These Are The 9 Best Teams In MLB
Carl | Barstool Baseball
Transcript
00:00:00 Good morning, good afternoon, and evening baseball fans.
00:00:02 Welcome back to the Varsal Baseball Show.
00:00:04 It is Monday.
00:00:05 This is the Power Ranking Panel Show.
00:00:07 It is Carl and I am joined by, as I always say,
00:00:10 a collection of experts, Chris Castellani, Chris Clemmer,
00:00:13 and our co-editor-in-chief, Hubs,
00:00:16 just fucking slugging it through an awful Yankee season.
00:00:20 Clemmer, you and I, we all got to hang out,
00:00:22 but I just want to point this out at the top.
00:00:23 I told Clemmer in Boston, I go,
00:00:26 I don't really like being at this House of Blues place.
00:00:28 It makes me nervous.
00:00:29 I'm afraid of being trapped in a club fire.
00:00:32 I'm deathly afraid of club fires.
00:00:34 This place is wildly upholstered.
00:00:37 And Clemmer just laughed in my face.
00:00:39 He was like, "Ha, you're a pussy.
00:00:40 "You're afraid you're gonna burn to death, you pussy."
00:00:44 Welcome back to the show, guys.
00:00:45 Clemmer, fuck you.
00:00:46 - He also lucked out the fact
00:00:48 that I imitated your face burning off.
00:00:49 I was like, "Ahhh!"
00:00:50 (laughing)
00:00:52 - I was like, it was a weird situation
00:00:57 because it was the end of the night.
00:00:58 He was giving me some history on the House of Blues.
00:01:00 He was like, "Did you know this is actually
00:01:02 "the House of Rules?
00:01:03 "It was built in 1886."
00:01:04 - I did not do that.
00:01:06 I know, I did not.
00:01:07 (laughing)
00:01:08 I was just saying that people in Boston
00:01:10 call it the House of Rules 'cause they're really strict.
00:01:12 Bounces are screaming at us to get off the floor.
00:01:15 Like, "You need to leave now!"
00:01:17 It's like, all right, we're on our way out.
00:01:18 It's gonna be okay.
00:01:20 - We reserved the space, lady.
00:01:22 Give us a fucking minute to catch up.
00:01:23 - It's all gonna be okay.
00:01:25 - It was cool to get together.
00:01:26 We hung out.
00:01:26 This is our first show since we did that.
00:01:28 And Hubs, I wanna point something out.
00:01:29 I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that you, me,
00:01:31 and The Rocket got together.
00:01:32 Jared was in the building, of course,
00:01:34 so there's no spoiler here.
00:01:35 This is his original podcast feed for six, seven years ago.
00:01:39 So I wanna shout out Jared.
00:01:40 It was cool to see him.
00:01:41 That was really cool.
00:01:41 - Yeah, it was like the only picture I actually took
00:01:44 was with me, you, and him.
00:01:46 'Cause I just never remember to take pictures.
00:01:48 But we snagged one.
00:01:49 It was nice.
00:01:50 It was a nice moment being with him, being with you,
00:01:53 the whole boys, the whole crew.
00:01:54 It was a really good award show.
00:01:56 There was a lot of nervous energy,
00:01:57 I feel like, leading up to it.
00:01:58 But all in all, it was really good.
00:01:59 - Yeah.
00:02:00 - Everybody thought they were getting fired.
00:02:02 - Yeah, for sure.
00:02:03 - Everybody showed up.
00:02:04 Most people, nine out of 10 employees on Wednesday
00:02:07 were anticipating their job on the line
00:02:09 going into that night.
00:02:10 - To be fair, I wake up every day and just think about it.
00:02:12 - I was about to say that, yeah.
00:02:15 - Yeah, there's never a moment
00:02:16 where I don't feel comfortable.
00:02:17 But yeah, no, it was some nervous conversations
00:02:22 going into that.
00:02:23 But the moment Dave got to the mic and started everything off
00:02:26 it was a nice day.
00:02:27 So we're still here, we're still doing the show.
00:02:30 Let's get into it.
00:02:31 - Yeah, thank you.
00:02:32 I was gonna say, this show is the first show
00:02:35 after the Power Ranking panel since Dave did that show.
00:02:39 It's a blessing to do the show, guys.
00:02:40 I'm very thankful.
00:02:41 I love doing the show with you guys.
00:02:42 That's how I feel right now coming into it.
00:02:44 - It's the best.
00:02:45 It's soccer, baseball, it's better than that.
00:02:47 - Yep.
00:02:47 - This is the Power Ranking show, one through four,
00:02:52 then two through eight, then we come up with,
00:02:55 I said that wrong, five through eight.
00:02:56 The batting order today is Clemmer, Hubs,
00:02:59 myself and Cas Alani.
00:03:01 We'll repeat that.
00:03:03 We'll come up with the best one through nine.
00:03:04 It starts with Chris Clemmer.
00:03:06 No collar today, but loads of insight.
00:03:08 Let's hear it, big fella.
00:03:10 - Yeah, I mean, this is easy Braves.
00:03:12 Not really much of a question.
00:03:14 The only question I guess is,
00:03:16 this isn't really a Braves thing,
00:03:17 but Carl, me and you did the, kind of like an award.
00:03:21 We talked about it as like kind of a war preview,
00:03:23 if you will.
00:03:24 Like just like, went over some people
00:03:25 who we thought could win MVP in Zion,
00:03:27 and since we had this show,
00:03:29 maybe we didn't spend enough time talking
00:03:31 Mookie Betts versus Ronald Acuna.
00:03:33 Like Mookie Betts is doing kind of a run here.
00:03:36 I know this is more Dodger related,
00:03:37 but I mean, we talked Braves to death.
00:03:39 And I don't know, I think this could be an interesting
00:03:42 two horse race as we kind of run down,
00:03:44 'cause I mean, obviously the Braves and Dodgers
00:03:45 have nothing really to play for.
00:03:48 Cas Alani looks shocked.
00:03:50 - Joey Gallo just committed the dumbest
00:03:52 base running error I've ever seen.
00:03:54 - Really? - I looked out for two seconds
00:03:56 and missed that, God damn it.
00:03:58 What happened?
00:03:58 - You'll see it, Huffs.
00:04:00 - So as we're- - Our team missed
00:04:02 the Rangers game, it's happening.
00:04:03 - This is not live radio, by the way, so please-
00:04:06 - Sorry, sorry.
00:04:07 - Stall all reactions in real time.
00:04:10 - Or just explain them.
00:04:12 Yeah, so like I said, Acuna versus Mookie Betts
00:04:17 could be an interesting MVP race kind of down the line here.
00:04:20 So something to keep an eye on.
00:04:22 But yeah, Braves and Dodgers, obviously nothing to play for.
00:04:26 Really, I mean, they completely locked up their spots.
00:04:28 Yeah, I mean, the Braves are incredible.
00:04:31 I don't know really what else we can say about it.
00:04:32 Max Reed still has an ERA under three through 10 starts.
00:04:36 I mean, he was really the only question mark I had for them.
00:04:39 I mean, I worked with his roster, with his team,
00:04:41 best ERA in the National League,
00:04:44 best batting average on base,
00:04:46 slugging percentage, OPS,
00:04:49 all in the National League, obviously.
00:04:50 So I mean, they were the best.
00:04:51 I don't know, Braves are awesome.
00:04:53 - Yeah, we're getting kind of,
00:04:55 what are the insights?
00:04:58 What are the takes?
00:04:58 So I talked to Big T and I asked him,
00:05:01 as a diehard this year,
00:05:03 if you don't win the World Series, is it a failure?
00:05:07 And he said, yeah, it's gotta be.
00:05:09 It's just World Series or bust this year.
00:05:11 Now it's been that way for a while,
00:05:12 but even if they make it to the World Series and you lose,
00:05:15 devastating.
00:05:16 This team and their, yeah, right?
00:05:19 Well, hey, there's some good fucking teams out there, Hubs.
00:05:21 - You're saying, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:05:22 - Yeah, I understand.
00:05:23 No, they are, they are.
00:05:24 And I'm not saying it's a shoo-in that they're gonna win,
00:05:26 but when you're this good,
00:05:28 there's nothing to settle for
00:05:30 besides winning the World Series.
00:05:31 Like there's no, hey, it was a good run.
00:05:33 Like, no, when you're this good all year,
00:05:35 you put the offensive numbers they have all year
00:05:38 and you have Acuna doing what he's doing,
00:05:40 you have to win the World.
00:05:41 - Well, you're a Yankees fan too, so.
00:05:43 - But that just has to be the standard
00:05:46 for that level of team.
00:05:47 Dodgers, Braves, Astros.
00:05:50 I know the Astros aren't playing that well,
00:05:52 but like that's the standard those teams
00:05:53 hold themselves to.
00:05:54 Like it's not just the Yankees thing.
00:05:56 Yeah, the Yankees feel like that every year
00:05:57 because that's what our spoiled fan base,
00:06:00 including myself, holds them to.
00:06:01 But like really, really good teams,
00:06:03 like the Braves and Dodgers,
00:06:04 like you can't settle for anything besides that.
00:06:07 One thing I wanna add on the Braves,
00:06:08 Spencer Strider had an interesting month.
00:06:10 He had one horrible start against the Pirates.
00:06:13 Everything besides that was genuinely unbelievable.
00:06:16 He was, so he goes, he gives up six runs
00:06:19 in less than three innings to the Pirates,
00:06:21 so throw that one out.
00:06:22 Then he goes six and two thirds,
00:06:23 one run against the Angels with nine strikeouts,
00:06:26 seven shutout against the Mets,
00:06:29 seven shutout against the Giants,
00:06:31 and then seven innings, one run,
00:06:33 nine Ks against the Giants again.
00:06:34 So he was damn near perfect outside of one blemish.
00:06:37 He's kind of the guy that I worry about with him.
00:06:39 I just don't, I don't know if I can rely on him too much.
00:06:42 His numbers obviously are great.
00:06:43 He strikes at a billion people,
00:06:44 but it's like, you know, he tends to stumble
00:06:46 a little bit in the postseason,
00:06:48 but he looks all the parts of really good.
00:06:50 Max Fried has been really good since he's been back as well,
00:06:52 so they really have a nice one-two punch here.
00:06:55 - World series or bust, it's world series or bust.
00:06:57 - Yeah, it has to be.
00:06:58 - Yeah, anytime you have a team
00:07:00 that's on pace to 100 games,
00:07:02 you don't get that many opportunities.
00:07:05 I mean, even, I don't care who you are.
00:07:06 I mean, look at the Yankees,
00:07:08 like, you know, the Yankees have won one World Series
00:07:10 in the last, what, 20 years,
00:07:11 and they've had really good records until this season.
00:07:13 Like, that's not even a slam on the Yankees.
00:07:15 It's just like, it just shows you how hard it is to do that
00:07:18 when you have these opportunities,
00:07:18 when you have this team is so stacked.
00:07:21 Like, yeah, absolutely.
00:07:22 If you're a Brave fan, you're a Dodgers fan,
00:07:25 yeah, you don't, not only make it,
00:07:26 if you don't win the World Series, it's a loss.
00:07:30 - Yeah, I guess I was, real quick,
00:07:33 so, and I was talking to Big T, too,
00:07:34 and I just asked him, you know,
00:07:35 'cause I, it's such a complete team.
00:07:38 The one issue that he kind of brought up
00:07:40 that could be the Achilles heel is that, like,
00:07:42 with Strider coming into form
00:07:43 and Fried doing what he's doing, that rotation's great,
00:07:46 offense historically good,
00:07:47 it's one of those weird bullpens
00:07:50 where the numbers are really good,
00:07:52 but how many of these guys are trustworthy,
00:07:54 high leverage, big playoff inning guys?
00:07:57 Now, we'll see, I mean, but if there is,
00:07:59 and it's a minor complaint,
00:08:01 if there is one thing that I could see a team getting to
00:08:04 when you get to October,
00:08:05 it's maybe the back end of their pen.
00:08:07 Other than that, the only difference,
00:08:09 or the only thing to watch for
00:08:10 the rest of the regular season
00:08:11 is just how historically good can they be.
