Eat Em Up Episode 82: One Week Til Opening Day | March 19, 2026

Howdy howdy ho and welcome to fantasy fanfellas. I'm Hayden producer of the fantasy fangirls podcast and your resident lover of all things

Sanderson and I'm Steven your bookish internet goofball, but you can call me the smash daddy and we are currently deep diving Brandon

Sanderson's fantasy epic Missborn, but here's the catch Steven here has not read Missborn before that's right. Hey, hey, so each week

You'll get my unfiltered raw reactions to every single chip and along the way we'll do character deep dives magic

Explanars and Steven will even try to guess what's next spoiler alert. He'll be wrong news flash

I'm never wrong episodes come out every Wednesday and you can find fantasy fanfellas wherever you get your podcasts

Hi friends Sean Linda from two black guys are good credit here

Whether you're running a nonprofit at school or a small business Walmart business here to support your mission

They make it easy to order what you need from tech and cleaning supplies to everyday essentials all at low prices

And with helpful tools like spend tracking and tax exempt purchasing for eligible organizations

Because when your operations are smooth your impact can be bigger visit business dot Walmart dot com to get started

You're listening to the item up pod your home for Detroit Tigers opinions discussion nonsense and more now

Here are your hosts Jordan Hall and Alex Irvin

Welcome to eat them up. I'm Jordan Hall joined as always by the tailgate king of Detroit. It's Alex Irvin Alex

We are closing in on

An opening day one week away

So excited so excited Jordan and this is certainly we're just talking off air the dog days of spring training like we were so excited for

The pictures and catchers are poor but now it just feels like it's gone on forever

And it's gone on as long as this winter has so as good as it is to have baseball

I am looking forward to real games and you know real scores and sitting on the edge of my seat

But I'm ready for opening day and real baseball for sure

You have you made all of your your plans for going out west?

Yes, the arrangements are made. I have an early flight on Wednesday next week

The day before opening day in San Diego. I'm hitting up the San Diego Zoo with Aunt Judy and my four-year-long man

Yeah, I'm talking. It's a bucket list item. I mean, I know you're a huge zoo guy

So am I and this is supposed to be one of the best in the country

So looking forward to that catching the game on Thursday going to go early walk the concourse probably shoot some video get a video with Aunt Jude

You know see what she has to say about the whole thing her prediction and then yeah fly home back on Friday

Not leaving a wife home with the kids for too long, but yeah, just a little short trip, and I'm really looking forward to it

How long has Aunt Jude had season tickets? Oh

Years yeah, she's a she's a big baseball fan probably better part of a decade if not longer

She's apparently got some pretty good seats. So I am very excited

Yeah, that'll be sweet. I'm pumped for you

Yeah, you'll definitely have to send me some some photos from the the zoo and I I suppose the game too

Yeah, that'll be exciting. I believe they have pandas still out there, which is is always a treat in this here country

Have you been to the San Diego Zoo? I haven't been to California at all, but if I'm gonna do that probably would be my my one A choice for destinations

Yeah, for sure. I will I will let you know

I will send you a lot of pics because I've heard a lot about the zoo throughout my entire lifetime

Apparently is one of those places that you have to go more than once because it's so huge

And there's so much to see it's you can't get it all done in one day

That's the dream. That's the dream

So moots as we mentioned last week is our spring training and opening is a sponsor Jordan

And they have big things planned for opening day

They've settled it all they've settled the score. They've got their plans ready. Are you ready for it Jordan?

Hit me. I'm excited for this all right first and foremost they're opening early in our early on opening day

Both moots and side hustle lounge side hustle lounge is a bar of theirs the same ownership

Hence side hustle same kitchen

There's an entrance to both restaurants from the belt and also library street

But they're opening early 10 a.m. There's gonna be a DJ on the patio

There's going to be a beer tent from Griffith club brewing company on the patio with samples of some of their newest beers

If you get in there early between 10 and 11 a.m. You're gonna be entered for a raffle

For tires tickets and a moots gift card bundle for any guests that stop in between 10 and 11

And they're gonna have killer sponsors Jordan between 10 a.m. and around first pitch

So if you guys are gonna be downtown and you're not hitting up the tailgate or maybe you are going to bounce between you got to check out moots

You got to check it out

They got the obviously some of the best food in town, but they've got some great open-and-day specials

And they will treat you right over there. So check them out 12 30 library street

They're in walking distance to America Park. So if you're going to the tailgate of the game

It is an easy jaunt down there and go tell them Jordan Alex. Hey

I think they're gonna they'd be very confused if if you did

But I think you should definitely tell them that we said

I'm sure somebody there would know

I mean the the owners know right they sponsoring our show

But yeah, some of the the waiters would be like please stop talking to me and order your pizza

I

Definitely so more good news Jordan or maybe not or maybe it is but this is a threat for all the listeners

We are going back to weekly episodes

Starting next week, I guess, but yes, it's time it's back

We couldn't be more excited

The dull drums of the winter is gone we're starting to stretch out a little bit de-thought and yeah

We got to talk to you guys a weekly basis. You can't you can't get away from it anymore

So moving forward catch us

Every one's day. I think that's what we usually land on and yeah, we hope you guys follow along the entire day this season

Yeah, the spring was long, but I feel like our muscles are finally in shape

I think we're ready to make the jump. I mean, I guess well, I guess we'll see. I'm only time will tell but

I like your vocal cord seem to be at the best shape of their life

One more thing before we get into actual baseball

I set up a bracket group for

March madness you may oh be aware that that is coming up

It's on ESPN. Just search for it. Eat them up pod the password is hot and ready

In honor of our overlords

Yeah, come play with with Alex and I I already saw there's a couple a couple

Show listeners on there winner will obviously take immense bragging rights throughout the the season

Also go blue and go north to go to state. So that's where we're at why north to go to state

They're playing sparty in the first round. Oh, so you are just a certified hater. I am it. It is what it is

I grew up so I was actually I was actually born in Ann Arbor

So it goes deep in my soul and I really really dislike Ohio State football and Michigan State basketball

I'm not the type that's going to like

Yeah, let somebody if I see them wearing a buck iris party

Shirts like that's crazy. I would never do that

But I I mean, you know how I refer to the state of Ohio. I have similar feelings about

Sparty basketball

It's what it is. Have you spent a lot of time in your life in East Lansing?

