February 12, 2020 • 31 mins
It's The Best of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker! Chris and Rob discuss the new rule in Major League Baseball requiring pitchers to face at least 3 batters or close the half inning - and debate whether or not all this change is good or bad for the sport, explain why it's way too soon to call Zion Williamson a superstar, and why they have a big problem with all these anonymous Houston Astros players who are trying to turn Carlos Beltran into the scapegoat for their cheating scandal.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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(00:21):
s R. You're listening to the best of the Odd
Cup Off with Chris Brush and Rob Harker. Trevor Bower
speaking of kicking. But Trevor Bauer, I mean, do you
know him? I know, I know his work. I don't
know him personally because he's a feisty wind. He has
(00:42):
really come out strong against the commission of Rob Manfred,
and he complained about the proposal. It's not it's not
all right now. This was a sportful to go to
fourteen playoff teams instead of ten, which I don't I
actually don't think he was complaining about that. What he
was complaining about and what led him to go off
(01:03):
on Rob Manfred, is this proposal that a division winner
will be able to pick their first round opponent from
the wild card teams, which I agree with Bauer is
absolutely ridiculous. It's bush league, it's saying lot it's barbecue
(01:25):
picnic softball type junk. And for people who might be
tuned in, they don't know. They did make make a
rule change, Chris, you know what was talked about a
year or so ago and floated out there, and now
it's official for this coming season, a twenty twenty season.
And I think you're gonna be happy about this. Yes,
and we will get to that, but let's first hear
(01:45):
what Bower said, and then we're comment on that. All right,
you want to market the game, don't change it. Don't
make the mound sixty two feet, don't make playoffs where
you have to pick your opponent and freaking whatever. Don't
change the game. Market the player. You have more players
in baseball than any other league, with much more diverse
backgrounds worldwide, more so than any of the other major
(02:08):
American sports. And that's the least marketable because you make
stupid decisions about how you market the players. You don't
open it up. Let content go get it out there. Now.
That was Bower put that out before the new rule
change came about, which is that pictures and they pitch
leaf Pitchers have to face at least three batters in
(02:31):
that inning or must close the inning. So if they
come in all pictures, if they come in with one
batter left, there's two outs and there's one batter to face,
they can just face that batter and then not come
out for the next inning. But if they come out,
if they start an inning, they have to they have
to pitch to at least three pictures and even including
(02:51):
starting pitchers. Now here's the issue I have with the rule.
What we want to talk about what Bowers ran, which
which is pretty hot. I mean, and you know it's
funny because we talked to Jerry Harriston Junior on the
podcast Chris on the Inside the Parker podcast which dropped
this morning, and Jerry said he had talked to a
lot of players, and you know, the Union Players Association
(03:13):
has a major saying rule changes. They ain't know, the
league decides or whatever. The players have to sign off
on it. He said he had talked to a lot
of players that he works out with and Arizona and whatnot,
and he said there was very little support for that
about the whole life sand in the playoffs for the
picking and yeah, picking, but what about the playoff, but
(03:34):
just the whole new floating of changing the playoffs. So
that's what he said that he and and the way
Bowers come out. I don't understand Rob why. I get
why you may not like it as a purist, but
I don't understand why players wouldn't want more playoff teams.
It's not like they said we're gonna have sixteen or eighteen.
But I think but it total. But for a player,
(03:56):
if I got more of an opportunity to make the playoffs,
I want that. But Baseball, Chris, and I'm not gonna
say this what I was really knowing, But as far
as rule changes, the game hasn't really changed a lot
since it was. It's changed, it's been hired, it's been lower.
But I'm talking about the rules of the game. The
game is. Since it's changed, it's it's more than analytics. Yeah,
(04:17):
but I'm talking about rule changes and then not the
DH wasn't was liding at home play right because somebody
got hurt. It's changed. I mean, I'm trying to off
the top of my head. I'm just saying that it
has it changed less than the NBA, and well, they've
changed a lot more rules and NFL Chamba has a
three point line, which was what forty years ago. Yeah,
(04:39):
and they do the they do like the replays for
the end of I don't want to get too convolutions.
I'm just feeling as much there's more of a there's
more of a traditionalist. Even when they did the wild card,
a lot of people pushed back. I've been great. I
originally pushed back as well. I didn't want to see
I don't want baseball a turning to the other sports
where half the league makes the playoffs, and I think
there's some players who, despite your right, they could be
(05:01):
in the playoffs, Chris, they could make some playoff money
that they're not with that yet more celebrity, more lognition.
Long story short, I am a little surprised at how
strong he's come out against the commissioner. I get some
of the stuff we talked about it. At Major League Baseball,
there's a big home run or play, it can't go
(05:22):
immediately onto Twitter. They own the rights, they don't allow
it as it has to come down. So other sports
that's not the case. You see a great dunk or
whatever it's on from the NBA, it's it's all over
the place, like immediately, so there's stuff like that that
needs to happen. Marketing, I get part of it. It's different.
It's different for the NBA because it's fewer players and
(05:44):
even when you talk about twelve, it's only three or
four guys that really matter. It's easier to mark market
that Baseball you have a twenty six man roster and
a lot of people are there. And the other part
is the basketball sneaker business is bigger where people can
wear kawas and can wear uh, you know at the
(06:04):
you know big players, or you can wear I can
wear those, and the sneaker company markets those guys as well.
So it seems like they're all over the place, and
they are, and they are much more. I've said it
before and I say it again. The late David Stern
I thought he was the greatest commissioner in American sports history,
and he is the one that really decided we're going
(06:26):
to market the individual in the NBA more so than
the teams. And that's been wildly successful as a business player.
NBA play athletes. While it is third biggest sport in America,
whether or not you want to say baseball because the
revenue is second, or college football is second, but base basketball,
(06:49):
even though the athletes aren't the it's not the biggest
sport in America. The NBA athletes are the most recognizable athletes,
not only in America but around the world American athletes.
Soccer athletes would be the whole world, but in America,
American athletes. NBA players are the most marketable and most
recognizable around the globe. Think they've marketed individuals. Also think
(07:13):
people play basketball more so. Nobody plays American baseball other
than maybe Japan, not maybe Japan and Australia in a
couple of plays. But that's again a decision the NBA
made to go and push the sport overseas. They sent
coaches decades ago. I get it, but it's also easier
to play when you have in those countries where maybe
(07:34):
you don't have you can't everybody can't buy gloves and fields.
