April 10, 2024 • 39 mins
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, and welcome to Awaken. Jake myself, Jake Story, Ellie,
David Mendelssohn. We are talking the youth. The youth is
going to save us. I'm sick of talking about pitching
arm injuries as more have happened in the past forty
eight hours. Framberg, Josiah Gray, Nick Pivetta, who was looking
(00:22):
good for the socks. There's also I think our friend
Lindsey Adler just posted an article that said the leading
Tommy John surgery guy said he can tell if a
pitcher throws sweepers, so that could be a fun development.
The sweeper that I think just pissed off normal baseball
(00:43):
people by being named something different. And then Keith Law,
obviously the bringer of fun, got in the mix and
was like, how funny is it that we got rid
of the screwball and the splitter to save pitcher's arms,
just to invent a new pitch, which again I think
everyone's probably being jack wagons because I think it's tied
(01:04):
to v LO more. But anyways, interested to see the
sweeper development. I don't want to talk about that. I
want to talk about Hope youths as top prospect Jackson
Holiday gets the call today. He finally gets enough minor
league you know, working that he can cut it at
the major league level. We still haven't figured that out. Huh.
(01:28):
We still haven't figured out just to have guys called
up at the start of the season. We still had
to send Jackson Holiday down for ten games.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Tony Kemp got to walk that orange carpet on Oriols
opening Day. So maybe he's the big winner in all this,
But yeah, we still need to get a step farther
if you're ready to play major league baseball. I mean,
that's just such a dumb, bad loophole in our game. Still,
Jackson Holiday should have been on opening day. Yeah, the
(01:59):
he should have been the most exciting part of Orioles
Opening Day. Yes, said he was in Norfolk.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
I think there were some people who have been led
to believe this is the reason they're in our talking
baseball comments already saying well, the Orioles were facing six
out of ten leftiest to open the season, which I
don't believe that was.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
So that's why you had Tony Kemp on the roster,
love Tony Camp, Vandy Godoors, him and Jefs had classes together.
I want to talk a little bit about him. I
want to talk about a little bit of the rookies
that are up, just to put some perspective on rookies
in Major League Baseball. And then I want to talk
(02:42):
about some of the names that I think we're going
to see coming up this year. So I'll come back
around on Jackson Holliday. I'll do where we're at. Maybe
he totally completely unfair game. It's April tenth, we are
nine to fourteen games in. If you played in Korea
(03:06):
to start the year, sure, how many rookies do you
think have played this season? Totally unfair to.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Totally would have no idea where to start. I'll throw
the number fifty out.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
There, Okay, forty one, Okay, forty one, We'll we'll take that, man, Actually,
hold no, I think forty one's right, yes. And that
is before today where Jackson Holliday is getting called up.
Houston Astros also just called up one of their top
pitching prospects, Eregeriah kind of had a Corbyn Burn's little
(03:45):
brother look to him, and you know, we're we're going
to have another wave, another wave on the way soon.
And I want to talk about some of the big
boys that we'll hopefully see later this season, and I
will ask you to comment below because I was even
thinking about my Yankees. Spencer Jones is a guy that
(04:06):
had a lot of love. Haven't heard his name since
spring training because the Yankees have been winning ten and two.
Every year they do that, they win the Pennant. Nobody
says win the pennant anymore, Nobody cares, And yeah, Spencer Jones,
we just found out stiff neck hasn't played a minor
league game yet since about the middle of spring training,
(04:28):
where that guy's name was heard every day, hasn't been
heard at all. And if the Yankees continue on this pace,
which they won't, stay ten and two, might not hear
Spencer Jones's name again this year. Maybe we will let
me know who your team is talking about, and I'll
hit some of the big guys coming. Forty one players
(04:50):
have made their debut this year. Twenty one pitchers, twenty hitters,
so that's pretty good balance. Twenty three teams have had
a rookie play. One of them is not Baltimore, so
that'll be twenty four. I think the the Padres and
the Giants are having a rookie off. The Padres have
had four. The Giants have had five five rookies jug
(05:16):
Hu Lee. Yeah, and that's I was gonna throw the
the caveat out there of other guys that have played
pro sports right now. I mean the kind of cool
thing is Shoda Imanaga for the Cubs. He's thirty, so
that's kind of like, hey man, Yamamoto's young like Yamamoto.
(05:40):
For the twenty one pitchers that have have debuted, he
is the eighth youngest, So I mean it's more middle
of the pack than Shoda, who is thirty years old.
And as you mentioned before we started recording this BBD,
there's gonna be three twenty year olds in baseball one
(06:00):
year olds. The three twenty year olds are all named
Jackson Jackson Tario from Venezuela, Jackson Merrill, who is from
I think he said Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, and then Jackson
(06:20):
Holiday is from Matt Holliday.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
So gonna play in Baltimore, Maryland.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Yeah, So I don't know. I thought that was interesting.
So I want to talk about rookie performance a little
bit because I think I don't know, some we have
super high expectations for a lot of these guys, and
some of them break out, some of them flame out.
(06:46):
Justin Foscue one for two. I'm gonna ignore that for now.
Although I know Texas likes him. We talked about him
in the spring a little bit. Jackson Merrill so far
has been the best rookie hitter. Him and Jackson Tarrio
have been close. Jackson Trio the only one with two homers. Uh,
(07:12):
So that's I think it is funny to look on paper,
only seven rookie batters have homered so far this year,
So I don't know. Again, is that a dumb stat
I don't think so. Wyatt Langford hasn't homered yet. People
you know, think he's supposed to be one of the
guys who are next Colt Keith who were happy about
winning getting that contract and getting the job. He hasn't
(07:36):
homered yet.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Victor Scott, who I don't think that's supposed to be
his game. He is the rookie that's in it the
worst right now. Victor Scott, who is turning heads Cardinal
spring training. Wait, this guy's gonna make the team. He's
a stud. He is currently three for forty one, seventy
three batting average, a one twenty two slow two seventy
(08:01):
four ops. So he's in it the worst right now.
My guys straight up having a bad time hitting. Maybe
it'll turn around, Maybe he'll need a refresh at some
point and Cardinals fans will have to figure that out. No,
he's out there for speed and defense. Let me know
how that looks. Seven rookies have homered this year. That's it,
(08:23):
and that's where. And I think I'm wrong overall. I
got hesitant over the Texas Rangers lineup cause and I
should state this is guys that are making their debuts
this year, so this this does leave out some of
the quote unquote rookies. These are guys who debuted this year,
(08:45):
so that is a little bit of a loophole there.
But I got nervous when I was looking at the
Rangers middle of their lineup and it was Lankford and
Evan Carter. We're gonna have to pull a lot of
the rope. And I don't know, I just I realize,
Seeger and Simeon are who you look at first, and
(09:05):
they also have a doles And now Low and Young
are hurt and they're still banging. So maybe I was
overlooking Texas just a little bit with nerves coming into
the season, and I'm always hesitant of the repeat, although
it's the year of the repeat. How about them Huskies?
Everyone try to tell you free money to be had Chiefs?
(09:27):
Did they repeat? Wasn't there another one? I think there's
a couple repeats that people are thinking the repeat is back,
especially down in Texas. I don't know about all that,
not what I do know our guy Trey Lipscomb, who
we've accidentally talked about a couple times. Four stolen bases.
That's the most of a rookie, no caught stealings. How
(09:50):
do you like that? Or debuting players this season? I
guess rounding off the hitting side, the Jackson Jackson's have
gone a little bit Blaize Alexander for the Snakes, who's
been filling in out of the park baseball legend. He's
(10:11):
hit in two ninety six, three sixty seven playing middle infield.
