August 10, 2023 • 37 mins
Brian Noe & Eddie Garcia fill in for Ben Maller and talk about Michael Lorenzen throwing a no-hitter for the Phillies, if the Angels made the wrong move by not trading Ohtani, a look ahead to the NFL season, and more!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the best of the Ben Maler
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weeknight
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Speaker 2 (00:24):
This is the best of the Ben Maler Show on
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
How about this, Eddie? There was a no hitter on
Wednesday night.
Speaker 4 (00:34):
I'm aware.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Yeah, Phillies pitcher Michael Lorenzen. So it's the fourth hitter
this year of twenty twenty three. And Lorenzen that was
his home debut with the Phillies. They pitched for the
Reds for like, I don't know, seven eight years and
this is his fourth major league team. But it was
his home debut with the Phillies. And he throws a
(00:56):
no no. So he throws one hundred and twenty four
pitches his armed and fall off. He finished the game
and it's a no note. Now here's the thing that
I think of, Eddie. What would cause you to cheer
for the other team at a game? Now, I'm aware
this was a home game, But think about what was
it Domingo Herman who had the perfect game for the
(01:17):
Yankees at the Oakland A's. And there's nothing wrong with
cheering for an opposing bitcher that's throwing a no no
or a perfect game. I'm not calling anybody out, but
I'm saying it's interesting to me. What would cause you
to cheer for the other team if it's a football
game and there are a couple of qualifiers.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
Right away, I had a baseball game for you. An
answer on this. You did, yeah, and it was involved
in no hitter.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Well, that's totally understandable. Were you at a game that
involved a no hitter? Yes?
Speaker 4 (01:49):
Well, no, almost all. Right, here's I've actually mentioned this
on the air, But who ko can remember all these stories.
I just looked up these exact A Friday, September twenty second, two,
two thousand and six, Padres hosting the Pirates. I was
there to see the Pirates because I'm a Pirates fan.
The Padres at that point had never had a no
hitter in their history. Chris Young was on the mound
(02:14):
and he took a no hitter into the ninth I
wanted to see the no hitter. I was cheering against
my team because I wanted to see history. I'd never
seen a major league no hitter before, much less the
first no hitter in the history of a franchise. Mad
Joe rand To hit a two out home run to
spoil the no hitter, and I was I was not happy.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Do you remember how badly the Pirates lost? Was this
a boat race type situation?
Speaker 4 (02:39):
Yes? The final score did it?
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Being six to two, Okay, so it didn't even make
it close, So I got it.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
Yeah, he was one out a way, one out of way.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
And the home run did it? Oh man?
Speaker 5 (02:52):
Wow?
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Isn't that a weird feeling where you're like, ah, man,
my team just hit a two run homer. But yeah,
you experienced that. But think about this in other sports,
other sports works.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
Similarly, I don't know what it would be for football.
I can't really imagine that. I matter, I would be
maybe you can. Maybe you've got a scenario. I can't
imagine in football. Me ever, cheering for another team to
do something against my.
Speaker 6 (03:15):
Football There is no scenario. I remember there was a
game where I think Ladanian Tomlinson was gonna score like
a record number of touchdowns against the Broncos, and I
hated every second of it. I was like, oh great,
here we are in the record books.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
We have the game.
Speaker 7 (03:30):
No, I was watching on TV, but I mean still.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
Yeah, I had him point taking. I agree with you.
I can't, like I said, unless Brian has a scenario,
he can give us an example of something had happened
with him, because I can't think of anything.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Well, there are a handful of things that it's not
what I'm talking about. I'm thinking of just an individual game,
and a player can do something big and just that
individual game, there's no career achievement. There's not even season significance,
right because think of it this way, where everybody cheers
when in opposing well, most fans cheer when an opposing
(04:05):
player gets up after it could have been a serious injury,
you know what I mean, Like you clap, and I
don't know if certain bases do them, Like the Eagles
cheered when Michael Irvin was almost paralyzed. You know, like
the word like that with everybody.
Speaker 7 (04:19):
Eagles fans are Ben?
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Really? Ben is synonymous with Eagle fans.
Speaker 6 (04:25):
I'm just saying it's not unheard of for Ben to
clap an injury on the air.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
Really do.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
Well.
Speaker 6 (04:37):
I mean, I mean he does the snap crack, yes exactly,
and then he like cackles like it's the best thing
that's ever happened.
Speaker 7 (04:44):
I mean, I don't know, maybe maybe not like applauding.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
Yeah, well, he definitely tries to, uh make he tries
to suggest things happening, like Steph Curry or somebody like
that going down so his Clippers can win, right right, Yeah, yeah,
I know that's true. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
I think in basketball, you have the retirement tours. I
can see that, you know, if this is you know,
the late great Kobe Bryant. If this is his known
final season and he's showing up and you're a I
don't know, a Charlotte Hornets fan or whatever and he's there,
I can understand why you would cheer the guy. I
can understand a career achievement reaching some milestone. If Lebron
(05:24):
became the all time leading scorer and that game was
on the road, of course you would cheer that, you know,
But that's not really what I'm talking about. I'm just
talking about something significant in one single game. There aren't
a whole lot of things in football that I feel
like you would cheer for the other team.
Speaker 6 (05:41):
I just thought of one, but it would have to
not be like to win the game. If there was, like,
you know, before half the other kicker is going to
try and break like the all time longest field goal. Yeah,
I could be like, okay, and I'll give up three
points to see a you know it's a seventy yard
field goal or something like that.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Right, Yeah, that's not bad. Yeah, just a record being
set in that single game. Sure, that's a good one.
There aren't a whole lot in football. There's probably more
in basketball. Think of what did Klay Thompson go off
for in a single quarter? I think it was thirty
seven points right around there. Now, that was at home.
(06:21):
But even if that's on the road, if you're an
opposing fan, this is one of eighty two regular season games,
you know what I mean? This is not the playoffs.
I would cheer for that.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
That's why though, I think baseball is the perfect sport
for this, because there's a gazillion games and one game
who cares whatever it's it likes right at the end
of the season, and you're independent race. But you know
what I'm saying true.
Speaker 6 (06:41):
And it's also easier in the situation that you were in, Eddie.
I think when you're a fan of a team that's
been garbage for a long time, yes, you're you get
beaten down, yes, and then you you kind of at
that point you're going to see the stars on the
other team, you know what I mean. And if your
team can, you gotta win, that's awesome. But then you're
(07:02):
also kind of there to see stars do cool things.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Yeah, and especially if, like you, Eddie, you were a
fan of the road team, right, Yes, And so I
think it is even easier to feel that electricity of
a home crowd anticipating something significant like a no hitter. Yeah,
it's even easier to do it.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
And I know the Pirates have been pretty bad for
a while, but I am also not good luck for them.
I don't. I don't. I wish I knew the actual
record that they have when I would go see them.
And this was even in the early nineties when they
were really good, when they won three straight. Like nl
e'st titles, I go see one game out of the
three game series at the Digger Stadium, and they would
(07:47):
be the one they'd lose. So I go to games
expecting them to lose. Like this year I went and
saw them play the Angels in Anaheim and they lost
and tell me at a home run and I was like, yeah,
that's about right, Eddie.
Speaker 6 (08:01):
I can't remember the last time I went to an
Angels game that they won. Honestly, I do not remember
when it was.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
It's crazy.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Does it work the same way in football? This is
an honest question because in baseball, if a player that
once played for your favorite team now plays for another team,
you almost always cheer the guy like Albert Bohols when
he came back and remember of the Angels and he's
playing against the Cardinals. Of course they're going to give
him like a rousing standing ovation. There's been many players
(08:33):
like that. Does it work similarly in football? I know
there are much different sports. You don't have the same
like walk to the plate before you're about to hit
and you can cheer them. It doesn't work the same
way in football. But does it occur at all? I
would imagine it does.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
But very rarely for me, very really, I think I could.
One that I can think of for the Steelers was
Rod Woodson, and the Steelers let him go because he
had he was coming off a serious knee and and
they were kind of like, eh, we don't really think,
you know, you were going to pay for you because
we're not sure you're gonna be able to come back.
