TRANSCRIPT: Ep. 26: Cubs vs. Brewers, the State of Debate

Text Transcript of Ep. 26

00:00:00 – 00:05:01

Woah to. Welcome to the new best rivalry in baseball. Hello baseball fans. Welcome to the ninety miles podcast. If this is the first time you’re joining us what this podcast is all about, is the rivalry ES Cole hamels, the rivalry between the cubs and the brewers. Amir ninety miles separating the two squads Miller park Wrigley field. It’s all about talking smack with my good friend Ryan. Ryan, are you with me Sime here? Really talking. Smack is just me telling you how the cubs are better and there’s not really much of an argument there. But, you know, I know you like to make your points sometimes I think I think the clubs made their point in game one sixty three last year. But that’s totally last year was sure you want to. Yeah. Eight months, sixty three. So last year, come on get over it. You need to get over it. I still don’t think you have gotten all I think you ever responded, I’m over it. Have you checked the standing? Oh, what standings the ones where the brewers caught up from last week when they were down a game going into the the podcast last week. And now they’re what even then correct. No cubs her point five nine when percentage brewers are point five five seven. So there. Yeah. Okay. Well, we’ll, we’ll talk about that. We got a couple of tweets of the week on that stuff. Another thing that’s going on this week. We changed up our format a little bit. We’ve been doing some thinking it turns out that the way we were doing it before. We’re rehashing a lot of you fans as material that was already being fed to we wanted to do something different with this podcast. That’s what the whole point was the idea here is to basically for me to rip on the cubs and for Ryan rip on the brewers, because that’s what makes it fun. We want to compare and contrast. We’re going to add a couple of segments this week that are a little bit different. Yeah. From now on real this couple of going onto. We’re gonna change it up a little bit. You know, I. Yeah because we were talking about that. And, and I mean, we want this, this is this should be supplemental to your typical sports intake games and so forth. So, so. Yeah. As it’s going to be fun. Yeah. Basically in the summertime. Yeah. There’ll be a lot of fighting in the summertime when you’re riding around in your car on your way to work. This should be what you want to check out. You wanna listen to the cubs and the Bruce chatter? This’ll be a little bit different. You know, in depth look at how these two squads interact. Another thing that we’ve got going on, if you’re not familiar with their show, the ninety miles podcast has a giveaway. No purchase necessary going on. You can win some great brewers or cubs gear. All you need to do to qualify is be subscribed to our mailing lists by July tenth twelve o one central time. Yeah. Midnight ninety ninety miles podcasts dot com. That’s where you can sign up. And if you’re fan, do it let all your other cubs fan. No, we want a very large percentage of cubs fans because really would love a cubs fan to win to win this giveaway hers fans get onboard. Burs fans, you know you don’t have to be the favor. It to win. Just look at last season. For instance, we can do this. Get signed up getting on the mailing list. The important thing to note about that, giveaways, the more people that sign up the better, the quality of the giveaway right now. We’re, we’re starting out with some really nice hats, some fitted caps thirty bucks at the end. If we get enough subscribers you could literally win something signed by Hank, Aaron or Ernie banks. How cool is that? So check it out. Take a look leave us a comment on it. Get subscribed important. And basically, it’s the all star game is, is the endpoint here. So pre as long as we’re before the all star game. Get on there. You’re good to go. Yeah. Spread the word. Absolutely. So we’re going to cover a tweet of the week like usual, we do keep that segment. We’re gonna go in depth on a little bit of yelich and havi a little test in here on Kyle Schwaiger. We’re also going to talk a little bit about the cargo signing Travis Sean Casten hero, will be talked about, as well, because that is obviously huge news and Burland and we’ll wrap up with a little bit of predictions in National League central breakdown. But that leads us into our first new segment. Basically, this is for better for worse and Ryan’s gonna tell me or try to and fail most likely while yelich is road numbers are worse than hobbies. K ratio. Is that what you’re trying to pull this week there, Ryan? Wow. I I don’t it’s not something I need to poll, so to speak. I mean it’s, it’s pretty bad. You know what’s well, the K ratio is.

00:05:01 – 00:10:02

Yeah. It is bad that. No, no yelich on on the road. You know it’s, it’s, it’s not good. Well, he’s not Willie Nelson. He doesn’t wanna get back on the road again, necessarily. Bad. Okay, bring it. What do you got? Well, he’s got lucky in a couple ballparks, but generally generally pretty bad. You know, Los Angeles is even his hometown. You know, of course, it’s just three games disa- couple of hits. No, no extra base hits RBI’s pretty weak. You know, he’s originally from Sherman oaks. So I would have thought you know, it should do better. They’re which which is weird. I don’t know how he would do better in Milwaukee, unless there’s some shenanigans going on. But that’s different. It’s got nothing to do with hitters perks pitchers perks. Right. Did more important is the lineup. Okay. Yeah. No. Over that again. Come on Wrigley field. Wrigley field two hits one double, that’s it. That’s in fifteen played old rain. Oh, yeah. Well, everyone was playing in the cold rain, so not everyone’s bat in one sixty seven at Wrigley. So, you know, all of -able sample size. All right. Come on three games. Keep going Catalan. You’re, you’re thinking it up. You’re thinking it up. Good. Let’s see. No. Yeah. Yeah. No. I mean it’s, it’s pretty clear. That it’s just it’s just, you know why, why is that split. I mean you can’t just be good at home. I mean he’s gone lucky at a couple of games, but clearly pretty bad, so okay. Okay. All right. So now do I go after hobby now? Or do I defend yelich first, and then go after defend yellow, I go ahead and attempt? Anything on on hobby if you want. I’ll get to hobby. I’ll get a hobby. Here’s something I’d like to point out though. Christian yelich is road numbers this year. His splitter to fifty nine batting average three seventy on bass Burr, Senate and four seven four slugging that puts his opium at eight forty four eight forty some lucky games. You know what in Philadelphia? So. Oh, well, he’s got five road home runs and thirty games. Okay. So, yes, extrapolate that out. He’s probably gonna hit about thirteen fourteen home runs on the road. I’m pretty sure any team would take that from an outfielder just because he’s superhuman at home doesn’t mean you gotta hold his road numbers against them. These amounts guy lucky in New York too, and you know, I mean he’s a very average player. On average. Yeah. Two fifty nine eight eight forty four PS okay. It’s you know, he’s a starter. I guess he’s, he’s earned ability to be a starter on a team. But average league average opium is seven forty seven period. He’s eight forty four which favorite artist this small sample size too. So, you know, only five home runs. Fifteen Rb is I don’t know. All right. You know what, you know what I’ll grant that? He’s been bad on the road. But he has not been as bad as how he buys his k ratio. Okay. Just a wrap that up his career on the road. He’s away his away career opium is only eight fifty five. He’s eleven points under it on the road this year. He’s actually hit more career home runs on the road than at home that has to do with coming out of Miami, obviously, knew. Yeah. He’s been among, and that’s why there’s these splits. That’s why just been a monster at home. Yeah. All right. All right. Yeah. You know what? Hobbies hobby bias. I actually, you know. As a brewer fan. I don’t like havi but it’s mostly because he’s a cub as a player, I kind of like him, but I don’t know that I’d want him in my lineup. The dude now as a thirty one percent k ratio thirty one percent. He strikes out a third of his plate appearances people. One third that is a killer in a lineup that can absolutely drag down an entire team. Well, you’ve got a lineup that is it can. Well, all right. How about this for instance? Yelich K ratio sixteen and a half percent. I’ll take that all day, everyday thirty one percent in two hundred fifty plate appearances, have you by has struck out now. Havi still has seven home runs at home and eight on the road.

