This week on Inside the (Rob) Parker, Rob on why he is against robot umpires like those being tested in the minor leagues, why he's excited about the looming trade deadline, and how Yasiel Puig is reviving his career in Cincinnati. He also names his Top 3 MLB Teams of the Week, this week's 'Twitter Trash Talk' Winner, 'Foul or Fair' and the Analytic Stat of the Week. Guests: Dale Murphy - Braves great and 2X MVP on Atlanta's young stars and the HOF; Bip Roberts - Former Major Leaguer and A's broadcaster on transitioning from the field to broadcasting and the A's playoff chances.
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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 into
the Inside the Parker Podcast. Rob Parker. Here, you there,
(00:25):
what a show we have lined up for you. Two
time National League m VP Dale Murphy is on the program.
Also former second baseman and outfielder and current Oakland A's
TV analyst Bit Roberts. He also drops by that and
much more is coming up. Let's go to lead off.
(00:48):
It's getting robbed and keep him on. Rob's hot take
on the three biggest stories in Major League Baseball. Number one,
No way, no, how should major League Baseball even consider
this horrendous experiment by the Atlantic League, you know, the
independent minor league. It has robot umpires. This isn't what
(01:12):
they're trying. They've installed radar enabled strike zone technology and
its ballpark this month and they're having the balls and
strikes called by an umpire where upstairs in the press box,
and he has like a device in his ear and
(01:34):
the umpire behind the whole play doesn't make the call.
The call is made from upstairs and he relays what
the call is? What are we talking about? Where are we?
Life is about human beings. The players are real. The
umpire should be real. The game has been around four
a hundred and fifty years. People make mistakes, they're bad calls,
(01:56):
they are good calls. We do not need roll ot
umpires baseball stopping. There's nothing wrong with the game. Get
better umpires. We umpires don't do a good job. Fire them.
That's what you should be worried about. Let human beings
do these jobs and stop with the electronic umpires. Number two.
(02:23):
The baseball trade deadline is looming July thirty one, and
it's a hard deadline. Unlike the past, this will be
the only time a team can improve itself as we
move forward to the second half of the season in
the postseason, there are no waiver wire deals or anything else.
Those have all been done with. They've all been done
(02:46):
away with, so here we go. This is the most
significant thing about this and why you should expect to
see a lot of trades coming up, because the last
nine World Series winners, you know, they all have in common.
They all made an important trade at the deadline and
they added pieces and pieces parts that they needed. That's
(03:11):
includingen red Sox, the seventeen Astros, and the sixteen Cubs.
Sometimes you just have to go out and get what
you need to put you over to hump. So I
get it. You remember when the Astros went out and
got Justin Burlander from the Tigers. They wouldn't have won
(03:31):
that World Series without Justin Berlander, no doubt about it.
How about when the clubs picked up a roll this
Chapman from the Yankees. They don't get that World Series
either without Chapman. So this year the two teams I
think need to make key trades in order to reach
(03:52):
the World Series. The Dodgers need somebody in the bullpen
because their bullpen is the weak lane. There's no if
Hans or Butts. If they don't fix that bullpen, they
will not n o t make it to the World
Series for a third year in a row, and they
won't win it. And the New York Yankees, the Yankees
(04:12):
need a starter. They have to add a starter. They've
done a great job, they've done everything they needed to do,
but they need another starter for that rotation. If those
two teams go out and get what their needs are,
they have a chance to make a long run in
the playoffs. Number three. Don't look now, but Jacio Pueek
(04:35):
is the hottest player in baseball. The Cincinnati Reds are
rejuvenated and in the NL Central race, and a lot
has to do with Puig, who embraced being traded away
from the Dodgers and embrace playing in Cincinnati, a great
baseball town, and in the last month or so, he
(04:59):
has been on fire, playing as well as anybody hitting.
As of Tuesday, that is three seventy two, hitting the
ball all over the park. It includes eleven home run
some absolutely uh moonshots, so he has been tremendous. The
most recent big night for him came Monday night when
(05:20):
Puig went deep in the Red six to three win
over the Cubs. And yes, people in Cincinnati are loving
this colorful and amazing and electrifying ball player. Yes, Jasio
Puig lives on in Cincinnati in the Midwest. He's that
kind of player. Cincinnati's lucky to have him, and he's
(05:43):
lucky to be playing in such a great baseball town.
Here comes the big interview. Listen good, let's welcome to
the podcast. Former Major league outfield a two time National
League MVP, seven time All Star. Yes, his name is
(06:03):
Dale Murphy. Dale, thanks for joining the program. Thank you, Rob,
thanks for having me on. Uh, no doubt. Uh tell
me Dale. The Atlanta Braves, I just want to jump
right in. Have been a great story the last couple
of years. How much do you follow them? How much
do you like that young team? And and tell me
(06:24):
do you have something brewing down there? Yeah, they do
have something, bruin. I check every day what they're doing,
and try to check. Now that you can see games, uh,
you know on your phone, and you know how much
excuse at least see what happened. So I check in
what happened. If I didn't see the game, check the highlights,
and uh, I love what they're doing. And I think
(06:44):
they're gonna get stronger here before the trade deadline. Uh.
They have predicted that this group was coming online and
they're exactly right. Uh. Kunia is fantastic, cause the Albes
at second is fantastic. Dansby Swanson has improved his offense. Um.
