Blue Jays Pivotal Series Win + Kawhi Questions

0:001-1. Line by Luja's right center field, down in the gap, rolling toward the warning track. One-one scores for that. Valenzuela shoots in right behind him. First, the third goes payment on a two-run double-finacy, Luja's and the Blue James leading 3-1 in the fifth. 6-3 Blue James, time run as a play. Bottom of the ninth, lover match in the series. The one-two, cold strike three, 100 at the knees, and it's a good day to be a Toronto Blue James. They come back in this game. They come back in this series after dropping the opener to take two or three from the guardians and they are half a game behind Cleveland for that final wild card spot. 6-3, the final score. The first game here, and then I love the way we bounce back. It's a good team and it's always scrappy. It's always tough, you know, all the way down to the end, but I think it sets us up to try

1:02to do it again in Kansas City. And like the way we play. Who would fan morning show Sports Day 5-9 in the fan ban on a Daniellei Fred Jeske? Luja is coming up with their biggest win of the season. It's so far until the next one. They beat the Guardian 6-3 in the rubber match of that three-game set. After the season series, they move within a half game of the final playoff spot in the American League. Things looking up for the Blue Jays because they're clutching up right now. They dropped that first game. That was, I don't know if you want to call it a scheduled loss, but on paper, it looked like the most loosable game of this three-game series with the top two starters starting the final two games. You know what, Daniellei? That's exactly the way it played out. Blue Jays lost the first game. And then great pitching and enough offense. And like a different way of creating offense, which we'll get into a little bit yesterday as well. But yeah, Blue Jays with a huge, huge series win on the heels of the sweep of the Mariners after losing back-to-back series against the Yankees and Royals.

2:07Perfectly timed, absolutely necessary to keep their playoff hopes alive to, well, not just keep them alive, but to obviously elevate the chances of this baseball team being in the postseason. And now sitting here today, one game below 500 first time since late June, that's been the case. And of course, only half a game back of Wildcards, but it was yesterday technically wasn't a must have, but it also felt like a must have. I think the middle game was pretty much a must have. What are they stopping must wins? Because I don't know, you can't have, because I agree with you, winning the second game after losing the first game. One was against Gavin Williams who shoved it down their throats. Those must win. And then to win the season series yesterday and to win that series and to get a half game out, we're like, we're running out of time here. It is September 4th. It felt like a must win. Is it a must win tonight against the Royals? I would argue probably not. No, that's the thing, right?

3:07You know, even as you look ahead on the calendar, 21 games to go. It's full on sprint mode now. 21 games, you've got Baltimore for six. I think even the way you frame sort of the overall approach for two separate series against the Royals, you're asking yourself, all right, what's a positive outcome, right? You're four and two would be great. You win the series five and one would be fantastic. So even if you do have, there's not a ton of wiggle room, but there's a little bit in there. This series though felt like, okay, especially after the first game unfolded. And towards the end of that ball game, Ben, they kind of treated it like a scheduled loss. It felt like they certainly sort of went about their business in that fashion. Yeah. It put all the onus on winning the next two games. And they to their credit did the job. They scripted it this way. This is how they scripted it. Very opportunistic. Very opportunistic over these two games where they did win. Helps when you get a really good pitching performance from Dylan Seas.

4:09And yesterday, Jose Soriano, wasn't as best. Yeah, it was okay. Helps when the ball pen was fully rested. Yeah. Certainly the back end guys in a game like yesterday. But opportunistic would be the word I would use to sort of describe how the Jace found themselves on the right side of a six three win yesterday. Yeah. Nine base runners probably too many over four and two thirds for Jose Soriano. And a couple of those three earned runs came in as inherited runner scored when Mason Flewhardt he coming off like an epic August where he left two hits the month of August. Sorry that he allowed two base runners, including one hit in his appearance yesterday. But to me, the story of the game was something different. I mentioned it. This is a blue Jace game that just like generally speaking offensively, not so good, right? As we've well covered. But surprisingly like horrible at taking a walk like they cannot this season. They went into yesterday's game tied with the Giants for the fewest walks taken in Major League baseball.

5:10And then they took all the walks nine walks yesterday. And you know what else? They're generally speaking. And I know the numbers don't really back this up. But I'll tell you definitively bad at challenging bad at ABS challenges. They're bad at challenges. One of the worst teams in baseball at knowing what a strike is when to challenge as well. Like they're horrible at that. So two things taking a walk. And ABS challenges that that was their superpower yesterday. I mean, Ernie Clement and Brandon Valenzuela in that definitive half inning took absolutely crucial crucial ABS challenges. And they were correct on both of them both end up walking as well. Part of that nine walk effort against Hannah by B and that was the difference in the game. Two things Blue Jays have struggled with this season. Yeah, I know run scoring in general. But specifically like we're drilling down. Yeah, power has also been an issue. But it's like they cannot walk this season. And you understand it because if a team can't hit a home run, probably not wise to to

6:12walk them. So there is like a kind of a correlation there to the lack of power. And the ABS challenge thing has been an issue. And I for the life of me, it has felt like there has been no real game plan with it. Yesterday, you could see it early in the game. Like Brandon Valenzuela kept like he held his powder on a couple of. He's a challenge. Yeah, but no, I like that. Okay, because it was not a leverage moment. You know what was when he had a chance to stay alive and in a bad and avoid a strike three correctly holds his challenge. Until that point, Blue Jays did a couple of things that they have not done this season. And it put a ton of pressure on the Guardians pitching staff. And they did just enough and obviously Nathan Lucas with a huge two run double ends up cracking the game wide open. Regarding the walks, do you know how many pitches they saw yesterday? Is it team? That that game felt like we were back in the before times with the pitch clock. Is it was I couldn't believe when the game was over. I was like, Oh, okay, it's afternoon game. I can go about my it's like five o'clock.

