Bob Nightengale’s Notes: ’26 storylines, Mets sign Pham, Brewers lose Chourio + Season Predictions

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USA Today, insider FT insider Bob Knight and Gail joining us right now.

Well, Bob, happy opening day to you.

And what did you think of the opening night festivities between the Yankees and the Giants?

It was cool. I'm having the taxi cabs outside the Yankee dugout,

having the street cart outside the Giants.

So yeah, great pomp and circumstance.

And you know, the game has started about half hour after it was supposed to be.

But yeah, it was fine.

The fast game, I think it lasts about 225 or so.

That's true. Yes, it was fast and not the best work, of course, from Logan Webb.

But I don't think anybody is concerned.

Do you have any concern about the Giants as a whole in their offense?

I mean, we've talked about how they did some things this offseason.

Not a lot, not the heavy hitters.

They've done some heavy hitters like Adamus and Debra's acquisitions in the last year.

But it was more like a rise, beta type moves.

And I think everyone was waiting for a big picture.

So what did you think of their offseason now leading into an overreaction loss on day one?

Well, that was an okay offseason.

I mean, you know, keeps saying, well, what if it's signed Debra or betrayed for Debra's in the offseason?

I think it would say a great offseason.

So Debra has got to be the Debra's of Boston.

Or, you know, they're going to have a long year.

Adamus has got to be the Adamus of Milwaukee.

You know, we saw that spurs last year, but wasn't the same guy.

So, you know, the big guys have got to produce.

I love the arise.

You know, I mean, hearing he draws a four-page walk just, you know, lead off the Giants half in the first inning.

Then gets the base hit later on.

I think arise was a great signing.

I think he's going to help them a lot.

And I think Ron Washington will help him as well playing second base.

Bob, why is everyone worried about Aaron Judge?

Well, I mean, he had one bad game.

He's going to be fine.

I probably win another MVP.

There was one game, Logan Webb.

You know, they kept talking about the shadows, the shadows, the shadows.

Everyone has bad games, right?

I guess it's opening day.

So it's overreaction Tuesday.

Whatever date.

What is today?

Thursday overreaction.

I get confused on what day opening day is now.

Absolutely.

Talk to, you know, both guys after the game, you know, Aaron and the clubbells and Logan at the team hotel later on.

But yeah, I mean, those things happen.

And Logan couple said, couple times, to a man, sorry, it's not tonight.

It's Logan.

One start.

Who cares?

Same thing, you know, Aaron Judge.

Hey, if you're going to have a forest breakout game and you win 7-0, you'll take that, you know, all night long.

That's just a reflection of how deep the Yankee lineup is in the sense that you can have a game like that.

And they don't blink.

You know, that, you know, everybody in that lineup, you know, except for Judge got a hit.

Everybody but Judge either drove in a run or scored a run.

And that's, that's a win lot of ball games.

Should this game continue?

I'm not saying contracts from Netflix or PlayStation or the Switch, whatever the contract's going to be.

I'm saying a marquee game.

And does it have to be at a marquee stadium?

Does it have to be historic as they kept saying all night, historic franchises?

Because if that's the case, then it's just another example of the rich getting richer.

I think you should go to Weber wins the world series, you know, like NFL.

Hey, you win this rule ball.

You know, you're going to be playing the first game of the NFL season.

I think same thing here.

I mean, used to be, you know, I used to love Cincinnati having the first game.

The day games before everybody else.

But I think whoever wins the world series deserves to have play that game either, you know,

doesn't matter where it's going to be, what ballpark, but it should be that feature in that team.

That'd be my only thing is like, you don't always have to have marquee franchises and the champion.

It used to be like that because I remember after we won, we were on the next year.

2006, we were on Sunday night on ESPN.

We smashed the Indians and I was like 16 to nothing.

And then we got the day game off the next day.

The day off the next day.

It was great.

But yeah, I agree.

I think it should be, you want to, it should be the Dodgers, right?

Playing and then if you want to do a marquee game, then make the Dodgers play.

If you want to do the Giants, if you want to do the whoever, whoever, the Mets or whoever,

I mean, whoever you want, whoever you think is a marquee, I agree, Bob, with you.

It should be the team that won the World Series.

They're trying to make it like the NFL anyway.

So let's do it.

And then the other thing for me is I couldn't believe when they said that it was only the sixth time since.

What's it called?

T-Mobile PNC pack belly.

What's what's the stadium called in San Francisco now?

We're a chlorical park.

Yeah, it's only the sixth.

Only the sixth time they've had opened their opener in that park.

That seems absurd to me because it's in the west coast.

