WEBVTT 1 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:19.199 Hello, and welcome to Batflips and Nerds, the Baseball Podcast 2 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:22.600 with a British twist. We are a week into the 3 00:00:22.600 --> 00:00:25.239 Major League Baseball season and we're coming together to overreact 4 00:00:25.239 --> 00:00:28.160 everything has happened so far. Joining me for this fine 5 00:00:28.160 --> 00:00:30.839 adventure is Darius Austin. Darius, how are you. 6 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:34.200 I'm doing all right. I'm excited that baseball is back, 7 00:00:34.840 --> 00:00:36.600 and I think we'll have a lot of fun with 8 00:00:36.759 --> 00:00:39.719 the discourse that's been happening over the last few days. 9 00:00:40.359 --> 00:00:42.079 It didn't turn out for us to have the first 10 00:00:42.200 --> 00:00:45.679 truly stupid story, like literally two days into the season, 11 00:00:46.039 --> 00:00:49.240 to have an US only ridiculous news cycle. It's been great. 12 00:00:50.240 --> 00:00:52.320 And joining the two of us is the master of discourse, 13 00:00:52.439 --> 00:00:54.000 Rob Navera. Rob, how are you. 14 00:00:56.280 --> 00:00:58.920 I'm loving the I mean we're going to come to them. 15 00:00:58.960 --> 00:01:02.679 I'm sure the Chris bats, I'm loving it. I can't wait. 16 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:05.439 It wouldn't be the start of a major League baseball 17 00:01:05.439 --> 00:01:07.879 season with us some kind of odd scandal with it. 18 00:01:07.959 --> 00:01:10.319 So yes, we are going to get into that, obviously 19 00:01:10.359 --> 00:01:12.519 at some point later in the pod, and we're also 20 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:14.920 going to cover some of the extensions that have taken 21 00:01:14.920 --> 00:01:17.519 place in the last few days. Do a couple are 22 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:19.359 two good? Too bad? But I think we're going to 23 00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:23.079 kick it off with some classic old fashioned early season 24 00:01:23.200 --> 00:01:26.879 over reactions. Baby, it's been a week of baseball, not 25 00:01:26.959 --> 00:01:29.959 even at this point, so obviously there are some really 26 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:32.959 silly stat lines out there already that people are being 27 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:35.680 very rational and calm about, as baseball fans tend to be. 28 00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:37.719 So I thought maybe we could spin through a few 29 00:01:37.719 --> 00:01:41.280 of them, maybe higher profile struggles or successes early in 30 00:01:41.319 --> 00:01:44.519 the season, and see how much on the scale of 31 00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:47.840 I don't know, one to ten, we're believing or overreacting 32 00:01:48.760 --> 00:01:50.879 to this start to the season. So let's kick it 33 00:01:50.920 --> 00:01:53.159 off with maybe the one that's been catching people's either most, 34 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:57.560 and that is the early season struggles of poor Raphael Devers, 35 00:01:58.120 --> 00:02:01.280 who had a bit of a spread in his kind 36 00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:03.599 of giving it the bigger and about not wanting to 37 00:02:03.599 --> 00:02:06.280 be moved off third base, then moving off third base, 38 00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:09.319 and then getting injured, and then being told he's basically 39 00:02:09.360 --> 00:02:11.599 going to be full time DH at least for a 40 00:02:11.639 --> 00:02:14.080 while while he recovers from his injury. And he has 41 00:02:14.120 --> 00:02:16.719 responded to being told he is now the designated hitter 42 00:02:17.120 --> 00:02:19.960 by deciding not to hit. I think to this point, 43 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:24.319 he is over nineteen with something like fourteen strikeouts. I 44 00:02:24.400 --> 00:02:26.919 may even be selling him short on the strikeouts there. 45 00:02:27.199 --> 00:02:30.039 It's been a horrendous start to this season for Paul Raffie. 46 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:33.080 So yeah, I'll answer me this, Rob will Raffis Devers 47 00:02:33.080 --> 00:02:33.919 ever get a hit again? 48 00:02:35.039 --> 00:02:40.599 No, he's done, cooked, finished, that's game over for mister servers. 