8/12/25 - The Mo Egger Radio Show - Mo Egger

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
All right, here we go. This is Paul Day.

Speaker 3 (00:03):
Junior and mo Ager in studio talking all thanks General
NFL Topics on ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 4 (00:12):
How you knowing, I'm Moeger. This is ESPN fifteen thirty.
Thanks for listening today. Our show previews available on Twitter
at Moegar. Thanks to Emory Federal Credit Union your credit
union with heart since nineteen thirty nine. Go to EMRIFCU
dot org. Reds lose a tough one last night. Terry
Francona is managing with one arm behind his back. And

(00:34):
there is a local, a Cincinnati sports media member who
we are going to beg to quit their job and
go work for the Reds. That coming up a little
bit later on Tony Pike with the elateas from training camp, which, uh,
how we're going to pull that all?

Speaker 5 (00:49):
Five?

Speaker 4 (00:50):
No idea three forty five, four forty five and five
forty five. But it's Tuesday. Thankfully he didn't forget. Paul
Danner Juniors here the Growler Podcast, the Athletic dot Com
and Paul this morning was allowed to attend Bengals practice
inside the Bubble.

Speaker 2 (01:03):
Hi Paul Hi, how are you doing? Wonderful?

Speaker 5 (01:06):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (01:06):
Great, It's awesome to have you here. It's good to
be here. We have a lot to discuss, we do. Yeah,
I will do my best to be the eyes and
ears you guys in bubble.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
I do appreciate that.

Speaker 4 (01:20):
Yes, you could read Paul's work covering Bengals training camp
at the Athletic catch the podcast The Growler and so
much more, the YouTube channel daily training camp reports and
so much more, and on.

Speaker 2 (01:33):
X at Paul Danner Junior. You got them all. There's
a lot of there's a lot of different places, a.

Speaker 4 (01:37):
Lot of different places, and a lot of different things
to discuss. Did anything interesting happen at Bengals practice today
inside the bubble?

Speaker 2 (01:45):
It wasn't bad. It was fairly.

Speaker 3 (01:47):
The first Joe Burrow eleven on eleven interception of training
camp occurred Jordan Battle stepping into a pass directed to
Mitch Tinsley, who was running with the first team. All right,
just just saying form oegar ward enthusiasts out there right there.
Got the odds posted on the board are those of

(02:07):
the original. He was a plus two hundred when training
camp started. We might have to adjust.

Speaker 2 (02:11):
He might have to adjust.

Speaker 3 (02:13):
But yeah, so but there was Jordan Battle with an
interception there, and then Burrow comes back and throws a
deep ball to Yoshibash over top of Josh Newton.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
After that, a lot of trash talking.

Speaker 3 (02:24):
Orlando Brown very vocal really and yes today for whatever reason,
yelling at the defense after a touchdown and then yelling
at Jordan Battle after he did you know one of
those like celebrations you see in the Savannah Bananas when
they hit a home run or something like where the
guy goes around.

Speaker 2 (02:43):
I mean it just the celebration.

Speaker 3 (02:44):
Went on and on and on, and he was talking
trash to everybody and had run all the way held
onto the ball all the way through the goal line,
which was good. Yeah, but it went on and so
then when as you might imagine, when Burrow goes down
and gets a touch on the next drive there or
some comments from Orlando Brown directed good battle, Yeah good.
I like this back and forth competitive very much. So

(03:06):
this is what we're looking for. Yeah, that was good.
Big day tomorrow though supposedly they're going to be outside okay,
so hopefully we'll have enough space to get in out
there and we can take any but supposedly big work
day tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (03:18):
I think it's it's intended to be.

Speaker 3 (03:21):
A lot that they're going to evaluate off of tomorrow
and have it their last big day probably before they
get into you know, full prep and and waiting for
the game on Monday.

Speaker 4 (03:32):
So when you say big day, that's big day for
certain individual players.

Speaker 3 (03:36):
I think for everybody. I mean, it's just gonna be
a heavy workload day. They were trying to get guys
Zach Taylor share, they're trying to get guys through today,
So maybe managing a few people because they want everybody
to be out there tomorrow for everything that they're planning
on doing.

Speaker 2 (03:51):
Wow, So big days, anything's like beyond the ordinary. We're
gonna bring back the Oklahoma drill.

Speaker 3 (03:57):
I just think you're probably I'm gonna guess a lot
of teams a competitive, you know, a lot to move
the ball. If there's going to be a training camp fight,
tomorrow's the day if there's going to be one.

Speaker 2 (04:10):
I think tomorrow is the day that maybe.

Speaker 4 (04:12):
It's most likely that there's some sort of freakas donnybrook
brew haha, yeah, fluff, or it could have been that
day that Jamar Chase kept throwing the football to the
defensive players.

Speaker 3 (04:23):
That might have been the day that was closest to
there being a fight there. But yeah, tomorrow in the heat, long,
heavy workload day. Yes, where we're day, We're fourteen practices in. Yeah, yeah,
they're over it.

Speaker 4 (04:34):
There's still a few days away from another game. There's
still weeks away from the season, like tomorrow. Man, I
hope I'm there for it.

Speaker 2 (04:40):
I hope you are too. Yeah. Likewise, well we'll see.
I'll try to remember.

Speaker 4 (04:44):
I want to start here with a with a positive
because you know, obviously there's there's lots to chew on
from what happened on Thursday, and some of it was
not good. But I'm gonna start with some positives. Are
you ready turning over to re leaf? Like Dylan Fairchild? Yeah,
Dylan Fairchild's an NFL guard. Yeah, at least he certainly
was on Thursday.

Speaker 3 (05:04):
You went out there and there were so many questions
in turns, what was gonna happen at right guard, left guard,
you know, the defense as a whole, all these things.
You just, I think, more than anything, wanted to see
that not go poorly because I don't know that they
really have an answer if it doesn't.

Speaker 2 (05:21):
Right, Yes, that's why this is a big deal.

Speaker 3 (05:24):
It was, and it was a nerve wracking few series
to watch because it's like, how how far down or
is this starting? What's the foundation of where this left
guard thing is going to start. He's still a third
round rookie. They have cleared it where this is the guy.
I mean, they've made it abundantly clear this is who
it's going to be. So for him to go out
there playing against another fellow rookie, a backup for Philly whatever,

(05:48):
but he's out there doing it and not just you know,
not looking like a liability, right but really making nice plays,
you know, in the run game, protecting in the past game,
felt like he blended in it, picked up a stunt
at one point, good communication, all the things that you
wanted to see. He didn't look out of place. He

(06:09):
looked like he was part of a good line, you know,
in terms of playing between Kris in Orlando out there
and looked didn't look like a third round rookie like
you would expect, you know. And so now I can't
say the same for what was happening at right guard. No,
but but the fact think about how bad it would
have been if Dylan Fairchild would have gone out there
and looked like a third round rookie more so, how

(06:31):
concerning that would be. So it's a major positive when
you consider the issues that were happening at swing tackle
and at right guard.

Speaker 2 (06:38):
But I assume those things, especially at right guard.

Speaker 4 (06:41):
I assumed that I would walk away from the Philadelphia
game feeling even more uneasy than I already did at
right guard. So I needed Dylan Fairchild to just you
know what, you got that covered. I can't worry about
all these things at once, Okay, I only have room
in my brain to worry about one guard position. I'm
already knowing I'm gonna worry about it. So can you
just make it known that you could hold down the left.

(07:02):
You're gonna get better. There's gonna be some growing pains,
I understand.

Speaker 2 (07:05):
Just look like you belong And he did.

Speaker 3 (07:07):
Yeah, I mean, you know, he's if he can come
out this season and play the vast majority of the
year and you know, not be a liability, that's such
a win out of that spot. You you go the
last decade, you know, when you look at rookie third rounders,

(07:28):
how many have played more than ten.

Speaker 2 (07:31):
Games in the season.

Speaker 3 (07:32):
It's eleven in the last decade have been able to
do that, to even sustain and play that level. Some
have been good and some have been like okay, you
can see it. Some have not been as good, but
that's it's a rare thing to get there, to have,
you know, maybe one per year will be able to
do it. It certainly looks like he's positioned to do
it if he can stay healthy and continue to play
at that level. But you're you know, like we said before,

(07:53):
the biggest problem was what if he's not right. Yes,
I don't know where we're going here because they they
don't even talk about Courtell Wilson anymore right now. I mean,
his name hasn't come up hardly at all, and there's
enough issues happening at all the other spots on the
line that you can't take another thing to worry about
up there.

Speaker 4 (08:13):
When the Bengals drafted Shamar Stewart, the instant reaction was,
holy crap, they just took a guy who had one
and a half sacks last year. He can't finish plays.
And then I remember talking with you on the Growler
about like, I think the pressures can translate, and if
the pressures translate, the sacks will come. But so will

(08:34):
the mistakes by the quarterback, So will the incompletion, so
will the the third and nine incompletions. And now they
have to punt like good stuff will happen. Shamar Stewart
didn't get a sack on Thursday, but he affected the game. Yeah,
he affected the game in the way that when you
saw the amount of pressures he had, you go, Okay,
guy like that can affect the game. Now, if you
really want to nitpick, you might say, well, he didn't

(08:55):
finish those plays, that's fine. Again, if the pressures come
at this level, I assume he's gonna stumble into sacks.
I want to see a guy who could affect the game.
You and I have talked and you've written about, like
the very quick narrative change based on his first week
or soo practice where we just instantly stopped talking about
the offseason and it became about his impact. That only
continued on Thursday, and I saw a guy again one

(09:17):
preseason game against backups who can positively affect the game
for the defense.

Speaker 3 (09:22):
Last year's defensive line problems weren't just about the fact
that Trey Hendrickson got all the sacks, he also got
all the pressures. They also they also couldn't stop the run.
They weren't didn't have enough havoc, if you will, created
on the defensive line in the run game. There just
weren't enough plays in general being made. And that includes

(09:45):
just disruptions and pressures and tackles for loss or rerouting
a running back coming out of the backfield, like those
are the plays that where everybody eats. That's what a
good defensive line needs to look like. The problem is
not about how many sacks he's gonna get or how
many what percentage of sacks Trey Hendrickson's gonna.

Speaker 2 (10:06):
Have to get.

Speaker 3 (10:06):
It's just that everybody needs to be offering disruption. Yeah,
and they just almost never had that this year. So
if Shamar Stewart, whether they have him moved inside, whether
they have him on the edge, whether they have him,
you know, out covering Chase Brown on a wheel route
like he was today, you just want him to be
affecting the game positively and specifically affecting the game in

(10:29):
the backfield. And you saw him back there, even in
the few bountle of snaps that he played that. You
saw him back there, you saw him making plays, and
you can see where it can come from.

Speaker 4 (10:37):
During the contract standoff, one of the concerns was when
he shows up, is he gonna look ready?

Speaker 2 (10:43):
The answer has been yes from the jump. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (10:45):
Like I give that dude credit, man, because it was
something we feared and some went is fard to assume. Now,
what did it look like when he was covering Chase
Brown on a wheel route?

Speaker 2 (10:54):
He was right there? Okay, he can hang, Oh he
can hang. I mean I'm not right.

Speaker 3 (10:58):
I mean, I guess we're not too far from him
becoming a starting corner, but like he's he's not he's
not going to be starting quarter anytime. But I mean
the fact that he's out his athletic again, it's like
the freak show athleticism stuff. That's kind of the area
where stuff like that shows up. Yea where you know what,
he can even do something that you don't expect him
to be able to do or nor that you're going

(11:18):
to ask him to do a lot. But if it
comes to a situation where he does end up out
there in that spot, he can help you. But you know,
I just I think it's just that athleticism is conducive
to being the bottom level, the floor being that you're
going to be disruptive.

