Mike Tauchman, Chas McCormick & Alexa Datt join; Harper & Schwarber injured for PHI | Foul Territory

Intro [Music] let's go Fraser Friday how we doing it's Ron and toddfa together love your shirt too about territory Katz is sleeping actually that was good I was going to forget that Eric how long did you drive to get back to Studio EK in time for the show today something you need to know about professional athletes and I was kind of professional I got paid to play but comp super competitive so when the GPS tells me it's going to be 12 hours and 45 minutes to make it from after the show to my house in Pennsylvania I said I'm going to beat it so I did it took me 12 hours to get home thank you very much that's why you hear the cops in the background right yeah that's rare is that from your spot that is from my spot no we don't have we don't have police here they're still trying to catch up to me yeah they they self- police there everyone's just and you're either watching TV in the background then you're watching cops nothing nothing I got the whole I got the whole house to myself job all right I got I got things to to do before we charge them out number one another announcement little Friday announcement so this was our first week on Valley sports TV networks and on the app and on Monday ft will expand to another Network let's go Marquee Sports Network home of the Chicago Cubs games among other team teams but for Baseball fans that's probably how you know the network foul territory will be airing on Marquee basically anytime they don't have Day games or some conflicting games to some extent so check your local listings but if you're in the Chicago area you want a little ft on your TV now you've got a spot and that starts on Monday that's awesome this another big step for foul territory this is stuff we talked about before we even started this thing how big we're getting and it only attested the people behind the scenes the people in the scenes and the people working their butts off so another big thing and you played for the White Soxs there's white sock fans that'll catch the network of course AJ is the ultimate love haate Chicago guy so that'll be fun there there'll be some Cubs fans that'll just yell at the screen for two hours which is cool we're fine with that here why is he on here what's wrong I'm canceling my Marquees subscri no I don't want this why is AJ on here you know what you don't have to you can mute him you can say whatever you want to him and the best part is he can't hear you so he can't answer you money one more thing so the All-Star voting continues I know a lot of people get confused about the process now and I think that's fair it's a lot they give you the voting then it goes to the final two so that's where we're at now we'll cover it more next week the only thing I wanted to throw out there was the Baltimore Orioles dominated did you see how many Orioles are on the position player list for the finalists six almost every category has an orial on it guys that you'd expect right like adley Rutman gunar Henderson but then Mount Castle's competing against vlat at first Jordan Westberg against Jose Ramirez at third santand there is one of the guys in the Outfield Ryan o'n in the DH spot against yordan Alber quietly quietly Ryan he's been having a really good year and these Allstar voting things once it gets going you you think about Baltimore for a second like you have six guys all of a sudden one one guy takes off the fans like hey let's go then you start getting it out there in social media and next thing you know Boom the whole city the whole state the whole town and now it did you know kind of happened to me in Cincinnati it was just one of those things they knew I was doing the Home Run Derby boom we got to get this guy's starting job I was down close to like a million and a half two million votes to um oh why am I drawing a blank the third basement for the Cardinals Lefty Ah that's terrible either way we came back and won so it was it was good thanks to the cities for sure wait now I need to know who is this gu oh man it's killing me and he he went away and came back to the Cardinals again this year oh Carpenter yes Carpenter Matt Carpenter thank you man where am I at today let's go that's okay that's okay but this is what it's for it's for the fans isn't it we should just vote in all the cool people that we want to vote in to me this started this started in 2015 with the Royals I don't know if you remember the voting the Royals fans absolutely showed out after 4 losing in the World Series they showed out it was like to the point where Omar Omar and fonte was he would have been the seventh guy starting in the All-Star Game and they started a campaign the the guy's now a radio a radio host in Chicago he's like he's like vote Omar and Omar started bo bo bo up the list so to me this is teams not engaging their fans and the Orioles kudos to them they have a great team and their organization has engaged their fans really well makes sense it's happened I think in Toronto too where sometimes Canada will really grip a certain player a certain year so yeah we're all for it we'll see how many Orioles actually get in Gordon Burns's going to get on the pitching side among maybe some others so anyway let's charge the dam M oh we got drama that's what this show is for not drama in general I'm saying this show covers this drama okay so MLB was secretly not letting players see the strike zone box anymore and by secretly I mean they just got rid of it so when you go to The Dugout you get to check out how you're at bat went and it'll wait a half inning right so that there's not sign stealing cheating going on but then you get to see how the atat went and you're trying to see you know the pitches and your swing and all of that but you also want to see where the pitches are at and there was a strike MLB hiding strike zones zone box there the umpires asked MLB to get rid of that because they felt like players were using it to bark at them and say hey I just looked back last at bat I mean sounds like a typical toddfa conversation with an Umpire got thrown out because of it one time go ahead for that exact reason oh yeah okay so MLB gets rid of the strikes Zone box this year doesn't say anything which is a violation apparently of the collective bargaining agreement which mlbpa the players union pointed out they filed a grievance they settled here and gave it back but the way that they found out of course was you're you're going to be shocked on this players complaining to their superiors or their constituents their colleagues whatever at the PA saying hey notice that we can't see the strike zone box anymore you didn't tell me about that they're like we weren't told about that so here we go and now it's it's back it'll be back for all teams if it hasn't been back already by today by Friday's games but nice little sneaky move for the first few months of the season my question is how are you allowed to do that if it if it's not you're not allowed like the agreement is there for a reason correct and you MLB can easily do that I feel like this isn't the first time that they've done stuff like this I something as simple as taking a box away hey just so you know we're thinking about taking a box away and of course Tony Clark would have said no something really simple like so you know where your strike on it it's not only people always think oh these players are complaining too much about it well that's part of it you want to know but the other part is you want to know exactly where that ball is in case you go up there again understand it I need to swing at this pitch if he's calling it two balls off the plate if he's calling it low if he's calling it high in and out you want to understand where his zone is so when you go back up there and he makes a different call in the same pitch you're like hey man can you tell me where you're at today because I have no clue and that's just being honest with an Umpire so what's going to happen to MLB Scott ER nothing we just move on because they how how are they allowed to get away with that well no they did a settlement before uh CR jumps in so so they settled before it went to a hearing because that would not have gone well for MLB you can't just take that away rip that away so the resolution was that in bold letters they sent a memo that the league and the Union want to emphasize that players must use those Dugout tablets and all video feeds provided solely for their intended purpose which is to assist players with onfield performance that's the solution that's what they're for yeah that's what they're for they're for onfield performance we're trying to put the best product out there this is a disingenuous move by MLB because these contracts this CBA is collectively bargained and it's an agreement between MLB and players and it's supposed to be a good faith agreement that okay we we want this you want that here's the Middle Road okay we want this all these things why do they have to stay at a fivestar hotel they don't need it's collectively bargained every hotel has to have room service 247 so that players can have food this has to be everything is collectively bargained and then they breach that contract so forget about taking it why not take it to a hearing I mean this is listen it's something really little I get it people going about there why why you guys stressing over this this is this is poo poo [ __ ] you know it's terrible but at the end of the day little things turn into bigger things you take an inch you want a mile you want a leg no you want two arms at the end of the day these are little things that MLB thinks they can just do what they want and for me personally you want to know where the zone is you want to know where the sun pire is so yeah I have gotten thrown out because of it because it was two or three calls that one of the umpires missed and I looked at him I said missed by this you know what and he threw me out Scott you saw the paper in the bathroom it was a good one yep and um that was it grabbed a couple brewhas when I got inside and watched the rest of the game we ended up actually I don't know if we won so I'll go back and look at that but now there's stricter penalties though so players who use a Dugout tablet to embarrass denigrate or question the impartiality or ability of an Umpire will face increased penalties going forward they're subject to ejection and can be fined between $2500 and $7,500 for a firsttime violation with Progressive discipline from there so Emma be one again that's MLB winning so they basically did the punishment on the other side right why MLB didn't get punished for put for for dropping the square out oh look we win again so you want to argue balls and Strikes Again guess what you're GNA get fined even worse so they won on both got another one over on the players because guess what this was our intent probably from the get-go and this is a third party right so you have the league the players this is the umpires okay and you correct me if I'm wrong Kats obviously there's a lot of beef with players and umpires but they're also not trying to just SP oh there's beef over the Zone in many games that's what I'm saying right guys get into it about the Zone that's a debate almost every game my point is they're still human beings they're not showing up to the ballpark like how can I humiliate this human being today so if the league called the players union and spoke to the players said Hey listen a lot of umps are saying they're really getting it what do you think about a little bit of a stricter penalty here because guys are getting too aggressive with this can't you have a real conversation instead of just trying to be sneaky that's exactly this is where the this is where the disingenuous part this is where the I don't trust you part and this is why baseball the two sides are constantly just fighting against each other you can't you can't try to slide one over on them like you can't sit there and go oh man like maybe they won't notice this maybe they won't notice it players don't come to the park to get on the Umpire players come to the park to win a freaking baseball game in whatever way they possibly can umpires don't come to the park to screw over players they come to the park to do their job are some of them good at it yes majority are good at it are all of them not held accountable yes and this is just another case of them not being held accountable like the umpires they don't want them to argue I was in Pittsburgh and the replay room would call down every time they would miss a strike so every time every time the ball was outside of the strike zone somebody would call our Dugout phone and go and they pick it up and be like no it was down it would to the point where every time it rang by the end of the series the umpires were like don't pick that phone up Clint Clint hurdles kept picking the phone up be like ah yeah it was a ball like so it was a way that they were arguing it they just told him to stop it's humans with humans that's an epic story did you have any of that where they would give a call we used to with the white socks it would they would ring down if they thought the ball it was a ball really and they finally caught up to it and we actually got F I think we got find a million dollars no way I think it was I I think it was a million dooll fine because we did it for like three or four games straight and and I'm I'm in the dug I'm like oh my God there's another one there's another one and it was like the first second inning I mean nobody's calling down to the to the bullpen to get somebody loose oh man it was it was so they're saying you're not improper use of The Dugout phone yes corre and they could even say oh you're trying to steal signs or something like that right like they could try and conjure it no they're just saying you can't make a phone call and be all over the umps yeah yeah well let's put it this way when when people were when the Dodgers and the Rockies and the Astros and everybody was relaying signs in from the replay room and there'll be had no idea this stuff was going on because they had so many complaints about it but they did nothing about it until there was like a formal like investigation then they