December 10, 2024 • 25 mins
The audio got jumbled early so no intros. EJ is joined by Domenic and John. Max Fried got a big deal!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
It's an emergency podcast. Welcome to the Max Freed episode.
The Yankees have signed Max Freed to an gad to
be here. Let's go Yanks, Let's go Yanks. I'm recording
(00:33):
on my iPhone, so we'll see how this sounds. I
think I might be going in and out, but hey,
we're recording an emergency podcast. Dominic, your instant reaction.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
My instant reaction is that I'm very, very happy to
have Max Freed on board. I said this on a
prior podcast. He was my favorite starting pitching target this
offseason because of his handedness and what I perceive as
a combination of a pretty high floor in a pretty
high ceiling that I don't think any of the other
starters offered. And the comparison's scary, but I don't. I
(01:07):
don't hate the tacking on extra years to lower the AAV,
which is you know, the DJ Lemyhew Special. It's a
terrible comparison that I hope doesn't evoke anything, but I don't.
I don't have any issues with.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
It, John, do you have any issues with it?
Speaker 3 (01:24):
No issues whatsoever. This is a great signing for the Yankees,
and I think it gets them closer to a World
Series Championship, which is what this should be all about.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Okay, so I'll take the devil's advocate here. They gave
a pitcher an eight year deal, a thirty one year
old pitcher an eight year deal. That is a lot.
Him and Juan Soda will be free agents right around
the same time, and he will be a Yankee longer
than Aaron Judge. He'll be in twenty thirty two, he'll
still he'll no longer be a Yankee. It's not a
massive average anial value, so you could eat it for
(01:55):
a few years toward the back end. But I mean,
pitching costs are high right now, and you know, I
think in the context of what pitchers are going for,
considering like Frankie Montoss got sixty million dollars, considering that,
you know, Blake Snell had a higher average aneal value
than this, I think it's a it's a market rate deal.
But man, this this could hurt, This could really hurt,
(02:18):
you know, in three four years. I mean, it could
be a long, long contract toward the end. There he's
thirty one, so he's a year younger than Rodin, So
hopefully he gets old a little bit later than Roddan,
But uh, that's a it's a little concerning.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Can I make a comparison? Max Freed has long reminded
me of a left handed Mike Messina, Okay, in terms
of his pitch repertoire, in terms of his results, in
terms of everything. Really their peripherals are uncannily similar in
a lot of ways once you adjust for the era.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
But tell me about he's.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
A six pitch pitcher. He throws a little bit of everything.
If if there's a pitch out there that somebody throws,
he throws it. And that was exactly how Mike Mussina was.
And Mike Mussina was very productive up through and including
his age thirty nine season. He had some speed bumps
along the way. But you know, of his eight years
(03:18):
with the Yankees, I'd say, what six of them were
very good or better? Or five at least five of
them were very good or better, one or two were rough,
one was eh. And if you could count on that
from Freed, then you know, I'll take it the.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Terrible back in. But you know, he's been a part
of a World Series team. He's like like Freda's Frida
is the real deal, Like this is Nace John is
Freed better than Cole.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
I don't think he's better than Cole, but I do
think he compares. I'll give you another Yankee of the past,
Andy Pettitt. He has great breaking stuff, he's a got
a great pickoff move, He's a good defender, and Pettit
pitched well into his thirties. He's not really a power pitcher.
He's more of a movement and a ground ball pitcher.
(04:10):
And I think he will age just fine in the Bronx.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
Yeah, you know, he's I like the six picture pitch
Arsenal like Rodin has just turned me off from guys
with only like two pitches, like I feel like like
Free is a guy who knows how to pitch, who
maybe like C. C. Sabathia, will be productive kind of
deep into his old age as long as he's healthy.
He throws a Here's what I like. You know, there's
(04:34):
there are ground ball pitchers that throw two seemer, and
that two seamer you know, is good most of the
time but can sometimes be prone. To Homer's right, it's
a problem with with the two scene pitchers, both for
leaf pictures and and and starters. He's mostly actually a
four scene, right, like he doesn't his his his his
(04:56):
sinker is there to hide amongst his changeup, which is
the way to throw it like it's it's it's really
a deadly combination. But then he can give you a
high fastball where he gives you a change up where
he's got kind of you know, slider sweeper cutter kind
of as is his his perferle pitch pitches, and I
I love it. I hope Henks don't try to mess
with his arsenal because you know, a true many pitch
(05:18):
pitcher is is really something to watch. Dominic, I have
a concern about the Yankees defense, Uh are they? I mean,
like in last year's defenses would be a disaster, right,
I mean this is the bid the best ground ball
starter in the majors.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Yeah, I mean that's that's that's the concern, right because
you know, in a vacuum, they're still the part of
my brain that's like, No, Maxbury's a strikeout guy. He's
averaged almost a strikeout per ending in his career, but
that's that's not a strikeout guy anymore. That's kind of
a average strikeout pitcher. Now he's a pitch to contact guy.
