December 17, 2024 • 23 mins
EJ, Domenic and Scott discuss the Cody Bellinger trade.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:13):
As well, and welcome to an emergency podcast. The Yankees
have traded for Cody Bellinger and we're going to talk
about it. I'm gonna talk about it with good friend
Dominic Lonza.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Hello, sir, how are you today?
Speaker 1 (00:25):
And Scott Moss Cody hardly do you? Yeah, it's a
Cody for Cody deal. Come on, we we're gonna talk
about the deal. But first we have a programming note,
a couple of programming notes. First off, this is we
are now until the end of the year on an
emergency only podcast schedule, So if Yankees make some moves,
we'll record an episode. If they don't, or if the
(00:46):
moves are kind of small and not worth talking about,
we're gonna wait until the new year. This is just
kind of from my own holiday schedule. So you know,
we'll probably get another episode in I think this week,
but we'll talk about the potential for that soon. The
other kind of related but not directly podcast related, programming
note is Dominic. So, Dominic, would you like to tell
(01:07):
people the good news?
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Sure?
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Sure, I'm not sure exactly when it'll be. It'll be
when the when the fancy strikes me, but I am
going to join ej In writing for the Baseball Is
Life sub stack. So I'll be coming to an inbox
near you somewhat soon or not soon, who knows. I
guess we'll see what the Yankees do. And now the
off season unfolds.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Yeah, so we're gonna be you know, Dominic's gonna come on,
He's gonna write some some blog posts and you know,
I'm I'm I'm excited to have Dominic on and he has.
He has reaffirmed my commitment for this to be a
thoroughly amateur operation, and that that is I will commit
to that for the long term, for Baseball's Life. Don't
turn your hobbies into a job.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
I have faith in your ability, the two of you,
to do that fully amateur operation.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
I I do too.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
You should see the typos my last post. Also really
related programming note for the for the podcast before we
get to the real stuff. This is going to We're
going to be moving feeds in the new year. So
right now you're on a feed from a program called Spreaker.
I'm going to be moving that after the new year
to the to the substack. For most people, that won't
(02:18):
mean anything that your feed will just transfer over automatically,
I will put out a post on the old feed
announcing the move before it happens, so no one's in
danger of just kind of the podcast just kind of disappearing.
So keep an eye on that after the new year.
But let's forget all of that and talk about Cody Bellinger. Dominic,
what was your reaction.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
I gotta say my instant reaction was far more excited
than I thought it would be, because I kind of
I kept taking it for granted that Cody Bellinger was
going to be a Yankee, even of the rumors came
and went and they were linked to Christian Walker. And
you know, the last time I was on here, I
talked about how much I wanted them to get Luis
Robert and I actually predicted he'd be here. But when
(03:00):
it comes down to it, I was excited to see
the Yankees make a move that shows that they are
still very much in win now slash we think we
could win a World Series now mode, because that's that's
what this move does. This is, you know, screw everything else.
He's twenty five million dollars for us this year. He's
anywhere from I don't know, a two to four win
upgrade over what they.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Had in left field last year.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
He allows Judge to play his natural possession, and you know,
the opt out next year is a little wonky, given
that it's all risk for the Yankees, but this is
a move that makes them better, regardless of what you
think of Bellinger, and it shows a commitment to winning
now and I'm a fan of that.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
Scott, what was your reaction similar to doms, I think
he's a good player. Let's just get past the fact
that he's not the MVP candidate in future Hall of Famer.
Speaker 5 (03:50):
He looked like early in his career.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
He's a good player, and the fit just made so
much sense given that his two main positions are a
big need for the Yankees.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
The versatility helps.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
I also think, yes, he's not a superstar, and we
lost Juan Soda, but you know, there are times where
they didn't score a lot of runs last year early
in the year when they had Judge Soto and a
bunch of flotsam. So given that, I feel like I've
learned the value the hard way of just filling the
spots with solid to pretty good players and in the
(04:26):
absence of Soda, with a bunch of holes to fill.
Speaker 5 (04:28):
There's nobody to replace Sodo.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
So if they managed to get a bunch of guys
who were above average hitters and can hold their own
the field or be better like Bellinger.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
I think this will have been a good offseason.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
If this is a step toward doing that, Because my
concern was that, yes, the three of us had the
episode where we named all the people we'd want, but
you know what, you can try to sign a guy
and they decided to go elsewhere, usually to the Dodgers.
So given that that can happen, I'll just be I'm
pretty happy with every one of their many spots they
filled with a pretty good two above average player. This
(05:00):
is another checkbox and he's a fun player.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Yeah, I agree. Let me add a couple of things. One,
there really weren't a lot of outfielders available. There are
guys who play outfield just poorly available, like Santander, Taskar Hernandez,
lower end guys like Carrison Vader. There were not a
lot of left handed hitters. Pretty much everybody who's available
as a right handed hitter, and so when you have a
team that needs a lefty that has a you know
(05:25):
you have a lefty pull hitter. Who's perfect for Yankee
stadium and can play center field and kind of turn
your outfield into his strength. I just think it's a
no brainer like this is this has been the inevitable
move for a reason, and it sounds like the Cubs
and the Yankees were just kind of dancing around money
for the last week or two and eventually they split
the difference between between them. The Yankees get five million dollars.
(05:47):
He's probably a little bit overpaid. But again, you didn't
have to give up anything, Cody Puttit is not really
important important, and so bye. By executing the deal, you
just you just made the team better, like and it
costs nothing but money. It also is a short term commitment.
