Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Hello, and welcome to Batflips and Nerds baseball podcast with
a British twist. I am your host this evening, Ben Carter,
and I'm joined by two baseball luminaries and cat lovers,
the first being the new cat parent Rob Navera. How
are you rong?
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Cat dadd it up? Absolutely? They are little bastards who
they ate a nine pack of crumpets overnight. I left
crumpets sealed, sealed pack of crumpets. They d a nine
pack of crumpets and like if you couldnsider, like how
big a crumpet is? Like that's the equivalent of me
eating like a sofa overnight. Like other than that, Yeah,
they're glorious.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
And our grizzled veteran of cat parenting, John Wigee is
here revel in Rob's misery. How are you John?
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Yeah, well, we need to need to change the name
of the podcast to cat Dads and Nerds or something
like that. I think just just for this one episode. Yeah,
it's good, it's it's it's good. We've established that Rob
and both Rob and miambience is cat toilet in the background.
If there's anything hedonistic that comes out and you feel
(01:25):
like we might be under the influence of some weird hallucinogenics.
That's what it is. Cat litter.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
See if a YouTube algorithm likes that listening it's not pictured.
Don't worry. You can still tune in without seeing cat litter.
We've got plenty to get through today. It's been a
little while since our last pod, and very long while
actually since we've had John on. So excited to get
some some takes from you on the things happening around baseball,
but we've Aughtwa's start maybe with some topics a bit
closer to home. Very sad I am anyway that there's
(01:56):
no MB London series this year. We're kind of around
the time of year that that has typically happened in
the past. Obviously this year a down year, a fallow
year in the words of Glastonbury. So we will instead
be waiting to.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Talk about Glastonbury. Not not when I'm an employee of
the BB So that's just get me into all sorts
of shovel this week, Ben carry on.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Sorry, should know all it up. But instead of MB
London series, we have as of last week, had an
announcement about an event taking place in London instead, which
is going to be called the MLB Hackney Bridge Takeover.
We're a little short on details right now, but we
do know it will be taking place on the weekend
of the first to the third of August. I have
taking place, funnily enough at Hackney Bridge, and there are
(02:39):
some some details about there being representation of four teams,
the bit the biggest team so some might say, I
guess Dodgers, Yankees, Giants, Red Sox. Each will have a
themed zone, There will be game watch along's immersive baseball experiences,
and obviously more details to come very soon. It will
be free to attend, which is great and it feels like,
whilst it's not a game in and of itself, it
(03:00):
feels like a nice replacement in terms of just something
that we can go to, rally around, enjoy chat with
other baseball fans at given that we don't yeah have
the game to go to this year. So I know
you guys don't have a ton to react to in
terms of details from what was shared, but I'm interested
to hear a your thoughts on whether this has been
a weirder summer of baseball for you without the London
(03:21):
game in the middle of it, and be you know
what you would like to see from this Hackney Bridge
event and what you think could could help pull fans
in in a year where they don't have the game here,
Let's start with you, John.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Yeah, it has been slightly odd. I mean, it's been
odd not to have that opportunity for us all to
get together and meet the people who listen to the
show what's the show and YouTube and who were in
contact with the you know, discord groups and WhatsApp groups
and stuff. So primarily for that reason, it's been odd
not to have that anchor around which I plan the
rest of my summer, to be honest. But yeah, like
(03:57):
it really does sort of galvanize your focus. I'm not
so I haven't been watching baseball like I absolutely have.
I have it on all the time. But at the
same time, it's like, right, if I know that these
I need to be locked in on these teams and
instead I have you know, I'm not quite at Tom
Pringle level, but I have mostly been focused on Red
Sox baseball and then watching whatever's on the FI, tuning
(04:18):
into like TNT and seeing what's on every now and again.
But I would like every be like, right, Well, it's
the Philly, isn't it's the It's the Mets. So I
need to understand who are on those teams, who's good,
what are they doing, what's at stake here? What are
the storylines that I need to understand so we can
have a conversation about it, we can try and chat
to some of the players about it and stuff like that.
So there's not been that extra wrinkle, so that that
(04:40):
has been a bit of a shame. I do think
it's great that that the MLB Europe guys are doing something.
I had heard this, you know, obviously we're part of
the LB Europe Fan Network now with the MLB UK
Clubhouse guys, so they had told us that they were
planning something, and to be clear, we don't have any
(05:00):
more details than what's in the public domain now, so
I was anticipating something. I'm really glad to see it.
I think it's a great place for it to be.
You know, we that's really close to the ballpark. When
there have been a series on there in the past,
we've tended to congregate around there, and you know, there's
(05:22):
some really good breweries, really cool restaurants. It's a really
nice vibe around there. They're Mets held a really great
pregame event in that part of London last year which
we had an opportunity to pop into a real party
atmosphere around there, So it's a really it's the perfect
place to be doing it. I'm a friend's wedding. I
(05:42):
think we're going to be quite poorly represented that week end.
Of understand rightly, I think it might only be you
Ben right, It's just the timing couldn't be worse in
terms of us having you know, other things on. So yeah,
I'm a bit from frustrated. It's not one week either side,
which would have been perfect for me. But hey, you know,
I'm sure that you'll have plenty of tequila on my
(06:03):
behalf night, won't you do my best?
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Yeah, it's a shame, I know. Yeah, Tom can't make it,
Darius Russell even Rob you are you around that weekend
or are you also?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
I have a ridiculous Saturday family engagement. But if I
care and I will ditch those losers and try and.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Get fingers crossed. But yeah, I mean, I'm sure it
will be a great event and I'm interested. Yeah, I
guess in terms of what we think will be there.
My guess Is Gomes and Nick Swisher probably they're always
there live in London at this point. I'm sure there'll
be yeah, food trucks, some clid, some sort of throwing
or hitting activation, space bubs, anything that you'd like to
(06:46):
see their rob that you think could help capture the
interest of the British public, or anything that you converse
you would love for not not to be there.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yes, absolutely, first, first and foremost, some shade would be lovely.
We all remember the home run Derby that that was
a little bit warm. There was one tree for for
ten thousand people or whatever it was. So so as
long as there's somewhere shady to sit a lot of
hot baseball this year, like it's hot right now. It's
(07:16):
been exceedingly hot when I was in the US this year.
So yes, just some shavee would be absolutely lovely. I
tell you, what's something I've missed that they did in
the first time around. I want to pelt a ball
at a washing machine again. You know that was that
was great fun first time round. You know, like why
like we've we've had the VR stuff. We could throw
a ball and see how fast it's got. Great, wonderful.
I want to pelt something every day with a baseball
(07:38):
again and break it because that was that was really fun.
So yeah, if they could bring that back, that would
be super well. So got uh some merch, some interesting merch.
I think they did a really good job in the
Phillies Mets game where there was it wasn't just your
basic stuff, Like they had some interesting shirts that were
a bit different. You know, Becky picked up a couple
of women were there. It was it was different and
(07:58):
it marked the occasion. So yes, merchant is a little
bit more interesting.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
The Haunted Hawaiians Hawaiian shirt from it was the new
era one. Oh that one we had to go and
buy for Trevor May.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Yes, yes, exactly, something like that. I want more controversial merchandise, yeah,
like like give me a Yankees red Sox blend scarf,
you know, half and half scuff.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Yeah, absolutely, Yeah, give me.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Some controversial merch that that works to our audience. I'll
take some of that. Can we have I'd like some
constant baseball to watch. I think I think it's important
that that we're not just there to eat food by merch.
