3/10/26: AL Central Preview

0:00Welcome back to the chatting average and in the words of the state of Palestine, what's up, Palestinian flag, palm tree, Dominican Republic flag, as they retweet Bleacher Report walkoff on Twitter or whatever you call it. Maybe it's X, they re-exed, they uh, I don't know, we haven't figured that out yet. This is the chatting average, I am John, that's John, that's Adam, and we are just two, count them, everybody count them with me, one, two, two. Divisions away from finishing our divisional previews before the season starts, and that means there are count them, one, two, three, weeks away from opening day of the beautiful

1:03list sport to ever grace America, a sport where let's warm up for 40 games, then let's play 162, and then let's do fort, like let's just do a month where everybody figures it out and somebody's the champion. This week, instead of talking about spring training, which doesn't matter at all, Cal Raleigh's up with the bases loaded right now, I want you guys to know that there's actual baseball that matters right now, it's called the World Baseball Classic, it's pretty sick, we didn't talk about it last week, but if you haven't tuned in yet, you should peep this. If you're listening right now, turn it tune in to America versus Mexico, it's happening. The bases are loaded two outs bottom the first Cal Raleigh, the big gumper into the plate. They're literally not going to see this until after this. This isn't a live podcast, this isn't a live podcast, John, no, but you wouldn't know because you guys wouldn't know because you don't help with any of the cur of the during

2:04or post-production. Oh, I'm so sorry guys, let's start with the fifth prep work that I've written out completely by myself. I did not say free production, I did not say free production, I said during a production. I know, you do the during in the post and Adam does, uh-huh, and that's what you got out of it. I used to still search for an answer. Cal Raleigh just struck out, in case we were wondering. Last year, Cal Raleigh, don't bet on him. Don't bet, it depends on where you're listening. In your age, or do you enter age? All right, last year in the American League Central, because that's the division we're on, the guardians in the top spot, seven games over 588 and 74, they lost in the wild card. The Detroit Tigers, 87 and 75, they beat them in the wild card and then lost to the Mariners

3:05in the ALDS. The Kansas City Royals won game above 580 to an 85, count them five games back in the wild card. The Minnesota twins, 70 and 92 on the year, if you remember, they traded everybody, not named Pablo Lopez and Joe Ryan at the deadline, um, 18 games back in the wild card race. And finally, the Chicago White Sox at 60 and 102, 28, count them one, 28 games back in the wild card. This is a division of baseball thoughts. I don't know why we always save that, like, I understand that we save our three divisions for the last, but like, objectively speaking, this is the one that I enjoy talking about the least year in and year out. I think we'll have fun with our, our, our first team here, the Cleveland guardians in the off season.

4:05They've added two guys. I know the names of Sean Armstrong, Connor Braggian and Peyton Palette or Payette Day. I don't know because he probably won't matter. It could be palette, but I feel like it's not a non roster invite of Reese Hoskins. Can we talk about why Reese Hoskins is a non roster invite on any team in the league? Yeah, I'm surprised that he's not getting a big league guarantee deal to begin with. I think it's a slightly, yeah. In the off season, they've resigned to Austin Hedges, Kobe Allard and Ben Lively, huge for Ben Lively, Blake Lively's brother, maybe. Jacob Judas, Lane Thomas, Sam Hentges and John means all gone. This team has a lineup that is projected to play against right handed hitters. Most do thoughts, guys, thoughts, oh, I should mention currently injured right handed

5:09pitcher Andrew Walters, last surgery on in June of last year, and then currently getting investigated by the federal government, Luis Ortiz and a manual class A are both not going to play this year, I believe. Why would that? We don't that the investigation is ongoing. He's giving me a PR answer. He knows. Use code chatting average for $50 off your first bet. No, no, no, no. That is a great segue, Adam, though, to get into our first sponsor, call 1-800-John Adam and John, if you are currently being investigated by the federal government, we're not going to do anything, but we'll put you on the list as well. That's also not a live phone number. Like, I don't know where to get that phone number. That's a whole lot of conventions of a phone number either, like that would be far too many digits.

6:09The end was an amp or sand. So, why not? So, why not? This team, please. Listen, look, this, every year I am confused as to how the guardians end up. In these positions. Because New Guardian Wing. Can I also mind everybody? Yes, I can, real quick. This team also wanted to trade everybody at the deadline, but chose not to. And then won the division. Stephen Kwan was the biggest trade piece of the offseason or of the deadline. Everybody thought he was going. Everybody knew he was going, almost. And then he didn't know. This, like, please, please respond. But, like, every time I would have been surprised if the guardians won 100 games, I'd be surprised if they lost 100 games. Like, if there's a team that you could never figure out, it is the Cleveland Guardians. And then they just didn't do anything. Okay. I do hate to say that that is every team on this list except for the Chicago White Sacks.

