Judge beats Cal, Shohei racks another MVP, Logan Webb on SF SP, Helsley’s FA thoughts, Other Awards
KP got his shoulder fixed, sparking a conversation on playing through injuries.
(2:43) Aaron Judge won AL MVP. We react to his win over Cal Raleigh.
(11:04) Shohei Ohtani was the unanimous NL MVP! Will fans take for granted Shohei’s greatness after 3 straight MVP awards?
(16:42) Brewers POBO Matt Arnold won Executive of the Year.
(17:46) Aroldis Chapman and Edwin Diaz won AL and NL Reliever of the Year, respectively.
(19:56) Byron Buxton missed a bonus after finishing two points shy of 10th place in AL MVP voting.
(22:34) Derrick Goold’s NL MVP ballot sparked Twitter trolls.
(25:13) San Francisco is prioritizing pitching depth this offseason, so we predict its rotation for next year. Plus, is bringing back Bruce Bochy a good move?
(31:06) Ryan Helsley wants to return to St. Louis, but we explore if that will happen.
Hosts: Tricia Whitaker, Kevin Pillar, Erik Kratz
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00:00:03 Speaker 1: Hello, Hello, we are happy to be here. Welcome to foul Territory. I'm Trisha Whitaker filling in for Scott Bron today. And of course we have the always entertaining Eric Kratz with us, and we have Kevin Palar with us. Don't forget to subscribe, tweeted us hashtag ft live by merch at foul Territory shop dot com. We're gonna have so much fun today. We have so many topics to get through today. With the MLB Awards last night, all of the awards being given out, We're gonna talk about everything involving those. We're gonna hear from Ken Rosenthal, We're gonna hear from Pete Fairbanks. 00:00:36 Speaker 2: It's gonna be awesome. Guys, how are we doing? KP? 00:00:39 Speaker 3: You want to start? 00:00:39 Speaker 1: Because you've got some decoration there across your neck? 00:00:43 Speaker 2: What is that? 00:00:44 Speaker 4: I finally had my shoulder fixed my son's football team's over. I was the quarterback. I had to put it off a little bit and just a little wear and tear on my right shoulder. Finally got it fixed, hopefully enough time to get back from my winter basketball league. 00:01:00 Speaker 2: So how are you feeling? 00:01:02 Speaker 4: I feel good? Honestly, it was a little scope, not not too painful. I feel pretty good. 00:01:08 Speaker 3: Why did you get it done? Was it not before? 00:01:12 Speaker 4: Well? I was in a little bit of pain, but I mean you get operated on, you expect to be in a lot more pain. But good surgeon, good hands, and I'm feeling good. 00:01:21 Speaker 3: We're not going to throw it out here, but you need to check out KP's first pitch that he threw out there for the Blue Jays and the playoffs here. 00:01:31 Speaker 4: Maybe throw it out there. 00:01:35 Speaker 3: Yeah, maybe maybe that's why. You know what, athletes, especially current athletes because KP is technically not retired yet, current athletes he played this year play through things. So maybe they're your your favorite player is not doing the best that he can. Maybe they're playing through something. So if your favorite player was Superman, well you know what, he was playing through something. So good for you for grinding out that one pitch. 00:02:02 Speaker 4: I would love to hear. You know, just some of these guys that went to the World Series, some of the injuries that they were playing through. I know, George Springer was a human pinata, you know, towards the end. But like the amount of things that these guys were dealing with through the end would amaze a lot of people, and a lot of them would never really come out and say it. But you know, was his oblique torn? Was it not torn? It was like the craziest thing I've ever seen. But he went out there and posted so a lot of respect for George. 00:02:28 Speaker 1: And most of it you're never going to know because these guys don't want people to know. And I love the trolls on Twitter, and they're just like sixty five year old men sitting at home on their couch talking about how George Springer, whoever it is, needs to be tougher. It's like, really, okay, you lifted a twinkie today and that's all you did. Okay, all right, next topic, Let's charge the mound because we are going to talk a little bit about the man who won the al MVP last night. 00:02:52 Speaker 2: That was a huge, huge. 00:02:53 Speaker 1: Topic of discussion throughout the entire second half of the season. Of course, it ramped up the last few weeks. It's judged second consecutive victory, also his third overall. He's the thirteenth player to be named MVP at least three times. Of course, we know you want it over cal Rawley. Eric I know what your thoughts were. I know you wanted cal to win it. I believe you said that yesterday or the day before. Didn't you say you wanted cal to win it? What were your thoughts last night? 