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00:00Our number one in the books our number two on deck right on the early line for a Tuesday morning here
00:05It's showing here. It's Donnie right side. It's Sirius XM channel 159 and away we go
00:09We talked a lot ad nauseam about basketball an hour number one recapping you up on the NBA
00:14We'll get to some of those games a little bit later in the show talking about the NCAA tournament sort of
00:18Reracking the anticipation for the sweet 16 and the elite eight
00:22But also we might have had opening day quote-unquote already Joe last week in Japan between the Cubs and the Ducks
00:30But opening day for us in America is Thursday, and I'm anticipated looking forward to that a lot of cold weather
00:37blustery conditions
00:3845 degrees rain in the forecast cancellations to push opening day back to a Friday
00:43It's always the fun we have but are you ready Joe for the Major League Baseball season, which is just a few short days away
00:51Yeah, I am but I'm also a little disgusted with Major League Baseball
00:56Because why you would start the season it with in the beginning of
01:01The sweet 16 into the elite eight into is much you had
01:06Monday Tuesday and Wednesday this week that a captive audience in the entire world going all right now
01:12It's Major League Baseball
01:13You could have took Thursday and Friday off for all I care
01:17But you could have given us baseball these three days leading into the sweet 16
01:21But no now you're gonna force us to have to decide here
01:25And I'm fairly certain most people are gonna be watching college basketball and not Major League Baseball this week
01:32It is a good point like let's just say even if Major League Baseball opened up on a Monday like there's no argument
01:37Well people won't be able to get off work stop it like opening day
01:40Everybody just so for work if you have tickets and they're sold out across the landscape you can get that nice
01:45Monday Tuesday Wednesday, and then that normal travel day Thursday
01:48And then you play maybe Friday night games or Friday afternoon games
01:51It would make some sense
01:52But maybe they make I always like to say they make too much money where they don't care about making even more money or absolutely
01:57Making sense at this point which you're right about what a day it is and by the way
02:01Thursday's slate in NCAA action one of the best cards you are going to see on a night-to-night basis in years here
02:08And that's what Major League Baseball is going up against but to kick off our number two
02:12We do like to see some of these futures and how they might play out during the 2025 Major League Baseball season
02:17Which again gets underway on Thursday?
02:19So we're gonna start with the AL pennant odds here at the fan blue sports book
02:23And I gotta tell you like I see the numbers and if they've been out for quite some time now
02:28Starting to adjust move around as we have for opening day the Yankees are the leaders in the clubhouse which some might say yeah
02:34It does make some sense at a plus 390 price, which I would argue. Here's what I don't think is correct here
02:40Orioles Red Sox Rangers Astros
02:42Mariners as high as 10 to 1 if we just put a cutoff for the first couple teams here the Yankees can be favorites
02:49But to be the favorites at plus 390 and the orders are next at plus 650. I don't see it Joe. I'm sorry
02:56The problem with the Yankees and listen
02:59You're never gonna be able to replace a player like Juan Soto much like the Dallas Mavericks are never gonna replace
03:06Luka Donchik in the next 20 30 or the rest of their existence the Yankees had a
03:13Generational talent which is saying something given the fact that they still have Aaron judge in that lineup
03:17But you're never gonna replace them
03:19But what they did do knowing they took all that money
03:22They would have had to invest in him and I thought they did a really good job in the offseason
03:26I think Cody Ballinger is going to be an absolute monster at Yankee Stadium with that short porch in right field
03:33I think Paul Goldschmidt in in Yankee pinstripes. I think he's looking to have a nice bounce-back season
03:40I think all of this what they did in the bullpen
03:43I don't like not having Garrett Cole, but you went out and got Max Fried
03:46You got Devin Williams
03:48The problem is this team up and down this roster is all injury prone and I don't the Yankees don't have any farm
03:56System they've got nothing that they can say. Well, don't worry
03:59We can bring guys back up and weather the storm if there are any
04:03Significant injuries for any significant length of time the Yankees aren't winning 85 games much less
04:10The American League pennant here Donnie. I think health has everything to do with whether or not the Yankees can compete again
04:18The interest that like the American League like I don't say the American League is down
04:22But you compare it like to the top teams in the National League is like oh good line
04:25It's good pitching staffs and you see the Yankees as the prohibitive favorite right now to win
04:29The AL pennant and I look at the lineup and I do think you're right on this one thing
04:33There could be lightning in a bottle with Cody Bellinger
04:36You want his homerun props as our props in this season if you are a lefty swinger out there
04:41Which he is and you have that short right field porch and you know, the guy loves launch angle
04:45He's just gonna walk into some home runs at Yankee Stadium that he wouldn't get anywhere else playing the majority of his games there
04:51But having said that look at the X like the opening day roster starting lineup here
04:55Austin Wells Aaron judge Cody Bellinger now judge Bellinger. Nobody's gonna argue
04:59I think they're both gonna have really good season barring injury here
05:01Then you have Goldschmidt who's ancient at this point jazz Chisholm Volpe Dominguez rice in as well
05:07Do Cabrera like I look like oh, they must have and no they don't like Stan
05:10Yes with two bad elbows on not one two bad elbows
05:14So who knows what Stan's gonna be this year and you're right
05:16The Yankees are prone to injury always equated to this you play Madden football growing up. Hey turn the injuries off
05:22Let's have some fun in this game
05:23So we can always have our superstar players when the injuries start they do. Okay, Gary Cole's already after the other
05:28Can't have any other pitchers get injured because that's the rule like no
05:31You're days away from probably getting another pitcher saying my elbow is sore. My shoulder is down stint to the IL
05:37I just don't see the price point with the Yankees being that big of a favorite over the Orioles the Red Sox and the Rangers
05:43Now if we start moving down the odds here for the AL pennant, is there a team Joe you look at and say, you know
05:49What I think I might buy in at this team at that price
05:52Well, I mean listen the Yankees also we should mention play in what I think is the toughest division in
06:00Major League Baseball in the American League East because the Yankees the Orioles
06:04The improved Red Sox even the Blue Jays are are giving it one more final go there with with Latin company there. So
06:13This is going to be tough
06:14But does it if it's not the Yankees?
