Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Hello everyone, and welcome back to the Hammer Territory podcast.
This is episode two seventh one. I am your host
s Brad Roland, coming to you on a Sunday evening.
You're in late September, and I'm joining as I always am,
by Scott Coleman. Scott, the Braves simply cannot stop winning
baseball games, as we've talked about all scus alone, right,
how are.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
You hello, Brad? Isn't it fitting that in this very
frustrating season, the Braves have saved their best for last.
They have won eight games in a row, and I
mean they're gonna play the Nationals and the Pirates this week.
There's a legitimate chance the Braves might go thirteen and
(00:59):
one to close out the season. I mean, how long
can this winning streak go? It's very very on brand
that they are now playing their best ball of the year.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Yeah, it certainly is on brand, to say the least.
And first of all, we want everybody back to the
show or to the show for the first time.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
We are hebit Territory.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
We covered the Braves pretty much every single day and
you could follow us anywhere you get your podcast, Apple, Spotify, YouTube,
et cetera. And there's a lot to talk about today.
It is odd as you just allude to their longest
waytric of the season eight in a row. The schedule
ahead is very very fortunate if they wanted to be,
or not fortunate was we'll talk about in the second
(01:37):
maybe if you're rooting against wins, as some are, it's
been a rough week for those people. But the previous
longest way strik of the season for the Braves was five,
and now they're at eight for this year. They also
didn't win Scott This is actually my heavit stat of
the day. I think they never won eight in the
row last year at any point, and they made the
playoffs last year having never won eight in a row.
(01:58):
And this team, which was dead buried two months ago,
has not won eight in a row. And it could
be longer than eight. They did win nine in a
row in twenty twenty three when they won one hundred
and four games, but they actually could win nine, It
could win ten, and it'd be kind of darkly ironic
and funny if they actually had a longer streak this year.
Then at twenty twenty three when they had the best
(02:18):
office of all time and they look to be kind
of a beatable at times. I don't know, it's a
weird season, man, It's it's kind of appropriate, almost like
it sounds crazy, but the fact that it's we're talking
about this stuff like we were kind of worried about
We're we talking about the l last week of the season,
to be honest with you, because it's like, all right,
the games don't really matter, but then if you just
keep winning and winning and winning, the vibes are generally
(02:41):
more positive, even if people kind of laugh about it.
You know, fans seem to be still tuning in this weekend,
which I thought was kind of an upset because there's
football on everys like people are still doubt in.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Well, and I think too, when you think about this
season as a whole, as frustrating and as many losses
as there were, I think we all new deep down
that this was a far better team than the one
that was on pace to lose one hundred games as
recently as a month ago. And we've seen it over
these the last two weeks. They've been much better with
(03:12):
runners in scoring position, they've executed better, the pitching has stabilized,
especially once they've gotten Chris sailback and Spencer Strider has
been really good lately. Like the pieces here are clearly
good enough to be the team that we thought the
Braves are going to be coming into the season. It
obviously didn't work out for a plethora of reasons, but
it's also just kind of like a tease that we
(03:35):
are finally seeing them play at the level. And I mean,
man alive, Brad. If this team was going to the
playoffs and they were red hot and playing their best
baseball of the season, I mean, I can hear it now,
we'd be saying, well that, you know, are these shades
of twenty twenty one? Are they hot? Are they Are
they peaking at the right time? Which is so important
in the game of baseball? Of course, nowhere near that.
But it's just maybe it gives us reasons for optimism
(03:58):
going into twenty twenty six, even if the better part
of the last six months have made us want to
bang our heads against the wall. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
I pulled up field Baseball Reference machine because we weren't
sure they were gonna have sixty three wins a month
and a half ago, like they areund pace f one
hundred loss Like you said, now that it's seventy three
wins to the as of today, and they've actually won
more games now than they did in twenty seventeen, twenty sixteen,
twenty fifteen. When you and I were talking about this
team early in our days of talking about this team
(04:28):
in podcast form, that was a rebuilding team. It was
obviously much different. That team was supposed to be bad,
and they were, but we thought, I think collectively, that
they may not get to those marks. And now they've
been better this year officially by the record. It's gonna
be funny though, and maybe this won't happen. Maybe they'll
lose four out of six end of the season, it
won't really matter. But I kind of look forward to
(04:48):
ten years from now, fifteen years from now, looking back
and being like, oh, the Braves won seventy eight games.
That year actually wasn't so bad. Even though we'll all
remember how bad it was. I won't let anybody remember anybody,
but forget about this. This is this team is also,
like you just said, you're a hundred percent right. The
talent level of a team was way better than it
always was performing at this year, but also the way
(05:09):
they played and the way they were frustrating. I kind
of almost don't want them to win seventy eight seventy
nine games. That they could get to seventy nine, that
would be misleading for the season, Like they were much
worse than that in actual practice, even if the talent
was better than that. That makes sense, And there's been
some weird synergy too, Like we all know this team
(05:29):
started out zero to seven on the first road trip
of the year, and then in the last road trip
of the year, which they just wrapped up, they go
seven to zero, and there's probably nothing I mean that
that's probably just is what it is. We don't have
to rehash that that opening which in some ways, that
opening road trip of the year was kind of a
foreshadowing of everything that was about to come. It is
(05:51):
what it is. We are hopefully on to better.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Days than what we watched this past season. But yeah,
you're right, I mean, it's this feels like a the
fact they're going to win seventy seven, seventy eight games
this season really is just nowhere near a representation of
the very frustrating challenges we have talked about, watched for
the last five and a half months.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Yeah, we're going to dive in as we always would
to stuff that happened with the weekend, and some takeaways
on the field. Last thing on the big picture, Brads
are now in a four sorry, three way tie for
fourth in the lottery odds for the draft. If you
remember they were, they were number two not long ago,
and now they have slid or improved. However, you want
(06:35):
to look at this all the way into a three
way tie or fourth because they have won eight in
a row and keeps like Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Oakland, Baltimore are
not winning eight in a row. We'll say so if
you're rooting for that, the Braves need to lose some games,
but certainly there Their ceiling now entering the lottery is
fourth at the absolute best after this weekend, and their
(06:55):
floor is seventh eighth, even if they keep winning. So
if you're a lot of rezelo, you're punching air right now.