were like oh oh my goodness people were doing this no they weren't calling down from the those are recorded those lines are recorded right right so you know what's going on okay that was good good juice I didn't know that you're getting the calls I can imagine you're the UMP you hear the ring ring oh damn it I messed up again so it was it was good it was a good one so let let's just try and be friends here it was good to unravel that for 10 to start the day um we're GNA talk to Chaz McCormick later Mike tochman about the big Cubs Brewer series Alexa dat's going to talk to us about the surging St Louis Cardinals getting back to life uh we'll be right back on Valle Sports [Music] [Music] hey hey ft YouTube fam we've got a few minutes to go over the games of the weekend the games of the night the series of the weekend thanks to our partners over at sege the official ticket Marketplace of Major League Baseball they've got your covered for all of your baseball ticket needs over 70,000 events are on SE geek concerts festivals and of course a baseball games I want to start with Kats because if we could I know you just drove 13 hours but if we could ship you somewhere I know where you want to go tonight you know where I want to go we're gonna say it on three one SeatGeek Games of the Day two Philadelphia oh my God just cuz it's close to home I was going to think he's going to stay at home you to see Council against the Milwaukee Brewers in Milwaukee no I don't want to see it why I want because because I want to see I want to see everything that the TV is how they're going to portray it I'm gonna have it split screened one on Marquee one on B B's North North Central I forget what the what the B's Milwaukee Wisconsin it's Wisconsin thank you thank you I should know that got I'll I'll take the I'll take the brunt for not knowing that part it's a new partnership no I want to see if these Mets are for real I want to see if these Mets are for real and guess who for real the Astros that's what I want to see not the pitching matchup I could care less I want to see which of these teams ronell Blanco and canana throw strikes so Astros Mets is a good one Rangers Orioles I want to see sherzer again I was gonna say that too sarez is filthy yep so there's some good options here but Cubs Brewers I mean I want to hear it in Milwaukee Cubs are struggling too so the Brewers fans have just like all the meat to be able to just just grind away right now Brewers having a great year and we'll see how that sounds but anyway each ticket on the SE SE app o is rated on a scale of one to 10 look for the green dots green means good red means bad ft's got the code for you if you're new f l 20 bucks off tickets at seek that's 20 bucks off your first purchase with promo code fou and you can click the link in the description to download the app if you're listening on the podcast right now I'll drop it in the chat as well we'll swing back and actually talk about the Phillies for a moment because Bryce Harper and Kyle schwarber both might not be okay that's next hey hey back on Ft uh we are going to talk to Mike toin soon but in the meantime let's hit some other topics and we'll start with the Philadelphia Phillies o o that's not good you just want to get through the marathon you know what I'm saying if you're in their position because you're a playoff lock you're not a division lock yet but you're in pretty good shape there this is what Dodgers fans go through a lot for years they're like can we just get through the marathon healthy I don't care if I win 105 or 100 but Bryce Harper pulls up lame running over to First at the end of the game too it's ninth inning two outs you're like ah he almost got there and schwarber left the game early too Philadelphia specialist Eric Katz was probably driving all night thinking about it oh he was 100% And he Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber Injuries was I just kept watching the replay over and over again but not of Bryce running to first of all that we were talking about two days ago with Gaber not running to first super hard oh he should be benched he's not trying hard oh Harper tried to beat out an infield single almost had it now he's not gonna be beating anything out for a little while so true there's a thing there's a thing I mean you want effort yes you want effort this is seven to four ball game unless they're bringing out the magic eightball and hit an eight-run Homer with him on first it ain't happening so Harper's never experienced this so he doesn't know the severity of it but he clearly felt it to me a good sign was later on they showed video of him going down the steps and I don't know if you've ever done Ham's Todd but going down the steps can be tough and he kind of he went down the steps pretty decent in the lower part of the Dugout so that's a little bit of Hope for Philly listen I have had a hamstring problem and it was a lowgrade one and it still took about they you know the doctor was right he's like it going to take about 25 days just for it to heal up so and then you got to rehab that bad boy back then you got to go play some rehab games so we don't know the ex the severity of it but you don't mess with hamstrings that's one thing I've learned in the career from other people from having it done you want this thing to be fully heal so you're 100% to go you're eight games up in the East right now Braves are the eight games and then Mets are 12 and a half you got plenty of time even if they make these miraculous run all of a sudden the Braves get back in it you got to make sure your guys are ready to go and hamstrings are one thing you don't mess with the way he came up I think it scared him for one because he's never had it and for two you feel any type of pinch on that you got to crew you got I mean once he fielded the ball you hate to say it but maybe he should have cruised in after that because at the end of the day if the pitcher misses that ball it's probably going to be a hit anyway if he's jogging or not then you got to run around first but you're not thinking that way when you're trying to beat out a ball you know it's good for him running out you make a great point about gaver Torres you know it's just gaber's done that a lot so that that's the only problem with with the effort part for sure so here's Bryce after the game on the injury How concerned are you uh I mean I don't know I don't really like I said I haven't really felt anything like this before um so if I had something to go back on I would you know let you know but I've never felt anything like this before so um it hurts but you know we'll see like I said see what it feels like tomorrow they got hit Kat so we'll see what happens we'll get an update on Harper we get an update on shorer some people comparing it to the Dodgers a couple weeks ago when you lose yamama Moto and Bets in the same weekend also I know these are smaller but you know tyon Walker just recently went on the I out Spencer Turnbull has been awesome for them and then he was you know going to the bullpen as a long man and now he's hurt he gets hurt in Detroit ironically you know he said he's just kind of curse there he's had problems there when he was with Detroit but anyway he's out six to eight weeks so they take all kinds of hits it it's to me more concerning long term to just make sure like Todd said that everyone comes back right and find out what the timetables are but on the short term I mean it's a playoff team for example when Trey Turner was at they didn't skip a beat yeah but now it's JT possibly schwarber most likely Harper Turnbull who was taking over for the depth that you lost with uh Taiwan Walker it's being tested everybody don't feel bad for yourself everybody goes through this stuff we can even ask sockman about it when he comes on he's on the iil right now like this happens like the team this is why you have to win with 40 to 50 guys a season not just 26 okay so why don't you do it I mean it's one of your buddies bring him on he's ready all right from the Chicago Cubs newly minted soon to be Papa wow with that face Mike sockman how's it going guys he didn't like it he didn't like it Kats he didn't like how was that intro great he didn't like it how was the intro good sakman doesn't he doesn't have emotions he doesn't have em all by his face right now he is so happy like I can see how happy he is right now and he's trying to hold it in see how he's like he's on the I too he's on the I so he's a little pissy he's like I'm not playing like I wouldn't play uh yeah with those numbers Not only Cubs' Mike Tauchman joins would you want to be playing but your team wants you too with the 359 on base percentage so far this year but Mike let's first get the annoying part out of the way give us the injury update how you feeling what's the timetable um feeling better you know um not a huge uh timeline guy but every day's been better and um you know I'm really I'm really pleased with the progress we've made so far um you know you never really know the first couple days cuz there's just so much swelling and you know that initial inflammation pain and stuff like that but it's going well and um you I'm really pleased with where it's at and it's just you know just try to stack good days it's kind of cliche but that's the truth when you when you have an injury you have you you you said I'm not a timeline guy I just drove my GPS said it was going to take me 12 hours and 45 minutes I made it in 12 hours and two minutes so I'm not a big timeline guy either do you feel like you try to rush see this is why we're brothers this is why we're brothers with different hairlines do you feel like you try to rush back do you feel like medical staffs for teams are like conservative or are you just trying to figure out like if there's Kryptonite where you're at and that's the only reason that you'll be out longer yeah I mean I you know I'm a baseball player I want to play I don't want to sit there and watch um so you know I want I think I think it's my job to um you know get back as quickly as I can it's my job to be aggressive it's my job to you know try to listen to my body and if stuff feels good keep going uh keep pushing if you know something you know kind of doesn't respond well then it's you know kind of a collaborative effort to say we might need to pump the brakes a little bit or whatever it is but to this point you know it's been about a week and a half and it's gone really well so I'm I'm optim I'm optimistic about that and I want to be back you know that's that's sitting on the bench is no fun yeah yeah no doubt I've sat on my bench in my entire career so that was a real slapp face for me so thanks for that but anyway let's be optimistic about something are you going to you're with the team right in Milwaukee they didn't stashed you in rehab rehab Purgatory yeah are you going to wear earplugs based on how loud the booing is going to be for council tonight his first return back to Milwaukee come here and check that man we were here like a month ago you were you were there I thought you got I thought Milwaukee went to Chicago oh this is old I can tell you how it was the first game it was loud like I mean I mean they let know um is it the loud was it the loudest booing that you heard um it was up there I mean it was up there but like I don't know man that kind of energy like positive or negative like it it makes games fun like like I dug it like it was I don't know like going into like a hostile environment and you know I know I know people um you know feel feel a certain way about everything but it's like that energy is hard to you can't that it's genuine it's real energy and you feel it so I think I think it's cool hey so I have two questions and they're both going to be differ questions so you play for the the kbl in 2022 in Korea which I I thought was pretty cool man playing over there and coming back there's been a lot of guys that have done that either Korea or Japan what's the difference between the the kbo and MLB do you see maybe the players do something different uh the competition what what would you say is the difference I mean I think there's a competitive element you know I mean I think it's pretty safe to say that that the big leagues is is the best league in the world and it has the you know greatest collection of talent in the world um I enjoy my time over there uh I think that the there's a maybe a little bit more like pageantry to the games um I think some of the guys that played over there to start the season on the Dodgers and uh Padres that I've talked to have kind of Express that as well that it's fun you know they're playing music during the at bat every player has a unique song and chant for him and and and um you know the fans it's it's it's a much more sort of like coordinated cheering almost kind of uh like European soccer like um in in that regard uh but you know that kind of keeps the the the energy High and the fans like engaged so um you know really liked it in that aspect now another difference you play with the Yankees and now the Cubs now talk to me a little bit about the differences of both those two teams or similarities whatever you could think because New York's a different ball game and then you go to Chicago it's pretty different too as well but I think on maybe a little slight different side I want to hear your opinion yeah you know um I mean obviously the uh the the the kind of the Yankee culture that kind of goes through the team and through the fans is you know um just incredibly high expectations all the time and uh you know you can kind of feel that throughout the building and you can kind of feel that in the city a little bit um you know people really really tend to live and die with the uh the team on a daily basis um you know both both really really well run organizations um Chicago you know obviously the really unique thing about Chicago is just the amount of daying games we play um and then you know being from the Midwest I can kind of understand it's like you go through this brutal winter and it's cold and it's wet and it's horrible and then it's like those wriggly Day games hit a little bit different when it's 80 degrees outside and the sun's out and people are in the bleachers having a great