So hopefully he's pretty good this year. If he's you know,
even if he's as as as you know in his
(06:08):
down year last year, even if he's that good, I
think he opts out and then you clear a bunch
of money off the payroll, which you can then go
and spend on Kyle Tucker or Vlad Guerrero Junior or whoever.
And if you went to go sign a Taskar Hernandez
or a Christian Walker first base or whatever, then that's
not the case, then you're kind of blocked into those
(06:29):
players for a while. You know, maybe Bellinger signs long
term with the Yankees, Maybe he loves it here. Maybe
this is a one year thing. Unlike the Soto one
year deal. It doesn't cost you anything, so it's not
like you're giving up the future for this. You gave
up Cody Poteit and some of the Stime Brenner's money.
You know, Scott, let me ask you this question. So
this happened, This is probably sealing up your outfield. Does
(06:54):
it reveal any information about what happens next? Yeah? Yeah.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
One follow up point two is that he doesn't cost
a qualifying offer, so you give up Cody Potit, which
I agree with you.
Speaker 5 (07:06):
He is at best a swing man.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
They didn't give him a lot of innings, and they
wouldn't have much to give him. But you know, I'd
rather give up Cody Potit than the two reasonably high
level draft picks they would have had to give up.
So in a sense, he's free in that way, maybe
cost less than the prospect costs. But what it reveals
is what's funny is I remember the three of us
doing the episode on whom we would sign if the
(07:28):
stars aligned and we could just pick names like moving
chess pieces around the board, we all put Chisholm in
center field. So that ain't happening, I don't think, because
the outfield is Judge Bellinger Domingez. I read a news
report that said they told Bellinger centerfield. I don't know
much care if it's him, were Domingez and center the
others and left, but it tells me Jazz is going
to be the infield, and I really think they're putting
(07:50):
him at second base and bringing in a third basement.
So the question is who's on third and addition to
who's on first? Now, if Bellinger is going to be
in center field, so first and third man, I'm really
curious to see.
Speaker 5 (08:03):
And I don't know what they.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
Have left as money to spend because I think they're
at two hundred and seventy million.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Now, so they are a two hundred and ninety two
million right now, which is yeah, so that that's a lot,
at least according to the Fangrass luxury tax payroll. Now
they could trade, they're they're lower if you trade Jazz Chisholm,
if you'd rather, if you trade Marcus Stroman and or
Trent Grisham, but Dominic Scott did. Scott avoided the question.
(08:28):
So I want to ask you the same question, dude,
what do you think the Yankees do next? Like? What
is this? What is Belenger? Have we learned something about
the next move from the Bellinger move?
Speaker 3 (08:38):
My hope is that this means they're pulling a semi
Steve Cohen slash Dodgers group thing and just going for
broke this year because I don't remember if it was
Joe Shean or somebody else, but somebody today and talking
about these moves mentioned that, you know, the best five
(08:59):
teams baseball might all be in the National League right now.
The American League is wide open, so you spend out
of control for this offseason and you may well just
run away with the American League.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
And my American League is weak, right, I mean like
it's it's real bad right now.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
That's my hope, my my thinking, and I'm actually I'm
actually vamping a bit to pull up a text I
sent to my friend when he asked me the same question,
and I said, I think a trade for a first
person is more likely than another signing. I get the
feeling we're getting a new first basement and an open
(09:36):
competition at second base. And I think that's because I
think they're gonna stick to staying under three hundred million,
like Steinbrunners intimated. I wouldn't be surprised if we see
a cheap o first base signing like a Paul Goldschmidt
or one of my favorite players of all time, Justin Turner,
who I still would be interested to see at first base,
just because you walk so much and never strikes out,
(09:56):
or maybe like a trade for uh Naylor or my
friend I'll name Dropp her to see if she's listening, Lucia,
who loves Nathaniel Low who would really fit well in
this lineup. But I think that's the likeliest thing that
we're going to.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
See as and it kind of generalize what you said here.
You're thinking of a short term deals, either a trade
or a short term free agent or not that much
money at first base.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Yeah, it's them going all in for this year, maybe
next year two, and then hey, let's see what happens
when Judge is firmly in his mid thirties, calls a
little bit closer to his late thirties, and Williams is gone,
and you know.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Scott, what do you think about that?
Speaker 5 (10:39):
I think it's quite possible.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
I'll say this much, which is that the payer last
year was a three around three hundred and one, which
is also the third threshold for the luxury tax competitive
balanced tax. But if I read it right, and I
might not because I'm just the labor lawyer for a living,
I can't read their CBA or understand all this nonsense.
It's convoluted. It's like a boring Sudoku puzzle. But my
(11:00):
understanding is that tell me if I'm wrong. You pay
a price in prospects after you cross the second threshold,
which they've blown.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
Long since, so it's only money at this point.
Speaker 4 (11:10):
It's only money, and it's a marginal rate. So it's
not like when you pay three h two if the
professionals three oh one, you pay the extra tax only
on the mount above three oh one. It's not like, oh,
you're on the third threshold, so it's seventy five percent
of the whole payroll and your first boor and.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
You know, three or four trees.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
Get cut down in your yard because that's seventy five percent.
Speaker 5 (11:28):
No, it's just a little extra.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
So I think they're gonna go down put in some
like light Steve Cohen. I don't think they'll go crazy,
but I think they have one more player who costs
real money in them, whether that's fifteen or twenty million
or something. I wouldn't be offended if they leave Jazz
a third and I have a second base competition between
the oswald slash Oswaldos.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
And then there's a platoon there that makes a lot.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
Of sense, right and in a weird way. They're not
gonna do this. This would be like moving chess pieces.
