WEBVTT 1 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:17.600 Hello, I welcome to Baplips and Nerds, the Baseball Podcast 2 00:00:17.719 --> 00:00:20.320 with a British twist. I am your host today, Russell Lisam, 3 00:00:20.800 --> 00:00:24.039 and spring training is upon us. There is live baseball 4 00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:26.559 to be watched. But is that a good or a 5 00:00:26.600 --> 00:00:29.239 bad thing? That's what we will be discussing today. And 6 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:32.960 to do that I have with me my fellow Stato Darius. 7 00:00:33.000 --> 00:00:33.960 How are you doing, Darius? 8 00:00:35.240 --> 00:00:36.640 I'm doing very well, Thanks Ross. 9 00:00:36.840 --> 00:00:40.119 I've enjoyed in lightning Rob about the state of Andragas's hair, 10 00:00:40.359 --> 00:00:43.119 which may well put down a bonus pod sometime or something. 11 00:00:43.320 --> 00:00:45.399 Just leaves that hanging out there, people wondering what the 12 00:00:45.439 --> 00:00:46.039 hell is going on? 13 00:00:46.920 --> 00:00:49.880 And as Darius alluded to, we have the man who 14 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:54.439 will provide the whimsy to our two with statheads, Rob Veras. 15 00:00:54.439 --> 00:00:55.280 How are you doing, Rob? 16 00:00:56.880 --> 00:00:59.840 I'm a little I'm just concerned that Andrey lost his 17 00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:02.119 hair a lot earlier than I thought he did. Honestly, 18 00:01:02.159 --> 00:01:05.439 I thought his whole career was was full pat sharp 19 00:01:05.480 --> 00:01:09.719 style locks. But no, nineteen ninety five you went board. 20 00:01:10.159 --> 00:01:12.200 Who knew nineteen ninety five I could have sworn it 21 00:01:12.239 --> 00:01:14.439 was the whole The whole length of his career was 22 00:01:14.480 --> 00:01:17.599 with the full length. My mother and Auntie absolutely loved him. 23 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:19.280 That's probably a bit enough about. 24 00:01:19.079 --> 00:01:23.319 That has suited individuals as such were probably the thing 25 00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:26.359 in vogue. Obviously we'll get onto spring training in a second, 26 00:01:26.359 --> 00:01:29.480 but something monumental has happened in baseball since the last 27 00:01:29.480 --> 00:01:33.040 time we've managed to have one of these podcasts. Potentially 28 00:01:33.079 --> 00:01:37.879 the dumbest rule in baseball has been made less dumb, 29 00:01:38.680 --> 00:01:42.799 and the Yankees have decided to allow their players to 30 00:01:42.920 --> 00:01:48.200 have a well maintained beard by going by their standards, 31 00:01:48.239 --> 00:01:51.959 probably have well maintained. I do not fall under that role. 32 00:01:51.959 --> 00:01:56.359 Probably doesn't fall under that too much. It's too stubble 33 00:01:56.400 --> 00:01:57.799 it role. But I think, yeah, it's the question is 34 00:01:57.799 --> 00:02:00.319 how you get to being like well maintained. You have 35 00:02:00.359 --> 00:02:04.159 to grow it quickly but enough to trim. Yeah. As 36 00:02:04.159 --> 00:02:06.959 someone who I can't remember what reason why we had 37 00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:10.919 a podcast drafting something, I had the Yankees Beard Museum 38 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:13.759 effectively to attribute to all the beards that have been 39 00:02:13.800 --> 00:02:19.080 lost at all time. To me, it's ridiculous that this 40 00:02:19.240 --> 00:02:23.199 thing that even still partially exists, but seemingly the Yankees 41 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:25.599 have stepped forward to what the current times is. 42 00:02:25.680 --> 00:02:29.120 Darius Well, I mean, you know. 43 00:02:29.080 --> 00:02:32.680 They've gone a long way at least the well maintained, 44 00:02:32.719 --> 00:02:34.759 the well groomed part of it is sort of a 45 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:38.560 desperate clinging on. But yeah, this is long reverdue. This 46 00:02:38.680 --> 00:02:40.879 is one of those things that whenever it does come 47 00:02:40.960 --> 00:02:43.240 up with people who don't know baseball, they sort of 48 00:02:43.240 --> 00:02:45.080 look at me like I'm playing a joke on them 49 00:02:45.159 --> 00:02:47.360 or something that they can't believe in the twenty first 50 00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:49.599 century that anybody could possibly. 