I mean, the weather doesn't change.

It actually gets worse as the year goes on.

You would think the Giants would open a home a lot.

You know, they used to volunteer.

They wanted to start the every year on the road.

I'm not sure why.

And that was always a request in Major League Baseball.

Can we start the season on the road?

So that was their own doing.

And hey, it works out well for the Yankees.

You know, now they get to spend today at Wine Country.

A bunch of guys are going to Napa.

Guys are going to Sonoma.

So pretty cool for them having a day off.

And you're going to enjoy the Wine Country up there.

That's the biggest smile we've seen on this on the show by you.

Bob talking about a day off going to Wine Country.

I love it.

I love it.

I'm in LA now.

So I'm not with them.

All right.

Well, then let's talk about LA.

Let's talk about the Dodgers and how they're ruining baseball.

And yet you wrote an article about how there's some teams that are pretty close payroll wise.

But they don't get blamed for ruining baseball.

Yeah, I mean, the best payroll is getting about $50 million more than the Dodgers.

Last five years, the Mets have spent more than the Dodgers.

But yeah, teams are right there.

Yankees are right there.

The Phillies are there.

You know, Atlanta's getting up there.

But yeah, I mean, there's too many teams that are close.

And like I said, the Mets are people that scream at the Mets because they're payrolls about $40 million more than Dodgers.

They're not.

So, you know, let's be honest.

And the Dodgers could have lost two years ago to Padres.

They could, they show us the Phillies last in the first round.

Definitely should have lost the World Series.

Things happen.

And, you know, we'll see.

I mean, there will be no complaints during the regular season because the Dodgers probably win, you know, 92, 95, 96 wins.

And just kind of coach the playoffs.

And then people begin upset because all those guys would be healthy, come playoff time.

Whether they're all banged up right now.

So, hey, with C-KEEK, we're looking ahead at games.

So, let's look at the weekend.

Let's start with Friday.

What else do we have?

Camp Schlitler is making his season debut.

We'll see if Luis Severino is the usual dude on the road versus at home.

Kevin Gossman pitching in that game for Toronto.

Chris Sale will pitch for Atlanta.

Sandy El Contra on the mound for the Marlins against the Rockies.

Atlanta, by the way, is playing the Royals on the weekend here.

That includes, what's your game?

What do you know who you are pitching?

Do you know who's pitching?

No, I can look though.

I haven't looked.

I haven't dug in.

They've started to lay him out.

The matchups are good.

The matchups are good because it's all the best starting pitchers going against each other.

But, like, the team matchups, Pirates Metz, not a lot of fight.

You know, not like, ooh, you know, we're really banging heads here.

We're going to win the Wins Orioles.

White Sox Brewers.

It just feels like I wanted to look down the list and go, man, I'm seeing all these number ones on the mound.

And I'm like, red Sox, reds.

Like, what?

Rangers Phillies.

They have a long history of, what, opening days.

Like, it just feels like a weird, weird mishmash of teams.

I agree.

Some make sense, some don't.

By the way, AJ's game on Saturday is Waka against Ronaldo Lopez.

Yeah.

It'd be good.

Yeah.

Two good, good names.

Waka.

And Ronaldo.

Next teammate, Ronaldo.

Yeah.

Because he was with Vilo.

He didn't really pitch last year.

No, but they said his Vilo was down the spring.

So we'll see.

We'll find out together.

But I can't wait to go to Atlanta.

It's going to be fun.

See Vinny.

See Jack.

See a bunch of the royals.

And then see a bunch of race people that I know from a long time ago.

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Hey, Bob.

Some little news and notes from today.

I'll just throw them both at you to get both answers.

What did you think of the brewers losing Jackson Churio and how that injury started

actually with an exhibition game back in the world baseball classic

and then also the Tommy Fam signing, which we didn't get to yet on our show,

but a minorly contract with the Metz.

Yeah, Tommy Fam, he was actually texting when I was on the plane this morning from San Francisco to L.A.

Get there close and got the deal done.

He would have been very, very frustrated all winter and spring.

Like, my God, I can't get a job here.

And some teams lied to him and say, well, we're staying within.

And then they went and got someone from the outside.

So he gets 2.25 million if he makes a team.

He does have an opt-out on April 25th.

So he doesn't have to be the minor as long as the force of Mets to make a decision.

I think it's a good fit for Fam.

I think it's a good fit for the Mets too.

Yeah, bad break in Churio.

Just strange that that happened in Mark's sport is only being diagnosed now.

You know, he didn't look that good in the WBC, just okay.