It's easier with just a basketball like soccer. I think
a big part of it is the fact that they've
marketed them and all these companies you mentioned, Nike, Adidas,
these are worldwide companies. These aren't just American companies, So
I think that's part of it. But I think I
think Trevor Bauer's right. Major League Baseball does need to
(07:58):
market its individuals more. With Ken Griffey Junie, you're talking
about it all the time, with his hat backers, they
should have played off that. They've tried. Now it's a
little late he's retired, but they should have played off
of the individual players were the ones who pushed back,
because that's what I'm talking about, the traditional thing. They
thought it was disrespectful, which was ridiculous. But anyway, they
(08:21):
need to get to the other part too a lot more.
I agree with power. I'm not. I'm not that big
on the on the you have to pitch to three batters,
this whole movement. To me, you gotta be very careful,
don't alienate the people who love the game to try
to get fringe people or people who really might not
like your sport or might not be interested, to try
(08:43):
to get them involved. I understand. I'm not more. I'm not.
I'm not against change. The average baseball fans fifty five,
I'm not. It's not true. I'm not. Is that true, Rob,
It's not. It's I go to games all the time.
It's I go to games all time. There's a lot
of that doesn't mean made ring. That is it? Is
it being reported, it's not. It's been reported it's fifty three.
(09:04):
So I'm gonna take the report and surveys or your
word whatever. But I'm just saying. I'm just saying there's
a lot of young people at baseball game. But anyway,
here's my point. I'm not that crazy about it. What
if my guy doesn't have it and he has to
stay in. We saw Clayton Kershaw coming into the into
the playoff game last year and give up a home
run on the first two pitches he throw. According to
(09:25):
this new rule, you gotta keep him in. Maybe he
don't have it. I'm can we think about that? We
have to keep him in. I got I gotta keep
him in if he doesn't have it. I'm fine with
the rule, but I think a better rule is, and
I've said this before, is that each team gets four
pictures per game. You don't have to use for but
(09:45):
the max you can use. It's four. And so if
my guy, my third picture is getting rocked he doesn't
have it, then I'll go to my fourth guy. But
that's the last guy he's getting rocked. So be it
we lose that and I get it because there's just
too many specializations where where one guy comes and throws
one pitch to one guy, then they they warm up
another guy. We grew up in the day when guys
(10:08):
were complete games were commonplaces, or a closer get a
complete game, or a closure would pitch the last three innings.
A closure would pitch three innings, not just the night
thening he pitched. There was a thing as a quality start.
We're making up rules and I come on, I'm I
don't need to see eight nine pitchers in the game.
(10:30):
Four It's plenty, so I'm fine with this rule. You
make a great point, Rob, if the guy gets first
pitch as a homer pitched to the next guy, he
doubles like I'm getting him out. But now I'm in trouble.
I need to at least keep rem that that might
take me out the game. That's why I think just
saying four pitchers get four pitches. Be sure to catch
live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and
(10:53):
Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart Radio app. Last Night,
Rob Parker, Zion Williamson the legend grows. He faced the
future Hall of Famer in Carmelo Anthony as the Pelicans
walloped the Portland Trailblazers, and Zion went berserk. Thirty one points,
(11:20):
nine rebounds, five dimes, ten for seventeen shooting, got to
the free throw line fourteen times, was a plus twenty five.
It's a game high in plus minus. He was dominant
and it was only his ninth game of the season.
(11:41):
The question I want to throw at you, Robin. We
talked about this today on Undisputed. Is Zion Williamson already
a superstar in the NBA? I got my opin. I'm
gonna let you weigh in first. When no way, no how,
wait too premature when you start throwing out superstars to people.
(12:04):
I get it. Is he popular? Do people know him?
He played at a big school and duke and he
ripped out of his sneaker Chris. Even if you didn't
know who he was, you knew who you was from that?
Am I right? Was that not on the news? And
people knew him from YouTube dunks? That? I get all that. So,
So that doesn't mean just because you're recognizable or you're
(12:29):
a popular that you're a superstar, and I think we're
too quick. Dennis Green will tell you. Dennis Green will
tell you that stopped being ready to crown people. Do
we have that sense? Well, he's already ready with that.
But you want to crown him. They crown their ass.
(12:49):
But but the crown people before they plays played nine games.
You know, he's played nine in twenty seven minutes a game.
He's played nine games more than me in the NBA.
That's all just nine games. You want to call me
a superstar? Hackeyenough, But you know what I'm saying, Chris,
it's just too soon. Stop. We had We had a
(13:11):
big fight with with Jay Mack Jason McIntyre on the
show because he's ready to crown him. He's a superstar.
Everybody knows it, and uh, we should just back up
and put him in the Hall of Fame. Yeah, I'm
with you, rob Um. Look it's not as you said,
it's nine games. Can we slow down? We have yet
to see because he has yet to do it. Zion
(13:35):
Williamson played three months straight of basketball at a high level.
We have you have to see that. And how are
we gonna call him a superstar when you haven't even
played three months straight. I can't now he's a celebrity. Well,
he's popular. Don't confuse superstar with celebrity. A celebrity is
(14:01):
somebody that's well known as popular. Everybody loves that. But she,
she's a celebrity. She's a celebrity. But he is not
yet a superstar basketball player. If if we're gonna use
if we're gonna say Zion is a superstar, and you
know who else is a superstar? Trey Young. Trey Young
was voted as a starter in the All Star Game.
(14:25):
Now Zion, you can say, well, Zion was her being
hurt doesn't matter in the fan voting. If Zion was
that huge, as big as Trey Young, then he would
have got some some votes, no doubt about it. He
didn't get votes. They could have wrote am in. I
don't know if he was on the list. Was They
could have written me. I'm sure he probably was on
the list. I didn't I didn't really see the ballot.
(14:47):
I did my media vote, but but I'm sure he
was on the list, and so he didn't. He's not
a superstar yet. Can we slow down? Now? I get it,
he's off to a fantastic start, twenty one point seven
point seven. So we'll give him eight rebounds a game,
fifty seven percent shooting in just twenty seven minutes a game.
(15:08):
He's playing well, and I do think this. I do
think he will be a perennial All Star. So many
stays healthy, which is a big assumption. But if he
stays healthy, he's the numbers. He gonna put up numbers.
And I don't say that in a negative way. He's
going to average twenty five and eleven. Twenty five and eleven.
