2 Guys Talking Baseball
Hall of Trade
Ever wondered how one voice could define an era in baseball? This week, we pay tribute to the legendary broadcaster Vin Scully, who recently passed away at the age of 94. Brian and I share personal stories and unforgettable moments from Scully’s breathtaking 67-year career with the Dodgers. His unmatched storytelling and gentle nature will forever leave an indelible mark not just on the Dodgers community but on sports fans worldwide.
As we honor one legend, we also celebrate others who’ve recently been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. From Bud Fowler’s groundbreaking contributions in the 1800s to Gil Hodges’ remarkable career and managing the Miracle Mets of 1969, we discuss the immense significance of these inductions. We also take a deep dive into the overdue recognitions of Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva, and Buck O'Neill, spotlighting how their unique legacies continue to shape baseball history.
The excitement doesn't stop there. We break down the monumental MLB trade deadline moves, focusing particularly on Juan Soto’s transition to the San Diego Padres. Learn how this high-stakes acquisition, along with other strategic moves by the Phillies and the Angels, could redefine the season. From analyzing risky trades to breaking down the long-term impacts, we cover all the angles to keep you ahead of the game. Tune in for a comprehensive discussion that encapsulates the passion, strategy, and history of baseball.
Ever wondered how one voice could define an era in baseball? This week, we pay tribute to the legendary broadcaster Vin Scully, who recently passed away at the age of 94. Brian and I share personal stories and unforgettable moments from Scully’s breathtaking 67-year career with the Dodgers. His unmatched storytelling and gentle nature will forever leave an indelible mark not just on the Dodgers community but on sports fans worldwide.
As we honor one legend, we also celebrate others who’ve recently been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. From Bud Fowler’s groundbreaking contributions in the 1800s to Gil Hodges’ remarkable career and managing the Miracle Mets of 1969, we discuss the immense significance of these inductions. We also take a deep dive into the overdue recognitions of Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva, and Buck O'Neill, spotlighting how their unique legacies continue to shape baseball history.
The excitement doesn't stop there. We break down the monumental MLB trade deadline moves, focusing particularly on Juan Soto’s transition to the San Diego Padres. Learn how this high-stakes acquisition, along with other strategic moves by the Phillies and the Angels, could redefine the season. From analyzing risky trades to breaking down the long-term impacts, we cover all the angles to keep you ahead of the game. Tune in for a comprehensive discussion that encapsulates the passion, strategy, and history of baseball.
Hello everyone, welcome back inside the Three Crows studios in lovely Dandridge, tennessee. This is Two Guys Talking Baseball. My name is Dallas Danger. I am joined this week, as I am each and every week, by my friend and colleague, brian Logan. Brian, you look Well. I'm gonna be honest.
Speaker 2:You look like you've jumped on the bandwagon with every fucking body else well, I'm not just on the bandwagon, but it was a great week for baseball and I thought this shirt was a little apropos yeah, well, it's, it should be.
Speaker 1:It should be a somber day. It really should be a. It should be a somber a day.
Speaker 1:So, I'm going to do my best to get through this week. It's hard to feel like any of this matters when such a bright light goes out. It's difficult to feel like you expected someone to live forever, because that's really the only thing that makes this life worth living in the first place is that none of us make it out alive. There will come a time where we all will pass on and go wherever you believe we go. That's not the topic of discussion today, but as soon as the news broke last night that Vin Scully had passed, it was like a punch in the gut because, at least for me personally, I had never entertained the idea that there would come a day where Vin Scully just wouldn't be here and he had not broadcasted a game in a few years, but he had taken to social media and every now and then he would post a video telling a great story. On certain occasions he would always have something to add to the conversation about Jackie Robinson or whatever the topic was, you know, given the occasion. But yeah, 94 years old, I mean, what a life. And it's been very cool to see the response not just from the Dodger community but and not even really just the baseball community. I mean, everyone has some story or tied event and it's been cool to hear some of those stories. And you know people that are not well known, that you know. You know I saw a story from someone who was an assistant producer on a sports radio show in LA and his first interaction with Vin and how respectful Vin was and how kind he was. And you know hearing. You know I was watching the Dodger game last night when the news broke and obviously Joe Davis was on the call broke and obviously joe davis was on the call and so to hear him tell his stories about vin and what it meant to him to be in vin's chair. Now, you know that's all been really cool to see, but yeah, it's, it's a little weird, it's just, and that's again, that's odd to say and odd to feel, because of course we all know that everyone dies or you know is going to die. It's just part of this, is part of it. You know, an accepted truth if you will. But uh, yeah. So you know, here's the vin. I mean the the best to ever do it. I don't think there's much argument or conversation there. Truly one of the greatest storytellers, baseball broadcaster or otherwise, that we've ever had and you know, by all accounts, one of the kindest, most benevolent men, uh, that's ever lived. So, yeah, so I guess.
Speaker 1:Uh, you know I didn't have anything really prepared on Vin. It kind of hit very last minute in terms of our recording schedule, but you know we can't go on, I think, and just do the show and ignore talking about Vin. You know, um, you know 25, I think, world series, you know, and he went beyond baseball. You know he did, he, I think, world Series, you know, and he went beyond baseball. You know he did Super Bowls too. And you know there was a great story that I heard last night about.
Speaker 1:His first ever broadcast was a college football game at Fenway Park and he ended up broadcasting from the roof of the press box and it was in the middle of like a winter storm. So he's out, no scarf, no gloves, nothing like that. He's trying to look his best for his first broadcast and he's just up there, you know, probably freezing to death. But did a good enough job under the circumstances that Red Barber was impressed. And once Red found out about the conditions that Vin was under to broadcast the game, he said this kid's got something If he was that good, and he's out in the middle of the elements, you know. So, anyways, I could ramble on for an hour just about Vin, you know, but I have the Dodger tie. So, brian, I mean what, what? What comes to mind for you on Vin Scully?
Speaker 2:Well, I mean, he's another voice of our childhood that you know painted the picture of many nights and weekends watching the games. You know he'll be sorely missed. He's the last of the classic announcers, you know, like a Harry Carey and a Vin Scully. I mean, it's just he's that era's over and it's very sad that it's over. But he's left us with many, many memories, many calls that will echo throughout history. And, like you said, we all face our maker one day and it's just a sad thing that his day had to be. You know, I hate to say so soon, because he was 94, but really you know that he is. You know, for us it was too soon because we couldn't get enough of him.
Speaker 1:yep, so here's, here's to him absolutely so so, yeah, so we're gonna press on here and, uh, do what we do what we do, try to have some fun. And yeah, remember all the great calls, all the great moments of Vin Scully and I know that I will be in the days ahead going back and watching my favorite Vin call, which was the Clayton Kershaw no-hitter, just a masterpiece. Clayton Kershaw no hitter, just a masterpiece from Vince Scully. But yeah, so with that, let's get into a segment that we start off the show with here each and every week, where we talk about what we're wearing. We like to bring our A game with our apparel jerseys, shirts, hats and the so on, so on, so forth. So, brian, let's start with you. I don't, I don't really want to hear this, but I'm gonna give you the floor anyways. Who you repping this week?
