TRANSCRIPT: Ep. 14: Trolley Dodgers Hold Off Crew, Cubs Surge and Gio Too

Text Transcript of Ep. 14

00:00:00 – 00:05:02

Woah to. Welcome to the new best rivalry in baseball. Hey, welcome to another amazing incredible episode of ninety miles podcast. I’m a huge cubs fan. And this is a very exciting episode today because the tables have turned slightly, and we get to listen to Jesse make excuses as to why it’s not as important and downplay at all the the, you know, downplay everything, especially no the phone. It’s very important. It’s all very important. That’s why we had an episode that talked about how important April was back started. Yes. Yes. And things are rate. We’re expected them to be. So I don’t know what you’re expecting. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Of course, you know, the tone tone was different in earlier episodes as the cubs struggled with a slow start. But. You know, it’s it’s all fine. So fine, right. Well, I’m just saying this is kind of what I expected. I’m not saying, it’s fine. Not everything is fine. Yeah. Yeah. But it must be nice. Having a nice soft scheduled get. Oh, yeah. Yeah. See there. It is. I knew schedule an excuse be word of the day for Jesse all that’s going to be brought up repeatedly on both sides. But that’s okay. Hey, you know, what they went seven games with the dodgers last year. It was a nail biter. It was even closer this year. So with a team that’s playing like garbage which the brewers are right now. Yeah. Have it? Be that close. Barry, go. Oh, I didn’t say it wasn’t going to be honest. But honestly, this is where we expected to be now why don’t you finish the introduction? I’ve got my peace in. Okay. Okay. Well, the cops didn’t have problem handling the dodgers. So in game one. Okay. Yeah. It’d be nice to have a left handed starter. I will give you that much. That’s for sure. So what are we covering today? We’ve got a few things obviously the dodgers with the brewers the Milwaukee in Saint Louis. We got two games in the books. Not a great start for the Bruce down in Saint Louis. We’re gonna hit our normal predictions are NL central breakdown. We’ve got a tweet of the week that gets into something that’s a little outside of the NL central. But still has some ties to it, you know, explosive tempers and things like that come up a little bit which could be fun to talk about. Why don’t you? Go ahead and lead it in since you’ve had the week of the century for the cubs usually takes about a century for a week. Like this to come up. Well, you know, just things are starting to kinda come together in particular. The starting pitching as been extremely solid last ten games. They’re seven and two. Although, you know, wins losses are are whatever. But they but at one point three nine ers a cantata really has been leading it and Cole hamels has been rate rate there as well Hendrix’s is starting to turn it around. You know, so and chat would at a great start. Which was good. Good to see you know, he had so many so much trouble especially with the strike zone last year that he was moved to the bullpen. So it was nice to see them go out there. And he looked new and improved for sure. So that’s a huge huge. Plus considering that you know, he was he was spot start with LeicesteR out. Yes. Sure. So yeah, they’ve all they’ve all had pretty good weeks this week. If I understand there’s somebody you didn’t mention in there. But I don’t remember who that would be. But that’s okay. We don’t have to dig into right away that way. Yeah. Absolutely. The week, benching Stearns. Well, no, I wouldn’t mind, you know, something that was interesting. You mentioned you mentioned your left cantata having a great game against the dodgers in the open. That’s one thing that I think the brewers really missed having against the dodgers in that last series was a way to turn that lineup around. You know, turn the platoons around a little bit for the dodgers Bellinger has been just raking. It wouldn’t matter if it was a left ear radio against him. But it is something that we’re gonna come up with and talk about a little bit later because there has been some news from Ken Rosenthal, regarding a potential lefty to the bruise that’s exciting for my side. Because obviously the pitching hasn’t been ideal. But so the cubs have turned it around on that end has the back end the bullpen been holding up as well. I haven’t paid much attention to the cubs this week. They’ve they’ve improved. Okay. Yeah. They definitely improved from what they were doing earlier in the year. I you know, they still have a little room to go there.

