WEBVTT 1 00:00:16.600 --> 00:00:19.519 Hello, and welcome to Battleps and Nerds, the baseball podcast 2 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:21.679 with a British twist. I am your host once again, 3 00:00:21.800 --> 00:00:25.039 Russell easam, and I am delighted to be joined once 4 00:00:25.079 --> 00:00:25.960 again by Ben. 5 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:26.760 How are you doing, Ben? 6 00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:28.960 I'm good, Russell. He sounded a bit resigned there once 7 00:00:29.000 --> 00:00:30.359 again by Ben Well. 8 00:00:30.440 --> 00:00:32.039 I was trying to go with the rhyming thing to 9 00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:33.359 kind of like get it go, but I think it 10 00:00:33.399 --> 00:00:36.840 didn't quite give it. Maybe the gravitas that you were 11 00:00:36.359 --> 00:00:44.439 you were deserving. Otherwise the passion, the way that works 12 00:00:44.520 --> 00:00:47.159 the one who if I then speak to our other 13 00:00:47.240 --> 00:00:51.159 man who is one of us, Darius, that really didn't 14 00:00:51.159 --> 00:00:53.039 work either, Darius, how are you doing? 15 00:00:53.799 --> 00:00:57.439 I'm good. Tottenham have won a trophy. All is right 16 00:00:57.479 --> 00:01:01.840 with the world object terrible game of football were fitting 17 00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:04.560 the two sides playing, but we'll take it. 18 00:01:05.400 --> 00:01:05.640 Yep. 19 00:01:05.959 --> 00:01:07.280 Yeah, so I'm good, Thank you. 20 00:01:07.640 --> 00:01:07.879 Yeah. 21 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:10.959 Obviously from most Tottenham fans perspective, as a person who 22 00:01:10.959 --> 00:01:14.040 lives right next to Arsenal's stadium, it's quite amusing to 23 00:01:14.120 --> 00:01:16.079 hear them spend a year talking about how they're one 24 00:01:16.120 --> 00:01:18.480 of the best teams in European football, and then Tottenham 25 00:01:18.480 --> 00:01:22.280 winning trophy and they don't in European football, so that's hilarious. 26 00:01:22.359 --> 00:01:24.079 There has been a few. 27 00:01:23.879 --> 00:01:26.239 Talking points in baseball which will quickly cover before we 28 00:01:26.239 --> 00:01:28.719 get through what our main aspect today. Today we're going 29 00:01:28.719 --> 00:01:31.079 to walking through what we called the Surprising Nine. We're 30 00:01:31.079 --> 00:01:33.840 going through the positions that we're each going to come 31 00:01:33.879 --> 00:01:36.840 up with somebody who we think has prized us with 32 00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:39.359 their performances so far this year, and to make that 33 00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:42.280 good list of players that hopefully kind of like maybe 34 00:01:42.280 --> 00:01:44.120 some of them will continue, some of them won't. But 35 00:01:44.159 --> 00:01:46.319 we're just going to do a quick fire through of 36 00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:51.239 the things that have happened in baseball. Darius, the Orioles 37 00:01:51.239 --> 00:01:53.439 are bad. They got rid of their manager, who probably 38 00:01:53.480 --> 00:01:56.840 wasn't the reason why they were bad. Do we have 39 00:01:56.879 --> 00:01:58.480 any reason to think that they could be good? 40 00:01:58.680 --> 00:02:00.640 I mean, I think we have reason to believe that 41 00:02:00.680 --> 00:02:04.200 the lineup will come around. I don't think we have 42 00:02:04.239 --> 00:02:06.159 any reason to believe that the pitching is going to 43 00:02:06.159 --> 00:02:10.159 be good. Not really clear if and or when Grace 44 00:02:10.159 --> 00:02:13.599 and Rodriguez will come back, and the rest of it 45 00:02:13.639 --> 00:02:17.080 is running on fumes, so they're too far gone. I 46 00:02:17.120 --> 00:02:21.080 think now it don't think it particularly matters. I think 47 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:24.840 their playoff odds are down into the two three percent range. 48 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:28.159 I'm pretty sure it would be like one of, if 49 00:02:28.199 --> 00:02:31.560 not the most implausible comebacks in Major League history. Now, 50 00:02:31.560 --> 00:02:33.199 if they were to somehow turn this around and make 51 00:02:33.240 --> 00:02:36.439 the playoffs, they've really just dropped so far out of 52 00:02:36.479 --> 00:02:39.639 the race. So we'll see. I mean, strange things have 53 00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:42.879 happened in baseball, but I think sixteen and thirty two 54 00:02:42.919 --> 00:02:44.919 at this point in the season, that's that's a long 55 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:46.520 way back in the alist. 