And so he left because of that, and he was
able to come back and actually had a few more
(09:10):
decent years. And I was like, under those circumstances, I
understood why the team did what they did, but I
was kind of rooted for him to come back from
an injury and get a few more seasons. And that
was That was one player that I did cheer for.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
When he left the Steelers, did he go straight to
the Ravens from the Steelers or was there something else?
Speaker 4 (09:26):
I know he played for the Raiders too.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
I believe let's check this out with old Woodson because
he played for a couple of teams. He was such
a great player, man, Rod Woodson was unbelievable. He went
from Pittsburgh. Wow, here's your fun fact. That night, he
went from the Steelers to the Niners for a year,
and then went to the Raiders, then the I'm sorry,
then the Ravens, then finished out with the Raiders. I
(09:51):
don't remember the Niners year at.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
All, nor do I wow.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
Or like, how about Santonio Holmes who caught the you know,
the the winning catch against the uh, the Cardinals in
the Super Bowl you were at, and then made his
way to the Jets. You know, if he was playing
at Pittsburgh, you'd have to cheer the guy. You'd have
to no, no, winning Jets in the Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
Yeah, but if you leave, like in free agency to
get paid more by another team, I get why you
do that, but I'm not gonna cheer for you anymore.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
That's what balls did.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
Yeah, and san Antonio Holmes was a hero in the moment.
He wasn't an all time legend.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Like, no doubt there is a difference there. But at
the winning.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
Lap if he came back now obviously and I was
at a game, yeah for uh you know, hey remember
this guy? Yeah, hell yeah, I'll cheer him then.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
But if he's in Jets screen, you'll like, screw you.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
You're trying.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
It is. I think it's a sport thing, you know.
I think baseball football worked very differently like that, when
you're actually cheering for an opposing player, that doesn't happen
very often in football at all.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Meler
Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
So the Angels won on Wednesday night. It's good Eddie.
They have They've moved up to five hundred. They are
fifty eight and fifty eight, and they are seven games
back in the wildcard race.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
Why would you bring that up, Brian?
Speaker 3 (11:30):
I bring it up because on the same evening show,
Hey Otani was his normal studley self. Six innings pitched,
only gave up three hits, no runs. He picked up
his tenth win on the season. So he joins Babe Ruth.
They are the only players with ten wins and ten
home runs over multiple seasons. Otani is outstanding and the
(11:54):
Angels still stink, and they should have traded the guy instead.
He's gonna walk bad day nothing. You get zilch zippo.
What is it, the old judge Judy, You get zilch zippo,
goodbye or whatever. That's the answer.
Speaker 4 (12:10):
Yeah, normally I would agree with you in that generic
kind of situation. If you've got a player you don't
think you can you can resign, and he's got value
and you're needing to you know, get assets in return.
Normally out agree with you, but not with this guy.
I'm not trading the greatest thing in baseball since Bo Jackson.
(12:32):
I'm not. I'm not trading that guy. I'm not. I'm
gonna take my chances. Unless he explicitly tells me I'm
not resigning with you, then that's different. But he hasn't
said that.
Speaker 7 (12:40):
Yep.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
So I'm not trading that guy, no way.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
But he has said I'm tired of losing. I want
to win.
Speaker 4 (12:50):
Like well, everybody says that. Who says, you know what,
I'm okay with losing, It's all right, Well I'm.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Gonna say that.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
Okay, you are, but you are on it to think
everyone says.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
At the Angels and they're not getting to the playoffs season.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
After seasons this year, maybe next year, probably not. But
I'm not trading that guy, no way. Not trading not
that guy, no way.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
If the odds are not in your favor, you gotta
move on and get something of note.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
Not him. I'm not trading the greatest thing that's happened
to baseball in decades. I'm not trading that guy. Yeah,
I'll take my chances.
Speaker 7 (13:24):
You're wrong here, Brian, you can't do it.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
You have to do it. You can't do it. You
could have done it. You cannot do it.
Speaker 7 (13:31):
They could not have done it.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
You had to have done it. No wrong, right right, yes.
Speaker 6 (13:36):
No, because if they trade him, it's guaranteed he's not
gonna resign with them, right.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
That's the only way this can work is if he
resigns and he's given and if.
Speaker 6 (13:48):
They had traded him, he would not have That's it.
You could kiss re signing him goodbye. This was the
only chance that they had to resign him.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
You're all in with Jack four offsuit the good luck
with that, you're you know, you at the poker tables
say that's all.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
I'm not a poker player, so that's all you Coop.
I don't even know what the hell he's talking about.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
It's just a bad starting hand, Eddie. And you're clinging
to hope when the odds are not in your favor
that it's going to work out. That's just not a solidity.
Speaker 6 (14:21):
You know.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
The odds aren't in their favor though he's given no
indication one way or another, just because he's just because
he says he doesn't want to lose that doesn't mean
he's not going to come back and play for.
Speaker 6 (14:31):
The every every year of his career. Mike Trout has
said that he doesn't want to lose.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
But Otani is going to have better offers from better teams.
And just because Trout hasn't done it doesn't mean that
Otani won't.
Speaker 6 (14:48):
You know, well, yeah, but that he will either. But
if you trade him, then you're done.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
Yeah, but you get something for sure.
Speaker 6 (14:59):
But this is why you're just a prayer. It's not
for sure. You get maybe guys that never even make
it out of Triple A.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
B Oh wait, wait, wait a minute. This is the
most unique player we've ever seen before, and they're just
gonna get some big league chew for the guy like
they're getting something of substance.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
You don't know that.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
I do know that body, so yes, I do.
Speaker 6 (15:23):
So really, Now they gotta go.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
I gotta go.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Meller
Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific.
Speaker 5 (15:39):
Listen to comeback stories. I'm Darren Waller. You may know
me best as a tied end for the New York Giants.
You may also know me for my story of overcoming addiction, alcoholism.
You may have heard a few of my tracks as
an artist or a producer, and you may have seen
the work that I've done through my foundation. And you
may know my friend and co host Donnie Starkins as well.
(16:02):
He's a mindfulness teacher, a yoga instructor, a life coach,
a man fully invested in seeing people reach their fullest potential.
And we've come to form this platform of Comeback Stories
to really highlight not only our own adversity, but adversity
in the lives of well known guests with amazing stories.
(16:24):
Catch us every week on Comeback Stories on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Eddie, I think sometimes we should just record what we
yell about in the break and then just play that
on the air, because Coop and I, I'll give you
a cliffs notes version. Coop was like, you know what,
I didn't want to say this on the air, but
you make a lot of sense.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
Wow, that is a Ben Mallin maneuver right there, Teeth Brown.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
If I just had that on wax, you know, if
I had a recording of it. Unfortunately we're not rolling
on that, but it was a complete about face. I
see your point. Know, they should have dealt him. Why
would they hold on to false hope? Just something along
those lines, you know.
Speaker 4 (17:16):
Yeah, well I will agree with you on this. The
most entertaining conversations are typically the off air conversations. They
would get us all fired, right, But yeah, those are entertaining.
Speaker 7 (17:27):
Sure, yeah, there's.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
Some cursing every now and then. That's how it goes.
But yeah, I'm looking for those Otani quotes here. It's
funny because he made just one simple statement about Seattle,
and a lot of people are reading into that like, oh,
he's gonna be a Mariner. He just said, I'll get
it for you. He said, every time I come here,
(17:51):
because the All Star Game was in Seattle, right, so
every time I come here, the fans are passionate. It's
very impressive. I actually spent a couple of offseas in Seattle.
I like the city, and so all these Mariner fans
are like, it's happening. He's coming to Seattle. Doesn't necessarily
mean that's the case, because he again, he wants to win,
(18:13):
and so he'd just be with the Angels of the
Northwest if he went to Seattle. He's gonna have better opportunities. Dodgers,
you know, might open up the old check book there, Eddie. Okay,
put it this way.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
I mean, there's only a very limited number of teams
that have the ability to sign him. So it's not
like you know, every team in the league, whatever team
you feel is a winning team right now, is going
to be able to open up the pocketbooks and bring
him in.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
Okay, who are you betting on? Remember when we used
to do Tiger or the field when it was a
golf major. Let's apply that to baseball. Are you betting
if I give you a if Vegas gave you a
one hundred thousand dollars free role, if you're right, you
take all the winnings. Are you betting on Otani being
with the Angels or being with the field? Which are
(19:05):
you betting on?
