WEBVTT

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, everybody, Welcome to episode thirty three of The Eat Check.

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<v Speaker 1>Today is July fifth, and I am your host, Nathan Graham.

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<v Speaker 1>Join me once again. Today is the one and only

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<v Speaker 1>Smith Brigner Smith. How are you, Nathan?

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<v Speaker 2>I just completed an almost three hour drive. I had

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<v Speaker 2>to sit in the car with my girlfriend who's from

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<v Speaker 2>Brazil after they lost to Early Holland and Norway. So

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<v Speaker 2>you can ask me anything. You can ask me anything

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<v Speaker 2>about my night. It probably wasn't as good as most

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<v Speaker 2>listeners I would assume, who are listening to this.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, kind of a down day for Brazil in the

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<v Speaker 1>World Cup, isn't it. Have you been following the World

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<v Speaker 1>Cup pretty closely?

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<v Speaker 2>You know? It's interesting I have just by extension, not

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<v Speaker 2>because I'm American. I'm following the USA team, but being

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<v Speaker 2>that she's from Brazil, it's obviously a huge deal over there,

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<v Speaker 2>and so funny enough, just me trying to do the

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<v Speaker 2>good boyfriend thing. I was able to save up some

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<v Speaker 2>money got some tickets to a World Cup game. It

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<v Speaker 2>was Brazil and Haiti. What I didn't realize when I

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<v Speaker 2>bought the tickets, Nathan, is I bought them in the

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<v Speaker 2>Brazil super fan section. In the bleachers nice and so

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<v Speaker 2>the whole game it is drums, horns, people screaming at

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<v Speaker 2>the top of their lungs, my girlfriend being one of them,

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<v Speaker 2>mind you awesome, and flags draping over us to the

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<v Speaker 2>point where it's like I want to see the game.

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<v Speaker 2>I can't see the game, Like, get this flag off

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<v Speaker 2>my head please. So, I mean, one of the sickest,

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<v Speaker 2>most insane, amazing sporting events I've ever been to. And

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<v Speaker 2>that was a low profile game that wasn't even a

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<v Speaker 2>big England versus France or Brazil versus Spain kind of game.

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<v Speaker 2>It was you know, Brazil and Haiti, and it was

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<v Speaker 2>still an insane environment. So, man, if you have a

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<v Speaker 2>chance to over these next few weeks, I think it's

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<v Speaker 2>another two weeks or whatever, man, try your best to

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<v Speaker 2>get to a game if possible.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah. I really don't don't follow it that close, but

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<v Speaker 1>just seeing just seeing those those fans sections is pretty cool.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh my gosh, it's sick. I was in Brazil.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I think my favorite Norway have you seen have

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<v Speaker 1>you seen them?

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<v Speaker 2>Oh? Yeah? Oh yeah. Well what's funny though, is that

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<v Speaker 2>the game today we're recording this the day that Norway

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<v Speaker 2>beat Brazil. If you look at that stadium, it was

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<v Speaker 2>like eighty five percent Brazil. I mean, I think Brazil

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<v Speaker 2>is probably the best traveled fan base in the world.

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<v Speaker 2>I think they're probably the most crazy. The Scots came

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<v Speaker 2>in a pretty close second, though, I gotta.

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<v Speaker 1>Say they did. They had a pretty nice showing.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, yeah, So you know, I would say Brazil's fans

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<v Speaker 2>kind of travel like the Yankees fans, right, Like, they

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<v Speaker 2>have the most FIFA World Cups of any nation. So

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<v Speaker 2>they're they're like.

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<v Speaker 1>The Yankees, and they're kind of.

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<v Speaker 2>Like the Dodgers. Yeah, yeah, like they they they are

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<v Speaker 2>going to be people calling for Carlo Ancelotti's head, There's

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<v Speaker 2>no doubt about it. You know, neymar I love you, brother,

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<v Speaker 2>But he looks he looks done. So they're an old

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<v Speaker 2>team in transition, almost like the New York ky Kees.

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<v Speaker 1>Funny, that's that's a pretty good trans transition. That's a

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<v Speaker 1>that's a great transition.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>Nice. All right, so let's let's jump into talk some baseball.

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<v Speaker 1>If you if you knew the podcast first, well, welcome.

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<v Speaker 1>But we're to take a look at the top performer,

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<v Speaker 1>top performing pitcher and hitter from each minor league level.

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<v Speaker 1>Our hitter from Triple A is someone that we've discussed

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<v Speaker 1>before on the podcast and not in a good light,

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<v Speaker 1>But this time we're going to look at in a

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<v Speaker 1>positive light, and that's Rocky's outfielder, Charlie Condon Smith. The

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<v Speaker 1>last ten days, he's been probably the hottest hitter in

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<v Speaker 1>all of minor league baseball, hitting five twenty six six

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<v Speaker 1>home runs. And we all know Charlie Condon number three

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<v Speaker 1>overall selection in twenty twenty four after historic grun at Georgia,

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<v Speaker 1>selected ahead of Nick Kurtz. I think at the time

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<v Speaker 1>we had the debate whether would we take Condon, Kurtz

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<v Speaker 1>or Caglione. But prior to this year, he's never slugged

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<v Speaker 1>above four p fifty and he's dealt with hand and

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<v Speaker 1>wrist injuries. But it seems like it's turning around this year.

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<v Speaker 1>But my question to you is is Condon's twenty twenty

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<v Speaker 1>sixth season is it real or just a byproduct and

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<v Speaker 1>playing in the PCL and being a little bit healthy

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<v Speaker 1>this year, do you still have concerns about Condon?

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<v Speaker 2>Nathan, It's real, Yeah, it's real. He is one of

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<v Speaker 2>those guys where it's important to just measure how significant

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<v Speaker 2>an injury it was at the time you're dealing with

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<v Speaker 2>the hand or the wrist, I should have factor that

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<v Speaker 2>in more. And it's also difficult to assess once he

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<v Speaker 2>came back from injury how much it was affecting him

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<v Speaker 2>afterwards and was he really one hundred percent because the

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<v Speaker 2>guy that I'm seeing now is not anything like the

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<v Speaker 2>guy I saw. What was it last year when we

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<v Speaker 2>covered him towards the beginning of the year, I think, so, yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>So he's like, he's just got better batspeed. It just

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<v Speaker 2>it's it looks quicker, it looks more explosive, and and

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<v Speaker 2>he's making a lot of contact. And the issue was

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<v Speaker 2>that he was swinging and missing and swinging and missing

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<v Speaker 2>on breaking stuff because he was cheating on fastballs that

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<v Speaker 2>normally he could catch up on. It's something he wasn't

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<v Speaker 2>catching up on because he didn't have batspeed. Now that

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<v Speaker 2>the bat speed's back, he's showing an ability to hit

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<v Speaker 2>all different pitch types. If you look at his zone

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<v Speaker 2>contact rate over a rolling period throughout the season, it's

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<v Speaker 2>gotten progressively better, to the point where over the last

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<v Speaker 2>sixty swings he's taken, he's at his own contact rate

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<v Speaker 2>of anywhere between eighty one to eighty eight percent, which

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<v Speaker 2>is really really good. So the factor that with still

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<v Speaker 2>plus batterball data, exit velocities ninety eighth max barrel, they're

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<v Speaker 2>all good. They're not great. I will say that it's

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<v Speaker 2>not great. It's good, but it's not great. And should

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<v Speaker 2>he be in the major leagues one thousand percent? Right?

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<v Speaker 2>You know, he kind of reminds me of funny enough.

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<v Speaker 2>And it's not just because he was a highly touted pick,

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<v Speaker 2>but it's Spencer Torkulsen Actually is I think a fair

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<v Speaker 2>comp here.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I can see that. I can see that, so yeah, yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I think I think it is more than just being

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<v Speaker 1>in the PCO. I think he's finally healthy and we

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<v Speaker 1>really didn't take into count just how much that hand

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<v Speaker 1>and wrist injury took its toll. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>I agree. It definitely took a toll, and I think

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<v Speaker 2>that's on us to put that into more context than

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<v Speaker 2>perhaps give a little bit more grace. I think the

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<v Speaker 2>fact that he was a Rockies prospect, though, which is

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<v Speaker 2>like we were so ready to dunk on him for

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<v Speaker 2>that reason alone. Yeah, and you know, the Rockies are

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<v Speaker 2>still the Rockies in some ways, but it does look

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<v Speaker 2>like they are turning the corner in a lot of

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<v Speaker 2>key areas developmentally. Under Paul de Badesta, the pitching has

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<v Speaker 2>gotten at least a little bit more advanced, like they

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<v Speaker 2>got something out of Antonio Sinctela and some guys in

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<v Speaker 2>the major leagues. Some of their pitching prospects are starting

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<v Speaker 2>to show signs of life, and Condon is leading the

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<v Speaker 2>hitters in that respect.

