December 18, 2025 • 30 mins
Another signing, the Mets brought in Luke Weaver on a two-year, $22 million contract and we break down who he is as a pitcher, where he lines up in our bullpen, and our expectations for him. Then, we try to figure out what the rest of the offseason could look like for the Mets before closing with one of the craziest Media Marvels we've seen in a while.
0:00 - What's Up Mets Fans
1:11 - Luke Weaver Instant Reaction
13:17 - Rest of Offseason Ideas
23:49 - Media Marvel
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
What is up, Mets fans, Welcome back to another episode
of the Mets Stuff Podcast. We've got a new reliever
in the bullpen and he played for the Yankees. Luke Weaver,
a New York Met coming on over from the Dark
Side to Queens. We'll talk about the Mets moves along
with signing all the old Yankees players because the Yankees
have never signed Mets players. Don't don't look at a
Metrazario on what team he plays for right now. But hey,
(00:30):
we got Luke Weaver. We're gonna talk about what this
bullpen could look like because it still is a major
work in progress. Then we got a little media marvel
for you guys too. We haven't done it in a
minute so.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Quickly like we did it like last week. Keep it
out of that was like not.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Official media marvel. This is gonna be like media marvel
because we got some crazy stuff that's been said over
the last few days. Quick little episode for you guys.
Hope you enjoyed it. If you do, make sure you're
subscribed over on YouTube. Shout to everybody who's been subbing
over there. We really appreciate you. Shout out to all
our members too. You get access to the episodes early
and if you're listening to US Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google
drops the rating, drops the review, download and subscribe, all right,
(01:05):
James Initial reactions to Luke Weaver signing. I know we
didn't put out an initial reaction video, but you're getting
it now.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
What do you think initial reaction? I think it's just good.
I think that Luke Weaver has become a good reliever.
I to be honest, I always had a soft spot
for Luke Weaver. Like he's one of my first, like
real prospect fascinations back in the day. But it's a
it's a good fastball. He's done good work the last
few years, especially with the Yankees, to get a lot
more vertical action on his fastball. He has a good
change up that works well against right. He's n left.
He's has a right handed picture. Like he's just he's
(01:33):
a good picture. To me, he's a good picture. I
think that some people instant react sometimes to news like
this where you get a guy the Yankees didn't sign
and people freak out just for that. But like he's
over the last two years, you have one hundred and
fifty innings, you have a whip under one, you have
a three two era, you have a thirty percent of
strike out raid like for eleven million dollars, I think
it's hard to get a better reliever than that.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
He's a splitter guy. Change up guy. What's his change up?
Change up? So I know they're not the exact same,
but to me, it feels like he's gonna kind of
fill the read gear that's kind of been going because
Luke Weaver's guy too, who I think made like sixty
something appearances last year, but through eighty innings. He has
the ability to go multiple innings ago two years ago guy,
he has the ability to be stretched out a little
(02:11):
bit more than the normal reliever because he was a
former starting pitching prospect formally traded for Paul Goldschmidt also
interviewed Luke Weaver back in twenty nineteen. Really nice guys,
good dude, But I just feel like it's a better
version of kind of what this bullpen Ish had last year.
Like I see him being in that Red Garrett almost
like Fireman Roll a little bit kind off.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
He also just could be good enough to be the
eighth inning guy. Like I am starting to become curious
whether or not we add another ten million dollar relievers
his bullpen because we have three, Like that's already.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
It's become a like Mintor's good. Like Mintor's a guy,
very good. I think was expected to be our eighth
inning guy last year before the injury. So like those
two probably flip flopping based on what the matchup is
for that eighth inning before you go to Devin Williams.
They're not the sexiest name by any means, but you
might look back at the end of the year and
see a couple guys with low three and you'd be happy.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
One hundred percent. Also, Luke Weaver last year made sixty
four appearances for sixty four innings, but sixteen of those
he got more than three outs.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Okay, great, Yeah, I love that, And that's something we've
always talked about too, like we want it is such
a weapon to have a reliever that can get more
than three outs, And we've seen Carlos Windoz is not
afraid to put pitch relievers either for more than three outs.
He's a big fan of that updown.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
And I also think it's funny to look now and
be like, Luke Weaver's going to make eleven million dollars.
We'll see contract details. It seems to just be a
straight two for twenty two Devin Williams. After the deferrals.
It's between fourteen fifteen million a year. So those two
guys together are making about three million dollars more than
Edwin Diaz by himself. And you can kind of see
where the Mets we're thinking. And then with that leftover money,
who probably still add one more three or four million
(03:44):
dollar Darth Thor reliever. They still need gas in this ballpen.
We've still talked about that. Yeah, badly. Luke Weaver isn't
He's not. He isn't like not throw hard, but he
doesn't throw like hard hard, like he's gonna sit ninety five,
which is average for a right handed pitcher right now
major League Baseball. We still need some like fucking one
hundred mile an hour heat. But like he's again, this
is a good reliever. There's all some good facts here
about Luke Weaver. He got injured last year, he strained
(04:05):
his hamstring, and people, especially talking to some Yankee people today,
they felt like he never got right after that. In
twenty five and two thirds innings before he went on
the il at the end of May, he had a
one point zero five VRA in thirty nine innings. After
that trip of the injured list, he had a five
point three one ERA and he only gave up twenty
six earned runs on the season. Five of them came
in one game in August. I want to say it
(04:25):
was late August. No, it's mid September against the Twins,
who was like one of the worst teams in baseball
at that point anyway, And in five days before that
he gave up three against the Tigers. So reliever eras
are very fickle beasts. And the fact that he gave
up eight of his twenty six earned runs in two
of three appearances in the middle of September, and there
was some you know, definitely some inconsistencies after his hamstring injury.
He also, I don't want to scare Mets fans, it
(04:47):
might be some PTSD with this line right here. He
dealt with some pitch tipping things that went on through
the postseason. He was basically he was like the worst
pitcher in the history of Earth. During the postseason this year,
he became unusable. He had some really awkward quotes. He
gave a couple Martino towards the beginning of October, Who's like,
I just want to get back to pitching, Like I
feel like I'm out of sorts right now. I feel
like I'm not able to attack the way I want
(05:07):
to attack. Like it was, it seemed like there was
some mechanical things pre pitch that he was fighting with
himself with. That definitely hurt the way he again pitching
the postseason, I think also closed out the year, and.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
He likes it's like ninety five right, Like he's mid average,
right averaging out of the bullpen. That's not like elite
numbers like you would see out of a starting pitcher.
You mentioned about the vilo because that is the biggest
thing missing from this bullpen. We love velo over here.
You guys might not, but it's just statistically better than
throwing softer. It's a fact there's not a lot of
velo available that is good. A lot of the VLO
(05:37):
available is going to be projects. It's gonna kind of
be shots in the dark. Like Hunter Harvey throws really hard,
but he might not be shot in the dark. At
this point, you don't think he is.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
I don't think you can Hunter Harvey for under seven
mil Okay.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
I wonder if that's probably not a shot in the dark,
then if you're gonna be in that range, definitely.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Again, he's dealt with injuries, but he closed the season
last year healthy, so I do wonder if you can
get a guy like him. But I think something cool
about Luke Weaver, which I do think this Mets bullpen
needed right now, was that while he doesn't throw hard,
his fastball does play up because it has really good
hop and it can miss bats in the strike zone.
That's the word we use, a lot hop a ride.
It just means that the fastball has the backspin and
it gives the illusion of it rising up to a bather.
(06:17):
This Mets bullpen didn't really have a right handed pitcher
with a hoppy fastball, and I think that it's a
good pair with Devin Williams at the back. And I'm
sure this was like part of the thinking with the
Yankees last year and playing these guys together in the
back of their bullpen was that Devin Williams is a
low slot guy and the fastball kind of runs. Luke
Weaver is a bit more of a high release as
fastball rises, so I think that is I think that's
(06:37):
a good way to change hit. His eye levels could
be the last two winnings for us, and a Jim
Minter has some hop on it. He's got some cut
onto too. He's a leftist, so slightly different look. I
think it was a different look that Mets wanted. And
I'm happy to get a reliever whose fastball can miss
some bats.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Yeah, because we desperately, desperately need bullpen help. Again. The
bullpen was bad last year. It wasn't very good, and
getting another major league actual reliever helps.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Yeah. It is funny to me a little bit that
we're just remaking the Yankee bullpen they overhauled at the
trade deadline.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Yeah, a little concerning. I think that's that's fair. We
are really banking on some bouncebacks from guys.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Which is about scary, some bounce backs where things under
the hoods still look good. Like lu We've still missed
the bats last year. Like he's a significantly higher swings
swing strike rate than Robert Suarez.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
I'm sure the fly ball that's running with him will
play better in city field than it will in Yankee Stadium.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Definitely gave up tons of fly balls last year with
that hoppy rivy fastball that was sort of the top
of the zone.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Makes you think like Mets still need to outfielders, Like
what do we having there? Because if we're gonna have
all these we're going to get them. We have all
these fly ball guys. Who's gonna catch those fly balls?
