WEBVTT 1 00:00:20.280 --> 00:00:24.519 Hello, and welcome to Backlift Nerds, the Baseball podcast with a British twist. 2 00:00:25.600 --> 00:00:31.079 Welcome back to our B team predictions. You probably already listened to the 3 00:00:31.120 --> 00:00:34.960 eighteen predictions. If you haven't ignored that, cancel it off your list. 4 00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:38.320 There's no point listening to it because the real answers are going to be here 5 00:00:38.359 --> 00:00:42.399 today. I will of course be showing my arts as usual in this process, 6 00:00:42.439 --> 00:00:46.159 but I have two people with me who have seen a lot of first 7 00:00:46.200 --> 00:00:51.439 hand baseball recently. First up, we've got our silent background editor, the 8 00:00:51.479 --> 00:00:54.159 man who comes out. We dust him off once a year. It is 9 00:00:54.240 --> 00:00:59.119 the fantastic gab Gab. How are you? I certainly don't think fantastic is 10 00:00:59.159 --> 00:01:02.719 correct. I seem to have been on more podcasts in most people part from 11 00:01:02.840 --> 00:01:07.040 Russell this year. That is true. You You've you've had an additional dusting 12 00:01:07.280 --> 00:01:11.680 and a different dusting down. You've buried the lead a little bit there with 13 00:01:11.719 --> 00:01:14.840 who else is on this call with us as well to talk about stuff today? 14 00:01:15.480 --> 00:01:18.159 Actually, but before introducing him, I've got a couple of questions. 15 00:01:18.879 --> 00:01:23.560 Gav I am. I was having a look at a list of names of 16 00:01:23.599 --> 00:01:26.519 major league players the other day and I was thinking, you know what I've 17 00:01:26.560 --> 00:01:30.319 not I've not ever come across anybody with that name. I looked looked at 18 00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:34.079 Glaber. Have you ever met a Glaber? No? In real life? 19 00:01:34.519 --> 00:01:37.719 In real life, no, I don't think I have. No. I've 20 00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:40.719 never met a Rhyan as in r Y and He've never met a Ryan. 21 00:01:40.799 --> 00:01:44.120 Have you ever met a Ryan? I've never met a Ryan either. Didn't 22 00:01:44.120 --> 00:01:46.640 think you would have either. No. I've also never met a show. 23 00:01:46.680 --> 00:01:51.400 Hey. Have you met a show? Hey? Um no, I'm pretty 24 00:01:51.400 --> 00:01:53.599 sure I've never met a show. Hey. I don't know anyone who's met 25 00:01:53.640 --> 00:01:56.120 a show? Hey? Do you no, Russ do you know anybody who's 26 00:01:56.120 --> 00:02:02.079 met a show? Hey? Maybe lost? Mister Russell Leason joining us after 27 00:02:02.159 --> 00:02:07.360 his fantastic two weeks away Stateside covering all things World Baseball Classic for US, 28 00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:13.199 where, most famously, of course, he leapt over a barrier and essentially 29 00:02:13.280 --> 00:02:15.800 Rugby tackled show here Turny's hand for a shake. So how was that? 30 00:02:17.319 --> 00:02:21.039 Yeah, it's kind of ludicrous. I think John kind of mentioned it on 31 00:02:21.159 --> 00:02:23.840 the previous pods slightly, but yeah, everybody was waiting for show Hay to 32 00:02:23.879 --> 00:02:28.360 come out and do like his his BP and as he came out, there 33 00:02:28.439 --> 00:02:31.599 was like an audible kind of like he's come out, and he just walked 34 00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:37.120 out to kind of go, and Dopp turned around, looked immediately in my 35 00:02:37.240 --> 00:02:40.560 direction, started walking over and I was like, what's going on? The 36 00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:44.680 dude who's to the left of me obviously no show hey, well because show 37 00:02:44.719 --> 00:02:46.639 here. Tony came out, gave the guy a massive hut. I didn't 38 00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:50.439 even see who it was. He then kind of like shook the hand of 39 00:02:50.520 --> 00:02:52.719 the person who was kind of to the to the left of that guy, 40 00:02:52.759 --> 00:02:55.719 and then I kind of just put my hand out there semi instinctively, and 41 00:02:55.800 --> 00:03:00.080 he shook my hand and then went back out onto the field, and I 42 00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:07.159 was just like, shoy Atari just shook my hand. And there was like 43 00:03:08.120 --> 00:03:10.800 Sean Spradling was kind of near me at this time as well, and he 44 00:03:10.879 --> 00:03:17.199 was just like did that just happen? It's just so weird, Like that 45 00:03:17.240 --> 00:03:22.800 whole entire event was me seeing players in flesh that I have seen from a 46 00:03:22.840 --> 00:03:27.360 distance for so long. Like the tournament led up, I saw like Mookie 47 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:30.800 Bets and Mike Trout and like normal Arnardo just chatting to each other in an 48 00:03:30.840 --> 00:03:34.280 underground corridor of the Diamondback Stadium, and I was literally like, oh my 49 00:03:34.319 --> 00:03:38.520 god, those are these players. But Shoe is just it's just another level. 50 00:03:38.520 --> 00:03:40.120 It's just a different think. Like I don't know if I've listened to 51 00:03:40.199 --> 00:03:45.280 effectively wild so much that I've been affected like the same way that Ben Limburgh 52 00:03:45.439 --> 00:03:49.159 is, and it's just a Tanny is on a pedalestal that is just unbelievable. 53 00:03:49.719 --> 00:03:52.240 It was maybe just a fafter that, he went and did his VP 54 00:03:52.439 --> 00:03:57.479 and was hitting things onto the second deck of Marlin Stadium and into the thing, 55 00:03:57.560 --> 00:04:00.759 hitting things like five hundred feet, basically showing Mexico go, if you 56 00:04:00.800 --> 00:04:02.879 miss a pitch, that's where it's going. But it was amazing. The 57 00:04:02.879 --> 00:04:08.520 whole strip was amazing. I have so back in the wet UK now, 58 00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:12.080 which is I think that's probably been more of a I had twenty two days 59 00:04:12.159 --> 00:04:15.680 or well about just shy of three weeks of pretty much solid twenty two degrees, 60 00:04:16.040 --> 00:04:19.319 but from one rainy day in Arizona, so I think it was. 61 00:04:20.040 --> 00:04:23.319 It was a good trip. But we're here to talk about other boys of 62 00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:27.279 baseball today. We are very glad to have you back. But before before 63 00:04:27.279 --> 00:04:30.560 we move on, can we just ask for an exclusive backflips and his hand 64 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:33.360 was it? Was it big? Was it small? Was it rough? 65 00:04:33.439 --> 00:04:38.920 Was it smooth? What was the experience like the physical experience? UM, 66 00:04:39.639 --> 00:04:43.600 I do have to say I kind of blanked, so I could not tell 67 00:04:43.639 --> 00:04:46.079 you anythink of that moment apart from the fact that I know it happened, 68 00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:50.360 But I basically don't really remember anything of it happening. And I know it 69 00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:54.519 happened because somebody else saw it happened and they said, oh my god, 70 00:04:54.560 --> 00:05:00.079 that happened, not the fact that I remember anything of it. Okay, 71 00:05:01.240 --> 00:05:06.040 Sorry. I like the idea of showy Otani being on a podcast in LA 72 00:05:06.120 --> 00:05:12.439 at the moment talking about this random BRIT's hand and the roughness of it. 73 00:05:13.879 --> 00:05:16.800 Yeah, it was clammy, he was He looked like he was passing out. 74 00:05:20.360 --> 00:05:23.800 Yea. So moving on to what we're doing today then, So this 75 00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:30.519 is our B Team B Team Prognostication podcast. Um, what done in previous 76 00:05:30.560 --> 00:05:33.720 years, We've gone through sort of willy nilly and darted around the leagues. 77 00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:36.480 What we're going to do today is try and have a little bit more structure. 78 00:05:38.279 --> 00:05:42.680 We are going to go division by division. We are going to pitch 79 00:05:42.800 --> 00:05:46.600 our our forecasting against the eight teams. I actually haven't listened to the A 80 00:05:46.680 --> 00:05:48.639 teams yet. It is que up. I'm gonna listen to it whiles I'm 81 00:05:48.680 --> 00:05:51.879 driving into work tomorrow, so I do not know what they have gone with. 82 00:05:53.079 --> 00:05:56.959 I'd imagine Tom Pringle has said smart to rubbish and then Darius has put 83 00:05:56.959 --> 00:06:01.120 everybody straight. So do we have an opinion of where we'd like to start? 84 00:06:01.120 --> 00:06:03.199 I would like to start with a central division, but I don't know 85 00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:06.000 which one, because no one ever starts with the central divisions. So where 86 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:12.959 should we go? Let's go to the National League, then National League Central. 87 00:06:13.800 --> 00:06:20.079 Loading those teams up on graphs. I can save you listening to their 88 00:06:20.120 --> 00:06:24.839 pod. All you have to do is look at the finishing positions of the 89 00:06:24.839 --> 00:06:28.720 teams last year, and that's what the A team predicted for this year. 90 00:06:29.519 --> 00:06:33.560 I'm not saying I've got this horrible moment of having to look at my predictions. 91 00:06:35.199 --> 00:06:39.720 Crap. Okay, I think this is the third year that we've done 92 00:06:39.720 --> 00:06:45.839 the B team, isn't it? Yes, we have previous years. I 93 00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:48.800 know we were the first time. I don't know if Darius it was easy 94 00:06:48.879 --> 00:06:55.120 win last year. Check it out. So we're on going on for the 95 00:06:55.160 --> 00:07:00.879 three pet All right, let's start with the Cardinals. Then Cardinals slowly loading. 96 00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:04.759 If you're slowly loading, author and author a number out there. Eighty 97 00:07:04.879 --> 00:07:12.040 nine wins the Slewis Cardinals. I think they're a good team. I think 98 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:14.399 they may or may not be the best team in that division. I think 99 00:07:14.439 --> 00:07:16.399 it's going to be a pretty close race. But I also don't think they're 100 00:07:16.399 --> 00:07:20.920 amazing. I think there we're still on the Cardinals devil magic of just a 101 00:07:20.920 --> 00:07:25.720 few players looking kind of good and then maybe seeping back off into the background 102 00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:29.680 afterwards, a bit of regression from Goldschmidt, who was the MVP. It's 103 00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:31.240 always going to come like it's not likely that you're going to do that back 104 00:07:31.240 --> 00:07:35.360 to back to back. But yeah, I think eighty nine wins a bit 105 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:41.519 wobbly in the pitching starting pitching, do you think. I think it's fair 106 00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:45.839 like they do. They have groundball pictures and they have the defense to kind 107 00:07:45.839 --> 00:07:49.839 of follow it up. So it's it's just a question of does it work. 108 00:07:50.399 --> 00:07:54.279 If it works, then they'll do well. If it doesn't work, 109 00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:56.879 then they can see it a bit more than they did last year, which 110 00:07:57.319 --> 00:08:01.439 will put them under a bit of pressure. I mean you look at their 111 00:08:01.439 --> 00:08:05.360 depth charts. Now I'm looking at their team, and like most teams, 112 00:08:05.399 --> 00:08:09.680 you're going to find there's a couple of players on there who you have absolutely 113 00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:13.920 never heard of. And you can look fairly well down pretty much every part 114 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:18.759 of this team, including the bullpen, and yeah, you've you've you've heard 115 00:08:18.759 --> 00:08:20.639 of most of these guys. These are these are fairly well known guys. 116 00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:24.240 They've all got you know, you know, they could drop onto any team 117 00:08:24.279 --> 00:08:28.720 and they're all fair you know, you're not You're not looking at a team 118 00:08:28.759 --> 00:08:33.879 that has major holes here, are you? No? But but you've still 119 00:08:33.879 --> 00:08:37.000 got like they're going to be playing what given play Jordan Walker a fair amount 120 00:08:37.000 --> 00:08:41.960 of time. I don't think he's kind of maybe that amazing. Brendan Donovan 121 00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:43.759 is the same. The young players that come through, we don't quite know 122 00:08:45.200 --> 00:08:46.919 what to expect from them, as you said, kind of like on the 123 00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:50.600 pitching point of view, we know Wayne Right's missing the start of the season, 124 00:08:50.720 --> 00:08:54.840 but Nicholas Montgomery, Flaherty, Wayne Wright, Matts and then probably some 125 00:08:56.000 --> 00:09:01.320 of Liberatore and a few others. None of that jumps out as being amazing. 126 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:05.240 But they're all pretty solid. So and hell's the gay goals at the 127 00:09:05.240 --> 00:09:09.039 top of that bullpen are good. It's just it's not amazing, which is 128 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:16.159 why to be the tighty nine wins eighty nine teams a bit a bit high 129 00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:20.360 for a non amazing team. I think Rob is right with the pitching. 130 00:09:20.799 --> 00:09:24.039 You know, they've got Jake Woodford in the rotation at the moment, So 131 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:31.559 I don't know. I think they do lack a star picture. I don't 132 00:09:31.559 --> 00:09:35.600 know if Jack Flaherty is going to be anything this season. It's going to 133 00:09:35.639 --> 00:09:41.519 be hard to rely on Adam wain Right to yet again produce stuff. So, 134 00:09:41.080 --> 00:09:46.519 um, I think I think eighty nine sounds fair, But I'm I 135 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:50.480 think they might struggle to win the division. Yeah, well I had them 136 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:56.320 down for ninety one. We're all clearly playing in a similar sort of area 137 00:09:56.360 --> 00:10:00.440 here. Um, but you guys both had what was eighty nine? Both 138 00:10:00.440 --> 00:10:03.000 of you? Yeah? No, no, I had less. I only 139 00:10:03.000 --> 00:10:07.519 had eighty six. But oh, should we stick at eighty nine then? 140 00:10:07.559 --> 00:10:09.840 Boys? I think eighty nine fair because that's sort of between where we were, 141 00:10:09.879 --> 00:10:15.120 So lock that one in eighty nine. Eighty nine for the Cards. 142 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:18.000 Good luck to them. Yeah, where do you want to go next? 143 00:10:18.679 --> 00:10:22.480 Oh? Definitely Cincinnati Reds. Oh, that's not the one I had loaded 144 00:10:22.519 --> 00:10:26.679 up. Come on, you talk first, okay, Cincinnati Reds. I 145 00:10:26.720 --> 00:10:35.120 think how many games in the season, one hundred and sixty two, So 146 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:39.399 what's five hundred eighty one eighty one? That's what I reckon? Eighty one 147 00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:46.480 wins for Cincinnati Reds. I think that they are much better than people give 148 00:10:46.519 --> 00:10:52.559 them credit for, especially fans fair Weather fans like me. They have some 149 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:56.480 really really good pitching there, and they've got a lot of useful bats. 150 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:05.200 Wilmire's coming over, Freeley and Freedom in the outfield, the sensational Nick Senzel, 151 00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:13.399 which is an in joke which we'll come back to. Um No, 152 00:11:13.759 --> 00:11:20.320 Jonathan India. He's probably due a bounce back steer at third base, the 153 00:11:22.200 --> 00:11:28.919 youngsters at short stop, if Barrero can can hit, and then if not, 154 00:11:28.120 --> 00:11:31.840 Ellie deler Crue is coming through. I reckon, reckon. It's a 155 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:35.639 pretty decent team this year, and I would not be surprised if they don't 156 00:11:35.840 --> 00:11:39.960 get five hundred. So I wouldn't be surprised. I think when you talk 157 00:11:41.000 --> 00:11:45.480 about from the pitching point of view, Ladolo, Green and Ashcraft all look 158 00:11:45.559 --> 00:11:50.080 really good. Whoever's going to pitch the rest of the innings. I'm very 159 00:11:50.120 --> 00:11:54.679 worried about, Like, I think you could be concerned with anything that you 160 00:11:54.720 --> 00:12:00.320 get from like Luke Weaver or Louis Sessa, or work your way down list 161 00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:07.360 of guys you've equally heard of or never heard of before. I think that's 162 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:09.639 what's gonna that's what's gonna hurt them in that push to five hundred. If 163 00:12:09.639 --> 00:12:15.480 those semi randos do well, then yeah, I think that that eight hundred 164 00:12:15.480 --> 00:12:22.120 pushes or eighty one five hundred push is a possibility. I just don't see 165 00:12:22.120 --> 00:12:24.759 it, which is why I have them much closer to kind of a lower 166 00:12:24.840 --> 00:12:33.840 seventies figure than eighty one. I mean, I'm sorry if I offend here, 167 00:12:33.879 --> 00:12:37.639 but I've got the wheels falling off. I've got this team getting absolutely 168 00:12:37.759 --> 00:12:41.559 rinsed. I mean, I've got the Pirates doing their kind of swaggy walk 169 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:46.360 at the end of games because they just hammered the red for another team. 170 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:48.679 I mean this they're being taken apart, aren't they. I Mean, we've 171 00:12:48.759 --> 00:12:54.080 we've got like old man Votto still patrol in a you know, first base 172 00:12:54.200 --> 00:12:58.840 if his legs are still attached, you know. I mean, Luke Mailee 173 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:03.559 kut Casally of catching backups. You know, I mean, is Nick Sanerzello. 174 00:13:03.559 --> 00:13:05.440 If you look at their depth chart, he is everywhere, he is 175 00:13:05.440 --> 00:13:09.159 playing all the positions, and he's he's broken, you know, I mean, 176 00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:11.879 what what is going? I mean, they've got some pieces, absolutely 177 00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:13.919 got some guys here. You think, all right, maybe not bad. 178 00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:20.360 Yeah, so Jonathan India is probably during up year. Will Myers has floundered 179 00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:24.000 in San Diego for years, but you know, okay, he's got some 180 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:28.440 history whereby he's not bad. But I mean, I'm not there. There's 181 00:13:28.480 --> 00:13:33.000 nobody I'm excited to watch on this team. I mean, I mean maybe 182 00:13:33.080 --> 00:13:35.879 Hunter Green, he is he is a bit of a bit of a bit 183 00:13:35.879 --> 00:13:39.840 of a live wire. But you know, and maybe we've got a couple 184 00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:46.200 of or a pitching hero in the in the bullpen. But I've been I 185 00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:50.279 mean, you said, you said five hundred, and I was shocked. 186 00:13:50.360 --> 00:13:54.919 Honestly, I'm I'm much much more towards the end that Russell is predicting and 187 00:13:56.240 --> 00:14:00.240 lower I would say, so, I mean, wow, eighty y is 188 00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:03.440 I mean, I'm maybe dunking a little bit too much only here, Gab 189 00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:07.399 and I feel really bad about it. But but yeah, I mean, 190 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:09.759 I would be amazed if they get if they break five hundred this year. 191 00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:16.399 It sounds like I'm being outvoted, I think. So, I mean, 192 00:14:16.440 --> 00:14:22.440 what do you say for Cincinnati. I would say seventy two. Rob, 193 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:28.200 I had sixty two, But we'll have to bring it up a bit. 194 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:31.080 They're aren't that bad, Miley. I just think they're not that bad, 195 00:14:31.080 --> 00:14:33.480 just because the rest of that division isn't that good. I know you play 196 00:14:33.480 --> 00:14:35.279 a little bit more against the other teams, but I just don't see somebody 197 00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:41.279 m Then thirty two is kind of the middle point. Let's go seventy two. 198 00:14:41.320 --> 00:14:45.399 But you know I'm doing it under protest. Remember, both Rob band 199 00:14:45.399 --> 00:14:48.600 Gab and our listeners we have agreed that we will still have our jokers where 200 00:14:48.279 --> 00:14:52.679 all three of us can at one point just say my score is, what 201 00:14:52.879 --> 00:14:56.720 my wind total is, what is going down as the wind total. So 202 00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:58.720 you're both obviously within your right to use it now, but we do have 203 00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:05.919 another twenty eight teams to go. Old Predictions is not going to go for 204 00:15:07.000 --> 00:15:11.639 a five hundred win winning record for the for the Reds. No, he 205 00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:16.159 was seventy two then yep, and waiting for Dam's flow five hundred record for 206 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:20.240 the Yankees and calling it and banking on that one. How did they do 207 00:15:20.279 --> 00:15:31.000 in the end? Pirates the other the other bottom team. I've got a 208 00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:37.679 feeling that the the Pirates are the team that they're a bit hipster. You 209 00:15:37.720 --> 00:15:41.919 know, everyone's been piling on the Pirates for years about how bloody awful they 210 00:15:41.960 --> 00:15:46.279 are, and you know, with good reason, absolutely, But all of 211 00:15:46.360 --> 00:15:48.600 a sudden, everyone's saying, yeah, you know, I think the Pirates 212 00:15:48.600 --> 00:15:50.720 are turning a corner. I think they're you know, they're going to do 213 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:54.840 all right this year. I mean they've made some minor steps forward, but 214 00:15:54.919 --> 00:15:58.039 you know, one hundred and five year old Rich Hill is still going to 215 00:15:58.080 --> 00:16:02.200 be in that rotation. Um, yeah, gimn Troy will have a fantastic 216 00:16:02.240 --> 00:16:07.360 week and then disappear completely and you know, cutches there for the fields. 