The signing of Josh Donaldson was tremendous and Freddie Freeman
(07:09):
at first. First, I'll mentioned the infield infield is gonna
break all kinds of records this year as far as
a power hitting UH infield for the UH for the
Atlanta Braves. And then they added UH Brian McCann, which
is is more than his he's more than his statistics,
which I think is you know a great thing about
(07:31):
great players. He's just such a solid catcher and experienced
catchers helping this young pitching staff along. And we haven't
even got to the pitching staff yet. There's just some
brilli solid, good young pitchers and and I I was
just gonna say Dale and give the Braves credit. They
(07:53):
went out and got Dallas kaikel Oh. Yeah, yeah, There's
there's a lot of good things happening that I haven't mentioned.
You're right, Dallas kink Um, you know. And they made
a great decision organizationally a couple of years ago to
give Brian Snicker a chance. He's kind of a Bobby
Cox uh, you know out of that mold loves his
(08:14):
players good to play for, and they just they're just solid,
rob they really are. And uh, you know the Phillies,
you know, kind of not doing great. Washington's come on
a little bit. But this this, I feel really comfortable
about where this Braves team is, no doubt about it.
I think they are. They are having what a good year.
We saw Freddie Freeman with an unbelievable, sizzling hot month
(08:38):
of June. He broke all kinds of record for the Braves.
That guy is a star, no no question about it.
And I remember, you know, a million years ago, and
we we had a few good years when I played
with the Braves. We got really good when we got
Chris shambles Uh from the Yankees as our first baseman.
First baseman, really solidifying, cover up a lot of things.
(09:00):
And Freddie's one of the best defensive players you know,
on a on a hit ball, but you know, and
I don't know the numbers of airs he saved for
the infielders. And you know, add to that he hit
third and is a great hitter. So first baseman, I
tried it one year. You can't hide over there, No,
(09:20):
you can't. That ball will find you. That's great, especially
his first space. It is nothing to mess around with, obviously,
But I think sometimes people think you just go to first.
It doesn't work that way. He's he's just an all
around superstar and should be in uh m v P talk,
no question about it. Let's talk about your career because
(09:42):
it was tremendous. Obviously I mentioned earlier you won back
to back nationally AGA m vps with that eighty two
and eighty three, and that's not easy to do. You
hit three nine career home runs. Uh. That was when
cable was starting and TBS was a superstation right in
the Braves run around the country. You guys became America's
(10:04):
team because everybody could watch you. What was that like?
I know you guys never really got to where you
wanted to go or to win a World Series. But
tell me about how much you enjoyed playing in Atlanta
on your career. Well, you're right, Rob, I traveled the
country now and I run into fans Atlanta Braves fans
that were uh that started back in the eighties with
(10:27):
Ted Turner and the putting us on TPS every night
around the well around the world, but obviously around the country.
And I think it's a great lesson to learn that
baseball is always better with more exposure, and we we
can see baseball a lot of different devices now, UM,
and I just think, you know, the more exposure the better.
(10:48):
And I think TBS and what Ted Turner done, it
is just a great example. We have a generation of
Atlanta Braves fans that have passed it down to uh
to their kids because they saw baseball every night. And Uh,
it's just been a great thing to travel the country
and meet fans. I I spoken further North Dakota a
(11:10):
couple of years ago, a whole bunch of Bridge fans uh,
literally all over the country. Um, and especially in the
towns which I you know, which are not close to
major league teams. Uh obviously, but even even some people
who didn't like their local team came on the Braves train.
So it was a great experience. It was really unique
(11:32):
and something that still lives on. Robert really does. No
doubt you didn't get into the Hall of Fame. Uh.
You know, there was always a debate about you. Where
were you are you? Obviously you would love to be
in and be immortalized. And it's not a lot of guys.
As I said, it was won two m v p
s and put up almost four hundred home runs. Are
(11:53):
do you do? You have you accepted it and you
still think that you you you belong and probably been
overlooked because you're team didn't win as much. I think
there's a couple of things going on and and i'm
I'm I'm good with where we have. First of all,
I got to thank the Hall of Fame. They've they've
changed the voting a little bit that have given the
(12:14):
guys in the seventies and eighties and early nineties uh
more looks um Alan, Alan Trammell and Jack Morris as
an example not being voted in by the writers, right right,
So we so I got some other opportunities. But I
think I think you make a good point as far
as exposure. We I think one of the good things
(12:37):
about being in in postseason not only a chance to
win a World Series, but it does you get more
exposure higher, you know, uh, just better exposure. I was
really only in the postseason for three games. We got
swept by the Cardinals, so I think that would have helped.
And so no, I'm I have uh you know, I
knew if it did happen, If it does happen, it
(12:59):
was gonna eight a while. So you know, I have
some other opportunities and we'll see what happens. All right.
His name is Dale Murphy, two time National League m
v P. Don't forget his rush to what I'm going
down to do us SunTrust Park in August. I'm gonna
check out your restaurant, Murphy is called Merps right near
the ballpark. Absolutely, Rob, Look, I think we're the We've
(13:21):
gotta be the only restaurant in Atlanta that has fried
cheese Kurts and fried Oprah. So check it out. All right,
we'll do that. Thank you so much for joining the podcast.
Thanks for rov. It's time for the Pocket Protector Central,
the analytic numbers you need to know. Well, maybe FS
(13:41):
one's Anthony Masterson is his name, BS analytics is his game?
