Josh Naylor’s big Mariners deal, Kiké’s elbow surgery, Team USA adds

00:00:02
Speaker 1: Hello everybody, and a happy November seventeenth till.

00:00:06
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:00:06
Speaker 1: On this Monday, I am your guest host, Alana Rizzo, along two men that you know very well. That is Aj Pierzinski. That is Eric Kratz. Aj, Eric, how are you Aj? We'll start with you. How is your weekend?

00:00:19
Speaker 3: Oh? It's good weekend. Nothing. Didn't do a whole lot, honestly, just kind of did some stuff around the house, hung out. How about you. Alana.

00:00:27
Speaker 1: Good to be back with you boys. It's been a while. Scott Braun is off today. Congratulations to Scotti, by the way, getting married over the course of the weekend. So Scott and Emma bron congrats. I went on a safari. That's the most recent news for me. Guys, and Eric Kratz sent me a text during my safari trip. Apparently we stayed at the same hotel in Cape Town, South Africa. So hm, there you have it. If you go to South Africa, you go to Cape Town, Eric, stay at the Victoria and Alfred as you did.

00:00:59
Speaker 2: So beautiful right on the water there you see the boats. You can look out at what is that tabletop mountain.

00:01:05
Speaker 1: And table table mountain.

00:01:08
Speaker 2: Table mountain and what's the island, the famous island where.

00:01:11
Speaker 1: They well they have a cape of Good Hope.

00:01:14
Speaker 2: Yeah, cape of Good. It's anyway beautiful. It was beautiful, so it's cool to see. When I pulled up your ex, it just came across a picture and I'm like what, I looked at my pictures went back. I'm like, what. We didn't stay in the same room, but it's on the same same floor of the hotel.

00:01:30
Speaker 1: Yeah, same same itinerary apparently. And when you say that you pulled up my ex, you're talking about X formerly known as Twitter, not like ex boyfriend or Yeah. All right, so there's that. Did you have a good weekend? Aeric Kratz? What'd you do a j great weekend?

00:01:44
Speaker 2: Great weekend? Got to went to the Worthwhile Gala raise some money for UH to raise awareness for human trafficking, and I got to spend a beautiful night's dinner at the gala. Mark Wiener actually dressed up and wore a tie.

00:02:01
Speaker 1: He did not.

00:02:02
Speaker 2: It was tremendous. He looked not tremendous.

00:02:05
Speaker 1: So he cleans up nice, is what you're saying, Mark Wiener does. All right, boys, good to be back with you. Let's get to it. A lot to talk about today. Let's charge the mound.

00:02:14
Speaker 2: Let's charge it about.

00:02:18
Speaker 1: So it looks like Josh Naylor A. J. Pierzinski and the Seattle Mariners are going to be in a five year union. Jeff Passon and Ken Rosenthal talking about it. Free agent first baseman Josh Naylor in agreement with the M's on a five year deal, of course, pending that physical agent. Why do you think this makes sense?

00:02:35
Speaker 3: If you do, I think it makes a lot of sense for both sides. I think Naylor must have gone to Seattle and really liked it. They've almost made the World Series. He's a free agent and they made an offer that he likes. And I'm hearing what five years around one hundred which is a pretty good contract. I mean for a guy with Josh Naylor. And listen, if you like a place and you find a place that you really like and they're offering you a contract that you're comfortable with, take it. And he's doing that. And good for Josh Naylor and good for the Mariners on spending some money and trying to make their team, especially their offense better early in the offseason.

00:03:08
Speaker 1: And Aja you mentioned it, trying to make their team and go forward in the off season, and Eric, we know that Depoto makes a lot of moves, right, but this is a guy that is trying, I guess, to lock down that core group because now you have Josh Naylor. Of course you have cal Rally, which they should lock up for eternity, Julio Rodriguez and the Mariner's rotation. So this is a foundational piece to what is already a pretty decent foundation moving forward for the MS. What's your take on it.

00:03:32
Speaker 2: I feel like anytime you can add a significant bat who they got Josh Naylor and they were like, you know what, we're getting a guy he stole a few bases whatever, he added that stolen based component to what he already has, and clearly, I mean, we get it. Julio Rodriguez got MVP votes, cal Rally could have won the MVP, and you go, okay, well, we don't need somebody to carry the lineup. But when you're constantly yearning, year out, never making that move on a Pete Alonzo, obviously they're never in a Jan Soto ownership. Just would refuse to allow Jerry to Poto who wants to make moves to make moves to be able to see that as the Mariners to shift in this direction. It's awesome. Now you have Julio who's locked up, you have JP Crawford locked up, you have Cal locked up, and this is five years. You know, is this starting rotation going to last for five years? Maybe all this is like a year or two late when they were really all in their prime. But they've shown they can produce pitching in their minor leagues. So this is this is a great This is obviously a great move. I think he was the second best first baseman on the market.