You know, he was batting ninth throughout the tournament.

But yeah, you know, bad timing for the Brewers to find out now.

So if I won't see him until, you know, mid-late April,

you're just a smaller heroin for action.

But still, the thing should be diagnosed a long time ago.

Is there another move?

Obviously, Tommy Fam is, you know, late addition to the start of the season.

And we'll see if he gets called up.

Is there another move that you suspect happening?

Obviously, the name Lucas Gialito comes to mind.

But is there another team besides the Braves?

Because everyone's linking them to the Braves.

Yeah, I mean, if Aladdin wanted to sign it, they would have signed it by now.

Obviously, they think he's asking for too much money.

And they don't think he can help right now.

The trouble with Gialito is a little bit like when Gallon signed the Diamondbacks.

The Diamondbacks went through that thing already,

where, hey, if a guy misses a good chunk of spring,

Charlie, Jordan Montgomery did, you know,

he's going to struggle for the year.

I think Gialito is going through that right now.

Teams see the research like, you can be a position player in need,

maybe just four or five days of spring, if you find,

you can't do that as a pitcher.

So I think a lot of teams are saying, yeah, I like to have Gialito.

But what am I really getting?

And how long will it take for him to be right?

I mean, that's less a long time for a pitcher.

And I think that hurts his value.

Okay, and he just signed and then go through it.

Doesn't that seem like it would be?

I mean, getting it, maybe he'll might have to take less.

What's he going to do, sit out a year and then try to sign next year?

Go pitch an independent ball ball.

He's too good of a pitcher for someone not to have signed him.

And for him to have never lowered his standards or what he'd signed for,

it doesn't make sense.

Yeah, I mean, sometimes he's got lower as a demand.

I mean, it wasn't like I had a rapid conversation.

You know, everybody knows his track record, everything else.

I don't know what he's asking for, but obviously,

it's more than anybody wants to give him,

or he would have been assigned a long time ago.

You know, maybe he's waiting for some other team to have key injury,

you know, besides Atlanta.

But, you know, how long is it going to take for him to be ready?

You know, mid-May, late-May.

And, you know, what are you going to get?

That's a lot of time missed for him.

Bob, what about overall storylines for you heading into this season?

Like, pick out one or two that you're really curious to watch,

whether it's a team, a player, a rule.

Of course, the obvious ABS challenge system is out there,

which began last night.

I'm so fast in my baits, right?

I love the fact that you signed Framber Bell Des.

And, you know, now that you have the two races,

I mean, you got flaring number three,

Berliner, remember four.

Love is seeing Berliner have such a great season,

you know, things about coming back.

He still has that 300 in his mind.

He should have won more games last year, just a bad break.

I think that's two giants in the American lane.

I mean, obviously, we got the AL East,

but just with Xiao Ni Troyd.

I mean, it's almost a coin flip between those two in two juggernauts.

And, of course, the National League,

okay, who's going to knock off the Dodgers?

I still think people don't talk enough about the Phillies.

I still think the Phillies have another run left in them.

At the Epic Bryce Hopper, when the MVP,

I think is going to come in with a chip on your shoulder

and show people like, you know what?

You know, I haven't been considering a top 10 player now

for a few years, and they've been bebowning and stuff.

Let me show everybody what I can still do.

Talk about awards.

What about the rookie of the year?

Because there's a lot of kind of griffin' isn't up.

So, people wanted to pick him as rookie of the year,

but then you have Kevin McGonagall,

then you have some guys coming over from Japan.

Where do you feel like the rookie of the year race?

Where do you feel like it goes through here going on opening day?

Well, some of the Americans think I think McGonagall.

And as long as the Detroit wins,

I mean, you can have a good solid year.

And your team, you know, wins the division.

That really, you know, gives you a lot of extra credit points.

And you should have an advantage over someone

might have better stats,

but his team doesn't make the playoffs.

And then National, I think, you know,

Norman McLean's got a huge advantage

just because, you know,

he's already got eight stars in the big leagues.

If you just spell short of rookie status.

So, you know, it's how to pitch a tough guy.

I think he's a clear cut favorite in the national,

to be that guy.

You almost see about somebody else,

but I like McLean a lot.

So, just to have that advantage of already being a Ruffy,

it's almost like, you know,

Ruffy 2.0.

We're live shows.

So I'll throw a team your way,

because it's the first game of the day.

And we had O'Neal Cruz with a little knock into center field.

He sets the table for Brandon Loud,

New Pittsburgh Pirate to hit a two-run home run off of Freddie

Peralta as opening day is underway in Queens.

But I'll do the big picture question.