56 00:02:47.719 --> 00:02:48.840 Talking about the Al East. 57 00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:54.159 Then we had Soto taking a return visit to the Yankees. 58 00:02:55.520 --> 00:02:58.840 What are your thoughts on the booing and the turning 59 00:02:58.879 --> 00:03:02.159 around of the fans to Soto as he returned to 60 00:03:02.240 --> 00:03:02.719 the Bronx. 61 00:03:02.879 --> 00:03:06.120 Great fun. It was all part of the rivalry weekend, 62 00:03:06.159 --> 00:03:08.360 wasn't it, which had some quinde of odd rivalries sprinkled 63 00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:10.439 in there. But obviously Mets Yankees I like the idea 64 00:03:10.479 --> 00:03:12.800 of making that more of a rivalry because they don't 65 00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:14.520 tend to see each other very often. And yeah, we 66 00:03:14.599 --> 00:03:16.199 knew this was going to be fun with Sota coming 67 00:03:16.240 --> 00:03:19.120 back and the way that whole thing played out over 68 00:03:19.159 --> 00:03:21.680 the off season, and it seems like I mean, obviously 69 00:03:21.719 --> 00:03:24.080 Yankees fans were very upset with him because he signed 70 00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:25.800 with a different team, But it kind of seems like 71 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:27.439 Mets fans are turning on him a little bit too, 72 00:03:27.479 --> 00:03:29.479 and not particularly happy with how he's performing, which I 73 00:03:29.479 --> 00:03:32.479 know we discussed with Nick a few weeks back as 74 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:35.199 an overreaction because he has still been very good, and 75 00:03:35.360 --> 00:03:38.520 you know, we're like six weeks into a twelve year contract. 76 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:40.000 Let's not get ahead of ourselves. But yeah, there does 77 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:42.560 seem to be a little bit of animosity from all 78 00:03:42.599 --> 00:03:44.520 angles pointed towards so to at the moment, whether it 79 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:46.400 be because he didn't choose the Yankees, whether it be 80 00:03:46.439 --> 00:03:50.599 a lack of effort, whether it be his defensive shortcomings. 81 00:03:50.680 --> 00:03:52.759 So yeah, that was a strange one to keep an 82 00:03:52.759 --> 00:03:55.080 eye on. But yeah, fun to see that rivalry get 83 00:03:55.120 --> 00:03:56.520 things going a little bit in May. It's not often 84 00:03:56.560 --> 00:03:58.039 you kind of see some of the atmospheres we saw 85 00:03:58.080 --> 00:04:00.919 over the weekend at this time of season. So from 86 00:04:00.919 --> 00:04:02.639 that front, I thought that was fun and exciting and 87 00:04:02.879 --> 00:04:05.639 hopefully the sign of more to come from a rivalry 88 00:04:05.639 --> 00:04:06.680 perspective across the sport. 89 00:04:06.919 --> 00:04:09.439 Yeah, Mets fans, some of the Mets fans and not 90 00:04:09.479 --> 00:04:13.120 all of the Mets fans didn't cover themselves in particular 91 00:04:14.520 --> 00:04:17.319 good vibes when Lindor first started and had like a 92 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:24.879 bit of a struggle exactly, so isn't new Otherwise when 93 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:27.160 we talk about the rivalry series, a lot of sweeps 94 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:29.240 over the weekend, a lot of sweep supply teams. We 95 00:04:29.240 --> 00:04:32.399 were not expecting the Angels sweeping the Dodgers. I think 96 00:04:32.519 --> 00:04:36.439 probably was something that none of us had on the cards. 97 00:04:36.600 --> 00:04:39.079 But obviously the only other big news in baseball is 98 00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:44.480 Jose Alvarado has now got an aid game suspension. We 99 00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:48.839 hear the same thing of all I took a was 100 00:04:48.879 --> 00:04:51.759 it a wait reduction medicine? 