Splash Considerations Ep. 5: Giants Take Series in San Diego with John Shea, Kerry Crowley (Plus: MLB Corner with Alex Stumpf): täielik transkriptsioon

00:03:52.240 Energy, passion, right? 00:03:52.479 --> 00:03:56.560 Um if anger is part of that, so be it. 00:03:56.719 --> 00:04:00.159 There's anger because you were down a few runs and we gotta get better. 00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:05.919 And Schmidt admitted afterward, he was right, I should have made the plays, and I do gotta get better. 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:16.000 So that's what good teammates do, and even though some people might not appreciate how it was done, that's how baseball players police themselves. 00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:17.439 Yeah, it's well said. 00:04:17.519 --> 00:04:23.199 And I think, you know, when I was thinking back on this, Shay, was the Bonds Kent episode in San Diego? 00:04:23.519 --> 00:04:24.480 It was in San Diego. 00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:25.519 Jack Murphy Stadium. 00:04:25.600 --> 00:04:26.160 Yeah, where are you coming to? 00:04:27.279 --> 00:04:27.759 I was there. 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:28.720 Unbelievable. 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:37.839 I mean, I remember that so vividly watching on TV as a kid because I think that they went to commercial as it happened and then they came back and they had to show it in the dugout. 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:38.240 Yeah. 00:04:38.480 --> 00:04:42.800 And it was like, I'd never experienced that watching baseball my whole life. 00:04:43.040 --> 00:04:50.240 And to see that in the dugout, and then you also discuss, you know, this isn't Jeff Kempberry Bonds, this isn't Jordan Poole, Draymond Green. 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:51.519 This is something that happens all the time. 00:04:51.759 --> 00:05:00.720 And I think it's important in an age where social media can clip anything, where these little moments are brought and uh, you know, they go viral. 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:05.279 They go viral because they're different, fans care deeply, they want to see the drama of baseball. 00:05:05.439 --> 00:05:10.959 I think it's important to put it in perspective, and both of you guys did that with your stories, which is you know, these guys are in it for the long haul. 00:05:11.040 --> 00:05:19.519 162, Tony Vitello put that into perspective, and ultimately, a team that cares is a team that fans want to watch, and I think that's the most important part of all of this. 00:05:19.680 --> 00:05:29.519 And one of the things that, you know, thinking about it after the fact is name me a World Series champion that has not had something in the ballpark of this happen at some point. 00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:32.319 It is bound to happen over the course of a 162 game season. 00:05:32.480 --> 00:05:34.399 I'm sure you've seen it a ton of times. 00:05:34.560 --> 00:05:38.879 And I I was thinking about it from like I I took even more of like a psychological approach to it. 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:44.959 Like, what's worse than like an extr- I don't even want to call it extreme, like what is worse than an outburst of emotion like that? 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:47.600 It's indifference, it's not caring at all. 00:05:47.759

--> 00:05:59.360 And I think the other perspective of it is like some people my fans might say, like, oh, like, you know, that's not maybe the way you should handle it, which you know, there's an argument to be made there, but also it's just gonna happen. 00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:05.839 It's a matter of time for that happens, and I think to your point, the way that they handle it, the way they went about it, it's bound to happen. 00:06:05.920 --> 00:06:07.920 They handled it, they both face the music. 00:06:08.560 --> 00:06:09.680 And now we move on. 00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:10.959 And now we move on. 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:17.839 And what Schmidt said after the game yesterday, hey, this is the guy who's been in my corner. 00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:19.199 You know, he supported me. 00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:22.639 If you remember, Schmidt came up as a third baseman, period. 00:06:22.879 --> 00:06:26.160 He didn't have a whole lot of reps at the other positions, he's still learning first base. 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:27.839 That was a true first baseman. 00:06:28.079 --> 00:06:32.240 That was his 24th game at first, and he didn't pick up the position until last year in Houston. 00:06:32.399 --> 00:06:33.199 He's done last April. 00:06:33.439 --> 00:06:36.720 He's done far better than other major leaguers who have made the transition. 00:06:36.879 --> 00:06:37.680 And guess what? 00:06:37.839 --> 00:06:39.279 He's all in on learning. 00:06:39.360 --> 00:06:44.800 Just moments ago, Ron Washington was working with him on when to stretch for the ball. 00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:51.519 It sounds easy, but in real time, when Chapman's thrown 98 across the diamond, when do I stretch? 00:06:51.680 --> 00:06:55.360 Oh, this is high, the runner's coming up on me, it's bang bang. 00:06:55.519 --> 00:07:03.680 He stretched too early, he was too low, the ball uh you know went right off the top of his mitt, and it was an error. 00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:06.639 And by the way, there were two E5s yesterday. 00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:07.759 It got changed. 00:07:07.920 --> 00:07:16.319 So initially, there was in the first inning that error was charged to Schmidt, and then the one in the fifth inning that was charged to Chapman, Major League Baseball today. 00:07:16.480 --> 00:07:17.600 Whether you agree or not. 00:07:17.839 --> 00:07:18.639 I disagree with both. 00:07:18.800 --> 00:07:21.360 You you just so you think they should have been both charged to Schmidt? 00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:23.439 That's fair, that's fair. 00:07:23.600 --> 00:07:32.000 But to your point, like the knowing when to stretch, and Carrie, I'll throw this over to you, knowing when to stretch is such a small thing in playing first base. 00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:47.920 And I think that having that happen in a really weird way, it's kind of a it kind of loops back around to Bryce Eldridge, where like they want to make sure his development is right, and a lot of the small things are the things that they want Eldridge to know, and one of those small things is knowing when to stretch. 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:54.800 And you know, this is not to like make everything Bryce-centric, but I think that those are not two like unrelated points. 00:07:54.959 --> 00:08:04.240 I think that seeing a moment like that, seeing in real time someone trying to learn the intricacies of first base is what Bryce is doing right now in AAA. 00:08:04.959 --> 00:08:11.279 It is, but the one thing that I'd just say counter to that, who would you rather have teaching Bryce Elders to stretch than Ron Washington? 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:15.759 I mean, the guy's the ultimate guru, he is the one who can translate that information to anyone. 00:08:15.839 --> 00:08:24.639 And so while he's working with Casey Schmidt today, and that's great for Casey Schmidt's development, ultimately Bryce Elders' best learning opportunity is going to come under Ron Washington. 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:32.639 So I don't know if they should have hired Ron to just follow Bryce around all year, because he's doing a pretty good job with Luisa Rias and a number of other Giants infielders as well. 00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:36.799 But I ultimately think you're gonna see the biggest leaps of Bryce game when he's working with Wash. 00:08:36.879 --> 00:08:37.039 Yeah. 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:42.720 When he works with Wash, when he makes his major league, not major league debut, when he makes his season debut that is yet to be determined. 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:57.200 I want to go back to game two of the series because when you look at Logan Webb's line, six innings, three runs, four walks, five starts, or five strikeouts, that doesn't scream like a vintage Logan Webb start, but there were two things that really stuck out. 00:08:57.440 --> 00:09:03.759 One was the fact that after the third inning, when he allows the three runs, proceeds to retire the final ten batters of the game. 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:17.759 He actually mentioned how he saw the the Navy Navy SEALs like practicing and that kind of like allowed him to snap into things, but it was also the fact, and I think you pointed this out in your story as well, because John Shane, I do read you, I do I do read you, John Shane at the San Francisco standard. 00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:19.519 He's wearing it right here. 00:09:19.600 --> 00:09:20.879 Can the camera see that move the hand? 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:23.600 We can see that right there. 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:36.480 But you know, one of the points that you made was that you know, this is a manager having faith in his guy, and in that third inning, it did get really dicey, and even you know, after the fourth inning, there may have been an opportunity to take him out of that game, but strikes out the side in the fifth. 00:09:36.559 --> 00:09:40.320 He had 92 pitches after five innings and said, We're gonna have Logan go out. 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:45.600 And Logan did admit after the game, if he allowed the first base runner

that inning to reach, he's probably taken out. 00:09:45.679 --> 00:09:53.759 But he gave him that opportunity, ends up with his first in many quality starts of the year, and it kind of felt like again, it's hard to parse out too much from just like one game. 00:09:53.840 --> 00:09:55.279 We're gonna have to see a lot more. 00:09:55.440 --> 00:10:01.279 But I think it was telling of Vitello, you know, letting him navigate that storm and then letting him go out for the sixth in. 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:11.360 Buster Posey once told me that the beauty of Lindsacum, Kane, and Bub Garner was getting in trouble early and pitching his pitching their way out of it. 00:10:11.440 --> 00:10:14.080 In other words, all the greats are able to do that. 00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:18.799 The not so greats will dig a hole and not climb themselves out. 00:10:18.960 --> 00:10:28.080 But what this new manager did, and would Gabe Kappler have pulled him early just because these guys aren't humans, they're numbers. 00:10:28.320 --> 00:10:34.080 Um and we saw that over and over, one out away from a win, let's pull him out. 00:10:34.159 --> 00:10:38.320 Uh, it doesn't do good for morale, but it worked a lot for him in 2021. 00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:39.759 He was a master, right? 00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:41.279 He was a manager of the year. 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:56.639 But you fast forward to this 47-year-old out of Tennessee, and there hasn't been much high-leverage situation here in the early going, but then you get to the Logan Webb game, and when do we pull him? 00:10:57.600 --> 00:10:58.799 When do we let him go? 00:10:58.960 --> 00:11:06.240 He was at 92 pitches after five innings, he finished with 104, but the key was not pulling him early, maybe in an in it. 00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:13.200 Nobody's more inexperienced than he is, but but another inexperienced manager might say, you know what? 00:11:14.080 --> 00:11:17.840 We took a four or nothing lead, now it's four to three, he just gave up three. 