Speaker 4 (11:33):
Sixteen minutes after three o'clock, Paul Danner Junior, Theeathletic dot
Com and The Growler Podcast Bengals working out this morning
taking on the Washington Commanders on Monday night. That game
is live on ESPN fifteen thirty. See I went positive
there to start, because there's a list of things that
aren't so positive. Yeah, and we're going to talk about them. Well,
we're coming back. Thank you on ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 6 (11:55):
Cincinnati Sports Station Cincinnati's ESPN fifteenth Traffic from.

Speaker 7 (12:02):
The uc Health Traffic Center. The uc Health Backneck and
Spine Center offers innovative treatments to improve quality of life
with convenient locations across Greater Cincinnati and northern Kentucky. Learn
more at UCHealth dot com. Both seventy one exit ramps
to Redbank Road remains shut down. That is from an accident.

(12:22):
Got another accident on Red Bank Expressway near Duck Creek Road.
Some slow traffic gathering northbound seventy one between Norwood Lateral
and Redbank Road. I'm at Exelic with traffic.

Speaker 1 (12:33):
This report is three for three o'clock.

Speaker 4 (12:35):
This is ESPN fifteen thirty Moagger Paul Danner Juniors here
just giving me a review of the postgame Snoop Dogg
concert last night.

Speaker 3 (12:44):
Great time. Yeah, I loved him. I had a big time.
Five stars, five stars for Snoop Warren G. Came out
in May surprise. That's pretty awesome.

Speaker 2 (12:52):
Yeah, I want to purchase the Red's home.

Speaker 3 (12:58):
Two to one. Three was the number with warrang on
the back. So if you see somebody walking around wearing that,
it's either me or Warren G. Because I want that jersey.
I'm gonna look into getting it. How long did Snoop play?

Speaker 2 (13:10):
That's a good question.

Speaker 7 (13:10):
It was.

Speaker 2 (13:11):
I felt like about an hour and a half because
he had the bratt.

Speaker 3 (13:16):
Yeah roughs and stuff with my afrobuffs was out there
and did a couple songs. Warren G did a couple songs,
and then he obviously has a long line songs. He
did some medley's of some of the stuff where he's
dropped in on verses here and there.

Speaker 2 (13:28):
But the crowd was happy, loose. It was good. It
was good despite the fact the home team lost the
baseball game.

Speaker 3 (13:34):
Most of the people not paying attention to the baseball game.
The concourses. I'll just say, when I was walking through
to go get a drink or whatever during the game,
concourses were full, Okay they were.

Speaker 2 (13:46):
They were not a lot.

Speaker 4 (13:47):
Of folks hanging on like every Andrew rabbit pitch, Yeah,
debating with each other about leaving Andrew abbot in to
give up the the go ahead hit.

Speaker 3 (13:55):
It was being debated in my row. Okay, sure, yeah,
but not in the concourse.

Speaker 2 (14:01):
I will say.

Speaker 3 (14:01):
I will say it reminded me of on Happy Gilmore,
the original Happy Gilmore, the one.

Speaker 2 (14:09):
Well I'm not going there.

Speaker 3 (14:10):
I don't want to do that on this show.

Speaker 2 (14:15):
I'm I don't want to do this. Can I make
my point? Go ahead? Okay? Please?

Speaker 3 (14:20):
So the the original Happy Gilmore when Happy first becomes
popular and all the like crazy people start showing up
at the PGA Tour events. I feel like that's what
it was like for the Red season ticket holders last night,
looking around, like what is going on? Because the crowd
was They're feeling good. It was a good crowd, great time.

Speaker 2 (14:40):
All right.

Speaker 4 (14:41):
How how significant would you guess the Geno stone injury is.

Speaker 2 (14:48):
Soft tissue yeah.

Speaker 3 (14:49):
I mean this time of year, it look we're a
month out, okay, So I mean it doesn't I don't
think that there's concern Oh for Geno Stone being back
for week one and we've got the week to week thing.

Speaker 2 (15:06):
We never know at that mean sure, but I don't.

Speaker 3 (15:09):
You know, he certainly didn't seem to have much concern
about it being anything serious like that when we talked
to him the other day. So I don't think it's
going to be super serious. But I think it's apparent
when you listen to the language that they're using about
the safety position and the fact that there's still there's
definitely one big name still available in free agency, that

(15:32):
you know they're weighing all the options on what they
need to do there this week.

Speaker 4 (15:36):
I know I talked about this with you and Jay
on your podcast, and so I want people to listen
to that. But just surface level, this is so frustrating
to me that we are talking about something in relation
to this position where the Bengals weren't very good last
year and we're having the exact same conversation we were

(15:56):
six months ago about depth and experience, what plan be
is behind Geno Stone wondering if Geno Stone can perform
better this year. Like this just feels like a huge whiff,
And it feels like a whiff that at some point
this season, even if Genostone stays healthy, is going to
cost them in.

Speaker 2 (16:14):
A big way. Yeah, it's the what's the plan here? Yeah,
Like from.

Speaker 3 (16:18):
The beginning, it's felt like there hasn't been Okay, we're
behind Geno's Stone, but we're giving him a pay cut. Okay,
well he's gonna start, Okay, Well we're evaluating these other
people behind them whether they can even play. Okay, well,
maybe there'll be a free agent you can bring in,
but you're not gonna bring him in over top of
Genos Stone if you've already kind of been behind him

(16:40):
since they would otherwise you would have just moved on
then yeah, and brought somebody else in, you know, And
then they're like, I don't know if these guys can
do it behind him. I just then why wasn't there
somebody else here in the first place. It's just all
of it does feel very just kind of asleep at
the wheel with some of this stuff, and it's.

Speaker 2 (16:59):
Being acknowledged by the head coach during training camp.

Speaker 3 (17:03):
Well, I well, I do think that it's fair to say,
can they count on Tyson Anderson or Dejon Anthony to
play safety if need be, because there aren't a lot
of snaps for them in the regular season. On the
preseason games, there aren't and so can they I think

(17:24):
they feel like they just want confirmation that they feel
more confident about their ability to step in if necessary.
Otherwise they do have to then more seriously consider some
of the other options that are out there, whether it
be Justin Simmons or some other you know, a waiver,
a trade or whatever. Well, Tyson Anderson is not going

(17:47):
anywhere because he's too valuable a ACE. Yes, yes, he
ascended a couple of years ago from a terrific awesome.
That's that's great, That's what that you should be that
but that's fine.

Speaker 4 (17:58):
The quote from Zach Taylor are about depth and safety
is one that I would expect to.

Speaker 2 (18:02):
Have read in February.

Speaker 4 (18:03):
Yeah, I mean it reads like, as you're talking about
what your plan is going to be during the off season,
and Zach Taylor says, we gotta find out if these
guys can play I'm paraphrasing them here. That read like
something you read before they really, you know, start to
dig into their off season plan. Yeah, but not before
they play their second breseason and make a bet on
Genostone And then so you're gonna bail on the Geno

(18:25):
Stone bet that you made just because he's got a
soft tissue injury in training camp, like that doesn't necessarily
comply with what you've been doing this whole time.

Speaker 3 (18:36):
So I don't, you know, it's a it's a fascinating thing.
I think of the best case scenario, probably in their mind,
is that Tyson and Dejon both have played well enough
this week, and they play well in the game against
Washington and feel like, Okay, I feel good that these
guys can step in and do it and we can

(18:56):
go forward with the original plan. But leaving that tear
it out there of you know, not totally sure where
what's going to happen there, and knowing that there is
a guy like Simmons still out there certainly is an
interesting spot to be in or.

Speaker 4 (19:12):
An elevation up the depth chart to my guy, PJ Jewles.

Speaker 5 (19:16):
He.

Speaker 2 (19:18):
Is, he's in your guy's in the VINX. We all
know PJ. Jewles name.

Speaker 3 (19:22):
Now. He had to play the other day we're an interception.
Then he gets thrown in there with the first team
in the red zone lockout drill, and which that actually
was more concerning than anything, because it's like, oh, well,
you know, we feel so up in the air about
this position that we're just throwing PJ. Jewels in there
because he made one nice play. Oh I hate to

(19:44):
say that was my takeaway. A week ago. I didn't
know this guy existed, and now he's running with the ones. Yeah,
in red zone. That's nice, that's good.

Speaker 4 (19:54):
Yeah, all right, hang ty Paul Danner Juniors with US
Sports Headlines. Next Tony Pike coming up at about fifty
minutes on Moeger. This is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 1 (20:04):
SINCY three sixty with Tony Pike.

Speaker 2 (20:07):
Do we want to move on? Have to keep going?

Speaker 1 (20:09):
And Boston Elmore.

Speaker 2 (20:11):
I think you should continue.

Speaker 6 (20:12):
Let me keep going there SINCY three sixty tomorrow, which
twelve noons on ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 1 (20:19):
Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 8 (20:22):
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Speaker 7 (20:25):
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to improve quality of life with convenient locations across Greater
Cincinnati and northern Kentucky. Learn more at UCHealth dot com.
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(20:48):
Traffic right now being diverted using the exit and entrance
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Speaker 8 (20:54):
This report he is sponsored by the International Hot Rider.

Speaker 4 (20:57):
Kelsey's Shover Life Home of lifetime power train protection and
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kelseyshev dot com. Redsin Phillies again tonight. Brady Singer will
throw for Cincinnati. Lady of Rage will pitch for Philadelphia.
Six forty is Tonight's first pitch on seven hundred w
wel W your starting lineup tonight. TJ Friedelan center steers

(21:20):
playing first. Ellie Dela Cruz had chortes. Remember when Ellie
de la Cruz used to hit home runs? It was
fun and new Harror's dhing and batting fourth. Austin Hayesen
left martes and right field. Matt McClain plays second base
in bad seventh Trevino is catching and Santiago Espinall's playing
third base and batting ninth. Florence Yaw's or at Ottawa tonight.
Bengals had a practice this morning. We were not allowed

(21:41):
to go, but hopefully we're back tomorrow at ten am
for the Toni and Mo Training Camp show on ESPN
fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (21:48):
I feel like my life's a lie.

Speaker 9 (21:50):
Mo.

Speaker 3 (21:52):
I really thought that to Bratt did the the Afropuff song,
and that was the Bratt and it wasn't. Apparently Lady
of Rage did it. And now my whole life I'm thinking,
what else have I had so terribly wrong?

Speaker 4 (22:04):
I used to date the Lady of Rage between the marriages.
You know you didn't have to miss out. You know
you didn't.

Speaker 3 (22:15):
You didn't have to point out your own foe pos
It's okay, I want to I want to be transparent.
That's what I'm about here, you know, transparent and honest.

Speaker 5 (22:22):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (22:22):
I can appreciate that.

Speaker 4 (22:23):
The the overall performance of the defense against Philadelphia, and
we talked about their questions the Bengals have at safety.
How how much of a pass should we give them
based on who didn't play? How they dumbed down the
scheme where they are in the early stages of Al
Golden putting his fingerprints on the defense, uh their reliance

(22:45):
on younger players. How much of a pass should we
give them for that performance against Philly.

