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<v Speaker 1>A lot to get to about the Tigers, the hottest

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<v Speaker 1>team in baseball right now. Andy Dirks has done a

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<v Speaker 1>fantastic job on radio and TV while moonlighting as a

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<v Speaker 1>real estate agent his own company. How he balances it

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<v Speaker 1>is still a mystery to many, but he joins us

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<v Speaker 1>here on exus and bros. Andy, how are you, my friend?

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<v Speaker 2>What's up?

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<v Speaker 3>Chap Man?

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah?

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<v Speaker 2>Absolutely, great work.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, great work. Many Yeah, Yeah, You've done a wonderful job.

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<v Speaker 1>It doesn't surprise me at all. You've done a great job.

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<v Speaker 1>We're well aware of the numbers for this team since

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<v Speaker 1>August eleventh. But what I want to know is why

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<v Speaker 1>you think they've taken off more than anything else.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, that's a great question, you know, And this is

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<v Speaker 3>something I think the whole world right now is trying

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<v Speaker 3>to figure out, Like what is going on in Detroit?

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<v Speaker 3>How do you have so many young guys and not

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<v Speaker 3>just like winning a few ball games, but winning a

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<v Speaker 3>ton of ball games?

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<v Speaker 2>You know?

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<v Speaker 3>I think it started originally with the vision that Scott

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<v Speaker 3>Harris kind of had for the team when he when

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<v Speaker 3>he took over, and then him and AJ kind of

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<v Speaker 3>getting on the same page, and that common drum beat

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<v Speaker 3>was we're gonna get younger, We're gonna get more athletic.

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<v Speaker 3>AJ has voiced said, I can build a bullpen and

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<v Speaker 3>then let's figure out some starters. So we've seen the

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<v Speaker 3>progression kind of as those young guys developed in the

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<v Speaker 3>minor leagues, and then at the trade deadline, I think

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<v Speaker 3>when most people thought the Tigers were just kind of

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<v Speaker 3>conceding the year and giving up, obviously that wasn't the

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<v Speaker 3>case because the moves that they made were to do

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<v Speaker 3>exactly what the vision of this team has been from

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<v Speaker 3>Jump Street is, let's get younger, we need to get

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<v Speaker 3>more athletic, and we need to find guys that can

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<v Speaker 3>produce in a multitude of ways, not just hey we

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<v Speaker 3>just want one big power bat, or hey we just

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<v Speaker 3>want one guy that can still be is they have

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<v Speaker 3>a lot of good athletes that can do a lot

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<v Speaker 3>of different things well, and I think when you put

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<v Speaker 3>all those together and then kind of get them out

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<v Speaker 3>on the field to perform and then have that culture

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<v Speaker 3>of like we're taken first to third, we're gonna put

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<v Speaker 3>pressure on the defense constantly. On the offensive side, that's

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<v Speaker 3>where we've seen the biggest improvement. The pitching has been

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<v Speaker 3>pretty good all year. Now with some of these guys

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<v Speaker 3>coming up from Triple A and producing the way they are,

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<v Speaker 3>here's another question, right, I mean, but I would say

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<v Speaker 3>the first thing is they had a vision. They haven't

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<v Speaker 3>wavered from that vision, and we're starting to see some

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<v Speaker 3>results from it.

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<v Speaker 1>You know what it's like to win, because you were

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<v Speaker 1>on a team that won ninety five games, eighty eight games,

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<v Speaker 1>ninety three games, went to the playoffs all three years

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<v Speaker 1>here in Detroit. What are the similar characteristics not physical attributes,

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<v Speaker 1>but characteristics mentally with this team that you recognize from

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<v Speaker 1>the teams on which you played and had such success.

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<v Speaker 3>Man, we won a lot of games, didn't we Yeah,

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<v Speaker 3>a lot a lot of games. Yeah, I think you know.

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<v Speaker 3>The first thing is you've got to have a winning mindset.

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<v Speaker 3>And sometimes organizations, teams, players, individuals, it's a it's a

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<v Speaker 3>collective group of individuals going out to try to perform, right.