217 00:16:07.559 --> 00:16:14.799 I really don't see that this Pirates team is taking the huge leap forward that 218 00:16:14.919 --> 00:16:18.440 seems to be a popular take at the moment. I think they are marginally 219 00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:22.960 better than last year. I wouldn't be I would not be seeing a huge 220 00:16:23.080 --> 00:16:26.879 this is a turning point. I don't think we're at the turning point yet. 221 00:16:26.919 --> 00:16:29.919 I think they're still a couple of years away if we ever really find 222 00:16:29.960 --> 00:16:33.720 that at all. So for the Pirates, I am still very very low 223 00:16:33.720 --> 00:16:37.159 on the Pirates, and I had them at a sixty eight eight win team 224 00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:42.519 at the moment. Okay, the difference between the Pirates and the Reds, 225 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:48.000 I think they're both poor teams, but I think the Pirates have invested in 226 00:16:49.080 --> 00:16:55.759 veterans who will make watching them a bit more interesting yep, whereas the Reds 227 00:16:55.799 --> 00:17:00.480 are sort of hoping that these marginal players can turn and into two good players. 228 00:17:02.279 --> 00:17:03.720 But yeah, I think Pirates are going to be worse than the Reds. 229 00:17:04.519 --> 00:17:07.759 So sixty eight works for me. If we've got seven to two for 230 00:17:07.799 --> 00:17:14.640 the Reds, I'd personally have them either very similar or if not identical. 231 00:17:14.759 --> 00:17:18.240 I think I'm happy maybe the Plates to be slightly worse. I do think 232 00:17:18.279 --> 00:17:22.920 that probably Reynolds, Cruise, and Hayes will be better than any of the 233 00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:27.000 hitters on the Red side. But I do also think that like Keller, 234 00:17:27.319 --> 00:17:34.319 Contreris and Rereebreaker and Hill will be worse than the top three pitchers on the 235 00:17:34.400 --> 00:17:37.440 Red side. I think, once again, you kind of sat with the 236 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:41.440 Pirates, have a very good relief pitcher in David Bedner didn't know if he'll 237 00:17:41.480 --> 00:17:45.480 be on that team for much longer because he is how good he actually is. 238 00:17:45.640 --> 00:17:51.039 But I think gab is right to point out that having Andrew mccutchin, 239 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:56.640 g Manchoy, even the likes of like Carlos Santana on this team makes it 240 00:17:56.720 --> 00:18:00.960 fun to watch, which when you're watching probably a well below five hundred team 241 00:18:02.559 --> 00:18:06.480 will make a difference. And who knows, maybe they make the smart decision 242 00:18:06.519 --> 00:18:10.960 and they bring up Schaffa is young, and it will be a fantastic season 243 00:18:11.000 --> 00:18:14.319 for for us all to watch because that man knew how to make the game 244 00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:18.119 entertaining. So but yeah, if if we're going to go six, yeah, 245 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:22.079 can we can we maybe bump it up to seventy? We're happy with 246 00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:26.680 that. I mean, there's got to be some terrible teams in this division 247 00:18:26.720 --> 00:18:32.000 somewhere, right yet at least gonna beat up on someone yeah the end, 248 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:36.680 at least they're going to beat up on somebody in that division. Yeah, 249 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:40.480 there is that. I mean, can I agree with Russell's point absolutely? 250 00:18:40.519 --> 00:18:45.720 I mean, can we think of a more fun first base than the Pirates? 251 00:18:45.720 --> 00:18:49.240 This? You've got choice Santana, Joe and maybe Andrew Hart playing there 252 00:18:49.240 --> 00:18:52.720 like that. That that's that's four guys. You're not going to surpass for 253 00:18:52.759 --> 00:18:57.400 a first base for fun scales, right, So hey, maybe maybe the 254 00:18:57.440 --> 00:19:03.480 Pirates will win something. They'll win our hearts, our hearts at first base. 255 00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:08.279 Yeah, they'll win our hearts at first base. Fantastic. Gad what 256 00:19:08.319 --> 00:19:15.559 did you have for the Pirates? I had seventy two, but I'm happy 257 00:19:15.599 --> 00:19:19.119 to seventeen seventy two between us, so seventy Again, Russell seems to be 258 00:19:19.160 --> 00:19:23.160 the median and all of these so far, but yeah, seventy I've got 259 00:19:23.160 --> 00:19:26.359 some I generally think if you agree with Russell, you're not going too far 260 00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:30.079 wrong. There's there's a fair shout there. I've got a couple of out 261 00:19:30.119 --> 00:19:38.960 layers, Russ. Let's let's go for the team. The other team they'll 262 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:44.720 be seeing Cubs. Cubs have tried to do something, and I'm still not 263 00:19:44.880 --> 00:19:49.839 entirely certain what it is. They have bought in some phenomenal players in in 264 00:19:49.960 --> 00:19:56.200 Dansby Swanson. As much as me and Darius will maybe be slightly joking when 265 00:19:56.240 --> 00:20:00.359 we're talking about Nico Corner, he is a very good player. I think 266 00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:06.759 Cubs fans like him for a reason. There are still very big questions that 267 00:20:06.839 --> 00:20:10.319 were about some of the some of the spots in that team. If you 268 00:20:10.359 --> 00:20:14.640 want to talk about first base, when you go Eric Kosma and Trey Mancini 269 00:20:14.759 --> 00:20:17.920 probably taking most of your first base options, it's a little bit like, 270 00:20:21.240 --> 00:20:25.039 I think is the shuttered response. But yeah, Apple will be good. 271 00:20:25.079 --> 00:20:27.920 I think Patrick Wisdom will be fine. Stays Suzuki has had a great season 272 00:20:27.960 --> 00:20:32.000 last year, and I think he will continue to improve. The big question, 273 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:34.920 obviously from the actual hitting side, comes for does Toby bell Ringer do 274 00:20:36.119 --> 00:20:40.960 Does he does he flop off the market and gets let go by the Cubs 275 00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:44.839 halfway through the season because they realize he's god awful and laugh or does he 276 00:20:44.920 --> 00:20:49.759 get anyway close to being that MVP player? Because this team's performance I think 277 00:20:49.880 --> 00:20:56.519 is really based off that, because there's no better like pick me up sort 278 00:20:56.519 --> 00:21:00.119 of story that can just improve the whole club house as a whole. Is 279 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:03.480 like it's bell Ringer kind of returning to the Bellinger returning to some sort of 280 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:07.880 form. If it doesn't happen, yeah, it could suck the life out 281 00:21:07.880 --> 00:21:11.640 of that kind of clubhouse a little bit. So I think the Cubs are 282 00:21:11.640 --> 00:21:15.319 going to be just shy of eighty wins. I think probably like seventy nine, 283 00:21:15.400 --> 00:21:21.599 maybe seventy eight, but they could very well have a good push if 284 00:21:21.599 --> 00:21:26.480 everything goes in the right direction. I think that's before ty Own and Straman 285 00:21:26.559 --> 00:21:32.160 are a good kind of set off with everybody's looking to see what Aiden when 286 00:21:32.279 --> 00:21:36.119 Eski will do, so that could be very interesting to watch. But yeah, 287 00:21:36.119 --> 00:21:38.480 this still the back end of that rotation is a little bit ugly. 288 00:21:40.519 --> 00:21:47.720 The bullpen is kind of very ugly as far as I'm concerned. They've They've 289 00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:51.440 had a good couple of years with making bullpens be okay, haven't they. 290 00:21:51.680 --> 00:21:56.240 Yeah, like I like Brandon Hughes if if I'm perfectly honest and obviously having 291 00:21:56.400 --> 00:21:59.839 a sad get up there from based on it, it's kind of like the 292 00:22:00.359 --> 00:22:03.759 performances is great to see, but yeah, I don't really think when you're 293 00:22:04.079 --> 00:22:11.640 relying on like Fulmer and Brocksburger year, yeah, it's not going to be 294 00:22:11.640 --> 00:22:15.519 amazing. So yeah, I would say seventy nine wins for the Cubs, 295 00:22:15.559 --> 00:22:18.599 but I could easily be proven wrong on the upside on that one. I 296 00:22:18.599 --> 00:22:26.599 think, Yeah, yeah, I find them quite a difficult team to to 297 00:22:26.680 --> 00:22:30.319 work out how they're going to progress this year. I could see them winning 298 00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:36.119 the division. I can see it being a tie between them, the Brewers 299 00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:41.759 and the Cardinals. If everything goes right for them and the Vets do perform 300 00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:45.400 well, then I think they've got a strong pitching lineup and they've got they've 301 00:22:45.400 --> 00:22:52.480 got a decent rotation as well. So yeah, I'm really excited about seeing 302 00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:56.680 them in London. I think they could bring over a cracking team if they're 303 00:22:56.039 --> 00:22:59.759 playing well for the first half of the season, well the first couple of 304 00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:06.440 months. So yeah, I think I would tend to think maybe they're going 305 00:23:06.480 --> 00:23:11.440 to be a few games above what Russell said. But yeah, it's also 306 00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:17.640 possible that all of these Vets just so are past it, and Omer and 307 00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:23.119 Bellinger and Mancini really haven't got anything left. Very true, but the point 308 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:27.000 you make is absolutely valid. Every single not every single, but the vast 309 00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:33.279 majority of the players on this this lineup have been not just good, but 310 00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:37.200 but very good at some point in the last five years. You know that 311 00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:42.599 we're looking at some some guys who've fallen off an awful lot but have given 312 00:23:42.799 --> 00:23:48.119 elite performances mostly for other teams at some point, but they have been there, 313 00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:52.000 so you're absolutely right if if if the fire starts and fire catches, 314 00:23:52.359 --> 00:23:56.119 this team knows, each of these players knows how to win. How old 315 00:23:56.200 --> 00:24:00.839 is the young Gomes by the way, I mean, I he seems to 316 00:24:00.880 --> 00:24:03.680 have been around four ever now, and he's he's gonna he's gonna get a 317 00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:08.079 decent chunk of the catching time for the Cubs is knee with knees of what 318 00:24:08.200 --> 00:24:12.559 must be now just just powder and even gravel. I think it's so only 319 00:24:12.759 --> 00:24:18.200 thirty five or thirty six. Yeah, yeah, he's at least sixty. 320 00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:22.480 Come on, he's at least sixty. He was, he was, He 321 00:24:22.519 --> 00:24:26.359 was thirty five in nineteen eighty seven. Come on out, there's no way, 322 00:24:26.480 --> 00:24:27.960 there's no way. Yeah, he was quite younger when he came up. 323 00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:30.880 I think for Toronto, I think when he was I'm trying to think 324 00:24:30.920 --> 00:24:34.039 when he was first played with Cleveland back in Night twenty thirteen or twenty fourteen. 325 00:24:34.200 --> 00:24:37.160 I thought he was going to remember him. I thought he was in 326 00:24:37.200 --> 00:24:41.559 his mid twenties then, so he may have just been an older fella for 327 00:24:41.799 --> 00:24:45.680 for for a long time. But yeah, Gomes caught the first ever game 328 00:24:45.720 --> 00:24:49.799 I saw in person, which was which was the gut the well the Indians 329 00:24:49.799 --> 00:24:55.160 at the time against the Rays in in Tampa. And he didn't look young 330 00:24:55.200 --> 00:24:59.359 then. So he is thirty five years old, eight months and ten days. 331 00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:02.720 So rubbish, that's a lie. It's a lie. Don't listen, 332 00:25:02.799 --> 00:25:04.880 do not pit and just Russell. It is lies. Everybody, it is 333 00:25:04.920 --> 00:25:10.160 lies. Here is at least sixty. Um. Okay, so uh gave 334 00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:15.480 you a couple couple higher than than Russell's seventy nine. So you're saying eighty 335 00:25:15.599 --> 00:25:21.160 eighty one ish, eighty one eighty one is exactly what I had. I'm 336 00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:26.519 going with Gav on this one. I'm happy to say eighty one five hundred, 337 00:25:26.559 --> 00:25:30.599 meaning essentially we don't really know about the Cubs. Yeah, we're sitting 338 00:25:30.599 --> 00:25:34.119 on the fence. Yeah pass, yeah, all right, fair enough. 339 00:25:34.799 --> 00:25:38.799 That leaves the Brewers then, um, gab, do you want to talk 340 00:25:38.839 --> 00:25:42.759 about the Bruis start with? I think this is another one which I'm really 341 00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:48.599 not sure how they're going to to do because they should. They should win 342 00:25:48.680 --> 00:25:52.759 the division, I think, but there's something about the Brewers every single year, 343 00:25:52.759 --> 00:25:56.240 but I think I don't have to they're going to do it. This 344 00:25:56.319 --> 00:26:03.039 year. But um, but no, having just predicted Roaldi Tilez as the 345 00:26:03.200 --> 00:26:07.440 home run leader, and obviously I've got my fingers crossed for a Jesse Winker 346 00:26:07.640 --> 00:26:14.240 comeback, so um yeah, I think, yeah, the Brewers have got 347 00:26:14.279 --> 00:26:15.960 a good team. I think the Brewers are going to win the division. 348 00:26:17.160 --> 00:26:23.400 If they're pitching is eighty percent of what it potentially can be, then yeah, 349 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:29.440 I think they'll They'll win the division over the over the Cardinals, so 350 00:26:29.480 --> 00:26:34.799 that I think they're the only ninety win team in the division. I'm a 351 00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:38.240 bit I'm a bit more down on on the Brewers. I think I think 352 00:26:38.240 --> 00:26:44.920 this is a potentially Will coming Will's coming off year. There's there's too much 353 00:26:44.960 --> 00:26:48.440 sort of relying on a couple of guys to to to carry it through by 354 00:26:48.440 --> 00:26:52.400 a run or two. You know this, it's it's it's a decent team, 355 00:26:52.480 --> 00:26:56.279 but decent teams can can sort of er towards the bottom side when there's 356 00:26:56.279 --> 00:27:00.359 not enough to sort of get them over the line. It's it's that get 357 00:27:00.400 --> 00:27:04.480 them over a linism that I'm being very technical and very analytical here, get 358 00:27:04.480 --> 00:27:08.519 them over the linism. But I think that the Brewers lack a little bit. 359 00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:11.720 It's the guys who are going to come up in the big moments. 360 00:27:12.359 --> 00:27:18.119 William Damas is absolute trade bait right now, as as is Devin Williams. 361 00:27:18.119 --> 00:27:22.440 I mean, beyond those two, who are you really looking at mister boring 362 00:27:22.519 --> 00:27:27.160 Brian Anderson hanging around? Are you looking at Jesse Wincom maybe coming back m 363 00:27:27.519 --> 00:27:32.720 A rotating set of a set of people at second base. You know, 364 00:27:33.400 --> 00:27:37.400 the obvious sort of yellish issues the rotation park that, of course, that's 365 00:27:37.440 --> 00:27:41.759 awesome. You know that they are a fan, They're they're a phenomenal pitching 366 00:27:41.799 --> 00:27:44.599 team. They're gonna be high up the need, but they're you know, 367 00:27:44.680 --> 00:27:45.519 we We've said for a couple of year is all, they're not going to 368 00:27:45.559 --> 00:27:51.720 score the runs. And they've done just enough. And have they done anything 369 00:27:51.720 --> 00:27:53.440 to approve that is they're luck going to run out. I would say there 370 00:27:53.480 --> 00:27:56.720 is a good chance they luck will run out this year. So I'm not 371 00:27:56.759 --> 00:28:00.359 as high on on the Brewers at all. I'm going to go for an 372 00:28:00.359 --> 00:28:06.319 eighty three eighty three win season for a poor Brewers team. So I think 373 00:28:06.359 --> 00:28:11.720 the thing that the Brewers have actually done well this year is I think they've 374 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:18.000 increased the squad. I think they've maybasy improved the people that are on the 375 00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:22.720 fringe of that team, like you're talking about saying like Brian Anderson or like 376 00:28:22.200 --> 00:28:26.359 or Bright Sturring. But the people like they've got like Luke Fall, They've 377 00:28:26.400 --> 00:28:29.519 got Mike Brousso, They've got Abraham Torrow, They've got Owen Miller. These 378 00:28:29.559 --> 00:28:34.359 are all boring players, but they are also above average players. They're just 379 00:28:34.519 --> 00:28:37.720 not good enough to have a starter spot. So I think they are actually 380 00:28:37.759 --> 00:28:44.680 a team that can ride out an injury to somebody middling and still continue to 381 00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:48.480 perform well. If one of these guys like has A has an amazing season, 382 00:28:48.640 --> 00:28:52.440 then yeah, you can end up I think with a pretty outstanding performance 383 00:28:53.279 --> 00:28:59.519 from from these from this team. So I kind of I think, yes, 384 00:29:00.200 --> 00:29:03.200 there are potentials that this could all the rug could fall out of them, 385 00:29:03.400 --> 00:29:06.599 and if they do, I would think the Brewers might be a team 386 00:29:06.640 --> 00:29:10.160 that would trade some of their top players to put themselves in a good position 387 00:29:10.200 --> 00:29:12.079 for next season, just working out how they how they could do it. 388 00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:18.559 But I like Adams, I think Luis Urius is a great piece. I'm 389 00:29:18.599 --> 00:29:21.759 I'm like gab of basically anybody that I've seen done well in life. In 390 00:29:21.799 --> 00:29:23.440 the WBC. I think is going to have an amazing season. So tell 391 00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:29.640 Us is for rowdy tears or whatever, how it was actually pronounced. I 392 00:29:29.720 --> 00:29:32.880 realized from watching Mexico games that I have no idea how any of those names 393 00:29:32.880 --> 00:29:38.640 should actually really be pronounced. But yeah, I Abraham Toro doing the WBCO. 394 00:29:41.079 --> 00:29:44.799 I didn't see him, but I'm like to for quite a while. 395 00:29:44.839 --> 00:29:48.039 I think he's just a solid hitter. They just can't really play defense anywhere. 396 00:29:48.319 --> 00:29:51.720 So um, yeah, I would have. I would be inclined to 397 00:29:51.720 --> 00:29:56.240 put them on the same total as the Cardinals and basically say that it is 398 00:29:56.279 --> 00:30:00.519 an eighty nine wins a piece. Then got he knows what the mechanism to 399 00:30:00.559 --> 00:30:06.400 determine the two teams actually is because we don't have playing games in entropy anymore. 400 00:30:06.440 --> 00:30:10.880 There's actual just rules to determine who finishes above or below each other. 401 00:30:11.079 --> 00:30:14.160 So but yeah, I still have the Brewers and the Cards are basically the 402 00:30:14.200 --> 00:30:17.880 same team. We know what, then I'm going to do it. That 403 00:30:18.079 --> 00:30:22.240 is my wild card. I am putting the Brewers at eighty three wins for 404 00:30:22.359 --> 00:30:25.319 the season, and that is locked in and no one can take it. 405 00:30:25.759 --> 00:30:30.160 Eighty three wins from a lack luster Brewers. Okay, that is not a 406 00:30:30.240 --> 00:30:33.279 hill that you are going to die on, going to die on it? 407 00:30:33.359 --> 00:30:41.680 Yes, absolutely, Brewers just a bit mayor. All right, So shall 408 00:30:41.720 --> 00:30:45.680 we move from one central that's a bit mayor to another central that's a bit 409 00:30:45.720 --> 00:30:48.599 there? Or do we want to live it very mayor? Oh? I 410 00:30:48.720 --> 00:30:55.519 was trying to be positive, but then Russ kick us off with you with 411 00:30:55.519 --> 00:31:03.000 with your your team. Okay, the Guardians. Yeah, they made some 412 00:31:03.000 --> 00:31:07.720 slight improvements over the off season, which is a bit of foreign to me 413 00:31:07.160 --> 00:31:11.240 as watching as watching the Cleveland over the last few years. They actually spent 414 00:31:11.319 --> 00:31:15.799 money on a free agent, not that much money, like steady odd million 415 00:31:15.920 --> 00:31:18.920 for Bell for a couple of seasons, which is a little bit like and 416 00:31:18.920 --> 00:31:22.200 then also you're like, well, he's a player who was also very good 417 00:31:22.240 --> 00:31:26.400 and then very bad last season, so you don't really know what that's going 418 00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:29.440 to do. We've added in Mike Zdino, so we went from having lost 419 00:31:29.440 --> 00:31:33.759 in Hedges, who is a renowned poor hitter but a very good framer, 420 00:31:33.880 --> 00:31:37.720 and we've got Zeno, who is a renowned below Mendoza line hitter but a 421 00:31:37.720 --> 00:31:44.480 power hitter and an okay sort of Framer, so it doesn't and that's pretty 422 00:31:44.559 --> 00:31:48.400 much it. Like there's obviously in the more recent side, Tristan McKenzie's got 423 00:31:48.440 --> 00:31:51.319 injured, which is probably going to miss a couple of months, which I 424 00:31:51.359 --> 00:31:53.480 think is to me, would drop Cleveland down a probably like a win or 425 00:31:53.519 --> 00:31:56.759 two. With who's going to replace them. I like Pilkington, I like 426 00:31:57.720 --> 00:32:02.200 some of the other guys that like on Scrubs and Samiel Curry and that sort 427 00:32:02.200 --> 00:32:05.680 of thing that could come up, But I don't think they're They're amazing, 428 00:32:05.880 --> 00:32:08.519 So I think this team is going to Maybe we were a little bit worse 429 00:32:08.559 --> 00:32:15.079 than last year. I struggle watching Cleveland last year. They were so streaky 430 00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:17.440 as in because it's just they weren't hitting home runs. They were hitting singles. 