WEBVTT 1 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:19.480 Hello, and welcome to Batflips and Nerds, the Baseball Podcast 2 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:23.120 with a British twist. I am your host, Ben Carter, 3 00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:26.440 and I'm joined this evening by one of my regular campadres, 4 00:00:26.519 --> 00:00:27.199 Darius Austin. 5 00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:27.960 Darius, how are you. 6 00:00:28.920 --> 00:00:31.320 I'm doing all right. I'm looking forward to talking to 7 00:00:31.320 --> 00:00:37.119 some baseball nonsense, some fairly ludicrous stories this week, and yeah, 8 00:00:37.280 --> 00:00:38.600 it should be an interesting one. 9 00:00:39.240 --> 00:00:39.719 It should be. 10 00:00:39.759 --> 00:00:42.560 We're also joined by one of our not so regular campadres, 11 00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:43.960 with someone who has been with us before and I'm 12 00:00:43.960 --> 00:00:46.159 sure will be again in future. It's Nick Wright of 13 00:00:46.560 --> 00:00:49.240 La Angels UK MLBUK Clubhouse. 14 00:00:49.359 --> 00:00:49.960 How are you, Nick? 15 00:00:51.359 --> 00:00:54.119 I'm very good, very tired, but very good. I did 16 00:00:54.159 --> 00:00:57.560 the tripleheader this week, staying out for the two forty 17 00:00:57.600 --> 00:01:00.880 am starts against the Blue Jays, so I've done all 18 00:01:00.880 --> 00:01:01.600 three of them this week. 19 00:01:01.719 --> 00:01:03.640 So yeah, very fresh. 20 00:01:04.200 --> 00:01:07.120 Ready to true sicko for staying up for the Angels. 21 00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:08.879 I have to say that is more than I can 22 00:01:08.959 --> 00:01:11.480 muster for my Rockies. But hopefully we're not cutting into 23 00:01:11.519 --> 00:01:14.760 your nap time now in doing this and you're able 24 00:01:14.760 --> 00:01:17.040 to catch the game a bit later tonight. 25 00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:18.959 Yeah, I think so. 26 00:01:19.159 --> 00:01:22.640 I mean we'll see it is not the most enticing 27 00:01:22.680 --> 00:01:26.000 matchup right now, so we'll see how it. Guys, it's Friday, 28 00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:27.879 nothing really to get up for on a Saturday morning, 29 00:01:27.920 --> 00:01:30.120 so actually probably be rude, not too, wouldn't it. 30 00:01:30.280 --> 00:01:30.959 That's a spirit. 31 00:01:31.599 --> 00:01:34.280 We've got some fun stuff to talk about today. We're 32 00:01:34.319 --> 00:01:36.480 going to talk, as Darius said, through some some recent 33 00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:40.040 baseball stories, some teams that are good, some teams that 34 00:01:40.120 --> 00:01:42.680 are are not good, and we're going to finish it 35 00:01:42.680 --> 00:01:46.000 off with kind of a fun discussion around who are 36 00:01:46.040 --> 00:01:48.079 the ten best players in baseball? Which sounds like a 37 00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:50.319 very simple question, but I think also is quite a 38 00:01:50.319 --> 00:01:53.120 complex question. So we're going to get into that and 39 00:01:53.159 --> 00:01:55.560 a bit of a debate around that. So let's kick off, 40 00:01:55.560 --> 00:01:59.040 I guess with a few of the news stories. I'm 41 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:00.560 going to go back a little bit for the first 42 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:03.480 one because I don't think we've podcasted since the news broke. 43 00:02:03.560 --> 00:02:06.959 But GB Baseball will announced their new head coach. It 44 00:02:06.959 --> 00:02:10.879 will be Brad Marcellino, who is hising coordinator for the 45 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:14.840 Arizona Diamondbacks. A former GB player, he has been a 46 00:02:14.840 --> 00:02:17.080 long time sort of coach and assistant in the GB 47 00:02:17.159 --> 00:02:19.960 system too. I think has done several tournaments with them, 48 00:02:19.960 --> 00:02:23.400 including the previous WBC very well respected, it seems within 49 00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:25.800 the organization and within within the game. I'm not going 50 00:02:25.800 --> 00:02:29.240 to pretend to know a lot about about Brad, but 51 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:31.360 I know guys like Russan and John have have met 52 00:02:31.439 --> 00:02:33.039 him and speak very highly of him, and that everyone 53 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:35.960 within the game seems to see this as a good hire. 54 00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:38.560 Any strong thoughts from neither of you guys on on 55 00:02:38.599 --> 00:02:40.479 Brad or does this just seem like a very sensible 56 00:02:40.520 --> 00:02:42.520 move for a team that they needed to make a 57 00:02:42.520 --> 00:02:43.439 decision quite quickly. 