(15:32):
Those are huge numbers. His game is built for today's
NBA to some degree because the floor is so spread out,
there's no one in the paint. He's got a quick
first step and he can dribble the ball well enough
where he will get to the lane. Right. We've talked
about this before. It is easier than ever to get
(15:53):
into the paint. In the NBA. It's wide open for
because part of it is they're pushing. They're running you
off the three point line, so you don't take a
three pointer, and they want to funnel you do the
mid range, so you shoot a mid range jumper. But
in the lane, there's no there's no Patrick Eweens nobody
shocks no Joel Embiid. And then in Milwaukee with Yannis
(16:15):
and Brook Lopez, that's about it La Lakers. Okay, they
got some rent protection too, but that most nights you're
not gonna hit a big body who's a shot blocker,
a legitimate shot blocker when you get in the paint.
So ZAII will be able to finish getting the paint
score he can post up and again no no real
(16:35):
shot blockers to stop him from scoring inside, so he's
gonna put up numbers. My question, though, a superstar, I
don't think you can be answer me this route. I'm
not sure you can be a superstar in the NBA
if you don't consistently lead your team to the playoffs. Now,
(16:57):
maybe Zion will begin doing that, but he certainly not
this year because he's only playing a few games, right,
So you know what I mean? Like, I agree, I agree,
superstar because because they're winning, he's made them into a
winning squad with his presence. And that's when you start
looking at people and you say, this tude is unbelievable,
like like this squad was bad before he got there,
(17:19):
you know what I mean? And now look where they
are when when Lebron got there and they started, and
they elevate and elevates other people. So I agree. I
just think it's premature. This's not hating, no, and I
think he's going to be christ I think we're in
the minority in this world that we live in now.
(17:41):
And we're older guys, we've been around for a long time.
Week for yourself, a little bit older. But you know,
like nowadays, everybody's already rubber stamping everybody. I'm just saying,
they understand their Look this to your point, today's society
is aciety where everything is black and or white and
no nuance, and everything that happened today is better than
(18:03):
anything that ever happened, Chris, That's where we are. She
thinks Magic couldn't play exactly well and he stopped it unbelievable.
But but my point is there this generation, this society,
there's no nuance anymore. You know, they you're either one
great or you're you're horrible, you're bumm right, there's nothing
(18:24):
in between. And that goes for politics, it goes for celebrities,
it goes for every deletes everything, and there is nuance. Here.
We are saying, yes, Zion is a celebrity. Yes, Zion
is a very good basketball but has the potential to
be great. Yeah, but we haven't seen enough to call
him a superstar. No. And here's the other and I
(18:47):
have questions about Zion with this. Like I said, I
think he's gonna be a preenial All Star twenty five
and eleven, big time. You know, popular play, one of
the one of the faces of the NBA. But when
you look at the real superstars who lead their teams
to championship contention, James Harden, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Lebron
(19:13):
James Yannis, Kawhi Leonard, few others, Damian Lillard, they're not
really They got to the conference finals that year. But
the bottom line is these guys rob I can give
them the ball when all else fels. First of all,
they can push the ball up court. Now Zion can't
push it in transition. But I'm not sure you're gonna
see Zion basically bringing the ball up like a point guard.
(19:35):
In most cases, they can bring the ball up courter.
I can give it to them on the wing and
say get me something create no matter what the defense
is doing, Zion, they don't really run plays from which
I think is a strength. I like the fact that
he doesn't dominate the ball. I like the fact that
you don't have to run a lot for him and
he's still gonna get his. But if I'm struggling and
(19:57):
in the playoffs, you know, the defense those was coming.
They know all the plays that we're running or everything changing, Right,
I gotta give it to my one guy and say
go get it, big fella. Is Zion that guy? I'm
not sure he isn't that guy. I just think it's premature,
and I get it. People in this the young, the
young people were watching sports. They just want to say
(20:19):
everything's better, like like everything's better. Oh my god, we
never seen this before. We saw shot. Guess we did?
We right, right, all of a sudden, it's like there
was will then there were shots. Yeah we saw shot.
Uh so don't act like it's never been Jake really
could fly, Yes he did. We've seen that. I mean,
I'm even hearing people. But little Michael Jordan at times, Yeah,
(20:41):
who did he went right? Oh, he didn't do anything.
You know, there were no athletes back there, right, everybody
was look at the look at the watch the old video.
Those guys couldn't play. Who did he beat? Here's the
other thing, rob If we are going like those of
you out there, and we're gonna let you call in
in a few moments, who wants a crown Zion already
(21:02):
and say he's a superstar. Let's keep it read, then
let's keep it real. Then Linzo Ball was a super star.
He was the second overall pick. He heard that absolutely,
Magic said he everybody knew. Magic retired his number be
the press conference, right, Oh, he's gonna put his He
retired his number at the press conference, and Zion or
(21:24):
Linzo sold out Summer league. Remember everybody the good remember
the TV for him. He was as big as Zion.
He he sounds crazy now he was. And then they
had the sneakers and all that. It was all all
the rave about Lonzo Ball was the nets uh revolutionary
what was it? The point guard? He was trans transcending,
(21:48):
transcending players. And people are gonna say, well, Zion has
done it. Obviously, Linzo didn't play that great his first
few years in the NBA. He's playing better now. He's
still not great, but better has been great. I get
I'll give you that, but what you gotta admit is this.
In Summer League, Linzo was great. He was the MVP
(22:09):
of Summer League. He was great. So if you want
to say Zion is a superstar now, then you got
in at Summer League early in his career, you know,
before his career even started. People Linzo Ball was a
superstar because he had the popularity, he had the production
in the Summer League. Everybody loved him. They sold out
all the games, and he was the MVP playing against
(22:33):
all the rookies, the rookies who are there? Chris and
all the other players. And what did he turn into?
He is just Georgie, a p simple thing is gonna
be in the rafters. I don't think he's gonna break
Magic Johnson's records. I don't think so. And usually I
don't agree with Rob, but when he claims everything's premature,
you got a fascination with premature. No, no, it's all
when when that wow, when I'm just saying you'd like
(22:56):
to use that word, when I usually disagree with you
on that because you think it's premature to say that
Patrick Mahomes is awesome. I know to say that, I'm
just ready. I'm not ready for the goat conversation. Well,
he's not the goat, but he tencies and he's in
the goat conversation. You know he he could potentially one
day be in the conversation. That's all a brother's saying.
