White Sox to-do list + Rex Hudler hypes KC flurry of moves

00:00:07
Speaker 1: It's the White Sox off season to do list, And you know what, I'm gonna step aside here because this might be the last segment that Aj Perzinski does in twenty twenty five. He's heading out for a little bit. So, AJ, anyone that's watching this or listening to this later on, does not want to hear another word from me. So you're the host, go ahead.

00:00:29
Speaker 2: Well, I can't wait to hear garfinkels. First of all, there's three things that he's gonna give us. Second of all, there's really only thing one thing they need to do. Chuck, spend some damn money and get better players, not say go out of the free agent margat and spend some money. You can give your list, but until they start with that, you're gonna say, find a starter, find a reliever, find a bullpen, find a this, and find it out. But you know what those all involve, Chuck spending some money. So let's spend some money. White Sox fans, let's go. It's not our money, it's uncle Jerry, so go Garfine.

00:01:01
Speaker 3: Thanks for that introduction there, Aj, I appreciate it. You're the only person who calls me Garfinkel, by the way, which means a lot. It's a badge of honor. Thank you.

00:01:11
Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:01:12
Speaker 3: I think they will be spending money. There will be money that will be spent this offseason, but also the big money that you're talking about. I think that's maybe a year or two down the road. That's just my hunch. Here's what the White Sox need, and we can then break down break it all down starting pitching. They need innings. They were last in the majors in innings pitched by starters last season and that put a lot of pressure on their bullpen. Speaking of the bullpen, they were last in saves. They didn't really have a closer. They had like eight different guys who got saves. There was Jordan Leisure, there was Grand Taylor. They definitely took the next steps for them individually. But I'd like to see them get maybe someone who's got some experience there, because you throw those two things together, you lost a lot of one run games. They were I believe fifteen and three thirty six in one run games. That's one thing they're talking about. They want to improve that. So if you improve the bullpen and get another starter or two, that's gonna help. And then they need a corner outfielder or two. Right now, their outfield consists of Luis Robert Junior, Andrew bed And Tendi, Everson Pereira, Derek Hill, Brooks Baldwin. They could use some guys. So I think those are the three main things the White Sox need to do. And then spend all the money that Aja Persinski wants you to spend.

00:02:31
Speaker 5: Okay, so the Red Sox, I mean, the Life Socks need pitching and hitters. That's a cool that's a cool baseball strategy.

00:02:37
Speaker 4: I like that. But let's go to the start.

00:02:39
Speaker 3: Let's go to the start of.

00:02:41
Speaker 5: Your first your first comment there about starting rotation, the fact that they didn't have any innings. Is this something that can actually be addressed because the organization, some of their top starting pitching prospects don't throw past the fifth inning? So is this something that they do actually even care about if you're not even teaching the guys who you're building up through your organization, which Chris Getz did, he was part of the player development.

00:03:08
Speaker 3: He set this.

00:03:09
Speaker 5: Tone of well, nobody ever throws past five innings, so we don't need you two in the minor leagues. Or is this something that's like just going to magically appear and some dudes are gonna start throwing six seven innings to not have a repeat of last year.

00:03:22
Speaker 3: All right, Well, there was the reason why guys are not throwing as much as you would have liked, because they didn't really have the track record. You had Shane Smith, who was a real five pick who did not have many innings underneath them going into last seasons, so they didn't want him to go seven eight innings at a time. They were trying to save his arm. Same with Sean Burke, Davis Martin who had been coming off Tommy John surgery. And then you have Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz who had dealt with some issues with their health last season, so they didn't want them to go with seven eight innings as well. They were watching their innings for their future, trying to save their arm and their bodies. So that's kind of how things wrapped up. I think they would prefer their starters to go longer than they did. It just didn't happen that way. And then they had Martine Perez. He was supposed to be that innings eater for them, and sure enough, he gets hurt in April he missed almost all of the season. H he's still a free agent right now. Maybe he could come back potentially, there's some interests there, but we'll see if that actually comes to fruition. So you know, there's you could have plans and plans and plans, and then life takes on a life of its own. Baseball, the baseball season takes on a life of its own. That's kind of what happened with the Socks last year.

00:04:36
Speaker 2: Is that it jack check, That's what happened. Baseball happened, and that's that's why. But they didn't improve by almost twenty games. So baseball happened.

00:04:42
Speaker 3: Hey, hey, Cluk, can I can I just say something to all you doubters and all your critics about the White Sox like, uh, persents, you can I add something here? So I did interrupt you.

00:04:52
Speaker 6: Go ahead, because I'm a Figgers. I'm like one of the biggest fans.

00:04:54
Speaker 2: I'm one of the few people on national media that actually talk good about.

00:04:57
Speaker 6: The White Sox.