But you know, between the flexibility positionally of Bellinger and Jazz,
you can have a catchally have a competition between ben
Rice and the Oswaldo's Waldos, because if ben Rice wins,
Billinger moves to center, then Jazz moves from you know,
center to second, then I gonna do that. But you know,
I think they got one more big money move in
(12:14):
him fifteen to twenty million plus, whether that's like a
outside shot of the Brigman Ornado or something, and then
maybe a competition. I wouldn't be sad if that's how
they go.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
I mean, I think the next move is moving Stroman
and Grisham's money so Grisham you keep around in case
you don't get an outfielder. He's your kind of break
glass if no Bellinger move. But he's no longer useful.
He's he's a backup outfielder in with a relatively young
outfield and he's kind of bad, and I'm kind of
surprised they tended him a contract in the first place.
And then Stroman's your six starter. He got six starters,
(12:44):
you got to you gotta move one of them. So
there's still a move there. And Stroman's got the most money.
And if you move those two guys, you have thirty
one million dollars under three hundred with a three hundred
million dollar budget. And I agree with you, Scott, I
see no reason why they couldn't go a couple of
million dollars above that budget, especially with given how weak
the al is. So you got a move. You can
(13:04):
do a big move for a player. Now that might
be a Bellinger, I remember, sorry that, it might be a Bregman,
It might be you know, trade for a Anyosuarez. It
could be an Alec bohone. Like, there is money out
there to pay both a first baseman and an infielder,
and a second or third baseman. There's probably not enough
money to pay Christian Walker and another one guy, or
(13:27):
Alex Bregman and another guy. And I agree with you.
I think that they at least have an okay plan,
which is a platoon at second of those guys of
the Oswaltz, I think that there is no plan B
for first base. Like Ben Rice is not an acceptable
starter on opening day, and so you gotta spend some
(13:51):
money somewhere. Maybe that's a one year deal for a guy.
Maybe that's a trade. I think Yandy Diaz is looking
real good right now for the Yankees. He's kind of
right in that budget point. He's a leadoff hitter. I
I I the Rays just trade Jeffrey Spring, so they're
clearly trying to get some payroll off, some money off
the payroll. And if they don't think they're gonna be
good this year, Yanny Diaz is an obvious guy to trade.
(14:14):
But I think that all all of that depends on
moving Stroman's money, and so I think that that that's
the next move. Go for it.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
Here's here's the question I have about for a space.
I don't like I like Bregman, but whatever, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
I forget him.
Speaker 5 (14:27):
I'm skeptical the first base market.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
Yeah, like Christian Walker, but he's so old, they're gonna
get three years of him.
Speaker 5 (14:33):
I'd love to see him trade.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
But do they have anybody anybody's gonna want in exchange
for a medium good for.
Speaker 5 (14:40):
A space option like nail or Low.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
I'm I think anything. I I think, you know, I
think that those guys are not going to command a
massive prospect cout now, like I think Spencer Jones is
a medium prospect in return. But Domic, let me ask you, like,
do you think the Yankees could pull off a trade
for let let's get let's forget the one of your
free agents, someone with some value like Nailer or Low
(15:04):
or Nathaniel Low Yanni Diaz, like one of those guys
who's there's something. They're right, they're a real player that
teams are not gonna want to trade for nothing.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
I mean, I don't see why not.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Whenever we see trades like this, we always learn again
and we always kind of shrug and say, oh, who knows,
like what these prospects are actually worth and how teams
are going to evaluate them? Because still to this day,
every time a trade happens for somebody we might want,
like Garrett Crochet. We look at the trade and we're like, wow,
that's all he costs.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
So we don't know.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
I mean, we're closer to the Yankees prospects than we
are to other teams. But you know, maybe there's a
team out there that looks at George Lombard and says, oh, man,
he should be a top fifty prospect. He's a future
superstar shortstopper. Somebody sees Chase Hampton and they see his
change up and they say, no, no, this guy has
more potential with that bitch.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Everybodys saying the change of not there but this t
week and he has it.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Like, we never know with prospects, especially when you consider
how so many teams, especially a team like the Guardians
has this like specific model of pitcher they always look
at and they always get the most out of them.
You know, they could look at theyanky system and say, hey,
there's three guys who are next Shane Bieber and Tristan
(16:22):
McKenzie when he's healthy.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
You know, it's just it's it's a we just never know.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
So Scott, to answer your question, chat Naylor has one
year of team control left. He's being paid twelve million
million dollars, which for a team like Cleveland, like, it
makes sense that they're considering that trade. I think that
you could see like a Ben Rice for short term,
first basement trade. Ben Rice is a prospect. I think
he's got real ceiling and and real promise and just
not a guy that you want to count on, you know,
(16:50):
for a team that you're hoping to send to the
World Series right away.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Especially if there's a team out there that thinks he
could be a catcher.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Or a part or at least a solid enough part
time catcher or whatever.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Right like, if they think he could play first base
and catch once or twice a week, if he could
be her a backup catcher to somebody like they don't
need him because they just signed Sanchez. But you know,
Adlie Rutchman is going to catch one hundred and thirty
five games a year. If they think Ben Rice can
catch the other twenty seven and that's it, you know,
then hey, he looks a lot more appetizing.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
He he pretty won home runs last year, right like,
between the majors and minors in less than a full season.
So like excuse me. I think that I think he's
a valuable piece, and I think he's exactly like that
kind of mid level prospect. The team that's looking to
contend maybe thinks they're better coaches than the Yankees could
really contend with Scott. What do you think?