Do you think that the pirates have done enough to put themselves

in the playoff mix?

I'm not even going to say make the playoffs,

but like we're going to talk about the pirates in September

and be like,

they're within two or three games.

They have a shot.

You've seen them now in spring training.

You've seen, of course,

that Connor Griffin's not starting the year with the team,

but where are we at with the pirates?

I think they finished 500.

It's a great year, Corm.

I used to think that, you know,

instead of being a contender status,

I would just respect a building.

And they spent some money.

They still spent more, you know, more money.

I mean, the bottom line is this is, you know,

one of the most profitable teams in all of baseball.

And you've got to take advantage of schemes

and in these, you know, young pitchers.

I do like the fact they got some offense.

But you still, in that division,

you still got to go through the Cubs

and the Brewers,

the Reds are a better team.

So no matter what the pirates do,

it is still hard, you know, to foresee

that he's going to finish higher than third place.

If not, you know, if not fourth place.

I, I just think Brewers and Cubs are reds.

They're just, you know, better teams in there.

All right, there are so many new managers.

Which of the new managers has the best record

at the end of the season?

I wasn't going to say playoffs.

Just which of the new managers teams

has the best record at the end of the season?

I'll go Baltimore.

I just think it's a gold mine.

I don't think they should have got red band height.

I think band height should have got a job for what he did,

bringing that team from nothing and, you know,

100 games a couple years ago.

So I think that team bounces back,

no matter who is going to be the manager.

So I'll, I'll go Baltimore.

I think they knock in their worth of playoffs.

Should make the playoffs.

They wish they got that one more big starter

than never got that guy.

But it's still a much better team than showed a year ago.

And I think they bounce back.

So I'll go Baltimore.

Bob, last one for you.

Did you hear the Barry Bond story last night

about George Steinburner?

What was your reaction to that?

Do you have anything to do with it?

Yeah.

No, I've heard us do it.

And I was agent well.

I was an agent.

I was a vice acting as Gilbert.

I remember now.

Steinburner was suspended that time.

He wasn't even in the picture.

Bond's, you know, that time.

I don't care if you want to play for New York or not.

You've got to pretend like you want to play for the Yankees

just to get that bidding up.

And, you know, he wanted to bidding up for San Francisco.

So that never want to happen if it was going to happen

and hang up the phone.

Fine.

You know that the agent in this case,

Dennis Gilbert would be calling.

Hey, sorry about that.

I think his phone got cut off.

He's totally dead.

I've got ties with you.

But you're not going to cut ties with the Yankees and George Steinburner.

No matter if you had any interest in going to Yankees,

you won the Yankees being involved.

You were not going to upset Steinburner.

And Steinburner was a spin at that time.

Well, Barry put on a good show last night.

He was telling some good stories to sew.

I enjoyed it.

Bob, thank you.

Happy opening day to you.

All right, my pleasure.

Thank you, guys.

Take care.

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Finishing up on the opening broadcast.

What did you think of that story from Barry

with Steinberg?

Yeah, I'd love to know how,

I mean, like Bob said,

I mean, I'm assuming it's true,

but it was one of those like,

I mean, did you really hang up on George Steinbrenner?

But he ended up where he wanted it up at San Francisco.

So good for Barry.

Lesson Barry.

The better story for me was when Barry told the real story

when he said,

I wasn't a great teammate off the field,

but on the field he was.

And that is true.

There was no better teammate to have in the batter's box

and Barry bonds.

So I got along with Barry.

I like Barry.

He didn't bother me because he would dish it out

and I would give it back to him.

And that was fine.

And I had, but I thought that was a,

I thought that was a great story when he said,

hey, I wasn't a great teammate off the field,

which you never saw him.

And but he's like,

I was the best on the field.

He was right about that.

So that would be my question.

Do players need Barry to be leading the charge

and see on his chest and take everyone out to dinner

or does he just need to show up,

hit fingers and get on base?

Yeah.

Better to go set.

He was the best teammate when he got in the box.

The best team that I ever played with by far.

Right.

When he stepped in the batter's box.

I mean, did he talk yet?

Did he hang out?

No.

Did he have his own hotel?

Yes.

I understood why.

Because he was staying away from people.

Like, I had no problem with any.

Did I get to go to his birthday party?

Yes.

Did I get to do things?

Yes.

With, with Barry.

Yes.

But, I mean, he wasn't a guy that was going to hang out

at the hotel bar and drink with you and have a beer and talk.

No, it wasn't Barry.

But you knew that going in.

You showed up when he wanted to.

He did what he wanted to.

