July 12, 2025 • 49 mins
From what was a red hot May and June, the Rays have cratered back to Earth in one of the worst ways we could've anticipated, falling from 0.5 games out of 1st place to 4th in the AL East after what's been a horrid stretch of baseball, mostly on the road.
We talk about that and more on this latest episode of the pod.
Thanks so much for listening! You can follow RTR on social media @RaysTheRoofTB and be sure subscribe to the podcast!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:12):
It's time to raise the loop for our latest regular season
episode. Welcome back everyone to this
latest episode of the pod. I'm your host Alex Murphy, with
me my Co host Gibby. Gibby How you doing man?
Doing pretty good, Alex. You ever never realized how out
of date doctor's offices are? I had to get some.
(00:34):
I had to get some documents fromthe doctor's office today and
they couldn't e-mail it to me. I was like, yeah, you can just
like e-mail it to me or whatever, you know, I just need
these things like, no, we can't do that.
You have to come here and we print it out.
You have to sign your blood on this on this.
On this so in what way? Explain to me in what way they
(00:55):
are outdated. They're so archaic, dude.
They don't. They won't e-mail me this thing.
I have to go to the office and pick it up and they have to
print it out. Bro Bro's going to on.
Stone on stone tablets on stone tablets, apparently.
You know, oh, he cracked the Rosetta Stone.
He did. But yeah, that that's how my day
(01:16):
was, you know? Well, that's good.
I'm just arguing with the doctor's office for no reason.
So sorry to do that employee, you know, whatever.
Yeah, well, it's OK. Well, I mean, it's probably a
better situation what the Rays are going through right now.
Let's. Be oh oh, that is that is true.
That is why I did not mention the rays at all and the and the
how you get doing because you can't do that to yourself.
(01:39):
The rays seem to not. The Rays seem to not be doing I
think is a Safeway of putting it.
Not. Doing it, yeah.
It's also been a lot, it's also been a while since we've
actually like sat down and did apodcast because the last couple
podcasts were just a compilationof interviews that I did when
I'm, when I was down in Tampa, which we had a really, really
good time. We went to a couple games,
enjoyed the the, the nightlife and such of Tampa.
(02:02):
You're you're used to it. I was more of indoctrinated back
into it. And then I was up in Baltimore
for the basically that next weekend for the Rays O series.
So I've been busy. We've been busy.
It's nice to actually talk. And I guess the unfortunate part
is, is that the Rays haven't been great since we were in
(02:24):
Tampa because the Rays win 2 outof three or split a series
against the O's, go 2 out of three, win 2 out of three
against the Tigers. And then since that point, they
haven't won a series just or no,No, they swept the Royals.
And since that point when they swept the Royals in the road,
they haven't won a series since.So it was a series loss to the
(02:45):
Orioles. It was a series loss to the
Athletics. It was a series loss to the
twins. Yeah, the the twins, there's,
there's two. It's it's been a while, but.
And then the Tigers again. Yes, and the Tigers again.
And now the Rays have a chance of potentially only being able
to salvage a series split in this series against the Red Sox.
(03:06):
It's happening over the weekend,the last series before the All
Star Break. And we will talk about the All
Star Break. Don't worry about that.
But yeah, that part isn't fun. But there's also other not fun
things that we have to talk about.
I'm only going to mention this and we both know how we feel
about it. We did not get a chance to
(03:26):
mention the whole Wanda Franco situation about how he was
basically let off Scott free forwhat he did.
If you guys want to look more into the actual sentencing and
what he actually received, go look.
That was reported online weeks ago.
We both are in agreement that bad man don't.
(03:47):
At this point, I doubt that he'sever going to be able to get any
sort of a work visa in the United States.
So I just hope that that's the way that the Rays can void his
contract, because my God, that'sa nightmare.
Yeah, I mean, a lot of people felt like it was almost closure.
I definitely, I wasn't so sure about that, you know, but I'm
(04:12):
glad he's at least like, like what you're saying away from the
Rays. But I'm not sure if the
situation as a whole has been properly dealt with.
So yeah, I don't think it is unfortunate.
Yeah, it's not. I don't, I don't think so either
because honestly, the reporting on it is a little bit hard to to
(04:32):
come by. It's always, it's, it always has
to be like the first when it first comes out, you know, it
always has to just directly translate it.
And sometimes, you know, those Twitter translations, they don't
do well, but there's people who decipher through it and, and can
get us the the proper news. So.
Correct. But it is it is worth noting
(04:53):
though, this is probably the last time that we're ever going
to talk about him on this podcast.
Yeah. Goodbye and good riddance.
Get out of here. We're done with that.
On the injury front. Beel just got placed on the IL
Curtis Mead just came back up for him.
We also had who else? Why am I?
(05:14):
Oh, I mean Hassan Kim is probably come back.
Hassan Kim is officially back with the Rays or officially has
begun his Ray's tenure, which isfantastic.
His home run and and the Red Soxgame yesterday.
Now he's been looking good. Yeah, and I thought that that
score would stand, but, you know, there's other ideas,
(05:35):
mainly the bullpen. That is also very true.
We did have Mesa Montgomery got sent down recently and that was
kind of a something that we all kind of thought was going to
happen. He was really overused over the
last couple months. I think in 50, I think it was
him, but in 59 games, in the last 59 games or whatever, 59
(05:57):
game stretch, he was used 30 times.
So it's basically one time everytwo games, which is really
unsustainable for someone who's a rookie and doesn't have a lot
of confidence on the mound. And personally, I think that his
fastball is really flat, so he needs to find some way to gain
some sort of movement on it so that he can become more
effective because honestly, he'sjust not there right now.
(06:20):
Like one O 2 is great, but if one O 2 is flat, then that's
like guys can hit 100 now prettyeasily.
So the one, you know, 115 years ago was a big deal. 100 now was
no longer a big deal. Yeah, exactly.
So with all the analytics drivenstuff going on.
(06:40):
And and also just, I mean guys are used to faster speeds.
Yeah, exactly. I mean they can literally put
your ass in a fucking VR headsetand you know they can see that
shit right right now and there there's guys who say that it's
pretty it it does a pretty well job of of training them for said
pitchers. So I.
Mean this is true. This is very true.
(07:01):
Alongside of that, we also had atrade.
The Rays just traded for Brian Baker, reliever for the
Baltimore Orioles. Unfortunately, he did not have a
great first outing with the Rays, personally speaking.
Don't know why he was used 12 hours after he was traded.
Seems a little bit like it was too much like a fresh off the
boat situation where dude was literally fresh off the plane,
(07:24):
had no clue who the hell he was.I mean, he knew of the guys that
he was throwing to, but in the grand scheme of things, he
hadn't worked with them in any sort of bullpen or anything like
that and was just kind of thrownout there.
And I feel like throwing into the wolves.
And you saw that with the fact that he walked the first two
guys that he faced and then it just kind of went down from
there. But they they did trade for him.
(07:45):
Like Gibby look like want to make sure that you can.
Speak. No, you're good.
No, you're a Saiyan, right? Yeah, so, yeah, well, so he gave
up three runs in the outing. Rays ended up losing 4 three
yesterday. So Thursday of as as of this
recording, we're we're recordingon Friday today.
What I do think is interesting is, is that I believe this is
(08:07):
the first time that the Rays have traded a player or a pick
for a player. Now, if you guys don't know how
the MLB draft works, MLB teams can't trade picks unless they're
compensation picks, whether thatbe from a signing, whether that
be from a trade, whatever it is,I believe there's only 27
(08:28):
compensation picks and teams have multiple picks.
Like now the Orioles have like two or three of those comp
picks, so not everyone gets one,but those are the only picks
that can be traded. And those picks I believe go all
the way down to like the fourth round, but the majority of them
sit in the first and second round.
(08:49):
And I, I think that the, and I'm, I'm only saying this
because this is my feeling on it, my opinion on the matter.
If you guys want to you guys like we are here to have
different opinions, but I think that in the Major League
Baseball draft, and you can tellcompared to any other draft in
(09:09):
professional sports in the majorpro are for professional sports
in in North America, the NBA draft.
If you're drafting someone in the NBA draft, he's immediately
going on your team in the early rounds of the NFL draft and even
in the later rounds of the NFL draft because we've had guys
like Stefan Diggs was a fifth round pick, Tom Brady was a 6th
7th round pick. So guys, you know, kind of goes
(09:31):
back and forth, but if you're drafting someone, most of the
time you're drafting the guy to be on the team immediately.
Hockey's a little bit different,but for the most part, you're
drafting the guy and a lot of guys will get drafted and go on
the team immediately. I don't think that there's been
an instance in the Major League Baseball draft other than like,
I think maybe it was crochet, but like outside of him, like
(09:56):
guys don't get immediately thrown into the major leagues.
Yeah, exactly. I mean even, I mean, you could
say Paul schemes, but even he had to go through a little, a
little bit of minors. So yeah, you're right.
Like usually the timeline of guys and this is like the, the,
the most elite players, it'll, it'll take like 2 years And I, I
think it's coming closer to likea one year thing.
(10:17):
But still that's like the top end of top end guys.
And I'm not saying that where they're where that pick is in
the first round, you're not going to get a really, really
good player out of that. But the odds that the OS in
their four picks will have 4 guys that immediately come to
the major leagues and immediately are difference
makers is not high. Like the the hit rate from the
(10:39):
MLB draft compared to or from from, yeah, from the baseball
draft compared to football, hockey and basketball is much
lower. So I don't mind the Rays doing
something like that because of the fact that it's way more
volatile, the draft process in baseball compared to those other
three sports. And you're getting someone who
(11:01):
has three years of control underthem in the process.
If it was someone that was like he was going to become a free
agent next year, then I'd be a little bit more shaky on it.
But the fact that he had three years of control on him, I was
more than fine with the deal. And if they find ways to do it,
like trading guys for picks is such a commonplace activity and
(11:23):
like every other pro sport, but in baseball, because you can't
trade picks, it's weird. So everyone's like, Oh my God.
But like, I mean, you've seen it.
It happens all the time. Yeah, I mean, I think people
just don't understand like how athletes really work.
I mean, all those guys, those are just guys you're taking
chance on. I mean, if you're higher up in
the rounds, you know, they mightwork out a little bit better,
(11:46):
but you never know. I mean, you could have a guy
Brian Wu this year. I mean, this guy, I mean,
everyone said it from the mountaintops, you know, foolish
baseball, all of them. This guy sucked in college and
now he they turned him into something.
They saw scouts saw something inside.
Of him he was. He was pretty upset.
Oh my God. That that no one else saw and
(12:08):
they're able to capitalize off that.
He was like a six round pick. He was a six round pick with.
With an awful with like an awfulERA, by the way.
He had a six. He so so someone.
Just so they literally just tooka it's like, oh, this guy has
like a nice fastball and and it's pretty effortless on the.
Mount. So let's.
Let's just test them out. Dude his and he just.
(12:31):
Almost threw a no hitter. He just almost threw a no hitter
the other night. And then the and then the and
then the Mariners Bullfin blew up.
But if you look at his so he only pitched in 31 games in
college because he did have Tommy John.