time you see the cup snakes going through the all the way you know from the from kind of the ivy all the way to the top of the bleach and and you know people just making the most out of their summer in Chicago love that that is such kind a little different energy so eloquently put good yeah it's good oh baby you're a college guy well as a college guy college guy are you good are you good at noticing when things are taken away are you good at noticing the fact that when you went to look at your iPad this year there was no Strike Zone on the iPad like just how long did it take you to notice that wait a minute where the heck's that Strike Zone box like an at bat it took like one atat just just one at bat you went you went in there because you went in there to argue about the strike zone right you didn't go in there to to look to see if like it was a strike and to see if you know the strike zone somebody who has an incredible eye at the plate it wasn't like you were trying to get better were you I you know that I I don't argue about the strike zone I confirm that I was right yes exactly were uh so now that there was no box it's like well I guess I'm always right because there's nothing to say that maybe I was wrong so it's it's up to a lot more interpretation um you know that was kind of how I use the iPad I just like to you know and I I I think the Box is always is not always the most accurate thing so I just like to get an idea of like hey I have a perception of where the pitch is let me look at the iPad am I right am I close am I way off and then it's like okay I might have to reeval some things but um it's more about just did that move the way I thought it did did it get to where I thought it did and you know can I make an adjustment if one needs to be made going in the next head pad so you know so how box or box so was your first it was your first it was your first at bat you noticed it and Major League Baseball tried to sneak this by players well it lasted the sockman one at bat so that is disingenuous I've used that were three times by them doing that but how long did it take like did you tell somebody right away you were like hey bro like check this out like there's no there's no Strike Zone because it now all of a sudden got changed and it should be back by what like this Frid today I think is when I think that's what I think that's what they said today yeah um I mean you know there's a lot of things that that we don't get a lot of say in um you know that kind of happen and you know I think I think that everybody players coaches umpires I think everybody everybody just wants stuff like the Call's right and everybody's working to make sure that it's right and you know if if I I think that with the you could even get that broadcast view until the next half inning it's like well most of the time the players calm down by that anyways if a borderline pitch doesn't go his way so I didn't really see it was almost like like making it I felt kind of like taking it away like made it a bigger deal like it was like the taking it away made it a bigger deal than just you know maybe the rare argument that escalated beyond the the half inning of you know a pitch that guys didn't really like if that makes sense I don't know no no a bigger story now they made it a bigger story than it needed to be we could have we could have settled this like men and been like hey guys stop arguing because the iPads have the strike zones on or we'll take them away okay it's actually in a collective bargain agreement so you won't do that but my thing is how many times are you right how many times are you right when you go back to the iPad and you're like no that wasn't because I've seen it I've seen the sockman ears smoke start to like I know I know I'm right and and I've seen you look at the iPad and go um well you know Define right uh I think I think I think that that if I'm wrong it's borderline how about that um but you know that's that that's a big part of my game is is is and big part of what allows me to be successful is trying to um is being able to differentiate balls and Strikes and and and and shapes and um kind of KN The Zone and I think I think you know there's certain pitches that it's like like you know that maybe that was a ball off and I understand how you missed it or it was just off and I understand how you missed it because it was a strike it held a strike shape the whole time it is what it is it's those on you know I mean it's for me it's always been those ones that are frustrating where it's like man that thing was never a strike it was never a strike and you and and and a movement shape was assumed or you know like for me it would be obviously like The Comeback Sinker or like back door breaking ball where it's like man you got to be sure and like those are the ones that it's like I check and I'm like man like that steams me when I feel like I'm I'm I'm on it and I and I lose that one those are the tough ones all right Mike I'm gonna swing it back to the Cubbies to finish off here so tell me you know why the offense hasn't been clicking but why it will click going forward you know I know the guys were all talking about approach and obviously there's a lot of talent there it was a good bounceback win yesterday but know give me some some positivity on the Cub side of what to look forward to because fans are certainly expecting more as we all know yeah I mean you know it's it's um I I mean I think the I think the cause for positivity is that we have a lot of really good players um and we have guys with track records that that show that um you know we're going to get things going and I think there's been glimpses I think there's been flashes of like Hey we're starting to string some stuff together um you know but but Todd and Kat you guys know like sometimes when you're you're searching for that big hit and it just feels like it's just not coming and it's just not coming and um I mean I think you can definitely I mean I I felt like I was guilty of it before I went down sometimes like trying to uh you know do more in those spots and you know that kind of stuff just like you know positive momentum can can uh you know kind of get everybody going sometimes the opposite is true and it just feels like you know for a while now it just there's just been days where it feels like we're we're one big hit away but you know we have a lot of really good players in the clubhouse we have guys with with strong track records I think offensively we have a lot of guys that can do a lot of different things with the bat um create offense a lot of different ways and you know we're going to make our run like and and you know we had we had a yeah like you said big come from behind win or big big late win yesterday um and sometimes that's what it takes to get them going and you know when we get a few guys going all at the same time I think we have a lot tent in in the lineup and a lot of talent in the clubhouse all right last one you know we love doing player comps we had Max Muny on here before and the offense for the Dodgers has been down since Max has been out because he takes a lot of pitches he works walks yeah he hits 30 40 homers the sockman doesn't have that but here's your player comp for today the reason the Cubs offense is struggling is because they don't have their sockman if you don't have a sockman you don't have somebody that gets good at bats Max Muny Mike tochman player comp take it or leave it that's basically the question take it or leave it will you take it um I'm not sure about that one I think I think we got a little bit of I think I think there's a couple too many differences but you know if I think of a good one before you guys shows over I'll text it to Katy and and same same Max Muny Mike toin congrats on the baby appreciate you coming on yes congrats and also I'll back him up and say he means like the um presence of taking pitches pro at bats that whole thing right like if we simplify he knows what I mean that's true he know opponent of the offense that makes sense there there is a Thing Once you have a child the power all of a sudden don't be tricked when you got 10 homers in 25 games it's just it just happens natur just letting you know you got one more Homer you got one more Homer till you catch me talkman okay you're still you're still behind me kid welcome welcome to the club when you get that next one okay okay I think noted noted all right get well soon dude we'll talk to you soon appreciate the time than thank you Mike talkman Chicago Cubs also we have a cub show as part of the Ft Network it's called North Side territory it's hosted by sahad Sharma and Patrick money from the athletic multiple episodes per week so make sure you go check that out and I'll remind everyone again we will be on Marquee the Cubs Network starting on Monday BRB do they need to be more aggressive when it comes to uh trying different players I yeah maybe listen our buddy Jesse Rogers is all about Alexander Canario he and I debate about it all the time my point is I just don't think that changes much maybe it's worth trying though that doesn't mean it's not worth trying do you need to be more aggressive with guys that aren't on the 40 man I think that's an interesting question is it worth pushing someone like Owen Casey is it worth like okay call up Matt Shaw to triaa now okay get him a month in triaa if he does well just bring him up is that I I think that can go two way two different ways right the guy can instantly hit but it can also like screw up their development maybe they instantly hit like K Kyle schwarber but you could make the argument that Kyle schwarber was rushed too he had so much more development that needed and he got a lot of it in the big leagues now he's good ball player and he we know what he is right but it it took a while to get there so you can kind of stump the development and and make it take make it end up being a longer process even if you get immediate impact I mean Kyle schwarber helped them win a World Series right on on one leg essentially yeah he was insanely impactful when he came up in 2015 so maybe it all ends up being worth it maybe maybe I'm the one overthinking maybe they're the ones overthinking these things right uh but but I do think they I don't think this is not like the Orioles have so many prospects that they waited until they dominated every level before they came up I mean and Jackson holiday came up and I believe he's still backed down right he hasn't been called back up um so like there are different uh there different there are different ways to go about it I I'd have to go look and see who's super aggressive I I don't think the Cubs are any less or more aggressive than the angels are pretty aggressive right yeah and I don't think you want to model the Angels um batting order changes and things like that th those are I think most Progressive front offices and managers don't think those are that significant of of a deal like and and he has shifted things around we've had all sorts of different we've seen all sorts of different lineups this year because he's just trying to shake things up and he even admitted he's like I don't think it's that big of a deal but I you know just trying to make something happen like when we had Morel leading off and you know putting different guys in the top three spots he's trying to shake it up here we go Todd father sizin Todd Frasier Eric Katz Scotty Braun Hot Corner time we have a call up we have a big call up one of the top prospects in the sport a large human who is athletic and capable of being a superstar if it all comes together for James Wood it has come together for him in the minor leagues he is now coming up to the show for the Washington Nationals Grant Paulson actually longtime friend of mine uh said wood will be called up to debut in DC with the gats on Monday so gets the weekend to think about it the long wait is over he will play his first Big League game against the New York metropolitans at Nats Park three days from now he's one of the best prospects in baseball he's hitting 346 with an Ops north of a thousand in triaa we talk about jameswood a lot on our Prospect show which is called hot sheet from baseball America so let's run that clip first JJ Cooper is goingon to give us a little more on wood and then I know Katz is anxious to talk about the big fella because I love to see like these guys who who show that athleticism and power and feel and and field a hit can all work together and that's kind of what James Wood does I know you were kind of going with the Aaron judge path and I can see that because this is a guy with long levers big Power all that there's a little bit of me who's I'm going to go really old schol and say there's also a reminder to me a little bit of of Dave Winfield there because you're talking about a guy with long levers who has some really good athleticism as well who has kind of that ability to I think he's gonna fill out more but but this is a guy who's got some speed once he gets underway right now got some some really solid allround ability go ahead I know you've been waiting easy comparison with judge and I'm gonna say this and this is not saying he's going to be better than judge I'm saying that his ability right now is something that I don't think judge had rate when he got called up to the big leags this guy was asked to cut down on his strikeout to walk ratio okay he's a one to one he's 39 strike uh 39 walks to 41 strikeouts they spe specifically asked him as an organization the person I talked to said they told him we need that to be cut down because we don't think your strikeouts are going to decrease when you get to the big leagues you're just going to always be a more strikeout guy and he's like I don't want that and he did that he's almost one to one in Triple A this year when last year he was 60 I wrote it down 65 walks to 173 okay strikeouts now you look at the power he has 10 10 bushes this year already he's playing in Rochester which Todd you know about Rochester Rochester is no place to hit home runs in April and May it is cold it is miserable up there he dealt with a little bit of an injury he's back from that the only gripe I have here why the heck are they waiting till Monday like are they trying to get