Atlanta Braves lead MLB Power Rankings, Yankees sweep Astros & Cubs lose Justin Steele

Intro yeah so I just came off saying that the Astros reain and the AL is over that's an overreaction but the Baltimore Orioles are the top dog in the American League that is not an overreaction by ball onto the track at the wall it's gone home run turns on the ball deep right field and go what a game what a moment what is up my friends the regular season is upon us welcome to fliping Bath presented by Original Penguin the brand you wear for an original good time it's here regular seasons here we're back to Monday episodes of fliping bats where we got power rankings we got team of the week we got overreaction Monday and we're going to talk about everything that's happened in baseball Alex it just feels right this episode particularly just feels so much like we're back to be able to put all this together and have this episode and talk about real regular season baseball just makes my heart Happy right I mean it all everything just feels right in the world right now because you got baseball back obviously we we got like a taste of it last week but different now we have everybody here we both got to go to opening days and this was just you guys I I got to tell you this was was a very like cool strange awesome experience for me going going to opening day this was the first time that I've gone as a fan yeah to an opening day especially a Dodgers opening day since I was a kid with my dad I used to go all the time because I worked Angels opening days for 10 years yeah which was insane so it was just like such a trip sitting in the stands just like watching everything go on I also made a huge rookie mistake you guys huge fan mistake wait let me guess you went to a Dodgers game and thought you had enough time to get there on time so you were late I did I did you were late well I got there time yeah yeah you nailed it I gave myself thinking like oh this is great I'll give myself a couple hours to get there we'll get in our seats we'll see the opening celebration no you guys I walked in the stadium just in time to see sh otani's first at bat at Dodger Stadium so not too bad you missed all the fly over I sat in my car for an hour waiting to get up VIN scully's Avenue to the parking lot like that was again rookie mistake on my end big rookie mistake but it was fun there was like a lot of memories you want to know something else fun I learned today what so actually yesterday Easter right we we recorded okay so you know today uh we did Easter brunch at my parents house and my parents are about to be first-time grandparents because two of my sisters are pregnant so they're going through all of the baby photos and all of the baby books right now my dad goes oh have I ever told you what your first word was I was like no what what was my first word he goes well you know I was watching Dodgers and Mets game and I was really upset at a play and I just said under my breath and then all of a sudden I hear little Alex behind me go so my first word was it's because of a Dodgers play yeah so it was fun oh you can't see the photo up here but in that tweet there you go there's baby Alex at my first Dodger game with my dad and they were playing that's me I was a Buddha baby I looked like a boy you guys until I was four my mom said she just used to like slap a bow on my head that is remarkable and look at that that was Dodgers Cardinals and my first opening day that I went to this weekend was Dodger's Cardinal so it was like such a cool full circle moment for me how was your opening night well Alex I will you day I did and what I would what I would like to conclude your opening day experience on is this is it is going to shock absolutely nobody that Alex was a little bit late to opening day Curry time it's your thing Curry time just so you all know she it Curry time is just I take a long time to do everything you know I set my alarm like 30 minutes before I need to be some I'm doing my best okay so I do my best as you know Alex I'm very I'm a punctual person so to get to opening night I knew like the first night game I was like okay we're going to get there um I want to leave on time it's going to take a long time to get there so what I didn't take into account is that it was on Good Friday so I don't think everybody in the world is working on Good Friday are I think there's a few people that don't work okay because I know the stock markets closed on Friday I think people in finance are kind of off so there was not as much traffic as I was expecting I think I planned two hours to get there and it took an hour it took an hour that's what I planned I planned two hours we did the same thing but mine was opening day I should have added an extra hour yeah that was on me yeah that bad was on me let's uh let's talk let's talk opening day yeah opening weekend by the way make sure you all are are subscribed following wherever you listen to your podcast Apple Spotify wherever also follow us on Tik Tok so we can get to 100,000 followers that's our goal and we're getting really close uh opening day I have a thought okay well interested in your take here I think I think we're doing it wrong I think we're in we're in March Madness currently we see how that go especially the first two rounds all day basketball we need all day baseball in fact I'll go even one further I was sitting there Wednesday night no baseball was happening no March Madness it was the day before like I think it was the sweet 16 was supposed to start and I'm thinking what better there's nothing on put a put a good baseball we got four games of we had Astros Yankees we had Phillies Braves there were some really good series put one of those in Prime Time on national television and let that be the first thing I like that and then here's my real here's my real thing I didn't even mean that but I do but this is what I really want to say I don't mean it but it would be cool opening day needs baseball all day like we're on the west coast there wasn't baseball starting until like 1 two I don't I don't even but it should be a game starts at 9 Pacific I'll go off Eastern Time a game start it noon one 2 3 like just all day long you have baseball going it just felt