Speaker 4 (19:07):
I mean slightly, I would go with the field, but
not by nearly as much as I think you are.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
Oh my gosh, leaps and bounds with the field. Give
me the field all day, I would. I'd love to
know what the the literal odds would be of that.
I wonder if they have that out there. They should,
But the field has to be a pretty heavy favorite
when you talk about the heavy hitters. And if Otani
(19:33):
has said I want to win and he's not winning,
he's on a five hundred team right now. He's on
a team that's missed the playoffs every year he's been there, Like,
they're not winning. If he's prioritizing winning, then it doesn't
scream the angels.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
Well, is he gonna if if he truly is gonna
walk that walk, is he gonna take less money to
go to a better team?
Speaker 5 (19:53):
No?
Speaker 3 (19:54):
Why would he need to?
Speaker 4 (19:56):
Because if winning is the most important thing, as you
claim it is, that's all he's about, then he's not
gonna sign a huge contract. He's got to go to
the team that gives him the best opportunity to win.
The Atlanta Braves are not going to sign Shoha Tani.
But if he cares about winning more than anything else,
shouldn't he sign for whatever they want to offer him
so he can go there and win because that's the
(20:17):
most important thing, that's what he's all about.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Well, you could look at it and say, how do
I know the Braves give me a better chance to
win than the Dodge?
Speaker 4 (20:25):
Okay, pick a team, yeah, right, Pick any team?
Speaker 3 (20:30):
Dodgers.
Speaker 4 (20:31):
Okay, how many World Series has they won in the
last twenty years?
Speaker 2 (20:35):
One?
Speaker 3 (20:35):
Okay, but it was recent, more recent than twenty years ago.
Speaker 7 (20:40):
Fake pandemic title, that's true.
Speaker 4 (20:42):
That was a fake pandemic title.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
Pandemic title, but it does count. Wow, sixty game season,
don't you love? There's no pushback when Ben's not here.
Speaker 7 (20:55):
Yes, that was a.
Speaker 6 (20:57):
Quick answer, wasn't it. Honestly, I don't even believe what
I just said. But he says it all the time
about the Lakers title.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
So yeah, yeah, I'd fight fire with fire. I get it, man.
Speaker 6 (21:07):
Yeah, but I just want to I just want to
read you a quote here, Okay, Brian fight quote with quote?
Speaker 3 (21:14):
Yeah, this was quote with quote.
Speaker 6 (21:17):
This was September thirtieth, twenty eighteen, before Mike Trout signed
his huge, record breaking extension with the Angels. You want
to be in an atmosphere where the organization wants to win.
I want to come to the ballpark playing for something.
That's everybody's goal here. As a player, you don't want
to come playing for nothing.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
So that's Mike Trout. Yes, and so history is just
going to repeat itself with a completely different could you
know Tani.
Speaker 7 (21:43):
It could who knows.
Speaker 6 (21:46):
Who knows what they give these guys behind the scenes
that make them want to stay and play for a
losing franchise. But it's something or maybe maybe they're just
the you know. Maybe Otani is like another Trout where
he doesn't want want to be, you know, in the spotlight,
you know, in the headlines all that. I mean, he's
still in the headlines, but he doesn't get the same,
(22:08):
you know sort of. It's just it's laid back being
an angel. You're not the you know.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
Plus, he's a star wherever he is. I mean that
this stuff going on in Japan right with. He could
play for any team and he's he's a super duper
star over there is it doesn't really matter what team
he plays for over here, but if.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
He wants to win, it does matter everybody.
Speaker 4 (22:31):
Yeah, him saying that is not a big deal.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
He's just said that. Mike said the exact.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
Same thing and he resigned with the Angels.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
That doesn't mean Otani's gonna do this, but that's.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
An example of somebody who has done it, who has
said with you. You're taking his quotes about I want
to win. When Mike Trout said the exact same thing,
and then he resigned with the Angels.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
And and wouldn't that show Otani what could happen to
him if he does the same thing. Isn't that a
cautionary tale? Isn't that someone that got hooked on drugs?
Saying listen, man, you don't want to get hooked on drugs.
Look at me. That's essentially what's going on here with
Mike Trout and the Angels. How would that helpo Tani?
How would that ease his mind? How would that be Like, well,
(23:13):
it worked out for Mike, might work out for me.
That's not what he's thinking at all.
Speaker 6 (23:18):
I'm not arguing that it's going to ease his mind.
I'm saying that there's a chance. And that's what the
Angels are banking on. By not trading him.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
They're baking on the odds significantly not in their favor.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
But as Ben says, and I know we're the clock here,
but as Ben always says, these these draft picks and
these prospects, they're lottery. They're lottery tickets. They very rarely
do these guys ever turn into something great. So you're
you're saying something's better than nothing. But it's not that
much better than nothing.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
Oh, it could be leaps in.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
It could not be true.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
But we're talking about.
Speaker 4 (23:58):
Gamble on keeping one of the most unique and interesting
and talented players in baseball history than on some lottery tickets.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
No, here's the thing. Sometimes we think of like the
NFL Draft, where these players are coming out of college
and you get a couple of draft picks, and who
knows what's gonna happen. In baseball, it's different. These are
sometimes higher picks that have been in the minors that
you actually can reject how they're most likely going to
fare when they eventually get up to the major league level.
(24:29):
Now that's a lot different. If you're like, this guy
is a prospect quote unquote, but he's crushing it at
the Triple A level.
Speaker 4 (24:37):
Big deal that matters. No, it doesn't. I have a
pit Pirates fan. We've had high trap picks for decades
and these guys they very rarely work out.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
See that's what's happening here. It's a Pirates No, I'm
just telling you.
Speaker 4 (24:52):
These it's these high trap picks are a crapshoot, especially
in baseball.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
Oh my gosh, would you rather have lottery ticket or
no lotter, Rea.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
We'ld rather have a shot at signing the greatest player
we've seen in decades. That's what I would rather have.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
Okay, centuries, no doubt about that. He is an awesome, awesome,
awesome player, completely unique talent. But if the odds are
not in your favor, that's not a good bet. Not
a good bet.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
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Speaker 3 (25:33):
Eddie, I know you're fired up for more preseason NFL action.
We get them on Thursday night. Huh.
Speaker 4 (25:39):
Fired up is perhaps selling it a bit, but I
am gonna check some of it out, which I normally
would not do. But if you got a rookie quarterback
out there, I'm gonna take a peek at that for sure.
So we'll see CJ. Stroud in the Houston Texans taken
on the Patriots there in the first of the doubleheader
Viking Seahawks in the second game.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
You may be thinking about taking Poppy's advice and going
over thirty nine in the Texans Patriots game.
Speaker 4 (26:07):
Well, the line I see is the over unders thirty seven.
So he got that wrong, which is not shocking. No,
I'll leave the gambling on preseason football up to you.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
Okay, you might not want to do that, but fair enough,
fair enough, here's my question to you. We've got two
games on Thursday, Eddie. So of these four teams playing,
who will have the most success this season? Okay, you've
got the Texans, which we can pretty much eliminate them, right,
(26:37):
So it comes down to the Patriots, the Vikings or
the Seahawks. Of those three teams, who do you think
has the most wins in twenty twenty three.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
Well, the Seahawks were certainly a surprise last year, and
Gino Smith played a lot better than a lot of
us thought he would. I still wouldn't be surprised though,
to see them take a big step back this year.
One of those teams it just kind of had a
nice season. Don't expect them to really carry it forward.
