February 27, 2024 • 62 mins
- Hank and Gavin give their predictions on the divisional winners, discuss the signings of Cody Bellinger and Brandon Crawford, and explore the possibility of an MLB expansion.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Got division predictions. We're gonna talk about some hot players,
hot transactions, hot names. Rob Manfred might be stepping down soon.
We've got all this and more this episode of the
six four three Conspiracy.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
What we've got here is failure.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Your Milka.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Working audio is like flying a helicopter and I don't
fucking know how to fly helicopters. Are you crying?
Speaker 4 (00:38):
There's no crying.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
There's no crying baseball.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
Strap on your cleats, Buckle up for a wild ride
around the diamond of the section.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Welcome to the six four three Conspiracy, where we swing
from the.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
Truth and knock conspiracy theories out of the park.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the six four to
three Conspiracy Podcast. Before we get into introductions, I need
to tell you about our sponsors, OClO Machine Works, LLC.
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the housekeeping out of the way. I'm your host, Hank,
(02:41):
joined by my lovely co host Gavin Nicasio. Good sir,
how are you doing doing great?
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Man? Yeah, good day today currently in Tennessee.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
You know, it's windier than crazy and we've gotten like
three like bad storm warnings, so it's great.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Yeah. Yeah, it's definitely a southern winter. We reached about
seventy eight today. But when I wake up in the morning,
it's going to be like thirty eight outside, So good stuff.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
I woke up this morning and it was actually like
sixty eight. So I went to school today dressed out
in my Memphis Grizzlies gear, was shorts and all that,
and then I go outside and it's back down to
thirty eight in Murphy's Boro.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
So yeah, and you know it'll be seventy degrees again
by the time the weekend rolls around. So sign uses
are on a roller coaster ride with the best of them.
But brother, I know, it's been a big, kind of
kind of a big week in the baseball world. We've
had some big announcements, we've had some big signings, and
(03:50):
I'm excited to have this talk. We've been looking forward
to it. First of many of these weekly sports shows
that we're going to be rolling out this week. But
the first topic of discussion for the evenings, we're gonna
give the listeners our take on the divisional winners, our
predict our predictions for division winners, and we're gonna add
a twist to it. We're gonna take the over the
(04:12):
under on the win loss total compared to last year.
So starting off in the AL East. Last year's order
ended up being Baltimore at one hundred and one and
sixty one. You had Tampa Bay coming in with ninety
nine wins sixty three losses. The Blue Jays were in
third to eighty nine seventy three, Yankees at fourth with
(04:34):
eighty two and eighty The Red Sox rounded out the
AL least at seventy eight and eighty four.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
So compared to.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
You know, last year, I you know, taking off all
the off season moves and considerations, I think I'm still
sticking with Baltimore to win the division, but I'm not
taking the over on their record. I think if anything,
they're going to I think I think it could be
(05:06):
anywhere up to six games below this one hundred and
one win total from last year. I think a lot
of sophomore slump is going to encounter Baltimore this year.
You're gonna have, you know, several of your young cats
that that you just it's really hard to bank on
a young Cat team. You know, that hundred and one
win total, in my mind, is kind of a they
(05:27):
were too young to know any better type deal. So,
but it was a good run. But I think Baltimore
gets it. I'm taking the under on one hundred and one.
Who you got coming in second on this Al East?
Speaker 2 (05:40):
I think for the Al East, you gotta go with
New York Yankees. They got for sure, got like Juan
Soto now the newest edition. Dude's been raking for the
past couple of games in spring training, and I'm not
even like, I honestly think he stays in New York
long term. I think he looks great in the pinstripes
for sure and just feels right.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
My opinion, they currently were at eighty two wins. I'm
definitely gonna go over. I see them getting at least
ninety to maybe even ninety five. They can if they
can get that that that rotation in with Carlos Rdon
and Nestra Cortes, along with Marcus Strumman and Garrick Cole,
I think they can. You know, it's a deep rotation
(06:21):
and they can go far. They got a lot of
studs inside that bullpen. They still got like guys like
Clay Holmes and stuff. Yep, they got you know, Aaron Judge,
they got Rizzo. They also a lot of people have
forgotten Alex Vradugo. I mean, dude has been he plays
with swag and he's he's you know, he's good in that.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
So it's a consistent hit or you know here and
he he just quietly does his thing. Yep, and you.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Know he's he's It's not even just on the field.
He's a good guy in the locker room. And absolutely,
I think in any sports, you know, you can argue
that that's one of the most important things is that
locker room chemistry and you know, the chemistry on the
field and you can reflect on that. So I definitely
think that that's the second team for sure. I think
(07:08):
they're out ninety or ninety five.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
I got you, I got you. Yeah, Yeah. And I
guess it would be safe to say for the listeners
that with our predictions for the win totals on this year,
I mean you could with any pretty much any team,
you could take a plus or minus of three a
minimum of three games, you know, off of our predictions.
You know, these are just you gotta play them. There's
(07:33):
one hundred and sixty two games, and you can only
look at the paper so much and see what's gonna happen.
You gotta play the games. But one thing I do
think is I think the Raids are gonna finish strong.
I think they'll finish within five games of the Yankees
in third place of the AL East. I'm but I'm
(07:53):
taking the under on their ninety nine wins from last season.
But I don't think it'll be under by much. I
just I don't think. I don't think. I don't think
you can have three one hundred win teams and woe.
You know, that'd be insane, But uh, somebody's got to
fall short. And I think I think the Blue Jays
will be the the best of the worst or made
(08:16):
the not the Blue Jays, but the Rays.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Excuse me, I definitely think the Rays. I mean, this
whole Wanderfronco stuff has probably taken a toll inside that
locker room. You know, they got to obviously keep their
mouths shut, and you know they're gonna get asked questions
every time they are in those media days and stuff.
So I think it's gonna get to a point where
you know, that's just going to break them. I mean,
look at the Dodgers with the whole Trevor Bauer situation.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Sure, you know, after Trevor Bauer got.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Accused of all that legal action, and uh, you know,
Dodgers went downhill a little bit. You know, they got
eliminated off the first round and or no, they got
looked at eliminated after the Braves in the championship series.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
But they just weren't the same team. And I think
that's the prase.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
You know, if they can get guys like Jose Siri
and you know they also lost Tyler Glasnow there's a
lot of holes now inside that team that you know,
it's gonna affect him in the long run for sure.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Sure.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
Uh so, I guess that leaves the Blue Jays in
the socks. And I'm actually it's gonna be a wild
sight to see that the Blue Jays will be in
fourth place of the division with a fairly decent record.
I mean, they won eighty nine games last year. I
think they taking a couple of steps back. But I
(09:31):
think I just I don't think the Red Sox have
done anything to move out of the basement of the
AL East. They might match the Red Sox their seventy
eight win total. I'm not high on them, but that that,
you know, I think the AL East is gonna be
between Baltimore and New York pretty much all year. The
(09:53):
the rais will be there for a while and then
they just they'll just nose dive at the end like
they always do.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
This is one not my son, a little controversial, but
I actually got the Jays with maybe over eighty nine wins.
They did take I mean they did take a lot
of hits with you know, the Matt Chapman deal, which,
by the way, you know he's still on the board.
I've we've discott it's probably gonna go to San Francisco.
But there's hope still. I mean, if you're a Blue
Jays fan, you know there's not that Yes, you got
(10:20):
Justin Turner, but you can put him.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
As a DH you know, you still have voting for space.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
You still got uh oh my gosh, George Spreener at centerfield.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
They have a bunch of guys.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
I still Boba shit still plays shortstop. Yeah, I mean
they they've got a decent little team.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
If they if they signed Matt Chapman back in the
game locked up for a while, I see the Blue
Jays not contending again. I don't think they'll be contending
with New York or Baltimore.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
It could be a strong fight for that third spot.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Yeah for sure.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
With Tampa Bay, Yeah for sure.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Exactly and then maybe even try to squeak and said
that wild card, but it all really defends with that
match Outman deal. And I again, I still don't understand
how he's not signed. You know, you got guys like
Brandon Crawford that just signed with your interesting Cardinals, right right.
I just like I said, I don't see that them
(11:18):
going below eighty nine. If it's like below eighty five,
then maybe, but again it seems still stinky.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
As far as the AL Central is concerned, I'm not
willing to waste any of my breath on the Al Central.
They are the weakest division once again in baseball. I
think that the Royals will win the division over the Twins.
But actually I take that back. The Twins just got
Manny Marco and that could be the pot that they
(11:46):
so desperately needed. They just got Manny Marco today I
think it was today or yesterday is from the Dodgers.
So the Twins will probably win it. I think it's
going to be between the Twins and the Royals. I
don't think the Royal will lose one hundred and six
games last year. But until the Al Central shows me
that they're willing to at least play five hundred ball.
(12:09):
I'm not willing to spend two breaths on the.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
So I think out of all of them, I think
White Sox are definitely gonna be at the bottom. I mean,
they've cleaned house pretty you know, the Tim Anderson, Lucas,
Giulio Lancelo and all those guys are gone. And Luis
Roberts probably don't want out. I don't see dam Hendricks
is gone.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Yep, yep, exactly.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
And so.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
Mm hmm, and I think that I agree.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
I actually had Kansas City actually at second though, I
before the Manu mar Gut trade with the Dodgers. I
still had them at first. You know, they still got
guys like, uh, let's see here, Carlos Correa, Max Kepler,
Pablo Lopez, Byron Bux Simps.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Yeah. So it's they still got some you know, key pieces.
But but the Royals, and I am shame on me
for not having their uh forty man available, but they
made some really low key good pitching acquisitions this offseason,
(13:16):
and I think that locking up Bobby Witt to that
massive contract is gonna spark some energy into that team
that they were missing. So they they they they have
a strong strong chance to win that Central. But uh,
the Al West is gonna be pretty much down to
(13:41):
two twos. If you ask me, you know, you know
who to pick. Don't make it more obvious. I'm not
gonna go against what you know. Don't don't fix what
ain't broken. So I'm taking Houston. I'm gonna take Houston
they were not last year. I'm taking the over on
(14:04):
nine and seventy two. I've got the Rangers coming in
second within within five games of Houston. I don't think
the Rangers have fallen off that much from what they
let go of what they've picked up. I've got the
I mean, I've pretty much got it shaken out just
like it did last year. Mariners are gonna finish third,
the Angels will finish fourth, and the A's will finish
(14:26):
They'll finish, you know. But uh yeah, like the West
is pretty self explanatory to me, like it's the It
was the easiest one of these divisions for me to predict,
because all you just had to do is look at
last year.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
I definitely think that Houston, Houston in Texas are going
to be a definitely a dogfight, for sure.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
I don't know how I feel about the Manners team yet.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
They obviously got you know, Mitch Hanniger back, but they
didn't get rid of Robbie. They got some guys you
know you never want to count on j Rod, of course,
but they also got rid of a Hanio Soarez, which
is wild to.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
Me because and Hanio was a big.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Factor into that team, especially drom the late part of
the season when he was kidding clutch home runs and
clutched doubles and all that stuff in twenty twenty one
through twenty twenty three. And I definitely have him a
third I got I'm gonna be honest. I have Texas
uh over ninety and I have them winning the division.
(15:29):
I have him around ninety five to ninety seven wins.
I just I like how their core is. You know,
they obviously have Seeger and see Me, but they have
guys also like Josh Juhn and and Mitch Gardner, and
they got him back and all that belief. If I'm
mistaken me, yep, they stick got it.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
And and a sneaky, a sneaky underrated position player is
a Travis Jankowski. I like him. He was when when
Adelie Scarci got hurt, he was the substitution for him,
and he should he performed in the World Series like
(16:09):
it doesn't you know, there's no bigger spotlight in the
game of ball, so h and.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
He did it so like casually and just the main staying,
you know, hitting opposite field as a lefty, he's hitting
the opposite field. He's gonna do his job. He's gonna
slop the ball down on the ground, and he did
that very so we saw with the Arizona.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
I think I think that between between what you know,
ninety five to ninety eight wins is realistic for Houston
and or Texas. I think I think if if it
ends up being flip flopped either way, neither one of
us will be surprised. But but I wouldn't dare not
(16:49):
take my Houston Astros over because my boy, my boy
Ryan would jump out of the grave and choke my
ass if I did so. I gotta take Houston and
until honestly, they they stop winning the list, I have
no reason to not take.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
Them their dynasty. I mean, let's be honest.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
You know, obviously everyone's all saying back then with the
whole trash can situation. At some point, we gotta let
it go, right especially you know, no offense to.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
Dodgor fans seven years ago.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Yeah, it's like, at some point you gotta let it go.