Speaker 4 (17:43):
Yeah, I'm realizing that Naylor is not that great but
average two above average overall with one year left of
control and twelve million dollars. Yeah, you can see the
Guardians treating him for you know, maybe two medium prospects
who are not blowing the doors off, like right and
some standard live arm at single a or something who's
(18:04):
a right who throws really hard and needs to learn
how to throw a strike or something. So the other
option that was in the news, and I don't know
if this predates spellings Paul Goldschmidt, which I may be
a little more sangue on than you guys, because I
could see a gold schmid rice platoon. It just decreases
some positional flexibility if you have stand and two platoon
(18:25):
for at baseman.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
But I could see that being a solid offense actually
at first.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
Yeah, I think Goldschmith's like a fine option. Like I
think it's it's like at best, I feel like you're
gonna get an average player there, right, And I'm okay
with that. Yeah, that for me, if if you take
a hit like a Goldsmid at first, that means you
need you need to offset that with a second or
third basement. That's really good, right, like one of like
you can punt one of those positions, been on both.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
See, I think he's gonna be really cheap. Somebody projective
at fifteen or thirteen million, I mean, and aging first
basemen have gotten killed on the market in recent years,
so I would be surprised if he's going begging for
a job and gets nothing. So I wouldn't be surprised
if he's just a couple million bucks, assuming he still
wants to play a month or two.
Speaker 5 (19:09):
From now the catches.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
That means he's gonna ling around the market and see
if someone ponies up ten to fifteen million, and I
think they won't.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Yeah, you know, maybe he's the guy you sign if
you don't get a nailer, Like if you can't pull
a trade off on nailer's Like I didn't realize he
was getting paid twelve million million dollars something. He's a
he's a good player. Like I, I think he's actually
kind of underrated, and the looking at his stats he's
got he's got some some good years recently. I think
he probably bat near the top of your order, probably
(19:37):
behind judge or in front of judge. He's a contact guy.
He's not as bad as a defender as I expected,
at least by stack cast numbers. In fact, Wow, in
twenty twenty three, he was a really good defender by
stack Cast numbers. So yeah, Josh Naylor, I mean, I
I kind of love that idea, but you know, all
the other I are possible. But let's let's let's we've
(20:00):
been talking about bargain guys. Let's say they get Goldschmidt
for a million dollars or whatever and a trade Strowman.
They have some money on the books. I mean, Scott,
do you think that Bregman is still still a possibility?
Speaker 4 (20:14):
Yeah, I think that there's a real possibility of Bregman.
It just means that, you know, playing it out, they
put Bregman at third, Jazz at second, first base, they
just have to get creative. But you know, Bregman could
be enough an unanticipated thing and a big deal that
maybe they rethink Bellinger and center. So if you sign
Bregman and then you've basically filled all your spots except
(20:37):
for first base, you could view it as you need
first base or centerfield or left field wherever you get
a deal, because yeah, first base could be bleak you
look into.
Speaker 5 (20:47):
A nailer or whatever.
Speaker 4 (20:48):
But then maybe the answer is that you know, if
you scour the majors and find a left field or
you like, you move Diming as the center in Bellinger
to first. I know this not the plan, but if
Bregman's available, you could use a who's positional flexibility to say,
I'm just gonna get creative and see whether i can
get a deal like a mid level average player at
(21:08):
first or center or left and then move people around
to match the spot.
Speaker 5 (21:12):
So I think that would be terrific if they did that.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
To tell you the truth, all right, last question, donch
you first, I want a prediction so we will continue
doing just emergency podcasts through the end of the year. Traditionally,
nothing really happens between Christmas and New Year's in baseball,
pretty which everybody takes that off. But we got time
before Christmas, so I want you to predict for me,
are we doing an emergency podcast before Christmas? And if so,
(21:36):
what do you think that podcast will be.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
We are one hundred percent going to have an emergency podcast,
and I don't think it's going to be a Bragman
splash or something like that.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
But I think we'll have a tandem of.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
Moves that frees up space and then gets us a
rock solid first base. But I think first base is
really where they're looking, and I think we'll see Stroman
gone and then we'll see Naylor or Nathaniel Lowe or
Yandi Diaz or if the Rays are really going for it,
I'd be interested in seeing if they could. The Iggies
could probably U Diaz and Brendan. Not sure if it's lower.
(22:15):
Lao always got that mixed up in the same deal
because they're both pretty I think it's low, but don't
hold me to it, but I think I think that's happening.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
I think Stroman's gone, and that.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
That was gonna be my prediction. By the way, so
you stole that from me, But I love that idea.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
But I think that's what we're seeing.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
Otherwise, I really don't see a true big move, big budget,
big star, big former star move coming, not now Scott.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Christmas are after Scott. You can't make the same prediction
as Dominic. What do you think is gonna happen?
Speaker 4 (22:48):
I think it's gonna be something weird because I think
they're not gonna get another guy with the qualifying offer.
I think it's not going to be a twenty five
plus million dollar free agent.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
So we're down.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
Do we talked about Josh Naylor something like that, some
guy at a left field. There are plenty of off
seasons where the Yankees need A and B and then
Cashman gets C and moves people around. So you know,
trading for jas Chisholm when you need a third basement
was creative. So I think it's gonna be.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
The trade for some averages type player. I, you know,
happy to do an emergency podcast if it's anybody above
you know they've signed labor Torus. All right, I am
gonna make a prediction that My prediction is that the
New York Yankees trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks to get
a Anios Suarez and he will be their third baseman.
(23:36):
That's the big move that they're gonna make. Everybody, thank
you so much for listening. I have a happy holiday season.
I think we will probably be back before then, but
if not, I I'm going to enjoy my holiday. So everybody,
thank you for listening. This has been your Bronx Beat podcast.
