Cincy 360 With Tony Pike and Drew Westerheide -- 5/7/25

Tony and Drew talk about the Reds struggles. Jeff Carr joins on Reds and James Rapien on Bengals, TalkBacks and of course, Mo Egger!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chile.

Speaker 2 (00:00):
Cincy three sixty about Cincinnati from Cincinnati, sponsored in part
by Skyline Chile. Stop by Skyline Chili for a three
way or cheeze Cony Today. Feeling good, It's Skyline time.
This is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 3 (00:21):
Good afternoon, Welcome in Happy Wednesday. Welcome to the latest
edition of Cincy three sixty. You are listening on ESPN
fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station, or via the iHeartRadio app.
Whenever however you come about listening, it is certainly appreciated.
If you are listening via the iHeartRadio app, go ahead
and hit that microphone leave a talkback. We'll get to

(00:42):
those talkbacks in hour number two. I'm looking today, and
essentially you can leave a talkback in whatever fashion you want,
but I I'm looking to follow up on something that
I asked via social media last night when I watched
another poor outcome for the Cincinnati Reds. What word, or

(01:04):
let's even say phrase comes to mind when you think
about Cincinnati sports it. It doesn't have to be a negative.
There can be positives as well, and I wasn't just
fishing for all the negatives, although every response seemingly has
been negative, But your feel when you watch a Cincinnati

(01:25):
sports team fail in the way that the Reds have failed,
in the way that the Bengals in the last couple
of years from a record standpoint, have have failed. Watching
what's happened with UC Athletics, you could throw Xavier. I
just want to know the word or the phrase that
immediately comes to mind when you think about Cincinnati sports

(01:50):
at this current pace. This obviously on the heels of
the Cincinnati Reds losing another game in brutal fashion last night.
They are three and six and one run games after
a two to one loss in extra innings at the
hands of the Atlanta Braves after Andrew Abbott was absolutely fantastic,

(02:10):
simple relay play failed and then Duenzo Stuart Fairchild was
able to tie the game in the ninth. Marcelazuna won
the game in the tenth on a single and the
Cincinnati Reds have now fallen under five hundred. So we
will discuss the game itself. I saw Charlie Goldsmith kind
of point on social media at Charlie Goldsmith on x

(02:34):
that you could make an argument that this is the
tenth loss already for the Cincinnati Reds in a game
that you felt they were winning or should have won.
Ten in thirty seven. That's not a good number. And
it continues to be the small things that haunt this
Cincinnati Reds team. So we will dive into those numbers.

(02:55):
We'll dive into an unfortunate loss for the Reds. We'll
have some Terry Francona audio, we'll look to what's next,
and we'll take some phone calls five, one to three, seven, four, nine,
fifteen thirty. Other baseball news, last night, the San Francisco
Giants set a record. They score nine in the eleventh
to beat the Chicago Cubs. Yes, a nine run eleventh inning.

(03:19):
It sets a Wrigley Field record, obviously knocked out the
Cubs as they fell last night. In one of the
most obscure stats you'll find because of his dominance throughout
the sports world of baseball, Paul Skins yesterday. He didn't
pitch terrible, but the stat itself, Paul Skins yesterday falls
to zero to four in his early career against the

(03:43):
Saint Louis Cardinals of all teams, just completely completely shocking
to UH to see that stat.

Speaker 4 (03:52):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (03:52):
The Yankees put up another twelve spot, and in doing so,
Aaron Judge hit his twelfth home run already of the season,
his thirty fourth RBI. Aaron Judge for twelve batting average
through thirty six games of this season four to twelve.

(04:13):
Aaron Judge is hitting. That is the latest from a
baseball standpoint. How about in the football world, the National
Football League. We'll talk to James Rapeaene today. We'll give
an update as it pertains to Trey Hendrickson, Jermaine Pratt,
and Moore. We'll also talk to Jeff Carr at one
o'clock James Reapeen at two o'clock. But the Dallas Cowboys

(04:35):
made a move last night, a big splash earlier this morning.
They have traded for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens,
and in doing so they send a twenty twenty six
third round pick and a twenty twenty seven fifth round
pick for the Pittsburgh to the Pittsburgh Steelers for George
Pickens and a twenty twenty seven sixth round pick. The

(04:55):
Cowboys obviously been searching for a legit wide receiver number two.
You would think George Pickens will elevate that offense. Maybe,
but did the Pittsburgh Steelers get enough in return, because
it feels like Pittsburgh, who doesn't have a quarterback right now?
They've been waiting on Aaron Rodgers and then they go

(05:16):
all in on DK Metcalf and you're thinking, man, but
the Pittsburgh defense, and now they've had a DK Metcalf
to go alongside George Pickens and they're working on the
running game. If they get Aaron Rodgers, it feels like
now that Pittsburgh, at least for me, it is not
a contender in the AFC. Would you feel the same

(05:38):
way after this drew in a sense that you give
away wide receiver two or one B, whatever you want
to call George Pickens on a team that already has
struggled offensively. I don't know how that makes much sense
for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Speaker 5 (05:53):
No, it doesn't make practical sense.

Speaker 6 (05:55):
But what I will say about the Pittsburgh Steelers is
they have a track record of knowing when to move
off of receivers they've drafted. When they've sent guys out
like Claypool and Deontay Johnson, among others, Antonio Brown, they
haven't really done much when they've left Pittsburgh so it'd
be interesting to see what happens with Pickens in that retrospect.

(06:17):
But I would agree with you from a football practicality standpoint, Yeah,
I don't think the Steelers got better. I think they
got worse by trading away what is a pretty high
end wide receiver two with DK Metcalf. And also, how
long of a leash do you give Aaron Rodgers?

Speaker 3 (06:34):
Correct? At this point? What are you waiting on?

Speaker 7 (06:36):
Right?

Speaker 6 (06:37):
Because at a certain point you have to go, okay, well,
we're looking forward. We have a season to prepare for.
We don't have time to wait around for you know,
a Prima Donna forty one year old quarterback who may
not be very good anymore.

Speaker 5 (06:51):
Correct.

Speaker 6 (06:52):
So you know I would if I was the Steelers,
I kind of would want an answer from Aaron Rodgers
on what he wants to do by middle of this month.

Speaker 5 (07:01):
Towards the end of this month.

Speaker 3 (07:02):
You can't wait much longer.

Speaker 6 (07:03):
You cannot. You cannot let this drag out into June
or else. Then you're really kind of like, what are
we even doing here? And all that nonsense. So it's
the On one hand, it's the Pittsburgh Steelers, and they're
the model of consistency, but they've also been the model
of mediocrity for the past five years. It seems they'll
win somewhere between seven and nine games, maybe sneaking to

(07:25):
the playoffs, and then they'll lose when they get there.

Speaker 7 (07:28):
It is.

Speaker 3 (07:29):
It's certainly something to keep an eye on that we
can dive into as the offseason goes along. Last night
in the NBA, and I do feel for you, Drew,
because you watched that nightmare of the Reds collapse, you
also had to watch the nightmare of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Speaker 6 (07:43):
Fifteen minutes between the Halliburton shot going in an Emilio
Pagan blowing the game that was I've had some brutal
sports nights in the last twelve months.

Speaker 5 (07:56):
Last night may have taken the cake.

Speaker 3 (07:58):
The Cavaliers last night became the first sixty win team
to face a two to zero deficit before the NBA
Finals since the Spurs in twenty seventeen. They did so
last night, even though Donovan Mitchell added forty eight. Cleveland
was without Evan Mobley, DeAndre Hunter, and Darius Garland, yet
it took an eight to h run from the Indiana

(08:19):
Pacers in the final eight fifty seconds of the game
where the Cavs didn't even attempt a field goal in
that span. They turned the ball over twice. They gave
two offensive rebounds up on free throws to the Pacers,
including one of those offensive rebounds as Tyrese Haliburton missed
a free throw down too they get the offensive board.
Halliburton calls game hits a three with one point one
seconds left. I don't know, and I know they have

(08:42):
players out. I don't know how mentally you respond from that.
If you're the Cleveland Cavaliers the way in which they
lost Game.

Speaker 6 (08:48):
Two, yeah, I agree with you one hundred percent. Donovan
was fifteen of thirty seventeen. He was spent those last
two minutes. You could see he was gassed. And no
one else, I mean, Jared Allen had a good game.
He had twenty two, twelve boards, three blocks. But outside
of those guys and Max Struce, nobody else really showed

(09:10):
up for the Calves. Ty Jerome played probably his worst
game as a Cleveland Cavalier, which is not something you're
used to seeing. Javonte Green got ten minutes in the
Eastern Conference semi finals. That right there kind of sums
up where the Calves were in the fact that they
didn't have Evan Mobley, they didn't have DeAndre Hunter, and
they didn't have Darius Garland.

Speaker 5 (09:29):
So we'll see.

Speaker 6 (09:31):
You got to get back up off the mat obviously,
and you know, go to work on Friday. We'll see
what the statuses of the three guys who were out.
Hopefully they feel good enough to go, and if not,
it's going to be a disappointing end to what was
a very very fun Cleveland Cavalier season.

Speaker 3 (09:48):
The second game of the night last night, it was
the Warriors, it was the Timberwolves, and you think all
these great storylines, Steph Curry playing at a great level,
the Steve Kerr comments circled around Anthony Edwards when he
was coming out in the draft process, and unfortunately, due
to different circumstances, the game and maybe the series took
a hit last night. Steph Curry left in the first

(10:10):
half with a hamstring injury. He has already been listed
as doubtful for Game two. Now it may be easier
to sit him with caution in Game two because without
Steph Curry for a majority of the night, who only
played thirteen minutes, he did have thirteen points in thirteen minutes,
but without Steph Curry, the Warriors still extended the lead
and ultimately beat the Timberwolves ninety nine to eighty eight.

(10:32):
And I do think that there was a sense of
just how good the Warriors are defensively on display last night.
But for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards had one point
in the first half. He finished the game with twenty three.
But the Timberwolves as a team did not make a
three in the first half. They shot five of twenty
nine from three in the game. That's seventeen percent. On

(10:53):
the other side, the Warriors shot it at forty three
percent from the three point line. Very odd game night.
The coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, essentially after the game,
uh puts it on on Anthony Edwards and his effort
and saying you've got to be the leader. When Anthony

(11:14):
Edwards struggled, you can just see the light go out.
That's what Chris Finch, the the coach of the Minnesota
Timberwolves said. So a very odd late game last night.
It does set up two more tonight the Knicks, who
stole Game one in Boston.

Speaker 7 (11:29):
There it is.

Speaker 3 (11:32):
Is gonna be excited about that. Today we'll talk to
Mo about the Knicks and Celtics, and then Denver and
Oklahoma City, both teams that are home in this series,
lost Game one, so very interesting to see how they
rebound in both of those settings.

Speaker 5 (11:46):
I'm really looking forward to that Denver OKC game.

Speaker 6 (11:48):
Yes, Like, don't get me wrong, like I'm looking forward
to Nick Celtics as well, but I'm going to be
locked into Nuggets thunder tonight.

Speaker 3 (11:56):
That should be fantastic. A pair of stories. USA Today
this week has has kind of put out a couple
of different stories. They listed their college football top twenty
five coaches Kirby Smart. They have at number one, Ryan Day,
number two, Damos Sweeney, Steve Sarkisian James Franklin round out

(12:16):
the top five. Marcus Freeman is on that list at
number seven. Brian Kelly is on that list at number ten.
Too high, I agree. And the opponent Week one for
the Cincinnati Bearcats, Matt Rule, is at number eighteen on
this list.

Speaker 5 (12:34):
What is this gonna be?

Speaker 8 (12:35):
Rules?

Speaker 5 (12:35):
Third year at Nebraska?

Speaker 6 (12:36):
Yes, this is technically he turns it on. Yeah, this
feels like put up or shut up year?

Speaker 5 (12:42):
Rule?

Speaker 3 (12:42):
Dan Mullin Bronco Mendenhall, Jeff Monkin, and Kenny Dillingham are
coaches that were labeled as just missing the list. But
to me, it adds And I wanted to bring up
another USA Today topic because Moe alluded to this yesterday.
This list came out just a couple of days ago.
What USA Today did was essentially re rank all one

(13:04):
hundred and thirty six college football teams after spring ball.
So for many college football teams, now you have the
transfer portal portion has done, your roster is put together,
springball has happened. You get a pretty good understanding of
who and where you are at. And as Moe pointed

(13:25):
out yesterday, and just to kind of skim over some
of the list, Texas is your number one. They have
Clemson to Penn State, three, Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State
in the top six. The frustrating and I would say
puzzling portion of this is that the Cincinnati Bearcats are

(13:46):
at one oh three on the list. They are beating
out the likes of Kennesas State, Middle Tennessee State, Missouri State, Alabama, Birmingham, Akron, Temple,
Florida International, New Mexico Central.

Speaker 5 (14:00):
Would that be the lowest P four.

Speaker 3 (14:03):
They're the third lowest P four.

Speaker 7 (14:05):
I believe.

Speaker 3 (14:07):
I'm trying to pull up. Purdue is is lower than
them on the list. Stanford is Stanford. Lot of Stanford's
not even considered P four. Stanford is below them on
the list. Oregon State is below them on the list,
and then it's UC at one to three. I I
don't even want to think about the fallout a feu

(14:28):
c's the one hundred and third best team in the
country because what I think is interesting, and I've talked
about this a little bit, and I want to get
my guys from Red Brick Legacy back on the show
here soon because they can help with an NIL standpoint.
But essentially, what I've learned is that the Big East
is putting pressure on the NIL world because the Big

(14:50):
East can spend their money without football, so Big East
NIL pools can go to basketball, so they're paying more
of a premium for players and in turn putting a
little bit of pressure on these other programs because these
other programs are trying to divvy up money through basketball
and football and other sports. And I wonder if it

(15:13):
gets to a point and drew you, you could probably
talk to this as well. But for you see, let's
say let's say you See is bad this year. If
your Cincinnati, do you have to sit back down and say, okay,
here's our NIL budget. Can you continue to go forward
and split it down the middle between basketball and football,

(15:34):
or do you have to make a decision as one
of those schools that's not living at the top of
their conference and say, okay, maybe sixty percent, maybe seventy
percent of this needs to start going to basketball, and
then you take more money away from another sport like football.
I think that could have catastrophic fallouts, but it does
feel like something that could happen in today's NIL world.

Speaker 6 (15:56):
It does. And you can look at this from two
points of view. You can look at it from just
the purely athletic achievement point of view, what sport do
we have the better chance of being successful at? Big
twelve is obviously a premium basketball conference, and I feel
like you See wants to be a part of that

(16:17):
upper echelon of Big twelve basketball. But when you look
at it from a business perspective, football rakes in the coin,
football brings in the money. So you kind of have
these two differing ideologies pulling at each other, and you
have to make a decision. Ultimately, ideally you would just
split it fifty to fifty and kind of make it,

(16:37):
you know, maybe you.

Speaker 5 (16:38):
Make it a fluid thing.

Speaker 6 (16:39):
You know, kind of bring some inner school competition, you know,
healthy competition, nothing malicious or anything like that, but you
kind of bring forward the leaders of these two athletic
programs with then you see and go, look, whichever of
you starts succeeding, you're going to start getting more of
the resources. And if we ultimately think that you're both
equally six us full, then we'll split it down the middle.

(17:01):
But you need to prove to us to front this
money that we have a roadmap to being successful in
the Big twelve, whether it's in football or in basketball.
And I ultimately think that's how you need to navigate
this thing, because you're right. If you see goes four
and eight like they're projected to go, and let's say
Wes Miller has a bounce back year and you see

(17:24):
as in the upper half of the Big twelve and
they make the NCAA tournament, then that conversation next year
after the tournament's over is going to be really interesting,
you're going to look at the football program and go
we went, we took steps back in three consecutive years.
Might be looking for a new coach, might be looking
for a new coach, and Wes Miller got this thing humming,
and so we want to divert more resources to this

(17:46):
thing that we have working. So it's an interesting talking point,
and it's amazing how discussing college athletics has changed in
the last four years.

Speaker 3 (17:55):
Certainly is something to watch. I do want to add
one other This is not sports related, but in the
last week or so, we've had the conversation on this
show about one hundred humans versus gorilla. Yes, we had
the story about the kangaroo on the loose in Alabama,
but I think this new one takes the cake. Have
you heard about this raccoon in Ohio?

Speaker 5 (18:19):
Very like, very very little. I think I read like
a little headliner.

Speaker 3 (18:22):
A woman was arrested in Ohio, of course, after a
raccoon named Chewy was found holding a meth pipe in
the driver's seat of her car in what police are
calling a strange encounter. So Monday night, Springfield township officer
conducts a traffic stop. Yeah, after identifying a vehicle whose

(18:46):
owner had an active warrant and a suspended driver's license.
So fifty five old Victoria Vidal is in the car.
He was able to detain her without incident. However, after
she was detained, he goes back to the VA col
There's the raccoon in the front seat with a meth
pipe in its mouth. Chewy, the raccoon is not a

(19:08):
wild animal. According to Vidal, she has the paperwork and
documentation to own the raccoon as a pet. That's one
problem in itself. Correct this scene Chewy and the meth pipe,
has the suspect conduct a patrol of the car which
finds a balk amount of metha amphetamine, crack cocaine, and

(19:29):
three used meth pipes. So the dal is obviously charged
with more. But I mean, first of all, raccoon is
a pet is interesting in itself. You imagine walking up
to the car and there's a raccoon with a met
pipe in the front seat.

