June 30, 2025 • 47 mins
Why do so many parents feel like their kids are going to be star athletes? Lebron James opted-in to his contract with the Lakers but Rich Paul released an interesting (if not nebulous) statement. The Dodgers went 5-1 on their trip to Colorado and Kansas City and Ohtani threw the hardest pitch of his career.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
All right, let's go Fred Rogan Jonas Knox in today
for Rodney at A five seventy l A Sports Jonas,
how is your weekend?
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Hey?
Speaker 3 (00:08):
What's up? Fred? Feeling?
Speaker 1 (00:11):
We're all right? What about you? Good? Just?
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Uh, nothing too exciting. Worked hung out with my son,
played baseball. That's about it.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Yeah, you hung out with your son. He's three, right? Four? Four? Okay? Yeah?
So how good is it baseball?
Speaker 3 (00:32):
See? If I don't want to come off like I'm
a douche, I don't want to be one of these
all my kids awesome whatever. I just know that he.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Does every wait wait wait, everybody's kids are pro, So
go ahead.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Yeah, it's just from what I gather from what people
have told me, his coaches when he played, he's played
one season, and just people have watched him that he's
very good. But again, I don't I have you know,
I don't. I don't know what that what that means?
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (00:59):
You know, if I start throwing him splinkers, you know,
maybe maybe it might change the game a little bit.
If I start going off speed, maybe it'll buckle his
knees and I'll never want to play again. But for
four years old, he can hit. He's got a cannon
for an arm sure, and he can field and he
can do all that fun stuff. So hopefully, I mean,
if I just if I helicopter pairent him enough, that'll
(01:21):
ultimately end up being the retirement plan.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Oh that'd be great. Ye, yes, yours, yours and everybody
else who has a child that age, tell me about
it exactly. Now. Was he playing T ball?
Speaker 3 (01:31):
He did play T ball, and then we'll start working
him into But this is the problem. I don't know
if you went through this, but I didn't realize how
many baseball leagues there were in southern California, Like, because
you talk to somebody, well, they're gonna play little League
or are they gonna play pony ball? I don't know
(01:52):
what is pony What do you go to Santa Anita
and play games? No? Pony? Like, I know, all this
stuff is new to me. I never played orize baseball
as a kid because I was terrible. All yeah, and
so what do you mean, Yeah, well, when you were
cooked to jump on that one right there, jeez, No,
I'm agreeing with you.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Yeah, you were telling me.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Well it's the truth, and so I just I'm trying
to gather, and then there's different leagues depending on the
proximity of where you are. If you're in the same county,
you can go to. It's just the whole thing is kind.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Of wild, all right. So let's just break it down
real quick, because I know a number of the people
listening probably have kids around your son's age. And again,
this will be very valuable because everybody that has a child,
boy or girl around your son's age does believe that
they will be a pro A pro athlete, a pro dancer.
(02:43):
At this age, everybody is going to be pro. So
what happens is Jonas, you look for places that you
can help enable this to be true. So let's talk
about your son. For example, there's rec league, there's pony League,
there's Little League. There's cult league that I know. I
didn't even know that, okay, And what happens.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Was a sponsored by exactly. They bring out a brown
bag from the liquor store next door and say, hey,
great game, everybody.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Right, that's exactly how they do it. Yeah, those guys
get drunk. The Pony League plays at Santa Anita. The
rec League plays out in the middle of the street. Yeah, everybody,
there's a place for everybody to play. And then there's
travel ball, of course, and club ball. Now travel ball
is when you really got something going. Travel ball. You
look at your son and you go, my god, he's four.
(03:37):
But I'll tell you what he plays like. He's four
and a half. So we can play him up right,
and we can move him up and it's only gonna
cost us what, I don't know, two grand, two grand
for a season, and then and then the thrill. And
this is what makes it worthwhile. You get to travel.
By the way, you're paying for that travel, but you
(03:59):
know you're you're out in thousand oaks. Guess what, We've
got a game in Sacramento next weekend. Everybody, let's go.
You'll all drive up to Sacramento. You probably played two
or three because it's baseball. You come back next weekend.
We just got invited to play in a tournament in Phoenix.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Oh god, let's go.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Oh, by the way, you know that two grand, Yeah,
well it doesn't cover all the tournaments, so you're gonna
have to cough up another hundred bucks here, one hundred
bucks there, get a hotel, food.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
I've already got anxiety. Just yeah, that's what it is.
And like I talked to uh. I remember I was
talking to LeVar Arrington about this, and he was telling me.
He goes, hey, man, just wait until your kids starts
playing organize it like organized ball. He goes, You're you
no longer get vacations. Your vacations are traveling to watch
him play because long's got kids who play in college.
(04:55):
And he's like, that's that's what this turns into. He goes,
You're like, whether it's Memorial Day, fourth of July, Labor
Day weekend, there's a tournament, there's a league, there's a tryout,
there's this, there's that's what that turns into. And I
was telling Petros this I've just seen in one year
(05:15):
of doing this is just t ball. This is you know,
most of the kids don't even know how to hold
the bat and they don't even know And I've just
seen the parenting in other games going on in other
fields and things like that. At the same time while
all these while all the our games are happening and
I and I'm just monitoring, all right, don't be that guy.
Don't be that guy. Don't be that guy. Don't be
(05:37):
that guy. Because it's just filled with parents who are
so overbearing, I don't listen.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
As long as he's a good person, that's all I
care about. That's all I care about. As long as
a good person, preferably a good person who could hit
a slider. That's and I don't think that's too much
to ask. So I but when you and you mentioned
the price, when's the last time you've gone and looked
at how much baseball merch, like like apparel is baseball gear.
(06:07):
Remember when you used to be able to get a
glove for like fifty sixty bucks, like a really good,
serviceable glove. Fred you go into some of these places
like like pick a sporting good store and Big five Dicks.
What we're talking like four five hundred dollars for a
baseball glove.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Because those are like Hoover vacuums. The ball said, it
goes right into, it sucks it right in. Don't have
to pay that much.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
I mean, and they're not even broken in. You still
have to, you know, come whatever like it used to
be back in the day where you could polish the
there was that the baseball glove grease or whatever it
came in. It was like from Louisville slugger. It was
came in an orange bottle, right, and you would oil, yeah,
put yeah, you put oil in it. You'd wrap you
put a softball in your glove. You'd wrap it with
(06:54):
a belt. You'd leave it there overnight, you check out
it the next day, and then you just sort of
work it in. Now they've got all these different bombs
and all these different things that you can use for
your glove. All of that's in addition to the four
hundred dollars for a kid's baseball glove. Now it is
wild how much things are then.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
I don't remember if I told you my stories when
I was managing little league teams. What I really wanted
to do was coach basketball, and that's what we did.
Ever tell you the story about the kid that wanted
to play second base and the nerd that the kid
that got hit with the ball. Did I tell you
the story?
Speaker 3 (07:32):
I believe, Okay, tell me it again, they jonas, I'll
be thinking of Owen, which is basketball. Yeah, oh yeah,
that was That was the geek that kid probably grew
up to be. Uh, you know, like I.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Think he's in the w W now. I think he
really put on weight and started hitting the gym.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Oh you think so? Oh yeah, I mean the way
you what you made him out to be was sending
out mail bombs afterwards.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Yeah, no, that wasn't true. All right. So anyway, I
had this kid and his father wanted him to play
second base. It's all he want him to play. How
old were they eight nine, I don't remember. Anyway, two
kids on this team. So his dad want him to
play second base. That was the deal. He had to
play second base. And I wouldn't put him at second
base because I was afraid because he couldn't catch, and
I was really concerned this kid would get hurt. But
(08:17):
his father wanted him to play second base, wanted him
to play second base, and I'm not going to do it.
I'm sorry, I'm just not going to put him at
second base. So then the guy says, well, will you
trade him? I said sure, I'll trade him. Okay, so
I trade him to another team.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
So you call it, ned Kaltti. You're like, how do
we make a difference on this contract?
Speaker 1 (08:39):
I trade the kid, And sure enough, his dad had
talked to the guy and the guy said, oh yeah,
we'll play them at second base. Don't worry about it.
First game, the guy's playing second base ball, hit the
short They want to force the guy out. At the
second short stuff throws it, kid can't catch it, hit
him right in the nose, breaks his nose, and the
season was over. There you go then on that same team.
(09:04):
You know, when you bat, you're on the left hand
batter's box or right hand batter's box. Right, you're in
the batter's box. Now, you know there's gonna be some
teaching involved because these kids are young. All right. You
know we're gonna teach you how to play, but you
have these kids learning to hit. One kid comes up
to bat. He stands directly in the middle of the
(09:26):
plate and he holds his bat over his head like
an axe, like he's going to throw an axe. And
he is standing on home plate, directly on top of it,
facing the picture, which means he will be dead. He
doesn't realize you have to go one side or the
other and swing the bat. He thought, stand right on
home plate, face the picture, hold the bat over your
(09:49):
head like an axe, and that's how you do it. Okay.
So I said, you know what, No, I don't think
this is a good idea. I said, now, come on,
over here, try this, try that. Afterwards, I actually went
to his house and talked to his parents. So I
gotta be honest with you. You know, he really doesn't
understand where he should be standing and he's going to
(10:11):
get hurt, and you need to know that. I mean,
we can't have him like with a tomahawk over his
head standing on home plate. They go, we gotta be
honest with you. We don't even know if he can play.
As a matter of fact, we just had to get
him out of the house. We don't think he even
(10:31):
wants to play, but you know, we got him out
so at least he can run around a little bit.
I said, well, I don't think this is the place
for him. I think he needs to go somewhere else.
We can't. We can't have this.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Guy here center to the playground.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
Right, just you know, take him out and let him
plate and send him out here with a weapon in
his hands standing at home plate.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
You know that is They just want somebody else to
parent their kid for a little while. That's all it is.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
Yeah, just get him out of the house.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
Yes, that's all it is. They don't want the responsibility
you take care of him for.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
A little while God, it's funny when you deal with
these parents and because everybody's kid is a pro. Everybody's
kid is a pro. Let me ask you something as
a parent, if you're listening right now, Well, I show
your daughter is on a kneam.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Can i as see this real quick? Sure? Kid who
got his nose broken, got his face caved in by
that ball because he was adamant he had to play
second base? Were you not, like quietly a little bit? Yeah,
like vindicated? I told you kid couldn't play second based.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Well I didn't want to do that because a little
kid got hurt, But yeah I did.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Yeah, yeah, I see, And there's nothing wrong with that.