like are they blowing up balloons and stuff they can't get them bring them up tell them it's Friday let's go no I don't care where you're playing you're you're playing today because we're team that's on the FR of the playoffs I'm I'm sorry Kats you're unaware of how the business of baseball works the Washington Nationals this weekend play in Tampa Bay they then return home on Monday for a longish homeand against the Mets and Cardinals I know it sounds crazy but I've never heard of that thus is like never heard of that come on they tell him three days ahead of time no no you gotta get I know that what I've never heard of you should pay attention to the way Prospect calls have it's it's always been a thing it's more of a thing now when you have a top prospect it is like an ownership mandate that that top prospect must debut at home for the mon I'm fine with that I'm fine with him debuting at home if it's a spectacle for you I'm fine with that why are they telling him now so he has to go and play does he have to play all three games is he only playing five games first team I'd be scared out of my mind I'm gonna get hurt or hit by a pitch or something I wouldn't play no he's in bubble wrap for three days I I would go in the back of the box as far as away from home plate and just y just please just throw a fast ball I'm not swinging no not laying out for any balls and people are going to be like oh that's that's disingenuous of you you keep using that word you can't like you can't say that the guy's a competitor no who's going to who's going to pay his big league time when he gets called up to the big leagues a month later because he Dove for a ball in Rochester and hurt his arm it wasn't supposed to get out but that's probably what it is Grant did a great job you know digging through the organization he's been around that area for a while so it is what it is it's a great call I mean it's weird it's a few days now and maybe they will just say you know what words out let's just break the news and we'll bring him up to DC he'll say hello to the boys go sit in DC andang it's still weird though then it's like what I'm sitting here for two days like taking time off from my hot streak at Triple A so that you guys can get paid more at home it is weird you're right it's weird he's the prize of the WAN sto deal McKenzie Gore obviously has worked out great in this trade as well that's weird it it is weird we can get into it a little bit more later on if we have time maybe during slaps but we got a talk Cardinals coming up next so Alexa that is standing by to give us the lowdown on what this team's going to be going after at the trade deadline be right back do you think if we say Alexa that it'll it will it will work on speakers yeah I think so definitely the first person with with that thought well I'm just excited that Alexa is coming on no I know I know um but yeah no she can't have one she can she just has to rename it right my daughter my daughter renamed my son's Alexa to beor no TT so he couldn't turn his Alexa off into morning when his alarm was going off yeah you can definitely ask her about it she she is standing by we to her in just a minute all right let's do our announcement here right now for a moment so we have ft on the road the next stop for us before Allstar is NASCAR so we will be in Chicago on July the 7th to do a special ft from the big big NASCAR Road show that they do out there with the music performances at Grant Park you've got Keith Urban the chain smokers The Black Keys and many more appearance performances you've got pinski there Kipnis is going to be there Alana is going to be hosting the show with them it's 11: a.m. Central Time so 12 o'clock east coast time a special ft on a Sunday July 7th don't miss out on the Epic weekend get your tickets now at NASCAR chicago.com I wonder where you guys are going to be at too that's gon to be location wise yeah it's going to be fun it's going to be good I won't be there either you will or you won't I will not yes okay AJ and Kipnis you were big white sock I'm surprised they didn't invite you nope none of us got the inite none of us yeah you're more a exclusive club and show yeah you you got AJ he's he's he's more than enough Mr Chicago out there's the mayor He he'll handle business out there all right we're uh coming back in 30 seconds with Alexa dat she covers the Cardinals for years now and will'll give us everything we need to know about why this team has surged back towards playoff relevancy dancing to the uh commercial music which we used to do when we were doing TV shows back in the day back in the prime days of the league Network Alexa great to have you on she works for and covers the St Louis Cardinals on ble Sports Midwest a team that has gotten itself right back into the mix so first off how are you great to see you hi my broadcast Brother Scott I miss you so much good to see you I miss you I miss you too you know you know who actually now steals the show these days who gets to sit next to you at the desk we already have a bunch of people in our chat today that were asking you or asking me to ask you about Al the Mad Cardinals reporter Alexa Datt joins Hungarian Al herbos they said they love the back and forth banter that you have with alen the pre and the post sometimes it goes viral which we've all seen so let's start there how is that experience for you yeah Al raski is the best I mean I don't think he's changed a bit besides the gray hair since he was on the mound he's got that same intensity he's got that same you know like you can't prove him wrong he's just always right and uh it's so fun to sit next to him he's like a crazy uncle to me and I can say that in the most like endearing uh thoughtful way and we go back and forth because that's what you know our relationship is like we're not doing that just for TV we're doing that because I want Al to make me better and you know so I push back on stuff that he said so I don't end up saying something stupid on air and he'll catch me on it before we go on air and if I say something stupid on air he'll call me out on that too so it's a fun relationship when we go back and forth but uh yeah Al uh Al's definitely the bad Hungarian that's for sure that's pretty cool that's pretty cool St Louis six and a half back in the central they're coming back here notot a lot of people are talking about him are we not giving this team enough credit right now for what they've been doing yeah I mean Tod when you take a look at last year it was really an outlier 20 games under 500 that's just not who this Cardinals team is but I think the credit really is due to this team bouncing back this year I mean they were in an offensive slump that they haven't seen in a really long time to start the season um they had a seven game losing streak they were talking about you know all the fans on social media wanting to fire the entire coaching staff and you know how they always get fired up but the fact that they were kind of you know I mean they were last in the division nine games back and so you started to worry and then all of a sudden Here Comes Ali marmal and Daniel dascalo they get ejected in the game versus the Brewers it really fires up the team and since then they've got the best record in the National League so even just within the season it's been a pretty incredible bounceback for this team and you really give credit all around especially once Wilson conteras went down you thought well this team could could essentially tank and sell at the deadline they went the opposite direction you had guys step up who you didn't even think were going to be everyday players necessarily guys like Alec burles who not only is he getting every day at bats but now you're seeing the slug the power from this guy's getting national attention uh and just watching this team kind of you know all come together at the right time in all facets starting pitching their Bullpen has been incredible as well uh they have the best starter erra over the last couple of weeks and then you've got JoJo Romero Andrew kitridge and Hesley who's the best closer in baseball so it really has been a Resurgence for this team even just this year and that says a lot especially because they've got injuries to their starting Outfield I mentioned contras and then you know your fifth starter Stephen mats went down with a back injury so watching it all come together has been pretty cool without having the fear of contras going down oh no what's going to happen you can't talk about the inverse of that oh no we were winning while contras was gone we weren't winning last year when he was here are we afraid as Cardinals fans of not winning again when contus is back is there chatter about that is there fear in Cardinal Nation I mean listen we all know that he got off to an interesting start in his Cardinal career that's been written about and that's no secret and he struggled behind the plate but the fact is he was the best offensive player for the Cardinals in the second half last year and it wasn't even clo and this year before he went down with his injury he also led the team in most offensive category so you know his bat's going to play and you need his Bat in this lineup that's just a give it uh in terms of behind the plate he worked tirelessly in the offseason it was something that he needed to improve on the organization told him that he was aware of that uh he went through and and made a lot of changes he's worked on not only his pop time but his Framing and working together in terms of studying with his starting staff in order to get better this year and we've kind of seen the fruits of that labor the beginning of this year and now since he's returned from his injury who is going to bounce back sooner Goldie or arado arado just hit his second home run I think at home last night so you have to choose one of them and you're not going to be offending the other one if you choose one of them listen I don't think either of those guys could ever be offended by anything I say because I don't think they're listening but I think if I have to pick one of the two of them um arado is having a bit of a surge recently I think he's hitting 300 in his last 13 games and we're not seeing the slug from him just yet the average is there on base is there but I'm waiting to see that power and since we haven't really seen it this year and every season of his entire career I know last year was a bit of a Down year but it was for everyone but every season he has that month where everyone's like oh no all of a sudden he's you know jumped the shark he's you know over the the limit in terms of what he can do in his career I mean you're doubting this guy again why at the end of the season you look back and his averages are the exact same super consistent so uh I'd like to see arado go on a bit of a tear he pulls homers that's what he loves to do and there Bush if he starts getting out of run it's gonna be fun to watch trade deadline is on the loom it's coming up here pretty quick who do you see the Cardinals buying any names positions you know are they look looking for certain guys or certain positions right now yeah they need a veteran starter that's just I mean point blank something that the organization has been talking about you obviously have Stephen matz dealing with that back injury and listen hopefully fingers crossed everyone stays healthy but there's another injury to that starting rotation all of a sudden you have two spots to fill and so you're in direct restraint so I think a veteran arm would be uh really important for this team they made a splash in the offseason bringing three veterans in who have been nothing short of incredible for the team in Sunny gry Lance Lan and Kyle Gibson so uh listen at the trade down line everyone's going to be checking in on GAR KET is that going to be a name that the Cardinals are going to check in on yeah for sure are they gonna be able to afford him uh not necessarily so it's a situation where you could look in at Eric Fetti I know Tampa Bay potentially could have some starters down there Tyler Anderson you're looking at names of guys that would make sense for the Cardinals I would probably go more in that range but it's going to be interesting because they're definitely going to be buyers especially with how they've played recently what kind of finish to the season keeps Ali marmal around for next season because there's a skip shoe marcker looming there's always yti ear molum looming Alex cor would look good in red Alex cororo would look good in red Eric that's your Argent y um yeah I'm not gonna doubt that Alex Coro would look in red but uh I'm gonna say that Ali maral staying put there I mean it would have to be an collapse and I don't see that happening with the way this team is structured it's just not possible I mean the fact that you've got a guy who you called up and you were questioning his offense and Mason wi he was a young player you weren't sure what you were G to get with him besides you know he was a great defensive shortstop he had the cannon of an arm but all of a sudden he is your best offensive player because he's come around and shown the ability and and growth at such a young age you're watching a lot of these young guys you know Brendan Donovan Alan burles uh be you know young and that really care that they're young and then same on the opposite side with this team this veteran staff in terms of the pitchers north of 35 years old they don't give an is don't talk to them about their age they're going out there and throwing seven Innings regardless so uh there's a lot of swing and Miss in this pitching staff there's a lot of gumption in that Bullpen which I believe is the MVP of this team so far this season the fact that they brought in you know JoJo Romero in that trade and kitridge came in and Ryan Hy solidified his spot as the closer something that they talked about this offseason it was a little you know unorthodox in terms of how they used him last year and he said listen I want the closer spot I want to pick up those saves now he's wrapped up 28 straight after blowing his first save of the Season it really would have to be some sort of a ethic collapse for the Cardinals to do anything with Ali marmal he's absolutely beloved