8/7/24 - The Mo Egger Radio Show - Mo Egger

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Out in their first preseason game. Coverage starts Saturday at
three on ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the Bengal.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
I am gonna give you a chance to do something
we could all benefit from right now, today, right now. Okay,
whatever you're doing, if you're at work, if you're you're
driving around, no matter what you're doing right now, you know,
it's fun to play pretend, right It could be really

(00:28):
fun to play pretend. So I want you now this
this is gonna sound really cool. Tell me you're not
gonna want to do this, Okay, I want you to
pretend that your Ellie Dela Cruz. I mean, you know,

(00:49):
when we were kids and some of us would pretend
we were Boomerasiasin or Eric Davis or later on, Nick
van Exel. We're gonna do that with Ellie Dela Cruz.
It's gonna be a lot of fun. No matter what
you're just right now, imagine your Elie Dela Cruz. I'm aleager.
This is ESPN fifteen thirty. Good afternoon, Thank you for listening.
Show preview videos up on x thanks to Emory Federal

(01:12):
Credit Union, your credit union with heart since a nineteen
thirty nine. Go to EMERYFCU dot Org. An hour from now,
our buddy Phil Steele on college football. We got the Bearcats,
who Phil says are going to a bowl game. Sign
me up for that. We'll talk Buck guys, Wildcats, RedHawks,
and maybe a few other things depending on time. Phil
joins us in an hour. I say this every year.

(01:35):
There are two things I did on vacation. One I
do every year I print out the Phil Steele Digital
Magazine and I spend my vacation devouring it over three
hundred and fifty pages. The other thing I did is
I found that pastaive is that I talked about yesterday
that I was not able to replicate last night. No
one cares about that. Phil joins us in an hour.
Tony Pike at the venue originally known as Paul Brown

(01:57):
Stadium is covering Bengals training CAMPRAC This today's workout open
to the public. Tony is there, he joins us, coming
up in less than forty minutes. Don't forget Bengals Bucks
on Saturday night. Another Ellie Dela Cruz show in Miami.
Last night, the best trade deadline acquisition for the Reds,

(02:18):
where the Miami Marlins being on the schedule four times.
They play the third or four Tonight, win eight to two.
Last night, Nicolodola was mostly really good. Red's get a
homer from Tyler Stevenson, who I think we should talk
about today. They get another homer from ty France, and
they get a four hit night from Ellie Della Cruz.

(02:39):
Ellie Dela Cruz, according to OPAH or OPTI stats, is
the first Major League player in the modern era goes
back to nineteen hundred to do the following Have back
to back four hit games. Did that in Miami this week.

(03:01):
Have a game with four hits and four more stolen bases.
Have a game with four more extra base hits. Have
a game with four more walks. No other MLB player
has done that in one hundred and twenty four years
over his entire career. Ellie's done those things this year.

(03:22):
Nobody has put together those four things over the entirety
of their career. Ellie's done it in four plus months.
You want to pretend you're Elie Dela Cruz, So let's
do it. Pretend you're Ellie. You got the forty four,
you got the goal change, you have limitless potential. You

(03:44):
are one of the most popular players in the sport.
You are becoming one of the faces of the sport.
You're already an All Star, you're one of the most
talked about baseball players on the planet. That's a pretty
good place to pretend you are right now, So do it.
Pretend you're Eli dela Cruz. Now you might be asking, well,

(04:06):
why are we gonna go play baseball game? No, we're
we're not. It'd be cool if we were, but we're not.
What we are gonna do is this because I, uh,
you know, I spent some time on this last night
on social media, because when Elly has a good game,
we have to start talking about twenty thirty for some reason. Now,
I did the topic four or five weeks ago where

(04:27):
I said, man, I got really good news for you,
really really really good news for you. The really good
news is Eli de la Cruz is under contract with
the Reds for the next five seasons. Multiply one hundred
and sixty two times five, that's like eight hundred something.
He's under contract to play that many games for the Reds.

(04:48):
That doesn't even include the rest of this year. That's
really good, But I get it. For many that's like
the big thing. What are they gonna sign Elie Dela Cruz?
Are they gonna pay Elie Dela Cruz? Are they gonna
keep Ellie? Is he? Is he gonna go play for
the Dodgers or the Yankees? Is he gonna go? Is

(05:09):
he gonna go play for the Cardinals. I'm not worried
about such things because seems to me to be a
waste of energy. But let's do the exercise. But let's
do the exercise from well, you're you're Ellie Dela Cruz.
Would you sign a contract with the Reds right now?

(05:29):
Five point three seven, four nine, fifteen thirty. Now, remember
you're pretending you're Ellie Dela Cruz, which means you're not
the dude who's lived here for decades who's a diehard
Reds fan. You're not a lifelong Cincinnati and who just
wants nothing beyond what's best for the Reds. You're Ellie
Dela Cruz. You play for a franchise that might be

(05:55):
on the uptick, but you also play for a franchise
that has never proven it can win, that often goes
out of its way to have the people who run
it talk about their limited financial resources. Are you are
you foregoing a chance to hit free agency in five years.

(06:19):
You know what's in front of you. You know you
have a golden opportunity in the coming years to establish
yourself as one of the best players in the sport,
to establish yourself as one of the most marketable figures
in the sport. And you know the benefits that come
with being able to establish yourself over the period of
six years. What you get is free agency that isn't earned.

(06:43):
Right you get to free agency, you can choose among
your suitors. Would you give that up?

Speaker 3 (06:55):
Like?

Speaker 2 (06:55):
I know this is easy. I know this is easy
from where you and I sit, right, we want what's
best for the Reds. We want the Reds to do
something that demonstrates their commitment to winning. What if you're
Ellie and they come to you and say, you're trending upward,

(07:18):
let's buy out those arbitration years. In fact, let's do
more than that. Let's go ahead, let's go ahead and
make sure you can't hit free agency now for a while.
And you know we're going to lock you in through
twenty thirty something. You doing that, I'm not gonna be
completely honest with you. I'm not and there are benefits

(07:41):
to not hitting free agency. There's also benefits to pushing
back free agency a couple of years. And you know,
I mean, there's nothing that says Ellie can't sign with
the team but also still hit free agency when he's
like twenty nine years old or thirty years old and
still break the bank. There's the security that comes with it.
There are a lot of things benefits to it. But
wait a minute, I've been told I have limitless potential.

(08:04):
I know I have limitless potential. I know I'm one
of the most marketable players in the sport. I know
I'm just starting to scratch the surface as to what
I can do. Hey, you know what I want to
do one days? I want to hit free agency, or
I at least want to get closer to free agency
than I am right now, which I'm still five years away.
I also, like, we make it about money, right, we

(08:26):
make this about what the Reds got to pay. Awesome, Yes,
at some point there's a lot of guys they may
have to pay, but you know what they also have
to do that they also have to, like I don't know,
make the players that they want to keep feel good
about their ability to win and their capability of winning

(08:46):
and their willingness to do everything that it takes to win. Like,
if you're Elie Dela Cruz, you put yourself in his shoes.
There's probably a lot that you love about the Reds,
but there's also a lot that you know about the Reds.
All Right, So this franchise hasn't won in forever. They
just they haven't won in forever. Well, last year, I

(09:07):
was on a pretty good team. They didn't really do
anything to give us a better chance to win. So,
you know, what what I'd like to do is is
spend the time that I'm here kind of assessing what
kind of organization is this? I did the thing yesterday
and we posted the video on social media to promote
the podcast of the show where I beg the Reds

(09:28):
to not do with Ellie what they did with Joey Evado,
which is they wasted all those great joe Evado years.
They wasted all of them. I don't want that to
happen for you and for me. I don't want that
to happen for Ellie. But if I'm Ellie, I'd kind
of like to see in the coming years, like are
we gonna win or is this going to be a

(09:50):
place that in four or five years, I go like, dude,
we're never gonna win here. I know we want this
done yesterday. I don't understand the obsession over it. I
just I have open phone lines, so perhaps somebody could explain.
I deal with this on it's social media to take
it with a grain of salt. I had angry people

(10:12):
at me yesterday because I made fun of this woman
who works for X and you can find some of
the most humorless people living on that particular platform. But well,
every time he has a good game, folks who are
just openly fretting about, well, why don't they sign him?
Why don't they get it done? He could leave in
twenty thirty. What if you were Elie de la Cruz

(10:36):
twenty two years old, Limitless Potential World is your oyster?
You mean to tell me you're just gonna give away
your chance to hit free agency when you're twenty seven,
twenty eight years old? You kidd me, I wouldn't do that.
I don't think you would either. Five point three seven,
four nine, fifteen thirty is our phone number. By the way,
do you remember what happened the last time the Reds

(10:59):
decide I did. We're gonna pay a guy for basically
the remainder of his career. We're gonna give this guy
a blank check. Do you remember what happened? Because I do?
Maybe Ellie should at Moegar on Twitter slash x. Thanks
to Delta Dental building healthy, smart, vibrant communities for all.

(11:21):
Good to Delta dentalh dot com. We'll go to Bengals
training camp. Bengals made some ross moves today. The punter
battle is down to two. They've added some guys to
the defensive line, which you can understand if you've followed
the injury situations happening there. We're getting closer and closer
to Saturday in the preseason opener. We'll go to Tony
coming up in less than thirty minutes. Phil Steele on
college Football at the top of the hour on Moeger

(11:43):
seventeen after three on ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 1 (11:48):
Than you Bengals training camp Friday, since he three to
sixty years there, bringing you the orange and black liking
never before from the Kettering Health practice field, beginning to
a new on ESPN fifteen thirty, The official poem of
the Lingals.

Speaker 2 (12:04):
We are broadcasting from the ESPN fifteen thirty studios, which
is appropriate because well, this is ESPN fifteen thirty studios,
powered by Greater Cincinnati's roofing and exterior restoration experts. Made
Well Restoration, freshen up your entire exterior, your homes exterior,
not your exterior. Madewell can help with that. Make one

(12:26):
call to the guys that made Well, or simply go
to Madewell Restoration dot com. That's Madewell Restoration dot com
Tonypike in just about twenty minutes on the Bengals. Don't
forget Saturday night. We have the Bengals and Bucks on
ESPN fifteen thirty. Kickoff at seven Pregame coverage starts a
little bit after three o'clock. The l thing and your
phone calls on this are coming up, and we'll we'll

(12:49):
have some poll questions. You know, I talked yesterday about
how the objective for this franchise should be while you
have potentially iconic players the keyword here is potentially, but
while you have building blocks and you need more than two.
But while you have building blocks like Ellie and Hunter Green,
you forget for a second, what's gonna happen with those

(13:12):
guys in the next decade. Why don't you win while
you have him? Don't do what they did with Joe Evado.
But you know what's interesting is like I remember, I
remember April of twenty twelve, very very vividly for a
lot of different reasons. Those who know me well know why.
But one of the things that happened during that time

(13:32):
was Joey Vodo got his contract. Everybody's really excited, and
I was really excited Joey got his contract within a
year and a half. He was being blamed for anything
the Reds might have been going through, like there is
wait a minute, if I'm Ellie, the last time you

(13:54):
signed a guy and basically paid him for the rest
of his career. First of all, like, I'm not sure
Joey Evado didn't leave hundreds of millions of dollars on
the table. I know it's like, well, how much do
you need? But I mean there were times where Joe
Evado was one of the great bargains in all the
baseball So from a financial standpoint, there's a part of

(14:14):
me going, well, it's cool that he signed and he
didn't get a lot of money but he also left
a lot on the table. Also, they squandered his talents
before I lock into anything with this franchise long time, don't.
I don't. I want to make sure they don't squander
my talents, don't. I also want to make sure I'm

(14:35):
not in a position where, because I'm being paid a
lot of money, I'm being blamed for the team shortcomings.
Like that happened, it still happens with joe Evado. I
did talk shows every day for the entirety of Joey's career.
I know what it sounded like. When the Reds had

(14:59):
decent team, whatever their shortcomings were, people pinned him on Joey.
And when they had atrocious teams, one of the first
reasons why they were atrocious that people would cite was
Joey Vano. So if I'm Ellie Dela Cruz, I'm going
to attach myself to a franchise that never wins, and

(15:22):
a franchise that has a track record of not winning,
and then the guy who's making the most money being
the peep, being the person that everybody blames. I don't know, man, Like,
don't don't discount like these guys do want to win
Mike Trout is dealing with yet another injury. The La
Angels have wasted a guy that wait is absolute peak.