By modern standards. But I mean Chisholm took to really
(06:01):
really well. That seems where he's staying, and he's better
than anything they've trotted out there for a while, Volpi's
and amazing shortstop. So really you just need to fix
that right side of the infield. And I don't know
where they're going with that yet. I see a lot
of grumblings where people are saying, by the end of
tonight they're going to have Christian Walker.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
That's punch.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
I it seems to be rumblings to me. I see
a couple of I'm on Blue Sky, I'm not on
the demon thing me.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
By the way, Dominic Eye and Blue Sky I think
it's I think Blue Sky is fantastic, by the way
it is.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
But yeah, there there's beat writers saying it. There's there's
people saying that Brian Cashman when he fled his hearing
today it wasn't just to finalize Max Freed. It was
for a follow up conversation with Christian Walker. So it
seems like they have a plan that is that is
clearly a plan. B to Soto, I think they're I mean,
(07:00):
you've been talking about going to the pitching and defense
route and Walker and Freed is a clear indication that, yeah, that's.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Where they're going. I mean, if they go Walker, I
mean I agree. I think I think that it's the
only logical way to go. Like I've been, like, I've
been trying to find other solutions. I wrote blog post
about Christian Yelich, But that's that's like a that's one.
It's a pine in the sky idea. Right, there's no been,
no rumors that he's on the trademarket, and there's really
(07:29):
just no one else even if you signed like Alex Bregman. Like,
that's basically a defense move, right, it's a it's a
strong offensive player who's also really really really good third
basement and and allows you to move Chisholm to second
base where he's really good. So yeah, like I think
I think they're executing the plan and and I'm kind
of excited to see it because the Yankees have like
a lot of contact on their roster, more than they
(07:51):
should frankly, and uh, and I think that this is
just another one of those John the Yankees seven starters.
What's happening? What's gonna happen to those seven stars?
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Well, you're probably gonna have to move one or maybe
even two of them. One option that I've advocated on
a past podcast is I think Clarke Schmidt would be
just fine in the bullpen. He would be a nice
ad to the bullpen potentially, But that still leaves you
Stroman and Cortes and you got more than you need
(08:26):
Cole Heel, Freed and Rodin is a wonderful first four.
You only need one more of those, and I think
they're gonna deal. Could I make a comment about.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
The defense situation.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
I would love to see the Yankees combine this signing
with signing Tanner Scott, which would bolster the bullpen. And
while he's a little more of a power pitcher, is
also considered a ground ball pitcher, which would emphasize defense.
If you can get Walker, that leaves you with Chisholm.
I think think it's second base and that that's a
(09:01):
fantastic right side of the infield, and then you're just
looking for a third basement. And there are a lot
of options out there.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
You mentioned Bregman.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
If you're going to sign Walker and side Scott, you
may not have quite enough money to do that, but
there are trade options avail well. And what I saw
pop up here recently was for Alec Baum of the Phillies,
who may be on the move. He would be an
excellent defender, and he's a pretty good hitter, probably a
better hitter than Aeronato at this point. But there are
a lot of options to bring in that glove at
(09:31):
third base to.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Fill out the adlant. I want to keep talking about
that direction. I want to talk about like actual potential
trades and portrayed partners. So let's first start with I
think one thing that John brought up in Dominic, I
want to if you agree. So Dominic thinks, okay, you
trade one of the seven starters. I'm sorry, John. John
thinks you trade one of the seven starters and then
you convert another one, probably Schmidt or someone to the bullpen.
(09:56):
What do you think about that? Do you think do
you think they should hold on to one of their
six starters or do you think that they should trade too.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
So my my hot take, and this is something that
I've been wondering if the Yankees would do, because they
seem to always do this thing where they make a
trade for somebody that you didn't even know is available.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
And we do know.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
That there are some guys that are available that are
pretty good hitters that teams are trying to float out
there to get pitching. And I know this is blasphemy,
but like a good old fashioned challenge baseball trade. The
Red Sox are desperate for pitching, and the Yankees just
took their top free agent target, and they're shopping Will
You're a bray You to make room for Roman Anthony,
(10:42):
Will You're a Brew.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
I'm sorry they're shopping causes too.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
Cosas too. Luis Heel for either of those guys makes
a lot of sense for both sides. It's a ton
of team control, it's a ton of talent. I like
Will You're a bray You because he was a dynamic
defender in right field and way, which is huge. He
could cover Yankees left field with no issue, and he's
a lefty. He's under control for five years. I know
(11:08):
it would be haunting to see Louise Heel with the
Red Sox, but if that's the cost of doing business,
then you're making a huge upgrade and getting a heck
of a lot younger. I would even be interested in seeing.
It's just funny that it's the guys that come to
mind are in the Al East. You know, the Orioles
have all these prospects and they need pitching. They lost Burns.
(11:32):
Maybe Louise Heel for Colton Kowser is the start of something.
Maybe there's something to make heal the person you trade
instead of a salary dump, instead of getting an okay reliever,
maybe the move is to use Heel, who's a little
bit older than people think. Their people seem to realize.
See if you can capitalize on some of his value
fresh off the Rookie of the Year thing.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
It's I don't know.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
I think there's something there if you want to do
the trade to make the team better instead of just
you know, moving pieces around to make a fit.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
Yeah, I agree, you know, I think the one reason
why I asked this is I think that starting pitching
is so valuable right now. Just the prices that people
are paying are are crazy. I mean, if you look
at the like the prices that were projected for starting
pitching like two months ago, we're we're like fifty percent
above those prices. I mean, it's pretty incredible. Whereas Willie
(12:22):
Damas signed for like one extra year than he was
projected for, right, but no one thought Freed was going
to get an eight year deal. I can go look
at what the Freed's projected contract was, but it was
like one hundred million dollars less than this or or
eighty million dollars less than this or something like that,
and so like yeah, like I think that, I think
you're more it's more valuable right now to trade a
Schmidt or trade a Hill than it is to convert
(12:44):
someone to the bullpen, Like the Yankees can find a reliever,
and they can also get by with like an okay
bullpen where they could to sign a relief. We don't
even know what relief pitching prices are going to be
right now, but I think it's the time, Like you
have holes to fill, Like if you can get an
Alec Boheme four a Clerk Schmidt, like I think you
do it. If you can do a blockbuster's trade, like
(13:04):
Dominick's mentioning, like, I think you do it. Think I
think that the Yankees don't need their fourth and fifth
starters to be all stars. That said, I think Stroman's
got to go. He's on a one year, eighteen million
dollar contract that there's a vesting option if he if
he hits an innings mark, so I think that they're
team's I think he's tradable given just how expensive pitching
(13:27):
is right now. You're not gonna get a lot for him,
but you could trade him and have somebody take a salary,
which then allows you to go out and sign the
reliever of the Tanner Scott, or sign Christian Walker and
Alex Bragman or whatever like. To me, the move is
you move one guy for something like hill, Ork Schmidt
or quartets, and then you move Stroman for nothing.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
I wonder if Stroman could be moved. This is this
is a pie in the sky thing, and it's not
saving salary as much as it's filling a hole. I
wonder if there could be something to Stroman for Cody Bellinger,
because it's you know, it's a it's a bad money swap.
