. You know, I'm
a traditionalist. You know I love baseball. I wasn't even
in for the wild card. That has turned out to
be fine. So I'm willing to bend and look at
different things as Major League Baseball is trying to get
more people involved, included UH, some young people. I get it.
(04:47):
I'm not saying the game should never change. I'm just
of all the things that people talk about in baseball
these days, the one thing I never heard complaints about
was the postseason. The season is Baseball's glorious time. Last
year was amazing when the Washington Nationals won the World
(05:09):
Series and we had some great playoffs series, and normally
the playoffs are not the issue. It's about length of games.
It's about the style of play, home runs and strikeouts only.
It's stuff like that that you hear more fans complain
about than the postseason. So I'm just very leery of
(05:30):
changing things. And here's my biggest takeaway and my biggest
fear when you talk about adding more teams to the
playoff mix. I don't want Major League Baseball to turn
into the NBA or the National Hockey League. We're more
than half the team. Half the league makes the playoffs.
In the NBA there thirty teams and six team teams
(05:53):
make the playoffs. It negates the regular season. It makes
people will not want to pay attention and they just say, well,
I'll wait for the playoffs because most of the good
teams you know we're gonna make the playoffs. It's not
about them making it. And to me, you want to
make the regular season be worth more and make people
(06:14):
have to fight. I love the way it is. I
love that only ten baseball teams out of thirty make
it that means two thirds will not make the playoffs.
That's the way it should be. Doesn't mean that they're
not in the wild card. But this is the slippery
slope that I just do not like. Major League Baseball
postseason is one of the best in all of pro sports.
(06:37):
Don't mess it up. Don't fix something that's not broke.
Look at some of the other things in baseball that
could be handled. Please leave my postseason alone. Number three,
Pete Rose, please sit down, be quiet. What are you
talking about? Oh? Oh my, I just cannot get over
(07:00):
this whole idea that p Rose is trying to seize
an opportunity to get sympathy about his plate and what
he did with gambling with baseball, and of course wants
to put it up against other people and their sins
against baseball that what he did was not nearly as
bad as people who use p d s or as
(07:22):
bad as what the Astros did with sign stealing. Can
I tell you something, Pete. It's all bad, and let's
be honest. Had you been honest when it first happened,
you would be in the Hall of Fame by now.
But you took the bad road. You decided to lie
for fourteen years about your involvement in it, and then
(07:44):
when baseball softened. You remember when they invited you to
the All Star Game in Cincinnati and allowed you to
participate even though you were a band player. Do you
remember that they were softening? And what did you do?
You roll ruined that moment by coming out with a book.
And after fourteen years of lying and telling people you
didn't bet on baseball, you did it in the book
(08:06):
so that you can make money. That's why you're still banned.
That's why you're not on the ballot. And and the
other thing too, is your argument. And the people who
are making an art case for you, they got one
big problem. The guys you're talking about Bonds and and Clemens,
they're not in the Hall of Fame, and and uh,
(08:29):
the Astros and altob We don't know how that's gonna
affect them, you know what I mean, when their time comes.
So you're using it as if they've let those guys
in and you're still out. No, they're not in. And
and that's the point. So people can have sympathy for you.
I understand you were a great baseball player. Anybody who's
(08:52):
ever been in the Major League uh clubhouse knows that
the biggest sign in the room tells you about the
day Drangers and the penalties of gambling on the game,
messing with the integrity of the game. Stop making excuses
for Pete Rose. What he did was potentially damaged the
(09:14):
game with the integrity question. That's why you can't poop pool.
It will act like it's not a big deal. It
is a big deal, and unfortunately Pete, because of it,
you're not in the Hall of Fame, and I don't
think you'll ever get in. Here comes the big interview. Listen, Headler.
(09:35):
All right, let's welcome into the podcast. Rod Allen, of course,
former major league player and a baseball analysts on my
radio show The Odd Couple on Fox Sports Radio. What's happening, Rod,
I'm good man. So much to do spring trainings around
the corner, pictures and catchers ready to head to Florida
(09:56):
and Arizona. But let's talk about the story that came
out that a potentially Major League Baseball is thinking of
making some changes to the postseason, adding a few teams
in each league, so you would have four teen teams
making the playoffs instead of ten. Buy for the first
(10:16):
team with the best record in each league, and then
teams get to pick there are opponents. What do you
make of all this? And do you like all this
stuff with changing the postseason? You know, I really haven't
had a chance to die digested, but you know, there
are a lot of it that I do like. I mean,
I like the fact that you'll have a couple of
more post eating teams. I kind of like the fact that,
(10:38):
you know, a lot of those games that you played
during the day where really no one's watching, a lot
of those things will be elimination games, so there will
be a lot of more interests. As towards television is concerned,
I think it's not for us, Rob, anybody. We watch
baseball no matter what, no matter where, no matter what planet.
But I think it's all about this next generation, just
trying to keep these kids involved, in trying to get
(10:59):
them involved, in trying to give him a reason to watch.
But you know, I kind of like it. I I
kind of like a lot of aspects to it. I
haven't been able to digest it totally, but there's a
lot of it. I do like. The only thing Rod
and I'll push back here is I don't want Major
League Baseball to be like the NBA and NHL, where
more than half the league makes the playoffs, because that's
(11:20):
why the NBA has a problem with its regular season
where people just kind of go home home. I'll wait
till the playoffs because most teams are gonna make the playoffs.