He's one of the guys that has a homer. Oliver
Dunn's stats look fine. He's one of the Milwaukee guys
that's been filling in. Made a couple of highlight catches plays.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Do uh, how much have you looked into Oliver Dun?
Speaker 1 (10:29):
I haven't looked a ton in Oliver Dunn. His facial
hair always makes me think he's someone else.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Do you know where he came from?
Speaker 1 (10:37):
I don't.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Last year he had a very nice year in the
minors with the Phillies. Before that, he's a career minor
leaguer with the New York Yankees. Okay, so he's ours.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
I'll take credit, sure, claiming Oliver Dunn. How old is he?
Twenty six?
Speaker 2 (10:54):
Okay? Yeah, nice guy, nice guy, good for the house.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Are sure? Player has debuted? Jorge Barosa. We watched him
on in the Diamondbacks. He's listed five to five people.
What a beautiful sport. Barosa debuted this year. He got
his hit, and fourteen players have gotten the feel what
it's like to get an MLB hit. So far, so
(11:19):
happy for them. Uh Junghu Lee two fifty five, three
fifteen six fifty five. Ohps, so I know the Jung
Hu Lee. I've got excited a little bit over that
first home run. I'm not overreacting. He has more walks
and strikeouts five to four, so we like that. And
I saw him go the opposite way with a left
(11:40):
on left slider the other day, and I like that swing.
But yeah, I mean this is the Junghu Lee predicament.
Will be will he able to be hit enough contact
wise that he's hitting three hundred and he's really worthwhile
top of the line at bat? Or is he gonna
(12:01):
have enough pop or on base to kind of boost
that ops enough to do the same, But I don't know.
Just something to circle with JHL because as we got
excited for his start, and he's twenty five years old too,
so that's that's kind of cool because when you turn
(12:21):
to show to him Minaga in the pitching side of things,
Showeda's been the best. Showed him Naga two starts he
hasn't given up an earn run yet. We love that
for Shoda abbreviated starts to start the season, and there
was a rain delay, so he's only ten innings pitched,
(12:43):
but zero earn. Ron's twelve punch outs, only four hits
allowed in zero walks from Shoda, So he's, uh, he's
feeling it. He's in the zone, he's bawling out, and
he's really your outlier outlier rookie Yuki mets sue. He
counts partial points. He's twenty eight and he's going well
(13:04):
seven games six point one innings, has only given up
one earned run, not a lot of punch tickets in
a couple walks. So let's see how that looks at
for Yuki. He has played the most games of rookie pitchers.
He is tied with Stephen Kolek in my book. Also
in the Padres bullpen, So Padres are running out technically
(13:29):
two rookies in their bullpen, along with the giants I
mentioned before, Eric Miller and Landon.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Roope, including Wusuk Goh what'd you say? Yep? I don't
have Lusuk Go in my book. Has he pitched yet?
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
I think they might have sent him down.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
Is he is? He on a weirder deal than I
know about?
Speaker 1 (13:49):
I think so. I think they were figuring all that
out the other what's that missing games in double A?
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Yeah, I just don't know what his deal. I don't
know what his deal is. Yeah, Andres fans let us, I.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
Think they're figuring that out.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
The biggest rookie who has shined because Yamamoto technically a
rookie twenty five, you know the whole story. He had
the blow up start. He has been good since eleven innings,
fifteen strikeouts. Jared Jones, Pittsburgh top fifty or so prospect,
(14:33):
maybe swinging by the John Boy media office soon Rumor
Mill Eleven point two innings pitched, seventeen strikeouts and two walks.
Jared Jones may need to be on your radar. It's
two starts, but those strikeout numbers and those innings pitch,
(14:54):
that's very real. See other guys that are that are
turning heads. We've only had five rookie or debut excuse me,
five guys that have debuted this year have started and
Ben Brown was an opener, so he doesn't really count
(15:16):
for your Chicago Cubs. The other one, and this might
have been I think this was. I think he was
stepping in to fill in for Framber because he got hurt.
Blair Henley had an opener start. I believe, Oh that's
(15:37):
Blair Henley. And maybe he wasn't supposed to be an opener,
but he only went point one innings, So feel for you,
Blair Henley. I wonder if he was off his throw schedule.
That's brutal against the Texas Rangers April eighth, So is
that Monday?
Speaker 2 (15:54):
That's when we got the fan news. I think so
that was an emerged so that sucks for him. Him.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Welcome to the major leagues. Framberveld As was supposed to
start earlier. He's not.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
He's broken. You're in kid point one innings against the
defending champ Texas Rangers. Four earned runs, five earned runs.
Excuse me for it's three walks, a hit by pitch.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Yeah, yeah, so Uh. Cad Smith has been really good
at the Cleveland bullpen. Ben Brown has thrown a couple innings.
Justin Slayton has been really good for your Boston Red
Sox five point two zero earn runs, and you know,
(16:45):
you know my White Sox fans want. Jordan Leisure shouted
out for his four point one shutty. I don't know.
I guess this was a little eye opening for me
as we're going through the first two weeks the season
or so. Uh that again, this isn't necessarily rookies. These
are guys making their debuts. Uh, But it's one of
(17:09):
those things where I'm I'm kind of laughing that we
get a little skeptical of kids before they get called up,
and there's not a lot of guys are balling out
right now. Colt Keith, like I mentioned, he's got a
little war to twenty two batting average five point fifty
oh ps, Trey Lipscomb five eighty one ops. And I
(17:33):
mentioned I mentioned his stolen bases, which I'm happy for him. Uh,
but yeah, it's it's very early in the season. Like
I just said, Jackson Holliday is gonna get called up.
I'm not betting against that guy at all. I think
I just wanted to early on in the season highlight.
We're always skeptical of youth and even going back to
(17:55):
players that debuted last year. Uh, guys that really he
balled out in forty four games. David Schneider went nuts.
That was a little bit if you want to call
that an outlier. Evan Carter did it for thirty three games.
Matt McClain ended up only playing eighty nine games last year,
(18:19):
but he played really well. I mean, the only rookies.
This is kind of nuts. The only rookies.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Oh, that's why it's thrown me off. I'd said Anthony
Volpi played one hundred and seventy games last year, but
they were it's how many games he's made since he debuted.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Guys that debuted last year that have played over one
hundred games, and that does include a chunk of this year.
Patrick Bailey who was turning heads at first, especially defensively,
career six fifty five ops so far. Ellie Dayla Cruz.
You kind of know the story there. Again, the numbers
career for Ellie aren't that flashy two forty three oh
(19:10):
six seven thirty two ops. Crazy speed, But Ellie hasn't
exactly hit the ground running, especially towards the end of
last year.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Off to a good start this yeah, the numbers look good.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
Not saying I don't believe, I'm just saying contribution in
the year they debut, and that's kind of tying it
together with Jackson Holiday, Blake Sable who debuted last year
OPS in the six is Jose Cabero traded to the
Rays OPS in the sixes. This one, I think is
one of the standouts for me. Eddie Julien, Trevor Plufs
(19:46):
Eddie Julienne. He's now played one hundred and eighteen games
at the big league level with an eight to ten
OPS snaps for Eddie Julian. He can he came in
and he contributed. He changed the shape of the Twins team.
He batterly off. He got on base.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Credit there.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
Jordan Walker also deserves some shout out. He did not
rack up war last year because he was awful defensively.
