Lighting Candles in Kansas City + Rex Hudler

0:00All right. This is Blair and Barker for a Friday, Friday of the long weekend. Oh, we got a work Monday anyhow. That's right. We're got it. We can on Blue J Central. Late night, say. Yeah, I won't be watching. Oh, that's pretty good. Be an ass. No, I'll be watching. Now you're lying. You got it. Why, y'all, you're watching just enough to text me so? The thing you said, I'm sure. Yeah. That's the only reason you sit around, grumpy man sitting around by himself, because his wife and his daughter are somewhere in a beautiful place across the other end of the world. Don't get me started. And you need somebody to take it out on. So it's going to be me. I know.

1:00I know what's going to happen. Are you doing Blue J Central Saturday Sunday? Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Oh, and you get, oh, the good game. You get the Sacramento series. Oh, wow. I can't wait. I'll tell you what. You got the short end. I did. It is, uh, did I say it was Blue J's talk at the start of the day? Now you did it on Barker. That's what you said. Okay. Because it's not Blue J's talk. It's Blair and Barker on the sports and have five 90-of-fan. It's SportsNet ahead of a three game series between the J's and the Kansas City Royals. Now the biggest series of the year. And then the J's will go on to Sacramento for the biggest series of the year. As well that J's coming off. Taking two or three from the Cleveland Guardians. Capped off by a six three win. Yesterday. Now it's time to hold your breath because and light some candles. You got the James and Tyone Mac sure's your Spencer Erigetti trifecta this weekend.

2:01I'm just saying. It does not necessarily inspire oodles of confidence. Well, they're all fans is better. Their offense has been better. The ball pants been great. They're defense for the most part is shown up. Yeah. Running the bases, you know, you know, other than Valon's. Valon's the defense remember good because the ball's going to be in play. You know, Val's well, it could turn around the first base coach and go, Hey, coach, how many outs are there? There's two run like you stalled something. I mean, it's not hard. It's kind of where we're at in the season. So you pick one bad play out of two games. That's what I said. Well, I think going on the road here this, you know, this team here offensively can match kind of what the J's are doing. And pitching wise, they can pitch us some weaknesses. Now, their ball pants, thanks, but their rotation. Yeah, it's going to be a handful. You're going to have to do some things. Yeah, you're getting Daniel Lynch tonight. ZRA is 306. You get Seth Lugo. ZRA is 530. I know he is in anything, but it's the only stats I have in front of me. It's really too tired to look up anything else.

3:01Yeah. And Randy Doddnack or Dome Nack, however, you pronounce his name. 265 the R.A. Well, you just did no work for Friday. I did. Absolutely no work whatsoever. It's serious. It's like, you talk to stamp on it. Yeah, you know, left these they struggle with. Lugo throws the kitchen sink. So you got to pick a side. We've seen they've had trouble with that. Dobnack is a guy they face before in Toronto who had success against him. He's a hard forever sinker. Swipper away. Not going to be an easy get. So they got their hands full, but it is, you know, as long as sort of those three guys that you mentioned. I don't think there is bad as you're making a mount to be, but if they can hold serve a little and allow somebody in the lineup to have a good game, they got a good opportunity to come out there with another serious win. I think we'll, we'll be joined by John Schneider, the manager of the blue jays that five o'clock Jeff Passen joins us and a 430 Rex Huddler Hill brings some energy. Yeah. Kansas City Royals TV analyst will join us. Let's take a look

4:02at the wild card standings. The Detroit Tigers, by the way, are playing a day night double header with the Cleveland Guardians. The Tigers are currently leading five one. I think that's in the sixth inning. So the wild card standings are as follows. For now, at least Cleveland is 70 and 70. They have the final wild card spot, Toronto and Texas are 70 and 71 and a half game back, Baltimore 69 and 72 a game and a half back. Don't know if you saw Adley Ruchman last night and making his return to play at a home run. Two home runs. The mini ha ha twins are 67 and 73. They're three back. They go for it now. Well, Seattle 66 and 75 4 and a half back. Detroit 64 and 75. I mean, they went, they went to an erroneau. They can sweep, if they can sweep the guards, they're three and a half back. Three and a half back. A lot with 20 games left. And the Kansas City Royals are seven and a half, seven and a half games back. So that gets you

5:06up to date with the wild card standings. And the big, you know, in addition to beating the Guardians and pulling booths in a half a game yesterday, the big thing is it also gives the, it gives the Jays a season series against the guards. Should you need a tiebreaker and a good thing to collect those things if you're the Jays, you have a chance. I think Minnesota is the only team in the wild card picture they're, they're done with, right? So they've got, they should be able, well, they have an opportunity to get the wild card to get the, what do you call tiebreaker with other teams in them? I think they also have the tiebreaker with Houston. Yeah, I want to say Texas is not the only time I don't have that. Right. Yeah. So the Orioles are in Boston tonight for a continuation of that series. Minnesota takes on the white socks. The athletics are playing, I'm sorry, the Mariners are playing the athletics.

