Previewing every MLB Opening Day matchup!

it is Thursday March 26, 2026. This is a real opening day edition of baseball today. That is

my man Trevor Plue. I am Chris Rose producer day and along for the ride as well. And yes,

we have a game already in the books, but because so many more play teams are playing on Thursday.

This is really the opening day, right? I don't agree with that. I mean, there was a baseball game today.

Baseball season is open. People like to make your argument, but it's just not true. We already

open the season. This is opening day happened. All right. So here we're going to break down what

happened Wednesday by the bay. We're going to preview all of the games that are happening on Thursday.

We're going to be talking about all of the teams. We cannot wait. So it is time for our weekly

sofa spotlight of the week. And yes, it features the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants.

We thought we were going to get a great pitching matchup between Max Fried and Logan Webb.

And it was very one sided. Third and a seven, nothing deficit. And on the first pitch,

a high drive for Aaron Judge that will put a close to business on opening night.

A statement win for the New York Yankees. A seven, nothing shut out on the road is how they

open their 2026 campaign. That's right, Matt Vaskersian. It's the first time the Yankees

opened the season with a road shut out since 1967. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Didn't you say that Max Fried was going to be the A L signing award winner?

I said he had a chance. I mean, he's consistent as consistent is. And he showed it again tonight.

Just kind of, you know, mixing his pitches like he does throwing strikes. I believe at one point,

he retired like eight or nine in a row. He just, he's just that guy, man. Like cool,

common collected with elite stuff and elite athleticism. And I was happy to see it for him tonight.

You know, I thought that he did a great job wiggling out of a first and third one out jam.

The strike out of Adamus was really the inning changer for San Francisco there in the bottom of

the first and after that. They really didn't threaten much against him. I don't believe he walked

a batter if I'm correct. And for him, I'm sure it was really nice to get back out on the mound

in a game that meant something for the first time since Toronto shelled him last year in the

A L D S. Let's remember what did he give up seven runs eight hits in three innings pitched and

was a huge, you know, you could see how disappointed he was that night after a fantastic first

season with the Yankees. And, you know, this is the Max Fried. We've become accustomed to

at the major league level. Absolutely. I mean, he looked, he looked great. I said, like he is

every bit of an ace and you start to think about this Yankee team and the rotation they could have

at the end of the season, I guess you excited. And just as exciting was the number one offense

in baseball, certainly returning to form, even though they did it A without the long ball and B

without anything from Aaron Judge who went, you know, O for five on the night four strike out

so a golden sombrero, by the way, Dan just corrected me one walk from Max Fried against the

Giants, but still very much in control. As for the offense, four hits from the bottom third

of the lineup, everybody in the lineup except for Judge got a knock. That's exactly the way that

Aaron Boone probably drew it up here. You know, they had some, I don't know if it was a game plan

or Logan Webb, which is over the plate to start at bats, but they were going up their hack and

they weren't pitch. And you know, look like the shadows are going to be a factor, but they weren't

for the Yankees because they, they were hitting some bullets off him. And like I said, it was just

over the plate a little bit too much because they were on his change up. They were on that sinker as

well. And it was, it wasn't a long ball. You're right. It was like death by paper cuts, man,

just like single, single, you know, misplay here, misplay there. And I mean, they look good. You

have to hand it to the Yankees. They went up there and and they showed why they're the number one

offense in baseball last year. Yeah, this hit that we're showing right now by McMahon was critical.

It was an O2 pitch and it was, it wasn't like it was super high up, but it wasn't down, down where

Logan Webb is, is used to live. And you know, he's a guy that is always around the zone and always

giving the giants so much length. And he was, you know, too much of one and not enough of the other

on this Wednesday night. So the Yankees will take a victory. They'll take a day off as well.

So there's a lot to get to outside of just a Yankees seven, nothing win.

We got to see the ABS finally used by Cabellero. It was in the top of the fifth and unfortunately

it was during Lauren Shahadi's interview with Giants, rookie skipper Tony Vittello.

Look, it was just poor timing. We were all waiting for it. The broadcast wasn't ready for that. And

they just kind of like E Netflix on the play, I guess is what you would say.

Yeah, there's a couple of instances where I think that Netflix was kind of messing up.

They were getting rid of the score bug when they were doing kind of like the dual screen,

the dual shot, obviously there. Yeah, you can't miss the first ever ABS challenge.

But you know, I think it's going to happen during the year as well because it does, you have to

challenge so quickly. And I think we're going to continue with these interviews. Like this kind

of seems like that's where we're going with baseball. But this was kind of disappointing. Yeah,

it was. Why is Bill Miller always the umpire? I feel like he umpires a million games a year.

He's everywhere. There's six Bill Miller's, including a former batting champion for the Boston Red

Sox involved in baseball. You know, the the bummer of the whole ABS thing, they eventually got back

to the graphic that showed us that it was a strike. But for the longest time, you didn't know they

just said, uh, yeah, the challenges up hell that it was indeed a strike. But we didn't know where it

was on the box and we didn't know. They're not showing it to broadcasters. Even during real time,

I got a memo about this, like at least to start the season, people in the broadcast booth will not see

like the the zone. Well, no, no, I understand that. But when the challenge happens and don't they

show it on the big board? They just show it on the big, they'll show it on the jumbo train. Yes.

Well, but the broadcast will take that feed and show it so the people at home. Yes. I don't like

the people in the booth will not be will not be seeing it on their ISO screens. But the problem was

that we couldn't see it. Yes. That was a major issue. So, look, there are people that and we

talked about this during Wednesday show that there are a bunch of baseball fans that we're not going

to like the season starting on Netflix that didn't like it at all. I actually thought the booth

was pretty good. Like I thought I thought Hunter Pence was phenomenal. You know, Vaskerson's been

calling games forever and for CC. That was his first time in a booth for a full game. That's

that's a hard lift. If that's if that's your debut. But I thought Hunter Pence was great.