101 00:04:52.560 --> 00:04:53.040 I didn't do it. 102 00:04:53.079 --> 00:04:56.040 Yeah, I didn't expect this to happen. It's like go on, 103 00:04:56.120 --> 00:04:59.120 boys and girls, like you're paid a lot of money, 104 00:04:59.639 --> 00:05:02.399 Like you shouldn't be putting anything into your body that 105 00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:03.319 you don't know what it is. 106 00:05:05.399 --> 00:05:07.879 Payton listening to Rob's quiz a few weeks ago. 107 00:05:11.959 --> 00:05:13.959 Quiz, so he didn't put the things that were not edible. 108 00:05:16.079 --> 00:05:16.639 The confusion. 109 00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:19.480 But the something of an industry is extremely unregulated. But 110 00:05:19.639 --> 00:05:22.680 if I was in a profession whereby I was being 111 00:05:22.720 --> 00:05:25.959 regularly tested for drugs, I would basically make sure I 112 00:05:26.120 --> 00:05:29.439 checked it absolutely everything I put in my body to 113 00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:32.000 ensure that I was not going to fail a drugs tests. 114 00:05:32.040 --> 00:05:34.439 And the number of times this happens, it's like, woops, 115 00:05:34.680 --> 00:05:37.600 didn't realize that was in there. It's just, yeah, I'm 116 00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:39.399 not sure that that's really what's happening. 117 00:05:40.319 --> 00:05:42.879 And also given the fact that it's like obviously he's 118 00:05:42.920 --> 00:05:45.680 not like on a massive contract or whatever, but that's 119 00:05:45.720 --> 00:05:49.079 like two million, two million dollars he's thrown away basically 120 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:50.199 for being suspended. 121 00:05:50.399 --> 00:05:54.160 So yeah, maybe he thought it would give him better control. 122 00:05:54.759 --> 00:05:57.519 I don't know. I'm not sure what Elvarado would need 123 00:05:57.560 --> 00:05:59.360 to do this for. But here we are. 124 00:05:59.519 --> 00:06:03.560 Okay, so that's our quick trip around what's actually happened 125 00:06:03.560 --> 00:06:06.079 in baseball. So now we're going to talk about the 126 00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:10.360 Surprising nine. So we're going to start off with a catcher. 127 00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:12.399 I haven't told Ben or Darius this, but I feel 128 00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:16.920 like it is the place to start. I will go first, 129 00:06:17.199 --> 00:06:18.959 given that I was the one who came up with 130 00:06:19.879 --> 00:06:24.120 this idea, and I'm going to highlight Will Smith. I 131 00:06:24.120 --> 00:06:28.000 don't think it's like this is not coming out of 132 00:06:28.040 --> 00:06:29.720 the blocks with like, oh my god, this is suddenly 133 00:06:29.759 --> 00:06:32.000 amazing that he's kind of like done this. But Will 134 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:35.759 Smith is playing at the best level I think that 135 00:06:35.800 --> 00:06:38.040 we've seen him play. It's more back to the kind 136 00:06:38.040 --> 00:06:40.879 of like that twenty twenty one year that we all 137 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:43.360 saw and was like, oh, like he's going to be 138 00:06:43.480 --> 00:06:46.439 like one of the best like hitting catchers in baseball 139 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:48.240 and had they had a few years where he didn't 140 00:06:48.279 --> 00:06:51.560 quite meet that those highs. But I think what he's 141 00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:54.759 doing in that lineup is actually very important for the 142 00:06:55.240 --> 00:06:57.560 Dodgers right now because they don't have the same level 143 00:06:57.600 --> 00:07:00.519 of kind of depth in that lineup seem to have 144 00:07:00.879 --> 00:07:03.399 towards last year, and his contributions have been. 145 00:07:05.000 --> 00:07:05.639 Pretty strong. 146 00:07:06.759 --> 00:07:09.240 Darius and Ben, Where where does that fall on your 147 00:07:09.839 --> 00:07:11.480 scale of surprise? 