RTR's 2025 Trade Deadline Recap (RTR Ep. 231)

You get a trade! You get a trade! Everyone gets a trade!!

The Tampa Bay Rays were incredibly busy this trade deadline, acquiring and dealing pieces to replenish their big league roster, as well as add some depth at the top of the minor league system.

We discussed that and more on this latest episode of the podcast!

Thanks so much for listening! You can follow RTR on social media @RaysTheRoofTB and be sure subscribe to the podcast!

A big shout out to our partners, SeatGeek, In The Clutch and JKS Prints! Use code RAYSTHEROOF for $20 off your first SeatGeek purchase, 10% off anytime with In The Clutch & $5 off at JKSprints.com!

As always, Rays Up!

Episode Transcript

(00:12):
It's time to raise the roof for our latest regular season
episode. And this episode is our trade
deadline special because today, July 31st, is the 2025 Major
League Baseball trade deadline. There were a lot of trades that
went down today. The race decided to have three
different trades within the last20 minutes, the trade deadline.

(00:32):
So a lot of chaos going on, but I'm your host Alex Murphy.
With me today to start out the pod is my Co host, Evan Lynch.
Evan, First off, how you doing? Because I know we haven't talked
in a little bit and like this team continues to throw some
curveballs about the moves that they're making.
Yeah, I mean. I guess I'm kind of glad we

(00:54):
haven't talked in a while just because I think a lot of us
would have said some things we might have regretted considering
the play of this team in the past month.
Yeah, July is over, by the way, as of we're going to get this
out. July is over, thank God.
As of this moment, there are twohours and 49 minutes left in
July. So thank, thank the Lord for the

(01:15):
race sake. The month of July is over
because I think Evan Klosky sentthis tweet today, but I think it
was before the game was over. But I think he said if the Rays
lose today, they'll be 7 and 19 for the month, which is the
worst month ever under Kevin Cash, which isn't I mean, it's I
guess it's kind of surprising it's the worst month ever.
But I'm not surprised because they've been that bad.

(01:38):
I mean, they've been UN inexcusably bad.
But we'll get into that a littlebit more in a little bit.
But really, really crazy day today though, which I'm excited
to talk about. Yeah, and we got plenty of other
things going on. You're wearing your terp shirt.
Maryland's got, I think they hadtheir media day recently.
In honor of B Low staying too. Yeah, hell yeah.
B Low staying for the two months.

(01:59):
I don't know if he's going to trade in the offseason, but for
right now he's staying, which isgreat.
But yeah, like college football is getting started up.
High school football has alreadystarted if not getting started
up NFL training camp. We just the first game of the
season quote UN quote is happening today.
If you guys care about yeah Oh yeah.
Oh yeah, your boys are playing the line.

(02:20):
Are you are you watching in the background?
I, I was watching, I watched thefirst half, but yeah, I, I
couldn't, I don't, I just don't.It's it's preseason football.
I don't know how much you like how much you actually put into
that is anything. No, nothing.
I mean, it's fun to have football back.
It's fun that we're that it's right around the corner,
especially considering how pathetic the Rays have been

(02:42):
recently. But yeah, yeah, I don't.
Bucks preseason openers on the 9th for anyone wondering.
Like I care I care more about the first week of of spring
training then any other. Like I yeah, I guess I think
spring training is the most I care about any pre season sport
so. Spring training is the.
Best and but sorry, I'm going toamend my state.

(03:04):
They went, Evan Klosky said theywould go 7 and 18, not 7 and 19.
So still really really bad. One game I'm going to do to
change it. The Rockies had nine wins, I
believe, this month. So just that's just put that in
perspective, which is another thing he added to that.
So he's Evan Klosky's the man, so.

(03:24):
Yeah, Evan's the absolute best. We're going to try to get him on
a little bit of miscommunicationon on our end in terms of trying
to get some things together. But we're going to try to get
Evan on for a podcast coming up,especially with all these trades
that this team has been doing. I think he gives really and he
gave a lot of great analysis today on a bunch of trades,
especially the the the Griffin Jacks trade that we're going to

(03:45):
get into in a little bit. Yeah, how are you doing, Alex?
I'm OK, I'm just chilling. I'm getting through it like I
don't know, this team is like this team isn't fun to watch
right now, like by any means. I feel like the trade deadline
was definitely interesting. I have some thoughts about about
some deals that that that were made.
I know I put some stuff out on the Twitter which not everyone

(04:07):
was a fan of, which is what it is.
I have some I. We like to stir the pot.
Who cares? Yeah, but also, I mean, it was a
lot of it was about Zach Litelle.
And like, I look at Zach Litelleand I value him very highly.
I understand that he's not a desirable pitcher in terms of
like a #1 #2 #3 starter. So like in a playoff series even
#4 like maybe he'll slot in as anumber four in a playoff series,

(04:28):
but realistically, he wouldn't in the grand scheme of things.
But like, I value him highly. And I feel like the return that
the Rays got, while those are guys that will probably be able
to play on this team at the big league level, which is what I've
been wanting for them to try to do in in trade deadlines, is not
go after some random prospect who who might be good in a

(04:48):
couple years, but like we have to wait a couple years to see
him. I want to see guy impact the
team right now, and I'm glad that they went after ways of
trying to get guys that can impact the team.
Now. I just feel like specifically on
the latelle trade and I'll and feel free to correct me because
I'm I'm I'm I'm here to be wrong, but I feel like they
could have gotten more out of him.
I again, I mean, he is in in in the grand scheme of things.

(05:12):
He's a fourth starter, 1/3 starter at best.
He's probably a fifth starter onmost teams, unless you're like
the Rockies And like, I get it. But also again, I value him
highly. I think he's been a very good,
serviceable pitcher for the race, regardless of the fact
that they got him as a waiver claim a couple years ago.
Yeah, I think I think if you're going to like, I mean, and I

(05:34):
know they like, I know the Rays get a lot of credit for turning
pitchers around. I know that's kind of like the
thing on Twitter to say like some random pitcher the Rays
will trade for and it's like people will be like, oh, they'll
turn that guy into a lockdown bullpen arm or a Cy Young
candidate or whatever. I think Zach Lattell is actually
like the epitome of that. I think he he did everything

(05:56):
that the Rays wanted him to do and more.
I mean, he started out in the bullpen and then he honestly
probably became our, what, second best pitcher this year?
I mean, he was the most consistent pitcher by far.
Yes, he gave up a lot of home. I would.
I would rival I, I would say Papio's a little bit better.
I would go like Drew Papio and then him I would.
And then him. Comfortably, He's probably the
third best arm that the Rays have had this season.

(06:18):
That's fine. OK, stop.
I'll take that. I'll take.
I have no problem saying that aswell.
But yeah, third, I mean when we signed him, I was, I never
expected him to start a game, let alone what, 2 full seasons
he was in the rotation I believe.
Basically, yeah, yeah. I think he's he's one of those
guys where it is sad it was going to happen.

(06:41):
He's a rent, he's going to be a free agent.
He's going to get a lot of money, which he deserves this
offseason, like and I. I hope he does.
The man. The man.
He deserves it. He deserves every good thing
that comes his way because he's one of the he's a yes man.
He took on every challenge that came his way that the rays throw
threw at him. So I, I thank him for his, I
guess, service to the rays. He did.

(07:01):
He was phenomenal. And but I, I'm going to, I guess
I'm going to disagree with you just because I think I was kind
of surprised to get to prospects.
I thought just because he's a rental.
Yeah. Like in the grand scheme of
things, he probably wasn't worthas much as right as I was
thinking. And the guys that they got are

(07:22):
probably as good as you can get,maybe a little bit worse than
what you can get. I'm probably just valuing him
highly because. He's it was just.
Highball to this rotation. And it was just an odd trade to
just considering I mean, it technically really wasn't a
three team trade in that insteadwe.
Got 2 pieces separated between 2:00.
Right. And it was like we got two

(07:44):
pieces, but then we immediately flipped one of the pieces.
So yeah, which the Fiducia guy seems like a really good option.
I don't think I don't I don't. I think he actually will
probably be on the big league team, assuming Feist maybe gets
DFA Ed. The odd man out, because Fortes

(08:05):
is not another guy. I mean, we're talking about guys
who have been traded left, rightand center.
It seems like Fortes who the race traded for, we'll go over
in just a second. We'll go over all the trades
after we go through this. But yeah, Fortes is like locked
down in this on this roster right now, which means Theis is
the is the odd man out, which coming into this, we kind of had

(08:27):
that feeling more or less because of the fact that he was
they basically just claimed him for nothing and got him in as
the second guy behind Jansen because word vet wasn't doing
enough. Now no longer on the race.
So like that would that would make me think that he would
still be the odd man out of thisscenario because if they're
getting a guy who's had 300 games in AAA over the last four

(08:50):
years, you would have to think that they're going to let him
play on the big league roster and get one.
And, and I think, and I think people were I, I'm not going to
lie, maybe I said something about this too, so I might take
this back if I did say anything about it.
But I think people are saying like, oh, he's like what, 4 full
seasons in AAA? It's full.
The Dodgers do have a really an insanely good catcher tandem.