00:05:02 – 00:10:14

Some some still some questions about depth Pedra Strope is still Ben a little, you know. Not. You know, quite as as solid as I’d like Kim slurs. Bend been doing good see shack. You know has has picked it up. Brad Brock has has been better. Kyle Ryan has been an interesting PC’s come in. He’s he’s he’s been doing pretty good. What what I’m just actually looking here. He’s got six point one innings pitched and and just two runs ten strikeouts. And you know, missing Brandon Morrow he had another setback. So it’s going to be a while longer yet there, which is too bad. ’cause he’s he’s an important piece when he’s on he’s he’s very solid. So having guys signed kimbrel. Why have you signed kimbrel? Wow. I don’t. I don’t I don’t think anybody’s signing either that these guys until after the at this point nobody wants to give up the costs. Well, right. Well, yeah. And I I actually wonder if there is some injury issues there that that sort of people are kind of steering clear a little bit with concern. There would not surprise me. We talked about that. When did check him out. He went in and had his elbow. Check, though from everything I’ve heard I think that’s still borderline rumor issue, but about if you’re talking about putting a contract on the table for a closer. That’s you know, over thirty. You’re probably gonna go through and check the elbow especially after getting bit in the but by the Korean Canabal injury late in spring. You’re gonna make sure the elbow looks right before you commit fifteen to twenty million a year for three four five years, especially at the back end of the bullpen. Which is the most volatile position. I don’t care if he was Mariana Rivera. If he came in and had elbow issues at age thirty three you’d stop and think about it right now Rivera, obviously was super healthy and never ended up with that kind of injury. But if you had the opportunity to look at him as a free agent, and you discovered something you’d have to think twice now. That’s so I’m not even gonna put on I’m not even gonna put kimberlin that class. But yet something that either one of these teams could absolutely use that that arm at the back of the bullpen. It would definitely close them things up. If the cubs got him that would be a pretty Sout looking pitching staff at already is. You know, it’s performing well we talked about it in the preseason. Gave you a bunch of crap when they weren’t performing which was fair because you’re about to do it to me. But yeah, you put him on the back end of either of these clubs, and they make the whole team a hell of a lot better. So you have to wonder what’s really going on there? Right. Right. Yeah. You know, it’s it’s. I, you know, the only thing I can think of because I don’t know why why the long delay there. I mean, well, there’s that. And now we’re at the point to or if you sign him you’re giving up draft pick which would have been one thing to do in February to get him for a full season. But now you’re talking about getting them for four months instead of six now you’re talking about sacrificing draft picks which for club like Milwaukee. They can’t they can’t afford to give them all away. They’ve already given a couple of way this season on trades. Getting LX Claudio was one I think they lost either sandwich. Picker a second rounder. You can’t keep giving them all away. So I have a feeling that unless kimbrel comes way down or for that matter come way down in price. They’re going to have a hard time signing before this draft happens. Now that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. But when is the draft, I think it’s early June. So the timeline is somewhere in there before they may even sign a contract. They may be literally a second half of the year sign a deal for one season rental. That’s what we are potentially looking at these two cats, and that’s hard to believe. So the cubs have been doing well long story short. Did you wanna cover some of the offense with them? Or should. I be talking about you know, panic and him. What are we doing here? I can certainly talk about the brewers and why everybody’s panicking why they don’t need to if you like. Yeah. Yeah. Well, ready for that already? You got more. Cub stuff. Don’t you? I don’t need to talk about it yet. Do I I, you know, I know I mean, not I, you know, I did I guess the only other thing I wanna mention in in the week passed is cantata really solid against the dodgers. And since since he really got kinda shelled by the brewers. He’s he has been on a tear. So something that that ended up being an anomaly there fluke, and and you can’t even say because his face in brewers bats because he faced the dodgers bats and and fared well seven strikeouts.

00:10:15 – 00:15:01

But since since that game against the brewers he’s been three oh three and with point eight six ERA and kind of leading that Saulat starting staff at this point. So. So that push, you know, of course, the cubs are in. I so are not in. I was going to say come on. Well, the brewers is first place for me. I mean, who cares about the pirates? But. Yeah. Yeah. Remind that I is actually third for you. I see. We’re better than everybody. There’s two teams ahead of you still better than everybody. Better brewers. Then, you know. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. That’s why you’re you’re wanting to Saint Louis, you know, is only up there because the brewers suck so bad. So. Saint Louis has lost five out of the nine games. They’ve played against Milwaukee. Saint Louis lost nine times on the season. The players are responsible for over half of Saint Louis loss. Okay. Okay. So that helps because you know, but. Last ten I see the brewers are three and seven with three game losing streak. That’s good news cardinals of one four. That’s not as good news. Although I guess is mostly the brewers there. So yeah. What do you want? You can’t have it both ways, you know, when team ends up playing another team ten times in the the first, however games, this is what happens. Well. Oh, yeah. I what what does that tell you in regards to the cardinals you’ve seen a lot of the cardinals? Are they to be at a concert or those with those lucky winds for them? No, they’re legit team. Like we’ve talked about the hallway along. It was nice to get out to a quick start against them. You know, they still have Goldschmidt. And he is a brewer killer. He has been all along. No. The thing is you expect. If you’re brew an Milwaukee to steal at least one owner, the three and Saint Louis if that happens you’re getting out to a six and four start against the team that’s supposed to compete for the top of the division as I’ve said all along. This this division is what we think is the toughest division baseball. We’re going to find out the bruiser go visit visit the Mets they’re going to get the Mets six out of their next ten. So they just keep playing the same teams over and over. Gosh, it’s it’s really annoying honesty. It’s like these last thirteen games have been nothing. But cardinals dodgers. That’s that’s a lot of cardinals dodgers teams that I hate a lot. So we get these one run games. And it’s like this is like watching September baseball right now for me that it’s been that stupid intensity. And then losing besides so well, oh hold on here. Now, they’re five hundred against the two teams combine. Okay. So all right. And you wanna get into that portion of it’s fine. You know, what the opponent winning percentage? Milwaukee’s played against this year’s five fifty five. If you go in and look at strength schedule. Milwaukee is clipping five sixty seven which is by far the tops and baseball. Houston astros. Come in second five fifty five then Saint Louis at five fifty one then the dodgers at five twenty seven. So of course, those three three out of those four teams have played each other a lots, and they’re all having that strength schedule. Look pretty good. What strength scheduled really is when they calculate it. In case, you don’t know. I didn’t really completely understand it. But the formula is twenty five percents of your team’s winning percentage. Fifty percent of your opponents average winning percentage and twenty five percents of your opponents opponents winning percentage. So not only have the dodgers cardinals improves all tangled quite a lot. They’ve all also been quite good when they aren’t playing those three teams and the teams that are playing. Those teams are good. Long story short strength schedule. Milwaukee is twelve points better than Houston who is five fifty five. You know, they’re sixteen points stronger than the cardinals. And then you get down to the dodgers at five twenty seven. So you go full fifty points between the dodgers and brewers and the dodgers and forth. The schedule has been a bear. Now with that being said with that being said the pitching has looked terrible lately. Yeah. You know, it’s not like, this is all sunshine and peaches, it’s yeah. Has not been good. It’s not Ben just the starters as as I pointed out, you know, and even you pointed out, certainly a weakness of the brewers is starting staff, but it’s a question. Mark weakness hater, but even haters, Ben Ben touched a couple times he’s giving up. I think three home runs and really could have been four and that opening game. Cain doesn’t make an amazing play.