I'm interested to see how the Vikings do with al
Dalvin Cook, for sure. Yeah, but I don't know what
(27:13):
the Patriots have really done anything to make me think
that they're gonna be significantly But I guess i'd have
to go Vikings.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
That's tough, right, It's a tough one because I can
see the Vikings taking a step back. How big of
a step back? I mean from thirteen and four. It's
a very underrated season. I feel like, because you think
about this before, like the new head coach took over,
(27:39):
it was all about, well, they can't win these close games,
and then they want a bunch of close games, and
it's like, yeah, but the defense stinks. It's like, wait
a minute, isn't it important to win close games even
if things aren't perfect all across the board. I don't
understand why it's just a negative that Kevin O'Connell won
a bunch of close games. And I realize, look, man,
(28:03):
it normally regresses to the mean. If you win a
bunch of close games the next year, oftentimes you don't
win nearly as many. If you lose a bunch of
close games, oftentimes it progresses to the mean right where
you don't lose as many close games. It often happens
like that in the NFL. I do understand that, but
(28:24):
I think that the masses, the mainstream opinion is that
the Vikings are like this. I don't even know, like
this eight to nine under five hundred team that it
was all smoking mirrors last season. I think that goes
a bit too far. So between the Vikings, Seahawks, and Patriots.
I think that it's probably down to the Vikings and
(28:44):
Seahawks the nightcap tomorrow night, the preseason game. I think
the Seahawks have a little bit more staying power because
they had a lot of contributions from the rookies. They're
like the anti Rams, right Like the Rams had the
FMP for a while and their depth and young talent
is ify. The Seahawks have real young talent. And I
(29:09):
know Geno Smith running it back means a ton, but
when your core is young and as good as it
was last season, there were so many rookies that contributed
in a big way. I think the Seahawks I think
they have a good chance to win double digit games
this next season. That wouldn't shock me at all.
Speaker 4 (29:30):
It would surprise me. Yeah, I think I think at
best they're still around a five hundred team. To be
honest with you, I think they would be if they
do get back in the playoffs. It would be similar
to this past season where they just they squeaked in
a bit. I am curious to see how the Patriots do.
As we talked about this before, now that they have
an actual offensive coordinator, it's not Bill O'Reilly, it is
(29:52):
Bill O'Brien. Uh, And to see if that can be
something that should give him a You would think a
bit of a bump, maybe get him a couple extra wins.
But even so, is that enough to get them more
wins than the Vikings this year? I would say no.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
Yeah, yeah, Hey, I don't Yeah, I would say no. Also,
the AFC is just so tough man really difficult. This
is a huge year for a bigger year for Mac
Jones or Geno Smith. Geno Smith just got his contract extension.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
I would say definitely Mac Jones.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
Yeah, Mac Jones, this is a huge year also. CJ Stroud,
look my thing on CJ Stroud. I think it's gonna
be tough sledding. Initially because Eddie he comes from. He's
gonna have eventually five first round wide receivers after next
year's draft. That's what it's gonna end up being. He
(30:49):
had five first round wide receivers in his two years
at Ohio State. He goes from that to what the
Texans have right now. It's night and day. Now. I
hope John she can come back, and he was you know,
he was sick last season and now he's back and
I think he was battling lynd Foma last season. Yes,
(31:10):
and he's back and obviously wishing the best for him.
But they don't have five first round picks in that
receiving corps, you know what I mean. So to go
from that, the talent disparity of what he the talent
advantage he had at Ohio State compared to the talent
disadvantage he initially is going to have with the Texans.
I think it's gonna be rough sled and initially, at
(31:33):
least in his rookie season for CJ. Stroud, I think
he's going to struggle massively.
Speaker 4 (31:37):
It's hard to argue against that. I mean, the Texans,
you know, they've got a new coach in Dimico Ryans,
and you know, maybe he's a coach on the rise
of young guy who been coming there and kind of
inject some life. But the talent is what the talent
is there. They're obviously rebuilding, they're hoping to build a
round a young quarterback, but for now, for this season, yeah,
it's gonna be tough.
Speaker 3 (31:58):
How about the Saturday game we've got, Well, there are
a bunch of Saturday games, but one of them is
the Jets and the Panthers, and so they're having joint
practice during the week. And Aaron Rodgers had something to
say about the Carolina rookie Bryce Young. Here's Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 8 (32:17):
I like the kid a lot. We have we share
an agent, so I've known about him for a long time.
I love watch him at college. I like his demeanor,
I like his movement, I like the way he throws.
I trust a guy like god him. You know him
and I good buddies for a long time, and he
just raves about him. So I think Caroline is a
good answer.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
Yeah, that's cool, man. And Bryce Young said, hey, man,
anything as far as advice that he has to throw
out there, he's completely receptive to that. And I'm so
curious about Bryce Young in the NFL leddy. I know
he's got the talent, but I just don't know if
he has the durability. He's just a smaller dude. I
don't know if he's I say, a seventeen guy right
(32:58):
where you could just look at s by a season
it's like seventeen start seventeen, seventeen seventeen. I hope that
he can be I don't believe it'll happen that way,
but just the frame, if he can hold up physically
in the NFL. If he can, he's got a real
chance to be good. I just don't know if that's
going to be the case.
Speaker 4 (33:18):
Yeah, we have those questions about another Alabama former Alabama
quarterback too right and two of Tune Bailoa so and
he's uh, he's had his issues staying healthy as well.
I you know, I I'm not sure I really believe
in any of these three young first round picks this
year at the quarterback position. Yeah. I understand that you've
got to go out and address that position when you're
(33:40):
a bad team and you're hoping that these guys can
work out, But I don't I don't know if I
don't know if I really believe that any of these
three guys c J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Anthony Richards and
I don't know any of those guys are going to
be a star quarterback in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (33:55):
What do you think about those three guys? In Week one?
It looks like Bryce Young's gonna be the Week one
guy for the Panthers, probably be CJ. Stroud Week one
guy for the Texans. I wouldn't start Anthony Richardson right
away in Week one for the Colts because that guy
had under four hundred passes thrown in college. I just
(34:16):
don't know what the rush is, you know, just get
him a little bit more seasoning. I like the idea
of like a special package of plays where he gets
in at times where maybe it's I don't know, in
the red zone, it's at the goal line, it's you
give him a series. You just get him used to things,
the speed of the game all that, instead of like
(34:37):
you're the week one starter. Mat If he goes out
there in Week one and he's bad for a couple
of games, you can't yank him. That's the one thing
you can't do. And that's why I would wait a
little bit with Anthony Richardson and the Colts. Would you
would you start him in week one or wait a
little bit?
Speaker 4 (34:51):
I mean, honestly, I'd have to judge it by what
I saw a little bit in the preseason. You know,
if you went out there and was impressive, maybe I
feel a little bit more comfident and about giving him
a little bit more work. But I guess the flip
side of that argument that you're talking about is he
needs reps. He needs to get out there and see
the live bullets and play. But I would tend to
(35:12):
agree with you, you know that this is a guy that
probably should be eased into the NFL. I know, Ben
likes to say, you don't learn anything by, you know,
drinking kool aid on the sideline, So you got you
learned by playing. But I mean, we've seen plenty of
examples of quarterbacks getting getting out there, being over their
heads and losing confidence and it's over before it starts.
Speaker 3 (35:33):
So yeah, and I don't know how many examples we have,
Eddie of quarterbacks that waited a little while and then
that significantly stunted their growth, you know what I mean.
Like we were just talking about Aaron Rodgers. Mahomes only
had one start his rookie season. Philip Rivers was on
the bench essentially for two years. You know, Like, how
(35:54):
many examples do we have of guys that were high
draft picks that had to wait for a little bit
and it massively hurt them, you.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
Know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (36:04):
Like, yeah, I don't think we have as many of
those examples as we do what you're saying, like, hey,
David Carr get out there and it's like, oh gosh,
he doesn't have an offensive line. This is not good.
Speaker 4 (36:15):
No. No, I obviously don't have the stats in front
of me to be able to cite what you're saying.
I would. I tend to agree with you, though, I
think there's many more examples of quarterbacks being thrown out there,
like I said, losing confidence. We talked about Johnny Manzel.
I mean, certainly there were other factors in his demise
as well, but I think there was some of that
with him though. Right. They threw him out there and
(36:37):
it didn't go well, and then you realize all those
things I did in college I can't do here. And
then you start to lose confidence, and then it's over.
Like I said, it's over before it gets started.
Speaker 3 (36:45):
Does this not sound like Aaron Rodgers exactly? His advice
for Bryce Young is be gentle with yourself. Oh boy,
it's a long journey.
Speaker 4 (36:56):
Yeah, it's very new age of him to offer that advice.