(09:12):
I mean, they have, I mean, Will Smith is an everyday starter.
He's an unbelievable. Catcher.
So it's like one of the five best catchers.
Right. And you got.
It's not even a question about. That you got a ton of money like
I, I, I don't, I think him playing that long in the minor
leagues is not because of his ability, it's just because of
how good the Dodgers are and. But then that begs the question,
why didn't they get rid of him earlier 'cause he spent seven

(09:35):
years in the miners? Like he's basically the same
thing as Jake Mangel. Did did he get drafted by the
Dodgers? Yeah, I'm almost like, again, if
you're spending that much time, it begs the question, why
haven't they moved him yet either?
They were high on him and kept finding guys that wouldn't allow
him to get play to get run at the big league level or I don't

(09:57):
know what. Cause.
Like to have a guy like that foras long as he's been in the
minor leagues for them, 'cause Ithink he started out in in 19 or
18. You skip the COVID season and
everything else after that. Like that's eight years.
I'm almost eight years, seven seasons that he's been with the
organization and the fact that he's only got what he's got,

(10:17):
like less than 20 at bats in hisbig career.
What's What's his first name? Hunter like it just seems
shocking the the the whole the whole scenario with that just
seems incredibly shocking because like I know guys that
are like AAA legends like Andy Tracy and guys like that who hit
like 300 homers in the Miners, but this guy doesn't seem like a

(10:41):
guy that would be like that. He he he seems like a guy that
has deserves to have more run and doesn't have that more run.
So he's. 14 at bats. Yeah, that's.
Just. The whole thing with that seems
really weird that the Dodgers gave him no opportunity to do
anything. I think Rays gave me way more

(11:02):
time to do stuff and he didn't pan out.
But like, I mean 14 at bats. Yeah, that's what, a week if
like. Maybe that's like 4 games.
Yeah, maybe not even a week. Yeah.
But I, I, I, I guess overall, like, I think, I just think the
second trade could have, we could have done without because
the, what's that guy, the Sir Winowski guy seems that guy

(11:29):
seems pretty legit. I thought that would have been a
really good piece to get back and just considering like, I
mean, we have fortes on the right side in terms of the
catching position and the theis obviously gives you a left hand
about at that position. Hunter will replace that, I
assume. I just don't think we needed
that. Like, I mean, I get, I get that

(11:50):
we have to kind of rejuvenate the catch a position, which I
really applaud the front office for doing because once again,
this goes back to the beginning of this season and in the
beginning of last season, just considering how what we didn't
do last season, how horrible this was.
Twice. Twice in the span of the.
Maybe it's a little bit maybe, maybe that's a little bit

(12:11):
overkill. For for.
For how bad things were cuz like1 was fine.
I liked what they did in gettingJansen.
I understand the defense was horrible in comparison to what
they've had before and I liked getting theis.
I thought that he was fine again, Rort vet just wasn't
doing anything at the big leaguelevel, which sucks him.
He's a really, really nice guy. He just couldn't find it this

(12:33):
year. But then to revamp it again is
is pretty wild. But again, we'll get into that
in a quick second and. I just, I don't know.
I just thought the second trade we could have done without
Gervais is also kind of a big I mean, once again, he's young.
Yeah, yeah, that sucks getting rid of him.
He's kind of a he seems like he'd be a fun project.

(12:53):
He's like what, like 6-10 or something.
It's he's insane. Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, he, I mean he, he's got good run on his pitches.
It looks like he good stuff. I think he made his MOB debut
against the Tigers this year like in Steinbrenner, So like,
and he had two really good outings that weekend.
It just, I don't know, it seemedlike we had something going with
him. I I think if we if we only made

(13:14):
the lattell for the Bryan Van Bell and the Adam, I'm sorry, I
don't. Is it?
Is it? Zerwininski.
Zerwinowski. I don't know how to answer the
name. Adam Yes, yes.
Adam S yeah, I think I would have been more happy with just
that. Once again, I I mean, I would

(13:35):
have liked maybe some outfield help in that trade just because
our outfield is really lacking right now.
It's OK, they got Everson Pereira baby, we did.
I did like that kit if you want to move on to that trade.
Yeah. Well, OK, let's go over all the
trades. So starting from the jump with
the Brian Baker trade, because Ithink that was the first big
trade that the Rays made. You get Brian Baker, you, you

(13:58):
trade away the 37th overall pick.
I understand Brian Baker still can't get over the fact that
he's left Baltimore. People get over relationships
quicker than what he's been doing with the whole reliever
thing. I could be over exaggerating
that, but it feels like that thethe Rays traded for the 37th
overall pick. Then the Rays pick up Stuart
Fairchild outfielder, AKA the mystery man in that in that one.

(14:20):
Baseball wags Tik toks don't don't worry about it.
No, I'm not even laughing about that.
I'm just, I'm not laughing that he got injured, but I'm just
laughing at that. That whole story, the fact that
he was healthy when he when we traded for him, he takes a
couple of swings in the in the cage and then all of a sudden he
has an oblique entry. It's like.
Yeah, I mean, that's I still like his stuff.
I still think that that could pan out.

(14:41):
But the Rays get fair chat, I think for what?
For cash considerations. So they get him.
Then the Rays decide to trade Danny Jansen to the Brewers,
which is cool because Danny Jansen grew up like an hour, an
hour and a half away from Milwaukee.
Did not grow up a Brewers fan though.
Which is? Chicago fan?
Was it Cubs fan Cub or. Yes, yes, it's Cubs fan.

(15:05):
He's not he's not he's not in Pope Leo territory.
So the Rays trade him to the Brewers.
The Rays get, I think the Brewers #10 prospect he's in
currently in high A seems like he's got some high upside.
I think defensive first guy withsome power.
Then the Rays get Nick Fortes from the Marlins.
I forget who they gave up in order to I would need to go.

(15:28):
Back Who was it? It was one of the guys.
Dewey Oh, oh, Matthew Etzel, theguy that they got from from the
Zac Eflin, right yes. So now the Efflin trade has a
trade tree, which is pretty funny.
And I think that that was straight up that they just gave
Etzel and then got Fortes, whichhonestly not bad.

(15:48):
Yeah, I like that trade a lot. He's bad.
He's 24. I will.
We'll get into it more so. Then you have the Lattell trade
the Rays trade Zac Lattell. It's the Reds.
They get Brian Van Bell BVB, Borussia Dortmund, however you
want to call him and then they also get the the Reds 10th
prospect who then they deal to the Dodgers alongside alongside

(16:14):
Gervais and Ben Roortvet for a Hunter Fiducia, who, like I
said, has been in the minors forquite a while for them, both of
them are 28. So that essentially what that
thing is, is Lattell is Dell, the Rays get back Brian Van Bell
and they get Hunter Fiducia as aresult of that entire situation

(16:36):
coming into today, the Rays trade away Jose Caballero.
Jose Caballero was officially onhug watch at the game, but the
Rays trade Jose Caballero to theNew York Yankees literally
switching dugouts for Everson Pereira.
I think I see him getting that name right.
But the outfitter for the Yankees and the player to be
named later, which I don't know who that was.

(16:57):
I was trying to look up to see if there was a Maryland guy in
the system. I remember Ben Cowles who was
there a couple years. He was he was on Maryland when
when, when we were both there. But he got drafted by the
Yankees and then got traded to the Cubs at some point.
So I don't think he's on the roster anymore.
So I don't know who the PTI, don't know who the player to be
named later is, but it's going to be someone.
What? Him and Matra are in the CUB

(17:18):
system? Nice, yes?
Yes. So a lot of terps there.
Did they play together at Maryland?
Do you know? I I believe so as as our other
coach Gibby joins Gibby. How we doing?
We're doing bad, Alex. Oh no.
Why? Because of the trades, all these
trade, I mean, I guess it's not the worst, no.

