August 18, 2026 • 61 mins
David Ross & Anthony Rizzo are BACK for episode 2 of Ross & Rizzo Unfiltered! The guys react to Pete Crow-Armstrong’s WALK-OFF Home Run in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Chicago Cubs the win over the Chicago White Sox. PCA had his MVP-Moment as he started off the game with a leadoff HR, and ended the game with a walkoff HR. The guys talk about how PCA has transformed his entire offensive game over the course of one offseason, and with him being the best Centerfielder in MLB, the guys are choosing PCA to beat Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL MVP. The guys then recap the Field of Dreams game where the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Minnesota Twins with Rizzo on the call for Netflix. Rossy brings up Rizzo’s “Corny dad jokes” with former teammate Kyle Schwarber during his post-game interview, and the guys share a laugh about the transition from playing to being on the media side. The guys react to Joshua Baez’s 3 HR MLB debut for the St. Louis Cardinals, Ketel Marte getting placed on the Arizona Diamondbacks reserved list, as well as how to fix the Dodgers Bullpen, and try to figure out what’s wrong with Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
There's something about the warm summer air and a cold
corona with lime that makes the roar of the crowd
sound a lot like the roar of the waves.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
That's because this is our plaia, and the best seats
are always wherever you're sitting, whether it's.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
A weeknight game under the lights or a Sunday afternoon
in the sun. You know, baseball isn't about rushing around.
It's about settling in, letting the game come to you.
And nothing pairs better than a nice cold corona.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Nothing, So find your seat, your corona, and your lime,
because real fans know the only thing better than nine
innings is extra innings, especially on La Plaia Corona.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Laplio waits, the official survesa of Major League Baseball. Get
yours at Order Corona dot com for twenty one plus
relaxed responsibly Corona Extra Beer imported by Crown Imports, Chicago, Illinois.
(00:58):
That's to Rudy, he's gone game.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
PCA walks it up in the tent and the Cubs
knock out the Sucks in ten. It began with a homer,
He ended it with a homer. It began with a homer,
(01:28):
It ended with a Homer PC's first career walk off
home run crosstown rival after tough series versus the Cardinals
over the weekend Aaron water Show Weekend, Wrigley was rocking.
Cubs are up early in that game, they go down,
they respond. What a moment at That's like one of
(01:49):
PCA's I feel like gonna be his defining moments. You're
just gonna see forever throughout his career.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
You're talking about an MVP moment. I mean, like who
starts and ends a game? Like, no, it's over, that's
in your you know you're controlling the game. Yeah. I
just was in the in there this weekend doing the
Sunday game for ABC and ESPN, and what an amazing
time in there. Right now, Wrigley's rocking. Uh they did
have a series against the Cards, but wow.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
I was laying down. I was laying down in bed.
I was watching on my phone because we were going
to sleep, and I see uh him hit that, and
I'm like, oh my god, and what what are you doing?
Jolted up. I was like, you got your PC ages,
He'll walk off.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Look at this place. I told you I saw him
in the cage. I said, Bro, my favorite bat flip
or my favorite you know Selly right now is like
the bat's too hot, you know when he drops it
in the bath.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
That was.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
That moment that was sick. You know.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
I want to just go back a little bit into
that game and or or even just what happened unfolded
over the weekend, Dansby Swanson going down right and the
oblique injury, and he's been raking since the end of June.
He's been one of their better hitters on the team.
His defense as follows him and Nico up the middle
or as the best in the league, the best him
(03:08):
in the league, and Ego just goes over to shortstop says, yep,
I got it, no worries, I got you Dansby, I
got you boys. Four hits right gets the tying game,
tying hit in time and just watching that, I mean,
I love Nico. I've saw him come up, I've seen
him blossom into the player he is, but just no bigger,
(03:29):
better guy in the moment coming up and even before
that PCA with that bat off Richards, he goes to
two strikes, he's working them away and he just shoots
something to left. He's not trying to do too much.
So watching that and seeing his evolution, he just keeps
getting better every bat. The bat versus the lefty, he
(03:51):
takes the first two pitches, both balls. Then he takes
a strike pretty much right down the middle of the fastball.
And for me watching that, that's just one of my
prouder moments watching him because seeing him take that, I'm
all right, now, he's gauged the fastball. He hasn't seen
this left yet. He's not trying to do too much.
And then the guy throws him somewhat of a hanging
slider and he just absolutely annihilates it.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
That comes off Yeah, and that comes offenses is clicking
on all cylinders. Like you said, dancing going down is
a big blow. But Nico fills in and the Cubs
just knowing some stats like they got the eighteen multi
run come from behind wins, you know like that, that's
like fifth in Major League Baseball. These guys they don't
(04:35):
give up, especially.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
When I know they're leading the league in walkoffs as well.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
So, like they about saying, when you're at home and
that crowds behind you, it gets you a little tighter
when you're on the other side, and those guys.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
The focus just takes you up to another level, as
we know. But cool moment they have there.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Frost, you're you're a manager and I text you last
night and I think I can manage right watching games?
Why are you not walking him right there? I don't
care if it's left he's hitting three hundred with a
nine hundred plus ops off lefties to start the inning
and extras. The White Sox don't score. Why why do
(05:18):
managers not decide to just put the first guy it
doesn't even matter who it is. But then PCA comes
up the front runner for MVP, the guy in Chicago guy. Yeah, yeah,
and I know say it hits lefties, well, but you
got to play for the double play ball there the.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Run at first?
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Does the runner at first doesn't matter?
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Yeah, I mean that's the that's the tough calls as
a manager, right, Like you're trying to who was available
in the bullpen for will vena bull and the White Sox.
Maybe they thought their best matchup was the lefty out
of the bullpen that you know, I was watching as well,
but not man to the team, not deep diving, but
it definitely you know, hindsight when you're in that seat
is so some you don't get to to be a
(05:59):
part of. You just got to pull the trigger of
what you do. But I'm with you. It's it's tough
to watch the MVP. Is that show? If that show,
Hey are you Walking? Show? Hey o Tani? And in
that because of the names, a little bit bigger, the
resume is a little bit deeper and longer. I think
you would, you know, I think I think you would,
So you know, you got to ima that I feel like,
(06:21):
but he has earned it this year for sure. In
extra innings, it really doesn't matter unless it's a really big,
low quality hitter and it's the best matchup you have.
In extra innings, you don't score in the top of
the tent as a White Sox and there's a base open,
you play for the double play, baff you get a
ground ball, there's two outs.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
You know what I mean? I don't know. I always
the extra inning strategy for all these teams are always different.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
It's not even the double play as much like you,
it is the MVP, the front runner, like you said,
in the lineup, the best player, and I think that's too.
What takes it to another level with Pete is he's
leading off, so it feels like when you're on the
other side those best players. I remember managing against Ronald
Acune Junior when he's leading off and one of the
(07:06):
best players in the game. It's like, bro, this guy
just feels like he's getting nine at bats a game
and you're stressed about it. It's tough when I guys
at the top, it just keeps seemed to coming up
and uh and situations. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean, nice night,
nice night for good.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
It's so good for the city. The White Sox are good.
What they're doing this year's in credit. What Will Venable
is doing with that team. I love Will Venable. I
played with him when I was a rookie. I played
with him. I love him, I love his family. I'm
so happy for him, and I mean being so ingrained
in Chicago. I actually am rooting for the White Sox
because their story is so similar to ours years ago.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
So what a great Let's let's announce it now. We
will be in Chicago for the Crosstown World Series. If
it happens, gotta be white, let's go.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Let's go well with that. That takes us into another
episode of Ross and Rizzo Unfiltered, where we talked about
weekly about what's going on in baseball. The PCA moment
was such a hot take. Let's just get it right
into it. You just said it too, ros See leading off.
(08:19):
This has been a topic that has been forever. You
want your best players the front of the lineup, right,
And I used to field the Dreams game and Kyle
Schwarber hits a lead off home run. Right, is that
there's no such thing as a wasted home run. But
don't you want your guys hitting home runs with guys
on base? If it's one nothing in a game and
(08:40):
you're the opposing team, all right, that's fine, it's one nothing.
But if Shober comes up with two or three guys
on and it's three nothing or four, that's a dagger
out of the gate. A leadoff homer is not a
dagger out of the gate. PCA had a lead off
homer yesterday. Is like the debate on hitting your guys leadoff.
I don't know, I don't love it. I may be
a little old school in this. I know you manage
(09:02):
your your new schooler in it.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
Well, it's how you're, it's how you're. I love your
segue you're so freaking media savvy already. Bro. First you're
doing it. You're locked in. Just segue from leadoff to
the off. First of all, we'll get to the field
of dreams. But uh, going to my manager brain and
talking about you know, being able to lead off your
(09:25):
best player, you know, when you got them one and two,
I think that's what it is. It's that it's for
this last of bat, you know.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
It's I had this argument with Joe Matten all the time, right,
and I said, Joe if and even Boonie or or
anyone I talked to about this. If you're relying on
your last at bat to win games, you're not a
good baseball team. You need to win the games early, right,
and then you bury them. And I understand there's games
(09:54):
like this where you want your best players coming up,
but the majority of the season you win these games.
If you're relying on beating the back end of a
bullpen bullpen every game and you need your best player
to come up in the eighth or ninth to win
the game, that's you're you're not in a good spot.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Well, here's what I would say to that is like,
wait till you start coaching junior, and you're like, why
is my son he's the best player, he's not hitting
at the top of the lineup. I want him to
get as most as many at bass, the most of
the bass he can get in this game, because it
impacts the game. Like that's how you think as a manager.
It's like, I want this dude just as many times
(10:30):
getting to the plate, And it's all about how your
roster is shaped and how many guys you have behind him,
Like you got to have some depth. You're not very good.
You're just getting you know when I managed, you know,
not having an MVP type caliber guy. After you guys left,
you start to find out, like who is setting the toe?
I like, I like Nico hitting the top because of
(10:51):
setting the tone in his contact, Like I love his
contact and Shover was a little bit different with the
on base, you know, I think like that's the other
part of the top, and I like speed at the
top of a little old school like that. But Pete
brings all those factors and he's got power, he's got speed,
he's immediate trouble h Schwolber and and Pete to me
(11:12):
are a little bit different in that way.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Totally totally.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Yeah, he's a pure slugger where Pete is like he
lead off, yeah, he gets on.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
And he's walking now too, man, Yes, yeapressive.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
His numbers are crazy, like not chasing, just being there,
like the biggest turnaround and chase rate, swinging that first
pitch and there was walk rate, like you know, that's
when to me, that's when the tables turn a little bit.
But I don't I don't think.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
I don't think viewers at home understand the adjustments that
Pete has made. I mean, he understood that he was
swinging at a wild rate out of his zone. Two strikes,
just throwing something anywhere and he'll swing. And he understood
that and he started not swinging more and now hitting better.
It's in and he's walking more. He's really bought into
(12:02):
taking pitches and see more pitches and getting into the bat.
It's a very old school approach. It looks like in
the new school era, and I absolutely love it.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Man well, and I think the game changer to me
of guys that really mature as players now a little
bit different than when I was coming up, is taking
a step back and watching the guys that really control
the strike zone and make you throw it in the zone.
Now with all all the stuff you have and the
kind of the lack of command and more of just
(12:32):
stuff that's in the zone or in and out of
the zone, is the game changer right now to me.
And that's I think that's what's taking Pete to the
next level.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
The Cubbies are rolling. Man, they they're rolling. I can't
say it enough. Man Jet brings in all those pieces.
It sparks the team. I mean, they may have the
best depth. They may they have right now.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Numbers wise, they have the best bench in the history
of the Cubs organization as far as numbers. That's to me,
that's been the difference maker. Obviously the Bregman pc A
becoming the m v P.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
But doing which we would right the team, it's just
the lineup is construction constructed so nicely. In my opinion,
they're there. They can beat you in a their dynamic.
They could beat you in a lot of different ways.
It's not all about the long ball.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
I need to I need to. I need to go
back because I got to watch again. Like your media
presence is so much fun for me, Bro, and how
good you are at it. It's the field of dreams
had to be epic and wear it on TV. Tell
me if you're I want to hear about you being
able to be on the other side of it from
(13:42):
a media standpoint and painting this picture and talking through
these Hall of famers coming out in the venue, like
walk me through that. That had to be amazing.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
Well, first off, I'm excited to go. You know, as
a players, you fly in and that excitement doesn't really
happen until you get there and you see it right
doing a little game ROSSI you did the field, the
dream being managing.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
And then classic I was a part of the lot with.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
So But for me being there, first off, I'm with
Barry Bonds and Albert Pouhols and El Duncan is amazing
at leading us. She's taught me so much from just
leading the panel and the Netflix crew. You roll in
there and it's it's you see the whole movie set.
You're literally in the middle of a cornfield. Our set
(14:30):
was in left field in literally in the middle of
corn right, So just seeing the hole, what Major League
Baseball did with that stadium, the permanent structures now it's
at and then literally goosebumps and chill seeing Schworeber announce
all the Hall of Famers and seeing them walk out
of the ivy was just it was scripted.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
I it was.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
It was literally I said it on there. It was
a cinema. It was literally a movie.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Yeah. It's a special place. And I feel like, you know,
watching the after like the cliffs at dirt and dad jokes. Bro,
those were those were Is that your idea? Those are great?