00:11:17.919 --> 00:11:20.399 Let's go to the bullpen, make it a bullpen game. 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:23.120 And this guy, to his credit, said, No. 00:11:23.440 --> 00:11:25.120 I know this guy, he's our guy. 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:26.480 He likes to say he's our guy. 00:11:26.720 --> 00:11:27.519 A lot of our guys. 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:32.320 He's got a lot of our guys, and left him in there, like you said, uh 10 in a row. 00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:33.039 He retired. 00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:35.279 And that last inning, he kept getting better. 00:11:35.519 --> 00:11:46.080 Every inning was a little bit shorter, every inning was a little bit crisper, and in the end, you know, he celebrated a victory that he might not have had under another manager. 00:11:46.399 --> 00:11:53.440 Carrie, the way that I'll throw this over to you is what did you make of that decision to let you know Logan you know find his composure after the fourth? 00:11:53.600 --> 00:11:56.799 But then also kind of sticking with the tone of the theme. 00:11:57.120 --> 00:11:59.679 Vitello says that exact phrase a lot, sticking to the theme. 00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:05.120 But sticking with the theme of Vitello, what have you made about you know these first six games and how he's managed him? 00:12:05.200 --> 00:12:14.720 Because it was a point after the third game of the Yankees series that he didn't use a pinch runner until the 27th inning of his managerial career, has not really utilized his bench a whole lot. 00:12:14.879 --> 00:12:18.799 We didn't see a pinch hitter until the eighth inning of yesterday's game. 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:26.399 So, what did you make of Vitello with Webb overall, but also just how he's gone about managing ball games so far, even in such a small sample size? 00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:28.480 Yeah, I think he's really kept the big picture in mind. 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:34.240 Logan Webb was starting on Monday of the first of a 10-day stretch, which the Giants are playing every single day. 00:12:34.399 --> 00:12:43.679 The difference between 15 outs and 17 outs, not even finishing that sixth inning, but just getting to 17 outs, saves your bullpen two extra outs on the first day of this long stretch. 00:12:43.759 --> 00:12:49.519 And so even if Webb allows a base run to that inning, he's at least given himself the opportunity to save a reliever. 00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:55.039 And he got through that inning, and so you save one more reliever, and that has a ripple effect throughout the rest of this 10-day stretch. 00:12:55.120 --> 00:13:02.399 I think it obviously goes a long way in terms of building the confidence of a Webb, instilling uh the belief inside the clubhouse that he's gonna stick with his quote unquote guys. 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:15.039 But I think just big picture, it's a smart strategy, and it's one that I think Buster talked to John about, and you know, explaining with the greatness of a Mac Kane, a Tim Linskum, a Madison Mumgarner, these guys can get you six, and what that does is that eases the burden on everyone else. 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:22.399 And with this unproven bullpen, like I they've had a better start to the season than I anticipated, but nevertheless, who would you rather have on the mound? 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:29.600 A tired Logan Webb at 100 pitches or the guy they're calling up from AAA because someone has to go down uh because of arm fatigue. 00:13:29.679 --> 00:13:37.360 And so I I think each and every time you take the tired starting pitcher at 80, 90, and in Webb's case, 95 pitches, then you do anyone else. 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:39.519 I think that's a good transition into the bullpen right here. 00:13:39.600 --> 00:13:45.279 As you mentioned, Jose But was placed on the 15A injured list with right arm uh fatigue. 00:13:45.440 --> 00:13:48.320 We saw the velocity with his really dip by the end of his outing. 00:13:48.399 --> 00:13:54.639 He was barely touching 90, and we'll get to that more uh in

another episode once we kind of get a little more clarity as to what that might be. 00:13:54.960 --> 00:13:57.919 And and I think best case scenario is that it just is arm fatigue. 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:03.840 And I think you do also have to wonder having coming off the world baseball classic, he obviously helped Venezuela win a title. 00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:10.720 You do have to wonder, and it is fair to wonder, like what you know factor that may have played, but I want to stick with the bullpen as a whole. 00:14:10.879 --> 00:14:13.440 That was the big question mark coming into the season. 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:18.879 If you could pinpoint one area of this Giants team that stood to be a weakness, it was that bullpen. 00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:32.720 Aside from, you know, Bhutto's kind of I I don't even want to categ like lump this in there just because he was dealing with the injury, but aside from Buto's adding yesterday and even Brian Walker's kind of shaky Monday, the bullpen as a whole has looked really well. 00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:35.519 John, what have you made about this bullpen as a whole? 00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:48.159 Is it, you know, are you allowing yourself to be optimistic about it, or are you still kind of having like a little bit of hesitancy when it comes to saying that this is a bullpen that can protect, as we saw, like a three-run lead in enemy territory. 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:49.759 What did uh Bhutto have? 00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:50.399 Arm fatigue? 00:14:50.480 --> 00:14:51.039 It was arm fatigue. 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:52.559 I'm kind of getting that during this podcast. 00:14:52.879 --> 00:14:54.159 Hold this heavy microphone. 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:54.960 Heavy? 00:14:55.519 --> 00:14:57.120 You gotta get the weights up, John Shea. 00:14:57.440 --> 00:14:58.559 No, you're right. 00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:01.039 That was the biggest question mark coming in, the bullpen. 00:15:01.360 --> 00:15:02.480 Because nobody had roles. 00:15:02.799 --> 00:15:05.279 We go we went up to relievers and say, hey, what's your role? 00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:05.919 I don't know. 00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:06.639 What's your role? 00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:07.519 I don't know. 00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:08.960 And even the closer. 00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:11.679 Well, I want to be the closer, but it hasn't been designated. 00:15:11.840 --> 00:15:16.080 Well, obviously, Ryan Walker is a closer because nobody else has closing experience here. 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:20.960 And they talk about Eric Miller and yeah, you know, against tough lefties in the ninth. 00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:26.720 But the modern way of thinking about relievers is high levers could be in the seventh or eighth. 00:15:26.799 --> 00:15:28.799 It doesn't necessarily have to be in the ninth. 00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:34.960 And we did see Ryan Walker come in early, it was kind of garbage time uh in his first game of the year against the Yankees. 00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:40.159 Um but that was that was an issue too with with the save situation. 00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:46.480 And he gave up a home run, they still won by a run, and everybody celebrated. 00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:56.639 But to see Keaton win uh as a setup guy in the eighth inning, strike out the side was like the biggest moment of the year in the bullpen. 00:15:57.039 --> 00:16:06.480 It was amazing for a guy that I don't remember, maybe you guys have seen him in any high-leverage situations before, and suddenly they picked this guy at this moment. 00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:09.120 Do you consider the Birmingham game high leverage? 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:09.440 Oh, yeah. 00:16:09.679 --> 00:16:10.240 Because of the stakes? 00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:10.559 Oh, yeah. 00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:11.679 That's Keaton Wynn right there. 00:16:11.919 --> 00:16:13.440 Okay, you're right about that. 00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:16.240 That was the biggest game of the year in 24. 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:18.960 That was an emotional day, man. 00:16:19.039 --> 00:16:19.200 Yeah. 00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:20.480 That was Willie Mays week. 00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:24.080 That was one of those things where like I was jealous that like of everybody that got together. 00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:26.159 Like, I was seeing it from afar, I was seeing the broadcast. 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:30.399 I'm like, this is cool to see on the broadcast, but it's one of those things I wish I could be there. 00:16:30.480 --> 00:16:38.320 And also, just gonna give a quick shout-out to John Shea, only man on this planet who has written a book about both Willie Mays and Ricky Henderson. 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:40.799 Again, he's gonna under, he's gonna downplay the greatness. 00:16:40.960 --> 00:16:42.000 We're in the presence of greatness. 00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:43.679 But uh, Carrie, I want to throw this over to you. 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:52.399 Obviously, you know, Ryan Walker kind of is the closest thing to a closer, and we have been asking, are you gonna name a closer? 00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:53.759 Are you like, do you have a definite closer? 00:16:53.840 --> 00:17:03.679 And like, I tried even asking in San Diego, where I can't remember exactly how it was phrased, but Tony was saying something about Walker in the ninth inning, and so I was like, is he your ninth inning? 00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:05.599 Guys like, uh, well, we have a lot of guys now. 00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:06.799 We can go to the ninth inning. 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:21.200 It does feel like in order for this Giants team, like not even the bullpen, this team as a whole to maximize its potential, they are gonna need somebody to, you know, emerge as a closer, whether it's Walker, whether it's I mean, Keaton win, it just looked phenomenal. 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:31.680 I do think at some point they are gonna have to make a decision as to who is gonna be their ninth inning guy, and because again, last year when we saw this bullpen at its best, it was guys in defined roles.

