Astros-Blue Jays trade, New ABS challenge system wrinkles, Nick Castellanos drama from anonymous quotes

00:00:01
Speaker 1: Get hold of.

00:00:13
Speaker 2: Birthday boy.

00:00:14
Speaker 3: Happy birthday from yesterday, Todd Father.

00:00:17
Speaker 4: That was thank you, thank you. It was good. It was good. Wife.

00:00:20
Speaker 5: He threw a surprise birthday party. Man, really classy, good call by Jack. I appreciate you, love you, Hunt. But it was a solid, solid time man, big four oh Man, welcome to the forty club.

00:00:32
Speaker 2: You look good. He looks good.

00:00:34
Speaker 6: Crats, I didn't get I mean forty. I didn't realize you were forty. Man, You're on another level.

00:00:39
Speaker 1: You're on another level.

00:00:40
Speaker 6: I thought you were still still super young. You got them fake pearly white.

00:00:45
Speaker 1: Yeah. Tell Jackie, Tell Jackie. I didn't get tell Jackie. I didn't get a text. Man.

00:00:54
Speaker 4: She just texts me now.

00:00:55
Speaker 5: She said for some reason, he said, call couldn't go through for some reason.

00:00:59
Speaker 7: I don't know.

00:00:59
Speaker 2: Oh, bad network network, tough service in the sticks.

00:01:09
Speaker 3: Sorry about it, but anyway, everyone wished Todd Father a happy birthday. If you're watching live in the chat or afterward too, and throw a subscribe on foul Territory YouTube channel or wherever you get your podarg out. Before we jump into some rule change updates, we just want to throw this out there. FT Spring Training Tour is beautiful. It starts on Tuesday at Royals Camp. Then we're at Guardians Camp. We talked to the A's on Thursday, Friday with the Dodgers, Saturday with the Mariners, Sunday with the Rangers, and for the rest of the calendar. You can look on your screen if you're listening to us via podcast platform. You can look on the screen when you get home or when you're not driving.

00:01:49
Speaker 2: If you're driving.

00:01:50
Speaker 3: We have a really beautiful calendar with palm trees, and I'll read week by week as we go. It goes into March. It's really almost a five weeks tour. Aj is getting ready to fly out to Arizona. So more details as we go along, and we'll share this calendar later in the show. Now let's go over the ABS Challenge system information that has been shared and Jeremy running point behind the scenes.

00:02:15
Speaker 2: Here you can just start to put up what we have.

00:02:18
Speaker 3: I'll read it to set the scene for our guys, a few little intricacies of the rules, and then we can react. So this from Alden Gonzalez. New Wrinkle with MLB implementing the ABS Challenge system for the regular season in twenty twenty six. In extra innings, teams will have at least one ABS challenge. So if a team has zero after nine, boom, you get one for the tenth. If you lose that one in the tenth, you get one again for the eleventh inning. So that puts you in a position where, of course, if you feel like you got screwed on a pitch, you didn't run out, you didn't have to save, you got another one that pops up per extra inning. Let's stop there for a moment, actually, so we can react to it, and then we'll keep going with some of the other rule implementation pod fither sounds good to me, right, You get a little extra something when you're an extras where, of course every pitch counts throughout the game, but one pitch could decide the game, and you don't want to be without a challenge.

00:03:10
Speaker 4: Yeah, and I.

00:03:11
Speaker 5: Think you'll see during those innings, you're gonna see a challenge every inning.

00:03:16
Speaker 4: And excuse me, it's integral too.

00:03:19
Speaker 5: At the same time, it's like that first pitch, all of a sudden, am I going to use it? You know, stolen base attempts that have said, for example, I don't know it's gonna be hard, but at the same token, I think it's the right decision because you want to get it right, and I think that's the biggest part of baseball. You want to get it right, especially late in the game when a run or a pitch or you know, a certain kind of ordeal that happens during the game is right. And you see that happen in other sports too, where they have you know, the same kind of deal. You lose a time out or whatever it is, but the focus is on getting it right. And I think this is this is the first start of it and the exciting part of it because you're like, people are gonna be watching the like challenge it though, oh they should have challenged it back boom, and then next thing you know, they save it or they lose it, whatever it is. So yeah, I think it's the right call, and I think that's how it should be.

00:04:12
Speaker 1: I completely agree.

00:04:13
Speaker 6: I think at the end, I mean, I think at the end of the game is when you have to get it right. It's that's the whole point we're not looking for. And if you look at the numbers, like in the minor leagues, I think it's fifty percent challenged fit position players fifty percent were right, Like I think in the big leagues in spring training it was like fifty two percent. This is just taking care of the egregious calls. This is taking care of the agreed people are gonna complain because just like a tiny little tenth of the ball touched the box. Yeah, okay, but we're not gonna have egregious calls at the end of the game when somebody throws one ninety nine two balls off the plate like, no challenge, boop, take care of it. That's that's that's the excitement of the extra innings. That's the excitement of x RA innings plus the challenges.

00:05:00
Speaker 1: I love it.

00:05:03
Speaker 3: Next up, those challenges are not to be used when the game gets silly position players in the game. Now, game's done from the league. This from Jesse Rodgers ABS Challenge presentation. So they did a presentation to some media. One interesting thing will be when an ABS challenge and a video challenge. Oh this is something else, just so you know. One interesting thing will be when an ABS challenge and a video challenge occur on the same play. This could happen on stolen base attempts for example. First, the ball strike call will be decided then the challenge on the basis so just some clarification, right Kratz. Little things are gonna pop up or you're gonna be like what. So they went over all the scenarios and there it is for that one sounds.

00:05:50
Speaker 1: Right, yeah, if you want.

00:05:52
Speaker 6: I mean, I guess people haven't gone to minor league games, but they really kind of laid this out in the minor league games, and I think they've I think they've kind of iron things out because they've tried it, They've tried different iterations of it, and you know, these are all things that Now the biggest thing is when there's like a challenge, let's say a stolen base happens, you have to wait till that challenge is over. But the umpire can still judge, oh, were you getting help from the dugout? Did the dugout relay anything? Because there's a delay there. So I think it's a it's it's a part that we'll still have a little bit of consternation, a little bit of pissed off players in certain situations.