But his rookie year hitting wise two sixty nine A
seven to sixty nine ops, sixteen homers. That's a pretty
nice rookie year. Again, it's not I guess the point
I'm trying to make. It's a not a lot to
(20:24):
move the needle like. That's a that's an average hitter.
That's an average hitter with also really tough defense last year,
and that's one of the better rookie offensive seasons last year.
Joey Weimer has played in one thirty two now ops
below six fifty. Same with Brenton Doyle, Ryan Noda gets
(20:46):
on base. We like, we like that for Oakland Bryce
Terrang didn't hit it all last year. He's hitting now.
He played some defense. He racked up a little bit
of war last year. Sataka Yoshida, you know, he faded
towards the end of last year, but he impressed. But
again he's now twenty nine or no, he was twenty
(21:10):
nine when he debuted. And Anthony Vopi, who played pretty
much every day. His ops ended up under seven hundred.
So if you're telling if you're telling me a player
that's gonna debut for you is going to make a
significant impact in your lineup, guys that did it for
more than one hundred games last year, it's really Eddie Julian.
(21:38):
I mean the guys I highlighted. You can make some
arguments and it's hey, I'm I'm sorry Zakaloff didn't get
more run. I'm sorry Matt McClain didn't get more run.
But that's kind of the point of the conversation.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
So, if you're telling me your top prospects about to
come up and change things for real, for real, a
couple of them will. I think these Jackson's are going
to go, But man.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
It's so far they're mostly happening.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
It's a tough ask, dude, That's a really tough ask.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Pitching wise, sangam a little different.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
Tanner Biby balled out last year. Bryce Miller and JP
France were really solid. Logan Allen Grayson Rodriguez.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
So I feel like pitchers, you know, data might not
back this up, but they can have an easier time
contributing right away. There's an element of surprise. There's it's
easier to just be like, have coaches like do this and.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
This, Andrew Rabbit Rhee, Olsen, Pepio, Haaj Bradley. I mean,
I've got Uri Perez was technically last year. There was
fourteen pitchers through one hundred plus innings last year, and
I'd say more or less, I'd say the majority of
them were solid. The guys that had bad numbers, ironically,
(23:00):
one is Brandon Fought, who had his crazy playoff breakout run.
The other guy's Luis Medina, Taj Bradley. Everyone else was
a serviceable starter.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
So yeah, and I guess I guess the slight flawed
in the stats, like, well, if they're doing that bad,
they're not gonna get to one hundred innings, send them
down or bullpen him or or whatever. But more guys
seem like got run and contributed on the pitching end
than the hitting end.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
The average hitting stat line for a rookie last year.
And again this is a little unfair because bad rookie
shouldn't say bad rookie. Developing guys are gonna get called
up and not be good, and that's part of MLB's
formula every year. Same with the pitching a little bit.
But the average MLB player who made a debut last
(23:51):
year hitting wise two thirty five, three oh seven A
six seventy eight ohps Anthony Bolpi, which, hey, he's breaking
out this year, so I'm about it. The average rookie
pitcher last year four seven six ERA one three to
(24:13):
two whip. That's like a contributing player. So okay, I
guess as I'm molding my expectations for your players about
to debut this year, you can have higher expectations for
the pitching, not the hitting. Let's talk about who is
gonna debut. And I got a couple lists here. I
(24:33):
was looking at a Baseball America list of guys they
were expecting to debut and break out a little bit.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
And then I had a yard Barker article.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Are you a yard Barker guy? Is that a real place?
Speaker 2 (24:49):
I think I have been there before. I've gotten over there.
Sounds like they've got a good one. Let's see.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
I'm open to your yard Barker. I just ditched who
is the.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
Who is my batter verse pitcher website?
Speaker 1 (25:04):
I just ditched Rod Wire out. Yeah, just wrong stats.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
Yeah, I haven't been able to put the mental energy
into finding out what they did wrong to you yesterday.
But like maybe their data only goes back to a
certain in your last however many games.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
I don't know, because that was tough, bad look for
Poppy with boone guys that we are expecting to come
up and make an impact. We talked Jackson Holiday. I've
given Minnie Jackson Holiday speeches before, I'll give you what
I have now. How dominant he has been at the
minor league level, uh, is just silly. The fact that
(25:48):
he comes from MLB lineage and his dad was really good. Unfortunately,
that does matter in my head. It's more important though
that he was three twenty one in one hundred and
fifty five minor league games, four point fifty one on
base and a nine to forty nine ops. MLB is
(26:11):
a little different and all those numbers I just read.
This guy is gonna contribute. There will be at some
point a light bulb moment and all of us are like,
oh boy, it's happening. And again, maybe that could be
late in the season and it could not be a
full light bulb. This is what I'm talking about. Anthony
Volpi looks incredible this year and scouts were all over him,
(26:33):
and then last year got ugly. I do think that
had a lot to do with the Yankees coaching, which
we can talk about another time. Jackson Holliday in all
three Jackson's I want Jackson Merrill to be more in
the mix. He kind of just got thrown in at
the end, and it was like, you know, Jackson Schario
got the contract and everyone kind of believes in the
Brewers of the franchise. I don't know if everyone did
(26:55):
believe in the Padres as a franchise that it was
kind of like, wait, they're throwing this kid out there.
He's been really good so far.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
And everyone was kind of assuming they'd go get someone someone,
and they still needed to They got profar during spring. Yeah,
the Padres felt like their own unique situation, but they
do go to one of their.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
Kids, and if you care, you don't. Twenty twenty four
Spring training Jackson Holliday three eleven, three point fifty four
a six hundred, slugging nine to fifty four ops. So
if that matters to you more than some of those
minor league stats, I read cool, if not also cool, excited,
to see him with the Orioles. I just think we're
(27:41):
about to see something really fun like that. Much young
talent assembled on a field doesn't happen a lot addly
special talent, Gunner special talent, Jackson Holiday special talent. And
that's without even getting to other guys that would be
your team's top prospect. Kobe Mayo, who is the guy
(28:03):
that went off yesterday, Kowser, Kowser, Colton Kowser. Haven't even
gotten to Heston.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Kerstadt, Jordan Westberg. Jordan Westberg has been doing the damn
thing for a little bit. So it's why I'm so
excited for the Oriols. I'm glad he's just finally at
the major league level because he should have been to
start the season, and that's something that our sport just
does not have figured out. Still, I was interested to
(28:31):
see this list from Yard Barker.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
Who you just found out. I'm a new fan of
a lot of Brewers on this list, which gets me
a little jazzed up. Robert Gasser, great pitching name. They're
saying it was good restraint by the brew crew to
not give Robert Gasser a call up last year. I
(28:57):
think one hundred and thirty five point one innings at
Tree Play a three seven nine era. If you know
the Brewers, one thing they have developed is pitching. They
are one of those teams. And if you looked at
the Brewers rotation before the season, you kind of did
a head tilt and you're like, I don't know Brewers,
Wade Miley, Colin Reya, I mean even d L. Hall
(29:20):
at the end, which again is seems like a plus.
And you gotta believe in what the Brewers are going
to tap into. Didn't it really feel right? Robert Robert Grasser,
that was my nickname in college, Robert Gasser. And Jacob
Mizerowski to go along with Jackson Chario already, Uh, Jack's
(29:46):
Miserowski just got involved in an MLB The Show challenge.