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<v Speaker 1>I agree, we're gonna stay in the National League West

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<v Speaker 1>here and with our pitcher, and that's Blade Tidwell. So

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<v Speaker 1>Tidwell Triple A Sacramento. He debuted with the Mets, was

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<v Speaker 1>it last year? They struggled, and then was traded to

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<v Speaker 1>the Giants in exchange for Tyler Rodgers last year, and

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<v Speaker 1>he's been up a little bit this year. Eight relief

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<v Speaker 1>appearances with San Francisco, and he's looked pretty good. I

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<v Speaker 1>don't know if there's a bigger disappointment in baseball than

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<v Speaker 1>the Giants. It's kind of been a train wreck this year.

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<v Speaker 1>M and you would have to think that they are

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<v Speaker 1>going to be sellers at the deadline, you would think,

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<v Speaker 1>for sure. Yeah, And so they've been building up innings

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<v Speaker 1>for Tidwell and Triaa. Do you think he's in San

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<v Speaker 1>Francisco's rotation opening day next year or by the end

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<v Speaker 1>of this year.

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<v Speaker 2>I think by the end of this year, I think

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<v Speaker 2>it's possible. I mean, Tyler Maylee should not be on

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<v Speaker 2>this team. Robbie Ray should not be on this team

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<v Speaker 2>come the trade deadline. Adrian Houser should not be on

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<v Speaker 2>this team. The only guys that should be in the

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<v Speaker 2>rotation guaranteed going it's the next year are Logan Webin

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<v Speaker 2>Landen Groupe. That's it, right. Trevor McDonald hasn't really proved anything.

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<v Speaker 2>Tyler Maylee is someone that you absolutely should be trading.

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<v Speaker 2>What exactly you get for him given that he he

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<v Speaker 2>has almost a six era or it mays to be seen,

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<v Speaker 2>but maybe there's a team that thinks that they can

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<v Speaker 2>fix his fastball to become a plus offering. Again, not

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<v Speaker 2>other on possibility, but even if he's not a starter,

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<v Speaker 2>like Eric Miller, absolutely should be traded, no question about it.

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<v Speaker 2>Caleb Killian, you have lightning in a bottle. You gotta

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<v Speaker 2>trade the brother, right, So he's going to be in

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<v Speaker 2>some sort of capacity. As for Tidwell. Now, as for Tidwell,

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<v Speaker 2>the player the pitcher. He's always kind of had this

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<v Speaker 2>power arsenal with really good velocity. It used to be premium,

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<v Speaker 2>it's just good now, like he's sitting in the mid

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<v Speaker 2>nineties with the fastball with not the greatest movement profile.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not quite a dead zone, but it's like an

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<v Speaker 2>average fastball. What really gets him going is the sweeper

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<v Speaker 2>and slider, which are two distinct pitches. It's about five

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<v Speaker 2>miles of velocity separation miles power velocity separation, and the

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<v Speaker 2>sweeper gets actually really nice bite, so he does have

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<v Speaker 2>a feel to spin the ball. So you pair like

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<v Speaker 2>an average fastball with a sinker and cutter. He's got

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<v Speaker 2>that trifecta that he can use effectively. He does have

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<v Speaker 2>a sweeper and slider that get really good spin rates,

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<v Speaker 2>really good with rates as well. I think one developmental

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<v Speaker 2>area I'd like to see him work on is just

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<v Speaker 2>incorporating the cutter a little bit more because as this

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<v Speaker 2>guy who gets on the side of the ball right

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<v Speaker 2>he's a supernat you want to try to find that

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<v Speaker 2>pitch for him that is that perfect hybrid between velocity

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<v Speaker 2>and bite, and his cutter has a rising cutter characteristic.

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<v Speaker 2>What do you mean by that, instead of having negative

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<v Speaker 2>induced vertical break like I would say most cutters have

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<v Speaker 2>maybe one inch of induced vertical break, this has almost ten.

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<v Speaker 2>So he's got ten with almost slighter like horizontal movement

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<v Speaker 2>on a pitch that goes ninety miles an hour. He's

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<v Speaker 2>getting a ton of swing and miss on it. And

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<v Speaker 2>it's a really nice pitch to use against lefties when

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<v Speaker 2>you're trying to jam them high and inside, when you're

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<v Speaker 2>throwing it as hard as he can. So he's got

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<v Speaker 2>an interesting profile from that perspective. The fastball trifecta that

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<v Speaker 2>we like, the ability to really spin the ball. It's

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<v Speaker 2>always gonna come down to can he command his arsenal enough,

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<v Speaker 2>And that's always been the issue with Blade did Will.

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<v Speaker 2>It's always been the reason his stuff is played down

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<v Speaker 2>more than what you would suggest for a guy with

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<v Speaker 2>this kind of stuff. I would say it's plus stuff collectively.

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<v Speaker 2>But the command is we're in the forty to forty

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<v Speaker 2>five rings right now, right right.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, It'll be interesting to see how they use him

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<v Speaker 1>at the end of the year if they do make

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<v Speaker 1>those deals.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I mean, they absolutely should.

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<v Speaker 1>They should, Yeah, they should.

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<v Speaker 2>I do want to say, though you said they are

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<v Speaker 2>the most disappointing team. I think the Mets and Red

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<v Speaker 2>Sox would have something to say about that, though.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah that's true, that's true.

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<v Speaker 2>But they're not barblhind No, No they're not, they're not.

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<v Speaker 1>Let's move down to double A and and our hitter

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<v Speaker 1>is Alfonsin Rosario, outfielder for the Cleveland Guardians. He was

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<v Speaker 1>a Cubs draftee sixth rounder in the twenty twenty three draft.

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<v Speaker 1>He's a prep outfielder, and the story on Vasari was

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<v Speaker 1>always projectable. There's a lot of projection in the frame.

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<v Speaker 1>But he was dealt to Cleveland in twenty twenty four

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<v Speaker 1>for Eli Morgan, who, by the way, pitched just seven

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<v Speaker 1>innings for the Cubs last year. Huge power potential and

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<v Speaker 1>we're we're finally starting to see it this year. He's

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<v Speaker 1>in double A akron and four to twenty one over

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<v Speaker 1>the last ten games, three home runs, but he's got

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<v Speaker 1>fifteen home runs, ten sole and bases on the season.

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<v Speaker 1>We always a theme for us on the heat check

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<v Speaker 1>has always been double a's kind of been. You see

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of players struggle there and it's a benchmark

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<v Speaker 1>level for talent. But we're seeing Rosario thrive there. Are

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<v Speaker 1>you ready to consider Rosario a top prospect for the

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<v Speaker 1>Guardians or is there anything in the profile you'd like

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<v Speaker 1>that might hold him back.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, he's swing some misses too much. Yeah, so I'm

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<v Speaker 2>I'm definitely not in as much I think that you

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<v Speaker 2>might be, Nathan.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm not ready. I'm not ready just yet, but I was. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>the swing and miss is a concern.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it's it's one concern. So I'm doing a simple

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<v Speaker 2>data pull and I'm trying to find guys with greater

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<v Speaker 2>than two hundred and fifty played appearances at any given level,

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<v Speaker 2>And I'm basically trying to figure out, of the guy's

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<v Speaker 2>two hundred and fifty plate appearances, how many guys have

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<v Speaker 2>a swinging strike rate of greater than twenty percent. I'm

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<v Speaker 2>just gonna say it's a very small list that Rosario

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<v Speaker 2>finds himself on there. Yeah. So he is swinging missing

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<v Speaker 2>way too much. And if you look at it, it's

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<v Speaker 2>a very long swing. There's a lot of action pre

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<v Speaker 2>load going on here. Can some of this be cleaned up? Yes?

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<v Speaker 2>And can you know the fact that he's got good

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<v Speaker 2>really I would say plus strength. He's a big guy. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>almost what two hundred and forty pounds. If I had

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<v Speaker 2>to guess, he's a big dude. He's kind of one

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<v Speaker 2>of those thumpers. Like imagine in frammill Reyes if he

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<v Speaker 2>was like two or three inches shorter. That's kind of

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<v Speaker 2>the way that he's projecting here. That's a fun player.

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<v Speaker 2>But then again, frammil Reyes had like seventy grade power,

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<v Speaker 2>so you were able to live with the strikeouts and

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<v Speaker 2>the low walk rates and the high chase so long

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<v Speaker 2>as he hit you twenty five or thirty bombs. That's

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<v Speaker 2>basically the way Rosario is gonna have to contribute as

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<v Speaker 2>a corner outfielder without any other significant tool to his name.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, yeah, I think you're right. I think that's but

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<v Speaker 1>I think it is maybe promising that he is doing

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<v Speaker 1>a double A. But we'll see. I think the swing

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<v Speaker 1>miss might rear rear their head later on.

