Manager John Schneider and SP Kevin Gausman join FT @Blue Jays camp

00:00:10
Speaker 1: Good graphic.

00:00:12
Speaker 2: Yeah, welcome to foul Territory today on what is it Wednesday? Jess, you asked me Wednesday today this week, we're obviously live in Duneed and at Blue Jays camp, and we're joined by one of the managers lucky enough to make the front end. And it's only because Krats begged for you to make it. Now we've had managers complain because they are not on it, but because of your relationship.

00:00:33
Speaker 3: See, we put you.

00:00:33
Speaker 1: On it, Cratzy, Thank you.

00:00:35
Speaker 4: I noticed it was me and Cido, which is even better. So it's nice to get a little little FaceTime there, so I appreciate it.

00:00:41
Speaker 3: You have a face made for TV, do you think?

00:00:43
Speaker 4: Or voice made for radio or face made for radio voice? I wouldn't say face made for TV.

00:00:50
Speaker 3: Huh, okay, that's fair. Uh.

00:00:53
Speaker 2: We were just talking about WBC off before you came on and before we dig into the Blue Jays. Are you glad it's over?

00:00:59
Speaker 3: Yes?

00:01:00
Speaker 4: Cool event, cool to kind of have a little bit of intensity this time of year. But glad everyone made it through. Glad everyone's back in camp, Ernie and Himmy and Hoff and Roger be back today and getting Vlad and Kirkie and Kaz back was nice. So yeah, glad it's over, and but it was fun to watch it was it was cool and glad everyone made it through healthy.

00:01:23
Speaker 5: What makes you more nervous watching one of your guys playing in a you know, slide into second throwing pitches or the fact that Ernie Clement had to sit on the bench the whole time and wasn't getting a lot of at bats.

00:01:34
Speaker 1: Yeah, a little bit of both.

00:01:36
Speaker 4: You know, I had a text Earn, you know, take it easy on sliding headfirst into you know, head person to first on a on a ground ball in the infield, But you still want to Spring training is tough because you just want everyone to get the work in. You know, you get nervous even when guys are you know, pickoffs at first. There was one the other day down in West Palm with Varsh getting back a little awkward. So you're always on the lookout for that kind of stuff and when you can't control it when they're not here, it's just like, already are you getting enough work? And as much as you talk to the guys or talk to d Row or talk to Omar, they're trying to win, you know, So they got to do what they got to do too, But I think once you get through camp everyone feels a lot better.

00:02:14
Speaker 2: How often do you have those conversations with the managers of the teams? And then also what's more nerve wrecking a position player like I'll use Alejandro because he's catching a little more susceptible to foul balls and stuff like that, or a pitcher out there blowing their best gas in the middle of March.

00:02:31
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's for me, it's always pitchers.

00:02:33
Speaker 4: I think the guys that were playing, they did a good job to get themselves ready to play.

00:02:38
Speaker 1: All the managers were great.

00:02:39
Speaker 4: Benji in Mexico, d Row, they've been great, Kaz new exact his exact play with Japan, and you know, you just shoot the text here and there and kind of make sure they're following along with what we had talked about. There were a couple of games when I was texting with Benji, just with Turkey to make sure that there was the proper off days when he's catching back to back. But the pitching side of it, you know, just with Hoff and Roge going late, you know, just like when are you getting up, are you getting up hot?

00:03:04
Speaker 1: Are you going into the game.

00:03:06
Speaker 4: Things that we can control in spring training that are just a little bit a little bit tougher to do in that scenario.

00:03:11
Speaker 1: So I'm kind of glad that.

00:03:14
Speaker 4: I don't want to say glad Hoff didn't pitch, but Rog is kind of a veteran guy, and you kind of know he's pretty low maintenance and things like that. He's not throwing a hundred, so you worry about the pitchers for sure. So thankfully we didn't have guys out there, you know, seventy eighty pitches where they're kind of getting after a big time. You saw it as the as the rounds went on, Savarino's throwing a hundred. You know, it's a little bit of a different atmosphere. So glad we weren't in that situation.