Um my wife is from

About an hourish south of there and that's one of the closest like malls

So like when when we were dating or you know after that we would we would go up there like

Occasionally because that was kind of like one of the closest civilizations

But I wouldn't say other than that. I've

Had the burden of spending too much time there

I see well you heard it here folks

I've heard if you're first Jordan is picking the Michigan Wolverines to go all the way and the Michigan state

Swords get knocked off in the first round

Your lips to God's ears. We'll see

You're right talk some ball Alex. Let's talk ball Jordan. Hi Tigers fans. It's Dan Dickerson

And you're listening to the item of pod with Jordan and Alex

Go Tigers

All right opening day as I mentioned is one week away um

So you will be what's today today? It's Wednesday night. So you'll be hearing this on Thursday

By the time you're hearing this it will be one week until

First for uh opening day

Let's go time. Oh

Even just saying that seems it just seems so right

It does and it's it's been a long time waiting and for the first time in a long time Jordan

We were we were able to join the Tigers minor league report show the live stream the other night

We were talking to some of the fellows and

It's first time in a long time. There's not a lot of roster battles going on this year

I think we largely know the team

That's going to go north obviously. There is one big decision that we're all waiting on but there other than you know

The bowl some of the bullpen splats and maybe those last couple bench spots. There's not a lot of

Intrigue in terms of who's going to win the roster battle

But I think that's a good thing for a winning team. I mean we kind of know what the expectations are

We know who the players are but um it's not like the days of old where you know

10 different guys are going to break camp and you don't know who those 10 are even before opening day

And you neither care nor does it matter because they're all so open there um

But yeah before we before we move on I do want to mention yeah uh check out the the the pod that we were on it was so much fun like

We

You and I were discussing this like there's no

I don't know. I love those guys um

Rehalio and and chris and Brandon like they're they're such nice dudes

They're every bit is fun and cool and like

I'm the kind of guy like I don't I don't love most people

But I really like those those guys um it's just it was a good uh a good hang and um fun conversation

And if you listen to that you might hear some duplicates uh because

I haven't really changed a whole lot of opinion since what monday Tuesday, so

We'll probably get into a few things you want to jump right into uh the mechanical question

Yeah, I do and uh let's do it

I I'm gonna stake my flag in it Jordan. He's coming north and I know I have said

The opposite the entirety of the spring but I'm ready to say right now Kevin

Mechanical is your opening day shortstop and maybe it's a little bit of wish casting because I can be there for his MLB debut

But I think I think the writing is on the wall Jordan

Uh, we saw on twitter today that he has been pulled from the spring break

I guess pulled is in the right word, but he's not going to be participating in the spring breakout game

Which some people think is a sign of him being on the roster

Um, this spring. I know he has a little bit of a cool

Still recently, but a 432 on base percentage a 977 OPS and more walks in strikeouts Jordan

I'm gonna ask you this right now

pointedly

Are you with me that he's gonna be on the team? What's going to San Diego?

I think he's a lock to go to San Diego at this point

I don't even think he's just in I don't think it's close to him even being the last call to be in I think he is

I'd be very surprised if he wasn't the starting shortstop maybe not in the first game

I don't know who the the ace for um San Diego is maybe it's a lefty

Which I don't know if they'll play that game with him or not, but

Yeah, I think he will be our primary shortstop

Going forward at this point, which is

Cool, um, I do think that like

We both kind of preclude the the idea of this happening most of the spring and I think at this point

One of my primary reasons in addition to just I think it's pretty obvious at this point is um the reverse

Way of getting here

There has to be two guys from

Parker Meadows one cell Perez Austin Slater and I would even lump jc young in there

That would be so deserving of spots that they would knock him off

And quite frankly none of them are well jc young maybe but hardly any of them have been

Even deserving of their their spring spots that like

The conditions even if he hadn't set the world on fire were so ripe for him to come north

Um, and he he has been um

Pretty unflappable like I don't know he he's been the thing that everyone has looked every box score for

All springs long like every time a question is asked basically. It's about Kevin McGonagall those heat does he come north all of this stuff and he's

I mean he's got a 432 on base for the entire spring like that he's just doing what he does it has not phased him

um, I do think that like

Scotty's just gonna throw caution to the wind for

First time maybe in his tiger senior like I don't know. I'm convinced. I think he's in

I love it Jordan and uh, we we talked about this on the show with the guys the other day, but um

I have been saying all spring. I believe he's one of the nine best hitters in baseball. I was talking to Dan hasty

Voice of the west michigan white caps the other day and he said he thinks Kevin McGonagall is one of the three best hitters in the organization Jordan

Is that too rich for your blood or is are we really looking at a kid who's gonna come in and and be

That piece that I think a lot of us were waiting for in terms of free agency signing or a trade can he be that good in his rookie season

I mean, I think so um

I don't know maybe that's a little bit of an indictment on the rest of the talent level that it's not like so

Insurmountable that a rookie can't just walk in

But like if you told me on March so it's March 18th if you told me on September 31st

That he was a four-war player this year. I think I'd be like yeah that tracks like I could see that obviously

He has played zero big league games the the range of outcomes is is large

But I feel like

All of the signs point to him being the kind of player that makes a borderline immediate impact

And it is a line up that

We've seen the good and the bad the good is can be

Like in inevitable offense like the way they run the bases the way they do this kind of stuff

He fits right into that and we've seen the bad

Giving away at bats all that kind of stuff. He doesn't do that like I feel like he accentuates the positives of this offense

And he kind of stems the tide on some of the negatives

um

I think he is precisely the fit at the at this moment that that they need especially um, you know

The the mocked as many times the names in the lineup are the same

Hopefully that that doesn't mean that the offense is the same this year

True and it is encouraging that they've been able to pick it up on the offense so sadly

The thing that

I'm really pleased pleased about and really excited to see this year is everything I've been reading about him is

He doesn't even change his approach on a at bat to at bat basis. He changes his approach

In each at bat like he's studying what the pitcher is doing

You know depending on what the count is he could approach things a different way

But he's just a student of the game um, he takes the craft incredibly seriously

You know, he does a lot of studying. So, you know, I think this is a kid that is way more he and

Max Clark are kind of like a yin and a yang in my mind

like one is extremely flashy

um and and kind of goes about his business by by being um

Obviously being Max Clark with the bling and and the speed and the glove and everything but Kevin McIntyre

Kind of just puts his head down and goes about his business, right?

