Should we be more amazed by Clayton Kershaw? | Baseball Today

INTRO it is Monday August 19th 2024 this is another edition of baseball today presented to you by Five Hour Energy that is my man Trevor ploop I am Chris Rose producer Dan inter turn Tommy along for the ride as well hope everybody had Tip of the cap an amazing baseball weekend we certainly did because we had a chance to see each other Friday at Fanatics Fest in New York City I didn't know what to expect it was insane plof it was insane I I I've never been to Comic Con um so I didn't know like you know the venue or anything like that but we showed up and saw just the sheer magnitude of it and kind of like who was there you read the list but then you kind of see these guys and just see you know the amount of people that showed up throughout the weekend it was really cool and here we are on Center Stage D we had two a twoh hour set on Center Stage it's crazy so thank you to everyone that came up all the kind words you know all the people that were there to support us it was it made uh you know dude we're grinding here a lot grinding putting out content but then when you get face to face with fans and you know they appreciate you it kind of makes it all worth it yeah it was great then I flew back up there on Sunday did a little uh Reunion Show with the best Dam Sports show period which was really fun too so but it was nice to hear about you know I still got a ton of comments about johnboy media so we appreciate all of your support no question about it hopefully next year we'll be back at that thing wherever it may be New York Los Angeles Dallas who knows where it's going to be I want F uh seventh annual Little League Classic ends in a walk-off Little League classic Yankees and tigers nobody will really remember the score but why don't we roll how it finished winning one at second swings and S to left Dingus got a good arm they're going to wave him a delay on the throw he is safe okay you know what it actually was the perfect way to wrap up little league because that is the only time you're going to see big Leaguers get super excited at the end of a game and they start acting like little Leaguers so a walk-off I thought was ideal I was watching that live I couldn't believe that they sent him home right there you know given the situation I don't think Dominguez uh thought they were going to send him home either hence the hesitation there but yeah it was a great game and it was cool to see all the kids just you know right in the front row like how many times are those kids going to be able to sit front row watching these big Leaguers and getting all the special treatment that they got so very fun and then I didn't know I guess like I don't know I didn't realize I guess that the two teams shake hands after the game that is it was cool because in that atmosphere they know it's coming but can you imagine having to do that every single no game oh man I remember the first I remember the first time it happened and everybody was like what are we doing here but it was yeah whatever I mean it's it's little league so I get it it's one game out of 162 if I if memory serves me right you haven't loved this event is that true I just really don't like any of like the outside events and why I don't think I feel like they're all strange like you know the the the balls seem Juiced in them which is weird and I think there there are there are ways to do it I think they are important for the sport to go out and go to different countries and play ball and all this thing I just think it I don't know I just haven't really got into it even the field dreams game I think this one for me after having Carl ravit on our show and talking to him about it and just what it means to the little Leaguers and seeing all the clips yeah this year and we're g to talk about you know Jazz and and and the things that he was doing um I get it like I could put myself in those kids shoes and understand how what it means to them as a as a fan of the sport like I wasn't like locked in because we're playing the Little League classic but I don't think it's for me I think it's for the kids so you know I love it good job I love everything about it um you know coinciding with players weekend which we'll talk about in a little bit I don't know if that's ideal or if it's genius I haven't quite figured it out yet but just the whole idea of the kids being on the buses with the players and the relay line and everything we all I could imagine was being 12 years old and getting to sit next to Juan stto or Aaron judge or Jean Carlos Stanton or Garrett Cole or anybody on Tigers like are you kidding me this is cool this part of it cool Chris I'm not gonna sit here and and hate on this whatsoever I I just the games themselves when they're played on different Parks just haven't done it for me but I love this aspect of it I mean I agree I remember seeing Brad Fulmer at the northw Little League batting cage I couldn't believe I was seeing a big leager like I I get it dude I understand like being able to do this ride the bus first of all relay lines the best form of practice for kids I love this I don't know well I don't I don't know how much they're getting out of that relay line but I understand what you're saying yeah typically there was a little more spread out but um listen and I love it that the players are kind of all in and it's really important that they do Buy in I know it's a long day they travel they get there very early in the morning um and it's a long day and they they are