58 00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:47.840 Yeah, I mean Brad's got a long history with the 59 00:02:47.879 --> 00:02:51.599 GB setup, played for US for a long time, well 60 00:02:51.680 --> 00:02:54.719 respected coaching career. You know, he's been with the Mariners, 61 00:02:54.759 --> 00:02:58.719 with the Dbacks currently, and yeah, it's been around the 62 00:02:58.759 --> 00:03:01.319 GB setup for a long time. So everybody I know 63 00:03:01.960 --> 00:03:05.439 who's been with that team and around it has spoken 64 00:03:05.560 --> 00:03:07.639 very highly of him. So I think he's got a 65 00:03:07.639 --> 00:03:09.719 lot of useful experience to bring. You know, he's been there, 66 00:03:09.759 --> 00:03:12.520 he's done that. He's been either on the team or 67 00:03:12.680 --> 00:03:15.319 coaching with the team for a long time. So yeah, 68 00:03:15.439 --> 00:03:17.319 sad to see Drew go. We all know what a 69 00:03:17.319 --> 00:03:19.719 great guy Drew was, But as we saw with Liam 70 00:03:19.759 --> 00:03:21.840 before him and Drew picking up that mantle. I think 71 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:25.120 Brad's a great person to step in and take over 72 00:03:25.159 --> 00:03:27.919 that position and really take this team to the next level. 73 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:30.800 Yeah, I think it's just really it's just a smart move. 74 00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:33.400 I mean, it's been a system that's been on the up. 75 00:03:33.639 --> 00:03:35.960 We all saw what happened at the last WBC. We've 76 00:03:35.960 --> 00:03:38.080 seen what Drew has been able to do with Team 77 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:41.199 GB and getting them to this place where it was 78 00:03:41.240 --> 00:03:43.120 just getting a bit more recognition. Isn't it a bit 79 00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:45.960 more impetus behind it? We all know it's slow progress 80 00:03:45.960 --> 00:03:48.120 and we all want to see it climb quicker. But 81 00:03:48.240 --> 00:03:51.439 getting that person in who knows the system, knows what's 82 00:03:51.680 --> 00:03:54.039 been doing well and could probably just carry that on. 83 00:03:54.120 --> 00:03:55.240 I think it's just smart. 84 00:03:55.479 --> 00:03:57.840 And as you say, everyone I've spoken to that has 85 00:03:57.879 --> 00:04:00.439 met him, had a conversation with him, says he's the 86 00:04:00.520 --> 00:04:03.800 right choice, and I trust their judgment and John's as well. 87 00:04:04.840 --> 00:04:05.080 Yeah. 88 00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:07.439 I don't know about John's judgment, but we'll let this 89 00:04:07.479 --> 00:04:10.599 one slide. Yeah, big shoester fill. Of course, in less 90 00:04:10.599 --> 00:04:13.319 than twelve months until the WBC, there's you know, the 91 00:04:13.360 --> 00:04:16.040 Olympics looming large in the background. So yeah, it's a 92 00:04:16.040 --> 00:04:18.040 big job for bad Steppinty, but like you say, it's 93 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:19.959 a sensible higher. He seems like the right man for 94 00:04:19.959 --> 00:04:21.439 the job, and we obviously wish him the best and 95 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:24.040 hopefully we'll get him on to the podcast and chat 96 00:04:24.040 --> 00:04:25.879 with him at some point soon once once he settled 97 00:04:25.879 --> 00:04:29.040 into the role a little bit. In other baseball news, 98 00:04:29.319 --> 00:04:32.040 a couple of stories this week. The Pirates were the 99 00:04:32.079 --> 00:04:35.600 first to move in the sacking the manager department. I 100 00:04:35.600 --> 00:04:37.360 don't know who had where they were in the betting 101 00:04:37.360 --> 00:04:38.720 ods or who had them to go first with this, 102 00:04:38.839 --> 00:04:42.120 but Derek Shelton is the unfortunate man who loses his 103 00:04:42.199 --> 00:04:44.879 job only, you know, a month into the season. Bench 104 00:04:44.920 --> 00:04:48.920 coach Don Kelly, I think one time Tiger's legend possibly 105 00:04:48.920 --> 00:04:51.279 other teams is in as the new manager, and I 106 00:04:51.279 --> 00:04:53.360 think he's been named the sort of permanent manager rather 107 00:04:53.360 --> 00:04:56.319 than just an interim, which obviously a big leap of 108 00:04:56.360 --> 00:04:59.639 faith in him. Pirates obviously off to a rough start. 