They did it.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
They did it against the Phillies, and they did it
casually in Fine that. I mean again, you can never
count out that he's the team. I definitely have them
over ninety for sure. I I I mean again, I
have Texas around ninety five ninety seven.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
I see them doing the same thing.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
I mean, that is just gonna be one of those
situations where it's gonna be back and neck again and
I see them getting a very similar record. But you
also look at Texas Jacob Duurrum. He's supposed to be
back this season.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
He was gone obviously all last season.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
The question is if he can stay healthy, then yes,
I do believe Texas takes it.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
But if not, then that's gonna be a big factor.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Because Concurry moving on to the National League, we will
start out West and uh Clearcut Division. To me again,
it's gonna be your Dodgers, and I'm actually gonna take
the over on their one hundred wins from last season.
I've got the Dodgers anywhere from one honestly one oh
(18:21):
five to record setting wins. Show hal Tani his first
game in spring training, and I know it's spring training,
but he hit a bomb op obomb. Yeah, show Hayes
back at least in the in the and and the
Dodgers have never failed to produce quality pitchers. They actually
develop pitching it out out there. So they're not gonna
(18:44):
miss Otani in the p or in the in the
in the rotation. This year, they're gonna get everything they're
paying for right there in that batter's box because they're
gonna put people on base and then he's gonna bring
them back home. But I've got the Dodgers up top.
I think it's gonna easily be I think the d
Backs are gonna win more than eighty four games. I'm
taking the over from there last year. You know, I
(19:07):
definitely think they've gotten better in some interesting places. They
let Nick Imt go. But oh and I'm blanking on
the kids name. They I want to say that cal Well,
he's their outfielder. But I believe, I believe they had it.
(19:27):
They had an in house solution for shortstop.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
Oh yes, yes, he's a short stop. He's in the
Triple A now.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
But but the d Backs are going to be sneaking
you again next year. I don't think they're going to
be this the the Cinderella team. I think I think
they could easily be a ninety win team.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
I agree, I definitely have. I mean, the pods are
eighty two and eighty. I'm gonna be honest. I have
them under Yeah, I do too. I don't feel like
they're I mean they lost one, so no, they didn't
get a obviously they got you know, they lost Blake
stale back. But again, yep, they don't have they don't
have a lot of people. You know, you have Tatis,
(20:08):
Machado and uh bog Arts. But again, I think that's
just one of those teams where they overspent to the
point that luxury tax is just gonna bite him and
bite them. And by them, they did not spend a
lot or anything.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
They pushed all their chips in for like they said,
if we don't do anything else this decade, this is
gonna be and it failed miserably and now they're suffering horribly.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
Yes, Giants seventy ninety eighty three clear cut think they're
gonna be over if we if if Matt Chapman and
Giants can come to terms, definitely think that that's gonna
be a solid, sneaky team. You know, you got Robbie Ray,
you got Logan Webb, you got the Rogers inside that pen,
you got I mean, you lost Michanniger, but you lost
(20:53):
Brent Crawford as well. But again, I still think that
team's clear cut. Their catcher, I forgot his name, young catcher.
Solid last year. I think he's gonna have another solid
year this year as well behind.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
The plate and on in the plate. So definitely think.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
That that's gonna be a solid team for sure. Late
in rounds. I have him honestly in third place though,
I mean Diamonds it's again one of those things. It's
Diamondbacks and Dodgers. Those are two teams that that's their division.
Everyone else is just gonna stay.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
Below, sure, and then that leaves the Rockies way down
there just like the as.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
They'll they'll have them. I have them even belower.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
If Chris Bryant can maybe get back to that Chris
Bryant form, that's it. And then you have Charlie Blackman
and all that but again in Namy Daniel Bard. But
someone's gonna get traded. I mean, we've seen before someone's
gonna get traded. I would see Daniel Bard being traded
or all three of them. It's just a matter of
they are so like you know, in incompetitive because a
(21:54):
roster that there's no point in keeping guys long term
when you know you're not gonna be winning for the
next three four years.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
I mean, they have a fundamental organizational problem. They gave
Saint Louis fifty million dollars to take No One Aeronauto. Yeah,
like yet, like who's not going to do that? Yep,
A generational talent and fifty million dollars.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
And you just again, what did they get back? And
what did Saint Louis give up?
Speaker 1 (22:23):
We gave them. We gave them a half eaten, moldy
bag of.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
Chips exactly, like it was nothing.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
It was even embarrassment. It was nobody that I missed
and I was I have like, I know a lot
about the you know, some of the hot young guys
and the cardinals. I follow them, you know, I'm really
you know they you know, unfortunately, maybe not as much
in the car world as i'd want to be. But like,
I'm invested in some of these young cats because I
(22:50):
followed them out of college and stuff and like they
but what we did to Colorado was shouldn't be allowed.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
You can use anything with the A's and the Braves,
I mean Matt Olsen and Sean Murphy.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Leris though was legitimately a solidified prospect like he and
to be honest, he's one of their bright spots on
the A's yep. But yeah, yeah, yeah. So moving to
the NL Central, and I don't think this division will
look anything like it did last year. As we'll talk
(23:29):
about here in just a little bit. The Cubs of
landed relanded Cody Bellinger for maybe three years. But I'm
not really worried about it. I'm more threatened by Cincinnati
than I am the Cubs. But I've got my Cardinals
taking the division. Well over on the seventy one wins
(23:54):
from last year, I think their record could easily be
flopped ninety one and seventy one instead of you know,
seventy one and ninety one. I think the Cardinals, if
they ended up anywhere from eighty six wins plus wouldn't
be a surprise. I think if we sneak into the
playoffs as a low eighties, low to mid eighties win team,
(24:17):
I think it'll be a disappointing year. But then again,
that's why I call them the barely over five hundred birds,
because that's usually what they are, is barely over five hundred.
So I'll take it. But I've got the Cards easily
winning the division.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
Yeah, so this division is actually kind of tricky because
you don't I mean, we could all say that the
Brewers are gonna be last because of all their you know,
subtractions they had, but you know, the Brewers still have
a bunch of guys like Christian Gellich and all those
and Willia Domis and all that.
Speaker 3 (24:49):
Like, they're all players on there. That's that's not bad Son.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Have much to offer in their in their rotation exactly.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
That's that's gonna they're gonna be.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
It's gonna be those terms where it's gonna be the
They're gonna be the angels of the Al Central. They're
gonna have a lot of offense with no pitching and
no defense.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
So I have them honestly being last. I have him
far below ninety two, maybe seventy five. Seventy maybe seventy five,
low eighty team. I'm gonna be honest. I have the
Chicago Cubs winning. I've said in MI MVP cast, which
of you all are.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
Obviously interested, go check it out. But obviously.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
They got guys like shot At in manga they got
again just talked about Belly, they got I forgot.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
His name, but he's from Still got Nick Nico Horner.
They got dance By Swanson yep.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
And then who's the who was the guy that got traded?
It was Dodgers number one prospect for third base. Oh
my gosh, your brother's name?
Speaker 3 (25:52):
I think it's s something.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Hold on, I know they got Christopher Morrill in the outfield.
They've got Garrett or not Garrett? Is that his name?
Garrett Steel? The yes, the flamethrower lefty like you. Yeah,
they got in half like you said, they picked up
showed at im Naga, who, for what he is, could
(26:16):
turn out to be a really good number three man
in a rotation. Oh yeah, I think they still got
Kyle Hendricks, who's gonna be lobbing up forty five mile
an hour curveballs Ephans pitches. But uh, I see where
you could say the Cubs could win because if their
lineup goes, it'll it'll, it'll go. But losing Stroman I
(26:38):
think hurts. I think really having no veteran true out well,
I mean Kyle Kyle Hendricks is a veteran, but.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
A veteran that's actually been Like you could argue that
he could have been a Sion Award winner and all, yes,
at some point he was. He was, there was, he was,
he got he got a bag when he went to
chicag Go. And then obviously I don't even know why
Chicago gave him up because he really wasn't that bad
this year.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
You know, he had a.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
Low three e or A.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
He pitched well, he was in the zone, he was commanded.
A lot of those runs on him were errors. That's
why all a lot of them were unearned. And by
the way, that guy's name is Michael Bush.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Yeah, Michael Bush. Yeah, he's not bad, not at all.
I think it's going to be a toss up between
the Cubs and the Reds, who finish his second in
the Central. I like what the Reds have kind of
done over this offseason. They've picked up some some veteran
arms that maybe aren't the flashiest of names. I want
(27:40):
to say they picked up Frankie Montaye. I want to
say they've picked up Oh he's he's an og right
right hander, and I'm blanket on his name, but as
soon as you say it, I'll know it. Oh, they've
picked up they picked up another starting pitcher for the Reds. Yeah,
(28:03):
they picked up another and he's a he's a right hander,
and he's he's he's on the same tier as Frankie Mantos,
but he's a legitimate MLB starting pitcher. Uh. They've still
got Hunter Green, who, if he could ever learn how
to command his stuff, would be one of the filthiest
starting pitchers next to Spencer Strider. Honestly, they've made some
(28:26):
good positional piece pickups. The The Reds have a chance
to really seize this opportunity with their young talent, with
the Matt McLean's, with the Eli Daylight Cruises, with the
Jonathan Indias, with the Spence, with the Spencer Steers, they've
got a chance to really do something. But I don't
think it'll be this year. I still think there are
(28:47):
a couple of their young pieces away from having a
good year because they're not gonna have Nick Lodolo. I
don't think at all this year who's their hot prospect
lefty pitcher, and I think Hunter start in the season.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
He's yeah, because he had a shoulder and Drey believe.
But here's the thing.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
They also picked up let's see here they left handed pitcher,
uh Tayler Gilbert.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
But that again, that was a minor league contract.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
But again, I think it's one of those cases where
he's gonna get some reps obviously as an everyday starter,
and then he's gonna buy maybe this.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
Second half beat any of the first half of the season.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
He's gonna be back up there, and I think he's
gonna be in that fourth or fifth spot, that first man.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
So there's a lot of stuff, and even we could
let's go with the Pirates, the Pittsburgh Pirates. I have
them over seventy six, yep, but I haven't low eighties.
Maybe at seventy eight like a little bit, because I mean,
let's be honest. They had some additions they got They
just resigned Mitch Keller to it or extended him a
(29:53):
couple of days ago. They got Chapman, they got Gondhal.
That was another edition that they added a bunch of guys.
You still have Key Brian Hayes locked up.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
Brian and I really like ke Brian Hayes.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
Oh I did too. He is a solid third baseman.
I mean, he plays with swag. He's he's more of
an underrated player. He de definitely deserves his gold glove.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
And if they keep Paul Skeans, oh my god, they're
going to have a Paul Skins is filthy. I remember
watching him and Dylan Cruz tear teams up in LSU.
They're The thing with the Pirates is they might not
be good for another like seriously contending good for another
two maybe three years, but three years in a row
(30:36):
they've signed seventy million dollar contracts, which is hopeful you
seeing that they're buying into securing fundamental, long term pieces
of a team and actually giving themselves a chance to
build around it. And who knows. Like I said, you know,
(30:57):
I think this this NL Central is gonna be one
of the funnest, most fun divisions to watch for a
long time because of the amount of young, good talent
in there.
Speaker 3 (31:07):
Well, what's so good about Pittsburgh as well? If you
really go into the.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
Luxury tax and the financial start or side of it,
they're not anywhere near luxury tax.
Speaker 3 (31:16):
They're signing these guys on.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
On friendly deals, you know, keep them un locked up
in Pittsburgh. If they can get guys like David Bednar,
you know, he's a solid underrated believer that no one
talks about because he's on Pittsburgh. He's always been filthy.
He has a low e er with a high save percentage.
Speaker 3 (31:36):
You can and let's.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Be honest, if that we know about the draft and
how it's a lottery draft, the more that they're underneath
that that lottery, uh, that lottery or excuse me, the
luxury tax. And assuming they're at seventy eight wins and
losing around eighty five eighty seven wins, they're gonna be
consistently picking up, you know, in the draft. And obviously
in any draft and name will be it's not gonna
(31:59):
be a a draft to need you draft to build
your farm system. And they that's why they have one
of the best farm systems, because they've been in the
top ten sure for a past decade. They I mean,
there's a reason and idea forly think this is gonna
be mccutchens last year. But again, I if the ceiling
for them would probably arguably around eighty three wins, And
(32:23):
that's that's saying a lot. They're they're their floor, and
like if they absolutely like crap the bed, I have
them around sixty eight wins.