Speaker 2:well, I'm glad you asked, because this week I have my uh princeton whistle pick hat on and I'm wearing the tony guinn padres jersey. Uh, I feel like that it was apropos to the trades this week and I know that you just love it so much. So that is who I am repping this week.
Speaker 1:Yeah, brian, for those of you who can't see that aren't with us on YouTube that shit-eating grin that Brian is wearing he's had on his face since he put that jersey on earlier, because he knows how much I love it. I mean, you know the Princeton hat is cool. You know they were really good to us. If you've not heard or watched that episode, go back in the archives. We did an on-location episode from the ballpark in Princeton. We got to eat some really great ballpark food and see a great game and they were wonderful hosts. And as far as the trade deadline, we will have plenty on that later on in the show. But as far as who I am repping this week, I decided to take it easy this week and I've got on my Hawaiian shirt. That was a giveaway some time back it was earlier this season at the Asheville Tourists and it's very comfortable. It breathes a little. You know. No hat this week because I'm beaching it. I'm just beaching it on my side of the studio today. So that's who we are repping this week, because I'm beaching it. I'm just beaching it on my side of the studio today. So that's who we are repping this week.
Speaker 1:And now we're going to take a look at the lineup. This is the. This is our topics of conversation for the week, and it's going to look on the lineup like there's not much to talk about, but there's a lot chalked into these categories. So we're going to start with Cooperstown Bound. Since the last time we left you, we have inducted a new Hall of Fame class in Cooperstown, new York. So we're going to talk a little bit about the men who have joined the hallowed halls of Cooperstown. And then trading places. Man, what a bonkers trade deadline this turned out to be. Uh, obviously, there we're going to talk about the elephant in the room with Juan Soto and the Padres, but you know there's a, there's a lot. I mean, there's a lot we could talk about with the trade deadline. So we're going to try to cover it as best we can. So with that let's, let's get into things here. The Hall of Fame Always a nice time of year.
Speaker 2:Always good to celebrate the legends as they go into immortality. You know, it's always a fun thing to see all of them go in, and this year was, you know, the same. It was very exciting to see this year's lineup yeah, and it was.
Speaker 1:It was a really good class because there are a handful of guys that went into the hall of fame this year, that have been on those lists of the best to not get in and the and some of the guys that there have been, you know, widespread popular campaigns to get them in the Hall of Fame and it's sort of long overdue in some cases. So let's just go down the list. We'll start with Bud Fowler. Bud was a player in the 1800s. He was sort of a pioneer because he established multiple black barnstorming teams who played the game at a high level. He existed and his playing career took place before the color line was established. So he's playing with and against white players and man.
Speaker 1:I can't imagine what that had to be like. You know, the Hall of Fame website gives a great little profile on each member of the class and they talked about how much Bud Fowler had to jump around from team to team because of the resistance by other players to playing with a black man. There was an instance and I can't remember the team he was with at the time, but there was an instance where the rest of the team refused to take the field unless he was removed from the game. Wow, we talk so much about the Negro League's barnstorming teams and how they play three and four games a day because the field was the only place they felt safe and respected, but man, to be there before that line even existed and before the segregation of the game took place. I mean it's hard to even fathom what Bud Fowler went through.
Speaker 2:I mean yeah, I mean we can't even speculate on it. I mean even the players of color of today can't even speculate on it, because it had to be the most incredibly hard thing to do not only just playing the game, but to put up with all of that. And I mean I'm glad that they're finally honoring him.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely Well-deserved, and you'll notice a trend a little bit and I'll touch on it once we run through the whole list. But next up is Gil Hodges, famous Brooklyn Dodgers first baseman, and he's also beloved in the Mets community because he was the manager of the 1969 Miracle Mets who won the World Series, and uh are celebrated to this day. We've we've done a whole segment on Gil Hodges. When the uh announcement was made or, excuse me, when his jersey was retired by the Dodgers, we covered Gil. So definitely go back and check that out if you're interested in hearing more about Gil Hodges.
Speaker 1:Another guy, though that you know this is long overdue. I mean just one of the greats of the game, and it's nice to see the Veterans Committee take someone who maybe wasn't a Hall of Famer as a, someone who maybe wasn't a hall of famer as a player and maybe wasn't a hall of famer as a manager, but when you combine the entirety of his baseball life, there's no question he belongs in cooperstown yeah, I mean that was one of the things we touched on before is his whole uh career as a whole, uh, has hall of Fame written all over it.
Speaker 2:I mean, he's the type of guy that Hall of Fames are made for and for him to get recognized. That's incredible too. You know, he's one of our favorite players. We talked about him before, and it's just. He has taken his rightful place into the Hall.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely Couldn't agree more. Obviously I'm biased, but it's nice now to have all of the famous boys of summer, you know, in Cooperstown jerseys, retired by the Dodgers. You know he's right there where he should have been all along with. You know Jackie and Campy and Duke and that whole crew, pee, wee, reese. You know the whole bunch. So you know, again, long overdue. Next up we've got Jim Cott who pitched in four different decades, 16 gold gloves. I mean that's just crazy. I mean it's remarkable to pitch in the major leagues for 16 years, much less to win 16 gold gloves. I mean that's just crazy. I mean it's remarkable to pitch in the major leagues for 16 years, much less to win 16 gold gloves. So he's obviously viewed as one of the best defenders on the mound of all time, and late in his career 1982, he was able to be a part of a World Series champion with the St Louis Cardinals and since his playing career he's become a pretty notable broadcaster. But man, I mean the 16-goal gloves I mean alone is pretty wild.
Speaker 2:I mean you can't get any more impressive than that. 16-goal gloves. Wow, I mean that right there, hall of Fame worthy, right there. I mean I don't even know what to say about 16. 16 blows me away. Yeah, it's crazy.
Speaker 1:I mean it's wild to think that someone was that good at their position for that many years. But you know Jim Cott, another guy that many were happy to see go into the hall, and obviously a lot of fans when you pitch in four decades you know, you got to really be a pretty despicable person to not be loved by fans.
Speaker 1:Absolutely so good for Jim Cott Next up. I mean again, it's just over and over, because only one guy was voted in off the writer's ballot. Then this was a big class for the veterans committees or whatever they're calling those these days. But Minnie Minoso, who sort of one-ups Jim Cott because he appeared in the big leagues in five different decades and is sort of viewed as the Jackie Robinson for Latino players. I can't remember who coined that for Minnie Minoso, but he was sort of the first dark-skinned Latino to get signed to the majors after Jackie breaks the color barrier. And you know so many accolades for Minoso. I mean just a great hitter. You know triples and stolen bases. He was consistently at the top of the major league leaderboards. And you know again a guy that is long overdue taking his place in the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean just a leader on the team. Five different decades, I mean we thought before four was big, I mean five. That is a lot of baseball, that's a lot of being out there and that's what made him a household name. Was, you know, playing?
Speaker 1:so long, yeah. And then you know, and leaving the game and then coming back, you know he left for a while and came back to get that fifth decade, you know, and just to be able to say, hey, I did this, you know, at such an age and, you know, was a major leaguer into his 50s. I mean just really, you know the type of thing that if I don't think would ever happen in today's game.