109 00:04:59.639 --> 00:05:02.000 This would be happening if they weren't. Was this a 110 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:04.519 bit knee jerk for you, Darius, or is this a 111 00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:07.279 matter of them, you know, having sort run their course 112 00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:08.399 with Shelton. 113 00:05:09.040 --> 00:05:11.879 I mean, I think this is Bob Nothing trying to 114 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:14.959 do something that makes him appear like he cares about 115 00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:18.800 the team's success without actually spending any money. Basically, I 116 00:05:18.800 --> 00:05:21.360 don't know why this would be the time to decide that, 117 00:05:21.959 --> 00:05:24.160 you know, it's the end of the line, as opposed 118 00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:27.199 to any other point in the past five years. I 119 00:05:27.240 --> 00:05:31.319 think they've won a maximum of seventy six games in 120 00:05:31.399 --> 00:05:34.759 that period, and so yeah, it's just, oh, let's try 121 00:05:34.759 --> 00:05:36.920 and appear like we're doing something to get the team going. 122 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:39.000 The parents aren't going anywhere. They're not going to spend 123 00:05:39.040 --> 00:05:40.560 any money to go anywhere, they're not going to make 124 00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:43.480 any trades to go anywhere. But firing the manager is 125 00:05:43.480 --> 00:05:45.639 an easy way to look like you are doing something. 126 00:05:45.839 --> 00:05:48.079 So I think that's all is. I'm sure not much 127 00:05:48.160 --> 00:05:51.800 is going to change with Don Kelly. Yeah, Tiger's legend 128 00:05:51.839 --> 00:05:53.759 are very well respected to go around the game from 129 00:05:53.800 --> 00:05:56.120 what I understand, But yeah, I don't think this is 130 00:05:56.120 --> 00:05:58.160 going to make a big difference to the Pirate's fortunes. 131 00:05:58.920 --> 00:06:00.680 Agree more, and I mean they have even mean trying 132 00:06:00.680 --> 00:06:00.959 to win. 133 00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:03.800 That's the point. I mean, we know this across the 134 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:06.279 major leagues. We see it all the time where guys 135 00:06:06.279 --> 00:06:08.160 are ready to come up, guys are ready to contribute, 136 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:10.079 Guys are better than the people you have in the majors, 137 00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:12.920 but they don't. Bubba Chandler being the prime example, right, 138 00:06:13.000 --> 00:06:16.319 they've held him down. He's absolutely dominating in the minors, 139 00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:19.319 and yet he's still there this Pirates team. I know 140 00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:22.360 that actually pitching's are not really their problem, and hitting 141 00:06:22.519 --> 00:06:27.079 very much is. However, just solidify that area, get him 142 00:06:27.079 --> 00:06:29.639 in there with schemes. I mean, why not, right at 143 00:06:29.639 --> 00:06:31.639 this point if you're trying to win, but they don't 144 00:06:31.639 --> 00:06:33.519 seem to be. And as Darius says, it's a bit 145 00:06:33.519 --> 00:06:37.040 of a desperation move to try and show something, show 146 00:06:37.079 --> 00:06:38.920 that he cares, show that they're trying to win. But 147 00:06:39.199 --> 00:06:41.959 in reality, anybody that's got half a brain cell and 148 00:06:42.079 --> 00:06:44.519 follows the team or follows baseball can see that it 149 00:06:44.759 --> 00:06:45.319 is just that. 150 00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:48.839 Yeah, I'm never sure how much impact managers have any way. 151 00:06:48.879 --> 00:06:50.519 To be honest, I'm sure it's more about, you know, 152 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:53.959 clubhouse chemistry and how well the guys respect them and 153 00:06:54.040 --> 00:06:55.600 kind of keeping a group together over the course of 154 00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:58.279 a very long, arduous season. So yeah, it very much 155 00:06:58.279 --> 00:07:00.800 feels like window dressing. Doesn't it made a change. Things 156 00:07:00.839 --> 00:07:02.680 will be different now, but like you say, the fundamental 157 00:07:02.680 --> 00:07:05.000 flaws with that franchise stay the same, and it's a 158 00:07:05.000 --> 00:07:07.639 shame because they have very exciting players as your reference. 