Ken Rosenthal: Rays Home Update, Red Sox trade idea, All-Star themes

00:00:00
Speaker 1: If you would have said the Oils were trading guys, where would Brian Baker have been on the list of priorities.

00:00:05
Speaker 2: Eighth, ninth, tenth, And yet he's the first to go.

00:00:15
Speaker 3: Inside scoop time with Ken Rosenthaler, FT Senior insider in person. Good to see you, Ken, could see you guys. Happy All Star break to you. And of course you're breaking some news during the break, so let's get to the rays because you have news on the cell process.

00:00:29
Speaker 2: And then we also saw today the.

00:00:30
Speaker 3: Announcement that no matter how far they go, it's going to be in Tampa.

00:00:35
Speaker 1: That was surprising. That was not my story. That was Mark Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. And originally when I wrote about this about I don't know two weeks ago, my understanding was the most logical plan was first two rounds Wildcard Round Division Series in sim runner Field, and then they'd have to move it out because MLB gives out tickets in a big way, which distributes them to sponsor and broadcast partners a lot of different entities for the LCS and the World Series, and that would be make it prohibitive to play in a ten thousand, five hundred seat stadium. But like Mark reported, they have apparently decided that if they go to the World Series, they're playing in Steinbrenner Field.

00:01:19
Speaker 4: I don't know how that's going to work. It'll be interesting, but so be it. Now. As for the other thing, yea.

00:01:25
Speaker 1: The sale and Evandrelic and I did report yesterday that that is moving forward and that is expected to be completed as early as September. There is an agreement in principle and the preference of the ownership group is to build a stadium in Tampa.

00:01:40
Speaker 5: Was this the back to the not to dismiss that part, but the figuring out where to play?

00:01:45
Speaker 4: Sure?

00:01:46
Speaker 5: Was that just made a decision made by the owners Because you're gonna question some money out of that too, because they get part of the attendance from the first four games.

00:01:56
Speaker 2: That's right there.

00:01:57
Speaker 1: You're absolutely right, Eric, There is a percentage of players get. I think it's sixty percent of the proceeds from the first four games.

00:02:03
Speaker 4: I might be wrong about that.

00:02:04
Speaker 5: Yeah, but something like that.

00:02:05
Speaker 4: It's some percentage that they get.

00:02:08
Speaker 1: And sure, when you're playing in a ten thousand, five hundred seat stadium, the take is going to be smaller. Now, maybe there's a way to make it up to the players that MLB could do.

00:02:17
Speaker 4: I don't know.

00:02:19
Speaker 1: It seems to be a unilateral decision. This was not something the players seem to have a saying. So I would imagine there will be some question about just what Eric brought up there.

00:02:30
Speaker 3: Well, I'm sure we know what they're rooting for, which is not that, because you're.

00:02:35
Speaker 6: Telling me they make the World Series, they're going to play in Steinbrennerfield.

00:02:38
Speaker 4: That is what Ark reported. Mark is the guy who has covered that team forever.

00:02:43
Speaker 6: Copper, Yeah, he's great.

00:02:44
Speaker 4: So yeah, I would expect that that is going.

00:02:47
Speaker 6: To Fox is going to do a World Series broadcast possibly if they make it, they.

00:02:51
Speaker 4: Can make it even an ALCS broadcast.

00:02:54
Speaker 6: In Steinbrennerfield with ten thousand people. I'll be calling you.

00:02:58
Speaker 1: For And also from Fox's perspective. I know this because I asked when I wrote the other article. Camera angles and view sitelines are not as good there.

00:03:09
Speaker 2: They're not even close.

00:03:10
Speaker 4: So the presentation of the game would not be what it would be if it was in a normal Major league stadium.

00:03:17
Speaker 2: It's not a good representation.

00:03:19
Speaker 1: Now the problem is, guys, the alternatives also stink.

00:03:23
Speaker 4: Playing in Miami Tampa Bay fans, maybe they go.