Speaker 6 (19:44):
This movie gets made in less than less or more
than five years. I think I agree, like it will
there will be a movie or TV show made centered
around this story.

Speaker 3 (19:54):
I think I agree. Finally, good news out of Pittsburgh.
The the gentleman who fell from the bleachers at the
Pirates game has taken his first steps and is slowly recovering,
according to his girlfriend's mother, saying he was up and moving,
which was obviously a huge win. He's dealing with a

(20:15):
broken neck, broken clavicle, back injury, so plenty of obstacles ahead.
But when you saw the fall initially, uh, you certainly
thought of the worst. And to hear that he is
up and moving is at least some good news out
of that scary incident in Pittsburgh that took place last week.

Speaker 6 (20:33):
Indeed, prayers up to him, continue prayers up to him.
It's amazing that he is walking, was alive, let alone walking,
so correct. That's any you know, positive update for that
story is a good update.

Speaker 3 (20:47):
That brings a positive to the end of segment one.
Let's dive into unfortunately another negative, which was a red
loss that took place last night. We'll dive into that.
We'll get some Terry Francon audio and some of your
phone as well. Five one, three, seven, four nine, fifteen thirty.
This is since he three sixty thanks to our friends
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Speaker 2 (21:09):
Shoulding now since he three sixty resumes brought to you
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Speaker 9 (21:21):
All around behind, but mark enough that one goes back to.

Speaker 10 (21:25):
The Wines slavery.

Speaker 5 (21:33):
Up time.

Speaker 3 (21:42):
You know, we don't get to spend much time on
this show because I'm just I'm not very knowledgeable in
hockey and we don't have a professional team. We do
have the Cincinnati Cyclones. Hockey playoffs are fun, man.

Speaker 6 (21:56):
It's the best im as casual of a hockey fan
as you can find. But I do love to tune into.
It's hard with playoff basketball and hockey happening at the
same time and on the same nights, but when I
can catch playoff hockey, I always enjoy it.

Speaker 3 (22:10):
Yeah. That was I believe the Hurricanes winning Game one.

Speaker 5 (22:13):
Over the Washington Capitals two to one in overtime.

Speaker 3 (22:16):
Okay, over the Caps.

Speaker 6 (22:18):
That's continuing a theme of road team stealing game one
both in the NBA and the NHL.

Speaker 3 (22:25):
Very true. Last night, the road team had an opportunity
to win Game two, but the Reds failed to close
out the Atlanta Braves I mentioned earlier. Charlie Goldsmith alluded
to this. It felt like the tenth loss that you
can argue should have been a win for this Cincinnati

(22:45):
Reds team. It's almost like they are conducting new ways
to lose games three and six in those one run games.
Now are the Cincinnati Reds. Last night, a lot of
problems came to the forefront for this team, including drew
seventeen strikeouts. Now over the course of a game, when

(23:07):
you played ten innings ten times three, that means you
gets thirty outs in those thirty opportunities. The red struck
out seventeen times three from Elie de la Cruz, Matt
McClain struck out, Spencer Steer struck out twice, Blake Dunn
struck out three times, and Tyler Stevenson zero for five.
The plattin symbrero strikeouts the platinum sombrero for the cleanup

(23:31):
hitter for the Cincinnati Reds. Red's had to do a
little moving and shaken because Noelve Marte got scratched last
night before the start of the game, left side pain.
That moved Austin Wins into the lineup at first base.
Spencer Steer went to left field, Espinall went from left

(23:52):
to third, and that meant that Jose Travino, Austin Wins,
and Tyler Stevenson were all in the lineup together. Austin Wins,
literally inches away from a solo home run, had to
settle for a double. Reds were not able to score
him as a run despite him starting on second with

(24:12):
no outs in an inning. Seventeen losses is brew or
seventeen strikeouts is brutal. The Reds had chances. In the
first inning, TJ Friedel and Mount McLain were on base,
no outs. Ellie struck out, Stevenson struck out, Santiago Espinal
grounded out that Austin wins leadoff double, Travino grounded out,

(24:35):
Blake Dunn struck out. Mount McClain struck out after a
freedom walk, and in the eighth Ellie had a leadoff single.
We actually talked about this yesterday. He stole second. Espinall
was able to get a single and an RBI to
get the run across, which held up through eight innings.

(24:58):
Andrew Abbit I thought was nominal. Last night, pitch count
got a little bit high. He went five innings, gave
up four hits, no walks, and he struck out eight batters.
Eight batters no walks is very important for Andrew have it.
And then the bullpen Graham ashcraft a solid sixth inning.

(25:19):
Tony Santion got out of some trouble, went two innings.
Emelio Pagan gives up the run. Lion Richardson gave up
the hit to Marcella Zuna in the tenth that that
ended it. And the play in question from last night
is the Matt McClain hesitation. I guess you can say

(25:43):
that allowed Stuart Fairchild to score from first. So Red's
leading in the ninth, Emelio Pagan is on the mound,
Stuart Fairchild is on from a pinch running standpoint, the
Braves hit a double. Stuart Fairchild from first base gets

(26:04):
all the way around the score. Now, the throw I
thought was off from right field. A throw has to
to come more towards the first base side of the bag.
It carried Matt McClain more towards second. But Matt McClain
caught the ball and instead of turning and firing home,
he turned and hesitated, almost double pumped, and the play

(26:26):
was still a bang bang play at home. If McClain
gets that ball on the cutoff and immediately throws it home,
Stuart Fairchild is out by a couple feet. I don't
know if you blame McClain. I don't know if you
blame Spencer Steer. I don't know if you blame your
right fielder. I don't know who's to blame. But the

(26:46):
communication wasn't there and essentially drew it. It allows the
tying run to score and the Reds ultimately losing the
tenth inning. Where do you place blame on that play
from the.

Speaker 6 (26:58):
Ninth It's the second game in a row. Let's say
it was communication. Let's say communication was that fall here.
It's the second game in a row where the Reds
have given up a very very important run. Or maybe
not the second game in a row, but the second
time in three games that the Reds have given up
a very very important run due to poor communication between
two players.

Speaker 7 (27:17):
Yep.

Speaker 6 (27:18):
Because the other night I can't gosh, I can't remember
if it was Monday night or earlier on in the weekend,
but there was a bunt and yos for Zula Watta
fielded the bunch right in front of the plate and
just turned and threw to first and let the run
from third come in on the bunch. I think that
maybe that was the Saturday Nationals game that happened so

(27:40):
pretty recently, and then you have last night. I don't
know if people were yelling, you know, to McLean four
four four, you know, maybe he caught it and didn't
have a good grip on the ball. I it's so
tough on like a cutthrow, especially when the initial throw
into the infield isn't on point. It can just throw
off so many differ phases of a cutoff, and it's

(28:04):
hard to lay blame on just one individual person. But
at that stage of the game, you have to be
aware that this is the tying run, who like, just
make the just make the throw. If the guy goes
the second, the guy goes the second, you still have
a fighting chance to get out of the inning and
force it to extra innings, which the Reds do. So

(28:27):
it's hard to find exactly who to blame if I
had to pick one, and it stinks because it feels
like we've just been picking on this guy all week.

Speaker 5 (28:34):
But it's Matt McClean.

Speaker 3 (28:35):
You've got to know the situation and the base runner
that you've got to turn and let that thing fire.

Speaker 5 (28:41):
Yeah, I completely agree, but.

Speaker 3 (28:43):
It is it's it's common baseball knowledge that you're communicating
as that balls coming in. Yep, you know, home home, home, four,
four three something. The hesitation is just bizarre, and that
hesitation obviously leads to the run scoring. They lose it
and extras. It's a brutal end which is now a

(29:03):
four game losing streak. You know, yesterday we made mention
of Jacob Herdaby's being called up over Reese Hines and
Will Benson. Reese Hines just casually hit his third straight
game with a home run last night, hit a bomb
to left center. He is homered in three straight games.

Speaker 5 (29:21):
Yeah, it's but.

Speaker 3 (29:22):
They go to Jacob Heartibes, which was a question mark
in itself.

Speaker 6 (29:25):
Yeah, and I wonder if I wonder if because it's
probably only gonna be you know, a three they must
be really confident that Austin Hayes is coming back on Friday, correct,
Because I wonder if the thought process was this, Look,
it's only gonna be a three day stay up here,
Let's bring her to Bees up. He can play, he
can be a defensive replacement, he can be a pinch runner,

(29:47):
we're not gonna pull. I'd be stunned if Jacob Herdabees
is in the lineup at all over the coming days,
as opposed to calling Reese Hines up, who, as you say,
is on a three game home run streak right now,
him up to the big league squad for three days
to probably only get to the three at bats maybe yeah,

(30:08):
and and then send him right back down. So I
wonder if that that was their thought process of bringing
her to Bees up. And I think if if this
were more of an extent, like if they needed an
if Austin Hayes wasn't ready for Friday, maybe let's say
hypothetically he needed another week, I think Hines is probably

(30:28):
the call up then, because then you give him the
chance too to play a little bit more, and if
he plays well, then you when you bring Hayes back,
you can you can send done down.

Speaker 3 (30:40):
And now you've got to you've got to keep a
watch on Nolve Marte correct who scratched yesterday, which forces
again gymnastics of how you're gonna get a lineup out there.
You have to have Austin wins for only the second
time in his career, playing first base, Spencer Steer goes
to the outfield, Espinov comes to third.

Speaker 6 (30:57):
It's just for the first time this year Steer played
the outfield. That's not nothing.

Speaker 3 (31:01):
It's incredible right now how they are scrambling just to
get a lineup together. So you do hope that these
guys get back sooner rather than later. Let's take a
break for the first time. We'll get some of your
phone calls when we get back. We also got some
Terry Francona audio. We'll get to this all leading up
to our good friend Jeff Carr, who will join us
at one o'clock to kind of put a ball on

(31:22):
the Cincinnati Reds conversation that's still to come. This service
of Skyline Chili our number one Cincey three to sixty
on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Date. Welcome back Cinty
three to sixty ESBN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station. Thanks
to Skyline Chili. Thank you for listening. Be a part

(31:45):
of the show. Give us a call five one, three, seven,
four nine, fifteen thirty. Leave us a talkback. What do
you think of Drew when when you think of the
state of Cincinnati Sports, What comes to mind for.

Speaker 6 (31:55):
You always looking forward? Yeah, I kind of made the
comment yesterday. Is that just somebody made the looking forward
to Bengals season already.

Speaker 3 (32:03):
And you saw Joe burr Is in a headband at
voluntary workouts today. There we go, let's look forward to that,
and then if they start slow, let's look forward to
what the Reds can do.

Speaker 6 (32:11):
Yep, exactly, and we just kind of that's just perpetually
looking forward.

Speaker 5 (32:15):
I made that comment yesterday. I'm sticking to it.

Speaker 3 (32:17):
Hey, college basketball is coming up. Yeah, you seeing Xavier
spend some money. Maybe they can get back to the tournament.
That's where the bar is at now in basketball. Just
make the NCAA tournament.

Speaker 5 (32:29):
Just maybe he's on our team again.

Speaker 3 (32:31):
Yep, there's always next year. Uh, phone calls, Mike, what's up?

Speaker 11 (32:37):
Hey, So thanks for taking my call? Uh wow, Well
the night in sports. Every night's been fantastic lately. I
could get to the NBA in a second, but uh,
that Reds game, dude. I kept going over to the
Yankees Padres game too, because that was a good ball game.

Speaker 3 (32:54):
Yep.

Speaker 11 (32:54):
I love man in the Sado Man he said, just
a enough swag, a little bit shippy, yeah, but he's
got a cop. He's always had a confident swag about him,
and uh, he's in the Hall of Fame. I ain't
doubt that, definitely. But the Reds, I'll tell you McClaine
looks either like a deer in the headlights on that

(33:16):
relay or he uh, because it appeared he nonchalanted the
ball to me. Yeah, that's what it looks like, a confusion.
You can interpret it his confusion. I I don't. I mean,
just my eyes don't lie. He seemed to like, well, well, yeah,
oh I better throw it home. Yeah he let cowboy.
So yeah, I was very disappointed Matt McClain with that play,

(33:39):
Like you're right, Tony, he turns and fires a decent throw.
He's out easily, So I don't know what's going.

Speaker 12 (33:47):
On with that.

Speaker 11 (33:48):
And then Ellie, you know, was taking these called third
strikes one that is going to this and trying to
switch him out of that third spot. Sony Franklin, I
know you know more about baseball than any of us,
but I don't care. Well, again, my eyes don't lie,
dog gone it let's And you asked about the state
of from Cincinnati. I'll tell you, you know, you can feel all, well,

(34:10):
you're just being you. No, I'm being realistic. It is
a state of mediocity and like the Bangles, you're gonna
turn a craft defense into a top fifteen defense in
a year. That is not going to happen. That is
completely unrealistic. Yeah, with the personnel that they have, you know,
I mean it's not everybody wants to be optimistic, but camp,

(34:33):
you gotta be a little bit realistic about this stuff.
I think, guys, I don't know. Maybe I'm long, but.

Speaker 3 (34:39):
It's it's hard. You know. What I think is interesting,
Mike is is what Moe brought up in Quick Hits yesterday.
You know, we are very quick Jamer Candelaureo, get rid
of him, Alexis Das, send them down, move other guys
in the lineup. But for whatever reason, there is a
large contingent of people that either listen to the show
or way in and say, well, you can't move Matt
McClean out the two hole. You can't do anything with

(35:02):
Matt McClain, And now the at bats have become a problem.
But also a blunder in the field becomes a problem.
And you wonder is that blunder because maybe he's frustrated
about a previous at bat where he left the runner
on base and struck out. It's just it's so much
going on that there needs to be more than just
mediocrity hopes in Cincinnati. And if you are urgent and

(35:23):
you deal in urgency, then when a player threw one
hundred plus at bats, is hitting one sixty and is
striking out, you move him out of the two hole.
You move him down because urgency is that you need
to produce runs. And the Reds just aren't operating in urgency.

Speaker 11 (35:39):
Especially in if they were in a Western division and buried,
you know, right ahead of the Rockies. Different story. You know,
we'll work on next year. But think that this winnable division.
My god acts like it. Yep, because the codes aren't
not any joke. I underestimated that that team at the
beginning of the year. They're better than I thought they were. Yes,
and they're not gonna be easy to deal with. Yeah,

(36:03):
I don't get frustrated too much, but uh, it's uh.
And you know everybody thought, well, Frank count and he'll
be the he'll be the savior. Managers can't come in
and just turn a team around. It doesn't have the
base talent or the base whatever that they need. It's
just not gonna work. And I hope he does well.
We all do know. I'm done venting. My nurse is

(36:25):
not happy. I brought pressure cuts on and she goes, dude,
what do you do? Uh? NBA playoff both games, Tony,
they just get injury. They just be getting better every night.
Rick Carlisle, it's a problem, you know. It's that same
small market problem the Pacers. I don't know much about him.

(36:46):
And hell, I'm from Cincinnati, yep, one hundred miles away,
but you just don't see him on the TV much
and in Minnesota either, and uh any small market teams.
I'm so happy for the success that they're have. And
Rick Carlisle is one hell of a cousin.

Speaker 3 (37:03):
He deserves a ton of credit.

Speaker 11 (37:06):
So that comeback was not likely. I kind of thought, well, okay.

Speaker 3 (37:10):
Yeah, and that's the second time in the playoffs they've
done that.

Speaker 11 (37:14):
Plus the Celtics in that first game, like I heard
Tim Legler say, this went on here. That was coaching. Yeah,
he was discussing he was malpracticed to put eighty percent
of your shots or threes. You can't win basketball. I mean,
if you get lucky. They I think on this season
about sixty for sixty shots were three exactly.

Speaker 5 (37:34):
That's how Bostome plays.

Speaker 11 (37:37):
And that's going to catch up to you sooner or later.
And it caught up to him the other night. So
I bet their second guess and what they're going to do.
And they don't have a lot of five whor that's
their biggest guy. You got problems, ye think, so now
and then Steph goes out, I figure, oh, this game, yeah,
and there's.

Speaker 7 (37:57):
No way we do.

Speaker 6 (37:57):
We do have a an update on Stephan Curry from
Schams sustained a Grade one left hamstring strain, will be
ruled out for Game two against Minnesota on Thursday. It's
the first strained muscle of Curry's career, so exact returned
timetable is unclear due to his first rehab like this.
So Steph Curry out for Game two Thursday night.

Speaker 3 (38:18):
It's incredible for a player because he runs so much
like he does. He does more running than anyone you'll
ever see. And I'm interested to see you know what
that looks like. If he's not one hundred percent able
to move.

Speaker 11 (38:31):
Hey is your trainer guy on today, Tony tomorrow tomorrow
because or do you guys know now, I know there's
grades of these strains and strains and.

Speaker 12 (38:41):
What have you.

Speaker 11 (38:41):
I wonder if the grade one is the least.

Speaker 3 (38:45):
I think it is the latest one. I think it's
the least.

Speaker 11 (38:48):
Okay, good, yes, thanks.

Speaker 6 (38:50):
Grade one mild damage with minimal pain and swelling. Grade two,
Grade two moderate, Grade three most severe.

Speaker 11 (38:59):
Two are even.

Speaker 7 (39:01):
Google.