They're trying to doubt your scouting abilities when you're telling
them this kid's not a second basement. He's not a
second basement, and they keep no, he's pushing it, and
push it. No, he's not a second baseman. And you
tried to tell everybody, tell them all with that.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
See, the thing is this, and you understand this as
a parent, you Jonas and anybody listening that has kids
or has had kids, or if you don't have kids,
you were one, so you get it. You understand this.
Every parent believes unless their kid is the star of
whatever team at that time, every parent believes that the
(12:13):
coaches are out to scream up to scroom and they
hate their kid, the coaches hate their kid. It doesn't matter.
You believe that because you think your kid should play more.
Your kids should play more if he only or she
only had more of an opportunity. I've got to tell
(12:33):
you you would see how good they are. But here's
the question. Do you really think and anytime you're in athletics,
it is competitive, right, you want to win. Do you
really think a coach would sit someone on the bench
(12:53):
that they thought could help them win. Do you think that?
Do you really think if somebody was so good they
would sit on the bench. No, those kids would play more.
You want to win at any age. My parents don't
get that, and that's my concern about you. I don't
(13:14):
think you'll get that either.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
What do you think I think the coaches are out
to screw my kid?
Speaker 1 (13:18):
I think this. I think from the way you started,
you think your kid's pretty damn good.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Okay, look I all I'm saying is what other people
have told me. He he appears to have way way
better hand.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
I go watch him. What do you mean what other
people told you?
Speaker 3 (13:34):
He seems like he's pretty good. But I don't. I'm
just playing with him. It is he's four years old.
But Freddy, right, here's here's the point I don't want
to to me. What's important is that does he like
doing it? Because this isn't about me. If he felt
the same way about basketball, would go play basketball. And
now at some point I would pull him aside and
(13:55):
be like, hey, buddy, here's a mirror. We're white, so
this is a long shot. Maybe we should stick to,
you know, hockey or something else like that. You know,
we would have an opportunity there. But I just he
seems like he's pretty good. I just don't. I'm I'm
terrified of being one of those parents because you'll see
Petros was telling me a story he wouldn't go. Watched
(14:15):
a little league game in his neighborhood last week, and
just the celebrations of these parents while you know, these
pictures on the mound, this bullpen for the opposing team
was completely melting down, And I'm thinking myself, who, like,
were they happier that their team won because for their
kids or for themselves? And I never want to be
(14:37):
that guy. So I always try and stand in the back.
I always try and stand out of the way. And
if the coach does get involved and I feel like
he has screwing my son, then yeah, maybe I'll force
the trade too. I mean, you can be if you
can be pushed over and bowled over like by that
and by that kid who played second base, maybe I'll
get my son to do the same thing.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
I wanted to get rid of them. Trust me, I
didn't meet that heartache. The good we want you to
trade him, Yep, I'll make that happen. No, don't even
give them a second thought.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
In fact, you know what here, we don't even want
anything in return.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Yeah, just take him. Yes, I was umpiring. So I
was doing the state championship game of Little League baseball
one year, and I was the plate umpire and it
was Cactus Tucson that was one of the team. The
team that won actually went on to the Little League
World Series at year. I can't remember what it was.
Eddie Bosberg, who pitched in the majors, was the pitcher
(15:28):
for Cactus Tucson back then. All right, so I'm doing
the game. I got the play. There was a called
second base. I don't know if the guy muffed it
or made the right call. I don't know, I can't remember. Anyway,
the place becomes enraged, enraged, and people are screaming and
(15:49):
they're running up behind the fence and pounding it. This
is the state championship game, and I mean people were
beyond angry and it was getting worse. So I stopped
the game. I went over to the PA announcer and
I told him to make this announcement. So we have
(16:11):
an announcement. Please everybody stops. Guy says, we've just been
informed by the home plate umpire that if this continues,
he will clear the stands. I was gonna throw everybody
out of the state change.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
You know, hold on, how much were you how much
were you making umping those games?
Speaker 1 (16:30):
You didn't get paid.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
You're volunteering for that kind of abuse.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Oh yeah. The way it worked in literally the way
it worked in Little League. You did your local league,
you moved up, you did some playoffs. I got the
state playoff game, the state championship. Then I did the
Western Regional Tournament in San Bernardino, and then I did
the Little League World Series in Williamsport.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
Boy that's sweet. What they give you afterwards free passes
to Mountain High that you might give.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
You a little pick. It was great. I mean, I'm
glad I did it. It was a great experience. Of course,
you lost track of the outs in my game. Behind
the play at the Little League World Series, that was
another story.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
See, because if I'm not getting paid, I'd at least
like to throw somebody out. Oh yeah, I mean if
you could have thrown the holes crowd out, that wasn't phenomenal.
No make up a lie, you know something. Some parent
made a death threat and just get like wipe out
the entire side of that section. They've all got to
go like if.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
I'm Cowboy go West, just toss fans.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Yeah, if I'm not getting paid, I'm getting my money's worse.
Somehow I'm throwing people out of the game.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
And the problem was I was like eighteen years old,
so I looked like this punk kid who was umpiring
this big game. Everybody else is older than I am.
I was the dress one and I'm threatening to clear
the stands some kid eighteen years old. One more word
and you're all out of here. It's like, shut up,
you're punk, What are you talking.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
That's great, man. God, yeah, I've seen it, man, I've
gotten a glimpse already just seeing youth baseball and you
and just there's a there's a wild bunch of unrealistic
people who who pay a lot of money to send
their kids around around the state to play games. It's
crazy tournaments every weekend.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Yeah, here's the bottom line. You can help your son
or daughter with their skills minimally, you can with practice
things like that, they're going to be better than they
would have been. But the truth of the matter is this,
you can't teach hart. Somebody's got to want to do it.
And at the end of the day, you can't teach
their skill level. Right. It's like you said, if your
(18:43):
someone wanted to play basketball. Okay, two things in basketball.
You can't teach being tall. There's no way to teach that, right.
You also really can't teach how to be really fast.
You can improve it, but you wow or you're not.
You're taller, you're not. In base ball, you can hit
or you can't. It's pretty simple. It doesn't matter how
(19:05):
much money people spend to try and move their kids along.
It just it is what it is, you.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Know, It's great though, because everybody's on their iPads now
and nobody goes outside to play. Whenever we do go
to the park, nobody's there per unlimited time on the field.
Nobody's ever there. Everybody's at home looking at their iPads,
you know, going on TikTok, watching YouTube. Nobody's there. Nobody's
at the park, wide open, and he just cranks. That's
(19:36):
how you do it. Fred all Right makes make sure
all the tech nerds are obsessed with their with their
iPhones and their iPads so they don't want to get outside,
and then him and I just go out there and
just hit bombs. That's how it's done. And look, if
it means he's got to get on the gas at
an early age, I'm not above it. We've seen guys
allegedly do that and make millions of dollars.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
So it's fine, No, listen, you do what you have
to do. Yes, let me give you a homeward soccer soccer,
teaching to play soccer, that's the key.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
I don't know. I don't know if he really wants
to stress out over penalty kicks against Costa Rica on
a Sunday. You know, it feels like not the place
to be.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
You get to pick, You're gonna pick. Now, you want
to do Dodgers five and one on the road trip
or Rich Paul's statement about Lebron next which one.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
Oh, let's see the Dodgers.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Dodgers.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Yes, let's do it.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
We've made it even easier to take LA Sports with
you this summer. Make AM five to seventy or your
favorite AM five seventy LA Sports podcast a preset on
the iHeartRadio app using Apple car Play or Android Auto.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
Road trip all summer with LA Sports.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
Jonas Knoxen today for Rodney counting down to the fourth July. Okay,
Dodgers off today, they're back, call him. They went five
and one on the road trip. But of course the
big story, oh tany through one hundred and two miles
an hour, one hundred and two miles an hour, as
fast as he's ever thrown. He's not fooling around out there, Jonas,
(21:14):
He means.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
It all right. So is that a product of he
realizes he's not going to be out there along so
he can cut it loose a little bit, or is
that him loudly letting everybody know, when can we start
to push this a little more like, this is what
I'm capable of. I'm pumping it in there at one
oh two. Now, I've never done that in my career.
(21:36):
When can we start to rast this up a little
bit and maybe fast track me towards a more legitimate
start and not the one to two innings or does
he just want to be the closer? I mean at
this point, just let him work in some high leverage situations.
Let him close out some games. Why not? You let
Keiky Hernandez do it half the time. So why don't
you just let Otani go out there fire in one
(21:57):
oh two in a closing situation away and see if
he can pick up a couple of saves.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Well, you could do that. They won't, but you could.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
I mean, has anybody ever in the history of baseball
in one year had a home run, a stolen base,
a win, and a save.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
I would say, no, Okay.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
I mean, look, if we're about making history here and
really getting our money's worth with this seven hundred million
dollar contract, he's got to be out there save it
at least one game a year.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
If that's not a bad idea, See, that's what they
should do. You're absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
Yeah, and guess what that turns into another bobblehead next year.
Oh yeah, the Otani save game. And even though even
though everybody in the stadium gets one, people will still
show up and beat vast add of the stadium at
ten am to try and get their bibblehead. Even though
it's not the forty thousand anymore, they just give them
out to everybody.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Yeah, because they realized that was a bad call. That
was a bad call. Get here early. Okay it's nine am.
You shouldn't be here this early.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
Stadium wait, stadium way backed up all the way to
the five.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
Yeah, that was not a good idea. So now everybody
gets him. But that was the big story. Ben Consparius
pitches yesterday and it was funny during the broadcast, and
he got lit up pretty good. And during the broadcast
they were talking about the fact that, you know, the
night before he didn't look so good, so they sent
him back to the hotel to rest up for a start.
(23:26):
Then he comes in early and he gets fluids and
watching him, to me, looked like he had a fever. First,
the weather in Kansas City was oppressive, like eighty three degrees,
ninety percent humidity.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
I mean it just miserable to heat throughout the Midwest
and back because you know, obviously you know, I'm a
weather nerd. The temperatures they're playing, it's hotter than out here, Like,
you know, we're starting to heat up a little bit
out here, but it's not even close to what some
of the like what some of these players are playing through,
especially if you're playing outdoors with so yeah, that was
(23:58):
humid and looked pretty disgusting, pretty sticky out there.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
Yeah, yeah, so that's hard to work anyway. He just
didn't look good. They lost, but he didn't look good.