06:17Then I do think the Orioles you have to consider what they've done the talent the youth on this team
06:23I think the Orioles are very much alive if it's not the Yankees. I think it's the Orioles
06:29I know the Tigers are too public for me. Everyone thinks the Tigers are gonna win 90 games this year
06:35They're gonna bounce back. They're gonna be honest from it like
06:38Yeah, no, I think Baltimore has the most talent has the best roster if they can put it together this year
06:47Overtake not only the Yankees, but the American League pen
06:50Yeah, a lot of question marks to a fun team
06:52That's wrapped in there like right at the top is the Rangers at an 8 to 1 price
06:56I look at that raw Simi and Seager Langford Peterson Garcia John Carter Berger and Heimlich
07:00I really think they're solid at this point, but the questions always come is like alright if you're solid Nathaniel Baldy
07:06Okay, decent pitcher at the top then Tyler Molly. All right, Jack lighter still waiting for him Kumar Rocker
07:11Seems like it's been seven years since he was a superstar stud at Vanderbilt and you're waiting for him to come around then
07:16Jacob the Grom who used to be the best pitcher of Major League Baseball now, you're hoping he just plays for a season
07:22So unlike the National League you take a look at some of these teams and say to yourself
07:26Well, where's the superstar power which adds parity?
07:28which is why the Yankees still sit there at a plus 390 price something to do with the old Yankee tax where
07:33Everybody bets them and the changes they can make during the season themselves, but you're right like the twins
07:38Yo sitting there at a 10 to 1 price
07:40I look at them like man usually excuse me the Tigers at a 10 to 1 price and say well when I was growing up
07:45150 to 1 to win because they never do but there's legitimate options there
07:48By the way, any any thoughts there with the Kansas City Royals for you?
07:53Listen they're gonna keep improving. I love the fact of what they did last year as they recognized
07:59They've got themselves an absolute superstar and they locked the kid up there
08:03I think that the Royals are gonna be feisty that whole
08:08Division is feisty here
08:11For as long as there's 162 games here plus postseason, I don't think they're there yet
08:17I don't think the Royals the Tigers
08:20Even the Guardians for that matter. I think are gonna take a step back this year
08:24I think talent wins and the talent to me is coming out of the American League East
08:30Yeah, it really is at that point to be any same
08:32It's always the same thing every year with the central divisions about the NL and the AL it's like I get them in there
08:37Playoffs real quickly and let's get back to the coast here, which usually typically have the more money
08:41But you do take a look at the Kansas City Royals India Bobby with jr
08:45Vinnie pass Quintino Perez Massey Renfro
08:47Melendez Garcia and Isbel is a pretty good one through nine should be fun to watch them play and in the division
08:52They absolutely can win and once again
08:54It's nice to like the Royals are 15 to 1 as I said
08:57The Tigers are a 10 to 1 price to win the championship, but crazy that those teams perennial doormats
09:02You know for 20 to 25 years
09:04Now you're seeing them start to come up because why pay some of your young players here keep them involved in the mix add
09:10Good pictures there. You can win some things. Let's keep it moving a true
09:13ALE breakdown coming up next right here on the early line the AL East
09:18Always a center point of the focus on who's possibly going to win the AL panel on a year-to-year basis
09:24Why a lot of money is spent on the AL East those teams the Yankees the Red Sox the Orioles the Rays and the Blue Jays
09:30Here if we look at the price points and the odds and also the win totals
09:34It is interesting to me because if we forget about starting at the top, but you talk the Yankees already here look at the bottom
09:40It's the Blue Jays at 79 and a half
09:42And the reason I bring that up is you know
09:44Sort of equating to the Chicago White Sox Joe just a few years back
09:48We're saying but the White Sox are the future of the central division with all the talent they have
09:52They are absolute bottom feeders now a couple years ago
09:55You would look at the Blue Jays and say I'm not so sure in the next year or two
09:59They're not by far the best team in the American League East
10:02So now we take a look at the standings and the win totals their expectations
10:0679 and a half with the superstar Vladimir Guerrero jr. Winning a half a billion dollars plus to get paid
10:12So that clouds the vision so instead of starting up top
10:15Tell me about the Blue Jays and where it went wrong or in your mind Joe if there's value on the Jays this year
10:22No, I listen it it's a very important year for the future of what this franchise is going to be right
10:30Because they certainly if things go their way and with the variance and injuries and other things that happen on
10:37162 game season to other teams
10:39Sure, they might be able to punch their ticket to the postseason
10:42But then what you still haven't locked up Vlad Guerrero jr. This is his final year
10:48He's gonna be looking for a huge payday
10:50The fact that you couldn't come to an agreement with to this point means
10:53You've got people in that front office that can't figure out what direction to go to you've got four pitchers in this rotation
10:59Or on the wrong side of 30 and two more that'll be free agents
11:04After this season here Springer is not what he used to be anymore
11:08Bo Bichette also hits free agency
11:11So this is a bunch of guys playing out the string right now with no clear direction as to where this
11:17Organization is going and you and I both know Donnie if you're not committing to your players your superstars
11:23And these guys are just going to play it out man
11:26And they are going to be like i'll hit free agency and somebody else will pay me the money. It's major league baseball
11:31After all and that's what worries me. I think they either
11:35Oversucceed and they make the playoffs but get bounced
11:39Or this is a team that is just miserable all year long and can't wait for the season end
11:43I don't think there's any in between with that
11:45That's the tough part and you're right about it because the ownership the general manager and the team operating in one direction saying like well
11:50If we're good, we might be able to add but if we don't get it started off
11:54You know in let's just say april and early may we might be looking at an unbelievable fire show in toronto
11:59Which is crazy again on the thought process of how much talent they had just a few short years ago
12:03Never really equated to true victories on the field. Let me ask you
12:06Also, we'll keep it sort of at the bottom half here
12:08The rays always surprise you always look at the roster everything. It's not that good and they're not that good
12:12Always surprise you always look at the roster everything. It's not that good and then they perform
12:16it's like well
12:16it's always what the rays do but answer me this because
12:19The handicaps usually with the rays joe for me was we're going to play to our ballparks capabilities
12:25Not a lot of home runs
12:26Not a lot of runs a lot of openers strong bullpen a lot of hundred mile an hour pitchers here
12:31And we'll get by using analytics. The reason I bring that up is they're no longer at the trop
12:35They're going to play outdoor in tampa heat sun
12:39Rain smaller ballpark with the dimensions of yankee stadium at george steinbrenner park
12:44How do you approach the rays this year? Because for me, it's always like oh no, uh
12:48Red socks yankees orioles go down there. You got to take team totals under you can't have the home run props now
12:53It's outdoors that opens up a complete new vision for me with the rays and how to approach them
12:59uh, it's and I and they still don't know what they're doing, by the way with the trop and that uh,
13:04And the and the roof and it's it's an absolute shame dining because I
13:08I had been in tampa and I got to see what it looked like without the roof and it's just
13:13It's it's just terrible here, especially given all the history there at the trop and those great tampa bay raid teams that they've had but
13:21Hurricane, milton comes in and changes the entire direction of what this team has got to go through now
13:27Now they've got to play in tampa outdoors in the summer heat that has the same dimensions as yankee stadium
13:33This this is going to be wild to see exactly
13:37How this organization and how this team adjusts to all of that?