00:03:42
Speaker 5: You're not the one making those calls. It's Voon Chung's making the call. People higher than you. You're just all down all my correct.

00:03:51
Speaker 4: Yeah, well, it's a collective effort for sure, you know, but I think that we as much as you try to have parameters around it, it always gets a little bit you know, gray, because guys are trying to win. But yeah, it wasn't just me saying, hey, Dro, make sure er and he gets three at bats, or if you get haff up, you know, you got to get him in. Things like that, you know, all things you talk about, but then the game takes over and you got to kind of make the best decision you can. So I think everything considered, I think all the managers did a good job. We were talking about Dro saying he was honoring the padres by not thoughing Mason Miller whether or not he wanted to, you know, I don't know, but I think it's a collective efforcratsy for sure.

00:04:30
Speaker 2: But by the way, Diiro did say this that if he gets someone out there coming in, there was.

00:04:33
Speaker 1: No dry hunt, right all.

00:04:35
Speaker 3: He said that from the get going, and.

00:04:37
Speaker 4: And he's he's been around, he kind of gets you know, any pettit's been around. It's it's a little bit different when you're managing it. But I think with the parameters every club put in place, I think that's the way you got to do it, you know, because guys aren't used to getting up and sitting down and then getting up and coming in, and that's like the manager's worst fear, even in regular season.

00:04:53
Speaker 1: I hate in that to guys.

00:04:54
Speaker 2: Yeah, by the way, so last one on the DVBC, if they came to you after your career and Toronto is done, would you manage Canada or would you manage USA? Would Ernie finally just decides to not do it because he's managed every hasn't he managed.

00:05:09
Speaker 1: Done every year? Yeah?

00:05:12
Speaker 6: I don't.

00:05:12
Speaker 1: I would. I would be.

00:05:14
Speaker 4: Intrigued to do either one, to be honest with you, but I think you know, I showed my loyalty to Canadian hockey earlier in spring and caught a lot of backlash from some of the players.

00:05:27
Speaker 1: So I mean, yeah, well we would see at that point when.

00:05:30
Speaker 3: You're reading for Canada or US when they played Canada.

00:05:35
Speaker 4: Oh sorry, if they met in hockey, so you know, w b C. I was rooting for the US, okay, yeah, like no offense, Earn and Russ and those guys. You know, Ques there, Paul Quantrell's there. I think with baseball, you kind of just got to stick to your roots a little bit. I just think there's a better version of hockey in Canada than there is in the US.

00:05:51
Speaker 3: Plus except US wins the Stanley Cup every year.

00:05:53
Speaker 1: I know, but I'm not a huge hockey guy.

00:05:55
Speaker 4: So I don't really have much to go on, so just trying to like make a little bit of a story, which I did.

00:05:59
Speaker 1: Yeah, but I think it'd be I think it'd be cool. But let Ernie. Let Ernie keep doing it for as long as he wants.

00:06:03
Speaker 3: Can you stay here? Yeah? Exactly, mean exactly.

00:06:06
Speaker 5: I would love nothing more than to say, two thousand and two, John Schneider takes over a team because Ernie Witt was our catching coach when we both got drafted.

00:06:16
Speaker 6: So Ernie Witt has been the guy.

00:06:19
Speaker 4: He's still throwing money BP too. If you saw him, you know on the on the he's still throwing that money. VP that he was like the only guy that can make me look good as a hitter in the minor leagues hitting off of Ernie Wit so that could he was money.

00:06:32
Speaker 1: And still is so like a short catcher short arm.

00:06:36
Speaker 4: I mean right there, barrel find two miles from now, yeh, Like he could be in a home run derby throwing. You know, he's he's money, wow to make me look good.

00:06:46
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00:07:47
Speaker 5: And if somebody knows that, it would be Schneidz. Schneids knows some BP just ask Vlad. Yeah, John Schneider's thrown in the home run derby. Maybe that's why Vlad doesn't doesn't always win, because sometimes you're too, you're too big time in high faluting for him.