He had a six 5 ERA. Yeah, like can he go drafted
awful as our as our other Co host Evan Lynch joins the
(12:51):
podcast. Evan, how we doing?
Sorry, I keep keep going. We were talking about Brian Wu
and how he had it. We're we're we're currently
talking about the the Brian Baker trade and about how I
personally think that if you have a comp pick and you can
trade it because it was the onlytradable picks in the MLB draft,
you trade it if you have the ability to trade it for someone
(13:12):
who is half decent. Because Gibby was just
mentioning Brian Wu, who was a six round pick, had a 65 BRA and
is now one of the best pitchers on, you know, starters on the
Mariners. So.
Yeah. I mean, are you, are you talking
about the trade or we're? Just talking about how you know,
draft draft guys, you know, it's, it's random, you know,
it's it, it can happen and it can not happen and you can find
(13:34):
a gem and you sometimes you know, you know, and sometimes
you have a dud in the first round.
So we're just saying how the MLBdraft was like.
Yeah, yeah, compared to like theother pro sports.
Leagues and and obviously the MLB draft is different because
it's not an impact right away either.
It's like it's so. Yeah, that's the, that's kind of
(13:54):
the biggest thing that that I was discussing was like, if it's
not, the guy's not immediately impacting the team.
So like if you can get someone with control who's good enough
and you think that he's good enough, then like why not go for
him? Because again, there's only I
said there was only like 27 comppicks in the in the draft this
year. And not every team gets a comp
pick. You'll, you know, sometimes you
(14:15):
get lucky, sometimes you don't. But yeah.
Yeah, they they just burned lessin baseball.
They don't like, we're not goingto be like in five years.
Oh, you know who they used to draft that with that comp pick,
this guy who's amazing now I that like that's not going to
happen. You know, it might happen if the
guy's freaking amazing, but you know, that's that's very rare.
(14:38):
You know, like whatever these compensatory picks are going to
turn into, you know, we don't, we don't know.
I won't know. So it definitely hurts less than
trading, you know, just name forname, you know, trained by a
prospect that could turn into something, you know, just just
nameless people doesn't hurt. Good, good trade.
(14:58):
You know, even though he kind ofblew it yesterday.
Yeah. That was.
But but yeah, but but like you were saying, pitchers are
strange creatures. You know, he can't just can't
just, I mean, baseball players are strange creatures.
He can't, you know, just those, a guy into a new environment,
expect him, you know, just be the same guy right away.
Maybe. 24, maybe 24 hours instead of 12.
(15:21):
Yeah, I was going to say, Evan, what are your thoughts about the
fact that that Baker was literally thrown into the fire,
like not even a day into his, into his?
Race, I mean, I mean, this wholelast week of race baseball has
been infuriating. Just I mean, oh, yeah, I'd say,
I'd say every single loss we probably should have won except
for Monday's game against the Tigers.
I think that's pretty fair. Within the last week, I mean,
(15:43):
the Tigers, they've I think theywon that game 51.
Like, yeah, we didn't discern win that game.
But each of the other games thatwe've lost, which I think it's
now what is it 5 in the last week?
I'd say four of those five losses we kind of handed away.
And like last night, you know what?
I I don't, I don't necessarily think it was like, I mean, sure,
(16:07):
I agree. You don't.
I think I don't think that was the perfect time to throw them
in there. However, I don't necessarily
think it's Cash's fault last night.
I think he's been a horrible manager this year, especially in
the last week. So I kind of think he's just,
he's just kind of the scapegoat right now, which he hasn't
(16:29):
really earned the benefit of thedoubt recently because I mean,
Sunday's game, I don't know whatthe hell that was.
I I know we won the game, but the fact that Mason Montgomery
pitches basically every game makes no sense to me.
Yeah, and I talked about it was 30 appearances in in a 59 game
stretch. That's like, not.
Good. It makes no sense.
Like I I don't get it. And he's a rookie, like he needs
(16:52):
time to gel. And if you can't?
He's not good and he's not good like it's, it's, it's, it's
different if he's been succeeding or.
Yeah, he's been. He is.
He's not been good. At all, I don't think and.
Not all year, no, you're right. And to continually do that when
Clevenger, I feel like he pitches 2 * a week.
I swear like I can't, he cannot be that overwhelmed.
(17:14):
And. Also, Ian Seymour was there.
Ian Seymour literally pitched 2 innings in Boston a couple weeks
ago like 1/2 or two ago and was pretty solid.
Or comply with him. Another thing that kind of makes
just the whole situation, I get the, the, the like I, I, I think
I don't know if you saw Evan Klosky's, which I like a lot of
(17:35):
the stuff he does like. I like how he kind of takes it
as a fans approach and not from the media.
It's another ad. Well, I know why.
It's because there's another Evan.
Yeah, and that too. And that too.
I just like how he like he. I think he sympathizes with the
fans very well. But he released a video last
night talking about how the starting pitching has eaten up a
ton of innings and coming close to career eyes.
(17:57):
And I get that their young arms like Taj is one of those.
I think he's like 30 innings away from his career high.
But you have to adjust, I think.I think I think you have to
realize, oh, the bullpen is horrible right now.
I mean, it's hard to imagine it's not the worst in the MLB.
You have to adjust and be like, hey, Tosh, go get us one more
out, one more inning, bottom of the lineup.
(18:18):
He's he was he looked really good yet like he's been really,
really weird in these up and down starts, but he looked very,
very solid yesterday and and I just I don't get I don't you
have to be able to be you have to adjust and I I get that like
if the bullpen had been somewhatdecent recently.
I get pulling him. I get pulling him.
(18:38):
Hey, he's coming close to his career high.
Get him out, get him a good start in before the All Star
break. And but you have to be like,
hey, this bullpen is really struggling right now and, and
that is that's what's on cash. However, you can't walk the
first two batters. I think he threw 8 out of his
nine first nine pitches as balls.
So you just keep doing that. I like I just I I state like I
(19:03):
understand, like throwing a guy into the fire like in but he
wasn't used to the team bro. He he he made it sound like he
was like he was like crying and screaming that he was leaving
the O's. He was like the team is
everything now. I'm like, give him time, man.
I think that's so, like, understandable too.
Like, I mean, it's like, holy cow, he had no idea that was
(19:23):
coming. He had a ton of weather
apparently to deal with with hisflight getting there.
Like it was a long. Day, he didn't need to pitch
yesterday, it was unnecessary. And it's a close game.
I mean 3 to 1 nowadays is, I mean with the race bullpen,
you're basically losing with that, but.
I would have liked to see seek or in that situation personally,
or Clevenger would have been fine with either.
(19:45):
Yeah, I, I agree. And I just, and, and, and once
again, I say that like, I don't necessarily think it was Cash's
fault last night. Just considering like, oh, you
don't think he's going to walk the first two batters?
I don't think he should have been in, but I don't think it's
necessarily his fault. However, Cash's decisions over
the last week have we've lost I,I've lost total trust in him.
(20:05):
I, I don't think he has any ideawhat he's doing.
You've said it being used on Tuesday in that game against the
Tigers. No sense at all.
Kevin Kelly being used two timesover the weekend and blowing
both games against the Twins. Once again, makes no.
Sense hell, he's not been like recently.
I mean like, it's because I I I talked about this with a couple
friends who Seda being bad this year is like a total shock to
(20:28):
me. I don't know how you feel.
You said it's the new poche likehe like put he'll they'll give
up a home run every single time,but cash still goes to them or
or is he Why do they not Why didhe get sent down I.
Don't know or is he has or is hehas.
I don't think they know how to use everything right spots right
now. I mean, the ERA climbed a little
bit for his he, but it yeah, I don't, I don't see why they why
(20:51):
they did that at all. I just don't think.
I mean, he does have guys he cango to, but I think there is just
too many, there's too many of these landmines that he's just
landing on. And I I think a lot of his
decisions have definitely cost us the game.
But I mean, at some certain point he's just going to, he has
to step on a landmine almost. He's just surrounded like.
(21:12):
He's got arms right now and the it's just.
It's just who do I got? I got to pick my poison.
I got to pick my poison right now.
You know, like, but I see what you're saying.
Like a lot of these game time decisions have just been like
terrible and you know, and kind of like taking out to the
starters at certain points have have been pretty bad and like
trying to finish it off with thebullpen when that's just
(21:34):
probably not the goatee right now, so.
Yeah, I mean the boy. I see what you're.
I see what you're saying. The bullpen doesn't have a lot
of pressure on them right now. Like, yeah.
Exactly they did. Pitching.
And they don't have that many innings.
No, that's what he's. I say go win the game.
Yeah. It's like I don't, I don't even
know. I I think according to, I think
Evan also I don't, I think it was a different tweet, but I
(21:55):
think he said that relievers on the race have the 27th most
innings in Major League. Baseball and the starters are
like an out away from being fromfrom being tied for like the
most innings like. Where are we getting all these
extra innings from? Are we playing more baseball
than everyone else? It it seems.
Like it's not even me. How do we have most starter
(22:15):
starter time and then? Most dude, we're different now
the Rays have. Is because we have like 4 or 5.
We have 5 starters. I can't do that.
It doesn't. Like like on like last Friday,
we we blow the three one game against the Twins, we blow that.
That's whatever. Like that what then we blow the
5-1 lead. But Kevin Kelly gives up the
(22:36):
walk off to Bader on the Friday game and then he's the first
pitcher out of the bullpen on Saturday game.
But then doesn't he give up the three run time?
Game Game time Home run. Honestly, all these games
blending together right now so Ican't even tell.
Yeah, it's like travesty after travesty, you know?
I mean they are the same exact games over and over again like.
Also, I will say it's it is so great to see Joe Boyle back.
(23:00):
It is great to see Ian Seymour back.
I still think that Baker is a good reliever.
I just think that yesterday was a horrible spot to put him in.
So I think that there's new guysthat are coming into the mix.
I really hope that Montgomery going down to Durham will allow
him to kind of get used to things again and and become
somewhat of a better pitcher. Because as Gibby said, like at a
(23:22):
certain point, you only have so many guys in the bullpen.
And if like all of the guys suck, then you just have to
who's. It who's up?
Someone do it. It's like it's like door 1, door
2, door 3IN in, in let's make a deal and you got to try to avoid
the zonk or whatever it is. Yeah, I mean, it's it's insane.
But but that that's what I'm calling, that's what I'm saying.
(23:44):
It's like, well, since the bullpen's so bad, you have to
adjust, leave the I I get that they're coming up on pitch on
your career high, but guess what?
That's also what starting pitchers do.
They eat up innings like that's they're going to have to do that
eventually. And Taj is not that young
either. Like he's it's not like this is
his first full season, like he'sgot to be able to make that jump
eventually. So why not now?
(24:05):
And when their bullpen is struggling this much, you have
to put him. But especially when he was
pitching so well last night, he looked he, I mean, that was, I
know he had a shutout I think inKansas City a couple weeks ago,
but I'd say I think he looked better last night than he did in
that start against the. He's looking the.
Royals, I think he looked so good last night.
Also, I was Joe Boyle absolutelyshoved after Rasmussen.
(24:28):
Yeah, I mean Joe, dude. Move, move.