159 00:07:07.720 --> 00:07:10.439 But yeah, looking like another fairly lost season for them. 160 00:07:10.439 --> 00:07:12.800 We'll see how Don Kelly gets on. Good luck to him. 161 00:07:13.360 --> 00:07:15.040 It doesn't seem likely. This is the beginning of a 162 00:07:15.079 --> 00:07:19.800 sort of Pittsburgh Pirates renaissance. Our final story a more 163 00:07:20.079 --> 00:07:22.079 sort of light hearted one, I guess, depending on whether 164 00:07:22.079 --> 00:07:25.040 you're a Red Sox fan or not. Last night, there 165 00:07:25.040 --> 00:07:27.519 were some pretty explosive quotes that came out in the press. 166 00:07:28.120 --> 00:07:30.600 I don't have the exact phrase in front of me, 167 00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:32.079 and I think, actually it is a point of contention 168 00:07:32.199 --> 00:07:35.120 about how well translated these quotes have been in the 169 00:07:35.160 --> 00:07:37.959 press that Raphael Devers gave after the game last night. 170 00:07:38.279 --> 00:07:40.879 I believe the crux of it is there's a conversation 171 00:07:40.959 --> 00:07:44.759 that was had between him and their general manager around 172 00:07:44.839 --> 00:07:47.560 him moving to first base. Obviously, long term injury to 173 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:49.560 Tristan kas who also missed a lot of time last year, 174 00:07:49.759 --> 00:07:51.959 Redzocks had got a major hole there. I think the 175 00:07:52.040 --> 00:07:55.399 idea was that he could potentially fill in there, especially 176 00:07:55.399 --> 00:07:57.279 with Bregman obviously holding down the fourth third. There was 177 00:07:57.319 --> 00:08:00.160 the whole debarkle One's bring training about him dhing that 178 00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:03.120 sort of blew over. It's now exploded again with him 179 00:08:03.560 --> 00:08:06.120 saying something to the effect of, I don't think it'd 180 00:08:06.120 --> 00:08:08.160 be a good idea. I would need time to prepare 181 00:08:08.199 --> 00:08:11.120 for it. I'm not very comfortable with doing that. That 182 00:08:11.240 --> 00:08:14.079 has sort of turned into Devi's refuses to play. First, 183 00:08:14.279 --> 00:08:17.319 He's a selfish player. The way the Boston media loves 184 00:08:17.360 --> 00:08:19.439 to run with these stories, Nick, is this an overreaction 185 00:08:19.879 --> 00:08:23.160 or is this raffie Devers taking his money and taking 186 00:08:23.160 --> 00:08:24.439 his ball home and not wanting to play. 187 00:08:24.600 --> 00:08:26.879 That's exactly what I was going to say. It's exactly 188 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:28.279 what it is. And I think this speaks to the 189 00:08:28.319 --> 00:08:32.639 problem of guarantee contracts in baseball, and there's pros and 190 00:08:32.679 --> 00:08:34.519 cons to it, and we see it in other sports. 191 00:08:34.559 --> 00:08:36.639 You see in the NFL the loyalty and how they 192 00:08:36.639 --> 00:08:38.919 can cut players and they're not performing, but also ask 193 00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:41.320 them to restructure with loads of money left on the table. 194 00:08:41.480 --> 00:08:43.600 In baseball, they can't. He's got this contract, he's got 195 00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:46.360 this money whatever. He doesn't have to perform to get it. 196 00:08:46.759 --> 00:08:48.720 I see it, and I speak as someone that's seen 197 00:08:48.759 --> 00:08:52.200 this franchise where we've had players come in. Anthony Rendin 198 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:55.000 the prime example, he got his bag and he didn't 199 00:08:55.000 --> 00:08:58.200 care anymore. He didn't need to. He dictated every terms 200 00:08:58.320 --> 00:08:59.879 when he didn't want to play when he was brew. 201 00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:02.919 I'm not playing baseball and Devas. I'm not saying Devas 202 00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:05.120 is going down that path because Devis can still perform 203 00:09:05.159 --> 00:09:09.120 at a pretty high level, but he doesn't need to. 204 00:09:09.240 --> 00:09:12.360 He does have the incentive now to go out there 205 00:09:12.399 --> 00:09:14.600 and do whatever the manager wants and help the team 206 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:16.919 in that way. Some players have it, some players don't. 207 00:09:17.000 --> 00:09:18.440 And I think what we saw in the off season, 208 00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:20.919 what we see now is Devis just doesn't have that 209 00:09:21.200 --> 00:09:23.799 same drive and desire and willingness to be a team 210 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:26.720 player and to win as others we've seen in history. 