professionals they still have a play a game to play that does mean something in the standings and for their individual livelihood so thank you for doing that because it is a little bit of a sacrifice when you think about it but it is for the greater good of the game it is the day where kind of baseball can stand out and people can say because they can't do this in other sports you're not going to be riding next to Patrick Mahomes on the bus as he's about to go play one of 17 games you're not g to sit next to Steph Curry or Lebron James as they're getting ready to play one of 82 that stuff's just not going to happen why not in basketball I get football because it's it's 17 basketball enough yeah I suppose you could but it doesn't it doesn't so let's take advantage of of something that was created for this that has been very very good very well received the only thing I would say that is kind of a bummer is these minor league ballparks are so big that there just aren't enough home runs huh Dam didn't oh yeah well they just juice the ball like they maybe I'm a hater because I never got to go on any of theol trips never got to go here I'm a hater Chris yeah may clean it up Trev come on now all right so let's talk about it Jazz Chism uh still a little banged up he did join the broadcast last night he joined one of the Little League broadcasts as well and told us about his new buddy Russ that's my guy Russ that's what I was saying see I told you me Russ I saw you guys popping chains ear oh yeah he he was supposed to be wearing it all day but he he kind of he he got he got he got scared you know see there he is oh There He Go he got scared he was like I can't lose this so he gave it back you know but me and my guy Russ man we going to be rocking I'm going to make sure he gets to the big leagues one day and I'm going definitely be behind him for his full Journey you know awesome yeah I kind of kept that promise to him I told him that I'mma I'mma Be your big brother from here and I'm make sure you get it first thing he did was uh teach him how to nap which I thought was great I'm kid oh my come on do I'm just kidding I knew you were going to say something like that hey I'm going to say Jazz this is lean into this this part of your personality lean into this it's this is what we like to see I thought that's really cool and again we talked about sitting next to a guy and being able to have a couple minute conversation with him then Jazz took it to the next level and you know G gave him the IG follow and said I'm gonna be your big bro like this guy's Never Gonna forget that ever so and not only that jazz said I'm going to get him equipment when he needs it and stuff like that like if you are fully Allin then that's great I mean you you're talking about maybe changing a kid's life like that is that's phenomenal I hope it happens this is how you handle it Jazz yes A+ um I would agree with that I'm curious if Russ did lose that chain how much do you think of what do you think a Chain's worth I don't really know I'm not a chain guy I feel like if I was gonna be like a jewelry popping guy which I do have my chain popped right now yeah you sure do if I was going to be a big jewelry guy i' get fake I'd get fake chains I don't think Jazz has fake chains I'm not saying that I'm saying I would because then if you lose them say ah couple hundred bucks okay overall great weekend uh more on players weekend coming up in just a bit on the show uh Dodgers took a Shouldn't we be more amazed by Clayton Kershaw? series from the Cardinals in St Louis Clayton Kershaw delivered his longest outing of the Season lowered his ra sub 27 remember first couple starts rough last few have been outstanding uh future Hall of Famer is 36 years old he is coming back from his first surgery ever shoulder surgery shouldn't we be more amazed by by what he is doing than we are aren't we Amazed by Clay Clayton Kershaw I mean we I don't think so oh well I am I mean he's like our generation's Lefty I mean he hasn't had I mean 2022 a 2.28 2023 a 2.46 this year 2.63 I mean the guy is either in the high twos or the low twos or the low threes like every single year of his career he's he's an absolute Beast Chris he's a Surefire H Famer he comes back to the Dodgers we mention this all the time on a very Team friendly contract um and we I mean I expect this out of him he's had to change you know how he approaches hitters he's like one of the guys that's had the longevity and the ability to become more of a quote unquote pitcher and make those adjustments later on in his career like there's nothing not to love about Clayton Kershaw he I mean I guess we're just used to it I get the October stuff the October stuff is real people those are real statistics in October but regular season Clayton Kershaw is one of the most dominant pictures we've ever seen in the game if you were to ask a 100 Baseball fans what is the first thing you think of about Clayton Kershaw what percentage say something positive and what percentage say something negative a lot of people remember October I mean look that's he'll tell you himself that's when it really counts but shouldn't we applaud people more and this is just I think this is a societal issue that because we do look at so much through a negative lens I mean the guy had shoulder surgery nobody would have said if he had said Hey listen I'm tapping out I've got my four kids and my wife at home in Dallas Texas I'm going to call it a career I've accomplished everything I want I don't want to do the rehab I don't