148 00:07:11.600 --> 00:07:14.040 Is it? Is it a pretty mediocre one to start 149 00:07:14.079 --> 00:07:14.399 off with. 150 00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:18.040 Yeah, I don't think it's a huge surprise because we've 151 00:07:18.040 --> 00:07:20.079 seen Will Smith be good for a while. But you 152 00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:23.600 are right, he's elevated his game this season and it's cool. 153 00:07:24.240 --> 00:07:27.600 It's almost like Michael Jordan I took that personally meme 154 00:07:27.639 --> 00:07:30.199 where the Dodgers, I feel like it's Dalton Rushing this season, 155 00:07:30.240 --> 00:07:32.040 who's the sort of top catching prospect that they've caught 156 00:07:32.120 --> 00:07:34.759 up and it's just completely elevated Will Smith's games another 157 00:07:34.800 --> 00:07:36.759 level now, and I feel like that's happened before, and 158 00:07:36.879 --> 00:07:38.639 forgetting who the Dodgers are, the sort of top catching 159 00:07:38.680 --> 00:07:40.160 prospect was a couple of years ago. But you know, 160 00:07:40.199 --> 00:07:42.839 Will Smith continues to be just so good that they 161 00:07:42.879 --> 00:07:44.680 cannot move him off that position or move him out 162 00:07:44.680 --> 00:07:47.120 of the lineup to fit these top guys in, even 163 00:07:47.160 --> 00:07:48.720 though you know he's not quite as herald a or 164 00:07:48.720 --> 00:07:51.759 wasn't certainly back as a prospect. But yeah, he's gone 165 00:07:51.759 --> 00:07:53.759 from like a good solid piece in that line up 166 00:07:53.800 --> 00:07:55.959 to maybe one of the best hitters on the team, 167 00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:57.519 which says a lot when you're as strong as as 168 00:07:57.560 --> 00:07:59.600 the Dodgers are. So I don't, yeah, I don't think 169 00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:02.079 it's a horrible shout. He's been really good. He's raised 170 00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:04.600 a level further than we thought he was going to 171 00:08:04.680 --> 00:08:07.680 this season. But you know, I knew who Will Smith 172 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:08.920 was going into this year. I knew he was a 173 00:08:08.920 --> 00:08:11.199 good player, So from that perspective, it's not a huge 174 00:08:11.240 --> 00:08:13.079 surprise to see him have a very good six weeks 175 00:08:13.079 --> 00:08:13.759 to start the season. 176 00:08:13.879 --> 00:08:21.399 Darius, Where would this be on the percentile from Baseball prostectors. 177 00:08:21.800 --> 00:08:24.600 Pretty high up. I think probably in the eighty to 178 00:08:24.680 --> 00:08:28.000 ninety range, I would guess, without having looked, I'm not 179 00:08:28.040 --> 00:08:31.639 sure what Smith's protection was. He's always been a comfortably 180 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:35.639 above average hitter, so it's not a shock that he 181 00:08:35.720 --> 00:08:37.759 is productive. But as you say, this is the most 182 00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:41.799 productive stretch of his career, even including I think twenty twenty, 183 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:45.799 which obviously was not very many games. This is a 184 00:08:45.799 --> 00:08:48.879 new level for him. So yeah, we're towards the upper end. 185 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:51.720 I tended to shy away from the guys with pedigree, 186 00:08:51.759 --> 00:08:54.759 the guys who have a track record of being great players, 187 00:08:54.799 --> 00:08:58.080 just because I am less surprised when they have hot 188 00:08:58.120 --> 00:09:00.879 stretches like this. If we gets to the end of 189 00:09:00.879 --> 00:09:03.720 the season and you know, he's still got a nine 190 00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:06.399 to fifty ops, then I'll probably be a bit more 191 00:09:06.440 --> 00:09:09.039 surprised than I am now. I guess this is this 192 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:11.879 is like, you know, decent team ending up in the 193 00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:15.200 Champions League kind of level of surprise for me, I suppose, 194 00:09:15.879 --> 00:09:17.960 which we don't know who's in the Champions League this year, 195 00:09:17.960 --> 00:09:20.720 but that's that's where I'm at. I'm not shocked that 196 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:25.039 he's going great, but it's better that's less less shocking 197 00:09:25.039 --> 00:09:29.000 than that, much less shocking than that. 198 00:09:29.799 --> 00:09:32.519 Okay, Darius, giving to that thought, who was who is 199 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:34.519 your catcher that you've decided to highlight. 200 00:09:34.879 --> 00:09:37.080 I've gone for Ivon Herrera, which is a slightly weird 201 00:09:37.080 --> 00:09:39.559 one because he got hurt and missed a few weeks. 