MLB First Half Grades; What did the Astros and Rangers get?

With the MLB All-Star break next week, ESPN has released their first half grades for all 32 teams and Texas Rangers fans won't be happy. Craig and Cameron break down the grades.

Episode Transcript

(00:04):
And we're back to the Craig WayShow. Have a message for Craig,
share it by using the talkback featureon the iHeartRadio app. Florine have a
full on practice for two hours andthen when the practice is over, put
the boot back on and go backover, you know, helping to prevent
swelling and things like that as well. So it's part of the deal,

(00:28):
I think. I think it's safeto say, and that's something we've all
kind of had to get used toa little bit. Coming up will the
numeracle. There's numerical and there's figurative. And what I'm speaking of is Major
League Baseball's regular season. The figurativefirst half of the regular season is this

(00:53):
weekend, the end of the firsthalf going into the All Star break,
and the All Star Game is inour LinkedIn next week. We of course
will be in Dallas, sixteen milesaway for SEC Football Media Days, but
the Metroplex will be the hoppin destinationnext week. Because have you seen all
of the things that they're doing aroundthe All Star Game, the fan fests?

(01:17):
Yeah, and now what they're doingeven beyond it, I mean,
apparently it's blowing what they did andSeattle out of the water. So I'll
run down some of those things.But then there's the numeracle halfway point of
the season, and they've just gottento that numerical point pretty much for all
the seasons. So there's some firsthalf grades that some who cover baseball very

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very closely, measor League Baseball haveissued, and we'll see if we're in
agreement with those and how those goto. We'll get to that. We
do have inconceivable and a lot offood on the inconceivable list today, food
oriented items and in food consumption items, because not just the fast food,
there's some other weird things involved thatwould fit in the inconceivable. We'll do

(02:02):
that. Major League Drafters right aroundthe corner as well. How about safe
to say you're planning to watch TeamUSA tonight? I am, and I'll
be pulling for Canada. Look atyou what? Yeah, I've decided to
pull for Canada this season in theOlympics. Why why are you pulling against

(02:23):
your home country? So you know, I'm an OKC fan. Okay,
and Shay Gilgess, Alexander Yeah andLou Dohrts both on the Thunder, both
representing Team Canada. I'm pulling forthe upset here, Craig, I'm pulling
for the upset US as a stackedteam, but I'm pulling for the underdogs
here. You're so un American anyway, we'll talk about a little bit about

(02:46):
that. US Roster has had anupdate on it. We'll get to that
also in the four o'clock our GregTepper, managing get Her. Dave Campbell's
Texas Football magazine will join us.We visit a tep throughout the course of
the season, we're going to geta preview of the brand new magazine,
and as I mentioned here on Monday, we are going to do the annual

(03:09):
thing. It doesn't seem to matterwhat building I'm in, what station i'm
at, the magazines follow me andas a result of that, we give
them out. So we'll be doingthat again this summer. We've got and
it's just around the corner where we'regoing to give you opportunities to win copies
of Dave Campbell's Texas Football Magazine.And it'll be about more than just being

(03:30):
a random caller, as we've donein many cases in the past. This
will involve just a little bit ofcreativity on your part. But something you
are all capable of doing, Iwould say, because you're certainly all capable
of texting us, which you quiteoften do, and we do offer up
our text line to you. Allyou have to do is text the word

(03:52):
Texas follow by your question or commentto eight one five three zero. Text
the word Texas follow by your questionor comment to eight one five three zero.
Standard messaging and data rates may apply. This is just one tiny little
step beyond that, but we'll explainthat a little more later on. But
Greg Teprob was us to talk aboutthis brand new edition Texas Football Magazine that

(04:13):
has an aggie and a longhorn onthe cover. Quarterbacks you might imagine there,
So we'll get to that and awhole lot more of this afternoon.
It's a Wednesday edition of the programright here on Sports Radio AM thirteen under
the Zone where you can't always listento us, absolutely free of charge on
the iHeartRadio app. It is HeyWednesday afternoon here on Sports Radio AM thirteen
under the Zone, and much toget to Craig Way alongside the producer Cameron