What you got for us today, Anthony. We can track
so many things in today's game, most of highlight great
hitters and hurls, but identifying great defenders has still come
back to the eye test more often than not. But
that may be starting to change. Just like we've talked
about expected batting average on the pod, the reverse of
(14:03):
that is catch probability. Catch probability is a likelihood of
bat and ball to the outfield will be turned into
an out based on four pieces of info, how far
the field are have to run, how much time did
he have to get there, what direction did he need
to go, and how close was he to the wall?
Measured in percentages, the more time of field that has
to react to the ball and the less distance needed
(14:24):
to reach it, the higher the catch probability. Now, another
element to this is that catches are given stars by
degree of difficulty. A one star catch as a catch
probability of or higher, while a five star catch is
any play made with a catch probability of zero. Now,
only three players this season have made at least three catches.
(14:45):
They would be considered five stars. Two of them are
speedy center fielders in Byron Buston and the Cardinals Harrison Vader.
The other, well, that would be the Dodgers Cody Bellinger,
who's also hitting three forty and leading the league at
home runs. Starting graving at mvpetro from Bellinger already right now,
Thanks Tony for all that knowledge that ball. It was
(15:07):
a big week in the Big League. Who's who's Is
it foul or is it fair? And now here's Shadow
League dot Com MLB insider JR Gamble. All right, JR.
Let's get going the Mets who made bowl trades in
(15:29):
the off season started Tuesday, fifteen games out in the NL.
Least is it foul or fair for them to give
up the season and trade their assets at the trade deadline?
Oh man, that's fou That is a foul ball. By asset,
you mean one of the prime pictures. But Wheel is
(15:50):
on the injured list and already have Tommy John and
massive shaky. What is anybody's gonna get from them? I
seriously doubt that the mental trade Synder God, but that's posiboll.
The ball trades have him tanned out because those deteriorating
and Daz is struggling the mess need does one hire
Boport as manager and get some support for Brodie van
(16:11):
Wagman when it comes to evaluated talent and spend the
money on a free alien. The message solid building blocked
the McNeil and Alfonso and sender guards and the ground
give you something to build on clearing house trading assets. No,
that's not the move. You can go to worst to
first quickly. In baseball, the guys at the top have
(16:34):
to go first. Don't need to panic, though, fasten your
seatbellt do give me here comes Parker's Top three MLB
teams this week. Number three the Twins. Yes, I know
people think that the Twins are gonna fall off the
(16:54):
face of the earth in the second half, but they
didn't do it, not yet at least, and I don't
think they will. They had a statement win against the
Tribe in Cleveland. Right There was a chance that the Twins,
had they've been swept in that series, could have seen
their once double DJ lead in the Central and the
American League shrink down to less than three games. And instead,
(17:18):
they won the first couple of games in the series
and left town with the bigger lead than they arrived.
The Minnesota Twins are for real. Number two the New
York treaking Yankees. I've been telling you all year, and
I know Monday Night was a horrendous loss to Tampa Bay.
(17:42):
You can't give up a three run jack in the
ninth in and lose a game like that in the Bronx,
But let's just be honest, given all that the Yankees
have been through coming into Tuesday night, they just had
one less win then the Dodgers, and the Dodgers been
unbelievable all year long, pounding the baseball so the Yankees
(18:05):
are strong. Eventually, they're gonna have their team in full
at full strength, and uh they will be a force
in baseball like they have been with spare parts. The
Yankees are the second best team in baseball. Number one
the Los Angeles Dodgers. It's hard to not look at
(18:28):
this team and not think they're the best team in
baseball because they take their hitting shoes on the road.
They pounded the Phillies on the road. They also want
an important nighttime game Sunday Night Baseball in Boston after
dropping the first couple of games, so they put together
back to back and press of wins. They have the
(18:49):
best record in baseball as of Tuesday. The only one
concern is the bullpen, and that is a real concern
that will have to be addressed at the trading deadline.
But right now, right here, the Los Angeles Dodgers are
the best team in baseball. They out the favor It's
(19:11):
time for trash Talk Twitter with your chance to trash
anyone or anything in Major League Baseball. This week's winner
is at John Quinn eight three and he's trash in Philadelphia.
He tweets the Phillies where you masculated Monday Night by
the visiting Dodgers in the top of the night two outs,
(19:32):
the battle struck out and the Phillies didn't even start
moving off the field, not realizing it was the third
out and earlier in the game, the Dodgers catcher stole
home on the double steal. If you want to win
a New era cap a snapback that is, make sure
you hit me up on Twitter at Rob Parker f
(19:56):
S one. When I was a newspaper columnist, he lived
by this motto. If I'm writing, I'm ripping. Let's bring
in a writer and broadcaster older new Let's welcome into
the podcast. Bip Roberts, former Major league second basement left fielder.
(20:16):
Bip thanks for joining the podcast. Hey, thanks for having me, Rob.
I didn't know what man. You do everything? Don't you
know I do? Man, I'm a hustler. Come on, man,
how long you know me? Now? That's right. That's how
we do it, man, That's how we do it, no
doubt about it. Bip Roberts played thirteen years in the
big leagues to ninety four batting average and uh, Bip.
(20:37):
Now you're into television, you're working for NBC Universal. You
do the pre and post game analysis work for the
Oakland A's and uh, you know, I got to cover
you in Cincinnati when you played there. You always glib
and you know, answer the questions and all that. How
was it to be on the other side now doing
television and you know, talking to the players and stuff
(20:58):
that you do. But I'll tell you what, rob it.
