HR2: Jeremiyah Love isn’t worth a top 10 draft pick? | Grant Paulsen gives a Nationals 2026 season preview

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All right, Ben Fox is actually going to join us at 12 noon.

I was a little bit off on that.

But that gives me some time to respond to a lot of the Jeremiah love conversation

from the last couple of days.

Yesterday on the show, I pointed out that if you're looking for some knits to pick about Jeremiah

love, one thing has been true.

Against the better defensive teams, he has not played very well, has not generated,

you know, anywhere near what he's generated against some of the horrendous.

I mean, horrendous defensive teams he's faced.

Now, many of you pointed out and I did mention this.

It's not like I ignored the fact that at the end of 2024, especially in the championship game

against Ohio State, he was hurt.

You know, he's playing with that banged up knee and he played like a warrior in some of those

games. I get it.

But the bottom line is, you know, even, you know, against Georgian Penn State when he wasn't a hundred

percent, the results weren't very good, but forget 2024 and go to just last year.

The two teams on the schedule that were good defensive teams, very good defensive teams.

He faced in the first two games of the year.

Miami, they lost two, Labor Day weekend, great game, 27 to 24.

And then they lost that unbelievable game in which they missed an extra point to lose at home

in South Bend in week two to Texas A&M 41 to 40. Against the Canes who had the 12th ranked defense

in the country, we know how good they were defensively. They were the number six rush defense

in the country, 10 carries, 33 yards, four catches, 26 yards, no touchdowns, and a loss.

Texas A&M 23 carries 94 yards, you know, not a bad day, 4.1 yards per carry,

but hardly what he did the rest of the year. A lot of the massive days he had in the super high

average yards per carry games came against bad defensive teams. It's just a fact.

His best game of the year, 24 carries 228 yards and a touchdown against SC. SC was not a good

defensive team this year. But how about this against Boston College, BC ranked 128th defensively

out of 136 teams, 17 for 136, eight yards per carry. Syracuse was the number 126 defense

out of 136 division one teams. That was the day in which just he had one big long run after

another. Eight carries for 171 yards. He averaged 21.4 yards per carry, but Syracuse was horrible

defensively. As was Arkansas, when he met Arkansas on week four, only 14 for 50-70 did have five

catches for 70 and had four touchdowns in the game. Purdue was terrible defensively 19 for 157.

They had a schedule really just with bad defensive teams on their schedule after the first two

games of the year in which he went for 33 carries for 127 yards or 3.6 yards per carry.

I like Jeremiah Love. I like him as a player. I promise you. I like him as a player. Like him as a

prospect. I just don't like him at number seven. That's all. We just have a difference of opinion.

I want my top 10 running backs selection to be a guy that I think is going to be an absolute

superstar. Beijan Robinson, Christian McCaffrey. I got this from Jim T.

Jim T writes, last year Damien Martinez and this year Jeremiah Love, you've lost your touch

on running backs, Kev. I've been following your running back calls going back to Devon Single

Terry, Chase Brown, Tyler Algier, and you really liked the Super Bowl MVP this year Walker,

but you've lost your fastball because I can't come up with any reason. You're so down on Love.

I got this from ND85. Can't believe how wrong you're going to be about Jeremiah Love. He's the

best player in the draft according to Kuiper and others. Not sure why you're such a non-believer.

I'm not a non-believer. I haven't said that I'm down on Jeremiah Love. I actually think he's

going to be a really good back. My comp has been Josh Jacobs with better speed. That's a really

good NFL back. And yes, give me him. Give me Josh Jacobs with better breakaway speed. I'll take that

because it's better than anything else in the locker room right now or in the running back room.

I think it is. I'm pretty sure it is. So I'd love to have it. If they end up taking him,

I'm going to be excited that they've got a weapon like him in the back field. I just personally

wouldn't take him at number seven. For that position, I want the rookie contract that I'm going to pay

out to be leverageable. And those positions are, as we know, quarterback, edge rusher,

receiver, left tackle, not running back. There'd be no real benefit of having Jeremiah Love

on a rookie deal. Now, that's not why I would turn away from him. It's not the player, though.