00:10:02 – 00:15:01

It’s interesting. He also has three thirty six home batting average versus a two eighty three away average hokum nobody’s talking about that. We only talk about it with yelich that’s weird. Yeah. He’s eight. Bays better than yelich on the road. So I mean, and it’s small sample size. So, you know. Yes. It’s only now actually. Yeah. The other way around. Oh. You know, league average why cow rate is twenty two point three percent in two thousand eighteen he was around that last year. What was he twenty eight ish sightly above, but my Meyer even on that isn’t so much about that. It you know, you can accept a higher strikeout rate if you got production, and, and he’s been producing, you know so I. He’s got a three point O war go in the season, yellow says three point two war. You know, so I the productions, they’re just just wait until yelich his road numbers come back to the mean and then we’ll look at their war again. Do you think hobbies do you think hobbies strikeout ratio is gonna come back down the season? Yeah. Absolutely. He’s, he’s not gonna end up. Not high. He’s, he’s looked better this year. He’s, he’s gone through a little rough stretch last couple of weeks of Ben, not as good of the cubs while. Yeah. And the cubs in general. But, but he’s shown sparks earlier this season. More patients know that rates, definitely gonna come down instill. I mean he’s still despite that he’s batting over three hundred. He’s got a nine nine forty oh, p s you know, I I, I don’t think that’s that’s as concerning as yelich as road numbers. I mean you’re, you’re. Assuming that’s going to change. I you know, I don’t know about that. I we, we’ve talked about progression and regression to the mean over and over and over. Yeah. Yeah, I expect I expect yellows road numbers that come back up to where they normally would be expect them to hit as many road home runs as he does at home. Miller park is a hitters ballpark for sure. It’s gonna be that way. The whole brewers squad at home hits better. Okay. It’s much better. It’s quite a bit different. The team is, you know, an eight hundred opiates at home versus seven fifty five on the road Miller. A hitters park they’re comfortable. They’re his road numbers will be fine. I think it’s been a combination of a bad road trip west. And he even said he came back and had an extra two hours of batting practice after that trip to California and he hit bombs right away again. It’ll come back to me. I’m not worried about him long-term. He’s got a three twenty batting average for the season. He’s slugging era. His opium is one point one five four. Christian yelich is going to be fine on the road. Yeah. Strikeout ratio. However. Oh, strikeout ratio. It’s improving. It’s improving all the roving evolving as a hitter. I don’t think there’s, there’s any bit bit of a concern there, you know, I, I would take havi anyways. So, of course, he would. I think that both a little bit homers. You know, K rate isn’t isn’t a good thing. But just generally bad numbers on the road. Overall is worse, especially when you’re basically, the only decent semi decent hitter on the entire impera lineup. I mean you’re, you’re losing the lobby for sure. Just as a side note as bad as yelich, quote, unquote, bad. As Ben on the road, the bruiser sixteen and fifteen on the road. The cubs are thirteen and sixteen on the road. No, whatever you wanna say, ma’am, the brewers are doing what they’re supposed to on the road there, a lot of, you know, subpar players are having a pick the team on the road. It’s, it’s you know, and that’s not gonna last. So I’d, you know, I’d say that’s worse. All right. Let’s move on anybody’s gonna win this argument now. We’re not backing down. Yeah. Not at all. No. So now we’ve got you know, we did the what’s worse now. Let’s do the what’s better for better for worse segment. What’s better Casten heroes stretch? His first seventeen games or Kyle Schwartz for seventeen games. I’m gonna lead off with this one Casten hero when he came up was replacing Travis Shaw, who had been abysmal in the Bruce lineup. If you go and look at it after hero. The brewers went from four point seven to run per game league which was the league average to a five point nine four.