The Cubs are still saving about nine million on the year.
The Yankees get another lefty and get somebody to stick
(14:12):
in center field.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Drummond was great.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
He said, I think today they want Judge to go
back to right. It's just that's just, you know, just
something I thought I was thinking of.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
To me, I am like I when I wrote about
about Bellinger and John, I think I've heard your thoughts
on dollar, so I'd like to hear your thoughts next.
My thought was like, he's a good player, but way
more overpaid than people realize. So he's got a weird contract,
like he he has a I think it's a twenty
seven million dollar contract, and then an opt out. But
if he opts out, he still gets six and a
(14:42):
half million dollars, So you could effectively or if he's
any good, you're paying him thirty two million dollars and
then he can opt out or get another twenty million.
If he's really bad, he's he's going to opt out.
If he's not really bad, twenty million dollars isn't that
much money. He can make more than that if he's
just the same guy he was last year, but or
(15:03):
a qualifying offer, right like that, it's just not that
much money. So you're effectively locked into paying Cody Bellinger
either thirty two million dollars for whatever he puts up
this year or an extra twenty million dollars on top
of that if and that means he's bad, right like,
it's a it's a it's a really tough contract, which
is why the Cubs want to get out of it.
(15:23):
Strongman's not a great contract, and you know, I think
that this is kind of I don't think a lot
of teams are other than the Yankees are going to
be interested in taking on that money. And the Yankees
would need to clear some money to take it on.
All right. You might have to give something up to
make the kind of that deal work, but nothing major.
All right, So John, what do you think about a
trade for Bellinger? Next?
Speaker 3 (15:45):
I would focus on a different player on the Cubs,
quite honest say, Suzuki would be a much better fit,
a little bit more affordable, and also.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
Correct.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
The word I saw was that the Cubs are intent
on trading one of Suzuki or Bellinger. I would I
would jump at Bellinger. I'm sorry the reverse. I would
jump at Suzuki. I would put him potentially in center
field and let Domingas play left. Now you've got your
your outfield situation resolved. I think that contract is much
(16:19):
more doable than anything involving Bellinger. I just think it's
too much money and it will limit the options that
they need to consider to advance the roster.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Suzuki has been like an elite hitter, like a like
a surprisingly good hitter. If you look at him, he's
got like the the like the fun kind of bad
tracking members. So he's got like the high like bat speed,
square up. He hits the ball hard, he barrows the
ball like he's just he's just a good hitter. He's
not a great defender. But and I think is probably
(16:50):
a little bit overpaid. But yeah, I think either player
would be fun. I think that the evange of Bellingers,
he's your center fielder. All right, I want some predictions
because I have to go because I can hear a
crying baby. I'm sorry if you got anybody here can
hear a crying baby in the background. But thus is
the emergency podcast. So I want some Winter Meetings predictions.
(17:11):
It's Tuesday, we got some time left. The Yankees are
wheeling and dealing. We've heard them connected to Garrett Crochet.
I want to just you know, you can be general,
you can be specific. What do you think the Yankees
are going to do over the next week? Right? So
the kind of the Winter Meetings plus period. They might
be negotiating deals right now to come into fruition three a's,
(17:32):
but you know that that period is, you know, is
what we're in the middle of right before basically before
our next podcast. What do you think is going to happen? John,
want you to go first? All right?
Speaker 3 (17:44):
I mentioned this move earlier. I would love to see
him go get Tanner Scott. I think that will solidify
the bullpens.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
So, John, let me be clear. So you want them
to get Tanner Scott. Do you think they will go
get Tanner Scott, like I want to know, Yes, I do.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
I think there these are predictions predicting they're gonna go
get Tanner Scott and that will solidify the bullpen along
with Weaver. They've got enough pieces they can put that
that bullpen together. I think they will get Christian Walker.
I think they're going to make that move, and then
they're going to have to decide on a trade target. Uh,
(18:19):
it could be Bellinger, it could be Suzuki, it might
be a third basement along the lines of Arenado, Boehmer, Suarez.
And I think that rounds it out. And I think
I think those three steps will happen. They'll sign a
first base one, they'll sign a relief pitcher, and they
will make a trade to resolve third base.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
All right, Dominic, what is your prediction.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
I think, are we doing the outrageous predictions.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
The g give me, give me through your expertise prediction,
and then your fun one. I have a fun one too.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
My my expertise prediction is that this this week they're
solving first base. Could be Walker, could be Santana. Santana
seems like a very Yankees one year deal kind of guy.
