Talking Baseball with Joey D and Paul

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1:25I got a preview of guests. I got Paul Bronsky, that are baseball knowledge that you can't imagine with Paul. Hello Phil, how are you? I'm doing great. I know we, you know, Paul and I, we always argue offline. But when we get on these podcasts, he kind of agrees with me because, you know, he knows who's right. Go. Okay, we're going to see today. And now we're bringing in documented today. We're going to bring in another guest of ours, Joe Demodio. Yes. What's up, Joe? How you doing? Good, Phil. How you doing? I'm doing good, man. I'm doing good. So, you know, how, how's things going in your retired world? Retirement's great. I wake up every day. No text, no emails. So it's, uh, I'm enjoying it right now. Awesome. Awesome. I'll be there at the end of the year. So nice. Yeah, then I'll be in better shape to go play softball.

2:28Maybe you'll come back to stand out and play with me. Now, never come back. Sorry. Come on. Do the league needs you, Joe? Anyway, so, Joe, what we're going to do today? We're going to talk a little bit about what we think the, the meds basically did in this fall season. What we think the future is if any of the moves are going to get made and give our predictions for the, for the season and talk a little bit about the WBC. Okay. You got it. All right. So I'll go first and everyone knows I hated losing Alonzo. I think first base right now is a, is a, is a black hole. And Polanco is not going to play first base. He's not a first baseman. He's probably going to DH most of the time. Bating might be okay there. Who knows? I have no idea. He's the third baseman. You know, Joe, I don't know. Can you play, uh, can you play first base? If you play third, he was a shortstop. Polanco. Yeah, I have no, I would have no bra. I'm playing first base. I think it's one of the easiest positions on the field.

3:29Okay. Okay. So I don't agree with you. His footwork is very big. A lot of guys try to go to first base like Todd Zeal. You're going to do it. You're going to say footwork is big and then talk about Alonzo in the same breath. No, the guy falls down every, every play. He, he falls down and he ball hit to his right. He foot don't, you want to talk about Alonzo's offense? Fine. Yeah, defensively. He's a stone hands. Oh, I can't even flip the ball to the picture. Hold on. Can't throw home. Never turns a three, six, three. I think defensively. Polanco's going to blow him out of the wall. Polanco's not even going to play first. I'm telling you right now. He's not playing first. Yeah, he'll play a lot of games then. But what Alonzo did excellent. Scoop one of the best in baseball with scooping the balls. Easy state to do is the first base. How many balls did Lindor smile after Alonzo made the play? Lindor's a goal-glob shortstop because Alonzo's making those plays. If he doesn't make them their errors and you know what? Lindor's not a goal-glob shortstop. I think you're giving Alonzo too much credit for those,

4:31for those scoops at first base. He costs them more games with his arm and his spare footwork around first base. Plus, he costs the match the entire season last year. I mean, he that that's brought his anger on the run. He couldn't make it through on the run. My door does make that throw in softball. Yeah, defensively, I got to agree with Joe. So once again, that's my opinion. I think the Mexican offensively lose in the last year, 272 batting average, 39 home runs, 120 RBIs. You didn't replace that. I'm sorry, but shit is good without a doubt. But you're not replacing that and Nemo's offense. And you can sit there and say, Nemo did all this with one game against the same crappy team. It doesn't matter. The numbers at the end of the year are there for years. And I won year for years. So I was upset with the home move. You know, Simeon, if he ends up being good, then maybe the Nemo trade was okay. But you're not going to get away with what Alonzo were missing that offense.

5:31Listen, would I have liked to see Alonzo spend his entire career with the Metz. We had 200, you guys, the home run record or whatever. We never get a guy. What do we got right in Crane Pool? And Ron Hodg is three guys in the whole thing. So it would have been nice, but he's gone. And I think a lot of his home runs, I got to be honest with you, I'm meaningless. I mean, he's not, he hit 190 in the clutch in 2024. In 2024, he don't hit that home run off Devon Williams in the playoffs. He's gone. The Metz won him out of here. He had the worst season ever. But if you look at his final numbers, 35 home is 100 RBIs. Everybody thinks the average was low that year, right? 27 lot of pressure. Everybody thinks that he already, guys, a great clutch hitter. He's a compile. He hits these bombs in the eighth inning. When the Metz are winning eight, nothing hits a three run home or whatever. Now, you look at the shit. The guy's hitting 390 with run isn't score a position. And two outs. He don't have to power that Alonzo has. But he's like a hitter. Who would you rather have an up in a big spot?

6:33Keith Hernandez or Pete Alonzo? Listen, Keith Hernandez is the best man ever in clutch. But I'm saying, right? And Emma, what's the most home is he ever hit at a Met? 19, maybe. Maybe. Maybe 12 or 17, but maybe. So you put too much emphasis on Alonzo's bombs. You know, I mean, look who's talking. Yeah, but I like, but I'm a 12-year-old boy watching at 76 Metz and we had nothing. Who am I going to rule for? Kingman. I have a rule for all the players too. I take good shit off the game, Fennel. Yeah. Joe, I also, like, you know, Simeon is 35 years old. He's been on a downside of his career the last two years. You trade away Nimo to get this guy, Simeon, who's a very good defensive second baseman without a doubt. But now you blocked your young players, which is one of the key things that Stern's has been saying. The young players got to play. We didn't sign, oh my God, because we had to have the young kids play. Now you blocked them. Well, I mean, that was a tough, that was a tough loss losing, oh my God.