211 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:30.360 It's one thing, Darius for Devis to not want to 212 00:09:30.360 --> 00:09:32.440 play first or DH whatever it might be. He wouldn't 213 00:09:32.440 --> 00:09:34.279 be the first star player who wants to play on 214 00:09:34.320 --> 00:09:36.000 his turn to a certain Derek Gea comes to mind. 215 00:09:36.039 --> 00:09:38.240 He wasn't keen on moving positions. But it is something 216 00:09:38.279 --> 00:09:40.080 different to maybe air that out in the press in 217 00:09:40.120 --> 00:09:42.440 the way that Devers has quite publicly now and not 218 00:09:42.559 --> 00:09:45.879 keep this behind closed doors. He's effectively, you know, gone 219 00:09:45.879 --> 00:09:48.919 into the face of Craig Breslo and basically ed out 220 00:09:48.960 --> 00:09:51.720 their dirty laundry in public. Is that more a concerned 221 00:09:51.759 --> 00:09:54.480 to you than any of the actual detail around where 222 00:09:54.480 --> 00:09:56.159 he plays and how comfortable he is at that position. 223 00:09:57.320 --> 00:10:00.120 Yeah, I think so, not just from Davis's side. I 224 00:10:00.120 --> 00:10:02.120 don't think we talked about this, you know, early in 225 00:10:02.120 --> 00:10:06.919 the season when it was the Bregman controversy, and we said, like, 226 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:10.000 somebody should have had this conversation before it got out 227 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:12.320 in the press. You know, it shouldn't have been this 228 00:10:12.320 --> 00:10:14.679 this situation. Somebody should have briefed him. There should have 229 00:10:14.679 --> 00:10:15.240 been a chat. 230 00:10:15.320 --> 00:10:15.519 You know. 231 00:10:15.919 --> 00:10:17.840 It didn't seem like it had been handled well. Then 232 00:10:19.000 --> 00:10:23.120 the espionation over the Monster blog did have some clarifying comments. 233 00:10:23.120 --> 00:10:26.039 Somebody who obviously speaks Spanish had actually had a go 234 00:10:26.120 --> 00:10:28.879 at listening to the interview themselves, and they kind of 235 00:10:29.399 --> 00:10:32.039 suggested that maybe the you know, the initial comments about 236 00:10:32.120 --> 00:10:35.240 first base were slightly overblown in that I think he 237 00:10:35.360 --> 00:10:37.720 was trying to say, I've never played first base, so 238 00:10:37.799 --> 00:10:41.039 I'm not going to be able to do it right away. 239 00:10:41.720 --> 00:10:43.679 But the stuff about the front office is, you know, 240 00:10:43.840 --> 00:10:46.879 not a mistranslation. He was clearly taking a shot at Breslo, 241 00:10:47.000 --> 00:10:49.759 basically saying, you guys should go and sign a first basement. 242 00:10:49.799 --> 00:10:55.120 That's your problem, you know, Romey Gonzalez, Abraham Torro probably 243 00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:58.840 not the answer long term. And I think he's saying, 244 00:10:59.200 --> 00:11:01.559 you know, you shouldn't expect me to learn first base 245 00:11:01.639 --> 00:11:05.000 on the fly when you should. You know, the organization, 246 00:11:05.080 --> 00:11:08.480 the Boston Red Sox have enough resources to just go 247 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:11.120 out and get somebody. I think that's what he's trying 248 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:13.840 to get over that said, you know, he could just 249 00:11:13.879 --> 00:11:15.799 try and learn to play first base. It would be 250 00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:19.480 a good configuration for them, especially with Yashida hopefully coming 251 00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:22.440 back at some point. Even just having the DH spot 252 00:11:22.440 --> 00:11:25.519 for them to rotate would be beneficial. I think given 253 00:11:25.559 --> 00:11:27.879 the amount of talent they've got with Maya and Anthony 254 00:11:27.919 --> 00:11:30.120 still in the miners, you know, just having that option. 