6:09We're almost at the point. I think you're right where we can just stop mentioning. Yeah, it's not mentioned. Yeah, it's got that feel. And Texas is at home to Tampa Bay. Go raise. So there you go. You seem very confident about your team, your Blue Jays team, that you think they can pull this out. You're already saying that they're the favorite to make the third wild cards. I just said that, you know, whatever, however, the computers that fired out the percentage possibility in making the playoffs, putting these stock in that have the Jays having the best chance of getting the wild card spot of all the teams in it. Why do you think that is? Because Vlad, he looks better. No, it's all math. It's strength of schedule and all of stuff. It's not that the computer doesn't sit there and go. And Vlad, he's playing well. Yeah, no, it's all strength of schedule and math and stuff like that. It is. I could be a whole pile of hooy for all we know, but anyhow, that's the way it is. Hooy. Yeah. Or horse hockey is.

7:16I'm just saying what the percentages say. Yeah, I hear you. And that's like, I don't ask me to explain. I, you know, I think they got as good a chance as the Orioles, the Rangers, and who's the Minnesota? Is it Minnesota? Orioles, Rangers, Blue Jays, and that team right behind the Orioles. Who's right behind the Orioles? The twins. I think that I think those are the teams. Everybody go in there. Don't go out and o' limb there. There's five teams there. You're picking. You're seeing that. I said four teams while the guard against the guardians currently have it. Yeah. I'm not a big fan of the guardians. I don't want to see the guardians in the playoffs. I'm rooting for who I want to see in the playoffs. Well, you're not the guardians get you all tingly. Well, I mean, it's better in the guardians. Oh, doesn't this it is. I like that. I wouldn't mind seeing that who Baltimore. I like that. That did place first. His bombs. Absolutely. Minnesota. Well, I mean, it's the over the guardians. I'm picking the twinkies. Yeah. The twinkies are a tough watch. I mean, that's the other tough watch. The southern guardians. That is what it is. I think I'm in agreement.

8:21I think the Blue Jays kind of look better than all those other teams. But it's going to come down to offense. I think pitching wise they're going to figure it out. They'll throw enough arms at the other team because the other teams just as bad offense. Look at the Jays are that they'll try and figure out to, you know, keep it close to a lot of a lot of just can the line up. That's the question. Now a couple of things mentioned before yesterday's game. And again, we'll be joined by John Schneider. So we'll get more more of an update on this. Two things caught our attention yesterday before the game for the Jays when first Anthony Santander is apparently going to be rehabbing a triple A playing rehab games this week. He could be back. Well, I mean, I don't know how many games do you need to rehab? I mean, at least the home stand when it starts. Yeah. Yeah. If you're going to, you know, whatever, get three three games. The triple A might as well make the fourth game up here. So that was something that I think I don't know if I'd say it's knock up on us because John did say there was a chance. Santander would be available in September. You didn't believe it, though.

9:26I didn't. I didn't believe. I supposed to know. Well, no, I thought there would be a chance. I didn't expect that the chance would be so good that he'd be actually getting ready to play and in my mind. I forgot what Santa there looks like. And Trey is savage is going to throw off the mound today. And he could be back relatively shortly in, you know, I think from what we were told in Cleveland, I think it was Ben Nicholson Smith said that the Jays plan right now is they're not they're under no illusions. The Trey is savage is going to come back and give them seven innings who are looking to get two or three out of them. Well, maybe he can give you an opener. A couple of times. That can be one of them things where you could save the higher leverage guy. Absolutely. Right. I'd rather use I'd rather use Spencer Miles in the eighth or seventh. Yeah. Then I wouldn't the first. Yeah. Cause I, you know, I can't see him. I can't see him being used consistently in middle relief or something like that. I think you're more like it. I can see him used as an open. Well, disrupting the, the routine would be in the sixth and seventh inning right

10:28over the fifth inning. Not disrupting it would just sort of allow him to be ready in the first inning. Yeah. Go out there and throw however many pitches that they want him to throw, which is, I mean, you get him back that element of surprise. Maybe the velocity's ticked up a little bit because he hadn't thrown a lot. I mean, I'd be careful with that. I mean, that answer is no joke. That you know, anything dealing with your knee. He's a big dude too. I mean, I'm sure that if they ran him back, they'd make sure 1000%. Yeah, they're not that he's fine, but he'd be a good ad. Late. Oh, yeah. Without a doubt. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He would allow me to use Spencer the way I want to use Spencer. Yeah. That's I think the key. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And yeah, look, James and Ty own Mac sure is your Spencer, Eric, Eddie. I mean, just because you keep saying it, ain't going to change you through. I think I have the wild card. I mean, you know, the saving grace of this thing too, it's going to be some kind of hot there. I'm talking some kind of hot. I'm going to ask John about that. And also, it's a big park. Yeah. You know, here's the thing. Max,

11:30look, Max is coming off a terrific outing. If Max can, I don't think we expect Max to go and strike out strike out 10 guys every game. But if this gets to your point about the offense, which I think is absolutely accurate. The goal for me when you have these three starts is get the lead early enough that John can make a move when he's not forced into making it. In other words, he can make the move because the pitcher is starting to tire or a scofflin. That to me is is the key thing. I think that's a good point. The question is, when do you take them out? When do you go to go to another arm? If they're looking good, if they're, if they're, I mean, I give Max, I give Max some rope now because of what I saw the last game. I don't know. James and Ty on I pushed the panic button the second, you know, the second, I got another arm down there. I can go to. I feel comfortable that I can throw everybody's arm off that I have to throw off the next 21 games. I do what I have to do. I just think that going