Speaker 3 (32:31):
I mean, you can argue.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
That because how young these guys are. And they also
lost guys like live New or Gero in the winter
season at their catcher. That's why the signs if if
you really like, if they don't play like that because
they're so unexperienced, we'll see.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
Yeah, which leads us the National League East or the
NL Beast as some have said maybe in years past,
But uh, I think the Clearing Cut favorite to win
the division yet again, or the Atlanta Braves. But I'm
actually gonna take the over on the one oh four wins.
I think they could be hovered right around that hundred
(33:13):
win mark. They could they could easily reach one o
four they I mean, it wouldn't surprise me if they
matched that. But just because I like picking at you
a little bit, I'm gonna take the under on it.
They've made some really interesting off season moves. They've made
some really good off season moves. Alexanthopholis has once again
(33:36):
showed us why he's one of the best gyms in baseball.
The dude's a magician. And I guarantee you that before
the trade deadline or by the trade deadline, you're gonna
see something else crazy come out of Atlanta. Hopefully it
won't be out of necessity because of a serious injury.
(33:57):
Hopefully it'll be just a look like for them a
little surey, you know, a want instead of a need.
But I wouldn't be surprised to see Atlanta go out
and Sana Dylan Cee Sana. You know, I don't know,
you know, there's there's.
Speaker 3 (34:14):
It's it's a little uh.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
This wants to be interesting because I think, as any
Bradis fan, you want Max freed inside that rotation locked
up for a long time and being as being honest
and like after doing a lot of research and stuff.
If he is not re signed by maytime, I don't
see him staying as an Atlanta Brave. I mean, they
(34:39):
still got it just there. Everything about the Braves is
that there's not a lot of cons knockna because you know,
obviously you want the Braids to contend. They got guys
like Chris Sale, who, by the way, pitch today. I
guess it's like this debut day for everybody because everyone's debuting.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
But he he pitched.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
Two innings and struck out four batters, so I think
it's pretty solid. He looks good, looks commanded of like
explosive for a skinny body.
Speaker 3 (35:05):
They got guys. I think the biggest like blow or.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
Like uh like magic thing that you're saying, I think
it's gonna be at that short opposition. Maybe someone like
I don't see Tim Anderson, you know, he is on
a one year deal.
Speaker 3 (35:20):
Maybe if Tim Anderson gets his you know, stuff for
he can even argue.
Speaker 2 (35:26):
Again, it's interesting if I, I mean, I'm the Braves,
I would want somebody maybe even like a build like
Bobby with or Zach Neetto, you know, a guy who's
young and is fast and has that leader you know mentality.
And again that just everything about the Braves. It's hard
to really you know saying, because I again there's a
(35:47):
lot of stuff that's gonna be big question marks after
the season, because not only are you gonna lose out
on free if you can't extend him, you're also losing
more and that leaves you with Chris Sale, Bryce Elder
and obviously Spence in side. That starting rotation that's gonna
be solidified.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
So yep, I think the Phillies gonna easily win second
place again. Ninety win team last year. I think that's
probably around their their their new normal. I think they'll
actually receive anywhere of a five game bump, though I'm
(36:27):
gonna take the over on it simply because it'll be
trade Turner's second year in Philly. He'll be set. You know,
it's really hard to get traded to a new team
and then ball out that that immediate season, so he'll
be more settled. Brandon Marshall be more settled. They've picked
up with Mirifield, which is a great little backup uh
(36:51):
defensive player. You know, he can still play a mean
second base and he's a good average tax sticks so
late in the game you need to clutch, hit, put
put big stick with up there at the plate and
see what happens. I think that gives them a little
more flexibility than having to lean on oh the dude.
(37:13):
We traded on ed Mundo Sosa, who was the Cardinals
like third strings shortstop for the longest time. I like
the Phillies, though, I think they're gonna have another good, solid,
big year. Give me the Phillies at anywhere from ninety
three to ninety five wins in second place for sure.
(37:34):
The Marlins. I've actually got the Marlins breaking about even
at eighty four eighty five wins for third place. I'm
not sold on the Mets. Hell. It wouldn't surprise me
if the Nationals had a better year than the Mets.
Speaker 3 (37:49):
I mean, when it comes to the mass.
Speaker 1 (37:51):
Pass, they just lost cod I Singa too. It won't
be a season ending injury, but that was their bright
bright star of hope in the in the lone black sky.
That is their starting rotation. Like they don't have much
of anything over there in New York.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
I mean, hitch and side up. I mean, do you
the Oli picture when you think of the Bets.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
Now, obviously after Kodak Sanga is uh Edwin Di is
and obviously you know he's gonna be an insane you know, closer.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
But at this point I wouldn't be surprised if they.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
Stay trade him just because if they can get something
out of him. Do I think it's gonna happen? Absolutely not.
You know, they obviously extended him last year before his injury.
But Marlins, I think, I think again it's it's just again,
it's one of those things where it's the Braves and
the Phillies that two teams that that's their division.
Speaker 3 (38:46):
All the other three teams are just you stay down.
I I'm gonna go with under.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
For the Marlins, I think they're gonna be around eighty three,
eighty to eighty three. Again, I'm not sold on them.
They have guys obviously, like Louis Aures, Sandy Clark.
Speaker 3 (39:03):
How do you say his last name?
Speaker 1 (39:04):
Oh, my gosh, Katara, yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:07):
Al Katara, yep.
Speaker 2 (39:09):
And you know he's supposed to be pitching. I saw
when I saw an injury report on him or something like.
Speaker 1 (39:15):
That he should be back by opening day if he
isn't already.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
Yeah, so he Again, you have jazz, but just that
lineup is just those It's just one of those things
where it's core players and then everybody else you gotta
going back to, like parts, core players.
Speaker 3 (39:31):
Everyone else is the unexperienced, doesn't have that right.
Speaker 1 (39:35):
Yeah, that's a quick long run down of Yeah, man,
I mean I feel like in order to do this right,
we might as well take the time to explain ourselves.
And you know, but for the sake of Tom, I'm
(39:56):
going to call an audible and I I want to
move into do you think Mike Trout is going to
be traded at or by the deadline or you know
a cabo not not either or or not either at
or by? But like, do you see Mike Trout on
(40:17):
the on the Angels after the trade deadline? I guess
I should have phrased it like that.
Speaker 2 (40:22):
So this, this situation is gonna be interesting, in my opinion,
Mike Trout did not. Let's make it clear, Mike Trout
did not shut out a trade possibility later on in
the future. He said, right now it would be quote
unquote an easy way out. But the Angels are gonna
be even worse than they were last year. You know,
they're gonna unless maybe they get Snell. But we don't
(40:45):
know if they're gonna get Snell, because again, the Yankees
can make a move and they have more money, so
and they also have an owner that's not spend all,
you know, just shutting out, you know, trying to get
guys and stuff.
Speaker 3 (40:58):
ARTI Mariano, we know him. He does it.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
He's cheap, doesn't want to go above the luxury tax.
And the only reason why he even said himself, the
only reason why he didn't trade out twenty last year
or the year before is because he was getting money
out of him. So yes, I do think my Trout's
gonna request the trade. I think it's it's time he's
Let's be honest, he is thirty two years old and
he is not getting any younger as a as a
(41:22):
as a player, and in his career with them with
the Angels, he has a three h one batting average.
Mind you, this is his career three oh one batting average,
three hundred and sixty gate home runs. He has one thousand,
six hundred and twenty four hits with a four to
twelve on base percentage, a five eighty two slug, a
(41:43):
nine to ninety four ops. But he has like a thousand,
one thousand and fifty eight strikeout. It's like he is
still a machine. He is still the Mike Trout, like
that is the guy. But again, what the last time
we seen Mike Trout in an actual playoff game was
in twenty fourteen, and his last like the playoff atmosphere
was obviously in the World Baseball Classic. He's gonna he's
(42:04):
gonna at some point need to like move on. They're
not committed to him, so he needs to. I think
that frustration. You can tell it's after O Tony Levin.
He even said it like it sucked, So I think
he gets treaded.
Speaker 1 (42:16):
Yes, yeah, I agree.
Speaker 3 (42:18):
I agree.
Speaker 1 (42:20):
The as we've mentioned briefly, the Cubs for Manning have managed,
excuse me, to resign Cody Bellinger to a three year,
eighty million dollars deal that includes opt outs for Billy
after the first and second years. And the way the
contract's getting broke down that if he stays for all
three he'll get paid thirty million his first and second year,
(42:44):
twenty million his third year. But uh, I think it's
pretty interesting to see this kind of a three year
deal with player opt outs after the first and second year,
because honestly, I don't know if Cody's ever two weeks
ago he was pushed him and Scott Boris were pushing
for twelve years, two hundred and forty plus million dollars,
(43:06):
then to settle for basically a quarter of that. I
just don't know if anybody's going to be willing to
commit to Billy long term for that big of a
dollar sign.
Speaker 2 (43:21):
No, I think it's gonna be one of those situations
where it's gonna be.
Speaker 3 (43:25):
I mean, we saw it.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
You can even relate to the Carls Korea situation where
he wanted the big money and then obviously we know
the whole situation that pan out with him, and he
was supposed to sign with the Giants and then it
went to the Mets and now it's he's.
Speaker 3 (43:37):
Back with the Twins. I think he's gonna say Chicago
for a while.
Speaker 2 (43:42):
Good for him. I'm glad he got his money. I mean,
he's getting paid thirty million a dear, which is a
lot of money, especially for a a outfielder. Mike Trout's
getting paid around that money. So again, I'm happy for him.
Speaker 3 (43:57):
He came alive.
Speaker 2 (43:58):
He was struggling at the his last few years with
the Dodgers, and the Cubs revived him. Yeah, and I
think he's gonna turn into back to MVP belly after
maybe the second half of the season, and he's gonna
go off. So I think this is where it's gonna
be his year where he's gonna have to be like,
all right, I have an opt out at the end
of this year. If I put up video game numbers
(44:19):
and stuff and do what I did years ago, I
can get that contract.
Speaker 3 (44:23):
And do I see that happening.
Speaker 1 (44:25):
Sure, it'd be really cool if he did. Man, baseball
is better when belly is good.
Speaker 3 (44:31):
Absolutely, playoff belly. Love to see it.
Speaker 1 (44:33):
Yes, sir, news broke yesterday that my Saint Louis Cardinals
signed baseball veteran I'll be nice veteran Brandon Crawford, the
former San Francisco Giant shortstop, to a one year, two
(44:55):
million dollar contract and h as Gavin can attest to,
my initial reaction to put it PG was one of
pure disgust. A thirty seven year old coming off an
(45:16):
injury riddled shortstop. Just it struck me as the most
Saint Louis Cardinals move in the history of Saint Louis Cardinals,
and it made my stomach turn. I thought Gavin was
playing a joke on me when he sent me the
screenshot of the article. No, they really did, and I
(45:36):
took a step back. Read an article by Katie Woo
of The Athletic and after listening to JD. Hafferin at
Locked on Cardinals talk about it. Today, I've got a
better view on it, and I'm kind of I'm kind
of okay with this move, Gavin, because Tommy had Tommy Edmund,
(46:00):
while not only being slated as the opening day center fielder,
was the backup shortstop. Well, he had to have risk
surgery in January and his rehab is going a little
longer than they expected. And after Mason Wynn, who is
(46:20):
still going to be the opening day shortstop, they didn't
really have an answer for a backup. They've got Brendan
Donovan who can in a pinch play some shortstop, but
you can't put Aeronatto at shortstop. You can't put Nolan
Gorman at shortstop. So you were either gonna have to
(46:41):
bring up Thomas and jac or you were gonna have
to go sign somebody. And I think the way the
free agent market shook out over the last forty eight
hours really forced a Cardinal's hand. Nick I med got
signed by the Giants, Kiy k Hernandez got signed by
(47:02):
the Dodgers.
Speaker 3 (47:05):
The Cardinals.
Speaker 1 (47:06):
Yeah, so the Cardinals went and picked up Brandon Crawford.
But Brandon Crawford, I mean he has won four Gold Gloves,
two World Series champions. I think he's got himself a
Silver Slugger. But I think what they're doing is they
(47:28):
just bought Mason Went a mentor more than anything. Yeah,
he'll be the emergency backup, but Mason win is known
for his defense. His is elite defense, elite speed, elite
arm speed or arm power. His he will break O'Neil
Cruz's record for fastest throw across the diamond this season.
(47:51):
The only thing is is he can he adjust to
major league hitting, and I think that's where Brandon Crawford's
gonna help him, along with the other veterans and other
players in the Cardinals team. But I mean, who better
than to have a you know, a four time Gold
Glover and Silver Slugger mentor your superstar car shortstop of
(48:14):
the future. I've got a you know, I'm I'm okay
with it. It's a one year, two million dollar that
doesn't really hurt us. We can still make a move
by the trade deadline if we need to. I'm good
with it.