Speaker 3 (22:52):
I will give you a pass on one of those
four things you just mentioned, Al Golden still putting his
fingerprints on the defense and getting it all figured out.
Pass on that patient's gonna be necessary while he sees
what the problems are as they pop up. I mean,
the whole point of having the new coordinator his ability
to take the problems that are gonna pop up and
better handle them and better get players to play confidently

(23:14):
as these things and work the problems out of these
players as as they evolved. Which what was a problem
last year the other ones. No young players are gonna
play and these aren't all like rookies. There's a bunch
of guys that should know better that were out there. Okay,
they played against It was Tanner McKee. People keep talking about, Oh,

(23:38):
they didn't have Cam Taylor britt or Deck.

Speaker 2 (23:40):
It was Tanner McKee and a bunch of Eagles backups.

Speaker 3 (23:43):
Okay, like it can't, that doesn't that doesn't work for
me are like, it doesn't work for me, using the
con like that was their backups. You, as the Bengals
first team defense should have some level of success, Yeah,
and not have look that lost.

Speaker 2 (24:01):
I am.

Speaker 3 (24:03):
It's just it's to me, it's more from a Bengals perspective,
just disappointing than it is like some fatal flaw of
their season. You know, you see, I mean, of course,
because it's just what Twitter does.

Speaker 2 (24:19):
I mean, I saw more.

Speaker 3 (24:20):
Everyone needed to be fired after the first quarter already
the first quarter of the preseason, and we've already got.

Speaker 2 (24:24):
That it's gonna be a long It's gonna be a
long season.

Speaker 3 (24:27):
But I think that there is a patience necessary here
to give Al Golden time to try to work through
the kinks and find the players that will do the
things that he wants that won't have those issues, to
work through those issues and teach young players to be better.

Speaker 2 (24:43):
That's why he's here.

Speaker 3 (24:44):
It's sort of it's the same way that we've discussed
Tito Francona's impact on the Reds in that he's gonna,
You're gonna the team was still making those mistakes of
last year early in the season and all of that
was happen, and then the point is that he's supposed
to be here to help work those out, so over

(25:05):
the long haul you see the improvement. It doesn't just
continue to be the same things happening over and over again,
which happened with the Reds last year and happened with
the Bengals last year as well. That's gonna be the idea,
and now that doesn't Can he do it? I don't
know if how Golden's going to be able to do
that or not, but I do think there's a patiences there.
I want to know what they look like four weeks

(25:25):
into the season or in Thanksgiving at Thanksgiving in that
time more so than I'm gonna make some massive judgment
off of Thursday Night that said they were terrible, right,
And that is a concern, yes, because there was you
lose so much of the positive momentum that you gained

(25:46):
through those ten practices where it's like the theme was, man,
this defense is really gaining confidence. They're making plays, they're
stopping Joe Burrow like they seem to know what they're doing,
They're they're playing fast. All of this. Everyone was feeling
that that was not fake, that was real. And for
it then to go out and look like that is

(26:08):
just it's a concerning result because you just I think
you felt like they felt like they were in a
better place defensively than what showed.

Speaker 4 (26:17):
It's interesting you say that because I had somebody say
to me that night, mo, I thought you said the
Bengals defense had been pretty.

Speaker 2 (26:26):
Good, right, and they had. Yeah, And you've.

Speaker 4 (26:29):
Been to more practices and watch it, I think with
a far more critical eye than I'm able to. But
that was my big takeaway so many days was how
much confidence they were playing in how good they looked,
you know, how they were standing toe to toe with
an established offense that's one of the best in the NFL.
Nothing that they put on the field on Thursday would

(26:50):
suggest that what we had watched in practice actually happened.

Speaker 2 (26:53):
M H.

Speaker 3 (26:54):
And you know, you go back to something that Zach
Taylor said on Saturday, I think talking about the operational issues,
and it just literally he said, like the right amount
of people being on the defensive.

Speaker 2 (27:09):
Line, how's that where we're at?

Speaker 9 (27:11):
Right?

Speaker 3 (27:11):
But the fact that that's the type of stuff that
we're talking about, like that's the type of stuff that's
crazy to me. But you know, giant gaps in the
run game and dudes just getting turned around left and right,
I mean wide open then not knowing situationally what's happening,
and you get hit over the top before halftime, and

(27:33):
dumb penalties and you know, all of that stuff. It
just it's it makes you wonder, you know, you like
we talked about Dylan Fairchild of what level of foundation
are you starting at with this thing? It's like, Okay,
we thought that it was going to be at five,
but it's apparently we're actually going to start.

Speaker 4 (27:54):
To I've lobbied for years to be their director of
common sense, and I still want that role. I will
add to it being the person in charge of counting
how many defensive linemen in the game.

Speaker 2 (28:03):
Yeah, it's gonna be important apparently.

Speaker 3 (28:06):
Four yeah, one, show three, Okay, we're good, We're good.
Al lining up off sides on it a fifty five
yard I mean, I just you know, that's the stuff
where you're like slop, what is it's slop?

Speaker 2 (28:23):
Slop?

Speaker 3 (28:23):
And the players that commit those penalties should not be
in the games, and you can't trust them.

Speaker 2 (28:31):
And that's the frustrating part. I'll see in two weeks
I cannot wait.

Speaker 4 (28:34):
Paul Danner Junior, Theathletic dot Com, the growl of podcast,
post practice updates on YouTube, and so much more.

Speaker 2 (28:41):
You got it.

Speaker 4 (28:42):
Uh, Tony Pike will give us the latest from training camp,
which I can't wait to hear. How he does this
next on ESPN fifteen thirty. Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 1 (28:51):

Speaker 7 (28:54):
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Health Back Neck and Spine Center, all innovative treatments to
improve quality of life with convenient locations across Greater Cincinnati
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the north and southbound seventy one exit ramps to Redbank
Road are shut down that due to an accident northbound

(29:16):
seventy five at Union Center Boulevard, and it's an accident.
Traffic right now being diverted using the exit and entrance
ramps on at Ezelic with traffic.

Speaker 10 (29:26):
This report in fifteen thirty with the latest from Bengals
training Camp, brought to you by Camba Credit Union on
your official home of the Cincinnati Bengals, ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (29:40):
We do this every afternoon three forty.

Speaker 4 (29:43):
Five ish, four forty five ish and five forty five
is the latest on the Bengals training camp. Rolls on
with our guy, Tony Pike. He's with us now, Hi, Tony, Hello, MoU.
I want to look back before we look at ahead.
We've talked about Thursday night's preseason performance by the Bengals

(30:03):
and a whole lot of individuals. One guy who did
not have a good night was Jake Browning. What should
we do with his performance?

Speaker 11 (30:11):
I think right now you kind of stand pat, but
I think it's something you now monitor going forward, because
we saw Jake's value when he had to go in
and play meaningful football games and he allowed this team
to stay in a hunt. But he's also I don't
think got the ceiling that maybe Des Ritter has. I

(30:32):
think there's still a lot for Dez that's untapped. But
if I'm watching from the lens of preseason game number one,
I don't think Jake Browning is historically a good preseason player.
I don't know why that is, but I'm not calling
for him to be upended yet. But if we see
a performance again on Monday where he gets meaningful reps

(30:53):
and he throws an interception, or two and des Ritter
shows that, well, then I think you at least have
to have the converse. So I'm more holding right now.
I don't think it's an issue, but if Desk continues
to put that pressure on, I think it's something that
you start to watch.

Speaker 4 (31:08):
So the Bengals have their second preseason game against the
Washington Commanders, and the plan all along has been does
have the starters play more extensively in that game than
they did against Philadelphia? In what ways, though, if any,
would you be willing to make some adjustments to that
plan based on the status of the team right now
and what we saw against Philadelphia.

Speaker 11 (31:29):
Not to mention it, it's historically and I know they've
made some upgrades. It's not a good field in Washington.
Any sign of adverse weather or something that's going to
make the field less than desirable to play on, I
would certainly change my thoughts. If the offense was able
to do something similar to what they did against Philadelphia,
where they go down the field in the first two

(31:51):
series and they score touchdowns. I don't know what more
you could gain by leaving in Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase
and T Higgins and those guys. Now, I think it's
a it's a position by position thing. I want to
see more of the offensive line against another team's number ones,
So maybe Jake Browning gets some reps with the number
one offensive line. Defensively, I am. I'm all for as

(32:12):
much as possible. They were so so bad against Philadelphia.
If they can get a full half in against Washington
and Washington's playing some of their starters, I would do that.
I wouldn't deviate from that at all. But you know,
I think a lot is based on how those first
couple drives go and how the field is at that point.

Speaker 2 (32:30):
Yeah, I would agree with that.

Speaker 4 (32:32):
A good coaching staff always makes adjustments on the fly,
just as we did this morning.

Speaker 2 (32:36):
Tony, thanks so much.

Speaker 11 (32:37):
I'm about that, Thanks mo.

Speaker 4 (32:39):
Tony Pike back with this four the latest from Bengals
training camp coming up at four forty five, and he
and I have the AE Door and Window Tony and
Mode Training Camp show beginning at ten am tomorrow on
ESPN fifteen thirty. Of course, Tony is also back for
Sincy three to sixty at noon. Lots of good stuff
on the Bengals that hour. Meanwhile, Reds lose a tough
one night at GABP and Terry Francona pressed the wrong button.

(33:05):
I think there are times where a manager presses the
wrong button and it's obvious in real time that he's
pressing the wrong button. I didn't view it quite the
same way. I didn't have a major issue. I would
have taken Andrew Abbott out, I will admit that, but
I understood why he did what he did. I didn't
have a major problem with it. I don't like the results,

(33:26):
but yes, Tito pressed the wrong button, but there's that's
not the problem, and we're gonna get to what the
problem actually is. The Reds are not hitting right now.
There's a local member of there's a member of the
local sports media that I'm going to beg to change jobs.
We've got Brendanman and Jones on baseball coming up, and
you'll hear Zach Taylor as well. Plus we've got to
come up with some poll questions at Moe Egger on Twitter,

(33:52):
which when we do, there'll be a service of United
Heartland Insurance. There's no better way to save money on
your insurance than by checking out you i NS dot com.
Your phone calls are welcome as well at five one, three, seven,
four nine, fifteen thirty and eight sixty six, seven oh two,
three seven seven six. We are guest free except for
Tony Pike at four forty five and five forty five

(34:15):
on ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station for two nights.

Speaker 1 (34:20):
The home on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 4 (34:23):
You sure have thanks for listening to ESPN fifteen thirty.
Much appreciated. Hopefully you're having an awesome Tuesday. Awesome stuff
as always from our guy, Paul Danner Junior.

Speaker 2 (34:32):
On the Bengals.

Speaker 4 (34:33):
Tony Pike rejoins us at four forty five Brendivan and
Jones on baseball, you'll hear Zack Taylor and I am
gonna beg a local media member to go work for
the Reds. Speaking of which, Red's lose a hard one
last night. Let's be honest this time of year, every
loss is a tough one, every loss is meaningful. The
Reds are in a postseason hunt. They lose a half

(34:54):
game to the Mets last night. They waste a brilliant
pitching performance by Andrew Abbott. They waste some really good
defensive plays. I felt like last night that game was
doomed after the third inning. If you were if you
were watching, or if you were at the ballpark last night,

(35:14):
it felt like it felt like through three innings like
the Reds had dominated the game. Andrew Abbott in the
first three innings was perfect. He got some help key
Brian Hayes makes a great play in the second inning.
Last night, the Reds had a lot of traffic on

(35:36):
the bases, yet they only had a one nothing lead
through three innings. When Noelve Martez struck out with two
on in the third, it just from where I was watching,
which was my living room, the air kind of came
out of the blown and it was interesting. Tommy Thrall
said on the radio side something to the effect of
after the Reds I think had played the field in

(35:58):
the second inning like there was a little bit more diskiness.
And I'm paraphrasing him here to the Reds performance in
the first three innings, they had played really good, Chris Baseball.
They had gotten a good start from Andrew Abbot for
the first three innings and obviously that would continue, and
they put a lot of guys on base, had an
early lead, and it just felt like they let too

(36:19):
many opportunities slip through their fingers in the first three
innings that you couldn't help. But wonder when is that
going to come back to bite them? And at some
point isn't Taiwan Walker going to figure it out? And
while he didn't strike out a lot of guys and
gave up a decent amount of contact, most of the
contact was soft. The Red score just one run last night.

