WEBVTT 1 00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:26.359 Hello, and welcome to Backflips and Nerds, the Baseball Podcast 2 00:00:26.359 --> 00:00:29.000 with a British twist. I am Darius Austin and we 3 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:32.119 are delighted today to be bringing you the great Britain 4 00:00:32.240 --> 00:00:35.000 World Baseball Classic Preview, the podcast you've all been waiting for. 5 00:00:35.479 --> 00:00:37.960 The tournament starts extremely soon and we didn't want to 6 00:00:38.159 --> 00:00:40.799 let that go away without the opportunity to preview the 7 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:44.280 full GB roster in detail. Joining me to do so 8 00:00:44.840 --> 00:00:48.960 the excellently named Rob jazz Nevera as he's put on 9 00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:53.520 his little caption here, Rob, how are you doing jazzed today? 10 00:00:53.520 --> 00:00:55.200 I'm loving it. It's great. I'm all about it. 11 00:00:56.320 --> 00:00:59.320 We are recording as the Brewers are about to play 12 00:00:59.320 --> 00:01:03.119 the GB team right now, and also joining me is 13 00:01:03.240 --> 00:01:04.840 going to be our man on the ground for the 14 00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:07.760 next couple of weeks. It is, of course Russell. Lisam Russell. 15 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:08.239 How's it going? 16 00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:10.319 Yeah, doing good, doing good. 17 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:13.640 Just pretty much finished packing most of my stuff, will 18 00:01:13.719 --> 00:01:17.879 record this, then pack the laptop and we'll head down 19 00:01:17.920 --> 00:01:21.359 to Heathrow at six o'clock in the morning to get 20 00:01:21.400 --> 00:01:24.599 my flight out to Houston. It's going to be fun 21 00:01:24.599 --> 00:01:25.239 a couple of weeks. 22 00:01:26.359 --> 00:01:29.480 Yeah, remember a couple of times ago you flew out 23 00:01:29.599 --> 00:01:31.840 that way and you triggered a global pandemic. So if 24 00:01:31.879 --> 00:01:33.799 you could lay off that this time, that would be 25 00:01:34.040 --> 00:01:34.959 really appreciated. 26 00:01:35.560 --> 00:01:38.680 Yeah, we haven't quite had the months of warning that 27 00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:40.959 we had the last time around that something is. 28 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:42.840 Spreading around the world. Pandemic. 29 00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:46.599 Yeah, still a pandemic or something else. Maybe that's happened 30 00:01:46.599 --> 00:01:47.959 in the last few weeks. 31 00:01:48.640 --> 00:01:52.560 Topical on that cheery World War three inducing note, Let's 32 00:01:52.640 --> 00:01:55.000 let's talk about some baseball. I suppose before we talk 33 00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:56.519 about what you're going to do, Russell. I think we 34 00:01:56.519 --> 00:01:59.040 should because we'll obviously have a lot more coverage around that, 35 00:01:59.120 --> 00:02:00.879 and we'll be able to the listeners know a bit 36 00:02:00.920 --> 00:02:02.599 about where you'll be and what you'll be able to do. 37 00:02:02.760 --> 00:02:04.799 But I think we should talk about the team, and 38 00:02:05.319 --> 00:02:08.039 maybe we should talk about what seemed to be some 39 00:02:08.039 --> 00:02:10.280 potential late changes first. So I think a lot of 40 00:02:10.319 --> 00:02:13.439 the listeners will probably have seen the originally announced roster. 41 00:02:13.599 --> 00:02:15.879 But does it are there rumblings that we might have 42 00:02:15.919 --> 00:02:19.879 to make a couple of probably not surprising me so, 43 00:02:20.080 --> 00:02:22.400 but a couple of late changes to the roster. 44 00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:28.719 Yeah, according this has been confirmed by our sources within team. 45 00:02:28.759 --> 00:02:32.520 Team GB as well, but on the WBC roster, a 46 00:02:32.520 --> 00:02:35.280 couple of pitchers have been scratched and one replacement has 47 00:02:35.280 --> 00:02:39.840 been confirmed, with a second one being TBD. But Antonio 48 00:02:39.919 --> 00:02:44.560 Knowles and Michael Peterson, which is a shame for myself. 