It keeps me close to the game and then I
get a chance to learn who all the new players are.
So even though I've retired, still been around the game
for a long time. So I think it's it's been
one of those things where now that I don't have
to play, I think I'm enjoying it a lot more,
(21:20):
you know, and it looks forward to it each and
every day. And it's just been one of those things
that's evolved, and that's something that has become a second career.
And now that I'm on this side of it, you know,
I try to be fair, but I tried to explain
exactly what's happened out there. So Whereas it used to
be I as a player and I had to hear
what people said, now I'm the guy that they have
(21:42):
to hear saying what I think about a certain player.
So it's just been one of those learning experiences where
you know what to say and what not to say.
So and all in all has been fun, been a
second career, and I've just been blessed. Now you're ship
When I was to be writer for the Cincinnati Enquirer,
(22:03):
what I had to go through them? All right? It
ain't that easy. People think. People think, oh, these writers
and these guys are hacks and they're just ripping on us.
And it is definitely a tough spot, but it is fun.
Like I said, I'm did you ever imagine being a broadcaster?
I did not. You know. My last year plan involved
(22:26):
talking with Greg Paper, one of our big guys out here,
you know, and ask them, hey, how did you get
into this industry and what made you go into this industry?
And I was just thinking of things, what would I
do once if if baseball in it today? And you know,
I still wanted to be around the game at something passity,
without having a coach or living everyday life, because everyday
life in baseball tough man, you know. So you know,
(22:49):
just him talking to me and explaining how we got
into it and what it all entailed, I said, hey,
you know, there's something I could do. I love a game,
and I mother talk to game and and just keep
the game along with talking the game. How do you
love this or do you love this new baseball which
is because you used to steal basis that they get
two hundred sixty four lifetime, But basically it's all about
(23:10):
home runs and strikeouts. It's a totally different game, not
the same hitting run and guys on the base pass
all the shifting which takes a lot of hits away.
Do you like it's just so different to me? I
you know, I see balls here, I go, that's a
basic guy step. What are you doing right behind a
second base? You know? And and then as about the
(23:31):
right steal on and wait, there's a guy standing it
right in the field. What kind of baseball is right?
I just look at it like this sometime, Rob and
I have fun with it. I go, I wanted if
they could do that against it in our generation is
no way we would take that apart. And you have
guys in three fifty, so it's a different time. I
understand it. Um, you know, it seems like the ball
(23:54):
right now is a little different than it. You just saying,
bit is juice? Right as juice. Man, have you touched
have you felt one of those balls? I mean, have
you put one of those? Were putting your fingertips to go,
Wait a minute, this doesn't feel like the normal baseball
and and the scenes just don't feel the same. I
cannot really like pitchers could stick their finger nails in
(24:16):
the scenes and raise them. He can't do that. And
when with the sound and the ball when it hits
the bat, when it comes off the bat. I don't
know if you played golf, but when the driver hits
the golf ball solid, how it takes off, there's no
drag to the baseball, to the to the golf ball.
That's where it seems like when the baseball is not
like there's no drag and like if it's hit really good,
(24:39):
it might just go out the stadium. Wow. Tell me
about you cover the A's obviously, tell me about them.
They made the playoffs a year ago. Uh, they're they
were in the hunt again and uh, playing well? What's
what's going right for the Oakland A's this year? The timing,
it's always around this time of year where they all
of a sudden m start to play well and consistently
(25:03):
play well. And beat teams that they should be and
compete against those teams that they you know, have to
compete against. And it's just a calendar. It's that way
every year round here. They could get you know, close
to five around the break and then the all the
stuff before the break, they get hot and then it
carries over. It's almost like we used to say back
(25:24):
in the day, what you've done is what you're gonna
do the second half, And this is what they do.
They carried over to the second half and they played
consistent baseball. They have players who but maybe nationally are
not known, but these are so really good players. You know,
they could play some baseball. So they're on the on
one of those streets now where consistently they're going to
(25:44):
play well for months at a time. And now it's
a matter of, you know, who's in front of them,
how consistent they are to keep them off. Will they
make the playoffs? Yes or no? The Rangers are in
the mix. Of course, the Astros, uh and the Angels
are also in the mix. But as much as the Rangers,
Willie's make the playoffs? Yes or no? It's a dogfight,
rob but I'm I'm gonna go with my boys over
(26:06):
here and open. All right, I appreciated. His name is
Bib Roberts, and yes, former Major league second baseman, outfielder
and a broadcaster for NBC Universal up there in Oakland.
BIP always a pleasure. Thank you, my man. Alright, man,
thanks for having me. Man, good luck everything that you do.
Appreciate it. Now bringing the closer. Here's why MLB is
(26:33):
better than the NFL or NBA, and it isn't even close.
Here's reason one thousand why Major League Baseball is better
than the NBA and better than the NFL. I was
at Yankee Stadium one Sunday with my buddies, and of
course the seventh inning stretch came around. And no other
(26:54):
sport has a song in any point of the game
like baseball does, where everybody gets up, everybody's a part
of it, and everybody sings. Take me out to the
ball game. No other sport has that. It is the
biggest and greatest bonding you can do with buddies, with friends,
with family, with kids. It's awesome. I don't care how
(27:16):
old you are, how young you are. Everybody knows the words,
everybody gets up, everybody joins in. It's a fun time
at the ballpark. Could you imagine doing that at an
NFL game or NBA game? No, you can't. And I
know me and my buddies on good singers. But here
we are Mike Walt, Mikey and myself singing take me
(27:38):
out to the ball game. I alight. I don't know
(28:14):
about you, but I got goose bumps. That sports. 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 get this could be an
(28:35):
inside the Parker to see you next weekend, same bad time,
same man station. Timimber
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 into
the Inside the Parker Podcast. Rob Parker. Here, you there,
(00:25):
what a show we have lined up for you. Two
time National League m VP Dale Murphy is on the program.