Netflix does a good job, but like making it a
show entertainment more than just like all this baseball facts.
(15:17):
But yeah, yeah, with you, here we go.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
What do you call a single kernel of corn? I
don't know?
Speaker 1 (15:26):
A unicorn?
Speaker 2 (15:27):
And tonight that's what you were mister. So here is
a Netflix special hot dog some Iowa's famous corn. Do
you know what we call that?
Speaker 1 (15:40):
What do we call this? A corn dog? We gotta
get some dag. It's a dad joke segment on here
for you, bro. That's right up your alley. That's that's uh.
It reminds me of your dad and being around him. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Man, those I'm telling you, Bro, those postgame interviews are
not easy, and they had asked afterwards to present Netflix.
They do the letterman jacket for the MVP of the game,
and then with the specialty game, the corn and the
hot Dog. So Laurence Shahati and I were talking before
and how we want to kind of do it because
(16:14):
she was asking the questions and I was going to
come in and I was like, man, what about some
dad like corny dad jokes, right? And we look them
up and yeah, I mean the Unicorn one. It couldn't
have been literally, like I said, cinema movie, it couldn't
have been scripted any better. Where a dear friend, a
close friend of you and I friend of the program,
(16:38):
Kyle schober Winds, the MVP hits two home runs, so
it's a lot easier to be corny with him than
someone you don't really know. But yeah, man, that.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Was that was cool. Well let's talk about We've got
another huge moment in Major League Baseball in Chicago. Joshua
Biez three home runs to start his career. Are you
kidding me? How about that?
Speaker 2 (16:59):
I see I see the headline Bias hits three home
runs in Chicago, and I'm like, ooh, Hobby's back right,
And obviously it's on the wrong end, but man, bro
major league debut. Kids grind it in the minor leagues too.
Twenty five, he's still relatively young. But how how cool
(17:19):
was that when he did get out You saw Cubs
fans and Cardinals fans coming together, which you don't see
very often, giving him a round of applause and just
respecting greatness in what they saw.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Yeah. Well, that's the one thing I really do feel
like you know, most fans, but especially in Chicago, being
around that city for a long time, they love good baseball,
they love good stories. And when you see this young
man first one, first of all, balls up out over maybe.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
A little, I mean these are good. I mean yeah, ok, the.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
First one, and then pulling the change up and then
you're like, oh, yeah, last, I'm gonna go Avo Taco,
Like what what's going on right now? The place was rocking,
and he had like thirty family friends and family in town.
Like it was. It was a special special moment in
that place. And we called the game the next day
and he went over. But it was, uh, we were
(18:15):
talking about he's got a lot of swing and miss
in his game in the minor leagues and doesn't walk
a whole lot. So that's one of those things. As
he's mature, he's going to have to learn to kind
of take a take a page out of PCA's book
and control the strike song. Learning a little bit. The
juices are flowing early in your career, but make the
adjustments when the league starts to make his adjustments. But man,
(18:36):
what a great story. That was fun and so so Uh.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
There's nothing better than Yeah, there's nothing better than special
things happening at Wrigley Field, right, three home run walk off.
It's just that, it's it's just it's storybook there. It's
it's it's the romanticism of how can you say baseball
is a romantic partner.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
That's right, That's right. And Bro, I mean that's history,
like the fact that he did something that's never been
done to me. Crazy, Yeah, in regular I mean at
regular flying over Yeah, oh yeah, it was loud.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
Bro was a little dicey, but that's it was a
little cloudy.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
But it's not your typical August day, but it was.
It was nice. Speaking of three home runs, you hit
three home runs once in your career for the Junks,
the New York Chunk Is, how was that? Why? Like,
I mean I've hit two not just not about me,
but I hit I've hit two a couple of times,
but three.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Is like, Bro, three is did you have a chance
to hit four? No? I hit my third in my
last Well, yeah, you did the hard way. You always
have a chance to hit four of us when you
get four at bats. I know you didn't always get
four at bats.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
For my ass shipped for my but especially for my bro.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
My last at bat at Yankee Stadium, I pulled the
ball foul and it was down the line, foul the
whole way. And it was against the Orioles, right and
Hyder Brandon Hyde is the manager, and I'm just standing
in the batter's like, oh, that's foul. And then all
of a sudden it starts pushing back and I'm not kidding.
(20:13):
It pushed back so late. At the last second I
even run and if you see me, I'm like, oh
my god, that's a home run. It was like it
was those three home runs were the Yankee Stadium specialty
of home runs for lefties. Like they just got over
and I was, I was three home runs in a game.
(20:34):
I have the jersey in my office back at home
in Florida. I mean, I'll take it any way.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
You can sick well actually, let's let's let me interject
and get off script for a minute. I had Yankee
Seattle and said something absolutely stupid on TV where we
had been talking about how short, what a great homer
field Yankee Stadium was, and uh, you know, when you're
(20:58):
on air and calling game, sometimes you're just kind of
rolling and you say stuff that that. Like afterwards, you're
kind of like, what what Why did I just say that? Yeah? Idiot?
What an idiot? And uh, Julio rod Regal, we talk
about how short boards wasn't right, and he crushed the
ball to right for a home run, and I come
out and say, probably not a home run in many parts.
(21:19):
And then everybody blasted me on social media, going, it's
twenty eight out of thirty, you idiot. Some guy called
me a fucking moron, and D's like, I love you too, bro,
love you so many angry people.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Oh yeah, that's all right.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
It was it was, it was it.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Anytime a ball goes out the right field the Yankee Stadium,
it's the easy uh cheap right, yeah yeah right, But
no one knowing, none of these pitchers or none of
these commentators say those balls a left center, dead center.
That aren't going out. Uh, they don't say anything about
how big it is out there, so it's just the
easy short ports are right.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
We might have to get like some kind of sponsor
for like dumb things ross he says on air, too
pretty good. Yeah, we we got to try to catch each.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Shout out to Jason Bennetti. He covers for me hard. Yeah,
he's the best.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Great, that's great.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
Need So, I know we got off to talking about
good moments with pc A Baiez hitting the three home runs,
but kind of a downer moment is theirs on the Diamondbacks.
And I know we have the tape of Tory Leavello
postgame interview putting Kettle Marte on the restricted list.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
Let's take a listen. You seem a little emotional. Are
you worried?
Speaker 4 (22:38):
No, not really. I just love him and I care
for him. Be okay, he is fine, Fine, he is fine.
I want you guys to know that I just careful.
Does everybody in that room?
Speaker 2 (22:53):
Yeah, tough situation there, especially with the Diamondbacks.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
Such a talented player. You know you worry about. We
hope everything's okay with the family and all that stuff.
It's it's scary moments because it is your family. And
I know Tori well. He was our bench coach in
Boston we won in twenty thirteen, and he's so connected
to his players and it really pours into those guys
and you can really tell from that video and real concern.
(23:19):
So you know, sending love and prayers to Marte and
his family and it's tough, man. We you The one
thing you know about being a manager that you don't
know as a player or that I know, is like
there's a lot of stuff that comes in your office
or that happens with guys on a personal level that
(23:40):
doesn't get out the media, and there's always something going on.
It feels like in somebody's world that you're kind of
trying to help them through.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
It's almost everyone has that's right, that's right, And you
feel like a dad figure a little bit, even though
it's a big leagues you know, you feel like a
little bit of a father, father figure and trying to
relate to moments and stuff in that seat.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
So again, you know, thinking about them, and he's such
a great player.
Speaker 4 (24:05):
Man.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
I hope, I hope he's not out long because the
Diamondbacks are rolling and been fun here down the you know,
getting his second half, you know, playing really good baseball
and right there in the mix.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
No doubt could tell we're thinking of you. We hope
you're doing well, whatever you're dealing with. On the personal matter.
The game is better when you're playing it, that's for sure.
Aw To uh, stay in the West, Stay in the West.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
Probably Dodgers.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Yeah, yeah, the kind of imploding a little bit ROSSI.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
It's so funny. You know what, if it wasn't for
their history of like having just a little bit of
slow playing some things and staying consistent, I would be
I think the thing, as you know, you worry about
is like with guys out and guys not performing, you know,
(25:00):
especially when you talk about Diaz bowing three out of
his last five saves, uh in a in a short
span ten game span like that worries me. And they've
got a lot of guys injured. And I know Dave
and he'll he'll get some more, you know, if Glass
now comes back and getting some of these guys, they'll
move some guys around and be able to add to
that bullpen. But I'm a little concerned. You know, you
(25:23):
want to play good in the second half and get
that momentum if they're in a short series, which they
would be right now, it's a little scary. Anybody can
win a three game set in that wild card.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
Anyone who win a three game set, any anyone there there.
I love what Dave Roberts said, He goes, I hope
these games don't come back to bite us in potential
tiebreaker where they don't get a first round five with
the Brewers. But again, Rossie, they're they're battle tested. It's yeah,
August eighteenth. They are in the dog days, right and
(25:55):
they're pros. They're grind and there there there grind is
their own grind. But that I don't think they can
they'll ever admit that. It's the light at the end
of the tunnel, isn't there? For they have a seven,
eight game lead in the West, right, so, and they
had a tough schedule. I'm not worried about him because look,
three game series, Okay, you're gonna get scooball Yamamoto. Yeah,
(26:19):
and a version of nasty, now you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
Yeah, Snell was nasty last time out with you know,
six innings and they had thirteen punches or something crazy
like he Yeah, with all that time off and he
you know, you always worried about his command. He was
locked in. Yeah, his first.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
Two I was looking their their schedule, the remaining They
have thirty six games left. Twenty four out of those
thirty six or under five hundred teams, So that's a
perfect formula for them to get some confidence rolling, get
some guys in place, and go into the postseason. Whether
it's a three game series, whether it's a five game
(27:00):
series or a seven game series. They don't care. They're
the best team ever. They know everyone needs to beat them.
They are the dragon that everyone's trying to slay. So
I worried until they lose a series and then we
can talk about that.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
But they are the clear front runners. They's funny how
we are talking about the postseason so early now with
this new playoff format and all these thro in the mix.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Dude, it's not crazy. It's so good for if you're
a fan right now. And I just did the for
NBC on Sunday Night Baseball. We just had the Mariners Astros.
The Mariners are under five hundred. The Astros are grinding
at the top of the Al West, and they're both
in it. Realistically, They're in it. The Rangers are in it.
(27:45):
If you're a fan of the game, I think it's
easy to be like, our team is struggling this but
you have a legit opportunity in August going into September
for meaningful baseball games. And what more can you ask
for as a fan?
Speaker 1 (27:59):
Right?
Speaker 2 (27:59):
I mean coming from a starved Dolphins fan, I know
I'm off topic with football.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
All I want somebody around the corner babies.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
Right, And this is just a side note. The over
under for the Dolphins wins this year is four and
a half and I'm like, God, how put Like this
is my reality of life. I'm thirty seven years old
and I don't think I've ever seen a good football team.
So as a fan of baseball, just please enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
Please.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
Really, your team's gonna be in the shooting for the playoffs. Yeah,
I think it's great for baseball.
Speaker 1 (28:31):
Yeah, it's been good. Staying on the negative train. We
talked a little of the Dodgers' bullpen and the negative
te stay on the negative train like ju ju.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
Negative trains get clicks.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
Yeah. Yeah, I like staying positive, but you know, we
gotta throw there.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
We stay positive on the negative.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
I had Paul Skians in Milwaukee last week or a
week and a half ago. I guess now, uh, since
we did right before we did our first podcast, and man,
he doesn't look right. And there's been so much brought
up about velocity. It's down over a mile an hour
pretty consistently. Haven't been a you know, they had some
(29:10):
numbers where pitches over ninety seven the last three years
and just continues to tick down. But I know how
what a work course he is being around him during
the WBC. But it doesn't look as much of arm fatigue,
I guess as it does like the command issues the
(29:30):
ball is that the armside misses. Me and Adam Alavino
were talking and when he was explaining, when you want
to create more velocity, you've got to really rotate and
ride that rotation as long as you can and let
that arm come through late. And it looks like he's
trying to generate a little bit of that, probably some
of the velocity in his in his back of his mind.
(29:54):
But the arm side misses and the pulls to the
into the lefties.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
That mean he's a probably not getting his eggs.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
You think, yeah, well, it just looks like he is
what I think it is. I think it's mechanics. Yeah,
it was kind of what I was getting at.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
When you're mechanically off, it's just as a hitter, I know.
It's could be the smallest little adjustment, you know, Rossie,
and you're talking to pictures when they're mechanically off, they
could be thinking about a little bit more. His work
ethic is definitely not, definitely not the issue.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
You know what I mean. I mean, you.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
For me, as long as it's not an injury, which
I don't think it is. But they they just push
his start back, So it could be a little bit
of fatigue. And if you're fatigued and you're tired and
your body's tired, then mechanically you cannot be fully in
your legs or whatnot.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
Yeah, you know what I think the test is going
to be. I think the test is going to be
they're giving him a a they're skipping a start or
giving him one, you know, like a reset and kind
of restarting him. This is his next start off of
this reset will be a nice indication of what we
can expect maybe moving forward or down the stretch for him.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
Yeah, well, his his splitter isn't up to what it is.