49 00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:48.719 British Gast himself will no longer be competing for Team GB, 50 00:02:49.479 --> 00:02:53.840 and Dylan Cubby has been added into the roster as 51 00:02:53.840 --> 00:02:56.199 of right now. Both all of the teams have like 52 00:02:56.240 --> 00:02:59.879 an extended pitching pool which they basically I think give 53 00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:02.719 five to ten players which they were basically allowed to 54 00:03:02.879 --> 00:03:05.919 kind of poll players from during this kind of as 55 00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:08.400 the tournament goes on, or even a pre tournament right now. 56 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:11.879 So that's what's happened. We don't know the exact reasons 57 00:03:12.039 --> 00:03:15.599 why yet. It's pure speculation, but both of them are 58 00:03:16.080 --> 00:03:19.960 fringe roster players, especially for Peterson with the Marlins, not 59 00:03:20.039 --> 00:03:23.919 certain if Noles would be directly making the Dodgers roster 60 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:27.000 at the start of the season, but both of them 61 00:03:27.039 --> 00:03:32.240 could be probably potentially prioritizing getting roster spots, which in 62 00:03:32.439 --> 00:03:34.960 most regards you don't blame them because there's a seven 63 00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:38.000 hundred thousand dollars difference between being a driple a player 64 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:39.199 and being an MLP player. 65 00:03:39.960 --> 00:03:42.479 Yeah, it's a difficult time of the season for those 66 00:03:42.520 --> 00:03:45.000 players who are trying really hard to win that job, 67 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:47.400 isn't it. I think, you know, these couple of weeks 68 00:03:47.439 --> 00:03:50.159 are probably the most crucial couple of weeks for spring training. 69 00:03:50.199 --> 00:03:52.919 If you're that player who's not necessarily going to make 70 00:03:52.919 --> 00:03:56.439 the team to make your case, this is crunch times. 71 00:03:56.520 --> 00:03:58.360 So as much as it would be great to see 72 00:03:58.360 --> 00:04:01.360 those guys on the roster, I understand why they're they're 73 00:04:01.360 --> 00:04:02.280 not making it over. 74 00:04:02.840 --> 00:04:05.919 Yeah, but obviously with with Covey as a replacement, it 75 00:04:06.039 --> 00:04:09.680 is a player with with major league experience, so that's 76 00:04:09.719 --> 00:04:13.520 great as someone who's competed in International Baseball with Team 77 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:17.000 GUS Team US previously in a Premier twelve, so video 78 00:04:17.079 --> 00:04:19.399 have experience and a good like head just to bring 79 00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:21.439 in as well, I think what will help with this squad. 80 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:23.399 But like, yeah, it's. 81 00:04:23.439 --> 00:04:25.839 It does kind of put Team GB in a position 82 00:04:25.879 --> 00:04:29.319 of maybe having not a full plethora of lefties from 83 00:04:29.319 --> 00:04:31.639 the pen, But we'll have to see how that goes 84 00:04:31.720 --> 00:04:32.879 as the tournament progresses. 85 00:04:33.560 --> 00:04:35.839 We certainly will. I will say we are recording right 86 00:04:35.839 --> 00:04:39.079 now as GB are about to play the Brewers. I 87 00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:41.399 think we've just started the game. I think ny and 88 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:45.600 just led off for GB, so we've got an actual lineup, 89 00:04:45.720 --> 00:04:47.959 and I guess i'll ask both of you, is this 90 00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:50.759 are these are names you're expected to see? Rob, you've 91 00:04:51.160 --> 00:04:54.519 got some familiarity with the GB team from the past. 92 00:04:54.759 --> 00:04:56.199 Do you know these guys? You heard of them? 93 00:04:56.279 --> 00:04:58.319 I know some of these guys. Yeah, of course there's some. 94 00:04:58.480 --> 00:05:01.800 There's some names in here that the you've you've you 95 00:05:01.839 --> 00:05:04.319 remember from days of and I don't follow the team 96 00:05:04.399 --> 00:05:06.279 nearly as much as as probably I should. 97 00:05:06.319 --> 00:05:08.120 However, of course I know some of these names. I 98 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:10.920 cannot now find it, which is really frustrating because I 99 00:05:10.920 --> 00:05:13.720 can read out them. I'm vamping. It's fine, I'll get there. 100 00:05:13.759 --> 00:05:14.319 I'll get there. 101 00:05:14.439 --> 00:05:16.519 No, Look, there are guys on this team we do know, 102 00:05:16.560 --> 00:05:19.560 Like I've called myself Rob Jazz on the on the thing. 