431 00:32:17.960 --> 00:32:22.319 And they would have games where they would hit fifteen singles and score two 432 00:32:22.359 --> 00:32:24.680 runs. And they'd have a game where they scored eight singles and it was 433 00:32:24.680 --> 00:32:28.680 all in the same innings and they scored seven runs, and so it's it's 434 00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:31.519 it's so infuriating to kind of watch because it's like it's so exciting, but 435 00:32:31.680 --> 00:32:35.680 also you get so disappointed because they put that on base, but they did 436 00:32:35.759 --> 00:32:39.759 score. So I still think they are about five hundred team, but I 437 00:32:39.799 --> 00:32:45.319 don't think they're two. They're only that out of the range of the Twins 438 00:32:45.359 --> 00:32:47.519 or the White Sox if they play well. So this all it's a roundabout 439 00:32:47.599 --> 00:32:55.640 way of me seeing eighty seven wins for the Guardians there, Gav. Yeah, 440 00:32:55.880 --> 00:33:00.359 I think eighty seven's fair. I've got it. But yeah, I 441 00:33:00.400 --> 00:33:04.400 think I think they've got a fantastic too. I think the length of that 442 00:33:04.559 --> 00:33:09.400 lineup, when you've got Zannino right at the bottom or you know, eighth 443 00:33:09.480 --> 00:33:14.759 or something, because Straw is going to hit below the mendis a line as 444 00:33:14.799 --> 00:33:17.680 well, and that night, so yeah, I'm not really a mild Straw 445 00:33:17.759 --> 00:33:22.440 guy. But the other the other seven ahead of Zannino, that's that's a 446 00:33:22.480 --> 00:33:27.079 cracking lineup. And I really like Josh Bell going there. I think Josh 447 00:33:27.119 --> 00:33:30.680 Bell is going to have a fantastic season with Jose Ramier is hitting it ahead 448 00:33:30.680 --> 00:33:35.759 of him, and Jiminas has just signed a new contract, hasn't he? 449 00:33:35.920 --> 00:33:39.839 And Amed Rosario is always a guy I like, and Stephen Kuan is just 450 00:33:40.160 --> 00:33:45.359 sensational getting on base, So yeah, I think it's um. I don't 451 00:33:45.400 --> 00:33:50.920 know how the the division's going to pan out with how will Minnesota are going 452 00:33:50.960 --> 00:33:54.000 to play? But yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if Cleveland win this again. 453 00:33:55.680 --> 00:33:59.000 Rob, I'm with Gav. I'm with Gave. I'm a little bit 454 00:33:59.039 --> 00:34:04.000 more positive on Cleveland, and I'm looking at a team that was very, 455 00:34:04.119 --> 00:34:07.839 very solidly based, you know, like everything was there. There was a 456 00:34:07.000 --> 00:34:13.519 very clear hole and that was hitting home runs. And they've got a home 457 00:34:13.639 --> 00:34:16.880 run hitting capture, a home run hitting first baseman in there, and hopefully 458 00:34:16.920 --> 00:34:21.039 a couple of guys will trend up from what we were low years. So 459 00:34:21.480 --> 00:34:27.639 the only hole that team really had after you know, brilliant defense, fantastic 460 00:34:27.639 --> 00:34:31.199 pitching, um great on base is just convert a couple of those guys with 461 00:34:31.280 --> 00:34:35.079 a few long balls, and I think they've done what they need to do 462 00:34:35.159 --> 00:34:37.599 to push them up a couple of notes from where they were. So I'm 463 00:34:37.719 --> 00:34:39.920 up on the team. Yeah, yes, there'll be a little bit of 464 00:34:39.960 --> 00:34:43.920 regression from the pitching. It can't be quite as good as it was, 465 00:34:44.000 --> 00:34:46.559 and no, everyone's not going to get onto base quite as they were. 466 00:34:46.599 --> 00:34:51.719 But I think what they have, what they have lost, from what they'll 467 00:34:51.719 --> 00:34:54.199 lose from those they've they've they've made up for with power. So I'm I'm 468 00:34:54.239 --> 00:34:59.679 basically repeat season from from Cleveland slightly under because you know, a bit of 469 00:34:59.760 --> 00:35:01.440 regret in general. But I had them as nineteen. But I mean, 470 00:35:01.480 --> 00:35:06.679 we're all we're all talking in a similar sort of area here, so so 471 00:35:06.800 --> 00:35:08.679 I'm happy to put them a little bit higher than than you guys are. 472 00:35:08.760 --> 00:35:13.719 But we'll go with the consensus. They've gab said and you said nineteen. 473 00:35:13.760 --> 00:35:19.840 Let's brig it up to eighty eight. Then from where the two, I've 474 00:35:19.880 --> 00:35:22.960 got them winning the division. I still think they will pro probably win the 475 00:35:22.039 --> 00:35:25.760 division. I just think it's going to be a really tight squeeze with the 476 00:35:25.760 --> 00:35:30.440 twins. Well, then let's let's talk about the twins next. Then the 477 00:35:30.440 --> 00:35:36.079 Twins are the perennial team that should be doing slightly better than it is. 478 00:35:36.679 --> 00:35:44.679 Um I think you know, Roco Baldelli is potentially sitting on a slightly iffy 479 00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:47.280 seat if they continue the way they have done for a little while there, 480 00:35:47.280 --> 00:35:51.199 because they've they've got everything, They've got all the pieces they need, they've 481 00:35:51.199 --> 00:35:53.239 got all the all the bits. What seems to not be happening at this 482 00:35:53.320 --> 00:35:58.920 point is putting it all together to make the results. So UM, I 483 00:35:58.960 --> 00:36:01.639 think a slow start from from the Twins this year, we'll see bow Daily 484 00:36:01.760 --> 00:36:06.119 shipped off fairly soon. And that's that was what I had down as one 485 00:36:06.119 --> 00:36:07.760 of my sort of predictions for the year is is Bob bow Daily not making 486 00:36:07.760 --> 00:36:13.199 it to the end of the year. But yeah, Twins is a little 487 00:36:13.239 --> 00:36:15.519 bit of a conundramember the last couple of years. They are a team. 488 00:36:15.599 --> 00:36:20.079 We all we've all looked out and gone, yeah, these guys should walk 489 00:36:20.480 --> 00:36:22.760 or come close or be fighting with the White Sox for this division. And 490 00:36:22.800 --> 00:36:29.280 it's it's just not happened. Have they done that much to fix White hasn't 491 00:36:29.320 --> 00:36:31.920 happened. I mean, there's been a lot of fanfare about the fact, 492 00:36:31.960 --> 00:36:36.280 yes they got Carlo's career, he's back, but the fact is he is 493 00:36:36.320 --> 00:36:38.599 back. They didn't do it last year with him. I'm not seeing too 494 00:36:38.679 --> 00:36:42.880 much of why this team is going to be a whole her a lot better 495 00:36:42.920 --> 00:36:45.679 than it was last year. Maybe it's going to inch up. Absolutely. 496 00:36:45.679 --> 00:36:49.519 I think Gallows in the right place now to start putting himself back together. 497 00:36:51.760 --> 00:36:53.280 We could all roll the dice on Byron Buxton. I mean, what, 498 00:36:54.159 --> 00:36:57.800 yeah, great as long as he's fit. But there's no point You've been 499 00:36:57.840 --> 00:37:00.880 talking about him being fit. You know, he really is a game changer 500 00:37:00.920 --> 00:37:07.159 on that team. So I've got the Twins up up on last year, 501 00:37:07.360 --> 00:37:13.079 the last year they had seventy eight. I've got them slightly lower than Cleveland. 502 00:37:13.159 --> 00:37:21.039 I've got them on eighty four at the moment, so I'm a bit 503 00:37:21.079 --> 00:37:28.719 more positive on them. I think they're depth is it's fantastic when you've got 504 00:37:29.000 --> 00:37:34.159 Kirilov and Polenko and Lewis all starting on the I L. And you've got 505 00:37:34.159 --> 00:37:39.519 the two former Reds infielders in Solano and Farmer who are just really useful major 506 00:37:39.599 --> 00:37:46.079 league as to as bench backs. But they've got star power, star quality 507 00:37:46.079 --> 00:37:52.360 in Career and Buxton, and then they did add Pablo Lopez, who was 508 00:37:52.960 --> 00:37:58.880 another big star to bring over. And if kent to my Aida can produce 509 00:38:00.199 --> 00:38:04.119 to wait, if he can produce like he he was pitching before he got 510 00:38:04.159 --> 00:38:07.639 injured, then yeah, their rotation is really good. I can see them 511 00:38:07.760 --> 00:38:10.960 neck and neck with Cleveland both on like at eight to nine ninety wins. 512 00:38:14.119 --> 00:38:16.639 I could go with Russ. Yeah, I'm inclined to agree. I think 513 00:38:17.440 --> 00:38:21.280 they are They're one of those kind of quite high variance teams. Again, 514 00:38:21.440 --> 00:38:24.440 I think the the amount of playing time that you're not only get out of 515 00:38:24.440 --> 00:38:29.239 the guys who are currently injured like Blanco and lays Lewis and Kiroloth, but 516 00:38:29.239 --> 00:38:30.679 also how much plain time do you get out of Byron Buxton. Like, 517 00:38:31.239 --> 00:38:36.960 if they get five hundred plate appearances out of Byron Buxton, don't imagine they're 518 00:38:36.960 --> 00:38:39.199 going to be pushing they get six hundred. I imagine they're the best team 519 00:38:39.199 --> 00:38:44.159 in the division. Like it is. It is almost as simple as that. 520 00:38:44.519 --> 00:38:46.639 I think the Pablo Lopez signed as as gap highlighted. I think actually 521 00:38:46.679 --> 00:38:51.639 that's almost more important than bringing back Carlo's career. Obviously career is it's a 522 00:38:51.639 --> 00:38:53.199 great player, but they did have him all season and they kind of failed 523 00:38:53.239 --> 00:38:59.519 to get it work. Having I think four and you've probably even five or 524 00:38:59.559 --> 00:39:02.760 six if you include like Media and Ober, like, they've got just five 525 00:39:04.559 --> 00:39:08.079 number three starters. Ye when you're just thinking about there's nothing, there's nothing 526 00:39:08.119 --> 00:39:13.039 exciting about any of them. But they're also all solid, so I think 527 00:39:13.039 --> 00:39:16.480 they just should be kind of solid throughout throughout most of that season. I'm 528 00:39:16.480 --> 00:39:24.440 looking at like the weak spots is probably first base is probably who's going to 529 00:39:24.519 --> 00:39:30.599 play, like if is Joey Gallo going to have a good season again or 530 00:39:30.679 --> 00:39:34.159 not. If he doesn't, then they've got quite a few people to switch 531 00:39:34.280 --> 00:39:37.320 through. But I think bringing in like Michael A. Taylor, I think 532 00:39:37.400 --> 00:39:42.679 they want to limit the amount of time probably the Bookston plays in the outfield. 533 00:39:43.000 --> 00:39:45.800 So they've brought in another very good defensive center fielder and they probably want 534 00:39:45.800 --> 00:39:52.000 to give Bookston as much time the aching as possible so to try and get 535 00:39:52.079 --> 00:39:57.239 more out of his bat. So, yeah, and then you said it 536 00:39:57.320 --> 00:40:00.599 right there, You said it right there that, yes, this this team's 537 00:40:00.639 --> 00:40:02.119 got, it's got all the bits. It's absolute well there. But so 538 00:40:02.199 --> 00:40:07.079 why hasn't it happened the last few years? Why is it not coming together? 539 00:40:07.199 --> 00:40:10.159 Yeah? I think obviously I think the Twins part way through the season 540 00:40:10.199 --> 00:40:14.000 it wasn't coming together, so they kind of flipped through people and went not 541 00:40:14.079 --> 00:40:15.719 this year, it's worked for the next year, and kind of continue to 542 00:40:15.719 --> 00:40:19.760 go with that. I think they're fairly sensible in working it out, whether 543 00:40:19.800 --> 00:40:22.239 they have it or they don't have it, whether where it all comes together 544 00:40:22.320 --> 00:40:25.440 or not. Yeah, you could say it's a managerial thing. Does does 545 00:40:25.480 --> 00:40:30.639 bud Elli actually have the stuff to kind of to get them to become a 546 00:40:30.639 --> 00:40:31.960 great team. He's got them to the playoffs a couple of times before, 547 00:40:32.440 --> 00:40:37.119 but then obviously they've bowed out pretty poorly in the playoffs whenever they've done that. 548 00:40:37.320 --> 00:40:40.599 I always think about it from the perspective of Cleveland, where if, 549 00:40:40.719 --> 00:40:46.199 especially in twenty twenty season, when Terry Francona wasn't there, that team was 550 00:40:46.239 --> 00:40:51.039 awful. It was it was kind of like they just didn't Whatever Terry Francona 551 00:40:51.159 --> 00:40:55.320 does with that team, he clearly makes a difference with how they either play. 552 00:40:55.360 --> 00:41:00.239 When it comes to it, whatever he does actually matters. As there 553 00:41:00.239 --> 00:41:01.119 are a few managers when you just kind of go, I don't know what 554 00:41:01.159 --> 00:41:04.559 you actually do. You seem to be good because you've managed to get this 555 00:41:04.599 --> 00:41:07.159 Twins team there a couple of times, but you haven't got them off over 556 00:41:07.199 --> 00:41:10.519 that threshold. Yeah, I think they'll be better than last year. I 557 00:41:10.559 --> 00:41:15.519 think they'll be over five hundred. So I'm happy to say like eighty seven 558 00:41:15.559 --> 00:41:21.880 wins and put them just behind the Guardians. Yeah, I mean, I 559 00:41:21.880 --> 00:41:24.000 think, okay, you guys are both fairly fairly agreed eighty six eighty seven, 560 00:41:24.079 --> 00:41:28.960 So I can take eighty seven on them. But yeah, just Pine 561 00:41:28.960 --> 00:41:32.440 the Guardians seems about right to me. Okay, then if we're talking about 562 00:41:32.440 --> 00:41:40.400 managers, we got the White Sox and potentially another another team that is manager 563 00:41:40.800 --> 00:41:46.079 manager heavy in the change. There big, big expectations of the last few 564 00:41:46.159 --> 00:41:52.119 years gav but maybe not not executed well. Again, is the replacement of 565 00:41:52.199 --> 00:41:58.880 Russell's favorite manager going to make the difference? I think when we did this 566 00:41:59.400 --> 00:42:05.559 two years and you know, everyone was raving about how star studied the White 567 00:42:05.559 --> 00:42:08.440 Sox lineup was. I think my criticism then was it's so weak, it's 568 00:42:08.480 --> 00:42:15.079 so thin. They just didn't have the depth. And it still seems to 569 00:42:15.079 --> 00:42:19.519 be the problem. Some of their players are just sensational. They've got some 570 00:42:19.519 --> 00:42:23.960 of the best players in the game. Yet when Robert or Jiminaires or Moncada 571 00:42:24.199 --> 00:42:30.280 or Anderson are not around, they've just got such poor replacements. And I 572 00:42:30.320 --> 00:42:36.480 don't understand why they don't. Because Minnesota they've gone and got Farmer and Solano, 573 00:42:36.559 --> 00:42:38.519 you know, just a couple of guys who you can just plug in 574 00:42:38.559 --> 00:42:42.800 there and they'll give you decent at bats all the time, and the White 575 00:42:42.800 --> 00:42:46.119 Sox just don't seem to have that. So when injuries happen, which they 576 00:42:46.119 --> 00:42:50.880 will. I think they'll struggle, and I think they'll end up coming third 577 00:42:50.880 --> 00:42:53.079 again. I say again, I don't know where they came last year, 578 00:42:53.360 --> 00:43:01.159 but they finished second. I think they'll come third this year. But yeah, 579 00:43:01.159 --> 00:43:06.920 you know, I think it's all down to to the fitness, the 580 00:43:07.039 --> 00:43:13.760 health. If Anderson can play one hundred and fifty games, then maybe yeah, 581 00:43:13.800 --> 00:43:16.840 maybe they're five hundred tap, but I think there's a good chance that 582 00:43:16.880 --> 00:43:22.079 they're below five hundred. I think it's Gab says it's it's it's almost bang 583 00:43:22.119 --> 00:43:23.639 on. You look at that team and you say, what the lineup that 584 00:43:23.639 --> 00:43:28.480 they're actually gonna probably start off with, like Anderson River, Ben Attendee him 585 00:43:28.519 --> 00:43:32.320 andez Moncada grand Owl. It looks like it might be like Oscar Colas and 586 00:43:32.360 --> 00:43:37.400 then Elvis Andrews. Like maybe it's Graph and Colas on that, but eight 587 00:43:37.400 --> 00:43:42.039 out of that nine is solid, Like you would take wa to take most 588 00:43:42.039 --> 00:43:45.000 of those players into most of the other teams, Like that's actually good players. 589 00:43:45.760 --> 00:43:51.000 You look at who was available off the bench when you're then like, 590 00:43:51.920 --> 00:43:58.519 yeah, Vin Sheets, Jacob Burger, and you're like, Billy Hamilton is 591 00:43:58.559 --> 00:44:04.000 far too close to this team. For Yeah, it's it's it's the opposite 592 00:44:04.000 --> 00:44:06.199 of what we've talked about when we've talked about the Brewers, when we've talked 593 00:44:06.199 --> 00:44:10.280 about the Twins. That just that that it's not even like stars and scrubs. 594 00:44:10.480 --> 00:44:15.320 It's above average and scrubs. And so as soon as one of those 595 00:44:15.360 --> 00:44:21.440 above average players goes, it looks awful, and it does look awful. 596 00:44:21.800 --> 00:44:25.719 On the pitching side, yeah, CeCe Lynn great or gearl too, if 597 00:44:25.719 --> 00:44:30.280 he gets anything back to what he was, should be good Savenger, but 598 00:44:30.400 --> 00:44:35.840 that's different reasons. Like Copec, I think we'll be fine. And on 599 00:44:35.880 --> 00:44:39.199 the relieving side, Barma, Graveman, Lopez all fantastic. They've got Joe 600 00:44:39.280 --> 00:44:43.840 Kelly as well, and they'll probably will get some time with from William Hendricks 601 00:44:43.840 --> 00:44:46.960 this season because it looks like his progression is coming along very well. So 602 00:44:49.239 --> 00:44:52.519 pitching wise, I don't have an issue. It is that lineup, and 603 00:44:53.039 --> 00:44:57.679 in baseball is baseball, one of those eight players will get injured and won't 604 00:44:57.679 --> 00:45:00.559 play a significant amount of time of this season, and someone crap will play 605 00:45:00.599 --> 00:45:05.679 in their place, and that'll bring them down. So yeah, I think 606 00:45:05.719 --> 00:45:08.800 they probably will sneak above five hundred again. Or maybe just around that, 607 00:45:09.000 --> 00:45:13.360 like eighty one eighty two wins. That's that's where I see them. They 608 00:45:13.400 --> 00:45:15.960 could challenge if things go well, and things maybe don't go well for the 609 00:45:15.960 --> 00:45:20.480 other two teams, which is maybe why they've chosen not to spend more money, 610 00:45:20.519 --> 00:45:24.639 because they know that the title division isn't actually that far out of their 611 00:45:24.639 --> 00:45:30.800 hands. But yeah, they're not great. I've got them a bit further 612 00:45:30.880 --> 00:45:34.840 ahead, and I think that that's because the change of management. I think 613 00:45:34.880 --> 00:45:37.679 these people deployed properly are going to do better than they have done, because, 614 00:45:37.719 --> 00:45:40.719 let's face, even when they were healthy, they weren't really doing what 615 00:45:40.760 --> 00:45:44.480 they were supposed to be doing the last couple of years. And even if 616 00:45:44.480 --> 00:45:47.800 they managed to drain sort of three four five extra wins out of this team 617 00:45:47.920 --> 00:45:52.599 that they should have had last year, we could see them around the eighty 618 00:45:52.639 --> 00:45:54.880 four et five eighty six and pushing those other two teams. So I had 619 00:45:54.920 --> 00:45:59.199 them, I had them a little bit higher. I had them up at 620 00:45:59.239 --> 00:46:01.960 the mid to high eighties, sort of eighty six eighty seven, UM, 621 00:46:02.519 --> 00:46:07.079 So I would happily accept something a little bit lower, But I think five 622 00:46:07.159 --> 00:46:09.760 hundred is a bit underselling. The White socks. They're gonna they're gonna be 623 00:46:09.760 --> 00:46:15.079 healthy for some of the year, right, eighty three Come at me with 624 00:46:15.119 --> 00:46:22.039 eighty three? Yeah, for your thoughts, all right, eighty three five. 625 00:46:22.239 --> 00:46:27.960 I'm not going to argue over three. Yeah, sure, three. 626 00:46:30.159 --> 00:46:34.480 Now we are progressing very slowly through these and I don't want to give short 627 00:46:34.519 --> 00:46:39.119 shrift to two teams which maybe won't feature two particularly heavy here. But maybe 628 00:46:39.119 --> 00:46:43.079 we should rush through a couple of the extras. And in this division, 629 00:46:43.719 --> 00:46:47.320 has anybody got anything interesting to say about the Tigers other than the no deer? 630 00:46:49.880 --> 00:46:52.960 Okay, so maybe yeah, maybe with the low the lower ones. 631 00:46:52.079 --> 00:46:58.239 Just one of us says to go, any others can just agree, Okay, 632 00:46:58.440 --> 00:47:00.480 So I'll talk about the top Tigers. Yeah, and you can agree 633 00:47:00.519 --> 00:47:07.119 with me. So I reckon Riley, Green and Spencier talk of will we'll 634 00:47:07.159 --> 00:47:09.960 have really good seasons. I think we will see that they are the decent 635 00:47:10.000 --> 00:47:14.599 players that we thought they were. I think everyone else is absolutely dreadful. 636 00:47:14.719 --> 00:47:17.119 I reckon they could have six hitters not getting a three hundred on base. 637 00:47:17.679 --> 00:47:22.039 I think the Detroit Tigers are going to be an appalling team this year. 638 00:47:23.639 --> 00:47:30.880 If they they're a hundred lost team, Americans. I don't. The only 639 00:47:30.920 --> 00:47:35.960 reason why I don't think that is that because they have to play the Tigers. 640 00:47:36.000 --> 00:47:37.960 I mean, the Tigers have to play the Royals, they have to 641 00:47:37.960 --> 00:47:39.719 play the Orioles, they have to play the Athletics. Sorry not the Oris 642 00:47:39.760 --> 00:47:43.360 have to play Athathletics and have to play in the rest of the teams in 643 00:47:43.400 --> 00:47:45.840 that division. And I don't think that there's anybody who's going to go out 644 00:47:45.880 --> 00:47:51.320 and win a hundred wins in those games. In those games, so I 645 00:47:51.320 --> 00:47:57.719 don't think they'll get to that glorious sixty that hundred loss region. I think 646 00:47:57.760 --> 00:48:00.840 you're right to. I still think have you buy is this a good player? 647 00:48:00.239 --> 00:48:04.079 That's a hill that that's a baseball hill that I'm gonna probably die on. 648 00:48:04.159 --> 00:48:06.639 I think he's gonna Yeah. I think he'll probably have a below three 649 00:48:06.719 --> 00:48:10.880 hundred OVP, but probably have a bang average WOBER and be an amazing defensive 650 00:48:12.599 --> 00:48:15.920 short stop. I really hope that Edward Rodriguez has a good season this year. 651 00:48:16.079 --> 00:48:20.320 Like we don't know really some of the circumstances behind being off a personal 652 00:48:20.400 --> 00:48:22.920 leave last year, but you always want this place to come back and do 653 00:48:22.000 --> 00:48:25.000 well. And I think he is a solid player that can do there. 