00:00:00
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00:01:02
Speaker 2: We'll see you to welcome Flimy hang Out Tuesday four, twenty April twentieth Peter Apple, Jack McMullen with you. Peter is dressed like the European tourist who is looking for the iHeart New York shirt in like Jacksonville, Florida.
00:01:33
Speaker 1: Like see, that's that's so unfair because this shirt. We got to let the people know. This shirt I'm wearing right now Jordan stripes. Yeah, it's pretty, it's pretty bold. We got some We got some Knicks colors with the Knicks are actually better than the Yankees right now, which I haven't said since probably nineteen forty two. Yeah, and yeah, it's it's a little bright. But you know Jordan shirt we got in the Nike store on sale.
00:01:56
Speaker 2: Yeah, anything good happening, like anything could happen in nineteen forty two. I know Columbus sealed the Ocean blue in fourteen ninety two, so you just gotta jumble up those numbers a little bit. Nineteen forty two. I'm not sure what's going on, but yeah, that shirt just screams tourists for me. Peter Apple gonna learn how to get his face a little bit farther away from the mic so he doesn't sound crazy over modded for this episode we're trying to do. Yeah, we got we got a good rundown today. We're gonna start with Dodgers Padres because holy crap, that series, dude, Oh my god. Uh Yeah, we're gonna eulogize. We're gonna give a eulogy for Jay Bruce's career. Not Jay Bruce. He's got a lot of life left ahead of him. And then we're gonna kind of talk about Jacob de Gram's dominance as well, because like, why not, he's yeah story every time he takes the mound, and then your Yankees sucks. So I've got a business proposition for you. But let's start with Dodgers Padres. Your immediate reaction to that hell of a series.
00:02:55
Speaker 1: What a series, What a goddamn series. The Padre ended up losing too out of three. The Dodgers won the first two games of the series, and then we had a thriller yesterday. I mean, I feel like Eric Cosmer kind of summed it up best right in his quote. I think the whole baseball world was locked in on this series, and for good measure, you know, I mean it was. It's the meeting of the two best teams in baseball in my opinion, and they showed out. And the great part about it is it's not over. They play again on Thursday. So Fernando Tatis Junior probably the biggest star of this series, right, I mean, I don't know, man, Yeah, Kershaw seeger Kershaw Bueler, Yeah, but Fernando Tatis Junior is maybe supposed to be the biggest star. He's on the cover of MLB The Show, which comes out today MLB The Show twenty one. But he's hitting one twenty nine for the season so far. He had one single hit in the series, it was a home run, but then he didn't do much after that. Did you notice anything from Tatis? Was good to see him back from injury.
00:04:03
Speaker 2: Yeah, I noticed that he was coming back from injury a bit prematurely. And it's a shoulder thing, so it's gonna hinder your swing like that. That is the knock, right, That's why the average is where it is if he was one hundred percent healthy, Like, he is too talented a baseball player to be hitting sub one p fifty. But that's just the beast to early twenty twenty one for Fernando Tatist Junior. He screwed his shoulder up, so now he's hurting from that. It's gonna get back to even He's gonna get back to even water probably by the time Thursday hits and they go for round two. Tatis is okay?
00:04:36
Speaker 1: I mean he's hitting with a dislocated shoulder. I don't I'm just not sure why they're rushing him back so fast at all. I get it. You want to see him for the series. But this guy may need surgery.
00:04:45
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, and apparently he's been dealing with it for a couple of years.
00:04:49
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:04:49
Speaker 2: What I find interesting is even with a depleted Fernando tatist Junior. Here's a note from Alvin Gonzalez's article on ESPN of the thirty innings that the Rogers and Padres played this weekend game was separated by two or fewer runs in twenty seven of the thirty innings with a not one hundred percent Fernando Tatis Junior, who is far and away the best player on this Padres team, which is stacked with fantastic players.
00:05:18
Speaker 1: It was really good to see Trent Grisham come back.
00:05:20
Speaker 2: Yeah, and Eric Hosmers show up and be big time. I like this series. Everybody was saying I saw a World Series was trending during Saturday's game or Sunday's game, and like, okay, well they can't play in the World Series. But what I found so interesting was, like this really did feel like a matchup in October, because you had Trevor Bauer dishing out warrior cries at the end of innings, you had Manny Machado lighting him on fire, you had Clayton Kershaw show legitimate anger for the first time ever, and you had plays that were just huge and you knew it when they happened. A diving grab by Mooki to seal a win is a huge play any time of the year. But unless you are hear me out, unless you are the best rivalry in baseball at this exact moment in time, late RBI singles from Eric Hosmer don't seem that big until the postseason, because two RBI singles late in games in April meant something that shows you that this series is freaking legit, dude.
00:06:26
Speaker 1: I also wanted to touch upon that that rivalry within the rivalry Trevor Bauer versus Manny.
00:06:32
Speaker 2: Machado, Well, it's not even a rivalry.
00:06:35
Speaker 1: It's really not even a rivalry. I mean, if we're looking at just how well Manny Machado has done off of Trevor Bauer in the past. When I mean Trevor Bauer pitched from the Indians pitch for the Padres Many, Machada was able to face him pretty much every single outing that he was able to do. He's hitting eight five eighty eight with four bombs and seventeen at bats. And the funny thing, it's not just the rivalry, is that, of course Trevor Bauer comes out and at the beginning saying we're going to change the script this year. This is a new me, you know. And then Man Machado has two hits to start the game and he crushed him for singles, which I thought, I was just pretty pretty funny to see.
00:07:15
Speaker 2: You see what Bauer said after his start, No what he somebody asked about that matchup with Machado and he said, well, I kept him in the ballpark this time, so I guess we're improving.
00:07:24
Speaker 1: Yeah, but like Trevor Bauer, don't come at the beginning of the game and say we're going to change his script. This is now over and then kind of play the funny guy after be like, oh I kept him in the park. Yeah, dominate or dumb.
00:07:38
Speaker 2: Before we move on, I want to walk through the pitching matchups starting this Thursday in a four game set.
00:07:44
Speaker 1: Let's do it.
00:07:45
Speaker 2: Thursday is you Darvish and Walker Hueler m Appointment Television. Friday is Blake Snell and Clayton kershaw Ooh Appointment Television Saturday is Joe Muskrove and Trevor Bauer.
00:08:01
Speaker 1: This is I mean moaning because these are the two best teams in baseball, and you can make arguments that all of these pitchers that are pitching are all at least top twenty pitchers in baseball, and they all get to face each other, and it seems like it's gonna start happening every other week. With MLB COVID rules, they only play the teams of their division. We can get a bunch of games this year of the best pitching matchups possible.
00:08:23
Speaker 2: And Sunday Night is Dustin May, who we've talked about, who's an absolute freak free and either Chris Paddock, who is criminally underrated, or Danelson Lamette. If he starts this Tuesday today, he's coming back from injury. There's a chance he starts today, there's a chance he starts tomorrow. If he starts today, he lines up for that Sunday Night spot. So we could either get May and Lamette or we can get May and Paddock, which will be stupid.
00:08:50
Speaker 1: Regardless, I'd rather have Lamette than Paddock personally. I don't know. If Paddock is criminally underrated, I actually would probably disagree I think there's there's major holes in his in his development so far as a pitcher. I mean, we saw him come up in his rookie hearing. He was phenomenal, but I think maybe hitters have started to adjust to him. I don't think he has that same type of velocity that a power pitcher like him needs. Yeah, so I don't know if he is. I think he's a great trade piece. I think maybe find a different home out of San Diego. I'm a big Dane Nelson Lamette fan. I think he's gonna be so good and you just throws so hard. He reminds me of a what should be closer but is able to put it out through six innings.