13:41I always thought the rays had one of the better home field advantages. Uh, they use that ballpark to their advantage with those arms
13:49You ain't gonna be able to do that out in 95 degrees in tampa in the summer
13:55I can't wait to see what goes on. I think they're interesting because they have
14:00I think
14:0125 or 26 of the 40 players on this roster
14:06Uh have been acquired via the trade. This is an entirely new
14:10raised team and raised players and not necessarily the homegrowns that we've grown accustomed to so
14:18This is a tough season for the rays. I don't think it's going to end well for them
14:22I think not having their own home and by the way, where are you playing next year?
14:27Any idea guys you want to be long-term with tampa like you don't even know where you're going to be playing so
14:33It's it's a tough tough spot for the organization for sure
14:38This is this is an ownership group too. That's going to leverage your situation in the wrong respect
14:42It's like hey, you know nashville wants a team
14:43We're going to move there because understand this in a normal major league baseball market where your stadium gets damaged, right?
14:50And i understand it has a roof but it's not like a retractable roof where it collapsed and damaged the structure itself
14:55There would be a thousand man crew working day and night the minute that hurricane hit
15:00Clear things out in the next week getting it going
15:02They would be playing opening day in that state and also how about this like they're playing at george steinbrenner field
15:07Are you telling me joe?
15:08Like they couldn't just take the remnants of the roof off and say we'll play in the elements this year because there's more
15:15You know effective stands we could fit more people and they don't care
15:18It's like they're trying to make it as worse as possible like the florida marlins or the miami marlins aka did back in the day
15:24Nobody's going to come to joe. Robbie. We're not spending any money here and until you give us a new stadium
15:29We just can't compete. I think that's what the rays are doing at this point because again
15:33It's a cloth roof you had months
15:35You couldn't put another cloth on that roof to play because last time I checked again
15:39It wasn't the structural damage to the stadium like we got to knock it down and restart
15:43They don't want to rebuild it and you bring up a great point because watch this play into next year where it's like well
15:49We don't know what to do with the trop
15:50You had over a year to put a tarp roof on the building and you couldn't figure that out
15:54Just an absolute complete mess here
15:56But before we wind up the statement quickly or this segment quickly
15:59Is it the yankees in this division for you? Is it the red socks?
16:02Is it the orioles who are you taking here to win this thing?
16:06To me it's a toss-up because if the yankees stay relatively healthy. Yes
16:11If they don't donny
16:13It's to me. It's the baltimore orioles then the red socks for me, but I think it's the yankees provided
16:19They can keep everyone on the field for enough games this year
16:23i'm telling you for me a team that I don't know if i'm betting the wind total to make the playoffs but on a
16:27Day-to-day basis with rbi props. Give me no sock. Give me this. Come on. Denver's come through for me this year
16:34We're moving it over to the al central next right here on the early line
16:38This might not be a fun division
16:39But you know what?
16:40We like to say about baseball everybody has a chance on opening day and somebody has to win the division which means
16:45Home field advantage for round number one in the playoffs that division we'll talk about the al central. It's the tigers. It's the twins
16:52It's the guardians. It's the royals and the white socks here
16:55which again
16:55we're not going to start at the bottom with the white socks at a
16:5855 or what is it 55 to 1 to make the playoffs a win total of 54 and a half
17:04There's a lot of layers there for the white socks
17:06We don't have to get into any one of those because they're going to be terrible this season once again
17:11But it's a new fun thing to do here. You take a look at those odds
17:13It's the tigers at a plus 220 price and the twins at a plus 220 price
17:17To win the division here at the fan blue sports book if we look at the tigers lineup here
17:22It makes some nice additions there glabra torres comes over manuel margot
17:25You still have riley green carrie carpenter colt keith spencer torkelson in the middle of that lineup and it all starts and ends
17:31With tarik schubel as one of the best young pitchers in major league baseball jack flaherty comes over as a free agent
17:37Are we too trendy here with the tigers getting all the love to start the season joe?
17:43Well, I I mean listen, they had it's been a long road. Uh for
17:49the tigers man, uh going all the way back to
17:52the dave dombrowski years where everybody maybe gave by a 30-year contract to for
17:58728 million dollars like just buried the organization there, but
18:04I gotta tell you this looks like a uh, they have enough youth. They've got some arms here
18:10Uh if they can keep this group intact, I love a.j
18:14Hinch as the manager here. I think he is the right guy at the right time and it would not shock me
18:21Uh, I think the pitching
18:23Is really the thing that's going to shine for detroit and give them the ability to make the postseason here for what feels like
18:30Uh the first time and forever here
18:34The hitting that's going to be the biggest question, right?
18:37do they have enough bats in that lineup to be able to compete with some of the bigger teams like the
18:42The orioles and the yankees and red socks and teams that we know that are going to be able to score
18:46But from a pitching perspective
18:48This is a very good starting group. This is also a fantastic bullpen here. So
18:55uh wouldn't shock me if detroit is up at the top, but again
18:59Congratulations, you're the best in the american league central. What are you winning donny exactly in the long run? Yeah
19:06Exactly just getting feasted on by somebody else
19:08But the things that we do like as handicappers is take a look at these price points
19:12Forget about again the white socks not to win the not to win the world series
19:16That price you're looking on your screen is to win the division and we're not even talking about a division
19:21Joe that has like the dodgers in it like well
19:22Nobody's going to win the division like this division truly is up in the air and have one team at
19:26210 to 1 to win that division is hilarious
19:29But look at the top four teams there plus 220 plus 220 plus 300 plus 310 at this point here
19:35If you had to pick one team like forget about the white socks
19:38Give me one team you expect to excel in this division and give me one team
19:41You know what? I'm not playing that team here this year in this division
19:46Oh, I I think the guardians are going to go the wrong way. I I think the uh, the guardians, uh
19:52Best days are going to be behind them
19:55Uh, and I just I think that they've been playing with house money over the last couple of years
20:00But I do think the kansas city royals and the detroit, uh tigers are that next wave and listen get minnesota credit
20:08But minnesota does the same thing each and every year don't they?