00:04:42
Speaker 1: And you talk about first baseman guys, and AJ will bump it over to you again. You look at the first basemen that are signed to essentially long term deals, at least more than a two year deal. We'll put it that way. So Josh Naylor now joins Vladimir Gerro junior, who's obviously going to be in Toronto forever. James Sheiano tweeting this earlier. Every first baseman who's sign to more than a two year deal, Christian Walker of course, Matt Olsen of the Braves, who took over for Freddie Freeman who went to the Dodgers obviously, and he's signed long term in Los Angeles. So it's a really small list. I'm I guess I'm a little surprised that Naylor is on this list, but I do think it makes sense for the Mariners.

00:05:18
Speaker 3: Yeah, it makes total sense for both. Again the Mariners. Yes, listen, they lock up a power guy that can play every day. He's left handed, he performed in the postseason. What else do you want? I mean, could you have maybe gotten more? Maybe? But again, this is a place. He liked, this place, he seemed comfortable. Good for him, and you don't what a five year deal. It's pretty nice to go home and say, hey, guys, I got a five year deal. That's pretty awesome.

00:05:41
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's awesome. It's nice to have that job security. And obviously James Sheiano is the host of the Mets Up podcast right here on Foul Territory, and he's probably thinking about this list because what's going to happen with Pete Alonso? Right Like, where is their first baseman going to go? So, Eric, I asked you this, what else do the Mariners need to do in the off season because they have a hell the court. You talked about the starting rotation. Obviously, it seems like the offense is finally catching up to that starting rotation. What else do they need to do?

00:06:09
Speaker 2: I think they need I think they definitely need another bat. What type of bat? When they got a Hineosuarez obviously had a huge two home run game in the playoffs that helped them get to where they were or continue to move on to where they were, But you do they need another power bat like that? I think they would have to evaluate it and say what type of hitter comes into this park and can hit dingers? And if they say there's nothing available, is there somebody in a trade that can help them keep the line moving and not just be automatic outs. You know, sometimes sometimes when you have a park that is tough to hit in or tough to hit home runs in, then you say, okay, you know, well we'll just try We'll just try to get the biggest bat we can, you know, some type of one year Reese Hosket type of deal. I know it's not going to work out because theyre have a first basement, but is there something that adds to that lineup? To me, you got to put the ball in play if you can't hit dangers out of your park on a consistent basis, and that costs money. Find somebody that you can put the ball in play. Find somebody that's going to keep the line moving. And I think it's really adding to that lineup is what they need. Because that bullpen is stacked, the starting rotation stays healthy, stacked. You know, that's that's where their focus should be.

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00:08:31
Speaker 1: Seattle went pretty deep into the postseason this year, obviously getting vested by the Toronto Blue Jays who ended up in the World Series. But AJ, let me ask you this, Eric wants another bat, not certain which type. What else do the Mariners, in your opinion, need to do to get over the hump to at least get back into the postseason next year? Move further? Is it a bullpen piece or is it another piece of that starting rotation.

00:08:54
Speaker 3: It's about I mean, it's still about. It's it's always going to be a bad in Seattle. There their starting rotation is good if Logan, Gilbert, George, Kirby, Castillo and Bright and Wu stay healthy along with Bryce Miller. I mean there's a five to five of the best, and then their bullpen with Mutnios at the back end and some of the guys. They found one thing about Seattle, they always seem to figure out how to manipulate guys in the bullpen. So I don't know that they need any more pitching with a nice veteran starter look good. Sure, but they have five guys who've been around now for a couple of years. So unless you're going to go out and trade one of those guys for another bat that you can use multiple position player pieces that can be ready in the future. I think you just got to go and load up on bats. I mean Raleigh Julio. Now, Naylor Polanco is a free agent, they got to go do some with him. Crawford's a nice piece, Rose Aina is still there, so I think they're in a good spot. I think one more piece, whether it's a third baseman maybe I mean Alex Bregman, I don't think would go there, but something like that would be a really nice piece. And the guy also could play some defense, because their defense was a little bit I wouldn't want to say shaky, but it wasn't the best defense in.

00:09:59
Speaker 1: The league, all right, A little suspect at times. By the way, congratulations to George Kirby, he got engaged recently. These are the stupid facts I bring to foul Territory on a bi monthly basis. Are the Mariners aerk Kratz the team to beat in the AL West going into spring training? Are they the best in the division.