(36:39):
We know how things unfolded in the eighth inning. Now
it would be easy for me to yell and scream
and pretend that I feel like Tito Francona got it
wrong in the face of a whole bunch of evidence
that he shouldn't have brought Andrew Abbot or kept excuse me,
excuse me Andrew Abbot game in the eighth inning to

(37:02):
give up the hit to a trade turner. If you
know how the top of the eighth inning went, He
struck out the first two hitters, he gives up a single,
he gives up the double, which I have no idea
what Gavin Lux was doing out there in left field.
I frankly at times wonder why Gavin Lux plays as
much left field as he does. But that leads to
the game being tied, Trade Turner comes up for his

(37:22):
fourth played appearance of the night. Tito decides to leave
Andrew Rabbit in the game. We know what happened. He
gets a single, they lose the game. Tito then brings
in Tony Santim, who leads the sport in relief appearances.
He gives up. He gives up a bomb to Kyle Schwarber,

(37:44):
which felt like they measured it at four four hundred
and four feet. Frankly, it felt like it was more
than that. They reviewed it. I guess to make sure
it was a fair ball for to one ball game.
We know how it ended. Let's hear from the particulars first.
This is Tito on the decision to stick with Andrew
Abbott with two outs in the game tied in the

(38:06):
eighth inning last night.

Speaker 2 (38:08):
Hy sight's always twenty twenty.

Speaker 12 (38:09):
Did you have any thoughts of not giving him the
eighth or you know, having someone.

Speaker 2 (38:13):
Warming up to start that inning?

Speaker 9 (38:15):
No?

Speaker 2 (38:15):
I got Tony up, but no, I thought he again
he struck out first two hitters. That's like, didn't look
like he was out of gas.

Speaker 4 (38:24):
Yeah, I mean, I'd love to pretend that in real
time I was losing my mind over the fact that
he left Andrew Arabbit in the game. I wasn't I
got it, I understood, I didn't think that to that
point Andrew Abbot looked like he was out of gas.
I didn't think that to that point, he looked like
he absolutely had to be pulled. I don't know that

(38:46):
I would have blamed Tito for employing a formula that
has worked for most of the season, which is, let's
give the game to Tony Santien to see if he
can get out of this. I also can't pretend that
I thought in real time it was like the worst
decision ever to leave Andrew Drew abo in, but it
didn't work. And so you know, he hit the wrong button.

(39:07):
There's there's no there's no getting around it. He pressed
the wrong button. Now we we've got to talk about
Tito's button pressing here in a second. Obviously we're not
talking about real buttons, but here's Andrew Abbott talking about
being left in to give up the go ahead hit
the trade turner last night.

Speaker 12 (39:25):
You know, I executed a pitch to so so he
just took it the other way. A good piece of hitting.
And then Wilson just got his barrel out in front
of the change up and was able to hook it
to a place where no one was playing. You know,
it's hard. It's gonna be hard to make that play anyway.
And then you know, I had a mental mistake and
I didn't back up the base to allow Trade to
get the third after the second run it scored. So

(39:45):
you know, we'll probably work on that again too, or
just be reminded of that as well. But you know,
just they hit some good pitches from me, and then
Trey just took advantage of a slider that didn't exactly
get where I wanted to. It was going that way,
but he just caught it out in front. But he's
also been here for a while. He knows that pitch
is a good one that I rely on, and he
just got out ahead of it. So you feel like
you had enough in the tank to get through the eight.

(40:07):
Oh absolutely, yeah. I mean they asked me how it felt.
I felt great. You know, I feel like our game
plan was really spot on today. I mean it just
boils down to making pitches and you know, I had
a you know, I didn't make a couple and you
can get paid for it.

Speaker 4 (40:19):
Andrew Abbott showing some accountability there. You know he didn't
back up the play wouldn't have mattered. It wasn't like
the run scored. It wouldn't like the runner advancing. The
second came back to bite him all that much because
the next guy, Schwarber, hit a ball nearly to Newport
off Tony Santin, but made it about himself, took the
pressure off. His manager said all the right things you
feel for Andrew Abbott because he was awesome last night.

(40:41):
Got some help from his defense. Mentioned the Kabrian Hayes play.
Elie Dela Cruz makes a brilliant play at shortstop and
then noelv Marte throws Bryce Harper out by five feet.
Noel ve Marte has had his issues in right field,
but twice now teams have chosen to test his arm
and he has passed that test through Bryce Harper out
by four or five feet last night. The Reds, by
the way, have lost four of the five games since

(41:03):
the All Star breaks started by Andrew Abbott.

Speaker 2 (41:05):
I think he has.

Speaker 4 (41:06):
Pitched legitimately poorly in one of them. The rest of
them he has been fine. You gotta win games when
your staff ace makes the start the Reds did not
last night. That is not Andrew Abbot's fault. You can
pin it on Tito Francona if you want. Here's the problem.
The problem is this, the Reds offensively have stunk since

(41:29):
the All Star break. They haven't been good all season long,
and they've really stunk this month. The Reds have played
ten games in the month of August. In eight of
those games, they've scored three runs or less. They have
these brief outbursts right these brief outbursts where they score

(41:52):
fourteen run against the Pirates on Sunday, or eleven runs
in that crazy game a week ago this past Thursday
against Atlanta. Those are extreme outliers from a team that
the norm is they don't score a bunch. When you
don't score a bunch, your manager has to have an
extraordinary hit rate when it comes to late game decisions.

(42:17):
There are a lot of managers who would have left
Andrew Abbott in last night, but maybe some of those
managers would have been managing that situation with the lead.
It's a two to one game instead of a one
to one game, or it's a three to one game
instead of a one to one game. This team's offensive issues,

(42:39):
Let's be honest, they're probably not going away. Maybe Miguel
and Duhar is an awesome hitter, even better against righties
than anybody ever could have imagined, and he's gonna crush
lefties the rest of the way. Maybe that happens, and
maybe an individual player on this team gets hot, Maybe
Elie Delacruz figures out how to hit the ball out

(43:00):
of the ballpark again at some point. But the most
likely outcome is if the Reds make the postseason, it's
going to be in spite of their offense. And if
the Reds missed the postseason, it's largely going to be
because of their offense or a lack thereof. That lack
of offense is forcing Terry Francona into a position where,
in a situation like that, he's got to hit the

(43:22):
right button. When you don't hit the right button, your
team is playing in a lot of close, low scoring games,
and if you hit the wrong button, the team's offense
isn't good enough to bail you out. The problem with
Trade Turner getting the hit last night, even before Schwarber
hit the two run homer, is two to one felt

(43:43):
like ballgame I know this team has come back to
win some games this season. They scored eight runs in
the eighth inning a week and a half ago. But
be honest, you've watched this team all season long. You
recognize and in some cases celebrate their strengths. The starting
pitch is terrific, the bullpen work has often been quite good.

(44:05):
They have shown a pluckiness and resilience that is admirable.
They have bounced back nearly every single time they suffer
a gut punch of a defeat. They win the next day.
They stay in the hunt. They are only two games
out of a wildcard spot because of a lot of
those things. But they're not a good offensive team, and
especially right now the way they're hitting. That two to

(44:26):
one last night felt like six to one. That's not
Terry Francona's fault. Every manager, over the course of a
season is going to make a decision about leaving a
starter in or taking them out in favor of a
certain reliever, and the game goes the other way. Either
the starter gives up a big hit or the reliever

(44:46):
he brings in gives up a big hit. Every manager
is going to get that wrong. It's placed under a microscope, though,
when you have this massive deficiency like the one that
Tito Francona has, and that massive deficiency is the offense,
they haven't been a good offensive team all year long.
I was reading Charlie's Chalkboard by Charlie Goldsmith, who kind

(45:10):
of points out that like beside besides Elie de la Cruz,
like you know where he is, and besides maybe TJ Friedel,
you know where he is in the batting order, and
I guess besides key Brian Hayes, who's earmarked for ninth
Like on a nightly basis, I'm not sure that any
of us could really identify who should hit where. It's

(45:34):
one thing to say that about your team in April.
It's something else to say about your team in August
when they're in a playoff race. It's extraordinarily frustrating. It's
got to be extraordinarily frustrating for the manager. But what
it does is it shrinks the manager's margin for error.
It's not totally unlike two years ago. Tito Francona all

(45:55):
acknowledge is a better manager than David bell. I think
we would all acknowledge that David bell I thought two
years Ago did a brilliant job keeping the reds afloat
when he had to go to the bullpen in the
third and fourth inning every.

Speaker 3 (46:07):
Night during a playoff race. To this day, I don't
think he gets enough credit for that. Every night his
team took the field with the manager of the team knowing,
I'm probably gonna have to go to the bullpen before
the fifth inning. I'm gonna have to figure out a
way to get the last twelve or fifteen or maybe
eighteen outs with relief pitchers.

Speaker 4 (46:28):
When that's the case, invariably, you're gonna bring in the
wrong guy. Inevitably, you're gonna push the wrong button and
make a decision about a relief pitcher either taking one
out or putting one in that backfires. It's unavoidable. It's
kind of the same thing with Tito Francona. As long

(46:48):
as this team is not scoring, you're asking the manager.
I'll be it a Hall of Fame one. You're asking
the manager to be perfect. Even Terry Francona probably can't
be perfect. So yeah, man, you could second guess. That's
the beauty of baseball. It's the fun part of baseball.
I'll second guess him. I would have put in somebody

(47:09):
who wasn't Tony Santion, because Tony Santion still came in
and gave up a two run homer, And that dude
has been way overworked. He didn't get the job done
on Friday night in the eighth inning. I'm worried about
him the rest of the way. He has pitched in
exactly half their games they've played one hundred and twenty.
Maybe Hunter Green coming back and maybe Nicklodolo coming back
is gonna make the bullpen better and enhance the number

(47:31):
of good choices that Tito has. But as long as
this team doesn't hit, and they're in a profound offensive
funk right now. The fourteen runs on Sunday notwithstanding, But
as long as they continue to not hit, they forced
the manager into a position where he's gotta hit the button,
the right button, every single time. I don't know that

(47:54):
that's gonna be a winning formula, not if the idea
is to leapfrog the Mets and then stave off the
Mets and any other team that may get hot between
now and the end of the season. So the issue
last night isn't Tito leaving Andrew Abbotten or Tito bringing
in over work Tony Santion. It's the fact that the

(48:15):
Reds bats went silent after the third inning, and offensively
they're so bad right now that when it became a
two to one game, it felt over that cannot be
the case, especially if this team really has realistic designs
on playing in the postseason. Eighteen minutes after four o'clock
five point three seven four nine, fifteen thirty is our

(48:36):
phone number. You'll hear part of Zach Taylor coming up
in just about fifteen minutes. By the way, there's a
part of this conversation that I just you lose me with.
We'll get to that a little bit later on. But first, uh,
I'm asking for a job change from one local writer.

Speaker 1 (48:51):
Next Cincinnati's eftor four o'clock.

