September 29, 2025 • 12 mins
CLNS Media broadcaster, Mike Petraglia, joins the show to discuss the latest MLB news!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Back on the Rob Devils Show at Ben Darnell in
Your Afternoon Drive, joining us from CLNS Media. He covers
the Reds, covers the Bengals, covers everything out there around
that way. Mike Petrolia and Mike joins us now on
the hotline, and Mike, I was telling people in the
first segment nineteen games to go their six games basically
behind the Mets after they lost that game with the
(00:27):
bases loaded in the ninth inning against them. I mean,
what was the percentage of people that thought they had
a chance three weeks ago and then even going into
the Brewers series. How many of the people that year
around were thinking, Nah, there's no way they can take
two out of three or even three out of three
from the Brewers.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
I'd say general population dibbs. After that series against the Mets,
it was probably ten percent, maybe five five to ten
percent of diehard Reds fans bumped up to maybe twenty
five percent because a lot of them figured the Mets
would eventually met themselves. But after what they were able
(01:10):
to sweep them in four games at Great American Ballpark.
That brought everybody back on the wagon. Then they lose
the two games to the Pirates, another last place team
a week and a half after getting swept in Sacramento
by the last place A's, and you're like, will this
team ever make up its mind? And then to see
(01:31):
them take the first two games in Milwaukee, I think
the Reds fan base is saying to themselves, this is
a one of a kind team, and I think they're
ready to go.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
One of the biggest differences with the Cincinnati Reds and
the rest of the world is they let their pitchers go.
They have four complete games, that's the most in Biggs.
How much does that help their pitching staff, especially at
the back end, because I do believe that sweep of
the Cubs started with a Hunter Green complete game.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Oh Hunter Green one hit shutout as matter of fact,
then so yes, there's no question that tomorrow could set
the tone not only for the Dodger series, but the
rest of the playoffs. If Hunter Green comes out and
does what he's capable of doing, and that is shutting
down a very potent LA Dodger lineup. He did it
(02:19):
against a very potent Chicago Cubs lineup. Obviously, we know
that the one thing the Cubs do is hit the
ball and hit it hard, and well, maybe not as
much in the second half as they did in the
first half, but still, Hunter Green's going to have to
be at his best tomorrow, and I'm just curious to see. Look,
Terry Francona knows Dave Roberts, right, he knows a lot
(02:41):
of his tendencies. He managed him, He knows him from
his days, you know, manage him to a limited degree
in Cleveland. But still, I think it's going to be
a fascinating matchup to see how they use Mookie Bets
at the top of the order, Freddie Freeman, who is
just one of the most dangerous hitters at any time
of the season, but especially in October. But I think
(03:04):
the Reds are well suited to match up arm for
arm with the lineup of the Dodgers.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Absolutely. I mean, just you know, Green, Singer and Abbott
should be able to win this series as long as
they keep the team in it. I mean, there's gonna
be no Kershaw. The Dodgers have already said he won't
be on this first round team. You got show Hey,
they don't know how they're gonna use show Hey, it's
you kind of want a team that has its doubts,
(03:33):
and this is a team that underachieved. I mean when
the season started, everybody's like, Ah, this team's gonna win
one hundred and sixty two games, they're never gonna lose,
and they didn't even win the division. So well, the
thing go ahead.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
No, not to interrupt you, the thing, And I wrote
this for Clonssinc dot Com. The Reds at this point
are indeed playing with house money. They're playing loose, They're
playing like a frat team. That's what the four Red
Sox were for a good portion of the second half
of the season. You know, they got down to the
Yankees three nothing, and Kevin Malar famously said, don't let
(04:11):
us win tonight, and they can't kill us Moniker that
the Reds have adopted now, from Nick Martinez all the
way down to Terry Francona shouting it in the clubhouse
in celebration yesterday. That's the attitude they're taking. You can't
kill us, and we feel that, we believe that, and
(04:32):
it's an attitude that I think is going to take
this team a long way.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Emilio Pagan he is the closing end now since Alexis
ds has left the building for the Cincinnati Reds and
isn't playing anymore. What tell us about this and tell
us about just basically the bullpen of the Reds, because
it feels like it's going to be the deciding factor
for all teams.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Ben, I don't think there's any question about that. I
think Ameliopegan is one of those types. He's a bulldog.