12:33forward will be interesting to see, you know, if Ty on looks decent, does John Yanke or does he leave him out there for next to a couple of betters? That's the one thing I think, you know, because of what these games mean to this team and basically how they've turned the corner offensive a little bit. If you could get five innings out of these guys, that's a lot of lead. You'd be happy. Oh, you think? No, I mean, that that that that that would be huge and sure, maybe sure, it can give you five innings. Eric Eddie, I have no idea what you do. I have no idea what you're going to get. Yeah, I don't think they do either. I've, you know, I've talked to PD quite a bit since last start about him. You know, they they he needs a spring. He needs a spring training with these guys to, yeah, I think rhythm and time makes a big deal. I think when he throws a bad pitch, keeping him on the tracks, that's that's another thing. I think that's the conversation back and forth is, you know, how do you not let it faster? Get out of control where you're you're walking the house and you throw three one down the middle. That that's the thing that they're having a little bit. I don't say issue issues are on work. He hasn't been here long enough for that to be an issue,

13:37but he but he is a different dude. Yeah, let's be fair about it. Like he's a different dude. Everybody I've talked to says you have a conversation with him. You walk away, you're scratching the head a little and then I think that's kind of what PD's going through is he has one plan of how he thinks he should attack people and PD hasn't his plan and how do you meet the plants in the middle and try and get the best out of what you're trying to get the best out of this time of the year, right? So nobody argues got good spin. It's just all that other stuff and controlling this own pitching ahead, you know, not not just sort of letting it get out of control. That's the thing. But I think they'll be fine. I think that big park, you know, that just screams throwing sinkers down in a way. Those those some down in a way get a make them for some to beat you big part of the field. If you can do that, you'll have a decent chance. If you start hanging things from the park should play into there. And it's hot. I get back to that. It's hot. Even that eight 10 start tonight. And that's, you know, I played in the Mexican league. It's just adds a whole different level to what you're trying to do and make it easier for the pitcher.

14:40That's a good question. You know, they look like they were throwing harder yesterday and Cleveland. You're a loser. You're I'm, you know, but then I don't know. It's then how do you work through like, you know, traffic on the basis mentally. May she sweat more like all that. I just don't know. We haven't seen the J's lineup yet. Kansas City lineup is Jensen, Whit, Calione, Perez, Pasquantino, often Massey Collins, Isabel. Yeah, Caliones probably their best hitter right now. He's hitting what 419 is less than one nine stakes. He's he's he's hitting every mistake. Yeah, you got which cooled off a little bit. Yes. Yeah. A little of 200 is less. Seven. Yeah. So you got, you know, you can you can maneuver. You can pitch around some guys. I'm not saying you you don't make your pitches to Bobby, which junior because you know, it's Bobby, which junior, but I think there's some windows there where you can pitch around the hot guy to get to the guy that's hot hot. And I think they're veteran enough. The three guys that are throwing in the next three days to do that. What you make of a. Vladie said yesterday, following the game

15:44in interviews with Hazel and with other people. He was asked about. Yeah, that was probably his best series. Well, he and he had that was his best game of the year in that series. He did have his best game there and he talked about how he told people just kind of just stay with me. He told his teammates just stay with me, which I found. Yeah. I found it. I found there was. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think I think we saw a little bit of the. What is the right word? Not sensitivity. I think we saw a little bit of the sort of the human side of this year long slump from Vladie. Yeah, slumps are hard, you know. Yeah, my answer to that would be we got no choice. Big fellow. You hitting the middle of the order. I mean, it's, you know, we got 20ish games left. 21 to be exact. Like we got no choice. You know, you're either going to take

16:46a stairway or not going. That's kind of I think where they're at here. I get it. You know, it's. He's the separator for me and hopefully he's found something to stand behind the baseball a little bit more. You know, I appreciate him coming out. He's you know, he's very good with Hazel. He respects Hazel. Don't know. And so he'll say things to Hazel. He wouldn't say to other people, which is kind of cool. But I think we're in this, you know, get it done part of the season. We've had enough. I'm not getting it done part of the season. I think they're in the, you know, and I'm sure that yeah, look, he's not in the he's a he's a really good dude. He's a really good teammate. But everything that revolves around him is performance driven. It is nothing other than that. It really is not. You know, when their team, when he's not doing things, their team's not very good. When he's doing things like he did in game two, they're one of the better teams in the American league with the way they pitch and the way they can play defense if they

17:47got the right guys out there. That's that's just bottom line. I mean, I didn't sugar code. So, you know, hopefully I'm with you. I'm on Jeff's side now. I'm all in. Can you save my, do you save my seat? I'll take that seat now. What? I'm all in. I'm glad. You said you'd save me a seat. Right beside the, I gave it away. Whatever. Who'd you give it to? I can't tell you. Oh, you mean the seat in the Vladie bandwagon? Yeah. I'm with it. Why not? I'm a no choice. I'm sticking with him. The only problem is it's the ticket. The ticket's good for 14 years. So he's the long ticket, man. It's a long term trip. Campy jumping off. Go goes over, over 15 this weekend. Campy jumping off. Once you're on, you got to stay on. I don't want, I don't want any, you know, I don't want any half-milers. Oh, remember, though, on guys jumping off at the first stop. I remember that one folks on it all the time. When you asked me a question that you want me to get heated with and then what about him going over for 15? I'll remember that. That's how you want to get heated with. Yeah. That no one gives a, no one gives a crap about what