Also former second baseman and outfielder and current Oakland A's
TV analyst Bit Roberts. He also drops by that and
much more is coming up. Let's go to lead off.
(00:48):
It's getting robbed and keep him on. Rob's hot take
on the three biggest stories in Major League Baseball. Number one,
No way, no, how should major League Baseball even consider
this horrendous experiment by the Atlantic League, you know, the
independent minor league. It has robot umpires. This isn't what
(01:12):
they're trying. They've installed radar enabled strike zone technology and
its ballpark this month and they're having the balls and
strikes called by an umpire where upstairs in the press box,
and he has like a device in his ear and
(01:34):
the umpire behind the whole play doesn't make the call.
The call is made from upstairs and he relays what
the call is? What are we talking about? Where are we?
Life is about human beings. The players are real. The
umpire should be real. The game has been around four
a hundred and fifty years. People make mistakes, they're bad calls,
(01:56):
they are good calls. We do not need roll ot
umpires baseball stopping. There's nothing wrong with the game. Get
better umpires. We umpires don't do a good job. Fire them.
That's what you should be worried about. Let human beings
do these jobs and stop with the electronic umpires. Number two.
(02:23):
The baseball trade deadline is looming July thirty one, and
it's a hard deadline. Unlike the past, this will be
the only time a team can improve itself as we
move forward to the second half of the season in
the postseason, there are no waiver wire deals or anything else.
Those have all been done with. They've all been done
(02:46):
away with, so here we go. This is the most
significant thing about this and why you should expect to
see a lot of trades coming up, because the last
nine World Series winners, you know, they all have in common.
They all made an important trade at the deadline and
they added pieces and pieces parts that they needed. That's
(03:11):
includingen red Sox, the seventeen Astros, and the sixteen Cubs.
Sometimes you just have to go out and get what
you need to put you over to hump. So I
get it. You remember when the Astros went out and
got Justin Burlander from the Tigers. They wouldn't have won
(03:31):
that World Series without Justin Berlander, no doubt about it.
How about when the clubs picked up a roll this
Chapman from the Yankees. They don't get that World Series
either without Chapman. So this year the two teams I
think need to make key trades in order to reach
(03:52):
the World Series. The Dodgers need somebody in the bullpen
because their bullpen is the weak lane. There's no if
Hans or Butts. If they don't fix that bullpen, they
will not n o t make it to the World
Series for a third year in a row, and they
won't win it. And the New York Yankees, the Yankees
(04:12):
need a starter. They have to add a starter. They've
done a great job, they've done everything they needed to do,
but they need another starter for that rotation. If those
two teams go out and get what their needs are,
they have a chance to make a long run in
the playoffs. Number three. Don't look now, but Jacio Pueek
(04:35):
is the hottest player in baseball. The Cincinnati Reds are
rejuvenated and in the NL Central race, and a lot
has to do with Puig, who embraced being traded away
from the Dodgers and embrace playing in Cincinnati, a great
baseball town, and in the last month or so, he
(04:59):
has been on fire, playing as well as anybody hitting.
As of Tuesday, that is three seventy two, hitting the
ball all over the park. It includes eleven home run
some absolutely uh moonshots, so he has been tremendous. The
most recent big night for him came Monday night when
(05:20):
Puig went deep in the Red six to three win
over the Cubs. And yes, people in Cincinnati are loving
this colorful and amazing and electrifying ball player. Yes, Jasio
Puig lives on in Cincinnati in the Midwest. He's that
kind of player. Cincinnati's lucky to have him, and he's
(05:43):
lucky to be playing in such a great baseball town.
Here comes the big interview. Listen good, let's welcome to
the podcast. Former Major league outfield a two time National
League MVP, seven time All Star. Yes, his name is
(06:03):
Dale Murphy. Dale, thanks for joining the program. Thank you, Rob,
thanks for having me on. Uh, no doubt. Uh tell
me Dale. The Atlanta Braves, I just want to jump
right in. Have been a great story the last couple
of years. How much do you follow them? How much
do you like that young team? And and tell me
(06:24):
do you have something brewing down there? Yeah, they do
have something, bruin. I check every day what they're doing,
and try to check. Now that you can see games, uh,
you know on your phone, and you know how much
excuse at least see what happened. So I check in
what happened. If I didn't see the game, check the highlights,
and uh, I love what they're doing. And I think
(06:44):
they're gonna get stronger here before the trade deadline. Uh.
They have predicted that this group was coming online and
they're exactly right. Uh. Kunia is fantastic, cause the Albes
at second is fantastic. Dansby Swanson has improved his offense. Um.
The signing of Josh Donaldson was tremendous and Freddie Freeman
(07:09):
at first. First, I'll mentioned the infield infield is gonna
break all kinds of records this year as far as
a power hitting UH infield for the UH for the
Atlanta Braves. And then they added UH Brian McCann, which
is is more than his he's more than his statistics,
which I think is you know a great thing about
(07:31):
great players. He's just such a solid catcher and experienced
catchers helping this young pitching staff along. And we haven't
even got to the pitching staff yet. There's just some
brilli solid, good young pitchers and and I I was
just gonna say Dale and give the Braves credit. They
(07:53):
went out and got Dallas kaikel Oh. Yeah, yeah, There's
there's a lot of good things happening that I haven't mentioned.