20:11Uh, they look so good at some stretch and then ultimately when it comes down to it at the end of the year
20:16Half the guys aren't available to them and the pitching falls off a cliff
20:20I said what you want. Is it managing? Is it uh, you know, who's calling the shots there?
20:26But you keep coming up short year after year. It's the pure definition of insanity for the minnesota twins
20:32I think it's time for a new era
20:34I think the kansas city royals and detroit tigers are the class
20:38of this division this year and we should probably get used to it donny because I think that's
20:41The way it's going to be here for the next few years moving forward with the amount of arms and youth that they have here
20:48This year
20:49Guaranteed right field, which I believe it's still called in chicago the old new commissioning whatever you want to say
20:54There are going to be some empty days
20:56I can't wait for the pictures that come from those like early april crowds outside of opening week of how many
21:02Tens of people not tens of thousands tens of people in the stands their opening day starting lineup
21:07Not talking about the one through nine the pitching staff here sean burke
21:10I think that was the old goalie who played for the new jersey devils martin perez
21:14Jonathan cannon davis martin and shane smith
21:19Is that lineups one through five as their pitching staff here a 210?
21:23And again, like louise roberts in that lineup batting number two, like when is he shipped off?
21:27We've talked about him for years being traded off
21:29This is the least talented organization from just two to three years ago
21:33One of the most talented organizations with the brightest future you had young superstar talents
21:38You had flamethrowers and a pitching staff and now we're left with looking at this line like i'm not so sure
21:42He even plays on this team once we get to opening day an absolutely crazy scenario
21:47We're going to move it on to the al west next. Is it the astro?
21:51Is it the rangers can the mariners finally get over the hump a lot to talk about here on a major league baseball?
21:57Tuesday edition right here on the early line the al west which is certainly factored into the major league baseball landscape over the past decade with
22:04multiple championships here doing with the astros and the rangers the mariners always trying to fight over the hump with a good pitching staff, but
22:11Just can't quite find that knack for getting enough timely hitting here
22:15The angels who are basically just mike trout and nobody else at this point and then the athletics
22:19Who we can't even call them oakland
22:21They are just the athletics right now
22:23If we look at the price points here at the fan blue sportsbook to win this division
22:27It is the astros at a plus 170 price the texas rangers plus 185 the mariners 210
22:32The angels 20 to 1 and then the athletics at 27 to 1
22:35So we'll start at the top here for the houston astros a lot of changes throughout this
22:39Organization for the past couple years and a lot of superstars have left town trying to replace that with isak paratus coming to town
22:44now through trade
22:46Also, you take a look at christian walker as a free agent and cam smith coming over
22:49Also in the trade from the chicago cubs taking a look at this team here starting with the astros
22:54Is it your mindset that they are the best team of the division or is another team have your eye here fighting back for the al west?
23:02I yeah, I I think the I think houston the era is gone
23:08Uh, you know no more
23:10No more bregman. No more tucker. No, you know, bye. Bye
23:15Uh, it is time to go but listen not everything
23:17Uh stays forever, right? So I mean, I know altuve and what jordan alvarez are still hanging around but
23:26I I just don't see houston in this division, uh doing anything more than maybe
23:3180 85 win team at most
23:34Uh, and I do think that the bounce back season here and don't forget houston
23:39I don't think won a game against detroit
23:40I think they got bounced out there in the uh in the wild card round last year
23:45How they even won 88 games was a little interesting
23:48But I I think it's the texas rangers who are due for a bounce back here not the houston astros
23:54I think they're going to go
23:56Through a couple of years of maybe a bit of a rebuild here in order to try to get back to the top of that division
24:03Yeah, one of the best organizations in baseball whether they cheat or not has been the houston astros at that point
24:08So we'll see how it plays out this year, but that core getting a little bit older
24:10No longer the kyle tucker's there, you know bregman's on the move
24:13So that is going to be a different look astros team, but sometimes some change is good
24:18But i'm not necessarily thinking that year to year to year
24:21We always thought the houston astros were just pencil women as the aos champions
24:24Maybe that's not going to be the case at this point because why?
24:27Maybe it is their in-state rival the texas rangers that can sort of take that mantle because to me
24:32Just looking at the one through nine starting on a day-to-day one of the best in baseball here
24:36And it's a lot of fun simeon sieger langford peterson garcia. John carter berger and heim
24:40That's a great one through nine with a decent starting staff. That's going to be able to back them up behind
24:46Injuries simeon's a great little hitter. We get that sieger has had some issues
24:50But one of the best batters in baseball
24:52I love the addition of jock peterson coming over to that left-handed bat with some pop
24:56In the middle of a lineup between langford and adolis garcia
24:59I have a lot of fun with the team if I had to pick one champion in this division
25:03It would be the rangers for me
25:04Also, you look at the rangers price point to make the playoffs at a minus 138 price
25:08I think they can certainly do that as well
25:10But that price point of plus 185 to win it
25:12It's one of these teams that on a day-to-day basis if i'm not betting the side
25:16Boy, there's a lot of rbi props in that lineup that i'm gonna love here. Joe
25:20Oh
25:21They really I mean my goodness here that lineup again had to go through some injuries and some ups and downs
25:29Uh last year, but yeah, give me uh, give me the rangers
25:34Uh home run props like you mentioned rbi props here
25:38It was kind of a down year
25:39But I think cory's cory sieger still had a great year last year. His wrc plus was still through the roof
25:47They've got guys up and down this lineup young guys, too
25:50Uh that they can drop double digit runs a game on any pitching staff here
25:55So like everything else with the rangers, it's going to be like do they have enough in the bullpen?
26:00Do they have enough?
26:02To overcome some of those nights maybe where the ball isn't flying out of the park
26:06I think they will I think they're they're ready to go with bocce
26:09I think they're ready to have a huge bounce back season in the west
26:13Next team we'll talk about is the mariners here picked third in the division odds wise here to start the season at fan duel
26:19That's plus 210 as a price very close again to the rangers and the astros and also to make the playoffs
26:24Basically chalk a minus 112 price you look at this lineup and it's the same thing every year
26:30I don't know if there's change. Is it just the ballpark?