7:13Now, the funny part is that they fully intend to give Stephen Kwan center field reps, which I get it. Go, Glover, and left field. Why? Like, I don't know why, though, because, like, the Lauders fast, and he's going to get those starts. Like, he's fine out there. He's a very good center fielder. Yeah, like, there's not, there's like, the Kwan center field thing just doesn't, it just doesn't stick. I mean, it's like, it's like whatever. I think he'll be perfectly fine out there. He is a gold glove outfielder. He's very good in the field. I just don't know why is it, does it make him more attractive in the, in at the trade deadline? Like, I don't, like, if they're just going to be like, hey, sometimes you can go play center, then it's like, okay, I guess you're just proving that he can before you try to trade him again. And then dumb. Yeah, but by and large, I think anybody that's seen his body of work knows that he'd be

8:16a serviceable center fielder to be, yep, yep, yep, yeah. So I don't know. This team is very weird. This team probably still wins the division. Like, that's just how this division goes, right? Like when you get a bunch of punching bags to line up for, it doesn't take a lot to knock him over. Well, my other thing is like, if you look at this projected lineup, like, every picture in the American League Central, that's good as a referee and every guy on this team hits from the left side. And I think that's why they win games. I think you can almost break it down to, they've got a lot of guys who hit from the left side. Well, they also this, I mean, this starting rotation is, I mean, I like Gavin Williams. I like Tanner Bibi. Logan Allen is a apparently Panamanian, Panamanian, Panamanian, he's playing for Panaman's

9:21World Baseball Classic team. I've been a long time acting member of the Slade Chaconian fan club. So through that, you, the group of solid started, you, yes, rotation, you, yes, you, you can do some more swings and misses, that's Slade Chaconian. That, that is a loser, dude, ground balls are dying. If I, if I, Brian Roqueo and Gabriel Aries in my middle infield, I just take ground balls to honestly, like, those are Amiris, huge extension in the off season, you know, big forward. Hang on. You two could also play for the Panamanian, WBC team. If you were born between any of the years of 1903 to 1999 and lived within five to ten miles of the Panaman Canal, well, you believe it or not, yeah, I hate to tell you this,

10:33you know, I know I wasn't born in 1903 to 1999 and I know I've never been to Panaman, much less anywhere within five to ten miles of the canal. I do think 1977 and 1999 is the correct time. I think that is when you could probably get dual citizenship, that was when there was joint control. Anyways, this team projected 79 and a half wins. What else do you have to say, please, I mean, Adam, Adam, wait, have you scrolled down to the bullpen yet? Don't do it. Don't do it. If you have a jet, don't, John, have you? I have. Damn. I was going to ask you guys to name four people in this bullpen. You don't even looking at, even looking at this list, there's not four names I recognize.

11:36I'm the Cadets, Sean Armstrong and Matt Festa. Maybe. Sure. Probably not. But again, the thing about it is that this is Cleveland we're talking about. The track record shows that they'll be fine regardless. One of these guys is gonna pop two or three. These guys will pop even. That's just their track record. It's just what Cleveland does. They just do this. I would say. That's right. I think, and I'll put this down as a prediction, but I think the Cleveland Guardians are the Minnesota twins of this year. I think that they will make a lot of trades at the deadline. I think the only guy left on the team that you care about will be Jose Ramirez. 79 and a half wins. John. I mean, I'm gonna take the over. This is the most 88 win team ever.

12:37Like, they did nothing and will do the exact same thing they just did. Yeah. I mean, this is a very classic case of big fish and a small pond. I'll take the over as well. Very comfortably. I'm also taking the over because even though they will trade everybody, they will somehow still get 80 wins. Okay. Moving on to the trade tigers, man. They add Fromberville does. Justin Verlander, Kenley Janssen, Andrew Anderson. Just a reminder, halfway through the year, Kenley Janssen will want to trade and he'll end up on the Dodgers and win another World Series. And Justin Verlander will. He's approaching heart attack age. So I don't know what'll happen there. They reassigned Glaber Torres, Kyle Finnegan, Tomas Nido and Tanner Rainey. And then they lost out on almost everybody else that they needed to reassign or wanted to reassign or could. Chris Paddock, Andy Aboniaz,