You're right, Dallas kink Um, you know. And they made
a great decision organizationally a couple of years ago to
give Brian Snicker a chance. He's kind of a Bobby
Cox uh, you know out of that mold loves his
(08:14):
players good to play for, and they just they're just solid,
rob they really are. And uh, you know the Phillies,
you know, kind of not doing great. Washington's come on
a little bit. But this this, I feel really comfortable
about where this Braves team is, no doubt about it.
I think they are. They are having what a good year.
We saw Freddie Freeman with an unbelievable, sizzling hot month
(08:38):
of June. He broke all kinds of record for the Braves.
That guy is a star, no no question about it.
And I remember, you know, a million years ago, and
we we had a few good years when I played
with the Braves. We got really good when we got
Chris shambles Uh from the Yankees as our first baseman.
First baseman, really solidifying, cover up a lot of things.
(09:00):
And Freddie's one of the best defensive players you know,
on a on a hit ball, but you know, and
I don't know the numbers of airs he saved for
the infielders. And you know, add to that he hit
third and is a great hitter. So first baseman, I
tried it one year. You can't hide over there, No,
(09:20):
you can't. That ball will find you. That's great, especially
his first space. It is nothing to mess around with, obviously,
But I think sometimes people think you just go to first.
It doesn't work that way. He's he's just an all
around superstar and should be in uh m v P talk,
no question about it. Let's talk about your career because
(09:42):
it was tremendous. Obviously I mentioned earlier you won back
to back nationally AGA m vps with that eighty two
and eighty three, and that's not easy to do. You
hit three nine career home runs. Uh. That was when
cable was starting and TBS was a superstation right in
the Braves run around the country. You guys became America's
(10:04):
team because everybody could watch you. What was that like?
I know you guys never really got to where you
wanted to go or to win a World Series. But
tell me about how much you enjoyed playing in Atlanta
on your career. Well, you're right, Rob, I traveled the
country now and I run into fans Atlanta Braves fans
that were uh that started back in the eighties with
(10:27):
Ted Turner and the putting us on TPS every night
around the well around the world, but obviously around the country.
And I think it's a great lesson to learn that
baseball is always better with more exposure, and we we
can see baseball a lot of different devices now, UM,
and I just think, you know, the more exposure the better.
(10:48):
And I think TBS and what Ted Turner done, it
is just a great example. We have a generation of
Atlanta Braves fans that have passed it down to uh
to their kids because they saw baseball every night. And Uh,
it's just been a great thing to travel the country
and meet fans. I I spoken further North Dakota a
(11:10):
couple of years ago, a whole bunch of Bridge fans uh,
literally all over the country. Um, and especially in the
towns which I you know, which are not close to
major league teams. Uh obviously, but even even some people
who didn't like their local team came on the Braves train.
So it was a great experience. It was really unique
(11:32):
and something that still lives on. Robert really does. No
doubt you didn't get into the Hall of Fame. Uh.
You know, there was always a debate about you. Where
were you are you? Obviously you would love to be
in and be immortalized. And it's not a lot of guys.
As I said, it was won two m v p
s and put up almost four hundred home runs. Are
(11:53):
do you do? You have you accepted it and you
still think that you you you belong and probably been
overlooked because you're team didn't win as much. I think
there's a couple of things going on and and i'm
I'm I'm good with where we have. First of all,
I got to thank the Hall of Fame. They've they've
changed the voting a little bit that have given the
(12:14):
guys in the seventies and eighties and early nineties uh
more looks um Alan, Alan Trammell and Jack Morris as
an example not being voted in by the writers, right right,
So we so I got some other opportunities. But I
think I think you make a good point as far
as exposure. We I think one of the good things
(12:37):
about being in in postseason not only a chance to
win a World Series, but it does you get more
exposure higher, you know, uh, just better exposure. I was
really only in the postseason for three games. We got
swept by the Cardinals, so I think that would have helped.
And so no, I'm I have uh you know, I
knew if it did happen, If it does happen, it
(12:59):
was gonna eight a while. So you know, I have
some other opportunities and we'll see what happens. All right.
His name is Dale Murphy, two time National League m
v P. Don't forget his rush to what I'm going
down to do us SunTrust Park in August. I'm gonna
check out your restaurant, Murphy is called Merps right near
the ballpark. Absolutely, Rob, Look, I think we're the We've
(13:21):
gotta be the only restaurant in Atlanta that has fried
cheese Kurts and fried Oprah. So check it out. All right,
we'll do that. Thank you so much for joining the podcast.
Thanks for rov. It's time for the Pocket Protector Central,
the analytic numbers you need to know. Well, maybe FS
(13:41):
one's Anthony Masterson is his name, BS analytics is his game?
What you got for us today, Anthony. We can track
so many things in today's game, most of highlight great
hitters and hurls, but identifying great defenders has still come
back to the eye test more often than not. But
that may be starting to change. Just like we've talked
about expected batting average on the pod, the reverse of
(14:03):
that is catch probability. Catch probability is a likelihood of
bat and ball to the outfield will be turned into
an out based on four pieces of info, how far
the field are have to run, how much time did
he have to get there, what direction did he need
to go, and how close was he to the wall?