Speaker 4 (48:57):
This is ESPN fifteen thirty. My name's Mollegger. Thanks for listening,
Crediman and Jones on baseball. Maybe Today to be about
Baseball is coming up in just about thirty minutes. Anything
you may have missed on this show or others, go
get on the iHeartRadio app. Podcasts of this show are
a service of long Next Sports Grill. I like reading

(49:18):
Charlie Goldsmith so he dives into the Reds offensive issues,
the state of the Reds offense his newsletter, which is
free you should subscribe.

Speaker 2 (49:27):
Go do that.

Speaker 4 (49:28):
In fact, he has another one that I just saw
a few minutes ago. Guy cranks out content at an
amazingly high rate, but he doesn't dive into the Reds offense.
The Reds offensive issues are pretty pronounced and have been
for most of the season. And while I think the
Miguel and Doujar acquisition made sense and his paid dividends,
let's be honest. We're not talking about somebody whose historical

(49:51):
statistical profile would suggest major, major, major difference maker, although
he should be able to make an impact against lefties.
But the point that everybody has made, and Charlie highlights
it in his piece is since the trade deadline, the
Reds have offensively gone into a tailspin. They've had these

(50:12):
individual nights where they've scored a bunch of runs like Sunday,
like the eleven run game against Atlanta that they lost,
but the norm has been the Red score three runs
are fewer. Sometimes they win those games like they did
on Saturday. But the fewer rung you score, get this,
the fewer runger score, the less of a chance you
have of winning. So one of the things Charlie does

(50:34):
is he dives into something that an approach that the
Reds could deviate from.

Speaker 2 (50:41):
We'll put it that way. I don't want to.

Speaker 4 (50:45):
Give away Charlie's content, but I'm going to read this
brief passage here. The Reds have a three fifty five
average and a nine to eight OPS against the first
pitch this season. These stats were prior to last night.
They're all well above average, and yet, as Charlie points out,

(51:07):
they have put in play the second fewest first pitches
in all of Major League Baseball. So when Reds hitters
do swing at the first pitch, they're really good, well
above league average nine thirty eight ohps three point fifty
five batting average. Yet no team in baseball except for one,

(51:29):
has put the first pitch in play less frequently than
the Reds. Charlie points out the average team swings at
the first pitch thirty two point three percent of the time.
The red swing at the first pitch twenty nine point
seven percent of the time. Charlie also mentions the Reds

(51:49):
have the fourth fewest played appearances in Major League Baseball,
decided by swings and counts with zero strikes obviously the
first pitch, or with the hitter ahead one, two or
three to zero, And he writes, too often they watch
a good pitch land for a strike early in and
at bat. Go read the rest Charlie's chalkboard, it's very good.

(52:10):
Free subscription guy cranks out an insane amount of content
that said, I want Charlie to quit and go work
for the Reds because this data is not hard to access.
Good for Charlie for accessing it. It's not hard to access.

(52:32):
So all year long, we have been talking about the
Reds offensive issues, how they can get better at the deadline,
who they can call up from Louisville, what lineup tweaks
can be made, how who do they need to get
who's on the injured list at any given moment. Right,
We've done this all season long. Yet one thing the
Reds have been really good at, as proven by the stats,

(52:55):
is swinging at the first pitch, not letting good pitches
land for a strike, not falling behind zero to one,
swinging early, and being aggressive, which, by the way, and
Charlie has it in his piece. There's a quote from
Austin Hayes aboutter how aggressive at times the Reds have
been early in the count and the success they've had.

(53:15):
Charlie points out the Reds are among the more patient
teams in baseball when it comes to looking at the
first pitch, yet when they have hitters who swing at
the first pitch, there's a pretty high success rate. Charlie
is wasting his time sports writing he should be hired
by the Reds because he's pointing something out that I

(53:43):
don't know. I would expect maybe the hitting coach Chris
Valaka to point out, or somebody in their support staff,
maybe a person in the front office, perhaps the manager himself.
As awesome as try Charlie's coverage is, I'm left to
think that he's better applying his talents to actually, you know,

(54:05):
helping this team offensively hit a little bit more by
putting in front of them data that apparently nobody else
with the Reds has access to, namely, how good the
Reds have been when they swung at the first pitch,
but how infrequently Reds hitters actually swing.

Speaker 2 (54:24):
At the first pitch.

Speaker 3 (54:26):
Charlie, please go work for the Reds. I don't know
if you could be the hitting coach. But do they
still have like three hitting coaches? Remember was it last
year they had like they had a hitting coach and
then an assistant to the hitting coach, and then I
think they had an assistant to the assistant or too
many damn coaches? Can can Charlie do us a favor?
Can can we get somebody with this franchise to at

(54:48):
least subscribe to Charlie's chalkboard so they can access data
that they might be able to turn over to the
players so they could week their approach and do something
that actually has been successful for this team this season.
Thank you, Charlie, thanks for coming up with that data.

(55:12):
Can you at least tell the Reds where they can
access this data?

Speaker 4 (55:17):
The Reds have at time has been accused of being
behind the times. I think from an analytics perspective, they're
they're pretty much caught up with everybody else. Can we
at least show Chris Valaka, Hey, here's some numbers that
would suggest you got to get your hitters to start
swinging earlier in the count.

Speaker 3 (55:34):
We'll see they are three hitting coaches. They still have
three hitting coaches? Yes, what's the third guy? Do you
have two assistant hitting coaches. Have three hitting coaches sports headlines,
and you'll hear Zach Taylor next on ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 6 (55:54):

Speaker 7 (55:58):
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Speaker 1 (56:32):
ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati's sports station.

Speaker 4 (56:35):
Forards headlines are service at Kelsey Chevrol home of lifetime
powertrain protection and guarantee credit approval from their family to
yours Life, kelseachev dot Com, Reds and Phillies again Tonight
at GABP six forty the first Pitch seven hundred WLW
Brady Singer and Rangers Suarez on the Hill Reds trying

(56:58):
to bounce back after last night. It's tough FO one loss.
Your starting lineup this evening, get your scorecards and pencils ready.
Of course, Friedel's and centers steers at first base. Ellie
Taylor Cruz is playing shortstop and batting third, Miguel and
Douhar is dhing and hitting fourth. Austin Hayesen left, Martes
and right, Matt McClain's and second base, batting seventh. Jose

(57:20):
Travino is catching and hitting eighth, and Santiago Espinal is
playing third base. He is batting ninth. Reds after losing
last night, two games out of the last wildcard spot
behind the New York Mets, who begin a series tonight
against the Atlanta Braves. Hunter Green talked earlier today, we'll
have that for you in the five o'clock hour. Meanwhile,
the Florence Yawls on the road tonight taking on Ottawa.

(57:44):
BJ Hill back at Bengals training camp practice today, practice
number fourteen. Bengals ramping up big day tomorrow playing the
Washington Commanders on Monday. We'll have the Ae Dorin Window,
Tony and Mode training Camp show. We think at ten
o'clock tomorrow morning live on ESPN fifteen thirty. I had

(58:04):
a couple of other things and I lost them because
I am completely and totally disorganized. The brackets for the
twenty twenty five Shriner's Children's Charleston Classic, which is not
that easy to say Shriner's Children's Charleston Classic. Say that
five times that they should have a thing where if
you say that five times fast, you win tickets to

(58:25):
the Shriner's Children's Charleston Classic. Xavier is gonna play Georgia
in the first game that'll tip off at nine o'clock
on Friday, November the twenty first, and then either West
Virginia or Clemson either one pm or three thirty pm
on Sunday. There you go, and the Cincinnati Open is
continuing in Mason. Zach Taylor talked earlier today. You want

(58:46):
to hear some Zach Taylor, Of course you do. There's
been and I will admit that I feel like I
feel like the Bengals did Jermaine Burton slightly dirty here
by not being proactive when they saw all that he
wasn't at practice on Sunday. He insists, I missed that
practice because I'm injured. He was spotted working out on

(59:07):
the rehab field today. Here is Zach talking about the
Jermaine Burton injury situation.

Speaker 13 (59:15):
Get hurt.

Speaker 14 (59:16):
It might have been during the game, some swalling, and
so it'll be day to day. He'll do some rehab
work on the rehab field today, which we'll be inside,
so that'll be outside, and then we'll see if we
can't get him into this next tranch practice.

Speaker 3 (59:28):
We got anything on Saturday.

Speaker 14 (59:32):
Boy, it would have been I mean, if it happened
in the game, that's one of those things. You don't
really play the game and then you come up the
next day. It's an off day. So I mean, he
reported it and so we knew. I know, it cuts
you off guard, but you know it's all good. He's
doing everything Canny get back.

Speaker 2 (59:47):
On the field.

Speaker 4 (59:48):
Okay, there's Zach Taylor earlier today. The timing is a
little bit weird, right, they played Thursday. Apparently he may
have gotten hurt off day Friday. He was a go
on Saturday and then I know show on Sunday. But
that's the explanation. Jamaine Burton tweeted it out yesterday. Zach
Taylor confirmed earlier today Obviously, the Bengals have a new

(01:00:10):
defensive coordinator. Under that new defensive coordinator, the defense against Philadelphia,
needless to say, left a lot to be desired. Here
is Zach on how to evaluate players playing in a
new system.

Speaker 14 (01:00:23):
Yeah, we're just mental errors. We look at technique, we
look at you know, none of that stuff changes. So
I think that just the communication, the overall communication are
all things you can evaluate. Then who can go out
there and make some players, make some one on one opportunities?
Who can tackle on space, who can cover, you know,
in a one on one situation?

Speaker 8 (01:00:41):
And I was you know that.

Speaker 14 (01:00:43):
I thought in the second half of that game, the
guys did a great job. You know, it's it's really
They held them to a field goal and we got
a penalty, and so they got the rekick and field
goal they missed, and they did a good job minimizing
the points of help them through another field goal, and
then we got a penalty and gave up a two
year touch on the next play. But I thought those
guys responded well at halftime and voted up and gave
our team a chance to come back and in fight
to be in the game.

Speaker 2 (01:01:02):
All right, One more Zach Taylor.

Speaker 4 (01:01:04):
The NFL has a different overtime rule in the regular
season this year, aligning it with what they do in
the postseason, so now both teams are guaranteed to possess
the balls. Zach has had certain philosophies when it's come to,
you know, managing the end of games, maybe most famously
against Baltimore last year, where they went for two down
by one in the final half minute of the game.
That was the correct call, even if it didn't necessarily

(01:01:28):
result in what we all wanted to see, which was
the Bengals scoring the two points and then winning. Zach
talked about the new overtime rule and the fact that
that's not going to necessarily make him change his philosophy.

Speaker 14 (01:01:42):
I don't think we've ever lost because we got the
ball second, you know, So for us, all the games
are kind of played out naturally. How this rule is
going to be, so it hasn't, don't. I don't believe
the San Francisco game we got the did they get
the ball first in overtime in twenty one we got

(01:02:05):
a first and we yeah, and then they went owsk touchdown.
So that was the only one that was kind of
lingering in my mind. But everything else I think has
played out how this will play out.

Speaker 7 (01:02:14):
So you won't change much for your philosophy.

Speaker 14 (01:02:17):
There would not be much that would change with my philosopher.

Speaker 4 (01:02:19):
Now, all right, there you go, Zach Taylor Earlier today
Bengals and Commanders on Monday Live on ESPN fifteen thirty.
Tony Pike Live with US.

Speaker 6 (01:02:30):
Next Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 8 (01:02:35):

Speaker 7 (01:02:38):
On the Red Bank Expressway, traffic being diverted around the
area of Duck Creek Road that from an accident that's
also got the seventy one north and southbound off ramps

(01:03:00):
two Red Banks shut down. An eastbound Fort Washington Way
accident between seventy five and US fifty. On that, eazelk
with Traffic.

