August 12, 2025 • 33 mins
Tigers ace Tarik Skubal takes us inside his mind during outings and we ask about his little back-and-forth with an ump in his last start. He also answers how closely he follows Paul Skenes and whether Babe Ruth could get a hit off him.
Plus, Tarik dives into how teams are finding pitch tips and calls out the one part of sign-stealing that shouldn't be happening.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Here comes Trek's School from the Tigers back on FT.
Good to see you, Trek. How's the season going for you, man?
Speaker 2 (00:07):
It's going well, it's going well. Thanks for having me, yeah,
of course.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
So first off, just team wise, I mean, you guys
were off to a blazing start, went through a little
bit of a rough patch around the All Star break,
and now I've picked things back up. Do you like,
you know, do you like looking behind you and saying, okay,
you know, we got to make sure that we get
ourselves to October in a good place where you get
a little heat from a team like Cleveland that's now
(00:32):
playing well. Or would you rather be in total cruise
control mode where you're just prepping for October.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I don't know. I haven't really thought about either of
those things. I think, you know, what our team needs
to do is just focus on ourselves, and you know,
you know, me focus on myself when I'm at my best.
You know, I like our team's odds of winning that day.
But yeah, I haven't even really looked at the standings
too much or kind of what's going around the league.
I've kind of just been focused on what our team's
(01:02):
doing and getting back to playing the baseball. You know,
I think that we all know we're capable of.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Hey, hey, Scoops.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
We It's always fun to watch you in action. Man,
you know you're my guy. But one thing I've never
asked you is when you're on, when you're you know,
when you are you know, have that rhythm, you find
that spot, Like, what does that feel like exactly out there?
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Like what does it feel like for you to be
like locked in?
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Can you explain that to like the fans maybe just
to give them a little insight of being in that moment.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Yeah, I think for me, when I'm at my best,
it's pretty simple. When I'm out there, it's, uh, you know,
you hear the pitch com and the next thing that
goes through your mind is kind of for me, I
I have, you know, sights of where I want to
start pitches, you know, depending on what the pitch com is.
So you hear it, and then I look at where
I want to throw the ball, and then I throw it.
You know, that's It's It's really that simple when I
(01:53):
when I'm rolling and I'm at my best. And I
think a lot of people are at their best when
they keep the game simple. There's a lot of stuff
that can come okay things throughout a game, but when
I'm at my best, it really is just pitch calm. Okay,
I got my sights on this. I'm gonna throw the
hell out of this ball to that spot.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
So let me ask you, on the other hand, when
you very rarely give up a run, because you know,
I see looking on your face sometimes in disbelief, when
you very rarely give up give up a run, how
do you flesh it right for the guys who are
the young guys are dombin out there? Like, how do
you flushing to get right back on track and not
you know, let that moment become too big for you?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Yeah? I think you know. I I immediately go and
check my process, like was I one hundred percent bought
in on throwing this pitch? Or was there any sort
of hesitant you know, maybe I wanted to go somewhere else,
or or I was worried about leaving the ball middle
instead of trying to execute the ball away. So that's
kind of what I do, is I just look back
in my process, like, Okay, was I bought in on
(02:54):
that pitch? Yes? Okay, onto the next one like who cares?
If I wasn't bought into that pitch, then then that's
when you to flip the switch and be like, Okay,
let's get back to what makes me good. And that's
just me buying in on every single throw. So yeah,
that's that's kind of how I judge judge outings. If
I was really bought in on making my ninety two
hundred throws that game, you know, and and if I was,
(03:16):
I don't really care what the results are. If I wasn't,
then there's some work that needs to be done.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
Hey, do you feel like more times than I? I'm sorry,
do you feel like more times than I.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
When you do get beat?
Speaker 4 (03:26):
Do you feel like it was that just not buying
in that day? I mean, I know you're going to
give credit when credit is due. Sometimes you just get beat,
But do you feel like, hey, when when you do
have those outings, it's like, damn, I just I just
it was no conviction or it wasn't my usual conviction.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Yeah, yeah, I think so. I think so. And that's
when you have to look yourself in the mirror and
be really honest with yourself.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
You know.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
It's like it's like hitting if if you want to
get your A swing off, get your A swing off,
don't get beat, you know on your B swing.
Speaker 6 (03:53):
You know?
Speaker 2 (03:53):
So yeah, I think you know. I always want to
be able to buy in it and be convicted with
every single throw. And if if I am that day,
I don't really care what the numbers are. If I'm
not that day, those are the ones that kind of
eat at you, and I'll keep you up at night
and you probably won't sleep as well. At least, I
don't you know when I'm when I want a couple
throws back that I just wasn't bought in on.
Speaker 7 (04:15):
Derek. First of all, I know you check the scoreboard,
so don't lie. It's cool. I checked the scoreboard and
spring training, okay, So like it's cool.
Speaker 6 (04:21):
You're like, I don't pay you pay attention, and you'd
rather have a twenty game lead.
Speaker 7 (04:25):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (04:25):
Every team would like to have a twenty game league
going to September, and you're like, WEE can cruise. Okay,
so don't give me the standard. All right, now, I
don't look at this. You look at the scoreboard, dude,
I know you You're playing the White Sox the next
three games.
Speaker 7 (04:38):
You look at it, and you go, we should win
the next three.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
I get it.
Speaker 6 (04:41):
It's a big league team. But that's the way big
league players operate. Okay, So I appreciate the politically correct answer,
but it's cool, Okay, all right, now we were talking
about this. I don't know if you heard this conversation
before you came on about the Mets and their bullpen
and how their starters don't go five innings. They go
five and usually are out. Their bullpen has to cover
(05:02):
twelve outs a lot of night. As a starting pitcher
and as the ace and the Cy Young Award winner,
how much pride do you starters take it trying to
get to the seventh eight and if you can even
finish a game, how much does that mean to you?
And then how much does it affect the bullpen? If
you Flaherty paddock, all you guys go seven, boom, boom
seven seven eight seven. Your bullpen comes in and goes, man,
(05:23):
we haven't pitched in a while. You're like, yeah, that's
a good thing, because you'll be ready later.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Yeah, no doubt, no doubt. I think as a pitcher
you take a ton of pride and throwing innings and
trying to log as many innings as you can. You know,
the two hundred inning threshold is a little bit different
than it's been in years past, but you know, if
you can eat as many innings as you can, and
you know, for me, I want to get there. You know,
I threw one hundred and ninety two last year in
the regular season, and I want to get to two
(05:47):
hundred innings. And to be able to do that, you
got to be pretty efficient and you know, get three
outs pretty quickly and get deep into games and you know,
pitch ahead, getting count leverage, do all that stuff. But yeah,
I think I starts. You know, the game's kind of
changed a little bit just because relievers are so good now,
But I think as starters you have to take a
ton of pride and going deep into ball games and
(06:09):
making the manager's decision as hard as you as you can.
You know, I don't want the manager to think that, oh, yeah,
this is the obvious decision to go to this guy
in the eighth. It's like, no, I'm still better than
the guy we're going to go to in the eighth today.
So yeah, that's that's something that I take a ton
of pride in and I wish there was more emphasis
on you know, innings pitched in today's game. But I
(06:30):
also get it because the eight guys in the bullpen
out is it's not the same that it was, you know,
ten fifteen years ago.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Terrek, how closely do you follow Paul Skeins and his performance?
When we met him in person last year at the
Awards Center, which obviously you were there too, he talked
about how he really was looking over the offseason at
how you were thriving, how you were going deep into games.
Speaker 8 (06:54):
You know everything about what you were doing.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Last season, of course, right, so curious on the flip
side of that, this year he is going super deep
into starts. You know, they babe him a little bit
like anyone else does heading into the major leagues. He
only spent five minutes in the minors anyway, But you know,
his strikeout numbers are still fine, but they're not as
crazy as they were last year. And it looks like
there is an emphasis on efficiency so that he can
go seven plus as much as possible.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Yeah, I think, I mean, one, he's he's a great pitcher.
I mean the stuff that comes out of his hands
is pretty special. He can do a lot of things
with the baseball. You know, I feel like he's got
like eight pitches and they're all pretty good, you know,
elite shapes and stuff like that. So yeah, I mean
I watch what he does. It seems to me like
he dominates every time out. So it kind of gets
(07:40):
boring to watch. It's like does he ever get hit?