Shahat is amazing. She's such a pro. The rest of the stuff, people are, you know, Berk Chrysher.

There. Some people are going to love him. Some people are going to say, why is it dude with his

shirt off hanging out by the bay acting like this is something new? Yeah, it was a little too much

pageantry for me for being honest. I also agree. Hunter Pence was really, really good. I think

C.C. has the potential to be very, very good in the booth. I think the things that he struggled with

were just kind of the the stuff that you don't really want to do. Like talking about pitch repertoire

and going over like some of the graphics early on setting things up. Like he's good about like

seeing the game and talking the game. That's what he's there for anyway. So I think yeah,

given a chance. C.C. could also be awesome in the booth. I loved James Winston. I mean,

I find him really, really fun and he was a baseball player. Right. He it's not like what's this

NFL quarterback doing here? He'd love the game of baseball. If you've ever talked with him,

he loves talking about baseball and guys gravitate toward him. Like you saw a bunch of guys pregame

or even during the game. They were like, oh, there's James. Like I could live with that. I think

that in in spot duty, I think he's he's perfect for this stuff. I've told this story before I think

to you, but I when I was in Tampa, he came into the clubhouse and just hung out and I had this idea

this preconceived notion of who he was as a person. Then he was just there and I had such a great

conversation with him. Like I I also gravitated towards him. He's he's a good dude. Yeah, a lot of

fun and loves the sport and loves entertaining and loves putting a smile on people's faces. He's

he has massively grown up from where he was in college and early in his career. He's he's done a

really good job there. Have you ever seen you and Bert Kreischer in the same room? Because

well, yeah, that's true. That's true. We are very similar when it comes to dadbods,

beards, but not bank accounts. You love taking your shirt off just like he does.

It's true. You know, in the warehouse, I am Bert Kreischer, like I said, without the massive

face. The pump up speech was a little much at the beginning of the game. Yeah, that was.

Yeah, I would agree. I did love when the Yankees came out between the two New York City cabs.

And you know, when the giants came through the cable car, I thought that was a nice little touch.

Something different. For opening day. I'll give it for opening day. Kind of fun. Yeah, okay.

Yeah, we're not going to do it every day. What are they going to do for the Dodgers? What are the

Dodgers come out of? Walk through a tunnel of fake people. Oh my god. What? No. Fake people like

like Los Angeles. Oh my gosh. That's not true, Chris. Come on. I'm just kidding.

It's just kidding. All right. So a lot to digest here on night one as far as, oh yeah, the graphic.

Did you see the tweet? There were several people that tweeted. It said it looked like a cat,

and I can't stop seeing it now. It does. It looks like a cat, like sort of maybe a Darth Vader

Esk mask. Here's a thing. Who cares about the scorebook? Like it's as long as it does its job,

and you can see what's going on. If it's on the screen, who really cares? That was my

opinion. Great, but there were times where it wasn't on the screen. Okay, that is a major problem.

If it's not showing up and doing its job, that's an issue. You usually get fired if you don't

show up and do your job. I'm just saying like people get so caught up on like what the scorebook

looks like. It's like, dude, you have to like be mad at everything. Like it's a score bug.

I know, but if like I couldn't see it, I mean, yeah, you couldn't see the name of the picture

or the hitter. Now, fortunately, I'm a baseball fan and know who both are,

but I couldn't see the pitch count, for example. And at some point that might come into play.

So you guys are like this. Like what did that say? Okay, I get that. Okay, that's fine. If that was

like a real complaint, like you couldn't see the letter. Here's the good news.

The next time Netflix does a game, it's going to be the home run derby. So A,

I really don't care who the picture is. And B, I don't care about the pitch count. So

the next time we care about that stuff, it'll be the field of dream game. Yeah, they give one game

and then they get the home run derby and then they get the field of dreams game, which you'll,

your twins will be involved. Yeah, I haven't received any like interest in that for my services.

Well, I hate to be, I don't make executive decisions at Netflix. You're not doing the game.

I might. You might. Okay, who are you going to get for the twins to do it?

I don't think that's the way they're looking at it. But maybe,

maybe the call on, here's my floral pitch. Bring me on the best service. Okay.

Is Matt Caps available? I like Matt Caps. One last thing, Barry Bonds,

was part of the predominantly part of the Netflix pregame show, which was interesting as well.

He did make his way to the booth and did tell this story.

I would have been the Yankees, but Strandburner got on the phone and they called us and they

told me, Barry, we're going to give you the, the money, the high paid player at that time.

But you have to sign the contract by two o'clock this afternoon and I said, excuse me,

and I just hung the phone up. Wow. And I went to go get lunch and my, you know, Dennis Gilbert,

my agent and we're like, what do you know you just did? I'm like, did you know what he just said?

I just said, forget it. That went to go get my time. I walked down the street to go get lunch.

I said, let me just think about this. The giant's called me and I said, I'm going home.

What do you think? I don't mind here in Barry talk. I think he's, I think he's a fascinating

person who's had a lot of incredible experiences and he is, you know, when he was playing,

he was the best player in baseball, like everyone wanted his services by far.

So I liked him on there. I did. I love that story because I had never heard it. Yeah. You know,

he, he preceded that part by saying, your Steinbrenners no longer around so I could say it.