00:04:58
Speaker 3: So continue, Okay, who uh scored more runs after the All Star break? The Dodgers?

00:05:08
Speaker 6: Oh my god, I care who won the World Series? Chuck? Who won the World Series? And who lost a Hunter game.

00:05:14
Speaker 3: We were we were talking about the worst season in the history of baseball. Our goals last year were not exactly let's go to the World Series and win it. Okay, And when I stay away, I say they I don't work for the White Well, I kind of work for the White Sox. No you do, Okay, White Sox, Dodgers, Tigers, Cubs. Who had more runs after the All.

00:05:35
Speaker 6: Star it's the White Sox. We know, Chuck. Everyone knows this answer because you post.

00:05:40
Speaker 3: No, they don't know the answer.

00:05:41
Speaker 2: Media, Yes they do because everyone follows you. Listen, who won the World Series in the second half? Okay, that's great way to go. We have some cool young players, But do you know how young players get better? You're talking about the start, irrotation and the bullpen. You got to bring in somebody that has some experience.

00:05:57
Speaker 3: You can't have it.

00:05:58
Speaker 2: If you want Shane Smith and you want all these other guys to get better, Davis Martin and all these other guys to get better and continue to grow, you got to bring in some bullpen help that can help them. And you got to bring in some veteran guys. So you gotta find these guys. Anthony k and these guys, right, you gotta find some veteran guys. So who do they go out and get? Are we They're not gonna They're not feeding at the top of the the top of the free agent pools?

00:06:20
Speaker 6: So who are some of the guys they can target a little bit lower?

00:06:23
Speaker 3: I got some names for you. I'm looking at innings. They don't have a really well. Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz are left handed, but I don't think they're gonna break camp with the team and not expecting that to happen. How about Patrick Corbin? He threw one hundred and I think fifty five innings last season, had a better season last year, and they did the three previous years. I like Adrian Hauser. I like Michael Lorenzen, who's got some history with the new pitching coach for the White Sox, Zach Bove with the Royals. I think those are three names that I would be targeting right now. What do you guys think?

00:06:57
Speaker 6: Sure?

00:06:59
Speaker 2: Sure, Chuck, absolutely sure? I mean yes, yes, sign them all? Yes, yes, absolutely absolutely, sign them all.

00:07:08
Speaker 5: I don't think sign I don't think signing them all. I think what you asked for is the innings. Yes, then how does it fit, how does it fit with the guys? It's the guy. Yes, I love I love the Oh my gosh, I'm blanking on who.

00:07:23
Speaker 4: You just said.

00:07:24
Speaker 5: Because Corn Lorenzen, Lorenzen. I love the Lorenzen and I love the Corbyn one because what does Corbyn do? Corbyn takes the ball. You have taught your minor league guys, whether they were injured or they weren't injured, or Shane Smith was a rule five or not. You have to learn to be a certain type of player. And if you don't have somebody to look to, all you're doing is just talking about stories. Patrick Corbyn got absolutely waffled with the Nats. You know what he did though, he made all thirty two starts. So if you bring up guys who have never done it, I love I love the example picks that you said.

00:07:58
Speaker 4: I love that.

00:07:59
Speaker 5: I I that's what changes an organization. But I'm afraid some teams and I don't know the White Sox as well as AJ would love to think I know the White Sox. But I think that's how you end up growing an organization that ends up winning one day, because it's not happening right now, for sure, yeah.

00:08:17
Speaker 3: I mean they have money to spend. I don't know how much it's gonna be, but I think they can play in those waters for sure for either of those three guys.

00:08:25
Speaker 4: Okay, so hit the corner outfielders.

00:08:28
Speaker 5: Hit the corner outfitters for this vaunted second half offense that you just alluded to or enlightened the entire national baseball audience about where do these corner outfielders fit in? But also how do they fit into the scope of the future of the White Sox or else you're just becoming an organization that just plays year to year to year.

00:08:51
Speaker 3: Oh, they're trying to build something. And the reason why I bring up the second half is just because I looked at last year as two different seasons. The first half they were like almost a carry over to the season prior, which no one wanted to see. But then middle of the year you had guys coming up like Colson Montgomery, Chase Mydroth, Kyle Teel, and you just saw a different offense and you saw actually a different Luis Robert Junior until he got hurt and so we'll see if he's gonna be a part of this team next year. But Bradon Montgomery is one of their top prospects. He will be here. I think at some point next year that could be your right fielder when he comes up. So I'm looking at corner outfielders who are available. I do. I did like Adola's Garcia until he signed with the Phillies, but I was thinking, you know, some team that's looking to compete is gonna probably sign him, and he's probably want to go to that kind of team anyway, so I didn't think it was the best match. Austin Hayes. What do you think about Austin Hayes. He can play left, he can play right. He played with Ryan Fuller with the Orioles when they're both. Ryan Fuller is the director of hitting for the White Sox. He had a one five ops plus with the Reds. He's been in the playoffs three different times. I think he'd be a good fit for the White Sox. I like that matchup for them, and then I mean in a they could also be looking for Ryan O'Hearn, who's more of a first base when he can maybe play some right field to start things off, then move over to first. I like him as a fit for the White Sox as well, that's not exactly a corner outfielder, but those are two names that I'm kind of looking at right now for the socks.