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Tyrone, Taylor, Baby cover the whole thing. It's just it is,
It is funny like this, it just feels very incomplete.
I think that we are looking for like the one moment,
the one signing, the one day, the one trade. We're like,
oh nice that it is. Now it's complete. But I
don't I just don't think we're gonna get that because
this is going to be a bit more of a
slog of an off seasons, a bit more of a grind.
But this is where there's where you test your stomach
(08:04):
and you really figure you really figure out what we
got here.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
I've I was texting you yesterday that I've kind of
got like I'm at the point now where I think
I've gotten over it. At least I'd like to think
I've gotten over it. And it's like, well, there's nothing
that me or you can do. We kind of just
have to sit back and wait, So I'm going to
kind of try and convince myself that I'm feeling better
about what's been going on, despite knowing that this Mets
team is not as good as they were last year,
(08:27):
and last year they stunk.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Yeah, and I also think that there were some fears
in the Mets community that we were just going to
punt and like tank for lack of a better term,
I think seeing the last couple of days again, well,
these are not sexy moves. The fact that you add
like twenty million dollars for Harry Palanco and eleven million
dollars for Luke Weaver, it's indication that you're still trying
to win baseball games. And like, I don't even know
if you saw this, but if you look on fangrass
right now, I think we're projected at the fifth Highes
(08:50):
win to all on baseball.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Ye know, we are. All the projection systems still love
us now. Granted, part of that is them thinking that
Mark Vientos will be a major League baseball player, and
that's yeah, there's a more likely chance than that he's
not even on this team by the time that the
season starts. I mean, you still do have Jeffing deal.
Relatively speaking from a starting pitching standpoint, the Mets have
a ton of it, which I'm sure the projections love
that you have nine starting pitchers that could theoretically throw.
(09:12):
You still have Francisco and Lindor and Wansota, who are
two of the most valuable players in all of baseball.
Like I can, I can see the rationale behind it,
but it's just hard to see the way that the
team played last year. Yeah, the roster just get worse
and be like with your eyes eyes, like this is
not as good of a team, and then be like, well,
fifth highest projected wind total right now, Like if I
(09:34):
was betting on that, I wouldn't because let's go Mets
smashing the underhammering it.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
I mean I would Where do you think right now
our winds total would actually be eighty five and a half?
Would you go over and under?
Speaker 1 (09:46):
I well, based on what the projections are telling you,
it seems like it's going to be higher than that.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
But I just think that right now there's a glut
in Major League Baseball teams in this exact same range.
I think it's kind of Baseball right now feels kind
of like the Dodgers gap, Blue Jay's, Mariners gap, everybody else?
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Do you want to put the Yankees in that gap?
Either in that I.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Think the Yankees are approaching that gap, but the Yankees
are the Yanks. Also this year, we don't know when
Rodin's coming back. Cole's also missed in the beginning of
the season. They also they might they might get Tatsuimai.
It's just it's also the Yankee element of this is
all very funny.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
It is very funny. It's just a fun conversation because
now every time the Mets signed a player the last
few it's been Yankees players, and that's all the Yankee
fans could talk about.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
And we're getting guys very quickly off the Yankees, very consistently,
Like this offseason alone, we've already Goten Weaver and Devin
Williams like they're eight ninth guys going in. Like last
year it was so of the Clay Holmes.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
I just I like to think about it from the
other perspective, because like the Yankee fans are ragging on us,
you're taking our sloppy seconds, you're taking our what did
Michael would the Lion say?
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Oh, I don't think he's I'll look it up right now.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
He made some sort of comment about like their hand
me downs or whatever it's gonna be. But it's funny
that if Met players went to the Yankees, the narrative
with them would be that they wanted to play for
the real New York team.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
He say, it's weird the Mets are collecting former Yankees.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Like, it's only weird if you make it weird because
you guys signed a med Rosario. There's been plenty of
former Mets that have gone through the Yankee system. It's
not like this is a new thing. And also, like,
if you look at this Yankees roster, there's a bunch
of players that came from the Rockies, one of the
worst organizations in baseball, a couple bunch of players that
came from the White Sox, a couple of players that
came from like other horror from horrible teams. I'd rather
(11:22):
take players from good teams. I guess it's.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Also a case especially with Williams and so though, and
it might might be a case with Weaver. We see
what happens in a few years. These guys are all
gonna spend more time with the Mets than they did
with the Yankees. Like when Wansla shows up on Opening
Day this year, he will have played more regular scen
and games with the Mets and the Yankees. Once we
get to mayl played more of total games with the
Mets and the Yankees. It's also I don't know of
a lot of you guys listening to this live in
New York or not. I think when a lot of
(11:45):
these guys start and one to New York teams, Unlet's
say you have an apartment that you like, which is
a hard thing to find in New York no matter
how rich you are. Two teams offer you the same
contract and one team you don't have to move. I
think you just take that deal, like you don want
to deal with all that, like all the logistics you're
taking care of. You signed the paper and you sit
back on your couch. Is awesome.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
As much as people also hate New York, people love
New York. So these guys be like, I want to
stay here and my team won't keep me, I'm gonna
go to the Mets.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
And again Luke Luke Weaver is just a good reliever.
He's not a great reliever. We're not pretending he's a
great reliever like they.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Thought like two years ago, where like did they find
the new Yankees closer type thing?
Speaker 2 (12:18):
I mean they think they did for a second. It's
funny that the Mets have signed the last three guys
that lost the Yankee closer job that way, Williams, Luke Weaver,
three guys that got replaced at the Yankee closed or
maybe after next season, Weld get David Bednar.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
The last few guys that the Mets have brought in
from the Yankees, they've completely saved their careers. Clay Holmes
now is a really good starting pitcher pitching for Team USA.
Shout out Clay Holmes. Luis Savarino got a big pay
day after taking like completely try me out. Let's add
Devin Williams and Luke Weaver to the bunch.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
I think I can. They're just good, but don't bring
that one up. Mean he failed to both. He just
will not be for New York. He took he took
a stop in between two. It's not like you just
went directly. It's funny too that this Luke Weaver contract
happened within the hour of Brad Keller signed with the
Phillies for literally the exact same amount of money.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Yeah, these teams all know the values of these guys.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Yes, it's and it would happen instantly. And another real
message for this Luke Weaver signing, because there's still been
the bubbles of the trade between the Mets and the Padres.
This was another one. There was no reporting, there was
no connection. We we had it like a tiny bit
before it happened, but it was like we as in
like the Mets community, like people start tweeting about it
and not like marking X. We don't have that. It
was just when Mets make a move, it's gonna be
(13:25):
the silence of the night. It's going to be like
what's the line from Sopranos, Like I bet when it happens,
you don't even hear it. Like that's what every single
Mets move feels like at this point. Yeah, that was
Bacca lay Bacla on the boat right and the boats
then he got you know, the train store. But whatever,
it's whatever, whatever gets reported that there almost makes me
think less and less fits going to happen. Like this
(13:46):
Padres trade thing. We've talked about it over and over
and over and over again. It feels like it's not happening.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
I don't see a way that it makes sense for
for the Padres.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Like ever, I think I think we could probably cross
off Mason Miller's name from it. Yeah, I think that's
the one thing. I think there probably still is an
avenue to get through here where the Mets wind up
with like Paveda Estrada, Marajone, Loreano, like one to three
of those players in one shot, and you sent back
some combination of sprote Viento, Secunya, Peterson, you know, like
(14:17):
that Koda Sanga. Yeah, like like back those conglomerations of players.