(04:38):
Parker, as we take a lookaround the world of perspiring arts. One
thing I wanted to get to startoff with, is you know when we
get to the when we get tothe halfway point of any professional season,
there are the midterm grades and thenthere's the n grades. Obviously, and

(04:58):
David Schonfield of ESPN and did athing on the ESPN Plus where he was
grading giving out letter grades to allof the Major League Baseball teams. And
I'll just toss these at you,Cam and get some and get some thoughts
from you. First of all,I will tell you that there are one,
two, three, four four teamsto get grades of A. How

(05:26):
many of those four teams can youtell me that he would give a grade
of A Major League Baseball teams forthe first half of the season, Phillies
give them an A, says.With the Brave scuffling, the Phillies have
opened up perhaps an insurmountable lead inthe National League EE as they seek their
first division title since twenty eleven.They looked really good last night and they
hammered the Dodgers. Zach Wheeler lookedreally good on that. Okay, so

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there's one A. And by theway, he said, I've thought about
giving the Phillies an A plus.With the injuries to Bryce Harper, Kyle
Schwarburn, jt Real Muto have itexposed the team's week bench, although that
could be easily up graded at thetrade deadline. That's important to keep in
mind. And Harper is backed bythe Way, as is Schwarber, Okay
Orioles. Orioles a gunner Henderson onpace to match cal Ripken is the only

(06:10):
player. Think about this for aminute. The only play in Orioles history
with a ten war season Atlie Rutchmanon pace for his best season Yetney's young
career, Jordan Westburg having a breakoutall star type season, Corbin Burns leading
the rotation, Cydy Young caliber firsthalf, Craig Kimberl's right crimble easing,
easing concerns about the closure role.So he said it hadn't been completely smooth

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sailing for the Oriols. Kyle Bradishand John Means are out for the season.
Jackson Holiday struggled in his initial stintin the Majors, but they arguably
have the best offense in the Majorsand only the Phillies have a lower ERA.
So that's two my pick. Whenthe al is year by the Way,
Orioles, that's right, yet rightfrom the start you went with him
Guardians, Yes, said I didn'tsee this coming, and if I did

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see it coming, I wouldn't.It wouldn't have been in this fashion.
With Cleveland ranking among the better offensesin the league. If the Guardians were
to win the division, I figuredthe rotation might be the difference maker.
But the rotation hasn't been that strong. Shading Bieber went down for the season,
Tristan McKenzie's and Triple A, LoganAllen and the Era on the wrong
side of five, and Gavin Williamsjust returned from injury. Only Tanner Byby

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has been healthy and effective For theexpected rotation, all that have been lively.
He's been a pleasant surprise. Thekey, of course, has been
the absolutely dominant bullpen. Twenty threeand eight is the bullpen with the lowest
RA two five eight in the majors, although the Brewers have a slight edge
and win probability, Plus the amazingJose Ramirez. He's not an MVP candidate

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in a league with Henderson and Judge, but he has absolutely crushed over runners
on base and appears on his wayto a six top six MVP finish.
So anyway, So there's and there'sone more with an A. I believe
it's going to be your Los AngelesDodgers. That would be incorrect, really,
Yankees, No Brewers, Yes,Lukee Brewers. Wow, he said.

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Only two of ESPN's twenty six baseballwriters, analysts and editors picked the
Burrs to win the Central in thepreseason predictions, so they are in a
high grade based on success over expectations. Now, I'm not completely surprised here
since I was one of those two. He was one of the two that
picked the Burrs, he said,But there have been some players who perhaps
contributing more than that anticipated. Didyou have Trevor McGill and Brian Hudson in

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a dominant one two bullpen duo,Colin Ray running an eight and two record,
Bryce Terrang making an All Star bit, even Christian Yelich posting a one
fifty ops plus. He said,there are still concerns about the rotation like
with Cleveland, and they should bein in contention for a starting pitcher at

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the trade deadline, but they likethat and they hope to get their All
Star closure. Devid One is backfrom those stress fractures and his back as
well. All right, one teamhe gave it a minus Yankees, No
Dodgers, No, okay, interestingeight minus Braves no do they Mariners?