It is more about the, you know, placement. And yes, from a player standpoint, I don't believe

that in watching him as a college player, it's all we've been able to do. I don't believe that I've

been watching Christian McCaffrey or B. John Robinson. Those are the players that I would take

at, you know, number seven or really just top half of the first round. You know, I wouldn't even put,

I don't know, Gibbs is close, man. Jonathan Taylor is even at times close. Derek Henry, I mean,

not now, obviously, players that have been able to carry their teams, literally carry their

offensive football teams, you know, and even when they do, by the way, even when they do, that

position isn't the difference maker Super Bowl or no Super Bowl. B. John hasn't been to a playoff,

hasn't played in a playoff game yet. And, you know, McCaffrey, they haven't won the Super Bowl,

but he's been a big part of those seasons in which they've gotten to a Super Bowl.

Sequan Barkley was certainly a reason that Philadelphia got to and won the Super Bowl,

but let's be honest, their defense was the number one story for them during the post season.

You know, in their wins over Green Bay, the Rams, Washington, and then Kansas City.

If it's my team, you've got to be in the superstar elite projected class for me to pick you in

the top 10 to top 15 at that position. And I don't see Jeremiah love that way. I see him as an

excellent prospect. I think he's going to be a very good NFL running back, but not elite enough

to take that high. That's all. Food for thought on, you know, also some of the things that I'm sure

you've read, but we haven't emphasized just about the 2025 season. And I appreciate all of the feedback

on you didn't mention about him and his knee. I did mention about him and his knee in the championship

game against Ohio State. I did. I just said that, you know, banged up or not. He did play against

Indiana, played great against Indiana, Georgia, and then Penn State before Ohio State. But really,

just look at this year, which was, you know, look, Jadarian price had better games against Miami

and Texas A&M than Jeremiah loved it statistically. And price is going to get picked night two in this

draft. He might be the second running back selected. And again, like the position overall, you

historically, you've been able to find guys night two, day three that have been excellent backs.

And the guys that have been worth taking that high, the beach on's, the sake ones, you know,

in recent years, the McCaffries Gibbs was picked outside of the top 10. Right, Max? Wasn't he picked

at 12? Gibbs was not a top 10 pick. B. John was, sake one was McCaffrey was. Aren't those the

only running backs recently that have been drafted in the top 10? Or am I missing one?

He was, yeah, he was Gibbs was 12. So you got, oh, Ashton Gentie. Oh, yeah, of course,

it's too early on him. Yeah. Yeah. In the top 10, we had B. John at eight Gibbs was 12. So I was

right about that. And we had, and then before that, you got to go back to, you got to go back to

2018, Barclay at number two overall. I mean, picking a running back that high the year before it was

foreign at four in McCaffrey at eight. So the two superstar backs that I would say, if he's not

B. John Robinson or Christian McCaffrey, sorry, not worth top half of the first round. Certainly not

worth top 10. I don't see him that way. I just see him as really, really good. And there's nothing

wrong with really, really good. But you know what? And I know that the draft is thin for us in terms

of picks, but it's 71 in the third round. You really need a running back. You might get a, get a

quenchon judge, judge Kins from last year. He looked really good as a running back. Was he third

round or the kid from Virginia Tech, the place for Jacksonville, Tutan, you know, cam scataboo was

fourth round. Trevor Etienne, who looked good. Woody Marx looked good. He was fourth round.

Who else was drafted last year late? Yeah. My guy has not worked out true. They got you Corey

Croskey merit in the seventh round. Yeah. Damien Martinez bounced around. I think he got signed

to a practice squad and then cut from the practice squad. I have no idea what'll happen to him. And

look, a lot of those, a lot of times it's not the player. It's not the prospect. It's all the

intangible stuff that we don't know about. But I mean, Bucky Irving was selected in the fourth round.

Star. I mean, star in the making for sure. It's just a position that I just would not pick

that high with that particular player. When we come back, want to talk about the Ohio state

pro day, Carnell Tate decided not to try to improve that disappointing 40 time in Indy more on that

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Testing season is right around the corner and this is when confidence really matters. When kids

take time to review key concepts and strengthen their skills before assessments, it can make all

the difference. IXL helps reinforce what they're learning right now so they walk into every test

feeling prepared, capable, and confident. IXL is an award-winning online learning platform that

helps kids truly understand what they're learning whether they're building math confidence,

strengthening reading and writing skills, or reviewing science concepts. Designed for students

from pre-K through 12th grade, IXL delivers personalized interactive practice that adapts to

your child's level and pace. It's an easy, effective way to support learning as the school year

heads into its final stretch. Studies show kids who use IXL score higher on tests, proven in all

50 states. IXL is used in 96 of the top 100 school districts in the US. Make an impact on your

child's learning. Get IXL now and listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when

they sign up today at IXLlearning.com slash audio. Visit IXLlearning.com slash audio to get the

most effective learning program out there at the best price. I'm Spencer and I work at United

Healthcare. Suspenser, why do you care? I care because my daughter Adeline has special needs.