51 00:02:49.199 --> 00:02:51.719 Have this policy on a sports team. 52 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:54.159 It has been one of the more ludicrous things about 53 00:02:54.159 --> 00:02:55.719 the Yankees for quite a long time. 54 00:02:56.560 --> 00:02:58.280 So yeah, very good that they've done it. 55 00:02:59.039 --> 00:03:02.360 I do wonder, you know, was there somebody out there, 56 00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:05.240 you know, did Startinbreder try and sign someone and they 57 00:03:05.240 --> 00:03:07.120 were like, no, I'm keeping the beard. 58 00:03:07.240 --> 00:03:08.360 You can't. You can't have me. 59 00:03:08.520 --> 00:03:09.719 I want a beard. 60 00:03:09.960 --> 00:03:11.800 I don't know. I don't know if that that has 61 00:03:11.840 --> 00:03:12.560 been brought up, you know. 62 00:03:12.719 --> 00:03:16.280 Addindobtably, even even if it was once, I think they'd 63 00:03:16.319 --> 00:03:19.520 probably be worth doing it. But yeah, aside from free 64 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:22.360 agents who don't want to go there, it's just a 65 00:03:22.479 --> 00:03:24.800 ludicrous thing that was in place for. 66 00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:27.319 Far too long. So glad to see it go. 67 00:03:27.560 --> 00:03:31.240 And yeah, we'll be fun to actually see Yankees with 68 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:34.240 beards and to see what well groomed means. How far 69 00:03:34.360 --> 00:03:36.919 can we push the boundaries of grooming? 70 00:03:38.039 --> 00:03:40.759 I think rob Like, if you're someone like Devin Williams, 71 00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:44.319 who's basically had a pretty big beard for probably the 72 00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:46.840 last six years of his baseball career, I can't think 73 00:03:46.840 --> 00:03:48.800 of him without the beard. I still don't think of 74 00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:52.879 him without the beard. He literally turned up two pictures 75 00:03:52.919 --> 00:03:55.719 and catchers reported having it shaved off, and then the 76 00:03:55.919 --> 00:03:58.520 day later they're like, ah, you know what that would 77 00:03:58.520 --> 00:04:03.240 have been fired, Like I'd be about you. 78 00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:06.280 Yeah. Absolutely, I've got a feeling he's gonna be more 79 00:04:06.319 --> 00:04:08.639 part of this surely, Like you know this is gonna 80 00:04:08.680 --> 00:04:11.240 be Yeah, they've gotta They've got a superstar reliver here, 81 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:15.039 like absolute top notch geezer. If he's kicked off and 82 00:04:15.199 --> 00:04:17.120 you know, demanded, I'm not gonna play. I don't want 83 00:04:17.120 --> 00:04:18.279 to play. I don't want to be here. I want 84 00:04:18.279 --> 00:04:21.399 to go upsetting the team. Maybe this was the straw 85 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:24.879 that broke the camel's back. May maybe it was him, 86 00:04:24.879 --> 00:04:26.959 I don't know, but yes, he's got to be pissed off, absolutely, 87 00:04:27.040 --> 00:04:29.720 like he's he's lost his his signature. Beard. I think 88 00:04:29.720 --> 00:04:31.879 he even described it as signature beard at some point, 89 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:35.199 and and now he's allowed to go it back. But 90 00:04:35.800 --> 00:04:37.680 you know, maybe it come in with a little bit 91 00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:39.680 of grain in it and mayke a bit more distinguished. 92 00:04:39.800 --> 00:04:41.160 I think I think it's gonna be a good thing. 93 00:04:43.160 --> 00:04:45.759 I'll give you another question, Rob, Do you think this 94 00:04:45.759 --> 00:04:47.720 would have happened if the Yankees won the World Series 95 00:04:47.800 --> 00:04:48.240 last year? 96 00:04:49.839 --> 00:04:50.839 Wow? Well? 97 00:04:51.399 --> 00:04:53.560 Do you think this is? As Darius has said? It 98 00:04:53.639 --> 00:04:56.800 is a potentially reaction to some free agents that may 99 00:04:56.800 --> 00:04:58.959 be coming around this year or maybe next year. 100 00:05:01.120 --> 00:05:03.399 Where are you pointing this? I'm not seeing next year. 101 00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:06.079 Who's next to you? Oh, Laddie? Surely? 