00:08:02
Speaker 6: But hey, don't worry about it.

00:08:03
Speaker 1: We'll get you back every time, every time he's done it. I've been there. I flew across the country to Seattle if it him he wanted. So I'm not going to turn my guy down.

00:08:12
Speaker 4: Never too big time for him, didged I have not changed your pull it, No, have not changed. I'm still I'm still me. I'm still a dude, one of the guys. But yeah, it was a it was a nice It was a nice little.

00:08:27
Speaker 3: Gift, a trophy in half and hand you one of the bats.

00:08:29
Speaker 4: No, no, it was it was a wearable gift that I'll have for a long time.

00:08:35
Speaker 3: Oh yeah, yeah, nice.

00:08:37
Speaker 4: Yeah he did well, he did well. All right, How excited did you for this year's can't wait? You know it's end of camp, you know, you know it is spring training. Everyone's excited, especially this year. Was cool to get back around the guys after last year and get things going. But I think looking at what we have built here, looking at the new faces that are here, I can't wait to see kind of the product on the field. So I think we did a good job of bringing in some complimentary pieces, bringing in some different looks from us starting pitching standpoint, adding Kaz and his back to ball skills, his power, I think fits us really well and we we kind of figure out what we were good at last year. That's kind of what I keep going back to. And then within that, how do you add more talent that is already doing what they're they have been doing to fit into this system. So can't wait to get it going. You know, we were missing staff members. Carlos was gone to the WBC and those guys gone. So now being back around everyone gets you a little bit more excited. But man, I can't wait to get back up there and just see the fans, see the stadium and kind of hopefully pick uphere we left off, although you know, an eyelash here there.

00:09:41
Speaker 6: Better all right?

00:09:42
Speaker 5: So you have a lot of rotation options. Some are a little bit down. Can you tell us about those conversations that you have to have with those guys, because I get it everyone every manager at this time. It's a good problem to have. It'll take care of yourself. But are the guys that you're expecting are they bouncing back okay?

00:10:01
Speaker 6: And spring training?

00:10:02
Speaker 5: Are they you know, Trey early was having a little bit of issue bouncing back. So are you feeling like you have the five guys right now set on March eighteenth to start.

00:10:12
Speaker 1: The same I think yeah, I think so.

00:10:14
Speaker 4: You know, I think looking back probably a month ago, it's like, where do these guys all fit? And baseball has a way of kind of sorting that out and talking to the guys they're all. I think last year kind of put us in a different category when we acquired Bebes and you try a six man rotation for a couple times through and there's some uncomfortable conversations, there's some unhappy campers, but I think they all understand, like, hey, we're just trying to go out and win. You know, our division is no joke. Every team has gotten better around the league, so we're trying to just say who is going to fit best right now, and however it starts, it's probably not going to end that way with the way the season goes. So really impressed with how keV Gosman, obviously opening day starter, you know, pitching a lot last year and really bouncing. I was interested to see how he came in with the workload he had last year. He looks like he hasn't missed a beat. And then you know, Cease is kind of the model of consistency. Cody pontce is kind of a wild card coming over back from overseas, and they've all kind of hit the ground running, So that part I like, And then you have Jose, you got Lower, you got Max, you know, you got Trey. It's I think they all fit at some point, and it's just a matter of when they all are healthy making those decisions at that point.

00:11:26
Speaker 3: Good luck. Yeah, it's good to have that many.

00:11:28
Speaker 4: Options, it is, you know, and and really like going through it last year, just you know, it's it's hard because all these guys want to start, you know, and I think that we've what we've said was, you know, if you're on a different team, you know, it's probably a little.

00:11:39
Speaker 1: Bit easier to give you that runway.

00:11:41
Speaker 4: When when you have a team that's that's fairly talented or very talented, there's kind of a good amount of competition going on, so they kind of get that, and you know, just focusing on winning is kind of the most important thing.