00:15:01 – 00:20:02

So in the forty three games with Travis Shaw before casting here came up. The brewers were an average team as far as runs per game after here that seventeen game stretch, they averaged five point nine four runs per game. He was a huge boost at a crucial time for this lineup. Really made a difference as far as bringing some pop into the play again, Shaw, just hadn’t been doing it, and frankly, the bruise had had their struggles between are a little bit for Eric themes and Travis Shaw. They were lineup killers, just like when havi strikes out it can be a killer for an inning. Right. Sean been leaving guys on base it had been rough. No, that’s not to say that his numbers were better than Kyle shores for seventeen games. Or if you go look at their first sixty four at bats in five at bats. The numbers aren’t better for hero, but his role in the lineup was way more important. And that’s what’s better about the casting here a stretch for his first seventeen games. That, that could be fair. You know what, what, what is interesting is argument? I’d like to make actually requires admitting that shore. Or maybe hasn’t been the player that he could have been. I think the knee injury played a role in that at at derailed him his first seventeen games were were excellent. I’m sure you’ve looked I. Yeah. I also you also wanted to use Kris Bryant. But then when he realized that his numbers were. Raptors for seventeen to switch to wherever just like on. That’s fine. And that’s fine. That make that still makes my point too. Bates who it does? It’s interesting, basically, it doesn’t really matter, you can be as hot as you want on hero. And in four years is he going to be shorter? Is he going to be a Kris Bryant? You know if you look at the I seventeen game right? You’d be like well shore was better. I mean, you know, I you know, just in case anyone knows I mean he, he, you know, is batting three seventy three OPN one point. Oh, six six. You know, I it’s basically. I mean he he had a great great starters career that was in two thousand fifteen in June. Just if anyone, you know, of course in fifteen. Yeah. I mean he made quite a splash there. Now, his numbers kinda work their way down as they went. And of course if you go look, if you go look at his at bats sixty. Five at bats versus sixty four at bats for here, then you get more into the normal range, but it’s still excellent for Schwab, three twenty three four zero five five twenty three splits with nine twenty eight fifty five at bats. So if you go at bat to it bat numbers are a fair amount better than heroes. Although here has the better slugging percentage because he did hit five bombs in just seventeen game as you know. Yeah. Three bombs in sixty five at bats but yeah, he had an excellent start to his career. Now, I kind of understand a little more. Why cubs fans are so hooked on shore. I kinda get it a little bit. Well, yeah, that’s quite a quite a splash. And you know then not only that, but then with the injury and sixteen. And of course, the heroics in the World Series as a designated hitter when he wasn’t expected to be playing at all. Yeah. A lot of things. I mean, I you know, we get I’m sure we could talk a lot more about shore. But, you know, my point is I wouldn’t get so hot and bothered about Heston here based on on his performance in the majors so far. It’s pretty you get all hot and bothered for you, Darvish. Yeah. Sweaty all the time. Yeah. Well, that’s another thing more dog about that. But, you know, he’s, he’s been maintaining ks per nine that’s pretty ridiculous. But anyways changing that’s change in the seventy. Let me. Kissed in here. You know, well, we’ll be tied about him a little more because we have that in the next the other segment as well. But, but yeah, we’re going to get more into what the brewers did you know, I basically, who’s better cows. Forber smokes cast in here, the first seventeen games, but it fast forward, four years later, you know, cows towards still now, the injury is a big piece, but I mean he he’s got a career to twenty seven. Batting average eight oh two PS. You would’ve expected a little more than that. I think giving his you look, if you look at his fielding to he’d probably be an elite softball player.

00:20:02 – 00:25:06

But I don’t know if I like them in the major leagues out in the outs. Oh, he’s he’s not as bad outfield. As, as people say, I, I would. I would disagree with that, that I didn’t know we were going to go there, but. No. Here’s here’s bins. He’s been. So so at second base as well. So there’s no well sure nothing for me to stand on. I don’t have a leg to stand on their. You know he was a catcher. I mean, yes, it’s you know, so you know, I don’t know. But I just it he’s done perfectly fine career path. If you look at career path, it’s possible that Casten hero doesn’t play second base his whole career. I did run a poll to see what brewer fans thought would be the general career come some comps to forecast in hero, Iran, with prince fielder ran it with Rickie weeks and oh, one other person he did Rickie weeks ran away with it, but that’s more because he’s just a second base comparison to a second baseman. I was I should probably put Braun in there. I watched Justin here is swing in brew maths at brew. Mass kind of posted a Paul Molitor video of his swing heroes wing kinda resembles poll, monitors in some ways, and the sound of the ball hitting his bat is not it’s different. It is not what I’m used to hearing. I heard it in person at target field as well. It did sound a little different there. I think it’s even more noticeable on television Casten. Here’s a special talents. Adam excited for him. I understand more. Now why cubs fans are always defensive and about Kyle Schwab, why they like him so much. Now that we’ve done a little bit of this historical. Look, I would, I would agree Kyle shore had a better for seventeen games as far as hitting but I think Kesse near was super clutch, there’s been. There’s been brewed deficits four runs and five runs with him in the lineup. They’ve come back and won those games. There was a game in Pittsburgh to wrap up the series. He hit a two run bomb off bay Vasquez. One of the better closers as far as stuff goes his areas that great this year. They were down the Bruce down ten to eight casting here to, to run bomb. They go on to win in thirteen innings off. Night game. That’s you know, I mean when when it comes down to it, if it’s what’s better than hers. I you know, so many plate appearances across for cash over wins that hand hands down. And I guess the point I would make the point I would make it’s not hands down. Yes. The point that I would make is that it doesn’t really matter. It’s too small of a sample size. And you know what I mean? The thing is, is real good hit, or coming up from the minors can sometimes have a little little bit of an advantage pitchers. Don’t have books on them as much yet. I mean, they you know, but once you know, look at shorter once he’s up there for a while and pitcher start is find find weak spots that, you know. That’s not gonna happen to hear. That’s not gonna happen. Okay. Okay. No. He he struggled at each level that he’s gotten to. And then he’s absolutely mashed at each level gotten to afterward. Okay. Whatever. Anyway, high hopes for here. Yeah, I know I know. Here. I got it. Yep. I’ve not heard that. I haven’t heard that one four about a million. Yeah. Every time he hits a home run. And there’s a bunch of outta heroes on Twitter to anyway. I don’t think anybody’s getting anywhere on that argument, either although Schwartz numbers technically are better. I think I’d have to go back and watch the twenty fifteen cubs to know. And I’m not going to do that. So whatever let’s get to the tweet of the week. How about that? Yeah. Yeah. Let’s do it go in. All right. So this actually trickled down between the two of us into third party Ryan last night, got super excited because the cubs won in the brewers loss that basically the Thai. Yeah, yeah. A tie for first place winning percentage though winning percentage. Yeah. Okay. So he tweets at me. This is from at wraps cubs win. If you wanna follow loser cub fan like Ryan, you can do great. Great day. For comes fans, I taste first place. So my response to that is apparently cubs fans. Equate, quote unquote tasting first place with kissing your sister. That’s kinda gross you fibs boy, because it’s a tie. It’s a tie. So at Brayden jalek Biard a D, E, N J, I L E K responded to the two of us. So he is the tweet of the week a here that saying, you know, kissing, your sister here that saying my mind goes right to Billy Bob and bad news bears.