Speaker 5 (39:01):
Google, Google is your friend, Mike, Google is your friend.

Speaker 11 (39:06):
Drew orthopedic surgeon. Need n bail that guy? Okay, guys,
thank you Mike, all.

Speaker 3 (39:13):
Right, take care of Mike. I have a great one.
Let's grab a couple more here, Chris, what's up?

Speaker 12 (39:18):
Not much man?

Speaker 7 (39:19):
A guy talking about the trainer.

Speaker 1 (39:20):
I think sometimes the red medical stat is Google. And
what to do with these guys?

Speaker 5 (39:25):
They might they just might be.

Speaker 1 (39:28):
Dude, have you ever seen a team with this many
in It'll be different if it's one year, but this
is like three years in a row, and it always
there is something they are doing wrong.

Speaker 3 (39:36):
And it always is like the nagging injuries or they're
just they're so noncommittal on what the injury is and
then it just lingers, like the Austin Hayes situation, for example.
And I know they were able to retroactively go back,
but it's like, well, it's just something minor. We're gonna
hold him out for a game or two, and then
he goes on the It's always stuff like that that
just doesn't add up.

Speaker 1 (39:57):
And then they play short for a game or two, yep,
and like resigns like that, Like you said, hey, maybe
he's probably going back Friday. He scored what one run
in nineteen in there and what I don't.

Speaker 3 (40:07):
Care if at this point I want someone to can
score runs.

Speaker 1 (40:11):
Maybe he could knock a goddamn ball out of the ballpark.
But and I mean, thank god we don't have Dave
Bell David Bell, or we'd be making dumb mistakes, you
know what I mean. It's like this is the same crap.
I mean, Francona sometimes looks like he's over there just
I don't know what. He just keeps writing stuff down,
like get me a hell out of here. But maybe
he needs actually go out and like when he got

(40:32):
hit on the hand yesterday and then they didn't reverse it,
go out and get mad, I get tossed out or something.
I mean, it can't see any worse. I mean this team,
first of all, Jake Frailey has no busy, any good
decent team. He's a fifth outfielder. He's a jacob Urgus
beats on a good team. We're starting him half the
games in right field. He can't hit, he doesn't field

(40:55):
real good, his arm's okay, he makes face running airs
if he actually does get on there. I don't understand
the love of people like Oh, I like Jake Frailey.
He's not any good guys. I mean, look at some
other teams outfields. I mean he look at the Cubs
outfield who we're going after. Their three outfielders are a
hundred times better than ours. Our starting three would be

(41:15):
like their fourth, fifth, and six outfielders on that team. Yeah,
none of them would break it. Yet our management will
not go out and get a hitter. And I'm just
amazed that we just sit there and say it's early yea.
I mean.

Speaker 3 (41:30):
It's gonna get late quick again.

Speaker 1 (41:33):
They can do some more bob if they can do
a bobblehead with Castellini saying where else are you gonna go?
And they can attach it to to U Katie Blackburn
with you don't need any more money. You know they
can get those away and we can. You know this
is I mean, it's it makes sure we wonder what
goes on down there in the front office looking at
this stuff.

Speaker 3 (41:53):
There are there are certainly those times, for sure, Chris,
thank you for the call, man.

Speaker 7 (41:57):
We appreciate it.

Speaker 3 (41:59):
All right, one more Mark? What's up?

Speaker 7 (42:02):
Mark?

Speaker 3 (42:03):
I'm taking you last today because I took you first
the previous day and the Reds haven't scored any runs.
So I'm hoping to change this up. What's up?

Speaker 12 (42:11):
Man? You gotta be more consistent. You gotta leave me
off every day.

Speaker 8 (42:16):
You can't switch.

Speaker 3 (42:17):
I'm I'm just gonna say, I don't mind switching the lineup.
I don't have a problem. Ellie co about one two
three four, you could about one two three four versus.

Speaker 12 (42:28):
Well, well let's bring David bailback. I mean, you know
what I mean. We're seeing the same non fundamental baseball.
That's all I asked for. I just want fundamental things
done right all the time, and we win the game
last night. If you do that, sometimes the talent is

(42:48):
going trump that, but you win more time because now
if you do fundamentals right, when Ellie struck out extra
end is with the guy on second base. I cut
the TV off. I'm done at that point because I'm
tired of seeing him in those kind of situations taking

(43:10):
up not I'm tired of seeing this team not be
able to get that run stret base runner from second
base to third base. I mean, that's fundamental and that's
the problem to me. And they called up Jacob herderbe
to not re Hines. I mean, I've been asking for
this guy coming up on a year now. I mean,

(43:33):
what tell me this? And I'll get off and listen
to your comment. What is Blake Done showing you?

Speaker 8 (43:41):
Correct?

Speaker 12 (43:41):
Because he's getting he's getting an extended look that that
makes you think that's better than giving rees Hines an
extended look. Give me, give me some insight on this one,
and I'm gonna get off the list.

Speaker 5 (43:57):
Mark.

Speaker 3 (43:57):
I appreciate the phone call.

Speaker 6 (43:58):
Thank you can't Yeah, I can't, really, because I would
much rather give Reese Hines an opportunity to get the
at bats that Blake Done is currently getting. YEP, I
would one thousand percent rather have rees Hines getting those opportunities,
because you know what, he's at least shown me in
his very abbreviated time at the Majors, is that he
does have the capability of getting hot and going on tears.

Speaker 5 (44:21):
He hasn't done that yet.

Speaker 3 (44:23):
He's home in three straight games, and again I understand,
like to your point it might be because but you
have you would have had three games before Friday. Those
games are all important, especially when you're losing all the
close ones. So that to me, it just doesn't add up.
And hey, what they're trying to do.

Speaker 6 (44:41):
If it were me, like I said, I would have
called Hinds up and given him, given him a chance.
I was just trying to kind of go through what
their process was by doing it. If it were me
making the decisions resigned, I would have had Reese Higins
called up. I'd have had him on a plane to
Atlanta the minute that Callahan was being walked off the field.

Speaker 7 (45:01):
Yep.

Speaker 6 (45:01):
And I would have had him up. And you know what,
and he's right in the middle of a hot streak.
I'd have plugged him in the lineup the last night,
and who knows, maybe he comes up in the eighth sail.

Speaker 5 (45:09):
Doesn't know anything about him. It's elect just one out there.

Speaker 6 (45:12):
Yeah, just kind of Layser hangs a slider out there
and he sends it four hundred and eighty four feet.

Speaker 5 (45:18):
Who knows you, No, no, unless you try.

Speaker 3 (45:20):
Correct, that's the problem. They're not trying. It feels like
all the opportunities. Let's take one more break. Let's come
back a minute or so with Terry Francona after the game,
and then we'll parlay that into Jeff Carr to kick
off hour number two. It's since he three to sixty.
You're listening on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station, a
service of Skyline Chile s.

Speaker 13 (45:39):
K Wise Cincinnati to make us the number one preset
on your car radio.

Speaker 14 (45:42):
And the runner scoring from first, it seemed like Matt
McCanny he hesitated on the on the Corona home.

Speaker 15 (45:54):
What did you see there, Well, there was a hesitation,
but he was on his way over to set up
the play, so he was going back cause the throw
was going more towards second.

Speaker 7 (46:04):
So there was a few things happening there, and then.

Speaker 14 (46:07):
The decision a temph to go with Flying richardson mayor
what'd you see?

Speaker 15 (46:11):
He made two really good breaking ball pitches and he
left the third one up, and you know you're in
a tough spot there where you know, if they score,
they went you know, we elected to to walk Riley,
which I would do again. It's a difficult spot. But
uh lyon will you he'll he'll pitch for us again
and hopefully it's tomorrow.

Speaker 3 (46:34):
On the relay, was just communicating something that I don't know,
something that wasn't working.

Speaker 7 (46:38):
Need to be there.

Speaker 15 (46:39):
Well, we really didn't have anybody because like I said,
he was if he's over where he was going, steers
behind him, throw took him over there, So nobody's there.

Speaker 3 (46:52):
Marte was obviously scratch before the game. What's the situation
with him?

Speaker 15 (46:55):
About fifteen minutes he uh, evidently he got him by
a pitch in Louisville, So it did ben kind of
bother him. But he was playing to live and he
made a throw the other day that kind of grabbed
at it. Didn't really say anything. He just wanted to play,
and then when he was sitting in a cave before

(47:15):
the game, it grabbed at him. And so that we're
gonna get him looked at tomorrow morning. Similar that, yeah,
on the side, so we'll get him look at.

Speaker 12 (47:26):
That.

Speaker 3 (47:27):
I think sums up so much. No real definitive answer
on who was to blame on the relay, but just
the re hind side of things, Drew, I mean he
or not resigns. I'm sorry, nov Marte. He gets hit
by a pitch in Louisville, he comes up, he plays well,
he's hurt on a throw he makes, not bad enough
to be taken out of a game, and then taking
batting practice it flares up again. You just can't make

(47:49):
stuff up like that.

Speaker 5 (47:50):
Yep, sounds about right.

Speaker 3 (47:52):
It's just it's a comedy of airs right now. Last
night the ninth time this season the Reds have scored
zero or one run, and in those nine games they
now fall to one and eight more on the Cincinnati
Reds when we come back. Jeff Carr is going to
join us before that, if you want to go vote

(48:16):
on our Revivefitnesssystems dot Com poll. Question today thanks to
our guy PJ. Street. In the News of Pittsburgh, moving
on from George Pickens, I don't know if you've viewed
Pittsburgh as a contender or not, but from an AFC
North standpoint, do you now view the AFC North as
a two horse race between the Cincinnati Bengals and the
Baltimore Ravens. Right now, seventy one percent of voters say yes.

(48:39):
You can go vote at Tony Underscore Pike fifteen hour
two and Jeff Carr next Ciny three to sixty thanks
to Skyline Chili on ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 13 (48:49):
Uc Kwise Cincinnati, make us the number one pre set
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Speaker 5 (48:59):
And here's the play mentioned me, Rocky We This.

Speaker 2 (49:02):
Is Cincy Shirts Cincy three sixty about Cincinnati from Cincinnati,
sponsored in part by Cinci Shirts.

Speaker 10 (49:10):
Cincy Shirts All Cincy, all Day.

Speaker 2 (49:13):
This is ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 3 (49:18):
All right, welcome back. It's our two since e three
sixty thanks to Cinci Shirts. The Hunter Green Man of
the People shirt available right now Cinci Shirts dot Com,
as well as the Ellida La Cruz soccer jersey also available.
We have tried, Drew and I have done our best
to sort through everything as it relates to the Cincinnati

(49:38):
Reds and our number one, and quite frankly, I just
don't know how to do it anymore. I need help.
I need help from someone that I trust to give
us the best baseball knowledge around the Reds that we can.
So I reached out to Jeff Carr today. I said,
I need you today. I need to figure out what's
going on with the Reds. We need a state the franchise,

(50:00):
and Jeff was happy to oblige. He joins us right now,
Jeff Carr, what's up.

Speaker 7 (50:04):
Jeff Tony. I have myself a nice flavored coffee from
a local shop. I have myself a pretty mid frozen
breakfast sandwich. He even watched a couple of angles of
Tyrese Halliburton just demoralizing Cavaliers fans. And I'm still stuck
on this game because the way that the Reds have
played all season long, I defy anybody to tell me

(50:28):
that they're bad. But I also don't think they're they're good.
They're almost yeah, And it's so frustrating.

Speaker 3 (50:35):
It's the problem that I go back to the They've
had nine games now where they've scored zero or one runs.
They're one and eight in those, they're three and six
in one run games. I saw Charlie Goldsmith mentioned last
night that you could probably make an argument for ten
games in which they should have won or you felt
like they could have won. They lost all of them,
and yet they are one game under five hundred. The
starting pitching has been phenomenal. Let's start with last night,

(50:57):
and then let's let's broaden it from there. Let's even
go for the game because there's this window now where
Austin Hayes is expected to be back Friday, but they've
got a roster spot open because of what happened to
Tyler Callahan, and everyone assumes, Okay, resigns will Benson. You
look at the numbers after last night. Reeshigins is now
homered in three straight games, and yet the Reds go

(51:19):
to Jacob Herdabees, whose stats do not compare to either
of those. What did you make of that move in itself?
Even before last night's game.

Speaker 7 (51:29):
The only way that I can even explain it because
quite frankly, I'm with you guys, totally disagreed with the
decision that they made. But the only way that I
can explain it is that they don't want Resigns sitting
on the bench for three or four days in a row,
or you know, for the majority of games in three
or four straight days and that's what this person is

(51:51):
going to do. Like Jacob Hurdabees is going to be
like a late game replacement. Maybe he plays here or
there until Austin gets back. But they did not want
to disrupt what they felt like is the development process
of resigns. But that is me squinting, turning my head sideways,
making sure that the lights are down low, and jumping
up and down in a three sixty circle to try

(52:13):
and understand exactly why it was Jacob Herdebe's because you're right,
like Reese sins has really turned it on here recently,
and albeit he has one game with four strikeouts, but
Will Benson has played pretty well at Triple A, and
I just feel like there were other options and Will
Benson being a left handed option if you wanted to
make the argument they had to keep it a left

(52:35):
handed hitter. I just I don't understand. And I think
it's the Reds also telling us with their actions and
with their inactions in certain areas that they don't love
their depth, because I feel like Nick Caral had to
poke his head into Terry Francona's office and say, hey,
Tito were calling up herd to Bees and at that moment,

(52:57):
Tito just happened to be talking to Santiago but on
Gavin Lux about playing more outfield time, and whenever Nick
Crawl left his office, Tito was probably like, yeah, so
I mentioned you guys are outfield more right. It's just
it's a comedy of errors, like you guys have said
of trying to get this team to where they want
to be.

Speaker 3 (53:16):
And then you lose Marte before the start of the
game yesterday, So now Austin wins has to play first,
Spencer Steeer's got to go to left, Espinall's got to
come into third. It's just you can't get comfortable at
any place you're at. It just continues to pile up.
Let's talk about the game itself. But before the ninth inning,
seventeen strikeouts Tyler Stevenson, the rare five strikeout game, multiple

(53:39):
strikeout games from Blake Dunn, Spencer Steer, Ellie de la Cruz.
What do you make right now of just the overall
approach from this Reds offense that you're seeing from a
game in game out standpoint, they.

Speaker 7 (53:52):
Seem to be flipped almost on what it is they're
swinging at and what it is they're looking at. And
my biggest example of that was Ellie's strike out of
the night where he was facing right cel Iglesias and
he swung at two pitches that were lowing outside the
zone and he struck out looking on a pitch right
down the middle. So clearly he went up to the
plate with some sort of scouting report in his brain

(54:14):
of this is what you're gonna see and this is
what you need to hit, and then he saw something
that wasn't a part of that, and he was just
flabbergasted by it. And then he watched multiple at bats
from from Blake Dunn where Chris Sayle threw that breaking
ball and it broke right over the middle of the plate,
and I swear I maybe saw five or six of
those exact pitches that Blake done specifically, and he never

(54:38):
swung it any of them. He just completely laid off it.
I almost wonder if there's such a scouting report right
now that the Reds are giving to their hitters as
they walk up to the plate, and it's it's zapping
them out of it, like it doesn't feel like they're
approaching each and every at bat or each and every
pitch like they're letting it come to them. They're trying

(54:59):
to forced the issue, and that's why we're seeing these
performances where I mean, they scored two runs in twenty
seven innings. This is hard to win a baseball game
when you do that.

Speaker 3 (55:09):
And yet they were right there last night the ninth inning,
the play from Matt McClain, the hesitation Terry Francona he
alluded to the fact that the throw kind of pushes
him more towards the second base side, which creates a
problem in itself. But anyone who's played baseball or been
around baseball knows that as that ball's coming in, you

(55:30):
should have some people are multiple people yelling to mout
McClain where the ball's going. The hesitation obviously cost the
run because it was a bang bang play. After the hesitation,
if he turns and throws that home, Stuart Fairchild's out
and the Reds got a good chance to win that game.
Where do you stake blame. It's not the first time
that a fundamental air has cost this team. It certainly

(55:51):
cost them last night. How do you view the play
and the ninth with Matt McLain's throw.

Speaker 7 (55:57):
It's easy to place the blame on the guy with
the ball, and I definitely don't think he's blameless in this,
but I put more blame on Spencer Steer. That is
a play where he's got to be the man out
in short right field calling for the ball with his
hands up, ready to throw the ball home, because when
you have a runner coming home and the ball's in
right field, the play is to the cutoff man of

(56:17):
the first base spot, the second base guy. I mean,
it looked like Matt McClain wasn't ready for it because
he shouldn't have had to been ready for it. That
was Spencer Steer's play to have. And then whenever Matt
McClain gets the ball, as the cutoff man, your back
is to the rest of the diamond. You don't know
where the runners are. You need somebody in your ear,
and it was clear that wasn't the case because when

(56:38):
he turned around and saw Stu hadn't even broke stride
running around third base like That's why it surprised him
so much, because he did not know. And for me,
it's an annoying play that a lot of people are
putting almost one hundred percent of the blame on Matt McClain,
But I put the blame on the infield as a whole.

(57:00):
Somebody's got to be yelling at him, smart, yelling home
home home. Spencer Steers got to be the one to
get that cutoff play. I mean, how many times do
we see Joey Vado get the cutoff play whenever he
was the guy at first base. That is the play.
It is not to Matt McLain.

