Cincy 360 -- Tony Pke with Charlie Goldsmith

Tony talks with Charlie Goldsmith about the Bengals and Reds on ESPN 1530!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Shirts Cincy three sixty about Cincinnati from Cincinnati, sponsored in
part by Cincy Shirts, Cincy Shirts, All Cincy, all Day.
This is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati sports station.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Song Get Up with Song.

Speaker 3 (00:24):
Charles, Charles.

Speaker 2 (00:36):
M Charles got the blue?

Speaker 4 (00:41):
All right, there it is. You know what it is
the top of our number two. It's a Friday, which
means we are joined by our good friend from Cincinnati
dot Com covering the Reds and the Bengals, and there's
a heck of a lot to talk about with both today.
It's Charlie Goldsmith. Charlie, what's up? Hi?

Speaker 3 (00:57):
You doing Tony?

Speaker 4 (00:58):
Charlie, I'm giving you the option that you want to
start today with Reds or Bengals.

Speaker 3 (01:04):
I will pull I will do it Zach Taylor were
doing in this situation and defer the Bengals until the
second half.

Speaker 4 (01:11):
All right, Charlie. The Reds have clawed back. They've give
themselves a glimmer of a hope. What have you seen
offensively with the approach at the plate, especially with this team,
and that's Saint Louis sweep here a great American ballpark.

Speaker 3 (01:27):
Yeah, it's pretty simple. Like I'm reminded of the conversation
we had on I think what are often calls opening
day two at the Holy Grail, and I remember saying,
it's guys like Frehleyan Benson and India and Steer and
Freedom coming back. The guys who have the more experienced
the guy, the guys who we've seen have a solid
track record of being impact hitters. All those guys had big,

(01:48):
you know, flumps or injuries. Right now you're looking, especially
at that veteran group and including some young guys as well,
the Reds have the most guys who are healthy and
swinging the bat well as they've had all and pretty
much it's that simple. You know, there aren't Levi Jordan's
in the lineup right now, and you know, with the
exception of Jonathan India, who broke out of an over
twenty two slump the other day with two homers, you know,

(02:10):
everyone's doing pretty solid for us. Brayley's finding his stride,
Friedle's back years finding his stride. You're seeing a lot
of steps in the right direction, which has the Reds
playing at about the level I expected them to play
at this year. And then you know, frankly, they're just
gonna need to go on a run and keep going
from here.

Speaker 4 (02:26):
Talk about levels that a team was expected to play at.
I think people knew that Hunter Green could be good?
Did they know he could be this good? Hunter Green?
I mean, you know, as anyone else, he's got a
legitimate claim to be an nl CY Young Award winner.
What can you say about what you've seen from a
gross standpoint and the pitcher he's become on a start

(02:48):
in startout basis.

Speaker 3 (02:50):
I mean the fifth end and the other day just
summed up his whole season and in some ways the
growth he's made over the last three years. So he
lights out, command, aggressive, everything you want to see, and
then he throws up and he doesn't just throw up.
He issues a walk and the ball is getting away
from him. Two wild pitches, all of a sudden runner
on third close game, Green falls behind three on account

(03:11):
and then he battles back for a strike out Like
that in itself is a moment of growth. It's you know,
how many times have we had a conversation about Green
was just a few pitches away and people would roll
their eyes when Hunter David Bell said that, well, now
Green's winning those pitches and he looks better than I
thought he'd ever look right now with what he's doing,
he's proven something. But I think the key to this
whole thing is ever since I met Hunter, he's like, Yeah,

(03:34):
I want to win Cyla words, I want to be
one of the best pitches in baseball. I want to
be one of the faces of the sport. So he
was kind of ready for when he got to this moment.

Speaker 4 (03:42):
Talk about the star power Charlie that'll be on the
field starting tonight at GAVP obviously Elie de la Cruz
and opposing him the shortstop for the Kansas City Royals,
who's hitting three forty nine right now on the season,
Bobby Witt Junior, a legitimate MVP candidate. But the star
power that the that Bobby wit Junior and Ellie de
la Cruz bring both with the impact of what this

(04:06):
series can be for the Reds. What are you expecting
to see this weekend in this series.