Speaker 10 (01:03:08):
Team thirty with the latest from Bengals training camp brought
you Boy Hollywood Casino, Lawrenceburg, on your official home of
the Cincinnati Bengals, ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (01:03:21):
Twelve away from five o'clock.

Speaker 4 (01:03:22):
Tony Pike joins us every hour with the latest from
Bengals training camp. Bengals are in between preseason game number
one preseason game number two. Tomorrow is going to be
a heavy workday for the Bengals. We'll have a covered
for you, we hope at ten am with the AE
Door and Window Tony and Moe Training camp show.

Speaker 2 (01:03:39):
Hi, Tony, Hey, Moe.

Speaker 11 (01:03:42):
Tomorrow really sounds like a practice that would be fun.

Speaker 2 (01:03:44):
To be at.

Speaker 4 (01:03:45):
I hope to be there, hope to be broadcasting from it,
and if not, then I would be sorely disappointed. He
would be both so Al Golden, his defense on Thursday
left a lot to be desired. Put your defensive coordinator
had on. I know you have one. If you're Al Golden.
Where do you start when you try to have a

(01:04:05):
better effort on Monday night?

Speaker 11 (01:04:08):
You know, I think so much of the talk has
been just dumbing it down. I don't think you can
add much more at this point. I think you have
to continue to refine what you have in from a
playbook standpoint, and from there, you know, maybe you can
branch off a little bit. Look it's also going to
help when you get four or five six guys back
that aren't, you know, participating, that are projected to be

(01:04:30):
in the starting lineup. I get that, but you know,
you have to understand, if you're Al Golden, you've got
a group of guys that are are essentially fighting for
their NFL lives, a lot of guys that we don't
know the future of a lot of guys that you're
going into this year saying, man, this player even needs
to show something or you know, the writing's kind of
on the wall. You got to use that to try
to motivate some of these players, give them the opportunity

(01:04:53):
to be in the best possible spot. There's only so
much you can do with it. From a defensive coordinator standpoint,
I thought out Golden did a good job of get
guys in one on one situations. They didn't win the
one on one situations. I thought he put them in
a good spot to make tackles. They didn't make a tackle.
The long run that was given up where the whole
looked like the size that a truck could drive through.
That is a defensive tackle stunt that was not executed correctly.

(01:05:17):
So there's only so much you can do, but seeing
where they're at and what they were, I don't think
you can add much and expand much in the playbook.
I think you got to keep it pretty basic and
see if they go out there and make the improvements
from one week to the next.

Speaker 4 (01:05:30):
All right, Tony, awesome? Well chat again coming up at
five forty five. I know you can't wait. All right,
mo Tony Pike joining us on the race and Claire
roofing hotline. He is back with me at five forty five,
and we have another edition of the Ae Doring Window
Tony and Mode Training Camp Show tomorrow morning at ten
am on ESPN fifteen thirty. We have more on the
Reds to get too coming up in the five o'clock hour.

(01:05:52):
What is I think going to be frustrating about the
Kyle Schwarber discussion Hunter Green talk just a short while ago.
You'll hear that we'll talk about a huge six or
seven weeks for him, and so much more coming up.
At first, it's Brendanman and Jones on baseball.

Speaker 2 (01:06:09):
I have heart failure and being out.

Speaker 3 (01:06:11):
Of one thousand dollars and a trip to our iHeart
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Yes, m fifteen thirty al.

Speaker 2 (01:06:28):
Right, I'll do that.

Speaker 3 (01:06:29):
Six after five Mikeelo Ultra five o'clock Happy Hour on
ESPN fifteen thirty moig Or, thanks for listening, Thanks.

Speaker 4 (01:06:37):
For Michelol Ultra. You gotta be honest with you. I
could use some ice cold mid culture right now. If
you're headed to the ballpark tonight, get one. If you're
posting up before the game tonight, get one. If you're
watching or listening at home, get one. Grab a six
pack on the way home. Just please drink responsibly, of course,
some superior taste superior like beer.

Speaker 2 (01:06:56):
Michelol Ultra.

Speaker 4 (01:06:57):
We we've had a lot going on today, lots with
the Bengals, BJ Hill back at practice today. There continues
to be no movement as it relates to Trey Hendrickson,
which I've got a question about that will get to
coming up in just about thirty minutes. More from Tony
Pike on Bengals training camp at five forty five. If
you missed Paul Danner Junior from earlier today. We'll have

(01:07:20):
that podcast for you on the iHeartRadio app. We've you know,
the game last night was frustrating. I just do me
a favor, Do me a favor. Spare me this. Okay,
the Rids are two game out of the Wildcard, two
games out of the wildcar behind the Mets. Certainly, it
has felt like and there's still some time we have

(01:07:41):
a quarter of the season in front of us, but
it has recently taken on the feel of a two
team race for the last Wildcard between the Reds and
the New York Mets.

Speaker 2 (01:07:51):
Now it's it's.

Speaker 4 (01:07:52):
Worth mentioning despite going into Selmo, the Cardinals are just
a game behind Cincinnati. Sam Francisco is two and a
half back. You cannot discount those teams. I'm not sure
that either the Reds or Mets have earned the benefit
of the doubt that you're just going to dismiss any
one of us are going to dismiss the Cardinals or

(01:08:13):
the San Francisco Giants. So though San Francisco has recently
lost three consecutive games, we will see. But just spare
me this, because I have I have gotten this when
I've talked with people face to face. I have gotten
this on email, and I certainly have seen it on
social media. Hey, it's just great. The Reds are playing

(01:08:36):
meaningful baseball games in August.

Speaker 2 (01:08:40):
Sure it is.

Speaker 4 (01:08:42):
Sure it is by the way they played meaningful games
in August two years ago. They played meaningful games in
late September two years ago. They played meaningful games in
August and September. In twenty twenty one, it's an entirely
different dynamic, but they played meaningful games in September of
twenty twenty. It's time for the Cincinnati Reds to start

(01:09:06):
playing baseball games in October. They should be and I
would like to think that the people who run the
club would agree with this. They should be judged at
the very bare minimum by whether or not they play
games after September the twenty eighth, which is when they
play Game one sixty two. The idea is to compete for,

(01:09:30):
conten for and win championships, not simply finish in seventh place,
but take solace in the fact that they.

Speaker 2 (01:09:37):
Played meaningful baseball down the stretch. Do better than that,
Hopefully this team does. Now.

Speaker 4 (01:09:45):
Kyle Schwarmer hit a big two run home run last night.
He's due to be a free agent this offseason, and
there's obviously gonna be no shortage of teams interested. He
is stated, at least to a degree, a desire to
stay with the Philde if you Phillies, stay in that clubhouse,
stay on that team, which he fits so well in.
But he's asked questions about, you know, the possibility of

(01:10:07):
playing for other teams, and by no stretch of the
imagination should a player like Kyle Schwarber dismissed the possibility
of going anywhere. We played the audio yesterday of him
talking about, you know, you know, maybe maybe maybe playing
for his hometown team, because, as you probably are aware,

(01:10:28):
Kyle Schwarber is from Middletown. Nick Castiano's talked about Kyle
Schwarber maybe coming back and playing for his hometown team.
This has been written about recently on Cincinnati dot Com,
same at the Athletic dot Com see Trent Rose grants.
A couple of things about this. Number One, this is

(01:10:49):
not debatable. If you have a chance to sign Kyle Schwarber,
you should sign Kyle Schwarber. The Reds haven't had a
thirty plus home run hitter since twenty twenty one, they
had three. Ellie Dela Cruz can hit home runs. Ellie
Dela Cruz, I'm not sure quite yet, is established as

(01:11:10):
a guy who hits home runs consistently enough that you go,
you know what, We're good. We don't need another power threat.
Ellie Delacruz this season has nineteen dingers on the year.
He is going through a little bit of a home
run drought. I think it's fair to wonder is he

(01:11:31):
even going to reach thirty. Ellie hasn't gone deep in
a game since July thirty.

Speaker 2 (01:11:38):
First.

Speaker 4 (01:11:39):
It's the only home run he has hit, hit in
that crazy Thursday night game against Land, and the only
one that he has hit since June twenty third. Love
Ellie Dela Cruz. Elie Dela Cruz is going to be
a star in this league. I don't know that he
is going to be like a dude that you go
every year, a guy's going to hit thirty maybe even
if he is. Kyle Schwarber is a player who over

(01:12:03):
the last three seasons has averaged nearly forty three and
a half home runs. That takes into account this season,
which is not finished, and he leads the national league
with forty two. Yes, the answer is yes. I know
some are going to point to his age. Kyle Schwarber
is currently thirty two. He'll be thirty three during spring

(01:12:23):
training next year. Don't care.

Speaker 2 (01:12:25):
Some we're gonna point to the fact that you know.

Speaker 4 (01:12:29):
He might be if you decide he' gonna play him
in left field, might be a little bit of a
defensive liability. Look, for pretty much my entire life, the
Reds haven't had a good defensive player in left field,
so I don't really care about that. And for the
most part, he's a DH. He's played in the field
for whoppings fifty eight innings for the Phillies this year.

(01:12:49):
He is a DH. You might argue there are some
other players that may fit better at DH the Reds
have right now. I want the guy.

Speaker 3 (01:12:56):
Who's pretty much a shoe and it hit forty home
runs in every single year.

Speaker 4 (01:13:01):
So if the question is should the Reds be interested
in Kyle Schwarber, there's only one answer.

Speaker 2 (01:13:07):
It's yes.

Speaker 4 (01:13:09):
Why for a team that is so deficient when it
comes to a long ball threat you would even consider
saying no. I have no idea. There's no reason to
say no to the answer. The question of are you
interested in Kyle Schwarber. Are you interested in a guy
who averages forty home runs per season? Of course the
answer should be yes. Of course the answer should be yes,

(01:13:30):
gets on base, hits home runs, sign me up. Don't
care that he strikes out a lot. Don't care that
he might not be a fit anywhere with the glove.
Want the dude that you pop into the middle of
the order, or as the Phillies do, at the top
of the order, bat second, and I want that guy
in my club. Now, if the question is, well, can
they afford it? Sure, yes, don't have access to their books.

(01:13:52):
I'm going to assume the answer is yes, even if
that would mean you would get into a bidding war
with other teams. Now, if you want to say, well, no,
not Kyle Schwarber, No, no to the money, then show
me a better idea, like I'm not looking for a
dude who well you know, and in a good year
he could hit twenty to twenty five home runs, Like
I want a dude that you go every single year.

(01:14:13):
That guy could hit forty And if it's an age thing,
I'm trying to win in the short term. I don't
care if I've got to sign the guy for an
extra year at a hefty amount of money when he
might be slightly past his prime, can he hit forty
home runs next year? Would you bet on Kyle Schwarber
if he gets through a full season, regardless of where
he plays in twenty twenty six, hitting forty home runs?
The answer is yes. The problem, though, is we did

(01:14:38):
this a little bit when somebody flirted the idea of
going after Pete Alonzo this offseason, which would have made
a lot of sense. By the way, that even though
writers will write about it, and even though folks like
myself will talk about it, that it feels like almost
a non topic because you assume the answer is going
to be no. Now you might attribute to the fact

(01:15:00):
that baseball's economics are at a whack. I don't really
go down that road nearly as much, but it's frustrating.

Speaker 2 (01:15:06):
Right.