He really didn't look good. He looked like he had
been just weather beaten.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
Now, what would what would your recommendation been for him
to get back on the mend as somebody who's dealt with, uh,
you know, maybe a fever to dehydration issues on the air,
what would you recommend for him, Like, what's your go to?
Speaker 1 (24:25):
Yeah, a lot of electrolytes if you're dealing with dehydration, right,
electrolytes replenish that. Uh, if you have a fever, normally
I would say you probably should stay home, staying bed
if you have a fever. What is if they rolled
his bed out to the mode. It would have been different.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Okay, Well, who was the coach? Was it Hugh Freeze
who coached at Liberty Got I think it was Hugh
Freeze and they showed him coaching from a hospital bed
up in the press box?
Speaker 1 (24:58):
Yes, because he was.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
That's the move. See everyone's talking about bringing back bullpen cars.
Forget that. Wheel him out on a gurney, raise the
bed up. There's a little operating remote next to it,
next to the hospital bed. Why I know that spent
way too many time in hospitals over the past few years.
You lift it all the way up, you can position
yourself and he can get at least eighty five to
(25:23):
eighty nine on a fastball from that position.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
At least. Here's the concern I would have if you
were doing that. How are you gonna field your position?
Speaker 3 (25:34):
You know someone asked that about defenders nowadays. Anyways, Thank you,
pending on who it is, I mean, thank you.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
You know very solid.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
You know who would probably do that. Raphael Devers. Less
is more, baby's let's less is more? Oh, oh, Bragman's
better than me. Screw you guys.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
Right, I will not do anything here. I will not play.
I will be the DH Giants. I'll play anywhere whatever
you want.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
Day when you do play first base, sorry, tell your
GM to do a better job. Speight gets his san
Fran and he's willing to do it all jack of
all trades. He's probably helping the grounds crew. He's probably
he's everywhere to be found. What a pain in the ass.
Speaker 1 (26:15):
That was hilarious. I'm not doing it. You're not gonna
get absolutely not. Well, you told me I don't beat
my glove on the DH. Okay, hey man, look we
got injuries. Can you play first base? No, that's not
what you told me.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
Yeah. Look, I'm only doing what you've asked me to do,
and you already asked me once to make a change.
I'm not making a second one. You guys can go
screw yourselves. And he ends up he has with the Giants,
and you know that that could be a problem I'm
having to deal with him over the next few years.
But yeah, I looked. Tell me, if you get the
(26:50):
impression with this year's team, maybe he's opposed to previous years.
They don't play with their food and this road trip
felt like a road trip to where eh if they
wanted to lay an anger to. You can understand it.
It's the dog days of summer, All Star breaks right
around the corner. You know, they're pretty comfortable. They understand
(27:13):
they're kind of working some players back in from injury.
But really the real season for them is the postseason.
That's how this team is going to be judged. And
instead they go out and go five and one, awful,
awful Colorado and Kansas City, who's been disappointing this year.
And I just I look at that and I go,
(27:35):
that feels like a mindset of a team. You know,
this is a Lions fan. That was the most impressive
thing about the Detroit Lions last year during the regular
season when they played bad teams, they didn't play down
to their competition. They annihilated them, annihilated them. It wasn't like, oh,
we can just mail it in this week. And I
come away from the road trip going I could have
seen them split this road trip, and then the conversation's
(27:58):
a little different. They didn't they want to and took
care of business as they should. Better team should have
won those games.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
I mean, it's it's abundantly clear that they need to
get their pitchers back, though, I mean, you turn around,
every game is a bullpen game. Every game is a
bullpen game for those guys. Now, they simply don't have
enough pictures. They have Yamamoto, they have Kershaw, who else? Hersheiser, Yeah,
(28:27):
they have Herscheiser. They haven't called him in yet, all right,
but you know he's on standby. Although I think Oil
does wear his jersey at every game, you just don't
see it. He's got yeah, I think.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
So, right under the chair and he's got I think he's.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
Always got that fifty. He's rocking it. He's ready to
go if they need them.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
Yeah, that makes sense.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
What do you think of? And it's funny that they're
playing as well as they are with no pitching. And
now as the season progresses, you know, guys are up,
guys are down. A couple of weeks ago, Freddy Freeman
couldn't miss, I mean, he hit everything. Now he's struggling.
Mooki is struggling. To me, it looks like Mooky's going
up first pitch swing. At one point, I thought he
just wants to get back in the dugout. There's no
(29:07):
reason for him to even take a pitch. But now
Mooki will come out of it. But is it just
me or does it appear that way?
Speaker 3 (29:15):
Well? And it also why why is it always seem
like that when they go and slumps they happen at
the same time. It's like like neither one of them.
Remember in the postseason, it was they couldn't hit, you know,
when they when they lost to the Dodge or lost
to the Padres, and it was it was because of
those two guys couldn't hit. So it was almost like
through osmosis, one guy saw the other one struggling and
was like, oh, that's not a bad idea. Let me
(29:36):
try that out for a little for a little bit.
Because Freddy Freeman was on fire early in the year,
it look it might might be just a couple of
guys that need the break, that need a little bit
of a reset and then come back afterwards and it's
a whole different conversation about him or I always wonder this,
and not that we've ever talked about it before, but
(29:59):
we've kind of also wondered. Those are two Hall of
Fame players. Mookie Bets is going to the Hall of Fame,
Freddie Freeman's going to the Hall of Fame of their era,
two of the better players to play in this era,
and they have been completely overshadowed by one guy who
can do it all, can do it all. They are
(30:20):
superstars who have become the secondary conversation to a guy
who can do everything on the field, it seems like,
and I just wonder now that they're seeing, like when
did the slumps start to coincide with Otani pitching again?
Speaker 1 (30:37):
Okay, I think you're trying to jump to a conclusion.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
But no, I'm just I'm just I'm asking the question,
do you not think that egos are real? And I'm
not saying that you know, Freddie Freeman's an ego maniac
or Mookie Betts is an ego maniac, But if you're
those guys and you are all time great players and
you've been completely overshadowed by the hoop loot. Not that
(31:00):
Tani's arrogant or anything, great teammate. Everybody loves the guy,
totally cool, totally calm, like, no issues there whatsoever, no
ego involved. But I just wonder. I think it's a
natural reaction to be competitive, and maybe you end up
wanting to try too hard to make up your end
of the bargain and then you go start getting into
(31:21):
some bad habits and maybe you pick up a slump
or two during the course of the season. You don't
think that's a possibility or a real thing in sports
with athletes.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
I think it could be. I don't think it's the
case here. I just think they're slumping. And I think
that you know, they talk all the time. I think
they mirror each other.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
I mean, do you want me to go all the
way with this conspiracy theory. I'll go all the way.
If we really want to fire people up, I'll go
all the way. I think that since Otani has started pitching, yeah,
he's made Mookie Bets and Freddie Freeman feel insecure, and
that they've been throwing bullpen sessions on the side to
try and pitch themselves and instead work themselves into a
slump at the plate.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Did you hear that from best say?
Speaker 3 (32:00):
I think he reported that Vassie doesn't like me anymore.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
So what happened to you? Well, join the club, But
what happened to you?
Speaker 3 (32:07):
I don't know. I don't know. He just kind of
snapped and then I heard him. On Friday, I was
driving around just running some mind of my own business,
and I was listening to Petros and Don McLean and
then Vassa started laying into me again, made fun of
my leather jackets, which I don't know what there is
to make fun of. Those are so cool back in
the eighties, right, and and you know he buried me again,
(32:28):
so so who knows. But no, that's that's my conspiracy theory.
I'll just you just.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
Came up with that. You think. You think after they
saw the tiny pitch that they were jealous so they
started secretly throwing on the side to tell Dave Roberts,
we can pitch too.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
See but see see. But when you say it out loud,
it sounds completely preposterous. When I say it to myself,
it sounds convincing, almost like it's the middle of the summer,
and you know, we don't really want to break down
the possibility of Chris Paul returning to the Clippers, so
let's just roll with this to try and get us
through up into the All Star break until Kershaw strikes
(33:09):
out three white Socks in the first inning and reaches
three thousand on Wednesday.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
So yeah, that'd be very exciting, don't you think.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
Yeah, of course, ano they're exciting That's what I'm saying. Man,
If we're making this season about exciting moments, if this
is the season of moments at Dodger Stadium, let Otani
save a game. Just let him save one? Why not?
Speaker 1 (33:30):
Well yeah, I mean look at it like this. It's
not like they don't let Kik pitch and Mickey Rojas.
Speaker 3 (33:35):
Yeah, so those guys are good to come out of
the pen, but not Joe Otani.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
When he put Mickey Rojas in the other day, it's
like waving the white flag. It's like waving the first
Kasparius was just getting beat up out there and he
didn't go get him, and I went, okay, well we
know what this one is now, you know you can tell, right,
guy gives up a runner two and then it just
keeps going and you're thinking, okay, you're down three nothing,
(34:03):
but you're still in the game. Now it's four. You're like, oh,
they've just got to wave a flag on this one.
Here comes Miggi in the pitch. Later, it's like, then
they did score some runs late, but just ran out
of gas.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
Now, for anybody that when there's a position player that's
brought in, yeah, and you're hitting against that position player, right,
how are you supposed to base? How like can there
be a separate category of statistics to where those wouldn't
apply towards you know, it's like a fielder's choice, Like
(34:39):
a fielder's choice doesn't really count, you know, Like would
there be could that be like a separate category like
here are your season stats, here's your batting average or
your home run RBI total, you know, your your ops whatever,
but that doesn't apply to against position players. That's a
separate category. It's like, you know, some people have thrown
(35:00):
out the idea of if you want the steroid guys
in the Hall of Fame, create a separate wing of
the Hall of Fame and then put him in. Like
do you start doing that with some of these with
players that bat off position? Because I've seen like Ian
half of the Cubs. Whenever the Cubs are playing and
there's a position player that's brought in to pitch because
he's a switch hitter, he'll bat on the opposite side
(35:22):
that he's supposed to as a switch hitter to try
and even it out a little bit. So if it's
a lefty, he's not going to go up there and
bat right as he's supposed to because he would have
an advantage, so he'll just bat left or vice versa.
There's got to be something done about how we view
and categorize statistics against position players when you're hitting. It's
(35:42):
got to be something done.
Speaker 1 (35:44):
Let me ask you this. So let's say there's an
opportunity for someone to break the home run record. You
with me, Yeah, whoever that could be? I want to
say Otani or cal Raley of the Mariners. Whoever this
year somebody can break the single season home run record.