One more thing, Scott, This actually was a four conclusion,
but I had to laugh because the seven year playoff
streak the Rays just had is now officially over. We
knew that for weeks and weeks now, but on Fridays
(07:16):
when it actually was clinched, they were missing the playoffs
just by the fact they were winning all these games.
It is the fifth longest streak of playoff appearances in
a row in the modern era of baseball. Seven years
is not that long, but it seems it's a lot.
It's hard to make the playoffs now. You might see
some longer streaks in the future because it's not easier
now because they had the extra wildcard spots all that stuff.
But still a pretty good accomplishment. By the way, the
(07:39):
longest active the longest streak ever in the modern era
is the Braves from ninety one, two and five fifteen years, sorry,
fourteen years in a row. The Dodgers are probably gonna
catch them. It seems like this year is I think
thirteen or fourteen for the Dodgers, so that's going to
be up for debate. But ord the acomplishment, obviously it
should have continued. This team should have been built to
win and make the playoff.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
This year.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
It is a giant disappointment that they didn't make the playoffs.
We don't want to overstate that, but seven years in
a row, it's like, hey, that wasn't the easiest thing
to do.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Really just makes you appreciate how hard it was in
the nineties and early thousands to win the divisions consecutively
that I don't think a team will ever do the
division streak the Braves had the Dodgers, don't they They
lost in twenty twenty one, they were the wildcard team
with like one hundred and eight wins, which is crazy.
But I guess, just looking back on that ron, I
also thought Stephen and Sean had an interesting conversation about
(08:31):
Clayton kershaw Orsmatox and Glavin and Smalltz folks missed that.
I found myself going down the Baseball Reference rabbit hole
on that. But yeah, seven years heck of a run
for Atlanta. Let's hope another seven plus year playoff stretches
on the horizon. And this was just kind of a
bump in the road. But it is, I mean, it's weird,
you know, like this time in a week, Brad, the
(08:52):
baseball season is over for the Braves and there'd be
no playoffs. There'll be no playoff heartbreak and disappointment. There'll
be no playoff euphoria. Is you know, it's a bummer
that after winning the whole thing in twenty twenty one,
the Braves have won two playoff games in four years.
That's not what you wanted.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
No, it's it certainly is not one quick thing before
we move on that was not scheduled to forgive this
curve ball Scott. We got a question that I think
people are wondering still, and we've discussed this a lot recently,
but we got the repeated question about Brian Sticker, basically like, hey,
does this we'll talking about the winning streak, Basically does
(09:33):
this matter at all? Was a question we got to
it's like his future A to make him want to
keep doing it or B to make the Braves want
to keep him. And my response on Twitter to the
person who asked us to think thank you for the
question was just to remind them that, as we said
on the show last time on no Shan Stephen have
done this as well. Stickers contract is up in a week.
He's only under contracted still the season ends, which is
(09:54):
a week from today, he is not signed it anyway,
there's no option, he is not under contract after week.
So it is I continue to see this repeatedly. Frames
if it's his choice, it is not only his choice
at at a bare min of the moment, it's not only
his choice. The Braves have to allow him to come
back if he wants to come back. If they do,
they do. But do you have to weigh on that quickly?
(10:17):
I mean about like, does this matter at all? It
probably shouldn't matter, that's my opinion, But.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
What do you think. I don't think it matters, nor
should it matter. Great, the Braves are playing good for
eight games. They won eight games in a row. Before
the eight game win streak, they were gone awful. So yeah,
if the Braves want to keep Brian Stinker around, why
have they waited this long? With seven days left in
the regular season. They could have done an extension over
(10:41):
the winter. They could have done it quite literally any
day in twenty twenty five. They could have done it
last year if they wanted to. I mean, it's just
it is highly, highly, highly unlikely to get down to
the finish line and not work out a deal. I
know that Snitker has a unique circumstance because he's been
around forever and all that, but it's it's really interest
stein Brad that here we are and there is still
(11:02):
no clarity. As of eight pm Eastern Time Sunday night,
there is still seemingly no clarity on what Brian Snitker
wants to do.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Yeah, and maybe we'll find out, Okay, maybe we'll find
out this whole time that the Braves have had a
one year extension sitting on Snith's desk for the whole season,
and it's that that actually would be his decision at
that point, but the Braves still have to make that
part to have that deal on the table for him,
So we don't know about that. That's a guess, not
even a guess. That's that's just a possibility. I still
think he won't come back if I had to guess
right now. But we got the questions. I always want
(11:32):
to answer it and just say like we are, we
are all. I think the four of us monitoring like daily, like, hey,
is there anything going to happen here? Announcements one way
or the other would be great, some sort of clarity,
because you know, if he is going to be done,
you might want to give him a week to be
celebrated at home in these last two series. And if
he's not going to be done, you might want to
look coolhead. Let let the world that know that now
(11:54):
you know I haven't come back, and all those things.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
So and the Braves are off on Thursday. Yep. So
if we get no announcement, if if if there's no
announcement or anything on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, I would wager
Thursday might be a day where you hear something, where
you don't have a game, you kind of do a
whole announcement, you could do a press conference, whatever it is.
That's just a guess. It's it's a minor hunch that
(12:17):
Thursday might be an action day. But again, we'll see,
man Like we if snitth just casually mentioned in his
press availability on Monday, hey guys, I'm done Sunday afternoon.
I'll give everybody a handshake and a high five and
a hug and move on. That could or or we
might not get any resolution after one hundred and sixty
two games. And then it's like everyone keeps looking at
(12:39):
their watch, like okay, Like.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
If we don't know, yeah, if we don't know by
the end of next Sunday from today, what's happening with Snicker?
That next week is going to be grab your popcorn,
because you know, Alex will do his usual end of
season availability and boy, I can't imagine him not having
a resolution before that that would be insane. If he
goes in there with the media and has doesn't have
(13:02):
an answer on SNIT on whatever whatever day that is,
October first, whatever it's going to be, that would be crazy.