like all right it's opening day let's wake up and wait hurry up and wait and there was just a lot of waiting around until games actually started I just think we could do opening day a little better make it an all day event have games going at all times and that's my thought I'm just shocked I think maybe because like I grew up on the west coast and I worked on the west coast with a lot of these opening days so for for me it always has started at like no or one but it's weird that that doesn't happen on the East Coast starting that early so then we get it even earlier like it feel it feels like we're missing something here like that should be happening there was the one credit I will give is that there was there were two rain outs and they were supposed to be earlier starts ah okay Brewers Mets and Braves Phillies were rained out and I think one was supposed to start at 10 Pacific and the other maybe like noon or around there so there was but just yeah like have have all the East Coast team Play One o00 games you know and just I don't know I don't know that was just my thought I like that just Ben's thoughts scary place to be but that was my thought oh I love it but it's back you guys it's Monday which means over reaction Monday is back baby so I'm gonna give Ben a bunch of different statements and he's gonna say if he thinks if it's an overreaction or not an overreaction and then further explain so we have had a lot of great Series this weekend right a lot of captivating series but one of the biggest stories oh man I mean this was a viral moment came from the Brewers and met so our first overreaction reys Hoskins slide was Hoskins vs McNeil dirty you are absolutely right Alex this this was probably if there's such thing as a viral moment of the weekend this was it ree Hoskins going into second to break up a slide during the Mets uh Mets Brewers their opening day because they got rained out yeah their opening day game slides into second base to break it up and it does just that breaks up the double play Jeff mcneel isn't able to get the throw off um and he's Furious so if you're watching you can see the replay in the wall right here behind us um but here's what happened ree Hoskins barreling down to second base slides just before the bag goes a little bit past the base slides into the legs of Jeff mcneel and Jeff mcneel basically stands right over him I thought he was about to punch him that's what it looked like stands right over him is pissed like pointing down at him so pissed off that re Hoskins slid into second and what he thought was a dirty slide here's what I think okay reys Hoskins slide was dirty that is an overreaction this absolutely isn't a dirty slide and to answer this let me let me just explain to you all one the rule here and two what we're taught because in professional baseball we would go over this all the time in spring training and actually I got into professional baseball like the first year that the rule changed you were allowed to barrel roll Andy you were allowed to really do whatever you want to break up double plays and run into catchers over run them over at home plate the year I got into Pro balls the year that changed but we really had to focus a lot on the new rules how to go about it and how to still be able to break up double plays cuz this is baseball your your goal when you're running to Second there is still to get there and impede that def defenseman defenseman defenseman try to stop the defensive player from being able to turn a double play so if you're sliding to the left or the right and really it always depends on what the Fielder is doing if he's stepping through the bag now let's Jeff McNeil's a second baseman so think with me here as if I'm talking a a guy coming from second base the second baseman's either going to get to the bag and step through so towards the towards Short Stop towards third base and turn a double play that way you can step back you can catch the ball in second base step back or you can use the base as a bit of protection and step towards right field a little bit and try and turn it that way that's what Jeff mcneel tried to do here so ree Hoskins comes sliding in slides before he gets to the base his legs go a little bit to the side of the base and he at no point breaks contact with the bag he holds on to the bag the whole time does not slide past it that's where you get in trouble if you slide past the base so if he didn't start sliding until you're at or past second base that's a problem and if you're sliding to the left or the right all you need to be able to do is reach your hand out and be able to touch the base if you are within distance of being able to grab second base this is a fair slide so by letter of the law the literal rule this slide is legal but I do think that's a different conversation as it of is it dirty and to that I think this is absolutely not a dirty slide this is part of the game of baseball we got to get this is ridiculous this is part of the game of baseball it was a hard slide it was a clean slide this was absolutely doing his job here but I don't know this just turned out to be a lot more than I think anybody thought it was going to be because they the bench is clear everybody starts coming out ree Hoskins is out there calling Jeff mcneel a cry baby doing all this it just became here here that is Jeff McNeil's yelling at him Reese Hoskins does the crybaby face Jeff really doesn't Jeff does not know what to do here look this is absolutely an overreaction this is not dirty and any of anybody that should know that yeah it's Jeff mcneel and we need to look no further than last year when Jeff mcneel slid way outside of the base to break up a double play I believe we a picture we can show you here it is right here he's he's so far out of the base path he look and even I was defending this as legal because I felt like if he was turned to the side there's a chance he could reach the bag for so for Jeff mcneel to get so pissed off and say that was super dirty he knows it's not I guarantee you he looks back at that and says it was not dirty and I think the reason he got so worked up is because in his career he's been a fairly injury-prone player and that is a situation in which he