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<v Speaker 3>And what I noticed, and I've noticed this in my

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<v Speaker 3>life and every different aspect, is there's certain organizations and

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<v Speaker 3>teams that bring people up. Right. Like when I came

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<v Speaker 3>to the big leagues, Man, there was no if and

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<v Speaker 3>or bus you have to produce, There was no like, hey,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, what we're going to do is give you

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<v Speaker 3>two months to kind of develop take your time. It

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<v Speaker 3>was like, if you don't come in and put up numbers,

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<v Speaker 3>you're useless, right, and and there's pressure with that. But

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<v Speaker 3>at the same time, when you see the guys around

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<v Speaker 3>you performing at a level that you didn't know was

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<v Speaker 3>obtainable until you see it with your own eyes, then

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<v Speaker 3>it kind of opens your mind up to man, there's

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<v Speaker 3>more here. I can perform better than I thought I could.

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<v Speaker 3>And then all of a sudden, you have a coach

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<v Speaker 3>that just is like, yeah, you're you can do X,

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<v Speaker 3>Y and Z, and you start believing more in yourself

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<v Speaker 3>and your confidence level goes up, and pretty soon when

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<v Speaker 3>you step out on the field against the Yankees in

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<v Speaker 3>an ALCS, you're like, we're winning. There's no doubt about it,

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<v Speaker 3>Like there's no ifans or butt. We just know we're

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<v Speaker 3>going to win and it doesn't matter if we make

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<v Speaker 3>a mistake or we get down early in the game.

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<v Speaker 3>And that's what I see in this team.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I think a pretty good example of that as

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<v Speaker 1>a guy like like bow Brisky last night yet or yesterday,

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<v Speaker 1>it's got twenty three pitches he throws twenty for strikes.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean just supreme confidence. He just looks like a

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<v Speaker 1>different pitcher than earlier this year. Andy Dirks, Tiger's analyst,

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<v Speaker 1>joining his follow on Twitter at Andy Dirk's twelve here

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<v Speaker 1>on exues and Bros. ESPN plus came out with an

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<v Speaker 1>interesting article and they said, the success and failures of

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<v Speaker 1>each baseball team this year. And the success I think

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<v Speaker 1>is low hanging Fruit's easy, Terrek Skuble. The failure again,

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<v Speaker 1>low hanging fruit, easy to say, Javi or Bias. Let's

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<v Speaker 1>just talk about the success with you. I think it's

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<v Speaker 1>a j. Hinch and the coaching staff. I think what

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<v Speaker 1>they've done with Tyler Holton starting nine games, Reese Olsen

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<v Speaker 1>getting hurt, Casey mai is getting hurt, Jack flaerty getting traded,

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<v Speaker 1>Kent to Maieta, forced to the bullpen starting Kider Montero, right.

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<v Speaker 1>I think what he and Chris Fetder have done with

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<v Speaker 1>that bullpen to have the best era in all of

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<v Speaker 1>baseball since August eleventh is the biggest biggest success. How

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<v Speaker 1>would you answer that question?

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<v Speaker 3>I would agree, And because without without pitching man your toast,

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<v Speaker 3>you're not going to go deep. You're not gonna win

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<v Speaker 3>a lot of games, you gotta have pitching, and it's

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<v Speaker 3>either got to be like I got a lot of

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<v Speaker 3>horses up front, kind of like the teams that I

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<v Speaker 3>was on, man, we had rotations that were a nightmare

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<v Speaker 3>for other squads. Right, little lighter in the bullpen. We

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<v Speaker 3>still had some good bullpen arms. But this is like

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<v Speaker 3>really heavy in the bullpen, so kind of one or

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<v Speaker 3>the other can work. You see remember Kansas City, like

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<v Speaker 3>circa twenty fourteen fifteen, kind of that area era. This

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<v Speaker 3>is what this bullpen's like. But it started with understanding

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<v Speaker 3>that they're not going to run it in a traditional manner.

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<v Speaker 3>So the vision for the bullpen was never well, we're

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<v Speaker 3>going to get a setup guy, we're going to get

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<v Speaker 3>a closer, we're going to get a mid relief guy.

