Hour 1: No Aaron Judge Necessary?

0:00This episode is brought to you by PayPal. You know how a mom's bag has everything? Sunscreen? Snacks? A stapler? The new PayPal app is like that, but for your money. Shop, pay, manager account, and earn rewards all in one place. And with purchase protection on eligible items, biometric security, and pasquies, you're protected at every step. Download the new PayPal app to get started. See PayPal.com slash protection terms. This is the Chris Carlin podcast. This is live morning's it 10 on ESPN, New York and streaming live on YouTube. It is Wednesday and as we know when Wednesday are for when and the Yankees are the big winners. Good morning. That's as good as it can possibly go with no air and judge in the lineup. No, Giancarlo Stanton. Some questions about what the defensive alignment is going to be. What the lineup is going to be. That was an amazing night for the Yankees. I mean, it was incredible.

1:00All of Aaron Boone's decisions on the money. Cam Schletler Ben Rice with the headliners are the headliners. Just so good. We get to it all right now. That is Maggie Gray. You're familiar with her work. And we are here for the next three hours at 800. 9393776 getting you involved as much as possible in the chat on the ESPN, New York YouTube channel. And on the phone lines and we will get to them very soon. But let's just hit it. The big three story lines of the day. Number one is obviously cam Schletler and it obviously is Ben Rice. I tried preaching this back in August. And I think last night's a night where you can really start to drive the point home as much as we've all been worried about air and judge. Ben Rice is not probably treated as much like a star as he should be for somebody who's pretty much hit 3540 home runs and back to back season. Gets hidden by judges presence and it's understandable why you would get.

2:01I don't want to say overlooked but just not viewed as somebody that is on that level of player yet. But he is getting there for sure. And then Schletler for somebody that I don't want to think was an afterthought. But certainly was not as hyped as a prospect would be when he came up last year. Man that was that was a great night all around for the homegrown Yankees. Oh, I mean, in Schletler and Ben Rice are the headliners but you can just go down the line on the core young Yankees who look like the postseason playing against your hated rival was just another day. I mean, how good. Well, let's stop on on Schletler and Rice for a second. Then we get into Volpe and George Lombard and Austin Wells is a homegrown Yankee and Spencer Jones and the guys who are. In there who made this look again just like all right, you know, not the lights aren't too bright for us and the situation is not is not too big for us. But with Ben Rice, I mean, or you want to start with Schletler, you want to start with.

3:04I don't want to start wherever you want. I mean, it's like history making with both of these guys. They're, you know, for Schletler, I saw this from from Katie Sharp on on X. He's the only person in Major League baseball to have a postseason ERA below one at least 24 strikeouts and fewer than 20 base runners. Like that's it. It's just him and I know that it's only been three postseason outings, but you cannot ask for a better start to your postseason career. He is so he's so nails and the fact that he was using the curveball in the way he was last night, which is like not even his necessarily his best weapon. He's known as a fastball guy, the three different fastballs that he has. And yet it was the curveball that was killing him last night. Yeah, it was fantastic all the way around. And what you love even more is that he makes no bones about wanting to stick it to the red. It was impossible. And him being from up there. Yeah. It's like having a double agent and he has come back and he's revealed himself.

4:07This has been his heel turn in his home state. And he has done nothing but purely dominate since the heel turn against that team because those, you know, because he took as much abuse as he did for being a Yankee and now just relishes in sticking at him. And he has now become for them for Boston. One of those pictures where he's done it enough now in the regular season and postseason that he throws his glove out there and they're dead. Oh, he owns them. I mean, against Boston 38 and two thirds innings pitched a point for seven ERA and 49 strikeouts. I mean, they should just run when they see him coming. And yet got to chat them because not only is he from Massachusetts went to Northeastern and was a seventh round pick. So clearly he was there for anyone to be taken. Here's booing on Schlippler's performance. He was great. I mean, the only thing was was a higher pitch count. You know, they made him work a little bit there in the first. Ruchman has a really long at bat against him.

5:09So they took some tough at bats against them. I thought throughout the night that made it hard for him to get super deep. But he was he was terrific. You know, fastball. The court probably is best curveball the year to go with with obviously. I thought really good command and in control of the Seaters. And not not just that like I was a little bit surprised that Boone sent him back out there for the seventh inning. But good. Why not? You know, he goes out there. It gives up a hit to the second batter. Great. Yeah, then you get him out of the game. That's fine. Give him a chance. The dude was dominating at a level where he more than deserved it. And I know what our general philosophies are about that stuff now. Listen to the 130 pitches. He was a hundred seven. You know, that's why you send him back out there. And that's why they're. For everybody that wants to get on Boone. For just following. What the analytics say and all that kind of stuff and not necessarily going as much by field. That was going by feel in that moment.