Is he ever going to give up a hit? But yeah,
I think that that's what the really good ones do.
You know, I think as a starting pitcher you kind
of want to be a little bit boring because that
means nothing's going on in the game. That means you're
pitching well. So yeah, I mean, he's he's a great arm.
What he's doing this year is phenomenal. Curious to kind
(08:00):
of see what they do down the strets just to
you know, with his career and you know, they want
the longevity out of them. But yeah, I mean he's
he's a great arm and you know, he's probably the
cy young favorite in the National League this year for
good reason.
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Speaker 4 (09:16):
Hey, Schools, I want to ask you this, man. I
know you're a very prison guy, but I also know
that competitive competitive you are. How much do you allow
yourself to think about legacy and then you talk about
the Tigers?
Speaker 3 (09:25):
What you guys are doing.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
And how much a big postseason start or out and
could mean for that legacy.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Yeah, I haven't, you know, I haven't really thought about
that a ton for me. I mean, a legacy for
me is to bring a championship to whatever you know,
to the city I'm playing, and you know, and that's
that's the most important thing to me in sports is winning.
You know. Individual accomplishments are are great, they're I mean,
(09:52):
it's it's great to get honored in that way, but
you know, winning a championship I think that that's when
you talk about I think that that's the legacy that
you want, is bringing a championship to the city, and
and that's kind of the goal. So however I do that,
I don't. I mean, it doesn't really matter to me.
It doesn't matter if I'm the one with the big
(10:13):
start or if Jackson one or Casey or Paddock or Charlie. Like,
I don't think it matters who has the big start.
For me, just winning a championship is going to be
the most important thing to me. And however I can
help the team do that, I'm going to do it.
Speaker 6 (10:27):
Are you tired of hearing? Nineteen eighty four? Yeah, in Detroit,
you're tired of hearing nineteen eighty four.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
It's a long time ago. It's a long time ago.
And I love when we have any of the eighty
four guys around, you know, I love when they come
back and hang out. But you know, twenty twenty five
sounds a lot better. You know, sounds a lot more recent,
you know.
Speaker 7 (10:46):
To me, Yeah, me too.
Speaker 6 (10:49):
I mean, eighty four team started out like twenty and
two or thirty five and five or something.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
That was probably dominant championship of all time as the
eighty four team. I think they had the like craziest
lead in the post season, was dominant, best record in
the baseball like they never lost that too. So yeah,
that's probably one of the most dominant championships in baseball history.
Speaker 7 (11:10):
It's good to know. You know your history. Now.
Speaker 6 (11:12):
The other day, you're I think it was your last start.
You had a little shouting match with the umpire. You
said some words. Your mom and dad probably aren't proud of.
Speaker 7 (11:18):
You about what I know. As a catcher, we can hide.
Speaker 6 (11:21):
We have a mask on so we can say things
and no one really knows we're yelling at the umpire.
But when you're trek schouble and they look out there
and they see they show everything that you do and
you're yelling these words.
Speaker 7 (11:30):
Do you apologize to the umpire afterwards?
Speaker 6 (11:33):
And have you ever gotten to the point where you're like,
I'm going to get ejected right here?
Speaker 2 (11:38):
It was close that game, It was close. You know,
I don't want to get ejected in the first inning. Obviously,
that's that puts our team in a horrible spot. But
it wasn't the pitch right there that was just showed
the pitch prior was a strike, and he balled it.
And then he balled that one again. And the changeup
that I threw the first pitch of that at bat
was just a little bit down, So there was the
(12:02):
sequence of events is probably what led to that outburst.
It wasn't just like the one pitch, because I understand,
like everyone's human. I get it, like I if I
was an umpire, I miss pitches too. It's the human
part of the game. But in the moment, you know,
it's the first inning. A lot of runs are scored
in the first inning off starting pitching. It's one of
the best hitters of all time in the box. I
(12:26):
don't want to be in a three to zero count
to him. You know, it should have been one two
if the last two pitches were called strikes. So yeah,
I just probably lost it a little bit. Ended up
getting them out so it didn't matter. But I think
every inning matters, every pitch matters, and that's probably what
I was most frustrated with.
Speaker 6 (12:44):
All Right, so are you gonna be excited when you
can do this next year? And it's what you said.
By the way, don't forget who was hitting. Mike Trout
was hitting. They're not gonna call the strike zone. There's
certain players, and I know it's not supposed to do this,
but every once in a while, umpire kind of when
certain guys come up to bat.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Yeah, and listen, that's part of the game. I love
the game of baseball.
Speaker 8 (13:05):
You know.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
I'm not going to say that that's not part of
the game. Or he's earned the right to have a
smaller strike. So because he is Mike Trout, he's accomplished,
you know, he is. He's about to shay just four
hundred homer or whatever it was. I just didn't want
it to come off me because I didn't want to
watch the highlight, you know. So I'm like I want
to be in a three count to Mike Trout, but yeah,
I just probably shouldn't do that because I run the
(13:28):
risk of getting ejected early in the game. You know
that that did never even crossed my mind. But yeah,
I understand. I mean, it's the game of baseball. I
didn't apologize because I didn't think I was wrong in
that in that sense, but.
Speaker 9 (13:43):
Yeah, hey, school, Hey school, did you have a chance
to see the Cora and Suarez thing as far with
the iPad and the tips?
Speaker 4 (13:54):
And I just want to ask you, you know, in
the game of baseball, and you know, I played with
you know, I went over to the Ashtros and seven
and it was a part of that team and and uh,
you know that whole deal.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
I also play with the Yanks.
Speaker 4 (14:06):
I play organizations that they try to figure out a
way to get competitive edges. I don't want to, you know,
get your take on it while you're still in the
game right now. How do you feel about it? As
a pitcher?
Speaker 2 (14:15):
Yeah, I think. I mean, I think if I was
a hitter and I had a tip at a runner
on second base, I'd want to know it. You know,
I'm I'm very much on it. As far as not
tipping my pitches. You know, in my bullpen work, I
have a there's a you know, one of our video
guys watches every single throw I'm making a bullpen watches
every throw I make in the game. And you know,
we're very back and forth on tipping stuff or you know,
(14:38):
making sure I'm not tipping pitches. So I'm very much
it's part of the game. It's part of the baseball game.
You know, if you don't want to do it, don't
tip your pitches, you know. I think that that's pretty simple,
and and that is I think that's a competitive advantage.
You know, you have guys at second base that can
relay signs and you know, get location or get which
pitch is coming. I think that that's I think it's
all fair game. The one I have a problem with
(15:00):
is the first base coach and the third base coach
that aren't in their box that they have. I don't
know why they have a box if they can't just
be in it, because sometimes they go way up the
line and way up the other line to see things
that you shouldn't be able to see when you're playing
the game of baseball. So that's the one I have
a problem with, and there's teams that do it. You know,
(15:20):
Boston's coach, you know, they've they've they've had they've had
me before in Boston, Cleveland has had me before, Sandy
Alamart first base. But I'm very aware of what's going
on and when that kind of stuff starts to happen,
and I think as a team, we're pretty aware of it.
You know, we're watching and making sure nothing's going on.
And you know, teams like to do the fake tip stuff.
You know, Boston said they've liked to do the fake
(15:41):
tip stuff, and we just make sure that there's nothing
going on, you know. But as far as getting the
run signs from second base, and you know, if the
pitcher's doing something drastically different with their glove or you know,
maybe they look down or something or look down twice,
it's always fastball. Like I think that's fair game. I
think that's part of the game of baseball. But like
(16:01):
I said, the one I don't like is when the
first base and third base coaches go way down the
lines and are doing things that you know, if if
they want to do that, stay in the box. I
guess that's my opinion.
Speaker 6 (16:12):
On it all right, So so have you you say
that certain teams have had you. By the way, don't
ever go Hector Norris on Sandy Alomar. I know he's older,
but that dude is like a black belt and like
seven different things. So like, if you're gonna yell at one,
yell at their third base coach, don't yell at Sandy
because Sandy, Dandy, I don't know that you want to
get into that scrap of.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
So actually, I this morning, I say I've talked to
him about it. I go, hey, Sandy, I know what
you did last start. You know it's not gonna happen again.
So yeah, I think, I mean, that's just that's part
of the game of baseball. I think that that's I
think that's fair game and in in what they do.
Speaker 7 (16:48):
Okay, that's fair.