But he can be that even as a young player leader on this team by just going out and taking care of his business

He doesn't need to be the ra ra guy in the clubhouse. He doesn't have to be the guy that wears a ton of chains

That's not shade on max at all

But I'm excited to have a player that just kind of

Goes about his business is a lunchpale guy and maybe raises the the the talent level of everyone around him because of the player that he is

In the expectations that he's setting and if you've got a guy like that in your organization in his rookie year

That just to me speaks into the player that he's gonna grow into and hopefully a leader for a long time for the Tigers

Where do you see him hitting the or hitting in the order?

In the two old Jordan

Okay, all right, who's who's moving to the top?

I think cold Keith to start

um

And then I think that probably won't last um

Maybe

I don't know. I'm getting real real wacky with it for sure

But I don't know Kevin McGonagall in the two hole really speaks to me lately

I I'm not gonna lie. I hadn't thought about that

But I love cold Keith and

McGonagall at the top of the order. I feel like and I feel like I yammer about this basically every week

But a lengthen's the lineup because then you can move labor into more of a run production spot

You need a little bit

Not less from Riley and Torrick and Carpe like it puts a little less pressure on those guys to be driving in runs

Yeah, I'm into that

Um makes them more solid through like seven and eight

Yeah, yeah, I'll like it

McGonagall just as like the elite contact guy

Getting on base all the time, you know, he's he's going to be a scoring a lot of runs

Hopefully the guys behind him come in, but I think he's gonna get out on base a lot this year

Between his plate discipline and what we know what he can do with the stick

Uh, and I think you know, we're all hoping for another big season from Riley green Spencer Toracles and Kerry Carpenter

Uh, there's gonna be a lot of opportunities for those guys to knock him in so that's why I would like to see him up high

Of course, I think they're probably going to start him low low low in the lineup just to get his feet wet

This kid's gonna have his uh his lumps to join like that's my one fear is like

We've been talking the world about him and the industry is talking the world about him in the fan base

He might not come up here and light the world on a fire right away or he might

You know do great for a couple series and then kind of hit a little bit of a wall

I really hope people have as much patience with this kid as they would with any other rookie even with the expectations

We have for him because he deserves that like he is not even face triple a pitching other than the spring

So you know allow him to grow into the player that he's gonna be and and learn the major leagues because he's gonna be doing a lot of this on a fly

And as excited as we are with him too. I am expect like tempering my expectations

As he kind of goes about to learn how to be a big leader

I have some predictions on that front. I do not think people will have said patience with him

Um whenever it comes to will people be patient or not?

I tend to lean towards not

Yeah, I completely agree and honestly, I think this is one of my personal biggest reasons why I think that he should come up now

rookies have

Rough spots like let's get him done and over with as soon as possible

So that by the time we hit July in August and September

It's kind of like you know when they talk about college basketball when guys get to the tournament. They're no longer freshmen

By the time we get to July and August we need Kevin McGonagal to no longer be a rookie

Because I think he is going to be

Pretty key in whatever we do in the playoffs. So we need him to be a season vet by the time that happens

Which not saying he couldn't do that if he came up may wonder whatever but

The sooner he takes those lumps and moves on and learns from it. I think the better

And you know

He's also the number two prospect in baseball. Maybe those lumps are a little little flatter than most people's

Okay

Indeed, I'm just so excited to see him Jordan

So so excited and I think he's he he has earned it. This isn't yeah, you know some

novelty thing or you know, there's so much about him in the press right now that they just feel like they need to do a marketing ploy like he is

Hopefully going to break camp because of the spring that he had in addition to the player that he is and I think that's really exciting

Does it tell you anything about Scotty that he was willing to there?

I mean at this point we're projecting that this move does happen

Assuming it does does that does that tell you anything about a little more flexibility than you were expecting

Or just that he's he's willing to kind of take things as it comes

A little bit of both um, I think Scott Harris sometimes gets unfairly pegged as

I

Don't have the right word in mind, but like doing things the wrong way

Without any kind of like thought like the one thing you you could say about the guy is he

Makes every decision with a ton of like thought and strategy and you know

Plan behind it and whether or not we agree with it is is a different conversation

But it's not like he's making any of these decisions on a whim

So I do think he's someone that you know can make a decision in a vacuum

That goes against maybe something he's done in the past and vice versa

I saw the tweet and I should have pulled it up

But he actually hasn't played the service time manipulation game very much in his time here anyway

So I think that's kind of unfair to pegged

But yeah, I think you know, he is trying to win as much as people think that Scott Harris is a terrible general general manager

And he's not bold and aggressive enough and on that latter point

I tend to agree with it, but I think he is one of the better general managers in baseball

I think he's slow playing this process, but I also think he ultimately does want to win

And if he thinks Kevin McGonagall is gonna give them the best shot to win starting game one

I think we're gonna see him up here

You know, maybe that's even sooner than he thought there's all gonna happen

But more power to him for you know being forward thinking enough to making the pick because let's remember

He is the one who draft Kevin McGonagall at the end of the day

Yeah, I'm sure he would tell you that if you asked him as well

Yeah, I like the fact that it it seems like

We developed this trio of McGonagall Clark and Prasenio that kind of all hit the

Jumped on to everyone's screen at the same time

and

They've developed into different

paths they're they're taking different routes to the big leagues like he doesn't necessarily have a one-size-fits-all

Package for for the development of these guys some some people get slow played some people get brought like

It is just based on what you see in which I like yeah, I agree. He is nothing if not

methodical in his decision making and direction pointing that I agree

Sometimes there are things that we don't like sometimes we we like it all but

If you never accuse the man of not having thought it through all right, let's jump to

roster decision mania

I'll pose this to you and then you can respond

By my estimation, I have 23 guys that are locked to make the roster. I want to go through these

Yeah, let's do it. All right, so Jake and Dingler behind the plate. I feel like those are no brainers