He went he picks four straight games Wednesday through Saturday.
How many pictures in baseball the he does at the
end of the bullpen Not a lot. And so to
(05:14):
see a guy like Emilio Pegan want the ball, even
though he he has that bulldog mentality that I think
will really stand the Red instead throughout the series. I
think he's capable of doing some things at the back
end of the lineup, back end of the bullpen. I
(05:35):
should say that gives Terry Francona the confidence that he's
got somebody who won't shrivele in the moment he may
get hit. He may not have his best stuff. I'm
not saying that, and there's certainly been times throughout the
season where that has been the case. But he won't
shrivel up. And those are the guys and gives you know,
(05:56):
this Francona looks for in big moments, and the Reds
have a lot of those guys at the back end
of the bullpen. The other thing that I cannot stress
this enough, the one thing that has changed the entire
dynamic of that bullpen Connor Phillips and Chase Burns. They
have two guys that can throw one hundred loaded into
(06:18):
that bullpen that they did not have for a good
portion of the regular season. It's completely changed the way
Terry Francona can use his bullpen. And that is one thing.
If this team gets hot and can manage to score
three or four runs a game, not five or six.
If they can do three or four runs, I think
(06:38):
they have a good chance of going pretty far.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Noel vi Marte unbelievable catch reminds me we talked about
this at Glenn Braggs's catch in the NLCS thirty five
years ago. Friedel with some big hits, McLean, Steer Lux,
some of these guys. You know, yeah, they didn't have
the greatest regular seasons, but that's reminiscent of a lot
of Yankee teams at one If you look back at
Scott Bromus and some of those other guys they hit
(07:04):
two twenty in the regular season. Who do you like
going into the post? Who is I mean, obviously you
know a lot of attention goes to Elie de la Cruz.
Who do you think can step up against the Dodgers?
I know the Dodgers were five and one against the Reds.
Red's only won one time against the Dodgers this season.
Who can step up in this three game series?
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Spencer Steer, Gavin Lux, and I'm gonna give you a
rookie that was just barely eligible for the postseason who
they brought up on August thirty first, Dal Stewart. He
is a professional hitter, Gibbs And again another guy, a
(07:48):
young player who I don't think is gonna shrivel in
the big moment. Dal Stewart is somebody that would keep
a very close eye on tous. He's such a good
hitter and he does add a new dimension to the
Reds lineup, So he'd be somebody I keep a very
close eye on.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
After you've seen one hundred and sixty two, now we
know the matchups, the playoffs are set. Who do you
like out of these twelve teams? Who would you put
money on? To win the World Series.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Oh boy, I'm going to go in the American League.
I'm going to go with the Seattle Mariners. I just
think it's their time and I think they have a
very deep lineup. I think they've got the pitching, and
I like the Mariners by a lot actually over Toronto.
I think the winner of the Redstox Yankees is going
(08:36):
to get to the ALCS against Seattle. That's what I
think it's going to happen. And I just think it'll
be or do they play if I don't have the
bracket in front of me, but no, you'd be ready.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
If yeah, no, Red Sox would go on to play
the Blue Jays, who are the one seed. Tigers Guardians
would play the right.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
So I think the winner of the Red Sox Yankees
goes on to play the Mariners in the ALCF, and
I think this is the Mariners year to get to
the World Series. National League. I think it's going to be.
I'd love to see the Reds do it, but I'm
gonna stick with the Philadelphia Phillies. They to me, have
(09:21):
all much liked their football counterparts, the Eagles. They have
been the best team that I've seen all season long.
I like the Philadelphia Phillies by just to tick over
the Milwaukee Brewers.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
I know this is a long shot, but Kyle Schwarber,
free agent at the end of the season, fifty six runs,
one hundred thirty two Ribbys, he loves Cincinnati. Would they
actually open up their wallets to get that kid?
Speaker 2 (09:48):
I doubt it. I think I just don't. For everything
that I've been told, I don't think Schwarber will concede
taking a shorter term contract that it would have to
be for the Reds to sign him to the kind
of average annual value that he would be in line for.
