Jim Bowden's Front Office Unfiltered + Blue Jays talk w/Ricky Romero

00:00:09
Speaker 1: Welcome to Front Office, Unfiltered Everybody, MLB analyst and insider for CBS Sports, The Athletic MLB Radio, Sirius XM, and on and on and on GM and foul Territory. Jim Bowden joining us now. Jim, good to be with you. Thanks for coming on. Appreciate it very much. You had just recently wrote or or sent us a message. It's probably too old news for you guys, but I don't think it's too old because we're talking about the two firings from a former GM perspective. Tell us more about that. I'm interested in your perspective, Jim, because my goodness, we're not even thirty or at the time, they weren't even thirty games into the season, and Rob Thompson had just gotten an extension in December of last year.

00:00:49
Speaker 2: Yeah, I know. I think the problem is the Phillies were playing so poorly and you've got so many players underachieving. The only two guys that were hitting were Kyle Schwarbur and Bryce Harper on that team, right yet, Alec Bohm, who's dealing with the things at home as well as just not hitting at all, You're not getting much production on the corner outfield spots. You're not getting much production offensively behind the plate. I mean, there's just no offense. And you know, we talked about this team in the offseason in terms of, you know, is this team been together too long without mixing it up? Is there a sense of urgency and the other part of this team. You know, as we watched it in the first month of the season, they weren't playing well defensively, they weren't running the base as well. That didn't seem to be the focus that we were used to when this team was winning ninety games every single year. And you know, Rob Thompson's a great manager and he had a lot of success. He took the team to the World Series, he won ninety games multiple times. But the team wasn't doing anything. So if you're sitting there and you're Dave Dombrowski, what are your choices? I mean, you can't fire twenty six players, right, I mean, you can fire Taiwan Walker, that's one, but you're not going to fire the rest. It's too early in the season to make blockbuster trades. That something you had to do in the offseason. So is there anything you can do to put a charge in this team. Is there anything you can do to give them a wake up call? And when you take someone like Rob Thompson, who is beloved by everybody and you fire him, if you're sitting there as a player, you know it's next. You're next, You're next. It's almost over. So if you think you're comfortable and you think everything's gonna be just fine, this was your wake up call because you're next. And I think that's all this was here. And look, I know it's unpopular when you fire a manager like this, and the next manager coming in is gonna have a similar style. And I'm not sure that don Nley's gonna do anything different for this team to win more games, to be honest, but perhaps the players will understand you're gonna have to step up and you're gonna have to produce. So sometimes you do have to make a change, I think as a GM, even though it's not necessary the manager's fault, it's really the fault of a lot of different people. But I think sometimes change is good for a team.

00:03:02
Speaker 3: Jim, you mentioned a changing this or getting rid of Rob Thompson might light a fire under these players. Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Bryce and Stott, j t Rio, Muto, Alec Bohm, Brandon Marsh. These guys aren't young kids. It's not like they're like they wake up. They're like, man, I'm gonna try harder. So does firing a manager really do anything other than just say, hey, I did something as a GM. And also you mentioned how they were missing this outfield and they were missing this, and this guy wasn't doing this. Isn't some of the blame on Dobrowski for putting this team together and keeping it the same.

00:03:36
Speaker 2: Absolutely, but he's not going to fire himself.

00:03:40
Speaker 4: Why not, Jim, You're fired.