Their team is well ahead, all right, So the opposing
(36:10):
manager goes out, brings in a position player to pitch,
but our guy is going to get another at bat.
It's just gonna happen. What do you think if the
guy broke the home run record against Key k Hernandez
or Mickey Rojas.
Speaker 3 (36:26):
Okay, see, and now you've opened up a can of
worms here, because if memory serves me correct, did Otani's
fiftieth home run against the Marlins last year come against
a position player for Miami? I'm almost positive it did,
did it? I'm almost positive Otani's home run last year,
his fiftieth home run, came against a position player. Like
(36:50):
if you look that up. I'm almost positive because that
was going to be one of my wise ass ball
busting takes at the time. Was Man, thank god he
got more than that, because if we would finished on that,
you know, there would have been an asterisk. There would
have been some real question marks about the validity of
this record. But I'm almost positive that was a position
player that was pitching when Otani got that home run.
(37:11):
I'm just saying, so, yeah, it does feel a little
bit different because like if if imagine Fernando Tatis is
out there and he's won away from some sort of
a home run record, and they throw Key k a
out and he's got you know, the Crocs batting helmet
on as he's pitching, he's got you know, the bifocals,
(37:35):
and he just throws him a hanging curveball and Tatis
hits at four point fifty and he breaks some home
run record. You know, for a fact, if you opened
up the phone lines on the blowtorch Am five to
seventy the next day and you asked Dodger fans to
call in and say, do you vow is that is
that a valid record? Because the home run came off
Key k Hernandez. You know, one hundred percent of Dodgers
(37:59):
fans would say, no, that should not count. It was
against a position player. That's that's how this works. People
keep score in a sport where it's all about statistics.
By the way, Otani's fiftieth home run came off of
a guy named Mike Bowman, who is a pitcher.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
But he is not in Amagining League Baseball this year.
Speaker 3 (38:21):
He's playing in Tokyo for the Tokyo Swallows.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Okay, we'll tell me one thing. Obviously, the Japanese clubs
watch Otani. They saw Bowman and they thought there was
something there, so they signed him in Japan because they're.
Speaker 3 (38:35):
Watching all the games.
Speaker 1 (38:36):
Yeah, so they saw him, they went old, Tani hit him,
but my god, there's something there.
Speaker 3 (38:40):
So that's their scouting department. I'm gonna listen. I'm gonna
research this because I'm telling you, somebody did something off
a position player last year, and I could have sworn
it was Otani. Maybe not. Well, we'll figure it out.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
Make AM five seventy LA sports a preset before you
plug in your phone. Presets in the iHeartRadio app now
available with Apple car Play and Android Auto Just another
easy way to listen to LA's best sports talk.
Speaker 1 (39:08):
Today's Afternoon Delight is As Bad As I Used to
Be by Chris Stapleton. This song is one of seventeen
songs that appears on the soundtrack for the New F
one feature film. The star Studded album features artists like
Ed Shearon burn A Boy, Sexy Red, Tate McCrae, and Moore.
I got in Today's Afternoon Delight as bad as I
Used to Be by Chris Stapleton. Did you find uh
(39:32):
any Otani stuff? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (39:34):
Vdal Breuhan was the position player you gave up home
run fifty one to Otani in that game, So.
Speaker 1 (39:39):
I can't No wise listens to the show and texted
and said it was a position player for fifty one.
Speaker 3 (39:43):
So yeah, all right, Well.
Speaker 1 (39:47):
What was his name?
Speaker 3 (39:49):
Vedal Breuhan was a position player for the Marlins they
brought in and he yeah, got cleaned up for home
run number fifty one by Otani.
Speaker 1 (39:59):
The all right, so, uh, shock of all shocks, Lebron
did opt into his deal fifty two million dollars. What
that was a shocker? I mentioned Kevin this morning. A
big surprise. Well, nobody ever said it wasn't gonna happen.
I went, well, initially, remember, I've got to talk to
my family and I've got to discuss the please to.
Speaker 3 (40:19):
Keep everybody wondering, you got to keep them wondering. It's
a big mystery, you know, whether or not he's going
to come back for that fifty two point six million.
Speaker 1 (40:26):
Yeah, so he opted in, and then Rich Paul made
a comment. You know, they he's aware of the fact
that the Lakers are, you know, looking at the future.
But Lebron wants to win now. Oh okay, well, really,
Lebron wants to win now, so they don't The Lakers
don't want to win now. The Lakers have no desire
(40:46):
to win.
Speaker 3 (40:47):
Now, No, no, whatsoever.
Speaker 1 (40:49):
If they had no desire, then they wouldn't pay Lebron
fifty two million dollars. Yeah, they don't care. They're worried
about the future that they don't want to win now.
I thought, what a weird thing to say.
Speaker 3 (41:01):
It wasn't trading for Luca when now move.
Speaker 1 (41:04):
Yeah, but it also sumittered the future. You know, it's
kind of the Dodger model. They're built now. I don't
know what success they've had except one of the title
in the bubble, but they're built now for success. They
have a player. So it was a move for now
and a move for the future, right it was, But
(41:25):
to say, yeah, we know you're focused on the future,
or what you're saying is Lebron's not flavor of the
month at thirty one flavors anymore, And we got to
let you know he's still.
Speaker 3 (41:37):
Here exactly, And I don't think. Look, and he's still
a great player. He's an All NBA player maybe always Yeah,
the team, Like, he's still a quest player, and so
it's not like he doesn't have value, like he's just
the damage goods or whatnot. But I do think and
maybe the ownership change will facilitate this. Maybe it coincides
with him opting in for the one year deal. But
(41:58):
if you were to bet right now whether or not
this is his last year with the Lakers, what would
you say?
Speaker 1 (42:06):
I would make it as last year with the Lakers. Yeah,
I would. But again, let's see how the season plays out.
Why don't they go to the Western Conference Finals, win,
win the NBA title? Well, then none, it's a different conversation. Yeah,
I don't think that's gonna happen, But that really is
the question. And I guess Rich Paul and they made
it known. Dan WOOKI I think reported this. He'll be
(42:28):
on next. There were no conversations about opting out and
doing the old let's sign another one plus one. This
just went quietly this year, so that's got to be
an indication as well. Right, he kind of opted out
and said, Okay, we're gonna sign another one plus one
for more money.
Speaker 3 (42:44):
Lakers are finally finding their balls taking the organization back.
About time, all right, you can let them rent the
organization for a few years now, got a Bubble championship
out of it, and now they're taking their organization back. Okay,
that works, and now you get to see what the
future is going to look like. But it's also if
he wants, you know, listen, I want, you know, obviously
(43:07):
what's best for the organization in the future, but I
also am in win now mode. Then why did you
make them draft and play your son?
Speaker 1 (43:16):
Like what?
Speaker 3 (43:17):
Like? Which is it here? And I just think at
a certain point, timelines have to add up, and it
feels like maybe they're on two different timelines to where
Lebron James is chasing one last title or chasing one
last you know, real run at a championship, and the
Lakers are like, listen, we just had a major change.
(43:38):
We've got new ownership in, We've traded away for a
guy who's going to be here for the next decade,
hopefully in Luca And this is the direction we're going in.
And if you're happy to join us for a one
year trial run of this, of this new Lakers regime
and what this new Laker future is going to look like,
then sweet, let's just keep it at that, and then
let's just part ways at the end to this whole thing.
(44:01):
It just feels like we're winding down.
Speaker 1 (44:04):
It does. Do we need to say that now? I mean,
why why wouldn't they say it now? Because you don't
know what will happen this season? That's what it is.
He's not gonna walk away if they win the title,
but no matter what happens.
Speaker 3 (44:19):
Do you have an issue with the statement from Rich
Paul afterwards, like like why do we why is this
needing to be said at this point?
Speaker 1 (44:26):
Well? It was stupid, jeez, Fred, what it was? Why
would you say that? Yeah, we we know, but you
know we still want to win now, so they're going
out to lose. That would be their objective. We're just
gonna we're gonna tak it this year. Of course, not
that was you know, my guy still has something to
say here. It's not all about Luca. My guy has
(44:50):
something to say. It's about my guy, and I guess
as an agent that's a good thing. But seriously, we
want to win now.
Speaker 3 (45:00):
So he's got it. Lebron's got a no trade clause.
Let me throw this at you. Do you think if
they could, they would deal him this offseason.
Speaker 1 (45:11):
Depending on how the season goes.
Speaker 3 (45:12):
Yes, well, I'm saying this right now. This offseason, he's
got a no trade clause, so obviously he's got you know,
full autonomy over that. But do you think if there
was no trade clause or a no no trade clause
for Lebron that the Lakers would be testing the waters
out there to see what they could get for him. Yes,
because yeah, I do too. And so if that's the case,
(45:36):
and the only thing getting in the way is the
no trade clause, then that would stand a reason that
we're looking at the final run of Lebron the farewell tour,
if you will, for him and.
Speaker 1 (45:45):
I And as you point it out, with the Mark
Walter and those guys in charge, and since they have
their star in Luca, I don't think there's any reason
to pay a guy fifty two million dollars to hang around.
You're gonna have to go. A lot depends on this year.
They've got to get a center. We're gonna bring white
Y on next. We'll talk about it, but a lot depends.
(46:06):
I mean, if if they are middle of the pack, Bob,
they're okay, not great, not bad. Sure they're a top
team in the West. But you know, if it's like that,
I see no reason to bring them back none, and
that the whole people hostage because now it doesn't matter,
Oh what's he gonna do? Quite frankly, do whatever you want,
(46:26):
Lucas here, whatever you want to do, do you don't
have to even warn us, Just do it.
Speaker 3 (46:30):
Yeah, they've created the soft landing.
Speaker 1 (46:33):
Yeah, that's what they've done.
Speaker 3 (46:34):
To where because I think maybe the thought initially was, well,
you could do the same thing with Anthony Davis, and
then Anthony Davis proved that he couldn't stay healthy. There
was just inconsistent. Every time you would get on the heater,
it was we're just waiting we're just waiting when when's
the injury scarre gonna pop up? When's this gonna happen?
And I think they realized, well, that's not the piece
(46:56):
to fall back on if we eventually move on from Lebron,
And now they've got an actual piece who they're going
to build the franchise in the organization around. So look,
if you are a big fan of super teams, moral
of the story is, watch as many Laker games as
you can this year because this will be the final
year of Lebron and Luca playing together.