202 00:09:39.879 --> 00:09:41.960 But when he's been on the field, he has been 203 00:09:42.279 --> 00:09:46.519 absolutely mashing the Cards. Obviously cleared out the catcher spot 204 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:50.480 by moving Contrarast to first base, and currently Ivan Herre 205 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:54.120 is slashing four seventeen four eighty six, seven sixty seven. 206 00:09:54.879 --> 00:09:58.600 That's good for a two forty four ops plus. He's 207 00:09:58.679 --> 00:10:00.919 really mashing the ball as well. Well. He's one of 208 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:03.120 the guys that if you go up to the top 209 00:10:03.159 --> 00:10:05.960 of the old stack cast leaderboard, he's right there. A 210 00:10:06.039 --> 00:10:10.320 few lower those thresholds, he's in eighteenth. He's barreling eleven 211 00:10:10.320 --> 00:10:14.320 point four percent in his plate appearances. Yeah, it just 212 00:10:14.559 --> 00:10:17.600 looks like a really, really good offensive catcher. So Cards 213 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:19.360 seem to have made a good move clearing up that 214 00:10:19.440 --> 00:10:22.360 playing time for him. I'm sure this level of performance 215 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:24.679 won't continue, but he genuinely seems like he's going to 216 00:10:24.720 --> 00:10:27.840 be a real offensive weapon for them going forward. 217 00:10:28.039 --> 00:10:28.720 Your thoughts on that. 218 00:10:28.919 --> 00:10:31.240 I will confess to having watched zero Ivan Herrera play 219 00:10:31.279 --> 00:10:33.799 appearances so far in twenty twenty five. But the stats 220 00:10:33.799 --> 00:10:37.320 speak for themselves. I mean, his numbers are very impressive, 221 00:10:37.759 --> 00:10:40.960 and as I Sari have said, the supporting metrics seem 222 00:10:41.000 --> 00:10:43.399 to show that he can hit the ball very, very hard, 223 00:10:43.799 --> 00:10:45.399 and if you can do that, you're going to generally 224 00:10:45.399 --> 00:10:47.720 be a pretty good hitter. The Cardinals have got a 225 00:10:47.720 --> 00:10:52.159 good track record of developing catchers, I'd say, And so, yeah, 226 00:10:52.440 --> 00:10:54.960 this is an exciting one. And well, as you can tell, 227 00:10:55.080 --> 00:10:56.919 not someone that I really had on my radar coming 228 00:10:56.919 --> 00:10:59.399 into this season. So I say, on the surprise, you know, 229 00:11:00.279 --> 00:11:05.559 scale pretty high up. Trying to think of an adequate comparison. 230 00:11:06.519 --> 00:11:09.440 Maybe Leinster getting knocked out of the Champions Cup by 231 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:11.440 Northampton Saints. That's one for the rugby fans. 232 00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:15.159 Yeah, I think I would be surprised if this was 233 00:11:15.440 --> 00:11:18.279 one hundred and forty play play. It's worth of one 234 00:11:18.320 --> 00:11:20.559 hundred and forty plate appearance worth. We're not like the 235 00:11:21.480 --> 00:11:24.240 seventy to eighty that kind of like it actually is. 236 00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:27.519 He has missed some times, so those outlandish numbers kind 237 00:11:27.559 --> 00:11:30.559 of get. It's still lost in the fact that, like 238 00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:32.600 we know, like some people can just go hot, some 239 00:11:32.600 --> 00:11:36.759 people can just go like mental. For like it's effectively 240 00:11:36.799 --> 00:11:41.480 less than twenty games, it's still like remarkable, but because 241 00:11:41.519 --> 00:11:46.039 it's such like a small sample size, it's more like no, no, 242 00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:48.679 like they'll say even to take this season, like the 243 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:51.639 Padres starting the season like eleven and o or whatever, 244 00:11:51.919 --> 00:11:53.720 twelve and o wherever they got to. So it's like 245 00:11:54.200 --> 00:11:57.159 it's something you could believe. It was still surprising that 246 00:11:57.240 --> 00:12:00.799 it actually happened, but kind of it then fizzled out 247 00:12:00.919 --> 00:12:02.480 and didn't kind of like continue on. 248 00:12:04.039 --> 00:12:04.960 With that, I mean. 249 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:08.759 Obviously, especially like with what's kind of happened. I think 250 00:12:08.879 --> 00:12:12.559 I would say to Ben's point, I have seen I 251 00:12:12.559 --> 00:12:14.600 think three of his plate appearances. I think I any 252 00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:18.279 watched the card to play one game so far this