00:03:43
Speaker 2: I mean, look at Dave. Debreski's going to the Hall of Fame. I mean, we've seen him win World Series, uh in multiple places. We've seen him take three teams of the World Series. Dave knows how to build a team to win. There's no doubt about that. He tried to keep this team together because this team went to the World Series a few years ago, so he tried to do this, but it just, you know, obviously isn't working. So you know, you could talk about veteran players and you expect that I was watching them like you were. I didn't think outside literally outside of Harper and Schwarber. Literally, I did not think this team was playing up to their potential. I really didn't. And look, I know a lot of the issue here is they've had some average major league players like marsh Stott Boom that in the past they got by with because they had three guys that played at MVP caliber levels Harper, Schwarber and Turner. And now all of a sudden, you know, you've got some of those MVP players playing more like All Stars and MVPs, and now, all of a sudden, when you're an average major league player, that's not enough to win. So that is part of it. But again, they're not performing, and sometimes change has to be made, you know. And then I'll look on the flip side in Boston and to me that that firing made absolutely no sense. I looked at that completely different than the Philadelphia situation because over in Boston they were ten and seventeen. You're sitting there on April the twenty fifth, ten and seventeen. Garrett Crochet's ra was six, Sunny Gray was on the injured list with a hamstring injury injury, BeOS Era was eight. They had no production at third base, where Alex Bregnant was a year ago. They had no production at second base, but the team still had really good pitching, five really good outfielders. They were still solid at first base and shortstopping behind the plate. And this is the team that was going to turn it around. This is a team that was going to get the five hundred, regardless of managing. And to fire one of the top five managers in baseball at that time, that makes no sense to me. If you were going to do it, you should have done it in the offseason. And let Cora interview in San Diego and San Francisco because this was different. Because they say it wasn't a power struggle, this was clearly a power struggle. Alex Cora did not see eye to eye with Craig Breslow in roster structuring, in player evaluation, in signing certain players to long term contracts. They weren't on the same page. And Alex Coorra won a World championship in Boston with Dave Dombrowski. He knows what it takes as a player and as a coach and as a manager because he did all of it. He knows what it takes to put a World Series team on the field, and his input wasn't heard nor was it respected, and so someone had to go, and the owner, John Henry decided that he was going to be on Craig Breslow's side on this one, who's in his third year with the Red Sox. Now keep in mind theo Epstein is behind the scenes and he was he had strong input in the hiring of Breslow. Theo Epstein has a strong voice with John Henry. And remember theo Epstein is one that believes in what former NFL legend Bill Walsh always said, you could stay in a place too long and then a change is probably better for everybody. Bill Walsh used to say ten years. In this case it was eight years, but that's what they kind of thought. And if you remember, it was theo Epstein who fired Terry Francona after two World championships. It was theo Epstein who fired Joe Madden after a World championship because of that philosophy of being in a place too long. So that was the reasoning behind Craig Breslo doing it. But in my opinion, when you have a manager the level of Alex Cora, that is not a manager, you fire, you figure out everything around him. He is special and I wasn't surprised that he and Dave Dombrowski talked on Sunday and he was already offered a job the day after he was fired. That didn't surprise me. There'll be a lot of teams that'll be coming after Alex.

00:07:39
Speaker 4: Thanks on what you're saying. It sounds like they were butting heads. Breslo and Cora were butting heads. What's the biggest argument you had with your manager or somebody that you were in charge of as a general manager, Because clearly something came to a head. It wasn't just like, ah, you know what, I think we're done here. Clearly there was a bashing of heads that had happened for a long time, and so as a GM, like, what could make you so mad that you're like, you're gone.

00:08:13
Speaker 5: Yeah.

00:08:13
Speaker 2: I don't think there's any one individual situation that would make me say, hey, you're gone. I mean, in terms of banging heads with a manager, I would say that's a regular event. When I was a GM, I mean there's always difference of opinions, but most of the managers that I worked with, like Davy Johnson and Jack McKeon, and Bob Boone and Frank Robinson most most of these guys, it was always give and take. It was always each of us listening to each other, having our arguments and debates, and at the end of the day respecting whatever the final decision was, whether it's what I thought was best or what the manager thought was best. But it was always a collaborative approach because that's the only way it works, you know. I always felt like it's a huge advantage when you have a strong GM and manager that on the same page. Andrew Friedman and Dave Roberts, or back in the day John Schucholtz and Bobby Cox, or when Dave Dombrowski, you know, was with Jim Leland. You know, those kind of relationships and great baseball minds that work together and utilize all the people around them. Those are the organizations that are successful. So it's sad to me when I see a situation like Boston, just because I know how good Alex Corey is in that job, and there's no in my opinion, there was no reason for him to be fired twenty seven games into the season.

00:09:37
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00:10:14
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00:10:38
Speaker 4: Does this bring a World Series to the Red Sox. I'm not saying this year, but in Craig Breslow's tenure, does it bring a World Series?