Speaker 2:There's no way that you can't play to that age in the pros anymore. I mean well, any level, not just the pros. You can't play that old.
Speaker 1:The game has evolved and it just shows what kind of a super athlete he was to be able to do that, yeah, and beyond the evolution of the game and the athletes that play it, I mean talk about a team, a liability for a team, putting a, putting someone in their 50s out on the field and then something happens, and you know that I'm sure teams from a legal standpoint, want to shy away from that too.
Speaker 1:But nevertheless Manny Minoso did it and did it well. So he is now in Cooperstown. So is Tony Oliva, who a really interesting career because for eight seasons this guy was one of the best hitters in the game I mean consistently leading the league in offensive categories had a freak diving play that injured his knee and sort of set him back for the last five years of his career. But he's one of those guys that you look at, who gets voted in you know way after the fact by this veterans committee and you, you look at him and you go. Well, if he had you know you take away the knee injury, where's he at on the all time list. I mean we could be talking about one of the greatest hitters of all times, you know, talking about one of the greatest hitters of all times, you know, statistically, if it weren't for that, you know, that freak injury that just kind of put an end to it.
Speaker 2:Well, sometimes that happens, unfortunately, you know, and you wonder what would have been had the injury not been there. You know it's misfortunate that it happened that way, but still a stellar career, yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, you know, and I'm a firm believer, that the Hall of Fame should tell the story of the game. It's what it's there, it's what it's designed to do. It should tell the story of the history of baseball. And Oliva is one of those guys who the people who saw him play continue to tell the stories of how great he was prior to that injury. And that belongs in the telling of the history and the story of baseball. And so does this next man.
Speaker 1:And in a year where there was a lot of long overdue inductions, uh, buck o'neill might have been the most long overdue um, a legend in the negro leagues with the kansas city monarchs.
Speaker 1:Uh went on to become the first black coach in the history of the al or nl when he joined the Cubs coaching staff in 1962. And then later in his life was renowned for being one of the driving forces behind the opening of the Negro Leagues Museum in Kansas City in 1990 and was a face and ambassador for that museum right up until he passed away for that museum. Right up until he passed away. Post-humiously, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W Bush. And again, another guy we talked about with Vin Scully earlier, buck O'Neill is a guy that everybody has a story about and, by all accounts, was one of the kindest, most wonderful human beings that have ever graced us with their presence and a true ambassador for the game and for black players. And I mean, if Buck O'Neill is not in Cooperstown, you almost kind of look at it like what's the point.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, without a doubt, he's one of the guys that has to be there. I mean, the first black coach, I mean it's just incredible, you know, and that's the attention that he drew to the Negro Leagues and getting that word out there, I mean of those wonderful players and those great games that took place, and I mean he has to be in the Hall of Fame. You hit the nail right on the head.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. And you know he firmly believed that the reason that he was put on this earth was to bring light to the Negro Leagues and those players and that piece of the game's history. And it's so not. You know, when you look at Bud Fowler and Manny Minoso and Buck O'Neill the Hall of Fame through the Veterans Committee you know we talk a lot about the writers and what they're doing to the Hall of Fame right now, but these veteran committees, it seems like, are finally acknowledging that they need to make some things right. And by getting some of these guys enshrined, you know, we're righting wrongs, we're filling in gaps in the story of the game. And again, that's what the hall of fame should be. It should, it should tell the story of, you know and and and you know illustrate the history of this game that we, we all, love so much. So that does it for the veterans committee inductees.
Speaker 1:And we did have one player voted in by the Riders this year and that was David Ortiz, big Papi, of course, of Red Sox fame, a part of the team that broke the curse in Boston and ended the 86-year drought. He went on to be a part of three World Series winners and was the 2007 World Series MVP and man. So much fun in the studio now as a broadcaster. And you know we just saw him at the All-Star game, you know running through the dugout, the AL dugout, just sort of quick, interviewing a lot of guys and just having a good time. And you know Big Papi's one of those guys everybody loves. He's just got that infectious energy and very cool to see Big Poppy take his rightful place in the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 2:I mean, does anybody have more fun than him? I don't think so. I mean, every time he's on camera you can just see the fun oozing out of his body. He loves being there, he loves being a part of the game and he deserves to be in the hall of fame. I mean, what a great player. I know I say that every time, but big poppy bro, it's a smile on my face and he really is also what a hall of fame is supposed to be about 100.
Speaker 1:Couldn't agree't agree more. Just a treasure to have in baseball, you know, not only as a player but now as a broadcaster and again an ambassador for the game. And you know he was the headliner. You know, for this class it was definitely the the headliner and so, um, you know great to great to see big poppy there. So that's, that's it for this year's hall of fame inductees. We'll see. You know, next year could be interesting.
Speaker 1:There's a, there's a two or three of the quote-unquote steroid era guys that are going to be on their last year eligible on the ballot. There's also some guys that you know we've seen get pretty close. Scott Rowland is one, billy Wagner is another. You know the percentage of votes they've gotten have, you know, jumped up a lot the last couple years. You know, jumped up a lot the last couple of years. So you know, uh, I'm hoping that we get a year where, where we we put some guys in Right Lately it seemed like it's one guy or it's two guys or it's nobody.
Speaker 1:I mean we've had a couple of. You know it's embarrassing, I mean when you know I don't want to get on too long of a rant, but when you are telling the story of the game through a museum that should again illustrate the history of baseball. And the guy who has more hits than anybody else isn't in there, and the guy who has more home runs than anybody else isn't in there. What, what's the point? What's the point? And unfortunately, it all comes down to the fact that Pete Rose didn't get along with a lot of writers, barry Bonds didn't get along with a lot of writers, barry Bonds didn't get along with a lot of writers, and they don't vote in people that they don't like, and it's bullshit.
Speaker 2:No, I totally agree, it is. It is bullshit and you need to have those guys in the Hall of Fame. And there's a bunch of others too that should be in the Hall of Fame, and we just hope one day they're going to go in there. You know, I doubt Pete will ever go in there.
Speaker 1:I mean I'll be shocked. I'll be shocked if he ever gets in the Hall of Fame, and that's okay and I think he's made peace with that and I know a lot of fans have made peace with that. But it's a crying shame because, yeah, and I'm not condoning what Pete Rose did and I'm not even condoning what barry bonds did, you know, um, but it's not the hall of nice, guys, you know it's. It's it's supposed to be about telling the history of the game. And you can, you know, you can put Barry Bonds and Mark McGuire in the Hall of Fame and Roger Clemens in the Hall of Fame and we can say, hey, you know, roger Clemens was one of the best right-handed pitchers of all time, and here's why.
Speaker 1:And, yeah, he was a part of an era that is known for, you know, performance, enhancing drugs. It's a part of the story, you know, just like Ty Cobb going into the stands and beating up a fan is part of the story. You know, they didn't keep Ty Cobb out of the Hall of Fame because he was a dick and of all people, you know, I mean, come on, he's like the king of assholes and he's in there. So I don't know, but we'll see it's going to be interesting, you know, the next year or two, when some of these guys start coming off the ballot and you know, then you start looking at.