Rasmussen I love Joe. I love Joe Boyle, but yeah, he
doesn't. Joe Boyle doesn't solve any of
our problems. Like what are we going to do to?
Start him, yeah. Let's start him in the
beginning. Let's have him close out the
game. Honestly, Rasmussen in the bull
starter this kind of late last year.
Maybe we can burn this with him.Honestly.
Why not? He might want to do it too.
(24:49):
But he is. Always chasing that perfect
game. Maybe he's always, he's always
chasing that. Think about that idea.
So like, Ras was really, really good as a starter and then Boyle
kind of figured himself out in Durham.
So if you need the bullpen help,then you can go.
You can move Ras back to what hewas as a reliever last year, get
some innings out of him, get a new face in the bullpen and kind
(25:10):
of get things readjusted. He already knows the catcher, so
he's fine. And then you move Boyle into his
spot in the rotation so you're not losing a rotational piece.
And Boyle's still a good rotational guy.
Like, I'm not, I'm not saying, but they're gonna do it.
But like, it's a possibility. Imagine this hypothetical game
starter, pitcher Joe Boyle. Rasmussen comes in for like 2-3
(25:34):
innings and then if he has to, if he has to keep, Fairbanks
closes out. That's fine.
That's a That's a winner. That's a winner.
I think that you combo them likeyou take them as a combo you
every, every time. Rasmussen pitches, Boyle pitches
and you and and you have them combined like that so that
(25:54):
Rasmussen still eats up innings,maybe in a relief role, whatever
it is. But like I, I feel like the two,
like even you could go like 5-5 innings for one guy, 4 for
another guy, whatever it is. Like, I don't hate that idea.
I I think, yeah, I think you reverse what we're doing now.
I, I think that's sorry about your phone got disconnected for
a second. But yeah, I think you.
(26:15):
I think, I think Boyle is the starter.
And then put Rasmussen in the bullpen so he can.
It doesn't have to be the same game, but it.
I just his arm is already pulledpork, so like we don't need his
arm to become more pulled pork. Who?
Rasmussen? Yeah, like he's like 3
surgeries. So like the more that.
You. That's why you move into the
pork. Preserve his arm, then you do
(26:36):
that. And, and I, I want to clarify
something when I, when I'm talking about the career
innings, Rasmussen is not a partof that like discussion just cuz
he, he's been very injured. So yes, I understand pulling him
early. You can serve.
This man's life, yes. Exactly, I do not include him in
that like category I guess. But but so, as we mentioned
(26:57):
about the whole the bullpen, there's a lot of issues that
there there are things that are out of our pay grade that will
be the Rays will answer on theirown time.
I do think it's important to note that we have a bunch of All
Stars to recognize with the Rays.
One, unfortunately, that won't be playing for the second time.
(27:18):
Him being named an All Star because I already mentioned
about, I think I already mentioned about Bila going on
the IL Thank God it's not anything more serious than that,
that it's just the 10 day IL stint and hopefully he'll be
back after the All Star break. Thank God it's an it's he.
He, he avoided whatever the hellhappened last year, which is
great. It does suck though, that he's
not going to be playing in the All Star game.
(27:39):
He didn't play in the All Star game in 2019.
Joe Buck also mispronounced his name on a national audience.
Or, you know, on an on on a national TV broadcast.
So screw. You.
Classic. Yeah, it was pretty bad.
It was pretty bad. So I did, I did threaten Joe
Davis and said it's it's Lao. Like wow.
So if you. Don't do that.
(28:00):
Then I need to go find his address because we're going to
have. Some we're gonna have some
fucking. Aces So yeah, the so B Lao's an
All Star second second All Star appearance.
Well deserved. Jonathan Aranda, first All Star
appearance beyond well deserved.Should be the All Star starter
at first base. Junior Carmenero the official
(28:22):
All Star starter at third base which is so cool to see.
Congrats the junior for that. Also a participant in the Home
Run Derby. I believe he's plus 1300 which
is the lowest odds in the field.So if you guys want to hit odds
and don't go smash, smash, smash, hit Cameron.
Responsibly. Responsibly.
Yes, do it, do it, do it responsibly.
But. 10 to $25. And and also Drew Rasmussen,
(28:45):
first All Star appearance. Congrats to him.
All well deserved. Don't.
Pitch him. Please do not pitch him in the
all. Star game, you can just stay
there for fun. He, he deserves it more like I
don't want to compare anybody but he.
He deserves the most out of anyone because he's gone through
the most. Yeah, he deserves it as much as
the next guy, so. Yeah, yeah, it's all that's
(29:05):
great to see. That's really, really cool.
We're glad that all of them are going to be represented in the
All Star Game. The Rays deservingly will have
guys in the All Star Game. It's cool that they have 4:00
last year. How?
Peretius was the only guy last year, right?
Peretius was the only guy. I mean, last year's team was not
good so. Yeah, but also, Paradis was the
only guy and his yeah, that's onESPN's All Star Selection show
(29:31):
was him hitting a bloop single and him hitting another single.
Yeah, I remember all this. So yeah, I mean they.
Really. They really messed this up last
year, dude. They got.
It, like national TV, just has athing for wanting to screw the
rays over. I don't know if that's a me
thing or. I think they put the mistakes on
the teleprompter. I had to look it up because I
(29:51):
swear to God, I thought that he,I thought that they showed a
clip of him hitting a pop up andI was like, there's no way that
that's in his All Star highlightreel.
It's him hitting a pop up against the Red Sox.
Yeah cuz he like shook his head after.
Yeah, yeah. But I looked it up.
It was a bloop single. I I looked up the exact game it
was. Oh wow, and now he's an actual
(30:13):
good All Star. Yeah, I believe that former rays
and current rays, there's like 7or 8 of them.
Yeah, we really could use Jason Adam this year.
Yeah, Jason Adam, Randy Rosarenaand Esock parades.
Yeah, Jason, Adam has been really good.
I really hope that trade works out because I'm, I have no faith
in Dylan Lesko. I'm not going to lie.
He's he is a project and that isa that is a nice statement on
(30:36):
him, but positive like I mentioned.
The race with every trade. 4 AllStars and one Home Run Derby
participant. Pretty good.
I'd say pretty good. The sigh.
Just I mean, for it's very like I'm happy for all of them, but
four All Stars doesn't change the fact that this team sucks.
(30:57):
Like yeah, the last like Oh my God, it's gonna be crazy when we
have 4 All Stars and not make the playoffs because Cash
doesn't know how to manage the bullpen.
Well, I don't know if that's gonna, I mean it's I, I think
the important thing moving forward is we see how things go.
Because remember, the Rays have probably the most unique
schedule in baseball this year, which is that they front loaded
(31:19):
the schedule with home games andthey back loaded the schedule
with Rd. games. I know there's like a 12 game
road trip on the West Coast thatthat they're going to go on in a
little bit. So that's like a two week road
trip that that they're going to be out on the West Coast.
And then there's some other Rd. trips here and there.
But like, yeah, I mean, they they need to find a way in this
(31:40):
specifically in this Red Sox series, they really need to find
a way to at least salvage a couple wins, go into the All
Star break with a little bit of momentum because of how strange
things are going to continue to get in the second in the post
second-half of the season post office break.
Another thing I want to talk to you about, so I mean this car,
(32:00):
this is. That a burp.
That was a burp that. Was a good one.
This whole kind of stretch started, I would say, with the
A's series, maybe the O series, but I think we still looked
pretty good in that it. Started.
It started with the O. Series where they lost two out
of three and there was that 2 to8 game and it and it's it's been
(32:21):
what, five straight series losses?
I think the O's A's twin or fourand could be 5 with the Red Sox.
But the first three of those series, O's, A's and Twins
against teams under 500, that isalso something that falls under
Cash's job, I think is the fact that yes, we are good against
teams above 500. I think we're the best, like
(32:42):
we're one of the best teams, if not the best in the all.
The Rays have a reversal of how they win.
They beat the really bad teams and lose against the bad teams,
but that. Is that is the job of the
manager to be, to get the team ready for every game, no matter
who you're playing. And the fact that we're that
good against good teams means that we're a really good team.
Like we have the talent and the fact that we're really this bad
(33:04):
against bad teams means that Cash doesn't get the boys up
every day to play. I think, I don't know, maybe I'm
like, you guys can tell me I'm wrong, but I think that's
Cash's. That's another thing that Cash
is not doing awfully. Well I I do think that it does
fall under his job description, but it's just weird how things
work. Like what I was told growing up
is that you want to go like 667,so like 2 out of 3 win like 2/3
(33:28):
of your games against the bad teams and then go 500 against
the good teams. And that in the playoffs, this
is the complete opposite of that, which is go win, win 2/3
of your games against the good teams and go 500 against the bad
teams. That's not like that's not a
sustainable thing in order for ateam to get into the post
season. No, because because the the the
(33:49):
heat streak against the good teams will fall like that.
We that, that is something we will not, we will not continue
throughout the whole season. Like you have to learn.
I mean that that look, look at the the seasons where we were
really good 20/20/21 and when the OS were really, really bad.
Look at what we did to the OS. I think we beat them 18 out of
19 times. That was back when we played.
One year, one year, they only beat us one time.
(34:11):
Yeah, I think it was 16 out of 19.
Or 18, No, no, it was 2021 and that was a year that that they
shouldn't have went 18 and one against them because we don't
need to talk about what happenedon the playoffs that.
Year, no, but I'm just saying like that's like.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I get what you mean though.
And, and Cash did a great, I mean, he won manager of the year
of 2020-2021 and that's something that is very good.
(34:32):
But this year he just doesn't have it for some reason.
I don't know what changed. And it's it's frustrating.
And like that's got a that has also got have to change too.
You got to beat the bad teams. Yeah.
And we have. I mean, he just, he's never had
a team like this, like he's never had a super productive
offense with all these guys who are actually like on base
(34:55):
machines. Stealing.
And they're not just hitting homers.
They're not and. They're not just hitting homers.
It's small. It's like it's like top half,
you know, regular 3 outcome baseball and then bottom half
small ball, 1920s based dead ball era baseball.
You know, it's it's it's a weirdroster that he has to deal and
(35:16):
then he doesn't have the bullpenhe's always had.
He doesn't have his bullpen of 90 eights his you know, his
intimidating. His stable.
He doesn't have the stable anymore.
And, you know, that's partially him.
That's on him. I mean, it all comes down to him
at the end of the day. So yeah, I mean, you can.
That's where the that's where the blame's gonna go.
(35:37):
But I mean, only for like certain things and then some.
Just our bullpen guess. I mean, I mean, if this if this
team doesn't make the playoffs, I I don't think he would
actually, I don't think you actually fire him, but I think
that there is a serious conversation behind that because
like this team. Yeah.
Is legit like this team is is just as good as the Blue Jays.
I mean we've beaten him five outof six time this season.
(35:58):
We're just as good as the Yankees and cash is.
I mean, I, I, I think I could count on like, I think I count
to 10 about how many losses? I think Cash is like handed his
own team this season. I mean, he has two of the most
incredible rookies in the leaguelike.
By the way, Chandler Simpson, longest, longest rookie, longest
hitting streak by rookie in racehistory.