00:25:06 – 00:30:02

So Billy Bob’s quote Billy Bob Thornton. Of course. No, my old coach used to say a tie was is like kissing, your sister, but the way we’ve been playing it’s more like kissing a really hot step sister. And I suppose that’s probably how the cubs feel right now. It’s your hot stepsister. They haven’t been playing very well lately. So. Fine. I. The bad news bears. Yeah. Great. And you’re the baby bears on top of it. It’s perfectly fitting, well they’ve been four and six last ten they’ve got two in a row. Now brewers haven’t been doing all that great either. So, you know, really, well five and five last ten you mentioned you know, the lack energy, I think the brewers you know, a lot of the season you’ve been kinda laying into me about having a week schedule and all you get Miami. You get Miami. And, and if one of the worst blowouts of the season against said terrible team. I don’t know what you’re talking. Of course. You don’t. Yeah. That run differential doing after that, by the way. Oh, yeah. Yeah. That tells you how important that crap is. Yeah. Well, the brewers had hair non Peres throw last night. That’s good. It was. And if you haven’t seen the video of it in need to because at that point, I think the walkie was down sixteen nothing in the ninth inning. And it was. Yeah, it was awful. There’s a lot of good euchre quotes out there, actually which was fun, you know, listening to euchre on the radio once it gets out of control basically, airman Perez, gut on YouTube or something and looked at some different pitching deliveries. Once he realized he was probably gonna throw and yeah. Go see some of the videos of that he does the Alex Claudio shake brew fans. What that is kinda shimmy, and then there’s a nice straight leg kick that he does too. It was really as bad as last night was for Bruce fans. And it will it was bad. It was it was very enjoyable. It was great. You know, boy, the cubs lose one game against the Miami by one run, and you’re like laying into me. Oh, oh, you know, and then now of course, and we. And we talked we talked about this, too. It’ll when we talked about it originally, I figured. Yeah. The Bruce have a great chance to go on a nice run. When the Miami stretch came, but I also said baseball does weird thing get swept or something, which would be well Miami is Miami is twelve and five in their last seventeen games. So go figure you get the worst team in baseball on their hottest streak of the season. Whatever that’s a that’s baseball for you. But yeah. So the cubs managed to scrape their way back into a tie. Yeah. Kiss their hot steps as well. Hey, we’re at three and seven at one point lots ten. They really had some trouble now they’ve made some corrections, which. Oh, is that what they’ve done it? Well, yeah. Attorney swept by Saint Louis using didn’t you give me a whole bunch of crap. In Milwaukee got swept by Saint Louis. I guess it’s even. No, no. You don’t want me to lay the about the cardinals couldn’t even win against the car. The did as large. Yeah. As good if not slightly better than the brewers in the similar comparison. And, and that’s bad somehow so okay, Burs five and five against the cards. What are you guys again? I don’t even know. Yeah. Well, yeah. So that covers a few of the a few of the tweets of the week. There was another one too. It was getting so ugly last night, you know, Bucur says at Bob euchre says if you’re a brew, and you should really follow that because it is enjoyable. There’s a picture of Bob, you know, when he was shooting the film major league in quotes. If you joined us, late you’re kinda lucky that’s pretty much what last night felt like that. That was kind of a nice wrap on that. Yes. The Bruce got blown out by Miami. Okay. Anything else you wanna pile on a boat before we move on. This is going to mention, you know the cubs did sweep the cardinals earlier in the year. So it is three and three and the they cubs play again here this weekend. So ooh, we’ll see what happens there. We’ll see indeed. Yeah, the Burs finally got a series against Pittsburgh. They went three and one in Pittsburgh. They split the series against the twins and they absolutely laid an. Egg last night kind of brings us into his bad. I mean it was it got to be humorous. And, you know, at least air Perez made it funny and they over at the end. I mean, whatever you’ve been council was kind of smiling, the dug up. Yeah. Well, at least at least it didn’t happen against the cardinals because cardinals fans would have been like that was very unprofessional appearance.