00:10:45
Speaker 2: I would bet more against Craig Breslo not surviving the twenty seventh season than I would it bringing a championship. I'm not sure that style of GMing works. I'll be fascinating to see. Look, I think he's done a good job on the pitching side and pitching in defense to me says they're gonna be in the hunt every year there, But I'm not sure yet from what I've seen that he is going to be able to make that move that wins a World Series. You know, that move is giving Alex Bregman that no trade. That move is understanding what Alex Bregman meant to Roman Anthony and Marcelo Meyer and Will You're a bray you it's what he meant to that team. And also that bat in the middle of a lineup. You know, that Dev's bat or that Bregman bat, or that guy that can carry you when your team is in a slump, which they don't have right now. I don't know. I haven't seen him on that part of it. And it also seems like, you know, he's got his group, which is fine as long as that group is gonna win. And from what I've seen so far, they've got some work to do. You know, in spring training I had Yankees won Blue Jays two and then a conversation after that, And that's kind of how I see Boston right now. And look, this is the third year Brezels been there. And keep in mind, the last three gms that John Henry has had in Boston, none of them have lasted past the fourth year, none of them. And Breslo's on year three now.

00:12:10
Speaker 1: So yeah, Craig Brezil a bit robotics so far. Jim and his approach with the Boston Red Sox. Let's turn our attention to the New York Mets. What is going on with them?

00:12:19
Speaker 3: Jim?

00:12:19
Speaker 1: And is Mendy next?

00:12:22
Speaker 2: He shouldn't be. I mean, the team's a total mess. They should take the tea out of Mets and replace it with an S. So this is really hard to fix, right I'm kind of looking at it this way. You're getting no production in right field. Or left field, although Carson benj is hitting better lately and maybe the runway they've given him he can turn things around. Lewis Roberts on the injured list with the bat now, so you really don't have enough offensive production on the outfield. Your second basement is thirty five years old, an agent declining we saw last year got to him. It's offensively, it's not going to get better. He can pick the ball. Bobachett should be playing second and not five. Francisco Lindner's on his second injury. Pete Alonso is in Baltimore. They really don't have a first baseman. Polanco's hitting under two hundred. He's on the IL and dhing because he doesn't look like he can play first base. Two fists of your rotation in the back can't do You got three stars, but the two in the back can't do anything. Your bullpends a nightmare because you didn't watch Yankee games last year to understand that Devin Williams has a hard time pitching in New York. You just scouted them the last two months of the season. I don't know how you sit there with that farm system and fix it. I mean early in the season when things went bad, he brought up thirty eight year old tomby fam to watch him go oh for thirteen before he released them. So look, I just they have so many problems. I could see a pathway where the Phillies can get back in it if Wheeler and Nola can pitch up to their capability and Painter can be a rookie of the year, you know, can it and they start to hit a little bit, I could see the Red Sox getting back in the race a little bit. I have a hard time with the New York Mets finding a way to get there. I think it's a man And why are you going to fire Carlos Mendoza? I mean, are you going to bring in Carlos Beltron and think he's gonna win more games than he is? I just I think the problems in the front office, not not in the dugout.

00:14:11
Speaker 3: Okay, Jim, Well, then let's go to that. First of all, Luis Robert on the ile biggest shock of the year, not because he's hurt every year. By the way, apparently all the fans that showed up for the first time in his career couldn't keep him off the aisle that worst, one of the worst coats I've ever seen. So uh and I don't know if you saw that one or not, where Louise Robert said, Oh, it's gonna be nice to play in front of some fans in New or because in Chicago they didn't come out. No, because you didn't play well and also you were always hurt. Well check on the always hurt and check on the you ain't playing well. So guess what, Louie, You're back right where you started. I'm sorry. It drove me crazy, now, isn't this We just mentioned it with the Phillies and you kind of a little bit to the Red Sox with the team, the way the team has made up. David Stearns has all the money in the world. He was handed the open check book, right. He came from Milwaukee with all the success, and now you're mentioned they're a mess. Is this more on David Stearns not knowing how to spend money, spending it on the wrong guys, choosing the wrong guys to bring in. They wanted to get rid of the Nemo contract, so they brought in Marcus Simeon. Demo is having a nice start to the year, right, Jef McNeil's doing okay, Alonzo's getting better. Like there's all these little things that when you have this open check book, you're supposed to be able to do, and check books make everything perfect. Well, the Phillies and the Mets are both bad and they have huge payrolls.