00:15:02 – 00:20:07

What I’m what I’m seeing? From hater, isn’t that? He doesn’t have the same stuffy head last year. His control just isn’t quite what it was last year last year. If you remember some of those games he was painting ninety four ninety five with that funky delivery and it was corners. It was top of the zone. Bottom of zone. It was a slider. That was started in the middle of his own and just disappeared will this year. I think three out of the four home runs these given up. It’s been either slider. Fastball and it’s been like dead center. Like if you were to put a scope on it and try and hit the dead center of the plate. That’s what he’s hit. It’s almost like guys are like, you know, what all I can do swing right down the middle. And hope that’s where it is. And boom there it is. And then it goes a long way. So that’s that’s really what it’s looked like I don’t I’m not terribly worried about it. Of course, you know, you talk about regression to the mean he had to come down a little bit from somewhere. The thing. The interesting thing is I’m not so sure yelich is regressing to anything. You’re going to talk about is road numbers. Which is fine. It’s eleven games and really care. It really doesn’t. It’s it’s no it’s not just him though. But it looks like just a general that Miller park’s been very kind to brewers hitters and and nowhere else has been. Well, that’s what you want from a home stadium is to be kind to the Hallym the friendly confines to little bit more of an extreme in. The thing is is the brewers. Don’t only play home games all season. So I’ve heard they play eighty one games not at home. But i’m. You know? Yeah. The. They’ve struggled a bit on the road. I’m not terribly worried about it. They took two to three in Dodger Stadium. They played pretty well. Like, I said that Los Angeles angels series. They played fairly. Well, they also swept the reds on the road. So it’s not like they’ve been bad on the road, the Roth. I mean. Yeah, that’s the only three games they’ve had against a softy, and you’re putting the reds in fourth place ahead of the pirates this year. So we’ll see I think I think they could still turn it around a little bit. And I’m sure you’ll agree that it would be I looking forward to the reds and cardinals playing each other. I’d love to be a huge reds fan for. Yes. And you if the reds can still turn it around. That’s all the more reason for fans just need to chill. Right. Just like just like Travis said chill, and then he goes out and hits a bomb in Saint Louis, then he comes back last night. And it’s two more. He’s up to I think that was his third and fourth of the year. He did take a pitch off the hand. We never really talked about it in Los Angeles against the angels. He was starting to. Win the battle bit. And then took a pitch off the hands. His numbers are going to start turning around. These guys are professional hitters. I’m not terribly worried about the entire lineup. But yes, you’re right. They haven’t played particularly well on the road. But the record those numbers tend to even out will they hit as many home runs on the road. Oh, it’s Miller park. You know, it’s not quite a ban. It’s not quite a ban box like Cincinnati. You know, it’s not it’s not chorus field. But it’s a hitter par known about it. Yeah. It is. It’s you know, wind blowing out in Wrigley is a hitters park. So yeah. Yeah. And that well, and that’s the thing. Wrigley can be canasta. Your could be nice. Yeah. Well, let’s part of the fun of Wrigley. That’s part of its charm that. I’m just kidding. I’m just kidding chill. Cubs fans chill. Travis. Travis. Shaw’s advice and chill. Yeah. So haters been a little bit human. I’m more concerned with the general pitching issues. One thing that’s been coming up for me. As I watch these games. He money ground all is an outstanding hitter. And he’s really been raking at the plate. I don’t think he knows this pitching staff super well yet. And it’s had a lot of changes in a lot of things moving about last night. Something interesting happened Craig counsel, moved grand all started him at first base, which he does occasionally he’s done it a few times in LA for the dodgers. He did quite a lot in San Diego. But that got Manny Pena behind the plate as well. A lot of folks said and thinking the thinking in the general thinking, and what the brewers are pushing out there is that they’re just trying to get some time off of his legs. Right. Get Granville up and moving around. Don’t wear his legs out the early in the year. I’m also looking at it. When many Pena has caught for the brewers the staff has looked a lot better. There’s been a lot better. I don’t know if you wanna say the games have been called better. But it feels like they have been made the executions been better. Maybe it’s just the familiarity. Oh, man opinion knows when this guy should be throwing a slider. You know, how comfortable does he look with it tonight just that familiarity three or four years and with a rotation versus grand only had a couple of months. So I’m hoping that that is a sign that this Bruce pitching staff has grown to do and will grow as grand all gets better at, you know, working with those arms.