Speaker 1:Well, you know, barry bonds doesn't get voted in by the writers, wins his next opportunity because these veterans committees now are broken up into eras and each era only comes up once every few years. So you know it, it makes it. It makes the window smaller. I guess is the best way to put it right for for guys like barry bonds, who, I'm sorry and you don't have to agree with me, but he belongs in there. I mean, how do you tell the story of baseball without Barry?
Speaker 2:Bonds, you don't. And that's the thing is, you're talking about telling the story through a museum. Good and bad. Let's take a look at real museums. I mean they have or I guess mainstream museums is what I should have said. So you know, they have things in there from Egypt that maybe those Egyptian people weren't the greatest to everybody, but they tell the part of the history and say that this is the story that goes along with these artifacts. Why can they not have all of them in the Hall of Fame and just say this is part of their story, this is part of their narrative and this is what happened? Because when you can google it, then it should be in the hall of fame anyway. It's because you can go and it's not like they're hiding it from anybody. Yeah, you would find out anyway. So if there's, if the argument is there's a kid and then he would see this and it's a bad influence on a kid, well, that kid's gonna find out anyway. Right, you know.
Speaker 1:So, uh, yeah, they've got to do something about that yeah, and I mean, yeah, I don't know, I don't, I don't want to go on about this. It's, it's pretty clear how we feel about it and and that's that. So let's, let's put a nice bow on the hall of fame conversation for now. And you, you know it's not July anymore, but a lot of people like to celebrate Christmas in July. You ain't got to tell me. And so if you're one of those people and maybe you're running a little behind and you want to have Christmas in August, you can put a nice bow on a beautiful gift from 2GTBStorecom. Brian, save me from this horrible segue.
Speaker 2:We have everything that you can imagine in there. We have T-shirts, we have jackets, we have Bluetooth speakers, we have coffee mugs, cell phone cases, also our puppy wear, our women's wear. We have a little bit of something for everybody. All you got to do is go in there and check it out. You know, it doesn't cost anything to look and it's the best way to really support our podcast here, so that you know, show a little love and help us advertise a little bit by wearing a T-shirt. But a little bit of everything there. Go there and check it out.
Speaker 1:That's 2GTBStorecom it out. That's 2gtbstorecom and, as Brian said, it's the best way to directly support us outside of listening and subscribing and watching on YouTube. And subscribing to the YouTube channel, throw us a bone, it doesn't cost a thing to go. Look, we've really tried to make it to where there's something for everybody and we believe we have pulled that off. At 2gtbstorecom, go today and find your new favorite t-shirt or jersey or what have you. All right.
Speaker 1:So, as I alluded to earlier and Brian alluded to with his apparel today, we had one doozy of a trade deadline. Oh, did we man? I mean, I, I'm sitting here and and obviously we have our notes in front of us and I've I've tried to highlight the notable stuff and every couple minutes that we sit here and we're recording, I think of something that's not on there, right? I mean, there were just the last two days leading up to the deadline. There was so, excuse me, so much going on. So I guess the best place to start, brian, is with the one true blockbuster. Then we all knew that it was very likely that Juan Soto was going to be traded because he had turned down the big $440 million extension from the Nationals. Here we have a guy who, in a lot of ways, so far his career is comparable to that of Ted Williams. He's only 23 years old and he has three playoff runs left of team control. So it's not a scenario, like we see a lot, where a guy is in his contract year, he gets traded, he finishes the season with the team that traded for him and then he goes to free agency and goes somewhere else. This is a guy that you have for three playoff runs. So the padres, you know they gave up a lot, a whole lot. They gave up an awful lot. But this is how aj preller does business. You know, they they built a pretty good farm system and and this is how they've chosen to put their team together. And not only did they get Juan Soto, they also get Josh Bell.
Speaker 1:But you know, and there were so many twists and turns in this thing because there were so many teams involved initially, I mean, there were seven or eight teams in the conversation right from the start. You know teams that aren't normally a part of these conversations, like the Mariners and even the Cardinals. I mean, the Cardinals are not a team that, when a big name comes up on the trading block, that you go. Well, they're going to be a part of this, right, and they were there. They were down to the wire. They were one of the last two three teams, you know, having these and they were down to the wire. They were one of the last two three teams having these conversations. But by all accounts, the Cardinals didn't want to part with Dylan Carlson and that shut them out. My Dodgers were there, apparently.
Speaker 1:Now there are some that are speculating and I think this is crazy, but it's an interesting take. There are some speculating that the dodgers were only in the conversation to drive the price up so that the padres ended up dumping more for juan soto. Now that makes perfect sense. I think it's a little wacky to think that that, but it's starting to come out now that you know everybody expects. Well, what are the dodgers going to do?
Speaker 1:You know this is a team that that goes after it. This is a team that has the money and owners that are willing to spend it and has the farm system, because the player development is top of the class. You can argue that all you want, but you're just going to sound like a fool because nobody in the majors develops players better than the Los Angeles Dodgers. Right now, everybody's waiting. What are they going to do? What are they going to do? What are they going to do? And yeah, they go out and get Joey Gallo. Yeah, they trade a couple pieces away to make some room on the 40-man roster, but there's not a big splash. And the further separated we get from the deadline, the more we're seeing that teams wanted Gavin Lux and the Dodgers weren't willing to part with him. So so, with all that said, juan soto is now a padre, the padres sort of stacking their lineup, you know, as the as they have done for the last couple of years.
Speaker 2:Um, I don't know, brian, take it away, man you think they're gonna throw a parade over there in San Diego, as they always do?
Speaker 1:I'm going to do my best to not just poo-poo the Padres. I mean, I know that's sort of what's expected of me at this point, to just shit on the Padres. But you know, look, if I was a Padres fan I'd be excited. Now I think the problem with Padres fans is that most of them didn't know what a baseball was until two years ago and now they act like they're diehard. You know, all I'm saying is, the last time the Dodgers were in San Diego, there was quite a bit of blue in the stands.
Speaker 2:Well, you can't go by that. That happens. By that token, you know the Cubs are the number one attending fans in all of baseball, but that doesn't. You know that argument doesn't work, but no, but anyway, the Soto trade is big. I think it's huge. I think it's going to help them out. I think it's huge. I think it's going to help them out. I think it's going to help them out over the next couple of seasons. I think it was a smart trade for them. Now I don't know what they're going to do about all the other positions, because they can't build anything around him. But they have him and let's see if that takes them where they want to go.
Speaker 1:Well, they're going to be in the postseason I, they're going to be in the postseason I don't think they're going to win the division. The Dodgers are not going to give them back 12 games. It's just not going to happen. They're going to be there. Honestly, that's all you need is to get in Now. You've got to face Juan Soto once every nine batters. In addition to that, he's very protected in that lineup because you can pitch around Soto. But then you've got to deal with Machado or Tatis Jr or even like a Jake Cronenworth, who's not a guy you you want to take lightly in that lineup. So you know it is a big move for them. They are obviously trying to win now. They are betting the farm on getting a World Series in the next couple, two, three years.
Speaker 2:The emphasis on now. I mean they're focused on right now. They are not thinking at all. I don't know if they're thinking about next season. I mean I think they just want it right now.