Speaker 3 (04:11):
I think what's so cool about Bobby went and I'm
going to try to talk to Bobby this weekend about this,
is that he's kind of six months ahead of Elie
de la Cruz. When you look at the timeline and
the trajectories they've both been on basically since they made
their big league debuts. Was head was ahead of Ellie
and literally just like Ellie de la Cruz. There were
some very frustrating games and stretches from Bobby Witt. A

(04:32):
perfect example was how poorly he played against the Reds
last year when the Reds went to Kansas City. You
know who's older than Ellie kind of made that first
jump before Ellie did. Ellie made that jump this year
and then what had another big jump in him? And
that's what I kind of want to talk to it about.
How do you make the second jump after you're at
an all star level but you still have tools in

(04:52):
room to grow. What's the key to that next jump?
And that's kind of you know, ideally for the Reds
preview for the next six months.

Speaker 4 (04:58):
To a year can look like from a health standpoint,
Are we any closer to understanding more of Matt McClain
or any of the other guys that can help this
team down the stretch.

Speaker 3 (05:09):
Ye Matt McClain ask about him every day and the
answer I get is, you know, he's doing stuff today.
We need to see how he responds to it. And
it is like day to day is kind of overused.
Matt McClain's day to day. You know, he got reevaluated.
I think it was yesterday from an MRI standpoint, So
today I think we should learn the results of that.
But as a whole, they're just trying to add more
and more exercises. Like I've mentioned, I'm less concerned about

(05:32):
the shoulder, which was pretty fluky, more concerned about the
core oblique stuff, rib cage that keeps popping up for
such a tightly wound athlete. It's kind of been an
all hands on deck approach, is what I've been told.
To come up with a plan to try to fix
this kind of stuff, and come up with a plan
for McClain just to be a you know, be able

(05:53):
to tap into his athleticism without over exerting himself. That's
kind of where they're at right now, and they're kind
of going through that plan now after a step back,
and he's kind of again day to day.

Speaker 4 (06:03):
Charlie, we know in baseball it feels like you're always
just one really good week away or a bad week
away from changing your season. Do you still give this
team hope? I know the team believes in it. Do
you still give them a chance to find a way
in this wild card race.

Speaker 3 (06:19):
I think they have a fifteen to twenty percent shot,
which is lower than what expectations would have been for
it to be, you know, for that percentage to be
at this point of the season. It's a team that
definitely has a shot. Like I mentioned, because of how
the offense is kind of really clicking for the second
time all year, the first time since June. And because
like well, the Cardinals pitching staff is falling off a

(06:40):
cliff and the Brewers pitching staff is falling off a cliff,
and the Mets pitching staff has been a question all season.
Theretv do have one of the best one two threes
you can rely on any team can rely on in
that range. So, yes, fifteen to twenty percent shot, and
let's see where this goes.

Speaker 4 (06:54):
All Right, this is Charlie Goldsmith. It's Freeze from Cincinnati
dot Com. Enough on the reds Now. Let's turn our
attention to the Bengals, which has become a little more
concerting over the last week. Let's start Charlie on the
offensive line, from Mims to Trent Brown's back tightness to
Deontay Smith being carted off. How big of a level

(07:16):
of concern is right now the Bengals offensive line as
we are very close now to the regular season.

Speaker 3 (07:22):
Well, the thing to the Bengals is it's nothing new,
and you know even last year, you know, General Williams
moving to right tackle is a bit of a question.
But that's as good as it's been for the Bengals
where they're at at this point at right tackle. And
kind of the unfortunate irony to the Reds is they
drafted a Mari's Nims to find the endless cycle. He
was the one who's going to break the trend. And
you know, I still think he'll do that. I think

(07:44):
we all still think he'll do that. But from where
they're at independent of Mims, it's a reminder that even
when they drafted Mims, there wasn't the expectation that he'd
be this good right away. Since the expectation was that
he'd be the Week one starter. He put himself into
that conversation based on how good he was, So that
ties you back to the Trent Brown decision. How aggressively