26:32We gotta sort of bring the fences in to give us a chance because every year we talk about the mariners
26:36Hey good young pitching staff. Is it time that they get over the hump?
26:40Maybe it is but the hitters robles rodriguez rally a rosarania rally again
26:45I mean two rallies on the cow rally and luke rally hilarious how that plays out at that point
26:50But when you look at that lineup, I look at it and go I can't trust it
26:53Like is that good for three runs a game?
26:55Which your pitchers have to have an era of sub two just to try to win this division
26:59The lineup every single year for me leaves something to desired and I look at this team right now and say to myself
27:05Same thing again, joe. I can't trust the lineup
27:07I can trust the pitching staff that doesn't equate for victories for me enough to win this division
27:13well, and they're hoping that because they have pretty much, uh,
27:17I believe that they're basically going into this season with uh with kind of the same offensive pieces that they had
27:25Last year and they did what they added randy azarena. I believe in the summer last year
27:31Uh, they got him they got solano
27:33Um, so but yes the stay of the pitching staff very very good, but the problem with the mariners is
27:41As usual ownership ownership will spend no money. It's once again
27:47This is another year. They have not been in the top 10 and opening day payroll since 2008
27:53And they've been below league median average since 2019. Oh, yeah, by the way, they haven't made the playoffs since
28:002001 don you think that correlates to the amount of money?
28:03They're not spending you can't compete in the american league or internationally for that matter and be taken
28:10Seriously and not be willing to spend and write checks
28:14And seattle's just not going to do it and we keep hearing they're going to do it at the trade deadline every year when they have
28:20Good teams, but they don't have they're not willing to spend to get that one or two other pieces to put them over the top
28:27And as long as they don't do that
28:30Congratulations, you'll be mediocre at best
28:33Yep, get some good pitching starts boy. Another three-to-one loss for the mariners. Go figure that one out
28:38Yeah, we can easily figure it out get some hop in that lineup and certainly do some damage at this point
28:42Here's the thing I want to talk about from la not the dodgers because we're since talking about here the aos
28:47It is the angels like the move to get solaire, but also
28:5120 to one to win this division to make the playoffs at a plus 680 price win total 72 and a half
28:58Is it time just to move mike trout or they say well, he's our box office guy in la
29:02We always need a superstar which I get because trout's having a pretty good spring and he's healthy
29:07Who knows how long that's going to last where hey solaire? I was watching last night hit another home run
29:11I think it's five or six in the spring training session so far. He should be fine
29:15But it's always been an organization without a rudder like we're not going to spend money on pitching
29:20We'll have a really good lineup. We'll try to invest in pitching
29:23The pitching doesn't work out our lineup suffers because of it
29:26The angels for me do need a complete restart here
29:29But the question is would somebody take on trout's conference contract and also does mike trout actually want to leave la because he's comfortable
29:36Not really being in the spotlight, which how much of a spotlight the dodgers take up?
29:41This that they are I was last year rock bottom donny 99 losses
29:46I think the most in franchise history last year, but more importantly they watched shohei. Ohtani who
29:53For some reason they held on to without actually getting anything in return for him when they had the chance to rebuild this
30:01Organization and this he was the kind of player if you weren't going to sign
30:05Well, then guess what you could have gotten a ridiculous trade package and rebuilt this team sooner rather than later
30:11But instead you got nothing and I think that's the big question here. I don't see it getting any better here
30:18I mean, this is a team that has not
30:20Had a good run differential in 10 years
30:25Uh, and they have not I believe have a winning season since 2015
30:30So what in this organization leads us to believe that things are going to turn around this year?
30:35I think they lose a hundred or more games this year. That's how bad I think this organization is
30:41Like what a restart you could have had for your organization
30:44Hey, you know what or like we're the dregs of the minor league system
30:47You fire off trout and ohtani and get an entire new team back of young talent
30:52And then you're in la and you can spend some money in free agency and away you go and they completely botched everything
30:58where now it looks like you're gonna have to
31:00Pay somebody to take my trout not get the best prospects in the organization
31:04And just let ohtani walk across the street and go to the dodgers and enjoy the spotlight there
31:08It's crazy the way it plays out. I do want to spend just a few moments
31:11You're talking about the athletics not the oakland athletics just the athletics next and also chances to win some awards in the al next right here
31:19Al mvp awards in just a moment here, but usually say well
31:23You're not going to stop the presses for bad baseball teams or baseball teams
31:26You don't think you're going to do a lot of damage. Let's just say by winning the division making the playoffs and away world series
31:32That's the athletics and as I said, yes, just the athletics not oakland not las vegas
31:36They're just the athletics that are going to play in sacramento now
31:40My question comes to you joe because you're down in south florida and the difference from going from the tropicana field
31:46Outdoors to playing in a smaller band box with the heat and humidity is going to make a massive difference
31:51The reason I want to talk about the athletics is not necessarily that I don't like lawrence butler
31:54I do or brent rooker can have a good season
31:56I think he will and some of those guys in the lineup
31:59I will be betting on day-to-day for run scored hits rbis home runs. You get the picture
32:04But oakland alameda county collie stadium, whatever it's been called monster stadium all that stuff over the years
32:10They're not going to play there now
32:11They're in sacramento and if anybody's ever watched a game in oakland
32:15It looks like a field you should be able to hit home runs
32:17But when you're playing at night in 50 degree temperatures in the middle of the summer
32:21And have foul territory that steals at least three to four outs a game
32:25It's not a great hitter's ballpark and a true pitcher's ballpark
32:27That's going to change now where you add the heat and the humidity and a smaller ballpark going outdoors in sacramento
32:33How do you approach the oakland athletics? Maybe not from a can they get to the playoffs?