And I can't imagine him doing that, So fucko up everybody.
So I just want to say that out loud.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
We got the question.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
It is certainly looming over all of this, but you
and I agree it should not. A WAI stick should
not impact anything. That would be crazy if you did.
Just saying that out loud, All right, Scott, we will
get to the games. That's the takeaways from this week
of action. After a word from our partners, football is back,
and so is your shot at big wins. With Draft
Kings Pick six, the official data fantasy partner of the NFL,
(13:32):
your game day instincts can score your real money fast.
Here's the play. Just pick more or less on two
or more player stats, a breakout rookies to elite qbs,
and I'm not the upside that every snap brings. The
better you calls, the bigger your payoff. And here's the
kickoff bonus. New tracting customers give fifty dollars and bonus picks,
which is a five dollars entry on your first pick
set this season. Play your player instincts downlod Draft Kings
Pick six app right now and use code foul. That's
(13:53):
code foul. Play just five dollars, give fifty dollars and
pick six bonus picks. Make the call, ride the upside
and partnership with Draft Kings.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Pick six. The Crown is yours.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
Gambling problem called one eight hundred. Gambler Help is available
for problem gambling called eight eight eight seventy eight nine
seven seven seven seven or visit CCPG dot orgon Connecticut.
Must be eighteen and over age and eligibility restrictions vary
by jurisdiction. Pick six not available everywhere, including New York
and Ontario. Void were prohibited one per new customer. Bonus
awarded as non withdrawabal Pick six bonus picks that expire
in fourteen days limited time offer. See terms at pick
(14:24):
six dot DraftKings dot com. Slash promos All.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Right, Scott, let us discuss some baseball on the field
from the weekend on Friday. The Braves, of course one
because they keep winning ten to one over the ooh
slumping Detroit Tigers. Something on that in a second that
we'll save some and we're actually talking about some some baseball.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Stuff non Braves later in the show, kind.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Of adjacent to the break because it involves the Mets
and the Tigers, who the Bridges played. Anyway, the Braves
took it to Old Powell Charlie Morton on Friday, Akunya
homeward in the game he reached base by the way,
I think it was fifteen out of twenty two plate
appearances at one point during this last week he is
all the way back looking like Ronald Kunya. Shocking. He's
(15:07):
still really good at baseball. Who could have seen that coming?
And now the one thing I have to ask you
about beyond just Charlie has still had the best year.
He hit Matt Olsen with the pitch that ever the
pitcher around the world, the back the back leg curveball
And how many tweets did you get? Did you get?
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Like ten? It had to be a large amount of
people be like Scott, Scott, Scott, look, America's favorite game.
It's still going strong. It might be the final time
we got to play America's favorite game maybe, which is,
of course what inning is. Charlie Morton going to hit
more likely than not a left handed batter with a
pitch very likely in the foot. You know, hey, good
(15:46):
for Charlie. He got fifteen million dollars to pitch this year.
It was very, very bad. He's going to finish the
year with an ERA of six. But you know what, Brad,
if someone's gonna pay me fifteen million dollars to do
I mean basically anything for six months, I'm gonna say yes.
And I think it's very clearly the end of the
road for Charlie Morton. We'll see if some team picks
him up for one final start in the regular season.
(16:07):
Maybe it might be the Braves. We'll see, but yeah,
I mean the Braves. Just even Acunya. On Acunya's home run,
he missed a fastball that was like middle middle from
Charlie Morton, and the camera kind of zoomed in on
Ronald's face and Ronald was like, oh my god, how
did I miss that? And then the very next pitch,
Ronald did it four hundred feet the opposite way, and
I mean it was just you could see the see
(16:30):
it coming.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
You know, I'm gonna do this. I'm going to defend
Charlie mildly. There was like a two and a half
month stretch this year from like late April to like
mid July where he was actually good. It was the
first month of the season. He was terrible, right he
got pulled for rotation. It was awful, and then he
got pulled in the bullpen, and then he came back
to start. He actually had looking it up right now.
(16:52):
He had a three point five ra from April twenty
ninth through the middle of July, so two and a
half months free before and after that it wasn't.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
It wasn't.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
So I was gonna say, how bad hey he had
he I'm saying he had it in there every once
in a while, even even a month ago he had
a six inning, six shout ending performance he had. He
shut down the Astros like three weeks ago, like he
still has it just a little. Actually he went to
Philly and beat them in early August. But when it's bad, man,
we saw we saw it on Friday. It's what I'm saying.
(17:24):
When it's bad, it's real bad. And he's I mean,
he's older than me. The guy's he's not he's not
a young man. So we got questions Scott, let's just
do this. Now we've got questions about Charlie and the
Braves picking him up. I want you to explain how
much money it would cost if the Braves tried to
claim Charlie Morton. Because we just figured this out on
the fly, It's not an insignificant number, which is why
I think it probably will happen.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
But we'll see. Yes, So Charlie Morton makes fifteen million
dollars this season. Brad and I did some research. It
appears that players are paid on a per day basis
during the active season, which is one hundred and eighty
seven days. So fifteen million dollars divided by one hundred
and eighty seven days. Let's say the Braves do claim
(18:08):
Charlie Morton five days of active service time is about
four hundred thousand dollars. The Braves would have to pay
for a reunion with Chuck to make one final start
this week or no worth it for me. I'm just saying,
pay the man is money. It's fine. I was gonna say,
Brad Rowland is going to cut a check personally for
four hundred thousand dollars to bring Charlie back.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
I'm not kidding, though, I'm not kidding when I say this.
If they signed Charlie, if they claim Charlie, what they're
probably not going to do. If they did, I'm going
to the game. You should We'll go live. And I'm
I'm not planning on going to a game this week
just for I got other things to do. I'm working
in all these things. If they claim Morton and give
him a start, I'm going to go.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
We need to pull some strings and get you like
row two behind the plate for that, And.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
I mean my ticket costs will not be four one
thousand dollars, so we'll not cover Charlie's. But if Alex
are listening, I would come. I will pay whatever rate
I need to pay to get the building by myself.