102 00:05:06.199 --> 00:05:06.399 Yes? 103 00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:08.920 Okay, yeah, that makes perfect sense. Now my eyes have 104 00:05:08.959 --> 00:05:10.319 been opened. Yeah, it's got to. 105 00:05:10.279 --> 00:05:10.720 Be, isn't it. 106 00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:14.000 I mean, would you keep keep him under the is 107 00:05:14.040 --> 00:05:17.120 he well groomed? Would we consider him well grouped? I'm 108 00:05:17.160 --> 00:05:18.759 gonna have to get a picture of his beard now, 109 00:05:18.800 --> 00:05:21.319 because I have it in my head as slightly rough. 110 00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:24.680 If you want to. 111 00:05:24.639 --> 00:05:27.560 Play along at home, I'm not that Vladimir. That one 112 00:05:27.639 --> 00:05:28.680 is not a good Vladimir. 113 00:05:29.160 --> 00:05:31.959 Uh that Rob is googling Darius. Do you do you 114 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:34.639 agree with my statement? That this is this is this 115 00:05:34.680 --> 00:05:37.920 is actually a losing position from the Yankees, like the 116 00:05:38.360 --> 00:05:41.079 George Emsteinbrenner would be rolling in his grave that they 117 00:05:41.079 --> 00:05:43.240 were reacting in this way to try and get the 118 00:05:43.240 --> 00:05:45.600 free agents. Like if those free agents wouldn't shave their 119 00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:47.800 beard for the Yankees, they're not good enough for the Yankees. 120 00:05:50.160 --> 00:05:53.000 Yeah, that probably is the kind of thing that old 121 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:55.639 George would have said, although he was also in the 122 00:05:55.639 --> 00:05:58.639 habit of, you know, making very advised free agent decisions 123 00:05:58.680 --> 00:06:01.519 on a regular basis, so who can say how he 124 00:06:01.519 --> 00:06:06.399 would have reacted to this really, Yeah, well, if they'd 125 00:06:06.439 --> 00:06:09.040 won the World serious side, don't Yeah, it seems like 126 00:06:09.120 --> 00:06:09.800 odd timing. 127 00:06:10.040 --> 00:06:10.519 I don't go. 128 00:06:10.680 --> 00:06:13.319 Don't quite understand why this is the moment unless it 129 00:06:13.399 --> 00:06:17.560 is related to lad and in that case, I don't 130 00:06:17.560 --> 00:06:18.000 think it's that. 131 00:06:18.120 --> 00:06:19.759 Like me, he has walked back. 132 00:06:20.600 --> 00:06:23.160 He would never play for the angest statement, but I 133 00:06:23.160 --> 00:06:25.720 imagine that's more to use them as market leverage than 134 00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:30.839 for anything like he'd actually want to sign there. I'll 135 00:06:30.920 --> 00:06:32.920 let rub weigh in on whether he thinks the beard 136 00:06:32.959 --> 00:06:35.079 is sufficiently well groomed at this point in time. 137 00:06:35.800 --> 00:06:37.920 I want say no, I obviously that is not a 138 00:06:37.959 --> 00:06:41.199 well groomed beard. I think it has been a very 139 00:06:41.279 --> 00:06:47.639 very neat sculptured chin strap. But I think generally he's 140 00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:50.560 certainly not the Charlie Blackman, but he's he's really sort 141 00:06:50.600 --> 00:06:52.639 of letting it go a little wild around the cheeks, 142 00:06:52.639 --> 00:06:54.879 got some he's got some wisp to it. You know, 143 00:06:54.920 --> 00:06:56.839 it's it's got a little bit kind of I'm a 144 00:06:56.879 --> 00:06:59.800 bit wild and dangerous look, and you know it's it's 145 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:02.800 it's that. Yeah, I don't think that's well groomed. And 146 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:06.040 you know, okay, controversial take. I'm a problem with the 147 00:07:06.040 --> 00:07:10.079 well groomed element. They are. I work in customer facing. 148 00:07:10.680 --> 00:07:13.879 You know, there's got to be an element of presentation 149 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:16.720 about it. They are very customer facing. They're on the television. 150 00:07:17.319 --> 00:07:20.800 You know that there's a uniform standard. I don't think 151 00:07:20.800 --> 00:07:22.920 it's unusual to have some sort of dress code about 152 00:07:22.920 --> 00:07:25.720 about working if you are one display. 153 00:07:25.319 --> 00:07:25.839 For the public. 154 00:07:25.959 --> 00:07:28.879 So yeah, why not well groomed is fine? You know, 155 00:07:29.480 --> 00:07:30.279 I'm okay with that. 156 00:07:30.800 --> 00:07:32.800 Are you going to go out there and tell Brandon 157 00:07:32.839 --> 00:07:34.360 Marsh's not allowed to wet his hair? 158 00:07:37.879 --> 00:07:40.079 Is wetting it? Groomy it? I would say it's fairly 159 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:44.800 well groomed. Grooming is in the essence of the effort 160 00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:46.480 rather than necessarily the result. 