Five and Dive, Episode 298: Patrick Remembers the 90s

In Episode 298, Patrick and Craig discuss five mostly baseball topics.

1. The Least Perfect Game: Domingo Germán threw a perfect game against the Athletics.
2. Because We're a Mets Podcast: Steven Cohen held a press conference.
3. All's Well for Boswell: Craig read a Washington Post column.
4. Hey Now, You're an All-Star: We are obligated to do at least one ASG segment.
5. Possibly the most disastrous game yet.

Five and Dive is listener-supported, you can join our Patreon at patreon.com/fiveanddive. If you want to get in contact with the show, the e-mail address is [e-mail].



Our theme tune is by Jawn Stockton. You can listen to him on Spotify and Apple Music

Spotify: http://bit.ly/JawnStockton_Spotify
Apple Music: http://bit.ly/JawnStockton_AM

Episode Transcript

(00:10):
Welcome to episode of two five anddive. It is Tuesday, June twentieth.
I'm your host, Jeffie pattern Ostrowith me this week. He's back,
Folks. Editor in chief of BaseballPerspectives, Craig Goldstein, Craig,
you've had You've had a month off. We got a lot, we got
a lot to catch up on,we got a podcast to do. But

(00:32):
yeah, I'm a very important questionfor you. First, do you know
anywhere I can get decorative household itemsfor daily use? I might have seen
a few places, Um, Idon't know if they're real. I don't.
I don't. I don't. Idon't get these. I don't get
these. I don't get the Tshirt. I guess I'm just not online

(00:54):
enough. I'm not enough of apower user of Twitter. Like I thought
you were saying, what you don'tunderstand them? You literally understand them.
These ads on Twitter. My adshave all been like we need to save
John Tester's Senate seat, probably becauseI live in Utah. Yeah it's Montana,
but I live in you. Thealgorithm is still yeah, the geo

(01:15):
location that, um, well,well, so I would say I've spent
the entirety of my my time onso I don't get them. I use
tweet deck on web, but onmy phone I use the Twitter app,
and so I get these. AndI would say the last several years,
I have just said I don't likethis ad to every single ad I've come

(01:37):
across, in the hopes that theywill serve me fewer ads I have not.
I have not know it has It'snot how it works, but you
know, just it's something to do. UM. I know there are people
who have blocked ads from day one, like just blocked every app that they've
seen. Um, but lately Twitterhas been just serving. It's legitimately like

(02:00):
every third post is a promoted postby somebody, and the vast majority of
them I'm getting are I have ascreenshot in front of me. Yeah,
bin Co, the Barras Store,Zano Store, Whisto store, both too
Underscore Io, the Kozoo shop andall of it. It's just like TGI

(02:23):
Friday having like seven hundred ghost kitchenson door dash or whatever. Well,
the thing is like all of themare are verified. So like, I'm
sure Twitter the company doesn't get quoteunquote VERI They've paid for verification, so
I'm sure Twitter the company doesn't givea ship like we get their eight dollars.
They're gonna get like caught in aspam filter at some point and who

(02:45):
cares. We got their money.But it is I mean, talk about
damaging the experience, I mean,how much more can you damage the experience
of being on Twitter dot com rightnow? Craig Well, I guess that's
what I would say, is this. You had a place where people logged
on to intentionally receive brain damage,and now you've made that. You've made

(03:07):
the experience of receiving brain for youtab like accidentally once a week, and
now it just pushes me there everyday and it's very oh god, I
have not had that yeah for awhile. But oh we're back. We
are back. Our first topic.It is not Chase Anderson facts, and
not just because Patrick is not onthe show. Chase Anderson lost over the

(03:29):
weekend. So per per Patrick's rule, he got and he got knocked around
by the by atlant a little bit. So I was keeping an eye on
the game and he left down sevento five, and I looked in the
top half of the next day andthey had like first and third one out
the Rockies. I'm like you motherfuckers, don't you dare? This is what
they live to do. Yeah,so I'm where Chase Anderson Facts. I

(03:53):
what's what's the meme where it's likeChase Anderson Facts were an experiment by the
CIA it has now run its courseor whatever. They say that sometimes putting
constraints on you can increase your creativityand prove your content. I don't know
if that happened with Chase Anderson Facts. I will leave it to our listeners
instead. Our first topic flyover Country. This used to be Central Planning,

(04:17):
So we're talking about the Central Divisions. I feel like this is a better,
maybe more accurately reflects our feelings andthe Central divisions and talking about the
Central Division not not the country.We'd rather we'd rather not be, you
know, we'd rather just be stoppingoff in the Cincinnati airport than talking about
the Cincinnati Reds. That's where we'llstart, because the Reds are on fire.

(04:40):
Craig I put in here, baseballhas no honor because it is morally
wrong, and the Reds are goodafter all, the ship their owner is
said over the last two years tome, it's true. And there's three
games over five hundred. We mayneed be on a little strong with good.
But they've won like nine in arow and in the central and l
central. That's gonna it's gonna getyou there. That takes you from like

(05:01):
fourth to first. Yes, itdoes. I agree. Um, in
terms of it having no honor afterthe Castellini's comments, I think it is.
I don't want to say proof becauseI don't. I don't know if
you think this is going to reallylast order. They're fun team, can
we get there frisky? Fair enough? Um? I think they're really fun

(05:25):
team. I think they're a teamyou don't really want to face. Generally.
Now, I say that they arethrowing Ben Lively there, and while
that is interesting and maybe fun,it is not not in a good sense.
I mean, let's let's see thePirates. Just through Osvaldo Beto has

(05:46):
made like ten starts for the Brewers, I believe. Also pitching today possibly
yes, yesterday, Colin Ray today, Yeah, No, it's not good.
I mean the situation in general,with all these control kind of pitching
staffs. Some of the cubs arelike mostly healthy. I think they're just
not good in the pitching. Imean, Stroman has been very good but

(06:08):
just fine too. Steel has beengood, but tie On has has not
been good. I think he's beena little banged up as he usually is
as yeah, right, um,but the Reds, I mean, look,
the Reds. I give them crediton a couple of things. One
is as bad as those comments werefrom Castellini, and I think as bad
as some of the trades that theydid early on in their kind of deconstruction

(06:32):
of the prior team were that wetalked about it at the time that the
trade starting with like the Louis Castillodeal, the Tyler Molly trade, steers
already up in Carnassi and Strand mightbe up soon. Although right, um,

(06:54):
but but yeah, in Carnassian strandsshould be up soon. I mean,
like those deals, I think theyabsolutely rushed. I mean, what
what what can you say about Ellieday La Cruz. He's he's phenomenal and
they've they've gotten a number of firstround picks that they're reaping the benefits of
the Yeah, I don't know JonathanJohnathan India looks most of the way back

(07:16):
to his rookie year for he's notquite there. But I don't I don't
think McLane is this good, butI don't think he's as good. But
he's hit. I mean he's hearing, he's hitting. Yep, Um,
you're you're gonna. I mean no, Alvi Marte is at Triple A.
Now I think they know did theypromote him for some reason? I thought
he was maybe promoted, but he'snot far off. Um, No,

(07:41):
I'm wrong. He's at double Chattanooga. He's sit in two ninety three,
three sixty six for eighty four atChattanooga. Um, but you know they
have they have a number of guyslike you said, and like when this
stuff happened, if they're like,you know, Jake Fraley has a one
ten ops plus. T J.Furdell is a one twenty ops plus,
I think the things kind of alittle too. When you're a little frisky,

(08:01):
as it were, you know,you get these it is it is.
But I would also say, like, look, they've they've they've made
the moves to promote guys like yousaid, Steers here, McLean there here,
like Dalla cruz is here, AndrewAbbott and all three of those they
called up sort of in between thewindow, right, they can't get the
draft picks, and they called themup before they'd be able to retain Rockie

(08:24):
eligibility for next year. That's thespot that that's a soft spot for promotions
if you're a team that's maybe youknow, yes, and some of this,
to your point is is you're justgetting Andrew Abbott has thrown seventeen and
two thirds and he's without allowing arun. Yeah. He also has struck
out twelfth and walked nine. Right, Yeah, he's gonna allow some runs.