00:11:54
Speaker 2: Let's you have Street Craig, because you guys won the league and yeah, yeah, I mean they kind of can you can rock to Jay's a little cooler now?

00:12:00
Speaker 5: Yeah?

00:12:00
Speaker 3: The street?

00:12:00
Speaker 8: Yeah?

00:12:01
Speaker 4: I mean, well, I think any if anything, it kind of going back to last year was cool because like postseason and World Series aside. You know, that was a great run and we played really well for the three weeks in that time, but it was kind of what we did to get there, you know, which I think is really sustainable, winning ninety four games as opposed to seventy four of the year before. And the guys kind of trust our process and I think that we understand that our process and the way we prepare and how we evaluate things is.

00:12:25
Speaker 1: Good and it showed last year.

00:12:26
Speaker 4: So it's just kind of like, how can we continue to do that and how can we get it a little bit better? But I think the players most importantly see that, hey, this is a this is a pretty good product.

00:12:35
Speaker 3: Agreed, Agreed? All Right.

00:12:37
Speaker 2: You mentioned that we talked about the pitchers, position players, No bo right, a couple of changes. How good can kas be? How good can this guy come coming from Japan? Yeah, to the major leagues? How good can he be?

00:12:50
Speaker 6: Arry?

00:12:51
Speaker 4: I guess to answer your question quickly, you know, I think that there's so much more information data that you can kind of look at and say, well, this translate and they're there's going to be an adjustment period. But he is kind of just a natural hitter to where easy power, ton of contact. Again, I don't want to put like a floor or a ceiling on him. I think just how he fits within our lineup and who's starting that night and things like that. I think that he's going to fit in really really well, and we try to kind of diversify it as much as we can. Guys are going to make contact, we're going to put pressure on the defense, and we're going to ask some guys to slug. So I think just finding out when to do what, because you know he's going to put the bat of the ball. You know a lot of these guys that are hitting home runs, there's a lot of swing and miss. He's kind of the opposite end of that spectrum to where he can manipulate the barrel and he has a lot of adjustability in his swing. So I'm excited to see kind of his overall game. Before he left, he was making some really good progress and hitting it off with Pop and Lou and Cody, so it's not like one guy replacing Bo, Like we're not asking Cash to replace Bo. Different kind of hitter for sure, but what we like his skill set to complement our lineup and.

00:14:00
Speaker 1: At third base.

00:14:01
Speaker 4: I think there's a lot of room to get better. We're gonna have him play probably a little bit deeper in terms of depth and get a little bit more range out of him. And he's on board with that. So he's going to be, you know, a big part of what we're doing. And I've said, the more he's out there for us, I think, the better team we have every single night.

00:14:20
Speaker 3: He's bigger than I thought he was.

00:14:22
Speaker 1: So he's a monster man, bigger.

00:14:23
Speaker 4: I saw him today and just like tree trunk leg Yeah, really sneaky, funny guy to really really he didn't have an interpreter on, but he's he's sneaky, funny.

00:14:34
Speaker 3: Well, John, thank you for joining us part of it. By the way, show your watch the Orris Watch Mafia, Crats you look with.

00:14:39
Speaker 2: The blue Yeah, you know part of the manager. Yeah, Hench Hinch said he was going to give Crats one maybe.

00:14:44
Speaker 1: Giving I got a couple of extra in the office, Boom.

00:14:48
Speaker 4: If you ever travel instead of doing this remotely, you know, you never know. But the Orrist watch thing is, I mean, there's more more guys wearing big big referend.

00:14:56
Speaker 1: W DC guys are wearing it.

00:14:58
Speaker 9: You know.

00:14:58
Speaker 4: It's yeah, shout out to or it's.

00:15:03
Speaker 5: I'll forget those sunglasses. I'll forget those sunglasses I gave you back in the day that got you a managerial pens.

00:15:09
Speaker 1: I know, I know that was the turning board in my career. You're so right.