Yep, although I did say you know, just want to point this out there

Jake Rogers a mild concussion did you see that Jordan? Yeah

Freak injury they did say they think he's gonna be ready for opening day

Get better soon Jake. There was a freak

Incident in the batting cage. He got hit in the head with his own bat

Um, so hopefully they they're calling in a mild concussion

But I very much hope that he is okay and obviously good to go for opening day

But anyway pretending that didn't happen. Yes, catchers are locked or

Needle or I'm not sure who who is currently on the 40 man, but yeah two catchers Jake and or Dingler ends

Hopefully Jake could be someone else. All right. I have five locks on the infield torque, labor,

Magonical cult Keith and your boy

ZMC

Yes

Okay, I have five locks in the outfield

Riley veerling carpenter Havi and jimai Jones

Hmm, I think jimai Jones is on the bubble, but don't you say that don't you put that on my boy

I mean, I love me some jimai Jones, but um, he's had a mediocre spring in my opinion

Okay, so uh, let uh

So that leaves either two or one if if you uh go with my locks

There's one spot if you go with your locks. There are two spots open

What are your and what's your initial breakdown of what that what that's looking like um some guys that that could factor in parker meadows

When cell Perez Austin Slater Jace Young among other guys

What yeah, what where you at?

Well, I think it's going to be one of the two not both between parker meadows and onesal Perez on this

Uh, I do think it's going to end up being meadows

He's heated up just a little bit in the last week or so the defense speaks for itself

And you know, I got to keep myself honest. This is not a defensive

positive podcast as we always like to say

um

But he is probably like a three-war player just based on his defense alone

And if you got a kid that he's coming off the bench as a and I do think like at bats

There's really what he needs to continue to have like if he's on the bench not getting a lot of playing time

He's never going to progress into anything more than we've seen in the last couple of years

That said he is in a lead defensive option off the bench late in games

He is one of the best defensive center builders in baseball

And if he can hit his weight which I can only assume is like two 15 because he's string being

Uh, they'll probably take that so

I think uh meadows is going to make it wensels on the outside looking in um Jace Young is had a great string

But I think they're going to make him hurt and I think he's going to start in Toledo

Did I answer your question and all that word salad?

Yeah, definitely if the only the only question I have is jimai in or out

um

I'm gonna say in

I'll say in on march 18th

All right, I have I I agree I think I think it will be

Meadows I do feel a little not bad for Jace Young because obviously he's had a thousand chances

But of that group he's clearly been the best hitter this spring

I'm just not sure that you can take another in-fielder

As opposed to an out-fielder

Howdy howdy ho and welcome to fantasy fanfellas

I'm Hayden producer of the fantasy fangirls podcast and your resident lover of all things sanderson

And I'm steven your bookish internet goofball, but you can call me the smash daddy

And we are currently deep diving Brandon sanderson's fantasy epic misborn, but here's the catch

steven here has not read misborn before that's right hey hey

So each week you'll get my unfiltered raw reactions to every single chapter and along the way

We'll do character deep dives magic explainers and steven will even try to guess what's next spoiler alert

He'll be wrong news flash. I'm never wrong episodes come out every Wednesday and you can find fantasy fanfellas wherever you get your podcasts

Hi friends Sean Linda from two black guys are good credit here

Whether you're running a nonprofit a school or a small business Walmart business here to support your mission

They make it easy to order what you need from tech and cleaning supplies to everyday essentials

All at low prices and with helpful tools like spend tracking and tax exempt purchasing for eligible organizations

Because when your operations are smooth your impact can be bigger visit business dot walmart dot com to get started

I don't know I keep I keep going back and forth on meadows you're absolutely right like what we what the long term benefit would be for us and for him would be to get him reps

Um

But I mean at this point he's like 25 26 sometimes you just have to like

Use him for the asset he is which would be a defensive replacement and potentially like you know a runner late or something like that

But yeah um

Yeah, he's so tantalizing that's that's the thing is like

You can imagine a world in which one day it clicks and he is the parker meadows from the second half of 24

You know what I mean like in it's hard to not let yourself go to that place because it just is right there

Um that being said I do think he ends up with the the bench option or as

Excuse me as the bench option

It's gonna be interesting for sure Jordan and going back to jace young for a second

I think he is a trade candidate

You know there's somebody to be said about the logjam in the minor leagues

Scott Harris has not done a lot of um trading in his time here

My biggest not gonna him is as I mentioned earlier um the lack of aggressive moves or the lack of moves in general like you've got

Plethora of infielders right now and I feel like a lot of them are over ripening on the vine

Maybe you can't get anything for jace young, but maybe that's the best thing for him

And you can see what you have at third base otherwise maybe that's premature

But as you mentioned, he said a million chances. So um I

I am surprised that he is still in the organization. I'll say that

Yeah, I kind of agree, but also he made such major changes to his swing this off season

It almost and this is just me being a sentimental optimist

Like I almost want to give him one more chance just to see if they take um

Like he's looked a lot better every time I've seen him at the plate this year like

I don't know we saw him a lot and I can't want to speak for you

But basically every time I saw him I was like

Yeah, this dude this dude doesn't have it like there there isn't necessarily signs that this is going to work eventually

Whereas this spring admittedly this is against mixed levels of competition

You can actually see like how this comes together and how this swing looks good like he's driving the ball with authority

Honestly, I would I would actually really like for him to claim the last spot

I just think that that's probably the least likely like thing to happen

But I can see him

Being up with the big club by I don't know sometime in May maybe first injury especially with a versatility elsewhere

Yeah, and I know they tried him at a couple different spots first this spring and maybe there was one more

But to your point Jordan. He is a former first round pick. He has done a lot of

tweaks and mechanical and swing changes in the offseason

And this might be the last chance to see if they can get any kind of a return on their investment

So

Maybe this is the the sticking point and and he's a candidate to get moved in June

But I'm gonna say this. I don't think he breaks camp with the club. I do think we see him this season and sooner than later

Yeah, definitely

I think you're you're point about guys over ripening on the vine is really interesting because

I don't know that I'm willing to throw Maxi Anderson into that group yet

He had limited at bats at Toledo last year

But I'm pretty pretty open to throwing how you lead in there at this point

um

Jace Young is certainly teetering on that edge

uh

I feel like at some points last year

I think it was probably around the trade deadline we we talked about how sometimes the value