00:15:23
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean that criticism's fair, right, I mean you're looking at the team. We just went through it, and so you know, his moves haven't worked, and you know, even the Baschett move. I like the Baschett move when he made it. He hasn't hit yet. I think he will, but I think he's out of position at third base. I think if you're going to sign them and put him at second base, I think that that is the spot for him. It does worry me a little bit that the metrics are showing that he's lost a step or two in the last couple of years. I hope that's not from his previous physical situations, but that's something to monitor. But I mean, just in defense a little bit of the Mets, just because I want to defend a little bit. Juan Soto's been hurt, right, only got a couple home runs on the year, spent a lot of time in the IL Francisco. Lindnoor has been on the IL Bobachhett hasn't hit. I mean, those are your three best hitters that haven't performed. Polanka was supposed to be your fourth best that he hasn't hit. But I mean, it's just watching them. It's just not a good team. I think they were hoping Senga was going to have a comeback kind of year and he just can't get anybody out. And David Peterson got off to a really bad start as well, and they were supposed to be solid guys in the back of the rotation. But just looking at this team offensively, defensively, the bullpen, the back of the rotation, there's just so many issues or problems that this is front office responsibility here, and the job between now and August is to try to fix it. But it's not going to be easy. I don't think he's on the hot seat. But I think if I were Steve Cohen and I had a decision to make like John Henry made, I wouldn't blame the people in the dugout. I'd blame the people that are making the moves in the front office.

00:16:56
Speaker 4: We had a little exercise before he came on, just kind of recapping the money of April. I want to hear your biggest surprise, biggest disappointment, best moment, Player of the month, pitcher of the month, and Rookie of the month for the month of April in all of Major League Baseball.

00:17:12
Speaker 2: All right, Eric, I mean the biggest surprise to me was Alex Cory getting fired. Like I don't really get surprised in baseball very often. That one just completely stunned and shot me.

00:17:21
Speaker 5: I couldn't.

00:17:22
Speaker 2: It's one of those things. When I heard the news on Saturday, I just didn't believe it. I mean I needed a text back from Alex to understand that it was true. Like I still can't. I twenty seven games in that made no sense. My biggest disappointment has to be the big four teams, you know, I think to me, Phillies, Red Sox, Mets, Astros. I mean I didn't see those four teams, all of them, and I feel bad, mostly bad for the Astros because that had more to do with your top three starters all go down with a shoulder problem to start the season. I mean that's really hard to overcome. But still that was my biggest disappointment. My favorite moment, I mean, honestly, and you guys will appreciate this is Joe Adele's that the third home run robbery, Like the first two were amazing. I had never seen an outfielder rob three in a game, and the particular third one going into the stands, the way he did to catch that third one was just It was a moment, honestly, that I'll never forget. So that was my favorite moment of the year. Second was pretty cool that Torquosen hit five straight home runs, so that was cool too, But Adele for me that the third one, and then well, the players ORed on Alvaiz and I'm so happy for him with all the injuries he had last year, but on base at a four to sixty three clip a two thirty oh ps plus with eleven homers and twenty six RBIs He's the player of the month for me just because of the damage he did. We all know he's that good and impactful. But glad to see him healthy and glad to see him doing or done stuff. Pitcher Jose Soriano and Ace was born. I mean loss of the White Sox.

00:19:04
Speaker 1: I picked Soriano is only loss of the white sock.

00:19:08
Speaker 2: You're hilarious, Oh eight forty are right right, He's been tremendous. But I'm gonna also want to mention Mason Miller because I always think we need to separate starters and relievers. But what he did ten out of ten save you know, conversions, twenty nine strikeouts and fifteen to third innings only three walks is sick. So those are the two pitchers of the month for me. My rookie of the Year is the same guy I picked to win the AL Rookie of the Year, and that's Kevin McGonagall. Thirteen game hitting streak right now, he's been on base forty two percent of the time. His ops plus is one eighty. He reminds me a little of Utly, a little of Bogs, little of Gwynn. I love this player so much. His hit tool is just ridiculous. He's gonna win batting titles in his career. And I want to mention in the other league, Sal Stuart just because the three seventy seven on base but nine homers, twenty nine RBIs seven steals. Those are the two best rookies I don't count more to Tako Murakami. If you're going to have all that service time in Japan, you shouldn't count as a rookie. So I'm not considering him in that role.