00:03:27
Speaker 1: Maybe they're not driving down the driving down there in it in Miami, people are not going to go to see the Tampa Bay Rays in the playoffs. So then you would be playing in an empty stadium. It would look better on TV. You'd be able to distribute the tickets, but people wouldn't be interested in going anyway. So I don't know that there was a great solution here either way.

00:03:45
Speaker 3: I'll tell you this from living down in Miami for years. If the Rays were in the ALCS and they were playing the Yankees, the Blue Jays, the Red Sox, even the Tigers, it would be a trip for other people to go down, and that place would be eighty percent of the other team, and they would have a full seven game series of home games crowd wise, Yeah, and that would be weird and ugly too, right.

00:04:10
Speaker 1: So again, I don't know how they resolve the ticket aspect of this, because my understanding was seven five hundred tickets for World Series games are distributed by MLB to partners, all the people I just mentioned, the media broadcast partners, sponsors, all these folks, seventy to five hundred tickets will not be available for those games.

00:04:30
Speaker 4: Because you'll only got ten thousand, five hundred to start with.

00:04:33
Speaker 1: So I don't know how that resolves, but I imagine they'll just have to figure it out.

00:04:38
Speaker 3: And then for the other side of the equation here, it seemed like the league was pushing for a sale because it also will help lead to a resolution. At the same time, this new group that comes in, which, according to your article, wants to stay in Tampa Bay, but specifically in Tampa, not in Saint Pete. We'll have to go back to work to try and get a deal done with Tampa. Yes, he put a ballpark together.

00:05:01
Speaker 1: But Scott, the difference is the government officials in Tampa, and to some extent the government officials in Saint Pete no longer wanted to deal with Stuart Sternberg. They had been down this road with him each in multiple ways and it didn't work, and they just felt no. I would expect that once the sale goes through and these conversations start, a new Tampa will be a lot more receptive, and Saint Pete might be too.

00:05:28
Speaker 2: It's been twenty years.

00:05:29
Speaker 3: It's been a long time, but for our purposes, your article kind of kills AJ stream.

00:05:37
Speaker 6: You never know.

00:05:38
Speaker 4: I wouldn't.

00:05:39
Speaker 6: I would say it's not dead, but it is kind of dead because if they don't want to listen, If Patrick Zulowski doesn't want to listen to Orlando, and I don't know that he he does, I don't.

00:05:51
Speaker 1: Know that rule out AJ he bringing Orlando into the mix for leverage. Yes, since you bring a city into the mix. And I'm not trying to your hopes up here, but.

00:06:02
Speaker 6: Once you bring a city, you're only lower things around me.

00:06:05
Speaker 4: Once you bring a city into the mix, you never know.

00:06:07
Speaker 6: Oh, you're right, might happen. Right, So here's what I'm gonna say about that. Yes, it's been twenty years, but I don't know where they put the team in Tampa. I don't. I mean, I know they have options. I just don't know where it's a good spot because they want a hundred ish acres like they want this, but we're looking at the battery, and I think this is one hundred acres or around one hundred acres to do the things they do here in the battery. The stadium, the hotels, the condos, the restaurants, the bars, all like this confined area. I just don't know where you find that in Tampa Bay fair question.

00:06:39
Speaker 1: I don't know the geography or the city well enough to know myself, but you.

00:06:43
Speaker 4: Don't always get what you want either.

00:06:45
Speaker 1: No, I know they may not be one hundred acres available. They were talking about Ebor City at point. They've been talking I think as well about the waterfront, some area on the waterfront.

00:06:56
Speaker 2: I don't know what's available and what's not there.

00:06:59
Speaker 1: I'm sure though, that they have ideas in mind, and it just seems to me and a lot of people have said this over the years. No disrespect to Saint Pete. It's a simple geography question. If you're in Tampa, you can draw fans from all the way up I four to Orlando. When you're in Saint Pete, those folks just no.

00:07:16
Speaker 2: Nobody went yeah, no, it's the logistical nightmare. Yeah, it's been like that for a while.

00:07:21
Speaker 4: Scott.