Is that a concern that that that too many teams
are making it in, Well, it'll be of the teams
that do get in, so that'll be quite a few teams,
fourteen of the of the thirties. So it doesn't concern
(11:41):
me because I think back to when they implemented uh,
you know, interleague play, and when they implemented the second
wild card in the first wild card. You know, you know,
I had apprehension at that time too. But it's been
a true home run for so many cities and so
many different fan bases to have, you know, your team
still in the hunt in July and August and September
and you're playing some meaningful games. It's good for baseball.
(12:02):
There's no doubt it's good for fans. So for me,
I think it's good in so many ways. I think
they're probably gonna tinker somethings as they get closer too.
But I think the general idea has got a lot
of people talking about it. There's no doubt about that.
How about what's bad for baseball has been this cheating
scandal with the Astros. The commission that came down hard.
(12:24):
Some people wanted them to take their UH championship away
from seventeen and you know, the sign stealing. What did
you make of this rod Everybody wants a little bit
of an advantage if you can peep and see the
catcher and he's not covering up his signals. I think
that's a part of the game. But when you bring
technology in and and and banging garbage cans and all
(12:47):
the other stuff that went on, where are you on that?
And what what the Astros did? Well, that's bad for
the game. There's no debate about that. I mean one
wrong for the game. And I think most of those players,
when they do have an opportunity to speak about it,
they will tell us that, just as A. J. Hints
told us that the other day. Uh. You know, I
me myself as a broadcaster for twenty one years, I'd
(13:09):
always be looking at the coaches, you know, down the
dugout and we had them on the monitor, I'll be
looking at the signs of the catcher. I'd be trying
to figure that stuff out myself from a broadcast boots standpoint,
So I can only imagine what the players are trying
to figure out, especially real time, getting an opportunity to
get there and tell them exactly what pitchers were coming. Uh.
Commissioner did the best that he could. I think I
think Boston that stists are gonna come down, Robin, Robin.
(13:31):
It's not good for baseball, there's no doubt about that.
I don't think we're done with it. I don't think
we're done hearing about it. But I do believe that Um,
Jim Crane hired the best man he could have hired
for that job in Houston, and being Dustie Baker, one
that could, you know, get those kids to tell the truth,
you know, get everybody to kind of you know, ask
their questions and do whatever they want to do because
he won't make sure they're accountable. So I think it's
(13:51):
gonna be some good in the end out of this. Uh.
Speaking of the Red Sox, UM, the the they haven't
they haven't gotten their penalty yet and that's coming down.
But but Alex Cora, who was fired UH as a
Red Sox manager who was involved in Houston and apparently
in Boston. And we're still waiting for the details. But Rod,
(14:13):
if it is found out that he bolted it in
Houston and took it along with him to Boston, Uh,
can Alice Corey work back in baseball or would he
be finished because he was linked twice? You know, people
make mistakes, I guess, but if he's linked twice, is
that hard for somebody to look at him and and
and and trust him to with a baseball team again.
(14:36):
I think he's so well respected. I think he'll have
a place in the game somewhere. I don't know if
he'll be a major league manager, but he is well
respected in Puerto Rico. He is well respected and in
the Latin community. I I don't know if it would
be an infield instructor, maybe a hitting coach, maybe not
a manager, but I do think that he could possibly
end up in this game again. But you know, it
just opens up another whole can canon worms because some
(14:58):
of those players are those on that championship team. I mean,
they're gonna be asking questions about those players and their
numbers and their stats. So you know, I just think that,
you know, we just need to get it all behind us.
And I do believe that most of those gentlemen that
were guilty of whatever happened, whatever they did, I think
if they come forward and say exactly what it is.
I think baseball is a forgiving sport. I think it
(15:19):
will forgive them and allow them to do something in
the game. I think a j Hints will manage to get.
As a matter of fact, our guest is Rod Allen
here on the Inside the Parker Podcast, of course, the
former Major League and UH analysts from our radio show
The Odd Couple on Fox Sports Radio. Rod, what about
Mookie Betts heading west to Los Angeles along with David Price.
You like that deal? Oh? I love the deal. I mean,
(15:42):
how could it not. I mean, now you have two
of the top five players and all the baseball from
an offensive standpoint playing in southern California in Hollywood that
would be Bellasier and Bets. You got Child playing down
the streets. You got Eronado down the street. I think
what it's gonna do for baseball, It's gonna allow a
lot of those folks on the East Coast to stay
up and watch the West Coast Baseball for a change,
because they're gonna want to see those players because that's
(16:03):
just how dynamic they are. The Dodgers are already a
good team. Now they're a really good team. Uh, not
to guarantee they're gonna win the World Championship, but Best
is a fun player to watch. There's no doubt about that.
All Star Gold Glove and he's gonna make that lineup
that much better. So and David Fright, if they use
him correctly and don't overuse him. You saw that he
could do in the postseason. If they keep him fresh,
(16:25):
he might show up like that in the postseason for
the Dodgers, and they desperately need a World championship. The
one question I asked, do they still have enough to
get Lindorf they really wanted him. Yeah, that's a good question.