00:08:14 Everything else, they've already got wrapped up.
00:08:16 - But winning a World Series is, to Clemmer's point,
00:08:22 the 20-year gap with the Yankees
00:08:23 and all the great teams in Miami-Spain, it is impossible.
00:08:25 It's very difficult.
00:08:26 That's the, I really can't respect the Red Sox enough
00:08:31 for when they're hot, they've won the three titles
00:08:35 in the last, what, 15 years?
00:08:37 Four titles in the last 15 years?
00:08:38 '04, '07, '13, '18.
00:08:41 When they're hot and they have momentum
00:08:42 and they got in the playoffs,
00:08:43 it seems like every time the Red Sox have that special team
00:08:45 they win with it.
00:08:46 - But even they, though, like Terry Francona in his book,
00:08:50 the Yankees to the 2008 team was the best team
00:08:52 that they ever had under his reign,
00:08:54 and they didn't even make it to the World Series.
00:08:57 So obviously it's really hard.
00:08:58 And look at the Dodgers last year, 111 wins.
00:09:00 The Phillies go to the World Series.
00:09:02 So you never know, but honestly,
00:09:04 if you have a team like the Braves or Dodgers
00:09:05 that are that good, this powerful,
00:09:08 in a national league that is pretty top-heavy,
00:09:12 yeah, you're looking at the World Series.
00:09:14 - Hobbs, you're up second.
00:09:18 - That's me.
00:09:20 Dodgers remain at two for us.
00:09:22 I, for whatever reason,
00:09:24 thought we had the Orioles two last week,
00:09:26 and I was like, oh, the Dodgers have hopped them.
00:09:27 Nope, Dodgers have been at two.
00:09:29 Mookie Betts, man, and Clem already touched on it.
00:09:33 He actually, he's first game,
00:09:35 first series back at Fenway since the trade.
00:09:38 He was unbelievable.
00:09:40 He's at 35 homers, 93 RBIs, 315 average.
00:09:44 His OPS is over 1,000 now.
00:09:46 He's so good that he is threatening a guy
00:09:50 who's gonna become the first 30-60 guy
00:09:52 in MLB history for the MVP.
00:09:54 (Mookie laughs)
00:09:55 Like that, you have to take that into account.
00:09:56 And then right behind him is Freddie Freeman,
00:09:59 who is on pace, I believe, to break the doubles record.
00:10:03 Or since it's insane, he's gonna, I think,
00:10:07 break the Dodgers double record very soon.
00:10:10 That one-two punch is ridiculous.
00:10:12 I watched the game today, I watched the game yesterday.
00:10:15 Those guys just back-to-back.
00:10:16 Freddie Freeman, the way he goes to left center,
00:10:19 plays so perfect at Fenway.
00:10:21 He is just made to hit in that park.
00:10:23 It's a hitter's park in general,
00:10:25 but watching those two go at it,
00:10:27 it's truly generational to see those guys
00:10:30 hit behind each other and just table setters.
00:10:33 It puts such a strain on a pitcher.
00:10:35 Just like if they turn the lineup over,
00:10:37 you just gotta deal with those motherfuckers.
00:10:40 They are terrifying.
00:10:41 I think the new question comes up here a little bit.
00:10:45 I don't know how much the Braves care about this,
00:10:47 but we've got five weeks, rest of the regular season.
00:10:51 The Braves have only five game lead and loss column
00:10:57 over the Dodgers for the best record in the NL.
00:11:00 So that could be something where the Dodgers keep this going
00:11:03 and they've won 17 of 19.
00:11:05 Like that could be a situation where the Braves
00:11:08 somehow aren't even hosting that NLCS series
00:11:10 if it comes to it.
00:11:12 So that could also help the Braves kind of,
00:11:15 we kind of talk about how many important games
00:11:17 are the Braves playing here and keep themselves honest.
00:11:20 And they do play them every day.
00:11:22 Like that's their calling card.
00:11:24 I don't know if they care about this too much.
00:11:26 Like if I were a fan, I would care much.
00:11:28 Like last year, Yankees Astros,
00:11:31 like I wanted the Yankees to have the one.
00:11:34 They didn't.
00:11:35 But it is important.
00:11:37 I don't know if they value it too much there
00:11:39 'cause the Braves are just like,
00:11:40 we'll hit wherever we play.
00:11:42 But for five weeks to go, five game lead,
00:11:44 that can evaporate.
00:11:45 So that's something to look at.
00:11:46 But overall, I think it's these one, two,
00:11:49 Dodgers and Braves.
00:11:51 Orioles slightly behind, but like there's a pretty good,
00:11:55 I think right now, separation between one, two and three.
00:11:58 - I agree.
00:11:59 I wanna go back to Mookie real quick, just because I,
00:12:02 it's almost as if maybe we've gotten it wrong
00:12:05 'cause it seemed like for years before Otani arrived
00:12:08 and became what he became, it was,
00:12:10 oh, best player of a generation,
00:12:11 it's Mike Trouth and everybody else.
00:12:12 He's number one of the bullet.
00:12:14 With the way those careers are going
00:12:16 and Trouth having the chronic back problem
00:12:18 and Mookie Betts at 30 years old
00:12:20 showing no signs of slowing down,
00:12:21 like it wouldn't shock me if by the end of their careers,
00:12:25 we look at Mookie in a higher regard
00:12:27 than we talk about Mike Trouth.
00:12:28 Especially if he wins another MVP this season.
00:12:31 I mean, the power numbers are up.
00:12:33 We know he can swipe back.
00:12:34 He's still an elite outfielder.
00:12:36 Just an amazing, amazing player.
00:12:38 Yeah, I'm with you.
00:12:39 I mean, that offense has slugged their way to success.
00:12:41 Pitching is stabilized a little bit.
00:12:42 I still have a ton of concerns about their rotation,
00:12:46 which is not an issue I've had with them in previous years,
00:12:49 but it's become a very fun team to watch.
00:12:51 I mean, such a deep lineup.
00:12:52 And I think that's kind of the running theme
00:12:53 throughout all of these top teams here.
00:12:57 One through nine, there's no easy outs.
00:12:59 And it obviously helps that you have
00:13:00 two first battle hall of famers in the middle of your order.
00:13:03 Let's talk doubles record.
00:13:05 Freddie Freeman is 48.
00:13:06 He will not break the record.
00:13:07 It's held by Earl Webb, who did it with the Red Sox
00:13:10 the very first year that Tom Yawkey
00:13:11 brought the team in 1933.
00:13:14 One of the core weirdest record holders ever,
00:13:17 Earl Webb, had 67 doubles in 19,
00:13:21 I'm sorry, 1931, which is two years
00:13:22 before Yawkey brought the team, excuse me.
00:13:24 The cool thing about Webb, though,
00:13:25 is he never had over 30 doubles in another season.
00:13:28 So he had 67 doubles this one year,
00:13:31 and then never had 31 in a season.
00:13:33 - I was more talking, okay,
00:13:35 I wasn't talking the all-time double.
00:13:37 It's since integration that he's gonna get it.
00:13:39 Most doubles since integration, he's on pace to--
00:13:42 - Yeah, really?
00:13:43 Has anyone had 60 or more since--
00:13:45 - I know, didn't Castellanos have 58 a few years back
00:13:48 when the Cubs traded?
00:13:49 - I feel like he had a crazy double year that year.
00:13:51 - Yeah.
00:13:52 - Yeah, I know, it's something to, I mean, look,
00:13:54 Huggs is right, though, Freeman is in rare air.
00:13:56 I mean, to have 48 before the end of all,
00:13:58 he only had 47 last year in the lead of the league.
00:14:01 He already has 48, and there's still five weeks to play.
00:14:05 So, right, you hit 60 doubles, that's a special season.
00:14:07 I just love the Earl, any excuse I have to talk
00:14:09 about Earl Webb, I always try to bring it up,
00:14:11 'cause it's such a weird, like, why does he lead, though?
00:14:13 He's a single season, we need to bring doubles.
00:14:16 Fuck is Earl Webb?
00:14:18 - Yeah.
00:14:19 - I like Earl Webb.
00:14:20 That's a good call-out.
00:14:22 Now, Mookie Betts, player, comp,
00:14:24 can you talk about Roberto Clemente
00:14:26 compared to Mookie Betts, clumber?
00:14:28 - Yeah, there's not really a lot of comparison in my eyes.
00:14:31 Clemente was a swing-first guy who got better
00:14:36 as he got older.
00:14:37 His first few seasons in the majors, Clemente,
00:14:40 I don't say struggled, but wasn't the Clemente that we know.
00:14:42 He kind of, like, leveled up as he got older.
00:14:44 He just, he just got, he worked harder and got better.
00:14:48 Betts is incredible.
00:14:52 I don't know who I even, I honestly, like,
00:14:55 started talking comparisons with Betts,
00:14:58 talking like Hank Aaron.
00:15:00 We're talking like William Mays.
00:15:02 That's what we're talking about.
00:15:03 - I like Hank Aaron a lot.
00:15:04 I like Hank Aaron a lot because of my understanding
00:15:07 of his game and the way he approached it
00:15:08 and the consistency.
00:15:10 Mookie Betts isn't a home-run hitter
00:15:11 who puts up big home-run totals.
00:15:13 He's not getting in the batter's box,
00:15:15 trying to drive the ball out of the ballpark.
00:15:17 He's a very simple approach to playing baseball.
00:15:21 Hank Aaron was just showing up trying to hit the ball
00:15:22 as hard as he could in one total game in his career.
00:15:26 Both guys did everything at an exceptional level.
00:15:29 Like, there was no flaw in their game.
00:15:31 And the only thing, like, I don't, don't get me wrong.
00:15:35 I don't think Mookie Betts is gonna have the same totals
00:15:38 as Hank Aaron did because Hank Aaron did it
00:15:40 until he was like 41.
00:15:42 Like, his numbers are insane.
00:15:44 Like, he was just as good as he was at 37 as he was at 23.
00:15:47 That's hard to do.
00:15:49 I don't think Mookie Betts, I don't think it's like,
00:15:51 Hank Aaron's almost like a superhuman.
00:15:53 Like, so is William Mays.
00:15:54 But that's what I'm talking about.
00:15:56 I think when it's all said and done, I'll say this,
00:15:58 and I think Roberto Clemente's a first-bound Hall of Famer,
00:16:00 3,000 hits, incredible career.
00:16:02 When it's all said and done,
00:16:03 Mookie Betts is going to have a better career
00:16:05 than Roberto Clemente.
00:16:06 That's how highly I think of Mookie Betts.
00:16:08 - It's hard for me to argue.
00:16:11 The thing about Mookie, man, is I get the impression
00:16:13 Mookie could have played any other sport
00:16:15 and been an all-star.
00:16:16 Like, we know about him as like a great bowler,
00:16:18 but like, dude could have played, you know,
00:16:21 been a slot receiver in the NFL if he wanted.
00:16:23 Like, they put the guy at shortstop this year
00:16:25 and he's like above average fielder.
00:16:26 Like, just, yeah, go ahead.
00:16:27 At the age of 30, why don't you just play
00:16:29 middle infield for us?
00:16:30 Just an amazing player, dude.
00:16:31 I mean, yeah, incredible.
00:16:33 - And we beat it, we beat it dead horse,
00:16:34 but like, the fact that they traded Mookie Betts is just.
00:16:37 (laughing)
00:16:38 - I was waiting for it.
00:16:39 - You know what, it's like, honestly,
00:16:41 he's not even 31 yet.
00:16:43 Like, he's still 30.
00:16:44 Like, that's, it's crazy to trade that caliber of a player
00:16:48 when they traded him, when it's so perfectly.
00:16:51 And like, I think we talked about this last week
00:16:52 or two weeks ago, it was all Henry move.
00:16:55 Henry did not want to pay him.
00:16:56 Henry didn't want to pay a guy that,
00:16:59 if you probably paid him, and you did pay,
00:17:02 we see the contract, they did pay.
00:17:03 It's a bargain.
00:17:04 It's a bargain.