But as long as he was great when he stepped on that field,

I didn't care.

The reality is, if you're an average player,

you do need to do those other things so that you bring extra value.

Barry bonds, if he chooses not to do that,

he's bringing all that value.

So until you have more value than him to your team,

yeah, maybe you do need to hang out with the boys.

Maybe you do need to be a different type of teammate.

But to me, all the people that complained about that,

it's like, you don't.

Everybody has their issues,

or just their own personalities.

Like, you don't have to be somebody you're not.

That doesn't give any value to the team.

Award season is here.

Preseason awards picks predictions.

What's going to happen for the rest of the year?

We already went through teams who's going to win divisions,

make the playoffs, when the World Series, the whole deal.

Now let's go over the individual accolades

and where we think it will go down.

So, AJ, would you like to start and give us,

I guess, take us from rookie of the year, manager of the year,

Si, and then into MVP.

And we'll throw reliever of the year in there, too,

since that's a new award.

That'll be at BBWA Awards.

Okay.

Rookie of the year.

I'm going Murkami.

Check out my shirt.

I think he's going to hit 35 plus.

So we're going on Murkami.

NL, JJ Weatherhole.

Why?

Because he's in St. Louis.

They'll hype him up.

And he'll get to play every day.

So I think that's, you know, McLean.

Yes.

I understand that argument, but he's in New York.

And I just think that.

And then we're going to.

Manager of the year, Texas.

I'm going skip.

Manager of the year in the NL.

I'm going Tori Lavello in Arizona,

because I picked him both to make the playoffs.

Ailsai.

I'm going my guy Hunter Brown.

I just think he's going to have a great year for the Houston Astros.

NL side.

I'm not going Paul Skains.

I'm going Christopher Sanchez.

I just think he's really good.

He's left-handed.

He's going to have an opportunity.

MVP.

Judge O'Connie.

And listen, if Cal Rowley didn't win the MVP unless Aaron Judge gets hurt,

he's going to win it again.

And if Shohei doesn't get hurt, he's going to win it again.

Okay.

Just.

It's just they might have to rename the awards.

Judge and O'Connie.

Because they're never going to not win it.

And then really over the year, Andre Spoonios.

Because I think the Mariners are going to be really good.

And for Anna, I'm going off the grid a little bit.

I'm going Devon Williams.

Because I think in the Met's camp, he's going to get a lot of opportunities

for saves.

I think he's going to improve in year two in New York.

Nice.

Okay.

Any thoughts, Crats?

Or would you like to start rolling yours?

I like it.

I think AJ is right on with the more economy.

I don't think he's going to win the rookie of the year.

But I think he's going to hit 35 homers.

I love that.

And I completely agree.

Obviously, O'Connie is going to win it.

But you'll see my picks in a little bit.

And I like your manager, the year picks.

I know it's not like a big thing.

I like that.

Because I think there are two teams that nobody's expecting.

And yet, they have a chance to make the playoffs.

Yeah.

For example, I'll just pick at the manager of the year.

Our buddy Jim Bowden on his GM territory show.

I think it was him.

He said Aaron Boone was his pick for manager of the year.

Here's my take on that.

It's so difficult for someone to like Boone.

Because the expectations are already high.

It's much easier to pick a manager of the year candidate,

who's with a team where you're like, hey,

I think they could take another step,

or I think they could surprise some people.

Or they're a fringe team.

And if they make the playoffs,

and there's a good narrative to it, then I go that route.

Skip Schumacher is the prime example.

He won it, right, in the past.

He won it with a Marlins team,

then had the weird situation with Miami, nothing on him.

They just were making changes.

And then takes over a ranger's team

that didn't make the playoffs last year.

That adds up a lot more than say.

Boone just has a lot.

It's like the Yankees would have to like crush the division

and win 100 games or something like that.

That's just asking a lot.

All right, so if you don't think Mercami's going to win

Al Rukki of the year, who do you have?

Kevin McGonagall.

I think Kevin McGonagall,

just like AJ said about JJ Weatherholt,

I think he's going to get a lot of that bats.

And I think it's a team that's going to be winning.

And I think that's, I know it's a chalk pick,

but watching his at bats last year in the minor leagues

and then this year in spring training,

like it's the type of hitter that you're like,

that's how you should swing if you're not six foot five,

270 pounds.

Like that's how you can be an all around hitter.

And then I'm going,

and Al Rukki of the year,

this was my toughest of all my predictions.

I really wanted to put Bubba Chandler in there.

I think Bubba Chandler,

just his stuff,

I think his moxie,

I think just his like,

like unafraid to be the guy that he is.