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No Red Sox, No the KansasCity Royals, Oh okay. He says,
it does feel like things are startingto begin to slip away. After
the Royals peaked at thirty nine andtwenty six in early June, they've struggled
since then. Other than winning threeor four against the Guardians at the end
of June's not exactly a two manshow, but sometimes it does seem that
way. With Bobby Witt Junior havingan MVP caliber season, seth Lugo perhaps

(09:35):
the American League say young favorites.He said, it's going to be fascinating
to see where Wit ends up.He's already a five point a war gives
gives him a shot to challenge GeorgeBrett's single season franchise best for a position
player nine point four in a memorablenineteen eighty season. All right, b
plus, he's got The Dodgers saysthey cruise so comfortable, leading the West

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on pace for fourth k second hundredwins season fifth and the Roofies skip over
twenty twenty, although they were onpace for one hundred and sixteen that year.
They've done this without really clicking onall cylinders. They leave the National
League in runs despite some struggles withthe bottom of the order, as Joe
Aotani has been a destroyer of baseball'sall season long. With a one ninety
one OPS plus. He has achance to establish the franchise record in that

(10:20):
category, which is currently Mike Piazza'sone hundred eighty five back in nineteen ninety
seven, and certainly has a chanceto beat Sean Green's franchise record of forty
nine home runs for the second half. It's all about getting Mookie Betts and
Yoshinobu Yamamoto healthy and producing like theywere before the injuries. So there's He
gives the Yankees a B plus andsays I know, I know. The

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teams look terrible the last three weeks, including landing a couple of especially including
a couple of especially trashy plays overthe past week when Trent Grisham lolly gagged
after a ball in center field andAnthony Volpi cost the team a run in
a game. New York eventually lawextra innings when he didn't hustle home.
Yankees fans are losing their minds rightnow, But we have to grate on

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the entire first half and they're stillon pace to win ninety eight games.
But then, he says, willgeneral manager Brian Cashman look to improve the
bottom of the lineup? He says, DJ Lemyho looks finished or had some
pitching. Depp because Louis Heel hashit a wall and the bullpens. Then
gives the Red Sox a B plus, gives the Twins a B, gives

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the Padres a B minus, givesthe Astoids a B minus. That seems
about right considering how they've played inthe second half. Yeah, he said,
I'm giving the Astros a solid gradebecause they've had every reason. They
had every reason to pack it inearly in May when they were twelve and
twenty four with a pitching rotation ravagedby injuries. Even as recently as June

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eighteenth, they were ten games behindthe Mariners in the AOS. Now they're
right back in it and probably rateas the division favorite given the trend lines.
Luis Garcias started his minor league rehabfrom Tommy John surgery. They'll hopefully
get justin Verlander back after the AllStar break as he nurses a neck injury.
They've also been without Kyle Tucker sinceJune third. The bullpen can't be

(12:13):
any worse than it's been so far. Reports also suggest the Astros will look
to be aggressive at the trade deadline. In other words, there's every reason
to expect them to be better inthe second half. He gives the Mariners
the division leaders. He plus becausehe talks about it being a roller coaster.
Bottom line, they're in first place, so things could be much worse.
On the other hand, they've nearlyblown a ten game lead in less

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than a month. In the divisionera that started nineteen sixty nine with the
expansion that added the Padres, thethen Montreal Expos who are now of course
the Nationals, the Royals, andthe then Seattle Pilots who are now the
Brewers. But since the division eracame around, only seven teams have blown

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a ten game division leader. Besidesthe blown lead, the offense is unwatchable.
The Mariners self stated goal of seasonwas to cut down on strikeouts.
Well, they lead the majors andstrikeouts by a mile. They just went
eleven games in a row striking outat least ten times and failing to record
ten hits in any game. Hulorodriguez struggles remain one of the season's biggest