00:20:16
Speaker 1: The three of us picked Munataka Murakami, so we disagree with you there your spot on though. With Joe Adell, I had forgotten about that. How I forgot about that defensive performance is beyond me, but that that is a good one there for Joe Adell as far as best moment. Let me ask you this, with the disappointment that you had, of course, of the four big teams, Jim, does that mean that the smaller market teams now is as good of a chime as any to win and get in with the playoff format?

00:20:42
Speaker 2: You know, I know it's only been a month, Alana, but I think the parody that we're seeing in the game, with the success that Tampa and Pittsburgh and Miami and these small markets are having, they're totally taking away any arguments the owners can have for salary cap. I think this is going to really help not have a work stoppage. The game has never been in a better place, it just hasn't been. The ABS has been a huge success, So I think that's really been a positive thing. But I think the other thing that I've kind of noticing, you know, when I was a GM that our people ran the algorithms, the prime years were always twenty five to thirty years old, right for the average player. When you put all the numbers in, right, that number is starting to get younger and younger. And one of the things that I really found out walking to the camps and spring training and talking to people and watching the early season success is all these traitchech machines and hit trackers and all the technology these guys have. These young hitters when they're in high school and college are hitting off Paul Skeins and schoobl off these machines. They get to the minor leagues and they're doing it. You saw Andy Pajas of the Dodgers this offseason hitting off schemes right in the off season. So you have all these players that are now facing one hundred miles an hour with all these shapes and sizes off major league pitching before they get to the big leagues, which means when they get there, these young hitters have a better chance of having early success than five years ago or ten years ago you know, it used to be it took about three years before players could adjust to major league pitching, and then they take off. They'd be arbitration eligible, they'd all get paid, and then by the time they really got in their prime, they get to the free agents. They signed with the Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox, and Phillies for millions, and then the small market teams can't win.

00:22:31
Speaker 3: Well.

00:22:31
Speaker 2: Now, all of a sudden, a couple things have happened. These young players are now performing young, giving these these small market teams a better chance to win early. The small market teams are now signing players for eight or nine years, telling the Yankees and Dodgers, no, you're not getting it in seven years like you used to. We're holding on to them now. So with all these elements happening, it's not going to be a huge advantage anymore. I think having way more money than everyone else now, obviously it's going to allow you to get the otawni's and the so photos that the small markets can't get. But in terms of being able to develop young players to be ready at the major league level, and based on the draft system and international system we have, my feeling is that We're gonna have a lot more parody going forward because of that, more so than anything.

00:23:17
Speaker 3: Else, Jim. But there needs to be a salary cap, Jim. There has to be a salary cap so these low market, small market teams compete. Now, we're not gonna clip this and put it out there just because we don't want people to call you.

00:23:31
Speaker 2: Okay, Well, I mean, look, I'm still for a floor in a cap myself. I do like it, but I don't think it's gonna be worth fighting for a workstoppage. That is my That's my main point here. I'm I'm still a fan of it. I don't really want to see one team with one hundred million dollar payroll on the other with a five hundred million dollar payroll.

00:23:52
Speaker 5: I just don't.

00:23:53
Speaker 2: I don't think that's good for any business or any sport, to be honest with you. That's more of a monopoly for me. But so I still fight for it. But I love what I'm seeing right now in baseball, and I think that's one of the great things of what happened in April of this year.

00:24:08
Speaker 1: All Right, Jim, we always appreciate it very much, great stuff. As always, we will talk to you soon, and guys, don't forget you can check out GM Territory with Jim and his son Trey on YouTube and all of the podcast platforms. Great stuff there with those two. We'll be right back.

00:24:24
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00:25:24
Speaker 1: Time nad and welcome on Ricky Romero, former Blue Jay of course and one of the hosts of Bluebird Territory. Ricky Rowe great to be with you, Glad to see you, Trey, you savages back. How big is that for this club?