So that's where I that's where if you think if
you're a sportsperson that's not a video game person, and
you maybe you think I'm a big old loser for
like an MLB The Show A rude B. It's what
(30:07):
MLB the Show really impressed me with and I went
on a rant. Last year they had a challenge that
had Jacob Mizerowski pitching for the Brewers and it was
like Brewers top prospect Miserowski, you need to get five
runs off of them with eighteen outs, and man, for
the kids playing that game, you just got introduced to
Jacob Mizerowski, a tall string being of a pitcher, former
(30:32):
second round pick. It's funny. Part of that sounded like
a scouting report. Part of that sounded like me talking.
I think you can figure out which one is which.
So the Brewers and Brewers pitching especially that jumped off
to me as like a oh boy, don't don't be
(30:53):
surprised if the Brewer's rotation looks a little different mid
season and there's a little more talent than what you
were seeing initially on the field where the yard Barker
articles started. Jolly Olive's Mets Luis Angel Akunya. That's right,
(31:15):
you remember the last name. You probably remember the trade
from last year where they traded Schurezer to get Ronald Acunya,
Junior's baby. Bro had paid Sureser salary. Interested to see
where this Mets season goes. After their awful, awful start.
They've been playing a better brand of baseball. The scouting
(31:37):
report on this Acunya brother, he doesn't have Ronnie's power,
but he's got the speed in athleticism and that at
shortstop can lead to a really special ballplayer. They're saying
he's got forty plus based stealing potential. I hope that
scouting him and not his big bro, But I don't know. Again, Hey,
(31:59):
family name, I'm not gonna bet against that, And I
hope we get to see that guy in the second
half of the season. And the other guy they traded
for last year. And if we're talking momentum in sports
and vibes, the Mets traded for Drew Gilbert in the
Justin Verlander deal, an outfielder that in one hundred and
(32:21):
sixteen games last year to eighty nine three eighty one
eighteen homers. They can wait on him. You can wait
on any prospect, I guess. But I trying to get
in the shoes of the New York Mets, who I
think are gonna make big plays this offseason. They've already
they've got saying what goes on with Alonso, We'll see
(32:44):
Lindor's obviously locked in. It looks like Frankie Alvarez is
a part of the new core. If you could call
up Drew Gilbert and he Nemo's locked up. People forget that.
If you could call up Drew Gilbert and he plays
well for a chunkinex Sea and you can slot him
in next year, You can call up Louis angel Acuna
(33:06):
and you could slot him in for next year. God,
that would really change the feel of your offseason and
your start of next season, which is important. Other guys
on this list, brooks Lee, we've heard about that from
Trevor Ploof. Top Twins prospect listed as a shortstop. I
know they were talking about moving him to first base
(33:28):
with the Royce Lewis injury and Carreas got a pretty
good lock at short You wonder if they get him
in the mix earlier on this year. Everyone talks about
him as a guy guy, along with Kyle Manzardo. For
the Cleveland Guardians, he was He was one of their
(33:48):
big ads last year, a team that's always looking for hitting.
They got him from the Rays in the Savale deal.
That expect him at some point. He's supposed to be
supposed to be a powerplay, discipline guy. Uh and that's
what his numbers in the miners showed, which I don't know.
(34:08):
That makes you a little nervous he was two thirty
seven batting average uh in the miners last year with
a lot of pop and he got on bas But
you know, if you tick everything down at the major
league level.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
You know, major league pitching is harder to square up.
I'm not gonna put any of that on Kyle Manzardo.
Speaker 1 (34:27):
Let's see you.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (34:29):
This article also has Eurelvis Martinez for your blue Jays.
People are saying he's one of the reasons they didn't
make the move on Matt Chapman. They've got a lot
of bodies they can throw on that left side of
the infield. If the Blue Jay season gets funky, they're
gonna be a really interesting talking point. This is really
dumb Jake Analytics and Blue Jay fans. I know you
(34:53):
guys are a rowdy bunch, but I'll put my neck
out there. Boba Schet's postgame interview yesterday was Oh my god,
it looked like his dog died. And I was googling
some things and I saw people were saying, like, oh,
Bo's always composed. I don't know. It just felt weird
to me, like they just won a game. He hit
a homer, flat he dumped water on him and it
(35:15):
seemed like he really didn't like that, almost like Adrian
beltray Head touched stuff, but in a serious manner. I
don't know. Maybe it's a dumb Yankees guy. The whole
interview just felt bizarre to me. Let's see if we
see Aurelvis Colson Montgomery. You may have heard of him.
He's supposed to take over it short for the White Sox.
(35:35):
We'll see if that gets involved. Chase Petty for the
Cincinnati Reds, supposed to be a quick rising pitcher, crazy
punch outs last year, We'll see. I think he'd have
to keep climbing the ladder. One of the most well
names around baseball, and I'll actually combine them. Paul Skeins
(35:55):
and Dylan Cruz from what was it last year's draft class.
Skeens is ready to pitch in the show. Now. Everyone
should be rooting for the Pirates to stay in it
so they don't do any funny business with his service time. God,
if the Pirates are in it. Jared Jones, who I
open this segment about Paul Skeen's who I'm talking about now?
(36:18):
Like that can be that can change the different look
of the team. Same thing with the Brew crew. Let's
see other names here. Timan with the Blue Jays young
lefteve talked about him before see a Braves guy, which
always makes me nervous.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
Who is that?
Speaker 1 (36:36):
Uh, Hurston Waldrip.
Speaker 2 (36:39):
I don't know that one of the ones in my book.
Speaker 1 (36:42):
Don't know if I could get behind that game name
and hey, flipping over to my Baseball America arte quilo,
thank you, Yard Barker, a name that you guys heard
on this show last year with foolish Bailey, Junior cam
and Aro the Rays. I think the exercise was Bailey
(37:03):
saying Junior Caminaro for show heyo Tani.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
I want to say it was him and Menzarto.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
It might have been. He was a guy that wasn't
on a ton of top prospects less but was doing
that thing where it's like he's about to be I'm
interested to see how the Rays handle him.
Speaker 2 (37:25):
He is twenty years old. He's supposed to kind of
be all of the goods.
Speaker 1 (37:31):
That I don't know. The Rays also raised that they
could keep this guy down all year, and I want
to be surprised the Rays could call him up in
the next week if they're just doing the service time dance,
which part of me hopes they are. So, you know,
I could watch a Raise game in a Baltimore game
and see twenty year old Junior Camonaro, twenty year old
Jackson Holiday. Just fire me up for that. Let's see.
(37:56):
Is there anyone else I truly want highlight? I mentioned
Dylan Cruz pick for the Nats. The Nats have a
couple big boys that. Let's pray their season ends with
Dylan Cruz and James Wood, who turned some heads at
spring training, the six to six outfielder that was crushing balls.
Dylan Cruz is supposed to be, you know, kind of
(38:18):
just as much of a prospect as Paul Skeins, which
is crazy when you factor that into the outfield. I
could keep going on this list. I've seen Thomas Segisi's
name twice. Who's that second basement that was traded for
Jordan Montgomery? So Saint Louis Thomas SEGESI not sure I'm
(38:39):
saying that right. Isn't that the beauty of the rookies? Hey,
I'm sure I could go through your team and list
three or four guys you're excited about. If you could
give me the one, the one guy that you're hoping
to get called up this year that you think could
make an impact, Try to sell me on it. It's
really hard, as we just saw, for rookie hitters to
(39:01):
make a full blown impact, a little easier for the pitchers.
Let me know who you got coming up this year.