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<v Speaker 3>We're going to have these different roles established. It was

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<v Speaker 3>how can we put guys in positions to have all

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<v Speaker 3>the best chance at success. And when AJ runs matchups,

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<v Speaker 3>he does it better than anybody in the big leagues

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<v Speaker 3>in my opinion. Now you know that's just an opinion,

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<v Speaker 3>but I think it's a very good opinion. He does

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<v Speaker 3>it better than anybody in the big league. So when

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<v Speaker 3>he brings in a guy out of the bullpen, there

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<v Speaker 3>is a rhyme and a reason for what he's doing.

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<v Speaker 3>So when when the trade deadline hits, and now all

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<v Speaker 3>of a sudden, the Tigers have two starters, rees Olsen

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<v Speaker 3>gets hurt literally, Cater Montero and Trek Scubel are the

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<v Speaker 3>two starting pitchers. They bring guys in from TRIPAA. You know,

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<v Speaker 3>you think of Herder Sammons, you think of some of

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<v Speaker 3>these guys. Now, they could have easily just kind of

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<v Speaker 3>cashed it in and just let those guys start see

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<v Speaker 3>how they do. But they knew that both of them,

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<v Speaker 3>like in the minor league, kind of struggled in that

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<v Speaker 3>first inning. You take those first inning stats out, they

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<v Speaker 3>have solid numbers, so what can we do? And they've

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<v Speaker 3>done this early in the year because they have the

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<v Speaker 3>personnel to achieve it. They have a Tyler Holton of

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<v Speaker 3>bow Briski who have started, have been starters in their

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<v Speaker 3>career and can go out and run through a first inning.

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<v Speaker 3>Gets you through one through five. Now you can bring

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<v Speaker 3>in these bolt guys who now they're facing six, seven, eight, nine,

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<v Speaker 3>which is a much better chance for them to survive

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<v Speaker 3>through that first inning. Or that first time out. The

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<v Speaker 3>inning on the board doesn't matter, it's when they pitch right.

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<v Speaker 3>And AJ saw it on that, like, I don't care

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<v Speaker 3>if it's the fifth, I don't care if it's the first,

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<v Speaker 3>I don't care if it's the ninth. What's gonna give

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<v Speaker 3>us the best chance to win? And who's the best

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<v Speaker 3>guy in that spot? That's what I'm going with. You've

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<v Speaker 3>seen him throw Fully in the seventh inning, yep. Like

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<v Speaker 3>Fully is probably our back end guy, right, He's not

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<v Speaker 3>afraid to throw him in the seventh. Tyler Holton's the

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<v Speaker 3>best shutdown man in the Big league's eighty five innings

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<v Speaker 3>the last two years. He'll throw him in the fourth

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<v Speaker 3>inning if he has to, like, because the lineup dictates that,

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<v Speaker 3>and he wants to create pockets of right handed hitters

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<v Speaker 3>for later in the game. So when the other coach

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<v Speaker 3>brings the other managers bringing in his righties. Now, Foley's

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<v Speaker 3>got a spot. When Fully comes in, he's gonna face

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<v Speaker 3>three or four ritis. And it's the work that goes

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<v Speaker 3>into that's tremendous. And kudos to AJ and Feeder and

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<v Speaker 3>the just that whole staff man. They've been unbelievable.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, That's why he doesn't use the word closer, and

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<v Speaker 1>I think it's brilliant. Riley Green, I think has been

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<v Speaker 1>so consistent. I think he's really come into his own

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<v Speaker 1>not just because of the power, but because of the

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<v Speaker 1>game's played too. What's impressing most about his growth this year?

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<v Speaker 3>I think Riley every year he matures and just gets better.

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<v Speaker 3>I forget sometimes how young Riley is because he plays

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<v Speaker 3>at such a high level, even like last year, two

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<v Speaker 3>years ago. You know, this is a guy that's like

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<v Speaker 3>twenty two years old and he's putting together some pretty

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<v Speaker 3>solid bats. I think for Riley it's he's got a

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<v Speaker 3>pretty good demeanor. You know, he'll get into a funk,

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<v Speaker 3>but he doesn't let it affect him to the degree

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<v Speaker 3>that it doesn't help the team win games. So whenever

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<v Speaker 3>you're facing big league pitching every day, and Riley's got pop,

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<v Speaker 3>and we're seeing it more and more, like Ridley's got

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<v Speaker 3>big time power, and I think he's going to develop

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<v Speaker 3>into that more. It's I think him understanding that he

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<v Speaker 3>doesn't have to hit the home run every time, that

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<v Speaker 3>he can move the ball around a little bit. And

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<v Speaker 3>he's done that since he's came to the big leagues.