00:25:38
Speaker 5: Oh, it's huge. I mean just having him back, his presence, his mound presence is unbelievable. Every time you get to watch him pitch. I mean, dating back to the World Series last season, it just seems like he has no pulse, there's no heartbeat there. It's just everything steady Eddy and just you know, for the rotation, I think early on in the season for the Toronto Blue Jays, we spoke a lot about how they were going to have depth and then that kind of went out the window with all the injuries and now having him back, you have Jose Burrios waiting in the wings, and then eventually it's gonna be Shane Bieber too, So he's coming at the right time. This team, you know, has done everything to stay afloat and hopefully they they continue to play well. I mean they're winning winners of three series in a row right now. They have it going. And the fact that he's back, I mean just watching him watching that ar mangle again, it's so it's so deadly u and fun to watch. So yeah, I feel like it was a good start for him. He fought his secondary stuff a little bit. I feel like he was a little bit too overly excited maybe at times with that front side. But aside from that, I mean it was it was great and great for this team to have him back.

00:26:47
Speaker 3: Ricky. What changed in this team the last couple weeks? They just they're playing much better. The offense has started to click a little. Aakamoto's got some big hits. Vladson like three sixty on the year. What's changed for this team after the start they got off. Has it just come down to pure health?

00:27:04
Speaker 5: Yeah? I think so. I think it's guys are getting healthy again slowly and honestly. This team is at his best when it's next man up and when there were when one gets base hit, next one gets a base hit, next one gets the big hit, you know, And I think we saw a lot of that last season with the Toronto Blue Jays. They weren't a team that struck out a lot. They knew how to pass the baton and I feel like the last three series that's what it's been about. It's like nobody's looking for the big home run or anything like that. It's like, all right, let's get on base, let's get on base, and then boom, here comes Laddie with you know, RBI single or Okamoto as you mentioned. I mean, he's been on fire lately. He had a good home stand. But it it's just you know, as you guys know, Kratzy and AJ, I mean, it's it's sometimes it's when when teams have high expectations, they're they're trying to do too much, or they're you know, they're they're trying to live up to the expectations. And right now I feel like the Toronto Bluejs are letting the game come to them and not really you know, hitting the panic button right away. And early in the season, I felt like, you know, with all the injuries and guys coming in and out of that clubhouse, there was just everyone trying to do too much. And right now I feel like everything's been pretty steady and guys are just getting the job done. I mean, you know, and and the energy is there too, Ernie Clement leading the way and Hesu Sanchez has been a nice addition for this team. So it's just, yeah, passing the baton one guy to the next one. And when you're able to do that, especially one through nine, it makes it tough on the opposing pitcher.

00:28:30
Speaker 4: Ricky was one of my roommates for like three days back in Double A, so I've seen I haven't I haven't actually talked to Ricky because then he was an All Star and then he was done pitching and he didn't return calls. But anyway, my question about the Blue Jays is everybody's going to compare this season to last season. And last season, Ernie Clement wasn't even in the starting lineup opening day. Nathan Lucas wasn't even in the big leagues, I think, or maybe I switched it, but either way, you said, it's the next man up type of mentality. Who's going to be that guy for this year? Who's going to be those guys that step up out of nowhere that non Blue Jay fans are going to watch and go, Man, how did the Blue Jays find an Ernie Clement, How did they find the Nathan Lucas, how did they find you know, I didn't even know about Addison Varger. But who's that guy or guys for this organization this year when they have more injuries because every team has them.

00:29:26
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think right now you're seeing one of the guys, Pinango. I think they really liked him. I mean, obviously they de fate Eloy him Andez, and he was a guy that I was rooting for just because of everything he's dealt with, I mean, obviously being a top prospect and then and then kind of falling off and making his way back up to the big leagues. I was really rooting for him, and he gets the fade. But they're they're really high on this Panango kid. And you watched them yesterday and he took some two great at bats, got a nice little RBI single. So I think, right now, yeah, if they don't deal with injuries, which you I think at this point you hope they don't with any more. You know, the lineup seems pretty pretty good with Clement, and obviously they're going to get Adison Barger back soon. Nathan Lucas went down, but he's going to be back. So you know, I think you mentioned a guy. I mean Heslu Sanchez for me, I mean a guy that kind of was written off top prospect too with the Miami Marlins and then went to Houston, and it just seems like they've unlocked something there and I think a lot of people are really excited about him. He's hit in front of Laddie, hit behind Laddie, So you know, I think I feel like this team's trying to look for that protection for Vlatimer Gerro Junior to be able to hit comfortably at that three spot. And and you know, obviously we're seeing a high batting average, and I think a lot of fans are complaining about him not hitting home runs, but the fact that he's just sprang the ball everywhere, uh, just tells you he's in a good place. And I feel like the power is going to be there at some point, but right now for me, it's like Pinango obviously, and Hesu Sanchez has been a little bit of a hitting gym. Obviously, he's been a big leader before. He's not like Ernie Clement or Nathan Luke or anything like that, but you know, he's been a nice addition to the squad.