want to put through you know I want to be a dad want to coach kids team like everybody would have been like yeah of course we get it so now that he has come back and now that he is doing it with less than mid to high 90 stuff like he is such a different pitcher than when we first saw slider guy now a slider slider slider and he doesn't put up big strikeout numbers like a big strikeout day for him is five or six he got two I think yesterday I mean do I have to remind people three Sai Young's an MVP he's been an All-Star 10 times won the World Series in 2020 even has a gold glove to boot erra title five different times I mean this guy is an an 80 career War like he's a first ballot Hall of Famer maybe unanimous like it's it's nuts and you know what people are going to remember about last season none of those numbers they're going to remember him sitting on the bench hands through his hair no hat on wondering how the hell did I not make it out of the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks after giving up six runs and I think it's look I think it's okay for people to think about that I mean it's true it all this has happened Chris he has not had success in the postseason bottom line like it's he's been much more successful during the regular season I think you can have both thoughts in your head like this guy is one of the most dominant pitches we've ever seen but he struggled in the postseason because that's the reality of it so how much does it his narrative change and we still have a few months before this even this talk even happens but let's say the Dodgers do go on a run where they win it all or make the World Series or whatever and Kershaw pitch is great does that change things for him I think so I mean it depends on what he does Chris he's have to be pretty dang dominant for them to really change the complete narrative but if you walk out into the sunset with a a great postseason under your belt I think that that that's kind of the lasting image people will have I mean this guy's done 194 innings in the postseason dude a that's a season full a season's full he's got a 449 so I mean he's had some bad blowups but let's not act like this guy I mean 449 is you know it's not a two whatever he has during the regular season but it's not exactly crazy bad either he's had some bad it's not good but he's had some memorable he's had some memorably bad appearances 100% yep so I think it's okay for people to think about that because it is what's happening but if you're asking me like if he goes out there and leads the Dodgers to the World Series you know has three or four good starts where he doesn't give up a run say let's say he goes shudy this entire postseason I think people will the the blow will be lessened significantly in how people remember him if he does that so he has a chance to do it I think very interesting hey we want to thank uh seek for helping us out with today's video baseball season here we are we've got like less than two months to to go and of course all these games matter so you're going to want to go see him in person and SeatGeek the official ticket Marketplace of the MLB is the best place to buy tickets they rate every ticket on a scale of 1 to 10 so you know exactly what you're getting plus they color code the seats so look for those green dots Green Dot good Red Dot bad now you might look and you say okay well wait there's a red dot on a seat right behind the Dugout how in the world could that be bad for me because SeatGeek is trying to look out for the best deal for you is it worth exactly what you're about to hey that's the key anybody can say oh yeah I want to go sit behind The Dugout but are you how you how much money you really want to Shell out here SeatGeek is looking out for you and your wallet and everybody can use the code today 10 for 10% off any tickets on SeatGeek whether you're a brand new customer or not so no matter how many times you bought tickets you seek before today 10 is going to get 10% off your next order so go grab your phone open the SeatGeek app if you don't have it download it today add the code today 10 to your account so what in the world are you waiting for do it now because this offer is only available for a limited time once again the code is today 10 for 10% off of your next order we will see you soon at a game near you Royals or D-Backs the more serious playoff threat? uh pair of playoff hopefuls had very different weekends in each league the Royals they crowned the Reds in the Queen City thanks to a three-game sweep boy I put the old uh whammy on the Reds I talked them up and then they go out and get clubbed by Kansas City meanwhile Arizona Diamondbacks a weekend to forget down there in the Tampa St Pete area as they lost all three which Club Kansas City or Arizona is a more serious playoff threat for you I know the results are you know drastically different for these two clubs although Arizona you know they had a chance to win uh two of those games you know showed some grit and some resiliency in the first and third games Corb Carol with a massive bomb in game one they get walked off whatever um I still think I'm taking the Diamond Backs and and Kansas City's been playing amazing baseball I I didn't get a chance to check this but it's the Run differential in their Series against the Reds must have been the highest of any run differential brutal of a season it was brutal uh because they went out and absolutely destroyed the Reds I will say this I think they're pretty close but to me I think there's less