Speaker 1:Well, one of the things I read and I don't know how much of this is based off of actual, you know, factual information that someone gathered, or if this is just speculation but I did read this idea that the Padres are not viewing this this they they were really the only team viewing it as, yes, we have to give up a lot from our farm system to get Juan Soto, but in two years we could flip him back around and get a similar haul right back. You know, assuming they're not gonna try to sign him to this big contract that he's looking for, which they might, I wouldn't put it past him to this big contract that he's looking for, which they might, I wouldn't put it past them. But they've also got two other guys on huge, exorbitant contracts already and if you give Juan Soto $500 million, you've got a billion dollars. A billion with a B tied up in three players.
Speaker 2:That's crazy. I mean that's a lot. I mean that's insane. I mean I can't even process that. I mean three players that large of an amount. I mean, what about the rest of the team?
Speaker 1:Yeah, Well, you know, and they've got a good pitching staff. You know, I mean, I think they've got some guys that are bigger names that are trending down. You know, I mean, I think they've got some guys that are bigger names that are trending down. You know, hugh Darvish is a little hit or miss. Blake Snell is a guy who hasn't really been the same since he got to San Diego. Not saying he can't contribute in the playoffs, you know.
Speaker 1:But you know, and here's the thing, they didn't stop at Juan Soto. They went out and got Brandon Drury from the Reds, who knows what that means, because before this season, how many people even knew who Brandon Drury was? He's having a great year Right. They also went and got Josh Hader to be their closer, and that's another interesting one, because he's kind of trending downward. I think it was more of the brewers looking to move on than it was the padres going after a guy, you know, that they thought could help their team and maybe he will. I mean, when, when josh hater's right, he's probably the best closer in the game, but he's he's hit some bumps in the road this year. So, you know, does the change of scenery help? Or, you know, I mean, here's the thing. We've seen a lot over the last 25, 30 years since closers sort of became a premium position. Guys are on fire for a little while and then a couple years later they can't find a job.
Speaker 2:No, I mean unfortunately that's happening a lot that they're having their moments, their peak, and then, when it's time that they should move on, they're still there and they're going to have to produce and they can't to produce and they can't.
Speaker 1:So another twist, slash, turn, if you will, with this whole Juan Soto Padres saga is that in the initial deal that was agreed upon, eric Hosmer was a part of that deal, going from the Padres to the Nationals pretty big piece, you know the the Nationals obviously had worked out a pretty good deal as far as what percentage of his remaining salary they were going to pay, because he's on a bit of a big contract. But Eric Hosmer in his contract had 10 teams that he had to approve being traded to, and the Nationals were one of them. So for a little while there was this thought that maybe Eric Hosmer could derail the whole deal. That ended up not being the case. The Nats and Padres had agreed in principle that they were going to get a deal done regardless of Eric Hosmer. But Hosmer decides not to go to the Nationals.
Speaker 1:So now not only do you have a disgruntled Eric Hosmer decides not to go to the Nationals. So now not only do you have a disgruntled Eric Hosmer because you tried to trade him somewhere he didn't want to go, but you also have to throw in another big leaguer that you weren't already planning on throwing in. So Luke Voigt is gone Not a big deal. Josh Bell, who you got in this trade, is going to be your everyday first baseman, and he should be. He's a better hitter right now than Hosmer or Voight. But Voight, a lot of pop in that bat, good guy to have on your club that you were expecting to have. And now he's gone. So then to get Eric Hosmer traded, they had to agree to pay the 100%, entire remainder of his salary. So the Red Sox give up one prospect to get a guy that they don't even have to pay.
Speaker 2:Yeah, what a deal for them. I mean, that's a win-win for them, and the other side of it it's like what are you thinking?
Speaker 1:Yeah. So you know the Padres coming out looking good Again. I'm not going to sit here and just bury them all day like I normally do, because this is a big move for them. It's going to sell a lot of tickets, it's going to create a lot of buzz, which is all they fucking care about, you know, and they're trying to win right now and parades.
Speaker 2:Well, you know they're a little loose with the trigger on the parade. Little loose, Just a little loose, little loose.
Speaker 1:And now we're doing inside jokes that literally nobody else knows about.
Speaker 2:You always warn me every week to not do that, and then here you are doing it. Yeah, well, you know.
Speaker 1:I'm feeling good right now. Okay, what can I say? So, yeah, doing, yeah, well, you know, I'm I'm feeling, I'm feeling good right now. Okay, what can I say?
Speaker 1:so, so so, yeah, padres come out looking good, but at what cost? Because here's the thing if they get a world series in the next three years, aj preller looks like a genius and he should be celebrated for all time. But if they don't, and soto slips away or they have to trade him, you know again, I don't know. Man, it's going to be interesting because I think the Padres the last few years have made every move like it was desperation, but I don't know that one has ever had the potential to bite them in the ass like this one does.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean it could very well bite them in the ass. I mean they better hope that it does what it's supposed to do, because if not, they're going to be in trouble. Because here's the thing.
Speaker 1:Trading your whole farm system and a couple of first basemen for Juan Soto and Josh Bell doesn't make you better than the Dodgers. It doesn't make you better than the Braves. I don't know that. It makes you better than the New York Mets. Frankly, I mean, they still could only be the third or fourth best team in the National League, you know. Are they better than the Cardinals? I don't know that they're better than the Cardinals, you know. I mean, it's a. It's a, it's a hype move.
Speaker 2:A lot of buzz, a lot of attention designed to get the eyes on the team, maybe spark a little fire under the rest of the team. Oh, we got this guy coming. This is all we needed. This was the missing pigs Y'all. We've got it. Now to fire up the team. All we needed, this was the missing peaks y'all. We've got it now to fire up the team.
Speaker 1:Maybe it was one of those type things. So again, we'll see. And it does make them better, they're. They're better today than they were before the deadline, without a doubt. So um and and and, if they can lock Soto up long term. I mean, they've got Machado Tatis Jr and Soto, you know, inked up and there for years, so you know it could pay off long term. But it's a risky move, man. It's a risky move and at the end of the day, you know, obviously I was really excited to see what happened. I was excited at the possibility of Juan Soto being a Dodger.
Speaker 2:But you know, if Gavin Lux had to be part of the package. I'm glad the Dodgers didn't pull the trigger. Yeah, no, they can't trade Gavin Lux off. I mean they need that. That's crucial, if you ask me. I mean they kidnapped, I mean they did the right thing by not doing that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. So, Brian, when you look at everything that went on at the deadline, what's kind of your takeaway? I mean, what sticks out to you?
Speaker 2:Well, the California Angels or Anaheim Angels or the Los Angeles Angels, whichever one those angels are, they seem to uh, be trading away everything. What a turnaround they were. You know we were, we were picking them for our pick and then we were saying, you know, hey, they they're, they're picking up a win streak here. Then they start losing everything and now they're getting rid of people. I mean they basically got Trout and Otani. Now I mean, what's the deal with that?