00:17:05 It's a complete bargain what he gets paid year after year.
00:17:08 Like, and they just said, nah, it's crazy.
00:17:11 - It's awful what John Henry did there.
00:17:14 That is despicable.
00:17:15 I want to read this.
00:17:16 This is what Sean McDonough said.
00:17:17 Sean McDonough called Red Sox games for a long time
00:17:20 with Jerry Remy in the '90s.
00:17:22 Does some stuff on radio.
00:17:23 He said today, "It's a trade that can never be defended
00:17:27 "and a stain that will never be erased."
00:17:30 I completely agree.
00:17:31 The fact that the Red Sox, a major market team,
00:17:34 traded away a generational talent
00:17:37 is going to haunt this team.
00:17:39 Imagine, like I always say,
00:17:40 imagine if the Red Sox had Mookie Betts
00:17:42 and instead the Dodgers still had Wong
00:17:45 and still had Verdugo.
00:17:48 The Red Sox would be in the playoffs.
00:17:50 - Mm-hmm.
00:17:51 - Is any of that because, or emphasized more
00:17:55 because he signed the extension with the Dodgers?
00:17:58 If he played and got traded to the Dodgers
00:17:59 and then hit free agency and went to another team,
00:18:02 do you think people would look differently at that trade?
00:18:04 Like the fact that he goes to LA
00:18:06 and now he's just going to be a Dodger
00:18:07 for the rest of his life, I think kind of adds to it.
00:18:09 - Sure, but the Dodgers made that trade
00:18:10 committing to pay for him.
00:18:12 Just like the Red Sox made that deal,
00:18:14 not committing to pay him.
00:18:15 And I know some Red Sox fans will be like,
00:18:17 well, they also, you know, the Dodgers ate Price's salary.
00:18:20 Okay, why didn't the Red Sox, the Red Sox have money.
00:18:24 John Henry has a shit load of money.
00:18:25 He owns 9,000 teams.
00:18:28 He owns the shitty Boston Globe.
00:18:30 He has money.
00:18:31 I don't know what we're doing here.
00:18:33 I don't know.
00:18:34 It is maybe the most like mind boggling, befuddling move
00:18:41 I've seen a major market team make
00:18:43 that I can think of in the last 20 years.
00:18:46 It's like a player move.
00:18:47 I still don't understand it.
00:18:49 - I mean, John Henry's a cheap fuck.
00:18:53 There, I understand that.
00:18:54 - But he didn't used to be.
00:18:56 None of it makes any sense.
00:18:57 I think he lost interest in the team.
00:18:59 I get it, they got four rings.
00:19:00 I get it.
00:19:01 Maybe he just like found a new hobby, whatever.
00:19:03 That's the case.
00:19:04 You need to sell that team.
00:19:06 People do love this team and care about it.
00:19:09 When you're an owner, it doesn't, you know,
00:19:11 you have to have some care for the people
00:19:14 that root for that team.
00:19:15 You are a caretaker.
00:19:17 You know, when you die, that team will live on.
00:19:21 And you need to, if you don't care anymore,
00:19:23 I understand everyone has different interests.
00:19:24 That's completely fine.
00:19:25 Then you need to trade, sell the team, excuse me.
00:19:28 - I'm with you.
00:19:34 - Watchdog, Chris Clemmer.
00:19:35 - Yeah.
00:19:36 - Mookie Betts, generational player.
00:19:42 The Dodgers are obviously very fucking good.
00:19:45 One and two slam dunk.
00:19:46 This three this week starts to get a little funky
00:19:48 because of the injury to Bautista,
00:19:50 but I'm still putting Orioles three.
00:19:52 Like he's so much, I know dude, he said,
00:19:55 but here's the reason why.
00:19:56 And just hear me out on this.
00:19:56 Hear me out on this.
00:19:58 Hear me out on this.
00:19:59 We have repeatedly dogged the Orioles to say
00:20:04 at some point it's going to fall off.
00:20:07 More adversity at this point, to me, benefits this team.
00:20:11 Take this guy out, fine.
00:20:12 Like just slide guys up.
00:20:14 Brandon Hyde's already got it all figured out.
00:20:15 Who's going to pitch here or there, whatever.
00:20:17 He's having the conversations.
00:20:18 I know it's a massive blow,
00:20:21 but in putting them three here,
00:20:23 what I want to do is I want to give credit to the Orioles.
00:20:25 They like, they, every time I think,
00:20:28 and I have my own doubts.
00:20:30 The other option I have at three is the Rays,
00:20:33 but they just lose Wander Franco.
00:20:34 I'd pay, they're hot pal.
00:20:36 There's only fucking four teams in baseball, 80 wins.
00:20:38 I don't want to, there's,
00:20:42 - Are you going to say the Seattle Mariners?
00:20:44 - Yeah.
00:20:45 - Is that what you want to do?
00:20:45 You want to come in here and put the Seattle Mariners?
00:20:46 - Well, first off, I want to say this.
00:20:50 There's no way more adversity makes a team better.
00:20:53 The girls lost their clothes, that makes them worse.
00:20:55 There's no world we live in where that makes them better.
00:20:57 That's crazy.
00:20:59 - The Rays have been hot since they lost their best player.
00:21:01 And you and I talked about that.
00:21:02 You and I literally sat here and we fucking talked about
00:21:05 how it can bring people together.
00:21:06 - Yeah, but Fields' Batiste isn't fucking young girls.
00:21:08 Like as far as we know.
00:21:10 So it's a different situation.
00:21:12 Those are two, those are apples and oranges.
00:21:14 It's not comparable.
00:21:15 I, yeah, I'll say it.
00:21:18 I mean, like, that's what,
00:21:18 you're not going to dance around.
00:21:20 That's what he's being invested in.
00:21:22 - I'm saying this because I haven't, the Orioles,
00:21:24 I want to give credit to the fact that the Orioles,
00:21:28 they fucking win regardless, dude.
00:21:31 You can go fucking pitch for them and you'd be good.
00:21:34 - I have the Rays at eight.
00:21:35 So I have the Mariners at three.
00:21:37 So the Orioles, I guess I can understand on some level,
00:21:39 the Rays, that's insane talk to me.
00:21:41 The Mariners are, the Mariners have the best ER ring
00:21:44 in the American League.
00:21:45 So this is more than just a streak.
00:21:47 They're that good.
00:21:48 - We'd be so ahead of ourselves
00:21:51 putting the Mariners three right here.
00:21:53 - I don't care about the three, I don't care.
00:21:54 I don't care.
00:21:55 I'm just thinking of facts.
00:21:55 - They just haven't done enough to be three.
00:21:56 They're not three.
00:21:57 The Mariners aren't fucking three.
00:21:59 Are the Mariners three, Casalotti?
00:22:00 - You know, I'm with you.
00:22:01 I would have the Orioles here.
00:22:03 Like ultimately, and it's an amazing run.
00:22:05 And by the end of the year, it could be different.
00:22:06 But the Orioles are eight games better, I believe,
00:22:09 in the win column than Seattle Mariners.
00:22:11 And look, the Batista note is, I mean,
00:22:16 you have to bring it up.
00:22:17 It's a huge, huge deal.
00:22:18 The guy's been close to a Cy Young caliber pitcher
00:22:21 this year, but I just, I struggle with this stuff sometimes
00:22:24 because I don't know how much that affects them in the 162.
00:22:29 It greatly impacts them when we get to October.
00:22:33 That bullpen is already pretty darn deep.
00:22:36 I just, I do take full resume into account.
00:22:40 So I would have the Orioles three here.
00:22:43 I think that we have in the past,
00:22:45 maybe like tried to jump the shark and it's backfired
00:22:48 with certain teams putting them higher than they should be.
00:22:50 Now, in some instances it's worked, but here, yeah,
00:22:53 I just, I can't put a team that isn't alone
00:22:55 in first place right now as the number three best team
00:22:58 in all of baseball.
00:23:00 - Here's the problem with the Batista thing.
00:23:02 And I know Yanier Cano is having a nice year.
00:23:06 A great year.
00:23:07 He's also a 29 year old rookie who's never had any real
00:23:11 major league success at all before this year.
00:23:13 Now he's your close.
00:23:14 That's a big thing.
00:23:16 That's a big deal.
00:23:17 And they are, I think it does affect them over the 162
00:23:20 because they're only two games ahead of the race.
00:23:22 So if Carl's point is true that,
00:23:24 why is Frank, you know, why in a front row they are better
00:23:27 than the Orioles have someone nipping at their heels now.
00:23:30 So one of those things has to be true.
00:23:33 Now the Mariners are in a tougher rate.
00:23:35 You know, he's got three horse race there.
00:23:37 All, you know, if you guys want to go Orioles three,
00:23:41 I'm not going to fight it too much.
00:23:42 I think I'll be proven right,
00:23:44 potentially down the line and the Orioles
00:23:45 have a better record.
00:23:47 - I didn't know, I thought I would get laughed
00:23:49 if I said Mariners.
00:23:50 If you're introducing Mariners three,
00:23:51 I want to entertain it.
00:23:52 And I like what you're saying.
00:23:54 And I want these, I want these rankings to be sincere
00:23:56 and true as if they played and squared off.
00:23:58 Do you, you have that much belief in the Mariners?
00:24:03 - I do.
00:24:04 I do.
00:24:05 I mean, the one, two is, you know, Braves, Dodgers,
00:24:09 Dodgers, Braves, everyone ordered.
00:24:10 That is a whole separate universe.
00:24:12 Now we're in the next universe here.
00:24:15 And we do have a few different teams
00:24:16 that could buy for the spot.
00:24:17 We have Astros, Rangers, obviously,
00:24:19 and you got the Orioles and you got the Mariners,
00:24:21 in my opinion.
00:24:22 I don't have the raise there at all.
00:24:23 I have the raise in that next year.
00:24:25 - Okay.
00:24:26 - But that's, that's, but if you guys are saying
00:24:28 the Orioles have a division lead,
00:24:31 they have a winning percentage over 600,
00:24:32 we need to respect that.
00:24:34 I understand.
00:24:35 I don't necessarily agree,
00:24:36 but I'm not going to fight you too much on it.
00:24:39 - Every time I've doubted the Orioles,
00:24:41 they've come back and they've just punched me
00:24:43 in the face this year.
00:24:43 Every single time I've thought, okay.
00:24:46 - We've never had a situation with the Orioles
00:24:48 where they've lost a major player though.
00:24:50 Cedric Mullins lost some time, I know that.
00:24:52 But other than that, this is the first time we've lost.
00:24:56 They've had announcer gate,
00:24:58 they had Peter, or John Angeles being a moron.
00:25:00 There's been shit going on.
00:25:01 Camping yard stuff.
00:25:03 - How many fucking games do you think it's worth
00:25:05 if he's not there?
00:25:06 - I don't know.
00:25:09 He's so good.
00:25:12 - It certainly feels like the one guy on the team
00:25:14 that could not afford to go down.
00:25:15 Like if you take out anyone in the lineup,
00:25:18 as good as they are, Adley, Gunnar.
00:25:19 - Adley.
00:25:20 Adley would be a bigger loss.
00:25:21 - But like, you, like the rest of the lineup
00:25:24 is so talented that they can overcome,
00:25:27 I don't know if the Penn can do that,
00:25:29 especially with Cano's inexperience.
00:25:31 And like, it's gonna put a lot of pressure on Fujinami,
00:25:34 who's been solid.
00:25:36 But like, you know, these guys are in a whole different world
00:25:40 right now if he's done.
00:25:42 I still had him at three though.
00:25:43 I agree with Carl.
00:25:44 I feel like they're the third best team in baseball.
00:25:47 Mariners are on fire.
00:25:48 We had him at six last week.
00:25:49 I feel like a jump to the four or five range
00:25:51 makes perfect sense.
00:25:52 And if they keep this going,
00:25:53 then we have a conversation next week or whatever.
00:25:55 But right now, it feels like the Orioles are still at three.
00:25:58 - Are you guys concerned about Jack Flaherty at all?
00:26:00 Weird comments last week, how he's like,
00:26:02 "Oh, I didn't bounce back right."