00:09:33
Speaker 2: Yeah, I hear you. I'm a big Lamette guy too, And I'm also bigger on Mackenzie Gore than I am Paddock. So I think Paddock like should be the one to go.
00:09:41
Speaker 1: And it's funny we're talking about McKenzie Gore. Mackenzie Gore could end up being the best pitcher on the Padres in a couple of years. Yeah, I'm saying that right now, in like two years. Yeah, I agree, it's but it would we would be remiss if we didn't touch upon the tiny little brawl that happened in the Padres Dodgers series, where if we set the scene Jerkson Profar, he, I don't even know if I can call it a swing, but he technically swung hit the catcher's glove even though the ball was already in the mint. And I looked up the rule rule six point zho one c okay in the handbook. He's very straightforward. If the catcher makes contact with the batter, the batter is entitled the first base. That rule seems like it should be updated a little bit, because that was not fair. Jerkson Profar swung when the ball was already in the mint, and he hit it, and he and then Kershaw's yelling that's a bullshit swing, and jerks in Profar as delegate to shut the fuck up. It was. It was a fantastic little opener to this rivalry, and I think it kind of put it on blast a little bit.
00:10:49
Speaker 2: Hey, not the only rule book that needs to be updated, Am I right? Am I right? America?
00:10:55
Speaker 1: All right, no more politics, no more politics. This is a baseball podcast. That was enough.
00:11:00
Speaker 2: Yeah, let's let's pronounce someone's career dead because it is, let's do it. That's a bomb. Jay Bruce had a hell of a career. He ended a fourteen year career conclusion of at the conclusion of Sunday's Yankees Rais game, in which the Yankees were swept by Tampa. If I'm not yeah, Jay Bruce ends a three time All Star, two times Silver Slugger winner, three hundred and nineteen career home runs, forty nine runs batted in shy of one thousand on his career. He was the former top prospect in Major League Baseball, and he has just under one hundred and three million dollars in career earnings at the major league level.
00:11:42
Speaker 1: Good for you, Jay Bruce. Yeah, good for you, Jay Bruce. We're very happy you had a wonderful career. All reports out of Yankee camp says you're a wonderful dude. You know, we're wishing you the absolute best, Jay Bruce. But Jay Bruce this season was not a major league player. He was in a major league lineup for one of the best major league teams, but he was not a major league player. In thirty four bats, he hit one to eighteen. So, I mean, can you hit a small child's weight two thirty one on base, so he wasn't walking either, and he wasn't hitting for any home runs. He's only slugging four to sixty six. I mean he had in thirty four bats, Like I said, he struck out thirty eight percent of those at bats, and he added four hits. One of them was a home run. But he was batting like fifth he I think he had. He was in the lineup at third, sixth. This lineup is an absolute disaster right now. Cashman came out and said, we're a team that you want to catch right now because we're not firing on all cylinders. All of our strengths are there.
00:12:45
Speaker 2: You're firing on any cylinder we're waiting right.
00:12:48
Speaker 1: They're not firing on The only cylinder that's being fired is the Garrett Cole cylinder. Garrett Cole is still amazing. Under two. We are a striking out guys. One of the top five in the leaderboards and strikeouts to start the season. He's amazing. No problem there. The rest of the team disaster. Jay Bruce started there. You cannot hit one eighteen and be the three hitter of the Yankees, And you say, oh, but then who are they going to replace. Now, Oh, Aaron Hicks, is he a better option? He's almost even worse. It's not a good day to be a Yankee fan. It's not a It's not a good year to be a Yankee fan. I don't see this team developing unless we add a big lefty of the deadline, unless they add a really good starting pitcher, which I don't even know if they will. So this season just could be an absolute wash. And Jay Bruce he's getting a lot of the hurt because I mean, he retired.
00:13:39
Speaker 2: I don't blame him season.
00:13:41
Speaker 1: You kidding, I don't blame him at all. It was like that Bills player that retired at halftime. You remember that. Yeah, No, I think it was the corner for the Colts.
00:13:49
Speaker 2: No, it wasn't good Colts. I thought it was a Bill. It was either a Bill or a Jet. And at halftime he was like, yeah, screw this, I'm out. I'm good.
00:13:59
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:13:59
Speaker 2: I mean, like one eighteen, you can't be the three hitter for the Chattanooga Lookouts, Like you're you can't play above double A if you're hitting one eighteen. But the reality is Jay Bruce was probably burnt, and I think he knew that the writing.
00:14:12
Speaker 1: Was on the wall.
00:14:14
Speaker 2: And by all accounts, I don't know if he saw the statement that Joey Vado put out about Jay Bruce retiring, but it was so nice and so heartfelt, like this guy positively impacted everybody that he came across in his fourteen years of baseball, except for the New York Yankees in twenty twenty one, it was just a negative impact. But everybody's negatively impacting the Yankees. And before I pitch you this proposition that I have, I do want to point to something about the Jay Bruce scenario and about him retiring after Sunday's game. It came out before Sunday's game that he was going to retire at the conclusion of the game. When asked, Aaron Boone said, yeah, we don't have any plans to play him today. Why would you say say that about somebody on your roster, about somebody I know active roster. Think about the kick to the nuts that is for Tyler Wade or Mike Ford or even Estevan Florial who's waiting at the alternate site, scratching and clawing for a chance to come back to Yankee Stadium. And you hear that somebody might not be playing today.
00:15:20
Speaker 1: It's not even a.
00:15:20
Speaker 2: Day off, dude, Like you just said, Yeah, it's his final game of his career and he's not playing. If you're not a point, I don't know, Like, if you are the worst team record wise in the American League and you are not giving a fourteen year revered vet one final curtain call, then why the hell aren't you bringing up a lefty that will actually contribute. This team's in a funk right now.
00:15:43
Speaker 1: And I mean the Clint Fraser. I mean Yankee fans love Cleinn Fraser. I love Clint Fraser. But he didn't need to start that game and left, and he made a couple of airs. He didn't need to start any game and left. Jay Bruce couldn't start in the left We don't even need to put him at first base. He obviously can't play first base worth a lick. He's an outfield. We tried to make him a first baseman. He is obviously not going to learn to be a first baseman in his last year of his career when he's already thinking about retiring. He said he's thinking about this a week ago. Yeah, and they're trying to put him at first base, keep DJ, put him in left, give him one last game in the outfield, or just don't do any of that nonsense. Yeah, don't play this middle ground. And I picked Aaron Boone to be the manager of the Year on our Gambleak podcast. I already lost one of the episodes earlier. What a horrible pick that looks like right now?
00:16:29
Speaker 2: What a horrible pick. The Yankees are in an absolutely terrible situation. So here's what I want to do. I want to pitch you three teams to get off the Yankees fan bus and join these guys.
00:16:40
Speaker 1: All right, I'm here for it.
00:16:41
Speaker 2: Here's the list of three teams, and I've got, you know, a quick elevator pitch for all three.
00:16:47
Speaker 1: I like it.
00:16:48
Speaker 2: And you got to tell me which one you want. Okay, the Brewers, the Mariners, and the Dodgers. Okay, I've got who do you want first? Give me the dog first, because I'm never choosing them. But I am very interested in the Mariners and the Brewers. But I'd love to hear the Dodger pitch. Yeah, So, Dodgers, My pitch is immediate returns and you're from there.
00:17:11
Speaker 1: Yeah, okay, all right, okay, and all my friends are Dodger fans. I'm from Santa Barbara, California, so I grew up around two hours north of dog. If you drive fast hour and a half, if you drive quickly at four am. At four am, Jack will never be a Dodger fan ever. All my friends from home are Dodger fans. Yeah, I don't like them. I think they're probably gonna win one hundred and twenty games this year and be the best team in baseball. But I'll never ever be a Dodger fan.