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00:11:25
Speaker 6: Chuck, Chuck, Chuck.

00:11:31
Speaker 1: What.

00:11:33
Speaker 3: I just have mutual respect and love and.

00:11:37
Speaker 6: I mean I love you to death, I really do. You're our Chuck.

00:11:40
Speaker 2: I get all that, but it's like for me as a White Sox fan, like I want them to play in the big boy waters at some point, man, like, no offense to the guys you're naming, but gosh darn it, Like I remember, Oh, we used to.

00:11:56
Speaker 6: Talk about Tory Hunter and you know.

00:11:59
Speaker 2: Bryce Harper are a man Nay Machado, and now we're talking about guys.

00:12:04
Speaker 6: No again, no offense, but they're not in the same level.

00:12:07
Speaker 3: Of Okay, So who should the White Sox sign?

00:12:09
Speaker 2: Well, you asked me, and you go your exact question. You framed this headline horribly wrong by the way. You said, do you think the White Sox should design Kyle Schwarber? And I said absolutely, because they need veteran guy to come in and start this rebuild with Teal in Montgomery and my draw and all these guys. Right, and then he went side with the Phillies. But you have to overpay, and we all know the White Sox aren't gonna overpay, right. So at some point it's just like we had Jim Boonan and he said when they made an offer to Swarba the Pirates, they had to overpay.

00:12:37
Speaker 6: Right.

00:12:37
Speaker 2: Well, if you look, and I hate this, it pains me to death. You ask players, they've all been asked the teams. No one wants to play for A's White Sox are always right there. It's one and two, right, So you got to do something to change the perception, Chuck, And I don't know what that is. You got to win, right, And I love the young players, TiO kiro. You keep naming them blah blah blah right down the list, right, But every year that it goes by, you lose a year of control of these guys. And at some point you're actually gonna have to say, this is our core. We're going to add to this core, not let's draft some more guys and let's trade for some more guys. And if you ask Jim Bowden what he just said, if you're in a big market, and you could say what you want about the White Sox, but Chicago is a big market team, Okay, you have to go out and get stars because that helps you win on a consistent basis, not hoping him praying that all twenty of your prospects all turn out to be great players. You're gonna have to go out and play in the big boypool.

00:13:32
Speaker 3: The guy I wanted hands down going into this free agency period was Kyle Schwarberg. There was your perfect fit for the White Sox. But again, you would have had a paid I mean to get him away from the Phillies. What are we talking one hundred and eighty million dollars for three years or do you know what the number are fought for five years? It would have been astronomical And is that the right way to be spending your money with the White Sox? Can and see why they didn't go down that road. But you know, after him outfielders, I thought I came up with a couple of good names there. But you don't like them. That's okay, I'm not.

00:14:09
Speaker 6: I didn't like them. I didn't say't like them.

00:14:11
Speaker 2: Why why are you giving Louise Robert twenty million dollars a year like he should have been traded last year?

00:14:15
Speaker 6: Boom?

00:14:16
Speaker 2: See you right, Let someone else have to make that decision. Don't keep them and then you say we're gonna spend money, and they're like, but we gave Louise Robert twenty million dollars.

00:14:24
Speaker 3: Right, Like, if you don't have Luise Robert Junior in a team, who's your center fielder? That's the other thing, Like you.

00:14:29
Speaker 2: Go find somebody for less than twenty million dollars from what you're saying, from what you just said, then you go find someone else and you already have seen twenty million dollars on your payroll. Right, Louise Robert can can be a great player. The problem is Robert can't stay healthy.

00:14:44
Speaker 3: Okay, that's what you say. That's what I say. And yet you see these reports and all these teams still want them, they.

00:14:50
Speaker 6: All trade them. Okay, if they all want to train happened and trade them? They might, they might say, if all these teams won them, then you trade them.

00:14:59
Speaker 2: You haven't been able to get the best out of him, and everyone doesn't want to be all he traded Luis Robert away. Blah blah blah whatever, But you k you haven't been able to do it in what five six years?

00:15:08
Speaker 6: Now? Then you get you give him away and get something back and move on.