49 00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:43.919 Obviously he's going to get a hit or two. But 50 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:47.080 you know what we've seen Chris Davis, you know, like 51 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:50.240 he was insane and then all of a sudden, bam gone. 52 00:02:50.319 --> 00:02:52.039 And you know what, he's kind of a big guy. 53 00:02:52.280 --> 00:02:54.479 He's known as a bit of a hitter. Could be it, 54 00:02:54.520 --> 00:02:58.479 you know. So I think the soul king has been 55 00:02:58.520 --> 00:03:01.800 for fun. I've really enjoyed watching the soul He looks 56 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:03.840 like a chastised four year old sat on the bench 57 00:03:03.879 --> 00:03:06.400 at the moment. I could totally understand if I was 58 00:03:06.599 --> 00:03:09.080 doing that bad at my job, I would I would 59 00:03:09.120 --> 00:03:11.840 look pretty bad and sulky when I'm sad at work 60 00:03:11.840 --> 00:03:15.439 as well. So obviously there's gonna be some regression to 61 00:03:15.479 --> 00:03:19.120 the mean. But you know something, break people, you know, 62 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:22.000 and he really really does not seem to have taken 63 00:03:22.080 --> 00:03:26.039 well to the the whole Bregmann situation and third base thing. 64 00:03:26.159 --> 00:03:29.719 So when he can get over his sulking, maybe, but 65 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:34.120 you know these highly paid manchild athletes, who knows, maybe 66 00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:36.199 he can't get over it. Maybe maybe this is this 67 00:03:36.280 --> 00:03:37.960 is the Raffie Devers We've got from now on. 68 00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:40.680 I guess that's a caveat it with all of these 69 00:03:40.680 --> 00:03:44.240 things short samples, small sample size. This is basically a 70 00:03:44.240 --> 00:03:46.439 five game stretch that we're judging him based on here. 71 00:03:46.719 --> 00:03:49.560 But where's the fun in caveating stuff? Right? And I 72 00:03:49.560 --> 00:03:51.280 think Russell been a little bit of digging in our 73 00:03:51.319 --> 00:03:54.319 group chat into the worst starts of the season in 74 00:03:54.680 --> 00:03:56.560 baseball history, And I think we have to go back 75 00:03:57.199 --> 00:04:01.960 pre universal DH to actually a sound Cisco Giants pitching 76 00:04:02.120 --> 00:04:04.680 legend who I think outdes devs the worst start to 77 00:04:04.719 --> 00:04:07.479 the season, at least did before his latest over four 78 00:04:07.560 --> 00:04:11.599 day Darius. Should we genuinely be concerned about this, especially 79 00:04:11.639 --> 00:04:13.120 with a strike up number where it is. It seems 80 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:15.560 like he just isn't picking up the ball in a 81 00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:17.759 way that most major league hitters do. Or is this 82 00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:20.279 just a very weird slump that is magnified by the 83 00:04:20.279 --> 00:04:21.800 fact it's the first week of April. 84 00:04:22.879 --> 00:04:26.399 I think we're arriving at like, not just small sample. 85 00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:31.439 This is extremely concerning territory because everybody has these fifteen 86 00:04:32.240 --> 00:04:35.160 over twenty and you know, six of them are lying 87 00:04:35.240 --> 00:04:38.519 drives straight to the short stopping. That just happens. But 88 00:04:38.680 --> 00:04:41.240 to have this many strikeouts, and I think I say 89 00:04:41.319 --> 00:04:43.959 it was the Brooks Skate twitter account pointed out that 90 00:04:44.040 --> 00:04:46.720 also the last four games of last season, I think 91 00:04:46.759 --> 00:04:51.120 he had eleven strikeouts and one hit in those in 92 00:04:51.160 --> 00:04:53.279 those games as well, so he's had what he's running 93 00:04:53.279 --> 00:04:55.720 a well over fifty percent strikeout rate for sort of 94 00:04:55.759 --> 00:04:59.639 his last ten games, which is very very high for anybody. 95 00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:02.839 Even gallow would be like, this is too many strikeouts. 