6:11I think well, he said he was always going to send him out there against Contreras, right? And Contreras has been hurt. Contreras said he wasn't even sure he's going to play in the postseason. It hurts so much to swing a bat. So that's somebody I'd probably want to face if I'm Cam Schultler. I think the field was keeping him in for a braille. And that's like, all right. Got a little greedy there. But look at what Cam Schultler just did for the rest of the Yankee bullpen. So Max Fried going tonight. We'll talk about that in a minute. But I mean, you only had to use blackburn and then, you know, Schreiber late. But you saved your high leverage guys, you know, by just even that little bit more. And Boone, you know, looks like a genius because it worked out. And then there's rice. And this is Boone on what rice means to the Yankee. Yeah. I mean, one of the count on one hand best hitters in the in the lake. You know, so you know, you score over a hundred runs. He hit over 40 homers close to a hundred ribbies sitting at the top of the lineup. You know, it was a great offensive season. We've we needed it. And there were times this year where we were really challenged offensively. Challenges score some runs. There's that two-month stretch where it was rough.

7:11And and Benny went through his stretch too, you know, and that's that's the thing you love to see for his great years. He had, you know, he had a stretch there for a month where it was a grind in a struggle. But he kind of got himself out of it really finished the last month with a with a flurry. And obviously carried it in here the first game of the postseason. I thought it was interesting. The comment that was made last night about him. And I think it was Rizzo. It was Rizzo where he talked about when he first came up and making adjustments and Rizzo was making the comment like this kid really gets it early. And it's I know it's this superfluous comment at a moment where everything's going right for that team and the guys just homer. Okay. Why is it that we don't treat him as a player on the same level at this point as judge as is any other big name that's been around because it's just simply judges presence because

8:15that two-month period that Aaron Boone's talking about was without Aaron judge. And Rizzo was one of the few guys that was getting them through. It's 100% because Aaron judge and to a certain extent, I think John Carlos stand are still huge presences on this lineup. I mean, I know Stan barely played all season, but what was the big story yesterday, the fact that he's on the roster and the fact that what is he going to get a pinch hit at bad and he's done this before. I think judge just takes up so much oxygen and rightfully so and he gets all the attention the captain the three time MVP. But quietly, I mean, is there a quiet way to hit 41 home runs in a regular season, especially in New York, but Ben Rice has found a way to do it because you know, you'll look at what takes our attention, what's going on with the shortstop position. You know, what's going on with the Yankee defense? Meanwhile, here's Ben Rice just as a DH just going about his business and, you know, to me, Carl, if I'm a Yankee fan, one of the best things about Ben Rice breaking out in the way he has is that number one, I'm no longer worried about the back end of judge's

9:17contracting career because we know what happens with the big body guys. Heck, we're watching it with Stan. You know, you break down. It's just hard to stay healthy and all right. Well, we've got the production. We've got the power. And you know, is this something where depending on how Ben Rice goes the rest of the post season, I'm not taking anything away from Aaron judge, but is he no longer like the obvious son by which all the Yankee organization kind of revolves around because you do have rice and he has been great. Well, it brings us to the number two they can win without judge and I've been saying this for a little while here and it's not anything when I say they can win. I don't know if they can win the World Series without them. They can win the American League without. I don't think there's any doubt. And last night was not we're all reacting crazy off of one game where he drives in six runs with rice. This night was just kind of an exclamation point of they are more than capable offensively without him. And it's not just having to rely on rice to carry it.

10:21It's other guys who are capable here of actually delivering when it matters and that even goes all the way down to Austin Wells. Exactly. How about Austin Wells? Exactly. So the point is just simply this like it's not an knock on judge. And I get how much it sucks for him to not be playing right now. And he's ultimately thinking about at 35 what is his Yankee career going to be defined by as far as the team. Just get him healthy. Just you're fine right now. You're totally fine. Well, I think, you know, listen, if the Yankees keep playing like this and I know every game's not going to be a nine, nothing shut out against Boston. Like it was last night where everything's breaking right for them. But I think as they continue, we're going to hear from judge in this series and in this postseason, you know, we're going to we're going to see Aaron judge. I'm assuming if the Yankees continue this, you know, and be Boston, I bet we're going to see him in the DS. So we may still have these big Aaron judge moments.

11:24Hell, we might tell of the big John Carlos Stanton moment. I just think you have to be feeling so good about this young core of Yankee homegrown. And you got Ben Rice as the power. You've got Cam Schletler as the ace. You've got an in field. You've got an outfield. I mean, you have it all no one had a better night last night, the Brian Cashman. I mean, for everyone who loves Cashman. I hate to say that you're right. I mean, it was. Yeah. This was like step right up. This is going to earn them another 30 years in the front office because these are all his guys. You know, this is all the Yankees, whether they drafted them or whether they develop them. These are the young guys and you're seeing the fruits of it now. And again, it spreads things out a little bit more. So it's not just Aaron judge is the whole franchise and everyone else has to make room. No, and it's not the Yankees cater to judge. And I have no doubt that what happened over the last week is really kind of judges fault.