Speaker 3 (57:18):
Speaking of Matt McClain, he has been a topic of conversation,
and you hate to pile on someone, but I feel
like for a lot of folks, we just continue to
push the goalpost back a little bit because he missed
all last year and you know it's not going to
click right away. But I've been people, well, you know,
you give him fifty at bats on the season, give
him seventy five at bats on the season. Now he's
got one hundred and three at bats on the season.

(57:40):
The strikeout numbers have been through the roof. The average
sits at one sixty five, and oddly enough, at least
in my opinion, he continues to play in the two hole.

Speaker 16 (57:49):
Now.

Speaker 3 (57:49):
I am not out there clamoring and saying you got
to send him down, but can you send him down
in the order maybe an off day here there. And
I know the lineup's in a tough spot right now
with all the injuries, but can you make the case
in your opinion to move Matt McClain down in the
order a little bit, maybe take some pressure off in
that way.

Speaker 7 (58:08):
I could definitely see that working, especially with a guy
who gets on base so well and Gavin Lux that
you could put in that number two spot very easily.
But I will say this on behalf of Matt McClain.
Like here, recently, he's actually turned it on. And I
know he had the rough strikeout and fly out in
a couple of key scenarios later on in Tuesday night's game,
but he had a hit by pitch, he had a walk,

(58:30):
and he had a hit. So he's on base three times.
And I think that we're getting to the point where
he is starting to catch up to the speed of
the game. His bat speed early on, and I love
that Baseball Savant gives us bat speed because it's an
easy way to tell just where a hitter is at.
And his bat speed was very slow. League average is
about seventy three miles an hour. He was averaging about

(58:51):
sixty nine miles an hour on his bat speed for
his first like ten to twenty games something like that.
It's really started to creep up here recently. And that's
the same with Spencer Steere. That's why we started to
see some results for him. And that's the biggest reason
why I think Tyler Stevenson, albeit he had a couple
of really good first games, his last couple of games

(59:12):
have been rough because his bat is still a little
bit slow. These guys trying to get their bad up
there and get the speed up there, and I think
mclan is getting to that point where we're going to
see that turnaround. He's had great quality of contract metrics.
He's just had really rough badit and a really high
strikeout rate. But even in twenty twenty three when he
was super good, he still struck out more than thirty

(59:33):
percent of the time. So I think the strikeouts is
just who he is. It's whenever the rest of his
game isn't hitting, that's when you see the numbers that
concern you.

Speaker 3 (59:43):
Someone that's not having a problem right now. Santiago Espanol,
in your opinion, does he become a player that you've
got to have on the field every single day right
now after the Reds.

Speaker 7 (59:54):
I think so, especially with the different injuries. I mean,
if Marte's gonna hit the il, then Espinol's guy third base,
because if you need a hit, he's your guy. He's
not going to strike out in a tough spot. He's
he's probably not going to give you a home run
when you need it, but he's going to put the
ball in play. And that's all they needed last night
with Ellie on second base, because he is one of

(01:00:16):
like the handful of guys in the entire sport that
if you put him on second base and somebody puts
the ball into the outfield and it hits the grass,
that guy's scoring. And Santiago Espinal knew that and he
was able to just perfectly place the ball into the outfield.
That is what he does with his bat. You're never
gonna see him slug like four fifty for a season.

(01:00:39):
But I also think his betting average is always going
to be around two seventy to eighty. And that's the
kind of guy that you need somewhere in your lineup.

Speaker 3 (01:00:47):
Outside of of what we've talked about with Matt McClain,
how do you view the rest of this lineup coming together,
because we've seen the offensive explosions in a couple of games.
We've seen far too many games like we saw last night,
where it just looks like a completely different team taking
a different approach at the bat. Who are some players
that you're looking at that you feel like are close

(01:01:08):
or players that you can pretty much rely on on
a day in, day out basis.

Speaker 7 (01:01:13):
I'm definitely loving what I'm seeing from Spencer Steer here recently.
We're getting back to the point where he can be
counted on to be in that five to six range
in the lineup and you can get a lot of
production out of him. I think spent I think Tyler
Stevenson is going to be fine. I'm not worried about
him at all. And then when Austin Hayes gets back,

(01:01:34):
it's so weird to think that a guy who just
got here this year and has barely played is probably
the most important player in this line. He's not here,
they don't score ye And when you get him back,
I feel like things are going to even out a
lot more. You're going to be able to play Steer
at first base, keep Hayes in the outfield, and then
you could even make the case. And this is something

(01:01:56):
that I would like to see them try a little bit.
Maybe move Hayes to right field, create a platoon in
left field with Gavin Lux and Santiago Espinal and then that's,
of course, if Noelvie Marte is healthy and playing third base,
and if you need to play Espinol at third base,
then you can use Steer in the outfield, and then
you use Wins at first base. I kind of liked

(01:02:18):
what they did with Wins playing first base last night,
even though that was just his second game ever at
that position, but he looked like he's played there before.
So if you can keep that up and keep his
bat in the lineup, I think that's how you finagle
this thing right now, where it seems like the guys
that we wanted to be big and Cees and Jamer
Candelario are nowhere to be found because they're hurt and

(01:02:39):
they've been playing horribly so far this season. So you
got to come up with some other solutions. And right now,
Austin Wins is hitting a lot more than a lot
of other guys are.

Speaker 3 (01:02:49):
It's hard to argue anything with what the staff has
done up to this point in the season. Nick Martinez
hit a little rough stretch. I think he's been better
in his last couple outings. Brady Singer has been solid.
You're getting great stuff out of Lodolo. Hunter Green is
in a category in his own right now. But talk
a little bit about who we saw last night, Andrew Abbott.
I know, just five innings, but the strikeout numbers up,

(01:03:11):
the walk numbers non existent last night. What do you
make of what you've seen through just five starts from
Andrew Abbot.

Speaker 7 (01:03:18):
That was a huge start for him because his first
couple of starts were also nails, and then he sort
of hit a snag there for a couple of outings
and people were starting to wonder. But I firmly believe
that he is proven to be one of the best
five pitchers in this organization. I think their starting staff
right now is pretty solid. Even if Rhet louder Like

(01:03:39):
is healthy and pitching in Triple A and ready to go.
I find a hard find a hard case to knock
anybody out of this starting five and replacing them with
Rehet louder just because of how consistent they have all been,
and last night was just another example of how many
different amazing performances the Reds have wasted because of lineup

(01:04:01):
ineptitude and things like that. But I really feel like
this starting pitching staff is exactly what we thought they
could be. As far as like the optimistic point of view.
They're the reason that this team is going to get
where they need to get. They just need some support
when it comes to the scoreboard.

Speaker 3 (01:04:18):
When you look at how things have panned out, how
are you categorizing the start of the season up until now,
Because there are folks out there that's, well, one game
under five hundred, you're not in a terrible spot from
an NL Central standpoint, You're only four games back. But
you also look at that in the sense of the
schedule was very inviting through the first thirty seven for

(01:04:39):
the Cincinnati Reds, and maybe you view it as they
didn't take advantage of enough of those opportunities. How do
you view the season to this point as a whole
if you're looking at a bigger.

Speaker 7 (01:04:49):
Picture, I think whatever the it depends on what app
or what system or what computerview you're using, but whatever
the picture is, for BUFF still kind of there with
this team because it feels like there's a couple of
days a week where man, this is the this is
the potential that we see in them, this is what

(01:05:11):
they can be. And then there's a couple of days
a week there they're like, oh boy, how far away
are these guys? So they've got to find that middle ground.
And that's why where's That's why Charlie said, you know,
they've lost so many games that they can win, and
he also said in that tweet, he's just like, I
don't feel like they've won any games that it look
like they should have lost to this point. So really

(01:05:32):
in that category, they're like, oh, to ten. But they're
also a five hundred team right now or you know,
one game under five hundred. I think as long as
they can just stay afloat around five hundred, and then
they hit some sort of hot stretch in the middle
of the summer and we're talking about an over five
hundred team at the All Star break, then that's really
where I start to get excited about them reaching their

(01:05:54):
potential because they need to win eighty eight games, I
believe to win the division. I don't buy the Cubs,
especially losing justin Steele and show to Immanaga is now
on the IL. Their lineup is going to keep them
in every single game that they play, but their pitching
staff is going to hurt them in every single game
that they play. So I feel like they can be got.

(01:06:14):
And I don't buy the Brewers either. It's just I'm
having a hard time saying that I completely buy the Reds.
Like it's the NL Central as a whole is as
a division, and I've I've talked with other Lockdown hosts
that cover teams and other divisions. They all look at
the NL Central like, gosh, I wish our team play there.
Even the Rockies guy says that. So there's there's something

(01:06:37):
about this division that it doesn't seem like anybody has
taken the reins and it's just gonna run away with
this thing. So that's where I say, if you can
just keep afloat, maybe get rip against Atlanta and Houston,
who are both good teams in their own right but
are having slow starts to the season, then we can

(01:07:00):
really start thinking about if they can make a run
later on.

Speaker 3 (01:07:03):
Lastly, in that same sense, I had Rob Dibble in
the show a couple of weeks. He said, you know,
with a new manager. I think you get a pretty
good feel of the team fifty games. In same question
from a team standpoint, let me ask you, from a
Terry Francona standpoint, how do you view the tenure up
to this point of Terry Francona and what he's brought
to this team.

Speaker 7 (01:07:24):
I think he's solid. He's made He's made as many
good calls as he's made bad calls. I know that
we overweigh the bad calls, and there's still a lot
of people that are just like, how on earth could
you put Lion Richardson in the tenth ending that game
in Atlanta? But quite frankly, they lost that game on
that stupid play of the cutoff man. But I feel

(01:07:45):
like there's been plenty of calls that we all just
don't even really acknowledge because they were such good calls.
And I think that's who Terry Francona is, and I
think that he's going to ultimately get the best out
of these guys. I know that there's a lot of
folks that every time they lose, they all say, well, stee,
he's not gonna fix this, but they're still time and

(01:08:07):
I know we hate saying that but I still think
that there's time for him to write the ship here.
And there was even some tone. I saw this before
the season too. There's some people that said this season
is going to be okay, and then next season is
going to be the thing, And that's not what we
want to hear because we always say till next season.
But I still think they've got a shot this season.

Speaker 3 (01:08:29):
Jeff, you're the best man. I respect everything you do
in your coverage of the Cincinnati Reds. What is the
easiest way for listeners to follow along with everything he
got going on?

Speaker 7 (01:08:39):
You can follow us on all the podcasting apps out there,
including the iHeartRadio app. You can also watch us on
YouTube and I'm on the socials as well on x
and on TikTok and Twitter or I already said Twitter
at Jeff Carr with three f's.

Speaker 3 (01:08:55):
You're the best man. Thank you so much. I look
forward to talking again soon. Jeff.

Speaker 7 (01:08:59):
Thanks tonight y, sir.

Speaker 3 (01:09:00):
Here he is Jeff Carr all over the beat for
the Cincinnati red certainly appreciate his time as much as
I appreciate your time for listening each and every single
day when we come back, Uh, it's your official time
it's talkbacks next thanks to Cinci shirts on ESPN fifteen
thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 10 (01:09:19):
Now your chance to win one thousand dollars. Enter this
nationwide keyword on our website.

Speaker 17 (01:09:24):
Bank that's bank.

Speaker 5 (01:09:26):
Enter it now, Hey.

Speaker 2 (01:09:28):
Google, what's on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 18 (01:09:33):
All right, though, let me hear you good loud oh
wld oh too oh free.

Speaker 7 (01:09:45):
Let's listen to.

Speaker 18 (01:09:46):
Sutbacks, well, listen to the clouds.

Speaker 7 (01:09:54):
Get me a bud Oft sub Proud Jones.

Speaker 18 (01:09:59):
We hope those other two dover come back through for
totally all.

Speaker 7 (01:10:08):
Doffing comes close to the show.

Speaker 18 (01:10:13):
We got hag right, Hello the stars over talk back
show right as well?

Speaker 3 (01:10:24):
Here we go opportunity opportunity for a SINSI Church gift
card for the best talkback of the week. We have
a lot of talkbacks to get to, so let's get
into it.

Speaker 17 (01:10:36):
I''re President Ronald Reagan, and well, pump the brakes everyone.
I hate to break it to you, but this Reds
team is what you get when management doesn't break the
bank for talent. Throw in a few bad bone breaks
and some breaks and concentration in the field, and you
have a team that will break your heart.

Speaker 3 (01:10:58):
A lot of breaking going on.

Speaker 5 (01:10:59):
Indeed, not the way to start.

Speaker 19 (01:11:04):
I don't know.

Speaker 20 (01:11:07):
That's right. Tunkbackers. Fellow funkbackers, kin from the lext year
of a Wife and I are boarding a playing.

Speaker 19 (01:11:14):
Today for Italy.

Speaker 20 (01:11:16):
We'll be there, hopefully by this time tomorrow for Milan, Venice, Rome, Florence, Tuscanye.
So the next time I check in, I'll be ken
from Tuscany.

Speaker 3 (01:11:31):
Enjoy I have not.

Speaker 5 (01:11:32):
I have not either. I really really want to go
and enjoy that.

Speaker 19 (01:11:35):
Joy it.

Speaker 3 (01:11:36):
Yeah, that's fantastic, Hey, fellas, it's Vinnie.

Speaker 21 (01:11:39):
I'm so fired up. I'm coming out of retirement. I
said I wouldn't call again man because Austin. I had
two draft day talkbacks, man, and my second one was
the best, and.

Speaker 10 (01:11:50):
You didn't play it.

Speaker 11 (01:11:51):
Man.

Speaker 21 (01:11:52):
Anyway, I'm pissed off about the stupid Reds man, Billy
Dayla Hamilton, Man, that's terrible, struck out machine. What the
heck is McClain doing. Hesitating like that? Man looks like
Alton in a beer like softball game? What are we doing?

Speaker 3 (01:12:09):
Billy's unbelievable.

Speaker 5 (01:12:13):
I don't know if I agree with that one. Wow clever, and.

Speaker 21 (01:12:17):
I'm so tired of you guys are everybody talking about
like Frank Kona man gonna come in and get the
best out of these players?

Speaker 7 (01:12:25):
Man?

Speaker 21 (01:12:25):
What are you talking about? These guys are grown men, man,
They need to get the best out of themselves. They
should be training in the off season. They don't need
an old man like Frank Cono to tell.

Speaker 19 (01:12:34):
Him what to do.

Speaker 21 (01:12:35):
And you're setting yourself up for the same thing without
freaking golden man. He's not going to come in and
suddenly make guys be able to cover people and intercept passes.

Speaker 6 (01:12:44):
Man about tackling? Indeed, what if they tackle better? That
is an interesting conversation to have about how much faith
you put into a coaching change.

Speaker 5 (01:12:55):
Well, the Bengals are putting a lot of, sure, and
the Reds did as well.

Speaker 19 (01:13:00):
What's good everybody?

Speaker 22 (01:13:01):
Wow?

Speaker 7 (01:13:01):
Pickings Trader from the Steelers for the Cowboys.

Speaker 23 (01:13:04):
That could end up being a circus in Jerry's world
that Barnum.

Speaker 7 (01:13:06):
And Bailey couldn't compete.

Speaker 5 (01:13:07):
When isn't it close.

Speaker 19 (01:13:10):
A long time? And when that's close a long time?
Or any time when a yeah, it's kind they can
put a little bit of that case.

Speaker 23 (01:13:20):
I'll blanc on top of my Jelly Jay's French drive,
or that's what old Carl would call lords rang rang,
all right.

Speaker 3 (01:13:27):
Dan, all right, Dad, thank you Carl.

Speaker 6 (01:13:29):
I don't know how good the Dollas Cowboys will be
this year, but they will be fun to watch.

Speaker 3 (01:13:33):
Yep.

Speaker 19 (01:13:34):
It's God, happy God, Oh God.

Speaker 24 (01:13:37):
Please Tyler Stephens and ran into that wall?

Speaker 19 (01:13:40):
Did he do it with snop bubbles?

Speaker 5 (01:13:42):
For Tyler Callah is out sor right.

Speaker 3 (01:13:45):
God's busy, so he sometimes gets.

Speaker 6 (01:13:47):
The detail, doesn't quite get the details right. I'm gonna
say without snop.

Speaker 3 (01:13:51):
Bubbles, I don't know there were snop bubbles there might
who knows a.

Speaker 25 (01:13:56):
Word that I would describe. Cincinnati sports is real easy,
non winners. Reds haven't won since nineteen ninety. The Bengals
haven't won a Super Bowl yet, no college championships for
any big sports zeger U see FC. Cincinnati can't get
it done.

Speaker 3 (01:14:12):
I think that's fair, that's fair. Unfortunately, it's fair.

Speaker 5 (01:14:16):
This is John from Bridgetown.

Speaker 3 (01:14:18):
Hi John?

Speaker 26 (01:14:20):
What pops in my head when I think of Cincinnati sports.
I think of the fourth and one in the Super
Bowl when Burrow gets sacked. But I mean it's an
incomplete pass and Chase is just running downfield because I
think Ramsey of the cornerback tripped over his third leg
and we just couldn't cash in.

Speaker 7 (01:14:43):
That's what pops in my mind.