00:17:31.920 --> 00:17:38.480 Whether or not we see that, whether or not we do get this defined roles, whether someone kind of snatches that, I think it's kind of to be determined. 00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:45.440 But I think at least even if it's not Walker, there are some kind of options there as far as how you can mix and match this going forward. 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:59.599 Yeah, there's a few options, and the thing that I always lean on is stuff and it's cliche, but if you're throwing 98 and you got extension like Keaton Wynne does and uh, you know, Caleb Killian does, that matters because you're generating whiffs, and what's the worst thing that can possibly happen in the ninth inning? 00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:01.279 Contact, awkward contact. 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:04.799 Ryan Walker with that crossfire delivery gets a little bit of awkward contact. 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:18.240 It's not all that dissimilar from Tyler Rogers, who was tremendous in the eighth inning, one of the best eighth inning pitchers in Giants history, but couldn't really do it in the ninth inning, in part because I think weird things happen in those situations, the unexplainable things happen in those situations. 00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:23.039 I look at Walker's more as, you know, long-haul eighth inning because of the crossfire delivery. 00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:31.440 And I think one of these guys with the truly elite stuff who can touch 98-99 on the gun, maybe one of them will ultimately work their way into that opportunity over the course of the season. 00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:43.359 One of the points that I've always kind of made when it's come to the bullpen, specifically high leverage relievers, is the importance of just being like having above average strikeout rates and like how that kind of correlates to above average bullpen performance. 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:54.799 And because there's because as you mentioned, there's going to be awkward contact from time to time, and then there's going to be a situation when it's runners on second and third, and you don't need a ground ball out, you don't need a pop-out, you need a strikeout point blank period. 00:18:54.880 --> 00:19:01.920 So again, we saw Ryan Walker be really effective in that ninth inning role in 2024, didn't really see it that much in 2025. 00:19:02.079 --> 00:19:05.759 Whether or not we continue to see it in the ninth inning going forward, that's to be determined. 00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:10.319 As Andrew Bagley hates the phrase, time will tell, because time has never failed to tell. 00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:16.240 But what time has told us through these first six games is the Giants' offense has been off to a bit of a shaky start. 00:19:16.319 --> 00:19:20.480 And you know, you were very you wrote the story about Luisa Bryce, because again, I read you. 00:19:21.039 --> 00:19:24.720 Tony Tony Gwynn and it was the Ry crew was the was it Godfather? 00:19:25.039 --> 00:19:25.759 Was it the grandfather? 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:26.240 Grandfather. 00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:27.039 Grandfather. 00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:32.720 So this Giants lineup is definitely like when you just look at the names, it's the deepest lineup that they have in Hack in quite some time. 00:19:32.880 --> 00:19:34.640 I think probably in at least a decade. 00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:36.400 Off to a bit of a slow start. 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:46.720 What have you made about the advance overall, the offensive production overall, especially because you can throw out the fifth game of the season where they have a nine-run outburst, it's like three runs or fewer and shut out and back to that game is to start the season? 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:50.400 Well, the biggest question coming in was where are you going to hit Luisa Rice? 00:19:51.119 --> 00:19:54.559 He told us, remember in spring training, hey, I wouldn't mind leading off. 00:19:54.640 --> 00:20:02.960 And if you look at his numbers, he's let off most of the time, and that's where he's done most of his success, at least in terms of batting average and OPS and all that stuff. 00:20:03.200 --> 00:20:11.279 But you took, remember, we talked to the the hitting coach and Hunter Metz, and he told us he would like to see him in an RBI situation. 00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:15.279 And the manager was saying, hey, you know, I kind of like him as leadoff. 00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:18.000 So there's a there's a huge debate in the room. 00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:28.799 All the coaches, you know, in the front office and the stat guys, analytic people, and they began the season with him hitting first and they lost their first two games. 00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:30.400 And now he's a cleanup guy. 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:33.680 And I guess he hit what four, nine times last year. 00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:38.559 So he has a little experience, a lot more than Williad Damas at the leadoff spot. 00:20:38.960 --> 00:20:44.400 But man, that guy can hit, and more than anybody else, he puts the bat on the ball. 00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:47.039 And how many two strike counts have we seen? 00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:50.079 He he relishes and braces two strike counts. 00:20:50.319 --> 00:20:58.960 I mean, I haven't I haven't looked it up, but the amount of times he's just a point blank period taking that first strike without any intentions of uh you know wanting to swing, he is comfortable in those situations. 00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:04.720 He he loves hitting behind in the count, yeah, yeah, one-two, two-two, three-two, oh two. 00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:07.839 And how many guys can say that? 00:21:08.079 --> 00:21:13.759 Because suddenly, if you're in a two-strike count of any kind, you're gonna chase, you're gonna protect yourself. 00:21:13.920 --> 00:21:16.960 You don't want to get called looking for strike three. 00:21:17.279 --> 00:21:22.720 But this guy, you know, he he might as well just go up with the hey, just give me two strikes now, and I'll hit from here. 00:21:22.960 -->

00:21:24.240 Because I'm a better hitter that way. 00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:25.119 And he said so. 00:21:25.359 --> 00:21:29.359 And if you look at him in the on-deck circle, he chokes up, he uses a heavier bat. 00:21:29.440 --> 00:21:36.640 If you watch him in BP down here, same thing, he used a heavy bat, but then he goes to the plate and he doesn't choke up, even with two strikes. 00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:40.319 So, all that stuff your little league coach told you, choke up with two strikes. 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:41.599 He does the opposite. 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:59.759 But unlike most of this industry, all the guys who step to the plate and try to whack it over that wall out there and worry about exit velocity and launch angle, he measures, as you know, because you know this better than anybody, in the one percentile, in all the stats that a lot of front offices look at. 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:03.359 But not Buster Posey because he loves content. 00:22:04.319 --> 00:22:04.799 Yeah. 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:16.319 And Carol, we kind of are we kind of came of age as baseball writers in an era where the stereotypes of like how you would see a lineup constructed, those started to fade. 00:22:16.400 --> 00:22:22.319 Like we see Kyle Schwarber in the leadoff spot, and obviously we now see William Damas in the leadoff spot. 00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:28.559 I don't know necessarily if this is the spot where I want to see him hitting long term. 00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:31.759 I don't think it's going to be the spot that we're going to see him hitting in long term. 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:36.079 What do you make of like what is the best way to like all being equal? 00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:39.920 Like, what do you think is the best way to maximize what these Giants truly have in their line? 00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:41.279 Because it's a lot of everyday guys. 00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:43.279 It's probably going to be the same mix that we have here. 00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:46.640 Like, would you like to see like guys like a Rise and Junk who staggered? 00:22:46.720 --> 00:22:48.720 Do you mind Adamus in the leadoff spot? 00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:55.200 Like, how would you kind of, if I had to make you manager for a day and we're not doing the Billy Martin, pick the names out of a hat, like how would you kind of arrange this? 00:22:55.440 --> 00:22:56.160 He knows his history. 