(08:46):
Yes, he isn't really outside ofthe you know, he's a good
pitching prospect, nut me wrong,but really outside of the Kaki ball in
the Southern League, he has notbeen like he was. He was good,
he was good in trouble. There'sthere are some changes to the spin
rate and Vaa Kerry and he's likethat when he had to use. But
he's a good pitching pro He's agood pitching prospect. Uh. Coming into

(09:09):
the season, you know, IWill Ashcraft looked like he had found some
Graham Ashcraft has hurt not so greenas Hurt Luke, Luke Weaver, Ben
Lively and Brandon Williamson are all startingfor them right now. So I don't
know. Nick Nicolo Dolo last Yeah, Um, look, I would say
what it is though it's obviously theline up. I mean, let's let's
step but the bullpen. I mean, alexis dis doing a reasonable impression.

(09:37):
He's not the same. But ofhis brother, Buck Farmer has a two
five r Alex young a Diamondbacks.They are good I mean stims. They
are good at Derek Johnson's pretty goodat his job, and they've had good
pitching development. They've been able topull relievers. Um, yes, even

(10:01):
since was the reclamation. You know, Ian Gibou people have liked for a
long time. You know, youlook at all the teams that have picked
him up. It's like the teamsthat think they can make something at him.
He's got a three four r Aand thirty four innis. I would
say the concern is, as toyour point, Weaver Lively Williamson, the
lowest r A among them is fouroh seven. Yeah, um, Weavers

(10:26):
at six four, Brandon Williamson's atfive four. I know this is not
the event their their fips are allbad, yes, I mean the advanced
that you know, like, noneof these guys are are liked by this
again, Uh, you know,Andrew Abbott has zero RA A fips three
four five. That's fine. Ithink Andrew Abbott's pretty good. Ben Lively
has the lowest to run for nineof that group and it's one point seven.

(10:50):
But yeah, they've been, they'vebeen, you know, they've been
coming down staff. Yeah, yeah, I sum they're gonna you're gonna get
those nineteen ninety eight Yank Hees RedSox games, which it's always it's always
the music. Look, I don'tso I'm two minds. I don't think
they're this good. Yeah, Istill think they can win division because it's

(11:11):
the end of Yeah, well,because who was any better? Right?
The Brewers? Just on the central? So just on the central. I
want to ask you who would youlike to be in the central right now?
I think it's still the Brewers,just because it feels like I looked
at this because it felt like,oh they're they're two games over five hundred.
They must be playing a little underunder their head right now and not

(11:37):
really like a little bit here andthere. Like you you expect Corbyn Burns
to be better than he than heis. He's probably the big one,
but some of it just feels,yeah, he got knocked around last night.
It's just and like again he's beenOkay, it's like a mid threes
ZR. Right, um, Iguess the high three R right now.
But yeah, he's not like everyone'sjust like Christian Yellows has been the best

(12:01):
hit around this team. I wasgonna say, is this slugging. He's
slugging four forty, which for himis is a lot nine home runs He's
on like a twenty ish home runpays obviously still walking a lot too.
Uh. William and Trash has beengood. But then like the guys you'd
expect to be ten to fifteen percentbetter than the average, you know,

(12:24):
reality tiles, William Dams, BrianAnderson probably even you would have hoped that
where Ryan Anderson should be. Right, Yeah, I mean he's been the
best thing he's been out of theaverage hedder um, they just haven't.
Yeah, I mean, okay,I take that back. They have an
eighty six ops plus as a team. I have found it's not good.
Owen Miller is like hitting clean upfairly off. Yes, I see Jonathan

(12:48):
Judge's tweets about it. It's notideal. Yeah. The pitching has been
okay. Wade Miley has been goodwhen he's started. Uh yeah, lower
was so bad they sent him down. Adrian Houser has been okay, he's
having the Adrian Houser season, althoughactually I say that he's striking on five

(13:09):
and a half per nine. That'sexceedingly bad. Wait, Miley, that's
like fine if you're Adrian Houser,it's a problem. Yeah, I think
I still depth. I mean,I believe Ron has a one s eight
for them, and like they're notin the lead in the division. That's
like I would say I would ratherbe the Brewers because I think the lineup

(13:33):
regression over the balance of the seasonfor the boat for both teams is going
to favor the Brewers. I guessit's my short answer is I'm going off.
Is Brandan Woodruff coming back at anypoint? I thought he had a
setback fairly recently, but he's throwinga bullpen Saturday, So that's three four

(13:56):
weeks if everything. Yeah, itis a setback, said initially targeting late
June. Yeah, so that's obviouslynot happening. Yeah, yeah, I
think. I mean, look,I say the rulers also, I think
they're the pitching staff. They're justthe red It's not like you can look

(14:18):
at them against one like the Diamondbacksor the Rangers you know, who are
probably surprised division leaders that have bankspretty big leads. At this point.
It's it's hal to have game.Yeah, I agree, I agree.
You know, if someone said theReds, I don't think they'd be crazy.
No, I don't because again andthe rest of them all without buy
right, the Reds. You know, the Reds could get to eighty four

(14:39):
wins like that, then that mightbe enough. Here's a question. Yeah,
or the Reds adding at the deadlineif they had the pieces to do
it. You kind of have towrite they might need some of them,
um, like they might need ConnorPhillips in that rotation at some point.
Well, I mean the question islike, do you trade for some I

(15:00):
mean, ideally you trade for someonewho's not a rental. Of course,
you traded your non rentals. Imean, this is Castillo and Molly,
we're one plus guys. But yougo and get Jilio. Well, Gelido's
a rental and he's not gonna costmuch. Right, it is the other
thing you might actually for that park. But maybe the question is sure,

(15:24):
Um again, we're not in asituation one. Here's probably not getting burns
in division. Ninety percent of theA L is still in some sort of
race, either the wild card orthe AL Central. Yeah, it's gonna
be a real seller's market in thesense that there will be no sellers.

(15:45):
Yeah, and a lot of likewho you don't want anything from the Royals,
You don't really want anything from theA's, you don't really want anything
from the well. I guess Iwas thinking maybe Edwardo Rodriguez. Yeah,
he's a rental it's a weird contract. Yeah, um again, not a
great fit for that ballpark. Butno, but he's at least in like

(16:08):
the low forties on his grand ballpercentage. Yeah, I don't know.
It's a it's a tough spot.Yeah, I yeah, I don't know.
I mean, we're talking about Giolitoand and cease. But Rick Hahn,
if we can switch the sale issaying they're not sellers exactly. I
mean, like, I don't they'reThey're not a good team. They're five

(16:32):
and a half out. They're infourth, right, are they? They
are? They are sure not asingle team in this division in the AL
is over five hundred. I know. That's why I put the question in
the can the Twins. I'm gonnapick the Twins. It could be the
Guardians two if you prefer. Ithink I suffer the Twins. Can the
Twins win this division will being underfive hundred? Yes, all of these

(16:56):
teams are not good. Look,I think the Twins are. I think
the Twins are better than five atthe end of the year. I don't
think it has to be by alot. I think they're better than five
hundred team at the end of theyear. I don't know that I can
say the same for anyone else here. I honestly think the White Socks are
maybe the second best team in thatdivision. Sure, I understand, I

(17:18):
know they're bad. I know theyare. I know, But tell me
who else isn't bad. I mean, like the Guardians. I understand the
way the Guardians built themselves and workedlast year, but like it's not they
finally called up bow Naylor. Maybethey'll get some offense. I know they
had a nice little bit of offenseagainst the Diamondbacks, like right after he

(17:41):
came up. Wasn't due to him, um, but like this this has
been like there, Stephen Kwon hadhad a tremendous rookie year, he's a
guy. That's to say that thisis, this is not an unreasonable version
of him. I mean, likehe's under what I thought he was going

(18:03):
to pass back, But honest,did you not think he was going to
be overly average offense? If not, yeah, maybe more he's under right
now, is why I'm saying that. But this is right. The wall
crate is good, so yeah,it's like but but he's not like he
walked. He's not one Soto.He walks around ten percent of the time.