Measured in percentages, the more time of field that has
to react to the ball and the less distance needed
(14:24):
to reach it, the higher the catch probability. Now, another
element to this is that catches are given stars by
degree of difficulty. A one star catch as a catch
probability of or higher, while a five star catch is
any play made with a catch probability of zero. Now,
only three players this season have made at least three catches.
(14:45):
They would be considered five stars. Two of them are
speedy center fielders in Byron Buston and the Cardinals Harrison Vader.
The other, well, that would be the Dodgers Cody Bellinger,
who's also hitting three forty and leading the league at
home runs. Starting graving at mvpetro from Bellinger already right now,
Thanks Tony for all that knowledge that ball. It was
(15:07):
a big week in the Big League. Who's who's Is
it foul or is it fair? And now here's Shadow
League dot Com MLB insider JR Gamble. All right, JR.
Let's get going the Mets who made bowl trades in
(15:29):
the off season started Tuesday, fifteen games out in the NL.
Least is it foul or fair for them to give
up the season and trade their assets at the trade deadline?
Oh man, that's fou That is a foul ball. By asset,
you mean one of the prime pictures. But Wheel is
(15:50):
on the injured list and already have Tommy John and
massive shaky. What is anybody's gonna get from them? I
seriously doubt that the mental trade Synder God, but that's posiboll.
The ball trades have him tanned out because those deteriorating
and Daz is struggling the mess need does one hire
Boport as manager and get some support for Brodie van
(16:11):
Wagman when it comes to evaluated talent and spend the
money on a free alien. The message solid building blocked
the McNeil and Alfonso and sender guards and the ground
give you something to build on clearing house trading assets. No,
that's not the move. You can go to worst to
first quickly. In baseball, the guys at the top have
(16:34):
to go first. Don't need to panic, though, fasten your
seatbellt do give me here comes Parker's Top three MLB
teams this week. Number three the Twins. Yes, I know
people think that the Twins are gonna fall off the
(16:54):
face of the earth in the second half, but they
didn't do it, not yet at least, and I don't
think they will. They had a statement win against the
Tribe in Cleveland. Right There was a chance that the Twins,
had they've been swept in that series, could have seen
their once double DJ lead in the Central and the
American League shrink down to less than three games. And instead,
(17:18):
they won the first couple of games in the series
and left town with the bigger lead than they arrived.
The Minnesota Twins are for real. Number two the New
York treaking Yankees. I've been telling you all year, and
I know Monday Night was a horrendous loss to Tampa Bay.
(17:42):
You can't give up a three run jack in the
ninth in and lose a game like that in the Bronx,
But let's just be honest, given all that the Yankees
have been through coming into Tuesday night, they just had
one less win then the Dodgers, and the Dodgers been
unbelievable all year long, pounding the baseball so the Yankees
(18:05):
are strong. Eventually, they're gonna have their team in full
at full strength, and uh they will be a force
in baseball like they have been with spare parts. The
Yankees are the second best team in baseball. Number one
the Los Angeles Dodgers. It's hard to not look at
(18:28):
this team and not think they're the best team in
baseball because they take their hitting shoes on the road.
They pounded the Phillies on the road. They also want
an important nighttime game Sunday Night Baseball in Boston after
dropping the first couple of games, so they put together
back to back and press of wins. They have the
(18:49):
best record in baseball as of Tuesday. The only one
concern is the bullpen, and that is a real concern
that will have to be addressed at the trading deadline.
But right now, right here, the Los Angeles Dodgers are
the best team in baseball. They out the favor It's
(19:11):
time for trash Talk Twitter with your chance to trash
anyone or anything in Major League Baseball. This week's winner
is at John Quinn eight three and he's trash in Philadelphia.
He tweets the Phillies where you masculated Monday Night by
the visiting Dodgers in the top of the night two outs,
(19:32):
the battle struck out and the Phillies didn't even start
moving off the field, not realizing it was the third
out and earlier in the game, the Dodgers catcher stole
home on the double steal. If you want to win
a New era cap a snapback that is, make sure
you hit me up on Twitter at Rob Parker f
(19:56):
S one. When I was a newspaper columnist, he lived
by this motto. If I'm writing, I'm ripping. Let's bring
in a writer and broadcaster older new Let's welcome into
the podcast. Bip Roberts, former Major league second basement left fielder.
(20:16):
Bip thanks for joining the podcast. Hey, thanks for having me, Rob.
I didn't know what man. You do everything? Don't you
know I do? Man, I'm a hustler. Come on, man,
how long you know me? Now? That's right. That's how
we do it, man, That's how we do it, no
doubt about it. Bip Roberts played thirteen years in the
big leagues to ninety four batting average and uh, Bip.
(20:37):
Now you're into television, you're working for NBC Universal. You
do the pre and post game analysis work for the
Oakland A's and uh, you know, I got to cover
you in Cincinnati when you played there. You always glib
and you know, answer the questions and all that. How
was it to be on the other side now doing
television and you know, talking to the players and stuff
(20:58):
that you do. But I'll tell you what, rob it.
It keeps me close to the game and then I
get a chance to learn who all the new players are.
So even though I've retired, still been around the game
for a long time. So I think it's it's been
one of those things where now that I don't have
to play, I think I'm enjoying it a lot more,
(21:20):
you know, and it looks forward to it each and
every day. And it's just been one of those things
that's evolved, and that's something that has become a second career.