Speaker 2 (48:27):
I definitely do agree in terms of like he's going
to be a mentor. If anything, I mean, Brandon Crawford does.
Speaker 3 (48:34):
Not have a lot left in the tank.
Speaker 1 (48:36):
I mean he.
Speaker 3 (48:36):
Maybe's got another two to three years at most.
Speaker 1 (48:39):
I don't think he's got that, man. I think he's
got this year. He's thirty seven.
Speaker 3 (48:45):
We've seen guys like Albert Poolhos and all them, you know.
Speaker 1 (48:47):
Yeah, but Albert Pool host wasn't trying to play shortstop
for thirteen years.
Speaker 3 (48:52):
That is true.
Speaker 1 (48:52):
There's more, there's a little more tread on, you know,
there's more, a little more were on that tread on
Brandon Crawford than there was pool Holes. And I will
and I'm not gonna sit here and tell you that
pull Hols didn't do it legitimately. I me and me
and my former co host Ryan Bless his soul, we
may or may not have done an episode where we
(49:14):
entertain the thought of juice balls for pull Holes in
the second half of that season. Yeah, I am a
Cardinals fan, though I don't care. It's in the staff book,
no aster, sir aloud.
Speaker 2 (49:28):
Yeah again, go ahead, you know it's it's a big move.
And I think we you know, you saw it after
I said it's a big move. If I just don't
see it, why it makes sense if you're a Cardinals fan,
unless it's that mentor thing as you stated otherwise, I'm confused.
Speaker 1 (49:44):
I think it's just the fact that we legitimately without
calling up seriously young kids. I don't think we had
an option behind a legitimate If Mason Wynn were to
go down and Tommy Edman isn't available, we have to
either call up unproven kids who haven't even reached triple eight,
(50:08):
or we've got to go out and get somebody. And
I think the best of what was available oh at
the time, or at least according to the Cardinals, apparently
they see something that they feel safe. If they had
to lean on him for a month or two, they
could get something out of him. Yep. But uh. We
also had some pretty big news out of the Commissioner's
(50:28):
office this week, and I'm not going I don't want
to spend just a whole lot of time on this
because this is going to be a in depth, standalone
episode in the future. But Rob Manfred has announced that
when his contract in twenty twenty nine comes to an end,
he will step down as the Commissioner of the Major Leagues,
(50:52):
and I, for one, couldn't be more happy this man.
I don't like him. I don't like him, I don't
like what he's done for the game. I don't like
what he's done to the game. And uh, like I said,
well we'll because that's gonna be a fun episode of
bashing on Manfred, just dragging it.
Speaker 3 (51:12):
I definitely think that we should save a lot of
our thoughts. But the moment we can, we're gonna go.
Speaker 2 (51:17):
That's all this, of course, yeah, but the basic let's
go rule changes in Jerseys.
Speaker 3 (51:23):
You know the fact that there's still not an expansion.
Speaker 1 (51:25):
With Tea in the All Star Game out of Atlanta.
Speaker 3 (51:29):
Exactly, like yes, exactly, Like it's.
Speaker 1 (51:33):
Yeah, there's there's plenty, there's there's not a lack of
content for that episode, I promise, But uh yeah, twenty
twenty nine, he's gonna be stepping down and uh cush
shout out to uh Kyle Corwin and Nate Reyes from
the three zero Tape podcast. But they said that even
though it's not this year, it's not next year, and
(51:54):
it might not even be the year after that. I
know when his end is, and I can I can look,
I can go to sleep knowing that I know it's coming.
So Rob Manfred, we ain't gonna miss you.
Speaker 3 (52:07):
So I got a question for you.
Speaker 2 (52:09):
What's up relating to the Rob Manfred situation. What about
act expansion teams?
Speaker 1 (52:18):
See, I think that's gonna be one of the one thing,
one of the few things that we're gonna be able
to talk about during that episode that he did right,
I think before he before twenty twenty nine. I do
believe that we will have two new teams, and in
some shape, form or fashion, I think we'll see divisional reconstruction.
(52:44):
There's still no anything Etcheton Stone that says that the
Athletics are going to land in Las Vegas. I know
that Salt Lake City is pushing really hard. I know
that Portland is pushing really hard. But let's just assume
(53:05):
for the sake of the show today that they're going
to land in Vegas. Okay, if Rob Mayfford were to
allow two new teams into the league, where do you
think these two new teams are going to be located.
Speaker 2 (53:24):
Let's go with number one. We all know it. If
it doesn't happen, I'd be shocked. Nashville is gon be
number one. That it just makes the most sense some
money wise, Nashville is growing everywhere around the South Tennessee
wants a team.
Speaker 3 (53:38):
The Nashville Stars organization.
Speaker 2 (53:39):
You know, shout out to them of course for even
getting this into the rumors and all that stuff. And
will be I sik this to you actually a couple
of days ago about the Nashville as the likely front
runner to get the first team, and they're going to
be called the Nashville Stars. And it's a team from
you know, a team that was back in the Negro
(54:01):
leagues back then in history.
Speaker 3 (54:03):
And again that's just it obviously makes sense.
Speaker 5 (54:09):
Number two, this one's actually a little interesting because there's
just there's so many teams and obviously if we're assuming
that Las Vegas Lands, you know, the a's Las Vegas
Land their final deal, which right, they're.
Speaker 3 (54:22):
Confusing Issa is you know right?
Speaker 2 (54:24):
But I'm Gonnaugh Charlotte or saw Lake one of those
two Charlotte, I mean.
Speaker 1 (54:31):
They saw Lake would get it before Charlotte.
Speaker 3 (54:34):
Do you okay?
Speaker 1 (54:35):
Just to balance out the East West, Yeah, I was.
Speaker 3 (54:38):
Gonna say it definitely.
Speaker 2 (54:39):
You have to also think about if Nationals, assuming Nashville
gets that team, they're off right, right, That's what I was.
Speaker 1 (54:44):
About saying, because I think, but I think if an
expansion happened, I almost think Nashville's baked into the cake.
Speaker 3 (54:50):
I'm also a little biased because I want Nashville to
have a team personally.
Speaker 1 (54:53):
Think it's someone that makes them up sense.
Speaker 3 (54:56):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, because not only I mean if you
even go.
Speaker 2 (55:02):
Back right into the situation with the Titans.
Speaker 3 (55:07):
Okay, I know we're talking about baseball, but like they're.
Speaker 2 (55:08):
Getting your stadium in Nashville, right, they still have the
old knies On stadium that can be restructured and and
be put into a baseball stadium. I mean, again, you
know you have across each other. It just again, it
makes the most sense.
Speaker 1 (55:23):
A dark horse couple of dark horse names that I have.
I think Portland would be a great, great spot for
a team. I don't know if you've seen it or not,
but you need to. I think it's on on Amazon Prime.
But uh, there's a documentary called The Battered Bastards of Baseball.
Uh do you know the actor Kurt Russell. He does
(55:46):
the Santa Chronicles or the Christmas Chronicles.
Speaker 2 (55:51):
He I know who, I know who you're talking about.
Family watches them. I personally haven't.
Speaker 1 (55:57):
Well, I mean the dude that plays Santa on the
Christmas Chronicles, that's Kurt Russell. His daddy owned a semi
pro team in Portland during the seventies and eighties. You
should watch that, the battered Bastards of baseball. It's great.
Portland has been begging for a professional team for seriously decades.
I mean they have a committed they have a committed
(56:18):
fan base.
Speaker 2 (56:19):
Yeah, I was about to say that, like their their
fan base is die hard. I would be absolutely on
board with that. I would absolutely love that for to happen.
If that was like a team that went over Nashville,
it would suck as a Nashville, you know native.
Speaker 1 (56:33):
But the only thing I see keeping that from happening
is Seattle. I think the Seattle ownership would push back
because if the Portland team was any kind of good,
there goes all of Seattle's fans.
Speaker 2 (56:49):
I mean, let's be honest, about to lose all their
fans the minute days trade someone like Jay Rod. I mean,
they don't make sense. I mean, and I've watched the
Seattle Mariners and I haven't linked him for a while,
and then I started watching. I was like, you want
they're they're a swaggy team, and then they traded all
their stayers next season.
Speaker 1 (57:06):
So what do you think about Indianapolis, that's a that's
a city where nobody really talks about. But you think
about it, that's a that's a nice Midwest team or city,
nice Midwest city that is known for racing. They've got basketball,
they've got the Colts, they don't have.
Speaker 3 (57:26):
I agree. I just I don't when you go to
Indy like they're mostly known for like basketball and and football,
you know, and stuff. It's like one of those like
Kentucky Deans. Like I just to me, it wouldn't make sense.
Like again, I would still.
Speaker 2 (57:40):
Be happy, but I just I don't know if either
have been to Indianapolis, I wouldn't know, Like, if we're
gonna throw that in there, you can even throw in Buffalo.
Speaker 1 (57:50):
I guess, well, I mean I guess Cold New York too. Yeah,
I mean yeah, I didn't think about It's one of those.
Speaker 3 (57:57):
Again.
Speaker 2 (58:02):
Again, there's so many there's so many good ideas with
this expansion.
Speaker 3 (58:06):
Is why they if Rob Manfred can get this done, it's.
Speaker 1 (58:09):
Just honestly, I think the most realistic is Nashville and
Salt Lake, though I do think those are the two
most realistic options, assuming that Las Vegas stays and or
the Athletics stay in Las Vegas.
Speaker 2 (58:20):
We definitely are gonna have to have an episode dedicated
to what if Las Vegas doesn't get at the athletics.
Speaker 1 (58:26):
Oh yeah, yeah, because they want to go they go
to Salt Lake. You know that that opens it up
for Nashville and Portland or Nashville.
Speaker 3 (58:40):
I'm praying the Nashville and I just think it.
Speaker 1 (58:42):
I just think Nashville's baked into the cake.
Speaker 2 (58:45):
I think there's too much of a market potential and
the fact that they're going to be growing more like
this new stadium that times aren't they're gonna want things
like the Super Bowl concerts, if you're going to w
W WrestleMania's and all that stuff.
Speaker 3 (58:58):
Like there's so much that that's gonna happen in.
Speaker 2 (59:01):
Astville, and I just I would be happy generally due
I thought that. I mean, I thought the White Sox
in Chicago. I mean, I thought the White Sox were
easily gonna move out, and now they're.
Speaker 3 (59:10):
Staying in Chicago.
Speaker 2 (59:12):
Like there's just I don't know, Oakland needs to just
cut off the ties, let it go. And I know
that Oakland's officials are talking with the athletic representatives and
the ownership. If you're Oakland, you got to let them go.
Don't don't even negotiate because Oakland has waned out and
(59:32):
wanted out, and you go back in their history.
Speaker 1 (59:34):
All I do is one out.
Speaker 3 (59:34):
They don't settle.
Speaker 1 (59:36):
Yep. So yeah, well, Gavin, dude, I think it's been
an awesome, awesome episode. Oh, we've had to skip over
a couple of topics because we we get a little
carried away with concation. But that's that's how you know
the talking's good is when you lose track of time.
(59:57):
But uh, we'll catch up with it on the on
the next next episode whatever. We you know, we'll just
keep rolling it over. But dear listeners, y'all, y'all gotta
go check out Gavin's solo podcast, the MVP Cast. You
can find it on YouTube. You can find it on
Spotify and.
Speaker 3 (01:00:16):
Apple Apple Podcasts.
Speaker 1 (01:00:18):
Yes, sir, let's go. We do it all.
Speaker 2 (01:00:21):
We just actually today if y'all have are interested in basketball,
if you have any basketball fans in here, we just
actually uploaded in a first basketball.
Speaker 3 (01:00:29):
Video and there's a lot of talk about this. There's
a lot of stuff come in here. I'm very excited,
you know. Thanks Hank again for not a problem, brother everything.
Speaker 1 (01:00:39):
So y'all look for Gavin's link tree that'll be in
the show notes. Make sure y'all go check him out.
Give him the likes, the ratings, the five star reviews,
the shares, help him grow, help him figure out just
how fun this old podcasting deal can be, because it's
all it's all for y'all, dear listeners, Gavin boy, it's
(01:01:00):
time to wrap this bad boy up. So I appreciate
you coming out, appreciate you bringing your wisdom acknowledged. One
young grasshopper. I'm proud of you for not calling me
me sir for a whole hour and a half like
I know that must have been tough. I've seen that
(01:01:20):
Nick van bulge in a couple of times, but you
held it back proudly. Yeah, proud yeah. So listeners, we
appreciate y'all, We love y'all. God bless y'all, and as always,
we'll catch y'all next time. Four
Got division predictions. We're gonna talk about some hot players,
hot transactions, hot names. Rob Manfred might be stepping down soon.