Speaker 6 (16:49):
But now, do you guys is starting pitchers, do you
watch your guys when you're when you guys aren't on
your start day Because we used to have starters, We
used to have coaches that would watch every pitcher. We
had a camera that was locked in on every pitcher
from the home plate like the batter's view. Do you
guys watch Also to help because yes, one person. Because
here's the thing. We used to have coaches like I
played with Alex Sintron, who's the Astros hitting coach, and
(17:12):
he's like, oh, everybody tips.
Speaker 7 (17:13):
And I played with Joey Kora.
Speaker 6 (17:14):
Everybody tips, and literally it would be like, oh, they're here,
and then one pitch they're I'm like, dude, I can't.
Speaker 7 (17:20):
I can't tell the difference in this and this.
Speaker 6 (17:22):
So do you guys watch for that stuff also on
the bench, because I think you're right, it's part of
the game, but it's also part of the game for
you to be able to catch it before the other
team does.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Yeah, I've watched when something doesn't look right, you know,
when guys are spitting on pitches that usually guys swing at,
you know, with our guys on the mound, or or
when I'm on the mound, I'll be watching and being like, Okay,
that's a weird take. You know, Okay, that's that's a
weird take. Again. You know, I don't I don't give
hitters credit in that aspect. I don't think that they
(17:51):
take pitches all that well and they're like, oh, I
saw that really well. Even if if they think they
did I don't think they did. Uh. So you know,
when when some type of weird stuff is going on,
you know, I'll immediately get the iPad or get something
and watch and make sure nothing's going on. I think
our organization is great at that. Not only is our
(18:13):
you know, the video guy, but our pitching coaches are
pretty dialed in on it. And you can pull it up,
you know, side by side on the iPad and you
can hell, you can get two or three iPads if
you want and compare some things and if there's adjustments
that need to be made in game. I think everyone
on our team is pretty comfortable doing that, because the
last thing I want is the guy to know what
pitch is coming. I mean, I it's hard for me
(18:34):
to pick up tips, but if someone were to show
me something, it's just kind of getting rid of the
big ones, you know what I mean, Like the big
the big tips that are very obvious, you know, if
they're really close. I don't think hitters are as comfortable
buying into those tips, but the pretty obvious ones, those
are the ones you try to want to get rid of.
Speaker 7 (18:52):
Great.
Speaker 6 (18:52):
I had to know early. I had to know way early,
because you know, if you do it once you pick
your leg up. It was too late for me, so
it had to be something early.
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Speaker 6 (20:00):
All right, we had a conversation earlier I think it
was last year, and then I don't know if you
got you met Barry Barry Bonds at the at the
BBWAA Awards, but you said you would want to face him. Well,
I want to know how long would it take forget
Barry Bonds because you don't want that smoke?
Speaker 7 (20:15):
I told you that I knew laugh because.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
You know, you're like, oh, Barry, it's a win win
situation for me. I don't care. You know, it's it's
lose lose for him, greatest hitter of all time if
he gets out, Oh, how do you get out if
he gets the homer off me? I'm like, yeah, he's
the greatest hiter of all time. I don't care.
Speaker 7 (20:29):
True, Okay, but let's go a little bit farther back.
Speaker 6 (20:31):
Babe Ruth. A lot of discussion about Babe Ruth. He
swung like a fifty inch bat. How long do you
think it would take Babe Ruth to get a hit
off of you?
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Yeah, that's I mean. I think the game's greats would
always adjust to the era of baseball that we're in now.
I've actually had that conversation with Alan Trammell, like, hey, tram, like,
the game is different than when you played. Obviously, with
the guy's stuff. That's guys that's coming out of arms.
And I was like, what do you think you know?
And in trams such a down to earth guy, you
(21:02):
could easily say, yeah, I'm a Hall of Famer, I'm
gonna you know, I'd rake off anybody, doesn't matter. But
he was like, no, it takes me a little bit
of adjusting to this. But you know, he's like, I'll
hold my own once I get adjusted to it. And
I thought that was really cool coming from a Hall
of famer, Like, you know, a lot of guys that
are of that pedigree have a sense of pride attached
with which is totally acceptable. I get it, they're Hall
(21:23):
of famers. But he actually was like, it takes me
a little bit to get going, and then once I
got it, like it's you know, I'm a Hall of Famer,
I'm gonna be able to do what I do. And
I was like, I love that answer. And that's probably
the same thing with Baby Ruth, Like I don't think
Babe Ruth is going to be able to swing at
fifty inch bat off of me in and at bat
you know, I just don't think it's gonna work. But
(21:46):
once he kind of gets up to date with kind
of modern baseball. I mean, I think he's gonna be
a game's great and it'd be you know, it'd be
a fun at bat for sure.
Speaker 6 (21:56):
All Right, I wanted a bat in spring training next year,
I'm coming to Lakeland. I'm going to get in a
bat off you. You'll probably strike me out. It's a
it's a win win for me. I'm I'll be forty
nine years old and you probably watched me out. But
don't let me get a hit, because, oh, do not
let me get a hit.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
I promise, Yeah, you're not gonna get a pitch to hit.
I don't think what do you mean a pitch to hit.
I'm just not going to throw you a pitch to hit.
I just it's gonna probably be a lot of velocity,
and just play that. You haven't swung a bat in
a while.
Speaker 7 (22:29):
Okay, all right, that's fair. Hey, I was a bad
ball hitter. I'm just telling you I was a bad
ball hitter.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
Hey, he won't.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
Hey, listen, you got to pitch to him, scoops, because
he listen, he won't be as bad as me. I
don't tell everybody that the one time that I you know,
face you backfield, I hit a double loft, the wall,
Toledo on my re my, on my rehab stance.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
So I don't put it out there often. But you're
so humble. Listen.
Speaker 4 (22:53):
I said, this is the one guy, one superstar aj
other than you that I can text until he text
me back immediately. But one thing I would have asked
you that you know again, when you first came into
the into the clubhouse, I'm like, who is this guy?
Speaker 3 (23:05):
Trek Tark? I'm like, and I'm like, oh, he's a
he's a He's a white dude.
Speaker 4 (23:08):
Who hows Like, what's the worst and funniest the pronunciation
you've heard of your name?
Speaker 2 (23:13):
Like, I just want to hear it's the most The
most common is is tariek, which I don't really understand
how they get there, Like Tark makes more sense to me.
Treek has never really made sense to me. But yeah,
that's that's probably the most common is Treek. You know,
And growing up, I don't think that people thought my
(23:34):
name and it'd be who I am? You know what
I mean? So that's just it's all right, I get,
you know, I give I give my parents a tough
time a lot like Hey, why why Trek? You know why?
It's just whatever, But yeah, Treek is probably the most
common one.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
But but you know what, you had the handshake down,
you know what?
Speaker 4 (23:52):
And because I know what you mean a j we
used to play John Baker, white guy used to play
a game in the in the during the game right
to Lays, white guy, black name.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Davis Khalil Green K School. I thought he was going
to be a brother, Like, you know, I love.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
It, Terk.
Speaker 7 (24:12):
What's what's your what's your ethnicity? What what's your background?
Speaker 2 (24:18):
White? I don't know, like like like.
Speaker 7 (24:21):
Your heritage where, like where's your family from?
Speaker 2 (24:24):
Like where I think, you know, I think a little
bit in Europe. But the name is definitely not from
from Europe. The name is from like I don't My
mom told me the story one time. I don't really
know how true it is, but that's probably time for
a different different day. But uh yeah, I don't. I
don't really know the name because I mean, my brothers
(24:46):
are Tyler, Trey, Trent, and Will and I'm Trek, So
I don't really get that, you know.
Speaker 6 (24:53):
But whatever, you didn't say Polish because then we'd have
you on team Poland and miss Lerowski going one two
and nobody E would want that.
Speaker 7 (25:04):
We could win the Olympics with that.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
I'd rather play for.
Speaker 8 (25:11):
Yeah, he's gonna get a USA phone call.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
Sorry, AJ, sorry about it, Terry, good stuff, man, Great
to have you back on Hope you had a good time.