96 00:05:03.399 --> 00:05:06.439 So that's a worry. Now, whether it's because he's hurt 97 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:08.399 because you know, the second wrong with his swing, or 98 00:05:08.439 --> 00:05:10.600 because he's just throwing his toys out of the pram 99 00:05:10.680 --> 00:05:13.120 that Alex Bregman gets to play third base better than 100 00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:17.160 he does, I don't know, but it is concerning at 101 00:05:17.160 --> 00:05:18.959 this point. I think you don't expect a player of 102 00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:21.639 this quality to strike out this often. If it was 103 00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:24.839 just groundouts or line outs, whenever, I would say, don't care. 104 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:27.519 But I am starting to get a little bit like, yeah, 105 00:05:28.199 --> 00:05:30.319 has the DH thing got in his head? Is he 106 00:05:30.439 --> 00:05:32.759 doing it on purpose just to make a point. I 107 00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:35.560 don't know what's going on, but it's reached the level 108 00:05:35.600 --> 00:05:39.079 for me that, yeah, I'm worried that something is wrong 109 00:05:39.079 --> 00:05:41.079 and we're not going to get you know, the usual. 110 00:05:41.160 --> 00:05:44.000 Raphael Devis, who's been a very good, very consistent hitter 111 00:05:44.079 --> 00:05:45.319 for a very long time. 112 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:49.560 Now. I'll be honest if if Darreus is worried, I'm worried. 113 00:05:49.680 --> 00:05:51.279 I was just expecting you to be the voice of 114 00:05:51.319 --> 00:05:53.399 reason and tell us that we're overreacting. And it's only 115 00:05:53.399 --> 00:05:54.079 a few games. 116 00:05:54.120 --> 00:05:58.360 And to be clear, but I've never seen a stress 117 00:05:58.399 --> 00:06:02.000 like this from anybody. You know, it doesn't well, don't hit, 118 00:06:02.079 --> 00:06:05.000 it doesn't happen anymore. So it is pretty remarkable for 119 00:06:05.079 --> 00:06:08.360 somebody as good as Devi's, who's like, you know, career one, 120 00:06:08.439 --> 00:06:11.959 twenty six ops plus year, to strike out fifteen times 121 00:06:12.120 --> 00:06:14.160 in nineteen at bats. It's kind of insane. 122 00:06:14.600 --> 00:06:16.199 I think he needs a silly bat. 123 00:06:16.920 --> 00:06:18.600 Maybe he does need a silly bat. We're going to 124 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:20.519 get onto that at some point, but yeah, no, not 125 00:06:20.839 --> 00:06:23.879 not good for devas that lead. I've seen that we 126 00:06:24.079 --> 00:06:26.279 keep listening for a little bit. Get that ad revenue in. 127 00:06:26.959 --> 00:06:29.199 We've seen people are in the old side by sides 128 00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:31.360 of you know Devas last year, Devas this year? Is 129 00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:33.879 he looking bigger? Is he out of shape? I don't 130 00:06:33.879 --> 00:06:36.000 think Devers ever had a small derry yet, did he? 131 00:06:36.120 --> 00:06:38.319 But maybe there is some truth to the fact that 132 00:06:38.360 --> 00:06:41.399 he's a little bit larger than he was last year. 133 00:06:42.199 --> 00:06:44.879 So to see if that, if that escalates into anything 134 00:06:45.160 --> 00:06:48.560 more as the struggles go on. But I will just 135 00:06:48.600 --> 00:06:50.040 leave that bombshell there and move on to the very 136 00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:56.040 next overreaction, which is more in the positive direction. Darius, 137 00:06:56.040 --> 00:06:58.199 I'll come to you first for this one. Will the 138 00:06:58.240 --> 00:07:01.639 Dodgers ever lose this season they break the single game 139 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:05.240 win record? Will they do it in August? Will the 140 00:07:05.279 --> 00:07:08.160 Padres also never lose again? And our West is off 141 00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:08.800 to a hot start. 142 00:07:09.399 --> 00:07:11.600 It'd be on brand, wouldn't it If the Padres won 143 00:07:11.600 --> 00:07:13.399 like one hundred and twenty games. But the Dodgers won 144 00:07:13.399 --> 00:07:16.839 one hundred and twenty five, so doesn't get a division title. 145 00:07:16.959 --> 00:07:20.319 I could believe that probably they will lose at some point. 