12:25If we're going to be honest about it, because judge made this an issue where he could have kept it quiet behind the scenes. And he gets annoyed with how the Yankees handle his injuries. I get that. And if he feels like the only way to get the message across is to publicly address it. Okay, but that's not really helping anybody here. And it's not the way he's operated in his career. And that's what's odd to me about this in every other way. He has followed the Jeter playbook so perfectly. But this one thing has really bugged him for whatever reason, whether it's not wanting to be perceived as an injury prone player or whether it's just being thoroughly annoyed with the Yankees every time they speak about his injuries. Yeah, the Yankees are like black ops when it comes to judges injuries. And I think it's because he doesn't like timelines, right? He doesn't want a timeline where the Yankees are saying, all right, he should be good to go in two to three weeks. And then it takes six weeks.

13:25And now everyone is asking about it. And there's an idea that maybe he's dog in it or something like that. Listen, that's old stuff. We know now what Aaron judges, the three time MVP, known whatever accuses him of that. Everyone knows that he's trying to get back as quickly as possible. But if he hadn't been so, I don't know, touchy about the definition of the word moderate or going back and forth with Aaron Boone, I think him being not on this roster, the wild card roster wouldn't have felt like such a disappointment. But anyway, that's over because now look at what they did in game one. It's almost like judges is now that story is a footnote. Is there anything from this that was at all missing for you because there was one thing that was missing for me that you actually brought up this morning. What's that? And it was getting standing in that bat. I don't know if there was the perfect spot to do it. I mean, you're up. You blew the game open with the bed rice grand slam. But maybe getting standing in that bat just to see what it looks like. Because you're obviously think you're going to need him in a big spot.

14:27Well, that's the thing. I'm going to get him in that bat just to get him in that bat. And when it gets to nine, nothing, I find a spot. Like I have 16 position players and I know I've moved some of them into the game already, but I can figure out what I need to figure out without blowing a nine, nothing lead in the ninth inning. Yeah, I guess like there's just so much that goes along with Stanton, right? To get a pinch hit, then you need a pinch runner. And then you got to burn a couple bodies. But yeah, I mean, he's sending your grandma up there. Who's going to wheel it down to first? It reminds me of like when we were moving my mom from here to Iowa at 91 years old. Well, there's a lot of things to consider. And they're the little things to consider. Like, oh, who's going to pinch run for? And who's going to get her in and out of a car? Like that's what it feels like with judge right now. It's a little thing that you take for granted with the Stanton right now. It's a little thing you take for granted. But maybe it's worth getting him in if you're going to justify putting him on the roster.

15:28Yeah, I mean, and maybe it's a nitpick because they were so good last night. But you could also nitpick a little bit about getting Schletler to 170 pitches. But again, he's going to have a long time if the Yankees do win the series. He's going to have a few days to get back before he would start what game two of the ALDS. And listen, I have very little doubt about how this is going. And the Schletler thing, we talked about it last week. And this is why you pitch him in game one. And I honestly would not have had an issue if they had decided to pitch him in game two, because if they had lost last night with freed on the mound, I'd say, well, all right. Yeah. I mean, good shape here. And that's why I feel like I'm in good shape here. But this obviously puts you in a position where you were at a strength and you have got everything in front of you tonight. So the one thing where the Yankees have all this momentum now, they look great. Everything worked out. You know, free does a different kind of pitcher, obviously, then Cam Schletler, Cam Schletler,

16:30even they joke around like nobody gets any action because Schletler is so much swing and miss and so many strikeouts. I can't tell they could play anybody anywhere last night. You and I could have been out. I mean, a med Rosario. That's a nice place. Third, you know, they turned some double plays. You talked about Volpy getting Raphaela. They had some nice plays, but they weren't tested. Tonight, they're going to be more tested because Max Fried is more of a ground ball pitcher. Right. But on the other end, I'm not so sure. Number three. And this is why sunny Gray, sunny Gray, old friend on how he will be received in game two. I think that it will be a playoff energy on the road, playoff atmosphere on the road. As far as reception, this or that, you know, it'll be what it'll be. I'm going to sit here and try to control something that I can't control because I ultimately have no control over that. Yeah, it'll be what it'll be. Yeah, when I heard that, and then when I heard this, you know, you have a snowball or whatever, right? And there's a snowball that kind of starts rolling down a hill.