00:22:56.640 --> 00:22:57.039 There we go. 00:22:57.200 --> 00:22:59.680 Right handed, right-handed pitcher on the mound. 00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:07.279 I go Adamas leading off, I go Devers batting second, I go Chapman hitting third, and I go Arise in the fourth spot. 00:23:07.359 --> 00:23:10.559 And that's how I feel today, April 2nd. 00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:12.799 Uh I'll give you a different answer every day of the season. 00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:18.799 I swear, I change my mind as much as the Kappler era uh analytics folks change their mind on this stuff. 00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:22.079 Jay is much more grounded in his analysis of this team. 00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:23.920 He's the guy you want to ask this question to. 00:23:24.079 --> 00:23:26.319 My thoughts change uh based on who gets hot. 00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:28.640 Yeah, honestly, I think it's really dependent. 00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:35.920 And I think with lineups, I think at the minimum, if you want to talk about knowing history, we're kind of past the point where like Barry Bonds is like batting fifth for the 93 Giants. 00:23:36.000 --> 00:23:37.039 Like, we're never gonna see that. 00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:44.559 So now it's just more so a matter of like, alright, like on this individual day, like, how do we go about maximizing what we have, who's on the mound? 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:59.039 The one thing that I will say, and I think this was mentioned on Giants talk, shout out to Alex Babovich and Cole Kuyper, is that in the Giants kind of having this all right-handed bench, I think it's made it, you know, say what you want about Kaplar and how he like was really aggressive. 00:23:59.599 --> 00:24:02.400 The Giants are more talented now. 00:24:02.559 --> 00:24:08.319 I think that they were more of an irritant during that, like, that Farhan game time because like you never knew like what they were gonna do. 00:24:08.400 --> 00:24:20.400 It's like they were always trying to hunt matchup, they were always trying to be aggressive, and kind of based off the construction of this team, you know, it's a lot of everyday guys, there's maybe not gonna be as many opportunities to pinch your just what do you make of you know the overall roster construction, live construction? 00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:23.359 Like, do you like the fact that they have so many everyday guys? 00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:25.599 Do you wish that there was a little more variance in the bench? 00:24:25.759 --> 00:24:32.160 Like, what do you make of just this these first couple six games from that perspective of kind of being an irritant to the opposing team? 00:24:32.400 --> 00:24:34.880 You're calling it 107 wins an irritant? 00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:36.400 Um I mean that's irritant. 00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:37.440 It is irritating. 00:24:37.680 --> 00:24:39.200 Major, major irritating. 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:49.119 Um I think it's an offshoot of what Buster Posey believes in, and what he believes in is players out there who want to play every day. 00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:51.759 Why was he involved in the extension for Chapman? 00:24:51.839 --> 00:24:52.640 He plays every day. 00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:55.200 Why did he say um sign Adamus? 00:24:55.279 --> 00:24:56.400 He plays every day. 00:24:56.640 --> 00:24:58.559 And then trade for Debers. 00:24:58.720 --> 00:24:59.200 He plays every day. 00:24:59.279 --> 00:25:04.240 He played 163 games last year in 162-game season, and figure that out. 00:25:04.319 --> 00:25:08.799 Luisa Rise likes to play every day, Harrison Bader likes to play every day. 00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:13.680 And so

the guys he got who are new are people who want to play every day. 00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:16.160 So this is kind of turning into his team. 00:25:16.319 --> 00:25:20.079 His fingerprints are all over this lineup, if not roster. 00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:26.799 There are some players who carried over from the previous regime, but even Elliot Ramos likes to play every day. 00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:28.799 Jung Hoo, if he can stay healthy. 00:25:28.960 --> 00:25:31.440 So I don't think there's anything wrong with that. 00:25:31.599 --> 00:25:34.960 And people keep asking the manager every day, when's Gerard gonna play? 00:25:35.119 --> 00:25:36.880 How come Susac's not out there? 00:25:37.279 --> 00:25:38.160 Well, he is out there today. 00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:38.799 He is out there today. 00:25:39.279 --> 00:25:41.920 So if you're watching this, Daniel Susak will have amazed his debut. 00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:43.680 And we're looking at the family, I think, right over here. 00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:45.519 There are a lot of Susac jerseys. 00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:47.119 You sure that's the family? 00:25:47.359 --> 00:25:49.279 Or not just the biggest Susac fans around. 00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:50.319 Susac heads. 00:25:50.720 --> 00:25:54.480 Actually, I think I did see a line outside the uh the Giants dugout store. 00:25:54.640 --> 00:25:57.440 And maybe those are you know flying off the shelves. 00:25:57.680 --> 00:25:59.119 Sound like hotcakes flying off the shelves. 00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:00.160 Kerry, I know you gotta get out of here. 00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:11.119 I know you gotta get to Chase Center, but before I let both of you leave, just going forward, maybe the rest of this month, the rest of this season, what is one element of this Giants team of which you're most curious? 00:26:11.680 --> 00:26:14.000 What is the part where you're like, I want to see how that works now? 00:26:14.079 --> 00:26:14.960 There's a very obvious answer. 00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:16.319 I don't know if you're gonna take it. 00:26:16.559 --> 00:26:16.880 Uh-oh. 00:26:17.039 --> 00:26:18.400 Now there's pressure, if there's an obvious. 00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:22.960 My answer is what John Shea writes the next time this team goes on the road. 00:26:23.119 --> 00:26:24.799 Because I can't wait to see the ideas. 00:26:24.960 --> 00:26:25.599 Oh man. 00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:26.960 Is that a cop-out? 00:26:27.279 --> 00:26:27.519 Yeah. 00:26:28.079 --> 00:26:29.039 Well, go ahead, R Shay. 00:26:29.119 --> 00:26:30.400 What do you what are you most curious about? 00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:31.519 It's it's Rafi Devers. 00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:35.599 When is he gonna play like we saw in Boston on a regular basis? 00:26:35.759 --> 00:26:38.079 Remember that when they traded him, they started losing. 00:26:38.240 --> 00:26:43.359 And they never uh overcame all those losses in his first few weeks. 00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:48.000 So he he's he's making some contact, he strikes out a lot. 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:50.240 He told us that he'll always strike out. 00:26:50.400 --> 00:26:52.000 He's trying to crush every ball. 00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:58.559 Management is fine with that, that's why they're trying to surround him with more contact guys, so there's more balance in the lineup. 00:26:58.799 --> 00:27:04.160 But we haven't seen him at first base, so we haven't seen the complete Rafi Devers. 00:27:04.799 --> 00:27:14.480 But once we do, you know, this team could take off because we've seen it in Boston how good he could be for long stretches of time, and I don't think we've seen that, have we? 00:27:14.720 --> 00:27:16.319 We haven't, we haven't. 00:27:16.720 --> 00:27:24.400 As Rafi, as uh not Rafi Devers, but as William Adam said after the game on Tuesday, he might be faster than Elliot. 00:27:24.640 --> 00:27:27.519 He may be faster than Elliot faster than you, brother. 00:27:28.079 --> 00:27:30.799 I put it or the running back over here. 00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:32.160 I got in five miles today. 00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:36.960 I would hope, I would hope just for my own pride, I could get it get down the line a little faster than Ramos. 00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:39.359 We we were talking a lot about last spring. 00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:42.799 I think you wrote the story actually about like who's faster, Fitzgerald or Grandma Craig. 00:27:42.960 --> 00:27:50.640 I want to see Elliot Ramos and Rafael Devers get on the track and see who exactly is faster so we can get that theory for Willie Damas once for all. 00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:52.160 But anyhow, this was the pleasure. 00:27:52.240 --> 00:27:55.119 I'm hoping we can do in this a lot more over the course of the season. 00:27:55.359 --> 00:27:59.440 John Shea, Carrie Crowley, San Francisco Standard, you know where to find him, go read them. 00:27:59.599 --> 00:28:03.599 Just Delosanto, San Jose Mercury News, Splash Considerations. 00:28:03.839 --> 00:28:05.200 Catch y'all later. 00:28:28.079 --> 00:28:34.160 And I'm joined by Alex Stumpf, longtime Pittsburgh Pirate Supporter, and quite frankly, one of the best friends I have in my circle. 00:28:34.319 --> 00:28:39.839 And Alex, this is gonna be the first of many times we talk about happenings around Major League Baseball. 00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:48.400 And we were brainstorming the night before about things we wanted to talk about because we've had a handful of games under our belt now, a lot of different things to talk about. 00:28:48.640 --> 00:28:56.799 And I know you're not in the Bay Area, Alex, and about 1.30 in the morning, there was a 5.0 earthquake in San Jose. 00:28:56.880 --> 00:29:07.680 I felt the reverberation all the way out here in the East Bay, and I say that to say that must have been the news that Connor Griffin is getting called up to the majors for the part you like that transition. 00:29:07.759 --> 00:29:10.319 You you can't don't pretend you don't like that transition. 00:29:11.119 --> 00:29:12.400 Connor