(17:39):
We're we're recapping the tradesright now.
It's a lot of chaos. So, so cabbie trade.
Then the Rays decide to get Adrian Hauser starting pitcher
for the White Sox, which just comes out of nowhere, 'cause I'm
like, I thought that we had the whole starter thing figured.
Out. But I cannot wait to talk about
that trade 'cause that, that. Ski going so they get houses,

(17:59):
they give up Curtis Mead for himand then they also give up Ben
Peebles and another guy who aren't top 30 prospects.
Like, I feel bad for me because he never really got run with the
race. He had opportunities, he
couldn't capitalize on them. I he's definitely going to get
that with the White Sox. So I'm really happy about that
for him. I think he'll definitely benefit
from that. And then the final trade, which

(18:22):
is the one that was I guess the blockbuster of all of the trades
is 1 for one. The Rays got Griffin Jacks
reliever 8th inning you know setup man for the Minnesota Twins
who the Twins traded away like 11 guys today which is nothing.
They were just, yeah, they were cropping off, dude.
Yeah, your Twins season ticket holder do not renew for 2020.
That was the. They were just giving away

(18:44):
players for just who wants them.Except.
For the games. The red top give.
Did they give Carlos Correa backto the Yeah, they.
Gave them back to the Astros. I saw that and I was like, what?
Oh my. God, I thought that was so funny
that the Twins gave away literally everybody.
And I, I, I mean, especially Jaxwas decently cheap.
But but then the Red Sox, it comes out that the Red Sox tried

(19:06):
to do a lot of stuff to get Joe.Ryan.
They would not move on. Joe Ryan.
That was that was the breaking point.
Joe Joe Ryan was breaking point.That made me feel better that
the Red Sox got screwed over there, but.
But there's another raised pitcher who will be joining the
starting rotation, and that is Taj Bradley.
Which honest, like when I saw that at first, I said, oh, my

(19:29):
God, audibly in my car. I get it.
But still, like, that's pretty wild.
I mean like how? Far away are we removed from his
bobble head day. Not that I mean you have it.
Yeah, I know. Is there a date on like the
boxes? I I don't know if I.
Have let me look this up. Let me look this up Ray's
promotions 2025. I can look this up and tell you

(19:53):
because they have it right here.Oh shit I can't read that.
July 2nd, so 3 weeks 4. Weeks.
Oh my God. It's been 4 weeks and he already
got traded. That's what a curse.
What a curse. That's, I mean, that's
absolutely brutal. But yeah, I believe that's

(20:15):
everything. If I'm missing anything, you
guys can let me know. I don't know what the whole
like. I don't know if I would have to
look up raise transactions, raise transactions.
Did one of them have two more prospects that are unnamed right
now? Well, the the Caballero trade
has a player to be named later. That's like the only one I can
think of. OK, I'm going back through

(20:35):
everything. Oh, yeah, the Rays got Tristan
Gray. They got him for cash
considerations. That's a return that kind of
came up out of nowhere, not going to lie.
That's considered. Yeah, so they got him back.
Who else? The Rays got Peters.
Oh, no, that came in like July 8th.

(20:57):
That doesn't count. Yeah, yeah, no, yeah, no, the
Fairchild thing. And then he decided to die.
And then. Oh, God, yeah.
I think that's the main stuff. Oh, and then the Rays designated
Waggispack. Like, that's not that's not
really related to anything. It's more of just like it

(21:18):
happened. Yeah, there we, I mean, there
were a ton of moves that they made.
I believe in terms of like legitimate moves, there were 7
or 8. Yeah.
And now again, I think it's important to note that with this
specific trade deadline, if you compare it to last year, last
year was definitely a sell like it was.
It was pretty much a hard sell. They retooled a lot of prospects

(21:41):
and got a lot of prospects in asa result of these trades.
But the guys that they traded were household names.
In this trade window, the only household names that you had
were Lattell and Taj, which doesnot fall in the same category as
as Issac Pereides. It it really stinks because I

(22:01):
mean, it's crazy to say like, I mean, no, I'm not, I'm not
saying this to disagree with you, but it was a full cell last
year and we still finished what,two games under 500?
But it sucks because the guys wesold last year are guys that are
ginormous holes in the team thisyear.
I mean, it's outfield help and it's bullpen E Sock is different
because we had Cameron Eric coming up, so that was

(22:23):
different. Like he just like destroyed his
hamstring. And, and I mean, that trade was
a joke from our side. I mean, it's that that's been a
disaster. I think it could.
Work out because you have like, I mean like that's Rochman
decided to go head hunt hunter Biggie in the dugout.
I think, I think that's what I think.
I think that if you go back to it, I think that's the turning
point this season. Once Hunter Biggie got drilled

(22:43):
in the face like everything wentsad.
Like. Actually, actually.
Wait, is Adly Rochman Judas in this?
Is he is? Is he the one who should be
smited? He.
He he, he took out the entire team.
Yeah, he was. But what was this?
Oh yeah, I was just last year. Like, I mean, we traded,
obviously we traded Randy. Randy had a down year.

(23:04):
So like and and obviously Heinz.Got screwed over by trading away
guys at their low point. Yes, and well.
They could have gotten way more because Randy's having a much
better year and even Esock was having a good year before he got
there. We didn't trade at his high
point either. I mean, he was fine, but like
we, I think we could have got more out of him.
We did trade Jason Adam at his high point.
I'm not sure how that package isgoing to look in a couple of

(23:27):
years, but. I'm not.
I'm not high on it. Dylan was not looking good.
But it's like those are the two,Randy and Jason Adam.
If we had those two guys this year, considering how they're
playing, this team would be in the in the in contention to win
the division. Like if we had Jason Adam this
year we would have probably 5 or6 more wins at the least.

(23:47):
Like just considering how many games our bull plan has blown in
the last couple days or in the last month.
I'm sorry but. Both both are true.
Yeah. So looking at the trade
deadline, do we care that much about Stewart Fairchild trade?
Like this is not an offence to him.
This is more of like like the importance of.
I mean, we need outfield help desperately.

(24:09):
So like, I think that I think itis important.
I mean, who knows? He probably wanted to be back
until maybe late. I mean, he has no oblique
injury. We all know through B Lau how
serious those are. So like, I mean, we probably
won't see him for a long time. Tristan Gray, I think he's just
depth, yeah, but he's he's. There, he's there since B Lau

(24:29):
was injured. Yeah, it's cool.
It's cool to see him back on theRays, though.
I like that. Where else do we want to go?
We've already talked about BrianBaker.
Do we want to go into any more detail about him?
Not really. I think he's pissed off too many
people at this point in like 7 outings which is kind of
incredible. So that game last night was just
too funny. That game was.
We don't need to talk about how stupid that game was.

(24:51):
Let's just. Did you see the tweet that the
Rays were the Yankees were the first team ever to erase a lead
in the 8th, 9th, 10th and then win in the 11th inning?
It's like, oh, classic, of course we're on the bad side of
another stat like that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that one hurts
like. Classic levels of choke.
It's OK. It's OK, I'm it's good stuff.

(25:13):
I'm used to it at this point. I I've just kind of given up on
the fact of just. Become numb to it.
It's better. Oh I have become numb to it.
OK Danny Jansen trade, how do wefeel about that again?
He had a club option for next season.
I believe it was 12 mil something like that.
Like he would have been paid quite a bit.
Defense was dog like dude was not good behind the plate.

(25:36):
Defensively was definitely good.Offensively was having a bounce
back year but defensively was struggling.
Thoughts about the the Jansen trading?
What the race got back? Yeah, I mean, offensively you,
you do see like kind of the Zenito factor, but yeah, behind
the plate he just didn't have it.
So I mean, kind of sucks, but because he was like kind of one

(25:56):
of the only guys really hitting home runs consistently the last
like 3 weeks before he got traded.
But you do what you do. And did they do catcher for
catcher for Danny Jansen or whatwas his trade?
It was. It was, it was Matthew Etzel who
was part of the Eflin trade or yeah, yeah.
So is that is he catcher too? No.