I think we can find something. But I'm sure for
Carson Bench, especially because of the fact that they just
gave up one of the best prospects in baseball, they
probably started asking for Carson Bench, which Jim Dukett dropped
at S and hy on two on Thursday night, and
I was like, that's not happening, And then they probably
asked for Tong. You probably know the balls and you
move on to the next stage. That's probably It's probably
(14:37):
happened a week ago and we're only we only got
to hear about the beginning of this week.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Yeah, I know, we made the video about it, Like
I I get them views, but like I don't think
for a second either of us thought that any of
those trades were going to actually be happening.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Especially not Mason Miller. And I think you guys grew
with that too, Like I would love to have Mason
Miller in this bullpen. Like the way this Mets bullpen
looks right now, it's not good. It doesn't make me
want to puke anymore, which I think is a really
big step. You know what, that's a really good thing.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
It looks like like a like a Cincinnati Reds bullpen.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Oh good, good, Like since I reads in a good
year ball, Yeah yeah, Like that's what it feels like
right now, which doesn't make me feel good. This to me,
right now looks like a bullpen that could have the
eleventh best Ballpenny Rait block them in right outside the
top ten eleven to fourteen. Last year we were fifteenth,
and that was like the worst case scenario happened across
the board. We also had Edwin Diaz. Like this year
we could be the best case scenario, the seventh best
(15:24):
Ballpenny ra the worst case snario like the eighteenth, And.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
It does lead the question what's more important having a
lights out ninth inning guy or having everybody else be
lights out to get you to the ninth inning.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
And I think for where the bullpen was, we probably
just would have slightly rather had a little bit more
depth in volume.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
I think I'm cool to make myself think that that
would have been better right now because I have no
other option. I'm I'm saying that's we have to be.
I'm cool to Stockholm syndrome myself into just thinking that
it surely has to be better than what it was
last year.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
But also it is about time to see if the
development machine can convert a reliever.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
At this point, well, yeah that when you brought the
v law, I wanted to bring U. Dylan Ross, Ryan Lambert.
Those are two guys I think we are going to
see in the Mets bullpen at some point in the
major league season. Dylan Ross, maybe even out of spring training,
because he got that little.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Look at the end of the year, and he's on
the forty man where Lambert was to be added to
the forty man, and our forty man is full right now.
Luke Weaver was not having officially honest, someone's going to
get caught there, but we got Brandon Wadell, cut Forge,
Marx Boy, Drew Romo. Are you saying, my boy, that's
your boy? That was your boy in the draft.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
I did not like Drew Romo. I did.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
That's why he's your boy. Like that seems like he's
going to compete again. This is also a rat in
the off season right now, because it's the off season.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
You can't have guys on the sixty day right Yes,
sixty hasn't starts to the season. So Tyler McGill will
be another empty spot whatever the season begins dead. Neil
Nuniez will be another empty spot. Are we missing anybody else?
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Yeah, read Garrett read Garrett. Yes, so those three will
also be free. And also like there's a good chance
bro goes to the bullpen to start the year two.
We talked about it a little bit last epters. I
mean throws like ninety eight as a starter. I would
be I'd lowkey loved to see what he can do
with like a two winning role in the bullpen.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
And yeah, I mean he's this guy's not pitching the
ball and hopefully but Nolan McLain on the Pitching Ninja
Podcast last week sa he's watched to one hundred this year.
His max, I think is ninety nine point one. We
also were probably going to get I mean, the way
things are looking right now, we're still going to see
about the outfield. Carson Bench probably gets a forty man
spot much sooner rather than later, so he gets another
one with forty man spot, so they'll still be a
little bit to play with. It's toill lost their way
(17:19):
to go in this offseason.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Some nasty players on this forty man. Just to tell you, guys,
a couple like name Jiwan Bay Oh, why he's still
Jiwan bay is on the forty man. Yeah? Uh. Jared
Young is on the forty man. I feel like he's
a little redundant right now on this team. Doesn't really
fit in the infielders or whatever. They're all major leaguers.
We do have four catchers right now on our forty man,
(17:41):
adding to Romo with Hayden Sanger, one of them is
going to get cut off of there pitching wise, Like
I liked Austin Warren, but again he's probably a guy
who's a possible casualty off of this Dick Love Lady,
I think too. Joey Gerber Cooper Kruswill, Alex Corrello. Those
are probably all guys that could be considered to be
taken off too, even though some of them are new acquisitions.
But yeah, there's definitely a lot of room for this
(18:02):
roster to improve because it seems like we have the
premiere talent, we have the guys that are up here,
we have a lot of the middle. We just need
to raise that floor a little bit because the bottom
of it, it's like what are we thinking here? And
we probably still want one more hammer on top of everything. Yeah,
I would feel great with one more on top of everything.
I would I would love one more premiere player on
(18:23):
this roster. Know, how about two?
Speaker 2 (18:24):
How about to Mark and I have been doing some
like past couple of year contract stuff for the Winds Up.
I think we mentioned this last episode, and like you
just look at these last few years, like the guys
that signed when everything kind of felt dead already, Like
you had Matt Chapman signed below Mark last year, had
Breakman signed a two year deal or three year deal,
and then with the opt after one like snaw Pete
last year signed way late for blow Market Taskar Nanz
(18:46):
is the first contract Paveta last year took a two
year like thirty million dollar contract. Cody Bellinger twice, not
like last year, but the non tender year, and then
the year after that he signed late for blow market value.
Like there's there's a chance that one of the Framberg
Ranger Suarez, Cody Bellinger like even leaving like Kyle Tucker
at this point, Crew makes it to February ninth without
(19:06):
a contract, and then you can, especially if that you
get to the point in the offseason season where maybe
we've already signed a player with a qualifying offer, then
you have less a penalty for signing the second player
with a qualifying offer. You're more willing to sign one
of those guys. Like that's I think.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
I'm just saying it's Framber.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
Think Framburgh for three years feels like the opportunistic move
with the Mega hi a thirty million year. Yeah three
for like one hundred, Yeah three for a hundred and
he can he can opt out after the second year.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
And opt out after whatever year he wants. Hey, opt out,
whatever you want. We got you for one year on
thirty three million.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Yeah, we just give him the the Alex Bragman contract.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
Yeah, I'm down for that because there are conservatives. Ramber
is not next year, it's not the following year.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
It's like when he's thirty six. Yeah, it's like three
years right now. I'm really scared about Framber. It the
same thing for Ranger Swartz, Like I think he's someone that.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
I'm a little I'm still completely out on him, Les Bronsdowski,
you just put me completely so far. Like in the
Ranger Suarez is due to stink book.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Well, I mean the Phillies fans because the video but
on my my Twitter from a video put on my
channel about free just I don't like and he led
that video and the Phillies fans want to eat me
alive for it, because you know, Rangers Ware is like
a two point two playoff the r and like three
starts cool man, But like he's I think that you
probably still get the good Rangers Wars for two years.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
I think that it's probably a safe bet. I just
I'm so not interested in him. He's a He's like
the anti picture right now, if that makes sense, because
he was throwing like eighty nine by the end of
the year.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
But again, I'm not giving him like four years. But
if I want to give him one year, two years
opt out like it's you can still you can still
find a way that I just think that again, this
is not sexy podcast talk. You're this is gonna ben
opportunistic offseason. We're gonna we're gonna find our spots and
we're gonna let a really good farm system have chances
to win lots of these jobs and make make themselves heard.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
Luke weavers in the thumb nail might be in the title.
Everyone knew this was not gonna be a sexy podcast
when you clicked on it.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
No, no way, and then just some other like housekeeping
stuff around before we do like one funny Media went
over to close out with you guys, Mark mentioned it
Clay Holmes and Nolan McLain are gonna be NTI in
USA for the World Baseball Classic, not a popular take
in Mets World. Mark and I are firm World Baseball
Classic guys. I love it, incredible tournament. I know we
got scorned by it once and Bucks Show Walter let
that ruin the entire season allegedly, but we I love
(21:12):
the tournament. I think it's a fun time and I
think it's cool those guys are getting the exposure.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
Yeah, that's that's A're gonna have a ton of guys
on there too. You're gonna see Lindor Soto's also playing.
I'm sure you might even see like luisn Helicun you
make a ven azuela and roster you might say.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
I almost instinctively said, peak Jesus great.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
That was almost bad. I wouldn't be shocked if like
Mark Mark Viento's I think can play for Nicaragua. He
might want to take some AB's, but he also might
have to prove him self in spring training. Hey, do
you want Bay might play for Korea?
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Be not associated with the team? Certified bad guy? I
mean even you got a calvas because sneak on a
bench like it's yeah. I mean solo of course, can
lead the Minican team like it's good. There's gonna be
a lot of a lot of Mets showing up to that.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Yeah, and I love it. Should we wizard more?