00:26:04 But he wouldn't say he was hurt.
00:26:06 And then he's been terrible for that.
00:26:07 I just don't, the Jack Flaherty stuff's weird.
00:26:10 He doesn't sound like his head's
00:26:11 in the right place right now.
00:26:12 - Well, my concern has nothing to do with,
00:26:15 my concern is that I just don't think he's that good.
00:26:17 It's not like I think that there's some sort of like,
00:26:19 mental block.
00:26:20 I wasn't crazy about the trade.
00:26:23 I'm not surprised to see that he's struggling right now.
00:26:25 I know he had one, you know, really good run
00:26:27 and no really good start to start things off.
00:26:29 But that was, there was nothing about that move,
00:26:32 that move, the needle.
00:26:32 And also, well, I still have him at three.
00:26:35 I know you can't predict injuries,
00:26:37 but God damn it, this is why they should have gotten
00:26:40 an actual starting pitcher at the fucking deadline
00:26:42 instead of relying on what they had.
00:26:44 You get Flaherty.
00:26:45 And what happens is, you lose the one piece
00:26:49 you can't afford to lose.
00:26:50 Now, if this was a rotation like the Braves
00:26:53 or the Mariners who traded their closer at the deadline,
00:26:56 you could look back and be like, hey, you know,
00:26:58 at least they got a few guys who could be showstoppers
00:27:01 for you by the time you get to October.
00:27:03 They don't have that.
00:27:04 But when I do these rankings,
00:27:06 I don't necessarily base it on what might happen a week,
00:27:08 two weeks from now, 'cause baseball is so unpredictable.
00:27:10 I do take the entire resume into account.
00:27:12 That's why I still have Orioles three right now.
00:27:15 - Orioles three, suck it, Clemmer.
00:27:19 - A week from now, he could be wrong,
00:27:22 or he could be proven right, I'm sorry.
00:27:25 And okay, so now we get to four.
00:27:26 And this is, again, this is mine.
00:27:29 And it's tough because yes,
00:27:30 I think that there's probably some teams
00:27:32 behind this one that would beat them in a playoff series
00:27:37 if they played right now.
00:27:38 Though honestly, when we talk about playoff stuff,
00:27:39 I mean, you know, Phillies won 86 games last year
00:27:42 and shit pumped the Braves, and they would've won 100.
00:27:44 Like there is an unpredictability that comes with that.
00:27:47 I feel like I've given this team a lot of shit,
00:27:50 and understandably so, but with all the injuries
00:27:53 and all the short stops who may be criminals,
00:27:57 the Tampa Bay Rays keep fucking winning.
00:27:59 Like that's the one thing we kind of can't ignore
00:28:01 about this ball club right now.
00:28:02 They've lost a million pitchers.
00:28:04 You know, your best position player is an idiot, allegedly.
00:28:07 And yet the fact that they are only two games back
00:28:10 in this division is a miracle to me.
00:28:12 They are, I mean, them and the Dodgers,
00:28:15 I would say arguably the best 162 team in the entire sport.
00:28:20 Bullpen's still deep, lineup's still good.
00:28:23 They continue to take care of business.
00:28:25 And you know, even we talked about that amazing start
00:28:28 they got off of, I get it,
00:28:29 but this is still gonna be a 90 plus win
00:28:31 ball club this year that despite all the things
00:28:34 that have happened,
00:28:35 Kevin Cash has kept that clubhouse together.
00:28:37 I have them at four.
00:28:38 I think there's gonna be disagreements here,
00:28:40 but right now I have them in that four.
00:28:42 - What do you mean you think there's gonna be
00:28:43 disagreements here?
00:28:44 Clemmer just sat here and said they were eighth,
00:28:46 in his opinion.
00:28:47 And so like, do you think there's gonna be a disagreement?
00:28:49 The second you take a breath, pal,
00:28:51 Clemmer's coming down your fucking throat.
00:28:54 - Well, I just took a breath, so have at it.
00:28:56 - All right.
00:28:56 So, you know, you say they haven't stopped winning.
00:28:59 Well, they have.
00:29:00 They're 23 and 24 since July 1st.
00:29:02 So they have stopped winning.
00:29:04 They're not, their roster is not particularly good
00:29:07 right now and it's not their fault entirely.
00:29:09 The pitching just didn't hold up.
00:29:11 They got hurt.
00:29:12 That pitching staff is not particularly good.
00:29:16 You have Efflin and Glasnow who both look fantastic.
00:29:20 After that, you have Aaron Sobal,
00:29:22 who I think I like pretty much
00:29:23 in this room.
00:29:24 I do like the guy a lot.
00:29:26 After that, it gets really rough, really fast.
00:29:28 And I don't really know how you fix that.
00:29:30 I guess the good news for them in the post-season is,
00:29:33 you know, maybe you can get by with those guys,
00:29:35 but they're using these weird bullpen games.
00:29:38 I give Kevin Cash a lot of credit.
00:29:39 He's trying to make it work.
00:29:41 But I mean, the idea that they are somehow,
00:29:43 honestly, I have the Phillies ahead of them.
00:29:46 The Phillies are a more talented roster than the Rays.
00:29:48 And I think the Phillies,
00:29:49 I would be much more scared of my favorite team
00:29:51 playing the Phillies than I would be them playing the Rays.
00:29:55 - Who do you have it for?
00:29:57 - I have the, well, I have the Orioles at four.
00:29:59 The Mariners at three.
00:30:00 - I just don't think the Rays are the eighth team.
00:30:05 Like that's just too low.
00:30:06 - Is it? - Crazy.
00:30:07 - I think it's two.
00:30:08 - It's crazy?
00:30:09 - The Astros?
00:30:10 - They're two back of first place, you moron.
00:30:12 - Oh, the Orioles are,
00:30:15 I mean, the Rangers and Astros are right there.
00:30:18 - I don't know what matters.
00:30:19 - I mean, isn't that crazy?
00:30:21 - I don't know.
00:30:22 They've got seven more wins than the next team behind them.
00:30:26 But how much does that matter at this point in the season?
00:30:29 When you say they're 23 and 24 since July 1st,
00:30:32 I almost, not fall out of the chair,
00:30:34 but that sets me down.
00:30:36 That really puts me in my place
00:30:37 when I think about the Rays.
00:30:38 23 and 24 since July 1st is fucking tragic.
00:30:41 - Yeah, they're not that good.
00:30:43 I mean, I don't know what else.
00:30:44 I mean, and now, yes, I know the Wanda Franco stuff,
00:30:46 obviously, him being with underage girls
00:30:50 is despicable and weird and awful, criminal,
00:30:53 but you do still lose a five-a-board player.
00:30:55 Like, we're just talking baseball only.
00:30:57 Maybe getting rid of that toxicity
00:30:59 in the clubhouse is a good thing?
00:31:00 I don't know.
00:31:00 I'm more concerned with the pitching injuries,
00:31:02 but when you put it all together in a sandwich,
00:31:04 that's a team that's been 500 for two months now,
00:31:07 and they're not even in first place.
00:31:09 So I don't, and you guys are saying like,
00:31:10 oh, it's crazy.
00:31:11 I have, the teams I have in front of them are good.
00:31:13 The Astros are a good team.
00:31:14 The Rangers are a good team.
00:31:16 Maybe you think I'm crazy having the Phillies ahead of them,
00:31:17 but who would you rather your team face?
00:31:21 - I don't know, man.
00:31:22 Texas is on the verge of losing nine,
00:31:25 their ninth game in 10 right now.
00:31:27 Like, they're not playing good baseball.
00:31:30 The Astros kind of can't get going right now.
00:31:32 They're just like stuck in neutral.
00:31:34 Like, no one's, no one's like setting the world,
00:31:36 obviously the Mariners, like we talked about that,
00:31:38 but I don't, in the AL, like,
00:31:41 it's all just like whatever right now,
00:31:44 for the most part, as like shitty as that is to say.
00:31:47 The Razor won six of seven.
00:31:48 I know you want to take like the 47 game sample size,
00:31:51 but they have been playing better of late.
00:31:53 I thought they showed up this weekend against the Yankees.
00:31:56 - Who suck.
00:31:57 - Who are awful, who have no offense,
00:31:59 who are a perfect team for a team
00:32:01 with some pitching questions to go against.
00:32:03 That's the idea.
00:32:05 - Well, but the Astros just played the Tigers
00:32:07 and the Mariners are playing the Royals.
00:32:08 Like, you're done.
00:32:09 Bad teams will play good teams a lot.
00:32:11 Now, one of the issues I have is,
00:32:14 I just don't know which AL West team
00:32:16 to put ahead of the Razor.
00:32:17 We could put all of them,
00:32:18 but like what order do you want to put that in?
00:32:20 'Cause there's a potential that by the end of today,
00:32:22 they're all tied for first.
00:32:23 You know, I've seen inconsistencies from all of these teams.
00:32:27 Hubs brought it up.
00:32:28 The Rangers are potentially gonna lose nine on 10.
00:32:30 If not, whatever, they've lost eight out of 10.
00:32:31 That's still not very good.
00:32:34 I just, I think there's a little more consistency,
00:32:37 but God damn, it's tough.
00:32:38 Your argument is very sound
00:32:41 regarding kind of the anti-Raze stance.
00:32:43 I just feel, I think that I've been very tough on them,
00:32:45 like throughout the season
00:32:47 and have been waiting for a deeper fall off
00:32:49 than what they've had.
00:32:50 And I just don't think they're gonna have it.
00:32:51 I think they're gonna be that 95 win team
00:32:54 that gets a wild card spot and, you know, is a tough-
00:32:57 - And that's the fourth best team in baseball?
00:32:59 - Yeah, because this is a great question
00:33:01 of what matters for the purpose of saying
00:33:04 this team is better than that team.
00:33:05 Like over 162 or to Clemmer's point,
00:33:08 I would much rather play the Raze than the Phillies.
00:33:10 But are the Phillies deserving to say
00:33:12 the fourth best team in baseball?
00:33:14 Right now, yes.
00:33:15 No, not fourth best.
00:33:17 No, I think they're, I have them as the seventh best,
00:33:19 excuse me, team in baseball.
00:33:20 I have them ahead of the Raze.
00:33:22 I do not have them fourth.
00:33:23 I have them seventh.
00:33:24 - So who would you put, oh, listen to this though.
00:33:28 Who would you put at this spot?
00:33:29 'Cause obviously we went with the Orioles.
00:33:31 Who would you put at this spot?
00:33:32 Clemmer, I'll start with you.
00:33:33 - Seattle.
00:33:34 - Seattle.
00:33:35 Hubs?
00:33:37 - Tampa.
00:33:37 - Carl?
00:33:39 - Raze.
00:33:41 - All right, let's go Raze it for them.
00:33:43 All right.
00:33:45 - Well, he's, okay, wild.
00:33:48 This isn't even a question to me.
00:33:52 I mean, the Orioles is one I get on a lot of levels.
00:33:54 I disagree with it, but I understand.
00:33:56 This is bizarro world.
00:33:57 The go for it.
00:33:58 - What's their record since Wander Franco's been suspended?
00:34:01 - I know they're 14 and eight, I think this month,
00:34:05 something like that.
00:34:06 - That's trending up.
00:34:07 - It is.
00:34:08 It is.
00:34:10 Fuck, this is hard.
00:34:11 - I can't get over the fact that-
00:34:12 - It's the Mariners record over the same stretch though.
00:34:14 What are you guys doing?
00:34:15 - For sure, but that's what, like, they weren't,
00:34:18 anywhere, they weren't worth a damn in the first half
00:34:20 to even be considered.
00:34:21 Like, you can't just like throw out what the Raze did
00:34:24 in the first half just because-
00:34:25 - I don't.
00:34:26 Well, I mean, I don't and I do.
00:34:28 I mean, I do to some extent,
00:34:29 'cause it's the top nine teams in baseball.
00:34:31 And like right now, I would be much more fearful,
00:34:35 like I keep saying, of playing the Mariners,
00:34:36 who have won, I feel like, every game for three weeks,
00:34:39 than I would be against the Raze, who are a team
00:34:41 that I don't even like their roster that much.