Speaker 4 (01:15:08):
You want to go into the offseason entertaining the Reds,
maybe adding a guy like Kyle Schwarburn, and frankly, I
couldn't care if he's from Middletown, Ohio or Middletown, Virginia.
I don't even know if there's a Middletown Virginia. That's
irrelevant to me. What's relevant is that dude next season
is going to hit forty home runs for someone?

Speaker 2 (01:15:28):
Why not here?

Speaker 4 (01:15:30):
I think the frustrating thing is we're conditioned to automatically
dismiss the possibility before the offseason even gets here.

Speaker 2 (01:15:41):
That's got a change.

Speaker 4 (01:15:43):
The only way it changes is if the Reds go
out of their way to sign a guy like that.
Barring something unforeseen over the next few weeks, he will
be a free agent. And again, this has nothing to
do with where he's from. I think it's written about
and he's asked about it because he is from here.
And I expect Kyle Schwarber to be open minded, at
least publicly about every team in the sport. But the

(01:16:06):
problem is when someone, whether it's into a microphone or
just among your buddies at work, mentions what Kyle Schwerber's
a free agent, he would make sense instantly. The inclination,
the immediate response, and I get it, is to shoot
down the idea. At some point. It is my deepest
wish that with this franchise that changes. I'm not sure

(01:16:31):
it will. I mentioned this and we got to get
a break in and we'll take some phone calls. But
I mentioned this with Tony and Austin during Quick Hits
at the end of their show. Right before mine that,
Jason Williams of The Inquirer wrote a column about Hunter Green,
basically saying, like, dude, it's time and the money for
me is irrelevant. Hunter Green is one of the great
bargains in the sport. I'm a huge Hunter Green fan,

(01:16:55):
but Jason's right about this. Hunter Green is going to
start tomorrow. This team badly needs him. Look, I wish
Hunter Green right now played left field and you could
stick him out there and he can help this offense.
Help from offense. Help for the offense probably ain't coming.
And if you're relying on well, they can go bring
up sal Stewart.

Speaker 5 (01:17:13):
Cool.

Speaker 4 (01:17:14):
You're pinning your hopes on a twenty one year old,
and you know, right now, forget the likes of Will
Benson and Cees frankly not that interested. So they've decided
to lean into starting pitching. They've decided to lean into
pitching in defense. Hunter Green makes their pitching and their
bullp they're starting pitching and their bullpen better. When he's healthy,
we know what he can do. There's legitimate questions about

(01:17:38):
why it takes him so long compared to others who
go through similar injury situations, Why it takes him so
long to come back. That might be a topic for
another day. The bigger issue right now is Hunter Green,
who two years ago could not help the Reds independant race,
is being added to the team tomorrow to make a start.
He'll make eight or nine starts. A. Can he stay healthy? B.

(01:18:03):
Can he pitch as effectively as the Reds need him
to pitch? C? Can he pitch more effectively than he
ever has? Can he be counted on now across the
course of a full season? He might argue the answer
is no, because he's never gotten through a full season
without suffering an injury. But it is sort of time right.

(01:18:24):
Like again, I think he's a huge bargain. They're not
paying him a ton of money relative to what a
lot of people will tell you. It's the eighty second
highest paid starting pitcher in the sport. But he is
one of the faces of this franchise, has been a
part of this franchise since twenty seventeen, has been a
big league pitcher. Now this is his fourth year. He
is going to be pitching, perhaps in some of the

(01:18:46):
highest leverage games of his big league career. The Reds
have made him a foundational piece, a cornerstone. Your cornerstones
have to come up big. Hunter Green's got to start
coming up big. I'm really interested to see whether his
start tomorrow looks like his first start back. I think
it was against the Cubs when he came off the
entry list the first time, and it was abundantly clear

(01:19:06):
he didn't have much stamina. Does he have enough stamina?
Does he emerge from the start tomorrow healthy? And can
he be counted on to give this team seven or
eight really good starts to help this team get to
the postseason. You'll hear from Hunter coming up here in
just a few minutes. Five point three seven four nine
fifteen thirty is our phone number at Moager on Twitter.
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(01:19:29):
vibrant communities for all good at Delta Dental, oh dot com.
It's nineteen after five o'clock. This is ESPN fifteen thirty,
Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 1 (01:19:38):

Speaker 7 (01:19:42):
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an accident near Duck Creek Road. Traffic is directed around

(01:20:02):
that area seventy one North and South off ramps too.
Red Bank also remained closed off. And one more accident
on Alexandria Pike. That's south of the Double A Highway.
I'm at eazelic with traffic. This report is sponsored.

Speaker 4 (01:20:15):
ESPN fifteen thirty. Moegar, Thank you so much for listening.
Let's talk to other folks. I've droned on long enough. Bob,
You're on. You're on ESPN fifteen thirty. Thank you for
holding on, Bob.

Speaker 2 (01:20:25):
How are you.

Speaker 5 (01:20:27):
Doing great?

Speaker 9 (01:20:27):
Doing great?

Speaker 5 (01:20:30):
Yes, sir.

Speaker 9 (01:20:30):
We rode the right arm of Miles Michael as last
night to another win. Miles went five and two thirds
without giving.

Speaker 5 (01:20:41):
Up a hit.

Speaker 2 (01:20:41):
I know you're a big fan, oh man.

Speaker 9 (01:20:44):
I love the guy, and I'm hoping that John Leselac
before he leaves the team makes one more contract extension
to the great Miles.

Speaker 4 (01:20:55):
Michael another one. Huh, really, you just want him to
be a Cardinal for life.

Speaker 9 (01:21:00):
Well yeah, yeah, I.

Speaker 5 (01:21:04):
Don't think we could do it any better than that.
But are we half a game behind the Reds? Now?

Speaker 4 (01:21:11):
I think it's a whole game, isn't it isn't? Aren't
the Cardinals Cardinals the three behind New York and the
Reds are two?

Speaker 5 (01:21:18):
Is that what it is? Okay? Okay? Yeah?

Speaker 4 (01:21:22):
Like, well you be because the Cardinals they were like
sellers at the deadline, right. This is not the first
time this has happened, though, where they're kind of sellers
at the deadline and then they make the postseason. So
will you be mad if your favorite team actually makes
the postseason?

Speaker 9 (01:21:37):
Oh no, no, no, no, I won't be mad in
the least, but I.

Speaker 3 (01:21:42):
Will be I will be mad at the Cardinals because
in a year where the Reds kind of tried to
go for it, the Cardinals tried not to and they
still make the postseason and the Reds don't.

Speaker 2 (01:21:54):
That would be infuriating.

Speaker 5 (01:21:57):
I can understand that.

Speaker 9 (01:22:00):
And you know, the things that that that I'm kind
of interested in is Nolan Aeronado is not played now
for a couple of weeks, and Nolan Gorman has taken
over a third base and my god, two errors last night,
two throwing airs and uh the the ball just every

(01:22:21):
time it's hit to him, you you don't know where
it's gonna wind up. But and the guy is a
natural third baseman, So maybe it's just the fact that
you know, he hadn't he hadn't played there much over
his career in the big leagues anyway, but uh jj
Weatherholt is on the way. So if it's close down
the stretch model, I hate to say it, but yeah,

(01:22:43):
a guy like that could make a big difference.

Speaker 2 (01:22:46):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:22:46):
Perhaps, I I just I worry that I'm gonna watch
Sonny Gray get a couple of big victories down the
stretch and they're going to leave frog the Reds.

Speaker 2 (01:22:56):
I'll tell you what. No, he's been great, He's been awesome.

Speaker 4 (01:22:58):
Easy to rooport likewise, Yeah, likewise, yeah, you know, Bob likewise.
You know, we talked about the Reds interest in him
prior to twenty was that twenty twenty four, twenty twenty three,
we talked about the Reds interest in reacquiring him, and
recently he has been awesome and the Cardinals did not
try this offseason. They tried to trade away Nolan Aronado.

(01:23:21):
He nicked that he hasn't played in forever. They sold
at the deadline. They're a game behind the Reds. Would
be like the most Cincinnati thing ever in a year
where you know, we get excited about the Reds maybe
having a chance to make the postseason. They tried. They
didn't really go all in, but they tried the deadline.

(01:23:43):
They make some improvements to some areas of their team,
and the Cardinals beat them out. Obviously, both have to
catch the New York Mets, who are trying to break
a seven game losing streak tonight, beginning a series against Atlanta.
Sports headlines next, more phone calls coming up ESPN.

Speaker 6 (01:23:59):
Fifty Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 8 (01:24:05):

Speaker 7 (01:24:08):
Redbank Expressway, it's an accident near Duck Creek Road. Traffic
is directed around that area. Seventy one North and South
off ramps too. Redbank also remain closed off and one

(01:24:31):
more accident on Alexandria Pike that's south of the Double
A Highway. I'm at ezelic with traffic. This report is
sponsored by fat.

Speaker 4 (01:24:39):
Home Mom Lifetime powertrain Protection and guarantee credit approval from
their family to Yours for Life, KELSEYSHEV dot Com, Reds
and Phillies again tonight at GABP. Brady Singer Ranger Suarez
on the Hill six forty is tonight's first pitch on
seven hundred WLW Reds are two games by the Mets

(01:25:00):
and the chase for that last wildcard spot. New York
opens up a series against the UH Atlanta Braves tonight. Meanwhile,
we were just talking about the Saint Louis Cardinals, who
are not trying, but they're still in the wildcard hunt.
They have the Colorado Rockies at Bush Stadium tonight Florence.
He also on the road against Ottawa. Bengals. Had a

(01:25:21):
practice today, They practice again tomorrow. Bj Hill was back today.
Tomorrow's workout at ten am. We'll have it covered for you,
we hope. On the AE Dorn Window Tony and Mo
Football Show starting at ten o'clock tomorrow morning on ESPN
fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (01:25:33):
We mentioned Hunter Green talked earlier today.

Speaker 4 (01:25:35):
Here is the guy who was supposed to be the
Red staff Ace talking about his return, which is expected tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (01:25:43):
One hundred percent.

Speaker 15 (01:25:45):
You knows. I've taken that expectation and that role on.
I embrace it. Obviously. I am in that position to
be able to bring change and difference. And like I said,
nothing is guaranteed, you know, to sit here and say
that to throw a no hitter tomorrow, nobody can say that.
But like I said, all I can control is putting
my best foot forward through this rehab process. And I've

(01:26:07):
done that, so.

Speaker 2 (01:26:09):
You know, whatever happens tomorrow happens.

Speaker 15 (01:26:11):
And I just feel like I've been able to do
everything I can in this process to put myself in
the best position moving forward.

Speaker 4 (01:26:18):
It feels like he hasn't pitched for the Reds in
the years. Last start for Cincinnati was June thirty. He
was asking a question about whether or not he's prepared
to make an impact as the Reds push for a
playoff spot. There you go, let's see here, Mike go ahead.
Excuse me, you're on ESPN fifteen thirty. Get after you, Mike,
How are you?

Speaker 5 (01:26:38):
Thank you more for the allowing me, hunh, you better
get it together, brother, You're gonna be Walley Pip of
the pitchers. I just I don't wish ill on any
of these guys. And I hope Hunter goes on to
when I saw young and stuff, but he just don't
seem to him a lot of dog games. I don't

(01:27:00):
know him personally, but I do know guys like Kurt Shilling,
and there are other guys that used to pitch a
semi dinged up and I just don't know how much
toughness Hunter has. Again, I have not way a basis
but other than his history of not not pitching that much,

(01:27:22):
So it must be tough for you. He's your favorite
Reds player, but he doesn't play that much.