7:33But and I also had a tough time losing the CUNA, because I like the guy who was quick on the bases. He could play great defense. And he hit occasionally, but I could point it out to you, Phil. I pointed out to you about a month ago, Phil, the match replaced all the power numbers they lost with the four guys they got in the trades and the free agents. So they replaced all those power numbers. It could be a longer, guys. It could be a longer. And they got some pitching now to bring it. They brought some pitching in with Faratha. But that's all they needed was the pitching is my point. They didn't need the more offense. They needed the pitching. They wanted to change the core. Everybody's missing the point. The next one to get rid of the attitude and change the core four and they did that. They got rid of all the guys that never did anything. They didn't win. The next to not win a pennant, then not win a World Series. That's the bottom line. Okay, he's right. If David Stern's brings in a pitcher two years ago, the Mets make the World Series. In the trade deadline, he had to bring in another starting pitcher.

8:34And he didn't do it. You got that. That's on him. That it's not on the Met Pitchers that year, ran out of gas. Like I predicted, because they have never pitched more than 120. Well, how about for years, they haven't pitched more than 120 innings. Eventually, they get tired. I know Paul believes that these guys don't ever get tired, but they do. I think all these guys could be pushed further. A lot further. Oh, I think they baby them. They baby them. They're all they're all in bubble wrap. These guys. No, nobody nobody even pitches two hundred tennings anymore. 180 is like the top. Guys like Civa at Civa average two fifty a year. Average two fifty a year. The guys and they never had surgery. And you know what, the thing that pisses me off, Phil, they baby these guys with these innings limits and the pitch count. And they still get hurt at the same rate. It doesn't do anything. I agree with you. It's the owners putting a lot of money into this and the investment. And they are like, we're going to protect the investment. They're doing the opposite. It goes back to literally though. They don't throw nearly. They have innings, innings max,

9:34which don't even make sense. Because if you pitch an inning and it was easy, it doesn't matter. If you pitch a hard inning, it's worse than an easy inning. Am I wrong? They do this stupid thing. Ups and downs now. How many times have up and down? It's ridiculous. So it's ridiculous. So that when I was young, every day I threw the ball. All of us did. Every day, right? Now you got to protect the young kids arms. They're getting Tommy John surgery. Why? Because they're throwing curveballs and trying to throw a hundred miles an hour as a kid. That's throw your fastball and throw a change up. That's all you got to do. Until you get to college. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Agreed. All right. All right. So that was that thing. I think the match right now with Peralta, you have other guys now. McLean, right? He is still rookie. Don't forget Christian Scott. Christian Scott. John, what do you think of Christian Scott? Don't forget. Don't forget. John could be good. He was good before he had the Tommy John. I mean, the kid was on his way. What about Tom? You don't think he's telling me? Wait, let's stay on Scott, Joe.

10:35I'm not a big fan of Christian Scott at all. I think he belongs in the bullpen. The guy he's owing three in his career with a 4.56 year rate. He can't sat at the three innings. He could emerge as the occlusive this year. I think if Williams fails, he could emerge as the closer, but as a starter, absolutely not. The guy to me just doesn't have it. I saw it two years ago and I was kind of happy when he got hurt last year. Oh, Joe, that's so much. Come on. You can't be sure that stuff, Joe. Happy for injuries. Come on, Joe. Well, I mean, the meds always build their minor league guys up and then never have to what we think they're going to be. And that was everybody does that. This podcast is sponsored by IQ bar. I've got good news and bad news. Here's the bad news. Most protein bars are packed with sugar and unpronounceable ingredients. The good news, there's a better option. I'm Will and I created IQ bar plant protein bars

11:37to empower doers like you with clean, delicious, low sugar brain and body fuel. IQ bars are packed with 12 grams of protein, brain nutrients like magnesium, and lion's mane, and zero weird stuff. And right now, you can get 20% off all IQ bar products plus reshipping. Try our delicious IQ bar sampler pack with seven plant protein bars for hydration mixes and for enhanced coffee sticks. Cleaning ingredients, amazing taste, and you'll love how you feel. Refuel smarter, hydrate harder, caffeinate larger with IQ bar. Go to eaticubar.com and enter code bar20 to get 20% off all IQ bar products plus free shipping. Again, go to eaticubar.com and enter code bar20. The Toyota Tundra and Tacoma are built to keep going, blending rugged muscle with precision engineering all supported by Toyota's time-tested legacy of dependability. Step into a Tundra and feel the unyielding capability with the available iForce Max engine. Tundra puts out impressive power, torque,