We actually are there to watch some baseball as well.
Like let's have stuff on the on the big screens
Fargus Square. I thought in the last couple of years
(08:47):
there was there was a lot of short clips and stings,
a bit more just like, here is a baseball game.
Watch this, even if it's you not on yet, Let's
put on yesterday. Let's have let's have something to watch,
you know, that'd be that'd be great washing machines. I've said, yeah, well,
player hosts, player hosts. Yeah, let's uh yeah, let's have
some some hosts who actually know what they're talking about.
(09:09):
Max has done a great job over the last couple
of years. So if he comes back happy with that,
no problem at all. But you know, let's let's have
some some hosting from rather than your your generic hype
person who's paid to be a hyper person, Let's have
someone who knows what they're talking about. You know, let's
have have maybe some fans, maybe some players, whatever. But yeah,
le let's get someone like that. I think that would
that that would draw it in a bit and make
it bigger. But yeah, you know what, it's something rather
(09:30):
than nothing, and it's free.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
Everything saying here, I'm just hearing more work for Felix White.
The money can't get enough of the MLB dollar. He's
quite busy. He's quite busy with his mats, hearing his
mat sum. Felix can bring his mats, definitely. I want
to see you. I want to see Felix playing out
(09:51):
some maccabe's licks on the mets that that's going to
be open in the show, you know, with a bit
of Pelican or latchme or something.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
That's how we're still deep diving.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Now those are their two, but those are two of
their bigger hits. Rob genuinely a band. I genuinely like, yeah,
get Felix along hopefully. Why aren't they going to Why
don't they bring along his compadres. Why don't we have
the brilliant Melanie and Xavier. Again, I don't know how
(10:25):
you would like bring them into it, but they would
be good. I'm assuming there's going to be some reps
of all four of the teams, as they said, Johnny
Gomes and Nick Usher. Which absolute randos are they going
to get from the Dodgers the Giants. That's gonna be
my question. What do you reckon? Ben? Who who fulfills
that sort of level of sort of good but random
(10:48):
from those two teams? Is Pablo Sandoval.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Pablo would be great. My mind went to just how
extraordinarily extraordinarily upset Darius would be if Tim Mintskom showed up,
that would be awesome. Don't see it happening? Depends surely,
Hunter Pence that it's gotta be came along and for
the Dodger belt.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
For some reason, my mind immediately went to Emilio Pagan.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Mm hmm, it's got it for somebody, hasn't it.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
That's it's a relief to most people that we aren't
organizing this event based on something.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
From the who from the Dodgers when they were sort
of pretty poor in the in the pre in the
in the in the pre Todd what's Todd Bowley era?
He was on that team then apart from Andrian Gonzalez
that was wasn't it belt Tray? Uh not remember gett but.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Yes, please green Key, let's get him.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Yeah. Imagine imagine Max Whittle trying to God God bless him,
an absolute pro, trying to get some of it out
of Grenky. Genuinely, if that's happening, I love those people.
He's wording it is not going dropping it. Yeah, absolutely
sorry Michael and Hannah. I won't be there for your
(12:11):
big day. Zach Greenki and Max Wittle is on sorted.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Well. I've had a quick look at at the schedule
for that weekend and there are some good games on actually,
and there's some games at very watchable time. So I
think your point to having baseball and to watch will
be will be met.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
Rob.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
We've got a Dodgers Ray series that will be fun
for you and other Rais fans won't be Astro's Red Sox, Giants, Mets, Tigers, Phillies.
There's a lot of good series on that weekend.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
So look, I think, what's the bad series? Come on,
what's the bad series?
Speaker 1 (12:41):
The Pirates, Rockies, one, White Angels, anyone those two.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Is quite poor. That's a team who is somehow okay,
and yet it has no plays you want to watch.
Apart from that Trout versus the work like just the
White Sox. I think the White Sox in some ways
are more miserable than the Rockies. At least of the
Rockies you're like, wow, this is this is just extraordinarily.
But the White Sox people just forgotten, which in some
(13:15):
respects is sadder.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
At least they got rid of Andrew Vaughn, who was
the general picture of sad head down sat at the
at the dugout at the end of every every loss
when they're reporting it on Twitter.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Yeah, mean, while Gavin Cheeks is the part of is
best player anyway? The final thing on this topic, I
thought we could maybe and again well, as far as
I'm aware, we don't have any inside of information on this,
but I thought we could just speculate a bit on
which teams we would like to see come to London
next year. We've obviously had a few games over here
now involving some of the should we say, larger market teams.
I'm interested in whether MLB stick to that tried and
(13:52):
tested formula, whether we see any of those teams come
back for a second time, which hasn't happened yet, or
in much direction they go. I've felt like the Blue
Jays are probably overdue of Is it just because of
how many Canadians are in the UK, how big that
team is from that perspective, and the fact they're on
the East Coast team that makes it travel a bit easier.
As for who they would play, I don't know. It
(14:14):
feels like an Al East rival would make the most sense.
But which of those teams, I'm not sure. Is there
anyone that you guys think would be particularly fun or yeah,
anything that you think would make sense for one reason
or another.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
I mean the obvious answer is Dodgers, Giants, you know,
like the two big they're even kind of forecasting that,
you know a little bit with this Hackney Bridge event.
But I do wonder if West Coast is maybe pushing
it a little bit. So if we're talking about big
franchises and maybe who the Blue Jays could play, I'd
quite maybe like to see them in Detroit. The Tigers.
(14:48):
I think they're good now and they've they've got a
real a bit of history and vibe about them. So yeah,
I could see the Tigers and the Blue Jays.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
I like that one. Yeah, the day the David Price rivalry. Yeah,
I was going to say the Red Sox is an
obvious one for the Blue Jays, but I think thinking
outside the box, I think that because because I'm like Rob,
obviously Giants, Giants, and Dodgers is where your mind obviously goes.
(15:17):
Or like the two Texas teams, Houston and the Rangers
would be brilliant too, and that might be better because
they're on Central time, so that that might actually be feasible,
and given how hot it usually is on those weekends,
they'll just be absolutely fine in terms of the temperature.
And also Rangers obviously playing a stupid weird ballpark, so
again completely normal for them, so they would fit. And
(15:42):
then there was like, what about the two what about
the al Central because obviously we've had the big NL
Central rivalry, but then there's just a load of craft
teens so apart from the Tigers. Now the Tigers are
actually good now, but then who would they play? Like
the Guardians but good teams? Well, yeah, I mean, I
(16:02):
don't know. I think you probably still do, right, It's
not me, it's it's I think we I remember having
this conversation before the first one, and we were like,
it could be anyone and it would sell out, right,
it could be the Raising the Rockies and it would
have sold out, whereas we know that they they have
sold out, but it's been a bit more difficult for
(16:25):
subsequent years. So I do think they probably want to
keep bringing the marquee franchises until it has its own impetus.
You know, we weren't getting the Jacksonville Jaguars every year
for the NFL Games until they've been on for ten years. Right,
Oh yeah, from their point of view, I mean, look,
I obviously think it would be brilliant if they if
(16:46):
it was the Guardians versus the Pirates, for example, for
the supremacy of Ohio. But will it sell any tickets?
