Jays Slow Start + Will We See Tiger Play Again?

I'll bring back some memories, could have done without Miguel Rojas being in the starting

lineup for all three games who will though because Mookie Betts is on the injured list.

Yeah, no, you're going to have to see a highlight. You're going to have to live through

a highlighter too, okay? You already did it. You're brave. You can do it. You can do it, Ben.

I've lived to tell the tale. You can do it too, Blue J Fan. All right, let's talk to John

Marosi of MLB Network who joins the line right now. How's it going, John?

Good morning. I do very well, gentlemen. A couple of losses for the Red Wings over the weekend,

but still still doing well. And I did hear John Schneider's comment there about the national

media. That is, that is what happens when you're the reigning American League champs. They're on

Fox Sports 1 tonight here in the States tomorrow on TNT. So it's no surprise that this game is

of great national interest in two countries here this week. Yeah, all your fault. Big bad national

media that everybody says that big bad John Marosi. Yeah. Yeah. No, no, no question. If this is a big

matchup, this is this is a rematch of one of the greatest world series from an entertainment value

ever, Major League Baseball has ever produced and it's hard to get it outside of our bubble. But

I need, yeah, I need your perspective on this, John. Like how much does the baseball world at large

care? Because that did a huge number, right? That the seven games between the Blue J's and Dodgers

and big part of it was the Dodgers, but but the entertainment value. Again, if you're a neutral

observer, I'm sure people had a heck of a time watching that series and and stars created,

but yeah, how much on on people's radar is this rematch? I think it'll be to talk of baseball

at the beginning of this week and maybe for days after that. And I'll mention in reiterate,

there was a time not long ago where as you both know, we would not typically see

national networks here in the States choosing a Toronto Blue J's game to be their big national

game of the week. Obviously that's different because two of these three games are in the national

window and Fox and TNT sports both chose them to be on their air, which I think says just a lot

about how much fans in the States really enjoyed watching this J's team play last year. Just the

style of play, the personality, obviously the roster has changed. Bow isn't there any longer,

but when you consider the stars that the US really got to know through the playoffs last year,

the Blue J's became a team that American baseball fans were tuning in and excited to tune in and

watch play last October. And I think the fact that they have that big stage in the next couple

days just emphasizes that. It's a roster that certainly the American fans and fans that

are on the world got to know very well. And you look at the standings down and maybe it hasn't

been exactly the start that J's were hoping for, but it's early and to hear John Schneider say that,

I think is very apt that if you're more of a casual fan and obviously we've been talking about

the J's roster and going through it in the World Baseball class, we believe we've been dialed in

on this for months. But if you're the casual baseball fan dropping back into the regular season,

you say, Hey, J's Dodgers, I remember this. That was a great world series. And I think to it to

John's point, there are so many of the the principal characters who are still very involved in this

series that if Miguel Roas does something of of note or importance, it is as John Schneider

referenced, it's going to be easy to write the story. And I think that that's that's part of the

the joy of baseball. How there is this continuing narrative where you can pick up where you left off.

So to speak last October and all of these story lines and the the jersey, the uniforms, the ball

parks, all feel very familiar to us. Yeah, totally, obviously J's got shoes are on the on the bump

to start it. I don't know that this will feel any more like World Series matchup than a will in

the second game of the series when you have Yamamoto V. Gosman, obviously, you know, Yamamoto

turned into like the terminator at the end of that blue J's air at the end of the world series

there. And he was terminating the blue J's because he was just so good. But Gosman with what he's

done, you know, maybe the blue J's record is left something to be desired at the start of the season.