(26:17):
No, no, no, He was an outfitter.But they got Cortez in a
separate deal. Yeah, that was a lot of it was
like, it was, it was addition bysubtraction where like they
would get rid of a guy and then add a guy in in the same
position. They would get rid of a guy, rid
of a guy and then add a guy. It's very.
He was very. Classic Billy Beane right there.
Yeah. So overall, are we like fine

(26:40):
with dance and trade for what it's worth?
Yeah, I think just considering how much money he was going to
get next year and I, that was something I kind of always
thought this entire season, likethere would be plenty of
pictures where like he just never even tried to frame it.
And I didn't think that that wasever kind of a story.
I was like, nobody talks about it.
There's so many borderline pictures that he just doesn't
even attempt to to frame that I think hurt the pitch pitchers a

(27:03):
lot. His average is just I mean, he
did he did draw a lot of walks, which is which is great like a
313 OBP for catcher for especially for a race catcher.
We'll take that any day of the week.
I I I'm surprised he only had 11homers.
I feel like he had more than 11 homers, but Fortez is batting
almost 240, which is a pretty big upgrade from what what

(27:25):
Jansen? It was two O 3.
So, and most importantly to the race, he's getting paid like 11.
And he's the defensive catcher. He's getting paid like 8 million
fewer dollars than Jansen is. So that's that's a pretty big
wow. He and he's good at defense.
So. I like those numbers.

(27:47):
He does only have 10 RBIs this season.
I mean, how many games has he played in?
I don't know but I know he's making like under 2.
He is 131 at bats so. Honestly the Rays really didn't
give up that much for him. Like, I think Etzel's fine, but
let's let's transition into the four test trade.
I think Etzel's fine. I think I overreacted when I

(28:09):
first saw because I was like, what the hell?
I don't know if the rays, I don't know if a race catcher is
going to hit a home run for the rest of the year.
Now I take that back with this guy that they just got from the
Dodgers. You know, Fiducia, it just
sounds like his name is fiduciary at this point.
Like I, I, I mean, that's, that's.
That's why I kept thinking it's.Brutal last name, but like, I

(28:32):
like Fortez. I don't mind Fortez.
I am concerned that with him andHunter behind the plate, I'm
concerned that it's going to turn into like a backup catcher
audition if the Rays have enoughfaith in Keegan once he comes up
from AAA because he's he's playing well in AAA right now.
He's been very successful offensively.

(28:53):
I know he's been good defensively, but I don't know if
it's going to turn into that. I don't know if there is are
going to deal Keegan. I don't know when he's going to
come up, but I do worry that they just moved a lot of pieces
around to have two guys auditionto be Keegan's backup catcher
whenever he comes up to the big leagues, if they believe that
he's the number one guy moving. Forward.

(29:14):
But I mean, that's a good problem to have though.
If Dominic is that if, if Dom isthat good to where?
Yeah, I was going to say, betterto have three catchers than two.
To where Fortez or Fiducia is the backup.
I'll take that any day. That we could probably be
Fiducia just cuz he's lefty and we love those and cuz Keegan's
right-handed hitter so. But yeah, I'd love to see him at

(29:37):
least get a chance. Like I mean, I would feel bad if
Fiducia went back to the minors cuz he spent, what did you say,
7 years there? So really key.
Yeah, like 8. Years, seven seasons, and he's
played 300 games in AAA. Like that's a lot.
Yeah. But if if there's an injury, I
think Dom Dom is for sure ready to come up and take advantage of

(29:58):
some opportunities that he mightget the end of the season here.
Yeah, but overall I think prettydecent trade.
I think I think the Rays made out pretty well.
Etzel again, not really doing that much in Montgomery and I
don't know what he's going to do, but I think overall pretty
solid. They got a good catcher out of
it. He's he's got 3 plus years of
control too. I know the Rays like getting
guys with control, so big thing there.

(30:20):
Latelle trade. I feel like we all kind of knew
what was going to happen. Oh yeah, absolutely.
Like it. I hate to say it, but like he
had to open trade, like we must have done that because it was
we're not going to re sign him. I mean, I clearly the front
office thinks different, but I don't think we're going to come
close to making the playoffs. It's like we got to get

(30:40):
something out of him and he's we're not going to re sign him.
So it's nice to get couple pieces instead of like letting
him walk for free basically so. Gibby, what are your thoughts
about the full return for Latell?
Because originally I was like, Ithought that they could have
gotten more for him, but I don'tknow if you think that what they

(31:02):
got for him was basically what was possible.
I mean, that was like the the three team thing, right?
Yeah, it was like, it was like athree team trade that wasn't a
three team trade was really weird.
I don't really understand why they couldn't have just added
the Dodgers in as the team because, yeah.
So what we get we had Sermonowski and Fiducia.

(31:25):
And Van Bell they got. Hit Van Bell.
Or as the pitcher for the Reds. Oh, OK, yeah.
I mean, I think I think it was perfectly fine.
Get back. I mean, he had been he's like
one of the what is he? He's I mean, Zach Tell has been
a pretty good starter this year.Like what was he ranked in terms

(31:49):
of? Where?
Well, I mean, they started telling him, but he was the 10th
best prospect for the Reds. No, I mean Zach Latell, yeah, I
mean 358, I mean, he was doing pretty good.
His last start was also pretty, pretty good.
I think he went like 7 deep for the Rays.
So I mean, I think we got about all we were going to get for

(32:14):
Zach Letelle. Honestly, even though he's been,
I feel like he's played way above, you know, his pay grade
and his and his perceived level.You know, I feel like he's
played way beyond that. But I think that's about, you
know, what you're about to get for a guy who, I mean, not to
discount him because it doesn't really matter, but like those

(32:36):
like low 90s, mid 90s starters. So I mean, I, I, I like to
train. And yeah, I mean, we had too
many starting pitchers anyway. So I think kind of Latelle was
always the kind of odd man out in terms of that.

(32:58):
But obviously Taj Bradley too. But you know, that's already
been dealt with even before he got trained.
So also I think another thing that maybe I'm just not thinking
about is he gave up. How many home runs did he give
up? Like 26?
And like he got lucky because a lot of them were solos and he's

(33:19):
going to Cincinnati where like the ball flies out of
Cincinnati. Like that is a band box of a
ballpark. So, and I think his FIP compared
to his, his, his, his ER as FIP was like 5, I think because of
all the home runs. So I mean, it's probably good
that that the rays like thinkingabout that side of it, the Rays

(33:39):
probably got as much as they could.
Yeah, I, I think especially, I mean, this could be a total
really dumb statement, but especially since he also went to
another kind of small market team where like, I mean, I, I
applaud the Reds for going for it because I mean, even though
they're swept this earlier this week, but and they also roasted
us, which I respect that move, but it's like, I doubt that

(34:06):
they're going to re sign him too, because we said this
earlier, but I think he's going to get a lot of money in free
agency this this offseason, which is what he deserves.
So I, I like a small market team, kind of like the Reds,
similar to the race. Obviously probably not going to
give up a whole lot for a guy. They're probably also not going
to re sign. But so I think we got a lot out
of him. I like what we were able to do,

(34:28):
just wish we got I wish we got more outfield help, but maybe
I'm too picky with that so. Yeah, yeah.
I think overall, again, looking back at it, they probably got
what they could out of him. And again, to get something out
of someone who is a waiver claimin the grand scheme of things, I
think is a win for a team if youcan get value out of a guy like

(34:52):
that. OK, We already talked about the
whole Dodger thing, the Phil Fiducia thing.
I, I, I, I hope he's OK. Like, I don't know, I'll see.
It's a, it's a wait and see thing.
The whole Ray's calling. Up it's always next year, guys.
It's always we're we got it nextyear.

(35:14):
Yeah, I mean, that's a possibility.
The Ray's not calling up Eric. Eric Worthy.
Somebody, somebody explained that I just don't get it.
I I what did he kill somebody that we don't know about it?
Like what did like why? He had a sub 1 ERA for the
longest time. He got blown up one time it went
up to like 2 maybe. I don't get it.

(35:36):
And now he's gone. But Kevin Kelly is still on the
roster. I I truly don't get.
Kevin Kelly, yeah, he has like a9 ERA, the last like 9 starts 9.
I would, I would much. Rather see them run with Orzi
because Orzi's got. Orzi Splitter is one of the
grossest. Orzi's got swag dude.
How about that aura, swag, he all that stuff?

(35:57):
Consistently be like a 6th or 7th inning guy.
Like I'd be more than OK with using him in either spot.
I would be at this point, I I'm almost more confident than in
him than I am. And Pete, honestly, I mean, Pete
has been terrible recently too, so.
Pete struggled badly. Now I will say the race have
kept Pete, they kept Yandi and they kept Below.

(36:18):
So for all you people that were freaked out about that,
ourselves included, they kept all three.
We can get into that a little bit more, but I might have some
differing takes on that as well.But do we want to move to the
next trade? Hi everyone, Alex here with a
quick word from our sponsor Seegeek.