(23:17):
But I agree with you on this one. This is
way too early, way too premature. Zion Williams in nine games,
twenty seven minutes a night. Come on. Be sure to
catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Brussar
then Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern, four pm
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app Let's
(23:37):
stick with Baseball. Interesting story in the Athletic. Now, the
Athletic is the one that broke the news about the
Houston Ashvills cheating scandal, and they've got new you know,
a new story that came out basically putting it all
on Carlos Beltran, Rob g Can you kind of summarize
(23:58):
what they were for story or Beltron disregarded it and
steamrolled everybody When they asked White Weed to stop, they said,
we just stopped. Where do you go if you're a
young impressionable player with the Astros and this guy says,
we're doing this? What do you do stop it? Wait? Wait,
(24:18):
carl what year was Beltran in? That was his last
year as a player? You mean, I'm sorry, Rod, We
know how this business works. You and I have been reporters,
and I'm not putting this on the reporters at all.
I see this as guys on the Astros going anonymously
to reporters and trying to clear everybody's name and putting
(24:38):
it all on Carlos Beltron. You mean to tell me, now,
Beltron was a really good player. He wasn't Barry Bond
and he had and they had respect in the club also,
But he wasn't Hank Aaron. He wasn't you know, Mike
Trout or somebody like the legendary player. And you mean
to tell me with Justin Verlander, who is the biggest
(25:00):
anti cheating guy in baseball, Jose are too vague that
all these guys just cow tow to Bell trying and
we're like, we really don't want to cheat, but he's
making us. Really, I can't believe it. I'm with you.
I think that's the most bogus story out there, because
there's a lot of things you could have done, Chris.
(25:21):
If a lot of those guys together went to Major
League Baseball together, like you know what I mean, went
to Bell Tran and be like, look, dude, not doing that.
I don't know what it was like where you came from,
but we're not we're not interested in that. We want
to win this thing fair and square. We don't want
to have a chance of having our championship tainted. We
(25:42):
don't believe in it. We want to play fans square.
I can hit. I don't need to know what the
pitch is, Chris, I can hit right, um, And it
just seems too convenient, I'm with you, too convenient because
Bell Trend's already fallen on the axe, right, he's got
the axe, and it's easy to just throwed all off, Yeah,
right right, because he's not managing anything. He's done playing.
(26:04):
He's done managing at least for now, no question about it.
And they even tried to say that A J. Hinch,
the manager, you know, just just bowed down that A J.
Hinch where's the quote, Robie, that he couldn't do anything
about it. Then I'm sorry. You shouldn't have been a manager.
It's whose clubhouse is, right? If you couldn't. Carlos Beltrand
(26:26):
and say we're not doing this, then you shouldn't have
been the manager, and you were rightfully dismissed. I mean,
come on, this is crazy. And the other thing, Rob
is it says I'm sorry to cut you off, but
it says that bell Tran told the Astros this is
according to multiple sources, that their sign stealing methods were
(26:47):
quote unquote behind the times. So that says they already
were cheating, right bell Trand just took it to another level.
So it still indicts you, it does. I mean that's
the other part. Uh. And like we talked about earlier, Chris,
if you could get some signals and you're at second
base and you could relay it to your your buddy
at the plate, that's a part of the game. Once
(27:10):
you bring in technology and you're banging garbage cans and
blowing whistles and you gotta replace squeen right there in
the in the hallway of the dugout, between the dugout
and the clubhouse. That's straight up t wearing buzzers. And yes, no,
no question about it. All right now, Rob g did
bring up the Washington Post story, and that one another
(27:31):
that's another story that's hard for me to Blue what
he's saying right around the league. And Jim Bolden, former manager,
we had him more. Yeah, Jim, I'm sorry. He did
say that he felt like everybody knew, they just couldn't
prove it. And that's what the Washington Post story it's
saying everybody in Major League Baseball knew the Astros cheated.
(27:52):
I'm with you, Rob, though I don't buy that. He'll
let me read a few of the quotes, one exact
from a team that faced Houston in the playoffs. Here's
this quote. The whole industry knows they've been there. They've
been cheating for three or four years. Everybody knew it.
A veteran scout who covered the Astros for an opposing team,
he said this, It was a big, open secret. Really
(28:14):
big things were going on with the Astros that were
blatantly against the rules. A current member of the Washington Nationals.
It was amazing once we were playing the Astros, how
many people were coming out of the Oh, it was
amazing once we were playing the Astros, how many people
were coming out of the woodwork to let us know
what they were doing. Here's what I say to that. Then,
(28:36):
why didn't somebody say something. Absolutely, you gotta or you
know what, we refused to play. You go, you go
to the commissioner, Rob Manfred. We're not playing the series
until you and Major League Baseball get here. Check Lee
cameras in center field, check the dugout. Have an official
(28:57):
in the dugout? Chris, did you tell him you knew
what they were doing? But but nobody, nobody went to
Major League Baseball and said, I want you to police
the Astros, and I want you to sweep that club out,
sweep that dug out, sit a major league representative there
and find out what's going on. If everybody knew. I
don't believe it for one second that everybody knew, but
(29:20):
nobody did anything. And don't say the Yankees were saying
a few things in the playoffs. They were. They questioned it.
Same thing, Rich Hill with the Dodgers. Chris changed his
signs every inning when he started in Houston. So my
point is, why didn't that Why wasn't that brought up
till after the fact. I totally agree with you, and
(29:42):
because here's the thing, and and I first of all,
chill out in this case, especially with the snitching. No
snitching there were opponents, all right, he wasn't Astros, and
we you know, we know some people came out and
said Astros players couldn't the stitch. That's another argument for
another day. But these are opponents, So the snitching is
(30:02):
out right, ain't right. Secondly, you're costing me a chance
to win the World Series. You're costing me money, you know,
potentially a big contract. If I'm a pitcher, you know,
and I know you're getting my you know what's coming.
You could cost me my knee. That was Mike Friars.
Every time he pitched, they got lit up. So I
(30:24):
don't buy it that these players would know that they're
cheating and just be like, hey, it is what it is. Hey,
as Aaron Judge, if he wants that MVP trophy that
Altove God right there, you go back and look at
the numbers. There you go. You know how competitive the
Yankees organizations don't think If you don't think they think,
they would have let this go so that Aaron Judge
(30:45):
could get cheated. Yeah, I'm with you. It's too convenient
that all these stories are coming out now, and most
of them anonymous, which I get because that's a lot
of times that's when, but also spends stuff anonymous. But
that's why I respect Mike Friars seriously to put his
name on it. A lot of people won't do that,
(31:06):
and most big stories are always anonymous. You know that
in journalism, you gotta get people because they're afraid to
say something. But give him credit. He was like, dude, no,
I'm telling you and you can put my name on it.