not only you know within that organization but within that Clubhouse during that seven game losing streak when I went in there and talked to the guys honestly off the record I said you know what is big thing that all needs to do in order to win you back and he goes he goes they said Win me back he's got me he's got me I don't think he should go anywhere this isn't an Ali problem we need to pick him up I like it so I'm gonna ask you another kind of big picture Global question about this team last year when they had the downfall and the 90s something losses and I think it was what the first losing season in the 2000s so very rare you are able to actually take a step back and be like hey what do we need to do on more a long-term situation to make sure we don't get in this spot again and I thought John mazock was great to document the pitching problems they've had and it's not just the results he was like swing and Miss there's a swing and Miss Obsession for a reason in our Sport and then when you get uh the shift restrictions added to the mix it makes it even more important so they were like we are going to focus on more swing and miss and I think some people took it as just where they would look in free agency but I think they mean with their whole organization so are you seeing steps in that direction I mean I know at some point you know we'll see Tink hens in the major leagues in the next year or two but in general do we see this changing for the Cardinals now and if so how does that get done you look for certain players or is it more of a you know philosophical thing with the coaching staff and the development staff and the minor leagues yeah I mean I think it's kind of a general Trend in baseball right Scott we're seeing so many organizations want to go in that direction and I think it's a philosophical change for the Cardinals in terms of players they're looking at in their organization but also bringing in from other organizations but it's also a big shift for them in general because they had relied so heavily on their bread and butter which was that Carles defense you know hit to contact kind of guys so now making the switch over to more swing and Miss uh it's coming and it's it's already started here with the veterans that they brought in the offseason and uh their bullpen in terms of what they're focusing on uh with guys like Andrew kitridge and you know they've got Ryan Fernandez down there and like I mentioned JoJo Romero and Ryan Hesley with the swing in I mean he's got that lethal slider and the vlo between his fastball and slider is just it's sick at 15 miles per hour but um watching those kinds of guys come in and you know produce the swing and miss that the Cardinals are looking for uh it's going to inspire them to go out and either by trade or by development in their minor league system stick to that philosophy since it is a big switch for them um but they're catching on pretty quick and the fact that we've seen so much of it they have more swing and Miss in their pitching staff this year than they have uh in the past five six years for the Cardinals so uh catching on pretty quick and the guys are all on board and it's a lot of fun seeing a lot of those swords can they catch the Brewers can they catch the team that they are currently trailing by six games yes Eric why not I mean come on listen you've got two guys who are underperforming in your Allstar in Paul gold Schmid and Nolan Aro arado right now if those guys get hot if you trade for a starter at the deadline all of a sudden you beef up your rotation your Bullpen has been one of the best in baseball you take a look at that back end if you give them a lead in the seventh eth or ninth they're not giving it up that's exactly what you need they played more close games than nearly anyone in baseball they played 25 one run games that's sixth in baseball 57 three Run games that's second in baseball that's the kind of you know intensity and pressure that you need to play Under postseason conditions and in order to not only perform in the season but to even get there uh it's a great mix of veterans and young guys I mean you guys have both played on teams where that's been a a pretty magical mix and they've got that here it would be uh very hard for me to see them not at least competing for the division at the end of the season or overtaking the Brewers with a little bit more power in their lineup which they missed at the start of the Year all right we got time for one more I'm going to throw three names out there you can either do like a quick hitter on all three or maybe go deep on on one so you know we're getting questions about Gordon grao who's coming up today and then also questions about Dylan Carlson and Jordan Walker all in like very different storylines and situations but help us out with at least one yeah Gordon grao will get the call up today uh Andre Palante is getting the start and their Bullpen usage has been taxed a bit so they need some help there Gordon GPO will fill that role uh Dylan Carlson I mean listen he started the season injured with that shoulder injury and uh it's going to take him a little bit of time to get back but we saw him make an excellent catch against the wall last night and his offense is turning around so I believe in in Dylan Carlson it'll be interesting to see how his playing time shakes out in terms of what Alec BRS has been able to do in the Outfield but uh you you you earn it and that's how it goes in the major leagues you know if you perform at the position uh and then Jordan Walker man I love Jordan Walker he's a great kid good head on the shoulders uh they just need slug from him that is you know the power potential that they see in him uh he's getting reps every day down in Triple A kind of in a more controlled environment which is a better space for him right now and honestly when they called Jordan Walker up again they want him to stay for good so they want to make sure it's the right fit and unfortunately he just didn't develop you know the way that the organization wanted him to um so being down in Triple A and making sure that he is really game ready uh makes the most sense and you know listen not every player develops it at the same Pace that you would like take make some win for example in terms of his offense you know you were really looking at and struggling last year and like I said now he's one of the best on the team so Jordan Walker will come around don't worry about it we will be seeing those two for years to come in Cardinal Jersey uh taking Home Hardware for sure yeah the upside Sky High of course you got us all the details on all three you're the best and I know there's some people watching on Valley Sports Midwest so they already know but if not spend some time preg good but especially post sometime with Alexa and Al it is entertainment okay it doesn't matter what kind of game it was close blowout whatever just spend some time with them and then report back but Alexa great to see you you're the best thanks guys appreciate it thank you Alexa dat covers the St Louis Cardinals we'll be right back on Ft [Music] [Applause] [Music] hey hey eratz I know that you're a little bit tired so this actually plays really well for you did you drink your ag1 this morning or did you partake in any other ag1 activities there's your travel pack but I also see you pre-show with your droplets I got my free my free uh AGD the D3 plus K2 smacked that before I haven't had my ag1 yet today nobody panic nobody panic I was having it between lunch lunch and supper while I was on the road but these packets so awesome I got back and I had I had more packets than I thought found out my son wasn't drinking all of his so he's grounded hey but don't Joe Panic okay we don't need you to Jo Panic don't Joe Panic if you know you know ag1 is a foundational nutrition supplement it delivers daily nutrients and gut health support it's backed by m multiple research studies so that you can trust what you're putting in your body all the testing that you're looking for especially if you're an athlete they test the ingredients they test the whole product it's NSF certified so we're recommending ag1 for whole body health and you can start your journey with ag1 if you use the code F fo you go to drink a1.com that's the spot you get a free one-year supply of vitamin D3 K2 that Katz was talking about there and five free travel packs with your first purchase again you got to go to drink a1.com fou go check it out FTF all right here we are again uh we're coming back in about a minute on Ft and we're going to get to the Orioles and the Rangers coming up and a nice little quote from John Gray among a few other topics and still to come on Ft we have one more interview to get to right or did we do all three already no no we're missing Chaz Chazzy fresh one more big one Chazzy fresh is scheduled for about 2:30ish so in 20 25 minutes from now we'll get to the Houston Astros outfielder to talk about the Mets Astros series that is sweeping the nation getting a lot of attention all right so uh first off though we'll talk about the Orioles and the Rangers coming right up [Music] [Applause] [Music] and the weeds we got we were really digging did you hear that it was like extra digging today in the weeds well you know it's summertime very healthy outside the grass got to get the mulch in there and everything yeah yep all the stuff that we love we're all really hard at work in our we had too many weeds Landscaping you did too did you did you pull any of them I think he he went muted I'm not listening to him right that's funny I I hear him no no no my wife likes doing that stuff she's good at that all right so let's go in the fake weeds and talk about John Gray getting who's had a pretty good year getting lit up by the Baltimore Orioles offense it's not the first pitcher to get lit up by uh this offense this season he's very strong from top to bottom but this was a unique answer postgame what is it about their ball club that has the ability to do that against are you guys I don't know I don't know um I mean yeah they they put the bat on the ball but I mean I thought some of the ones I threw out would hit out myself so so you know don't give too much [Applause] credit good calling Scott Feldman and you you question why I say Rangers Jon Gray lit up by the O’s Scott Feldman yes John Grey has a big league Homer against Scott Felman Scott so he knows knows about hitting a hitting a big league homer so if somebody knows hey I could have hit that out he knows he he knows he wasn't very good hey what a quote what a quote you know you could see it on his face he went he kind of tilted to the side like why are you even asking me that question you saw it they shouldn't have hit any of those out those are nasty pitches but that's also the confidence Factor because this has come up a couple times this didn't come up for a while and it's come up a couple times recently on the show where guys will tell us that they will not give in to admitting that the opponent is sick that the opponent is great they'll be like I was bad they're not that good that's half the problem sometimes you got to give credit where it's do or is it a confidence thing though you were more real like Todd father would would chill with you in the clubhouse after the game if you wanted to have like a civil combo he' say listen this dude is serious filthy give credit where it's due you know build their confidence I'll break them down the next time maybe um that was always my motto but um they're a really good team I mean they can they can hit and you know maybe he forgets how I hit I used to hit the those good pitches out too I mean craty same thing I mean we sometimes your best pitches get hit and that's just part of it so just move on and move forward I think he was a little bitter I think he was a little upset maybe about how it all transpired but yeah I mean that's a good team you got to give credit words to I'm gonna take you on the other side it's what Katz John Gray's a good pitcher this year yeah don't get it don't get it twisted he's he's doing well so if he thinks he was off I believe him he he thinks he was off I mean no he does no he doesn't think he was off he says they shouldn't they're not that good of a hitting team they shouldn't have hit that's I mean yeah that's what I mean he thinks he can get them next time so I good I don't know I I played that I played that we've talked about we talked about it last week that's why I'm not good at golf every shot I stand over I'm like Yep this one's going right in the hole four also by the way I like it John Gray you're right he as of a few weeks ago he was going to be a lock for the All-Star Game and two starts can change everything because you know he had the bad start against the Mets where they got smacked around 14-2 remember that one that was last Monday three Innings nine earned runs cuz entering that start his erra was 217 217 in like I think maybe 12 starts something like that then he does shut out ball against the Royals after that so he recovers and then now gives up another eight earned runs in five innings so in two of his last three starts that's 17 runs in eight Innings that's the ra going from 217 now to 377 that's how quickly it can change you know but you're right he's had mostly brilliant outings so far this year for a Rangers team that needed it because if they don't have John Gray where the heck are they at right now because they're not in a good spot so that's the other layer of the combo here we haven't spent a ton of time on them we this week I think the team of the week that's gotten smashed is the Toronto Blue Jays for all the pieces that they have to potentially sell but there are starting to be Rumblings at least from people that I talked to about the Rangers not from the Rangers themselves yet they're not going to give in and I'm trying to give them as much benefit of the doubt they won a World Series they've got dudes coming back there's a lot of Talent on this roster but they are 37 and 44 right they got swept by the Brewers good team now this is a tough four gamer against Baltimore not off to a good start they're eight games back of the division with the Astros in between them and the Mariners at the top and