And now that I'm on this side of it, you know,
I try to be fair, but I tried to explain
exactly what's happened out there. So Whereas it used to
be I as a player and I had to hear
what people said, now I'm the guy that they have
(21:42):
to hear saying what I think about a certain player.
So it's just been one of those learning experiences where
you know what to say and what not to say.
So and all in all has been fun, been a
second career, and I've just been blessed. Now you're ship
When I was to be writer for the Cincinnati Enquirer,
(22:03):
what I had to go through them? All right? It
ain't that easy. People think. People think, oh, these writers
and these guys are hacks and they're just ripping on us.
And it is definitely a tough spot, but it is fun.
Like I said, I'm did you ever imagine being a broadcaster?
I did not. You know. My last year plan involved
(22:26):
talking with Greg Paper, one of our big guys out here,
you know, and ask them, hey, how did you get
into this industry and what made you go into this industry?
And I was just thinking of things, what would I
do once if if baseball in it today? And you know,
I still wanted to be around the game at something passity,
without having a coach or living everyday life, because everyday
life in baseball tough man, you know. So you know,
(22:49):
just him talking to me and explaining how we got
into it and what it all entailed, I said, hey,
you know, there's something I could do. I love a game,
and I mother talk to game and and just keep
the game along with talking the game. How do you
love this or do you love this new baseball which
is because you used to steal basis that they get
two hundred sixty four lifetime, But basically it's all about
(23:10):
home runs and strikeouts. It's a totally different game, not
the same hitting run and guys on the base pass
all the shifting which takes a lot of hits away.
Do you like it's just so different to me? I
you know, I see balls here, I go, that's a
basic guy step. What are you doing right behind a
second base? You know? And and then as about the
(23:31):
right steal on and wait, there's a guy standing it
right in the field. What kind of baseball is right?
I just look at it like this sometime, Rob and
I have fun with it. I go, I wanted if
they could do that against it in our generation is
no way we would take that apart. And you have
guys in three fifty, so it's a different time. I
understand it. Um, you know, it seems like the ball
(23:54):
right now is a little different than it. You just saying,
bit is juice? Right as juice. Man, have you touched
have you felt one of those balls? I mean, have
you put one of those? Were putting your fingertips to go,
Wait a minute, this doesn't feel like the normal baseball
and and the scenes just don't feel the same. I
cannot really like pitchers could stick their finger nails in
(24:16):
the scenes and raise them. He can't do that. And
when with the sound and the ball when it hits
the bat, when it comes off the bat. I don't
know if you played golf, but when the driver hits
the golf ball solid, how it takes off, there's no
drag to the baseball, to the to the golf ball.
That's where it seems like when the baseball is not
like there's no drag and like if it's hit really good,
(24:39):
it might just go out the stadium. Wow. Tell me
about you cover the A's obviously, tell me about them.
They made the playoffs a year ago. Uh, they're they
were in the hunt again and uh, playing well? What's
what's going right for the Oakland A's this year? The timing,
it's always around this time of year where they all
of a sudden m start to play well and consistently
(25:03):
play well. And beat teams that they should be and
compete against those teams that they you know, have to
compete against. And it's just a calendar. It's that way
every year round here. They could get you know, close
to five around the break and then the all the
stuff before the break, they get hot and then it
carries over. It's almost like we used to say back
(25:24):
in the day, what you've done is what you're gonna
do the second half, And this is what they do.
They carried over to the second half and they played
consistent baseball. They have players who but maybe nationally are
not known, but these are so really good players. You know,
they could play some baseball. So they're on the on
one of those streets now where consistently they're going to
(25:44):
play well for months at a time. And now it's
a matter of, you know, who's in front of them,
how consistent they are to keep them off. Will they
make the playoffs? Yes or no? The Rangers are in
the mix. Of course, the Astros, uh and the Angels
are also in the mix. But as much as the Rangers,
Willie's make the playoffs? Yes or no? It's a dogfight,
rob but I'm I'm gonna go with my boys over
(26:06):
here and open. All right, I appreciated. His name is
Bib Roberts, and yes, former Major league second baseman, outfielder
and a broadcaster for NBC Universal up there in Oakland.
BIP always a pleasure. Thank you, my man. Alright, man,
thanks for having me. Man, good luck everything that you do.
Appreciate it. Now bringing the closer. Here's why MLB is
(26:33):
better than the NFL or NBA, and it isn't even close.
Here's reason one thousand why Major League Baseball is better
than the NBA and better than the NFL. I was
at Yankee Stadium one Sunday with my buddies, and of
course the seventh inning stretch came around. And no other
(26:54):
sport has a song in any point of the game
like baseball does, where everybody gets up, everybody's a part
of it, and everybody sings. Take me out to the
ball game. No other sport has that. It is the
biggest and greatest bonding you can do with buddies, with friends,
with family, with kids. It's awesome. I don't care how
(27:16):
old you are, how young you are. Everybody knows the words,
everybody gets up, everybody joins in. It's a fun time
at the ballpark. Could you imagine doing that at an
NFL game or NBA game? No, you can't. And I
know me and my buddies on good singers. But here
we are Mike Walt, Mikey and myself singing take me
(27:38):
out to the ball game. I alight. I don't know
(28:14):
about you, but I got goose bumps. That sports. 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 get this could be an
(28:35):
inside the Parker to see you next weekend, same bad time,
same man station. Timimber
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