00:07:22
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00:07:24
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00:08:22
Speaker 3: All right, let's hit trade chatter for a few minutes. Anything new with some of the teams. I think you spoke the other day about maybe the Red Sox, the Cubs, any news or expectations I know that it'll start to heat up really right after this time period because front offices have to get through the draft and then they refocus, right, Okay, the.

00:08:41
Speaker 1: Red Sox what I talked about yesterday was a couple of weeks ago, I would have said they have to get a number two starter, not that such an animal is available, but I would have thought, yeah, that's what they needed right behind Crochet. But since BeO and Giorlito have come on, I don't know that you need a number two.

00:09:00
Speaker 4: Now you can get the best available in the lower tier. And one guy I mentioned.

00:09:06
Speaker 1: Yesterday on the Fox broadcast was Charlie Morton, and Charlie Morton is a guy who has ties with Alex Kory going back to twenty seventeen Astros. He also after that horrible start, and he was kind of the poster child for the Oriols Bad Beginning three point zero five era in his last fifty nine innings, so he's kind of become Charlie Morton again, and the price for him wouldn't be the price that it would be for I don't know, Meryl Kelly or somebody like that. So maybe that's one option, and it's just an option, and when we talk about the trade deadline, even with the Yankees as obvious a link as it appears to be with Ajohano Suarez, that's the most obvious one in the world. Doesn't mean it happens other teams want Suarez. We speculate and speculate, and so often things happen that we don't ever anticipate.

00:09:55
Speaker 4: Case in point, the Brian Baker trade.

00:09:57
Speaker 1: If you would have said the Oils are trading guys, where would Brian Baker have been on the list of priorities eighth, ninth, tenth, And yet he's the first to go.

00:10:06
Speaker 3: That's right, and for more in he's getting paid a pretty penny this year, and I know he picked it up lately, but he had a really rough start. They probably don't have to give up much if they're willing to take on most, if not all, of the salary too, which is important and Red Sox fans are going to be banking on that ken because they are still better, at least many of them, about what happened with Rafael Devi.

00:10:27
Speaker 4: They saved all that money with that deal.

00:10:29
Speaker 1: They have it can do things like that and give up less, and that would be a shrewd.

00:10:33
Speaker 4: Move on their part again one scenario out of one hundred.

00:10:37
Speaker 1: And I know people follow everything that is written and said about the deadline and linking teams with players, but it's fulls gold.

00:10:48
Speaker 2: We don't know what's going on half the time. But what's not.

00:10:50
Speaker 5: Fools gold is what you just said about Raffie Devers. That's a lot of money that's they cleared up. Is there something out there that tells you the Red Sox could use some of that money, not some like a massive part of that money and add something that we don't see.

00:11:09
Speaker 1: I mean, Eric, that's a great question, And certainly you can't rule it out because every year there are players traded that we never anticipate moving. This would be the way you're describing a high salary player who probably is under some kind of deal, under a long term contract extension, whatever it might be, and the Red Sox would simply absorb that player, take him off a team's hands, with the idea of not giving up much in return. They certainly are positioned to do that. Now, who that guy is that's a tougher question to answer.

00:11:43
Speaker 6: Well, you keep talking about the Red Sox. Are they fool's gold? Though? Because of the ten game winning stream because now they play the.

00:11:49
Speaker 2: Cuffs at Philly's.

00:11:50
Speaker 6: Yes, Rogers Dodgers. I think the next three series are coming up, no doubt. Is there a ten game win streak fools goal? Because they were against the Rays were in there, so I can't now, But they were also against some lesser team.

00:12:03
Speaker 1: See the Red Sox. That way, I don't believe they were a fraud. They were going to play better. They have all this talent, and with BeO and Gilidal pitching better, then I see them as being more real. Now they need more and they probably need helping the bullpen too, but they, to me, in a weaker American league, are a real World series contender.

00:12:25
Speaker 6: How much was that just you pumping up your game on Saturday that you're going to be at.

00:12:30
Speaker 5: Pre sale ticket Kenton. The pre sale tickes.