7:13Yeah, it lasted close to three and a half hours. I think it was like three hours, 28 minutes officially. Yeah, that sounds supposed to happen in a nine in a game anymore. No, and that's I think that's a million walks when you have what? Did 14 combined walks between these two teams? Yeah, plate discipline, walks being issued, the amount of pitchers that were shuffling in and out of this game. The way it was managed by both John Schneider, Stephen Vogue. Yeah, I mean, you could understand the urgency and the importance of that baseball game. The Blue Jays saw 200 pitches yesterday, 200 pitches in a nine inning baseball game in the regular season. And that speaks to having a little bit better feel and patience at the plate, which isn't it runs counter to what their DNA is this year. So that that was definitely interesting and notable. And then even I thought, you know, you pointed out that the instances with the ABS challenge system and playing a massive role in that fifth inning, you know, fourth inning, they

8:15score their first run Vladimir Grotto Jr. He's able to do what? Get on the base and then he beats out a double play like little things. It's yesterday to me felt like the lit you saw how the little things manifested and into sort of bigger more, I guess more impactful moments as that game progressed every, every little thing can make a difference. And that's where the opportunistic element comes into play. A B S C I there was one moment where I thought boy, this could. So the Jose Soryana, I think I can't remember if it was in the first inning or seconding when he's in a jam and he ended up striking out Nathaniel Lo on a 99 mile an hour sinker up in the zone and he got out of it. But he at one point look frustrated that Brandon Valenzuela decided not to challenge a pitch that like that like there should literally be and maybe this is why he didn't challenge in there should literally be an e-dick like this red light green light yellow light right

9:16when it comes to the bases. Some guys have the green light until you know, there's a situation where you have the red light. The blue James should have the red light up until I don't know, a leverage spot you should you should not be allowed to challenge a pitch unless it decides ball like ball four or strike three before the seventh inning or a spot that is high leverage and good on Brandon Valenzuela for not challenging in that moment. So even if it's a gregious, you just don't want to know because they have they've proven Danielle that they don't know what is a gregious and what is it? Yeah, their numbers are not great. I know I understand and I mean Alejandro Kirk who is the primary catcher of this baseball team and he sees he's right up there in terms of the main culprits on either side of the ball by the way, not just as a catcher, but obviously when he's standing in the box as well, I could see I can see I think to me yesterday was perfect because I know that the situation he's describing and yeah, like they would have wanted had they challenged it, but it was not a high leverage spot.

10:19And this team has proven and Brandon Valenzuela specifically has proven he's that's a good at this, right? Like he's he found money revelatory and great defender and like pop in the bat ideal backup catcher, right? Great defender. He's got a cannon for an arm. That's great, but he's not so good at the ABS challenges. So yeah, you don't get free reign to even if you think it's a gregis because here's what we know, you don't know what's a gregis. So I like the idea of holding holding back for a bigger opportunity eliminating strike three with a chance to start a half inning with back to back walks. That is a higher leverage opportunity and he saved his challenge correctly challenged in that spot walks after Ernie Clement walks. So yeah, no, I thought the blue jays showed some discipline with ABS and looked like they had an idea. We're so often the season feels like they have no idea. It also ended up helping them in the ninth because Louis Varling gets a strike out and put

11:21some self an leverage. Right. And they had both of their challenges and they lost one in that night. And you're like, that's okay. Yeah, that's when you're supposed to let it fly. See, I so I generally speaking, I agree with the sort of overall sentiment and also because now you have enough of a sample size to sort of say, all right, generally across the board. There's now a better feel of you want to have these challenges in your back pocket later in the in the baseball game and for reserve it for those leverage moments as you alluded to. How much does the personnel play into it? Like if if do they give more license to certain guys? I mean, if they're if they proved to be good at it, like who's good on this team? No, I for sure point well made. I'm only asking that because are they going to tell say I'll use Vlad as an example, but are they going to say horrible? Yes, but are they going to say, okay, Vlad, unless it's the seventh inning or beyond. Yes, it's a pivotal point. Yes, don't use it. Yes, are they actually going to communicate that? Yes, they should. They should, but are they? They are.