00:17:42
Speaker 2: You hear that Peter's friends from home, you're all zeros to him, all of you zero. Do you want the Brewers or the Mariners next?
00:17:50
Speaker 1: I love both teams, so you pick. I'll give you the Brewers first. We love their three headed monster in the rotation. We love them.
00:17:59
Speaker 2: I'm sure you can find a fake Corbin Burns jersey online for dirt.
00:18:03
Speaker 1: Cheap easily, Ali Express. Yeah, and you know what, or d H Gate. The H gate is a good one, right.
00:18:09
Speaker 2: We can't be pigeonholing ourselves into one sponsorship.
00:18:13
Speaker 1: I'm sure we're still looking for sponsors.
00:18:14
Speaker 2: Always got to cast a wide net and to bring back our favorite stock term. We bought the dips on Christian Yelich. It's well documented. It's on a recorded podcast episode.
00:18:24
Speaker 1: Yeah so so there's my quick elevator pitch about the Brewers. I also do like Kessenhira. He's not hitting well at all though, no, but he strikes out a lot. I do like him. He played at Valencia High School. We played him in high school. He actually hit two home runs off Dusted Demoner, who's on this podcast a lot. He went yard to deep at our high school. It's like, I think it's like three eighty to center. He went center field off like a curveball, and then another pitch center field against us. So I have a little love spot there for Kessenhira. I think Corbyn Burns we're about to get into our Jacob de Grom segment, but it's really a top ten pitchers segment. I think Corbyn Burns is starting to approach that. I love Brandon Woodruff that was like ninety eight ninety nine. Oh he's good. And then our boy and then our boy Freddy Freddie Praulton out here with a zero point six ninety Alra dominating just like that, Jack, You know what, I kind of already sold myself with the Brewers. But let's hear this Mariner's pitch.
00:19:20
Speaker 2: Marrit, Okay, you ready ten and six leading the division, Mitch Hanniger and Ty France, Scrappy True, Justice Sheffield and Justin Dunn Young, flashy True, Taylor Tremmell and Kyle Lewis already there, Okay, til, Nick Rodriguez, Handcock, Gilbert Kirby on the way, Okay, Pacific Northwest chill spot.
00:19:44
Speaker 1: Okay, that that was your best pitch. I think I'm still a Brewers guy, but thinking about how the Mariners could have four potential All star outfielders between Jared Klinik, Julio Rodriguez, Taylor Tremmel, and Kyle Lewis, I really like that. I also love keep an eye on George Kirby. Yes, George Kirby throws like one hundred now, and he's known for not walking a soul and just striking out guys. When guys like that, who already have really good command then start to develop crazy amounts of v low, those guys typically make it and do extremely well. George Kirby, and I also love Logan Gilbert, but I think George Kirby could legitimately be become the eighth of that Mariner staff in a couple of years. I love meeting George Kirby.
00:20:34
Speaker 2: Before I get to a quick story about George Kirby, I love Gilbert and I love Emerson Hancock.
00:20:40
Speaker 1: Emerson Hancock is gonna be real good.
00:20:41
Speaker 2: He's real good, George Kirby. When I was out on the Cape in twenty eighteen, I was calling games for the Brewster Whitecaps and George Kirby was in Harwich playing for the Harwitch Mariners, and he was a bullpen arm for the Harwitch Mariners. And you saw George Kirby Elon and you thought, wait, wait, wait, that's not the Elon guy. Kyle Bronovitch is the Elon guy. Yeah, Team USA just pulled that name out of nowhere. Huh, out of nowhere, out of nowhere. Uh, Kyle Bronovich was the Elon guy. So you see this bullpen arm, George Kirby, he gets on the mound, he's skinny as hell, and then he throws his first couple of warm up pitches. And the booth where we called games from and Brewster is directly behind home plate on the same level as home plate, so you're not even up, so you pretty much have an umpire's view. And I was like, oh my god, this is gas. And I turned to my other buddy and like, granted, we're just coming out of our sophomore year at college, Like you know, we've been seeing good pitching all summer long, but like this is We watched and then he threw one inning. It was like ten pitches, he struck out two. It was a one two, three inning, and it was the ninth game. Ends. We take our headsets off and.
00:21:57
Speaker 1: I turn I look over to two, my partner, and he's staring at me. He was like, that's a major League baseball player that we just watched pitch.
00:22:05
Speaker 2: It was like it is my god.
00:22:06
Speaker 1: Yeah, And you know what, my I think the more I watch baseball every day, the more I'm absorbed into the landscape. The best part about baseball in my opinion, maybe not the best, but just something that comes to my mind is something I dearly love. Yeah, you're scouting a player, you're at a college baseball game, you're at a high school baseball game, and you see a pitcher, you see a hitter that instantly pops instantly pops, and your your mouth opens, your eyes widen a little bit, and you're like, oh my god, I just saw a major leaguer and that level of excitement just bursts out of me. And I know it does for you too, and I know it does for a lot of baseball fans. So I impoor people this year. Go watch some Vanderbilt games, Go watch some Arkansas games. Go watch some of these college baseball teams play baseball this year, especially over at Vanderbilt. Go watch Kumar Rocker, Go watch Jack Lder. These are major league players playing in college right now. It's amazing to watch. It's amazing to watch.
00:23:17
Speaker 2: And here, if you're in the Northeast, how about this kid from BC. What's his name?
00:23:20
Speaker 1: Freelick sal Frillick, South Frillick hits, he just hits. Pete Flaherty one of the guys we've been working with. He's the GM of the two at Kettaliers. He is on the South Frillic train one hundred percent. South Frillic has boosted up draft boards. Also. Henry Davis, to catch up for Louisville, played at My Roommates High school. Took his starting job with he my roommate was a senior, Henry Davis was a freshman, comes in, takes his starting job at fox Lade High School in west Chester, New York, and dominates his way to Louisville. Now he might go fourth overall this year. That's what Keith Loall has him at in his latest draft.
00:23:57
Speaker 2: You gotta love that. You gotta love that. Yeah, George Kirby kind of strikes me as that guy. And yeah, college baseball is just great this year, as it is every year, and you just have those guys that pop and it's fun, and you say, you know, maybe I can be a scout. But I'm going to kind of precede this top ten pitchers conversation and we'll go through it rather quickly, just with some Jacob de Gram stupid numbers.
00:24:23
Speaker 1: Let's do it his outing.
00:24:25
Speaker 2: On Saturday, it was a seven in game Mets won four three and Jacob de Gram allowed one earned run, no no zero earned runs, but.
00:24:37
Speaker 1: He let out a home run after the after there was an error so it didn't count, so technically he's still giving up just one earned run.
00:24:46
Speaker 2: All year through twenty innings across three starts so far this year, has allowed one earned run struck out thirty five in twenty innings and walked three. He has a zero point four five ERA. He has a zero point seven zero whip. He struck out fourteen in six innings on Saturday. Struck out nine in a row, which is tied for the second longest stretch in MLB history, only behind you know, Tom severs ten. The Mets are still one and two in Jacob starts this year. We're not gonna get into that funniest thing about it. We did it last episodes, so we're not gonna do it now. I just want to drop this number for you. Of the ninety nine pitches that Jacob de Gram threw on Saturday, how many were under ninety miles an hour.
00:25:36
Speaker 1: I'm gonna go with zero because I've been looking at his fagraphs, at his pitch usage. He averages one hundred on the fastball, averages ninety one and a half on the slider, and I think another ninety one on the change up. So I'm gonna go with zero.
00:25:53
Speaker 2: Three three, which is still stupid. The three change ups. He threw nine change ups, three of which were under ninety Their readings on the gun were eighty nine point nine eighty nine point seven and eighty nine point five.