00:34:44 - Dude, I never liked their roster
00:34:46 and they just fucking win.
00:34:47 It's just, they figure it out.
00:34:49 I haven't liked their roster
00:34:50 and since the start of their franchise
00:34:52 and they just win 90 games.
00:34:54 It's blasphemy.
00:34:55 It makes no sense.
00:34:57 - I mean, I don't know.
00:34:58 They had a great pitching staff for a while.
00:35:00 They had Rasmussen, they had-
00:35:01 - I'm talking about roster, like line,
00:35:02 I'm talking about lineup.
00:35:03 - Oh, yeah, I'm talking about their roster
00:35:05 and it's just not particularly, right.
00:35:06 They have, they get every,
00:35:08 Cash is amazing, their analytics team is fantastic.
00:35:12 I just think that they don't have the pieces
00:35:14 to win in October.
00:35:17 I don't think they have the pieces
00:35:18 to be that great right now.
00:35:20 And if you took the whole year as a snapshot,
00:35:23 they're not even in first place.
00:35:24 I don't even know what we're doing here.
00:35:26 - What AL West team would you put ahead of them, Mariners?
00:35:32 - The team I have, personally I have,
00:35:34 but if you guys wanna go with Raze, go for it.
00:35:36 - No, I think I would rather,
00:35:37 I would rather see Mariners at four, Raze at five.
00:35:40 - I won't argue with that, but it's fine.
00:35:43 - Clemmer's not gonna put the,
00:35:45 he's not gonna put the Raze at five.
00:35:46 He's gonna come back and he's gonna say Phillies.
00:35:48 He's gonna say fucking, there's no compromise here.
00:35:51 There's no compromise. - No, he can't.
00:35:52 He just said he will.
00:35:52 He just said he will. - Oh, he will?
00:35:54 - No, no, I won't put the Raze at five,
00:35:56 but I'll put him team out there
00:35:57 and then I'll just get outvoted, which is fine, I guess.
00:36:00 I'm not gonna, yeah, I'm not gonna-
00:36:02 - But I don't want it, this is two-two now,
00:36:04 'cause now I'm leaning towards Mariners
00:36:06 'cause they have been just so utterly hot.
00:36:07 - I'm fine, I just don't think the Raze are eight.
00:36:09 Like, that bothers me.
00:36:11 Like, the Raze just aren't eight.
00:36:12 I'm fine, Mariners over Raze,
00:36:13 but don't drop the Raze down to eight.
00:36:15 - Well, I mean, that's my take.
00:36:16 You guys can do it, just, you know,
00:36:18 I'll have the Raze where I have him.
00:36:20 It doesn't mean that you guys can put him wherever you want.
00:36:23 - Like, I don't know, we had the Raze seventh last week
00:36:29 and then they go out and they lose one game this week
00:36:31 and we're moving down to eight.
00:36:33 Like, that doesn't make sense to me.
00:36:34 I don't care about the previous ranked.
00:36:35 - Sure, but that's-
00:36:36 - That's literally like what this is about.
00:36:37 - Cameron doesn't care about anything.
00:36:38 You are an anarchist.
00:36:40 - What do you fucking care about?
00:36:42 - The best, who are the best teams?
00:36:43 - There's gotta be some sort of, like,
00:36:46 we look at last week and we go,
00:36:48 oh, who went up, who went down?
00:36:49 - I never look at the last week.
00:36:50 - Well, then you're just a fucking loser then.
00:36:52 - How does that make me a loser?
00:36:55 - You're a loser.
00:36:56 You just make up things in your head
00:36:57 and you're like, oh, this is how we should do it.
00:36:58 Like, there's gotta be some sort of order
00:37:00 in how we do this.
00:37:01 - I told you, I've said over and over again how I do it.
00:37:04 I said, you guys can easily disagree with me
00:37:06 and go a different direction.
00:37:07 That's fine.
00:37:08 I think you guys would be morons
00:37:09 and I'll make fun of you, but that's fine.
00:37:11 - I'll propose, let me propose a compromise here.
00:37:14 Let me propose a compromise real quick.
00:37:16 I'll be willing to put the Mariners at four
00:37:19 'cause I'm with Hubs.
00:37:20 I don't think that we should drop the Rays,
00:37:23 like, all the way down to seventh or eighth.
00:37:25 I'd be willing to go Mariners at four
00:37:27 if, Clemmer, you put Rays five.
00:37:29 - I will not do that, but you guys can do whatever you want.
00:37:33 - I think that as long as the Rays are moving up,
00:37:35 I think right now in this conversation,
00:37:37 because ultimately the question is, what do we value more?
00:37:41 Is the total season or the current moment more?
00:37:46 If we value the current moment more
00:37:48 and putting these rankings together,
00:37:50 the Mariners are ahead of the Rays.
00:37:52 If we're looking and valuing the gross beauty of the season
00:37:56 and the 162 and the struggle and the grind,
00:37:59 then it's the Rays.
00:38:01 - I think there's also a third component too, Carl,
00:38:03 is how would that team do in the playoffs?
00:38:05 And I think the Mariners would be much more successful
00:38:07 than the Rays in the playoffs.
00:38:08 That's the other component I look at, but that's me.
00:38:09 - I don't think that last component should not be a factor.
00:38:13 - Okay, that's not for you, it is for me.
00:38:14 And I can be, you know, that's fine.
00:38:17 - I've officially changed my vote to Mariners four.
00:38:22 - Fine, vote the Mariners at four.
00:38:23 - Yeah, I'll abide it.
00:38:25 - This conversation just has to move along.
00:38:28 - Yeah, and I'll nominate this team
00:38:29 and you guys can put the Rays there if you want,
00:38:31 but I think the Astros should be fit.
00:38:32 - No chance.
00:38:34 - I'm not as held to this as I am the Mariners at four,
00:38:37 if that makes any sense.
00:38:38 - You mean this isn't going to be a hostage negotiation?
00:38:42 - Doesn't have to be.
00:38:45 - The way that Houston like didn't take control
00:38:48 of that series against Boston this week
00:38:49 was so underwhelming to me.
00:38:51 Like they come out the first two, I'm like, all right,
00:38:54 like sure, like Berliner, Prince's well in two.
00:38:57 And then they just absolutely get shit puffed
00:38:59 in the third game of that series on Wednesday.
00:39:02 No, sorry, in the final game of that series on Thursday,
00:39:05 it was 17 to one.
00:39:06 Like, no, that's not the fifth team in baseball.
00:39:08 They still can absolutely get there.
00:39:10 And I'd still probably go to my head,
00:39:11 pick them to come out of the AL,
00:39:12 but that's not the fifth best team in baseball right now.
00:39:16 - I'm frustrated how they haven't been able to take hold
00:39:18 of anything this season.
00:39:20 It's been frustrating.
00:39:23 I can't imagine, it must be very annoying
00:39:24 being an Astros fan, knowing they're capable
00:39:27 of so much more.
00:39:28 But one reason I have been at five, for me personally,
00:39:31 is Cranberry Valdez looked a lot better this week.
00:39:34 And if he's gonna be the ace that we kind of expect him
00:39:36 to be, he's been kind of, he's been hit or miss lately,
00:39:38 but I feel like he's trending up.
00:39:39 This team becomes a lot more dangerous
00:39:41 with him and Berliner one, two.
00:39:43 So that's why I have the Astros five.
00:39:45 But if you guys wanna go with Rays here,
00:39:47 you may be arguing.
00:39:48 - He pitched against the Tigers, man.
00:39:49 I like that.
00:39:50 - And they lost, and they lost.
00:39:52 - Well, that's not, he can't control that
00:39:53 through seven no hit innings, but.
00:39:55 - Yeah, my boy was more Valdez, but yeah.
00:39:57 - He pitched against the Tigers.
00:39:58 Like that doesn't do anything for me.
00:39:59 He's got a, and I'm confident that Fran,
00:40:01 I said this last week, Fran, I'm not worried
00:40:04 about Fran Bervaldez.
00:40:04 Like he will show up in October and pitch well,
00:40:06 but like I'd start against the Tigers,
00:40:08 the zero for me being like, oh, he's figured it out.
00:40:10 That's fair.
00:40:13 - Yeah, the issue I have with them at five,
00:40:15 and look, we're at the difference.
00:40:16 There's somewhere between that five and seven range.
00:40:18 Like it's, we're splitting hairs, is that I know Clemmer,
00:40:22 you often say like pedigree is something
00:40:24 you don't really care about.
00:40:24 You just look at the best teams.
00:40:26 But I think that with Houston, we have a tendency
00:40:30 to give them the benefit of the doubt
00:40:31 because of the pedigree.
00:40:33 Like I think if every member of the Houston Astros
00:40:35 were wearing a Texas Rangers uniform right now,
00:40:37 I don't know if we'd be as forgiving of them.
00:40:39 I mean, they had a, that game they lost to Detroit
00:40:42 on Friday was a disaster.
00:40:44 And you brought up the series against Boston.
00:40:46 They've had a fair amount of those this year.
00:40:48 It's why their run differential is very good.
00:40:50 Games they should have controlled,
00:40:52 where Dusty, maybe Dusty mismanaged the bullpen.
00:40:55 He got a bad start from Valdez.
00:40:56 You know, Christian Javier has been a mess.
00:40:58 Hunter Brown, while he was fine on Saturday,
00:41:00 he's got an ERA of four and a half.
00:41:02 Like I think, and look, I could easily see them
00:41:05 turning it on in September,
00:41:07 but that's not what the rankings are based off of.
00:41:08 The rankings aren't based on speculations
00:41:10 based on what we've seen so far.
00:41:11 So while I think that they absolutely belong on this list
00:41:14 and definitely no lower than seven,
00:41:17 I'm not quite ready to vibe with five.
00:41:20 Though again, you know, a week from now-
00:41:21 - Yeah, you'd like to raise.
00:41:22 I mean, you'd like to raise at four.
00:41:23 Of course you'd like to raise at five now.
00:41:26 Like you have to like to raise at five here.
00:41:28 - Tampa also took a series against Houston late last month.
00:41:32 Like they literally went head to head.
00:41:34 Now it's a month apart.
00:41:36 You know, Wander was playing there, but.
00:41:38 I just don't think Houston is doing anything crazy
00:41:41 for me right now that's being like,
00:41:43 yep, that's a fifth test team.
00:41:44 Like will they be there at the end of the day?
00:41:46 Probably, but that's not how I,
00:41:47 that's not what I factor into my rankings.
00:41:49 - So, all right, for me,
00:41:51 I think the Astros are a better team than the Rays,
00:41:54 but I'm, you know, put it to the vote.
00:41:56 If you guys want to go with Rays here, then let's do it.
00:41:58 - No, I think the Rays,
00:41:59 I don't think the Astros are better than the Rays.
00:42:02 - Yeah, I agree.
00:42:04 I also say this, Houston better be careful.
00:42:09 'Cause Toronto, I know they lost today
00:42:11 and it was such a classic Blue Jays game today.
00:42:13 I feel like that, like they just can't fucking get going,
00:42:16 but, or keep it going.
00:42:17 But Toronto is there.
00:42:20 Like they're only, what, game back in the loss column
00:42:22 of Houston for the third wild card.
00:42:24 - Yeah, no, there's, if you look at the musical chairs,
00:42:29 the AOL wild card, yeah,
00:42:31 someone's going to be on the outside looking in here, right?
00:42:33 - Right, and if Houston's not careful,
00:42:36 like this neutral that they have themselves in
00:42:39 is going to fuck them.
00:42:40 Like they got, like I know Toronto, listen,
00:42:43 if you bank out Toronto, Torontoing themselves,
00:42:46 I'm sure they will, but they are still talented.
00:42:49 Like we looked at that roster.
00:42:51 I don't have them in my one through nine this week, but.
00:42:53 - I don't either.
00:42:54 - But. - I don't either.
00:42:55 - I don't think that's crazy at all to say.
00:42:56 They're a 19 better than them,
00:42:57 but especially with the loss today.