I guess I don't think there's a lot of filter Mary. What was that? I don't think there's a lot of

filter Mary. There's never been a lot of filters here. So interesting. That's interesting. Tell us

what you thought about the game itself, about the broadcast by Netflix. What'd you like? What

didn't you like? Maybe very bonds appearance, the ABS system. I mean, we only had one challenge all

night. I mean, I felt like guys wanted to pull the trigger a few times, but got shy. Judged

did. I think it was like first or second at bat. There was a pitch that was up. I think it was

after Logan Webb had already given up like five runs or something in the inning. And he was like,

uh, well, that would have been the second. Yeah. Then what had done it? Okay. A lot to get to

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open an account today to go claim your share. All right, time for us right now to start

breaking down all the games that are going to happen on Thursday. We'll start out at the home of

the two-time defending world series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. They will welcome the

Debacks the town Yamamoto, Zach Galan who's back for another year with the with the Debacks Dodgers

trying to become the first team to three-peat since the yanks of 98 through 2000 are injuries the

only thing that can derail LA's run toward a world series birth. No, one bad series, you know,

especially like you get to early rounds of the playoffs where it's a five game set like it's

it's a couple bad games of baseball can derail we saw that this this postseason were like you know

they didn't plague I'll say this and I keep saying it and maybe I'm just an idiot but like I

really feel like there wasn't a time where the Dodgers like played like their best baseball

like even in the postseason maybe against the Brewers they played some pretty good baseball but

yeah that's all it takes so like injury is obviously or can be a factor and why they wouldn't

be able to do it but again it's just it the way to the game of baseball set up it's it's

three bad days of baseball in October and that's it you can you can be going home.

I'm gonna say yes I believe in this team that much to get to the world series the last four

years their win total has gone down interestingly from 111 to 103 to 98 to 93 last year and let's

remember they did not get the buy right they were the three seed going into the playoffs but

they win the world series their second straight one even though Mookie had far and away his most

challenging offensive season. Freddie Freeman was really good but he wasn't as good as he's been

his lowest war in a full season in a decade.

Here's the thing they just are too good last year we said they broke camp with like two starting

two sets of a starting rotation I don't think it's quite that deep this year remember we were

asking the question like yeah Clayton Kershaw is coming off of surgery but where the hell is he

gonna pitch when he gets back well they found a spot for him well this time it's Blake Snell who

were probably not gonna see until May you know Justin Robleski is a guy that could be in this

starting rotation very easily we don't know what you know Roki's gonna start the fourth game of the

year but we don't know if he's gonna be here if he's gonna have to go back to the miners to go tweak

some things the point is they got a ton of arms they just added the most consistent closer pretty

much in baseball over the last six years they just added a guy who before his one season on the

north side of Chicago felt like a top 10 player in this league in the outfield so

they're gonna be a favorite in every virtually every game they play this year

agreed I'm just saying like you know you match up against a pitching staff on the wrong

three days in October you're going home maybe I look I love obviously I love this Dodgers team

and what they what they're putting out there on the field but I'm just not I guess they've won

the last two I'm trying to not just have it be a foregone conclusion they're gonna win the

world's here's I just truly don't believe that well they're not about there and earn it and do it

yeah I didn't say they were gonna win it I said get there okay I said get there very good you

think of the five game sets more challenging for them in the seven game set yes I do okay

mm-hmm absolutely I think that the longer the series the more talented team has a significantly

better chance it's not always that way but that's just the way I feel what if they run into the

pirates in a wild card round and that the face skins and bubble chamber hmm oh man that would

mean that the pirates had a hell of an offensive season let me ask you a quick question about the

diamondbacks how confident are you that they can fight it out for a wild card bird not very confident

I just think there's too many teams ahead of them and then nationally that are going to

be there by the end of 162 like I love some of the offense and I'll be rooting for them I just

don't think they have enough on the roster as is and if maybe they add I don't think they will but

right now I'm not very confident I think their pitching staff is a huge question mark I think

the rotation I mean the fact that Zach Gallon is far in a way coming up of his worst season

and he's the opening day starter I think kind of tells you everything you need to know about that

and the bullpen when puck and Martinez went down last year it just was an unmitigated disaster

they did bring back Paul C. Waldo had tremendous success out in Arizona in 2023 went to drive line

in the offseason hopefully he can rekindle a little bit of that magic that he lost a season ago when

he had an injury plague campaign they're going to open their series against the Dodgers I believe

this is still true without a left hander in their bullpen and that is a nightmare that is not good so

Arizona hang with them we'll see uh good match up in San Diego to get it going tigers and

Padres scoobal and Pavetta in this one we talked about Kevin McGonagall being on the opening day

roster for the Tigers which is cool do you think there's more pressure on Detroit to get it done

it and possibly scoobal's last season or on the Padres to make some strides with this much talent

I think there's a lot of pressure on both these teams I'll probably go Tigers for my answer here

just because scoobal makes that team what they are I don't think there's any doubt about it

and I don't think there's any chance he's coming back to the Tigers so they you know

they had some decisions to make around him they decided to keep him which I think is the right

decision but that does put immense pressure on the organization and I'm looking at them during the

year to go make some sort of trade big move so they can feel pretty confident going into

August September and then finally October I think Detroit's the answer here um this is a team

that has not won its division since 2014 I mean we thought they had a cake walk they had a 15-and-a-half

game lead over Cleveland and that went bubbi they ended up up ending the Guardians and the Wildcard

series so they certainly got the last laugh there but this is a team that has not been to the

World Series since 2012 hasn't won it since 1984 and yeah you're living on borrowed time with

this guy and you're gonna end up getting a comp pick because you're not you're not trading him

so for a guy who has won consecutive Saiyungs and it's gonna have a shot of the third as long as he

stays healthy what you're getting is a comp pick out of that and totally changes I think the mentality

this team moving forward it's a big difference if frember valdez is your one as opposed to

tariff school so there's a ton of pressure on this team to get it done there's no question

say the ego I've just got too many questions about it I don't they're a fun team to watch and I

love seeing the atmosphere at pet go because you can't tell if it's a Saturday night or a Tuesday night

at that place it's always jumping and it's really cool and they have a great feel and a great vibe

going but that's starting rotation man the back end and Hermann Mark Ezz and Walker Bueller at the end

yeah no there's there they're gonna have to do something about that that's not gonna that's not

what it's gonna end up being come shoot me I would assume or even even even June so I still believe

in this Padre's team I think maybe I'm the only one outside of San Diego that does they just have

a choke hold on me as far as like rooting for them and and thinking about that roster and kind of

the guys they have this they still have a ton of star power man they do they really really do and you

can point to like Machado and Tatis but they have a young guy and Jackson Merrill who can really carry

that team as well so I still there's a lot of pressure on that they continue to make the playoffs and

not get the job done but this core even though it's not going anywhere because they have some of these

guys locked up for quite some time like it's they're they're they're fillies ask without the pitching

and I will say this Tatis is one of the stars in this game he is truly a superstar and I think

we throw that term around too liberally to be honest with you but because of the way he carries

himself the flare the swagger the whole bit he is a superstar he has not played like it I know that

defensively he has he's won a pair of platinum gloves but in the last three seasons he's average