18:50I think about Vladie slumper. Whatever they want to hear what you think is you played the game. I know you get tired of talking about it, but that's why you're here. I'm here to soft toss and you're there to hit. He's not the other reason why I'm here, but there has been a lot of talk about the changes with the lower half. We're going to get the bottom of that. When John comes on at five o'clock, that will be the first thing I was tired of figuring it out. Going back and watching video. He looks exactly the same to me. Got the local khaki sitting us videos. They open it up a third of an inch. Okay. We're going to, we're going to get to the bottom of this. Third of an inch at the time. That's what it looked like to me. So I mean, it is a game of inches. There it is. So we're going to, I don't see it. We're going to ask John. He'll tell us the answer. Whether you've made some, some obvious adjustments. Only thing I know is staying behind the baseball more. How he's getting there. You know, it's that old saying it's not how he starts how you finish. Your swing is, is never

19:50been true or to that statement. Then kind of where he's at right now of just, I don't care how you look when you start your swing. I only care how you look when you end it. When that thing is effortless. And you're getting to that finish and that barrels above your head. Boy, you're special. When it ain't, you're just like everybody else. So hopefully he has a bunch of those effortless finishes. Because if he does, they're making the playoffs and they're going to jump, they're going to jump, they're going to run into it. And this, you know, here's the key to this thing, T. Jeff, with 21 games left, if he can get smoke and hot for about a week of that, they can set their line up and their pitching staff up the way they want to that. So there's a lot riding on this big fellow to get hot and stay hot for a while. I was, I, I was talking to Blake Murphy about this in the office today. And we were talking about the final week. And my point, and I think we both agreed on this was you are seeing tonight by the pitchers, the Jays are running out. Why it is

20:53absolutely vital that the Jays don't need to use cease or sorry. I don't know that final weekend, that final series against Cincinnati. You want both of those guys set up so that if you get that wild card spot, you're running those two dudes out one and two. Oh, you do that. And you'll, I mean, I don't, the way this year is gone. Yeah. I'm sure, I mean, I'm, you know, how the way John and those guys, I'm sure they've got things planned out. I'm sure they've got, they've got things planned out to use one of those guys in short rest. This is why to me, it's so, but you don't want any extra games. You don't want to that, you know, that, that, you just, you don't want, you don't want to play anymore games that matter than you need to. I guess that's what I'm trying to say. And could you want to, you want to have those two guys good to go in the wild card. And, and that's, you know, you see tonight again, no disrespect to these guys. This is a huge drop off from one and two to these, to these, to, to tie on. So it's about

21:53a, there's about 18 games left. If that's the case, you don't want the last three to matter. It's about 18. There's about 18 games left. So, I mean, you don't like to, you figure, you need about 13 wins in the next 18 games, but 13 five to make those, to make those games not matter. And in the process, if you have the good thing, is if you go 13 five, you're going to kill off the Rangers and you're going to kill off the Orioles. The Orioles, you still have six games. Yeah. The Orioles, the team you got to focus on through the J's right now, because you got six games left against four and two, yes, Edton. Yeah. And conversely, if you're the Orioles and they go five and one against you, reformed, I mean, they're saying the same thing the J's are. Absolutely. We just got a hold serve here. And we got to win that series against, you know, get to win those two series against the J's. So, but yeah, that is, and I, I know you don't want to given the way the, the wild card race has gone. That almost seems like wishful thinking. They, the idea that the J's are going to have secured their postseason birth with three games left.

22:56Big foul said six RBI's his last two games. He keeps doing that. Yeah, I, we don't need home runs like I said, we just give me double off the wall. Yeah, productive, productive event bats like it's like the, it's like the one sacrifice five. Get a man, get him over, you know, that deep fly ball to right when nobody out in the second third, it gets a guy ain't gets him the third. And then you, the next dude up gets a little blooper to left field and you scored two runs all of a sudden. Now you've helped your team without getting ahead. That's that's how you can do it. Stay behind the baseball. The J's are in Kansas City for the first tonight. The first of a three game series against the Royals Rex Hodler is the Royals TV analyst. He joins us next to the splurren Barker on sports and at five 90 to fan and sports and that. All right, welcome back to the player in Barker.

24:06Let's force and have five 90 to fan and sports. I mean, I mean, I'm in a good mood today. No, you're not. That's not true. Yeah, you lot. But you know what is true? What? The J's and Royals are going to open a three game series tonight. Kansas City Jamison Tion on the mound for Barker's blue J's. Daniel Lynch the fourth on the mound for the Kansas City Royals without further ado. Let's bring in the man, the myth, the legend Rex Hodler. He is a legend. Kansas City Royals TV analyst. There he is. Hey, buddy. How you doing, man? Well, of course, you kidding me. I want you guys today, man. The splurren Barker show on five 90s and sports fans. I'm digging myself for you. Okay, well, I got that call yesterday. I go, oh, man, I'm going to wear my best and we got our little Friday night uniforms on here. But really guys, it's nice and toasty here now. But once the sun goes down, it's perfect