they're seven games away from a wild card getting close to a little red alert for the Rangers or not yet I don't know that you're ever gonna like are you asking are they going to sell or are you asking are they going to because they're picking up some guys possibly here in the next month so they might have their own trade deadline and I have a hard time thinking unless see why Chris Young their GM has gone full front office that he's that might be his downfall ultimately is he's not ever going to want to give up and when you have guys that you created a team to win and you just won I don't think he's gonna give up so that's where I don't think they're going to be trading it is it is a huge huge mountain to climb though more likely bounce back because they're in very similar um they have very similar records the Cubs and the Rangers so the Rangers are 37 and 44 they're seven games away from a playoff spot the Cubs are 38 and 44 they're four games away from a playoff spot but do the Cubs have like are you like okay this lineup's gonna turn it around like to me the Cubs have a to me I think the Cubs have a lot of really nice pieces and they didn't supplement it with like the Rangers have Corey Seager the Rangers have Marcus Simeon I think both of those guys are better than all the hitters on the Cubs lineup and then they have Josh Young coming back Evan Carter has had a down year I get it but like to me what Evan Carter showed last year and it's small sample size so I think Evan Carter could put up like Cody Belling your number so where to me the Rangers lineup has a chance to explode especially because I don't know why adolis Garcia isn't hitting either so to me they have a better they have a higher ceiling than the Cubs offensively but the Cubs have a better rotation and the Cubs have a worse League the national league is just easier to hang around with the the American League's not like at some point you got to get back to level back to that 500 and start to make moves your Todd's allergic to both team the weeds yeah oh true oh the weeds that's why pull that is true but anyway just saying it's it's time to get going soon because it's it I looked at their schedule too not great coming up there's more Orioles in there like maybe four the next five series they're all tough teams and then they have the Angels but besides that there's there's competition in there I'm I'm getting a little concerned because yeah I've been one of the biggest Believers in this team and what they've got coming back but real quick after this it's the Padres who are playing good ball the Rays have been playing better lately then they've got three against the Angels then it's Astros heading into the all star break and then first series after the break is the Orioles so they're they're their their schedule's always going to be tough because you're always going to pick up some Astros and Mariners and you just it's a gauntlet the West the West is a very topheavy Gauntlet it is and then there's some things you can do you can do some damage on the bottom and they still have I think a four game white sock series soon after the All-Star break as well all right let's swing quickly to the Yanks and blue jays we'll start with Springer two homers yesterday had a big game a couple days before that yeah he's starting to pick it up cuz he wasn't doing much he'll be the first to tell you and he went after two Carlos rodon heaters so two bad starts in a row for rodon Yankee specialist Todd father here so they're getting after the heater suddenly the fast Ball's getting hit vat's Whispering sweet nothings in George's ear and then he hits another as we're watching it right now if you're listening to the Pod but the Blue Jays smack the Yanks they're in a bad spot right now obviously they built up a nice lead as far as being a playoff team but your thoughts on this one yesterday yeah Blue Jays smack Yankees I thought it was ugly man it was just one of those things where it's getting later in the year guys are seeing more pitches from these guys I mean was the fast ball flat I thought so I thought his fast ball was a little flat the bottom of the lineup is struggling for the Yankees I think that plays a big part of it I mean one game I think they're one for 19 when they lost against the Mets um yeah starting to come around a little bit and these are the es and flows of the Year where people are like oh well we thought they were good we thought they were this and that but you got to take your lumps and that's part of it it happened in the beginning of the year it's happening now it's how you come back from it they need a game where they come out and win in an Extra Inning game on a walk-off or find a way to win a game on the road and boom something will snap Aaron judge is still dominating uh stto is still doing his thing and vul's having a good year so they got to figure out a way for these starters to go deeper to pitch a lot better and to focus on what they can control and right now it's not it that's top heavy team still on the offense it's still like they go as judging Soo go I agree which is great I mean those are guys to rely on but it's been tough times for them and lastly Why cat you got something you want me to give you a little B line no I just real quick I like are Yankees fans sitting there going oh no is this 2022 all over again could my big thing also is is Cole how's he looking I I was going to say that he got he got roughed up Trevor May was concerned because you can tell everyone that you're dialing it back to find the Zone but you're dialing it back from 97 to 92 yeah you don't see that I'm worried a little bit a little bit I want to see him on this next start here because this they did better without him just saying they did better without him wow classic all right here's a quick one from Bo bashet to Hazel May who covers the Blue Jays Bo was asked about trade rumors and deadline talk and she asked him if he'd be surprised if he were traded and he said no not surprised at all good old Hazel May love now I'll tell you why this means something okay because players that grew up with a franchise and they are stars even if they're having a down year he he is well known and they were thinking about him as being a long-term part of this team players don't give that answer when they have a year and a half left of control the answer is usually no I want to be a blue jay for life because it's also even just good leverage for yourself if you're trying to get a deal to me this means he's not staying there I I don't see it you know what I'm saying like even if he doesn't get traded at this deadline I don't think he's signing there he's he's so close to free agency I don't know if he wants to remain in that Org the entire time don't you get that feeling I would agree and who's going to be more expensive Vlad or him a short stop or a first baseman 100% him so that's why I think he doesn't think he's going to stay there but I thought you were going to go in a different direction Superstars that come up through organizations All Stars whatever if you don't want to call them a superstar they get different treatment from front offices they're told different things and do you think it's kind of a coincidence that Vlad was like well you know what I I would I'd play for the Yankees last week and then Hazel May asked Bo hey you think you might get traded I wouldn't be surprised they talk front offices don't talk to Eric Katz they probably don't even talk to Todd Frasier a ton after he signs a contract with the team Todd Frasier with the Reds the front office might come and talk to you a little bit more than they do other players hey there might be some Rumblings here let's squash them or they don't say anything well I guess there's Rumblings so maybe I am getting traded that that's the words they're short but they are meaningful right now from those two players that's just not how you talk if you think you're going to be you've heard this a million times like okay judge when he was approaching free agency judge was a free agent anyone could have signed him he knew in his head he wanted to stay with the Yanks when you asked him questions in the couple years leading up he'd be like I'm a Yankee pin stripe guy we're going to figure it out I know I want to be a Yankee for life even when he had to do the little fake threat and I'm in San Francisco take a picture and a video of me the whole thing he always was very strong publicly about how he wants to be a yank because when players do this even if they do sign elsewhere then it makes the org look bad for not wanting to keep them they're like well the player wanted to be there you just didn't pay him enough this to me is different this is two players not being like I'm a blue jay for life and the agents in his ear too as well I'll button that up he's talking to him too soting that's all I got all right we're coming back with pix toddfa is the Godfather when it comes to nail and locks this [Music] year I'll use the line cuz it was fed to me and we're going to stay in the weeds a little bit maybe your weeds some people just some yeah I got some in in my uh in my nostrils right now yeah exactly I need that that little trimmer but some of you are just here for the manscaped read for the two hour show and you just want to hear this minute so this one's for you we're looking to get some work done wherever it is below the belt nose hairs the whole deal manscapes got you covered also in the shower uh even your your boxers can be silky smooth with manscaped the performance package 5.0 Ultra is the way to go and the star of the show is the lawnmower 5.0 Ultra it's a fifth generation trimmer with two interchangeable nextg skin safe blade heads there's the standard one and then there's the new foil blade also LED spotlights and it is all waterproof baby so I know actually we've had quite a few in the chat say that they are big manscaped fans so if you don't have any manscaped products and you want to check it out you use the code fou fo l20 for 20% off and free shipping because they'll throw in two free gifts for that performance package 5.0 there's the boxers you keep everything together in the shed travel bag which I sometimes bring to Todd fathers just to put on the desk he said it was weird I'm not going to do my manscaped uh grooming at my friend studio so I do that at home but you also have the buff bundle sign signature silicone scrubber the body wash the whole deal so join the 10 million men worldwide who trust manscaped with our exclusive offer 20% off plus free shipping when you go to manscape.com and use code F20 F20 we all have a little manscaped uh product action with us can you look up to the ceiling real quick um sure wait I want to make sure that we back look me though higher oh oh out yeah your Nots are good you're fine you did a good job the other day thanks manscaped you did thank you I know all of you needed that happy Friday all right so we're gonna do Locks coming up and then we're gonna talk to Chaz McCormick of the Houston Astros who's a great interview too he'll talk like a normal human being I know you know some players talk like robots we try and get the guys back on that don't do that so Chaz is one of them so stick around [Music] [Music] just quick side note as we get started with our BM jamm locks and first show you the free game for Friday and for Sunday I was scrolling through Twitter last night there was a video of two lions chilling in a in a bath and or not a bath a river or something like that taking a bath and a and a hippo went up and went after him the only time I've ever seen Leo and and the boys get a little rattled they got out they got out hippos don't mess around hippos are search for hippo videos if you're their teeth are like this Bay I'll send BetMGM Locks you some I'll send you some from when I was over in Africa some live hip that we saw no animal there was no animal we stayed farther away from than the hippo they thought KZ was a hippo when he went on the on the dirt there so they all backed away that was a good nickname actually for craats all right so free game of the day um it's blue jay's Yankees tonight if you have the bmgm app go for it live streaming available to all customers who are logged in and have funded accounts and then on Sunday that free game is Marlins and Phillies Thursday's locks Lucy nailed it with your chisell pick detailed that my I actually had a no sweat bed on the under and I hate doing unders but Cleveland and KC was just what the doctor ordered it was just two to one it was so low scoring it was it it felt good because unders just stressed me out I love unders yeah toddfa obviously has been dominating as usual Katz what happened Detroit did FY hit the ks even or no yeah yeah yeah he hit the yeah Detroit Lucy Lucy said I might even buy 10 strikeouts for sale and had 11 so Props to Lucy on that she hadit some extra extra heat on that on that over there good call I hope someone listened to her and that's one of those where you're like this makes too much sense it's sail against the team like that does matter to him for some guys you know maybe it's not the same the adrenaline meter was off the charts for him all right so let's go over locks Todd gets to keep leading since he's he's stinking Rich right now he's up 3,365 on the year we're going to go to Pap first though because we always got to let him go first he's better director than me pnos on a Friday my people of Ft ft Nation what's up it's your boy parlay Pap coming in to you on this beautiful Friday happy Friday to everybody and uh here we go here's my lock of the day this is a five star lock so you better get in on it today I got uh the Tampa Bay Rays they playing the Nationals Nationals are coming uh from San Diego all the way to Tampa Bay I think they've lost their last four or five in a row so they going to keep that loser streak going today and number two you don't already know this one I got the Phillies playing the Marlins Marlins suck um and I got them in the Run line because I think this is going to be a blowout tonight uh best team in baseball going against uh I think the second worst team in baseball right now so uh there's your lock get that money get that cheese and go ball baby let's go and