00:30:02 – 00:35:01

Hera imitating other pitchers. Yeah. At least it wasn’t that they’re pretty boring or so. You know. Yeah. When can crack right? Yeah. Yeah. Let’s let’s not have fun with baseball. We’re gonna say it. Louis very unprofessional. Cardinals sucky as yeah. I’m good with that. I agree with you on that, even though not get agree with phone, some common ground. Yeah. Well, it’s well let’s, let’s move on got something. What’s next Ryan? What are we doing next? I don’t remember. So I think you called this. We’re going to call this mistake, or magnificence or magnificent. Yeah. Magnificent. That’s. Magnificent. Yeah. Nice alliterate with the ams very poetic anyways. So let’s see here. Mistaker magnificent. What let’s start with here. Let’s get here over with because I’m tired of hearing about here. So so ma- mistaken magnificent here going down to bring up Shah. Well, I know you got Rodgers fans. I. Coaster lies say about it too. So I believe you do. I’m sure you do make mistaker magnificent sending down here to bring Shah backup. I understand why the ball club did this. They need to keep some depth. If you the problem I have with it, obviously, you can’t send on Aguilera. He’s outta options. He can’t sundown themes. Now you could have done to other things, though, you could’ve let one of your pitchers stay down, and keep hero up or more importantly, you could’ve left Shaw in triple A by optioning down. He has an option left. Here’s the reason they didn’t do that. And here’s where I think it’s a mistake to send here at bring Shaw backup. The mistake wasn’t made at the end. The mistake was made at the beginning, they told Shaw once you get healthy, and you go through your rehab stuff, we’re bringing you back up no matter what. And yeah, they told here the same thing once shock gets healthy. And he’s coming back up. The problem is the brewers were scoring four point seven two runs per game before hero came. They’re scoring five point nine four runs per game. Once he was in the lineup eliminated a dead spot. An absolutely dreadful dead spot in that lineup. And gee whiz, all of a sudden you’re one of the top three offenses in the league. I understand that the team needs Shaw to step it up. But you know what you could have left him down. There you used his option now. Go to let him get straight. Well, it’s brought them last night. He had a hit go ahead. Well, it’s, it’s ageism a little bit in a way in the other direction, which I think happens a lot. Someone’s got some time and some experience and, and. It’s, it’s, you know, before someone really has a lot of time up in the majors. Well, it’s like we talked about, I mean, it’s such a small sample size Suri’s. He’s done. Well, since he’s been up. But how is that going to continue you know, wants pitchers? Get more books on, on here on a more of a book on here is far as weaknesses, you know, so whereas, you know, Shah has accumulation a plate appearances, I’m playing devil’s advocate because actually I do agree with you. In this case, I do think that they should’ve kept here up. I mean, shod has done nothing in the minors to, you know, he’s batting to thirty five at triple A, it’s only forty two played appearances. But still that’s I mean, you know anyone else that doesn’t have the major league experience of Shah would not be coming up with those numbers, correct? Here’s my biggest problem with it. I like. Travis Shaw a lot. I think the brewers want to sign Travis, Sean. I’m all for it. The problem is he’s a career to fifty hitter. Okay. He’s a career, you know, Opie guy seven ninety one Casten hero. Right now. If you go look at his combined numbers he’s about a three sixteen batting average with sixteen home runs the season in like forty seven or forty eight game. Yeah. When you combine minor leagues and major leaks. He has a lot more top end than shod does right now. He has that ability, you could’ve left shod to work it out. And you could if the excuse was we need positional depth. You could Capshaw down there and still had positional depth the only thing is you would burned his option and the other part that isn’t being talked about much is by sending hero back down. You slow down his progress on becoming a super two and you might say the couple million dollars down the road. That’s true. I don’t think that played. It’s true. I don’t think played much of a role back when we had this argument at the beginning of may about Travis Shah, I didn’t think he’d go down until June.

00:35:01 – 00:40:02

If you didn’t get a straight, and that’s when we’d see here the. Injury changed all of that. And here came up the team got better. The team was coming back. The team scoring runs. And now you’ve got an upset fan base. That’s why this was a mistake. But the mistake was made at the beginning by promising Shah, he would come back as soon as he was healthy and not necessarily when he was hitting. Well, that’s no Shaw. Hopefully, I obviously I’m a brewer fan. I want them to kick, but he could come back up and hit three hundred for the next two months, and I would be absolutely over the moon for him. But it just doesn’t feel right right now, we’ll have to see what happens it could really bite him in the back side. Yes, where I’m at on it, and I, I’m glad you agree with me, but it’s doesn’t feel good that good. Good. I don’t I don’t like making you feel too good. So if the agreeing with you, not as good, then I, I really agree with you on this. But you should you should do more of it than make me. Feel bad by agreeing with everything. Well, there’s certain things there’s certain lines though, that we shall not cross. But anyways. So I think we both say mistake on that one. I think so. I understand why it happened in the end. It may pay dividends. It doesn’t feel if feels like a mistake in the moment. Yeah. And of course, it does this though. I mean well, yeah. All right. Let’s move on those Carlos Gonzales signing all that sweat is going to be turning to tears. But. Like your you Darvish hot and sweaty hot and sweaty for you is what do you think here? Here or Jimmy Nelson for that matter. But anyways. Yeah. We he’s pitching later today. How about that yet? I know. I know that’s coming now that here down on my knee or about his Jimmy Nelson again. So. All right. Well, well, yeah. Down. Yeah. All right. Oh, so Carlos Gonzales Gonzales. Yeah. What’s up with? What’s up with cargo MS hardy cub mistaker magnificent. Bring in cargo to the cubs here. Well, you know where I’m gonna go with that. I think it’s a complicated situation. So I’m gonna just lay this out so Ben’s over has been out for personal matters. We’re not going to go into those details, but he’s got personal matters going on. If you’re curious, you can find out, I’m, I don’t think we need to go into that. But any case, he’s been unavailable and discuss? Oh, Daniel the scouts who came in. I was I was like, okay, that’s, that’s exciting. And you know what he was great early in the season for a boat fifteen to twenty games or so. I was like, okay, yeah. He’s, he’s kind of, like another Benz overs, kind of a patient, mature hitter, not bad. But from after that, it’s just been downhill, downhill until he’s under batting under two hundred. He’s got a five eighty six OPN. S two eighty nine on Bet’s percent. No just terrible terrible terrible. Now, his his role coming into the cubs, originally was kind of a platoon pinch hits kinda, you know, situation. You got zobrist in the mix there and, and everything. And they kind of are good interchangeable pieces. Of course. Zobrist out discusses been playing a lot more in that has not been to his benefit whatsoever. So that brings us to cargo that came up. And you know kinda kinda surprised. I mean they had to do something because they just didn’t have the pieces to work with with discuss. Oh underperforming. So so badly. I mean you know, like Travis Shah kinda numbers but yeah. But cargo comes in and and he’s, he’s a really intriguing player. You know, obviously he played with. Colorado for a long time. I guess he was in Cleveland for a little bit. I part of this year he didn’t do too great there in that little bit. But I would say pretty bad, actually. Yeah, pretty bad. However, is his Coronas bet is Travis Shaw. Yeah. Yeah. Or, or as scouts shop or discuss. Oh recently for that matter now. He’s, he’s definitely a plus defender. So that, that helps he’s, you know go glove winning outfielder and not since twenty thirteen though, come.