25:10baseball weather here at the K and Kansas City. Okay, I was going to ask you about that. How does a visiting team handle the weather? Say the game three. I think game three is a one o'clock game. I want to say, but it's early. So it's going to be smoky there. How do you handle the weather in Kansas City? Well, you know, the team that just left here and took two out of three the Marlins, they play indoors like you guys too. So obviously it didn't bother them any, but it did Kimber last night. One of our late ending relievers, he had to step off the backside of the mound and blow a couple chunks and get himself back out there and then he had to come out of the game. But you know, just depends on certain guys with what the weather does for you. But you know, in my day, man, are you kidding? We played on artificial turf. There was 140 degrees during the day. Very unhealthy weather. But this here at conference stadium, it's still a little bit muggy, you can show it's not too bad. I think the Jaisle will enjoy playing it. Okay. The Jais been hitting a little bit better. Are they coming into a park that when the weather's

26:14warm, the ball flies there? Or do you got to get it? No, Kevin. Hey, look, you get the back underside of that baseball. Yep. And you get that backspin on the ball and it just carries out. So if you can, you know, see on top of the ball with that swing and you kind of slice it and cut it into it carries. They did bring in the defenses this year about, you know, maybe about eight to 10 feet, but it really hasn't made a huge difference as far as the carry goes that we're what we're seeing. But gosh, the grass, the turf is beautiful. I mean, when I say turf, it's not artificial turf. It's real grass but but a cut real thinly and nice balls. Carry. And I think you guys going to like it. Nice. Hey, Hey, Rex, how different is Daniel Lynch as a starter than as a reliever? Because he's obviously been used in both both ways. What what what I guess being a starter, how does that expand his arsenal? Well, you know, he when he first started here, he was a starter for two or three years, expended a lot of pitches and wasn't sure exactly how to how to command

27:16the strike zone. Went to the bullpen and he became a guy. I mean, a guy to where he had a one something ERA all year long. Last year and this year, he's shown and he's always voices depending that he'd rather start. Okay, so we got that chance. They had to stretch him out. Right now, he's having a hard time staying out of the middle of the plate. And that's the bottom line. He's up to 70 pitches now. So he's there stretching him out to where he might be able to go maybe four and he's three and he's depending on but really his pitch count and throwing a lot of pitches and dealing with the foul balls. That's been a problem for him. Maybe not as consistent right now as a starter, but with all the injuries the royals have had this season with their starting pitching and how well he pitched. I think it's an experiment worth trying and he's a good, good looking guy. Six foot four, six five, you know, it has the perfect build, good pitches, sinker baller. He's learned a lot over his last few years. Not to overthrow. Just go ahead and get out. So if you're not hunting the strikeout, he's just hunting the soft hit ground ball.

28:19Rex, Bobby with Ginnyers going through, I think a little bit of, you know, in and out season, right? Sometimes he's really good. Sometimes he's kind of not, I think his last 70s. He's been a little down. What's going on with his season? How would you grade his season this year? Oh, man, that's so hard because his talent is off the charts. There's, he's America's shortstop. There's no question about it. There's not a shortstop that has his tools. He's so quick. He's clean to his left to his right. Going back on pause. He makes it all fluid. The routine played 10 out of 10 times. And you know, he had a little backspacid this year. First time in his four years that he's got on the IL and he was out for a couple of weeks, but he's come back since he's come back. He's been raking. He hit about three something, but overall is like like 287. A lot of people expect so much out of Bobby, but really Kevin, this kid's, he's great. He steals faces. He gets on. I would grade him. Gosh, I'm going to say he's the same Bobby we've seen. He comes to play. He knows

29:23how to play. He plays it at any lead level every single night. He hustles. He takes extra bases. I mean, he scores on a routine single or just a little slight to the outfielders left to right. He'll score for the first base. You don't see that. He's got a nice swing path to the ball. He'll hit for some power. I'm going to give him eight out of 10. Nice. That's pretty good. So Rex are Jack Calione and Carter Jensen, the new bow and Vladie. Hey, because I mean there what they're both they're 23. They're first and second in the team and home runs. And I'm just looking the last two teams to have two players at 22 home runs at age 23 or younger were then at the 20. 21 blue jays, bone and Vladie and the 2025 athletics with Kurtz and Sauterstrom. Hey, you are right on. You got to credit the royals and their staff. They're scouting staff. Drafting these guys. Cags was the number one pick just a couple of years ago. And for what they're

30:27doing at this age, are you kidding? I remember getting my first. My first taste in the big leagues. I think we were at the sky dome or no, no, no, no, no, no, exhibition center. Sorry. And I remember stepping in that batter's box facing Roy Lee Jackson. And I couldn't stop my back leg from shaking. I stepped out of the batter's box and slapped my leg a couple of times and said, come on, HUD, wake up. This is what you've been dreaming for. I was so scared. Get a dog. Are you kidding, HUD? You had no business being the big lead at that age. Nowadays fellas, these guys are coming in at 23 years old and rake in 22, 23. It's because the advanced technology, them simplifying and singleizing the single sports when they were young. They all played baseball. They didn't play football, soccer, all the most sports like we did. Man, they're good when they get here. And and Cags caggly on that Italian, great Italian name. He sprays the ball, man. He sprays the tall fields, but he got powered off. Carter Jetson six lead off Hallbruns. Yeah.