(15:46):
Some talked about being the best player they had ever
seen them. Mike Trout's going to be in the Hall
of Fame, and he's had a marvelous career, and I
certainly hope he could eventually establish a pattern of health
that enables him to get back to being one of
the best players in the sport. It has been a
while since he has been able to do that. They've
never won a postseason game in Los Angeles, the Angels
with Mike Trout on the team, they've made the playoffs once.

(16:09):
They've never won a playoff game. And you can't tell
me deep down inside, there isn't a part of Mike
Trout that wonders, God, you know what, what if things
turn out? How do things turn out different? If I
go somewhere else and play for a team that consistently
has me and my teammates on the postseason stage. Might

(16:32):
be a big part of Joey Vado that does the
exact same thing. So I've asked her to pretend you're
Elie de la Cruz like you would get paid everybody
wants to get paid, but you also want a stage.
You want your star to be as bright as possible,
you want it to matter. You want to play in
the World Series. You don't want to be Mike Trout.

(16:57):
This is not as fun an exercise as just screaming
that the red should give Elli Delacruz a blank check.

Speaker 3 (17:04):
And so like.

Speaker 2 (17:07):
I think sometimes we solely look at this through the
lens of the team and what can the team, and
we sometimes, even on a more limited level, look at
it solely through the lens of money. I've talked a
lot about not wasting Elie Dela Cruz in large part,
I want the Reds to foster the sort of organization
and the sort of overall environment and have the sort

(17:28):
of team that Ellie is going to want to sign
up to play for for the remainder of his prime yeers,
and I could say that about Hunter Green and hopefully
a number of guys, including free agents. So I am
dismissive of anybody who wants to obsess over where Ellie's
going to be in twenty thirty, because I think there's
a lot of work to do in the short term

(17:50):
that could go a long way. Toward determining where Ellie
Dela Cruz plays baseball in twenty thirty. Forget writing the
blank check, forget making the financial commitment to do some
winning between now and then. Do you appear in some
postseason series, put Ellie on the grand a stage in

(18:11):
the sport, have the sort of team that does something
besides peak at eighty two eighty or drift aimlessly somewhere
in the middle of the pack. Those things could go
a long way toward eventually maybe Ellie deciding he wants
to stay in the relationship with you. UH five point

(18:32):
three seven four nine, fifteen thirty fill steel in thirty
minutes on college football and UH. We'll also chat with
one of the experts from Ortho Sinsey about Cam Sample's
injury issue, which unfortunately is going to keep him out
of action all season long, and Matt McLean's recent injury issue,
which I'm not sure how much that's going to hamper
his ability to come back, but it's worth talking about nonetheless,

(18:52):
so we will in one hour Sports Headlines next on
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 1 (19:00):
ESPR, Orange and Black kick off their preseason schedule against
Tampa Bay.

Speaker 3 (19:04):
What incredible catch.

Speaker 1 (19:07):
It's the Bengals and Buccaneers in a Pigskin season preview.

Speaker 3 (19:11):
The second effort get the Bangles the cutchdown look.

Speaker 1 (19:15):
Zach Taylor's men proved they're ready for a super Bowl
bound season.

Speaker 3 (19:20):
Get the Call from.

Speaker 1 (19:21):
Dan Ord and Dave Laffa. Coverage starts Saturday at three
on ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the Bengals.

Speaker 2 (19:31):
I never have one of those days. I'm trying to
figure out if I'll get in trouble for going public
with the snaff food that I'm having booking a guest
for Friday show where we were offered a guest. I said, Hey, yes,

(19:53):
we'll do it. Then I was told, actually, no, it's
going to be this person, and then I was just told,
actually we can't. Sports headline it's a service of Kelsey Chevrolet,
Home of lifetime powertrain protection and guaranteed credit approval from
their family to yours for life Kelsey chev dot Com.
Bengals made an official camp sample goes on IR with
an achilles injury. Bengals signing some defensive lineman d and

(20:15):
Andre Carter, rookie out of Indiana who signed with the
Jags as a college free agent back in May, was
cut by Jacksonville a week ago. Cincinnati also signing a
defensive tackle, Josh Josh Pryor, who is a second year
player from Bowie State, originally a college free agent signee
of Washington in twenty twenty three. Played in seven games

(20:36):
last year for the Commanders. Bengals waving Austin McNamara. So
they're down to two punters in camp and wide receiver
Trey Mostly Bengals and Bucks. Saturday Live on ESPN fifteen
thirty kickoff at seven pm, and more from Tony Pike
as we check in with him for the first time
this afternoon, coming up in just a few minutes. Meanwhile,

(20:59):
the Marlin took up again tonight, three of four, third
of four, I should say in Miami. Andrew Abbott and
Valente Balazzo will be your pitchers six forty this evening
on seven hundred wlow Will Benson is back from the
paternity list. Joey Weimer sent to Louisville starting lineup tonight.
Hopefully made Well thanks to Made Well Restoration be ready
for severe weather. Madewell Restoration dot Com India is at

(21:23):
second base. Elie de la Cruz at short Tyler Stephenson, who, uh,
we need to talk about Tyler Stephenson. Tyler Stephenson, I
think is having a a better season than some might realize.
I think there's a good conversation to be had about
Tyler Stephens. He is hitting third freedom and center bats fourth.
Ty France at first, Candelario's Dhing Martes at third base,

(21:45):
batting seventh, Jake Frelian right, Santiago Espinal is in left field,
he hits ninth. What else do we have? The University
of Cincinnati just a short while ago, announced it's twenty
twenty Athletics Hall of Fame class. It is a stacked class.

(22:05):
Omar Cummings from the men's soccer program. Annette Atchendo Wolke,
who won the first ever Olympic medal for the US
and the hammer throw track and field star at uce
won the silver. She is going into the Hall of Fame.
Vanessa Jille, who won an Olympic gold medal with Canada
in twenty twenty one. The Olympic Games women's soccer player

(22:29):
at U S Marty Gilliard. We all know, but Marty
Sean Kilpatrick goes into the Hall of fame. So does
Jordan Thompson volleyball and footballer Mike Woods, who was UC's
first ever consensus first team All American following a superlative
season back in nineteen seventy seven. Let's see here. I

(22:53):
want to stay on time. We do have folks waiting
on hold, and I'm going to get to everybody today.
I had something else I was gonna mention. If you
missed Paul Danner Junior yesterday, go listen to that. He
was awesome. We talked about Joe Burrow playing on Saturday night,
and on top of the Marius Marius Mims man. I
love it. I love watching it when people take advantage

(23:14):
of opportunity. Now, look, Marius Mims was always going to
get a chance with the Bengals. It might not have
been a chance to start Week one, but I love
the fact that they gave him the opportunity. I love
the fact that he has seized on the opportunity. Trent Brown,
whether you excuse it or not, has I think because
of inactivity, and for my money, maybe at least a

(23:35):
little bit attitude has opened the door for Marius Mims.
There is obviously a great, great difference between a player
showing what he can do in a practice and showing
what he can do in a game. But Marius mems
Danner said, yesterday has become the story of camp. We
had a good conversation about him. Go listen to it
on the iHeartRadio app podcast of this show, a service

(23:57):
of Long Neck Sports Grill. No better place to post
up and watch well the Bengals, the Reds FC, or
anything else. Wilder Hebron Richwood Long Next Sports Grill. Go
listen to that conversation. Yesterday, Quarterfinal Women's basketball in the Olympics,
Lebron James is in attendance in the US, leads Nigeria

(24:19):
by a score of ten to four five minutes into
the game. All right, Tony Pike joins us from Bengals
training camp. I feel like I've been all over the place,
He joins us from a Bengals training camp. Next on
ESPN fifteen thirty, Downy, Rinse and refresh, break up with Stinky.

Speaker 1 (24:38):
This is a training camp report brought to you by
Kimba Credit Union on ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home
of the Bengals.

Speaker 2 (24:48):
It's a quarter to four ESPN fifteen thirty. Tony Pikes
with us providing live reports from Bengals training camp every
hour three forty five, four forty five, and five forty five. Hi, Tony,
I know what's going on in Bengals practice.

Speaker 4 (25:04):
Well, we just had our first official scuffle really the season.
I would actually rate it a little bit higher than
a scuffle to this point, and two players you would
not think partaking in it, Ted Carris and Logan Wilson
got into it in the last drill really, so I
believe Harris was just carrying out his block from the

(25:24):
way it looked he went to the ground. Logan Wilson,
I think, took exception to how he was being blocked
and put a pretty good shot in on Ted Carris's head,
and then Logan Wilson was swallowed up by about ten
different linemen. It felt like before things kind of broke up.
So I was standing next to Richard Skinner. He called

(25:45):
it a scuffle. I would elevate it a little higher
than a scuffle. But we've got action down here today.

Speaker 2 (25:50):
Okay, so not a fight, but not a scuffle skirmish.

Speaker 4 (25:55):
I think I go a little higher than a skirmish.
I really do, uh brew ha ha, I think BREWJJA
is the way to go.

Speaker 2 (26:04):
Really uh legitimate, A little bit higher than a dust up.

Speaker 4 (26:08):
Oh, yes, it was way higher than a dust up.
You know a lot of the guys that the covering
I retweeted it. I'm Tony Underscore Fight fifteen. You could
see him. Call it whatever you'd like to, but uh, yeah,
some some passion and the Bengals finished the drive with
the touchdown. So I call it the T Higgins drive
Joe Burrow and Jamarche or Joe Burrow and t Huggins

(26:29):
really in Unison today, some nice catches on the drive.

Speaker 5 (26:32):
Uh.

Speaker 4 (26:32):
Defense was on a teel, seemingly the whole way. It
was one of those uh moved the sticks drives. So
there was no script. It was you play with what
you get and you make the next call accordingly. So
uh offense had the uh the upper hand there and
uh they finished it with a touchdown.

Speaker 2 (26:47):
You know, I am I am looking at the footage
of the little uh, the little conflict here.

Speaker 4 (26:53):
It's not that that's it. It's a good shot that
Logan Wilson put on Karris's head.

Speaker 2 (26:58):
Yeah, it's not quite a fight. It certainly isn't a brawl,
but it's more than a dust up. Yeah. I was
at a training camp practice and there was something like this,
And what I remember more than anything else is a woman.
You know, obviously their fans are there in the stands,
and she just kept yelling, Think of the kids, think
of the kid. Was anybody doing that?

Speaker 4 (27:19):
No, no, not that I heard of in this one?
All right, but I something good to watch for.

Speaker 2 (27:26):
I'm excited. I like this. I like this. This is
when training camp gets fun for me, when guys are
like already tired of each other. So they started taking
shots and.

Speaker 4 (27:36):
It has and I think, like we if you we
talked about this at the end of centy three sixty,
like this is the day today to get everything done.
Sam Hubbard is out here now, he was in pads early.
He's got his pads off. Trey Hendrickson's out here not
doing much, but everyone's dressed. Everyone's ready to go today
outside of Jamar Chase. But it feels like the intensity

(27:56):
that you're at practice right now, you can sense that
this is one of those days you're kind of at
each other's which end. Tomorrow's a lighter day, Friday's a
light day, and then you're playing another team on side
of it.

Speaker 2 (28:07):
Yeah, I like how this is trending. Has anybody else
stood out of training camp today beyond the people fighting
and the guys you just talked about.

Speaker 4 (28:17):
Like I said, I think te Higgins had a really
good day, and not that he hadn't with camp to
this point, but he's showcased so many times just how
strong his hands are when when it's a small window
throw or defenders on his back. I really do feel
like he has. He's played really good football today. I'm
still in shock of how big an athletic and Marius

(28:38):
Mims is and I feel like he's had a little
bit of a heads up today. But mull a guy
we could talk about later as well. If you're talking
about the rookie class, we spend a lot of time
on Mems. We've talked Burton early in camp, and we
spent some time on Chris Jenkins. I think Josh Newton
has been the second most impressive rookie right now Bengals training.
Really He's made a ton of plays. He's not afraid

(29:00):
to stand tall and go in press coverage. But I
do like his ball skills. When the ball's in the air,
he seems to understand where and when to be and
look if he can get over the rookie gap. This
is still a position group.

Speaker 6 (29:14):
MO.