I'm not so sure, but uh, I think the Dodgers,
if they really wanted somebody can do it. But last
week about that, yeah, I mean that was all off
season imagine as well? Yeah, all right, last thing? World
(16:51):
Series favorite is it? The Yankees with the addition of
Garrett Cole at the top of their rotation, and you
know what, lineup they have and what they were bla
do and they knock everybody down in the rotation? Um
Or is it the Dodgers with their offense and Mookie
Betts and David Price? Who do you like if it
came down to a world series between these two teams? Wow?
(17:12):
I was not prepared to answer that question today, But
since you asked the question, I'm going to go Yankees.
I mean, with Savorino coming back and Gary Cole and
that bullpen, that's just unbelievable. That offense is stellar. If
Stanton comes back and does what he does with those
(17:34):
babies up the middle. I you know, I like New
York and so it's hard I do I do? I
like New York. I'm with you on that, Rod. All right, man,
appreciate you. We'll be talking to you throughout the upcoming
baseball season. Can't wait. Thanks so much for joining the podcast.
All Right, my pleasure, have a great day. When Rob
(17:55):
was a newspaper columnist, he lived by this motto, if
I'm writing, I'm ripping. Let's bring in a writer of broadcaster,
older new all right, let's welcome into the podcast. Jerry
Harriston Jr. Of course, former major League player or World
champion with the Yankees. Uh. And of course the Dodgers
(18:15):
analysts were Spectral Sports Net l A. Jerry, Welcome to
the podcast. How you doing, got to have you. I'm
doing very well, very well. Yes, on Wednesday afternoon, four
o'clock Eastern time, the big press conference at Dodger Stadium. Yes, Uh,
Mookie Betts and David Price coming to Los Angeles. I
(18:39):
know you gotta like this trade and and and your thoughts.
I'm extremely excited. You know, the Dodgers the last a
few years of putting themselves in position to possibly win
a World Series. It hasn't happened. But I really believe
adding a guy like Mookie becks, in my opinion, top
five baseball player in all of major leagues, excellent top
(18:59):
of the order hitter. You know, I think this is
he's kind of like that this generation's Rickey Henderson. Excellent speed.
I'm gonna not gonna steal her in thirty basis because
nobody does that anymore. Really, nobody did that when Ricky played.
But he gives you speed at the top, power, a
great outfielder in right field, and you put him in
the lineup with next month see Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner,
(19:21):
uh and so on and so forth. This is arguably
the best line up in all of baseball. And then
add to uh this dodge your rotation a healthy David
Price who brings in championship type pedigree, and I really
believe he's gonna be pitching with a chip on his shoulder,
having something to prove this season. So I'm excited for
the Dodgers in the city of l A. Joey Dodgers
needed a good white handed bat. That that lineup is
(19:43):
loaded with lefties. This is the bets is going to help,
That isn't he Absolutely? You know, anytime you get a
chance to uh have one of the best players in
all of baseball on your on your lineup, excuse me,
in your lineup, it's gonna help. But you're always looking
for balance, and you know, like you mentioned, the Dodgs
were heavy left handed, uh the last few years with
(20:04):
you know, Jack Peterson, Corey Seeger h Cody Bellinger, Max Munty.
There's nothing wrong with having left handed power, but you
want to kind of offset that a little bit, especially
with the emergence of Gavin Lux the new start second
basement as the Dodgers have. He's a left handed batter,
so you want to make sure you're balanced when you're
facing right He's and lefties throughout the season and the playoffs.
So why not get arguably the best right handed hitting
(20:28):
outfielder outside of my trout in baseball, and that's Mookie Betts.
And Uh, Jerry, you don't look at this as as
some sort of rental. You don't make a trade for
a guy player like Mookie Betts and not be willing
to sign this guy who can be a free agent
after next year. You fully expect the Dodgers to antie
up and paid. Has got to be a Dodger for
(20:49):
a long time, don't you. Absolutely. I would liken this
to like an Anthony Davis. You know, you trade for
Anthony Davis. Get him in the fold, let him see
l A. Let him be a Laker and see how
great it is to be living in l A. Very
similar with Mookie bet You get him over here and
let him play in this ballpark, be a Dodger every day.
Uh get accustomed to, you know, the lifestyle in l A,
(21:12):
which really is second to none. Being in the bright
lights of Hollywood. I think he's going to love it
here and want to sign back, And certainly the Dodgers
have the resources to sign a guy like Moki Bett.
So hopefully he's comfortable here, which I think he will be,
and we'll love to play here because everybody that's played here,
including myself, has a loved But I'm not putting on
that Dodger blue. Our guests on Inside the Parker podcast is,
(21:34):
of course Jerry Hairston Jr. Former Major League player and
an analyst for the Dodgers in their TV broadcast. Uh.
The other part is Mookie bettson Price come from Boston
and they're under a cloud of suspicion. They're under investigation
for what went down with their ex manager now Alex Cora. Uh.