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<v Speaker 2>Possibly possibly. Yeah, it's it's tough to say, but I

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<v Speaker 2>am still gonna firmly keep him in the forty to

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<v Speaker 2>forty five ofp range.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, that's pretty good idea. Now for the picture in

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<v Speaker 1>double A, our picture is going to be Christiana, And

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<v Speaker 1>it was I know I was putting the doc together,

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<v Speaker 1>and I was so looking back through the past articles

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<v Speaker 1>of BP and stuff, and I saw there was there

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<v Speaker 1>was an article earlier this year about potential breakouts of

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<v Speaker 1>twenty six and lo and behold who wrote it?

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<v Speaker 2>Bay?

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<v Speaker 1>Was you? So tell me what made you at that time?

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<v Speaker 1>What made you think that he was going to have

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<v Speaker 1>this breakout that he's having right this year at Tulsa.

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<v Speaker 2>So he was flagged to me by by someone like, hey,

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<v Speaker 2>you usually check this guy out. And as public side scouts,

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00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:54.720
<v Speaker 2>we always have to be really careful, right taking that right, Like,

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<v Speaker 2>I used to just run with what somebody would say,

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<v Speaker 2>and I got in a lot of trouble, not like

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<v Speaker 2>actual trouble, but just I remember I got gassed up

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<v Speaker 2>on Jason Aminga's one time, and right, yeah, exactly.

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<v Speaker 1>So you can find a scout to tell you anything

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<v Speaker 1>you want to hear about someone I think.

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<v Speaker 2>Correct, correct. And so this required a lot of background work.

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<v Speaker 2>Now the person I got it from someone that I

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<v Speaker 2>trust sure more than just like the average scout. Right,

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<v Speaker 2>So I was willing to look into it. And as

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<v Speaker 2>I looked in the data and I saw the tape,

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<v Speaker 2>I was like, this is a top ten pitching prospect

296
00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:46.400
<v Speaker 2>because I know that I compare some guy's fastballs to

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<v Speaker 2>Brian Wu. But if there was a guy with the

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00:18:49.920 --> 00:18:54.160
<v Speaker 2>Brian Wo traits on a fastball, yeah, it's Christian Zazaweta

299
00:18:55.079 --> 00:19:00.880
<v Speaker 2>because the way that he has such a low release point,

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<v Speaker 2>the way his release like how far down he gets

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<v Speaker 2>on the mound. He gets almost seven feet of extension,

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00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:11.279
<v Speaker 2>low release point, way above average and does vertical break

303
00:19:11.279 --> 00:19:15.720
<v Speaker 2>given that release height, and then the approach angle is

304
00:19:16.279 --> 00:19:20.359
<v Speaker 2>like virtually and hittable, like it's it's not dropping at all.

305
00:19:20.480 --> 00:19:24.559
<v Speaker 2>Like the rising action on this fastball is insane. And

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00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:27.759
<v Speaker 2>and you know he was throwing in cold weather for

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<v Speaker 2>the first time in his career in the Great Lakes.

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00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:35.279
<v Speaker 2>I think it is high a and that was his

309
00:19:35.319 --> 00:19:38.519
<v Speaker 2>first time in cold weather like ever. And now that

310
00:19:38.599 --> 00:19:41.880
<v Speaker 2>the weather's gotten warm, the velocity is ticked up until

311
00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:44.440
<v Speaker 2>like the ninety five to ninety seven range top of

312
00:19:44.519 --> 00:19:48.119
<v Speaker 2>you now sometimes at ninety eight like it's sick, and

313
00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:50.920
<v Speaker 2>he throws it for strikes too, like all of this

314
00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:54.240
<v Speaker 2>alongside the ability to command it in any quadron of

315
00:19:54.279 --> 00:20:00.599
<v Speaker 2>the zone. So it is Yeah, I'm gonna call eighty

316
00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:07.680
<v Speaker 2>grade fastball. It's eighty grade fastball, and he's getting a

317
00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:12.200
<v Speaker 2>complete arsenal around it. He's got a slider, he's got

318
00:20:12.200 --> 00:20:16.759
<v Speaker 2>a cutter as well. He's got this change that is

319
00:20:16.799 --> 00:20:19.200
<v Speaker 2>getting a ton of swing and miss right now in

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00:20:19.279 --> 00:20:22.960
<v Speaker 2>the zone. So like the amount of deception that he's

321
00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:28.160
<v Speaker 2>able to get with really clean arm action, really great

322
00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:34.440
<v Speaker 2>arm speed, nice and lanky like, not stiff, very loose.

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00:20:35.599 --> 00:20:41.880
<v Speaker 2>This is This is like the quintessential breakout that pops

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00:20:41.960 --> 00:20:46.279
<v Speaker 2>up in lower high eight every year. And I have

325
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<v Speaker 2>absolutely no doubt in my mind he is a top

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<v Speaker 2>ten pitching prospect. He might actually be closer to a

327
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<v Speaker 2>top five pitching prospect than a top ten at this point.

328
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<v Speaker 1>Woh, okay, in all of baseball or just the Dodgers.

329
00:21:00.519 --> 00:21:03.000
<v Speaker 2>In all he oh, he's the number one pitching prospect

330
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<v Speaker 2>for the Dodgers.

331
00:21:03.599 --> 00:21:05.880
<v Speaker 1>Okay, Okay, he's gonna be.

332
00:21:06.519 --> 00:21:10.799
<v Speaker 2>We're gonna have conversations about him being anywhere between the

333
00:21:10.839 --> 00:21:13.759
<v Speaker 2>top ten and top five pitching prospect by the end

334
00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:15.799
<v Speaker 2>of the year. I might argue top five.

335
00:21:16.039 --> 00:21:19.799
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, And I was looking at the stats. You did

336
00:21:19.799 --> 00:21:24.640
<v Speaker 1>make a good point, Great Lakes. He's considerably better at

337
00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:27.160
<v Speaker 1>Tulsa than he was in Great Lakes in hi A

338
00:21:27.359 --> 00:21:30.359
<v Speaker 1>so yeah, I think the cold weather in Midland, Michigan

339
00:21:30.440 --> 00:21:31.680
<v Speaker 1>kind of played a role there.

340
00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:34.759
<v Speaker 2>So for sure. I mean he was getting backuped to

341
00:21:34.920 --> 00:21:35.960
<v Speaker 2>absolute death there.

342
00:21:36.039 --> 00:21:41.400
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, so awesome. So he's definitely a picture to take

343
00:21:41.559 --> 00:21:42.720
<v Speaker 1>keep an eye on going.

344
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<v Speaker 2>Forward one thousand. Get him while you can before he

345
00:21:48.039 --> 00:21:52.640
<v Speaker 2>gets on everyone's big prospect lists in your dynasty league.

346
00:21:52.680 --> 00:21:56.359
<v Speaker 1>That's right, let's move down to hi A. So Hya,

347
00:21:56.839 --> 00:22:00.599
<v Speaker 1>we're gonna look at our hitter is Sammy Steffura, shortstop

348
00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:04.119
<v Speaker 1>for the Pittsburgh Pirates. So he was originally second round

349
00:22:04.160 --> 00:22:06.160
<v Speaker 1>selection by the Reds in twenty twenty three, and I

350
00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:09.039
<v Speaker 1>liked him for the Reds, but he was dealt last

351
00:22:09.079 --> 00:22:12.960
<v Speaker 1>season at the deadline for Cabrian Hayes. Post draft, the

352
00:22:13.039 --> 00:22:15.799
<v Speaker 1>numbers kind of dipped a little bit, but he's rebounded

353
00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:18.240
<v Speaker 1>nicely this year in HYA. He's twenty one years old,

354
00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:22.559
<v Speaker 1>so it's age appropriate. But on the season he's hitting

355
00:22:22.599 --> 00:22:25.839
<v Speaker 1>a slashing two sixty nine, three seventy six, four ninety four,

356
00:22:27.839 --> 00:22:30.920
<v Speaker 1>so he's hitting for average, a little bit of power,

357
00:22:30.920 --> 00:22:35.039
<v Speaker 1>he's got some speed. He's a good athlete. Is there

358
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<v Speaker 1>enough in that profile there to make you think he's

359
00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:39.960
<v Speaker 1>part of the Pirates' next cores or is he just

360
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<v Speaker 1>a role player to you?

361
00:22:42.519 --> 00:22:46.119
<v Speaker 2>I think he's a role player. Yeah, there's definitely some

362
00:22:46.319 --> 00:22:53.119
<v Speaker 2>utility to this profile because there's some defensive versatility here

363
00:22:53.200 --> 00:22:58.160
<v Speaker 2>that you know. I know he's been primarily a shortstop.