If I need to, I will come see Charlie one
more time. Tip the old cap. Obviously, some of this
is a bit with me and Charlie. It has been
for a long time, but he was really with it
good for a long time. He's a World Series hero
all the things. So I just want to mention that
(19:16):
I felt bad that it ended that way against the
I hope that wasn't the last time you ever pitched.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
He was so bad on Friday, but it might be
so we'll see. Yeah, Hey, hell of a career. Charlie
Morton World Series champion, pitched on a broken leg in
the World Series and got out on a broken leg,
got a strike on a broken leg of Jose al Tuve.
Just one of the coolest things I think I've ever
seen a pitcher do. Or I mean, honestly, just a
professional athlete do. And the biggest moment in the biggest stage.
(19:43):
So yeah, but you know, Friday night, the whole offense hit.
Everybody hit. I mean that that's kind of been the theme.
The whole lineup has been good. Akunya Homeward, Drake Baldwin Homeward,
He's had a great week. Hastan Kim Homeward again, which
he needs to relax because he's everybody Herebert on Sunday
as well.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
He's he's getting hot man.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
Plus he might be he might be opting out. We'll see.
Ozzie Albe's has been good. I mean, even Michael Harris
drew a walk, which is maybe the craziest thing. I
just said, selling the alarm.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Yeah, I did it with Steven the other day because
Seawan was Sean was sick of as me and Steve
and I think it was it was four. He had
four walks and four hundred plus play appearances, a literal
one percent walk, right, so hey, anytime Michael walks, that's good. Sean,
our colleague Seankalma had the stat plug up right now
to make sure I'm not gonna get it wrong. But
the a game Wing streak, they scored at least five
(20:36):
runs in all eight games. Now, one of those games
they had they scored five runs in the tenth to
do that. But hey, they scored five runs in all
these games.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
First time that.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
Brings have won eight in a row while scoring at
least five runs in every game since nineteen eighty two.
So it's it's been the offense driving this little Wingus streak.
It's been the offense. I mean, other than the game
where it was little zero zero through nine through nine,
they had been putting up crooked numbers like with regularity,
which has been fun to see.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
And that was a good example of about on Friday.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
Also, Bryce Elder shouts to him seven innings, five bits,
no walk, six strikeouts, like he's been good down the stretch.
So I don't want to be fooled by that, but
it's worth typing a captain Brice. He's been quite good
for about a month.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
Yeah, hey, you know what if Bryce Elder can cover
five six innings and give the Braves even a remote
chance to win moving forward, you take that every single time. Yes,
well said to Saturday.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
Saturday was the Nacho Albarez game, to say, the least
best game of his career bar none, not really any
competition for it. He had his first home run of
his career on Saturday and a six to five win.
It was his two hundred and fifteenth plate appearance. That's a
lot of plaint appearances to not have a homer, like
not just not a big power guy, but he was
hitting like ten in the minors, like he can hit
some home He's he's not Nick Allen. He has a
(21:50):
little bit of juice. That was a long time and
they gave him a silent treament which was fun to watch.
I'm not sure if he saw the clip, but they were.
It was a long, solid treatment for Nacho and then
he hover again.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
It was same game.
Speaker 1 (22:01):
Plus he had the game time hit with two out
in the ninth to keep a waistreak lit so awesome
game for him. You know, he's not been the best
of the plate this year and his thrust into availability
with Austin being unavailable, But it was fun to just
watch that because, like, you know, happy for the guy.
Everybody likes the kid, and a big, fun game on
a Saturday and people are fired up for him.
Speaker 2 (22:21):
It was good. Not sure, el whereas clearly has some talent.
Now do we think he's gonna be a cornerstone piece
for the Braves for the next decade? No, probably not.
I also don't know where he would necessarily play with
any kind of regularity. But he's a talented kid, and
good for him for getting the two homers had I
think the pitch was off the plate that he drove
the other way to tie the game, and then Jerks
(22:43):
and Profar gave him the lead. It's been few and
far between the number of times the Braves have come
back in the ninth inning this year, and of course,
now that we have a week left in the year,
they have a really nice win and also just a
backbreaking loss for the Tigers. I mean, it's dark days
in Detroit right now. This team is on like a
generational collapse right now. For the division. We might see
(23:05):
one like every ten or fifteen years, but man alive.
Just a crushing Losch for Detroit and then they were
beyond flat on Sunday. So yeah, I mean the Braves,
they're playing spoiler. Nobody wants them to be in that
spoiler role. We help want them to be at top
of the division and thinking about the playoffs this time
of year. But they've made life difficult for the Tigers,
and I guess you know there's there's little victories and
(23:27):
making life really difficult for other teams who have their
eyes set on the postseason.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Yeah, I mean again, just to kind of a home
whenever one they had to come back though they were
down that game, not you had that hit. Baul had
a great weekend, which is good to see. Joey once
was solid and his basic a former team of his
in Detroit.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
That was good.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Yeah, awful off, we'll come back to the second, but
awful lost with the Tigers. That's what's today for the Tigers.
Just brute over them. And as we discussed I think
on our last show, maybe maybe it's with Steve. I
can't remember. Tiger's like my number two team, Like I
have family out. I'm a Michigan fans. That's not fun
to have the Tigers just utterly collapse. But that'll come
back up in a second before we move on from
(24:05):
the actual on field product. Sunday, the Braids went six
to two, much easier win other than the rain delay,
which I thought was just hilarious that they were having
a rain delay on an NFL Sunday. It's like, no
one's watching already, and then they set everybody away and
watch football. It's like, Oh, come back and watch the
rest of this game. I was trying to be professional
watching it, so I did watch.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
I did watch.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
The entire game actually was on because the Falcons were
being the Falcons. So we'll go on from that. But
a night's win, I mean, Strider, anything anything to stick
out to you from Sunday and the eighth straight win
for the Bruis Spencer.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
Strider looked really good again. Over his last five starts.