255 00:11:30.600 --> 00:11:33.440 At the moment, they're looking pretty stuck with a lot 256 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:35.399 of these guys. They don't have places to play them. 257 00:11:35.399 --> 00:11:37.600 If Devis could play first then they would have a 258 00:11:37.639 --> 00:11:39.519 lot of flexibility. So I think it would really help 259 00:11:39.559 --> 00:11:42.519 them a lot and he doesn't seem that interested in 260 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:45.720 doing it to help them out. Now. I don't know 261 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:48.480 the extent to which the relationship has broken down between 262 00:11:48.519 --> 00:11:49.919 him and Breslow. I don't think he's got a problem 263 00:11:49.960 --> 00:11:51.519 with Korra, doesn't sound like he's got a problem with 264 00:11:51.559 --> 00:11:55.240 any of his teammates, So on that front, I think 265 00:11:55.440 --> 00:11:59.600 it's probably okay. But yeah, it's not a great situation. 266 00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:03.279 And the only silver lining is that he doesn't seem 267 00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:05.600 to be actually affecting his performance on the field, you know, 268 00:12:05.600 --> 00:12:08.360 if he's just hitting like he always does, So that's 269 00:12:08.399 --> 00:12:09.960 that's the plus side. But I think at some point 270 00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:12.080 Romean Gonzalez is going to stop hitting like an All 271 00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:13.919 star and then they're going to have to make a 272 00:12:13.919 --> 00:12:16.960 difficult decision about what they're doing here. Do they go 273 00:12:17.000 --> 00:12:19.240 and get somebody to other just say here's the first place, 274 00:12:19.320 --> 00:12:21.440 go Rafi, go and go and play over there. 275 00:12:22.200 --> 00:12:23.960 There's one thing that Moneyball taught us, it's that it's 276 00:12:23.960 --> 00:12:26.840 normally easy to play first base. Yeah, I think yeah, 277 00:12:26.919 --> 00:12:29.120 Nix's manager actually was the person who came out with 278 00:12:29.159 --> 00:12:32.120 the with that line or lines to that effect in 279 00:12:32.120 --> 00:12:34.279 the movie. But it's interesting with the Red Sox I 280 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:36.240 don't know if you guys have watched it, but the 281 00:12:36.279 --> 00:12:39.559 documentary about their their season last year on Netflix. I 282 00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:42.399 am almost through it now, going very slowly. I'd say 283 00:12:42.399 --> 00:12:45.759 Devers is conspicuous by how inconspicuous he is in that 284 00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:48.679 he barely features at all, given he is their star player. 285 00:12:48.919 --> 00:12:50.080 Again, that might be a language thing. 286 00:12:50.120 --> 00:12:53.240 He's not comfortable being interviewed in English or even Spanish 287 00:12:53.240 --> 00:12:55.080 flag matter and being mistranslated, as it seems like may 288 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:56.440 have happened a couple of times this year. But he 289 00:12:56.519 --> 00:12:59.519 certainly doesn't play a big role, whereas Bresway very much does, 290 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:02.679 and maybe there is just a slight tension there between 291 00:13:02.679 --> 00:13:04.840 those two, you know. I think Cora is particularly well 292 00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:07.600 loved by that team and especially the Latin players, who 293 00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:09.679 obviously has a very good relationship with. But maybe there 294 00:13:09.720 --> 00:13:12.440 is a little bit more friction between the front office 295 00:13:12.440 --> 00:13:14.919 and Breslon in particular, and some of those players then 296 00:13:15.000 --> 00:13:16.879 is let on and it's not great if that starts 297 00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:18.600 to air out in public. Not a good sign for 298 00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:20.879 the team if you know your star player is calling 299 00:13:20.919 --> 00:13:22.759 on you to to take action and sign someone, so 300 00:13:23.480 --> 00:13:25.159 we'll see what comes of it. Not a great sign, 301 00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:26.919 but as you say, if Devis continues to hit, and 302 00:13:26.960 --> 00:13:29.200 he has done since that horrible stretch to start the season, 303 00:13:29.240 --> 00:13:34.279 