A prospect brings to the organization is what they can

get you in a return and

I do think that you know, I'm always willing to tip the hat to tip my captain to Scotty

But I think there's a chance he might have missed the boat a little bit there, but you know my guns be bygones

My biggest thing with that Jordan is at some point you got to see what you have like we we can tout the minor leagues and how good the

Current minor league system for the Tigers is and how much it's transformed and all this

but

Ultimately like if you never see these guys make their debut or have any kind of um, you know impact the major league level then it's just

Smoke and mirrors

You could have the best farm system and they could win the championship at every league

But if it's not resulting in you know

Staying power in the major leagues. What are we really doing here? I don't know

I I need to see how you lead this year. I need to see Max Anderson this year. I need to you know

It's time to put the rubber to the road in terms of these kids that they tell us that they are excited about

And they like so much. I want to see it for myself other than in the minor leagues at the major league level

Yeah, yeah, definitely like when the first injury happens

I don't want Austin Slater to be who comes up to replace them

I want it to be one of these kids to start trying to see see out what what's happening here

Yeah, no disrespect Austin Slater, but you know you get

Yeah, and if they flounder

Then they go back down. Yeah, so be it exactly. I would rather um

You know, no

Then have it just be some mystery that we never find out

Yeah, yeah, definitely it reminds me of Kevin in home alone talking about his uh actually

I believe it's home alone too talking about the the roller skates that

He left in his room uh for too long and then he he grew out of them like that could be the case with how you lean and chase young

How you lean is on the injured list right now in fairness to the young man

So we will not see him anytime soon, but when he gets right

I do want to see him

Yeah, definitely all right. Let's jump to the rotation

I assume we have the same five guys breaking campus starters and they're at their all locks

Yes, I would say that is pretty etched in stone here. We've got one tarryx google the silver metal winner

If in the world baseball classic and I'll leave it at that

framer valdez casey mice jack flirty and some kid named Justin Verlander

I

Honestly just hearing those five like

Let's go. All right. Let's just jump to the bullpen because there actually is some drama there uh I

Feel like it's pretty safe to say

Kenley janssen

vest thinning in

Holton and Drew Anderson are absolute locks agreed

Yes, okay, are you willing to put uh in manual de jesus in that category?

I don't know how you can't and the fact that they put him on the 40 and um

They pulled him I forget they pulled in a lot of something to or or you know said he was unavailable

Was it the world baseball classic where he was unavailable? Yeah, the the world baseball classic final last night

They the I can't remember who it was on the sidelines

But they basically reported that we hit up team bed as well

It's like yeah, you can't you can't use them tonight

Which would be a super weird move if he was destined for delito

I would like to think that we wouldn't care that much yep. I think he's a lot

I'm I know you are too when I'm I'm excited for the for this guy

I was gonna say kid. He's he's not a kid. He's a visa full grown man. He's 29, but I'm I'm excited for him

Yeah, I mean

Kudos to the Tigers scouting department in korea

He and uh Anderson just the two of the best looking guys on the pitch inside of all this spring and both of them came over from korea

So I'm excited to see how it looks during the regular season

Yeah, I mentioned this on the the show with with rhalio and in the fellas

I love the idea of mining places like

Asia for I don't want to say like

American league washouts

But guys like uh de hay sues and drew Anderson

Came up through the through the system the you know the typical way

Didn't find immediate success in in the big leagues and and win over to to Asia and like

I don't know there there's so much to to development when it comes to a baseball player on a person that

Going to a completely different culture like it just

It it stretches you and it grows you into ways that make I think makes you a better person and

seemingly better baseball players too like I think that that um

Like development not being linear doesn't just apply to kids in the minor leagues like it can be

People and adults and I don't know. I think that's really fun and really cool and and I hope that

Um, I mean obviously for the tiger sake. I hope that the results are are

Stay in our sticky, but specifically for those guys that that that those efforts were

Rewarded with with long-term success

Yeah, no absolutely

I love it

Okay, so that leaves us with two bullpen spots

From these names

And this is a who's who brand herder

I would say is probably the closer to a lock than being the chopping block just based on his competition

Yeah

Yeah, yeah, I mean yes not ecstatic about it, but I think that's the truth

So from once once spot from Hanuffy um

RIP my boy Bo brisky

The rowing injury and he just can't catch a break

But the other options are bringing Kater Monterey back and using him out of the bullpen or the non-roster crew of Birch Smith, Tanner Rainey

Who I believe

Tanner Rainey was sent down today

Gunther and Ricky Van Asco. I could also see like maybe Dylan Smith coming back

Pretty uninspiring last guy in the bullpen list here

Yeah, for sure. I mean even a herder has if there was someone that lit the world on fire

I don't think he would be coming north, but just based on the level competition

He he might be in and then out, but brisky that was a really tough one to see

We've talked about it all spring and even if the numbers haven't looked right he is a guy that

Does unlock this bullpen and just deep into

Kater Monterey I think

It was very strange to see him sent down

To my early camp so early, but everything that I've read is they just they are

Hard and fast keeping him stretched out to be a starter

And there was you know, they're sure there were conversations, but no

No plans for him to start in the bullpen. They're he's gonna be the first guy up if any of the starters go down

So they just want to keep him stretched out and he he looked decent in some of the

WBC games. He also got knocked around a little bit in one of the games, but

The velocity is up. He just doesn't know where's going

Yeah, I think there's a chance he's just kind of like a mid four eRA guy like

There's maybe not a whole lot of upside-by on that

But there are worse things than having a mid four eRA guy down chilling at Toledo

You know what I mean? Like I think that might just be kind of where he's at

Yeah, yeah, I'm with you

um

And honestly of the non-Roster crew

I could tell you the numbers a little bit that I've research

I couldn't tell you too much about the players or or my choice of who's gonna be

Among them. So I don't know if I have a choice Jordan. Do you is anybody really standing out to you of this group?