146 00:07:20.759 --> 00:07:22.639 I'm not going to predict one hundred and sixty two 147 00:07:22.680 --> 00:07:25.040 and o just yet, but if you were a Padres 148 00:07:25.160 --> 00:07:27.439 or Diamondbacks fan coming in this season going, oh, maybe 149 00:07:27.480 --> 00:07:29.639 the Dodgers haven't off year and win ninety two games, 150 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:33.839 I think you're already a bit underwhelmed now, a bit disappointed, 151 00:07:34.079 --> 00:07:36.079 kind of having to accept that they haven't played that 152 00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:39.240 well either. They haven't looked like you know, there's been 153 00:07:39.319 --> 00:07:42.800 Sasaki's look pretty shaky, and you know, Mookie Betts lost 154 00:07:42.879 --> 00:07:45.879 like half his body weight and they're still seven and os. 155 00:07:45.879 --> 00:07:49.160 So it's concerning, especially when you consider that you know 156 00:07:49.240 --> 00:07:51.199 Otani's going to come back and pitch at some point, 157 00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:52.759 and they've got all these other arms who are going 158 00:07:52.800 --> 00:07:55.160 to come off the injured list. It's there's a lot 159 00:07:55.319 --> 00:07:58.519 lot there, and they're already seven and o and it's 160 00:07:58.680 --> 00:08:00.560 quite difficult to see how they're not going to win 161 00:08:00.879 --> 00:08:02.720 one hundred plus games already. 162 00:08:03.279 --> 00:08:06.959 I like it an unimpressive seven and o. Yeah, be better, 163 00:08:07.639 --> 00:08:10.319 be better, yeah, roll, but anything stood out to you 164 00:08:10.360 --> 00:08:12.319 from what you see from so far, they've obviously, yeah, 165 00:08:12.639 --> 00:08:16.720 I agree, the rotation hasn't necessarily looked that strong, and obviously, yeah, 166 00:08:16.759 --> 00:08:19.000 Betts was hampered for the first few games. Freeman doesn't 167 00:08:19.000 --> 00:08:22.040 necessarily one hundred percent, but the wagon just keeps on rolling, 168 00:08:22.040 --> 00:08:22.439 doesn't it. 169 00:08:23.639 --> 00:08:25.759 I think all the caveats that are being applied are 170 00:08:26.439 --> 00:08:31.759 Dodgers caveats. We expect the Dodgers to be exceptional, winning everything, 171 00:08:32.679 --> 00:08:35.440 and let's fake they've already won the same. The gap 172 00:08:35.480 --> 00:08:39.399 they've got is already like approaching a division winning, you know, 173 00:08:39.519 --> 00:08:41.399 sort of sort of lead. You know, all right, the 174 00:08:41.799 --> 00:08:44.519 paves ride up there chuffs, but you know, to go 175 00:08:44.600 --> 00:08:48.240 seven and o and have three four and a half 176 00:08:48.279 --> 00:08:51.519 games over some of your competitors at this stage means 177 00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:55.399 they've already sort of put that gap in, like the 178 00:08:55.480 --> 00:08:56.360 chase is already on. 179 00:08:56.480 --> 00:08:56.799 We're not. 180 00:08:57.759 --> 00:08:59.799 We're less than a week in and we've already got 181 00:09:01.159 --> 00:09:04.919 in between them and their rivals. So I think one 182 00:09:05.000 --> 00:09:07.200 hundred and sixty two and oh is a touch of 183 00:09:07.200 --> 00:09:12.320 a stretch, a touch. But you know, could they do 184 00:09:12.519 --> 00:09:16.360 another thirty wins before they lose a game? 185 00:09:16.559 --> 00:09:16.799 Yeah? 186 00:09:16.879 --> 00:09:19.759 They could, They really really could. This could be sewed 187 00:09:19.840 --> 00:09:22.039 up and done and dusted. If they keep going at 188 00:09:22.039 --> 00:09:24.399 this rate, with the rest of the division not all 189 00:09:24.480 --> 00:09:27.279 chipping in at full rate, they could be done and 190 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:28.799 dusted by the end of May. 191 00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:32.320 Well, well, let's hope not for the sake of an 192 00:09:32.320 --> 00:09:35.559 exciting and our West race, and the other teams do 193 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:37.039 look good. I mean, the Padres are six and o, 194 00:09:37.120 --> 00:09:40.480 the Dbacs have looked lively so far. The Giants even 195 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:42.200 look like they've got a pulse this year. Darius, We're 196 00:09:42.200 --> 00:09:43.840 not going to talk about the Rockies, but that's four 197 00:09:43.879 --> 00:09:47.120 good teams in the division. So you know, maybe if 198 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:48.879 they do slip up at any point, then then there's 199 00:09:48.919 --> 00:09:50.320 a chance for other teams in that division. But it 200 00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:52.679 concerns you that the guys who would need to be 201 00:09:52.759 --> 00:09:55.200 bad this year for them to have a bad year, 202 00:09:55.279 --> 00:09:59.480 