It does sound something like old ayahuasca. Rodgers would say,
it totally does.
Speaker 3 (37:05):
Yes, absolutely, Ayahuasca Rogers. I like that it's a new
nickname right there. Very nice
Thanks for listening to the best of the Ben Maler
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weeknight
from two to six Eastern eleven pm to three am
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and to find your local
station for the Benmatlers Show at Foxsports Radio dot com.
You can find it there or stream us live every
night on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
This is the best of the Ben Maler Show on
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
How about this, Eddie? There was a no hitter on
Wednesday night.
Speaker 4 (00:34):
I'm aware.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Yeah, Phillies pitcher Michael Lorenzen. So it's the fourth hitter
this year of twenty twenty three. And Lorenzen that was
his home debut with the Phillies. They pitched for the
Reds for like, I don't know, seven eight years and
this is his fourth major league team. But it was
his home debut with the Phillies. And he throws a
(00:56):
no no. So he throws one hundred and twenty four
pitches his armed and fall off. He finished the game
and it's a no note. Now here's the thing that
I think of, Eddie. What would cause you to cheer
for the other team at a game? Now, I'm aware
this was a home game, But think about what was
it Domingo Herman who had the perfect game for the
(01:17):
Yankees at the Oakland A's. And there's nothing wrong with
cheering for an opposing bitcher that's throwing a no no
or a perfect game. I'm not calling anybody out, but
I'm saying it's interesting to me. What would cause you
to cheer for the other team if it's a football
game and there are a couple of qualifiers.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
Right away, I had a baseball game for you. An
answer on this. You did, yeah, and it was involved
in no hitter.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Well, that's totally understandable. Were you at a game that
involved a no hitter? Yes?
Speaker 4 (01:49):
Well, no, almost all. Right, here's I've actually mentioned this
on the air, But who ko can remember all these stories.
I just looked up these exact A Friday, September twenty second, two,
two thousand and six, Padres hosting the Pirates. I was
there to see the Pirates because I'm a Pirates fan.
The Padres at that point had never had a no
hitter in their history. Chris Young was on the mound
(02:14):
and he took a no hitter into the ninth I
wanted to see the no hitter. I was cheering against
my team because I wanted to see history. I'd never
seen a major league no hitter before, much less the
first no hitter in the history of a franchise. Mad
Joe rand To hit a two out home run to
spoil the no hitter, and I was I was not happy.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Do you remember how badly the Pirates lost? Was this
a boat race type situation?
Speaker 4 (02:39):
Yes? The final score did it?
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Being six to two, Okay, so it didn't even make
it close, So I got it.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
Yeah, he was one out a way, one out of way.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
And the home run did it? Oh man?
Speaker 5 (02:52):
Wow?
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Isn't that a weird feeling where you're like, ah, man,
my team just hit a two run homer. But yeah,
you experienced that. But think about this in other sports,
other sports works.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
Similarly, I don't know what it would be for football.
I can't really imagine that. I matter, I would be
maybe you can. Maybe you've got a scenario. I can't
imagine in football. Me ever, cheering for another team to
do something against my.
Speaker 6 (03:15):
Football There is no scenario. I remember there was a
game where I think Ladanian Tomlinson was gonna score like
a record number of touchdowns against the Broncos, and I
hated every second of it. I was like, oh great,
here we are in the record books.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
We have the game.
Speaker 7 (03:30):
No, I was watching on TV, but I mean still.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
Yeah, I had him point taking. I agree with you.
I can't, like I said, unless Brian has a scenario,
he can give us an example of something had happened
with him, because I can't think of anything.
Speaker 3 (03:42):
Well, there are a handful of things that it's not
what I'm talking about. I'm thinking of just an individual game,
and a player can do something big and just that
individual game, there's no career achievement. There's not even season significance,
right because think of it this way, where everybody cheers
when in opposing well, most fans cheer when an opposing
(04:05):
player gets up after it could have been a serious injury,
you know what I mean, Like you clap, and I
don't know if certain bases do them, Like the Eagles
cheered when Michael Irvin was almost paralyzed. You know, like
the word like that with everybody.
Speaker 7 (04:19):
Eagles fans are Ben?
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Really? Ben is synonymous with Eagle fans.
Speaker 6 (04:25):
I'm just saying it's not unheard of for Ben to
clap an injury on the air.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
Really do.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
Well.
Speaker 6 (04:37):
I mean, I mean he does the snap crack, yes exactly,
and then he like cackles like it's the best thing
that's ever happened.
Speaker 7 (04:44):
I mean, I don't know, maybe maybe not like applauding.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
Yeah, well, he definitely tries to, uh make he tries
to suggest things happening, like Steph Curry or somebody like
that going down so his Clippers can win, right right, Yeah, yeah,
I know that's true. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
I think in basketball, you have the retirement tours. I
can see that, you know, if this is you know,
the late great Kobe Bryant. If this is his known
final season and he's showing up and you're a I
don't know, a Charlotte Hornets fan or whatever and he's there,
I can understand why you would cheer the guy. I
can understand a career achievement reaching some milestone. If Lebron
(05:24):
became the all time leading scorer and that game was
on the road, of course you would cheer that, you know,
But that's not really what I'm talking about. I'm just
talking about something significant in one single game. There aren't
a whole lot of things in football that I feel
like you would cheer for the other team.
Speaker 6 (05:41):
I just thought of one, but it would have to
not be like to win the game. If there was, like,
you know, before half the other kicker is going to
try and break like the all time longest field goal. Yeah,
I could be like, okay, and I'll give up three
points to see a you know it's a seventy yard
field goal or something like that.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Right, Yeah, that's not bad. Yeah, just a record being
set in that single game. Sure, that's a good one.
There aren't a whole lot in football. There's probably more
in basketball. Think of what did Klay Thompson go off
for in a single quarter? I think it was thirty
seven points right around there. Now, that was at home.
(06:21):
But even if that's on the road, if you're an
opposing fan, this is one of eighty two regular season games,
you know what I mean? This is not the playoffs.
I would cheer for that.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
That's why though, I think baseball is the perfect sport
for this, because there's a gazillion games and one game
who cares whatever it's it likes right at the end
of the season, and you're independent race. But you know
what I'm saying true.
Speaker 6 (06:41):
And it's also easier in the situation that you were in, Eddie.
I think when you're a fan of a team that's
been garbage for a long time, yes, you're you get
beaten down, yes, and then you you kind of at
that point you're going to see the stars on the
other team, you know what I mean. And if your
team can, you gotta win, that's awesome. But then you're
(07:02):
also kind of there to see stars do cool things.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Yeah, and especially if, like you, Eddie, you were a
fan of the road team, right, Yes, And so I
think it is even easier to feel that electricity of
a home crowd anticipating something significant like a no hitter. Yeah,
it's even easier to do it.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
And I know the Pirates have been pretty bad for
a while, but I am also not good luck for them.
I don't. I don't. I wish I knew the actual
record that they have when I would go see them.
And this was even in the early nineties when they
were really good, when they won three straight. Like nl
e'st titles, I go see one game out of the
three game series at the Digger Stadium, and they would
(07:47):
be the one they'd lose. So I go to games
expecting them to lose. Like this year I went and
saw them play the Angels in Anaheim and they lost
and tell me at a home run and I was like, yeah,
that's about right, Eddie.
Speaker 6 (08:01):
I can't remember the last time I went to an
Angels game that they won. Honestly, I do not remember
when it was.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
It's crazy.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Does it work the same way in football? This is
an honest question because in baseball, if a player that
once played for your favorite team now plays for another team,
you almost always cheer the guy like Albert Bohols when
he came back and remember of the Angels and he's
playing against the Cardinals. Of course they're going to give
him like a rousing standing ovation. There's been many players
(08:33):
like that. Does it work similarly in football? I know
there are much different sports. You don't have the same
like walk to the plate before you're about to hit
and you can cheer them. It doesn't work the same
way in football. But does it occur at all? I
would imagine it does.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
But very rarely for me, very really, I think I could.
One that I can think of for the Steelers was
Rod Woodson, and the Steelers let him go because he
had he was coming off a serious knee and and
they were kind of like, eh, we don't really think,
you know, you were going to pay for you because
we're not sure you're gonna be able to come back.