00:15:12
Speaker 3: I was talking to Scott Boris at the winter meetings and he said that, I mean he's now a Boris client and he said, they you know something with his swing. He did something and he's got better play disciplines back in like August and he had a great end of his season. And now he's actually training at the Boris Academy and they're working on like how can he stay healthy? And maybe maybe maybe it's all hypotheticals, maybe he finally has that year like he had in twenty twenty three when he looked like one of the best players in baseball. Because the last two seasons have not been great for Luis Robert Jr. Other teams seem willing to make that bet on him, as do the White Sox. It's a big question mark what's going to happen with him this offseason and when the season begins and how he plays.

00:15:57
Speaker 1: I while you guys have been chatting, and I purposely took myself out of this. I don't like to play this game too often. I'm gonna be super unrealistic. But you're like, what would you want? Okay, if we added If the White Sox added Kyle Tucker, Boba Schett and Tatsuya am I, right, just throwing out like a potential number one and the two star position players, right, they maybe be a playoff contender. I think they would be a playoff contender. That's adding maybe ten, ten twelve wins to a team, right, maybe more. That would up their payroll to about eighty million dollars next year. The luxury tax number, which is a soft salary caps two forty five ish. I think not even close. It's just crazy, Like one to eighty is not like a crazy number in our sport today. So I just didn't realize they're at eighty. So they have room to spend, that's all. Yeah, I'm saying they've roomed to spend.

00:16:45
Speaker 3: They I think I've got the year right. I think in twenty twenty two they had a payroll over one hundred and eighty million dollars. The problem was how they spent the money, who they spent it on. And here we are all these years later, and I think the White Sox lost a lot of money. You know, when you have high payrolls and you have teams losing one hundred games. I mean, look at the year that they lost one hundred and twenty one games. They had, if not the highest payroll in the American League Central, it was right below the Twins, like one hundred and twenty million dollars and they lost one hundred and twenty one games. That's not good for the bottom line. And that is I don't know for one hundred percent certain that's why that's where the White Sox are right now. But it's not as simple as you know, spend money, spend money, fixed problem, fixed problem. I'd like to think it is for all teams, but it probably isn't. And you know, I'm not privy to the financials. I just look at wins, payroll, attendance, and those three have not put the White Sox in the best of shape financially to go out and compete with the Phillies. For Kyle Schwarber, right, that's fair on Schober.

00:17:54
Speaker 1: I'm just saying, like where And I wouldn't have gone that Rode. I go the other route. I see Shorb's thirty three, right, I'm trying to sign the young star free agent. The two guys I brought up are much much younger, right, So I'm like, where's my where's my Jason Worth? For the White Sox organization, it's certainly possible. If they sign their Jason Worth this offseason for thirty million year, their payroll would be one ten. I think that's still less than the Twins.

00:18:18
Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:18:19
Speaker 3: I think if the Socks start winning and more people come to the ballpark, more money will be spent. I mean that's I think it's just that's his business right there.

00:18:28
Speaker 1: But no doubt, it's the reverse. That's the thing, right, it's the reverse.

00:18:33
Speaker 3: You can also spend money on the player, get more wins, get more fans. No, I see it. But but I'm also like, they're in a rebuild, and you don't want to be necessarily blocking guys who could potentially be a part of your rebuild. So you can fix a temporary problem with a player like a Kyle Tucker, who obviously I would love to have Kyle Tucker on the White Sox.

00:18:55
Speaker 1: Don't block anyone, Chuck, Kyle can block anyone. I don't give a crap. He can block anyone, right, I think everyone would be fair. I got what you're saying. You don't want to you don't want to block prospects. That's fine, but there's room, right, It's not like it's one hole to film I know some of this stuff sounds unrealistic, but I feel like we've gone so far the other way where we're like we're bargain bin shopping, and that's This is just me trying to rationally speak to what aj is thinking right now as I sit next to him. Very often, AJ am, I on the money.

00:19:26
Speaker 6: No, you're right, You're right. I I listen. I want the White Sox to be good. I want to.

00:19:30
Speaker 2: I want to people say I'm a White Sox fan, and every question I get is why do they stink?

00:19:36
Speaker 6: I mean, it's just and I have to defend them with.

00:19:38
Speaker 2: Oh, they have all these prospects coming right, and I can rattle them all off, right, and then I then I.

00:19:43
Speaker 3: Look and there's no guarantee they're going to turn out exactly.

00:19:46
Speaker 2: So, I mean, you know, all Mancata was supposed to be the greatest thing elo him in is right, Luis Robert, that whole crew didn't work, so now they got to try again, and it's like it's just a constant rebuild and I'm tired of it.

00:19:57
Speaker 3: So sorry, Well, you know, listen, I mean I've been at Winter Meet and covered off seasons where the White Sox spent. They didn't go all the way to get Machado and Harper, but they beat out teams for Yasmani Grondal, and they beat out teams for Undrew been attendee, and they probably overpaid for both of those guys right to get them. So they have spent in the past, in the not so distant past. But you know, I look, I am like you, ag. I look forward to the days when they can compete for these top of the line players. I mean, they used to do this. It'll be in their future, I hope, but right now, from what I've been told, they're not doing that. So this is what I'm reporting and predicting for them to do this offseason.