103 00:05:19.600 --> 00:05:20.560 That's the big name. 104 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:22.360 Obviously, but he's not one of the heroes from last 105 00:05:22.399 --> 00:05:26.240 time who pushed over that Columbia team. So yeah, there's 106 00:05:26.279 --> 00:05:29.839 there's names here, and yeah, the pitching perhaps is a 107 00:05:29.879 --> 00:05:32.480 little lighter than we expected, and maybe we're missing some 108 00:05:32.519 --> 00:05:35.240 of the star names that we thought we we might 109 00:05:35.399 --> 00:05:38.279 get there was some you know, some Chapman's and some 110 00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:40.439 you know, some of the little bits around the edges. 111 00:05:40.439 --> 00:05:42.319 But you know, we've got the Harry Force, We've got 112 00:05:42.360 --> 00:05:45.360 a Tasman right there, and we're not going to win 113 00:05:45.439 --> 00:05:49.839 this thing by being the most talented you know baseball team. 114 00:05:50.120 --> 00:05:53.720 There's sort of a gritty element here, which is, you know, 115 00:05:54.959 --> 00:05:57.040 we're going there to win a game and and and. 116 00:05:57.079 --> 00:05:59.160 Yeah we got we've got a decent chance, you know. 117 00:05:59.240 --> 00:06:00.439 So yeah, mum, how with it? 118 00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:04.399 I know some of these guys ask me three four 119 00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:07.160 years ago, probably not, you know. So it's building, it's 120 00:06:07.160 --> 00:06:09.199 getting bigger, it's getting better. So yeah, I do know 121 00:06:09.240 --> 00:06:11.240 some of these guys, not as much as you guys, 122 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:14.160 but you know, I would put myself in. 123 00:06:14.120 --> 00:06:16.519 Probably the more even normal. 124 00:06:16.240 --> 00:06:20.279 Baseball public here in the profile is raising and that's 125 00:06:20.279 --> 00:06:22.879 what we need, is what we want so long way 126 00:06:22.879 --> 00:06:23.399 to continue. 127 00:06:24.399 --> 00:06:27.480 And Russia made some lineup predictions a little while back. 128 00:06:27.519 --> 00:06:29.720 How does this match up with what you were expecting 129 00:06:29.800 --> 00:06:31.399 from this roster? Do you think this is what they're 130 00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:33.639 going to use going into the first game of the 131 00:06:33.639 --> 00:06:34.480 tournament itself? 132 00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:36.560 Yeah, it'll be interesting. 133 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:40.839 Last time around the lineup when they faced the Brewers 134 00:06:40.839 --> 00:06:42.720 the first time around, had seven out of the nine 135 00:06:42.759 --> 00:06:46.519 players who ended up starting game one. So it is 136 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:50.639 Dbon under a new helm ship with the brad Mars 137 00:06:50.759 --> 00:06:53.000 Leno and does sort of Spencer. But I imagine they're 138 00:06:53.000 --> 00:06:57.160 working from a similar playbook as before, So this, I 139 00:06:57.160 --> 00:07:00.800 imagine is gonna be pretty close. Some positions maybe different, 140 00:07:01.040 --> 00:07:05.720 some defensive alignments might change, and the order might change. 141 00:07:05.800 --> 00:07:09.240 But yeah, we'll kind of see how that works out. 142 00:07:09.680 --> 00:07:14.680 But yeah, the lineup we've got Eaton chism Ford, Murray Robinson, Johnson, 143 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:19.519 Trace Thompson, Fox, and Lewis Junior basically in that order 144 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:23.399 from the prospective lineup that I had that I put 145 00:07:23.399 --> 00:07:25.120 out a couple of weeks ago. The kind of the 146 00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:28.319 main difference is with Luke kind of like with Lucia's Fox, 147 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:34.079 and with h Lewis Junior in for Macaperniac, who I 148 00:07:34.160 --> 00:07:36.120 had in and I also had an Aquard in. That 149 00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:38.439 stuff really comes down to who's going to play shortstop 150 00:07:38.519 --> 00:07:41.759 for fteen GB. Really, Fox is the only one that's 151 00:07:41.800 --> 00:07:44.199 played at the highest level and they're still currently playing 152 00:07:44.319 --> 00:07:47.600 in that position. We know Jazz has history in that position, 153 