I think we're gonna see them connected to Glaber Torres
because that just seems like the match that's destined to
keep happening.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Like I think, yes, it'd.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Be terrible with Max Freed, but you never know. And
I think we're going to see a pitcher move. I
don't have expertise enough to say who it'll be, but
don't be shocked if you start hearing Luis Heel's name
pop up in rumors and you see them linked to
bigger guys or something. You know, if they start saying like, oh,
you know Luis Heel for Ryan Helsley and Nolan Aaronato
(19:43):
or something something like weird like that, because I do
think getting another Ace or Coace frees them up to
do something fun with the guy who's probably the most
attractive trade chip for a fun one.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
I don't know what it is.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Maybe it's because he one of them seems like a
very Yankees player and the other one they've been connected to. Uh.
I see a blockbuster deal where the Yankees got Crochet
and Louise Robert for a bunch.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
So I wrote about that on my my sub stack today.
I said, I think that takes Jason Dimingez.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
I think I might take more than Jason, oh.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
Certainly more, but I think he's the key piece going over.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Yeah, because I mean the dream is that Jason Domingaz
is Louise healthy.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
Louise Robert, Yeah, like, and Luis Robert is so jash
chisholm right like, super athletic guy on a nowhere club
who you hope to unlock a lot when he like
goes to a winning team. And Robert's been frankly better
than Chish. He had a down year last year like
the rest of the team, but he before that he
had never been a below average hitter. He you know,
he's just that good and a really really good defender.
(20:51):
So yeah, I actually that was the pick the trade
I predicted before this. But do you think that with
garat Crochet that they'll they'll trade with the White Sox.
Do you think they're adding another pitcher.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
I kind of do, because I think that they see
the writing on the wall that they're not fixing this
offense without doing something crazy. And I mean, maybe this
is just me drinking your kool adj with you talking
about patron and defense so much in your in your
sub stack and on these podcasts together that I don't
know what's what's what's better than one ace, three aces?
Speaker 1 (21:26):
You got the.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
Oops, all aces, pitching staff, you upgrade the middle of
up the middle defense, and all of a sudden, you know,
when you're waiting on Judge to hit a home run
and praying on the guys behind them, at least you're
down one nothing instead of four nothing.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
Yeah, I agree with all that. So I think the
big trade is going to be I agree. I think
they're going to resolve first base right away because they
have to. They have no options at first base and
so they need to fix it somewhere. And it might
be a Goldschmid, it might be a Saint Anna, might
be a Walker, might be a trade we're not thinking
of right now, and so I think it's gonna be
(22:02):
an a eolist trade. And I think they're gonna trade
with the Tampa Bay or the the Tampa Rays uh
for Yandy Diaz. And I think it's gonna be one
of their surplus pitchers. I think it's gonna Clark Smid
or somebody like that like that for Yandi Diaz. I
think I think that's the first basement that that makes
(22:23):
a lot of sense. Not a great defender, but it
could be your lead off hitter. You know, the Yankees
still have a lineup to fill out, and you know,
I don't know what the Lions looks looks like. If
it's Christian Walker, I don't think I don't think Luis
Robert Robert should be a leadoff guy. He's not an
on base percentage guy. Like you're still trying to fill
your your spots around Aaron Judge. And I think that's
(22:45):
I think I think that's that's gonna have to happen
with one of these moves that they make. And I
don't really know who that move is. They have like
a I've seen a lot of people comparing their twenty
twenty five line up to twenty twenty three, where it
is like when the reaction to Sodo where in twenty
twenty three, they had nobody but Aaron Judge for large
parts of the season, or like Labor Torres a little bit.
(23:06):
They know they have Jazz Chisholm, right, They've Austin Wells,
they have hopefully a competent John Carlos Stan Like, there
are other players in that roster, but they're five six
seven guys, not not the protection for Judge, not the
other the guy to get on base in front of
Judge whatever, right, Like, that's what they're missing. They're not
gonna get Sodo. I see these Kyle Tucker rumors, and
(23:30):
I think that's the that's the big move. I think
the big move is they trade for Kyle Tucker. And
I don't know what's gonna cost. It's gonna be a lot,
but not like as much as you would think. This
is definitely like a Spencer Jones leveled move or or whatever.
Maybe one of their pitchers in Spencer Jones and uh
and I think the Yankees are gonna have their their
other big big bat in Kyle Tucker. So you have
(23:51):
Kyle Tucker, you have Yanni Diaz, and all of a sudden,
you have a pretty pretty impressive beginning of the lineup.
All right, Any last thoughts on Max Freed. One quick comment.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
The great Yankee teams of the past, and I mentioned
early on in the podcast that I think this gets
them closer to a World Series championship. Yankee teams of
the past have always had great left handed pitching. You
had Sabbathia, you had Pettit, you had Wells, you had Gidrey,
go back all the way to waity Ford. Max Fried
(24:28):
fits in with that group.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
I think this is a great and think about like
he like how many right handed pitchers have become homer
prone in Yankee stadium like it's been. It's been a
real problem for them. And Max Freed he's got the
bigger side of the stadium they's pitching too, and he's
a groundball guy, Like I think they finally realized, like, no,
we can't have all these guys who are going to
allow home runs over the shore porch, like we need
(24:50):
to use our strength. That also means though, defending left field,
and they're gonna have to worry about that as well,
So that that's something else on there. Spot on it, Joe.
All right, every buddy, thank you for listening. We'll be
back with more emergency podcasts when all the fun stuff happens.
It's a good winter meetings. We lost Soto, but you
know something, we have lots of new friends and that's
all that we want. Everybody, thank you for listening. This
(25:12):
has been your Bronx Beat podcast.
