00:00:00
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00:01:42
Speaker 2: Times League Records bring, we will sue you to time Times The Gunner.
00:02:04
Speaker 1: Out Tuesday, April eleventh on the Just Baseball Show. That's Jack McMullen and I'm Peter Apple. And on the back half of this episode we are talking top five teams in college baseball as well as too surprising as we hit the mid season point of the college baseball season. But we also like to talk to some MLB stuff, so we're gonna break down a couple of storylines that I'm looking at, and I have Jack just to bounce things off. It's a perfect Tuesday. How are you I I'm great.
00:02:31
Speaker 3: I am along for the ride today, which is really fun because you're talking with Peter Flaherty. I guess, like old friend, like Peter Flaherty, new title of baseball and call him here.
00:02:42
Speaker 1: He's a secret weapon. That's why I think we should refer to him. He's kind of like the you know, the ace in your hand. He's just so good at talking about college baseball. He's an encyclopedia of knowledge, and I love to just pick his brain on some things that he's seeing because of course, like when I turn on the Callege baseball game, I'm watching for the stars, like I'm watching LSU, I'm watching Florida, I'm watching all these teams like looking for that next great MLB player. That's why I love watching college baseball. But he has those like diamonds in the rough, the players who you know, maybe not pop off the page, but can be third rounders, fourth fifth day two guys. All that kind of stuff that you have to watch out for that could end up being big pieces of a team one day, and we got to gush over Dylan Cruz, the number one overall pick who's hitting five to twenty five.
00:03:30
Speaker 3: Yes, Pirates fans are gonna be very happy with two cruise missiles, one cu cru Z, one Crews, but both cruise missiles. You also talk Langford and Kaglion, which is great for Florida. This kid Jack Kaglione, Like I'm gonna save the conversation for the Peters in the back half hour, but like, what a fucking freak show man.
00:03:56
Speaker 1: College baseball show? Heyo Tani striking on eleven for nine lead the nation and home runs. He's a freakazoid.
00:04:03
Speaker 3: So if you remember it, like if you were kinda in to college baseball in the mid twenty tens, then you remember Brendan McKay who was the third overall pick by Tampa and McKay did look like a guy that could be a two way talent at the major league level, but he abandoned hitting and he's just been dealing with so many injuries. I think it's a nagging shoulder thing that has just kind of derailed his entire career. McKay's turning into a what if story, which sucks because I met him once, really nice guy. Kagleone is elevated McKay like he's he's obviously below sho Heeyotani. But he pumps out like one fifteen to one eighteen off the bat at ease, and then he's like one of the best strikeout artists in America. Out of a starting rotation, he sits like ninety six ninety seven. So he's not show Hey, I think he's probably better than McKay. So he's somewhere in between, but closer to McKay.
00:04:57
Speaker 1: Basically, if there was a pick for the next show, hey, it would be him right now. Now that's not saying you know, anything could happen. We saw it with Brandon mckaye. Just like you said, anything can happen. But if we look at the talent of a guy who can shut down an offense on the mound while leading the nation home runs, he's not just like a good hitter and good pitcher. Yeah, the era might not look great, but the strikeout numbers are. The stuff is great, and he's leading the nation in home runs, leading it.
00:05:27
Speaker 3: That's the thing, man, So like cagleone, and we'll move off college ball here in a moment. But I think the most slept on thing about Otani, despite being really.
00:05:38
Speaker 1: Fast, which is your favorite, you know that.
00:05:41
Speaker 3: I was aware, the most slept on thing about Otani is he is sneaky, a mammoth human being.
00:05:50
Speaker 1: He's a huge dude. We were on the field of the World Baseball Classic, and that was my biggest takeaway was I was like, he's bigger than Pete Alonso. He's be like way bigger.
00:06:01
Speaker 3: Ye what Yeah, the mammoth huge guy. And Kaglione from what I've seen at Kaglione is a mammoth guy. Like, listen, throw your man card away for thirty seconds. Take a look at Jack Caglion in baseball pants. You're going to be sold on this guy being an All Star. It plays, it plays all right.
00:06:22
Speaker 1: The MLB portion of this podcast, I got a couple of pitchers who I wanted a reference. But first, of course we did get the news. O'Neal Cruz out ten to twelve weeks with the fractured ankle. It really really sucks, but it's better than I thought because the injury on the field, which inside it a bench clearing. I don't even want to call it a brawl. It was more of a hold me back, hold me back. That seems to be what most baseball fights are this day, and this was kind of the definition of it. Kopek was, you know, getting super heated, and I don't know if it was for good reason. I don't really care. It wasn't really a brawl. But the main takeaway from it is I thought there was a chance that O'Neil Cruz would be out for the season, but ten to twelve weeks. It sucks, but it is better than I thought it was going to be.
00:07:08
Speaker 3: It is much much better than I thought it was gonna be. Thankfully. It was an ankle thing and it wasn't an achilles or anything like that. There was no tendon. It was a bone fracture, which you really, you know, you almost thank your lucky stars because the thing about O'Neal Cruz is he is so stupidly explosive, Like that's why he's so much fun to watch, because the arm is explosive, the bat is explosive, and the feet like the legs. He is one of the fastest guys in baseball by sprint speed. So you're worried that, you know, ligament damage at his knee would take away some of that explosion coming from his lower half. You can heal entirely from an ankle fracture in twelve weeks, which is good. So this isn't going to sacrifice any of O'Neil Cruz's athleticism, which I think was the best thing. But yeah, man like, it sounds like we'll get him on a rehab appearance in Indianapolis, which selfish, Lee is going to be pretty cool to see him again, even though I watched him for two months last year. But yeah, that could have been much much worse. I'm glad that it isn't.
00:08:12
Speaker 1: So I brought you a couple of pitchers that have been really really impressing me because you and arm you wrote down a lot of the big storylines of from the weekend in baseball, and you talked about the Rays. You know, I could talk forever about Jeffrey Springs and Drew Rasmussen how good they have been. But again, you're facing the A's, You're facing these teams, but they're still major League baseball players and they're still dominating. But outside of the Rays, because believe it or not, there are other really good pitchers in the league. One guy that is already just you know. I made him my Cy Young favorite in the American League and he's been as good as advertised, not allowing a run yet, Like Kevin Gosman is just on top of his game right now. Twelve innings, fourteen k's. He has three walks, which is even above his standards because he doesn't walk any buddy. He's that true horse that the Blue Jays need after watching you know, Brios get blown up for a second time. Bassett did look good in a second start from a box score perspective, but this stuff, it's just he's got a curveball that doesn't do anything for me. He doesn't quite look like the same pitcher, even though the box score looks good. I think Blue Jays fans would agree with that, Chris Bassett, there is something there that you don't love. Manoa came back through a seven inning shutout, but again didn't The stuff wasn't what we're used to with Manoa. But the one pitcher who every fifth day I know Blue Jays fans can rely on and the rest of baseball can just marvel at is Kevin Gosman. I think he started the year off even. I mean he hasn't allowed to run yet, that's the bottom line, has not allowed to run through twelve inchs against good lineups.
00:09:45
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, like we were streak watching with Gosman to open the year last year because he went what like twenty nine innings without walking anybody, and so far he's walked three in twelve innings. So now it's my turn to tell you why Kevin Gosman's a a fraud and like Rome has fallen. Yeah, great, bust, thirty two year old bust, I'm with you. No, I mean fourteen k's three walks, He's faced fifty one hitters. This guy has gone twelve innings in two starts. That's excellent from him. And you mentioned the most important number of them all, and that's that he has yet to allow an earned run, which is awesome and that is what gets guys paid. Gosman is reliable. I think Manoa as the years go on, is going to be considered reliable. But you and I are not. Bassett guys like feels like t ball sometimes and his first start of the year was a mutilation of Chris Bassett. Barrios is like the biggest wild card ever because he looked kind of fine in Anaheim this weekend, which was interesting, but then.
00:10:51
Speaker 1: Frid for like an inagg that he got crushed again. And I know he led a couple of guys on that Adam Simber came in and Mike Trout took him four fifty and that just things on rap and then they had to win a game twelve ten. Like their offense is crazy. But the reason I wanted to bring up Kevin Gosman is in the back of my mind rock He's reliable when nobody else is. In the back of my mind, I think to myself, all right, if Kevin Gosman is on the mound and that Blue Jay's bullpen is rested and they're hitting like they are, they I feel like they'll win every single one of those starts against anybody road home doesn't matter. Like Kevin Gosman on the mound with that offense, and if they have a rested bullpen feels to me like the best team in baseball, if that makes sense for that day. Every fifth day when you have Kevin Gosman on the mound feels like an impossible game for the other team to win.
00:11:44
Speaker 3: Yeah, like right now, obviously it is because he's got a zero zero zero era, But I totally see what you're saying, and I think that that lineup is it's not musty TV every night because like, hey, you know, watch some other exciting guys. But you know, you take Vladdie and Boba Schett. Then you had Matt Chapman, who's off to like the best start of his career, and we were talking about him like Springer looks great, Dalton freaking var Show looks excellent. Man, I'm all in on Dalton VARs Show. That guy's a star. But man, like, I think this lineup and any reliability you get from Gosman and hopefully Manoa moving forward will turn this team into a very scary team. What sucks the most about Toronto is like we just have to come to terms with the fact that Jose Barrio sucks now sucks, which is crazy. He was an one hundred and thirty million dollar guy ahead of last year and he sucks now.
00:12:43
Speaker 1: Former Blue Jay another guy that I wanted to talk about, the Stro show Man. He's real good right now. I don't think he's allowed to run either zero point zer zero era. He's got he's got twelve innings, pitch fourteen k's, he's got six walks, which of course you don't like to see. But stuff looks so good. And I was looking back at, you know, kind of his stretch from September to October of last year with the Cubs. Dude was unbelievable. And he's just parlayed that into a really good start for the season. I think both of us were a little bit concerned with the Cubs starting pitching, like we like Hayden west Nesky Jameson tay On is like, all right, six innings, three runs, like we got to score four to win. You know, you go up and down the rotation. But if Stroman can be that guy, the Cubs are better than I thought they were because when he's on the mountain, they haven't lost. And he just keeps accumulating these great starts. And this dates back a couple of months in the last season two. He's the stro show Man. He's really doing it.
00:13:46
Speaker 3: Yeah, no, I mean he is. He's good man, And like, I think that's just an objective point now, and love him or hate him all you want because of the off the field, you know, like his persona like there's nothing he's done that's like, you know what I mean, It's just he's not a likable guy to some. Stroman is a very good pitcher, and he's a very good baseball player. And Marcus Stroman, I think he is going to have you know, an era in the low threes this year. I think that's the kind of guy that Stroman is. That's the kind of guy he's been his entire career. Thing that jumps out about Stroman. You know, we talked about yesterday that Nick Lodolo is the perfect pitcher for Great American Ballpark. Marcus Stroman's kind of the perfect picture for Wrigley Field because we talk about wind blowing out at Wrigley automatic over Marcus Stroman in his start on Saturday against Texas at Wrigley eight ground balls, no fly ball outs. I mean, he keeps the ball on the ground, man, Like you keep the ball on the ground and you've got Danzby Swanson and Nico Horner playing up the gut for you. That's a recipe for immense success. And that's what Stroman has done.
00:14:53
Speaker 1: Another guy who's seen his stuff tick up, and another guy who keeps the ball on the ground is the new Minnesota Twin. Lopez has looked unbelievably good. Right last year he was throwing around ninety three to ninety four. This season he's ninety five to ninety six. And that sweeper that he started to throw, he didn't really throw it last year. It was more of this like curveball. But now it's this eighty four mine hour sweeper that he started throwing a ton. He's actually thrown it forty eight times all the right handed hitters. This is a really good pitch. And when he's throwing this hard and keeping the ball on the ground at a forty seven percent rate and he doesn't allow runs, this could be the Twins ace this year.
00:15:36
Speaker 3: Yeah. I mean they've all looked good, you know what I mean, Like he's got competition. The only one that hasn't looked good is Mally. Like Pablo Lopez has looked great. You mentioned twelve and a thirty's, He's got a point seventy three. He's allowed one earned run in twelve and a third. Joe Ryan twelve innings, six hits, punched out sixteen, Sonny Gray twelve innings, seven hits, one earned Ken Tamaieta was great in his first start, five innings, a one run ball. So Mally is the runt of the litter right now, which is crazy because Malley at his best is a three. All these guys at their best are threes, except maybe Pablo and Joe Ryan. I'd say Sonny was a two.
00:16:13
Speaker 1: I think his.
00:16:14
Speaker 3: Best now is a three. I think Joe Ryan's best is a two, and I think Pablo's best is like a top flight two. Like we talk about him in the same light that Fromber is a better pitcher, but I think we talk about him in the same light as Fromber, where Fromber can be a one, and he is the one now. But he was the best two in baseball last year. And that's Pablo Lopez at his very best.