(18:25):
So he does need to hit,which is which is good, which
is about that, but he needsto hit a little bit. He's not
gonna for a lot of power.Yeah, I think this is this is
the shape of of I think whatyou expected. I think it's a little
bit lower, but it's the samekind of idea. Yeah. And and
he again, he was tremendous lastyear. He's still a good, good
player, still very good defender inleft field. But I think you run

(18:49):
into an issue when was built onthis content. Has got off to an
awful start and has been better recently. He's working his way back. Zario
has been dad. Yeah, he'shaving I mean, maybe'll the second half
to go with the Ama Jsario firsthalf. But Josh Belli is slugging three
seventy three. Yeah, Jose Ramiresis having the Jose Ramires season. Jose

(19:14):
Jose Ramires is incredible. Yeah,yeah, I again and Josh Nillers,
like they called up Logan Allen andTenor Baby who have probably only been okay,
but for guys just making their majorleagues solid. Better again, better
than like whatever the vac plisak andno I was gonna say, like better
than like Zach Plesac and Hunter Gauds. You might see, might see Gavin

(19:40):
Williams at some point too with andand look they've also had to the Live
call them on their farm a lot. I mean, Peyton Battonfield is hurt,
but they had turned to him.Xavian Curry is doing quite well in
the in the pen, yeah bullpen. I know he's kind of a mop
up guy. Yeah, the one'sbeen twelve games with zero saves, but
he's been good. You know,those are valuable innings. So Christin McKenzie

(20:02):
has elbow inflammation, which is nota right. He just came back,
right, I mean now he justwent no, he had elbow, He's
going He went back on the IL. They just had an MR. Right,
that's what I mean. He cameback and it's now back on the
IL. Right. I mean,look they they they have or sorry,
they sent down James Karen Jack.He's got a three nine R. I
know he hasn't been good, butthat's like we'll get to it. But

(20:25):
you know, the Dodgers were freakingkill you know yea for something like that,
and they're sending them down and theyshould because they have much better They
have better options up and down thisthis bullpen um. So I mean,
I think that's a real strength.I really I liked Hanner Baby. He
looked really good his first few starts. I think he's gonna be very good.
Um. I mean they might tradeShane Bieber at the deadline, even

(20:47):
if they're like recently well so that'sa question. I mean, like how
how do you make that work?This kind of that is the kind of
like two step move that they tendto do where it's like we're selling,
but we're not selling. Trade tradeShane Bieber. Call up Gavin Williams and
see, see, yeah, Idon't know what are you getting for Shane
Bieber? Who's training for Shane Bieber. I don't know, maybe literally the

(21:08):
Reds. The Reds, yeah,but I don't know what you get for
them. I mean, he stoppedlike I would be worried about him,
just like completely having stopped missing batsthis year. I know he's oh yeah,
I mean it's six and a halfstrikeouts for nine. It's like it's
a real concern. But he alsokind of just like does he He's he's
kind of doing the Zach Granky thingwhere it's like degradation, but also it

(21:30):
doesn't seem to affect him that much, you know what I mean. I
think the stunning part on Shane Bieberis he's twenty eight. I easily would
have gone no, I would havegone thirty. I don't thirty one.
I don't know. So the problemis, uh, he's like the same
picture as Corey Kluber basically, soyou just you just see if it's one

(21:53):
long, it's like it's like he'slike it's just a doctor Hugh regeneration of
Corey Clue very basically they say whenthey traded him and they thrown him in
a lab. Uh yeah, no, it's it's tough. I do you
do you think it's defensible for Rickonnot not to sell. No, okay,

(22:18):
it's just not like they. Imean, I don't know if rick
Coon should be the person doing thenext retool rebuild. But fair fair,
we have a couple of most compellingreason to sell is that no one else
is sell. Yeah. I thinkthat is the most compelling because again I
don't think they're five and a halfback and that is not noting at this
stage and in the season, it'sit's quite a bit. They also just

(22:41):
like the level of underperformance, it'sreasonable to assume it's going to continue.
But like they have, they havea lot of upside in there. We've
seen the downside, right, Imean that's my argument. But to your
point about banking things, you've bankedall of the ship. I mean,
like it's part of your I mean, so here's the thing. As has
become a popular refrain on metch Twitterabout the Mats, I think it applies

(23:03):
to the White Sox as well.They don't have the juice, Craig.
I think that's fair. They don'thave the juice. I think that's fair
and it's absolutely fair. And Ithink I think the most compelling reason to
sell is you're gonna be the You'regonna be the team with the this everybody.
Yeah, well, so this isthe part where I get hung up.

(23:26):
Every everyone's looking for all this shit, and it's like, the White
Sox can sell. The White Soxhave so much to sell. And then
it's like, wait a minute,why the fuck are they selling if they've
got all these Valley to pieces.I know, because they suck is the
reason. Because they don't have thejuice. You're right that that's the answer.
It's just you know what I mean. It's like I go through and

(23:48):
I'm like, wait a minute,Wait a minute. They can they can
literally trade like ten plus people offthis roster. Why are they selling?
What will the least Robert get?Right now? Oh man, I'm not
saying they should do it? Well? Who okay, I mean he's on
the deal. What what which isit's it's it's gonna be worth it,

(24:14):
even if he's kind of yeah,he's got a one twenty nine ops plus
right now, he said eighteen homeruns. He's gonna go like he doesn't
steal, but he's not still anymore. He's a good defensive center fielder,
good defensive center fielder. Who's who'sGod? I mean like the Dodgers again

(24:37):
need it. I mean like theydon't need that, they really need arms,
but like they need a center fielderJames Altman is what. We'll check
it on the Dodgers later, wewill, um. I mean, you
know, like arguably Houston should bein a you know, constantly or they
started Jake Myers and Chas McCormick lastnight, yeah and got yeah Land,

(25:06):
Yes, that is not. Thatis not. I mean, like Bater,
the Yankees could probably use it,you know another I don't know the
Yankees have the pieces to get himat this point. It's the problem Dodgers
obviously do. The Marlins. Yeah, the Marlins, as you messaged me
last night, Jeffrey, eleven overfive hundred. That is the least real

(25:29):
of any of the not real thingsat this point in the season. But
the Phillies. I wouldn't point outthe Marlins. The Marlins won like whatever.
They played the Nats, right,they want like eleven nothing or something?
Uh, they hate played the BlueJay they beat up on who had
been good. So I see that. I see that box score? Oh,

(25:52):
I wondered, like, well,not even that, I'm like,
oh, did like lizardo have agood start. Did Jerry Peed's show for
five eggs or something Bryan Hone withthe Juascar Brazavon behind him, Yes,
yes, yes, yeah, yeah, it's completely completely think uh, I

(26:15):
mean honestly, like it's like theBrewers should I mean desperately need him that
I not they have the I don'tknow if you can trade Mitchell or Brayle
or none. And if you're theWhite Sox, why are you going for
that? Right? Like? Imean that's Craig he has I writes two
twenty seven and a half left onthat deal with two twenty million dollar team

(26:37):
options, it's worth a lot.Well so okay, so twenty five you're
paying for like twenty six to twentynine. So what are the Padres trading
Jackson Merril and Trent Grisham for him? I don't think that's enough. Well
I'm spitballing off the top of myhead. You can make this kind of
like but who is that needs help? Is what I'm saying? Like,

(27:02):
right, I mean it's fine,I mean just trade like who who are
the best farms? Right now?I mean it's like Sinces Orioles, Okay,
I mean Orioles can put them incenter and move Mullins too a corner
because they need to. They've beenplaying like yeah, I mean I m
right field, so yeah, sure, yeah, okay, sure, before