00:42:59 But like if Houston isn't careful,
00:43:02 they might fire themselves out of this.
00:43:03 And that's crazy to say, but it's a reality.
00:43:06 - So Houston is, or is not fifth.
00:43:08 - No, I'm voting for the Rays.
00:43:11 - I'm voting for the Rays at five.
00:43:12 - Rays at five, yes.
00:43:13 - So we have Rays, but I lose.
00:43:15 - We have Rays fifth.
00:43:17 - The Blue Jays aren't on this list.
00:43:19 - Correct, same with me.
00:43:20 I did not have them either.
00:43:21 - They're not playing good enough to be on this list, no.
00:43:23 - No. - Fuck them.
00:43:24 I wish the Blue Jays could turn.
00:43:26 We're not supposed to be talking about the Blue Jays
00:43:28 right now, but I just wish, I just wish.
00:43:29 - Okay, they're a baseball team.
00:43:31 They can have a sentence.
00:43:32 - No, no. - But like,
00:43:34 I don't think these guys can play well this week.
00:43:38 - I wish that they were better.
00:43:39 You know, we went through and did a deep dive
00:43:41 on the Blue Jays versus the Mariners on Friday,
00:43:43 Casalani and I did.
00:43:44 And we went through their entire roster,
00:43:45 and their infield is remarkable.
00:43:48 The talent is remarkable on that team.
00:43:50 Like George Springer and Kevin Kiermaier
00:43:52 are sharing that outfield.
00:43:53 It's just, it's an amazing roster.
00:43:57 But you say it best, they just Blue Jays themselves.
00:43:59 - Dude, they gave up 18 runs.
00:44:01 They gave up 18 runs to the Guardians this weekend.
00:44:04 That can't happen.
00:44:05 - No, they, Hubbs and I talk about it.
00:44:08 We talk about this every week.
00:44:09 They constantly underachieve.
00:44:11 It's been the story of the Blue Jays the last two years.
00:44:14 And this year might be the most obvious case of it.
00:44:16 I mean, that roster should be winning 95 games
00:44:20 without a problem.
00:44:21 And they're gonna struggle to make,
00:44:22 they're probably, they could miss the playoffs.
00:44:24 They're probably gonna miss the playoffs.
00:44:25 It's crazy.
00:44:26 - You know what's bizarre?
00:44:27 Is I think they've gotten worse each of the last two years.
00:44:30 Like the team that missed the playoffs two years ago
00:44:33 when Robbie Ray won the Cy Young,
00:44:35 and Vlade finished second for the MVP.
00:44:37 I think that team was more dangerous
00:44:39 than last year's team was.
00:44:41 And I think that last year's team was more dangerous
00:44:43 than this year's team is.
00:44:44 Like, I don't know.
00:44:45 I feel like with some of the trades they made,
00:44:48 they kind of disassembled their core.
00:44:49 And I feel like it's worked to their disadvantage.
00:44:51 But you know, they're not on this list.
00:44:54 We're on to six now, right?
00:44:56 - Yeah, we're on to six.
00:44:57 It's Hubbs pick.
00:44:58 It's Braves, Dodgers, Orioles, Mariners, Rays,
00:45:01 one through five.
00:45:02 We've got six, seven, eight here.
00:45:03 And then we're gonna get to the ninth team.
00:45:05 Let's bang, let's get some,
00:45:07 let's get some fluidity here.
00:45:10 I feel very comfortable Hubbs
00:45:11 is about to fire a great take.
00:45:13 - I got the Brewers at six.
00:45:15 - Yes!
00:45:16 - I love what they've done.
00:45:18 They kept momentum going.
00:45:19 They just, I watched their win today.
00:45:22 They exploded against San Diego in one inning.
00:45:25 They pretty much, they did end San Diego season
00:45:27 once and for all.
00:45:28 Like, that's it.
00:45:28 You had the image of Manny Machado going ballistic
00:45:31 in the dugout.
00:45:32 They're cooked.
00:45:33 Man, I don't really like,
00:45:35 know how much I really like them
00:45:37 because I feel like I've shit on them
00:45:39 a good amount on the show.
00:45:40 And like, I'm not in love with their offense,
00:45:42 but they have some solid pitching, man,
00:45:44 and a good pen.
00:45:45 I don't know, man.
00:45:48 They're 73 and 57.
00:45:49 They're comfortably in first place now in the central.
00:45:52 They put some space between them and the Cubs and the Reds.
00:45:57 I got the Brewers here at six.
00:45:58 You could make a case for Texas,
00:46:00 but man, I'm watching them right now
00:46:01 and they're on the verge of losing nine of 10
00:46:05 and losing to the Twins here.
00:46:06 And I don't love what I'm seeing out of the Texas Rangers.
00:46:09 And it's the 13th fucking inning
00:46:11 and they can't beat the Twins.
00:46:12 Like, they're not playing good baseball right now.
00:46:15 And I have the Brewers there.
00:46:17 - You know what?
00:46:19 I had them lower,
00:46:20 but I'm gonna ride with you with that pick.
00:46:23 I think that there's a lot of logic behind that pick.
00:46:25 And also, I think that when you look at this,
00:46:28 you know, kind of going a week by week basis,
00:46:30 we look at who's playing the best.
00:46:31 And ultimately the Rangers,
00:46:32 as good as they've been this year,
00:46:34 you know, could lose eight or nine on 10,
00:46:36 eight out of 10, what have you.
00:46:38 The Astros are still very good, but a little bit stagnant.
00:46:41 I think it's fair that we throw a bone to a team
00:46:43 that has been pretty darn consistent all year
00:46:45 and is playing really good baseball going into September.
00:46:48 I mean, we've talked about the NL Central
00:46:50 a lot on this podcast.
00:46:51 There was a time where we were certain
00:46:53 it was gonna be the Cubs.
00:46:54 There was a time where at least a few of us, not clever,
00:46:57 thought it was gonna be the Reds.
00:46:58 And yet it's been this Brewers team
00:47:00 that has been in first place
00:47:01 or close to first place all year.
00:47:03 They do it quietly.
00:47:05 Like, I can't act like I'm in love with their roster,
00:47:07 but the one advantage they will have,
00:47:09 the deeper this thing goes when we get to big games,
00:47:11 potentially into October, is they have a manager
00:47:14 that I really trust to manage the bullpen late in games.
00:47:17 And Devin Williams is maybe the best closer
00:47:19 in the entire sport.
00:47:20 Like, they can shorten ball games like they did in 2018
00:47:23 when they made it to the NLCS.
00:47:25 They become more dangerous every day.
00:47:27 Yeah, do I find them a little bit boring at points?
00:47:29 Who gives a shit?
00:47:30 You know, what matters is W's and not L's.
00:47:32 They've won a lot of games.
00:47:33 They've done it quietly.
00:47:35 They're having a phenomenal season.
00:47:37 So yeah, you know, I can ride with them at six.
00:47:40 - Yeah, so the Brewers have the worst slugging percentage
00:47:43 in the National League.
00:47:44 Here's what these guys have in common.
00:47:46 Robbie Tellez, Bryce Taron, Willie Ademus,
00:47:50 Joey Weimer, and Tyrone Taylor
00:47:52 all have on-base percentages under 300.
00:47:54 That's their starting lineup, a good chunk of it.
00:47:56 They can't hit.
00:47:58 They're on pace for 90 wins,
00:47:59 and I think they will in the division.
00:48:00 I have them at nine.
00:48:02 The idea that they're better than the Orioles, Rangers,
00:48:04 Phillies is just insanity.
00:48:07 Like that is just, I think we're watching a different sport.
00:48:10 - Who said they're better than the Orioles?
00:48:12 - Yeah, we didn't have them ahead of the Orioles.
00:48:13 - I'm sorry, the Astros, Rangers, Phillies.
00:48:16 - The Rangers have dropped too many.
00:48:17 - The Rangers are a mess right now.
00:48:20 - They had a bad week.
00:48:21 I don't know.
00:48:22 - Dude, it's two weeks.
00:48:24 - They've lost nine out of 10.
00:48:25 - The Brewers have had a bad year offensively.
00:48:27 They can't hit.
00:48:28 - In October, the games are three-two.
00:48:32 The games are two-nothing, two-one.
00:48:36 They're built for that.
00:48:37 What's the record since Sal Freelick came up?
00:48:39 How's he playing?
00:48:40 - I'm worried about Texas.
00:48:41 - Sal Freelick has a, he's good, 238, 373, 400.
00:48:46 He's nice.
00:48:48 - That's a fine young, good young player.
00:48:49 - I like him, he's good.
00:48:51 Brewers are red hot right now, for sure.
00:48:52 They've had a hell of a week,
00:48:54 but I'm not scared of them.
00:48:57 Like I'm scared of the Astros coming to town.
00:49:01 I just think the Brewers just-
00:49:02 - But that's why they get you, dude.
00:49:04 They're a different team than what you're thinking of.
00:49:07 Like they do everything well, except hit for power.
00:49:09 Like they-
00:49:10 - They don't hit.
00:49:11 They don't hit, Carl.
00:49:12 Like that's a flat out, that's a fact.
00:49:16 They are, excuse me,
00:49:17 they are 12th in runs in the National League.
00:49:20 - Has Clemmer looked at any of our picks?
00:49:22 Has Clemmer agreed with any picks?
00:49:24 - They're last in hits because they can't hit.
00:49:27 - Who's up?
00:49:30 I'm up seven.
00:49:32 - Yeah.
00:49:33 - I'm gonna sit down a public apology
00:49:35 for these rankings before we start.
00:49:37 - They've scored 30 runs in the last four games.
00:49:39 Does that mean anything to you?
00:49:40 - Clemmer doesn't give a fuck.
00:49:42 - It's four games, what are we doing?
00:49:44 - Dude, during this winning streak,
00:49:46 dude, dude, during this winning streak they're on,
00:49:47 they haven't scored less than five runs
00:49:49 and it's only been one game.
00:49:51 The rest has been over that.
00:49:53 - They've been amazing this past week.
00:49:55 Who have those wins been against?
00:49:57 - Texas.
00:49:59 - Right.
00:50:00 - The team where- - Rodgers.
00:50:01 - The team where I'm literally arguing against is Texas.
00:50:04 - Yup.
00:50:05 - Minnesota and the Padres.
00:50:06 - Okay.
00:50:08 - All right, I like, I'm up.
00:50:09 I like what Clemmer said, they had a bad week.
00:50:11 So I'm gonna put the Rangers here.
00:50:13 I'm not gonna be a bitch and knock the Rangers down too far.
00:50:15 But they have had, they've been bad enough to,
00:50:18 we gotta send a message.
00:50:19 So they're going seven.
00:50:20 That's my take on the Rangers.
00:50:22 - I would have flipped and the Rangers just lost.
00:50:25 I probably would have flipped Astros, Rangers,
00:50:28 but I can't argue with, you know, they're tied.
00:50:31 They're tied for first place.
00:50:31 I mean, they've been,
00:50:33 until this most recent 10 game stretch,
00:50:35 they've been one of the most consistent teams
00:50:37 in the entire sport.
00:50:38 The reason why I do like, for now, we'll see what happens,
00:50:42 like kind of agree with Hubs' take
00:50:44 about putting the Brewers ahead of them is,
00:50:45 I mean, the Rangers bullpen sucks.
00:50:48 It's really bad.
00:50:49 And even if a Evaldi comes back healthy,
00:50:52 I mean, guys, I've seen it a million times in October.
00:50:55 You can have these great lineups
00:50:56 and you can have this great starting pitching.
00:50:58 Bad bullpens get exposed against good lineups
00:51:01 in the post season.
00:51:02 And, you know, they made their move to go get Chapman.
00:51:06 And that's sometimes what happens,
00:51:07 where you get a reliever who's struggled for a few years.
00:51:09 They have a great first half.
00:51:11 You put them in high leverage.
00:51:12 He's blown multiple saves,
00:51:13 given up some big home runs in big moments.
00:51:15 The seven is, it makes sense.
00:51:19 Can't argue it.
00:51:20 But obviously of all the teams on this list,
00:51:22 they're the one that's trending downward the most.