I mean I feel a little, unfortunately, feel a degree
of skepticism towards that.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
I think we could give the A's and raise their
biggest audience of the year. I think that would be
that would be fun, and we'd only have to only
have to do about a quarter fall.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
So I just moved I also realized I just moved
the Pirates into a different state and pitched them against
not the team that's right next to them. Yeah, if
I was going to go for the the Ohio board,
going to said Pittsburgh and Cincinnati because they are actually
next to each other and they do hate each other
clearly awful anyway, Yeah, Hello, there's some there's some thoughts. Ben.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
I like the idea of raised versus A's and you know,
winner keeps the ballpark and just just do it that way.
Let's move on then to uh oh, sorry, finnal point on.
That was just to say, even though that happening, event
will be very exciting. There are also other events taking
place this year in the UK for fans. I was
at one on Sunday. The fine folks at MBUK Clubhouse
are still putting on some really fun events of fans
(17:54):
to get to. I think the first couple this year
have both been in London, but I know they're very
keen for fans and other parts of the country to
basically help organize events. They will help a lot with
the promotion. They will try and make a success of it.
They want to try and create these sort of little
bubbles and different parts of the UK that people can
then go to and watch games with. Tealow fans that
it was great fun, good to see some familiar faces
(18:14):
for the first time in a long time. We are
at past Youngkin nine Alms, which is a really good
sports bar. Of pain to get to you but lovely
when you get there. So yeah, shout out to those
guys for the hard work putting on those events and
to the fans who went along, and yeah, do get
involved with them if you're interested in just setting up
something where you can go watch baseball with with your.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Mates, and if you want to get in touch with them,
then just drops the line, drops a DM on Instagram
or on any other social media, or you drop a
comment below here or drops a message on YouTube, and
we can put you in touch with George and Nick.
They are really desperate for people to be putting on
events in Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds, Belfast, Dublin. Wherever it
(18:54):
is that you're watching and listening, there's other baseball fans
and be a really great way to to get to
know them.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
Couldn't have said it better. Let's move on to All
Star voting then? Do we care? Maybe we're going to
talk about it either way.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
No, sorry, yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes I really care.
Speaker 1 (19:20):
We're very close to the All Star Game now, which
is weird. I think it's only a week or two away.
As of recording. The starters for each position are going
to be announced tonight on MLB Network. This is on Wednesday,
and the full rosters will be announced I believe on Sunday.
So some of this might age poorly based on where happens.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Everything we're going to say is going to be immediately
out of date by the time you listen to this.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
Well, the way it's working this show is a bit different,
right because they've got these like this is now phase
two of voting. It tically whilst get my head around
exactly how this is all worked compared to the previous
years where you just like click names and smash vote
twenty five times. It's more nuanced this year, and that
we've already had phase one. You missed that, and Phase
two is happening now, and so it's a very narrow
down field of finalists that you can now vote for
(20:03):
effectively two players each position five in the outfield. So
already we kind of know who the big names are
that are likely to be involved in who the big
names are that aren't Sho Tany and Aaron Judge are
the two captains of the AO and n L. Don't
know what that means, but good for them. That feels
like a good decision. And then yeah, the final voting
(20:24):
will be taking place tonight. Plenty of teams that haven't
been ripped. Autocratic was it? There was no democracy involved
in that. I think it was based on the top
vote getters in phase one. It's like proportional representation.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
You vote for the LIB Dems, you get the Tories.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
Politics there for everyone, pivot, pivot and so so. Yeah,
we have positions all up for grabs in both National
League and American League. I guess I'll throw it to
you guys, John you first, Yeah, you do you care
about who makes the All Star Team? I think it's
like a night accolade for players to get the nod
for having a good season. But are you going to
(21:07):
tune into it? Are you gonna be bothered about who's
playing in it? Does the home run Derby do anything
for you? How do you feel about the Your Star Game.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
I quite like the Home Run Derby. I've got to
say I do quite enjoy watching that. I don't I
don't buy into this notion that it cocks up the
swing of players. I think that's absolute horseshit. But I
like watching that. The All Star Game, I do quite
like it. Like I don't go out of my way
to watch it. But if there's a rerun of it on,
(21:33):
you know, an afternoon, and I've got quiet one at
work and I can put it on in the background,
then I'm really like, I quite would quite like to
see it. It's not like, you know, all Star games
in other sports, you know, the one in the NBA
is notorious something played at half pace, and the one
in the NFL like no one shows.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Up right, literally flag football now it is.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
It is actually played at the least decent degree of competitiveness,
and I have to, I have to say, quite admire
that because it doesn't have to be. I think there's
something in the nature of the sport that you kind
of you kind of can't half cock it. Really. You know,
if you if you were going to throw the ball
at fifty miles an hour, it would just be a
(22:15):
complete farce. So they just can't do it. So yeah,
as as a speculat as a spectacle, I think it
works quite well. It doesn't really matter to me who's
playing in it, though, you know, I mean as I said,
particularly because my team stinks and the only player who
would have been good enough to play in it they
traded it to the flipping Giants. Yeah, and then oh yeah,
(22:35):
Alex Bregman. You vote for Alex Bregman. He's injured. He's
literally not going to play even if he wins the vote,
which he shouldn't because I say Ramirez is better than
him anyway, Like, come on, so like from that point
of view. From a partial point of view, I don't.
I don't really care. I just like to see the
best players. I don't have a cal rally top, but
(22:55):
I do have Mark Maguire showing his huge dumper. So
that's my rooting interest in the All Star Game this year.
That said, I do you think Carlos Snowyas should be
in the vote because he's the best player in baseball.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Let's get onto some snubs, then rob a couple from
your team. Who are you most unhappy not to see
in phase two of All Star Game voting?
Speaker 2 (23:20):
Snubs? Okay, I've got a list, so I mean the
first one, I think Jeremy Paynier, and I think this
is this is twofold. So the reason Jeremy Paynier, I
mean he is injured now, so it's probably not a problem.
But the reason Jeremy Paynier hasn't got the vote is
largely down to the fact that since the cheating scandal,
(23:40):
no one votes for the Astros. They don't get the
votes yet for some reason, injured Alex Brigman, who was
on the team when that happened, has got the votes,
and Jeremy Paynier, who wasn't has fallen foul of the
of the Astros curse. So that feels like a really
really unjust snub.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
I don't get the thing, by the way, because like
notoriously Red Sox fans don't vote in these things, Like
how has Fregman got through now that he's no longer
on the as he must have seemed well liked.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
He's quite good. Yeah, so yeah, Page is probably my
number one. Jonathan Randa. Jonathan Randa, there is ridiculous that
he's not in it. He is by far, look at
any metric across al first baseman, he's the best. There's
there's just not an argument there yet. Yeah, Vladimigarero and
(24:34):
all of Canada have voted him in, and the Yankees
have voted Paul Goldschmid in. Both of those players that
there is no argument for either of them being as
good as Jonathan Aronda. So that's a snub that's not
fair Byron Buxton, another guy from a from a team
who is just not that that on Vogue, like he's
been immense, He's been really quietly imense because he's playing
(24:55):
for the Twins and whoever talks about the twins, but
you know we've got Haby Byers and like Trout elected,
who are their combined war is not the same as
Byron Buxton's like it's just a face. So yeah, those
be my my, oh James Wood. Can't not mention the
fact that James Wood has missed out here immense immense,
(25:16):
fantastic first season, like he is Britain a second season,
but he's immant. The fact that he's not in the
short list is bizarre.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
So it's the thing. Those is the thing about Wood,
not though he's obviously been good all season, but he's
been like spectacularly good for the past three weeks.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
Like during the voting phrase.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
Absolutely miss up, but he was already out by then,
like these absolute nukes that he's been hitting at like
one hundred and twenty miles an hour. That's been like
the last three weeks. And that's when people have started
to talk about because the other one that was on
my list back to like first base, and I think
again it's like recency has been the challenge is Nick
Kurtz again, if you want like the players who are
(25:56):
the most fun to watch right now, he absolutely is
on that list because he just cannot stop hitting doing it,
so I definitely want him over Jacob Wilson. I mean,
come on, it's like watching Paul Collingwood nerd ale O
one hundred and seventy not how that. No, thanks, I
would like to watch Paul Collingwood undred and seventy not
(26:17):
upbringing back, but bridget get Collie down there. Imagine Felix
if Colly showed up, bloody hell, there'll be two two
on the old Mets. I can hear a cat there.