(27:23):
you trade, you're trading for Robert, you can trade Cowser, you can
trade. Uh, let's scope out. Okay, Cowser's like obviously in it
if. I mean, I cantell you they have like ten percent of
the mid season fifty draft, right, Okay, So okay, so Cowser's
in it. Cowser then, becauseyou're acquiring Robert, So okay, fine,

(27:44):
Cowser's in it. Here Stad,they could use a left handed That's
what I was gonna ask. Yeah, they don't. That's two outfield bats
now, Norby Sad the first facenow basically, but yeah, Norby Westberg,
Kobe Mayo, Kobe right, I'myeah, and they have all bats,
which is like what everyone wants.Yeah, I mean that might be

(28:06):
it. He's on the kind ofdeal that they I mean, I think
you you Cowser, Kerstad, andhow many of these guys leave the Orioles
development system and crater immediately. Ithink a lot of this man. You
put Colton Cowser in that stadium.Yeah, That's the other thing too,
is like Cowsar and Kirstad are basicallymajor. Like ready, So if you're

(28:26):
the White Sox and you don't wantto do a full reveo, you went
and got Westburg too, I mean, you could plug him in somewhere.
Yeah, I mean, honestly,you could trade. I mean, if
they're not going to do Westberg,you could do Artis. If you're going
to trade Tim Anderson, I mean, if you're trading Louis Robert, you're
trading Tim Anderson. Yeah, maybeyou go get Joey Ortiz to play short
stuff. I don't know. Imean maybe, I don't know. Do

(28:49):
if if you're going to do atrade that's not Robert, you want an
arm If you want an arm andthere you find at Kapovitch too. I
mean that's like the one army.I'm pretty good too. No, no,
sure not wasn't I'm saying, buthe's like kind of yeah, I
guess they have what's his name?Who'd they getting that? In the um
the Man scene deal from from theAstros Johnson that yet he was hurt,

(29:15):
he was hurt. He's hurt.Yeah, I think he's still. I
think he's like Tommy John or something. Yeah. Yeah, so all right,
I know we've we've gone long,but I do we do need to
address the last topic here. Arethe Royals actually the worst student brace?
Yes? Did you? I assumeyou saw the uh the tree the tweet
from Lauren in In Yeah, yeah, ye. The worst are like this,

(29:41):
yeah yeah, they're trying to bethis metal. The Royals have this
record because they're just like that.Yeah. It's just I talked about this
with Smith and we did the Royalsprospect Less podcast, and it's just they
didn't actually change anything by just bringingin by just like bumping everybody up in
their front office a step when DaytonMoore left. I so I was,

(30:08):
I was thinking about this relative tothe season fifty list process and things like
that. I don't think it's likea huge spoiler that the top prospects in
baseball right now are Jackson Holiday,James Wood, Junior Caminaro, and Jackson
Surio. I don't think that's athat's a huge spoiler. He's not coming

(30:33):
back, and you look at thoseHow excited are you that the Pirates called
the Henry Davis By the way,I mean, I was, I'm okay
on Henry Dave. I'm fine withHenry Davis. Now he was on the
list, Yes, he was prettyhigh on it, uh and I just
look at him like, man,I like James Wood a lot do.

(30:57):
I really wanted to be putting aNationals hitting prospect than the top five.
That's how I like looking back atlike Bobby Witt, right like we we
as Craig is well aware, talkedover and over and over again about the
order of Bobby Witt, Julio Rodriguezand Adli Rushman and everybody had the that
is the top three basically at thetime for almost like a full year worth

(31:18):
a bliss cycle and Lot's you lookat the failure to launch with Way and
he shows it in flashes obviously.It's just like it's like Julio got off
to a little bit of a slowstart. He's like been up and down
this year as well. Adlie gotoff to a little bit of a slow
start, but basically Mad the Rushmansince and just something didn't click there and

(31:41):
the Royals didn't do anything about it. Because he feels like he's still in
this you know, it's he's twentythree. He is he's twenty three.
It's but it's like a thousand plateappearances now and he hasn't made the it's
been average nine hundred thirty yeah forty, um yeah, I mean his league
average. He he also. Imean, but you see, like he

(32:06):
went twenty and thirty in his rookieseason. I know it's gonna strikeout rate.
It's not awful, like it's notit's it's the walk rate, honestly.
I mean he's got a two eightynine o BP. Yeah, some
of it he's not walking enough.But you know, there's a way you
can make that if he is notbad, right, there's a way you

(32:27):
can make that, make that work. Like he's hitting the ball, he's
got hit for a higher app right, I mean if he's fourteen on his
exits, which is quite good,really really good. Um, like the
Orioles wouldn't make him a superstar,right, there's no real red flags here.
His whiff rates about average, hisswing rates a little higher than average.
It don't contact rate is fine forthe amount of power he hits four

(32:49):
he hits the ball in the air, like, I just don't quite know
what the I'd had to dig ina little bit deeper to know what the
I mean, what the issue is. I mean, the thing he jumped
out to me is he slugged fourto two on fastballs last year. He's
slugging three forty four this year.That's tough. It's again, I don't

(33:14):
know what that look. There werehit two questions on him going back to
the draft. It's one of thereasons he was kind of a not a
great fit for one. One,and he had a weird minor league career
between the pandemic and he was kindof rushed to the miners. But he
hit at every stage he did,so maybe he's on its luck. I
mean, you can have bad luckon contact for a thousand play. De

(33:36):
bands Spencer paricles and basically did,what's the what's what's a concerning chase rate
to you? I would say,I mean it depends on the profile,
but like over thirty five, Iwould say it would be concerning that he
was just under thirty nine last year, he's at thirty six this year.
Yeah, I mean, that's that'ssome of it right there. It's also
I know it's a thousand play.De Brean says he is twenty three.

(33:58):
It's to me, that's not somethingthat can't be sure adjust it. It's
not a given right, but it'sit's not unreasonable. Um. But yeah,
we we spent a lot of timeonly but yes we did. I'm
back. We're back. But now, Craig, we will go to what
the people really want. At leastaccording to ESPN, the Yanks and the

(34:19):
Socks. So the Red Sox sweptthe Yankees over the weekend. They are
now the Yankees have dropped into thelast wild card spot. They're half game
ahead of the Astros, one gameover the Jay's, both of which are
these teams like Man and the Astros. I said, a line up without
your Don Alvaret, Like the besthitter in the lineup outside of Tucker was
Yinerdas he did hit home run offSure their um, but man, Alex

(34:43):
Bregman's not hitting for power. Yeahyeah, kind friend, McCormick and Myers
are all right. It's like they'refine. You're like hitting at the bottom
of your lineup. They're fine tofill out anment, right, You're also
starting Martimalton catchers, so they're nothitting eighth and ninth and yet. But

(35:05):
yeah, the big mister, JosieA. Bray, you has not he's
really he's been better. I'm sayingthis question. I know he like hit
his first home run and then notlong after hit a second home run.
It's up to four. Sure,but I mean Max Shure, he who
has not been like capital m capitalas Max shars or this year. Sure,

(35:27):
I guess that's just what you wouldnormally capitalize forks, but all Caps
max shares are this year. U. Yeah, absolutely carved up that lineup.
Yeah, so Brey has it threehome runs in June two sixty five,
two nine, two four fifty six. Not great, he's having the
sea. Yeah, world's better thanwhat he was, which I mean like

(35:50):
he's got a sixty something rops plusall that, that's a real Their pitching
has been quite good. Obviously ahundred Brown got knocked around last night,
but he's been solid. You know, fran Brevaldez is going to make the
All Star Game again, so theyhave arms. That's not Yeah, if
you want to play, I'm justgoing back to it, right, if
you want to play the arbitrary endpoint game. His last eleven games two

(36:14):
yeah, I picked like a multihit game. Yeah, he's and he's
been you know again, like butthen he's also been over his last eight,
so like whatever, sure, uhyeah, No, the Astros,
I mean you've got you've got theRangers running away, you know what I
mean, They're they're six and ahalf behind the Rangers right now. They're

(36:35):
the Angels are five back. They'rein third place. Yeah, how are
are you? Are you out onthe Astros? I'm not out on them.
Um. I think they'll make theplayoffs. I don't know they're in
the division of this way, butI think they make the playoffs. And
once they get in again, withthat pitching staff in that bullpen, you
know they're gonna you don't want toplay them. But yeah, I mean

(36:57):
they they didn't replace Justin Verlander.No, that line I mean the core,
that lineup course start. Yeah,Hunter Brown, who was a getting
good, but he's not Justin Brlandergood. Not literally the young winner.
You know that Justin Brlander this yearwould be helping. I mean fair enough.
Um, the line up course gettingolder, right, they haven't really,

(37:22):
they mean they refreshed it with Myersand McCormick. You know they really
need another outfielder. Yeah, Imean Tucker was Tuck. Yeah, Tucker's
been and Tucker's very good player,but Doug is very good. You know,
Jemmy jery Pani really is taking anotherstep forward, you know, a
brave. They brought in a braveand then hit. They're still catching moldanato.