161 00:07:46.560 --> 00:07:49.879 Perhaps, Ah okay, well give them the fact that they 162 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:52.079 have an on site Barbara, and we heard about like 163 00:07:52.439 --> 00:07:56.360 a triple A level Yankee prospect basically getting his bid 164 00:07:56.439 --> 00:07:58.480 sorted literally the day afterwards, and being one of the 165 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:01.680 first people to the Yankees uniform with the beards. So 166 00:08:02.240 --> 00:08:05.439 we'll see how this all rolls. We probably could talk 167 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:08.199 about this for another forty five minutes if we're perfectly honest. 168 00:08:08.680 --> 00:08:13.199 This is the type of nerdery and absurdity that is 169 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:16.000 right up our alley. But we're here to talk about 170 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:18.199 spring training. We're here to talk about the good and 171 00:08:18.279 --> 00:08:21.800 the bad of spring training because when we get this 172 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:26.120 access to baseball, there is an initial like joy. I 173 00:08:26.120 --> 00:08:28.639 think for a lot of us we have been without 174 00:08:28.800 --> 00:08:32.159 watching MLB. There has been other opportunities to watch the 175 00:08:32.240 --> 00:08:35.320 other things, with some winter series, with even some World 176 00:08:35.320 --> 00:08:39.639 Baseball Classic qualifiers that have been ongoing. But there's something 177 00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:43.720 about MLB, obviously with a preemium element. But it's not 178 00:08:43.840 --> 00:08:46.080 all good. So but I think we'll start with a 179 00:08:46.120 --> 00:08:50.600 good each Darius, what is a good thing about spring training? 180 00:08:53.080 --> 00:08:55.960 I think one good thing about spring training generally speaking, 181 00:08:55.960 --> 00:08:59.000 and this can veer into the ridiculous, but it's just 182 00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:01.919 a nice time for up timism. Nobody is yet eliminated, 183 00:09:02.120 --> 00:09:04.120 not even the Rockies of the White Sox. 184 00:09:04.840 --> 00:09:05.039 You know. 185 00:09:05.240 --> 00:09:07.840 People might say technically they are, but at this moment 186 00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:10.600 in time, they are not. You still have that opportunity 187 00:09:10.639 --> 00:09:12.440 to get excited about things, and that might not be 188 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:13.759 We're going to make the playoffs. 189 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:14.399 That might be all. 190 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:16.320 You know, look at our young prospects that are in 191 00:09:16.360 --> 00:09:20.080 spring training. Whatever it is, you just haven't had that time. 192 00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:22.159 You know, that can go south very quickly in the 193 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:24.000 season if you get out to a one and nine 194 00:09:24.039 --> 00:09:28.039 start and everybody's upset. But in spring training, you know, 195 00:09:28.120 --> 00:09:32.519 the slate is clean, You've got time. Obviously, things can 196 00:09:32.600 --> 00:09:34.799 go wrong in spring training, but for the most part, 197 00:09:34.879 --> 00:09:37.480 it's time for optimism. And I think that's nice, especially 198 00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:39.919 you know, after the long winter of waiting for baseball, 199 00:09:40.200 --> 00:09:42.039 people can get excited about the season again. 200 00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:45.399 So speaking optimism, as anybody looked. 201 00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:48.320 At sorry after you, gentlemen, Well, I'm just. 202 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:50.799 Saying it, speaking of optimism and in all going well, 203 00:09:50.840 --> 00:09:54.480 anybody actually looked at the standings for the grape fruit 204 00:09:54.480 --> 00:09:56.919 and or Cactus leagues. No one does. Of course they don't. 205 00:09:57.279 --> 00:09:59.720 I would like to say that the Chicago White Sox 206 00:09:59.799 --> 00:10:03.759 are two and eight, so with two hundred winning percentage, 207 00:10:03.799 --> 00:10:07.919 they it's really sad, but it's exactly what you'd expect. 