Speaker 4 (01:27:27):
Well, I mean, that's frustrating in and of itself, Right,
he gets hurt a lot. He's not gone through a
full big league season without getting hurt, and so that
in itself is frustrating. I think it's also it's fair
to wonder why it seemingly takes him longer to come
back from specific injuries that maybe another pitcher or another

(01:27:48):
player might not take as long to come back from. Now,
I certainly do subscribe to the belief that the athlete
knows his or her body. And I certainly do understand
that if you're just not mentally there and not mentally
ready to perform, then you probably should I do understand that.
But look, I mean, he is a centerpiece of who

(01:28:10):
they are. He is one of the crown jewels of
the franchise. He is supposed to be a staff ace.
They need him. I mean, I'm not going to question
his toughness. I'll just tell you they need their staff
as to contribute to the team. They need a cornerstone
of what they're doing in a central part of who
they are to be exactly that when the games matter

(01:28:31):
the most, they are in the thick of things. This isn't,
you know, three years ago where they're playing out the string.
This isn't two years ago when their bullpen and starting
pitching issues were too much to overcome. He is a
key figure on a team that has a legitimate playoff chance.
He's got to come back. He's got to pitch well.
And if he is ever going to achieve what many

(01:28:52):
of us believe he can, he cannot unless he can
establish a pattern of staying healthy. I don't know that
that's so much a toughness thing, but it is. It
is fair to question how reliable he is until he
changes the narrative.

Speaker 5 (01:29:07):
Well, I'm going to pray for the guy because he
seems like such a squared away a young man. He's
very composed and focused and all the things you want
to see in a professional baseball player. So I hope
it goes down for him tomorrow.

Speaker 4 (01:29:24):
There's a lot to love about him. And by the way,
when he before he got hurt, he was having a
very good year. I mean, you know, but it feels
like forever ago because he hasn't pitched in forever, and
I sort of discount those starts after he came back
because he clearly wasn't himself, But over his first seven
starts he was. He continued to be one of the
best pitchers, at least in the National League.

Speaker 5 (01:29:46):
Absolutely, and I hope tomorrow he shows everybody what he
really is about.

Speaker 2 (01:29:51):
Hope.

Speaker 13 (01:29:51):
So the problem the problem is the problem is we've
got two lefties and the Reds hit and two twenty
against lefties.

Speaker 5 (01:30:00):
So we've got Rangers Suarez tonight sub three e r
and we got Christopher Sanchez tomorrow night. Almost around Abbot's
e r low low twos.

Speaker 13 (01:30:14):
Yeah, it's a tough road to ho here, mom, isn't it?

Speaker 4 (01:30:19):
I frankly, and you're right. I mean there, they've been
much worse against lefties. The road is tough to hoe
for this team as long as they continue to not hit.
And I think they're offensive issues. They to me seem
like they're independent of which arm the pitcher on the
other team is throwing with. But sure, look they're playing,
They're playing good teams this week, they have a long

(01:30:40):
road trip next week. They have offensive issues that since
the All Star Break you cannot ignore. They've got to
figure out a way to squeeze a little bit more
offense out of an already offensively challenged club and against
the teams that are playing right now. I think it's
reasonable to question whether or not they can do that.

Speaker 5 (01:31:01):
Now. That was did I hear? I don't know if
you've hurt any of Boston and Tony Show, but Austin
had mentioned that Polenka. I think he said Polenka hit
the hitting coach that they're more interested in line drives
than home runs. Did I hear that correctly?

Speaker 2 (01:31:18):
Well, Chris fa Lake is a hitting coach.

Speaker 4 (01:31:20):
I think Chris Velaka fits in with the overall organizational
philosophy where just if you look at roster construction, it
is felt like the Reds are not that interested in
home run hitters, you know, they're they're not that interested
in players who are a threat to hit the ball
out of the ballpark thirty five or forty times. That
they want guys who are higher contact rate, higher on

(01:31:41):
base percentage, and you know, might hit for a higher
batting average.

Speaker 2 (01:31:46):
And certainly those guys could help you.

Speaker 4 (01:31:48):
But I don't know why you have to be completely
adverse to a guy who's a you know, more of
a pure home run hitter.

Speaker 5 (01:31:55):
Yeah, that's what I was thinking, And I just I
just don't get it.

Speaker 9 (01:32:02):
Molly.

Speaker 5 (01:32:02):
You've been saying this the whole season. We've got to
get somebody who like Kevin Mitchell or somebody who might
get two thirty five but he can hit forty moms. Now,
do you think that this swarbrid thing. I hate to
get ahead of ourselves.

Speaker 13 (01:32:17):
Hell E's this year, but do you think the fact
of the being in his hometown might enable him to
take agree to take less money than the Yankees or
the Dodgers or the Cubs or somebody would offer.

Speaker 2 (01:32:32):
I don't know.

Speaker 4 (01:32:32):
Maybe I'm guessing no because I feel like more often
than not, the answer to that question is no, regardless
of where the guy's from. But I do think it's
interesting that a couple of people who cover the team
closely and are who are well sourced are writing about
Kyle Schwarber's future and tying it to his hometown. That

(01:32:53):
doesn't necessarily mean that he is going to sign here,
doesn't necessarily mean that he is even going to think
about signing here, But I do think that's I do
think that's interesting, which the fact that people who cover
the team closely are asking questions about Kyle Schwarber and
writing about Kyle Schwarber would suggest to me that they're
coming from a place where they have heard that the

(01:33:14):
Reds will at least show interest.

Speaker 5 (01:33:16):
And one thing I know about you, you like interesting,
thank you have a great nice.

Speaker 4 (01:33:21):
I do like interesting Kyle Schwerber, Kyle, I like home runs,
and I like interesting. There's no, there's no no to
the question of should the Reds have interest in Kyle Schwarber.
The answer no, like you lose me just instantly. What
you don't want a guy who has forty home runs
every single year, well his age, I don't care. I
want to win now, I want to win the coming years.

(01:33:44):
I am willing to pay the freight down the road
if you know, you end up getting a guy when
he's slightly past his prime, and look that to me.
The overall point, though, is this that when the topic
is brought up, the assumption is that it's stupid to
even talk about because the Reds aren't going to be
in the mix, either because you believe they can't afford him,

(01:34:05):
or they're just not willing to pay, or there's a
cheaper alternative somewhere. By the way, there might be. I'd
like to see who it is. The frustrating thing for
me is that when the topic gets brought up, it's
instantly met with don't waste your time, don't waste your breath,
because there's no chance that's going to happen. By the way,

(01:34:26):
that's not solely an MLB economics issue either, like we
won't even flesh out the merits, the pros and cons
of signing him versus not signing him purely from a
baseball perspective, because we just assume it's not. And so
there's two reasons I think it would be awesome to
sign Kyle Schwarber. One is he hits a lot of

(01:34:48):
home runs and the Reds don't have a lot of
long ball threats.

Speaker 2 (01:34:51):
Number Two, it would change that narrative.

Speaker 3 (01:34:55):
Wait a minute now, so the Reds can actually jump
into those waters and acquire player who have a specific
skill set but cost a lot of money because they're
really good at doing that one thing.

Speaker 4 (01:35:05):
Well, like yes, bigger name that kind of thing. It
would be awesome to have them change that narrative just
a little bit. Five point three seven four nine, fifteen
thirty is our number sixteen away from six Tony Pike
on the Bengals.

Speaker 6 (01:35:19):
Next Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty traffic.

Speaker 7 (01:35:25):
From the uc Health Traffic Center. The uc Health Backneck
and Spine Center offers innovative treatments to improve quality of
life with convenient locations across Greater Cincinnati and northern Kentucky.
Learn more at UCHealth dot com. It is an accident
on Red Bank Expressway near Duck Creek Road. Traffic still
being directed around that area seventy one north and southbound.

(01:35:49):
The off ramps to Redbank also closed off from that
accident southbound one twenty eight broken water main approaching Harrison.
I'm at ezelic with traffic.

Speaker 10 (01:35:58):
Then fifteen thirty with the latest from Bengals training camp,
brought you by Skyline.

Speaker 2 (01:36:04):
Shulie feeling good.

Speaker 10 (01:36:05):
It's Skyline time on your official home of the Cincinnati Bengals,
ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 4 (01:36:14):
All right, one more check in on the Rays and
Claire roofing hotline with our guy Tony Pike, who's with
us every hour, with the latest from Bengals training camp.
If I said, Tony, if you're a Duke Tobin, you
run the Bengals. If I said to you, you could
have the best available player, but only one at one
of these three positions, I'm interested in what you would

(01:36:35):
say if I said you could have the best available
player to help the safety position, the best available player
to help the cornerback position, and the best available player
to help the guard position for the Bengals right now,
what would you take?

Speaker 11 (01:36:48):
I would still take the offensive line. And I think
that you may say, well, safety seams like those less depths,
there's more unknowns. I would agree, but at the end
of the day, I don't know that one top tier
safety will change the overall dynamic of the defense. I
don't know if another position can do that on defense.

(01:37:09):
What I do know is if you shore up the
guard position, you give this offense an opportunity to be
the best offense in the NFL because you do what
you can do to protect Joe Burrow. So I don't
think adding one safety can change the whole defense. I
do think adding a solid pass blocking guard could make

(01:37:30):
you feel so much more comfortable on offense and open
up even more for this offense to reach their peak.
Because we know the one thing that derails all of
this is if Joe Burrow is unable to play seventeen games. So,
knowing what we know and what we've talked about about
the safety position, I would still lean guard.

Speaker 2 (01:37:46):
Yeah, I mean I would. I would disagree Tony.

Speaker 4 (01:37:48):
Thank you so much, Tony Pike with us on the
race Saint Claire roofing hotline. Not that they shouldn't be
in the market for every position, especially guard, and I
certainly do agree with the perspective of Joe Burrow. Keeping
him up right is the most important thing. It's priority
number one for this franchise. I'm concerned about safety. I

(01:38:13):
think it's fair to be concerned about safety even if
Genostone is completely healthy like he was bad last year.
I mean, I don't know if there's a better way
to put it, and acknowledging that he did play better
toward the latter part of the season behind him, Man,
it just it feels like they're kind of playing with fire.

Speaker 2 (01:38:32):
And I'll acknowledge.

Speaker 4 (01:38:33):
That you could say some of the same stuff about
what they're doing on the offensive line. But you know,
we've talked about this so much. I remember, you know,
back during January when we were doing topics about you know,
the way the off season was gonna unfold, and it
felt like for a lot of people the biggest priority
was going to be safety. One of the reasons why

(01:38:53):
we talked about safeties in the draft was they needed
help back there, maybe some short term depth, perhaps some
long term solutions, and they did nothing. And when you
hear the coach read the cote, the quote from Zach
Taylor where he talks about needing to find out if
they're deep enough back there, you know, that reads a
lot like a quote that you see from a coach
going into the offseason when they're evaluating their roster. Not

(01:39:16):
a quote from a coach coming off of their first
preseason game. We will see. Don't forget Monday night. It's
the Bengals end Commanders on ESPN fifteen thirty. That game
will kick off at eight o'clock. We are the pregame
show beginning at three ZHO five, and the Tony and
Moe Training Camp Show, who continues tomorrow ten o'clock in
the morning from Bengals training camp. Practice music has started,

(01:39:41):
so the show is ending.

Speaker 2 (01:39:42):
We have to go.

Speaker 4 (01:39:43):
Thanks to Tarren Bland for producing, and thanks to you
for listening. Have an awesome Tuesday night. This is ESPN
fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 2 (01:40:02):
Five s Excus

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