00:51:25 - The bullpen is bad.
00:51:26 I'm concerned about it too.
00:51:28 That's a real and honest and good fear.
00:51:31 Evaldi, I think it's coming back next week.
00:51:32 I think he might even make a rehab assignment.
00:51:35 So now, which Evaldi do we get back?
00:51:37 I don't know exactly.
00:51:38 I think, you know, I've been saying all year
00:51:41 how talented this Rangers team is,
00:51:42 but you're right, Chris, like that bullpen is,
00:51:46 I mean, even today, they,
00:51:47 Chris Stratton gave a grand slam.
00:51:48 I could, they just, that bullpen is a train wreck.
00:51:51 And, you know, with Bruce Bochy,
00:51:53 I thought they would have figured it out.
00:51:56 You know, he's famously known
00:51:57 for being maybe the best bullpen manager
00:51:59 of the last 20 years.
00:52:00 And they haven't.
00:52:02 I have them at, you know, I said six, but seven,
00:52:05 you know, I have them here, that's fine.
00:52:06 I mean, we still have not said the Astros, right?
00:52:09 Am I wrong about that?
00:52:10 - Correct, yeah.
00:52:11 - Okay.
00:52:12 - Really, the question is basically between seven, eight,
00:52:14 nine, we have Rangers, Astros,
00:52:16 I would guess Phillies would be that third team.
00:52:18 - Yeah, so I would have it.
00:52:21 - Yep.
00:52:21 - What's left.
00:52:22 - Unless I'm, okay, so we're basically figuring out
00:52:25 where the seven, eight, nine, this third tier.
00:52:28 So I'm saying Rangers because I really like
00:52:30 Clemmer's point of, you have a bad week.
00:52:32 I'm not gonna completely bury,
00:52:34 I mean, there's times we've come in here,
00:52:35 Rangers two, Rangers two, Rangers three.
00:52:38 So now like, am I ready to completely abandon them
00:52:41 when they've outplayed the Astros?
00:52:42 And I do like their lineup significantly more
00:52:44 than I like the Astros lineup, significantly more.
00:52:47 - Yeah.
00:52:49 - So that's where my attitude is with the Rangers here.
00:52:51 - I'll say this with the Rangers, a good sign,
00:52:55 bullpen's a big problem, it was Chapman,
00:52:57 not good again today.
00:52:59 Jordan Montgomery and Max Scherzer
00:53:00 have been really good for them.
00:53:02 Jordan Montgomery especially,
00:53:03 today I think he up three and a little over five,
00:53:06 but before that, every start was two runs or less,
00:53:10 he's been excellent for them.
00:53:11 I think his ERA is slightly above three on New Year's,
00:53:14 so that was a really good trade Brian Cashman made.
00:53:17 And Max Scherzer's been plenty fine as well.
00:53:20 I think like, one okay start or whatever
00:53:23 and everything else has been really good.
00:53:25 So yeah, you add Yuvaldi back into that equation,
00:53:27 you have a really good, really good one, two, three,
00:53:30 I feel like, so I still have him,
00:53:33 I agree where we have him, I think it's in the right spot.
00:53:36 - Yeah, no, I like that rotation a lot too,
00:53:38 I better hope they go eight innings each,
00:53:40 right with the way things are going right now.
00:53:42 'Cause even, you know, Clemmer brought up
00:53:43 the bullpen management, it's not the management
00:53:45 of the bullpen, that's, guys gotta execute.
00:53:47 I mean, you know, Chapman came out of the pen today,
00:53:49 could not throw strikes, I mean, he may,
00:53:51 you're gonna make that move 10 times out of 10.
00:53:54 So yeah, I mean, eighth is my spot.
00:53:57 I mean, you know, I basically have these teams tied.
00:53:59 I'm going Houston here in eight, they're tied for first.
00:54:02 The issue, the reason I'm not like,
00:54:05 I'm keeping an arm's length with them
00:54:08 is that there's been a level of inconsistency with them
00:54:12 that we already talked about a little bit earlier,
00:54:13 I don't wanna beat a dead horse.
00:54:15 But also, I said weeks, months ago
00:54:18 that their big trade deadline acquisition
00:54:21 wouldn't be a trade, that they were gonna get
00:54:22 Jordan Alvarez back and that would allow
00:54:24 the offense to take off.
00:54:25 And, you know, he had that double there
00:54:28 in the ninth inning against a position,
00:54:30 yeah, in the ninth inning against a position player today.
00:54:32 But he doesn't quite look like the most feared hitter
00:54:35 in baseball, which is a guy, which he can be
00:54:37 when he's at 100%.
00:54:40 You know, Tuve's done his thing,
00:54:41 Kyle Tucker's just had a phenomenal year.
00:54:43 They are the team near the bottom of this list
00:54:46 that I could see ascending the quickest.
00:54:48 Talk about the pedigree, that pitching staff
00:54:50 being what it's been, you know,
00:54:51 from our seven hit list the other night,
00:54:53 though we did walk five.
00:54:55 They are still a remarkably dangerous ball club.
00:54:58 I think eight is a fitting spot for them.
00:55:00 But honestly, by the end of next week,
00:55:02 depending where the standings are,
00:55:04 I could see them being as high as four.
00:55:05 I mean, the difference between the four
00:55:08 through eight teams here is so minuscule.
00:55:11 So it's an excellent team, I got them at eight.
00:55:13 - Jordan, by the way, so I can present it,
00:55:15 since coming up at the IL is a 380.
00:55:18 - Yeah, he's not healthy.
00:55:19 - That's concerning for sure.
00:55:21 - Mm-hmm.
00:55:22 - There's a lot of weird shit going on with this team.
00:55:25 I don't get it.
00:55:26 - Well, they weren't good at the start of the season.
00:55:28 - Right, right, I don't get it.
00:55:31 - They've been in stall or neutral or...
00:55:33 - Yeah, the Astros and Blue Jays, to me,
00:55:37 are the two most confusing, I guess the Padres,
00:55:39 to some extent, too, are the most confusing teams
00:55:41 this year for me in baseball.
00:55:43 - You know who they remind,
00:55:44 you know who this Astros team reminds me of,
00:55:45 or this team reminds me of, is the--
00:55:47 - My Tigers team.
00:55:48 - No, not-- - 2017.
00:55:50 - Yep, where it's you win the World Series
00:55:52 and you come back the next year, you're not bad.
00:55:54 I mean, the Cubs made it to the NLCS,
00:55:55 but there was just, you could just tell for that,
00:55:58 you know, whole season, that magic championship pixie dust
00:56:03 that lasted through '16 wasn't there.
00:56:05 Now, the Astros, I still think, can win the World Series.
00:56:07 It's not to say that they have no shot,
00:56:08 but there's been a bit more, you know,
00:56:11 mud on the tires, so to speak,
00:56:13 I feel like, throughout this season for them.
00:56:15 - The 2017 Cubs were two games under .500
00:56:17 at the All-Star break, 43 and 45.
00:56:19 - No.
00:56:20 - Went to the NLCS.
00:56:22 World Series hangovers are real.
00:56:24 The Phillies were slow.
00:56:28 - Yeah, again, and I think that's probably
00:56:31 where we're gonna have them next.
00:56:32 Clemmer, it's you at nine, right?
00:56:33 - No, there's no one at nine.
00:56:34 We all-- - No one hits nine.
00:56:36 - Well, it's kind of-- - We're a team--
00:56:37 - I think we all agree the Phillies make the most sense.
00:56:41 - Easily.
00:56:41 - Now, what, the only other thing I would say
00:56:43 is I agree the Phillies at nine,
00:56:44 but the way I would like to talk about the Phillies
00:56:46 and like, what other teams would you even be considering
00:56:49 in this spot here?
00:56:50 - I mean, I don't consider, like, the next tier for me
00:56:54 is like, Bujes, Cubs.
00:56:56 - I agree.
00:56:58 I agree, I don't even know, I don't know if the Phillies
00:57:01 are close to where the Astros have been
00:57:05 throughout this season.
00:57:06 - Red Sox? - Like, closer.
00:57:08 - No, no, no, I'm saying, no, no, the Phillies are nine,
00:57:11 and I'm saying the next tier for me includes Bujes,
00:57:14 Red Sox, Cubs.
00:57:16 Like, in that, you know, in that world.
00:57:19 - Can I throw out another team that started to,
00:57:23 now they're not there, that started to maybe play their way
00:57:25 back a little bit into just that honorable mentioned tier,
00:57:30 the Arizona Diamondbacks.
00:57:31 They went through a stretch where they were,
00:57:33 they were the worst team in baseball for a month,
00:57:35 and now they're back in position to maybe,
00:57:37 I think they're, I believe, tied for that last wildcard spot,
00:57:40 if not, they're maybe half game back, full game back,
00:57:43 what have you.
00:57:44 You know, it seems like they're maybe turning the corner
00:57:46 a little bit again.
00:57:47 Great top of that rotation.
00:57:49 Definitely not deserving of a spot in these top nine,
00:57:52 but for a minute there, it seemed like they were cratering
00:57:55 to a point where I wasn't sure if they were gonna finish
00:57:57 above 500.
00:57:58 They're starting to play their way back
00:57:59 into playoff contention.
00:58:00 So credit to Tori Lovello for kind of keeping that,
00:58:03 you know, that train on the track.
00:58:05 - Yeah, I'd have them above Boston for sure.
00:58:07 I think there's probably Blue Jays, Diamondbacks,
00:58:10 and there's a gap, and then Boston, and then maybe the Cubs.
00:58:12 - How about the Cubs?
00:58:13 - Yeah, well, Cubs probably more in that Blue Jays area,
00:58:16 and then I think the Red Sox,
00:58:18 they just can't string together good, like,
00:58:21 10 game stretches, I feel like.
00:58:23 Like, they just take a step back.
00:58:24 You know, I mean, they're not a better,
00:58:27 the Dodgers did what the Dodgers do to them,
00:58:29 and they did, you know, pull off, I guess,
00:58:31 a split against Houston, so that is a little admirable,
00:58:33 but Yoshida's, I mean, Red Sox fans hate
00:58:37 when I talk about him, but he's taken a nosedive
00:58:40 for Boston in the last, like, 30 games.
00:58:43 He's hit, has like a 500 OPS, it's weird.
00:58:46 Yeah, I don't know. - He's a story, too.
00:58:49 He had his first home run of the year,
00:58:51 you know, so like, that just shows you how he hasn't,
00:58:53 he's been, you know, I know he's been back for 15 games,
00:58:55 but like, he's just not hitting to where he shouldn't be.
00:58:57 I know he's coming off the I.L.
00:58:59 No, I don't think they're a great team,
00:59:01 I just think they need to be in the conversation.
00:59:03 - Yeah, they had a chance to, like,
00:59:05 get more into the conversation this week,
00:59:07 and they kind of stayed at, like, just where they were.
00:59:09 I feel like they didn't do enough
00:59:10 to, like, get into the conversation.
00:59:13 What happened to the Giants?
00:59:14 Like, they've fallen off, and I don't really understand it.
00:59:17 - I think their schedule got really tough,
00:59:21 you know, they played opponents that were better than them,
00:59:24 and ultimately, while they do a really good job
00:59:26 of platooning guys and everything,
00:59:28 they have zero star power, is their big issue.
00:59:31 I feel like, you know, they have a good
00:59:33 organizational system, they have that pitching lab there
00:59:37 that works, but they just, they have no stars,
00:59:40 and really zero bad, I know they've had guys
00:59:42 who've had good years, but zero bats in that lineup
00:59:44 that really, really scare you.
00:59:46 I know, like, Flores has had a good year,
00:59:48 and I've always liked, you know, guys like Jock,
00:59:50 but for the most part, I don't think that there's anyone
00:59:53 in that lineup that is overly terrifying.
00:59:56 - Their last 12, 13 games are against the Braves,
00:59:59 Phillies, Rangers, Braves, like, that's--
01:00:02 - Yeah. - That'll do it.
01:00:03 - So that's what happened, they just ran into a sawmill.
01:00:07 So does that mean they can bounce back then?