We've got all this and more this episode of the
six four three Conspiracy.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
What we've got here is failure.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Your Milka.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Working audio is like flying a helicopter and I don't
fucking know how to fly helicopters. Are you crying?
Speaker 4 (00:38):
There's no crying.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
There's no crying baseball.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
Strap on your cleats, Buckle up for a wild ride
around the diamond of the section.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Welcome to the six four three Conspiracy, where we swing
from the.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
Truth and knock conspiracy theories out of the park.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the six four to
three Conspiracy Podcast. Before we get into introductions, I need
to tell you about our sponsors, OClO Machine Works, LLC.
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check out Purepetwllness dot com. Enter promo code six four
three at checkout get twenty percent off your order with
the housekeeping out of the way. I'm your host, Hank,
(02:41):
joined by my lovely co host Gavin Nicasio. Good sir,
how are you doing doing great?
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Man? Yeah, good day today currently in Tennessee.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
You know, it's windier than crazy and we've gotten like
three like bad storm warnings, so it's great.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Yeah. Yeah, it's definitely a southern winter. We reached about
seventy eight today. But when I wake up in the morning,
it's going to be like thirty eight outside, So good stuff.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
I woke up this morning and it was actually like
sixty eight. So I went to school today dressed out
in my Memphis Grizzlies gear, was shorts and all that,
and then I go outside and it's back down to
thirty eight in Murphy's Boro.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
So yeah, and you know it'll be seventy degrees again
by the time the weekend rolls around. So sign uses
are on a roller coaster ride with the best of them.
But brother, I know, it's been a big, kind of
kind of a big week in the baseball world. We've
had some big announcements, we've had some big signings, and
(03:50):
I'm excited to have this talk. We've been looking forward
to it. First of many of these weekly sports shows
that we're going to be rolling out this week. But
the first topic of discussion for the evenings, we're gonna
give the listeners our take on the divisional winners, our
predict our predictions for division winners, and we're gonna add
a twist to it. We're gonna take the over the
(04:12):
under on the win loss total compared to last year.
So starting off in the AL East. Last year's order
ended up being Baltimore at one hundred and one and
sixty one. You had Tampa Bay coming in with ninety
nine wins sixty three losses. The Blue Jays were in
third to eighty nine seventy three, Yankees at fourth with
(04:34):
eighty two and eighty The Red Sox rounded out the
AL least at seventy eight and eighty four.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
So compared to.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
You know, last year, I you know, taking off all
the off season moves and considerations, I think I'm still
sticking with Baltimore to win the division, but I'm not
taking the over on their record. I think if anything,
they're going to I think I think it could be
(05:06):
anywhere up to six games below this one hundred and
one win total from last year. I think a lot
of sophomore slump is going to encounter Baltimore this year.
You're gonna have, you know, several of your young cats
that that you just it's really hard to bank on
a young Cat team. You know, that hundred and one
win total, in my mind, is kind of a they
(05:27):
were too young to know any better type deal. So,
but it was a good run. But I think Baltimore
gets it. I'm taking the under on one hundred and one.
Who you got coming in second on this Al East?
Speaker 2 (05:40):
I think for the Al East, you gotta go with
New York Yankees. They got for sure, got like Juan
Soto now the newest edition. Dude's been raking for the
past couple of games in spring training, and I'm not
even like, I honestly think he stays in New York
long term. I think he looks great in the pinstripes
for sure and just feels right.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
My opinion, they currently were at eighty two wins. I'm
definitely gonna go over. I see them getting at least
ninety to maybe even ninety five. They can if they
can get that that that rotation in with Carlos Rdon
and Nestra Cortes, along with Marcus Strumman and Garrick Cole,
I think they can. You know, it's a deep rotation
(06:21):
and they can go far. They got a lot of
studs inside that bullpen. They still got like guys like
Clay Holmes and stuff. Yep, they got you know, Aaron Judge,
they got Rizzo. They also a lot of people have
forgotten Alex Vradugo. I mean, dude has been he plays
with swag and he's he's you know, he's good in that.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
So it's a consistent hit or you know here and
he he just quietly does his thing. Yep, and you.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Know he's he's It's not even just on the field.
He's a good guy in the locker room. And absolutely,
I think in any sports, you know, you can argue
that that's one of the most important things is that
locker room chemistry and you know, the chemistry on the
field and you can reflect on that. So I definitely
think that that's the second team for sure. I think
(07:08):
they're out ninety or ninety five.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
I got you, I got you. Yeah, Yeah. And I
guess it would be safe to say for the listeners
that with our predictions for the win totals on this year,
I mean you could with any pretty much any team,
you could take a plus or minus of three a
minimum of three games, you know, off of our predictions.
You know, these are just you gotta play them. There's
(07:33):
one hundred and sixty two games, and you can only
look at the paper so much and see what's gonna happen.
You gotta play the games. But one thing I do
think is I think the Raids are gonna finish strong.
I think they'll finish within five games of the Yankees
in third place of the AL East. I'm but I'm
(07:53):
taking the under on their ninety nine wins from last season.
But I don't think it'll be under by much. I
just I don't think. I don't think. I don't think
you can have three one hundred win teams and woe.
You know, that'd be insane, But uh, somebody's got to
fall short. And I think I think the Blue Jays
will be the the best of the worst or made
(08:16):
the not the Blue Jays, but the Rays.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Excuse me, I definitely think the Rays. I mean, this
whole Wanderfronco stuff has probably taken a toll inside that
locker room. You know, they got to obviously keep their
mouths shut, and you know they're gonna get asked questions
every time they are in those media days and stuff.
So I think it's gonna get to a point where
you know, that's just going to break them. I mean,
look at the Dodgers with the whole Trevor Bauer situation.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Sure, you know, after Trevor Bauer got.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Accused of all that legal action, and uh, you know,
Dodgers went downhill a little bit. You know, they got
eliminated off the first round and or no, they got
looked at eliminated after the Braves in the championship series.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
But they just weren't the same team. And I think
that's the prase.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
You know, if they can get guys like Jose Siri
and you know they also lost Tyler Glasnow there's a
lot of holes now inside that team that you know,
it's gonna affect him in the long run for sure.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Sure.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
Uh so, I guess that leaves the Blue Jays in
the socks. And I'm actually it's gonna be a wild
sight to see that the Blue Jays will be in
fourth place of the division with a fairly decent record.
I mean, they won eighty nine games last year. I
think they taking a couple of steps back. But I
(09:31):
think I just I don't think the Red Sox have
done anything to move out of the basement of the
AL East. They might match the Red Sox their seventy
eight win total. I'm not high on them, but that that,
you know, I think the AL East is gonna be
between Baltimore and New York pretty much all year. The
(09:53):
the rais will be there for a while and then
they just they'll just nose dive at the end like
they always do.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
This is one not my son, a little controversial, but
I actually got the Jays with maybe over eighty nine wins.
They did take I mean they did take a lot
of hits with you know, the Matt Chapman deal, which,
by the way, you know he's still on the board.
I've we've discott it's probably gonna go to San Francisco.
But there's hope still. I mean, if you're a Blue
Jays fan, you know there's not that Yes, you got
(10:20):
Justin Turner, but you can put him.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
As a DH you know, you still have voting for space.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
You still got uh oh my gosh, George Spreener at centerfield.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
They have a bunch of guys.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
I still Boba shit still plays shortstop. Yeah, I mean
they they've got a decent little team.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
If they if they signed Matt Chapman back in the
game locked up for a while, I see the Blue
Jays not contending again. I don't think they'll be contending
with New York or Baltimore.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
It could be a strong fight for that third spot.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Yeah for sure.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
With Tampa Bay, Yeah for sure.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Exactly and then maybe even try to squeak and said
that wild card, but it all really defends with that
match Outman deal. And I again, I still don't understand
how he's not signed. You know, you got guys like
Brandon Crawford that just signed with your interesting Cardinals, right right.
I just like I said, I don't see that them
(11:18):
going below eighty nine. If it's like below eighty five,
then maybe, but again it seems still stinky.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
As far as the AL Central is concerned, I'm not
willing to waste any of my breath on the Al Central.
They are the weakest division once again in baseball. I
think that the Royals will win the division over the Twins.
But actually I take that back. The Twins just got
Manny Marco and that could be the pot that they
(11:46):
so desperately needed. They just got Manny Marco today I
think it was today or yesterday is from the Dodgers.
So the Twins will probably win it. I think it's
going to be between the Twins and the Royals. I
don't think the Royal will lose one hundred and six
games last year. But until the Al Central shows me
that they're willing to at least play five hundred ball.
(12:09):
I'm not willing to spend two breaths on the.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
So I think out of all of them, I think
White Sox are definitely gonna be at the bottom. I mean,
they've cleaned house pretty you know, the Tim Anderson, Lucas,
Giulio Lancelo and all those guys are gone. And Luis
Roberts probably don't want out. I don't see dam Hendricks
is gone.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Yep, yep, exactly.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
And so.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
Mm hmm, and I think that I agree.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
I actually had Kansas City actually at second though, I
before the Manu mar Gut trade with the Dodgers. I
still had them at first. You know, they still got
guys like, uh, let's see here, Carlos Correa, Max Kepler,
Pablo Lopez, Byron Bux Simps.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Yeah. So it's they still got some you know, key pieces.
But but the Royals, and I am shame on me
for not having their uh forty man available, but they
made some really low key good pitching acquisitions this offseason,
(13:16):
and I think that locking up Bobby Witt to that
massive contract is gonna spark some energy into that team
that they were missing. So they they they they have
a strong strong chance to win that Central. But uh,
the Al West is gonna be pretty much down to
(13:41):
two twos. If you ask me, you know, you know
who to pick. Don't make it more obvious. I'm not
gonna go against what you know. Don't don't fix what
ain't broken. So I'm taking Houston. I'm gonna take Houston
they were not last year. I'm taking the over on
(14:04):
nine and seventy two. I've got the Rangers coming in
second within within five games of Houston. I don't think
the Rangers have fallen off that much from what they
let go of what they've picked up. I've got the
I mean, I've pretty much got it shaken out just
like it did last year. Mariners are gonna finish third,
the Angels will finish fourth, and the A's will finish
(14:26):
They'll finish, you know. But uh yeah, like the West
is pretty self explanatory to me, like it's the It
was the easiest one of these divisions for me to predict,
because all you just had to do is look at
last year.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
I definitely think that Houston, Houston in Texas are going
to be a definitely a dogfight, for sure.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
I don't know how I feel about the Manners team yet.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
They obviously got you know, Mitch Hanniger back, but they
didn't get rid of Robbie. They got some guys you
know you never want to count on j Rod, of course,
but they also got rid of a Hanio Soarez, which
is wild to.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
Me because and Hanio was a big.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Factor into that team, especially drom the late part of
the season when he was kidding clutch home runs and
clutched doubles and all that stuff in twenty twenty one
through twenty twenty three. And I definitely have him a
third I got I'm gonna be honest. I have Texas
uh over ninety and I have them winning the division.
(15:29):
I have him around ninety five to ninety seven wins.
I just I like how their core is. You know,
they obviously have Seeger and see Me, but they have
guys also like Josh Juhn and and Mitch Gardner, and
they got him back and all that belief. If I'm
mistaken me, yep, they stick got it.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
And and a sneaky, a sneaky underrated position player is
a Travis Jankowski. I like him. He was when when
Adelie Scarci got hurt, he was the substitution for him,
and he should he performed in the World Series like
(16:09):
it doesn't you know, there's no bigger spotlight in the
game of ball, so h and.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
He did it so like casually and just the main staying,
you know, hitting opposite field as a lefty, he's hitting
the opposite field. He's gonna do his job. He's gonna
slop the ball down on the ground, and he did
that very so we saw with the Arizona.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
I think I think that between between what you know,
ninety five to ninety eight wins is realistic for Houston
and or Texas. I think I think if if it
ends up being flip flopped either way, neither one of
us will be surprised. But but I wouldn't dare not
(16:49):
take my Houston Astros over because my boy, my boy
Ryan would jump out of the grave and choke my
ass if I did so. I gotta take Houston and
until honestly, they they stop winning the list, I have
no reason to not take.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
Them their dynasty. I mean, let's be honest.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
You know, obviously everyone's all saying back then with the
whole trash can situation. At some point, we gotta let
it go, right especially you know, no offense to.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
Dodgor fans seven years ago.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Yeah, it's like, at some point you gotta let it go.