As well, and welcome to an emergency podcast. The Yankees
have traded for Cody Bellinger and we're going to talk
about it. I'm gonna talk about it with good friend
Dominic Lonza.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Hello, sir, how are you today?
Speaker 1 (00:25):
And Scott Moss Cody hardly do you? Yeah, it's a
Cody for Cody deal. Come on, we we're gonna talk
about the deal. But first we have a programming note,
a couple of programming notes. First off, this is we
are now until the end of the year on an
emergency only podcast schedule, So if Yankees make some moves,
we'll record an episode. If they don't, or if the
(00:46):
moves are kind of small and not worth talking about,
we're gonna wait until the new year. This is just
kind of from my own holiday schedule. So you know,
we'll probably get another episode in I think this week,
but we'll talk about the potential for that soon. The
other kind of related but not directly podcast related, programming
note is Dominic. So, Dominic, would you like to tell
(01:07):
people the good news?
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Sure?
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Sure, I'm not sure exactly when it'll be. It'll be
when the when the fancy strikes me, but I am
going to join ej In writing for the Baseball Is
Life sub stack. So I'll be coming to an inbox
near you somewhat soon or not soon, who knows. I
guess we'll see what the Yankees do. And now the
off season unfolds.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Yeah, so we're gonna be you know, Dominic's gonna come on,
He's gonna write some some blog posts and you know,
I'm I'm I'm excited to have Dominic on and he has.
He has reaffirmed my commitment for this to be a
thoroughly amateur operation, and that that is I will commit
to that for the long term, for Baseball's Life. Don't
turn your hobbies into a job.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
I have faith in your ability, the two of you,
to do that fully amateur operation.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
I I do too.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
You should see the typos my last post. Also really
related programming note for the for the podcast before we
get to the real stuff. This is going to We're
going to be moving feeds in the new year. So
right now you're on a feed from a program called Spreaker.
I'm going to be moving that after the new year
to the to the substack. For most people, that won't
(02:18):
mean anything that your feed will just transfer over automatically,
I will put out a post on the old feed
announcing the move before it happens, so no one's in
danger of just kind of the podcast just kind of disappearing.
So keep an eye on that after the new year.
But let's forget all of that and talk about Cody Bellinger. Dominic,
what was your reaction.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
I gotta say my instant reaction was far more excited
than I thought it would be, because I kind of
I kept taking it for granted that Cody Bellinger was
going to be a Yankee, even of the rumors came
and went and they were linked to Christian Walker. And
you know, the last time I was on here, I
talked about how much I wanted them to get Luis
Robert and I actually predicted he'd be here. But when
(03:00):
it comes down to it, I was excited to see
the Yankees make a move that shows that they are
still very much in win now slash we think we
could win a World Series now mode, because that's that's
what this move does. This is, you know, screw everything else.
He's twenty five million dollars for us this year. He's
anywhere from I don't know, a two to four win
upgrade over what they.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Had in left field last year.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
He allows Judge to play his natural possession, and you know,
the opt out next year is a little wonky, given
that it's all risk for the Yankees, but this is
a move that makes them better, regardless of what you
think of Bellinger, and it shows a commitment to winning
now and I'm a fan of that.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
Scott, what was your reaction similar to doms, I think
he's a good player. Let's just get past the fact
that he's not the MVP candidate in future Hall of Famer.
Speaker 5 (03:50):
He looked like early in his career.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
He's a good player, and the fit just made so
much sense given that his two main positions are a
big need for the Yankees.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
The versatility helps.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
I also think, yes, he's not a superstar, and we
lost Juan Soda, but you know, there are times where
they didn't score a lot of runs last year early
in the year when they had Judge Soto and a
bunch of flotsam. So given that, I feel like I've
learned the value the hard way of just filling the
spots with solid to pretty good players and in the
(04:26):
absence of Soda, with a bunch of holes to fill.
Speaker 5 (04:28):
There's nobody to replace Sodo.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
So if they managed to get a bunch of guys
who were above average hitters and can hold their own
the field or be better like Bellinger.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
I think this will have been a good offseason.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
If this is a step toward doing that, Because my
concern was that, yes, the three of us had the
episode where we named all the people we'd want, but
you know what, you can try to sign a guy
and they decided to go elsewhere, usually to the Dodgers.
So given that that can happen, I'll just be I'm
pretty happy with every one of their many spots they
filled with a pretty good two above average player. This
(05:00):
is another checkbox and he's a fun player.
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Yeah, I agree. Let me add a couple of things. One,
there really weren't a lot of outfielders available. There are
guys who play outfield just poorly available, like Santander, Taskar Hernandez,
lower end guys like Carrison Vader. There were not a
lot of left handed hitters. Pretty much everybody who's available
as a right handed hitter, and so when you have a
team that needs a lefty that has a you know
(05:25):
you have a lefty pull hitter. Who's perfect for Yankee
stadium and can play center field and kind of turn
your outfield into his strength. I just think it's a
no brainer like this is this has been the inevitable
move for a reason, and it sounds like the Cubs
and the Yankees were just kind of dancing around money
for the last week or two and eventually they split
the difference between between them. The Yankees get five million dollars.
(05:47):
He's probably a little bit overpaid. But again, you didn't
have to give up anything, Cody Puttit is not really
important important, and so bye. By executing the deal, you
just you just made the team better, like and it
costs nothing but money. It also is a short term commitment.
So hopefully he's pretty good this year. If he's you know,
even if he's as as as you know in his
(06:08):
down year last year, even if he's that good, I
think he opts out and then you clear a bunch
of money off the payroll, which you can then go
and spend on Kyle Tucker or Vlad Guerrero Junior or whoever.