I mean, his splitter is getting hit. And when you
throw ninety seven ninety six to one hundred and you
have that nasty splitter, what do you call it?
Speaker 1 (31:14):
Like the splint blink?
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Yeah, And if that's not the truth threat, and it
hasn't been all season, then guys are game planning for
different It's a different game plan. Now, you don't if
you don't have to respect that split, that's just going
to drop off the zone. You could stay on the
heater or better, you don't have to worry about looking
like a fool on the change up and then you
see the slider, sweeper, curveball pop. It's taken this long
(31:40):
for the league to maybe get a book on him. Maybe,
but you're gonna see every pitcher goes through a little
bit of a lull, especially the great ones. He will
bounce back as long as he's healthy. And if he's
not healthy, I hope you know the Pirates have enough
to shut him down and make sure he's healthy for
next year because it doesn't look like they're going to
(32:01):
make the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
Yeah, they scuffle.
Speaker 2 (32:03):
The league needs a healthy pulse.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
Losing some guys to injury, they scuffle.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
Yeah, if they don't get if they don't get hot.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
Yeah, you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah for sure. Well,
and you know, going back just to finish the thought.
I know this is the new school. People may crush
me on this, but fastball command is everything for me.
And when you're throwing out even if it is ninety
six ninety seven down from his normal ninety nine, I
was looking at some numbers. In twenty four, he had
a four hundred and four pitches oh ninety or above,
(32:33):
ninety nine or above excuse me. Twenty five went down
to two twenty three this year. In twenty six, he's
only throwing three balls ninety nine plus. So but even
if you're spot in that and guy has the command
that he typically has, I think that sets up everything else.
And like the splinker and the sweeper and the slider,
(32:54):
you know, he's able to command the ball a little
bit more and hitters got to commit to that. So
that's how I thought as a catcher's.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
He's a great person. He's he's got this, he's got
it all going from. He's a hard worker, he's very respectful,
he's got Livy Dunn's celebrity girlfriend. Just I hope he's healthy.
Like everything I feel like is good vibes with Paul
and pitching for Team USA. So hopefully it's just a
little hiccup in his UH season and hopefully finishes the
(33:23):
season strong. Hopefully he's healthy, and hopefully his mechanics get
back in because I I love seeing him pitch. Speaking
of good vibes, I like it. This past weekend one
of my Yeah this is pint.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
We had the negative train and positive town.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
Yeah this is this is all positive for my my
after field of dreams. Okay, get on a show bird
right from my bad Yeah, me and Albert Poohle's ever
heard of him? He's seven to three home runs.
Speaker 1 (33:53):
He's just dropping all the names today.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
Okay, we fly down to Florida and it's hot right
celebrating my friend friend's fortieth birthday. Down in Florida. We
played golf all weekend. Getting to something here. Okay, great weekend.
Play two rounds on set Friday, or play eighteen on Friday,
(34:18):
an emergency scramble nine on Friday. It was ten of us,
so it was an absolute zoo. Where I'm going with
this is the coronas were flying. I mean all the
boys were pounding Coronas. It was a vibe on the
golf course. We were enjoying ourselves. It was awesome. We
went to the elbow room later that night. I mean
(34:40):
it was It was a great weekend celebrating my friend's fortieth.
All my boys from Louisiana were in town. Shout LSU.
Hopefully Lane Kiffin gets them going this year. Football right
around the corner, but brings us to our.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
So does that? Is that a segment to the Player
of the Week Plaia of the week? Okay, okay, our
plia of.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
The week, Let's go back to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Is
Corbyn Carrol from the Diamondbacks NL player of the Week
nine for twenty two with three doubles, two triples, two
home runs and one bag. He leads MLBU with triples
fifteen of them. I feel like he has one hundred
and fifty triples already in his career.
Speaker 1 (35:21):
He's only been in the league for four.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
Or five years.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
It's crazy. He burst on the scene too.
Speaker 2 (35:26):
Has he been underrated in Arizona where someone maybe listened
to this show, isn't as familiar with Corbyn.
Speaker 1 (35:34):
Carrol man, I you know, is he underrated? I don't.
He came in like one of the top picks in
the draft, had a gun's blazed on blaze. I think
twenty two he got like one hundred at bats and
and you know, over an eight hundred ops and then
the breakout season twenty three he was a monster and
had a little bit of a down year in twenty
(35:54):
four and then since then it has been rolling. I
think I've got my years right. But it was a
big loss. We had him on Team USA and then
he broke his handmate in spring. And anytime you have
some injuries or stay out for a little bit, I
think you can fly under the radar for a second.
And maybe West Coast.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
Specially in Arizona. Yeah, West Coast.
Speaker 1 (36:15):
Doesn't get quite as much of the love as as
normal people over here on the cool Coast is in
the East with us is uh Are, we're a little
they're in bed by the time that game ends. But
he is a monster in the middle of that lineup.
He can do everything. A lot of you know, we
talk about PCA and how good he is and the
(36:36):
five tools that he has Corporn Carrol's in that category
We're talking about speed, defense, power, the hit ability, just
a pure havoc on the bases and in the box
under radar. Maybe not as much attention, yes maybe, but
I think people in the game know how special he is.
(36:56):
And that's why we got to make sure we point
these guys out in the playa.
Speaker 2 (37:02):
It's Corona Corona, Corona Plia the week Carol takes Yes, sir, Rossie.
We got six weeks. We got six weeks left of baseball.
The American League and National League wildcards are gonna come
down to the wire. There's a few division races. They
all West is gonna come down to the wire in
their division race. But let's talk about the American League wildcard.
(37:25):
You six, we have six teams in it, legit, six
teams that can make the playoffs. If you go on
a four and two run you are the favorite to
be in the final wildcard spot right now. That's how
crazy the league is right now. And the Orioles sell
at the deadline. The Rangers are kind of in between.
(37:45):
They tried to trade the Grom, they tried to trade Seeger.
They said, no, we're staying here. We can win here.
They're in it. The Blue Jays out of nowhere have
have come into it, the Twins, the Guardians, It's what
are like, what is going on?
Speaker 1 (37:59):
Man? It's madness is crazy. Like I thought the Orioles
were dead and they have just caught fire, you know,
getting rid of Rushman obviously he was injured, uh when
with them, But you know they just.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
Took three out of four from the race, yes, and
they had the lead yesterday to sweep.
Speaker 1 (38:17):
And I think I think the I think the Razor
like one of the one of my favorite teams to
maybe win the whole name. They're nasty.
Speaker 2 (38:25):
We got to give a shout out to my boy
Kobe Mayo for hitting his sixteenth home run yesterday. He
had a absolute nuke there tropicand of field that almost.
Speaker 1 (38:32):
Hit the back wall there there.
Speaker 2 (38:34):
He's come on the second half, he's he's hitting well.
Speaker 1 (38:37):
Yeah, either I did the Ranger game, I don't know
if I'm buying that, you know, like the game I
saw they played make five errors against San Francisco at
the trade deadline. And I don't know. They've got the
names like Jock Jock swinging it well, you know they've
got they've got the names, but it just hasn't been
(38:58):
I don't know, it just didn't feel it felt state.
It just fell stale. Maybe it's just the game I
got and hadn't watched them a whole lot, But I'd
love like the Tigers to me, like they sold get
rid of schoobl and those guys win. Sampson, thank you.
Casey May has been pitching great for San Diego. Like,
but I know a J. Hinch can handle a bullpen
(39:20):
and those young guys have had a taste of.
Speaker 2 (39:22):
And they could hit man and they can hit.
Speaker 1 (39:24):
Yeah, that's when they've got a good stat.
Speaker 2 (39:28):
Runner for Rookie of the Year. Yeah, yeah, yeah, they
have a good staff.
Speaker 1 (39:32):
The Guardians got a great stat. I I kind of
lean on the teams that have the great pitching staff
to like just be consistent down the stretch. And again
we're like mid August and we're walking this thing down
like like the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (39:46):
It's crazy. It's a six weeks It's a six week sprint. Yeah,
and I know there is a little bit of you
do have some room for air as all these contenders,
but you don't have much. But then again you don't
have much and then the next thing, you know, a
team go was on an eight and two run or
a ten and two run, and they're right back in it.
So it's I mean, the Guardians have a very weak schedule.
(40:07):
The Tigers have a insane run differential. Toronto's the hottest
team in all of.
Speaker 1 (40:14):
The well that playoff experience they had bottom tier make
those guys exactly right. And Vlad the scary part. Vlad
had hit all year, goes out with the concussion, getting
neat in the in the head. Hopefully he comes back
right and and maybe gets a little reset and hopefully
obviously Baltimore both dealt with concussions. That stuff sucks, it's
(40:35):
not but hopefully he.
Speaker 2 (40:35):
Comes Baltimore has a tough schedule remaining. The Twins could
hit and pitch, So it's really what team's gonna get
hot and go take it. And then you have the
Red Sox and the Yankees up up at the top
there where they got to keep going. The Yankees are scuffling.
The Red Sox have kind of leveled off or came
back down to life.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
Yeah, yeah, they were. They were on another plane right
there for about a fell's life felt like a month plus.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
Yeah, So that's going to be such a fun race
down the stretch, and I think it's going to be
one of these. Hopefully we get one of these twenty
eleven finishes where the last day of the season, remember
when Evan Mongoria hits the home run to go to
the make the playoffs and.
Speaker 1 (41:17):
All that, that would be amazing.
Speaker 2 (41:19):
Like, I feel like that's where we have a showdown
coming that these last week. I mean, there's so many
things up for grabs right now and it's six weeks left.
Any anything can happen.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
That brings back a little PTSD. I do have to admit,
like you, I was in Atlanta and we Boston collouse,
but so did us in Atlanta, dere Derek Derek Low.
I think we had like a crazy like an eight
game lead or something and going into September, and Derek
Low says, I'll never forget. He's like, the only way
we're not making the playoffs is if our plane crashes. Well,
(41:54):
we didn't have a playing crowd. We we stunk down
the stretch and yeah, exactly exactly. But if okay, well
let me, I'll put you to the to the test.
If we had to pick one al team from our
list Orioles Rangers, Blue Jays, Tigers, Twins, Guardians like just
(42:17):
we won't we won't, we won't go detailed and get two,
but let's go one. Who who would you pick right
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Speaker 2 (43:22):
You know, I just I'm going off cuff here. I'm
going with the Seattle Mariners. And I know they're not
on our list, right right, you didn't list them, but
their pitching staff is really good. Yea, how Roley just
they just won their first road series versus the Astros,
(43:44):
or first road series since late June. Right, they haven't
they went into an off day essay, they have the
Brewers today. I think the Brewers may be a little
let down after they're high adrenaline playing in LA, playing
the Dodgers. I feel like every time you play a
superpower team, you're always kind of have a little letdown
series next. So if if the Mariners get hot, they
(44:06):
have the pitching, If cal you can put the pass
in the past and just go out and just produce
to his his average self. Right, he doesn't need to
be the sixty homer cal Rally, but if you look
at his career, the cal Rally before that was a
pretty damn good Yeah too, Right, he's hitting thirty homers
every year, they're fifty nine and sixty six, but there
(44:30):
are three games back of that final wildcard spot. I
think that's that's my dark horse bold prediction because there's
a lot of teams that are chasing. Yeah, but I
do feel they can get hot on paper.
Speaker 1 (44:40):
It feels like it feels like the pitching is real,
but it's that offense. I saw it when in New York.
It just feels like they've got nothing going on offensively
for me. I who do they get it too? Well?
I want to you wanna hear mine? You're my choice?
Can I can? I I want to participate. See how
(45:00):
wrong I am. Let everybody blow us up on social media.
Let's uh. I love pitching. And again it's a hard
one and they're in the same division, Tigers and Guardians. Uh.
But the Guardians pitching to me is real and you
already said it. Their schedule is light down the stretch.
(45:20):
And I don't know Stephen vote it just he's got
that little bit of break to the end. Yeah, it
seems like an awesome dude. So it seems like a great manager.
And just I feel like I like the way he's wired,
knowing him a little bit, but then from Afar just
watching him, Uh, he's wired the right way. And and
get those guys pushing and they're they're used to pushing
to the end and that underdog kind of uh feeling
(45:43):
that I'd push yeah.
Speaker 2 (45:45):
Yeah, well and and too Roussie. Now that I'm done playing,
I definitely have a soft spot for Cleveland, you know
what I mean. I'll always root for them to win
now because, uh, the joy that they brought us. My
favorite road city, my favorite road city always while I
was playing Post twenty sixteen was Cleveland. Loved going back
to Cleveland. Everyone didn't believe me, but so yeah, Guardians
(46:07):
are good memories there, good memories to get into.