13:38Paul C. Waldroffio, Montero, Alex Lang, Jose, and Jason Foley, Manuel Margot, Tommy Kenley and Alex Cobb still on sign. Huge, huge. And somebody answer a question for me. Oh, I have a quick point that I want to hop in before we get too deep into the weeds with the trade tigers too. Because you mentioned Kenley Janssen in the early discussion here. And I have a quick Kenley Janssen aside that I don't want to get too sidetracked with. I don't want to point out to you guys. Before he was a majorly baseball closer, do you know what position he played in his first World Baseball Classic? I know. He was a catcher. He was a catcher. That was my fun. See, this blip. He was incredible. He got in it. He gunned it. No way. That's why he's a majorly baseball pitcher. No, no, he should have stuck with catcher. What a great. He should have. That the Dodgers don't need a catcher at the deadline every year. So it must be so nice to be Kenley Janssen.

14:43Oh, my God. Oh, my God. No. Thanks. Thanks for the World Series, guys, but I'm going to go try my hand in free agency. Signs $10 million deal. Gets traded back to the Dodgers. OK, guys, thanks so much. I'm going to go try my hand in free agency. No, no, no. I remember asking a question. How does this team win games? Like, let's go back. They won 87 games last year. And the only person who's not here that matters anymore in the lineup is Andy Abanias. Kevin McGonigal. You are really expecting big years from McGonigal. You're expecting a big year from Wenzheel Perez. You're expecting Spencer Torkelson's return to form to not be a flash in the pan like, right?

15:44Exactly. This is a team where a lot of things are going to have to break right for them. Noted. I mean, my thing is I'm good. Please. Noted. You've got to be in my Jones. Jimi Jones. Noted to be in my Jones. I want to do that. Anyway, that's it. Kevin McGonigal, big prospect for them, someone who they've been waiting for a while to bring up. I'd like to make it clear. I know who Kevin McGonigal is. I just will he be the right guy. Also, you're asking him to play shortstop. So good luck. Like, opening day guy to go play shortstop. And he's, you know, also got to figure out how to hit at the major league level and everything else. Like, Kerry Bond's carpenter, great. That's fun. Riley Green, is he not like 24 years old somehow, right? Is he not still like five? He's the youngest man ever. Spencer Torkelson, maybe Torque figures it out

16:47and keeps it going. That's, I mean, you know, continues from last year. Riley Green is only 25. Yeah, exactly. And it's like if he just keeps going. The youngest person ever. He continues to be the youngest person ever. And his, you know, his stock continues to rise and how he's played. I mean, like, we're going to be at the end of the year. I'm going to be like, OK, so the Detroit Tigers have wrapped up the A.L. Central with 96 wins. Like, also, like, when you look at this rotation, Matt, two, one day I want a rotation where I have to score two runs to win a baseball game. Yeah. Like, you're literally hoping Justin Verlander just isn't bad this year. And if he is, oh, no, Jackson Joe, Jackson Joe back at some point this year.

17:47Resoulson also supposed to be back at some point this year. Resoulson also supposed to be back this year. Technically, Troy Mountain only has a strained elbow. We know what that means. So probably not. I like this pitching staff as, as, well, I like the rope. I like the bullpen better than I like Cleveland's bullpen. I don't know that I like the rotation quite as much as I like Cleveland's rotation. But I think that the staffs overall are very comparable. If that's, if that's, if that makes any sense. Do you guys think Casey Meisel would be good this year? That's the question I've been asking for, like, 60 to 20. Yeah, three, three, eight, 70, R.A. last year and 28 starts, but his best technically, not his best season. 2021 was his best season. Three, seven, one, and 30 starts.

18:48Comparable innings literally off by four outs. I don't know, man. Like that guy, that guy's a pretty damn good fit day. Yeah. I mean, that's, that's the thing you have to realize, right? It was like, my, I think when he came up, he was heralded as maybe somebody that could have been a front-of-the-line for the rotation guy. He is not that never was going to be that. But what, and then the weirdest thing now is like a, a plus plus back of the rotation guy. And every playoff team needs one of those. I'd love to have that guy. And then like that, the same thing with Joe is like, Joe was supposed to be, like, they were coming up literally at the same time. And then, and the funniest thing was they were all coming up at the same time. And Terrick Scooble was the third guy who was like, well, if he works out, he works out. You know, if not, we've got Joe in mind. So we'll be fine. Yeah. Like, I don't know, Jack Flared. Jack Flared, he's back. Yeah, let's see if that one works out this time.