208 00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:12.399 So I do see the side of your optimism, Darius. 209 00:10:12.399 --> 00:10:13.960 I do think it is something that we get into 210 00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:17.679 this level of the season and like in some regards, 211 00:10:17.720 --> 00:10:20.559 like you can't be beaten down by anything that has 212 00:10:20.600 --> 00:10:24.000 happened just yet, especially as the start of like spring training. 213 00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:26.440 The thing that I will sadly say so is that 214 00:10:26.679 --> 00:10:32.080 to me, this is either pointless optimism or like just 215 00:10:33.080 --> 00:10:36.240 optimism that isn't actually believed, like it is like it's 216 00:10:36.320 --> 00:10:39.440 cliched optimism almost to say that, like there are people 217 00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:41.639 out being there like oh yeah, well, we're gonna surprise 218 00:10:41.720 --> 00:10:44.840 some teams, like the players will be saying that, managers 219 00:10:44.840 --> 00:10:46.799 will be saying that. And in some regards, these guys 220 00:10:46.840 --> 00:10:48.720 are athletes and they have to probably believe that they 221 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:52.080 are going to perform quite well. But how many of 222 00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:54.879 them really believe the stuff that they're saying when it's 223 00:10:54.919 --> 00:10:56.679 going to be like, you know what, if you're on 224 00:10:56.679 --> 00:10:58.960 the White Sox, this year, and you're gonna when someone says, well, 225 00:10:59.240 --> 00:11:02.080 we know we're gonna surprize people, well, surprising people. You 226 00:11:02.120 --> 00:11:05.720 surprise people last year, just in a really bad way, 227 00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:08.559 Like surprising people this year would probably be getting to 228 00:11:08.600 --> 00:11:13.159 seventy wins. So that's not actually good. I had had 229 00:11:13.200 --> 00:11:15.879 a whole tirade about this, But if any of you 230 00:11:15.960 --> 00:11:19.320 listened to the Basilall Barber cast, they literally their last 231 00:11:19.360 --> 00:11:22.279 episode was talking about the cliches, So I would direct 232 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:24.200 you in their direction instead of me just going on 233 00:11:24.279 --> 00:11:26.360 another tirade about this. 234 00:11:28.480 --> 00:11:31.279 Yeah, I think that's slightly different category of the teams, 235 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:33.879 and I do have a bit about that later. I 236 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:36.159 think I'm just thinking about it in the sense of 237 00:11:36.279 --> 00:11:38.080 people enjoying the game. 238 00:11:37.879 --> 00:11:41.720 Of baseball, you know, in terms of the public. But yes, 239 00:11:41.840 --> 00:11:43.000 I certainly. 240 00:11:42.600 --> 00:11:45.000 Agree that we get a lot of nonsense out of 241 00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:50.159 teams in terms of what expectations are and where they 242 00:11:50.200 --> 00:11:51.480 think they might be going this season. 243 00:11:51.559 --> 00:11:52.840 That is clearly not true. 244 00:11:55.399 --> 00:11:56.200 For the White Sox. 245 00:11:58.159 --> 00:11:59.799 Well, not if they have a two hundred winn percentage. 246 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:07.480 They didn't have the worst record ever statistically speaking. So 247 00:12:07.480 --> 00:12:10.600 so there's records to break, there are the wrong records 248 00:12:10.679 --> 00:12:13.639 still to break. As I've countered, Darius is good with 249 00:12:13.679 --> 00:12:16.000 a bad But I'll bring us back to something good. 250 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:17.759 What do you what do you enjoy about spring training? 