Speaker 1 (46:10):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (46:10):
The nl NL's got three spots, uh in the wildcar
for four teams for three spots. The Cubbies kind of
look like they have it locked up as of now,
but it can change.
Speaker 1 (46:22):
The Phillies were.
Speaker 2 (46:23):
Rolling and then all of a sudden they hit a little.
The Padres are another team at the deadline where Aj
Prowler goes out and said, hold on, we're not trading,
Mason Miller, We're not trading. We're gonna add okay, we're
gonna go out and get Robbie Ray. We're gonna go
out and get Casey Maies and we're gonna compete. And
if we have to play a three game series versus
the Dodgers or anyone we're ready to play, right, and
(46:46):
then you have the Diamondbacks, So those for me, I
think it's Cubs, Phillies, Padres in that wild wildcard spot
in some some order. But I mean bro races, right.
Speaker 1 (47:01):
I'm with you.
Speaker 2 (47:02):
Well, then take the Cups. Can the Cubs could catch
the Brewers? Really seven games against them in September. I mean,
the Brewers are are very good team.
Speaker 1 (47:13):
They they are.
Speaker 2 (47:15):
They're yeah, yeah, maybe they're not getting as much love
and coverage as they they should, but everyone knows in
the baseball world how good the Brewers are.
Speaker 1 (47:27):
No doubt, no doubt. I'm with you. I the Padres
to me with I love just how a J. Prewler
is always going for it and uh, you know, push
the chips in. I just sold the team for a
lot of money and uh that what a what a
cool number. That was crazy.
Speaker 2 (47:44):
It's crazy to think, with the owners saying how bad
the state of the game is and how much we
need to rewrite our CBA, that people are just paying
billions of dollars for these franchises, right, Rolseie, I would
be crazy. I think a billionaire would make such a
such a well have terrible decision.
Speaker 1 (48:01):
Well, we'll have our CBA discussions, I'm sure on here
a little bit coming up. We've got a we've got
a long, a long way to go. I almost stay
out of negative town and go to the Padres. That offense,
I'm with you on that that the offense.
Speaker 5 (48:20):
Is hitting and hit all year up until the All
Star break, and like that list of guys they have,
there's no way they were going to go the entire
season without getting the back of the base numbers closer
to the back of the baseball card.
Speaker 2 (48:34):
They're scared, and I think I think it's good for
them that all this, all these expectations have kind of
faded and now they're back to the underdog San Diego
Padres and not a World Series favorite Padres, And I
think that can play into their favor Where they they
get in, they can be really scared. They have really
good pitching, they have their bullpens insane, and they have
(48:54):
superstar players on the offensive side. So that's a that's
a dark horse team for sure. Now the whole n L,
the whole that's that's why if the Dodgers can pull
this off again and they do a three, they go
three pet The last three years of the National League
in the playoffs has been must watch television. It's in
must watch playoff baseball. Any team that gets in the
(49:16):
NL can win the World Series legitimately, like legitimate World
Series contenders. So I gotta give this six weeks.
Speaker 1 (49:26):
Give the Cards a shout out. They they played, they're
playing well, and they got a lot of good young
town one of the youngest teams in baseball. And the
way they played in Chicago and Chicago was rolling. It
was impressive. So they're only I think three back. Same
thing like you're like, you're talking about Seattle's gonna be
tough with all those good teams in front of them,
(49:46):
to and and in a tough division, but they're definitely there.
All right, Riz, We asked the people to send in
a weekly question for our Tim Bust ball bag. All right,
and our first question has come from YouTube comment from
at the d d R twenty four and it's for you, Riz, Riz.
(50:09):
You became my favorite all time cub when you hand
him the guy on first base hand sanitizer the first
game after the shutdowns of twenty twenty, I laughed so
hard when I saw you do that. Please explain the
origins of that IDEA great question.
Speaker 2 (50:24):
Thank you, A great question. It's a little scary that
that's what it took for me to become your favorite player,
but I'll take it.
Speaker 1 (50:33):
Huh. Look, yes, yes, dude, you're the all year old
timer of having fun on the baseball field for me.
Speaker 2 (50:42):
Yeah, I mean twenty twenty was such a I mean, Rossie,
you know it. When we started twenty twenty COVID two
point zero. Without getting into too many details, ROSSI, I
gave all of our players a care package for when
we started spring training or the season.
Speaker 1 (50:58):
But I just thought I'll explain some of the things
in it. We had a I got a mask in
their gift bag, coaches included. It was just a great
gift bag to start twenty twenty, twenty twenty one spring training.
And you gave us a hand sanitizer, a little mini
hand sanitizer, and one of our sponsors there was a
(51:18):
blue choo in there. All the coaches were like, what
is this? What was this? The boys appreciated it, so
shout out blue chee.
Speaker 2 (51:27):
Yes. I just thought during that time in COVID when
baseball was on we were pretty much the only sport
on making light of You got to have humor in life, right,
And we had all these restrictions. We couldn't be six feet,
had to wear a mask. We were getting tested every day.
We were kind of in our own bubble. So right
(51:48):
before the game, I was like, Hey, I'm going to
put some sanitizer in my back pocket, and first got
it gets on to make sure he sanitizes, so, you know,
show the world we're being safe.
Speaker 1 (51:57):
That was amazing. I had forgotten about that to The
question came in a manage that you know as hilarious Brothers.
Speaker 2 (52:04):
A good question. Yeah, it was a really good question.
We got an email from jan Do you think the
Brewers will ever reach the same degree of rivalry with
the Cubs that the Cardinals have or is this current
rivalry with the Brewer is just a flash.
Speaker 1 (52:19):
In the pan. Oh. I don't think it's a flash
in the pan from like the Brewers being good. I
just think there's so much history Cubs, Cards, Uh, that
just is it's gonna have to go on for a
really long time. And I think, you know, looking back
and being a part of a lot of that, Like
you know, I think about the best rivalries. I think
(52:39):
a lot of people come with like Red Sox Yankees.
Well that kind of goes back and forth, and when
teams are good, but the still Red Sox Yankees is
big and I came up a Dodger, and Dodger San
Francisco is the biggest one to me because that's what
I came up in when San Francisco was really good
and so where was La. So you know, like the
(53:00):
rivalries is so fan oriented. It's just about the history
to me, and they're just the Brewers don't have.
Speaker 2 (53:07):
The fan or yeah, no they don't. And I think
whenever you're in division, you you come to hate all
of these teams in your division. Right, I hated the Pirates,
I hate the Reds. Yeah, I hate the Brewers. And
when the teams aren't good, you don't really care about
them for much, especially when you're the big boys in
(53:28):
the division where the Cubs and the the Yankees. But
then these teams become good and they get this little
edge and it really irks you.
Speaker 1 (53:37):
So when they always want to be the most right
that like the Pirates want to back the big market
teams or you know all this.
Speaker 2 (53:43):
Well, when you when you have when you play for
the big market team, and these teams come in the
Skylar report on these pictures, are you know ninety three
to ninety seven. Well, when they're coming into Wrigley Field
or Yankee Stadium, you're seeing ninety seven. You're seeing the
top end of every picture stuff because they're Adrenaline's role
and they're playing a Wriggly, They're playing at New York.
They don't get this experience at the smaller market level.
(54:05):
So I don't think the rivalry we beat at ever
as big as Cubs Cardinals because the fans and the history.
Like you said, Rossie, but that that rivalry right now,
the Brewers of the team to beat in that division,
and the Cubs know it. And when the Cubs go
up there to Wrigley North, it's loud. It's a lot
of cheers to the Cubs, and Bruce fans are trying
to counter that. They all all the Bruise fans of
(54:28):
their elf flags if they beat them leaving the stadium.
I mean, it's becoming it's becoming a real rivalry. Sure
get to our last question email from Luke Smitley. This
one's for you, Patna Rossi Rossie, I'd love to hear
about the evolution of pitch calling from when you first
came into the league versus now. Obviously Velo has changed
(54:49):
things tremendously over the years. How hard is it to
evolve while playing and constantly having to change what you
grew up learning and knowing about calling the game as
a catcher.
Speaker 1 (55:00):
Oh, you already heard me talking about it a little bit.
Great question. I think about this all the time, and
something that I couldn't wrap my brain around is just
how little location there is in the game. Now. It's
like a lot of catchers setting up middle, riding north
and south and really don't get on the edges as much.
You know, I was on the edges for especially at
(55:21):
the end of my career with John Lester, who you know,
could really locate. We had guys like Kyle Hendricks obviously,
Jake Arietta, John Lackey. I mean these guys, these guys
were on the edges and you're working the corners up
down a little bit, but really in and out a
lot more, and especially earlier in my career. So I
think the toughest part, which I understand, is just straight
(55:44):
velocity and setting up middle and spin rates and trying
to just throw nasty stuff in the zone and let
it do what it does. But we talked to a
good friend of the program, Kyle Schwarber. I talked to
him in the WBC, and he made us statement that
made a little bit of sense. Is he's able to
set his sites a lot more middle and hitting has
(56:07):
become a little less of a guessing game and just
kind of like reacting to a space in the mill
zone that he's looking for. Uh. And it made a
lot of sense because you know, guys aren't backdoor and
nasty breaking balls or cutters or you know, some guys can,
but like consistently around the league, a lot of guys
are going middle stuff and these guys get to see
(56:29):
stuff all the time. Yeah, So my two cents is,
you know, location has just kind of taken a back seat.
Speaker 2 (56:36):
The Dale Sway, former manager when I was young, said
this comment that's stuck with me forever. You're gonna get
over a thousand pitches right down the middle of the
plate in baseball, we call it cock shots right down
the middle of the plate a year, and it's what
are you going to do? You don't know what it's
gonna be it's gonna be a fastball, curveball, sider, change up, sweeper, sprinkler,
(56:57):
whatever they're making up now, but it's gonna be right
down the plate over a thousand times every single year,
which always has stood out to me the evolution. But
told me, he said, Uh.
Speaker 1 (57:12):
I asked him one day, I say, where do you
look for the ball? I thought, like a catch? I
always looked for, like I knew they were going away
from me, like fastball sliders away. And he I was like,
what do you look? What do you look for? And
he's like, I look for the ball right down the middle.
I'm like, what right down the middle? Yeah, It's like,
no wonder, I'm a career two twenty, Like I'm looking
at the wrong place.
Speaker 2 (57:30):
Well, it seems it seems right now that it's really
easy to be lazy with your scouting reports because we
have all the information. Because all the information, everyone has
all the information, So it's really easy to cram for
the test to where if you really study and you
it seems easy to just cram for the test instead
(57:51):
of really diving into video of these guys and watching
their their their tendencies and seeing it on film is
so much different than just seeing the scout and report.
And that's sometimes what I see in the league where
it's like, man, why why is that pitch being thrown?
Even when I was playing in my last few years,
why would they throw this pitch? And then it's because
(58:12):
they just get the information it's all on your wristband
and they're kind of just going off of that, where
my question is our guys really grinding on the hours
of video that I used to see you grinding on?
Speaker 1 (58:23):
Yeah, you know, I don't know. And then I think
a lost art because of all the information is reading swings.
You know, we're so polygrammed to you.
Speaker 2 (58:31):
Know it's going to come back.
Speaker 1 (58:33):
It has to, it has to well. And we talked
to guys. I was listening to an interview the other day.
I forgot who it was, but they were talking about
they're not really good at reading swings and as a pitch.
I think it may have been schemes and like some
of these guys that fought foul balls off, they're late
and they found them off the other dugout and you
think it's a good approach, but you know they it
(58:53):
was a big hit. It was a big hit. In
a Phillies game and was just fouling off the fastball
and didn't have good numbers, and the guys talking about him,
maybe it was Frank Corr, Jeff Frank Corr, but they
sped him up through him a breaking ball on his own,
he had a bases loaded double, and you know it,
(59:14):
just if you were reading that swing, you knew either
you had to throw the off speed for chase or
stay with the fastball in different locations. So reading swings
is one of those things that I was pretty good
at and was able to maybe get off the scouting
report a little bit at times when it just felt
like you could tell what the hitter was thinking.
Speaker 2 (59:33):
That does it for our Tim Buss ball Bag Questions
of the Week To our viewers, Please keep sending the questions.
We'd love to hear from you. We love the question
and answer a type style. We want to know what
you're thinking. We want to give you the content that
you're craving. ROSSI a lot to look forward to him.
I'm excited to see the next few games here at
(59:55):
the Crosstown Classic with the Crosstown Cup, the Cubs and
White Sox. We got a lot coming this weekend. Raffie
Devers returning to Boston this weekend. That's gonna be something
fun to watch. So I'm I'm in there Sunday Sunday
Day game for the Red Sox Giants, Lou Maloney, Hunter Pence, myself,
(01:00:18):
and Jason Bennetti. So I'm excited for this weekend to
be in that Femway atmosphere. And we got to keep
talking to you all week.