19:50I'd like to remind everybody that in 2024, when Jack Flared, he got traded, this team went on a run and made the playoffs. They weren't in the playoff picture until after Jack Flared, he got traded. However, the package back for Jack Flared and Kenley Janssen from the Dodgers, at the trade deadline this year, could be really fun. It could add to next year's team when they resigned to Jack Flared and Kenley Janssen. I mean, what? I think this is the best team in the, in the division. I don't know if that's how the games work out. But I think this is the best of people there. What's up? I said, there's certainly a case to be made. I mean, I think they're better than the Guardians. I mean, I think the Guardians are most terrible. I mean, someone's got to be the best, I guess. Yeah. Hey, man, the white socks are there just wait for what? 88 and a half wins. I don't want to go first. Don't make me go first.

20:51I have no idea. I'm going under 88, it's a little high. It's a little rich for my blood. I'll go under as well. OK, I was wondering if you guys were high on them. So I didn't want to be the only one to be like, I'm going to go under. Yeah, it's under here. Like this guy. So yeah, when I pick the white socks first in the division, you're not going to be mad at me anymore. Next up, the Kansas City Royals. John and I may be going to the game within the next 35 days at their beautiful ballpark. It's true. It's not really a beautiful ballpark. I say if I was living in 1993. Yeah, that ballpark's not going to be there long. You better appreciate it. We'll celebrate it. All right, I'd like to.

21:52I'd like to read you the names of the washed up acquisitions that these guys brought in this year. What? Isaac Collins, Starling Marta, Matt Strom, Nick Mears, and Alex Lange. They did get Lane Thomas, which is cool. Can't wait for him to be a Dodger at the end of the year. Look, I mean, they did. They also resigned Luke Bailey, which is huge. Isaac Collins is young. Gish. Gish. He's like, he's young. Is Isaac Collins younger than Riley Green? Yeah, no, 28 and 230 days. So he'll turn. Not even close. 263 batting average last year on Milwaukee in 130 games. Look, I mean, look, I get, like, where'd you

22:53get this opening day line up, John? Roster resource. OK. I do not think Salvador Perez makes. He will not, he will make less than half of his appearance as a catcher. OK, cool. Agree. Who's going to take those starts? Carter Jensen. Carter Jensen. Right, right, right. Yeah, good point. But you almost, OK, so we'll get down to the socks in two more teams. But like the sound of two guys they want in their lineup every day, right? Yeah. So you have to have a third catcher on the team. And it's the Royals. So Salvi will play 162 games this year if he's helped. No matter if he's behind a plate or Daging. So the issue comes there or first base, right? The issue then comes, well, who turns into the third catcher

23:53on this team? I don't think it really matters because who cares. But like, if you got three catchers, you got no catchers, as they say. What? No, no, you have three catchers. Wait, wait, wait, wait till we get to the white socks. We have three catchers. So you have no catchers. So you have no catchers. OK, with that being said, when you try to balance your checkbook every month, and you look at what came in and what went out, my god, a lot went out. A lot of potential guys that you would be happy to see in your lineup went out. And Isaac Collins is back. That's all you got. Lane Thomas is cool. Starling Marta isn't even making the roster. We're trying Kyle Isbel in center field again, like, really? He's fast. He's fast.

24:54He doesn't know how to play anything off the wall. He doesn't know how to get on the wall. He doesn't know how to make a play when running near somebody else. But he's fast. But he's Kyle Isbel and he shares a name with that one country singer, am I right? Yes. Jason Isbel. That's his brother right here. I don't think Kyle Isbel and the 500 and something unit. And the 265 and something unit. Big answer here, right field, Jack Caglione. That's the man who I've seen the deepest home run ever hit by a human being in person at. I would be shocked if he is not a career first baseman at the major league level. I don't think he's that far enough to play the field personally. That's so cool. Adam, you're so right. I agree. However, where? Yeah.

25:54If Vinny's your first baseman, and he's too old, but he's still too OK of a hitter, and he's our George Brett of this generation, and we want him to play 162 games if he's healthy. Where else are you supposed to play? The guy you literally took with the top five pick. And it is a picture you took with the top five pick. The picture Jack Caglione. That's fine. Did I say a picture? That is a good point. Yeah, that is a good picture. I should've got about that. A good picture. Notable, notable. One guy who gave up a loss to the Missouri Tigers two years ago. And then he got drafted to the MLB. If I'm not mistaken, they got swept that series. They got swept that series, and he was the damn Sunday starter. He was in charge of salvaging the series. And I think he gave up a home run to somebody named Pierre Seals.