00:03:19 Speaker 3: Don't don't pretend to know my thoughts. Okay, don't pretend I listened because you listened to the show. Just because I said cal Rally dying doesn't mean I didn't pick Aaron Judge. So this is the best way to be if any of your if any of your students are listening, this is the best way to be right all the time. You can say who you think should win, and then who should win, and either way you're going to be right. Look, I'm not going to sit here and defame Aaron Judge for the historic season he had. Obviously, as a catcher, I understand what cal Raley went through, and as an outfielder, KP understands what Judge did. Judgy wins. This should have been his fourth MVP. Really, if you go back and look at his numbers, some of the years he didn't win. I just there's so many things that can be said about him, but all that he does on the field, he is that much better of a person. So it's like, it's so cool to see anytime an ex teammate gets something like this, gets an award, gets recognized for something like it's so well deserved and it's crazy to think he had that much better of a season than cal Raley when cal Raley had a historic season. So and good for the voters. I thought the voters did an amazing job. 00:04:43 Speaker 4: I mean, I agree with you. I mean I was kind of on the same page as you. Early on. I said I wanted cal to win. I felt like what he did was historic, But I also don't think we should, you know, fould a guy if he's winning an MVP every year. I think, you know when I really actually when it came out yesterday and I looked at Aaron Judges' numbers, and I think someone talked about it. It's a video game number. What he did is historic in itself too, And you know, like Kratzy said, he's an unbelievable player, unbelievable human, a great ambassador for the game, and I think we're witnessing one of the greatest players to ever play this game. I think we're very fortunate, and I hope people don't take it for granted what Aaron Judge is doing. You know, at his size, his structure to be able to go out and hit three thirty in a game where no one talks about batting average and it's not important, but it was important for him. And the guy's on base nearly half the time. It's it's unbelievable what he's able to do. And I feel like he's only getting better. We always talk about guys as they age, they're supposed to decline. He's only getting better. And I think that I wouldn't be surprised if he wins another one next year. That's how good he is. 00:05:46 Speaker 3: I mean, it's a credit to him for wanting to improve, for wanting to have a batting average, and oh yeah, he still had fifty three home runs after a year we had fifty eight the year before he had an injury because of the concrete and Dodge Stadium, and before that it was sixty two homers. Like he he's not afraid of trying to improve when he's already he's already at the top. He is the top. And so that's when it's dangerous when you have a physical specimen, when you have a guy who is already just driven in a different in a different way than other people. And then you go ahead and say, oh, he's doing this in New York where a lot of people fade, a lot of people can't handle handle the spotlight. And it's like, well, if it wasn't for the riggers of New York and all the stuff that really goes into being the captain of a team. No, he's he's he's continued to improve, and I can't there isn't words to say other than you need to go out and watch what this guy's doing. Because last night when he won, when they announced he won the award, we started going through my kids' stats, like on Game Changer and stuff like that, and my daughter was like, wow, I had a really good fall. She was like, my ops was And she didn't even know what ops was until last night when I was telling her and she was like, my ops was one point one four three. She was like she looked over to screen because Judge Judge beat my ops by one point in the Big Leagues. It kind of like it just it kind of was a full circle moment for a thirteen year old, and it shows what this guy is doing is really video game stuff. 00:07:30 Speaker 5: Kratz pop quiz. What has thirty five grams of protein, six grams of fiber, twenty seven essential vitamins and minerals. Comes in excellent flavors like of course chocolate, vanilla, but chocolate, peanut butter, my favorite, no added sugar, gluten free, under five dollars per meal, and is ready to drink. 