like Edmund, like Hernandez, actually look as good, if not 203 00:09:59.519 --> 00:10:01.679 better than they'd did last year. So not a great 204 00:10:01.720 --> 00:10:05.600 start for Dodgers haters. A great start of the plate 205 00:10:05.639 --> 00:10:08.679 though for a certain Euhennio Suarez. This is a fun 206 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:11.200 early season stat line. Janerez has five hits so far 207 00:10:11.240 --> 00:10:14.159 this season that is not particularly notable. All five of 208 00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:15.679 them have been home runs. I think he leads the 209 00:10:15.720 --> 00:10:19.559 majors with with those five home runs, including a dramatic 210 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:22.279 one was it last night against the Yankees go ahead 211 00:10:22.279 --> 00:10:26.039 Grand Slam? This is kind of a dunk on the Reds. 212 00:10:26.080 --> 00:10:28.240 I guess who let him go for peanuts, but also 213 00:10:28.840 --> 00:10:33.159 Juhanio Suarez probably can't go, you know, fifty hits, fifty 214 00:10:33.159 --> 00:10:34.519 home runs. But this is kind of the hitter he 215 00:10:34.600 --> 00:10:37.279 is now, Darius, Is this just a bit of a 216 00:10:37.279 --> 00:10:39.360 peek into one of these you know, new three trier 217 00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:41.759 upcome players or is it just a funny, quirky opening 218 00:10:41.799 --> 00:10:42.639 season stat line. 219 00:10:44.120 --> 00:10:47.320 Yeah, he's always been a streaky guy. We had an 220 00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:50.519 extreme first half second half split from him last year. 221 00:10:50.559 --> 00:10:52.279 I think he had you know, three hundred points of 222 00:10:52.279 --> 00:10:56.279 ops difference between the two. He is this type of player. Yeah, 223 00:10:56.320 --> 00:10:58.399 he's got he's got a lot of power, and when 224 00:10:58.399 --> 00:11:00.399 he gets some of these hot streaks, he's he's really 225 00:11:00.440 --> 00:11:02.159 really good. I don't think it's going to take a 226 00:11:02.200 --> 00:11:04.559 super long time for pictures to say, oh, you know, 227 00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:06.559 this is what he's weak against this season. You know, 228 00:11:06.600 --> 00:11:08.600 it's a big hole on that swing over there, and 229 00:11:08.720 --> 00:11:10.879 we might be here in June saying why is there 230 00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:14.639 Han Suarez gone over nineteen with fifteen strikeouts in his 231 00:11:15.360 --> 00:11:19.200 last five games. But yeah, he's a good power hitter. 232 00:11:19.240 --> 00:11:21.200 He's always been a good power hitter. And as long 233 00:11:21.240 --> 00:11:25.039 as the batting average doesn't collapse, then you can certainly 234 00:11:25.039 --> 00:11:27.840 live with that, but yeah, ride it when it lasts. 235 00:11:27.879 --> 00:11:31.120 Thebacks fans, I was wrong, wasn't. I was sorry. It 236 00:11:31.159 --> 00:11:32.639 was the Mariners that gave him away for nothing. The 237 00:11:32.679 --> 00:11:34.840 Reds did have him at one point, but that's done 238 00:11:34.840 --> 00:11:35.720 from the Mariners instead. 239 00:11:36.320 --> 00:11:40.519 Rob. I mean, he's been there before, hasn't He didn't 240 00:11:40.559 --> 00:11:44.039 He didn't he he'd take a home run title off 241 00:11:44.080 --> 00:11:44.759 of Trout. 242 00:11:44.519 --> 00:11:45.240 A few years ago. 243 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:48.559 I think he's the wrong person's that's not off brand 244 00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:50.720 for me. I'm pretty sure he had a home run title, 245 00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:54.720 didn't he in Maybe twenty nineteen, maybe twenty twenty one. 246 00:11:55.600 --> 00:11:57.480 I don't think he'd led the league. He did hit 247 00:11:57.519 --> 00:11:59.440 a lot of home runs that year, but I don't 248 00:11:59.440 --> 00:12:00.639 believe he'd the league. 