00:26:09
Speaker 1: So if we round up technically zero, technically zer correct. So for all you little leaguers who think that throwing strikes is what matters, not just throw harder, just throw that, just throw Harder's it? So let's break into So. ESPN just released their top ten starting pitchers for the year, and it's not it's not too bad of a list, but I think there is, you know, a couple of hiccups in there that I think we'll talk about. Obviously led off by the undisputed best pitcher in baseball right now, Jacob de Gram. Number two. You like Shane Bieber as your second best pitcher. I like Garrett Cole. They have Garrett Cole as their number two, okay. They then go to Shane Bieber at number three, which I think we both agree with. I think it's de Gram, Cole, and Bieber and then four, five, six, seven, eight. You know it's all a toss up. Yeah, But their number four selection was very interesting. Walker Buhler a number four, okay, seems pretty high right now, at least because I don't even know if he's the ace of the Dodgers right now.
00:27:13
Speaker 2: He doesn't even have the production to his name yet. Right, it's a little bit too early for him to be four. We love Walker Buehler, right, this list is actually pretty good, but you know four is a little high.
00:27:24
Speaker 1: Aaron Nola a number five.
00:27:26
Speaker 2: I love Aaron Nola.
00:27:27
Speaker 1: Do you think he's the fifth best starting pitcher in baseball?
00:27:30
Speaker 2: Not at all?
00:27:31
Speaker 1: Okay, me neither. I think he should probably be. You know, eight nine. He did have a really good start against the Cardinals in his last outing. Though. Number six Trevor Bauer, which may at this point need to be higher.
00:27:44
Speaker 2: I think it needs to be higher.
00:27:46
Speaker 1: Trevor Bauer looks dominant out there. Yeah, like I think you slide Bauer to four. I agree. I think Bauer might be the four. Number seven you Darvish too high be a top ten picture right now. I'd rather have Blake Snell on the mound. I don't think he's a top ten picture right now. Maybe maybe it's a personal not a personal vendetta against Darvish. I just there have been years of Darvish with a five VR, and there have been years of Darvish with a two VR. There's too much inconsistency for me with Darvish to have him already seven locked in. I've seen him on the tons of lists already locked in. It's too high for me. You like Darvish for not at seven for seven spots in. It feels like ESPN is kind of all over the board with your thinking. With Aaron Nola agree, they're thinking, Oh, he's had a really hot start to twenty twenty one and he just the re complete game. Let's let's put him there with Darvish. Why is he top ten when he hasn't been that good so far this year? It's because he was great in twenty twenty. So like, are you is this a postseason ranking from twenty twenty or is this where.
00:28:57
Speaker 2: We're at right now?
00:28:59
Speaker 1: This is where we're at right now with them? And I just don't get it because also they've I don't know if Stephen Shrosburg get eight, no, which, no, that is not happening. I mean, we love Steven Shrosburg. People forget he was the twenty nineteen World Series MVP. But Steven Schrosburg get eight after he's dealing with a little bit of an injury. He just I think he gave up like ten runs in his second start.
00:29:21
Speaker 2: This is what kills me about Steven Strasburg. He's always dealing with a little injury.
00:29:26
Speaker 1: Always he is.
00:29:28
Speaker 2: I was reading an article about the way Stephen Strasburg kind of fidgets on the mound and like he's always grabbing an elbow or like hurting his shoulder, Like he's always looking like he just tweaked something on the last pitch. And he is literally a pitching coach's worst nightmare because every pitch you think he's just ailing. You think he's like I need to come out, Like was that ever.
00:29:51
Speaker 1: A thing when he was at San Diego State? Did he ever take some injuries like that?
00:29:54
Speaker 2: I think he just pumped one on one.
00:29:56
Speaker 1: Yeah. I think it's just like your arm is like that. And number nine, who I think should be above Strasburg. I think Max Shu's are at nine. I mean, people still sleep a Max Shu's and Max Schurzer could easily be in the top five, top six of this list. Oh my god, because if we're looking at if you have guys like Darvish there, if you have guys like Strasburg there, you obviously care about your past, your past, you know resume. So shures are at nine makes no sense to me. He should be higher, and then they have Lucas Giolito at ten, which I thought he should be higher, but I'm not going to disqualify. And based off his start a war recording this on a Monday, he got absolutely shelled by the Red Sox. I think you give up seven runs in any He looked bad.
00:30:40
Speaker 2: Bad, real bad, like missing, like change up, like down the middle, like middle sing bad bad.
00:30:47
Speaker 1: And Yourman Mercedes even hopted we just posted a TikTok highlight about Rman Mercedes getting in the game. He was giving up a couple of hits. Hit eighty eight yourmine Mercedes hit eighty eight miles an hour time. That's it's because the guys is it's because the guys aren't are like bigger than my Torso. It was so funny seeing him up there. He literally looked like Pablo san all out there all right, but notables left off. Tyler glasnow should be on this list. Yeah, one hundred percent. He's fourth in era. He's fourth in shrikeouts right now era under one. He just I was just in the stadium for Ray's Yankees. When we watch glass Now pitch against Jordan Montgomery Glasnow looked like the best player on the field. Yeah, Yankee fans fell to two. The scuttle butt around the stadium is we gotta face Glass now today. We gotta face Glass now today. Yeah, because glassnow might be the best pitcher in the American League East, outside of, of course, Garrett Cole. Right, but Tyler Glasnow, I'd rather have him than Darvish, I think so.
00:31:42
Speaker 2: And my other notable, uh kind of notable omission from this list is, you cannot make a list right now without Corbyn Burns as it stands, right now, sir, you're if you're going to publish an article right now, thirty k's no walks, you cannot publish an article without Corbyn Burns.
00:31:59
Speaker 1: In the Corbyn Burns should win the MLB Cy Young if it were decided today at MLB, Sy Young the best pitcher in baseball, right.
00:32:07
Speaker 2: The platinum glove for pictures, the platinum.
00:32:08
Speaker 1: Bottom glove for pictures. When you throw a ninety six mile an hour cutter that is not only your most used pitch, but it's getting you the most strikeouts and you don't walk a soul, give me Corden Burns. Also one more notable. Hunjin Ryu deserves some love. He just shoves every single outing he's out there. I mean, I think he was third and say young voting in twenty nineteen. I think he was second last year, or maybe the other way around. But Ryu is a stud and people don't talk about Ryu in Toronto. But he's an ace. He's an absolute ace.
00:32:39
Speaker 2: Well you know what, Pete, I'm seeing number one on this list on Thursday with my own eyes, Jacob de Gram at Wrigley Field taking on an inept Cubs team. Oh gotta love it.
00:32:50
Speaker 1: Before we leave, I gotta leave the listeners with one play to remember that might go down in history because I've never seen it before. In the Dodgers Pottery Series, in the twelve inning, Jake Cronworth pitched to David Price, who is the hitter, and Joe Musgrove was playing left field. None of it makes literally, Eddie SAIDs, and then Price actually hit a fly ball with Joe Musgrove catching in the left field. Have we ever seen where a position player is hitting a pitcher is no, no, no, I can't even explain it. It so hard. A position player is pitching, a pitcher is hitting, and then a Pitcher is in left and makes the out on that entire play telling that's ever happened in the history of forever.
00:33:34
Speaker 2: I think we got to ask Michael lorenzen.
00:33:37
Speaker 1: I like that A couple of tugs.
00:33:39
Speaker 2: All right, Pete, this was good man. We'll come back to you with Nelson Figueroa on Friday.
00:33:44
Speaker 1: Nelson Figuoa on Friday. I'm dombin sciited. It's gonna be a good one.