Speaker 2 (21:51):
In the two more funny quick housekeepings. One, we have
a new upper level pitching coordinator as the Siren Blair
is behind me. John de Royne pulled him from Universe
of Arizona. Got some good words from the pitching community
that he's sharp. Guess how old he is?
Speaker 1 (22:05):
What's his name? John de Royan, all right, he doesn't
have one of them. Might be Brady E.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
R o U I N.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
I'm gonna say twenty seven.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
He's twenty five? Oh wow, Brandon Spro's age. He's gonna
be the Triple A pitching coach.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
There's a chance he's born in the two thousands. Yeah,
I think almost definitely there's a chance. Yes, he's Yeah,
he's Brandon Sprots age. He's gonna be the Trip the
upper level pitching coordinator. I'm sure he's been working a
lot with the Triple A pitchers.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
And here's a funny one. Kevin Ploecki, he's the Padres
catching coach. What he's on, Craig stamnit staff.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Good for the plaw dog, all right, Kevin ploel Right,
I so knew how to catch. Yeah, he definitely knew
how to be behind the plate and catch a baseball
when it was thrown to him. Shout out to uh
Diana again, the Queen of Mets baseball Twitter. She put
out like a very funny picture because I think no one.
Will and Jonah Tong were doing some charity stuff for
the Mets, which is also funny because Jonah Tong's gotta
(23:06):
be on the major league roster if he's doing charity
work and spro Yeah, but they put she put up
pictures of all the old Mets Santa's and the Elves
that they would do for their thing, and like Brandon
Nemo played Uh Santa most of the years. You see
like Noah Cindergarten there, Kevin Ploweki got into one that
with Jerry Blevins. You see the people that are involved,
like JD. Davis was one of the elves one year.
(23:28):
Another picture, Dan Vogelback is behind while Todd zeal is
Uh Santa. And then my favorite being the combination of
Brandon Nimmo as Santa, Edwin Dias Robinson Cano as Elves
and oh wait, who's is that? Corey Oswalt. This this
team is so fucking cursed at times, it's greasy.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
Send me that to I'm gonna I'm gonna put it
in the OVID and then close the guys out with
a medium model that we just we had to find
a way to address that because when when things when
things like this come across your desk and like there's
been a legend like creating takes incubating them for as
long as this person has you just you can't let
one of these go by because you do not know
(24:06):
when the next one's going to come. And Mike Francessa
blessed us on this front the other day, saying that
he heard the resource that the source of the rift,
the alleged rift that we have no proof on, no verification.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
That everybody close to the METS never true. It says,
doesn't exist. Everyone else is like, there's a problem.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
Everyone on the radio says it's true, but everyone else
is not true. That the center of the brand Neimo
francisceclundor rift came over to Donald Trump presidential election.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
Which is just no matter what side you're on, it's
so funny. Whether you like him, hate him, feel nothing
about him, that's not what we're talking about here. We're
talking about the thought and the idea that that could
have possibly happened, which is so it's so ridiculous, it's
absolutely insane. And Mike Francessa, being about two weeks late
to this whole conversation is the cherry on top where
(24:56):
he's like, you know what I think brandon Nimo, like
and Trump is the reason that Francis school indoor and
him didn't get along. We're like, where where's that even
coming from? Nobody said they didn't get along.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
It's just again with Mike Francess. He's been doing this
a very long time. He kind of created this entire
ecosystem that we get the benefit from at this point, Like,
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
He's he's a founding father for sure for sports talk
the world for.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
Regular guys just dropping crazy takes about sports.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
He's not a regular guy. He could have been an
NFL head coach.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
True, no, of course, I mean Bill Purcels said so.
But like he's he's a legend, Mike Francesca, Mike france says,
is an absolute legend. Whatever again, love him or hate them,
the guy was is an icon truthfull always is. Like
he's giving this talk on it, he's a number one
again that this is why Michael k has his complex
because every single day, month year he lost to Mike
francessahs literated, I'll wear you down, but like it's you.
(25:45):
We're not gonna get these takes from like that much
belonger so to hear these like it warms, It warms
your heart for these to kind of make into that.
And then also just to just see the comment section
and the absolute mutants that he ate it up.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
It's it's crazy again. It's like, how how are we
getting into politics with this? Let's just let's just talk
about baseball, guys.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
That's awesome. Close it out. Who's the next player in
the Mets sign? Ooh?
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Next player the Mets sign? All right, I am gonna
look at MLB dot com free agents. I think it's
gonna be another reliever. And I'm gonna say that the
Mets are gonna go after the name that jumped out
to me instantly, Pierce Johnson.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
Yeah, I think Peter.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
I think he's gonna get too much for the Mets
right now.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Okay, I that was the That was the initial name
that scrolling through relievers jumped out to me. And then, weirdly,
the other one was Pierce my guy, Josh Winkowski.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
Wow Winkowski. So he's gonna be like, he's gonna fill
the Brandon Widell roles. He just got DFA.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
Yes, I I get I.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
Weirdly, I keep coming back to Hunter Harvey. I wonder
if this market looks like I like, everyone knows that
guy's arm is ready to explode any given moment he's
had like a rab an ankle, wrist, whatever he's had.
I think that I think that we're going to get
Michael King news soon. Okay, I actually think I think
he's going to be a med I mean.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
I'd be happy with Michael King. I know that's that's
your boy. I would happy to take him on this roster.
He would help out this rotation a ton, a ton.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
I think if it's I think if it's a ton,
because while we're not, you really can't rely on Michael
King volume. I think that if if he's healthy, he's
going to be one of the fifteen best pitches nationally,
like we saw that two years ago. And he might
might get hurt, but that's why you might get an
ace for cheap. And I think that the Mets right now,
I want to add a wild card into this pitching mix,
like he's he's he's like his, he's a wild card
than like of a better version than Coda Sangez.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
I like that. I don't know, maybe they'll sign Miguel
and or who knows.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
Yeah, I don't I don't think I can see that
would happen.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
Last thing, by the way, we got nothing on Murakami.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
Still nothing. I think it's someone's gonna swoop in, like
someone has to.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
If I backed or into that Guardian steak out of
absolutely nowhere that was ill informed, I would be so happy.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
I'm hoping I didn't accidentally ruin the guy's market with
a bad sat and I tweeted from from bad info.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
If you knew what James, everybody knew it. I'm sorry.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
Yeah, but it's funny as hell. It's a I think
I think I think he's still probably gonna be good.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
Actually, yeah, I think we're probably over reacting to everything
that we've seen, or maybe we're not reacting enough.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
Like I think, No, I don't think. I mean, yeah, possibly,
Like I just think his his range of outcomes is
like Christopher Morel to Nick Kurtz.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
His range of outcomes is like Joey Gallo.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
Got me Joey Gallop back in the day, put together
some good off in the.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
Season, good seasons.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Yeah, that's fair. Like he's he's probably Matt Wallingerrew can't
play defense, but like he might be like there, I
don't know, if you just iron things out like a
guy would like him with elite or he's totally there's
something elite inside the moon Techa muricat and know for
a fact.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
You know that for a fact.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
I know it for a fake.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
Got something you're a reasoning for that. I gotta I
gotta unpack this one for a second before we wrap up.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
I mean, he had one of the greatest seasons the
MPB history. Like that's that's it's the second best baseball
league on Earth, is better than anything we have in
the American minor leagues. Like he went out there and
he put up the first fifty homer seasons since Vladimir
Ballantine's true, Like that's it.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
He he did something that Vladimir Balentine's also put up
a fifty plus home run season.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
Like that in the MPBA put up sixty.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
Yeah, I know, I'm just is that not scaring you
a little bit?
Speaker 2 (28:58):
But I'm telling you the floor of someone who's not
like but I still think the ceiling is someone that's
like a thirty homer power back that could be in
the middle of a line.
Speaker 1 (29:03):
And he's not gonna play for the Mets either, so
it really doesn't matter. Just no probably one's seventeen though,
talking for you guys, who knows it's going to happen,
But like this, we're wearing a we're in the.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Mud right now at the office.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
You know what bring back Wilmer floor is? Why not?