(37:45):
This this is an a side?Can I on Tucker? His nickname,
which they use a lot on socialmedia, is King Tuck? Okay?
Is that something I should know?Is that like a it's like King
King tut I assume that is.Yeah, that's not good. That's really
for how often they use it.That's not good. That's not even like

(38:06):
a good play on. I don'tthink that's an intuitive connection. Yeah,
I didn't know if there was.I was like, what's happening? This
is supposed to be in a side. This is not an astrois topic we're
talking about. That's fine. Uh, speed of teams that might have a
problem. The Yankees out Aaron Judgefor a bit, possibly like possibly the
whole season if he needs surgery,Like m M, I think the Yankees

(38:30):
fans are going to burn down stadiumget Coles when they're only good starter.
There's still no sign of Carlos Rodan. I guess he's throwing like live BP
repeatedly had him throw live BP inthe middle of a middle of a yes,
smoky, yes they did yea andanybody hit he hit hit. Willie

(38:50):
Calhoun on the hand, who wassupposed to be like in the lineup is
like clean up hitting it. Whyare you get the clubby out there?
Or something like come on, God, have a lot of random guys right
now, Yankees, like figure itout, Yankees. Fancy fine if you
put like Josh Donaldson up there.Absolutely true, But like Nestor Cortez hasn't

(39:13):
been good least hard and late,you know later in games he's he's like
kind of like a five and diedguy. Yeah see yeah. So Meanwhile,
on the other on the other sideof the Acela corridor, James Paxton
has made like if he had likeseven starts for the Red Sox so so

(39:34):
he is, I'm I'm gonna cribthis from Joshinghan. He is like the
h I think he says like it'sthey're healthy and good or like or healthier,
unavailble or good or unavailable. It'sessentially it's the Eric Badard, isn't
one I always yes, yes,one dent um Yeah, James James bat
you know, Brian Beyo has beenbeen interesting. Uh you know the Red

(39:55):
Sox had had a Paxton pitch yesterdaylook good, Um, well on that
Sunday night game. Yeah, yeah, you know these you know the dude,
we just I thought we decided whenwe went through this kind of early
in the in the year, likethe Red Sox were unavailable to be frisky.
Yes they're not. They're not frisky, but I have a different way

(40:16):
to free like I don't. They'reonly a game behind or a game and
a half behind the Yanks for thelast wild cards. By that wild card
race is going to be I don'tknow if funds the right word, but
I think it's certainly going to beinvolved on the strategy between the between the
Angels and the Astroids. And Ithink I'm still not one hundred percent on

(40:36):
the Orioles maybe fading a little bitback to the thrush of the pack there
in the wild card race either.Um, I think they certainly would be
the the chalk and the favorite tobe the four seed, but I'm not
I'm not entirely convinced yet. Yeah, I mean, look, it's it's
weird. It feels a lot oftimes like the Angels are you still we

(40:58):
got another tungsten arm performing? Wedid you know that from them? Like
we see we see that energy cropup, and it's like the Angels are
not that far behind the Orioles forthe fourth spot. I mean, like
you know, they're they're in agood spot. I keep I know,
early on we talked about the Oriolesschedule, and I keep thinking it's going
to get tougher. I'm not.I think it gets tougher like right after

(41:22):
the or right after the All Starbreak. I think is another tough Fridu
dance for them. And and butalso what's what's what's tough now? Too
well, so totally fair And alsodon't conside that to mean like they're a
product of their schedule. Right,This is a good team. This is
a good team, I speaking ofspeaking of baseball, speaking of baseball having

(41:42):
no honor, Yeah, yeah,I mean I do not buy the pitching.
I think they need to add pitchinglike real, I mean they're yeah,
they probably do need to actually addlike a quality major the bullpens fantastic.
I say pitching, I mean startingpitching. I do I do not
mean to Yeah, throcheting on theirbullpen. But you know, look,
I know, I know we absolutelykilled the Kyle Gibson signs. I mean

(42:09):
it's worked. He's got a threenine four right, like he's been don't
get me wrong. But okay,but you know, Tyler Wells, your
man has been very good. Iguess what I'm saying is you're going into
a into a playoff series. Yeah, I mean, I mean again,
I don't think they particularly Okay,let's let's this is a point if you

(42:31):
roll into a playoff series Orioles versusAstros. Yeah, yea, the problem,
right, that's that's my And look, you take the Orioles line up
over the Astros line up every dayof the week, right now, even
even with your done, even withyour done, right, Yeah, but

(42:54):
I don't know how you I mean, I don't know how you're comfortable.
I'm not. I'm not pretending,right, all of a sudden you have
to like aggressively start using that bullpenand then I don't know, and I'm
not And look, I'm not pretendingthat Kyle Gibson and Tyler Wells and Dean
Kremants show up and beat these guysand like in the in the regular season,

(43:15):
you just throw Austin both for twoand a third in that spot.
You don't really care and you justprotect your pen. But yeah, right,
but you know, look, FelixFatisa is incredible, Young ear Cano
is incredible. You know, DanCologne has been good. Do I think
that works long term? No?But again, like Baker, I think
we actually have to look at theOrioles as a team that can now you

(43:40):
know, do right they acquire theright of them. Yeah, I believe
in then you can. I don'tbelieve. I Look, I've watched Dan
Cologne. I actually thought he cameup with I believe the Dodgers, right,
Yeah, Dodgers are Oakland or something. Um. But he he's always
been interesting. And I'm not sayinghe hasn't earned this, But I I

(44:01):
don't think this is quite real.I you know, I just don't think
this is quite real. Yeah,I'm not. I'm not Cone Bautista,
Baker, Baker. I think this. He's good. I mean, like
he's just good. Um. Andand look, we've talked about this with
the bullpen before, like these results. Cenl Perez was Danny Cologne last year.
Yeah, he's got a five fivera this year, Sun was on,

(44:25):
it was in the major League painafter the trade deadline. Last year
it was not good. So they'veclearly no I know, but it is
like, how sticky is this stuff? How sticky is any reliever performance?
Right? Exactly right? And andsome of that is is just variance and
whatever. But yeah, yeah,I do want to just to your point
about ESPN. I thought it wasfascinating that that players spoke to the fact

(44:49):
that this this was like, whyare we doing? Yeah, I can't
just have like a nice Sunday dinnerwith the family ever now. But again,
this is not nor segments, theYankees and Red Sox segment, Craig.
So my final question to you,taking in the twenty twenty three wild
Card race out of it, wouldyou rather be the Yankees to the Red
Sox for the next three years.I I guess the fact that I'm even

(45:22):
like really trying to think it throughis not a great sign for the Yankees.
I think I'd rather be the Yankees. I feel like fairly confident I'd
rather be the Yankees. I knowAnthony Volba has not been great. I
know Oswell Parraza has been sent down, But you have Garrett Cole. I