251 00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:23.919 I really like a tiki bar. H outfields are full 252 00:12:24.039 --> 00:12:28.679 of you know, bars that have got like a grassy 253 00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:32.320 roof which maybe isn't the best idea. In in Florida 254 00:12:32.320 --> 00:12:35.600 where with the daily daily thumbstorms, they've got grassy roofs 255 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:38.080 and there's like a great, big, fat kind of wine 256 00:12:38.159 --> 00:12:42.240 shirt sat there enjoying a fruity beverage with an umbrella 257 00:12:43.000 --> 00:12:45.000 in pretty much every game, like most most of these 258 00:12:45.039 --> 00:12:49.399 stadiums have a tiki bar. And there's something very very 259 00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:52.000 not corporate about a tiki bar. And if we spend 260 00:12:52.039 --> 00:12:56.559 the whole season looking at major league stadiums with adverts 261 00:12:56.600 --> 00:13:00.399 for you know, ensure this bomb that you know whatever. 262 00:13:01.480 --> 00:13:05.799 But but to have to have a purely uh frivolous 263 00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:08.480 thing sat out there in the outfield, that's lovely. We 264 00:13:08.840 --> 00:13:11.720 lost that when when we lost the Miami Marlin sculpture, 265 00:13:12.600 --> 00:13:15.399 and so I I the tiki barb makes me think 266 00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:17.799 of that. It's there's something completely frivolous that sat out 267 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:20.879 there in the outfield. People aren't really watching the games, 268 00:13:20.919 --> 00:13:24.200 because go how many of us really are and you've 269 00:13:24.200 --> 00:13:28.919 gotta you gotta, you've gotta like a grass bar in 270 00:13:29.000 --> 00:13:31.919 the outfield. That's great, that's just frivolous. That's nice. There's 271 00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:34.480 there's no there's no intentions in it. It's just a 272 00:13:34.519 --> 00:13:38.519 thing we can enjoy that is there for reasons. Why 273 00:13:38.559 --> 00:13:40.399 has that become a tradition? I don't know, but it's great. 274 00:13:40.559 --> 00:13:41.960 Love it so Rob. 275 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:44.320 How many have you got to watching training games in 276 00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:46.879 Florida or I have. 277 00:13:47.080 --> 00:13:49.879 I went to I've only seen the one. I saw 278 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:56.080 the Tigers play the Blue Jays the Tigers game Tiger Stadium, 279 00:13:56.200 --> 00:13:57.840 and yeah, there's a there's a tiki bar there. 280 00:13:57.840 --> 00:14:01.240 That was great. You're not going to class myself as 281 00:14:01.240 --> 00:14:04.159 a season spring training person, but like I've done it 282 00:14:04.200 --> 00:14:07.639 like three or four times in Arizona, and from my 283 00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:10.919 experience of those places, they're frequented by people who are 284 00:14:11.120 --> 00:14:15.240 drunk by the third in and not just like my people. 285 00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:19.840 I've been to quite a few MOREB games probably actually 286 00:14:19.879 --> 00:14:22.200 I've been to more spring training games just because I 287 00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:24.000 love to get out to Arizona at that time of 288 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:27.120 the year. But I've never seen someone kicked out of 289 00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:30.320 an MLB game, of a regular season game for being 290 00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:32.919 too drunk. And I've seen that probably on about a 291 00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:35.039 quarter of the spring training games that I've been to, 292 00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:40.320 someone stumbling around in the green grass outfield area and 293 00:14:40.480 --> 00:14:44.000 falling onto people who are they have absolutely no business 294 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:45.240 with whatsoever. 295 00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:49.399 Exactly what makes a family picnic better than a drunken 296 00:14:49.399 --> 00:14:51.759 fatman and a Hawiian shirt falling over onto it. 297 00:14:53.240 --> 00:14:54.600 Have you experienced sp training. 298 00:14:56.200 --> 00:14:58.440 I've not not been a spring training in person now, 299 00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:01.759 so I can't can't comment on taking bars or any 300 00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:04.480 other aspects of this other than the bits you see. 301 00:15:04.919 --> 00:15:07.519 It sort of reminds me when you see people at 302 00:15:07.559 --> 00:15:10.159 spring training. It sort of reminds me a bit of 303 00:15:10.279 --> 00:15:12.639 like the Wimbledon vibe, you know that just sort of 304 00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:14.200 like sat out on the hill with like a picnic 305 00:15:14.200 --> 00:15:16.320 blanket and a bunch of drinks and there happens to 306 00:15:16.360 --> 00:15:19.240 be some sport going on. But yeah, it's very much 307 00:15:19.360 --> 00:15:20.799 that kind of atmosphere. 