I am motivated by Adeline who inspires me every day. I am driven to help families like mine navigate

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Grant Paulson in 15 minutes will join us to kind of preview the NATS season. We'll talk a lot

of sweet 16 in the final hour of today's show. We'll come back to something that I said about

Jaden Daniels yesterday on the show as well. Yesterday, basically, 100 Ohio State players

working out on pro day. It wasn't that many. I think it was 17 in total. Carnell Tate had a

disappointing 40 time at the Indie Combine. He ran 452 and there was a belief that on his home

turf can run the 40. Let's get it to 44 something and then all of a sudden there will be no doubt

about him. But he chose not to run the 40 at Ohio State's pro day with all 32 teams

represented. Washington had Adam Peters, Lance Newmark, Dan Quinn, David Blow and Dorontate

Jones all there. I mean, Ohio State's got four projected first round picks. Here's what

Carnell Tate said, the wide receiver prospect from Ohio State about why he chose not to run the

40 yard dash. That was Carnell Tate.

Thought about it. Decided not to. Other guys haven't run it. Pukinakua is a pretty good

comp, but I think Pukinakua was hurt. I could be wrong about that during that period of time.

Look, to me, it's always about the tape. It's always about the games. He doesn't look like a

452 or 45340 guy in a football uniform on a football field during an actual game. He looks

imposing as a taller receiver. He's a great, great hands catcher. I mean, he didn't have a drop

last year. This is a guy who's played with great receivers and probably the guy opposite him will be

the first receiver picked in the draft next year. Maybe the first player picked in the draft

next year in Jeremiah Smith. He's a terrific route runner. He's a great contested catch guy.

I just, he doesn't look for five in a football uniform. I would hope that teams, and I,

this is like one of those conversations you just love during this time of year, man. Wouldn't it be

interesting to just get a backstage pass for all of these conversations about these players,

how they're evaluating and then how it breaks down to their board and then how it gets executed

on draft day. I, in part, my gut is that his 40 time doesn't matter to most teams. It doesn't matter

to at all. They don't see a receiver that can't threaten a defense down the field on tape.

And that's Ohio State playing in the big 10. I mean, playing some really good opponents,

big time defensive opponents, you know, unlike Jeremiah Love at Notre Dame, they just had two of

them on their schedule this year. Sorry, but I keep going back to him. I, I like carnelltate a lot.

I like Jordan Tyson a lot. I like lemon a lot. There are a lot of receivers to like, but I would have

literally no issue at all if they selected carnelltate at number seven. I think it's more value,

certainly, positionally in the draft to take carnelltate versus a running back. This is a guy that

also came up big in some of their big games. So I, I like Tate. I don't care that he didn't run the

40. I was thinking that if he did run the 40, it would end up being a better time. And then all

of the sudden people would be all overtake. Maybe it's better that he didn't run it from a Washington

perspective. If that's who they're, you know, targeting, it's really going to have to do,

obviously, with a lot that happens in front of them. What was the other sound bite you wanted me

to play? Sorry, Max. So the Caleb Downs thing, I don't know if you remember from about like a

month or two ago, or I guess a month or a few weeks ago, the degenerative ACL report that was

going out there and getting talked about. So they asked him about it at his pro day. And here's

what he said. Nothing. I mean, really, they already answered Pat, Pat McAfee put out a statement

about it. That's not what my medical said. So that is what it is. I don't really know who gave him

that information, whoever that dude is, but it is what it is. So I mean, just continue to do me.

I can't control that. What people say. So just here.