00:16:37
Speaker 1: Another guy who when I watch I think he's a one. It's just he's struggled to stay healthy. Dustin May is a freak of nature for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and I love what he's been doing. And I was listening to the Dodgers broadcast and it's an adjustment that he made. And you know this guy could just make adjustments because he throws an but you know, he was very sinker slider and he's kind of nibbling around the zone and I think the Dodgers said, what the fuck are you doing? You throw it one hundred mile an hour fastball, throw it down the middle. Dare these people to hit it? And nobody can hit it because it's one hundred and his long levers, the extension he gets on it. I can hear it through the television, bust into Austin Barnes or Will Smith's glove. This guy is such a freak. And you know the Dodgers, they have Kershaw, they have Areus, you know they have these starting pitchers. But if Dustin May can stay healthy, I think he's the most talented of the bunch, even more talented than a guy like Julio Arius, like Areas, is a better pitcher because he stays healthy and he tell he's up one hundred and seventy five to one hundred and eighty five innings like he has over the past two seasons, so he's you can rely on him much more. But if one start everyone's fully healthy, I think Dodger fans would say, give me Dustin May, and I would say give me Dustin May over a lot of pitchers in Major League baseball right now. He has the same effect of glass now that if they just stay healthy, they look impossible to hit. They're both in this six six to six' eight, range crazy long arms with unbelievable. Stuff right, Now Dustin may is sitting with a zero point six y nine. Era it's funny that he doesn't strike out guys like you'd, think but it's he's a soft contact, guy like you make contact with the. Baseball and although it's coming in at one, hundred it doesn't go out one. Hundred it goes out like eighty. Eight he's just so damn good and fun to.
00:18:34
Speaker 3: Watch, Yeah So Dustin may is sitting ninety seven with a sinker right, Now, like come, on.
00:18:40
Speaker 1: Right come On.
00:18:41
Speaker 3: May if you look at starters that are sitting harder Than Dustin may is at this point with a, sinker, uh you're looking At Sandy.
00:18:51
Speaker 1: Uh and that's.
00:18:53
Speaker 3: It Jordan hicks is like a multi enner. Reliever he's thrown a. Bit but the only two guys that have like thrown more sinkers that sit at a higher speed as starting pitchers or like multienning relievers are Our hicks And sandy Al. Contra and that is, excellent excellent company to be. In i'm with you On may being you, know like his best maybe better Than julio's. Best the way THAT i view, it if you were to stack those four in twenty twenty three of The year of Our, Lord Walker buehler is like one of the very few guys THAT i will, Take, like IF i get one hundred percent Of Walker, Buehler i'm taking one hundred percent of him Over Dustin may. Too so if you gave me the one hundredth percentile outcome start for all these, GUYS i, mean, shit, dude it's like perfect game for all of. Them BUT i Go Walker, Bueler Dustin, May Julio, Ries Clayton kershaw in twenty twenty.
00:19:48
Speaker 1: Three Clayton. Kershaw it's, crazy, Right, yes the best picture of our. Generation who's still like he's still like like thirty.
00:19:55
Speaker 3: Eight if you gave me twenty Eleven, kershaw Like i'm Putting kershaw one and like there's a huge but it's twenty twenty Three Clayton kerschhall they were talking about.
00:20:03
Speaker 1: Exactly and the last PITCHER i wanted to talk about is the guy WHO i was really impressed with On Sunday Night, baseball AND i was on the bravest money, line probably the worst bet of the season so, far considering they lost ten to two and The padres jumped all Over Dylan. Dodd But Dylan dodd's not SOMEONE i want to talk about right. NOW i want to talk about this, Man Seth. Lugo and he's a guy who you, know when we were talking about The padres rotation at the beginning of the, year we were really, nervous right Because Michael, Waka Seth, Lugo Nick, martinez, like what are they gonna get from the? Bottom we assumed That, musgrove who hasn't made a pitch yet this, season You, Darvish Blake, snell they'd be, great but what are we gonna get from the? Bottom, Well Michael waka threw six shutout with ten k's one of the most surprising starts of the. Year and Then Seth lugo goes On Sunday Night baseball on the road against This braves juggernaut of a lineup who normally hit him when he was a reliever for The, mets and flashed the incredible high spin curveball that he's always. Had but the way that he can place it wherever he, wants and he pairs it with his ninety one min hour like sinkerish two seamer fastball. Thing he gets outs, man he looks. Good DO i know if it's gonna continue for the entire? Year, No but right now he's the guy WHO i have full faith in can give me five or six innings of very solid. Baseball and that's a sentence THAT i had no confidence in saying even a few weeks. Ago but he did it, twice and Now i'm, thinking all, right like that curveball, plays you, know he's got the command and it's just he gets. Outs.
00:21:39
Speaker 3: Man there are two starting pitchers that are consistently snapping off thirty four hundred rpm, curveballs which is just an insane. Number and, LIKE i, know spin efficiency like one hundred percent is you know maximum spin all that?
00:21:52
Speaker 1: SHIT i, LIKE.
00:21:54
Speaker 3: I want a physics person to tell, me, like you, know the time in which it Takes Seth lugo's curveball to get from his fingertips to the, glove what is.
00:22:07
Speaker 1: The like possible?
00:22:08
Speaker 3: Rpm BECAUSE i feel like he's flirting with the impossible. Here but the only two starting pitchers that are consistently snapping off thirty three hundred and thirty four hundred rpm. Curveballs are the last two guys that you've talked about In Seth lugo And Dustin. May one more point For Dustin may being an absolute alien life. Form But lugo has had this man and like we saw it clipped in three run games in the seventh inning last year for The, mets and you were, thinking, okay he does. That, there it's a day, game nobody's. There, whatever what's he going to? Do in starts for a team that wants to win The World series and Has, Machado, Tatis, Soto Bogart's Muscrove snell darbish. Like he kind of looks like a four or a five right, now which is. Crazy and if they get a true four From Seth lugo this, YEAR i might have to push all my chips in On San diego.
00:23:00
Speaker 1: Might have to. Too they look really good and they don't even Have tatis. Yet And Bob melvin The Mission lefty On Lefty Nuke job On Sunday Night, baseball and On Sunday Night, baseball Manager Bob melvin said that he thinks That Fernando Tatis junior will lead off for this, team And bogart's has already done an amazing, job but then you put him in the. Duol you Got, soto you Got. MACHADO i, mean this is just such an entertaining team to. Watch but now let's talk about some college baseball With Peter. Flaherty we got the full back half of this. Episode that was five pitchers THAT i really like to, watch AND i Know jack does. Too and we'll be back with MORE mlb baseball On. Wednesday but today It's, tuesday it's college. Baseball let's talk To Pete. Flaherty we're at the mid season point of the college baseball, season AND i welcome on the Goat PETER. G. Flerity you can find a lot of his work At Baseball america and he's our secret weapon over here in the college baseball space At Just. Baseball. Pete how you, doing my?
00:24:03
Speaker 4: Man what's?
00:24:04
Speaker 1: Up?
00:24:04
Speaker 5: Pete i'm always happy to hop on and chop it up and talk some college baseball with.
00:24:08
Speaker 1: You some of my favorite times of the years when you AND i get on the mic and we just talk college. Baseball so in this section of The Just Baseball, show we are going to talk About pete's two big surprise teams at the midpoint of the college baseball, season as well as going over as top five teams and scattered throughout there will be a lot of big name players Who i'm Sure pete wants to talk. About i've been enjoying this college baseball. Season we have a future On Wake forest and that's going pretty well right now as they are living up to their, Name Rake forest as well as pitchers Like Ruet louder And Sean sullivan has really stepped up as A saturday. Guy but of course THERE'S. Lsu we're going to get into the top. Five but, First, pete your first surprise, team right because we talked at the beginning of the, season we went through our top ten teams and could it be your favorite? Team The Boston College.
00:24:59
Speaker 5: Eagles So i've grown. UP i grew up A bc, fan season, tickets the. Football i've actually got A bc football share on right, now and, YEAH i think it's hard to not have my top surprise be the Old eagles From Chesnut. Hill granted they're coming off a sweep Against, louisville but they're still sitting at number.
00:25:18
Speaker 4: Sixteen in the top twenty.
00:25:19
Speaker 5: Five they didn't make THE Acc tournament last, year they didn't make THE Acc tournament the year before, that and they're not a super prospecting. Team this isn't the twenty twenty one team that Had Cody, Morrissette Sal, Frelik Mason, pellio guys like.
00:25:34
Speaker 4: That it's just really timely.
00:25:37
Speaker 5: Hitting their pitchers attack the strikes down and throw quality strikes and it's a pretty simple. Formula but they're proving that if you just play sound baseball on either side of the, ball that you're going to have a pretty substantial amount of. Success and they just got swept At. Louisville louisville's a really good. Team they haven't lost a home serious twenty twenty. One, geez but they. Can, yeah they're they're really good At Jim patterson. Seam but they could bounce back this. Week so they're on track to make their first REGIONAL i think since twenty, sixteen and at this point they would kind of have to play themselves out of. It so my first surprise is absolutely B. C probably my number one surprise.
00:26:21
Speaker 1: Too So Ryan, miller of course we both, know and is writing a prospect stuff does a lot of college baseball, stuff is in charge of our mock drafts over here At Just. Baseball he gave me his top ten because you, know we're all collabbing with each other and trying to make the perfect top ten, teams and he HAD bc at number eight and they didn't make your top ten. Team maybe he's just a little higher on some. Guys maybe he sees the potential and maybe you're you, know they're your favorite, team so you're maybe being a bit conservative with. Them but do you think they have a real shot At omaha because you say that they're not a very prospected. Team they Have Joe vitronto who just will not stop. Hitting serious if you think they should be in that top ten or if you're, THINKING whoa pump the, brakes pump the, brakes.
00:27:08
Speaker 4: They're a great.
00:27:09
Speaker 5: TEAM i think this this past weekend At. Louisville the sweep was. Tough they're kind of sitting around five hundred in THE acc. Again BUT i, mean if you get into, uh if you get into a, regional that's ALL i really need For, omaha and they've they've got the ingredients to to go on a deep. Run Joe vitronto is a great. Player like you Mentioned Travis honeyman as as well.
00:27:32
Speaker 4: As this Cam.
00:27:33
Speaker 5: Leary that's kind of their three headed monster on. Offense but pitching, wise they've got a bona fide ace And Chris. Flynn he's a great. Story he was actually a walk on At division, Three Roger, williams and he made the. Team Roger williams was very successful, there enter his name into the, portal found his way TO bc and he's he's emerged as obviously their ace on the, staff but but one of the top pitchers in the. Conference so so really cool story. THERE i think that they can certainly get. In they were twenty seven outs From. Omaha the last time they made a regional in twenty, sixteen they Took miami to a game. Three AND i know that if they get, in they're gonna play really. Hard and if they get a favorable, draw WHICH i think for them doesn't include a team like a very offensive, TEAM i don't know if they'd want to get into a shootout with. ANYONE i think they're more suited for kind of a pitcher's, duel so they if they can get into it to a regional and have their super regional team be kind of a manageable matchup for. HIM i think they've got that type of.
00:28:40
Speaker 1: Upside number two surprise, Teams so we had to talk about Your, Eagles but who's that other team that you just didn't see.
00:28:46
Speaker 5: Coming the other TEAM i didn't really see coming and took me by surprise Was. Kentucky And kentucky they're no stranger to strong. Starts they start off fourteen and four last, YEAR i think nineteen and three or something of that. Nature the year BEFORE i may have had those. Flip but they've gotten off to really strong starts in the last two of two. Seasons but the wheels have kind of fallen off ONCE sec player rolled. Around but this year they are showing that they're for. Real they're twenty seven and. Five they're eighteen and one at, home nine and three in THE. Sec they did have a little bit of a hiccup At georgia this, week but that's.
00:29:26
Speaker 4: Not really of any. Concern they're still.
00:29:29
Speaker 5: Very clearly a regional team in in really good position to, host and the highlight for them has been there. Pitching they've got just a three two eras of. Staff their rotation has been really really strong With Logan martin And Zach, lee and they've gotten jumps out of guys Like Ryan. Hagenaw haggenaw was a pretty highly tighted prospect once he arrived on, campus kind of struggled in a hybrid role his first couple of, seasons but moving to the back end of the where he's really. Blossomed he hasn't allowed to earn run in sixteen. Innings So kentucky's my other. SURPRISE i think that they are probably they probably have More omaha upside than a team Like Boston college, does just from a sheer depth. Perspective they have a lot deeper of a. Staff they can swing it a little bit. More and that's not a knock Against Boston. College it's JUST i Think kentucky really is that, good and they they're gonna Have they've got a quick turn around this. Week they're gonna have to really turn around because they go To louisville and then they go to Alex Box stadium to take ON lsu this, weekend which LSU's. LSU i DON'T i think everyone knows what they're about at this, point so they're kind of going through their sec. Gauntlet right, now BUT i think that it would barring something really, unforeseen they're gonna head to a regional and they're gonna be really tough.
00:30:55
Speaker 4: Out So i'm.
00:30:56
Speaker 5: Excited about The, wildcats really excited ABOUT. Bc AND i think those are two top surprises this.
00:31:02
Speaker 1: Year, yeah over all the college baseball, season you, know we put out our five futures and all that kind of good, stuff and it's gone according to, plan Right so our five, futures they're all in basically every top ten that you'll find on any, publication but there have been a couple of teams that have really come out of. Nowhere kentucky is one of. Them and as we break into our top, five number four on our list is a huge. Surprise you, know it's not something that you, know we would never, expect but at four it's. Nuts but before we get to the number four, team let's get into your top five teams in college baseball right. Now and we'll start with a team that's always in the top, five BUT i think you AND i are were a little bit down on them because they didn't have quite the talent that they've had in previous. Years BUT i think this just speaks to their coaching that year in and year. Out they do have a good. Roster of course they. Do they have a great, roster but it's just when we're comparing it to Other vandy, teams it's not quite to that. Level but you look at This vandy, team we have them at number. Nine it's just a typical, team super well rounded. Bunch they got, pitchers they got, hitters they played, defense and they just win. Ballgames what has BEEN i guess the main takeaway From vanderbilt this.