And if you went to go sign a Taskar Hernandez
or a Christian Walker first base or whatever, then that's
not the case, then you're kind of blocked into those
(06:29):
players for a while. You know, maybe Bellinger signs long
term with the Yankees, Maybe he loves it here. Maybe
this is a one year thing. Unlike the Soto one
year deal. It doesn't cost you anything, so it's not
like you're giving up the future for this. You gave
up Cody Poteit and some of the Stime Brenner's money.
You know, Scott, let me ask you this question. So
this happened, This is probably sealing up your outfield. Does
(06:54):
it reveal any information about what happens next? Yeah? Yeah.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
One follow up point two is that he doesn't cost
a qualifying offer, so you give up Cody Potit, which
I agree with you.
Speaker 5 (07:06):
He is at best a swing man.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
They didn't give him a lot of innings, and they
wouldn't have much to give him. But you know, I'd
rather give up Cody Potit than the two reasonably high
level draft picks they would have had to give up.
So in a sense, he's free in that way, maybe
cost less than the prospect costs. But what it reveals
is what's funny is I remember the three of us
doing the episode on whom we would sign if the
(07:28):
stars aligned and we could just pick names like moving
chess pieces around the board, we all put Chisholm in
center field. So that ain't happening, I don't think, because
the outfield is Judge Bellinger Domingez. I read a news
report that said they told Bellinger centerfield. I don't know
much care if it's him, were Domingez and center the
others and left, but it tells me Jazz is going
to be the infield, and I really think they're putting
(07:50):
him at second base and bringing in a third basement.
So the question is who's on third and addition to
who's on first? Now, if Bellinger is going to be
in center field, so first and third man, I'm really
curious to see.
Speaker 5 (08:03):
And I don't know what they.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
Have left as money to spend because I think they're
at two hundred and seventy million.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Now, so they are a two hundred and ninety two
million right now, which is yeah, so that that's a lot,
at least according to the Fangrass luxury tax payroll. Now
they could trade, they're they're lower if you trade Jazz Chisholm,
if you'd rather, if you trade Marcus Stroman and or
Trent Grisham, but Dominic Scott did. Scott avoided the question.
(08:28):
So I want to ask you the same question, dude,
what do you think the Yankees do next? Like? What
is this? What is Belenger? Have we learned something about
the next move from the Bellinger move?
Speaker 3 (08:38):
My hope is that this means they're pulling a semi
Steve Cohen slash Dodgers group thing and just going for
broke this year because I don't remember if it was
Joe Shean or somebody else, but somebody today and talking
about these moves mentioned that, you know, the best five
(08:59):
teams baseball might all be in the National League right now.
The American League is wide open, so you spend out
of control for this offseason and you may well just
run away with the American League.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
And my American League is weak, right, I mean like
it's it's real bad right now.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
That's my hope, my my thinking, and I'm actually I'm
actually vamping a bit to pull up a text I
sent to my friend when he asked me the same question,
and I said, I think a trade for a first
person is more likely than another signing. I get the
feeling we're getting a new first basement and an open
(09:36):
competition at second base. And I think that's because I
think they're gonna stick to staying under three hundred million,
like Steinbrunners intimated. I wouldn't be surprised if we see
a cheap o first base signing like a Paul Goldschmidt
or one of my favorite players of all time, Justin Turner,
who I still would be interested to see at first base,
just because you walk so much and never strikes out,
(09:56):
or maybe like a trade for uh Naylor or my
friend I'll name Dropp her to see if she's listening, Lucia,
who loves Nathaniel Low who would really fit well in
this lineup. But I think that's the likeliest thing that
we're going to.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
See as and it kind of generalize what you said here.
You're thinking of a short term deals, either a trade
or a short term free agent or not that much
money at first base.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Yeah, it's them going all in for this year, maybe
next year two, and then hey, let's see what happens
when Judge is firmly in his mid thirties, calls a
little bit closer to his late thirties, and Williams is gone,
and you know.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Scott, what do you think about that?
Speaker 5 (10:39):
I think it's quite possible.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
I'll say this much, which is that the payer last
year was a three around three hundred and one, which
is also the third threshold for the luxury tax competitive
balanced tax. But if I read it right, and I
might not because I'm just the labor lawyer for a living,
I can't read their CBA or understand all this nonsense.
It's convoluted. It's like a boring Sudoku puzzle. But my
(11:00):
understanding is that tell me if I'm wrong. You pay
a price in prospects after you cross the second threshold,
which they've blown.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
Long since, so it's only money at this point.
Speaker 4 (11:10):
It's only money, and it's a marginal rate. So it's
not like when you pay three h two if the
professionals three oh one, you pay the extra tax only
on the mount above three oh one. It's not like, oh,
you're on the third threshold, so it's seventy five percent
of the whole payroll and your first boor and.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
You know, three or four trees.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
Get cut down in your yard because that's seventy five percent.
Speaker 5 (11:28):
No, it's just a little extra.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
So I think they're gonna go down put in some
like light Steve Cohen. I don't think they'll go crazy,
but I think they have one more player who costs
real money in them, whether that's fifteen or twenty million
or something. I wouldn't be offended if they leave Jazz
a third and I have a second base competition between
the oswald slash Oswaldos.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
And then there's a platoon there that makes a lot.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
Of sense, right and in a weird way. They're not
gonna do this. This would be like moving chess pieces.