Thanks for joining us. Keep doing your thing. We'll catch
you down the road.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
Okay, yes, sir, Thank you. Guys.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
We're in mid August and the Athletic has a series
out on remaining schedules for contenders. I'm gonna cherry pick
a little bit because I don't care as much about
the teams with decent division leads. But first off, there
are about seven weeks remaining in the season, and you've
got Phillys Mets still coming up soon. Red Sox, Yankees,
(25:47):
Dodgers Padres twice this month. A Jay's calling one of
those games, but back to back weekends of Dodgers Padres Cubs,
Brewers are going to play five games in four days soon,
so we've got some good ones. I'm gonna hop around
to you guys a little bit. I want to go
to the Mariners, so as we're doing this, they're a
half game back of the Astros. They're in a wild
(26:09):
card spot. Cam they're in the second wild card, they're
playoff odds. I think this they're using fangrafts ninety four
point eight percent.
Speaker 8 (26:16):
That is exceptional.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
Strength of schedule remaining is just about fifty percent, So
just about five hundred ball clubs remaining five HT two,
they're sixty six and fifty three coming up for them
a series against the Orioles on the road. Then they're
on the road taking on the Mets and the Phillies.
Then they go back home for the A's and the Padres,
(26:39):
and then take on the Guardians on the road to
finish up the month. So what do we think of
this next month for the Mariners coming up? They have
one series left against an AL West contender and that's
the Astros in mid in mid September. Otherwise, you know,
you get a lot of a lot of East Coast
coming up here for them.
Speaker 4 (26:57):
Yeah, a lot of a lot of high stakes games
coming up for that. When you're coming up in the Mariners,
when you look at the schedule, and they're gonna be
battle tested.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
But I think the biggest thing.
Speaker 4 (27:06):
For them is they are you know equipped when you
talk about that starting rotation where you talk about the
bullpen and I love the where their offensive is playing
right now, They're gonna have to go in and earn it.
When you look at the Phillies and look at some
of those those teams and like you said, nobody no slouches, right,
every series is gonna be competitive. So this is gonna
be big, especially when you talk about the Texas Rangers
(27:27):
kind of nipping at the heels of the Mariners and
the Astros as well. So each and every playoff now
say playoff series, Each and every series will be like
a playoff series when you talk about the Astros and
the teams that they are also facing, who are you know,
have a hopes of making it into the playoffs and
you're gonna be fun.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
Yeah, a jan I'll give you the Astros side of this, right,
If we think the Mariners are going to take down
the Astros in the l West, and they're pretty much
neck and neck right now, they have the Astros at
ninety one percent playoff odds strength of schedule for them
over the next month is is a little easier right
at four to ninety six strength of schedule coming up,
so they have them home against the Red Sox and
(28:07):
the Orioles. Then they're on the road against the Tigers,
back on the road, still against the Orioles, and then
they finish up the month with the Rockies and the
Angels at home.
Speaker 7 (28:17):
I mean this sounds like a chance to win some games. Yeah,
I mean, the Red Sox gonna be tough. They get Crochet.
Speaker 6 (28:24):
I know that. I understand that the oreol they should
be able to win that series. You would think the
Tigers is gonna be tough, and it all depends on
who they match up with.
Speaker 7 (28:32):
Then they get the Orioles for four.
Speaker 6 (28:35):
I'm at one of those games, by the way, so
and then they get the Rockies at home and the
Angels for four at home. Listen, they this lines up
for them to at least try to keep up. And listen,
the Mirrors aren't gonna be nine to one every ten
games from now on, So the Mirror's going You know,
you can say whatever you want about the Mirrors, but
going east is a problem for a lot of West
Coast teams. The going east thing hurts a lot of
(28:55):
the West Coast teams. So do I think the Mirrors
can do it?
Speaker 7 (28:57):
Yeah? But do I think this linees up nice for
the Astros. Absolutely, yes.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
The one thing for Houston is they don't have any
off days, so they'll have one this Thursday, then they
play ten in a row, then they stretch after that
of thirteen in a row. But they are getting starting
pitching back right Christian Haab are coming back, like there
are some guys that were down that are coming back
that should be able to eat some innings for them,
so that should help. But that's the rest of August
schedule for the Astros. Should we look at the who
(29:25):
do you guys want the Yankees, the Red Sox or
the Guardians next for this month? Which one do you
want to look at?
Speaker 4 (29:32):
I mean the Yankees are the look at let's go
look at look at the Boston Red Sox because again
I know again they started off that series in San Diego.
That first game was fun to watch. The Padres give
them a lot of credit for bouncing back, but I
like the way Boston is playing right now. As we
talked about all these moves that they did not make
the clubhouses saying something different, those dudes are having fun
right now. I'm watching I'm watching these guys play pretty
(29:54):
much every night and there's a buzz. There's a confidence
about them. I think a lot of that has to
do with Trevor's story looking back to his you know,
somewhat his old self, Alex Bregman as well Duran. Again,
these guys are just fun, explosive and explosive, and they
can tilt the field.
Speaker 3 (30:09):
What do we have on Boston?
Speaker 2 (30:11):
All right?
Speaker 1 (30:11):
So they have a seventy four point three percent playoff
odds five oh one strength of schedule over the next
month here Astros on the road is the series coming
up here which starts tonight. Marlins at home. They're also
at home for the Oriols. And I'm keep in mind
with the Marlins, they're pesky, but they had a rough
five games just now against the Braids. Let's not act
like the Marlins are the hottest thing. I mean, they
(30:33):
had a really nice run. You can run into some
tough starters against them. But anyway, after the Orioles, then
they're on the road for that big series late August
against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. They staywn the road
for Baltimore again for four Baltimore is just an everyone's
right right now, and then they go back home at
the end of the month to take on the Pirates.
Speaker 8 (30:51):
How does that sound, camp?
Speaker 4 (30:54):
I mean for them, they should be excited about winning
some baseball games. Again, it's there to lose when you
look at that, and again you said it, you don't
play get any of these games on paper. If anything,
I think you look at what the Yankees did and
when they went into Miami. You know, let's not have that,
you know, lackadaisical mindset, right, take everything serious. But this
(31:15):
is this road is set up for success with them,
so it's up to them to take advantage of it.
Speaker 8 (31:22):
Yeah, I'll give you the Rangers as well.
Speaker 6 (31:24):
Hold up, hold up, listen, yeah, Picky, the Twins, the
White Sox, the Nationals, the Rays, James. I mean, I
know the Cardinals, I freeze. I know the Cardinals are
in it, right, but the Twins aren't in it, the
Rays aren't in it, the Nationals aren't in it, and
the White Sox aren't in it.
Speaker 7 (31:44):
So that's four.
Speaker 6 (31:45):
Guess they play the Red Sox Okay, Cardinals Okay, But
like this is set up for the Yankees to get
hot right here.
Speaker 4 (31:51):
Boom.
Speaker 6 (31:52):
I mean, this should be their their their road where
they pick up some games if they're gonna do this.
Speaker 7 (31:57):
This is the road to hoe for.
Speaker 4 (31:58):
Me, beside of mindset, right like, this is the time
that you saw I guess a quote from Pray beside
it like it's time to get pissed off, right Like,
I do believe there's a sense of an AJ.
Speaker 3 (32:08):
Maybe you can touch on this.
Speaker 4 (32:10):
I think sometimes of baseball we talk about like the
mittal and the mechanical, but there's a such thing as
in competing when you just can will yourself to just
when not losing, Like as the group come together collectively
say you know what, screw this. This is when we
really go ahead and really show how gil we are
and not lose against these teams that we're supposed to
take advantage of, right like, will yourself to victory down
(32:32):
this stretch.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
I like it. I like that what AJ said.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
Yeah, last one for me, I'll go over the Rangers,
who are also obviously in a wildcard race. Here, they've
got the Diamondbacks at home, Blue Jays on the road
for three, four, on the road against Kansas City, then
they're back home for the Guardians and Angels, and on
the road against the A's.
Speaker 7 (32:55):
Doesn't matter, so they score runs. I don't care what
their schedules.
Speaker 6 (32:58):
If they don't score runs, I mean de gram dealt
on Saturday. The game I did didn't score Nathan Valdi
has a one three eight e r A. They don't
score runs, it don't matter. If they don't score runs,
it doesn't matter.
Speaker 7 (33:10):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 6 (33:10):
So yeah, unless and until they figure out a way
to score more runs. I don't care who they play.
They could play Cams San Diego's Padres Scalp team. Right.
Speaker 7 (33:18):
They're scoring one two runs a game. Padres.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Two years, we might we might have.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
It's a two year problem. Two year problem for the
Rangers is the offense, and that continues.