00:20:40
Speaker 1: And Chuck, you're a good sport. And on the way out here, I will say this and I mean this sincerely. Best part right now of the White Sox and the product that I watch is pre and post and it's it's actually less a knock on the White Sox and more how much I praise what you and Ozzie and the crew do because it's freaking entertain It is not easy to do that. I've called games when the teams are not good, they stink and you need to entertain People are still watching you and you're the soundtrack of the summer. So we love what you guys do and we appreciate that you guys have like the freedom to just go wherever you want to go. Right the winding road of Ozzy in on a postgame show is very entertaining. So good to see you, man, and happy holidays.

00:21:24
Speaker 3: Hey, thanks, I appreciate it. Always love coming on your show. It's a great show. That's you guys have filled a space that's needed and it is great to do that show with Ozzy Gian. We love doing it and we're just trying to give people some truth and some entertainment and some baseball in there too.

00:21:41
Speaker 1: You're doing it. You're keeping AJ like a little bit on the rails after the games. So thank you, Chuck.

00:21:47
Speaker 3: You're the man, all right, Happy holidays, have a great vacation AJ. Talk to you guys later, fellas.

00:21:53
Speaker 4: Yes, how we doing AJ? What the heck? Man? Way to go, dude, And I'm still having to be Bronnie. Come on, man, you can do you guys, let me on your show. I love it.

00:22:04
Speaker 6: Rex.

00:22:04
Speaker 1: We're excited to see you man, And I don't know if you heard my joke, but I was like, this isn't the NBA. There's not some forty eight hour deadline. I love it for the Royals, but they're doing everything in five minutes here, So I mean, can you run through the move analysis as quickly as they've been making the moves?

00:22:21
Speaker 4: Absolutely? Look, this team is looking to win another World Series. They're the last small market to do it. Why not do it again eleven years later? They're close. They're making a few nice adjustments now. I like what JJ Picolo's doing. They're waiting for the big bat though. Okay, that's the thing. They've acquired a couple of real nice outfielders. One's a young guy wants a veteran in lane Thomas and the young the young kid that we just got Isaac Collins. They like him a lot for what he can do. He's young, fourth in Rookie of the Year. Uh plays plays mainly. They got him to play left field, but he also had some reps at third base and second base. So this is good. The Royals outfield for the last two years fellas no production zero. It's been really tough. Put a lot of pressure on the top four hitters. You got a premium leadoff hitter in Garcia, one of the best players in baseball, Junior Bobby Baseball, second place hitter and the third spots pass Buentino. He's become a guy now, Okay, Vinnie's the guy no more. Well, I wonder what Vinnie can do. We know what he can do. He's a run producer, he's a slugger. And they got the captains and we signed for two more years. So this Royals lineup is getting longer and longer. And that's what you need to win a title. And they've done it before. And like I said, JJ inherited the championship pedigree and the DNA from Dayton Moore, so he has an idea. He knows what they need. There's a couple of knees out there for him still, but still the outfield spot. Let's stay tuned. They're not done there.

00:23:57
Speaker 5: You said they needed that big bat and they were connected with Santa there. They didn't quite get it in before the Blue Jays did last year. Now that you know, you heard stuff like ta Oscar Hernandez, tell me if I'm wrong, are the Royals willing to change their DNA to get that big outfield back because that DNA is you're gonna have to run around all of Kaufman and you're gonna have to cover all that ground in our outfield? Are they willing to change it and go, man, we just got no production. I don't care if you can't run around. We're gonna have Jack Kags out there, who's kind of a bigger not like the big Royal outfield defense. Are they willing to make that change to go for that big outfield back that can't cover as much ground?

00:24:39
Speaker 4: Mmmm? You know, I think they're willing to give up a little bit of range in left field there for sure. But you know tag le Own, they said that he you know, he wouldn't be able to cover the ground in Coffin Stadium. And that kid, he's a good athlete. I watched him play the end, you know, his entire year this year when he when he was at Kaufman and on the road and he could play first base. We know that he's a good first space went over there, big target to throw to, but his range and his first step quickness was impressive. So this kid, he's going to be a part of their next championship. There's no doubt about it. Now we'll see how he starts the season. Whether whether they you know, depends on what they acquire here the rest of the way down in this in this offseason and up the spring, the CAGs will be a big part of it. No one's dethrowned isbel Kyle Isabel a centerfielder. He's good every year, makes all the plays in centerfield, and you need that in our big ballpark. So you know, they can get away with a with a slugger in left field. I'm sure that'll that won't be a problem. But this kid, Isaac Collins, he's going to be a nice what if player? You know, what if something happens in left field and they don't have a guy, well he could he could put that down. You know he had you know he he had nine homers and fifty four ribbonies in one hundred and thirty games. And he's just a young player. So this kid, he changes scenery for him. Could be good, especially when he gets around all those other sluggers. So i'd ask your ques, Russian speed is going to be their game for sure. They love to attack, they love to put the ball in play. With this kid, Isaac Collins, he does that as well. He doesn't swing and miss very much. He puts the ball in play and that's a Royal signature. And Cratsy, you were around when that happened. Man, they pressure defenses with their speed, so I mean they'll be willing to give up a little ground in the outfield, but they're still not going to completely lose their DNA.