00:32:20
Speaker 4: SEASON i Think i've been most surprised with their.
00:32:23
Speaker 5: OFFENSE i came into this year knowing that they were gonna throw the ball really. Well their staff is really good With Carter holton And Bryce cunningham up at the, top and then Obviously Devin futrell's been. Outstanding But i've been pretty blown away with the production they've gotten on the offensive. Side grad transfer R J shrek in particular has really been of of has really been been helpful for. Him he's sitting around three point fifty eleven doubles and eight home. Runs and then true Freshman Chris. Maldonado he's a great. PLAYER i wasn't expecting to be sitting here After sunday saying that He's vanderbilt's best. Freshman but He's vanderbilt's best. Freshman he's saying three seventy eleven doubles and four home. Runs and then.
00:33:10
Speaker 4: They they've really flipped the.
00:33:12
Speaker 5: Switch like if you look at their stats on offense right, NOW i don't know them off the top of my, head BUT i don't think that they're gonna be like you're gonna be like really The vandy offense because they are not unbelievably. Loud but through the first up until their series with Ole, miss people were talking about The vanderbilt offense as like their achilles. Heel their main issue are they gonna be able to hit enough against teams in THE.
00:33:35
Speaker 4: SEC i don't think they're gonna be able to hit enough.
00:33:37
Speaker 5: All, That but since that Ole miss, series they've really flipped a switch and have gone. Berserk they've gotten production up and down the. Lineup it's clear they're playing with a huge chip on their, shoulder and combine that with their good pitching in their twenty six and six overall eleven and.
00:33:54
Speaker 4: One in THE.
00:33:55
Speaker 5: Sec i'm kind of hard pressed to find her better resume.
00:34:00
Speaker 4: In the entire.
00:34:01
Speaker 1: Country so one of my favorite players in college baseball to watch Is Enrique bradfield. Junior and he's had a good, year, right BUT i don't think he's had the year that EVEN i. Expected maybe you expected this type of year From Enrique Bradfield. Junior he's slashing two ninety, one four fifty, six four sixty. Two he's getting on base a, ton and he has twenty three stolen. Bases BUT i was hoping that he'd tap into a little bit more power this year and it hasn't quite come in. Yet he's still a great, Player he's still An All world defensive. Player BUT i was thinking he had an outside shot at the number one overall, pick but NOW i don't. Think, so what has been your takeaway from a guy like that this?
00:34:44
Speaker 5: Season obviously sitting. IT i think he's sitting around two. NINETY i know that he's probably expecting some more, production but everything that makes him great is still. Shining AND i have been kind of impressed with the juicy. SHOWN i was fortunate enough to spend a lot of time around him this, summer and he was, like, MAN i got more power than like people give me credit, for like just trust, me.
00:35:09
Speaker 1: And it just hasn't shown up in the home Run total's, like he's got four home. RUNS i was expecting like seven or eight by this.
00:35:16
Speaker 5: Point, yeah he's got, four but that very sneakily he's THAT'S i think that puts him second on the team in home, runs and he's got an outside shot to hit. Ten and for a player with that kind of, PROFILE i think even eight to ten home runs is, extremely extremely, impressive and he's gonna end up HITTING i have no doubt in my. MIND i think he's gonna end up hitting around three twenty and he's walking almost twice as much as he's striking, Out, yeah twenty three. Bags he's starting to to kind of put the ball in, play not put the ball in play. More he's he's starting to find the barrel more, lately find some. Grass the, defense, obviously it's at the college. Level it's he's the best center fielder in the country, defensively and he's got That Kenny Lofton Juan pierre kind of profiling More, lofton but number one overall PICK i think is out of the picture at this, point just because Of Dylan, cruz who we'll probably talk about but still been impressed With Enrique. BRADFIELD i think he goes probably in the first twenty picks or. So i've heard some good things about teams in the top fifteen liking, him SO.
00:36:24
Speaker 4: I think that he'll go pretty good in the. Draft, still, no that makes.
00:36:28
Speaker 1: SENSE i GUESS i held him to a standard that was almost impossible for him to, reach and because he couldn't reach my impossible, standard That i'm holding it against him, slightly when in REALITY i probably, shouldn't just BECAUSE i think he's such an incredible. Talent so number, four this is the freak, team the team that came out of. Nowhere they're sitting at twenty eight and four on the, season twenty eight, wins four. Losses freshman of The year is Probably Ethan. Petrie what does he? Have eighteen home? Runs he's leading the name IN. RBIs and WHEN i Watched South, carolina you, know it's obvious that the talent jumps off the. Page the power is. Enormous he's an enormous human. Being BUT i didn't even know he was. EIGHTEEN i didn't know this was a freshman WHEN i first turned on THE tv and Watched South. Carolina because he doesn't look like it, right he doesn't play like he did is an act like. It he seems like he's been there for a couple of. Years but the end of the, day he's, eighteen and you Got Brayln wimmer and the pitching staff looks really. Good this team just doesn't. Lose they came out of nowhere and they just, decided know what we're. Not we ain't losing this. Year what has been the most impressive thing About South?
00:37:36
Speaker 5: CAROLINA i think what you, Said Ethan petrie has been. Unbelievable six four true freshman hitting four forty fifteen, bombs second in the country with fifty one. RBIs i, mean he's he's gonna Win National freshman of The. Year and what's scary is they get him for another two years and we're looking at a potential first overall type of guy in twenty twenty. Five but, again they've gotten production from really. EVERYWHERE i think their power upside is super. Impressive Gavin cassis also fifteen home, Runs.
00:38:09
Speaker 4: Braylen wimmer with. NINE i Think will.
00:38:13
Speaker 5: McGillis has double, digits and then they're well rounded. CLUB i have to ADMIT i was a little Like iffy on just how good they were after they're really good. Start, obviously what they got off to is like in, BASEBALL i don't care who you.
00:38:26
Speaker 4: Play WINNING i think it was twenty of twenty one games or something like that just doesn't.
00:38:31
Speaker 5: Happen, yeah it just doesn't happen no matter who you. Play if they were playing like high school, Teams i'd still be, impressed just because baseball is that.
00:38:37
Speaker 4: Weird SO i was really.
00:38:39
Speaker 5: IMPRESSED i wasn't like ready to call him a national title team just, yet WHICH i was obviously wrong, about WHICH i now think that they might even be better than their top five of ranking or wherever they are right.
00:38:55
Speaker 4: Now but they're super well.
00:38:58
Speaker 5: Rounded they've got a great Weekend rota With, sanders holl And. Mahoney sanders is a way better arm than what his numbers, show and we saw it in A unfortunately That friday game kind of got or That thursday game got flipped on its head because of the, weather but we saw how good of a Pitcher sanders was in that outing mid nineties. Fastball the slider was a plus. Pitch they've gotten lights out pitching from their bullpen with the Two eli's And jones And. Jurseenbeck Chris veach has one of the better Changeups i've seen this this uh this, season and again they're THEY'RE i don't even know how to say They they don't really have many holes and it's tough to nitpick a club like, this WHICH I i'm not gonna do because there's nothing to pick them. On they're nineteen and one at, home they're playing really well on the. ROAD i would have we were really robbed of A game three AGAINST, lsu BECAUSE i think that would have been an absolute.
00:39:58
Speaker 4: Dandy but the good news.
00:40:00
Speaker 5: As they go on the road To nashville to take On vanderbilt this weekend in what's going to be another unbelievable, year another unbelievable, series and of course all three games AROUND sec network, plus WHICH i don't know that THE espnu probably, has Like college lacks.
00:40:16
Speaker 4: On but.
00:40:19
Speaker 5: They have another good series this. Weekend i'm really excited about. THEM i think they do have national championship type. UPSIDE I they're a TEAM i would seriously consider picking right now to take it. HOME i think that they play with a lot of. Swagger they don't think anyone can beat them in a good. Way Not they're not going to be caught off. Guard but they're a very very impressive ball club that is clearly here to stay and they're the class of THE.
00:40:45
Speaker 4: Sec class of THE.
00:40:47
Speaker 1: Sec we love to see it in. It and as we get further into this, list now we're in the top, three it gets impossible to. Nitpick and that starts With, florida who's just a. Juggernaut even though why At langford who is purchased to go within the first what four three picks because he's an unbelievable. Hitter he's been absent for a while with an, injury but even without, him they are so. Good Like josh rivera bt, riophal these kind of guys in their lineup just have stepped. Up these veterans right with the absence Of, langford these guys step up, then like you even have Underclassman Kaye, Kurland Michael, robertson a bunch of just really good. Players AND i haven't even mentioned the show of college Baseball Jack. Kagleon he's taken a little bit of step back as a, pitcher but he's still racking up k's and he's leading the league in home. Runs he's kind of like college baseball, Show Hey? Otani AND i said that on, TikTok AND i got a lot of shit being, like, no he's not throwing one hundred mile an hours with a ninety two mile hour sweeper Like. OTANI i wasn't saying He's otani right. Now i'm saying the combination of a hitter and a pitcher with that type of power with great strikeout stuff is college baseball's version of, Show Hal, tawny what who has impressed you the most At? Florida, like obviously It's, Jack but who else has really just shone through on This florida? Team because we could be here for hours naming, Names BUT i guess who's that one guy when you turn on THE tv you're most excited to watch And jack. Cagleone you can't answer that one because that's too.
00:42:28
Speaker 5: EASY i was gonna it's kind of take your pick With. Florida Like langford had a lower body injury for a. While he came back and he's playing like he hasn't missed a. Stride he went two for FOUR i think it was On friday with a jack Against.
00:42:42
Speaker 4: Tennessee, yeah and then Against.
00:42:46
Speaker 5: Auburn he had a really good series as. Well so it's Like langford came back and hasn't missed a. Beat BUT i think What langford's, DOING i don't know if it was it was almost Expected. Caglion it's it's a cop out answer to say you're most impressed with. Him but WHEN i turn on THE tv or streaming or whatever AND i Watch florida, play the guy That i'm most impressed, with AND i think is a real key reason as to why they are where they are right now Is Josh.
00:43:18
Speaker 4: Rivera and he's an experienced.
00:43:21
Speaker 5: Guy he's their starting, shortstop has been for a couple of seasons, now had sort of an up and down career to this, point not a ton of, production was still figuring some things out of the. Plate this, year he's playing great defense over at. Shortstop at the, plate what he's been, DOING i can't overstate how unbelievable it. Is he's hitting three ninety eight thirteen home runs forty six RBIs a second on the team only to. Cagleone and he's walking more than he's striking out and it's a really violent operation at the, plate but it's under. Control at the same, time he's got lightning bat, speed he gets the ball in the air oft and the quality of contact is really. Good and he's played himself from gosh going into this. SEASON i don't know where he was on draft, boards probably like maybe like late day, two early day.
00:44:21
Speaker 4: Three maybe that was even a little.
00:44:23
Speaker 5: Generous but he's played himself into a sure fire top four round. Guy and if he keeps producing AN sec, Play we've seen what happens to guys draft stocks with a GOOD sec tournament or. REGIONAL i, mean he could go even higher than. That SO i Think i'm most impressed With Josh rivera because of the turnaround that he's had and the consistency at which he's, Produced like this isn't three good, Series he's done it all, Year So i'm most impressed with.
00:44:53
Speaker 1: Him and number, two we got The Demon Deacons Wake forest commonly referred to As Rake. FOREST i, mean The Bash brothers are, here college baseball's version Of mark McGuire and Jose canseco With Nick kurtz And Brock. Wilkin BUT i am the biggest rhet louder. Guy i've said this a million, times but every single TIME i turn on THE tv to watch, him he just gives me These Kevin gosman. Vibes he's got a change up from. Hell the thing darts out of the. Zone he can throw the ball wherever he, wants and now he's sitting with a one point four ZERO. Era If i'm a, Team i'm drafting him within the top ten. PICKS i think he's going to be one of those pitchers who's ready early and then just rises up the ranks and is one of those next great college pitchers that you see pretty. Soon i'd love to get your opinion on that. Too but then you have a guy Like Sean sullivan who's really stepped up in That saturday. Role they're just a phenomenal team that they can beat you in, shootouts right if one of their pitchers has a tough, day they can beat you twelve to. Ten but at the same, time If sullivan And louder got they can beat in low scoring games. Too they're just so good and IF lsu didn't have every good player in the, country they would be running away with. IT i think they're just an incredible. Watch.
00:46:12
Speaker 5: YEAH I so we talked about them going into this, season And i'll pat ourselves on the. Back we were high On, wake which wasn't really hot, take given like the makeup of their roster and how good they, Were but we were kind OF i wouldn't say expecting this because they're twenty eight and four and rolling through. Teams but if you had told us, THAT i don't think we would have been totally. Surprised but, later like you, said.
00:46:38
Speaker 1: If we look at the, odds right if we looked at the odds plus nineteen hundred on, them right, now they're plus seven point fifty to win The College World, series like they have dropped a considerable considerable. Amount they were around eight or nine If i'm If i'm correct in the preseason. Rankings now they're the definitive number. Two so it wasn't a hot take to say that they'd be really. Good BUT i think if if you AND i were, saying, like, oh they'd definitely be the number two team at this point the, SEASON i think that would be a relatively hot. Take and now there's no, debate.