31:30And it hasn't been done by a catcher since the early 1900s. These these kids are doing something that that have done a lot of people have done. We're excited here in Kansas City. If it wasn't for the total rotation breakdown this year, I think the roads would be a good and content for playoffs. Yeah, I was going to say that now there. I mean, they're what? They're seven and a half back. Seven and a half. Seven and a half back. It's going to be hard, obviously, to make to make the postseason with, you know, with the number of teams between them, the third wild card spot. But as you said, given the injuries they've had and looking at guys like Carter Jetson and Calione, and of course, Bobby Whit, I got to think the royals kind of quietly. If they make a couple of smart moves this off season, I mean, there's no reason they can't. There's no reason they can't take that division. Yeah, they're really into maybe. And yeah, the bullpen is obviously male. But again, if you make moves and maybe Daniel Lynch goes back to the bullpen and that automatically helps you. Mm hmm. You're exactly right. And that's what Jay Jepo Kolo, the general

32:34manager is doing here. He's getting ahead start on 27. You didn't even, you know, we've been missed it. My kelv Garcia to the go glove third baseman and he can break. He's a 300 hitter. He's been out most of the season. They go out and find him a bonafide left fielder like they wanted to last year and didn't kind of fell apart. They're their positions. I mean, past Guantino's a pretty good hitter at first base two. You know, Michael Massey, he's come on big time. It over 270. He's got some power. He's a future go glove second baseman. He won one of the miners. But they're staying with him now that that experiment is over with Jonathan India. That's that that that was that was not not the greatest move the roles of ever made. But hey, it happens, you know, sometimes you miss on a player. Massey. So they already have Salvi signed for one more year. There's Salvador Perez, Pasquenino, Bobby. You got tags. You got, you know, so they've got the position players. They're bullpened. They're working on now. There's a few guys at the back. The end is kid Cruz. Those are 100. They're working on that and believe me, Jay Jepo Kolo, the GM here.

33:40He worked under Dayton more for many, many years, probably 20 years. He's worked under him. So he knows the blueprint of a world championship team and how to build one. So they know that that bullpen is going to be built. They'll they'll work on their starters. They'll figure out a way. But you're right. This division here is very winnable. And this is an exciting team and they also run. Rex, are you think do you think they're concerned about the entries behind the scenes? You know, something that sounds like because of all the entries with their age, they probably shouldn't be having all these. Maybe that's something they're doing in the offseason, the routine wise. Any concern about that in the conversation around that part of it? Not really. I mean, you know, Cole Reagan's he was their ace and he went down early this year and then they found out they had to do some, we had to do some surgery and stuff. You know, they're on top just like every other organization is. They're all trying to figure out different things. But really some of the injuries that happened this year to some of them were kind of injuries that that would happen over the period over a period of time. Nowadays with these guys, so 95 plus. So I'm going to say they're not too

34:44concerned about that. These they'll they'll get some arms back this next season. But they'll probably go out on the market and get one or two as well. You make you mentioned past Quintino. What kind of what kind of dude to see? You know, I hear this. What are they calling past watch? Well, what kind yeah, what kind of dude is he behind the scenes? He's a he's a friendly, very friendly, loving guy, loves to shit, chitchat, chitchat. He's a talker. Yeah. Okay. He has a broadcasting degree in school. So, you know, that's what I'll tell you one thing about him. But he has a good personality. He backs the guys. He also gets on him. He's a prankster too. So that keeps things loose. There's always one or two guys on your team that you got to have that does that. That's past Quintino. Really improved his first base display over there and he can hit. So he hasn't been on a tear much lately. But, you know, anytime he can turn around, the royals are pretty pleased with what they have offensively. And some of them are present to 20, but he's you know, he's close to 20

35:45bombs. Yeah. And he's got 60, 70 ribbons and he's a he's a veteran star hall of fame, future hall of fame. So they've got some stuff, some pieces to go around. But really, to have two players when the August award for best pitcher and best hitter like the royals just took home with with their pitcher and their hitter cacks and Jensen. Now with three home runs in four days, he might win a September award. The royals, they're looking pretty good. It hasn't happened in a long time. I think it was George Brett and Brett Saber-Heggid was the last time the royals had two players win in the same month. So Noah Cameron, he won on the mound, you know, and then then cacks got the hitter. So it's really exciting around here when the royals are seemingly out of it. The fans basically, they understand, but they're really being entertained coming out here watching some good baseball going first, the third sport runs. It's an exciting brand of baseball. Yeah, see him Bobby would chin years better for baseball as a whole. I would say just the more he

36:47could play in the playoffs, it would be kind of cool. Okay, most important question will let you go. How's the fishing around Kansas City now? Fish is great. This summer right now is hot as it's been. We've had a nice big streak. Cropby have shut down. That's my fish. I love the Cropby fish. The bass fish goes anytime, but the lakes once it starts cooling off here a little bit in the fall, it'll be plentiful and you need to come on down in this case of property. Absolutely. I can't wait. That'd be cool. Rex appreciated it. That's great stuff. Be well. Yeah, see you, buddy. Thank you. Thank you. Have me. Yeah, be well. That's Rex Hadley Royals TV analyst. And yeah, they, you know, you look at their line up. That's, you know, those those two kids and Bobby Witt and Pasquantino. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, if they have a smart off season, there's a lot to like there. And you know, the other thing too is I mean, you know how the Royals the last time they won the World Series, like they do have the blueprint. They do have a blueprint to win a World Series there.