I think he's going to have a really good year,

but I think Nolan McLean ends up winning it.

Matt Cattaro.

Cattaro,

because the royals are going to make it.

And if the royals make it,

I don't care who your manager is,

he's going to be manager of the year.

Tito,

because the reds are not expected to do anything.

I mean, CBS had him as the 22nd best team in the game.

And I had the reds making the playoffs.

And Tito does his thing.

American League.

Second toughest decision.

I thought it was going to be scooble,

but then I thought,

you know what?

It's time.

It's time for somebody in Seattle,

the team I picked to go,

I think I picked them to have the best record,

or second best record in the American League,

behind the Tigers.

And I think,

I think it will be Logan Gilbert's year

to win the Siam.

I picked Paul Schienz,

not off to a great start today,

but that's okay.

Paul Schienz will be,

at the end of the year,

the ERA will probably still be down below two.

And to ALNVP,

I do think if one of the two judge or Otani

can be beaten,

it's judge.

Otani has no chance of being beaten

unless he's only doing one of the two things

that he's really good at.

And so I'm thinking Bobby Whit Jr.,

Bobby Whit Jr.

Bobby Whit Jr. is going to

lead this Royals team

to the playoffs,

and he's going to do it

with the elite defense,

elite base running.

He might have,

he might have a

40-40 type of season,

like that type of thing,

historic type of thing,

from short stops.

Usually gets you a lot of notoriety.

Andres Munoz,

continuing the Mariners,

winning a lot of games

in the American League West,

and the newest

X-Met to go to the Dodgers,

Edwin Diaz,

National League,

really, really,

for the year.

Very nice.

So you've got Whit over

Judge.

He's probably the guy

that has the best shot, right?

Is that your number two?

Probably.

Yeah.

Because he can steal bases,

plays defense,

plays an elite,

but Cal Raleigh, again.

Cal Raleigh didn't win it last year.

How did someone win it?

You can't.

It's the same with Otani.

If Judge doesn't hit 3-30,

that's how Whit...

Well, look, if Judge does what he does,

like, people are saying,

well, that was a historic season.

What he's done,

in the years he stays healthy,

he's almost unbeatable.

He's almost like,

you can't stop Aaron Judge,

because his own base percentage

is going to be over 400.

But when you hit 3-30,

with his power,

like, that's...

It's unstoppable.

It's not like,

he was outpacing the entire league,

not just Cal Raleigh,

the entire league.

I also think that,

and we've talked about this in the off season,

catchers don't get as much love

in the war category as they should.

I think they should get more.

I know they get some.

They should get more.

Yeah.

So I think that's part of it.

Obviously, yeah,

catchers get more love,

short stops, whatever.

But I don't think they get enough.

A catcher compared to an outfielder.

But that's last year's topic.

Let's get to your stat leaders.

So AJ,

we'll show your board

you want to run through offense

and then pitching for us.

Sure.

I'm going to judge,

home runs,

RBI's Peter Lonzo.

I just think he's in a good lineup.

Bobby Witt,

stolen base,

and they're going to free him.

ERA leader schemes,

not today,

but he'll be better,

like I said,

Freddie Pearl,

they got off to a rough star,

fine.

Andres Muno,

saves leader,

because of there.

In the K-leaders' inches,

look up how many Ks he had last year.

He had a lot of strikeouts,

and I think he's just going to improve.

Yeah, he keeps getting better.

The team just took care of him, too.

They really took care of him.

They gave him a lot more money for one extra year.

I mean,

he said that means...

Sign a nice team.

Sign a nice team deal,

and they said,

wow, great job.

We'll re-up you again.

And he said,

okay, cool.

I'll take it.

He's a sneaky,

really, really tall guy, too,

by the way,

if you ever get to see him in person.

I think he's like six-six.

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What about your list?

How does it differ?

Hey, Ron Judge.

It's going to be the home run leader.

I think the RBIs.

I had to go to a place where a lot of runs are scored,

and I think they have a really good offense,

so I'm going Nick Kurtz,

an entire year of Nick Kurtz.

I'm not going to say he's going to get 150,

but I'm saying if he eclipses 130,

we're talking about like a dude

that's just going to be able to drive so many runs

in because of his at-bats and his team around him.

Stone-based leader.

Jose Ramirez is sick and freaking tired of not leading

the league in one category,

so I think he's going to take it this year.

I think it's 40 some last year.

He's going to flirt with 40-40 again,

like he's guaranteed 30-30 every year.

So Jose Ramirez,

and then I'm going to Paul Schienz.