(36:39):
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(37:00):
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Again, that's code Raise the Roof for 20 dollars off your
first SeatGeek purchase. Thanks so much to SeatGeek for
sponsoring us. And let's get back to this
latest episode of Raise the Roof.
So the Adrian Hauser trade. Evan, I know you have thoughts
about that trade. I thought originally, I think

(37:23):
everyone thought originally it was going to be 1 for one, just
Hauser for me. Then the Rays added in two other
prospects. But Hauser's been one of the
better pitchers in the American League this year.
Again, he's on the White Sox, but he's 32.
He's a he's a free agent after the season, which I think is
big. That's a big piece in this
entire thing. Because as we know, the Razor

(37:45):
have been very reluctant in all reality to re sign guys that
they trade for, especially with guys that don't have like years
of eligibility left. But I wanted to give you the
floor and give your thoughts about the trade and and what you
think. Yeah, I mean, I don't, I don't
get it at all. I mean, it's nothing to do with
Hauser's potential or ability. I mean, he has insanely good, he

(38:09):
has insanely good numbers this season, 210 ERA.
What's the, I mean, a 12 WHIP, 68 innings.
So like, I guess not a whole lotof innings.
But I mean, I just, I don't, I don't understand it.
Like we we wouldn't make a move.I mean, I guess we kind of did
when we were in 2023 with the Savale for men's auto trade,

(38:29):
which I mean, what a terrible trade for honestly both sides
that was but worse on our end. But I like, I feel like that's a
move that you make when you're leading the division where
you're one kind of pitcher away from being a complete rotation.
And yet we still don't really dothat when we're in that
position. Like I feel like this is a move

(38:50):
where we don't even make when weare leading the division yet in
a year that we most likely won'tmake the playoffs.
And and I just don't I don't understand it at all.
I really don't get it. I don't the the if he had a year
control, I would understand it alot more unless we have a plan
in place to re sign him. But like you said, we don't do

(39:11):
that very often with free with upcoming free agents.
So I am I missing something? Like I don't I don't understand.
The only thing I can think of that I just thought about in the
last minute is like, did we like, were we kind of just
baiting them like to up the price for other teams?
Because he seems like a guy who would have been sought after by
I feel. Like they didn't give up a lot

(39:32):
for him. Like genuinely speaking like.
Meed meed, it does stink just because he never got the
consistent bet. You're right.
He never, he never took advantage of the opportunities,
but on the flip side, he never got.
Pigs either. It was kind of a double edged
sword. Yes, exactly.
So like it's Thanksgiving up himjust because I think that he
does have he is he he's a reallygood ball player when he gets

(39:56):
the consistent opportunities. He just never did for us.
So it's it's frustrating giving up him for a guy who is not
going to be a ray most likely intwo months, especially since the
team is not competitive right now.
It it just doesn't make sense. Like the only thing I can think
of. What?
I was going to say there's were they like trying to raise the
price up for other teams and then the other teams just backed

(40:18):
away and then they were like, oh, well, let's accept that
offer. Like I, I don't understand it.
I, I could you guys do? What do you guys think about it?
Gabby, what are your thoughts? I mean, I'd you can't explain
what the White Sox are doing, but I mean, I think it's
literally just this front office's last little hurrah all

(40:40):
together before, you know, the cell.
And I think I mean that I think that has something to do with
it. Just just like going out on a
positive note or having a semi confident baseball team.
I mean, they did address a lot of the problems that we've been
having. So I'd like to see once this

(41:02):
team is fully clutched out, whatit really looks like.
But like you said, I mean, I don't know if playoffs are still
possible, you know, after, you know, this July of Ray's
history. So it's it's the the Houser
trade is is just very interesting.

(41:22):
Also, he's he's very solid. I mean, he's he's been he's like
the the White Sox best pitcher this year.
So I mean, I was I was pretty shocked at the at the trade and
I feel like I don't know, I I know it's very little amount of
control, but I feel like the theprice is usually higher for a

(41:44):
guy like this, like for for a they.
Went after it. Yeah, I, I feel like, I feel
like it's usually like usually you get a, even if it was a
rental like some other teams, they would pay like 4 prospects
and a Major League ready guy for, for a guy who's doing this
well so far in, in, in his in the season.

(42:06):
So I mean, I don't know what problem this specifically
addresses other than, you know, kind of replacing Lattell's hole
that just got and Taj's hole that just left.
But I mean, we still have, you know, Joe Boyle, Pepio, all the
guys, you know, So it, it, yeah,it's kind of baffling.

(42:28):
But it also, it doesn't feel like terrible because at least
we get to see like, it wasn't like a full sail, you know, like
we're we're going to suck the rest of the year.
Now it's like we we might be, wemight finish above 500.
Maybe, maybe. It's the complete aside, this

(42:49):
just happened. So Ray's.
I'm only saying this because I just saw this, Ray's infield
prospect, Xavier Isaac, just putout on Instagram saying I've
been holding this in for a long time.
But a couple of weeks ago, I passed out unexpectedly.
What followed was something I could have never, I never could
have seen coming. Doctors found a tumor in my

(43:11):
brain. I underwent brain surgery soon
after, and I'm incredibly grateful to say that that the
procedure was successful. Jeez, what the hell?
What is going on with this organization?
Like either someone's getting like 3 different guys got hurt
today, Gandhi got hit on his freaking hand, Chandler had some

(43:32):
sort of dumb contusion of Rhonda's wrist, almost tore off
his body, and now Xavier Isaac'slike holy what the hell.
Wait, where was? It it was a brain, it was a
brain tumor. No, no, no, we're already posted
on Instagram. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It's like, Oh my God, I'm glad he's, I'm glad he's doing a lot

(43:52):
better, but jeez. Was it?
Was it cancerous? I don't he didn't say if it was
cancerous or not, but you have to think.
I mean, if he's kind of saying it as he is, could be leaning
towards that. I mean, it's gone, which is
great, but jeez, like my God, the the the amount of bad breaks
that this team has gotten in recent weeks, this entire month,

(44:18):
Like it's, it's utterly absurd. I mean, I thought that like, you
know, Bilal getting hurt and Hassan Kim getting hurt because
he seems to be perpetually hurt ever since the Rays have gotten
him, which that blows because the Rays wasted a lot of money
on him. And I can use waste at this
point because it's worth it. And then the whole thing today

(44:40):
with the whole rain delay that could have been prevented, but
the umpires decided to play the 5th inning and then Aranda got
hurt, which was easily preventable.
And then this. I mean, God, that's nuts.
I'm I'm wait, I'm not seeing it on.
Are you? Did you look it up, Gibby?
What? It's just, it's just on his
Instagram. It's on his Instagram for sure.

(45:01):
Oh, let. Me see on like a story.
Yeah, well, it's somewhere. It's on his.
It's on his Instagram. It's Xavier Isaac's Instagram.
Unless he deleted it. I'm I'm not seeing it anywhere.
I don't. I don't see it actually.
But yeah, so I guess that's the reason why he hasn't been

(45:25):
playing recently. That's, I mean, I don't know how
to feel about that. And this is not in the way of
like, we are very happy that he's OK.
We're very happy that he's healing everything like that.
It's just the the suddenness of everything just kind of catches
you off guard, which is very shocking.