26:55Also, he hit the third of a back to back to back home run yesterday. So anyways, I just don't like the royals because of how stupid that is. Legitimately, put him back in the rotation. Turn him into a pitcher if you're just going to stick him in the outfield. Like, oh my god, turn him into Shohei Otani. He's not, he's nowhere near as good on either side of the Shohei Otani spectrum of pitching and hitting. But if you're just going to stick him in right field and let him pitch too, I mean, who's your frickin' closer, Carlos Estevez? Okay. Their bullpen also confuses me. Why is it better than their rotation? Also, why would I understand Kansas City Royal fans hate? I understand why they do not like their team year after year.

27:57While we're on the topic of the rotation, are we sure we're good with running back Michael Waka and Seth Lugo again? It'll work this time. And when that doesn't work, Alec Marsh should be back soon. Unfortunately, Steven Colec strained his oblique last month. I strained your oblique too, by the way. You're also, you, your oblique is strained. Also, check your handmade bone. Oh. Ow. Yeah. Now check one. Oh. My whole hand hurts because I don't know where the handmade bone is. It's great here. John's pointing to the middle of his hand saying it's right here. Sure. Yeah, it's in your hand, dude. All right. God, dude. Oh, my God. Like, can you just imagine like Cole Regan's gets hurt?

29:01And this rotation turns into Michael Waka giving up six runs a day. There are a lot of ways that it goes wrong, I think, for... There's a lot of ways it goes wrong for every team. Like, which is why I don't like this division. I will say, if this rotation can get them to the sixth inning on a regular basis, they'll be fine. I agree. Matt Stromm-Lukaser said Carlos Estevez is kind of a crazy 789. Now those guys have to stay healthy too. But we only, we all, you know, and who gets investigated on this team by the federal government. I don't know. Bailey Falter, you're up. You think Bailey Falter is getting investigated by the federal government? No. Maybe I know some things. Now, I do think it's funny.

30:03Bobby Wagein years on Kansas City Royals team. And Team USA manager, DeRosa thinks that the best shortstop in the league can't swide over to second base, because him and Gunner are swapping in and out at shortstop every other game. Anyways, 82 and a half wins for the overrunner for the Kansas City Royals. I mean, I'm a little more bullish on this Royals team than I am on other teams in this division for whatever reason. I think this is a very middling division again, but for whatever reason, I just, I got a feeling about the Royals this year. I'm taking the over and feeling pretty comfortable. And abusive calling a Royals World Series appearance. Aaron Judd with an outfield assist.

31:05Oh, man, I'm Aaron Judd. One overrunner, 82 and a half. Yeah. Over. This is a team that could win, and I don't think they deserve it, but I don't think anyone in this division deserves to win. I think we should just fold the whole AL central. Now, finally, this is a platform I can get on. I have them at under, you'll see in two more teams that under means exactly 82 wins. The Minnesota twins had a lot of guys to replace this year didn't. Josh Bell, Victor Carantini, Ryan Creedler, Taylor Rogers, Anthony Banda, Eric Orsay, and Andrew Chafin on a non roster invite, Christian Vazquez, Genesis Cabrera, and Michael

32:10Tonklin say goodbye. Um, wow, yeah, that's a good way to stop. This team sold everything interesting off last deadline, so now they have Luke Keishaw, who was actually pretty good down the stretch. Um, yeah, this is a fun team to watch, but by no means a good team to watch. They have one of the most passively interesting rotations, I think, in the sport, and not interesting necessarily in a good way, but uh, there's some names here, Joe Ryan, Bailey O'Bare, Simeon Woods Richardson, Todd Bradley, the former uh, raised wash out top prospect,

33:11Mick Abel, another former wash out top prospect. Like, there's some interesting names here. My favorite thing about this, this rotation is like, hell yeah, Joe Ryan, he'll be good. Bailey O'Bare is tall. Simeon Woods Richardson is good every fourth day. He's short, he's not tall at all. And then they're like, and then they're like, he'll touch Bradley is good. I hope Mick Abel can figure it out. There might, there might be some meat on this bone. But unlike the last team, the Kansas City Royals, the Minnesota twins, if they get to the sixth, they will lose. They have to get to the ninth. And those guys aren't doing that other than Joe Ryan. This is saying this is a long time appreciator of Taylor Rogers. Like, this is not the Taylor Rogers of his last instant.