Speaker 4 (29:14):
We just kind of assumed, you know, DJ Turner Dax Hill,
Dax has struggled. DJ Turner has not ran away with
this job. I think Josh Newton's is a good story
to talk about it as one of those rookies that's impressive.

Speaker 2 (29:26):
Is Josh Newton better than Dax's.

Speaker 4 (29:27):
Hill right now? I would say yes. And again I
understand that you know, to a point, to a large extent,
Dax feel is changing positions and I know that's hard,
but the ball skills are better. As we're talking right now,
though this is a lot of training camp report. Joe
Burrow just connected with T Higgins on what probably would

(29:49):
have been about a sixty yard touchdown pass down the field.
So if you're crossing off Joe Burrow's deep ball, you
can get that off the list today because he just
do a beautiful one down the sideline at T.

Speaker 5 (29:58):
Higgins.

Speaker 2 (29:58):
But isn't right now, all anybody is waiting for us
to see if like Ted Carris and Logan Wilson are
still cool.

Speaker 4 (30:06):
Yeah, I'm keeping an eye on him because I was wondering, like,
is Logan gonna go rogue and just you know, middle
linebacker blitz up to the a gap to Ted Harris.
But to this point, it's one of the most unique
things of camp fight's mouth is that right when the
fight's done, the majority of the time, these guys just
go back to be in the same dudes. Right, It's like,
all right, you know, I let my anger get the

(30:28):
best of me.

Speaker 5 (30:28):
Now we're cool.

Speaker 4 (30:29):
Let's move on to do it again.

Speaker 2 (30:30):
Yeah, they're they're football players. It happens, all right. Tony
will chat with you again, coming up in less than
an hour. Thank you so much, Thanks Moe. Tony Pike
covering Bengals training camp, giving us hourly reports at forty
five past Back there tomorrow for Sincy three sixty noon
to free from the venue originally known as Paul Brown Stadium,

(30:51):
and of course Saturday night Bengals Bucks Live on ESPN
fifteen thirty, kickoff at at seven o'clock. The big NFL
story is the brand An Ayuk situation in San Francisco,
which is reportedly not going to end with him being
traded to the New England Patriots. There is a ton
of anticipation in Pittsburgh that ultimately the forty nine ers

(31:14):
wide receiver is going to end up there, And it's
interesting because it doesn't necessarily it's not Apple.

Speaker 5 (31:21):
No.

Speaker 2 (31:21):
Two contract situations, I guess are the same, so you would,
I guess you would say it's not apples to apples
Compared to what the Bengals approach was with t Higgins.
I think San Francisco's approach with Brandon Ayuk is interesting
because they very well, for a team that came this
close to winning last year, could be compromising their chances

(31:43):
of winning in twenty twenty four by letting go such
a big part of the offense. Now, obviously they still
have Christian McCaffrey, Deebo, Samuel George Kittle, I'm sure they
feel quite good about about brock Party. Meanwhile, with the Bengals,
despite t Higgins asking for a trade, they stuck to

(32:04):
their guns and kept t Higgins as a Bengal in
twenty twenty four and didn't make their team worse in
twenty twenty four at the expense of losing him for
nothing beyond I guess a compensatory pick down the road.
I don't think either approach has to be wrong. But
if I'm a forty nine er fan, having watched my

(32:25):
team come very very close, having watched my team become
one of the better teams in the league, certainly one
of the better teams in the NFC over the last
couple of years, I don't love the idea of cutting
into my chances this season. Now some have wondered, well,
had they traded him to New England where they going

(32:46):
to get Matthew Judah back because he's pissed about his
contract situation in New England, which I would certainly encourage
him to choose to sit out the first game if
he's still with the Pats. What's good for one team
might not be good for the other. But like had
the Bengals traded t Higgins, my first take would have been, Okay,

(33:07):
you made yourself worse this year in a season where
it's reasonable to expect that they play for a title,
and if you trade away Brandon, I you in San Francisco.
My first thought there is that's a team that, excuse me,
has a chance to win a title, and how much

(33:29):
are their chances of winning a title undermined by trading
away a guy who had thirteen hundred yards receiving for
them last year, and if he ends up in Pittsburgh,
I look all rooting allegiances aside. I think the Steelers
had a really good offseason. I think they're a fascinating team.
I love what they did with their quarterback room because

(33:50):
they got better. I'm not sure how much better, but
they're not paying much for it. On a week to
week basis still as hard of an out as you'll
find in the NFL, and a team that I think
would be made better on top of having some already
at least interesting pieces on offense if they acquired Brandon Ayuk.

(34:14):
Your phone calls aren't coming up. I promise we have
babbled enough. We are going to chat with Phil Steele
here in just a few minutes. We are getting closer
and closer to the start of the college football season
and Phil's preseason publication and absolute must as we get
ready for the year. We'll talk you see football, but
obviously some of the other area teams as well. I

(34:36):
got a few more things on Ellie de la cruz Man,
and I like, I'm a sports talk radio host and
so you know my job is to explore every development
that happens with the local teams from every conceivable angle,
and one of the angles when it comes to a player,

(34:58):
a budding superstar like l de la Cruz, is like,
what level of commitment will there be by the franchise
to keep him around for, you know, beyond the the
years that he's already on the hook for. I just
I hear a lot of people obsessing over it, and
that's uh, that's interesting to me. That is damn interesting
to me. At Moeger on social media. Five point three

(35:21):
seven four nine, fifteen thirty, Phil Steel talks college football.
That was a good filibuster. Buy me next, ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 1 (35:28):
This person football. The Orange and Black kick off their
preseason schedule against Tampa Bay.

Speaker 3 (35:34):
What incredible catch.

Speaker 1 (35:37):
It's the Bengals and Buccaneers in a pigskin season preview.

Speaker 3 (35:41):
The second effort get the tagle cutch down.

Speaker 1 (35:44):
Zach Cambridge's men proved their ready for a super Bowl
bound season. Down the Ball from Dan Ord and Dave
laff A. Coverage starts Saturday at three on ESPN fifteen thirty,
the opportual home of the Bengals.

Speaker 2 (36:00):
It's a four h five on ESPN fifteen thirty m
oegor thank you so much for joining us. This is
a right of summer for us. Either late July or
early August, we get our guy. Phil Steele on his
annual college football preview magazine is out. It is available.
You could order it. You can have it within seconds
at a phil Steel dot com. There's an FCS version.

(36:22):
We love having Phil on the show. We talk every
year about his publication and absolute labor of love. I
want to start with that because, boy, in the era
of player movement, how you prepare for the season as
a fan is a lot different. How you prepare for
the season as a coach is a lot different. Tell
me how different it is preparing for the publication of
the preseason preview when you've got so many guys changing programs.

Speaker 7 (36:46):
Yeah, it makes it a lot tougher. I'll tell you that, MOO.
And you know, it used to be this the thirtieth
year of the magazine, and we used to be able
to go to the press in the middle of May
because we knew everybody's roster, you know, coming out of
spring practice. Everybody's set. Now transfer portal closes on April
the thirtieth, and so We knew the players had hit
the portal, but we didn't know where they landed. So

(37:07):
we gave it the entire month of May and even
the first week of June to make sure we captured
everybody where they went. A lot more rewrites in the magazine,
you know, I do within a three right through section.
The first right through his postseason, second one is pre spring,
third one is after talking to the head coaches. And
so we actually went to the press June seventh this year,
much later than normal, but we were able to capture

(37:29):
all this transfer portal activity makes it a lot more
hectic down the stretch.

Speaker 2 (37:32):
Yeah, and one of those programs impacted dramatically by the
ability to bring players in the University of Cincinnati. And
you know, for me, I always turned to well for
years it was the AAC and now it's the Big Twelve.
This year, I was looking for the page where you
have the most improved teams from this year to last year,
which this year was page thirty six, because I thought, boy,

(37:54):
if the Bearcats aren't on this page, it's going to
be a long season. You had them and then you
wrote you think they're going to go to a bowl game?
Tell me what you like about the squad.

Speaker 7 (38:04):
Yeah, the only teams that make my most Improved list
are teams that had a losing record last year that
I think can make a bowl game this year. And
there's a lot to like about Cincinnati. First of all,
let's talk about last year. Now, last year, the Bearcats
are one of the least experienced teams in the entire country,
number one twenty eight. They had like one offensive lineman back,
they had very little experience at quarterback, the defense decimated

(38:28):
by players leaving. And then they've of course taken a
step up to the big twelve, and I thought they
played better than expected. You know, almost weekly I was
picking against them in my Inside the press Box newsletter,
and almost every time we got to the half, I'm like, damn,
I'm not going to win this one. Bearcats are looking
pretty good, but that lack of depth they wore down
last year where all those things that are corrected this year.

(38:51):
Much more experienced do you look at them, have got
eight starters back on offense, seven on defense. They've got
better depth this year. I like the way they run
the football. Last year they were number five in the NCAA,
and running the football this year they'll be right up
there again. They've got three mobile quarterbacks with soorersby Lichtenberg
and Jones, so they don't have to protect their TB.
They got Kiner, Pryor and Williams. I thought they lacked

(39:13):
some explosiveness at running back last year. They've added explosiveness
this year. That's a big plus. The entire offensive line
is back. The Godfathers back up front on the defensive line.
This much improved Cincinnati team and one that I think
is going to get off to a great start. I've
got them favorite in their first four games of the year,
and if they jump out to a four and zero start,

(39:34):
they'll be playing with a lot of confidence. And I
also have great confidence in Scott Sanderfield as a head coach.
I think he's got it done wherever he's been, and
I think he's going to get do a great job
here with the Bearcats.

Speaker 2 (39:45):
You know you rank positional units. I figured you would
have Cincinnati's offensive line in your top fifteen, which you did.
You've seen Brendan Sores being right now, he's the favorite
to be the starting quarterback. I think everybody would acknowledge
that you've watched him when you've seen him. What have
you watched?

Speaker 7 (40:01):
Well, you know he's a guy that has a quick release,
he's accurate, he does have some mobility, and he moves
well for his size. He's a big guy at six three,
two hundred and thirty five pounds, doesn't shy away from contact,
but he doesn't get rattled. He's got a lot of poise.
So there's a lot to like about Soorsby at the
quarterback position.

Speaker 2 (40:21):
It's a different type of Big Twelve. It's a different
type of league across the country. I guess if we're
doing this anecdotally, but top to bottom the Big Twelve,
I know you have it a run or two. Be low.
The other power conference is handicap this Big twelve race
for me, and talk about if you can the schools
that you think have the best chance to make the
expanded college football playoffs.

Speaker 7 (40:43):
Yeah, I think the Big Twelve is wide open heading
the end of the year and you could probably go ten,
maybe even eleven deep with teams that could possibly win
the Big Twelve this year. And if Moe you put
me on the line, you said, hey, make a case
for West Virginia, make a case for TCU, Texas Tech,
UCF I could make that case for you and say, hey,

(41:03):
they've got a great shot to get into the Big
twelve title game. But I don't know if we're going
to get more than one or two teams that make
the playoff out of the Big Twelve. I think the
playoffs this year might just be loaded with SEC and
Big Ten teams. However, in the Big twelve, your biggest
playoff contenders, in my mind, they are Utah, Kansas State,
Oklahoma State, and then possibly Iowa State as well. And

(41:25):
with Utah, they are my pick to win the Big
Twelve this year. They come for the Pac twelve. The
Pac twelve last year I thought was on par with
the SEC and the Big Ten, and they played all
the big boys in the Pac twelve on the road.
They played Oregon State, USC, Washington, Arizona, all ranked all
on the road last year. It was part of their
eight and five record. But the biggest part of their
eight and five record was a lack of a quarterback.

(41:47):
I mean, in August they lost their backup quarterback, Brandon Rose.
Then they lose Cam Rising, so they were down to
their third, fourth, fifth string QB Teams could stack the
box on them and not worry about it. Well, Rising's
back the Roses back. They had Sam Hurd coming in
from cal Poly. He originally signed with Washington, so they're
much deeper in the quarterback room. Salved it the line

(42:07):
of scrimmage taking a step down conference wise, I feel
from the Pac twelve to the Big twelve, and I've
got Utah win in the Big twelve this year.

Speaker 2 (42:15):
The great Phil Steele is with us. The twenty twenty
four of Phil Steel College Football Preview Magazine is available
right now. You can get the digital version by the
time this conversation is over going to Phil Steele dot com.
It's a national championship or bust season for the Ohio
State Buckeyes. You talked about as off seasons go, between
the players that they have retained, the players they have

(42:37):
gotten via the portal, and Jim Harball leaving for the NFL.
I'm not sure you could ask for a better offseason
for the Buckeyes. What is your biggest concern about Ryan
Day's team?