Oh, I mean definitely not. I think

Tanner Rainey has the best stuff, but like

Never met a battery didn't want to actually walk um

Honestly Gunther's had a really nice uh spring and I would say I'm emotionally drawn to him just because like he was part of the

The 24 run and pitch to the playoffs and all that kind of stuff

I don't know it'll probably just be hanging a few because he's already on the 40 man and it's easy. That would be my guess

I probably have to agree with you even though it's done a little bit of a rough go for him

Um, I would love Birch Smith just for the puns though Jordan because you know

I'm gonna bring out some of my best tree jokes if he is on the uh

That's 26 man

Honestly, I'd like to see how deep the roots of your tree knowledge go. Oh my here we go

I don't know I think it could happen. He's probably been the least bad of all of those guys

If nothing else when we hit up the Toledo game, hopefully we can uh we can see old old Birch and and you can get

Can empty the clip that at that point. There we go. We got to we got to get a uh little sound bite in the show or maybe not

I don't know

Just talk it. We'll see how he pitches

Um, let's see

So uh any any other thoughts spring training roster decisions

Raida to move on

I think that's about it um excited to see how it shakes out

I did see the Tigers are leaving Florida and they go play two against the Rockies in

Uh, Arizona. Do I have that right? Uh, you do. I believe it's kind of odd, but yeah, that's right

Very interesting. So uh

Maybe just because they're starting out west and they wanted to be a little bit closer out there

With you're they're starting and still against the Royals and and then they go back to Arizona

That's like the Diamondbacks after the Padre series before coming home

Interesting

Oh, I did see Jordan uh the way that the pitching staff the starters are starting to shake loose

It does not sound like Justin Verlaner's gonna get the ball on opening day in Detroit

Who do we know who?

Um, I think it will be for and this is all

Like the beat writers kind of forecasting just based on how the pitching is lining up

So take this with a grain of salt, but I think it might be framber

Which like another great choice, right?

Like he signed semi long term the next couple of years at least he's a great pitcher

But you know the inner child in me is still screaming for Verlaner on April 3rd. Yeah

As long as no disrespect to these guys. It's just there's no like

Um, value if they but as long as it wasn't mice or flirty

I think it would be fine. I can I can see getting jazzed about any of the other three

Yeah

Um, Troy Melton Jordan to the 60-day IL

They continue to say including the player that it is not something serious

They don't think it's going to be

Something they have to worry about or need surgery. It's just something that needs time

But now he is not eligible to come off of the injured list until I want to say May 25th later in May for sure

Which everything I've read is you know, that is kind of tracks where he would have been

Regardless just based on because he essentially has to repeat spring training once he's hamped starting to go again

He's gonna have to try to get back into it

But that's a blow Jordan. I think that's someone that

All of us were really excited about following the end of last season

Whether he was gonna be in the bullpen or starter or even starting Toledo

But the worst choice of the four is that he's just starting the year on the injured list with an elbow

Inflammation I think it is but you never like to hear that with any kind of picture

No, I'm keeping my intrusive thoughts to myself, but um, yeah

Little worried

One like young player that not good doesn't get some kind of a crazy injury

Like I feel like any top prospect that tigers have has to go through the gauntlet of an injury like Kevin

McGonagall got shut down at the end of his rookie season. I think it was brosaneos hurt right now

Colt Keith got hurt

Bryce Rainer got hurt last year Jackson Joe bed. It just feels like a like a

Something that all these kids have to go through is go through like some major thing and I'm knocking on wood here

Because I hope that that isn't what's happening here with Troy Melden, but

Doesn't give me the warm fuzzies. That's for sure

Jordan Yospetter watches back

That's all I have to say there

Put that young man in bubble wrap. Let's yeah, let's talk a little positive. Jordan Yos Jordan

He's making you he's making you your name proud

Definitely hadn't had anyone considered that, but yeah, you're right. He uh, I'm sure you guys all saw this

But he got into a spring training game late

Give himself a grand slam in this first uh

I don't know. I was gonna say major league at bat. That's definitely not what it is in his first

At bat in a tiger's uniform. Can we does that cover it?

um

Good-looking swing uh

I don't want to say good-looking kid. How how can I phrase this? Well built kid. How about is that is that less weird?

Freaky um he he looks pretty uh pretty

Built for a kid his age kind of like Bryce Rayner to be honest

um

I feel like Scotty is kind of earned a little bit of like a benefit of the doubt when it comes to drafting high school shortzops

I I absolutely love Bryce Rayner where he's at obviously McGonagall like

I don't know. I if he's anything like those other two which there's indications he is

I'm I'm super excited for him and mostly just based on that Scotty likes him

Yeah, oh absolutely so if you guys remember um

Jordan Yos was the tiger's first round pick in 2025 out of a high school in florida

He is a very wary kid

Very slender, but he's got a very broad body so they're projecting that he's going to grow into it

He is known for having elite bat-to-ball skills kind of a slap hitter right now

The defense is good um he doesn't necessarily make the spectacular place

But he's a very steady at making the routine placed

He added 15 pounds of muscle um in the offseason and the power is the biggest thing that uh, you know

people are

Really questioning if he's ever to grow into that but the rest of his game is is pretty rounded

He's got speed. He's got good defense. He's got good plate discipline. He's got good bat-to-ball skills good contact

He's considered to be above average hitter in terms of contact alone

So Jordan if that power shows up this could be an absolute steal because I know he wasn't on a lot of the

Draft guys radar. He was kind of a late riser

But it was a little bit of the max Clark Kevin McGonagall situation in which they were able to sign him under slot in the go after that

catcher from

New England maybe all about it. Yeah, somewhere out east. Yeah, but for as

Pupu does that draft pick was last year Jordan

I agree with you keep stocking the the minors with these middle infield kids and just see what sticks. I like the strategy

He also loves a left-handed hitty middle infieler. Oh, I don't know what it is about. He can't help himself type

Yep, he cannot help

Anything else on Jordan Yos or otherwise Jordan

No, that's the extent of what I know about the kids

So we can

Hey Tigers fans. This is Danielle LaBruce and now it's time for Jordan and Alex to give away this week's Tiger King Crowns

Just for fun. Do you have a Tiger King crowned to give away for let's say all of spring training so far

Howdy howdy ho and welcome to fantasy fanfellas. I'm Hayden producer of the fantasy fangirls podcast and your resident lover of all things

Sanderson and I'm Stephen your bookish internet goofball, but you can call me the smash daddy

And we are currently deep diving Brandon Sanderson's fantasy epic misborn, but here's the catch