Strider now has a two point one to zero e RA,
which is fantastic. Struck out six. He continues to throw
his off speed stuff at a higher rate, and we're
I think one of the biggest off season questions of
players already in the organization. Is what kind of pitcher
(24:59):
is Spencer' going to be next season? Is he going
to see any kind of increase in velocity with a
normal off season for strength and conditioning. Is he going
to continue to really work in his breaking balls as
he has done over the last month, because before that
he was getting hit hard. I mean he was gonna
hit really hard. So yeah, good for Spencer, I'm sure
(25:19):
just for his mental sake too, just going into the
off season knowing that he is healthy and that he
found success when he doesn't have that ninety nine fastball anymore.
You don't have to have a ninety nine fastball to
be successful in the majors. But it's going to be
an adjustment for him. And good on Spencer for being
able to make that change in the middle of a
season where you only really have about three or four
days to make any kind of adjustment what you want
(25:41):
to do on the mound.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
Yeah, and he still throws plenty hard. You know, he
still touches ninety to ninety seven regularly. Like he can
still bring it, it's just not bringing it the same
leg I think it was before. But looking good last
five starts we mentioned before Baldwin homering earlier in the
weekend twice, he tripled today on Sunday. He has six
base hits in the last seven games. Love to see that.
(26:02):
You need a drink to finish strong for Rookie of
the Year purposes all those things. He's still a pretty
big underdog at draft kings right now. Our partner's over
there to Kate Horton. By the way, Kate Horton pitches
on Tuesday, it would be very helpful for the Braves
and Drake Ball one if Kate Horton got hit.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Harror on Tuesday. Yes, unfortunately he faces the New York Mets. Oh,
so some split incentives there for Braves fans, like you
want the Mets to lose, but also Horton. Maybe the
Mets can rock Horton and still lose nine to eight.
That'd be cool, Yes, something like that. So we'll see.
Just something to circle on Tuesday when that comes up.
(26:38):
And of course the betting odds are not gospel, you know,
they are draftings.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
It's a thirty especially in baseball awards, is a thirty
person voting block for awards and we don't even know
who they are yet. Like it's bbw A. It's very
like MBA awarp. Betting is actually very very accurate because
it's a bigger panel, it's easier to figure it out.
Baseball awards are often wrong, like if it's if somebody
is a massive favorite, we kind of know why they're
(27:04):
going to win. That's not where we are. Horton is
a betting favorite, but he's not like minus three thousand,
like Baldwin is very much alive.
Speaker 2 (27:11):
And Rookie of the Year yes, so hopefully after you know,
it's interesting, Drake had a bad first two weeks of
September and we talked about it on the show last Sunday,
and then we said, hey, we need Drake Baldwin to
get back on track and have a really good final
two weeks to give himself a chance at Rookie of
the Year and the draft pick the Braves would be
awarded if he wins Rookie of the Year. And he
(27:31):
did that, he was probably player of the Week for
the Braves, him or Matt Olsen. So yeah, I mean,
it's good to see Drake get back on it. Just
Rookie of the Year or not. What a special season
for a rookie catcher who more than holds his own
behind the plate and with the pitching staff. I feel
like Drake has gotten better too as the season has
gotten along. Defensively, he can throw out a base runner
(27:53):
and his approach is just so refined you would never
know he's a rookie. And that was from day one.
I mean, this kid came up in San Diego and
it was he looked like a five year vet out there.
The way he works counts uses the whole field, has power,
but also can go the other way. He's just such
an impressive hitter. And frankly, with the uncertainty of Sean
Murphy going forward now that he's had this surgery, the
(28:14):
Braves need Drake Baldon to be good, even more so
than they did even a couple of weeks ago before
we knew about the Murphy injury.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
For sure, and you mentioned him being maybe the player
of the week, like going back to the Braves offense
carrying them. I just pulled this up. The last seven
days of the Braves, they have five regulars with an
ops over one thousand over the last week.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
Yeah, five, Baldwin is one of them. Baldwin, Olsen Acunya Nacho.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
Given his one big game really, and then Hassan kim
All had like big time weeks and that's how you
end up scoring an average of like eight runs a
game for the week.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
That's how that.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
Works, all right, Scott, oh, one more quick news thing,
and then I want to close the show with some
playoff talk that actually is somewhat related to the Braves,
just because it's crazy. The Braves did claim another guy
of waivers in Flix. Every day there's a waiver claim.
I know Sean steven talked about one on Thursday night.
This time it was Chuckie Robinson, a thirty year old
catcher off layers from the Dodgers. I want to bring
that up just to say, listen to Shawn Stevens discussion
(29:07):
about the forty man a few days ago, because this
is another one where they put Day's belt almost sixty
the il which goes away in ten days, and they
have a lot of decisions about the forty man roster
that have to be made fairly soon. This is another
guy who has options like depth piece and catcher. Sammie
Leo's a free agent, all those things. You want to
have one more guy. Look, Chuckie Robinson is not a
(29:29):
guy that really matters, but a guy you might see
next year potentially as the third fourth catcher in the organization.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Or the first time, yeah, the first time the Braves
make an offseason move of any kind and and the
club released CHUCKI. Robinson from the team or whatever.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
Certainly very very very possible. Just why this is minute
twenty nine of the podcast. Is this because you know,
we have no idea if that's gonna actually matter at all,
but worthy of note another guy in sixty the I
I mean, they were almost laughing about how many guys
are on sixty day already, and there's a number one.
So it just keeps the roster machinicians in baseball at
the end of the season when games don't matter anymore.
(30:05):
For bad teams are crazy and Alex's doing the right thing.
You just spray the board, just claim everybody you can
do whatever you do, whatever you want.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
To do, and especially on a bad team like usual
injuries too, they have so many injuries. Like you know, right,
this is usually the time of year if you're if
you're a good team that you're trying to find like
the fastest player you can add, because he's going to
be your designated pinch runner, like it was the Billy
Hamilton Special for years where he couldn't do anything but
run well. Billy Hamilton always signed with a contender in
(30:34):
the last two weeks of the year because he was
your pinch running option late in games. So yeah, very
active forty man roster and a lot of moon overing
for Alex and topless. But hey, why not, Like, maybe
Alex is bored, maybe he has the itch and just
wants to make something happen before the offseason gets going.