(21:55):
And the Dodgers got abront of it. They lost in
the World Series in to the Red Sox. Where do
you make of that? Where Mookie Betts and David Price
could possibly be implemented, implicated and you know, talked about
that they took part in what could wind up being
yet another cheating scandal in baseball. Well, you know what
I've heard it. You know, before the commissioner ruled on
(22:17):
the astros, we had heard rumblings for a couple of
weeks what was coming down the road, and we knew
it was pretty pretty bad. Uh. We know that the
Commissioner is going to rule on the Red Sox pretty
pretty quickly. That's what we're hearing. Uh, And we've also
heard it's not nearly as bad as the Astros. So
I'm kind of banking on that. Anytime you play a
team in the World Series, in the Super Bowl or
(22:38):
the or the NBA Finals, you want to make sure
both sides are on the up and up. And I'm
hoping that was the case with the with the Red Sox.
I'm hoping Alex Cora uh didn't implement everything that he
had with Houston in Boston. But that's just to be seen.
But you know now that the guys like Mokie Betts
(22:58):
and David Price are on the phone, Uh, you gotta
wait and see. I'm hoping they weren't a part of it. Obviously,
then Frice being a picture certainly wasn't a part of
it because it was on the offensive side of the ball.
But I'm hoping Mookie wasn't wasn't part of that as well,
So that's to be seen. I'm hoping for the good
and not the bad. Jerry last thing, the UM. There
(23:22):
was a story that broke that Major League Baseball is
going to uh look at the possibility of doing some
changes with the playoffs. And I understand baseball is trying
to evolve and do some stuff and get some other
people involved in younger viewers. I get all that, but
I just wonder about tinkering with the playoffs. I never
hear anybody complain about the baseball playoffs. I love the
(23:44):
way they are. I don't want Major League Baseball to
wind up like the NBA or the NHL, where more
than half the league makes the playoffs and you make
the regular season almost irrelevant. Where you won the idea
of upping the number of teams to four team given
the number one seeds buys, having them pick their opponents.
(24:05):
There's a lot of moving parts here. Where are you?
It's funny how you brought this up because we had
talked about the MLB playoffs formats. I live in Scotts, Arizona, too,
and I work out with a lot of athletes in
Scotts till both whether it's football, former football players or
basketball players, and we talked about the baseball playoff format.
How it's almost perfect. You have that one wild card game,
(24:28):
and then you have the five game series in the
n ld S a l d S, and then obviously
if you have the LCS ALCS in the World Series.
It's almost that perfect format. And how great Major League
Baseball is done of kind of not watering down the
playoffs but having enough teams have a chance at the
World Series. Now we're talking about expanding the way the
(24:50):
NBA does it, the way the NHL does it. I
don't see this gaining any traction. You gotta remember Rob
if you know, MLB can go out there and have
certain proposed but they have to run it through MLB
Players Union, the players have to agree on this, and
just judging and hearing the players on social media and
then talking to a couple of them right now, personally,
(25:12):
they don't like this format, and I don't think this
would get much traction. So it's always good to to
revisit certain things. But leaving the playoff format at it
as is is nearly perfect. You're not nothing's gonna be perfect.
I understand that, but leave it that is as it
is now because it's been exciting, especially the last seven
eight years, no doubt about it. All right, Jerry, always
(25:35):
a pleasure man. We'll be talking to you spring training
in pictures and catchers. Man, you can feel it in
the air. Can't wait, I can't wait. I can't wait
for another season dowdr baseball. All right, man, appreciate you,
Thanks so much anytime. In the words of New York
(25:57):
TV legend the late Bill Jorgensen, thank you for your time,
this time until next time. Rob Parker out. He can't
get it. This could be an inside of Parker to
see you next weekend. Save bad time, Save Man station.
H h h
From the Berke 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 one oh three, Rob Parker. Welcome back
to the podcast Inside the Parker. It's Rob Parker with
(00:24):
a very special edition. Will continue to do monthly podcast
until the start of the regular season at the end
of March, and then we'll be back in full swing
with our weekly Inside the Parker podcast. I'm your host,
Rob Parker. Coming up on the program, we're gonna talk
with Rod Allen, the former Major League and of course
(00:46):
analysts on my radio show, The Odd Couple on Fox
Sports Radio, and Jerry Hairston Jr. Another former Major League player,
World champion and the Dodger analyst for Spectrum Sport. It's
net l a, that and much more coming up on
a podcast. But first let's get you to getting Robbed
(01:08):
to lead off. It's getting Robbed to keep him Robs hot,
take on the three biggest stories in Major League Baseball.
Number one, Mookie Betts and David Price coming to the
Los Angeles Dodgers, and I don't know if anybody thinks
this isn't a great trade. It absolutely is for the Dodgers.
(01:31):
They get a big time right handed hitter, a guy
at the top of their lineup, one of the top
five probably baseball players in the game today in Mookie Betts.
He will make that already dangerous and potent lineup even better.
There's a big press conference at Dodgers Stadium later on
(01:52):
the day, UH to introduce these two guys and David Price.
David Price, they got on for fifty cent sol the dollar.
The Red Sox will be paying half of his contract.
But you take it, UH, healthy David Price, maybe he
can help you, maybe as a third starter with the
pressure off. This will work out and he can have
(02:13):
a bounceback season. So these two guys are going to
help the Dodgers. I've been critical of the Dodgers for
always playing like uh, playing like they're to the Tampa
Bay Raised and they're cheap and they don't want to
spend money. But I don't believe that you would go
out and make a trade for a guy like Mookie Betts,
who could be a free agent after this season. And
(02:35):
has already asked the Red Sox previously for four million dollars.