12:22I don't know. I don't know. I guess today did feel like kind of a sea change moment where I saw some guys put the hit. Yeah, we saw those. Yeah, and they put it away. So by the way, so last year, obviously the blue J's offense was entirely different. They were the best offense in the sport from June 1st on. They weren't that they were contact oriented, right? For sure, but there was power there. But they weren't like super walk team. They were a 13th and baseball though and a number of walks taken, right? And how many times did we see this line up just grind a starting picture into dust? I'm thinking of that first Cam Schletler start last year where they just, he didn't, they didn't score a ton off him, but he was done in like the third inning because they just kept working played appearances and kept taking walks when the pitcher offered them walks. If this team could get closer to that version, like I don't think that the power is going to be there the same way as it was last year, obviously, and the idea of this offense getting

13:25back to what it was a season ago, that's, that's probably not realistic. But what I think is realistic is some version of what they did yesterday, which is, yeah, be patient. Wait for your pitch, grind the starter, get into into bullpen's nine walks probably an outlier, but, but I think, yeah, there's something to build off yesterday. What's been the, so the offense has been better recently. There, there have been some stinkers in there here and there for sure. But what's been the common denominator as they've, I think collectively as a lineup have started to string together better at that. To me, I look at the top of the lineup. I look at the guy who's hidden lead off and should continue to hit lead off indefinitely until he proves even against left hand to pitching until he proves he can't do it at this level. But I think it helps when the first guy who steps into the batter's box is routinely giving you a really, really, I don't disagree. And it sets a tone. And the numbers now are obviously indicative of that as well.

14:28We're talking about a guy that since he's debuted has the, and among, just among center fielders, let's get the fourth highest on base percentage in the sport among center fielders. When you've got that presence leading things off, somebody with that approach who is going to give you the Stephen Kwanai Pat. Hey, I'm going to try and be disciplined and swing at things that are in the zone and put the ball in play and run hard. It has a ripple effect, I think, throughout the rest of your lineup. And you know, we're going to talk to Barker later on this morning. And one of the things that Barker talked about last year a lot. And he kind of coined this term for the lineup and the style of offense, the village. There's all about the village, one through nine, right? Pass that baton, apply pressure. And then when you do get a mistake, what do you do? You capitalize on said mistake. And that's where the opportunistic piece of it comes into play yesterday. So by being patient, by eliminating a little bit of some, just a little bit of that chase

15:29and a little bit of that wild behavior in the box, you're probably going to put yourself in a spot where you're going to get more opportunities to score. And you apply pressure. The J's were so, so successful at that last year. And to me, the common denominator has been the guy that's at the top of this lineup. It has been a game changer the way he approaches his at bats. Yeah, Brevagan three for five, hit and 330 with a 380 on base. And you have the slug isn't super high compared to the on base, but it's still 396 when you have a 380 on base, like, yeah, you don't need to have much slug to get the on the slug up. It was weird that he didn't catch the ball in the first inning. It was very, very bizarre. I guess ball he catches. I thought 10 times out of 10. I guess I can't say that. 9.7 times out of 10, but it was all good. Jose Soriano got him off the hook. All right, so the middle game, the Vlad game felt like, that was a thing and it in breaking balls. One of them for a home run.

16:29One of them for a long ringing double that might have been a home run in 14 of 30 ball parks. Okay, but one game does not a turnaround make. Followed it up with the sacrifice fly, which was important at the time. But hugely important sacrifice fly also takes a walk also back to playing great defense. Because that's been non-equivically true. There was like a couple of games in a row where it was like, oh, that's weird. He's not making plays, but he is despite already having a goal club. This is his best defensive season. That's true. It doesn't make up for having eight home runs, but it is true that he is now deserving of his second goal club. Did you feel like you followed up the best offensive game of his season with something else that he can build on? Wasn't an electric on core, unfortunately, but I think they're the best compliment I can pay him is it did feel like he was threatening again. And maybe that I don't know how much of that is. There was a moment late in the game with a base open and mild straw behind him that the

17:33Guardians decided to pitch to him, which was a little curious. Definitely, but at the same time, and you're talking about a guy with eight home runs, I don't know how much of that belief or that faith was directly related or stemming from one performance on Wednesday, but I did feel like, you know, he had to me. It struck me as he had more of a plan, right? It wasn't just a very, where the appats weren't necessarily very isolated and it felt like well, he just didn't know what he was trying to do. There was a little bit of continuity in the plan. I felt from him and they looked way more competitive. Now you got to ultimately the results are what's most important for sure. He apparently made that little tweak to his to his status. Yeah, he's a his heels up now. Yeah, I mean, sure, if it works, if it helps him feel more comfortable, if it gets, you know, reduces the amount of leaning that's going on, great, okay? I'm glad. I don't know why it's taking this long to try something like that.

18:34Unless I mean, this is the only thing that optically we have been able to pick up and notice throughout the course of the season. But again, it's sort of time will tell the quality of the last two days has been, it's been better. Yeah. And actually, I'm glad you brought up the defense because one of the things I, I think, you know, we've heard, we've heard about all season long. He yes, did he sit the odd game here and there and have, you know, a quote unquote, back tightness or whatever the case was where he was dealing with something. He wouldn't be playing gold glove defense and making really, really good plays if he was dealing with something that was going to be a real hindrance. Yeah, he's not injured. Like the idea that all well this season, boy, you guys don't know the end of the year, he's going to have, he's got two punctured lungs and his kidneys fell out in April. No, like he's, he sure he's banged up as is everybody at this time of year. And that's the thing. He plays all the games like give him credit for that. Like he's always played all the games or in his season, he won't have played all the games, but generally speaking, he plays all the games like he's fine.