00:20:07 – 00:25:00

So offensively the team’s been pretty good. That’s really about it for the rap for the brewers. It’s been a painful week. But there’s a lot of things that can still go, right? It’s not by any stretch the end of the world. Now, you know what they say? I mean, there isn’t more humbling sport than baseball. So you were up on their high horse about, you know? Welcome back there. You know? And I I was hey, I was humbled pretty strongly beginning of the season with the cubs. And now there’s a wasn’t there. A six game losing streak in that pretty early. Well, that’s the first time mentioned that I wanna point out. So it wasn’t that hard on. Okay. Well. Well, why I’m not gonna I’m gonna be relentless to you. Yeah. We’ll bring cubs are eight and to their last ten which is a beautiful thing to see, you know. And, but, but you know, an well, actually, let’s let’s go to the before I get into the upcoming week. Let’s let’s we had a tweet of the week doughy. We do we do have a tweak. Let’s jump into that. So Scott Lober who’s a blue check on the Twitter feed stated something about Jake Arrieta. We’re moving to Jake area to Bryce Harper thing. Jake Arrieta, of course, as a ninety miles tie being one of the one of the pitchers from the twenty sixteen world championship team cubs. Yeah. Sucked. Then and he sucks now. But this is. Okay. Terrible stretch, their you know, a couple of no hitters and. Yeah. Some of the worst pitching I’ve ever heard some get great credit for. Okay. Yeah. He pitched he pitched great that you’re whatever let’s move on. So the tweet Scott Lober at Scott LA UB are Jake Arrieta. Had some pointed words about Bryce Harper’s ojection and the hashtag Phillies overall effort after Monday night’s rain-delayed five one loss limits. Here’s what Jake area had to say. Look, I mean, his guts understand we need them in right field. I don’t care how bad the empire is. He wasn’t great for either side. I’m out there trying to make pitches and he misses some call. So what we need him out there. We were flat from the start to finish to our delay. Doesn’t matter. We have to be ready to play we weren’t. And it showed the dugout was flattened the defense. Wasn’t good. Didn’t throw the ball. Well, as a staff overall, we got beat. We started at eight forty five. I don’t think our guys ready to play. We’ve got to come out. Tomorrow will be ready to play. It’s troubling. Yeah. I’m doing everything I can to win a game. I need my guys behind me. And they weren’t. Yeah. Well, I, you know, come in from. The cubs team that he was on the the years. He was on the cubs. They there. I it sounds like that maybe there’s some frustration in the difference in the sort of the feel in the clubhouse and sort of attitudes. There. I I don’t know. I’m I’m kind of guessing, but I I would think because what he’s saying is exactly the kind of stuff. You know what he’s saying? How the how the Phillies kinda were there their mood and everything about about the game and just being flat. That’s that’s the exact opposite of the cubs teams that area was on in particular. Obviously the two thousand sixteen cubs and it’s got to be frustrating like for doing. I mean, it’s a talented team. There’s a lot of talent there and to flat. Like that is is you know, and to call out your newly minted three hundred thirty dollars three hundred thirty million dollar guy. That’s bowl too. And that was something that was pointed out to us. This is from one of our one of our acquaintances. Maybe even a listener on Twitter. Steely Dan is not yet rock at Wrigley rat at Wrigley Rhett. He said he did the same thing last season when Kingery was playing sloppy infield de makes me curious about his his relationship with Kappler. So Gabe Kaplan the manager. So the question here might be more along the lines of is Kappler noticing this and using a veteran leader because capital is a pretty young guy really using veteran leader that’s been to the World Series. That’s one championship to get out in the media and fire. These guys up a little bit to light something up under their backsides. I think I would think if if that happened last year like that I I’m thinking that’s probably the case in in area. I mean, very respectable presence. Good a good person to kind of to choose to have that kind of role. You know there. Had there has to be some kind of communication about that between them. I I would guess I would hope so because if there isn’t communication about that, then you’ve got a complete madhouse going on.

00:25:00 – 00:30:01

You’ve got your you’ve got a starting pitcher calling out at three hundred thirty million dollars signing and your your managers. Not okay. With going to the media with what you just said. Wow. Yeah. No. If if this isn’t rubberstamped by Kappler, if they’re going to have some private closed door meetings before this is all said and done. It may be something that helps mold a team though to that can really get team hot fired up it can be a clubhouse together. But the other side of it is it’s a gamble because it could shred the clubhouse just as quickly. But I I would that guy signed there for thirteen years. I, yeah, why would say that there may be some relationship between area and Harper even even prior. There’s some something there because well, you know, area to being on the cubs for those few years there and then with Kris Bryant being good friends with Bryce Harper. There could be some connection that way. And also I saw when Bryce Harper signed. I don’t know if you saw that I think it was on Instagram that that Jake Arrieta posted a video saying getting ready for for Bryce Harper getting the clubhouse ready for Bryce Harper to come. And and it was a video of him in his underwear sweeping the clubhouse. I don’t know if you saw that. I think I did. I think so I mean, that’s sort of you know, I it that makes me feel like, you know, it’s not like, they don’t know each other. So there may be some some level of comfort where area felt okay to step up. But I, but also, yeah, I think with you know, with Kappler there’s probably some kind of permission given well he was too was he not on the hot seat a little bit last year already to this Kappler’s running a different kind of ship over there. I think it’s something to keep an eye on the Cooper was the ninety miles tie for us and for this episode, and I I hate to do this. But I wanna move on. And a tweet of the week right now live this is live. Yeah. This is happening as we speak. We started this podcast here about twenty minutes ago. We missed this tweet Ken Rosenthal free agent. Left-hander Jill Gonzalez in agreement with the brewers on one year two million dollar major league. Contract. Deal. Also includes two million in performance. Bonuses guarantee is in full nut. Pro rated the brewers have a left handed pitcher. Wow. Is a geo Gonzales. Well, yeah. But still. Yeah. I heard someone get so excited about GIO Gonzalez before I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited about you Consol is this is this is probably going to bite me square in the backs. That’s okay. You know, the the need somebody to come in. They need somebody to get some innings. They need somebody. That’s ready to go Dallas. We don’t know if he’s ready to go. And he’s going to be a lot more expensive than up to four million dollars that much we this as a former dollar gamble is awesome. It’s it’s perfect. It’s what they need right now with, Freddie, Peralta having arm. Trouble Corbin burns not being able to paint corners Woodruff kind of leaving things in the heart of the plate. Even if he is raking at the plate. This is somebody that can come in steady. The staff would have been great to have them against the dodgers. Oh, well, you know, the truth is he might blow up and have a four and a half year. A if he’s still if he’s still eats hundred fifty innings with this offense. It is somewhere four and a half year would actually bring the starting Bruce star. Staffy are a down. So that’s still good. Why do you gotta be like that? Well, I’m just you know. That is such a Debbie Downer, man. Pod or a pool any anything? Well, you know, hey, he didn’t he didn’t pitch much in the postseason a little bit here and there, but the truth is they needed something like this. I don’t know if needs the right? Well, yeah, they did. They really did. Anything? I mean you pitched. I do have an okay knuckleball my upset her own. You know, my my heaters like sixty five looks like a change. Maybe throw somebody off for pitcher. Ten footage. Will you can’t go over twelve years? Not that softball. All. Right. So anyway, that’s exciting. News happened during the podcast. Well, we’ve never bust in this episode. I I’ll get it up immediately. That’s might actually you might actually be breaking this to to some people. So this is true. And the exciting part like I said just a left-hander a veteran presence to go along with ULA seen somebody that can eat some innings for yet worst case scenario. This guy has a ton of experience maybe helps down some of these young pitchers to right? You know, I got admit I that’s that’s that’s a good a good pickup.