They did it.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
They did it against the Phillies, and they did it
casually in Fine that. I mean again, you can never
count out that he's the team. I definitely have them
over ninety for sure. I I I mean again, I
have Texas around ninety five ninety seven.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
I see them doing the same thing.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
I mean, that is just gonna be one of those
situations where it's gonna be back and neck again and
I see them getting a very similar record. But you
also look at Texas Jacob Duurrum. He's supposed to be
back this season.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
He was gone obviously all last season.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
The question is if he can stay healthy, then yes,
I do believe Texas takes it.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
But if not, then that's gonna be a big factor.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Because Concurry moving on to the National League, we will
start out West and uh Clearcut Division. To me again,
it's gonna be your Dodgers, and I'm actually gonna take
the over on their one hundred wins from last season.
I've got the Dodgers anywhere from one honestly one oh
(18:21):
five to record setting wins. Show hal Tani his first
game in spring training, and I know it's spring training,
but he hit a bomb op obomb. Yeah, show Hayes
back at least in the in the and and the
Dodgers have never failed to produce quality pitchers. They actually
develop pitching it out out there. So they're not gonna
(18:44):
miss Otani in the p or in the in the
in the rotation. This year, they're gonna get everything they're
paying for right there in that batter's box because they're
gonna put people on base and then he's gonna bring
them back home. But I've got the Dodgers up top.
I think it's gonna easily be I think the d
Backs are gonna win more than eighty four games. I'm
taking the over from there last year. You know, I
(19:07):
definitely think they've gotten better in some interesting places. They
let Nick Imt go. But oh and I'm blanking on
the kids name. They I want to say that cal Well,
he's their outfielder. But I believe, I believe they had it.
(19:27):
They had an in house solution for shortstop.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
Oh yes, yes, he's a short stop. He's in the
Triple A now.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
But but the d Backs are going to be sneaking
you again next year. I don't think they're going to
be this the the Cinderella team. I think I think
they could easily be a ninety win team.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
I agree, I definitely have. I mean, the pods are
eighty two and eighty. I'm gonna be honest. I have
them under Yeah, I do too. I don't feel like
they're I mean they lost one, so no, they didn't
get a obviously they got you know, they lost Blake
stale back. But again, yep, they don't have they don't
have a lot of people. You know, you have Tatis,
(20:08):
Machado and uh bog Arts. But again, I think that's
just one of those teams where they overspent to the
point that luxury tax is just gonna bite him and
bite them. And by them, they did not spend a
lot or anything.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
They pushed all their chips in for like they said,
if we don't do anything else this decade, this is
gonna be and it failed miserably and now they're suffering horribly.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
Yes, Giants seventy ninety eighty three clear cut think they're
gonna be over if we if if Matt Chapman and
Giants can come to terms, definitely think that that's gonna
be a solid, sneaky team. You know, you got Robbie Ray,
you got Logan Webb, you got the Rogers inside that pen,
you got I mean, you lost Michanniger, but you lost
(20:53):
Brent Crawford as well. But again, I still think that
team's clear cut. Their catcher, I forgot his name, young catcher.
Solid last year. I think he's gonna have another solid
year this year as well behind.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
The plate and on in the plate. So definitely think.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
That that's gonna be a solid team for sure. Late
in rounds. I have him honestly in third place though,
I mean Diamonds it's again one of those things. It's
Diamondbacks and Dodgers. Those are two teams that that's their division.
Everyone else is just gonna stay.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
Below, sure, and then that leaves the Rockies way down
there just like the as.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
They'll they'll have them. I have them even belower.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
If Chris Bryant can maybe get back to that Chris
Bryant form, that's it. And then you have Charlie Blackman
and all that but again in Namy Daniel Bard. But
someone's gonna get traded. I mean, we've seen before someone's
gonna get traded. I would see Daniel Bard being traded
or all three of them. It's just a matter of
they are so like you know, in incompetitive because a
(21:54):
roster that there's no point in keeping guys long term
when you know you're not gonna be winning for the
next three four years.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
I mean, they have a fundamental organizational problem. They gave
Saint Louis fifty million dollars to take No One Aeronauto. Yeah,
like yet, like who's not going to do that? Yep,
A generational talent and fifty million dollars.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
And you just again, what did they get back? And
what did Saint Louis give up?
Speaker 1 (22:23):
We gave them. We gave them a half eaten, moldy
bag of.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
Chips exactly, like it was nothing.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
It was even embarrassment. It was nobody that I missed
and I was I have like, I know a lot
about the you know, some of the hot young guys
and the cardinals. I follow them, you know, I'm really
you know they you know, unfortunately, maybe not as much
in the car world as i'd want to be. But like,
I'm invested in some of these young cats because I
(22:50):
followed them out of college and stuff and like they
but what we did to Colorado was shouldn't be allowed.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
You can use anything with the A's and the Braves,
I mean Matt Olsen and Sean Murphy.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Leris though was legitimately a solidified prospect like he and
to be honest, he's one of their bright spots on
the A's yep. But yeah, yeah, yeah. So moving to
the NL Central, and I don't think this division will
look anything like it did last year. As we'll talk
(23:29):
about here in just a little bit. The Cubs of
landed relanded Cody Bellinger for maybe three years. But I'm
not really worried about it. I'm more threatened by Cincinnati
than I am the Cubs. But I've got my Cardinals
taking the division. Well over on the seventy one wins
(23:54):
from last year, I think their record could easily be
flopped ninety one and seventy one instead of you know,
seventy one and ninety one. I think the Cardinals, if
they ended up anywhere from eighty six wins plus wouldn't
be a surprise. I think if we sneak into the
playoffs as a low eighties, low to mid eighties win team,
(24:17):
I think it'll be a disappointing year. But then again,
that's why I call them the barely over five hundred birds,
because that's usually what they are, is barely over five hundred.
So I'll take it. But I've got the Cards easily
winning the division.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
Yeah, so this division is actually kind of tricky because
you don't I mean, we could all say that the
Brewers are gonna be last because of all their you know,
subtractions they had, but you know, the Brewers still have
a bunch of guys like Christian Gellich and all those
and Willia Domis and all that.
Speaker 3 (24:49):
Like, they're all players on there. That's that's not bad Son.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Have much to offer in their in their rotation exactly.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
That's that's gonna they're gonna be.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
It's gonna be those terms where it's gonna be the
They're gonna be the angels of the Al Central. They're
gonna have a lot of offense with no pitching and
no defense.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
So I have them honestly being last. I have him
far below ninety two, maybe seventy five. Seventy maybe seventy five,
low eighty team. I'm gonna be honest. I have the
Chicago Cubs winning. I've said in MI MVP cast, which
of you all are.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
Obviously interested, go check it out. But obviously.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
They got guys like shot At in manga they got
again just talked about Belly, they got I forgot.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
His name, but he's from Still got Nick Nico Horner.
They got dance By Swanson yep.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
And then who's the who was the guy that got traded?
It was Dodgers number one prospect for third base. Oh
my gosh, your brother's name?
Speaker 3 (25:52):
I think it's s something.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Hold on, I know they got Christopher Morrill in the outfield.
They've got Garrett or not Garrett? Is that his name?
Garrett Steel? The yes, the flamethrower lefty like you. Yeah,
they got in half like you said, they picked up
showed at im Naga, who, for what he is, could
(26:16):
turn out to be a really good number three man
in a rotation. Oh yeah, I think they still got
Kyle Hendricks, who's gonna be lobbing up forty five mile
an hour curveballs Ephans pitches. But uh, I see where
you could say the Cubs could win because if their
lineup goes, it'll it'll, it'll go. But losing Stroman I
(26:38):
think hurts. I think really having no veteran true out well,
I mean Kyle Kyle Hendricks is a veteran, but.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
A veteran that's actually been Like you could argue that
he could have been a Sion Award winner and all, yes,
at some point he was. He was, there was, he was,
he got he got a bag when he went to
chicag Go. And then obviously I don't even know why
Chicago gave him up because he really wasn't that bad
this year.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
You know, he had a.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
Low three e or A.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
He pitched well, he was in the zone, he was commanded.
A lot of those runs on him were errors. That's
why all a lot of them were unearned. And by
the way, that guy's name is Michael Bush.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Yeah, Michael Bush. Yeah, he's not bad, not at all.
I think it's going to be a toss up between
the Cubs and the Reds, who finish his second in
the Central. I like what the Reds have kind of
done over this offseason. They've picked up some some veteran
arms that maybe aren't the flashiest of names. I want
(27:40):
to say they picked up Frankie Montaye. I want to
say they've picked up Oh he's he's an og right
right hander, and I'm blanket on his name, but as
soon as you say it, I'll know it. Oh, they've
picked up they picked up another starting pitcher for the Reds. Yeah,
(28:03):
they picked up another and he's a he's a right hander,
and he's he's he's on the same tier as Frankie Mantos,
but he's a legitimate MLB starting pitcher. Uh. They've still
got Hunter Green, who, if he could ever learn how
to command his stuff, would be one of the filthiest
starting pitchers next to Spencer Strider. Honestly, they've made some
(28:26):
good positional piece pickups. The The Reds have a chance
to really seize this opportunity with their young talent, with
the Matt McLean's, with the Eli Daylight Cruises, with the
Jonathan Indias, with the Spence, with the Spencer Steers, they've
got a chance to really do something. But I don't
think it'll be this year. I still think there are
(28:47):
a couple of their young pieces away from having a
good year because they're not gonna have Nick Lodolo. I
don't think at all this year who's their hot prospect
lefty pitcher, and I think Hunter start in the season.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
He's yeah, because he had a shoulder and Drey believe.
But here's the thing.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
They also picked up let's see here they left handed pitcher,
uh Tayler Gilbert.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
But that again, that was a minor league contract.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
But again, I think it's one of those cases where
he's gonna get some reps obviously as an everyday starter,
and then he's gonna buy maybe this.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
Second half beat any of the first half of the season.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
He's gonna be back up there, and I think he's
gonna be in that fourth or fifth spot, that first man.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
So there's a lot of stuff, and even we could
let's go with the Pirates, the Pittsburgh Pirates. I have
them over seventy six, yep, but I haven't low eighties.
Maybe at seventy eight like a little bit, because I mean,
let's be honest. They had some additions they got They
just resigned Mitch Keller to it or extended him a
(29:53):
couple of days ago. They got Chapman, they got Gondhal.
That was another edition that they added a bunch of guys.
You still have Key Brian Hayes locked up.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
Brian and I really like ke Brian Hayes.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
Oh I did too. He is a solid third baseman.
I mean, he plays with swag. He's he's more of
an underrated player. He de definitely deserves his gold glove.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
And if they keep Paul Skeans, oh my god, they're
going to have a Paul Skins is filthy. I remember
watching him and Dylan Cruz tear teams up in LSU.
They're The thing with the Pirates is they might not
be good for another like seriously contending good for another
two maybe three years, but three years in a row
(30:36):
they've signed seventy million dollar contracts, which is hopeful you
seeing that they're buying into securing fundamental, long term pieces
of a team and actually giving themselves a chance to
build around it. And who knows. Like I said, you know,
(30:57):
I think this this NL Central is gonna be one
of the funnest, most fun divisions to watch for a
long time because of the amount of young, good talent
in there.
Speaker 3 (31:07):
Well, what's so good about Pittsburgh as well? If you
really go into the.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
Luxury tax and the financial start or side of it,
they're not anywhere near luxury tax.
Speaker 3 (31:16):
They're signing these guys on.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
On friendly deals, you know, keep them un locked up
in Pittsburgh. If they can get guys like David Bednar,
you know, he's a solid underrated believer that no one
talks about because he's on Pittsburgh. He's always been filthy.
He has a low e er with a high save percentage.
Speaker 3 (31:36):
You can and let's.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Be honest, if that we know about the draft and
how it's a lottery draft, the more that they're underneath
that that lottery, uh, that lottery or excuse me, the
luxury tax. And assuming they're at seventy eight wins and
losing around eighty five eighty seven wins, they're gonna be
consistently picking up, you know, in the draft. And obviously
in any draft and name will be it's not gonna
(31:59):
be a a draft to need you draft to build
your farm system. And they that's why they have one
of the best farm systems, because they've been in the
top ten sure for a past decade. They I mean,
there's a reason and idea forly think this is gonna
be mccutchens last year. But again, I if the ceiling
for them would probably arguably around eighty three wins, And
(32:23):
that's that's saying a lot. They're they're their floor, and
like if they absolutely like crap the bed, I have
them around sixty eight wins.