Speaker 1 (47:20):
Well, let's continue this. Our friend Dan Wiki from the
Athletic we'll join us next. He's got a lot on
this
All right, let's go Fred Rogan Jonas Knox in today
for Rodney at A five seventy l A Sports Jonas,
how is your weekend?
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Hey?
Speaker 3 (00:08):
What's up? Fred? Feeling?
Speaker 1 (00:11):
We're all right? What about you? Good? Just?
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Uh, nothing too exciting. Worked hung out with my son,
played baseball. That's about it.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Yeah, you hung out with your son. He's three, right? Four? Four? Okay? Yeah?
So how good is it baseball?
Speaker 3 (00:32):
See? If I don't want to come off like I'm
a douche, I don't want to be one of these
all my kids awesome whatever. I just know that he.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Does every wait wait wait, everybody's kids are pro, So
go ahead.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Yeah, it's just from what I gather from what people
have told me, his coaches when he played, he's played
one season, and just people have watched him that he's
very good. But again, I don't I have you know,
I don't. I don't know what that what that means?
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (00:59):
You know, if I start throwing him splinkers, you know,
maybe maybe it might change the game a little bit.
If I start going off speed, maybe it'll buckle his
knees and I'll never want to play again. But for
four years old, he can hit. He's got a cannon
for an arm sure, and he can field and he
can do all that fun stuff. So hopefully, I mean,
if I just if I helicopter pairent him enough, that'll
(01:21):
ultimately end up being the retirement plan.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Oh that'd be great. Ye, yes, yours, yours and everybody
else who has a child that age, tell me about
it exactly. Now. Was he playing T ball?
Speaker 3 (01:31):
He did play T ball, and then we'll start working
him into But this is the problem. I don't know
if you went through this, but I didn't realize how
many baseball leagues there were in southern California, Like, because
you talk to somebody, well, they're gonna play little League
or are they gonna play pony ball? I don't know
(01:52):
what is pony What do you go to Santa Anita
and play games? No? Pony? Like, I know, all this
stuff is new to me. I never played orize baseball
as a kid because I was terrible. All yeah, and
so what do you mean, Yeah, well, when you were
cooked to jump on that one right there, jeez, No,
I'm agreeing with you.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Yeah, you were telling me.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Well it's the truth, and so I just I'm trying
to gather, and then there's different leagues depending on the
proximity of where you are. If you're in the same county,
you can go to. It's just the whole thing is kind.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Of wild, all right. So let's just break it down
real quick, because I know a number of the people
listening probably have kids around your son's age. And again,
this will be very valuable because everybody that has a child,
boy or girl around your son's age does believe that
they will be a pro A pro athlete, a pro dancer.
(02:43):
At this age, everybody is going to be pro. So
what happens is Jonas, you look for places that you
can help enable this to be true. So let's talk
about your son. For example, there's rec league, there's pony League,
there's Little League. There's cult league that I know. I
didn't even know that, okay, And what happens.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Was a sponsored by exactly. They bring out a brown
bag from the liquor store next door and say, hey,
great game, everybody.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Right, that's exactly how they do it. Yeah, those guys
get drunk. The Pony League plays at Santa Anita. The
rec League plays out in the middle of the street. Yeah, everybody,
there's a place for everybody to play. And then there's
travel ball, of course, and club ball. Now travel ball
is when you really got something going. Travel ball. You
look at your son and you go, my god, he's four.
(03:37):
But I'll tell you what he plays like. He's four
and a half. So we can play him up right,
and we can move him up and it's only gonna
cost us what, I don't know, two grand, two grand
for a season, and then and then the thrill. And
this is what makes it worthwhile. You get to travel.
By the way, you're paying for that travel, but you
(03:59):
know you're you're out in thousand oaks. Guess what, We've
got a game in Sacramento next weekend. Everybody, let's go.
You'll all drive up to Sacramento. You probably played two
or three because it's baseball. You come back next weekend.
We just got invited to play in a tournament in Phoenix.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Oh god, let's go.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Oh, by the way, you know that two grand, Yeah,
well it doesn't cover all the tournaments, so you're gonna
have to cough up another hundred bucks here, one hundred
bucks there, get a hotel, food.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
I've already got anxiety. Just yeah, that's what it is.
And like I talked to uh. I remember I was
talking to LeVar Arrington about this, and he was telling me.
He goes, hey, man, just wait until your kids starts
playing organize it like organized ball. He goes, You're you
no longer get vacations. Your vacations are traveling to watch
him play because long's got kids who play in college.
(04:55):
And he's like, that's that's what this turns into. He goes,
You're like, whether it's Memorial Day, fourth of July, Labor
Day weekend, there's a tournament, there's a league, there's a tryout,
there's this, there's that's what that turns into. And I
was telling Petros this I've just seen in one year
(05:15):
of doing this is just t ball. This is you know,
most of the kids don't even know how to hold
the bat and they don't even know And I've just
seen the parenting in other games going on in other
fields and things like that. At the same time while
all these while all the our games are happening and
I and I'm just monitoring, all right, don't be that guy.
Don't be that guy. Don't be that guy. Don't be
(05:37):
that guy. Because it's just filled with parents who are
so overbearing, I don't listen.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
As long as he's a good person, that's all I
care about. That's all I care about. As long as
a good person, preferably a good person who could hit
a slider. That's and I don't think that's too much
to ask. So I but when you and you mentioned
the price, when's the last time you've gone and looked
at how much baseball merch, like like apparel is baseball gear.
(06:07):
Remember when you used to be able to get a
glove for like fifty sixty bucks, like a really good,
serviceable glove. Fred you go into some of these places
like like pick a sporting good store and Big five Dicks.
What we're talking like four five hundred dollars for a
baseball glove.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Because those are like Hoover vacuums. The ball said, it
goes right into, it sucks it right in. Don't have
to pay that much.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
I mean, and they're not even broken in. You still
have to, you know, come whatever like it used to
be back in the day where you could polish the
there was that the baseball glove grease or whatever it
came in. It was like from Louisville slugger. It was
came in an orange bottle, right, and you would oil, yeah,
put yeah, you put oil in it. You'd wrap you
put a softball in your glove. You'd wrap it with
(06:54):
a belt. You'd leave it there overnight, you check out
it the next day, and then you just sort of
work it in. Now they've got all these different bombs
and all these different things that you can use for
your glove. All of that's in addition to the four
hundred dollars for a kid's baseball glove. Now it is
wild how much things are then.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
I don't remember if I told you my stories when
I was managing little league teams. What I really wanted
to do was coach basketball, and that's what we did.
Ever tell you the story about the kid that wanted
to play second base and the nerd that the kid
that got hit with the ball. Did I tell you
the story?
Speaker 3 (07:32):
I believe, Okay, tell me it again, they jonas, I'll
be thinking of Owen, which is basketball. Yeah, oh yeah,
that was That was the geek that kid probably grew
up to be. Uh, you know, like I.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Think he's in the w W now. I think he
really put on weight and started hitting the gym.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Oh you think so? Oh yeah, I mean the way
you what you made him out to be was sending
out mail bombs afterwards.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Yeah, no, that wasn't true. All right. So anyway, I
had this kid and his father wanted him to play
second base. It's all he want him to play. How
old were they eight nine, I don't remember. Anyway, two
kids on this team. So his dad want him to
play second base. That was the deal. He had to
play second base. And I wouldn't put him at second
base because I was afraid because he couldn't catch, and
I was really concerned this kid would get hurt. But
(08:17):
his father wanted him to play second base, wanted him
to play second base, and I'm not going to do it.
I'm sorry, I'm just not going to put him at
second base. So then the guy says, well, will you
trade him? I said sure, I'll trade him. Okay, so
I trade him to another team.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
So you call it, ned Kaltti. You're like, how do
we make a difference on this contract?
Speaker 1 (08:39):
I trade the kid, And sure enough, his dad had
talked to the guy and the guy said, oh yeah,
we'll play them at second base. Don't worry about it.
First game, the guy's playing second base ball, hit the
short They want to force the guy out. At the
second short stuff throws it, kid can't catch it, hit
him right in the nose, breaks his nose, and the
season was over. There you go then on that same team.
(09:04):
You know, when you bat, you're on the left hand
batter's box or right hand batter's box. Right, you're in
the batter's box. Now, you know there's gonna be some
teaching involved because these kids are young. All right. You
know we're gonna teach you how to play, but you
have these kids learning to hit. One kid comes up
to bat. He stands directly in the middle of the
(09:26):
plate and he holds his bat over his head like
an axe, like he's going to throw an axe. And
he is standing on home plate, directly on top of it,
facing the picture, which means he will be dead. He
doesn't realize you have to go one side or the
other and swing the bat. He thought, stand right on
home plate, face the picture, hold the bat over your
(09:49):
head like an axe, and that's how you do it. Okay.
So I said, you know what, No, I don't think
this is a good idea. I said, now, come on,
over here, try this, try that. Afterwards, I actually went
to his house and talked to his parents. So I
gotta be honest with you. You know, he really doesn't
understand where he should be standing and he's going to
(10:11):
get hurt, and you need to know that. I mean,
we can't have him like with a tomahawk over his
head standing on home plate. They go, we gotta be
honest with you. We don't even know if he can play.
As a matter of fact, we just had to get
him out of the house. We don't think he even
(10:31):
wants to play, but you know, we got him out
so at least he can run around a little bit.
I said, well, I don't think this is the place
for him. I think he needs to go somewhere else.
We can't. We can't have this.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Guy here center to the playground.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
Right, just you know, take him out and let him
plate and send him out here with a weapon in
his hands standing at home plate.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
You know that is They just want somebody else to
parent their kid for a little while. That's all it is.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
Yeah, just get him out of the house.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
Yes, that's all it is. They don't want the responsibility
you take care of him for.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
A little while God, it's funny when you deal with
these parents and because everybody's kid is a pro. Everybody's
kid is a pro. Let me ask you something as
a parent, if you're listening right now, Well, I show
your daughter is on a kneam.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Can i as see this real quick? Sure? Kid who
got his nose broken, got his face caved in by
that ball because he was adamant he had to play
second base? Were you not, like quietly a little bit? Yeah,
like vindicated? I told you kid couldn't play second based.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Well I didn't want to do that because a little
kid got hurt, But yeah I did.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Yeah, yeah, I see, And there's nothing wrong with that.