could he could get hurt a guy guy was sliding into his legs but if you look at the video closely like as soon as Reese's cross his arm is crossing the base you can see his elbow try to hold on to the back of the base to stop himself to the front it's not even like he's close the moment he gets over it you can tell he is trying to slow down he sees the situation he puts his elbow kind of on that the front part of the base and then his hand oop sorry I moved my desk to try to stop and and move and so I no I reys Hoskins just became the Mets like Nemesis he got heavy he been that's why this is the philli and there there's history there he got he he always just gets heavy booze there this it's because it was reys Hoskins which is why this became such a big deal facing the Mets and then he homered the next day which was like it was beautiful y I love that that's that's how you shut up a crowd they're gonna boo you I got you okay we're moving on to our next overreaction now this one was hard to to watch Justin Steel's injury will ruin the Cubs Cubs lose Justin Steele season uh this is an overreaction okay Justin Steel's injury will not ruin the Cub season because it's not as bad as I thought it looked in the moment I thought he pulled his hamstring and for a pitcher that's gonna be a bit uh that's gon to be some some time he strained it it's a pretty grade one left hamstring strain it's not a great it's not a great thing he didn't avoid injury but he's gonna miss apparently about a month yeah which if if you couldn't withstand your best pitcher missing a month at any point in the season that's bad the odds of you making the playoffs weren't great to begin with and I'm not saying well you can miss your best your Ace for a month and like you either should or should not be in it's not it can't change that's not exactly what I'm saying but I I don't think this derails their season completely Justin steel was throwing great and they had a good chance to win that game against the Rangers on opening night there and it was just unfortunate the way it all played out he went to cover for went to run up towards the first Baseline to make a play and you it just looked like it popped looked bad then he limps off the field but he's going to miss could miss the month of April is what the ruling is there and and what the word is so uh I I I'm impressed with this Cubs team I actually thought they looked good against the Rangers obviously tough series to go on the road with the crowd the way they were after winning the World Series they were doing the trophy the ring ceremony Vibes crazy at that opening I thought they looked good I I think um they ended up winning Sunday so they didn't they didn't get swept Justin Steel's gonna come back so look a month for a pitcher is what four four starts yeah not too bad we both have as a wild card team as well so it's like good enough C Binger back in that lineup I thought Michael Bush I I thought Michael Bush was a good addition I Christopher Morell hitting lasers that first game of the year uh I'm gonna say this is an overreaction the Cubs uh the Cubs season is not ruined because Justin Steel's gonna miss a few starts okay doesn't help hurts not ruin does not help and it does hurt but it's not ruin yes okay on to our next overreaction little teaser I feel very strongly about this next overreaction and if you listen to our last show you know why W SoDo makes the Yankees a World Series team Juan sto looks good as a New York Yanke in fact he's rocking the high socks I love it he looks good but what I will say Juan stto makes the Yankees a World Series Contender that is not an overreaction I I really do believe that and to be fair Alex you had them in the World Series I have them getting to the World Series and I have them I I think I think we I had wano MVP yeah I obviously Alex did I also I had them I thought I thought better than most people were saying the Yankees were going to be and there is a we can talk depth with them and can they withstand injuries well they're already having to do that with gar Co down so I absolutely think the addition of Juan stto makes the Yankees a World Series Contender they're lineup it's just different and you can say like well one player in a npers lineup it's just different having one and Aaron judge back to back in that lineup is honestly it's unbelievable and you start the look at this stat most times on base the first four games as a New York Yankee you have Pat Collins at 12 you have Bob Watson at 12 in 1926 and the pat Collins was in 1926 Watson in 1980 and juano in 2024 with 12 he tied those guys pretty good and he's had like really big moments like game one that game saving throw at home plate uh go ahead hit it to like complete the sweep like he's just you can feel the energy is different with juano being with the Yankees everyone knows when you acquire Juan stto you're acquiring him for his defense and that's what he showed in game one of the series and really he really did save the Yankees sleept the Astros because of Von sto that is definitely not an overreaction to say and I already felt like the Yankees were World Series contenders and could possibly get there I didn't have them getting there but I did feel like they're World Series contenders already and they showed that in Ser look four games yeah I hear you H it's just four games let's not overreact but we're talking on the road in Houston against a team that is also a World Series contender has been the best team in the American League for almost a decade this is a this was a good fun fairly big series to start the year and I thought the Yankees showed how good they are Carlos rhon needs to pitch well yeah he did Nester Cortez on opening day pitched well so you have Nester you have Carlos rodon you have strowman I always liked that rotation not in that order it's going to go Garrick Cole I think Carlos rhon needs to be the two and be good and strowman and then if you get Nester doing what he did opening day he looked really good this team is good and it's time people start realizing that people either are DieHard Yankees fans and say we're going to win the World Series or you're not a Yankees fan and say ah they suck they're not going to be very good