It's an emergency podcast. Welcome to the Max Freed episode.
The Yankees have signed Max Freed to an gad to
be here. Let's go Yanks, Let's go Yanks. I'm recording
(00:33):
on my iPhone, so we'll see how this sounds. I
think I might be going in and out, but hey,
we're recording an emergency podcast. Dominic, your instant reaction.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
My instant reaction is that I'm very, very happy to
have Max Freed on board. I said this on a
prior podcast. He was my favorite starting pitching target this
offseason because of his handedness and what I perceive as
a combination of a pretty high floor in a pretty
high ceiling that I don't think any of the other
starters offered. And the comparison's scary, but I don't. I
(01:07):
don't hate the tacking on extra years to lower the AAV,
which is you know, the DJ Lemyhew Special. It's a
terrible comparison that I hope doesn't evoke anything, but I don't.
I don't have any issues with.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
It, John, do you have any issues with it?
Speaker 3 (01:24):
No issues whatsoever. This is a great signing for the Yankees,
and I think it gets them closer to a World
Series Championship, which is what this should be all about.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Okay, so I'll take the devil's advocate here. They gave
a pitcher an eight year deal, a thirty one year
old pitcher an eight year deal. That is a lot.
Him and Juan Soda will be free agents right around
the same time, and he will be a Yankee longer
than Aaron Judge. He'll be in twenty thirty two, he'll
still he'll no longer be a Yankee. It's not a
massive average anial value, so you could eat it for
(01:55):
a few years toward the back end. But I mean,
pitching costs are high right now, and you know, I
think in the context of what pitchers are going for,
considering like Frankie Montoss got sixty million dollars, considering that,
you know, Blake Snell had a higher average aneal value
than this, I think it's a it's a market rate deal.
But man, this this could hurt, This could really hurt,
(02:18):
you know, in three four years. I mean, it could
be a long, long contract toward the end. There he's
thirty one, so he's a year younger than Rodin, So
hopefully he gets old a little bit later than Roddan,
But uh, that's a it's a little concerning.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Can I make a comparison? Max Freed has long reminded
me of a left handed Mike Messina, Okay, in terms
of his pitch repertoire, in terms of his results, in
terms of everything. Really their peripherals are uncannily similar in
a lot of ways once you adjust for the era.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
But tell me about he's.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
A six pitch pitcher. He throws a little bit of everything.
If if there's a pitch out there that somebody throws,
he throws it. And that was exactly how Mike Mussina was.
And Mike Mussina was very productive up through and including
his age thirty nine season. He had some speed bumps
along the way. But you know, of his eight years
(03:18):
with the Yankees, I'd say, what six of them were
very good or better? Or five at least five of
them were very good or better, one or two were rough,
one was eh. And if you could count on that
from Freed, then you know, I'll take it the.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
Terrible back in. But you know, he's been a part
of a World Series team. He's like like Freda's Frida
is the real deal, Like this is Nace John is
Freed better than Cole.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
I don't think he's better than Cole, but I do
think he compares. I'll give you another Yankee of the past,
Andy Pettitt. He has great breaking stuff, he's a got
a great pickoff move, He's a good defender, and Pettit
pitched well into his thirties. He's not really a power pitcher.
He's more of a movement and a ground ball pitcher.
(04:10):
And I think he will age just fine in the Bronx.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
Yeah, you know, he's I like the six picture pitch
Arsenal like Rodin has just turned me off from guys
with only like two pitches, like I feel like like
Free is a guy who knows how to pitch, who
maybe like C. C. Sabathia, will be productive kind of
deep into his old age as long as he's healthy.
He throws a Here's what I like. You know, there's
(04:34):
there are ground ball pitchers that throw two seemer, and
that two seamer you know, is good most of the
time but can sometimes be prone. To Homer's right, it's
a problem with with the two scene pitchers, both for
leaf pictures and and and starters. He's mostly actually a
four scene, right, like he doesn't his his his his
(04:56):
sinker is there to hide amongst his changeup, which is
the way to throw it like it's it's it's really
a deadly combination. But then he can give you a
high fastball where he gives you a change up where
he's got kind of you know, slider sweeper cutter kind
of as is his his perferle pitch pitches, and I
I love it. I hope Henks don't try to mess
with his arsenal because you know, a true many pitch
(05:18):
pitcher is is really something to watch. Dominic, I have
a concern about the Yankees defense, Uh are they? I mean,
like in last year's defenses would be a disaster, right,
I mean this is the bid the best ground ball
starter in the majors.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Yeah, I mean that's that's that's the concern, right because
you know, in a vacuum, they're still the part of
my brain that's like, No, Maxbury's a strikeout guy. He's
averaged almost a strikeout per ending in his career, but
that's that's not a strikeout guy anymore. That's kind of
a average strikeout pitcher. Now he's a pitch to contact guy.
By modern standards. But I mean Chisholm took to really
(06:01):
really well. That seems where he's staying, and he's better
than anything they've trotted out there for a while, Volpi's
and amazing shortstop. So really you just need to fix
that right side of the infield. And I don't know
where they're going with that yet. I see a lot
of grumblings where people are saying, by the end of
tonight they're going to have Christian Walker.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
That's punch.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
I it seems to be rumblings to me. I see
a couple of I'm on Blue Sky, I'm not on
the demon thing me.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
By the way, Dominic Eye and Blue Sky I think
it's I think Blue Sky is fantastic, by the way
it is.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
But yeah, there there's beat writers saying it. There's there's
people saying that Brian Cashman when he fled his hearing
today it wasn't just to finalize Max Freed. It was
for a follow up conversation with Christian Walker. So it
seems like they have a plan that is that is
clearly a plan. B to Soto, I think they're I mean,
(07:00):
you've been talking about going to the pitching and defense
route and Walker and Freed is a clear indication that, yeah, that's.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Where they're going. I mean, if they go Walker, I
mean I agree. I think I think that it's the
only logical way to go. Like I've been, like, I've
been trying to find other solutions. I wrote blog post
about Christian Yelich, But that's that's like a that's one.