12:39and towing performance and the roomy high-tech cabin keeps you connected on the go. Or take a look at Tacoma made for drivers who push past the path. Agile, tough and relentless with available features like crawl control, affordable JBL speaker, a power lift gate, so gear goes in fast and the adventure keeps moving. Tacoma and Tundra are engineered to endure season after season, mile after mile. So drive one home today, visit toyota.com or stop by your local Toyota dealer to find out more Toyota. Let's go places. He's doing everybody does it. I think this guy could be a sleeper. You know, I think he could, if he tweaks a couple of things, maybe he could be a sleeper. I mean, Tom's a little young. I still think he's not ready yet. He's got a lot of movement to him. He's not moving, but he's not ready yet. You know, but after that's a lot of question marks. And I had to not look great yesterday is his, his miles per hour were dropped, like three or four miles per hour. He's going to be a number four, though, right? The guy, the guy that could help us big time. It's saying it's single because he could be a base that guy. That guy clears his stupid head

13:40and stops pitching every six days and realizes he's not, he's not in Japan anymore. Maybe you'll do all right. Let me ask you a question. Both you guys, these are major league players. How are they hurting their legs by running? They're not hurting. Die it. It's dieting. What else could it be? They got trained, isn't got everything done? Listen, I get it. Maybe they're not hydrated enough. It was a bad throw. Yeah, who knows? A lot of them. But how did he hurt his hamstring? It's insane that guys can get hurt like this in the major league. Guys, the guys running full speed to first base, Phil. He's trying to keep his foot in the base that stretch for a bad, bad throw. And he pulled his muscle and that's the bottom line. Of course, the match the whole season last year. Joey, the year before that, he pitched the pitch. And he went to, I guess, go for a pop-up and he pulled his calf muscle. I mean, this is not normal. Diaz was celebrating in the World Baseball Classic and tore his knee for the whole season. Yeah. I don't know. Guys, they seem to be made out of mozzarella. I got to tell you.

14:40What about right field? What do you think in right field? Because that's really the only spot. Well, I'll tell you what. Prep Bay, he played right field in AA. He played some right field in AA. He's got a really good arm. They had him out there. He doesn't look bad. And the kid bench, he's been pretty good at the plate. And he's good defensively. He's got 15 home run power. But you got to see. You got to get at bats for Bay. Because I think Bay, he's got to play somewhere. And I would think, you got to just let Vientel's be your DH. Let the guy DH. It's going to be possible. Every game? Everyone goes and not playing first. Who's playing? Then if he don't play first, Vientel's is going to play first. Yeah, he's going to be either him or Bay. But I mean, I don't mind Bay and right field. I got to tell you, if the kid bench don't work out, you know, you think he's ready to come up Joe? You think he's ready to come up? Benz looks good for me. He'll follow me up in the spring training games. So I like him a lot. And I think like Bolly said, Bay, you can go to right and then play third and then play some first base. Yeah, get him to set going through the season right now.

15:42They're trying to turn Bay, Joe into the McNeil of the Metz. He's going to beat a utility guy. But one thing was impressive with Benz. I don't know if you saw the game. He had an O2 count on him against a lefty. And he hit an opposite field bomb on an O2 count against a lefty. That's pretty impressive for a... That's very impressive. Here's my prediction. He starts a year in triple A, okay? And in right field, I think that there's top win. There's Melendez. And you got Bay, right? All depends on what happens at first base to be honest to you. But I got a feeling that Taupin's going to make the team over Melendez. And Taupin, he's a good player. Well, you got Taylor. What about... He's not. He's new. I'm just saying. But they love that guy. They love his defense. Yeah, I don't like him, but they love him. You know, and I just... Why can I ask you question? Why do you think Pelluck was going to be terrible at first base? I didn't say terrible. Why do you think he's not going to be able to... He was a short stop. Any short stop could play first base, Phil.

16:45All right. Let's see. Come on. Let's see what happens. Base point prediction. I don't think he's going to... He put catches at first base. I don't think he's going to play first base. I think he's in a D.H. And Phil in a second base. I don't know. I don't know. You guys are acting like this guy, Polanco is a great hitter. He had like three great years in his career. He's not a great hitter. Two years before last year. He's terrible. He's okay. Right, but he's not great. But you keep saying, you know, listen. I could say two years ago, I was going to hit two 17. And he passed one lane, he was terrible. And you're telling you think he's going to hit 50 homers and drive in 200 runs. He's going to hit 50 homers in Baltimore. Absolutely. I'll bet you he don't right now. All right, you got it. All right, I want dinner. Not in McDonald's, I want real food. Where do you want to go? Any Italian restaurant that's decent. You know what? Pizza place. I'll make it this bad. You could even take me a pizza. I'll make it this bad. Joe, you're going to you're going to join in? What do you want? Yeah. Um, I don't know. I mean, he's going to probably hit 45, 50 homeruns

17:47with the last place team. He's a selfish guy. That's why he's gone. No, you know why he's gone. He won a five year show for the homerun derby every year in the All-Star game. It's all he wanted to do was going to the homerun derby every year. And then when he came back from the All-Star game, he was all for 24 every year. He stopped the stop the second half, boy. That happened a lot, Joe. For the first of all, the Mets offered him an extension. Right. That's almost the same amount as what he got. Turned it down. And then he opted out two years in a row. Two years in a row, he opted out. So it's not like the Mets didn't do nothing. And then they say they, and then people know he selfish. When he run the homerun derby and he interviewed him, you know what he said? I'm the greatest power hitter in the game right now. That's what he said. And then when he beat Strawberry with the homerun racket, he puts a thing down those straws. Like, what the hell is with this guy? You know, like that's the only reason he stayed with the Mets for that one year deal, just so he can beat the racket.