00:31:03
Speaker 4: All right, we talked about the offense. I want to go to the pitching. And when I look at the Blue Jays with their injuries. Obviously we don't know any kind of injuries, but I feel like they're gonna be short on innings. I say this because Dylan Ce strikes out twelve dudes and goes five. Trey Savage may not ever be allowed to go past five just because of the organizations fearful because they don't know what they have, and he didn't throw a lot of innings last year, and Gosman's gonna give you some length, and then Jeff Hoffman's trying to figure it out in a bullpen. It feels like they're gonna get short on innings. Who are the guys besides the Louis Varlin that is gonna step up and give them enough innings because they build a good bullpen with Rogers and Varlin and Hoffman those pieces. But do you feel do you have the same fear when you watch this team day in and day out that by July they might get a little tired.

00:31:58
Speaker 5: I feel like that's always a huge question mark. Right when you're coming in, you're hoping that you get a lot of length out of your starters, and right now, you know you obviously you mentioned Kevin Gosman. He's the guy that's gone deeper into games. We talk a lot about this in on the Bluebear Territory podcast about Dylan sees he has to be able to go out there and give this team length. I mean, you know, we know he can strike out the house and and he can. He's got electric stuff. And he's been outspoken about it too, to the media, saying, hey, I want to get deeper in games. I want to be able to give this team some length. And so it's in the back of his mind, and a lot of it comes to, you know, mentality and and also making those adjustments within the game. I think sometimes if you guys have watched some of his starts, I've watched a few, and and it's almost like he's he wants to throw a nasty pitch rather than here you go, hit it. I'm going to use my defense, a tremendous defense that he's got behind him. And then obviously you know you got pose it. Burial is another guy that's obviously going to come back, and he's he's he's a machine. La Machine as they call him, So you hope that they're able to get some length. Kevin Gosman, as I mentioned, and you know what you're gonna get out of him. Dylan SE's has to kind of jump on that same boat. And Patrick Corbin at this point, I mean, you're just hoping you're right, Cratzy. I mean, he's a guy that's probably gonna give you four to five innings max, and then they're going to go right to the bullpen, So you hope they don't run out of pitching. Branden Fisher in the back end has been really really nice. Uh, Tommy Nance too, you know, and and Miles has been really good as well. So you just hope that uh, you know, somebody like Tyler Rodgers can go out to him pitch every day. As he's mentioned, I mean, he wants to break the record for most appearances, so you hope that they can rely on that arm, especially late in the season. And it was very encouraging to see Jeff Hoffman yesterday come out and and pitch so well. His stuff looked really electric, So it's just getting him right in the right space frame of mind. As you know, Kratzy and aj I mean, when when when those guys are going through ruts like that, you just hope they get on their good side. And right now it just seems like he's on the right pace. Louis Varlin has been unbelievable the back end, and I feel like he's not going to let go of that job anytime soon. So you hope that the starters do create length and we're not using that bulpen a little bit too much so that they're ready and fresh by September October.

00:34:15
Speaker 1: You're talking about hoping that the starters go and give you some more length.

00:34:19
Speaker 8: Ricky.

00:34:20
Speaker 1: You mentioned La Machina could be in that starting rotation as of Monday, coming back with Betti Jos. What would that What would that mean for you guys? And how how much will he be on some sort of pitch count? What can you realistically expect from Marios?