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<v Speaker 3>Just ability in the box. He can string together a

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<v Speaker 3>great bat. He never lets like there be like two

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<v Speaker 3>or three bat at bats in a row. If he

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<v Speaker 3>has a bat at bat, usually he'll come back next

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<v Speaker 3>he'll battle and follow it up with something pretty productive.

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<v Speaker 3>So those are all signs of all stars, which he is. Yeah, amazing.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, it probably shouldn't surprise us that much that this

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<v Speaker 1>team really found its offensive groove two when Carrie Carpenter

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<v Speaker 1>came back to a lineup and got healthy. How important

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<v Speaker 1>has his impact been in your mind?

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<v Speaker 3>I mean, he's got a nine hundred ops. He hits

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<v Speaker 3>big home runs in big moments, he can hit a

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<v Speaker 3>multitude of pitches. I think it's just another anchor in

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<v Speaker 3>the middle of the order. The issue that the Tigers

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<v Speaker 3>offense has had earlier in the year was depth in

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<v Speaker 3>the lineup, all right, And what I mean by that

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<v Speaker 3>is how many quality at bats can we have one

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<v Speaker 3>time through the order one through nine? You know we

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<v Speaker 3>would string together you know, two, three good at bats

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<v Speaker 3>through nine. That's not enough. You have to have like

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<v Speaker 3>seven eight quality at bats through those first nine hitters

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<v Speaker 3>to score lots of runs, you know, to put up

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<v Speaker 3>crooked numbers, because what you're doing is you're putting so

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<v Speaker 3>much pressure on the starting pitcher or the reliever whoever's

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<v Speaker 3>in that they're bound to make a mistake. You don't

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<v Speaker 3>let guys get into a groove. And we've seen earlier

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<v Speaker 3>in the year without the depth and the lineup, and

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<v Speaker 3>you look at the lineup now and you say, man,

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<v Speaker 3>these guys are young. But Matt Berling will put a

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<v Speaker 3>good at bat on your Parker Metals will put a

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<v Speaker 3>good at bat on your tray. Sweeney's been tremendous, Yeah,

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<v Speaker 3>huge pickup, putting good at bats on you. Porkilson's been

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<v Speaker 3>putting good at bats on people since he came back

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<v Speaker 3>from Toledo, for sure. Justin Henry molloy can put a

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<v Speaker 3>good bat on you. Jace Young can't like guys off

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<v Speaker 3>the bench. Think about Winsel Perez, Like see how the

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<v Speaker 3>list just got really long on guys that he can

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<v Speaker 3>roll out and put together a really competitive at bat.

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<v Speaker 3>It wasn't like that earlier.

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<v Speaker 1>No, you're right, I'm glad you brought up Perez because

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<v Speaker 1>I thought, yeah, I started our show this morning, everybody

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<v Speaker 1>wants to talk about school, and rightfully, so you know,

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<v Speaker 1>he's gonna win the triple Crown, He's going to be

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<v Speaker 1>the site An Award winner. But I thought the person

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<v Speaker 1>we should first be talking about is Perez. And it's

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<v Speaker 1>not just because of the two run double in the fifth,

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<v Speaker 1>but because he had an eleven pitch at bat in

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<v Speaker 1>the first time and a six pitch walk and then

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<v Speaker 1>he hit that double on the ninth pitch. I believe

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<v Speaker 1>that he saw to me therein lies a big difference.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm glad you brought that up. It's a huge plus. Look,

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<v Speaker 1>you've been on teams that have reached the ALCS and

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<v Speaker 1>lost unfortunately, reached the World Series against San Francisco and

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<v Speaker 1>lost unfortunately, and reached the ALCS and unfortunately lost too.

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<v Speaker 1>It takes a certain type of character togetherness to get there.