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd
Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us
live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching f
(00:21):
s R. You're listening to the best of the Odd
Cup Off with Chris Brush and Rob Harker. Trevor Bower
speaking of kicking. But Trevor Bauer, I mean, do you
know him? I know, I know his work. I don't
know him personally because he's a feisty wind. He has
(00:42):
really come out strong against the commission of Rob Manfred,
and he complained about the proposal. It's not it's not
all right now. This was a sportful to go to
fourteen playoff teams instead of ten, which I don't I
actually don't think he was complaining about that. What he
was complaining about and what led him to go off
(01:03):
on Rob Manfred, is this proposal that a division winner
will be able to pick their first round opponent from
the wild card teams, which I agree with Bauer is
absolutely ridiculous. It's bush league, it's saying lot it's barbecue
(01:25):
picnic softball type junk. And for people who might be
tuned in, they don't know. They did make make a
rule change, Chris, you know what was talked about a
year or so ago and floated out there, and now
it's official for this coming season, a twenty twenty season.
And I think you're gonna be happy about this. Yes,
and we will get to that, but let's first hear
(01:45):
what Bower said, and then we're comment on that. All right,
you want to market the game, don't change it. Don't
make the mound sixty two feet, don't make playoffs where
you have to pick your opponent and freaking whatever. Don't
change the game. Market the player. You have more players
in baseball than any other league, with much more diverse
backgrounds worldwide, more so than any of the other major
(02:08):
American sports. And that's the least marketable because you make
stupid decisions about how you market the players. You don't
open it up. Let content go get it out there. Now.
That was Bower put that out before the new rule
change came about, which is that pictures and they pitch
leaf Pitchers have to face at least three batters in
(02:31):
that inning or must close the inning. So if they
come in all pictures, if they come in with one
batter left, there's two outs and there's one batter to face,
they can just face that batter and then not come
out for the next inning. But if they come out,
if they start an inning, they have to they have
to pitch to at least three pictures and even including
(02:51):
starting pitchers. Now here's the issue I have with the rule.
What we want to talk about what Bowers ran, which
which is pretty hot. I mean, and you know it's
funny because we talked to Jerry Harriston Junior on the
podcast Chris on the Inside the Parker podcast which dropped
this morning, and Jerry said he had talked to a
lot of players, and you know, the Union Players Association
(03:13):
has a major saying rule changes. They ain't know, the
league decides or whatever. The players have to sign off
on it. He said he had talked to a lot
of players that he works out with and Arizona and whatnot,
and he said there was very little support for that
about the whole life sand in the playoffs for the
picking and yeah, picking, but what about the playoff, but
(03:34):
just the whole new floating of changing the playoffs. So
that's what he said that he and and the way
Bowers come out. I don't understand Rob why. I get
why you may not like it as a purist, but
I don't understand why players wouldn't want more playoff teams.
It's not like they said we're gonna have sixteen or eighteen.
But I think but it total. But for a player,
(03:56):
if I got more of an opportunity to make the playoffs,
I want that. But Baseball, Chris, and I'm not gonna
say this what I was really knowing, But as far
as rule changes, the game hasn't really changed a lot
since it was. It's changed, it's been hired, it's been lower.
But I'm talking about the rules of the game. The
game is. Since it's changed, it's it's more than analytics. Yeah,
(04:17):
but I'm talking about rule changes and then not the
DH wasn't was liding at home play right because somebody
got hurt. It's changed. I mean, I'm trying to off
the top of my head. I'm just saying that it
has it changed less than the NBA, and well, they've
changed a lot more rules and NFL Chamba has a
three point line, which was what forty years ago. Yeah,
(04:39):
and they do the they do like the replays for
the end of I don't want to get too convolutions.
I'm just feeling as much there's more of a there's
more of a traditionalist. Even when they did the wild card,
a lot of people pushed back. I've been great. I
originally pushed back as well. I didn't want to see
I don't want baseball a turning to the other sports
where half the league makes the playoffs, and I think
there's some players who, despite your right, they could be
(05:01):
in the playoffs, Chris, they could make some playoff money
that they're not with that yet more celebrity, more lognition.
Long story short, I am a little surprised at how
strong he's come out against the commissioner. I get some
of the stuff we talked about it. At Major League Baseball,
there's a big home run or play, it can't go
(05:22):
immediately onto Twitter. They own the rights, they don't allow
it as it has to come down. So other sports
that's not the case. You see a great dunk or
whatever it's on from the NBA, it's it's all over
the place, like immediately, so there's stuff like that that
needs to happen. Marketing, I get part of it. It's different.
It's different for the NBA because it's fewer players and
(05:44):
even when you talk about twelve, it's only three or
four guys that really matter. It's easier to mark market
that Baseball you have a twenty six man roster and
a lot of people are there. And the other part
is the basketball sneaker business is bigger where people can
wear kawas and can wear uh, you know at the
(06:04):
you know big players, or you can wear I can
wear those, and the sneaker company markets those guys as well.
So it seems like they're all over the place, and
they are, and they are much more. I've said it
before and I say it again. The late David Stern
I thought he was the greatest commissioner in American sports history,
and he is the one that really decided we're going
(06:26):
to market the individual in the NBA more so than
the teams. And that's been wildly successful as a business player.
NBA play athletes. While it is third biggest sport in America,
whether or not you want to say baseball because the
revenue is second, or college football is second, but base basketball,
(06:49):
even though the athletes aren't the it's not the biggest
sport in America. The NBA athletes are the most recognizable athletes,
not only in America but around the world American athletes.
Soccer athletes would be the whole world, but in America,
American athletes. NBA players are the most marketable and most
recognizable around the globe. Think they've marketed individuals. Also think
(07:13):
people play basketball more so. Nobody plays American baseball other
than maybe Japan, not maybe Japan and Australia in a
couple of plays. But that's again a decision the NBA
made to go and push the sport overseas. They sent
coaches decades ago. I get it, but it's also easier
to play when you have in those countries where maybe
(07:34):
you don't have you can't everybody can't buy gloves and fields.