(45:45):
OK, so aside from that. Yeah, I mean, he must have this
is I'm on his Instagram. He must have deleted the post.
Yeah, I. Think he did.
I don't know, but I mean, again,this is like I can see clear as
day on here, multiple different people put it out.
So I don't know what's going on.But regardless.
So we we talked about Hauser. There's definitely a lot of try

(46:10):
the right word for it, a lot of uncertainty with that.
But at the same time, if the Rays don't need to give up a lot
in order to get a guy like that for enough quality, knowing that
they might not re sign him but they can get him for a couple
months and try to turn it into some sort of a post season run,
I guess you'd do it. I think another issue that I had
with it, it was it's and, and I'll get into this a little bit

(46:30):
more when we talk about the jacks trays as well.
But I mean, it's been, I mean, obviously the month of July has
been horrible for the race, but the bullpen has not been good
for about like about the same. I mean, it, the downs, the
downturn of this team started when this bullpen started to be
really, really poor. So it's not like we, it's not

(46:52):
like within the last week, we just realized that this bullpen
isn't cutting it. Like we've known this bullpen
isn't good for about a month now.
I don't understand why we don't make that move earlier.
Like, I mean, we made the Brian Baker trade like what, 3 weeks
before the trade deadline and then we lose four straight to
the Red Sox. Two of those were blown saves 1

(47:12):
by Brian Baker. Why don't we go do a why don't
we do this move for Hauser rightafter that?
Like we clearly this bullpen still stinks and we still didn't
do anything about it. And then we blow the lead
against the the White Sox. What was that last Week 2 or was
it? No, it wasn't 2 leads, but the
Wednesday game was basically theend of the season.
Kevin Kelly gave a a bajillion runs like we've in the twin

(47:37):
series early this month too. It's like that was a series.
That was a series we with a competent bullpen, we sweep.
We were up 3 to 2, three to one in the eighth inning, I think in
the. Game.
Are you talking more about Jax than you are by Hauser?
Because Hauser's a starter. I guess I'm talking more about
Jax. Yeah, that's my fault.
But I guess yeah, we can say that then for.
No, no, no. But the idea of like of like if

(47:58):
there have been underlying issues that have existed, for
example, like not finding his consistency and stuff like that.
If you want to get rid of Latell, get rid of him maybe a
little bit later. Like like why don't you try to
pull the trigger earlier if the team is struggling to try to get
pieces in in order for the team to be more successful?
Yeah, wait till we're below 500,yeah.
Right. You waited till it's too.
I mean, I think at this point, just with that where the locker

(48:21):
room is, I think I, I mean, I think cash has kind of totally
lost the locker room just with how he's handled the bullpen.
I, I mean, I just, I don't thinkthere's very many good leaders
on this team either. I mean, that's not, we're not
talking about trades anymore, but I just, I don't think that
there's really a leader in the clubhouse.
And I think that's shown over the last month is that we've
lost heartbreak after heartbreakand we haven't bounced back.

(48:43):
So, but you're right though, theunderlying issue of the bullpen
has been known about been known about for a long time and we
haven't really the Brian Baker trade was was a good attempt.
I still think that he has a lot of potential, but we needed to
do more at the time and we didn't.
And now we're we are too far gone and I just don't understand

(49:05):
why we didn't do these moves earlier but.
And now we got into the Griffin Jacks trade, who has been one of
the best relievers set up man inbaseball this season is 30 years
old, has a couple years of control under him.
Again, That's, that's, that's a desirable factor for the Rays.
Even if you look to like the VanBelt trade, you know, getting
him back and then and then the Fiducia trade.

(49:28):
Those guys have years of controlunder them.
The Fortes trade Fortes has like3 plus years of control under
him. The only one that was like maybe
a little bit like eyebrow raising was the Houser trade
because again, he's a free agentafter this year.
But they've gotten like Baker had three plus years of control
on him. Like they've they've gone after

(49:48):
guys who have control that they can use in order to do things,
you know, in, in order to be successful down the road because
they can plan with these guys inthe picture down the road.
And Jax is another one of those guys.
That's part of it. You give up someone in Taj
Bradley who seemed to have maybeturned the corner last season.

(50:09):
You have that incredible run that he has in like June and
July. And then he falls back off a
Cliff and gets back to where he was before that point.
And then you think he'll take another step forward this year,
and he hasn't. And that's been really
concerning. So, you know, Evan Klosky said
kind of today about like whetherthe Rays gave up on him.

(50:30):
It's not necessarily the fact that the Rays gave up on him,
but in in many instances, in cases, he was kind of the odd
man out. And when you have the
opportunity to get someone like Jax who addresses a vital need
in this bulb, you know, on this team and the pitching staff, and
you can address that and get someone who has shown that he
can be really good, then then you you don't waste time and you

(50:53):
do that, especially if it's a one for one.
Yeah, that trade I absolutely loved.
Once again, Should have done it earlier.
Should have done it 3 weeks ago,and we probably would have had
to give it a little bit more, but that's OK.
Should have done it 3 weeks ago when we were still in
contention. Regardless, I love this trade.
I love this trade a lot. Jax, like you said, that has two

(51:15):
more years of control after thisyear.
I think ultimately I think he should be the closer, especially
for the time being until maybe Pete starts to figure out some
of the stuff he's going through.But I just ever since, I don't
remember when it was, maybe it was I think it was June last
year when Taj went through that nine start stretch where he was

(51:36):
the best pitcher in the MLB. Other than that, he hasn't ever
really made it click. Sure, he's had some good starts
back-to-back, but he he just, itseems like he takes a couple
steps forward and then a lot more steps backwards.
So it just doesn't, he never seemed to click.
It was something I said before this season.
I was, I, I remember I said justobviously the first season, 559

(51:59):
ERA, first season, the big leagues, that's fine, whatever,
we'll take that. And then the big jump down 411
last year, we're like, OK, hell yeah, we can see some
improvement. Now.
This is the big year. You got to kind of put it all
together. You got to get get under that
four, maybe even 35 sub ERA. And then he just kind of shot
right back up to 461. So he just I don't I think I

(52:23):
would say give up is kind of because I because I watched that
Evan Klosky video too. And that's kind of where I got
the ERA. It's like that's he had to make
the jump forward this year. This was an important year and
he just never did. And I don't, I don't think that
we I think give up is maybe a strong word, but I definitely
think that he ran out of opportunities here just
considering how deep our our rotation is and how many good

(52:45):
starting pitchers we do have. And he just never put it
together. And I'm totally fine with with
with trading him for for Jax. Jax's he's insanely good.
He's he fits exactly what we need and it's going to be fun to
watch him kind of hold down the Fort in the back end of that

(53:07):
bullpen for the next two years. I think, you know, I think the
two trades that we could have orthe two guys that we could have
the biggest problem with in the future are probably the Curtis
Mead and Taj Bradley because those guys have like a huge
potential. You know, we've already seen it

(53:28):
with Taj how he we talked about it, that nine game stretch he
had last year where he was the best pitcher in the MLB.
But he like, you're right, he never took that step forward.
But you know, it always seems tohappen where once we, you know,
lately once we trade away these guys, we tend to kind of miss

(53:50):
them later. So we'll see how that works out.
But yeah, I mean, Taj just you're right.
He just ran out of we ran out oftime with with with Taj.
And I mean, once he got sent down, I, I, I knew eventually he
would probably be traded becausejust just how it how it looks

(54:12):
really. But I'm glad he gets a fresh
start. And then, you know, and then
obviously I said me too, but youknow, he, he could work out
really good for the White Sox aswell.
Like, he's like, he just never got playing time here, but he
was actually doing pretty well every time he came up to bat for

(54:32):
us. So I mean, after a kind of
brutal start from him after spring training, he kind of
turned it around. So I'm excited to see him in
that trade as well. But yeah, the Taj Taj was
coming. And it was unfortunate, but, you
know, it was about time. But once again, I have my now I

(54:55):
have a bobble head that, you know, it doesn't matter.
That's. Do you know any do you know any
Twins fans that might want that?Cuz oh.
Yeah, he's on the Twins, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
You could donate it to a Twins fan.
This is the future. Another thing that I think Evan
Klaus had covered really well inthat video that he posted, I

(55:16):
think probably this evening, andsomething that's something I
noticed while watching too, is that his strikeout numbers have
not been. No, he is not very of his
getting swinging misses. No, he he, he has not had that
put away pitch at all. I think that's one of the
reasons why he kind of unravels is because he has to struggle
through almost every at bat. He can't He does just what like

(55:38):
I said, he does not have to put away pitch at all.
He has walked a lot of people aswell.
I mean, he had 129 strikeouts inhis first season that jumped to
154. And I get that this isn't a full
season, but that's down to 95, which it's like that.
It just, it's very it's very consistent with how his ERA has
been throughout his career as well.
Just and it's just, yeah, I think, I think even, I mean,

(56:04):
it's crazy that I think we kind of sold him high, though.
I think kind of to take that like, I mean, we sold him for
Jax. I would say that that's.
Selling top, Yeah, no, I mean inthe which?
Is crazy to say, which is crazy to say since he's we just
demoted him, but. Yeah.
No, we definitely sold at the high in the current.
You know what we understand about and then and then how how

(56:28):
Taj currently is or more like that.
But but but obviously he could turn into the avatar again, get
the avatar state going and he's 9 weeks solid or he has another
solid 9 stars for the twins. I mean it, it always I feel like
this always bites us in the ass.So I mean, I, I just, I just

(56:51):
hope he's not too good. I hope he's good, but not too
good. I hope he has a well career, you
know, just just not enough whereI regret trading him.
You know, that's that's what I hope.
I think, I think we're just traumatized by the Joe Ryan
trade. Just.
Yeah, obviously, I just think about Joe Ryan every time and
like. And then the Sivoli trade added

(57:11):
on to that cuz cuz Ivoli was so Garth the rays.
It's like how we just threw themaway for, for, you know,
nothing. And then and now, the twins are
like we would rather die before we train Joe Ryan.
Which I I respect that I I am soif I if I.
Fell off the team but Joe violence dude.
That's how you know, we miss. We messed up.