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<v Speaker 1>There has to be a reason why you got there

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<v Speaker 1>and why you didn't win it all. What's the reason

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<v Speaker 1>this team can win more than just the wildcard. I'm

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<v Speaker 1>not just talking about the number two wildcard. I think

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<v Speaker 1>they're a threat. I think other teams look at it

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<v Speaker 1>and go, holy crap, something's going on there. What's the

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<v Speaker 1>reason they can win and what prevents them possibly from winning?

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<v Speaker 3>In your mind, yeah, I don't think anybody wants to

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<v Speaker 3>face them in a three game series. No, I mean

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<v Speaker 3>that that seems like a nightmare because now you've got

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<v Speaker 3>way too many arms the way AJ can use it.

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<v Speaker 3>I think what will allow them to win is to

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<v Speaker 3>continue to do what they've done the last month month

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<v Speaker 3>and a half, which is played very high pressure baseball

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<v Speaker 3>where they're putting pressure on the other team constantly. I

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<v Speaker 3>mean that that's tough. Like if every inning that there's

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<v Speaker 3>pressure on a pitcher, there's pressure on defense. Now in

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<v Speaker 3>the postseason, what generally happens is and they kind of

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<v Speaker 3>have run into it with like a Corbyn Burns in Baltimore,

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<v Speaker 3>is you're going to face some stud starters, right. That's

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<v Speaker 3>why as teams are there, I think if they can

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<v Speaker 3>scrap together quality at bats and wear down a great

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<v Speaker 3>starting pitcher and get to the bullpen sooner than later,

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<v Speaker 3>they'll win. I think if they can't get to some

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<v Speaker 3>of the like a better store and figure out a

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<v Speaker 3>way to either get him out of the game in

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<v Speaker 3>five or because in the postseason they'll throw one hundred

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<v Speaker 3>and twenty pitches, nobody cares, right, so, or how do

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<v Speaker 3>we scrap three runs off this guy, and it's usually

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<v Speaker 3>not via the long ball. You know you're gonna hit

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<v Speaker 3>some home runs, but like some of these guys are

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<v Speaker 3>going to minimize the damage done, and that's going to

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<v Speaker 3>come from really good at bats, getting a few hits

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<v Speaker 3>and then going first to third and doing the athletic

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<v Speaker 3>things on the basis that they've shown.

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<v Speaker 1>They can do.

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<v Speaker 3>If they can do that, I think they got a

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<v Speaker 3>good shot. If they get shut down by some good

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<v Speaker 3>starting pitching, they it.

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<v Speaker 1>Could be rough. I want to bring up two guys

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<v Speaker 1>with you, and I'm interested to get your insight on

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<v Speaker 1>this because I think it's easy to jump on bandwagons

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<v Speaker 1>when guys are doing really well. But I really respect

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<v Speaker 1>the hell a lot of guys who struggle and fight

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<v Speaker 1>their way back. Parker Medows Spencer Torkleson, who you've already

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<v Speaker 1>talked about. Those two guys that they go down to

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<v Speaker 1>Toledo and they work man to get their way back

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<v Speaker 1>up after struggling early. How have they changed and how

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<v Speaker 1>much do you admire that type of sticktuitiveness.

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<v Speaker 3>If you will, Okay, no, that's a great question. So

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<v Speaker 3>let's start with Spencer Torklesen, because I think that's the

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<v Speaker 3>harder of the of the two, you know, because Parker

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<v Speaker 3>came up a little bit late last year, but Tork's

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<v Speaker 3>kind of been in the big leagues for a while,

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<v Speaker 3>and to get sent down, I mean, you want to

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<v Speaker 3>talk about an ego thump, I don't care who you are, Like,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, you want to be in the big leagues.

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<v Speaker 3>You've proven you can do things in the big leagues,

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<v Speaker 3>and now you're getting sent down to Toledo and somebody

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<v Speaker 3>else's playing your spot. And he didn't go down to

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<v Speaker 3>Toledo for ten games, like it was. It was a

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<v Speaker 3>decent amount of time, right, Yeah, So probably the biggest thing,

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<v Speaker 3>the most the thing I'm most proud about for Torkosen

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<v Speaker 3>is his willingness to keep working even though it's like,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, take the ego hit. You can be calling

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<v Speaker 3>your agent, like get me out of this situation. It's

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<v Speaker 3>the situation, it's the organization. It's that you can make

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<v Speaker 3>a million excuses, but the scoreboard doesn't lie, Like the

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<v Speaker 3>numbers aren't great, right, So I think he had to,

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<v Speaker 3>you know, come to that realization and start finding a

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<v Speaker 3>new approach. It's not a new approach, it's the same approach.