mon soda doesn't add enough stop it both of those things don't have to be true it can be somewhere in the midle middle and right now it's more so that the Yankees could be a World Series team they are really good it's time everybody realizes that Carlos rhon is going to be a stud for them this year he looked great Juan stto my MVP pick looked great this is not an overreaction Juan stto absolutely makes the Yankees a World Series Contender I agree with you okay now let's talk about the team that they swept with our next overreaction the Houston Astros reign in the American League is over yeah they didn't look good they didn't look good at all um and uh Ben the Astros last win at home was game one Astros reign in AL of the ALDS on October 7th yeah I saw that I thought people overblue that the Astros do have a winning at home problem but the Astros have a win at home a lot sooner most teams don't play in the playoffs so I but yes I get it they played a lot of games in that time at home and haven't won one and they still haven't and people are saying the Astros might go 0 and 81 at home this year and I can't discredit that it looks like that might happen was my math right I think it was 0 and 81 at home is the Astros reign in the AL over not is it that's the overreaction question I am going to say that that is an overreaction here's why okay I this is the first year where I've been a little I feel like I'm always and have constantly been saying the Astros are inevitable and I will still say that come playoff time this year because the Astros will be in the playoffs and they might be in the ALCS again but this is the first year where I feel like that Gap in the American League is a little bit different M for the longest time and this is still true until that changes the Astros were the Yankees daddy in the playoffs it's just true let's call a spade a spade here the Yankees look like a little league team against the Astros in the playoffs and until that changes the Astros own the Yankees and until the Baltimore Orioles prove that they can win in the playoffs the Astros are still the Astros in the American League but I do just feel like that that window is getting Tighter and Tighter and the Yankees that we just saw sweep the Astros in series one and the Orioles who look really good I feel like those teams are now in contention to be to to take that Reign away from the Astros but I'm not yet ready to say that their reign is over the Astros are going to be good they're going to get in the playoffs and until somebody beats that team in the playoffs early on or consistently I know they didn't win the World Series and I know the Rangers beat them but we're still looking at a team although there are pitching issues right now which is why they're struggling Justin's not in the rotation framber didn't look great the rotation is not in good place right now but this team still has Jose Altuve still has yordon Alvarez still has Kyle Tucker still has Alex bregman and that's the core that has been there for a long time and they're still there so I am not ready to overreact and say that the Astros rain is over I will say it is an overreaction to say their reign is over so but they didn't look good and they have pitching issues that they need to get figured out uhhuh yeah that's what I got for you uhhuh okay leads right into our final overreaction here you guys the Baltimore Orioles are now the top dog in the American League yeah so I just came off saying that the Astros Orioles reign in AL rain and the AL is over that's an overreaction but the Baltimore Orioles are the top dog in the American League that is not an overreaction and let me explain how both of these can be true at once the Orioles look fantastic yeah I mean My World Series pick in the American League to get there not to win was the Baltimore Orioles and that doesn't shift at all for me after the first couple games they look really good Corbin Burns fantastic gave up one hit it was a homer to Mike Trout because of course it's Mike Trout Grayson Rodriguez looked fantastic but the ace that the Oriol needed yeah was Corbin Burns it changes the entire feel of this team yeah they've already offensively we we saw it last year this team's just different this Orioles team is ready to compete and be really good for the next decade it's the same blueprint the Astros had and this just feels like the window has just creaked open if you're the Oriol so you really feel like you're in a really good place and I do feel like the Orioles are the top dogs in the American League but they got to prove it they got to prove it in the playoffs now like I can sit here right now and say after last year being the number one SE in the American League and losing in the first round of the playoffs and now seeing them at the start of this year after their addition of Corbin Burns and saying I think the Baltimore Orioles are the top dogs in the American League but I'm not ready yet to say the Astros Reign is over until the Orioles beat the Astros in the playoffs and this could be the year and I am on record saying I think this will be the year yeah but that's how both of these things are true at once and we're not these two questions aren't going to be answered until October you know like the Astros rain can't be considered over on March 31st or on April first that's a Preposterous thing to say but the Orioles to me look like the top dog in the American League I'm going to stick with that so Baltimore Orioles are the top dogs in the American League that is not an overreaction yeah the Orioles look pretty pretty good and I have a feeling they're gonna be pretty high up on the list in our next segment because it is time for our week one power rankings now we did a week zero but now that we have some games from everybody under our belt we're getting a little bit of movement starting with number 10 who is making their debut in your power rankings this year the Brewers these Graphics look great this Brewers top 10 season this is great upgrade also we got two Larry David Kier enthusiasm refences in our in one show today really really good uh all right we're starting with the Brewers hand up I missed this one at least so far I was really really down on the