364
00:22:58.640 --> 00:23:02.599
<v Speaker 2>He's played a little bit and base as well. I'd

365
00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:05.440
<v Speaker 2>like to see him in the outfield as well. And

366
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<v Speaker 2>the Pirates, being a small market team, have every incentive

367
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<v Speaker 2>to try to maximize every roster spot, every player. Like

368
00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:17.079
<v Speaker 2>It's not because he's not a good defensive shortstop. He is.

369
00:23:17.160 --> 00:23:18.400
<v Speaker 2>I think he can stick there.

370
00:23:18.960 --> 00:23:21.359
<v Speaker 1>But somebody else there right now, don't they?

371
00:23:22.279 --> 00:23:24.759
<v Speaker 2>Uh yeah, they got a guy named Connor Griffin there,

372
00:23:24.799 --> 00:23:28.440
<v Speaker 2>so he ain't going anywhere. In fact, he's actually a

373
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<v Speaker 2>year older than Connor Griffin. Is just insane to think about,

374
00:23:33.519 --> 00:23:35.960
<v Speaker 2>or maybe even two. Is he two one two?

375
00:23:36.640 --> 00:23:37.160
<v Speaker 1>He's just one?

376
00:23:38.119 --> 00:23:44.559
<v Speaker 2>Whatever point stands. I think there is a possibility of

377
00:23:44.680 --> 00:23:51.680
<v Speaker 2>him being a really nice role player that can play anywhere,

378
00:23:52.279 --> 00:23:59.400
<v Speaker 2>sort of in the way of like like like Marvel Gonzalez.

379
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<v Speaker 2>The only thing is that Marlon Gonzalez was I believe

380
00:24:03.519 --> 00:24:07.480
<v Speaker 2>he was a switch hitter. But marvelon Gonzalez swung and

381
00:24:07.559 --> 00:24:10.720
<v Speaker 2>miss a fair bit but had a little bit of power. Yeah,

382
00:24:10.759 --> 00:24:13.400
<v Speaker 2>And it's kind of the same for Sephurra, right, Like

383
00:24:13.519 --> 00:24:16.599
<v Speaker 2>he swings and misses a lot, but he's got a

384
00:24:16.599 --> 00:24:20.519
<v Speaker 2>little bit of power. He will take a walk, and

385
00:24:20.519 --> 00:24:23.599
<v Speaker 2>he's fast. I think he can play in a multitude

386
00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:27.920
<v Speaker 2>of positions and be that Marlon Gonzalez kind of guy

387
00:24:28.880 --> 00:24:33.480
<v Speaker 2>on a team. So I'm not there yet as an

388
00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:38.200
<v Speaker 2>everyday regular projection. I think he's a pretty safe forty

389
00:24:38.240 --> 00:24:39.680
<v Speaker 2>five at the very least.

390
00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:41.680
<v Speaker 1>Though, Yeah, I think you're right. I think his an

391
00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:45.599
<v Speaker 1>athleticism gets him there. So let's look at an arm

392
00:24:45.640 --> 00:24:49.799
<v Speaker 1>for hya, and that's David Hagemann for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

393
00:24:50.200 --> 00:24:52.559
<v Speaker 1>Another guy that was moved last year at the deadline,

394
00:24:54.319 --> 00:24:59.079
<v Speaker 1>this time to the Diamondbacks for Merrill Kelly. But he

395
00:24:59.160 --> 00:25:02.119
<v Speaker 1>was a bullpen arm West Virginia and you went internal

396
00:25:02.200 --> 00:25:05.519
<v Speaker 1>brace surgery in May of twenty twenty four, but the

397
00:25:05.599 --> 00:25:08.119
<v Speaker 1>Rangers still saw enough to draft him in the fourth round.

398
00:25:09.640 --> 00:25:14.279
<v Speaker 1>You talked about Sazutaka and the elite extension, but hageman

399
00:25:14.359 --> 00:25:17.599
<v Speaker 1>really gets an elite extension too with the fastball. But

400
00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:19.960
<v Speaker 1>we've seen the walk rate kind of back up a

401
00:25:20.039 --> 00:25:26.519
<v Speaker 1>little bit this year. We don't talk about Diamondbacks pitchers

402
00:25:26.559 --> 00:25:29.599
<v Speaker 1>all that often, but where do you think Hageman ranks

403
00:25:29.640 --> 00:25:32.759
<v Speaker 1>in terms of Diamondbacks prospects? Is he one on one candidate?

404
00:25:35.880 --> 00:25:41.200
<v Speaker 2>Not with that walk rate? Now? Yeah, yeah, no, If

405
00:25:41.240 --> 00:25:43.880
<v Speaker 2>that walk rate was closer to ten percent, I think

406
00:25:43.880 --> 00:25:48.599
<v Speaker 2>we have a discussion. But yeah, Like he's got a

407
00:25:48.599 --> 00:25:51.359
<v Speaker 2>good fastball, he's got a good slider, he's got a

408
00:25:51.400 --> 00:25:53.799
<v Speaker 2>good change up. He just needs to throw it over

409
00:25:53.799 --> 00:25:58.119
<v Speaker 2>the plate more and needs to eat. I almost wonder

410
00:25:58.200 --> 00:26:02.519
<v Speaker 2>if it's like a confidence issue, like, dude, just literally

411
00:26:02.640 --> 00:26:05.960
<v Speaker 2>just aim for the middle, like all the guys that

412
00:26:06.079 --> 00:26:09.759
<v Speaker 2>you hear having subpart command that end up becoming pretty

413
00:26:09.759 --> 00:26:12.599
<v Speaker 2>good starters, right, like the tyler Glass nows right, Like

414
00:26:13.799 --> 00:26:17.680
<v Speaker 2>at some point it's just go be a bro, throw

415
00:26:17.799 --> 00:26:21.960
<v Speaker 2>gas and and good things happen. Exactly just trust her stuff.

416
00:26:22.680 --> 00:26:26.920
<v Speaker 2>I think that's really that Like it is that simple,

417
00:26:27.079 --> 00:26:30.599
<v Speaker 2>like just throw it over the plate and good things

418
00:26:30.599 --> 00:26:33.079
<v Speaker 2>will happen. And will you make a mistake from time

419
00:26:33.119 --> 00:26:36.359
<v Speaker 2>to time like Tyler Glass. Now sure I'm not claiming

420
00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:39.799
<v Speaker 2>he's tyler Glass now to be clear, but there's a

421
00:26:39.960 --> 00:26:45.200
<v Speaker 2>there's a complete arsenal here and I would just love

422
00:26:45.319 --> 00:26:47.400
<v Speaker 2>to see that walk rate come down a little bit.

423
00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:51.960
<v Speaker 2>He's fine. I think he's somewhere in the top one fifty.

424
00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:54.599
<v Speaker 2>And as we always say, is there really a gap

425
00:26:54.640 --> 00:26:59.720
<v Speaker 2>between one oh one and one fifty? Not really. It's

426
00:26:59.799 --> 00:27:03.519
<v Speaker 2>more just a matter of personal preference than anything. But

427
00:27:04.920 --> 00:27:07.599
<v Speaker 2>there's definitely some intriguing stuff to work with here, no

428
00:27:07.680 --> 00:27:08.279
<v Speaker 2>doubt about it.

429
00:27:08.960 --> 00:27:11.680
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, he's one too. I think that maybe this is

430
00:27:11.720 --> 00:27:14.359
<v Speaker 1>year two, coming back from that injury. Maybe we see

431
00:27:14.400 --> 00:27:18.200
<v Speaker 1>next year the command takes another step forward for sure.

432
00:27:18.359 --> 00:27:23.480
<v Speaker 2>For sure, I will say it's it's a pretty aggressive delivery.

433
00:27:23.640 --> 00:27:26.319
<v Speaker 2>He goes downhill a fair bit, but there's a little

434
00:27:26.319 --> 00:27:30.200
<v Speaker 2>bit of a hitch. So mechanically speaking, I don't think

435
00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:33.400
<v Speaker 2>it's a given. Even if you know you get another year,

436
00:27:33.440 --> 00:27:39.680
<v Speaker 2>it's possible. Like I've I've really begun to devalue mechanics

437
00:27:39.680 --> 00:27:42.279
<v Speaker 2>when it comes to assessing command, I think it's kind

438
00:27:42.279 --> 00:27:46.640
<v Speaker 2>of a loser's game, right, Honestly, I think it's better

439
00:27:46.720 --> 00:27:50.119
<v Speaker 2>to assess velocity, and that's obviously not an issue with him.