(10:12):
So I'd say probably not, but who knows. I mean,
if the Reds feel like this is one more year
before twenty twenty seven and a labor stoppage, maybe they
break out the checkbook and take him for two or
three years. That's the only way I think that happened.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Mike Petrolia CLNS media. I think this may be the
first time in a long time where October in Cincinnati
is run by the Reds and not the Cincinnati Bengals.
I don't even know how many people in Cincinnati Land
are going to watch the game tonight. Bengals at Denver.
What's this team going to do or are they going
to roll with Jake Browning the entire time? Are they
going to try to make a move to potentially get
(10:53):
somebody else to play quarterback?
Speaker 2 (10:56):
And that is a great question. Watch Jake brown closely.
If it's another bad game, I think the Bengals are
going to feel a lot of pressure after just spending
whatever it was, a quarter of a billion dollars on
their two wide receivers. You've got to find a quarterback
that can get the ball down the field to them.
Whether it's Russell Wilson, which a lot of people think
(11:17):
could be on the Bengals radar, he's Jeff Blake two
point zero only with Super Bowl cachet on his resume.
He can just throw go balls and throw balls down
the field and have Jamar Chase and a Higgins go
for him Tonight. It's a big game for Jake Browning
and the running attack. If it doesn't show up, I
(11:38):
think the Bengals are going to be forced to make
some big moves. And consider the Ravens are one and three,
you have a chance, a golden opportunity this year to
take that division. If you win tonight and go to
three and one, and I think that's going to be
foremost on the Bengals minds. And I'm here in Denver.
(11:59):
I'm very fastoat to see how the Bengals approach the
game tonight after that embarrassment in Minnesota.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Trags, you are the best, my friend. Appreciate your time.
Go Reds. At least get by this first round. Beat
those damn Dodgers. Man, that would be sweet, Yes.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
It would be It would be a great story, and
I think the city of Cincinnati, in terms of their
baseball fan base, could certainly use it.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Absolutely. Mike Patrolie, everybody, CLNS media, We'll talk to you soon.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Thank you, Mike, Tom's good guys. Take care,
Back on the Rob Devils Show at Ben Darnell in
Your Afternoon Drive, joining us from CLNS Media. He covers
the Reds, covers the Bengals, covers everything out there around
that way. Mike Petrolia and Mike joins us now on
the hotline, and Mike, I was telling people in the
first segment nineteen games to go their six games basically
behind the Mets after they lost that game with the
(00:27):
bases loaded in the ninth inning against them. I mean,
what was the percentage of people that thought they had
a chance three weeks ago and then even going into
the Brewers series. How many of the people that year
around were thinking, Nah, there's no way they can take
two out of three or even three out of three
from the Brewers.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
I'd say general population dibbs. After that series against the Mets,
it was probably ten percent, maybe five five to ten
percent of diehard Reds fans bumped up to maybe twenty
five percent because a lot of them figured the Mets
would eventually met themselves. But after what they were able
(01:10):
to sweep them in four games at Great American Ballpark.
That brought everybody back on the wagon. Then they lose
the two games to the Pirates, another last place team
a week and a half after getting swept in Sacramento
by the last place A's, and you're like, will this
team ever make up its mind? And then to see
(01:31):
them take the first two games in Milwaukee, I think
the Reds fan base is saying to themselves, this is
a one of a kind team, and I think they're
ready to go.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
One of the biggest differences with the Cincinnati Reds and
the rest of the world is they let their pitchers go.
They have four complete games, that's the most in Biggs.