24 homers 67 ribs and an 803 OPS those are good numbers that is not superstar material so he's

agreed that's that's got to up a little bit I think you pair with what he does defensively though

we're talking about I don't know about superstar but yeah I hear you I hear you okay pirates and

the Mets this is going to be a fun one you got the reigning siong award winner in Paul schemes

going against the Mets and their brand new ace in Freddie Peralta what is a successful year for

each of these squads let's start with the Mets I think anything short of the NLCS is a not a successful

year for this team you know whatever happens after that I don't I if they make it to the NLCS I think

you can consider a successful season even if they lose I know everyone will be disappointed but in my

mind I think that is kind of the goal you know get your foot you know right or get there right

before the World Series give yourself a chance to go there I think that's a successful year so

anything below the NLCS is unsuccessful to me for this team so this is Steve Cones six

the year as owner of the Mets how many 90 win seasons do you think they have accumulated

none one just one where they had over a hundred remember they that last like the last second

the last series maybe in Atlanta where they fought for first place and they had a hundred win season

that's been it though okay so only one 90 win season so but the good news here is that they make

the playoffs every even year under Stephen Cohen it's 2026 so I'm going to do the math for you

that's an even year they went after it in the off season we talked about this on Wednesday show

right you go add Boba Shett and Devon Williams and Jorge Polanco and Luke Weaver that you trade

for Peralta and Tobias Myers and Marcus Simeon yes you've lost Nemo you've lost Alonzo you've lost

DS you've lost McNeil guys that have won a lot of games that have shown that they can handle the

pressure for the most part in this city so I'm super curious but to answer the question at least

an NLCS birth they have to because just to wash the taste out of their mouth of last season the

collapse they had and the fact that the Reds chased them down without playing great baseball down

it wasn't like a Guardian's divisional comeback where they just went berserk the last

seven weeks of the season it was like the Mets just kept taking a shit on their own shoe so

did you have that answer before I gave it I just gave you the answer about the NLCS

but did you have it before I yeah I did okay we are we're in the same page then I don't think I've

ever said shit on their own shoe in my life before that's I don't think can you shit on your own

shoe because it depends how runny okay yeah do there's nothing worse than stepping in poop

take that much you basically just got to throw your shoes away after that oh yeah there's no I'm

not one of those guys that's gonna dig in there with a toothpick to get the crap out you could

like hose them off then like the poop water splattering although yeah no there's no wind with that

just awesome yeah get them out um I would imagine that some people are going to get in the comments

to say proof rose you morons I can't afford to throw away my pairs of shoes which is fair

which I mean I get the depends what kind of shoes you got on

well how nice do the shoes have to be you everybody's got a shit pair of shoes I think shoes

are pretty cheap too these days so if they're nice shoes I understand trying to try to do it

spoken by a guy who sounds like he gets a lot of Stafford hand me down you think Stafford's

giving me shoes what no dude what I have a pair of I have a pair of shoes you literally call them

shit kickers true well usually those are boots aren't they yeah but like they're they're you're

they're your shit kicker shoes hmm uh Dan wrote in the comments this is the most LA you guys have

ever sounded sorry that's our fault e-rose e-ploof on the play pirates what's a successful season for

them do this one this is a tough question because you want to say like make the playoffs but

I I also think like 500 would be a successful season to them like over 500 and I think I've

got one that wins they have to be in playoff contention with two weeks to go it has to be

interesting yeah I thought about that I've said on this show ever since Paul Schienz became a big

leagueer opening day cannot be the biggest start of Paul Schienz's year every season it just can't

be it's criminal if that's the case so I want to see him pitching meaningful games the back half of

September and I think that that's a win agreed I think like a a nice debut for Connor Griffin like a good

first season even the same thing about a chance they're like really proved to the organization

and like we have like this is the time to go I think that will be somewhat considered successful there

and maybe that they approached next off season and put the pedal down even more how about this there's

going to be guys available this year that could help their offense and probably help their bullpen

that are going to be available and if this starting rotation can stay healthy and do some of the

glorious things we think it can do why not go for it this year I mean that fan-based

deserves it the city deserves it agreed thank you yeah so a lot of stuff that we've covered here

through these series comment on anything you want do people throw their shoes out if you step

and shit I think I like to be honest with you Chris I was kind of agreeing through I like to

definitely hose my shoes off I like I have a dog I've stepped in the poop in my backyard before

I just put them on like I put it on the grass and I take the hose and just spray it down but I

don't always feel like it will ever get clean and so I just leave them outside for like a week and

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will happen out in the Pacific Northwest the guardians at the mariners it'll be uh

bibi on the mound and Logan Gilbert for Seattle so the reigning ALS champions uh they were so close

to their first ever world series bird cal rolly was so good with 60 homers what is the headline for

this team at the end of the season Seattle championships run through Seattle I told you I haven't

went in the world series this year we're going for the sea hawk straight to the mariners uh in the

in the championship department so that's that's what I got now you know they got they got a lot of

heavy lifting to do before that but this team definitely has the roster to get it done they have

the offensive firepower we know about the the starting pitching I think the bullpen can be very good

as well a lot of that was on display at the wbc that they're just a complete roster and I mentioned it