308 00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:23.080 So it's nice. There's nice. 309 00:15:23.799 --> 00:15:25.320 I'll sneak in here and kind of put what was 310 00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:27.159 gonna be one of my nicest Yeah, Like, I honestly 311 00:15:27.200 --> 00:15:30.120 like going to spring training games is it's really fun. 312 00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:32.440 I will I will actually say that, like there is 313 00:15:32.519 --> 00:15:36.799 a far you generally aren't caring about what the result 314 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:38.879 is going to be. Even if you're watching the teams 315 00:15:38.919 --> 00:15:41.759 that you like, you're looking to see kind of who's 316 00:15:41.799 --> 00:15:44.840 gonna maybe perform well kind of just be like oh. 317 00:15:45.039 --> 00:15:46.679 For me, it was like, oh, I get to see 318 00:15:47.159 --> 00:15:49.600 Mike Trout play, or I get to see each aroplay, 319 00:15:49.639 --> 00:15:52.120 or I get to see Jackson Turio play when he's 320 00:15:52.200 --> 00:15:55.440 two years away from being like a major leaguer. That 321 00:15:55.480 --> 00:15:57.159 you get to see things that you do not get 322 00:15:57.559 --> 00:16:01.720 at other games. But also the spring training games for 323 00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:04.000 me were just an interaction with a whole load of 324 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:06.960 fans that you just do not like normally interact with 325 00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:11.240 at a game. There is a far more jovial atmosphere 326 00:16:11.440 --> 00:16:15.279 around kind of like what's going on. I remember being 327 00:16:15.279 --> 00:16:17.799 out last year telling my friends when we were watching 328 00:16:17.799 --> 00:16:21.200 a Giants game, being like, yeah, all of the prospects 329 00:16:21.240 --> 00:16:22.399 that are here, none of them are going to be 330 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:24.240 on the starting line, going to be in the starting 331 00:16:24.279 --> 00:16:26.840 twenty five come the start of the season, And the 332 00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:29.320 woman behind me was just heckling moving by, what do 333 00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:31.639 you know? You've probably you sound like you're from the UK, 334 00:16:31.720 --> 00:16:39.440 what do you know? It's like wow, But it ended 335 00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:42.559 up having a conversation afterwards, So like, I just think 336 00:16:42.600 --> 00:16:44.600 that I'm not certain if that would have I've had 337 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:48.279 great interactions in regular season games as well, but like 338 00:16:48.440 --> 00:16:52.279 the everybody was a few beers in and and it 339 00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:58.240 just led to to a great atmosphere that is, that's 340 00:16:58.320 --> 00:17:00.360 very good. What do we not like about spring training? 341 00:17:02.120 --> 00:17:06.200 Well, the thing that really puts the dampener on the optimism, 342 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:10.279 usually very quickly, is when you discover who has got 343 00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:13.039 themselves injured or indeed was already injured at the end 344 00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:15.359 of last season and didn't tell anybody about it until 345 00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:18.720 they sharper spring training. And you know, we get this 346 00:17:18.759 --> 00:17:22.240 flurry every year. Everyone shows up in their training except 347 00:17:22.279 --> 00:17:23.759 you know that one guy he's not training and the 348 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:26.039 be right goes last the manager he's like, oh, yeah, 349 00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:27.920 you know, he's just got a toall ligament. It will 350 00:17:27.960 --> 00:17:32.160 be out for the next four months, just like drop 351 00:17:32.200 --> 00:17:35.279 that in their casualty. So that's always a bit of 352 00:17:35.279 --> 00:17:37.599 a down and you're excited about your team. We've got 353 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:39.720 a great, great unit together, and then you know you 354 00:17:39.839 --> 00:17:43.279 realize you're about to sign Kyle Gibson in mid March 355 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:46.319 because somebody's blown out the UECL which is going to 356 00:17:46.359 --> 00:17:50.359 happen inevitably. We haven't really had I don't think the major. 