(45:45):
do I think Carlos Rodon in thehealthy and you know how good or unavailable
category? Right, Yeah, Ithink Carlos been unavailable a lot. It's
been unavailable a lot. I meanAaron Judge is is top threeish player in
baseball. I mean, sure somepeople will be mad at me he's not

(46:06):
there. But like you have Otani, you have Ronald Una. I don't
know. Um, yeah, Idon't know. I mean, like I
get, I get why you're asking, and I like some of the stuff
the Right Sox have on the way, really like Marcello Meyer. Um,
but like at the major league level, I know they've been okay, but

(46:29):
it feels more cobbled together than soLike, didn't they just move keik Hernandez
off short so they can play PabloReyes Morey? Yes, that is the
thing. And look, I knowthe Yankees have their own problems, and
I understand if that's not a longterm thing, but like, so I
will just say this though, like, yes they have Yerett Cole and Aaron

(46:50):
Judge and that is that will thatwill cover for a multitude of sins.
Right, Basically, you look atthis is Jaron Duran and just good now.
I mean, well, so ifyou look his splits from like months
time, yeah, I know he'snot been great park, but he's been
good again the last week or so. I'm turned Durans major player. And

(47:13):
if you've got an outfield of JaredDuran, alex Or Dugo and Massa,
take Yoshida, yeah I could.Yoshida Hida is very good. You know,
Concess hasn't better recently. You know, Dever isn't having a great season.
But I'm not worried about Rafael Dever. Is that I'm not concerned about
Rafael Devers. That's like a decentcore. I think they might have a

(47:37):
better farm system than Yankees at thispoint. It's a deeper farm system certainly.
Yeah. Yeah, I mean they'vehad some you know, Miguel Bliss,
I think out for the year outof the year, but like Nick
York's had a nice bounce back season. Marcella Myers one of the top fine.

(47:58):
I'm not super he's as a veryvery good defensive center fielder. He's
gonna have a long major league career. I don't know if he's even play
all super impact right to play well, he's playing mostly center field, and
he's just such a good center fielder. I think he's still just played shortstop
from type of time, but he'ssuch a good center fielder. I think
he's just gonna end up there.Um yeah, I mean, Jeff,
like you're saying, he's twenty twoand in two ninety seven, three thirty
seven, four thirty five. Yeah, he would have, like you like

(48:22):
to see, like he didn't reallyconsolidate the power games from last year,
which is again he doesn't have toif he can particularly concerned about Yeah,
five in Portland. Portland's a niceplace to hit for power too, it's
not. And in seventy one gamesat Portland he's like five hundred. He's
at four thirty five this year,but still still um no, I get

(48:45):
it. I just think the startingblocks. So the other. The other
the unspoken question here is it's alsowhich team is going to spend more money
in the same of years. Andthat's unlike they're kind of both of these
teams that both these teams are gonnaneed to fill holes with much that they're
just not gonna be able to fillinternally. Yeah, yeah, I it's
a great question. I on thatspecific I kind of view them in the

(49:08):
same spot front though, right,I mean, like, so, here's
a fun question. I think you'dprobably rather be the Raise than either right
for the next three years. Yeah, I mean, I don't know how
you. Yeah, would you ratherbe the Orioles than them for the next
three years? I mean, II don't know if it was you were

(49:30):
or someone else in the prospect chat, but it was like, the Oriole
are gonna be really good if theydon't fuck this up. I wasn't maybe,
but it was I think I thinkit might have been Jarrett. Yeah,
I mean, I but maybe they'llmaybe they'll distract John Angelos with his
senate his Senate run and God,don't do that for me. Yeah,

(49:51):
I don't know. I I yeah, I don't know. That's tough.
It's hard. It's hard to say. It's hard to say you wouldn't rather
be the Orioles, who are betterin the present and have an abundant farm
system right, and can spend money. They can that they can they can
spend who knows what they will,but they can spend money and not even
be spend. They could spend liketwo million dollars a v players in this

(50:15):
offseason I think it'd be like onehundred million dollars. Yeah, yeah,
so you have to prefer to bethe Orioles. Right on that shocking note,
we'll take a break, come back, catch Craig up, go around
the horn and play a stupid game. Welcome back this episode two ninety five,

(50:52):
A five and dive. Time forour third topic. We're gonna catch
Craig up in a section we're callingthe Craig Jup Craig Jump when how would
you want to uh portmanteau it.I suppose we'll start with your favorite team,
Craig. The Tampa Bay Race continueto dominate the American League East.
They're not even on this list.I know. So I didn't put on

(51:13):
the list. I didn't want totopic. No, I'm just messing with
you. We'll talking about the Dodgers. We're already gone fifteen minutes. I'm
not throwing the race in here,took the Dodgers have been struggling. Yeah,
before you an opportunity leave, Ithink we talked about they would be
the most annoying ninety seven win teamof all time. They are no longer.

(51:34):
They are no longer at a ninetyseven win paste. No not close.
I mean they were rarely they wereoccasionally on that. But when we
would say that, but it wasthe idea was like they figure it out.
They are not figuring. They havenot figured out whatever the opposite of
figuring it out is is what hashappened to them recently. So they have
one of the better offenses in Baba. I think I've had a lot of

(51:57):
pitching. They've had a lot ofpitching injuries obviously, yes, you know,
like they called up Gavin Stone,hasn't been great. They called up
Bobby Miller, who outside of hislast start against Giants again it wasn't even
I mean, it wasn't a goodstart. It wasn't even bad. He
was scoreless for three Indians that therewas some bad not even bad defense,

(52:22):
But like they like, Brandon Crawfordfloated one over a drawn in infield that
would have easily been an out ina normal situation, um like, and
then he gave up a three runhome and the three run Homer's bad.
But it was four and two thirdsfour. It wasn't, you know,
sure, but he's been good.They called up Mitchian who promptly through six
six hitlessening. So they've been ableto fill the gaps in the starting rotation

(52:47):
and like, look, Evan Phillipshas been good. Shelby Millard has been
good. Bruce star gradder All hasbeen Shelby Millard has been good. He's
also walked eighteen and thirty innutes.Sure Brustar Gradel has a two four y
r and has been knocked around franklyright, I mean, as we like

(53:08):
to say this, there's been alot of noisender guarding Michael Grove and the
monitors here, so I mean evenMichael Grove. So, Michael Grove was
awful, awful, awful to startthe year as he pitched like with strap
and recovering from strap, which like, guys, don't make him do that
please, He went on the Il with I think a hip issue.
And he's come back throwing three milesper hour harder you figure that one out

(53:32):
to me, I have no idea. He's like hitting ninety eight, which
was a career high, and hesaid it like five times in his last
two starts. The curve looks reallygood. He just he throws, I
mean like he gives up home runs. The White Sox I think hit four
solo home runs off of him orsomething like that. He's he's that's fine

(53:52):
as a fifth starter, right whatever. I mean, like, I know
he's got an eight R, right, but the version of him that's been
back off the il has been fineas a fifth star. It is the
bullpen, I mean it is VictorGonzalez has a three six R A fine.
But he remember when they were strugglinga bit in like mid April to
mid early May. Maybe I'm I'mballparking the time range, but like early

(54:15):
in the year they were like prettymid yeah, and it was all the
bullpen. I mean, someone wasstarting catching synder Guard has been real obviously
horrible, but it's this bullpen.And then and then like it was like
they all went on paternity lead,yeah, right, Like Evan Phillips went
on pportunity leave, Graderrol went onportunity to leave, and a couple other
guys and Caleb Ferguson maybe and theyall kind of came back and were like

(54:40):
like Phillips has figured it out,and and it's been better since it seems
like a lot of them figured out. Victor Gonzalez was called up from the
minors and was suddenly good in away that Alex Vesia was horrible, Like
all this stuff kind of like fellinto place and they ripped off a really
good run. And now these guysoutside of Phillips are fucking ass again and
they're bad, and you know thereality is like can they figure it out?