34:14No, it's rough, man. This uh, might be on a hundred loss watch. We might be on a hundred loss watch with this team. I'm glad you say that. Royce Lewis, have yourself a year. Play more than 60 games. Let's go, man. Let's have a great year, Royce. He will have a year, you, April. And he will not play in May. It's going to be a matter of this entire conversation applies to you as well. Who, who, who? Oh, yeah. Who? Yeah. Who? Uh, who? Who? All right. Who? 72 and a half wins under what are you serious? I will take the over, uh, I mean, the under.

35:17I'll also take the under. Ladies and gentlemen, the team in this division who had the greatest off-season of these five teams. The Chicago White Sox. In this off-season, in this off-season, Jerry Reinstorf gave up more of the ownership to Justin Ispia. That was the biggest get of the off-season. The next will be when the nuclear bomb blows up inside of Jerry Reinstorf's head. Justin Ispia put it there. They got Luna Takamorakami. Austin Hayes. They got Luis on Helikunio back with the, uh, the Luis Robert trade. Is Everson Pereira a part of that trade, too? Or am I still? Yes. Yes. They got Everson Pereira in the same trade. Anthony K. Eric Fettys back. So Anthony of Dominguez, Sean Newcombe, Jordan Hicks and Alexander. Wait, he might not be. I don't remember. All right. He's on the team, though.

36:17The free agency tracker, they let everybody bad walk. Evil Mike Talkman. Tyler Alexander. Martín Perez, who will be making at least 20 starts for the Atlanta Braves this year. No. No. That guilt Castro. I'm very sad that Dan Altavia is not on the team anymore. Bryce Wilson and Josh Rojas. And of course, evil human being and enemy of the program, the worst person to walk this face of the earth, Mike Clevenger. Bryce Harper just hit a line drive into the leg of the Mexico pitcher. And he's currently being looked at by a trainer. Is the Mexico pitcher from the Chicago White Talks? His last name is Cruz, currently working on getting a first name. No, but he's on the Missouri Tigers basketball team. Oh, no. Oh, Jacob. No. The Cruz crew is going to be devastated now.

37:18Oh, okay. I feel it is my turn to talk about my team, right? Please, please. So this is Isobal. We're clearing the court. Oh, you take over. Isobal. Chase my draw. That's cool. I hope you don't end up being our day one or like court second baseman for when we try to win again. But I love you on the team right now. You're so fun. Kyle Teal, my child. Oh, you're awesome, dude. Colson Montgomery. You're going to be so good on a different team when we trade you because we suck. I'm going to talk. I can't wait to catch a moon shot. I'm going to go Vargas. I can't wait for you to get traded. Andrew Bennett, Tendi. Take a walk on the south side without any protection. Austin Hayes, let's go. Brooks Baldwin, I'm excited.

38:19Edgar Quarrow. Heck, yeah. Corrie Lee, I'm all right. Lenin Sosa, you're fun sometimes. At least on Helikunia. I can't wait for you to take Andrew Bennett, Tendi's spot when he's in the hospital because he got shot. All right. I don't want to talk about the rotation. I really don't want to talk about the bullpen. Other than the fact that Kai Bush and Druth are per bolt injury. How long is TJ? Too long. It's a very case by case injury. March 2025. It's possible. Irritically. So, supposedly, which is, I'm terrified of this, but I wouldn't call. Aaron Judge. Home run. USA. We'll open.

39:19USA. All right. Druthorp supposedly has some elbow discomfort while throwing bullpens. That's never something you want to hear in March. That's never something you want to hear from the guy who's coming off of Tommy John. Well, yeah, yeah, yeah. Kai Bush should also be back. I don't know where they'll use him. I have a feeling he'll be a bullpen piece by the end of his career. Shane Smith is the opening day starter. Can't wait. Day one. Game one. Win one. Eric Fettie. Welcome back. 67 and a half wins. Six. Let's get 70. Six seven. I'll take the over honestly. I'll take the over.

40:22You have to take the over if you're going to have them win 95 games this year is all I'm saying. That's not why I said we got going to have them win 95 games this year. I'll take the under. I'm taking the over. No, we know. I don't want to hear it, John. You took the under. You took the over on the on the Atlanta Braves. Yeah. All right, ladies and gentlemen, that means it's time to give you our division standings predictions. Please all of you move to the bottom of the prep worksheet. To put it in your own teams. And John, we'll start with you. Your division winner. I will have the Kansas City Royals as my winner.