Speaker 1 (01:00:30):
ESPN Little League Classic coming up. We've got Braves Brewers,
so we've got a really good game for at Williamsport. Obviously,
if you're Sunday then yeah, we got a little little,
nice little tune in, but it should be a lot
of fun. Little League World Series is coming up. Shout
out to ESPN for that. Like that's one of my
(01:00:51):
favorite times, and it's on every clubhouse that you walk in. Uh,
these guys turn into a kid, so uh tune into
all that stuff. We got a lot of baseball and
a lot of fun. And I really enjoyed today, Buddy. Yep.
Speaker 2 (01:01:05):
We thank everyone for tuning in listening. We'll be back
next Tuesday. Ross and Rizzo unfiltered, We will see you
next week.
Speaker 1 (01:01:12):
Love you
There's something about the warm summer air and a cold
corona with lime that makes the roar of the crowd
sound a lot like the roar of the waves.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
That's because this is our plaia, and the best seats
are always wherever you're sitting, whether it's.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
A weeknight game under the lights or a Sunday afternoon
in the sun. You know, baseball isn't about rushing around.
It's about settling in, letting the game come to you.
And nothing pairs better than a nice cold corona.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Nothing, So find your seat, your corona, and your lime,
because real fans know the only thing better than nine
innings is extra innings, especially on La Plaia Corona.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Laplio waits, the official survesa of Major League Baseball. Get
yours at Order Corona dot com for twenty one plus
relaxed responsibly Corona Extra Beer imported by Crown Imports, Chicago, Illinois.
(00:58):
That's to Rudy, he's gone game.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
PCA walks it up in the tent and the Cubs
knock out the Sucks in ten. It began with a homer,
He ended it with a homer. It began with a homer,
(01:28):
It ended with a Homer PC's first career walk off
home run crosstown rival after tough series versus the Cardinals
over the weekend Aaron water Show Weekend, Wrigley was rocking.
Cubs are up early in that game, they go down,
they respond. What a moment at That's like one of
(01:49):
PCA's I feel like gonna be his defining moments. You're
just gonna see forever throughout his career.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
You're talking about an MVP moment. I mean, like who
starts and ends a game? Like, no, it's over, that's
in your you know you're controlling the game. Yeah. I
just was in the in there this weekend doing the
Sunday game for ABC and ESPN, and what an amazing
time in there. Right now, Wrigley's rocking. Uh they did
have a series against the Cards, but wow.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
I was laying down. I was laying down in bed.
I was watching on my phone because we were going
to sleep, and I see uh him hit that, and
I'm like, oh my god, and what what are you doing?
Jolted up. I was like, you got your PC ages,
He'll walk off.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Look at this place. I told you I saw him
in the cage. I said, Bro, my favorite bat flip
or my favorite you know Selly right now is like
the bat's too hot, you know when he drops it
in the bath.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
That was.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
That moment that was sick. You know.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
I want to just go back a little bit into
that game and or or even just what happened unfolded
over the weekend, Dansby Swanson going down right and the
oblique injury, and he's been raking since the end of June.
He's been one of their better hitters on the team.
His defense as follows him and Nico up the middle
or as the best in the league, the best him
(03:08):
in the league, and Ego just goes over to shortstop says, yep,
I got it, no worries, I got you Dansby, I
got you boys. Four hits right gets the tying game,
tying hit in time and just watching that, I mean,
I love Nico. I've saw him come up, I've seen
him blossom into the player he is, but just no bigger,
(03:29):
better guy in the moment coming up and even before
that PCA with that bat off Richards, he goes to
two strikes, he's working them away and he just shoots
something to left. He's not trying to do too much.
So watching that and seeing his evolution, he just keeps
getting better every bat. The bat versus the lefty, he
(03:51):
takes the first two pitches, both balls. Then he takes
a strike pretty much right down the middle of the fastball.
And for me watching that, that's just one of my
prouder moments watching him because seeing him take that, I'm
all right, now, he's gauged the fastball. He hasn't seen
this left yet. He's not trying to do too much.
And then the guy throws him somewhat of a hanging
slider and he just absolutely annihilates it.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
That comes off Yeah, and that comes offenses is clicking
on all cylinders. Like you said, dancing going down is
a big blow. But Nico fills in and the Cubs
just knowing some stats like they got the eighteen multi
run come from behind wins, you know like that, that's
like fifth in Major League Baseball. These guys they don't
(04:35):
give up, especially.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
When I know they're leading the league in walkoffs as well.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
So, like they about saying, when you're at home and
that crowds behind you, it gets you a little tighter
when you're on the other side, and those guys.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
The focus just takes you up to another level, as
we know. But cool moment they have there.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Frost, you're you're a manager and I text you last
night and I think I can manage right watching games?
Why are you not walking him right there? I don't
care if it's left he's hitting three hundred with a
nine hundred plus ops off lefties to start the inning
and extras. The White Sox don't score. Why why do
(05:18):
managers not decide to just put the first guy it
doesn't even matter who it is. But then PCA comes
up the front runner for MVP, the guy in Chicago guy. Yeah, yeah,
and I know say it hits lefties, well, but you
got to play for the double play ball there the.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Run at first?
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Does the runner at first doesn't matter?
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Yeah, I mean that's the that's the tough calls as
a manager, right, Like you're trying to who was available
in the bullpen for will vena bull and the White Sox.
Maybe they thought their best matchup was the lefty out
of the bullpen that you know, I was watching as well,
but not man to the team, not deep diving, but
it definitely you know, hindsight when you're in that seat
is so some you don't get to to be a
(05:59):
part of. You just got to pull the trigger of
what you do. But I'm with you. It's it's tough
to watch the MVP. Is that show? If that show,
Hey are you Walking? Show? Hey o Tani? And in
that because of the names, a little bit bigger, the
resume is a little bit deeper and longer. I think
you would, you know, I think I think you would,
So you know, you got to ima that I feel like,
(06:21):
but he has earned it this year for sure. In
extra innings, it really doesn't matter unless it's a really big,
low quality hitter and it's the best matchup you have.
In extra innings, you don't score in the top of
the tent as a White Sox and there's a base open,
you play for the double play, baff you get a
ground ball, there's two outs.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
You know what I mean? I don't know. I always
the extra inning strategy for all these teams are always different.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
It's not even the double play as much like you,
it is the MVP, the front runner, like you said,
in the lineup, the best player, and I think that's too.
What takes it to another level with Pete is he's
leading off, so it feels like when you're on the
other side those best players. I remember managing against Ronald
Acune Junior when he's leading off and one of the
(07:06):
best players in the game. It's like, bro, this guy
just feels like he's getting nine at bats a game
and you're stressed about it. It's tough when I guys
at the top, it just keeps seemed to coming up
and uh and situations. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean, nice night,
nice night for good.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
It's so good for the city. The White Sox are good.
What they're doing this year's in credit. What Will Venable
is doing with that team. I love Will Venable. I
played with him when I was a rookie. I played
with him. I love him, I love his family. I'm
so happy for him, and I mean being so ingrained
in Chicago. I actually am rooting for the White Sox
because their story is so similar to ours years ago.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
So what a great Let's let's announce it now. We
will be in Chicago for the Crosstown World Series. If
it happens, gotta be white, let's go.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Let's go well with that. That takes us into another
episode of Ross and Rizzo Unfiltered, where we talked about
weekly about what's going on in baseball. The PCA moment
was such a hot take. Let's just get it right
into it. You just said it too, ros See leading off.
(08:19):
This has been a topic that has been forever. You
want your best players the front of the lineup, right,
And I used to field the Dreams game and Kyle
Schwarber hits a lead off home run. Right, is that
there's no such thing as a wasted home run. But
don't you want your guys hitting home runs with guys
on base? If it's one nothing in a game and
(08:40):
you're the opposing team, all right, that's fine, it's one nothing.
But if Shober comes up with two or three guys
on and it's three nothing or four, that's a dagger
out of the gate. A leadoff homer is not a
dagger out of the gate. PCA had a lead off
homer yesterday. Is like the debate on hitting your guys leadoff.
I don't know, I don't love it. I may be
a little old school in this. I know you manage
(09:02):
your your new schooler in it.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
Well, it's how you're, it's how you're. I love your
segue you're so freaking media savvy already. Bro. First you're
doing it. You're locked in. Just segue from leadoff to
the off. First of all, we'll get to the field
of dreams. But uh, going to my manager brain and
talking about you know, being able to lead off your
(09:25):
best player, you know, when you got them one and two,
I think that's what it is. It's that it's for
this last of bat, you know.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
It's I had this argument with Joe Matten all the time, right,
and I said, Joe if and even Boonie or or
anyone I talked to about this. If you're relying on
your last at bat to win games, you're not a
good baseball team. You need to win the games early, right,
and then you bury them. And I understand there's games
(09:54):
like this where you want your best players coming up,
but the majority of the season you win these games.
If you're relying on beating the back end of a
bullpen bullpen every game and you need your best player
to come up in the eighth or ninth to win
the game, that's you're you're not in a good spot.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Well, here's what I would say to that is like,
wait till you start coaching junior, and you're like, why
is my son he's the best player, he's not hitting
at the top of the lineup. I want him to
get as most as many at bass, the most of
the bass he can get in this game, because it
impacts the game. Like that's how you think as a manager.
It's like, I want this dude just as many times
(10:30):
getting to the plate, And it's all about how your
roster is shaped and how many guys you have behind him,
Like you got to have some depth. You're not very good.
You're just getting you know when I managed, you know,
not having an MVP type caliber guy. After you guys left,
you start to find out, like who is setting the toe?
I like, I like Nico hitting the top because of
(10:51):
setting the tone in his contact, Like I love his
contact and Shover was a little bit different with the
on base, you know, I think like that's the other
part of the top, and I like speed at the
top of a little old school like that. But Pete
brings all those factors and he's got power, he's got speed,
he's immediate trouble h Schwolber and and Pete to me
(11:12):
are a little bit different in that way.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Totally totally.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Yeah, he's a pure slugger where Pete is like he
lead off, yeah, he gets on.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
And he's walking now too, man, Yes, yeapressive.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
His numbers are crazy, like not chasing, just being there,
like the biggest turnaround and chase rate, swinging that first
pitch and there was walk rate, like you know, that's
when to me, that's when the tables turn a little bit.
But I don't I don't think.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
I don't think viewers at home understand the adjustments that
Pete has made. I mean, he understood that he was
swinging at a wild rate out of his zone. Two strikes,
just throwing something anywhere and he'll swing. And he understood
that and he started not swinging more and now hitting better.
It's in and he's walking more. He's really bought into
(12:02):
taking pitches and see more pitches and getting into the bat.
It's a very old school approach. It looks like in
the new school era, and I absolutely love it.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Man well, and I think the game changer to me
of guys that really mature as players now a little
bit different than when I was coming up, is taking
a step back and watching the guys that really control
the strike zone and make you throw it in the zone.
Now with all all the stuff you have and the
kind of the lack of command and more of just
(12:32):
stuff that's in the zone or in and out of
the zone, is the game changer right now to me.
And that's I think that's what's taking Pete to the
next level.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
The Cubbies are rolling. Man, they they're rolling. I can't
say it enough. Man Jet brings in all those pieces.
It sparks the team. I mean, they may have the
best depth. They may they have right now.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Numbers wise, they have the best bench in the history
of the Cubs organization as far as numbers. That's to me,
that's been the difference maker. Obviously the Bregman pc A
becoming the m v P.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
But doing which we would right the team, it's just
the lineup is construction constructed so nicely. In my opinion,
they're there. They can beat you in a their dynamic.
They could beat you in a lot of different ways.
It's not all about the long ball.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
I need to I need to. I need to go
back because I got to watch again. Like your media
presence is so much fun for me, Bro, and how
good you are at it. It's the field of dreams
had to be epic and wear it on TV. Tell
me if you're I want to hear about you being
able to be on the other side of it from
(13:42):
a media standpoint and painting this picture and talking through
these Hall of famers coming out in the venue, like
walk me through that. That had to be amazing.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
Well, first off, I'm excited to go. You know, as
a players, you fly in and that excitement doesn't really
happen until you get there and you see it right
doing a little game ROSSI you did the field, the
dream being managing.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
And then classic I was a part of the lot with.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
So But for me being there, first off, I'm with
Barry Bonds and Albert Pouhols and El Duncan is amazing
at leading us. She's taught me so much from just
leading the panel and the Netflix crew. You roll in
there and it's it's you see the whole movie set.
You're literally in the middle of a cornfield. Our set
(14:30):
was in left field in literally in the middle of
corn right, So just seeing the hole, what Major League
Baseball did with that stadium, the permanent structures now it's
at and then literally goosebumps and chill seeing Schworeber announce
all the Hall of Famers and seeing them walk out
of the ivy was just it was scripted.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
I it was.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
It was literally I said it on there. It was
a cinema. It was literally a movie.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Yeah. It's a special place. And I feel like, you know,
watching the after like the cliffs at dirt and dad jokes. Bro,
those were those were Is that your idea? Those are great?
Netflix does a good job, but like making it a
show entertainment more than just like all this baseball facts.
(15:17):
But yeah, yeah, with you, here we go.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
What do you call a single kernel of corn? I
don't know?
Speaker 1 (15:26):
A unicorn?