(36:20):
There you go. And like, I, I just think we're
wasting to see like, I mean, these numbers that we have, I
mean, Beelao was having one of his best career seats.
He's betting 270 with. Also tied a race record for the
longest hitting streak in franchise history.
And hey, he's team first guy because he took himself out.
But like, I mean, how many seasons are we going to get
Yandi of 287 Aranda 326, Mangum three O 9 like this team this
(36:43):
lineup is. Chanting back up the.
TS has been, yeah, they've all been absolutely insane the last
month. And the fact that we're only six
games over is unbelievable, like, and with the starting
pitching rotation that we have, it doesn't make any sense.
Yeah, and Shane's supposed to beShane is actually going on a
rehab assignment to Durham coming up.
So like can his rehabs getting the best picture in the rotation
(37:06):
back? Can his rehab assignments just
be a couple innings in the bullpen?
Well, I think it's almost like 2innings, but yeah, I guess it's
perfect. Perfect.
Well. But also, the lineup today is
hilarious. Ball is sitting 6th.
That's good, good stuff. Hi everyone, Alex here with a
(37:26):
quick word from our sponsor Seegeek.
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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 backto this latest episode of Raise
the Roof. So before we leave, it is
customary for us to talk about both the All Star Game and the
(38:10):
Home Run Derby now that the racehave a participant in it.
Second time in three years now that the race have had a
participant in it. So we definitely have a horse in
the race, but with the All Star game, is there anyone that you
guys are looking forward to seeing?
Maybe someone who's a first timeguy, someone who's been there
for a couple years, whatever it might be.
I mean, definitely looking forward to Aranda kind of coming
(38:31):
onto the scene, even though he won't be the starting first
baseman, even though he should be if the All Star game was in a
popularity contest. Let's just put it there,
correct? But I'm excited for Jonathan
Ronda. I think he really deserves this
spot. I mean, he I mean, at the end of
the last season, he really came into his own and then just he's
(38:52):
been our best hitter. That maybe not the last month
just because he has really takenover the last month.
But yeah, I mean, he just has been always coming through.
So I'm excited for the world to be introduced to Jonathan Ronda.
Yeah, I agree, Evan, anyone thatyou're looking forward to raise
guys or anyone else? Yeah, I mean all of the race
(39:14):
guys, I mean, I obviously be loud will not be playing, but I
mean Caminero will be awesome. I think it'll be kind of cool to
just see everybody, I mean in the national media plus just the
National Baseball fan who might not know who he is to get to
know who he is because he is other than playing for big
market team, he has every character trait and and like
(39:38):
actual ability to be a superstarin this league.
So it would be kind of cool to see everybody get to know who he
is. It's also did you I'm it's also
cool. Like I'm always excited to see
Randy under the lights. It's I think that was today that
they announced that he was replacing J Rod, which I did.
(39:58):
I just read on Bleach reports sent out a tweet that apparently
Wheeler and J Rod are sitting out to focus on the second-half
of the season, which is kind of.I don't know he needs J Rod.
I don't know how he got the Me Neither All Star game.
He hasn't been that good. He just simply hasn't been that
good. But.
In a player's vote, too, right? Wheeler.
(40:20):
Wheeler, I understand. I mean.
Wheeler Yeah. Listen, Julio needs to
concentrate the second-half of this.
Yeah, he wasn't that good in thefirst.
So I mean I don't know how he was in the All Star game in the
1st. Place so he'd.
Struggle. Me neither.
If it maybe if he wasn't on the cover of MLB, you know that one
year I forgot what year that was.
(40:41):
But yeah, I don't know how the lines.
There is that new though. Have you ever heard of that
before? Focusing on the second-half of
the season? Like, I'm not blame.
I'm not like. I'm shooting that, but I just
haven't seen that. But I I don't really remember it
too much but. Is J Rod No, because Cal rally
I'm but yeah, no, I mean Randy will always be Hopefully you get
(41:03):
some plenty of time, but he's always fun to watch on national
TV as we as we know was at last year during the during the Home
Run Derby in Seattle. That was a lot of fun to see
him. Dude.
He was so two years ago. I'm sorry where he almost what
he was like one home run away from.
Dude he was literally on his swag.
That was his that was the Randy Rosa ran a swag tour.
(41:25):
Dude he literally started that year in the world baseball
classic. Went to the like he was.
Doing Oh, that was the Randy Legacy year.
That was the Randy legacy year for sure.
Dude. Like forget the 10 home runs
during the whatever COVID the playoff run dude, it it was
really like that six months of the baseball, which is probably
the best thing I've ever seen. And I will say this year's Derby
(41:49):
roster is is one of the better ones that we've seen in recent
years, I think from top to bottom.
And it's young. Not really, it's like a span of
of Chisholm in there. But like he does give a show.
So I just think that he's a weird guy.
Listen, I got a lot of stock andmy boy James Wood, so you know.
Oh dude, don't even get me started on James Wood.
(42:09):
Oh my God. Yeah.
So I'm excited. The Nationals might be in a IF.
He wins. If he wins, some of my cards
might go up a few dollars the a few cents.
Well, all I'm saying is that theNationals might be in like the
worst place possible, but James Wood is an MVP card.
Yeah, that he's, he's so good. He's.
Sick. Oh man.
(42:30):
So, yeah, I mean, and then BrentRooker, I mean, the A's are
dogs. I don't know if we if we didn't
realize that when they were here, but I was just realizing
they had like all this talent. It's not all together.
It's not like it's like a it's like a clay pot.
But like, you know, like when you're like it's like early, you
know, it's a rough shape, dude. It's it's not there yet, but
(42:53):
they have all the athletic ability and all the offense
potential like to break out thatteam.
And of course, at the most opportune time for John Fisher,
you know, when he's in the middle of what.
He's when he's buying his 5th house.
Yeah. And he's spending $30 million on
a house in Vegas. So yeah, that's, that's Baller.
I I don't like, I don't like John Fisher, but that's Baller.
(43:17):
I I was, I mean, considering that there was like a $36
million gap in the whole Howard Terminal project and bro just
spent 30 mil on a fucking mansion.
Like is that a best? What?
What did he, what did he do? Was he like, how did, like, how
did he make all of his money, you know?
Oh oh because his oh because hisparents founded Gap so.
He's oh, oh, gotcha, gotcha. A beast of.
(43:40):
C Ray Clothing Company and he's the and he's the Neppo baby of
the bunch. Made a lot of money, but future
future Byron Ray Byron Buxton will also be in the Derby too,
which make that happen. I like your optimism.
Make that blockbuster trade of what's his name, Griffin, Jacks
(44:02):
and Buxton for 7 prospects, but make it happen.
It's like all Single A guys thatmight pan out in 2028.
It I mean, I, I'm not gonna lie.Oh.
Whoa, we can't get rid of fluwelling, bro, don't.
Get rid of Gary. Don't get rid of Gary Gilhill.
That's all I'll say. I've I've done some research on
(44:23):
who, who were we? We'd probably have to give up
Isaac or who's the other guy, Rayden Taylor.
No, I think he's the third. He's Oregon Theo, that's who I
was thinking of. No, probably have to get.
But I can't wait to see him in 2028.
What are you talking about? Yeah.
(44:46):
No, but that would be. That point, but yes, I mean.
That would actually be a sick trick.
I mean, two holes that we have, I mean bullpen and we don't have
a like AI mean. Chandler Shipsen is awesome, but
he's not like a solidified center fielder yet and he's not
like a right-handed center fielder would be awesome.
I just don't think that the Raysare into also this whole thing
about like the Sean Murphy trade.
(45:08):
The Rays already have two catchers like I.
I understand Matt Theis isn't anything crazy but they just
don't need him. He's also a back that.
That's walk machine Matt Dice toyou guys.
Yeah, walk. Yeah, well, I, I used to walk.
This way they don't need. Them the Rays have two competent
catchers. Yeah, Dice is a backup catcher.
Hitting above 200, that's all you need.
(45:29):
Yeah, like that's all. It's great.
And then on top of that, on baselike 400, dude, he's crazy.
He gets on base in every way possible.
I don't know how he does. He's the Moneyball favorite.
Also, can you explain to me the Okunya route?
Like what? What was that?
I don't. I didn't see that.
On, I don't know, it was some garbage.
There was no way Okunya was getting moves.
(45:49):
Well, it could still happen, right?
Like are they? No, no, it just what, what was
it? Was it just like?
AI don't know the Braves shot down the rumors pretty like like
the Braves GM. We are not straight into the.
I don't know what it was. I didn't even put anything into
it because I was just like this is stupid and dumb.
Yeah, I literally saw it on the timeline.
I'm like what? Yes, yes, yes, the Braves should
(46:11):
trade away their franchise piece.
Oh yeah. Put so much money into and
that'll work out of merch of him.
That'll work in 18 years. Yeah, I, I, I see, I see exactly
how that would pan out. I see the payoff already.
So be it. Things are crazy.
Oh yeah. Buxton has three more years to
control too. He's not getting paid that much
(46:33):
either. 15 mil for Buxton. I feel like it's not that bad.
Hey, we paid. He's a little old.
But Hassan Kim 15 mil for half aseason so I mean shit.
And he he's not in the line up today like.
Yeah, I know, right? Like he just hit a home run.
What would he do? I don't understand like he got
how much? More, and he's kind of like
recovering. Let us see, Hassan how?
Much more rest Does he? Possibly he's been out half the.
(46:56):
Season the muffle. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Let my boy cook. Come on.
Come on. Well.
There's definitely a lot going on, a lot of good, a lot of bad.
I think it's probably an equal mixture, a lot more bad.
What it's? It's been a lot.
(47:18):
More on the field. The stuff that when still.
That matters on the field stuff,yes, but in general, I mean with
the All Star selections and things like that and Shane going
back to to Durham, man Rod beingin Durham, like I think that
there's a lot more positives than than people realize.
I do understand the negatives cause the negatives are pretty
(47:38):
blatant and obvious, but I at the same time, I think that
there are a lot of tangible positives that race fans should
look at for the most part. With that being said, that is
going to conclude things on thislatest episode of the podcast.
We appreciate you guys as alwaysfor your support.
We are, we just hit 9000 followers recently.
That's a that's a big thing. Thank you guys for that,
(47:58):
sincerely. Get us to 10K.
Yes, yes, 10K would be great. We're closing it on 3K on on
Instagram. So we're really, really growing
the brand, which is really cool.Big thanks.
As I said on both the podcast about Tampa and Baltimore too,
everyone that that we met when we were down there and we were
up in Baltimore. Really, really appreciate you
(48:20):
guys coming to say hi. It was really cool.
It's you know, this, this, this community is building.
So it's it's it's cool to see things continuing to build over
time. If you guys haven't followed us
and you're and you're listening to this podcast and if you guys
want to follow what we're doing,it's at raise the roof TB on
social media that's Twitter slash X Instagram and blue sky.
(48:42):
We also have our YouTube channel, raise the roof.
Be sure to subscribe to us there.
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Be sure to like, be sure to subscribe, be sure to leave us a
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(49:02):
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With all that being said, thanksso much for listening and as
always, raise up. Raise up baby.
Raise up baby.