00:26:23
Speaker 6: Well, there's another time about Duran coming over.

00:26:28
Speaker 4: You're not going to lose anything with that kid, right, you know.

00:26:32
Speaker 6: You're fitting nicely, defense speed a little at all.

00:26:35
Speaker 4: And I saw that JJ. These kids nowadays that come up, man, it's amazing to see the skill level they have. This kid's blazing fast. I mean he'll go first to third in a heartbeat. That's the Royals trade attacking defenses, and he fits everything that the Royals are and let's hope that that works. You know, they can't get they want. They want Reagan's, they want our number one. You can't have him straight up, Ah, No, Reagan's is the number one starter in the postseason. You can't give up that guy for him. They're gonna have to package it up a couple other guys. We got plenty of starting pitching for people, but this kid. I like him. I like his mindset. He attacks, he's aggressive, he swings the bats from the left side, and that's what they need. Another left handed bat in there to go with Salvi, Salvi and Junior and Garcia, those are all right handed bats. Put him in there in the middle of past Buentino. That that lines up, you know, linked that line up a little bit there, and to go along with that in the pen to win. Are you kidding? They just picked up They just picked up this kid that they got from from the Brewers. They like him. Uh. And then so now you're you're you're messy, You're you're talking about bringing in another right handed pitcher for Lucas Ersak, who throws hard. He's a mid nineties, upper nineties pitcher. And then you know Carlos Estevez who led the world in safs last year. So if a bullpen ca if they can find any resemblance to the pin they had eleven years ago. Look, I like the Royals chances this year in their own division. And further is there.

00:28:09
Speaker 5: Is there a place where this team needs to take away from that starting pitching. Like you said, Cole Reagans, you can't get rid of Cole Reagan's I get it. He had a hurt year last year, but he almost had one hundred strikeouts in sixty innings, Like you can't. Can they take away more of the starting pitching? And I asked that because last year they gave Brady Singer to the Reds for Jonathan India and Jonathan India was on the bench and it didn't work out. Are they afraid of that happening again because they took away thirty two starts? Brady Singer wasn't a cy young candidate last year. I get it, but thirty two starts at thirty two starts? Like when you take that out of a rotation? Are they willing to do that again because it didn't work out with the India trade from last year?

00:28:56
Speaker 4: Yes? They are? Are you kidding? Time is close with the Royals wanting to build a new ballpark in a few more years. This is the time where you win, you start drawing your fan base and start getting them excited again. And they already are. We've had two winning seasons in a row, which is which is big for Kansas City, but they already are. They want to win as they're moving into this new ballpark and they're close. Why not you have to give up something to get me something. So yeah, they've got plenty of pitching. They've got ten or eleven starters to draw from. I don't know if they'll draw from the older guys, you know, like Lugo walk of that. You know, those guys are already established, and they're probably looking for some of the younger guys like Camera Cameron, who was brilliant last year, left handed that could throw strikes. You know, they've got a few options. So India didn't scare them away obviously, because they've gave him another year. This year, they re signed him, so you know they have faith that he'll come back and have a bounce back season. But to answer that question, no, you don't win unless you give up. You got to give up something to get something.

00:29:59
Speaker 2: All right, in the new stadium gets done as long as Frank White doesn't vote against it. But we don't have time to get into that whole thing, all right, No, No, we don't have We don't have time. We don't have time to dig into that. That was a whole different story. But I want to know about Zurpa. I know they gave up Zerpa, but what was so great about him? Because the Brewers gave up two pretty good players for this guy that's lefty out of the bullpen.

00:30:20
Speaker 6: What does he do and what are the Royals losing in him? Because he got him back two good players.