440
00:27:50.880 --> 00:27:54.920
<v Speaker 2>But yeah, let's give it another year. I'm definitely intrigued.

441
00:27:55.359 --> 00:27:57.279
<v Speaker 2>He gets a lot of swing and miss on just

442
00:27:57.319 --> 00:28:01.200
<v Speaker 2>about everything. This is definitely got to keep an eye on.

443
00:28:01.480 --> 00:28:04.759
<v Speaker 2>I'm not there yet as a one oh one guy, though, right.

444
00:28:05.440 --> 00:28:07.279
<v Speaker 1>I think he's one that maybe next year at this

445
00:28:07.359 --> 00:28:08.519
<v Speaker 1>time maybe he will be.

446
00:28:08.559 --> 00:28:14.519
<v Speaker 2>Then it's yeah, it's it's definitely possible. Okay, I'll say

447
00:28:14.519 --> 00:28:15.000
<v Speaker 2>it as much.

448
00:28:15.119 --> 00:28:19.799
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, all right, let's move on down to low A.

449
00:28:19.880 --> 00:28:23.279
<v Speaker 1>And our lower hitter is an interesting one. It's Alex

450
00:28:23.279 --> 00:28:30.160
<v Speaker 1>Ode shortstop for the Atlanta Braves. Lodise low Dice, low Dice.

451
00:28:30.680 --> 00:28:33.559
<v Speaker 1>Let's just go with low d low Ds Lowds. Okay,

452
00:28:33.880 --> 00:28:37.279
<v Speaker 1>all right. So low Des was a two year start

453
00:28:37.319 --> 00:28:40.440
<v Speaker 1>at Florida State Golden Spikes finalists last year before the

454
00:28:40.480 --> 00:28:43.640
<v Speaker 1>Braves select him in the second round. He got one

455
00:28:43.680 --> 00:28:47.640
<v Speaker 1>hundred at bats post draft and high A. But we're

456
00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:53.799
<v Speaker 1>talking about him this year in low A. Yeah, that's

457
00:28:53.799 --> 00:28:56.640
<v Speaker 1>not a good sign. How concerned are you that lodis

458
00:28:57.160 --> 00:29:01.359
<v Speaker 1>a college bat from a big pro is still in

459
00:29:01.440 --> 00:29:01.759
<v Speaker 1>low A.

460
00:29:03.000 --> 00:29:07.240
<v Speaker 2>Yeah. I'm not putting much into this performance. I'm not

461
00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:10.880
<v Speaker 2>gonna lie. Yeah. I wonder if it's an organization I

462
00:29:11.200 --> 00:29:13.759
<v Speaker 2>don't know this, to be clear. I wonder if it's

463
00:29:13.839 --> 00:29:17.559
<v Speaker 2>just an organizational shift in how aggressive they are in

464
00:29:17.599 --> 00:29:21.680
<v Speaker 2>promoting guys right, But if you just go to the

465
00:29:21.839 --> 00:29:26.079
<v Speaker 2>chalk developmental timeline in Major League Baseball, he's still well

466
00:29:26.079 --> 00:29:29.519
<v Speaker 2>behind here. Yeah, he's twenty two years old from the

467
00:29:29.720 --> 00:29:34.759
<v Speaker 2>se excuse me, acc in low A like what we do.

468
00:29:35.240 --> 00:29:37.920
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, We've always kind of talked about how teams will

469
00:29:38.160 --> 00:29:40.160
<v Speaker 1>tell you what they really think of a player, and

470
00:29:40.200 --> 00:29:41.759
<v Speaker 1>it just makes me wonder here.

471
00:29:42.880 --> 00:29:47.440
<v Speaker 2>It Yeah, and I'm sure there's a I'm sure there's

472
00:29:47.519 --> 00:29:50.799
<v Speaker 2>a good explanation here. Like the Braves are not idiots,

473
00:29:50.880 --> 00:29:53.880
<v Speaker 2>they know what they're doing. They're very smart. They're one

474
00:29:53.920 --> 00:29:58.279
<v Speaker 2>of the best player developmental organizations in baseball. You see

475
00:29:58.559 --> 00:30:00.680
<v Speaker 2>three or four guys every year break out like they

476
00:30:00.680 --> 00:30:04.000
<v Speaker 2>are this year. Yeah, I just it's just a little

477
00:30:04.039 --> 00:30:08.000
<v Speaker 2>confounding to me that he was good last year. Granted

478
00:30:08.000 --> 00:30:12.000
<v Speaker 2>he's swung in this a ton in high ay, but

479
00:30:12.440 --> 00:30:16.480
<v Speaker 2>even so, like he spent half a year in Low

480
00:30:16.480 --> 00:30:19.400
<v Speaker 2>A this year, Like, I don't think you need to

481
00:30:19.400 --> 00:30:21.799
<v Speaker 2>spend half a year in low A. Another thing I

482
00:30:21.839 --> 00:30:25.200
<v Speaker 2>will say here is it is a very hitter friendly

483
00:30:25.359 --> 00:30:29.119
<v Speaker 2>league right now when his slash line is good but

484
00:30:29.200 --> 00:30:30.640
<v Speaker 2>it's not dominant.

485
00:30:31.519 --> 00:30:34.480
<v Speaker 1>No, So yeah, it's not what you want to it's

486
00:30:34.480 --> 00:30:36.519
<v Speaker 1>not what you want to see in low A from

487
00:30:36.720 --> 00:30:39.000
<v Speaker 1>a player that was at Florida State.

488
00:30:40.200 --> 00:30:45.240
<v Speaker 2>No, and he's hit seventeen homers. Yeah, so what that

489
00:30:45.440 --> 00:30:49.799
<v Speaker 2>tells me is that he's he is hitting a lot

490
00:30:49.799 --> 00:30:53.039
<v Speaker 2>of fly balls, and so his batting average on balls

491
00:30:53.039 --> 00:30:56.680
<v Speaker 2>and play. I haven't even looked at it. I probably

492
00:30:56.720 --> 00:31:01.119
<v Speaker 2>should have. I'm sure it's quite low. I'm sure it's

493
00:31:01.200 --> 00:31:04.839
<v Speaker 2>quite low. Like if it's barely scraping three hundred, that

494
00:31:04.880 --> 00:31:05.839
<v Speaker 2>would not surprise me.

495
00:31:08.240 --> 00:31:12.640
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, it's it's kind of concerning there, but I think

496
00:31:12.680 --> 00:31:15.160
<v Speaker 1>the glove is still good. There's still some positives in

497
00:31:15.240 --> 00:31:16.119
<v Speaker 1>the Oh.

498
00:31:16.200 --> 00:31:19.119
<v Speaker 2>Yes, yes, And I should have said that. I apologize.

499
00:31:20.039 --> 00:31:24.039
<v Speaker 2>He is a clear defensive shortstop, so, like there is

500
00:31:24.119 --> 00:31:29.400
<v Speaker 2>a lot of excitement just for that alone. Like if

501
00:31:29.440 --> 00:31:34.279
<v Speaker 2>he's able to have fifty five grade power, even if

502
00:31:34.319 --> 00:31:36.599
<v Speaker 2>he has a forty grade hit tool. If he has

503
00:31:36.599 --> 00:31:39.400
<v Speaker 2>a forty grade hit tool of fifty five power and

504
00:31:39.519 --> 00:31:43.279
<v Speaker 2>can play a fifty five or sixty grade shortstop, that's

505
00:31:43.279 --> 00:31:44.920
<v Speaker 2>a heck of a prospect, right that is?

506
00:31:45.000 --> 00:31:45.240
<v Speaker 1>That is?

507
00:31:46.599 --> 00:31:50.960
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, So there's definitely some exciting stuff here. It's just

508
00:31:51.440 --> 00:31:56.039
<v Speaker 2>a really strange like, why is he's still in low A.

509
00:31:57.000 --> 00:31:59.519
<v Speaker 2>I don't really have an answer for you. I know

510
00:31:59.559 --> 00:32:04.160
<v Speaker 2>they've a lot of shortstop prospects, and I'm sure maybe

511
00:32:04.519 --> 00:32:07.000
<v Speaker 2>that's part of it. They've got a lot of infield

512
00:32:07.000 --> 00:32:11.200
<v Speaker 2>prospects all of a sudden, which was not the case recently.

513
00:32:11.240 --> 00:32:15.359
<v Speaker 2>Like I know John Hill, John Gill Hill Gil John

514
00:32:15.440 --> 00:32:19.240
<v Speaker 2>Gill is in hig A right now and he is

515
00:32:19.440 --> 00:32:23.039
<v Speaker 2>absolutely tearing it up there. It's probably just a matter

516
00:32:23.079 --> 00:32:26.000
<v Speaker 2>of time before he goes up to Double A. But

517
00:32:26.519 --> 00:32:28.720
<v Speaker 2>he's a twenty year old tearing it up in Hi A.