Speaker 2 (29:16):
That's my next week, get rid of the Mark Fiantos First.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
All right, guys, that's it. Thank you for watching, Thank
you for listening. Make sure you subscribe to METS up
on YouTube. And if you're listening to us, have a
podcast Spotify, Google drops the rate and drops a review,
Download and subscribe. You can follow James on social media
at James Channa. Check out the Lincoln description to the
merch if you want to buy some. We appreciate you, guys,
and we'll catch you on the next episode, hopefully to
talk about a good move, not just Luke Weaver. We'll
(29:40):
catch you that peace out.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
Piece out guys, It's called METS. Then the
What is up, Mets fans, Welcome back to another episode
of the Mets Stuff Podcast. We've got a new reliever
in the bullpen and he played for the Yankees. Luke Weaver,
a New York Met coming on over from the Dark
Side to Queens. We'll talk about the Mets moves along
with signing all the old Yankees players because the Yankees
have never signed Mets players. Don't don't look at a
Metrazario on what team he plays for right now. But hey,
(00:30):
we got Luke Weaver. We're gonna talk about what this
bullpen could look like because it still is a major
work in progress. Then we got a little media marvel
for you guys too. We haven't done it in a
minute so.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Quickly like we did it like last week. Keep it
out of that was like not.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Official media marvel. This is gonna be like media marvel
because we got some crazy stuff that's been said over
the last few days. Quick little episode for you guys.
Hope you enjoyed it. If you do, make sure you're
subscribed over on YouTube. Shout to everybody who's been subbing
over there. We really appreciate you. Shout out to all
our members too. You get access to the episodes early
and if you're listening to US Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google
drops the rating, drops the review, download and subscribe, all right,
(01:05):
James Initial reactions to Luke Weaver signing. I know we
didn't put out an initial reaction video, but you're getting
it now.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
What do you think initial reaction? I think it's just good.
I think that Luke Weaver has become a good reliever.
I to be honest, I always had a soft spot
for Luke Weaver. Like he's one of my first, like
real prospect fascinations back in the day. But it's a
it's a good fastball. He's done good work the last
few years, especially with the Yankees, to get a lot
more vertical action on his fastball. He has a good
change up that works well against right. He's n left.
He's has a right handed picture. Like he's just he's
(01:33):
a good picture. To me, he's a good picture. I
think that some people instant react sometimes to news like
this where you get a guy the Yankees didn't sign
and people freak out just for that. But like he's
over the last two years, you have one hundred and
fifty innings, you have a whip under one, you have
a three two era, you have a thirty percent of
strike out raid like for eleven million dollars, I think
it's hard to get a better reliever than that.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
He's a splitter guy. Change up guy. What's his change up?
Change up? So I know they're not the exact same,
but to me, it feels like he's gonna kind of
fill the read gear that's kind of been going because
Luke Weaver's guy too, who I think made like sixty
something appearances last year, but through eighty innings. He has
the ability to go multiple innings ago two years ago guy,
he has the ability to be stretched out a little
(02:11):
bit more than the normal reliever because he was a
former starting pitching prospect formally traded for Paul Goldschmidt also
interviewed Luke Weaver back in twenty nineteen. Really nice guys,
good dude, But I just feel like it's a better
version of kind of what this bullpen Ish had last year.
Like I see him being in that Red Garrett almost
like Fireman Roll a little bit kind off.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
He also just could be good enough to be the
eighth inning guy. Like I am starting to become curious
whether or not we add another ten million dollar relievers
his bullpen because we have three, Like that's already.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
It's become a like Mintor's good. Like Mintor's a guy,
very good. I think was expected to be our eighth
inning guy last year before the injury. So like those
two probably flip flopping based on what the matchup is
for that eighth inning before you go to Devin Williams.
They're not the sexiest name by any means, but you
might look back at the end of the year and
see a couple guys with low three and you'd be happy.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
One hundred percent. Also, Luke Weaver last year made sixty
four appearances for sixty four innings, but sixteen of those
he got more than three outs.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Okay, great, Yeah, I love that, And that's something we've
always talked about too, like we want it is such
a weapon to have a reliever that can get more
than three outs, And we've seen Carlos Windoz is not
afraid to put pitch relievers either for more than three outs.
He's a big fan of that updown.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
And I also think it's funny to look now and
be like, Luke Weaver's going to make eleven million dollars.
We'll see contract details. It seems to just be a
straight two for twenty two Devin Williams. After the deferrals.
It's between fourteen fifteen million a year. So those two
guys together are making about three million dollars more than
Edwin Diaz by himself. And you can kind of see
where the Mets we're thinking. And then with that leftover money,
who probably still add one more three or four million
(03:44):
dollar Darth Thor reliever. They still need gas in this ballpen.
We've still talked about that. Yeah, badly. Luke Weaver isn't
He's not. He isn't like not throw hard, but he
doesn't throw like hard hard, like he's gonna sit ninety five,
which is average for a right handed pitcher right now
major League Baseball. We still need some like fucking one
hundred mile an hour heat. But like he's again, this
is a good reliever. There's all some good facts here
about Luke Weaver. He got injured last year, he strained
(04:05):
his hamstring, and people, especially talking to some Yankee people today,
they felt like he never got right after that. In
twenty five and two thirds innings before he went on
the il at the end of May, he had a
one point zero five VRA in thirty nine innings. After
that trip of the injured list, he had a five
point three one ERA and he only gave up twenty
six earned runs on the season. Five of them came
in one game in August. I want to say it
(04:25):
was late August. No, it's mid September against the Twins,
who was like one of the worst teams in baseball
at that point anyway, And in five days before that
he gave up three against the Tigers. So reliever eras
are very fickle beasts. And the fact that he gave
up eight of his twenty six earned runs in two
of three appearances in the middle of September, and there
was some you know, definitely some inconsistencies after his hamstring injury.
He also, I don't want to scare Mets fans, it
(04:47):
might be some PTSD with this line right here. He
dealt with some pitch tipping things that went on through
the postseason. He was basically he was like the worst
pitcher in the history of Earth. During the postseason this year,
he became unusable. He had some really awkward quotes. He
gave a couple Martino towards the beginning of October, Who's like,
I just want to get back to pitching, Like I
feel like I'm out of sorts right now. I feel
like I'm not able to attack the way I want
(05:07):
to attack. Like it was, it seemed like there was
some mechanical things pre pitch that he was fighting with
himself with. That definitely hurt the way he again pitching
the postseason, I think also closed out the year, and.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
He likes it's like ninety five right, Like he's mid average,
right averaging out of the bullpen. That's not like elite
numbers like you would see out of a starting pitcher.
You mentioned about the vilo because that is the biggest
thing missing from this bullpen. We love velo over here.
You guys might not, but it's just statistically better than
throwing softer. It's a fact there's not a lot of
velo available that is good. A lot of the VLO
(05:37):
available is going to be projects. It's gonna kind of
be shots in the dark. Like Hunter Harvey throws really hard,
but he might not be shot in the dark. At
this point, you don't think he is.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
I don't think you can Hunter Harvey for under seven
mil Okay.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
I wonder if that's probably not a shot in the dark,
then if you're gonna be in that range, definitely.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Again, he's dealt with injuries, but he closed the season
last year healthy, so I do wonder if you can
get a guy like him. But I think something cool
about Luke Weaver, which I do think this Mets bullpen
needed right now, was that while he doesn't throw hard,
his fastball does play up because it has really good
hop and it can miss bats in the strike zone.
That's the word we use, a lot hop a ride.
It just means that the fastball has the backspin and
it gives the illusion of it rising up to a bather.
(06:17):
This Mets bullpen didn't really have a right handed pitcher
with a hoppy fastball, and I think that it's a
good pair with Devin Williams at the back. And I'm
sure this was like part of the thinking with the
Yankees last year and playing these guys together in the
back of their bullpen was that Devin Williams is a
low slot guy and the fastball kind of runs. Luke
Weaver is a bit more of a high release as
fastball rises, so I think that is I think that's
(06:37):
a good way to change hit. His eye levels could
be the last two winnings for us, and a Jim
Minter has some hop on it. He's got some cut
onto too. He's a leftist, so slightly different look. I
think it was a different look that Mets wanted. And
I'm happy to get a reliever whose fastball can miss
some bats.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Yeah, because we desperately, desperately need bullpen help. Again. The
bullpen was bad last year. It wasn't very good, and
getting another major league actual reliever helps.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Yeah. It is funny to me a little bit that
we're just remaking the Yankee bullpen they overhauled at the
trade deadline.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Yeah, a little concerning. I think that's that's fair. We
are really banking on some bouncebacks from guys.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
Which is about scary, some bounce backs where things under
the hoods still look good. Like lu We've still missed
the bats last year. Like he's a significantly higher swings
swing strike rate than Robert Suarez.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
I'm sure the fly ball that's running with him will
play better in city field than it will in Yankee Stadium.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Definitely gave up tons of fly balls last year with
that hoppy rivy fastball that was sort of the top
of the zone.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Makes you think like Mets still need to outfielders, Like
what do we having there? Because if we're gonna have
all these we're going to get them. We have all
these fly ball guys. Who's gonna catch those fly balls?