00:30:27
Speaker 4: Rick means Is is a pitcher that the Royals have been eyeballing for two or three years now when he was with the Rockies. This kid, he's twenty nine years old. He has above average fastball. He's gonna fit right in there. Like I said with Ursag and Essebez at the end of their bullpen. But you know they they needed a left hander, they say, I mean the Royals, dude, jj I just talked to him today. He said, Hudd, we'd like a left handed reliever. I know, we just gave one Zurpa. You know he had a hard time against Ridy's last year, and you know that's what you want. I left you to be able to get out the rightings. I mean they can. They have a pretty good edge on the lefties anyway because of the left on left and breaking balls moving away from him. But they're gonna have The Royals don't have to have to add in a lieftenans A bullpen guy down the road. He's strong and he's young. He throws hard. But you know, obviously the Brewers liked him. You know, somebody sees something in a player that's in that organization that's they're willing to make a move. But I'm with you, uh aj. I mean Nick, Nick Mirs this kid that they just got and the Isaac. Those are two real nice pieces to their championship puzzle. So yeah, we say thank you to the Brewers. But look, trades are made for both teams.

00:31:43
Speaker 6: One.

00:31:44
Speaker 4: You're not trying to beat another team in a trade. You don't do that. That's not that's not good business. You know, you're you're always hopeful that both both ends work out, and let's hope that that it does in this case here, But the Royals will take the two guys that got for Zura.

00:32:07
Speaker 1: You're a TV guy, Rex, I know you're like a fancy little graphic. So last portion of the conversation here, I want you to do a little shopping for us. I know they've been doing a ton of bit already for you, but kind of hinted to what you'd like to see here. If you want to throw a name out there, that's fine. If not, that's okay too, but just kind of finish the puzzle for Kansas City. I mean, we saw our guy Ken Rosenthal part of this show put out, hey, they're going to trade for an outfit or they're going to sign when they did that in five minutes. So what do you thinks next or what would you like to see if it was up to you.

00:32:37
Speaker 4: Well, AJ hit the nail on the head. We need an action player. Okay, the kid Dron's got, he got power to besides the speed. I like the speed. His defense is a little shaky, and that's not normally a Royals trade. We always have gold. And speaking of gold, a left side of the infield in the major leagues with two gold glovers call the cops. Garcia was nails. He made plays over there that would make Brooks Robinson who in awe? I mean to tell you he's got a great arm, a great arm and his range. He's a shortstop. So you got two short stops on the left side of the infield, and you've got a few left handed starters. Had a lot of ground balls on that left side. You know what that equates to outs? That's all you're looking for outs no matter how you get him. Now, we got some strikeout guys in that waste of the pitch counts. But man, I like guys. I like action pitchers who get those outs early. They stay in the game longer and get you the pin to win. Watch it, it's gonna happen. Isbell and center feels awesome. Michael Matthew won a gold Glove in the Minor League three years ago. He's he's shaking some injury bugs and now he's a solid left handed bat. He looks really good. And then Passquatch has been the most improved for his baseman I've ever seen. And when I was a player, I played next to gold Man. You know JT. Snow won six or seven. Donnie Maddingly played, you know he won what eight or nine? I mean? So the infield and a gold bluff first basement caliber, that's important. Pass Batch is a big target, so that whole infield is close to gold. Salvador Perez behind the plate. He may be thirty six years old, he can't tell it. He's the hardest working player in the game. He shows up early, working on his blocks. He's all He's asking the coaches this guy's a Hall of Famer, a future he's already a five time Gold Glover. He's asking them, how can I get better work with me? I'm important to our pitching staff. So with the attitude and the world championship pedigree of Salvador Perez, that infield might be the best in field in baseball. I like it.

00:34:43
Speaker 1: Yeah, tell us a little bit. Let's finish with this about how things changed for MIKEL. Garcia this past season. I mean, he was good two years ago, and you know this, The game has changed, right. You can project a little bit differently nowadays based on some metrics and peripherals that you see, and it doesn't always pan out that way, Rex, But when it does, like what you just saw from rec from MIKEL. Garcia this past season, and you use a stat like wins above replacement, he was top fifteen among position players, right, the stat which gets skewed per organization. They've got their own version of it, somedo. The stats said top fifteen position players. So what did it look like and what changed?