00:10:20
Speaker 2: I mean, I guess, I guess it's okay to pick against the Astros now. I mean last year, I just refused to pick against the Astros. And I guess that's why they lost. They took a little bit of a step back because they couldn't fight through the colossal injury of your Don. I mean, I think it's a yes, I think they I think they made that the last push that they made in September when Mariners of old Mariners history, every team collapses. They look like they wanted to collapse in August when they had some tough road trips and they were losing six of the seven games. But they made that next transition. And I think some of that is maturation of Juliocal JP Crawford, But I also think some of it can be the fact that they're extended for a long time. They're not sitting there trying to trying to get hits, trying to do things that They're just trying to win games. They're just trying to win games in any way possible. And so I think this team has because of this past year. Right now, I see them, they catapulted themselves to the favorites in the West, which they always work. Because they're starting rotation and now that they're starting to hit the ball a little bit better, it's legit is.

00:11:35
Speaker 1: That the case. AJ. You think the Mariners are at top of the division heading in.

00:11:41
Speaker 3: Well, let's see what the Rangers and the Astros do this offseason. I think those are two big clubs. Astros just missed the postseason. The Rangers have pieces that are very nice. We'll see they're supposed to be cutting payroll. But let's see what the Astros do. I think what happens with Fromber, what other moves they make a full year of Carlos Korea. Let's see what the Astros go out and do. But right now where we sit on today, on what is the November seventeenth, Yes, the Mariners are the favorites.

00:12:08
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's insane to think what the Astros did even with the from Ravalde or excuse me, the your Don Alvarez injury, guys, and obviously not having Kyle Tucker or Alex Bregman, and they very easily could have won the division as well. Guys, Big day on the baseball calendar tomorrow. Snake's Territories, Jack Summer's writing that November eighteenth, the qualifying offer and Rule five. This is the deadline guys for a player to either accept or reject a qualifying offer. The amount for this season twenty two point two five million dollars. Zach Gallon's decision, guys, must be made on that date. What do you think he does?

00:12:44
Speaker 3: Aj cops out. I don't think anybody's going to take the qualifying offer. We haven't seen a lot of guys take it. I don't think Zach Gallon's taken, and I think he has Skyle Boris, and Skyle bors will tell them he can get him more on the open market. So I don't think we'll see anybody who was a Nick Martinez. I think was the only one who took it last year, and I he will. Don't think you don't.

00:13:02
Speaker 2: Think Big will will?

00:13:04
Speaker 3: Uh?

00:13:06
Speaker 2: I feel like he's the one. I don't think that.

00:13:08
Speaker 3: I don't think gall maybe, but maybe I don't know. Maybe Wu's just ready to try something different. I don't know. I mean, although twenty one million sounds pretty good, but I don't know. We'll see he Yeah, I guess he would be the one. I just think I just don't. I just think they must have had a conversation already about hey, we're going to offer you this. You know, if you take it, we don't really want you to take it. But I don't know, we'll.

00:13:30
Speaker 2: See I think I think Gallan, I think anytime I see stuff in the media now that I'm in the media, and I'm like, like, just because he had just because he had it down here this year, like our team's going to look at it and be like, oh, yeah, he's probably on the decline. No, like, look at the whole body at work. It's one hundred million dollar picture. Did it bring down his value some maybe? But one hundred million is not even close to twenty two point zero five.

00:14:00
Speaker 1: Joe Sherman coming in with this, you guys. Yankees are an agreement on a one year deal with Ryan Yarborough, as by Robert Murray first reported. Yarborough guys a four to three six ERA last season in nineteen games, eight of those which were starts with the Yankees. Good deal, bad deal.

00:14:17
Speaker 2: Eric, Now knowing the money, I have a hard time believing this is a bad deal. I hate it for yards that he doesn't get a multi year deal here. But he's a perfect switch, you know, a knife you know, the whole pocket knife. I'm trying to say switch knife, and I can't come up with the word.

00:14:36
Speaker 1: But Swiss army knife.

00:14:38
Speaker 2: Swiss army knight, thank you, thank you. Because he can start, because he can open, because he can call out. Like there's there's times when you have a deep rotation of five or six guys and you need somebody that can open. But then you need some one of those guys to be able to shift to the bullpen. At Yarborough. He's been that and you know you'd like to see him stay a little bit. He did this year, but he's gonna give you what you need. So I think it's great, especially he can lock up another big league deal.

00:15:10
Speaker 3: It's good move. Yeah, pitch there. He proved he could pitch there. It's a good deal for both. They can use him as a starter if they need to, if someone goes down. They can use him as a long guy. They can use him as an opener, they can use them lead innings. He can give you length. I think this is a great deal for both. This is one of those deals that listen, they come together early because it works for both sides, and it's like the Josh Naylor it works good.