Speaker 3 (01:14:45):
Yeah, there are so many that play the the Jeremy
Hill fumble, the twenty two point come back giving up
to Nevada. I mean, I could go on for days
about what I think of Cincinnati sports in moments, the
Kenyon Martin injury. But I think you can just summon
up up with pain, a lot of pain.

Speaker 7 (01:15:03):
This DJ as far as res ad concern.

Speaker 9 (01:15:06):
Hey, the pitching's good, okay, and you can pick apart plays,
but when you can't even muster up more than a run,
you're not gonna win this team. The offense is so
poor they can't even put the bat on the ball.
You know, the Braves struck out of fair amount last night,
but they were fouling balls off, they were battling. The
Reds can't even make contact and until if that doesn't change,

(01:15:28):
they're gonna be They're gonna battle big time to get
to five hundred.

Speaker 6 (01:15:31):
Yeah, that's a lot of strikeouts at the top of
the lineup.

Speaker 5 (01:15:34):
Again last night yesterday, Yeah.

Speaker 23 (01:15:38):
I watched this Reds team, and I only have to
ask myself, you know, have they forgotten this to play
the game? Are they overthinking it because they got to
the pro level?

Speaker 8 (01:15:48):
Now?

Speaker 23 (01:15:48):
I mean, you watch a high school baseball game, or
for that matter, even one of UC's baseball games, and
these guys turn plays they don't think about it, but
it throws the ball in. There's something happen at the
pro level, or just what the Reds pro level, or
I don't know, everybody trying to be a hero. Maybe
they need to go back and watch a high school game.

Speaker 3 (01:16:07):
I think the most frustrating part with so many of
the Reds games this year is it feels like a
lot of the mistakes they've made are mistakes at the
most fundamental levels of baseball. Cut off man, yep, you know,
moving runners over, communication, communication, where to go with the
ball if it's hit.

Speaker 7 (01:16:25):
You know.

Speaker 3 (01:16:25):
It's just that there's been way too much of that
for a professional baseball team.

Speaker 6 (01:16:30):
And I think on the macro the defense has gotten better,
but there are just these micro moments that happen that
cost them games, which is makes it even more frustrating.

Speaker 3 (01:16:39):
Yeah, hey, guys, Jeff and your Richmond Wednesday.

Speaker 16 (01:16:45):
A couple things about the Bearcats real quick. First of all, Drew,
I agree with you about them splitting the nil money
between football and basketball. You know, but the football team
just got the Shakeley Center, which is primarily for the
football team. So I would definitely say it's basketball's turn.
If football goes four and eight, Tony, you and I

(01:17:07):
both know where that coach is gonna be.

Speaker 5 (01:17:10):
That is correct gone.

Speaker 8 (01:17:14):
After going to the Capitol's game last night, I feel
better about the state of Cincinnati sports than I do
about the state of Washington sports.

Speaker 19 (01:17:20):
Believe it or not.

Speaker 3 (01:17:22):
Could it be you, Jeff? Could you have something to
play in that?

Speaker 5 (01:17:25):
Maybe maybe people are asking, and.

Speaker 16 (01:17:28):
You know, if push comes to shove, the athletic director
needs to go as well. I've talked about it before.
It's like beating a dead horse, and I hate to
be that way because I'm not for anybody to lose
their job. Sure, clearly he is the problem, and West's
seat should still be hot. Yeah, we're got to make

(01:17:50):
the tournament this year. He should have made it last year.

Speaker 25 (01:17:55):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:17:55):
Listen, At the smallest level possible, UC has to get
to a bowl game for I think Scott Sadafield to
remain the coach, and west Miller has to make the
NCAA tournament. I don't know that, but that's my opinion.

Speaker 6 (01:18:08):
And if neither of those things happen, I think it's
sweeping changes. Like not just at the coaching level, I
think at the executive level.

Speaker 7 (01:18:15):
Two.

Speaker 19 (01:18:15):
Yep, hey, it's got again. I got from the Eddie
Zelick fan club.

Speaker 27 (01:18:21):
Whoever did out Eddie Zelik yesterday wasn't even close.

Speaker 5 (01:18:26):
Will the real Eddie Zelick come.

Speaker 6 (01:18:29):
Forward once again? If you want to hear Eddie Zelick,
tune into the MOEGA three to six.

Speaker 28 (01:18:36):
Hey, Tony, talk back matters. Guy really missed you on Monday.
And even the little buddy Austin, don't ever bring trigger
in again or Tractor or no, I don't know, Tonto,
whatever that guy's name was. He was terrible. I don't

(01:18:58):
want to disrespect him, but I think except.

Speaker 5 (01:19:01):
I just did for the first twenty seconds of this talkback,
little buddy come back.

Speaker 3 (01:19:07):
Not a good trip to Atlanta for Austin for those
games you had to watch.

Speaker 27 (01:19:10):
Nope, Hey, Gods, Chris, thank Tonjoni, thanks, you get to
take my call.

Speaker 11 (01:19:15):
You know, it's just like May as well at this point, like.

Speaker 8 (01:19:18):
You know, ind fights are just ridiculous, and like you know,
and Casteline and.

Speaker 19 (01:19:27):
Herglees come on, but you know.

Speaker 27 (01:19:31):
All right, thank you, hey guys, Happy hump Day. Just
want to make a quick point here about the Reds.
We talk about them every day as far as personnel
and batting order and this and that.

Speaker 5 (01:19:42):
None of it makes a difference.

Speaker 27 (01:19:44):
I don't care if Hines and Benson are up here,
over done, her Tobes, Callahan Frayley. Those little moves will
not make one bit of a difference. We're still gonna
be chasing the Cubs all year. They need to make
bigger moves. None of this little stuff matters, and we're
going to see that over the next few months.

Speaker 6 (01:20:03):
Larry, go tone, when we have to fill a three
hour radio show every day, we can just say it
doesn't matter.

Speaker 5 (01:20:07):
We'll just move on.

Speaker 3 (01:20:08):
Yep, that's it.

Speaker 27 (01:20:11):
Quickly following up on that point, the only way that
the Reds really have a chance to compete for the
division is if they do not have injuries and they
have consistent hitting out of the top of their order.
And I'm talking McLain, Friedel de la Cruz and Hayes.
You need health and you need consistency with their hitting
because if you don't have those four guys doing something

(01:20:31):
to contribute to the offense, you have zero chance. So
none of this c and l express back and forth
from Louigo makes a difference.

Speaker 19 (01:20:39):
Guys.

Speaker 3 (01:20:40):
You know, at some point the conversation will and has
to be had of Chris Falaka as well. Oh yeah,
new hitting coach. The strikeout numbers are up again. It's
just something has to be done. Regardless of who's batting
and where they're batting. If you're not at least putting
the ball in play, you don't have a chance. You
don't have a chance to put pressure on a defense.
You don't have a chance of steal bases and turn

(01:21:01):
you don't have a chance to score runs.

Speaker 19 (01:21:02):
That's right, and the Braids are gonna tie this ball game. Hey,
your spence, What the heck? Man? You gotta be yelling
at me? Four or four to four? Oh, bro, she's
definitely a ten? What yeah? One thirteen? Over there? You
see her? Kelly, are you gonna say anything?

Speaker 8 (01:21:22):
I'm sorry, Maddie, my necklaces were tangled.

Speaker 3 (01:21:26):
What man who acquired that audio? That's incredible?

Speaker 6 (01:21:32):
Yeah, Breaking Night only found only here on SKA.

Speaker 5 (01:21:38):
Cut four cut fur cut for.

Speaker 29 (01:21:41):
Walker from the west side here. That's exactly what our
short stopware first baseman should have been yelling. Yep, yeah,
super hard to blame Matt McClain on that, although you
should know what you're doing in every scenario.

Speaker 19 (01:21:55):
Can't blame him.

Speaker 29 (01:21:56):
But he needs to ride the pine for a couple
of days get his mind right.

Speaker 3 (01:21:59):
My question is this, and I get that you have
to be yelling. If you're Matt McClain, you know that
that Stuart Fairchild, who has speed on first, you know
the ball was hit in a position that he could
be going home. What I guess my question would be,
what do you lose by turning and firing that ball home?
Because if the runner stays at third, then the runner

(01:22:21):
that hit the ball is not going to advance past second,
you know what I mean? Yeah, And if you don't
throw it home, the players are going to be in
the same spot. You turn and you fire that ball
based on the knowledge of what's happening in the game,
based on who's on base and what the situation is.
Ten out of ten times, regardless if someone's yelling four
four four, you turn and you either are ready to

(01:22:44):
fire that ball, or you turn and fire the ball,
you don't turn nonchalant and then double pump and then
be surprised that a player is scoring from.

Speaker 30 (01:22:54):
First Agreed, Man, I don't know about a two horse
race between the Bengals and the Ravens.

Speaker 7 (01:23:01):
And the AFC North.

Speaker 30 (01:23:03):
The Steelers always get nine wins. They never have a lose,
losing season another Tomlin, So they're going to get to
nine wins. I don't know if the Bengals are going
to get to nine wins. I hope they will. I
don't see it with this defense. I need to see
a lot more.

Speaker 5 (01:23:19):
But you like, what do you buy the Steelers?

Speaker 7 (01:23:22):
Ass?

Speaker 6 (01:23:22):
Do you buy them as a legitimate contendent to win
the Super Bowl?

Speaker 3 (01:23:26):
Because every year we say that about Tomlin. You know
this is the year he's not gonna have a five
hundred record. But I'm talking about contender in the AFC North.
Then you're trying to contend for a Super Bowl, right
Like Cleveland's not there and they aren't.

Speaker 6 (01:23:40):
I will tell you as a fan of unfortunately of
being a fan of that team in Cleveland, they are
nowhere close.

Speaker 5 (01:23:45):
They're not close. They're going to be a non factor
this year.

Speaker 6 (01:23:48):
And the Steelers, you know, everyone always goes to like
they're going to get nine wins, Like, yeah, they'll get
to nine wins, but they're not going to get to eleven.

Speaker 7 (01:23:54):
Yeah what up, Tony? What up?

Speaker 19 (01:23:57):
Drew Adam and Mount Adams.

Speaker 31 (01:23:59):
Oh, I agree what Drew was saying about the motto
always looking forward, but it's gotta be short term, especially
with baseball. Put yesterday's game behind you, go out and
get a win today. Fun fact, today's my Birthday's Moday
in facts. On this day in Baseball history, twenty nineteen,
the Reds get no hit in Oakland. Two years later,
Wade Miley throws a no hitter and one of the
greatest home runs ever hit, Bartolo Cologne goes.

Speaker 19 (01:24:20):
Yard is only major League homes.

Speaker 5 (01:24:22):
The heck of a day.

Speaker 19 (01:24:23):
You guys, have a good Wednesday.

Speaker 3 (01:24:24):
Cheers yourself a birthday. And by the way, don't look
now Hunter Green on the Mount tonight. Maybe we can
add to that.

Speaker 5 (01:24:31):
No, No, maybe maybe.

Speaker 3 (01:24:33):
Is it as before the game, say again, that's not
a jinx, that's not a no hitter. Jinks if I
said it before the.

Speaker 6 (01:24:40):
Game, No, not at all. Okay, perfect because technically he's
already no hitting the braves.

Speaker 32 (01:24:44):
Yes, nothing's happening fallas Hank Hill, I hear what Drew
you hit the nail on the head, describing Cincinnati sports
are always waiting.

Speaker 24 (01:24:54):
Then, boh, I'm gona tell what I've been waiting for
a while. And when it's Red season, it always feels
like you're looking towards Bengals season. Midway through Bengals, you're
looking toward for the Reds. Just feel like we're left
out in the sports world sometimes. And I had, like,
good Sloaneleigh here in Cincinnata.

Speaker 3 (01:25:14):
Well said Well said sad, but Well said.

Speaker 33 (01:25:18):
Tony Austin Jorgan's value. This morning. I had to do
a lot of paperwork for work this morning, so I
was sitting there, so I just turned on the Arkansas Texas.

Speaker 19 (01:25:27):
A and M game.

Speaker 33 (01:25:28):
Man Sanders is a beast in this game. Like if
he's anything like this, that pic should have been a
top five pick. This dude is incredible. If you just
watch his Arkansas tape, I mean you'll know what I'm saying.
Ask for other things. Nineteen hud and eighty four days.
Austin never gonna chase.

Speaker 3 (01:25:46):
You know, if Austin were here, he'd probably worry about that,
but I'm sure he's thinking about that on his.

Speaker 5 (01:25:51):
Drafted of that, I have no doubt.

Speaker 6 (01:25:53):
I just love that that guy who's like, I got
some paperwork, let's grind some Bengals draft pick tape tape
love love that.

Speaker 34 (01:26:00):
Energy tpe Craig from the U. Been a minute. How
we doing? Hey that Haliburton straight up d a w
J good lord. Also need the Red Titters to get
it together. Waste them too many good pitching opportunities by
our red legs here. So happy Wednesday, Go big Blue,

(01:26:23):
Go Reds, Go Bengals.

Speaker 5 (01:26:24):
There it is so last c Cincinnati.

Speaker 6 (01:26:26):
And I'll say this, like the obviously the Calves are
playing them, and I'm rooting for the Calves, but I
like a lot of the Pacers players. I've always liked Taliburton,
my my beloved Obie Topping plays for them.

Speaker 3 (01:26:36):
Now, oh that's right.

Speaker 6 (01:26:38):
I've always kind of liked Pascal Siakam and Miles Stoner.
It's a lot like it's a great mix of just
interesting guys that make like for a you know, kind
of a badass playoffs.

Speaker 3 (01:26:47):
The roster construction, it's it's like, do you have the
guy that can go for fifty, maybe not, but a
bunch of guys that can go get twenty or thirty.

Speaker 4 (01:26:55):
Yep, yeah, I take Cleveland. Okay, see the higher seeds.
But I'll tell you Indiana and Denver very scrappy, very tough,
mentally tough. I'd put to blame on McLain. I'd say, man,
you gotta throw that ball home as soon as you
get it. Stevenson five strikeouts in a game. That's hard

(01:27:19):
to do, but a plus for abbod.

Speaker 7 (01:27:23):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:27:23):
And I'll say this. A buddy of mine messaged me
this earlier. Drewey said, it's not like the ball was
hit so hard that McClean had to sprint out right away.

Speaker 7 (01:27:31):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:27:32):
As a second baseman, you can probably tell, okay Fairchild's
booking it off the bat, probably tell how long it's
taking the outfielder to get to the ball. So you
should have an idea and you could turn look over
your shoulder to see where that runner's at while you're
waiting on that ball. I mean, think about it, You
got what four or five seconds. Yeah, it's a lot
of time to kind of look and get a feel

(01:27:53):
of everything that's going on.

Speaker 6 (01:27:54):
For sure, And I do want to touch on we've
been primarily negative about the Reds today. We did mention
it a little bit at the top of the show.
Andrew Rabbit great outing last night. He's been awesome since
he came back, since he debuted this season. He was
kind of rolling against the Cardinals that day before the
rainout as well, So that is a very you know,
a lot of people kind of on the fence about

(01:28:15):
whether he was still going to be around here after
this year, and he's definitely earning a spot on this
team going forward.

Speaker 35 (01:28:21):
Yeah, I understand Matt McLain might not have been expecting
the ball in that situation, but growing up I was
always taught too things. Number one, always know where you're
going with the ball, whether it's supposed to be thrown
to you or not. And number two, if worse comes
to worst, throw home, because you're going to be throwing
ahead of a runner, getting somebody in a run down,
or if you're too late, it doesn't matter because the

(01:28:42):
players already scored.

Speaker 3 (01:28:44):
I had my son's first baseball game ever last night.

Speaker 5 (01:28:48):
How'd that go?

Speaker 3 (01:28:50):
It was good. It's a lot of hectic movement, but
before every pitch, as coaches you're telling the players like, hey,
if the ball comes to you, what are you gonna do?

Speaker 7 (01:29:03):
Yep?

Speaker 3 (01:29:03):
And that's for a four year old. Yep, we're talking
about major league baseball like that. That's crazy to me.
I'm letting four and five and six year olds know, Hey,
the ball comes your way, take this base. If the
ball comes your way, throw it here. Surely at major
league level you're thinking.

Speaker 5 (01:29:21):
That, Yeah, for sure.

Speaker 6 (01:29:23):
And you know, for as non fired up as Terry
Francone has been this year, you don't want to see
Tony Pike storming out of that dugout. You better watch out,
you youth league umpires. Oh, that's correct, they'll come at you.

Speaker 3 (01:29:33):
That's correct.

Speaker 24 (01:29:34):
The guy from Bridgetown is thinking about Jalen Ramsey's third leg.

Speaker 7 (01:29:38):
What what are we doing?

Speaker 5 (01:29:40):
What are we doing?

Speaker 3 (01:29:41):
It's where you just move on to the next talkback.

Speaker 8 (01:29:44):
Hey, ton, the twenty two point come back by Nevada
over UC and the Keny Martin leg was not paying
for everybody. Some people quite enjoyed it.

Speaker 3 (01:29:52):
Oh my gosh. See that's where a Xavier fan just
goes too far.

Speaker 19 (01:29:56):
Man.

Speaker 3 (01:29:57):
Yeah, the voice of the common Xavier fan.

Speaker 36 (01:29:58):
If you would, if you would, the only word I
can think of being a lifelong Cincinnati fan in one
word is flatulence. Whenever somebody asked me who I root for,
whether it's the Bengals the reds uc football, they always
give me the same response.