18:48Okay. That's why he's the, he's a very selfish. He's a weirdo too. You ever see him humping the guardrail, the railing in the dugout, ripping people's shirts off, and flopping around. Like, I am so glad I don't have to see. Every time Lindor makes a great play, and Alonzo gets it, he does like some kind of flip at first to say, to add on to the spectacular play, to take away from Lindor's spectacular play. Okay. That's my opinion. I think he, all that falling down is unnecessary. I think Paul, he's 100% correct. Okay. Plus the guy was not, he was not a team leader. The Mets need team leaders. No, no, I agree. He wasn't a team leader. And Nimble was like that. Stone hands in left field too. You forgot to mention that. You know, you'll talk all about his offense. When you could, when you, when a catcher could, could, could score from second base on a base in the left, you got a problem. You have to score runs to win the game. You cannot win a zero and score no runs. You have to score runs. That's true. So you look at the, in the 70s, Mets, great pitching,

19:52lost a lot of games because they couldn't score runs. You got to score runs. Losing that offense is going to hurt, but it could be a longer offense, but Alvarez has got to hit, right? Well, listen, you got, the Mets got a lot of guys that could go one way. They got like a guy like Alvarez. He could legitimately have 25 homes in 80 RBI's and hit 260. Or he could have a lead year like this year. Then you got the, the guy they got from the White Sox in Senafil, Joe. I like him, by the way, Roman. What was that? Oh, wow. Robert Jr. Yeah, that guy could hit 30 homes and knock in 80, or he can hit 12 homes and back to 30. You know, they got, so they got a couple of these guys. Ventos. Ventos could be a dirty home or a 100 RBI guy. He had 27 homes and 70 RBI's in 2024. And if we go to the World Series, he's the MVP to play us here. Three hits in every playoff game. So he's got it in him, baby, too. You know, you got at least four or five guys that have a high ceiling or they could flop. So if those guys perform to their max capability,

20:56that's going to take a win 95, 96. And they win the division. I agree. Yeah. And the guys, they got a pitch, though. Yeah. And Devon Williams got to be decent. He's got to be the Devon Williams that was on Milwaukee. OK. All right. What about the rest of those teams at the division? The Braves, they keep getting hit with one after another. Blow after blow. Now just juxtain profile, what is his name? Yeah, he's out for the year. He's calling it for another steroid use. Yeah. And they lost, oh, sooner they lost, too. It was a clutch hit for them. Right. Yeah, yeah, they lost. And their pictures are heard, right? Listen, I don't see them being a contender this year. I'm saying Met's Philly's Braves maybe third place. Braves in the mallens of Battle Alpha Third. Well, the Miami has got an interesting thing because they traded away one of their pictures. And I'm not sure. Like, because they were decent last year for a while. Listen, they only finished a couple of games behind the Met's. Yeah. So the Met's had a horrible year last year. Nationals of Putrid, that's the bottom line. Yeah.

21:57I'm going to roll the dice and agree with you with the Met's as a Met fan that everything's going to go right. OK, who knows? And I think Philly's obviously number two, then the Braves. I'm going to go with the mallens and then the Braves. Because I think the Braves are hurting. OK. And then the Nationals. Joe, I got the Philly's win in the division. I have the Met's place in second. Braves third, mallens fourth, the Nationals last. All right. Let's talk about the American League East, right? Because we'll just do the American League the East division today and then another time we'll do another one. In the American League East, I got to go. I'm going to go with the Yankees. I'm going to be honest you, they got guys coming back that are great pictures and great offense. And they're great offense and they're young pictures that are looking really good. So I'm going to go with the Yankees. I'm going to go Boston number two, Toronto number three. People are loving the moves Toronto made. I don't think they were great.

22:59Joe, don't answer that text message anymore. Because it's beeping over here, right? And anybody else in that division? No, get them all. Well, Tampa Bay last. Yeah, I'm going Yankees one. I'm going with Toronto two, Boston three, Tampa Bay last. That's all right. Here it is. The Yankees could get out of McMahon. If he could be Craig Nettles for them, you're right. He can't hit the guys a great field. Yeah, but he don't have to be crazy. This podcast is sponsored by IQ bar. I've got good news and bad news. Here's the bad news. Most protein bars are packed with sugar and unpronounceable ingredients. The good news, there's a better option. I'm well and I created IQ bar plant protein bars to empower doers like you with clean, delicious, low sugar brain and body fuel. IQ bars are packed with 12 grams of protein, brain nutrients like magnesium and lion's mane and zero weird stuff.