00:47:13
Speaker 4: No none at.
00:47:14
Speaker 5: All and if you look at their, ROTATION i he was my pick to win Acc pitcher of The year for the second year in a. Row louder was he's on his way to being a top twenty overall draft. Pick like you, said change ups a plus plus, Pitch slider's a plus, pitch great mound, presence he's a pro, starter and he'd be well on his way to winning the award if he wasn't also accompanied By Sean sullivan And Josh hardle in the.
00:47:39
Speaker 4: Rotation hardle's got a one to nine.
00:47:40
Speaker 5: E, ra sixty nine case to seven walks and forty six, innings And, SULLIVAN i think has taken the country by storm with what he's. Done he's got a one to FIVE era and then seventy one case to nine walks in forty.
00:47:55
Speaker 1: Innings all three of their guys have THE ras under two pete.
00:47:59
Speaker 5: And they're all and they're all on The Golden spikes mid season watch, list which super impressive. Honor AND i Think sullivan's probably gonna win A Cc pitcher of The year IF i had to, guess assuming he keeps this. Up but then, sure you talk about their rotation and how good they. Are they're also getting production out of the, bullpen with guys Like Seth keener having AN ra under one over thirty, Innings Michael mass he throws ninety. Eight he's kind of to, me he seems like that next guy where next year After louder And, sullivan who's sophomore, eligible was it was kind of iffy If sullivan was going to get drafted in a good enough spot where you'd want to sign this. YEAR i think he's proven that he's going to go in the probably the top three or four rounds at.
00:48:41
Speaker 4: The latest this.
00:48:42
Speaker 5: Year SO i Think Michael massey is a guy to me that profiles out of the bullpen to make that jump into a weekend starter role and be the next guy in twenty twenty four where people are, like where Did Michael massey come? From this kid's throwing ninety seven to ninety nine with a hammer breaking, ball and it's, like that's just What wake. Does they've got the best pitching development of anyone in the country with the pitching Lab coach mcscarrett is an outstanding, job and their pitching is is.
00:49:08
Speaker 4: Great It's i'd.
00:49:10
Speaker 5: Put their staff up against anyone in the country on any. Day but then you go to their lineup and it's like they give pitchers no. Break It's Tommy hawk at the, top who's got incredible bats to ball, skills plays the game incredibly. Hard he's another sophomore eligible guy who should go in the top five, rounds top five or six.
00:49:28
Speaker 1: Rounds love.
00:49:29
Speaker 4: Them he's so fun to.
00:49:31
Speaker 5: Watch and then it's you got The Bash brothers With Nick kurtz And Brock wilkin and curses six.
00:49:37
Speaker 4: Five he's got great.
00:49:38
Speaker 5: Back control his long levers allow him to really barrel any pitch no matter where.
00:49:43
Speaker 4: It's thrown it makes him impossible to.
00:49:45
Speaker 5: Pitch to and, It's, like okay maybe we'll Pitch, around kurts and you can't Pitch around kurts because we've Met, with Wilkin and Wilkin. Is wilkin he's got seventy. Raw power he's absolutely pulverizing. The baseball he's made some tweaks to his setup and SWING that i really like. This year and then in talking To coach walter before, the season he had mentioned Someone Like pierce bennett as someone to watch as as who could really surprise. Some people and he was Spot on bennett sitting three, forty five, twelve doubles four, home runs and it's just like it's just little Things Like pierce bennett was a huge reason why they swept yesterday in their abbreviated SERIES With, nc state they had seven RBIs as.
00:50:26
Speaker 4: A team he had four. Of them he went four, for five a.
00:50:29
Speaker 5: Couple doubles it's just guys, like that and you need guys like that to win. National championships you're not going to do it on the backs of very seldom orre you gonna do it on the backs of just two or.
00:50:39
Speaker 4: Three guys you need a complete.
00:50:41
Speaker 5: Team effort and People Like, Pierce Bennett, Justin Johnson, adam cesary They give wake those those key supplemental pieces to to go all.
00:50:52
Speaker 4: The Way and i'm A and i'm a real believer in them to.
00:50:55
Speaker 5: Do that, and again if if we were picking the national, Champion Again i'd i'd still Sick, with Wake and i'd be even more convicted.
00:51:02
Speaker 1: On them i'd still Sick. With wake but they got that team in the way and Number One Louisiana STATE university Lsu. The tigers they have the two best players in. The Country dylan cruz is living up to, his name The, cruise missile and maybe even, more so he's leading the nation and batting average and it. Ain't close the dude is hitting five, twenty five which is forty points more than. Second Place paul skeens has allowed six earned in forty, seven innings and THAT'S even, I think i don't know if those. Stats included it's Starting Against south carolina where they actually got, to HIM which i. Found fascinating that game was incredible. In itself that. WHOLE series, i mean you talked about that, we were, you know robbed Of a, sunday game but that, whole Series even Friday and saturday. Were Incredible paul skeens is. That dude he's GONNA be i think the first pitcher taken just he's got he's just got, something DIFFERENT and i thought it. Was, Incredible right he's coming from a service ACADEMY to lsu and he steps up and he didn't miss. A beat this guy, is incredible and he was a two way Guy At, air force like he was, hitting bombs and now he doesn't have TO because lsu has this incredible LINEUP and lsu They Got, tommy tanks the Transfer For, menci state who led the nation in home runs as, a freshman and he's not even being Mentioned With dylan Cruz At paul skids even though he should be because he's having a. Great year but it's crazy that the guy who led the nation in home runs last year and is still having a, great Year Isn't paul Skins And. Dylan cruz this team is just what they're doing right now is what everyone thought they would, be doing which is really hard in, college Baseball right like a team, like that obviously. Their kids you get. These expectations you get the Coach, from minnesota the pitching coach who Leaves The minnesota twins in order to be your. Pitching coach you have all, the transfers you have all the nil money in, the world and yet you're still living up. To expectations that's what's been the coolest thing for ME. About lsu what's been the best thing to you About The Louisiana State.
00:53:16
Speaker 5: University tigers that's the THING is i think you bring up a great point with the expectations part, of it because coming into, the year their expectations, FROM everyone, i think in, a word was. Honestly perfection they were talking about how perfectly the roster. Was built they've got, Great coaching they've had a great. Coaching staff there's never really been a team like this in. Recent memory any slip up would be really held, against them and they haven't tripped once.
00:53:47
Speaker 4: They've lost sundays have been a little bit of a bugaboo.
00:53:50
Speaker 5: For him but even with a roster, like THIS the sec is just such good BASEBALL where, i mean you're not gonna.
00:53:56
Speaker 4: Go fit no one's gonna go fifty six.
00:53:58
Speaker 5: And zero where, you look it's you've got the number one hitter in, The Draft, dylan cruz who's. Putting up he's Like playing road To the show on. Beginner mode he's hitting five to ten, nine jacks walking twice as much as he's. Striking Out, paul skins number one pitcher in, the draft up TO one o, two sliders a, wipeout pitch, change ups a. Plus pitch his entire arsenal is is. FOOT is i think it's three plus, plus pitches which nobody else has that in. The country ninety one k's in forty. Seven innings he's Gonna win pitcher Of. The year cruise Will win player Of.
00:54:33
Speaker 4: The year AND.
00:54:35
Speaker 5: Actually i don't Know, about cruise maybe, Act yeah cruz will Probably win player of. The year just it can considerably gonna hit around like four fifty with fifteen plus.
00:54:46
Speaker 4: Home runs but then.
00:54:46
Speaker 1: It's also who else would win it if It.
00:54:48
Speaker 5: Wasn't cruise that's a, Good QUESTION like i think you got to Talk About. Ethan, petrie yeah just in that, same breath it's he's hitting four forty two himself with fifteen. Home runs it's kind of of like maybe the power mix up for what, he lacks and it's crazy time about what he lacks. An average he's hitting four to. Forty five but like comparing Him With, dylan cruz you're gonna have those. Outlandish conversations but again it's Like Tom by white is he leads the team with eleven, home runs he's second nationally with fifty One RBIs. Jared jones of course they're true freshmen playing, well Too Because jared jones has just. Stupid power he's got nine. Home runs he's also hitting three. Point fifty and then their Kind Of josh avera in my Mind is Gavin.
00:55:33
Speaker 4: Du guy he's a fifth.
00:55:34
Speaker 5: Year player production wasn't what it was this year. At all so far in his, college career he's hitting three, forty four ten. Home runs he has a knack for big moments and for getting a.
00:55:46
Speaker 4: Big hit he had a big home Run against tennessee in.
00:55:48
Speaker 5: Their series he had that game time and probably Series Saving grand slam this past Weekend Against, south carolina and he's been he's been the catalyst for them and then.
00:55:59
Speaker 4: On the mouth.
00:56:00
Speaker 5: Supplementing Schemes ty floyd's, Been Great christian little has. Been strong they're still kind of trying to figure Out their sunday spot a little bit after heard. As great ability has just been a little inconsistent. At times the injury bug is to hit their staff a.
00:56:15
Speaker 4: Little bit but.
00:56:17
Speaker 5: There no one's gonna want to. Play them they play with a chip on. Their shoulder they they don't walk into any series expecting. To win they actually go out and prove it day in and. Day out they play with a.
00:56:30
Speaker 4: Lot, of swag a productive amount.
00:56:32
Speaker 5: Of swag and Then the Johnson's Coach wes johnson and Coach, j johnson they've they've got them as prepared as.
00:56:40
Speaker 4: Anyone in the in. College BASEBALL so.
00:56:44
Speaker 5: I there are there is a lot. Of talent just talking this through, with you just in the first just in the top five teams in, the country and it's really unbelievable because there are so many other good teams in the country And In omaha sleepers and in teams Of The. Omaha Upside so i'm looking forward to the to the home stretch here and Seeing how regionals shake out and all, of that because it's sure to be a really fun rest of.
00:57:12
Speaker 1: The season so, for anyone, you know this Is The Just. Baseball show we talk all forms of baseball on, this podcast but, you know we mostly Talk About major. League baseball, of Course it's april tenth as we're sitting, here recording so the baseball season. Is Underway but i've been having so much fun watching college baseball. This year and you said that regionals are coming up all that kind. Of stuff let's say someone hasn't tuned into college, baseball yet what should they be on the, Watch, for like what's the schedule moving? Forward regionals, you know Getting. To omaha just lay out kind of the schedule before we.
00:57:46
Speaker 5: Say, goodbye yeah so we kind Of after easter IS when i kind of start looking at things like our like team's resume, is basically it's when it starts. To matter it's like, early on you're not gonna, be, like oh, you know they're eight, and one they've GOT an rpi, of six they're gonna host like now is when it actually starts, to matter so, each series each game becomes very important, for teams especially those on. The bubble And late may is the conference tournaments For the Power FIVE, CONFERENCES, Acc sec, BIG twelve pac, twelve now which is great that they've got a, conference tournament And then regionals start Right on, june one and it's a sprint to. The finish, from There it's REGIONALS for i think, five days depending on how each pod, shakes out and then it's a couple of days off before jumping Into, super regionals And super regionals are a best of three format between. Two teams it's a winner from, this regional winner from, that regional they'll meet here and they'll play best of three series and the winner Goes.
00:58:47
Speaker 4: To omaha And.
00:58:49
Speaker 5: By june by the second Week, of june we'll have the Eight, for omaha and Then The College world series is nine days in the Middle. OF june i think it's the fifteenth to the twenty fifth, this year which would be, ten days so that's kind of that would bring us to, the end which it's crazy to talk about the season ending in two and a, half months but there's a ton of actions still to, be had a lot. Of upsets i'm sure a lot of storylines that we wouldn't even think of happening to. This point so that's what's great, about baseball and especially, college baseball so there's sure to be a lot of fun left to.
00:59:27
Speaker 1: Be, had well thanks So much pete for. Coming on it's always a blast to talk college baseball, with You and i'm sure we're gonna be bringing you back on come the End, of May. Come june get our people ready For The College Baseball. World series that'll do it for this episode Of The Just. Baseball show make sure to Get Your just. Baseball merch i'm Rocking My just. Baseball tea the link is in the. Episode description that is the best way to support, this podcast but if you don't want to spend, a time we. Totally understand best way again to support is to rate this podcast five stars and leave a written review of it anything else you'd like us to, talk about as well as click that, subscribe button hit the like button and comment who your top five teams in college baseball are now on our. YouTube page you Can Find pete's twitter in our. Episode description that Is AT. Peter g Flaherty. On twitter he's my favorite college baseball Follow and i'm not even. Being, biased seriously breaks down so much. Good stuff even if you're never watching inning of college baseball and Just Follow, pete's twitter it's the best way to stay up to date on all college. Baseball, stuff pete genuinely thank you for coming on and we'll definitely be talking to.
01:00:40
Speaker 4: You soon, my Friend, oh man thank you for having.
01:00:42
Speaker 5: Me on it's it's always a blast to chop it up with you and like we, always sack we could talk about this for. Three Hours so i'm excited to come back on for the Regionals And omaha.
01:00:54
Speaker 1: And, with that thank.