32:37But just when the games are now played in sacramento as opposed to being in oakland
32:44Well, it's ironic too because
32:47There's a lot of question marks about going from that ridiculous stadium in oakland that had you know, uh, you know, 12
32:5512 miles of foul territory
32:58Uh that you could not get the ball out of the ballpark
33:02If you were a pitcher
33:03You love the oakland coliseum, right? It was great. But
33:08Now you're going to be going to sacramento that's playing in a triple-a park. I believe as well for the giants that
33:16uh the temperatures
33:18They're going to be there. Uh, they're not going to have nearly the same kind of foul ball territory and not
33:25necessarily the kinds of
33:27Conditions that would favor pitchers and not hitters like you've had now whether that comes to fruition
33:33there are some similarities, but
33:36It's it's going to be a wait and see here on what happens with some of these warmer nights here for
33:42Sacramento without that whole marine layer keeping the ball, uh out of the air so
33:47It was totally about pitching. It was a pitcher's park one of the best in major league baseball, even though
33:54Uh, they hadn't done anything to it since 1976
33:57Uh from a facility standpoint, but whether or not anything numbers wise is going to change and oakland by the way
34:04Maybe more stable this roster this year
34:08Donnie than we've seen in how long? Uh, this is actually some names and faces that
34:13Yes, they're back believe it or not with oakland. So I I think it's a wait and see it's going to be a fascinating
34:20Test case I think moving forward
34:23Yeah, just just an absolute crime for like oakland right like that stadium's gonna sit empty
34:27They could easily play it a couple more years there made nice with oakland till they left but now that's just a disaster
34:31But you're right. You now start that. All right. We're a team in sacramento. We're waiting to get to vegas
34:36We have to actually start spending a little bit on our payroll
34:38So the teams from the vegas perspective looks a little bit more enticing when they do come to town
34:43So oakland completely got the shaft with their fans here
34:46Let's take a look at some of those al mvp markets here because it's it's interesting price
34:50Most would think well who's mvp last year? What's aaron judge? Who's the favorite this year? It's not aaron judge. How about that?
34:56It's bobby witt jr at a plus 280 price a lot of people on this network
35:01We're saying like aaron judge always going to be that mvp favorite here at the fans of sportsbook. Not the case here
35:06Do you agree bobby witt jr should be the favorite for the al mvp or should it be aaron judge?
35:14Well, it aaron judge will always have to be in a conversation provided he plays enough games
35:19Right, I mean that's going to be it now. Are we going to see a huge drop off with soto not batting behind him?
35:26Uh that needed that we'll we'll find out here if guys are not willing to pitch to him
35:32But listen as long as he plays enough games and he's got the possibility of hitting, you know
35:3850 plus home runs in a year driving in 120 plus rbf
35:42Yes, he's gonna hit 300. I mean the problem is is he gonna play enough games?
35:47Is he gonna run into a wall and stub his toe again?
35:50a lot of question marks there for him, but the one thing we know about bobby witt is that he is from
35:57A wrc plus from a stolen base perspective singles doubles even to home runs
36:03Different kind of player but smaller market. I think it's judges to lose but it wouldn't shock me
36:09At all if bobby witt jr is your uh is your mvp?
36:13Not gonna be doing a double take here in the al mvp race
36:16Maybe joe frieza can do some work here behind the scenes
36:18But i'm just like scanning the board quickly and i'd have to go far to find mike trout at 16 to 1
36:24There's no way he was hovering around 16 to 1 at the beginning of spring training
36:28I know he's having a decent spring training and we're anticipating him being healthy and maybe there's a shot but trout now
36:33It's 16 to 1 because he's one of those players. I was trying to look down like oh
36:36I wonder where you can get him 50 to 160 to 171. He's 16 to 1
36:40And I don't think he opened up it. Let's just say when the odds came out for the fando betting here
36:44He did so i'm getting that's crazy. Like I like trout 16 to 1. No shot 60 to 1
36:51Give me it because you know as well as I do
36:53He's going to slide in the second base after hitting seven home runs in the first two weeks of the season
36:57And be out for six more weeks at this point
36:59I can't bet that but if we are looking down the board and down the board
37:02I mean after bobby witt jr and aaron judge who has your attention joe in this odds market here at the fando sportsbook
37:10Well, I think vlad guerrero is real interesting, isn't he since it is a contract year in the american league east and uh,
37:17You know, he's a guy that's certainly going to have some
37:21Motivation here. He's a guy that can certainly have be an rbi leader. It can be
37:26Even a hits leader. I mean there is he has got all the talent in the world provided that he can you know
37:31Stay in that lineup, but I love guys that have motivation here and this organization
37:37He'd love nothing more to stick into them and make their life miserable because if you didn't sign up to this point
37:43If he has an mvp caliber year here, yeah
37:46Well, he's he's gonna love that. I think he I think he's worth a shot at that at that price here. Why not?
37:53Yeah, there's a lot of guys all the way down too because look at the 80 to ones down there, right?
37:57Brent rooker who again is going to get a big bump from not having to play out there in oakland
38:02And also as we pointed out earlier cody bellinger at 80 to one what factors into an mvp?
38:07Well a good baseball team
38:08We expect the yankees to be he'll get some protection out in that lineup and see pitches if he is behind aaron judge
38:14and the second part about this is
38:16If he can just put that stroke together and get hot man
38:19That 80 to one is going to drop like a rock at that point
38:21But we are looking at some of the top things again. Mike trout 16 to one
38:26I'm not saying he can't win it, but give me a better price point. Is that the tiger woods price point?
38:30Like hey tiger can win the masters. Oh donny. Did you know he blew out his achilles doesn't matter bet him
38:34We'll win it. Anyway, we're all the trout betters out here. My goodness. We'll be right back
38:39Al awards market here. We just talked about some of the mvps here bobby wood jr
38:43Kansas city royals
38:44Can you imagine this the rules have a good player and they paid him just didn't trade him to the yankees at the end of
38:48One of those seasons here love to see that could it be aaron judge home run king in new york having a solid season once again
38:54We'll find out and it's going to take some time about six months to see but let's take a look at some of the other
38:59Awards markets here at the panther sports which includes cy young one of the best young pitchers in baseball looking for another cy young in his
39:06Pocket is eric scooble at a plus 350 price. Oh, he should be far and away the favorite
39:10No, look at garrett crochet going over to the boston redsox at a plus 360 price as it currently stands
39:18Now cole reagan's at 8 50 to 1 if we do look at that cy young award market here
39:22Are we going back to back with scooble at this point or somebody else have your eye?
39:27Yeah, it's interesting, right? Um
39:30Is jacob degrom healthy?