23:59And right now, you can get 20% off all IQ bar products plus reshipping. Try our delicious IQ bar sampler pack with seven plant protein bars for hydration mixes and for enhanced coffee sticks. Clean ingredients, amazing taste, and you'll love how you feel. Refuel smarter, hydrate harder, caffeinate larger with IQ bar. Go to eatiqbar.com and enter code bar 20 to get 20% off all IQ bar products plus free shipping. Again, go to eatiqbar.com and enter code bar 20. The Toyota Tundra and Tacoma are built to keep going, blending rugged muscle with precision engineering all supported by Toyota's time tested legacy of dependability. Step into a Tundra and feel the unyielding capability with the available iForce Max engine. Tundra puts out impressive power torque and towing performance and the roomy high-tech cabin keeps you connected on the go. Or take a look at Tacoma made for drivers who push past the path agile, tough and relentless with available features like crawl control,

25:00portable JBL speaker, a power lift gate, so gear goes in fast and the adventure keeps moving. The Tacoma and Tundra are engineered to endure season after season, mile after mile. So drive one home today, visit toyota.com or stop by your local Toyota dealer to find out more Toyota. Let's go places. I mean, that guy's got power. If you get at 25 homeless and knocking 70 and back to 40, that's all nettles have it did for them. You know, you don't have to. If nettles hit 30 home owns. Well, he can. That guy, he can. He has the power to do. I said 25 and said, you know, nettles with it 30 home is 80 RBIs. He had low batten average, so 2.30, 240, maybe 2.61 year. But nettles was there for his glove. The Yankees have so much offense. You know, the problem with them is Vopi. Is Vopi going to be your shortstop? Are they going to keep him there? Did it, you know, what are they going to do with him? You know, I mean, he's starting the season on the injured list and Cavalero or something like that is going to start it short. Who, by the way, very good player. And what do you do with the Stanton and Ben Rice situation?

26:00Like who's is Ben Rice going to catch? Ben Rice will, he'll play first base and be the backup catcher. And Stanton's going to be the full time DH. Yep. All right, that's a good, that's a good team, the Yankees. Yankees will probably go to the World Series this year, I think. I hate to admit it, but I think they will. I got Toronto, place in first Yankees second, Boston third, Tampa fourth, and the Baltimore Orioles led by Peter Lanzo, placing last. I forgot, I forgot all about the Orioles. But for a last place, team, it'll be four. I forgot about that. Yeah, I didn't put them in there. Yeah, I'm going to, I go away Orioles ahead of Tampa Bay. I think Tampa Bay's last. Yeah, me too. Me too. All right, no, we got the WBC started yesterday, okay? I watched some of those games. They got to tell you the truth, the United States, they came on late, but they were kind of like, stays go against a young team. That was Brazil team. They had a 17 year old pitcher come in the game and had another one come in the game. Yeah, they're young guys.

27:01They're young guys, so if it's not Japan and the United States and the finals, it's a disappointment for them. Dominican, Dominican team is good. I don't know, I don't think they have the pitching that Japan and USA has, but I mean, you got an outfield of Soto, Rodriguez, Jr., and Sena Field, and Tateast. No, great offense. Get a pitch in the problem. Yeah, yeah, I don't know who's their ace. Who's the ace on that? I don't even know. Yeah, yeah, I know the thing that's impressive is Japan's pitching. They got like, and they don't even use an autonomy to pitch. Who's the other guy that could pitch? Yeah, well, he might pitch in, you know, in the finals. He might. So that's what, and that's the thing. In the American team, skiing is only going to pitch one of the two games. A dribble, whatever his name is. I think all of them are going to just pitch one of two games. So what happens? McLean's going to pitch two games, I think. But what happens when you get to the finals? Who you got pitching? You got to have people in there. Well, it's only one game. So each guy could come in for two, three innings.

28:02I mean, you know, they'll work it out. So do you like the WBC? Me or Joe? I'm all you. I like it. I wasn't a big fan of it, but now it's kind of growing on me with the Olympics and everything like that. So I think there's a lot of pride in the plays, a lot of pride in their countries. And it wasn't happy when Diaz got hurt whenever that was two, two, two, two, three years ago. But it's kind of growing on me. I like it. And I watched the game last night. I'm impressed with the USA and Japan, like you guys said. But the Dominican team is a sneaky team. You got to watch out for them. So their ace is probably Sandy Alcountra. They got Luis Severino. Christian Sanchez, I mean, what? He's probably the ace. So they got a pretty good pitch in the pitch. It's decent, but it don't stack up against. No, your pan. That one was a bond is one of the pitches, so. Yeah, did you see Diaz last night had a star?