That's board is probably the wrong word.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
I think Alex is probably like gnashing his teeth about
how bad the season's going because he's a competitive guy.
But you're right, maybe he's just like smashing buttons in
this office doing things at the O temper. All right, Scott,
there's more to come on the podcast, putting a look
ahead to the coming week, some interesting kind of pseudo
playoff talk in more in just one moment after it
worked from our partners.
Speaker 4 (31:13):
Hey, if you're a card collector or, you're looking to collect, buy, sell,
trade arena clubs the spot and I'm going to tell
you why because the old process AJA was very clunky.
Buy a box rip the pack, tons of comments, send
it in for grading, and then finally you get everything back.
This is weeks and weeks and you can start to
try and sell the card. We have eliminated that with
(31:34):
Arena Club or they have. I act like I'm part
of it, but in really one step.
Speaker 5 (31:39):
Arena's your one stop shop for everything. You get a card,
you open a slap pack, the card is there, it's graded.
It spins around coolly shows you three D the front,
the back, You can look at the corners, you can
look at everything, and then you get a decision. Do
I want to keep it? Do I want to sell it?
Do I want to trade it? It gives you an
instant offer. You can buy it back and re rip
another slap pack and try for someone else, or you
(31:59):
can even and hope the value goes up and sell
it a later day. It is truly the best spot
to get carved.
Speaker 4 (32:04):
Twenty percent off your first lab pack or card purchase
can be ad right now at arenaclub dot com. Slash
foul and use code foul.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
Okay Scott to tease this, but there's some playoff madness
going on that involves the Braves tangentially the Tigers, who
the Braves just swept.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
Again, the Braves just swept.
Speaker 1 (32:27):
The Tigers are playing for a lot, which made things
really interesting this week because you were to think once
you guys notthing.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
To play for.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
They're the ones allowed to play for, and the one
that has noothing to play for sweat the team, which
is a very baseball thing. There's something, there's a reason
why why we talking about all the time on the podcast.
You can want to win all you want to Baseball
is a very random sport. We love it, but a
lot of things weird. This happens in baseball. But let's
go Let's go to that first, and then the Mets
are having a similar experience. And the Braves hate the
(32:54):
Mets and least Brace.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Fans do, so that's good.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
Maybe the Tigers are only up by one game on
the Al Central And if you have not followed this race,
I get that everybody follows non Braves baseball, I understand.
But a couple of numbers for you on this The
Tigers led the Guardians by twelve and a half games
in the division on August twenty fifth, that's four weeks ago.
(33:16):
They were up twelve and a half. Now it's one.
The Guardians were down by fifteen and a half games
in July at one point, and you pointed this out
to me, it was nine and a half ten days ago.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
It was nine and a half.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
On like September eleventh, they were nine and a half
games ahead of the of the Guardians. But since then,
Cleveland can't lose all the final loss today, Cleveland final
lost today, Cleveland can't lose, Detroit can't win, and like
it's one game, Like that's that's insane. It's like we
were again only trragitionally part of this. Watching it this weekend,
it was like a slow motion car wreck because it's like, man,
just win, please. I have a hard time watching it
(33:52):
because I hate collapses. I'm in Atlanta sports fan, folks.
This has been my entire life. It's hard for me
to deal with. Even though even even with no investment,
I'm like, please don't collapse, like it hurts my soul.
And they are trying to collapse. I don't know they're
gonna do it, but they're trying hard.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
You know. It was interesting too, and this is not
Braves centered, but you know, we talked on the show
on Thursday night. We figured that the Tiger Stadium was
going to be like pretty rowdy and jacked up this
weekend and final home stand of the year for Detroit.
And yes, they've been playing bad, but a chance to
I mean beat up on the Braves, who were not
exactly a postseason contender at this point. And I mean
(34:30):
that stadium was dead. And maybe it's because they've watched
a fifteen game lead of APPU eight of Vapor eight
in that what where was that, Brad, It's fine, it's fine, man,
it's you know, you're in deep September. No one's listening anyway,
But yeah, I mean it was. The stadium was dead
on Sunday. It was like a morgue. I know it
was NFL Sunday, but it wasn't like the Lions were playing,
(34:51):
but stadium was empty. The Braves just completely dominated Detroit.
I don't know what's going on with them. They were
such a good story the first half of the season,
but they have just been a free fall ever since.
And you know, good on the Braves for making life difficult.
I mean, it's again, it's the spoiler role that no
one expected us to have. But I mean Detroit looked terrible.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
Yeah, Saturday was the game that was so brutal because
they were up five to three in the ninth on Saturday,
or was.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
It the eighth it was late eighth, eighth anything.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
Like to have that one in the middle of the
middle of losing every game and you know, thank God
for them.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Cleveland final loss today.
Speaker 1 (35:26):
How about this? This is more of a just a crazy
baseball stat. The Guardians in the middle of this run
had an eighteen game stretch where they allowed twenty eight
total runs. That's that's ridiculous. That's impossible, Like, how do
you go twenty That's impossible. Also, they play each other Tuesday,
so if you are if you enjoyed baseball, that's a
big series Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Guardians Tigers, probably for the
(35:49):
division and one way to bring them back to the Braves.
I was reminded, I'm sure you were too. We haven't
talked about this when the Braves collapsed in twenty eleven.
It feels like that what the Tigers are doing. If
you are too younger, I remember this. I'm sure we
have some younger listeners who were like either kids or
whatever in twenty eleven, but the Braves blew an eight
(36:10):
and a half game lead in September in twenty eleven,
they went nine. They went nine and eighteen in September
that year, and it was absolutely excruciating. You and I
were not doing podcasts yet together. I think we might
have been writing it together at that point something like that.
We were not podcasting, but boy, it all came flooding
back to me. I was like, oh, man, just the
slow motion car wreck again, nine to eighteen. The bridge
(36:32):
that was hideous at the brit If you were not
old enough, go back and look at what happened there.