19:35I think that's important contacts because by seasons end, you absolutely know when, when the dust settles, we're going to hear something, something's going to, and I don't know whatever maybe, but or just the idea of, like to me, like if you need surgery, okay, that was a real thing. I don't think he's like, I, I, hey, maybe I'm wrong. I feel like we want to hurt about that. I guess we know he's dealing with a little bumps and bruises in the back and the hand strings and whatever, but no different than anybody else. I wouldn't think. Correct. And that's why when you're, when he's out there picking it like that though, it does, it does demonstrate the athleticism still there. And he's really, really, he's good. He's good at what he does. He's smart. Well, and, and also seems energized, right? And, and this has been the case, even when he wasn't producing offensively the way he did the final two games of that series is that, and he said this, he did media, by the way, after the game yesterday where he didn't after the middle game. And I guess it's fine when the media just wants to talk to you in a positive light as

20:35opposed to Hazus Sanchez running away after he caused his team seven runs and to have it, that's like less acceptable. It's fine, I guess. If you're the best player on the team, the team, the guy with the 14 year deal if you don't want to do media one day after you actually have a great game and your team wins. But he did media yesterday after the game and talked about how, yeah, it's like all about team victories, right? For him, I buy that. And it's a lot easier to say when you do have your contract, right? Like, you, I understand everybody plays on the team and yeah, the rising tide lifts all boats when it comes to the individuals and their potential future earnings for sure. But it would be hard for especially player headed into free agency not to think about their individual statistics, right? As well as helping the team win. But when you have a 14 year, 500 million dollar contract in your back pocket, I think he also wants to perform individually. But yeah, I think it's easy and believable to me that Vladimir Gerrard Jr is like, yeah,

21:38I can put that on the back burner as long as the team's winning. And I mean, if you want to take the slant that there, there's always this in here and selfish element to all of these guys because that's, that's the baseball is weird. Obviously, it's a, it's a individual sport that's masquerading as a team sport. Right. And all these guys, people don't maybe realize what minor league baseball is like where that is the wins and losses for the teams do not matter and nobody cares. They mean nothing. Like, yeah, nobody cares about the wins. Like the manager, I like conceivably is like trying to pull some levers to win. But like, you'll see these minor league teams in postseason games. Oh, yeah, I know we just got to boot our best player out of the line because there's a major league on a rehab assignment, right? Like it and that's, you play years and years in that environment before you arrive where the wins are the most important thing for the Major League team. And with Vlad though, if the team wins Ben, yes, there will be this is a story, no, no question. Vlad season disappointing.

22:42It's been a really frustrating time for him. But if the team wins, it does, and they make this run again to the postseason, it covers up for some of that. So there is incentive even for him to be like, yeah, I'm putting on a brave face and I'm smiling and I'm going out there and having fun. And sure, have we seen moments of frustration from him? Absolutely. Even even to some uncharacteristic extent where we just, you know, we've seen that it's usually this jovial side of him all the time. But if you do go out there and continue to be positive and show and play hard, just play hard as the bare minimum. He's doing that. If your team wins, now your own personal individual struggles can take a bit of a backseat on account of your group now having this run and getting back to a point where they're not going to meet expectations as a team. The ones that were set out at the beginning of the series. Unless they win a World Series. And unless that happens, which hey, you got to get in.

23:43And if you get in, you never know. And in saying that this team and winning games and being in the postseason, it boasts well for everybody involved, including the guy who yes has his contract. But the story and the narrative, the feel will be much different if that's the case versus if this is a lot of season for the blue jays and Vlad's doing what he's doing. So lots to like from the blue jays in that series. But holy cow did the Guardians boot the ball around all over the place. Very, it wasn't a weird to that's a team that's usually very sure handed. So yeah. And for sure, I mean, there's a drop pop up that precedes the Vlad walk that he eventually scores on after hustling down the line, getting into second base. I still think like most teams probably try to turn to there. Anyways, there's also a bizarre decision. And then Sean Key is coming up with the big RBI base hit after spitting on a couple of breaking balls, although he swung over the top of a couple of breaking balls. I don't almost hit him in that game as well. But yeah, and then the Travis, Susanna, what is going on?

24:44Holy cow. It's just like all series long. And this is it's not the best defensive team in baseball, the Guardians, but third top third defensive team. And it does feel like the blue jays kind of bring this out of teams. Obviously the Yankees that's part of their DNA. So it's not surprising that that comes out of the Yankees whenever the blue jays play the Yankees. But I think it's it's more than just wow. The blue jays are lucky. They run into these teams who decide to have the worst three game stretch of their season defensively. The blue jays offense is not good. We can agree. But they do put the ball and play a ton. They don't strike out. And I think when you have as many balls in play in a series against the blue jays as you do, if it puts a lot of pressure on defenses. And again, the Guardians are supposedly a good defensive team. Yeah, I think that there is more than just, oh, that's weird that the blue jays run into some good luck where teams forget how to play defense when they play them. I think the blue jays do bring that out in teams.

25:44Beyond, if you're Cleveland, beyond losing the series, which is disappointing. And there was the importance was certainly evident in terms of the, the standings. But beyond that, if you're the Cleveland Guardians, this is a team that for years now, their identity has been predicated on playing small ball essentially. Yeah, they've tied a little ball. They've had, they've had, you know, it's, it's Jose Ramirez and everybody else. Yeah. And he stinks this year. And he has, yeah, he's been struggling against righties. That's a problem. And then you sure they had Joe Adele, but that, that part, I'm sure is really, really frustrating and disappointing for them and how they're playing. Again, you want to compare this jays team to the group from a year ago. Well, a year ago, they were excellent at this. Right. They, they forced pictures to come to them. They work counts and then obviously consistently put the ball in play, which the more you put the ball in play, hey, teams are going to be prone to mistakes. And they're not quite as good in that regard this year.