00:12:33
Speaker 3: Red it's pre dvrse in case you're somewhere and you miss an ounce of.

00:12:41
Speaker 5: Ken forgot that they can't they can't field the ball and they just boot the ball all over the place.

00:12:46
Speaker 4: Well, that's fair criticism.

00:12:48
Speaker 5: And eighth of the team, I mean eight of the nine players on the team haven't made the playoffs because they were just all in the big leagues this year.

00:12:55
Speaker 1: But Gregman's coming back solid story saw the f and if they play Ralphaela at second, which they might do more of solid defender in the outfield. They've been a shaky at times, but I don't see them necessarily as a poor defensive club as they are evolving.

00:13:11
Speaker 6: All Right, here's the real question I want to know. On Saturday night in Chicago, after the game is over, Adam Amin is djaying he across the street, are you going? I may have to go, oh, you're I'm going to drag you there.

00:13:24
Speaker 4: I actually want to see this.

00:13:25
Speaker 6: Yes, I think I don't know.

00:13:27
Speaker 1: People understand we're talking about Adam Aman, one of the great play by play people going right now.

00:13:33
Speaker 4: Also DJs in Chicago. He does this as a gig, and I asked him, why do you do this just Adam Aman doesn't need anotherop. He does the Chicago Bulls, he does MLB, he does.

00:13:45
Speaker 2: NFL really well.

00:13:46
Speaker 4: He said he just wanted to.

00:13:47
Speaker 1: Expand his skill set and he has a great time doing it.

00:13:52
Speaker 6: We are going, yes, Oh, yes, we're going, Yes, We're going. He did in college and then he gave it up and he said he just missed it, so he wanted to do it again and I begged him. I'm like, please, we're doing this game. I'll tell you one thing.

00:14:02
Speaker 2: I won't be doing dancing with you.

00:14:05
Speaker 6: Why, I hope not. Are you a corner sitting in the corner guy?

00:14:09
Speaker 2: I will be a sitting right. You want to make sure he knows what he's doing.

00:14:13
Speaker 6: Bigger story here is you're working on the A crew. Well, small Sat needed the week off after doing the All Star Game.

00:14:20
Speaker 2: He doesn't, Yeah, is gonna be here soon.

00:14:24
Speaker 6: You're an A guy. Well, A crew once in a while allows me to well, it's me Wayno and Adam and then Ken, it's our playoffs.

00:14:35
Speaker 1: He has me bringing the head of Fox Sports a foul Territory T shirt to hopefully grease the skids for future A crew.

00:14:45
Speaker 5: I understand how this is. Broadcasting career is kind of like my baseball career. A lot of triple A and then you get up to the big leagues and it's so amazing. So we're gonna celebrate this, and then you got to keep grease and not.

00:14:57
Speaker 8: Compare the second game to triple No. No, but we just have Ken, at least we just don't basically, it's the same thing.

00:15:08
Speaker 6: We just don't have.

00:15:09
Speaker 3: Ken al least to al central because often A will do the al least and then B will do the.

00:15:18
Speaker 2: Tiger's gonna be pissed you said that I love the Tigers. I'm not worried about the Tigers.

00:15:22
Speaker 6: What's the guys name in the chat that he's gonna be talking? That guy's gonna bear you out last.

00:15:26
Speaker 3: Part here, because you're gonna be on the broadcast of course for the All Star Game.

00:15:30
Speaker 2: In my mind, two storylines.

00:15:32
Speaker 3: One, we're gonna have the challenge system working, which will be fun and interesting to follow. And two, of course, the Maze getting a lot of love and hate. And he seems like such a nice kid. He was on our show a few weeks ago. But the controversy continues. What do you think of the two storylines there?

00:15:47
Speaker 2: This is going to be interesting.

00:15:48
Speaker 1: It's going to be interesting to see which players challenge, if any do. I can't imagine players won't. I'm trying to think of a good candidate to do it.

00:15:57
Speaker 6: Well. Cal Rawley was like perfect in the spring training at it.