You got into Paul Collingwood.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Apparently, So yeah, she's going a bit mental right now.
He's seeing things, aren't there. I'm a little bit scared
of demons.
Speaker 1 (26:43):
But anyway, Yeah, I think we've covered yeah, most of
the times. Of the other one I had was was
Corbyn Carroll, who I think has since got a little
bit injured, but he was having an excellent season and
hopefully will continue that once he's healthy again. I guess
we do find every year like there are guys who
would get injured between ross and now on the game,
and obviously with the pictures, a bunch of them men
are not being available for whatever reason scheduling, why's heading
(27:05):
up to the game, So I'm sure a lot of
the snubbed players will end up sneaking onto a roster.
Speaker 3 (27:09):
Wood is definitely going to be picked. There are no
other Washington Nationals that we're going to take that place
ahead of him. Hence why I feel perfectly comfortable about
my bro Carlos Navas. He is definitely going to be
in the All Start, All Start squad for the AAR.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
Yeah, there are a few teams where it's tricky to
find a worthy representative, but fortunately we don't have that job.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Hey, your oldest Chapman's going to be back in the
All Star Game? Aren't we all glad about that? Get older?
Looking forward to seeing him close it out? Guys, great, Hey,
just as one really horrible picture wines, another one comes back.
We're not talking about him, but everyone knows. See I'm
talking about lol enormous low.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
Let's talk about a picture that we do like a
very tall lefty named Tarik scoobled and if you heard him,
but he's making a bit of a name for himself,
the reigning al Cy Young Award winner. If he hadn't
caught your attention, let who he's good? Isn't he? I
don't really have much more to say than that Sunday
Night Baseball. I obviously didn't watch it, but I saw
(28:14):
the highlights and he I mean, if anyone who was
a casual fan in the US who thought I was
just tune into the game tonight and see what the
fuss is about, got a pretty good representation of what
the fuss is about. I think he struck out eleven,
including seven or eight in a row at one point.
He's been lights out basically for the whole season, but
especially in the last two months or so. Think correct
(28:35):
me if you think I'm wrong that he is established
himself as the best picture in baseball basically without comparison
at this point. Skis is awesome, Moto is awesome, the
Grom's been great, But I think scooball with his body
of work over the last eighteen months, is the best
in the game right now. And I guess my question
is best in the game since who my mind went
(28:55):
to Jacob de Grom and that crazy run he did
have with the Mets. I guess it must have been
five plus years ago now when Yeah, he pitched to
a whatever it was at one point six eighty ra
or something insane and kept losing games. But yeah, to me,
it feels like Scoobol has reached that level of dominance.
Who does he remind you of? Who would you put
up against him over the last decade in terms of
pitchers at the top of their game.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Uh, you can't think too far past Clayton Kershaw when
he was at his peak. That's sort of twenty eighteen
twenty nineteen era. He was, you know, all fantasy people
were drafting him number one. It was you know, he
was going over Trout, you know, And I think at
that point he was he was ascendant, untouchable, and Scoopol's
(29:38):
kind of got that right now. Like you it was
unfortunate he had a rough outing in the end of
the playoffs last last year when he when they went out,
because that's really the only sort of dent in his
armor in the last two years. The guy's just been
the absolute bomb ever since. And so yeah, I mean
(29:59):
Kershaw for me, that's that's that's who he's reminding me of.
I can't you know, he's that Okay, we're going to
lose this game, you know that they they had a
chance of It was a double header and it was
scooball and schemes, and they could have gone up against
each other and there was a there was a chicken
out element there. I said, well, you know, no, let's
let's go them. Let's trade a game each you know,
absolutely yeah, so uh yeah, He's just he's got that
(30:22):
far factor right now, like you do not want to
go and play against Tarik Schooball. He's absolutely unhittable. So yeah,
gimme kersh Kershaw pek Kershaw versus Schooball. That's that's a
pretty game.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
I'm going to tell your mine the second. But when
you put this in our running order this evening, sorry,
I'm going to talk a little bit of Red Sox,
but I am going to talk about Tarik School because
I think the comparison between him and Crochet is super
interesting because they are the two best left handed pictures
in the sport right now, but they're so so different.
(30:55):
They're both like power pitchers. They've both got amazing stuff,
but Crochet just it's just all like massive effort. He's
got the massive leg kick and it's all like like
guts and he's sort of yelling and he's and a
boy of schoobl is just absolutely just like I am
the best like de Grom was in his pomp. Like,
that's that's an almost perfect comparison. And I love that
(31:18):
you can have these two guys who are getting the
same results and in some respects like not dissimilar in
terms of their arsenal, but they're just going about it
in completely different ways. So the person that I the
person that like, I thought the Grom and I thought Kershel,
and then I was like, I tried to go a
little bit beyond the obvious, and I that's what's why
(31:39):
the Crochet comparison is important because the place it brought
me to that sort of quiet, absolute dominance, and everyone
sort of slightly overlooked it until it was just impossible
to ignore that this guy is the best. Corey Klueber
when he was on Cleveland and he won the two
Youngs and he just was like, no one could really
(32:02):
understand how, how and where did this guy come from.
He was a late round selection, He wasn't good when
he first started. He was sort of pitching on mid flours,
and then all of a sudden something clicked and he's just,
by miles the best picture in the league. So that
was the one that I mean I think your two
comparisons are spot on too, But I was I was
trying to dig a little bit deeper. Hopefully he doesn't
(32:24):
have the same trajectory of court as Corey Kluber and
end up looking weird and being totally pony on the
Yankees in about six years time. But you know, he
got two so young, so who's laughing?
Speaker 2 (32:38):
Absolutely, you'd worry, is is he flying too close to
the sun? He throws so damn hard, you know, it's
it's we're just almost sort of waiting for that elbow to.
Speaker 3 (32:49):
Go and already he's already had TJ once, hasn't he
That's second time is the killer? Yeah, he had it
when he was in when he was playing for Eerie.
I think who I think we might talk about a
little bit, like might touch on them in the conversation.
I think he had TJ when he was at Eerie.
And obviously crowchews up as well. It's just ridiculously good.
(33:09):
It's just so much fun to watch. There's so many
pictures at the moment where it really is appointment to you,
like Ranger Suarez.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
Like what how did that happen?