(55:04):
I mean, we are Yancy Almonteguys, but like he's got thirty
Indians at this point and half hissliders are backup sliders and the fastball's not
the orioles. Like how much doesthis stuff stick? Dicky? Exactly?
Alex Vesia is horrible. He's givenup. If you're not looking at it,
Jeff, how many hits would youHe's thrown eighteen how many hits like

(55:25):
twenty five or something, thirty four? He's averaging nearly two hits allowed per
any he's striking out twenty nine inthat time. But it's like either they're
missing it or they're it's a basehit. It's like staggering, you know,
I mean like a yeah to me. You look, Gavin Stone came

(55:49):
up and was horrible. Like theycalled up Brian Hudson. I don't know
who that is. Nick Robertson hasstayed on this roster for several for like
a week at least. I don'treally know who that is. They're they're
cycling through Taylor Scott and Wander Swarow, Adam Cleric. I don't know,

(56:13):
as I said, as I saidwhen they were struggling in the bullpen at
that time, call up the entireTulsa rotation to the well, there's only
one guy from the Tulsa rotation.But yeah, yeah, I don't know.
I mean, some of the answerthey have to fix the bullpen,
and I think a lot of thema lot of it there. They are
a very very patient front office.Yep. Well they have age come out

(56:37):
and said that they are going tobe targeting pitching at the deadline, which
yea, Andrew Friedman came down sogood. Good, get on that good.
I mean, yeah, I don'tknow what they're gonna do to get
there. I mean, I somuch has gone you can always but you
can always get relievers to the deadline, right, it's the thing. Yeah,
yeah, I mean, but likeJD. Martinez has been phenomenal.

(57:00):
Uh, you know, I'm shockedkind of that mcguala Vargas has a sis.
I thought it'd be higher. Yeah, it's like a weird one kind
of turned it on for a littlebit, but not like he's out of
time. It's just the quality ofcontact hasn't been great. So I don't
want to go too long on theDodgers. I do. I do want
to ask you, can they catchthe Diamondbacks? Legitimate? What do they

(57:22):
like? They can? But likeyou know, they five back right now?
Six five and a half. Letme look four and a half,
four and a half. Yeah,they can catch the Diamondbacks. I mean
I would. I don't know ifyou're not buying the Giants who have want
in a row. I'm guessing Giantsare three and a half back, Yeah,

(57:43):
not really, and they're they're fine. They're gonna be in and around
the wild card race. But i'dlike to see him call up Kyle Harrison
still a throwing off strikes. Theyprobably should anyone after the mid season list.
I don't care. At this point, we're already we're already putting draftees
on it. I'll just put anotherprep bat on it. You know I
love doing that. Craig, Uh, let's catch you up on some other

(58:06):
stuff. Yeah, I don't knowif you know this Leodi tavirus might be
making the All Star Game. Iknow he's been very good and let me
without without looking before you look,I I typed it and I have not
hit enter. Please guess his currenttrouble slash. Oh god, Okay,
what I'm gonna tell you this isthis. I have retained belief in Leodi

(58:28):
Tabrus. Yeah, I added Ihave. I have an al only league.
I care about that. I addedhim to early in the year,
and when he was like looking interesting, he kind of went into that foul
beard. I stuck with him.I had like, guys, get healthy,
and I cut him and then he'sbeen phenomenal ever since. So I'm
not that's not a credit thing.That's more like a just I'm I'm mad
at myself. Then, um looktwo nine two three forty three or fifty

(59:00):
eight three zero one three, fiftysix four ninety. I really only feel
bad about the slug. I feelI almost went for seventy something on the
slug. Yeah, but I whatI'm within ten on a on an average
in a VP. Yeah. Man, he's hitting for power, he is.
He's hitting the ball hard. Wesaw it. Yeah, Yeah,

(59:25):
it feels good, Craig. That'sall I'm gonna say about that also feels
good being Keller Fellers. Now hedidn't have a couple. He had a
couple of rocky starts in there.Uh, while you're out, but look
number three starter throwing ninety two innings. He's working deep in the games.
Three point six two r a,you know, on paced for like a

(59:45):
four win season or thereabouts. They'vebeen talking. He's just been talking extension.
He's been good all year. Imean, listen, he was someone
I would have said adding into theseason, obvious trade that dying candidate for
for someone to acquire in me.Better. He's on better. We just
had a piece by Daniel Epstein onhim on the site today. He's using

(01:00:06):
like six I think he's got sevenpitches total, uses six to either right
he's or lefties, and he shelvesone of them. Uh he doesn't store
changeups to rights. But yeah,he's just good. It's just good.
Also just good. Maybe not gavea chance to prove it. White Route
Joeydell hit a home run. Yeah, called up for high his first back

(01:00:27):
first of that. Yeah. Iimmediately immediately g Chad, you just we're
back, because we're back. Yeah, we are back. He went one
for three with the walk. Heonly played the one game had a Renfro
came back. Since then, theyhave since he's an option, they have
called up Andrew Velasquez, Michael Stefanik, and now Kevin Padlow. This team
is an old spot all nominally infielders, sure, because they're whether they're down

(01:00:52):
Geo or Sella. Anthony Rendone ishurt shockingly right. I believe he got
hurt and stayed in the game,and I thought that that's not gonna work.
And look the problem, I mean, the actual Taylor Award has been
a little bit better recently. Theactual problem. Yes, you've been you've
been hard on Taylor Award to me, and I will tell you in the
in the month of June, he'sbeen very six. So the very the

(01:01:15):
actual problem here is it's not aproblem for the Angels. It might be
slightly a problem for Joey Dell.Mickey Moniac is hitting three O nine,
three thirty three, six forty two. Is he Jesus Christ? So this
is twenty three games. This isa little soft. He has a twenty
eight to two strikeout to walk ratio. But yes, he has hit a

(01:01:38):
He has hit six home runs intwenty three games well, playing on three
out spots and he's left handed.I don't, I don't. I don't
want to get into it today,but I think in the future we need
to have a segment on who wonthe trade? Where was that moniac from
Marsh? They did a couple weirddeal because it was like sinder Guard or
whatever. But yes, I'm gonnacall it monea Marsh. I think that's

(01:02:00):
a str because the city guard wasa hoppy or was a happy Marsh and
Syndyguard was and he was a hoppy. God. Yeah, I don't remember.
We'll go back in one, butwe should look at it. All
right, that's fine, we cando that, but for now we have
caught Craig up. We will goaround the horn. David Freeze was elected
to the Cardinals Hall of Fame anddeclined the honor. This was weird.

(01:02:25):
It's a little weird. This thiswas so look I my impression of Freeze.
So he put out like this.It's a big multi paragraph statement that
clarified nothing. But it's all likeyou have to read between the one.
So look, David Freeze, likeduring his time in baseball, I talked
about how he had been an alcoholicand reformed himself. And I know the

(01:02:51):
vibe I get. Maybe I'm wrong, but the vibe I'm getting is that
like as a as a person,like off the field, he didn't love
that time in his life. Iknow he maybe there was like a social
anxiety aspect to some of it aswell. He's from Saint Louis. I
think there was like a lot ofhe felt a lot of pressure and that
was like related to the to thedrinking and all this kind of stuff.