518
00:32:28.920 --> 00:32:31.200
<v Speaker 2>So I wonder if it's just that they want to

519
00:32:31.279 --> 00:32:33.480
<v Speaker 2>get both of them playing time.

520
00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:35.519
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, maybe it is a case of them.

521
00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:39.319
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, Like that's the thought that comes to mind. But

522
00:32:39.519 --> 00:32:42.759
<v Speaker 2>I also think that's telling that they'd rather go with

523
00:32:42.799 --> 00:32:44.960
<v Speaker 2>a twenty year old in High A than the twenty

524
00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:48.960
<v Speaker 2>two year old who has major college conference experience.

525
00:32:49.240 --> 00:32:52.839
<v Speaker 1>I agree, I agree. All right, now we're gonna move

526
00:32:52.880 --> 00:32:55.519
<v Speaker 1>down to their picture. And this is someone I've been

527
00:32:55.559 --> 00:32:58.960
<v Speaker 1>hearing about from you for a couple of years, and

528
00:32:59.039 --> 00:33:01.200
<v Speaker 1>so I'm just gonna kind of introduced the player and

529
00:33:01.359 --> 00:33:07.160
<v Speaker 1>just let you go here. So Henry Henry Lulane Loway Tampa,

530
00:33:08.240 --> 00:33:12.519
<v Speaker 1>his last fourteen innings of work nowhere and runs twenty

531
00:33:12.559 --> 00:33:18.400
<v Speaker 1>three strikeouts and zero walks. So Smith have at it.

532
00:33:20.480 --> 00:33:29.839
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, So Lalani was probably the best pitching prospect I'd

533
00:33:29.839 --> 00:33:35.400
<v Speaker 2>ever seen in the Yankees complex. He was sick and

534
00:33:35.440 --> 00:33:39.400
<v Speaker 2>then he hurt his shoulder at the beginning of the

535
00:33:39.400 --> 00:33:43.279
<v Speaker 2>twenty twenty four season. I first I went to the

536
00:33:43.319 --> 00:33:46.559
<v Speaker 2>spring breakout game in twenty twenty four, and I was

537
00:33:46.640 --> 00:33:50.599
<v Speaker 2>so ready for the ninety five to ninety seven from

538
00:33:50.759 --> 00:33:53.799
<v Speaker 2>this twenty year old who's six foot seven from the Bronx, Like,

539
00:33:54.480 --> 00:33:57.960
<v Speaker 2>inject that into my veins, right, And when he was

540
00:33:58.039 --> 00:34:03.400
<v Speaker 2>throwing ninety ninety one ninety two, it was like something's

541
00:34:03.440 --> 00:34:07.799
<v Speaker 2>not right here lo and behold, he ends up having

542
00:34:07.799 --> 00:34:11.239
<v Speaker 2>shoulder surgery. He's out for the year, barely pitches last year.

543
00:34:11.440 --> 00:34:15.719
<v Speaker 2>He's also ninety one ninety two. Come to twenty twenty

544
00:34:15.719 --> 00:34:20.840
<v Speaker 2>six and he's up to ninety four. He's getting swing

545
00:34:20.920 --> 00:34:25.320
<v Speaker 2>and miss on the four scene. But what's really standing

546
00:34:25.360 --> 00:34:29.960
<v Speaker 2>out is his slider and change up. They're getting both

547
00:34:30.119 --> 00:34:33.159
<v Speaker 2>above forty five percent with rates. He's got a little

548
00:34:33.159 --> 00:34:36.920
<v Speaker 2>bit of deception. He's got a sort of like a

549
00:34:37.039 --> 00:34:41.199
<v Speaker 2>high three quarters delivery at six foot seven, so like

550
00:34:41.280 --> 00:34:44.880
<v Speaker 2>that release point, you would think is really high. He

551
00:34:45.000 --> 00:34:49.320
<v Speaker 2>just gets down on the mound so far, but the

552
00:34:49.320 --> 00:34:51.400
<v Speaker 2>crazy parties, he doesn't have like the highest amount of

553
00:34:51.400 --> 00:34:54.639
<v Speaker 2>extension because he's got the high release point, right. But

554
00:34:54.679 --> 00:34:58.119
<v Speaker 2>he's got a high release point and his legs are

555
00:34:58.280 --> 00:35:01.320
<v Speaker 2>so spread apart at the release that he's got this

556
00:35:01.519 --> 00:35:06.480
<v Speaker 2>combination of like average release height, slightly above average release height,

557
00:35:07.159 --> 00:35:12.199
<v Speaker 2>and slightly above average extension. There's not many pictures with

558
00:35:12.239 --> 00:35:15.800
<v Speaker 2>that combination. It's usually you give up the arm angle

559
00:35:15.920 --> 00:35:20.039
<v Speaker 2>to get better extension, right, Yeah, that's where your arm angle. Right.

560
00:35:20.639 --> 00:35:23.559
<v Speaker 2>He's kind of one of those anomalies where because he's

561
00:35:23.599 --> 00:35:26.760
<v Speaker 2>so freaking big, he can do both of those things,

562
00:35:27.400 --> 00:35:30.880
<v Speaker 2>and he does them. So the ninety four looks like

563
00:35:31.039 --> 00:35:35.119
<v Speaker 2>ninety five ninety six, But then it's got the movement

564
00:35:35.239 --> 00:35:38.320
<v Speaker 2>profile of a guy with a high three quarter slot,

565
00:35:39.360 --> 00:35:44.239
<v Speaker 2>so it makes for more deception than anything. The stuff

566
00:35:44.360 --> 00:35:48.679
<v Speaker 2>models don't love him, and I understand why. I don't

567
00:35:48.679 --> 00:35:51.159
<v Speaker 2>think stuff models have really done a good job of

568
00:35:51.159 --> 00:35:55.760
<v Speaker 2>a county for this relationship between induced vertical break and

569
00:35:55.840 --> 00:36:00.559
<v Speaker 2>extension or excuse me, release height. I should say extension,

570
00:36:01.360 --> 00:36:04.079
<v Speaker 2>because if they did, then I think Lailani would be

571
00:36:04.239 --> 00:36:08.920
<v Speaker 2>closer towards the top of stuff models. He's definitely back

572
00:36:09.000 --> 00:36:12.079
<v Speaker 2>on the radar, I will say that. And he's gotten

573
00:36:12.119 --> 00:36:15.360
<v Speaker 2>better as the season's gone on. He's getting more swing

574
00:36:15.400 --> 00:36:18.920
<v Speaker 2>and miss as the season has progressed, the point where

575
00:36:19.480 --> 00:36:25.360
<v Speaker 2>I think, over his last however many pitches, he's getting

576
00:36:25.880 --> 00:36:30.199
<v Speaker 2>zone contact rates within you know, sub seventy percent. Like

577
00:36:30.239 --> 00:36:34.320
<v Speaker 2>he's absolutely ready to go to Hya. It's really good

578
00:36:34.320 --> 00:36:37.840
<v Speaker 2>to see him healthy again because for a while it

579
00:36:37.920 --> 00:36:41.280
<v Speaker 2>was looking like it was it was jover for Lalane.

580
00:36:41.320 --> 00:36:46.280
<v Speaker 2>But he's he's definitely back on the radar. I'm happy

581
00:36:46.320 --> 00:36:49.360
<v Speaker 2>to say that. I just want to see him throw

582
00:36:49.440 --> 00:36:51.840
<v Speaker 2>a few more strikes. He's getting a lot of chase

583
00:36:52.320 --> 00:36:55.239
<v Speaker 2>out of the zone right now, which is inflating the

584
00:36:55.239 --> 00:36:58.239
<v Speaker 2>strikeout rate and lowering the walk rate. But you know,

585
00:36:58.280 --> 00:37:00.559
<v Speaker 2>as we know, that's going to go down if he

586
00:37:00.599 --> 00:37:05.719
<v Speaker 2>doesn't remedy that. So let's see him get in the

587
00:37:05.800 --> 00:37:09.039
<v Speaker 2>zone a little bit more. But I'm back to being

588
00:37:09.159 --> 00:37:13.159
<v Speaker 2>from its jover to okay, there were you know, this

589
00:37:13.239 --> 00:37:16.360
<v Speaker 2>is a top maybe a top ten pitching prospect in

590
00:37:16.400 --> 00:37:19.639
<v Speaker 2>the system, or maybe top ten prospect I should say

591
00:37:19.679 --> 00:37:22.480
<v Speaker 2>in the system this offseason, right.

592
00:37:22.320 --> 00:37:24.360
<v Speaker 1>Good, Yeah, it's always good to see guys come back

593
00:37:24.400 --> 00:37:27.480
<v Speaker 1>from entries and kind of return to their former status.