00:15:12
Speaker 6: I'll watch. It's fine, I'll watch, it's fine.

00:15:14
Speaker 3: We're good, Thank you very much. This year we'll be right back on foul territory.

00:15:21
Speaker 7: Bron and crats with you for not much time, and then we'll get a Kevin Gosman conversation going for everyone. Let's do the fast and all spring training calendar while we have it, while it's still going.

00:15:33
Speaker 5: So many green checks, so many green checks, Scott, I'm so upset.

00:15:39
Speaker 6: No, that means opening days coming. It's not time to be sad, it's time to be happy.

00:15:43
Speaker 7: You're right, you're right, you're right, and actually tomorrow is going to be sick. I mean, we're finishing our spring training tour with the Philadelphia Phillies. Real question, because we just say it like it is. Do we know if like Harper and Shoreburn, all those guys are going to be there tomorrow. I would think, yes, some guys have taken like an extra beat, an extra day or two. But I would think that those guys will be back in Phillies Camp. Will we get them. I don't know. There's a lot coming at them. They're probably gonna say life's been a little bit crazy right now. But we will be at Phillies Camp for our Thursday show, and that is our last show for spring training, and then of course we're still on every single day live all year round.

00:16:26
Speaker 1: But we'll see.

00:16:27
Speaker 7: I think those guys will be back in camp. I think usually they give them like a day. Some guys have taken two or three days.

00:16:34
Speaker 6: I think one of themselves.

00:16:35
Speaker 5: Because spring is coming to an end, it's real quick, especially when you're starting talking about packing up some of your stuff from spring training, because they've been living on the road, so you got to pack up, get it on the truck. Maybe even the first truck has already left. So there's stuff that has to be done at the end of the season before you go to the exhibition games.

00:16:53
Speaker 1: Mm hmm. All right, We're ready to go.

00:16:55
Speaker 7: Next convo. Kevin Gosman is.

00:16:57
Speaker 2: Here here with opening day starter for the American League champion Toronto Blue Jays.

00:17:06
Speaker 3: Kevin Gosman, how nice? I mean, I guess it sounds nice. But does it sounds good to me? Which one opening day or the American League champions?

00:17:14
Speaker 9: Both both of them? How many opening days is this for you? This will be my third for the Blue Jays? No, third total? First with the yeah, third total?

00:17:21
Speaker 2: As I got you in twenty fourteen with the oriole.

00:17:25
Speaker 3: Did you pitch Opening day that day? That was seventeen seven?

00:17:28
Speaker 8: Yeah?

00:17:29
Speaker 3: I thought a bolt fourteen. No, I guess that wasn't you.

00:17:32
Speaker 2: That wasn't me, Okai Tillman, Oh yes, yeah, yes, okay, seventeen was your first one?

00:17:38
Speaker 8: Seventeen, then twenty one and then this year?

00:17:41
Speaker 3: Why the skip?

00:17:43
Speaker 8: I wasn't very good?

00:17:44
Speaker 3: And oh stop it. You've been great with Toronto?

00:17:48
Speaker 6: Yeah?

00:17:48
Speaker 9: Yeah, I have for sure, but yeah, you know, I mean I think seventeen, I think I was opening day starter, and I think at the break I had like a six and a half way so it wasn't my first opening day start.

00:18:01
Speaker 8: Season wasn't great?

00:18:03
Speaker 3: Were you nervous. Yeah, for sure.

00:18:07
Speaker 9: You know, I think anytime you pitch one of those, especially the first time you do it, you know, it's there's a lot of hoopla that comes with it.

00:18:14
Speaker 8: And yeah, I was nervous for sure.

00:18:17
Speaker 5: Everybody makes a big deal of opening Day. What's the bigger opening day or the home opener?

00:18:24
Speaker 8: Oh? Well, for us, it's one and the same.

00:18:28
Speaker 9: This year, I would say opening day, you know, but the home opener is obviously really cool.