I think we talked about um maybe zero even earlier today Chris where I said they have the correct

type of depth where like one injury is not going to take this team out of it like they just have

enough to go around and and and and and pieces that fit uh so I like the I like the mariners love

this year well we both take the Seattle mariners to win their first ever world series so the only

team in the sport that has never even appeared in the world series I would go with the headline base

ball hawks trying to play on the hawks winning the super bowl based all right anyway I think you

understand where we're getting I think their world series champions I think they've got a lot going

right because last year as good a season as it was with Cal hitness 60 and j ride playing like an

MVP for three quarters of the season things weren't perfect with the team a season ago right Gilbert

Kirby Miller almost at least a month and a half last season will obviously dinged up at the end

of the year and was a non factoring the playoffs and I am a huge prime move fan I think the

Brendan Donovan trade is one that we probably didn't make enough noise about in the off season

because Randy Eroserania was the lead off hitter for this team when it counted most and he had a

substandard year on base percentage Donovan is a really really good baseball player we know he can

play multiple positions if they ever get into kind of an injury bugaboo as well I think that he's

going to help them immensely you've got MVP candidates and Cal and j ride I feel great about this

team now I'd like him to you know not do great this weekend because my teams coming to town

but is this the year that guards ball finally falls flat why why will we even say that like what's

different about this team than years past you know as funny as you know we don't give us some

notes on on these games and he included an article by I believe his name is Zach Meisel who

does he covers them for the athletic and he had an article written sometime in June last year at

the end of June it was like is this the end of guards ball you know they're stinkin off the

joint like they can't do anything right and what do they do they went out and freaking

what the ale central so what are we talking about here man like it's it's going to be the same thing

quann over to center field delot are out there maybe they finally get some outfield freaking

offense going and the pitching is going to be the pitching and they're going to play defense and

they're going to run the bases the right way and I mean I don't know what they're going to do like

know the class a stuff is interesting to me well they finally don't have to pay him right now

that's that's nice I mean but that was nice to have you know what you was right you know what's

nice about that it's nice for the owner who doesn't have to pay him they didn't go out and

spent the money they spent less than $12 million on major league contracts you didn't ask me

about the payroll you asked me is guards ball gonna run out this and I'm saying no I mean really

the biggest improvement they made offensively was bringing in Reese Hoskins on a minor league deal

and he's going to end up hitting in the middle of their lineup certainly against left-handed

pitching um I am worried now I'm always worried about this team but I'm really worried because of

the number of unproven players that they're going to have to rely on I said this on Wednesday show

that it or Tuesday show whatever it was that if chase the louder doesn't end up being the second

best everyday ball player in their lineup behind J-Ram this teams in trouble because Stephen

Kwan is good a baseball player as he is he can't be your second most potent offensive threat

he's he just can't be and and I love Stephen Kwan I love watching him but they need somebody else

who's got some pop the louder has that possibility but I just I think at best there are third-place

team in this division and I just don't I don't know man they've only been a third place in in

this division twice since 2015 well since 2013 only the Dodgers and Yankees have a higher

winning percentage like they are like we give the brewers way more credit than we give the guardians

it's crazy you're right you're right let's go guards make me eat my words god I would love

every bit of it I would do like the james don't do that that's the one thing the james has done

that I'm like come on man that was that was horrific first time I ever saw that reds red socks pair

playoff teams from a year ago that are meeting in the queen city it's a really good left handers

going at it crochet and abbot my question is one both or neither of these teams end up better than

a season ago now I'm gonna take this question as like where they stand in their division which both

them were in third in the division they both made the playoffs I I want to I want to say the red

socks are going to be better but I just think the blue jays and the Yankees are going to finish

better than them in their division I still have them making the playoffs I believe I do actually

just did it this morning I think I saw them making the playoffs the reds on the other hand

I don't have them over the brewers I don't have them over the cuffs and I don't have them making

the playoffs this year I wish them I wish them well I wish I'll do it well Matt McLean has

had he's had a great spring training and that's kind of like exactly what they need

um it kind of sucks that I'm basing a lot of this off hunter hunter greens not being

available to the end of the year but yeah I guess I'll say red socks stay the same and the reds

don't make the playoffs this year so they take a step back that was hilarious the way you

deliver that I wish them well you sounded like a game show host after they don't lost playing

I really do though because I like the team and I like I like Tito and I like I don't know like

I want to root for the Cincinnati Reds I like the people of Cincinnati but I just don't see it

you and I see this very this baseball season very much alike I'm a little worried for you

because I know how ridiculous my baseball brain is um I think that yet look the red socks one 89

games I don't have them being better than third in this division but I the only thing

that's holding me back is I think they've got too many of the same position players like I really

well they just got to build this team around Roman Anthony who's had the hardest hard hit ball

rate in all of baseball he had a little bit more than 300 played appearances but that's enough

to know this dude is going to be a beast and that's why they signed him to that enormous extension

after just two months in the show it's like they have to decide which of the young guys are really

a part of this future and who they might be able to get rid of in order to mend some of these

holes that they might have pop up during the year I think the rotation's going to be better sunny

grain but it was a back-to-back 200 strikeout seasons in St. Louis very dependable Ranger Suarez as

a guy who when he gets to October and the lights come on he is great um so I think this team has

the possibility of being good with Cincinnati it's yeah do I believe enough in Matt McLean

do I believe enough in Sal Stewart do I believe that Ellie Dela Cruz can make that next step

yeah I'm not I just not buying right now you and I are kind of in the same area Texas at Philadelphia

they have all the and Sanchez good pitching match-up to start off the season but disappointing finishes

for both these teams last year one in Philadelphia did make the playoffs the other did not let's start

with Philly does it feel like they're giving it one last shot with this group before making substantial

moves no I don't know what substantial moves you'd make I mean they kind of have the core locked up

I mean and they bring in they're bringing two young guys and painter and Crawford to kind of supplement

the talent you know have the young a new core start to form if you will to extend the window so I

don't think this is one last shot for them in fact I I think they're going to be viable world

series contenders for the foreseeable future so I'm I'm I'm into it so yeah to answer your question

no I don't this is one last shot I think they have a very good shot this year and again for the next

couple of years I think a lot of these contracts are not tradable and I think actually a lot of them

some of them have no trade clauses so what are the major moves that they could make well we know