Griffin's here. 00:29:12.559 --> 00:29:14.000 Let's talk about it. 00:29:14.480 --> 00:29:15.279 Yeah, yeah. 00:29:15.359 --> 00:29:20.400 I don't know if I'm gonna bring in a natural disaster in my discussion of Connor Griffin. 00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:21.519 I know that. 00:29:21.839 --> 00:29:25.519 Yeah, the top prospect in the game is getting called up. 00:29:25.759 --> 00:29:31.519 He is as good as advertised from what I have seen. 00:29:31.599 --> 00:29:36.480 I mean, we're gonna have to see it at the major league level, but like he earned this promotion. 00:29:36.559 --> 00:29:40.160 He has earned a spot on a big league roster before his 20th birthday. 00:29:40.319 --> 00:29:44.480 I think that says everything you need to know about the guy right there. 00:29:44.640 --> 00:29:49.119 Yeah, like he's he's a baby, except you look at him and he's built like a tight end. 00:29:49.359 --> 00:29:53.759 Like, if he was gonna suit up for the Steelers this offseason, no one would blink an eye. 00:29:53.839 --> 00:30:03.440 Like, he's a huge dude with these physical gifts, and he's got a good head on his shoulder to be humbled by, he's got a drive to build on those gifts. 00:30:03.519 --> 00:30:13.119 Like, there are a lot of people that you know we've known that maybe have been their right arm or you know, their bat has been kissed by the baseball gods, and that's all they you know end up doing. 00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:16.480 It's like, no, I see drive, I see what you want. 00:30:16.640 --> 00:30:31.599 Like, I I think maybe his promotion or his recognition as the game's top prospect may have been a little premature at the time, but I think everyone who was around him just saw like, no, he is just going to keep getting better. 00:30:31.680 --> 00:30:33.680 Like, you may be early, but you're not wrong here. 00:30:34.079 --> 00:30:39.279 Dude, some of the some of the comps I was seeing this like in spring training were getting like crazier and crazier. 00:30:39.359 --> 00:30:42.799 And I was like, I was like, are we just gonna call him like the next Willie Mays at this point? 00:30:42.880 --> 00:30:44.400 Because it's like that's like the natural stuff. 00:30:44.559 --> 00:30:49.039 Like, you think I'm exaggerating, but like I was seeing like Mike Trout and like Bobby Witt Jr. 00:30:49.200 --> 00:30:59.759 And I'm like, nope, like if you're like there are really smart people saying these words, and I'm not just gonna assume they're maybe a little bit of hyperbole, but like I'm not gonna assume it's all based on hyperbole. 00:30:59.839 --> 00:31:06.160 If you have this many smart people saying this many great things, they're probably alright to some extent. 00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:13.519 Yeah, and I I will admit I am a bit of a pessimist in nature, and I have seen many uh That's news to me. 00:31:13.759 --> 00:31:17.839 Yeah, many a pirate, you know, prospect come up and not hit the ground running. 00:31:17.920 --> 00:31:23.839 So like I I wrote about that a little bit, you know, just like what is the plan B if this isn't perfect? 00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:25.359 What if he is not ready? 00:31:25.519 --> 00:31:28.319 What if you brace yourself for this? 00:31:28.480 --> 00:31:32.400 A 19-year-old is not the best version of himself quite yet. 00:31:32.640 --> 00:31:34.240 Hold on, I gotta put down the mic. 00:31:34.480 --> 00:31:35.599 Yeah, yeah. 00:31:39.599 --> 00:31:42.559 Yeah, what if a 19-year-old isn't immediately a future Hall of Famer? 00:31:42.640 --> 00:31:46.720 Whoa, that's what a shocking yeah, I've never heard that before. 00:31:47.039 --> 00:31:52.000 Yeah, and and I have some trepidations with that. 00:31:52.079 --> 00:31:54.880 Like, he's gonna come up with basically no safety net. 00:31:55.119 --> 00:31:57.039 I don't know if he's quite ready yet. 00:31:57.200 --> 00:32:01.759 He was eaten up by Major League Fastball's all-spring training, is what it is. 00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:08.319 Um that was also the first time he saw like Major League Fastball, so I'm not gonna hold that much against him. 00:32:08.400 --> 00:32:10.640 I think this is stuff that he could learn. 00:32:11.200 --> 00:32:13.279 He's gonna still grow, he's still gonna develop. 00:32:13.519 --> 00:32:28.720 I think in a perfect world, you would have given him more time in triple A to develop, but they're gung-ho about that that PPI and getting a draft pick and you know, everything that he could potentially bring. 00:32:28.799 --> 00:32:34.640 The pirates need an impact player on that left side of the infield, and he is basically their only option with respect to Jared Triolo. 00:32:35.200 --> 00:32:37.839 And that that that's utility gold glover, Jared Triolo. 00:32:38.079 --> 00:32:47.279 And yes, that's actually an interesting point that you bring up with the PPI and the potential draft pick compensation, is that there's obviously been a lot of discussion about him signing a contract extension. 00:32:47.359 --> 00:32:54.079 You know, again, I'm not gonna pretend like I'm in the know-how here, but I've seen, you know, I think the Pirates want it closer to what Corbin Carroll got. 00:32:54.160 --> 00:32:59.440 I think, you know, the reporting is that you know, he wants it closer to what Roman Anthony got. 00:32:59.519 --> 00:33:04.400 And but regardless of what that contract looks like, if he signs that, they lose that draft pick conversation. 00:33:04.480 --> 00:33:05.279 Is that correct? 00:33:05.599 --> 00:33:09.119 Yeah, if he debuts and then he signs, they're eligible. 00:33:09.200 --> 00:33:12.240 But if he would have signed and then gotten caught up. 00:33:12.400 --> 00:33:15.440 So, like, this was always gonna be how it goes. 00:33:15.519 --> 00:33:23.279 Like, if he would have made the opening day team, then this contract would have happened, you know, a couple days after or in April or whenever. 00:33:23.440 --> 00:33:29.680 For what it's worth, I think there's a pretty good chance that this contract

does end up coming together, just based off of everything I've heard. 00:33:30.000 --> 00:33:40.400 Do you think that, you know, this is this goes back to 2022, the the home opener where well, I guess technically the Cabrian contract happened the actual opening day in St. 00:33:40.480 --> 00:33:46.960 Louis, but do you think that you know tomorrow we're getting a press conference for a Connor Gribbon extension, or is that a little too premature? 00:33:47.279 --> 00:33:49.200 A little too premature, I think. 00:33:49.359 --> 00:33:53.599 I mean, just I don't know exactly where they are in negotiations. 00:33:53.920 --> 00:33:57.680 I I would be shocked if it happened right now. 00:33:57.839 --> 00:34:00.240 I wouldn't be shocked if it happens in April, though. 00:34:00.559 --> 00:34:02.319 I mean, it's it's a long month. 00:34:02.640 --> 00:34:03.759 I mean, it'd be fun. 00:34:03.920 --> 00:34:05.279 It'd certainly be fun if it happened. 00:34:05.359 --> 00:34:14.719 Like, I again to your point too, like I wouldn't be shocked, and we're gonna get into the Cooper Pratt and the Colt Emerson contract extensions in a second, but I want to go back to a conversation we had. 00:34:14.800 --> 00:34:17.360 I think it was July 2024. 00:34:17.519 --> 00:34:23.199 I remember this, it was the same day that uh the United States beat France in uh the Olympics in the basketball game. 00:34:23.280 --> 00:34:25.679 We were watching that in your hotel before Pirates Dodgers. 00:34:25.760 --> 00:34:30.880 Uh, I wasn't covering the Pirates at the time, I just happened to be in LA and I said, Hey, I got my BBWAA card. 00:34:30.960 --> 00:34:33.679 Let me go see Paul Skeens at Dodg Stadium. 00:34:33.920 --> 00:34:43.920 And it was near the trade deadline, it was like sometime close to the trade deadline, and one of like the biggest vacancies the pirates had at the time was center field, and this was before O'Neill moved out there. 00:34:44.159 --> 00:34:50.960 And we were just talking about like what could the Pirates like hypothetically package together to get like a decent center fielder. 00:34:51.039 --> 00:34:53.840 And I think the guy that we circle was like Louis Robert Jr. 00:34:54.159 --> 00:35:00.719 And I just, you know, I hadn't been, you know, as in tune to the intermachinations of the pirate system at that time. 00:35:00.800 --> 00:35:04.400 So I just said, like, what if they can't have Connor Griffin's part of that deal? 00:35:04.639 --> 00:35:06.480 And you like instantly shot it down. 00:35:06.559 --> 00:35:09.760 You were like, this guy has like if everything hits right, like MVP upside. 00:35:09.840 --> 00:35:12.159 I was like, MVP upside, like who is this? 00:35:12.239 --> 00:35:18.559 Like, I know the name, but like what is he doing to warrant because I know like you said, you're not a guy that's gonna like warrant that praise. 00:35:18.639 --> 00:35:20.480 And I'm like, okay, like let's see what he does. 00:35:20.719 --> 00:35:22.880 And then we see