Speaker 1:Yeah, and they were listening to offers on Otani. Now they were very firm apparently with what they wanted in exchange for Otani and I'm not surprised that ultimately they opted against trading him. Because here's the thing yeah, you can trade him away to get something out of him, because all signs right now point to him walking at the end of next season when he comes up in free agency. So we might be having this conversation on him again next year at the deadline in free agency. So we might be having this conversation on him again next year at the deadline. But the revenue he drives for the Angels, just on ticket sales and jersey sales and whatever other crazy Otani merchandise they have, is enough to say you know what, maybe we need to just keep him as long as we can, and you know, pinch every penny we get out.
Speaker 2:Well, that was a thing we were discussing when we were in Atlanta was the ticket factor. Can they afford to trade him off because of the revenue he generates around the ballpark with the merchandise and the attraction aspect of the whole thing?
Speaker 1:yeah, yeah, I mean he's, he's, he's as box office, as as it gets right now in baseball and you know. But but they, they choose not to trade otaniani, but they let Brandon Marsh and Noah Syndergaard both go to the Phillies in two separate deals, which was kind of interesting too, because initially it sounded like they were trying to package both of those players to the Phillies and they end up trading them both to the Phillies in separate deals. Okay, kind of interesting.
Speaker 2:Well, the thing with the Phillies is, I mean, do you think maybe they kind of quietly got the best deals?
Speaker 1:I think they moved in the right direction because when you look at Marsh and Syndergaard, they added David Robertson to their bullpen. They made some good moves. I mean, they really did, and I think that they, for what they are willing and able to do financially, they made some good moves. You know, brandon Marsh has been one of those guys that we were talking about earlier in the season. That was one of the unexpected places that the Angels were getting production and I think he really improves the Phillies. David Robertson is a solid hand in the bullpen. Noah Syndergaard gives you another starter and if you're going to get into the playoffs, which the Phillies are trying to do, you've got to have arms, and he's a pretty good one is Syndergaard. So, yeah, I think, quietly, they might have had um one of the, if not the best, deadline I mean again quietly, they are preparing for a run.
Speaker 2:I mean they're preparing to to really try to leg this out and get a position there. Yeah and uh, and they could. I don't, I don't find it likely, but they could well, they're right there in the conversation.
Speaker 1:I think they're only a couple games back of the last wild card spot. So you know it, it wouldn't take much to get them kind of over that hump. Um, you know, I think the problem for them is some of the teams they're competing with for that you know that last playoff spot are financially able to do a little more. You know, because if you're, if, if you're competing at the deadline with the Mets and the Braves who are in your division, um, you know they, they might outdo you yeah, you know absolutely and the Mets.
Speaker 1:And the Mets did I mean the Mets, you know Daniel Vogelbach came in. You know they might outdo you, yeah, absolutely. And the Mets did I mean the Mets, you know Daniel Vogelbach came in. You know he was pretty, you know, a week or so ahead of the deadline, but he came in and immediately had an impact. Great trade for them, I mean big for them. I really like the trade they made with the Giants when they sent JD Davis to San Francisco for Darren Ruff, because Ruff and JD Davis are pretty similar players that potentiallya change of scenery could really do some good.
Speaker 2:Really help both of them out, freshen them up, so to speak.
Speaker 1:But the Mets wanted some power and they got that in Vogelbeck. They got that in Darren Ruff. Some power, and they got that in Vogel back, they got that in Darren Ruff. Um, you know, they go out and get Michael Givens from the Cubs, who who helps, you know, solidify their bullpen a little bit. And yeah, I mean it's it's.
Speaker 1:Mets are another one of those teams that I think aren't being talked about, like the Padres are, because they didn't make the one big splash, right, but you know, they made themselves better. And when you're in a division race, when you're trying to get into the playoffs and compete, that's what's important, you know, is to make yourself better, and they did that at the deadline, you know. And when I look at the other side of things in the American League, the Astros are not known for being a team that makes big splashes in free agency or at the deadline. Not really their reputation. They develop players very well and they've grown a lot of really good in-house talent.
Speaker 1:But this year the Astros as much as I hate, hate to say it they might have had the best deadline. Yeah, they go and get trey mancini, which gives them a really, really difference making bat in their lineup. Um, they get will smith another bullpen. I mean that was that was one of the more interesting things was the amount of bullpen arms getting traded at the deadline. Um, you know, and then, and then they, they get christian vasquez from uh, the red sox, really solid catcher, has world series championship experience. I mean the astros did themselves a lot of favors at this deadline. I mean they really made some good moves and, uh, you know, again it sucks to say it, but they might have won the deadline.
Speaker 2:Well, and it just makes a tough team even tougher. I mean we're all going to have to deal with them at some point and it just strengthens them. But you know, again they did at the, at their deadline and all that, but I mean I still don't think they're the team. I mean it helps them but it doesn't put them over the hump.
Speaker 1:I mean they might be that team in the al. You know the yankees are starting to cool off, which I think we all anticipated. You know, um, you know, I don't know that the Yankees, I don't think the Yankees are, in the end, going to be as good as they showed, you know, first part of the season. I mean I think there's some pretty obvious holes there. I think they had some pitchers pitching above where they really are. You know, and I mean outside of Aaron Judge lineup's not all that scary. You know, I mean I don't want to pitch to Rizzo all day but you know, I don't know.
Speaker 2:I kind of disagree with that man. I mean, they are impressive and they got a lot of bats and they're just my God, just looking at them. They're just bigger than everybody. Impressive and they're. They got a lot of bats and they're just my god, just looking at them. They're just bigger than everybody and they're scoring. They were scoring a lot of runs and I I think they're going to be there in the end and I'm not happy about that.
Speaker 1:I'm not pro yankee at all, but I think I think they're going to be the ones that are going to be there well, I mean, I'm just splitting hairs, you know, I'm getting down to the top couple teams in each league and saying which one is. You know, and, and, and I think the you know, the astros, I think, have more staying power, even just this season, than the yankees do. Um, and I could be wrong. I've been wrong before and I'll be the first to tell you when I am. But you know, when I put them side by side, I nudge the Astros ahead just a little bit.
Speaker 2:All right, fair enough. Fair enough. That's what makes the game so exciting is we'll see, we'll find out, we will see what happens.
Speaker 1:So let's talk about well, let's's start with your team, we'll talk about my team, the dodgers too. Okay, let's talk about the cubs. Obviously the cubs are selling because they're they're not very good, um, but with that said, wilson contreras not traded nope. Ian hap not traded nope. And I know you are excited about that and I keep trying to tell you it's not a good thing, I know.
Speaker 2:I just like to. I want to keep watching them. Keep watching them play for us. They're the heart and soul of our team. I get what you're saying, that you know later on down the pike they're going to end up walking away and all this, but right now I just like seeing them there, yeah I get that.
Speaker 1:I mean I 100, I do get that. But I was pretty surprised. You know we we get. You know it wasn't until after the deadline, when we're waiting for those last few trades that haven't been announced yet to come out. Where we got the report, the Cubs aren't moving either one of them and it was very honestly it was a little awkward because they even said goodbye the week before.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but I told you what Willie had said in that interview about how this won't be his last year as an all-star, as a Cub, and that right there kind of told me he knew something.