00:40:02 – 00:45:05

Well sure, but he’s, he’s Saul it out there. He’s, he’s above average four Scher as a defender, and he’s had some good years a offense. I mean he did win a batting title in two thousand ten. Yeah. Yeah. Two thousand ten but still bad at three thirty six. I mean that’s, that’s pretty good. He’s had he did have a forty home run year in two thousand fifteen of course as in Colorado. But, but still that’s. I, I personally like the move once you lay out the whole zobrist to scout. So the whole thing I think, I think it, it’s it has created a spark and a little bit of a buzz and, and I think it was what was needed to, to help. You know, I think it’ll, he’s not gonna carry the team but it’s just that kind of change. I mean, I think it’s going to help skull. So also he needs, you know, to figure some things out and, and just not be in the lineup survey. So that helps there, but I, I would say, here’s my, here’s a question I do have a, so we’re going mistaker magnificent air, be I don’t think this is a mistake, which means I have to put it under magnificent. But my question for you is he’s a strict outfielder basically he can only play right? Field for Rex. Yes. Now. Okay. And discuss owes more versatile, but was discuss so playing a lot of outfielder. Not particularly at this, he’s mostly when he’s been he’s been playing second base. And he’s, he’s average. He’s had some bad games defensively even to he’s not only been struggling at the plate. But he’s, he’s not looked so great there. The thing is the other person we haven’t mentioned yet is Addison. Russell is back. So who’s a plus defender. And he’s handsome shown some sparks you know, at the plate as well offensively here I think, you know, he could go out one of his runs. So when you got Addison Russell back now that also changes things because you can have him, he’s been playing second base a lot. And then you got havi at shortstop. In fact, there is a game. Just the other day you had they had the outfield. They had cargo Hayward and L Maura. And then you got you had Bryant at third. Havi shortstop Addison, Russell at second and Rizzo at verse. I mean you talk about. One of the most solid, you know, and I know you love defense. I mean, that’s some, some solid you love. Fielding percentage defensive. I mean that’s a pretty duty solid defense right there. That’s very good defensive unit. Yeah. Absolutely. It’s a good defensive unit. And I think the cargo signing is I don’t think it’s actually magnificent, but it’s definitely a good gamble. I mean why mistake. You gotta say magnificent. Well, then are you calling the hero going down to bring? Well, we already said that, dammit. I got nothing. I was going to say though, is whatever whatever, you know, cargo wasn’t bad last year. Of course with Colorado to seventy six with seven ninety six oh PS. You’re not bringing in his bat, you’re bringing him into just basically to bring up the bottom, right? So to bring your floor up right? We talk about floors and ceilings with teams a bad team with a lot of strike oh, prone hitters or a good team with a lot of strikeout prone hitters, like heavy by as in the middle of the order can have a low low floor where they have struggles to score runs by just bringing cargo in who’s an experienced bat, even if he’s only hitting two twenty to thirty it’s still somebody that’s going to be an improvement over having dispelling the lineup. Like you said, that’s the same argument we had for hero with Shaw just a couple of moments. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, it would be on the, the magnificent side, because it’s really it’s an easy gamble. Right. There’s nothing there’s nothing to lose. You know, we can talk all we want about whether or not Addison, Russell should even be a cub. We’ve. Discussed. On other defensively. That’s, that’s a whole ball wax. Yeah. There’s been some weird stuff with the cubs this year. But that’s a whole nother ball wacked. I think it’s a it’s a very good move. There’s nothing to lose by signing cargo. He’s been pretty horrendous at the plate this year, but not nearly as horrendous says shar Scelzo. So there you have it. Yeah. That’s not a bad move at all. You know. And I and who knows you know how things might change. I mean, the, the cubs have a lot of other moving pieces, you know, with Kris Bryant multiple multiple positions. David Bodey as well can kind of cover some ground, you know, it’s, it’s you know a good. I think it’s a good fit. It works still for sure. And yeah, I think I think we’ll see, you know, the other the other question Mark that remains is benzoate burst.