We will see you on Monday. Waken Jake. Subscribe
Hello, and welcome to Awaken. Jake myself, Jake Story, Ellie,
David Mendelssohn. We are talking the youth. The youth is
going to save us. I'm sick of talking about pitching
arm injuries as more have happened in the past forty
eight hours. Framberg, Josiah Gray, Nick Pivetta, who was looking
(00:22):
good for the socks. There's also I think our friend
Lindsey Adler just posted an article that said the leading
Tommy John surgery guy said he can tell if a
pitcher throws sweepers, so that could be a fun development.
The sweeper that I think just pissed off normal baseball
(00:43):
people by being named something different. And then Keith Law,
obviously the bringer of fun, got in the mix and
was like, how funny is it that we got rid
of the screwball and the splitter to save pitcher's arms,
just to invent a new pitch, which again I think
everyone's probably being jack wagons because I think it's tied
(01:04):
to v LO more. But anyways, interested to see the
sweeper development. I don't want to talk about that. I
want to talk about Hope youths as top prospect Jackson
Holiday gets the call today. He finally gets enough minor
league you know, working that he can cut it at
the major league level. We still haven't figured that out. Huh.
(01:28):
We still haven't figured out just to have guys called
up at the start of the season. We still had
to send Jackson Holiday down for ten games.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Tony Kemp got to walk that orange carpet on Oriols
opening Day. So maybe he's the big winner in all this,
But yeah, we still need to get a step farther
if you're ready to play major league baseball. I mean,
that's just such a dumb, bad loophole in our game. Still,
Jackson Holiday should have been on opening day. Yeah, the
(01:59):
he should have been the most exciting part of Orioles
Opening Day. Yes, said he was in Norfolk.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
I think there were some people who have been led
to believe this is the reason they're in our talking
baseball comments already saying well, the Orioles were facing six
out of ten leftiest to open the season, which I
don't believe that was.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
So that's why you had Tony Kemp on the roster,
love Tony Camp, Vandy Godoors, him and Jefs had classes together.
I want to talk a little bit about him. I
want to talk about a little bit of the rookies
that are up, just to put some perspective on rookies
in Major League Baseball. And then I want to talk
(02:42):
about some of the names that I think we're going
to see coming up this year. So I'll come back
around on Jackson Holliday. I'll do where we're at. Maybe
he totally completely unfair game. It's April tenth, we are
nine to fourteen games in. If you played in Korea
(03:06):
to start the year, sure, how many rookies do you
think have played this season? Totally unfair to.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Totally would have no idea where to start. I'll throw
the number fifty out.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
There, Okay, forty one, Okay, forty one, We'll we'll take that, man, Actually,
hold no, I think forty one's right, yes. And that
is before today where Jackson Holliday is getting called up.
Houston Astros also just called up one of their top
pitching prospects, Eregeriah kind of had a Corbyn Burn's little
(03:45):
brother look to him, and you know, we're we're going
to have another wave, another wave on the way soon.
And I want to talk about some of the big
boys that we'll hopefully see later this season, and I
will ask you to comment below because I was even
thinking about my Yankees. Spencer Jones is a guy that
(04:06):
had a lot of love. Haven't heard his name since
spring training because the Yankees have been winning ten and two.
Every year they do that, they win the Pennant. Nobody
says win the pennant anymore, Nobody cares, And yeah, Spencer Jones,
we just found out stiff neck hasn't played a minor
league game yet since about the middle of spring training,
(04:28):
where that guy's name was heard every day, hasn't been
heard at all. And if the Yankees continue on this pace,
which they won't, stay ten and two, might not hear
Spencer Jones's name again this year. Maybe we will let
me know who your team is talking about, and I'll
hit some of the big guys coming. Forty one players
(04:50):
have made their debut this year. Twenty one pitchers, twenty hitters,
so that's pretty good balance. Twenty three teams have had
a rookie play. One of them is not Baltimore, so
that'll be twenty four. I think the the Padres and
the Giants are having a rookie off. The Padres have
had four. The Giants have had five five rookies jug
(05:16):
Hu Lee. Yeah, and that's I was gonna throw the
the caveat out there of other guys that have played
pro sports right now. I mean the kind of cool
thing is Shoda Imanaga for the Cubs. He's thirty, so
that's kind of like, hey man, Yamamoto's young like Yamamoto.
(05:40):
For the twenty one pitchers that have have debuted, he
is the eighth youngest, So I mean it's more middle
of the pack than Shoda, who is thirty years old.
And as you mentioned before we started recording this BBD,
there's gonna be three twenty year olds in baseball one
(06:00):
year olds. The three twenty year olds are all named
Jackson Jackson Tario from Venezuela, Jackson Merrill, who is from
I think he said Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, and then Jackson
(06:20):
Holiday is from Matt Holliday.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
So gonna play in Baltimore, Maryland.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Yeah, So I don't know. I thought that was interesting.
So I want to talk about rookie performance a little
bit because I think I don't know, some we have
super high expectations for a lot of these guys, and
some of them break out, some of them flame out.
(06:46):
Justin Foscue one for two. I'm gonna ignore that for now.
Although I know Texas likes him. We talked about him
in the spring a little bit. Jackson Merrill so far
has been the best rookie hitter. Him and Jackson Tarrio
have been close. Jackson Trio the only one with two homers. Uh,
(07:12):
So that's I think it is funny to look on paper,
only seven rookie batters have homered so far this year,
So I don't know. Again, is that a dumb stat
I don't think so. Wyatt Langford hasn't homered yet. People
you know, think he's supposed to be one of the
guys who are next Colt Keith who were happy about
winning getting that contract and getting the job. He hasn't
(07:36):
homered yet.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Victor Scott, who I don't think that's supposed to be
his game. He is the rookie that's in it the
worst right now. Victor Scott, who is turning heads Cardinal
spring training. Wait, this guy's gonna make the team. He's
a stud. He is currently three for forty one, seventy
three batting average, a one twenty two slow two seventy
(08:01):
four ops. So he's in it the worst right now.
My guys straight up having a bad time hitting. Maybe
it'll turn around, Maybe he'll need a refresh at some
point and Cardinals fans will have to figure that out. No,
he's out there for speed and defense. Let me know
how that looks. Seven rookies have homered this year. That's it,
(08:23):
and that's where. And I think I'm wrong overall. I
got hesitant over the Texas Rangers lineup cause and I
should state this is guys that are making their debuts
this year, so this this does leave out some of
the quote unquote rookies. These are guys who debuted this year,
(08:45):
so that is a little bit of a loophole there.
But I got nervous when I was looking at the
Rangers middle of their lineup and it was Lankford and
Evan Carter. We're gonna have to pull a lot of
the rope. And I don't know, I just I realize,
Seeger and Simeon are who you look at first, and
(09:05):
they also have a doles And now Low and Young
are hurt and they're still banging. So maybe I was
overlooking Texas just a little bit with nerves coming into
the season, and I'm always hesitant of the repeat, although
it's the year of the repeat. How about them Huskies?
Everyone try to tell you free money to be had Chiefs?
(09:27):
Did they repeat? Wasn't there another one? I think there's
a couple repeats that people are thinking the repeat is back,
especially down in Texas. I don't know about all that,
not what I do know our guy Trey Lipscomb, who
we've accidentally talked about a couple times. Four stolen bases.
That's the most of a rookie, no caught stealings. How
(09:50):
do you like that? Or debuting players this season? I
guess rounding off the hitting side, the Jackson Jackson's have
gone a little bit Blaize Alexander for the Snakes, who's
been filling in out of the park baseball legend. He's
(10:11):
hit in two ninety six, three sixty seven playing middle infield.