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Tyrone, Taylor, Baby cover the whole thing. It's just it is,
It is funny like this, it just feels very incomplete.
I think that we are looking for like the one moment,
the one signing, the one day, the one trade. We're like,
oh nice that it is. Now it's complete. But I
don't I just don't think we're gonna get that because
this is going to be a bit more of a
slog of an off seasons, a bit more of a grind.
But this is where there's where you test your stomach
(08:04):
and you really figure you really figure out what we
got here.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
I've I was texting you yesterday that I've kind of
got like I'm at the point now where I think
I've gotten over it. At least I'd like to think
I've gotten over it. And it's like, well, there's nothing
that me or you can do. We kind of just
have to sit back and wait, So I'm going to
kind of try and convince myself that I'm feeling better
about what's been going on, despite knowing that this Mets
team is not as good as they were last year,
(08:27):
and last year they stunk.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Yeah, and I also think that there were some fears
in the Mets community that we were just going to
punt and like tank for lack of a better term,
I think seeing the last couple of days again, well,
these are not sexy moves. The fact that you add
like twenty million dollars for Harry Palanco and eleven million
dollars for Luke Weaver, it's indication that you're still trying
to win baseball games. And like, I don't even know
if you saw this, but if you look on fangrass
right now, I think we're projected at the fifth Highes
(08:50):
win to all on baseball.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Ye know, we are. All the projection systems still love
us now. Granted, part of that is them thinking that
Mark Vientos will be a major League baseball player, and
that's yeah, there's a more likely chance than that he's
not even on this team by the time that the
season starts. I mean, you still do have Jeffing deal.
Relatively speaking from a starting pitching standpoint, the Mets have
a ton of it, which I'm sure the projections love
that you have nine starting pitchers that could theoretically throw.
(09:12):
You still have Francisco and Lindor and Wansota, who are
two of the most valuable players in all of baseball.
Like I can, I can see the rationale behind it,
but it's just hard to see the way that the
team played last year. Yeah, the roster just get worse
and be like with your eyes eyes, like this is
not as good of a team, and then be like, well,
fifth highest projected wind total right now, Like if I
(09:34):
was betting on that, I wouldn't because let's go Mets
smashing the underhammering it.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
I mean I would Where do you think right now
our winds total would actually be eighty five and a half?
Would you go over and under?
Speaker 1 (09:46):
I well, based on what the projections are telling you,
it seems like it's going to be higher than that.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
But I just think that right now there's a glut
in Major League Baseball teams in this exact same range.
I think it's kind of Baseball right now feels kind
of like the Dodgers gap, Blue Jay's, Mariners gap, everybody else?
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Do you want to put the Yankees in that gap?
Either in that I.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Think the Yankees are approaching that gap, but the Yankees
are the Yanks. Also this year, we don't know when
Rodin's coming back. Cole's also missed in the beginning of
the season. They also they might they might get Tatsuimai.
It's just it's also the Yankee element of this is
all very funny.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
It is very funny. It's just a fun conversation because
now every time the Mets signed a player the last
few it's been Yankees players, and that's all the Yankee
fans could talk about.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
And we're getting guys very quickly off the Yankees, very consistently,
Like this offseason alone, we've already Goten Weaver and Devin
Williams like they're eight ninth guys going in. Like last
year it was so of the Clay Holmes.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
I just I like to think about it from the
other perspective, because like the Yankee fans are ragging on us,
you're taking our sloppy seconds, you're taking our what did
Michael would the Lion say?
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Oh, I don't think he's I'll look it up right now.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
He made some sort of comment about like their hand
me downs or whatever it's gonna be. But it's funny
that if Met players went to the Yankees, the narrative
with them would be that they wanted to play for
the real New York team.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
He say, it's weird the Mets are collecting former Yankees.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Like, it's only weird if you make it weird because
you guys signed a med Rosario. There's been plenty of
former Mets that have gone through the Yankee system. It's
not like this is a new thing. And also, like,
if you look at this Yankees roster, there's a bunch
of players that came from the Rockies, one of the
worst organizations in baseball, a couple bunch of players that
came from the White Sox, a couple of players that
came from like other horror from horrible teams. I'd rather
(11:22):
take players from good teams. I guess it's.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Also a case especially with Williams and so though, and
it might might be a case with Weaver. We see
what happens in a few years. These guys are all
gonna spend more time with the Mets than they did
with the Yankees. Like when Wansla shows up on Opening
Day this year, he will have played more regular scen
and games with the Mets and the Yankees. Once we
get to mayl played more of total games with the
Mets and the Yankees. It's also I don't know of
a lot of you guys listening to this live in
New York or not. I think when a lot of
(11:45):
these guys start and one to New York teams, Unlet's
say you have an apartment that you like, which is
a hard thing to find in New York no matter
how rich you are. Two teams offer you the same
contract and one team you don't have to move. I
think you just take that deal, like you don want
to deal with all that, like all the logistics you're
taking care of. You signed the paper and you sit
back on your couch. Is awesome.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
As much as people also hate New York, people love
New York. So these guys be like, I want to
stay here and my team won't keep me, I'm gonna
go to the Mets.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
And again Luke Luke Weaver is just a good reliever.
He's not a great reliever. We're not pretending he's a
great reliever like they.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Thought like two years ago, where like did they find
the new Yankees closer type thing?
Speaker 2 (12:18):
I mean they think they did for a second. It's
funny that the Mets have signed the last three guys
that lost the Yankee closer job that way, Williams, Luke Weaver,
three guys that got replaced at the Yankee closed or
maybe after next season, Weld get David Bednar.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
The last few guys that the Mets have brought in
from the Yankees, they've completely saved their careers. Clay Holmes
now is a really good starting pitcher pitching for Team USA.
Shout out Clay Holmes. Luis Savarino got a big pay
day after taking like completely try me out. Let's add
Devin Williams and Luke Weaver to the bunch.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
I think I can. They're just good, but don't bring
that one up. Mean he failed to both. He just
will not be for New York. He took he took
a stop in between two. It's not like you just
went directly. It's funny too that this Luke Weaver contract
happened within the hour of Brad Keller signed with the
Phillies for literally the exact same amount of money.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Yeah, these teams all know the values of these guys.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Yes, it's and it would happen instantly. And another real
message for this Luke Weaver signing, because there's still been
the bubbles of the trade between the Mets and the Padres.
This was another one. There was no reporting, there was
no connection. We we had it like a tiny bit
before it happened, but it was like we as in
like the Mets community, like people start tweeting about it
and not like marking X. We don't have that. It
was just when Mets make a move, it's gonna be
(13:25):
the silence of the night. It's going to be like
what's the line from Sopranos, Like I bet when it happens,
you don't even hear it. Like that's what every single
Mets move feels like at this point. Yeah, that was
Bacca lay Bacla on the boat right and the boats
then he got you know, the train store. But whatever,
it's whatever, whatever gets reported that there almost makes me
think less and less fits going to happen. Like this
(13:46):
Padres trade thing. We've talked about it over and over
and over and over again. It feels like it's not happening.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
I don't see a way that it makes sense for
for the Padres.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Like ever, I think I think we could probably cross
off Mason Miller's name from it. Yeah, I think that's
the one thing. I think there probably still is an
avenue to get through here where the Mets wind up
with like Paveda Estrada, Marajone, Loreano, like one to three
of those players in one shot, and you sent back
some combination of sprote Viento, Secunya, Peterson, you know, like
(14:17):
that Koda Sanga. Yeah, like like back those conglomerations of players.