00:07:49 Speaker 3: Go out of the house, get yourself a hue. Look at you, You even have one right there, ready to smack that John h Chocolate, peanut butter, chocolate and vanilla deliciosos. 00:07:59 Speaker 5: Also, there is a new Daily Greens ready to drink forty two vitamins, minerals and superfoods only twenty five calories on that one programs of fiber. There's flavors like blueberry apple peach Fuel makes healthy eating simple. They also just launched into Target stores nationwide. Try both products today with fifteen percent off your purchase for new customers with the codefoul at huel dot com slash foul. Use that code foul and fill out the post checkout survey to help support FT. 00:08:30 Speaker 4: Yeah, and it's not to say he doesn't have guys around him, but Kratzy, you know as a catcher. Anytime you're playing the Yankees and you go into scattering ports, don't let Aaron Judge beat us. And still he finds ways to hit for a high average, hit home runs, and he missed what I think he missed over two weeks this year with the elbow injury, so his numbers could have been even better from the power production standpoint. 00:08:54 Speaker 2: So I think both. 00:08:56 Speaker 1: Like one of the things that I think you can do is you can say both can be true. Right, they both had incredible seasons. And it doesn't take away from Aaron Judge's season when you say you thought cal Rawley should have won the MVP, because that's what I thought, right. I don't think that Aaron. Of course, Aaron Judge had a historic season. But when I think MVP, I think who was the most valuable player for that team? And in my opinion, cal Ray was the most valuable player for his team. 00:09:20 Speaker 2: He's a switch hitter. 00:09:22 Speaker 1: Obviously he did what he did at the plate, but catching that pitching staff too, at the level that he did, to me, all encompassing, cal Rawley was the MVP for his team. But that doesn't that's not saying that Aaron Judge's season wasn't obviously historic and impressive, but I think both can be true. But when you think about which is actually what a lot of the voters said when they talked about why they voted for Cal Rawley, because some of the voters guys released why they voted for who they did, which I love. I love that if you voted in this, you need to explain yourself and we need to know and we do right for these people who explain themselves why they voted for Cal, why they voted for Aaron. 00:10:03 Speaker 3: Right. 00:10:03 Speaker 1: So Tyler Kepner talked about how he voted for Cal because it's important to honor history when it happens, and Raley's home run sixty home runs set not one single season record, but two, and then he mentioned how he did it across seven hundred and five played appearances, which is quote a staggering total for a backstop. So I guess, KP for me, when you look at these voters releasing their reasons, how much do you value when they decide to say this is who I voted for and why. 00:10:33 Speaker 3: I love it. 00:10:34 Speaker 4: I mean, I always think about the Hall of Fame ballot, and people don't want to you know, sign their name on the ballot and make them public. Like I think, when you have the right to be a voter, I think it's cool to be able to explain yourselves because now everyone's gonna have the same opinion. You know. I always try to argue with people on Twitter or x all the time, Like I always say, this is my opinion, Like, you can't argue with my opinion because it's how I feel. So when these people come out and have a vote and they explain themselves, I can't argue with what he's saying. I just think the MVP across all sports has turned into who's the best player? You know, when you talk about a person's value, it's really hard to quantify a player's value. Obviously, I would say as an outfielder, I'd like to think I was really valuable. But a catcher is obviously the most valuable person on a baseball field. They have to hit, they have to handle pitching staff, they have thirteen fourteen guys. They have to know, you know, what their outpitches, you know what makes them tick, what makes them successful, how to get him back in the zone. You know, for a catcher to do what he did, is historic, and I'm not one here to say that everyone deserves a trophy. He because we live in this world where everyone feels like they should be a winner. But I wouldn't have been I wouldn't have disagreed if they had co MVPs this year because I think what Kle did deserved to be an MVP because of the historic contact what he did. But it shouldn't take away from what Aaron Judge did