26:48It's been way more inconsistent. But when they have done it, they've proven they can still be very successful at it and be productive in those situations. I feel like when you're not, if you're an offense that isn't just going to be able to slug yourself out of certain problems, you better be able to manufacture runs and just consistently string together those quality at that. And the blue jays did that yesterday. You did it in this series. The blue jays don't strike out. They don't walk. They don't score runs. They hit for like a mediocre average, but they don't strike out. The rays are tops and baseball, few of strikeouts under a thousand. The blue jays second in the sport in few of strikeouts. And yeah, that'll put pressure on your defense. If there are any cracks in your defense, that will show. Jose Sauriano, we just kind of like mentioned him is fine. Ish, I couldn't put some batters away. Couldn't finish innings with two outs. I do view him as not quite the finished product.

27:49And I'm interested to see what he looks like in 2027, assuming there is a major league baseball season in 2027, but it does feel like once the blue jays really get him in the lab, get their, their claws into him that like some of the unevenness is going to be ironed out just because they've been so good with everybody else. And the Dylan sees thing they haven't ironed out the walks necessarily because it's pretty on par for his walks per nine. This season has been in previous, but yeah, obviously the pitch mix has been slightly different. I expect them to improve Jose Sauriano for 2027 as well, but like you can obviously see that the stuff is there and like the potential exists. He's got to be in his own more. Yeah, to me, it's kind of simple. Stuff isn't asked the velocity is there. It's a lead stuff. It's just, I mean, Caleb Joseph was kind of all over it as well that, hey, this guy seems to be searching for strikeouts where, yes, the ending the at bat, hey, it's, it's, okay,

28:49you got your one chance to get the swing out of the zone and so one, two now, okay, time to throw another strike and the batter's on the defense here with two strikes anyway. So yeah, putting it in the zone and allowing soft contact is your best, best bet. It feels like within the course of, you know, the first and second innings, I think yesterday, prime examples of this, a lot of wasted, wasted pitches. And then what happens when you're wasting pitches because, you know, and Caleb pointed it out, like you said, Ben chasing the strikeout at times. If you're wasting pitches and then you get yourself into a battle after being in an leverage count, what does that do to your pitch count? It elevates it and then it's going to prevent you from staying working deeper into games or finishing innings the way that he wants to. The outlier yesterday for him was the damage that was done with two outs and putting himself in a precarious position, timing again. He's been actually really good all season with two outs and among, in fact, the more successful pitches in baseball when he doesn't, in fact, ultimately get to two outs in an inning.

29:51So that was a little bit unusual compared to the norm for him. But I think I am very intrigued by the idea of them having a full off season and being able to digest the information that they've now acquired so far and whatever's the left rest of season to interpret that to say, all right, this is the game plan. This is what we want you to work on and this is how we intend to sort of mold you going for it because yesterday that was maybe the most important start he's ever made. Has it been clear that probably the biggest start he's made. I think easily right? Because he never pitched in a meaningful September game. The first starting made for the Blue Jays was the most important in his entire career because his spend his entire career with the angels with the angels. Exactly. So every start from here on out will continue to be the biggest start of his career. And this is going to be a valuable, valuable learning experience for him. The Jays are learning still about him and his preferences and his overall comfortability

30:55with certain things. You've seen them adjust and adapt to where they want them to throw more sinkers. That's great. Getting them in the zone. It's a little bit, it's a little bit like Dylan C's where you're saying, give us the full off season and then let's see what he looks like once they can sink their teeth into this project. Now he's pretty good, but yeah, I think the potential exists for the Blue Jays to turn him into a legit silent. I see a lot of them. Yes. It was very annoying when Brandon Valenzuela didn't continue to run in the eighth inning. He's running on the pitch and Nathan Lucas double. Maybe he doesn't score, but yeah, the whole idea is that you just keep running. Just just keep running. There's two outs. I was knowing I didn't come back to to haunt the Blue Jays. And last thing, I am not a guy that is like anti air show. I love the air show. I'm going to take my kids to the air show this week and we do it every year. Nice. My kids love the air show. Their favorite part of the air show, a couple of years ago, the Blue Angels were here for the Canadian International Air Show. I understand that the politics between American and this country, not so great.

32:01So maybe that's the last time we'll see the Blue Angels who are from the United States Navy at the Canadian International Air Show, but they're awesome. They're so cool to watch. But if you just hear them and don't see them, that's irritating. It was very irritating on the broadcast. It was so loud. Again, I love the air show. I was like looking at the Cleveland air show this week. I was like, do I make the pilgrim of the blue angels are worth it. They're amazing. And we did. They showed it on the broadcast a little bit. That must have been extremely distracting for the players. Yeah. If you're at home, I didn't get to see the, the, the Wiz Jets. I just heard them and that was irritating. That's annoying. Can't, is there no coordination of trying to understand like, is that, did they absolutely have to rehearse and practice in the middle of a baseball game? I'm sure they didn't care. Well, I'm sure they didn't care. But how, how is there no understanding of like, well, today the Guardians are playing

33:04a home game. Can you, can you work around your scale like an hour before game time? Do it. It was all afternoon. Yeah. And you're right. It's very annoying. And after the first couple of times, it gets, it gets tiresome. I mean, the fact that you, at one point, not only were the players were clearly, uh, Spence Miles had to back off that game. That's what you say. Yeah, they had literally had to pause the game and everybody. I understand that. And it was just like, all right, it's got to be in breath. It's, it, man. I love golf and big golfer obviously. As I mentioned numerous times on this program, um, and like, I'm a mental, I, I have got mental issues with golf. So like, I need total silence, but it, it, it really does put in stark contrast. Okay. So golf, the ball is motionless. It's just you and the golf ball. Right. And I need total silence. Baseball game balls bigger, but you have to hit it with a round object and it's moving and it's a hundred miles an hour. Plus you got an air show in the background and you're expected to do the baseball.