00:15:35
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00:15:54
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00:16:14
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00:16:35
Speaker 1: It is hooked. Welcome back everybody to foul Territory. Almost into our second hour of coverage here we start with a Kei k Hernandez story. Apparently Kik was seen at an airport and was ambushed by I'm assuming a fan and they found out that he had surgery. David Vassey on X after being ambushed at the airport by some guy, ki Y, Hernandez announced he did have surgery on his left elbow yesterday, so that would have been the fourteen to repair his extension muscle. Hernandez will not be playing in the World Baseball Classic for Puerto Rico, so obviously something that was being played through AJ over the course of the season because he hurt his elbow initially apparently in May. So that says something about Kiki obviously playing through it and we know how big he is in the in the postseason.

00:17:23
Speaker 3: Well. Also, listen, people are banged up all the time. I think we don't always get the full story. But what more to me is like I don't know about y'all, but have y'all ever been ambushed at the Lax airport, Because I have. It's weird.

00:17:35
Speaker 1: I'm not that popular.

00:17:37
Speaker 3: It is so weird. It has happened to me where they're there and they're not looking for me. The it's just some random guy happens to see you and he will come up to you at the camera and stick it right in your face and your baggage claim and they are like, ask you some weird questions and usually there's you know, usually a lot of times at LAX you're either find in real early in the morning or late at night, and they try to get you when you're not ready for it. So it is. It can be awkward at times. Happened to me a couple of times. It is awkward.

00:18:04
Speaker 1: I have been ambushed at other places in LA since I lived there for seven years covering the Los Angeles Daughters, but never at an airport. But I always look homeless too when I'm traveling, so maybe they didn't realize it was me because I look very different on TV than I do in real life.

00:18:19
Speaker 2: Homeless.

00:18:21
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean I look pretty rough when I'm not on the.

00:18:24
Speaker 2: Homeless rideout, like like you smell and everything.

00:18:27
Speaker 1: No no, no, no, no, no, no, I'm very no. I don't smell, but I dress like, you know, just sweats and you just you know, very very very casual.

00:18:34
Speaker 2: Like I just don't you have you have an outfit that you put on and you try you you put on basic casual like you're just you're you're put together casual.

00:18:45
Speaker 1: I mean, I know, I mean I do have a travel outfit now, pockets. You know, it's like sweats, super comfy. But I've not been ambushed at the airport. But this is a big deal for the World Baseball Classic and Eric, I wanted to ask you this too, because Keik loves, loves, loves playing in the WBC. He loves Puerto Rico obviously where he was born. This is a big blow for him and for Team Puerto.

00:19:09
Speaker 2: Rico for sure, because he comes up in big situations like I think KEYK has now put himself on the map where he could be a guy where you're like, ah, whatever, don't play in the don't play in the regular season. So the WBC's as close as you're going to get to the playoffs without it being the playoffs. So yeah, it's a huge blow because he's also offers versatility. If you look at highlights of the Dodgers past two World Series and highlights of when he was in Boston, Like he's playing all different positions, Like how many times are you gonna be like, Oh yeah, Kyk, I remember that play he made into one series at third base? Oh yeah, remember that play he made in the most recent World Series at left field. Like that's he adds tons of value and he's clutched in these big moments.

00:19:56
Speaker 1: He's massive. I don't care if Kiky hernandez Aj goes for the regular season. You want him to be on a postseason roster. You want him to be in the WBC. But Andrew Friedman on Dodgers Territory early in the season said that he couldn't believe the maturation process that Kik went through. I mean, this was a guy that was dancing in banana costumes with Justin Turner and Jack Peterson on the plane. And then Andrew Friedman said he has become such a massive leader in the Dodgers' clubhouse and dugout, it's been quite the transformation for Kyk. Could he be part of the WBC for Puerto Rico in some capacity that you think would be beneficial.

00:20:35
Speaker 3: They might just have him on the team and just be like hanging around with the guys. He might just get an opportunity to do that, so you don't have to be playing in order to have a present. So I think, yeah, they'll probably bring him in have him hanging around if he's not healthy enough to be playing. I don't know if the Dodgers is he a free agent?

00:20:51
Speaker 1: Is they only signed a one year deal?

00:20:54
Speaker 3: So if he's not signed by a team, why would Puerto Rico not bring him in there? They can bring him in as a coach or first base coach or something pitching coach, I don't know, but just have him around, have him hang out with the boys. And if he is on a team, which we all would assume would be the Dodgers, again, would the Dodgers let him do that if he's going through rehab for an injury. I don't know. We'll see, but he definitely should be a part somehow of Puerto Rico's team.

00:21:15
Speaker 1: Yeah, maybe somehow as a special ambassador if you will. This is a guy.

00:21:20
Speaker 4: Uh.