holes with the Diamondbacks and that's assuming catel Marte is still able to play and is still performing the way he's performed all year long uh because him and Bobby Whit Jr I mean those are two MVP candidates so you kind of like take those I know maybe not necessarily cancel each other out but you could make that argument um so to me it goes the pitching for the Royals has been better the starting pitching has been better uh most of the year but now the Dbacks are getting fully healthy and I think those are kind of comparable as well so then it goes to the bullpens both teams made adjustments at the trade deadline but think if I'm looking at the bullpens I would take the Diamondbacks Bullpen over the um the Royals bullpen so I think the lineup might be a little bit longer and I think the bullpen might be a little bit better so I'm gonna go with the the Diamondbacks here that's not me being an AL Central guy and wishing the Royals I think they're a very good team I just think objectively if you look I think the dond backs have a more complete roster Hey listen we don't you don't have to defend your stance on I do I do Al I will say this Vinnie pass Tino is going to see this clip and he's going to be like see see hater he's just having fun with you um and the other thing for Arizona guy we haven't mentioned in a while because he's been on the Shelf is Christian Walker he was having such a good year yeah and really should have been an Allstar hopefully he's back from that oblique injury at some point in the near future um I am G to say the Kansas City Royals I love what they did at the deadline because I felt like their only void was in the bullpen Hunter Harvey has not been good for them but Lucas ersi not only has he he hasn't given up a run in his nine appearances and he's now taking over the closers role which is smart now I would actually say what do you mean it's smart let the guy that doesn't give runs be your closer yeah it is smart yeah but but you've had a guy who's got almost 20 saves now he has not pitched well um so I think it obviously is a little bit easier to put in a new guy it's not like ur's got great history as a closer that's my point I mean you're kind of so this is this is my big Point here and it's taking me a while to get there I think the Royals can be this year's version of the Diamondbacks I really believe it I think they can I mean yeah but the Diamondbacks are the Diamondbacks I know but what I'm saying is like you kind of watch him all right yeah they've been good um nobody's going to pick them to go to the World Series is my point even if they make the playoffs nobody's going to pick them but their top four starters all of them have an RA of 333 or better all of them they have all exceptionally well and they've been remarkably consistent they trade for a guy who can now hopefully fortify the back end of their Bullpen last year it was Paul sewald in Arizona who this is the difference he had been a very successful closer in Seattle for a few years before getting traded Arizona Lucas ersing they're like you and your five career saves you're our dude right now both of them had m VP candidates last year Corbin Carroll this year Bobby wit so it feels like there's something interesting going on there I agree I think they're very close I think they are the Diamondbacks offense probably a little bit I gu a little longer a little bit better for me I would I would agree with that I would agree with that starting pitching at you know the numbers are going to talk about the Royals for sure but I think that's a lot because we haven't had the Full Slate of pitchers for the Dbacks as well so those can kind of come and be who they are I think it they're pretty close think that's all Is Pat Murphy as NL Manager of the Year the biggest award lock? fair uh the Royals are actually just three back in the American League Central thanks to their sweep and Milwaukee taking care of Cleveland in a uh really interesting pitching dominated series pitching dominated series Brewers swept the series I think we think that they outscored Cleveland 9 to4 in three game nine to four I'll get it up right now I have it our sheet in front of us but I believe that's what it is yeah it was uh I think Cleveland got like 10 hits total that's what it 5 to three 2 to one two to zero so nine to four W good for the Brewers and I don't know if this is facts but I think it seemed like during the series I don't think either Bullpen gave up a run even if it's not fact just say it because that sounds freaking awesome if that's if that's true let's see Gavin William give up five runs okay so Milwaukee's Bullpen gave up some runs in the first oh yeah they did cuz Jose took them deep first they and David fry clicked them too I yeah I think that that was all off the bullpen but point is Point's well taken anyway big picture here the Brewers 72 and 52 20 games over 500 an 11 game lead for a team that traded away its Ace lost its manager the whole bit is Pat Murphy going to be the biggest runaway winner of any of the major postseason Awards uh I mean he's going to win national league manager of the year if that's what you're asking you can lock that up for sure I know Steven vot is the leading favorite there he's got some competition like Alex Kora quatraro the manager of the Royals has to be in contention but I think step vot's also gonna win manager of the year which is awesome for him my guy your guy uh judge winning American League MVP I think that's so let's play hold on Murphy's got no competition