29:03He struck out the side. Yeah, he came in five, nothing game. Lead off. I was hoping he blew a five, nothing lead to be on it. I was hoping he would be be pointing at the sky, like he did the first year with us, you know, when he was giving a bomb after bomb. But he came in and got a lead off single. I was all happy. And then he struck out the side after that. No, listen, what gonna mean? We're gonna hurt you. We're gonna hurt him. Not having him. And that ate the match full. He got pissed because they side dead of Williams, but they were signing dead of Williams to set up for him. I agree. And we would have had a month to bullpen. And he went to the dodges. He never circled back. He didn't, he didn't circle back. It was like a $5 million difference. I mean, he was being made. He wanted to go over there. And he said, oh, when you want to go play for the dodges, come on. I don't know, man. You got a chance to win a World Series because they got the best team in baseball. Hands down. But you know what? I would rather knock them off their perch. Would be more gratifying to me than join the best team. Well, like in our softball league, nobody could beat the bombs, right? You want to go, let's go play with them so I could win a championship.

30:04Wouldn't you much rather knock them off their perch? Well, you're talking. Right. You're talking to a guy that wants to play for a team that wants to knock those guys off their perch. Right. Right. So you don't just don't want to join a team that's winning already. Right. But you're talking to a guy that never took his team out of the division with J.R.'s because I wanted to beat J.R.'s. But I should have done that and then played J.N. the finals instead of in the playoffs over a year and lose. I got you. But I did, but I was stubborn. Right. I was stubborn about that. But I, you know, you read, it's better, like if you let's beat the dodges this year, it would be beautiful. Yeah. It would be. Yeah. I don't see anybody beating them. Melissa's in there. Listen, any, no team is too good that they can't be beat. So I love the WBC. I don't love it where it is. I think it's got to be at the end of the year, not in spring training when these guys are, they're going out there pumped up and they're not ready yet. Right. They're not ready yet. It's the beginning of spring training. They're throwing four innings and they're throwing gas. I think you see injuries when that happens.

31:05And, you know, there's a big thing, Joe. I don't know if you saw it. I think I sent it to you. But I'm not positive where the insurance companies don't want to put certain players in, don't want to get them in insurance, right? And there's a bunch of rules in place because they lost a lot of money when the guys was out. And I think two of it was out. They lost a lot of money. The insurance company's got to pay 100% of the salary, right? In Saka, FIFA, they only got to pay like $8 million if a player gets hurt. Now, I don't think they make as much money as the baseball players, maybe that's why. But, so the insurance companies put a big all these restrictions. And that's why Mike Trout's not playing, right? That's why I think the indoor wasn't going to play. It wasn't going to play anyway, right? Yeah. But, you know, did I send this? I think I sent it to you, Paul. I don't know if you watched it. But now the Puerto Rican team, I think, well, at least all the Spanish teams, the Caribbean teams, they're saying that the insurance companies were doing it to them this year more than the American team

32:07because Schwabbers playing, Harper's playing. Right. And those guys have been hurt for every year. So, I don't know the answer to that, but, but, what they said was the insurance companies might put this out the pasture because, you know, they, they, it's not a fair thing, right? If you do that. No, it is, it's not. Now, I got friends in the insurance industry when I sent it to them, you know what they said? What? F, majorly baseball, they should fund it themselves. If they want to play this for the sport, they should fund it not the insurance companies. The insurance companies are getting pennies on a dollar and people are getting hurt and they lose the money. So, I, I can't believe it. So, you think you think it's going to end after this year because of the insurances? It's a possibility. But I, but again, it shouldn't be. And when you, if you don't want to play it in the spring, when do you want to play it after the World Series? The World Series, November. November, you started November. Now, you're not going to be playing in Northeast, right? You're going to only play in the South. Right.

33:07But I think, I think you give them like a week or two weeks or all after the World Series and then you start up. Not a bad idea. I just don't think you should be now, you know? And then you, like, they lost the eyes, they're done for the year, right? Yeah, at least, at least if a guy gets hurt, he's got the whole winter to recuperate. And you're going to make a trade. Yeah. Because you know somebody's hurt, right? So, I don't, I love it. I think it's great. I'm into it, you know, like Joey said, right after the Olympics with an American hockey team, one, the women's and the men. Hey, I'm excited to remember the last, the last word, how cool was trout against Otani for the championship, right? I mean, come on, you can't get better than that. No, no, no. I mean, that's, you know, if you're telling me you were an into that at bat, you're not a baseball fan, you know? So, I think Paul has this thing they brought over. And I think basically what we need to do is do this in the next time, the next time. Because I didn't research any of this stuff. No, no, no, Joe doesn't have it. We did, we did the National East and we did the AL East.

34:08Yeah. And we do the rest of it another time. And we, it's still early in this thing. We got to do it at the end, right before opening day. So, I have one more thing and you guys keep talking. And I'll make up an accurate sheet, too, with the new guys. This is all this one here. But I got a sheet here, Joe, that it predicts, it's a point system. Me and Frank do this every year with a bunch of guys. And you get points for everything. You know, you pick National League Home Run Champion, American League Home Run Champion, ERA Leader, MVP. This is from 2021. So, they got over on the Met's 90 wins, Yankees 95.5. You know, then we compare players like Alonzo versus Judge who hits the most home. And so this year it would be like, you know, a solo versus Judge, you know, who's going to hit the most home is, you know, same thing with the pitching, who gets most wins, parolta or coal, you know, stuff like that. And then it's, it's a, any add up the points at the end of the year.