Brewers to start the year and honestly uh Cho in the Outfield ree Hoskins add some like Swagger to this team over at first base uh Christian Yelich has looked really good to start the year Brewers have looked good Freddy Peralta is goingon to be Freddy peral is a great Ace uh I worry about I worry about that rotation I don't think the rotation is going to be very good behind Freddy Peralta but the bullpen is nasty so a lot of the elements you need to be a good team at least so far this year have looked really good so um I don't know they I I've I'm impressed with the Brewers they swept the Mets to start the year have looked good maybe I missed it we'll see time will tell uh but a good start for them time will tell on our next one too at number nine down three Astros top 9 spots after getting swept at home the Astros got to move them down yeah got to move them down not a nightmare start the worst start you could ask for if you're the Houston Astros you you got a big series and again I don't care if it's the first series of the year you get a little more up because to start the year you got a four game set at home against the New York Yankees and their new addition Juan stto on the team we're gonna we're going to show them yeah we're GNA show them what's up well they didn't and it was really bad they're 0 and four had to move them down I do believe the Astros will be fine I do believe they'll be a playoff team let's not overreact to a a one series to start the year but that it was not a good start for them so I moved them down what' you say three down three down three spots to number nine at number eight also an AL West team up one the Mariners yeah the Mariners aren't Mariners top 8 really up one because they looked fantastic they're up one because the Astros went behind them and they got pushed up a bit I I'm high on the Mariners this year uh they didn't have a great start to the year against the Red Sox two and two um pitching will be good pitching will be great this year I think they'll be fine they just they they they didn't really sway me in one direction or the other they just moved ahead of the Astros so they're up one to number eight all right at number seven up one Diamondbacks top 7 the Dbacks Dbacks looked really good man that first first game of the year uh their offense their offense looks really really good and I think we could look up at the end of the year and their rotation could be a top three to top five rotation in the game of baseball so the Diamondbacks are three and one they look really good they're coming off an NL Championship their team is raking they're a lot of fun so yeah I mov the Diamond Backs up one they are uh three in one on the year at number seven can I ask is it normal to do like NL Champion Rings saw that they got Rings yeah yeah okay yeah I thought it was just World Series like when you win it all it's also considered a championship by the way Championship pennant winner that's fair you get a ring for that okay absolutely well speaking of winners the training World Series champs down one at Rangers top 6 number six the Rangers yeah Rangers are two- one mhm good start to the year I thought they didn't get moved down for anything that they did wrong I I honestly thought the Rangers looked good uh I thought I I really like that they just really threw Wyatt Langford right in the middle of it they'll hit him third in the lineup they'll hit him fifth in the lineup Cory Seager is is healthy and and planning to start the year which I didn't I I think people were kind of on the fence if he was going to start the year uh with the team he is it's a really good offensive team pitching rotation question marks remain uh but two and one down one because of what's to come okay moving on to our top five at number five Ben you have them down two spots but they're still Phillies top 5 remaining in the top five the Phillies look a one and two starts of the year but it was against the Atlanta Braves so I am very high on the Phillies this year I have them as my World Series champion this year they started the year at number three for me move them down just a little bit it's again not the end of the world you lose a series to the Braves you Salvage the series on Sunday you didn't get swept uh so not the end of the world completely fine I think the Phillies are going to be really good not the best starts of the world but it's not like I'm going to move them out of the top five just yet so uh yes down two at number four mention him off the top of the segment they're staying strong the Orioles yeah Baltimore Orioles high Orioles top 4 on the Orioles by the way last two teams is my world series matchup you got the Orioles right here you got the Phillies right behind them now at five Oriol start of the Year looking great Corbin Burns fantastic the addition they needed looked really good punched out a bunch of guys only gave up one hit only gave up one run which was that Homer to Mike Trout and Grayson Rodriguez man I was the reason honestly the reason isn't necessarily Corbin Burns that I like the Orioles so much this year it's that I really like Grayson Rodriguez I think they I think we could look up at the end of the year and these could be co-ace kind of guys that's how good I think Grayson Rodriguez is going to be continued what he did in the second half of last year I think he could be in that sa young conversation this year the guy has everything he could want it was just about having that success in the big leagues which he got and he got that confidence at the end of last year and now he's gonna car he had so much hype for a reason and now we're seeing that he had a really good debut this year for the Orioles so they did lose on Sunday to the angels again not moving them one way or another Angel Orioles are two and one you're at number four okay number three most movement we've seen in the power rankings yet the Yankees up four spots after an impressive sweep of the Yankees top 3 Astros yeah look I think people are going to be I think this could could get a little Flack maybe that that I mov the Yankees up this much after one series but again I was high on them to start the year and I'm even higher on them right now they look really good so they're 