July 16, 2024 • 8 mins
Gene Watson of the Chicago White Sox joins the show to discuss the MLB Draft and the MLB All-Star Game.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Here in the Dallas Forward Metroplex.It is a hoppin' and boppin' week.
The Midsummer Classic is in town.The Major League Baseball All Star Game is
tonight, the ninety fourth edition ofthe All Star Game. They had the
home run derby last night prior tothat, the Futures Game. Now,
our good friend, I remember theChicago White Sox front office Geen Watson,
was at the Futures and then lefttown. You made a passing reference to
(00:24):
this gino who joins us now onthe highline. This is the first time
you've missed an All Star Game sincewin nineteen ninety nine. Wow started in
two thousand in Atlanta, and Ihad missed one until this year. But
being more involved in the draft herein Chicago, it just wasn't It was
(00:47):
a feasible and it was probably goodfor me that I'm not there because it'd
be a little it'd be a littlecircus with an amount of people that I
have there. My schedule might havebeen run a little thin. It's actually
actually a blessed sky. I getthat. I got to tell what it
is. I won't be at thestockyards. Were you go there, you
go Okay, all right, thatmakes sense. Before we jump to the
(01:07):
All Star Game and stuff, Ido want to get your review of the
Major League Draft, Like I saidthat that was going on with the stockyards,
uh there for three days. It'swrap it up. Anything really shock
you, surprise you to come downthe pipe because and I know in the
first ten to fifteen picks, nothingreally smart, because you mapped about for
(01:29):
me. You texted me and saidthis is what I think will happen,
you know, on Sunday, andyou were almost one hundred percent on the
top ten players taken, and youwere really close on where they were taken.
Yeah, you know, it wasa weird year in that early on,
everybody kind of had a feel forwhat the top ten was going to
be. And then there became alot of chaos because when you get your
(01:52):
pool, your amount that you're goingto be able to spend, you know,
teams have just seen so much successin Baltimore and what Michael Olias did
in like saving money at the topand spending and spreading the money out over
good players, and everybody kind offelt like that was going to happen,
and it did. So the topten really fell right about the way everybody
(02:15):
thought it would and not even reallysurprised, as Jack cacleone getting to six
to Kansas City was somewhat a surprise, but really for the most part,
there weren't many surprises inside of thetop ten. Let me give you a
chance to brag on your guys alittle bit on how excited you're about the
(02:36):
guys you drafted. Yeah, we'rereally excited about Hagen Smith. She's a
Bullward Texas kid that went to theUniversity of Arkansas. I mean, I
think everybody pretty much knows the talent, but the performer is quite impressive.
I mean, never lost to PaulSkis as a sophomore, struck out Travis
Bozana, the number one pick inthe draft three times to start the season.
(02:58):
I mean, just a super,super left handed talent. When you
talk about having Garrett Crochet and NoahSchultz and Grant Taylor and just to put
him inside that rotation is going tobe very promising for us for years to
come. Let me ask you threelong ones at least at this point what
I last saw had been drafted,and there are a couple of future ones,
obviously high school kids as well,who are probably expected to sign,
(03:23):
but the guys that we saw.Jared Thomas went forty second overall, second
round to the Rockies. Le BaronJohnson went the fifth round of the Rockies.
In just a little while ago,Tanner Witt went in the fourteenth round
of the New York Mets. Nowwe know that JT has really good prospects,
LeBaron with some work might be ableto do. So I wanted to
(03:44):
ask you about a guy like TannerWick, great team guy. I know
you think the world of him,who's just been unlucky and had had the
unfortunate injuries and the Tommy john surgery. So he winds up going to the
fourteenth round. Left, folks knowwhat the road is like for a guy
like that who had so so muchpromise then of course had injuries and surgery,
and now I'm gonna have to tryto find a way to fight his
(04:05):
way back up through it and showwhat he can do. Really a tremendous
pick by the Mets, because thebloodlines are there. You know. I
work with his father with the MiamiMarlins, and everybody's just kind of been
waiting on Tanner, waiting, waiting, and the health hasn't just been there,
and it really unfortunate for such anultra talented kid. But now to
(04:28):
just to take the rest of thesummer into the fall with the best sports
science team, their medical team,their strength and conditioning program, and like
really just takes the time to investin his body and getting healthy so that
you know, when spring training getshere, now they can take the physical
tools and bring the table and tryto you know, rehne them and get
(04:49):
just a tremendous pick by the Mets. Jared Thomas arguably the best baseball player
inside the top two rounds. He'sultra dynamic with the bat. He can
play first base, is to playall three outfield positions, just a baseball
player by definition, and he youknow, when he puts on fifteen to
twenty pounds, the sky's a limitfor him. And Labaron Johnson, who
(05:11):
I absolutely love and spoke to thefamily on Friday, he was taking one
pick before us and there was agas because this is arguably the highest ceiling
pitcher on the board. Really dida tremendous job, and the sky is
a limit for him. He's justscratching the surface of what he could be
as a Pitcher, and I'm justso incredibly happy for LBJ and his family.