35:09And this way Phil says he's always right every year and he always lies about his predictions. So this way we got a chance, we got a chance of documenting him, you know, because we know Phil likes to lie and say he, he's always right, you know. All right. So, and I'm going to do something too. I'm going to group the players. And then we'll pick from the different groups on the home runs. Because you didn't like the 20, so we'll bring it into groups. All right. Anyway, I got one more topic I want to bring up. And this is a old time hard wall came out with this list of the most underrated players in the history of Major League Baseball. All right. Who do you think's on this list? For what is it? Say dang it underrated players and MLB history. The most underrated plays in MLB history. Dave King qualifies you as being the most underrated player. It's that subjective Joe. Come on. Dave King, well, it would have been Jeff Kemp before he got nominated to the Hall of Fame this past year. Well, then he's, then he's, you can't count him then, no?

36:11All right. So that's it. That's it. The most underrated player ever. Well, how about Bobby Abrayu? Okay. He's not on here. Bernie Williams. No, you know what? I think Bernie Williams should make the whole fan. Me too. I think so. I don't know why he did. I like Bernie Williams. I'm going to read him out to you guys because you're not guessing him. So Dwight Evans is number one. Dwight Evans had a great arm. Boston Red Sock. One of the best arms in baseball at the time. He hit 20 to 30 home runs a year. Good player. Sometimes it's batting averages low. He's not a whole fame at all. I mean, I mean, this all depends. Some people are getting in now that that he's better than then. It's the whole of mediocre, right? Lou Whitaker. Not a whole fame. It was a great second baseman. Not better than Kent. Joe, what do you think about those players? Whitaker was the right, but didn't I hold a fame, guys? Okay. Dale Murphy. Back to back MVP. I love Dale Murphy. Love the guy.

37:12Back to back MVP's and went downhill. But his career just after that second MVP. I mean, if you look at his total numbers, I mean, it's hard to not, you know, the guy the two MVP's is big. But if you look at his numbers, it's done. And there's something he did. I'll tell you what he did that no other player. Only three players have done, I had it right here for a minute, hold on a second. He is the only one of three guys to have 30, 30 and a 300 bat average. Him, Willie Mays and one other guy. I can't forget. So he, he, he's very, very good, but it drops so fast. I don't think he's a little fan. And you know, it's funny. They always talked about the mess getting him in a trade and never got him. And I, it probably was the best thing, right? Guy was a catcher when he came up. I know. Yeah. So, Joe, you're like, Dale Murphy, you know, yeah, I think Dale Murphy belongs in the hall. Okay. I did too, Joe, until you go look at his total numbers. Yeah, I know they know like, yeah, because I'm telling you, if you look at his total

38:15numbers, they're just not, they're not right there. You know, and yeah, I'm just so used to seeing that guy beat the next game at the game on me too. And how about Steve Garvey? He's got to be honest, right? He's not, but he should be. And, and let me tell you something, when we were kids, the whole Garvey was all over the planet, winning the Playoff MVP's All Star MVP's. The guy had 200 hits every single year. You know, I didn't put the guy in the, in the whole fame because he didn't walk a lot. Because he was getting 220 hits a year. I know. Nobody's swung the bat. He got a hit. You know, like, I don't get it. Yeah, I, right. I'm going to put Garvey on there. Yeah. And he should be in a whole famer. All right. The next two guys that kind of mirror each other in a way, I know Mike and the Mad Dog, Mike, Christopher Russo, he drove the Yankee fans nuts with this comparison. Will Clark and Don Maddenley. Will Clark's a great player. Right. So, you know. So, Mad Dog used to say, Will Clark's a better player than Maddenley and the Yankee fans

39:17would go nuts on F&D. Well, listen. But both of them were great. Listen. How did that in the whole thing? 1985. Maddenley hit. I'm going off my brain memory right now, 353, close to 150 RBIs and like 38 homeless and over 200 hits. I don't think Will Clark ever had a year like that. But Will Clark was more consistent. He played a lot longer, more consistent. But when Maddenley was on those years, he was dominant. I mean, the guy was dumb. Eight games in a row with a home run. You know, the guy was super clutch, super, other than Hernandez, he's the best first baseman. I mean, you know, if it wasn't for Hernandez, he would have been the best first baseman in New York, you know. And then baseball. He was very good defensively. So, why is he not in the whole thing? Maddenley? Yeah. I think he just, I think he could take a put Sandy Kofax in and should put Maddenley in. And Sandy Kofax went in based on five years. You just robbed when I was going to say they put him in based on five years.