00:21:20
Speaker 1: Last season, gentlemen thirty four years old only hit two three, two fifty five three sixty six with ten home runs, but then you go to the postseason and he's just another dude. Do you bring him back if you're la Eric just for that reason.

00:21:36
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean he even said it. He even said it last year in spring training. He didn't like how free agency went, but he was like, there's really only two teams I would have gone to, and obviously everybody knows I want to go back to the Dodgers, so it's just gonna be a playoff team. I don't see. I don't see how he doesn't. I don't see how he doesn't. It's crazy because there's only a few spots where you can have that utility role on a team. But now that Chris Taylor's moved on, like I think, he just easily slides into that role and he will not hit two of three next year. So if there's any Dodger haters out there, like we need somebody else other than KEYK, just no, you did get other people, Like they wanted Michael Confordo to be playing left field in the playoffs. Well it didn't work out. So you always have you always have KEYK. You need to offer him to me. I think he needs to get a multi year deal, but I guess that's just the player at me too.

00:22:26
Speaker 1: Yeah, no, I agree with you. I'd love to see him locked up to more than one deal. Let's move our focus to Team USA. A couple of editions were announced over the course of the weekend. Pete Carroll and Pete Carroll. Yeah, by the way, he's retiring from football and going to the WBC. Corbin Carroll and Pete crow Armstrong are going to be on the WBC roster. Of course, cal Rawly, who I still think should have been the MVP, is going to catch great additions. Guys. I mean the WBC, I think is increasing in popularity. We know as a player that you love playing for your country. I think it was more of the Latin countries perhaps more so, but the USA seems to really be taking off in terms of interest from big key names. AJ.

00:23:04
Speaker 3: Yeah, well, if you went to the last one a lot, I'm not sure. I went to the last one in Miami. It was one of the coolest things I'd ever been to, just because the fan experience and trust me, I went to the Venezuela USA game. Venezuela, I'll number the US fans like three or four to one. In Miami down a Marlins Park, So I think that the USA and the players that went to would have gotten a better and better experience each time. And the bigger and bigger names are coming in for it. I wish there was a way to where we could have all the teams at full strength, because Japan, to me, has the advantage because their guys trained for months and months and months get ready for this. USA kind of throws their team together at the end as to a lot of the other countries. But I wish there was a way we could have everybody at full strength and see these guys, these starting pitchers and handle this like a real tournament, which it should be in the Olympics, and I don't think they're ever going to allow that. But I love that the big names are coming and saying yes, I want to play for USA, Dominican and Japan, Puerto Rico, whatever it is, because that shows you how much this means and how much fun these guys are having.

00:24:01
Speaker 2: I'd like to make sure that Major League Baseball, because it was announced at the MLB Awards this past weekend. I'd like just want to make sure Major League Baseball's putting the same effort, and I don't know about resources. I don't know how that works. But like, why is Team USA major League Baseball's team, you know what I mean? Like they're all big leaguers. Like why wouldn't Major League Baseball make sure they're announcing when shohe says he's gonna play for Team Japan or Team Samurai I think is what they're called. And then why would they not announce when ktel Marte is playing for the dr Like I just because I've heard it from different groups that Major League Baseball loves to like get behind Team USA, but Major League Baseball is also a third not American players, Like why are we Why are they not making such a big deal out of it, Like they clearly flew Corbyn, Carroll and PCA out to the Awards so that they could announce it on stage with Mark de Rosa and all all this popping circumstance, Like let's make sure the other teams get there just due too.

00:25:15
Speaker 1: That's a good question. I don't have an answer for that. I don't know if it's because Major League Baseball, with the exception of Toronto, is all in the United States, I don't know. I mean, I understand your point. I mean, it's a global game, it's an international game. And to your point, you know, a third of the players are not of American United States descent. So I don't have an answer for that. But yeah, I mean it's every single player that is in the major leagues that makes a team for the WBC should be announced as a member, you know, as the members of the USA team are. I don't know, I don't know how to answer that.

00:25:52
Speaker 2: Like here's here's the example. The Miz came on the show and AJ was like, I'm recruiting you for Team Poland. If he announced it, if there was a Team Poland and the Miz was like, yeah, I'm playing for Team Poland. Would Major League Baseball get behind it as much as they get behind Corbyn Carroll saying he's going to be on the team, PCA saying he's going to be on the team because there's there's some cash behind there, and I'm sure if Team Poland somehow figured out a way to get in, they would need some cash from Major League Baseball.

00:26:27
Speaker 1: I don't know, that's a great point that I've never thought about that like that, I'm not certain why it's not handled that way. I don't know if it's because it's taken I think more time for USA to treat it as a big deal like the other. I mean, you ask any Latin player, it's more important for them to play for the WBC and win for Venezuela or you know, the Dominican or Puerto Rico or whatever than it is to win the World Series. I mean, they care seemingly outwardly. I don't want to put any any words into American you know, North American players mouths or USA players mouths, but they seem to care more about winning for their country than they do about winning for their respective Major League Baseball team. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's the outside perspective. I have the optics anyway.