00:06:32
Speaker 5: Yeah, and this this is the part where it's like, okay, yeah, balls are strying. Now you give a little extra time, right, right, Scott if I'm not mistaken, Will they get extra time and they have to say it right.

00:06:44
Speaker 4: Then and there whether they want to review it? Do we know that by chance?

00:06:49
Speaker 3: Hey, sometimes we do a little game on foul Territory called role play.

00:06:54
Speaker 2: It's not what you think.

00:06:55
Speaker 3: We're just picking up our phones and we're talking as if we're somebody in base. But if you'd like that phone to be a little bit cheaper for making phone calls, who should you call?

00:07:05
Speaker 2: Krats?

00:07:07
Speaker 6: Mintmobile because you get all the same speed with a tiny little.

00:07:12
Speaker 3: Price, same coverage, tiny price. Ready to stop paying more than you have to? New customers can make the switch today and for a limited time get unlimited premium wireless for just fifteen bucks per month. Switch now at mintmobile dot com slash territory. That's mintmobile dot com slash territory. Upfront payment of forty five dollars for three months, ninety for six months, or one eighty for twelve months. Plan required fifty dollars a month, equivalent taxes and fees extra initial plan term only over fifty gigabytes may slow when network is busy. Capable device required, availability, speed and coverage varies. See mintmobile dot com save money get after at FTFAM. Yeah, so as far as I know and I'm out the rules expert well crafts, you're probably better than me.

00:07:56
Speaker 2: Go ahead and I'll follow.

00:07:56
Speaker 1: They don't.

00:07:57
Speaker 6: They don't get any extra time, but it's seen at a different pace because think about just think about nobody on strike three. You're like strike three are like ah damn challenge where strike three ball thrown down? Everybody's watching. There's a little bit of time there to make that decision, you know, Todd, Like any little bit of timing is different. You still have to say. You can't go, oh, well, we're going to challenge the out or safe call at second base, and then as that's happening, you can't go like, hey, I want to challenge the strike call too. No, no, no, no, that doesn't that timing doesn't change. What they're going to do is if the out call is what would end the inning and not the strike call or strike three call, then they challenge that. They show that they take that challenge first. If it's a strike three call, they don't challenge second base. Is how is how it works, because there's no story and base attempt. If strike three is correct, if it's wrong and it's ball three, then they can challenge the stolen base. Just little things that that go with timing, and.

00:09:10
Speaker 4: It's gonna happen.

00:09:11
Speaker 5: It's gonna happen, and we're gonna be like sure, wait, wait, wait, who goes first?

00:09:15
Speaker 4: Let's go back and read the rules.

00:09:17
Speaker 5: So yeah, hopefully it happens in spring training so we can go over at one time.

00:09:22
Speaker 4: I think that would that would help a lot of people.

00:09:25
Speaker 2: I agree.

00:09:26
Speaker 6: Before you go, Scott, this is twenty fourteen is when they implemented replay. We are we open the season against the Rays. I'm with the Blue Jays Salve butere Drew but Terra's dad. Not anything with Blake Butterra. This is a different Salve. Butterra is running the replay room with a couple other guys with the Blue Jays. First batter of the year, Jose Reyes. He hits one center fielder I'm not even sure who center fielder in fourteen for the Rays was, comes in, dives, makes the play. I'm not sure if we should challenge. Everybody looks over Posey Rayis pulled his hamstring running the first base on the playoff. Everybody's panicking literally, first play of the season couldn't have gone worse.

00:10:15
Speaker 1: So, yeah, you wanted to iron out in spring training?

00:10:18
Speaker 3: Oh sway, And there are many spring training games to be able to hash this out with. So you'll pick up on any issues or any learning experiences for teams. Right, If anything big pops up, we'll learn about it. Okay, Next up this I mentioned briefly. No challenging of pitches when position players are pitching, yes, he put thankfully.

00:10:43
Speaker 1: Trash?

00:10:43
Speaker 5: What's trash?

00:10:46
Speaker 1: Todd?

00:10:47
Speaker 6: Todd, are you gonna face the position player this year in the season? Probably you play every day. You're not going to count that at bat. Don't worry about it, it doesn't matter. Just do whatever they want.

00:10:57
Speaker 1: Yeah.

00:10:57
Speaker 4: I don't like that at all.

00:10:58
Speaker 1: I don't like it at all.

00:11:00
Speaker 6: This is not This is not people say it's one or two at bats a season. Okay, Todd, are you gonna give away in that bat this year?

00:11:10
Speaker 4: Never? Never?

00:11:13
Speaker 1: I don't like that.

00:11:15
Speaker 4: I don't.

00:11:15
Speaker 5: I don't agree with that one at all either. Why why, just why somebody comes into a meeting and they're like, oh, oh, just so you know, I thought about this one too. Forget about when position players come in so we can get the game going faster.

00:11:28
Speaker 4: Come on, yeah, I didn't.

00:11:31
Speaker 3: Like that, but you guys are also now, in my mind, discrediting the ump, like, let's not act like it's going to be a billion wrong calls.

00:11:39
Speaker 5: Yes, but yes, dude, they they give the they give those guys a little bit bigger zone because they don't.

00:11:45
Speaker 4: As many strikes.

00:11:47
Speaker 5: So that's where they need to implement it more with the position players throwing.

00:11:50
Speaker 3: In my opinion, save all your challenges for the twelve two game, and you can tell Key k her Nandez that breaking ball is not in the zone.

00:11:59
Speaker 5: You I know what, Scott, it's funny that you do say. It is funny, but at the same time, there's no time to be like, oh, just because the position player's pitching, you're not allowed to do a challenge, Like come on, dude, I struck a guy out and it was probably you know, the guy came to me and said, oh, it hit the box. It looked like it was a ball to me, but he would have definitely challenged that pitch, is what I'm saying.

00:12:25
Speaker 4: Adam Duvall, Sorry.

00:12:29
Speaker 3: Okay, fine, fine, I'm with you. You get your challenges.

00:12:34
Speaker 2: Yeah, two things.

00:12:35
Speaker 3: One, you know what I mean, you don't. The league's not gonna let you. But one, like krat said, every ab should count. Why because most of the league now is judged by number systems. The number systems are going, Wait, there were caveat, there were three at bats against the position player this year. That doesn't matter.