39:33I'm, just asking for a friend because if you're thinking that trout has an opportunity to play enough games in order to be able
39:40To be the mvp again
39:41Then is jacob degrom not intriguing enough for a team that we think has a pretty good shot at making a run to it
39:49Again, it all depends on injuries
39:51But I think also logan gilbert is a guy that we got to keep an eye on here maybe for a breakout season
39:59obviously scooble is a guy that you have to uh consider but
40:03I think there's a number of guys in the american league that are going to be very interesting here. Maybe I don't know. Uh,
40:11Kirby is another guy some of these young arms that can probably drop 200 strikeouts or more this season
40:18I I think there's operants. I think this is a wide open market where the value is down the board
40:24But not with your typical favorites here
40:27Exactly and also one of the guys coming back
40:29That was a cy young candidate and a very good pitcher in the american league was shane mcclanahan
40:33We did the pro baseball show this weekend before the news came out on mcclanahan. He was a 20 to 1 price
40:39I'm gonna keep an eye on that guy
40:40like even though I understand going out doors one of the more dominant pitchers in baseball coming back from an injury and look like
40:45He was healthy a little that like triceps tendonitis slash strain dropped him now back to a 50 to 1 price
40:52They said they got good news on the prognosis, but who knows how long he's going to be out to start this season
40:56So that's one of those big price drops in there, but a wide open field
40:59It appears outside of the top guys here for the american league cy young american league rookie of the year
41:04He's like an nba we get excited for that. Maybe even hockey look towards that or you know rookie in the nfl
41:09It's so hard to say the best rookie like it feels like i've been talking about jason dominguez for five years with the yankees
41:14And he's still eligible to be a rookie at a four to one price point
41:18I don't know very many rookies in major league baseball
41:20I want to put my money on so we can skip this over unless joe
41:23Do you have any rookies that you see in that market here family?
41:26So, you know is worth a shot at this point, or is it just really like hey?
41:29Just take a shot on a price point. Hope your player plays well
41:33Oh, I got kumar rocker is an intriguing situation
41:37Uh to me as is uh, jackson job also getting a ton of press here and a ton of love
41:44early in the season so
41:46That is going to play itself out. I do think again
41:49There's probably going to be not just one guy heads and tails
41:52But there's probably going to be two or three guys down the stretch that uh, it could be anybody's ball game there
42:00By the way, american league manager of the year. I always like this stuff because I laugh at myself. I love football
42:06specifically nfl football
42:07I'll go right down the list and name every single coach and probably even like offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator in the nfl
42:13Once you get like one week into the season where you see their faces major league baseball
42:17Always stumps me with managers outside like your favorite teams and the more popular teams
42:21Like I see like manager dan wilson at a plus 400 price and I swear
42:26I do go to the fans of sports. We're gonna bring up the odds to see he was the mariners manager
42:31I am
42:32terrible with major league manager at this point any thoughts on
42:35Who could possibly win the al manager of the year or if you even have an in on that thing?
42:38You know what? This is one of my guys
42:41I I think hinch is a guy that you have to you have to consider each and every year. I mean he's got
42:48He's a guy too that uh did not take the firing from the houston astros very well
42:52Has an opportunity to get back to the top of the heap with a very young
42:56And a pitching staff and a group of young players there that love him and and nobody seems to navigate
43:03The youth like he does
43:05I I think uh, I think hinch is always going to be in that conversation
43:10Yeah, it's it is funny to look at too because you go all the way down like aaron boone and the yankees like the
43:14Yankers are the favorites to win the pennant and he's way down there
43:1718 to 1 to win manager of the year. It's almost like you're a hindrance to your own team
43:21That's the best year so we can't actually give you a vote at that point best reliever on the market
43:25Emmanuel classe from the guardians obviously always one of those guys up there and also
43:30Come back player of the year in the american league. My trap must be 40. He's gonna be is he a shoe in for that one?
43:37Oh, I don't know jacob the grom. I'm just saying man. I'm just saying we got some guys that's
43:46It could be a pitcher award believe it or not could be a pitcher award
43:51I always think the guys that aren't actually injured but just come back from being bad baseball players
43:55That's the best market here our number three next you guys get your baseball fill in our number two
44:01Hopefully you did because i'm excited thursday's opening day in major league baseball as we start our number three
44:06Donnie writes along with joe ranieri series xm channel 1 59 radio on the sports grid network having some fun
44:12And this time we always like to reach out to the public joe and feel what they're feeling out here
44:16Get their point of view to be an interactive show which we'll get there in just a minute
44:21But the vibes here for opening day on thursday, like I always like the previews, right? We'll get them in today
44:27We'll get them in tomorrow and thursday. We go live at this point, but it sort of says oh
44:31Look at this price point here
44:32Where did this change from like for me?
44:33Like my trout 16 to 1 had to open up at 50 to 1 or 60 to 1 doing the mvp
44:37Joe friso tells me no he was always 16 to 1
44:40So even though you've looked at that stuff just getting that final look before the regular season starts feels good baseball's in the air
44:47Yeah, and again, it's there's baseball is here, but there's going to be a lot of
44:52Familiar names not wearing the same uniforms that a lot of folks got to get used to as well
44:58It is certainly a new look and there's going to be a couple of new ballparks like we highlighted
45:04For some teams that you're going to be like, is that a minor league ballpark? Like what are we looking at right now?
45:10Yeah, welcome to major league baseball 2025
45:14I always like the baseball season how it starts too because there's websites that we all like to use and statistics that we all know
45:19And love so by the time let's just say we're in the middle of may
45:22We all sound like geniuses like you can just pull out the repertoire of weighted on base percentage and iso power numbers
45:28And you know how pitcher reacts and strikeout numbers
45:30How do you approach though?
45:31Joe the first like two to three weeks of the season where it's like
45:34All right
45:34Good pitcher going against a lot of that was good last year
45:37And now i'm going to play some rbi props and play a side on this game
45:40Like what is your approach to early season betting in major league baseball?
45:45And learn, uh, that's my advice, uh, never diving in because we're going to try to take anything
45:52About what you saw in spring training. Yeah, no totally different ball game
45:58Uh, I like to see
46:00And I love i'm a big first five player donny as you know
46:03So I love the first five markets and a lot of that is it's always contingent upon starting pitching and rotations, right?