00:34:35
Speaker 5: I feel like I expect him to just go out there and and and and be him and there's no limits. I mean, he's a veteran guy. He understands his body, he knows what it takes to pitch in the big leagues, and he's been so durable for his whole career that it's almost weird to see him making all these rehab assignments because he's never done them and he's going to be a huge boost and I feel like he's probably got a little bit of a chip on his shoulder. Obviously, things didn't end for him the way he wanted to, and all that stuff happened in the World Series where he wasn't in the dugout. He went home, and there's a little bit of controversy there, but it seemed like everything got cleaned up in spring training. So I feel like, if anything, you're gonna see Jose of Burials with a chip on his shoulder ready to come out and put a staple on his rotation spot here. I mean, the door's wide open with all the injuries that they've dealt with, and I expect him to be the workhorse that he's been his whole career. Obviously, stuff wise might not be as good as he once was, but you know, I think right now his stuff will play, and you just hope again that we get six seven innings out of him and get hand that ball to that deadly bullpen that they have going right now.

00:35:39
Speaker 4: What about the Burials situation as a player, as a pitcher, as somebody who grinds through an entire season, makes all your starts. And then obviously it didn't go well in the sense that he was pissed about how they used him. How do you view him as a teammate when that happens. Essentially he kind of bailed on the news.

00:36:02
Speaker 6: Yeah.

00:36:02
Speaker 5: Man, I mean I sat there and thought the same thing when it happened, and when I didn't see him in the dugout and I was like, man, what's going on? Something must have happened. But I feel like we talk a lot about the clubhouse culture that the Toronto Blue Jays have built, and I think jose Barios had a chance to clear the air with all of them, and I think there was a story about it that he talked to everyone and he apologized and this and that, and obviously Cratzy, you know, you're an old school guy, so is AJ and that might not sit well with us or anything like that. But the fact that I'm sure the team hurt his side of it, I think they obviously are going to welcome him with open arms. And I'm sure it's tough. I never played in a World Series or the playoffs or anything like that, but I'm sure for the him being part of this organization, signing here as a free agent, are getting traded and then signing a long term deal, and him not being part of probably the most exciting World series ever. I'm sure it hurt, and obviously I don't know. I mean, I'm sure he took it hard, and you just hope that he comes back with a clean slate and just ready to roll.

00:37:05
Speaker 3: Man.

00:37:06
Speaker 5: I mean, I think this team needs it. Uh, this rotation needs a guy like him, So you hope that when he's back, he's clicking on all cylinders.

00:37:17
Speaker 4: Ricky.

00:37:18
Speaker 3: By the way, I just want to say thank you for coming on after that time you hit me on purpose and the toe. My toe still hurts, and I know it.

00:37:26
Speaker 5: I hit you. It never hit my time.

00:37:29
Speaker 3: I think at the time you might have had a perfect game going, but I rooined that for you because I think then alex Rio said a homer like the next bitch flustered. So you know, my toes still hurts from that. My toe still hurts from that. So thank you for coming on, even even though that you hit me in the toe that time.

00:37:44
Speaker 5: We need it, Uh, we need it. Replay man, No, it hit me what do you mean hit it almost?

00:37:50
Speaker 3: I think it hit it almost.

00:37:51
Speaker 4: I felt it hit me.

00:37:53
Speaker 3: I don't know if it hit me or no. But I just want to say thank you for coming on. And I'm sorry because I just was a good actor.

00:38:00
Speaker 5: You were you were you were. I knew it. I knew it. I was like, man, I'm sure AJ is gonna bring this story up. But it was pretty funny looking back at it. I see the highlights all the time. I'm like, damn that damn pitch didn't hit AJ it did it? And then it kind of threw me off. And then Alex Rioz comes up and hits a two run home run, So there was that, did you like?

00:38:19
Speaker 4: I wasn't.

00:38:21
Speaker 5: Like, you know what, yes, but I love I love striking AJ out because he used to piss him off so much, so much. And then I think one time I hit him in the ribs and he threw his bat down and he was I mean, I'll.

00:38:35
Speaker 3: Be sorry because I just homered off you the bat before.

00:38:38
Speaker 5: So that's that's what's what I forgot about that one.

00:38:43
Speaker 3: Completely forgot about that part of the story.

00:38:48
Speaker 1: Selective memory. Ricky Romero selective memory. Well, the Blue Jays are playing well. We appreciate you taking the time to be with us. Don't forget everybody. You can catch Ricky on blue Bird Territory on the Foul Territory netw. Why not go grab some Miller Lite today because game time is Miller time must be legal drinking age. Celebrate responsibly. We will be right back.