It's easier with just a basketball like soccer. I think
a big part of it is the fact that they've
marketed them and all these companies you mentioned, Nike, Adidas,
these are worldwide companies. These aren't just American companies, So
I think that's part of it. But I think I
think Trevor Bauer's right. Major League Baseball does need to
(07:58):
market its individuals more. With Ken Griffey Junie, you're talking
about it all the time, with his hat backers, they
should have played off that. They've tried. Now it's a
little late he's retired, but they should have played off
of the individual players were the ones who pushed back,
because that's what I'm talking about, the traditional thing. They
thought it was disrespectful, which was ridiculous. But anyway, they
(08:21):
need to get to the other part too a lot more.
I agree with power. I'm not. I'm not that big
on the on the you have to pitch to three batters,
this whole movement. To me, you gotta be very careful,
don't alienate the people who love the game to try
to get fringe people or people who really might not
like your sport or might not be interested, to try
(08:43):
to get them involved. I understand. I'm not more. I'm not.
I'm not against change. The average baseball fans fifty five,
I'm not. It's not true. I'm not. Is that true, Rob,
It's not. It's I go to games all the time.
It's I go to games all time. There's a lot
of that doesn't mean made ring. That is it? Is
it being reported, it's not. It's been reported it's fifty three.
(09:04):
So I'm gonna take the report and surveys or your
word whatever. But I'm just saying. I'm just saying there's
a lot of young people at baseball game. But anyway,
here's my point. I'm not that crazy about it. What
if my guy doesn't have it and he has to
stay in. We saw Clayton Kershaw coming into the into
the playoff game last year and give up a home
run on the first two pitches he throw. According to
(09:25):
this new rule, you gotta keep him in. Maybe he
don't have it. I'm can we think about that? We
have to keep him in. I got I gotta keep
him in if he doesn't have it. I'm fine with
the rule, but I think a better rule is, and
I've said this before, is that each team gets four
pictures per game. You don't have to use for but
(09:45):
the max you can use. It's four. And so if
my guy, my third picture is getting rocked he doesn't
have it, then I'll go to my fourth guy. But
that's the last guy he's getting rocked. So be it
we lose that and I get it because there's just
too many specializations where where one guy comes and throws
one pitch to one guy, then they they warm up
another guy. We grew up in the day when guys
(10:08):
were complete games were commonplaces, or a closer get a
complete game, or a closure would pitch the last three innings.
A closure would pitch three innings, not just the night
thening he pitched. There was a thing as a quality start.
We're making up rules and I come on, I'm I
don't need to see eight nine pitchers in the game.
(10:30):
Four It's plenty, so I'm fine with this rule. You
make a great point, Rob, if the guy gets first
pitch as a homer pitched to the next guy, he
doubles like I'm getting him out. But now I'm in trouble.
I need to at least keep rem that that might
take me out the game. That's why I think just
saying four pitchers get four pitches. Be sure to catch
live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Broussard and
(10:53):
Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern four pm Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeart Radio app. Last Night,
Rob Parker, Zion Williamson the legend grows. He faced the
future Hall of Famer in Carmelo Anthony as the Pelicans
walloped the Portland Trailblazers, and Zion went berserk. Thirty one points,
(11:20):
nine rebounds, five dimes, ten for seventeen shooting, got to
the free throw line fourteen times, was a plus twenty five.
It's a game high in plus minus. He was dominant
and it was only his ninth game of the season.
(11:41):
The question I want to throw at you, Robin. We
talked about this today on Undisputed. Is Zion Williamson already
a superstar in the NBA? I got my opin. I'm
gonna let you weigh in first. When no way, no how,
wait too premature when you start throwing out superstars to people.
(12:04):
I get it. Is he popular? Do people know him?
He played at a big school and duke and he
ripped out of his sneaker Chris. Even if you didn't
know who he was, you knew who you was from that?
Am I right? Was that not on the news? And
people knew him from YouTube dunks? That? I get all that. So,
So that doesn't mean just because you're recognizable or you're
(12:29):
a popular that you're a superstar, and I think we're
too quick. Dennis Green will tell you. Dennis Green will
tell you that stopped being ready to crown people. Do
we have that sense? Well, he's already ready with that.
But you want to crown him. They crown their ass.
(12:49):
But but the crown people before they plays played nine games.
You know, he's played nine in twenty seven minutes a game.
He's played nine games more than me in the NBA.
That's all just nine games. You want to call me
a superstar? Hackeyenough, But you know what I'm saying, Chris,
it's just too soon. Stop. We had We had a
(13:11):
big fight with with Jay Mack Jason McIntyre on the
show because he's ready to crown him. He's a superstar.
Everybody knows it, and uh, we should just back up
and put him in the Hall of Fame. Yeah, I'm
with you, rob Um. Look it's not as you said,
it's nine games. Can we slow down? We have yet
to see because he has yet to do it. Zion
(13:35):
Williamson played three months straight of basketball at a high level.
We have you have to see that. And how are
we gonna call him a superstar when you haven't even
played three months straight. I can't now he's a celebrity. Well,
he's popular. Don't confuse superstar with celebrity. A celebrity is
(14:01):
somebody that's well known as popular. Everybody loves that. But she,
she's a celebrity. She's a celebrity. But he is not
yet a superstar basketball player. If if we're gonna use
if we're gonna say Zion is a superstar, and you
know who else is a superstar? Trey Young. Trey Young
was voted as a starter in the All Star Game.
(14:25):
Now Zion, you can say, well, Zion was her being
hurt doesn't matter in the fan voting. If Zion was
that huge, as big as Trey Young, then he would
have got some some votes, no doubt about it. He
didn't get votes. They could have wrote am in. I
don't know if he was on the list. Was They
could have written me. I'm sure he probably was on
the list. I didn't I didn't really see the ballot.
(14:47):
I did my media vote, but but I'm sure he
was on the list, and so he didn't. He's not
a superstar yet. Can we slow down? Now? I get it,
he's off to a fantastic start, twenty one point seven
point seven. So we'll give him eight rebounds a game,
fifty seven percent shooting in just twenty seven minutes a game.
(15:08):
He's playing well, and I do think this. I do
think he will be a perennial All Star. So many
stays healthy, which is a big assumption. But if he
stays healthy, he's the numbers. He gonna put up numbers.
And I don't say that in a negative way. He's
going to average twenty five and eleven. Twenty five and eleven.