37:48Well, a lot of organizational knowledge about that back into the bullpen thing. I think plays all the time. Right. See what the, the blue jays right when they put, you know, they got their ninth inning solidified. Yeah, I think so. You know, I think it sounds like they got their core. It's young. Mm-hmm. They're, they're hungry to win, to get paid, to make adjustments really quick. You know, it sounds like they're easy to talk to. You know, you got Bobby Witt in your Pasquantino. I think it's a big deal, right? It seems to me like every time I turn on their website, it's him talking about some like he just covers the website all the time. So you can tell he's got a pretty good handle on just for young guys to have a veteran guy who doesn't mind. Correct. Yeah. Doesn't mind having the spotlight on him and, and you know, if there's like every, every team has a couple of go to guys for the, you know, the people who are around the team on a daily basis. And you need, you need a guy who's okay being that guy. Yeah. Every, every, every team needs a couple of them. Yeah, I think the top of the assignment, I think, was one of the guys. Yeah. Bastille was one before he left. That kind of thing. Yeah. Well, you'd rather them take in the

38:51heat than somebody else, right? It just makes it easier for you to be answering for your, yep, for your other 25 guys in your locker room than the other 25 guys having to answer for themselves. Yeah, I wonder about the Tommy John thing. I had to, in the rotation, you know, when you have, I think it was four out of the rotation this year, that's a lot. Yeah, you might want to make some adjustments. You might want to pivot. Uh, speaking of adjustments, when we last spoke, the Detroit Tigers were leading the Cleveland Guard in 6-1. Well, Brian Roqueo has had a grand slam and it's 6-6 now in the top of the fifth inning between the, the Tigers and the guards. Yeah. So there you go. Five runs. Get air by right. Five run four, thinning. Tiger scored four in the first. Give up the five spot in the, in the, in the, in the fourth inning. Yeah. So, uh, yeah, that's, well, I, I, I didn't realize until I halfway through the game yesterday that the, that the guards had

39:55that day night, doubleheader coming in and Dan mentioned it. Mm-hmm. I thought, man, if you're Steven vote, okay, we got a game today against a team that is right in our heels for the wild card spot and then we got a day and night. We got a day and night doubleheader the next day. By now who you are? Yeah. In our hurry. Yeah. Yeah. Uh, so there you go. They are tied at 6-6. Always, always good to hear from. Yeah. I need to go fishing with them. I don't like to fish, but I think I'd like to fish with him. You, didn't you go fishing with Justin Smoke? No, not a chance. I went fishing a couple of times, Gibby. In the, in the Gulf. Yeah, in Florida. That's kind of, why would you go fishing in a Gulf course? Because it's stock. That's because it's easier to catch the fish. That's why. That's why. I mean, the woman in Resident Dummy, you know, I'm not going to go out there and stay in the age of three hours. Never catch that. So you're, you're in the middle of a golf course. Well, I know. I wasn't really a golf course. It was, it was on the edges of the golf course more of where the houses were. Yeah. Yeah. Basically, you're fishing with somebody's back

40:59yard. Yeah. And that's, and there's no leaves. Oh, yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. So like you dropped the line in, you got a fish. That's it, basically. I tell you, I'm not a fisherman, but it's more who you're fishing with. Who would want to go out and fish with Gibby? Yell him and scream at the fish. And only the way he can yell and scream at the fish. So yeah. Most of the time, I didn't film a lot of the water. I just listened to him talk to the fish, which is something itself. I had a good time. Yeah. Yeah. With brex, that would be something. Doesn't seem to be very fair. Well, I know. Hey, last night's fair. Sorry about you. Lock. I let him go. You put him, you know, it's catch release. Put him back. Yeah, but you're still, you know, you got, they got the hook on their mouth and everything. I mean, it's not as easy as you just throw in your line out there. Like you got to get creative and, you know, be good with your casting and their fish, you know, and then you got a lure. Amen. They're fishing a golf course. They're like firm fish.

42:02They probably, they don't have like their natural instincts. Yeah. Now, all you needed to know was, why do you think that half the team was going to that place? You know, it wasn't like they were going there because they're all these great fishermen. You know, it's like you go, you know, you go there. I have that team's not golfers. I mean, some of them are, but have the team that was when I went with Gibi wasn't, wasn't golfers. You did not have a, I don't think a ton of not have some of them did. I think smoke. He was a golfer. I think he lived there and so did Gibi. Gibi lived in NS Brook because you got to, you got to live there before you could fish there. I know smoke, smoke did live there because we used to run, we used to, when I was with the Globe and Mel, we used to stay at NS Brook too. We used to rent there and I used to, I used to see him. I think I want to say Aaron Hill may have been there. You're getting pretty deep into the weeks now. I'm not sure, but I was, uh, anyway, you know, that's the only reason I went there is to go free fishing.