ERA leader took a hit today,

but the saves leader,

and when Diaz is going to have the most

and strikeouts,

Garrett Crochet,

while he's not going to be the

Sion winner,

he's a strikeout machine.

He doesn't even have to.

He throws the ball right down the middle

and some guys miss.

So Garrett Crochet,

strikeouts.

Very nice.

Anything else you're looking forward to here?

To start the season

for the awards or for the season?

I guess you could technically do both,

but for the awards.

Not anybody you were like having a tough time

leaving out.

I mean, I have a tough time.

I have a tough time not looking to somebody else like,

like I couldn't,

I wanted to find a place somewhere on here for Peter Lonzo.

Like I was thinking about the RBI's.

I just think the Orioles offense

is a lot like the A's offense.

I feel like Peter Lonzo in this new place,

the new contract.

I think some guys get complacent with the new contract.

I think he is the exact opposite

and will just catapult this team.

I think this Orioles team is going to score a ton of runs.

I think he is going to be the catalyst to that.

I think he's going to give protection to Gunner

because Pete,

you can pitch around Pete,

but he can still hit that slider off the plate for damage.

He can still drive guys in.

He's learning how to hit more and more.

And I think he's, I think,

I wanted him somewhere on one of these later boards,

but I couldn't fit him in because he's not going to win

the stolen base or the DRI title.

Right.

It's a home runs or RBI's.

Do you guys believe in the narrative of the motivation

carrying above what a player already is motivated to do?

I'll just use two easy.

You don't think so?

You don't think Pete or Bryce Harper

feel like extra juice.

So you're going to work harder?

Are we going to try harder?

I don't know.

That's why I'm asking.

Hopefully they're trying hard all the time.

I think that's one of the biggest false narratives.

By the way, one of the things we were supposed to say

is the first manager fired.

I don't know.

I went through the list of managers.

I don't know who would get fired.

Literally,

people with the list of managers

between the new ones

and the guys who are in,

they're not going to,

okay, I mean, a list.

There's so many new ones.

They're not getting you.

Okay, so twins Orioles.

Twins.

Shelton just got there.

Orioles.

They're not going to fire them in a one-year deal.

Astros.

Maybe Joe is spotted,

but Kevin Cashy never been fired.

Ollie Marmel just signed an extension.

For the level they love,

Dave Roberts ain't going anywhere.

Alex Cora ain't going anywhere.

Tito Franco ain't going anywhere.

AJ Hinch ain't going anywhere.

They just hired Craig Stamin and San Diego.

Skip Schumacher's new.

Maybe Rob Thompson,

but I think they're going to be good

so I don't think he's in.

Stephen Vote and Cleveland.

No.

Dan Wilson in Seattle.

No.

Aaron Boone.

No.

Tony Vitello just hired.

Rocky's just hired a new manager.

He's not getting fired.

Right?

Marlins.

They love.

Clayton McCullough.

Clayton McCullough.

Right?

Who's going to get,

like, fine, if you can fight royals,

Quattaro's not getting fired.

And they just hired Walt Weiss.

And then the A's have Mark Cotsie who's a lifer

and John Schneider just signed an extension.

Finding a manager is going to get fired

this year during the season.

I know that's a popular thing.

I just don't know who would,

I don't know.

I don't know where it would be.

I got to.

That's why I said none.

They asked me.

I'm like, none.

I don't think anyone's getting fired during the season.

No.

Chances are super low.

I guess technically three.

But it's all based on the team performance

in the first few months of the season.

I think they're going to fire Windows

and V1.

But I don't think he's getting fired here.

It's only if the.

It would have to be.

Really tank.

Yeah.

Them.

You said.

Aspada.

Again, I think the assures will be good.

But let's say they have to.

The assures will be good.

But let's say the assures are 12 games

under 500 on June 1st.

You're going to be like,

okay, Jim Crane is pretty aggressive.

He might pull the trigger.

If that was the case.

I don't think during the season he will, though.

No.

By the way, at least Robert just dove

over a ball that was going to hit him

in his shoulder.

Which I find awesome.

Well, we're going to talk about that.

Crowd got him excited.

Crowd got him excited.

Him.

And then there was one other that you said.

I mean, I think the Phillies are going to win the division.

So I don't think they're going to have a problem.

But if the Phillies were 10 games under 500.

And like, these are to me somewhat unrealistic expectations

to think that one of those issues

isn't going to be in good shape.

I did the same practice that AJ just did.

I did it at my house.

Like, I just don't see anybody.

So when I was told to put somebody down,

Ozzy Gien's getting fired this year.