17:32And if you don't, if you don't ever stop it, then the snowball just gets bigger and bigger and bigger and it picks up traction and it just gets more snow. And it just continues to go down this thing. And then the bigger the snowball gets, the harder it is to stop it or to take a step back. Thank you for mansplaining what snowballing me. I could not faster get to draft kings and say, yeah, he's by a million tonight. When you hear that kind of nonsense and stupidity from some somebody that was an out and out failure, and I had forgotten this this morning, Cashman actually broke, kind of, well, kind of broke news on our show back in the day with this and saying that some guys are just none of your guys. Yeah, he came on you and I were doing the show. Remember that day Bart was not there for some reason. It was just you and I and Vian Cashman, I think. And he's like, yes, guys, some people just aren't cut out for New York and we're like, wait, what? Wait, what? Like this was, I thought we'd all thought you love this guy. Yeah, my bigger concern, maybe he's just not the sharpest tool, but saying it's going

18:36to be like a playoff atmosphere. No, it's going to be a playoff. Hello, wake up. No, because it's the playoffs. And your team's on the brink of elimination. I mean, yikes. Well, maybe you want a guy who's like low key, whatever. I, I'm good laying the one and a half runs tonight. Well, the Yankees defense though has to show up. Yes, it does. And, and I get that, okay? When I listen to that, it just strikes me as somebody that is, first of all, he's trying to explain things like we're all five year olds. I almost used the F word. Yeah, yeah. He said that like we're all five year olds. And then secondly, he just comes across in the way he projects himself as somebody that pitched here like, and none of this was my fault. You know, like not, not of what, that's just these people. They're, they're just going to, they're just, if they're going to boom me, they're

19:36going to boom me, whatever. You know, and meanwhile, it is going to bug them. Like I just, just stunning Gray, having known what his history is about New York, project any part to you that he's going to go out there and pitch a big game tonight. I'm maybe I'm wrong about this, but then I hate reading into this kind of stuff because you never know. They are professional athletes. He is a great pitcher. It just was not a great pitcher in New York. But you know, those comments are what keeps fan dual and draft games in business. You're just talking about when you moved your mom at 91 from New Jersey to Iowa. This is like, it was a very Iowa kind of comment. No disrespect. It's going to be, you know, hey, whatever. It's like, they're going to want to kill you, dude. Like this crowd is going to be on your butt from the moment you take them out. The word that comes to mind is bloodthirsty. It's going to be bad, man. Like, I don't know how to properly prepare you for this, but they, they do not like you in the Bronx. And I don't know if you know this. This could snowball quickly.

20:37And how a snowball works is as it rolls down a mountain, it gets bigger and bigger and rolls faster and faster. Yeah. Oh my God. Maybe we'll see a little Ben Rice snowball effect on the freed front. They obviously have Rodon to back him up if need be. I would feel pretty confident in freed's ability here, but I'm very curious as to what this is going to look like defensively because Garcia is going to be at first. He's not a great defensive first baseman. I would expect McMahon to be a third and I against the right hander, especially and McMahon is just here for that. And he's actually not been as good as you would hope. So to all these points with you, jazz is going to be in the lineup at second base. Based on what I saw last night, like I don't think jazz is a bad defensive second baseman, but I. The mental lapses. That always is going to worry me a bit.

21:38I think it's a global fear about jazz, right? That he's just not a winning player. And I talk to one former major leagueer who drove that sentiment home to me pretty well. Like would you want to be teammates with jazz was what I asked him straight up. He said, absolutely no. He's not a winning player. And so listen, does jazz is a little funk about not playing last night again. Probably he gets out of that. But I'm like, you know, he did say whatever's good for the team, but. But he doesn't even sell it. He can't sell it. Yeah. But to be fair, like jazz is a really good baseball player. So it's not like, you know, it's a mistake to put him out there. You just wonder is he going to have more winning plays or more losing plays? I, I would expect that if the Yankees lose tonight, it's not going to be because of jazz. Chess. I think it. Well, if the Yankees lose tonight, it's going to be because free did not pitch well. And I would not expect that to be the case. I can't believe I'm saying this. I would genuinely have more concern about them losing this game if Cole was pitching tonight.

22:40And I know that's borderline heresy. But. When we look at how the entire rotation is performed this year, I mean, I think we would all agree, even though he was better lately, that Cole was a guy that was not pitching at what his usual level is. So I think there's that's probably a pretty good reason as to why he's pitching game three. Yeah. I mean, I think I think the Yankees are anticipating that with Schletler who did his job last night and then some and then with free tonight that they're not going to need a game three. I mean, I think it's okay to project that kind of confidence. I think that if the Yankees lose tonight, what it would be is defensive miscues that move freeds like pitch count up, then he can't stay in the game as long as you want to and then Rodon has to come in and this is just not a fit, right? Or like he doesn't have a great outing out of the bullpen or something like that. And I also think there is a possibility that sunny gray has a great game. I mean, those posts free game quotes were not so not so, I don't know, sharp.