(15:32):
Those are huge numbers. His game is built for today's
NBA to some degree because the floor is so spread out,
there's no one in the paint. He's got a quick
first step and he can dribble the ball well enough
where he will get to the lane. Right. We've talked
about this before. It is easier than ever to get
(15:53):
into the paint. In the NBA. It's wide open for
because part of it is they're pushing. They're running you
off the three point line, so you don't take a
three pointer, and they want to funnel you do the
mid range, so you shoot a mid range jumper. But
in the lane, there's no there's no Patrick Eweens nobody
shocks no Joel Embiid. And then in Milwaukee with Yannis
(16:15):
and Brook Lopez, that's about it La Lakers. Okay, they
got some rent protection too, but that most nights you're
not gonna hit a big body who's a shot blocker,
a legitimate shot blocker when you get in the paint.
So ZAII will be able to finish getting the paint
score he can post up and again no no real
(16:35):
shot blockers to stop him from scoring inside, so he's
gonna put up numbers. My question, though, a superstar, I
don't think you can be answer me this route. I'm
not sure you can be a superstar in the NBA
if you don't consistently lead your team to the playoffs. Now,
(16:57):
maybe Zion will begin doing that, but he certainly not
this year because he's only playing a few games, right,
So you know what I mean? Like, I agree, I agree,
superstar because because they're winning, he's made them into a
winning squad with his presence. And that's when you start
looking at people and you say, this tude is unbelievable,
like like this squad was bad before he got there,
(17:19):
you know what I mean? And now look where they
are when when Lebron got there and they started, and
they elevate and elevates other people. So I agree. I
just think it's premature. This's not hating, no, and I
think he's going to be christ I think we're in
the minority in this world that we live in now.
(17:41):
And we're older guys, we've been around for a long time.
Week for yourself, a little bit older. But you know,
like nowadays, everybody's already rubber stamping everybody. I'm just saying,
they understand their Look this to your point, today's society
is aciety where everything is black and or white and
no nuance, and everything that happened today is better than
(18:03):
anything that ever happened, Chris, That's where we are. She
thinks Magic couldn't play exactly well and he stopped it unbelievable.
But but my point is there this generation, this society,
there's no nuance anymore. You know, they you're either one
great or you're you're horrible, you're bumm right, there's nothing
(18:24):
in between. And that goes for politics, it goes for celebrities,
it goes for every deletes everything, and there is nuance. Here.
We are saying, yes, Zion is a celebrity. Yes, Zion
is a very good basketball but has the potential to
be great. Yeah, but we haven't seen enough to call
him a superstar. No. And here's the other and I
(18:47):
have questions about Zion with this. Like I said, I
think he's gonna be a preenial All Star twenty five
and eleven, big time. You know, popular play, one of
the one of the faces of the NBA. But when
you look at the real superstars who lead their teams
to championship contention, James Harden, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Lebron
(19:13):
James Yannis, Kawhi Leonard, few others, Damian Lillard, they're not
really They got to the conference finals that year. But
the bottom line is these guys rob I can give
them the ball when all else fels. First of all,
they can push the ball up court. Now Zion can't
push it in transition. But I'm not sure you're gonna
see Zion basically bringing the ball up like a point guard.
(19:35):
In most cases, they can bring the ball up courter.
I can give it to them on the wing and
say get me something create no matter what the defense
is doing, Zion, they don't really run plays from which
I think is a strength. I like the fact that
he doesn't dominate the ball. I like the fact that
you don't have to run a lot for him and
he's still gonna get his. But if I'm struggling and
(19:57):
in the playoffs, you know, the defense those was coming.
They know all the plays that we're running or everything changing, Right,
I gotta give it to my one guy and say
go get it, big fella. Is Zion that guy? I'm
not sure he isn't that guy. I just think it's premature,
and I get it. People in this the young, the
young people were watching sports. They just want to say
(20:19):
everything's better, like like everything's better. Oh my god, we
never seen this before. We saw shot. Guess we did?
We right, right, all of a sudden, it's like there
was will then there were shots. Yeah we saw shot.
Uh so don't act like it's never been Jake really
could fly, Yes he did. We've seen that. I mean,
I'm even hearing people. But little Michael Jordan at times, Yeah,
(20:41):
who did he went right? Oh, he didn't do anything.
You know, there were no athletes back there, right, everybody
was look at the look at the watch the old video.
Those guys couldn't play. Who did he beat? Here's the
other thing, rob If we are going like those of
you out there, and we're gonna let you call in
in a few moments, who wants a crown Zion already
(21:02):
and say he's a superstar. Let's keep it read, then
let's keep it real. Then Linzo Ball was a super star.
He was the second overall pick. He heard that absolutely,
Magic said he everybody knew. Magic retired his number be
the press conference, right, Oh, he's gonna put his He
retired his number at the press conference, and Zion or
(21:24):
Linzo sold out Summer league. Remember everybody the good remember
the TV for him. He was as big as Zion.
He he sounds crazy now he was. And then they
had the sneakers and all that. It was all all
the rave about Lonzo Ball was the nets uh revolutionary
what was it? The point guard? He was trans transcending,
(21:48):
transcending players. And people are gonna say, well, Zion has
done it. Obviously, Linzo didn't play that great his first
few years in the NBA. He's playing better now. He's
still not great, but better has been great. I get
I'll give you that, but what you gotta admit is this.
In Summer League, Linzo was great. He was the MVP
(22:09):
of Summer League. He was great. So if you want
to say Zion is a superstar now, then you got
in at Summer League early in his career, you know,
before his career even started. People Linzo Ball was a
superstar because he had the popularity, he had the production
in the Summer League. Everybody loved him. They sold out
all the games, and he was the MVP playing against
(22:33):
all the rookies, the rookies who are there? Chris and
all the other players. And what did he turn into?
He is just Georgie, a p simple thing is gonna
be in the rafters. I don't think he's gonna break
Magic Johnson's records. I don't think so. And usually I
don't agree with Rob, but when he claims everything's premature,
you got a fascination with premature. No, no, it's all
when when that wow, when I'm just saying you'd like
(22:56):
to use that word, when I usually disagree with you
on that because you think it's premature to say that
Patrick Mahomes is awesome. I know to say that, I'm
just ready. I'm not ready for the goat conversation. Well,
he's not the goat, but he tencies and he's in
the goat conversation. You know he he could potentially one
day be in the conversation. That's all a brother's saying.