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Like when did he get all like amazing fun to
watch and why are all of these amazing fun to
watch pictures on the Phillies.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
Right, No, there is an element of, yeah, Google, feeling
like he's in such control. I don't know if you
saw was highlighted from something in a baseball that he'd
thrown something like one hundred and eighteen consecutive fastballs to
start a start, So the very first pitch of the game,
and it was a fastball like one hundred and eighteen
consecutive times, and they called this out on the stack
cast broadcast about how he always shows a fastball and
(33:49):
about how what's his name on the Twins you just
mentioned rob Byron Buxton? Byron Buxton, thank you? Always swings
at the first pitch, and it was kind of like
a unsupperable force me to moveable object, what's going to happen?
And actually he threw a change up and it was
like really cool, this kind of idea of like he
knew that bucks and maybe swinging. He threw a change
up which acually missed the same by masters rubbish pitch.
But it's just cool that that like kind of stuff's
(34:11):
going through his head. And there was a moment later
in the game where he and Bucks and smiled at
each other after a flyout. He's just having so much
fun and he's so dominant that it. Yeah, it's just
really really cool to watch right now. But yeah, I
guess give it six weeks and Jacob Micharowski will replace
him as the best picture in baseball anyway.
Speaker 3 (34:25):
So no talk about it. He's great fun as well,
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (34:29):
The books, the thing was so cool, like where he
threw him the change up and he just sort of
turned around and he went, yeah, yeah, you looked at
the scarting report, par I loved.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
That game, recognized game and very quickly. I guess. Detroit Tigers,
I'll be the first to say I didn't see this coming.
I thought they might be good. I thought they might
build off the extit finish the last season, but I
did not think they were going to be best recorded
in Major League Baseball with the underlying stats to back
it up. Good. Do you guys think they're genuine World
(35:03):
Series contendents? Are playing like one right now? Right? Should
we be looking at them as a team to beat
in the American League? What do you think, John?
Speaker 3 (35:08):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean it's it's it's them and
the Yankees, and the Yankees have got more holes from
me at the moment. I mean, I think that rotation
is a little bit flaky for although I think, you know,
I like Jack Flaherty, you know, and if you got
those two at the top of your rotation in a
in a playoff, then you're probably in Godstead. They probably
(35:31):
they're probably going to be one of the primary buyers
around the trading deadline right because they probably want Bill
Ben help, They probably want another bat, and I would
say they probably want some starting pitching. But I think
that it's just a credit to a J. Hinch and
they're coaching stuff that they've they've managed to like take
players who you thought were going to you're going to
get some okay. I mean these players who were like
(35:52):
decent prospects, like Kerry Carpenter, who they've been absolutely brilliant
and like for a sustained period. Then they've got gliber
Torres He's come in who was okay on the Yankees,
and he's been really good. Have he buyers? I mean,
to Rob's point, definitely should not be starting over Byron
Books in the Star Game, but has been like legitimate
sensation like how it just shows what a talented player
(36:16):
he is, that he's been that good in center field
and also just doesn't look completely lost at the play anymore,
like he's still not great, but like he's serviceable. So yeah,
I do, I think, and I think again it shows
that coaching and clubhouse spirit can carry the right set
of players an awful long life.
Speaker 1 (36:32):
To disagree with that. Yeah, I'm excited to see them.
I thought we do a quick bit now on on
the deadline. I think maybe we'll do a live show again.
I don't want to tease things that we're not gonna
be able to do, but I think we'll probably do
some content around the trade deadline when it comes around,
feeling fun rather than going to can get you what?
Speaker 2 (36:49):
I'll get my dicky bow out.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
Yes, the listeners for that one. So we won't go
too deep into trade deadline discussion right now. I thought
it'd be fun to very quick do a run through
of some teams and do we think they're buyers or
do we think they're sellers? Because we're getting to the
point now where it's like pick al aint guys. You know,
if you're around five hundred, what are you going to be.
Do you think your team's good enough to go on
a run or are you happy to sit on your hands?
(37:14):
Trade away a for you guys and rebuild for next year.
So I've listed out a bunch here. I'm just going
to go through them very quickly, and you guys tell me.
Let's start with the Red Sox buyers or sellers.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
John, I hope that they're going to sell, but I'm
quite worried that Craig Breslow keeps saying that they're going
to buy and is a human robot. I think there
is the way that they're playing at the moment that
they stink, and they've got some good players and they
should be better than this. But if you know, our
oldest Chapman and Lucas Giolito are still on that squad
(37:46):
after the trading deadline, I think it's because they've both
been really good, right and they should be getting a
good return for them. I think it's a massive mistake.
I really hope they're sellers, but I'd say it's probably
still fifty to fifty right now because I think they've
worked themselves into a shoot over Devas.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
Yep, so I agree. So the rest of the ale
least is really kicked on. I mean even the oils
are picked up now. I think the Blue Jays and
the Rays are in an absolute bumfight for that that
were first wild card spot. The Yankees probably gona win
the division. I don't think it's I mean, yes, it's
winnable of course, is running halfway through, but I don't
think it is as winnable for the for the Red
(38:27):
Sox in their position. I think what they should do
is they should clear a bit of the dead wood
and line up what they're going to do with with
first base cycle some guys through, try some stuff out,
find find something, get those bits done because right now,
you know with Bregman out, with cass Us out, you know,
with you know, cut A Crawford's accidental wanking injury, all
(38:50):
these things that you know there these are not helping
the team right now, and you know they're fairly long
term stuff.
Speaker 3 (38:56):
So yeah, I think the other thing is that they've
probably got like the most play who you could get
a good return looking at those teams who are kind
of like just about below the water. This is the
thing about the wild card is it makes it difficult, right,
It makes it difficult for a team to commit one
way or another because they are close enough that you
could eyeball it and go maybe. But they've also if
(39:16):
they look at it reasonably, like Cha Chapman has been
absolutely brilliant, Justin Wilson has been brilliant, Giolito has been brilliant.
Someone could take Bregman if they think he's going to
opt out, I think they want to try and resign him.
But if it looks like he doesn't want to resign
and he's going to opt out, like, look, you're gonna
get absolutely You're not going to get Roman Anthony and
Marcelo Mayer back, but you're going to fill fill a
(39:36):
lot of the gaps that they're leaving. So it's a
no brainer for that. That one for me. But then again,
I just don't know how Craig presise Bright works.
Speaker 1 (39:45):
I don't sell.
Speaker 2 (39:46):
Yeah, they've got the perfect Yeah, sorry, give those.
Speaker 1 (39:48):
Young guys some playing time, you know, tear out because
they've got like, they've got so many players on their roster.
It's hards fan playing time for without the injuries. So
I think just give those guy young guys playing time,
let them figure it out with the majors. Try again,
next year.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
They get some reps of Massa is on his way back,
that that mass master, Rob Refsnider platoon at d H.
Speaker 1 (40:07):
Are you still playing Shivers down?
Speaker 3 (40:09):
That's fine?
Speaker 1 (40:11):
Right next up Orioles. It's got to be a cell
right surely, who are they selling?