Speaker 1:he knew something was up well, as far as we know, the cubs and wilson contraris haven't had substantial contract talks. Now that doesn't mean they won't, you know, at some point or at the end of the year, in the offseason, but they haven't. So that sort of pointed everybody in the direction of well, they're going to trade him, and you know, the story with Contreras and Happ is that the asking price from the Cubs was too high. Yeah, so they obviously were willing to hang on to both guys. If you weren't willing to meet that ask, and no one did so. You know we can't, we can only speculate on what they're thinking or what their plans are, uh, with anybody. So maybe, maybe there is some there's, maybe there are conversations going on there that no one's been made privy to. But if both those guys walk in free agency it's bad for the Cubs.
Speaker 2:I know it is. It's bad, I know. And then how do you replace them and all that. But us Cubs fans, we live in the moment. Because that's all we kind of have. We can't speculate next year, because it'll be a rebuilding year again. Right, I mean, we can't talk about last year because it was a rebuilding year. So you know, we just live in the moment, we're just happy they're still with us.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Well, you know, just another interesting. I mean I was going to say happening, but it's an interesting not happening. You know, yeah, yeah, yeah, it felt like every damn body got traded.
Speaker 2:I was looking to trade you off and. I was going to go to another podcast with you and a podcast host to be named later. Right, right well, the asking price there was definitely too high well, they were asking for Tiffany and I was like I can't lose my personal assistant. So you know they wanted to throw the two girls in and you and I couldn't. I told him. I said I'll get rid of you, but I can't. I can't get rid of the two girls.
Speaker 1:I think the funniest part of this bit is the idea that you would make any decisions for this show at all are you saying I'm not the fearless leader of this duo? We'll. We'll talk after class.
Speaker 1:Um, but the, the, so the, your cubs and my dodgersgers actually made a trade with each other and I thought it was a trade that benefited both sides, and that was the Dodgers sending Zach McKinstry over to the Cubbies for Chris Martin. You know the Dodgers could use another bullpen arm and Martin, at his best, is a high-leverage guy. I didn't realize he was 36. Yeah, so he's a little older. But Zach McKinstry, a solid guy who probably should be playing a lot on a major league team, and there just wasn't room to get him there with the Dodgers major league team and there just wasn't room to get him there with the dodgers. So and the dodgers have a reputation for if they have a guy that they don't have a role for, um, they'll let him go, just out of respect for the person, right, you know?
Speaker 1:Uh, they did that with ross stripling in 2020. He wanted to be a starter. There wasn't a spot in the rotation. They viewed him as a bullpen guy and a spot starter. So they moved on and they said you know, we'll let you go somewhere where you can be a starter, because that's how you see yourself. And even this year, you know, the Dodgers let Mitch White go to the Blue Jays because they didn't see, with Walker Bueller and Dustin May and some other arms coming back off the injured list in the weeks to come. There just wasn't a place for Mitch White. But Mitch white has been excellent in the opportunities he's gotten this year and and he's made it very clear he wants to be a starting pitcher. So the dodgers let him go do that. Um, and it sucks, but you know it is what it is. But yeah, I mean I think McKinstry is going to help the Cubs.
Speaker 2:Oh, definitely. I think that was a really good trade that helped both ball clubs out. We were excited as soon as we saw it, and you know it should help the Dodgers get where they need to go too.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no again. I think you know, if the goal was to let McKinstry go somewhere to play more, the goal was achieved. And then again we get some bullpen help with a guy that can be a high leverage arm, I think. And if not, you know, you still got to have guys to throw the sixth, seventh inning sometimes. You know. So maybe that's, maybe that's chris martin's role with the dodgers, who knows, we'll, we'll see. He's looked pretty good in the couple of outings he's had since the trade, so we can only hope that that continues and he helps um further solidify that bullpen. I keep saying, sure, up the bullpen, like that's a need. And so many people were surprised and shocked and upset that the Dodgers didn't trade for a starting pitcher. Well, we've got the best ERA as a team in the majors.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they didn't really need one.
Speaker 1:So you know and we'll talk about the Joey Gallo situation here in a second but I was not surprised to see the Dodgers, for the most part, stay put Because and Andrew Friedman said this in his many words that the Dodgers brass likes the vibe in the room right now and they didn't want to mess that up by making a move for the sake of making a move.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:So you know it'll be interesting to see you know again. There's so much talent on the injured list for the Dodgers and a lot of it is coming back soon. So you have to look at that and say, well, if, if you need a boost at the deadline in order to win the world series, that might be the boost the dodgers get. Is those some of those guys coming off the injured list and performing at a high level?
Speaker 2:coming back just at the right time, just healing up, miraculously healing up. No, I'm just kidding they they get back into the game right when the team needs them, and that's that's that's gonna be awesome for you guys yeah.
Speaker 1:So so you know, now the now the race is on. But uh, yeah, joey gallo, this was. This was interesting to me. Um, I didn't think we needed an outfielder, I didn't even really think we needed a bat.
Speaker 1:But here's a guy who, when he was with the Texas Rangers, was one of the most productive left-handed bats in the game and put up some crazy numbers pretty consistently. And he goes to the Yankees and Yankee fans seemingly immediately are on his back. To the point where there was an interview I saw it just a few days before the deadline where he talked about the toll that has taken on him and his confidence and that he feels bad because the fans are just constantly on his case through his struggles. Um, so you know, for the Dodgers the price was really low. So if Joey Gallo never gets back to being the guy that he was with the Rangers, then you're not out much.
Speaker 1:But if he does, man, andrew Friedman looks like an absolute genius, because the Dodgers more so with pitching, but even with hitters, the Dodgers have a reputation of taking guys that are cast off somewhere else and turning them into stars. Yeah, they do. Look at Justin Turner and Chris Taylor and Max Muncy and basically the whole pitching staff, and even a guy like Jake Lamb this year he was an all-star in Arizona, has some injury trouble, takes a bet on himself, signs a minor league deal with the Dodgers, gets his opportunity, does really well, and now Jake Lamb is on his way to Seattle, where he grew up. So he goes from a guy that potentially could have been out of the game to now going to play for a playoff team, because right now Seattle's a playoff team and it's a team that he has a pretty vested interest in because it's his hometown team. You know there are stories like that all through this Dodger squad and you know now the hope, at least for me and other Dodger fans, is that Joey Gallo's name gets added to that list.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. I mean again, I think he's going to help, I think he's going to turn out. It's going to be a good move. And you know, you said you thought he'd look like a genius. You know he already looks pretty smart to begin with, so I think it's going to end up being a good move for them.
Speaker 1:I hope you're right, because I think Jake Lamb was a casualty of this deal. There's only so much room on the roster and if you bring in a guy, you know a left-handed bat, who, I think, when the Dodgers are at full strength, joey Gallo is a platoon guy. I mean, I think he's only getting at bats against right-handed pitching Pretty good defensively too, which is, you know, something the Dodgers always try to look at, you know, is how many different ways can you help the ball club? So it's an interesting move and, you know, I've been very encouraged by the fact that it seems like the Dodger fan base is saying, look, let's show this guy that we're glad he's here and we want him to succeed, let's show him the love that he's not been getting from the Yankees fan base. So that's been really cool to see sort of you know, dodger fans, at least on social media, kind of rallying around each other and saying, look, let's treat this guy with some respect because he could help this club and he could be a part of a very special group, and that's that's ultimately why that was the biggest splash the Dodgers made, because this, I think this is a special group that that LA has right now and and there's no need to disrupt that things are going pretty well.