He's one of the guys that has a homer. Oliver
Dunn's stats look fine. He's one of the Milwaukee guys
that's been filling in. Made a couple of highlight catches plays.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Do uh, how much have you looked into Oliver Dun?
Speaker 1 (10:29):
I haven't looked a ton in Oliver Dunn. His facial
hair always makes me think he's someone else.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Do you know where he came from?
Speaker 1 (10:37):
I don't.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Last year he had a very nice year in the
minors with the Phillies. Before that, he's a career minor
leaguer with the New York Yankees. Okay, so he's ours.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
I'll take credit, sure, claiming Oliver Dunn. How old is he?
Twenty six?
Speaker 2 (10:54):
Okay? Yeah, nice guy, nice guy, good for the house.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Are sure? Player has debuted? Jorge Barosa. We watched him
on in the Diamondbacks. He's listed five to five people.
What a beautiful sport. Barosa debuted this year. He got
his hit, and fourteen players have gotten the feel what
it's like to get an MLB hit. So far, so
(11:19):
happy for them. Uh Junghu Lee two fifty five, three
fifteen six fifty five. Ohps, so I know the Jung
Hu Lee. I've got excited a little bit over that
first home run. I'm not overreacting. He has more walks
and strikeouts five to four, so we like that. And
I saw him go the opposite way with a left
(11:40):
on left slider the other day, and I like that swing.
But yeah, I mean this is the Junghu Lee predicament.
Will be will he able to be hit enough contact
wise that he's hitting three hundred and he's really worthwhile
top of the line at bat? Or is he gonna
(12:01):
have enough pop or on base to kind of boost
that ops enough to do the same, But I don't know.
Just something to circle with JHL because as we got
excited for his start, and he's twenty five years old too,
so that's that's kind of cool because when you turn
(12:21):
to show to him Minaga in the pitching side of things,
Showeda's been the best. Showed him Naga two starts he
hasn't given up an earn run yet. We love that
for Shoda abbreviated starts to start the season, and there
was a rain delay, so he's only ten innings pitched,
(12:43):
but zero earn. Ron's twelve punch outs, only four hits
allowed in zero walks from Shoda, So he's, uh, he's
feeling it. He's in the zone, he's bawling out, and
he's really your outlier outlier rookie Yuki mets sue. He
counts partial points. He's twenty eight and he's going well
(13:04):
seven games six point one innings, has only given up
one earned run, not a lot of punch tickets in
a couple walks. So let's see how that looks at
for Yuki. He has played the most games of rookie pitchers.
He is tied with Stephen Kolek in my book. Also
in the Padres bullpen, So Padres are running out technically
(13:29):
two rookies in their bullpen, along with the giants I
mentioned before, Eric Miller and Landon.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Roope, including Wusuk Goh what'd you say? Yep? I don't
have Lusuk Go in my book. Has he pitched yet?
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
I think they might have sent him down.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
Is he is? He on a weirder deal than I
know about?
Speaker 1 (13:49):
I think so. I think they were figuring all that
out the other what's that missing games in double A?
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Yeah, I just don't know what his deal. I don't
know what his deal is. Yeah, Andres fans let us, I.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
Think they're figuring that out.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
The biggest rookie who has shined because Yamamoto technically a
rookie twenty five, you know the whole story. He had
the blow up start. He has been good since eleven innings,
fifteen strikeouts. Jared Jones, Pittsburgh top fifty or so prospect,
(14:33):
maybe swinging by the John Boy media office soon Rumor
Mill Eleven point two innings pitched, seventeen strikeouts and two walks.
Jared Jones may need to be on your radar. It's
two starts, but those strikeout numbers and those innings pitch,
(14:54):
that's very real. See other guys that are that are
turning heads. We've only had five rookie or debut excuse me,
five guys that have debuted this year have started and
Ben Brown was an opener, so he doesn't really count
(15:16):
for your Chicago Cubs. The other one, and this might
have been I think this was. I think he was
stepping in to fill in for Framber because he got hurt.
Blair Henley had an opener start. I believe, Oh that's
(15:37):
Blair Henley. And maybe he wasn't supposed to be an opener,
but he only went point one innings, So feel for you,
Blair Henley. I wonder if he was off his throw schedule.
That's brutal against the Texas Rangers April eighth, So is
that Monday?
Speaker 2 (15:54):
That's when we got the fan news. I think so
that was an emerged so that sucks for him. Him.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Welcome to the major leagues. Framberveld As was supposed to
start earlier. He's not.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
He's broken. You're in kid point one innings against the
defending champ Texas Rangers. Four earned runs, five earned runs.
Excuse me for it's three walks, a hit by pitch.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Yeah, yeah, so Uh. Cad Smith has been really good
at the Cleveland bullpen. Ben Brown has thrown a couple innings.
Justin Slayton has been really good for your Boston Red
Sox five point two zero earn runs, and you know,
(16:45):
you know my White Sox fans want. Jordan Leisure shouted
out for his four point one shutty. I don't know.
I guess this was a little eye opening for me
as we're going through the first two weeks the season
or so. Uh that again, this isn't necessarily rookies. These
are guys making their debuts. Uh, But it's one of
(17:09):
those things where I'm I'm kind of laughing that we
get a little skeptical of kids before they get called up,
and there's not a lot of guys are balling out
right now. Colt Keith, like I mentioned, he's got a
little war to twenty two batting average five point fifty
oh ps, Trey Lipscomb five eighty one ops. And I
(17:33):
mentioned I mentioned his stolen bases, which I'm happy for him. Uh,
but yeah, it's it's very early in the season. Like
I just said, Jackson Holliday is gonna get called up.
I'm not betting against that guy at all. I think
I just wanted to early on in the season highlight.
We're always skeptical of youth and even going back to
(17:55):
players that debuted last year. Uh, guys that really he
balled out in forty four games. David Schneider went nuts.
That was a little bit if you want to call
that an outlier. Evan Carter did it for thirty three games.
Matt McClain ended up only playing eighty nine games last year,
(18:19):
but he played really well. I mean, the only rookies.
This is kind of nuts. The only rookies.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Oh, that's why it's thrown me off. I'd said Anthony
Volpi played one hundred and seventy games last year, but
they were it's how many games he's made since he debuted.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Guys that debuted last year that have played over one
hundred games, and that does include a chunk of this year.
Patrick Bailey who was turning heads at first, especially defensively,
career six fifty five ops so far. Ellie Dayla Cruz.
You kind of know the story there. Again, the numbers
career for Ellie aren't that flashy two forty three oh
(19:10):
six seven thirty two ops. Crazy speed, But Ellie hasn't
exactly hit the ground running, especially towards the end of
last year.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Off to a good start this yeah, the numbers look good.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
Not saying I don't believe, I'm just saying contribution in
the year they debut, and that's kind of tying it
together with Jackson Holiday, Blake Sable who debuted last year
OPS in the six is Jose Cabero traded to the
Rays OPS in the sixes. This one, I think is
one of the standouts for me. Eddie Julien, Trevor Plufs
(19:46):
Eddie Julienne. He's now played one hundred and eighteen games
at the big league level with an eight to ten
OPS snaps for Eddie Julian. He can he came in
and he contributed. He changed the shape of the Twins team.
He batterly off. He got on base.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Credit there.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
Jordan Walker also deserves some shout out. He did not
rack up war last year because he was awful defensively.