00:27:21
Speaker 2: Okay, I mean I think I think they. I think they have that national pride, and I think they're used to when you talk about the when you talk about the teams that or yeah, the countries that have winter leagues, yeah they I mean they essentially go into winter league mode. This is what we'd call it when we were playing, Like winter league mode is you're you're getting up for every single game like your dudes are just I forget AJ you were at the game. I forget what the what was the dude's name? Who was shirt was coming all the way unbuttoned like that was like it personified the you know, the energy that they would bring to those games. And that's you know, some of them are coming straight off of winter Ball. They're playing in the in the Winter Ball Championships, and then they're coming to spring training for a few weeks and then they go straight to the WBC. So yeah, there's a there's there's a pride there that I think. I think American players have the same pride. I just think it's it's shown differently because they're used to playing. When they get to play with each other, it's it's a treat.

00:28:27
Speaker 1: I just love the WBC and I love that it's growing in popularity. I think it's awesome.

00:28:31
Speaker 3: You guys, You guys want to know why MLB pushes the American players. Yes, I mean, how do we know that japan players aren't big? Donelike this? In Japan, we don't know. We just don't see it. How do we know in Dominican when whoever announces that they're playing for the Dominican we don't see it, right, No, I think, I think.

00:28:46
Speaker 1: But I think. Eric's point though, is that MLB should be promoting any any Major League Baseball player that is going to play for their respective team, whether it's Venezuela or the Dominican or Team Mexico. MLB should promote them just as much as they promote the US.

00:29:01
Speaker 3: What drives ratings in America and what drives ratings and help some MLB game money the American television audience. Right what does USA had a hard time getting people to do their big name stars play for him? So when they get big name people, yes, MLB is gonna push it because that's where the money comes from. Listen, it's great that everyone plays for Dominican. It's great that everyone plays for Puerto Rico. It's great that these guys play for Japan, and these guys play for Panama and Netherlands and this and that. Now, it was a big deal MLB announcement. Alex Rodriguez and Manny Machada wanted to play for Dominican right now because they could have played for America. So to me, it's the reason. It's all about money. Money drives this thing. Money is the reason they have this thing, and the American consumers are it's the finals are in America. The semi finals are in America, Major Leagues Baseball stadiums, and MLB owns it. So MLB knows who is going to buy the tickets, more than likely people that live in the USA. So they are pushing this and they want the biggest stars for America because then they can get the American audience to tune in. Because I don't know the ratings, but I'm pretty sure rating for Dominican versus Colombia is not as high for rating for USA versus Mexico, or USA verse Japan, or USA vers Dominican. I'm pretty sure the ratings are probably higher, especially in the one base where MLB cares about, and that's the United States of America.

00:30:20
Speaker 1: Guys. This from Bob Nightingale on X the official twenty twenty six Hall of Fame ballot with twelve new candidates. It is out. I'm not gonna go through all of the names, but you can see them there. AJ will start with you, is there anybody on this list of a newcomer in terms of Hall of Fame that sticks out to you?

00:30:36
Speaker 3: Nope? Nope? Are you There's not one that's gonna make it. I'm sorry. I don't know.

00:30:43
Speaker 1: Oh, there's not one that's gonna make it, Okay.

00:30:45
Speaker 3: I mean I guess Cole Hammill's, but I don't think he's gonna make it. I don't know. Ryan Bron's definitely not making it. I don't know. I looked at the list and I was like, Eh, I don't really see a whole lot. Matt Camp's not gonna make it of she's I just don't see when that's gonna make it. I'm sorry. They're just they're great players, but there weren't Hall of Fame worthy. They're just they're just weren't. And that's It's gonna be interesting to see who stays on the list for another year. But uh, you know, it looks like who's gonna get a Beltron's probably gonna get in, and Andrew Jones are probably gonna get in this year, and then that opens it up for some other people. But it'd be interesting to see who gets the votes this year, because I honestly don't think that, uh, anybody on this newcomer list is gonna make it.

00:31:30
Speaker 1: I feel like I see Jimmy Rawlins and Chase Utley on these all of the time. If you had to pick one of the two, Eric, who do you think is more Hall of Fame worthy? If either, I mean I.

00:31:40
Speaker 2: Played with both of them. I play like this whole list isn't first timers. So I want to know who from this list is first timers? Is it Braun, Gordo, Cole Hammils since you chew, probably Edwin Murphy, Geo Gonzalez Murphy.