00:12:53
Speaker 2: Right, We're in the same boat.

00:12:55
Speaker 3: When we evaluate players. We're trying to be quick, and we'll throw numbers out. Here's his ops, here's ops plus, here's a slug. Those numbers don't differentiate for a particular at bat.

00:13:04
Speaker 2: So I'll give you that. That's fair, I understand.

00:13:06
Speaker 3: Plus, have we ever had a position player pitching a game and then, you know, for a team that's getting smacked and then that team ends up coming back? Are just counting the game as nothing most of the time, Yes, but it's not crazy.

00:13:21
Speaker 6: This is this is my only example. In twenty seventeen, I spent the entire season triple A until September.

00:13:27
Speaker 1: I got trade to the Yankees, and.

00:13:29
Speaker 6: I got six at bats, five at bats against position players, six at bats against relief big league relievers. I went six for six against the big league relievers. I went zero for five against the position players. Now that's me because you know, I sucked and I was, you know, trying to do too much when I was playing against those guys. But it's those at bats counted the exact same. I remembered it because we tracked it. It was something fun and funny that we were doing. But when you're talking about guys' livelihoods in a twelve to two game, guess who's coming in. Dudes that don't play a lot. They're not like God, you played every single game. We're keeping you out there so you can face Chris Heisei pitching off the mound, so you can face a Uhenio Suarez throwing the last inning. No, they put the bench guys in. So that's where that's where my that's where my argument is.

00:14:26
Speaker 3: Okay, I thought that one's going to be ten seconds and turn it into a few minutes, and I'm good with that.

00:14:31
Speaker 2: This is your show.

00:14:32
Speaker 3: I'm just here to point guard it and act like the occasional uninformed fan.

00:14:38
Speaker 2: One more for you. Let's look at the zone itself.

00:14:40
Speaker 3: So Jesse Rogers from the presentation, I've been in some of these before.

00:14:43
Speaker 2: The league will put like a.

00:14:45
Speaker 3: PowerPoint together, put a lot of slides together, Google slides whatever it is, and they'll lay it out. It's usually really well done. I actually really enjoyed those. Jesse said. The difference in the strike zone now with the challenge system, it's a little smaller than the umpire called zone. So we see the ABS zone it is a square. We see the umpire called zone that is a circle. Hum different geometry, Krats. Do you want to explain as a catcher how this is going to affect many lives?

00:15:19
Speaker 1: Just learning? Todd?

00:15:22
Speaker 6: Basically, it's over hundreds of thousands of pitches and just over history, umpires call a circular zone. Whether you know there's there's so many like is it the catchers? Is it the fact? Is it the fact that you know your vision is not in a square and it's hard to see the points. There's so many theories behind it. Essentially, they came up with that over hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions of pitches, that that's like the standard zones. Some guys dev eight smaller, some guys deviate bigger, a little more down, a little bit more away. Whatever it is, Yes, it's just gonna be learning. It's gonna take my opinion, I think it's gonna take two seasons for hitters to learn this, for hitters to learn that is an actual square and where that is. And I think hitters will learn it sooner than sooner than you think. But I also think hitters are going to just it's gonna take time to figure that out. And this picture doesn't show it, but if you read the article it talks about it's fifty three percent of your height is the top of the zone. And that's the part that's I think people are gonna be very confused at and very like unaware of, oh, well that is a strike, and then there'd be ones that aren't a strike. And the other part is the depth of the strike zone, which they've changed since they started doing the ABS in the minor leagues. Where is that depth point? Because that depth is they had it at a different point on the plate, and there was pitches that were not touching the ground but almost touching the ground that were hitting the ABS system and it was called a strike. I think they got it figured out, but even that's going to be something new, a caveat a you know, a little intricacy for big leaguers and big league catchers, big lely hitters and big league catchers to figure out.

00:17:23
Speaker 5: Yeah, and you see the corners were never called really, so that was on that on that square when the circle it was more in and out, more up and down. But you know the four quadrants, the four corners there never were rarely got called.

00:17:40
Speaker 4: So those are the ones. You know.

00:17:42
Speaker 5: If you can give me a one box real quick here by myself, I can show kratzy or cratzy, you understand if the right hand is up so on this side no, yeah, this side boom, you're trying to get that. You're trying to get that top right quadrant here right, and that's the pitch move over where you can up top. But your glove keeps going a little. You catch it and try and bring it back. And now an umpire sees that and he's like you were trying to steal a strike when it was actually was a strike. So Sam is down low in the other other corners. So just depending on where your position. But I wish they would take away the box and just just have him throw it. As a fan, you watch, oh, I think that got it, you know what I mean, instead of you know.

00:18:24
Speaker 4: Saying, oh, the box didn't get it.

00:18:26
Speaker 5: So now it's not a strike because umpires have a different box than what we're seeing on TV. At least that's what they told me when I played.

00:18:33
Speaker 2: So yeah, that's true.

00:18:35
Speaker 3: But I'm going to present the other side as a fan who did not play anything close to Major League Baseball.

00:18:40
Speaker 2: I am obsessed with the box.

00:18:41
Speaker 3: If you take the box away from me, or you even faded a little bit, I'm pissed. I understand that there's a little bit of variance, but I want to see the box. I want it there, so it I think it helps a lot.

00:18:53
Speaker 5: I'm not mad that it's there, but if they did get rid of it, I'd be like, Okay, cool.

00:18:58
Speaker 3: That's because you played the game. You're just eye testing. You know what stuff looks like. And maybe you like a little bit of surprise in your life where you're like, I don't know where that clipped. You just had a birthday party, surprise. I'm not a surprise party guy.

00:19:12
Speaker 5: By the way, I had a facial too this morning. My wife got me a facial man, first time Jersey Shore facialist.

00:19:19
Speaker 4: Thank you girl.

00:19:20
Speaker 1: That's it's not your first time you.

00:19:23
Speaker 5: No, no, not my first time. But it was a surprise. I didn't know I was getting it this morning, So we.

00:19:28
Speaker 6: Have so many surprises. Ken was in surprise and was in surprise strike zone. The strike zone is not going to be a surprise anymore. So yeah, no, I like it, but no, I would love to have the overhead camp. I would love to have not the side angle because watching on TV, I need that box. I need the box. I love the box. I love when they don't have the box up. But then it just shows where the ball was in the strike zone, like it just you know, gives like the circle the curf filled in for a strike circle, you know, an open circle.