00:35:26
Speaker 4: Confidence? He had a he had a rough year the year before. Okay, he uh, they put him in the leadoff spot, they put him second, They tried to play well. Actually, juniors always had the second spot, but he's he didn't work out in the top of the order. They put him down, you know, he just he just didn't have any confidence. He had a lot of ground balls and he to the full side, so he it wasn't the player he was the year before that. So this year he comes in and they he goes off right away. They put him at the top of the order, and then they moved him down some down in the ninth hole. But he just said, it's my turn. I know I can play up here. I know I can hit up here. He understands that he'd love to play shortstop, everybody would, but Bobby Wood Junior's got that spot lockdown. So he went over to third base and said, I'm just going to play third base like I do shortstop. Everything to my left is not getting through, and you got Bobby WIT's range over there is shortstop, hardly anything, and you got to hit it hard to get it through that infield, Junior, I mean, Garcia coming in on plays little numbers, little bunts. Nobody really buns on him, but they hit those toppers. He comes in bare headed and makes that play. Is good or better than anyone I've ever seen. Tim Wallach pretty good third basement in my day. He's better than Eli coming in on that. It's because of his arm. That's one side he wins you games on defense. Now, his bat is a level bat you love that stays in the in the zone a long time, and he goes line to line. You can't read him. You can't play in one particular way straight up for he and Bobby, and that's how that's a beautiful duo tandem team. Also, I credit the Royal Spur extendon Garcia, but he gained his confidence back and he became a guy too. So you have Vinnie Paspentino became a guy, Garcia became a guy. Junior is already a guy, and we're looking for a guy in left field and we have a guy behind the plate. So I don't think I can brag anymore. And we've never had starting pitching going into the offseason like this in my fourteen years here. And the bullpen's pretty much set as well, So it's exciting fans this offseason. When I go to Costco, I loved talking to the fans. They're like, oh, are you excited? What a question. We got a chance to go all the way again, but look, it's a long season. We know that. An injuries, you know, that's a big part of the game. No one knows that. That's why when they give you a call and they go, well, who do you think is gonna win this year? Baseball is impossible to call. You can't predict the game. I remember in fourteen they won, They went all the way to the World Series. They were picked to finish last, and they went all the way and lost in Game seven to freaking Bumgarner. Guy comes out of the bullpen after shutting down the Royal as a day before or two days before, and he throws four and he's really, they would have won that one. And then next year in fifteen, all the great minds of the game of baseball, the experts, they predicted the Royals would finished last again, and what do they do? They went back to back. This time they won the World Series. You can't predict baseball. It's on paper. You could look at it and go, wow, this should be but nobody can because the round ball in the round bat dictate what's gonna happen, and you no one never knows nothing. So it's exciting. We are excited. AJ. What do you think about that?

00:38:51
Speaker 1: Anally, that's a promo cut right there.

00:38:53
Speaker 4: AJ, you know what I'm talking about.

00:38:55
Speaker 2: Yeah, but wait, everybody, Dodgers are gonna win every game, Rex, and you know one can be the Yankees. And but like the sport is ruined and the Chiefs missed the playoffs, so they need a good team in Kansas City. I know, boo, all the Swifties are out there going, we can't watch trailer's boyfriend play anymore, right, so boo hoo for Kansas City.

00:39:19
Speaker 4: Yeah no, no, let me just share you fourteen and fifteen. Hey, look, that were last small market team to do that, that's for sure. But that started it, and then we look what happened the next ten years. The Chiefs won the whole decade, believe it. Look, you can't stay on top forever. Pretty nice run, though, you guys will have to say, the homes got hurt. First time in ten years. The best quarterback got hurt. So yeah, they're they're dude to start coming home a little bit. They got us spanking in last year's Super Bowl and that started it. But look there, Kansas City is the championship city. There's no question about it. So it's the Royals turn to get back up on top again. You watch it. If barring any bad and he major injuries, it could happen because sal Man. But Salvi, he wants another title before he goes into the sunset and then accepts his Hall of Fame in five years. He wants another one to give to the Royals fans. There's not a more dedicated young man than Salvado Bress. He's he carries the team on his back. This guy is an incredible human being. He loves his fan base. He goes out of the way for the fan base. You know, you guys saw where he played. He pulled over one time, saw these kids playing whiffleball and he joined him in the backyard. Made their lives. This the guy is amazing. So you know it's this Kansas city. They should be feared, and I'm sure they will. They will.

00:40:47
Speaker 1: Hey, that's why we called you first call the day, Rex Odler, You're the man bringing the energy to waking us up on a Monday. We love your Rex, great.

00:40:56
Speaker 4: Your beautiful man. A j oh my gosh, I was broadcasting season in your world championship year.

00:41:02
Speaker 6: That was the rax year old. You're so old you broadcast my debut. I think.

00:41:08
Speaker 4: I might have Hey, but I gotta I gotta tell you that Noah Cameron real quick reminds us all of Burley.

00:41:15
Speaker 6: Mm hmmmm quickness.

00:41:18
Speaker 4: No getting the ball and throwing it. Just just just.

00:41:22
Speaker 6: Let's just let's take a step back.

00:41:25
Speaker 4: Okay, let's let's let's see.

00:41:28
Speaker 6: Let's let's yeah, let's the biggest step back.

00:41:32
Speaker 1: If he takes off Rex, we'll bring you back and we'll do We'll do fifteen minutes on him.

00:41:36
Speaker 4: Okay, deal, Thank you guys. Have a great day Christmas.

00:41:41
Speaker 1: Yes, good to see the great Rex O.