It's a pine in the sky idea. Right, there's no been,
no rumors that he's on the trademarket, and there's really
(07:29):
just no one else even if you signed like Alex Bregman. Like,
that's basically a defense move, right, it's a it's a
strong offensive player who's also really really really good third
basement and and allows you to move Chisholm to second
base where he's really good. So yeah, like I think
I think they're executing the plan and and I'm kind
of excited to see it because the Yankees have like
a lot of contact on their roster, more than they
(07:51):
should frankly, and uh, and I think that this is
just another one of those John the Yankees seven starters.
What's happening? What's gonna happen to those seven stars?
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Well, you're probably gonna have to move one or maybe
even two of them. One option that I've advocated on
a past podcast is I think Clarke Schmidt would be
just fine in the bullpen. He would be a nice
ad to the bullpen potentially, But that still leaves you
Stroman and Cortes and you got more than you need
(08:26):
Cole Heel, Freed and Rodin is a wonderful first four.
You only need one more of those, and I think
they're gonna deal. Could I make a comment about.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
The defense situation.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
I would love to see the Yankees combine this signing
with signing Tanner Scott, which would bolster the bullpen. And
while he's a little more of a power pitcher, is
also considered a ground ball pitcher, which would emphasize defense.
If you can get Walker, that leaves you with Chisholm.
I think think it's second base and that that's a
(09:01):
fantastic right side of the infield, and then you're just
looking for a third basement. And there are a lot
of options out there.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
You mentioned Bregman.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
If you're going to sign Walker and side Scott, you
may not have quite enough money to do that, but
there are trade options avail well. And what I saw
pop up here recently was for Alec Baum of the Phillies,
who may be on the move. He would be an
excellent defender, and he's a pretty good hitter, probably a
better hitter than Aeronato at this point. But there are
a lot of options to bring in that glove at
(09:31):
third base to.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Fill out the adlant. I want to keep talking about
that direction. I want to talk about like actual potential
trades and portrayed partners. So let's first start with I
think one thing that John brought up in Dominic, I
want to if you agree. So Dominic thinks, okay, you
trade one of the seven starters. I'm sorry, John. John
thinks you trade one of the seven starters and then
you convert another one, probably Schmidt or someone to the bullpen.
(09:56):
What do you think about that? Do you think do
you think they should hold on to one of their
six starters or do you think that they should trade too.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
So my my hot take, and this is something that
I've been wondering if the Yankees would do, because they
seem to always do this thing where they make a
trade for somebody that you didn't even know is available.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
And we do know.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
That there are some guys that are available that are
pretty good hitters that teams are trying to float out
there to get pitching. And I know this is blasphemy,
but like a good old fashioned challenge baseball trade. The
Red Sox are desperate for pitching, and the Yankees just
took their top free agent target, and they're shopping Will
You're a bray You to make room for Roman Anthony,
(10:42):
Will You're a Brew.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
I'm sorry they're shopping causes too.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
Cosas too. Luis Heel for either of those guys makes
a lot of sense for both sides. It's a ton
of team control, it's a ton of talent. I like
Will You're a bray You because he was a dynamic
defender in right field and way, which is huge. He
could cover Yankees left field with no issue, and he's
a lefty. He's under control for five years. I know
(11:08):
it would be haunting to see Louise Heel with the
Red Sox, but if that's the cost of doing business,
then you're making a huge upgrade and getting a heck
of a lot younger. I would even be interested in seeing.
It's just funny that it's the guys that come to
mind are in the Al East. You know, the Orioles
have all these prospects and they need pitching. They lost Burns.
(11:32):
Maybe Louise Heel for Colton Kowser is the start of something.
Maybe there's something to make heal the person you trade
instead of a salary dump, instead of getting an okay reliever,
maybe the move is to use Heel, who's a little
bit older than people think. Their people seem to realize.
See if you can capitalize on some of his value
fresh off the Rookie of the Year thing.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
It's I don't know.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
I think there's something there if you want to do
the trade to make the team better instead of just
you know, moving pieces around to make a fit.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
Yeah, I agree, you know, I think the one reason
why I asked this is I think that starting pitching
is so valuable right now. Just the prices that people
are paying are are crazy. I mean, if you look
at the like the prices that were projected for starting
pitching like two months ago, we're we're like fifty percent
above those prices. I mean, it's pretty incredible. Whereas Willie
(12:22):
Damas signed for like one extra year than he was
projected for, right, but no one thought Freed was going
to get an eight year deal. I can go look
at what the Freed's projected contract was, but it was
like one hundred million dollars less than this or or
eighty million dollars less than this or something like that,
and so like yeah, like I think that, I think
you're more it's more valuable right now to trade a
Schmidt or trade a Hill than it is to convert
(12:44):
someone to the bullpen, Like the Yankees can find a reliever,
and they can also get by with like an okay
bullpen where they could to sign a relief. We don't
even know what relief pitching prices are going to be
right now, but I think it's the time, Like you
have holes to fill, Like if you can get an
Alec Boheme four a Clerk Schmidt, like I think you
do it. If you can do a blockbuster's trade, like
(13:04):
Dominick's mentioning, like, I think you do it. Think I
think that the Yankees don't need their fourth and fifth
starters to be all stars. That said, I think Stroman's
got to go. He's on a one year, eighteen million
dollar contract that there's a vesting option if he if
he hits an innings mark, so I think that they're
team's I think he's tradable given just how expensive pitching
(13:27):
is right now. You're not gonna get a lot for him,
but you could trade him and have somebody take a salary,
which then allows you to go out and sign the
reliever of the Tanner Scott, or sign Christian Walker and
Alex Bragman or whatever like. To me, the move is
you move one guy for something like hill, Ork Schmidt
or quartets, and then you move Stroman for nothing.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
I wonder if Stroman could be moved. This is this
is a pie in the sky thing, and it's not
saving salary as much as it's filling a hole. I
wonder if there could be something to Stroman for Cody Bellinger,
because it's you know, it's a it's a bad money swap.