00:20:04
Speaker 1: Ball Like I love that.

00:20:05
Speaker 6: Because we're talking about pitches that are fifty to fifty the abs, you're just not going to Umpires are going to get half them wrong. Players are going to get half of them wrong. So those aren't going to change. It's the egregious ones. That's the only reason we have this, and that's why I love it.

00:20:23
Speaker 3: One more layer Cratzy. We're a catcher for a long time. Some pitchers have impeccable control. For some it's like a video game.

00:20:33
Speaker 1: Yep.

00:20:33
Speaker 2: They know the assignment.

00:20:35
Speaker 3: Now, not for every pitch, because you can't challenge every pitch but they know the assignment.

00:20:40
Speaker 2: And if you're a pitcher, aren't you.

00:20:42
Speaker 3: Looking at that picture that Jesse Rodgers posted where the circle turns into a square and you know the spots, You're like, Okay, I mean, of course it varies based on which hitter you're facing, strengths, weaknesses, et cetera. But you've got a little bit more of a game plan target wise in your head where you're like, I know, to a t where that zone should be right with the square versus the circle, and a little bit more variants with the gray area.

00:21:10
Speaker 2: Of the zone.

00:21:11
Speaker 3: What did we call it? What did we'd been calling it the buffer zone? Right, we don't have that anymore so.

00:21:16
Speaker 1: Trash top buffer zone. It's a striker. It's not a strike like that buffer zone is trash. Here it is.

00:21:23
Speaker 6: Here is the strategicy, the part that is it going to change the game. No, dudes are still going to get jobs because they throw ninety nine miles an hour. But there is a value for the dudes who can tickle the top and they can get the bottom corner and the guy who can figure out, you know, my cutter, I'm able to throw that up and in where it does touch the top of the zone inside, but it's got to end up a little more on the plate. My cutter never is able to stay in the zone long enough to be able touch upper upper quadrant or the down and away quadrant. So there's going to be strategy for a handful of guys. And those handful of guys they might be able to find value in this. They might be able to find you know who, who is that guy? Is it a guy that used to throw ninety eight? Now he's throwing more like ninety one ninety three. But he's able to take He's able to take some of the advantages of that zone and use it for his advantage.

00:22:30
Speaker 3: In conclusion, after what I thought was a very informative segment, just now we finished with a tie. Each of you used one fake word. For Crats the word was strategicy, and for todd father the word was intricately. So you guys tied. Good jobs doat one one one more introcral? Oh, intricral still not a word, so integral strategical, I don't think so. I have a lot of AI in my world these days.

00:23:02
Speaker 1: Definitely fine.

00:23:06
Speaker 2: Spell it for me, Todd and I'll I t.

00:23:10
Speaker 4: Integral o r T O I M T E D G r A.

00:23:14
Speaker 3: L oh integral. You said intrical integral, Yes, essentially, R I C A l introcral. Yes, that's not a word integral. Yes, but we just rolled back the tape and we heard intricole. I had recently used the word intricate, so it could just be a little bit of word.

00:23:39
Speaker 4: Sometimes my t e rs go tru instead of ur. You know what I mean.

00:23:44
Speaker 5: That's the Jersey part of me. Okay, integral, I said integral instead of integral.

00:23:52
Speaker 2: Judges rule Olympic Judges.

00:24:00
Speaker 4: Said that word again. He is about it.

00:24:06
Speaker 5: We need somebody to use figure out the words we use, like at the end of the show, what we got wrong.

00:24:13
Speaker 2: You know, try to do more of it.

00:24:15
Speaker 3: As you know, I've been working with you guys for years and I just say whatever. So I'm just like, I'm going to chime in as stat boy nerd boy.

00:24:24
Speaker 1: I like I like the word monolithic.

00:24:26
Speaker 6: I've always liked the word monolithic, and I try to use it in as many sentences as possible.

00:24:32
Speaker 1: What does it mean monolithic?

00:24:35
Speaker 6: Yeah, one singular, like one singular object, like a like a large rock.

00:24:43
Speaker 1: Monolithic.

00:24:44
Speaker 3: Wow, that was actually beautifully when when I put it in my eye, the first thing that popped up was a single solid piece of stone.

00:24:53
Speaker 2: Beautiful. Yeah, I swear A plus A plus. All right, you are now for prepared for your SATs. Let's move on to a trade. Aja.

00:25:04
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00:25:11
Speaker 2: That's a lot of recipes.

00:25:13
Speaker 8: Agreed, you can go and you can narrow it down, Scott to whatever you want. Family friendly because you know I got kids sometimes the need to eat, so you can go family friendly, pescatarian, vegetarian, whatever you want to do.

00:25:24
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00:25:41
Speaker 3: There's delicious steak and seafood plus three times more seafood options at no extra cost. Go to HelloFresh dot com slash ft ten FM to get ten free meals plus a freeze willing knife at one hundred and forty four dollars ninety nine cent value on your third box offer valid while supplies last free meals apply to discount on first box. Noosips describer's only faries by plan that's FT one zero FM. I think the Astros are the movers and shakers of spring training because they still have more moves up their sleeves. They have this surplus with their infield. They also are still trying to clear some money, perhaps to make some more moves.

00:26:27
Speaker 2: They bring back.

00:26:28
Speaker 3: Joey Lo Pervido Low Perfido from the Blue Jays. Remember he was involved in the USA Kukuchi deal a couple of years back. Jesus Sanchez going to Toronto Chandler Rome of the Athletic and crush Shitty Territory telling us that it's a money saving move. Sanchez is owed six point eight million dollars. Joey Lo Pervito is making less than one million dollars. She's making the league minimum, which is seven hundred something thousand dollars. Low Perveto's pumped because he's already in that organization. It's like you got to go for the ride with the Blue Jays into experiencing a World.

00:27:03
Speaker 2: Series in Canada.

00:27:04
Speaker 3: But now he goes back to Houston, where I think he might get himself more playing time.

00:27:08
Speaker 2: Sanchez definitely a platoon guy.