I won't go get game to game. It was not
a lot of fun for about three weeks there.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
I don't a lot of fun in speaking of hideous oooh,
the New York Mets. The New York Mets, just, I mean,
the Mets are terrible. They keep losing. They got off
to the terrific start, and they've been one of the
worst teams in baseball for like three and a half
months now. Like statistically, they have been awful. It's not
just us piling on the Mets. I mean they've been terrible.
(37:00):
The Cincinnati Reds won on Sunday, So now I believe
those two teams are tied, and the Reds have the
tiebreaker over the Mets, which is huge. So even if
those teams now that we have the wild card, there's
no game won sixty three anymore. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I believe it's just pure tiebreakers. So I mean the
Mets and their you know, uncle Steve dropping eight hundred
(37:23):
million dollars every offseason. The Mets are legitimately at risk
of missing the playoffs altogether.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
I just found this because you talked about how how
long they've been bad. In late July, the Mets were
sixty two and forty four. Yeah, I believe since then,
but doing math right, they are eighteen and thirty two,
which is eighteen that's really really not good. And also
they've lost live in the last fifteen they I pulled
(37:50):
this earlier today. Fangrass playoff oughts that have been at
almost ninety seven percent about two weeks ago. Now it's
like fifty five if at after today's loss and the
Reds winning. So also, the Mets got on the road
for the lastest games that could be good or bad. Probably, Man,
I do wish even what the Braves where they are,
that the Mets will come to Atlanta this week, because
(38:11):
that would just be like that, that'd be the one
way to get Braves fans like really really invested this week.
Would be if they had a chance to keep the
Mets out of the playoffs. But that's not happening unfortunately.
Speaker 2 (38:20):
But yeah, we would go live after every game.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Maybe, I genuinely think we probably we probably, we probably
recapt games if like actually like deep dive recauts.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
And even I'm not gonna harp on this because I
fully understand that scheduling a one hundred and sixty two
game season for thirty teams is not easy to do.
Like I know they have a computer algorithm and everything,
but I mean, let's go over who the Braves. Imagine
if the Braves were in like an insane three way
race with the Phillies and the Mets in the East.
(38:52):
The last candfull of games, they played the Mariners who
are in the American League. They played the Cubs different division.
They play the Astros American League team, They played the
National six times. They played the Tigers in the American League.
They play the Pirates who were in the Central To
finish out the year, I think Baseball has to find
a way to prioritize getting some divisional matchups in the
(39:15):
last two weeks because it's just not the same. Like,
sure everyone's scoreboard watching, but how fun would it be,
Like as we talk, the Mariners and the Astros are
talking or are playing. We need more of that for
like the American League West balance hangs or in the
Central with the Guardians in Detroit, Like we need more
of that, not less. And obviously it doesn't matter. I
get it. It's an old man going on a rant here,
(39:37):
but you know, let's let's not be playing the American
League West the final three weeks of the season.
Speaker 1 (39:43):
Yeah, this is one of those offshoots of the discusual
changes where like everyone's playing their division rivals less. Remember
like there was the for the longest time that was
really really heavily scheduled towards your rivals, and they've flattened
that out in the last couple of years. This is
a one offshoot of that, is that it's not as
easy to do this anymore. But and it will always
be this way. But the Braves don't play either the
(40:05):
Mets or the Phillies in the entire month of September. Yeah,
that's that's kind of insane. Obviously didn't end up mattering,
but everyone in the world was projecting those three teams
to be the three teams with a chance to win
the division this year, and they made a way to
where the Braves played neither of those teams in the
entire month. Stember, that's that's probably not great.
Speaker 2 (40:23):
I think it's the same way in twenty twenty six, Brad.
I don't have the schedule in front of me, but
I think they're done with the Mets by like mid August.
It's just I don't know, man, That's one thing. And
it's funny. Back in the day, there used to be
six series between division foes, and now there's four. Six
feels like too many, and four feels like too few
(40:45):
to me. Scott wants five, exactly, everybody wants five. Wonder
if you could do, like, you know, when the CBA
happens in a couple of years, And honestly, it's probably
a moot point because if they do expand and change
divisions and everything, then who knows what the schedule is
going to look like. True, it's weird. Twelve or thirteen
games does not feel like enough against your division Rivals,
(41:05):
but nobody wants to watch the Braves and the Nationals
play nineteen times, which is what they used to do. Yeah,
I've just.
Speaker 1 (41:12):
Confirmed what you said. The Braves are done with the
Mets next year on August twelfth. Now they do play
the Phillies seven times September next year, so that'll be
if that is a race, that'll be. It's not the
very end of the year. It's got an early September,
but still they play seven times, and I think it's
like by yeah, by the Middles deeper that seven times,
so more competitive probably in the Braves. Next year end
(41:33):
with the Reds and the Morelands Marlins West of Division
foe this year the Braves. As we'll wrap the show
up with is now the Braves end with the Nationals
and the Pirates about as uninspiring as it gets to be.
One hundred percent of us. Obviously we are sick those
We host a Braves podcast year round, so we'll be
interested no matter what. But if you're a casual fan,
(41:56):
there isn't a whole lot to get you excited about
this last week at this season, I have to.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
Say, can you imagine if the Braves win fourteen in
a row two end the season.
Speaker 1 (42:07):
I mean, yes, I can't imagine it because it might
happen because the Nationals and the Pirates are bad. The Braves,
like go back to SNET real quick snid is managing
as if these games matter a lot.
Speaker 2 (42:18):
Yeah I don't.
Speaker 1 (42:20):
That's a different discussion for different for a different day.
Like for instance, John Carlos Laura came up, came up
this weekend. The boys talked about that on the last show.
We were all hoping he'd get into a game this weekend,
but he never got into a game because the Braves
are treating every game like it's October, not quite playoff level,
but like today like a glass coming, They're still trying
to play every game like it matters, which is just
(42:41):
bride sticker to being bride snicker.
Speaker 2 (42:42):
So it is interesting.
Speaker 1 (42:44):
But yeah, I think because of that, like they could seriously,
they really could win out by the way. They probably
won't because just look do the math. But it's not
a crazy thought. It really isn't.