It's time to raise the loop for our latest regular season
episode. Welcome back everyone to this
latest episode of the pod. I'm your host Alex Murphy, with
me my Co host Gibby. Gibby How you doing man?
Doing pretty good, Alex. You ever never realized how out
of date doctor's offices are? I had to get some.
(00:34):
I had to get some documents fromthe doctor's office today and
they couldn't e-mail it to me. I was like, yeah, you can just
like e-mail it to me or whatever, you know, I just need
these things like, no, we can't do that.
You have to come here and we print it out.
You have to sign your blood on this on this.
On this so in what way? Explain to me in what way they
(00:55):
are outdated. They're so archaic, dude.
They don't. They won't e-mail me this thing.
I have to go to the office and pick it up and they have to
print it out. Bro Bro's going to on.
Stone on stone tablets on stone tablets, apparently.
You know, oh, he cracked the Rosetta Stone.
He did. But yeah, that that's how my day
(01:16):
was, you know? Well, that's good.
I'm just arguing with the doctor's office for no reason.
So sorry to do that employee, you know, whatever.
Yeah, well, it's OK. Well, I mean, it's probably a
better situation what the Rays are going through right now.
Let's. Be oh oh, that is that is true.
That is why I did not mention the rays at all and the and the
how you get doing because you can't do that to yourself.
(01:39):
The rays seem to not. The Rays seem to not be doing I
think is a Safeway of putting it.
Not. Doing it, yeah.
It's also been a lot, it's also been a while since we've
actually like sat down and did apodcast because the last couple
podcasts were just a compilationof interviews that I did when
I'm, when I was down in Tampa, which we had a really, really
good time. We went to a couple games,
enjoyed the the, the nightlife and such of Tampa.
(02:02):
You're you're used to it. I was more of indoctrinated back
into it. And then I was up in Baltimore
for the basically that next weekend for the Rays O series.
So I've been busy. We've been busy.
It's nice to actually talk. And I guess the unfortunate part
is, is that the Rays haven't been great since we were in
(02:24):
Tampa because the Rays win 2 outof three or split a series
against the O's, go 2 out of three, win 2 out of three
against the Tigers. And then since that point, they
haven't won a series just or no,No, they swept the Royals.
And since that point when they swept the Royals in the road,
they haven't won a series since.So it was a series loss to the
(02:45):
Orioles. It was a series loss to the
Athletics. It was a series loss to the
twins. Yeah, the the twins, there's,
there's two. It's it's been a while, but.
And then the Tigers again. Yes, and the Tigers again.
And now the Rays have a chance of potentially only being able
to salvage a series split in this series against the Red Sox.
(03:06):
It's happening over the weekend,the last series before the All
Star Break. And we will talk about the All
Star Break. Don't worry about that.
But yeah, that part isn't fun. But there's also other not fun
things that we have to talk about.
I'm only going to mention this and we both know how we feel
about it. We did not get a chance to
(03:26):
mention the whole Wanda Franco situation about how he was
basically let off Scott free forwhat he did.
If you guys want to look more into the actual sentencing and
what he actually received, go look.
That was reported online weeks ago.
We both are in agreement that bad man don't.
(03:47):
At this point, I doubt that he'sever going to be able to get any
sort of a work visa in the United States.
So I just hope that that's the way that the Rays can void his
contract, because my God, that'sa nightmare.
Yeah, I mean, a lot of people felt like it was almost closure.
I definitely, I wasn't so sure about that, you know, but I'm
(04:12):
glad he's at least like, like what you're saying away from the
Rays. But I'm not sure if the
situation as a whole has been properly dealt with.
So yeah, I don't think it is unfortunate.
Yeah, it's not. I don't, I don't think so either
because honestly, the reporting on it is a little bit hard to to
(04:32):
come by. It's always, it's, it always has
to be like the first when it first comes out, you know, it
always has to just directly translate it.
And sometimes, you know, those Twitter translations, they don't
do well, but there's people who decipher through it and, and can
get us the the proper news. So.
Correct. But it is it is worth noting
(04:53):
though, this is probably the last time that we're ever going
to talk about him on this podcast.
Yeah. Goodbye and good riddance.
Get out of here. We're done with that.
On the injury front. Beel just got placed on the IL
Curtis Mead just came back up for him.
We also had who else? Why am I?
(05:14):
Oh, I mean Hassan Kim is probably come back.
Hassan Kim is officially back with the Rays or officially has
begun his Ray's tenure, which isfantastic.
His home run and and the Red Soxgame yesterday.
Now he's been looking good. Yeah, and I thought that that
score would stand, but, you know, there's other ideas,
(05:35):
mainly the bullpen. That is also very true.
We did have Mesa Montgomery got sent down recently and that was
kind of a something that we all kind of thought was going to
happen. He was really overused over the
last couple months. I think in 50, I think it was
him, but in 59 games, in the last 59 games or whatever, 59
(05:57):
game stretch, he was used 30 times.
So it's basically one time everytwo games, which is really
unsustainable for someone who's a rookie and doesn't have a lot
of confidence on the mound. And personally, I think that his
fastball is really flat, so he needs to find some way to gain
some sort of movement on it so that he can become more
effective because honestly, he'sjust not there right now.
(06:20):
Like one O 2 is great, but if one O 2 is flat, then that's
like guys can hit 100 now prettyeasily.
So the one, you know, 115 years ago was a big deal. 100 now was
no longer a big deal. Yeah, exactly.
So with all the analytics drivenstuff going on.
(06:40):
And and also just, I mean guys are used to faster speeds.
Yeah, exactly. I mean they can literally put
your ass in a fucking VR headsetand you know they can see that
shit right right now and there there's guys who say that it's
pretty it it does a pretty well job of of training them for said
pitchers. So I.
Mean this is true. This is very true.
(07:01):
Alongside of that, we also had atrade.
The Rays just traded for Brian Baker, reliever for the
Baltimore Orioles. Unfortunately, he did not have a
great first outing with the Rays, personally speaking.
Don't know why he was used 12 hours after he was traded.
Seems a little bit like it was too much like a fresh off the
boat situation where dude was literally fresh off the plane,
(07:24):
had no clue who the hell he was.I mean, he knew of the guys that
he was throwing to, but in the grand scheme of things, he
hadn't worked with them in any sort of bullpen or anything like
that and was just kind of thrownout there.
And I feel like throwing into the wolves.
And you saw that with the fact that he walked the first two
guys that he faced and then it just kind of went down from
there. But they they did trade for him.
(07:45):
Like Gibby look like want to make sure that you can.
Speak. No, you're good.
No, you're a Saiyan, right? Yeah, so, yeah, well, so he gave
up three runs in the outing. Rays ended up losing 4 three
yesterday. So Thursday of as as of this
recording, we're we're recordingon Friday today.
What I do think is interesting is, is that I believe this is
(08:07):
the first time that the Rays have traded a player or a pick
for a player. Now, if you guys don't know how
the MLB draft works, MLB teams can't trade picks unless they're
compensation picks, whether thatbe from a signing, whether that
be from a trade, whatever it is,I believe there's only 27
(08:28):
compensation picks and teams have multiple picks.
Like now the Orioles have like two or three of those comp
picks, so not everyone gets one,but those are the only picks
that can be traded. And those picks I believe go all
the way down to like the fourth round, but the majority of them
sit in the first and second round.
(08:49):
And I, I think that the, and I'm, I'm only saying this
because this is my feeling on it, my opinion on the matter.
If you guys want to you guys like we are here to have
different opinions, but I think that in the Major League
Baseball draft, and you can tellcompared to any other draft in
(09:09):
professional sports in the majorpro are for professional sports
in in North America, the NBA draft.
If you're drafting someone in the NBA draft, he's immediately
going on your team in the early rounds of the NFL draft and even
in the later rounds of the NFL draft because we've had guys
like Stefan Diggs was a fifth round pick, Tom Brady was a 6th
7th round pick. So guys, you know, kind of goes
(09:31):
back and forth, but if you're drafting someone, most of the
time you're drafting the guy to be on the team immediately.
Hockey's a little bit different,but for the most part, you're
drafting the guy and a lot of guys will get drafted and go on
the team immediately. I don't think that there's been
an instance in the Major League Baseball draft other than like,
I think maybe it was crochet, but like outside of him, like
(09:56):
guys don't get immediately thrown into the major leagues.
Yeah, exactly. I mean even, I mean, you could
say Paul schemes, but even he had to go through a little, a
little bit of minors. So yeah, you're right.
Like usually the timeline of guys and this is like the, the,
the most elite players, it'll, it'll take like 2 years And I, I
think it's coming closer to likea one year thing.
(10:17):
But still that's like the top end of top end guys.
And I'm not saying that where they're where that pick is in
the first round, you're not going to get a really, really
good player out of that. But the odds that the OS in
their four picks will have 4 guys that immediately come to
the major leagues and immediately are difference
makers is not high. Like the the hit rate from the
(10:39):
MLB draft compared to or from from, yeah, from the baseball
draft compared to football, hockey and basketball is much
lower. So I don't mind the Rays doing
something like that because of the fact that it's way more
volatile, the draft process in baseball compared to those other
three sports. And you're getting someone who
(11:01):
has three years of control underthem in the process.
If it was someone that was like he was going to become a free
agent next year, then I'd be a little bit more shaky on it.
But the fact that he had three years of control on him, I was
more than fine with the deal. And if they find ways to do it,
like trading guys for picks is such a commonplace activity and
(11:23):
like every other pro sport, but in baseball, because you can't
trade picks, it's weird. So everyone's like, Oh my God.
But like, I mean, you've seen it.
It happens all the time. Yeah, I mean, I think people
just don't understand like how athletes really work.
I mean, all those guys, those are just guys you're taking
chance on. I mean, if you're higher up in
the rounds, you know, they mightwork out a little bit better,
(11:46):
but you never know. I mean, you could have a guy
Brian Wu this year. I mean, this guy, I mean,
everyone said it from the mountaintops, you know, foolish
baseball, all of them. This guy sucked in college and
now he they turned him into something.
They saw scouts saw something inside.
Of him he was. He was pretty upset.
Oh my God. That that no one else saw and
(12:08):
they're able to capitalize off that.
He was like a six round pick. He was a six round pick with.
With an awful with like an awfulERA, by the way.
He had a six. He so so someone.
Just so they literally just tooka it's like, oh, this guy has
like a nice fastball and and it's pretty effortless on the.
Mount. So let's.
Let's just test them out. Dude his and he just.
(12:31):
Almost threw a no hitter. He just almost threw a no hitter
the other night. And then the and then the and
then the Mariners Bullfin blew up.
But if you look at his so he only pitched in 31 games in
college because he did have Tommy John.
He had a six 5 ERA. Yeah, like can he go drafted
awful as our as our other Co host Evan Lynch joins the
(12:51):
podcast. Evan, how we doing?
Sorry, I keep keep going. We were talking about Brian Wu
and how he had it. We're we're we're currently
talking about the the Brian Baker trade and about how I
personally think that if you have a comp pick and you can
trade it because it was the onlytradable picks in the MLB draft,
you trade it if you have the ability to trade it for someone
(13:12):
who is half decent. Because Gibby was just
mentioning Brian Wu, who was a six round pick, had a 65 BRA and
is now one of the best pitchers on, you know, starters on the
Mariners. So.