I think we can find something. But I'm sure for
Carson Bench, especially because of the fact that they just
gave up one of the best prospects in baseball, they
probably started asking for Carson Bench, which Jim Dukett dropped
at S and hy on two on Thursday night, and
I was like, that's not happening, And then they probably
asked for Tong. You probably know the balls and you
move on to the next stage. That's probably It's probably
(14:37):
happened a week ago and we're only we only got
to hear about the beginning of this week.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Yeah, I know, we made the video about it, Like
I I get them views, but like I don't think
for a second either of us thought that any of
those trades were going to actually be happening.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Especially not Mason Miller. And I think you guys grew
with that too, Like I would love to have Mason
Miller in this bullpen. Like the way this Mets bullpen
looks right now, it's not good. It doesn't make me
want to puke anymore, which I think is a really
big step. You know what, that's a really good thing.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
It looks like like a like a Cincinnati Reds bullpen.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Oh good, good, Like since I reads in a good
year ball, Yeah yeah, Like that's what it feels like
right now, which doesn't make me feel good. This to me,
right now looks like a bullpen that could have the
eleventh best Ballpenny Rait block them in right outside the
top ten eleven to fourteen. Last year we were fifteenth,
and that was like the worst case scenario happened across
the board. We also had Edwin Diaz. Like this year
we could be the best case scenario, the seventh best
(15:24):
Ballpenny ra the worst case snario like the eighteenth, And.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
It does lead the question what's more important having a
lights out ninth inning guy or having everybody else be
lights out to get you to the ninth inning.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
And I think for where the bullpen was, we probably
just would have slightly rather had a little bit more
depth in volume.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
I think I'm cool to make myself think that that
would have been better right now because I have no
other option. I'm I'm saying that's we have to be.
I'm cool to Stockholm syndrome myself into just thinking that
it surely has to be better than what it was
last year.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
But also it is about time to see if the
development machine can convert a reliever.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
At this point, well, yeah that when you brought the
v law, I wanted to bring U. Dylan Ross, Ryan Lambert.
Those are two guys I think we are going to
see in the Mets bullpen at some point in the
major league season. Dylan Ross, maybe even out of spring training,
because he got that little.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Look at the end of the year, and he's on
the forty man where Lambert was to be added to
the forty man, and our forty man is full right now.
Luke Weaver was not having officially honest, someone's going to
get caught there, but we got Brandon Wadell, cut Forge,
Marx Boy, Drew Romo. Are you saying, my boy, that's
your boy? That was your boy in the draft.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
I did not like Drew Romo. I did.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
That's why he's your boy. Like that seems like he's
going to compete again. This is also a rat in
the off season right now, because it's the off season.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
You can't have guys on the sixty day right Yes,
sixty hasn't starts to the season. So Tyler McGill will
be another empty spot whatever the season begins dead. Neil
Nuniez will be another empty spot. Are we missing anybody else?
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Yeah, read Garrett read Garrett. Yes, so those three will
also be free. And also like there's a good chance
bro goes to the bullpen to start the year two.
We talked about it a little bit last epters. I
mean throws like ninety eight as a starter. I would
be I'd lowkey loved to see what he can do
with like a two winning role in the bullpen.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
And yeah, I mean he's this guy's not pitching the
ball and hopefully but Nolan McLain on the Pitching Ninja
Podcast last week sa he's watched to one hundred this year.
His max, I think is ninety nine point one. We
also were probably going to get I mean, the way
things are looking right now, we're still going to see
about the outfield. Carson Bench probably gets a forty man
spot much sooner rather than later, so he gets another
one with forty man spot, so they'll still be a
little bit to play with. It's toill lost their way
(17:19):
to go in this offseason.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Some nasty players on this forty man. Just to tell you, guys,
a couple like name Jiwan Bay Oh, why he's still
Jiwan bay is on the forty man. Yeah? Uh. Jared
Young is on the forty man. I feel like he's
a little redundant right now on this team. Doesn't really
fit in the infielders or whatever. They're all major leaguers.
We do have four catchers right now on our forty man,
(17:41):
adding to Romo with Hayden Sanger, one of them is
going to get cut off of there pitching wise, Like
I liked Austin Warren, but again he's probably a guy
who's a possible casualty off of this Dick Love Lady,
I think too. Joey Gerber Cooper Kruswill, Alex Corrello. Those
are probably all guys that could be considered to be
taken off too, even though some of them are new acquisitions.
But yeah, there's definitely a lot of room for this
(18:02):
roster to improve because it seems like we have the
premiere talent, we have the guys that are up here,
we have a lot of the middle. We just need
to raise that floor a little bit because the bottom
of it, it's like what are we thinking here? And
we probably still want one more hammer on top of everything. Yeah,
I would feel great with one more on top of everything.
I would I would love one more premiere player on
(18:23):
this roster. Know, how about two?
Speaker 2 (18:24):
How about to Mark and I have been doing some
like past couple of year contract stuff for the Winds Up.
I think we mentioned this last episode, and like you
just look at these last few years, like the guys
that signed when everything kind of felt dead already, Like
you had Matt Chapman signed below Mark last year, had
Breakman signed a two year deal or three year deal,
and then with the opt after one like snaw Pete
last year signed way late for blow Market Taskar Nanz
(18:46):
is the first contract Paveta last year took a two
year like thirty million dollar contract. Cody Bellinger twice, not
like last year, but the non tender year, and then
the year after that he signed late for blow market value.
Like there's there's a chance that one of the Framberg
Ranger Suarez, Cody Bellinger like even leaving like Kyle Tucker
at this point, Crew makes it to February ninth without
(19:06):
a contract, and then you can, especially if that you
get to the point in the offseason season where maybe
we've already signed a player with a qualifying offer, then
you have less a penalty for signing the second player
with a qualifying offer. You're more willing to sign one
of those guys. Like that's I think.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
I'm just saying it's Framber.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
Think Framburgh for three years feels like the opportunistic move
with the Mega hi a thirty million year. Yeah three
for like one hundred, Yeah three for a hundred and
he can he can opt out after the second year.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
And opt out after whatever year he wants. Hey, opt out,
whatever you want. We got you for one year on
thirty three million.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Yeah, we just give him the the Alex Bragman contract.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
Yeah, I'm down for that because there are conservatives. Ramber
is not next year, it's not the following year.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
It's like when he's thirty six. Yeah, it's like three
years right now. I'm really scared about Framber. It the
same thing for Ranger Swartz, Like I think he's someone that.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
I'm a little I'm still completely out on him, Les Bronsdowski,
you just put me completely so far. Like in the
Ranger Suarez is due to stink book.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Well, I mean the Phillies fans because the video but
on my my Twitter from a video put on my
channel about free just I don't like and he led
that video and the Phillies fans want to eat me
alive for it, because you know, Rangers Ware is like
a two point two playoff the r and like three
starts cool man, But like he's I think that you
probably still get the good Rangers Wars for two years.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
I think that it's probably a safe bet. I just
I'm so not interested in him. He's a He's like
the anti picture right now, if that makes sense, because
he was throwing like eighty nine by the end of
the year.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
But again, I'm not giving him like four years. But
if I want to give him one year, two years
opt out like it's you can still you can still
find a way that I just think that again, this
is not sexy podcast talk. You're this is gonna ben
opportunistic offseason. We're gonna we're gonna find our spots and
we're gonna let a really good farm system have chances
to win lots of these jobs and make make themselves heard.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
Luke weavers in the thumb nail might be in the title.
Everyone knew this was not gonna be a sexy podcast
when you clicked on it.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
No, no way, and then just some other like housekeeping
stuff around before we do like one funny Media went
over to close out with you guys, Mark mentioned it
Clay Holmes and Nolan McLain are gonna be NTI in
USA for the World Baseball Classic, not a popular take
in Mets World. Mark and I are firm World Baseball
Classic guys. I love it, incredible tournament. I know we
got scorned by it once and Bucks Show Walter let
that ruin the entire season allegedly, but we I love
(21:12):
the tournament. I think it's a fun time and I
think it's cool those guys are getting the exposure.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
Yeah, that's that's A're gonna have a ton of guys
on there too. You're gonna see Lindor Soto's also playing.
I'm sure you might even see like luisn Helicun you
make a ven azuela and roster you might say.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
I almost instinctively said, peak Jesus great.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
That was almost bad. I wouldn't be shocked if like
Mark Mark Viento's I think can play for Nicaragua. He
might want to take some AB's, but he also might
have to prove him self in spring training. Hey, do
you want Bay might play for Korea?
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Be not associated with the team? Certified bad guy? I
mean even you got a calvas because sneak on a
bench like it's yeah. I mean solo of course, can
lead the Minican team like it's good. There's gonna be
a lot of a lot of Mets showing up to that.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Yeah, and I love it. Should we wizard more?
Speaker 2 (21:51):
In the two more funny quick housekeepings. One, we have
a new upper level pitching coordinator as the Siren Blair
is behind me. John de Royne pulled him from Universe
of Arizona. Got some good words from the pitching community
that he's sharp. Guess how old he is?