Speaker 3 (32:31):
I mean, you can argue.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
That because how young these guys are. And they also
lost guys like live New or Gero in the winter
season at their catcher. That's why the signs if if
you really like, if they don't play like that because
they're so unexperienced, we'll see.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
Yeah, which leads us the National League East or the
NL Beast as some have said maybe in years past,
But uh, I think the Clearing Cut favorite to win
the division yet again, or the Atlanta Braves. But I'm
actually gonna take the over on the one oh four wins.
I think they could be hovered right around that hundred
(33:13):
win mark. They could they could easily reach one o
four they I mean, it wouldn't surprise me if they
matched that. But just because I like picking at you
a little bit, I'm gonna take the under on it.
They've made some really interesting off season moves. They've made
some really good off season moves. Alexanthopholis has once again
(33:36):
showed us why he's one of the best gyms in baseball.
The dude's a magician. And I guarantee you that before
the trade deadline or by the trade deadline, you're gonna
see something else crazy come out of Atlanta. Hopefully it
won't be out of necessity because of a serious injury.
(33:57):
Hopefully it'll be just a look like for them a
little surey, you know, a want instead of a need.
But I wouldn't be surprised to see Atlanta go out
and Sana Dylan Cee Sana. You know, I don't know,
you know, there's there's.
Speaker 3 (34:14):
It's it's a little uh.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
This wants to be interesting because I think, as any
Bradis fan, you want Max freed inside that rotation locked
up for a long time and being as being honest
and like after doing a lot of research and stuff.
If he is not re signed by maytime, I don't
see him staying as an Atlanta Brave. I mean, they
(34:39):
still got it just there. Everything about the Braves is
that there's not a lot of cons knockna because you know,
obviously you want the Braids to contend. They got guys
like Chris Sale, who, by the way, pitch today. I
guess it's like this debut day for everybody because everyone's debuting.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
But he he pitched.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
Two innings and struck out four batters, so I think
it's pretty solid. He looks good, looks commanded of like
explosive for a skinny body.
Speaker 3 (35:05):
They got guys. I think the biggest like blow or.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
Like uh like magic thing that you're saying, I think
it's gonna be at that short opposition. Maybe someone like
I don't see Tim Anderson, you know, he is on
a one year deal.
Speaker 3 (35:20):
Maybe if Tim Anderson gets his you know, stuff for
he can even argue.
Speaker 2 (35:26):
Again, it's interesting if I, I mean, I'm the Braves,
I would want somebody maybe even like a build like
Bobby with or Zach Neetto, you know, a guy who's
young and is fast and has that leader you know mentality.
And again that just everything about the Braves. It's hard
to really you know saying, because I again there's a
(35:47):
lot of stuff that's gonna be big question marks after
the season, because not only are you gonna lose out
on free if you can't extend him, you're also losing
more and that leaves you with Chris Sale, Bryce Elder
and obviously Spence in side. That starting rotation that's gonna
be solidified.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
So yep, I think the Phillies gonna easily win second
place again. Ninety win team last year. I think that's
probably around their their their new normal. I think they'll
actually receive anywhere of a five game bump, though I'm
(36:27):
gonna take the over on it simply because it'll be
trade Turner's second year in Philly. He'll be set. You know,
it's really hard to get traded to a new team
and then ball out that that immediate season, so he'll
be more settled. Brandon Marshall be more settled. They've picked
up with Mirifield, which is a great little backup uh
(36:51):
defensive player. You know, he can still play a mean
second base and he's a good average tax sticks so
late in the game you need to clutch, hit, put
put big stick with up there at the plate and
see what happens. I think that gives them a little
more flexibility than having to lean on oh the dude.
(37:13):
We traded on ed Mundo Sosa, who was the Cardinals
like third strings shortstop for the longest time. I like
the Phillies, though, I think they're gonna have another good, solid,
big year. Give me the Phillies at anywhere from ninety
three to ninety five wins in second place for sure.
(37:34):
The Marlins. I've actually got the Marlins breaking about even
at eighty four eighty five wins for third place. I'm
not sold on the Mets. Hell. It wouldn't surprise me
if the Nationals had a better year than the Mets.
Speaker 3 (37:49):
I mean, when it comes to the mass.
Speaker 1 (37:51):
Pass, they just lost cod I Singa too. It won't
be a season ending injury, but that was their bright
bright star of hope in the in the lone black sky.
That is their starting rotation. Like they don't have much
of anything over there in New York.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
I mean, hitch and side up. I mean, do you
the Oli picture when you think of the Bets.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
Now, obviously after Kodak Sanga is uh Edwin Di is
and obviously you know he's gonna be an insane you know, closer.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
But at this point I wouldn't be surprised if they.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
Stay trade him just because if they can get something
out of him. Do I think it's gonna happen? Absolutely not.
You know, they obviously extended him last year before his injury.
But Marlins, I think, I think again it's it's just again,
it's one of those things where it's the Braves and
the Phillies that two teams that that's their division.
Speaker 3 (38:46):
All the other three teams are just you stay down.
I I'm gonna go with under.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
For the Marlins, I think they're gonna be around eighty three,
eighty to eighty three. Again, I'm not sold on them.
They have guys obviously, like Louis Aures, Sandy Clark.
Speaker 3 (39:03):
How do you say his last name?
Speaker 1 (39:04):
Oh, my gosh, Katara, yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:07):
Al Katara, yep.
Speaker 2 (39:09):
And you know he's supposed to be pitching. I saw
when I saw an injury report on him or something like.
Speaker 1 (39:15):
That he should be back by opening day if he
isn't already.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
Yeah, so he Again, you have jazz, but just that
lineup is just those It's just one of those things
where it's core players and then everybody else you gotta
going back to, like parts, core players.
Speaker 3 (39:31):
Everyone else is the unexperienced, doesn't have that right.
Speaker 1 (39:35):
Yeah, that's a quick long run down of Yeah, man,
I mean I feel like in order to do this right,
we might as well take the time to explain ourselves.
And you know, but for the sake of Tom, I'm
(39:56):
going to call an audible and I I want to
move into do you think Mike Trout is going to
be traded at or by the deadline or you know
a cabo not not either or or not either at
or by? But like, do you see Mike Trout on
(40:17):
the on the Angels after the trade deadline? I guess
I should have phrased it like that.
Speaker 2 (40:22):
So this, this situation is gonna be interesting, in my opinion,
Mike Trout did not. Let's make it clear, Mike Trout
did not shut out a trade possibility later on in
the future. He said, right now it would be quote
unquote an easy way out. But the Angels are gonna
be even worse than they were last year. You know,
they're gonna unless maybe they get Snell. But we don't
(40:45):
know if they're gonna get Snell, because again, the Yankees
can make a move and they have more money, so
and they also have an owner that's not spend all,
you know, just shutting out, you know, trying to get
guys and stuff.
Speaker 3 (40:58):
ARTI Mariano, we know him. He does it.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
He's cheap, doesn't want to go above the luxury tax.
And the only reason why he even said himself, the
only reason why he didn't trade out twenty last year
or the year before is because he was getting money
out of him. So yes, I do think my Trout's
gonna request the trade. I think it's it's time he's
Let's be honest, he is thirty two years old and
he is not getting any younger as a as a
(41:22):
as a player, and in his career with them with
the Angels, he has a three h one batting average.
Mind you, this is his career three oh one batting average,
three hundred and sixty gate home runs. He has one thousand,
six hundred and twenty four hits with a four to
twelve on base percentage, a five eighty two slug, a
(41:43):
nine to ninety four ops. But he has like a thousand,
one thousand and fifty eight strikeout. It's like he is
still a machine. He is still the Mike Trout, like
that is the guy. But again, what the last time
we seen Mike Trout in an actual playoff game was
in twenty fourteen, and his last like the playoff atmosphere
was obviously in the World Baseball Classic. He's gonna he's
(42:04):
gonna at some point need to like move on. They're
not committed to him, so he needs to. I think
that frustration. You can tell it's after O Tony Levin.
He even said it like it sucked, So I think
he gets treaded.
Speaker 1 (42:16):
Yes, yeah, I agree.
Speaker 3 (42:18):
I agree.
Speaker 1 (42:20):
The as we've mentioned briefly, the Cubs for Manning have managed,
excuse me, to resign Cody Bellinger to a three year,
eighty million dollars deal that includes opt outs for Billy
after the first and second years. And the way the
contract's getting broke down that if he stays for all
three he'll get paid thirty million his first and second year,
(42:44):
twenty million his third year. But uh, I think it's
pretty interesting to see this kind of a three year
deal with player opt outs after the first and second year,
because honestly, I don't know if Cody's ever two weeks
ago he was pushed him and Scott Boris were pushing
for twelve years, two hundred and forty plus million dollars,
(43:06):
then to settle for basically a quarter of that. I
just don't know if anybody's going to be willing to
commit to Billy long term for that big of a
dollar sign.
Speaker 2 (43:21):
No, I think it's gonna be one of those situations
where it's gonna be.
Speaker 3 (43:25):
I mean, we saw it.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
You can even relate to the Carls Korea situation where
he wanted the big money and then obviously we know
the whole situation that pan out with him, and he
was supposed to sign with the Giants and then it
went to the Mets and now it's he's.
Speaker 3 (43:37):
Back with the Twins. I think he's gonna say Chicago
for a while.
Speaker 2 (43:42):
Good for him. I'm glad he got his money. I mean,
he's getting paid thirty million a dear, which is a
lot of money, especially for a a outfielder. Mike Trout's
getting paid around that money. So again, I'm happy for him.
Speaker 3 (43:57):
He came alive.
Speaker 2 (43:58):
He was struggling at the his last few years with
the Dodgers, and the Cubs revived him. Yeah, and I
think he's gonna turn into back to MVP belly after
maybe the second half of the season, and he's gonna
go off. So I think this is where it's gonna
be his year where he's gonna have to be like,
all right, I have an opt out at the end
of this year. If I put up video game numbers
(44:19):
and stuff and do what I did years ago, I
can get that contract.
Speaker 3 (44:23):
And do I see that happening.
Speaker 1 (44:25):
Sure, it'd be really cool if he did. Man, baseball
is better when belly is good.
Speaker 3 (44:31):
Absolutely, playoff belly. Love to see it.
Speaker 1 (44:33):
Yes, sir, news broke yesterday that my Saint Louis Cardinals
signed baseball veteran I'll be nice veteran Brandon Crawford, the
former San Francisco Giant shortstop, to a one year, two
(44:55):
million dollar contract and h as Gavin can attest to,
my initial reaction to put it PG was one of
pure disgust. A thirty seven year old coming off an
(45:16):
injury riddled shortstop. Just it struck me as the most
Saint Louis Cardinals move in the history of Saint Louis Cardinals,
and it made my stomach turn. I thought Gavin was
playing a joke on me when he sent me the
screenshot of the article. No, they really did, and I
(45:36):
took a step back. Read an article by Katie Woo
of The Athletic and after listening to JD. Hafferin at
Locked on Cardinals talk about it. Today, I've got a
better view on it, and I'm kind of I'm kind
of okay with this move, Gavin, because Tommy had Tommy Edmund,
(46:00):
while not only being slated as the opening day center fielder,
was the backup shortstop. Well, he had to have risk
surgery in January and his rehab is going a little
longer than they expected. And after Mason Wynn, who is
(46:20):
still going to be the opening day shortstop, they didn't
really have an answer for a backup. They've got Brendan
Donovan who can in a pinch play some shortstop, but
you can't put Aeronatto at shortstop. You can't put Nolan
Gorman at shortstop. So you were either gonna have to
(46:41):
bring up Thomas and jac or you were gonna have
to go sign somebody. And I think the way the
free agent market shook out over the last forty eight
hours really forced a Cardinal's hand. Nick I med got
signed by the Giants, Kiy k Hernandez got signed by
(47:02):
the Dodgers.
Speaker 3 (47:05):
The Cardinals.
Speaker 1 (47:06):
Yeah, so the Cardinals went and picked up Brandon Crawford.
But Brandon Crawford, I mean he has won four Gold Gloves,
two World Series champions. I think he's got himself a
Silver Slugger. But I think what they're doing is they
(47:28):
just bought Mason Went a mentor more than anything. Yeah,
he'll be the emergency backup, but Mason win is known
for his defense. His is elite defense, elite speed, elite
arm speed or arm power. His he will break O'Neil
Cruz's record for fastest throw across the diamond this season.
(47:51):
The only thing is is he can he adjust to
major league hitting, and I think that's where Brandon Crawford's
gonna help him, along with the other veterans and other
players in the Cardinals team. But I mean, who better
than to have a you know, a four time Gold
Glover and Silver Slugger mentor your superstar car shortstop of
(48:14):
the future. I've got a you know, I'm I'm okay
with it. It's a one year, two million dollar that
doesn't really hurt us. We can still make a move
by the trade deadline if we need to. I'm good
with it.