4-0 uh I I got them in the three spot like you said Alex because Juan stto and Aaron judge back toback in that lineup is really fun the lineup is deeper than I think I imagine right now at least with aalo Cabrera doing what he's doing um and the rotation the Yankees for me were a playoff team even with the news of Garrett Cole I had the Yankees in the playoffs because I thought Carlos rhon was going to be back to being Carlos rhon and I saw it at the end of the at the end of spring training I needed to see some things from him do I care about stats and spring no but I needed to see Carlos rhon throwing mid to Upper 90s again and I needed to see his slider moving again and I got that I saw that so it looked like he was and towards the end honestly the beginning was a little shaky yeah so I think Carlos rhon is in for a big year strowman is a great middle of the rotation piece for them Nester looked good on opening day a lot of swing and Miss stuff so man the Yankees look really good without the best pitcher in baseball right now garri Cole 4-0 start in Houston against the Astros the team that's been to seven straight ALCS as big of a series as you can get to start the year and they went went in and blew their doors off I got them moving way up to number three I agree okay number two one and two staying the same at number two the Dodgers you do you agree Al you Dodgers top 2 don't think I should move the Yankees up above your beloved Dodgers just yet not yet okay not yet so the Dodgers are uh three and two again as many of you all know uh we record this on Sunday evening always during the Sunday night games the Dodgers are currently playing against the Cardinals currently losing 4 to3 in the seventh or eighth inning around there uh even win or lose Dodgers aren't moving for me right now the top of that lineup is so unbelievably good MVPs everywhere you look the team is fun Bobby Miller looks like an ace of a staff kind of guy Yamamoto by the way the haters everyone that love to say he paid 300 plus million for yoshinobu Yamamoto and he looks awful in his debut bye-bye come on bye-bye just what a bunch of haters out there and as we're speaking the Dodgers take Le by the way so are they going to be 4 and two are they going to be 3 and two it doesn't matter for me they're not going up to one they're not going down to three Bobby Miller looks great Yamamoto looks great s silencing the haters out there I really like this team they're gonna be really good Dodgers at number two and number one your Atlanta Braves number one's the Braves yeah uh looked fantastic to start the year obviously losing Sunday uh salvaging that win for the Phillies but uh yeah the lineup is just so deep everybody on that lineup looks Matt Olson Matt Olson looks awesome I I've been so impressed by Matt Olsson the last couple years as a lefty to be able to do what he's done I saw some really really good at bats from him uh on Friday and Saturday to be able to hit some Lefty Lefty to go to the opposite field hit a couple doubles down the left field line the guy's locked in he has completely change in my opinion Matt olon is no longer just a power hitter I don't he's not going to flirt with 300 this year but he is not a guy that's going to hit 230 with 50 and and lead the league and Homer like that he's a guy that's going to be able to get on base and he Michael Harris II just lengthens that lineup they're so good from top to bottom rotation is so good as well uh Bullpen can hold their own so the Atlanta Braves did enough to stay here at number one so they round out my top 10 first week of the the regular season so we got Brewers in here for the first time this year Astros moving down three to number nine then we go Mariners Diamondbacks Rangers Phillies Orioles Yankees Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves to round out the top 10 for this week it is now time for our first team of the week yeah it is of the season and what an epic opening weekend it was obviously Team of the Week we've been raving all about it all show so let's get started with you know what I think we should do what was the first one of the year I I'm I think we picked up some new Avid fans of the show in the offseason let's really explain what team of the week is for the first time of the year that's fair fair yeah team of the week as Alex just said we're going to go around position by position and it's from Sunday to Saturday every week picking the best player from each position from the week that was now when it's the last episode of the month we do team of the month now obviously this would there's been a couple games so we're not going to call this team the month but team of the week position by position best player from the week at every single spot on the field love it how' I do good little redundant but pretty I got you're a repeater I got the point across I got the point across yeah yeah like I said you're a repeater yeah yeah you're a repeater got it now we're both repeating let's get to it and start with the man behind the plate your catcher kebert Ruiz yeah he looked really good this is ke Ruiz we're Catcher talking about a big-time Prospect with the Dodgers that really hadn't I don't want to I don't even want to say hadn't lived up to the hype because he's still really young uh last year was his first year really getting full playing time and was okay uh but man he killing it to start the year uh 571 on the week hit a homer a thousand slugging percentage and I I watched the um he had a really big home run against the Reds on Saturday just an absolute Mammoth Homer guys got pop switch hitter behind the plate plays good defense uh so yeah he's my catcher he looked really good we could be in store for the breakout season of kebert Ruiz all right let's move up to first base Freddy Freeman we might also be in First baseman store for the breakout season of Freddy Freeman who appears to be a pretty good baseball player hit 417 hit a homer four RB the top of this Dodgers lineup is pretty pretty good it is unbelievable Freddy's off to a hot start uh yeah for 17 he's my first baseman all right mov to second base catel Marte yeah I've Second baseman always I've always liked catel Marte and man the Dbacks came out swing