00:27:11
Speaker 3: Also helps Phil avoid maybe left by Santander out there and the Blue Jays can mix and match a little bit, and they can certainly afford the contract, not that the Astros can't. Kratz on the other side. Here, you have a surplus for the Astros, so you still wonder if something's cooking. We're getting a lot of rumblings. I think Chandler puts something out there along the lines of expect more.

00:27:32
Speaker 5: So.

00:27:32
Speaker 3: They are very active right now, and you keep thinking that it involves the sock paratus because of the infield surplus. Even Carlos Correa was asked about the situation, he said, we have a lot of people that could potentially be used in trades later on. I'm not a GM, but I know that only four infielders can play at a time. You have to make some move put some people in the outfield have depth. So Cray had said, with the owner that we have, we're not going to make our team worse. Everybody knows that when the Astros make a move, it's to make players better and make the hem better and that might be the case. I will say, I'm trying to get all this stuff on the fly. Jesus Sanchez, when he joined the Astros, they were pumped to get him for the misbalance that they had left you righty in their lineup.

00:28:12
Speaker 2: That was a big story over the years. But he did not perform well with Houston.

00:28:18
Speaker 3: So if your owner, Jim Crane, Kratz, and you're a baseball super fan and you invested in Sanchez last year and didn't work out.

00:28:23
Speaker 6: Or like bait it, I like, I'm just gonna go by what Carlos Correa said. Carlos Correa was one hundred percent brought back here now that Dana Brown didn't like him. Jim Crane loves him. I have heard Jim Crane say it when he and I were talking back and forth years ago, and how much he loves Carlos Correa and everything that he embodies and how he you know, just how he handles himself. So yes, Carlos Correa said, I'm not a GM. Carlos Correy is talking to the guy who ultimately makes the choice of how much money is spent. And this is a money move, and this is also a move that it was one of those things where Low Perfido when they traded him. I remember reading an article from the Astros and I wish I'd kept better notes like Scott does. They really didn't want to get rid of them. It was more of the like, okay, like it's fine, like we're adding, we're adding what we wanted in Kokuchi, but we really like Low Perfido and you don't usually hear that from organizations. So for him to go back, I've heard he is just one of the nicest dudes. He's gonna get more playing time than he did with the J's and he had a great year with the Jays. So the J's were like, hey, I know, we didn't use him a lot and we have a surplus, so I guess, I guess we'll get rid of them. But it's also a case where hey, sus Sanchez just didn't He wasn't drinking the secret sauce in Houston. It just didn't work out.

00:29:57
Speaker 1: Some trades.

00:29:58
Speaker 6: Some guys go places and the isn't always there, and that's okay, so good for them moving on. But I think there's another move. What if they went and got Gallon too, What if the parades thing I don't know. I just I feel like there's something more than just ah, we gotta get rid of Paradis and you know, continue to add to our to our outfield, you know, mix what if they do something out of the ordinary. I know they don't like the whole qualifying offer connected to him. It just feels like Houston's lingering for something.

00:30:30
Speaker 2: I have one other idea before Todd jumps in.

00:30:33
Speaker 3: Everyone can add to their bullpen Josh Hater dealing with the bicep thing, just keeping an eye on it. I think Michael Kopeks still out there, and there are a few other names too. Did they add a reliever?

00:30:45
Speaker 1: No, yeah, they could.

00:30:46
Speaker 6: They could, but that's not like they're not making moves to add Michael Kopeck. They could add Michael Kopak yesterday.

00:30:52
Speaker 1: Why you think he's gonna demand at this point?

00:30:56
Speaker 2: You think? I don't know it?

00:30:57
Speaker 1: And a large amount.

00:30:59
Speaker 2: What's large?

00:30:59
Speaker 3: I mean is he going to command one year seven million bucks, which is around what Jyzus Sanchez was making. So this is my one thing that I do think the Astros look at is the luxury tax number. They're usually dancing right below or above it, and they like to stay in that range. Jim Crane essentially treats it like a salary cap, not a hard cap, but it is a soft cap. They keep themselves around that range. So I could see that happening.

00:31:25
Speaker 2: Again.

00:31:26
Speaker 3: This broke right before the show, so I haven't done my nerdy homework, but just throwing that out there, you could see an arm like that. Added, there's still guys out there that are going to command multimillion dollar contracts.

00:31:40
Speaker 5: Yeah, and I just to jump in, Like when someone says they're not done yet, maybe it has something brewing. There's talks going on where it could lead to something. I mean usually when somebody says they're not done yet, there's something in the background going on. But there's plenty of guys out there that are itching to get a job.

00:31:57
Speaker 4: So this is the time as.

00:32:00
Speaker 5: Presidents, as gms that go out there and bey, hey, take it or leave it. This is what we're gonna give your guy if he wants a place. IF's not you know, I hate to say bargains, but people need to People have livelihoods and they got it. They want to play, so got to feed the family. So these could be some shorter not as much money for some guys, not as many years for a couple of guys and spot fillers that they're gonna be like, you know, it's a major league deal. I didn't want to I didn't get the money I wanted. I've been a part of that, and it's it stinks, but you got to find a job.

00:32:32
Speaker 3: The one thing that just keeps bothering me is that I feel as if the Ashlers are trying to get Escoc Paratus in Houston for years and then he's the name that's being floated around in trade rumors, and they have some guys who are getting up there in years. It just seems like such a classic case of I'll just throw this out there. Let's say Krag gets hurt right, and then you're like, oh man, this team is maybe gonna make the playoffs by a game or two. They really need something. Oh wait, they need Escoc Paradus that can just pull dingers in that ballpark and beat up the Crawford boxes. Still would love to see another full season of him out there. I get the logjam, and Krey is going to be the guy that's going to play every day until something happens at third. Jeremy Payne had short I'll two ve at second, I think some Bryce Matthew's over there too.

00:33:19
Speaker 2: And then first is for Christian Walker. It's tough. You can't have Paradis on the bench.

00:33:26
Speaker 1: You can't keep him. You can't.

00:33:28
Speaker 6: Sorry, it's not that's not how that's not how it works. Maybe you can have seven or eight really good starters, you know, starting pitchers, but when you have a guy who should play every day, there's other ramifications to it.