00:33:47
Speaker 2: I'bout that. He's Peter, I'm Jack. This is projected plate as always. Talk to you guys Friday. Thank you everybody. Y
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00:01:02
Speaker 2: We'll see you to welcome Flimy hang Out Tuesday four, twenty April twentieth Peter Apple, Jack McMullen with you. Peter is dressed like the European tourist who is looking for the iHeart New York shirt in like Jacksonville, Florida.
00:01:33
Speaker 1: Like see, that's that's so unfair because this shirt. We got to let the people know. This shirt I'm wearing right now Jordan stripes. Yeah, it's pretty, it's pretty bold. We got some We got some Knicks colors with the Knicks are actually better than the Yankees right now, which I haven't said since probably nineteen forty two. Yeah, and yeah, it's it's a little bright. But you know Jordan shirt we got in the Nike store on sale.
00:01:56
Speaker 2: Yeah, anything good happening, like anything could happen in nineteen forty two. I know Columbus sealed the Ocean blue in fourteen ninety two, so you just gotta jumble up those numbers a little bit. Nineteen forty two. I'm not sure what's going on, but yeah, that shirt just screams tourists for me. Peter Apple gonna learn how to get his face a little bit farther away from the mic so he doesn't sound crazy over modded for this episode we're trying to do. Yeah, we got we got a good rundown today. We're gonna start with Dodgers Padres because holy crap, that series, dude, Oh my god. Uh Yeah, we're gonna eulogize. We're gonna give a eulogy for Jay Bruce's career. Not Jay Bruce. He's got a lot of life left ahead of him. And then we're gonna kind of talk about Jacob de Gram's dominance as well, because like, why not, he's yeah story every time he takes the mound, and then your Yankees sucks. So I've got a business proposition for you. But let's start with Dodgers Padres. Your immediate reaction to that hell of a series.
00:02:55
Speaker 1: What a series, What a goddamn series. The Padre ended up losing too out of three. The Dodgers won the first two games of the series, and then we had a thriller yesterday. I mean, I feel like Eric Cosmer kind of summed it up best right in his quote. I think the whole baseball world was locked in on this series, and for good measure, you know, I mean it was. It's the meeting of the two best teams in baseball in my opinion, and they showed out. And the great part about it is it's not over. They play again on Thursday. So Fernando Tatis Junior probably the biggest star of this series, right, I mean, I don't know, man, Yeah, Kershaw seeger Kershaw Bueler, Yeah, but Fernando Tatis Junior is maybe supposed to be the biggest star. He's on the cover of MLB The Show, which comes out today MLB The Show twenty one. But he's hitting one twenty nine for the season so far. He had one single hit in the series, it was a home run, but then he didn't do much after that. Did you notice anything from Tatis? Was good to see him back from injury.
00:04:03
Speaker 2: Yeah, I noticed that he was coming back from injury a bit prematurely. And it's a shoulder thing, so it's gonna hinder your swing like that. That is the knock, right, That's why the average is where it is if he was one hundred percent healthy, Like, he is too talented a baseball player to be hitting sub one p fifty. But that's just the beast to early twenty twenty one for Fernando Tatist Junior. He screwed his shoulder up, so now he's hurting from that. It's gonna get back to even He's gonna get back to even water probably by the time Thursday hits and they go for round two. Tatis is okay?
00:04:36
Speaker 1: I mean he's hitting with a dislocated shoulder. I don't I'm just not sure why they're rushing him back so fast at all. I get it. You want to see him for the series. But this guy may need surgery.
00:04:45
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, and apparently he's been dealing with it for a couple of years.
00:04:49
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:04:49
Speaker 2: What I find interesting is even with a depleted Fernando tatist Junior. Here's a note from Alvin Gonzalez's article on ESPN of the thirty innings that the Rogers and Padres played this weekend game was separated by two or fewer runs in twenty seven of the thirty innings with a not one hundred percent Fernando Tatis Junior, who is far and away the best player on this Padres team, which is stacked with fantastic players.
00:05:18
Speaker 1: It was really good to see Trent Grisham come back.
00:05:20
Speaker 2: Yeah, and Eric Hosmers show up and be big time. I like this series. Everybody was saying I saw a World Series was trending during Saturday's game or Sunday's game, and like, okay, well they can't play in the World Series. But what I found so interesting was, like this really did feel like a matchup in October, because you had Trevor Bauer dishing out warrior cries at the end of innings, you had Manny Machado lighting him on fire, you had Clayton Kershaw show legitimate anger for the first time ever, and you had plays that were just huge and you knew it when they happened. A diving grab by Mooki to seal a win is a huge play any time of the year. But unless you are hear me out, unless you are the best rivalry in baseball at this exact moment in time, late RBI singles from Eric Hosmer don't seem that big until the postseason, because two RBI singles late in games in April meant something that shows you that this series is freaking legit, dude.
00:06:26
Speaker 1: I also wanted to touch upon that that rivalry within the rivalry Trevor Bauer versus Manny.
00:06:32
Speaker 2: Machado, Well, it's not even a rivalry.
00:06:35
Speaker 1: It's really not even a rivalry. I mean, if we're looking at just how well Manny Machado has done off of Trevor Bauer in the past. When I mean Trevor Bauer pitched from the Indians pitch for the Padres Many, Machada was able to face him pretty much every single outing that he was able to do. He's hitting eight five eighty eight with four bombs and seventeen at bats. And the funny thing, it's not just the rivalry, is that, of course Trevor Bauer comes out and at the beginning saying we're going to change the script this year. This is a new me, you know. And then Man Machado has two hits to start the game and he crushed him for singles, which I thought, I was just pretty pretty funny to see.
00:07:15
Speaker 2: You see what Bauer said after his start, No what he somebody asked about that matchup with Machado and he said, well, I kept him in the ballpark this time, so I guess we're improving.
00:07:24
Speaker 1: Yeah, but like Trevor Bauer, don't come at the beginning of the game and say we're going to change his script. This is now over and then kind of play the funny guy after be like, oh I kept him in the park. Yeah, dominate or dumb.
00:07:38
Speaker 2: Before we move on, I want to walk through the pitching matchups starting this Thursday in a four game set.
00:07:44
Speaker 1: Let's do it.
00:07:45
Speaker 2: Thursday is you Darvish and Walker Hueler m Appointment Television. Friday is Blake Snell and Clayton kershaw Ooh Appointment Television Saturday is Joe Muskrove and Trevor Bauer.
00:08:01
Speaker 1: This is I mean moaning because these are the two best teams in baseball, and you can make arguments that all of these pitchers that are pitching are all at least top twenty pitchers in baseball, and they all get to face each other, and it seems like it's gonna start happening every other week. With MLB COVID rules, they only play the teams of their division. We can get a bunch of games this year of the best pitching matchups possible.
00:08:23
Speaker 2: And Sunday Night is Dustin May, who we've talked about, who's an absolute freak free and either Chris Paddock, who is criminally underrated, or Danelson Lamette. If he starts this Tuesday today, he's coming back from injury. There's a chance he starts today, there's a chance he starts tomorrow. If he starts today, he lines up for that Sunday Night spot. So we could either get May and Lamette or we can get May and Paddock, which will be stupid.
00:08:50
Speaker 1: Regardless, I'd rather have Lamette than Paddock personally. I don't know. If Paddock is criminally underrated, I actually would probably disagree I think there's there's major holes in his in his development so far as a pitcher. I mean, we saw him come up in his rookie hearing. He was phenomenal, but I think maybe hitters have started to adjust to him. I don't think he has that same type of velocity that a power pitcher like him needs. Yeah, so I don't know if he is. I think he's a great trade piece. I think maybe find a different home out of San Diego. I'm a big Dane Nelson Lamette fan. I think he's gonna be so good and you just throws so hard. He reminds me of a what should be closer but is able to put it out through six innings.