The Cubs are still saving about nine million on the year.
The Yankees get another lefty and get somebody to stick
(14:12):
in center field.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Drummond was great.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
He said, I think today they want Judge to go
back to right. It's just that's just, you know, just
something I thought I was thinking of.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
To me, I am like I when I wrote about
about Bellinger and John, I think I've heard your thoughts
on dollar, so I'd like to hear your thoughts next.
My thought was like, he's a good player, but way
more overpaid than people realize. So he's got a weird contract,
like he he has a I think it's a twenty
seven million dollar contract, and then an opt out. But
if he opts out, he still gets six and a
(14:42):
half million dollars, So you could effectively or if he's
any good, you're paying him thirty two million dollars and
then he can opt out or get another twenty million.
If he's really bad, he's he's going to opt out.
If he's not really bad, twenty million dollars isn't that
much money. He can make more than that if he's
just the same guy he was last year, but or
(15:03):
a qualifying offer, right like that, it's just not that
much money. So you're effectively locked into paying Cody Bellinger
either thirty two million dollars for whatever he puts up
this year or an extra twenty million dollars on top
of that if and that means he's bad, right like,
it's a it's a it's a really tough contract, which
is why the Cubs want to get out of it.
(15:23):
Strongman's not a great contract, and you know, I think
that this is kind of I don't think a lot
of teams are other than the Yankees are going to
be interested in taking on that money. And the Yankees
would need to clear some money to take it on.
All right. You might have to give something up to
make the kind of that deal work, but nothing major.
All right, So John, what do you think about a
trade for Bellinger? Next?
Speaker 3 (15:45):
I would focus on a different player on the Cubs,
quite honest say, Suzuki would be a much better fit,
a little bit more affordable, and also.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
Correct.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
The word I saw was that the Cubs are intent
on trading one of Suzuki or Bellinger. I would I
would jump at Bellinger. I'm sorry the reverse. I would
jump at Suzuki. I would put him potentially in center
field and let Domingas play left. Now you've got your
your outfield situation resolved. I think that contract is much
(16:19):
more doable than anything involving Bellinger. I just think it's
too much money and it will limit the options that
they need to consider to advance the roster.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Suzuki has been like an elite hitter, like a like
a surprisingly good hitter. If you look at him, he's
got like the the like the fun kind of bad
tracking members. So he's got like the high like bat speed,
square up. He hits the ball hard, he barrows the
ball like he's just he's just a good hitter. He's
not a great defender. But and I think is probably
(16:50):
a little bit overpaid. But yeah, I think either player
would be fun. I think that the evange of Bellingers,
he's your center fielder. All right, I want some predictions
because I have to go because I can hear a
crying baby. I'm sorry if you got anybody here can
hear a crying baby in the background. But thus is
the emergency podcast. So I want some Winter Meetings predictions.
(17:11):
It's Tuesday, we got some time left. The Yankees are
wheeling and dealing. We've heard them connected to Garrett Crochet.
I want to just you know, you can be general,
you can be specific. What do you think the Yankees
are going to do over the next week? Right? So
the kind of the Winter Meetings plus period. They might
be negotiating deals right now to come into fruition three a's,
(17:32):
but you know that that period is, you know, is
what we're in the middle of right before basically before
our next podcast. What do you think is going to happen? John,
want you to go first? All right?
Speaker 3 (17:44):
I mentioned this move earlier. I would love to see
him go get Tanner Scott. I think that will solidify
the bullpens.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
So, John, let me be clear. So you want them
to get Tanner Scott. Do you think they will go
get Tanner Scott, like I want to know, Yes, I do.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
I think there these are predictions predicting they're gonna go
get Tanner Scott and that will solidify the bullpen along
with Weaver. They've got enough pieces they can put that
that bullpen together. I think they will get Christian Walker.
I think they're going to make that move, and then
they're going to have to decide on a trade target. Uh,
(18:19):
it could be Bellinger, it could be Suzuki, it might
be a third basement along the lines of Arenado, Boehmer, Suarez.
And I think that rounds it out. And I think
I think those three steps will happen. They'll sign a
first base one, they'll sign a relief pitcher, and they
will make a trade to resolve third base.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
All right, Dominic, what is your prediction.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
I think, are we doing the outrageous predictions.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
The g give me, give me through your expertise prediction,
and then your fun one. I have a fun one too.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
My my expertise prediction is that this this week they're
solving first base. Could be Walker, could be Santana. Santana
seems like a very Yankees one year deal kind of guy.