Alec Bohm is living on borrowed time there it sounds like for years they've been trying to find a

trade partner that never worked and now he's finally in the last year before he can walk

Taiwan walkers in that group at least Garcia who signed a one-year deal is there

so what do they have you know I'm curious about Justin Crawford can he be an everyday player at

this level I don't know the outfield is fascinating because you've got a ton of questions

Garcia's had a sub 700 OPS each of the last two years Brandon marshes strictly a platoon player

Crawford exciting we've heard about him for years but Kenny handle a position every day at the

show I don't know I mean for a team that is this good there's a hell lot of questions when you

get past that infield so it'll be interesting but yeah there I don't think that they can make major

moves yeah I don't know yeah I'm on the same page there do they have any other starting pictures

they can extend it's a no like extended like he's oh yeah he's like through what he's paid into

20 30s yeah yeah yeah yep what's your confidence level that Texas's offense can reclaim

it's swagger this season percentage wise 60% like I'm a little bit more optimistic that I am pessimistic

about it but I'm not like banging the drum like this is going to be a world series contending

Rangers team they're all going to come back right there's some nice pieces to that offense but I'm

still not completely convinced about it I guess prove me wrong Texas well I mentioned the other

day a dark horse AL MVP candidate for me could be Wyatt Langford so I you know he I would expect him

he was a high sevens OPS like if he gets to the nines that's where he would have to get to be in

that discussion he's a really good ball player can run can play great defense as well

after that wait 20 second a year ago and run scored bottom five in one run games they were

horrific at home just absolutely pathetic offensively bottom and batting almost all across the

board they had two frickin guys with more than 20 homers two they're leading RBI guy from last season

is now playing right field out in Philadelphia and Garcia we just talked about him next guy didn't

even break 70 ribs I think they had 62 of the leading return guy in that lineup this off I don't

understand it at all and they didn't make major major changes so it's like well let's just hope

that it ends up happening pitch though yeah great question was about the lineup I'm not

confident at all okay what's your percentage I said 60 I don't even know what that means I would

cut that in almost half I would say 35 okay that's where I'm going okay today's episode is sponsored by

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ballgame sometime in the near future all right white socks brew crew Shane Smith the miz milwaki wild

the world last season shocked everybody with the best record in baseball there's no way they're

gonna duplicate that right I don't think they'll have the best record in baseball this year but I

do think they're gonna be a very very good team wouldn't surprise me if you saw them in the NLCS

again like I just think that they're that kind of club that they are they don't have necessarily

the star power names but if you go just go to their fan grass roster resource page go look who's

on that team like there's some ball players I and and they're going to pitch you know that

I think your lineup is it was one of the best offenses in baseball last year I don't think

people realize how good they were and then again like I said they just sort of pitching factories so

I don't think they've finished with the the best record in baseball but they are going to be one

of the better teams in the national league so good that I'm picking them for the playoffs which

a lot of Brewer's fans have given me you know what over the year easy why would they why would they

Bruce fans like if they if they if they're saying hey they're not going to go far in the playoffs

I understand that sentiment because they they've been burned a few times but like make the playoffs

yeah yeah I so that's why I'm hopping on this year this is a great stat the Brewers have had 86 wins

at least in every non-COVID season since 2017 86 it's not just squeaking by it's pretty darn good

for me really it's all about two guys Kyle Harrison and Brandon Sprote who are new to the system

right Harrison is bounced around went from San Francisco to Boston in the in the uh

Devar's deal Sprote was obviously a huge centerpiece of the of the Peralta trade so how those guys do

with getting a shot not being sent up and down hopefully not saying hey we're going to put somebody

else in the rotation like this is your shot and we are going to rely on you I think that'll be

fascinating uh Jackson Shurio killed left-handed pitching 973 OPS almost triggered points higher

than against right-handed pitching gotta get better bro if you're going to be an MVP candidate

which I really believe that you can be so the Brewers I like watching you you're a lot of fun

I'm rooting for you as for the white socks I'm going to ask you a true or false question

that Chicago fans can have reason to be excited this year I think there are players to be excited

about obviously Murakami coming over that's got to peak people's interest we saw what Montgomery did

in a very shortened you know 70 games last year like he looks to be a star so there are players

that you can get excited about no doubt like do I think they're going to be making a run for the

essential no but there's going to be some really good games and some some big games by those guys

and I think you should be at least intrigued by Murakami enough to go check them out at the ballpark

and that was I don't know what their attendance was last year it probably wasn't very good

but I would I would if I was a white socks fan I would I would make it out to the ballpark to

to check out some of these guys for sure the answer is absolutely true you should be excited

because over the last three years you have averaged 108 losses take it from somebody who grew

up in Cleveland Ohio the first 23 years of my life the Indians did not finish higher than

fourth in their division okay this is back when there were seven teams and they were a part of

the American League East they didn't even accidentally fall into a third place finish I grew up

watching a ton of miserable baseball in the early 90s we started to see kind of a sprinkling of

young players it started with Sandy Alamar Jr. and Carlos Bayerga and and out Joey Bell back when

before he was named Albert you know Kenny Lofton it all just starting now I'm not saying that you

guys are gonna end up having 455 consecutive sellouts and put together one of the greatest

offensive lineups we've ever seen because that's what happened with the then Cleveland Indians but

you mentioned Montgomery 21 homers last year in 71 games in 840 OPS chase my drop not as good last

year as he was the year before Kyle Teal behind the plate could be something special I'm still

curious about Miguel Vargas who last year had 16 homers in 138 games Edgar Carroll he's about

to turn 23 so you've got some guys now the pitching that could be an unmedicated disaster so maybe

watch just the bottom of the innings when you're playing at home and the top of the innings when

you're playing on the road that's what I how I would suggest why can I say this about white socks fans

during my tenure maybe the like the rowdeus nastiest fans around yeah that's like we being that's

a compliment to them uh Chicago's other team taking on the Washington Nationals Cavali and Matthew