They're trying to doubt your scouting abilities when you're telling
them this kid's not a second basement. He's not a
second basement, and they keep no, he's pushing it, and
push it. No, he's not a second baseman. And you
tried to tell everybody, tell them all with that.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
See, the thing is this, and you understand this as
a parent, you Jonas and anybody listening that has kids
or has had kids, or if you don't have kids,
you were one, so you get it. You understand this.
Every parent believes unless their kid is the star of
whatever team at that time, every parent believes that the
(12:13):
coaches are out to scream up to scroom and they
hate their kid, the coaches hate their kid. It doesn't matter.
You believe that because you think your kid should play more.
Your kids should play more if he only or she
only had more of an opportunity. I've got to tell
(12:33):
you you would see how good they are. But here's
the question. Do you really think and anytime you're in athletics,
it is competitive, right, you want to win. Do you
really think a coach would sit someone on the bench
(12:53):
that they thought could help them win. Do you think that?
Do you really think if somebody was so good they
would sit on the bench. No, those kids would play more.
You want to win at any age. My parents don't
get that, and that's my concern about you. I don't
(13:14):
think you'll get that either.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
What do you think I think the coaches are out
to screw my kid?
Speaker 1 (13:18):
I think this. I think from the way you started,
you think your kid's pretty damn good.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Okay, look I all I'm saying is what other people
have told me. He he appears to have way way
better hand.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
I go watch him. What do you mean what other
people told you?
Speaker 3 (13:34):
He seems like he's pretty good. But I don't. I'm
just playing with him. It is he's four years old.
But Freddy, right, here's here's the point I don't want
to to me. What's important is that does he like
doing it? Because this isn't about me. If he felt
the same way about basketball, would go play basketball. And
now at some point I would pull him aside and
(13:55):
be like, hey, buddy, here's a mirror. We're white, so
this is a long shot. Maybe we should stick to,
you know, hockey or something else like that. You know,
we would have an opportunity there. But I just he
seems like he's pretty good. I just don't. I'm I'm
terrified of being one of those parents because you'll see
Petros was telling me a story he wouldn't go. Watched
(14:15):
a little league game in his neighborhood last week, and
just the celebrations of these parents while you know, these
pictures on the mound, this bullpen for the opposing team
was completely melting down, And I'm thinking myself, who, like,
were they happier that their team won because for their
kids or for themselves? And I never want to be
(14:37):
that guy. So I always try and stand in the back.
I always try and stand out of the way. And
if the coach does get involved and I feel like
he has screwing my son, then yeah, maybe I'll force
the trade too. I mean, you can be if you
can be pushed over and bowled over like by that
and by that kid who played second base, maybe I'll
get my son to do the same thing.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
I wanted to get rid of them. Trust me, I
didn't meet that heartache. The good we want you to
trade him, Yep, I'll make that happen. No, don't even
give them a second thought.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
In fact, you know what here, we don't even want
anything in return.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Yeah, just take him. Yes, I was umpiring. So I
was doing the state championship game of Little League baseball
one year, and I was the plate umpire and it
was Cactus Tucson that was one of the team. The
team that won actually went on to the Little League
World Series at year. I can't remember what it was.
Eddie Bosberg, who pitched in the majors, was the pitcher
(15:28):
for Cactus Tucson back then. All right, so I'm doing
the game. I got the play. There was a called
second base. I don't know if the guy muffed it
or made the right call. I don't know, I can't remember. Anyway,
the place becomes enraged, enraged, and people are screaming and
(15:49):
they're running up behind the fence and pounding it. This
is the state championship game, and I mean people were
beyond angry and it was getting worse. So I stopped
the game. I went over to the PA announcer and
I told him to make this announcement. So we have
(16:11):
an announcement. Please everybody stops. Guy says, we've just been
informed by the home plate umpire that if this continues,
he will clear the stands. I was gonna throw everybody
out of the state change.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
You know, hold on, how much were you how much
were you making umping those games?
Speaker 1 (16:30):
You didn't get paid.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
You're volunteering for that kind of abuse.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Oh yeah. The way it worked in literally the way
it worked in Little League. You did your local league,
you moved up, you did some playoffs. I got the
state playoff game, the state championship. Then I did the
Western Regional Tournament in San Bernardino, and then I did
the Little League World Series in Williamsport.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
Boy that's sweet. What they give you afterwards free passes
to Mountain High that you might give.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
You a little pick. It was great. I mean, I'm
glad I did it. It was a great experience. Of course,
you lost track of the outs in my game. Behind
the play at the Little League World Series, that was
another story.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
See, because if I'm not getting paid, I'd at least
like to throw somebody out. Oh yeah, I mean if
you could have thrown the holes crowd out, that wasn't phenomenal.
No make up a lie, you know something. Some parent
made a death threat and just get like wipe out
the entire side of that section. They've all got to
go like if.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
I'm Cowboy go West, just toss fans.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Yeah, if I'm not getting paid, I'm getting my money's worse.
Somehow I'm throwing people out of the game.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
And the problem was I was like eighteen years old,
so I looked like this punk kid who was umpiring
this big game. Everybody else is older than I am.
I was the dress one and I'm threatening to clear
the stands some kid eighteen years old. One more word
and you're all out of here. It's like, shut up,
you're punk, What are you talking.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
That's great, man. God, yeah, I've seen it, man, I've
gotten a glimpse already just seeing youth baseball and you
and just there's a there's a wild bunch of unrealistic
people who who pay a lot of money to send
their kids around around the state to play games. It's
crazy tournaments every weekend.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Yeah, here's the bottom line. You can help your son
or daughter with their skills minimally, you can with practice
things like that, they're going to be better than they
would have been. But the truth of the matter is this,
you can't teach hart. Somebody's got to want to do it.
And at the end of the day, you can't teach
their skill level. Right. It's like you said, if your
(18:43):
someone wanted to play basketball. Okay, two things in basketball.
You can't teach being tall. There's no way to teach that, right.
You also really can't teach how to be really fast.
You can improve it, but you wow or you're not.
You're taller, you're not. In base ball, you can hit
or you can't. It's pretty simple. It doesn't matter how
(19:05):
much money people spend to try and move their kids along.
It just it is what it is, you.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Know, It's great though, because everybody's on their iPads now
and nobody goes outside to play. Whenever we do go
to the park, nobody's there per unlimited time on the field.
Nobody's ever there. Everybody's at home looking at their iPads,
you know, going on TikTok, watching YouTube. Nobody's there. Nobody's
at the park, wide open, and he just cranks. That's
(19:36):
how you do it. Fred all Right makes make sure
all the tech nerds are obsessed with their with their
iPhones and their iPads so they don't want to get outside,
and then him and I just go out there and
just hit bombs. That's how it's done. And look, if
it means he's got to get on the gas at
an early age, I'm not above it. We've seen guys
allegedly do that and make millions of dollars.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
So it's fine, No, listen, you do what you have
to do. Yes, let me give you a homeward soccer soccer,
teaching to play soccer, that's the key.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
I don't know. I don't know if he really wants
to stress out over penalty kicks against Costa Rica on
a Sunday. You know, it feels like not the place
to be.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
You get to pick, You're gonna pick. Now, you want
to do Dodgers five and one on the road trip
or Rich Paul's statement about Lebron next which one.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
Oh, let's see the Dodgers.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Dodgers.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Yes, let's do it.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
We've made it even easier to take LA Sports with
you this summer. Make AM five to seventy or your
favorite AM five seventy LA Sports podcast a preset on
the iHeartRadio app using Apple car Play or Android Auto.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
Road trip all summer with LA Sports.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
Jonas Knoxen today for Rodney counting down to the fourth July. Okay,
Dodgers off today, they're back, call him. They went five
and one on the road trip. But of course the
big story, oh tany through one hundred and two miles
an hour, one hundred and two miles an hour, as
fast as he's ever thrown. He's not fooling around out there, Jonas,
(21:14):
He means.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
It all right. So is that a product of he
realizes he's not going to be out there along so
he can cut it loose a little bit, or is
that him loudly letting everybody know, when can we start
to push this a little more like, this is what
I'm capable of. I'm pumping it in there at one
oh two. Now, I've never done that in my career.
(21:36):
When can we start to rast this up a little
bit and maybe fast track me towards a more legitimate
start and not the one to two innings or does
he just want to be the closer? I mean at
this point, just let him work in some high leverage situations.
Let him close out some games. Why not? You let
Keiky Hernandez do it half the time. So why don't
you just let Otani go out there fire in one
(21:57):
oh two in a closing situation away and see if
he can pick up a couple of saves.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Well, you could do that. They won't, but you could.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
I mean, has anybody ever in the history of baseball
in one year had a home run, a stolen base,
a win, and a save.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
I would say, no, Okay.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
I mean, look, if we're about making history here and
really getting our money's worth with this seven hundred million
dollar contract, he's got to be out there save it
at least one game a year.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
If that's not a bad idea, See, that's what they
should do. You're absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
Yeah, and guess what that turns into another bobblehead next year.
Oh yeah, the Otani save game. And even though even
though everybody in the stadium gets one, people will still
show up and beat vast add of the stadium at
ten am to try and get their bibblehead. Even though
it's not the forty thousand anymore, they just give them
out to everybody.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Yeah, because they realized that was a bad call. That
was a bad call. Get here early. Okay it's nine am.
You shouldn't be here this early.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
Stadium wait, stadium way backed up all the way to
the five.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
Yeah, that was not a good idea. So now everybody
gets him. But that was the big story. Ben Consparius
pitches yesterday and it was funny during the broadcast, and
he got lit up pretty good. And during the broadcast
they were talking about the fact that, you know, the
night before he didn't look so good, so they sent
him back to the hotel to rest up for a start.
(23:26):
Then he comes in early and he gets fluids and
watching him, to me, looked like he had a fever. First,
the weather in Kansas City was oppressive, like eighty three degrees,
ninety percent humidity.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
I mean it just miserable to heat throughout the Midwest
and back because you know, obviously you know, I'm a
weather nerd. The temperatures they're playing, it's hotter than out here, Like,
you know, we're starting to heat up a little bit
out here, but it's not even close to what some
of the like what some of these players are playing through,
especially if you're playing outdoors with so yeah, that was
(23:58):
humid and looked pretty disgusting, pretty sticky out there.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
Yeah, yeah, so that's hard to work anyway. He just
didn't look good. They lost, but he didn't look good.
He really didn't look good. He looked like he had
been just weather beaten.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
Now, what would what would your recommendation been for him
to get back on the mend as somebody who's dealt with, uh,
you know, maybe a fever to dehydration issues on the air,
what would you recommend for him, Like, what's your go to?