654 00:48:25.559 --> 00:48:29.599 And I kind of like the look of like Alex Langan, Chase and Folly 655 00:48:29.599 --> 00:48:31.599 on the from the relief side, and it would be interesting to see what 656 00:48:31.840 --> 00:48:38.079 those guys do. So I'm I have them at seventy like, and it 657 00:48:38.159 --> 00:48:42.079 could be inclined to pull it down one or two, but I don't think 658 00:48:42.079 --> 00:48:45.639 they're I don't think they're creeping close to that sixty two hundred hundred lost territory 659 00:48:45.719 --> 00:48:51.519 just because I don't think there's an as dominant team out there that will punish 660 00:48:51.519 --> 00:48:55.119 them. I'm with Russ, I'm with rus So we've got two seventies, 661 00:48:55.440 --> 00:49:01.400 Gab you are saying sixty two wins record. Still, I'm happy to go 662 00:49:01.719 --> 00:49:07.800 seventeen. I'll just note it down when we review it, Okay, noted 663 00:49:08.119 --> 00:49:15.760 very good. Russell will give us the equally pathetic Royals. Um, where 664 00:49:15.800 --> 00:49:17.519 do you want to start? Like? What what good thing? Really? 665 00:49:17.559 --> 00:49:22.880 Just what what good things do you think that the Royals have done? They've 666 00:49:22.920 --> 00:49:29.960 got a nice blue jersey, They've kept on Zach Rinky for another year to 667 00:49:30.039 --> 00:49:34.800 make Joey happy. Um, like Bobby Bobby with Julia, Finni Pascatino will 668 00:49:34.840 --> 00:49:37.800 be great players. M J. Melendez will probably be another good player. 669 00:49:37.039 --> 00:49:42.800 Savona Perez will probably hit very well. Okay, I don't think much a 670 00:49:42.800 --> 00:49:45.079 Brady Singer. That's that's kind of a meeting. I think you'll probably still 671 00:49:45.079 --> 00:49:47.679 have a perfectly fine season, but I don't think kind of like much of 672 00:49:47.760 --> 00:49:51.760 him. And you look at the rest of their pictures and you are like 673 00:49:52.960 --> 00:49:55.760 like Jordan Miles, Brad Keller, like Ryan Yarborough. It's not great, 674 00:49:57.119 --> 00:50:01.079 especially thinking of what we thought two or three years ago was going to come 675 00:50:01.119 --> 00:50:05.239 out of the cancer system with like, oh my god, they've got like 676 00:50:05.360 --> 00:50:08.559 three aces going to come out of that system, and like bo Bitch and 677 00:50:08.800 --> 00:50:14.559 Lynch and singerm I just don't I just don't think it's there. Um, 678 00:50:15.920 --> 00:50:19.320 Scott Barlow's probably a good reliever. It's not great. When they added in 679 00:50:19.400 --> 00:50:22.480 her Olds Chapman, you just seem to actually just be off it completely nearly 680 00:50:22.559 --> 00:50:28.840 last year. So yeah, I just think they're not great, and I 681 00:50:28.840 --> 00:50:34.159 don't think they could really gonna have any chance really of competing. But I 682 00:50:34.199 --> 00:50:37.119 think they'll just be a little bit worse than the Tigers. Say sixty seven 683 00:50:37.239 --> 00:50:40.960 sixty eight wins, I can go with that. They're playing Jackie Brady, 684 00:50:42.039 --> 00:50:44.119 Julia. Come on, we all know that guy was great, but he's 685 00:50:44.159 --> 00:50:49.239 done. Yeah, well, yeah, it sounds such time that that sort 686 00:50:49.239 --> 00:50:53.840 of player gets Yeah, I'll take sixty seven, Gav. I reckon another 687 00:50:53.840 --> 00:50:59.239 one hundred lust team, but I'll go for sixty seven. Then all right, 688 00:50:59.280 --> 00:51:01.559 no to the gain. Gave can tell us he told us so when 689 00:51:02.039 --> 00:51:07.320 teams in the same division. Yeah, you heard it here first, there's 690 00:51:07.360 --> 00:51:08.960 a big, big prediction. There we go. Mark that one down. 691 00:51:09.920 --> 00:51:15.199 There was sixty, sixty six and sixty five. If you're being the eighteen 692 00:51:15.239 --> 00:51:17.880 podcasts were producing the same thing as last year, Gave. You're not far 693 00:51:17.960 --> 00:51:23.000 off yourself. You think they're worse, we do slightly better. Um, 694 00:51:23.159 --> 00:51:29.079 where are we going? Rob? Should we let which? Which division can 695 00:51:29.079 --> 00:51:30.559 we rattle through? Get a nice quick one? What's a least? And 696 00:51:30.840 --> 00:51:35.280 we all know these two the big bunch of good teams, we can rattle 697 00:51:35.320 --> 00:51:37.159 through them fairly quick. So, uh, Gavi, do you want to 698 00:51:37.159 --> 00:51:40.840 pick an at least team? And you're going to crucify the Yankees again this 699 00:51:40.920 --> 00:51:49.199 year? Almost definitely no going someone else go through. We'll talk about the 700 00:51:49.280 --> 00:51:52.039 Raids, I will talk about the raise, the Tampa Bay Rays are a 701 00:51:52.079 --> 00:51:55.199 team who were pitching slightly above where they should be last year, and they 702 00:51:55.199 --> 00:52:00.719 were batting well below where they were where they were last year. They've got 703 00:52:00.760 --> 00:52:06.320 a couple of absolute studs in Wonder Franco and Brandon Low coming back with a 704 00:52:06.360 --> 00:52:09.519 bat. They had a lot of guys batting just they're having having bad years 705 00:52:09.519 --> 00:52:15.119 with the bat. They have specifically taken the approach this year of getting the 706 00:52:15.159 --> 00:52:16.719 swing and miss out of the game. They are taking some walks, and 707 00:52:16.920 --> 00:52:20.280 this is a team that could do with some walks. If you get the 708 00:52:20.320 --> 00:52:22.960 likes of Randy Rosarina, the likes of Jose Sirion base, They're going to 709 00:52:23.000 --> 00:52:25.880 steal bases. They're gonna make some runs. So I think the Rays have 710 00:52:27.039 --> 00:52:30.280 made an improvement in their approach. They won't pitch quite as well, but 711 00:52:30.320 --> 00:52:35.320 they will hit better than they are losing from their pitching. So I think 712 00:52:35.360 --> 00:52:39.400 they're gonna slightly better than last year and they are gonna they're gonna hit ninety 713 00:52:39.440 --> 00:52:47.000 one wins. So the Rays are always to me. The rais always just 714 00:52:47.000 --> 00:52:52.039 hard to predict, like they play baseball generally in a different way, so 715 00:52:52.079 --> 00:52:53.639 most of the other teams, there's quite a lot of the teams are trying 716 00:52:53.639 --> 00:52:59.639 to predict what they're going to do. Um. Yeah, if if somebody 717 00:52:59.639 --> 00:53:02.559 can be randier as a rainer that every single game that he plays is a 718 00:53:02.599 --> 00:53:07.000 postseason game or a WBC game, then the guy will hit fifty home runs 719 00:53:07.039 --> 00:53:10.280 in steal sixty basins. But as don't know if he just has the mentality 720 00:53:10.320 --> 00:53:14.719 to play the hundred and sixty two game season like that. We've seen it 721 00:53:14.760 --> 00:53:17.079 kind of not happen a few seasons now where he can get himself up for 722 00:53:17.079 --> 00:53:22.719 the big games, but maybe not for every game. Yeah, this team, 723 00:53:23.559 --> 00:53:27.559 I think that's what's not to like when you when you look at like 724 00:53:27.599 --> 00:53:31.360 the pitching. I think having kind of like McLanahan had a great season last 725 00:53:31.400 --> 00:53:35.760 year. I think he'll continue. I really like springs in Rasmussen. I 726 00:53:35.760 --> 00:53:38.239 think both of them are going to be solid. Bringing in Zac Efflyn somebody 727 00:53:38.239 --> 00:53:40.559 to eat at the innings, I think is a really good one. He's 728 00:53:40.559 --> 00:53:45.280 a solid pitcher. Obviously, her losing class now for a few weeks, 729 00:53:45.360 --> 00:53:47.519 but that was kind of to be expected. You were never going to get 730 00:53:47.559 --> 00:53:52.159 two hundred innings out of glass now, so maybe just we just lost two 731 00:53:52.239 --> 00:53:55.079 or three weeks from the start that we thought it might happen somewhere else in 732 00:53:55.119 --> 00:54:01.440 the season. I think the great um, yeah, there's gonna be if 733 00:54:01.440 --> 00:54:05.079 people who have done any draft with me in the last few days will know 734 00:54:05.159 --> 00:54:07.519 that. I think that Garrett Clevinger is probably going to be the next raised 735 00:54:07.559 --> 00:54:10.239 reliever that people don't really know about who was suddenly gonna be like, how 736 00:54:10.280 --> 00:54:14.880 has this guy got zero e or A through the first two months. So 737 00:54:15.000 --> 00:54:19.639 yeah, I think I had them as eighty eight. Like, I think 738 00:54:20.800 --> 00:54:23.440 that top of that division is going to be a tough one to get some 739 00:54:23.119 --> 00:54:27.920 some wins off. But yeah, I think they'll probably Yeah. Actually, 740 00:54:28.000 --> 00:54:30.079 given the fact that we've got twins in the Guardian, I think they are 741 00:54:30.159 --> 00:54:32.920 better. So I'd be inclined to go push a little bit higher and then 742 00:54:32.920 --> 00:54:42.119 maybe say like ninety or eighty nine for the raise. Yeah, yeah, 743 00:54:40.639 --> 00:54:45.039 I don't know if they're gonna get to ninety, but yeah, I'm happy 744 00:54:45.079 --> 00:54:50.760 to going one. D you said eighty ninety one, We'll put ninety showy. 745 00:54:51.280 --> 00:54:53.880 Yep, happy with that. And the correct answer is Calvin Fauchet. 746 00:54:53.920 --> 00:55:00.280 You're gonna hear a lot about him this year, Russell pickcause it team. 747 00:55:00.320 --> 00:55:02.599 Who do you want? Oh, let's talk about the Boston Red Sox. 748 00:55:04.280 --> 00:55:07.719 I think when we were talking about the Cubs being a high variants team, 749 00:55:07.880 --> 00:55:13.360 I think the Red Sox could be an even higher variance team. I think 750 00:55:13.400 --> 00:55:20.480 the realms of possibility for this team is undeniably large because one, they're pitching 751 00:55:20.559 --> 00:55:23.719 innings are supposedly coming from Corey Kluber, Nick Pavetta, Chrisdale, and James 752 00:55:23.719 --> 00:55:28.960 Paxton. If one, if all four of those pitch more than like one 753 00:55:29.039 --> 00:55:31.119 hundred and thirty innings, I would be amazed. If more four of them 754 00:55:31.199 --> 00:55:35.639 pitch more than one hundred innings, I'd be amazed. But if you've cut 755 00:55:35.639 --> 00:55:38.920 one hundred and sixty innings out of all of those four, they're going to 756 00:55:39.000 --> 00:55:45.840 be a good team. Like they have good hitters to back up this pitching 757 00:55:45.880 --> 00:55:49.199 lineup, which who knows what we're going to get. Devas is good, 758 00:55:49.719 --> 00:55:53.440 Massa Saki Yujida is really good, and I know that he's defensively not the 759 00:55:53.480 --> 00:55:57.440 greatest, which is why I think a few teams didn't get in that bidding. 760 00:55:57.480 --> 00:56:00.960 But I think that I think he's going to easily win Rookie of the 761 00:56:00.039 --> 00:56:02.480 Year this year, which is a little bit of a cop out when you 762 00:56:02.519 --> 00:56:07.800 bring somebody in who's already played professionally for seven or eight years and then they 763 00:56:07.800 --> 00:56:12.119 can do that, can do go. I think they're all solid players. 764 00:56:12.159 --> 00:56:15.800 I think what we talked about with the White Sox is not here, like 765 00:56:15.920 --> 00:56:21.239 they have depth for when things aren't going to go well. So I'm gonna 766 00:56:21.320 --> 00:56:24.000 do exactly the same thing as I did with the Chicago Cubs and put myself 767 00:56:24.039 --> 00:56:30.079 firmly on the fence and say eighty one wins. I had eighty three, 768 00:56:30.239 --> 00:56:36.599 So I'm certainly in the similar sort of realm as you. I like the 769 00:56:36.639 --> 00:56:40.280 speed they've added. I like um Mondessi and Tapia. I mean, that's 770 00:56:40.320 --> 00:56:44.679 that's two guys out of nowhere that they've added there that are if they get 771 00:56:44.679 --> 00:56:47.960 on base, they're gonna fly, absolutely fly. Those two. They both 772 00:56:49.320 --> 00:56:52.159 they both look like they've been stretched. They both look like they have shins 773 00:56:52.159 --> 00:56:54.480 that are gonna snap because they're so skinny, but they they fly around those 774 00:56:54.519 --> 00:56:59.199 bases. So I think that's something that they've lacked a little bit in the 775 00:56:59.280 --> 00:57:01.280 last couple of years, is once they're basically looked a little bit chuggy. 776 00:57:01.679 --> 00:57:07.599 So yeah, not bad eighty three tough division. Put them in any other 777 00:57:07.639 --> 00:57:10.960 division, and and they're they're contending, I think, but not in the 778 00:57:10.960 --> 00:57:21.559 air least your thoughts, keV. What about the Red Sox. Yeah, 779 00:57:22.679 --> 00:57:28.079 yeah, no, I'm quite happy to just go along with thee It is 780 00:57:28.239 --> 00:57:30.639 lovely stuff. Yeah, it's your pick. Eighty three is the number of 781 00:57:30.840 --> 00:57:37.400 wins that the Orioles got last year. Yep. And I think they're they're 782 00:57:38.039 --> 00:57:45.639 far far better team than they were last year. So I think the unctions 783 00:57:45.679 --> 00:57:50.280 coming through we will see an impact from them. I think the pitching with 784 00:57:50.639 --> 00:57:54.119 Rodriguez, Okay, he's not going to start in the rotation, but he 785 00:57:54.519 --> 00:58:00.039 could be a difference maker. John Means will be back by you'll start break 786 00:58:00.400 --> 00:58:08.599 probably. M Yeah. I think with Gunna Henderson with a bit more experience 787 00:58:08.679 --> 00:58:14.360 and Edley Rushman, I think that the Oils are going to be a decent 788 00:58:14.360 --> 00:58:17.000 team. I certainly don't think they're going to come bottom of the division. 789 00:58:19.840 --> 00:58:22.960 So you know, they won eighty three last year. I'm looking at eighty 790 00:58:22.000 --> 00:58:28.800 three again. I kind of agree with you and that I don't think the 791 00:58:28.880 --> 00:58:32.119 regression that everyone is talking about is going to be quite as steep and as 792 00:58:32.159 --> 00:58:37.880 stark as many people have predicted. I've heard people say, you know, 793 00:58:37.920 --> 00:58:40.159 they're going to head back down to the low seventies, and I don't think 794 00:58:40.599 --> 00:58:46.480 that's fair. I think they're high seventies. I've gotten down as an as 795 00:58:46.480 --> 00:58:52.000 a generous eighty. I just I just really struggle with that. With the 796 00:58:52.159 --> 00:58:54.239 pit, with the pitching, I really struggle to see pass a rotation. 797 00:58:55.639 --> 00:58:59.840 Yeah. Absolutely, these guys are going to get okay. A number of 798 00:59:00.079 --> 00:59:02.519 they're going to do okay, but they're going to start the bottom of the 799 00:59:02.559 --> 00:59:07.159 first six runs down, you know, five days a week. So I'm 800 00:59:07.199 --> 00:59:10.320 I'm struggling. I'm struggling with that. But I could give him an eighty. 801 00:59:10.360 --> 00:59:15.320 I could give him an eighty. Yeah, I really agree with with 802 00:59:15.440 --> 00:59:21.239 Rob here. I I'm going to say that I think Felix Batista will lead 803 00:59:21.280 --> 00:59:23.840 the team in pitching war, which if you understand how it works for relievers 804 00:59:23.840 --> 00:59:29.840 compared to starters, that really shouldn't be possible, like Grace and Rodriguez is 805 00:59:29.840 --> 00:59:31.719 not going to get enough game time to get out ahead of him. And 806 00:59:32.239 --> 00:59:36.559 if you tell me that, you're really expecting anything from Carl Gibson Cole of 807 00:59:36.760 --> 00:59:43.199 in Curl Brandish Tyler wells. I'm like the John means even when he comes 808 00:59:43.199 --> 00:59:46.960 back, the Hunsters know like this team will hit well. But I think 809 00:59:46.960 --> 00:59:50.679 they're similar to the White Sox that as soon as you lose a player, 810 00:59:51.159 --> 00:59:53.800 the next man up is not good, like and the next man up will 811 00:59:53.840 --> 01:00:00.239 be some random quad A player or maybe even a triple A player, because 812 01:00:00.280 --> 01:00:05.519 they haven't paid to get the one or two or even the five or six 813 01:00:05.599 --> 01:00:08.679 veterans into this lineup, which I think would actually make them not only a 814 01:00:08.679 --> 01:00:15.440 better team, but a genuine playoff contender, Like can you imagine if this 815 01:00:15.559 --> 01:00:24.159 team added Carlos's career or Dansby Swanson like as much as Gave loves Joe Mateos 816 01:00:24.280 --> 01:00:30.039 like having one of those guys as that short stop, I just think, 817 01:00:30.280 --> 01:00:35.039 just but also having the presence of one of those people in the clubhouse would 818 01:00:35.159 --> 01:00:39.639 make a massive difference. The thing I'm starting to get onto the dislike the 819 01:00:39.719 --> 01:00:45.599 Orioles trail, mainly because their owners have come out and start to say things 820 01:00:45.639 --> 01:00:47.760 like, oh, we don't want to be like Houston anymore. We want 821 01:00:47.760 --> 01:00:52.639 to be like Tampa, which is that you want to go bad and then 822 01:00:52.679 --> 01:00:55.599 not spend money, not that you want to go bad, pickle the prospects, 823 01:00:55.679 --> 01:01:00.639 and then spend the money to reach the top. They're trying to recreate 824 01:01:00.679 --> 01:01:05.280 what Tampa was doing, which to me is not a good thingful baseball to 825 01:01:05.440 --> 01:01:10.519 have multiple teams that are trying to not spend and win. So, yeah, 826 01:01:10.800 --> 01:01:15.440 I think they'll just miss out on eighty wins. I have seventy nine 827 01:01:15.440 --> 01:01:20.559 wins. I think from a neutral point of viewer, it was just really 828 01:01:20.719 --> 01:01:24.800 disappointing that they didn't invest in just a couple of veteran pitchers. You know, 829 01:01:24.880 --> 01:01:30.159 if they've done what the Giants have done, taken Stripling and Maniah, 830 01:01:30.239 --> 01:01:36.000 then that rotation would look so much different, and then you could you could 831 01:01:36.280 --> 01:01:38.760 you could dream on those youngsters, but yeah, the pitching is differently. 832 01:01:39.000 --> 01:01:44.599 You need dl Call to come through and prove that he can he can perform 833 01:01:44.639 --> 01:01:49.000 at the big league level, but yeah, he's always injured. Come at 834 01:01:49.000 --> 01:01:52.199 the end of the season, you could have Whole and Grayson Rodriguez both pitching 835 01:01:52.280 --> 01:01:54.119 like two of the best pitchers in the league. But it's not going to 836 01:01:54.159 --> 01:01:57.039 be until the end of the season, and by then they'll be out of 837 01:01:57.079 --> 01:01:59.840 this playoff run and they'll be like, well, yes, this is what 838 01:02:00.000 --> 01:02:02.559 we told you that next season was our season, as we will hear for 839 01:02:02.519 --> 01:02:07.880 the next three seasons. What are we saying eightwo then I had Ross had 840 01:02:07.960 --> 01:02:10.679 seventy nine. You had eighty three, didn't you? So yeah, I 841 01:02:10.719 --> 01:02:16.199 think probably makes it very hard for me to put the Yankees in fifth place, 842 01:02:16.280 --> 01:02:22.239 now, doesn't it? Do you want to start on that one? 843 01:02:22.320 --> 01:02:29.039 Ga, go for it? Wee gave. Okay, So New York Yankees. 844 01:02:29.599 --> 01:02:34.280 Do they have a rotation? That is a question. They got Garrett 845 01:02:34.320 --> 01:02:43.559 cole, is Tason you would you want to continue along that list? Yeah? 846 01:02:43.880 --> 01:02:47.119 I got Aaron Judge. They've got a couple of decent players. I 847 01:02:47.159 --> 01:02:54.079 think I just think they are always overrated. Yeah, nineteen nine wins last 848 01:02:54.079 --> 01:02:59.360 season. It was good year. But I can't see that they're the best 849 01:02:59.360 --> 01:03:01.360 team in the divid come through the second best accancy, that they're the third 850 01:03:01.440 --> 01:03:07.760 best. I would have liked. I would have liked the winds to work 851 01:03:07.800 --> 01:03:13.880 out that Baltimore and Boston both finished above them. Um, I think Boston, 852 01:03:14.480 --> 01:03:17.960 Boston? Will I think Boston? Can? I think I don't know? 853 01:03:19.559 --> 01:03:22.719 You know, I don't like the Yankees. Okay, so let's let's 854 01:03:22.800 --> 01:03:27.519 let let's take the we know galv doesn't like the Yankees. That's just split 855 01:03:27.559 --> 01:03:30.800 for a second to say that, yes, also pitching for the Yankees is 856 01:03:30.880 --> 01:03:34.079 Nesta Cortez, who ahead of phenomenal season and they do that good. They've 857 01:03:34.079 --> 01:03:37.239 got Carliss Rodan and Lewis Severino, who, yes, will both miss part 858 01:03:37.280 --> 01:03:42.079 of the season, but will be phenomenal when they do pitch. And then 859 01:03:42.119 --> 01:03:46.519 they're picking up the other innings from Domingo Homan, Clark Schmidt, Frankie Montaz 860 01:03:46.960 --> 01:03:52.480 who they are going to be one perfectly fine when it comes to pitching. 