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:51.680 but we don't know he's currently playing second base in 154 00:07:51.759 --> 00:07:54.839 this game for TMGB, and we don't quite exactly know 155 00:07:55.560 --> 00:07:58.279 what strings have been attached to kind of some of 156 00:07:58.279 --> 00:08:03.639 these players players joining. So tgb's general approach has been 157 00:08:04.079 --> 00:08:07.480 put the best nine hitters in a lineup and the 158 00:08:07.560 --> 00:08:11.199 defense will sort itself out. To Gav's heart rate, my 159 00:08:11.800 --> 00:08:14.160 the last tournament might have suggested that sorting it out 160 00:08:14.319 --> 00:08:17.120 is a an over positive. There were definitely a few 161 00:08:17.319 --> 00:08:20.839 crows to first base when the point award was there 162 00:08:20.839 --> 00:08:23.000 as a as a as a shorter fellow basically trying 163 00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:26.079 to trying to deal with that, didn't get the best 164 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:27.560 of throws, and there was a few errors in that 165 00:08:27.639 --> 00:08:30.319 in field. But we'll see kind of how that progresses 166 00:08:30.360 --> 00:08:34.120 through this this this this tournament. But no, it's it's 167 00:08:34.120 --> 00:08:37.000 a lineup. It's a lineup that has more players in 168 00:08:37.039 --> 00:08:39.840 affiliated baseball than they did last time around. And as 169 00:08:39.879 --> 00:08:45.039 Rob said, that's because we're basically seeing this team be 170 00:08:45.440 --> 00:08:49.200 bigger profile and as I talk right now, they've just 171 00:08:49.240 --> 00:08:54.159 scored their first run against the Brewers, So yeah that Mazerowski, 172 00:08:54.559 --> 00:08:59.200 Yeah again, Jacob Mizarowski, So already going better than maybe 173 00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:03.440 some of their preseason games last time around. So yeah, 174 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:05.360 to be one of the things that's highly amused me. 175 00:09:05.399 --> 00:09:08.279 There was BJ Murray singling to a guild bad who 176 00:09:08.320 --> 00:09:11.080 was somebody who was rumored as having gathered to be 177 00:09:11.240 --> 00:09:15.200 the team to play for Team GB. So maybe there 178 00:09:15.200 --> 00:09:17.399 are these some discussions going on in between with a 179 00:09:17.399 --> 00:09:19.759 few of those guys. We'll get to the names of 180 00:09:19.799 --> 00:09:21.639 the second but I think as Rob kind of went through, 181 00:09:23.080 --> 00:09:26.919 there was a lot of maybe this person can play 182 00:09:27.200 --> 00:09:31.559 a lot, especially with players with Caribbean heritage. The WBC 183 00:09:31.759 --> 00:09:36.039 rules effectively as like do you have the chance to 184 00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:38.360 get a passport? Which is a kind of effectively with 185 00:09:39.159 --> 00:09:42.919 the way passporting works with the Commonwealth countries, which is 186 00:09:42.960 --> 00:09:45.360 effectively as like most of them is like could your 187 00:09:45.399 --> 00:09:48.480 grandparent get a British passport? Which means that your parent 188 00:09:48.519 --> 00:09:50.879 could get one and then means that you could get one. Yeah, 189 00:09:50.919 --> 00:09:52.879 I think some of those rules have been tightened just 190 00:09:53.000 --> 00:09:55.399 around now because we have the Olympics coming up and 191 00:09:55.440 --> 00:09:57.799 those things get a little bit more stringent and are 192 00:09:57.799 --> 00:09:59.600 more round of like getting closer to the point of 193 00:09:59.639 --> 00:10:01.840 just adding you having to need to have the passport. 194 00:10:02.039 --> 00:10:04.000 But yeah, this is a this is a strong line up, 195 00:10:04.840 --> 00:10:07.320 and yes it's the best team that GB's ever put 196 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:10.399 out there, and I think hopefully that'll just continue over 197 00:10:10.440 --> 00:10:11.200 the next few years. 