00:09:33
Speaker 2: Yeah, I hear you. I'm a big Lamette guy too, And I'm also bigger on Mackenzie Gore than I am Paddock. So I think Paddock like should be the one to go.
00:09:41
Speaker 1: And it's funny we're talking about McKenzie Gore. Mackenzie Gore could end up being the best pitcher on the Padres in a couple of years. Yeah, I'm saying that right now, in like two years. Yeah, I agree, it's but it would we would be remiss if we didn't touch upon the tiny little brawl that happened in the Padres Dodgers series, where if we set the scene Jerkson Profar, he, I don't even know if I can call it a swing, but he technically swung hit the catcher's glove even though the ball was already in the mint. And I looked up the rule rule six point zho one c okay in the handbook. He's very straightforward. If the catcher makes contact with the batter, the batter is entitled the first base. That rule seems like it should be updated a little bit, because that was not fair. Jerkson Profar swung when the ball was already in the mint, and he hit it, and he and then Kershaw's yelling that's a bullshit swing, and jerks in Profar as delegate to shut the fuck up. It was. It was a fantastic little opener to this rivalry, and I think it kind of put it on blast a little bit.
00:10:49
Speaker 2: Hey, not the only rule book that needs to be updated, Am I right? Am I right? America?
00:10:55
Speaker 1: All right, no more politics, no more politics. This is a baseball podcast. That was enough.
00:11:00
Speaker 2: Yeah, let's let's pronounce someone's career dead because it is, let's do it. That's a bomb. Jay Bruce had a hell of a career. He ended a fourteen year career conclusion of at the conclusion of Sunday's Yankees Rais game, in which the Yankees were swept by Tampa. If I'm not yeah, Jay Bruce ends a three time All Star, two times Silver Slugger winner, three hundred and nineteen career home runs, forty nine runs batted in shy of one thousand on his career. He was the former top prospect in Major League Baseball, and he has just under one hundred and three million dollars in career earnings at the major league level.
00:11:42
Speaker 1: Good for you, Jay Bruce. Yeah, good for you, Jay Bruce. We're very happy you had a wonderful career. All reports out of Yankee camp says you're a wonderful dude. You know, we're wishing you the absolute best, Jay Bruce. But Jay Bruce this season was not a major league player. He was in a major league lineup for one of the best major league teams, but he was not a major league player. In thirty four bats, he hit one to eighteen. So, I mean, can you hit a small child's weight two thirty one on base, so he wasn't walking either, and he wasn't hitting for any home runs. He's only slugging four to sixty six. I mean he had in thirty four bats, Like I said, he struck out thirty eight percent of those at bats, and he added four hits. One of them was a home run. But he was batting like fifth he I think he had. He was in the lineup at third, sixth. This lineup is an absolute disaster right now. Cashman came out and said, we're a team that you want to catch right now because we're not firing on all cylinders. All of our strengths are there.
00:12:45
Speaker 2: You're firing on any cylinder we're waiting right.
00:12:48
Speaker 1: They're not firing on The only cylinder that's being fired is the Garrett Cole cylinder. Garrett Cole is still amazing. Under two. We are a striking out guys. One of the top five in the leaderboards and strikeouts to start the season. He's amazing. No problem there. The rest of the team disaster. Jay Bruce started there. You cannot hit one eighteen and be the three hitter of the Yankees, And you say, oh, but then who are they going to replace. Now, Oh, Aaron Hicks, is he a better option? He's almost even worse. It's not a good day to be a Yankee fan. It's not a It's not a good year to be a Yankee fan. I don't see this team developing unless we add a big lefty of the deadline, unless they add a really good starting pitcher, which I don't even know if they will. So this season just could be an absolute wash. And Jay Bruce he's getting a lot of the hurt because I mean, he retired.
00:13:39
Speaker 2: I don't blame him season.
00:13:41
Speaker 1: You kidding, I don't blame him at all. It was like that Bills player that retired at halftime. You remember that. Yeah, No, I think it was the corner for the Colts.
00:13:49
Speaker 2: No, it wasn't good Colts. I thought it was a Bill. It was either a Bill or a Jet. And at halftime he was like, yeah, screw this, I'm out. I'm good.
00:13:59
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:13:59
Speaker 2: I mean, like one eighteen, you can't be the three hitter for the Chattanooga Lookouts, Like you're you can't play above double A if you're hitting one eighteen. But the reality is Jay Bruce was probably burnt, and I think he knew that the writing.
00:14:12
Speaker 1: Was on the wall.
00:14:14
Speaker 2: And by all accounts, I don't know if he saw the statement that Joey Vado put out about Jay Bruce retiring, but it was so nice and so heartfelt, like this guy positively impacted everybody that he came across in his fourteen years of baseball, except for the New York Yankees in twenty twenty one, it was just a negative impact. But everybody's negatively impacting the Yankees. And before I pitch you this proposition that I have, I do want to point to something about the Jay Bruce scenario and about him retiring after Sunday's game. It came out before Sunday's game that he was going to retire at the conclusion of the game. When asked, Aaron Boone said, yeah, we don't have any plans to play him today. Why would you say say that about somebody on your roster, about somebody I know active roster. Think about the kick to the nuts that is for Tyler Wade or Mike Ford or even Estevan Florial who's waiting at the alternate site, scratching and clawing for a chance to come back to Yankee Stadium. And you hear that somebody might not be playing today.
00:15:20
Speaker 1: It's not even a.
00:15:20
Speaker 2: Day off, dude, Like you just said, Yeah, it's his final game of his career and he's not playing. If you're not a point, I don't know, Like, if you are the worst team record wise in the American League and you are not giving a fourteen year revered vet one final curtain call, then why the hell aren't you bringing up a lefty that will actually contribute. This team's in a funk right now.
00:15:43
Speaker 1: And I mean the Clint Fraser. I mean Yankee fans love Cleinn Fraser. I love Clint Fraser. But he didn't need to start that game and left, and he made a couple of airs. He didn't need to start any game and left. Jay Bruce couldn't start in the left We don't even need to put him at first base. He obviously can't play first base worth a lick. He's an outfield. We tried to make him a first baseman. He is obviously not going to learn to be a first baseman in his last year of his career when he's already thinking about retiring. He said he's thinking about this a week ago. Yeah, and they're trying to put him at first base, keep DJ, put him in left, give him one last game in the outfield, or just don't do any of that nonsense. Yeah, don't play this middle ground. And I picked Aaron Boone to be the manager of the Year on our Gambleak podcast. I already lost one of the episodes earlier. What a horrible pick that looks like right now?
00:16:29
Speaker 2: What a horrible pick. The Yankees are in an absolutely terrible situation. So here's what I want to do. I want to pitch you three teams to get off the Yankees fan bus and join these guys.
00:16:40
Speaker 1: All right, I'm here for it.
00:16:41
Speaker 2: Here's the list of three teams, and I've got, you know, a quick elevator pitch for all three.
00:16:47
Speaker 1: I like it.
00:16:48
Speaker 2: And you got to tell me which one you want. Okay, the Brewers, the Mariners, and the Dodgers. Okay, I've got who do you want first? Give me the dog first, because I'm never choosing them. But I am very interested in the Mariners and the Brewers. But I'd love to hear the Dodger pitch. Yeah, So, Dodgers, My pitch is immediate returns and you're from there.
00:17:11
Speaker 1: Yeah, okay, all right, okay, and all my friends are Dodger fans. I'm from Santa Barbara, California, so I grew up around two hours north of dog. If you drive fast hour and a half, if you drive quickly at four am. At four am, Jack will never be a Dodger fan ever. All my friends from home are Dodger fans. Yeah, I don't like them. I think they're probably gonna win one hundred and twenty games this year and be the best team in baseball. But I'll never ever be a Dodger fan.