because it's arguably one of the best offensive seasons we've ever seen. 00:11:55 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's how impressive what both of them did. 00:11:57 Speaker 1: We're willing to say, all right, we will get CO MVP in the world of being anti participation trophy, which I assume all three of us on this call are right now. That's a great point. But what we want to also talk about is what we all knew was going to happen, and that is Otani winning n L MVP. Of course, we know Mark's only the second time a player has won MVP awards in three consecutive seasons. Eric, I'm not going to ask you to react to him winning. Obviously we all knew that was going to happen. But when you do look at Otani winning unanimously. What comes to mind about his season and what he did. 00:12:35 Speaker 3: I think we're going to get watered down with Otani stuff. I think it's going to he's watering down what he is accomplishing three straight MVPs. Awesome, the fact that this year he was doing what he did offensively while rehabbing. Next picture, we have on that has had an injury ever in their career, talk about the fact that you know, you had to rehab and like it's a grind of a year, Like we had Shane Bieber and he's like, you know, there's some days where you're not sure if you're gonna feel good. There's some days where you're like, I pushed it, you know, I need extra recovery. You know what show Hey did. He let off that game and then he had to redo it again. Like and I get it. Some people are gonna troll and be like, well, you know he only pitches once a week. He's all this suff like stop just because show Hey. The rest of the league is not watering down show Hey. Show Hey is watering down what show Hey has done. And this is his award for the next eight years that he is in under contract with the Dodgers until he proves that he can't a hit and pitch and his hitting then goes down, that he can't run the bases, that he can't like this is his award. I'm sorry, I want to look at the odds for next year, but I'm gonna throw some money down if it's if it's plus money, because he might be the first negative money that I've ever seen for a MVP award because he's going to stay healthy and he is going to win the award if he finishes an entire season. 00:14:13 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think it's crazy too. You talk about the three straight MVPs, and they've all been three different types of years. Obviously the first one he pitched and hit. You know, last year he didn't pitch at all. You know, we watched him go out and do something that's never been done in the history of the game and go fifty to fifty. And then this year he has to rehab work his way back, doesn't make any minor league starts because he's the leadoff hitter, he's their most valuable player. And then he goes out and pitches the way he does. It's it's incredible what he's able to do and like us. To your point, Eric, I hope people don't get bored of watching what he does because I don't think we'll ever see anyone like him ever. Again. 00:14:50 Speaker 1: No, you definitely don't want to take for granted what these guys are doing, and you don't want to take it for granted what a guy like Judge is doing either, even though we did talk a lot about what cal Rawly did. But guys, one thing I'm opposed to you, how thankful do you think that Aaron Judges that Otani signed with with an NL team? 00:15:07 Speaker 3: Oh so much, so much. I mean Ryan O'Hearn. Ryan O'Hearn said it on the show when Dever's got traded. When Devers got traded to the Giants, he was like, I just moved up into dh DH discussion for the All Star Game, Like obviously, but I would have loved to see in that conversation because we had that conversation and I thought Showhy did a little bit more than Judge the one year where Judge hit sixty two, so that conversation would be fun to have too. But yes, he's super juiced because you're just not beating show. Hey, he's the best player in the game. I agree. 00:15:48 Speaker 4: I agree. I mean he's got to be thankful. I mean, does it take away from Aaron Judge's greatness if show Hay's still in the American League and Aaron Judge doesn't have three or four MVPs, maybe, you know, when it comes to Hall of Fame ballots and you know who we put up there as some of the greatest players. But I think he's very thankful they're in different leagues because it's these two Guys Awards to win until someone figures out how to take it from one of these guys. And I don't know who's the guy who's going to be able to do it. You know, in the American League, I could see a guy like Bobby Witt putting together an historic season and maybe figuring out a way to steal an MVP from Aaron Judge. But we just watched cal Rawly do something that's never been done in the history of the game, and Aaron Judge still won. So I think it's these two Guys Awards until these guys decide that they don't want to win anymore. 