Speaker 7 (42:48):
Biggest concern, which are many, maybe that we need to
see a quarterback emerge. I think Will Howard will be
the guy. They'll run the football a little bit more
and maybe a little bit on the off offensive line,
it hasn't lived up to its potential the last couple
of years. But I mean they've got basically four starters back,
plus they had an Alabama transwer, so there's really no

(43:08):
weakness on this Ohio State team. In fact, the unit
I ranked the lowest is the special teams, the only
rate at number thirty three in the country. All the
other units ranked my top nineteen, including that quarterback position.
And you know, Ohio State's got Michigan to thank for
all this.

Speaker 5 (43:23):
Why is that?

Speaker 7 (43:24):
Well, last year or this year, they probably could have
lost like eleven guys the NFL Draft, but they only
lost four because a lot of these guys don't have
a pair of gold pants. They haven't beaten Michigan yet,
and they weren't going to leave Ohio State without a
pair of gold pants and beating Michigan and winning to
Big Ten. And this loaded Ohio State team, best defense
in the country, best running back room in the country,

(43:45):
one of the best receiving corps in the country. Offensive line,
quarterback are really really good. They're going to be dangerous,
but they do play Oregon on the road, and I've
got Oregon up there with Ohio State, and so even
if they lose that game, I think they easily made
the Big Ten title game this year, and we may
see Ohio State and Oregon play each other three times
this year, once in the regular season, once in a

(44:06):
Big Ten championship, maybe once again in the playoff.

Speaker 2 (44:09):
Yeah, and each time if that happens, it's still going
to be weird to me to talk about Oregon and
Ohio State in the same conference. But that's something that
we're all going to have to get used to. I
feel like we do this every year, and my prelude
to talking about the University of Kentucky is the same
every year, where you know Mark stubs keys getting into
bowl games. Every year. They play a soft ish non

(44:30):
conference schedule. You look at the games they have on
their schedule in the SEC, you know which ones they'll
be underdogs in, and yet you know that's that's as
consistent a program as you'll find in college football. Give
me a minute here on the Wildcats and what would
have to happen for them to win some of those
games that Vegas is going to say they shouldn't.

Speaker 8 (44:51):
Yeah.

Speaker 7 (44:51):
I think the big thing is going to be the
quarterback play this year because I love the defense. You
look up front on the defensive line, Dean Walker's up there,
JJ Weaver. They have one of the best defensive lines
in the country. In fact, I rate at number nine.
I rate their linebacking core number thirteen says a very
good defense. Offensively, I rate their big Blue and it

(45:12):
hasn't really been the big Blue offensive line the last
couple of years, but this year they do look like it.
I've got rate a number seventeen. The receiving course dynamic.
Now quarterbacks the question. They do bring in Brock vandergriff
a guy with a ton of potential, but he just
has to show it. Last year with Georgia, he had
a very solid as a backup. He had twelve of
eighteen passes with the two zero ratio. They've got Gavin

(45:34):
wimset behind them, Boe Allen behind them, but I need
to see a quarterback emerge. You know, the last two
years you thought that their quarterback was going to be great.
Didn't pan out that way. We'll see what they do
this year.

Speaker 2 (45:44):
You're the only national analyst I can get on. I
say this every year as well, that I can talk
about the Miami RedHawks with and you know, they beat
Cincinnati early in the season, much to my dismay. But
I walked away from that game in Nippert Stadium and
I said, I think the RedHawks might actually be really good.
And they were. They only lost one more game after
the season opener, and that was the game where Brett

(46:06):
Gabbert got hurt. All the way until their bowl game
against Appalachian State, Gabbert is back. Last year, you and
I talked about the experience that Chuck Martin had. You
still have the RedHawks a top your rankings of teams
in the MAC. For the RedHawks to get back to
the MAC Championship Game, what things have to happen this
year that happened last year.

Speaker 7 (46:28):
I just think they have to stay healthy because arguably
they are the most talented team in the MAC. This year,
You've got Brett Gabbert back at QB. Gabert is now
close to one hundred percent, and remember last year he
was coming off the injury, so he wasn't having That's
a big plus. Offensive line looks solid. They got four
starters back and the linebacking corps, I mean with Salad

(46:49):
Pack and Wise, that's one of the best linebacking corps
in the country. Upfront, they're Salid with Uglu and Hilton,
and then the secondary. You know, they've got a new
starting quarterback that's going to be inexperienced, but the rest
of the secondary is a veteran group. So I think
they are the most talented team in the MAC coming in.
They also have my number fifteen rated special teams and

(47:09):
that's the spite losing the Luke Groz Award winner and
Graham Nicholson. They bring in dob Dizabane who comes in
and he's got some experience, and so I think it's
going to be interesting to see what happens with Miami,
But I believe if they stay healthy, they're the best
team in the MAC.

Speaker 2 (47:26):
Phil Steel dot Com order the twenty twenty four Phil
Steel College Football Preview Magazine. It is over three hundred
and fifty pages of information you will need as the
season inches closer. It is always awesome to have you.
I do appreciate it. We've been doing this now for
like twelve thirteen years. I always look forward to it,
always enjoyed the conversation. Phil, thanks so much.

Speaker 5 (47:47):
Sounds good.

Speaker 3 (47:47):
Mom.

Speaker 5 (47:48):
We should do this more often.

Speaker 7 (47:49):
My friend let's make it a half years ago.

Speaker 2 (47:51):
Let's make it happen. Let's do that intermittently during the season.
I'll hold you that.

Speaker 7 (47:54):
Okay, all right, sounds good.

Speaker 2 (47:56):
MO. You got the great Phil Steele. Order his public
What I love about Phil Steele, Well, there's a lot
of things. I love the preseason publication. There's a digital version.
You can get it right now. But if you ever
go to his website to order any of his magazines,
there's an option for well, people who are incarcerated. It

(48:16):
says click here for correctional facility orders. So those guys
who broke into my house can get a copy of
the Phil Steele twenty twenty four college football preview. It's
like getting really chippy following the people who are there
down there cover the Bengals training camp. It's Mike Petrelliy
writes on Twitter. It's getting borderline out of control. We

(48:38):
have some poll questions. We'll ask them about one of
the mini fights and perhaps take a phone call or
two when we come back. It's seventeen after four, ESPN
fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports.

Speaker 3 (48:48):
Station, Cincinnati's ESPN fifty.

Speaker 2 (48:52):
A couple of pole questions based on the Ted Carris
Logan Wilson Kerfluffel. We'll go with Kurfluffel. Two pole questions.
Both thanks to our friends at United Heartland Insurance. If
you need insurance, I was looking here on social media
during the break. Remember the rapper Nelly from Saint Louis

(49:15):
like had band aids on his face. He has been
arrested for ecstasy possession and having no insurance. Now I
can't help him with the ecstasy, but I can help
him with the insurance. All he's got to do is
go to uagiants dot com. They have three offices. You
got Hamilton, you got Cincinnati. There's one in northern Kentucky
there on Route eighteen and Burlington. All he's got to
do is go to uagiants dot com. And I would

(49:36):
imagine he's arrested for car insurance. They'll they'll hook him up.
They'll get his car insured. And on top of that
life insurance and boat boat. I don't know if Nelly
has a boat boat insurance, business insurance.

Speaker 3 (49:50):
Don't don't walk.

Speaker 2 (49:51):
Don't be like Nelly and walk around with no insurance.
Go to uagiants dot com. Somebody get a hold of
Nelly and tell him like dude, I don't know why
you're walking around at four forty five in the morning
with ecstasy, but I can't help you with that. Probably
shouldn't do it. But the insurance part, my friends at
United at Heartland Insurance are there for you. Uhi ands
dot com. Uh so we have two one because Ted

(50:14):
Carrots and Logan Wilson got into a skirmish. Who you
got Ted or Logan? Early returns favor Ted? And if
you were Ellie deler Cruz, would you rather spend the
next five plus years enhancing your value as a free
agent and keeping your long term options open or signed
beyond twenty twenty nine with the Reds. Surprisingly, seventy seven

(50:35):
point two percent say option A. I would agree. There's
a lot of time. There's a lot of time to
convince Ellie and other players this is the place you
want to be and we could pay you to be here.
I know we want this done immediately. I want the

(50:56):
next like four and a half years at my disposal
to talk about Elie Della Cruz and where he may
not go. Now. I'm not gonna I'm not going to
be on the forefront of some of that stuff because
this is just not something that's very top of mind
for me, but it feels like it's top of mind
for a lot of folks. I appreciate, excuse me, everybody

(51:17):
who has waited patiently. Scott. You're on ESPN fifteen thirty
right now, Hi, Scott.

Speaker 5 (51:23):
Good afternoon mode. Does seem like there are a few
dust ups down there.

Speaker 2 (51:27):
It feels like it's getting heated, right. Temperatures are rising,
and so are and so are tempers. It's getting shippy,
four of them. Yeah. Wow.

Speaker 5 (51:40):
So I wanted to talk to you a little bit
about the Rids because I feel like the front office
is kind of being getting a little trash talk when
perhaps they should unfair criticism. You say, I'm fair, That's
it exactly what I was looking for, searching for. Okay,

(52:03):
So they had an off season where they didn't really
need to spend for a bat, but they they did
on Canarsion. No sorry, Jamber Candelaria. Yes, they brought in

(52:26):
Nick Martinez and they brought in the other picture, the Pagan. Yeah.
So I'm I guess I'm curious.

Speaker 4 (52:39):
How is that.

Speaker 5 (52:41):
A not doing anything B not spending any money?

Speaker 2 (52:47):
Well, spending money, I mean I would I would certainly
challenge any assertion that said this offseason that didn't spend
money those players This year combined salary was was well
over fifty million bucks. So, I mean, frank sixteen million
dollars you know, obviously didn't finish the year here, but
sixteen million dollars of Frankie Montas after he pitched one
game this season, that's not cheap. Now, Now, like Nick

(53:10):
Martinez has done a nice job, and Jamber Candelario has
been fine, and Amelia Pegan has been hurt, which is
nobody's fault. And Frankie Monti, Frankie Montas wasn't wasn't very good.
Those are moves? Are they great moves? Are they are? Was?

Speaker 4 (53:27):
Was?

Speaker 2 (53:28):
Were there a lot of teams that had to like
pivot to a different direction because oh my god, the
Cincinnati Reds acquired any one of those guys.

Speaker 5 (53:37):
Well no, of course not.

Speaker 2 (53:40):
But I mean they did stuff. They did stuff, and
I didn't object to any of it. But were any
of those moves individually, even at the time, regarded as
being that impactful.

Speaker 5 (53:53):
Well, yeah, I thought Jamer was that's a guy who
had whether he have fifty two doubles last year?

Speaker 2 (54:00):
It was so impactful that when they signed him, they
had no idea where he was going to play. He
had forty two doubles in twenty twenty.

Speaker 5 (54:07):
One, forty two.

Speaker 2 (54:09):
Yeah, yeah, is fine, He's Jamer Candelario is fine, but
like on a on a good team, Jamber Candelario on
a good team, Jamber Candelario getting six hundred plated appearances. Yes,
you think so?

Speaker 5 (54:29):
Anybody was that hits forty two doubles and you know
has a batting average that I think it was in
the two fifties to sixties.

Speaker 2 (54:38):
Yeah, in twenty twenty one about at two seventy one
for his career as a two forty hitter.

Speaker 5 (54:43):
Okay, but I certainly I don't think you can be
dismissive of it. Oh I'm not.

Speaker 2 (54:48):
I'm not dismissive of it. But I mean, like, if
we were to write down.

Speaker 5 (54:52):
Thing, he's not going to get any a bats on.

Speaker 2 (54:55):
A on a really good d Do you think the
Philadelphia Phillies would would be uh interested in giving Jamber
Candelario six hundred plate appearances?

Speaker 5 (55:05):
Well that that depends now that it gets back to
my other point. Do they signed Jamer Do you think
that they knew that uh, Marquee was going to be gone?
Do they do you think that they knew that the
second basement was going to hurt his shoulder? And well, again,

(55:31):
I'm I'm not trying to make excuses, but I am
trying to look at this thing logically and thinking, well,
I think it's unfair to blame the Reds who knew
that Will Benson wasn't going to hit?