198 00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:15.879 Yeah, it's definitely a lineup full of names that you 199 00:10:15.879 --> 00:10:18.879 you may well have heard of. I think there's quite 200 00:10:18.879 --> 00:10:21.679 a lot of representation, either guys who've played in the 201 00:10:21.720 --> 00:10:24.000 majors or guys that you know, we think may well 202 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:25.840 play in the majors at some point in the relatively 203 00:10:25.919 --> 00:10:29.279 near future. That's exciting. I don't know if there's anyone 204 00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:32.200 rob You can say Jazz if you want to, But 205 00:10:32.440 --> 00:10:35.159 is there somebody in this lineup that you're particularly looking 206 00:10:35.159 --> 00:10:36.679 forward to seeing play for GB? 207 00:10:37.399 --> 00:10:37.639 Is it? 208 00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:39.720 Is it the obvious names or is there somebody that 209 00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:42.000 you know, maybe you've seen glimpses off here and there, 210 00:10:42.440 --> 00:10:44.080 the Nate Eaton's of the world that you might have 211 00:10:44.519 --> 00:10:46.919 a little exposure to, but you think might be a 212 00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:48.960 bit of a spark plug for the team. 213 00:10:49.480 --> 00:10:52.799 Actually, it's Trace Thompson for me, that he's got. 214 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:55.600 A bit of a his his career is on a 215 00:10:55.600 --> 00:10:57.639 bit of a tea to there, you know, and any 216 00:10:57.879 --> 00:10:59.919 he has something to show off, and you know, he 217 00:11:00.279 --> 00:11:02.399 had a couple of moments looking maybe a little bit 218 00:11:02.440 --> 00:11:05.679 grumpy playing for GB last time around, Like he smiled 219 00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:08.399 in his picture for in his uniform this year, which 220 00:11:08.440 --> 00:11:10.559 was which was a nice improvement on what we had 221 00:11:10.639 --> 00:11:14.399 last time. So you know what, he's taken a second 222 00:11:14.399 --> 00:11:16.840 bite of the jerry and he's got something to prove. 223 00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:20.799 And I reckon this time, maybe he's actually gonna think this, 224 00:11:20.799 --> 00:11:22.639 this actually means something, because this is this is a 225 00:11:22.679 --> 00:11:24.919 real big chance for me to actually put myself out 226 00:11:24.960 --> 00:11:26.480 there and be seen a little bit. You know, if 227 00:11:26.480 --> 00:11:29.600 he can be the Harry Ford, you know, if he 228 00:11:29.639 --> 00:11:32.559 can be the big moment man, then you know, maybe 229 00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:35.279 this does something for his career, which you know it's 230 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:37.879 not at the best point right now. So yeah, Trace 231 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:39.440 Thompson is what I'd like to look out for. 232 00:11:40.200 --> 00:11:43.600 Yeah, I think Trace was a key player in the 233 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:46.279 last time around, Like his home run against the US 234 00:11:46.519 --> 00:11:49.879 had mean Gabb jumping for joy in the alternate press 235 00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:54.320 box looking a little bit daft wearing our hearts on 236 00:11:54.720 --> 00:11:56.840 our sleeves there. But I think Rob is right that, 237 00:11:56.960 --> 00:11:59.960 like it will be really interesting seeing how he progresses, 238 00:12:00.200 --> 00:12:04.600 Like he is not potentially like the standout player in 239 00:12:04.600 --> 00:12:06.759 that squad as he was kind of like last time around. 240 00:12:06.840 --> 00:12:10.720 The thing that I noticed most from being like on 241 00:12:10.759 --> 00:12:13.720 the ground at these games and watching these guys play BP, 242 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:18.840 is like, how well like they actually like hit BP, 243 00:12:19.159 --> 00:12:22.440 Like the difference between the independent guys, the guys in 244 00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:25.720 the miners, the guys with like major league experience, and 245 00:12:25.759 --> 00:12:30.279 then going watching Team USA hit bbcause that was the 246 00:12:30.279 --> 00:12:32.919 first game last time around, and watching the quality of 247 00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:36.919 BP is just higher, like more balls are going in 248 00:12:37.080 --> 00:12:39.159 over the fence or getting close to the fence just 249 00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:42.480 on every single swing. And then take it to the extreme, 250 00:12:42.799 --> 00:12:45.919 watching Showyotani hit BP in Miami. 251 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:46.519 Was just ridiculous. 