John Harbaugh, the new head coach of the New York Giants, uh, said about Caleb Downs, uh,

I'm watching a future Hall of Famer. Mm hmm. And apparently, apparently they had a lengthy

conversation after drills were done. He also had a lengthy conversation with commanders GM,

Adam Peters. So it's something to look out for, uh, with the, the giants at five and, and

commander sitting at seven. Yeah. This is going to be so interesting. The way it goes, you know,

our spot at number seven, too bad we beat Philadelphia. That could have been two spots better at

number five. And then your choices would have been, uh, even greater. But to me, still, as we

sit here exactly one month away from the NFL draft, one month from tonight, uh, we will be,

April 23rd. It's a little bit earlier this year, the 23rd through the 25th. We will get,

we will get the opening night. And I would love if one of those past rushers fell, you know,

whether it's Bailey would be my preference. I think they might have a shot at Bane, you know,

Bane to me, like of all the players on the board. Bailey and Bane were the two players that showed

the most in games. Like you watched and you're like, well, they're dominant. They're dominant

defensive players. They're game changers. But Bane's arm length has been an issue for NFL

front offices, uh, you know, measured sub 31 inches. Uh, that's just not something that evaluators

ignore. Uh, they, they, they, they take that into serious consideration. I think, you know,

no edge rusher over the past two decades has been drafted in the first round with sub 31 inch

arms. But my God, does he play with leverage? Does he play with a motor? I mean, dominant against

the run and as a past rusher at the college level, they played a great offensive line in that championship

game. Same in the games that preceded them. Ohio State and Texas A&M. I mean, the way he dominated

those games to me, like Bailey and Bane watching college football this year, whenever you watch them,

you're like, well, that guy's going to be an awesome NFL player. Whereas with Reese, not so much

styles, yeah, a little bit downs, you know, sometimes easy to see, sometimes not so easy to see.

I always felt that way about Tate. I feel that way about Mendoza, not that he's going to be, you

know, in elite level quarterback, but his accuracy is elite. He is one accurate thrower.

And oh, by the way, six foot six, six foot five. Just seems a bit off sometimes. I'll do respect.

The NFL announced yesterday, officially, officially Seattle to open at home on Wednesday night,

September 9th to kick off the 2026 NFL season. Remember, we knew last week, I think it was that

they were going to play on Wednesday night via the reports, but there was a soccer conflict.

There was a baseball conflict. Seattle, apparently, the relationship between the teams, not what it

was with Baltimore back in 2013 when they were the defending champions and had to play on the road.

Seattle will open it up, open up at home. It'll be the first Wednesday night opener since the

Ravens. And that was because, or I'm sorry, since 2012, not the Ravens. It would have been the 2012

opener. That game got played on a Wednesday night because Obama had his convention speech

on that Thursday night. And so the NFL moved it back a day. And so we'll see a Wednesday night,

September 9th opener between Seattle and somebody. Seattle's home schedule. We looked at this, you

know, at the end of the Super Bowl or the next day, their home opponents in 2026 are the division

opponents. The Cardinals Rams and 49ers, but the Rams and 49ers are out as a potential opponent

because they play the next night Thursday night in Melbourne 835 kick 1035 AM Melbourne time.

For what will be a pretty important NFC West game early in the season, the Rams and 49ers playing

in Australia at 1035 AM. Why couldn't they have made it 11 AM and started the game at nine PM

I don't know. So it won't be the 49ers or the Rams. I doubt it will be the Arizona Cardinals,

but Cowboys, Chiefs, Chargers, Bears, Patriots at home, rematch of the Super Bowl,

and also the Giants at home. A lot of good potential openers. I would guess Dallas is out because

they opened up last year against Philly. That doesn't mean that they can't. I don't know.

Feels like to me, they'll save the Super Bowl rematch. Feels to me like a Bears Seattle

opener Wednesday night, September 9th. I like that, especially because Caleb has been doing

that. He's been doing a lot of media over the summer and everybody saw it in the playoffs,

what he's capable of. So I think he got a lot of that extra juice. So I could definitely see

that happening opening night. And the other thing is I would probably cross the Chiefs off the list

because when they make the schedule here over the next two months, they're not going to know for

sure if my homes will be ready for the opener. So Bears seems, you know, Patriots they'll save.

I guarantee you CBS or Fox will probably get that one in a 425 spot in, you know,

October, November, something like that. Giants, I can't see that. Chargers or Bears,

I think I've eliminated everybody else. See, they're going to be the chargers or the Bears.

It seems like the Bears would be a hyped opener. Bears at Seattle.

All right, the Nats open up today to 20 at Riggly. Grant Paulson will jump on with us next

to preview the Nats season. We'll talk some footballs as well. Kevin Sheen showed the team 980 and

the team 980.com. All right, happy Thursday, everybody. We start off with the Washington

commanders. They are hosting former Rams cornerback, Akello with their spoon for a free agent visit

today. Hope and add more depth to the secondary after the injury play season of last year. Plus

will wait is leaving NC State for a return at LSU to coach their basketball program. Plus

it's opening day. Nats baseball on tap as they take on the Chicago Cubs from Riggly field.