everything that he does. 00:35:23.039 --> 00:35:24.000 So I'll throw it over to you. 00:35:24.079 --> 00:35:34.320 Like, for those of the listeners who may not be familiar, like when you had the opportunity to watch him, evaluate him, talk with folks, like what were the the tools that really jumped out to you the most? 00:35:34.400 --> 00:35:37.679 Or is there not one tool that jumps out because there's several that jump out? 00:35:38.079 --> 00:35:43.119 I mean, it's not necessarily a tool, but explosiveness is what I'm gonna come with. 00:35:43.360 --> 00:35:44.079 Just like that first step. 00:35:44.480 --> 00:35:45.199 We can call it a tool. 00:35:45.280 --> 00:35:46.159 We'll call it a tool. 00:35:46.400 --> 00:35:50.480 Yeah, I mean, I guess you could say speed, but like that's not what I mean though. 00:35:50.639 --> 00:35:53.920 Like, there's an explosiveness whenever he leaves a batter's box. 00:35:54.000 --> 00:35:59.920 There's an explosive explosiveness whenever he is trying to get a ball in the hole from shortstop. 00:36:00.000 --> 00:36:07.599 Like, there's just that first step everywhere is I I've never seen a first step like that. 00:36:07.920 --> 00:36:13.360 Like, it's something that just instantaneous, he is ready to go. 00:36:13.920 --> 00:36:34.400 And there's also, I mean, there's a ton of things to like about his game, to like about his swing, to like about how his approach on the bass paths, but like that first instinct from the if you were taking film on it, like that first frame, you're going to see something that I don't think you guys see from a lot of other people. 00:36:35.199 --> 00:36:40.320 And that's really what stands out and why I think he is so highly touted. 00:36:40.719 --> 00:36:46.079 Yeah, and I think it is saying something that this isn't exactly like a weak like prospect class right now. 00:36:46.159 --> 00:36:51.199 Like the the fact that like he the fact that like he's number one and you have like JJ in St. 00:36:51.360 --> 00:36:54.320 Louis, you got the why am I blanking on his name? 00:36:54.400 --> 00:36:55.440 Who's the shortstop in Detroit? 00:36:55.519 --> 00:36:57.039 Why am I my Persach's gonna kill me? 00:36:57.119 --> 00:36:58.320 Why am I blanking on his name stump? 00:36:58.480 --> 00:36:58.880 What's his name? 00:36:59.039 --> 00:36:59.599 McGonagall? 00:36:59.760 --> 00:37:00.559 McGonagall. 00:37:00.719 --> 00:37:02.719 I was I was just completely blanking out for that. 00:37:04.639 --> 00:37:05.760 Great podcast moment right there. 00:37:05.840 --> 00:37:08.800 And then you got Chase Delauer in in the Cleveland too. 00:37:08.880 --> 00:37:13.199 Like, there's a lot of great prospects in the game right now, and the fact that he's number one is saying something. 00:37:13.360 --> 00:37:31.199 And I kind of want to, you know, get a little macroscopic when it comes to this conversation too, because you know, is it f I think it's fair to say that like this is like either last year or this year, like this is like probably one of the most important seasons in Pittsburgh Pirates baseball in quite a while. 00:37:31.360 --> 00:37:40.960 Um, I don't know if the vibe is quite playoff robust yet, but again, like that the Paul Skins clock is ticking, and it is an aggressive move. 00:37:41.280 --> 00:37:45.360 It might be one where you know he spends a couple weeks here and he might he just might not be ready. 00:37:45.440 --> 00:37:47.119 Like that, like that's also a reality. 00:37:47.199 --> 00:37:50.320 Like we saw it with Jackson Holiday, like he just was not quite ready for the majors. 00:37:50.639 --> 00:38:03.360 But if this hits and if he's just like a solid major leaguer, their floor and their ceiling through the roof, like not through the roof, but exponentially better than what it is without him. 00:38:03.679 --> 00:38:08.079 Yeah, I mean they like I said, they needed an impact player on the left side of the infield. 00:38:08.239 --> 00:38:10.880 Like they brought in Brandon Lau, he's gonna help at second base. 00:38:10.960 --> 00:38:12.960 Ryan O'Hearn has been great. 00:38:13.280 --> 00:38:23.599 Uh they made those additions with Paul Skins kind of in mind of like maximizing that window, and Griffin coming up is also part of that. 00:38:23.679 --> 00:38:41.199 I I can't ignore the fact that if there was no Paul Skins, if this was the 2022 Pittsburgh Parts, you know, you were there where when O'Neal Cruz was having a great spring training in 2022 and you didn't make the team, and even though no one could explicitly say it was like, yeah, this team ain't it. 00:38:41.360 --> 00:38:45.280 This came I mean that's that's really what it is at the end of the year. 00:38:45.440 --> 00:38:45.920 They lost 100%. 00:38:47.119 --> 00:38:53.599 If they thought that they were competitive in 2022, I'm sure we would have seen you know O'Neal in March or April of that year. 00:38:53.920 --> 00:38:57.760 Instead, we saw him in June, whenever that was. 00:38:57.920 --> 00:39:03.920 So in 2026, they obviously feel like they have a much better shot, and we are seeing Connor. 00:39:05.039 --> 00:39:08.239 And I think you mentioning O'Neal, I think this is a good transition. 00:39:08.320 --> 00:39:17.599 And again, I covered the Pirates, so like naturally, like I know a lot more about pirates than the other team, but I think O'Neal is like one of my biggest curiosities for the 2026 season. 00:39:17.679 --> 00:39:25.840 I I wrote down the buckos as a whole, like all caps, but like O'Neill specifically, and obviously he had three homers in his first six games, is two of them were off lefties. 00:39:26.880 --> 00:39:37.360 You know this as much as I do, like the talent, like he if you wanted to argue like he's the most talented player in baseball, like it's not like if you said that, I wouldn't immediately like scoff at you. 00:39:37.440 --> 00:39:46.800 Like it's legitimate, no, no, he's it's he's in the tier of like tattoos and judge of like

theoretically could do anything at any time. 00:39:47.039 --> 00:39:51.039 Yeah, and people like that you know just look at production are gonna hear that and be like, what are you talking about? 00:39:51.119 --> 00:40:00.239 But like it's legitimate, like for his entire career, he's had legitimate 40-40 upside, and uh we've seen the lowlights in previous seasons. 00:40:00.320 --> 00:40:18.960 We saw the lowlights on the first game of the season, and you know, I I'm not expecting him to like be a gold glove level defender or even just like a league average defender, but for me, just like looking at him, it's like can he get competent enough just with his hit tool, with his field tool, to let everything else shine? 00:40:19.039 --> 00:40:21.599 Like that's been the whole discussion with him for his entire career game. 00:40:21.920 --> 00:40:32.480 But as much as the 2026 Pirates ceiling is you know kind of dependent on how good Connor Griffin plays, I think it's also really dependent on whether O'Neal really, you know, we see that 40. 00:40:32.800 --> 00:40:34.159 I don't want to say 40-40 version. 00:40:34.239 --> 00:40:37.039 That's just like not fair of to like say that on somebody. 00:40:37.199 --> 00:40:39.599 But like, which version of O'Neal do we see? 00:40:39.679 --> 00:40:51.840 Do we see like the one that really taps into potential finally, or do we just see the guy that we've gotten the last couple seasons, which is still like a competent major league player, but you know, considering the tools, it's you know, it's been a bit of uh underwhelming. 00:40:52.000 --> 00:40:53.920 It's the left out, it's it's what it is. 00:40:54.079 --> 00:40:55.920 Like, and that's the frustrating part of him. 00:40:56.000 --> 00:41:01.280 Like, even though, like you said, he's hit the three home runs and he hit two against lefties, and he only hit one against lefties last year. 00:41:01.360 --> 00:41:04.000 And look at that strength he, you know, those strides he's making. 00:41:04.159 --> 00:41:16.320 And then he loses fly balls in the sun, and then he just absolutely misplays a line drive to center because he takes his first step in instead of taking the first step back, like they teach us in Little League. 00:41:16.480 --> 00:41:19.599 So there are just so many things that are are frustrating like that. 00:41:19.760 --> 00:41:26.159 I I don't think he is ever going to fully reach that you know potential to get that way. 00:41:26.320 --> 00:41:30.320 But I mean, like it was seemingly boundless, like you said, the tools. 00:41:30.400 --> 00:41:34.800 No one's hit a ball harder than him, no position player has thrown a ball harder than him. 00:41:36.079 --> 00:41:41.679 I think that kind of shows that like he has the potential to be theoretically one of the best. 00:41:42.480 --> 00:41:43.360 Honestly, the best. 00:41:43.519 --> 00:41:45.840 Like that's like that's legitimately the ceiling. 