Yeah. I mean, are you, are you talking
about the trade or we're? Just talking about how you know,
draft draft guys, you know, it's, it's random, you know,
it's it, it can happen and it can not happen and you can find
(13:34):
a gem and you sometimes you know, you know, and sometimes
you have a dud in the first round.
So we're just saying how the MLBdraft was like.
Yeah, yeah, compared to like theother pro sports.
Leagues and and obviously the MLB draft is different because
it's not an impact right away either.
It's like it's so. Yeah, that's the, that's kind of
(13:54):
the biggest thing that that I was discussing was like, if it's
not, the guy's not immediately impacting the team.
So like if you can get someone with control who's good enough
and you think that he's good enough, then like why not go for
him? Because again, there's only I
said there was only like 27 comppicks in the in the draft this
year. And not every team gets a comp
pick. You'll, you know, sometimes you
(14:15):
get lucky, sometimes you don't. But yeah.
Yeah, they they just burned lessin baseball.
They don't like, we're not goingto be like in five years.
Oh, you know who they used to draft that with that comp pick,
this guy who's amazing now I that like that's not going to
happen. You know, it might happen if the
guy's freaking amazing, but you know, that's that's very rare.
(14:38):
You know, like whatever these compensatory picks are going to
turn into, you know, we don't, we don't know.
I won't know. So it definitely hurts less than
trading, you know, just name forname, you know, trained by a
prospect that could turn into something, you know, just just
nameless people doesn't hurt. Good, good trade.
(14:58):
You know, even though he kind ofblew it yesterday.
Yeah. That was.
But but yeah, but but like you were saying, pitchers are
strange creatures. You know, he can't just can't
just, I mean, baseball players are strange creatures.
He can't, you know, just those, a guy into a new environment,
expect him, you know, just be the same guy right away.
Maybe. 24, maybe 24 hours instead of 12.
(15:21):
Yeah, I was going to say, Evan, what are your thoughts about the
fact that that Baker was literally thrown into the fire,
like not even a day into his, into his?
Race, I mean, I mean, this wholelast week of race baseball has
been infuriating. Just I mean, oh, yeah, I'd say,
I'd say every single loss we probably should have won except
for Monday's game against the Tigers.
I think that's pretty fair. Within the last week, I mean,
(15:43):
the Tigers, they've I think theywon that game 51.
Like, yeah, we didn't discern win that game.
But each of the other games thatwe've lost, which I think it's
now what is it 5 in the last week?
I'd say four of those five losses we kind of handed away.
And like last night, you know what?
I I don't, I don't necessarily think it was like, I mean, sure,
(16:07):
I agree. You don't.
I think I don't think that was the perfect time to throw them
in there. However, I don't necessarily
think it's Cash's fault last night.
I think he's been a horrible manager this year, especially in
the last week. So I kind of think he's just,
he's just kind of the scapegoat right now, which he hasn't
(16:29):
really earned the benefit of thedoubt recently because I mean,
Sunday's game, I don't know whatthe hell that was.
I I know we won the game, but the fact that Mason Montgomery
pitches basically every game makes no sense to me.
Yeah, and I talked about it was 30 appearances in in a 59 game
stretch. That's like, not.
Good. It makes no sense.
Like I I don't get it. And he's a rookie, like he needs
(16:52):
time to gel. And if you can't?
He's not good and he's not good like it's, it's, it's, it's
different if he's been succeeding or.
Yeah, he's been. He is.
He's not been good. At all, I don't think and.
Not all year, no, you're right. And to continually do that when
Clevenger, I feel like he pitches 2 * a week.
I swear like I can't, he cannot be that overwhelmed.
(17:14):
And. Also, Ian Seymour was there.
Ian Seymour literally pitched 2 innings in Boston a couple weeks
ago like 1/2 or two ago and was pretty solid.
Or comply with him. Another thing that kind of makes
just the whole situation, I get the, the, the like I, I, I think
I don't know if you saw Evan Klosky's, which I like a lot of
(17:35):
the stuff he does like. I like how he kind of takes it
as a fans approach and not from the media.
It's another ad. Well, I know why.
It's because there's another Evan.
Yeah, and that too. And that too.
I just like how he like he. I think he sympathizes with the
fans very well. But he released a video last
night talking about how the starting pitching has eaten up a
ton of innings and coming close to career eyes.
(17:57):
And I get that their young arms like Taj is one of those.
I think he's like 30 innings away from his career high.
But you have to adjust, I think.I think I think you have to
realize, oh, the bullpen is horrible right now.
I mean, it's hard to imagine it's not the worst in the MLB.
You have to adjust and be like, hey, Tosh, go get us one more
out, one more inning, bottom of the lineup.
(18:18):
He's he was he looked really good yet like he's been really,
really weird in these up and down starts, but he looked very,
very solid yesterday and and I just I don't get I don't you
have to be able to be you have to adjust and I I get that like
if the bullpen had been somewhatdecent recently.
I get pulling him. I get pulling him.
(18:38):
Hey, he's coming close to his career high.
Get him out, get him a good start in before the All Star
break. And but you have to be like,
hey, this bullpen is really struggling right now and, and
that is that's what's on cash. However, you can't walk the
first two batters. I think he threw 8 out of his
nine first nine pitches as balls.
So you just keep doing that. I like I just I I state like I
(19:03):
understand, like throwing a guy into the fire like in but he
wasn't used to the team bro. He he he made it sound like he
was like he was like crying and screaming that he was leaving
the O's. He was like the team is
everything now. I'm like, give him time, man.
I think that's so, like, understandable too.
Like, I mean, it's like, holy cow, he had no idea that was
(19:23):
coming. He had a ton of weather
apparently to deal with with hisflight getting there.
Like it was a long. Day, he didn't need to pitch
yesterday, it was unnecessary. And it's a close game.
I mean 3 to 1 nowadays is, I mean with the race bullpen,
you're basically losing with that, but.
I would have liked to see seek or in that situation personally,
or Clevenger would have been fine with either.
(19:45):
Yeah, I, I agree. And I just, and, and, and once
again, I say that like, I don't necessarily think it was Cash's
fault last night. Just considering like, oh, you
don't think he's going to walk the first two batters?
I don't think he should have been in, but I don't think it's
necessarily his fault. However, Cash's decisions over
the last week have we've lost I,I've lost total trust in him.
(20:05):
I, I don't think he has any ideawhat he's doing.
You've said it being used on Tuesday in that game against the
Tigers. No sense at all.
Kevin Kelly being used two timesover the weekend and blowing
both games against the Twins. Once again, makes no.
Sense hell, he's not been like recently.
I mean like, it's because I I I talked about this with a couple
friends who Seda being bad this year is like a total shock to
(20:28):
me. I don't know how you feel.
You said it's the new poche likehe like put he'll they'll give
up a home run every single time,but cash still goes to them or
or is he Why do they not Why didhe get sent down I.
Don't know or is he has or is hehas.
I don't think they know how to use everything right spots right
now. I mean, the ERA climbed a little
bit for his he, but it yeah, I don't, I don't see why they why
(20:51):
they did that at all. I just don't think.
I mean, he does have guys he cango to, but I think there is just
too many, there's too many of these landmines that he's just
landing on. And I I think a lot of his
decisions have definitely cost us the game.
But I mean, at some certain point he's just going to, he has
to step on a landmine almost. He's just surrounded like.
(21:12):
He's got arms right now and the it's just.
It's just who do I got? I got to pick my poison.
I got to pick my poison right now.
You know, like, but I see what you're saying.
Like a lot of these game time decisions have just been like
terrible and you know, and kind of like taking out to the
starters at certain points have have been pretty bad and like
trying to finish it off with thebullpen when that's just
(21:34):
probably not the goatee right now, so.
Yeah, I mean the boy. I see what you're.
I see what you're saying. The bullpen doesn't have a lot
of pressure on them right now. Like, yeah.
Exactly they did. Pitching.
And they don't have that many innings.
No, that's what he's. I say go win the game.
Yeah. It's like I don't, I don't even
know. I I think according to, I think
Evan also I don't, I think it was a different tweet, but I
(21:55):
think he said that relievers on the race have the 27th most
innings in Major League. Baseball and the starters are
like an out away from being fromfrom being tied for like the
most innings like. Where are we getting all these
extra innings from? Are we playing more baseball
than everyone else? It it seems.
Like it's not even me. How do we have most starter
(22:15):
starter time and then? Most dude, we're different now
the Rays have. Is because we have like 4 or 5.
We have 5 starters. I can't do that.
It doesn't. Like like on like last Friday,
we we blow the three one game against the Twins, we blow that.
That's whatever. Like that what then we blow the
5-1 lead. But Kevin Kelly gives up the
(22:36):
walk off to Bader on the Friday game and then he's the first
pitcher out of the bullpen on Saturday game.
But then doesn't he give up the three run time?
Game Game time Home run. Honestly, all these games
blending together right now so Ican't even tell.
Yeah, it's like travesty after travesty, you know?
I mean they are the same exact games over and over again like.
Also, I will say it's it is so great to see Joe Boyle back.
(23:00):
It is great to see Ian Seymour back.
I still think that Baker is a good reliever.
I just think that yesterday was a horrible spot to put him in.
So I think that there's new guysthat are coming into the mix.
I really hope that Montgomery going down to Durham will allow
him to kind of get used to things again and and become
somewhat of a better pitcher. Because as Gibby said, like at a
(23:22):
certain point, you only have so many guys in the bullpen.
And if like all of the guys suck, then you just have to
who's. It who's up?
Someone do it. It's like it's like door 1, door
2, door 3IN in, in let's make a deal and you got to try to avoid
the zonk or whatever it is. Yeah, I mean, it's it's insane.
But but that that's what I'm calling, that's what I'm saying.
(23:44):
It's like, well, since the bullpen's so bad, you have to
adjust, leave the I I get that they're coming up on pitch on
your career high, but guess what?
That's also what starting pitchers do.
They eat up innings like that's they're going to have to do that
eventually. And Taj is not that young
either. Like he's it's not like this is
his first full season, like he'sgot to be able to make that jump
eventually. So why not now?
(24:05):
And when their bullpen is struggling this much, you have
to put him. But especially when he was
pitching so well last night, he looked he, I mean, that was, I
know he had a shutout I think inKansas City a couple weeks ago,
but I'd say I think he looked better last night than he did in
that start against the. He's looking the.
Royals, I think he looked so good last night.
Also, I was Joe Boyle absolutelyshoved after Rasmussen.
(24:28):
Yeah, I mean Joe, dude. Move, move.
Rasmussen I love Joe. I love Joe Boyle, but yeah, he
doesn't. Joe Boyle doesn't solve any of
our problems. Like what are we going to do to?
Start him, yeah. Let's start him in the
beginning. Let's have him close out the
game. Honestly, Rasmussen in the bull
starter this kind of late last year.
Maybe we can burn this with him.Honestly.
Why not? He might want to do it too.
(24:49):
But he is. Always chasing that perfect
game. Maybe he's always, he's always
chasing that. Think about that idea.