Kate Cavali set to take the mound for the Nats versus Chicago's Matthew Boyd pregame gets rolling

over on 1067. The fan at one 50 first pitch slated for 220 PM. This update is sponsored by the

team 980 YouTube page just open the app 10 and the team 980 and hit subscribe Kevin Sheen is live

every day from 10 to 1 you can catch programs like take command all off season don't forget to hit

the like button whenever you do decide to join us and turn on notifications to stay up to date on

all things DC sports and that is what's trending. This episode is brought to you by progressive.

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between June 2022 and May 2023 potential savings will vary discounts not available in all states

and situations get more out of every mile when you share the ride to work with car pulling you'll

have time to relax save money and pick up new friends commuter connections can help you find

carpool partners who live and work near you even if you're commuting just a few days a week

it's a free service carpooling every dollar saved every friend made register for free carpool

partner ride matching at commuterconnections.org or call 800 745 ride that's commuterconnections.org

testing season is right around the corner and this is when confidence really matters when kids

take time to review key concepts and strengthen their skills before assessments it can make all

the difference ixl helps reinforce what they're learning right now so they walk into every test

feeling prepared capable and confident ixl is an award-winning online learning platform that

helps kids truly understand what they're learning whether they're building math confidence

strengthening reading and writing skills or reviewing science concepts designed for students

from pre-k through 12th grade ixl delivers personalized interactive practice that adapts to your

child's level and pace it's an easy effective way to support learning as the school year heads

into its final stretch study show kids who use ixl score higher on tests proven in all 50 states

ixl is used in 96 of the top 100 school districts in the us make an impact on your child's

learning get ixl now and listeners can get an exclusive 20% off ixl membership when they sign up

today at ixllearning.com slash audio visit ixllearning.com slash audio to get the most effective

learning program out there at the best price i'm Brian i work at you that health care

so Brian why do you care i care because i don't want to leave anybody behind

i oversee one of the biggest resource center in you're not a health care i see people walk

in in my office every day just like my parents they have no idea about the health care i feel

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all right hopeful to be joined by grant paulson to discuss the net season preview it uh and talk

a little football as well nats open up today at home against i'm sorry on the road against the

cubs at rigley nats with the second lowest over under number for the major league baseball season

at sixty five and a half the rockies are the only team with a lower number so we'll wait for

grant to call in uh and we will talk some baseball uh with him you know something that i said

on the show yesterday generated uh a lot of reaction uh and that was that i kind of felt like

jaden and his season last year has been discussed in a way that was more about a step back

season a regression season a season that you know a lot of people predicted before the year began

because twenty twenty four was kind of a lucky year you know washington with all their close wins

washington with the schedule that broke the right way with some of the backup quarterbacks and

then jalen hurts gets hurt in a game late and we're facing Kenny pick it and we've got you know

some of the new orlands quarterbacks they went through in one game um and that it couldn't be

duplicated and um you know a lot of those people said i was right but they weren't right for

the correct reasons i i kind of felt like there's been historically when joe burrows had an injured

season it's like look out for Cincinnati next year joe burrows back he's healthy if he plays

seventeen games are going to be a good team same thing has happened with Lamar Jackson same things

happened with dac press got at times i mean he didn't play last year but he's going to be back

so the cowboys are going to be much better and i've just kind of felt just from my perspective

that that's not the conversation about washington the conversation about washington isn't well i mean

they didn't have their starting quarterback for thirteen out of seventeen games i mean he only

played in four complete football games so if he's back and healthy of course they're going to be

better he hasn't gotten that benefit of the doubt and more importantly not that i think he

deserves it like burrow does or jackson does or my homes does right now or press got they had more

years you know even though twenty twenty four was obviously super special a super special year

and an outlier year for rookie like note notes rookie season ever match that but i just felt like

man why do people keep missing the single biggest reason that jayden's numbers don't look the way

they did in twenty twenty four or the teams win total doesn't look like it didn't twenty twenty four

did they miss the fact that he barely played football you know in twenty twenty four so i got a

bunch of feedback this from this from where is the one that i wanted to read from anthony it's a

lot of disingenuous people paying their own narrative about jd five acting like twenty four was a

fluke or something he's done more in that first season than anyone one else in modern football