(01:03:15):
And I think maybe he just doesn'twant that commemorated to some To the sense
I got, I'm like armchair,so you know, but that was was
that the sense you got? Idon't know. It was just a very
again it's it's even his rights,decline the honor or whatever. It just
does seem like and again I don't, I'm not in his headspace, whatever

(01:03:39):
that may be. It's just itjust was. It's very surprised, very
weird. Yeah, and also Ithink like pretty pretty much earned. I
know he's more than just that.Yeah, he's a great He was on
the Dodgers as a as a likea bench pat. He's not I mean,

(01:03:59):
and in I know clutch like doesn'texist to a lot of people,
like, dude, came up bigand big moments. Ye, speaking of
coming up big and big moments onTwitter dot com, Brett Rooker, yeah,
god, bless God, bless somebodylike whatever, I assume every major
league players mentions on Twitter are trashfire generally speaking. And look, the

(01:04:27):
A's have not been good. BrettRooker has been Like, look he's been
he's better than expected of late.He's cooled off. He's cooled off a
little bit, but he's hitting twofifty five, three fifty six, four
ninety one, which in that part'sgood for one forty two ops plus.
Like again, he had a sixsixteen opsmm and a seven forty six ops
in June, which three is fine. He's cool up, but he's now
about where you'd think, like whatthe good Brett Rooker season would look like,

(01:04:50):
I would say, And somebody gotinto his mention and basically told him
he shouldn't swing at pitches two feetout of the strike zone and he,
I mean, solid advice and hebasically applied with with with thanks, bide,
I'll keep that in mind, likeand then it got a little ficier
after that, and he just keptgoing in. I said, as I

(01:05:12):
said, look, I think we'vecome a long way from like the Logan
Morrison days of like an athlete onTwitter. Yeah, um, you know
Brent Rooker of all the guys toshit on just like it's like it's like
you don't and then like him,he criticized the guy's lack of punctuation,
which is fine, It's Twitter,that's what you do. Yeah. Absolutely,

(01:05:36):
look, I know, yeah,he's been going through it a little
bit. May was particularly rough.Yeah. Um, also one of absolutely
one of the better players on thisteam. I know why you'd go after
him and and like a surprise betterplayer, not like someone you'd be like,
oh, this guy was supposed tobe amazing and he's been in the

(01:05:56):
disappointment or whatever. I mean,like, yeah, okay, good for
him. I hope, you know, I hope he doesn't get those replies,
but if he does, I hopehe keeps doing this. I do
I do need to say. Bythe way, David Freeze his last year
in the majors twenty nineteen with theDodgers three fifteen four three five ninety nine
at age three, and called ita career. Yeah, it was heavily

(01:06:19):
platoons that kind of stuff. Butwhatever, all right, Craig, I
have a game. Okay, itis the seven hundred cloud. Oh fuck,
right off the bat, Right offthe bat. I didn't think I'm
actually running out of guys to findweird MVP votes at this point, sound

(01:06:42):
without like I do way back inthere, and I do you need to
ask? Did you? And didyou? And Patrick discuss Immaculate Grid?
Are you in on Immaculate Grid?I like Immaculate Grid? I do me
too. I enjoyed it. Igot, really who did I? I
messed up one on this morning,so I got really mad about it.

(01:07:02):
Was like, how did that comethis morning? I got? I got?
I got the full rid this morning. I'm trying to remember who I
picked. I'm like, was itthe Diamondbacks? Everyone's been mad about the
Diamondbacks being included, so someone saythey're a team of NBC's I did.
Should generally remember the time because theyall pay for other people. It wasn't
the diamond Back match. One waseasy. I think it was the whould

(01:07:23):
you do for diamond Backs? Smiths? Uh, Mike Jacobs. I don't
know why. It was the firstone. That came to mind. My
cheak coat, my cheek coade isTyler Clippers too. I definitely did la
Troy Hawkins or like it was inMinnesota, Colorado, Minnesota. Yeah,
yeah, that was like the firstI like justin Moore. Now obviously there's
been others too, but like justso Patrick, Patrick imposes a secondary rule,

(01:07:46):
so try not to try not toget the most popular. Yeah pick
so I picked more No, butit was it was not unique, as
he says. Anyway, anyway,the seven hundred club, are you ready?
You know the rules? Yeah,I'm ready to go for some of
their career ops is over or underseven hundred. We start with Niger Morgan.

(01:08:11):
Oh, it's gotta be under NigerMorgan two eighty two, three forty
three, three sixty six for asteven oh eight Oh yes, come on,
dizzy really yes? Seven to eight? Wow? Wow? Yeah,
that's right back, right back intothe right, back into the mixer.

(01:08:33):
Craig, right back at it,Jeffrey, I don't this is a podcast
people can see, but you cansee my reaction. I'm like staring this
like, I'm you're very confident.I you thought I was starting you out
with an easy one, and yeah, I thought there was no way.
Am I confusing? Who was telike te plush or whatever? Was that

(01:08:56):
Niger Morgan? Okay, I'm I'mstunned. I'm absolutely stunned. Well,
we'll try to get you back tofive hundred. Jeff Keppinger, oh I,
Jeff Keppinger was like a guy infantasy. I thought was like like
a good patch guy in fantasy.You know, he played kind of all

(01:09:19):
over no e was it for anaverage but no power? Oh? I
kind of I like, I'm gonnago over two eighty two, three twenty
nine, three eighty four for aseven fourteen ops. Yes, when you
said three twenty nine, I thoughtit's over. He's not making it.
Okay, huge, huge, We'reone, and what's good. He was

(01:09:41):
the guy that they also like never. He was like the first guy the
Rays are just like, yeah,we're never. We're just gonna hard platoon
him. It's great. He's gonnahit like three ten had platoon him.
Yeah, yeah, he was likethat. Is it wrong to say he's
like a proto Harold Ramirez? It'slike rude to Harold Ramirez a little all
right now, as I think,Yeah, but okay, Jerry Hairston,

(01:10:02):
Oh man, I assume junior.Yes, okay, I mean because look
Jerry played. Yeah, yesh,yes, yes, I gotta go Underwent
four three sixty eight for a sixninety two. Oh god, I was
trying to do the math in myhead and said, I'm like, did

(01:10:24):
I get there? No? Oh, Craig is, Craig is two and
one? Craig, might you gottalive in large for play for play.
I'm high on the hug Logan Forsyth, Oh god, we are. We
are remembering some guys. Logan Forsyth. I think he had those good years

(01:10:47):
with Tampa, traded the daughters.He's kind of I gotta go. I'm
gonna go. Logan Forsyth two fortyfour, three twenty six, three sixty
nine for a six five. Ohokay close, And I thought, okay,
two and two, that's fine,all right. Alberto Kayaspo. Oh

(01:11:09):
wow, we're scratching some very particularparts of my brain right now. Alberto
ka Uh played in Oakland for awhile, right, he played. He
played everywhere. Say he's another guyfor Immaculate Brand. He really did play.
Um, I gotta go under Albertokap T sixty five three twenty nine,

(01:11:32):
three sixty four for A six ninetythree. Oh okay, we're three
and two. We're in play two. You are so this this one.
I don't know if he's done.I don't know if this one's locked,
but as of as of recording MikeMike Zannino recently, Yes, oh man,

(01:11:54):
that's fuck. What a weird fuckingcareer. It's like it's like five
ninety five, ninety five, ninetysix, thirty nine thirty you know what
I mean? Yea, oh fuckme um, I'm gonna go over,
okay, one ninety nine, twoseventy one, I'm sorry, two seventy

(01:12:21):
one, two seventy one, yousay, two seventy one, four h
six for six seventy six oz.Not even close. It's not even close.
It's pretty close. Five the one, all right, I was you
know, I don't want to belaborit too much, Like I know it

(01:12:42):
was so bad, but I thoughtthe good years might have been good enough,
you know what I mean, Likeit's seven oh one kind of shit,
all right, Craig, this isthis is, This is for all
the marbles, or you might say, for all the mattresses. F.
P. Santangelo Oh my god.I think we maybe mentioned his career opia,
you know, because they they theysaid we're gonna give you a discount

(01:13:08):
based on it was his batting averagethough, they were like, we'll give
you twenty four percent off for yourtwo forty batting average or something. Career
I'm gonna be is this f peacerevenge under? He's gotta be under f
F P. Santangelo two forty five? So very good? Okay, three

(01:13:30):
sixty four, Oh that's tway toohigh. Seven fiftys God, damn it.
And what I'm Santangelo's revenge? Youhave the mat, you have the
bed, I have the bed.Who is the real winner here, that's
right, not Craig at the sevenhundred club, but in other ways.

(01:13:51):
Listen, it was easily my besteffort. And and we're all the we're
all winners because Craig's back on theshow. Oh, thank you very kind,
Thank you for joining us for anotherepisode of five and Die. I've
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(01:14:15):
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