Speaker 1:You know, yes, the teams around you are getting better, but you know, the Dodgers rented you Darvish in 2017, and we see how that went. They rented Manny Machado in 2018. We see how that went. So you know, just making the big headlines at the deadline doesn't necessarily equal World Series championships.
Speaker 2:No, not at all. I mean, you can make all the trades you want, but they have to work out and you still got to win the games. And not every time when you make these miraculous trades, I mean, most of the time they don't work out. Most of the time they had hopes and it just fizzles. So that's why I question a lot of last-minute trades anyway, but this year seems to have went very well for everybody involved, so I'm really excited to see how all this turns out.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean there's a lot. So there's one more trade in particular that I feel like we have to talk about. So this is something we haven't discussed on the podcast. But a few weeks ago there was a group of Royals players. I want to say it was like nine, ten players that did not make a road trip to Toronto because they were not vaccinated for COVID-19. And in order to get into the country of Canada right now, you have to be vaccinated. So these players took a stand and said we're not going. And one of those guys was Andrew Benintendi, who got traded to the Yankees and said I've thought about it and I'm going to get vaccinated. Well, yeah, you play for the Yankees now. Toronto's in your division.
Speaker 1:You better be able to go to the, to canada right even more interesting is, right at the 11th hour of the deadline, really the last trade of any note. That was announced a few minutes after the official deadline, which was 6 pm eastern yesterday. As we're recording, whit Merrifield was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays. Uh-oh, and number one the Blue Jays aren't making that deal. If they don't know he's willing to get vaccinated. Right, but I did see somebody say I guess he's only looking for the Johnson Johnson because he doesn't really have time to get a two-shot.
Speaker 2:He's got to pack up and go. I mean, how do you explain that, Honey? I am not going on the road because I'm standing up for what I believe in. And then the phone rings. Well, okay, yeah, I guess I am going on the road.
Speaker 1:My beliefs have suddenly changed. They have suddenly changed. They have suddenly changed.
Speaker 2:They asked me if I wanted to get paid. I said yes. They said you're going to Toronto, kid.
Speaker 1:And I think Toronto made some good moves. I mean, you know Merrifield's a good ball player, great hitter, you know led the majors in hits I think 18 and 19. So you know he's a top ofof-the-leaderboard type of hitter. They get Mitch White and I think Mitch White helps them. You know they got some pitching and they made some other lesser moves, but you know the Blue Jays are going after it. I mean they're really one of those teams that's doing everything they can to try and win right now. But yeah, I just found that that very, very fascinating and kind of funny.
Speaker 2:Oh it's, it's hysterical, man. I mean, they're taking a stand and doing what they think is right and the and the club kind of you know, says fuck you, you're going anyway oh, my goodness, but you know so much to talk about at this deadline, so many moves.
Speaker 1:I mean we didn't get into a lot of even guys. You know trades we had in the notes. You know Brett Phillips leaving the Rays, which was pretty emotional for a lot of people If you'll remember the 2020 World Series Game 4, brett Phillips with the walk-off hit and he's doing the airplane flying through the air celebrating and just a really likable guy. And he's going to Baltimore now and I think that's great for the Orioles because Brett Phillips is a guy that you want in your clubhouse. And he's going to another contender because the Orioles suddenly are miraculously, almost are in the conversation. They're a couple games out of a playoff spot.
Speaker 2:I mean, yeah, what they're doing is incredible too. I mean, where did they come from?
Speaker 1:What about that division?
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:All five teams in that division are pretty good, I mean, and the red socks are kind of like they're in last place now and they, they didn't. They didn't sell like some people thought they would. You know, um, jd martinez didn't go anywhere, xander bogart's didn't go anywhere, rafael devers didn't go anywhere, but you know they, they made some moves and moves and it didn't seem like those were moves to win. Now you know they let some guys go. They did pick up Tommy Pham, which was fascinating, why anybody would want Tommy Pham on their team. But you know, he's a serviceable major leaguer. You know, just, don't let him in your fantasy football league, I guess, and uh, and you'll be fine, but uh, but yeah, and again, all all these relievers, you know, uh, we didn't talk about rizal iglesias getting traded, michael fulmer getting traded from the tigers, um, you know, we talked about michael givens, just, you know.
Speaker 1:Josh hater, um, you know, will smith, chris martin, I mean, so many relievers getting moved and they're, you know, there used to be this idea that, like trading for a reliever was a bad thing, but I guess we've reached a point now where relief pitching is important, is is Important, is I don't want to give it more value than it actually has. But I think that having a really good bullpen can bridge the gap between, you know, a team that's not in the playoffs to a team that's in the playoffs, or a team that's in the playoffs to a team that's a contender, a real in-the in the conversation contender. And obviously a lot of teams feel that way too, because, again, so many relievers are changing uniforms now after this deadline. So a really interesting couple of days.
Speaker 1:I hit refresh on Twitter probably 600,000 times in 36 hours and it got hard to keep up with at one point. I mean just a lot of moving and shaking, unwieldy, if you will, a little unwieldy, a little loose with some of the trades. But yeah, now it's's, you know we're in august, you know we got, uh, you know, two, three months left in the season and it's uh, it's about to be home stretch time yeah, I mean we're.
Speaker 2:We're getting down to the nitty-gritty, if you will. We're getting down to the chase for october, the run for october, if you will, yep, and that's the most exciting time in baseball it is.
Speaker 1:It is going to be very exciting and, uh, we look forward to that. But, brian, that's just about going to do it for us. Is there anything you want to get off your chest this week, anything we've not covered today?
Speaker 2:no, I think we're good man. I think we're fantastic, we've covered it today. No, I think we're good man, I think we're fantastic, we've covered it all. I mean, you know, maybe next year you'll be on another podcast, because maybe I'll have somebody else sitting in that chair. I'm going to hit free agency, you're going to hit free agency.
Speaker 1:I'm going to try to go get paid.
Speaker 2:You'll move up, I'll have to find another host of the show that I can co-host with.
Speaker 1:No, I wouldn't do that to you, buddy, okay.
Speaker 2:So if you go, I go yeah yeah, something like that.
Speaker 1:Okay, great, all right, folks. Well, that's going to do it for us this week. Thank you so much as always for listening to us wherever you happen to have us downloaded or pulled up, and if you're watching on YouTube, we appreciate that as well. And if you want to subscribe to the YouTube, we have a direct link on our website, 2gtbcom. We also have links to a lot of the popular podcast platforms, so you can find us pretty quickly that way, and links to all of our social media. I am most active on our twitter. Brian sort of runs the facebook, so if you want to get a hold of us, that is a great way to do that, and we will have more exciting baseball talk one week from today, but until next week, I'm dallas danger for brian logan. Happy baseball, we'll see you at the field.