Speaker 3 (01:30:16):
Yeah, you know, flatulence is a funny word. When I
was a senior in high school, we were in art
class and some people around me were like doing fake
fart noises and then acting like something smelt, and our
art teacher came over and legitimately acted like something smelt
so much so that we've got me and a couple

(01:30:36):
of friends got detentions for flatch Went behavior, when in
reality we knew she was lying because there wasn't a
thing that had happened. But she was like, oh my gosh,
that smell detention. Oh man, flatch Went behavior. It's on
the detention stot.

Speaker 5 (01:30:50):
How did mister and missus Pike take that?

Speaker 3 (01:30:52):
That was actually a laughing one. I didn't get many detentions,
so that's I could kind of ease my way around one,
but unique none les us very much so, and that
on that note, that's a good way to end today's
talk about flatulence. All right, we'll take a break James
Rapine joins us at the top of our three. Before
we get to that, we've got a updated Red's injury

(01:31:14):
report that we'll get to you. I don't know if
we have enough time to do that, but we'll get
the latest injury report on the other side of this break.
And then James Repene joins Cincy three sixty thanks to
Cincy Shirts on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports station.

Speaker 10 (01:31:26):
Uc KY Cincinnati.

Speaker 2 (01:31:27):
Make us the vancy three sixty continues on ESPN fifteen thirty,
Cincinnati's sports station.

Speaker 3 (01:31:44):
Welcome back since he three sixty thanks to Cincy shirts.
Thank you for listening. On ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati's sports station.
It is time for today's Postman Law. Injury report delivered
by Postman Law Injured. Postman delivers nothing essentially new. Nova
Marte was scratched leading into last night's start. It was

(01:32:08):
due to what they say left hip discomfort Drew. Was
it a hip leg, yeah, hip side. He was hit
by a pitch in Louisville when he was playing, kept playing,
heard it on a throw while he was with the Reds.
Acted up again during bad practice yesterday. He is considered
day today. There is belief that Austin Hayes will end

(01:32:30):
his stint on the IL on Friday. That's at least
what everyone is pointing to. Rhet Louder, before arm injury,
pitched last night for the ACL Reds. He allowed two
runs on four hits while striking out five over three innings.
The cool part about that, Drew he went up against
Clayton Kershaw on that start last night. Oh wow, So

(01:32:52):
I believe Kershaw went like six innings and didn't give
up a rune.

Speaker 6 (01:32:55):
Just going like, I don't know. Do fans have access
to those I don't know, because imagine if you're just
kind of like strolled up like, oh, let's let's stick
out this Arizona game, that's all you get Rhet Louder
versus Clayton Kershaw.

Speaker 3 (01:33:06):
Yeah, not bad at all. To reiterate, Cees had the
second epidural in his back he was hitting off a
t last week. Candelario has said there's no reheab plan
or timetable for his return. Wade Miley is hoping to
get back from that groin injury momentarily as well, but

(01:33:29):
just the latest in a slew of injuries to talk
about with the Cincinnati Reds and where things stand right
now from a Major League Baseball standpoint. You heard Jeff
Carr talk about it. Shoto Imanaga is on the I

(01:33:49):
L for the Chicago Cubs. They of course lost Justin
Steele for the season earlier in the year, so something
to keep an eye on there. And tai Oscar Hernandez,
the reigning home run derby for the Los Angeles Dodgers,
is heading to the Isle as well with a Grade
one groin strain is said to be out for quote
a while.

Speaker 5 (01:34:09):
Bad for the fantasy Drew's fantasy baseball team.

Speaker 3 (01:34:11):
Bad for your fantasy baseball team. And when you hear
grade one groinstrain, that's the same terminology being used with
the Steph Curry injury.

Speaker 6 (01:34:18):
And I have an update on that as well. Sham
Serania updating his earlier report saying Steph Curry expected to
miss at least one week okay, with a left hamstring
string Okay.

Speaker 3 (01:34:28):
Well, that is where things stand for today's Postman Law
Injury Report delivered by Postman Law Injured Postman delivers. There
we have that h. James Rapine is going to join
us in in just a couple of minutes before we
get to that real quick, because we talked about Steph Curry.

(01:34:48):
These NBA games tonight, New York and Boston, Denver, Oklahoma City.
It was unique because we spent time on the show
yesterday Drew talking about, you know, road wind road teams
in the NBA Playoffs that in game one, not a
lot of times you see them win game two because
you feel like you're kind of playing with house money.
Maybe you take the foot off the gas just a

(01:35:09):
little bit. That was obviously not the case for Indy,
although it felt like it for about three quarters. For
three and a half quarters, it felt like the cavsrn
a cruise to that victory. Then Indy made their run.
Celtics favored by ten and a half tonight, Oklahoma City
favored by ten and a half tonight. Obviously the Celtics
missed forty five threes.

Speaker 7 (01:35:27):
YEP.

Speaker 3 (01:35:28):
If there was a team I would be more confident
in covering ten and a half, it's Boston, that Denver
team and the veterans they have. I just feel like
ten and a half is a big number.

Speaker 6 (01:35:38):
It is a big number, especially when the guy on
the other side is the best player in the world.
When you're going up against the Nakola Jokic, You're gonna
be in whatever game you're going up to. Interestingly enough, Boston,
as you said, a ten and a half point favorite.
That is up from it opened at eight and a half,
so that is up two points. So a lot of
the money flowing to the Boston Celtics tonight.

Speaker 3 (01:36:00):
One other piece on that. From an NBA standpoint, MVP
race is essentially down to two Shake Gilders Alexander who.
I will give him this because I never thought when
he was at Kentucky that SGA was going to be
the player he is now the Clippers right, Thirty two
point seven points per game, five boards, six point four
assist the Joker, And I know it's hard because you

(01:36:22):
can't give him the MVP again. Twenty nine point six
points per game, twelve point seven rebounds per game, ten
point two assists per game. Who is your NNBA MVP.

Speaker 6 (01:36:32):
It's Shay. I think you could go either way with
it either guy. Both guys are well deserving. I just
I think my tiebreaker was the Thunder had a tremendous
regular season. They get the one seed pretty much on
the back of Shay Gilders Alexander.

Speaker 3 (01:36:48):
When did they vote for? Is the voting already done?

Speaker 5 (01:36:50):
The voting is done.

Speaker 6 (01:36:51):
The voting I believe they vote after the conclusion of
the regular season and before the play in starts.

Speaker 3 (01:36:57):
Because if they didn't and Denver does win the series,
that right could change votes as well.

Speaker 6 (01:37:01):
And I I kind of have had the long standing
take up. I do kind of wish we included postseason
performance into award. I understand why they make them regular
season awards, but it would be interesting. He goes, all right,
you get you get Jokic, you get SGA. In a
playoff series, winner moves on, winner gets the MVP. I
think that would be quite interesting. But I think I'm

(01:37:24):
not sure what the betting markets are at, but I'm
pretty sure Shay is still a pretty heavy favorite. Uh,
he's gonna win it because I think Jokic has at
least two he might have three. Yeah, so I think
SGA will get it. If I had a vote, I
probably would have voted for SGA.

Speaker 3 (01:37:40):
There it is.

Speaker 7 (01:37:41):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (01:37:42):
James Rapine is next. We'll talk Bengals to kick off
our number three Bengals. Since he three to sixty thanks
to Cincy shirts, Thank you for listening on ESPN fifteen
thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 5 (01:37:53):
Don't get caught off guard by the elements.

Speaker 2 (01:37:55):
Is Pennstation East Coast sub since he three to sixty
of bound Cincinnati from Cincinnatis, Sponsored in part by Penn.

Speaker 10 (01:38:01):
Station eastco Subs.

Speaker 13 (01:38:03):
Handcrafted hot grilled subs, fresh cut fries and lemonade. It's
all about good taste. Penn Station East Coast Subs order
online today. This is ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 3 (01:38:19):
All right, welcome back, thanks to Penn Station. You heard
it right there. It's our number three of Cincy three sixty.
You're listening on ESPN fifteen thirty. It is Cincinnati's sports station.
Let's switch gears. Let's talk Cincinnati Bengals. Voluntary workouts happening
right now, but there is nothing voluntary about James Repine.
He is in three sixty five, ready to go talk

(01:38:40):
all things Cincinnati Bengals, He joins us. Actually right now, Hi, James.

Speaker 7 (01:38:44):
How are you? What up?

Speaker 12 (01:38:47):
Bike? I'm good?

Speaker 19 (01:38:47):
How are you?

Speaker 3 (01:38:48):
James? How enraged were you to see Joe Burrow not
show up for day one of voluntary workouts? I'm sure
it's eating you up. Naro Naro Rach same.

Speaker 8 (01:39:00):
But what's the opposite of zero, you know, I or
the opposite of one hundred?

Speaker 12 (01:39:05):
You know?

Speaker 7 (01:39:05):
I think.

Speaker 8 (01:39:08):
It's wild, and so much so that like yesterday I
was like, I'm gonna do this.

Speaker 11 (01:39:14):
Memo Stones video what it means for free agency and pray.

Speaker 8 (01:39:18):
And then by midday, my guy Andrew Fox Miiller, who
works with me on Cincinnati bengalsuck, He's like, hey, you
should talk about Joe Burrow. Everyone's losing their mind, and
I'm like, Okay, we'll talk about Joe Burrow. It's it
is what it is, right. I don't worry about Joe,
And honestly, I don't really worry about this part of

(01:39:39):
the offseason program. The rookies aren't even there yet, so
let's be real here with.

Speaker 3 (01:39:45):
The workouts getting underway, I do think it's it's a
breadth of fresh air. You see Jamar Chase there, you
see t Higgins there. It just takes away any distraction.
And so much of last year became a distraction as
training camp unfolded and the uncertain knew what Jamar Chase continued. Now,
it's not to say that there aren't distractions going on,
right now with the team. But do we have any

(01:40:07):
more clarification on what some of those distractions could be?
For instance, what is the latest with Trey Hendrickson as
it pertains to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 8 (01:40:17):
Yeah, I think much like Joe, like, it doesn't bother
me right now that Trey's not there. You know, I
obviously Joe's there today, but I know Trey's doing his work,
so it doesn't really matter.

Speaker 7 (01:40:28):
I do think it can become a distraction.

Speaker 8 (01:40:31):
I don't think it is right now, but certainly is
something where it's like, all right, well does this linger
into training camp or linger into joely just in July
in general, like if we sit down for mock Turtlesuit
Dead and it's all, hey, Mike Brown, what do you
think about trail? Well, that's that's rough. That is a distraction,

(01:40:52):
even if they don't want to admit it. And so
I think that's kind of that. The dead vine, the
arnficial trade deadline for Trey, what was the NFL and
now the deadline to get a deal done would be
mock turtlesuit gay for me, Tony, I think that's the day.

Speaker 3 (01:41:08):
Same question, different position. Jermaine Pratt, do we know anything
from a latest news standpoint, Obviously they draft multiple linebackers.
What do you make of the Germaine Pratt situation?

Speaker 8 (01:41:21):
Yeah, I think that one's a little bit weirder because
it's like, all right, well, why why hasn't he been cut?
And I think he's going to get cut. So I
wonder if this is is the Bengals knowing that there's
a team or two interested. Maybe it's the Cults, right,
maybe it's a division rival, who knows, but they're like, hey,

(01:41:45):
let's hang on to Jermaine for now. Knowing that there
are teams interested, maybe they decide to give up a
late round pick or a pick swap or you know something,
you know, the twenty twenty seven to seventh rounder, Like
if you can get anything for Jermaine, make it at
this point because of the contract. But I think it's
any he expector anticipated Jermaine Pratt to show up at

(01:42:08):
pay Corps ever again as a member of the Bengals,
And I certainly don't expect him to be on the
team when training camps starts. So maybe it happens today,
maybe it happens two weeks, Maybe it happens a month
from now. But I do think it's going to happen
where they end up releas again.

Speaker 3 (01:42:21):
What was your initial thought. We've seen him with Zach
Moss earlier in the off season. We obviously talked about it. Yesterday,
Geno Stone restructures his deal, he takes a pay cut,
frees up more money for the Bengals. What was your
initial reaction to seeing the Genostone news.

Speaker 8 (01:42:37):
Well, first thing was, all right, well, Genostone is going
to be on the team because in not that at
this stage of the offseason, they didn't sign a safety,
they didn't draft the safety. I think we all expected that.
But for them to give him guaranteed money tells you,
all right, well, they plan on him being on the roster,
much like Zach Moss. If Zach Moss is healthy, he's
going to be on the roster. They're not going to

(01:42:58):
guarantee a million and a half dollars at this stage
in May and then say, oh, well, we're going to
move on from Geno Stone. So I think they're comfortable
with him being on the roster, but it does give
them some flexibility from a sorry, my two year old
is really wanting water. We're on a walk and we're
like half a block from home, so I get it.

(01:43:18):
So we'll we'll, we'll get the water. But I also
want to say water is for character. Who's only two
of those?

Speaker 19 (01:43:25):
So we won't go.

Speaker 8 (01:43:26):
But remember the Titans want.

Speaker 3 (01:43:30):
Young here.

Speaker 12 (01:43:32):
That's a right.

Speaker 14 (01:43:32):
Me H.

Speaker 8 (01:43:33):
Two is probably a bit extreme. I'm not trying to
get in trouble, sure, but but you know.

Speaker 12 (01:43:40):
Two and a.

Speaker 8 (01:43:40):
Half, which is a few months away, maybe we'll go
that route.

Speaker 7 (01:43:43):
All right, let's go.

Speaker 22 (01:43:44):
All right, So as far as Gino is concerned.

Speaker 8 (01:43:46):
Though, I think the other part of this, it does
open up the door to pay a safety or to
use that money to pay pray some of that cap space.
They freed up over three million dollars in cap space
with Zach Mawsonino Stone, two guys that I think they
feel like they can use and rely on. For Gino,

(01:44:06):
he's starting like he's going to be the starting safety,
even if they went out and signed of Julian Blackman.
When they went out and signed now, I guess if
you signed Justin Simmons, you're probably starting him. But I'd
be shocked if they went out and signed Justin Simmons.
That's just not the Bengals m but I do think
that it gives them a bit more flexibility, whether it's
for Trey or just anyone else that they want to

(01:44:27):
add in free agency.

Speaker 3 (01:44:29):
Let's talk to free agency standpoint, because I know you
wrote about this yesterday. Let's start with Julian Blackman. They
obviously didn't address safety in the draft. I believe I
read that he has the same agent as Jamar Chase
and T Higgins, so there's familiarity there. Why does Julian
Blackman seem like a good fit or why do you

(01:44:50):
assume it would be a good fit with the Bengals.

Speaker 8 (01:44:54):
Well, he's good at that deep safety spot, and I
think that's a big part of it, is the fact
that he can coumfortably play back there, play that center
field spot, and you know what you're going to get.
You're gonna get a guy that is going to be
able to cover at a high level. Take away the
deep ball that's plagued this team for the past few

(01:45:14):
years since Jesse Bates left, and it's weird that he's
still out there. I think that's the one thing. He
has had some injuries, but you want to talk about
like a one year prove it type deal. I think
it would make a lot of sense. And if I'm him,
I look at it and I say, well, in my mind,
I'm better than Ginostone. I can potentially be on a

(01:45:35):
playoff contender or Super Bowl contender and compete for a
starting job. There would be a lot to like. So
I do think that fit would make a ton of sense.
And then the agent part of it is a big
part as well.

Speaker 3 (01:45:50):
While I see the need and understand the need on
the defensive side of the ball, I can't help but
coming back to something that you've highlighted as well, the
guards that are still out there. Will Hernandez is still
out there, Brandon Sheriff is still out there. And I
agree with you, it feels at this point like Cheff
would be a no brainer because you can also move

(01:46:11):
on from Courtel Volson almost wash what those contracts would
be in the money you were saving. Why do you
feel that this hasn't been done to this point or
do you feel like the Bengals think that that room
in that position is good to go?

Speaker 12 (01:46:26):
Man, I don't know.

Speaker 8 (01:46:28):
Like that's what's maddening is like there.

Speaker 22 (01:46:30):
Are so many guys Tony where it's like if you it.

Speaker 7 (01:46:34):
Just makes you feel so.

Speaker 8 (01:46:35):
Much better about that room, Like adding Julian Blackman at
safety makes you feel much better about your safety depth.
And it's not like he's an all pro well at guard,
just signing one more proven guy instead of having Courto Volson,
who's said to make three point six million because of
the player performance escalators that he's hit throughout his career,

(01:46:56):
He's basically played a ton for the Bengals, and so
he's not making fourth round draft pick money anymore. And
if that's the case, well then it is kind of
uncomfortable to say, all right, well, this guy's making three
point six and he may compete for a starting job,
Like they'll say, all what, he's competing for a starting job,
But what would Courtel Volson have to do to really
win a starting job after what we saw last year?

(01:47:19):
And I was bullish on him going into last year,
but he's regressed some. So yeah, I agree with you.
I think that's that's where you look at it and
you say, all right, well, Courtell Vulson three point six million,
your main Pratt five point six million. You take that
cap space that is Brandon Shirt or maybe Brandon Shup
doesn't want to play football, and the retirement rumors, and
that's what.

Speaker 7 (01:47:39):
I would call them, are true.