(05:34):
Is it safe to say there wouldhave been strong consideration for the White
Sox to take him had the Rockiesnot. It is very safe to say,
Wow, Okay, visiting with teenWatson here. All right, let's
turn our attention to the All StarGame. First of all, you had
to have a lot of pride anda guy that you've known the Wit family
for years and years ever since BobbyJunior was real little to see him get
(05:55):
to the final swing. And listen, Geno, I rooted for him all
the way up to with ty OscarHernandez because that's the Dodger in me.
But but and I was glad theDodger finally won the thing for the first
time. But you had to bepretty excited to see what Bobby Wit Junior
did, if not surprised, certainlyby what he did in the home run
derby last night. And it wassuch a cool thing to watch because just
(06:17):
knowing he you know, he grewup in Collie Bill what to Collie beer
Ho High School, knowing he probablyhad a couple of hundred people in the
stands, and you know, hisbrother in law. James Russell is the
son of former closer Jeff Russell,who threw to him in the derby.
And you know, my wife usedto be his namy when he was a
baby, So want him out thereon the mount throwing VP was really cool.
But just such a special night forBobby and for that family, and
(06:42):
not surprising he did great and justa really cool thing to experience. All
Right, what should we look fortonight? I know there's a lot of
excitement about Paul Skeen's there are thirtyfour first time All Stars. What should
baseball fans look for tonight? FromGlobelife, Well, I think Skeens just
going to be the storyline. Ilove the way one photos that he's going
to do whatever he takes to getAaron Judge to the play to face steam.
(07:06):
But just you know, forty threefirst time All Stars, I think
it's going to be great to possiblysee somebody come off the bench and get
the big hit to win it toa young star from one of the teams.
But it's just it's just such atestimony when you look at the draft
and you look in the first roundand nine minority players selected in the draft
(07:30):
and you look at the All StarGame and there's you know, upwards of
thirty five new All Stars in thegame. It just speaks to the youth
and the vibrance of the game,and it's just going to be so exciting
for them to be on such agreat stage tonight, and it'll be really
a good fun game to lot.He's he wants and from the front office,
the Chicago White Sox joins is eachweek on the program. You know,
(07:50):
enjoy it if by television. Tonight'sthe All Star Game. We'll look
forward to visiting next week when weget back on track when the secretive second
half the season gets underway. Iappreciate the time. Have a great night,
enjoy the game, you bet allright? That's Geene Watson. We're
gonna hear from Kirby Smart, thehead coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, coming
up next when we continue here onSports Radio AM thirteen under the Zone and
(08:11):
the iHeartRadio app.
Here in the Dallas Forward Metroplex.It is a hoppin' and boppin' week.
The Midsummer Classic is in town.The Major League Baseball All Star Game is
tonight, the ninety fourth edition ofthe All Star Game. They had the
home run derby last night prior tothat, the Futures Game. Now,
our good friend, I remember theChicago White Sox front office Geen Watson,
was at the Futures and then lefttown. You made a passing reference to
(00:24):
this gino who joins us now onthe highline. This is the first time
you've missed an All Star Game sincewin nineteen ninety nine. Wow started in
two thousand in Atlanta, and Ihad missed one until this year. But
being more involved in the draft herein Chicago, it just wasn't It was
(00:47):
a feasible and it was probably goodfor me that I'm not there because it'd
be a little it'd be a littlecircus with an amount of people that I
have there. My schedule might havebeen run a little thin. It's actually
actually a blessed sky. I getthat. I got to tell what it
is. I won't be at thestockyards. Were you go there, you
go Okay, all right, thatmakes sense. Before we jump to the
(01:07):
All Star Game and stuff, Ido want to get your review of the
Major League Draft, Like I saidthat that was going on with the stockyards,
uh there for three days. It'swrap it up. Anything really shock
you, surprise you to come downthe pipe because and I know in the
first ten to fifteen picks, nothingreally smart, because you mapped about for
(01:29):
me. You texted me and saidthis is what I think will happen,
you know, on Sunday, andyou were almost one hundred percent on the
top ten players taken, and youwere really close on where they were taken.
Yeah, you know, it wasa weird year in that early on,
everybody kind of had a feel forwhat the top ten was going to
be. And then there became alot of chaos because when you get your
(01:52):
pool, your amount that you're goingto be able to spend, you know,
teams have just seen so much successin Baltimore and what Michael Olias did
in like saving money at the topand spending and spreading the money out over
good players, and everybody kind offelt like that was going to happen,
and it did. So the topten really fell right about the way everybody
(02:15):
thought it would and not even reallysurprised, as Jack cacleone getting to six
to Kansas City was somewhat a surprise, but really for the most part,
there weren't many surprises inside of thetop ten. Let me give you a
chance to brag on your guys alittle bit on how excited you're about the
(02:36):
guys you drafted. Yeah, we'rereally excited about Hagen Smith. She's a
Bullward Texas kid that went to theUniversity of Arkansas. I mean, I
think everybody pretty much knows the talent, but the performer is quite impressive.