But you know, between the flexibility positionally of Bellinger and Jazz,
you can have a catchally have a competition between ben
Rice and the Oswaldo's Waldos, because if ben Rice wins,
Billinger moves to center, then Jazz moves from you know,
center to second, then I gonna do that. But you know,
I think they got one more big money move in
(12:14):
him fifteen to twenty million plus, whether that's like a
outside shot of the Brigman Ornado or something, and then
maybe a competition. I wouldn't be sad if that's how
they go.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
I mean, I think the next move is moving Stroman
and Grisham's money so Grisham you keep around in case
you don't get an outfielder. He's your kind of break
glass if no Bellinger move. But he's no longer useful.
He's he's a backup outfielder in with a relatively young
outfield and he's kind of bad, and I'm kind of
surprised they tended him a contract in the first place.
And then Stroman's your six starter. He got six starters,
(12:44):
you got to you gotta move one of them. So
there's still a move there. And Stroman's got the most money.
And if you move those two guys, you have thirty
one million dollars under three hundred with a three hundred
million dollar budget. And I agree with you, Scott, I
see no reason why they couldn't go a couple of
million dollars above that budget, especially with given how weak
the al is. So you got a move. You can
(13:04):
do a big move for a player. Now that might
be a Bellinger, I remember, sorry that, it might be a Bregman,
It might be you know, trade for a Anyosuarez. It
could be an Alec bohone. Like, there is money out
there to pay both a first baseman and an infielder,
and a second or third baseman. There's probably not enough
money to pay Christian Walker and another one guy, or
(13:27):
Alex Bregman and another guy. And I agree with you.
I think that they at least have an okay plan,
which is a platoon at second of those guys of
the Oswaltz, I think that there is no plan B
for first base. Like Ben Rice is not an acceptable
starter on opening day, and so you gotta spend some
(13:51):
money somewhere. Maybe that's a one year deal for a guy.
Maybe that's a trade. I think Yandy Diaz is looking
real good right now for the Yankees. He's kind of
right in that budget point. He's a leadoff hitter. I
I I the Rays just trade Jeffrey Spring, so they're
clearly trying to get some payroll off, some money off
the payroll. And if they don't think they're gonna be
good this year, Yanny Diaz is an obvious guy to trade.
(14:14):
But I think that all all of that depends on
moving Stroman's money, and so I think that that that's
the next move. Go for it.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
Here's here's the question I have about for a space.
I don't like I like Bregman, but whatever, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
I forget him.
Speaker 5 (14:27):
I'm skeptical the first base market.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
Yeah, like Christian Walker, but he's so old, they're gonna
get three years of him.
Speaker 5 (14:33):
I'd love to see him trade.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
But do they have anybody anybody's gonna want in exchange
for a medium good for.
Speaker 5 (14:40):
A space option like nail or Low.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
I'm I think anything. I I think, you know, I
think that those guys are not going to command a
massive prospect cout now, like I think Spencer Jones is
a medium prospect in return. But Domic, let me ask you, like,
do you think the Yankees could pull off a trade
for let let's get let's forget the one of your
free agents, someone with some value like Nailer or Low
(15:04):
or Nathaniel Low Yanni Diaz, like one of those guys
who's there's something. They're right, they're a real player that
teams are not gonna want to trade for nothing.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
I mean, I don't see why not.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Whenever we see trades like this, we always learn again
and we always kind of shrug and say, oh, who knows,
like what these prospects are actually worth and how teams
are going to evaluate them? Because still to this day,
every time a trade happens for somebody we might want,
like Garrett Crochet. We look at the trade and we're like, wow,
that's all he costs.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
So we don't know.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
I mean, we're closer to the Yankees prospects than we
are to other teams. But you know, maybe there's a
team out there that looks at George Lombard and says, oh, man,
he should be a top fifty prospect. He's a future
superstar shortstopper. Somebody sees Chase Hampton and they see his
change up and they say, no, no, this guy has
more potential with that bitch.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Everybodys saying the change of not there but this t
week and he has it.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Like, we never know with prospects, especially when you consider
how so many teams, especially a team like the Guardians
has this like specific model of pitcher they always look
at and they always get the most out of them.
You know, they could look at theyanky system and say, hey,
there's three guys who are next Shane Bieber and Tristan
(16:22):
McKenzie when he's healthy.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
You know, it's just it's it's a we just never know.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
So Scott, to answer your question, chat Naylor has one
year of team control left. He's being paid twelve million
million dollars, which for a team like Cleveland, like, it
makes sense that they're considering that trade. I think that
you could see like a Ben Rice for short term,
first basement trade. Ben Rice is a prospect. I think
he's got real ceiling and and real promise and just
not a guy that you want to count on, you know,
(16:50):
for a team that you're hoping to send to the
World Series right away.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Especially if there's a team out there that thinks he
could be a catcher.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Or a part or at least a solid enough part
time catcher or whatever.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Right like, if they think he could play first base
and catch once or twice a week, if he could
be her a backup catcher to somebody like they don't
need him because they just signed Sanchez. But you know,
Adlie Rutchman is going to catch one hundred and thirty
five games a year. If they think Ben Rice can
catch the other twenty seven and that's it, you know,
then hey, he looks a lot more appetizing.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
He he pretty won home runs last year, right like,
between the majors and minors in less than a full season.
So like excuse me. I think that I think he's
a valuable piece, and I think he's exactly like that
kind of mid level prospect. The team that's looking to
contend maybe thinks they're better coaches than the Yankees could
really contend with Scott. What do you think?