00:33:45
Speaker 1: Do you know do you know Correy is not going to play every day? Do you know he's gonna get hurt? No, you don't know that. Do you know that Christian Walker is not going to get hurt? No, you don't know that.

00:33:54
Speaker 6: But you can't have your organization. Can't one pay a guy that much to see on the bench who is an All Star last year? And two what does that look like for other guys who go and sign places? Oh what's gonna happen to me? If I sign here and I had a good year and they're not willing to get rid of me? Like there's there's a little bit of a not saving face, but a you know the look, what does it look like to the rest of the league If they keep a guy like Parades on the bench.

00:34:28
Speaker 2: It looks like you have an embarrassment of briches.

00:34:32
Speaker 4: I know, I know.

00:34:33
Speaker 2: It just sucks.

00:34:34
Speaker 3: I wish that they that this team didn't have a logjam just because one of the most extreme pool hitters in baseball with the Crawford boxes is.

00:34:42
Speaker 2: Just fun, easy math to root for when you're a fan.

00:34:44
Speaker 4: Of where Bill, when we need them?

00:34:49
Speaker 3: What come on, man, why you gotta do that? We're gonna have this clip later.

00:34:55
Speaker 2: But yes to Boston.

00:34:59
Speaker 3: I don't think it's gonna happ and now because I guess they consider durban and everyday guy.

00:35:02
Speaker 2: But I think that will walk through nice. Oh gosh, I agree. I agree.

00:35:08
Speaker 3: Okay, here's another guy who's up for grabs, Nick Castianos. So we talked about him on yesterday's show, and then by the end of yesterday's show he had been released. We learned about the beer incident. Some fans went after us on social media. I'm sorry, I'm going to stand by this one. I know that some teammates were pissed. I still don't think it's that big of a deal. So John Hayman said, there's a lot of interest in Castianos now that he's about to be free teams apparently we're waiting for the expected release, and Isaacazout from fish On First said, the Marlins do not have interest in Nick Castianos, per sources, Well, there are many other teams good good thing. Just want to make sure that Marlins fans are Awarecrats that your team is again not going after a player.

00:35:52
Speaker 2: Don't worry. They don't like free agency. That still remains the same.

00:35:57
Speaker 1: It's not a free agent. It's not a free agent. What can can we put that tweetback up? Can we put that tweetback up?

00:36:03
Speaker 6: Because if I had like a good like a the Marlins do not have interest in winning, per sources, is what they meant, not Nick costs.

00:36:11
Speaker 3: No, they just don't believe. You don't need, you don't need free agents to win, Cracks. You can build everything homegrown.

00:36:18
Speaker 1: You don't.

00:36:18
Speaker 6: You don't need they have good players, like everyone's gonna get after us because oh they got so much pitching, death and depth and they have so much to offer, Like, okay, then build around it. If you have this incredible build up, not even build around it. Build something something I think I read this morning seventy eight million dollars is their current payroll what it would be opening day if nothing changes, and Nick Costianus would be seven hundred and eighty thousand. I think the minimum is seven eighty or maybe seven to twenty. I'm not one hundred percent sure. So the Phillies are on the hook. And I said it before, I'll say it again in Philly everybody in Philly. I even got put on a radio My clip from our show here got put on one of the local radio stations and they spent a whole segment about it about how wow, how could he say something like that? How could he say Nick Costianos is a valuable piece. We don't know exactly what went on, the whole beer and the dugout thing, and then somebody saying what he did was disgusting, like all the things that are are being bantered around right now, like just pump the brakes. Wait to ask somebody who was actually there, like Nick Costianos and not just like some of the rumor stuff. But he can be a valuable piece to a team. Is he going to be a superstar?

00:37:39
Speaker 2: No.

00:37:40
Speaker 6: Twenty twenty three was the last time he got MVP votes, but that was as a Philly His tenure in Philly probably isn't as bad as the way it ended up here is his defense declined? Yes, but can he help a team one hundred percent?

00:38:03
Speaker 5: Like, I'm just confused because I really I love the guy. I think he's a great dude, but he's he's also a really good player. He's I feel like he's getting the bed end of the stick over here in Philly, and I think a change of scenery might kickstart him back to being the player that he is. Man, Listen, everybody's strong minded. The strongest people in the word have the world are the best minds. They can trick their mind of being comfortable with being excited, being positive. But if more stuff goes, it builds once you get home you think about it. Everybody's human, So I think the human side of him he needed to go just to get away from all the craziness going on and all that stuff. But I feel like he would help any ball club he would get on the right path, and I think people would love him because you know, I've heard nothing but really good things about him and the way he plays the game. I love his attitude, I love his energy, a spark and that little arrogance in the best way possible.

00:38:59
Speaker 4: I love that too.

00:39:01
Speaker 6: I Mean there's also articles out about Otto Kemp when he got called up, how much he helped him, Like if a player makes more of a positive impact on your team than a negative impact. I think at the league minimum, I think there's a lot of value to a lot of different teams. It'd be very interesting to see not only who picks him up, but the fact that he gets to choose. Now, who picks him up, he gets to choose because it's just a matter of hey, what team, So, yes, is his most value as a DH for some team? Probably does he still feel like he can play right field? So maybe a team that says we'll let you play eighty games in right field, We'll let you play one hundred games in the outfield, you're not just gonna DH. Maybe that's where he goes and it might not be the place that everybody thinks.

00:39:56
Speaker 5: Yeah, and last thing, like you think of I Henningo Suarez talked about him, and remember when we had forget voting on I said, hey, the Reds would love to have him a good pick up. He kind of, like, you know, shushed it off a little bit, not being rude about it, but reds end up picking him up. Nobody really saw that coming. So like, there might be a team out there, like, dude, this guy can have a resurgence and all of a sudden we give him, you know, a little bit of money and next thing, you know, kick start back his career.

00:40:27
Speaker 4: I agree totally.

00:40:29
Speaker 3: Well, the league looks at players mostly the same way, and his defensive metrics are not good. You can argue it however you want, they're not good. Most of the league is going to want him to primarily be a DH. He actually said earlier this offseason he would explore first base. Maybe that's a spot that he starts messing around with in spring training. I think he's at a prove it point where a team's gonna say, I don't know, you probably are going to DH. We can mess around with first You might not play a lick of outfield, or if there's injuries, you might play a little bit of outfield.