He wants a big pay day, he wants a long
term contract, and with the Dodgers making this move, it
feels like they're finally going to go. I wanted them
to get price Harper. I wanted them to sign Manny Machado.
I wanted them to go out and do it big.
(02:56):
The Dodgers deserve better. This is a franchise that hasn't
won a World Series since and I think they're really
serious about it. They understand their window won't be open forever.
They do have a lot of good young players, but
you gotta get guys who are more than potential and
can produce in the big moments. And Mookie Betts has
already done that. We know that he's been an m
(03:18):
v P and he's won a World Series with the
Red Sox, So this is all good. The Los Angeles
Dodgers are serious about winning, and that's good news for
long suffering Dodger fans. Number two. There has been shock
ways all over major League Baseball about the story that
(03:39):
Joel Sherman from The New York Post broke that major
League Baseball is entertaining the idea of changing some of
the postseason, UH, adding two teams from each league into
the playoff mix, so instead of having ten teams, it
would be fourteen teams. Also, the teams with the number
(03:59):
one see leads would have buys and also the other
team would be able to pick who their opponents would be.
So these are some of the changes that are being
tossed around. Nothing official from Major League Baseball. Some players
have pushed back. Trevor Bauer not happy, calling out Commissioner
Rob Manfred about the potential of these changes that would
(04:24):
take place in two if they did. And all I'm
gonna do is like pump the brakes. You know, I'm
a traditionalist. You know I love baseball. I wasn't even
in for the wild card. That has turned out to
be fine. So I'm willing to bend and look at
different things as Major League Baseball is trying to get
more people involved, included UH, some young people. I get it.
(04:47):
I'm not saying the game should never change. I'm just
of all the things that people talk about in baseball
these days, the one thing I never heard complaints about
was the postseason. The season is Baseball's glorious time. Last
year was amazing when the Washington Nationals won the World
(05:09):
Series and we had some great playoffs series, and normally
the playoffs are not the issue. It's about length of games.
It's about the style of play, home runs and strikeouts only.
It's stuff like that that you hear more fans complain
about than the postseason. So I'm just very leery of
(05:30):
changing things. And here's my biggest takeaway and my biggest
fear when you talk about adding more teams to the
playoff mix. I don't want Major League Baseball to turn
into the NBA or the National Hockey League. We're more
than half the team. Half the league makes the playoffs.
In the NBA there thirty teams and six team teams
(05:53):
make the playoffs. It negates the regular season. It makes
people will not want to pay attention and they just say, well,
I'll wait for the playoffs because most of the good
teams you know we're gonna make the playoffs. It's not
about them making it. And to me, you want to
make the regular season be worth more and make people
(06:14):
have to fight. I love the way it is. I
love that only ten baseball teams out of thirty make
it that means two thirds will not make the playoffs.
That's the way it should be. Doesn't mean that they're
not in the wild card. But this is the slippery
slope that I just do not like. Major League Baseball
postseason is one of the best in all of pro sports.
(06:37):
Don't mess it up. Don't fix something that's not broke.
Look at some of the other things in baseball that
could be handled. Please leave my postseason alone. Number three,
Pete Rose, please sit down, be quiet. What are you
talking about? Oh? Oh my, I just cannot get over
(07:00):
this whole idea that p Rose is trying to seize
an opportunity to get sympathy about his plate and what
he did with gambling with baseball, and of course wants
to put it up against other people and their sins
against baseball that what he did was not nearly as
bad as people who use p d s or as
(07:22):
bad as what the Astros did with sign stealing. Can
I tell you something, Pete. It's all bad, and let's
be honest. Had you been honest when it first happened,
you would be in the Hall of Fame by now.
But you took the bad road. You decided to lie
for fourteen years about your involvement in it, and then
(07:44):
when baseball softened. You remember when they invited you to
the All Star Game in Cincinnati and allowed you to
participate even though you were a band player. Do you
remember that they were softening? And what did you do?
You roll ruined that moment by coming out with a book.
And after fourteen years of lying and telling people you
didn't bet on baseball, you did it in the book
(08:06):
so that you can make money. That's why you're still banned.
That's why you're not on the ballot. And and the
other thing too, is your argument. And the people who
are making an art case for you, they got one
big problem. The guys you're talking about Bonds and and Clemens,
they're not in the Hall of Fame, and and uh,
(08:29):
the Astros and altob We don't know how that's gonna
affect them, you know what I mean, when their time comes.
So you're using it as if they've let those guys
in and you're still out. No, they're not in. And
and that's the point. So people can have sympathy for you.
I understand you were a great baseball player. Anybody who's
(08:52):
ever been in the Major League uh clubhouse knows that
the biggest sign in the room tells you about the
day Drangers and the penalties of gambling on the game,
messing with the integrity of the game. Stop making excuses
for Pete Rose. What he did was potentially damaged the
(09:14):
game with the integrity question. That's why you can't poop pool.