(08:06):
they pursued him. They said he was the top player
on their board in that tier free agency. Despite all
the questions that we're seeing pop up around him, so
well you can say, hey, you know, give him a break,
MIM's got hurt. They definitely, you know, kind of went
all in on Trent Brown being their short term at
the very least, and probably long term for the season.
That was their planet right tackle this season, a guy

(08:29):
who had a lot of questions around him. Another criticism
would be how much they banked on the twenty twenty
one draft class taking a step forward. They never recycled
the backup offensive line spots with fourth fifth round picks,
specifically at a position like tackle or center. So now
those guys struggling and Deontay Smith's injury puts their depth

(08:49):
in an even brighter spotlight. So it's not ideal, and
I think everyone now is just going to be waiting
on them to take over in the long run and
try to, you know, survive until you get to that point.

Speaker 4 (09:00):
Let's talk about Joe Burrow for a second. I thought,
from my vantage point, Monday wasn't the cleanest day. I
thought Tuesday, he looked visibly frustrated the reports from yesterday.
He threw a couple interceptions. Offense, didn't have a great day.
I know, guys have bad days, guys can have bad weeks.
How much of Joe Burrow now does this frustration become

(09:20):
You got problems with the offensive line, you're dealing with
right now, You're still bringing some young receivers along, and
at the core of it, maybe you don't feel one
hundred percent, but you also don't have one of the
best receivers in football out there. How much of all
of this coming together and knowing that the season is
right around the corner could lead to maybe some frustration
from Joe Burrow.

Speaker 3 (09:39):
We'll start with this kind of with the hypothetical. It's
the Bengals in Week four played the Bears and the
pouring rain, and your mar Chase didn't play. I think
a lot of us wouldn't be surprised that all of
us the Bears went out and won that game, and
that seems to be what happened yesterday. The Bengals offense
I still am not concerned about, and Joe Burrow really
not concerned about. Basically, have throwers I wanted to see,

(10:02):
boxes I wanted to check, and then kind of gear
I wanted to see from Burrow. Over the course of
the preseason, Burrow has shown me everything i'd want to
see from him. He's checked every box that I had
in mind entering training camp. What it's been probably what
I've understood the source of these frustrations to be is
this is kind of the only stretch of camp where
you're pulling from the entire offense. You're pulling from the

(10:23):
whole pool of plays instead of a mini pool of plays,
first specific game plan for a specific week. So that
could lead to some of the you know, there's a
lot on guys plates right now, that could lead to
some of that, But then overall reasons the offense is struggling.
I mean, we talked about the offensive line stuff. I
think that Mike Gesicki has got a quieter camp. I
still think it's an upgrade at that position of what

(10:45):
they had, but it's not like he's gone out and been,
you know, even the same guy that Hayden Hurst was
in camp in twenty twenty two. I think this is
where you're seeing Jermaine Burton, which might be the most
interesting story in me on the team right now. This
is where you're seeing his camp translate because they don't
have guys who can win one on one down the field.
Consistently right now, or guys who aren't doing it aside

(11:05):
from Higgins and Yoshibash, And then you got a lot
of Irwin and Jackson and pryor guys you know who's
a Bengal likes, but guys who aren't going to go
into you know, hallis Hall on a rainy Wednesday or Thursday,
and you know, pick a part, a really strong or
a solid bear defense. So you're seeing a little little

(11:26):
I shouldn't start to pop up. Overall, I still think
Bengals are a top five, top eight offense, but maybe
not as many questions answered when you look at the
entire offensive.

Speaker 4 (11:35):
Rouston, do you have any concerns or growing concerns where
the Jamar Chase situation sits today? And I don't know
if anyone really knows where it sits today, But if
the Jamar Chase camp is willing to allow this to
go into the regular season, at what point does your
level of concern raise as it relates to getting Jamar
Chase back on the field for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 3 (11:57):
I think Tuesday was completely an the theory might be
the word, just with how it was handled. The mystery
almost that it became when Jamar Chase Wasn't there a practice,
I don't think just helped the situation. From a perspective
standpoint and from how we're looking and talking about this,
I think no. When I've talked about the situation, I've
called it a hold, and that's how I view this.