00:41:07
Speaker 2: But I know you have a chip on your shoulder.

00:41:09
Speaker 3: You've provided mostly above average offense over the last five years.

00:41:13
Speaker 2: You are a timely hitter. If you watch him on an everyday basis.

00:41:15
Speaker 3: Nobody's saying this is a superstar, but this is a guy like these guys are saying that he can contribute to a team that needs some more offense.

00:41:23
Speaker 2: So krats for me.

00:41:26
Speaker 3: I think if I'm Nick, I'm like, dude, I don't care what you do with me. I just want to go Rake and playing the All Star Game in Philly this year?

00:41:38
Speaker 1: Such a your side? What is that called?

00:41:40
Speaker 6: It's not trolling, but you're trolling. You're you're you're living for that moment. You want to see every every two for three game that Nick has this year. Scott's going to be like, let's get.

00:41:52
Speaker 1: The voting going, Let's get the voting going.

00:41:55
Speaker 6: No, I yeah, that would be that would be nice, That'll be would be sweet revenge, I guess you would say. But I think he's got a lot. I think he's got a lot to prove, and I think some of the things that just have circled out there. How many times has Nick really gone through struggles? How many times in his career as a baseball player, not his life his career as a baseball player. He was a massively hot super prospect coming out of high school, made it to the big league super early, and has had success a lot along the way how to kind of re re up his value part way through like rate at free agency, and then he cashed in. So it's like, you know, how do you handle those how do you handle those setbacks? Is it time for a comeback? We'll see in twenty twenty six.

00:42:49
Speaker 3: I'm going to read an excerpt from an article that mac elb from The Athletic wrote. This was the article that drove I think Castiano's writing about the beer into in.

00:43:00
Speaker 2: Miami last year.

00:43:01
Speaker 3: The article, by the way, if you want to check it out, how the Phillies one hundred million dollar marriage with Nick Castianos ended in divorce. I want to get player perspective here because I'm getting a little bit of shades of Adam Laroche. Young fans, you can look up that story, google him. Here's from the article about four hours right, So Todd, you got your first up here.

00:43:21
Speaker 2: Let me cue you. Ready.

00:43:23
Speaker 3: About four hours before game two of last year's NLDS Castianos's final home game, a Phillies coach through batting practice to Nick son Liam while some Dodgers players were on the field doing pregame preparations. Real Muto waited to take early batting practice. The same pregame hitting sessions carried over to Dodger Stadium, where Liam joined his father on the field before more playoff games. The Phillies had entered the series not expecting Castianos to be a factor, and injury to Harrison Vader forced him into action. Castianos had two hits and fifteen avs. He drove in the team's lone run in that heartbreaking eleven inning defeat in Game four that sent the Phillies home. Afterward, he sipped on a beer inside the losing clubhouses. Everyone reflected on what was and what was not. By then, there was no love lost. The Phillies knew their marriage with Castianus was ending playoffs. Kid on the field, BP, is that okay?

00:44:14
Speaker 4: Yeah, it's fine?

00:44:17
Speaker 2: I do.

00:44:17
Speaker 4: I think it's fine. Maybe he could have picked a different time to go. Maybe that.

00:44:22
Speaker 5: That's the only problem I have with that. Make sure you know when you're on there, nobody else is supposed to hit. If a guy is supposed to come in, Hey guy, Hey Liam, we got to get off the field. That kind of deal I will never not side with with a family member trying to have his boy on a field in a major league field working out having a good time. But also I will always side with the professional that needs to get his work done as well.

00:44:46
Speaker 3: But but they said real Muto was waiting to take early VP. Again, like this is you know a ton point. Nick will come on the show. We can talk to him about this, because this could be like one disgruntled person or person in the organization. That's probably where Krats is going to come in being like, oh, let me get him, let me go after him.

00:45:04
Speaker 2: So I'm just presenting what is out here right now. He's gonna talk. I'm sure he'll come on here and talk.

00:45:09
Speaker 5: If this was the true story and how everything unfolded. Hopefully, while I talk, I sound like I understand. M two comes up, Hey, big guy, we got to get off. He's taken early BP. Let's go to the cage like something like that probably should have happened. Yes, of course the baseball player should get precedents of that. He's trying to win as the playoffs. The beer thing, when you lose, grab a beer, talk to the boys. What the hell is that crap about? I mean, come on, man, like that right there, putting in a beer after you lost, Well, that's what. That's what guys do who like to drink beer after a game, poor themselves. Whatever they're drinking, sip on it and talk about what.

00:45:51
Speaker 4: Could have been. There could have been, so should have that part. That's bogus.

00:45:56
Speaker 5: They shouldn't have put they put that in there for people just be like, oh, and did you hear about him drinking a beer too?

00:46:02
Speaker 2: That's well, I will say this pot let me.

00:46:04
Speaker 4: I don't agree with that one at all.

00:46:06
Speaker 3: I agree we're on the same page with that beer in the clubhouse. That was kind of relating to the beer in the dugout incident.

00:46:13
Speaker 2: So just to I heard that, we're taking it. Yeah, you saw that he.

00:46:16
Speaker 4: Brought not the only one, not the only one to ever do that. That's just what he got picked up because it's it's here.

00:46:22
Speaker 5: People are trying to find more crap and make it seem like he's worse of a person for doing that.

00:46:29
Speaker 3: Okay, every Joe Schmoe fan is acting like, you know, he broke the holy rule of bringing.

00:46:34
Speaker 2: A beer into that's where That's where I goug out when.

00:46:37
Speaker 3: He was taken out of a game and we talked about it live reacting to it yesterday and and I got the uh the Straight Edge Brigade online being like, how dare he? You guys are defending him because he's come on the show before. I was like, I don't give a shit. It has nothing to do with that. I just know that there's probably hundreds of players who have brought a little sip of alcohol into the dugout after they're not in the game, or even some pictures when they're not pitching in that game, like a starter.

00:47:01
Speaker 2: So I know enough.

00:47:03
Speaker 3: You guys know enough, right, But Krats the floor is yours.

00:47:08
Speaker 4: Hey.