Speaker 2 (40:17):
Well? They've got those youngins, isn't it. They could sell
a couple of young'us if they really wanted to. Or
they probably still got some prospect hiding away that we
know nothing about. But I'm I'm I'm not selling if
I'm the Oriols. I'm just sitting on it. Like everything
everything about the Orioles should have worked this year other
than the pitching, sit on it. Upgrade the pitching staff
in the in the off season. Hopefully it will just
(40:40):
fall a little bit better for them. I don't know
what the hell went on at the beginning of the season,
you know, was it Brandon Hyde, was it not? I
don't know, But just sit on what they've got.
Speaker 3 (40:48):
It's all there.
Speaker 2 (40:49):
They just need to add a couple of bits of pitching.
They don't need brilliant pitching. They need some okay pitching.
That's all they need. So just pick some of that
up in the off season, but but just sit on
what you got, don't touch it, most of it is
what you need already, and then go into next year.
Speaker 3 (41:03):
I think I would sell, but it's kind of a
bit like like what are you getting for Zach Eflin?
Speaker 2 (41:09):
What what are you getting for.
Speaker 3 (41:11):
The burnt husk of Charlie Morton or you know, better
recently this year's Felix Baltista, who is nowhere near as
good as the pre Felix Bltister. You know, I mean,
they probably will sell I think right, and they'll probably
get you know, some al right talent back for them,
(41:32):
but they're not going to sell Richmond. They're not gonna
sell Westburg. They're not gonna sell cows there are they.
I Mean, like, what's the point.
Speaker 1 (41:39):
They're a bit stuck, aren't they, because they don't have
much they can sell. The young guys, if anything, have
stepped backwards this year, and it's like you're not going
to give them away now, You're can have to stick
with them, But like, do you just run it back
next year with the same team again and hope for
different results?
Speaker 3 (41:53):
Like I think what you do next year is actually.
Speaker 2 (41:57):
Yeah, which is why you don't sell Efflin now like
at least a possible.
Speaker 1 (42:01):
Number Fourriguez is back. It'll be fine, Yeah, just.
Speaker 3 (42:09):
Get on with it.
Speaker 1 (42:12):
Twins guys are well. I'm not going to profess to
have watched much Twins baseball this year, but they seem
to have been pretty disappointing, even though all their offt
injured players have mostly been healthy. Are we sticking? Are
we selling? Are we buying? What are we doing?
Speaker 3 (42:26):
I don't care. I don't care, sorry, Twins fans. I
I only have one rooting interest in the Twin Cities,
and it is for Byron Buxton. I just think, you know,
that's the only thing I really care about on the
Minnesota Twins, because he's a and I don't really want him.
Speaker 1 (42:43):
Is you know?
Speaker 3 (42:44):
You? You guys had that brilliant conversation whilst I was
away about players who just look weird in another jersey.
As soon as he's in any other I'm going to
be like, nope, that's just memory. Hold no, thank you.
Speaker 1 (42:57):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (42:58):
I've got no strong feeling, got no strong views, and
they get but again, who are who are they selling?
Not just specifically underneath a combine harvester.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
They've got a few guys you know, it's fine. I
think the main thing about the Twins for me is
that they are they are being sold or are trying
to be sold. They're not going to spend anything whilst
they're trying to be sold. So you know, if you're
going to do your clearing, your decks, get stuck up
your pharm system, do it now, because you're not going
to spend anything at this point. So yeah, sell it,
sell it all, burn it down.
Speaker 1 (43:31):
It is Texas Rangers, another team that's been disappointing. Are
we buying? Are we selling? They've got an aging roster.
Speaker 2 (43:39):
I don't know what they're not selling and are they
not with that contract?
Speaker 1 (43:43):
They've got some trouble on their hands in future years.
But are we trying to recoup what we can or
are we doubling down and hoping to got de Grom
carries us to a World Cup.
Speaker 3 (43:51):
I just don't think that that that franchise knows any
other way. They are definitely buy it. It's just yeha.
Everything's bigger into Exus, including Chris Young that they are
definitely buying.
Speaker 2 (44:06):
One lucky year does not a team make, you know?
I think they sit on it. This is probably about
where they should be. You know, they've got to be
spending a stupid amount of money already on on their
middle infield, which isn't isn't quite up to scratch this year.
So I don't think they're adding more to that payroll
for for what I mean, like, what are you gonna do?
Are you gonna go out and get yourself a new
(44:27):
second basement and replace Sime? And of course you're not,
so you know where, where and what?
Speaker 3 (44:32):
And so I think you just need to rewatch that
clip of adults Garcia hulking up and think again, mate,
just get that man some reinforcements. It's all going to
be fine.
Speaker 2 (44:45):
More Garciers, bigger Garcias. They're no such thing a team fully,
just bulky chaps called Garcia. There's gotta be enough of
the morale, passive guys, hot dog in.
Speaker 3 (44:58):
Just gonna go down Muscle Beach. There is Terry Belayer, he'll.
Speaker 1 (45:01):
Do Ben's like, who's that absolutely over my head?
Speaker 3 (45:07):
That's whole Cogan Ben. That's his real name?
Speaker 2 (45:10):
Is it?
Speaker 3 (45:12):
It was Christan?
Speaker 1 (45:13):
I didn't have them on my list, baby, But we
should probably talk about the Seattle Mariners because Jerry's not
going to sit on his hands. Is he he's going
to be buying or selling or both every day between
now and the trade deadline?
Speaker 3 (45:23):
Surely? I mean, god, God knows. I mean, look, what
is going to happen with the Mariners is they're going
to need four bats and they're just going to go
real well, we're not training any pictures.
Speaker 2 (45:35):
They can't. They're all broken.
Speaker 3 (45:37):
I think Jerry's had a personality transplant, quite genuinely, Like
he's gone from this nickel and diming. What would Jerry
Deploto do do in the trades? Me to like sclerosis,
just can't do it anymore. It's broken having the opportunity
to trade one very good picture from He's ninety eight
(45:58):
very good pictures for one good hitter not called cal Raley.
Can't do it, mate, Not interesting.
Speaker 2 (46:04):
Imagine that team without Carol Rally this year, just Donny Barrels.
Speaker 1 (46:10):
They do have one exciting prospects out behind Carrall who
could be a trade trade at Chip if they wanted
to go out and get an impactful bat.
Speaker 3 (46:16):
Maybe trading with the Red Sox. Please catching battery with
the captain Carlos Harry Ford, Let's do it. He's amazing
this year hasn't he after he didn't do so well
in Double A, but he's had an absolutely astonishing Yeah.
Speaker 2 (46:34):
I want him to keep doing well, but not quite
so well that he can't play for us because he's
he's got Major League. So just hold on a little bit, Harry,
just keep on that level and then and then after
your next go would then then go for it, Then
go for it.
Speaker 3 (46:46):
He is locked in. Why do you think Brad Marcelino
got that job. He's the one that found Harry Ford's
that you know, very very qualified and incredibly eminent. Mean,
if you wanted to call in hard and I'm the
man who found the best player in the history of
Great Britain, it's probably quite a good one, very good.
Speaker 2 (47:09):
Worst things on your TV?
Speaker 1 (47:10):
Yeah, National League at Lands of Braves, they waving the
white flag.
Speaker 2 (47:16):
They should no, absolutely not again it's a it's a
decent team. Buy a new outfield like they do every year,
and then on even numbered years they'll have a good year.
Odd numbered years they won't, So just refresh the outfield,
go again next year. Bye bye, bye bye.