I mean, never lost to PaulSkis as a sophomore, struck out Travis
Bozana, the number one pick inthe draft three times to start the season.
(02:58):
I mean, just a super,super left handed talent. When you
talk about having Garrett Crochet and NoahSchultz and Grant Taylor and just to put
him inside that rotation is going tobe very promising for us for years to
come. Let me ask you threelong ones at least at this point what
I last saw had been drafted,and there are a couple of future ones,
obviously high school kids as well,who are probably expected to sign,
(03:23):
but the guys that we saw.Jared Thomas went forty second overall, second
round to the Rockies. Le BaronJohnson went the fifth round of the Rockies.
In just a little while ago,Tanner Witt went in the fourteenth round
of the New York Mets. Nowwe know that JT has really good prospects,
LeBaron with some work might be ableto do. So I wanted to
(03:44):
ask you about a guy like TannerWick, great team guy. I know
you think the world of him,who's just been unlucky and had had the
unfortunate injuries and the Tommy john surgery. So he winds up going to the
fourteenth round. Left, folks knowwhat the road is like for a guy
like that who had so so muchpromise then of course had injuries and surgery,
and now I'm gonna have to tryto find a way to fight his
(04:05):
way back up through it and showwhat he can do. Really a tremendous
pick by the Mets, because thebloodlines are there. You know. I
work with his father with the MiamiMarlins, and everybody's just kind of been
waiting on Tanner, waiting, waiting, and the health hasn't just been there,
and it really unfortunate for such anultra talented kid. But now to
(04:28):
just to take the rest of thesummer into the fall with the best sports
science team, their medical team,their strength and conditioning program, and like
really just takes the time to investin his body and getting healthy so that
you know, when spring training getshere, now they can take the physical
tools and bring the table and tryto you know, rehne them and get
(04:49):
just a tremendous pick by the Mets. Jared Thomas arguably the best baseball player
inside the top two rounds. He'sultra dynamic with the bat. He can
play first base, is to playall three outfield positions, just a baseball
player by definition, and he youknow, when he puts on fifteen to
twenty pounds, the sky's a limitfor him. And Labaron Johnson, who
(05:11):
I absolutely love and spoke to thefamily on Friday, he was taking one
pick before us and there was agas because this is arguably the highest ceiling
pitcher on the board. Really dida tremendous job, and the sky is
a limit for him. He's justscratching the surface of what he could be
as a Pitcher, and I'm justso incredibly happy for LBJ and his family.
(05:34):
Is it safe to say there wouldhave been strong consideration for the White
Sox to take him had the Rockiesnot. It is very safe to say,
Wow, Okay, visiting with teenWatson here. All right, let's
turn our attention to the All StarGame. First of all, you had
to have a lot of pride anda guy that you've known the Wit family
for years and years ever since BobbyJunior was real little to see him get
(05:55):
to the final swing. And listen, Geno, I rooted for him all
the way up to with ty OscarHernandez because that's the Dodger in me.
But but and I was glad theDodger finally won the thing for the first
time. But you had to bepretty excited to see what Bobby Wit Junior
did, if not surprised, certainlyby what he did in the home run
derby last night. And it wassuch a cool thing to watch because just
(06:17):
knowing he you know, he grewup in Collie Bill what to Collie beer
Ho High School, knowing he probablyhad a couple of hundred people in the
stands, and you know, hisbrother in law. James Russell is the
son of former closer Jeff Russell,who threw to him in the derby.
And you know, my wife usedto be his namy when he was a
baby, So want him out thereon the mount throwing VP was really cool.
But just such a special night forBobby and for that family, and
(06:42):
not surprising he did great and justa really cool thing to experience. All
Right, what should we look fortonight? I know there's a lot of
excitement about Paul Skeen's there are thirtyfour first time All Stars. What should
baseball fans look for tonight? FromGlobelife, Well, I think Skeens just
going to be the storyline. Ilove the way one photos that he's going
to do whatever he takes to getAaron Judge to the play to face steam.
(07:06):
But just you know, forty threefirst time All Stars, I think
it's going to be great to possiblysee somebody come off the bench and get
the big hit to win it toa young star from one of the teams.
But it's just it's just such atestimony when you look at the draft
and you look in the first roundand nine minority players selected in the draft
(07:30):
and you look at the All StarGame and there's you know, upwards of
thirty five new All Stars in thegame. It just speaks to the youth
and the vibrance of the game,and it's just going to be so exciting
for them to be on such agreat stage tonight, and it'll be really
a good fun game to lot.He's he wants and from the front office,
the Chicago White Sox joins is eachweek on the program. You know,
(07:50):
enjoy it if by television. Tonight'sthe All Star Game. We'll look
forward to visiting next week when weget back on track when the secretive second
half the season gets underway. Iappreciate the time. Have a great night,
enjoy the game, you bet allright? That's Geene Watson. We're
gonna hear from Kirby Smart, thehead coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, coming
up next when we continue here onSports Radio AM thirteen under the Zone and
(08:11):
the iHeartRadio app.
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