in the first game of the year put 14 runs in in one inning yeah they scored pretty good or yeah 12 on 14 hits or 14 on 12 I I don't know they put up a lot of runs in one inning katel Marte was a big part of that he had 462 scored five runs stole a base this is why I I've I might my opinion honestly might be a little skewed because he's one of my favorite players in MLB the Show to use so I I think I really like gravitate towards those players in real life I really do like him a lot the dude the dude's a stud um and he's starting off the year gr does well for me you know in my video games so I want to have him like do really well in real life that what I sound like Alex really I'm changing my voice so it's not my voice okay let's move to Third Base Oswaldo Cabrera yeah this has been huge Third baseman for the Yankees Oswaldo Cabrera is is my third baseman played a good bit of Third Base this week but really played all over played Shortstop on Sunday can play in the Outfield all I know is his Bat plays you have 538 two homers six RBI a 1.65 Ops for Oswaldo Cabrera it just lengthens that Yankees lineup so much we're going to talk so much this year about the top of the Yankees lineup and how good or poor or whatever it may be at the time judge and stto are doing back to back but for Oswaldo Cabrera to do what he's been doing and I know it's still early but it lengthens the Yankees lineup so so much having him hit down at the bottom of the lineup and rake and uh he definitely did that this week you know who else we're g to be talking a lot about this is another man who you can put anywhere and he is going to be incredible but at Short Stop mooki bets yeah mooki uh had himself a week 556 three homers a 2381 Ops that is what you call having a good week and I believe I know he homered in the last game of the the soul Series so technically if four homers and four straight games that's stats the stats just aren't counting for this but talk about a heater the guy's got an Ops of 2381 on the week so uh pretty good week there so that rounds out my infield okay now we're moving to the Outfield and this is just top three outfielders not necessarily by position so let's get started with lordes guel JR yeah the guy looks unbelievable to start the season he has been so good 462 three homers and eight RBI I actually think this was an underrated pickup and I say pickup because he he was gone I know he was on the Dbacks last year but we're we can talk about the addition of jock Peterson and how much he adds to that lineup being a big Lefty with good pop who by the way really good start to his year as well we can talk about the addition of aano Suarez over at third base we can talk about the addition of Eduardo Rodriguez uh in that rotation and Jordan Montgomery but lordis scel signing back with the Diamondbacks is huge for them and he had a great first week so he's my first of three outfielders all right you're second of the three outfielders Michael Harris the second love me some Michael Harris the second just on Flipping bats a week a week or two ago Michael Harris somewhere in that time frame and I just I really believe this guy is going to have a massive year he hit he hit around 290 last year after having one of the worst first couple of months out of any hitter in baseball the fact that he turned his season around so much and not only put up respectable numbers put up good numbers on the season after the start he got off to you'd be dumb to not think Michael Harris II is about to have a massive breakout year I think he could be an All-Star this year I think the disguise the limit for Michael Harris II starting off the year hot 667 a 700 on base percentage and Ops over 18800 guy looks good huge for the Braves out there it's really fun to see him up from you know this is I talked about this with him he's been in the nine spot for last year and his in his career hitting right in front of Ronald aunia so if you get on first base you want Ronald to hit you're not going to run as much so I think we're going to see some more stolen bases out of him this year uh so he's my second three outfielders what are you laughing about you'd be dumb to think he can't do this I just I laughed that was aggressive dum dum dumb dumb okay let's move to your final of the three outfielders Luis Robert Luis Robert Jr Jr it Luis Robert Jr is a damn good baseball player and it's starting to me to feel like we might have we might have a Mike truss situation on our hands here a really really really good baseball player that that's the and I can't say that to the extreme I'm not saying Luis Robert is Mike Trout Mike Trout is an all-time great we can't yet say that about Luis Robert but it would not surprise me if Luis Robert Jr wins an MVP award at some point but he's not talked about because he plays for the Chicago White Socks and it's frustrating and he's a really really good baseball player he had two homers uh opening weekend 500 batting average and Ops over 18800 he's so good I if you don't want to watch white sock games just do it to watch Luis Robert Jr play he really is incredible he rounds out my Outfield so it's lordis guel JR Michael Harris II and Luis Robert Jr oh they're all Juniors or seconds yeah yeah fun fact okay let's move to very fun very fun your DH of the week Nick Martini Nick Nick Martini Martini of my Cincinnati Reds baby shaking or stirred Nick Martini killing it it's 600 two s RB an Ops of oh get this 2.6 a 2600 Ops hit two homers in one game on opening day and then followed that up on Saturday with pinch hitting didn't even start the game came in and hit a huge Triple A Massive at bat for the Reds the reds are such a fun team they play with swagger they're really good and Nick Martini is a Difference Maker on the team really is it was so much fun to watch he was great two bombs by the way as well so he's my DH all right now to your starting pitcher of the week who had a career start for the Dodgers you were there the night that he pitched Bobby Miller watched it up close and personal and uh T you didn't text me back is that true Bobby Miller uhuh is that true that doesn't sound like me I'll pull the receipt that doesn't sound like that is exactly you I might be a little late you