249 00:12:01.799 --> 00:12:04.759 Oh Okay, for the sake of the podcast, I'm not 250 00:12:04.759 --> 00:12:07.200 going to sit here and google silently whilst I will 251 00:12:07.240 --> 00:12:12.159 find out for you if he didn't, if he didn't 252 00:12:12.159 --> 00:12:14.759 win the home run title. I'm pretty sure he was. 253 00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:18.519 He was right there. So you know what, the guy's 254 00:12:18.519 --> 00:12:23.200 got power. He's demonstrated it historically. He had at least 255 00:12:23.320 --> 00:12:26.440 chasing the league lead for home run I know he did, 256 00:12:26.919 --> 00:12:30.039 and so yeah, yeah he could do it. We haven't 257 00:12:30.120 --> 00:12:33.799 yet seen what what is the score with with the 258 00:12:33.799 --> 00:12:37.159 ball this year? Perhaps he'll change to a silly bat 259 00:12:37.240 --> 00:12:38.559 just to bring it up for a third time for 260 00:12:38.960 --> 00:12:40.399 Ben to have to put it down and make it 261 00:12:40.440 --> 00:12:43.320 make it a later thing. So perhaps he's got a 262 00:12:43.320 --> 00:12:46.159 silly bat. Who knows, but I think he could. He could, 263 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:49.159 he could be the real deal here. Absolutely, let's kneed jerk. 264 00:12:49.200 --> 00:12:52.320 Let's let's overreact and say, yeah, a Suarez is going 265 00:12:52.360 --> 00:12:55.039 to going to rival Aaron Judge this year for the 266 00:12:55.559 --> 00:12:56.159 home run lead. 267 00:12:57.440 --> 00:12:59.559 You're sort of partially correct, Robin that he did hit 268 00:12:59.639 --> 00:13:01.840 more runs the Mike Trout, but he was in the 269 00:13:01.879 --> 00:13:04.559 wrong league because he was on the Reds, so he 270 00:13:04.600 --> 00:13:08.919 couldn't have taken a AL title away from Trout regardless. 271 00:13:08.919 --> 00:13:12.639 Peter Lonso hit fifty three, Okay, bad season, So but he. 272 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:15.480 Was sixty nine was pretty impressive. Yeah, actually a good 273 00:13:16.080 --> 00:13:18.080 looking at for his page. Now he has all I've 274 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:20.080 alway in my mind, he's always been so streaking inconsistent, 275 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:22.240 and that's kind of been from year to year. But 276 00:13:22.279 --> 00:13:25.159 actually he always ends up putting up like pretty good 277 00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:27.159 power hitting stat lines, doesn't it, at least since that 278 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:30.679 kind of power surge from the Cincinnati days, So maybe 279 00:13:30.679 --> 00:13:33.480 I deserve to give Suarez more credit than he deserves. Regardless, 280 00:13:33.480 --> 00:13:36.600 probably not going to be an MVP candidate, but a 281 00:13:36.679 --> 00:13:40.279 very good hitter. Who Yeah, Marinas fans might regret letting walk. 282 00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:44.840 My final overreaction, then, is another bad one. It's it's 283 00:13:44.879 --> 00:13:49.320 the Atlanta Braves. Certain people on their predictions podcasts thought 284 00:13:49.320 --> 00:13:50.559 the Orlanda Braves would be the best team in the 285 00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:53.600 National League this year, and those certain people it might 286 00:13:53.639 --> 00:13:56.120 be feeling a bit silly right now, which I will 287 00:13:56.159 --> 00:13:59.120 not comment on. But it's not been a great started 288 00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:02.000 season for the Brave for reasons beyond just their record. 289 00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:04.639 That again, we might get to you later. I'm keeping 290 00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:07.759 people hanging here, aren't I? But this, this is this 291 00:14:07.840 --> 00:14:10.519 does not look good for Atlanta. Again, probably a bit 292 00:14:10.559 --> 00:14:14.120 too early to overreact, but rob the Braves falling apart 293 00:14:14.159 --> 00:14:16.080 of the scenes. Is this the start of an epic 294 00:14:16.279 --> 00:14:21.240 Atlanta Braves collapse? Yes, Love, I agree. 295 00:14:23.039 --> 00:14:25.639 I'm still firmly believed that the Braves are the best, 296 00:14:25.759 --> 00:14:29.240 second best team in the National League. They've They've done 297 00:14:29.240 --> 00:14:31.679 this over the last few years. They've they've gone they've 298 00:14:31.679 --> 00:14:34.519 blown really really hot and cold, and when they've been 299 00:14:34.519 --> 00:14:36.840 blowing cold. You can sort of see like, ah, they 300 00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:38.840 should have been blowing hot. There's something not gone quite 301 00:14:38.919 --> 00:14:42.080 right here, but it's it's kind of out of their out. 302 00:14:41.879 --> 00:14:42.559 Of their their reach. 