00:45:05 – 00:50:02

Is he done is he retiring or is he coming back? No one knows. And, and that, of course, which changed things, of course, at this point if he does come back. It’s he’s, he’s not gonna be able to jump right back in. He’s going to have to kinda he’s going to have to go down. Yeah. He’s gonna have to get back in baseball playing shape. Yeah. Yeah. So, so that’s still in the, you know, even but we basically at this point, the is he’s not. Back you have to -ssume that way, if he does then bonus, you know, and, and get them back into bring condition, and then see what happens. But, but that’s kind of how how that is now and out, so and speaking versatility to another thing in the, the Shaw here debate. Those it’s not those two guys fault. They ended up getting pitted against each other Shaw is a little more versatile in the field. He is a little more solid in the field. But if he doesn’t swing the bat show is going to go back down in a couple of three or four weeks. Yeah. But he can play thirty can play. I he can play second base in a pinch hero. Truly is just a second baseman, it just when you mentioned cargo and then the versatility you have with, you know, Bodey and things like that. Yeah. And Ryan Ryan. I mean it’s been playing a lot outfield this year. He’s certainly not just the third baseman, which, which is incredible with the kinda fence. He can, you know, he has how to, to be that versatile is is, is good. But it is. And it is the new trend trend. And yeah, I guess I’m surprised that here is, is pretty strictly second base. I would imagine that might be something adding a position might you know. I mean that seems to be the new trend. You know, it’s a he may like I said in the future he may play some outfield. But he is the first draft pick from the twenty seventeen draft to get to the big leagues e-. You know he had he had a bad elbow. When he was drafted. So there some things they are working around. They really didn’t wanna push anything with them. Just let them develop that bat and place him second base. And quite honestly, he looks okay? At second base. He definitely looks like it’s his natural position. When you watch them make the turn. He looks a little more natural than watching Mike Mustafa’s try and do it. Although we stock has has the better glove of the two and has less likely to make a mistake but he’s a rookie. So that’s kind of, you know, that makes sense predictions kind of covered mistakes and make deficit. I got a prediction for. Yes, he agreed on on those which was. You know, interesting. We didn’t agree on the first stuff. Well, it’s I think it’s good discussion. I think we had a good debate as to what’s going on. I wanna talk baseball. I don’t wanna just talk cubs and bruised. But it’s always good. Use the cubs and brewers as the fodder to talk this way. I think there was some interesting things in there. Hopefully you guys do too. If you do follow us, I’m at brew crew winning. Ryan is what are you at ramps? His cubs win. At wraps cubs win and don’t forget to get subscribed to get into our giveaway. No purchase necessary. We’ve already mentioned it but let’s get into some predictions. I don’t know if we had any come to completion do you? I think we might did have one that I just barely missed, which is irritating. But basically, what was that? The may fifteenth episode. I predicted that between me fifteenth and may thirty first the remainder of may that Kris Bryant would hit six or more home runs. And of course in a couple of days he had a three home run game. I’m like, okay, this is looking like, and it’s in the bag, but unfortunately only hit two more the remainder of the month ending with five just one shy address. Yeah you’re tasting especially three home run game. Which was awesome. Which I know probably irritated, you significantly. I wasn’t worried. Oh, yeah. Right base seventy three home runs. And it’s like okay. He’s still got he’s got a lot of time to just at three more. And he only hits two so all right, fine. I got a update that prediction quite a workout, but yeah, no oh another reason. I’m so upset about Casten era. And I mean it’s mostly baseball related, but I do have a custom here prediction. It was ten home runs by the all star break. He was halfway there and they sent him down for Travis. That does not look very promising to you, unless Shah really thinks it up the backup or something. Well, I have a feeling what is it? He has to go down for ten days minimum unless there’s an injury. I honestly think we’ll see him into or three weeks. He’ll still have a chance, but he’ll have to come out super hot.

00:50:02 – 00:55:03

I had it in the Bank, if they just left them in the majors, and let them play second base. It was in the bag and I. Well, I, I actually have another one that I got wrong. I’m just realizing at this point, I did predict in episode twenty four that the cubs win five of six games versus the cardinals. But they of course we’re swept by the cardinals the first three games. So that is not going to happen. Oh, that is a bummer. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That’s a, that’s a bummer. So you go nine and three the next twelve games. You made that prediction is that even possible anymore? That was on may twenty ninth. It is still possible. Okay. It’s just not as likely as it was. I think I think they have to win out. May twenty nine. I gotta go back and look, I forgot about that. We’ll know you’re put me on just. Donations and Mike. Wow. We got live thirtieth. They’re one two three four four into okay? And that means they gotta go, what five and one. It’s totally doable. They got the Marlins in there the to Mars coming up for the Bruce the Marlins just shut. Yeah. Okay. But but airman Perez was pretty entertaining. Yeah. There’s your silver alright. So so they need they can only lose one game by June twelve. Right. Right. And then let’s see Casten here at ten plus there’s, there’s another thing I did predict recently. Jimmy Nelson will record two wins by the all-star. This was made on this was episode twenty two. So this is what we, we could go. That was he’s coming up. He’s pitching today, twenty today. Oh, yeah. Used. There’s a chance there two weeks ago. He will record to win. So I’m gonna double down on that prediction to all my prediction for today. Is he’s going to am. We’ve done actually stretch episode folks. If you’re new to the show, we did a stretch episode on how the wind stat is kind of meaningless, but we like to use it and predictions to give it some media, I Jimmy Nelson is gonna log a victory today and his return, he’s gonna go at least five innings with the lead obviously, in order to record the win now. Okay. And he’s going to have a minimum of he’s also going to have a minimum of five strikeouts. So he’s going to get the W and strike out at least five batters today. That’s Jimmy Nelson in his big league return. It’s a really great story. He hurt he got hurt sliding back into first base after absolutely pummeling all the right field against the cubs year and a half ago actually more than a year and a half ago, I think wasn’t August of seventeen or something like that July seventeen. Anyway, welcome back, Jimmy. It’s been a long road. He’s had a lot of personal heartbreak issues. With his children and some hostile blah, blah anyway, it’s a really good story. And that’s how he’s going to bring it back today with an exclamation point. He’ll take the w and get strike out five and that one ends today in starts today. So I get the log a log one today and see the result, this, I’m not sure if that’s very bold. Really? I don’t think he’s gone more than five innings in the minors during his rehab. Does that make a difference to you at helps? What do you it helps? You don’t think that’s bolt predicting a victory. Okay. It’s against the Marlins fine. Yeah. How we give limit on the number of earned runs he gives up in addition to get in the w. So, you know, okay doesn’t give. Yeah. Sure. Okay. Okay. Yeah. How ’bout why don’t you name the number of earned runs? And I’ll tell you, I think that’s okay. Three or less. Okay perfect. So he gets the win allows three or less earned runs and strikes out five in his return from what a year and a half outside of major league baseball. This relatively bold. Yeah. I’ll go with. I’ll go with that. Right. So if your new the show, which I know some of you, are we try to make our predictions, something where it’s maybe like thirty thirty five percent chance of getting something. Right. Just recording a win for a big league pitcher is tough enough. So I think this is plenty of especially with the story line for sure. Yeah. So what’s your prediction for me this week there, buddy got for the kite on? No yet. I’ve been trying to decide. You’re always so never prepares. But anyways, I. My prediction for next week. My prediction for next week is you won’t have a prediction.