23:46Yeah. There is a possibility he's the one you didn't see coming. Really? I. So one, it's the ones you never expect, Carlin. And then after the game, he'll be like, well, what happened was I had really good command of my pitches. And I really was very good at getting ground balls and striking people out. That's part of the game. Thanks. Yeah. Thank you for explaining it so thoroughly. I guess what I would say. So that's what it's like to be mansplaining. That's what it's. That's what mansplaining it. Yeah. See, the snowballs, like I got it. But thank you. The other thing too is the Yankees offense is like, you know, it was kind of middle of the path, not kind of it was middle of the pack for a lot of the, a lot of the season. Yeah. And so, you know, could you see a night where maybe the baskets silence? I don't know. Coming off of last night, you have to just have all the confidence in the world though. It's Carlin. It's Maggie on ESPN Radio, ESPN, New York. And on the ESPN, New York YouTube channel at 800 919, 3776.

24:48So we've got all of our usual stuff today. We've got Jason McCordy with us later in studio between 12 and one. We have got Emma the nozzle later with some new nominees per say. And most importantly, we've got you next. So the lines are open for you at 800 919, 3776. And the questions are pretty simple. Can they roll here through the playoffs without judge? Is it not as simple as last night? But does that drive home the point that getting to the world series is not airing judge dependent? And frankly, do you expect them to bomb grade a night? What else we got in anything else? I feel like I'm forgetting something else. Cashman. Well, that's true. Did anybody have a better night? Oh my gosh. All his guys came through. I know it. Listen, I, I've been somebody that has come to the conclusion like, all right, I can't keep beating a dead horse here. He's not going anywhere. No, he's here forever.

25:49Yeah, and ever and ever. But on a night when he deserves his flowers, let's give it to him because that's more than fair. Sorry. I got distracted by the chat for a second. Yeah. The ESPN New York chat on YouTube where he would Wong 930 says continent is the nozzle today LOL. You're not even in the stratosphere of this nozzle. What did I do? How do you do anything? But this nozzle nominee, I think could be a whole fame nozzle. You would never make a mistake like this. I mean, you, well, I mean, no, I've sent text messages that ended up in the newspaper. All right. I pull the sense, say, I would never say never. They had to believe it. Yes. The post. They don't believe anything. They don't believe anything. Like today, they might actually print it eight years ago. No.

27:13This is going to be an opportunity to get to the last 10 years of the year. And that's the end of the year. If you've got a question, I'll tell you a few other questions. One thing I want to do is to answer a few simple health questions online. You can get up to $3 million in coverage and some policies are as low as $30 a month. And ethos has 4.9 out of five stars on trust pilot with over 5,500 reviews. Take 10 minutes to get covered today with life insurance through ethos. Get your free quote at ethos.com slash sports. That's ETHOS.com slash sports. first 2026. O'Reilly auto parts can help take the guesswork out of your vehicles check engine ABS or maintenance like with O'Reilly veriscan. The service is free and provides a report with solutions verified by ASC certified master technicians as for O'Reilly veriscan today. Buster only here for Lakinta by Windom. When work takes you on the road during football season, it's nice to have a place where you can unwind after the day is done. At Lakinta by Windom, spacious suites give you room to spread out, catch the game, kick back and relax before another day on the job because after a long day, comfort

28:17makes all the difference. Plus earn Windom rewards points with every qualified stay. Tonight Lakinta, tomorrow you shine. Book your next trip at Lakinta.com Terms and conditions apply. Thanks for listening to the Chris Carlin podcast. I want my enemies to burn and hell catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts. Is Schlippler getting to a point and I can't even say it yet, but are we starting to see some of these postseason starts from Schlippler now last year being an elimination game? This year, obviously getting them off to a great start. We're going to have to start putting these in some of the Yankee postseason conversations starts like all times. I mean, I think I already think last year was an all-timer because it wasn't elimination game and because it was against the red socks. Now today you get another one or yesterday, you have another one against the red socks. I think it means more when you do it against Boston. I don't know if to be like an all-time great start.

29:17Like, do you have to be in the third? Well, it has to be in the ALCS or World Series. Well, those are the things that I would make the argument about. Yes, because we have expanded playoffs to this point, but it doesn't make the games any less important. That's true. It's, you know, lose the series and go home. So, or win the series in advance. And when you pitch like that, it has to be noticed. And it's not his fault that they don't play one extra round anymore. And it's not just the ALCS or, you know, we've got the divisions here. We've got all of them now. And they, they all count. So, I, I do think we have to take that into account. Now, I'm not going to put it on the level of a, is it Andy Pettit 96? No. That's in the World Series. Yes. And that was, it's a complete game and it was, you know, it was, they needed it in the worst way. By the way, did you see the Pettit is like the whisperer for all these guys?