Speaker 2 (55:43):
Who knew?

Speaker 5 (55:44):
I think you had?

Speaker 2 (55:45):
I think you had to allow for the possibility.

Speaker 5 (55:49):
Well, I mean I have to allow for.

Speaker 2 (55:52):
I'm disappointed, and I'm disappointed in the season that Will
Benson has had. I'd be lned you if I told
you I was like stunned that a guy that the
Cleveland Guardians gave up on turned into a pumpkin.

Speaker 5 (56:06):
But yeah, but he his track record last year was
pretty good.

Speaker 2 (56:11):
Well, his track record was limited to last year. That's
not much of a track record. He was awesome last year.
He was fine. He was fine. He has not been
fine this year, and that's no one's fault. I think
the question going into twenty twenty five is that we're
going to run it back with Will Benson again.

Speaker 5 (56:28):
No, I don't think you're going to necessarily need to.
He could be part of a play.

Speaker 2 (56:32):
Yeah. Look, they have got they have had some players.
They have had some players that they hoped would be
even better or at least as good as last year,
that earned chances to prove whether or not they would
that haven't been very good. And Will Benson has been
one of them. Now that's fine, that's no one's fault.
No one this offseason was saying, don't give Will Benson

(56:55):
a chance. I think when you look ahead to next year,
if you're going to go, well, you know what, he
was good in twenty twenty three. So let's wipe our
hands and forget addressing right field and put Will Benson
out there. That strikes me as a strategy of hope,
which is not a strategy.

Speaker 5 (57:11):
Well, I do agree with that. I mean, and plus
you've got Strand coming back, and the other players that
have been gone this year. I can't I can't believe
I'm drawn a blank.

Speaker 2 (57:26):
Matt McClain. Matt McLain has missed the entire year, and
he was their best player last year, and this team's
chances of being better this season would be enhanced if
they had the Matt McClain from a year ago. Everybody
understands that. Now, I think to counter that, when this
team started to deal with injuries which are beyond anybody's control,
did it feel like they had the requisite depth that

(57:49):
you need to be able to hang in there despite
the injuries.

Speaker 5 (57:53):
Not when they kept piling up.

Speaker 2 (57:55):
No, No, I mean they didn't. The Milwaukee Brewers have
used like twenty different starting pitchers this year, they trade
away Corbin Burns, They've had injuries to their position players.
Has it felt like they've had solutions for those things?

Speaker 5 (58:10):
Well? Because the central stinks, Yes, well.

Speaker 2 (58:14):
The redsmen essential and it stinks. Why could the Brewers
handle all that nutrition? And the Redskins? Well, have we
seen how many injuries the Boston Red Sox have dealt
with this year in a much more competitive division. How
about the Atlanta Braves, who lost perhaps the best player
in the sport.

Speaker 5 (58:31):
Yeah, and yeah, and they're struggling.

Speaker 2 (58:34):
They're gonna be a playoff team probably, yeah, probably probably.

Speaker 5 (58:40):
I guess my point is, you know everybody was clamoring
for jazz chism. Jazz chism is a can is a
clubhouse cancer. How do you know, well from the things
I read?

Speaker 2 (58:53):
So what have you read what have you read to
say that he's a clubhouse cancer?

Speaker 5 (59:00):
Uh? That that he's a clubhouse cancer, isn't he? Isn't
he on his thirdeam?

Speaker 2 (59:05):
He's on his second. He's with the Marlins.

Speaker 5 (59:08):
And now did he come up with the Marlins? I'm sorry,
I thought he came up with the Braves.

Speaker 2 (59:13):
He started his big league career with Miami.

Speaker 5 (59:16):
Okay, uh? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (59:18):
What what?

Speaker 5 (59:19):
What? What?

Speaker 2 (59:19):
What? So he's a clubhouse cancer position?

Speaker 5 (59:24):
Yeah? Uh? Just from what I read from Miami folk
is that they couldn't wait to get rid of him.

Speaker 2 (59:35):
Yeah. Well, since he's gone in New York, he has
an ops of over one thousand, I bet you he's
fitting in quite well.

Speaker 5 (59:42):
Yeah, but where where's he going to play in? Since
where would he have played in?

Speaker 2 (59:46):
So on a team that has been under five hundred
all season long, you couldn't find room for Jazz Chisholm.

Speaker 5 (59:51):
You could, of course, yes, I mean, but he's primarily
a center field or third baseman, so.

Speaker 2 (59:58):
Or short stop or second he's played he's primarily played
middle endfield or outfield. So this team this year, with
all of its offensive issues, would have no room for
Jazz Chisholm.

Speaker 5 (01:00:14):
I'm not saying they wouldn't have any room. I just
didn't think TJ.

Speaker 2 (01:00:18):
Friedel has been on the injurine list three times. There
wouldn't be room for Jazz Chisholm in center field. They
had a third baseman who got suspended for half the season.
There wouldn't be room for Jazz Chisholm.

Speaker 5 (01:00:28):
Well, he was back by the time it was time
to trade for Jash Chicks.

Speaker 2 (01:00:32):
Why could they have traded for him in May when
the Marlins traded Luisa Rice.

Speaker 5 (01:00:36):
I don't think he was on the market.

Speaker 2 (01:00:38):
Why would he not be on the market. The Marlins
traded away their best peer hitter in May, so then
they're gonna go hold on everybody.

Speaker 5 (01:00:46):
Well, I how come nobody else traded for him then
and May?

Speaker 2 (01:00:51):
I don't know. I don't know the answer to that.
Do you think the Reds tried?

Speaker 5 (01:00:56):
I don't know.

Speaker 1 (01:00:56):
I don't know then that what is.

Speaker 2 (01:00:59):
Your guest if you would a better amount of money?
That matters to you on whether.

Speaker 5 (01:01:02):
The Reds no, right, they did not try.

Speaker 2 (01:01:05):
No, but the San Diego Padres could try and and
pry away Luisa Rise from the Marlins. But we can't
trade for Jazz chism because somebody says he's a clubhouse
cancer and there's no room for him on a team
that hasn't been above five hundred since April, that has
had a thousand injuries. Guy plays multiple positions, but a
bad team with a bunch of injuries can't find room

(01:01:25):
for him.

Speaker 5 (01:01:27):
Well, okay, perhaps that's a bad example. Maybe they could
find a room for jazz chism. But it didn't happen,
and the only team willing to do a trade was
the New York Yankees.

Speaker 2 (01:01:41):
Fine, well and good. I mean, look, they got it done.
Credit to them. So all right, So if it's if
it's not jazz chism. Instead, there's been a rotating door
of guys like Mike Ford. Right, would rather Mike Ford
or jazz chism.

Speaker 5 (01:01:58):
Definitely jazz chism.

Speaker 2 (01:02:00):
Okay, So the Yankees got jazz Chish and we had
a three week run with Mike Ford. Oh wait, wait
a minute. Also Austin Slater with an absolutely iconic three weeks.
He was awesome. But I bet you, but I bet you,
Austin Slater is not a clubhouse cancer.

Speaker 5 (01:02:17):
Are they going to give him a tribute when it
comes to count I hope.

Speaker 2 (01:02:21):
So we will on this show, we're putting one together. Look,
I think, I think, I think there are a lot
of criticisms that get aimed at the Reds front office
that are unfair. I could not agree more. Unfortunately, this
franchise as a whole has no real track record to
speak of. You know, I had a conversation with somebody
who called this show, I think last week, who said, well,

(01:02:43):
what would you say about how the Cubs are being run?
And my answer was, well, number one, what I would
say is, the Ricketts family has no excuse to not
spend every conceivable dollar on their team. Because the valuation
of that family, and the valuation of the ballpark area,
and the valuation of that franchise, Dick, they shouldn't be
run like a small market club. The second thing I

(01:03:03):
would say is, at least that group can say, hey, man,
twenty sixteen was cool. What can this group here say?

Speaker 5 (01:03:10):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (01:03:12):
I mean the Saint Louis Cardinals. The Saint Louis Cardinals
have recently cried poverty. The Dwitt family, well, you know what,
We're gonna have to scale things back a little bit.
But if I'm a Cardinals fan, I can go, well,
you know what, you did go three decades without losing
ninety games. How many times Reds lose ninety games this
in the last fifteen years. Yeah, So part of it
is just the overall organizational track record. I think if

(01:03:33):
you're looking at the performance of of Nikral on a
more nuanced, granular level, you can find some successes. You
can find some things that have certainly gone in the
right direction, and then you could find some things that
have gone wrong that are not really his faults. I
think this season has gone sideways to a degree because
they were not insulated against guys getting hurt. They have

(01:03:54):
not had the sort of depth you need to be
able to stay in contention or really be in contention
despite all those injuries. And I watch a lot of
teams around the sport that have figured out a way
to at least be relevant, in some cases hold onto
a playoff spot. In Milwaukee's case, lead the division. And
by the way, if I'm a Brewers fan, I'm still
pissed off they traded Corbyn Burns. But I've watched a

(01:04:15):
team that has lost Brandon Woodriff and they've lost Wade Miley,
and they've had to get desperate and trade for Frankie Montas,
who isn't very good, and they've at some point this
year I think, used fifteen different starting pitchers and they're
still leading the division. I see other teams that figure
that part out. Let's figure out a way to still
win when our depth gets compromised. This team this year

(01:04:36):
didn't do that. Is that entirely a reflection of Nick Krawl?
Maybe not. Does it in part reflect on his job performance,
which has in many cases been quite good. Absolutely well.

Speaker 5 (01:04:47):
The last thing I'll say is the Reds were unique
in that they brought so many of their prospects up
last year. That did create a hole as far as
goes to bring up quality Major leaguers that you have
sitting at trip.

Speaker 2 (01:05:05):
But you should know that, so go get those guys.

Speaker 5 (01:05:08):
No, Yeah, that's again, I mean they knew.

Speaker 3 (01:05:12):
They knew.

Speaker 2 (01:05:12):
At the top of the farm system there was you know,
the closet was bare because of all the guys that
you just talked about them bringing up. Okay, fine, so
if there aren't reinforcements in Louisville, go get them. And
right or wrong, they didn't do it. Now are we
having this conversation if Noel de Marte doesn't get suspended,
if McLain doesn't get hurt, probably not. But those things

(01:05:33):
did happen, and it was a talking point back in
late March. Is this team successfully built to be able
to withstand these injuries and if you were an optimist,
you were patting a lot of people on the head going, well,
they'll be fine. Well, as it turns out they were not. Scott,
I always enjoy man, I gotta run. Thank you. Right,

(01:05:53):
we'll talk with doctor Angel Alaskaz Ortho Sincy about Cam
Sample and Matt McLain. Next this we do this on Wednesdays,
chat with one of the experts from Orthos since the
great thing about Orthos Sincy is they have specialists and
locations across the tri State offering walking orthopedic urgent care
weekdays nine eight to nine p Saturdays nine eight to

(01:06:15):
one p. Learn more. Excuse me at Orthosincy dot com.
Excuse me, that's Orthos ci n c Y dot com.
Doctor Angel velaskez Is with US Bengals made it official
Camp Samples going on the injured list with a torn achilles.
We've obviously talked about these types of injuries before, but
remind us what the achilles tendon is and what it does.

Speaker 9 (01:06:38):
Well, thank you for having me today.

Speaker 10 (01:06:40):
Mo.

Speaker 9 (01:06:41):
First, the achille standon is the continuation of your calf modele.
So your calf muscle contracts to pull.

Speaker 11 (01:06:48):
The achillo stand on that pull to the heel and
make your foot going down. So everything you are gonna
push off from the ground, you contract that calf muscle
or gas the namos that pull the steno.

Speaker 9 (01:07:00):
So, uh, you know there is an injury that that
is That.

Speaker 11 (01:07:03):
Is really common on sports who require a lot of running, jumping.

Speaker 9 (01:07:08):
Especially stop and going.

Speaker 11 (01:07:10):
So basketball, tennis, you know, football, soccer, those are.

Speaker 9 (01:07:15):
Sports that require a lot of those movements.

Speaker 11 (01:07:18):
Abruptly movement you know, obviously in baseball happens too, but
it's less likely than all those other sports.

Speaker 2 (01:07:24):
As as a sports medicine professional, when something like this happens,
do you have a pretty good idea almost instantly that
the achilles is torn or that it's at least an
achilles injury.