But his rookie year hitting wise two sixty nine A
seven to sixty nine ops, sixteen homers. That's a pretty
nice rookie year. Again, it's not I guess the point
I'm trying to make. It's a not a lot to
(20:24):
move the needle like. That's a that's an average hitter.
That's an average hitter with also really tough defense last year,
and that's one of the better rookie offensive seasons last year.
Joey Weimer has played in one thirty two now ops
below six fifty. Same with Brenton Doyle, Ryan Noda gets
(20:46):
on base. We like, we like that for Oakland Bryce
Terrang didn't hit it all last year. He's hitting now.
He played some defense. He racked up a little bit
of war last year. Sataka Yoshida, you know, he faded
towards the end of last year, but he impressed. But
again he's now twenty nine or no, he was twenty
(21:10):
nine when he debuted. And Anthony Vopi, who played pretty
much every day. His ops ended up under seven hundred.
So if you're telling if you're telling me a player
that's gonna debut for you is going to make a
significant impact in your lineup, guys that did it for
more than one hundred games last year, it's really Eddie Julian.
(21:38):
I mean the guys I highlighted. You can make some
arguments and it's hey, I'm I'm sorry Zakaloff didn't get
more run. I'm sorry Matt McClain didn't get more run.
But that's kind of the point of the conversation.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
So, if you're telling me your top prospects about to
come up and change things for real, for real, a
couple of them will. I think these Jackson's are going
to go, But man.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
It's so far they're mostly happening.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
It's a tough ask, dude, That's a really tough ask.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Pitching wise, sangam a little different.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
Tanner Biby balled out last year. Bryce Miller and JP
France were really solid. Logan Allen Grayson Rodriguez.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
So I feel like pitchers, you know, data might not
back this up, but they can have an easier time
contributing right away. There's an element of surprise. There's it's
easier to just be like, have coaches like do this and.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
This, Andrew Rabbit Rhee, Olsen, Pepio, Haaj Bradley. I mean,
I've got Uri Perez was technically last year. There was
fourteen pitchers through one hundred plus innings last year, and
I'd say more or less, I'd say the majority of
them were solid. The guys that had bad numbers, ironically,
(23:00):
one is Brandon Fought, who had his crazy playoff breakout run.
The other guy's Luis Medina, Taj Bradley. Everyone else was
a serviceable starter.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
So yeah, and I guess I guess the slight flawed
in the stats, like, well, if they're doing that bad,
they're not gonna get to one hundred innings, send them
down or bullpen him or or whatever. But more guys
seem like got run and contributed on the pitching end
than the hitting end.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
The average hitting stat line for a rookie last year.
And again this is a little unfair because bad rookie
shouldn't say bad rookie. Developing guys are gonna get called
up and not be good, and that's part of MLB's
formula every year. Same with the pitching a little bit.
But the average MLB player who made a debut last
(23:51):
year hitting wise two thirty five, three oh seven A
six seventy eight ohps Anthony Bolpi, which, hey, he's breaking
out this year, so I'm about it. The average rookie
pitcher last year four seven six ERA one three to
(24:13):
two whip. That's like a contributing player. So okay, I
guess as I'm molding my expectations for your players about
to debut this year, you can have higher expectations for
the pitching, not the hitting. Let's talk about who is
gonna debut. And I got a couple lists here. I
(24:33):
was looking at a Baseball America list of guys they
were expecting to debut and break out a little bit.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
And then I had a yard Barker article.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Are you a yard Barker guy? Is that a real place?
Speaker 2 (24:49):
I think I have been there before. I've gotten over there.
Sounds like they've got a good one. Let's see.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
I'm open to your yard Barker. I just ditched who
is the.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
Who is my batter verse pitcher website?
Speaker 1 (25:04):
I just ditched Rod Wire out. Yeah, just wrong stats.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
Yeah, I haven't been able to put the mental energy
into finding out what they did wrong to you yesterday.
But like maybe their data only goes back to a
certain in your last however many games.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
I don't know, because that was tough, bad look for
Poppy with boone guys that we are expecting to come
up and make an impact. We talked Jackson Holiday. I've
given Minnie Jackson Holiday speeches before, I'll give you what
I have now. How dominant he has been at the
minor league level, uh, is just silly. The fact that
(25:48):
he comes from MLB lineage and his dad was really good. Unfortunately,
that does matter in my head. It's more important though
that he was three twenty one in one hundred and
fifty five minor league games, four point fifty one on
base and a nine to forty nine ops. MLB is
(26:11):
a little different and all those numbers I just read.
This guy is gonna contribute. There will be at some
point a light bulb moment and all of us are like,
oh boy, it's happening. And again, maybe that could be
late in the season and it could not be a
full light bulb. This is what I'm talking about. Anthony
Volpi looks incredible this year and scouts were all over him,
(26:33):
and then last year got ugly. I do think that
had a lot to do with the Yankees coaching, which
we can talk about another time. Jackson Holliday in all
three Jackson's I want Jackson Merrill to be more in
the mix. He kind of just got thrown in at
the end, and it was like, you know, Jackson Schario
got the contract and everyone kind of believes in the
Brewers of the franchise. I don't know if everyone did
(26:55):
believe in the Padres as a franchise that it was
kind of like, wait, they're throwing this kid out there.
He's been really good so far.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
And everyone was kind of assuming they'd go get someone someone,
and they still needed to They got profar during spring. Yeah,
the Padres felt like their own unique situation, but they
do go to one of their.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
Kids, and if you care, you don't. Twenty twenty four
Spring training Jackson Holliday three eleven, three point fifty four
a six hundred, slugging nine to fifty four ops. So
if that matters to you more than some of those
minor league stats, I read cool, if not also cool, excited,
to see him with the Orioles. I just think we're
(27:41):
about to see something really fun like that. Much young
talent assembled on a field doesn't happen a lot addly
special talent, Gunner special talent, Jackson Holiday special talent. And
that's without even getting to other guys that would be
your team's top prospect. Kobe Mayo, who is the guy
(28:03):
that went off yesterday, Kowser, Kowser, Colton Kowser. Haven't even
gotten to Heston.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Kerstadt, Jordan Westberg. Jordan Westberg has been doing the damn
thing for a little bit. So it's why I'm so
excited for the Oriols. I'm glad he's just finally at
the major league level because he should have been to
start the season, and that's something that our sport just
does not have figured out. Still, I was interested to
(28:31):
see this list from Yard Barker.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
Who you just found out. I'm a new fan of
a lot of Brewers on this list, which gets me
a little jazzed up. Robert Gasser, great pitching name. They're
saying it was good restraint by the brew crew to
not give Robert Gasser a call up last year. I
(28:57):
think one hundred and thirty five point one innings at
Tree Play a three seven nine era. If you know
the Brewers, one thing they have developed is pitching. They
are one of those teams. And if you looked at
the Brewers rotation before the season, you kind of did
a head tilt and you're like, I don't know Brewers,
Wade Miley, Colin Reya, I mean even d L. Hall
(29:20):
at the end, which again is seems like a plus.
And you gotta believe in what the Brewers are going
to tap into. Didn't it really feel right? Robert Robert Grasser,
that was my nickname in college, Robert Gasser. And Jacob
Mizerowski to go along with Jackson Chario already, Uh, Jack's
(29:46):
Miserowski just got involved in an MLB The Show challenge.