Speaker 3 (47:34):
They're not No, they're not as bad as the Red Sox,
but they also are in that similar position where they've
got players that people will want, and people will want
Chris Sale, people will want Sean Murphy. They're not they're not.
Akuna is not going, Ovis is not going, Stride is
not going. But they've got these guys on shorter deals
(47:56):
who would be massively impactful players in a playoff team.
So they are possibly in that same Catch twenty two
as the Red Sox where they feel instinctively like this
is actually a good team, it's just not playing well
and we should be buyers.
Speaker 1 (48:10):
But also.
Speaker 3 (48:12):
You know, they could set the market if they wanted to.
I would sell, But I also see why Rob would
might be counter argument.
Speaker 1 (48:20):
I think I buy. I just I believe in the talent,
and like Rob said, like just try and find lightning
in a bottle in the outfeel like you always do,
and see where it takes you. You might get your
world card spot and then who knows, Cincinnati read this
year it won't buy.
Speaker 2 (48:33):
Also, I'm like John on this one with the Twins
and that I really I just don't care. I really
don't care about the Cincinnati Reds at this point. You know,
Ellie's Wow fantastic. I want to see more Ellie, But
I'm very my opic and what I want to see
from the Reds and that is it just yeah, fine
by more.
Speaker 3 (48:50):
Dela Cruz and Hunter Green and that's it basically.
Speaker 2 (48:53):
Hunter Green fait to be fair, Yes, absolutely I want
more Hunter Green as well. Yeah, that's a very very
good point. But again I find him a scary watch
because I'm half half expecting his arm to come with
the ball each time. So yeah, but in that that
division of moment, a slight upgrade sees them in it.
You know, they're not that far out. Yeah, if if
they put a little bit somewhere but where Yeah, maybe
(49:15):
some outfielders. Again, yeah they should, they should buy. But
like but like don't, don't put the house on it,
you know, just just just tinker, but tinker upward.
Speaker 1 (49:25):
He's not getting rocked by the Red Sox.
Speaker 3 (49:28):
Yeah, that's true. I think specifically by Will robre that
was amazing. I think they should probably buy. Like, when
was the last time that the Reds leading into a
trading deadline had a record above five hundred. I think
Johnny Cueto and Scooter Gannett were still on the team, So.
Speaker 2 (49:48):
For get four home runs in the game. Scooter Jeannett, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (49:51):
These windows do not open regularly, so I think they
should take it. I mean, I know they're quite far
out of the World Cup position, but you.
Speaker 1 (49:59):
Know, yeah, I think so this is quarantine destined to
end the season like seventy eight and eighty four, regardless
of what they do at the deadline.
Speaker 3 (50:07):
Yeah, this is true.
Speaker 1 (50:11):
I mean, scuffling Diamondbacks just got swept by the Marlins.
Speaker 3 (50:14):
Diamondbacks. I think they probably stand part.
Speaker 2 (50:17):
Yeah, I agreed fully agree where they are do the.
Speaker 3 (50:20):
Old Heim Bloom deadline. We neither buyers nor sellers. We're
just going to make a load of confusing moves and
somehow Eric Hosma's on the team.
Speaker 1 (50:28):
Now, isn't Zach Gallon and the coming free agent? Can
you get anything for him?
Speaker 2 (50:34):
Zach Allan's been rubbish this year though, But I don't
think you can count Zach Gallon as a rubbish picture.
He's having a bad year, So like, yeah, resign him,
you know, keep him around. I think that's exactly the
kind of guy you want to You want to keep
keepers a center core part of your team, but you know,
keep your Martoes around, keep your you know, your Corbyn Carrols,
even though I find him a very peculiar man to
(50:55):
look at. I don't dislike him, he just finding very
peculiar to look at, especially when he's running. But that's
neither here nor there. Keep going again that the team
is everything it needs to be. It's about the rest
of the division that is the problem. That's the plastic flower.
Your stupid cat still crying it. Sorry a digression there. Yes,
the dbats stay as they are. I agree with John.
Speaker 1 (51:15):
Great and the last one I had was the Miami Marlins.
I saw that Pete was looking at flights to Miami
in October on Twitter earlier today. So some people are
believing in this wind streak they're on, they will be
selling if they even have anything to sell, won't they?
Unless this windstreak continues, who knows what have they.
Speaker 3 (51:31):
Got that they could actually sell? Like, come on, of course,
that's the sculpture the culture. Yeah, they are always selling
all the time.
Speaker 1 (51:41):
Sandy, does anyone even want him?
Speaker 3 (51:43):
Sandy's not been great, Robi, your camera's died.
Speaker 2 (51:48):
I know, my cat just literally pulled it out.
Speaker 3 (51:50):
I do well, cat, Yes, Sandy's not been great. And
then you know, the players that have actually been quite
good have all been like the younger ons, haven't they
so like what I was gonna say, why would they
sell them? But this is the Marlins, this is what
they do. This is Christine Yelich, this is John Carlos, Stanton,
(52:12):
Jake Berger. Oh, this is going to be part of
the next Good Marlins team. Incorrect, There's not going to
be another Good Marlins team. Ever.
Speaker 1 (52:22):
Let's move on to the final bit of the pod then,
and let's talk It's eerie Sea Wolves. I don't know
if you guys have followed this more closely than I have. Robbie,
I think you were the one who shared yesterday in
our group chat the article that was on MBI dot
com that caught our attention. Do you feel comfortable talking
through the story and why I caught our attention?
Speaker 2 (52:43):
Not not particularly, I just sort of kind of saw it,
okay that basically there was a bit of a competition
going on. I was on the John Oliver was was
was talking about rebranding a minor league team and the
Sea Wolves, the fact that they are absolutely nowhere near
the sea. It came up and was an entertaining part
(53:07):
of part of his show. So they had this competition,
and the Sea Wolves emailed into into his show and
on that on that list of things was was a
list of reasons as to why they should be the
the team that gets the rebrand and and they have
they won that. The thing of note from that on
that email was was actually a shout out to the
fact that they are and if you will cast yourself
(53:29):
back to insert number of podcasts here, we actually elected
the Eerie Sea Wolves as the official British minor League
team and that made it into into the email and subsequently,
if you follow the story on the MLB app you
will find a link to to add podcast on this.
(53:49):
I was quite exciting that we we got that that
nod from from from the Big the Big Time. But yeah,
so that that's that's the that's the story in a nutshell.
I haven't really followed it much closer than that.
Speaker 3 (54:00):
I haven't either. It's one of those things where it's
occasionally come up in my Instagram feed because you know,
baseball and John Oliver is sort of in the middle
of some of my interests. Hey, I like satire and
you know, maybe have a certain political outlook and also
like baseball. I might like John Oliver clip where he's
talking about baseball which he does fairly often. Actually, I
(54:21):
think is a big Mets fan, isn't he. So yeah,
it's come up, But I wouldn't say I knew an
awful lot more than Rob. I had seen that he
had selected the Sea Wolves a few weeks ago for
the reasons that Rob outlined, primarily that they're called the
Sea Wolves and they know where Ney of the Sea.
But yeah, I didn't know that we had played even
(54:43):
a tiny role in it until yesterday when when Rob
shared that that link where we are references I think
the fourth of eleven reasons why why John Oliver should
be partaking and working with the team there. So he
thanks to Greg Coleman, who's the general manager and president
(55:05):
of the Sea Wolves, and Greg Ganya who's their their
their voice and media lead for including us in that.