Speaker 1 (22:05):
What's his name? John de Royan, all right, he doesn't
have one of them. Might be Brady E.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
R o U I N.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
I'm gonna say twenty seven.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
He's twenty five? Oh wow, Brandon Spro's age. He's gonna
be the Triple A pitching coach.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
There's a chance he's born in the two thousands. Yeah,
I think almost definitely there's a chance. Yes, he's Yeah,
he's Brandon Sprots age. He's gonna be the Trip the
upper level pitching coordinator. I'm sure he's been working a
lot with the Triple A pitchers.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
And here's a funny one. Kevin Ploecki, he's the Padres
catching coach. What he's on, Craig stamnit staff.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Good for the plaw dog, all right, Kevin ploel Right,
I so knew how to catch. Yeah, he definitely knew
how to be behind the plate and catch a baseball
when it was thrown to him. Shout out to uh
Diana again, the Queen of Mets baseball Twitter. She put
out like a very funny picture because I think no one.
Will and Jonah Tong were doing some charity stuff for
the Mets, which is also funny because Jonah Tong's gotta
(23:06):
be on the major league roster if he's doing charity
work and spro Yeah, but they put she put up
pictures of all the old Mets Santa's and the Elves
that they would do for their thing, and like Brandon
Nemo played Uh Santa most of the years. You see
like Noah Cindergarten there, Kevin Ploweki got into one that
with Jerry Blevins. You see the people that are involved,
like JD. Davis was one of the elves one year.
(23:28):
Another picture, Dan Vogelback is behind while Todd zeal is
Uh Santa. And then my favorite being the combination of
Brandon Nimmo as Santa, Edwin Dias Robinson Cano as Elves
and oh wait, who's is that? Corey Oswalt. This this
team is so fucking cursed at times, it's greasy.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
Send me that to I'm gonna I'm gonna put it
in the OVID and then close the guys out with
a medium model that we just we had to find
a way to address that because when when things when
things like this come across your desk and like there's
been a legend like creating takes incubating them for as
long as this person has you just you can't let
one of these go by because you do not know
(24:06):
when the next one's going to come. And Mike Francessa
blessed us on this front the other day, saying that
he heard the resource that the source of the rift,
the alleged rift that we have no proof on, no verification.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
That everybody close to the METS never true. It says,
doesn't exist. Everyone else is like, there's a problem.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
Everyone on the radio says it's true, but everyone else
is not true. That the center of the brand Neimo
francisceclundor rift came over to Donald Trump presidential election.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
Which is just no matter what side you're on, it's
so funny. Whether you like him, hate him, feel nothing
about him, that's not what we're talking about here. We're
talking about the thought and the idea that that could
have possibly happened, which is so it's so ridiculous, it's
absolutely insane. And Mike Francessa, being about two weeks late
to this whole conversation is the cherry on top where
(24:56):
he's like, you know what I think brandon Nimo, like
and Trump is the reason that Francis school indoor and
him didn't get along. We're like, where where's that even
coming from? Nobody said they didn't get along.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
It's just again with Mike Francess. He's been doing this
a very long time. He kind of created this entire
ecosystem that we get the benefit from at this point, Like,
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (25:12):
He's he's a founding father for sure for sports talk
the world for.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
Regular guys just dropping crazy takes about sports.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
He's not a regular guy. He could have been an
NFL head coach.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
True, no, of course, I mean Bill Purcels said so.
But like he's he's a legend, Mike Francesca, Mike france says,
is an absolute legend. Whatever again, love him or hate them,
the guy was is an icon truthfull always is. Like
he's giving this talk on it, he's a number one
again that this is why Michael k has his complex
because every single day, month year he lost to Mike
francessahs literated, I'll wear you down, but like it's you.
(25:45):
We're not gonna get these takes from like that much
belonger so to hear these like it warms, It warms
your heart for these to kind of make into that.
And then also just to just see the comment section
and the absolute mutants that he ate it up.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
It's it's crazy again. It's like, how how are we
getting into politics with this? Let's just let's just talk
about baseball, guys.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
That's awesome. Close it out. Who's the next player in
the Mets sign? Ooh?
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Next player the Mets sign? All right, I am gonna
look at MLB dot com free agents. I think it's
gonna be another reliever. And I'm gonna say that the
Mets are gonna go after the name that jumped out
to me instantly, Pierce Johnson.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
Yeah, I think Peter.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
I think he's gonna get too much for the Mets
right now.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Okay, I that was the That was the initial name
that scrolling through relievers jumped out to me. And then, weirdly,
the other one was Pierce my guy, Josh Winkowski.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
Wow Winkowski. So he's gonna be like, he's gonna fill
the Brandon Widell roles. He just got DFA.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
Yes, I I get I.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
Weirdly, I keep coming back to Hunter Harvey. I wonder
if this market looks like I like, everyone knows that
guy's arm is ready to explode any given moment he's
had like a rab an ankle, wrist, whatever he's had.
I think that I think that we're going to get
Michael King news soon. Okay, I actually think I think
he's going to be a med I mean.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
I'd be happy with Michael King. I know that's that's
your boy. I would happy to take him on this roster.
He would help out this rotation a ton, a ton.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
I think if it's I think if it's a ton,
because while we're not, you really can't rely on Michael
King volume. I think that if if he's healthy, he's
going to be one of the fifteen best pitches nationally,
like we saw that two years ago. And he might
might get hurt, but that's why you might get an
ace for cheap. And I think that the Mets right now,
I want to add a wild card into this pitching mix,
like he's he's he's like his, he's a wild card
than like of a better version than Coda Sangez.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
I like that. I don't know, maybe they'll sign Miguel
and or who knows.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
Yeah, I don't I don't think I can see that
would happen.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
Last thing, by the way, we got nothing on Murakami.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
Still nothing. I think it's someone's gonna swoop in, like
someone has to.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
If I backed or into that Guardian steak out of
absolutely nowhere that was ill informed, I would be so happy.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
I'm hoping I didn't accidentally ruin the guy's market with
a bad sat and I tweeted from from bad info.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
If you knew what James, everybody knew it. I'm sorry.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
Yeah, but it's funny as hell. It's a I think
I think I think he's still probably gonna be good.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
Actually, yeah, I think we're probably over reacting to everything
that we've seen, or maybe we're not reacting enough.
Speaker 2 (28:03):
Like I think, No, I don't think. I mean, yeah, possibly,
Like I just think his his range of outcomes is
like Christopher Morel to Nick Kurtz.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
His range of outcomes is like Joey Gallo.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
Got me Joey Gallop back in the day, put together
some good off in the.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
Season, good seasons.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Yeah, that's fair. Like he's he's probably Matt Wallingerrew can't
play defense, but like he might be like there, I
don't know, if you just iron things out like a
guy would like him with elite or he's totally there's
something elite inside the moon Techa muricat and know for
a fact.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
You know that for a fact.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
I know it for a fake.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
Got something you're a reasoning for that. I gotta I
gotta unpack this one for a second before we wrap up.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
I mean, he had one of the greatest seasons the
MPB history. Like that's that's it's the second best baseball
league on Earth, is better than anything we have in
the American minor leagues. Like he went out there and
he put up the first fifty homer seasons since Vladimir
Ballantine's true, Like that's it.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
He he did something that Vladimir Balentine's also put up
a fifty plus home run season.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
Like that in the MPBA put up sixty.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
Yeah, I know, I'm just is that not scaring you
a little bit?
Speaker 2 (28:58):
But I'm telling you the floor of someone who's not
like but I still think the ceiling is someone that's
like a thirty homer power back that could be in
the middle of a line.
Speaker 1 (29:03):
And he's not gonna play for the Mets either, so
it really doesn't matter. Just no probably one's seventeen though,
talking for you guys, who knows it's going to happen,
But like this, we're wearing a we're in the.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Mud right now at the office.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
You know what bring back Wilmer floor is? Why not?
Speaker 2 (29:16):
That's my next week, get rid of the Mark Fiantos First.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
All right, guys, that's it. Thank you for watching, Thank
you for listening. Make sure you subscribe to METS up
on YouTube. And if you're listening to us, have a
podcast Spotify, Google drops the rate and drops a review,
Download and subscribe. You can follow James on social media
at James Channa. Check out the Lincoln description to the
merch if you want to buy some. We appreciate you, guys,
and we'll catch you on the next episode, hopefully to
talk about a good move, not just Luke Weaver. We'll
(29:40):
catch you that peace out.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
Piece out guys, It's called METS. Then the
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Dateline NBC
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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.