Speaker 2 (42:56):
Yep, fourteen in a row, that would be I'm almost
rooting for that now, just because the headlines right themselves,
you know, Braves and season from hell full of misery
and never ending injury with fourteen consecutive.
Speaker 1 (43:09):
Wins, I want to know right now. I want to
know with truth serum. I bet you Alex would. Alex would,
with truth serum, say I do not want to win
the last fourteen games in a row. Yeah, just to
avoid the conversation altogether, because you know exactly what they
won't be from us, but the topics, the local the
(43:30):
local TV folks will be like, well, what's this mean
about next year? Like you can't quit, change, can't possibly
change managers. Now you just want for all these things.
So I think if you he wouldn't say this on
the record, obviously, but I bet you could give Alex
truth sierum. He would be like, can we please just
lose Somethinglease lose a game at some point in the
next week, because I also, the Brads haven't won fourteen
(43:53):
in a row in a yeah twenty so it's twenty
twenty two. They went forteen in a row, but longer
than that. Once ever, they won fifteen in a row
two thousand, so fourteen would be there. It would be there.
They would match their longest wing streak in twenty five years.
Speaker 2 (44:07):
Can you imagine? Uh No, But maybe.
Speaker 1 (44:11):
Last thing before we get out of here. It's Sale Monday,
Waldrip Tuesday, Elder Wednesday. I don't know if it's gonna
be the last start for either Sale or Waldrop. Like
technically they could go twice. I don't know if they will.
Speaker 2 (44:25):
We'll see. Man.
Speaker 1 (44:26):
I'll say this now because you and I probably won't
talk before then. This should be it for Waldrop. I
would like to not have Waldrop pitch again after Tuesday.
He's already way over his innings for they's ever pitched
before in his life. I'm all set after Tuesday with Waldrop.
Speaker 2 (44:39):
Sale. If he wants to pitch whatever, let him. I
guess any thoughts on that before we get out of here.
I do agree completely on Waldrop. For the love of God,
you do not need to send this guy out there
in game one sixty two. Just don't do it. Don't
risk it. I know it's so small, but don't. Don't
risk an injury, don't risk anything going wrong. They're a
bullpen game. Call up somebody from Triple A. It'd be Sunday.
(45:02):
Just do the math.
Speaker 1 (45:03):
Everybody like he's pitching Tuesday, Waldrop, so he could go
on normal rest on Sunday. In the finale if they wanted,
that would be the way to do it. Anybody to
pitches after Tuesday, that's it. So Bryce Elder is on Wednesday.
That will be his final start, just to say that outlass.
So Tuesday is the last day that someone could go
one more time if they were to stay on schedule.
Speaker 2 (45:21):
And you know, the Nationals very bad team. I know
we saw them. I mean we saw the Nationals a
lot early and then went like five months without seeing them.
But Nationals are bad. The Pirates are even worse. Braves,
you know, should win some games this week. You know,
we could have a whole again, another conversation about whether
or not we want them to be winning these games
or if it's for the betterment of the team to
(45:41):
be winning these baseball games. But final week of the year.
Brad can't believe it's here. The year is somehow flown
by despite everything bad that has happened. It's, you know,
we got the final six games of the year and
then we have six months without Braves baseball. Shoot, seven
months without Braves baseball. Now it's you know, it's always
a sad day for me anyway, no matter how the
(46:01):
season went, When things officially end. We're almost there. I
mean this again this time. In a week when people
are listening, season will be over. Yeah, I suppose. I
don't know.
Speaker 1 (46:12):
I don't want to program on the air, but I
suppose we'll probably do a podcast a week from today
to wrap it all up and get ready to go
with the off season. But please ttune everybody, if you
did not know this already, if you're new to the podcast,
if you are catching for the first time, or whatever,
we appreciate you being here. We don't stop at the
AUF season. We'll be keeping it going. We will have
content each and every week on the show. It will
(46:33):
be a podcast or multiple podcasts every week from now
it's till the end of time, unt til the end
of us getting fire of by our bipoile territory or something. Well,
we'll be here regularly with content, So please go ahead subscribe, Apple, Spotify, YouTube,
et cetera. Comments, writings, reviews, all that appreciated as well.
You can follow Scott on social media at Scott Colan
(46:55):
fifty five, where he will be trumpeting his three to
oh Indianapolis Colts all week long.
Speaker 2 (47:00):
I'm sure that is right. Three and o'cults first time
since two thousand and nine. Brad, it's a weird feeling
to have football happiness because there's not been a lot
of football happiness for me the last couple of years.
Maybe that's balance and the universe winking at me with
the Braves having such a bad year, giving me a
little bone here to keep my sports fandom and everything
(47:22):
going strong. But not for you, my friend.
Speaker 1 (47:24):
I was going to say, I'm going to no comment
that as a I cover the Braves, I cover the Hawks.
It's a different relationship with those teams, particularly what the Hawks.
I pretty much just cover them professionally.
Speaker 2 (47:37):
At this point.
Speaker 1 (47:38):
The Falcons are the one team I could be a
crazy person about, and that's mostly for the negative because
the Falcons.
Speaker 2 (47:43):
Are the Falcons.
Speaker 1 (47:44):
They are one of the least accomplished franchises in history.
They do things that are stupid all the time. And
today that's by thirty points as a favorite and didn't score.
Speaker 2 (47:54):
So we will sign off here before Brad loses our
YouTube license. Week three listen.
Speaker 1 (48:01):
Of the four of us, I think I am the
least likely to have a meltdown to have us lose
our to have us lose YouTube or something. I'm the
least likely of the four of us to start swearing
and melting down on the air.
Speaker 2 (48:12):
I think I think that's probably fair. Would you? Would
you agree with me? It's one It's either you or me.
It's not. It's not one of the other two. I
can tell you measured. Yeah, especially a couple of years
ago I was.
Speaker 1 (48:21):
I'm pretty I'm pretty measured. And let's not yelling about
Ronald accunitys batting order spot. All right, Scott, thank you
for being here. Please subscribe to Hamm Territory anywhere you
find your podcasts. Of course, Scott, my name is Brad.
We appreciate you being here. I will see everybody next time.