41:27Okay. I will have the Detroit Tigers as my division winner because why not 88 games wins you the American League's Central this year. No. I am actually going to have to agree with Mr. H here. I believe this is the Kansas City Royals year. John, you're second place team. Go Tigers. Mine is the Royals. I'm trying to remember what I had them at. Ah, yes, 82 wins. Adam, you're second place winner. My second place team is the Cleveland baseball spiders.

42:32There you go. They're spiders now. It would have been a monument and a much better regret. John, your third place is the Cleveland baseball spiders. I have also in third place the Cleveland baseball spiders with 80 wins. My third place squad is the Detroit Tigers just about five times. John, your fourth place team. Chicago wide socks. My fourth place team is also the Chicago wide socks. Eight games over there over under at 75 wins. Adam. My fourth place team at the Chicago wide socks.

43:3566 wins for them. What is bullish is Mr. U. I'm going to start with the Minnesota Twins. I mean, what what a bad team. Unfortunately, they're going to have to change their name because you can't spell wins out wins. Um, I have them as 63 game winners for the first time in I don't know how long as 63 game winners for the first time in I don't know how long this division does not produce a hundred loss team. Wow, that would be that would be something. Unfortunately, disagree. I have them dipping below the 100 loss line. But yes, it's the it's wins with the seller drug, dweller of this division. I think that's a pretty blatant this year. I'm so glad it's not me. Last time this division did not produce a hundred loss team was

44:362022 and in 20 and 30, you say a big now. And in 2023, they produced two 100 lost teams. All right, before we get to the grid, I have a new game I'd like for us to play. Okay, everybody type in stat pad game. Oh, I do know this item, is this what you thought it was? Uh, this is what I thought it was, yes. Okay, for John, just so you know, as you can see, did you type it in? Yeah, okay, as you can see, ERA is the category. Right now our average score is zero. You're trying to get the lowest average score or the lowest or the highest amount of runs or the highest amount of stolen bases was yesterday.

45:37We're doing the lowest ERA because that's what we prefer. And you have to do it as it matches with the categories. So you have the American League West and last year, the lowest ERA, per with 100 qualified innings. So somebody from that team from last year who had the, or those five teams that had the lowest ERA. Okay, I argue no looking anything up. Uh, I mean, just play the game. Do you want me to say what I'm doing or? Uh, if do you have an answer that you'd like to put in? Yeah, for ERA for the AL West, Nathan, they evolve. And I believe that should be a very darn good answer. And actually it is the best answer that you could possibly provide. Next line would be an MLB player, so it doesn't matter from wherever,

46:40from 2015 to 2025 born in the Dominican Republic. Dominican Republic pitchers are like Sandi Alcantara. I think Luis Castillo is from the Dominican. Uh, Christian Javier. Christian Jocent. You're from the Dominican Archie John. Renaldo Lopez is from the Dominican. I don't think Renaldo Lopez is going to have the lowest ERA season. I'm just going to go out and say that. All right. What's, uh, what's, uh, what's a good Sandi Alcantara year we could use? Uh, when was he supposed to get traded 2022?

47:40I think 22. 22 was probably the right year I would imagine. Want to go with that? I'm fine. Let me get you guys there. Yeah, that's just true. That is the 99th percent tile. So we were one off top answer. Top answer there. Adam. Renaldo Lopez in 2024. Now we need a Marlon. Listen, there's no way, there's no way, there's no way, there's no way. One nine nine ERA, um, a Marlon with the lowest ERA we can see in the last 25 years. In the last 20, in the last 25 years, a Marlon, um, which is an interesting ask because well, they're the Marlins.

48:43We're talking the last 20 years, a name that comes to mind for me is don't you know, Willis? Yeah, that's a good number. That's a good idea. What do you think? What year? But, uh, I mean, Jose Fernandez is also somebody certainly that you got throughout as well. True. Yeah. Each and he thoughts between those two. Fernandez, I mean, he was so good though. What year? 2013 through 20 26 or 2016. Uh, 2026? That's what he's dead. 2013 through 2020 Jesus. 2013 through 2016. I don't know what his best year was. Yeah, um, I don't know. Just go with that 2016 season, I guess.

49:47Uh, 93rd percentile, 286 ERA that year. Oh, 2013 was his best year and was the best option with a 2.19. Now we need a twin from 2015 to 2025. There's also like a larger season's in there. Who? Taylor Rogers. As a starter. We got oh, no. They're under innings. Um, um, it didn't like sunny Gray have a good year there or it's good two years there. That sounds right, right? He did, he did, I don't remember when, but he did. And that's the other issue. Is that because we get from 2015 to 2025 and Sonny Gray has pitched in all of those and for like five different teams, right? So.