Speaker 11 (01:07:37):
Well, if you're watching obviously this game, you know you
know when you're when you're on the sports you're in
the silent, so you're watching from there and you're watching
the play. You could see when the mechanism of injury
happens when the person is pushing off how they just
stop and grab their their ankle. So just by that
you're like, Okay, he's pushed off, grab the ankle.

Speaker 9 (01:07:59):
Yeah, this could be an akil eestenal injury.

Speaker 11 (01:08:01):
But of course when you get there to the allete,
they're gonna tell you, heyfl Paul, you know, and you
can you can definitely feel the DIBt or the separation
of the tendon. And obviously when you contract or when
you compress the halfmo so you don't see the food
going down plant a flash and so I you know,
for Shua Alissa, when you put your hands on the alley.

Speaker 2 (01:08:23):
The belief is that Cam is gonna be okay to
play in twenty twenty five and be on the field
for summer workouts next year. So walk me through the
timeline from last week when he suffered the injury almost
a week ago, to the surgeon's table, assuming there's gonna
be some sort of procedure, and then what the rehabit
recovery look like.

Speaker 11 (01:08:43):
Well, number one, you know what is the you know,
the average of how how many people are on rist
for having this achiliest roser.

Speaker 4 (01:08:51):
Uh, you know, males over females.

Speaker 11 (01:08:53):
And obviously the sports are already mentioned earlier. There's a
study several years ago look at thirteen different articles about
professional athletes or elite athletes who have a kilestener rosher,
and they look at seven hundred and nine of those
athletes in Major League Baseball, NBA, Professional soccer NFL, and

(01:09:15):
they figure out that around eighty percent sixty one to
one hundred percent actually will return to full activities after
the injury. And if you look these a big range,
you know, sixty one two hundred percent is a forty
percent difference there, you know. So number one, when they
when they when the alley had this injury, they have

(01:09:36):
to go to the process of you know, diagnosis that
could be on physical exam with ultrasan and MRI. You know,
then obviously the news or deliver that the alley has
a chilestender rosher. You know, when that inflammation from the
kileisterdo Russian go away relatively soon, they will get the procedure.

Speaker 9 (01:09:54):
Traditionally, they have a long incision that goes through the
to the skin to expose that a killa extend on
And now we have this.

Speaker 11 (01:10:02):
New, relatively new procedure that everybody knows about, you know,
Aaron Rodgers. That is the speed bridge where the incision
is smaller his side to side instead along and actually
the sushreen doesn't go directly to the defect or the tears,
goes from the good tissue of the tendon on one
side to the good tissue and the tendon on the

(01:10:24):
other side.

Speaker 9 (01:10:25):
And there's some anchors on the hill.

Speaker 11 (01:10:26):
So that allowed the tendons to have less tension while
they're recovering, and obviously that allows for a q quicker
and more aggressive rehab program time frame. Typically about six
months people start doing so many sports specific activities.

Speaker 9 (01:10:44):
With this procedure, we'll talk about four months.

Speaker 11 (01:10:46):
So that's a big difference there two months, and that's
why you could see Aaron Rodgers doing things in the fields,
you know, really early.

Speaker 2 (01:10:54):
Yeah, no it. He obviously flirted with coming back last season.
Doctor Angel of Alaska is from Orthosincia is with us.
Let's talk about Matt McClain, who we have talked about
a ton. He has not played this year. They've been
targeting a rehab assignment starting on Monday. However, he's had
a recent complication with a stress reaction in his rib cage. Now,

(01:11:16):
all the reporting from GABP would just what do you
think it's gonna be that big of a deal. They're
still targeting August twelfth. I hate to do this, but
when it comes to Matt McLain, I've just I've developed
a great amount of skepticism. Let's talk about this newest development,
a stress reaction. What is the cause? What is it?
How does a stress reaction occur in the ribcage?

Speaker 11 (01:11:36):
You know, the riccage has a bunch of muscles that
are over the area. You have the most to make
you or help you to take a deep breath, the
one that help you to take the breath out, and
then you have the oblique most that you have rotate,
So any of those most that you are activating by
you know, in this case recovery, trying to come back, trying.

Speaker 9 (01:11:55):
To speed up can pull a lot of stress into.

Speaker 11 (01:11:58):
The riccage, casting of the page, so the bond get bruised.

Speaker 9 (01:12:01):
And that's a stress reaction. It is not you know,
a significant injury.

Speaker 11 (01:12:06):
Uh, it's just about you know, giving time with pain
control and be sure the pain goes.

Speaker 9 (01:12:12):
Away before you're active. It's really common on.

Speaker 11 (01:12:15):
Swimmers actually, But obviously you have a guy that is
coming from a shoulder injury.

Speaker 9 (01:12:20):
You know, things he needs to.

Speaker 11 (01:12:23):
Learn again how to do some motion and probably trying
to split it up, you know, to try to come
background if liquick, especially hitting, probably that's where he got it.

Speaker 7 (01:12:32):
The other thing that I look.

Speaker 9 (01:12:33):
At my patient is botom in the deficiency.

Speaker 11 (01:12:35):
It is controversy, but we see bottom in the deficiency
actually increase the risk for stress plasure.

Speaker 9 (01:12:41):
So that's one of the things that I would look for.
But it's about pain control.

Speaker 3 (01:12:45):
It's about giving.

Speaker 9 (01:12:46):
It two to three weeks to get that information goes
down in the bone and then split it up and
go from there.

Speaker 2 (01:12:52):
Awesome insight. As always, you are the best. We'll talk soon, man, Thanks.

Speaker 5 (01:12:56):
So much, Thank you both.

Speaker 2 (01:12:58):
Thank you much appreciate it. Doctor angel Alaskaz from Orthos
sincey we say this every week. The great thing about
the people at Orthos Sincy is they have specialists on
locations across the Try State, which includes walk in Orthopedic
urgent Care weekdays nine am to nine pm and on
Saturdays nine am to one pm, and Edgewood and Anderson.
It is easier and cheaper than going to an er.
When you have an urgent orthopedic injury, just go to

(01:13:20):
Orthossinc dot com. That's orthos c I NCY dot com.
All right, Brendanman and Johns on baseball is coming up?
Tony Pike is with us? Hi, Tony, I'm a I

(01:13:40):
have totally screwed up the clock. Have there been any
more fights at Bengals training camp practice?

Speaker 4 (01:13:46):
There was about four overall, though none bigger than Keris
and Logan Wilson. But Georgiana practice. Jermaine Prat A, there's
different fights. Jermaine Pratt A cheap show on andre Yoshibasha
is how I saw it. Jermaine Pratt was excused from practice.
There's difference of getting intense fights because you're going against

(01:14:07):
someone and you're not hurting. Jermaine Pratt could have hurt
andre Yoshibasha. I think there's a fine line in those,
but certainly the most intense practice we've seen this year.
And I would assume these guys, as Dan Pitcher cent
up for practice, they're ready to line up against somebody else.

Speaker 2 (01:14:23):
Okay, very good, So tempers flaring, ratcheting up intensity, which
you and I talked about before today's practice. We are
short on time, and so we'll chat again coming up
at five forty five. But I can't wait because we
have a lot to talk about. Tony, thanks so much,
Thanks Moe. Right there you go, Tony Pike at Bengals
training camp. We'll be back with him at five forty five.
Don't forget since he three to sixty from camp tomorrow

(01:14:44):
at noon. Breneman and Jones on baseball next.

Speaker 1 (01:14:49):
This is a training camp report. Grook to you Barre
Hollywood Casino, Lawrence for it of ESPN fifteen thirty, the
official home of the Bengals.

Speaker 2 (01:14:58):
Yes, if we're re telled the team thirty, I spit
out my gum. What's up mugg or ESPN fifteen thirty
five o'clock Happy Hour thanks to michelob Ultra. We thank
them for sponsoring the michelob Ultra five o'clock happy It

(01:15:20):
was nice of them to do. I could go for
a mic Ultra. Right, I've had a day I like,
not because this job is hard, but just why I
need a podcast so I could I could podcast about
all the stuff happening beyond what happens in this studio anyway,
it's the michelob Ultra five o'clock happy hour. If you're

(01:15:42):
getting off work and headed home, I think it's gonna
be a nice night out. Maybe sit outside, perhaps watch
the ball game tonight, or just entertain yourself with viral
videos of Bengals players fighting with each other during training
camp practice today. No matter what you're doing, make michelob
Ultra part of the experience. Pick up a six pack
on the way home tonight. It did get heated, it

(01:16:04):
did get chippy. And watching and following all of the
reporters who have been at Bengals training camp practice since
it started, I gotta be honest, I love this. It's
training camp, it's football. I I can't imagine what it's
like when you've been, you know, basically lined up across
from the same guy and maybe running from running some

(01:16:25):
of the same plays, and you just at some point
get tired of the other dude, and so some stuff happens.
And it happened during training camp today. Primary culprits. I
guess Ted Carris versus Logan Wilson, Jermaine Pratt, who was
I guess the word we're using is excused. He got
excused from practice for a hit that was deemed a

(01:16:45):
little bit excessive on Andrea Yoshavash. It got heated, it
got chippy, it got it got fun, It got fun.
You get the sense. Paul Danner Junior tweeted that this
practice is off the rails. You just get the sense,
all right, As cliche as it sounds, it's time to
go play football against somebody else. Bengals play football on

(01:17:06):
Saturday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tony Pike is gonna
join us one more time, coming up right around five forty.
That would be your big Bengals news of the day.
I guess fights fights at training camp. I love a
good training camp fight. Just to run through a couple

(01:17:28):
of things here. The Bengals did do today. They made
it official, putting Cam Sample on the injured list. They've
also waived Austin excuse me, Austin McNamara punter, so they
have two in camp. Wide receiver Trey Moseley's also been cut.
They have signed a pair of defensive linemen. Andre Carter

(01:17:48):
from IU originally signed with Jacksonville as a college free
agent after the draft, waived by the Jags last week.
Also defensive tackle Josh Pryor, second year player who was
a college free agent signee of the Washington Commanders in
twenty twenty three and played in seven game for Washington
last year, primarily on special teams. He was cut by

(01:18:09):
Washington back in May, so Bengals adding those two players
to the fold. Obviously, we've talked a lot about the
revolving door of players coming in and out on the
defensive line. That obviously a position worth paying attention to.
As Saturday Night, excuse me, Saturday Night gets closer. Ah,

(01:18:31):
another Ellie Dela Cruz show last night in Miami, four
more hits. You know, we're not there yet. We're not
there yet, but like, I'm watching the game last night,
and I love social media when Ellie Dela Cruz is
doing awesome stuff because I just I love looking at

(01:18:53):
the folks who just will send out all caps. Ellie,
I kind of like that's fun. I didn't add to it,
didn't feel the need. There are times where I'm almost
out of things to tweet or say. We talked extensively
on this show yesterday about how if you're a fan

(01:19:17):
of this team, at least for me, the biggest fear
is they do with Ellie de la Cruz what they
did with Joey Evada, which is to waste his talent,
to waste his productive seasons. And you could apply the
same conversation to Hunter Green, and you could apply the
same conversation with the exception of the inning last night

(01:19:37):
where he walked three guys. I like what I saw
from Nicolodolo, and maybe we'll talk about Matt McClain in
those terms. And I do still want to spend a
few minutes on Tyler Stevenson. I know for many there
is almost a preoccupation with signing Ellie long term. Naria
Day goes by that somebody doesn't ex express, somehow, some

(01:20:01):
way the desire to see the Reds get it done
with Ellie Dela Cruz. And my take has been from
the get go that if you're a Reds fan, I
have really, really, really good news for you. And the
good news is at least under contract for five more seasons.

(01:20:27):
I put it this way in social media last night.
And I'm not trying to focus too much on what
happens on social media, but if Ellie had played this
season with his contract expiring, and we found out this
afternoon that actually he is going to sign for five

(01:20:50):
more years. Would you A celebrate the contract extension or
B start to obsess over where he's going to be
when the contract is over. I think I know the answer.
I think I know what the answer would be. And

(01:21:12):
so the obsession that some have with this is I
think it's it's overwrought, it's it's overboard, it's a waste
of energy. I just ask you, as we talk about this,
to look at this from Ellie's perspective. The greatest thing
you can have in life are options. The greatest thing

(01:21:32):
you can have in life. Options could be with your career,
could be with things to do on a weekend. Options
I got, I got. It's it's great to have options.
I've had moments in my life where I had no options.
I've had moments in my life where I've had options.
Trust me, it's better to have options. If you were

(01:21:55):
Elie Dela Cruz as of right now, would you be
thinking long term about what it's going to be like
when you have options? I think the answer is yes.
I think if any of us hit it big and
made the big leagues and whatever sport, you'd be thinking
like it's it's an earn right, like you've you've got
to be a success on some level to hit free agency.