357 00:17:51.160 --> 00:17:54.599 You know, somebody's lost the season unexpectedly yet, but we 358 00:17:54.680 --> 00:17:55.640 all know that it's coming. 359 00:17:55.799 --> 00:17:56.720 And was one. 360 00:17:57.359 --> 00:17:58.519 I swear there was one. 361 00:17:58.880 --> 00:18:01.799 I thought Lucis ehel is probably considerable. 362 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:04.200 Theis hill Is is going to be out about six, 363 00:18:04.440 --> 00:18:05.240 six or eight weeks. 364 00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:08.000 I think it's a big strain, but we have a 365 00:18:08.039 --> 00:18:10.759 big Tommy John I don't think, not, not that I'm 366 00:18:10.759 --> 00:18:13.920 aware of. That was an unexpected name. 367 00:18:14.359 --> 00:18:17.319 And rend he's lost his lost the season probably I said, 368 00:18:17.359 --> 00:18:21.119 I said, unexpected, Okay, sorry, yeah, that was fairly expected. 369 00:18:21.559 --> 00:18:23.640 It is. It is a slightly weird one because like, 370 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:28.400 on one hand, I'm like our teams, surely the teams know, 371 00:18:28.759 --> 00:18:30.960 or like the gen Carlo Stanton or whatever was not 372 00:18:31.000 --> 00:18:35.920 feeling well during the off season, surely like again, the 373 00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:38.119 fact that he has neither elbows working properly. 374 00:18:39.079 --> 00:18:42.000 What has been doing tennis? Elbow? 375 00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:45.559 Was he playing with one arm and then he was like, 376 00:18:45.559 --> 00:18:49.279 oh that hurts, I'm going to use the other one. Well, 377 00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:51.240 I know, you get tennis Elbo from other things, but 378 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:52.839 I just wonder what has he been doing? 379 00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:56.200 Yeah, and and and it's kind of like hilarious in itself, 380 00:18:56.240 --> 00:18:58.279 like how that's happened. But it's like, surely at some 381 00:18:58.279 --> 00:19:00.839 point during the off season, Stanton's gone, hey, like this 382 00:19:00.920 --> 00:19:05.000 is happening or whatever, But we don't hit anything from 383 00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:09.079 the teams until like spring training starts, and then they 384 00:19:09.160 --> 00:19:11.440 even sometimes try and just like mask it for a 385 00:19:11.480 --> 00:19:14.440 few days for as long as they can before it's like, yeah, 386 00:19:14.440 --> 00:19:16.519 you know what, this person isn't starting now, we kind 387 00:19:16.519 --> 00:19:21.440 of really have to say that, like they're injured, and yeah, 388 00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:22.880 we're gonna have to do something about it. And so 389 00:19:23.160 --> 00:19:24.920 part of my head, I'm like teams are obviously trying 390 00:19:24.920 --> 00:19:27.279 to push this information back as lately as possible, so 391 00:19:27.319 --> 00:19:30.279 other teams don't know that someone is injured. But it's 392 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:33.200 still basically teams know. By now we now know that 393 00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:35.480 people who are the people who've carried injuries into the 394 00:19:35.480 --> 00:19:38.519 off season. How you really impacted I guess most of 395 00:19:38.519 --> 00:19:40.799 the free agents have been signed to Is that enough 396 00:19:40.839 --> 00:19:45.400 of a reason to delay this information because it plays 397 00:19:45.400 --> 00:19:47.359 into how other teams are going to spend their money. 398 00:19:49.839 --> 00:19:55.119 Maybe they just don't care. Maybe we the consumer just 399 00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:58.359 aren't important enough, like, oh yeah he's broke. Yeah, sorry, 400 00:19:59.079 --> 00:19:59.920 we should have said some. 401 00:20:01.480 --> 00:20:01.680