It will act like it's not a big deal. It
is a big deal, and unfortunately Pete, because of it,
you're not in the Hall of Fame, and I don't
think you'll ever get in. Here comes the big interview. Listen, Headler.
(09:35):
All right, let's welcome into the podcast. Rod Allen, of course,
former major league player and a baseball analysts on my
radio show The Odd Couple on Fox Sports Radio. What's happening, Rod,
I'm good man. So much to do spring trainings around
the corner, pictures and catchers ready to head to Florida
(09:56):
and Arizona. But let's talk about the story that came
out that a potentially Major League Baseball is thinking of
making some changes to the postseason, adding a few teams
in each league, so you would have four teen teams
making the playoffs instead of ten. Buy for the first
(10:16):
team with the best record in each league, and then
teams get to pick there are opponents. What do you
make of all this? And do you like all this
stuff with changing the postseason? You know, I really haven't
had a chance to die digested, but you know, there
are a lot of it that I do like. I mean,
I like the fact that you'll have a couple of
more post eating teams. I kind of like the fact that,
(10:38):
you know, a lot of those games that you played
during the day where really no one's watching, a lot
of those things will be elimination games, so there will
be a lot of more interests. As towards television is concerned,
I think it's not for us, Rob, anybody. We watch
baseball no matter what, no matter where, no matter what planet.
But I think it's all about this next generation, just
trying to keep these kids involved, in trying to get
(10:59):
them involved, in trying to give him a reason to watch.
But you know, I kind of like it. I I
kind of like a lot of aspects to it. I
haven't been able to digest it totally, but there's a
lot of it. I do like. The only thing Rod
and I'll push back here is I don't want Major
League Baseball to be like the NBA and NHL, where
more than half the league makes the playoffs, because that's
(11:20):
why the NBA has a problem with its regular season
where people just kind of go home home. I'll wait
till the playoffs because most teams are gonna make the playoffs.
Is that a concern that that that too many teams
are making it in, Well, it'll be of the teams
that do get in, so that'll be quite a few teams,
fourteen of the of the thirties. So it doesn't concern
(11:41):
me because I think back to when they implemented uh,
you know, interleague play, and when they implemented the second
wild card in the first wild card. You know, you know,
I had apprehension at that time too. But it's been
a true home run for so many cities and so
many different fan bases to have, you know, your team
still in the hunt in July and August and September
and you're playing some meaningful games. It's good for baseball.
(12:02):
There's no doubt it's good for fans. So for me,
I think it's good in so many ways. I think
they're probably gonna tinker somethings as they get closer too.
But I think the general idea has got a lot
of people talking about it. There's no doubt about that.
How about what's bad for baseball has been this cheating
scandal with the Astros. The commission that came down hard.
(12:24):
Some people wanted them to take their UH championship away
from seventeen and you know, the sign stealing. What did
you make of this rod Everybody wants a little bit
of an advantage if you can peep and see the
catcher and he's not covering up his signals. I think
that's a part of the game. But when you bring
technology in and and and banging garbage cans and all
(12:47):
the other stuff that went on, where are you on that?
And what what the Astros did? Well, that's bad for
the game. There's no debate about that. I mean one
wrong for the game. And I think most of those players,
when they do have an opportunity to speak about it,
they will tell us that, just as A. J. Hints
told us that the other day. Uh. You know, I
me myself as a broadcaster for twenty one years, I'd
(13:09):
always be looking at the coaches, you know, down the
dugout and we had them on the monitor, I'll be
looking at the signs of the catcher. I'd be trying
to figure that stuff out myself from a broadcast boots standpoint,
So I can only imagine what the players are trying
to figure out, especially real time, getting an opportunity to
get there and tell them exactly what pitchers were coming. Uh.
Commissioner did the best that he could. I think I
think Boston that stists are gonna come down, Robin, Robin.
(13:31):
It's not good for baseball, there's no doubt about that.
I don't think we're done with it. I don't think
we're done hearing about it. But I do believe that Um,
Jim Crane hired the best man he could have hired
for that job in Houston, and being Dustie Baker, one
that could, you know, get those kids to tell the truth,
you know, get everybody to kind of you know, ask
their questions and do whatever they want to do because
he won't make sure they're accountable. So I think it's
(13:51):
gonna be some good in the end out of this. Uh.
Speaking of the Red Sox, UM, the the they haven't
they haven't gotten their penalty yet and that's coming down.
But but Alex Cora, who was fired UH as a
Red Sox manager who was involved in Houston and apparently
in Boston. And we're still waiting for the details. But Rod,
(14:13):
if it is found out that he bolted it in
Houston and took it along with him to Boston, Uh,
can Alice Corey work back in baseball or would he
be finished because he was linked twice? You know, people
make mistakes, I guess, but if he's linked twice, is
that hard for somebody to look at him and and
and and trust him to with a baseball team again.
(14:36):
I think he's so well respected. I think he'll have
a place in the game somewhere. I don't know if
he'll be a major league manager, but he is well
respected in Puerto Rico. He is well respected and in
the Latin community. I I don't know if it would
be an infield instructor, maybe a hitting coach, maybe not
a manager, but I do think that he could possibly
end up in this game again. But you know, it
just opens up another whole can canon worms because some
(14:58):
of those players are those on that championship team. I mean,
they're gonna be asking questions about those players and their
numbers and their stats. So you know, I just think that,
you know, we just need to get it all behind us.