actually I will follow Pap great job Pap Gnostic Ator uh because I do actually have a simplified version of what he did he's got your parlay I'm going Phil's run line just nice and simple 110 to win a hundo because I do agree the Marlins do kind of suck and actually this is the example I mean they're on like their 15th starter that their rotation is in shambles Kyle Tyler is on the mound for his second Big League start it's just maybe not a guy who should be there yet and Philly's got Christ Cher Sanchez who's rich and feeling it he's coming off the extension with a brilliant performance last time around I think he follows it up and I think the Phils show that even if they don't have Harper or shorer in the lineup they're still worlds ahead of the Marin so I see them going big tonight all right Todd father no you're not feeling that one I'm gonna be quiet okay because so you're not telling it I'm not I I'm gonna stay away from that one okay I hope you win though thank you I'm going going on a little on a limb here I'm going Houston they're playing in newor I know the Mets have been hot I'm going Houston run line minus one and a hook I'm doing 200 to win 300 Houston has been hot at plus 150 uh ronell Blanco he's absolutely filthy he's gonna have a day Zero runs through six Innings boom that CRA you got the same game anything no I don't I mean I don't have a game I have the players in the game yeah you're in the over and a half bases your Don against lefties this year is a slash line of 337 388 and 529 and almost identical slash line on the road he's been way better on the road by far better on the road and keeman is throwing for the Mets let's get it yon there you go all right and I'll read you the Grand Slam jackpot jackpot promotion and then we'll go over home run picks so it's the weekly bet and yet you place a $10 or more wager on any player to hit a home run every weekend on a specific day Friday Saturday or Sunday if the player hits a grand slam on that day you can win a $50,000 daily Prize or a share of that prize with every other winning better so let's do quickie home run picks Katz you go first uh I am going I am blanking who I sent and I know who you picked you sent it to me vlat Jr at plus 450 yes vlat J Rowan throwing he doesn't have a homer against him yet but vlat is starting to lift the ball a little bit that's Sinker he's going to leave one up and he's gonna plant it in the seats and you'll hear [Music] the yeah he's he's the ball a little more Authority lately I like that who do you have I got aie alz man I seeing him from the right side he's going to crank one and he's gonna give me that Granny and we're gonna go to Sizzler once it happens C be ready in Puerto Rico though we're gonna take that PJ to Sizzler in Puerto Rico there it is plus 500 for aie to go deep kind of a slow star for him he's been better lately too ain't no thing but a chicken wine that's right I'll go plus 340 for Bobby Whit Jr to tea off on Tristan McKenzie who you know has been pitching the whole year he just he if his V wasn't there now it's starting to pick up the command's not quite there yet for Tristan so just right now I'm not seeing it all come together for him and you know Bobby's done some some good damage off right-handed uh pitching this year with with the pop so I think Bobby's going deep tonight all right we're uh coming right back with our last interview of the week our conversation with Chaz McCormick live on Ft [Music] [Music] next I mean sh T he is the $700 million man he I tell you Javi who's a who's a a great guy I me he's been a Clubby uh and a bat boy forever I mean way before I got there and obviously long after I left and if shohi Otani doesn't give jav a Porsche like he gave um Joe Kelly's wife till he gave to Ashley Uh something's wrong because he just saved his Noggin he saved his career he saved the franchise will iron's mouth was on the ground he's like oh my God I almost lost my interpreter job congratulations jav you are the man let me ask you this before we let you go fabbi and I mean this is a situation where let's talk about the deadline we know that the Chicago White sock Scouts were paying attention to the Dodgers the Mariners among other clubs if you're waving a magic wand you're Andrew fredman who are you going after the white sock specifically like obviously there's a couple guys that make some sense like gar crochet would make some sense just because he's a guy with starting experience relieving experience lots of years of control which means to be really expensive to acquire but uh that type of velocity from the left side is tough for tough to find tough to hit at any point so he's a guy obviously is make a lot of sense obviously a lot of teams are going to have a lot of interest in gar crochet uh Luis Roberts a guy who obviously has been kind of linked to the Dodgers for a while just considering the center field production where that's been obviously Andy P has has turned things around a little bit but Luis Robert has that type of star level upside that makes the lineup even longer uh obviously there's injury concerns there and like that also uh years of control still left and there there's going to be a large asking price I think teams like the wh Soxs one of the few teams that really are obvious sellers at the deadline there's a few of those guys Tommy fam makes some sense as well um but yeah I think the focus is going to definitely be the bottom third of the order continuing to address that I know they did that a little bit with acquiring Cavin fio giving him a little bit of a Runway we've seen what Miguel Vargas has done to sort of help try to boost that a little bit as well but I think that uh if you add some Bullpen help they'll probably try to do that and if they're GNA add a starter it's not necessarily G to be volume I think it's gonna have to be a guy who's an impactful guy that you can see Starting Games in October just considering where they've been they kind of taken that volume approach already with their pitching staff and they've managed to make it work even with some injuries to guys like Yamamoto and Bobby Miller and still waiting on Clayton Kershaw and d uh Dustin may but I think it's gonna be more impact than it comes to volume if they go starting pitching rout the deadline Hey we back we back on Ft working on Chaz McCormick's hopefully Big League Wi-Fi so stand by for that one we're not going to have time for this later so I was actually just going to throw this out there because I'm sure you at least have a nice word or two about your boy you know whose birthday it is today your dad's it is not well maybe it is because he's here today yeah he is behind is it your birthday checking it out no it's a former teammate of yours oh man he was he was good on socials he was good on the field he had flash he had pop he had a really good career yeah and I miss him like I want I I wish he was doing a show or something we got to get him on the show at some point but anyway his name is Brandon Phillips oh that dude that dude I did know that Dad dude happy birthday D dude happy birthday D dude happy birthday we got Chaz we get to go yes Chaz mccormic Houston Astros joining us right now on Ft Chaz good to see you oh do we have that City field backdrop how we doing good man are you in the seats at in Queens right now yeah I'm at uh I'm at City Field in the in the seats in the stands here you want to give us a weather report you getting a nice Friday tan before the game oh it's it's beautiful here it's like it's like 77 sunny it's uh no it's great it's great weather Place baseball and then can you also give us you know a weather report on the Astros like Astros' Chas McCormick joins absolute Thunder from this team they're on a roll right now from a team perspective like I know try to give me a non- cliche answer on what is different about Houston in the last week and change man I'll tell you what um obviously you know in the beginning of the year it was it was tough we played a lot of good teams and and uh we lost a lot of tough games um obviously it's baseball and eventually it turns turns itself around um I think we just got our confidence back I mean obviously like we've been banged up we we lost Verlander obviously we lost Javier we lost riti um but and and we we don't have Tucker in the lineup um but honestly I want to say about a week ago or week and a half ago we um we lost to the Chicago White Socks first game of the series our strength coach West pulled us over uh as a position player meeting and kind of just talked about um he's been with us a while in the organization he just talked about you know how good we are how good of a team we are and obviously we've been struggling but you know he said he's he's seen us he's seen us do some crazy things on this baseball field you know and basically just given us confidence and and obviously we haven't been playing that well but but he just made sure to keep keep giving us a heads up that we're a good team we're good players he's he's seen us do so many good things on this baseball field and ever since he had that meeting with with us we've won seven in a row we've started hitting the ball really well um and it's cool to look look back at that because sometimes you need that you get you get you know when you start losing the big leagues you kind of get lost in that you know the the reminder of how good we are as a team and and us as players um and it was cool to have it from our strength coach um and man I'll tell you what just just with the injuries we've had and and how good we've been playing still I mean just wait till we get Verlander and Tucker back and then Luis Garcia Lance mccullers's are on their way back um you know so I think we're starting to hit a stride I was just going to bring that up you got troops waiting in line here that are almost coming out um it's good to hear from your strength coach doing that but also Joe spata talk a little bit about his presence and the way he's been going about being a firsttime manager I had him at third base with the Yankees like Katz did um you could tell him when you see him sto tripping in Toronto he almost broke his ankle trying to send somebody home but um he's a solid dude and talk a little about what he's been doing as your leader yeah he's been uh he's been great I mean i' I've had him at his bench coach for the past three years um and I know he's been in the game for a little bit I know he's obviously with the Yankees he started off with the Miami Marlins um it's it's been it's been great obviously in the beginning it was tough you know for him as first year manager um but obviously you know it's a big leaks he he knows he knows that we're GNA hit bumpy bumpy roads and and um he's been able to handle handle it really well he's actually coming out here right now coming from The Dugout um yeah yeah he get him get him over there tell ask him how yeah when he comes over yeah yeah um but he's been doing a really good job I mean feeling feeling the role of Dusty Baker obviously that's hard but you know as a first year coach he's been he's been getting on on on the right track and and um he's just patient man he he he obviously knows the game really well and he's been super patient I'm calling him over right now perfect that'll be perfect so I can I can ask him the question I was going to ask this will this will this will once he gets over here yeah we'll I'll ask it and it's based on something that that Dusty was worried about foul territory oh hey what's going on fellas and Fraser Hey Joe I got a I got a quick I gotta quick ask I gotta quick ask you because I was just gonna ask Chaz and then you walked out last year dust Dusty was worried about Chaz being fat are you worried about Chaz being fat this year as hey I I'm not I'm not worried about Chaz being fat I I just want Chaz to be continue to be chass man have good time do his thing bring the energy that he brings to the ballpark every day that's all I want from Chaz Hey Joe I I was asking Chaz to go ask you but I'm wondering how your ankle's feeling since it since you almost broke it in Toronto how's it feeling okay that's really youth right yeah that's you know what that was funny I remember I remember the next day I I I go I get to the ballpark and then there's my you know the tape Jo you already put that tape around on the turf uh that was funny that was embarrassing man hey we got the win though thank you yes we did yes we did was nice seeing you boys good to see you Joe good luck in the series all right all right man thank you appreciate you awesome all right tell me more about that what so so he was just he was sending a runner from third base he tripped yeah he was sending him and he tripped if if you could see me he tripped and got up and he was limping back the guy scored but he was limping and did he get taken out of the game Katz he didn't get taken out but but because he was on the other side he had to come across he was like he was kind of like he was kind of like gimping across and he he did not want to make any bigger scene about it but he was he rolled his ankle he legitimately got caught by a sniper and the ankle just whoop went oh man I need I need a video of this oh I'm sure it's there 2017 okay I'll find it wa late in the year yep late in the year epic epic uh all right I got one for you on this series have you seen what the Mets are up to too yeah and what does it say about MLB Seasons like do you have a message for fans because exactly it's dude it's it's hard for fans right they like rip every game but there's like four or five teams now that have bounced right back back in the last few weeks no no exactly just you know a message to the fans be patient I mean I mean baseball is a game of patience and uh no I get it though as a fan you know you you're you watch every single game and obviously every single game is so important throughout the season um and all the losses all the tough times you you start to hit the panic button a little bit and you kind of forget that you have 162 games um and now I get it I mean I we as the Astros we we had a tough stretch in the beginning of the year and you kind of hit and and you know you're you're you're 50 games in you're like oh my gosh I mean we're hitting June and