Speaker 2 (48:27):
I definitely do agree in terms of like he's going
to be a mentor. If anything, I mean, Brandon Crawford does.
Speaker 3 (48:34):
Not have a lot left in the tank.
Speaker 1 (48:36):
I mean he.
Speaker 3 (48:36):
Maybe's got another two to three years at most.
Speaker 1 (48:39):
I don't think he's got that, man. I think he's
got this year. He's thirty seven.
Speaker 3 (48:45):
We've seen guys like Albert Poolhos and all them, you know.
Speaker 1 (48:47):
Yeah, but Albert Pool host wasn't trying to play shortstop
for thirteen years.
Speaker 3 (48:52):
That is true.
Speaker 1 (48:52):
There's more, there's a little more tread on, you know,
there's more, a little more were on that tread on
Brandon Crawford than there was pool Holes. And I will
and I'm not gonna sit here and tell you that
pull Hols didn't do it legitimately. I me and me
and my former co host Ryan Bless his soul, we
may or may not have done an episode where we
(49:14):
entertain the thought of juice balls for pull Holes in
the second half of that season. Yeah, I am a
Cardinals fan, though I don't care. It's in the staff book,
no aster, sir aloud.
Speaker 2 (49:28):
Yeah again, go ahead, you know it's it's a big move.
And I think we you know, you saw it after
I said it's a big move. If I just don't
see it, why it makes sense if you're a Cardinals fan,
unless it's that mentor thing as you stated otherwise, I'm confused.
Speaker 1 (49:44):
I think it's just the fact that we legitimately without
calling up seriously young kids. I don't think we had
an option behind a legitimate If Mason Wynn were to
go down and Tommy Edman isn't available, we have to
either call up unproven kids who haven't even reached triple eight,
(50:08):
or we've got to go out and get somebody. And
I think the best of what was available oh at
the time, or at least according to the Cardinals, apparently
they see something that they feel safe. If they had
to lean on him for a month or two, they
could get something out of him. Yep. But uh. We
also had some pretty big news out of the Commissioner's
(50:28):
office this week, and I'm not going I don't want
to spend just a whole lot of time on this
because this is going to be a in depth, standalone
episode in the future. But Rob Manfred has announced that
when his contract in twenty twenty nine comes to an end,
he will step down as the Commissioner of the Major Leagues,
(50:52):
and I, for one, couldn't be more happy this man.
I don't like him. I don't like him, I don't
like what he's done for the game. I don't like
what he's done to the game. And uh, like I said,
well we'll because that's gonna be a fun episode of
bashing on Manfred, just dragging it.
Speaker 3 (51:12):
I definitely think that we should save a lot of
our thoughts. But the moment we can, we're gonna go.
Speaker 2 (51:17):
That's all this, of course, yeah, but the basic let's
go rule changes in Jerseys.
Speaker 3 (51:23):
You know the fact that there's still not an expansion.
Speaker 1 (51:25):
With Tea in the All Star Game out of Atlanta.
Speaker 3 (51:29):
Exactly, like yes, exactly, Like it's.
Speaker 1 (51:33):
Yeah, there's there's plenty, there's there's not a lack of
content for that episode, I promise, But uh yeah, twenty
twenty nine, he's gonna be stepping down and uh cush
shout out to uh Kyle Corwin and Nate Reyes from
the three zero Tape podcast. But they said that even
though it's not this year, it's not next year, and
(51:54):
it might not even be the year after that. I
know when his end is, and I can I can look,
I can go to sleep knowing that I know it's coming.
So Rob Manfred, we ain't gonna miss you.
Speaker 3 (52:07):
So I got a question for you.
Speaker 2 (52:09):
What's up relating to the Rob Manfred situation. What about
act expansion teams?
Speaker 1 (52:18):
See, I think that's gonna be one of the one thing,
one of the few things that we're gonna be able
to talk about during that episode that he did right,
I think before he before twenty twenty nine. I do
believe that we will have two new teams, and in
some shape, form or fashion, I think we'll see divisional reconstruction.
(52:44):
There's still no anything Etcheton Stone that says that the
Athletics are going to land in Las Vegas. I know
that Salt Lake City is pushing really hard. I know
that Portland is pushing really hard. But let's just assume
(53:05):
for the sake of the show today that they're going
to land in Vegas. Okay, if Rob Mayfford were to
allow two new teams into the league, where do you
think these two new teams are going to be located.
Speaker 2 (53:24):
Let's go with number one. We all know it. If
it doesn't happen, I'd be shocked. Nashville is gon be
number one. That it just makes the most sense some
money wise, Nashville is growing everywhere around the South Tennessee
wants a team.
Speaker 3 (53:38):
The Nashville Stars organization.
Speaker 2 (53:39):
You know, shout out to them of course for even
getting this into the rumors and all that stuff. And
will be I sik this to you actually a couple
of days ago about the Nashville as the likely front
runner to get the first team, and they're going to
be called the Nashville Stars. And it's a team from
you know, a team that was back in the Negro
(54:01):
leagues back then in history.
Speaker 3 (54:03):
And again that's just it obviously makes sense.
Speaker 5 (54:09):
Number two, this one's actually a little interesting because there's
just there's so many teams and obviously if we're assuming
that Las Vegas Lands, you know, the a's Las Vegas
Land their final deal, which right, they're.
Speaker 3 (54:22):
Confusing Issa is you know right?
Speaker 2 (54:24):
But I'm Gonnaugh Charlotte or saw Lake one of those
two Charlotte, I mean.
Speaker 1 (54:31):
They saw Lake would get it before Charlotte.
Speaker 3 (54:34):
Do you okay?
Speaker 1 (54:35):
Just to balance out the East West, Yeah, I was.
Speaker 3 (54:38):
Gonna say it definitely.
Speaker 2 (54:39):
You have to also think about if Nationals, assuming Nashville
gets that team, they're off right, right, That's what I was.
Speaker 1 (54:44):
About saying, because I think, but I think if an
expansion happened, I almost think Nashville's baked into the cake.
Speaker 3 (54:50):
I'm also a little biased because I want Nashville to
have a team personally.
Speaker 1 (54:53):
Think it's someone that makes them up sense.
Speaker 3 (54:56):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, because not only I mean if you
even go.
Speaker 2 (55:02):
Back right into the situation with the Titans.
Speaker 3 (55:07):
Okay, I know we're talking about baseball, but like they're.
Speaker 2 (55:08):
Getting your stadium in Nashville, right, they still have the
old knies On stadium that can be restructured and and
be put into a baseball stadium. I mean, again, you
know you have across each other. It just again, it
makes the most sense.
Speaker 1 (55:23):
A dark horse couple of dark horse names that I have.
I think Portland would be a great, great spot for
a team. I don't know if you've seen it or not,
but you need to. I think it's on on Amazon Prime.
But uh, there's a documentary called The Battered Bastards of Baseball.
Uh do you know the actor Kurt Russell. He does
(55:46):
the Santa Chronicles or the Christmas Chronicles.
Speaker 2 (55:51):
He I know who, I know who you're talking about.
Family watches them. I personally haven't.
Speaker 1 (55:57):
Well, I mean the dude that plays Santa on the
Christmas Chronicles, that's Kurt Russell. His daddy owned a semi
pro team in Portland during the seventies and eighties. You
should watch that, the battered Bastards of baseball. It's great.
Portland has been begging for a professional team for seriously decades.
I mean they have a committed they have a committed
(56:18):
fan base.
Speaker 2 (56:19):
Yeah, I was about to say that, like their their
fan base is die hard. I would be absolutely on
board with that. I would absolutely love that for to happen.
If that was like a team that went over Nashville,
it would suck as a Nashville, you know native.
Speaker 1 (56:33):
But the only thing I see keeping that from happening
is Seattle. I think the Seattle ownership would push back
because if the Portland team was any kind of good,
there goes all of Seattle's fans.
Speaker 2 (56:49):
I mean, let's be honest, about to lose all their
fans the minute days trade someone like Jay Rod. I mean,
they don't make sense. I mean, and I've watched the
Seattle Mariners and I haven't linked him for a while,
and then I started watching. I was like, you want
they're they're a swaggy team, and then they traded all
their stayers next season.
Speaker 1 (57:06):
So what do you think about Indianapolis, that's a that's
a city where nobody really talks about. But you think
about it, that's a that's a nice Midwest team or city,
nice Midwest city that is known for racing. They've got basketball,
they've got the Colts, they don't have.
Speaker 3 (57:26):
I agree. I just I don't when you go to
Indy like they're mostly known for like basketball and and football,
you know, and stuff. It's like one of those like
Kentucky Deans. Like I just to me, it wouldn't make sense.
Like again, I would still.
Speaker 2 (57:40):
Be happy, but I just I don't know if either
have been to Indianapolis, I wouldn't know, Like, if we're
gonna throw that in there, you can even throw in Buffalo.
Speaker 1 (57:50):
I guess, well, I mean I guess Cold New York too. Yeah,
I mean yeah, I didn't think about It's one of those.
Speaker 3 (57:57):
Again.
Speaker 2 (58:02):
Again, there's so many there's so many good ideas with
this expansion.
Speaker 3 (58:06):
Is why they if Rob Manfred can get this done, it's.
Speaker 1 (58:09):
Just honestly, I think the most realistic is Nashville and
Salt Lake, though I do think those are the two
most realistic options, assuming that Las Vegas stays and or
the Athletics stay in Las Vegas.
Speaker 2 (58:20):
We definitely are gonna have to have an episode dedicated
to what if Las Vegas doesn't get at the athletics.
Speaker 1 (58:26):
Oh yeah, yeah, because they want to go they go
to Salt Lake. You know that that opens it up
for Nashville and Portland or Nashville.
Speaker 3 (58:40):
I'm praying the Nashville and I just think it.
Speaker 1 (58:42):
I just think Nashville's baked into the cake.
Speaker 2 (58:45):
I think there's too much of a market potential and
the fact that they're going to be growing more like
this new stadium that times aren't they're gonna want things
like the Super Bowl concerts, if you're going to w
W WrestleMania's and all that stuff.
Speaker 3 (58:58):
Like there's so much that that's gonna happen in.
Speaker 2 (59:01):
Astville, and I just I would be happy generally due
I thought that. I mean, I thought the White Sox
in Chicago. I mean, I thought the White Sox were
easily gonna move out, and now they're.
Speaker 3 (59:10):
Staying in Chicago.
Speaker 2 (59:12):
Like there's just I don't know, Oakland needs to just
cut off the ties, let it go. And I know
that Oakland's officials are talking with the athletic representatives and
the ownership. If you're Oakland, you got to let them go.
Don't don't even negotiate because Oakland has waned out and
(59:32):
wanted out, and you go back in their history.
Speaker 1 (59:34):
All I do is one out.
Speaker 3 (59:34):
They don't settle.
Speaker 1 (59:36):
Yep. So yeah, well, Gavin, dude, I think it's been
an awesome, awesome episode. Oh, we've had to skip over
a couple of topics because we we get a little
carried away with concation. But that's that's how you know
the talking's good is when you lose track of time.
(59:57):
But uh, we'll catch up with it on the on
the next next episode whatever. We you know, we'll just
keep rolling it over. But dear listeners, y'all, y'all gotta
go check out Gavin's solo podcast, the MVP Cast. You
can find it on YouTube. You can find it on
Spotify and.
Speaker 3 (01:00:16):
Apple Apple Podcasts.
Speaker 1 (01:00:18):
Yes, sir, let's go. We do it all.
Speaker 2 (01:00:21):
We just actually today if y'all have are interested in basketball,
if you have any basketball fans in here, we just
actually uploaded in a first basketball.
Speaker 3 (01:00:29):
Video and there's a lot of talk about this. There's
a lot of stuff come in here. I'm very excited,
you know. Thanks Hank again for not a problem, brother everything.
Speaker 1 (01:00:39):
So y'all look for Gavin's link tree that'll be in
the show notes. Make sure y'all go check him out.
Give him the likes, the ratings, the five star reviews,
the shares, help him grow, help him figure out just
how fun this old podcasting deal can be, because it's
all it's all for y'all, dear listeners, Gavin boy, it's
(01:01:00):
time to wrap this bad boy up. So I appreciate
you coming out, appreciate you bringing your wisdom acknowledged. One
young grasshopper. I'm proud of you for not calling me
me sir for a whole hour and a half like
I know that must have been tough. I've seen that
(01:01:20):
Nick van bulge in a couple of times, but you
held it back proudly. Yeah, proud yeah. So listeners, we
appreciate y'all, We love y'all. God bless y'all, and as always,
we'll catch y'all next time. Four
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