Speaker 8 (33:29):
I'm with you. Yeah, it was a tough watch this weekend.
Here comes Trek's School from the Tigers back on FT.
Good to see you, Trek. How's the season going for you, man?
Speaker 2 (00:07):
It's going well, it's going well. Thanks for having me, yeah,
of course.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
So first off, just team wise, I mean, you guys
were off to a blazing start, went through a little
bit of a rough patch around the All Star break,
and now I've picked things back up. Do you like,
you know, do you like looking behind you and saying, okay,
you know, we got to make sure that we get
ourselves to October in a good place where you get
a little heat from a team like Cleveland that's now
(00:32):
playing well. Or would you rather be in total cruise
control mode where you're just prepping for October.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I don't know. I haven't really thought about either of
those things. I think, you know, what our team needs
to do is just focus on ourselves, and you know,
you know, me focus on myself when I'm at my best.
You know, I like our team's odds of winning that day.
But yeah, I haven't even really looked at the standings
too much or kind of what's going around the league.
I've kind of just been focused on what our team's
(01:02):
doing and getting back to playing the baseball. You know,
I think that we all know we're capable of.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Hey, hey, Scoops.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
We It's always fun to watch you in action. Man,
you know you're my guy. But one thing I've never
asked you is when you're on, when you're you know,
when you are you know, have that rhythm, you find
that spot, Like, what does that feel like exactly out there?
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Like what does it feel like for you to be
like locked in?
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Can you explain that to like the fans maybe just
to give them a little insight of being in that moment.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Yeah, I think for me, when I'm at my best,
it's pretty simple. When I'm out there, it's, uh, you know,
you hear the pitch com and the next thing that
goes through your mind is kind of for me, I
I have, you know, sights of where I want to
start pitches, you know, depending on what the pitch com is.
So you hear it, and then I look at where
I want to throw the ball, and then I throw it.
You know, that's It's It's really that simple when I
(01:53):
when I'm rolling and I'm at my best. And I
think a lot of people are at their best when
they keep the game simple. There's a lot of stuff
that can come okay things throughout a game, but when
I'm at my best, it really is just pitch calm. Okay,
I got my sights on this. I'm gonna throw the
hell out of this ball to that spot.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
So let me ask you, on the other hand, when
you very rarely give up a run, because you know,
I see looking on your face sometimes in disbelief, when
you very rarely give up give up a run, how
do you flesh it right for the guys who are
the young guys are dombin out there? Like, how do
you flushing to get right back on track and not
you know, let that moment become too big for you?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Yeah? I think you know. I I immediately go and
check my process, like was I one hundred percent bought
in on throwing this pitch? Or was there any sort
of hesitant you know, maybe I wanted to go somewhere else,
or or I was worried about leaving the ball middle
instead of trying to execute the ball away. So that's
kind of what I do, is I just look back
in my process, like, Okay, was I bought in on
(02:54):
that pitch? Yes? Okay, onto the next one like who cares?
If I wasn't bought into that pitch, then then that's
when you to flip the switch and be like, Okay,
let's get back to what makes me good. And that's
just me buying in on every single throw. So yeah,
that's that's kind of how I judge judge outings. If
I was really bought in on making my ninety two
hundred throws that game, you know, and and if I was,
(03:16):
I don't really care what the results are. If I wasn't,
then there's some work that needs to be done.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
Hey, do you feel like more times than I? I'm sorry,
do you feel like more times than I.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
When you do get beat?
Speaker 4 (03:26):
Do you feel like it was that just not buying
in that day? I mean, I know you're going to
give credit when credit is due. Sometimes you just get beat,
But do you feel like, hey, when when you do
have those outings, it's like, damn, I just I just
it was no conviction or it wasn't my usual conviction.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Yeah, yeah, I think so. I think so. And that's
when you have to look yourself in the mirror and
be really honest with yourself.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
You know.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
It's like it's like hitting if if you want to
get your A swing off, get your A swing off,
don't get beat, you know on your B swing.
Speaker 6 (03:53):
You know?
Speaker 2 (03:53):
So yeah, I think you know. I always want to
be able to buy in it and be convicted with
every single throw. And if if I am that day,
I don't really care what the numbers are. If I'm
not that day, those are the ones that kind of
eat at you, and I'll keep you up at night
and you probably won't sleep as well. At least, I
don't you know when I'm when I want a couple
throws back that I just wasn't bought in on.
Speaker 7 (04:15):
Derek. First of all, I know you check the scoreboard,
so don't lie. It's cool. I checked the scoreboard and
spring training, okay, So like it's cool.
Speaker 6 (04:21):
You're like, I don't pay you pay attention, and you'd
rather have a twenty game lead.
Speaker 7 (04:25):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (04:25):
Every team would like to have a twenty game league
going to September, and you're like, WEE can cruise. Okay,
so don't give me the standard. All right, now, I
don't look at this. You look at the scoreboard, dude,
I know you You're playing the White Sox the next
three games.
Speaker 7 (04:38):
You look at it, and you go, we should win
the next three.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
I get it.
Speaker 6 (04:41):
It's a big league team. But that's the way big
league players operate. Okay, So I appreciate the politically correct answer,
but it's cool, Okay, all right, now we were talking
about this. I don't know if you heard this conversation
before you came on about the Mets and their bullpen
and how their starters don't go five innings. They go
five and usually are out. Their bullpen has to cover
(05:02):
twelve outs a lot of night. As a starting pitcher
and as the ace and the Cy Young Award winner,
how much pride do you starters take it trying to
get to the seventh eight and if you can even
finish a game, how much does that mean to you?
And then how much does it affect the bullpen? If
you Flaherty paddock, all you guys go seven, boom, boom
seven seven eight seven. Your bullpen comes in and goes, man,
(05:23):
we haven't pitched in a while. You're like, yeah, that's
a good thing, because you'll be ready later.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Yeah, no doubt, no doubt. I think as a pitcher
you take a ton of pride and throwing innings and
trying to log as many innings as you can. You know,
the two hundred inning threshold is a little bit different
than it's been in years past, but you know, if
you can eat as many innings as you can, and
you know, for me, I want to get there. You know,
I threw one hundred and ninety two last year in
the regular season, and I want to get to two
(05:47):
hundred innings. And to be able to do that, you
got to be pretty efficient and you know, get three
outs pretty quickly and get deep into games and you know,
pitch ahead, getting count leverage, do all that stuff. But yeah,
I think I starts. You know, the game's kind of
changed a little bit just because relievers are so good now,
But I think as starters you have to take a
ton of pride and going deep into ball games and
(06:09):
making the manager's decision as hard as you as you can.
You know, I don't want the manager to think that, oh, yeah,
this is the obvious decision to go to this guy
in the eighth. It's like, no, I'm still better than
the guy we're going to go to in the eighth today.
So yeah, that's that's something that I take a ton
of pride in and I wish there was more emphasis
on you know, innings pitched in today's game. But I
(06:30):
also get it because the eight guys in the bullpen
out is it's not the same that it was, you know,
ten fifteen years ago.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Terrek, how closely do you follow Paul Skeins and his performance?
When we met him in person last year at the
Awards Center, which obviously you were there too, he talked
about how he really was looking over the offseason at
how you were thriving, how you were going deep into games.
Speaker 8 (06:54):
You know everything about what you were doing.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Last season, of course, right, so curious on the flip
side of that, this year he is going super deep
into starts. You know, they babe him a little bit
like anyone else does heading into the major leagues. He
only spent five minutes in the minors anyway, But you know,
his strikeout numbers are still fine, but they're not as
crazy as they were last year. And it looks like
there is an emphasis on efficiency so that he can
go seven plus as much as possible.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Yeah, I think, I mean, one, he's he's a great pitcher.
I mean the stuff that comes out of his hands
is pretty special. He can do a lot of things
with the baseball. You know, I feel like he's got
like eight pitches and they're all pretty good, you know,
elite shapes and stuff like that. So yeah, I mean
I watch what he does. It seems to me like
he dominates every time out. So it kind of gets
(07:40):
boring to watch. It's like does he ever get hit?
Is he ever going to give up a hit? But yeah,
I think that that's what the really good ones do.
You know, I think as a starting pitcher you kind
of want to be a little bit boring because that
means nothing's going on in the game. That means you're
pitching well. So yeah, I mean, he's he's a great arm.