00:31:59
Speaker 3: Anyway, take it, Hollie Kendrick. Those are all.

00:32:06
Speaker 2: Okay, so maybe like the top the top guys there, But to me, I don't, I don't. I feel like I feel like Jimmy's going to I don't know, I feel like Jimmy's going to get in before Chase.

00:32:23
Speaker 1: But it's worthy of getting in. I mean, I think the longer it goes, and the more opportunities there are for guys to get in, more people that probably shouldn't be in the Hall if there's if the if there were stricter restrictions or fewer guys that got in, I don't know that any of these would. I mean, eventually they might because of all of the different avenues of getting into Cooper's town, But should they get in?

00:32:46
Speaker 2: I think Jeff Kent's a better second basement and put up better numbers than Chase Uttley. So I think it's tough to say Chase Utley will get in before you hear that the Jeff Kent because Chase Uttley. I mean, everyone says Jeff Kent was a jerk or what and that's why he's not it.

00:33:01
Speaker 3: Like just.

00:33:03
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's it's not the Hall of Good person, it's the Hall of the name. All right, we welcome you back here. So this is a question from Jen Abbas fifty three eighty. Are any of them in the Hall of pretty Good? And I believe that she's talking about because AJ Prazinski, you received ninety one percent of the vote to become the twentieth member of the Hall of Pretty Good and the fifth member AJ of the Illustrious Inner Circle. You're in the Circle of Trust, my friend. Congratulations. I think you're better than the Hall of Pretty Good. But that's neither here nor there. So there you have it. So are any of these guys on the twenty twenty six Hall of Fame ballot, the new names that we talked about, are any of them good enough to be in the Hall of Pretty Good?

00:33:46
Speaker 3: I think Hunter Pence is already in the Hall of Pretty Good. I'm pretty sure he already got in. Yeah, I think I think he already got in. So congratulations to Hunter. Listen, All of pretty Good is a really funny thing that a fan came up with where he like, he asks fans to vote on this, and it's engaging. It's funny to see who gets in and who doesn't because some people I think should have got in didn't get in. But it's like, I think it's every Wednesday they do the voting. So yeah, it was pretty cool to see that. And now there's a list of about what fifteen new guys that just went on the Hall of Fame ballot that have a chance to both but they're not going to get into the Hall of Fame, but they got a chance to get into the Hall pretty Good, which for some of us is an honor.

00:34:27
Speaker 1: All right, guys, So, Blake but Terra is the new manager of the Washington Nationals. He is supposed to have a press conference today or he did have it today actually at one point thirty so about an hour and change ago when we were on the air. It's been eighteen days though since the news first broke that the Nats were hiring him, but I think it's because his wife just had a baby, so they had to delay the presser. Congratulations to them. So here's the cool story apparently that came out of the presser from Paul to Boni that must be Italian. When he was just starting search Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza actually call all to Bonnie to tell him about how but Terra would be a great candidate for the job. Piazza and Terra, the Italians, I tell you, man, we stick together. They worked on the same team Italy staff at the w b C. So, first of all, AJ your thoughts about but Terra and I have to be honest. I didn't know much about him. When I saw the Butteran name, I thought it was Drew, not Blake. What do you think about about this move?

00:35:26
Speaker 3: Cool? The Nationals are relevant at all, So I mean cool, he gets a job and he gets to like it's awesome, Mike Piazza, this is how things work now, Thana, I mean, have you paid attention? By the way, you always say you're Cuban, so you're Italian.

00:35:42
Speaker 1: I don't know about you, but I don't know I have two parents. That's weird.

00:35:46
Speaker 2: I have.

00:35:46
Speaker 1: I have a mom and a dad. One's Cuban, one's Italian.

00:35:49
Speaker 2: Weird.

00:35:50
Speaker 3: You always say you're Cuban, so you can't just go Cuban to Italian. Well okay, but that's not the point here. The point is that as a as I'm Italian, I'm sure there's one little piece of me that's Italian. So I'm gonna tell you too, Okay, I'm a Tellian man a little bit of Okay. But here's the thing, Like this how works now, Alana, Like you got to know somebody who knows somebody and you get him to call, or you work in for the Rays at some point, or you work in an organization and then all of a sudden they're looking for a manager and you sit in all the meetings like Craig Stamley're like, you know what, I could do that job, and I have all the answers because I already have to test. This is how it works in today's game. So I'm not surprised by this. Good for good for mister but Terra. I hope it works out for him. We'll see. But like the Nats aren't relevant because they're being sold, they don't spending money, and they're in a tough division.