00:18:36
Speaker 3: Yeah, do you you guys get your your rings on the home opener this year? I have no idea a banner obviously.

00:18:44
Speaker 9: Yeah. Yeah, I don't really know what the plan is, you know, I just kind of work here.

00:18:48
Speaker 3: Yeah, you got a little bit of poll.

00:18:52
Speaker 9: They don't really tell me much, you know. It's just hey, make sure you get fitted for your ring. And I don't know anything besides that.

00:18:59
Speaker 2: Okay, I mean that's fair. And you play, you guys, we will still call them Oakland. You guys open with the athletics. Yes, in Toronto, you have a nice homestand right it's athletics, and then you guys.

00:19:08
Speaker 3: Play Rockies at home. Yeah, you go three summers go White Sox by.

00:19:13
Speaker 8: The way, Yeah, you.

00:19:15
Speaker 3: Won't pitch that. Seriously, you're good. If you can go one to six, you're fine.

00:19:20
Speaker 2: Is it important for you guys to get off to a good start because historically the team that hasn't won the World Series the next year has a little bit of a letdown. So is it important with Sacramento, the A's coming in and then Colorado then the White Sox to get off to that good start before the Dodgers come in that next series.

00:19:36
Speaker 3: Yeah?

00:19:37
Speaker 8: Absolutely.

00:19:37
Speaker 9: I think you're always trying to start off, you know, any any season you're you know, you obviously don't want to start off slow. But I think this year is a little different. I think, you know, now we obviously have a huge target on our back, so you know, and I've talked to a lot of guys, like every team that I've faced that was in the World Series the year before, you know, I knew there were I knew I was facing the team that was in the World Series here before, you know, So you got to kind of just be ready for every team, you know. I think maybe in the past, teams knew how talented we were, but I think now it's a little bit different. They've kind of seen that talent kind of come to fruition and so yeah, now I think it's a huge target on our back. So you know, of course we want to start off great in any season, but I think this year is going to be a little bit different.

00:20:30
Speaker 6: How much?

00:20:31
Speaker 5: What are those conversations like because we lost in Game seven of the World Series and fourteen and then came back in fifteen and ended up getting a job done. What are those conversations like throughout the offseason with everybody? Do you have different threads for starters, starting pitchers, bullpen guys, pitchers and position players.

00:20:49
Speaker 6: What do you guys talk about?

00:20:52
Speaker 9: Yeah, I mean, honestly, we've kind of just turned the page. I mean we talked about it kind of really the first day of camp, but you know, there's nothing we could do about what happened last season, you know, especially the way that we lost is it's been heartbreaking and it's definitely taken a good amount of guys a while to get over. But you know, that was kind of Skip's message first day of camp was like, let's let's not ignore what we did last year because it was such a such a special run that we went on really the whole season. I mean, we kind of figured out our identity and then just kind of honed in on our strengths. So we really kind of wanted to remember that. But you know, once the first game of spring training happens, it's kind of you know, no one's really talking about last year anymore. It's you kind of kind of turn the page and get ready to go. You know, in spring training, I feel like only gets shorter and shorter, so you know, it's, uh, we had to kind of turn the page pretty quick.

00:21:49
Speaker 3: This year was long with the WBC and all that.

00:21:51
Speaker 9: Yeah, yeah, it was long, but you know it's just it's it's I say short, just because when you play for an extra month, as you know, like spring train and it was like we blinked and it was Thanksgiving.

00:22:03
Speaker 8: So then it's like a good thing.

00:22:04
Speaker 3: Though it is a good thing.

00:22:06
Speaker 8: It's a great thing.

00:22:07
Speaker 2: Frustrat you would we wouldn't want to be done in August where you're like, oh, we're eliminated and they playing out the string. That's right, go to the seventh game. Obviously, want to win, but that's a good thing for sure. What does Toronto do that makes everything so special? What what does the organization do what's the city do because Max Max's daughter, right, we're dying to come back. Chris Bassett, They everyone he talked to was like, oh, man, I loved it in Toronto. I remember Mark Burley back in the day when he was there. I was like, I loved it. So from the outside, everyone's like, ooh, Toronto, it's a pain in the butt. You got to go through customs and it's a different country and all that. But then guys go play there and they absolutely love it. So explain to people out there what Toronto does to make it such a great place.