(01:22:16):
Free agency is earned, and in baseball it's well for
Elliot it's going to be basically seven years, but it's
six years. And for me, I would I would maintain
an interest in getting to a point where I have
options and I can pick where I'm going to go
play based on who my suitors are. And so it's
very easy from for us to look at this from

(01:22:37):
a Red's perspective and go, boy, they got to get
it done. Offer him a contract, give him a blank check.
If you were Ellie de la Cruz, once you be
thinking about that period of your life where you have
professional options, I would, so what can the Reds do?
I think the mandate is very clear. I talked about
this yesterday from the standpoint of don't waste Ellie de

(01:22:59):
la crue is why you have him. But while you
do have him, how about this develop the sort of
operation that people view as the best option. Part of
that's financial. Money's always gonna talk first. That's how the
world works. But if I was Elie de la Cruz
right now, I would want to know in the coming years,

(01:23:24):
is my star gonna shine as bright as it can
in Cincinnati. Am I gonna get a chance to play
in October? Am I gonna be on a team that
has a legitimate chance to advance in October? Are we
constantly gonna be playing out the string late summer? Ellie's
already becoming a star. He's already becoming one of the

(01:23:45):
most talked about players in the sport. You don't need
New York or Chicago or Los Angeles for that to
be the case. But like these guys, do want to win.
I would be willing to bet you that if you
cornered Mike Trout and injuries have just completely screwed up
the last few years. But he's had an iconic career

(01:24:06):
playing for a franchise that is anonymous. His team has
never won a playoff game with him in the lineup,
And I'm sure there's something that every player thinks is
cool about playing for the same franchise. But boy, at
some point, you do want to win, and at some
point you do want to play in the biggest stages,

(01:24:26):
and at some point you do want to play with
the best possible players, and at some point you do
want to show off your skills and your talents on
stages bigger than well, a half empty ballpark when you're
playing out the string in the second half of the season.
Joey Vado played for a very long time here and
was awesome. I think it's a Hall of Famer. But

(01:24:49):
I wonder if you said to Joey, like, you know, yeah,
you got paid, but all those years where you were
awesome and your team lost ninety five games, ever think
about what it would be like to have had those
years on teams that were you know, competitive, good and so,
you know, we could obsess over what's gonna happen. Is
he gonna go play for the Yankees in twenty thirty.

(01:25:10):
What I want to see the Reds do is win
in the short term, win while you have them, and
create an option that is so good that it's hard
for him to say no to whatever it is the
Reds would offer him. You can't control whether or not
he says yes. You can't control what his agent, Scott Boris,
prefers he do. You can't ultimately control what the other

(01:25:31):
teams offer if he does get to free agency. What
you can control is what's happening right now. You can
control the environment that Ellie is playing in. You can
control the roster that he's playing on. You can control,
at least to a degree, how he feels about his
ability to maximize his talents here, not just statistically, but

(01:25:53):
being able to compete on big stages and play in
the postseason and being known for winning. What you can control,
at least to a degree, is whether or not he
gets to free agency and goes. I just can't wait
to get out of here because it's not a winning
situation or it's, you know, dysfunctional, that sort of thing.
I don't think it's dysfunctional like that matters so much

(01:26:15):
more to me. And if I'm Ellie Dela Cruz, and
I think if you're Ellie Dela Cruz, if you're being honest,
you'd be doing the same thing. Look, I'm here. I
want to hit free agency one day. But while I'm here,
what do you got for me? Are we gonna win here?
Don't think that doesn't matter. And again, it might not
matter as much as a team that gives them a
billion dollars or something close. What you can control, what

(01:26:39):
the Reds can control, to me, matters so much more.
They signed Joey Vado and he played. I know he's
probably getting get caught up by the Blue Jays here,
but basically his entire career in Cincinnati never won with him.
And if I'm Ellie de la Cruz, I look at
that from two different perspectives. Number One, you're gonna do
that with me, am, I gonna have great years for

(01:27:01):
a team that's constantly floundering. And number two, if things
go south and I'm one of the highest paid players
in the sport, Wait a minute, everybody blame Joey. Not everybody,
but a lot of people blame Joey, They're gonna blame me.
Do I have to listen to that, Like I love
the era in the NBA of the super teams because
players decided we're gonna prioritize the best basketball situations. Now,

(01:27:26):
the difference is that is a salary capped league and
they have a maximum salary. And so you know what
happened was players decided the currency that matters most is winning.
But it is currency that matters even in a sport
like baseball, which is not captain where there is thankfully
no maximum salary. So put Ellie in a situation where

(01:27:46):
he views this as the best baseball situation, as the
best situation for him to thrive, as the best situation
for his potential to be taken advantage of. And if
those things happen here, then all of the off field
stuff will happen for Elie Delacruz, at least to the
extent it happens with a baseball player. The Reds cannot

(01:28:07):
control that entirely, of course, but they can control a
lot of it. It's not so much about, well, give
them the blank check. Ellie is probably gonna say thanks,
but no thanks to the blank check. His agent has
basically already stated as much so in this timeframe that
they have him put him in a position that when

(01:28:28):
he has options, when he legitimately has options or is
getting close to having options, he views this as the
best possible option that doesn't happen if it's going to
be this constant drumbeat of finishing in fourth or fifth place,
or this this this constant drumbeat of well, we're in
it but not really, or this constant drumbeat of well

(01:28:51):
we're not sure we're buyers are sellers, so we're gonna
thread the needle, or this constant drumbeat of wondering how
many more years is going to be before they advanced
in the postseason for the first time since nineteen ninety five.
Put him in the best possible situation and make the
option here on top of whatever the Reds could pay him.

(01:29:11):
Make the option here one that's really hard to walk
away from. The Reds have some time to do that.
You're being fair if you wonder if they will phone
calls next to ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati's ESPN fifteenth Long enough,

(01:29:32):
Tony Pike is gonna babble in twenty minutes recap the
heat to day at Bengals training camp practice. We'll do
that coming up in just about twenty minutes. But first Phil,
thank you for your patience. You're on ESPN fifteen thirty.
Good afternoon, afternoon.

Speaker 8 (01:29:49):
Mo il Li needs to look no further than one
Lebron James for how to play this, because I what's
the only reason that the national media cover the Reds.
It's him and who and who I mean, he can
leverage that, he can absolutely leverage that to influence roster decisions.

(01:30:14):
Like It's like, basically he needs to go to the
rest of the listen. If you there, my happiness comes
at a price. The price is I get to have
a little bit of a say in how we put
together a winner, because I don't think you guys know
what you're doing, yeaes.

Speaker 2 (01:30:28):
And and that, and that they don't go ahead, well,
I mean that that's their track record. And I don't
know that he has to have a say in roster decisions.
I'm not sure Elie is necessarily qualified for that, but
I do think if if you have a long term
goal of keeping this guy in town for the remainder
of his prime years, and you don't want this guy
to hit free agency and be enticed by other more
successful teams, then you've got to keep in mind how

(01:30:51):
he is going to, you know, how how he's going
to feel about falling short, how he's going to feel
about not being aggressive I always going to feel about
individual moves. I think there's some validity to that. Thanks both,
all right, Phil, thank you, thank you very much. And
I I don't think it is ever as simple as

(01:31:14):
just simply write the check. I know you know that's
I'll go ahead and cut him a check. Like again,
if I'm Ellie de la Cruz, there's part of me
going well, if you cut me a check, that's cool.
But in five years I can get probably a check
worth a hell of a lot more money. I'm completely
on board with the idea that you keep Ellie and
his future in mind when you make decisions for the

(01:31:36):
short term. Kyler, you're on ESPN fifteen thirty high. No,
how you doing, brother, I'm wonderful, Kyler. How about you?

Speaker 4 (01:31:44):
Well?

Speaker 6 (01:31:45):
I got to put my hat on Ellie de la Cruz,
all right, big thing I think with him at the
end of that interview, I can't remember. He was asking
him the other day the first game of Miami. They
said who's the most exciting baseball player? And he told
of the anchor the interviewer, you're talking to him. I
really hope that. I think I'm Ellie Day the Cruz.

(01:32:08):
I go to the Reds front office and I say,
Michael Jordan, he went to the Washington Wizards and receive
part ownership. I don't think the Reds have the financial ability,
but if I'm Mellie Day of the Cruz, I presented
to them. I don't know if the MLBPA would allow
something like this in the contract. Maybe it's something that
it gets forfeited. Until he retires, but basically the revenue

(01:32:33):
that he's bringing in sort of like the previous caller
what Lebron did. If I'm Mellie Day the Cruz, I
go to the Reds and I tell them people want
to play with me. We have Hunter here, we have
me here for the next five years. How are you
going to maximize this situation? You That's I don't know
if in the in the verbiage, if Forrest is going
to be able to you know, there could put you know,

(01:32:54):
be wordage to where l E challenges front office to say, hey,
if I bring us, you know nationally, you know, if
I get us to a World Series, you have to
spend X amount of dollars the following years, you know,
something along those lines. Because I think the Red fan
base would gain a little bit more confidence because it's
not the Castelinis who are basically quote the ownerships. I

(01:33:18):
think it's a little bit different of approach in regards
to trying to Ellie's going to bring in a crowd
no matter what, and people are gonna buy tickets. But
the Castelinis could really do themselves a lot of benefit
by taking themselves out of the situation as much as
they can allow their ballplayers to be the face of
their franchises. You know, you hear so many times about

(01:33:41):
players leaving here. Look at Montas, he was here very briefly,
and he's crying at the press conference because of the team.
You hear Ellie talking all the time about his players
as teammates. That's where I think Ellie would go in
and try to maximize. I don't know if this is
it's a dream, but more than anything, I think Ellie
is a competitor in a different genre. You know, you're

(01:34:02):
talking about Joey Vado. Joey Voda was the first basement.
You know, that's your kind of you know, pigeon head
hold there. In a way, Ellie's a freak athlete. He's
able to do what Joey Voda. I mean, obviously not
the walks, but it's a it's a completely different ballgame,
and I think the Reds would be benefiting themselves if
they thought outside the box. And it's because this is

(01:34:22):
a once in a generational talent. You know, I see
the you know, the throwbacks from Eric Davis, you got
the Ricky Henderson. No, it's Ellie day La Cruz. He
breaks the mold you hear the Mike Trouts that, you know,
how how much different do you think Mike Trout's career
would be if the Angels actually did what exactly you
said that the Red should have done whenever Joey was here?

Speaker 2 (01:34:44):
Yeah? No, I mean you. At the end of the day,
these guys for all the money that they're going to
earn and all the money that they do earn, and
they want to win, and they want to play on
big stages. And Mike Trout hasn't done that. And I
view that what does a cautionary tale? If I'm the Rads,
do I want to put Ellie Dela Cruz in an

(01:35:04):
environment where he starts to wonder, am I going to
be like Mike Trout? Ellie can get money anywhere, he
get more money and in a lot of places than
he can get in Cincinnati. Can we create the best
set of circumstances around him that give him what he
is looking for? And that to me is a short
term issue that goes above and beyond writing him a

(01:35:25):
blank check or worrying about where he's going to be
in twenty thirty, worry about where he'll be in two
thousand and thirty. If over the next couple of years,
this franchise runs in place.

Speaker 6 (01:35:34):
You know, he said that, You know, Derrek Jeter was
one of his favorite players, throwing up, he idolized him.
You know, our fan base wants to go, oh he
wants to be a Yankee. No, Derek Jeter stayed with
one team his whole career, you know. And then maybe
look at that angle. I think Ellie is a different,
different type of player, and now after going to the
All Star Game, he knows that he belongs. You know,

(01:35:55):
Hunter Green. It's the guy's twenty four years old, Ellie,
and you know, Hunter, no matter what, we have them
fit in twenty twenty nine.

Speaker 2 (01:36:02):
Yeah, and it's a golden something.

Speaker 6 (01:36:06):
If they do something with it, you know what, maybe
you have a lot more likelihood to bring in more talent.