Stephen here has not read misborn before. That's right. Hey, hey

So each week you'll get my unfiltered raw reactions to every single chapter and along the way

We'll do character deep dives magic explainers and Stephen will even try to guess what's next spoiler alert

He'll be wrong news flash. I'm never wrong episodes come out every Wednesday and you can find fantasy fanfellas wherever you get your podcasts

What's up? It's Sean Linda from two black guys a good credit

If managed supply runs is still on your to-do list

Here's your science upgrade

Walmart business has a tech tools and services that make it ridiculously easy to stock up for your office or team

Think scheduled deliveries multi-user accounts and even IT setup

Bonus with a Walmart business plus membership you get free shipping spend analytics and two percent rewards

Join the smart way to shop at business dot Walmart dot com terms apply

Hmm

Honestly, I would I would say it's pretty hard

To not give it to Drew Anderson

Um, that's your boy. That is my boy. Have have we discussed

Drew Anderson since I went down and saw him. I can't remember

I did not at length

Okay, so I'll get into this just because this is my favorite topic

Click clear your schedules. We're going long

um

So we saw we went down for for a couple a couple games. I have time all runs together. It's flat circle Jeremy bear me

um

Within the last two weeks saw him pitch. I was so impressed obviously. I'm the kind of guy that will get carried away about

All levels of talent. So clearly take this with a grain of salt

But

Everything is coming out of the same Jim Price keyhole and he throws something

low 80s mid 80s high 80s low 90s mid 90s and he can reach back for gas

Um, I told you this he reminds me of a right handed Tyler Holton that also can reach back for 96 97

I was not expecting to come away a Drew Anderson superfan, but I did so um

I'm gonna go with him as my my tiger king for the

Uh for the the the breath of spring training

I love it. I think it's a great choice and and just going back to what I'm this is all premature

He could totally blow up the regular season, but the way he's looked this spring

What a signing would a pick up and what a great job by the tiger scouting department

I'm actually can sew obviously the the tigers have these new new jerseys

You know, we we have the hook up. She who shall not be named

I'm late. I'm out by the way. I don't know if you saw that I haven't oh

whole

I'm like three good regular season appearances away from not getting McGonagall and getting Kevin or uh

Drew Anderson on the back of my jersey feather and drew Anderson. What a combo

That's the best

We'll see how it says something, but I'm never mind you of this if he just has a kelp or killer outings and they might have to be the move

Honestly, they're so cheap. I might just do both one orange and one blue

If you guys want the link for this Chinese knockoff website hit us up. Uh, yeah, hit us up

My this uh my tiger king crown for spring training, Jordan is one to matte veerling

Uh, yeah, I think you talk about this with the guys, but I think he was missed pretty sorely last year

He provides a clubhouse presence. He's not older, but he is one of the older guys on a team

He's been to a world series before he's played in big moments before and and when he's right

He's he's going well, um, and he's had a

Hot bat this spring, Jordan. So welcome bat matte veer. I hope you can keep it up

And I hope you can stay healthy this offseason

But um, I do think he was he was missed last year for sure

Yeah, definitely and it felt like I mean, he wasn't around for for super long

But he had a couple stints and it seemed like he was never like back and in the swing and like actually making hard contact

Where's the spring he's been hitting lasers like he he's been been driving the ball and it's it's such a different

And so it's so good to see if I were to tell you September 31st at

I'm trying to try to phrase this hypothetical well

That he was the main difference between

Uh, our success level last year versus this year would you be surprised?

Horrible phrasing, but I feel like you can get the general construct

Hit me with that again my brain just completely malfunction

Has did mine in posing it

If at the end of the year

We looked back and the main difference in production level offensively was him like going from last year. Oh sure

I would not be surprised

He's uh, he is a guy that you know can give you a professional at bat

He definitely has his words too, but he's an assembly line guy

He goes out does his job does what you ask him to do and and he can be a producer

He can be a producer of the play he can be a producer in the bass bass

And he can play a multitude of positions

I know they haven't really played a much at third anymore and that might not be the plan

But he can still run a bit. He's he's lost a step

But um, he adds a lot to this ball club and and we like to say the star that straw that stirred the drink is as Parker Meadows

I think another straw you know, we get those two straws when you go to a restaurant like those two black little skinny straws

He's one of those straws

Yeah, I agree with that

Yeah, definitely

So he's my guy uh, you want to give us some listener questions Jordan

Yeah, let's do it

All right, Lindsner on Twitter. He says where are we at on the concern level with Casey Meis the spring training numbers are less than ideal

And since he asked this question, I believe there is another instance of them being less than ideal

What do you what do you think where are you at with this?

I go back and forth um, I mean, I think as a one-one guy he has largely been

Well-ming to underwhelming if you will um, I always have a little bit of higher expectations

But he completely rebuilt himself last year. He was an all-star. He kind of faded down the stretch

But I think

Ultimately as it's going to shake out if he's your number five starter. You're still going pretty good

Um, the numbers are absolutely not pretty to echo Lindsner here. He's got a 7.04 ERA on the spring

Uh, with a 1.83 whip

Not great at all, but

Ultimately, I don't care much in terms of pitching on the actual spring training numbers

I just want to make sure these guys get right and get ready

Obviously if that were to carry into the regular season

I would be concerned but I am willing to give him a completely blank slate going into the regular season to see what you can do

Yeah, I think I'm with you, but it's concerning that he's walking so many guys

um

He's not the kind of guy that has such electric stuff that he's like instant that get out of jams like

Can't be offering extra bases to teams

Um, I don't know that I'm willing to say that I give him a completely blank slate. I just think that

I need to see like I don't know that I've seen Casey throw it all this spring like with my actual eyes

Um, and I don't want to be like too dismissive of it like

Yeah, he's working on his blah blah blah or whatever without having seen it um, but

I feel like the first couple starts to like tell us quite a bit

Hopefully it tells us a good story. I would say that I am

2.5 out of 10

concerned with him

Based on spring numbers

I think that's fair. I might even be at a 3 but um, I also think that

he is

someone that you could

Fairly easy replace if you wanted to get aggressive by swinging a trade for a mid-level starter

Like if the bottom just falls out. They've got some options behind him

You know, he could be supplanted by a catered Monteiro

We don't know much about Sawyer Gibson long or any of these other guys, but I like him a lot, but I'm also not