594
00:37:28.800 --> 00:37:31.760
<v Speaker 2>It's not quite there yet though, Like he was still

595
00:37:32.199 --> 00:37:35.719
<v Speaker 2>mid nineties two years ago, twenty year old, all right,

596
00:37:36.000 --> 00:37:40.559
<v Speaker 2>so there's still a little bit left to give. If

597
00:37:40.599 --> 00:37:46.000
<v Speaker 2>he's suddenly ninety five to ninety seven. Oh, he catapults

598
00:37:46.400 --> 00:37:50.159
<v Speaker 2>way up lists at that point, like way way up.

599
00:37:50.199 --> 00:37:52.800
<v Speaker 2>And then if the command ever comes back to what

600
00:37:52.880 --> 00:37:56.519
<v Speaker 2>it was, then we go back to my initial thesis

601
00:37:56.559 --> 00:38:00.119
<v Speaker 2>of the top ten pitching prospect in the sport. Right. Awesome, Well,

602
00:38:00.280 --> 00:38:02.119
<v Speaker 2>that's that's still a ways away. Right.

603
00:38:02.880 --> 00:38:05.400
<v Speaker 1>We do have a little bit of bonus content because

604
00:38:05.599 --> 00:38:07.760
<v Speaker 1>we've got Complex league action going on.

605
00:38:07.920 --> 00:38:11.719
<v Speaker 2>Yes, yes, the sickos out there, Oh yes, yeah.

606
00:38:11.800 --> 00:38:14.280
<v Speaker 1>If you've stuck around for this, you're we're digging in

607
00:38:14.320 --> 00:38:20.840
<v Speaker 1>deep here. So we're going to Arizona first, and our

608
00:38:20.920 --> 00:38:28.039
<v Speaker 1>hitter is Fernando Cruz, Cub shortstop, hitting three forty five

609
00:38:28.559 --> 00:38:33.000
<v Speaker 1>with four home runs, one walk in twelve strikeouts in

610
00:38:33.039 --> 00:38:37.360
<v Speaker 1>his last ten games. So Cruse is actually the cousin

611
00:38:37.400 --> 00:38:40.719
<v Speaker 1>of former Cubs All Star Starlin Castro, and he was

612
00:38:40.760 --> 00:38:45.480
<v Speaker 1>there big ticket signing in twenty twenty four, but like

613
00:38:46.159 --> 00:38:48.920
<v Speaker 1>a week or two after he signed he suffered a

614
00:38:48.960 --> 00:38:52.199
<v Speaker 1>major shoulder injury, and so that took him out of

615
00:38:52.199 --> 00:38:55.519
<v Speaker 1>twenty twenty four, and it delayed twenty twenty five, and

616
00:38:56.480 --> 00:39:00.800
<v Speaker 1>he was bad in twenty twenty five. The numbers were terrible.

617
00:39:01.760 --> 00:39:05.719
<v Speaker 1>M But he's healthy again. There's tons of upside in

618
00:39:05.760 --> 00:39:12.360
<v Speaker 1>the profile plus bat speed, plus plus athleticism. But how

619
00:39:12.440 --> 00:39:16.159
<v Speaker 1>much does that thirty five percent k rate that he's

620
00:39:16.239 --> 00:39:18.480
<v Speaker 1>running right now in Arizona? How much does that worry

621
00:39:18.480 --> 00:39:23.719
<v Speaker 1>you as for a player that's that young. Woo said,

622
00:39:23.719 --> 00:39:26.760
<v Speaker 1>a big red flag, red sirens.

623
00:39:27.599 --> 00:39:30.679
<v Speaker 2>Yep, that's get out of the way, the sirens, the

624
00:39:30.719 --> 00:39:33.320
<v Speaker 2>ambulances is speeding through the highway here.

625
00:39:34.039 --> 00:39:34.239
<v Speaker 1>Yeah.

626
00:39:34.320 --> 00:39:41.679
<v Speaker 2>No, So like clubs community, as rational as it is,

627
00:39:41.679 --> 00:39:45.400
<v Speaker 2>is going to call him the next Hobby Bias, right

628
00:39:45.440 --> 00:39:49.760
<v Speaker 2>because he's got plus power plus defense, can run, you know,

629
00:39:50.760 --> 00:39:56.519
<v Speaker 2>you know, Latin American, you know, kind of has some swagger, right,

630
00:39:56.719 --> 00:39:59.920
<v Speaker 2>Like that's that's gonna be the inevitable comp and it like,

631
00:40:00.119 --> 00:40:03.599
<v Speaker 2>on the surface, it's not the worst in the world.

632
00:40:03.599 --> 00:40:07.760
<v Speaker 2>But the difference is that Hobby Baiaz struck out because

633
00:40:07.760 --> 00:40:10.960
<v Speaker 2>he's swung and missed out of the zone way too much.

634
00:40:11.719 --> 00:40:14.719
<v Speaker 2>But he actually made enough contact in the zone to

635
00:40:14.800 --> 00:40:18.000
<v Speaker 2>make it work for eight or nine years, right, and

636
00:40:18.039 --> 00:40:20.960
<v Speaker 2>then he went to Troy and all fell apart. But

637
00:40:21.159 --> 00:40:23.280
<v Speaker 2>he was good for eight or nine years because he

638
00:40:23.400 --> 00:40:26.559
<v Speaker 2>still was able to make enough contact in the zone

639
00:40:26.559 --> 00:40:29.360
<v Speaker 2>to get away with it. Cruz is not at that

640
00:40:29.519 --> 00:40:33.440
<v Speaker 2>point and thus should not be in that conversation with

641
00:40:33.559 --> 00:40:39.039
<v Speaker 2>the hobby bayas he has always swung and missed. Going

642
00:40:39.119 --> 00:40:42.119
<v Speaker 2>back to the Dominican days, he was swinging and missing

643
00:40:42.119 --> 00:40:45.800
<v Speaker 2>at almost forty percent of pitches, which I'm not gonna lie.

644
00:40:45.800 --> 00:40:49.880
<v Speaker 2>That's really hard to do in the DSL. That's kind

645
00:40:49.880 --> 00:40:54.800
<v Speaker 2>of impressive, honestly, but there's definitely some power here. But

646
00:40:54.880 --> 00:41:01.199
<v Speaker 2>similar to Lodiz, he really has been having an an

647
00:41:01.239 --> 00:41:05.320
<v Speaker 2>interrational amount of his hits or fly balls go over

648
00:41:05.440 --> 00:41:12.079
<v Speaker 2>the wall, and the battball data is okay, it's good

649
00:41:12.159 --> 00:41:16.079
<v Speaker 2>for his age, but it's not like a knocker socks off.

650
00:41:16.119 --> 00:41:19.639
<v Speaker 2>This is a top prospect in the sport. This is

651
00:41:19.639 --> 00:41:22.559
<v Speaker 2>the kind of profile that can get red hot or

652
00:41:22.639 --> 00:41:26.639
<v Speaker 2>ice cold. So next, let's actually put a pin in

653
00:41:26.679 --> 00:41:31.039
<v Speaker 2>this next podcast. Let's come back and see what Fernando

654
00:41:31.119 --> 00:41:32.920
<v Speaker 2>Cruise is up to in this last ten games.

655
00:41:33.000 --> 00:41:34.480
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I'm gonna make a note of that.

656
00:41:35.360 --> 00:41:38.280
<v Speaker 2>Let's do it. Good note on the on the Starling

657
00:41:38.320 --> 00:41:40.280
<v Speaker 2>Castro relationship. I did not know that though.

658
00:41:40.400 --> 00:41:45.000
<v Speaker 1>Yeah. Yeah, So let's finish up the podcast here with

659
00:41:45.039 --> 00:41:48.480
<v Speaker 1>our picture and we're gonna talk at Texas Rangers left

660
00:41:48.480 --> 00:41:53.159
<v Speaker 1>hander Ben Abelt. I hope I'm pronouncing that right. Yeah.

661
00:41:53.519 --> 00:41:56.360
<v Speaker 1>So he was one of the top relievers in college

662
00:41:56.360 --> 00:42:00.679
<v Speaker 1>baseball during his time at TCU, and they were going

663
00:42:00.760 --> 00:42:03.679
<v Speaker 1>to actually transition him to a starter's role before towards

664
00:42:03.760 --> 00:42:07.679
<v Speaker 1>UCL in twenty twenty five. Rangers still selected him in

665
00:42:07.679 --> 00:42:11.920
<v Speaker 1>the fifth round and they're moving him along slowly. He's

666
00:42:11.920 --> 00:42:16.519
<v Speaker 1>been starting in the complex. So my question to you

667
00:42:16.599 --> 00:42:19.280
<v Speaker 1>here is he's a belt seems like he could be

668
00:42:19.400 --> 00:42:22.639
<v Speaker 1>a quick mover. Should the Rangers move him back to

669
00:42:22.679 --> 00:42:26.159
<v Speaker 1>the bullpen, how patient do you think they'll be with him?