season, 253 00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:22.440 So from a actually watching game perspective, I do not 254 00:12:22.600 --> 00:12:26.000 have much knowledge on him. Ben, round us off with 255 00:12:26.039 --> 00:12:27.240 the catchers. Who are you going for? 256 00:12:27.399 --> 00:12:29.879 Yeah? I threatened this before we started, but I've gone 257 00:12:29.879 --> 00:12:32.360 for Colorado Rocky here, And anytime you can get a 258 00:12:32.360 --> 00:12:34.279 player in on a team that's eight and forty one, 259 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:37.279 you just have to do it. So I'm shouting out 260 00:12:37.399 --> 00:12:40.840 my guy Hunter Goodman, who has been one of the 261 00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:44.600 only bright spots in yeah, a black hole of darkness 262 00:12:44.600 --> 00:12:47.519 for the Rockies this season. Certainly not someone that anyone 263 00:12:47.559 --> 00:12:49.080 would have had on the railer coming into this year 264 00:12:49.480 --> 00:12:52.360 unless you were a really die hard Rockies fan, but 265 00:12:52.440 --> 00:12:55.000 he's been great. One hundred and fourteen WRC plus, one 266 00:12:55.080 --> 00:12:57.960 of the only good hitters in Colorado. I don't know 267 00:12:58.000 --> 00:13:00.840 if I see this continuing. His plaid spin is not great. 268 00:13:01.080 --> 00:13:03.639 He strikes out a lot, but he hits the ball hard. 269 00:13:03.639 --> 00:13:05.840 And like, if you're a catcher who hit who has 270 00:13:05.879 --> 00:13:08.679 power and is you know, okay behind the plate, which 271 00:13:08.720 --> 00:13:13.240 Goodman is, then you know that that probably plays. And 272 00:13:13.320 --> 00:13:15.519 so for the Rockies, that's, you know, something good to 273 00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:17.960 hang your hat on. I don't think he's going to 274 00:13:17.960 --> 00:13:19.159 be an All Star, don't think it's going to be, 275 00:13:19.240 --> 00:13:21.799 you know, in the running for any awards at the 276 00:13:21.879 --> 00:13:23.840 end of the season, but he's been good and I 277 00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:26.519 just wanted to give him a shout out. On the 278 00:13:26.679 --> 00:13:32.519 sort of surprise rankings, I compared this to the number 279 00:13:32.600 --> 00:13:35.240 five seeded Chinese Taipe pay pair of Cheng ea Ching 280 00:13:35.320 --> 00:13:37.960 and Lead Yu Jun falling to the unseeded career of 281 00:13:37.960 --> 00:13:41.399 public duo with Kim Nayong and Lie Yun Kai. Sorry 282 00:13:41.399 --> 00:13:43.399 for the pronunciation. In the twenty twenty five it t 283 00:13:43.399 --> 00:13:47.279 TF World Championships. This year undoubtedly a very big upset. 284 00:13:47.399 --> 00:13:49.679 Unfortunately no one cares deep. 285 00:13:49.519 --> 00:13:51.720 Cut that was. That was a real deep cut. 286 00:13:51.799 --> 00:13:55.639 But facing the Rockies, that's really exactly if a tree 287 00:13:55.639 --> 00:13:57.360 falls in the words, if Huntter Goodman has a breakout 288 00:13:57.440 --> 00:14:00.360 season for the twelve winning Colorado Rockies, does anyone? 289 00:14:00.519 --> 00:14:03.440 But it was like that I saw somebody hit like 290 00:14:03.440 --> 00:14:06.399 a their first home run at the Rocky Stadium, and 291 00:14:06.440 --> 00:14:09.480 like the fan gave the ball back and he was 292 00:14:09.519 --> 00:14:11.120 like and got he got a back given to and 293 00:14:11.159 --> 00:14:12.600 he's like, oh, this is great. I've only just been 294 00:14:12.639 --> 00:14:15.360 getting into baseball like this year, and it's like and 295 00:14:15.399 --> 00:14:19.840 he's going to Rockies games. You're like, like, all right, 296 00:14:19.879 --> 00:14:23.799 we will move on to first base this time. And 297 00:14:24.919 --> 00:14:26.960 I think I'll go first again and have to kind 298 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:29.559 of maybe get a bit of a mayor culpa, because 299 00:14:30.360 --> 00:14:32.919 there was definitely a few times in towards the end 300 00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:35.039 of last season and before the start of this season 301 00:14:35.039 --> 00:14:38.799 that I've called someone Paul old Schmidt and I'm kind 302 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:41.080 of being made to eat my words so far this 303 00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:47.360 season with with with Goldie's performance, is it, I'm still 304 00:14:47.399 --> 00:14:50.679 not It's