Speaker 2 (15:27):
And tonight that's what you were mister. So here is
a Netflix special hot dog some Iowa's famous corn. Do
you know what we call that?
Speaker 1 (15:40):
What do we call this? A corn dog? We gotta
get some dag. It's a dad joke segment on here
for you, bro. That's right up your alley. That's that's uh.
It reminds me of your dad and being around him. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
Man, those I'm telling you, Bro, those postgame interviews are
not easy, and they had asked afterwards to present Netflix.
They do the letterman jacket for the MVP of the game,
and then with the specialty game, the corn and the
hot Dog. So Laurence Shahati and I were talking before
and how we want to kind of do it because
(16:14):
she was asking the questions and I was going to
come in and I was like, man, what about some
dad like corny dad jokes, right? And we look them
up and yeah, I mean the Unicorn one. It couldn't
have been literally, like I said, cinema movie, it couldn't
have been scripted any better. Where a dear friend, a
close friend of you and I friend of the program,
(16:38):
Kyle schober Winds, the MVP hits two home runs, so
it's a lot easier to be corny with him than
someone you don't really know. But yeah, man, that.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
Was that was cool. Well let's talk about We've got
another huge moment in Major League Baseball in Chicago. Joshua
Biez three home runs to start his career. Are you
kidding me? How about that?
Speaker 2 (16:59):
I see I see the headline Bias hits three home
runs in Chicago, and I'm like, ooh, Hobby's back right,
And obviously it's on the wrong end, but man, bro
major league debut. Kids grind it in the minor leagues too.
Twenty five, he's still relatively young. But how how cool
(17:19):
was that when he did get out You saw Cubs
fans and Cardinals fans coming together, which you don't see
very often, giving him a round of applause and just
respecting greatness in what they saw.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Yeah. Well, that's the one thing I really do feel
like you know, most fans, but especially in Chicago, being
around that city for a long time, they love good baseball,
they love good stories. And when you see this young
man first one, first of all, balls up out over maybe.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
A little, I mean these are good. I mean yeah, ok, the.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
First one, and then pulling the change up and then
you're like, oh, yeah, last, I'm gonna go Avo Taco,
Like what what's going on right now? The place was rocking,
and he had like thirty family friends and family in town.
Like it was. It was a special special moment in
that place. And we called the game the next day
and he went over. But it was, uh, we were
(18:15):
talking about he's got a lot of swing and miss
in his game in the minor leagues and doesn't walk
a whole lot. So that's one of those things. As
he's mature, he's going to have to learn to kind
of take a take a page out of PCA's book
and control the strike song. Learning a little bit. The
juices are flowing early in your career, but make the
adjustments when the league starts to make his adjustments. But man,
(18:36):
what a great story. That was fun and so so Uh.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
There's nothing better than Yeah, there's nothing better than special
things happening at Wrigley Field, right, three home run walk off.
It's just that, it's it's just it's storybook there. It's
it's it's the romanticism of how can you say baseball
is a romantic partner.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
That's right, That's right. And Bro, I mean that's history,
like the fact that he did something that's never been
done to me. Crazy, Yeah, in regular I mean at
regular flying over Yeah, oh yeah, it was loud.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
Bro was a little dicey, but that's it was a
little cloudy.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
But it's not your typical August day, but it was.
It was nice. Speaking of three home runs, you hit
three home runs once in your career for the Junks,
the New York Chunk Is, how was that? Why? Like,
I mean I've hit two not just not about me,
but I hit I've hit two a couple of times,
but three.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Is like, Bro, three is did you have a chance
to hit four? No? I hit my third in my
last Well, yeah, you did the hard way. You always
have a chance to hit four of us when you
get four at bats. I know you didn't always get
four at bats.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
For my ass shipped for my but especially for my bro.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
My last at bat at Yankee Stadium, I pulled the
ball foul and it was down the line, foul the
whole way. And it was against the Orioles, right and
Hyder Brandon Hyde is the manager, and I'm just standing
in the batter's like, oh, that's foul. And then all
of a sudden it starts pushing back and I'm not kidding.
(20:13):
It pushed back so late. At the last second I
even run and if you see me, I'm like, oh
my god, that's a home run. It was like it
was those three home runs were the Yankee Stadium specialty
of home runs for lefties. Like they just got over
and I was, I was three home runs in a game.
(20:34):
I have the jersey in my office back at home
in Florida. I mean, I'll take it any way.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
You can sick well actually, let's let's let me interject
and get off script for a minute. I had Yankee
Seattle and said something absolutely stupid on TV where we
had been talking about how short, what a great homer
field Yankee Stadium was, and uh, you know, when you're
(20:58):
on air and calling game, sometimes you're just kind of
rolling and you say stuff that that. Like afterwards, you're
kind of like, what what Why did I just say that? Yeah? Idiot?
What an idiot? And uh, Julio rod Regal, we talk
about how short boards wasn't right, and he crushed the
ball to right for a home run, and I come
out and say, probably not a home run in many parts.
(21:19):
And then everybody blasted me on social media, going, it's
twenty eight out of thirty, you idiot. Some guy called
me a fucking moron, and D's like, I love you too, bro,
love you so many angry people.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Oh yeah, that's all right.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
It was it was, it was it.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Anytime a ball goes out the right field the Yankee Stadium,
it's the easy uh cheap right, yeah yeah right, But
no one knowing, none of these pitchers or none of
these commentators say those balls a left center, dead center.
That aren't going out. Uh, they don't say anything about
how big it is out there, so it's just the
easy short ports are right.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
We might have to get like some kind of sponsor
for like dumb things ross he says on air, too
pretty good. Yeah, we we got to try to catch each.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Shout out to Jason Bennetti. He covers for me hard. Yeah,
he's the best.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Great, that's great.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
Need So, I know we got off to talking about
good moments with pc A Baiez hitting the three home runs,
but kind of a downer moment is theirs on the Diamondbacks.
And I know we have the tape of Tory Leavello
postgame interview putting Kettle Marte on the restricted list.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
Let's take a listen. You seem a little emotional. Are
you worried?
Speaker 4 (22:38):
No, not really. I just love him and I care
for him. Be okay, he is fine, Fine, he is fine.
I want you guys to know that I just careful.
Does everybody in that room?
Speaker 2 (22:53):
Yeah, tough situation there, especially with the Diamondbacks.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
Such a talented player. You know you worry about. We
hope everything's okay with the family and all that stuff.
It's it's scary moments because it is your family. And
I know Tori well. He was our bench coach in
Boston we won in twenty thirteen, and he's so connected
to his players and it really pours into those guys
and you can really tell from that video and real concern.
(23:19):
So you know, sending love and prayers to Marte and
his family and it's tough, man. We you The one
thing you know about being a manager that you don't
know as a player or that I know, is like
there's a lot of stuff that comes in your office
or that happens with guys on a personal level that
(23:40):
doesn't get out the media, and there's always something going on.
It feels like in somebody's world that you're kind of
trying to help them through.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
It's almost everyone has that's right, that's right, And you
feel like a dad figure a little bit, even though
it's a big leagues you know, you feel like a
little bit of a father, father figure and trying to
relate to moments and stuff in that seat.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
So again, you know, thinking about them, and he's such
a great player.
Speaker 4 (24:05):
Man.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
I hope, I hope he's not out long because the
Diamondbacks are rolling and been fun here down the you know,
getting his second half, you know, playing really good baseball
and right there in the mix.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
No doubt could tell we're thinking of you. We hope
you're doing well, whatever you're dealing with. On the personal matter.
The game is better when you're playing it, that's for sure.
Aw To uh, stay in the West, Stay in the West.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
Probably Dodgers.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Yeah, yeah, the kind of imploding a little bit ROSSI.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
It's so funny. You know what, if it wasn't for
their history of like having just a little bit of
slow playing some things and staying consistent, I would be
I think the thing, as you know, you worry about
is like with guys out and guys not performing, you know,
(25:00):
especially when you talk about Diaz bowing three out of
his last five saves, uh in a in a short
span ten game span like that worries me. And they've
got a lot of guys injured. And I know Dave
and he'll he'll get some more, you know, if Glass
now comes back and getting some of these guys, they'll
move some guys around and be able to add to
that bullpen. But I'm a little concerned. You know, you
(25:23):
want to play good in the second half and get
that momentum if they're in a short series, which they
would be right now, it's a little scary. Anybody can
win a three game set in that wild card.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
Anyone who win a three game set, any anyone there there.
I love what Dave Roberts said, He goes, I hope
these games don't come back to bite us in potential
tiebreaker where they don't get a first round five with
the Brewers. But again, Rossie, they're they're battle tested. It's yeah,
August eighteenth. They are in the dog days, right and
(25:55):
they're pros. They're grind and there there there grind is
their own grind. But that I don't think they can
they'll ever admit that. It's the light at the end
of the tunnel, isn't there? For they have a seven,
eight game lead in the West, right, so, and they
had a tough schedule. I'm not worried about him because look,
three game series, Okay, you're gonna get scooball Yamamoto. Yeah,
(26:19):
and a version of nasty, now you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
Yeah, Snell was nasty last time out with you know,
six innings and they had thirteen punches or something crazy
like he Yeah, with all that time off and he
you know, you always worried about his command. He was
locked in. Yeah, his first.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
Two I was looking their their schedule, the remaining They
have thirty six games left. Twenty four out of those
thirty six or under five hundred teams, So that's a
perfect formula for them to get some confidence rolling, get
some guys in place, and go into the postseason. Whether
it's a three game series, whether it's a five game
(27:00):
series or a seven game series. They don't care. They're
the best team ever. They know everyone needs to beat them.
They are the dragon that everyone's trying to slay. So
I worried until they lose a series and then we
can talk about that.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
But they are the clear front runners. They's funny how
we are talking about the postseason so early now with
this new playoff format and all these thro in the mix.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Dude, it's not crazy. It's so good for if you're
a fan right now. And I just did the for
NBC on Sunday Night Baseball. We just had the Mariners Astros.
The Mariners are under five hundred. The Astros are grinding
at the top of the Al West, and they're both
in it. Realistically, They're in it. The Rangers are in it.
(27:45):
If you're a fan of the game, I think it's
easy to be like, our team is struggling this but
you have a legit opportunity in August going into September
for meaningful baseball games. And what more can you ask
for as a fan?
Speaker 1 (27:59):
Right?
Speaker 2 (27:59):
I mean coming from a starved Dolphins fan, I know
I'm off topic with football.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
All I want somebody around the corner babies.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
Right, And this is just a side note. The over
under for the Dolphins wins this year is four and
a half and I'm like, God, how put Like this
is my reality of life. I'm thirty seven years old
and I don't think I've ever seen a good football team.
So as a fan of baseball, just please enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
Please.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
Really, your team's gonna be in the shooting for the playoffs. Yeah,
I think it's great for baseball.
Speaker 1 (28:31):
Yeah, it's been good. Staying on the negative train. We
talked a little of the Dodgers' bullpen and the negative
te stay on the negative train like ju ju.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
Negative trains get clicks.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
Yeah. Yeah, I like staying positive, but you know, we
gotta throw there.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
We stay positive on the negative.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
I had Paul Skians in Milwaukee last week or a
week and a half ago. I guess now, uh, since
we did right before we did our first podcast, and man,
he doesn't look right. And there's been so much brought
up about velocity. It's down over a mile an hour
pretty consistently. Haven't been a you know, they had some
(29:10):
numbers where pitches over ninety seven the last three years
and just continues to tick down. But I know how
what a work course he is being around him during
the WBC. But it doesn't look as much of arm fatigue,
I guess as it does like the command issues the
(29:30):
ball is that the armside misses. Me and Adam Alavino
were talking and when he was explaining, when you want
to create more velocity, you've got to really rotate and
ride that rotation as long as you can and let
that arm come through late. And it looks like he's
trying to generate a little bit of that, probably some
of the velocity in his in his back of his mind.
(29:54):
But the arm side misses and the pulls to the
into the lefties.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
That mean he's a probably not getting his eggs.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
You think, yeah, well, it just looks like he is
what I think it is. I think it's mechanics. Yeah,
it was kind of what I was getting at.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
When you're mechanically off, it's just as a hitter, I know.
It's could be the smallest little adjustment, you know, Rossie,
and you're talking to pictures when they're mechanically off, they
could be thinking about a little bit more. His work
ethic is definitely not, definitely not the issue.
Speaker 1 (30:22):
You know what I mean. I mean, you.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
For me, as long as it's not an injury, which
I don't think it is. But they they just push
his start back, So it could be a little bit
of fatigue. And if you're fatigued and you're tired and
your body's tired, then mechanically you cannot be fully in
your legs or whatnot.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
Yeah, you know what I think the test is going
to be. I think the test is going to be
they're giving him a a they're skipping a start or
giving him one, you know, like a reset and kind
of restarting him. This is his next start off of
this reset will be a nice indication of what we
can expect maybe moving forward or down the stretch for him.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
Yeah, well, his his splitter isn't up to what it is.
I mean, his splitter is getting hit. And when you
throw ninety seven ninety six to one hundred and you
have that nasty splitter, what do you call it?
Speaker 1 (31:14):
Like the splint blink?