And so he left because of that, and he was
able to come back and actually had a few more
(09:10):
decent years. And I was like, under those circumstances, I
understood why the team did what they did, but I
was kind of rooted for him to come back from
an injury and get a few more seasons. And that
was That was one player that I did cheer for.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
When he left the Steelers, did he go straight to
the Ravens from the Steelers or was there something else?
Speaker 4 (09:26):
I know he played for the Raiders too.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
I believe let's check this out with old Woodson because
he played for a couple of teams. He was such
a great player, man, Rod Woodson was unbelievable. He went
from Pittsburgh. Wow, here's your fun fact. That night, he
went from the Steelers to the Niners for a year,
and then went to the Raiders, then the I'm sorry,
then the Ravens, then finished out with the Raiders. I
(09:51):
don't remember the Niners year at.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
All, nor do I wow.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
Or like, how about Santonio Holmes who caught the you know,
the the winning catch against the uh, the Cardinals in
the Super Bowl you were at, and then made his
way to the Jets. You know, if he was playing
at Pittsburgh, you'd have to cheer the guy. You'd have
to no, no, winning Jets in the Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
Yeah, but if you leave, like in free agency to
get paid more by another team, I get why you
do that, but I'm not gonna cheer for you anymore.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
That's what balls did.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
Yeah, and san Antonio Holmes was a hero in the moment.
He wasn't an all time legend.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Like, no doubt there is a difference there. But at
the winning.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
Lap if he came back now obviously and I was
at a game, yeah for uh you know, hey remember
this guy? Yeah, hell yeah, I'll cheer him then.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
But if he's in Jets screen, you'll like, screw you.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
You're trying.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
It is. I think it's a sport thing, you know.
I think baseball football worked very differently like that, when
you're actually cheering for an opposing player, that doesn't happen
very often in football at all.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Meler
Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific on
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Speaker 3 (11:12):
So the Angels won on Wednesday night. It's good Eddie.
They have They've moved up to five hundred. They are
fifty eight and fifty eight, and they are seven games
back in the wildcard race.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
Why would you bring that up, Brian?
Speaker 3 (11:30):
I bring it up because on the same evening show,
Hey Otani was his normal studley self. Six innings pitched,
only gave up three hits, no runs. He picked up
his tenth win on the season. So he joins Babe Ruth.
They are the only players with ten wins and ten
home runs over multiple seasons. Otani is outstanding and the
(11:54):
Angels still stink, and they should have traded the guy instead.
He's gonna walk bad day nothing. You get zilch zippo.
What is it, the old judge Judy, You get zilch zippo,
goodbye or whatever. That's the answer.
Speaker 4 (12:10):
Yeah, normally I would agree with you in that generic
kind of situation. If you've got a player you don't
think you can you can resign, and he's got value
and you're needing to you know, get assets in return.
Normally out agree with you, but not with this guy.
I'm not trading the greatest thing in baseball since Bo Jackson.
(12:32):
I'm not. I'm not trading that guy. I'm not. I'm
gonna take my chances. Unless he explicitly tells me I'm
not resigning with you, then that's different. But he hasn't
said that.
Speaker 7 (12:40):
Yep.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
So I'm not trading that guy, no way.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
But he has said I'm tired of losing. I want
to win.
Speaker 4 (12:50):
Like well, everybody says that. Who says, you know what,
I'm okay with losing, It's all right, Well I'm.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Gonna say that.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
Okay, you are, but you are on it to think
everyone says.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
At the Angels and they're not getting to the playoffs season.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
After seasons this year, maybe next year, probably not. But
I'm not trading that guy, no way. Not trading not
that guy, no way.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
If the odds are not in your favor, you gotta
move on and get something of note.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
Not him. I'm not trading the greatest thing that's happened
to baseball in decades. I'm not trading that guy. Yeah,
I'll take my chances.
Speaker 7 (13:24):
You're wrong here, Brian, you can't do it.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
You have to do it. You can't do it. You
could have done it. You cannot do it.
Speaker 7 (13:31):
They could not have done it.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
You had to have done it. No wrong, right right, yes.
Speaker 6 (13:36):
No, because if they trade him, it's guaranteed he's not
gonna resign with them, right.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
That's the only way this can work is if he
resigns and he's given and if.
Speaker 6 (13:48):
They had traded him, he would not have That's it.
You could kiss re signing him goodbye. This was the
only chance that they had to resign him.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
You're all in with Jack four offsuit the good luck
with that, you're you know, you at the poker tables
say that's all.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
I'm not a poker player, so that's all you Coop.
I don't even know what the hell he's talking about.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
It's just a bad starting hand, Eddie. And you're clinging
to hope when the odds are not in your favor
that it's going to work out. That's just not a solidity.
Speaker 6 (14:21):
You know.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
The odds aren't in their favor though he's given no
indication one way or another, just because he's just because
he says he doesn't want to lose that doesn't mean
he's not going to come back and play for.
Speaker 6 (14:31):
The every every year of his career. Mike Trout has
said that he doesn't want to lose.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
But Otani is going to have better offers from better teams.
And just because Trout hasn't done it doesn't mean that
Otani won't.
Speaker 6 (14:48):
You know, well, yeah, but that he will either. But
if you trade him, then you're done.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
Yeah, but you get something for sure.
Speaker 6 (14:59):
But this is why you're just a prayer. It's not
for sure. You get maybe guys that never even make
it out of Triple A.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
B Oh wait, wait, wait a minute. This is the
most unique player we've ever seen before, and they're just
gonna get some big league chew for the guy like
they're getting something of substance.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
You don't know that.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
I do know that body, so yes, I do.
Speaker 6 (15:23):
So really, Now they gotta go.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
I gotta go.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
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Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific.
Speaker 5 (15:39):
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You may also know me for my story of overcoming addiction, alcoholism.
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(16:02):
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And we've come to form this platform of Comeback Stories
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Speaker 3 (16:36):
Eddie, I think sometimes we should just record what we
yell about in the break and then just play that
on the air, because Coop and I, I'll give you
a cliffs notes version. Coop was like, you know what,
I didn't want to say this on the air, but
you make a lot of sense.
Speaker 4 (16:53):
Wow, that is a Ben Mallin maneuver right there, Teeth Brown.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
If I just had that on wax, you know, if
I had a recording of it. Unfortunately we're not rolling
on that, but it was a complete about face. I
see your point. Know, they should have dealt him. Why
would they hold on to false hope? Just something along
those lines, you know.
Speaker 4 (17:16):
Yeah, well I will agree with you on this. The
most entertaining conversations are typically the off air conversations. They
would get us all fired, right, But yeah, those are entertaining.
Speaker 7 (17:27):
Sure, yeah, there's.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
Some cursing every now and then. That's how it goes.
But yeah, I'm looking for those Otani quotes here. It's
funny because he made just one simple statement about Seattle,
and a lot of people are reading into that like, oh,
he's gonna be a Mariner. He just said, I'll get
it for you. He said, every time I come here,
(17:51):
because the All Star Game was in Seattle, right, so
every time I come here, the fans are passionate. It's
very impressive. I actually spent a couple of offseas in Seattle.
I like the city, and so all these Mariner fans
are like, it's happening. He's coming to Seattle. Doesn't necessarily
mean that's the case, because he again, he wants to win,
(18:13):
and so he'd just be with the Angels of the
Northwest if he went to Seattle. He's gonna have better opportunities. Dodgers,
you know, might open up the old check book there, Eddie. Okay,
put it this way.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
I mean, there's only a very limited number of teams
that have the ability to sign him. So it's not
like you know, every team in the league, whatever team
you feel is a winning team right now, is going
to be able to open up the pocketbooks and bring
him in.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
Okay, who are you betting on? Remember when we used
to do Tiger or the field when it was a
golf major. Let's apply that to baseball. Are you betting
if I give you a if Vegas gave you a
one hundred thousand dollars free role, if you're right, you
take all the winnings. Are you betting on Otani being
with the Angels or being with the field? Which are
(19:05):
you betting on?