somebody else basically said this is all about the you know the ptsd with snyter you know they're

never going to think of our team in the same way that they think of other teams i don't know if

that's true or not but i do think it's interesting that that's not part of the discussion in previewing

our football team for the upcoming season anyway do we have grant yet okay good

what is that you're playing we're not about the net Kevin okay

grand pulses join us right now of course co-host of the grant and danney show two to six thirty

every day on our sister station one oh six seven the fan i said earlier in the show and we know

each other and we've known each other for a long time and you know i'm not the biggest baseball

guy but i actually really love and used to love baseball and during that stretch of twelve

through nineteen twenty twelve through twenty nineteen i think there was a lot of excitement around

opening day but it doesn't feel like in opening day to me and i know the games not at home it's at

wriggly but it doesn't feel like that for our town where it does i think in a lot of baseball cities do

you agree or not i agree i think the primary reason kev is that it's not the home opener which is

kind of the big celebration if we talk to people headed at a ballpark you'll be seeing some of

different businesses in town you know having different events and activations but i think

what you're getting at two is it's been a long time since this team was a winner right

when you mentioned twenty nineteen the world series since the following year the pandemic year

when we were robbed in twenty twenty of the unfurling of the banner and the ring ceremony in the

chance to go celebrate at nationals park which was a real kick to the fjins it seemed as

not a winning season and now you've got a new president new general manager who are coming in

and i love this group and i think their analytical focuses long overdue and it's going to be a success but

they're setting themselves up for a really good run from like twenty eight to thirty eight

so you're you're asking for some buy-in from people who have been patient and now you're resetting

and telling them to be more patient and baseball's one of those sportswear it's six months it's

every single day and if you already know going in you're unlikely to be a competitive team each day

that's going to make the playoffs the juices before the season are are going to be maybe water

down a little bit i think that's what you're feeling so your optimism about taboni and you know

the new group that they have in their front office it is it quelled at all by ownership by the

fact that the you know the learners have you know tried to pinch every single penny out of this

franchise and tried to avoid losing money more than making money does i mean we used to feel

that way about snider do you feel that way about the learners i do yeah it certainly is you you

wonder what the feeling is in terms of sustainable success without more opt-in from this ownership group

which is possible we have seen them invest and try and it worked by the way when they want a world

series with right mac shurser who had gotten a two hundred million dollar contract on the mound

and straw spurgo they paid a couple times over at the top of the market the world series MVP and

now they brought in veterans like Jason worth for a hundred twenty six million they've done this

before so you wonder will they get back to that or not but here's why i'm excited

this pathway is the only way to win when you're not spending so to continue to do it the old way

you need to play a little checkbook baseball which they have stopped doing there are teams around

the sport the Tampa Bay raised the Cleveland guardians the Milwaukee Brewers among them that routinely

win and are in the mix year and a year out and can compete for world series titles without spending

a lot of money and so that's where my optimism comes from is worst case scenario this ownership group

is here for an extended period of time not spending i still think you can get back to be in a 90 plus

win team year in and you're out this way i don't think you could have done it the old way

but my hope is frankly that after the workstoppage which is the fly in the ointment for selling this team

if inevitable and it's looming gonna happen start of next baseball season right now next year there

will not be an opening day almost certainly i think this group may sell on the other side of that

workstoppage i don't think you can sell it would be like trying to sell a house someone can't live

in for an extended period of time right so i i think that's the hope for an act fans but

the part i can control is the baseball element of it and they have assembled the avengers of

player development and scouting tell me what to be looking for as you preview this specific season but

in the context of you believe some of this will lead to contention in 2028 yet it's the development

of good young talent so james wood last year in the first half the season played like an

MVP and was an all star completely fell off in the second half fatigue possibly not a hundred

percent healthy but also swing out of whack strike out 200 times and they didn't have an answer for

them the coaching staff couldn't fix them they've got a different coaching staff more hands on

more capable more actionable detail being given to players all these things that down at spring

training i learned about technology and resources can they get him right what one of things i'll

tell you is like they have this new project machine where he could take a b's off of the player he's

facing in a game based on you know just punch it in numbers uh you get to face the exact pitch

visually off that picture like an arcade game right before you go play them then that's where one

of only a couple teams in the big leagues that didn't have this a lot of teams had this at every level

in the minors they're just now getting it at the big leagues west palm and in triple a so i

i mean what is that i let me interrupt right there because Tommy was talking about this