Speaker 8 (01:47:40):
Fine, Well, Will Hernandez, who has experienced at both guard spots,
is a nice by low candidate. He's played well when healthy,
and he's probably going to cost you what Cordell Wolson
is going to cost you. So the difference is one
guy's proven in the league that he can be a
solid starter when healthy, comes with some injury risk. Okay, fine,
but you would take that in a win now scenario,

(01:48:03):
and you better believe a guy like Wil Hernandez will
love to come to Cincinnati and compete for a starting
job because he probably win it. And so, yeah, I
agree with you. I think it's still a big void,
big hole. Part of it is because I think that
Jalen Rivers, who I like a lot. I think he
may be he may end up being better than Dylan Fairchild,

(01:48:24):
and I think that would be a take for some.
But I like him a lot, but I'm not sure
he's going to get a huge look at right guard.
And if you're not looking at him at right guard
and giving him a ton of rips there to potentially start,
then yeah, then bring in a veteran that is better
than what you have, and that's what I'm.

Speaker 7 (01:48:43):
Hoping they do.

Speaker 3 (01:48:44):
Outside of safety and offensive line, any position group that
you think needs to be on the lookout from a
free agency standpoint for an upgrade.

Speaker 8 (01:48:54):
Certainly linebacker. I mean, they haven't invested in enough. No,
I'm just kidding, good lord, you know, I keep I
keep going back to that that draft, and just they're
they're feeling there their need, like they felt the need
to take a linebacker where they did. It really blew
up what could have been a home run draft and

(01:49:15):
it may still end up being a good draft, but
I just can't get over that. So linebackers certainly crossed
that off. They should have done that in March, and
I just wanted to point that out because it's it's
still hurked me a few weeks after the draft after that, though. Yeah,
I was safety and offensive line, those are the two
big ones, but.

Speaker 22 (01:49:32):
Obviously defensive tack you could use some juice there, and
I think this is a huge hole and the problem
with that one, like we name.

Speaker 8 (01:49:39):
Like Julian Blackman and Justin Simmons and then you go
guard and it's easy because they Brandon, sure for Will
Hernandez and name a few guys. Go luck finding a
three teck that's going to give you some juice that
you're gonna be comfortable with. I mean, Maurice Hurst is
really the only guy I found that kind of makes sense.
He's had an injury history, but when he's out there
and perform at a relatively high level, I'd be in
on him. But there's just not much out there, and

(01:50:01):
so I think that that's that's the struggle. But from
a player standpoint, the other guy that I would target,
and this is a player I'm not necessarily looking at
a bunch of corners. But Asante Samuel Jr. Is a baller. Yeah,
He's not just an okay player.

Speaker 7 (01:50:18):
He's a baller.

Speaker 8 (01:50:19):
And so I can always I can always say I'll
take another thud player and figure out where to use
him and so that he's the best free.

Speaker 22 (01:50:28):
Agent on the market outside of Brandon.

Speaker 8 (01:50:30):
Shurf to me, And so you murry bug or questions
that are with him is the reason he's still out there.
If you could get him, I would get him. And
I know corner isn't necessarily considered a huge weakness, but
it's certainly something I would consider, just because he would
add to your room and he would give you a
proven guy. And I'm sure he has a chip on

(01:50:50):
his shoulder given the fact that it's Maine, he's still
on time.

Speaker 3 (01:50:54):
When you look at the actions of this team in
the offseason, the players that they chow to sign versus
the ones they chose not to sign. Duke Tobin talking
about wanting extra picks, and they make no move during
the draft despite getting calls as reported on, to move
back and maybe gain some extra picks. The way they drafted,
the way they've handled free agency. How much pressure are

(01:51:17):
they putting on al Golden? How much pressure are they
putting on these new positional coaches to just flat out
try to get more out of the guys that they
weren't able to get enough out of last year.

Speaker 8 (01:51:28):
Oh, pressure cooker to the max?

Speaker 3 (01:51:31):
And is that sustainmous? Is that fair?

Speaker 8 (01:51:34):
No? No, it's not fair. But lou would tell you
that these guys can't play. Now, I think that that's
a stretch, but that's what he would tell you probably,
And maybe I'm being a little too blunt about it,
but I don't think the ends are somewhere in the
middle between these guys can't play and their stars. And

(01:51:56):
so let's say let's pick Dax Hill, because I do believe.

Speaker 7 (01:51:59):
In Dax Hill.

Speaker 8 (01:52:00):
Say he ends up being a stud this year, I
think that's very possible. All right, Well, is it also
possible that you whiff on a Miles Murphy r Osai
or maybe BJ Hill takes a step back from what
he's been because of age and all of those things
like that. That's what's tough is they really are running
it back and they're saying, hey, we just didn't have

(01:52:20):
a nose tackle last year. That's why these guys didn't
get a pass rush. And we get TJ. Slayton in there,
and it's going to really help. Plus we have Jerry
Montgomery coaching up Shamar Stewart. That's just a dangerous game
to play. That's what's tough is if you had addressed
three tech in free agency, well then fine, if you
don't get one and you don't get this interior pass

(01:52:42):
rusher and the draft, it's okay.

Speaker 10 (01:52:45):
But they didn't.

Speaker 8 (01:52:47):
They did. They just resigned DJ Hill and brought back TJ. Slayton,
and that's that leaves a lot to be desired. And
so good luck there, Al Golden and Barry Montgomery. And
then I think that if you don't bring in a
veteran lineman after moving on from Alex Kappa, then you're
putting a ton of pressure on Scott Peters to suddenly

(01:53:07):
be this guy that's going to fix And by the way,
maybe he does, because Dylan Fairchild and Jalen Rivers are
better prospects than Jackson Carmen, you know, like they're better
prospects than Deontay Smith than the guys that they gave
Frank Pollock. So maybe it helps because the prospect level
rose and you're getting a guy that you really believe

(01:53:30):
in an offensive line room. But I can't help but
think a veteran would help there, especially because this team
has even if you account for all the practice squad
spots and all the rookies and all these things, they
have double digit millions in cap space to use and
there are veterans out there that can help them. So yeah,
there's a lot of pressure on these coaches to come
in right now, be significant upgrades and get more out

(01:53:55):
of guys that have underachieved for one reason or another
through the first few years of their career. By the way,
Quardell Wilson is one of them. As long as he's
on the team, I think that they're expecting him to
take a big step forward, which is a lot to ask,
I would say at this point with as much football
as he's played.

Speaker 3 (01:54:10):
I know that the Browns and the Steelers have been
a pain to the Cincinnati Bengals in recent years with
what Cleveland has done or not done in the offseason.
With Pittsburgh now moving on from George Pickens and not
having an answer at quarterback, do you view the AFC
North as a true two horse race right now?

Speaker 8 (01:54:29):
I do, Yeah, I do. I think I don't know
how he don't. I really don't. I mean, I just
I think that there's a clear talent gap. Obviously, the
quarterbacks are night and I mean Joe and Lamar are
just unbelievable.

Speaker 22 (01:54:43):
And the rest of the league outside of maybe one
to two guys, which is they had those two guys.

Speaker 8 (01:54:50):
On their team and as their quarterbacks. So yeah, I
think it's it's tough. Now, that doesn't mean that the
Steelers in the Browns, and this is what's kind of
annoying about the North. Both of those teams are good
enough and well coached enough, they're going to be annoying.
Like it's gonna suck to play both of those teams,
regardless of who they have at quarterback. Regardless of what happens,
it's still not going to be fun in the Browns, man,

(01:55:13):
I mean adding another interior pass rush. You got Miles Garrett,
you go every It's just it's gonna be tough slating.
But as far as like winning big picture goes, unless
there's significant injuries to the Ravens at ben, because I
expect those two teams to be the top two teams
in the North.

Speaker 3 (01:55:29):
Before I let you go. I asked the question from
a pole question standpoint yesterday because we've reached a new
point in the offseason. The free agency portion a large
part of it. This passed, the draft has passed, Voluntary
workouts are happening as the roster sits today, and again
I know your thoughts and I echo the same thoughts
about still having holes that you need to address. But

(01:55:50):
we've talked about this team in the sense of a
contender for a Super Bowl, or a competitive team that's
a playoff team but really not contending at this point
for the Super Bowl. What category do you have the
Bengals in as it sits right now? Are they contending
for a Super Bowl? Or are they competitive and still
not on that top tier yet?

Speaker 8 (01:56:08):
Trick question. Here's why it's a trick question, because they
are competitive, that's what they are as a roster.

Speaker 7 (01:56:17):
But no competitive.

Speaker 8 (01:56:18):
Team with Joe Burrow at quarterback is isn't a contender.
You're a contender, doesn't matter who's coaching, If Tony Pike's
on the sideline calm place, doesn't matter because Joe can
can overrule you and check to the right play because
we know you'd take the row. You know that's how
it would go. So I think it's really hard for
me in a winner go home scenario to see the

(01:56:39):
ball the Bengals unless they're just completely decimated and they
have been down three line and going into Buffalo finding
a way with Jackson Carmen, people thought that was gonna
be the Jackson Carmen breakout. Doesn't even really play much
the next week, and they come within a couple of
plays of going to back to back Super Bowls. That's
Joe and Jamaar, And like, if you have those guys,

(01:57:02):
it's really tough to bet against them in a winner
go home scenario.

Speaker 22 (01:57:06):
But I look at the rest of the roster at
much like last year.

Speaker 8 (01:57:10):
It's like, yeah, you got your studs, and then the
players like seven or eight through twenty are worse than
every other player to playoff contender and and players twenty
one through fifty three are are pretty similar. But that middle,
that B plus talent range. They need some of these
guys to step up right away and be that. They

(01:57:32):
need Tamar Stewart to do that, or Dylan Fairchild to
do that, or insert any of these guys dak So,
Miles Murphy. They need some of those guys to hit
that next level. For me to say that, oh, this
is a Super Bowl contending roster.

Speaker 22 (01:57:46):
I think that they can be competitive in.

Speaker 7 (01:57:48):
Any game and go win anywhere one game.

Speaker 8 (01:57:50):
And I think a lot of people felt that last year,
even though they were a fauld roster if had they
gotten into the playoffs.

Speaker 37 (01:57:56):
But they see these teams interesting if you gave if
you gave them truth sar them, maybe they would admit
it because there's no way we see these holes and
they don't see these holes.

Speaker 8 (01:58:11):
And that's why they really need to They need to
address it in free agency.

Speaker 3 (01:58:15):
James, you're the best man. Appreciate you fittness in today.
I know things are busy for you. What's the easiest
way with everything happening this offseason? Uh, to keep up
with your coverage of the Cincinnati Bengals and.

Speaker 8 (01:58:26):
More Bengals Talk dot Com, Cincinnati Bengals Talk on YouTube,
and the Lockdown Bengals podcast.

Speaker 3 (01:58:33):
It's that simple. It's that simple, James, You're the best man.
Look forward to talking again soon. Thank you.

Speaker 8 (01:58:41):
Yep, sounds good. We'll get some shots up soon.

Speaker 3 (01:58:43):
Let's go. I'm ready to go. Memorial Day coming up.
Oh yeah, I'll let you know.

Speaker 7 (01:58:50):
Leive me the form.

Speaker 3 (01:58:51):
Yeah, you should have got it.

Speaker 8 (01:58:54):
Yeah you didn't though. You're too scared.

Speaker 3 (01:58:56):
I got you.

Speaker 8 (01:58:57):
You're too scared.

Speaker 3 (01:58:58):
You want to join the team. Are you trying to
get your own team?

Speaker 11 (01:59:03):
On my own team?

Speaker 22 (01:59:04):
You're gonna take you there, all right.

Speaker 3 (01:59:05):
That's try.

Speaker 12 (01:59:06):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:59:06):
Then I'll make sure you get the form here really soon.

Speaker 8 (01:59:09):
I'm gonna roll in with Darius, Garland and Mobley.

Speaker 3 (01:59:12):
No, yeah, they're already injured. Garland and Mobiley aren't playing.

Speaker 22 (01:59:18):
There's a reason why I said those guys.

Speaker 8 (01:59:19):
We're gonna roll up with the injured cass because because
they've had plenty of rest because they were eliminated by
the pacer.

Speaker 3 (01:59:25):
Oh, good, good point, good point, James, Thank you man,
have a good one there he is. That is a
James Rapine all over the coverage for the Cincinnati Bengals.
That's some awesome stuff there.

Speaker 17 (01:59:37):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (01:59:37):
We will continue the conversation with the Bengals and we'll
continue it with you. Five, one, three, seven, four, nine,
fifteen thirty. Join us, give us a call. Let's talk
Bengals next. Sincey three to sixty thanks to Penn Station
on the Home of the Bengals, ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati
Sports Station.

Speaker 2 (01:59:53):
Now back on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 3 (02:00:12):
Welcome back. It is since he three point sixty. We're
rolling along hour number three thanks to Penn Station. Thank
you for listening on ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati's Sports Station. Uh,
we do get a a Cincinnati Reds update here, Drew,
we have a call up. Oh, unfortunately, Noel A. Marte

(02:00:35):
is heading to the il OH. This the ten day
injured list with a left oblique strain. This is retroactive
to May fifth, and in return, the Reds have done
something they probably waited two days late to do. They
are recalling from Triple A Louisville outfielder Reesehines. So Reese

(02:00:56):
Hines is back with the Major League ball club Noelve.
Marte heads to the injured list and joins many other
Reds Yep, on the injured list. So good luck. We
want to talk about Terry frank ConA and how he's done.
I think getting a lineup that's usable on the field
every single day is is progress in itself.

Speaker 6 (02:01:16):
Yeah, it really is, especially when you don't know if
guys are being.

Speaker 5 (02:01:20):
Truthful about the health of their bodies.

Speaker 7 (02:01:22):
Yep.

Speaker 6 (02:01:22):
Because Candle Ario allegedly wasn't honest about his back issue.
Marte had been covering up this oblique issue. So yeah,
you know, it's hard. It's hard, it is getting a lineup.
But hey, we don't have the lineup yet. But I
can assure you of this. The Reds will have nine
hitters tones in Atlanta, seven fifteen.

Speaker 3 (02:01:42):
Not saying that all of them can actually hit, but
they'll have nine.

Speaker 5 (02:01:45):
They will called hitters. They aren't necessarily good.

Speaker 3 (02:01:48):
Yes, one of those is actually referred to as a
designated hitter or their only job is to hit, and
yet that's still.

Speaker 5 (02:01:55):
Which the Reds have not seemed to be able to
do well with.

Speaker 3 (02:01:58):
That's the national back to pitch hitting. Should we maybe
let me ask you one other thing to piggyback the
conversation we just had with with James Rapene because I
I find this fascinating as I'm going through right now,
because it like I had Dan Horde on the show
before the draft, and Dan Hord said the number one

(02:02:22):
hole on this roster and his opinion was guard. Now
you can say, well, they addressed guard. They didn't address
guard until the middle rounds of the draft. Correct, they
have an addressed guard in free agency. They have not
addressed safety at all in the draft or in free agency.
Now Genostone has reworked a deal. But if you're looking

(02:02:42):
at the Bengals, I know that they have. Is it
fair from an operating standpoint, the amount of pressure they're
putting on a new O line and D line coach
along with a new defensive coordinator who, by the way,
has been a decordinator in college but has never been
a D coordinator in the NFL. Is it fair the

(02:03:03):
amount of pressure that is being thrown in the direction
of Al Golden and these new coaches.

Speaker 6 (02:03:10):
Is it fair? I would say no, but the NFL
ain't fair.

Speaker 3 (02:03:17):
But what's the pushback if the season starts and, as
we said yesterday, can you be a top twenty defense?
What if they're twenty five, twenty six, twenty seven, and
what if we're having the same conversation about the offense
putting up unbelievable numbers, and then we say if they
had just addressed the defense, or what if Burrow's putting
up incredible numbers and there's a miseda assignment by one

(02:03:41):
of the guards and you lose Burrow for a game
or two, and that game decides the season and going
to the playoffs, the window for the Super Bowl is now.
Can you really take the risk and just say, well,
let's just put all our eggs in a new scheme
and a new coaching basket and not really have major
upgrades to the personnel department.

Speaker 5 (02:03:59):
Well, I would say this.

Speaker 6 (02:04:00):
I can't speak for everybody, because everybody has different opinions,
especially when it comes to coaches on their favorite teams,
But I do think if the Bengals struggled out of
the gate on defense and struggled out of the gate
with the interior pressure. I do think people would more
point to the front the lack of additions from the

(02:04:21):
front office, as opposed to, you know, reaming out the
position coach and the defensive coordinator. Just let's say, five
games into their tenure with the Cincinnati Bengals, I think
most of the frustration would be lobbied towards the people upstairs,
and I think that would be fair. I think that

(02:04:41):
would be a very fair criticism because you know, it
isn't just you and Austin saying these things about the
Bengals glaring holes at safety and at guard. It's you know,
people who cover the other teams in the AFC North.
It is NFL you know, national and f media people.
It is talkbackers, it is people who call into the shows,

(02:05:04):
whether it be this one Moeger or Lance McAllister on
seven hundred WLW. These are all concerns that have been
raised by the fans, by media members. And if you
go in the next season and these you know wartz
continue to show, I think the frustration with the front
office will grow even more as opposed to being directed

(02:05:24):
right at the coaches.

Speaker 5 (02:05:25):
Now, if You're.

Speaker 6 (02:05:26):
Fifteen games into the season and these things are still
creeping up. You know, then maybe the coaches start to
receive a little bit of fire.