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disappointments. He somehow had a fortyforty six game stretch in which he hit
just one double. The Mariners haven'twon a division title since two thousand and
one. I'm not sure that dropends in twenty twenty four. He gives
them a C plus. He givesthe Mets a C plus, the Nationals
a C plus because they've been hotlately, Cardinals to see, Pirates to

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see, and I guess the Rangersbefore you get to it. Yeah,
D plus. Well, we'll see. He gives the Braves a C minus.
Obviously, the Braves are much betterthan many of the teams with better
grades, but they're being graded againstpreseason expectations, which include being heavy favorites
in the National League East. Theygot twenty four to twenty six first place
votes, as well as World Seriesfavorites got half of the twenty six votes.

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Instead, the Phillies have pulled wayahead in the division thanks to the
Braves offense turning into a pumpkin afterone of the best seasons in history in
twenty twenty three, they've declined fromfive point eight five runs a game to
four point three to three, aresult that goes far beyond Ronald Acunya Junior's
season ending injury to just about everyplayer in the lineup. The weird thing
about the record is that gim Alexanthopolisoffseason moves have all worked out. Chris

(14:26):
Sale and Ronaldo Lopez are all stars. Jared Kalenic has been fine. The
Braves just need to get the batsgoing. Is the Diamondbacks a C minus
teams in the World Series? It'sbeen a mixed bag. Is the Giants
a C minus? Gives the Redsa C minus, So we're getting closer
to the grady you're asking for.Tampa Bay Rays get a D plus,

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Detroit Tigers the D plus, Cubsget a D. Rangers, big fat
D. Will the Rangers end upgoing down as one of the all time
Fluke World Series Champions? What that'sunfair? He put it out as a
question and then said, hey,it's possible. They were sixty eight and
ninety four in twenty twenty two andare well under five hundred so far in

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twenty twenty four. The offense sodominant the season, Ago has had a
surprising collapse, similar to what's happenedwith Atlanta. It feels like there's too
much talent here to keep struggling likethis, But Marcus Simeon and Adolis Garcia
have sub three hundred obps, whilerookies having Carter and Wyatt Langford haven't taken
off. Josh Smith has actually beenthe team's best hitter. On the pitching

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side, Max Shurzer is back,with Tyler Mayley just about to start his
minor league rehab and Jacob de Grohmperhaps a month behind Maylee, which sets
him up for late August return.Will the Rangers still be in it at
that time? I think we allknew this was going to be a Rangers
team that was going to have topeak in the second half, especially with
all the injuries. So, Imean, Langford's has really turned a corner.

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Doulas Garcia, he had a hugehome run last night in the eighth,
Maybe he's turned the corner. CoreySeeger has gotten really hot this summer.
Simian's still been the most consistent,but Josh Smith's been an all star,
and the pitching staff just a lotof injuries. But Scherzier finally gets
back. The Gram's coming back soon, Maylee. You know he had his
second rehab assignment, I believe yesterdayin Frisco. Pitch really well in his

(16:18):
first rehab assignment with Round Rocks.So, uh, it's getting there.
Five game wins, streak, Let'slet's see, let's go back to August
before we call them a fluke.Yeah, it's a little unfair, little
unfair. He just asked the question, will they be a fluke? That's
what he said. He didn't saythey were. He asked the question.
You asked it, But I don'thave to like the question, Craig that
the words were, will the Rangersend up going down as one of the

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all time World Series fluke? WorldSeries champions? That was Oakland, the
Rockies, D minus Toronto, fAngels, F Marlins, F what like
f mis Oh poor GINO. Iknow, I know. Hey, he

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just arrived on the scene. He'lltry to turn it back around there.
So it's funny he gave those Aplus grades to teams that over exceeded expectations
that I feel like the White Soxare right where people thought they were going
to be. That's unfair to givethem a minus. Okay, all right,
we have be inconceivable. Up nexthere on Sports Tradio A, you
have thirteen under the zone of theiHeartRadio app.