00:17:42
Speaker 2: You hear that Peter's friends from home, you're all zeros to him, all of you zero. Do you want the Brewers or the Mariners next?
00:17:50
Speaker 1: I love both teams, so you pick. I'll give you the Brewers first. We love their three headed monster in the rotation. We love them.
00:17:59
Speaker 2: I'm sure you can find a fake Corbin Burns jersey online for dirt.
00:18:03
Speaker 1: Cheap easily, Ali Express. Yeah, and you know what, or d H Gate. The H gate is a good one, right.
00:18:09
Speaker 2: We can't be pigeonholing ourselves into one sponsorship.
00:18:13
Speaker 1: I'm sure we're still looking for sponsors.
00:18:14
Speaker 2: Always got to cast a wide net and to bring back our favorite stock term. We bought the dips on Christian Yelich. It's well documented. It's on a recorded podcast episode.
00:18:24
Speaker 1: Yeah so so there's my quick elevator pitch about the Brewers. I also do like Kessenhira. He's not hitting well at all though, no, but he strikes out a lot. I do like him. He played at Valencia High School. We played him in high school. He actually hit two home runs off Dusted Demoner, who's on this podcast a lot. He went yard to deep at our high school. It's like, I think it's like three eighty to center. He went center field off like a curveball, and then another pitch center field against us. So I have a little love spot there for Kessenhira. I think Corbyn Burns we're about to get into our Jacob de Grom segment, but it's really a top ten pitchers segment. I think Corbyn Burns is starting to approach that. I love Brandon Woodruff that was like ninety eight ninety nine. Oh he's good. And then our boy and then our boy Freddy Freddie Praulton out here with a zero point six ninety Alra dominating just like that, Jack, You know what, I kind of already sold myself with the Brewers. But let's hear this Mariner's pitch.
00:19:20
Speaker 2: Marrit, Okay, you ready ten and six leading the division, Mitch Hanniger and Ty France, Scrappy True, Justice Sheffield and Justin Dunn Young, flashy True, Taylor Tremmell and Kyle Lewis already there, Okay, til, Nick Rodriguez, Handcock, Gilbert Kirby on the way, Okay, Pacific Northwest chill spot.
00:19:44
Speaker 1: Okay, that that was your best pitch. I think I'm still a Brewers guy, but thinking about how the Mariners could have four potential All star outfielders between Jared Klinik, Julio Rodriguez, Taylor Tremmel, and Kyle Lewis, I really like that. I also love keep an eye on George Kirby. Yes, George Kirby throws like one hundred now, and he's known for not walking a soul and just striking out guys. When guys like that, who already have really good command then start to develop crazy amounts of v low, those guys typically make it and do extremely well. George Kirby, and I also love Logan Gilbert, but I think George Kirby could legitimately be become the eighth of that Mariner staff in a couple of years. I love meeting George Kirby.
00:20:34
Speaker 2: Before I get to a quick story about George Kirby, I love Gilbert and I love Emerson Hancock.
00:20:40
Speaker 1: Emerson Hancock is gonna be real good.
00:20:41
Speaker 2: He's real good, George Kirby. When I was out on the Cape in twenty eighteen, I was calling games for the Brewster Whitecaps and George Kirby was in Harwich playing for the Harwitch Mariners, and he was a bullpen arm for the Harwitch Mariners. And you saw George Kirby Elon and you thought, wait, wait, wait, that's not the Elon guy. Kyle Bronovitch is the Elon guy. Yeah, Team USA just pulled that name out of nowhere. Huh, out of nowhere, out of nowhere. Uh, Kyle Bronovich was the Elon guy. So you see this bullpen arm, George Kirby, he gets on the mound, he's skinny as hell, and then he throws his first couple of warm up pitches. And the booth where we called games from and Brewster is directly behind home plate on the same level as home plate, so you're not even up, so you pretty much have an umpire's view. And I was like, oh my god, this is gas. And I turned to my other buddy and like, granted, we're just coming out of our sophomore year at college, Like you know, we've been seeing good pitching all summer long, but like this is We watched and then he threw one inning. It was like ten pitches, he struck out two. It was a one two, three inning, and it was the ninth game. Ends. We take our headsets off and.
00:21:57
Speaker 1: I turn I look over to two, my partner, and he's staring at me. He was like, that's a major League baseball player that we just watched pitch.
00:22:05
Speaker 2: It was like it is my god.
00:22:06
Speaker 1: Yeah, And you know what, my I think the more I watch baseball every day, the more I'm absorbed into the landscape. The best part about baseball in my opinion, maybe not the best, but just something that comes to my mind is something I dearly love. Yeah, you're scouting a player, you're at a college baseball game, you're at a high school baseball game, and you see a pitcher, you see a hitter that instantly pops instantly pops, and your your mouth opens, your eyes widen a little bit, and you're like, oh my god, I just saw a major leaguer and that level of excitement just bursts out of me. And I know it does for you too, and I know it does for a lot of baseball fans. So I impoor people this year. Go watch some Vanderbilt games, Go watch some Arkansas games. Go watch some of these college baseball teams play baseball this year, especially over at Vanderbilt. Go watch Kumar Rocker, Go watch Jack Lder. These are major league players playing in college right now. It's amazing to watch. It's amazing to watch.
00:23:17
Speaker 2: And here, if you're in the Northeast, how about this kid from BC. What's his name?
00:23:20
Speaker 1: Freelick sal Frillick, South Frillick hits, he just hits. Pete Flaherty one of the guys we've been working with. He's the GM of the two at Kettaliers. He is on the South Frillic train one hundred percent. South Frillic has boosted up draft boards. Also. Henry Davis, to catch up for Louisville, played at My Roommates High school. Took his starting job with he my roommate was a senior, Henry Davis was a freshman, comes in, takes his starting job at fox Lade High School in west Chester, New York, and dominates his way to Louisville. Now he might go fourth overall this year. That's what Keith Loall has him at in his latest draft.
00:23:57
Speaker 2: You gotta love that. You gotta love that. Yeah, George Kirby kind of strikes me as that guy. And yeah, college baseball is just great this year, as it is every year, and you just have those guys that pop and it's fun, and you say, you know, maybe I can be a scout. But I'm going to kind of precede this top ten pitchers conversation and we'll go through it rather quickly, just with some Jacob de Gram stupid numbers.
00:24:23
Speaker 1: Let's do it his outing.
00:24:25
Speaker 2: On Saturday, it was a seven in game Mets won four three and Jacob de Gram allowed one earned run, no no zero earned runs, but.
00:24:37
Speaker 1: He let out a home run after the after there was an error so it didn't count, so technically he's still giving up just one earned run.
00:24:46
Speaker 2: All year through twenty innings across three starts so far this year, has allowed one earned run struck out thirty five in twenty innings and walked three. He has a zero point four five ERA. He has a zero point seven zero whip. He struck out fourteen in six innings on Saturday. Struck out nine in a row, which is tied for the second longest stretch in MLB history, only behind you know, Tom severs ten. The Mets are still one and two in Jacob starts this year. We're not gonna get into that funniest thing about it. We did it last episodes, so we're not gonna do it now. I just want to drop this number for you. Of the ninety nine pitches that Jacob de Gram threw on Saturday, how many were under ninety miles an hour.
00:25:36
Speaker 1: I'm gonna go with zero because I've been looking at his fagraphs, at his pitch usage. He averages one hundred on the fastball, averages ninety one and a half on the slider, and I think another ninety one on the change up. So I'm gonna go with zero.
00:25:53
Speaker 2: Three three, which is still stupid. The three change ups. He threw nine change ups, three of which were under ninety Their readings on the gun were eighty nine point nine eighty nine point seven and eighty nine point five.