01:00:09 - Yes, yes, they're good, they're solid.
01:00:12 - So we keep our eye on them.
01:00:14 - I have an eye on 'em.
01:00:15 - Okay. - I haven't taken one off.
01:00:17 - They're a game and a half out of the wild card right now,
01:00:18 and if that schedule eases up, if that's,
01:00:21 honestly, that's the best reason, right?
01:00:23 Like, if I hear, "Why is the team in bad for two weeks?"
01:00:25 Oh, they went into just a buzz mill
01:00:26 of just insanely great teams, all right, great.
01:00:29 - Yeah. - That's the best news
01:00:32 you could probably get.
01:00:32 - No, it's even better than worse, actually.
01:00:35 It was Rangers, Braves, Braves, Phillies, Braves.
01:00:38 Every single team they've played is on this fucking list.
01:00:40 - Yeah, and it gets easy, I mean,
01:00:42 it can't get harder than that.
01:00:44 So, home to the Reds, at the Padres, at the Cubs,
01:00:47 then Rockies, Guardians, Rockies, so.
01:00:51 - All right, that's like--
01:00:52 - Some of those teams aren't slouches,
01:00:54 but they're not what we just said they just played.
01:00:57 They do end the year two of the last three series
01:00:59 are against the Dodgers.
01:01:00 How attentive the Dodgers are in those games
01:01:04 remains to be seen.
01:01:05 They're gonna have a 15-game lead in the division
01:01:07 and, you know, kinda just like coasting at that point.
01:01:10 So, you're not really playing the full Dodgers,
01:01:12 but yeah, that's a gauntlet and it's understandable
01:01:15 that they slipped up.
01:01:17 - Interesting here, Giants can make the playoff.
01:01:20 Plus 165, yes.
01:01:22 - I like that.
01:01:24 - It's not a bad stab.
01:01:25 - I think it's closer to,
01:01:28 it's probably closer to a pick 'em,
01:01:32 plus one, you know, maybe plus 105 or,
01:01:34 yeah, it is, there's a lot of value, I like that a lot.
01:01:37 It's a good Giants team.
01:01:40 - This exercise, and repeatedly going through this,
01:01:43 reinforces a couple things.
01:01:45 You know, the Braves and the Dodgers being in the class,
01:01:47 that's one of those big reinforcements.
01:01:49 As we go through this, we're sitting here talking about,
01:01:51 dude, we're talking about who could be like
01:01:52 the fucking 13th best team in Major League Baseball
01:01:55 at the bottom of this list.
01:01:56 You know, where do the Cubs and the Blue Jays
01:01:58 and the Giants and stuff filter in?
01:02:00 So, the two teams at the top,
01:02:01 between the Braves and the Dodgers,
01:02:04 this exercise really just reinforces
01:02:06 how much better they are.
01:02:07 And then the other thing is the tiering of teams.
01:02:10 They're clearly at the top,
01:02:11 there's another group in the middle.
01:02:13 I like, it just, it's a good exercise for me to think about
01:02:16 how far away my own team is,
01:02:18 like where are the Cubs as they line up to this?
01:02:20 Because as a baseball fan, yeah, we should win today,
01:02:23 we wanna win every day, I wanna win, I wanna win,
01:02:25 I wanna win, it's so fucking hard.
01:02:27 And this is, it just gives good perspective,
01:02:31 it's giving me good perspective about how fucking far away
01:02:33 the Cubs are and how good the top of the league is.
01:02:36 - And even, dude, these teams are,
01:02:38 I mean, the Phillies went to the fucking World Series
01:02:39 last year with all this talent.
01:02:41 Trey Turner, they add Trey Turner,
01:02:43 a disaster for most of the season.
01:02:45 And it's like, dude, you're marginally
01:02:47 a top 10 team in the league.
01:02:49 - Yeah. - Yeah.
01:02:50 - And they're better than they were last year.
01:02:52 Like, I think they're, and also we gotta mention,
01:02:54 Bryce Harper is insanely hot right now.
01:02:57 And that could, I mean, we saw what happened in October.
01:03:00 If he returns to full health, which he hasn't been,
01:03:04 he came back from Tommy John record time,
01:03:06 that they will send up this list.
01:03:08 I mean, they're a dangerous group.
01:03:09 - The reason I have them ahead of the race.
01:03:11 - Yeah, that's fair, I get it.
01:03:12 - Brewers fans, welcome to the list.
01:03:16 - I had the Brewers too.
01:03:18 - But the Brewers- - Oh, sorry.
01:03:20 - No, go ahead, brother.
01:03:22 - Unrelated, but we, as baseball fans,
01:03:25 I talk about Ellie Daly-Cruz so much,
01:03:27 like, and he's electrifying.
01:03:29 He has the same weighted runs,
01:03:31 created plus as Anthony Volpe.
01:03:34 So, like, yeah, like he's taken a little bit of a,
01:03:38 it's a little bit of Volpe's figuring it out more
01:03:40 as Ellie's taking a nosedive, but it is interesting,
01:03:43 the narratives behind those two players.
01:03:45 Like, you know, people have gotten on Volpe,
01:03:47 although I think he's actually putting together
01:03:49 a fine rookie season.
01:03:50 And Ellie is just like viewed as this guy,
01:03:52 'cause he's fucking electrifying, he is.
01:03:55 But look at the same kind of stats right now,
01:03:58 which is, yeah, kind of crazy.
01:04:00 - We talked positively about Volpe on Wednesday,
01:04:02 Klemmerling, so I mean, he's got pop.
01:04:04 He's got a lot of pop for a young high school draftee.
01:04:09 - He's gonna be a 2020 guy in his rookie year.
01:04:12 - Dude, it's the advantage
01:04:13 that comes with hitting right away.
01:04:15 When you're that young prospect that gets called up
01:04:17 and starts seeing the ball well those first two weeks,
01:04:19 like, there are still Detroit Tiger fans
01:04:22 who think that Akil Badu is gonna be an all-star,
01:04:24 'cause he had a great first week two years ago.
01:04:26 Like, and now, Ellie Daly-Cruz
01:04:27 is gonna turn into a wonderful player,
01:04:29 but I think when you have those moments like he had,
01:04:32 just reinvigorating a franchise
01:04:34 the first month of his career,
01:04:36 people start to, you know,
01:04:38 eventually people are gonna start to look at the numbers
01:04:39 and be like, "Eh, maybe ease up a little bit here,"
01:04:41 but he's still gonna be excellent.
01:04:43 - Oh, by the way, since the all-star break,
01:04:45 Dela Cruz, 186 batting average, 257 on base, 385 select.
01:04:50 - So it wasn't the pick and comer.
01:04:52 - He's got a huge hole in his swing.
01:04:54 - He did say that.
01:04:55 - No. - Huge.
01:04:57 - Carl has said that, yep.
01:04:59 - Gaping, gaping hole.
01:05:01 - Ginormous.
01:05:03 (laughing)
01:05:05 - You want me to read off the one through nine?
01:05:08 The Mariners discussion at four,
01:05:10 the Lawrence and Coopers time,
01:05:11 someone send the tape recording that.
01:05:12 - Someone drove off the road
01:05:14 listening to that in Salonica River.
01:05:16 (laughing)
01:05:18 - I disavow this ranking, by the way, disavow.
01:05:21 - No!
01:05:22 - Yes. - You can't disavow.
01:05:23 - Why not? - This is our first
01:05:24 disavowment, you piece of shit.
01:05:27 Braves won, Dodgers two, Orioles three, Mariners four,
01:05:30 Rays five, Brewers six, Rangers seven,
01:05:33 Astros eight, Phillies nine.
01:05:35 A disavowed power ranking.
01:05:37 The first in our show's history.
01:05:39 - This is a setback.
01:05:40 - Hopefully you guys can get your minds right.
01:05:43 - Get your mind right!
01:05:44 - Hopefully by next week you can get your minds right,
01:05:46 'cause right now you guys are in the sauce right now.
01:05:48 (laughing)
01:05:50 - I don't wanna be right, 'cause I hate the Rays.
01:05:52 They fucking, they cleared the benches twice today
01:05:55 and didn't throw a punch.
01:05:56 Fucking losers.
01:05:58 - By the way, I went to a Mets game today
01:06:00 and it was actually fun.
01:06:01 It was like the Mets, I felt like I was in a time machine
01:06:04 from last year.
01:06:05 It was like, they had clutch hits, great starting pitching.
01:06:08 It was like such, I forgot it was fun
01:06:09 to go to baseball games.
01:06:10 It was actually, I went yesterday, it was a disaster.
01:06:13 - I will say, your tweet about you were keeping score
01:06:16 for the Angels game and Shohan had doubled,
01:06:18 tripled in the first two innings,
01:06:20 and you were like, "I'm freaking out."
01:06:22 I was just trying to picture you in your seat
01:06:24 like squirming around.
01:06:25 - Oh, I was doing, yeah.
01:06:25 - What if he hits the cycle, oh my God!
01:06:28 What if he hits the cycle?
01:06:28 - I was doing that.
01:06:29 I've never seen a cycle.
01:06:30 I was freaking out.
01:06:32 I was with my buddy, I'm like, "Oh my God, oh my God!"
01:06:34 And he's like, "All right."
01:06:35 I'm like, "No, no, you don't understand."
01:06:37 (screaming)
01:06:39 I've been to eight hurt baseball games,
01:06:40 I've never seen a cycle.
01:06:41 - Yeah. - Oh my God!
01:06:43 (laughing)
01:06:46 - That's Selena Gomez' song though, huh, Clemmer?
01:06:49 - Yeah. - Good stuff, Hom G.
01:06:50 - I just get a text from Clemmer on Friday
01:06:53 and he just goes, "You weren't wrong
01:06:54 "about that Selena Gomez song, wow."
01:06:56 (laughing)
01:06:59 Dude, getting that text as I'm just like going for a walk
01:07:04 was one of the funnier things ever.
01:07:06 I like said it to myself, I feel like in the office
01:07:09 and he just goes, "You weren't kidding.
01:07:11 "New Selena Gomez song is great."
01:07:14 (laughing)
01:07:16 43-year-old man just hyped up about Selena Gomez
01:07:19 and Shohei halfway to the triple.
01:07:21 - I put it on my playlist, I have it.
01:07:25 - So funny.
01:07:26 - That made my-- - How many songs
01:07:28 are on that playlist, Clemmer?
01:07:30 How many songs are on that playlist?
01:07:31 - I have like 25 songs, all mix and match, but yeah.
01:07:33 - But you'll take songs off that, right?
01:07:35 Like you're not, it's relevant, right?
01:07:37 You just keep what's hot right now.
01:07:39 - Yeah, I have like about 30 songs I listen to, yeah.
01:07:42 And that made the cut.
01:07:44 The new Miley Cyrus song did not, just saying.
01:07:47 - This is the Barcelona baseball show.
01:07:51 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:07:53 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:07:53 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:07:54 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:07:55 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:07:56 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:07:57 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:07:58 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:07:58 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:07:59 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:08:00 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:08:01 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:08:02 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:08:03 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:08:03 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:08:04 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:08:05 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:08:06 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:08:07 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:08:08 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:08:08 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:08:09 - I'm not gonna say it.
01:08:10 - Oh, that's what you say after you lose a bet.
01:08:12 I don't like what you're saying.
01:08:13 - I don't wanna talk about my bets right now.
01:08:14 - Yeah, no, you're fuckin' ice cold, pal.
01:08:16 You are ice cold.
01:08:17 - Dude, it's bad, it's bad.
01:08:18 I am, I am.
01:08:19 - The show is over.
01:08:21 - Couldn't have no worse person.
01:08:23 - This is Barstool Baseball, guys.
01:08:25 Please subscribe on YouTube.
01:08:27 Comment on Instagram.
01:08:30 Talk shit to Clemmer.
01:08:32 - No.
01:08:33 - Most importantly, subscribe, though.
01:08:35 Thank you guys for tuning in.
01:08:36 We will be back on Wednesday.
01:08:38 Until then.
01:08:39 (whooshing)
01:08:41 [BLANK_AUDIO]