(12:18):
And obviously you're not going to get transparency from a
contract negotiating standpoint. But Brandon and I you holding in
and it hasn't seemed like that's caused any extra tension.
Seems like all the tension there has just been through
trade talks. Steedee Lamb didn't show up, and it seems
like the only tension there is you know, when Jerry
Jones gets out of his way and really you know

(12:40):
says I have no urgency to get something done. I
haven't felt any tension, and I don't understand why this
has to be something that that's such a mystery. Really
that the biggest piece of information I just like for
the Bangals guarantee is that Jamar Chase's working, that Jamar
Chase is touching passes, that obviously Jamar is always going
to be in shape, but that he's getting in football shape.
To me, that's the question that matters most in a

(13:01):
question they've kind of avoided answering, and that approach has
really just caused more conversation and more speculation, Charlie.

Speaker 4 (13:09):
On the defensive side of the ball, it was reported
yesterday that Caleb Williams had a really good day and
you mentioned those Bears Romadunze, Keenan Allen, Dj Moore. That's
a good group of wide receivers and the Bengals secondary
has not been challenged in that way consistently in training camp.
So if Kayleb Williams goes out and has a great day,
that they're going to win some of those battles. From

(13:31):
a battle standpoint at corner number two, how do you
see this race shaping up right now and not losing
the fact that Josh Newton's had a really good camp.
But if you look at DJ Turnery, you look at
Dax Hill, worry at on that battle right now.

Speaker 3 (13:44):
So I'll start here and then I'll answer your question.
But at the end of the day, it's not going
to matter because the Bengals cornerback four plays a ton
of every year, whether that's than DJ Turner or Cam
Taylor Britt or eli Apple going all the way back
to Darius Phillips. The cornerback four plays a lot, So
even who loses this competition, I'd still expect to see him.
I still have Dj Turner ahead of Dax Hill. Honestly,

(14:06):
if I were Dak Taylor, I'd be approaching the seed
Zach way he has. I'd want to get Dax more
reps against the best, which is why I'd put him
in more preseason and more first team rep opportunities, especially
against the Bears. Dax had a nice game last week
against Tampa Bay. The play that really sticks in my
craw is the third down didn't locate the ball against

(14:27):
the receiver he should be beating in one on one
coverage every time. I think that, just in a nutshell,
is what hasn't played clicks for Dax, and the only
way he can get there is reps. So keep giving
them reps. But Dj Turner is the guy I've seen
just play solid, strong football before he hit the rookie wall,
and I think his speed will especially show up as

(14:47):
specifically receivers, you know, get faster and faster. That's kind
of a trend more speed around the league at their
receiver position. Oversize, which Dax might be well more well
equipped to handle. So I'd still give DJ the edge
right now, I'd still pay DJ. But I think they're
handling this the right way, giving Dax every opportunity to
go out and show what he can do.

Speaker 4 (15:06):
I feel like it's been a welcome sign, and it
has been seeing Trey Hendrickson getting more team reps. I
think Miles Murphy's had a good camp to this point.
Still waiting on more from Sam Hubbard. Everything yet. On
Sam Hubbard, I.

Speaker 3 (15:20):
Was told initially he was just dinged up, and obviously
this is carried on, but there wasn't concern I know
when it first happened, and I've seen him moving around,
I would expect this. He's just kind of managing him
through camp, kind of like they managed Hendrickson through camp.

Speaker 4 (15:33):
Early on the interior defensive line, I thought Tampa found
some success in the run game going at that interior
part of the defensive line. From a confidence level, we
talked about the secondary. Where are you at on that
interior side of the defensive line for the Bengals.