861 01:03:52.639 --> 01:03:57.440 They're not to the Baltimore Orioles. And two, I think you might be 862 01:03:57.599 --> 01:04:01.440 right Cav that they don't have the stuffs that we used to think about all 863 01:04:01.480 --> 01:04:05.880 the Yankees, beyond Judge and maybe beyond Tol. I think Rodon was obviously 864 01:04:05.880 --> 01:04:09.480 I think would be brought in. If you were to Hilney, who would 865 01:04:09.519 --> 01:04:13.000 be the top three players for the Yankees in twenty twenty three, I probably 866 01:04:13.039 --> 01:04:17.320 would have gone Rodon, Cole and Judge they are the star players. When 867 01:04:17.320 --> 01:04:20.559 it has got to the point where and that this isn't I don't This is 868 01:04:20.559 --> 01:04:24.880 a slight on Vulpe, but the fact that he's actually got up to the 869 01:04:24.880 --> 01:04:29.679 point where he's maybe earned that position starting position for this season says a lot 870 01:04:29.719 --> 01:04:33.840 about the Yankees. It wouldn't have been historically in the position where a youngster 871 01:04:33.920 --> 01:04:39.920 who maybe would do a two maybe three war season in their rookie year would 872 01:04:39.920 --> 01:04:44.480 actually get up because there would be a five six seven war player in that 873 01:04:44.519 --> 01:04:49.280 position that he would be contending for and he isn't. Because who's the next 874 01:04:49.280 --> 01:04:55.440 best hitter or next best player on that team? I think you could have 875 01:04:55.960 --> 01:05:01.079 genuine arguments that you are talking about like maybe Bader if he has well with 876 01:05:01.119 --> 01:05:05.800 a bad and is defensively solid, or claibor Torres or Dja Mayhew or even 877 01:05:06.280 --> 01:05:11.639 like Rizzo, there's there's there's an argument for who is the second best hitter 878 01:05:11.880 --> 01:05:15.320 on that team. And that shouldn't really be the case for the New York 879 01:05:15.400 --> 01:05:17.519 Yankees. They should never be like the top It should be an argument between 880 01:05:18.079 --> 01:05:20.920 the top three, which one of the top three is the top three, 881 01:05:21.039 --> 01:05:25.800 not there's a clear one, and then there's nobody's. They're not nobody's, 882 01:05:25.800 --> 01:05:30.400 but they're all good players for that second spot. So no, I don't 883 01:05:30.440 --> 01:05:32.920 think they win ninety nine wins. I still think they'll be a very good 884 01:05:32.960 --> 01:05:35.800 team. I still think that they will compete with the Rays in the Blue 885 01:05:35.840 --> 01:05:42.239 Jays to win that title. I have them at eighty nine, so I'm 886 01:05:42.239 --> 01:05:45.719 not thinking they're going to be amazing. I was high on them. I 887 01:05:45.800 --> 01:05:48.719 was high. I'm looking at depth. I'm looking at a bunch of teams 888 01:05:48.719 --> 01:05:51.920 like where they're all gonna deal with injuries, and i just think if you 889 01:05:53.039 --> 01:05:59.360 take any third, any positions, third player for the Yankees, they are 890 01:05:59.519 --> 01:06:03.400 going to come heat with most of the first choices from any other team. 891 01:06:04.000 --> 01:06:08.360 It's just so much depth, it's so strong, and you know you've got 892 01:06:08.400 --> 01:06:13.639 that they can just keep churning these players out out of their system that isn't 893 01:06:13.679 --> 01:06:15.639 ranked that high yet there's always the next guy who's going to do the job. 894 01:06:16.559 --> 01:06:19.639 So I'm still very high on the Yankees. And and you know what, 895 01:06:19.639 --> 01:06:21.760 we've said it for a few years now that oh maybe they're not that 896 01:06:21.760 --> 01:06:25.440 brilliant, maybe they're not that great, but they keep being that brilliant, 897 01:06:25.480 --> 01:06:29.039 that great. So I'm not looking lower than in ninety five. You know, 898 01:06:29.400 --> 01:06:32.960 I've still fear the Yankees. Yeah, and I don't think that's going 899 01:06:33.000 --> 01:06:38.679 away. Anytime soon. So I've got ninety five, Russ, you're eighty 900 01:06:38.800 --> 01:06:45.960 nine, Gab, I'm sensing you considerably lower. I just think that with 901 01:06:45.679 --> 01:06:48.800 the old guys, with the old hitters, they've got Josh, Jonaldston Now 902 01:06:48.880 --> 01:06:55.039 and Hicks, they're not going to get in in anyone else's team. And 903 01:06:55.320 --> 01:07:00.320 they're starting with three. Yeah, sensational pictures, but they're all in jured 904 01:07:00.159 --> 01:07:05.679 in severing the Montess and rod On, and that doesn't necessarily mean in two 905 01:07:05.679 --> 01:07:09.880 weeks or in four weeks that there will be there will be fully fit. 906 01:07:11.000 --> 01:07:15.519 So I don't know. I'm happy to go with the eighty nine, which 907 01:07:15.559 --> 01:07:21.039 I heard anything beginning eighty sounds good to me. If I had my wild 908 01:07:21.039 --> 01:07:24.840 card, i'd probably throw it out there. But that is gone. Yeah, 909 01:07:25.119 --> 01:07:30.760 you're wasted eighty nine. I'm dying on the Brewers. So given it, 910 01:07:30.880 --> 01:07:32.400 you said that, you said, Joe, we'll push it up to 911 01:07:32.519 --> 01:07:38.760 ninety and make it interesting. Given Europe at ninety five, are you accepting 912 01:07:38.920 --> 01:07:43.159 ninety or is that that running against everything in your blood? Oh? Accept 913 01:07:43.239 --> 01:07:51.159 whatever you agree? Oh okay, I gotta have a winner that leaves the 914 01:07:51.159 --> 01:07:56.960 Blue Jays blue Jays. I find the hardest to put in a position in 915 01:07:57.000 --> 01:08:00.599 this this division. Um, I think they're a bit disappointing last year. 916 01:08:00.800 --> 01:08:03.280 And I don't mean that they were disappointing in that they were bad. I 917 01:08:03.320 --> 01:08:09.480 think they were disappointing in that we didn't see the quantum leap forward again that 918 01:08:09.519 --> 01:08:15.400 we perhaps expected from them. They're young guys are here now, and we've 919 01:08:15.639 --> 01:08:17.039 been at a safe for a few years. The young guys are coming, 920 01:08:17.079 --> 01:08:20.439 they're almost here, they're getting ready to be here. They're here, and 921 01:08:20.520 --> 01:08:25.640 I haven't seen the difference between they're coming and they're here, you know. 922 01:08:26.960 --> 01:08:30.920 I mean it's it's you're talking about Vanda mcgrera Jr. Who is an astonishing 923 01:08:30.920 --> 01:08:35.479 baseball player. Absolutely, you can't can't fault him. But yeah, Bobichette's 924 01:08:35.520 --> 01:08:40.720 great, absolutely, but but there was a time when we thought he could 925 01:08:40.800 --> 01:08:45.840 be world changingly good. And he's he's he's great, but he's not quite 926 01:08:45.880 --> 01:08:49.399 there. I've been on record a few times talking about how Dalton va Show 927 01:08:50.199 --> 01:08:57.399 is only valuable when he's using him for his multi positional point and as an 928 01:08:57.399 --> 01:09:01.000 outpleader. He's great, but he's nothing special anymore. Yes, they've added 929 01:09:01.000 --> 01:09:04.600 Merryfield, so I'm back and forth and back and forth, and then Brandon 930 01:09:04.640 --> 01:09:09.600 Belt whatever hell that's all about. So I'm back and forth. I really 931 01:09:09.680 --> 01:09:14.920 struggle to pick a place to put the Blue Jays. So I've got them 932 01:09:14.920 --> 01:09:17.920 at eighty eight, but I could be very easily Swedie away on them. 933 01:09:18.279 --> 01:09:25.840 Gav. Yeah, I think they are head and shoulders best team in division. 934 01:09:26.039 --> 01:09:30.680 I think this is the year when it does all come together. They 935 01:09:30.720 --> 01:09:35.439 have assembled a fantastic lineup of hitters, and they've added var show to it. 936 01:09:35.479 --> 01:09:40.520 They've added Belt to it to give them a bit of variation for the 937 01:09:41.039 --> 01:09:46.800 DHU, and the rotation looks looks very, very very good. It looked 938 01:09:47.079 --> 01:09:56.079 possibly the strongest rotation in baseball. So yeah, I could seem winning ninety 939 01:09:56.199 --> 01:09:59.600 nine. I don't think you get a hundred win team in the division. 940 01:09:59.640 --> 01:10:11.520 But I'm a lot more positive than you, Rob Extinguish. I'm more questioning 941 01:10:11.560 --> 01:10:14.479 the best rotation in baseball, like I don't. I don't think it would 942 01:10:14.479 --> 01:10:17.479 even be top five, but maybe even top ten rotation in baseball. I 943 01:10:17.479 --> 01:10:24.079 think you've got good players there. I think Dausman is good. I think 944 01:10:24.119 --> 01:10:28.000 bass It is good. I think alec Manoah is good. Josie vary depends 945 01:10:28.000 --> 01:10:31.439 what we see us Hucci, depends what we see like those that there's some 946 01:10:31.720 --> 01:10:36.880 real question marks that you're kind of fourth and fifth starting pitcher there. Um 947 01:10:38.079 --> 01:10:41.000 yeah, Romana one sponsor, Earth and Bass. I think from from a 948 01:10:41.199 --> 01:10:45.920 closing side, will be will be stronger in relief. I think this is 949 01:10:45.920 --> 01:10:48.560 going to seem is going to be better hitting. I think what we've actually 950 01:10:48.640 --> 01:10:54.439 realizing is maybe that all of these young Blue Day players are well, they're 951 01:10:54.479 --> 01:10:57.640 like three and a half to four and a half more players. They're not 952 01:10:57.880 --> 01:11:01.880 five six more players that are constantly perennially like MVP contenders. They're not. 953 01:11:02.039 --> 01:11:06.319 They're not turning into bets. They're not turning into like the people who are 954 01:11:06.439 --> 01:11:11.800 Arronado's in that regard, who are kind of constantly competing. They are all 955 01:11:11.960 --> 01:11:16.840 very good? Are you? I have to question sometimes when you're a team 956 01:11:16.880 --> 01:11:21.319 that's gonna probably give Kevin Kim four hundred plate appearances in a season, how 957 01:11:21.319 --> 01:11:26.840 good you actually are because you'll break it before then. Yeah, Like he's 958 01:11:26.920 --> 01:11:32.239 he's obviously phenomenal defensively, but he's also obviously awful with the bat, Like 959 01:11:32.760 --> 01:11:35.840 and so what are you? What are you really trying to get out of 960 01:11:35.880 --> 01:11:43.039 him. I think, yeah, I think it's adding in the belt and 961 01:11:43.359 --> 01:11:45.880 bar show to give yourself a bit of different handedness to what you was maybe 962 01:11:46.000 --> 01:11:50.159 potentially caused the Blue Jays in issue last year, makes a difference. I 963 01:11:50.199 --> 01:11:54.239 do also agree that I think this team will win the division. I have 964 01:11:54.319 --> 01:12:00.359 them at like ninety three, So I don't obviously like I'm never gonna probably 965 01:12:00.399 --> 01:12:05.119 push anybody to a hundred or wave of predictions just because that's not the way 966 01:12:05.199 --> 01:12:11.399 the mask plays out. But unless it was like the Dodgers team probably from 967 01:12:11.399 --> 01:12:14.880 a couple of years ago. But yeah, I think that I think that 968 01:12:15.119 --> 01:12:19.239 they should be favorites for this deficient And so yeah, I have ninety three 969 01:12:19.239 --> 01:12:23.880 wins. I can I can easily go with that, as I was here 970 01:12:23.880 --> 01:12:29.199 to be squayed, um gave you. I mean, so I'm happy to 971 01:12:29.239 --> 01:12:31.199 go up to ninety three. I'm happy. I'm happy to push it one 972 01:12:31.279 --> 01:12:38.720 or two high. I mean, I mean, how's ninety four? Ninety 973 01:12:38.800 --> 01:12:43.760 four's perfectly okay's ninety four, it's a bit more gav ninety four wins, 974 01:12:45.239 --> 01:12:49.199 ninety four win Toronto Blue Jays. Good grief, right, um from an 975 01:12:49.279 --> 01:12:53.880 al east. Then let's go to the other side of the country. Um, 976 01:12:54.079 --> 01:12:57.359 and let's crop up some miles and go n L West. Why not, 977 01:12:57.680 --> 01:13:00.920 let's just go all the way over there. Um. NL West is 978 01:13:00.359 --> 01:13:05.199 a team of a division of stars and scrubs over the last couple of years. 979 01:13:05.760 --> 01:13:10.159 Um, a little bit of reversion to the mean. Maybe Russell, 980 01:13:10.159 --> 01:13:12.119 would you want to do you want to kick us off with a team from 981 01:13:12.279 --> 01:13:15.600 the NL West. Yeah, let's talk about the Rockies. They're bad. 982 01:13:16.960 --> 01:13:21.960 They may be very correct, U. Yeah, I think you'll get some 983 01:13:23.000 --> 01:13:27.560 solid performances from Toe, Varmot, Man Brian, Drugs and Profile could probably 984 01:13:27.920 --> 01:13:31.800 have fun out in Coursfield. Um. The issue was always pitching, Like 985 01:13:31.920 --> 01:13:38.920 Herman Marquez, didn't Cal Freeland come out as respectable pitchers there in even maybe 986 01:13:39.760 --> 01:13:44.359 sense and Teller does on occasion. But I don't really think much of Jossierrian 987 01:13:44.439 --> 01:13:47.760 of pitching in course fields that like, even who else is going to pick 988 01:13:47.840 --> 01:13:51.039 up the rest of those innings? I think they kind of get buttered and 989 01:13:51.199 --> 01:13:57.279 batchered. Um, quite quite bad. The Rockies are always the same in 990 01:13:57.359 --> 01:14:03.079 the kind of the bench, but look good either, So like you've got 991 01:14:03.159 --> 01:14:10.760 ailing agings. Mike Mustachis and Charlie Blackman, who I don't really think much 992 01:14:10.800 --> 01:14:16.039 of ct Cron could have another nice season, But now I really don't think 993 01:14:16.119 --> 01:14:20.159 much of this Rockies team. I think the Dodgers and will get to them 994 01:14:20.199 --> 01:14:24.119 and the Padres are both good teams, and I think the Chants and the 995 01:14:24.199 --> 01:14:29.079 Diamondbacks are both reasonable teams. So I kind of see in a world. 996 01:14:29.560 --> 01:14:31.880 In this world and in even looking at the Central and the East, the 997 01:14:32.039 --> 01:14:39.359 Rockies are the potentially the team they're going to get bullied second most. So 998 01:14:39.600 --> 01:14:47.079 yeah, I have them at sixty five worst team. That's me, that's 999 01:14:47.119 --> 01:14:49.680 maybe pessimistic. And I have them at sixty five. You go, you 1000 01:14:49.720 --> 01:14:54.920 can push them to a below one hundred or above one hundred doth team if 1001 01:14:54.920 --> 01:15:00.439 you both think so, I wouldn't be I'm not against that. Not where 1002 01:15:00.520 --> 01:15:05.760 my predictions really if anybody were one hundred wins or one hundred loss hard to 1003 01:15:05.880 --> 01:15:09.199 see. Yeah, I find it hard to see how they're going to win 1004 01:15:09.319 --> 01:15:15.119 sixty five games. They do look ridful. What's your number? Gave sixty 1005 01:15:15.199 --> 01:15:19.359 one. I had fifty eight, So I think I think we can meet 1006 01:15:19.359 --> 01:15:23.439 in the middle on gabs gave sixty one. Yeah, I can take it. 1007 01:15:24.760 --> 01:15:27.520 We've got to give. We've gotta have somebody losing. Losing one hundred 1008 01:15:27.840 --> 01:15:30.720 sixty one for the Rockies. Sorry we didn't talk more about them, Rocky 1009 01:15:30.800 --> 01:15:34.760 Fan, but you know, Benny, have your day. Um moving on, 1010 01:15:34.880 --> 01:15:40.479 then he had his day. He had his day. Let's let's let's 1011 01:15:40.520 --> 01:15:43.960 head up to something a little bit more positive, but only a little bit 1012 01:15:44.000 --> 01:15:46.560 more positive. Um, the d Backs. The d Backs feel like a 1013 01:15:46.680 --> 01:15:55.680 team that are growing. They're not They're not awful. They're gonna be fine. 1014 01:15:56.399 --> 01:16:00.520 Um. I Marte is a player who's been sat around in the back 1015 01:16:00.520 --> 01:16:04.000 of my head as he's great for years. I'm just starting to have to 1016 01:16:04.079 --> 01:16:09.359 review that down to he's fine. There's a lot of fine. There's a 1017 01:16:09.399 --> 01:16:12.920 lot of fine. Merrill Kelly is fine, you know, Zach Gallen's very 1018 01:16:13.039 --> 01:16:17.399 very good. Joshua has is fine. You know. They are going to 1019 01:16:17.479 --> 01:16:21.880 be just fine. And I think they're going to benefit from not having to 1020 01:16:21.960 --> 01:16:26.760 play quite as many games against the top end of that division. Again, 1021 01:16:28.239 --> 01:16:31.560 I think they're going to be a solidly middle of the run. Eighty three 1022 01:16:31.600 --> 01:16:36.680 wins. Oh, I thought I was going to be positive and say like 1023 01:16:36.840 --> 01:16:40.359 eight to put them out a five hundred win team, but Robb, you're 1024 01:16:40.359 --> 01:16:44.760 also kind of I quite like him. I think Corbyn, Carroll is looking 1025 01:16:44.800 --> 01:16:48.760 good, Alec Thomas. We could get to see the delightfully named Brandon Fart 1026 01:16:48.840 --> 01:16:53.319 to play for them this year. So wait, wait, wait what? 1027 01:16:53.520 --> 01:16:59.479 Sorry start, I know I've missed this altogether and I'm tangent. Sorry, 1028 01:16:59.560 --> 01:17:05.000 Brandon Fut It's pelt p faa dt, but I do believe it is pronounced 1029 01:17:05.159 --> 01:17:13.399 fart. So favorite player, Brandt. Do you think they'll be in above 1030 01:17:13.439 --> 01:17:15.199 five? You think they're gonna be a positive team? No, I don't 1031 01:17:15.239 --> 01:17:17.239 think so. I think I think they're a good scene. I thought I 1032 01:17:17.319 --> 01:17:20.680 was going to be quite positive on them. I think they've made improvements to 1033 01:17:21.239 --> 01:17:25.560 last year because Carroll, we're going to get a whole season of Carroll, 1034 01:17:25.960 --> 01:17:30.239 and then they've got Moreno and Thomas hopefully he can't be as bad as he 1035 01:17:30.920 --> 01:17:39.439 was before. So I worry about their pitching. Gallen and Kelly are both 1036 01:17:39.520 --> 01:17:43.560 good, but I worry about after that. Um, I think they're gonna 1037 01:17:43.560 --> 01:17:45.760 struggle to get to five hundred. I would have thought, you know, 1038 01:17:45.640 --> 01:17:50.640 seventy eight, seventy nine, But that's fine. That's in the range that 1039 01:17:50.640 --> 01:17:55.039 I think it is acceptable. If if Rob is saying, you're saying seventy 1040 01:17:55.119 --> 01:17:58.000 nine, Rob saying eighty three, and I'm saying eighty one, do we 1041 01:17:58.479 --> 01:18:01.199 give them the benefit of doubt and say into eighty one, boys, sure 1042 01:18:01.720 --> 01:18:04.560 better than a five hundred. There's there's worse out there, better than five 1043 01:18:04.680 --> 01:18:11.199 hundred, surely, Then I reckon they're gonna they're gonna stumble for There are 1044 01:18:11.279 --> 01:18:14.840 teams here who are gonna are gonna fight for every win. I mean, 1045 01:18:14.920 --> 01:18:19.760 the d Backs should stumble through through five hundred, surely. Plus Brandon Fart 1046 01:18:19.840 --> 01:18:24.520 has like like friendliest face, Like he's a lovely looking chap. He looks 1047 01:18:24.560 --> 01:18:27.640 really cheery, and he's going to turn up one day in that bullpen. 1048 01:18:27.920 --> 01:18:30.680 He's gonna pick everyone up and they're gonna go, Yeah, let's all, 1049 01:18:30.800 --> 01:18:34.079 let's all go go for for Fart and and you know, let's push this 1050 01:18:34.199 --> 01:18:39.199 one out and let's let's get that extra win. And yeah, I'm I 1051 01:18:39.439 --> 01:18:42.399 really really don't like five hundred of the d Backs. I think there's a 1052 01:18:42.399 --> 01:18:45.920 couple more wins in him. Surely, Come on, anyone wins, Rob, 1053 01:18:45.000 --> 01:18:49.199 We're moving on. You've used your jokers, Okay, So if we 1054 01:18:49.239 --> 01:18:51.800 go to the Giants, because they're the other team who are going to be 1055 01:18:53.920 --> 01:18:59.720 round about five hundred in the division, and you just can never tell what's 1056 01:18:59.760 --> 01:19:03.960 gonna happened with the Giants. They just seem to be able to produce magic 1057 01:19:04.199 --> 01:19:10.840 from different platoons, to produce magic from players who other teams have discarded. 1058 01:19:12.600 --> 01:19:18.880 Where did they what did they do last year? Exactly five hundred. I 1059 01:19:19.000 --> 01:19:27.119 think they've really done well with improving the rotation, will improving strengthening the rotation, 1060 01:19:27.199 --> 01:19:30.279 despite losing Carlos Rodon, which they were never going to be able to 1061 01:19:30.600 --> 01:19:38.560 replace, And yeah, I think this five or six veteran pictures. I 1062 01:19:38.600 --> 01:19:41.600 think they're going to be a pretty decent team. I don't think we're going 1063 01:19:41.640 --> 01:19:45.119 to go back to the days of them competing with the Dodgers and the Padres 1064 01:19:45.159 --> 01:19:49.119 for division. But I think they're going to be round about five hundred, 1065 01:19:49.239 --> 01:19:57.880 just over five hundred eighty two wins. Your thoughts, I can go with 1066 01:19:58.000 --> 01:20:01.279 that. I mean that they didn't have the best year. I think they 1067 01:20:01.359 --> 01:20:05.720 underperformed a little bit on what they were last year. The pitching isn't spectacular, 1068 01:20:05.840 --> 01:20:11.399 but yeah, it's a it's a it's it's an approved outfield from what 1069 01:20:11.600 --> 01:20:15.319 we've they've historically struggled with the outfield, and I like it a lot better 1070 01:20:15.359 --> 01:20:19.439 than I have done in previous years. Um, they're catching situation is is 1071 01:20:19.439 --> 01:20:24.119 a problem, and Wilma Flores is on the depth chart far too many times 1072 01:20:24.159 --> 01:20:27.479 for the infield for my liking. But they're they're they're all right. Yeah, 1073 01:20:27.680 --> 01:20:32.239 I get I'm I'm I'm seeing them having a decent battle with the d 1074 01:20:32.359 --> 01:20:36.680 Backs and there is a world whereby both of those end up competing for the 1075 01:20:36.800 --> 01:20:40.720 last world card spot. And I think there's a decent race that we had 1076 01:20:40.800 --> 01:20:44.760 there. Um, I don't quite see that happening, but it's not with 1077 01:20:44.880 --> 01:20:47.560 it beyond the realm. So I'll give me an eighty one to eighty three. 1078 01:20:47.560 --> 01:20:51.319 I'm happy with that. Okay, So I'm going to go out there 1079 01:20:51.319 --> 01:20:55.119 and say I'm using my joker now. I think this team is crap. 1080 01:20:55.680 --> 01:20:58.800 I think this team is awful. I think there is nobody who's good on 1081 01:20:58.880 --> 01:21:02.159 this team. I think there is fifteen average players on this team who one 1082 01:21:02.199 --> 01:21:04.760 of them or five of them could be good. But I think also all 1083 01:21:04.800 --> 01:21:09.560 of them could be crap. Like when when you're going out there and saying 1084 01:21:09.600 --> 01:21:14.079 that, like fear were Strada or Mike Yastremski is your best hitter, Like 1085 01:21:14.399 --> 01:21:17.319 that's that's not a position that you should put any team in if you have 1086 01:21:17.479 --> 01:21:23.039 any genuine thoughts about winning. And they were obviously they tried to sign career 1087 01:21:23.119 --> 01:21:27.279 and all of the fact that happened there, like and if you end up 1088 01:21:27.279 --> 01:21:30.159 with like Michael could forth, it was your main signing. Afterwards, Like, 1089 01:21:30.199 --> 01:21:33.079 I don't think it's good. And I do agree that with gav saying 1090 01:21:33.119 --> 01:21:38.479 that their pitching is better than it could have been. But obviously they could 1091 01:21:38.520 --> 01:21:42.560 have resigned Radon, Like if you're talking about the money that they potentially offer 1092 01:21:42.600 --> 01:21:45.600 to Korea, they could have kept Radon and in that regards, And so 1093 01:21:46.359 --> 01:21:49.159 I just think that wheels are coming off here. They just doesn't. I 1094 01:21:49.279 --> 01:21:54.199 don't have the faith in the Giants that I have in the Rays that they 1095 01:21:54.239 --> 01:21:58.119 can make these things sort of things work. We saw one amazing season out 1096 01:21:58.119 --> 01:22:00.039 of them, and then everybody was suddenly like, oh my god, the 1097 01:22:00.159 --> 01:22:02.880 Giants must be amazing, called the people in the cobhouse, they must be 1098 01:22:02.960 --> 01:22:06.279 amazing. And then we kind of saw them fall off, and then everybody 1099 01:22:06.399 --> 01:22:08.880 was just like oh no, no, no, no, I think that 1100 01:22:09.000 --> 01:22:11.399 was just the down here, like it's somewhere in between. No, I 1101 01:22:11.479 --> 01:22:15.600 think they're bad. So I'm saying seventy five wins and that's by Joker sent 1102 01:22:15.840 --> 01:22:21.840 five Russell not welcome in the Bay Area. I think they talked to you 1103 01:22:21.960 --> 01:22:28.520 about the days later. Okay, right, moving on to the more positive 1104 01:22:28.560 --> 01:22:35.840 side, then let's talk about the Padres. Tom Pringle's Padres lodo crap, 1105 01:22:38.520 --> 01:22:43.319 over priced, rubbish, They're not going to go anywhere. No, obviously 1106 01:22:43.399 --> 01:22:47.439 the Padres have spent big. They look big. They are an impressive looking 1107 01:22:47.560 --> 01:22:51.479 team. Again, I'm a little bit short on some of the depth, 1108 01:22:51.920 --> 01:22:58.600 but the headliners are there. I'm just I just still can't look past the 1109 01:22:58.680 --> 01:23:00.399 Dodgers with them though, I just I think they're going to be good. 1110 01:23:01.000 --> 01:23:05.279 I just don't think they're going to be brilliant. I think there's too many 1111 01:23:05.399 --> 01:23:09.199 questions over Tatis at the moment. What's he going to come back with? 1112 01:23:10.840 --> 01:23:14.359 You know that they had they had some good performances from the likes of Kim 1113 01:23:14.520 --> 01:23:15.800 last year. Is he going to do that kind of stuff again? And 1114 01:23:16.600 --> 01:23:20.079 you know, but chaos due a down year. Eventually, you know it's 1115 01:23:20.119 --> 01:23:24.920 going to happen and there's a little bit on the outfield depth and not percent 1116 01:23:25.000 --> 01:23:30.399 sure on But we're not talking about are they going to be a crappy team. 1117 01:23:30.399 --> 01:23:32.439 They're going to be a very good team. I'm just talking are they 1118 01:23:32.520 --> 01:23:35.880 going to be quite as elite as as we would like them to be. 1119 01:23:36.399 --> 01:23:40.760 On the flip side, I think the pitching will come up a little bit. 1120 01:23:41.119 --> 01:23:44.520 I don't really know what Michael Whacker's doing there. Other than that, 1121 01:23:45.039 --> 01:23:47.159 I'm fairly happy that they're going to regress the other way. They're going to 1122 01:23:47.199 --> 01:23:51.720 be better than they were, and I have picked the Padres for ninety four 1123 01:23:51.800 --> 01:23:59.640 wins, very very good, not world changing. I think there was twenty 1124 01:23:59.680 --> 01:24:06.680 two between them and the Dodgers last year. It's huge difference. Yet the 1125 01:24:08.079 --> 01:24:12.399 Potteries beat them in the postseason, so I think in the postseason they're They're 1126 01:24:12.640 --> 01:24:17.119 very, very good. They are potentially the best team in baseball. But 1127 01:24:17.399 --> 01:24:25.960 can they close at twenty two game gap by the improvements they've made and the 1128 01:24:26.199 --> 01:24:30.319 regression which we'll get from the Dodgers, Yeah, I think it's going to 1129 01:24:30.359 --> 01:24:33.000 be very close. If I've got ninety four as well, and I've got 1130 01:24:33.079 --> 01:24:40.039 the Dodgers with ninety five to just take the division. So yeah, I 1131 01:24:40.119 --> 01:24:44.359 think tell us why we're wrong with us. I don't think much of you 1132 01:24:44.399 --> 01:24:46.640 said is wrong. I think the question, as you as He's talked about, 1133 01:24:46.680 --> 01:24:49.800 is that what happens if somebody who gets injured. I think they've got 1134 01:24:50.319 --> 01:24:54.800 some bits and pieces that will fill in around that will be useful, like 1135 01:24:55.000 --> 01:24:59.960 Cruise Carpenter. But if you're giving much time to rugenet Odor or Adam Engel 1136 01:25:00.199 --> 01:25:02.800 David Dale, then you know that something's gone wrong with that season that they're 1137 01:25:02.840 --> 01:25:10.600 not just billing in during double headers or when they're kind of already fifteen runs 1138 01:25:10.680 --> 01:25:14.720 up. So um, yeah, I think the pitching side is as we've 1139 01:25:14.800 --> 01:25:18.920 discussed. I think it could be down to what the likes of Nick Martinez 1140 01:25:18.960 --> 01:25:25.119 and Seth Lugo do. Like if those guys are phenomenal or suddenly turned out 1141 01:25:25.159 --> 01:25:29.880 as actually being good starters, then I think the Padres has got it lined 1142 01:25:29.960 --> 01:25:31.640 up, like Bob's your uncle, Fannys, your aunt, whatever, then 1143 01:25:31.880 --> 01:25:36.560 they should sew up this division. I still I'm still undetermined which way around. 