What he's doing this year is phenomenal. Curious to kind
(08:00):
of see what they do down the strets just to
you know, with his career and you know, they want
the longevity out of them. But yeah, I mean he's
he's a great arm and you know, he's probably the
cy young favorite in the National League this year for
good reason.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
We have a little breaking news on HelloFresh. We've talked
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Speaker 5 (08:37):
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Speaker 2 (08:52):
Scott.
Speaker 8 (08:53):
That's right, Todd Father. The best way to cook just
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Speaker 4 (09:16):
Hey, Schools, I want to ask you this, man. I
know you're a very prison guy, but I also know
that competitive competitive you are. How much do you allow
yourself to think about legacy and then you talk about
the Tigers?
Speaker 3 (09:25):
What you guys are doing.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
And how much a big postseason start or out and
could mean for that legacy.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Yeah, I haven't, you know, I haven't really thought about
that a ton for me. I mean, a legacy for
me is to bring a championship to whatever you know,
to the city I'm playing, and you know, and that's
that's the most important thing to me in sports is winning.
You know. Individual accomplishments are are great, they're I mean,
(09:52):
it's it's great to get honored in that way, but
you know, winning a championship I think that that's when
you talk about I think that that's the legacy that
you want, is bringing a championship to the city, and
and that's kind of the goal. So however I do that,
I don't. I mean, it doesn't really matter to me.
It doesn't matter if I'm the one with the big
(10:13):
start or if Jackson one or Casey or Paddock or Charlie. Like,
I don't think it matters who has the big start.
For me, just winning a championship is going to be
the most important thing to me. And however I can
help the team do that, I'm going to do it.
Speaker 6 (10:27):
Are you tired of hearing? Nineteen eighty four? Yeah, in Detroit,
you're tired of hearing nineteen eighty four.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
It's a long time ago. It's a long time ago.
And I love when we have any of the eighty
four guys around, you know, I love when they come
back and hang out. But you know, twenty twenty five
sounds a lot better. You know, sounds a lot more recent,
you know.
Speaker 7 (10:46):
To me, Yeah, me too.
Speaker 6 (10:49):
I mean, eighty four team started out like twenty and
two or thirty five and five or something.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
That was probably dominant championship of all time as the
eighty four team. I think they had the like craziest
lead in the post season, was dominant, best record in
the baseball like they never lost that too. So yeah,
that's probably one of the most dominant championships in baseball history.
Speaker 7 (11:10):
It's good to know. You know your history. Now.
Speaker 6 (11:12):
The other day, you're I think it was your last start.
You had a little shouting match with the umpire. You
said some words. Your mom and dad probably aren't proud of.
Speaker 7 (11:18):
You about what I know. As a catcher, we can hide.
Speaker 6 (11:21):
We have a mask on so we can say things
and no one really knows we're yelling at the umpire.
But when you're trek schouble and they look out there
and they see they show everything that you do and
you're yelling these words.
Speaker 7 (11:30):
Do you apologize to the umpire afterwards?
Speaker 6 (11:33):
And have you ever gotten to the point where you're like,
I'm going to get ejected right here?
Speaker 2 (11:38):
It was close that game, It was close. You know,
I don't want to get ejected in the first inning. Obviously,
that's that puts our team in a horrible spot. But
it wasn't the pitch right there that was just showed
the pitch prior was a strike, and he balled it.
And then he balled that one again. And the changeup
that I threw the first pitch of that at bat
was just a little bit down, So there was the
(12:02):
sequence of events is probably what led to that outburst.
It wasn't just like the one pitch, because I understand,
like everyone's human. I get it, like I if I
was an umpire, I miss pitches too. It's the human
part of the game. But in the moment, you know,
it's the first inning. A lot of runs are scored
in the first inning off starting pitching. It's one of
the best hitters of all time in the box. I
(12:26):
don't want to be in a three to zero count
to him. You know, it should have been one two
if the last two pitches were called strikes. So yeah,
I just probably lost it a little bit. Ended up
getting them out so it didn't matter. But I think
every inning matters, every pitch matters, and that's probably what
I was most frustrated with.
Speaker 6 (12:44):
All Right, so are you gonna be excited when you
can do this next year? And it's what you said.
By the way, don't forget who was hitting. Mike Trout
was hitting. They're not gonna call the strike zone. There's
certain players, and I know it's not supposed to do this,
but every once in a while, umpire kind of when
certain guys come up to bat.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Yeah, and listen, that's part of the game. I love
the game of baseball.
Speaker 8 (13:05):
You know.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
I'm not going to say that that's not part of
the game. Or he's earned the right to have a
smaller strike. So because he is Mike Trout, he's accomplished,
you know, he is. He's about to shay just four
hundred homer or whatever it was. I just didn't want
it to come off me because I didn't want to
watch the highlight, you know. So I'm like I want
to be in a three count to Mike Trout, but yeah,
I just probably shouldn't do that because I run the
(13:28):
risk of getting ejected early in the game. You know
that that did never even crossed my mind. But yeah,
I understand. I mean, it's the game of baseball. I
didn't apologize because I didn't think I was wrong in
that in that sense, but.
Speaker 9 (13:43):
Yeah, hey, school, Hey school, did you have a chance
to see the Cora and Suarez thing as far with
the iPad and the tips?
Speaker 4 (13:54):
And I just want to ask you, you know, in
the game of baseball, and you know, I played with
you know, I went over to the Ashtros and seven
and it was a part of that team and and uh,
you know that whole deal.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
I also play with the Yanks.
Speaker 4 (14:06):
I play organizations that they try to figure out a
way to get competitive edges. I don't want to, you know,
get your take on it while you're still in the
game right now. How do you feel about it? As
a pitcher?
Speaker 2 (14:15):
Yeah, I think. I mean, I think if I was
a hitter and I had a tip at a runner
on second base, I'd want to know it. You know,
I'm I'm very much on it. As far as not
tipping my pitches. You know, in my bullpen work, I
have a there's a you know, one of our video
guys watches every single throw I'm making a bullpen watches
every throw I make in the game. And you know,
we're very back and forth on tipping stuff or you know,
(14:38):
making sure I'm not tipping pitches. So I'm very much
it's part of the game. It's part of the baseball game.
You know, if you don't want to do it, don't
tip your pitches, you know. I think that that's pretty simple,
and and that is I think that's a competitive advantage.
You know, you have guys at second base that can
relay signs and you know, get location or get which
pitch is coming. I think that that's I think it's
all fair game. The one I have a problem with
(15:00):
is the first base coach and the third base coach
that aren't in their box that they have. I don't
know why they have a box if they can't just
be in it, because sometimes they go way up the
line and way up the other line to see things
that you shouldn't be able to see when you're playing
the game of baseball. So that's the one I have
a problem with, and there's teams that do it. You know,
(15:20):
Boston's coach, you know, they've they've they've had they've had
me before in Boston, Cleveland has had me before, Sandy
Alamart first base. But I'm very aware of what's going
on and when that kind of stuff starts to happen,
and I think as a team, we're pretty aware of it.
You know, we're watching and making sure nothing's going on.
And you know, teams like to do the fake tip stuff.
You know, Boston said they've liked to do the fake
(15:41):
tip stuff, and we just make sure that there's nothing
going on, you know. But as far as getting the
run signs from second base, and you know, if the
pitcher's doing something drastically different with their glove or you know,
maybe they look down or something or look down twice,
it's always fastball. Like I think that's fair game. I
think that's part of the game of baseball. But like
(16:01):
I said, the one I don't like is when the
first base and third base coaches go way down the
lines and are doing things that you know, if if
they want to do that, stay in the box. I
guess that's my opinion.
Speaker 6 (16:12):
On it all right, So so have you you say
that certain teams have had you. By the way, don't
ever go Hector Norris on Sandy Alomar. I know he's older,
but that dude is like a black belt and like
seven different things. So like, if you're gonna yell at one,
yell at their third base coach, don't yell at Sandy
because Sandy, Dandy, I don't know that you want to
get into that scrap of.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
So actually, I this morning, I say I've talked to
him about it. I go, hey, Sandy, I know what
you did last start. You know it's not gonna happen again.
So yeah, I think, I mean, that's just that's part
of the game of baseball. I think that that's I
think that's fair game and in in what they do.
Speaker 7 (16:48):
Okay, that's fair.