00:41:46.079 --> 00:41:50.800 Yeah, like there was I mean, I remember this conversation with you like 22-23. 00:41:50.880 --> 00:41:56.559 I'm like, if there is anyone on this team that has a a chance to be like a Hall of Famer, it's him. 00:41:57.519 --> 00:42:00.400 Yeah, and like Yeah, and we don't say that lightly. 00:42:00.480 --> 00:42:04.960 Like, this is like you know, I remember 2023, we were in Philly. 00:42:05.199 --> 00:42:09.039 Um, he wasn't playing, he was injured, but he was just taking batting practice. 00:42:09.119 --> 00:42:12.000 And I said, I'm gonna go up to the third deck. 00:42:12.239 --> 00:42:14.800 I'm just gonna I I feel like he's gonna hit one here. 00:42:14.880 --> 00:42:15.760 Like, I feel like he can. 00:42:15.840 --> 00:42:21.760 And I like it, like I had that thought during batting practice, so I literally sprinted, like, I got up the elevator. 00:42:21.840 --> 00:42:40.480 I sprinted all the way to the third deck, and like I'm just videotaping him, and like he hits one like five feet to the left of me, like easy power, and like the speed, he doesn't quite have that same when you talk about burst, he doesn't have like the same burst as Griffin, but like it takes him a while to get going, but like when he gets going, he's going, and then like the arm, it's like a cannon. 00:42:41.199 --> 00:42:45.599 So we've seen it in burst, but that's all it's been so far. 00:42:45.760 --> 00:42:46.000 Burst. 00:42:46.159 --> 00:42:48.719 Uh dependabo on the the Bucko conversation. 00:42:49.440 --> 00:42:58.000 Generally speaking, aside from Connor, aside from O'Neal, who are maybe the one or two guys who can impact the Pirates at the Major League, uh, aside from Paul Skeens. 00:42:58.079 --> 00:42:59.119 I don't think we need to say Paul Scheme. 00:42:59.280 --> 00:43:02.239 Yeah, Bubba Chandler and Braxton Ashcraft. 00:43:02.719 --> 00:43:03.199 Dogs. 00:43:03.519 --> 00:43:03.679 Yeah. 00:43:03.840 --> 00:43:06.719 Bubba's a dog is a dog. 00:43:06.880 --> 00:43:16.079 He he has a tendency to just try to punch himself out of bad situations with the fastball, and like you can do that every once in a while. 00:43:16.159 --> 00:43:18.239 He's got the good off speed and secondary stuff. 00:43:18.320 --> 00:43:19.519 I'd like to see him use it. 00:43:19.599 --> 00:43:21.840 I I'm just chalking it up to development. 00:43:22.079 --> 00:43:40.159 But he has that, you know, lack of a better way of saying it, uh, stinker, you know, risk with him either inning by inning or start by start, just like he could be as hot as you've ever seen him and then just fall out of sync and everything goes sideways right there. 00:43:40.639 --> 00:43:42.480 But the upside is so immense. 00:43:42.559 --> 00:43:46.400 He was once ranked the top pitching prospect in the game for a brief period of time. 00:43:46.639 --> 00:43:48.559 You could see why whenever you watch him pitch. 00:43:48.719 --> 00:43:52.079 And then Braxton, I think, could be the team's number two starter. 00:43:52.320 --> 00:43:59.519 Like, it's

just the injury history and the concern of innings for him, but like that slider is as disgusting a pitch I have. 00:44:00.400 --> 00:44:02.880 Scene it's the best slider on staff. 00:44:02.960 --> 00:44:04.159 It's better than Skeens's. 00:44:04.239 --> 00:44:12.079 Like it's the best slider on staff, and he throws it for in the zone so often in a pitch that moves that much and still could be a called strike. 00:44:12.800 --> 00:44:14.320 It's unfair to hitters. 00:44:14.559 --> 00:44:19.599 Like whenever he started throwing that 40% of the time, that was like the okay, he's he's gotta figure this out. 00:44:19.840 --> 00:44:22.800 So yeah, it's those two guys. 00:44:22.960 --> 00:44:27.119 It's gonna be the pitching that leads this team if this team is going to be competitive. 00:44:27.440 --> 00:44:31.360 And with respect to like Mitch Keller, I think we all kind of know who he is. 00:44:31.519 --> 00:44:33.119 He's a solid big leaguer. 00:44:33.280 --> 00:44:35.119 I don't know if he's gonna be an all-star again. 00:44:35.199 --> 00:44:39.280 These other two guys have that type of all-star upside, though. 00:44:39.519 --> 00:44:43.840 We've talked about upside with Bracton Ashcraft, Bubba Chandler, O'Neill Cruz. 00:44:43.920 --> 00:44:47.440 And these are all guys who have shown that upside in the majors. 00:44:47.840 --> 00:44:54.079 Let's talk about guys who have not shown any upside in the major leagues at least, that are getting paid a lot of money. 00:44:54.159 --> 00:45:04.320 And I'm talking about Cooper Pratt, who signed an eight-year, fifth basically$51 million deal with the Milwaukee Brewers, has played like five games at AAA. 00:45:04.800 --> 00:45:11.199 And let's talk about Colt Emerson, eight years 95, who is uh had not made his major league debut yet either. 00:45:11.360 --> 00:45:15.760 And we've this is not like completely unfamiliar territory. 00:45:15.840 --> 00:45:19.280 We saw it, we saw it with Jackson Chorio, we saw it with Luis Robert Jr. 00:45:19.920 --> 00:45:30.559 But when these two types of deals happen like back to back in like the same week, and you you know that you have the Connor Griffin one potentially on the way to it, does make you you think a little bit? 00:45:30.639 --> 00:45:32.639 It's like, is this the new meta? 00:45:33.039 --> 00:45:34.719 Are we going in a new direction? 00:45:35.920 --> 00:45:38.239 I knew you were gonna I had that line prepared. 00:45:38.320 --> 00:45:40.480 I knew you were gonna make a face, but it does make you think a little bit. 00:45:40.559 --> 00:45:45.760 It's like, is this the direction that we might see you know these types of deals going forward? 00:45:45.840 --> 00:45:49.360 And I'll toss it over to you because this was one of your big things from this first week of baseball. 00:45:49.440 --> 00:45:56.000 Like just what are your overall thoughts on you know, two guys signing deals before making their major league debut in the same week? 00:45:56.079 --> 00:46:02.159 And also, what what are the dynamics of making 95 mil when you're in triple A and haven't made your debut either? 00:46:02.400 --> 00:46:04.559 That's just a random thought I want to throw out there, too. 00:46:04.800 --> 00:46:06.239 Yeah, I mean it's not just them. 00:46:06.480 --> 00:46:10.800 I mean, we like I said, I expect a Conor Griffin contract to eventually come together. 00:46:11.280 --> 00:46:14.960 We saw the reports on JJ Weatherholt, you know, and and the Cardinals, maybe. 00:46:15.039 --> 00:46:17.760 So it's not just not career enough for the WBC teams, yeah, by the way. 00:46:17.840 --> 00:46:18.960 I just want to throw that out there. 00:46:20.400 --> 00:46:21.199 Yeah, you know what? 00:46:21.280 --> 00:46:22.719 He he made the Mars PA team. 00:46:22.800 --> 00:46:26.239 Him and Ben Nar, you know, are gonna be on there. 00:46:26.480 --> 00:46:37.039 But yeah, that's I remember whenever these contracts first started coming out, it was for players who were still in that pre-Arb window and getting it done before arbitration really hit. 00:46:37.280 --> 00:46:39.679 Like Andrew McCutcheon and Starling Marte. 00:46:41.119 --> 00:46:48.000 I'm just uh gonna take the pirates lens here, but then we saw Mike Trout sign his contract before he was arbitration eligible. 00:46:48.079 --> 00:46:57.440 We saw uh a lot of guys across the league go go this route, but they all had some level of major league success. 00:46:57.679 --> 00:47:00.000 We've seen it with a lot of A's too, which different situations. 00:47:01.280 --> 00:47:05.360 That's the type of contract we're used to seeing where like they played and then they sign the deal. 00:47:05.440 --> 00:47:10.400 Like it's not this, at least at least most of the most of the time. 00:47:11.599 --> 00:47:15.679 And now I guess teams just have to assume more risk to get these type of contracts. 00:47:15.760 --> 00:47:24.159 Like, I think you you use the word meta for it, but like it might have to be just like it's always a hedged bet. 00:47:24.239 --> 00:47:30.239 It's the player being like, Okay, I'll take another bite of the apple later, give me my guaranteed generational wealth. 00:47:30.960 --> 00:47:48.559 And players seem to be less willing to do that whenever they have that year or two, and they see you know arbitration with insight, they're not too far away, and teams are instead meeting them where they are of like either whenever they're still in the minor leagues yet to debut or whenever they just debut. 00:47:48.880 --> 00:47:56.159 And honestly, those contracts for players who sign before they debut haven't really worked out, uh, by and large. 00:47:56.239 --> 00:48:01.199 Like Jackson Cherio looks like a pretty good deal, but John Singleton didn't work out. 00:48:01.360 --> 00:48:03.519 And uh who was it, Evan White? 00:48:03.599 --> 00:48:07.679 Like there are a handful of guys who who do, and then they just flame out. 00:48:07.840 --> 00:48:17.360 And you could say, well, good