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<v Speaker 3>It's the way it worked, He's got to start hitting

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<v Speaker 3>the ball the other way, working the big part of

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<v Speaker 3>the field. Torklesin just kind of by nature gets pull

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<v Speaker 3>happy right right, and he gets pull happy, he pulls

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<v Speaker 3>off the ball. When you pull off the ball in

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<v Speaker 3>the big leagues, now, I can't hit a multitude of pitches.

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<v Speaker 3>They just worked me way away away, and I'm an

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<v Speaker 3>easy out. So he went down the minor league and

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<v Speaker 3>really started working hitting the ball the other way, and

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<v Speaker 3>it showed when he came back. Now, does that mean

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<v Speaker 3>that struggle is going to be over for the rest

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<v Speaker 3>of his career. Of course not. That's just Torkleson knows

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<v Speaker 3>that's gonna be. If he's got an issue, that's what

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<v Speaker 3>it's gonna be. He's always going to have to fight

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<v Speaker 3>that the rest of his career. H Parker Meadows. It

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<v Speaker 3>was just he was just stressed out early in the year,

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<v Speaker 3>kind of snowballed on him, got off to a rough start,

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<v Speaker 3>couldn't get out of it. Wasn't having fun, wasn't letting

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<v Speaker 3>this talent play. Went down, came back up and said,

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<v Speaker 3>you know what, I'm just gonna play, go have fun

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<v Speaker 3>and play baseball pretty and easy and that was his fix.

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<v Speaker 2>That's good.

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<v Speaker 1>It's great stuff. Man. I'm really proud of you. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>you do a hell of a job. You and I

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<v Speaker 1>talked a long, long time ago about getting involved in television.

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<v Speaker 1>You got a face for TV, you got a face

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<v Speaker 1>for radio, you got a voice for both, and you

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<v Speaker 1>got an analyst who works both at doing a great

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<v Speaker 1>job with both of it. So Tiger fans are lucky

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<v Speaker 1>to have you. Thanks for the time, but I appreciate

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<v Speaker 1>it very much. Keep up the great work.

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<v Speaker 3>I appreciate it yet.

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<v Speaker 1>Thanks you bet Andy. Dirk's with us here on Exus

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<v Speaker 1>and Bros. And really good insight, man, really really good insight.

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<v Speaker 1>I get it, you know, and I hope you do too,

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<v Speaker 1>because I think he gets it obviously. But he's been there,

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<v Speaker 1>done that. He knows what it takes to be successful

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<v Speaker 1>a team. Getting to think about that. Man played three

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<v Speaker 1>years in Detroit, he made it to three American League

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<v Speaker 1>Championship Series and one World Series. Never played a season

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<v Speaker 1>in Major League Baseball without reaching the postseason. And now

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<v Speaker 1>he recognizes some similar traits in this team. It's going

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<v Speaker 1>to happen, and I hope people are buckled up and

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<v Speaker 1>ready for it. Because it's going to be a fun ride.

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<v Speaker 1>Thanks to Andy Dirks, Thanks to you for your calls

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<v Speaker 1>and for your texts. Thanks to Trent Bally as our producer,

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<v Speaker 1>Albert Dale our engineer. Engineer Rather, we'll be back with

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<v Speaker 1>you tomorrow morning, six a m. Amongst our guests tomorrow

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<v Speaker 1>on Thursday is Mike Grimm, friend of mine, played by

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<v Speaker 1>Playvoye from Minnesota Golden Gophers football. We'll preview some college

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<v Speaker 1>football tomorrow. Have a great rest of your Wednesday, everybody,

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<v Speaker 1>Thanks for listening.

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<v Speaker 2>friend Shep. The huge show is coming up later today

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<v Speaker 2>at three right here on the Michigan Sports Network.

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<v Speaker 1>We were just talking about tailgaming, right. I Mean, that's

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<v Speaker 1>the key to this weekend if you're a