then I imagine it it'll work its way through. Before 304 00:13:34.279 --> 00:13:37.240 we get into our sort of top ten discussion, I 305 00:13:37.240 --> 00:13:39.159 thought we could have a look at some overforming and 306 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:42.080 underperforming teams, or good teams of band teams as I've 307 00:13:42.080 --> 00:13:44.759 called them in a running order. Let's start with some 308 00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:48.559 good teams. The Seattle Mariners. They are on fire. I 309 00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:50.360 believe this is their best start to a season since 310 00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:54.240 two thousand and three. They have a lineup that seems 311 00:13:54.279 --> 00:13:56.600 to be able to hit, led by Big Dumper himself 312 00:13:57.240 --> 00:13:59.039 fifty one home runs as a team, fourth and major 313 00:13:59.080 --> 00:14:00.879 League Baseball that was act as of yesterday at least, 314 00:14:00.919 --> 00:14:03.440 do they finally have a lineup that can hit? And 315 00:14:03.480 --> 00:14:05.320 obviously for a long time we talked about how good 316 00:14:05.320 --> 00:14:08.320 their rotation is and continues to be, and they do 317 00:14:08.600 --> 00:14:10.639 even have reinforcement on the way in the pitching department 318 00:14:10.639 --> 00:14:12.840 as well. Nick, you obviously get to see them play 319 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:15.120 a lot every season. Should we be taking the Mariners 320 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:17.840 for real? Or is this another mirage in what feels 321 00:14:17.879 --> 00:14:19.679 like two decades of mirages for the Mariners? 322 00:14:21.159 --> 00:14:22.639 I think it's somewhere in the middle. I think you 323 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:24.519 can take them seriously. I think they're a good team. 324 00:14:24.639 --> 00:14:26.759 I think you also know that ultimately they will let 325 00:14:26.759 --> 00:14:30.039 you down when it comes to the crunch. I think 326 00:14:30.120 --> 00:14:32.200 one thing is pretty consistent over the years is the 327 00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:35.960 Mariners don't quite reach the heights that some people expect 328 00:14:35.960 --> 00:14:37.919 them to. I mean, this is a weird season though, 329 00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:41.159 because this offseason, I know Maris fans were pretty despondent 330 00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:44.039 at the sort of moves that they were making, didn't 331 00:14:44.039 --> 00:14:46.320 feel like they were making any real effort to improve, 332 00:14:46.639 --> 00:14:49.720 felt very light on the hitting front, and just thought 333 00:14:49.799 --> 00:14:51.399 that this was a team that was going to be 334 00:14:51.440 --> 00:14:54.879 so reliant on its pitching that actually they're going to 335 00:14:54.960 --> 00:14:57.480 lose too many close games because they don't have those 336 00:14:57.480 --> 00:15:00.480 big hits. And it hasn't panned out like that so far. 337 00:15:00.600 --> 00:15:02.559 As you say, col Rally just looks like the best 338 00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:05.399 catcher in baseball are both both sides of the ball. 339 00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:06.759 They are a good team. 340 00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:10.360 I do expect they're hitting to slow down a little bit. 341 00:15:10.759 --> 00:15:13.879 I don't think the preseason expectations were that far wrong 342 00:15:14.200 --> 00:15:16.799 on what the lineup looks like as it's constructed, But 343 00:15:16.960 --> 00:15:19.080 you never know. As we know, you can get a 344 00:15:19.080 --> 00:15:20.840 bit of momentum in baseball and it takes you a 345 00:15:20.879 --> 00:15:23.919 long way. Clearly, the confidence is up. Clearly that rotation 346 00:15:24.039 --> 00:15:26.519 is legitimate, and there are pieces to come back into it. 347 00:15:26.759 --> 00:15:29.519 So I think the Mariners are a playoff team. I 348 00:15:29.559 --> 00:15:31.120 think they're going to be right up there in the 349 00:15:31.159 --> 00:15:33.320 division all year. I mean, I don't think the division 350 00:15:33.399 --> 00:15:35.600 is as strong as maybe at the top end, as 351 00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:38.519 some people thought it could be, although they're all relatively 352 00:15:38.519 --> 00:15:41.440 good teams other than US, I don't know how strong 353 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:43.440 it is, but I think let's wait and see. With 354 00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:46.120 the Mariners, I think they're good. I don't think they 355 00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:48.759 will get over the line when it comes to playoff time, 356 00:15:49.080 --> 00:15:51.720 but I think they're probably just enjoying it right now. 357 00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:54.000 It does feel like this is going to make the 358 00:15:54.039 --> 00:15:56.840 inevitable September slump that much more painful, doesn't it, Darius? 