00:22:47
Speaker 9: Yeah, well, I think one obviously of one team that represents an entire country, So that's kind of unique in its own right. You know, like I played with the Giants and right across the Bay Days, so you're kind of fighting for fighting for that. I guess fan base, you know, you're kind of sharing a fan base. And yeah, I think Toronto is a city that really loves its athletes. You know, they really love their athletes, and it's a sports city. They love watching their team, they love supporting their team. And if you can be a good guy and be good at your job, you know they're gonna they're gonna love you there and then obviously I think our team last year was pretty easy to like. So but you know, outside of that, outside of things that you get from the city, I would say the organization has just done an incredible job at putting the guys first. And when I say that, it means is the family first.

00:23:42
Speaker 8: The wives.

00:23:43
Speaker 9: You know, they've really kind of done everything they possibly can to make life as easy as possible for people who are living in another country and don't know too many people. So you know, whether that's helping out the new guys when they get traded over at the deadline, to kind of get them situated. You know, there's a couple wives that have kind of taken the you know, taking that superiority, I guess, and planning things. And I mean I thought the wives had more fun than the posts than anybody else. You know, they were having the time of their lives and you know, one big party every single day.

00:24:20
Speaker 8: And I think when you can.

00:24:22
Speaker 9: Keep the wives and the kids happy, I think the guys are going to be more inclined to be happy on a on a daily basis.

00:24:32
Speaker 5: All right, So what would it mean if they came to you in the end of spring here and offered you an extension, because really they can't give you a team deal because you've given them a discount for these last this five year contract they've given them. What would it mean to you if they came to you with an extension or have they already talked about it?

00:24:52
Speaker 9: Yeah, you know that's something we really haven't crossed that path yet or that bridge yet. You know, I would love to continue to play for the IS. I love this organization, I love the city. For me being here as long as I have, it's been cool to see the organization grow, see SKIP grow as a manager. You know, there's just a lot of things. My kids have grown in Toronto, So there's a lot of a lot of things to like, you know, when you're looking from the outside looking in at where you would want to play. I mean, I don't think there's anything bad you can say about Toronto besides the fact that it's in another country, you know, and if you can kind of get past that, then there's a lot to love. And me and my wife we really enjoyed our time here. But you know, I also understand it's a business, and so you know, it's not always about what everybody wants, and sometimes it kind of goes back to just what makes sense for both sides, and so you know, we'll see what happens. And more so just focused on this year and trying to get back to a World Series again.

00:25:58
Speaker 5: There's got to be There's one thing that I know you can't like that much. Your spring training site is not where the stadium is. Everything they do so perfectly. The new site is awesome. I grew up a Blue Jay, so I understand that travel across.

00:26:13
Speaker 6: Could they figure that out and would that be just a little bit better?

00:26:18
Speaker 9: I mean, yeah, it would it would you know, they just need to build a tunnel. I think it's only like two miles away, so you know, we just need a tunnel underground.

00:26:27
Speaker 3: No.

00:26:27
Speaker 9: But I mean if that's the biggest thing that you can say that's bad about, you know, our setup, then then I'll take that. You know, I've been in a lot of organizations, a lot of spring training complexes, and I mean this is by far the nicest I've ever been in. And so you know, our covered agility is great for on rainy days. You know, like whatever you need player development wise.

00:26:54
Speaker 8: We have it here.

00:26:55
Speaker 9: So you know, we're very blessed to having an organization in a front off that kind of puts the players first.

00:27:02
Speaker 2: Are you a top deck bus guy or a lower because you guys have the double decker bus that drives you over there, So are you on the top or the lower deck on the bus.