Too worried the season is gonna hinge on his success or failure. So let's put it that way

Yeah, and I think you hit the nail in the head with it's just expectations like

If you're expecting a hopefully a good four or five season from him. I think he can do that

Yeah

And then the other question this week Andrew aka back porch v on twitter

He says what is your biggest surprise of spring training good bad good or bad. Let's hear it

Um

I'm gonna go first because I think I'm gonna take yours

Um, I'm gonna go with a manual to hasu's

I had legit never heard of him entering spring training

And I think he's gonna be on the 26th man like hard to be more surprise than that

Uh, I think that might have to be mine as well um, but just to mix it up a little bit um

Let's throw jace young another bone. Oh there you go. All right

Pleased with the way that he looked

rooting for him

You know, it's it's got to be a little bit of a punch in the mouth to go from a first round pick

largely destroying the minor leagues

And then just absolutely falling on your face at the major league level

I mean, this is a guy who I correct me if I'm wrong was knowing a little bit more for power over

Contactability and never never hit one home run in the majors and that's just gotta be like burning inside of him. So

I just think uh, he's I love one a guy can just kind of put his head down and say

I need to do the work to try to improve and it looks like that's what he did in this offseason and he's reaping the benefits

I pose this to you we hit we hit the good as obviously we were always going to on this

Uh, hit me with your bad that surprises this spring

I think this is going to be unfair to the kid um, but max Clark

Outside of all of the vitriol over the chains if you're just looking at him as a baseball player

He had a rough spring uh, just in terms of the numbers and he has been tied at the hip as Kevin McIntyre

I think I said in her earlier show this offseason

I thought they might debut at the same time that's before I thought he was

McGonagall was gonna break camp on the opening air roster, but

I think my expectations for Clark have solidly changed to where I would not be shocked if we don't end up seeing him this season at all Jordan

I think he's gonna start an eerie and

There there is still a bit of baking that needs to happen with max Clark

I think he's a very exciting player and he's gonna be a very good player

But I think he's a little further off than then maybe I for sure thought um, how about you though?

Yeah, I I agree um, I

I think that's okay. I don't I don't know um, obviously this is this is just talking baseball though

I've spent too much time on twitter talking about the chains. I can't go there again

Um the trenches for our boy

I'm not normally the kind of guy that gets in the in the trenches on twitter

But like people kept coming like I quoted uh, what's his name? Dan Clark. He said something stupid

And for some reason it just took off and I had people in my mentions. I'm like, well, I can't let them win

So a lot of them I I clapped back at anyway

um

Yeah, I just think that that he is like you say further off and he's needs a little bit, you know some guys can't

Skip triple a like some guys need a little bit of that bats at every position and that's that's fine

um, I would say I have a couple let's start with just broad the bullpen um

Will our vest hasn't been

Fantastic all the like we mentioned some of the back-end options have been fairly

Pedestrian, shall we say brisky's been hurt

Melton to the aisle. I don't know. I feel like a little bit of a cop out

Um, and then offensively I've

This is just personal I guess I was really thinking that this was going to be a breakout spring for Lorenzo

Um, you know coming off the weight loss and like it sounds like his head is in the right place a little bit

It's a little unfair concerning got hurt

Um, I don't know. I don't I don't want to say that like the spring is really

Like taking the shine off that that prospect considering like last year was pretty bad too. I just kind of is expecting to be a little more

Taken by him before uh before the injury

But you know totally fair he's still relatively young. He'll he'll have his time so

Yeah, big season for him for sure

Yeah, I think that's totally fair

Um, and I do hope the the bullpen can kind of find its way because we we're praising them a lot in this this uh this spring Jordan, but um

You know some of the pieces look is still a little rusty. That's what it that way

Yeah, I think it'll be okay fest, you know, yeah, we asked about

Casey like is there any concern? I don't know that I have any concerns with with vest

Just lock in for opening day

Will vest the no sleeve store

afternoon

I Jordan anything for the good of the order before we sign off tonight. I don't think so um

Best time here. That's about all I got

It is um, so thank you listeners. Thank you Jordan for the time is always we're gonna have a show next week

Before I go out to

San Diego then we'll have another show once the regular season is rolling

I want to remind you guys that moots pizzeria and bar in downtown Detroit is our spring training and opening day sponsor

Go check out the good people at moots ask for Tony soko one of the owners Lisa Walters or Quinn Walters

They will show you great time you will have a great experience down there and once again tell them that we sent you

If you guys have any feedback for the show you can hit us up at

Uh, eat him up pod at gmail.com. You could follow along on the socials at eat him up pod Jordan is at hosted by jay hall

I'm at a urban 91

We're back. We are back baby to regular episodes weekly episodes every Wednesday

So make sure you're subscribed while you're doing it. Please give us a five star review

Tell us what you like about the show tells what you don't like about the show and your predictions

We as always love interacting with you guys

So looking forward to another great season of tiger's baseball the listeners make this show what it is

And we hope you're along the ride with us till the very end. So on behalf of Jordan Hall. I'm Alex Ripon. Go Tigers

Go tags

Howdy howdy ho and welcome to fantasy fanfellas. I'm Hayden producer of the fantasy fangirls podcast and your resident lover of all things

Sanderson and i'm steven your bookish internet goofball

But you can call me the smash daddy and we are currently deep diving Brandon Sanderson's fantasy epic missborn

But here's the catch steven here has not read missborn before that's right. Hey, hey

So each week you'll get my unfiltered raw reactions to every single chip and along the way

We'll do character deep dives magic explainers and steven will even try to guess what's next spoiler alert

He'll be wrong news flash. I'm never wrong episodes come out every Wednesday and you can find fantasy fanfellas wherever you get your podcasts

Acast powers the world's best podcast

Here's the show that we recommend

Christian Bale was preparing for his role in American psycho dressing the part hitting the gym for the first time in his life

Even getting his teeth re done. There was just one problem. He didn't actually have the part

Leonardo de caprio did

Listen to our podcast what went wrong every week as we unearth the chaos behind Hollywood's biggest movie flops

And most shocking successes

available wherever you get your podcasts

Acast helps creators launch grow and monetize their podcasts everywhere acast.com