00:16:35 Speaker 1: I was gonna say, what more does somebody have to do to steal the MVP from judge than what cal Rawley did. 00:16:40 Speaker 2: That's a great point. All Right, We're going to talk about one of my favorite. 00:16:44 Speaker 1: Teams to cover this season, and that is the Milwaukee Brewers because Matt Arnold one Executive of the Year. Personally, I think he was wildly deserving of that award seeing what he did with the Brewers, a franchise record ninety seven wins, the best of mark. 00:17:00 Speaker 2: In Major League Baseball? 00:17:02 Speaker 1: Eric, how deserving do you think Matt was of winning that award after what. 00:17:06 Speaker 2: The bruise did. 00:17:08 Speaker 3: Obviously, not a fan of any team. After you're done playing, you just kind of follow people. Matt Arnold is one of those people no matter where he ends up going where if he stays with Milwaukee, like getting to know him as a assistant GM or whatever his actual role was, I knew he was going to be a guy that was going to be able to take over some type of franchise, some type of organization and do what he's done just because of how he is down to earth, but he's not afraid of making the tough choices. He's able to evaluate talent, but he's also able to evaluate human beings. So I couldn't be happier for him and congrats. 00:17:46 Speaker 1: Let's talk about reliever of the year Eraldis Chapman obviously the AL reliever of the Year, and then Edwin Diaz for the NL. Not surprising here really with Chapman. But Eric, we'll start with you. What do you think of Chapman season, especially at thirty seven years old, and what he was able to do. 00:18:07 Speaker 3: The ageless wonder he really is. It's amazing and I would call him more motivated than anything. You heard his comments on I forget what compleetto Completto was the show, the Spanish show, and he was like, I will never sign with the Yankees, and signing with the Red Sox for essentially a deal he probably could have gotten at a lot of other places. Seemed pretty not spiteful, but he was. He was on a mission and he showed it this year like I think last year he Ken Joyce, Ken Joyce Joyce, Ben Joyce threw a pitch at like one hundred and five or something, and he threw one at one hundred and four just to show they still got it. Like he knows what he needs to do, and he was very motivated this year being in the Yankees division I think he really wanted to show everybody, but also the what he could do. Got a nice little contract extension, So good for you, Chappie. But as he knows, I still own him. That's it. 00:19:11 Speaker 4: Yeah, you would think at some point he would just age, but I know off air we were talking a little bit about the use of Instagram and I love following a Rollis Chapman on Instagram, and it's no surprise he's still able to have the success he has. I mean, this guy's an absolute monster. I've never personally played with him. I have some friends that I've played with him on various teams that he's been on, and they said, this guy's an absolute animal in the weight room every single day he's working out. So you got to give him credit at age thirty seven to you know, arguably have his best season, you know, sign the contract extension to stay in Boston. That guy's an absolute nightmare to face. Never love facing him. I can't say the same thing as Kratz. I did not own that guy. I don't think he owned me. 00:19:53 Speaker 2: I just think it was it was a tough matchup Byron Buxton. 00:19:58 Speaker 1: We know that he appeared on four fourteen of thirty ballots. He finished two point shy of tenth place in the al MVP vote. He got three seventh place votes, and so we didn't talk about that a little bit. 00:20:13 Speaker 2: We know, you know what he's been through. 