So like, Ras was really, really good as a starter and then Boyle
kind of figured himself out in Durham.
So if you need the bullpen help,then you can go.
You can move Ras back to what hewas as a reliever last year, get
some innings out of him, get a new face in the bullpen and kind
(25:10):
of get things readjusted. He already knows the catcher, so
he's fine. And then you move Boyle into his
spot in the rotation so you're not losing a rotational piece.
And Boyle's still a good rotational guy.
Like, I'm not, I'm not saying, but they're gonna do it.
But like, it's a possibility. Imagine this hypothetical game
starter, pitcher Joe Boyle. Rasmussen comes in for like 2-3
(25:34):
innings and then if he has to, if he has to keep, Fairbanks
closes out. That's fine.
That's a That's a winner. That's a winner.
I think that you combo them likeyou take them as a combo you
every, every time. Rasmussen pitches, Boyle pitches
and you and and you have them combined like that so that
(25:54):
Rasmussen still eats up innings,maybe in a relief role, whatever
it is. But like I, I feel like the two,
like even you could go like 5-5 innings for one guy, 4 for
another guy, whatever it is. Like, I don't hate that idea.
I I think, yeah, I think you reverse what we're doing now.
I, I think that's sorry about your phone got disconnected for
a second. But yeah, I think you.
(26:15):
I think, I think Boyle is the starter.
And then put Rasmussen in the bullpen so he can.
It doesn't have to be the same game, but it.
I just his arm is already pulledpork, so like we don't need his
arm to become more pulled pork. Who?
Rasmussen? Yeah, like he's like 3
surgeries. So like the more that.
You. That's why you move into the
pork. Preserve his arm, then you do
(26:36):
that. And, and I, I want to clarify
something when I, when I'm talking about the career
innings, Rasmussen is not a partof that like discussion just cuz
he, he's been very injured. So yes, I understand pulling him
early. You can serve.
This man's life, yes. Exactly, I do not include him in
that like category I guess. But but so, as we mentioned
(26:57):
about the whole the bullpen, there's a lot of issues that
there there are things that are out of our pay grade that will
be the Rays will answer on theirown time.
I do think it's important to note that we have a bunch of All
Stars to recognize with the Rays.
One, unfortunately, that won't be playing for the second time.
(27:18):
Him being named an All Star because I already mentioned
about, I think I already mentioned about Bila going on
the IL Thank God it's not anything more serious than that,
that it's just the 10 day IL stint and hopefully he'll be
back after the All Star break. Thank God it's an it's he.
He, he avoided whatever the hellhappened last year, which is
great. It does suck though, that he's
not going to be playing in the All Star game.
(27:39):
He didn't play in the All Star game in 2019.
Joe Buck also mispronounced his name on a national audience.
Or, you know, on an on on a national TV broadcast.
So screw. You.
Classic. Yeah, it was pretty bad.
It was pretty bad. So I did, I did threaten Joe
Davis and said it's it's Lao. Like wow.
So if you. Don't do that.
(28:00):
Then I need to go find his address because we're going to
have. Some we're gonna have some
fucking. Aces So yeah, the so B Lao's an
All Star second second All Star appearance.
Well deserved. Jonathan Aranda, first All Star
appearance beyond well deserved.Should be the All Star starter
at first base. Junior Carmenero the official
(28:22):
All Star starter at third base which is so cool to see.
Congrats the junior for that. Also a participant in the Home
Run Derby. I believe he's plus 1300 which
is the lowest odds in the field.So if you guys want to hit odds
and don't go smash, smash, smash, hit Cameron.
Responsibly. Responsibly.
Yes, do it, do it, do it responsibly.
But. 10 to $25. And and also Drew Rasmussen,
(28:45):
first All Star appearance. Congrats to him.
All well deserved. Don't.
Pitch him. Please do not pitch him in the
all. Star game, you can just stay
there for fun. He, he deserves it more like I
don't want to compare anybody but he.
He deserves the most out of anyone because he's gone through
the most. Yeah, he deserves it as much as
the next guy, so. Yeah, yeah, it's all that's
(29:05):
great to see. That's really, really cool.
We're glad that all of them are going to be represented in the
All Star Game. The Rays deservingly will have
guys in the All Star Game. It's cool that they have 4:00
last year. How?
Peretius was the only guy last year, right?
Peretius was the only guy. I mean, last year's team was not
good so. Yeah, but also, Paradis was the
only guy and his yeah, that's onESPN's All Star Selection show
(29:31):
was him hitting a bloop single and him hitting another single.
Yeah, I remember all this. So yeah, I mean they.
Really. They really messed this up last
year, dude. They got.
It, like national TV, just has athing for wanting to screw the
rays over. I don't know if that's a me
thing or. I think they put the mistakes on
the teleprompter. I had to look it up because I
(29:51):
swear to God, I thought that he,I thought that they showed a
clip of him hitting a pop up andI was like, there's no way that
that's in his All Star highlightreel.
It's him hitting a pop up against the Red Sox.
Yeah cuz he like shook his head after.
Yeah, yeah. But I looked it up.
It was a bloop single. I I looked up the exact game it
was. Oh wow, and now he's an actual
(30:13):
good All Star. Yeah, I believe that former rays
and current rays, there's like 7or 8 of them.
Yeah, we really could use Jason Adam this year.
Yeah, Jason Adam, Randy Rosarenaand Esock parades.
Yeah, Jason, Adam has been really good.
I really hope that trade works out because I'm, I have no faith
in Dylan Lesko. I'm not going to lie.
He's he is a project and that isa that is a nice statement on
(30:36):
him, but positive like I mentioned.
The race with every trade. 4 AllStars and one Home Run Derby
participant. Pretty good.
I'd say pretty good. The sigh.
Just I mean, for it's very like I'm happy for all of them, but
four All Stars doesn't change the fact that this team sucks.
(30:57):
Like yeah, the last like Oh my God, it's gonna be crazy when we
have 4 All Stars and not make the playoffs because Cash
doesn't know how to manage the bullpen.
Well, I don't know if that's gonna, I mean it's I, I think
the important thing moving forward is we see how things go.
Because remember, the Rays have probably the most unique
schedule in baseball this year, which is that they front loaded
(31:19):
the schedule with home games andthey back loaded the schedule
with Rd. games. I know there's like a 12 game
road trip on the West Coast thatthat they're going to go on in a
little bit. So that's like a two week road
trip that that they're going to be out on the West Coast.
And then there's some other Rd. trips here and there.
But like, yeah, I mean, they they need to find a way in this
(31:40):
specifically in this Red Sox series, they really need to find
a way to at least salvage a couple wins, go into the All
Star break with a little bit of momentum because of how strange
things are going to continue to get in the second in the post
second-half of the season post office break.
Another thing I want to talk to you about, so I mean this car,
(32:00):
this is. That a burp.
That was a burp that. Was a good one.
This whole kind of stretch started, I would say, with the
A's series, maybe the O series, but I think we still looked
pretty good in that it. Started.
It started with the O. Series where they lost two out
of three and there was that 2 to8 game and it and it's it's been
(32:21):
what, five straight series losses?
I think the O's A's twin or fourand could be 5 with the Red Sox.
But the first three of those series, O's, A's and Twins
against teams under 500, that isalso something that falls under
Cash's job, I think is the fact that yes, we are good against
teams above 500. I think we're the best, like
(32:42):
we're one of the best teams, if not the best in the all.
The Rays have a reversal of how they win.
They beat the really bad teams and lose against the bad teams,
but that. Is that is the job of the
manager to be, to get the team ready for every game, no matter
who you're playing. And the fact that we're that
good against good teams means that we're a really good team.
Like we have the talent and the fact that we're really this bad
(33:04):
against bad teams means that Cash doesn't get the boys up
every day to play. I think, I don't know, maybe I'm
like, you guys can tell me I'm wrong, but I think that's
Cash's. That's another thing that Cash
is not doing awfully. Well I I do think that it does
fall under his job description, but it's just weird how things
work. Like what I was told growing up
is that you want to go like 667,so like 2 out of 3 win like 2/3
(33:28):
of your games against the bad teams and then go 500 against
the good teams. And that in the playoffs, this
is the complete opposite of that, which is go win, win 2/3
of your games against the good teams and go 500 against the bad
teams. That's not like that's not a
sustainable thing in order for ateam to get into the post
season. No, because because the the the
(33:49):
heat streak against the good teams will fall like that.
We that, that is something we will not, we will not continue
throughout the whole season. Like you have to learn.
I mean that that look, look at the the seasons where we were
really good 20/20/21 and when the OS were really, really bad.
Look at what we did to the OS. I think we beat them 18 out of
19 times. That was back when we played.
One year, one year, they only beat us one time.
(34:11):
Yeah, I think it was 16 out of 19.
Or 18, No, no, it was 2021 and that was a year that that they
shouldn't have went 18 and one against them because we don't
need to talk about what happenedon the playoffs that.
Year, no, but I'm just saying like that's like.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I get what you mean though.
And, and Cash did a great, I mean, he won manager of the year
of 2020-2021 and that's something that is very good.
(34:32):
But this year he just doesn't have it for some reason.
I don't know what changed. And it's it's frustrating.
And like that's got a that has also got have to change too.
You got to beat the bad teams. Yeah.
And we have. I mean, he just, he's never had
a team like this, like he's never had a super productive
offense with all these guys who are actually like on base
(34:55):
machines. Stealing.
And they're not just hitting homers.
They're not and. They're not just hitting homers.
It's small. It's like it's like top half,
you know, regular 3 outcome baseball and then bottom half
small ball, 1920s based dead ball era baseball.
You know, it's it's it's a weirdroster that he has to deal and
(35:16):
then he doesn't have the bullpenhe's always had.
He doesn't have his bullpen of 90 eights his you know, his
intimidating. His stable.
He doesn't have the stable anymore.
And, you know, that's partially him.
That's on him. I mean, it all comes down to him
at the end of the day. So yeah, I mean, you can.
That's where the that's where the blame's gonna go.
(35:37):
But I mean, only for like certain things and then some.
Just our bullpen guess. I mean, I mean, if this if this
team doesn't make the playoffs, I I don't think he would
actually, I don't think you actually fire him, but I think
that there is a serious conversation behind that because
like this team. Yeah.
Is legit like this team is is just as good as the Blue Jays.
I mean we've beaten him five outof six time this season.
(35:58):
We're just as good as the Yankees and cash is.
I mean, I, I, I think I could count on like, I think I count
to 10 about how many losses? I think Cash is like handed his
own team this season. I mean, he has two of the most
incredible rookies in the leaguelike.
By the way, Chandler Simpson, longest, longest rookie, longest
hitting streak by rookie in racehistory.
(36:20):
There you go. And like, I, I just think we're
wasting to see like, I mean, these numbers that we have, I
mean, Beelao was having one of his best career seats.
He's betting 270 with. Also tied a race record for the
longest hitting streak in franchise history.
And hey, he's team first guy because he took himself out.
But like, I mean, how many seasons are we going to get
Yandi of 287 Aranda 326, Mangum three O 9 like this team this
(36:43):
lineup is. Chanting back up the.