Speaker 5 (02:05:35):
But I wouldn't necessarily say it's fair.

Speaker 6 (02:05:37):
But again I go back like, this is the NFL, man,
Like a lot of life ain't fair for about twenty
nine to thirty NFL teams every season.

Speaker 3 (02:05:44):
Yep, it is if something that I'm going to be
paying close attention to as the season gets closer. Let's
take another break. We'll come back a shorter segment and
then we'll get to Moager for quick kits on this
Wednesday afternoon edition of since E three to sixty Thanks
to Penn Station on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station. Wise, Cincinnati,

(02:06:09):
welcome back since he three sixty. Thanks for joining us
on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station. A service off
our good friends at Penn Station. Anytime that you can
make Penn Station a part of your evening, uh, you
are not going to be disappointed, Hopefully not disappointed. Here
in Cincinnati tonight watching the Cincinnati Reds. They are a

(02:06:30):
set for a seven to fifteen start against the Atlanta Braves.
Grant Holmes is going to take the mound for the
Atlanta Braves two and two with a four to two
four ERA on the season. He will be opposed by
the ace of the Cincinnati Reds Hunter Green four and two,
two five three ERA on the season. What's unique here?
I think this for Hunter Green Drew. This is kind

(02:06:52):
of the position that Hunter Green should want to thrive in, right,
you need if you're the ace of the team. Yeah,
if you're the ace and your team's going through a three,
three or four game losing streak, then you have the
opportunity to.

Speaker 6 (02:07:06):
Stop it correct And this is what he asked for,
you know, this is what he wanted to be. He
wanted to be the leader. He wanted to be the
face of the Cincinnati Reds. You know, even though they
have Eli day La Cruz, he wants to be the guy. Well,
tonight's the night. Your team's on a four game losing
streak and you know, you haven't gotten a lot of offense
to speak of in the past couple of games. It's
it's go out pitch seven and don't give up a run.

(02:07:26):
Kind of kind of performing margin to margin far air
is and it's pretty much.

Speaker 5 (02:07:30):
It's not fair but it's the situation, and.

Speaker 3 (02:07:32):
Andrew Rabert's probably saying, well, why was that guy last night?

Speaker 12 (02:07:34):
Yep?

Speaker 6 (02:07:34):
When you want me to do right exactly and you know,
look at us that the night before, yep, and you
could he could go out and do that tonight and
he could still end up the same exact way.

Speaker 3 (02:07:42):
That is at seven point fifteen. Other action happening this evening,
uh Panthers maple Leafs in the NHL Playoffs Game two,
and the Dallas Stars against the uh what's it? The
Winnipeg Jets correct game one of that series, and then
of course NBA Playoff action Nicks celt Nuggets thunder. That

(02:08:03):
is getting you set. I believe for everything that's happening
tonight in the world of sports.

Speaker 7 (02:08:08):
That's right.

Speaker 6 (02:08:09):
There was a great video that came out of as
the Winnipeg Jets were playing in Game seven. There was
video of a Winnipeg Beer League Hockey league of guys
just kind of milling around on the bench and the
referee watching the game on their phones. Winnipeg scores, wait
and all the point the game just ceases, the ceases
action as love. Everybody in the rink starts celebrating at

(02:08:31):
the fact that their Winnipeg Jets were moving on.

Speaker 5 (02:08:32):
It's a great video.

Speaker 3 (02:08:33):
Love it, fantastic. Mulager is next. It's quick Hits. It's
Cincy three to sixty on ESPN fifteen thirty. Cincinnati Sports Day.

Speaker 2 (02:08:41):
Three sixty continues on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.
It's time for Cincy three sixty Quick Hits on ESPN
fifteen thirty.

Speaker 3 (02:08:52):
Welcome back. It is Sincy three to sixty. Thank you
for listening throughout the day. Thank you to Penn Station,
Thanks to Skyline Chilly, Thanks to T shirts everyone that
makes this show possible. Get it out now. Thanks to
Drew for covering the last couple of days for Austin
and doing so admirably. Uh Mowagger will join us in
UH in just a moment.

Speaker 22 (02:09:12):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (02:09:13):
The major news from the sports world is Stephan Curry
UH grade one hamstring strain real quick before we get
to mo Drew. It's so interesting because I've never seen
a player off the ball, run and cut more than
Stephan Curry.

Speaker 6 (02:09:28):
Yeah, it's pretty remarkable. He hasn't picked up just like
a tweaked hamstring or a groin or or something, or
calf or something like that, because which I would when
he when he retires, I hope somebody does a deep
dive into like the distance he ran throughout his entire
NBA career.

Speaker 5 (02:09:45):
It's got to be nuts.

Speaker 3 (02:09:46):
Yeah, and uh, to see how he can respond to
his first groin injury or hamstring injury like that, I
think is going to be uh, very fascinating, fascinating to watch.
Moulager is here, he's getting ready for the Mowagger Show.
It takes place from three to six. But really kind
enough to join us right now? How you doing?

Speaker 37 (02:10:04):
Mo?

Speaker 7 (02:10:04):
You guys great?

Speaker 5 (02:10:05):
How's it going?

Speaker 3 (02:10:06):
I'm good? Yeah, uh, nervous, excited house money tonight for
your your New York day.

Speaker 5 (02:10:12):
I don't like the house money thing, okay, and neither
did the Pacers.

Speaker 38 (02:10:15):
Go for the Gutso I want to see what the
odds are right now of Indy winning the East because
that can happen.

Speaker 3 (02:10:22):
You know, our guy Drew m hm fifteen minutes span
last night watched his calves blow that lead and then
watched Emelia Pagan blow a lead as well.

Speaker 5 (02:10:31):
To help you, Mount McLain, yeah.

Speaker 3 (02:10:34):
Matt McLean and Jake Franley, Spencer, Steve whoever you want
to send the blame on what will you do for
the next three hours on your show?

Speaker 38 (02:10:43):
Uh, this Red season is starting to feel like last
Red season. Last year we talked about the Reds depth
being tested. They failed. Today we're talking about the Reds
depth being tested. It's failing. Noel v Marte the latest
to go on the injured list. If you you don't
like Hollywood Joe Burrow, you are rooting against him to

(02:11:05):
win the Super Bowl. And we need to forget about
UC's newcomers this year. Talk about just one person that
and so much more Between three and.

Speaker 3 (02:11:15):
Six seventeen strikeouts last night, Yeah, really, well, pitch game
they have. They've played nine games where they've scored one
or zero runs already this season. They're one and eight
in those. Charlie Goldsmith alluded to it on Social earlier.
Feels like last night was maybe the tenth time this
year they've been in line for a win or should
have won a game that they ultimately lose, And here

(02:11:37):
we are talking about the same cast of characters.

Speaker 12 (02:11:39):
Sort of.

Speaker 38 (02:11:40):
Yeah, I was thinking about this watching the TV post
game last night because Brian Geesan's log and Sam Leakierre
were talking about man just a tough loss, and I'm
thinking it's not through. We're not to the first week
of May and there's already like a dozen times where
man tough loss. They're losing a lot of games like that.
Now you might go, well, the good news is they're
not getting blown out, and if they keep playing in

(02:12:01):
close games, they're eventually going to get their fair share.
But like now, they're back under five hundred. So we
got to do the whole thing about where you win
today and then get one tomorrow back above five.

Speaker 3 (02:12:12):
I mean, like, you know, the most frustrating thing about
the team is.

Speaker 38 (02:12:17):
I am as frustrated with the Cincinnati Reds today as
I've been in quite a while.

Speaker 3 (02:12:21):
Yeah, And the frustrating part is we've talked for years
about do you have a guy on the staff that
can take the ball and say, you know what, four
game losing streak over? The problem is Andrew Abbot's effort
last night did that?

Speaker 5 (02:12:32):
He was awesome.

Speaker 3 (02:12:32):
Hunter Green could very well those seven not give up
a run tonight and this team still could fail to win,
because we've seen that so many times this season. But
in reality, this is the guy you want going to
the mound when You've gone through a four game losing.

Speaker 38 (02:12:45):
Without question, he is the ace of the staff. But
Andrew Abbott did his part last night. I thought Brady
Sinder threw the ball well on Monday, he was victimized
by the Tyler Callahan play. This team starting pitching is
really good. But what did we say back in March?
We sat there at Smoke justfin home of the schedule
e Lease shows. We sat there at Tom Justice and wondered,

(02:13:07):
does this team feel incomplete? And now that in completion
bubbles to the surface because of the injuries. Who would
have thought that because the close games they're losing. Man,
they need nuelve Marte and Austin Hayes back. But here
we are, right, I mean, like last year it was
Jacob Herdabes and Connor Cable and Mike Remember Mike Ford.

(02:13:31):
I do remember like the week and a half we
tried to talk ourselves into Mike Ford. And it kind
of feels like we're doing something similar.

Speaker 3 (02:13:38):
But cool should have been back yesterday, okay today.

Speaker 38 (02:13:44):
And again I would have called him up instead of
heard a bees and fine, you know they called up resigns.
That's all well and good, but and and and maybe
he helps, but it just feels like coming into this season,
a lot of us wondered, are they going to be
better equipped to deal with depth than they were a
year ago? Yeah, does it feel like right now? The

(02:14:05):
answer is yes, It really feels like the season as
we hit the quarter pole is kind of at a crossroads.
Right It kind of feels like they've lost four straight
eighteen and nineteen road trip against tough teams right now,
like missed the opportunity this They're only making the playoffs
as they win the division. Four games between them and

(02:14:28):
Chicago is obviously not an insurmountable amount, But what's that
gap going to look like after another week if their
depth issues continue to plague them the way they have.

Speaker 3 (02:14:39):
Yeah, let me ask you a question about something that
I know you talked about yesterday, and I spend time
talking about yesterday. You know, the USA Today article that
had U see one oh three. You know, I've had
nil conversations with folks in recent months, and the conversation
is that from a basketball standpoint, the Big East is
putting a lot of pressure on other conferences because they
don't have football to pay for or so their allotment

(02:15:01):
of nil large majority goes to basketball.

Speaker 38 (02:15:03):
Well, guess what, boohoo, what does the power conferences wanted this?

Speaker 3 (02:15:07):
Well, my question then goes to the Bearcats. Let's say
doomsday scenario, they win three or four games this year,
does a conversation have to be had of you know what,
maybe we've got to start dipping into this allotment and
put more into basketball and less into football. That to
me is the doomsday scenario. But in today's nil world,
if you're competing in one of the best basketball conferences

(02:15:29):
in the Big twelve, does it make sense to put
more money into basketball if they have a better year
and say, well, sorry, football, but you're on the back burner.
You don't want to do that. But yeah, three or
four wins, you're probably looking for a new head coach.
You're looking at a basketball conference. It's it's such a
pivotal season for the Bearcats with nil lumen.

Speaker 38 (02:15:48):
Yeah, it's such a fascinating question because just take me,
for example, my favorite column, my favorite team in all
of sports is the UC basketball team. I became a
fan of the football team because I was a fan
of the basketball team. I love the football program, but

(02:16:10):
I was a basketball fan for almost twenty years before
football with you guys mattered. Yeah, and I think you
still have a lot of people who go, you know what,
if I had my choice one or the other, which
it doesn't have to be, I would prefer success in basketball.
That is still the sport that the university athletically is
most closely identified with. At the same time, football does

(02:16:31):
play in a forty thousand seed stadium.

Speaker 3 (02:16:33):
Right, and they just build a brand new facility.

Speaker 12 (02:16:36):
Yeah.

Speaker 38 (02:16:36):
Yes, the school is in the Big twelve because of football.
Football drives everything in college sports. But it's a fascinating question,
Like it's such an important year for athletically, it's an
important year for West Miller in the basketball program, but
the football program has to matter now.

Speaker 5 (02:16:55):
And like, here's the thing.

Speaker 38 (02:16:56):
In the expanded college football Playoff, everybody has access the championship.

Speaker 5 (02:17:00):
Now, it's no longer a pipe dream.

Speaker 3 (02:17:02):
Right Arizona State last year.

Speaker 38 (02:17:04):
Right, you've so so the expectation is like, if you're
in a Power four league, you're competing for championships. If
you're punting on football, you're nationally largely irrelevant. Yeah, and
not in the football playoff conversation, which means you have
no access to that kind of college football playoff money. Like,
I don't know, dude, but they this is a huge

(02:17:27):
year for UC football because number one, they've got to
re energize.

Speaker 5 (02:17:30):
The fan base.

Speaker 3 (02:17:31):
Yeah, I mean, that just is a thing.

Speaker 38 (02:17:33):
Number Two, I don't think the goalposts have have moved.
We said, last year goes six and six, then the
next year, compete, compete.

Speaker 5 (02:17:40):
I don't think that changes.

Speaker 20 (02:17:42):
No.

Speaker 3 (02:17:42):
Again, I don't think no team on the schedules projected
more than seven and a half wins.

Speaker 38 (02:17:45):
I think if you see football six and six this year,
we're gonna go, yeah, right, raise us questions, But but
how nil is spent?

Speaker 12 (02:17:52):
Sure?

Speaker 3 (02:17:52):
If you come off a season like that, I think
it's to be a very interesting combination.

Speaker 38 (02:17:56):
I mean, I think, let's let's say at the end
a year from now, you see basketball is back in
the NCAA tournament and you see football is still barely
treading water for win season.

Speaker 3 (02:18:08):
Can you justify same? Well, they get, they get the
equal amount of murder.

Speaker 38 (02:18:11):
You're gonna have people who go throw your resources into
your best asset, throw your resources into what matters most,
throw your resources into what's moving the meter right now?

Speaker 3 (02:18:20):
Is that aside?

Speaker 38 (02:18:21):
If that's where we are a year from now, but
they still have to fill a forty thousand seed stadium.

Speaker 3 (02:18:27):
M h correct, they make it hard. They baseball is
playing better. You put more resources to baseball.

Speaker 7 (02:18:33):
Like it.

Speaker 3 (02:18:33):
It's just it's a big season, as is everyone. But
when you failed down the stretch last year, you can't
take another stand.

Speaker 5 (02:18:40):
And look, here's the reality. Okay.

Speaker 38 (02:18:41):
John Cunningham has call it what it is, an unpopular
football coach. You may believe that Scott Saderfield's gonna turn
it around. I certainly hope he does. John Cunningham also
has a let's call it unpopular basketball coach.

Speaker 5 (02:18:57):
I think that's fair to say.

Speaker 38 (02:18:58):
Yeah, it's a lot of UC fans who are, if
they're not out, they're really skeptical. You hired both, Like
if a year from now football hasn't improved dramatically and
we're still waiting for UC's first NCAA tournament since twenty nineteen,
I think a lot of people are going to go,
wait a minute, you get to replace the two coaches

(02:19:19):
that you hired. It didn't work out. No, I don't
know man work. So this is a huge year for
the administration that you see as well.

Speaker 3 (02:19:27):
Which team tonight getting ten and a half points? Are
you more confident can can steal a win both teams
get ten and a half.

Speaker 38 (02:19:34):
I'm not confident in Well, I don't think they'll get
blown out, but I could see a scenario where Boston
is up comfortably and Tom Thibodeau waves the white flag.

Speaker 5 (02:19:48):
Yeah, I think Boston is more likely to cover the
ten and a half.

Speaker 3 (02:19:51):
What was more surprising to you last night? The Warriors
winning when Stephen Curry goes out after playing just thirteen minutes. Yeah,
or the comeback from Indy because the Caves had three
major contributors not playing in the game, but an eight
zero run in the last fifty seconds for Halliburton and
what Indy does. But at the same time, if you're Minnesota,
you're playing a team without Curry and you still can't

(02:20:14):
muster more than eighty eight points.

Speaker 38 (02:20:15):
Yeah, I mean it was thirty six twenty four at
one point, I think they had missed their first eleven threes,
and you just had the sense they weren't going to
come back. That Calves Pacers game was over one nineteen
to one, twelve fifty seconds to goyah, Sorry, you'll almost
try to lose. Sorry, Drew, you almost have to try
to lose. That doesn't take anything away from the Pacers,
who just stayed within arm's length. And it felt like
a few times in the fourth quarter that the Calves

(02:20:38):
were after having the fourteen point league going into the fourth,
it felt like they were still a stop and a
score away from essentially ending it. You give the Pacers credit,
You give Tyrese Haliburton credit.

Speaker 5 (02:20:50):
That's almost impossible to lose.

Speaker 6 (02:20:51):
Yeah, Yeah, Pacers are plus four to thirty right now
on fandle to win the East like.

Speaker 5 (02:20:56):
That can happen.

Speaker 38 (02:20:57):
I think Boston swept him last year. The Pacers are
better than the Knicks. Yeah, the Pacers have a two
zero lead on the Calves. Boston's got injury issues of
its own, plus four thirty, and they've got a great
coach and Rick Carli.

Speaker 3 (02:21:11):
Yeah, that's why I was gonna say, Rick Carlile deserves
a ton of credit. As we us, We're done. Mulagar
is next. It's The Mulager Show. Thanks for listening to
sinty three sixty on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station, so.

Speaker 13 (02:21:45):
Uc kwise Cincinnati, make us the number one pre set
on your car radio and on the free new and
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Speaker 10 (02:21:53):
ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 5 (02:21:55):
At Penn Station East Coast subs.

Speaker 7 (02:21:57):
Your ears may hear