00:20:17 Speaker 1: We've talked about the potential that he could have if he could stay healthy for a full season. But guys, what's your kind of reaction to that, finishing eleventh in the al MVP votes and missing narrowly a three million dollar bonus in his contract if he finished in the top ten. 00:20:33 Speaker 4: Well, I mean, much like p he probably would have had some spare coins sitting around if he would have got that three million dollars. But if I was him, I would have been I would have been talking to the writers. I would have been talking to anyone who has a vote and been like, you know what, it doesn't bother you to give me a sixth place votere SI play. No one's even looking that for down the ballot. If I knew I had three million dollars to finished tenth place, I would have been I would have been cheating the system a little bit. But I think if he stays healthy, he's gonna have no problem reaching that three million dollars. You know, in years to come, he just needs to stay on the field because he's one of the best players win healthy. 00:21:07 Speaker 3: Maybe the pole ads were cheating the system a little bit, and every time a team came in and a writer came in and be like, hey, I heard you got the MVP BO this year. Just I really don't think, you know, Buxton's really been kind of a problem. You know, all of a sudden, Oh oh wow, we saved three million dollars, because you know that team wants to save some money. Three million dollars. Brian bucks has made a lot of money. Three million dollars is a lot of money. I don't care who you are. 00:21:32 Speaker 2: Would you campaign for them to vote for you, Eric, if you were in that situation? 00:21:36 Speaker 3: But the right like you can't. KP says that, but you can't, Like you have to. You have to be who you are. You're you're calling people you're calling. Last September, you see Buckston over here, He's like, allion, I've never seen a player do that, not yet, not when it's not when you got three million dollars on the line, I mean tenth place and the crazy Party got eleventh place. He missed it. By two points. Two points. 00:22:04 Speaker 4: What's that the difference between like a seventh place vote and a sixth plath vote, you know, potentially is that two points. I don't know exactly what worked. Yeah, I mean, you know, you're not asking someone to say, hey, vote for me first, but like, hey, you know, down that ballot a little bit, you know, once you get into those later numbers, just put. 00:22:22 Speaker 3: My name on there, Dan Hayes, give me a give me a first place. That's it. That's it. One first place. 00:22:31 Speaker 2: My goodness. 00:22:34 Speaker 1: All right, let's talk about uh, well, Twitter trolls, right, there's a lot of them out there, but let's take a look at this one. There were a lot of reactions on Twitter to Derek's nl MVP ballot this year, right, he put per Domo at third place, Soto getting his second place votes, and there were. 00:23:00 Speaker 2: Well, you know, a lot of reaction. 00:23:03 Speaker 1: To this ballot here, guys, And honestly, rightfully so some I'm saying it was just clickbait that he would even do this or tweet this. What do you guys think, Eric. 00:23:13 Speaker 4: You're showing off some good handwriting, that's for sure. 00:23:16 Speaker 2: Yeah, all caps, you go all caps when. 00:23:18 Speaker 4: You write no chance no, I don't unless it's like, unless you like, are signing something to someone, like if you have to sign a jersey or bat it's just more legible to write in all caps and you write slower. But no, I would never write like my to do list or like a grocery list in all caps. 00:23:37 Speaker 1: That's I am a half cursive half print. You guys, I'm not even joking with you. 00:23:43 Speaker 3: That's a weird hybrid. But that's not weird. It's not weird that Derek did that. I love that he wrote that out. I love that he had a outside the box way of looking at it. I love the way that he was able to then go and connect with the fans. Isn't that what fans? Isn't that why we have Twitter and Instagram so that we connect? And Derek was not afraid of connecting. Some people call clickbait. He's a writer. Like he put out his he put out his guests of who he thought his opinion, and you know what, good for him for standing behind it. I did think Perdomo should have been higher up on some of the lists than what he didn't. He wasn't a dh I know Schwarberg got second place, but like, this man played shortstop for a team that was scratching a call in all year, and he had an incredible year. Look it up. 00:24:39 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean I agree with you. I think, like you said, the whole idea of social media was to connect with people. It's not to be little talk down to people, trill people. The fact that he wanted to go out there and put his votes out there and then engage with the fans and maybe explain why he did what he did. But at the end of the day, these writers get to choose who they want to vote for. Some make them public, some don't. This is his opinion of who he thought were the most valuable players. We're not saying the best players the most valuable and he felt like that position at short is very valuable to the Arizona time. 00:25:13 Speaker 6: I think there's still a bright future for for Hayden and and we're excited about that. And there's some other guys you can be really excited about. 