And I do believe that most of those gentlemen that
were guilty of whatever happened, whatever they did, I think
if they come forward and say exactly what it is.
I think baseball is a forgiving sport. I think it
(15:19):
will forgive them and allow them to do something in
the game. I think a j Hints will manage to get.
As a matter of fact, our guest is Rod Allen
here on the Inside the Parker Podcast, of course, the
former Major League and UH analysts from our radio show
The Odd Couple on Fox Sports Radio. Rod, what about
Mookie Betts heading west to Los Angeles along with David Price.
You like that deal? Oh? I love the deal. I mean,
(15:42):
how could it not. I mean, now you have two
of the top five players and all the baseball from
an offensive standpoint playing in southern California in Hollywood that
would be Bellasier and Bets. You got Child playing down
the streets. You got Eronado down the street. I think
what it's gonna do for baseball, It's gonna allow a
lot of those folks on the East Coast to stay
up and watch the West Coast Baseball for a change,
because they're gonna want to see those players because that's
(16:03):
just how dynamic they are. The Dodgers are already a
good team. Now they're a really good team. Uh, not
to guarantee they're gonna win the World Championship, but Best
is a fun player to watch. There's no doubt about that.
All Star Gold Glove and he's gonna make that lineup
that much better. So and David Fright, if they use
him correctly and don't overuse him. You saw that he
could do in the postseason. If they keep him fresh,
(16:25):
he might show up like that in the postseason for
the Dodgers, and they desperately need a World championship. The
one question I asked, do they still have enough to
get Lindorf they really wanted him. Yeah, that's a good question.
I'm not so sure, but uh, I think the Dodgers,
if they really wanted somebody can do it. But last
week about that, yeah, I mean that was all off
season imagine as well? Yeah, all right, last thing? World
(16:51):
Series favorite is it? The Yankees with the addition of
Garrett Cole at the top of their rotation, and you
know what, lineup they have and what they were bla
do and they knock everybody down in the rotation? Um
Or is it the Dodgers with their offense and Mookie
Betts and David Price? Who do you like if it
came down to a world series between these two teams? Wow?
(17:12):
I was not prepared to answer that question today, But
since you asked the question, I'm going to go Yankees.
I mean, with Savorino coming back and Gary Cole and
that bullpen, that's just unbelievable. That offense is stellar. If
Stanton comes back and does what he does with those
(17:34):
babies up the middle. I you know, I like New
York and so it's hard I do I do? I
like New York. I'm with you on that, Rod. All right, man,
appreciate you. We'll be talking to you throughout the upcoming
baseball season. Can't wait. Thanks so much for joining the podcast.
All Right, my pleasure, have a great day. When Rob
(17:55):
was a newspaper columnist, he lived by this motto, if
I'm writing, I'm ripping. Let's bring in a writer of broadcaster,
older new all right, let's welcome into the podcast. Jerry
Harriston Jr. Of course, former major League player or World
champion with the Yankees. Uh. And of course the Dodgers
(18:15):
analysts were Spectral Sports Net l A. Jerry, Welcome to
the podcast. How you doing, got to have you. I'm
doing very well, very well. Yes, on Wednesday afternoon, four
o'clock Eastern time, the big press conference at Dodger Stadium. Yes, Uh,
Mookie Betts and David Price coming to Los Angeles. I
(18:39):
know you gotta like this trade and and and your thoughts.
I'm extremely excited. You know, the Dodgers the last a
few years of putting themselves in position to possibly win
a World Series. It hasn't happened. But I really believe
adding a guy like Mookie becks, in my opinion, top
five baseball player in all of major leagues, excellent top
(18:59):
of the order hitter. You know, I think this is
he's kind of like that this generation's Rickey Henderson. Excellent speed.
I'm gonna not gonna steal her in thirty basis because
nobody does that anymore. Really, nobody did that when Ricky played.
But he gives you speed at the top, power, a
great outfielder in right field, and you put him in
the lineup with next month see Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner,
(19:21):
uh and so on and so forth. This is arguably
the best line up in all of baseball. And then
add to uh this dodge your rotation a healthy David
Price who brings in championship type pedigree, and I really
believe he's gonna be pitching with a chip on his shoulder,
having something to prove this season. So I'm excited for
the Dodgers in the city of l A. Joey Dodgers
needed a good white handed bat. That that lineup is
(19:43):
loaded with lefties. This is the bets is going to help,
That isn't he Absolutely? You know, anytime you get a
chance to uh have one of the best players in
all of baseball on your on your lineup, excuse me,
in your lineup, it's gonna help. But you're always looking
for balance, and you know, like you mentioned, the Dodgs
were heavy left handed, uh the last few years with
(20:04):
you know, Jack Peterson, Corey Seeger h Cody Bellinger, Max Munty.
There's nothing wrong with having left handed power, but you
want to kind of offset that a little bit, especially
with the emergence of Gavin Lux the new start second
basement as the Dodgers have. He's a left handed batter,
so you want to make sure you're balanced when you're
facing right He's and lefties throughout the season and the playoffs.