00:30:01 – 00:35:02

It’s not a scary pickup. But it’s a no good pickup. It I think in general will improve the brewers starting staff. So so hip hooray for you. I am confetti falling. In my living room. Currently the champagne is on ice. I gotta get my goggles on bust out. The corks. It’s gonna be great. It’s going to be a very very good Wednesday. I’m liking this. Yes. Anyway, I hope he starts today against the cardinals probably not going to happen. But that’s all right. So anyhow, we should probably move on and preview next week a little bit. You know, we’ll talk more about GIO. I’m sure next week just to see how it’s going so far. Yeah. That we’ll see. So you already mentioned since we already passed that stuff. The brewers have the Mets coming up. I mentioned they’ve got six out of their next ten against the Mets sandwiched in between is Colorado the cubs. What are the cubs up to this week there Ryan while they finished up series with the dodgers? They won the first game hamels is going to be pitching tonight. He’s been solid. He’s been three. No his last three starts one point three eight Yara. So looking for a strong performance from him tonight. And you know, because you’ve been giving me a lot of crap about the schedule schedule, schedule, whatever. And and you know, so here’s got a couple more against the dodgers. They’ve took the first one. But you know, I’d love to see a sweep and just really beat up. The dodgers. That’s you know, maybe it will quite you’ll little bit about the legitimacy of. Of the cubs winning lay sherve, they swept the dodgers that would say something. But you know, the Bruce did take two or three from the, you know at the brewers are five hundred against the cubs. The dodgers and cardinals. They need a weak spot like the cubs and the reds again to come back in then things and speaking of that oh. That will be coming up. Not cubs. Cubs. Three episodes away. All right. So to to this today’s episode next week an episode then that episode after that is another big preview episode, isn’t it? Yes. Yeah. So we’re only we’re only a couple of the main episodes away. Remember, there’s going to be some stretch episodes in their folks who don’t get them confused who make sure that they’re all caps. See no that it’s more of a historical or futuristic episode that stands alone, but we are the black and white album, art work too. So if when you’re listening to those that’s something that’s a little more timeless. These are obviously a little more in the moment. Yeah. Gio. It’s. Yeah. I’ve never been this excited about a a middling left-handed before not. Great. Yeah. That’s just that just shows you how desperate I actually felt no matter what I was saying on the outset. Yeah. That’s good. Yeah. Well, anyway, I’m gonna talk a little bit about the Mets. The Mets again are off to a pretty solid start. They got some good pitching. They do have very good pitching. Not to say. The least they’re out to thirteen and ten start actually Zack Wheeler. We were talking about pitchers raking the other day again. Right. He hit a home run last night strode eleven I think he went seven scoreless. And that’s probably one of the lesser of their pitchers outside of Vargas. So the bruise did keep GIO Gonzalez from filling that Vargas role for the Mets. But what we’re looking at is, you know to be determined starter on Friday and then Noah Syndergaard on Saturday. He’s no slouch, although he’s got a five nine oh Yara this year. He’ll be going against Brandon Woodruff at a five point eight one area. So about the over and then on Sunday, it looks like it’s going to be Stephen Matt’s. Milwaukee has a to be determined tag for Sunday. I don’t know when they’re going to slot NGO. So this could all change. But it does look like the brewers will be lucky enough to avoid. Well, actually know if I’m not mistaken. I have Jake degrom my fantasy team over with the boys at my fantasize finishing baseball podcast in that group there, and I’m getting my butt kicked this year, by the way, L take that on the chin while it’s took brewers. I’ve had a tough schedule. Right. Right. I actually kinda had Homer. Oh, my draft was bad. I did not draft. Well, I did not stay to my principles. I normally load up on hitters and not worry about pitchers a little more. I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m gonna blame the beer. Anyway. I think there I think the bruise may get Jake degrom on Friday as long as he doesn’t have any setbacks. He’s coming off of a a stint on the injured list.