40:19Why not Maddenley? Maddenley belongs in the whole thing. What do you think, Joe? Yeah. I think Maddenley and Hernandez belong in the whole thing. I agree. You probably go in together. Right. Two great players, two great hitters, you know, clutch players and great fielders. I mean, Hernandez was the better of the two first baseman. But Maddenley was a close second. But Joe, you, they put Ozzy Smith in the whole fame 90% of it based on his glove. You got, you got Hernandez won 11 straight gold gloves. He basically revolutionized first base. I mean, he made first base an important position. I mean, he, he took the bunter away. The guy was amazing at first. I mean, he redefined the whole position. So that needs to have some credence into his whole of fame, you know, the defense they put Brooks Robinson in basically just for the gold gloves. I mean, he's an average hitter. I mean, he's not nothing great offensively. And so defense alone Hernandez belongs in. Yeah. So the next couple, I'm just going to read them more quickly because I run out of time. And Joey's got to get his cloth fixed.

41:20But Kenny Lofton, Bobby Gritch, David Cohn and Luis Tiant. Tiant, Tiant to big day. Tiant to big day. And as you know, that's how I tell you to pitch a lot in the whole thing. Clutch, clutch guy too. And single handly almost beat the big red machine, but they went him too much in that world series. And he ran out of gas. Yeah. Bobby Gritch was a great second base. Great. I think, I think like Phil Gardner type, you know, like tough, tough scrappy guy. Yeah. Yeah. Kenny Lofton, I don't really go with it. Kenny Loft has got good numbers. Yeah, but I don't think he was great to me. Kenny Lofton. I think he was very good. The whole of very good. Yes. And that's where they got here. There's a, there's a game you got to Google and check out the numbers. He's Tiant versus Nolan Ryan is a 15 in the game. Both guys pitched the whole game. They each threw like 245, 250 pitches in the game. And they each had like 15 strikeouts, those are 15, 15 innings, they pitch both of them. You got to, you got to just look it up one day and look at the numbers.

42:24They threw more innings and more pitches than all guys throwing a week right now. It was amazing. Joe, any final words, Joe? Final word for me would be the X factor for the match this year. I think this is the most important position if the match is going to become a division winner or a wildcard team. I think Alba Rez behind the plate is a big question off to the match. Like Paulie said before, if he hits 30 home runs, 90, 100 RBIs, the match's winded division. Torrens is an excellent backup. He's a great defensive backup. Great. I'm worried about the match at the catching spot. You know what, Joe, if they would be smart and D.I.s is really hitting well, they can let the guy D.H. two days a week and use, you know, Torrens' defense in there. But he's got to be improved defensively if the Mets are going to really have a legit run at going to a World Series. He has to. All right, my final word is this.

43:24I think the Mets are going to pull off a trade for Durand from the Red Sox. They're going to give up either Betty or Vientos in the deal and probably Tongue. Durand's a good player. Durand's a good player and they make that move. They will win the division. Why do you think they're going to do that? Because I'm here and all the room is that it's very close. I guess it's the secondary players that they're not getting. They're not agreeing on. But I personally, I think Vientos would do great there, but I, you know, they got too many outfielders, the Red Sox. That's the problem. So they got to trade more. Okay. I would definitely take them. Great point. And anything else, Paul? Here's my final word. I think this year is going to be a very, very good chance. I'm going to say right now of a subway series in the World Series because I think the Yankees are going to walk right through the American League. I think it's weak. The Yankees, they're going to add somebody at the trade deadline. They're getting cold back. They're pitching is going to be unbelievable. They got these young arms in the bullpen.

44:26And I think the Metz, everybody that's a question mark, it's going to play to the top level. And at the trade deadline, maybe they'll pick up a guy like from Detroit, the pitcher like school bull or something like that. And the Metz are going to beat the Dodges, make it to the World Series. And then they'll finally beat the Yankees and we'll get even with them for the last World Series. So again, I'm going to agree with you with that, with the Yankees, I think that if the Red Sacks would have kept Bergman or got somebody there, there was a good shot that they could have at least battled the Yankees because they're pitching staff as well. I hate to admit it, but I don't think they walk right to the World Series. All right, Joe. Good luck with your car, all right? All right, guys, good luck, Joe. Good luck, Joe. I'm looking forward to a great MLB season this year. Joe, we're going to miss you in the over 50 league, bro. Yeah, sorry to say it doesn't pay for me to come up anymore to stand out. Now, eight, are you still playing? I'm playing four days a week now, you know.

45:27Beautiful. That's all that matters. You've got to keep playing. Don't stop because once you stop, you're never playing again. Keep the old man out. All right, guys, thanks a lot for listening. Do like, share, and let's go. Is it over? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, look. I need a lot of shit when I get good stuff. The Toyota Tundra and Tacoma are built to keep going, blending rugged muscle with precision engineering, all supported by Toyota's time-tested legacy of dependability. Step into a Tundra and feel the unyielding capability with the available iForce Max engine. Tundra puts out impressive power, torque, and towing performance and the roomy high-tech cabin keeps you connected on the go.

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