01:00:55
Speaker 4: YOU everybody
01:01:07
Speaker 3: A
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00:01:42
Speaker 2: Times League Records bring, we will sue you to time Times The Gunner.
00:02:04
Speaker 1: Out Tuesday, April eleventh on the Just Baseball Show. That's Jack McMullen and I'm Peter Apple. And on the back half of this episode we are talking top five teams in college baseball as well as too surprising as we hit the mid season point of the college baseball season. But we also like to talk to some MLB stuff, so we're gonna break down a couple of storylines that I'm looking at, and I have Jack just to bounce things off. It's a perfect Tuesday. How are you I I'm great.
00:02:31
Speaker 3: I am along for the ride today, which is really fun because you're talking with Peter Flaherty. I guess, like old friend, like Peter Flaherty, new title of baseball and call him here.
00:02:42
Speaker 1: He's a secret weapon. That's why I think we should refer to him. He's kind of like the you know, the ace in your hand. He's just so good at talking about college baseball. He's an encyclopedia of knowledge, and I love to just pick his brain on some things that he's seeing because of course, like when I turn on the Callege baseball game, I'm watching for the stars, like I'm watching LSU, I'm watching Florida, I'm watching all these teams like looking for that next great MLB player. That's why I love watching college baseball. But he has those like diamonds in the rough, the players who you know, maybe not pop off the page, but can be third rounders, fourth fifth day two guys. All that kind of stuff that you have to watch out for that could end up being big pieces of a team one day, and we got to gush over Dylan Cruz, the number one overall pick who's hitting five to twenty five.
00:03:30
Speaker 3: Yes, Pirates fans are gonna be very happy with two cruise missiles, one cu cru Z, one Crews, but both cruise missiles. You also talk Langford and Kaglion, which is great for Florida. This kid Jack Kaglione, Like I'm gonna save the conversation for the Peters in the back half hour, but like, what a fucking freak show man.
00:03:56
Speaker 1: College baseball show? Heyo Tani striking on eleven for nine lead the nation and home runs. He's a freakazoid.
00:04:03
Speaker 3: So if you remember it, like if you were kinda in to college baseball in the mid twenty tens, then you remember Brendan McKay who was the third overall pick by Tampa and McKay did look like a guy that could be a two way talent at the major league level, but he abandoned hitting and he's just been dealing with so many injuries. I think it's a nagging shoulder thing that has just kind of derailed his entire career. McKay's turning into a what if story, which sucks because I met him once, really nice guy. Kagleone is elevated McKay like he's he's obviously below sho Heeyotani. But he pumps out like one fifteen to one eighteen off the bat at ease, and then he's like one of the best strikeout artists in America. Out of a starting rotation, he sits like ninety six ninety seven. So he's not show Hey, I think he's probably better than McKay. So he's somewhere in between, but closer to McKay.
00:04:57
Speaker 1: Basically, if there was a pick for the next show, hey, it would be him right now. Now that's not saying you know, anything could happen. We saw it with Brandon mckaye. Just like you said, anything can happen. But if we look at the talent of a guy who can shut down an offense on the mound while leading the nation home runs, he's not just like a good hitter and good pitcher. Yeah, the era might not look great, but the strikeout numbers are. The stuff is great, and he's leading the nation in home runs, leading it.
00:05:27
Speaker 3: That's the thing, man, So like cagleone, and we'll move off college ball here in a moment. But I think the most slept on thing about Otani, despite being really.
00:05:38
Speaker 1: Fast, which is your favorite, you know that.
00:05:41
Speaker 3: I was aware, the most slept on thing about Otani is he is sneaky, a mammoth human being.
00:05:50
Speaker 1: He's a huge dude. We were on the field of the World Baseball Classic, and that was my biggest takeaway was I was like, he's bigger than Pete Alonso. He's be like way bigger.
00:06:01
Speaker 3: Ye what Yeah, the mammoth huge guy. And Kaglione from what I've seen at Kaglione is a mammoth guy. Like, listen, throw your man card away for thirty seconds. Take a look at Jack Caglion in baseball pants. You're going to be sold on this guy being an All Star. It plays, it plays all right.
00:06:22
Speaker 1: The MLB portion of this podcast, I got a couple of pitchers who I wanted a reference. But first, of course we did get the news. O'Neal Cruz out ten to twelve weeks with the fractured ankle. It really really sucks, but it's better than I thought because the injury on the field, which inside it a bench clearing. I don't even want to call it a brawl. It was more of a hold me back, hold me back. That seems to be what most baseball fights are this day, and this was kind of the definition of it. Kopek was, you know, getting super heated, and I don't know if it was for good reason. I don't really care. It wasn't really a brawl. But the main takeaway from it is I thought there was a chance that O'Neil Cruz would be out for the season, but ten to twelve weeks. It sucks, but it is better than I thought it was going to be.
00:07:08
Speaker 3: It is much much better than I thought it was gonna be. Thankfully. It was an ankle thing and it wasn't an achilles or anything like that. There was no tendon. It was a bone fracture, which you really, you know, you almost thank your lucky stars because the thing about O'Neal Cruz is he is so stupidly explosive, Like that's why he's so much fun to watch, because the arm is explosive, the bat is explosive, and the feet like the legs. He is one of the fastest guys in baseball by sprint speed. So you're worried that, you know, ligament damage at his knee would take away some of that explosion coming from his lower half. You can heal entirely from an ankle fracture in twelve weeks, which is good. So this isn't going to sacrifice any of O'Neil Cruz's athleticism, which I think was the best thing. But yeah, man like, it sounds like we'll get him on a rehab appearance in Indianapolis, which selfish, Lee is going to be pretty cool to see him again, even though I watched him for two months last year. But yeah, that could have been much much worse. I'm glad that it isn't.
00:08:12
Speaker 1: So I brought you a couple of pitchers that have been really really impressing me because you and arm you wrote down a lot of the big storylines of from the weekend in baseball, and you talked about the Rays. You know, I could talk forever about Jeffrey Springs and Drew Rasmussen how good they have been. But again, you're facing the A's, You're facing these teams, but they're still major League baseball players and they're still dominating. But outside of the Rays, because believe it or not, there are other really good pitchers in the league. One guy that is already just you know. I made him my Cy Young favorite in the American League and he's been as good as advertised, not allowing a run yet, Like Kevin Gosman is just on top of his game right now. Twelve innings, fourteen k's. He has three walks, which is even above his standards because he doesn't walk any buddy. He's that true horse that the Blue Jays need after watching you know, Brios get blown up for a second time. Bassett did look good in a second start from a box score perspective, but this stuff, it's just he's got a curveball that doesn't do anything for me. He doesn't quite look like the same pitcher, even though the box score looks good. I think Blue Jays fans would agree with that, Chris Bassett, there is something there that you don't love. Manoa came back through a seven inning shutout, but again didn't The stuff wasn't what we're used to with Manoa. But the one pitcher who every fifth day I know Blue Jays fans can rely on and the rest of baseball can just marvel at is Kevin Gosman. I think he started the year off even. I mean he hasn't allowed to run yet, that's the bottom line, has not allowed to run through twelve inchs against good lineups.
00:09:45
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, like we were streak watching with Gosman to open the year last year because he went what like twenty nine innings without walking anybody, and so far he's walked three in twelve innings. So now it's my turn to tell you why Kevin Gosman's a a fraud and like Rome has fallen. Yeah, great, bust, thirty two year old bust, I'm with you. No, I mean fourteen k's three walks, He's faced fifty one hitters. This guy has gone twelve innings in two starts. That's excellent from him. And you mentioned the most important number of them all, and that's that he has yet to allow an earned run, which is awesome and that is what gets guys paid. Gosman is reliable. I think Manoa as the years go on, is going to be considered reliable. But you and I are not. Bassett guys like feels like t ball sometimes and his first start of the year was a mutilation of Chris Bassett. Barrios is like the biggest wild card ever because he looked kind of fine in Anaheim this weekend, which was interesting, but then.
00:10:51
Speaker 1: Frid for like an inagg that he got crushed again. And I know he led a couple of guys on that Adam Simber came in and Mike Trout took him four fifty and that just things on rap and then they had to win a game twelve ten. Like their offense is crazy. But the reason I wanted to bring up Kevin Gosman is in the back of my mind rock He's reliable when nobody else is. In the back of my mind, I think to myself, all right, if Kevin Gosman is on the mound and that Blue Jay's bullpen is rested and they're hitting like they are, they I feel like they'll win every single one of those starts against anybody road home doesn't matter. Like Kevin Gosman on the mound with that offense, and if they have a rested bullpen feels to me like the best team in baseball, if that makes sense for that day. Every fifth day when you have Kevin Gosman on the mound feels like an impossible game for the other team to win.
00:11:44
Speaker 3: Yeah, like right now, obviously it is because he's got a zero zero zero era, But I totally see what you're saying, and I think that that lineup is it's not musty TV every night because like, hey, you know, watch some other exciting guys. But you know, you take Vladdie and Boba Schett. Then you had Matt Chapman, who's off to like the best start of his career, and we were talking about him like Springer looks great, Dalton freaking var Show looks excellent. Man, I'm all in on Dalton VARs Show. That guy's a star. But man, like, I think this lineup and any reliability you get from Gosman and hopefully Manoa moving forward will turn this team into a very scary team. What sucks the most about Toronto is like we just have to come to terms with the fact that Jose Barrio sucks now sucks, which is crazy. He was an one hundred and thirty million dollar guy ahead of last year and he sucks now.
00:12:43
Speaker 1: Former Blue Jay another guy that I wanted to talk about, the Stro show Man. He's real good right now. I don't think he's allowed to run either zero point zer zero era. He's got he's got twelve innings, pitch fourteen k's, he's got six walks, which of course you don't like to see. But stuff looks so good. And I was looking back at, you know, kind of his stretch from September to October of last year with the Cubs. Dude was unbelievable. And he's just parlayed that into a really good start for the season. I think both of us were a little bit concerned with the Cubs starting pitching, like we like Hayden west Nesky Jameson tay On is like, all right, six innings, three runs, like we got to score four to win. You know, you go up and down the rotation. But if Stroman can be that guy, the Cubs are better than I thought they were because when he's on the mountain, they haven't lost. And he just keeps accumulating these great starts. And this dates back a couple of months in the last season two. He's the stro show Man. He's really doing it.
00:13:46
Speaker 3: Yeah, no, I mean he is. He's good man, And like, I think that's just an objective point now, and love him or hate him all you want because of the off the field, you know, like his persona like there's nothing he's done that's like, you know what I mean, It's just he's not a likable guy to some. Stroman is a very good pitcher, and he's a very good baseball player. And Marcus Stroman, I think he is going to have you know, an era in the low threes this year. I think that's the kind of guy that Stroman is. That's the kind of guy he's been his entire career. Thing that jumps out about Stroman. You know, we talked about yesterday that Nick Lodolo is the perfect pitcher for Great American Ballpark. Marcus Stroman's kind of the perfect picture for Wrigley Field because we talk about wind blowing out at Wrigley automatic over Marcus Stroman in his start on Saturday against Texas at Wrigley eight ground balls, no fly ball outs. I mean, he keeps the ball on the ground, man, Like you keep the ball on the ground and you've got Danzby Swanson and Nico Horner playing up the gut for you. That's a recipe for immense success. And that's what Stroman has done.
00:14:53
Speaker 1: Another guy who's seen his stuff tick up, and another guy who keeps the ball on the ground is the new Minnesota Twin. Lopez has looked unbelievably good. Right last year he was throwing around ninety three to ninety four. This season he's ninety five to ninety six. And that sweeper that he started to throw, he didn't really throw it last year. It was more of this like curveball. But now it's this eighty four mine hour sweeper that he started throwing a ton. He's actually thrown it forty eight times all the right handed hitters. This is a really good pitch. And when he's throwing this hard and keeping the ball on the ground at a forty seven percent rate and he doesn't allow runs, this could be the Twins ace this year.
00:15:36
Speaker 3: Yeah. I mean they've all looked good, you know what I mean, Like he's got competition. The only one that hasn't looked good is Mally. Like Pablo Lopez has looked great. You mentioned twelve and a thirty's, He's got a point seventy three. He's allowed one earned run in twelve and a third. Joe Ryan twelve innings, six hits, punched out sixteen, Sonny Gray twelve innings, seven hits, one earned Ken Tamaieta was great in his first start, five innings, a one run ball. So Mally is the runt of the litter right now, which is crazy because Malley at his best is a three. All these guys at their best are threes, except maybe Pablo and Joe Ryan. I'd say Sonny was a two.
00:16:13
Speaker 1: I think his.
00:16:14
Speaker 3: Best now is a three. I think Joe Ryan's best is a two, and I think Pablo's best is like a top flight two. Like we talk about him in the same light that Fromber is a better pitcher, but I think we talk about him in the same light as Fromber, where Fromber can be a one, and he is the one now. But he was the best two in baseball last year. And that's Pablo Lopez at his very best.