00:35:02 – 00:40:02

So the brewers are going to have their hands full this weekend. So it’s not like they’re going from the cardinals. And they’re getting I don’t know the Marlins of the world or somebody soft. No, let’s go straight to the east coast and play, you know, a lot of offseason people’s favorites pick between the Mets and the Phillies and the Braves there’s been a lot of banter that the analysts is better than the NL -sential. I don’t agree. But I think we’re gonna start finding out this weekend. When I haven’t even thought about it, do you know when the cubs start playing. Some Elliot’s teams are wait, oh, they already got swept by the Braves. Right. Yeah. Yeah. I had to work it in somewhere. I didn’t even talk about it was early. Early in the year when they were having some bullpen problems bullpens fault. Okay. Yeah. Anyway, that’s my that’s my Mets preview. I’m still just jacked about GIO, which is terrible. More. I think about how excited I am about this. The worst feel about how I really thought about the pitching staff. Oh, I mean, you know, you were even willing to admit that the brewers starters weak spot. Well, it had the potential to be really good and really exciting with young guys. But there’s gonna be a lot of bumps in the road. This should help even out some of the bumps it won’t eliminate them. But I also did talk about preseason that I expected a GIO gins olice or a Dallas kaikal before we all had signed with the Yankees to walk into the Bruce clubhouse it happened. Just happened a couple of weeks three weeks much later than I thought it would. So. Yeah, it’s kind of funny how that works out. I’m half, right and half wrong. I’ll be right for the majority of the season. I guess I’ll look at it that way because I’m trying to stay positive here. On the bright side is after that Mets series this weekend. The they get back to Miller park. So, but that’s gonna be brutal New York this weekend. Good pitching away game. That’s you think that’s going to really start things off. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Yeah. You you you all the cubs fans out. There are really trying hard to to really push off. This whole thing that the brewers are just terrible on the road when it’s not entirely true. They haven’t been great on the road. Most teams most teams just shoot for five hundred on the road. That’s the whole concept, and right, but but I fence ity, it’s it’s a significant difference. In fact, I got the splits pulled up right now. If you want to hear some numbers. Do I sound like I want to hear. Well, batting average to seventy one at home to fifteen away. Home runs. Thirty four at home sixteen away. You know, it’s it’s obviously some some differences number of bats there. But so would you say PS Opie eight seventy seven at home six eighty six away. Let me ask you this. So the brewers have played eleven road games and a whole bunch more home games because they have a roof on their stadium. So what’s number is probably closer to their actual realistic mean the home number or the road number where you have less opportunity on the road. I would venture to guess the the home number. So that means that means they’re road numbers have an awful long way to come up. And if I were if I were teams that we’re watching the bruise come into the ballpark their ballpark. I would be concerned because sooner or later one Christian yelich is going to get just as hot on the road as he has been at home, and that’s gonna turn all these numbers upside down, and that whole teams mean will come back up to the average. They gotta progress. The mean progress to the mean, we’ve talked about it before I’m getting sick of the progression to the mean hook. But it’s gotta happen. If this is that there isn’t a progression to the mean, if if the reason yellow pages and a lot of the birds hitters are doing so well at home is because they’re stealing signs or something like that. Are you suggesting that the brewers are cheating when they play at home? I’m not suggesting I’ve just heard that rumor float around I decided bring it up because I knew rub rub. You the wrong way. So that rumor floats around about every home team in baseball. Three single one. Okay. Whatever man. No, eventually the numbers have to come up on the road, and they’ll have to if they’re going to win a lot of road games. If they’re gonna finish around five hundred on the road this season is right about we’re expected it to be, you know, the cubs. The brewers the cardinals the pirates all duping out early.