Speaker 5 (01:36:09):
And look at what Lebron did.

Speaker 6 (01:36:11):
Hey, hopefully that the Reds can carry this thing out though,
But have a good day, brother, all right.

Speaker 2 (01:36:15):
You do the same. For what it's worth. The players
are not allowed to own stakes in Major League Baseball teams.
They can own stakes and franchises and other sports. But again,
I just over the next couple of years, what will
the Reds do to make this an option so that

(01:36:37):
when Ellie and Hunter and others have options way down
the road, it's almost impossible for them to leave. I
don't know the answer, but I hope we get them
more phone calls. Antony coming out the ESPN fifteen thirty
he found Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty. All right, let's do

(01:36:58):
this quickly. Sports headlines are a service at Kelsey Chevrolet,
home of lifetime power train protection and guaranteed credit approval
from their family to yours for life Kelsey chef dot com.
Bengals practice today. It got heated fights Karris v Loos.
Excuse me that cough I had three weeks ago. The

(01:37:20):
like it's like a hurricane that has its remnants still
just like hanging around. That's what's happening with this cough
Kars versus Logan, Wilson, Pratt versus Yoshabash. It got heated
Bengals and Bucks on Saturday, Tony Pike in about ten
minutes the game Saturday Live on ESPN fifteen thirty. Camp
Sample to IR with the Achilles injury. Austin McNamara has

(01:37:41):
been waived, so as Trey Mosley McNamara, one of the
three punters in camp, so simple subtraction would tell you
they're down to two defensive end Andre Carter signs rookie
from IU who was with the Jags for the first
part of training camp. Josh Pryor, second year player college
free agent signee of Washington last year, played in seven
games as a rookie, primarily on special teams. Red's and Marlins.

(01:38:05):
Again tonight in Miami, Andrew Abbott gets the ball for
Cincinnati six to forty Tonight. Red starting lineup thankfully or hopefully,
I should say, made well thanks to Madewell Restoration, India,
Ellie and Tyler one through three, Freedom and center France
at first. Jamer Candelario is dhing Marte is playing third,
Frehley and right and batting ninth. They'll be left fielder

(01:38:26):
San Diago, Espinal Will Benson up off the paternity list,
and Joey Weimer has been sent to Louisville. You See
Athletics announces twenty twenty four Hall of Fame class. Congratulations
to some iconic athletes and some good dudes, including Omar
Cummings from men's soccer, Annette Chinowoke from a track and

(01:38:47):
field who won the silver and the hammer throw yesterday
in Paris Vanessa Jeel women's soccer, Marty Guilliard football, Sean Kilpatrick,
friend of the show men's basketball who should have his
number retire, Jordan Thompson from volleyball, and you see's first
ever first Team All American Consensus first Team All American
Mike Woods. He goes into the UC Hall of Fame.

(01:39:09):
Congratulations to all. I think that's it for your local
sports headlines. Mike as always, thank you for your patience.
How are you? Oh no, I'm la what's up?

Speaker 12 (01:39:22):
I sent you an email?

Speaker 10 (01:39:26):
I excuse me. I'm sorry that last call them not
the last color, but the collar before Marty and Tracy.
You you gave that guy a lot of leash, and
I think he kind of punk him in.

Speaker 5 (01:39:44):
A really subtle way.

Speaker 12 (01:39:46):
You did, you toyed what that did because you knew
he didn't really know what the hell he was talking about.

Speaker 10 (01:39:52):
That's my opinion. I'm sure he's a nice name and everything,
but a little bit over his head.

Speaker 2 (01:39:58):
I mean, I think we had a good conversation. That's
the objective on this show. We don't punk people. I mean,
we have spirited disagreements sometimes, but it's all in the
name of fun. I just I think there is a
delicate balance between going overboard and criticizing the Reds and
giving them a pass.

Speaker 4 (01:40:17):
And I.

Speaker 2 (01:40:19):
Try to strike a balance because I think I think
it's deserved. I mean, I think there are some things
that this franchise and this current regime deserves a lot
of criticism for. I think there are some successes that
the baseball operations people have had that they get credit for,
should get credit for, and and and give you reason
to believe that this can get better. I don't think

(01:40:40):
it's as black and white with Nick Crawl as many
would make you believe. I don't think it's as black
and white with the Castellines as many would make you believe.
I don't think it's as black and white with David Bell.
But at the end of the day, it is the
Reds franchise that has gone forever without winning, and until
that changes, there is going to be an exasperation and
an impatience that is impossible for this team to counter

(01:41:00):
with a lot of people, and I understand it.

Speaker 12 (01:41:04):
I want to, well, you can't disagree, I mean, I
can't really disagree with what you said. Usually when I
disagree with you, I end up losing anyway. Occasionally I
win one, but not that often. Hey, real quick, and
then I wanted you give me a few more, give
me a little leash.

Speaker 10 (01:41:19):
I wanted to hit you with an NFL kind of
a trivia.

Speaker 12 (01:41:22):
Thing, okay, and then kind of a funny baseball quip.

Speaker 13 (01:41:27):
How was the Italian dish that was so revealed last night?

Speaker 2 (01:41:32):
It was good, it wasn't what I wanted it to be.
So for those who are with us, I said, I
had the greatest past edition I've ever had when I
was on vacation. I have thought a lot about how
I could replicate this. I tried last night. What I
made was good. It was not anywhere close to what
I had on vacation.

Speaker 10 (01:41:51):
Dog gonet, Well, you gave it the old college.

Speaker 2 (01:41:54):
Try, and you know what, there's there's fun and failure sometimes,
and so I plan on trying again.

Speaker 10 (01:42:00):
Absolutely, and it'll be better the next time.

Speaker 13 (01:42:02):
State I was thinking about, Well, first of all, I
think whoever plays the Rockies, the White Sox, the Marlins, the.

Speaker 5 (01:42:11):
Angels or the Age should only get credit for half
a wink.

Speaker 10 (01:42:15):
How about that?

Speaker 2 (01:42:16):
It is and that's obviously, it's amplified by the history
setting pace the White Sox are on and they did
break their twenty one game losing streak last night. It
has been remarkable the last kind of the last couple
of seasons, how bad. The worst teams in this sport
are the Reds. Fortunately, including the last two nights in Miami,

(01:42:36):
have been able to take advantage because they've played pretty
well against those teams. But the for as big excuse me, Mike,
for as big as the middle is, the collection of
teams at the bottom seems to be over the last
couple of years, at least at a level of bad
that's almost unprecedented.

Speaker 10 (01:42:57):
Yeah it is.

Speaker 12 (01:42:57):
And the home dog is still It does its thing
every year.

Speaker 10 (01:43:00):
It's never let me down, never once.

Speaker 4 (01:43:03):
I don't know if you're planning it every day, but
that's what you gotta do to win the money.

Speaker 2 (01:43:06):
We'll do it.

Speaker 13 (01:43:09):
Here's an interesting one I learned about. I was thinking
about the Pennay Seul Jamar Chase situation in twenty twenty one,
all the controversy around that fifth pick, and uh, we
know Penny Suel now is the quintessential.

Speaker 10 (01:43:23):
Right tackle in the NFL.

Speaker 12 (01:43:25):
No question, and he had some little bumpy road to
get there, but he's there.

Speaker 4 (01:43:30):
Yeah, But what was interesting mine, I didn't know this.

Speaker 13 (01:43:34):
You may or tearing the It wasn't the first time
that a receiver went off the board before the first offensive.

Speaker 5 (01:43:42):
Tackle was taken into draft.

Speaker 13 (01:43:44):
It's happened less than you think, like five times since
two thousand. I thought that was interesting.

Speaker 2 (01:43:49):
Really, Yeah, five.

Speaker 13 (01:43:52):
Times since two thousand the a receiver, any receiver was
taken off the board before the first off defensive.

Speaker 5 (01:44:00):
Tackle was taken and a draft.

Speaker 4 (01:44:02):
Yeah, I had no idea to ope my eyes a
little bit.

Speaker 2 (01:44:05):
Well, I think it reflects how the league feels about
wide receivers these days. Also, since two thousand, the league
has embraced passing more. And if you're embracing passing more,
then you're you're seeking the best possible solutions at past catcher.
And so I think the uh, I think that what
you just mentioned is a reflection of what I just mentioned.

Speaker 5 (01:44:27):
Just helps the league's change. All right, ma, I appreciate it.

Speaker 10 (01:44:30):
Time, buddy, Mike, hang.

Speaker 2 (01:44:31):
In there, man, Okay, anytime. Thank you. Twelve away from
six Tony Pipe next. Hey, it's my egg.

Speaker 1 (01:44:40):
This is a training camp report Brook to you by
Skylight Julie feeling good. It's Skylight on ESPN fifteen thirty,
the official home of the Bengals.

Speaker 2 (01:44:52):
One more check in with Tony Pike. Bengals working out today.
A chippy workout and intense workout. I heated practice, fights,
tempers fly. It was awesome at least what I saw
on social media. How awesome was it to be there? Tony?

Speaker 4 (01:45:06):
It felt much like Monday did. It felt like a
training camp, and it felt almost like a throwback training
camp because of the intensity, and that I think started
because of the off day yesterday and Monday was a
special team's focus and tomorrow's a light day and then
you're playing on Saturday. So I think the players understood

(01:45:26):
that this was the day that they had to kind
of lay it all out there. I thought the offense
was moving the ball at ease for much of practice,
and I think defensively some frustration set in. I think
that's why you saw Logan Wilson with the initial fight
with with Ted Carris, and then offensive lineman Client came
and playing Ted Carris up or Logan Wilson. But all

(01:45:46):
of that, like that's part of camp. Most coaches. There
was a video of a scuffle at Steelers camp the
other day and you could like zoom in on Tomlin
and see him smirking, like you're not going to let
it go crazy, But you want your guys to be intense.
You want there to be a fire and a passion.
But that line got crossed a little later in camp.
Jermaine Pratt had a rough hit on andre Yoshibash over

(01:46:09):
the middle. It was a hit that didn't need to happen,
and they kind of excused Jermaine prout from the rest
of practice. But two different variations. One temper's flaring, the
other one a play that you don't want to make,
especially against one of your own teammates.

Speaker 2 (01:46:23):
Yeah, and you talk about like temper is flaring. I
think the good part of this is these guys feel
like they're ready to hit someone else. And the good
news is in a very condensed amount of time, within
two weeks, they're gonna play three games and have two
joint practices, So whatever aggression they need to take out,
they'll have a chance to take it out on someone
else besides one of their teammates.

Speaker 4 (01:46:44):
Yeah, plenty of time to do that now. They're kind
of I thought today was a little bit of a
of kind of the top of the hill at camp,
whereas you mentioned, now it gets into a preseason game
and then you're you're you're traveling with joint prattctices and
another preseason so the schedule starts to shorten up. You
get some more off time in between. You're gonna see

(01:47:06):
more guys practice like they did today, Hendrickson and get
Sicky and Trump, but you're gonna see more guys practicing.
But now you're on the downside, you're really starting to
start to look forward to the start of the season
instead of getting through camp. And I thought today was
kind of that threshold.

Speaker 2 (01:47:22):
Bengals back at it tomorrow practice inside the stadium, not
open to the public. Tony's back for Sincy three to
sixty from Bengals training camp tomorrow at twelve noon. We'll
talk to you then, man, Thanks so much, Thanks Moe.
All right, there you go. Tony Pike with us every
hour from training camp, including three check ins three forty five,
four forty five and five forty five. Paul questions three

(01:47:44):
of them thanks to United at Heartland Insurance. First, who
you got caris or Wilson Seventy three point eight percent
say Ted, I'm with you. If your Elli dealer, Cruz,
would you rather a spend the next five plus years
enhancing your value as a free agent and keeping your
long term options open or signed beyond twenty twenty nine
with the Reds? Seventy six percent say hey. And if

(01:48:05):
Ledla Cruz had a contract set to expire at the
end of the season and decided today that he's signing
a five year contract extension, would you instantly start worrying
about what happens when the new deal expires? Sixty nine
point five percent say no. Brendle tomorrow on the Bearcats,
who are going through camp of their own, more from
Tony Pike, Reds, Marlins, and so much more. Anything you
might have missed, go get it on the iHeartRadio app

(01:48:28):
Talk to you tomorrow. Have a great evening. Thanks to
Tanna for producing This is ESPN fifteen thirty. This report

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