00:55:03 – 01:00:02

Ready? Okay. I. So I want I made that I have coming up here is, is Kris Bryant Kris Bryant will get player naturally player of the week in at least one of the two weeks either next week or the following week or actually, no Reynaud ending date. No, it’s this week or next week. You’ve basically you’re done to next week buddy, pretty much at this point. Yes. So next week next keys he can get older. You know, he definitely could. So he won’t. But he. Yeah, he will. So anyways, I go ahead. And I’m gonna make I wanna make June prediction. And let’s go with let’s go with Rizzo. I haven’t done prediction with Rizzo for a while. So Anthony Rizzo. I think. The month of June from now till the end of June. Yes. Ten home runs. From now until the end of this month. Ten home runs for Rizzo. Yeah. Yeah. Put it on the books. That’s a good one. This is a really good one. I like yeah you’re good. Oh, yeah. You kidding me? He ain’t gonna hit ten home runs this month. Okay. That’s bold. That’s bold. Yeah. I think so. I mean, if it was if it was a Christian yelich prediction, I’d have to pick a higher number. But it’s just. Okay. Okay. Fine. Between now and June ten home runs for Rizzo. There you go. What is he going to be is somebody going to be feeding them signs? Is that going to be the reasoning for the family? That, that’s fine. I mean jeez. Oh, even at home. Rob a hater before. So, you know. If you guys have this year while. Yeah, closing there is the close. Their eyes in swing down the middle. Unfortunately, sometimes the balls. There you have it. So there we go. Prediction there again, that’s predictions predictions for this week. All right. Okay. So that brings us to the end of the episode, we need to do a little bit of the National League, central breakdown, and then we’re going to wrap it up. Don’t forget, get subscribed. Ninety miles podcast dot com. Follow us on Twitter. Get onto our Facebook page follow us there, too. It’s all about having some fun getting into this ninety miles rivalry ninety miles podcast, NL central breakdown. How do we wanna start this today there, Ryan? Yeah. Well cardinals are three games back, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati five and five and a half. Yeah. I mean it’s interesting. I mean really fifth than fourth and fifth place in the division. I think it go either way, pirates reds. And that’s kind of what we said cardinals Khan in there in the middle. And then cubs and brewers up top. So, you know, and we were tired, we’ve been talking about that all off season and all spring training. And that’s how it’s looking, I think what would be good is if the cubs can go in and sweep the cardinals this weekend, and just kind of really knock them down. Despite the sweep that the cardinals had of the cubs, there’s still three games back. And so, yeah, the cards had been struggling quite a bit leading into that series and they kinda got it turned around somehow against the cubs. They caught the cubs at a at a having some rough times, they’re all around. So I sure sure you can you can say that. But I can’t see the bruise caught Miami at the time now Miami’s won’t. Okay. A lot of crap from Miami. Oh my gosh. That’s fine. The Burs will take the next couple and everybody will forget about that awful game against except for the Perez pitching. That was classic. One thing I wanted to touch on. We did expect Pittsburgh to be okay, and that’s kind of where they’re at I was watching the brewers and the pirates and kind of looked at some things their starting pitching has been bad. I don’t know what’s going on with that. Chris Archer that trade is looking worse and worse, every time they go out which is fine by me. Don’t get me wrong. The guy they sent down to Tampa for Chris Archer Tyler glass now, actually has been having a great season. However, he’s on the disabled list.

01:00:02 – 01:02:46

He was really sharp before that. An interesting thing came up the pirates going into may thirty first after eight innings, they were twenty wins one loss if they had the lead. So they’re relief pitching has been very good in a lot of ways. They’ve locked down that just makes that makes the in hero. Homerun off of fleet. Vasquez that much more impressive to me that was a wild game. Bruce, down ten to eight history off Vasquez. They end up winning thirteen but the pirates I game after leading an eight innings, I think the pirates are worse than the reds, I still hold onto that I think when you look deeper into the into the numbers pirates have been lucky to win as many games as they had and the reds have been unlucky to be at where they’re at. So I, I don’t entirely agree. Because if you’re talking about differential and things like that, the pirates differentials terrible. But when you have a really good bullpen if you have if you’re leading close game and you get it to that really good bullpen. That’s how you win. And when you’re getting blown out or you’re getting beat you’re getting beat. That’s what happened to Milwaukee. That’s whether differentials not rea-. You got a guy like hater a guy like Jefferson the bullpen with Milwaukee there’s like three guys that are really good in the bullpen. And like. Four guys that are really bad in the bullpen. And that’s how you end up with differentials looking like that. I don’t totally agree with you. I think the reds are gonna implode at any given moment. There’s more talent on the line. Upside for Cincinnati. I’ll go ahead. With you there. But, you know. The reds of definitely benefited from having Derrick Johnson come over from the walkie. Their pitching coach. The reds pitching has been much improved. So you might be right in the end the reds may end up higher than Pittsburgh. I just. And when I made my preseason predictions, if you go to the, if you go to the page have a blog where I did some if you knew the program, you can check it out. But I did predict them to implode. No. That’s only a thirty percent chance of that happening. But I wanted to have some more bold predictions, not be, so, yeah, so generic and so fan grafitti type. Yeah. Yeah. So that’s why keep holding onto the reds being worse. Fine, fine. Anyway. I tell you what the cubs suck the cardinal suck. Brewers leading the division and cubs are leading the division. So, you know. Five nine seven. So there you go. Keep kissing your hot steps. Yeah, yeah. All right. Let’s get outta here. This is bad enough. Yeah. Good up. We’ll talk to you later. Go cubs by.