Boyd comes with some huge additions in the offseason is it enough to make the Dodgers sweat in

the National League I think so again like I especially if you catch him in a short series I think

that they 100% can be that team that gives the Dodgers fit so yeah I mean they've I like what

they did in the offseason I think they have a well-rounded team are they better than in the Dodgers

no I think they got to worry about winning the an essential first but I I like them as a team

I don't think they'd be the if I if I was to have to like pick one team death matched with the Dodgers

I don't think it's the Cubs though I think the answer to the question is if Cade Horton

ends up doing for a full year what he did in the second half last year because then and I expect

them to win the division then he can be the guy that matches up against a Yamamoto a Wheeler a

Christopher Sanchez a Freddie Peralta guy like that because of the rest of the rotation they were

running on fumes remember Horton did not pitch last year because of the rib injury and I felt like

it really cost them in that series against Milwaukee it's like at the end of the series they're

they're doing all this stuff where they're we're going to throw a guy to be a starter and that

just to be an opener I should say and that's that's not going to be good enough to get it done

on a consistent basis so we'll see about that nationals give their fans one reason to be excited

about 2026 I mean the obvious answer is again almost similar to the white socks like you got

some players there you got James Wood you got Brady House who's people are really high on this

year yet a really nice spring training I think it's also similar to like the San Francisco giants

where we have a new manager a young manager very young front office I don't know if that

makes the fans excited at all those so I'm kind of like grass I'm grasping it straws here

Chris to try to drum up some interest I I think again yeah it's a few players on the roster but

it's not going to be an exciting year in Washington I've got three things for you James Woods

42 balls in play in at least 110 miles an hour that's cool

Kadeva Cavali's mustache that's fun and the only other thing I could say to Washington fans

is that it seems like Jaden Daniels is healthy and you guys have the seventh pick in the NFL draft

we're on the same pitch that's all I got for you what about the presidential race is fun too

they start overrated you still like it I don't like mascots but I do like a race in between

innings oh yeah interesting sick of mascots twins at the o's Ryan and Rogers have the Orioles

done enough to make the AL East a four team race sure I think so I don't have a winning the

AL East but I think that they they will be in playoff contention I don't think I even had

to make in the playoffs me neither yeah they'll be in contention could they go on a run here we're

like okay like this Orioles team is legit yes 100% I can't wait to see Pete go on a heater there

and then just go off that'll be a lot of fun unfortunately for them I just think the teams in front

of them are just they're just better I'm talking Blue J as Yankees and the Red Sox I could see them

battling with the Red Sox though for that third place in the AL East so they answer a question yes

they've done enough yes but I think that they might finish with 85 or 86 wins and I don't think

that that'd be enough to catch the Red Sox as the third best team in that division

Alonzo and Ward combined 74 homers that's coming on board this year Bassett and Boz Boz is going to

be interesting because he was so bad last year it's Steinbrenner field and a pretty decent picture

outside of that part it's really incumbent on these young guys who we thought like when they made

the playoffs in back-to-back years we're like oh the Orioles are here to stay and last year they

took such a monumental step back I know Gunner had over a five war last year but it was over nine

the year before Adley Rushman I have no idea he's on the side of a milk cart and he's missing

an action I feel terribly about that because he seems like such a good kid and he has made such a

massive turn the wrong way with the career it blows my mind Jackson Holiday hopefully he's okay

we'll see what he turns into Colton Cows here you got to stay healthy and for God's sakes Jordan

Westberg you need to get out of the injured list you're too good a player really good like I

think he could be a great baseball player it's already heard stinks you got 30 seconds to tell me

why your twins won't be a disaster so I still think there is talent on the roster if you especially

the position players you know Royce Lewis has to step up Blue Kishaw has to be a guy buying

bucks and has to stay healthy I think Matt Walner go look at his go look at his career OPS I think

he'd be shocked at what it is so he has a chance to be still a special hitter in this league especially

if we're talking about power numbers the rotation took obviously took a hit but there's a chance that

make Ables a guy and could be a two behind Joe Ryan and the bullpen which is definitely the Achilles

heel of the team right now they have a proven track record of developing guys in the bullpen so

like if they can do that again somehow we might see some competitive baseball you know I'm a realist

with them as well this year with Pablo I would say they have a chance to be competing for a wild

card spot at the end of the year a very slim chance with a little chance without Pablo I don't

I don't see it it'll still be well worth watching the twins on TV when you get back an action up

in that booth some time in May that's why I'll be watching this episode of baseball day is sponsored

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it is rated e for everyone all right raise cardinals rasmussen liberator tepobase the one team

that we haven't talked about in the american league east should we be I mean to talk about what

I guess I'll take that as a no competing for like the alie's title I mean

no I don't I don't think so there are things to talk about like I think junior camera as well on

his way to being like a household name in the baseball world just an absolute stud I think the top

of the lineup can be a lot of fun with a randa and yandy up there and you know they can

cause some waves I'm interested to see because they talked about this with griffin jacks with

the twins like they they wanted him to go back to being a starter what will the raise end up

doing that that could be a fun storyline but as far as like competing for the alie said I don't

I don't have it this year Chris no rasmussen and pepio at the top of the rotation that's fine Shane

McClanahan welcome back after missing two years god I just want to see that guy make like 22 23

starts that's fine you mentioned junior caminero I'm really curious to see and I hate to say this

because I am a big believer in his pop how much of a steinbrenner field baby he was last year his