252 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:48.960 He was basically putting on the second deck and putting 253 00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:52.039 them into the scoreboard like every single swing. So you're like, 254 00:12:52.679 --> 00:12:55.559 it's it's a really simplistic guide, but like you could 255 00:12:55.559 --> 00:12:58.960 clearly see that Trace Thompson was a level above quite 256 00:12:58.960 --> 00:13:02.080 a lot of people around it last time around. This time, 257 00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:07.720 I think he might have more broader support. So for me, obviously, 258 00:13:07.799 --> 00:13:11.879 seeing Jazz back is amazing. It's been effectively ten years 259 00:13:11.919 --> 00:13:15.279 since he wore that jersey in a qualifier that was 260 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:18.519 in late twenty sixteen, so that's kind of like amazing 261 00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:22.519 to come back around again. Otherwise you just got like 262 00:13:22.600 --> 00:13:25.840 people that Aya was lucky enough to talk with in 263 00:13:25.879 --> 00:13:27.840 person kind of last time around, which would be just 264 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:31.080 great to kind of like meet up again and just 265 00:13:31.159 --> 00:13:34.759 kind of see these guys like Tyler Bizza was a 266 00:13:34.840 --> 00:13:37.240 really kind of like interesting person to speak with and 267 00:13:37.320 --> 00:13:40.240 Vance Warley life last time around. Those were guys are 268 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:44.519 just great baseball experience and honestly just interesting people to 269 00:13:44.600 --> 00:13:47.120 have conversations with baseball around. So getting a chance to 270 00:13:47.960 --> 00:13:50.320 see those guys again, I would have said Michael Peterson 271 00:13:50.440 --> 00:13:52.559 if he'd been in the squad, just because he's someone 272 00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:55.480 that I've met on multiple occasions, as he was one 273 00:13:55.480 --> 00:13:58.320 of the few players I met in the forlorn attempt 274 00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:05.600 for the twenty two twenty twenty tournaments before everything was ruined. 275 00:14:05.960 --> 00:14:11.120 You, Yeah, I think everybody. Before I forget, before Gaff 276 00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:14.320 tells me off, everybody should definitely go to the website. 277 00:14:14.360 --> 00:14:17.000 Gav's got some great content on there, including a player 278 00:14:17.039 --> 00:14:20.200 by player profile, so if you want he detail on. 279 00:14:20.919 --> 00:14:22.480 Any of you guys, he bled. 280 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:26.639 Gav has done incredible work and profile of each member 281 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:28.840 of this roster, So if you want to get any 282 00:14:28.840 --> 00:14:31.879 more details, he's got it all. He's got videos in there, 283 00:14:31.960 --> 00:14:35.240 he's got little fun facts, it's the works. He's done 284 00:14:35.240 --> 00:14:37.080 a lot of work on it, so definitely goes to 285 00:14:37.080 --> 00:14:38.639 the website check it out. We'll obviously I have lots 286 00:14:38.679 --> 00:14:40.639 more coming over the next few weeks as well on 287 00:14:40.679 --> 00:14:43.799 the WBC. Gav Gave really loves this stuff and we 288 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:45.960 already appreciate his work, So do go and check it 289 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:46.360 all out. 290 00:14:47.000 --> 00:14:50.159 Yeah, it's genuinely, genuinely the best place you can find, 291 00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:53.399 like the best summary of the team. You won't find 292 00:14:53.399 --> 00:14:56.080 it anywhere else on the internet like that. It's yes, 293 00:14:56.120 --> 00:14:59.639 I'm a homer for for the website, but you cannot 294 00:14:59.720 --> 00:15:03.080 find writing about GB baseball like what Gav has done 295 00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:04.559 there that it is top notch. 