Speaker 3 (15:49):
Well, that's probably and most concerned about on the roster
overall the Bengals. The Bengals drafted Chris Jenkins and McKinley
Jackson to fill maybe the team's biggest need on the
depth or Jackson had a slow, disappointing start the camp
and then got hurt is all crutches and Jackson had
and Jenkins had his welcome and welcome to the NFL
moving against Tampa Bay last week. You know, regardless of

(16:11):
what ends up happening, it's kind of the only spot
on the roster where it doesn't even feel like a
top of petition, Like, no matter what happens, Chris Jenkins
is going to play against the run just because they
don't have that many bodies who can do stuff like that.
Kind of a one exception could be And I'm very
interested to see if this would end up happening, Like
would you just make bj Hill and even if Shelson Rankins,

(16:32):
who they signed to rush the paser, maybe give him
a bit more base down steps, maybe take a bit
off their plate on third down and try to just
get creative and kind of hope for the best on
third downs with say Joseph O Stayan's side or a
Miles Murphy inside, like they might have to get really
creative and put themselves in some tricky spots. If Jenkins
doesn't take a step forward, and if Jackson's still out,

(16:57):
it's it's again my biggest question on the.

Speaker 2 (16:59):
Rosters right now, Charlie.

Speaker 4 (17:01):
Lastly, looking ahead to tomorrow, what are one or two
things you are most excited to be tuned in and
watching with the Cincinnati Bengals to evaluate.

Speaker 3 (17:11):
Yeah, kind of the one guy I alluded to earlier,
but I'll talk on now because you know we talked
about toward the line, the defensive line. Kind of an
interesting question, maybe under the radar question about a player
in the spotlight, Jermaine Burton. You know, we you know,
you guys have talked that length. Everyone's talked that length
about what this camp and what this preseason has been
for him. Jamaine Burton's got to play on special clops.

(17:32):
The Bengals have pretty much a rule that backup receivers
have to play on special teams because you know, those
are bodies you need, those are positions you need, Those
are areas where you have to contribute if you're not
getting every down reps. And if Jermaine Burton's going to
be a backup on this team, because it's going to
be an active backup on this team because he's not
going to be a starter. Jmaine Burton has to figure
out whether that's gunner, whether that's vice. Maybe they get

(17:55):
creative with him as an option in the return game,
but that's not really who I see Burton being. Soame
Burton has to do that those types of things, then
I've seen them like introducing that to him very very
gradually over the course of camp, and that hasn't been
as encouraging as say Andrea Yoshibash just getting thrown into
the fire and balling out on special teams last season.

(18:16):
If Jermaine Burton can beat guys down the field, he
can beat guys in punk coverage and for him to
be active, that's what I want to see from him.
And that's what they're going to need him to do
in the preseason game. If he's going to be active,
he didn't get those chances last week. If you really
want to take this rise up to depth chart, seriously,
I need to see it on special teams.

Speaker 2 (18:34):
Charlie, before I let you go.

Speaker 4 (18:35):
Mumford High School in Michigan has just made a huge,
huge landing in the coaching ranks. They have hired Connor
Stallions as their defensive coordinator Mumford High School. They haven't
had a winning campaign since twenty nineteen. What do you
expect from Mumford now having Connor Stallions headline that defense?
At the high school ranks?

Speaker 3 (18:58):
Stallions is a very controversial figure. However, I think Harrball's
best overall attribute to the head coach is being able
to identify defensive coaching talent. Mike McDonald his new defensive
coordinator in the in LA. They've consistently had success there.
That's why so many Michigan defenders are getting drafted. So
I overall would always bet on a Michigan former assistant

(19:22):
coach going into a play calling role, even if it
is at a terrible school.

Speaker 2 (19:25):
Austin your thoughts on that, I'm appalled, Charlie.

Speaker 3 (19:32):
You are a former Michigan defensive assistant who has struggled.

Speaker 2 (19:35):
Yep, get him, Charlie.

Speaker 4 (19:36):
Yeah, I've never given that thought until right now, So
I would have to have some time. Charlie, you're the
best man. A huge weekend ahead for Cincinnati sports. Uh,
you have all the coverage on Cincinnati dot Com. Very
appreciative of you making time for us. Each and every Friday.
Have a great weekend. Say hid a Bobbywood junior for us? Okay,
how good weekend? Thanks you, Charlie, ignore that. Thanks.

Speaker 2 (20:00):
He's the best. Just ready to go in on, all
in on Mumford. Oh my god.

Speaker 4 (20:06):
Connor Stallion stock is rising. This is since he three
sixty your talkbacks the Friday edition when we come back
on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 2 (20:14):
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