1144 01:25:36.600 --> 01:25:42.279 I've personally got both teams at ninety four wins. So because I decided 1145 01:25:42.279 --> 01:25:45.560 to sit on the fence, again, there are some teams that I have 1146 01:25:45.640 --> 01:25:46.840 not said on the fence, but on this one again, I've decided that, 1147 01:25:47.039 --> 01:25:48.680 yeah, you know what, I think both of them will make the 1148 01:25:48.720 --> 01:25:51.199 postseason and then they might have to play each other again and it will be 1149 01:25:51.600 --> 01:25:56.359 thoroughly entertaining for us all. So, yeah, padres ninety four wins, 1150 01:25:59.800 --> 01:26:03.159 then, I think, so finally we agreed on ninety four wins for something. 1151 01:26:04.239 --> 01:26:08.680 I'm higher on the Dodgers. I think I think it's I think we've 1152 01:26:08.760 --> 01:26:14.319 we've been so so heavily looking for a chink in their armor. And yeah, 1153 01:26:14.359 --> 01:26:16.680 they're not one hundred team. They win team they were last year, 1154 01:26:16.720 --> 01:26:21.520 absolutely, but that is a long way to fall back from. And we've 1155 01:26:21.560 --> 01:26:25.600 been so badly picking a hole looking for holes. We don't realized this team 1156 01:26:25.840 --> 01:26:31.439 is still generationally good. You know, they're they're with depth as well. 1157 01:26:31.520 --> 01:26:34.359 You know they they've got guys who can play all over the place. Um 1158 01:26:35.119 --> 01:26:38.880 shortstop is their whole. It's weird. I don't know why they've not done 1159 01:26:38.920 --> 01:26:43.239 more to sort that one out. I'm not convinced by Rojas personally as being 1160 01:26:43.640 --> 01:26:45.600 on this team, but then then they're going to pick him up. I 1161 01:26:45.680 --> 01:26:50.319 can absolutely see Noah synder Guard going back to what he was supposed to be. 1162 01:26:50.560 --> 01:26:55.840 I can absolutely see that happen, and I have no confidence in anybody 1163 01:26:55.920 --> 01:26:59.560 other than the Dodgers, more than the Dodgers to get that there. So 1164 01:26:59.680 --> 01:27:02.000 I'm I'm still all in on the Dodgers here. I think they're going to 1165 01:27:02.039 --> 01:27:05.800 win the division. No, I'm not going to predict the silly wins they 1166 01:27:05.840 --> 01:27:09.960 had last year. So I'm going for ninety seven on the Dodgers, and 1167 01:27:10.199 --> 01:27:13.359 I don't think that is high a prediction. I think it's very, very 1168 01:27:13.479 --> 01:27:16.399 doable. I'm hearing both of you slightly less, so I'm happy to come 1169 01:27:16.439 --> 01:27:24.319 down to Gather's middling ninety five. So the thing for me is that as 1170 01:27:24.439 --> 01:27:28.039 much as I thought Trace Thompson was an amazing player for team as ub when 1171 01:27:28.079 --> 01:27:30.920 he's probably their starting center fielder, and David Perrault is probably their starting left 1172 01:27:30.960 --> 01:27:35.640 fielder, and Meo Robots is they're starting short stop. This isn't the This 1173 01:27:35.800 --> 01:27:42.680 isn't the Dodgers team that was playing like Trait Earner and even going back a 1174 01:27:42.720 --> 01:27:46.680 few years having like Cody Bellingers as their CENTI fielder. Jason Heyward's going to 1175 01:27:46.800 --> 01:27:50.640 make this squad and who was brought in as a non roster in flight, 1176 01:27:50.800 --> 01:27:59.239 they are weaker. I think they are significantly weaker than they were one especially 1177 01:27:59.359 --> 01:28:01.560 like two seasons ago. It still doesn't mean that they're bad. It just 1178 01:28:01.640 --> 01:28:04.800 means they're not one hundred win team anymore, or they're not one hundred and 1179 01:28:05.239 --> 01:28:10.880 eleven win team like they were last year, or and potentially on records. 1180 01:28:10.920 --> 01:28:14.239 I think the straight up spot for j D. Martinez and just in turn 1181 01:28:14.760 --> 01:28:18.079 to DH's is a wash. I don't think there's any issue there. Losing 1182 01:28:18.079 --> 01:28:20.439 Gavin looks, I think will hurt. I think it will cost them a 1183 01:28:20.479 --> 01:28:25.239 couple. I think that's why I got them back to being level instead of 1184 01:28:25.359 --> 01:28:30.479 being slightly ahead. But yeah, you look at that, you look at 1185 01:28:30.479 --> 01:28:32.600 the bullpend, and I mean you look at the starters, and maybe it 1186 01:28:32.680 --> 01:28:36.640 isn't as strong as a few years back, but would you still think you've 1187 01:28:36.680 --> 01:28:42.039 got a Rys Kirsh or Synder Guard and then you're going to get time out 1188 01:28:42.079 --> 01:28:45.319 of counselin May, who I both think a very good pictures but obviously struggled 1189 01:28:45.319 --> 01:28:51.560 to states to stay healthy. And I could talk in favorable terms about this 1190 01:28:51.680 --> 01:28:57.960 Dodger's bullpen for probably an entire podcast, like Evan Phillips, Alex Fcer, 1191 01:28:58.079 --> 01:29:02.199 Bruce Dog, Garrett grad Role, unlike Caleb Ferguson, Daniel Hudson. I 1192 01:29:02.279 --> 01:29:06.359 think they're all phenomenal, and I don't see many of the teams that have 1193 01:29:06.640 --> 01:29:12.399 the same depth in the bullpen, which I think will just carries the Dodgers 1194 01:29:12.439 --> 01:29:15.600 over those few games that are that are tight that some of the teams may 1195 01:29:15.720 --> 01:29:18.920 lose out on. So yeah, I have them at ninety four. I 1196 01:29:19.000 --> 01:29:23.560 put them the same because I think there are things that they're stronger at than 1197 01:29:25.119 --> 01:29:28.039 the Padres are, which would be which would be the bullpen. I think 1198 01:29:28.119 --> 01:29:30.640 some of the starters for the Padres are better, and some of the starting 1199 01:29:30.720 --> 01:29:36.359 hitters are better, But I think the Dodgers have a better system that if 1200 01:29:36.439 --> 01:29:40.760 they lose one or two players, it's though it's good. Look. See 1201 01:29:40.760 --> 01:29:43.680 they've lost looks already for any high season, and I still think they're ninety 1202 01:29:43.680 --> 01:29:46.760 four win team. Yep, ga, have you had ninety five? Right? 1203 01:29:48.439 --> 01:29:53.279 Um? Yes? I did you? Okay, Well, I mean 1204 01:29:53.319 --> 01:29:56.920 I had ninety seven rust of ninety four, so I'm happing good ninety five 1205 01:29:57.560 --> 01:30:03.199 go with the gave number, lovely well, that is that is the just 1206 01:30:04.239 --> 01:30:08.560 to me, just going back to the Dodgers just for one second, hundred 1207 01:30:08.760 --> 01:30:11.319 what did we say, one hundred and eleven wins? Yeah, that was 1208 01:30:11.399 --> 01:30:15.000 last year. Yeah yeah, and then they had Max Munsey hitting below the 1209 01:30:15.119 --> 01:30:19.640 windows a line and Cody Bellinger in it for the whole year. So it 1210 01:30:19.840 --> 01:30:26.359 really was an incredible season. Yeah yeah, no, no, no arguments 1211 01:30:26.399 --> 01:30:31.000 there. I totally see it. So where are we now? Well, 1212 01:30:31.880 --> 01:30:34.840 what do you fancy? You fancy Al West or n L East? Gave 1213 01:30:36.119 --> 01:30:43.279 any East? N L East? And which team I will go for? 1214 01:30:43.680 --> 01:30:48.640 The Philadelphia Phillies. Oh, the interesting one in the middle. Yeah. 1215 01:30:50.720 --> 01:30:54.239 Are they going to be the interesting one in the middle though, that's the 1216 01:30:54.319 --> 01:30:59.199 question. I don't think so. I reckon they're going to come second in 1217 01:30:59.319 --> 01:31:04.800 the division. I think that the addition of trade. They're obviously really good 1218 01:31:04.880 --> 01:31:10.359 last year. We know that because they got to the World Series. But 1219 01:31:10.479 --> 01:31:14.800 the addition of trade Turner just makes such a big difference. He is and 1220 01:31:14.920 --> 01:31:19.560 this is before the World Baseball Classic exploits. I did think before he is 1221 01:31:19.640 --> 01:31:25.439 just the most incredible player to have brought into your franchise. And yeah, 1222 01:31:25.439 --> 01:31:29.560 I know it costs him a lot three hundred million or something, but yeah, 1223 01:31:29.720 --> 01:31:32.920 him hitting at the top of this lineup just completely transforms it. Obviously, 1224 01:31:33.079 --> 01:31:40.239 the loss of Ess Hoskins is it's a big blow, and we knew 1225 01:31:40.319 --> 01:31:44.479 that Harper was going to be out for a while, but with Nola and 1226 01:31:44.560 --> 01:31:49.119 Wheeler spitheading that for rotation, I think, Yeah, I think it's another 1227 01:31:49.680 --> 01:31:55.880 good season for the Phillies. I think they'll do better than last year. 1228 01:31:55.960 --> 01:31:58.359 Maybe not to get to the World Series, but I think they'll do better 1229 01:31:58.720 --> 01:32:04.319 in the division and get the second place. What say you guys, have 1230 01:32:04.439 --> 01:32:11.119 you got a winter for ninety two? Sorry? Wow, Yeah, that's 1231 01:32:11.359 --> 01:32:15.119 that's a bit higher than I have. Um I would have probably. I 1232 01:32:15.199 --> 01:32:18.000 think if I ran this models before Hoskins, I think I had it at 1233 01:32:18.119 --> 01:32:24.520 ninety one. I think I have them down to eighty seven eighty eight now 1234 01:32:24.920 --> 01:32:28.880 with a loss of Hoskins. I think the loss of Hoskins and having to 1235 01:32:29.000 --> 01:32:32.319 now give time to like Derek Call with a few others who are going to 1236 01:32:33.039 --> 01:32:38.000 play their time at first, really exposes the underbelly of this team. I 1237 01:32:38.119 --> 01:32:43.600 think. I think the Phillies are up there in the Stars and Scrubs level 1238 01:32:43.640 --> 01:32:47.479 of a team that they yes the injuries have kind of already happened to this 1239 01:32:47.600 --> 01:32:53.439 team. We're kind of saying that they've lost Hoskins and they've got missing Harper 1240 01:32:53.560 --> 01:32:58.119 for probably half the season, but that still means they probably could have the 1241 01:32:58.119 --> 01:33:01.520 same amount of injuries as anybody else during the season, and I really worry 1242 01:33:02.359 --> 01:33:09.039 what will happen there. I think you'll spot on around the other and Wheeler. 1243 01:33:09.359 --> 01:33:14.399 I think that the other parts of the starting pitchers should be fine. 1244 01:33:14.920 --> 01:33:17.439 I think once Ranger Suarez's fit, I think he's good, and Walker just 1245 01:33:17.600 --> 01:33:21.960 adds good depth, good person to eat up some innings and do fine. 1246 01:33:24.159 --> 01:33:30.119 But I do worry about that kind of that underbelly that could be required to 1247 01:33:30.199 --> 01:33:34.279 play for Philadelphia, which is why I have them. Yeah, like eighty 1248 01:33:34.319 --> 01:33:40.520 seven eighty eight wins. I wasn't even that high on them. If I'm 1249 01:33:40.520 --> 01:33:44.640 honest, I look at this team and I see a blunt object. I 1250 01:33:44.800 --> 01:33:50.039 see a team that wasn't designed with much nuance or much thought behind it. 1251 01:33:50.479 --> 01:33:54.760 You know, even looking at the bullpen, it's like, oh, we 1252 01:33:54.880 --> 01:33:58.960 need some more pictures in our bullpen. I guess gets some closers. That 1253 01:33:59.079 --> 01:34:01.600 guy was quite good for that team. That guy was quite it just doesn't 1254 01:34:01.640 --> 01:34:05.000 scream that there's you know, much thought gone into this, and it really 1255 01:34:05.159 --> 01:34:09.399 is a case of let's just roll through a couple of teams with some money 1256 01:34:10.119 --> 01:34:15.079 and and end up with whatever this is. I think they're playing well over 1257 01:34:15.119 --> 01:34:17.479 their heads last year. I think they're hitting carried them. I think their 1258 01:34:18.000 --> 01:34:24.279 defense was was was better, much better then then it should have been. 1259 01:34:24.359 --> 01:34:26.880 Russell was looking to chip in and tell me how stupid and wrong I am. 1260 01:34:27.119 --> 01:34:30.039 No, I just have some latest news that since we've started recording this 1261 01:34:30.279 --> 01:34:35.640 podcast, the Phillies have traded for Christian Pachet. So, oh dear, 1262 01:34:36.000 --> 01:34:41.079 I think that tells you where. But obviously he's a great defensive player, 1263 01:34:41.159 --> 01:34:45.600 he's just something exactly So maybe like they've decided to kind of put things up 1264 01:34:45.640 --> 01:34:48.279 slightly during during some of this time, pray. I don't know if he 1265 01:34:48.319 --> 01:34:51.079 gets any game time or not, but that kind of to me tells you 1266 01:34:51.279 --> 01:34:55.239 where the Phillies are that they need to if they feel that they need to 1267 01:34:55.239 --> 01:34:59.760 be making a deal for Christian Paget. But blunt object, unt object again, 1268 01:35:00.039 --> 01:35:01.720 No, we needs some deefense back. I can catch a ball. 1269 01:35:02.000 --> 01:35:06.000 They'll worry about the fact he can't can't hit the ball. It's it's crazy, 1270 01:35:06.119 --> 01:35:09.640 it's crazy approach. He let it work last year, so le you 1271 01:35:09.720 --> 01:35:12.239 know, you know what, maybe it will work again. I have my 1272 01:35:12.359 --> 01:35:17.159 suspicions that they were the giants of the year before and they played well over 1273 01:35:17.199 --> 01:35:21.199 their heads. I've got them down as eighty three. Um, but the 1274 01:35:21.279 --> 01:35:24.800 two of you have got them higher. So so I guess that is that 1275 01:35:24.960 --> 01:35:27.920 is where we go. But I think the Phillies are going to be going 1276 01:35:27.960 --> 01:35:34.079 to be pretty bad, much better than eighty three wins. I think I 1277 01:35:34.159 --> 01:35:38.159 think they showed last year and what they continued to show this year is that 1278 01:35:38.840 --> 01:35:44.560 a bad defensive player it's not actually like bad bad compared to it, I 1279 01:35:44.600 --> 01:35:49.319 think a bad hitter is. So yeah. Um, well, given the 1280 01:35:49.439 --> 01:35:51.479 rages that we have, I don't want to say I'm in the middle once 1281 01:35:51.479 --> 01:35:54.840 again. So let's pick my number. But no, no, no, 1282 01:35:55.039 --> 01:35:58.640 I mean, let's I'll take it between that you had ninety one and eighty 1283 01:35:58.680 --> 01:36:02.640 seven, so I'm happier to take eighty nine. But I'm doing so under 1284 01:36:02.680 --> 01:36:05.960 protest, so you can be aware that this this is my I told you 1285 01:36:06.079 --> 01:36:09.479 so. At the end of the year, when the Phillies fall flat, 1286 01:36:09.560 --> 01:36:13.800 on their face, but I'll give you as eighty nine on that one and 1287 01:36:14.239 --> 01:36:17.760 Russell, who do you want um? Or let's let's peel off the band 1288 01:36:17.760 --> 01:36:23.479 aid. Let's talk about the New York Mets, who have had a very 1289 01:36:23.600 --> 01:36:30.479 interesting off season. But I'm not certain if they're actually better. I don't 1290 01:36:30.560 --> 01:36:35.399 think that there are have Like their third base looks a bit mayor, which 1291 01:36:35.439 --> 01:36:38.880 I'm quite surprised that they didn't really kind of do anything to sort out. 1292 01:36:39.880 --> 01:36:43.079 They still have holes, I think in the outfield, Like I don't think 1293 01:36:43.119 --> 01:36:45.720 you should be giving time to Mark Canner and Tommy fam if you think that 1294 01:36:45.840 --> 01:36:51.079 you're a team that's going to be contending. But when I look at their 1295 01:36:51.119 --> 01:36:55.680 pitching, I think it's this is where I'm like, I think this is 1296 01:36:55.720 --> 01:37:00.159 a team that's got absolutely phenomenal pitching. When you've basically got Choza Villand as 1297 01:37:00.159 --> 01:37:04.399 a starting two, when you can throw Codeisinger behind who I've looked at some 1298 01:37:04.479 --> 01:37:08.760 of his MPB stuff and I think he's brilliant. I think he'll still have 1299 01:37:08.880 --> 01:37:11.560 the stuff. But then this season, see, then you're picking up the 1300 01:37:11.600 --> 01:37:15.119 rest of your runnings from Carrasco, David Peterson, Taylor McGill and Josie Kntana 1301 01:37:15.199 --> 01:37:20.600 when they're back or when he's back. Yeah, I think I think they're 1302 01:37:20.600 --> 01:37:25.199 great. I do think we have to maybe worry about that relief now that 1303 01:37:25.960 --> 01:37:30.840 they are missing Edwin Diaz, who was, or if not the greatest kind 1304 01:37:30.840 --> 01:37:35.359 of like reliever current currently available, maybe class would be the only one you 1305 01:37:35.399 --> 01:37:39.159 can have the document with, so it will make a difference. And so 1306 01:37:40.199 --> 01:37:45.079 I don't think they're I would have had them at a steven maybe ninety eight 1307 01:37:45.159 --> 01:37:50.840 win team with Diaz and with maybe like a better Oh yeah, I think 1308 01:37:50.840 --> 01:37:55.000 I had them at that when they had Carlos Carrea as well, like when 1309 01:37:55.039 --> 01:37:59.079 they had A fifty years and when Carlos Carreia was they never had him potentially 1310 01:37:59.159 --> 01:38:01.720 a met and potential he was going to play third base instead of Eduard Escobar. 1311 01:38:02.119 --> 01:38:04.600 I had them work close to one hundred with team. Without those two 1312 01:38:04.680 --> 01:38:12.000 players, there are ninety win team, ninety one win team. And so 1313 01:38:12.640 --> 01:38:15.920 I know Gaff was saying that like he thinks the Phillies will will finish second, 1314 01:38:15.079 --> 01:38:18.439 I don't quite think that. I think the Mets will finish ahead of 1315 01:38:18.720 --> 01:38:24.079 the Phillies, but I do think they are both a little bit behind the 1316 01:38:24.119 --> 01:38:29.239 Braves. Again, I absolutely go with that. I mean, I've got 1317 01:38:29.319 --> 01:38:34.000 the Braves winning the division at a fair trot for me. Um, they've 1318 01:38:34.039 --> 01:38:39.600 got that starting pitching defense depth, which is important. I think they're going 1319 01:38:39.640 --> 01:38:44.720 to need it. Um, you can't build a team on guys who are 1320 01:38:45.239 --> 01:38:47.600 that end of the career and and hope. I mean it's it's a hitting 1321 01:38:47.600 --> 01:38:51.479 hope, you know, there's there's so so they've done the right thing and 1322 01:38:51.520 --> 01:38:55.039 that they've they put a little bit of depth behind them there. And I'm 1323 01:38:55.520 --> 01:38:59.119 so, you're right, I'm happy with that starting starting pitchers. A lot 1324 01:38:59.119 --> 01:39:00.359 of it's a lot of talker about it, a lot of worry about it, 1325 01:39:00.520 --> 01:39:04.439 but they've got that depth. So yeah, I'm not too upset by 1326 01:39:04.479 --> 01:39:09.039 that. Um. But then you're right, Yeah, the outfield is looking 1327 01:39:09.119 --> 01:39:14.000 a little slimmer than it should be. For the money they spent, you 1328 01:39:14.039 --> 01:39:15.960 would expect a little bit more. That said, we're in a similar sort 1329 01:39:15.960 --> 01:39:20.079 of situation as we were talking about with the Dodgers and the Padres. We're 1330 01:39:20.119 --> 01:39:25.039 talking about a very good team here, just perhaps not quite as elite as 1331 01:39:25.079 --> 01:39:30.359 we thought they were. So I'm around the same ballpark as Russell I'm on. 1332 01:39:30.600 --> 01:39:33.239 I was on ninety four, but I'll take take a slight dip quite 1333 01:39:33.279 --> 01:39:40.079 happily, I had ninety one. I think there's a world of difference between 1334 01:39:40.119 --> 01:39:45.800 the Mets and the Dodgers and the Padres. I think the West Coast teams 1335 01:39:45.840 --> 01:39:49.760 are so much better m But yeah, so I said ninety one, said 1336 01:39:49.840 --> 01:39:57.600 ninety four, go the mode ninety one? Why not? I would like 1337 01:39:57.760 --> 01:40:01.439 to then shift yatly quickly onto the team I think are going to be the 1338 01:40:01.840 --> 01:40:05.680 big team, and I think with probably an agreement that the Braves are the 1339 01:40:06.479 --> 01:40:11.600 the pace in this division, I have them personally down as the pace for 1340 01:40:11.640 --> 01:40:15.520 the whole lot. I'm really really in on the Braves um. A lot 1341 01:40:15.560 --> 01:40:18.000 of people were surprised when they picked up the World Series a couple of years 1342 01:40:18.000 --> 01:40:23.880 ago, but I think it was telegraphed it was coming, and I don't 1343 01:40:23.920 --> 01:40:27.840 think the team is dramatically worse than it was then. In any way, 1344 01:40:28.399 --> 01:40:30.439 I think you can mostly stay it's a little bit better. There's some slight 1345 01:40:30.520 --> 01:40:39.680 worries over the oft forgotten by this podcast starting pitchure rotation, but generally I 1346 01:40:39.840 --> 01:40:41.920 really like this team. I really like