How much does that help their pitching staff, especially at
the back end, because I do believe that sweep of
the Cubs started with a Hunter Green complete game.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Oh Hunter Green one hit shutout as matter of fact,
then so yes, there's no question that tomorrow could set
the tone not only for the Dodger series, but the
rest of the playoffs. If Hunter Green comes out and
does what he's capable of doing, and that is shutting
down a very potent LA Dodger lineup. He did it
(02:19):
against a very potent Chicago Cubs lineup. Obviously, we know
that the one thing the Cubs do is hit the
ball and hit it hard, and well, maybe not as
much in the second half as they did in the
first half, but still, Hunter Green's going to have to
be at his best tomorrow, and I'm just curious to see. Look,
Terry Francona knows Dave Roberts, right, he knows a lot
(02:41):
of his tendencies. He managed him, He knows him from
his days, you know, manage him to a limited degree
in Cleveland. But still, I think it's going to be
a fascinating matchup to see how they use Mookie Bets
at the top of the order, Freddie Freeman, who is
just one of the most dangerous hitters at any time
of the season, but especially in October. But I think
(03:04):
the Reds are well suited to match up arm for
arm with the lineup of the Dodgers.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Absolutely. I mean, just you know, Green, Singer and Abbott
should be able to win this series as long as
they keep the team in it. I mean, there's gonna
be no Kershaw. The Dodgers have already said he won't
be on this first round team. You got show Hey,
they don't know how they're gonna use show Hey, it's
you kind of want a team that has its doubts,
(03:33):
and this is a team that underachieved. I mean when
the season started, everybody's like, Ah, this team's gonna win
one hundred and sixty two games, they're never gonna lose,
and they didn't even win the division. So well, the
thing go ahead.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
No, not to interrupt you, the thing, And I wrote
this for Clonssinc dot Com. The Reds at this point
are indeed playing with house money. They're playing loose, They're
playing like a frat team. That's what the four Red
Sox were for a good portion of the second half
of the season. You know, they got down to the
Yankees three nothing, and Kevin Malar famously said, don't let
(04:11):
us win tonight, and they can't kill us Moniker that
the Reds have adopted now, from Nick Martinez all the
way down to Terry Francona shouting it in the clubhouse
in celebration yesterday. That's the attitude they're taking. You can't
kill us, and we feel that, we believe that, and
(04:32):
it's an attitude that I think is going to take
this team a long way.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Emilio Pagan he is the closing end now since Alexis
ds has left the building for the Cincinnati Reds and
isn't playing anymore. What tell us about this and tell
us about just basically the bullpen of the Reds, because
it feels like it's going to be the deciding factor
for all teams.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Ben, I don't think there's any question about that. I
think Ameliopegan is one of those types. He's a bulldog.
He went he picks four straight games Wednesday through Saturday.
How many pictures in baseball the he does at the
end of the bullpen Not a lot. And so to
(05:14):
see a guy like Emilio Pegan want the ball, even
though he he has that bulldog mentality that I think
will really stand the Red instead throughout the series. I
think he's capable of doing some things at the back
end of the lineup, back end of the bullpen. I
(05:35):
should say that gives Terry Francona the confidence that he's
got somebody who won't shrivele in the moment he may
get hit. He may not have his best stuff. I'm
not saying that, and there's certainly been times throughout the
season where that has been the case. But he won't
shrivel up. And those are the guys and gives you know,
(05:56):
this Francona looks for in big moments, and the Reds
have a lot of those guys at the back end
of the bullpen. The other thing that I cannot stress
this enough, the one thing that has changed the entire
dynamic of that bullpen Connor Phillips and Chase Burns. They
have two guys that can throw one hundred loaded into
(06:18):
that bullpen that they did not have for a good
portion of the regular season. It's completely changed the way
Terry Francona can use his bullpen. And that is one thing.
If this team gets hot and can manage to score
three or four runs a game, not five or six.
If they can do three or four runs, I think
(06:38):
they have a good chance of going pretty far.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Noel vi Marte unbelievable catch reminds me we talked about
this at Glenn Braggs's catch in the NLCS thirty five
years ago. Friedel with some big hits, McLean, Steer Lux,
some of these guys. You know, yeah, they didn't have
the greatest regular seasons, but that's reminiscent of a lot
of Yankee teams at one If you look back at
Scott Bromus and some of those other guys they hit
(07:04):
two twenty in the regular season. Who do you like
going into the post? Who is I mean, obviously you
know a lot of attention goes to Elie de la Cruz.
Who do you think can step up against the Dodgers?
I know the Dodgers were five and one against the Reds.
Red's only won one time against the Dodgers this season.
Who can step up in this three game series?