296 00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:05.960 Yeah. 297 00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:07.960 I was half expecting when Rob was going to talk 298 00:15:07.960 --> 00:15:10.279 about the different players that like, here's a couple of 299 00:15:10.360 --> 00:15:12.440 raised prospects in there, and I thought he would gone 300 00:15:12.840 --> 00:15:15.000 especially with the name Gary gil Hill. 301 00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:17.399 I thought that I was going to go straight to 302 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:20.320 Rob with that. Yeah, that's the one. And what is 303 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:22.080 your familiarity with Gary gil Hill? 304 00:15:22.799 --> 00:15:25.240 Gil for gil Hill? No, I have not seen gil 305 00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:25.799 Hill play. 306 00:15:26.440 --> 00:15:29.919 I don't think he was a spring training invite last year, 307 00:15:29.919 --> 00:15:32.279 and if he was, I missed him wearing a number 308 00:15:32.519 --> 00:15:34.080 eighty six on his back or something. 309 00:15:34.759 --> 00:15:36.799 So no, I've not seen him at all, but it 310 00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:39.200 is good to have the prospects in there. Yeah, it's 311 00:15:39.240 --> 00:15:40.720 good for them. It's good for them. 312 00:15:40.879 --> 00:15:43.720 Like this is people might actually watch some of this, 313 00:15:43.879 --> 00:15:47.200 whereas you know, the eighth inning of a spring training 314 00:15:47.240 --> 00:15:50.840 game against the White Sox ain't gonna happen. Not that 315 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:52.480 they would be playing the White Sox of course, because 316 00:15:52.519 --> 00:15:55.440 it's a different league, but that's neither hi nor the Yeah. 317 00:15:55.440 --> 00:15:58.120 I will say that at BP we have gil Hill 318 00:15:58.200 --> 00:16:00.600 eighteenth in the race system, which doesn't sound very high, 319 00:16:00.600 --> 00:16:03.000 but as you'll know, the Race have a lot of prospects. 320 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:06.200 They usually have a pretty deep system. This year is 321 00:16:06.200 --> 00:16:09.200 no exception. So we see like a you know, potential 322 00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:12.679 fourth startup, maybe mid rotation guy if he hits his upside. 323 00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:14.399 So there's a chance we could be looking back in 324 00:16:14.440 --> 00:16:16.120 a few years and saying, hey, he was the best 325 00:16:16.200 --> 00:16:18.480 picture on this ther BC team. I think that's that's 326 00:16:18.519 --> 00:16:20.440 within the realm of possibility. I mean, you know, we 327 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:22.679 may well see him in a you know, two three 328 00:16:22.720 --> 00:16:25.799 years time actually making up a significant role on a 329 00:16:25.799 --> 00:16:28.519 major league mount So I'm excited to see him because 330 00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:30.480 I also have not seen him play, but it will 331 00:16:30.480 --> 00:16:32.840 be good to see Russ. You've already sort of touched 332 00:16:32.840 --> 00:16:34.679 on a bit of the pitching, but how do you 333 00:16:34.759 --> 00:16:37.519 see this playing out over the course of the tournament? 334 00:16:37.519 --> 00:16:39.600 Who are we going to go to in the rotation 335 00:16:39.759 --> 00:16:42.120 and do you have an idea of how that's going 336 00:16:42.200 --> 00:16:44.080 to map out across the group game to that? 337 00:16:45.399 --> 00:16:47.639 Yeah, it's an interesting one basically to be like, who 338 00:16:47.639 --> 00:16:50.159 are actually going to be like the guys that are 339 00:16:50.679 --> 00:16:55.519 the starters, Like there isn't a massively like standout like 340 00:16:55.879 --> 00:16:58.240 these is what you're going to expect. I think like 341 00:16:58.360 --> 00:17:01.639 Jack Settings is probably going to do reasonable amount. I 342 00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:05.960 think that Tyler Vizard, Vance Walley will do that as well. 343 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:10.359 But I think what you'll see from Team GB, maybe 344 00:17:10.400 --> 00:17:12.599 a bit more than some of the other teams, is 345 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:18.640 an approach where it's basically every inning matches the most 346 00:17:19.240 --> 00:17:22.440 because they're effectively going to they're going to win as 347 00:17:22.440 --> 00:17:26.240 many games as possible. But with basically International Baseball, you 348 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:28.960 kind of lose a game and it really scuffers you, 349 00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:31.759 like no matter what it is. So they will be 350 00:17:31.920 --> 00:17:34.680 waking to utilize their best players as and when they can, 351 00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:37.559 like as much as possible, so