670
00:42:27.920 --> 00:42:35.480
<v Speaker 2>Huh, it's a good question. Yeah, I don't know. I

671
00:42:36.320 --> 00:42:42.280
<v Speaker 2>will say the numbers are not overly impressive for complex.

672
00:42:42.519 --> 00:42:45.960
<v Speaker 2>I get that he's coming back from major injuries, so yeah, yeah,

673
00:42:46.400 --> 00:42:50.360
<v Speaker 2>you know, keep that in mind. But yeah, I don't

674
00:42:50.360 --> 00:42:53.920
<v Speaker 2>think like they definitely are in the need for for

675
00:42:54.079 --> 00:42:56.840
<v Speaker 2>lefty relievers intact, like they need all the pictures they

676
00:42:56.840 --> 00:42:59.800
<v Speaker 2>can get right now in Texas. But you know, if

677
00:42:59.840 --> 00:43:02.960
<v Speaker 2>you look at the delivery, it's kind of a crossbody,

678
00:43:05.440 --> 00:43:10.199
<v Speaker 2>crossbody low three course delivery. There's actually a video back

679
00:43:10.199 --> 00:43:12.639
<v Speaker 2>from like twenty twenty four, I'll send it to you

680
00:43:12.679 --> 00:43:16.800
<v Speaker 2>offline here of one of his bullpens, and if you

681
00:43:16.920 --> 00:43:21.719
<v Speaker 2>see where he lands, he lands like at least a

682
00:43:21.880 --> 00:43:25.320
<v Speaker 2>foot and a half off the center of the rubber

683
00:43:25.480 --> 00:43:27.639
<v Speaker 2>and he's you know, he's starting on the third bait

684
00:43:27.679 --> 00:43:30.239
<v Speaker 2>on the first base side of the rubber. He lands

685
00:43:30.280 --> 00:43:32.840
<v Speaker 2>his front foot like a foot and a half off

686
00:43:32.880 --> 00:43:36.800
<v Speaker 2>of that side of the picture's mounds. So it's definitely

687
00:43:36.840 --> 00:43:42.039
<v Speaker 2>a crossbody. It definitely screams reliever. Very seldom can a

688
00:43:42.039 --> 00:43:45.320
<v Speaker 2>picture do this like Chris Sales like the only one

689
00:43:45.360 --> 00:43:49.239
<v Speaker 2>I've ever seen do that with success. So yeah, I

690
00:43:49.320 --> 00:43:52.440
<v Speaker 2>think he is absolutely a reliever. I wonder if this

691
00:43:52.639 --> 00:43:56.239
<v Speaker 2>is just yes, maybe they are trying him out as

692
00:43:56.239 --> 00:43:59.679
<v Speaker 2>a starter, but like they know that they want to

693
00:43:59.719 --> 00:44:02.599
<v Speaker 2>get two or three innings from him just to see

694
00:44:02.639 --> 00:44:04.800
<v Speaker 2>how he looks, and then they're getting him out. Maybe

695
00:44:04.840 --> 00:44:09.559
<v Speaker 2>that's not necessarily indicative of him being a starter as

696
00:44:09.639 --> 00:44:11.800
<v Speaker 2>much as it is just they want to get him

697
00:44:11.840 --> 00:44:15.519
<v Speaker 2>in and he's had nine game. Yeah, He's had nine

698
00:44:15.559 --> 00:44:19.239
<v Speaker 2>appearances for the Complex League. Like, at what point do

699
00:44:19.320 --> 00:44:24.639
<v Speaker 2>you try to get him to Low A or High A.

700
00:44:24.719 --> 00:44:28.679
<v Speaker 2>I mean, the Rangers are known for being pretty slow

701
00:44:28.760 --> 00:44:34.159
<v Speaker 2>with their development timelines, Like AJ Russell just got promoted

702
00:44:34.199 --> 00:44:37.440
<v Speaker 2>to High A. That should have happened like two months ago, right,

703
00:44:37.760 --> 00:44:41.760
<v Speaker 2>So Ben abelt like, yeah, they might actually be trying

704
00:44:41.800 --> 00:44:45.840
<v Speaker 2>him as a starter. I just I don't see that happening.

705
00:44:45.880 --> 00:44:47.800
<v Speaker 2>I think he's a leader, he could be a good one,

706
00:44:47.880 --> 00:44:50.599
<v Speaker 2>but yeah, I think he's a I think he's a reliever.

707
00:44:51.039 --> 00:44:53.760
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I think this is just kind of easing him

708
00:44:53.800 --> 00:44:55.960
<v Speaker 1>back in. I think next year, you know, two years

709
00:44:56.000 --> 00:44:58.519
<v Speaker 1>away from the surgery, we're going to see him move

710
00:44:58.559 --> 00:45:01.000
<v Speaker 1>pretty quickly for sure.

711
00:45:01.280 --> 00:45:04.480
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I mean definitely intriguing stuff. He might be a

712
00:45:04.480 --> 00:45:08.960
<v Speaker 2>bit of a loogie though, Like I I think Righty's

713
00:45:09.000 --> 00:45:11.400
<v Speaker 2>are gonna have a field day kind of picking things,

714
00:45:11.880 --> 00:45:14.920
<v Speaker 2>you know, before he pitches the ball, Like, I think

715
00:45:14.920 --> 00:45:19.639
<v Speaker 2>they're gonna be able to quickly id what exactly he's throwing.

716
00:45:20.639 --> 00:45:24.199
<v Speaker 2>Maybe I'm off on that, but he could be unhittable

717
00:45:24.280 --> 00:45:27.920
<v Speaker 2>to the lefties and in a big exploitation against Rioty's.

718
00:45:28.320 --> 00:45:33.960
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, in my opinion, Well, Smith, we made it. We

719
00:45:34.000 --> 00:45:37.639
<v Speaker 1>made it all the way through every level. Thank you

720
00:45:37.679 --> 00:45:40.440
<v Speaker 1>so much. And before we go, I really want to

721
00:45:40.559 --> 00:45:42.840
<v Speaker 1>give a shout out to the guys that that filled

722
00:45:42.840 --> 00:45:47.199
<v Speaker 1>in a couple of weeks ago. Liam ben Eli, thanks, Yeah,

723
00:45:47.239 --> 00:45:52.480
<v Speaker 1>thanks to you guys stepping out looking forward. Got the

724
00:45:52.559 --> 00:45:54.880
<v Speaker 1>draft coming up. Maybe we'll do some draft coverage.

725
00:45:56.519 --> 00:46:00.039
<v Speaker 2>Proud of Liam, you know, shout out to Liam. I

726
00:45:59.639 --> 00:46:03.679
<v Speaker 2>know him for many years. He was always really good

727
00:46:03.679 --> 00:46:06.039
<v Speaker 2>at writing scouting reports. I thought he was kind of

728
00:46:06.119 --> 00:46:08.960
<v Speaker 2>crazy and insane for some of his takes, but he's

729
00:46:08.960 --> 00:46:12.760
<v Speaker 2>bold enough to write about it. And I always said, like, man,

730
00:46:12.920 --> 00:46:16.239
<v Speaker 2>like you should get into writing. And I don't know

731
00:46:16.239 --> 00:46:18.599
<v Speaker 2>if it was like, oh I don't know if I can,

732
00:46:18.880 --> 00:46:20.800
<v Speaker 2>or it was I don't know if I want to.

733
00:46:20.960 --> 00:46:24.360
<v Speaker 2>But yeah, man, he's killing it with the draft coverage.

734
00:46:24.440 --> 00:46:27.480
<v Speaker 1>She is. He did a great job on the podcast.

735
00:46:27.960 --> 00:46:30.360
<v Speaker 1>The names he brought up, I had to look him

736
00:46:30.440 --> 00:46:32.519
<v Speaker 1>up and they were really interesting names. He did a

737
00:46:32.559 --> 00:46:36.599
<v Speaker 1>great job. So yeah, yeah, all right, Well that's going

738
00:46:36.639 --> 00:46:38.760
<v Speaker 1>to wrap it up for us for another episode. Smith,

739
00:46:38.760 --> 00:46:42.280
<v Speaker 1>thank you again for joining me. Thank you to our listeners.

740
00:46:42.880 --> 00:46:44.880
<v Speaker 1>Join us again in a couple of weeks and we'll

741
00:46:44.880 --> 00:46:48.760
<v Speaker 1>be back for another episode of He Check see y'all