Speaker 1 (24:25):
Yeah, a lot of electrolytes if you're dealing with dehydration, right,
electrolytes replenish that. Uh, if you have a fever, normally
I would say you probably should stay home, staying bed
if you have a fever. What is if they rolled
his bed out to the mode. It would have been different.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Okay, Well, who was the coach? Was it Hugh Freeze
who coached at Liberty Got I think it was Hugh
Freeze and they showed him coaching from a hospital bed
up in the press box?
Speaker 1 (24:58):
Yes, because he was.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
That's the move. See everyone's talking about bringing back bullpen cars.
Forget that. Wheel him out on a gurney, raise the
bed up. There's a little operating remote next to it,
next to the hospital bed. Why I know that spent
way too many time in hospitals over the past few years.
You lift it all the way up, you can position
yourself and he can get at least eighty five to
(25:23):
eighty nine on a fastball from that position.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
At least. Here's the concern I would have if you
were doing that. How are you gonna field your position?
Speaker 3 (25:34):
You know someone asked that about defenders nowadays. Anyways, Thank you,
pending on who it is, I mean, thank you.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
You know very solid.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
You know who would probably do that. Raphael Devers. Less
is more, baby's let's less is more? Oh, oh, Bragman's
better than me. Screw you guys.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
Right, I will not do anything here. I will not play.
I will be the DH Giants. I'll play anywhere whatever
you want.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
Day when you do play first base, sorry, tell your
GM to do a better job. Speight gets his san
Fran and he's willing to do it all jack of
all trades. He's probably helping the grounds crew. He's probably
he's everywhere to be found. What a pain in the ass.
Speaker 1 (26:15):
That was hilarious. I'm not doing it. You're not gonna
get absolutely not. Well, you told me I don't beat
my glove on the DH. Okay, hey man, look we
got injuries. Can you play first base? No, that's not
what you told me.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
Yeah. Look, I'm only doing what you've asked me to do,
and you already asked me once to make a change.
I'm not making a second one. You guys can go
screw yourselves. And he ends up he has with the Giants,
and you know that that could be a problem I'm
having to deal with him over the next few years.
But yeah, I looked. Tell me, if you get the
(26:50):
impression with this year's team, maybe he's opposed to previous years.
They don't play with their food and this road trip
felt like a road trip to where eh if they
wanted to lay an anger to. You can understand it.
It's the dog days of summer, All Star breaks right
around the corner. You know, they're pretty comfortable. They understand
(27:13):
they're kind of working some players back in from injury.
But really the real season for them is the postseason.
That's how this team is going to be judged. And
instead they go out and go five and one, awful,
awful Colorado and Kansas City, who's been disappointing this year.
And I just I look at that and I go,
(27:35):
that feels like a mindset of a team. You know,
this is a Lions fan. That was the most impressive
thing about the Detroit Lions last year during the regular
season when they played bad teams, they didn't play down
to their competition. They annihilated them, annihilated them. It wasn't like, oh,
we can just mail it in this week. And I
come away from the road trip going I could have
seen them split this road trip, and then the conversation's
(27:58):
a little different. They didn't they want to and took
care of business as they should. Better team should have
won those games.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
I mean, it's it's abundantly clear that they need to
get their pitchers back, though, I mean, you turn around,
every game is a bullpen game. Every game is a
bullpen game for those guys. Now, they simply don't have
enough pictures. They have Yamamoto, they have Kershaw, who else? Hersheiser, Yeah,
(28:27):
they have Herscheiser. They haven't called him in yet, all right,
but you know he's on standby. Although I think Oil
does wear his jersey at every game, you just don't
see it. He's got yeah, I think.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
So, right under the chair and he's got I think he's.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
Always got that fifty. He's rocking it. He's ready to
go if they need them.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
Yeah, that makes sense.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
What do you think of? And it's funny that they're
playing as well as they are with no pitching. And
now as the season progresses, you know, guys are up,
guys are down. A couple of weeks ago, Freddy Freeman
couldn't miss, I mean, he hit everything. Now he's struggling.
Mooki is struggling. To me, it looks like Mooky's going
up first pitch swing. At one point, I thought he
just wants to get back in the dugout. There's no
(29:07):
reason for him to even take a pitch. But now
Mooki will come out of it. But is it just
me or does it appear that way?
Speaker 3 (29:15):
Well? And it also why why is it always seem
like that when they go and slumps they happen at
the same time. It's like like neither one of them.
Remember in the postseason, it was they couldn't hit, you know,
when they when they lost to the Dodge or lost
to the Padres, and it was it was because of
those two guys couldn't hit. So it was almost like
through osmosis, one guy saw the other one struggling and
was like, oh, that's not a bad idea. Let me
(29:36):
try that out for a little for a little bit.
Because Freddy Freeman was on fire early in the year,
it look it might might be just a couple of
guys that need the break, that need a little bit
of a reset and then come back afterwards and it's
a whole different conversation about him or I always wonder this,
and not that we've ever talked about it before, but
(29:59):
we've kind of also wondered. Those are two Hall of
Fame players. Mookie Bets is going to the Hall of Fame,
Freddie Freeman's going to the Hall of Fame of their era,
two of the better players to play in this era,
and they have been completely overshadowed by one guy who
can do it all, can do it all. They are
(30:20):
superstars who have become the secondary conversation to a guy
who can do everything on the field, it seems like,
and I just wonder now that they're seeing, like when
did the slumps start to coincide with Otani pitching again?
Speaker 1 (30:37):
Okay, I think you're trying to jump to a conclusion.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
But no, I'm just I'm just I'm asking the question,
do you not think that egos are real? And I'm
not saying that you know, Freddie Freeman's an ego maniac
or Mookie Betts is an ego maniac, But if you're
those guys and you are all time great players and
you've been completely overshadowed by the hoop loot. Not that
(31:00):
Tani's arrogant or anything, great teammate. Everybody loves the guy,
totally cool, totally calm, like, no issues there whatsoever, no
ego involved. But I just wonder. I think it's a
natural reaction to be competitive, and maybe you end up
wanting to try too hard to make up your end
of the bargain and then you go start getting into
(31:21):
some bad habits and maybe you pick up a slump
or two during the course of the season. You don't
think that's a possibility or a real thing in sports
with athletes.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
I think it could be. I don't think it's the
case here. I just think they're slumping. And I think
that you know, they talk all the time. I think
they mirror each other.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
I mean, do you want me to go all the
way with this conspiracy theory. I'll go all the way.
If we really want to fire people up, I'll go
all the way. I think that since Otani has started pitching, yeah,
he's made Mookie Bets and Freddie Freeman feel insecure, and
that they've been throwing bullpen sessions on the side to
try and pitch themselves and instead work themselves into a
slump at the plate.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Did you hear that from best say?
Speaker 3 (32:00):
I think he reported that Vassie doesn't like me anymore.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
So what happened to you? Well, join the club, But
what happened to you?
Speaker 3 (32:07):
I don't know. I don't know. He just kind of
snapped and then I heard him. On Friday, I was
driving around just running some mind of my own business,
and I was listening to Petros and Don McLean and
then Vassa started laying into me again, made fun of
my leather jackets, which I don't know what there is
to make fun of. Those are so cool back in
the eighties, right, and and you know he buried me again,
(32:28):
so so who knows. But no, that's that's my conspiracy theory.
I'll just you just.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
Came up with that. You think. You think after they
saw the tiny pitch that they were jealous so they
started secretly throwing on the side to tell Dave Roberts,
we can pitch too.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
See but see see. But when you say it out loud,
it sounds completely preposterous. When I say it to myself,
it sounds convincing, almost like it's the middle of the summer,
and you know, we don't really want to break down
the possibility of Chris Paul returning to the Clippers, so
let's just roll with this to try and get us
through up into the All Star break until Kershaw strikes
(33:09):
out three white Socks in the first inning and reaches
three thousand on Wednesday.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
So yeah, that'd be very exciting, don't you think.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
Yeah, of course, ano they're exciting That's what I'm saying. Man,
If we're making this season about exciting moments, if this
is the season of moments at Dodger Stadium, let Otani
save a game. Just let him save one? Why not?
Speaker 1 (33:30):
Well yeah, I mean look at it like this. It's
not like they don't let Kik pitch and Mickey Rojas.
Speaker 3 (33:35):
Yeah, so those guys are good to come out of
the pen, but not Joe Otani.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
When he put Mickey Rojas in the other day, it's
like waving the white flag. It's like waving the first
Kasparius was just getting beat up out there and he
didn't go get him, and I went, okay, well we
know what this one is now, you know you can tell, right,
guy gives up a runner two and then it just
keeps going and you're thinking, okay, you're down three nothing,
(34:03):
but you're still in the game. Now it's four. You're like, oh,
they've just got to wave a flag on this one.
Here comes Miggi in the pitch. Later, it's like, then
they did score some runs late, but just ran out
of gas.
Speaker 3 (34:16):
Now, for anybody that when there's a position player that's
brought in, yeah, and you're hitting against that position player, right,
how are you supposed to base? How like can there
be a separate category of statistics to where those wouldn't
apply towards you know, it's like a fielder's choice, Like
(34:39):
a fielder's choice doesn't really count, you know, Like would
there be could that be like a separate category like
here are your season stats, here's your batting average or
your home run RBI total, you know, your your ops whatever,
but that doesn't apply to against position players. That's a
separate category. It's like, you know, some people have thrown
(35:00):
out the idea of if you want the steroid guys
in the Hall of Fame, create a separate wing of
the Hall of Fame and then put him in. Like
do you start doing that with some of these with
players that bat off position? Because I've seen like Ian
half of the Cubs. Whenever the Cubs are playing and
there's a position player that's brought in to pitch because
he's a switch hitter, he'll bat on the opposite side
(35:22):
that he's supposed to as a switch hitter to try
and even it out a little bit. So if it's
a lefty, he's not going to go up there and
bat right as he's supposed to because he would have
an advantage, so he'll just bat left or vice versa.
There's got to be something done about how we view
and categorize statistics against position players when you're hitting. It's
(35:42):
got to be something done.
Speaker 1 (35:44):
Let me ask you this. So let's say there's an
opportunity for someone to break the home run record. You
with me, Yeah, whoever that could be? I want to
say Otani or cal Raley of the Mariners. Whoever this
year somebody can break the single season home run record.
Their team is well ahead, all right, So the opposing
(36:10):
manager goes out, brings in a position player to pitch,
but our guy is going to get another at bat.