surprising to me, given I think the stretch 305 00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:53.240 of like how bad he had basically performed in the 306 00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:57.279 in the last few seasons, that a trip up to 307 00:14:58.080 --> 00:15:01.320 Manhattan has basically taken him from base he hitting at 308 00:15:01.360 --> 00:15:04.440 what was basically just got himself down to like league average, 309 00:15:04.919 --> 00:15:07.360 and he's now back up to I think he's sat 310 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:11.639 at basically some close to basically his career highs as 311 00:15:11.639 --> 00:15:14.799 he is right now. Is it lineup protection? Is it 312 00:15:14.879 --> 00:15:18.120 kind of like is it a torpedo bat? I don't know, 313 00:15:18.519 --> 00:15:22.440 but like Goldie is looking every bit of the player 314 00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:25.519 that he did in like twenty fifteen twenty sixteen, which 315 00:15:25.559 --> 00:15:30.120 is utterly remarkable as far as I'm concerned. One for me, 316 00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:33.279 I would put this one with the three and one 317 00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:37.559 come back for the Cavaliers in twenty sixteen against the 318 00:15:37.720 --> 00:15:40.480 against the Golden State Warriors. Looked like dead and buried 319 00:15:40.519 --> 00:15:43.039 and somehow has kind of made his way back to 320 00:15:44.600 --> 00:15:45.519 almost a victory. 321 00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:49.320 Darius Cord his way back from elimination. 322 00:15:49.639 --> 00:15:52.440 Yeah, I laughed at the contract, but the Yankees signed him. 323 00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:55.519 I kind of like this deal, So I didn't think 324 00:15:55.559 --> 00:15:58.399 about this one. You're right that, given his age, that 325 00:15:58.759 --> 00:16:01.720 is somewhat surprising that he has bounced back to this level. 326 00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:05.039 I don't think he is back to peak belge Bit level. 327 00:16:05.080 --> 00:16:07.200 I think we'll see that regress a little bit. But 328 00:16:07.879 --> 00:16:09.440 I loved the fit. I thought it was a great 329 00:16:09.440 --> 00:16:12.639 place for a left handed to hit, obviously, and I 330 00:16:12.679 --> 00:16:15.679 thought it would be a nice bounce back opportunity for 331 00:16:15.799 --> 00:16:18.559 him that the power is down. I think you know 332 00:16:18.600 --> 00:16:20.759 that there's been a bit of good fortune on the 333 00:16:20.759 --> 00:16:24.039 bad balls. I think you'll see this much closer to 334 00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:25.559 a league average line by the end of the year. 335 00:16:25.559 --> 00:16:27.799 But I did think that he could be a respectable, 336 00:16:27.919 --> 00:16:30.679 useful every day here for that lineup, and it looks 337 00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:31.720 like that's going to be a good. 338 00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:34.440 As much as I'd love to say that I also 339 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:37.080 saw this coming, I didn't, so I'm going to issue 340 00:16:37.080 --> 00:16:39.519 a Mayo Copper two. Although I'm going to mostly blame 341 00:16:39.559 --> 00:16:41.600 you for this, Russ, But I also thought that Goldman 342 00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:44.600 was cooked and that, you know, his his days of 343 00:16:44.679 --> 00:16:47.840 being productive were over. But I could not be more 344 00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:49.600 delighted to have been wrong. I mean, he's a really 345 00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:52.080 fun player was so good for so long, obviously in 346 00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:55.679 Arizona and then in then Saint Lewis, and it's yeah, 347 00:16:55.720 --> 00:16:57.519 fun to see him be great again in the middle 348 00:16:57.519 --> 00:17:00.519 of that lineup. And yeah, as Darius said, I don't 349 00:17:00.559 --> 00:17:04.200 see this lasting all season, and certainly at his age, 350 00:17:04.240 --> 00:17:05.920 you know, it feels like the wear and tear of 351 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:08.319 a year or injuries could could easily take their toll. 352 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:11.720 But a really fun