for the player, they got their contract right there, and it wasn't too detrimental to the team because they knew the risk that was coming along. 00:48:17.440 --> 00:48:25.360 So these were contracts that were usually in like$20,$30 million range, uh, like Jimenez for the White Sox and Robert. 00:48:25.679 --> 00:48:29.920 I I know Robert made a little more and he had his option picked up, so he made a lot more. 00:48:30.079 --> 00:48:44.559 But like there's not a ton of risk there, and instead, we're talking long, biggest contract of franchise history for Connor Griffin, who, if he signs it, will have at most a couple weeks of Major League experience, I imagine. 00:48:44.719 --> 00:48:54.639 That is a tremendous risk compared to like Brian Reynolds, who currently holds the record, who was an all-star by that point, who had four years of major league service time at that point. 00:48:54.719 --> 00:48:57.679 Like, it's a completely different scenario. 00:48:58.079 --> 00:49:06.079 And I'm wondering what happens whenever one or two of these busts for teams, like, do they do they just write this off? 00:49:06.239 --> 00:49:14.800 Do they become less common, or do they have to continue to meet players where they are and and hope and just hope that they're right on this? 00:49:15.679 --> 00:49:31.679 Because the main thing with Connor Griffin, I'll say here, they could have kept him in the minors until July and had six and a half years in control compared to the eight years they're gonna have right now, and he is not going to make that$100 million through arbitration with the pirates. 00:49:31.840 --> 00:49:37.920 So it's like, is that really worth that all that money for one and a half years in an option year you tacked on at the back end? 00:49:38.239 --> 00:49:40.159 You could argue not really. 00:49:41.760 --> 00:49:49.840 Yeah, it's like like you said, with like Singleton and Evan White, like and again, Churio and Robert, like this isn't like something that's completely different. 00:49:50.000 --> 00:49:58.239 I think it is important to contextualize this in like the grander scheme of like the CBA about to expire and like the all the uncertainty that's are like that's surrounding it. 00:49:58.320 --> 00:50:12.960 And when I was reading uh Ken Rosenthal's piece, friend of the program, Ken Rosenthal, um, in uh about this subject, like the one line that really stuck out, and I have it written down right here, is they water down future free agent markets, seemingly weakening the argument for cap. 00:50:13.119 --> 00:50:15.519 And like that was one of the points where I was just like, hmm. 00:50:15.760 --> 00:50:26.559 Like, I don't think like players are gonna take this into the the meetings and say, like, this is a reason like why we don't need a salary cap, but it's just one of those points like, hmm, like you kind of write that down, you just jot it down. 00:50:26.880 --> 00:50:30.400 One of the things I'm a Pittsburgh boy, we've got the penguins here. 00:50:30.559 --> 00:50:35.599 Pittsburgh is a relatively small market as far as hockey markets go. 00:50:35.840 --> 00:50:43.119 We were blessed to have Sidney Crosby, Evgeny Malkin, and Chris Letang spend their entire careers in Pittsburgh. 00:50:43.280 --> 00:50:46.239 That would not have been happy, it happened happened in Pittsburgh. 00:50:46.559 --> 00:50:57.199 Like one of the things, one of the reasons why we always hear the Paul Skeens trade talk is that knowing that he's not going to sign an extension, and there is a clock on how long he is going to be in Pittsburgh. 00:50:57.360 --> 00:51:11.760 And even if they do sign Connor Griffin to an extension, and like I said, only extend that clock, you know, another year and a half, two and a half years, whatever it ends up being, it does kind of set a line of like this is a face of the franchise. 00:51:11.920 --> 00:51:18.239 Every team wants to have those stars, those marketable people, those people that they can build a clubhouse around. 00:51:18.559 --> 00:51:24.000 And that I think is a big point that the owners want to have for advocating for a cap. 00:51:24.079 --> 00:51:26.960 Like it wouldn't have happened with the Pittsburgh Penguins without a cap. 00:51:27.679 --> 00:51:34.239 Players could argue, like, you know, like, well, there are ways to keep players here for a long time. 00:51:34.480 --> 00:51:39.039 There is no question who the face of the Kansas City Royals are is gonna be for the next decade. 00:51:39.119 --> 00:51:40.400 It is Bobby Witt Jr. 00:51:40.719 --> 00:51:47.360 And they met because the player was willing to meet the team and they were able to come to a compromise right there. 00:51:47.679 --> 00:51:51.199 So we're going to see, I guess, what it comes down to. 00:51:51.280 --> 00:52:05.599 Like, I think that you know, having that face, being able to retain stars is going to be something that owners are going to argue in in favor of keeping a cap, but there are a lot of ways to do that, and maybe this is an avenue for teams to do that. 00:52:05.840 --> 00:52:10.960 I wrote Connor Griffin's gonna be the most important player in the pirates organization as soon as he signs that extension. 00:52:11.280 --> 00:52:22.719 Yeah, and the one point I'll make too is like I am never gonna knock a 21, 22, no, 23-year-old for being offered what amounts to generational wealth. 00:52:22.880 --> 00:52:24.559 Like, this is like life-changing money. 00:52:24.639 --> 00:52:32.480 Like, if someone like, especially if you're just played three, like five in the case of Cooper Pratt, like five games in triple A, and someone's like, here's$50 million. 00:52:33.199 --> 00:52:37.440 I I'm never gonna get on a player for turning down that type of money. 00:52:37.519 --> 00:52:46.960 Like, yeah, but like you could do the potential, like, is there risk on their end in the sense that they outperform their value and they end up getting underpaid? 00:52:47.039 --> 00:52:54.000 Like, yeah,

we've seen this in a obviously different set of circumstances, but we saw this with Ozzy Albys and Ronald Acuna Jr. 00:52:54.239 --> 00:53:03.679 And even if you want to take like a Giants example, like Madison Baumgarner, like there are examples of players, you know, signing these types of deals and end up being underpaid. 00:53:03.840 --> 00:53:04.559 Like, that's the reality. 00:53:04.639 --> 00:53:05.440 Like, it's a business. 00:53:05.519 --> 00:53:07.840 Like, we talk about surplus value. 00:53:08.079 --> 00:53:16.079 Um, but again, at the end of the day, like I'm not gonna get on Cooper Pratt, I'm not gonna get on Colt Emerson for saying like this is the type of deal that I want to take. 00:53:16.159 --> 00:53:21.679 Because again, it is life-changing money, and if they end up not performing, they have that in the bank. 00:53:21.760 --> 00:53:27.840 If they end up do performing and you know, they don't get what their value amounts to, there's always an opportunity to make it up later. 00:53:28.000 --> 00:53:36.639 Like, but you know, squeezing like potential maximum value, you know, I really I think that did play a factor in both of these deals. 00:53:36.719 --> 00:53:41.360 I think they did have to think about it, but again, I'm not gonna say like Cooper Pratt, why are you signing this deal? 00:53:41.440 --> 00:53:45.039 You could have made so much more eight years from now. 00:53:45.920 --> 00:53:46.800 It's like Kyle Shanahan. 00:53:46.960 --> 00:53:48.239 Or he could have made nothing. 00:53:48.400 --> 00:53:49.519 He could have made nothing. 00:53:49.599 --> 00:53:50.880 It's like what Kyle Shanahan said. 00:53:50.960 --> 00:53:55.360 Like, I can't guarantee who's gonna be on the roster tomorrow because I can't guarantee we're gonna be alive tomorrow. 00:53:55.519 --> 00:53:56.559 Very different example. 00:53:59.840 --> 00:54:03.519 That's a healthy dose of nihilism after I talked. 00:54:04.320 --> 00:54:05.840 Penguins best case scenario. 00:54:06.000 --> 00:54:08.400 Hey man, state of the world, you need a little bit of nihilism. 00:54:09.199 --> 00:54:12.079 It's only appropriate to have a little bit of it in the bank. 00:54:12.239 --> 00:54:14.239 Anyway, Alex, where can we find your work? 00:54:14.559 --> 00:54:24.400 You can find me at AlexJ Stumpf on Twitter, and I've got a podcast with North Shore 9 called Off Beat and a newsletter on Substack called Book Rule Bucks. 00:54:25.039 --> 00:54:26.079 Both are free right now. 00:54:26.239 --> 00:54:27.760 You you and your damn book rule. 00:54:27.920 --> 00:54:30.159 I want to one last point for the for the listeners. 00:54:30.239 --> 00:54:32.559 If you made it this far, you get you get a fun little tidbit. 00:54:32.639 --> 00:54:39.360 Me and Alex have had a cold war for the last like six years about book rule versus ground rule double. 00:54:39.599 --> 00:54:42.480 Yes, I understand that it's technically book rule. 00:54:42.719 --> 00:54:46.800 I'm not calling it I I see just disregard all of this. 00:54:46.880 --> 00:54:48.559 I'm not calling it book rule. 00:54:48.639 --> 00:54:50.079 It's a ground rule double. 00:54:50.480 --> 00:54:55.280 Look, if you want to be wrong, that's your prerogative, but I I don't want to give bad information. 00:54:56.639 --> 00:55:03.039 You can you you and your this generation and their numbers and their rules, taking it verbatim, but anyway. 00:55:03.199 --> 00:55:04.480 I'm older than you. 00:55:06.320 --> 00:55:07.440 Spiritually? 00:55:07.599 --> 00:55:08.400 That's the question. 00:55:08.800 --> 00:55:09.920 Spiritually, yes. 00:55:11.360 --> 00:55:12.800 But Alex, this was a lot of fun. 00:55:12.880 --> 00:55:14.960 I'm looking forward to doing this over the course of the season. 00:55:15.039 --> 00:55:20.400 I'm sure we'll have a lot more amusings around Major League Baseball to talk about over the next couple weeks and months. 00:55:20.559 --> 00:55:22.639 Justice Delos Santos, Alex J. 00:55:22.800 --> 00:55:24.559 Stump, splash considerations. 00:55:25.119 --> 00:55:26.320 Catch y'all later.