00:27:10
Speaker 9: I don't think i've seen a double decker bus for the minor league guys.

00:27:14
Speaker 3: I don't know.

00:27:14
Speaker 8: Yeah, I don't know. I haven't been on the bus.

00:27:16
Speaker 3: I'll be honest.

00:27:17
Speaker 8: Drive over yeah, I usually drive. Okay, Yeah. Limited parking spots though, Oh go early.

00:27:25
Speaker 3: Oh they don't save one for you?

00:27:27
Speaker 8: No, no, no.

00:27:28
Speaker 3: You're not. I'm opening gay starter, Kevin go No.

00:27:30
Speaker 8: Just Ross and Shapiro. They're the only ones who have got their own wore.

00:27:34
Speaker 2: Wow, hopefully we're going to be joined. We're going to talk to Shapiro, so hopefully we'll get that out there. Yeah, and ask him why you don't have your own spot or Vlad doesn't have a spot with all the money he's making.

00:27:46
Speaker 8: Yeah, gladd he definitely needs one.

00:27:50
Speaker 2: Tray you savage your lockers next to him in the clubhouse in there? What do you tell him about being ready for a whole year? Because we were joking earlier. What do you say you had three three starts before the postseason and now he's with like nine starts counting the postseason something like that. What do you tell him, hey, be ready for thirty starts? How do you how do you tell a young guy like that to be ready for that?

00:28:09
Speaker 6: Yeah?

00:28:09
Speaker 9: I mean to be honest, we really haven't talked too much about it. You know, he's still building up. I know early in spring is kind of arm wasn't bouncing back the way he wanted. You know, he's a young kid that is really uh, you know, obviously he's young, but you talk to him and you wouldn't you wouldn't think that. You know, he kind of has a rhyme for reason for everything he's doing, and you know, really smart when it comes to knowing his strengths, what he needs to do.

00:28:39
Speaker 8: In the weight room.

00:28:40
Speaker 9: So, you know, whereas maybe a normal young guy I would probably talk to and be like, hey, you know, we probably need to monitor your bullpens and how much we're throwing, he's kind of already thought about that. So there's not too much that you need to really kind of divulge into him. But yeah, you know, he's gonna go through some ups and downs. You know, it's just normal as a starting pitcher in this league. You know, teams are going to make adjustments. Hitting coaches are going to make adjustments.

00:29:10
Speaker 8: You know.

00:29:10
Speaker 9: I hope he's as dominant as he was in the postseason for his whole career of being amazing, he'd be a Hall of Famer. But he's gonna go through some ups and downs, And so it's more so just kind of about trying to be there for his downs and and kind of let him know that, you know, the ups are right around the corner or whatever it is. But you know, he's just such a unique picture. You watch him throw his his release angle, it's such a unique look, you know. So he has a little bit margin, more margin for air than most guys just because how unique he throws.

00:29:44
Speaker 2: Well, Kevin, appreciate you joining us, Thank you, good luck and opening day. Before I let you go, I gotta get one thing in her. What the heck's wrong with LSU baseball? Losing the Sac State, losing to Louisiana Monroe losing to Bobby Bouche Louisiana team, Like, what's happening in LSU?

00:30:00
Speaker 8: I don't know, man, they got to figure it out. But uh, you know.

00:30:03
Speaker 2: They won last year. Now all of a sudden, they're on the a little bit on the struggles.

00:30:07
Speaker 9: Yeah, I think they're I think they're on their high horse a little too much right now while they're losing these midweek games, right, you know, we gotta gotta figure it out. But man, they're so talented, Like the talent in college baseball right now is crazy insane, right, and they're all huge, Like I go and throw there, and I mean, I'm not a big guy, but I swear if someone walked in and was like, pick out the guy who's in the big leagues, like I would be the last one, not even close.

00:30:33
Speaker 8: Like these guys are huge.

00:30:35
Speaker 2: You just walk in and say, I'm the opening day starter for the American Champions.

00:30:38
Speaker 3: Thank you, Kevin,