Speaker 4 (19:07):
I mean slightly, I would go with the field, but
not by nearly as much as I think you are.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
Oh my gosh, leaps and bounds with the field. Give
me the field all day, I would. I'd love to
know what the the literal odds would be of that.
I wonder if they have that out there. They should,
But the field has to be a pretty heavy favorite
when you talk about the heavy hitters. And if Otani
(19:33):
has said I want to win and he's not winning,
he's on a five hundred team right now. He's on
a team that's missed the playoffs every year he's been there, Like,
they're not winning. If he's prioritizing winning, then it doesn't
scream the angels.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
Well, is he gonna if if he truly is gonna
walk that walk, is he gonna take less money to
go to a better team?
Speaker 5 (19:53):
No?
Speaker 3 (19:54):
Why would he need to?
Speaker 4 (19:56):
Because if winning is the most important thing, as you
claim it is, that's all he's about, then he's not
gonna sign a huge contract. He's got to go to
the team that gives him the best opportunity to win.
The Atlanta Braves are not going to sign Shoha Tani.
But if he cares about winning more than anything else,
shouldn't he sign for whatever they want to offer him
so he can go there and win because that's the
(20:17):
most important thing, that's what he's all about.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Well, you could look at it and say, how do
I know the Braves give me a better chance to
win than the Dodge?
Speaker 4 (20:25):
Okay, pick a team, yeah, right, Pick any team?
Speaker 3 (20:30):
Dodgers.
Speaker 4 (20:31):
Okay, how many World Series has they won in the
last twenty years?
Speaker 2 (20:35):
One?
Speaker 3 (20:35):
Okay, but it was recent, more recent than twenty years ago.
Speaker 7 (20:40):
Fake pandemic title, that's true.
Speaker 4 (20:42):
That was a fake pandemic title.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
Pandemic title, but it does count. Wow, sixty game season,
don't you love? There's no pushback when Ben's not here.
Speaker 7 (20:55):
Yes, that was a.
Speaker 6 (20:57):
Quick answer, wasn't it. Honestly, I don't even believe what
I just said. But he says it all the time
about the Lakers title.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
So yeah, yeah, I'd fight fire with fire. I get it, man.
Speaker 6 (21:07):
Yeah, but I just want to I just want to
read you a quote here, Okay, Brian fight quote with quote?
Speaker 3 (21:14):
Yeah, this was quote with quote.
Speaker 6 (21:17):
This was September thirtieth, twenty eighteen, before Mike Trout signed
his huge, record breaking extension with the Angels. You want
to be in an atmosphere where the organization wants to win.
I want to come to the ballpark playing for something.
That's everybody's goal here. As a player, you don't want
to come playing for nothing.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
So that's Mike Trout. Yes, and so history is just
going to repeat itself with a completely different could you
know Tani.
Speaker 7 (21:43):
It could who knows.
Speaker 6 (21:46):
Who knows what they give these guys behind the scenes
that make them want to stay and play for a
losing franchise. But it's something or maybe maybe they're just
the you know. Maybe Otani is like another Trout where
he doesn't want want to be, you know, in the spotlight,
you know, in the headlines all that. I mean, he's
still in the headlines, but he doesn't get the same,
(22:08):
you know sort of. It's just it's laid back being
an angel. You're not the you know.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
Plus, he's a star wherever he is. I mean that
this stuff going on in Japan right with. He could
play for any team and he's he's a super duper
star over there is it doesn't really matter what team
he plays for over here, but if.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
He wants to win, it does matter everybody.
Speaker 4 (22:31):
Yeah, him saying that is not a big deal.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
He's just said that. Mike said the exact.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
Same thing and he resigned with the Angels.
Speaker 3 (22:38):
That doesn't mean Otani's gonna do this, but that's.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
An example of somebody who has done it, who has
said with you. You're taking his quotes about I want
to win. When Mike Trout said the exact same thing,
and then he resigned with the Angels.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
And and wouldn't that show Otani what could happen to
him if he does the same thing. Isn't that a
cautionary tale? Isn't that someone that got hooked on drugs?
Saying listen, man, you don't want to get hooked on drugs.
Look at me. That's essentially what's going on here with
Mike Trout and the Angels. How would that helpo Tani?
How would that ease his mind? How would that be Like, well,
(23:13):
it worked out for Mike, might work out for me.
That's not what he's thinking at all.
Speaker 6 (23:18):
I'm not arguing that it's going to ease his mind.
I'm saying that there's a chance. And that's what the
Angels are banking on. By not trading him.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
They're baking on the odds significantly not in their favor.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
But as Ben says, and I know we're the clock here,
but as Ben always says, these these draft picks and
these prospects, they're lottery. They're lottery tickets. They very rarely
do these guys ever turn into something great. So you're
you're saying something's better than nothing. But it's not that
much better than nothing.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
Oh, it could be leaps in.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
It could not be true.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
But we're talking about.
Speaker 4 (23:58):
Gamble on keeping one of the most unique and interesting
and talented players in baseball history than on some lottery tickets.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
No, here's the thing. Sometimes we think of like the
NFL Draft, where these players are coming out of college
and you get a couple of draft picks, and who
knows what's gonna happen. In baseball, it's different. These are
sometimes higher picks that have been in the minors that
you actually can reject how they're most likely going to
fare when they eventually get up to the major league level.
(24:29):
Now that's a lot different. If you're like, this guy
is a prospect quote unquote, but he's crushing it at
the Triple A level.
Speaker 4 (24:37):
Big deal that matters. No, it doesn't. I have a
pit Pirates fan. We've had high trap picks for decades
and these guys they very rarely work out.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
See that's what's happening here. It's a Pirates No, I'm
just telling you.
Speaker 4 (24:52):
These it's these high trap picks are a crapshoot, especially
in baseball.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
Oh my gosh, would you rather have lottery ticket or
no lotter, Rea.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
We'ld rather have a shot at signing the greatest player
we've seen in decades. That's what I would rather have.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
Okay, centuries, no doubt about that. He is an awesome, awesome,
awesome player, completely unique talent. But if the odds are
not in your favor, that's not a good bet. Not
a good bet.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Eddie, I know you're fired up for more preseason NFL action.
We get them on Thursday night. Huh.
Speaker 4 (25:39):
Fired up is perhaps selling it a bit, but I
am gonna check some of it out, which I normally
would not do. But if you got a rookie quarterback
out there, I'm gonna take a peek at that for sure.
So we'll see CJ. Stroud in the Houston Texans taken
on the Patriots there in the first of the doubleheader
Viking Seahawks in the second game.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
You may be thinking about taking Poppy's advice and going
over thirty nine in the Texans Patriots game.
Speaker 4 (26:07):
Well, the line I see is the over unders thirty seven.
So he got that wrong, which is not shocking. No,
I'll leave the gambling on preseason football up to you.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
Okay, you might not want to do that, but fair enough,
fair enough, here's my question to you. We've got two
games on Thursday, Eddie. So of these four teams playing,
who will have the most success this season? Okay, you've
got the Texans, which we can pretty much eliminate them, right,
(26:37):
So it comes down to the Patriots, the Vikings or
the Seahawks. Of those three teams, who do you think
has the most wins in twenty twenty three.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
Well, the Seahawks were certainly a surprise last year, and
Gino Smith played a lot better than a lot of
us thought he would. I still wouldn't be surprised though,
to see them take a big step back this year.
One of those teams it just kind of had a
nice season. Don't expect them to really carry it forward.
I'm interested to see how the Vikings do with al
Dalvin Cook, for sure. Yeah, but I don't know what
(27:13):
the Patriots have really done anything to make me think
that they're gonna be significantly But I guess i'd have
to go Vikings.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
That's tough, right, It's a tough one because I can
see the Vikings taking a step back. How big of
a step back? I mean from thirteen and four. It's
a very underrated season. I feel like, because you think
about this before, like the new head coach took over,
(27:39):
it was all about, well, they can't win these close games,
and then they want a bunch of close games, and
it's like, yeah, but the defense stinks. It's like, wait
a minute, isn't it important to win close games even
if things aren't perfect all across the board. I don't
understand why it's just a negative that Kevin O'Connell won
a bunch of close games. And I realize, look, man,
(28:03):
it normally regresses to the mean. If you win a
bunch of close games the next year, oftentimes you don't
win nearly as many. If you lose a bunch of
close games, oftentimes it progresses to the mean right where
you don't lose as many close games. It often happens
like that in the NFL. I do understand that, but
(28:24):
I think that the masses, the mainstream opinion is that
the Vikings are like this. I don't even know, like
this eight to nine under five hundred team that it
was all smoking mirrors last season. I think that goes
a bit too far. So between the Vikings, Seahawks, and Patriots.