00:25:20 Speaker 1: You know. 00:25:20 Speaker 6: I think Wiz'd Hunt's a really good pitcher. There's a ton of young guys down there. I think Trevor McDonald at the end of the year was uh, you know, really impressive. You know, we got to see him last the year before, like the last game he was like a spot, Hey, let's throw three innings, and he's did amazing. And then this year he came in and I thought he did a great job again. So there's a lot of really good pieces that we have obviously, you know, me and Robbie, and you know, I would love to have Justin back. I thought, Justin back to the kind of the scouting part of things helped me so much, uh in my career, not only just mentality, you know, the scouting part of it, seeing reading different things that I might you know, not have seen before. And I would love Justin to come back. Like I said, it's not my decision. I don't get to decide these things. I saw the Max thing. I know Tony knows them from a long time ago. So and I'm sure I'm sure it would be very similar. Learning as much as I can, and then yeah, you know, I I think at the end, I always try to find guys and get better in certain ways. I've seen a lot of comments about trying to get starting pitching and and and other other spots. So like I said, just show up and try to try to do try to get better as for myself and then kind of let the other pieces fall as they may. 00:26:55 Speaker 1: All right, so let's talk a little bit about the Giants here. That was some interesting stuff from Logan Web. We know that they have a new manager, but we want to talk about that starting rotation. They have talked about how adding some pieces to that is definitely going to be a priority for them, adding that pitching depth. What do you guys think that rotation is going to look like in twenty twenty six. Eric will start with you. 00:27:18 Speaker 3: I mean, I think it's going to be the similar what he was talking about some young guys, him and Robbie Ray. That's the reason they got Robbie Ray another year off of his Tommy John surgery. So I think it's something that is they have the backbone, the pieces. Look, the reality is what he was talking about Justin Verlander. He's not saying, yeah, we gotta bring Justin Verlander back because he's gonna win fifteen games for us. No, he knows what kind of impact he made on his career and what kind of impact he made on the other young guys that they were talking about. And I think if they get a surezer, that's great. But if this team wants to take that next step, if this team won to compete in the National League, I think they and their feel is that they need another big rotation piece. I don't think those guys are the answer. I think those guys are additions. And I think there's a difference between the answer to what you need and an addition, and so to me, I think Buster Posey understands that. But he also understands that in Oracle Park you can get a lot done, you can mask a lot of things. You don't need the same thing as other teams would need to be successful as a starting pitcher. 00:28:36 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, I agree with you. I think you can mask a lot of things in that ballpark. But I think if we're talking about and knowing Buster Posey, he wants to win. The reason he took over, the reason he hired the manager hit he went out and got is they want to win. And in order for them to compete with a team like the Dodgers within their own division and the Padres, they're gonna need to at least get one more really quality starting There is value in bringing in a Justin Verlander and a Max Scherzer to help these guys to teach the young guys to allow Logan Web Robbie Ray to continue to grow. But like you said, they are not necessarily answer you need in the rotation. They need impact. If you could put someone in slotted after Logan Web Robbie Ray, a third guy, maybe you have a veteran and a young guy, but someone in that third spot that is going to go out there and win you fifteen sixteen games a year. They got a chance to compete, but without that, it's an uphill battle facing teams like the Dodgers and Padres and even the Diamondbacks in your own division. 