00:36:41
Speaker 1: All right, so Eric, but Tara did not make a big deal about his youth or really honestly lack of managerial experience. Interestingly, he did not say he was prioritizing experience on his staff. You know, sometimes you want to like get veteran guys around you to have some help, and staid he said he was looking for people that align with his vision and coaches who were the best candidates. I don't know what your vision is. If you don't have any managerial experience at the big league level.

00:37:11
Speaker 2: That's a good question. And as a ex player, I have to be careful. I got eviscerated when I made my comments that a player development guy doesn't necessarily know about making big league moves or big league like the day to day big league grind to me. I would want to surround myself, and this is how I think, I hope I live my life. I want to surround myself with people who know more than me in a situation that I'm in, so that I can learn from them. If you're constantly just surrounding yourself with like people in any walk of life. You're just gonna stay. You're just gonna stay kind of flatline and like it's just gonna be the same you and you're never gonna improve. So to me, I hope he has some kind of backing from somebody that has experience in the big leagues because he's the manager in the big leagues and he has to manage personalities in the big leagues. I just I think it's something that it was interesting what came out of it. But I'll actually want to revert back to what AJ said, The Gnats are not relevant. Had the Nats gotten somebody, another manager, a different manager, AJ, would they have Would it have made them relevant? Would it have made them relevant if they went out and got the best managerial candidate available, which in my opinion, which is all just opinion, you know, it's a Skip Schumacher, It's possibly, you know, Brandon Hyde was in the area, depending on what you thought of Brandon Hyde. But like, if they had gotten somebody relevant, does that change this season and next season for the Nets?

00:38:55
Speaker 3: They have to spend money. How did Jim Leland do? How did Jim Leland do for the Rockies when he went to the Rockies, I mean, he's a Hall of Fame manager. How did he do? And by the way, but he went to the Rockies and he was terrible as a manager, right, So because he didn't have any players. You don't have any players, you don't go out and get players, then you can't be a good I don't care who you are. You could be the greatest manager in the world and not have players. Joe Torre was terrible. You know, he was not regarded as a great manager when he was with the Braves, right, and Terry Francona when he was at the Phillies got fired because they weren't very good. And then he goes to the Rockies and he has all the I mean the Red Sox and he has all these great players. He's a great manager. So if you don't have players, it doesn't matter. The Nats aren't. They have already said they're not gonna go out and spend money. And here's the thing about his quote about I'm not a prioritizing experience. You gotta have somebody on the staff that knows what they're doing. No, listen, I'm sorry, but like he's what thirty three I think his pitching coach is thirty, like he hired the assistant hitting coach. I think he's twenty nine or something, thirty two or whatever they are, Like, you got to have somebody that has some linked in their tooth a little bit that have been around and not everybody going into spring training going what do we do? Guys, Oh, we're gonna try and reinvent the wheel. Well, there's been guys that have reinvented the wheel. Gabe Kappler for years try to reinvent the wheel in San Francisco. It didn't work for him, right, Philadelphia didn't work. There's people that try and invent this. Now, why does it work for somebody like Joe Madden when he tried to reinvent the wheel because he had put in time after time after time with the Angels, and he had been in the big leagues and he had understood how players and this and that. If you have nobody that understands how to do this and just everybody is brand new, and we're like, we're just gonna find the people that agree with me and we'll just try everything new. It usually doesn't work. You gotta have some experience to slowly implement it. You just can't throw it all out there and hope it sticks.

00:40:54
Speaker 1: All right, gentlemen, it is time to slap hands. We don't have a ton of time left on the show. Eric, I want to ask you what's on Kratz Hats today?

00:41:04
Speaker 2: I mean where Josh Nayler Columbus Clippers. Okay, Josh Naylor just signed his contract, so might as well celebrate an ex Columbus Clipper get in paper.

00:41:15
Speaker 1: Yeah he got the bag, didn't he?

00:41:17
Speaker 2: Five years?

00:41:18
Speaker 1: Did they say the amount yet? Are we thinking one hundred millions? Not yet? All right, so five years? Good for you, Josh Naylor. A big show tomorrow on Foul Territory. I'm back with you guys again tomorrow. Astro's manager Joe Aspota, White Sox pitcher Shane Smith. Evan Grant is going to be doing his to do list much like Lance Lynn did today for the Cardinals. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News is going to be doing it for the Rangers as far as the off season is concerned. So we'll talk about that and much more. Scott Brown will be back with you guys on Wednesday. Coming up in just a few minutes. Dodgers Territory is back on Mondays and Thursdays in the off season. Ah I will be hosting that with my co host Clint Psias. We're talking about shush, shush. You're such a weird you don't mean to me. Be nice to me tomorrow. Thanks for watching, guys, thanks for listening. Aj Eric and myself back tomorrow, See you later.

00:42:08
Speaker 2: Go baters.

00:42:12
Speaker 4: Yeah,