00:40:03 – 00:45:03

And once you get through some of this. It’ll be you don’t want the birds to before over five hundred three over five hundred coming out of April. You do not wanna see that my friend. Well, yeah. But you know, good teams beat bad teams and bad teams. Be good teams. I mean, what happened with what was that of a right near the all star break last year the pirates. Yeah. The pirates swept the brewers in a five-game set. Yup. Yeah. Yeah. So it can happen. Yeah. So you know, you could you could talk about that all you want. But just because you might have a softer schedule. Doesn’t mean that the brewers are definitely going to win those games. So and the pirates did finish over five hundred. I dislike the point. That part out. Sure, they weren’t. They weren’t a slow. They weren’t the Miami Marlins. That you got so excited about over you Darvish his performance. You were all hot and sweaty again abo- you, oh, boy, I let it sit for the whole episode. But you had the dig end in. Yeah. Well. Bit more. Hey, it’s okay. You know, I it’s pretty complicated to try to steal signs on the road. I get it. But you know. Wow. Yeah. That must be at. Illitch can only hit when he knows. What’s coming? Yeah. Never mind that it’s hopes six inches inside and six inches above his own. And he’s still turns on and keeps it fair that has nothing to do with. Yeah. That’s all stealing sites. You’re right. You’re right. Let’s move on to that conversation, raw you up. So. No, well, good luck. Good luck with Seattle. Good luck with the dodgers. Yeah. Yeah. Enjoy enjoy that losing streak. That’s coming. Okay. Okay. That’s you know, I have a prediction actually. And actually, I guess this does bring us to predictions prediction. Yeah. Let’s get on it. You know? I have that prediction. I made last week about what was eight in three there next eleven. Yup. Sorted with the Miami game. Yup. Started with the Miami game. So we’re we are at your on the team. No or and one right now. All right. Foreign aid is need to win. You know, they need to go four and two. Yeah. Four and to their next. Okay. So dodgers lost dodgers loss. And then they need a four game winning streak. Gotcha. Yeah. Then it’s too against the daughters three against the Diamondbacks and then one against Seattle. Oh, yeah. They get the Diamondbacks to kosh. It must be nice to be a cub fan right now. Oh, gee. What’s your prediction? Two games against the dodgers. As to be as big. But. Yeah that so that one’s riding through till the end of the month. We’ll see we have some other some other predictions riding as well. I I’m I’m just going to go ahead and do this did it for the last cubs. Brewers series. Cubs are going to sweep the brewers. Their next series is that may mother’s day weekend series. That’s my prediction. Full. That’s so so weak again. What are you going to sweep comes you claim? I’m a Homer. Okay. All right. Sure. It’s going to be wrong on Friday night. How about that? My prediction the Bruce will win the Friday night game. There you go. And then I’m another sure that’s one of them. I’m going to add another one now. Okay. I’m gonna add one more prediction to that. Christian yelich, you’ll have eight or more RBI that series. So he’s been so terrible on the road. He’s just awful on the road. Well, guess what? He’s going to progress to the mean, he’s gonna have eight RBI in that cubs and Bruce series and the brewers are gonna win the first game in the series to double dip and put you in a whole because they won’t sweep again. No cubs. Swing. Okay. Okay. So you double down you got you made two predictions for that series. You don’t have to count the first one. If you don’t wanna count it in the thing. But I said last time it was going to be Friday night brewers win. When you kept saying the cubs. We’re gonna sweep cubs are gonna sweep. Okay. If you wanna Coney tone put it as an official. We’ll we’ll just say you’re eight RBI’s reality. That’s fine. That’s bold. I think this plenty of Boll especially away. I mean, he’s only he’s only gotten two seven RBI in one game once this year so eight and a series. I think he’ll get there. And it’ll be on the road. So everybody can shut their trap. Okay. I don’t know why at the end of that. That was the emphasis emphasis.

00:45:04 – 00:50:00

So there you go. That’s my prediction outside of that anything else. You wanna throw down about that series? We’re going to be pumping it up two weeks. From today will be dropping the big preview for the next. Bruce cub series. This is when we get hot and heavy. Yeah. Yeah. No. Those are good predictions. So we got those. We’ll get those down. I think the only thing I wanted to mention about about some of our predictions while first of all if you go to ninety miles ninety miles podcast dot com. And there’s go to the menu item predictions at the top. You will be able to see all the predictions. We’ve made all the ones that have come to be and the results you can make comments on there and another thing too. If you do listen onto on I tunes. It would be awesome. If you could give us a five star rating, give us a nice bottom or something. I mean, that’s assuming enjoy it. If you hate it, tell us why you hate it. But still give us five stars. Because the five stars kinda helps a lot. Yeah. Absolutely. Hate it and want to give us one star don’t bother reviewing us. Just come at us on Twitter because I’m at brew crew winning. You can give me a bunch of crap there. I usually don’t take it. Well, you’ll see at Bruecker winning. You can definitely get under my skin on Twitter. Or are you at Ryan? Yeah. You under my skin every day. It’s knowing hell. Yeah. Especially this last week’s been fun. I don’t remember anything this last week. I’m at at wraps his cubs win. And. Yeah, hit us up on Twitter. Don’t forget to subscribe. Yeah. Talk. And. Yeah. Yeah. Keep coming at me. It’s looks it. Just really looks like cubs fans are obsessed with Bruce fans right now, which is which is beautiful. It’s hilarious. Actually. So so you got as far as the predictions. Well, I got that cubs. Eight and three next eleven games. I got Anthony Rizzo seven plus hit by pitches by the end of the month. He’s at five by the way, which which leads the majors. So just two more. It will called strikes if they called strikes for getting hit in the zone. He’d bet a little less than that. But that never happened. Yes. Actually, I haven’t seen any of the five or one of the five. I don’t know if he’s leaning into the zone or not. But it is kinda funny. It would be nice if they called that. But that’s why. Yeah. That’d be funny. If I got that one, right? Well, somebody there’s a brute game earlier this year was somebody basically ducked their elbow, which was padded, of course rate in front of the ball. And it was basically an inch up an inch away. And you know, gave him the base, you know, it’s doing your your dang near in the strike zone. Anyway, that’s just one of those things that kind of your Tate’s me. It’s like a it’s like flopping and basketball or soccer. So you really, that’s that’s pretty weak. No was doing Rizzo crows crows the plate. I’m not saying. That’s what Rizzo does. I’m not a no, no. He he just he’s rate rate in there. Yeah. He always gets a lot of hit by pitches. I mean, he he’s lead the majors two thousand fifteen with thirty and two thousand seventeen with twenty four hit by pitches. So. This is not the new, but it is just an oddball prediction, I made that he’d have seven by April and these at five so we were doing fun ones of preseason where we really wanted to have a fun one in a serious one to keep things loose and light. And it’s a fun one. But it might actually come true. It’s a weird one. It’s cool. Well, we’ll see. And then you you had a funny one. In fact, I think he got some crap on on Twitter about it brewers. Bullpen ERA will go down by one full run two weeks after Jeremy Jeffers returns to the bullpen. It ain’t over. It ain’t over. I’m not even sure it’s mathematically possible. But. All the innings out of the bullpen and do real. Well, it’s possible. Just have the starter. Go one inning covers the rest of every opener. Yeah. Geos gonna come out. He’ll open every game and everything else will count as bullpen. We’re going to do. It’d be new it’ll be bold. Well, what kind of new definitely be bold? It would it would be a bad ardor open every game one inning a day. Yeah. You one sixty two man. I also play a hundred sixty two games a year. You know, you lineup guys whatever. Yeah. Getting all the credit for playing everyday. Well, I play everyday pal. Yeah. It’s a terrible idea. No. I haven’t looked at the era. A will will put it to bed next time because I’m sure it will be over by. Then it does not look good. The one thing that does look good.