303 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:44.720 You know. It wasn't really their fault that they they've 304 00:14:44.759 --> 00:14:48.639 they've had the bad now it's been been injuries. They've 305 00:14:49.480 --> 00:14:51.960 they've had like like a random down year a couple 306 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:54.600 of times in the middle of their their stretch. Now, 307 00:14:54.960 --> 00:14:56.759 if you go back and look at the beginning of 308 00:14:56.799 --> 00:14:59.480 the Braves run at that they're currently on to to 309 00:14:59.480 --> 00:15:03.919 where they are now, the aggregate is fantastic. They've been 310 00:15:03.960 --> 00:15:06.960 brilliant across the board, and not much has changing with 311 00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:09.879 this team. All they've done is they've they've they've grown 312 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:12.120 into their ages a little bit more and they've they've 313 00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:16.399 got some some more experience. So I do genuinely still 314 00:15:16.440 --> 00:15:20.759 believe that the the Braves should should be a fantastic team. However, 315 00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:24.879 tragedy starts to perfall them. Maybe it's the NL East, 316 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:27.360 Maybe it's the Mets sort of shrugging off their long 317 00:15:27.440 --> 00:15:29.840 Mets vibes and a little bit of a splashing over 318 00:15:29.879 --> 00:15:33.120 onto another team. I don't know, but but the Braves 319 00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:36.200 should be absolutely fine. There is there is nothing about 320 00:15:36.200 --> 00:15:39.240 this team that says that they should be They should 321 00:15:39.240 --> 00:15:40.639 be doing it, they should be smashing it up, and 322 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:43.399 of course they will. Of course they're going to come back. 323 00:15:43.480 --> 00:15:46.159 So no, I don't I don't think the Braves are cooked. 324 00:15:46.679 --> 00:15:49.159 I think they're having another if he start to a year, 325 00:15:50.200 --> 00:15:51.519 but come the end, they're gonna be right there. 326 00:15:51.559 --> 00:15:52.440 They're gonna be right there. 327 00:15:52.440 --> 00:15:54.320 There's no way, Darius, do you have any thoughts on 328 00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:57.799 the Braves Whilst Ben is doing some some technical. 329 00:15:59.399 --> 00:16:03.000 I think, oh, yeah, they're not cooked. I think you 330 00:16:03.080 --> 00:16:07.240 can probably given the information we have that Reynaldo Lopez 331 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:09.159 is going to be on the IL for several months, 332 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:12.200 if not missing the entire season, that Jerks and Profile 333 00:16:12.279 --> 00:16:16.000 has got himself suspended for peds, that we know they 334 00:16:16.039 --> 00:16:19.720 have lost six games already without any wins. I wouldn't 335 00:16:19.720 --> 00:16:21.279 blame you if you wanted to say I thought the 336 00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:23.000 Braves were a ninety two win team and now I 337 00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:24.840 think they're an eighty nine win team. I think that's 338 00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:27.559 okay to say. I don't think this means the Braves 339 00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:30.759 are now assently six win team. We've seen these starts 340 00:16:30.759 --> 00:16:34.200 of the season before, and you know they can. With 341 00:16:34.360 --> 00:16:36.200 the Cardinals a few years back spring to mind, I 342 00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:38.200 think where it's like, oh, the Cardinals are going to 343 00:16:38.200 --> 00:16:41.799 come out of it, and they didn't. You know, they 344 00:16:41.840 --> 00:16:46.360 never really really got there. So that's kind of how 345 00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:49.240 I feel about at Atlanta and in this division where 346 00:16:49.279 --> 00:16:50.879 you've got the Phillies and you've got the Mets, who 347 00:16:50.879 --> 00:16:53.879 are both can be pretty competitive. It doesn't help to 348 00:16:53.960 --> 00:16:56.519 have six losses on the leisure with no wins. You know, 349 00:16:56.559 --> 00:16:59.759 it's not good. So yeah, I'm not worried. They've got 350 00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:01.559 a call you line up. They've still got plenty of 351 00:17:01.879 --> 00:17:05.839 good pieces in that rotation, but it's it's, you know, okay, 352 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:07.880 downgrade a little bit on the expectations. 