it's balanced. I really like the 1347 01:40:42.000 --> 01:40:45.239 way it's put together. I like like I like the mix of types of 1348 01:40:45.319 --> 01:40:47.800 hitters they've got. Um. I like that there's a lot of pieces that 1349 01:40:47.800 --> 01:40:51.760 will move around and will cover each other very well. So I'm really really 1350 01:40:51.880 --> 01:40:57.399 in on the Braves and they're my only hundred win team. I absolutely love 1351 01:40:57.479 --> 01:41:00.760 the Braves. I think they're gonna gonna absolutely block I've gotten down for the 1352 01:41:00.800 --> 01:41:08.439 whole shabarn. Yeah, I think it's hard to argue with that. They 1353 01:41:08.520 --> 01:41:13.960 are almost like a perfect team. I like the way that they've decided to 1354 01:41:14.239 --> 01:41:20.800 punt on shortstop because they're so good everywhere else. Yeah. Yeah, hunting 1355 01:41:21.199 --> 01:41:26.560 or service time manipulation, I don't know, because I don't even know. 1356 01:41:26.600 --> 01:41:30.520 I've faughned Grisson how good he is really, but I haven't seen enough of 1357 01:41:30.600 --> 01:41:38.079 him. So but yeah, I think the the strength in depth is fantastic, 1358 01:41:38.159 --> 01:41:43.399 and the fact that they improved their catching position by getting Murphy and they 1359 01:41:43.479 --> 01:41:49.479 could afford to trade away a couple of major league ready starters because they had 1360 01:41:49.560 --> 01:41:56.199 so much pitching depth. So um, yeah, they are definitely the team 1361 01:41:56.279 --> 01:42:00.760 to beat in the division. And you could be right that they could be 1362 01:42:00.960 --> 01:42:06.119 the only one hundred win team. I haven't gotten down for a hundred wins, 1363 01:42:06.239 --> 01:42:11.600 but yeah, you could be right. You could be right. So 1364 01:42:11.800 --> 01:42:15.520 I don't like the depth on this team. Like I one hundred percent agree 1365 01:42:15.880 --> 01:42:20.760 that you've got six of the hitters like a CUNYEA Riley, Harris, Ulson 1366 01:42:20.920 --> 01:42:28.239 Murphy at Alb's that I think a phenomenal. I really don't like what they're 1367 01:42:28.279 --> 01:42:31.359 throwing out in like left field, the fact that it's some mix of Eddie 1368 01:42:31.399 --> 01:42:40.439 Rosario, Marcelo Zeno and yeah, like just yah, that's that's not quite 1369 01:42:40.520 --> 01:42:43.000 vomit inducing. But if I was to look at that on a on a 1370 01:42:43.079 --> 01:42:45.439 top team, I'd be like, why did we not improve that? I 1371 01:42:47.279 --> 01:42:53.840 think it's service time manipulation. On Grisham was pretty good in the small amount 1372 01:42:53.840 --> 01:42:57.880 of service time that he got last year in the top division, and deciding 1373 01:42:57.920 --> 01:43:01.119 that you're going to put Orlando Arca out ahead of him, it's like it 1374 01:43:01.239 --> 01:43:05.600 just doesn't doesn't make sense to me. So I feel like that that's kind 1375 01:43:05.600 --> 01:43:12.119 of like a gap that's they're kind of forcing on themselves that maybe it won't 1376 01:43:12.119 --> 01:43:15.319 make a difference. Maybe they know that they're gonna maybe win a divisional or 1377 01:43:15.399 --> 01:43:18.800 get to the wild card without it. But I think winning your division and 1378 01:43:19.800 --> 01:43:24.000 makes it having one of the top records makes a difference about not having to 1379 01:43:24.880 --> 01:43:29.359 play that three game series, So that could be something that costs them. 1380 01:43:29.359 --> 01:43:31.520 So I don't quite see them as a as a ninety ninety eight team. 1381 01:43:31.560 --> 01:43:36.000 I've got ninety four wins. I think that's fairly fairly valid. I think 1382 01:43:36.359 --> 01:43:41.640 obviously with Freed, Freed right, Morton and Stryder picking up most of their 1383 01:43:43.079 --> 01:43:47.079 pitching an in sticking, they do very good. Yeah, but yeah, 1384 01:43:47.159 --> 01:43:53.000 I think one injury to one of those key players and you start to expose 1385 01:43:53.159 --> 01:43:58.680 the nap underbelly that is behind this team. Like I don't think the bench 1386 01:43:58.760 --> 01:44:01.840 options that they have match like some of the other seas that we've talked about 1387 01:44:01.840 --> 01:44:08.640 having good secondary options, but the top players are so good that it doesn't 1388 01:44:08.640 --> 01:44:12.000 matter unless but they're making the playoffs. Even if one of those players get 1389 01:44:12.039 --> 01:44:16.680 injured, like we saw like they didn't need a Kunye to to do well. 1390 01:44:16.880 --> 01:44:19.800 So yeah, I can imagine that they'll easily make the playoffs. But 1391 01:44:19.920 --> 01:44:23.640 even if one of these players miss is a significant amount of time, it's 1392 01:44:23.680 --> 01:44:28.760 just I think that's just not not do you want to a conspiracy theory. 1393 01:44:29.359 --> 01:44:31.399 Yeah, we'll go for it. We love a conspiracy theory. Okay, 1394 01:44:31.439 --> 01:44:35.680 So they love they really do love signing players to long term deals. They 1395 01:44:35.800 --> 01:44:43.239 like signing youngsters to below market rate long term deals. So they put it 1396 01:44:43.359 --> 01:44:48.279 to Vaughan Grisham, We'll sign you for the next ten years for eighty five 1397 01:44:48.359 --> 01:44:54.720 million, and he said no chance. So I said, okay, well 1398 01:44:55.159 --> 01:44:58.520 you're starting off in triple ay and we'll start with Orlando. We'll see you. 1399 01:45:00.279 --> 01:45:01.359 It could be. It's it's it's one of the ones out there. 1400 01:45:02.920 --> 01:45:09.880 It's not even that far edged. They're doing something in Atlanta and and it's 1401 01:45:10.000 --> 01:45:14.359 it's not fair deals and good rates. And yeah, there's there's something going 1402 01:45:14.359 --> 01:45:17.640 on. There's smarts certainly some rms being twisted. But yeah, yeah, 1403 01:45:17.760 --> 01:45:21.760 I think we got them. I got ninety four, I got ninety four. 1404 01:45:24.119 --> 01:45:29.640 What did you have, Rock? Can we get a ninety five ninety 1405 01:45:29.640 --> 01:45:35.760 six? I think we should. We've We've been unfair to rub quite a 1406 01:45:35.800 --> 01:45:41.239 lot. Let's get the ninety six for him. Okay, thank you very 1407 01:45:41.319 --> 01:45:48.479 much. Sea. Would you like to talk about next? H Washington? 1408 01:45:48.600 --> 01:45:56.319 Agree? Washington Nationals, Yes, Washington Nationals. This is hot take. 1409 01:45:56.439 --> 01:46:04.399 They're not very good ah Slander's words. I quite like lots of their players, 1410 01:46:04.880 --> 01:46:11.119 so I think they will be better than we expect them to. And 1411 01:46:12.359 --> 01:46:19.159 Joy Menesis will be a superstar. And the youngsters like Cabo Ruis and CJ 1412 01:46:19.279 --> 01:46:26.600 Abrams, and I like Louis Garcia. I think they will all produce above 1413 01:46:26.880 --> 01:46:32.960 average performances and the next couple of years we could start seeing the Nationals turn 1414 01:46:33.079 --> 01:46:41.279 the corner. But this year I think it's going to be woeful. I 1415 01:46:41.399 --> 01:46:45.119 think it was a rather tongue in cheek prediction that I had them finishing above 1416 01:46:45.199 --> 01:46:51.520 the Marlins, But now I think they could could possibly be the worst team 1417 01:46:51.600 --> 01:46:57.920 in baseball. Oh grief, So I have them for sixty one wins. 1418 01:47:00.159 --> 01:47:03.199 Yeah, so I ran. I had to double check when I ran my 1419 01:47:03.239 --> 01:47:06.920 model because I didn't think my team, my model had ever given me a 1420 01:47:08.000 --> 01:47:12.399 below sixty win team as a model. Yeah, of course I have a 1421 01:47:12.439 --> 01:47:17.960 model. Rob got a bit of paper. Yeah, but yeah, no, 1422 01:47:18.880 --> 01:47:25.039 I my system really does not like this team. I think it really 1423 01:47:25.119 --> 01:47:28.720 does. It really does not like the pitching. It does not like a 1424 01:47:28.760 --> 01:47:30.520 team that needs to get one hundred and seventy innings out of Patrick Corbyn. 1425 01:47:31.720 --> 01:47:34.359 It does not think much of just I agree, it does not think much 1426 01:47:34.399 --> 01:47:40.359 of Trevor Williams and Chad Cruel and anybody else who's potentially picking up innings for 1427 01:47:40.479 --> 01:47:44.399 them whose names aren't Steven Strasburg, because even though he's not really pitched, 1428 01:47:44.560 --> 01:47:46.760 probably when he pitches again, if he ever pitches again, he'll probably be 1429 01:47:46.840 --> 01:47:51.760 reasonable. But no, it's spat out fifty nine wins, which I was 1430 01:47:53.119 --> 01:47:58.680 very, very shocked at. But I yes, I think you'll probably right 1431 01:47:58.720 --> 01:48:00.720 after a couple of the young players could come out and look quite nice. 1432 01:48:00.920 --> 01:48:10.000 I do believe that Joey Minesis is not this year's Frank Swindell who just falls 1433 01:48:10.039 --> 01:48:14.880 off the map after doing things. Well. I think he's whatever he's doing. 1434 01:48:15.159 --> 01:48:18.840 The background stats seem to suggest that he's actually earning the outcomes and not 1435 01:48:18.920 --> 01:48:24.439 getting a bit lucky. So I think he could be very good. Just 1436 01:48:24.600 --> 01:48:30.239 that team is just not as a whole. So yeah, I said fifty 1437 01:48:30.319 --> 01:48:36.479 nine, You'm I was a little bit higher. I just I just got 1438 01:48:36.560 --> 01:48:41.159 excited by Erasmo Ramires, and I don't know really why. I just I 1439 01:48:41.279 --> 01:48:44.880 just kind of went down a Wikipedia rabbit hole learning about Erasmo Ramires. There's 1440 01:48:44.880 --> 01:48:47.680 nothing particularly exciting to learn that he's got a very friendly face, and I 1441 01:48:47.720 --> 01:48:49.439 think maybe you push me up a little bit. I had him, I 1442 01:48:49.520 --> 01:48:53.880 had them at six sixty seven. But I think you're probably right, and 1443 01:48:53.960 --> 01:48:57.000 Erasmo Ramiros doesn't isn't really going to make all that much of a difference. 1444 01:48:58.119 --> 01:49:01.279 Kind of hard for a reliever to make a difference when the starters and hitters 1445 01:49:01.319 --> 01:49:08.800 of that. But it's probably not a five win player. Probably probably not. 1446 01:49:09.000 --> 01:49:11.680 Now I'm gonna I mean, I could have been talked into him being 1447 01:49:11.720 --> 01:49:14.439 a five win player, but I'm going to freely admit now I may have 1448 01:49:14.479 --> 01:49:17.039 been a bit high on Erasmo Um. But Erasmo is a great name as 1449 01:49:17.079 --> 01:49:20.359 well, like you know, as the name of someone I've never met in 1450 01:49:20.399 --> 01:49:25.399 Arasmo. But I would really like to meet in a Rasmo Um. Sorry 1451 01:49:25.640 --> 01:49:28.199 I've got off topic. But what guys, what do you guys say? 1452 01:49:29.560 --> 01:49:36.239 He said? I said, fifty nine, Oh griefs very unfriendly. Yeah, 1453 01:49:36.439 --> 01:49:41.479 well, I like gab. Let's go with his sixty one sixty one. 1454 01:49:44.039 --> 01:49:49.119 So then we're left with the Marlins. Oh, the marlins. What 1455 01:49:49.319 --> 01:49:56.159 we got for the Marlins? I got seventy five. I don't think I've 1456 01:49:56.199 --> 01:49:59.359 got a less than that I had seventy and I feel bad for saying that 1457 01:49:59.399 --> 01:50:03.239 just because it's I think they're better than that. I just don't understand the 1458 01:50:03.359 --> 01:50:09.800 lineup construction. And when you've struggled that, you then struggled with kind of 1459 01:50:10.760 --> 01:50:15.840 what the what they were doing. It's like you bring in like j Selar 1460 01:50:15.960 --> 01:50:17.159 and Ava girls here and it's like, Okay, we're going to try and 1461 01:50:17.279 --> 01:50:19.399 power hit. That's the way we're going to kind of go out of it. 1462 01:50:19.560 --> 01:50:25.399 And then you spend this whole entire time bringing in everybody who's a slap 1463 01:50:25.520 --> 01:50:30.000 hitter. So it's maybe you're trying to combine them whole things together. Hey, 1464 01:50:30.079 --> 01:50:33.680 I watched Lewis Riots hit two home runs in a single game in Marlin's 1465 01:50:33.760 --> 01:50:38.880 Parks or in Depot Parks. So maybe it's the possibility that the Riots can 1466 01:50:39.399 --> 01:50:45.680 actually hit well. But I just don't know, Like that whole entire offensive 1467 01:50:45.720 --> 01:50:49.439 side, it's a massive question mark. Like, yes, we know Jazz 1468 01:50:49.479 --> 01:50:53.279 can hit one on earth, is you're going to do in set a field 1469 01:50:53.560 --> 01:50:58.720 like it could be amazing, could be awful, Like Sandacntra is going to 1470 01:50:59.119 --> 01:51:03.920 probably pitch two hundred twenty two hundred and forty innings or whatever because they'll allow 1471 01:51:04.000 --> 01:51:10.800 him to do that. What are you really excited by anybody else? Like, 1472 01:51:10.920 --> 01:51:13.720 I just feel like we were talking about the Marlins having like this great 1473 01:51:13.760 --> 01:51:17.880 set of pictures maybe eighteen months ago, maybe even six months ago, but 1474 01:51:18.000 --> 01:51:23.760 getting rid of Lopez, Like Edward Cabrera, Trevor Rogers, they all kind 1475 01:51:23.800 --> 01:51:26.199 of look good, but I just don't know what time you're going to get 1476 01:51:26.239 --> 01:51:28.880 out of them. Quatos are good innings, ea too, but he's nothing 1477 01:51:29.000 --> 01:51:35.279 to write home about. Lizardo solid. Yeah, I don't know if I'm 1478 01:51:35.279 --> 01:51:38.680 being harsh, but I just don't. I just don't understand how this team 1479 01:51:38.760 --> 01:51:45.079 is opposed to work. So, yeah, seventy five wins, I'd be 1480 01:51:45.119 --> 01:51:53.159 happy for Lord listener, what number have you got? I've got seventy? 1481 01:51:53.239 --> 01:51:56.800 But maybe I'm being as I got as well I would, I would say 1482 01:51:56.880 --> 01:51:59.920 they've got a lot of I do like the fact that they have so many 1483 01:52:00.079 --> 01:52:03.800 Jay names on their team. Um, you just look at the look at 1484 01:52:03.840 --> 01:52:08.600 the depth charts, and it's you've got a Jorgey, Joey, Jazz two, 1485 01:52:08.720 --> 01:52:12.079 Jesus Is, John Joe, Jimmy, Jeff, JT, and Johnny 1486 01:52:12.279 --> 01:52:15.359 I mean, that's that's a lot of Jay's. Have we have we have 1487 01:52:15.479 --> 01:52:18.680 we figured out and the gene um? Have we figured out what what the 1488 01:52:18.760 --> 01:52:21.720 Marlins plan is here? Maybe it's maybe it's it's it's to do with the 1489 01:52:21.840 --> 01:52:30.319 Jay's. No, all right, lovely well, moving on, seventeen seventies 1490 01:52:30.359 --> 01:52:34.359 and seventy five, seventy one and a half, seventy two of them, 1491 01:52:38.039 --> 01:52:40.840 Okay, I mean that's one of my predictions is I don't think I don't 1492 01:52:40.880 --> 01:52:43.960 think all the games are gonna get played, but we'll we'll go there later. 1493 01:52:44.560 --> 01:52:48.680 So seventy seventy two then yeah, yep, yep, seventy two. 1494 01:52:49.359 --> 01:52:54.960 One more division to go, one more division that is the al West. 1495 01:52:55.800 --> 01:52:59.720 Um, should we start bottomore, start top? And I think there is 1496 01:52:59.720 --> 01:53:08.760 a fairly clear bottom and top to this division bottom stop bottom, all right, 1497 01:53:08.880 --> 01:53:17.239 and that Oakland Well, have you got an alternative prediction here? No? 1498 01:53:17.920 --> 01:53:25.079 Um, Yeah, this is quite a high variance. They could either 1499 01:53:25.199 --> 01:53:33.279 be really bad or really really bad. It's possible that Esti Ruise is a 1500 01:53:33.359 --> 01:53:39.960 fantastic player. It's possible it's possible that Ryan Noda, the Rule five guy, 1501 01:53:41.000 --> 01:53:45.279 is a twenty twenty hitter in the big leagues. We know that Seth 1502 01:53:45.399 --> 01:53:51.039 Brown is decent, Aguila could be half decent um and Ramondo Lareano he was 1503 01:53:51.119 --> 01:53:59.479 a very good outfielder before he had his drugs bust. And it's also possible 1504 01:53:59.600 --> 01:54:04.319 that the rotation of which I know next to nothing about any of them, 1505 01:54:05.119 --> 01:54:10.960 could be really good. Oakland pictures are generally very good. That's what they 1506 01:54:11.039 --> 01:54:15.039 do. They develop good pictures with the massive, great foul territory, and 1507 01:54:15.159 --> 01:54:19.600 then they trade them away for something else. But it's also possible they are 1508 01:54:20.399 --> 01:54:29.760 absolutely dreadful and it could be a historically bad season. So I have I'll 1509 01:54:29.800 --> 01:54:34.359 tell you what got. I have sixty winds, which seems maybe a bit 1510 01:54:34.439 --> 01:54:43.680 generous. Now, what do you reckon? I think we're going to see 1511 01:54:43.720 --> 01:54:49.720 the true experiment of what does the triple eighteen when they're in the Major League. 1512 01:54:51.119 --> 01:54:55.960 Like, maybe these guys are all cord and I'm being harsh, but 1513 01:54:57.359 --> 01:55:00.600 yeah, when Dad, when you said you don't know much about the pictures, 1514 01:55:01.319 --> 01:55:04.600 I was thinking in my head, Wait, I know more about the 1515 01:55:04.720 --> 01:55:11.119 incoming Japanese picture than I really do know about the other guys on this who 1516 01:55:11.159 --> 01:55:14.920 are going to pitch on this team. Because you're like hmm. They're all 1517 01:55:15.319 --> 01:55:19.720 kind of names you maybe considered on your fantasy rosters if you have a deep 1518 01:55:19.800 --> 01:55:25.720 league or a very deep league, but they're not anything to kind of like 1519 01:55:25.880 --> 01:55:28.760 to write home about. Like I would be amazed if anybody entered with an 1520 01:55:28.800 --> 01:55:30.960 ERA below four who's pitched like more than a one hundred inigs on this team, 1521 01:55:31.560 --> 01:55:36.840 Like it just doesn't it doesn't look good. And Loriano, Kemp and 1522 01:55:38.000 --> 01:55:45.479 Brown and maybe Estores can't all the rest of the team up from being bad. 1523 01:55:45.520 --> 01:55:50.960 But we could end up seeing like thirty five different players play in a 1524 01:55:51.039 --> 01:55:57.159 hitting position for Oakland this year as they just churned through tons of people, 1525 01:55:57.279 --> 01:56:00.520 like you could see j. J. Bila Day getting sometimes, you could 1526 01:56:00.560 --> 01:56:03.920 see Brent Rocker, you could see some of the other games that like Tyler 1527 01:56:04.000 --> 01:56:09.119 SODERSTROMA was about to say Christian Pache but that's not the case anymore. Like 1528 01:56:10.159 --> 01:56:13.279 you could see loads of these guys just kind of like ticking through. But 1529 01:56:13.439 --> 01:56:15.560 yeah, I don't think they're good. Like these came out as he came 1530 01:56:15.600 --> 01:56:21.000 out as fifty nine wins on my my system, so like it really didn't 1531 01:56:21.039 --> 01:56:27.439 like the pitching. So yeah, I think so basically everybody who's not named 1532 01:56:27.479 --> 01:56:31.920 Trevor may In that bullpen is not good. So it was a lot of 1533 01:56:31.960 --> 01:56:39.520 bullpen messes. Up sixty then yep, yep, go sixty. I had 1534 01:56:39.560 --> 01:56:44.159 them higher. I feel like they're just you know, replacement level will get 1535 01:56:44.159 --> 01:56:46.159 you a certain number. So but I'll go with sixty. I'll go with 1536 01:56:46.239 --> 01:56:50.159 sixty. Gav pick a team we need to rattle through these way are going 1537 01:56:50.279 --> 01:56:59.359 long. Texas Rangers. Yeh, Texas Rangers. If I, if I 1538 01:56:59.520 --> 01:57:04.000 may, I think the Texas Rangers are going to start at an incredible pace 1539 01:57:04.880 --> 01:57:10.319 and then they are going to hit a wall about a month in. I 1540 01:57:11.239 --> 01:57:15.119 genuinely think they might be leading the majors come the end of April, and 1541 01:57:15.960 --> 01:57:20.439 then it's all going to go horribly wrong from there. They've got a selection 1542 01:57:20.479 --> 01:57:26.520 of arms that will follow the ball to to home plate at some point. 1543 01:57:27.600 --> 01:57:31.319 Brilliant, brilliant stuff. But things are going to come flying off. They're 1544 01:57:31.359 --> 01:57:34.000 getting better. They are getting better. They've been a bad team for years. 1545 01:57:34.039 --> 01:57:39.079 They are getting better. So I've got them. I've got them eighty 1546 01:57:39.159 --> 01:57:45.520 one. And I was like, because these are the I think third Russell 1547 01:57:45.600 --> 01:57:49.720 sitting on the fence team that solidly came out as eighty one wins. I 1548 01:57:49.840 --> 01:57:56.199 think the variance is stronger. I'd agree, Like, if you get a 1549 01:57:56.319 --> 01:57:59.319 load of innings out of de grom I, L. D. Heeney and 1550 01:57:59.479 --> 01:58:03.880 John Gray, this team could easily push for a playoff position, but they 1551 01:58:03.920 --> 01:58:09.920 won't. We know that. We also know that they have a great infield. 1552 01:58:10.159 --> 01:58:15.600 By that outfield is vomit inducing across the entire outfield, with maybe the 1553 01:58:15.680 --> 01:58:20.640 exception of a dull As Carcia, Like, I really don't like any of 1554 01:58:20.720 --> 01:58:26.479 the any of the options in the outfield, but yeah, when you have 1555 01:58:28.000 --> 01:58:32.159 when you're playing Jonah Him, Nathan Lowe or Nathaniel Lowe, Marcus Simeon, 1556 01:58:32.399 --> 01:58:38.880 Corey Seeger and even Josh Young at third, that's a great infield. So 1557 01:58:39.439 --> 01:58:44.119 yeah, I think they'll win games and until those arms break, they'll be 1558 01:58:44.239 --> 01:58:48.239 good. So I'm almost just repeating what you said. Rob on't to get 1559 01:58:48.239 --> 01:58:55.359 off. Yeah, absolutely more optimistic. I don't think just because he's had 1560 01:58:55.399 --> 01:58:58.399 problems before, you can just write off Jacob d Chrome. I think he 1561 01:58:58.520 --> 01:59:01.600 has as much jumps of winning the So Young as he does only pitching seventy 1562 01:59:01.640 --> 01:59:06.640 five innings. And in Cory Sege, you have a guy who I think 1563 01:59:06.760 --> 01:59:13.800 is arguably the best hitter in the game. Um. Yeah, so I 1564 01:59:14.439 --> 01:59:18.840 think that they're all quite a few games above five hundred. But I still 1565 01:59:18.880 --> 01:59:24.600 think they'll probably be the fourth best team in the division. H what's your 1566 01:59:24.680 --> 01:59:29.880 number? My number was eighty six, but yours was eighty one? Was 1567 01:59:29.920 --> 01:59:33.880 it? We're two eighty ones and eighty six, eighty two, eighty three, 1568 01:59:34.760 --> 01:59:40.680 eighty two, eighty two, Lovely Russell. Who have you got then? 1569 01:59:40.800 --> 01:59:45.960 As your third place team in the AL West? The Texas Rangers. 1570 01:59:47.119 --> 01:59:55.600 Okay, your fourth place team in the AL Worst? I have the Mariners. 