359 00:15:57.039 --> 00:16:00.440 Is there reason to believe this is sustain this is 360 00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:00.840 for real? 361 00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:06.759 I mean they were especially bad last year. They seem 362 00:16:06.840 --> 00:16:10.480 to have maybe fixed a little bit of their strikeout issue. 363 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:12.759 You know, they had some turnover at hitting coach, but 364 00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:15.639 you know, juje planco is hitting way over his head. 365 00:16:16.200 --> 00:16:18.720 I don't expect JP Crawford to have a four or 366 00:16:18.759 --> 00:16:20.639 eight OBP at the end of the season. You know, 367 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:22.639 you don't look at this line up and go, oh, yeah, 368 00:16:22.679 --> 00:16:26.159 these guys are doing what I expect them to do. Yeah, 369 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:27.759 Judio is probably gonna have a bit of line at 370 00:16:27.799 --> 00:16:29.440 the end of the year. But apart from that, you 371 00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:32.240 pretty much expect everybody else to go in the opposite direction. 372 00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:35.720 So I don't see where the reinforcements are coming from. 373 00:16:36.159 --> 00:16:37.879 They've kind of had a couple of injuries as well. 374 00:16:37.960 --> 00:16:40.559 You know, Luke Rody was starting to hit well and 375 00:16:40.559 --> 00:16:44.080 then he went down. They've obviously got Ryan Bliss. You know, 376 00:16:44.279 --> 00:16:46.919 for most of the season, there's not a lot of 377 00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:50.200 hitting depth in the miners for this team. And is 378 00:16:50.279 --> 00:16:52.559 Jerry going to go and make a trade to boss 379 00:16:52.600 --> 00:16:57.279 of this lineup? History has said no basically, So yeah, 380 00:16:57.679 --> 00:16:59.919 I think they're going to fall off. The good news 381 00:17:00.120 --> 00:17:03.120 their pitching hasn't been that good, I suppose, And if 382 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:05.559 Kirby comes back and Gilbert comes back and they pitch 383 00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:08.119 like aces, then you maybe this looks more like the 384 00:17:08.119 --> 00:17:11.079 Mariners we expected, and they might have already got enough 385 00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:13.240 wins in the bank to get over the line. But 386 00:17:14.440 --> 00:17:16.920 we don't have much confidence in this team doing what 387 00:17:17.000 --> 00:17:18.920 it takes to say, let's go out, and being not 388 00:17:19.039 --> 00:17:20.759 a five win team, you know they're going to sit 389 00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:22.559 on their hands. I think and hope that this is 390 00:17:22.720 --> 00:17:23.680 what they've got is enough? 391 00:17:25.000 --> 00:17:25.680 Sounds about right. 392 00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:25.920 Yeah. 393 00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:27.480 I have a bit of a soft spot for the Mariners, 394 00:17:27.480 --> 00:17:29.720 so I do hope they're able to to hold on 395 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:32.279 and make it through and then that horrible streak, but 396 00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:36.039 history is not on their side. Another team I have 397 00:17:36.039 --> 00:17:38.319 a soft spot four, much more publicly than New York Mets. 398 00:17:39.000 --> 00:17:41.480 They look like the team to beat in the NLAST 399 00:17:41.559 --> 00:17:43.920 right now. They run the French Show. I believe it's 400 00:17:43.920 --> 00:17:48.079 the best in the National League. They are hitting particularly well. 401 00:17:48.119 --> 00:17:49.440