(57:32):
If I saw Joe Ryan and or Yandi on the Red Sox this season, I
would have been, I would have lost my mind.
I would have been so I would have been so upset.
As I said before about about Mead, I'm so happy that he's
going to get an opportunity. Like there's no way he's not
going to get an opportunity withChicago because Chicago's in
shambles. Yeah, who's who's the, who's
the, what's the second day? I have no clue.

(57:54):
They like like they need people to contribute and he's going to
be going to contribute on the team.
What are you trying to do? Yeah.
Do you exceed him? Are you on the phone Givin?
I am on the phone one SEC. I'll go back to my podcast.

(58:15):
Sorry. My girlfriend called me in the
middle so I had to. I had to stop.
You're all good. You're all good.
So, yeah. So Mead is going to get run
there. He's got to be successful, I'm
sure. I think that'll be great for the
White Sox and it'll be great forMead.
I mean he needs it like and thisis another now part of the of
the of the trade tree there withthe Phillies because my God, did

(58:38):
the Rays get screwed over in that one considering the guy
that they had, but I mean at. That point, who'd be?
Who'd be? Was it Alvarado?
No, it was Sanchez. Christopher Sanchez.
Oh right, I forgot about. That.
Yeah, and now he, he wasn't the Rays and we didn't know if he
was going to turn into what he turned into, but he has and it's
good for him. I think that's that is a
conversation that I think we might have to start having.

(58:59):
It's just, I don't know the, the, the front office's luster I
think is going away a little bit.
I mean, we've missed on a lot oftrades recently and it's not
like even and. Maybe it was Stew the whole time
and now that he's leaving like the the aura's gone.
It's, I mean, it's that the Morel trade has been like

(59:22):
unspeakably bad. The yeah, the Savali trade was
horrendous. The the, the Paradis trade still
has opportunities for the Rays to be successful down the road.
It's not like, yeah, dead in thewater, like, like, but Burrell
was the big one. Dead in the water.
Now the you know, the Ryan one. Even it was smaller, but even

(59:43):
the Ritchie trade has been terrible.
I mean, Kittredge, look at him, he's been, I mean, I think he
might have been a free agent that year.
So that's I think another reasonwhy we traded him.
But Ritchie has not done anything for us.
He's been in, he's been constantly injured.
He hasn't done much. I will say the Cabbiero trade
didn't work out like Rayleigh has been OK and Cabbiero, we
didn't. We didn't.

(01:00:03):
We haven't talked about that yet, but.
Oh, that's the one I forgot about.
Oh, my. Yeah.
But yeah. But yeah.
So I think that there's, there'sI think there's value in both of
those things. I'm hoping the best for Taj.
I mean Taj is such a nice dude. Yeah, that's the real sad thing.
Great smile. Yeah, great smile.
Really, really nice guy. He's got a great personality and

(01:00:25):
you hate to lose guys like that.Clubhouse guys that I'm sure
bring good vibes. And, you know, he's a young kid,
He's gonna rebound. It's not like it's, you know,
it's, it's, it's gonna be the. World just like Mattel Mattel
seem but I. Oh my God, that seemed.
Like he was a great. Lead best dude.
He seemed like he was a great couple.
Yeah, he deserves all the good things that calm down.
I mean, that guy was a absolute bulldog with the race.

(01:00:45):
And we did forget about the Caballero trade.
I don't know what Pereira is going to turn into.
Like, I feel like I, I don't know, I mean, maybe the player
to be named later could be someone that's like kind of
sneaky good. This is how they get Spencer
Jones. Spencer Jones is coming to the
Rays via the Caballero trade. I'm calling it right now.

(01:01:06):
Could they just, could they justgive us Caballero back for free,
just feel like he's the player to be named later and then just
take him back? Has that ever happened before?
Where like I think. That did.
I think that happened before where they just where one team
gave him the same guy back. After that would be.
That would be incredible. Hold on hold.
On To be honest, that has more probability of happening than

(01:01:28):
you know, the Yankees ever bringing up anybody for their.
Yeah, that's that's that's incredible.
But like, I guess I get it. I mean, tell him it happens.
Lives to live. He lives another day.
My God, that man. I don't know how he's done it.
But Taylor Walls fights the living up.

(01:01:48):
Baseball finds him and God damn.Do we just respect the grind at
this point? Like he's just, he's like, he's.
The franchise shorts God raised He was the franchise shortstop
all along. Like, what are we, what are we
even supposed to do when God is on his side?
You know, like in every circumstance, God is like, no
Taylor Walls will play today. He's he's.

(01:02:09):
The franchise shortstop that theRays have wanted to his entire
time. It was never Willie Adamas.
It was never Wander Franco. It was Taylor Walls.
Whoa, whoa, we're saying his name now?
I thought I'm just kidding. It was Taylor Walls his entire
time. He is the Messiah.
Hassan and Kim has had eight injuries this year that has

(01:02:29):
prevented him from doing the same doing.
The short subject. But I didn't.
Know why? You know what it was?
We made too many videos at the beginning of the year about
Hassan Kim. It was all it was all Hardpad.
We got we got too hype about himonly for.
Him we got too high and. Then not do anything else.
It's too high but but it's it's happened 4 times where a player

(01:02:51):
has been traded for a player to be named later and then the
teams couldn't agree on the final deal so they traded him
back. So that's kind of funny.
I think that the Rays could findsomeone in the Yankees system.
It'll probably be a lower level guy.
I'm not expecting anyone at likedouble or AAA, but they could
find someone kind of sneaky. Like they won't.

(01:03:11):
I don't think that they'll get anyone in the top 30.
I think that that's a little bittoo much of an ask, but like,
I'm sure they can find someone that they like and just go with
it. I think it should be somebody
pretty significant though. I mean, Caviaro, I know that he
was not good against righties. He was, I mean, he was really
bad against righties, but he's areally good, he's a really good
platoon guy against lefties. He plays anywhere in the field.

(01:03:33):
He's leading the league in stolen bases.
He's a really good fielder as well for how versatile he is.
Like he's a he. It stinks that he never really
was on a race team that was successful, but he's a very.
Yankees fan celebrating cuz theywon the trade, they feel like
they won the trade and they feellike they never win trades with

(01:03:55):
us. I don't think anyone's gonna win
the trade. I think it's just gonna be,
yeah. I think it was.
I think, yeah, I don't, I don't know how this is a win for them.
I mean, he's like a, he's like agood, you know, he's, he's good
for their platoon. But I mean.
Where's he gonna play second? He's going to play.
I don't know. I mean, technically, OK, I will
say Pereira was the Yankees 12thoverall.

(01:04:18):
Prosper. I'm excited about him, I think.
That was like, I mean, you got pretty good value out of getting
someone like him. Yes, I, I.
It works out that is. I, I think he and, and I've said
it 18 times this podcast, we need outfield help as much as
possible. So I think getting a center
fielder with Pereira. I'm so glad DeLuca came back by

(01:04:39):
the way he's been. I feel like he's been pretty
good since he came back. OK.
Yeah, he he actually got. From Mississippi State would be
fun. Where's he's been?
Yeah, AAA, he's been 2. Like he's got a power to 19 home
runs in in 70 games. I'm looking through the 2. 50.
Four top 30 and seeing who the rays could fleece and I'm not

(01:05:01):
really seeing anyone of note. So.
Yeah, he, Pereira has some pretty serious power.
I mean, he had ten home runs in 40 games last year, 19 home runs
in 70 games this year, 254. Like he's a good, I don't know.
He's a good piece that I I thinkcan help bolster the outfield,
which once again is very thin. All right.

(01:05:27):
Well, I think that we've pretty much exhausted everything with
the trade deadline for the Rays.It's important to note Aranda's
going to be off for some time, which could mean that we see, I
mean, Yandi might play more first base as a result, probably
will, but we could see Bob Seymour or Trey Morgan come up.
There's there's possibilities there.