00:50:00 – 00:55:08

And I didn’t talk about much Jeremy Jeffords actually does look good. He’s up to ninety three ninety four on velocity. The ball is moving. He’s keeping it down in the zone. He looks pretty healthy. I suspect with this Consol signing, I suspect we’re actually gonna see jeffer- start shifting to a more high leverage role this week, hopefully allowing hater to be used more as he was last year sixth or seventh inning kinda guy and put Jeremy on the back end. Because frankly, nobody else has been able to cut the mustard it’s been rough. But they’re still over five hundred everybody. Let’s not forget that. It’s it’s going, okay. Yeah. It’s okay. I swear. We gotta get out of this episode. We actually doing an NL central breakdown today or what? Well, I mean. I guess we could we could touch on it, you know, pirates kind of over achieving a little bit for now. Great pitching staff. Well, it is it is we talked about that they’ve been they’ve been very good. They’ve only given up. I believe seventy three runs the season. Now granted they’ve played a few games than some other clubs to. They’re only at twenty one games seem as the cubs actually the Bruce have a couple more but seventy three runs over twenty one games pretty solid number pretty solid, Mark. They haven’t had a real tough schedule. But they are you know, they’re sitting right in the middle of it. Which is where a lot of Pittsburgh fans predicted them to be. I just still feel like when St Louis Chicago, Milwaukee come to town. The road was gonna get a little tougher for them. We’ll see though. Yeah. Yeah. You know? And I I still think there’s some talent on that reds team that, you know, oh, it’s got talent. Something might come together. They’re they’re only for their only four games under five hundred. They’re only four and a half out of first place. It’s so early twenty two games into the year for them to the one pirates have had an easy schedule. You’re right on that. Yes. They do have the dodgers this weekend. So is that in Pittsburghers that in LA that is in L A? Okay. So so it’ll be the dodgers getting to go back home. I was gonna say if this the third leg of a trip for the dodgers, that’d be that’d be tough on that. They got got the Rangers of bunch athletics. Leaser four-game sat against the cardinals starting on may ninth. So their their schedules about to get tough their schedules about the change the one thing we talked about with Pittsburgh having a good pitching staff. Seventy three runs against. They’ve also only scored seventy three runs their offense is. Yeah. Yeah. Good differential is is zero by the way, the bruises negative eleven. Yeah. I see that. I’m not working. I’m really not worried about run differential with that. Both. Yep. I I didn’t bring it up though episode. I thought well why better get that little bit jabs in while you can my friend because it’s a turn we signed Geel, ding and Zell is and things are gonna change. Yeah. Yeah. The cardinals cardinals got the reds coming up this weekend. So go reds. Fan that series for sure. And then. Yeah, the cubs finally play the cardinals may third that weekend. Third fourth and fifth. So interesting you’ll have to cheer for the cups. I think. Have to a very strong word. I’m going to root for is a split series and a tie game. Perhaps if a three-game set, so. Yeah. One one in one or zero zero three all ties this ties in baseball, right? Right. Yeah. I don’t I don’t it depends on what happens today the brewers. Like, I said it actually the probably playing right now they’ve got a day game against the or the cardinals. I do believe. So if the brewers win today, they go up to fourteen and twelve the cardinals dropped fourteen and ten it’s it’s a jumble right now. At the top of the the National League central top four teams are all within two games of each other. It’s gonna be a fun season the hallway. Yeah. Yeah. I think really the strongest trends last ten cubs eight and to last ten and the brewers three and seven the last ten cardinals and pirates are six and four Cincinnati five and five so so, yeah, it’s will be interesting. So what I’m looking at here. Well, cardinals run differential thirty. Wow. That that must have been that brewers pitching staff. Well, why do you think I got so excited about geo? Even though I don’t play the episode before that right? I still believe what I said about grand all to getting better with the staff.

00:55:08 – 00:56:21

The good news is Milwaukee’s rate up their offense. They’ve got one hundred twenty one runs. They’re going to be fine that way if GIO can come in and just tone it down every fifth day. It’s going to go a long way toward improving that club. And it sounds like a simple stupid thing to say, it kind of is, you know, make sure the other team doesn’t score as much, but it’s been a challenge, and it’s going to help a lot. Anyway, we’ve rambled on enough about that stuff. I think that’s done. I think we are done. And I think the cubs. I think the brewers suck. I know cardinals. The cardinals freakin suck even though they’re good. Yeah. Yeah. Goldsmith would up. Yeah. Yeah. Have fun with Bellinger. I’m sick. Goldsmith. Cub suck. Let’s go. I’m done. All right. Well, we’ll catch you this weekend with the stretch and go to ninety miles podcast. I described you get the song if you do and we’ll get out in Twitter land. Absolutely. Cups.