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Spencer Steer, Gavin Lux, and I'm gonna give you a
rookie that was just barely eligible for the postseason who
they brought up on August thirty first, Dal Stewart. He
is a professional hitter, Gibbs And again another guy, a
(07:48):
young player who I don't think is gonna shrivel in
the big moment. Dal Stewart is somebody that would keep
a very close eye on tous. He's such a good
hitter and he does add a new dimension to the
Reds lineup, So he'd be somebody I keep a very
close eye on.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
After you've seen one hundred and sixty two, now we
know the matchups, the playoffs are set. Who do you
like out of these twelve teams? Who would you put
money on? To win the World Series.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Oh boy, I'm going to go in the American League.
I'm going to go with the Seattle Mariners. I just
think it's their time and I think they have a
very deep lineup. I think they've got the pitching, and
I like the Mariners by a lot actually over Toronto.
I think the winner of the Redstox Yankees is going
(08:36):
to get to the ALCS against Seattle. That's what I
think it's going to happen. And I just think it'll
be or do they play if I don't have the
bracket in front of me, but no, you'd be ready.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
If yeah, no, Red Sox would go on to play
the Blue Jays, who are the one seed. Tigers Guardians
would play the right.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
So I think the winner of the Red Sox Yankees
goes on to play the Mariners in the ALCF, and
I think this is the Mariners year to get to
the World Series. National League. I think it's going to be.
I'd love to see the Reds do it, but I'm
gonna stick with the Philadelphia Phillies. They to me, have
(09:21):
all much liked their football counterparts, the Eagles. They have
been the best team that I've seen all season long.
I like the Philadelphia Phillies by just to tick over
the Milwaukee Brewers.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
I know this is a long shot, but Kyle Schwarber,
free agent at the end of the season, fifty six runs,
one hundred thirty two Ribbys, he loves Cincinnati. Would they
actually open up their wallets to get that kid?
Speaker 2 (09:48):
I doubt it. I think I just don't. For everything
that I've been told, I don't think Schwarber will concede
taking a shorter term contract that it would have to
be for the Reds to sign him to the kind
of average annual value that he would be in line for.
(10:12):
So I'd say probably not, but who knows. I mean,
if the Reds feel like this is one more year
before twenty twenty seven and a labor stoppage, maybe they
break out the checkbook and take him for two or
three years. That's the only way I think that happened.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Mike Petrolia CLNS media. I think this may be the
first time in a long time where October in Cincinnati
is run by the Reds and not the Cincinnati Bengals.
I don't even know how many people in Cincinnati Land
are going to watch the game tonight. Bengals at Denver.
What's this team going to do or are they going
to roll with Jake Browning the entire time? Are they
going to try to make a move to potentially get
(10:53):
somebody else to play quarterback?
Speaker 2 (10:56):
And that is a great question. Watch Jake brown closely.
If it's another bad game, I think the Bengals are
going to feel a lot of pressure after just spending
whatever it was, a quarter of a billion dollars on
their two wide receivers. You've got to find a quarterback
that can get the ball down the field to them.
Whether it's Russell Wilson, which a lot of people think
(11:17):
could be on the Bengals radar, he's Jeff Blake two
point zero only with Super Bowl cachet on his resume.
He can just throw go balls and throw balls down
the field and have Jamar Chase and a Higgins go
for him Tonight. It's a big game for Jake Browning
and the running attack. If it doesn't show up, I
(11:38):
think the Bengals are going to be forced to make
some big moves. And consider the Ravens are one and three,
you have a chance, a golden opportunity this year to
take that division. If you win tonight and go to
three and one, and I think that's going to be
foremost on the Bengals minds. And I'm here in Denver.
(11:59):
I'm very fastoat to see how the Bengals approach the
game tonight after that embarrassment in Minnesota.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Trags, you are the best, my friend. Appreciate your time.
Go Reds. At least get by this first round. Beat
those damn Dodgers. Man, that would be sweet, Yes.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
It would be It would be a great story, and
I think the city of Cincinnati, in terms of their
baseball fan base, could certainly use it.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Absolutely. Mike Patrolie, everybody, CLNS media, We'll talk to you soon.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Thank you, Mike, Tom's good guys. Take care,
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