I think we're gonna see them connected to Glaber Torres
because that just seems like the match that's destined to
keep happening.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Like I think, yes, it'd.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Be terrible with Max Freed, but you never know. And
I think we're going to see a pitcher move. I
don't have expertise enough to say who it'll be, but
don't be shocked if you start hearing Luis Heel's name
pop up in rumors and you see them linked to
bigger guys or something. You know, if they start saying like, oh,
you know Luis Heel for Ryan Helsley and Nolan Aaronato
(19:43):
or something something like weird like that, because I do
think getting another Ace or Coace frees them up to
do something fun with the guy who's probably the most
attractive trade chip for a fun one.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
I don't know what it is.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Maybe it's because he one of them seems like a
very Yankees player and the other one they've been connected to. Uh.
I see a blockbuster deal where the Yankees got Crochet
and Louise Robert for a bunch.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
So I wrote about that on my my sub stack today.
I said, I think that takes Jason Dimingez.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
I think I might take more than Jason, oh.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
Certainly more, but I think he's the key piece going over.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Yeah, because I mean the dream is that Jason Domingaz
is Louise healthy.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
Louise Robert, Yeah, like, and Luis Robert is so jash
chisholm right like, super athletic guy on a nowhere club
who you hope to unlock a lot when he like
goes to a winning team. And Robert's been frankly better
than Chish. He had a down year last year like
the rest of the team, but he before that he
had never been a below average hitter. He you know,
he's just that good and a really really good defender.
(20:51):
So yeah, I actually that was the pick the trade
I predicted before this. But do you think that with
garat Crochet that they'll they'll trade with the White Sox.
Do you think they're adding another pitcher.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
I kind of do, because I think that they see
the writing on the wall that they're not fixing this
offense without doing something crazy. And I mean, maybe this
is just me drinking your kool adj with you talking
about patron and defense so much in your in your
sub stack and on these podcasts together that I don't
know what's what's what's better than one ace, three aces?
Speaker 1 (21:26):
You got the.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
Oops, all aces, pitching staff, you upgrade the middle of
up the middle defense, and all of a sudden, you know,
when you're waiting on Judge to hit a home run
and praying on the guys behind them, at least you're
down one nothing instead of four nothing.
Speaker 1 (21:40):
Yeah, I agree with all that. So I think the
big trade is going to be I agree. I think
they're going to resolve first base right away because they
have to. They have no options at first base and
so they need to fix it somewhere. And it might
be a Goldschmid, it might be a Saint Anna, might
be a Walker, might be a trade we're not thinking
of right now, and so I think it's gonna be
(22:02):
an a eolist trade. And I think they're gonna trade
with the Tampa Bay or the the Tampa Rays uh
for Yandy Diaz. And I think it's gonna be one
of their surplus pitchers. I think it's gonna Clark Smid
or somebody like that like that for Yandi Diaz. I
think I think that's the first basement that that makes
(22:23):
a lot of sense. Not a great defender, but it
could be your lead off hitter. You know, the Yankees
still have a lineup to fill out, and you know,
I don't know what the Lions looks looks like. If
it's Christian Walker, I don't think I don't think Luis
Robert Robert should be a leadoff guy. He's not an
on base percentage guy. Like you're still trying to fill
your your spots around Aaron Judge. And I think that's
(22:45):
I think I think that's that's gonna have to happen
with one of these moves that they make. And I
don't really know who that move is. They have like
a I've seen a lot of people comparing their twenty
twenty five line up to twenty twenty three, where it
is like when the reaction to Sodo where in twenty
twenty three, they had nobody but Aaron Judge for large
parts of the season, or like Labor Torres a little bit.
(23:06):
They know they have Jazz Chisholm, right, They've Austin Wells,
they have hopefully a competent John Carlos Stan Like, there
are other players in that roster, but they're five six
seven guys, not not the protection for Judge, not the
other the guy to get on base in front of
Judge whatever, right, Like, that's what they're missing. They're not
gonna get Sodo. I see these Kyle Tucker rumors, and
(23:30):
I think that's the that's the big move. I think
the big move is they trade for Kyle Tucker. And
I don't know what's gonna cost. It's gonna be a lot,
but not like as much as you would think. This
is definitely like a Spencer Jones leveled move or or whatever.
Maybe one of their pitchers in Spencer Jones and uh
and I think the Yankees are gonna have their their
other big big bat in Kyle Tucker. So you have
(23:51):
Kyle Tucker, you have Yanni Diaz, and all of a sudden,
you have a pretty pretty impressive beginning of the lineup.
All right, Any last thoughts on Max Freed. One quick comment.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
The great Yankee teams of the past, and I mentioned
early on in the podcast that I think this gets
them closer to a World Series championship. Yankee teams of
the past have always had great left handed pitching. You
had Sabbathia, you had Pettit, you had Wells, you had Gidrey,
go back all the way to waity Ford. Max Fried
(24:28):
fits in with that group.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
I think this is a great and think about like
he like how many right handed pitchers have become homer
prone in Yankee stadium like it's been. It's been a
real problem for them. And Max Freed he's got the
bigger side of the stadium they's pitching too, and he's
a groundball guy, Like I think they finally realized, like, no,
we can't have all these guys who are going to
allow home runs over the shore porch, like we need
(24:50):
to use our strength. That also means though, defending left field,
and they're gonna have to worry about that as well,
So that that's something else on there. Spot on it, Joe.
All right, every buddy, thank you for listening. We'll be
back with more emergency podcasts when all the fun stuff happens.
It's a good winter meetings. We lost Soto, but you
know something, we have lots of new friends and that's
all that we want. Everybody, thank you for listening. This
(25:12):
has been your Bronx Beat podcast.
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The Burden
The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.