30:17I was reading that in the athletic today. Yeah. I mean, no disrespect to the Yankees pitching staff. But apparently, Pettit is like in the, in the clubhouse when guys are in between innings, like giving them tips. That's pretty amazing. Yeah. And I think that's, it speaks to what Pettit has always been about, but also more, more so. Like, I just, the mental makeup, I can't get over on Schlittler. Just being this young of a pitcher. Yeah. Like we, we've never treated Schlittler and a Schlittler start. Like we used to treat Matt Harvey in this town. No, sports illustrated. Yeah, it's not, it's not Schlittler day. Yeah. Yeah. And great. That doesn't really roll off the tongue. No, it doesn't. And I, I get why. But because that was much more of, you know, he was much more of a personality, so to speak. But really was he, this is somebody that enjoys the hell out of sticking it to your biggest rival in the worst way.

31:17And this rivalry might not be at the levels that it once was. Yeah. But I mean, there's, I honestly feel like it's not even not appreciating it enough. It's just, there's not the appropriate reverence that really should be. I mean, there were MVP chance last night, but it still feels like, man, with this guy pitching, there, there should be that extra buzz in the air. Well, you know, I'll give you the numbers again against the Red Sox 38 and two thirds innings pitched a point for 70 R.A 47 K's. It's insane. That's not any, you know, sent him home last year in the World's Sierr, excuse me, the wild card and then was just absolutely amazing and moat him down last night. They had no answers. His fastball, all three fastballs were working on top of the zone. And then the curve ball was just fantastic. And that's not even like a go to pitch. He throws it. I don't think something like 9% of the time and it was, it was one of his best pitches last night. It's just, it's the volume is not there yet. Maybe that's why although we're getting there. I totally disagreed with judge.

32:17I know he may be couched a little bit, but I absolutely thought Cam Schletler should be in the MVP conversation, even though he's clearly going to win the Saiyong. He's that good. Yeah. I, you can make arguments sometimes based on where would a team be without this guy. And I think with the Yankees, when you look at their season overall, would they definitively be a playoff team without Cam Schletler? I don't think you can say definitively. Not with the amount of time that Colin Fried missed and Rodon. Yeah. I think that was an injured staff. Now they were great. Who are amazing bestie are a baseball. Awesome. But he's the reason. I mean, he or he was the most consistent. Clearly. So Schletler this year. As I'm just pulling it up now. And naturally I can't find it when I need it. His war as a starting picture. With seven.

33:17Seven. I mean, that's that's ridiculous. That is a ridiculous number to have as a starting picture. And I mean, what? I want to take a look this year. Like who led the league in war? Pete Crow Armstrong led baseball in war this year. You want to take a stab? It's going to be something around seven. Offensive war overall for a position player. Nine point eight. Wow. Not the one to the difference. Yeah. And offensive war eight point to. I mean, Schletler's numbers in those starts. And for the season, he's clearly the the the saw young winner. But I have always felt like. I've always been the purest when it comes to things like the MVP award of. Give me the guy that has been most critical to his team's success. And I could make the case that that Schletler has been that I could make the case of Ben Rice had been that two for a while.

34:20But neither one of them was ever going to be in the discussion. I mean, fitting that those are the two headliners from game one with what Cam Schletler did with the six and a third scoreless. The 10 K's last night and then Ben Rice four for five. The two home runs, including the Grand Slam, a six RBI for Ben Rice. It's just unbelievable. Now you got me thinking though, like what do we need to do? I say raise the profile of Cam Schletler is going to win the saw young. But what does he need? You mentioned Matt Harvey. Does he need like a model girlfriend? Is this something? Do we need a nickname that's kind of sexy? Like what what's he? Because he's got it all. He battles with the Boston fan base. Yep. He's got that thing that I think a lot of a lot of great athletes have, which is the perceived slights. Like he'll just make stuff up in his head. Yes. Like oh, he's got the joy in him. Yeah, right. What do you know? Oh, he saw George Carl in a restaurant. Schletler then decided to go out and shut out the red. Who was the guy Bentley from the Wizards? Nice game, Mike.