00:26:09
Speaker 1: So if we round up technically zero, technically zer correct. So for all you little leaguers who think that throwing strikes is what matters, not just throw harder, just throw that, just throw Harder's it? So let's break into So. ESPN just released their top ten starting pitchers for the year, and it's not it's not too bad of a list, but I think there is, you know, a couple of hiccups in there that I think we'll talk about. Obviously led off by the undisputed best pitcher in baseball right now, Jacob de Gram. Number two. You like Shane Bieber as your second best pitcher. I like Garrett Cole. They have Garrett Cole as their number two, okay. They then go to Shane Bieber at number three, which I think we both agree with. I think it's de Gram, Cole, and Bieber and then four, five, six, seven, eight. You know it's all a toss up. Yeah, But their number four selection was very interesting. Walker Buhler a number four, okay, seems pretty high right now, at least because I don't even know if he's the ace of the Dodgers right now.
00:27:13
Speaker 2: He doesn't even have the production to his name yet. Right, it's a little bit too early for him to be four. We love Walker Buehler, right, this list is actually pretty good, but you know four is a little high.
00:27:24
Speaker 1: Aaron Nola a number five.
00:27:26
Speaker 2: I love Aaron Nola.
00:27:27
Speaker 1: Do you think he's the fifth best starting pitcher in baseball?
00:27:30
Speaker 2: Not at all?
00:27:31
Speaker 1: Okay, me neither. I think he should probably be. You know, eight nine. He did have a really good start against the Cardinals in his last outing. Though. Number six Trevor Bauer, which may at this point need to be higher.
00:27:44
Speaker 2: I think it needs to be higher.
00:27:46
Speaker 1: Trevor Bauer looks dominant out there. Yeah, like I think you slide Bauer to four. I agree. I think Bauer might be the four. Number seven you Darvish too high be a top ten picture right now. I'd rather have Blake Snell on the mound. I don't think he's a top ten picture right now. Maybe maybe it's a personal not a personal vendetta against Darvish. I just there have been years of Darvish with a five VR, and there have been years of Darvish with a two VR. There's too much inconsistency for me with Darvish to have him already seven locked in. I've seen him on the tons of lists already locked in. It's too high for me. You like Darvish for not at seven for seven spots in. It feels like ESPN is kind of all over the board with your thinking. With Aaron Nola agree, they're thinking, Oh, he's had a really hot start to twenty twenty one and he just the re complete game. Let's let's put him there with Darvish. Why is he top ten when he hasn't been that good so far this year? It's because he was great in twenty twenty. So like, are you is this a postseason ranking from twenty twenty or is this where.
00:28:57
Speaker 2: We're at right now?
00:28:59
Speaker 1: This is where we're at right now with them? And I just don't get it because also they've I don't know if Stephen Shrosburg get eight, no, which, no, that is not happening. I mean, we love Steven Shrosburg. People forget he was the twenty nineteen World Series MVP. But Steven Schrosburg get eight after he's dealing with a little bit of an injury. He just I think he gave up like ten runs in his second start.
00:29:21
Speaker 2: This is what kills me about Steven Strasburg. He's always dealing with a little injury.
00:29:26
Speaker 1: Always he is.
00:29:28
Speaker 2: I was reading an article about the way Stephen Strasburg kind of fidgets on the mound and like he's always grabbing an elbow or like hurting his shoulder, Like he's always looking like he just tweaked something on the last pitch. And he is literally a pitching coach's worst nightmare because every pitch you think he's just ailing. You think he's like I need to come out, Like was that ever.
00:29:51
Speaker 1: A thing when he was at San Diego State? Did he ever take some injuries like that?
00:29:54
Speaker 2: I think he just pumped one on one.
00:29:56
Speaker 1: Yeah. I think it's just like your arm is like that. And number nine, who I think should be above Strasburg. I think Max Shu's are at nine. I mean, people still sleep a Max Shu's and Max Schurzer could easily be in the top five, top six of this list. Oh my god, because if we're looking at if you have guys like Darvish there, if you have guys like Strasburg there, you obviously care about your past, your past, you know resume. So shures are at nine makes no sense to me. He should be higher, and then they have Lucas Giolito at ten, which I thought he should be higher, but I'm not going to disqualify. And based off his start a war recording this on a Monday, he got absolutely shelled by the Red Sox. I think you give up seven runs in any He looked bad.
00:30:40
Speaker 2: Bad, real bad, like missing, like change up, like down the middle, like middle sing bad bad.
00:30:47
Speaker 1: And Yourman Mercedes even hopted we just posted a TikTok highlight about Rman Mercedes getting in the game. He was giving up a couple of hits. Hit eighty eight yourmine Mercedes hit eighty eight miles an hour time. That's it's because the guys is it's because the guys aren't are like bigger than my Torso. It was so funny seeing him up there. He literally looked like Pablo san all out there all right, but notables left off. Tyler glasnow should be on this list. Yeah, one hundred percent. He's fourth in era. He's fourth in shrikeouts right now era under one. He just I was just in the stadium for Ray's Yankees. When we watch glass Now pitch against Jordan Montgomery Glasnow looked like the best player on the field. Yeah, Yankee fans fell to two. The scuttle butt around the stadium is we gotta face Glass now today. We gotta face Glass now today. Yeah, because glassnow might be the best pitcher in the American League East, outside of, of course, Garrett Cole. Right, but Tyler Glasnow, I'd rather have him than Darvish, I think so.
00:31:42
Speaker 2: And my other notable, uh kind of notable omission from this list is, you cannot make a list right now without Corbyn Burns as it stands, right now, sir, you're if you're going to publish an article right now, thirty k's no walks, you cannot publish an article without Corbyn Burns.
00:31:59
Speaker 1: In the Corbyn Burns should win the MLB Cy Young if it were decided today at MLB, Sy Young the best pitcher in baseball, right.
00:32:07
Speaker 2: The platinum glove for pictures, the platinum.
00:32:08
Speaker 1: Bottom glove for pictures. When you throw a ninety six mile an hour cutter that is not only your most used pitch, but it's getting you the most strikeouts and you don't walk a soul, give me Corden Burns. Also one more notable. Hunjin Ryu deserves some love. He just shoves every single outing he's out there. I mean, I think he was third and say young voting in twenty nineteen. I think he was second last year, or maybe the other way around. But Ryu is a stud and people don't talk about Ryu in Toronto. But he's an ace. He's an absolute ace.
00:32:39
Speaker 2: Well you know what, Pete, I'm seeing number one on this list on Thursday with my own eyes, Jacob de Gram at Wrigley Field taking on an inept Cubs team. Oh gotta love it.
00:32:50
Speaker 1: Before we leave, I gotta leave the listeners with one play to remember that might go down in history because I've never seen it before. In the Dodgers Pottery Series, in the twelve inning, Jake Cronworth pitched to David Price, who is the hitter, and Joe Musgrove was playing left field. None of it makes literally, Eddie SAIDs, and then Price actually hit a fly ball with Joe Musgrove catching in the left field. Have we ever seen where a position player is hitting a pitcher is no, no, no, I can't even explain it. It so hard. A position player is pitching, a pitcher is hitting, and then a Pitcher is in left and makes the out on that entire play telling that's ever happened in the history of forever.
00:33:34
Speaker 2: I think we got to ask Michael lorenzen.
00:33:37
Speaker 1: I like that A couple of tugs.
00:33:39
Speaker 2: All right, Pete, this was good man. We'll come back to you with Nelson Figueroa on Friday.
00:33:44
Speaker 1: Nelson Figuoa on Friday. I'm dombin sciited. It's gonna be a good one.
00:33:47
Speaker 2: I'bout that. He's Peter, I'm Jack. This is projected plate as always. Talk to you guys Friday. Thank you everybody. Y