We haven't done anything with the Sea Wolves for a
few years now, but we had such great fun picking
that and they were such great sports and a bunch
of really nice people to work with and get to
(55:25):
know a bit who've always done well by us. And
it was fun to see them getting a bit of
rub in the US national spotlight and there, and good
to know that they were using the tenuous link that
they had to the UK to where try and win
the affections of you know, one of the one of
the bigger cultural exports that we've had to to that
(55:46):
country in the last few years. So yeah, and I
think it's the Eerie Moon Mammoths. That's what they're going
to be known as as their alternate identity from here
on in. So yeah, we'll have to get ourselves some
Eerie Moon Mammoths merch for sure.
Speaker 1 (56:00):
Yeah, looks the rebrand is fun. It's a big Willie
mammoth and a moon but bizarrely and it's all sort
of purple. And I love the color. Team is very fun.
Almost rockies askue not to doom them this early. But yeah,
they're playing a game as the Moon Mammoths on July nineteenth,
which will be great fun. And yeah, I just thought
it was cool like that they kind of harked back
to that fun thing that we did a few years back.
Speaker 3 (56:22):
Now.
Speaker 1 (56:22):
I think John, that was probably you who did most
of the work in that whole fun Twitter competition, I know,
as you who wrote the article that MLB dot Com
linked to and the interview with Greg Coleman, who was
a really fun guest. So yeah, just a nice quirky
minor league baseball bit of news that somehow found its
way back to us. So yeah, hopefully that that whole
rebrand goes well, and we would appreciate any UK based
(56:43):
fans who are able to see what goes down there.
And yeah, we have a little team.
Speaker 3 (56:48):
We haven't ever. We know that our buddy from the
Red Sox group, Adam Perry, managed to make his way
out to Eerie, but none of us have been. I've
managed to get there, and we've always been promised that
we could throw a first pitch if we went to Erie.
So maybe we have to hand over that responsibility to
John Olivery. I guess he's like our designated British person.
I'm sure that they were going to let John Oliver
(57:10):
our first pitch anyway, but let's just say he's doing
it on our half.
Speaker 1 (57:14):
He's got our blessing.
Speaker 3 (57:15):
Yeah, yeah, very he's you know, in some respects slightly
more august than us, not in others, though Tom Pringle's
got a longer head for a start. Rob your cat
is absolutely crucified.
Speaker 2 (57:30):
It's absolutely knackered it. I have tried it in every
USB hole like it seems to be not getting any power.
I don't know what the hell's gone on here?
Speaker 1 (57:39):
Oh well, don't getting my homework. Cat destroyed my webcam? Yeah, Rob,
were you gonna try it? I don't know if this
was you pop this into ournery. We're going to try
and end us on a very depressing note here topic one.
You if you if you'd like to just quickly riff
on that.
Speaker 2 (57:55):
Yeah, not wanting to end on an absolute gowner. But
many people they notice the wonder Franco trial has come
to its conclusion and it look, I'm not I don't
know the ins and outs of the Dominican Republic's legal system,
but it seems that there's been an absolute farce of
a hypocrisy here to do with a man who's got
a bit of money getting a very very short sentence
(58:17):
compared to other people around him. So essentially, the the
ruling is, yes, he is absolutely he it was inappropriate
sexual relations with a minor and he's got himself a
two year suspended sentence. So essentially, as long as he
doesn't do it again, he just walks scott free. In
(58:40):
the same breath, the mother of the girl involved, no
saint of core absolute What she done was absolutely heinous.
She's got ten years behind bars, which it just seems
like the bloke with the cash here has managed to
dodge it and she hasn't. Now he's got another court
case coming up soon to do with weapons charges. But look,
(59:03):
at the end of the day, it's done. Now we
know this, this awful human being is not going to
come anywhere near near baseball again. I'm sure Major League
Baseball going to do their investigations given that it's been
the court of law. Now he's been absolutely said, yes,
this guy is a sexual predator. He's not going to
come back near the game, and that's the absolute right
thing to do. But the fact that he's still able
to walk the streets without actually actually going behind behind
(59:24):
bars for something as awful as what he did is
to my mind, absolutely disgusting. So it's a horrible way
to end this hen this podcast, but I think it
needs to be to be marked upon that. You know,
we've got to call this kind of hypocrisy when when
we see it, because money should not be able to
buy you the way out of this the way it
hasn't for this girl's mother. You know, they both should
(59:45):
absolutely be doing time for this to my mind anyway,
And this bloke, whilst his career is over and rightly so,
he's out and about, he's doing this thing. How long
is it before we see him in the Mexican leagues?
Maybe NPB, You know, I I don't know. I don't
know what it would take to get into those countries.
But it's just not right. Something doesn't feel just here.
(01:00:07):
This feels just feels icky, and I really don't like it.
Speaker 1 (01:00:10):
Yeah, it's not the first, and I fear it won't
be the last time that things like this happen, where yeah,
guys who are rich and powerful kind of get away
with stuff that they shouldn't tell us all the time
in many ways. But yeah, like you say, unpleasant given
what came out during that trial, that he is possibly
going to be able to walk away scot free. And
I'm sure he's just so our taste in the mouth
(01:00:32):
of anyone who has been following him or the rais
or this story. So not a pleasant way for it
to end.
Speaker 2 (01:00:37):
Or this podcast, not a pleasant way for it to end.
Speaker 3 (01:00:39):
But anyone got a fun behind the cloak of anonymity,
just you know, they just just made it had more heft, mate,
or the.
Speaker 2 (01:00:50):
Fact that you can't see my angry face.
Speaker 3 (01:00:52):
Yeah, you know, we just you know, you did this
in like a black thing that just had a camera
that wasn't working on it. So yeah, I enjoyed serious job.
They're rarely viewed serious role.
Speaker 2 (01:01:07):
You know, it's not viewed this time.
Speaker 3 (01:01:09):
Things have got quite quite difficult if we're getting a
serious rob No, you're completely right, mate, and absolutely spot
on that we should pin that down. Well.
Speaker 1 (01:01:21):
I end on a slightly lighter note in that there
is some great content going on to our website and
that people should check it out as usual. In the
last few days, we've had some articles on the globalization
of Major League Baseball when markets lym, which is a
great read. We've got a really fun article about cal
Rally by Carl Taylor that folks should go to and
check out. And I know that Brett and the editorial
(01:01:41):
team and Gave and others are looking for people to
send in submissions for my favorite Player series that has
been the kind of on our feature of the site
for a few years now. I think all of us
on this court we've probably written an article contributing to
that at various points, but It is a fun way
to just show off your fandom. So do get in
touch with us on the social channels and we will
put you in touch with the right people to get
(01:02:02):
your writing into the right place. So yeah, make sure
to do that. So I think that's it for us.
We will be back again very soon, I imagine, to
discuss everything else happening in the world baseball between now
and the All Star break and the trade deadline, which
we'll be back for, and maybe to discuss any of
the yeah news that comes out around that. It might
be a Hackney event, which we're very much.
Speaker 3 (01:02:23):
Looking forward to.
Speaker 1 (01:02:24):
Thanks very much, John, Thanks very much, Rob behind the camera,
and we will see you guys very soon.
Speaker 3 (01:02:30):
Much Tampa or Chicago, the cat for your interference, Bye soon,
Bye bye.