(01:05:49):
Podcast guest Trey Morgan. Yes, Raised Roof podcast guest,
Trey Morgan multi time podcast guest at this point, which is
true. So who knows what's going to
happen there. And then, yeah, the Rays just
sucked in July. I don't really think go any more
deep. Keys to the series?
No, Get out of July. Yeah, there we go.

(01:06:10):
There's the big key. Stop show.
Hey, Otani, that's those are the.
Key ones. Guy just scaled it.
Can we just cheer? Don't let Colin Pochet pitch.
I, I, I might actually just cheer for show, hey.
I might, I might go and cheer for show, hey.
Guys, don't let don't let Colin Pochet pitch to Otani with the

(01:06:31):
bases loaded. I I don't see how that's a good
idea. Can we be honestly, can we bring
him back just to make the seasonthat much?
Because I mean, I'm just laughing at this point and
especially with the bullpen, it's just funny at this point.
Can we just bring him back for some comedic relief?
And just see, that's me. I mean, this bullpen is they,

(01:06:52):
they, they, I'm not going to sayanother.
Word just like you say that, butI feel like we'd be like, oh
man, he's actually. Clearly excited about the move.
He's like, oh, actually Poche. Actually, I'd take a poche.
Compared to Kevin Kelly, he's actually not too mad.

(01:07:13):
Well the last thing I wanted to ask was your favorite deal of
the deadline. Like it doesn't have to be the
raise. I guess your favorite non raise
deal in the deadline. Do you guys have one?
I think Correa going back is really cool.
I will like, I mean, the Astros,half their team is injured, but
I they're also really good and going him going back and I think
he's playing third base, which would be really, I don't think

(01:07:34):
he's ever played third base in the major leagues before.
So that'll be really interesting.
It's I think the Astros might win it all.
I think they're so good. It's the Astros.
God, I really fucking hate them,but yeah, they're probably going
to win it all. They're so good.
Oh my, the. I'm sorry.
Go for it. Go for.
It my favorite trade was definitely adults.

(01:07:56):
Garcia got moved today, right? No.
Wait, no, that was a fake trade.Yeah, yeah, that was.
Yeah, that was fake. The guy the the guy tried to
save face by saying that he was hacked, which there's no way in
hell that he was hacked. I'm sorry.
That is so hilarious. Do you think he I thought I
believe that he got hacked. I don't think he got.
Hacked. You think he's wrong?
There's anyway he got hacked. Yeah, I was about to say that

(01:08:18):
one, but then I remembered I sawthat it was.
Who was who was The Who was the other one?
Do you do you have? You know, the Korea one's really
cool. I already said that one at the
beginning. That was the one that was kind
of on my mind. I was, I was going to say,
training away the number 3 prospect in baseball for Mason

(01:08:40):
Villain. They don't have anybody else.
They don't even have enough guysfor the AAA team anymore.
How are they even like top prospects anymore?
Like like, like can we, can we like rethink the whole
conversation with I think we could be in the.
Prospects. I think we could be prospects in
the Padres organization right now.
That's how bad they need, yeah. What does the top 3 prospect in

(01:09:00):
the Padres organization look like?
Me like, yeah. It's like a fifth grader.
It's got to be like a fifth grader.
Honduras or something? No, but it's kind of, it's got
to be the most fun thing ever. Like I know that they don't win,
but like they don't ever win thewhole.
Thing Oh dude their fans been way too hype for an 82 and 80
season. No, but that rocks though.

(01:09:20):
Just every trade deadline, your team is going for it in a.
Fact. I'm spending the money, I'm
floating the bunker money I. Mean it's a good line.
It's got to be so much fun. It's got to be so much fun.
I'm so I'm so jealous of them. Loves the Padres.
Oh, Ferdie rats, those are rightguys.
We're already, we're already back.

(01:09:42):
My favorite trade was the the Duran trade to the Phillies.
Oh yeah, because they got years of control for him.
He's one of the best closers in baseball.
They gave away Tate, who? The Phillies already have a
catcher. They have JT Romuto locked down
for a couple years now and like,I don't know if he's like how
long they're going to keep him for, but they're going to keep.

(01:10:03):
I mean, he's already there for he's been there for a while and
he's going to stay there for a while.
Oh, I like, I like Eugeni Eugenios Eugenios Suarez on on
the fucking. Mariners.
Yeah. Yeah, the Mariners kind of went
nice. Fantastic.
Well. That's my other.
That's my other favorite team. Yeah, us Padres, the roof.
We're Mariners. The roof us, us Mariners fans
are happy about that, so yeah. But yeah, and then they gave

(01:10:27):
away Abel, who like has Major League stuff.
But again, if you can give away those two guys for Duran, who's
got 2 plus years of control and you can find a way to lock him
down because the Phillies have money.
Like, why not? Because I mean, I mean, they
went for, what's it called, theywent for God Carlos Estevez last
year and that didn't work out and they didn't keep him.

(01:10:48):
So like now you're going after someone who's better and you're
getting more years of control out of him and you can extend
him if you want. Like I don't see how there's I,
I mean, that's a win win in my book.
I also like the Shane Bieber deal, mainly because I like that
Cleveland got Cal Steven becauseI saw him pitch at Mississippi
State and the dude's an absolutebulldog.

(01:11:10):
He wasn't that good when he was at Purdue, but when he came over
to Mississippi State, he he acclimated really, really well
the SEC and looked really solid.So, and he's looked good in the
minors too. So I think that that's an arm
that Cleveland can use and kind of find ways to make him better
and have him come up to the the Major League soon.
Like, I think that he's a guy that can fit into their Major
League roster when he's ready tocome up.

(01:11:31):
I might be going some games in Cleveland.
Nice. I actually, I just saw Superman.
So like I saw the scene where hewas in where they were
Progressive Field. Yeah.
You know what, by the way? It is.
It is the most just baseball field looking like baseball.
Yeah. So it it makes it's like the

(01:11:52):
most generic baseball. It's just baseball field, you
know, like there's no defining characteristics.
It's just, you know, it looks like a basement.
That's the perfect baseball field to put in a movie because
it's like, who's the baseball field is that?
Oh, it's Cleveland. Yeah, I was waiting because I,
I, I remember them like filming scenes there and that being a
thing. And then I and then as soon as I

(01:12:12):
saw the movie, I was like, Oh yeah, that's where it is.
That's hilarious. It took a second to get figured
out but but but. Cleveland is metropolis.
You heard it here. There we go.
That's right, guys. Yes, the the metropolis of
Cleveland, as everyone's been thinking.
Is there anything else that we want to talk about before we're
going to end the pod? No, no.

(01:12:36):
I guess, I guess are you, I mean, I know we don't have much
time left, but are you guys happy that we kept the the big
three I guess? Yeah.
I'm pretty happy. I have that BLL jersey since
2019. I'm going to let that thing ride
as long as I can, baby. Yeah, You mean next, the half
season? Next season.
Yeah, that's fine. However long I can keep it, I'm
going to keep it. God damn it that that makes me

(01:12:58):
the happiest man in. The world yeah, I, I like I like
keeping the big three because I mean it just keeps the hopes
alive still. I mean, I feel like I feel like
we have those guys. There's always a chance, you
know, I, I. Don't even.
I'm not ready to give up. I don't even want to start
believing at all because anytimeI or like the moment I start
believing it's just the team is just going to keep.

(01:13:19):
Well I guess we've sucked already so why not?
That can't really change much. But we're what, 3 1/2 games out?
How? I feel like we should be like 9
games out. They're still in the playoff
race. Maybe Woo?
This the the the battle for 4th place tonight at least might be
a little. Actually no, the OS gave away
their whole team so never mind. But.
Cedric Mullins is gone and otherguys o'hearn, Cedric Mullins.

(01:13:42):
Oh yeah, o'hearn is gone. Loriano's gone like.
He went. He went to El Padres or Padres.
And the painters? The rebuild is coming around,
guys. Elias, there's nobody the owner
complete just throwing away of the team.
That's exactly what OS fans wanted.
I don't think anybody loves the resell more.
I mean Elias lives for it. Elias is like it's the LeBron

(01:14:05):
James meme, like Mike Elias whenit comes to reselling and then
it's the LeBron James highlight video.
Have you seen those memes? I've seen a lot of them.
Yeah, OK. That's what comes to mind when I
think of Mike Elias. But with that being said, I
think that is going to conclude things on Slave's episode, Raise
the Roof. We pretty much exhausted

(01:14:26):
everything to talk about. So First off, thank you guys as
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(01:14:47):
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(01:15:10):
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(01:15:32):
as always, raise up. Raise up baby.
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