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Yeah, And if that's not the truth threat, and it
hasn't been all season, then guys are game planning for
different It's a different game plan. Now, you don't if
you don't have to respect that split, that's just going
to drop off the zone. You could stay on the
heater or better, you don't have to worry about looking
like a fool on the change up and then you
see the slider, sweeper, curveball pop. It's taken this long
(31:40):
for the league to maybe get a book on him. Maybe,
but you're gonna see every pitcher goes through a little
bit of a lull, especially the great ones. He will
bounce back as long as he's healthy. And if he's
not healthy, I hope you know the Pirates have enough
to shut him down and make sure he's healthy for
next year because it doesn't look like they're going to
(32:01):
make the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
Yeah, they scuffle.
Speaker 2 (32:03):
The league needs a healthy pulse.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
Losing some guys to injury, they scuffle.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
Yeah, if they don't get if they don't get hot.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
Yeah, you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah for sure. Well,
and you know, going back just to finish the thought.
I know this is the new school. People may crush
me on this, but fastball command is everything for me.
And when you're throwing out even if it is ninety
six ninety seven down from his normal ninety nine, I
was looking at some numbers. In twenty four, he had
a four hundred and four pitches oh ninety or above,
(32:33):
ninety nine or above excuse me. Twenty five went down
to two twenty three this year. In twenty six, he's
only throwing three balls ninety nine plus. So but even
if you're spot in that and guy has the command
that he typically has, I think that sets up everything else.
And like the splinker and the sweeper and the slider,
(32:54):
you know, he's able to command the ball a little
bit more and hitters got to commit to that. So
that's how I thought as a catcher's.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
He's a great person. He's he's got this, he's got
it all going from. He's a hard worker, he's very respectful,
he's got Livy Dunn's celebrity girlfriend. Just I hope he's healthy.
Like everything I feel like is good vibes with Paul
and pitching for Team USA. So hopefully it's just a
little hiccup in his UH season and hopefully finishes the
(33:23):
season strong. Hopefully he's healthy, and hopefully his mechanics get
back in because I I love seeing him pitch. Speaking
of good vibes, I like it. This past weekend one
of my Yeah this is pint.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
We had the negative train and positive town.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
Yeah this is this is all positive for my my
after field of dreams. Okay, get on a show bird
right from my bad Yeah, me and Albert Poohle's ever
heard of him? He's seven to three home runs.
Speaker 1 (33:53):
He's just dropping all the names today.
Speaker 2 (33:57):
Okay, we fly down to Florida and it's hot right
celebrating my friend friend's fortieth birthday. Down in Florida. We
played golf all weekend. Getting to something here. Okay, great weekend.
Play two rounds on set Friday, or play eighteen on Friday,
(34:18):
an emergency scramble nine on Friday. It was ten of us,
so it was an absolute zoo. Where I'm going with
this is the coronas were flying. I mean all the
boys were pounding Coronas. It was a vibe on the
golf course. We were enjoying ourselves. It was awesome. We
went to the elbow room later that night. I mean
(34:40):
it was It was a great weekend celebrating my friend's fortieth.
All my boys from Louisiana were in town. Shout LSU.
Hopefully Lane Kiffin gets them going this year. Football right
around the corner, but brings us to our.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
So does that? Is that a segment to the Player
of the Week Plaia of the week? Okay, okay, our
plia of.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
The week, Let's go back to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Is
Corbyn Carrol from the Diamondbacks NL player of the Week
nine for twenty two with three doubles, two triples, two
home runs and one bag. He leads MLBU with triples
fifteen of them. I feel like he has one hundred
and fifty triples already in his career.
Speaker 1 (35:21):
He's only been in the league for four.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
Or five years.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
It's crazy. He burst on the scene too.
Speaker 2 (35:26):
Has he been underrated in Arizona where someone maybe listened
to this show, isn't as familiar with Corbyn.
Speaker 1 (35:34):
Carrol man, I you know, is he underrated? I don't.
He came in like one of the top picks in
the draft, had a gun's blazed on blaze. I think
twenty two he got like one hundred at bats and
and you know, over an eight hundred ops and then
the breakout season twenty three he was a monster and
had a little bit of a down year in twenty
(35:54):
four and then since then it has been rolling. I
think I've got my years right. But it was a
big loss. We had him on Team USA and then
he broke his handmate in spring. And anytime you have
some injuries or stay out for a little bit, I
think you can fly under the radar for a second.
And maybe West Coast.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
Specially in Arizona. Yeah, West Coast.
Speaker 1 (36:15):
Doesn't get quite as much of the love as as
normal people over here on the cool Coast is in
the East with us is uh Are, we're a little
they're in bed by the time that game ends. But
he is a monster in the middle of that lineup.
He can do everything. A lot of you know, we
talk about PCA and how good he is and the
(36:36):
five tools that he has Corporn Carrol's in that category
We're talking about speed, defense, power, the hit ability, just
a pure havoc on the bases and in the box
under radar. Maybe not as much attention, yes maybe, but
I think people in the game know how special he is.
(36:56):
And that's why we got to make sure we point
these guys out in the playa.
Speaker 2 (37:02):
It's Corona Corona, Corona Plia the week Carol takes Yes, sir, Rossie.
We got six weeks. We got six weeks left of baseball.
The American League and National League wildcards are gonna come
down to the wire. There's a few division races. They
all West is gonna come down to the wire in
their division race. But let's talk about the American League wildcard.
(37:25):
You six, we have six teams in it, legit, six
teams that can make the playoffs. If you go on
a four and two run you are the favorite to
be in the final wildcard spot right now. That's how
crazy the league is right now. And the Orioles sell
at the deadline. The Rangers are kind of in between.
(37:45):
They tried to trade the Grom, they tried to trade Seeger.
They said, no, we're staying here. We can win here.
They're in it. The Blue Jays out of nowhere have
have come into it, the Twins, the Guardians, It's what
are like, what is going on?
Speaker 1 (37:59):
Man? It's madness is crazy. Like I thought the Orioles
were dead and they have just caught fire, you know,
getting rid of Rushman obviously he was injured, uh when
with them, But you know they just.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
Took three out of four from the race, yes, and
they had the lead yesterday to sweep.
Speaker 1 (38:17):
And I think I think the I think the Razor
like one of the one of my favorite teams to
maybe win the whole name. They're nasty.
Speaker 2 (38:25):
We got to give a shout out to my boy
Kobe Mayo for hitting his sixteenth home run yesterday. He
had a absolute nuke there tropicand of field that almost.
Speaker 1 (38:32):
Hit the back wall there there.
Speaker 2 (38:34):
He's come on the second half, he's he's hitting well.
Speaker 1 (38:37):
Yeah, either I did the Ranger game, I don't know
if I'm buying that, you know, like the game I
saw they played make five errors against San Francisco at
the trade deadline. And I don't know. They've got the
names like Jock Jock swinging it well, you know they've
got they've got the names, but it just hasn't been
(38:58):
I don't know, it just didn't feel it felt state.
It just fell stale. Maybe it's just the game I
got and hadn't watched them a whole lot, But I'd
love like the Tigers to me, like they sold get
rid of schoobl and those guys win. Sampson, thank you.
Casey May has been pitching great for San Diego. Like,
but I know a J. Hinch can handle a bullpen
(39:20):
and those young guys have had a taste of.
Speaker 2 (39:22):
And they could hit man and they can hit.
Speaker 1 (39:24):
Yeah, that's when they've got a good stat.
Speaker 2 (39:28):
Runner for Rookie of the Year. Yeah, yeah, yeah, they
have a good staff.
Speaker 1 (39:32):
The Guardians got a great stat. I I kind of
lean on the teams that have the great pitching staff
to like just be consistent down the stretch. And again
we're like mid August and we're walking this thing down
like like the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (39:46):
It's crazy. It's a six weeks It's a six week sprint. Yeah,
and I know there is a little bit of you
do have some room for air as all these contenders,
but you don't have much. But then again you don't
have much and then the next thing, you know, a
team go was on an eight and two run or
a ten and two run, and they're right back in it.
So it's I mean, the Guardians have a very weak schedule.
(40:07):
The Tigers have a insane run differential. Toronto's the hottest
team in all of.
Speaker 1 (40:14):
The well that playoff experience they had bottom tier make
those guys exactly right. And Vlad the scary part. Vlad
had hit all year, goes out with the concussion, getting
neat in the in the head. Hopefully he comes back
right and and maybe gets a little reset and hopefully
obviously Baltimore both dealt with concussions. That stuff sucks, it's
(40:35):
not but hopefully he.
Speaker 2 (40:35):
Comes Baltimore has a tough schedule remaining. The Twins could
hit and pitch, So it's really what team's gonna get
hot and go take it. And then you have the
Red Sox and the Yankees up up at the top
there where they got to keep going. The Yankees are scuffling.
The Red Sox have kind of leveled off or came
back down to life.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
Yeah, yeah, they were. They were on another plane right
there for about a fell's life felt like a month plus.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
Yeah, So that's going to be such a fun race
down the stretch, and I think it's going to be
one of these. Hopefully we get one of these twenty
eleven finishes where the last day of the season, remember
when Evan Mongoria hits the home run to go to
the make the playoffs and.
Speaker 1 (41:17):
All that, that would be amazing.
Speaker 2 (41:19):
Like, I feel like that's where we have a showdown
coming that these last week. I mean, there's so many
things up for grabs right now and it's six weeks left.
Any anything can happen.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
That brings back a little PTSD. I do have to admit,
like you, I was in Atlanta and we Boston collouse,
but so did us in Atlanta, dere Derek Derek Low.
I think we had like a crazy like an eight
game lead or something and going into September, and Derek
Low says, I'll never forget. He's like, the only way
we're not making the playoffs is if our plane crashes. Well,
(41:54):
we didn't have a playing crowd. We we stunk down
the stretch and yeah, exactly exactly. But if okay, well
let me, I'll put you to the to the test.
If we had to pick one al team from our
list Orioles Rangers, Blue Jays, Tigers, Twins, Guardians like just
(42:17):
we won't we won't, we won't go detailed and get two,
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(43:20):
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Speaker 2 (43:22):
You know, I just I'm going off cuff here. I'm
going with the Seattle Mariners. And I know they're not
on our list, right right, you didn't list them, but
their pitching staff is really good. Yea, how Roley just
they just won their first road series versus the Astros,
(43:44):
or first road series since late June. Right, they haven't
they went into an off day essay, they have the
Brewers today. I think the Brewers may be a little
let down after they're high adrenaline playing in LA, playing
the Dodgers. I feel like every time you play a
superpower team, you're always kind of have a little letdown
series next. So if if the Mariners get hot, they
(44:06):
have the pitching, If cal you can put the pass
in the past and just go out and just produce
to his his average self. Right, he doesn't need to
be the sixty homer cal Rally, but if you look
at his career, the cal Rally before that was a
pretty damn good Yeah too, Right, he's hitting thirty homers
every year, they're fifty nine and sixty six, but there
(44:30):
are three games back of that final wildcard spot. I
think that's that's my dark horse bold prediction because there's
a lot of teams that are chasing. Yeah, but I
do feel they can get hot on paper.
Speaker 1 (44:40):
It feels like it feels like the pitching is real,
but it's that offense. I saw it when in New York.
It just feels like they've got nothing going on offensively
for me. I who do they get it too? Well?
I want to you wanna hear mine? You're my choice?
Can I can? I I want to participate. See how
(45:00):
wrong I am. Let everybody blow us up on social media.
Let's uh. I love pitching. And again it's a hard
one and they're in the same division, Tigers and Guardians. Uh.
But the Guardians pitching to me is real and you
already said it. Their schedule is light down the stretch.
(45:20):
And I don't know Stephen vote it just he's got
that little bit of break to the end. Yeah, it
seems like an awesome dude. So it seems like a great manager.
And just I feel like I like the way he's wired,
knowing him a little bit, but then from Afar just
watching him, Uh, he's wired the right way. And and
get those guys pushing and they're they're used to pushing
to the end and that underdog kind of uh feeling
(45:43):
that I'd push yeah.
Speaker 2 (45:45):
Yeah, well and and too Roussie. Now that I'm done playing,
I definitely have a soft spot for Cleveland, you know
what I mean. I'll always root for them to win
now because, uh, the joy that they brought us. My
favorite road city, my favorite road city always while I
was playing Post twenty sixteen was Cleveland. Loved going back
to Cleveland. Everyone didn't believe me, but so yeah, Guardians
(46:07):
are good memories there, good memories to get into.
Speaker 1 (46:10):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (46:10):
The nl NL's got three spots, uh in the wildcar
for four teams for three spots. The Cubbies kind of
look like they have it locked up as of now,
but it can change.
Speaker 1 (46:22):
The Phillies were.
Speaker 2 (46:23):
Rolling and then all of a sudden they hit a little.