34:05Anyway, yeah, it's not just like they're going to be quiet for you. So wait, how annoyed would you be? How, how angry would you be if there was, has your playing golf, you've got to, well, I, I, I, I just take, I, here's what I would do. I would not, I wouldn't address. I would, I would just wait. Yeah. I just wait. But yeah, no, you can't do that when you got a pitch clock. Although there was like, there was special dispensation made for a spend some while. I don't think he was charged a disengagement. Well, like, yeah, we get it. The blue angels are overhead. Anyways, big win for the blue J starting a series in Kansas City. Tonight we'll get back into the J's after seven o'clock. But when we come back, is it a lot that we haven't seen the Kweiliner trade now officialized after the news of the punishment? And does he really want to be a raptor or does he just want to be out of LA? That and more next is the fan morning show continues. Ben Anest and Yalei Franceschi sports at 590 to the fan. Everything you need to know about the blue J's Blair and Barker.

35:05Be sure to subscribe and download the show on Apple Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Fan morning show sports at 590 to the fan. Ben Anest and Yalei Franceschi. So the Clippers still dealing with the aftermath of the NBA coming down. As hard as they could have come down on their salary cap. Short convention scheme to funnel tens of millions of dollars towards Kweiliner'd five first round picks, $30 million fine, bunch of suspensions, including Steve Balmer for the entire year. And then Kweil, he's coming to grips with the 700K that he has to give up. And what that means for him, by the way, getting to keep the whatever $80 million in and around that. And he doesn't get all that uncle Dennis gets a good portion of it. I'm sure. But like, yeah, no one's coming for that. No mechanism for that.

36:06But good for him. He gets to keep his ill gotten goods. But still waiting for the officially officialization of the official trade that was reported to be consummated between the Raptors and the Clippers. Couple of first round picks, a pick swap, Grady Dick. Brandon Ingram headed towards LA and then Kweiliner'd to the Raptors. Now Kweil seems pretty convinced it's still going to happen. Like in his statement where he said, I'm bad boy, I'll take your $700,000 fine in my return to Toronto. Like mentioned, Toronto explicitly in his statement. So he thinks this is all once this is done, don't worry. It's everything's going to be good to go here when it comes to this trade. And there has been no report to the contrary. But there has also not been a trade call. And you would have thought that I'm sure the Raptors are ready to get business underway as usual and get Kweil officially into the building and get, just get all your ducks in

37:11a row and just get that behind you. Hasn't happened yet. Like, I'm not saying I have red flags up, but I am a little curious that this hasn't happened yet. Today would be the last day before I start getting, I start making sure my red flags are fully affixed so that I can put them up over the weekend. Okay. So for me, I think I'm willing to be more patient with it. And I will set my arbitrary deadline to determine if there's nervous energy. I would set it for me, Ben. I'm going to say Tuesday. And I'm picking that's a purely arbitrary day. That's fine. But the reason they're using more patience than me. Yeah. And I'm not, I have right now today, and I could be proven totally off base here. But if you ask me how concerned am I that this trade does not happen, zero percent, zero percent for me.

38:11Like I am not worried in the slightest because clearly the Toronto Raptors have centered their entire off season around acquiring this guy. And if they didn't and Ben, if they had, they were given an out. Yeah. This realistically they could have said, you know what, hey, we can't afford to sit around. You want us to sit around for an indefinite period of time. You didn't even give us an indication of when it might be, there might be a resolution of any kind. And we, in fact, have finally gotten a resolution. It took just under two months from when they first initially agreed to consummate this trade. The Raptors have been patient to the point that this is, this is the move of their off. It's going to happen. I wonder if it's, if there's dialogue in terms of renegotiating anything, that would be a complicating factor. I don't know why you would like, nothing is changed from a material standpoint as far as the Raptors are concerned, right? Correct.

39:12I mean, does the league have a problem with the Clippers actually recouping first round picks or they want them to have no like, is this too good for the Clippers? Like, I don't think so. I think, I think Adam Silver, honest like going to talk about yesterday, I think once the, the dust settles here and we're a little bit removed from this decision, not unlike the Timber Wolf situation that I wouldn't be surprised if some of those first round picks are restored to the Clippers because you can't have a franchise just in the wilderness for an entire decade. So yeah, I think that's, that's dangerous territory, though, when you're talking about either side of this thing saying, hey, you know what, terms are different now. We didn't know we're going to lose five first round picks. We want a couple more for choir something, which I guess it's conceivable that maybe that, that topic gets broached. But I think all ultimately this is going to be a trade that is executed and processed as originally agreed upon and everybody understands what the outcome is. All the players involved, there's just too much, there's too much on the line, frankly, for this to go sideways for everybody.