never respond to text messages uh call people I was sitting in the stands uh was there with Elizabeth my girlfriend and was literally I wouldn't say she's the biggest most knowledgeable baseball fan in the world and I just kept saying man Bobby Miller is dealing Bobby Miller is out there shoving she's like what does this all mean yeah I was like well you well you look up at the end of the game and the guy punched out 11 guys through six Innings got a win a whip of 0.5 Z on the mound he was just dominating I was looking up at the scoreboard like every pitch and say 99 100 100 99 the guy was just throwing fuel out there blowing balls past guys looked fantastic um this is what this is the hype for Bobby Miller there has been a lot of hype I've been high on him since he got to the big leagues and honestly he's shown that he's going to be a good pitcher but it just feels like this year is going to be different and start number one was was a pretty good start to that he was fantastic and it was really fun to watch that in person all right and now your closer of the week Kay Holmes yeah Klay Holmes look he ended up Kay Holmes with two saves didn't give up a run didn't walk anybody only gave up three hits but man I am not sold on Kay Holmes being the Yankees closer whoa it's it's sort of a roller coaster it really is a bit of a roller coaster back when I used to I back when I used to watch every single Tigers game growing up Todd Jones was was the closer and his nickname used to be roller coaster cuz it was always an experience when he got on the mound and it was going to go up and it was going to go down and hopefully it ended on and up and he honestly for a year for a couple years there it was always ended on and up he was really good but it was a roller coaster of an experience that's sort of what it's feeling like with Klay Holmes and opening day opening night that game that Juan stto had to throw out the guy at home plate like he's getting himself into a bit of trouble um but he is on my team of the week he throw two innings didn't give up a a run thanks to thanks to WAN sto out there and he looked good it is just seemingly going to be an experience for Yankees fans every time Klay Holmes comes into the game in that ninth inning so Klay Holmes rounds out my team of the week that leaves K Ruiz Freddy Freeman catel Marte asalo Cabrera mookie bets lordis scuel Jr Michael haris thei Luis Robert Jr uh Nick Martini is the DH Bobby Miller my starting pitcher and Kay Holmes my closer for team of the week that's the first one it was good feel was good it is great now it's time for our players of the week who is your player of the week Ben it's mooki hey it's m look and those numbers are those numbers are absurd 556 average three homers an Ops of 2381 and look he's playing Short Stop which I think is fun and I'm not he's there's some work to be done there look M even mookie bets it is hard to be a big league shortstop mukie bets is a fantastic Defender gold Glover in right field moved to second base and was a good Defender and he's he's going through some bumps and bruises at Short Stop at times but the fact that he is even playing there is remarkable and speaks volumes to the player that that Muki Betts is and but these numbers offensively is is wild Alex go ahead who is your who's your play I love this so much you know why because when we did our MV P predictions I picked mukie Betts as my NL MVP and I gave him some pretty strong numbers right that I thought he was going to finish the season with and Ben over here laughed at my face gave me an expression of I was crazy and you know what he is off to an incredible start to the season my player of the week is also Mookie Betts you know he is just going to give you a fun fact here Fair let me have it keep going I know I'm going to go okay his start these first five games it is so impressive the last player who had an Ops over 2000 with 10 RBI in the first five games of the regular season do you want to guess what player had that Barry Bonds Barry Bonds was the last player to have those kind of numbers that Muki bets put up in these first five games and it is just so impressive and I got to see one of the opening day home runs I was actually doing a little creeper video getting Otani and mooki warming up before he was about to go up to the pl late and they were both kind of taking their practice swings moments later he hits a home run it was just yeah I I am so happy this is incredible this is gonna be a fun year the first the firstat for the Dodgers on on Friday night when I was there we were just sitting down was talking about all the players and the in the Dodgers lineup mooki hit a homer immediately to lead off the game for the Dodgers uh as you all know we record during Sunday Night Baseball so I was just going to look at the stats to see what he's doing currently over for three tonight so that means he's due for for something cool uh this was all deserved I I believe the words I used when you I think you said he's going to hit like 336 on the year with 40 something like that I believe the term I used was if mookie bets hits 336 the average was the big one for me he could hit 40 homers if Muk bets hits 336 with 40 I will eat my foot I think is what I said I'm a bit worried about looks like we're heading that way I'm a bit worried there uh I love that so much it for our uh Team of the week the first of the year we are so back and it feels so good baseball is back pretty every single day now from here and through October and it just feels great Alex this is a lot of fun this a lot of fun we're back baby we're back baby hope you all enjoyed this make sure you're subscribed wherever you listen to your podcast hit that subscribe or follow button uh Apple Spotify you can watch everything we do on Spotify as well and on YouTube fliping bats pod there and on social media follow us on Tik Tok we put some really cool stuff there um and we're hoping for 100,000 followers and we're getting closer and closer so go follow us on Tik Tok but that does it for this one opening week end is in the books and now we are rock and rolling thank you all for listening remember until next time my friends find your bat and flip [Music] it [Applause] yeah