So that's where I that's where if you think if
you're a sportsperson that's not a video game person, and
you maybe you think I'm a big old loser for
like an MLB The Show A rude B. It's what
(30:07):
MLB the Show really impressed me with and I went
on a rant. Last year they had a challenge that
had Jacob Mizerowski pitching for the Brewers and it was
like Brewers top prospect Miserowski, you need to get five
runs off of them with eighteen outs, and man, for
the kids playing that game, you just got introduced to
Jacob Mizerowski, a tall string being of a pitcher, former
(30:32):
second round pick. It's funny. Part of that sounded like
a scouting report. Part of that sounded like me talking.
I think you can figure out which one is which.
So the Brewers and Brewers pitching especially that jumped off
to me as like a oh boy, don't don't be
(30:53):
surprised if the Brewer's rotation looks a little different mid
season and there's a little more talent than what you
were seeing initially on the field where the yard Barker
articles started. Jolly Olive's Mets Luis Angel Akunya. That's right,
(31:15):
you remember the last name. You probably remember the trade
from last year where they traded Schurezer to get Ronald Acunya,
Junior's baby. Bro had paid Sureser salary. Interested to see
where this Mets season goes. After their awful, awful start.
They've been playing a better brand of baseball. The scouting
(31:37):
report on this Acunya brother, he doesn't have Ronnie's power,
but he's got the speed in athleticism and that at
shortstop can lead to a really special ballplayer. They're saying
he's got forty plus based stealing potential. I hope that
scouting him and not his big bro, But I don't know. Again, Hey,
(31:59):
family name, I'm not gonna bet against that, And I
hope we get to see that guy in the second
half of the season. And the other guy they traded
for last year. And if we're talking momentum in sports
and vibes, the Mets traded for Drew Gilbert in the
Justin Verlander deal, an outfielder that in one hundred and
(32:21):
sixteen games last year to eighty nine three eighty one
eighteen homers. They can wait on him. You can wait
on any prospect, I guess. But I trying to get
in the shoes of the New York Mets, who I
think are gonna make big plays this offseason. They've already
they've got saying what goes on with Alonso, We'll see
(32:44):
Lindor's obviously locked in. It looks like Frankie Alvarez is
a part of the new core. If you could call
up Drew Gilbert and he Nemo's locked up. People forget that.
If you could call up Drew Gilbert and he plays
well for a chunkinex Sea and you can slot him
in next year, You can call up Louis angel Acuna
(33:06):
and you could slot him in for next year. God,
that would really change the feel of your offseason and
your start of next season, which is important. Other guys
on this list, brooks Lee, we've heard about that from
Trevor Ploof. Top Twins prospect listed as a shortstop. I
know they were talking about moving him to first base
(33:28):
with the Royce Lewis injury and Carreas got a pretty
good lock at short You wonder if they get him
in the mix earlier on this year. Everyone talks about
him as a guy guy, along with Kyle Manzardo. For
the Cleveland Guardians, he was He was one of their
(33:48):
big ads last year, a team that's always looking for hitting.
They got him from the Rays in the Savale deal.
That expect him at some point. He's supposed to be
supposed to be a powerplay, discipline guy. Uh and that's
what his numbers in the miners showed, which I don't know.
(34:08):
That makes you a little nervous he was two thirty
seven batting average uh in the miners last year with
a lot of pop and he got on bas But
you know, if you tick everything down at the major
league level.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
You know, major league pitching is harder to square up.
I'm not gonna put any of that on Kyle Manzardo.
Speaker 1 (34:27):
Let's see you.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (34:29):
This article also has Eurelvis Martinez for your blue Jays.
People are saying he's one of the reasons they didn't
make the move on Matt Chapman. They've got a lot
of bodies they can throw on that left side of
the infield. If the Blue Jay season gets funky, they're
gonna be a really interesting talking point. This is really
dumb Jake Analytics and Blue Jay fans. I know you
(34:53):
guys are a rowdy bunch, but I'll put my neck
out there. Boba Schet's postgame interview yesterday was Oh my god,
it looked like his dog died. And I was googling
some things and I saw people were saying, like, oh,
Bo's always composed. I don't know. It just felt weird
to me, like they just won a game. He hit
a homer, flat he dumped water on him and it
(35:15):
seemed like he really didn't like that, almost like Adrian
beltray Head touched stuff, but in a serious manner. I
don't know. Maybe it's a dumb Yankees guy. The whole
interview just felt bizarre to me. Let's see if we
see Aurelvis Colson Montgomery. You may have heard of him.
He's supposed to take over it short for the White Sox.
(35:35):
We'll see if that gets involved. Chase Petty for the
Cincinnati Reds, supposed to be a quick rising pitcher, crazy
punch outs last year, We'll see. I think he'd have
to keep climbing the ladder. One of the most well
names around baseball, and I'll actually combine them. Paul Skeins
(35:55):
and Dylan Cruz from what was it last year's draft class.
Skeens is ready to pitch in the show. Now. Everyone
should be rooting for the Pirates to stay in it
so they don't do any funny business with his service time. God,
if the Pirates are in it. Jared Jones, who I
open this segment about Paul Skeen's who I'm talking about now?
(36:18):
Like that can be that can change the different look
of the team. Same thing with the Brew crew. Let's
see other names here. Timan with the Blue Jays young
lefteve talked about him before see a Braves guy, which
always makes me nervous.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
Who is that?
Speaker 1 (36:36):
Uh, Hurston Waldrip.
Speaker 2 (36:39):
I don't know that one of the ones in my book.
Speaker 1 (36:42):
Don't know if I could get behind that game name
and hey, flipping over to my Baseball America arte quilo,
thank you, Yard Barker, a name that you guys heard
on this show last year with foolish Bailey, Junior cam
and Aro the Rays. I think the exercise was Bailey
(37:03):
saying Junior Caminaro for show heyo Tani.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
I want to say it was him and Menzarto.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
It might have been. He was a guy that wasn't
on a ton of top prospects less but was doing
that thing where it's like he's about to be I'm
interested to see how the Rays handle him.
Speaker 2 (37:25):
He is twenty years old. He's supposed to kind of
be all of the goods.
Speaker 1 (37:31):
That I don't know. The Rays also raised that they
could keep this guy down all year, and I want
to be surprised the Rays could call him up in
the next week if they're just doing the service time dance,
which part of me hopes they are. So, you know,
I could watch a Raise game in a Baltimore game
and see twenty year old Junior Camonaro, twenty year old
Jackson Holiday. Just fire me up for that. Let's see.
(37:56):
Is there anyone else I truly want highlight? I mentioned
Dylan Cruz pick for the Nats. The Nats have a
couple big boys that. Let's pray their season ends with
Dylan Cruz and James Wood, who turned some heads at
spring training, the six to six outfielder that was crushing balls.
Dylan Cruz is supposed to be, you know, kind of
(38:18):
just as much of a prospect as Paul Skeins, which
is crazy when you factor that into the outfield. I
could keep going on this list. I've seen Thomas Segisi's
name twice. Who's that second basement that was traded for
Jordan Montgomery? So Saint Louis Thomas SEGESI not sure I'm
(38:39):
saying that right. Isn't that the beauty of the rookies? Hey,
I'm sure I could go through your team and list
three or four guys you're excited about. If you could
give me the one, the one guy that you're hoping
to get called up this year that you think could
make an impact, Try to sell me on it. It's
really hard, as we just saw, for rookie hitters to
(39:01):
make a full blown impact, a little easier for the pitchers.
Let me know who you got coming up this year.
We will see you on Monday. Waken Jake. Subscribe
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