Speaker 4 (17:43):
Yeah, I'm realizing that Naylor is not that great but
average two above average overall with one year left of
control and twelve million dollars. Yeah, you can see the
Guardians treating him for you know, maybe two medium prospects
who are not blowing the doors off, like right and
some standard live arm at single a or something who's
(18:04):
a right who throws really hard and needs to learn
how to throw a strike or something. So the other
option that was in the news, and I don't know
if this predates spellings Paul Goldschmidt, which I may be
a little more sangue on than you guys, because I
could see a gold schmid rice platoon. It just decreases
some positional flexibility if you have stand and two platoon
(18:25):
for at baseman.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
But I could see that being a solid offense actually
at first.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
Yeah, I think Goldschmith's like a fine option. Like I
think it's it's like at best, I feel like you're
gonna get an average player there, right, And I'm okay
with that. Yeah, that for me, if if you take
a hit like a Goldsmid at first, that means you
need you need to offset that with a second or
third basement. That's really good, right, like one of like
you can punt one of those positions, been on both.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
See, I think he's gonna be really cheap. Somebody projective
at fifteen or thirteen million, I mean, and aging first
basemen have gotten killed on the market in recent years,
so I would be surprised if he's going begging for
a job and gets nothing. So I wouldn't be surprised
if he's just a couple million bucks, assuming he still
wants to play a month or two.
Speaker 5 (19:09):
From now the catches.
Speaker 4 (19:10):
That means he's gonna ling around the market and see
if someone ponies up ten to fifteen million, and I
think they won't.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Yeah, you know, maybe he's the guy you sign if
you don't get a nailer, Like if you can't pull
a trade off on nailer's Like I didn't realize he
was getting paid twelve million million dollars something. He's a
he's a good player. Like I, I think he's actually
kind of underrated, and the looking at his stats he's
got he's got some some good years recently. I think
he probably bat near the top of your order, probably
(19:37):
behind judge or in front of judge. He's a contact guy.
He's not as bad as a defender as I expected,
at least by stack cast numbers. In fact, Wow, in
twenty twenty three, he was a really good defender by
stack Cast numbers. So yeah, Josh Naylor, I mean, I
I kind of love that idea, but you know, all
the other I are possible. But let's let's let's we've
(20:00):
been talking about bargain guys. Let's say they get Goldschmidt
for a million dollars or whatever and a trade Strowman.
They have some money on the books. I mean, Scott,
do you think that Bregman is still still a possibility?
Speaker 4 (20:14):
Yeah, I think that there's a real possibility of Bregman.
It just means that, you know, playing it out, they
put Bregman at third, Jazz at second, first base, they
just have to get creative. But you know, Bregman could
be enough an unanticipated thing and a big deal that
maybe they rethink Bellinger and center. So if you sign
Bregman and then you've basically filled all your spots except
(20:37):
for first base, you could view it as you need
first base or centerfield or left field wherever you get
a deal, because yeah, first base could be bleak you
look into.
Speaker 5 (20:47):
A nailer or whatever.
Speaker 4 (20:48):
But then maybe the answer is that you know, if
you scour the majors and find a left field or
you like, you move Diming as the center in Bellinger
to first. I know this not the plan, but if
Bregman's available, you could use a who's positional flexibility to say,
I'm just gonna get creative and see whether i can
get a deal like a mid level average player at
(21:08):
first or center or left and then move people around
to match the spot.
Speaker 5 (21:12):
So I think that would be terrific if they did that.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
To tell you the truth, all right, last question, donch
you first, I want a prediction so we will continue
doing just emergency podcasts through the end of the year. Traditionally,
nothing really happens between Christmas and New Year's in baseball,
pretty which everybody takes that off. But we got time
before Christmas, so I want you to predict for me,
are we doing an emergency podcast before Christmas? And if so,
(21:36):
what do you think that podcast will be.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
We are one hundred percent going to have an emergency podcast,
and I don't think it's going to be a Bragman
splash or something like that.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
But I think we'll have a tandem of.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
Moves that frees up space and then gets us a
rock solid first base. But I think first base is
really where they're looking, and I think we'll see Stroman
gone and then we'll see Naylor or Nathaniel Lowe or
Yandi Diaz or if the Rays are really going for it,
I'd be interested in seeing if they could. The Iggies
could probably U Diaz and Brendan. Not sure if it's lower.
(22:15):
Lao always got that mixed up in the same deal
because they're both pretty I think it's low, but don't
hold me to it, but I think I think that's happening.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
I think Stroman's gone, and that.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
That was gonna be my prediction. By the way, so
you stole that from me, But I love that idea.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
But I think that's what we're seeing.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
Otherwise, I really don't see a true big move, big budget,
big star, big former star move coming, not now Scott.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Christmas are after Scott. You can't make the same prediction
as Dominic. What do you think is gonna happen?
Speaker 4 (22:48):
I think it's gonna be something weird because I think
they're not gonna get another guy with the qualifying offer.
I think it's not going to be a twenty five
plus million dollar free agent.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
So we're down.
Speaker 4 (22:58):
Do we talked about Josh Naylor something like that, some
guy at a left field. There are plenty of off
seasons where the Yankees need A and B and then
Cashman gets C and moves people around. So you know,
trading for jas Chisholm when you need a third basement
was creative. So I think it's gonna be.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
The trade for some averages type player. I, you know,
happy to do an emergency podcast if it's anybody above
you know they've signed labor Torus. All right, I am
gonna make a prediction that My prediction is that the
New York Yankees trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks to get
a Anios Suarez and he will be their third baseman.
(23:36):
That's the big move that they're gonna make. Everybody, thank
you so much for listening. I have a happy holiday season.
I think we will probably be back before then, but
if not, I I'm going to enjoy my holiday. So everybody,
thank you for listening. This 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.