I think that it's probably down to the Vikings and
(28:44):
Seahawks the nightcap tomorrow night, the preseason game. I think
the Seahawks have a little bit more staying power because
they had a lot of contributions from the rookies. They're
like the anti Rams, right Like the Rams had the
FMP for a while and their depth and young talent
is ify. The Seahawks have real young talent. And I
(29:09):
know Geno Smith running it back means a ton, but
when your core is young and as good as it
was last season, there were so many rookies that contributed
in a big way. I think the Seahawks I think
they have a good chance to win double digit games
this next season. That wouldn't shock me at all.
Speaker 4 (29:30):
It would surprise me. Yeah, I think I think at
best they're still around a five hundred team. To be
honest with you, I think they would be if they
do get back in the playoffs. It would be similar
to this past season where they just they squeaked in
a bit. I am curious to see how the Patriots do.
As we talked about this before, now that they have
an actual offensive coordinator, it's not Bill O'Reilly, it is
(29:52):
Bill O'Brien. Uh, And to see if that can be
something that should give him a You would think a
bit of a bump, maybe get him a couple extra wins.
But even so, is that enough to get them more
wins than the Vikings this year? I would say no.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
Yeah, yeah, Hey, I don't Yeah, I would say no. Also,
the AFC is just so tough man really difficult. This
is a huge year for a bigger year for Mac
Jones or Geno Smith. Geno Smith just got his contract extension.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
I would say definitely Mac Jones.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
Yeah, Mac Jones, this is a huge year also. CJ Stroud,
look my thing on CJ Stroud. I think it's gonna
be tough sledding. Initially because Eddie he comes from. He's
gonna have eventually five first round wide receivers after next
year's draft. That's what it's gonna end up being. He
(30:49):
had five first round wide receivers in his two years
at Ohio State. He goes from that to what the
Texans have right now. It's night and day. Now. I
hope John she can come back, and he was you know,
he was sick last season and now he's back and
I think he was battling lynd Foma last season. Yes,
(31:10):
and he's back and obviously wishing the best for him.
But they don't have five first round picks in that
receiving corps, you know what I mean. So to go
from that, the talent disparity of what he the talent
advantage he had at Ohio State compared to the talent
disadvantage he initially is going to have with the Texans.
I think it's gonna be rough sled and initially, at
(31:33):
least in his rookie season for CJ. Stroud, I think
he's going to struggle massively.
Speaker 4 (31:37):
It's hard to argue against that. I mean, the Texans,
you know, they've got a new coach in Dimico Ryans,
and you know, maybe he's a coach on the rise
of young guy who been coming there and kind of
inject some life. But the talent is what the talent
is there. They're obviously rebuilding, they're hoping to build a
round a young quarterback, but for now, for this season, yeah,
it's gonna be tough.
Speaker 3 (31:58):
How about the Saturday game we've got, Well, there are
a bunch of Saturday games, but one of them is
the Jets and the Panthers, and so they're having joint
practice during the week. And Aaron Rodgers had something to
say about the Carolina rookie Bryce Young. Here's Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 8 (32:17):
I like the kid a lot. We have we share
an agent, so I've known about him for a long time.
I love watch him at college. I like his demeanor,
I like his movement, I like the way he throws.
I trust a guy like god him. You know him
and I good buddies for a long time, and he
just raves about him. So I think Caroline is a
good answer.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
Yeah, that's cool, man. And Bryce Young said, hey, man,
anything as far as advice that he has to throw
out there, he's completely receptive to that. And I'm so
curious about Bryce Young in the NFL leddy. I know
he's got the talent, but I just don't know if
he has the durability. He's just a smaller dude. I
don't know if he's I say, a seventeen guy right
(32:58):
where you could just look at s by a season
it's like seventeen start seventeen, seventeen seventeen. I hope that
he can be I don't believe it'll happen that way,
but just the frame, if he can hold up physically
in the NFL. If he can, he's got a real
chance to be good. I just don't know if that's
going to be the case.
Speaker 4 (33:18):
Yeah, we have those questions about another Alabama former Alabama
quarterback too right and two of Tune Bailoa so and
he's uh, he's had his issues staying healthy as well.
I you know, I I'm not sure I really believe
in any of these three young first round picks this
year at the quarterback position. Yeah. I understand that you've
got to go out and address that position when you're
(33:40):
a bad team and you're hoping that these guys can
work out, But I don't I don't know if I
don't know if I really believe that any of these
three guys c J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Anthony Richards and
I don't know any of those guys are going to
be a star quarterback in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (33:55):
What do you think about those three guys? In Week one?
It looks like Bryce Young's gonna be the Week one
guy for the Panthers, probably be CJ. Stroud Week one
guy for the Texans. I wouldn't start Anthony Richardson right
away in Week one for the Colts because that guy
had under four hundred passes thrown in college. I just
(34:16):
don't know what the rush is, you know, just get
him a little bit more seasoning. I like the idea
of like a special package of plays where he gets
in at times where maybe it's I don't know, in
the red zone, it's at the goal line, it's you
give him a series. You just get him used to things,
the speed of the game all that, instead of like
(34:37):
you're the week one starter. Mat If he goes out
there in Week one and he's bad for a couple
of games, you can't yank him. That's the one thing
you can't do. And that's why I would wait a
little bit with Anthony Richardson and the Colts. Would you
would you start him in week one or wait a
little bit?
Speaker 4 (34:51):
I mean, honestly, I'd have to judge it by what
I saw a little bit in the preseason. You know,
if you went out there and was impressive, maybe I
feel a little bit more comfident and about giving him
a little bit more work. But I guess the flip
side of that argument that you're talking about is he
needs reps. He needs to get out there and see
the live bullets and play. But I would tend to
(35:12):
agree with you, you know that this is a guy that
probably should be eased into the NFL. I know, Ben
likes to say, you don't learn anything by, you know,
drinking kool aid on the sideline, So you got you
learned by playing. But I mean, we've seen plenty of
examples of quarterbacks getting getting out there, being over their
heads and losing confidence and it's over before it starts.
Speaker 3 (35:33):
So yeah, and I don't know how many examples we have,
Eddie of quarterbacks that waited a little while and then
that significantly stunted their growth, you know what I mean.
Like we were just talking about Aaron Rodgers. Mahomes only
had one start his rookie season. Philip Rivers was on
the bench essentially for two years. You know, Like, how
(35:54):
many examples do we have of guys that were high
draft picks that had to wait for a little bit
and it massively hurt them, you.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
Know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (36:04):
Like, yeah, I don't think we have as many of
those examples as we do what you're saying, like, hey,
David Carr get out there and it's like, oh gosh,
he doesn't have an offensive line. This is not good.
Speaker 4 (36:15):
No. No, I obviously don't have the stats in front
of me to be able to cite what you're saying.
I would. I tend to agree with you, though, I
think there's many more examples of quarterbacks being thrown out there,
like I said, losing confidence. We talked about Johnny Manzel.
I mean, certainly there were other factors in his demise
as well, but I think there was some of that
with him though. Right. They threw him out there and
(36:37):
it didn't go well, and then you realize all those
things I did in college I can't do here. And
then you start to lose confidence, and then it's over.
Like I said, it's over before it gets started.
Speaker 3 (36:45):
Does this not sound like Aaron Rodgers exactly? His advice
for Bryce Young is be gentle with yourself. Oh boy,
it's a long journey.
Speaker 4 (36:56):
Yeah, it's very new age of him to offer that advice.
It does sound something like old ayahuasca. Rodgers would say,
it totally does.
Speaker 3 (37:05):
Yes, absolutely, Ayahuasca Rogers. I like that it's a new
nickname right there. Very nice
Host
Ben Maller
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