40:14Like even for the guys that are outbound towards the Los Angeles Clippers, you know, they, they've been operating under the assumption all off season that they are members of the LA Clippers. It's only been, it's only a formality that's required in order to make it official that this is a real, that this deal is, is going to be processed. And there's no, you know, I think aside from wanting closure on the front that externally now people will know for sure with 100% certainty that this deal is happening. What's the urgency to actually announce it today or yesterday? Like to me, there isn't really much urgency. There is because you've already elapsed the entire off season. Yeah, but what are you waiting for now? Why? What are you waiting for? Like everybody's business is done. Like you just want everybody in the building. No, what if they're, what if, what if they're, before they do this? What if hypothetically, the raptors are having a conversation with co-is agent about what the terms of the extension are going to be? And Ben, we should also not overlook this. And I forgot to mention this yesterday, actually thinking it's important.

41:16The trade kicker that's attached to co-is contract is really significant. It affects where, what apron the raptors are in. So the he has to, in order to make this as, and maybe this is where the contract extension actually plays a part as well. Because if the raptors are going to be really generous on the contract extension and give him basically whatever he wants, which was the indication, co-I might need to do them a solid by waving. I think it's a 15% trade kicker. It's some significant money in order to ensure that the raptors don't dip into, I think it was a second apron. But this is, this was also lumic even two months ago when the trade was going to have. Yeah, and they were perfectly comfortable consummating the trade with the understanding that these two sides were going to come to an agreement on an extension either way. Although I will say even when they announced this and that wonderful tweet from Shams when it was like, yeah, trade has been agreed to in principle back at the in early July or late June, whenever it was. At that point, they didn't have to, he didn't have to make a decision on his trade kicker yet.

42:17So there are some, there are some loose ends that I think do need to be tied up to make sure everything is fully, fully clear and everybody is on board with the plan. But that would be my guess is just making sure that what was actually agreed upon initially is still going to be in place. I have, I still have zero, zero concerns. They've waited around. They've been eager to get the stun. They've been anxiously waiting for the resolution and an outcome and some sort of clarity. They've gotten now. It's going to happen and there's too much at stake for it not to happen for both of these teams. Yeah. And Koishur would like to be playing in front of fans that love him and adore him. And he will feel like the conquering hero returning to. So Brian Wynnhorst of ESPN on his podcast talked about the motivations for Kauai to single out the raptors and say that's the team I want to be trading to do because that's the team I'm going to sign an extension with. Er is the pull quote from it. I don't know if Kauai wants to go to the raptors, but he has to go there.

43:19He has to get out of LA. I know, but if he ranked his choices, I'm not sure that's where he wants to go. I don't want to get into that. Okay. Um, do you care if, if this is his first choice and do you believe that the raptors are his first choice? I don't care if it's his first choice or not. Do I believe it is? Probably not. Yeah, I think probably not. I think all things being equal. Kauai wanted to stay with the clippers. That's it. Like we all understand that, don't we? And then the clippers are like, yeah, yeah, no, it's gone so swimmingly. Let's throw more money at the, at the problem here. Well, I think it's, well, that in general, that's probably a part of it. Let's say, imagine a scenario where this, this whole, the, the, the, the, the specter of the Kawaii saga with aspiration and the Pablo Tory, this all, this whole cap circumvention situation that has unfolded. Let's just say that didn't exist. The clippers would still be sitting down and having a conversation. Do we really want to do this?

44:19Yeah, no, look at what we've, what it's cost. I don't think that the, that the clippers thought that the punishment would be this. And I think if you take Steve Balmer as word, he didn't, he didn't think anything would be uncovered that, that the league would, would also agree that the richest owner in the sport is right. You're right, buddy. No punishment coming your way. So yeah, I'm sure they were operating under the assumption that nothing's really going to come of this investigation. And they consummated the trade and they weren't willing to extend Kawaii Leonard. Which, which from a basketball standpoint, asset management makes all the sense of the world. 100%. You can kind of, you just got to say, hey, we have turning the page. That's what I was going to say. Turn the page on a failed era. Simple, simple as that, unequivocal failure of an era with Kawaii as the centerpiece as the guy that you've tried to build around in it. It didn't work. It hasn't worked. And there's no reason to pump another hundred and thirty hundred and forty million dollars into that player at age 35 on a multi year extension. It just, it didn't seem feasible.

45:20Independent of all this extra stuff, this extra nonsense that was surrounding Kawaii. But in saying that, why did he hand pick the Toronto Raptors? I do feel like, and I, and I remember seeing this when this trade was first bandied about a couple months ago. One, the familiarity with the franchise can't be overstated. Going to a familiar, comfortable place where you know, you know that no matter what, you're going to be fedded, beloved, celebrated. They are going to soak it in this fan base. Even people are willing to completely neglect and dismiss anything that might have happened. They don't care. So you, which is totally fine as a fan to do. It's completely fine and reasonable, especially because we're not talking about something more severe than, and it's not a moral quandary thing, right? It's like, oh, I asked the richest owner in the sport to get me more money. And then I took that money when he offered it to me. People don't also in this market, they won't care that the perception is, or at least the