1571 01:59:55.680 --> 01:59:58.880 I don't buy. I don't buy a lot of the hype. If 1572 01:59:58.880 --> 02:00:04.239 I'm perfectly honest. Think they played well. I think there are some gaps 1573 02:00:04.279 --> 02:00:11.479 in this team. I think yeah. I think pitching wise, I think 1574 02:00:11.479 --> 02:00:15.920 they've got three or four good guys. I'm not certain that you're going to 1575 02:00:15.960 --> 02:00:17.600 get the same performances out of Gilbert and Kirby as you saw towards the end 1576 02:00:17.600 --> 02:00:20.920 of last season. I still think Castillo is good. Robbie Ray, to 1577 02:00:21.039 --> 02:00:25.720 me, is a very high variance picture. I don't would never put a 1578 02:00:25.800 --> 02:00:28.560 bet on anything about what Robbie would Ray would do, like he could be 1579 02:00:28.640 --> 02:00:30.520 a er a picture. You could be a five ar a picture and you'll 1580 02:00:30.520 --> 02:00:33.680 tell me that and I'd be like, Okay, it wouldn't have been fun 1581 02:00:33.800 --> 02:00:39.039 watching, but what it would have happened. I think they've got a great 1582 02:00:39.039 --> 02:00:43.119 bullpen, but I just I don't know. I just don't like the middle 1583 02:00:43.199 --> 02:00:45.920 to the lower part of the order for the Mariners. And I think you're 1584 02:00:46.000 --> 02:00:49.640 very much sat on a team that's you've got Julio was the big guy, 1585 02:00:50.319 --> 02:00:55.720 and you maybe you've got big Dumper and Kyle Riley and JP Crawford and Ty 1586 02:00:55.840 --> 02:00:59.199 France being like your next best players, but I don't think any of them 1587 02:00:59.199 --> 02:01:01.560 are that amazing. So I think this is this is it will be the 1588 02:01:01.680 --> 02:01:08.359 Julio show and whether he brings everything else together around him to make them a 1589 02:01:08.479 --> 02:01:12.680 good team again. But I had them at eighty wins, so you guys 1590 02:01:12.760 --> 02:01:15.439 probably have them a little bit higher. But I don't think they're going to 1591 02:01:15.479 --> 02:01:23.279 be as good as they were last year. I think they'll be quite a 1592 02:01:23.319 --> 02:01:30.520 lot better. They are another high variants one. But I think everything's coming 1593 02:01:30.560 --> 02:01:35.399 together in Seattle now and I think we've gone from this team who were on 1594 02:01:35.560 --> 02:01:41.720 the verge there or thereabouts, so I think we have got a true contender. 1595 02:01:42.880 --> 02:01:45.600 Oh, have you got a number for us? Eighty eight was my 1596 02:01:45.720 --> 02:01:54.239 number? Okay, I went low, I went seventy five. I saw, 1597 02:01:55.119 --> 02:01:57.880 I saw a bit of a drop off. One team is going to 1598 02:01:57.960 --> 02:02:02.640 have to underperform least considerably against what they're predicted, and I think it it 1599 02:02:02.760 --> 02:02:09.840 could be the Mariners. I yea, Julio is not going to do Julio 1600 02:02:09.960 --> 02:02:14.279 things. I think ty Franz was probably playing a bit better than than he 1601 02:02:14.520 --> 02:02:20.000 is. Um middle infield isn't isn't brilliant, you know, so I'm a 1602 02:02:20.079 --> 02:02:26.039 bit lower, but Russell's in the middle for me. So unless the world 1603 02:02:26.079 --> 02:02:30.279 cud gets played, I think I'm fairly happy to go with with Russell's prediction, 1604 02:02:30.640 --> 02:02:42.720 which was what sorry eighty dav You've still got your choker, so unless 1605 02:02:42.720 --> 02:02:46.760 you're going to use it on the Astros or the Angels, yeah, I 1606 02:02:47.199 --> 02:02:51.560 just have to save it up and use two next year. Let me just 1607 02:02:51.680 --> 02:02:57.319 check our rules eighty one. Then let's give it eighty one. We'll give 1608 02:02:57.359 --> 02:03:00.760 him five hundred, and that's that's the third time gave. We'll be able 1609 02:03:00.800 --> 02:03:04.039 to say I told you so at the end of the year. Two left. 1610 02:03:04.119 --> 02:03:10.800 Then, um, well, let's talk about the Angels. Seeing as 1611 02:03:11.359 --> 02:03:17.840 Russell's now close personal friends with mister Otanium, what's to say. I mean, 1612 02:03:18.279 --> 02:03:21.079 I've kind of given up trying to predict what's going to happen with the 1613 02:03:21.119 --> 02:03:24.800 Angels because every year we think this is the year, and then it's not. 1614 02:03:25.439 --> 02:03:27.720 One year we're going to say this is the year, and it will 1615 02:03:27.800 --> 02:03:30.560 be. Will it be this year? I don't know, not a bloody 1616 02:03:30.560 --> 02:03:32.239 flue. So I put them exactly the same in my mind as I had 1617 02:03:32.960 --> 02:03:38.840 the Mariners, which was seventy five. They've they've tried to fix the middle. 1618 02:03:39.000 --> 02:03:42.439 I think that is an appropriate approach. I just don't know how well 1619 02:03:42.479 --> 02:03:47.239 they've done it, you know, because they're they're facing some regression from from 1620 02:03:47.279 --> 02:03:49.359 Trout, which is a horrible thing to say. I don't think we want 1621 02:03:49.399 --> 02:03:55.239 to see it. He's still incredible, He's not the Trout he was a 1622 02:03:55.279 --> 02:03:58.479 couple of years ago. I think we finally need to start start agreeing that 1623 02:03:58.520 --> 02:04:01.600 there is a little bit of regression happening there. Maybe Rendnall come back and 1624 02:04:01.680 --> 02:04:05.600 be brilliant. Probably won't because it's the Angels. So I'm going I'm going 1625 02:04:05.640 --> 02:04:11.439 to go with another seventy five on the Angels. Okay, so I'm way 1626 02:04:11.520 --> 02:04:15.359 higher. Like, no, I'm not up up on the Angels, but 1627 02:04:15.399 --> 02:04:19.319 I'm having them above five hundred. I don't think they're they're they're they're that 1628 02:04:19.439 --> 02:04:25.000 though I'm not I'm not maybe inhaling all of the gas that like that. 1629 02:04:25.199 --> 02:04:29.560 Some people may still be putting out on the Angels, but I think this 1630 02:04:29.680 --> 02:04:32.279 is potentially the best rot Angels, rotation the Angels have had for fifteen twenty 1631 02:04:32.359 --> 02:04:39.560 years. I think the likes of Sandoval, Demas and Anderson on top of 1632 02:04:39.600 --> 02:04:46.199 both aren't he will actually provide some other great starting pitching. I worry about 1633 02:04:46.199 --> 02:04:50.840 the relief pitching. I really worry about the relief pitching, and like what 1634 02:04:51.239 --> 02:04:56.960 what they're going to do in that regard. There are obviously weak points in 1635 02:04:57.079 --> 02:05:03.439 the infield, if not the entire rittenfield. Is we but but I still 1636 02:05:03.520 --> 02:05:09.600 think that I can't make a prediction that they're going to be below five hundred 1637 02:05:09.680 --> 02:05:14.239 when they have two of the probably the best five players in baseball, if 1638 02:05:14.319 --> 02:05:17.520 not two of those two players in baseball, it's just hard. I just 1639 02:05:17.680 --> 02:05:24.199 can't make that prediction because it shouldn't be possible for the Angels to continue to 1640 02:05:24.399 --> 02:05:29.479 be this bad when they have those two players performing at close to the best 1641 02:05:29.520 --> 02:05:33.760 that those two players can like, it just doesn't seem possible. But the 1642 02:05:33.840 --> 02:05:39.840 same people are still in charge, so who knows. But I had eighty 1643 02:05:39.880 --> 02:05:44.000 four wins, Like, I'm not shouting out that they're gonna they may be 1644 02:05:44.159 --> 02:05:50.520 pushing the playoff window, but I had them falling short, So there we 1645 02:05:50.560 --> 02:05:58.439 go. Phyllips is fun make He's gonna make this roster, so it's gonna 1646 02:05:58.439 --> 02:06:02.159 make it bad. It's gonna make the rotate. I think for the last 1647 02:06:02.199 --> 02:06:10.319 few years everyone's been going on that they need to strengthen the lineup, so 1648 02:06:12.199 --> 02:06:16.520 Katani and Trout have some support. And yet obviously they signed Anthony Rundon and 1649 02:06:16.600 --> 02:06:19.920 he got injured, but hopefully he's coming back. He was looking good in 1650 02:06:20.119 --> 02:06:26.079 spring. But then they also signed Hunter Renfro and they signed Brandon Drury. 1651 02:06:26.199 --> 02:06:32.680 So now the the lineup is probably as good as it's ever been. Well, 1652 02:06:32.840 --> 02:06:36.479 Trout has been there, and as Russell said, the rotations are best 1653 02:06:36.720 --> 02:06:42.279 that they've had, so they have addressed these problems which have been leveled at 1654 02:06:42.319 --> 02:06:47.720 them. I think you two have been incredibly unkind so it's good because I 1655 02:06:47.840 --> 02:06:54.159 have still got my joker, And is your joker going to be to up 1656 02:06:54.359 --> 02:07:00.640 the Los Angeles Angels into the playoffs? Gap? I had to winning the 1657 02:07:00.760 --> 02:07:06.039 division, oh wow, and I wanted it to work so I could use 1658 02:07:06.119 --> 02:07:11.840 my joker to push the Astros down winto third. But because you've been so 1659 02:07:12.039 --> 02:07:16.439 i'm kind on Seattle and takes, I can't. But yeah, I think 1660 02:07:16.560 --> 02:07:23.520 the Angels are a ninety win team this one. I don't even think it's 1661 02:07:23.560 --> 02:07:28.960 close. Oh and is that your joker? Well, unless we're all going 1662 02:07:29.000 --> 02:07:32.520 to agree, I'm I think ninety is a push. You could have got 1663 02:07:32.600 --> 02:07:36.199 me to dy six. I would have probably agreed with what up to ninety 1664 02:07:36.319 --> 02:07:46.079 is a push? Okay, joker time? Then okay, Wine wins all 1665 02:07:46.119 --> 02:07:51.279 the Angels, Darius, I don't even think that's controversial. I do think 1666 02:07:51.279 --> 02:07:56.760 it's too bad, but I don't know possible. It could happen. Two 1667 02:07:56.840 --> 02:08:03.079 injuries in and they are a disaster. Yeah, Rob's just riding the pessimism. 1668 02:08:05.199 --> 02:08:11.239 Been burned by the Angels too many times. Finally, then we are 1669 02:08:11.520 --> 02:08:16.279 an hour two and a quarter hours in on this podcast. Now we come 1670 02:08:16.359 --> 02:08:20.600 to our final team, which is the current world Series champions, the Houston 1671 02:08:20.640 --> 02:08:26.960 Astros. They're very very good. They're still very very good. They're possibly 1672 02:08:28.039 --> 02:08:31.640 a little bit less good, but they might actually be slightly better. I 1673 02:08:31.720 --> 02:08:35.399 don't have an awful lot to say on the Astros because we've run so bloody 1674 02:08:35.439 --> 02:08:39.680 long, but I'm just gonna thrust right out there. Then ninety eight wins 1675 02:08:41.439 --> 02:08:45.319 for a very very good team that is going to miss OO'SI our two Bay 1676 02:08:45.359 --> 02:08:48.239 for a little bit. It's going to have to make a small adjustment to 1677 02:08:48.479 --> 02:08:52.439 their rotation. But other than that, they're going to come back and they're 1678 02:08:52.479 --> 02:08:56.399 just going to do it again. Yeah, I don't think they're that strong. 1679 02:08:58.039 --> 02:09:03.159 I think some of the differences, like the losing the lots the Purlander 1680 02:09:03.239 --> 02:09:05.239 obviously, you can talk about the guys that are going to come in and 1681 02:09:05.399 --> 02:09:11.640 replace him, get the innings from more innings from Xavier Garcia, Raquidia or 1682 02:09:11.680 --> 02:09:16.159 whatever. They're good. They're not as good as Burlander. Um as. 1683 02:09:16.239 --> 02:09:18.800 Yeah, still got a great bullpen. The other guys are going to fill 1684 02:09:18.800 --> 02:09:26.680 out that started pitching are fantastic. Do I really think much of Chase McCormack, 1685 02:09:26.119 --> 02:09:31.800 No, not really. But when that's basically the weakness in your lineup, 1686 02:09:31.920 --> 02:09:37.319 and well, the same with Martin Maldonado. There's something that there's something 1687 02:09:37.359 --> 02:09:41.079 that he obviously does that it's not quantifiable to us from the outside perspective, 1688 02:09:41.159 --> 02:09:45.039 like he's either a great caller or he's because he's not even a great framer. 1689 02:09:45.359 --> 02:09:48.760 In those regards, he comes out pretty kind of like average overall as 1690 02:09:48.760 --> 02:09:56.600 a defensive as we're going. But yeah, like there are there are ninety 1691 02:09:58.039 --> 02:10:01.920 I have them in ninety two wins. Like I I think they're the best 1692 02:10:01.960 --> 02:10:05.840 team in this division. I think they're they're going to compete all like the 1693 02:10:05.960 --> 02:10:09.840 championship. They're going to be competing for one of the best teams out there. 1694 02:10:09.920 --> 02:10:15.239 I don't think they've regressed too far to be behind the Angels, but 1695 02:10:16.760 --> 02:10:18.479 I still think they're They're a good enough team. I do think that if 1696 02:10:18.520 --> 02:10:26.760 I'm going to lay layout on some teams that they have poor benches, then 1697 02:10:26.000 --> 02:10:30.359 I think the astro is also. This is where they maybe different from a 1698 02:10:30.439 --> 02:10:35.119 few years back, is that when you go to that bench and when you're 1699 02:10:35.159 --> 02:10:39.640 thinking that it's like Jake Myers and Mauricio Debon, it's not great. So 1700 02:10:41.479 --> 02:10:46.960 yeah, nine two wins. I do think Jose abre is possibly the best 1701 02:10:46.039 --> 02:10:54.039 pickup this offseason. Is exactly what they needed, and he's fantastic. Just 1702 02:10:54.119 --> 02:10:56.880 one more year out of him is exactly what they need. So, Gav, 1703 02:10:56.359 --> 02:11:00.800 you're going to talk us down on how the crappy astro are barely gonna 1704 02:11:01.279 --> 02:11:05.479 barely going to get off the bottom of the division. Take your point about 1705 02:11:05.640 --> 02:11:13.119 Jose Breo, but no, he's old, and you know how much benefit 1706 02:11:13.199 --> 02:11:16.279 is he really going to give them at first, compared to Julie Guriol, 1707 02:11:16.319 --> 02:11:22.840 who wasn't very good there last year. I think they've just it just kept 1708 02:11:22.920 --> 02:11:28.520 still while everyone else in the division has really improved, and I I can't 1709 02:11:28.520 --> 02:11:33.960 see them winning the division. They won one hundred and six games last year 1710 02:11:33.000 --> 02:11:37.680 out Yeah, and if you think that they've stood still and everybody else has 1711 02:11:37.720 --> 02:11:41.359 got a little bit better, are you really dropping fifteen wins off the team. 1712 02:11:43.800 --> 02:11:46.439 I think we did that to the Dodges, didn't we? Yes, 1713 02:11:46.520 --> 02:11:50.319 But the Dodgeons have got worse easily. You don't think the Asteroids have got 1714 02:11:50.359 --> 02:11:54.359 worse. I think the Astroids have got worse on the pitching side, but 1715 02:11:54.520 --> 02:11:58.479 not as much as the Dodgers. Jake Myers, Mauricio Dubon Martin Meldonardo, 1716 02:12:00.039 --> 02:12:01.720 they were playing, they were all does that sound like a ninety win team? 1717 02:12:01.880 --> 02:12:05.199 They were all playing. They were all playing last year though, so 1718 02:12:05.000 --> 02:12:11.159 that's no difference to the team that was playing there last year. Payne is 1719 02:12:11.199 --> 02:12:16.000 going to have a year of experience under his belt. Bregman is possibly going 1720 02:12:16.079 --> 02:12:18.680 to have a bounce back. You know, he's he had a down years. 1721 02:12:18.720 --> 02:12:22.079 So if we're if we're just resulting back to what we normally do, 1722 02:12:22.399 --> 02:12:26.760 I think he he looks looks up. Um. Obviously Maldonado has has pictures 1723 02:12:26.760 --> 02:12:31.920 of Jim Crane's wife or something. I don't know, but yeah, okay, 1724 02:12:31.920 --> 02:12:35.680 I mean I can see your point. I just I just I just 1725 02:12:35.840 --> 02:12:39.960 can't see it coming back that far from the asteris do you not think the 1726 02:12:39.039 --> 02:12:45.640 whole rotation not overperformed but they performed to the best of their abilities last year 1727 02:12:46.279 --> 02:12:54.479 and it's been weakened now. And who knows if Louis Garcia, well we'll 1728 02:12:54.520 --> 02:13:00.920 be able to pitch properly or whether he'll get balked every time is a key 1729 02:13:01.000 --> 02:13:05.119 dye. Any good as mid rotation is, have you a as good as 1730 02:13:05.159 --> 02:13:09.680 he was last year? Um? I don't know. I give me the 1731 02:13:09.760 --> 02:13:16.840 Angels every single time. Wow, I just think that. I just think 1732 02:13:16.880 --> 02:13:20.079 that even if they're starting, isn't good enough. But Presidy Montero, Brian 1733 02:13:20.119 --> 02:13:24.479 Abray, you Hector neris like if you compare that to the Angels, where 1734 02:13:26.560 --> 02:13:31.159 literally who would you think it is? Like the best Angels reliever like Carlos 1735 02:13:31.279 --> 02:13:35.880 Estevez and then no, no, no, my favorite is Matt Moore. 1736 02:13:35.560 --> 02:13:41.079 Yeah, okay, more, but I wouldn't be surprised if no Angels are, 1737 02:13:41.199 --> 02:13:43.600 Like really Pitcher had any r A below four, Like, I don't 1738 02:13:43.640 --> 02:13:46.399 think there's anybody outstanding out there, whereas I think you've got the relievers in 1739 02:13:46.840 --> 02:13:52.279 the on the side for for the astros that could sit below three, and 1740 02:13:52.439 --> 02:13:56.239 so I just think that's where the difference is. But Russell is saying more 1741 02:13:56.359 --> 02:14:01.920 is less. I were about to Russell's superior your knowledge as always, Russell, 1742 02:14:01.960 --> 02:14:05.840 what number did you have? I said, ninety two? Gab, 1743 02:14:05.880 --> 02:14:11.760 what are you're going to go with eighty nine? I had? I had 1744 02:14:11.880 --> 02:14:18.560 ninety eight, So let's get three. We'll give you ninety three ninety three? 1745 02:14:18.359 --> 02:14:22.000 Right, has anybody been recording these to the point whereby they can they 1746 02:14:22.000 --> 02:14:24.279 can tell us who we think is going to win. So we gave the 1747 02:14:24.359 --> 02:14:28.680 higher the best record to the Dodgers with ninety five. We gave the Padres 1748 02:14:28.760 --> 02:14:31.720 and the Blue Jays ninety four. Sorry, we give the Braves nights. 1749 02:14:31.720 --> 02:14:33.760 We sorry, we gave the Brakes ninety six. I apologize. They were 1750 02:14:33.800 --> 02:14:37.800 the best team. Braves ninety six, Dodgers ninety five, blue Jays the 1751 02:14:37.840 --> 02:14:43.119 best in the AL with ninety four. To bay about logic, we're saying 1752 02:14:43.199 --> 02:14:48.920 it's a Blue Jays Braves World Series because obviously the best teams were the best 1753 02:14:48.960 --> 02:14:52.279 record make it to the World Series final, always, always, always, 1754 02:14:52.319 --> 02:14:54.479 Well, what I actually did was I did I did check the proper way 1755 02:14:54.479 --> 02:15:00.760 of checking us, which was the the average finish in the YEA in spring 1756 02:15:00.800 --> 02:15:03.319 training is whoever comes third tends to make it to the World Series. So 1757 02:15:03.399 --> 02:15:07.079 we are looking at an Astro's Cubs World Series this year. That's my prediction. 1758 02:15:07.520 --> 02:15:11.880 So you think you hopefully that will win. I think you should have 1759 02:15:11.920 --> 02:15:16.239 a giveaway now for anyone who's got through into the third hour of the podcast. 1760 02:15:18.720 --> 02:15:22.760 It's not even into the second come on, carry on, it is 1761 02:15:22.800 --> 02:15:28.840 definitely into the second hour. Definitely, okay, right, so um looking 1762 02:15:28.840 --> 02:15:31.199 at these then, so yeah, we've got We've got the Braves um winning 1763 02:15:31.239 --> 02:15:35.760 the division. We have got to try to do this on the fly and 1764 02:15:37.239 --> 02:15:39.279 winning the division, and the Dodgers winning the division and the wild cards. 1765 02:15:39.319 --> 02:15:46.520 I believe we're going to go to the Padres and the Phillies and the Mets. 1766 02:15:46.560 --> 02:15:50.680 So is that exactly the same as last year? Yep, yep? 1767 02:15:50.840 --> 02:15:58.079 Lovely okay? And then American League we have the Blue Jays winning the division. 1768 02:15:58.760 --> 02:16:05.800 We have have audience in Austrian and the Astros winning a division. And 1769 02:16:05.000 --> 02:16:09.640 then Russell was quicker than me, but I reckon, we've got the Angels 1770 02:16:09.800 --> 02:16:13.159 playing World Card. Yeah, We've got the Twins in the wild card. 1771 02:16:13.600 --> 02:16:20.640 Nope, and probably a rules based playoff between the Raising the Yankees. No, 1772 02:16:20.800 --> 02:16:22.479 the Twins are on eighty seven wards. We had Raising the Yankees and 1773 02:16:22.600 --> 02:16:28.680 Nice, so they'll both right there we go? So well, yeah, 1774 02:16:28.720 --> 02:16:31.079 the only difference there as we have the Angels in the Mariners instead of the 1775 02:16:31.120 --> 02:16:35.920 Mariners. So we have predicted eleven out of the same twelve teams in the 1776 02:16:35.959 --> 02:16:39.079 postseason. So there you go, folks. Two and a half hours well 1777 02:16:39.159 --> 02:16:46.280 spent prognosticating basically exactly what happened last year. So you probably will had plenty 1778 02:16:46.440 --> 02:16:50.000 of time listening to us. Now I think I probably needs going to have 1779 02:16:50.040 --> 02:16:56.040 a lie down somewhere. Thank you both for competing against the A team again. 1780 02:16:56.319 --> 02:16:58.520 We will keep an eye out and see how we do against them and 1781 02:16:58.559 --> 02:17:03.200 hopefully actually be a report back next year how heavily we beat them. You 1782 02:17:03.319 --> 02:17:05.959 can find loads of stuff going on the website at the moment, Gave, 1783 02:17:07.159 --> 02:17:09.799 you have about a million people contributing at the moment, a lot coming up 1784 02:17:09.840 --> 02:17:13.959 in the next a few weeks. It's fantastic. But we're always looking for 1785 02:17:13.040 --> 02:17:18.719 new writers. So if anyone wants to share their thoughts about baseball, contact 1786 02:17:18.760 --> 02:17:24.760 me or hit the link on the website. There we go absolutely turned down 1787 02:17:24.120 --> 02:17:28.360 a post, so you could be that person. If you can barely write, 1788 02:17:28.360 --> 02:17:33.000 you could be that first foot. Now absolutely we're going on enthusiasm here. 1789 02:17:33.000 --> 02:17:35.239 We've got some great stuff coming from some people. And you know, 1790 02:17:35.600 --> 02:17:39.319 Gave is a brilliant editor. He will help people. I'm not a very 1791 02:17:39.360 --> 02:17:43.040 good writer. He has helped me in the past get some of my stuff 1792 02:17:43.040 --> 02:17:46.000 to be to be readable. So if you've got an idea, do tap 1793 02:17:46.079 --> 02:17:46.920 us up, do give us a cup, come and have a word. 1794 02:17:46.959 --> 02:17:50.200 You don't need to be the world's best writer. There's definitely a space for 1795 02:17:50.319 --> 02:17:54.799 you. Russell An The Things Special, Magical any more tours hanging out with 1796 02:17:54.840 --> 02:17:58.000 show Hey anytime soon? No, back to the real world. We go 1797 02:17:58.120 --> 02:18:01.680 find a job. Sorry, Ross, I need to find the rest of 1798 02:18:01.799 --> 02:18:05.959 what is going on with us is obviously at bat flips nerds dot com, 1799 02:18:05.200 --> 02:18:09.280 or you can find us on Twitter at at bat flips Underscore Nerds, where 1800 02:18:09.280 --> 02:18:13.280 you'll find our usual musings on what's going on in the world at baseball. 1801 02:18:13.719 --> 02:18:16.000 If you are still awake and listen to us, thank you very very much 1802 02:18:16.079 --> 02:18:41.520 and we will speak to you again very soon. Hello, and welcome to 1803 02:18:41.719 --> 02:18:48.200 bat Flips and Nerds to baseball Baseball. Should we do that again, I 1804 02:18:48.280 --> 02:18:50.879 think that will go that one will go on the end, Rob. Thank you.