35:20Yeah. He's got. He's got that. I mean, he should be on billboards. He should be. Is it because the last name Schletler? I think it's hard to make a. That's a hard one to work a nickname around that's, you know, suitable for air. Yeah. Schlet happened. Okay. Yeah. I don't know what that is. I don't know. Maybe we work. Tom. No. Maybe we work with Kim. Maybe we work with the first name. I don't know. 800. Jim. I don't know. I will. They all started to sound like you're talking about porn for a second. Here's Jacob in Manhattan. Jacob, what's going on, bud? Thank you. We're taking my call for some call in one time. Listen. Where the hell are you? Where the hell are you? Where the hell are you? Where the hell are you? I'm right. I'm in all this work. I've got a new recipe. Do you have it? Nice. I've got the game yet. No. I picked the pick and then I picked the first of game. Such a great shot. I've got a change. Let me let you know. The switch here is amazing. I was with my favorite, the whole game.

36:20Nice and slow. Nice and smooth. The rocket. Just like the rocket. Just like the Atlanta. He didn't know the ship. Mostly things. You didn't know what to do. You saw it. It's amazing game and then rice. You just say. I don't believe in it. It's tough playing, baby. And just the hard part of the rice with the bottom of the top. The rice is pretty hard. Yes, he's over there. He's appreciated. That's very cool. But Jacob made a good point there. Not just the bottom of the rice. That is really good. I think he's a good guy. I think you know. I'm going to say. I'm going to say. I'm going to say. I'm going to say. I'm going to say. I'm going to say. I'm going to say. I'm going to say. I'm going to say. Yeah. If you come here to say, That's where you're going to go back into your family. We got a licence to have traffic. That's what Making those cars or something like that. Not just the bottom of the rice that is really good. But. The bottom of the pan. The rocket. You big un it, you know, we need something that Birken. shop it we got all in New York City. Whatever it is the level at which this guy pitches

37:25and especially when it matters the most is nothing shorter for Markable and we haven't seen that at this consistency since he's been in the big leagues in this town in a long long time for an extended period without injuries without that kind of stuff. And I am blown away by what he continues to do here. And also the I mean the homegrownness of it, which is something that the Yankees got a lot of criticism for like they cannot develop their own starting pictures. Remember that was a big time thing who's like Severino. I think was probably like the last one they always had to go and find guys trade for guys and sunny gray is a good example of a guy they traded for you know CC coming in whose jersey was just retired all that but where were the homegrown you know starters that were just lights out and it just been a long time in here is Cam. It's Carl and Maggie 800 9193776 800 919 ESPN game two tonight. It is sunny gray. It is

38:28max freed. Is there any debate anymore about who the Yankees is? That doesn't seem to even be remotely considered a debate as it is. But also as many of your calls on just the game one dominance of the Yankees and what's stood out the most to you at 800 9193776 and I mean I dare I say little boring. But nothing. Well you know it was two nothing for a fair amount but then Ben Rice got a hold of a few and four nothing and okay and even Gerardi at four nothing playing his ain't over yet. Like you know I would go Joe no but not everybody is as wired as you are but I get it classic manager. I understand I classic Gerardi. Yeah no it was but you know what the Yankees kept the pressure on all night and I thought that was really exciting to watch and I think there's an excellent point to be made there and we'll do that next on ESPN New York.

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41:59Again especially as somebody with a list like let's lay off slits is you're just asking for me to to screw this up. Yeah I liked our last caller who said the concom like the the rice at the bottom of the pan because it's like gritty but it's delicious. Yeah like I by the way I get it I and I agree like I it's like the crispy cheese on something that's like you know maybe if it'd be better if he was Dominican but like who cares right yeah this is New York it's a melting pot. Right Tom what did you just uh what was your suggestion there Tom? Doing a plan glitzing glamor maybe a little schlitzing glamor and that's why we don't ask Tom. I was just thinking like I'm kind of hungry today now we're all this rice talk you know yeah I'm like hmm also there'd be a better nickname for rice not for sure. Okay yeah I get that the concom the concom I mean I'm sure

42:59I'm butchering this. I I lived in Washington Heights for a couple of years I I absolutely loved all the Dominican food that I housed up there. I love Lucifer this morning uh checking in. I love Vaca Frita with a rose con gris. I'm thinking that's what it is supposed to sound like but listen I took the access four years of Spanish and in junior high and high school and then took Spanish 101 in college and got a D minus so wasn't your your like uh your grade point average in college like as like a two year first semester. It went uh one six first some first semester or we had trimesters you know there's a joke in there somewhere but we had trimesters I got a one six then I got uh two nine. Oh look at you. Yeah and then the third one I got a zero point eight. That's like zero point zero you're almost an animal. Oh no no no I was at the top of the Delta Pledge list. C minus D minus F. But you are a good student? No. I was average like I by