So why not get arguably the best right handed hitting
(20:28):
outfielder outside of my trout in baseball, and that's Mookie Betts.
And Uh, Jerry, you don't look at this as as
some sort of rental. You don't make a trade for
a guy player like Mookie Betts and not be willing
to sign this guy who can be a free agent
after next year. You fully expect the Dodgers to antie
up and paid. Has got to be a Dodger for
(20:49):
a long time, don't you. Absolutely. I would liken this
to like an Anthony Davis. You know, you trade for
Anthony Davis. Get him in the fold, let him see
l A. Let him be a Laker and see how
great it is to be living in l A. Very
similar with Mookie bet You get him over here and
let him play in this ballpark, be a Dodger every day.
Uh get accustomed to, you know, the lifestyle in l A,
(21:12):
which really is second to none. Being in the bright
lights of Hollywood. I think he's going to love it
here and want to sign back, And certainly the Dodgers
have the resources to sign a guy like Moki Bett.
So hopefully he's comfortable here, which I think he will be,
and we'll love to play here because everybody that's played here,
including myself, has a loved But I'm not putting on
that Dodger blue. Our guests on Inside the Parker podcast is,
(21:34):
of course Jerry Hairston Jr. Former Major League player and
an analyst for the Dodgers in their TV broadcast. Uh.
The other part is Mookie bettson Price come from Boston
and they're under a cloud of suspicion. They're under investigation
for what went down with their ex manager now Alex Cora. Uh.
(21:55):
And the Dodgers got abront of it. They lost in
the World Series in to the Red Sox. Where do
you make of that? Where Mookie Betts and David Price
could possibly be implemented, implicated and you know, talked about
that they took part in what could wind up being
yet another cheating scandal in baseball. Well, you know what
I've heard it. You know, before the commissioner ruled on
(22:17):
the astros, we had heard rumblings for a couple of
weeks what was coming down the road, and we knew
it was pretty pretty bad. Uh. We know that the
Commissioner is going to rule on the Red Sox pretty
pretty quickly. That's what we're hearing. Uh, And we've also
heard it's not nearly as bad as the Astros. So
I'm kind of banking on that. Anytime you play a
team in the World Series, in the Super Bowl or
(22:38):
the or the NBA Finals, you want to make sure
both sides are on the up and up. And I'm
hoping that was the case with the with the Red Sox.
I'm hoping Alex Cora uh didn't implement everything that he
had with Houston in Boston. But that's just to be seen.
But you know now that the guys like Mokie Betts
(22:58):
and David Price are on the phone, Uh, you gotta
wait and see. I'm hoping they weren't a part of it. Obviously,
then Frice being a picture certainly wasn't a part of
it because it was on the offensive side of the ball.
But I'm hoping Mookie wasn't wasn't part of that as well,
So that's to be seen. I'm hoping for the good
and not the bad. Jerry last thing, the UM. There
(23:22):
was a story that broke that Major League Baseball is
going to uh look at the possibility of doing some
changes with the playoffs. And I understand baseball is trying
to evolve and do some stuff and get some other
people involved in younger viewers. I get all that, but
I just wonder about tinkering with the playoffs. I never
hear anybody complain about the baseball playoffs. I love the
(23:44):
way they are. I don't want Major League Baseball to
wind up like the NBA or the NHL, where more
than half the league makes the playoffs and you make
the regular season almost irrelevant. Where you won the idea
of upping the number of teams to four team given
the number one seeds buys, having them pick their opponents.
(24:05):
There's a lot of moving parts here. Where are you?
It's funny how you brought this up because we had
talked about the MLB playoffs formats. I live in Scotts, Arizona, too,
and I work out with a lot of athletes in
Scotts till both whether it's football, former football players or
basketball players, and we talked about the baseball playoff format.
How it's almost perfect. You have that one wild card game,
(24:28):
and then you have the five game series in the
n ld S a l d S, and then obviously
if you have the LCS ALCS in the World Series.
It's almost that perfect format. And how great Major League
Baseball is done of kind of not watering down the
playoffs but having enough teams have a chance at the
World Series. Now we're talking about expanding the way the
(24:50):
NBA does it, the way the NHL does it. I
don't see this gaining any traction. You gotta remember Rob
if you know, MLB can go out there and have
certain proposed but they have to run it through MLB
Players Union, the players have to agree on this, and
just judging and hearing the players on social media and
then talking to a couple of them right now, personally,
(25:12):
they don't like this format, and I don't think this
would get much traction. So it's always good to to
revisit certain things. But leaving the playoff format at it
as is is nearly perfect. You're not nothing's gonna be perfect.
I understand that, but leave it that is as it
is now because it's been exciting, especially the last seven
eight years, no doubt about it. All right, Jerry, always
(25:35):
a pleasure man. We'll be talking to you spring training
in pictures and catchers. Man, you can feel it in
the air. Can't wait, I can't wait. I can't wait
for another season dowdr baseball. All right, man, appreciate you,
Thanks so much anytime. In the words of New York
(25:57):
TV legend the late Bill Jorgensen, thank you for your time,
this time until next time. Rob Parker out. He can't
get it. This could be an inside of Parker to
see you next weekend. Save bad time, Save Man station.
H h h
Host
Rob Parker
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