Speaker 6 (16:49):
But now, do you guys is starting pitchers, do you
watch your guys when you're when you guys aren't on
your start day Because we used to have starters, We
used to have coaches that would watch every pitcher. We
had a camera that was locked in on every pitcher
from the home plate like the batter's view. Do you
guys watch Also to help because yes, one person. Because
here's the thing. We used to have coaches like I
played with Alex Sintron, who's the Astros hitting coach, and
(17:12):
he's like, oh, everybody tips.
Speaker 7 (17:13):
And I played with Joey Kora.
Speaker 6 (17:14):
Everybody tips, and literally it would be like, oh, they're here,
and then one pitch they're I'm like, dude, I can't.
Speaker 7 (17:20):
I can't tell the difference in this and this.
Speaker 6 (17:22):
So do you guys watch for that stuff also on
the bench, because I think you're right, it's part of
the game, but it's also part of the game for
you to be able to catch it before the other
team does.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Yeah, I've watched when something doesn't look right, you know,
when guys are spitting on pitches that usually guys swing at,
you know, with our guys on the mound, or or
when I'm on the mound, I'll be watching and being like, Okay,
that's a weird take. You know, Okay, that's that's a
weird take. Again. You know, I don't I don't give
hitters credit in that aspect. I don't think that they
(17:51):
take pitches all that well and they're like, oh, I
saw that really well. Even if if they think they
did I don't think they did. Uh. So you know,
when when some type of weird stuff is going on,
you know, I'll immediately get the iPad or get something
and watch and make sure nothing's going on. I think
our organization is great at that. Not only is our
(18:13):
you know, the video guy, but our pitching coaches are
pretty dialed in on it. And you can pull it up,
you know, side by side on the iPad and you
can hell, you can get two or three iPads if
you want and compare some things and if there's adjustments
that need to be made in game. I think everyone
on our team is pretty comfortable doing that, because the
last thing I want is the guy to know what
pitch is coming. I mean, I it's hard for me
(18:34):
to pick up tips, but if someone were to show
me something, it's just kind of getting rid of the
big ones, you know what I mean, Like the big
the big tips that are very obvious, you know, if
they're really close. I don't think hitters are as comfortable
buying into those tips, but the pretty obvious ones, those
are the ones you try to want to get rid of.
Speaker 7 (18:52):
Great.
Speaker 6 (18:52):
I had to know early. I had to know way early,
because you know, if you do it once you pick
your leg up. It was too late for me, so
it had to be something early.
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Speaker 6 (20:00):
All right, we had a conversation earlier I think it
was last year, and then I don't know if you
got you met Barry Barry Bonds at the at the
BBWAA Awards, but you said you would want to face him. Well,
I want to know how long would it take forget
Barry Bonds because you don't want that smoke?
Speaker 7 (20:15):
I told you that I knew laugh because.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
You know, you're like, oh, Barry, it's a win win
situation for me. I don't care. You know, it's it's
lose lose for him, greatest hitter of all time if
he gets out, Oh, how do you get out if
he gets the homer off me? I'm like, yeah, he's
the greatest hiter of all time. I don't care.
Speaker 7 (20:29):
True, Okay, but let's go a little bit farther back.
Speaker 6 (20:31):
Babe Ruth. A lot of discussion about Babe Ruth. He
swung like a fifty inch bat. How long do you
think it would take Babe Ruth to get a hit
off of you?
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Yeah, that's I mean. I think the game's greats would
always adjust to the era of baseball that we're in now.
I've actually had that conversation with Alan Trammell, like, hey, tram, like,
the game is different than when you played. Obviously, with
the guy's stuff. That's guys that's coming out of arms.
And I was like, what do you think you know?
And in trams such a down to earth guy, you
(21:02):
could easily say, yeah, I'm a Hall of Famer, I'm
gonna you know, I'd rake off anybody, doesn't matter. But
he was like, no, it takes me a little bit
of adjusting to this. But you know, he's like, I'll
hold my own once I get adjusted to it. And
I thought that was really cool coming from a Hall
of famer, Like, you know, a lot of guys that
are of that pedigree have a sense of pride attached
with which is totally acceptable. I get it, they're Hall
(21:23):
of famers. But he actually was like, it takes me
a little bit to get going, and then once I
got it, like it's you know, I'm a Hall of Famer,
I'm gonna be able to do what I do. And
I was like, I love that answer. And that's probably
the same thing with Baby Ruth, Like I don't think
Babe Ruth is going to be able to swing at
fifty inch bat off of me in and at bat
you know, I just don't think it's gonna work. But
(21:46):
once he kind of gets up to date with kind
of modern baseball. I mean, I think he's gonna be
a game's great and it'd be you know, it'd be
a fun at bat for sure.
Speaker 6 (21:56):
All Right, I wanted a bat in spring training next year,
I'm coming to Lakeland. I'm going to get in a
bat off you. You'll probably strike me out. It's a
it's a win win for me. I'm I'll be forty
nine years old and you probably watched me out. But
don't let me get a hit, because, oh, do not
let me get a hit.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
I promise, Yeah, you're not gonna get a pitch to hit.
I don't think what do you mean a pitch to hit.
I'm just not going to throw you a pitch to hit.
I just it's gonna probably be a lot of velocity,
and just play that. You haven't swung a bat in
a while.
Speaker 7 (22:29):
Okay, all right, that's fair. Hey, I was a bad
ball hitter. I'm just telling you I was a bad
ball hitter.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
Hey, he won't.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
Hey, listen, you got to pitch to him, scoops, because
he listen, he won't be as bad as me. I
don't tell everybody that the one time that I you know,
face you backfield, I hit a double loft, the wall,
Toledo on my re my, on my rehab stance.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
So I don't put it out there often. But you're
so humble. Listen.
Speaker 4 (22:53):
I said, this is the one guy, one superstar aj
other than you that I can text until he text
me back immediately. But one thing I would have asked
you that you know again, when you first came into
the into the clubhouse, I'm like, who is this guy?
Speaker 3 (23:05):
Trek Tark? I'm like, and I'm like, oh, he's a
he's a He's a white dude.
Speaker 4 (23:08):
Who hows Like, what's the worst and funniest the pronunciation
you've heard of your name?
Speaker 2 (23:13):
Like, I just want to hear it's the most The
most common is is tariek, which I don't really understand
how they get there, Like Tark makes more sense to me.
Treek has never really made sense to me. But yeah,
that's that's probably the most common is Treek. You know,
And growing up, I don't think that people thought my
(23:34):
name and it'd be who I am? You know what
I mean? So that's just it's all right, I get,
you know, I give I give my parents a tough
time a lot like Hey, why why Trek? You know why?
It's just whatever, But yeah, Treek is probably the most
common one.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
But but you know what, you had the handshake down,
you know what?
Speaker 4 (23:52):
And because I know what you mean a j we
used to play John Baker, white guy used to play
a game in the in the during the game right
to Lays, white guy, black name.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Davis Khalil Green K School. I thought he was going
to be a brother, Like, you know, I love.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
It, Terk.
Speaker 7 (24:12):
What's what's your what's your ethnicity? What what's your background?
Speaker 2 (24:18):
White? I don't know, like like like.
Speaker 7 (24:21):
Your heritage where, like where's your family from?
Speaker 2 (24:24):
Like where I think, you know, I think a little
bit in Europe. But the name is definitely not from
from Europe. The name is from like I don't My
mom told me the story one time. I don't really
know how true it is, but that's probably time for
a different different day. But uh yeah, I don't. I
don't really know the name because I mean, my brothers
(24:46):
are Tyler, Trey, Trent, and Will and I'm Trek, So
I don't really get that, you know.
Speaker 6 (24:53):
But whatever, you didn't say Polish because then we'd have
you on team Poland and miss Lerowski going one two
and nobody E would want that.
Speaker 7 (25:04):
We could win the Olympics with that.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
I'd rather play for.
Speaker 8 (25:11):
Yeah, he's gonna get a USA phone call.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
Sorry, AJ, sorry about it, Terry, good stuff, man, Great
to have you back on Hope you had a good time.