50:53I don't know. Anyone you saw from Sonny Gray then? I mean, we can go with them if you guys want to. I just don't know what years. I mean, they've been, they're like, they're in the 2020s, but I also, if you get the year, if you like put the wrong year in as in like, he didn't play for them, it just counts as a guess, but you like it, you can still put something in it and it doesn't like count against you. 23. Three. 25. Try 22. 22. Yeah. John, 22 or 23. Hold on. Look at the coin, ladies and gentlemen. 22. No, 22. 2022, a 3.08 ERA 97th percentile.

51:58There we go. And now we need a Si Young winner from 1990 to 2025 with a low, low ERA. Ton, big question here. When did Greg Maddox, when Si Young's before 99? Great. That's awesome. Also, there's nine years before that. It was also very much peak steroid era. So anything from like late 90s, early 2000s, I think it's going to be a very inflated ERA. And I think we should say away from that. OK. We can go a recent, we could go a recent Si Young. I don't know, I don't know. I think if you do like, if like, he was so good at run prevention, though. Like, I think if we did like, like his, I think he got 94.95, I think, because it was like,

52:58glavenatic smolts, and they like switched off, basically. Like, if we did what, either 94.95, um, slip that coin again. What if we went with like a peak Kershaw season? We could go with the Kershaw season. Uh, 1994. 2014, 2014ish. Kershaw, you want to go with that? I'm just throwing it out there. If you guys are, if you guys are stud on Maddox, we can, we can rock Maddox. It's up to you. I mean, I, I feel good about it. I'm pretty darn good. All right, it's rock Maddox. Maddox 94, right? 94. Yeah. I almost put 2008 in. No. That would be the best possible answer at a 1560, all right. Oh.

54:01Our grid beat 90.5% of other scores. Our worst answer was Jose Fernandez in 2016. But we could, we could so go for Clay Kershaw. Listen, is Clayton Kershaw in the top five here? No. Maddox in 94, Maddox in 95, DeGrominate. We could have gone with either one. Pedro Martinez in 2000 and Justin Verlander in 2022, were the top five answers. Kershaw in 2014 had a 177 ERA. That's 92. That probably puts him at like sixth on this list. Yeah, it's 92nd percentile. Buddy wasn't first. Buddy wasn't first. I encourage anybody who's listening to try that out. There's also an NFL version, which is fun. If you're like good at that as well. If we want to do the grid, we can do the grid. I just thought it'd be fun to do a different game today. All right, I think, yeah, I think that's a good way to wrap it.

55:08Next week, we will be doing the National League West, the division where the, the, the, the atom abuse, the fighting at abuse acts will lose 130 games. The first team to ever do it, we know, probably not. Probably not, maybe 120. That's on the table. We've done that for. I mean, with all due respect, if 120's on the table, I think 130's there too. You'd be surprised. 130's in one. That's in one. And on the other side, the Los Angeles Dodgers will win 130 games, just getting 90 games like they did last year. Yeah, though, they'll win 92 games and still win the World Series and go perfect through the World Series or something, or through the, through the playoffs. I'll start following in September again. It'll be fine. That's what's next. That's next week. Then there's a week in between where we're going to talk about

56:09probably the World Baseball Classic, to be honest. Yeah. That should be wrapping up as we approach that week. USA about five, nothing, as we said, was we currently serving in fuel. If you're currently in the live chat, put USA in the live chat. Thank you for listening to the chatting average. If you want to follow us on Twitter, it's the chatting ABG. If you want to follow John, it's JD, underscoresy, and Sony. If you want to follow Adam, it's King Bus Five. That's the one. And if you want to follow me, it's John Lieber Media. If you're listening on Spotify, like, comment, subscribe. That's YouTube. If you're listening on Spotify, rate the podcast, I'm not going to tell you to rate it five stars, but I think this was pretty five stars. That's all I'm saying. And if you're Mark D'Rosa, move Bobby Witt to second base. What are you doing? Actually, if you're Mark D'Rosa, move Gunner Henderson to second base.

57:10Or if you're Mark D'Rosa, I really don't care. Put a bolt in the lineup. Rice to rank shouldn't even be on this team. Thank you. And if you're Mark D'Rosa, put both, put all your players to second base. That's called amount visit. Bye. I think that's.