46:24way the story has been presented is now that Kawaii is just claiming plausible deniability in that even as an adult, as a pro athlete. He's saying, I shouldn't be held accountable or responsible. I didn't know anything that was happening in my life. So nobody's going to care. I think the owner's, by the way, like just as an aside, I think the owner's should and has proven to be entirely on the individual franchises and the owners and not on the player that like, yeah, I think these salary caps and salary suppression tools that major North American pro sports use and we're headed that way in Major League Baseball are entirely a tool to make the owners more money. And that the actual product doesn't get its fair share of the pie. Even if you were talking about 50% of basketball related revenue, which I think the CBA is in the NBA. Yeah, the players should be getting more. Okay, and if they try to get more and it's against the CBA and they get caught, I think the team should be the one that pays for that and not the players because I think the

47:26players actually deserve more than they get despite the fact that we're talking about hundreds of millions of dollars. Well, take it one step further, there's nothing in the CBA that says players cannot as they're negotiating things, sit back and ask in addition to the terms of their actual contracts, say, hey, you got any wonderful endorsement operative. There's nothing that says when they are in a room together and it happened here in Toronto and you know, Kweilandard, his group said, hey, give us ownership of the Toronto Maple and you know what the Raptors and MLSC said. No, screw. Thanks. No, thanks. Sorry. First off, we're never going to do that. Secondly, it's a violation of the rules in the collective bargaining agreement. But that responsibility and this is, I think, a good point. It does ultimately fall on the team. Yeah. And that's like should co-wire should co-wire should LeBron James have been given ownership of the Cavaliers, like some point of course, that's all his existence in Cleveland. It was solely responsible for the profitability of the Cavaliers and yeah, I know a TV deal,

48:30whatever. But like the calves are relevant because LeBron James was there, right? In a fair world, should he have gotten way more than his player contract and he had endorsements, but even that, like, is that enough to pay for the value that LeBron James brought to the Cavaliers, not even close? Not even close, not at all. And the other thing too, when it comes to the idea of why Toronto, the timing is interesting. I would argue Ben, there are probably some drips and drabs of information here over the last handful of months. And this goes back I'm talking to essentially the beginning of this year, January of 2026, where you could start to see a theme developing of maybe why I was plotting this out to where if he was going to move, Toronto was the team he was circling. This was the market because there's a comfort here that he doesn't have anywhere else. So it, it, it by happenstance, the circumstance itself dictated that if he did have to plan an exit, the Toronto Raptors made the most sense because he knows deep down he's got

49:31them right in his back pocket. And that's, and that's how it all came about and that's, and it's a different country. It is the, that I'm telling you that is escaping the problem, escaping the problems. You run as far away as you can and he's got to play 41 games out of this country, but yeah, but the point is, is well made. And on top of that, the moment he goes out there and plays well, even at 35, 36 years old, the better he plays, the less anybody cares or talks about it. Here's what I can say definitively, whether, Kauai, the Raptors are his first choice or second choice or third choice or his fourth choice. Kauai wants to be a Raptor now more than he did in 2018, 2019 by far, by far. And we can all agree that things went pretty well with a guy that didn't want to be here, frankly, like did not. Like, you wanted to talk about the Raptors being, oh, maybe there were the fifth choice.

50:31They were the 30th in 2019. And all I did was one win NBA finals MVP and lead this franchise to his first championship. So I think we're going to be just fine with Kauai Leonard and the Raptors being his fifth choice and like wanting to make sure everybody forgets about this entire story because he's amazing and playing 70 games and at an MVP level. How does he answer the question? Why was this the appropriate time for you to come back to Toronto? How does he answer that question? I mean, that's simple enough. It's like I did my best in my time with L.A., but obviously they decided that they wanted to move on from from me and that's their, their want. And I see this young core just starting to scratch the surface of their potential. And my arrival with Scotty Barnes, we can, we can win another championship here like simple enough. Follow up question. Why is it different now than it was seven years ago? Why was, is this the more appropriate time to now reengage in this relationship versus

51:36continuing it when you had already won a championship seven years ago? I don't want to, I don't want to relive the past. See, but to me, those are some interesting questions because I, I do wonder and I don't, he's a pro athlete. Yeah. But what version of Kauai Leonard, we know him as the stoic guy, that's the whole reputation, stoic, competitive, almost like in a way he can be a bit put off at times because of it. And then he became a legend here because why he won. That's the, at its core, it's because the Raptors won and he was the central figure. It's the only reason. Okay, see, yes, point like now this is a little different. It's a little different because he's got to position it and not, not explain, but it will feel empty if he sits there and doesn't want to answer any questions about what happened. No one cares. So yeah, I don't know. I know I cares. No one cares. And it will suck if he just rocks on water and it's totally, it will suck if he's hurt or he's no good anymore. But yeah, I think everybody understands that that's possibility and he gets, like he

52:38did, hey, fifth choice is pretty good as opposed to 30th. And as a captive Raptor still won them a championship. Anyways, lots more on that story, obviously until it's officialized. And then when it is, it continues to be a story. All right, when we come back, Blue Jays looking to win another series in Kansas City tonight, Brett Bateman, no doubt will be at the top of the Blue Jays order. Okay. How about? Is it like, I'm kind of done with Izzy and the Mix for Center Field for 22-7. How possible is it that the Blue Jays have a legit star top of the lineup for the next half decade? That and more next is the fan. Morning Show continues. Ben Anastaniya LeFrancheski SportsNet 590 to the fan.