The Padres are another team at the deadline where Aj
Prowler goes out and said, hold on, we're not trading,
Mason Miller, We're not trading. We're gonna add okay, we're
gonna go out and get Robbie Ray. We're gonna go
out and get Casey Maies and we're gonna compete. And
if we have to play a three game series versus
the Dodgers or anyone we're ready to play, right, and
(46:46):
then you have the Diamondbacks, So those for me, I
think it's Cubs, Phillies, Padres in that wild wildcard spot
in some some order. But I mean bro races, right.
Speaker 1 (47:01):
I'm with you.
Speaker 2 (47:02):
Well, then take the Cups. Can the Cubs could catch
the Brewers? Really seven games against them in September. I mean,
the Brewers are are very good team.
Speaker 1 (47:13):
They they are.
Speaker 2 (47:15):
They're yeah, yeah, maybe they're not getting as much love
and coverage as they they should, but everyone knows in
the baseball world how good the Brewers are.
Speaker 1 (47:27):
No doubt, no doubt. I'm with you. I the Padres
to me with I love just how a J. Prewler
is always going for it and uh, you know, push
the chips in. I just sold the team for a
lot of money and uh that what a what a
cool number. That was crazy.
Speaker 2 (47:44):
It's crazy to think, with the owners saying how bad
the state of the game is and how much we
need to rewrite our CBA, that people are just paying
billions of dollars for these franchises, right, Rolseie, I would
be crazy. I think a billionaire would make such a
such a well have terrible decision.
Speaker 1 (48:01):
Well, we'll have our CBA discussions, I'm sure on here
a little bit coming up. We've got a we've got
a long, a long way to go. I almost stay
out of negative town and go to the Padres. That offense,
I'm with you on that that the offense.
Speaker 5 (48:20):
Is hitting and hit all year up until the All
Star break, and like that list of guys they have,
there's no way they were going to go the entire
season without getting the back of the base numbers closer
to the back of the baseball card.
Speaker 2 (48:34):
They're scared, and I think I think it's good for
them that all this, all these expectations have kind of
faded and now they're back to the underdog San Diego
Padres and not a World Series favorite Padres, And I
think that can play into their favor Where they they
get in, they can be really scared. They have really
good pitching, they have their bullpens insane, and they have
(48:54):
superstar players on the offensive side. So that's a that's
a dark horse team for sure. Now the whole n L,
the whole that's that's why if the Dodgers can pull
this off again and they do a three, they go
three pet The last three years of the National League
in the playoffs has been must watch television. It's in
must watch playoff baseball. Any team that gets in the
(49:16):
NL can win the World Series legitimately, like legitimate World
Series contenders. So I gotta give this six weeks.
Speaker 1 (49:26):
Give the Cards a shout out. They they played, they're
playing well, and they got a lot of good young
town one of the youngest teams in baseball. And the
way they played in Chicago and Chicago was rolling. It
was impressive. So they're only I think three back. Same
thing like you're like, you're talking about Seattle's gonna be
tough with all those good teams in front of them,
(49:46):
to and and in a tough division, but they're definitely there.
All right, Riz, We asked the people to send in
a weekly question for our Tim Bust ball bag. All right,
and our first question has come from YouTube comment from
at the d d R twenty four and it's for you, Riz, Riz.
(50:09):
You became my favorite all time cub when you hand
him the guy on first base hand sanitizer the first
game after the shutdowns of twenty twenty, I laughed so
hard when I saw you do that. Please explain the
origins of that IDEA great question.
Speaker 2 (50:24):
Thank you, A great question. It's a little scary that
that's what it took for me to become your favorite player,
but I'll take it.
Speaker 1 (50:33):
Huh. Look, yes, yes, dude, you're the all year old
timer of having fun on the baseball field for me.
Speaker 2 (50:42):
Yeah, I mean twenty twenty was such a I mean, Rossie,
you know it. When we started twenty twenty COVID two
point zero. Without getting into too many details, ROSSI, I
gave all of our players a care package for when
we started spring training or the season.
Speaker 1 (50:58):
But I just thought I'll explain some of the things
in it. We had a I got a mask in
their gift bag, coaches included. It was just a great
gift bag to start twenty twenty, twenty twenty one spring training.
And you gave us a hand sanitizer, a little mini
hand sanitizer, and one of our sponsors there was a
(51:18):
blue choo in there. All the coaches were like, what
is this? What was this? The boys appreciated it, so
shout out blue chee.
Speaker 2 (51:27):
Yes. I just thought during that time in COVID when
baseball was on we were pretty much the only sport
on making light of You got to have humor in life, right,
And we had all these restrictions. We couldn't be six feet,
had to wear a mask. We were getting tested every day.
We were kind of in our own bubble. So right
(51:48):
before the game, I was like, Hey, I'm going to
put some sanitizer in my back pocket, and first got
it gets on to make sure he sanitizes, so, you know,
show the world we're being safe.
Speaker 1 (51:57):
That was amazing. I had forgotten about that to The
question came in a manage that you know as hilarious Brothers.
Speaker 2 (52:04):
A good question. Yeah, it was a really good question.
We got an email from jan Do you think the
Brewers will ever reach the same degree of rivalry with
the Cubs that the Cardinals have or is this current
rivalry with the Brewer is just a flash.
Speaker 1 (52:19):
In the pan. Oh. I don't think it's a flash
in the pan from like the Brewers being good. I
just think there's so much history Cubs, Cards, Uh, that
just is it's gonna have to go on for a
really long time. And I think, you know, looking back
and being a part of a lot of that, Like
you know, I think about the best rivalries. I think
(52:39):
a lot of people come with like Red Sox Yankees.
Well that kind of goes back and forth, and when
teams are good, but the still Red Sox Yankees is
big and I came up a Dodger, and Dodger San
Francisco is the biggest one to me because that's what
I came up in when San Francisco was really good
and so where was La. So you know, like the
(53:00):
rivalries is so fan oriented. It's just about the history
to me, and they're just the Brewers don't have.
Speaker 2 (53:07):
The fan or yeah, no they don't. And I think
whenever you're in division, you you come to hate all
of these teams in your division. Right, I hated the Pirates,
I hate the Reds. Yeah, I hate the Brewers. And
when the teams aren't good, you don't really care about
them for much, especially when you're the big boys in
(53:28):
the division where the Cubs and the the Yankees. But
then these teams become good and they get this little
edge and it really irks you.
Speaker 1 (53:37):
So when they always want to be the most right
that like the Pirates want to back the big market
teams or you know all this.
Speaker 2 (53:43):
Well, when you when you have when you play for
the big market team, and these teams come in the
Skylar report on these pictures, are you know ninety three
to ninety seven. Well, when they're coming into Wrigley Field
or Yankee Stadium, you're seeing ninety seven. You're seeing the
top end of every picture stuff because they're Adrenaline's role
and they're playing a Wriggly, They're playing at New York.
They don't get this experience at the smaller market level.
(54:05):
So I don't think the rivalry we beat at ever
as big as Cubs Cardinals because the fans and the history.
Like you said, Rossie, but that that rivalry right now,
the Brewers of the team to beat in that division,
and the Cubs know it. And when the Cubs go
up there to Wrigley North, it's loud. It's a lot
of cheers to the Cubs, and Bruce fans are trying
to counter that. They all all the Bruise fans of
(54:28):
their elf flags if they beat them leaving the stadium.
I mean, it's becoming it's becoming a real rivalry. Sure
get to our last question email from Luke Smitley. This
one's for you, Patna Rossi Rossie, I'd love to hear
about the evolution of pitch calling from when you first
came into the league versus now. Obviously Velo has changed
(54:49):
things tremendously over the years. How hard is it to
evolve while playing and constantly having to change what you
grew up learning and knowing about calling the game as
a catcher.
Speaker 1 (55:00):
Oh, you already heard me talking about it a little bit.
Great question. I think about this all the time, and
something that I couldn't wrap my brain around is just
how little location there is in the game. Now. It's
like a lot of catchers setting up middle, riding north
and south and really don't get on the edges as much.
You know, I was on the edges for especially at
(55:21):
the end of my career with John Lester, who you know,
could really locate. We had guys like Kyle Hendricks obviously,
Jake Arietta, John Lackey. I mean these guys, these guys
were on the edges and you're working the corners up
down a little bit, but really in and out a
lot more, and especially earlier in my career. So I
think the toughest part, which I understand, is just straight
(55:44):
velocity and setting up middle and spin rates and trying
to just throw nasty stuff in the zone and let
it do what it does. But we talked to a
good friend of the program, Kyle Schwarber. I talked to
him in the WBC, and he made us statement that
made a little bit of sense. Is he's able to
set his sites a lot more middle and hitting has
(56:07):
become a little less of a guessing game and just
kind of like reacting to a space in the mill
zone that he's looking for. Uh. And it made a
lot of sense because you know, guys aren't backdoor and
nasty breaking balls or cutters or you know, some guys can,
but like consistently around the league, a lot of guys
are going middle stuff and these guys get to see
(56:29):
stuff all the time. Yeah, So my two cents is,
you know, location has just kind of taken a back seat.
Speaker 2 (56:36):
The Dale Sway, former manager when I was young, said
this comment that's stuck with me forever. You're gonna get
over a thousand pitches right down the middle of the
plate in baseball, we call it cock shots right down
the middle of the plate a year, and it's what
are you going to do? You don't know what it's
gonna be it's gonna be a fastball, curveball, sider, change up, sweeper, sprinkler,
(56:57):
whatever they're making up now, but it's gonna be right
down the plate over a thousand times every single year,
which always has stood out to me the evolution. But
told me, he said, Uh.
Speaker 1 (57:12):
I asked him one day, I say, where do you
look for the ball? I thought, like a catch? I
always looked for, like I knew they were going away
from me, like fastball sliders away. And he I was like,
what do you look? What do you look for? And
he's like, I look for the ball right down the middle.
I'm like, what right down the middle? Yeah, It's like,
no wonder, I'm a career two twenty, Like I'm looking
at the wrong place.
Speaker 2 (57:30):
Well, it seems it seems right now that it's really
easy to be lazy with your scouting reports because we
have all the information. Because all the information, everyone has
all the information, So it's really easy to cram for
the test to where if you really study and you
it seems easy to just cram for the test instead
(57:51):
of really diving into video of these guys and watching
their their their tendencies and seeing it on film is
so much different than just seeing the scout and report.
And that's sometimes what I see in the league where
it's like, man, why why is that pitch being thrown?
Even when I was playing in my last few years,
why would they throw this pitch? And then it's because
(58:12):
they just get the information it's all on your wristband
and they're kind of just going off of that, where
my question is our guys really grinding on the hours
of video that I used to see you grinding on?
Speaker 1 (58:23):
Yeah, you know, I don't know. And then I think
a lost art because of all the information is reading swings.
You know, we're so polygrammed to you.
Speaker 2 (58:31):
Know it's going to come back.
Speaker 1 (58:33):
It has to, it has to well. And we talked
to guys. I was listening to an interview the other day.
I forgot who it was, but they were talking about
they're not really good at reading swings and as a pitch.
I think it may have been schemes and like some
of these guys that fought foul balls off, they're late
and they found them off the other dugout and you
think it's a good approach, but you know they it
(58:53):
was a big hit. It was a big hit. In
a Phillies game and was just fouling off the fastball
and didn't have good numbers, and the guys talking about him,
maybe it was Frank Corr, Jeff Frank Corr, but they
sped him up through him a breaking ball on his own,
he had a bases loaded double, and you know it,
(59:14):
just if you were reading that swing, you knew either
you had to throw the off speed for chase or
stay with the fastball in different locations. So reading swings
is one of those things that I was pretty good
at and was able to maybe get off the scouting
report a little bit at times when it just felt
like you could tell what the hitter was thinking.
Speaker 2 (59:33):
That does it for our Tim Buss ball Bag Questions
of the Week To our viewers, Please keep sending the questions.
We'd love to hear from you. We love the question
and answer a type style. We want to know what
you're thinking. We want to give you the content that
you're craving. ROSSI a lot to look forward to him.
I'm excited to see the next few games here at
(59:55):
the Crosstown Classic with the Crosstown Cup, the Cubs and
White Sox. We got a lot coming this weekend. Raffie
Devers returning to Boston this weekend. That's gonna be something
fun to watch. So I'm I'm in there Sunday Sunday
Day game for the Red Sox Giants, Lou Maloney, Hunter Pence, myself,
(01:00:18):
and Jason Bennetti. So I'm excited for this weekend to
be in that Femway atmosphere. And we got to keep
talking to you all week.
Speaker 1 (01:00:30):
ESPN Little League Classic coming up. We've got Braves Brewers,
so we've got a really good game for at Williamsport. Obviously,
if you're Sunday then yeah, we got a little little,
nice little tune in, but it should be a lot
of fun. Little League World Series is coming up. Shout
out to ESPN for that. Like that's one of my
(01:00:51):
favorite times, and it's on every clubhouse that you walk in. Uh,
these guys turn into a kid, so uh tune into
all that stuff. We got a lot of baseball and
a lot of fun. And I really enjoyed today, Buddy. Yep.
Speaker 2 (01:01:05):
We thank everyone for tuning in listening. We'll be back
next Tuesday. Ross and Rizzo unfiltered, We will see you
next week.
Speaker 1 (01:01:12):
Love you
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