it's and we're struggling like is it time to blow it up you know whatever hit the panic button but man you know and then you and then a week later you're you've won seven in a row and you're only three games back four games back in the division I mean I think it's huge to be patience and uh you know when baseball is just you start clicking you know when everything starts clicking just like we are just like the Mets um it's going to be it's going to be a great Series this weekend you you on aisle for a little bit this year too and Harper is looking like he's going to go in the iil we just two days ago talked about kind of what you're talking about right now like the fact that it's a long season do you feel like guys have to run their absolute hardest on every single ball to first because gaver Torres got benched just the other day possibly benched because he didn't run something out and fans were kind of hurt you know their butt hurt about it now Harper runs it out in a seven to four game and looks like he's going to spend some time on the iil looks like it's hammy do you feel like guys have to run that out or do you think there's some like fans need to chill out in some situations uh that's a really good question that is a really good question I think it depends it depends on who you are um you know obviously Bryce Harper the the Altuve the Mike trouts um I think and you know I mean you're playing every sing day there is a time where you have to kind of you know watch out for yourself and just make sure you're healthy to be a to be able to play every single night a player like me uh I'm gonna run I'm gonna run hard every single night um obviously and obviously if you're older I mean if you're older you do have to watch that especially when you're playing every single night um so yeah I know I did see I did see some things about like some people were mad about Harper not running out double play or something uh but but you know when you're a caliber player like him I mean you you just need him healthy and on the field every single day and you'll be just fine um so there there's a fine line there's a fine line can't win an MVP in the tub that is for sure no doubt hey do you check out the iPads in between at bats uh yes especially if I go if I go deep yes so a little a little more Dig Me session I asked I asked Mike talkman I asked Mike talkman this earlier how soon did you realize that Major League Baseball took the strike zone off of the iPads for you guys to watch your highlights that took me that took me a little bit that took me um maybe two months in the season I was like wait I was like I was asking somebody and I was like wait what what where's the strike zone at um and then like they're just like oh they took it away or did they they they like bring it back after the inning right or something like every they're bringing it back they're bringing it back this Friday or I mean it's back the latest it can be back is today and by the way talkman said one at bat cuz he loves looking at the zone and and they took it away because they were like umps don't want to see it and all that but then they didn't tell the player so they fought and they got it back so I know guys are just finding out all the news about this but it was it was crazy we're like hey you got to tell the guys that you're just taking away a big component of what they're looking at No Ex exactly I kind of didn't I kind of didn't even realize it but but yeah I mean it's it's huge to have that square up there I mean like you got to know where that pitch is and I was always like why is this I could I was like why does this look different it just it just felt different I was just like where is this pitch but yeah I mean it took me a little bit yep there you go well it's back okay we're back to normal you're your and and got you back on track so yes exactly uh Chaz we appreciate the time dude we got to jump because we're we're hitting a commercial in a sec but good luck in this series we're looking forward to it and thanks for the Joe spot Cameo that made the day yeah yeah no problem thank you guys good to see you all right you too dude Chaz McCormick Houston Astros Astros taking on the Mets this weekend it's going to be great and we're going to wrap things up very soon all right now this Ball's not exactly moving a zillion miles an hour but still it doesn't take much to hurt you and Alana I can attest to this I've gotten hit hard twice one was right above the eye it opened up a pretty bad cut and the other we've talked about this on foul territory endlessly Todd Frasier of all people vicious foul ball 10 stitches broken finger it was my own fault I was looking down but whatever it happens and there was one other time too Alana where I got I was holding the mic like this and Carlos Delgado hit a foul ball and he crushed the mic flag oh my gosh it was a little scary I know you've been m flag saved yeah that mic flag saved your trachea okay I've been hit four times two of which have been in the head uh one of which has been in the back and one of which has been in the hand and how about this Ken and you know this better than anybody all four times I've been hit with the ball has been in the San Francisco Giants visiting camwell I don't know what it is about pacbell AT&T park now oracal park every single time I've been hit it has been in that Park and one time I was doing a pregame show for sportset La so I'm looking at the camera well the field was to my left and I couldn't look at the field of course the Dodgers are on the field at the time Rockies and the Dodgers cuz I was covering both of them every time I've been hit um and the ball comes sailing in and hits me right in the side of the head thankfully it was not that hard the first time I got hit was when the Rockies were on the field obviously as the vi visiting team they take BP and their warm-up second and I was coming out of the visiting Clubhouse up the steps into the Dugout onto the field and Jonathan Herrera over through a ball at first base and it comes sailing into the Dugout thankfully and it hit the step first because it would have been hit me as a straight shot hit the step first hit me in the face I had the stitches like literally the baseball stitches were kind of like embedded in my forehead I was knocked out that they took me into the the training room and I remember Robert Flores at the time was still with the Colorado Rockies and he was in there had no idea I was in the training room and he's dancing around in a towel and then he sees me and he's like oh my God Alana I'm so so sorry and I was like no no no I'm in your space but they wouldn't let me do pregame I was like late literal stitches but you know the baseball stitches hey hey we just got a new shipment of the ftt a puck so here they are if you want to see the pretty artwork and you want a little piece of Ft history they are about five bucks a puck and you can go get them online at tea energy.com Katz might need one or three today no after there is no there is no better thing for me to have in my glove compartment yesterday driving than these teas John I threw it in it was good tasting kept me awake I wasn't jittery it was perfect and you if you're watching on TV here let go through this for the first time we would never ever ever ever ever promote dip or tobacco any of that stuff that's actually why we're this means a lot to us no nicotine no tobacco it's kind of like a mini tea bag for some energy it's an ft podcast Puck with a winter green and tropical mix thanks to our friends over at tea so again you can get yourself a little 20% off too if you use the promo code foul for a first-time Shopper at teesa energy.com uh there you go and for the crowd watching right now on B sports TV and on the B Sports app we've got a minute left so we're going to say bye to you and we'll get excited for next week if you're watching on YouTube right now we're going to stick around for a few more minutes we have a few other things to do with the crew Before We Say Goodbye have like three four minutes to go but thanks to Chaz McCormick thanks to Mike tochman Alexa that was great too great first week for Ft on TV and the Valley Sports app will be on Marquee on Monday as well so the Takeover for audience continues with ft good work behind the scenes to get this all together thanks everyone right C Milwaukee Milwaukee fans need to know we were on we were on B Wisconsin before we're on Marquee okay all right Brewers F oh oh I see how it is I see how it is still still my first love B Sports Ohio for Todd father all right B Sports have a good weekend and ft on YouTube we'll be here in 5 seconds for you to finish up [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] hey hey ft f one more thing that we want to do here before we get to the rest of slap hands we're going to go over a few Futures picks so we just want to kind of take a stop for a moment check out the season look at the long term and see if there's any value on a team that's maybe going to take down a division or most wins or a pennant you can go wherever you want to go Todd fer what are you thinking yeah I was looking earlier today I'm going with the most regular season wins it's going to be the Baltimore Orioles there's been a lot of injuries to some teams especially the Phillies the Dodgers the Yankees have been struggling a little bit so at this BetMGM Futures Picks morning it was at plus 800 it went down I should have got it in I didn't put it in yet it's at plus 600 still going to put a couple on that one for the Orioles to come out as kings with the most regular season wins aircraft are you tailing that I love these Futures oh I'm tailing that for sure I love that because they have so much they have so much depth too and they're going to get a mar if somebody is getting a marquee starter it's going to be them and they're going to push themselves right up to that American League Championship they'll still lose the Yankees but that's a great bet I love that it went down by 200 already so it shows that it's a great bet Everything You Touch Is Gold Todd everything this year he is a Golden Boy all right so Katz where you going I'm getting plus 325 for the World Series winner coming out of the NL East plus 325 you're telling me I get the Braves and the Phillies I'm in I am in that money I cannot I can't get away from it obviously my pick is the Phillies my pick was the Phillies at the beginning of the Season they're going to have to go through a tough time right now with some injuries but all good teams go through tough times and they push through the end of the playoffs I just think this starting rotation and Bullpen combination are going to be too much for the Yankees in six games there you go I like that yeah you get kind of two for one y in a package like that MH cuz yeah I think people are still sleeping too much on Atlanta I mean they won a World Series a few years ago without a quietly and there was no Strider on that team I think that's how they like it too quiet do yeah a little less attention on the braavos this year and you know the storyline that we're all waiting for is how they do because if they're going to be a wild card team you're just going to hear it matter what happens right if they win they're gonna go see told you we just can't win divisions it's going to be a whole to do it's going to be great okay I I'll give you one looking for some value on a team that's going to make the playoffs I still think the Giants are going to kind of just lurk around in the 500 mark But the pitching's good they've got Robbie Ray coming back at some point hopefully soon so I don't know I don't think they've played up to their potential I like what they did in the off season I'm trying to still give that some time I like what Matos has done for the team as well and and your boy um Ramos Elliot Ramos has been great out there uh for San Francisco they've had some these young guys I've been following for a while not everybody Clicks in five seconds so you P package that with what they did in the off season with with Chatman I think Solair will go through a hot streak or two in the summertime that usually happens he can carry a team for a week or two that's at plus 375 like I just spoke earlier in the show about how the Rangers are at are in a kind of a tough spot right now they're at plus 350 like you're getting more value on the Giants to make the playoffs in the National League I still like that I know we're we're gushing about a lot of teams that have have resarch right but the Mets have a lot of pitching problems still in my mind they were not built depthwise I think the Giants are I'm not buying the Cardinals yet either so I think there's some wild card teams that will fall back and I think there's some value with San Francisco so go get after it all right Kat hats what do you have for us Todd any idea what this is some sort of cat um y I mean you play for the Columbus Clippers no it's not it this is this is a team that's defun now they they changed their name to the Charleston power do you remember the name of this team Charleston RiverDogs Aly cats maybe you never played against them no I haven't and I'll give that hatg I like that hat I like that hat Charleston West Virginia there was a hill in right field like just because the fence went up to like the train track and so they had the old stadium the toast man was there he would throw toast anytime somebody strike out God bless you they had tals Hill and rightfield there that's safe that's good yeah for minor Leaguers that that's what you want like Michigan State's baseball field do they have a hill too it's one of those um Big 10 teams it might not be Michigan I forget Hills in in a Major League field I like the I like monuments in the Outfield monuments yeah like out field of play you know no keep them in you want them in the field of play you want I like stuff in the field of play make it a little more unique the Ricochet is off off a a clown's head and it's going right that's called banana ball next week uh we will have Jason Kipnis with us on Monday cam maven's gonna join us on Wednesday's show Todd father's back with us at least on Friday and Wednesday Wednesday and Friday Todd father all right have a great weekend everyone