OPS was 200 points better at the minor league stadium then elsewhere around baseball which is

weird because he actually hit more homers on the road than at home and his OPS was substantially

better at home than on the road I don't understand how that math works but that's what happens I

think he's a great baseball player I hope his numbers don't go down significantly he's fun to watch

you mentioned the top 3d order but other than that for years all we said is the razor gonna

ray and that's a great thing it does it feels like they're just so far out of the mix here

cards in the meantime is strip the franchise down to the studs do you think it's going to be as bad

as everybody's predicting what are pepio predicting like what's like the overrunner for this team

well last place in the NL central is what they're predicting and that I think they're going to be in

last place in the NL central I do okay I mean yeah look it's it's not going to be a great year for them

I think you know there's going to be again like we talk about with some of these teams that we don't

expect a ton of wins from or like you know to be in contention there are some some players that

you're going to want to watch and I think they're I think that's kind of what we'll see this year is

them sorting out what their future is and what and who's a part of it so you know that's always

an interesting watch but as far as yes competing I don't think it's going to happen this year for

them and I don't think they're that's not the goal this year it is it is a rebuild they are trying

to figure out who's part of their core going forward I don't think it's going to be a long rebuild so

that's an encouraging piece of but you know what's they called it that's on advice but that's what

I think take that for what it's worth but yeah I don't think they're going to compete this year Chris

so they're coming off a 78 win season the last time this organization had fewer than 80 wins in

consecutive full seasons so I'm talking about non-strike shortened seasons COVID season etc

1958 and 59 that is a hell of a long time where you have kept your fan bases interest I think the

fan base this year knows exactly what happened with the trades of Contreras and Gray to Boston

and Donovan to Seattle and Aranato out to Arizona they they've been begging for this to actually

happen to be honest with you there's been a lot of the fan base who's like Mozelec why didn't you

do it now we're leaving it to Heimblum and so there's still guys to watch I think that Alex

Burleson is a guy that has improved every year 800 OPS last season Mason win is is a fun guy to watch

and really good energy JJ weather hold is here hopefully he stays for the duration

Herrera is a guy we never talk about had almost an 840 OPS so they've got guys that are fun

find those tent poles somewhere down the line that'll be good last series we're talking about

angels and astrosoriano and brown is Houston a legit threat to Seattle in the AL West or not

I think they can be and I have them in the playoffs this year I think I had them in playoffs

I just did this I should have it up I think I do have in the playoffs I don't know there's just

something about this team this organization that I can't quit again I think you could look at

the starting pitching and and kind of have some question marks there but they still have 100 brown

they still have Ketsu Mai who I'm very curious to see how how that goes he's looked good and

spring training Mike Burles after that it's like okay Christian Havier what are we going to get

we'll see what Alliance McCulloch does but I'm assuming they'll figure that out but they already

have in my opinion a decent one through three there but in the lineup to me Chris I think they

underachieved last year and a lot of that was because I didn't have Yordon but I just I expect

more out of this team to the point where I think that they have enough there when if guys are

healthy that they will be I think they'll be threatening the Mariners in the in the AL West yes I do

I don't think so they haven't missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 2013-14 and I think

that happens this year I know that they only had Yordon for 50 games or whatever it was last year

and Payne is a stud dude's awesome like first game back after whatever break in that pinky right

before the World Baseball Classic he goes deep he is he's an awesome player but Al 2 base coming

off is worse season since he turned into Al 2 Bay essentially and I don't it just feels like

it's okay this is a winning franchise man it's like the way we talk about the guardians and the

Brewer is just finding ways to get it done yeah there's this is the same thing with the Houston

Astros yeah they're just a richer version yeah yeah but they yeah but they develop talent too

totally yeah absolutely absolutely and they make tough decisions I mean what they do make yes

what team has watched more high priced excellent talent leave the building than the Houston Astros

and still be competitive you're 100% right I just don't think that this is your maybe it's because

I believe in the Mariners that much I don't know I'll ask a question about the Angels is there a

plan in place or do they feel lost it doesn't seem like there's a ton in place there Chris I mean

I don't I don't know if you have a different answer there but again like similar to the other teams

there's some fun players there's a new manager but other than that I don't I don't see any direction

whatsoever with the Angels I mean they did something that I had never heard of before they gave

their manager Kurt Suzuki a one-year deal a one-year deal I mean so you don't believe in the manager

we don't know what they are are they ever for sale are they not they're they're not only not a good

major league team their farm system sucks they are always bottom five like I can't remember the

last time they weren't bottom five as far as farm system ranking so they can't draft nor develop

and then the guys that they do end up bringing in and paying they stink too and it's too bad because

it's a fun place to actually go see a ballgame I was just gonna say that like hey if you if you're

someone that wants to come see your team plan California go to that I'd go there instead of Dodger

Stadium totally 100% there we know about the history of Dodger Stadium and that is cool in the palm trees

and all that sort of stuff getting out of there is a nightmare getting in there is not easy either

and when you get out to Anna I'm I don't know it's beautiful weather like it's a great stadium to

watch a ballgame in and afterwards you can go to like Newport and yeah I'm I'm all in on that like

go go and the tickets are obviously much cheaper go to Anaheim and watch a baseball game right

absolutely well I know that was a beefy beefy show but it is only opening day once or twice or

three times a year because there's still six teams that are sitting out Thursday and they're like

Jesus can we get going please don't worry we're talking about the A's or a team we didn't talk

about the A's the Blue J's the Royals the Braves who else is playing on now you peaked my curiosity

about the Rockies oh Rockies yeah that's that's a few hold on I'll get it for you

and the Marlins Marlins that's the last team okay we'll we'll talk about them at the very least

if not on Friday show at some point over the next six months I promise a special shout out to

two guys in particular Dalton Philly and our intern Quinn who did a bang up job with the research

really crushed it we hope you made we made you proud we used about three percent of it but it was

awesome to have so thank you very much guys keep up the great work to our one-of-a-kind producer Dan

Rourke who stayed up into the wee hours of the morning putting this very fine show together and the

Uber Talented Trevor Ploof I am Chris Rose we will see you Friday for the third straight

opening day edition of Baseball the Day