It's just gonna happen. What do you think if the
guy broke the home run record against Key k Hernandez
or Mickey Rojas.
Speaker 3 (36:26):
Okay, see, and now you've opened up a can of
worms here, because if memory serves me correct, did Otani's
fiftieth home run against the Marlins last year come against
a position player for Miami? I'm almost positive it did,
did it? I'm almost positive Otani's home run last year,
his fiftieth home run, came against a position player. Like
(36:50):
if you look that up. I'm almost positive because that
was going to be one of my wise ass ball
busting takes at the time. Was Man, thank god he
got more than that, because if we would finished on that,
you know, there would have been an asterisk. There would
have been some real question marks about the validity of
this record. But I'm almost positive that was a position
player that was pitching when Otani got that home run.
(37:11):
I'm just saying, so, yeah, it does feel a little
bit different because like if if imagine Fernando Tatis is
out there and he's won away from some sort of
a home run record, and they throw Key k a
out and he's got you know, the Crocs batting helmet
on as he's pitching, he's got you know, the bifocals,
(37:35):
and he just throws him a hanging curveball and Tatis
hits at four point fifty and he breaks some home
run record. You know, for a fact, if you opened
up the phone lines on the blowtorch Am five to
seventy the next day and you asked Dodger fans to
call in and say, do you vow is that is
that a valid record? Because the home run came off
Key k Hernandez. You know, one hundred percent of Dodgers
(37:59):
fans would say, no, that should not count. It was
against a position player. That's that's how this works. People
keep score in a sport where it's all about statistics.
By the way, Otani's fiftieth home run came off of
a guy named Mike Bowman, who is a pitcher.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
But he is not in Amagining League Baseball this year.
Speaker 3 (38:21):
He's playing in Tokyo for the Tokyo Swallows.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Okay, we'll tell me one thing. Obviously, the Japanese clubs
watch Otani. They saw Bowman and they thought there was
something there, so they signed him in Japan because they're.
Speaker 3 (38:35):
Watching all the games.
Speaker 1 (38:36):
Yeah, so they saw him, they went old, Tani hit him,
but my god, there's something there.
Speaker 3 (38:40):
So that's their scouting department. I'm gonna listen. I'm gonna
research this because I'm telling you, somebody did something off
a position player last year, and I could have sworn
it was Otani. Maybe not. Well, we'll figure it out.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
Make AM five seventy LA sports a preset before you
plug in your phone. Presets in the iHeartRadio app now
available with Apple car Play and Android Auto Just another
easy way to listen to LA's best sports talk.
Speaker 1 (39:08):
Today's Afternoon Delight is As Bad As I Used to
Be by Chris Stapleton. This song is one of seventeen
songs that appears on the soundtrack for the New F
one feature film. The star Studded album features artists like
Ed Shearon burn A Boy, Sexy Red, Tate McCrae, and Moore.
I got in Today's Afternoon Delight as bad as I
Used to Be by Chris Stapleton. Did you find uh
(39:32):
any Otani stuff? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (39:34):
Vdal Breuhan was the position player you gave up home
run fifty one to Otani in that game, So.
Speaker 1 (39:39):
I can't No wise listens to the show and texted
and said it was a position player for fifty one.
Speaker 3 (39:43):
So yeah, all right, Well.
Speaker 1 (39:47):
What was his name?
Speaker 3 (39:49):
Vedal Breuhan was a position player for the Marlins they
brought in and he yeah, got cleaned up for home
run number fifty one by Otani.
Speaker 1 (39:59):
The all right, so, uh, shock of all shocks, Lebron
did opt into his deal fifty two million dollars. What
that was a shocker? I mentioned Kevin this morning. A
big surprise. Well, nobody ever said it wasn't gonna happen.
I went, well, initially, remember, I've got to talk to
my family and I've got to discuss the please to.
Speaker 3 (40:19):
Keep everybody wondering, you got to keep them wondering. It's
a big mystery, you know, whether or not he's going
to come back for that fifty two point six million.
Speaker 1 (40:26):
Yeah, so he opted in, and then Rich Paul made
a comment. You know, they he's aware of the fact
that the Lakers are, you know, looking at the future.
But Lebron wants to win now. Oh okay, well, really,
Lebron wants to win now, so they don't The Lakers
don't want to win now. The Lakers have no desire
(40:46):
to win.
Speaker 3 (40:47):
Now, No, no, whatsoever.
Speaker 1 (40:49):
If they had no desire, then they wouldn't pay Lebron
fifty two million dollars. Yeah, they don't care. They're worried
about the future that they don't want to win now.
I thought, what a weird thing to say.
Speaker 3 (41:01):
It wasn't trading for Luca when now move.
Speaker 1 (41:04):
Yeah, but it also sumittered the future. You know, it's
kind of the Dodger model. They're built now. I don't
know what success they've had except one of the title
in the bubble, but they're built now for success. They
have a player. So it was a move for now
and a move for the future, right it was, But
(41:25):
to say, yeah, we know you're focused on the future,
or what you're saying is Lebron's not flavor of the
month at thirty one flavors anymore, And we got to
let you know he's still.
Speaker 3 (41:37):
Here exactly, And I don't think. Look, and he's still
a great player. He's an All NBA player maybe always Yeah,
the team, Like, he's still a quest player, and so
it's not like he doesn't have value, like he's just
the damage goods or whatnot. But I do think and
maybe the ownership change will facilitate this. Maybe it coincides
with him opting in for the one year deal. But
(41:58):
if you were to bet right now whether or not
this is his last year with the Lakers, what would
you say?
Speaker 1 (42:06):
I would make it as last year with the Lakers. Yeah,
I would. But again, let's see how the season plays out.
Why don't they go to the Western Conference Finals, win,
win the NBA title? Well, then none, it's a different conversation. Yeah,
I don't think that's gonna happen, But that really is
the question. And I guess Rich Paul and they made
it known. Dan WOOKI I think reported this. He'll be
(42:28):
on next. There were no conversations about opting out and
doing the old let's sign another one plus one. This
just went quietly this year, so that's got to be
an indication as well. Right, he kind of opted out
and said, Okay, we're gonna sign another one plus one
for more money.
Speaker 3 (42:44):
Lakers are finally finding their balls taking the organization back.
About time, all right, you can let them rent the
organization for a few years now, got a Bubble championship
out of it, and now they're taking their organization back. Okay,
that works, and now you get to see what the
future is going to look like. But it's also if
he wants, you know, listen, I want, you know, obviously
(43:07):
what's best for the organization in the future, but I
also am in win now mode. Then why did you
make them draft and play your son?
Speaker 1 (43:16):
Like what?
Speaker 3 (43:17):
Like? Which is it here? And I just think at
a certain point, timelines have to add up, and it
feels like maybe they're on two different timelines to where
Lebron James is chasing one last title or chasing one
last you know, real run at a championship, and the
Lakers are like, listen, we just had a major change.
(43:38):
We've got new ownership in, We've traded away for a
guy who's going to be here for the next decade,
hopefully in Luca And this is the direction we're going in.
And if you're happy to join us for a one
year trial run of this, of this new Lakers regime
and what this new Laker future is going to look like,
then sweet, let's just keep it at that, and then
let's just part ways at the end to this whole thing.
(44:01):
It just feels like we're winding down.
Speaker 1 (44:04):
It does. Do we need to say that now? I mean,
why why wouldn't they say it now? Because you don't
know what will happen this season? That's what it is.
He's not gonna walk away if they win the title,
but no matter what happens.
Speaker 3 (44:19):
Do you have an issue with the statement from Rich
Paul afterwards, like like why do we why is this
needing to be said at this point?
Speaker 1 (44:26):
Well? It was stupid, jeez, Fred, what it was? Why
would you say that? Yeah, we we know, but you
know we still want to win now, so they're going
out to lose. That would be their objective. We're just
gonna we're gonna tak it this year. Of course, not
that was you know, my guy still has something to
say here. It's not all about Luca. My guy has
(44:50):
something to say. It's about my guy, and I guess
as an agent that's a good thing. But seriously, we
want to win now.
Speaker 3 (45:00):
So he's got it. Lebron's got a no trade clause.
Let me throw this at you. Do you think if
they could, they would deal him this offseason.
Speaker 1 (45:11):
Depending on how the season goes.
Speaker 3 (45:12):
Yes, well, I'm saying this right now. This offseason, he's
got a no trade clause, so obviously he's got you know,
full autonomy over that. But do you think if there
was no trade clause or a no no trade clause
for Lebron that the Lakers would be testing the waters
out there to see what they could get for him. Yes,
because yeah, I do too. And so if that's the case,
(45:36):
and the only thing getting in the way is the
no trade clause, then that would stand a reason that
we're looking at the final run of Lebron the farewell tour,
if you will, for him and.
Speaker 1 (45:45):
I And as you point it out, with the Mark
Walter and those guys in charge, and since they have
their star in Luca, I don't think there's any reason
to pay a guy fifty two million dollars to hang around.
You're gonna have to go. A lot depends on this year.
They've got to get a center. We're gonna bring white
Y on next. We'll talk about it, but a lot depends.
(46:06):
I mean, if if they are middle of the pack, Bob,
they're okay, not great, not bad. Sure they're a top
team in the West. But you know, if it's like that,
I see no reason to bring them back none, and
that the whole people hostage because now it doesn't matter,
Oh what's he gonna do? Quite frankly, do whatever you want,
(46:26):
Lucas here, whatever you want to do, do you don't
have to even warn us, Just do it.
Speaker 3 (46:30):
Yeah, they've created the soft landing.
Speaker 1 (46:33):
Yeah, that's what they've done.
Speaker 3 (46:34):
To where because I think maybe the thought initially was, well,
you could do the same thing with Anthony Davis, and
then Anthony Davis proved that he couldn't stay healthy. There
was just inconsistent. Every time you would get on the heater,
it was we're just waiting we're just waiting when when's
the injury scarre gonna pop up? When's this gonna happen?
And I think they realized, well, that's not the piece
(46:56):
to fall back on if we eventually move on from Lebron,
And now they've got an actual piece who they're going
to build the franchise in the organization around. So look,
if you are a big fan of super teams, moral
of the story is, watch as many Laker games as
you can this year because this will be the final
year of Lebron and Luca playing together.
Speaker 1 (47:20):
Well, let's continue this. Our friend Dan Wiki from the
Athletic we'll join us next. He's got a lot on
this
Roggin And Rodney News
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.