44:08the time I graduated I ended up just shy of a 3.0 but that but that was already because I I took class I understood how to navigate college without really working later. That's all that was. Well then you learned to skill. Yes yes I learned how to mail it in and still get credit. That's that's an invaluable skill in life I think we can understand. I mean showing up and then mailing it in. Yes absolutely I think it served me well like they should have classes on that. Maybe I could go be an agile professor on that 800 9193776 the judge part of this really is fascinating to me because I kind of feel like just how he has talked lately and the annoyance level with which he has operated. I do wonder what this looks like to him right now without him when they have a game like that last night and yes he's out there cheering for him he's pumped up

45:09all that stuff. It's got to be killing him not to be playing and I don't that's not a bad trait but like does he kind of feel it slip it away right now? You know it'd be great question at like and we'll still see if he's going to be heard from in this postseason he could be on the DS roster if the Yankees do indeed beat the Red Sox things are looking really good right now after you know whitewashing them nine nothing last night but you know tonight could be a little bit different. I just think for yes maybe for judge you know in his mid 30s and now you're seeing Ben Rice at 27 who and and this younger kind of core which listen he's going to be integral it's kind of mentoring this core and you know being that elder statesman and being that three-time MVP it's not like we're trying to throw judge out the door it's just you have this other identity with this with the other part of the team this younger part of the team and you know listen Cole might might think the same thing you know what watching Camstrel are out there like he was the

46:11ace of the staff he was the highest paid guy you know I just think that we're going to see here with judge and if I'm a Yankee fan I kind of like the fact that it our whole organization now doesn't revolve around one guy do you remember the day we found out that he had the setback after he had come back from the rib injury yeah it was like death yeah not turns out not so much not so much and the reason that they went through that stretch that that you heard boon talk about earlier and that we talked about pretty extensively it was 50 games that the Yankees were not hitting and it was without judge yes and I'm sure there's a part of that mentality that when you don't have the captain who is a performer at that level and you're not scoring runs it's going to play into that but the reason they navigated that the Yankees didn't fall off the table they were like basically barely over 500 or barely under 500 during that stretch and the reason was that they pitch at this

47:15level that they do and they started to get other guys who would come through so I it is fascinating to me that judges identity was established as a baby bomber and that has to feel like yesterday well the Gary Sanchez baby bombers yeah thankfully that this one seems a little bit I don't know I don't know actually the ceiling was really high for that team and they were never able to get it done but I guess like here's my thing with judge if he wasn't being so salty towards Aaron Boone and publicly kind of you know I don't say undermining him but just sort of feeling so desperate to get his side of the story out I don't know if any of this would seem like tension at all because you're right during the games he's great he's on the top step he's cheering he's everything you would want in a captain I don't think he's being derelict in his duties at all I don't think he's being maybe a little FOMO but sir I don't think jealousy is the word at all it just seems like there's tension between him and Boone in the organization about the injuries and now you're watching

48:16basically a guy who profiles you know who's got the big guy I know it's obviously the swinging from the other side of the plate but you're watching a younger version of yourself and if that's the case it also makes me wonder if before this weekend assuming that they advance or before the ALCS is he going to continue to really push it is he going to continue to really put pressure on the Yankees to make him a part of the roster now the the the dynamic of the roster will change it's not going to be 16 and 10 again because this is a three game series but this is also like I think there's actually a chance to stand and not on the roster next round just based on what the needs are comparatively speaking and because the Red Sox are thrown so many lefties at you I with judge

49:17I could see a scenario where he's really pushing it and I do think the Yankees were the ones who made this decision we're gonna protect you from yourself but how long is that gonna hold water with him yeah I think you probably will be on the divisional series I think he will be on that roster but obviously the biggest concern here for the Yankees and I'm just gonna like knock on wood you know all everything is this wood whatever this is it's for Micah sure um the calf and the Achilles they're just so connected and we've seen this so many times right in professional sports not just baseball I think if they're if they feel totally out of the woods that the Achilles is not in any danger then he'll be on the DS roster if the Achilles is still possibility because that just blows half the next season out a couple of the people chiming in on the chat question everything uh checking in uh judges a competitor who wants to be out there and the Yankees have to protect him from himself it's pretty simple okay that's fair but when you are the captain

50:20and you have been the representative of the team for the longest time you have been the face of the team for the longest time don't think that doesn't carry weight with the organization when he's trying to push his back way yet I wish we could do this yeah right I wish we could do this for Aaron judge let's get every Yankee fan in New York City and just say everyone raised your hand if you think Aaron judges dogging it and nobody would raise their hand and now maybe he can go about his life because nobody thinks Aaron judge doesn't want to be on the field whether he spars with boon publicly or not thanks for listening to the Chris Carlin podcast I want my enemies to burn and help catch the show on demand whenever you want just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts before this there's this as you celebrate the game take a deeper look at its roots the people

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