renaissance even if that's all it 353 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:15.440 is from Goldschmidt so far this season. Cool to see him, yeah, 354 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:17.079 back up there showing he can still do it at 355 00:17:17.079 --> 00:17:19.960 the top level at age thirty seven. One of the 356 00:17:19.960 --> 00:17:21.480 guys who was kind of coming up when I first 357 00:17:21.480 --> 00:17:23.279 got into the sport. So it's fun to see him 358 00:17:23.319 --> 00:17:26.000 still sort of hanging about and being productive. So yeah, 359 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:30.039 I like that. Cool credit to Paul gold Schmidt Darrins. 360 00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:31.279 What Are You Going to Go? Which is a far 361 00:17:31.319 --> 00:17:33.960 more niche pick Aranda. 362 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:36.200 I had two names of my list. One of them 363 00:17:36.319 --> 00:17:38.799 is Randa. See I'll take Jonathan Randa, maybe Ben will 364 00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:42.519 take the other. Anyway, Jonathan Randa is one of those 365 00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:45.240 guys who it feels like we've been talking about him, 366 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:48.960 you know, as a guy break through this year for 367 00:17:49.960 --> 00:17:52.880 five years, maybe like four or five years, which is 368 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:54.759 not far off. He did first come up in twenty 369 00:17:54.759 --> 00:17:57.519 twenty two, and the Rays being the race, he's never 370 00:17:57.640 --> 00:18:00.440 quite found the playing time to show it, and when 371 00:18:00.440 --> 00:18:03.359 he has played, he's never really been super impressive, so 372 00:18:03.400 --> 00:18:06.119 of course sort of forced their hand until this year, 373 00:18:06.960 --> 00:18:10.519 and now he does look like that real offensive force. 374 00:18:10.759 --> 00:18:12.680 He's kind of tailed off a little bit since a 375 00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:17.440 super hot start, but he's still one fifty seven wrs 376 00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:20.920 plus right now, and he looks like he has finally 377 00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:23.759 lift up to some of that potential. So I wouldn't 378 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:26.039 say that I was like super shocks, because there was 379 00:18:26.079 --> 00:18:28.079 always this buzz that like, yeah, the Ray is still 380 00:18:28.119 --> 00:18:30.599 believing around there, and you know, whenever the playing time 381 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:34.839 clears up, they'll they'll find room for him. But it 382 00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:37.680 was starting to feel a little bit like, you know, 383 00:18:38.039 --> 00:18:41.240 we've waited too long. This feels a bit like maybe 384 00:18:42.519 --> 00:18:45.599 what's the come for this, Like you know, Peyton Manning 385 00:18:45.640 --> 00:18:49.000 winning that second Super Bowl, you know where it seemed 386 00:18:49.039 --> 00:18:51.519 like the window had gone and then and then he came. 387 00:18:51.680 --> 00:18:53.079 And not that he had that much to do with 388 00:18:53.079 --> 00:18:55.359 that Super Bowl, that was all the defense, but you 389 00:18:55.400 --> 00:18:58.000 know what I mean. We had to wait, but finally 390 00:18:58.039 --> 00:18:58.559 it's happened. 391 00:18:58.599 --> 00:18:59.119 I like it. 392 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:03.359 Yeah, I think you mentioned it like I think he 393 00:19:03.559 --> 00:19:08.640 is probably like breakout candidate, breakout candidate, breakout candidate, breakout candidate, 394 00:19:08.720 --> 00:19:10.759 and the joke of somebody who actually probably still is 395 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:13.680 a breakout candidate because he's not broken out so many 396 00:19:13.720 --> 00:19:17.400 times that if you call it, it's like the what's 397 00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:19.880 the other one? It's like a clock is a broken 398 00:19:19.920 --> 00:19:23.799 clock is right two times in a day. So if 399 00:19:23.799 --> 00:19:25.720 you say he's going to break out every single time, 400 00:19:25.880 --> 00:19:31.319 like at some point someone might just break out. But 401 00:19:31.400 --> 00:19:32.720