00:16:37
Speaker 1: Another guy who when I watch I think he's a one. It's just he's struggled to stay healthy. Dustin May is a freak of nature for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and I love what he's been doing. And I was listening to the Dodgers broadcast and it's an adjustment that he made. And you know this guy could just make adjustments because he throws an but you know, he was very sinker slider and he's kind of nibbling around the zone and I think the Dodgers said, what the fuck are you doing? You throw it one hundred mile an hour fastball, throw it down the middle. Dare these people to hit it? And nobody can hit it because it's one hundred and his long levers, the extension he gets on it. I can hear it through the television, bust into Austin Barnes or Will Smith's glove. This guy is such a freak. And you know the Dodgers, they have Kershaw, they have Areus, you know they have these starting pitchers. But if Dustin May can stay healthy, I think he's the most talented of the bunch, even more talented than a guy like Julio Arius, like Areas, is a better pitcher because he stays healthy and he tell he's up one hundred and seventy five to one hundred and eighty five innings like he has over the past two seasons, so he's you can rely on him much more. But if one start everyone's fully healthy, I think Dodger fans would say, give me Dustin May, and I would say give me Dustin May over a lot of pitchers in Major League baseball right now. He has the same effect of glass now that if they just stay healthy, they look impossible to hit. They're both in this six six to six' eight, range crazy long arms with unbelievable. Stuff right, Now Dustin may is sitting with a zero point six y nine. Era it's funny that he doesn't strike out guys like you'd, think but it's he's a soft contact, guy like you make contact with the. Baseball and although it's coming in at one, hundred it doesn't go out one. Hundred it goes out like eighty. Eight he's just so damn good and fun to.
00:18:34
Speaker 3: Watch, Yeah So Dustin may is sitting ninety seven with a sinker right, Now, like come, on.
00:18:40
Speaker 1: Right come On.
00:18:41
Speaker 3: May if you look at starters that are sitting harder Than Dustin may is at this point with a, sinker, uh you're looking At Sandy.
00:18:51
Speaker 1: Uh and that's.
00:18:53
Speaker 3: It Jordan hicks is like a multi enner. Reliever he's thrown a. Bit but the only two guys that have like thrown more sinkers that sit at a higher speed as starting pitchers or like multienning relievers are Our hicks And sandy Al. Contra and that is, excellent excellent company to be. In i'm with you On may being you, know like his best maybe better Than julio's. Best the way THAT i view, it if you were to stack those four in twenty twenty three of The year of Our, Lord Walker buehler is like one of the very few guys THAT i will, Take, like IF i get one hundred percent Of Walker, Buehler i'm taking one hundred percent of him Over Dustin may. Too so if you gave me the one hundredth percentile outcome start for all these, GUYS i, mean, shit, dude it's like perfect game for all of. Them BUT i Go Walker, Bueler Dustin, May Julio, Ries Clayton kershaw in twenty twenty.
00:19:48
Speaker 1: Three Clayton. Kershaw it's, crazy, Right, yes the best picture of our. Generation who's still like he's still like like thirty.
00:19:55
Speaker 3: Eight if you gave me twenty Eleven, kershaw Like i'm Putting kershaw one and like there's a huge but it's twenty twenty Three Clayton kerschhall they were talking about.
00:20:03
Speaker 1: Exactly and the last PITCHER i wanted to talk about is the guy WHO i was really impressed with On Sunday Night, baseball AND i was on the bravest money, line probably the worst bet of the season so, far considering they lost ten to two and The padres jumped all Over Dylan. Dodd But Dylan dodd's not SOMEONE i want to talk about right. NOW i want to talk about this, Man Seth. Lugo and he's a guy who you, know when we were talking about The padres rotation at the beginning of the, year we were really, nervous right Because Michael, Waka Seth, Lugo Nick, martinez, like what are they gonna get from the? Bottom we assumed That, musgrove who hasn't made a pitch yet this, season You, Darvish Blake, snell they'd be, great but what are we gonna get from the? Bottom, Well Michael waka threw six shutout with ten k's one of the most surprising starts of the. Year and Then Seth lugo goes On Sunday Night baseball on the road against This braves juggernaut of a lineup who normally hit him when he was a reliever for The, mets and flashed the incredible high spin curveball that he's always. Had but the way that he can place it wherever he, wants and he pairs it with his ninety one min hour like sinkerish two seamer fastball. Thing he gets outs, man he looks. Good DO i know if it's gonna continue for the entire? Year, No but right now he's the guy WHO i have full faith in can give me five or six innings of very solid. Baseball and that's a sentence THAT i had no confidence in saying even a few weeks. Ago but he did it, twice and Now i'm, thinking all, right like that curveball, plays you, know he's got the command and it's just he gets. Outs.
00:21:39
Speaker 3: Man there are two starting pitchers that are consistently snapping off thirty four hundred rpm, curveballs which is just an insane. Number and, LIKE i, know spin efficiency like one hundred percent is you know maximum spin all that?
00:21:52
Speaker 1: SHIT i, LIKE.
00:21:54
Speaker 3: I want a physics person to tell, me, like you, know the time in which it Takes Seth lugo's curveball to get from his fingertips to the, glove what is.
00:22:07
Speaker 1: The like possible?
00:22:08
Speaker 3: Rpm BECAUSE i feel like he's flirting with the impossible. Here but the only two starting pitchers that are consistently snapping off thirty three hundred and thirty four hundred rpm. Curveballs are the last two guys that you've talked about In Seth lugo And Dustin. May one more point For Dustin may being an absolute alien life. Form But lugo has had this man and like we saw it clipped in three run games in the seventh inning last year for The, mets and you were, thinking, okay he does. That, there it's a day, game nobody's. There, whatever what's he going to? Do in starts for a team that wants to win The World series and Has, Machado, Tatis, Soto Bogart's Muscrove snell darbish. Like he kind of looks like a four or a five right, now which is. Crazy and if they get a true four From Seth lugo this, YEAR i might have to push all my chips in On San diego.
00:23:00
Speaker 1: Might have to. Too they look really good and they don't even Have tatis. Yet And Bob melvin The Mission lefty On Lefty Nuke job On Sunday Night, baseball and On Sunday Night, baseball Manager Bob melvin said that he thinks That Fernando Tatis junior will lead off for this, team And bogart's has already done an amazing, job but then you put him in the. Duol you Got, soto you Got. MACHADO i, mean this is just such an entertaining team to. Watch but now let's talk about some college baseball With Peter. Flaherty we got the full back half of this. Episode that was five pitchers THAT i really like to, watch AND i Know jack does. Too and we'll be back with MORE mlb baseball On. Wednesday but today It's, tuesday it's college. Baseball let's talk To Pete. Flaherty we're at the mid season point of the college baseball, season AND i welcome on the Goat PETER. G. Flerity you can find a lot of his work At Baseball america and he's our secret weapon over here in the college baseball space At Just. Baseball. Pete how you, doing my?
00:24:03
Speaker 4: Man what's?
00:24:04
Speaker 1: Up?
00:24:04
Speaker 5: Pete i'm always happy to hop on and chop it up and talk some college baseball with.
00:24:08
Speaker 1: You some of my favorite times of the years when you AND i get on the mic and we just talk college. Baseball so in this section of The Just Baseball, show we are going to talk About pete's two big surprise teams at the midpoint of the college baseball, season as well as going over as top five teams and scattered throughout there will be a lot of big name players Who i'm Sure pete wants to talk. About i've been enjoying this college baseball. Season we have a future On Wake forest and that's going pretty well right now as they are living up to their, Name Rake forest as well as pitchers Like Ruet louder And Sean sullivan has really stepped up as A saturday. Guy but of course THERE'S. Lsu we're going to get into the top. Five but, First, pete your first surprise, team right because we talked at the beginning of the, season we went through our top ten teams and could it be your favorite? Team The Boston College.
00:24:59
Speaker 5: Eagles So i've grown. UP i grew up A bc, fan season, tickets the. Football i've actually got A bc football share on right, now and, YEAH i think it's hard to not have my top surprise be the Old eagles From Chesnut. Hill granted they're coming off a sweep Against, louisville but they're still sitting at number.
00:25:18
Speaker 4: Sixteen in the top twenty.
00:25:19
Speaker 5: Five they didn't make THE Acc tournament last, year they didn't make THE Acc tournament the year before, that and they're not a super prospecting. Team this isn't the twenty twenty one team that Had Cody, Morrissette Sal, Frelik Mason, pellio guys like.
00:25:34
Speaker 4: That it's just really timely.
00:25:37
Speaker 5: Hitting their pitchers attack the strikes down and throw quality strikes and it's a pretty simple. Formula but they're proving that if you just play sound baseball on either side of the, ball that you're going to have a pretty substantial amount of. Success and they just got swept At. Louisville louisville's a really good. Team they haven't lost a home serious twenty twenty. One, geez but they. Can, yeah they're they're really good At Jim patterson. Seam but they could bounce back this. Week so they're on track to make their first REGIONAL i think since twenty, sixteen and at this point they would kind of have to play themselves out of. It so my first surprise is absolutely B. C probably my number one surprise.
00:26:21
Speaker 1: Too So Ryan, miller of course we both, know and is writing a prospect stuff does a lot of college baseball, stuff is in charge of our mock drafts over here At Just. Baseball he gave me his top ten because you, know we're all collabbing with each other and trying to make the perfect top ten, teams and he HAD bc at number eight and they didn't make your top ten. Team maybe he's just a little higher on some. Guys maybe he sees the potential and maybe you're you, know they're your favorite, team so you're maybe being a bit conservative with. Them but do you think they have a real shot At omaha because you say that they're not a very prospected. Team they Have Joe vitronto who just will not stop. Hitting serious if you think they should be in that top ten or if you're, THINKING whoa pump the, brakes pump the, brakes.
00:27:08
Speaker 4: They're a great.
00:27:09
Speaker 5: TEAM i think this this past weekend At. Louisville the sweep was. Tough they're kind of sitting around five hundred in THE acc. Again BUT i, mean if you get into, uh if you get into a, regional that's ALL i really need For, omaha and they've they've got the ingredients to to go on a deep. Run Joe vitronto is a great. Player like you Mentioned Travis honeyman as as well.
00:27:32
Speaker 4: As this Cam.
00:27:33
Speaker 5: Leary that's kind of their three headed monster on. Offense but pitching, wise they've got a bona fide ace And Chris. Flynn he's a great. Story he was actually a walk on At division, Three Roger, williams and he made the. Team Roger williams was very successful, there enter his name into the, portal found his way TO bc and he's he's emerged as obviously their ace on the, staff but but one of the top pitchers in the. Conference so so really cool story. THERE i think that they can certainly get. In they were twenty seven outs From. Omaha the last time they made a regional in twenty, sixteen they Took miami to a game. Three AND i know that if they get, in they're gonna play really. Hard and if they get a favorable, draw WHICH i think for them doesn't include a team like a very offensive, TEAM i don't know if they'd want to get into a shootout with. ANYONE i think they're more suited for kind of a pitcher's, duel so they if they can get into it to a regional and have their super regional team be kind of a manageable matchup for. HIM i think they've got that type of.
00:28:40
Speaker 1: Upside number two surprise, Teams so we had to talk about Your, Eagles but who's that other team that you just didn't see.
00:28:46
Speaker 5: Coming the other TEAM i didn't really see coming and took me by surprise Was. Kentucky And kentucky they're no stranger to strong. Starts they start off fourteen and four last, YEAR i think nineteen and three or something of that. Nature the year BEFORE i may have had those. Flip but they've gotten off to really strong starts in the last two of two. Seasons but the wheels have kind of fallen off ONCE sec player rolled. Around but this year they are showing that they're for. Real they're twenty seven and. Five they're eighteen and one at, home nine and three in THE. Sec they did have a little bit of a hiccup At georgia this, week but that's.
00:29:26
Speaker 4: Not really of any. Concern they're still.
00:29:29
Speaker 5: Very clearly a regional team in in really good position to, host and the highlight for them has been there. Pitching they've got just a three two eras of. Staff their rotation has been really really strong With Logan martin And Zach, lee and they've gotten jumps out of guys Like Ryan. Hagenaw haggenaw was a pretty highly tighted prospect once he arrived on, campus kind of struggled in a hybrid role his first couple of, seasons but moving to the back end of the where he's really. Blossomed he hasn't allowed to earn run in sixteen. Innings So kentucky's my other. SURPRISE i think that they are probably they probably have More omaha upside than a team Like Boston college, does just from a sheer depth. Perspective they have a lot deeper of a. Staff they can swing it a little bit. More and that's not a knock Against Boston. College it's JUST i Think kentucky really is that, good and they they're gonna Have they've got a quick turn around this. Week they're gonna have to really turn around because they go To louisville and then they go to Alex Box stadium to take ON lsu this, weekend which LSU's. LSU i DON'T i think everyone knows what they're about at this, point so they're kind of going through their sec. Gauntlet right, now BUT i think that it would barring something really, unforeseen they're gonna head to a regional and they're gonna be really tough.
00:30:55
Speaker 4: Out So i'm.
00:30:56
Speaker 5: Excited about The, wildcats really excited ABOUT. Bc AND i think those are two top surprises this.
00:31:02
Speaker 1: Year, yeah over all the college baseball, season you, know we put out our five futures and all that kind of good, stuff and it's gone according to, plan Right so our five, futures they're all in basically every top ten that you'll find on any, publication but there have been a couple of teams that have really come out of. Nowhere kentucky is one of. Them and as we break into our top, five number four on our list is a huge. Surprise you, know it's not something that you, know we would never, expect but at four it's. Nuts but before we get to the number four, team let's get into your top five teams in college baseball right. Now and we'll start with a team that's always in the top, five BUT i think you AND i are were a little bit down on them because they didn't have quite the talent that they've had in previous. Years BUT i think this just speaks to their coaching that year in and year. Out they do have a good. Roster of course they. Do they have a great, roster but it's just when we're comparing it to Other vandy, teams it's not quite to that. Level but you look at This vandy, team we have them at number. Nine it's just a typical, team super well rounded. Bunch they got, pitchers they got, hitters they played, defense and they just win. Ballgames what has BEEN i guess the main takeaway From vanderbilt this.