you'll probably just see 352 00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:40.920 two or three innings of anybody max before kind of 353 00:17:40.920 --> 00:17:42.559 getting over to the next guy. A few of the 354 00:17:42.599 --> 00:17:46.160 other teams with their top pitchers, there are limitations in 355 00:17:46.200 --> 00:17:48.359 the WBC in the first few rounds of like sixty 356 00:17:48.359 --> 00:17:50.480 five pitches as the maximum, and then it's like eighty 357 00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:53.720 pitchers in the knockout rounds and like ninety pitches in 358 00:17:53.759 --> 00:17:56.480 the final to just because we are in spring training, 359 00:17:56.559 --> 00:17:59.119 we don't want teams don't want their players going out 360 00:17:59.160 --> 00:18:01.720 and throwing and forty pitches in it in a shutout 361 00:18:01.720 --> 00:18:06.640 because the manager of Team GB or Netherlands or Nick 362 00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:09.519 or Agua wants to win this game more than like 363 00:18:09.799 --> 00:18:11.599 deal with what's going to happen in the major leagues 364 00:18:12.119 --> 00:18:15.200 next season. So in some regards, it doesn't matter that 365 00:18:15.279 --> 00:18:17.240 you don't have the top arms because they can't be 366 00:18:17.359 --> 00:18:21.759 used too much. But I think we'll definitely see like 367 00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:25.319 a high Ton over with Team GB, being like, let's 368 00:18:25.400 --> 00:18:28.160 just matched to the situation that we're in. Like, if 369 00:18:28.200 --> 00:18:30.519 we think we've got our best guy up there right now, cool, 370 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:32.839 he'll continue for another inning. If we think we've got 371 00:18:32.839 --> 00:18:35.880 a better option for this inning full of three players 372 00:18:35.880 --> 00:18:39.000 that we're going to face, let's go to that basically 373 00:18:39.079 --> 00:18:41.200 kind of pull that through. And so when you have 374 00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:45.240 the variety that they do with having like the Beg Brothers, 375 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:47.799 with having Jack Anderson and a few of the others 376 00:18:47.839 --> 00:18:51.279 were like we've already mentioned Gary Gailhill, like we still 377 00:18:51.319 --> 00:18:54.480 have Donovan Benoir and have as Fernandez who took part 378 00:18:54.519 --> 00:18:57.240 in like the previous tournament. So I do think that 379 00:18:57.319 --> 00:19:02.640 you have, like there are names there aren't like there 380 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:04.799 aren't the rumored ones that we're talking about maybe in 381 00:19:04.799 --> 00:19:07.759 the past, like Tristan McKenzie and a few others that 382 00:19:07.799 --> 00:19:14.279 were potentially kind of MLB like quality starters, But they'll 383 00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:16.759 do a good enough job and they'll basically put themselves 384 00:19:16.759 --> 00:19:20.480 in a position to be competitive in most of those games. 385 00:19:20.920 --> 00:19:23.119 Yeah, I think we saw last time that that you know, 386 00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:26.240 we had some experience with these types of tournaments, and 387 00:19:26.279 --> 00:19:29.119 there was some set very sensible management of those games 388 00:19:29.240 --> 00:19:32.359 gave us not only that win, but a very very 389 00:19:32.359 --> 00:19:34.079 close game as well. We could easily have won a 390 00:19:34.119 --> 00:19:37.359 second in that tournament. So be very interesting to see 391 00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:39.759 how that plays out this time. I suppose we should 392 00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:42.240 actually talk about what you're going to be doing with us, 393 00:19:42.240 --> 00:19:45.319 and also what the schedule looks like for GB. So 394 00:19:45.680 --> 00:19:48.720 I assume you will be making it to all these games? 395 00:19:48.839 --> 00:19:51.079 Can you can you take us through what you've got planned? 396 00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:54.200 And most importantly, you've already crossed the show Hay off 397 00:19:54.200 --> 00:19:55.880 the list. Who's hand are you're going to be trying 398 00:19:55.880 --> 00:19:56.720 to shake this time? 399 00:19:57.920 --> 00:19:59.720 Yeah? That's yeah, that's the interesting one. 400 00:19:59.799 --> 00:19:59.960 Yeah. 401 00:20:00.440 --> 00:20:03.160