project arc you know these things that essentially 25 teams have had until the nats finally got

there first two and what do they cost like 250,000 a piece i heard upwards of like half a million

but maybe it's a little less yeah okay so why didn't they have it before wasn't rizzo screaming for

it that's the question i know for a fact they wanted them i had heard that marks

shalaba the assistant gm with how it's called in a couple more active players who knew about these

had gone in toward facilities and looked at them at other places and then they put them in the

budget and they'd get crossed out every single year so then the question i would have is are you

kicking in screaming are you fighting for this how much do you really buy it no rizzo was

very successful did a lot of good things but his background was scouting and he was not going to be

someone that lived and died with analytics i mean that's one of the last themes that agreed with

putting you know a catcher one knee down and these little tendencies that have swept the league for

three four years they're always kind of one of the last ones so i think there was twofold one ownership

doesn't want to do it and two to make them do anything you probably have to really convince them

and a guy like Paul Taboni is going to die on the hill of getting them and i don't know if the

last group was i'm not saying they weren't but i would be surprised if they were as energetic about

it as this group all right so james james wood uh... you tell me about dillon crews being sent

to triple a is that a sign of uh oh concern or is it too early to feel that way

so it's pretty shocking uh that he got sent down first and foremost not undeserved necessarily

kev but shocking in my opinion because it's just something that wouldn't have happened here

in the past it is indicative of

where he was offensively in spring he is a career

two ten or so hitter at this point

closing in on what is effectively like a full big league season over two campaigns

and they need to fix the swing he has never hit spin

he has struggled with off-speed two years ago he crushed fastball that a two ninety nine clip

last season he wasn't on time for fastball either there was a regression there

there's some feeling organizationally maybe

that he was not making the adjustments in the past that we're being advocated for

and i understand that if you're the number two pick a can't miss player

best player in college get on based on fifty on the ends of ls u in your final year

those types of things also maybe your relationship with that coaching staff wasn't as good

so i think what they're going to try to do is revamp and re-tool the swing a little bit

and it's so much easier to do that in the anonymity of the minor league so to speak