00:32:20
Speaker 4: SEASON i Think i've been most surprised with their.
00:32:23
Speaker 5: OFFENSE i came into this year knowing that they were gonna throw the ball really. Well their staff is really good With Carter holton And Bryce cunningham up at the, top and then Obviously Devin futrell's been. Outstanding But i've been pretty blown away with the production they've gotten on the offensive. Side grad transfer R J shrek in particular has really been of of has really been been helpful for. Him he's sitting around three point fifty eleven doubles and eight home. Runs and then true Freshman Chris. Maldonado he's a great. PLAYER i wasn't expecting to be sitting here After sunday saying that He's vanderbilt's best. Freshman but He's vanderbilt's best. Freshman he's saying three seventy eleven doubles and four home. Runs and then.
00:33:10
Speaker 4: They they've really flipped the.
00:33:12
Speaker 5: Switch like if you look at their stats on offense right, NOW i don't know them off the top of my, head BUT i don't think that they're gonna be like you're gonna be like really The vandy offense because they are not unbelievably. Loud but through the first up until their series with Ole, miss people were talking about The vanderbilt offense as like their achilles. Heel their main issue are they gonna be able to hit enough against teams in THE.
00:33:35
Speaker 4: SEC i don't think they're gonna be able to hit enough.
00:33:37
Speaker 5: All, That but since that Ole miss, series they've really flipped a switch and have gone. Berserk they've gotten production up and down the. Lineup it's clear they're playing with a huge chip on their, shoulder and combine that with their good pitching in their twenty six and six overall eleven and.
00:33:54
Speaker 4: One in THE.
00:33:55
Speaker 5: Sec i'm kind of hard pressed to find her better resume.
00:34:00
Speaker 4: In the entire.
00:34:01
Speaker 1: Country so one of my favorite players in college baseball to watch Is Enrique bradfield. Junior and he's had a good, year, right BUT i don't think he's had the year that EVEN i. Expected maybe you expected this type of year From Enrique Bradfield. Junior he's slashing two ninety, one four fifty, six four sixty. Two he's getting on base a, ton and he has twenty three stolen. Bases BUT i was hoping that he'd tap into a little bit more power this year and it hasn't quite come in. Yet he's still a great, Player he's still An All world defensive. Player BUT i was thinking he had an outside shot at the number one overall, pick but NOW i don't. Think, so what has been your takeaway from a guy like that this?
00:34:44
Speaker 5: Season obviously sitting. IT i think he's sitting around two. NINETY i know that he's probably expecting some more, production but everything that makes him great is still. Shining AND i have been kind of impressed with the juicy. SHOWN i was fortunate enough to spend a lot of time around him this, summer and he was, like, MAN i got more power than like people give me credit, for like just trust, me.
00:35:09
Speaker 1: And it just hasn't shown up in the home Run total's, like he's got four home. RUNS i was expecting like seven or eight by this.
00:35:16
Speaker 5: Point, yeah he's got, four but that very sneakily he's THAT'S i think that puts him second on the team in home, runs and he's got an outside shot to hit. Ten and for a player with that kind of, PROFILE i think even eight to ten home runs is, extremely extremely, impressive and he's gonna end up HITTING i have no doubt in my. MIND i think he's gonna end up hitting around three twenty and he's walking almost twice as much as he's striking, Out, yeah twenty three. Bags he's starting to to kind of put the ball in, play not put the ball in play. More he's he's starting to find the barrel more, lately find some. Grass the, defense, obviously it's at the college. Level it's he's the best center fielder in the country, defensively and he's got That Kenny Lofton Juan pierre kind of profiling More, lofton but number one overall PICK i think is out of the picture at this, point just because Of Dylan, cruz who we'll probably talk about but still been impressed With Enrique. BRADFIELD i think he goes probably in the first twenty picks or. So i've heard some good things about teams in the top fifteen liking, him SO.
00:36:24
Speaker 4: I think that he'll go pretty good in the. Draft, still, no that makes.
00:36:28
Speaker 1: SENSE i GUESS i held him to a standard that was almost impossible for him to, reach and because he couldn't reach my impossible, standard That i'm holding it against him, slightly when in REALITY i probably, shouldn't just BECAUSE i think he's such an incredible. Talent so number, four this is the freak, team the team that came out of. Nowhere they're sitting at twenty eight and four on the, season twenty eight, wins four. Losses freshman of The year is Probably Ethan. Petrie what does he? Have eighteen home? Runs he's leading the name IN. RBIs and WHEN i Watched South, carolina you, know it's obvious that the talent jumps off the. Page the power is. Enormous he's an enormous human. Being BUT i didn't even know he was. EIGHTEEN i didn't know this was a freshman WHEN i first turned on THE tv and Watched South. Carolina because he doesn't look like it, right he doesn't play like he did is an act like. It he seems like he's been there for a couple of. Years but the end of the, day he's, eighteen and you Got Brayln wimmer and the pitching staff looks really. Good this team just doesn't. Lose they came out of nowhere and they just, decided know what we're. Not we ain't losing this. Year what has been the most impressive thing About South?
00:37:36
Speaker 5: CAROLINA i think what you, Said Ethan petrie has been. Unbelievable six four true freshman hitting four forty fifteen, bombs second in the country with fifty one. RBIs i, mean he's he's gonna Win National freshman of The. Year and what's scary is they get him for another two years and we're looking at a potential first overall type of guy in twenty twenty. Five but, again they've gotten production from really. EVERYWHERE i think their power upside is super. Impressive Gavin cassis also fifteen home, Runs.
00:38:09
Speaker 4: Braylen wimmer with. NINE i Think will.
00:38:13
Speaker 5: McGillis has double, digits and then they're well rounded. CLUB i have to ADMIT i was a little Like iffy on just how good they were after they're really good. Start, obviously what they got off to is like in, BASEBALL i don't care who you.
00:38:26
Speaker 4: Play WINNING i think it was twenty of twenty one games or something like that just doesn't.
00:38:31
Speaker 5: Happen, yeah it just doesn't happen no matter who you. Play if they were playing like high school, Teams i'd still be, impressed just because baseball is that.
00:38:37
Speaker 4: Weird SO i was really.
00:38:39
Speaker 5: IMPRESSED i wasn't like ready to call him a national title team just, yet WHICH i was obviously wrong, about WHICH i now think that they might even be better than their top five of ranking or wherever they are right.
00:38:55
Speaker 4: Now but they're super well.
00:38:58
Speaker 5: Rounded they've got a great Weekend rota With, sanders holl And. Mahoney sanders is a way better arm than what his numbers, show and we saw it in A unfortunately That friday game kind of got or That thursday game got flipped on its head because of the, weather but we saw how good of a Pitcher sanders was in that outing mid nineties. Fastball the slider was a plus. Pitch they've gotten lights out pitching from their bullpen with the Two eli's And jones And. Jurseenbeck Chris veach has one of the better Changeups i've seen this this uh this, season and again they're THEY'RE i don't even know how to say They they don't really have many holes and it's tough to nitpick a club like, this WHICH I i'm not gonna do because there's nothing to pick them. On they're nineteen and one at, home they're playing really well on the. ROAD i would have we were really robbed of A game three AGAINST, lsu BECAUSE i think that would have been an absolute.
00:39:58
Speaker 4: Dandy but the good news.
00:40:00
Speaker 5: As they go on the road To nashville to take On vanderbilt this weekend in what's going to be another unbelievable, year another unbelievable, series and of course all three games AROUND sec network, plus WHICH i don't know that THE espnu probably, has Like college lacks.
00:40:16
Speaker 4: On but.
00:40:19
Speaker 5: They have another good series this. Weekend i'm really excited about. THEM i think they do have national championship type. UPSIDE I they're a TEAM i would seriously consider picking right now to take it. HOME i think that they play with a lot of. Swagger they don't think anyone can beat them in a good. Way Not they're not going to be caught off. Guard but they're a very very impressive ball club that is clearly here to stay and they're the class of THE.
00:40:45
Speaker 4: Sec class of THE.
00:40:47
Speaker 1: Sec we love to see it in. It and as we get further into this, list now we're in the top, three it gets impossible to. Nitpick and that starts With, florida who's just a. Juggernaut even though why At langford who is purchased to go within the first what four three picks because he's an unbelievable. Hitter he's been absent for a while with an, injury but even without, him they are so. Good Like josh rivera bt, riophal these kind of guys in their lineup just have stepped. Up these veterans right with the absence Of, langford these guys step up, then like you even have Underclassman Kaye, Kurland Michael, robertson a bunch of just really good. Players AND i haven't even mentioned the show of college Baseball Jack. Kagleon he's taken a little bit of step back as a, pitcher but he's still racking up k's and he's leading the league in home. Runs he's kind of like college baseball, Show Hey? Otani AND i said that on, TikTok AND i got a lot of shit being, like, no he's not throwing one hundred mile an hours with a ninety two mile hour sweeper Like. OTANI i wasn't saying He's otani right. Now i'm saying the combination of a hitter and a pitcher with that type of power with great strikeout stuff is college baseball's version of, Show Hal, tawny what who has impressed you the most At? Florida, like obviously It's, Jack but who else has really just shone through on This florida? Team because we could be here for hours naming, Names BUT i guess who's that one guy when you turn on THE tv you're most excited to watch And jack. Cagleone you can't answer that one because that's too.
00:42:28
Speaker 5: EASY i was gonna it's kind of take your pick With. Florida Like langford had a lower body injury for a. While he came back and he's playing like he hasn't missed a. Stride he went two for FOUR i think it was On friday with a jack Against.
00:42:42
Speaker 4: Tennessee, yeah and then Against.
00:42:46
Speaker 5: Auburn he had a really good series as. Well so it's Like langford came back and hasn't missed a. Beat BUT i think What langford's, DOING i don't know if it was it was almost Expected. Caglion it's it's a cop out answer to say you're most impressed with. Him but WHEN i turn on THE tv or streaming or whatever AND i Watch florida, play the guy That i'm most impressed, with AND i think is a real key reason as to why they are where they are right now Is Josh.
00:43:18
Speaker 4: Rivera and he's an experienced.
00:43:21
Speaker 5: Guy he's their starting, shortstop has been for a couple of seasons, now had sort of an up and down career to this, point not a ton of, production was still figuring some things out of the. Plate this, year he's playing great defense over at. Shortstop at the, plate what he's been, DOING i can't overstate how unbelievable it. Is he's hitting three ninety eight thirteen home runs forty six RBIs a second on the team only to. Cagleone and he's walking more than he's striking out and it's a really violent operation at the, plate but it's under. Control at the same, time he's got lightning bat, speed he gets the ball in the air oft and the quality of contact is really. Good and he's played himself from gosh going into this. SEASON i don't know where he was on draft, boards probably like maybe like late day, two early day.
00:44:21
Speaker 4: Three maybe that was even a little.
00:44:23
Speaker 5: Generous but he's played himself into a sure fire top four round. Guy and if he keeps producing AN sec, Play we've seen what happens to guys draft stocks with a GOOD sec tournament or. REGIONAL i, mean he could go even higher than. That SO i Think i'm most impressed With Josh rivera because of the turnaround that he's had and the consistency at which he's, Produced like this isn't three good, Series he's done it all, Year So i'm most impressed with.
00:44:53
Speaker 1: Him and number, two we got The Demon Deacons Wake forest commonly referred to As Rake. FOREST i, mean The Bash brothers are, here college baseball's version Of mark McGuire and Jose canseco With Nick kurtz And Brock. Wilkin BUT i am the biggest rhet louder. Guy i've said this a million, times but every single TIME i turn on THE tv to watch, him he just gives me These Kevin gosman. Vibes he's got a change up from. Hell the thing darts out of the. Zone he can throw the ball wherever he, wants and now he's sitting with a one point four ZERO. Era If i'm a, Team i'm drafting him within the top ten. PICKS i think he's going to be one of those pitchers who's ready early and then just rises up the ranks and is one of those next great college pitchers that you see pretty. Soon i'd love to get your opinion on that. Too but then you have a guy Like Sean sullivan who's really stepped up in That saturday. Role they're just a phenomenal team that they can beat you in, shootouts right if one of their pitchers has a tough, day they can beat you twelve to. Ten but at the same, time If sullivan And louder got they can beat in low scoring games. Too they're just so good and IF lsu didn't have every good player in the, country they would be running away with. IT i think they're just an incredible. Watch.
00:46:12
Speaker 5: YEAH I so we talked about them going into this, season And i'll pat ourselves on the. Back we were high On, wake which wasn't really hot, take given like the makeup of their roster and how good they, Were but we were kind OF i wouldn't say expecting this because they're twenty eight and four and rolling through. Teams but if you had told us, THAT i don't think we would have been totally. Surprised but, later like you, said.
00:46:38
Speaker 1: If we look at the, odds right if we looked at the odds plus nineteen hundred on, them right, now they're plus seven point fifty to win The College World, series like they have dropped a considerable considerable. Amount they were around eight or nine If i'm If i'm correct in the preseason. Rankings now they're the definitive number. Two so it wasn't a hot take to say that they'd be really. Good BUT i think if if you AND i were, saying, like, oh they'd definitely be the number two team at this point the, SEASON i think that would be a relatively hot. Take and now there's no, debate.