Thanks for joining us. Keep doing your thing. We'll catch
you down the road.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
Okay, yes, sir, Thank you. Guys.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
We're in mid August and the Athletic has a series
out on remaining schedules for contenders. I'm gonna cherry pick
a little bit because I don't care as much about
the teams with decent division leads. But first off, there
are about seven weeks remaining in the season, and you've
got Phillys Mets still coming up soon. Red Sox, Yankees,
(25:47):
Dodgers Padres twice this month. A Jay's calling one of
those games, but back to back weekends of Dodgers Padres Cubs,
Brewers are going to play five games in four days soon,
so we've got some good ones. I'm gonna hop around
to you guys a little bit. I want to go
to the Mariners, so as we're doing this, they're a
half game back of the Astros. They're in a wild
(26:09):
card spot. Cam they're in the second wild card, they're
playoff odds. I think this they're using fangrafts ninety four
point eight percent.
Speaker 8 (26:16):
That is exceptional.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
Strength of schedule remaining is just about fifty percent, So
just about five hundred ball clubs remaining five HT two,
they're sixty six and fifty three coming up for them
a series against the Orioles on the road. Then they're
on the road taking on the Mets and the Phillies.
Then they go back home for the A's and the Padres,
(26:39):
and then take on the Guardians on the road to
finish up the month. So what do we think of
this next month for the Mariners coming up? They have
one series left against an AL West contender and that's
the Astros in mid in mid September. Otherwise, you know,
you get a lot of a lot of East Coast
coming up here for them.
Speaker 4 (26:57):
Yeah, a lot of a lot of high stakes games
coming up for that. When you're coming up in the Mariners,
when you look at the schedule, and they're gonna be
battle tested.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
But I think the biggest thing.
Speaker 4 (27:06):
For them is they are you know equipped when you
talk about that starting rotation where you talk about the
bullpen and I love the where their offensive is playing
right now, They're gonna have to go in and earn it.
When you look at the Phillies and look at some
of those those teams and like you said, nobody no slouches, right,
every series is gonna be competitive. So this is gonna
be big, especially when you talk about the Texas Rangers
(27:27):
kind of nipping at the heels of the Mariners and
the Astros as well. So each and every playoff now
say playoff series, Each and every series will be like
a playoff series when you talk about the Astros and
the teams that they are also facing, who are you know,
have a hopes of making it into the playoffs and
you're gonna be fun.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
Yeah, a jan I'll give you the Astros side of this, right,
If we think the Mariners are going to take down
the Astros in the l West, and they're pretty much
neck and neck right now, they have the Astros at
ninety one percent playoff odds strength of schedule for them
over the next month is is a little easier right
at four to ninety six strength of schedule coming up,
so they have them home against the Red Sox and
(28:07):
the Orioles. Then they're on the road against the Tigers,
back on the road, still against the Orioles, and then
they finish up the month with the Rockies and the
Angels at home.
Speaker 7 (28:17):
I mean this sounds like a chance to win some games. Yeah,
I mean, the Red Sox gonna be tough. They get Crochet.
Speaker 6 (28:24):
I know that. I understand that the oreol they should
be able to win that series. You would think the
Tigers is gonna be tough, and it all depends on
who they match up with.
Speaker 7 (28:32):
Then they get the Orioles for four.
Speaker 6 (28:35):
I'm at one of those games, by the way, so
and then they get the Rockies at home and the
Angels for four at home. Listen, they this lines up
for them to at least try to keep up. And listen,
the Mirrors aren't gonna be nine to one every ten
games from now on, So the Mirror's going You know,
you can say whatever you want about the Mirrors, but
going east is a problem for a lot of West
Coast teams. The going east thing hurts a lot of
(28:55):
the West Coast teams. So do I think the Mirrors
can do it?
Speaker 7 (28:57):
Yeah? But do I think this linees up nice for
the Astros. Absolutely, yes.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
The one thing for Houston is they don't have any
off days, so they'll have one this Thursday, then they
play ten in a row, then they stretch after that
of thirteen in a row. But they are getting starting
pitching back right Christian Haab are coming back, like there
are some guys that were down that are coming back
that should be able to eat some innings for them,
so that should help. But that's the rest of August
schedule for the Astros. Should we look at the who
(29:25):
do you guys want the Yankees, the Red Sox or
the Guardians next for this month? Which one do you
want to look at?
Speaker 4 (29:32):
I mean the Yankees are the look at let's go
look at look at the Boston Red Sox because again
I know again they started off that series in San Diego.
That first game was fun to watch. The Padres give
them a lot of credit for bouncing back, but I
like the way Boston is playing right now. As we
talked about all these moves that they did not make
the clubhouses saying something different, those dudes are having fun
right now. I'm watching I'm watching these guys play pretty
(29:54):
much every night and there's a buzz. There's a confidence
about them. I think a lot of that has to
do with Trevor's story looking back to his you know,
somewhat his old self, Alex Bregman as well Duran. Again,
these guys are just fun, explosive and explosive, and they
can tilt the field.
Speaker 3 (30:09):
What do we have on Boston?
Speaker 2 (30:11):
All right?
Speaker 1 (30:11):
So they have a seventy four point three percent playoff
odds five oh one strength of schedule over the next
month here Astros on the road is the series coming
up here which starts tonight. Marlins at home. They're also
at home for the Oriols. And I'm keep in mind
with the Marlins, they're pesky, but they had a rough
five games just now against the Braids. Let's not act
like the Marlins are the hottest thing. I mean, they
(30:33):
had a really nice run. You can run into some
tough starters against them. But anyway, after the Orioles, then
they're on the road for that big series late August
against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. They staywn the road
for Baltimore again for four Baltimore is just an everyone's
right right now, and then they go back home at
the end of the month to take on the Pirates.
Speaker 8 (30:51):
How does that sound, camp?
Speaker 4 (30:54):
I mean for them, they should be excited about winning
some baseball games. Again, it's there to lose when you
look at that, and again you said it, you don't
play get any of these games on paper. If anything,
I think you look at what the Yankees did and
when they went into Miami. You know, let's not have that,
you know, lackadaisical mindset, right, take everything serious. But this
(31:15):
is this road is set up for success with them,
so it's up to them to take advantage of it.
Speaker 8 (31:22):
Yeah, I'll give you the Rangers as well.
Speaker 6 (31:24):
Hold up, hold up, listen, yeah, Picky, the Twins, the
White Sox, the Nationals, the Rays, James. I mean, I
know the Cardinals, I freeze. I know the Cardinals are
in it, right, but the Twins aren't in it, the
Rays aren't in it, the Nationals aren't in it, and
the White Sox aren't in it.
Speaker 7 (31:44):
So that's four.
Speaker 6 (31:45):
Guess they play the Red Sox Okay, Cardinals Okay, But
like this is set up for the Yankees to get
hot right here.
Speaker 4 (31:51):
Boom.
Speaker 6 (31:52):
I mean, this should be their their their road where
they pick up some games if they're gonna do this.
Speaker 7 (31:57):
This is the road to hoe for.
Speaker 4 (31:58):
Me, beside of mindset, right like, this is the time
that you saw I guess a quote from Pray beside
it like it's time to get pissed off, right Like,
I do believe there's a sense of an AJ.
Speaker 3 (32:08):
Maybe you can touch on this.
Speaker 4 (32:10):
I think sometimes of baseball we talk about like the
mittal and the mechanical, but there's a such thing as
in competing when you just can will yourself to just
when not losing, Like as the group come together collectively
say you know what, screw this. This is when we
really go ahead and really show how gil we are
and not lose against these teams that we're supposed to
take advantage of, right like, will yourself to victory down
(32:32):
this stretch.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
I like it. I like that what AJ said.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
Yeah, last one for me, I'll go over the Rangers,
who are also obviously in a wildcard race. Here, they've
got the Diamondbacks at home, Blue Jays on the road
for three, four, on the road against Kansas City, then
they're back home for the Guardians and Angels, and on
the road against the A's.
Speaker 7 (32:55):
Doesn't matter, so they score runs. I don't care what
their schedules.
Speaker 6 (32:58):
If they don't score runs, I mean de gram dealt
on Saturday. The game I did didn't score Nathan Valdi
has a one three eight e r A. They don't
score runs, it don't matter. If they don't score runs,
it doesn't matter.
Speaker 7 (33:10):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 6 (33:10):
So yeah, unless and until they figure out a way
to score more runs. I don't care who they play.
They could play Cams San Diego's Padres Scalp team. Right.
Speaker 7 (33:18):
They're scoring one two runs a game. Padres.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Two years, we might we might have.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
It's a two year problem. Two year problem for the
Rangers is the offense, and that continues.
Speaker 8 (33:29):
I'm with you. Yeah, it was a tough watch this weekend.
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