46:11And so that is what I focus my attention on in the first couple of weeks
46:14I try not to dive into the games because the variance
46:18Is over the top in uh in april and I try not to go there
46:23I try to figure out which teams I think there are going to be value after the first couple of weeks to focus on
46:29You're right about that too because the most painful thing in sports like you can have a large lead blown in football
46:35We see it so many times, but you're sort of used to it at that point college basketball kids
46:40Wait a second. I was up 11 points. Now i'm going to lose this game the nba
46:43I had a 26 point lead in the second quarter
46:46I'm losing by the time the fourth quarter starts we get that here
46:49But there has been nothing worse over your betting career than a major league baseball bullpen meltdown late in the game
46:55Because there's no clock you don't get up six runs in the seventh inning like hey, just stall this game out
47:00We're good. You still have to get those out
47:01So when joe brings up like betting the first five you can afford like hey, you know what I bet on this picture
47:06He wasn't good. I'll live with it. Nothing is worse
47:09You tell me that starting picture when seven and a third innings gave up two hits in one run
47:12I'm up four to one and by the bottom of the ninth. I just lost five to four in this game
47:16Nothing worse than that. So I understand that and yes, joe is correct
47:20Wait, have fun. Listen and learn until those numbers come in because there's nothing worse than saying
47:24Well, I thought that picture was really good in spring training. Stop it. It's completely they're working on different things
47:29They're not stretched out yet
47:30And who knows who's going to show up in the bullpen which again?
47:33Brings us here where we like to reach out to the public and say hmm
47:36I wonder what they're feeling today. Should we fade the public or not?
47:39So at our sports grid account here
47:41We ask the question with fade the public which team is the best bet to win the american league
47:46Now the three teams that we picked out the yankees at a plus 390 price
47:50The orioles at a plus 650 price and the astros at eight to one right in order
47:54But also we leave other in there
47:57So the people can vote and give their picks or if they don't think the yankees orioles and astros will be that
48:03So from my self show I voted for other because i'm high on the red socks at a decent price point
48:08But it looks like i'm not fading the public. I am the public because 36
48:13Voted for other nine percent for the astros
48:1736 roughly for the orioles and the yankees at 18.6
48:22So joe if I ask you the same question along with the public
48:25Which team is your best bet to win the american league? Who is that team?
48:30Well my best bet at this point and I you know
48:33There's a lot of asterisks that you've got to put next to it at this point in the game
48:38and
48:39You know health is the biggest yankees
48:42Do win the american league pennant if and only if the core players stay healthy enough
48:49And we don't miss aaron judge for 40 games. Uh, and you know, you've already you're gonna have to do it without coal, right?
48:56So max freed who's also been very injury prone
49:00He better step up here. I mean this entire yankees roster went healthy pound for pound
49:06The best, uh, you're not beating them. However, uh, we know the chances of all of those guys
49:12Important players staying healthy is a totally different ball game. But as of today
49:18I'll agree with the public. I think the yankees are the team to beat but don't be shocked that the yankees ultimately beat themselves
49:26Yeah, we'll say and again, we expect expectations obviously the yankees do have deep pockets
49:31but it still gets me like
49:33The yankees get a player and the red sox did this just a few years ago
49:36Like imagine this like an ali's team money should be of no object at any times
49:40You have solid players and certainly superstar players that your fans absolutely love
49:45And the yankees to lose out to a crosstown rival because they didn't want to pay juan soto
49:49Will never get me enough the same thing's like hey, you know what red sox?
49:52We don't know if we want to pay mookie bets. We'd rather have alex radugo back here in the trade
49:57And that's a good market here
49:58So those are always crazy things that happen, but the yankees should be able to make moves
50:01But you still want to make moves to make moves like oh we lost garrett cole
50:04Let's just go pay another pitcher to try to replace him who's probably not as good
50:08We'll see how the yankees go
50:09Maybe they have something into you know forte from coming up from the mid from the minors into the majors
50:13But answer me this question too because this is a little bit off topic
50:16You see the second place team there in the odds market of the orioles at a plus 650 price
50:21One of the most aesthetically pleasing ballparks in the history of professional sports is camden yards
50:28It was beautiful the day it opened and then around 25 years later joe. They go
50:34Boy, I don't know if we like left field because there's too many home runs
50:37they wreck that ballpark in left field and now if you see joe the sort of construction that they're doing to sort of
50:44Bring it in and make the wall jut out a little bit less and have an angle
50:48Why did they just not leave it the way it was here?
50:51But at least i'm glad where they understand the travesty they made it and they're trying to somewhat correct it in left field
50:58Yeah, and and it's it's interesting too because you have a organization now for the first time in forever
51:04Donnie has made back-to-back post seasons now
51:07They haven't won a game yet in the post season, but they've actually made it to the post season
51:13And so I don't think the ballpark
51:15Is the reason why they've gotten swept in the playoffs in back-to-back years
51:20Uh, I do think though that they certainly have enough talent
51:25Very similar starting lineup deep bench the right manager
51:30Uh, they they've got a ton of young arms. There is no reason why the orioles cannot compete here
51:37But i'd be careful because they did the same thing with the rogers center in toronto don if you recall a couple years ago
51:44And you know what toronto scored fewer runs after the adjustments when they tried to actually bring the the the wall in
51:52To help guys like vlad and company and you know what didn't work. They scored fewer runs by adjusting the ballpark
52:00Like like that's the biggest unsolved mystery
52:02I may have ever thought because I remember when they were doing that like I think was during the uh, covid years
52:07Where they couldn't play in toronto, but their plan I think was like sailor field or whatever was in buffalo
52:11It's like man those fields are small and they did they were hitting titanic shots out of that place
52:15Because it's a minor league ball club and even like rogers center was a decent hitting ballpark
52:20Anyway, once the roof came off in the summer
52:22There's a little bit of warmth in there and I was like wait a second
52:25Most ballparks change it to say we're going to go a little bit deeper because it's too small
52:28No, we're going to bring the fences in and it actually didn't help toronto, which is a wild scene
52:33So i'm glad you brought that one up
52:34But always like like the orders like oh our pitchers are so bad. They just give up home runs
52:39Hey, how about you draft better and sign better pitches for your ballpark and your hitters go?
52:43Yeah, we got some dudes that can hit tanks in this ballpark
52:46And now we're hitting 400 foot palms to left field that are hitting the scoreboard or flying out at the warning track. Stop it
52:52Yeah, we like home runs. We like scoring out here
52:55We don't want 11 to 9 games every day
52:57But come on now taking away
52:59390 foot blast down the line because you were unhappy that your pitchers used to give up home runs
53:04That's certainly a travesty at that point here. So there's that you get it. You talk to the public
53:09They give you the feedback. We give the feedback back to the public. It's faith the public what a segment here
53:14We'll be right back