00:47:13
Speaker 4: No none at.
00:47:14
Speaker 5: All and if you look at their, ROTATION i he was my pick to win Acc pitcher of The year for the second year in a. Row louder was he's on his way to being a top twenty overall draft. Pick like you, said change ups a plus plus, Pitch slider's a plus, pitch great mound, presence he's a pro, starter and he'd be well on his way to winning the award if he wasn't also accompanied By Sean sullivan And Josh hardle in the.
00:47:39
Speaker 4: Rotation hardle's got a one to nine.
00:47:40
Speaker 5: E, ra sixty nine case to seven walks and forty six, innings And, SULLIVAN i think has taken the country by storm with what he's. Done he's got a one to FIVE era and then seventy one case to nine walks in forty.
00:47:55
Speaker 1: Innings all three of their guys have THE ras under two pete.
00:47:59
Speaker 5: And they're all and they're all on The Golden spikes mid season watch, list which super impressive. Honor AND i Think sullivan's probably gonna win A Cc pitcher of The year IF i had to, guess assuming he keeps this. Up but then, sure you talk about their rotation and how good they. Are they're also getting production out of the, bullpen with guys Like Seth keener having AN ra under one over thirty, Innings Michael mass he throws ninety. Eight he's kind of to, me he seems like that next guy where next year After louder And, sullivan who's sophomore, eligible was it was kind of iffy If sullivan was going to get drafted in a good enough spot where you'd want to sign this. YEAR i think he's proven that he's going to go in the probably the top three or four rounds at.
00:48:41
Speaker 4: The latest this.
00:48:42
Speaker 5: Year SO i Think Michael massey is a guy to me that profiles out of the bullpen to make that jump into a weekend starter role and be the next guy in twenty twenty four where people are, like where Did Michael massey come? From this kid's throwing ninety seven to ninety nine with a hammer breaking, ball and it's, like that's just What wake. Does they've got the best pitching development of anyone in the country with the pitching Lab coach mcscarrett is an outstanding, job and their pitching is is.
00:49:08
Speaker 4: Great It's i'd.
00:49:10
Speaker 5: Put their staff up against anyone in the country on any. Day but then you go to their lineup and it's like they give pitchers no. Break It's Tommy hawk at the, top who's got incredible bats to ball, skills plays the game incredibly. Hard he's another sophomore eligible guy who should go in the top five, rounds top five or six.
00:49:28
Speaker 1: Rounds love.
00:49:29
Speaker 4: Them he's so fun to.
00:49:31
Speaker 5: Watch and then it's you got The Bash brothers With Nick kurtz And Brock wilkin and curses six.
00:49:37
Speaker 4: Five he's got great.
00:49:38
Speaker 5: Back control his long levers allow him to really barrel any pitch no matter where.
00:49:43
Speaker 4: It's thrown it makes him impossible to.
00:49:45
Speaker 5: Pitch to and, It's, like okay maybe we'll Pitch, around kurts and you can't Pitch around kurts because we've Met, with Wilkin and Wilkin. Is wilkin he's got seventy. Raw power he's absolutely pulverizing. The baseball he's made some tweaks to his setup and SWING that i really like. This year and then in talking To coach walter before, the season he had mentioned Someone Like pierce bennett as someone to watch as as who could really surprise. Some people and he was Spot on bennett sitting three, forty five, twelve doubles four, home runs and it's just like it's just little Things Like pierce bennett was a huge reason why they swept yesterday in their abbreviated SERIES With, nc state they had seven RBIs as.
00:50:26
Speaker 4: A team he had four. Of them he went four, for five a.
00:50:29
Speaker 5: Couple doubles it's just guys, like that and you need guys like that to win. National championships you're not going to do it on the backs of very seldom orre you gonna do it on the backs of just two or.
00:50:39
Speaker 4: Three guys you need a complete.
00:50:41
Speaker 5: Team effort and People Like, Pierce Bennett, Justin Johnson, adam cesary They give wake those those key supplemental pieces to to go all.
00:50:52
Speaker 4: The Way and i'm A and i'm a real believer in them to.
00:50:55
Speaker 5: Do that, and again if if we were picking the national, Champion Again i'd i'd still Sick, with Wake and i'd be even more convicted.
00:51:02
Speaker 1: On them i'd still Sick. With wake but they got that team in the way and Number One Louisiana STATE university Lsu. The tigers they have the two best players in. The Country dylan cruz is living up to, his name The, cruise missile and maybe even, more so he's leading the nation and batting average and it. Ain't close the dude is hitting five, twenty five which is forty points more than. Second Place paul skeens has allowed six earned in forty, seven innings and THAT'S even, I think i don't know if those. Stats included it's Starting Against south carolina where they actually got, to HIM which i. Found fascinating that game was incredible. In itself that. WHOLE series, i mean you talked about that, we were, you know robbed Of a, sunday game but that, whole Series even Friday and saturday. Were Incredible paul skeens is. That dude he's GONNA be i think the first pitcher taken just he's got he's just got, something DIFFERENT and i thought it. Was, Incredible right he's coming from a service ACADEMY to lsu and he steps up and he didn't miss. A beat this guy, is incredible and he was a two way Guy At, air force like he was, hitting bombs and now he doesn't have TO because lsu has this incredible LINEUP and lsu They Got, tommy tanks the Transfer For, menci state who led the nation in home runs as, a freshman and he's not even being Mentioned With dylan Cruz At paul skids even though he should be because he's having a. Great year but it's crazy that the guy who led the nation in home runs last year and is still having a, great Year Isn't paul Skins And. Dylan cruz this team is just what they're doing right now is what everyone thought they would, be doing which is really hard in, college Baseball right like a team, like that obviously. Their kids you get. These expectations you get the Coach, from minnesota the pitching coach who Leaves The minnesota twins in order to be your. Pitching coach you have all, the transfers you have all the nil money in, the world and yet you're still living up. To expectations that's what's been the coolest thing for ME. About lsu what's been the best thing to you About The Louisiana State.
00:53:16
Speaker 5: University tigers that's the THING is i think you bring up a great point with the expectations part, of it because coming into, the year their expectations, FROM everyone, i think in, a word was. Honestly perfection they were talking about how perfectly the roster. Was built they've got, Great coaching they've had a great. Coaching staff there's never really been a team like this in. Recent memory any slip up would be really held, against them and they haven't tripped once.
00:53:47
Speaker 4: They've lost sundays have been a little bit of a bugaboo.
00:53:50
Speaker 5: For him but even with a roster, like THIS the sec is just such good BASEBALL where, i mean you're not gonna.
00:53:56
Speaker 4: Go fit no one's gonna go fifty six.
00:53:58
Speaker 5: And zero where, you look it's you've got the number one hitter in, The Draft, dylan cruz who's. Putting up he's Like playing road To the show on. Beginner mode he's hitting five to ten, nine jacks walking twice as much as he's. Striking Out, paul skins number one pitcher in, the draft up TO one o, two sliders a, wipeout pitch, change ups a. Plus pitch his entire arsenal is is. FOOT is i think it's three plus, plus pitches which nobody else has that in. The country ninety one k's in forty. Seven innings he's Gonna win pitcher Of. The year cruise Will win player Of.
00:54:33
Speaker 4: The year AND.
00:54:35
Speaker 5: Actually i don't Know, about cruise maybe, Act yeah cruz will Probably win player of. The year just it can considerably gonna hit around like four fifty with fifteen plus.
00:54:46
Speaker 4: Home runs but then.
00:54:46
Speaker 1: It's also who else would win it if It.
00:54:48
Speaker 5: Wasn't cruise that's a, Good QUESTION like i think you got to Talk About. Ethan, petrie yeah just in that, same breath it's he's hitting four forty two himself with fifteen. Home runs it's kind of of like maybe the power mix up for what, he lacks and it's crazy time about what he lacks. An average he's hitting four to. Forty five but like comparing Him With, dylan cruz you're gonna have those. Outlandish conversations but again it's Like Tom by white is he leads the team with eleven, home runs he's second nationally with fifty One RBIs. Jared jones of course they're true freshmen playing, well Too Because jared jones has just. Stupid power he's got nine. Home runs he's also hitting three. Point fifty and then their Kind Of josh avera in my Mind is Gavin.
00:55:33
Speaker 4: Du guy he's a fifth.
00:55:34
Speaker 5: Year player production wasn't what it was this year. At all so far in his, college career he's hitting three, forty four ten. Home runs he has a knack for big moments and for getting a.
00:55:46
Speaker 4: Big hit he had a big home Run against tennessee in.
00:55:48
Speaker 5: Their series he had that game time and probably Series Saving grand slam this past Weekend Against, south carolina and he's been he's been the catalyst for them and then.
00:55:59
Speaker 4: On the mouth.
00:56:00
Speaker 5: Supplementing Schemes ty floyd's, Been Great christian little has. Been strong they're still kind of trying to figure Out their sunday spot a little bit after heard. As great ability has just been a little inconsistent. At times the injury bug is to hit their staff a.
00:56:15
Speaker 4: Little bit but.
00:56:17
Speaker 5: There no one's gonna want to. Play them they play with a chip on. Their shoulder they they don't walk into any series expecting. To win they actually go out and prove it day in and. Day out they play with a.
00:56:30
Speaker 4: Lot, of swag a productive amount.
00:56:32
Speaker 5: Of swag and Then the Johnson's Coach wes johnson and Coach, j johnson they've they've got them as prepared as.
00:56:40
Speaker 4: Anyone in the in. College BASEBALL so.
00:56:44
Speaker 5: I there are there is a lot. Of talent just talking this through, with you just in the first just in the top five teams in, the country and it's really unbelievable because there are so many other good teams in the country And In omaha sleepers and in teams Of The. Omaha Upside so i'm looking forward to the to the home stretch here and Seeing how regionals shake out and all, of that because it's sure to be a really fun rest of.
00:57:12
Speaker 1: The season so, for anyone, you know this Is The Just. Baseball show we talk all forms of baseball on, this podcast but, you know we mostly Talk About major. League baseball, of Course it's april tenth as we're sitting, here recording so the baseball season. Is Underway but i've been having so much fun watching college baseball. This year and you said that regionals are coming up all that kind. Of stuff let's say someone hasn't tuned into college, baseball yet what should they be on the, Watch, for like what's the schedule moving? Forward regionals, you know Getting. To omaha just lay out kind of the schedule before we.
00:57:46
Speaker 5: Say, goodbye yeah so we kind Of after easter IS when i kind of start looking at things like our like team's resume, is basically it's when it starts. To matter it's like, early on you're not gonna, be, like oh, you know they're eight, and one they've GOT an rpi, of six they're gonna host like now is when it actually starts, to matter so, each series each game becomes very important, for teams especially those on. The bubble And late may is the conference tournaments For the Power FIVE, CONFERENCES, Acc sec, BIG twelve pac, twelve now which is great that they've got a, conference tournament And then regionals start Right on, june one and it's a sprint to. The finish, from There it's REGIONALS for i think, five days depending on how each pod, shakes out and then it's a couple of days off before jumping Into, super regionals And super regionals are a best of three format between. Two teams it's a winner from, this regional winner from, that regional they'll meet here and they'll play best of three series and the winner Goes.
00:58:47
Speaker 4: To omaha And.
00:58:49
Speaker 5: By june by the second Week, of june we'll have the Eight, for omaha and Then The College world series is nine days in the Middle. OF june i think it's the fifteenth to the twenty fifth, this year which would be, ten days so that's kind of that would bring us to, the end which it's crazy to talk about the season ending in two and a, half months but there's a ton of actions still to, be had a lot. Of upsets i'm sure a lot of storylines that we wouldn't even think of happening to. This point so that's what's great, about baseball and especially, college baseball so there's sure to be a lot of fun left to.
00:59:27
Speaker 1: Be, had well thanks So much pete for. Coming on it's always a blast to talk college baseball, with You and i'm sure we're gonna be bringing you back on come the End, of May. Come june get our people ready For The College Baseball. World series that'll do it for this episode Of The Just. Baseball show make sure to Get Your just. Baseball merch i'm Rocking My just. Baseball tea the link is in the. Episode description that is the best way to support, this podcast but if you don't want to spend, a time we. Totally understand best way again to support is to rate this podcast five stars and leave a written review of it anything else you'd like us to, talk about as well as click that, subscribe button hit the like button and comment who your top five teams in college baseball are now on our. YouTube page you Can Find pete's twitter in our. Episode description that Is AT. Peter g Flaherty. On twitter he's my favorite college baseball Follow and i'm not even. Being, biased seriously breaks down so much. Good stuff even if you're never watching inning of college baseball and Just Follow, pete's twitter it's the best way to stay up to date on all college. Baseball, stuff pete genuinely thank you for coming on and we'll definitely be talking to.
01:00:40
Speaker 4: You soon, my Friend, oh man thank you for having.
01:00:42
Speaker 5: Me on it's it's always a blast to chop it up with you and like we, always sack we could talk about this for. Three Hours so i'm excited to come back on for the Regionals And omaha.
01:00:54
Speaker 1: And, with that thank.
01:00:55
Speaker 4: YOU everybody
01:01:07
Speaker 3: A