TS has been, yeah, they've all been absolutely insane the last
month. And the fact that we're only six
games over is unbelievable, like, and with the starting
pitching rotation that we have, it doesn't make any sense.
Yeah, and Shane's supposed to beShane is actually going on a
rehab assignment to Durham coming up.
So like can his rehabs getting the best picture in the rotation
(37:06):
back? Can his rehab assignments just
be a couple innings in the bullpen?
Well, I think it's almost like 2innings, but yeah, I guess it's
perfect. Perfect.
Well. But also, the lineup today is
hilarious. Ball is sitting 6th.
That's good, good stuff. Hi everyone, Alex here with a
(37:26):
quick word from our sponsor Seegeek.
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(37:50):
for $20 off your first purchase with Seegeek.
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 backto this latest episode of Raise
the Roof. So before we leave, it is
customary for us to talk about both the All Star Game and the
(38:10):
Home Run Derby now that the racehave a participant in it.
Second time in three years now that the race have had a
participant in it. So we definitely have a horse in
the race, but with the All Star game, is there anyone that you
guys are looking forward to seeing?
Maybe someone who's a first timeguy, someone who's been there
for a couple years, whatever it might be.
I mean, definitely looking forward to Aranda kind of coming
(38:31):
onto the scene, even though he won't be the starting first
baseman, even though he should be if the All Star game was in a
popularity contest. Let's just put it there,
correct? But I'm excited for Jonathan
Ronda. I think he really deserves this
spot. I mean, he I mean, at the end of
the last season, he really came into his own and then just he's
(38:52):
been our best hitter. That maybe not the last month
just because he has really takenover the last month.
But yeah, I mean, he just has been always coming through.
So I'm excited for the world to be introduced to Jonathan Ronda.
Yeah, I agree, Evan, anyone thatyou're looking forward to raise
guys or anyone else? Yeah, I mean all of the race
(39:14):
guys, I mean, I obviously be loud will not be playing, but I
mean Caminero will be awesome. I think it'll be kind of cool to
just see everybody, I mean in the national media plus just the
National Baseball fan who might not know who he is to get to
know who he is because he is other than playing for big
market team, he has every character trait and and like
(39:38):
actual ability to be a superstarin this league.
So it would be kind of cool to see everybody get to know who he
is. It's also did you I'm it's also
cool. Like I'm always excited to see
Randy under the lights. It's I think that was today that
they announced that he was replacing J Rod, which I did.
(39:58):
I just read on Bleach reports sent out a tweet that apparently
Wheeler and J Rod are sitting out to focus on the second-half
of the season, which is kind of.I don't know he needs J Rod.
I don't know how he got the Me Neither All Star game.
He hasn't been that good. He just simply hasn't been that
good. But.
In a player's vote, too, right? Wheeler.
(40:20):
Wheeler, I understand. I mean.
Wheeler Yeah. Listen, Julio needs to
concentrate the second-half of this.
Yeah, he wasn't that good in thefirst.
So I mean I don't know how he was in the All Star game in the
1st. Place so he'd.
Struggle. Me neither.
If it maybe if he wasn't on the cover of MLB, you know that one
year I forgot what year that was.
(40:41):
But yeah, I don't know how the lines.
There is that new though. Have you ever heard of that
before? Focusing on the second-half of
the season? Like, I'm not blame.
I'm not like. I'm shooting that, but I just
haven't seen that. But I I don't really remember it
too much but. Is J Rod No, because Cal rally
I'm but yeah, no, I mean Randy will always be Hopefully you get
(41:03):
some plenty of time, but he's always fun to watch on national
TV as we as we know was at last year during the during the Home
Run Derby in Seattle. That was a lot of fun to see
him. Dude.
He was so two years ago. I'm sorry where he almost what
he was like one home run away from.
Dude he was literally on his swag.
That was his that was the Randy Rosa ran a swag tour.
(41:25):
Dude he literally started that year in the world baseball
classic. Went to the like he was.
Doing Oh, that was the Randy Legacy year.
That was the Randy legacy year for sure.
Dude. Like forget the 10 home runs
during the whatever COVID the playoff run dude, it it was
really like that six months of the baseball, which is probably
the best thing I've ever seen. And I will say this year's Derby
(41:49):
roster is is one of the better ones that we've seen in recent
years, I think from top to bottom.
And it's young. Not really, it's like a span of
of Chisholm in there. But like he does give a show.
So I just think that he's a weird guy.
Listen, I got a lot of stock andmy boy James Wood, so you know.
Oh dude, don't even get me started on James Wood.
(42:09):
Oh my God. Yeah.
So I'm excited. The Nationals might be in a IF.
He wins. If he wins, some of my cards
might go up a few dollars the a few cents.
Well, all I'm saying is that theNationals might be in like the
worst place possible, but James Wood is an MVP card.
Yeah, that he's, he's so good. He's.
Sick. Oh man.
(42:30):
So, yeah, I mean, and then BrentRooker, I mean, the A's are
dogs. I don't know if we if we didn't
realize that when they were here, but I was just realizing
they had like all this talent. It's not all together.
It's not like it's like a it's like a clay pot.
But like, you know, like when you're like it's like early, you
know, it's a rough shape, dude. It's it's not there yet, but
(42:53):
they have all the athletic ability and all the offense
potential like to break out thatteam.
And of course, at the most opportune time for John Fisher,
you know, when he's in the middle of what.
He's when he's buying his 5th house.
Yeah. And he's spending $30 million on
a house in Vegas. So yeah, that's, that's Baller.
I I don't like, I don't like John Fisher, but that's Baller.
(43:17):
I I was, I mean, considering that there was like a $36
million gap in the whole Howard Terminal project and bro just
spent 30 mil on a fucking mansion.
Like is that a best? What?
What did he, what did he do? Was he like, how did, like, how
did he make all of his money, you know?
Oh oh because his oh because hisparents founded Gap so.
He's oh, oh, gotcha, gotcha. A beast of.
(43:40):
C Ray Clothing Company and he's the and he's the Neppo baby of
the bunch. Made a lot of money, but future
future Byron Ray Byron Buxton will also be in the Derby too,
which make that happen. I like your optimism.
Make that blockbuster trade of what's his name, Griffin, Jacks
(44:02):
and Buxton for 7 prospects, but make it happen.
It's like all Single A guys thatmight pan out in 2028.
It I mean, I, I'm not gonna lie.Oh.
Whoa, we can't get rid of fluwelling, bro, don't.
Get rid of Gary. Don't get rid of Gary Gilhill.
That's all I'll say. I've I've done some research on
(44:23):
who, who were we? We'd probably have to give up
Isaac or who's the other guy, Rayden Taylor.
No, I think he's the third. He's Oregon Theo, that's who I
was thinking of. No, probably have to get.
But I can't wait to see him in 2028.
What are you talking about? Yeah.
(44:46):
No, but that would be. That point, but yes, I mean.
That would actually be a sick trick.
I mean, two holes that we have, I mean bullpen and we don't have
a like AI mean. Chandler Shipsen is awesome, but
he's not like a solidified center fielder yet and he's not
like a right-handed center fielder would be awesome.
I just don't think that the Raysare into also this whole thing
about like the Sean Murphy trade.
(45:08):
The Rays already have two catchers like I.
I understand Matt Theis isn't anything crazy but they just
don't need him. He's also a back that.
That's walk machine Matt Dice toyou guys.
Yeah, walk. Yeah, well, I, I used to walk.
This way they don't need. Them the Rays have two competent
catchers. Yeah, Dice is a backup catcher.
Hitting above 200, that's all you need.
(45:29):
Yeah, like that's all. It's great.
And then on top of that, on baselike 400, dude, he's crazy.
He gets on base in every way possible.
I don't know how he does. He's the Moneyball favorite.
Also, can you explain to me the Okunya route?
Like what? What was that?
I don't. I didn't see that.
On, I don't know, it was some garbage.
There was no way Okunya was getting moves.
(45:49):
Well, it could still happen, right?
Like are they? No, no, it just what, what was
it? Was it just like?
AI don't know the Braves shot down the rumors pretty like like
the Braves GM. We are not straight into the.
I don't know what it was. I didn't even put anything into
it because I was just like this is stupid and dumb.
Yeah, I literally saw it on the timeline.
I'm like what? Yes, yes, yes, the Braves should
(46:11):
trade away their franchise piece.
Oh yeah. Put so much money into and
that'll work out of merch of him.
That'll work in 18 years. Yeah, I, I, I see, I see exactly
how that would pan out. I see the payoff already.
So be it. Things are crazy.
Oh yeah. Buxton has three more years to
control too. He's not getting paid that much
(46:33):
either. 15 mil for Buxton. I feel like it's not that bad.
Hey, we paid. He's a little old.
But Hassan Kim 15 mil for half aseason so I mean shit.
And he he's not in the line up today like.
Yeah, I know, right? Like he just hit a home run.
What would he do? I don't understand like he got
how much? More, and he's kind of like
recovering. Let us see, Hassan how?
Much more rest Does he? Possibly he's been out half the.
(46:56):
Season the muffle. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Let my boy cook. Come on.
Come on. Well.
There's definitely a lot going on, a lot of good, a lot of bad.
I think it's probably an equal mixture, a lot more bad.
What it's? It's been a lot.
(47:18):
More on the field. The stuff that when still.
That matters on the field stuff,yes, but in general, I mean with
the All Star selections and things like that and Shane going
back to to Durham, man Rod beingin Durham, like I think that
there's a lot more positives than than people realize.
I do understand the negatives cause the negatives are pretty
(47:38):
blatant and obvious, but I at the same time, I think that
there are a lot of tangible positives that race fans should
look at for the most part. With that being said, that is
going to conclude things on thislatest episode of the podcast.
We appreciate you guys as alwaysfor your support.
We are, we just hit 9000 followers recently.
That's a that's a big thing. Thank you guys for that,
(47:58):
sincerely. Get us to 10K.
Yes, yes, 10K would be great. We're closing it on 3K on on
Instagram. So we're really, really growing
the brand, which is really cool.Big thanks.
As I said on both the podcast about Tampa and Baltimore too,
everyone that that we met when we were down there and we were
up in Baltimore. Really, really appreciate you
(48:20):
guys coming to say hi. It was really cool.
It's you know, this, this, this community is building.
So it's it's it's cool to see things continuing to build over
time. If you guys haven't followed us
and you're and you're listening to this podcast and if you guys
want to follow what we're doing,it's at raise the roof TB on
social media that's Twitter slash X Instagram and blue sky.
(48:42):
We also have our YouTube channel, raise the roof.
Be sure to subscribe to us there.
Our podcast continue to support us as you guys have been there.
Be sure to like, be sure to subscribe, be sure to leave us a
review, hopefully a five star review and share this with your
family and friends. Anyone you know is a baseball
fan or a race fan that wants to add a podcast into the podcast.
We we'd love to be part of it. A shout out to our sponsors In
(49:02):
the Clutch, Sea Geek and JKS Prince.
Be sure to use code, raise the roof and all caps to check out
to get yourself some good stuff,some tickets, some merch,
whatever you want. Helps us out in the process as
well. So very much appreciated.
With all that being said, thanksso much for listening and as
always, raise up. Raise up baby.
Raise up baby.
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