So I just throw a name in there

and see if anybody was actually reading my list.

But.

That's my style.

That's why we asked Robert Murray.

That's Robert Murray.

That's broadcasts.

That's why I asked Robert Murray.

If the over under is one and a half.

I honestly believe this is a year.

It's weird because they have so many new high rings.

It will be really, really weird to see more than one guy fired.

Okay, I'm going to do that.

Over under is set at .5.

I'll still take the under.

So you think the entire season.

Zero manager firings.

Maybe the off season people will be gone.

The off season.

No, it doesn't count between April and September.

Zero.

You guys both think there will be zero.

A lot of things go the way that we think they're going to go.

I don't.

I mean, let's something crazy could happen.

Yeah.

I'm just going to go.

We can have a Tony painting of a situation

where you just get fired in the middle of the year for whatever.

Right.

Non-trouble off the field.

Performance related.

Yeah.

The teams.

We just went through most of the teams.

I mean, okay, Mendy and in top of the two, the people talk about the most.

I just don't see it because I think the fillies in the match are both going to be good.

So why would you fire the manager if you're good?

And the other guy that people mentioned is Kurt Suzuki.

He's on a one year deal already right now.

Just let him finish a year and then go from there.

What's the point?

Yeah, I agree.

I don't I don't see that one happening.

I just feel like between everything we said,

something will happen based on law of averages.

Because not every team can be good.

You're going to have some teams that are massively disappointing.

To go back to last year.

Which one?

Well, last year was the Orioles.

Brandon Hyde got let go because the Orioles crumbled in the beginning of the season.

Okay.

They have a new manager.

Yeah.

Who could be the biggest.

Okay.

Who could be the biggest.

The Mets.

The Mets could be.

I think the Ashtows.

I would say that would be the team.

It's so honest to go.

That could be a team because of the contract length.

Right.

What?

It's his contract year.

He doesn't have a contract after this year right now.

I'm pretty sure a spot it doesn't.

And I think you have to know who the owner is.

This sometimes has to do with the owner.

Is it one of those super loyal owners?

Or is it an owner that's kind of pushing for,

I don't want to say for wins.

But like he'll keep his foot on the pedal a little bit more.

Jim Crane's pretty loyal.

Yes, he is.

He's pretty loyal.

He's pretty loyal.

He brought, yeah, I mean, he was the one that pushed it through

to let the whole Carlos Correa thing.

Like very seldom does an owner say, yeah, we're going to,

we're going to bring on this extra money.

Like he's very, he is a very, very loyal owner.

If you are in his circle.

And I have no reason to believe that Joe's spot

is not in his circle.

Then who do you guys think would be the top candidate?

If you had to pick one.

What about if the Kansas, well,

I mean, Criter just signed an extension.

A lot of this has to do with the extension.

So like the royals.

Right.

If you have a team that you have an extension out,

I think they're going to be fine anyway.

But it's like.

Do you really think they're going to pull the trigger?

No.

It's got to be a team that's good.

That just looks terrible in the first couple months.

Or three months.

It doesn't have to happen right away.

It could happen in June or July.

Where?

Where?

Of course.

It seems like.

Okay.

I don't know.

I mean, you're making me pick against the tea.

Like if I go down the list of teams that are not going to make

the playoffs.

Like, I get it.

I didn't pick the braves to make the playoffs.

Walt Weiss is not getting fired.

Like I didn't pick the red slug time with backs.

Tour of the Vell is not getting fired.

That is, to me, that's a machine out there that.

I think they're always.

They're always a move or two away or a really good season away

from.

Making that next step to be a playoff contender again.

I think the red socks are going to be a playoff contending team.

They're going to hang around 500.

I just don't think they're going to quite make the playoffs.

Okay.

Well, that's why it's a fun exercise.

I didn't realize how difficult it was.

How many did we have last year?

We had quite a few.

It's a different situation.

Yeah.

Which is part of how we got to this point.

But during the season, Bud Black.

Okay.

I mean, the Orioles.

They weren't very underachieved.

That was two off the top of my head.

I could think they got fired in the middle of the season.

Derek Shelton, Pirates.

Okay.

Some of those were bad teams.

Some of those they had also been there for four or five years and hadn't worked.

Right.

So they hadn't won.

I mean, that's awesome.

Rocco Baldelli was after the season.

Ollie Marmalin, is he in fire?

He just signed an extension.

Yeah, I think so.

Also, I mean, I think a lot of this has to do with expectations.

The Cardinals should not have high expectations this year.

I got rid of some ton of guys.

Yeah.

That's part of it.

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