(23:17):
But I agree with you on this one. This is
way too early, way too premature. Zion Williams in nine games,
twenty seven minutes a night. Come on. Be sure to
catch live editions of The Odd Couple with Chris Brussar
then Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern, four pm
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app Let's
(23:37):
stick with Baseball. Interesting story in the Athletic. Now, the
Athletic is the one that broke the news about the
Houston Ashvills cheating scandal, and they've got new you know,
a new story that came out basically putting it all
on Carlos Beltran, Rob g Can you kind of summarize
(23:58):
what they were for story or Beltron disregarded it and
steamrolled everybody When they asked White Weed to stop, they said,
we just stopped. Where do you go if you're a
young impressionable player with the Astros and this guy says,
we're doing this? What do you do stop it? Wait? Wait,
(24:18):
carl what year was Beltran in? That was his last
year as a player? You mean, I'm sorry, Rod, We
know how this business works. You and I have been reporters,
and I'm not putting this on the reporters at all.
I see this as guys on the Astros going anonymously
to reporters and trying to clear everybody's name and putting
(24:38):
it all on Carlos Beltron. You mean to tell me, now,
Beltron was a really good player. He wasn't Barry Bond
and he had and they had respect in the club also,
But he wasn't Hank Aaron. He wasn't you know, Mike
Trout or somebody like the legendary player. And you mean
to tell me with Justin Verlander, who is the biggest
(25:00):
anti cheating guy in baseball, Jose are too vague that
all these guys just cow tow to Bell trying and
we're like, we really don't want to cheat, but he's
making us. Really, I can't believe it. I'm with you.
I think that's the most bogus story out there, because
there's a lot of things you could have done, Chris.
(25:21):
If a lot of those guys together went to Major
League Baseball together, like you know what I mean, went
to Bell Tran and be like, look, dude, not doing that.
I don't know what it was like where you came from,
but we're not we're not interested in that. We want
to win this thing fair and square. We don't want
to have a chance of having our championship tainted. We
(25:42):
don't believe in it. We want to play fans square.
I can hit. I don't need to know what the
pitch is, Chris, I can hit right, um, And it
just seems too convenient, I'm with you, too convenient because
Bell Trend's already fallen on the axe, right, he's got
the axe, and it's easy to just throwed all off, Yeah,
right right, because he's not managing anything. He's done playing.
(26:04):
He's done managing at least for now, no question about it.
And they even tried to say that A J. Hinch,
the manager, you know, just just bowed down that A J.
Hinch where's the quote, Robie, that he couldn't do anything
about it. Then I'm sorry. You shouldn't have been a manager.
It's whose clubhouse is, right? If you couldn't. Carlos Beltrand
(26:26):
and say we're not doing this, then you shouldn't have
been the manager, and you were rightfully dismissed. I mean,
come on, this is crazy. And the other thing, Rob
is it says I'm sorry to cut you off, but
it says that bell Tran told the Astros this is
according to multiple sources, that their sign stealing methods were
(26:47):
quote unquote behind the times. So that says they already
were cheating, right bell Trand just took it to another level.
So it still indicts you, it does. I mean that's
the other part. Uh. And like we talked about earlier, Chris,
if you could get some signals and you're at second
base and you could relay it to your your buddy
at the plate, that's a part of the game. Once
(27:10):
you bring in technology and you're banging garbage cans and
blowing whistles and you gotta replace squeen right there in
the in the hallway of the dugout, between the dugout
and the clubhouse. That's straight up t wearing buzzers. And yes, no,
no question about it. All right now, Rob g did
bring up the Washington Post story, and that one another
(27:31):
that's another story that's hard for me to Blue what
he's saying right around the league. And Jim Bolden, former manager,
we had him more. Yeah, Jim, I'm sorry. He did
say that he felt like everybody knew, they just couldn't
prove it. And that's what the Washington Post story it's
saying everybody in Major League Baseball knew the Astros cheated.
(27:52):
I'm with you, Rob, though I don't buy that. He'll
let me read a few of the quotes, one exact
from a team that faced Houston in the playoffs. Here's
this quote. The whole industry knows they've been there. They've
been cheating for three or four years. Everybody knew it.
A veteran scout who covered the Astros for an opposing team,
he said this, It was a big, open secret. Really
(28:14):
big things were going on with the Astros that were
blatantly against the rules. A current member of the Washington Nationals.
It was amazing once we were playing the Astros, how
many people were coming out of the Oh, it was
amazing once we were playing the Astros, how many people
were coming out of the woodwork to let us know
what they were doing. Here's what I say to that. Then,
(28:36):
why didn't somebody say something. Absolutely, you gotta or you
know what, we refused to play. You go, you go
to the commissioner, Rob Manfred. We're not playing the series
until you and Major League Baseball get here. Check Lee
cameras in center field, check the dugout. Have an official
(28:57):
in the dugout? Chris, did you tell him you knew
what they were doing? But but nobody, nobody went to
Major League Baseball and said, I want you to police
the Astros, and I want you to sweep that club out,
sweep that dug out, sit a major league representative there
and find out what's going on. If everybody knew. I
don't believe it for one second that everybody knew, but
(29:20):
nobody did anything. And don't say the Yankees were saying
a few things in the playoffs. They were. They questioned it.
Same thing, Rich Hill with the Dodgers. Chris changed his
signs every inning when he started in Houston. So my
point is, why didn't that Why wasn't that brought up
till after the fact. I totally agree with you, and
(29:42):
because here's the thing, and and I first of all,
chill out in this case, especially with the snitching. No
snitching there were opponents, all right, he wasn't Astros, and
we you know, we know some people came out and
said Astros players couldn't the stitch. That's another argument for
another day. But these are opponents, So the snitching is
(30:02):
out right, ain't right. Secondly, you're costing me a chance
to win the World Series. You're costing me money, you know,
potentially a big contract. If I'm a pitcher, you know,
and I know you're getting my you know what's coming.
You could cost me my knee. That was Mike Friars.
Every time he pitched, they got lit up. So I
(30:24):
don't buy it that these players would know that they're
cheating and just be like, hey, it is what it is. Hey,
as Aaron Judge, if he wants that MVP trophy that
Altove God right there, you go back and look at
the numbers. There you go. You know how competitive the
Yankees organizations don't think If you don't think they think,
they would have let this go so that Aaron Judge
(30:45):
could get cheated. Yeah, I'm with you. It's too convenient
that all these stories are coming out now, and most
of them anonymous, which I get because that's a lot
of times that's when, but also spends stuff anonymous. But
that's why I respect Mike Friars seriously to put his
name on it. A lot of people won't do that,
(31:06):
and most big stories are always anonymous. You know that
in journalism, you gotta get people because they're afraid to
say something. But give him credit. He was like, dude, no,
I'm telling you and you can put my name on it.
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