00:47:09
Speaker 6: I won't comment more on the we hit the beer thing plenty yesterday. I love the fact it was a presidente and if you get an actual presidente from the Dominican oh, I mean, it's almost like yeah anyway. But the whole hitting on the field thing, I'm in agreeance with Todd that, yes, families should be able to do things you should be able to But there is zero chance that JT.

00:47:36
Speaker 1: Real Muto was standing there like how Matt painted it in that in that article.

00:47:40
Speaker 4: J T.

00:47:41
Speaker 6: Romutto wasn't standing there like, Oh, I guess, I guess I'm not going to go watching these guys interact, watching how different guys interact with the with each other on the Phillies team. It really is like a family and they've been there together. Was Nick taking you know? Was he saying, hey, you know what, this might be my last time that he gets to hit with me on the field as a Philly. Maybe maybe he knew, you know, his time was coming to an end. But I need to see the fact that JT real Muto was being put out because because of Liam hitting, like Liam hitting before early work, like early work is happening, like when pictures and catchers are out there stretching, when pictures are getting their long toss in before before visiting, before home team batting practice. So I don't think this was as big of a deal. It was just more of a It was another story that until JT comes on and says, dude, I was I was put out because of that. That banged up my entire rest of my routine, or Nick comes on and goes like, yeah, Liam was hitting, like it was totally finn Like I wasn't taking up any time. Like that happens a lot, and I think that should always happen.

00:49:04
Speaker 5: Agreed, and to button it up. If JT was really waiting. Even if JT and Nick had a problem with each other, you have to let the guy go with it like that's I just can't see that happen in that way. And if it did, then that's news to me and everybody in the baseball world that that happened.

00:49:25
Speaker 3: We're gonna hear more about this. At some point, Dave Dombraski was asked about this. I watched the back and forth with media because Philly media was doing a really nice job trying to get answers, and Dave was just basically saying, listen, it was seven months ago, and I'm gonna let Nick handle the rest. So I'm like, okay, I hope Nick comes out and talks about it at some point, you know, when he's comfortable to go over it, he'll sign and then we'll figure it out.

00:49:49
Speaker 6: Sorry, one last thing, I got a call after I talked about the whole Knick situation from somebody with the Phillies, And yes, the situation what I had said was a dress to me, but it was also then added on to that the fact that you know, there's certain things that certain guys handle in certain ways, and it was like, okay, was it just the beer in the dugout situation. No, was it just the Liam hitting and j t Romuto standing there. No, this was something that was brewing. And like I think, whoever talked to Matt Gelb, or maybe Matt Gelb saw it and saw it a certain way because things have been brewing.

00:50:33
Speaker 1: Things have been brewing.

00:50:34
Speaker 6: And to me go back and look at what he did throughout his four years, his three years of his contract, three of the four years, I don't think it was an awful contract. There's much worse contracts out there. Right now, let's put it that way.

00:50:49
Speaker 2: It was four years because it was a five to one hundred, right.

00:50:52
Speaker 1: Years, Okay. I thought it was four years.

00:50:56
Speaker 2: Last year because he had one year left.

00:50:58
Speaker 1: I think offensive. Look what he did, m h.

00:51:02
Speaker 3: He did some things, okay, And I think the league evaluates a player like him differently.

00:51:07
Speaker 2: Now is that right or wrong? I don't know, but totally right.

00:51:11
Speaker 3: You get you get destroyed on a war number for defense these days, and if you're out.

00:51:16
Speaker 1: There, he doesn't.

00:51:18
Speaker 6: He doesn't control his zone very well. He doesn't control his zone very well. He strikes out like nobody's denying his deficiencies. The reason they came up with the acronym war wins above replacement. The replacement player is the guy coming up from Triple A. Literally my career, I am the replacement player. My career numbers are rate at zero. It's negative point one is my replacement number. So I am the replacement. Is Nick Costianos on every day of the week and twice on Sundays better than me. Yes, So that's why, in my opinion, he should be on a big league team giving you one hundred and sixty two games.

00:52:02
Speaker 2: Not a replacement in our heart.

00:52:04
Speaker 3: Okay, next up, I mean that was great. I really enjoyed that segment and hope everyone else did. To let us know, if you're watching this afterward, drop a comment, yell at us, do whatever you want. That calendar is sizzling bout Territory Spring Training Tour.

00:52:25
Speaker 2: We have one more show.

00:52:25
Speaker 3: We do have a show on Monday, okay, and then the spring training tour begins. AJ will be here doing Monday show. I actually don't think I'll be on Monday show, but AJ will be there. Krats will be there. Oh I'm sorry that I take ten days off the show the whole year. So Royals camp on Tuesday Royals camp on Tuesday, Guardians Wednesday, A's Thursday, Dodgers Friday, Mariners Saturday, Sunday, Rangers camp and then there are a ton of other teams were hitting. I think about twenty five teams on a five week tour. So if you want to see the rest, then have fun.

00:52:59
Speaker 1: Uh.

00:52:59
Speaker 3: Tricia Whittaker hosting on Monday, and I heard it could be a very special episode Buck Show, Walter joining and we might have like a semi live audience. No promises, but Tricia Whittaker hosting on Monday. I had one other thing. Oh, Roman Anthony added to the WBC. He's going to play for Team USA in place of Corbyn Carrol if he passes the spring training physical.

00:53:27
Speaker 1: Twenty pounds of muscle.

00:53:30
Speaker 3: Twenty pounds of muscle twenty pounds. I'm not saying he got heavy, but twenty pounds of pure muscle. Maybe that's a technicality and I'm being a nerd about it. So enjoy the weekend everyone, Todd Father's birthday weekend continues.

00:53:48
Speaker 2: What other surprises will he have?

00:53:51
Speaker 5: Oh yeah, I got a big dinner tomorrow. Valentine's dead Man, my money, my buddy came through Mark, Thank you.

00:54:00
Speaker 2: I love it. Crawts Hats on the way out.

00:54:07
Speaker 1: No very Orange.

00:54:10
Speaker 3: They got a shout out today for Miles Michaelis, who said, if you back up enough as a bass.

00:54:14
Speaker 2: Coach, you might as well. That was the line of the show. Happy Friday people, Happy Monday.

00:54:25
Speaker 4: Happy Birthday. Have a good day.

00:54:30
Speaker 2: H