then night in a night out people watching the results

and the wolf being at the door

three weeks in the season you're in two hundred against so

i like the idea of setting them down i'm just shocked to say the stones to do

it is they're building their relationship with him

but on crews i would say you know if i could

maybe try to be succinct on his long term if he is exactly what he is right now

he's still a good helpful winning ball player because he's a great-based runner

terrific defender you can put him in center premium defensive position

and if he hits 220 or so with a little bit of power and still some bases

that's fine it's just disappointing at number two overall needs to hit order to

basically make that number to pick look better

but if he can hit adequately he could be a star because the rest of his game

he's already proven to be well above average so they're trying to turn them into

the best version of himself go back to twenty twenty three and just tell me the

answer to this i think i know it but if the nats had the first pick they would

have picked schemes right definitely yeah i think they were okay

um they were so pitching dominant they i think they love schemes

they were happy to take crews but i think more interestingly let's you say

um you know somebody else went one and they chose between the two like you're

saying i think schemes is the pick specific to the team this year

what do you think a strength is if they have one and then where are the biggest

areas of concern

hmm i mean unless you're talking about like youth and energy

i don't know what the strength would be right now if i'm being completely

honest last year analytically they hit the ball

harder than most teams they were in the top ten all year top five for much of

the year in terms of how hard they hit the ball which is actually important

they just hit the ball on the ground at the highest rate so it's a lot of

ground balls and basically with the team but across from you want you to do

they did drills at spring training to try to lift the baseball

and these drills where they're trying to be in a certain angle in terms of

degrees of launch angle for more line drives so i would say i think they can

hit the ball hard i think they have got back to ball skill with guys like

dailin liel who's another young player who was excellent last year was the

nl player of the month not rookie the month but player of the month

in september that would be the maybe the strength of this thing would be

that they do have like that the core man cj abrums

as an infielder james what in the outfield dailin liel in the outfield

when you get dilland crews back rady house is a former top five pick a top 15

pictures hit four hundred and and spring for much of camp

that's an exciting collection of bats to monitor and try to mold that clay

i would say the weaknesses are i worry about them defensively

and their bullpen is a complete unknown they're probably going to run through

two different relievers before every couple of home stands i think i mean

they're just gonna have an assembly line from the miners to the majors

real quickly on cj abrums right now as we sit here on march 26th before they

play their first of a hundred and sixty two isn't he in your mind a major

candidate to get moved by the trade deadline

definitely yeah i've said all offseason i thought it'd be traded before the

deadline there is this weird momentum right now

that he's not going to get traded and i kind of wonder where that's coming

from there's a couple pieces written Spencer Nussbaum of the athletic

part of mark zuckerman your guy yesterday he kind of said it was fifty fifty

and his mind on the air whether it gets traded

so it seems like the pendulum swung backwards a little bit but

i think the reason they keep him at shortstop a defensive position where he

has struggled rather than moving him to second where he would play a little

more effectively probably is because you want his value as high as possible as a

trade candidate and he's got up to some fast starts there are months where he

plays like an mbp if you go back to last year he had two months where he was a

top ten player a couple years ago i think it was april and june when he made the

all-star team he was incredible so if he has that kind of first half

i think you get a really nice return for him and if you're willing to trade

mccandie gore two years of control a see your staff all-star lefty

i don't know why you wouldn't be willing to trade

cj abrums for the same reasons of like his timeline not linking up with the

teams

all right uh... talking to grant paulson so tell me about kade kavale and what the

reasonable expectation for him this year should be

i'm so excited about kade kavale this stuff is filthy

gavin and he's just getting better and better and better the nox always been

kind of durability and health with him

he was a first-round pick out of oklahoma

ends up getting to the big leagues fairly quickly

makes one start has tj

for ever to get back to the show and then he was touching a hundred this first

outing back last year and everyone's going

well what about this guy

he looked like a number one starter this spring he threw fourteen innings he

allowed only four hits

i think realistically they've got to be careful with the workload

clearly he can go out on a day like today against the cubs or any given five

days and give you six competitive

potentially dominant innings i think that's kind of the frontline caliber

starter that he is

that's not going to happen every five days because you know that's what a true

number one is he's not there yet in his development there's going to be some

inconsistencies to iron out

but i would fully anticipate you know he could have a some some for you are a

possibly strike out a batter per inning you know that the types of

up you see from fringe all stars like mckenzie gore was here

i think that type of production is very very much on the table

are how many wins

i'm going to say sixty five wins i think they avoid a number

right at the number yeah uh... if i if i'm going to go over under what what

is it right now sixty six and a half sixty five and a half

i think that's what i saw

so i guess i would go here under that

here's what i care about

does daylin lia look like he did last year

does he look like a franchise piece in the outfield

does james would

look like the second half of last season was a bit of a mirage in play

at that operational level

and then can they get one of the other back to come on in a big way ideally

brady house

maybe it's still in cruise

but the end of the year they have three legitimate offensive building box

if that's the case in kevallis nails

they're actually a pretty decent spot here in this this process moving forward

right um...

because this is what most of the audience cares about just tell me what you and

danie have been talking about in terms of who you both would prefer at number

seven one month from tonight

i don't think they can go wrong

it's i'm being honest with you

i think this is going to be a home run drastic regardless

my best case scenario

seemingly less likely than a month ago is sunny styles

i think he is versatility defensively the ability to come down hill for

de rante jones

it's i like my lips thinking about that

uh... one of the edges fallen into their lap would be worth doing a cartwheel

about

namely david baili like a little more than our bill reese

uh... but the the other guys i'm fine with right i love germ i love the game

a lot of people would say don't take the running back at seven

i think he could be jameer gibs and if that's the case i don't care where you

take them

so i'm not going to be upset about that

i would be disappointed may be in in rubin bane but i still think he's a good

football player

no problems

uh... calip down

i could get behind absolutely i think he's one of the best players in the

draft

i personally think they don't go that route but

uh... wouldn't be disappointed in carnell tade is such a massive position of

need

no logon

you take command with as you know

think he could be teagans you know you bring in a wide receiver

i perceive this to be terry's final year maybe

who could help replace him moving forward

i i'm pretty excited about that so i like all of the hegans is is logons

com for carnell tade

he thinks that's uh... like the apex of what he could be interesting

yet that there's a lot of stylistic uh... uh... the similarities for sure

i've heard that i really liked it uh... yeah me too my favorite thing would be

a favorite thing would be sunny style

and then my sneaky man crush

this is fun thing would be germ i love

thanks for doing this talk to you soon

course but i can't

grandpa sin everybody will talk cement cw tournament gambling wise with our

guy bend fox

the gambling expert at yahoo sports next

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