in the national no competition zero so he he's going to be a unanimous selection and you're talking Bobby Wht nipping at the heels of Aaron judge I still don't think it's going to be close in overall you can argue as as good as Bobby wht's been and all these things I think Aaron judge is gonna run away with that award but so I guess to answer your question yes if you're saying manager of the year is a major award I will say it is the most did you really just do that you are so mean name the last five managers of the Year thank you I rest my case okay all right that was good was it last year American League uh oh it was Hyde Brandon Hyde last year Brandon Hyde makes sense year before I think it was Terry Fran cona for like the 19th time you know I understand like we don't remember it as much you don't care okay uh yes he's going to be I imagine the lone guy who who wins it unanimously any award I will say that Terk scoel is getting close yeah did you see judges Praise of him he was like ever since that guy came back from injury at the end of 2023 he said he's been a different animal basically so I hope that Emanuel class gets some first place votes but I'm not so sure that'll happen I think sco's going to run away so we could a minus 1450 lock to win the AL MVP Bobby Wood Jr plus 600 what is everybody else's what's scoble uh I'm not there yet let me get it come on man bookmark this stuff hold on man okay uh Ali young odds scooo minus 1900 minus 2500 at one book and then it's Corbin Burns plus a thousand then after that it's CL plus 4,500 so yeah I mean scoble yeah locking it up Chris S is close to doing it too yeah okay all right best part of players Best part of MLB Players Weekend weekend let's first of all let's show a bunch of things here um this is Jackson Merrill's lightsaber bat this thing was incredible like that like all the bats the bats are fun yeah that's awesome yeah didn't know it did that uh Bobby Wht he got the interesting smile going but it you know cool bat what's wrong with that smile nothing he looked happy there he is looked happy a mullet love that I don't know if he's got a Lipper in that's the thing um I love all these bats I thought they were great some of the pencil bats kind of freak me out when they're up there holding them it does look weird it looks like AI like yeah yeah these AI videos going around the internet I'm I'm so out on AI scares me so much Bryce Harper's got his okay love it all the cleats were great scoble with the Scooby-Doo God I knew that was coming why what's the matter with that I love all the colors and why do we get rid of the jerseys by the way with the nicknames on them because they I think people made fun of them so much they finally just said we're done I thought it was a cost thing Francisco lindor's glove Gucci God Almighty that is I like that movie House of Gucci yeah sure you have a favorite moment I I did and it's um my buddy Jack flare when he got traded over his mom showed a picture of him wearing this hat uh when he was like a baby and there it is and the Dodgers were like you know what we're GNA get you that hat again so they made it for him and he was pretty Blown Away about it I asked him about he said it was really cool man uh and another reason I really like it is because it celebrates the Dodgers five straight rookies of the year and that's like when I was it's probably the only time I've like been a fan of a Major League baseball team or like I didn't work for the team or whatever um and I had this question to MH five straight rookies of the year yeah you got four of them I know it was Nomo Kos Mike Patza Raul Mandy Raul mesy and the fifth one I know it do I know I and I know I'm gonna kick myself because I can see exactly who it is but I don't know I don't remember who it I dapped this guy up he was doing radio during spring train and I was like bro I love you like I know the the the history and all these things I was big fan Todd hollandsworth Todd hollandsworth God dang it ah I love that I knew something that you didn't know oh that's amazing big part of the show because I I told you exactly like the type of player he was in he was an outfielder yeah yeah um I love players weekend I think it's it's fun unfortunately like this is the weekend obviously because of travel and football commitments it's the least amount of baseball I've watched all year which really sucks but I'll be back at it again now locked and loaded almost almost uh we are back at it again OUTRO tomorrow if you can everybody listen to ploof call the next few days of the T Padres San Diego Padres by the way have you called a game down there no that place rocks even during the week I'm excited very very excited Petco they do a great job of putting on a show down there that is a fun if people haven't been to that ballpark if you have a chance to go visit Southern California I know that like The Summer's closing closing shop and kids are going back to school put it on your calendar like if your team goes out there next summer go make a trip the city's Fantastic and the ballpark experience is great we were talking if the playoffs started today the Padres would be hosting the Diamondbacks for a three- game set three in a row all down there how freaking electric would that be that would be great that would be great well worth a trip all right uh for our one-of aind producer Dan RoR our amazing intern Tommy Young that is the Uber talented Trevor ploof I am Chris Rose we will see you Tuesday here on baseball today presented to you by Five Hour Energy