00:16:00
Speaker 1: Cal Raley, Okay, there's one, but there's got to be a picture with a big Scoople.

00:16:05
Speaker 4: I could see him doing it just first pitch, let's go. But that's gonna be interesting for sure.

00:16:12
Speaker 1: And the other thing, the miz that's been a fascinating storyline all week. Everyone has their opinions about it, and AJ's gonna accuse me of being wishy washy, But I am being wishy washy.

00:16:22
Speaker 4: On this issue because I see both sides.

00:16:24
Speaker 1: I see the potential buzz and the attention that this will generate for the broadcast and for the sport. But I also see the argument advanced by many current players that hey, you gotta earn it. Five starts is not earning it. Skeins had only eleven starts last year. But this is different, and this is, in the eyes of many players, not the way it should be. There should be more of a base a foundation. And you got a guy, and I'll just use him as one example, Tyler Rodgers. I wrote about him, Tyler Rodgers having an amazing year this tenth season. Maybe he's only shot to go to an All Star Game and he doesn't get it. Now, you can't feel too sorry for him. But at the same time, I get why players would say this is not a cool thing.

00:17:10
Speaker 6: I get it bad for the kid though, because it's not his fault.

00:17:14
Speaker 4: Didn't do anything wrong with supposed to say no?

00:17:16
Speaker 6: Is he gonna say no? No? No, exactly. He was put in an impossible situation and it's nothing against him. Make sure it's nothing against this.

00:17:25
Speaker 1: Know that any player has said anything along the lines, and the average fan understands that too. A fan might be offended by this too. But hey, what's the kid supposed to do? He pitches, well, they asked him to go, He's gonna go.

00:17:39
Speaker 6: People say I'm.

00:17:40
Speaker 2: Gonna turn it down. I'm just not worthy.

00:17:42
Speaker 6: Yet many people said no, right, that's why he's here, don't That's what I wrote the other don't say no? And by the way, before I know, you have to go and the other A team members here, John Smoltz, but good, are you gonna dance with Luda tonight on the field?

00:17:57
Speaker 4: Who's Luda?

00:17:58
Speaker 6: Come on, you don't know Luda?

00:18:00
Speaker 4: Chris, Chris, I'm not gonna dance with Chris.

00:18:02
Speaker 6: You and Ducci one on each one on each side.

00:18:06
Speaker 4: You and Verducci I dance That will not be dancing Saturday, not the adam Imine Fest.

00:18:12
Speaker 3: Are you a or l N l tonight. Nice awesome. All right, well, Ken, we'll see on there. Thanks for stopping by.

00:18:19
Speaker 4: I'm sorry to disappoint you.

00:18:21
Speaker 6: You don't know any songs by Luda.

00:18:22
Speaker 4: I know Luja Chris, I didn't know he was called lu Da.

00:18:26
Speaker 6: I mean went in the A t L or in the A T L. Can this is his home field.

00:18:30
Speaker 4: Hey, I have an expansive music knowledge, not his expansive on Welcome.

00:18:34
Speaker 6: To Atlanta where the Players play.

00:18:35
Speaker 2: Cant I heard it all day yesterday.

00:18:37
Speaker 5: That's how.

00:18:39
Speaker 2: IM going to start his interviewing, Paul. Welcome to Atlanta where the players please.

00:18:45
Speaker 8: You.

00:18:46
Speaker 6: That would that would be the biggest thing you ever did.

00:18:49
Speaker 2: That would be I promise you that would be. That would be.

00:18:52
Speaker 6: It would be.

00:18:53
Speaker 4: But it's not happening.

00:18:55
Speaker 2: His arsenal Okay, he doesn't have that pitch, not yet in the future. Cat, thank you, good.

00:19:00
Speaker 4: To see you, See you guys.

00:19:02
Speaker 2: That's it.

00:19:02
Speaker 4: Excomyday later

00:19:05
Speaker 3: Later on Saturday Territory Back on Thursday second half preview, they'll recap what happened this week