353 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:11.440 I think, yeah, and they they've they've got stuff coming back, 354 00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:11.839 haven't they? 355 00:17:11.880 --> 00:17:12.440 Big style. 356 00:17:12.599 --> 00:17:15.279 I mean, we've got we've got a Kunya and we've 357 00:17:15.319 --> 00:17:17.759 got Strider coming back. And you know, if you want 358 00:17:17.799 --> 00:17:21.039 to make up six wins, there's six wins and a 359 00:17:21.079 --> 00:17:23.680 shedload more just just just sat there ready to happen. 360 00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:27.000 So I don't think we can expect there to be 361 00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:30.880 an ongoing problem with the Braves here. Your points well 362 00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:33.920 made drop a little bit but like, don't don't take 363 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:36.279 too much of your expectations of the Braves. These these 364 00:17:36.279 --> 00:17:39.079 guys are are the team you know, we we we 365 00:17:39.119 --> 00:17:43.279 thought they would be. So in Ben's absence, I think 366 00:17:43.319 --> 00:17:47.599 we should we should move on as quickly as we 367 00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:49.680 can into the next bits of bobs of business. Was 368 00:17:49.680 --> 00:17:51.880 there anything else that sort of caught your eye on 369 00:17:51.920 --> 00:17:55.319 the overreaction trend, Darius at the beginning of the seasons, 370 00:17:55.359 --> 00:17:58.000 or anything that you thought, oh, maybe maybe this is something, 371 00:17:58.279 --> 00:18:00.720 or you know, hopefully this kid can it might be 372 00:18:00.839 --> 00:18:02.279 might be a little bit fun. Is there anything you 373 00:18:02.279 --> 00:18:04.400 saw well? 374 00:18:04.440 --> 00:18:07.519 I mean, I suppose the overreaction probably does lead us 375 00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:09.880 quite neatly into our next topic, which maybe we'll be 376 00:18:09.920 --> 00:18:12.880 allowed to talk about now, because that's the thing that's 377 00:18:12.920 --> 00:18:14.720 in my mind, is the thing that people have been 378 00:18:14.759 --> 00:18:18.400 flipping out about, probably quite unreasonably when you consider all 379 00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:21.200 the facts of the situation. But we are we allowed 380 00:18:21.200 --> 00:18:22.920 to have bat discourse now? Do you think we can 381 00:18:22.920 --> 00:18:25.279 sneak that in while Ben's trying to sort his technical 382 00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:25.839 issues up. 383 00:18:26.279 --> 00:18:28.319 I think the fact that Ben can't actually say no 384 00:18:28.400 --> 00:18:30.480 anymore means that it's a very very good time for 385 00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:33.200 us to uh to start talking about the bats, which 386 00:18:33.200 --> 00:18:34.880 I wanted to talk about it along because I think 387 00:18:34.920 --> 00:18:37.039 it's I think this is the best story we've had 388 00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:40.839 in baseball in a good few years. So those of 389 00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:43.880 you who have been buried on the moon and haven't 390 00:18:43.920 --> 00:18:47.839 seen anything, the New York Yankees particularly, and just be clear, 391 00:18:48.119 --> 00:18:52.200 not just the New York Yankees, have deployed a new 392 00:18:52.400 --> 00:18:55.519 style of bat. Oh my god, it's incredible. 393 00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:56.160 It's so different. 394 00:18:56.160 --> 00:18:58.279 Wait no, they've just shaved a little bit off the end. Okay, 395 00:18:58.359 --> 00:19:00.559 so there is a new style about the young have had. 396 00:19:01.319 --> 00:19:04.519 They ran into the Milwaukee Brewers the start of the 397 00:19:04.559 --> 00:19:09.119 season and they broke the record for their team for 398 00:19:09.160 --> 00:19:10.799 home runs in the game with was it nine home 399 00:19:10.839 --> 00:19:13.440 runs they hit in the end, and then they continued 400 00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:15.759 to hit afterwards. It's been it's been fantastic all the way. 401 00:19:15.880 --> 00:19:20.759