43:04I don't like the fish, but it's the people that you fish with. That's the point, right? It's you got to, you got to fish because you're just don't like golf. I'll drive the car. I'll, I'll drive around smokes of cars. I that's it. Okay. My wife bought me a whole thing of golf club. I've used them once. Yeah, she got me lessons. Lady laughed at me. I never did it again. I only be laughed at so many times. You know what I'm saying? I took my big daddy hack and it didn't work out the way I like it to have worked out and I was laughed at. At least you know, it was a chuckle. It was more of a, basically like used to play baseball. You're an athlete. I, yeah, you're a finely tuned professional athlete, but both my finish was good. I can guarantee you that. What we can, what we're concerned you tonight for the J's against against Kansas City. You're more concerned about Daniel Lynch and what he might be featuring or you're more concerned about the Royals offense against the, the J's pitching. By the way, Carter Jensen, we talked about,

44:06came within a single a hit and for the cycle. Yeah, I think he, I think it's the lineup slash the running game. They're going to run all over the place. If the J's can't figure out a way to hold a ball. Now again, PDC out enough. He can't yell probably anymore. And I'm sure it's already been a topic of conversation. About right now is their, their team meetings. Pitches for getting together, you know, saying what they need to say and I'm sure that's going to be a topic, but I would think again, the entire lineup for for Kansas City is not hot all at the same time. It's a couple of guys. And then some guys who are struggling or sprinkling around them, dude, you can maneuver around. If you're tying on, if you're anybody following him, you can maneuver. You know, I don't think all the time walks are a bad thing. Yeah, I'm not saying walk to house, but everyone wants to walk. If you got to walk somebody to get to a dude who's not doing as well as the guy you just walked in. It's about winning the game. I don't care about walks. So that's that, it's that combination. And stay out of the middle, please.

45:07Stay out of the middle plates. Keep it the big part of the food. You be alright. And as Rex said, that's one of the issues with, with Daniel Lynch's around the middle of the plate a lot. Gotta take advantage of that. Yeah. No, it's, uh, I will be, yeah, I will, I will really be fascinated to see what they get out of their starting pitching this series. I really will. I'm fascinated to see if Vlad is new, whatever travels. It's good to be honest. It's good to be honest. It's good to have a new, whatever. All I'm going to ask because I, I've, again, I've watched video after video, but we've, we've had our best khakis digging into this thing. And they seem to say it's different. So, all right. I didn't even know we had khakis. Well, we got a, we got a resident khaki. Yeah, I know. Yeah. I think he'd text you the same photo. So I must have blocked them. I'll be rude. He's at the cottage. I've his other cottage. It shouldn't be text and photo. I cares.

46:10Yeah. I didn't, I didn't get it. Maybe to send it to probably didn't send it to me. It's not, it's a, it's a, it's a, that's because he knows you don't like him and you blocked. Oh, it's not that. It's, uh, it's a message. You can't block messages. Can you? You can block the person that's sending it. I wish I knew that. I can't block the message. Okay. I'm going to block the person that sent it. Block that person. Block me while I read it. Can't, that's my wife can't block her. This is got no, I didn't know you could block texts. I didn't say you could. You can block the person that since since the text. I haven't done that. I don't, I don't, I, I used to block people. I don't, I don't anymore. I, because I just don't, I just don't care. I, I just, I, there's, there's, there's not enough that can make me summing up the energy to block someone on social media or anything like that. I mean, I'm sure I block people. I can't even remember. You know, I'd used to do it. Just, I'd, I'd just that to have it. Sure. Get up and like the way that person looks. Block. Hey, I'm sure that person really cared. Nobody cares. That's it. Although it is remarkable. How

47:15many people do care? They didn't fancy to it. Not absolutely. Yeah. Well, don't, don't talk the way you talk. Yeah. I don't care about what I think or feel. Why should anybody else? How we do the best we can do on this show to bring the best product we can possibly bring. We, we have two sides that we have the best Jeff and the best Kevin, we can be. We allow you to make up your own mind, which side you're picking. Yeah. And generally, you should pick my side because my side is correct. Kevin's isn't. Well, you never really answer any hard-hitting questions. I have to do all that heavy. No one wants to do all the heavy lifting. No one wants to hear my answers. I don't want to hear my answers. You're the brains of the operation. I just, you know, I'm like, I just soft-tossed. That's all. I do the ins and outs. You're the brains of the other. That's how I yourself felt, by the way. Whatever. You're the brains of the operation. I've used to never played baseball ever. Yeah, but I mean, well, no, but I'm just saying going like that is you know, I'm just like soft-tossed. That is not it. You know, I'm just doing that as a

48:21gesture. I kind of, you know, okay, to remember that time I handed you the bat and said, here, hold this. Yeah. Remember how you held that? I don't remember. You said, we could do you have a plea, but he's going to hold the bat. And then what did I do? I threw the bat away. Didn't I? I threw it at you. That's all right. That's why you love me. No, I just think you're you're here to provide expertise. That's why we have. I'm here to have wherever we're having a good time. That in the fact you're fairly good looking. So, you know, it kind of balances off. Appreciate that. Kind of balances off. Yeah, I took a lot for you to say that. No one cares what I think or feel. I think we make a pretty decent team of selling this the way we should sell it. And I do know one thing we just killed 10 minutes. Well, we've got better at that. I mismanaged the clock. Now we're going to get to the bottom of stuff. We are now John Schneider, the manager of the Blue Jays joins us next. You don't want to miss this. Kevin's got some hard-hitting questions for him.

49:22It's a player and barker on Sportsnet 590 Defend is Sportsnet.