00:29:35 Speaker 1: All Right, So one of the things that the Giants announced recently was they hired Bruce Bochi for that special assistant role. And you know, we know Buster Posey has talked a lot about how much he loves that move because of the leadership, the insight, the experience that he is going to provide them. 00:29:53 Speaker 2: Eric, what do you think about that move? 00:29:55 Speaker 3: I think anytime you get a specialist, I think it's a cool move. I think you have of somebody awesome in the organization. Is it making a blip on the Giants radar? 00:30:05 Speaker 2: No? 00:30:06 Speaker 3: I think there's other organizations that could really kind of learn from bringing people back, bringing people that have won back, bringing people that know the game back. What that looks like all depends on the guy. Like a lot of good organizations have a really great trickle down effect from the top. I don't think the giants necessarily need this. I think Buster just really enjoys Boach's company, and the organization should have him around as long as Boat wants to be around. 00:30:39 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's a it's a it's a way of saying, hey, we're paying you money to be a special assistant, so when our manager calls, you need to pick up. And it's going to be a great resource for him because you know, it is his first time managing in the major leagues and he's already been very open. I've heard him on a couple other shows, radio shows, and you know, he's been in braced and kind of that managerial fraternity very well. But having someone like Bruce Bochin his corner is not going to hurt. 00:31:06 Speaker 7: I think I would expect them to reach out, you know, I think I don't know if it'll be you know, serious, but maybe to check in and you know, kind of gauge the waters. So to speak, and you know, I had a good talk with him after I was I was traded, and you know, I was really encouraging on possibly maybe you know, coming back there, and you know, obviously things changed. That was three months ago, but you know, you know, I really enjoyed my time getting to know how I'm a little bit and think that the cardinal's future is in really good hands with him. 00:31:37 Speaker 1: Okay, well that was a ringing endorsement from Ryan for him bloom. But I know he says that he expects the Cardinals to reach out to him this winter. 00:31:47 Speaker 2: KP. 00:31:49 Speaker 1: What do you think do you think he should be expecting a call from them? Do you think that he should be holding his breath? 00:31:55 Speaker 2: What do you think? 00:31:55 Speaker 4: No, that was going to be my friendly advice to him, as I wouldn't say hold your breath. We might that might be the last of Ryan Helsley. We see if he's holding his breath waiting for the Cardinals uh to call him. I mean they've talked about they want to shed payroll. They're not going to go out and spend. You know, he didn't he had a down year, especially after he got traded. He didn't have the success that he had before. But he's still gonna be a coveted arm that's gonna cost money, and it just doesn't seem like a fit for the Cardinals. It's weird when you're in that position and it's your first time being a free agent, and maybe even your third or fourth time, you have to be politically correct. The great thing about not playing anymore and not having him to answer it anyone is I don't have to be politically correct, and they ain't calling, buddy, I'm sorry. 00:32:40 Speaker 3: Yeah, no, I don't see them calling either, And that doesn't that's nothing against time, that's nothing against anything. Maybe he hopes they called because he was like, dang, my first my first gallivanting outside of the Cardinals organization didn't go well. Maybe I felt comfortable there, and I really enjoyed being comfortable. So I don't think that Cardinals are calling. 00:33:01 Speaker 1: Sorry, Okay, well sorry, Ryan, we don't think the Cardinals are calling. 00:33:08 Speaker 2: Don't hold your breath. 00:33:11 Speaker 4: You think that maybe you can call? 00:33:12 Speaker 2: You call me, calling me, Call. 00:33:16 Speaker 4: Ryan, Ryan, you call you call call the boss. 00:33:32 Speaker 2: All right, it's time for slap hands. I don't know a whole lot. 00:33:37 Speaker 3: Basically, I'm showing you what hat I have, and it's a raise hat I wore for you and for Pete. Okay, but the reality is this is this is my time to say a little something. I'm never gonna say anything about a woman's age. But you haven't been alive when Indiana basketball has won a championship, so you cannot claim Indiana basketball football. 00:33:58 Speaker 2: I listen here, I'm a loyal fan. You're right. 00:34:02 Speaker 3: I will overlive. 00:34:06 Speaker 1: Mm hmmmm mm hmm