Kevin Gosman has left nothing on the table. You know, I don't know what's more impressive. His 0.75

ERA of his or his 0.25 whip that he's had through his first two starts of the season. You know,

Gosman in a world where there's been a lot of impressive starts to a baseball season. I don't

know that anybody's off to a better one than Gosman in terms of what he's been able to give this J's

team. Exactly right. And and both that strikeout number of 21 and the the whip right now for him

in terms of walking it for any pitch, best in the Major League period. So there it's hard to find

a pitcher who has been any better than Gosman so far. And they're going to need him. We'll see

obviously how the game goes tonight. Shurzer has decent numbers against a couple of the Dodgers

key hitters, but coming off the sweep against against the white socks and in a surprising one

in the in the wrong direction for the J's, they need their stopper. And and this is going to be a

hard three game series to win coming off of a couple series that they dropped. And and so

Gosman start becomes all the more important. But I just think his ability and I remember we talked

about this a bit when when we were when I was in Toronto to begin the season and just the ability

for Gosman to to vary the types of breaking pitches that he throws and to add a little more tilt

here, take a little more off there. It's not just one pitch and obviously the we know the splitter

and how great it is. But he's able to really add in and manipulate the ability to spin the ball

in different ways that that hitters just cannot seem to pick it up and and and they can't just

key in on one particular type of breaking pitch or one particular type of off speed pitch because

he continues to evolve. And that's that's the art of pitching where he can he can put a little more

pressure on when you think about this if you have a baseball near you and and the way that Kevin

is able to throw that splitter in particular. If you put a little bit more pressure on it with

your middle finger or your index finger in and then even even how you release it, it's spin

differently just a little bit and and that's what allows Gosman to keep manipulating the baseball

to where the hitter at home plate doesn't quite know if it's going to be this variation of the

splitter or this variation of the of of a slider that obviously doesn't throw as much of the

splitter but it's still there and and so he just keeps keeps really good hitters guessing

because of how much he's able to vary his secondary pitches and and that's why literally almost

no one has been able to square him up this season. I think by and large the blue J starting

pitching's been pretty good. The guys are still upstanding and with the right exactly they're

running out and especially when you know you got Eric Lauer is sick as a dog for in bed apparently

for four consecutive days doing all he can to give the blue J's something yesterday. Yeah it's

there in a tough spot as far as the health of the starters but the healthy ones have been good.

It's the offense that's left a little bit to be desired here John obviously it is early. It's

very early and they were off to a similar start offensively last year and it lasted for like a month

and a half before they turned in one of the best offenses in major league baseball but this is a

different team no boba shit and now without Alejandro Kirk for who knows how long here John.

What is your level of expectation that this will be once again not just an average offense like

a good offense is the blue J's being a good offense still very much on the table.

Yes and the J's will get there if you look at their their OPS as a team they rank right in the

middle of the major leagues that's that's the good news so in some ways they're they have under

performed their their macro numbers meaning you know that if you look at their their level

of performance and run scoring you would expect them to have a better record than they have right

now losing back to back games and extra innings will do that to you obviously to where they're

one swing away from winning either one of those games and if that happens it's a very different

feeling right now but one thing I will say that is concerning and again to your point it is

early but the the number that stands out is that they're they're one of the worst teams in

baseball right now thus far in terms of hitting with men in scoring position both in average

and in power they they've they've left a lot of runners on base and and that that feeds into the

the point I'm about to make here which is it's not just that they've lost to their last two

series it's it's who they've lost them too you're you're not supposed to lose series to the

Rockies and the White Sox when you're the reigning American League champs the schedule is only going

to get tougher the more that you get into the season and so that that is the the one bit of

context that worries me a little bit obviously Red Sox are off to a horrendous start but but the

division is is good and and that's where I'm starting to wonder how often if at all are they

going to be playing any quote unquote easy series over the over the balance of the rest of the

first half as we're trying to get the momentum going and I think that's that's the peril for me

they there they still should have a good offense and I believe they will it's just how many games

are going to melt away before they figure that out and and it's going to be a lot harder to play

from behind in the AL East of 2026 than it was in the AL East of 2025 and you're doing it to

your point now with Kirk out of the lineup and with the rotation being

beset by injuries that that makes this this business of catching up a little bit more challenging so

this will correct itself I am confident in that I just don't know how many weeks or days will

melt away before that happens yeah and to your point about the easy series I mean they just watch

two of them kind of slip through their fingers and playing the White Sox and Rockies and you know

maybe those are improved ball clubs but I don't think they're so improved to the point where we're

not looking them in a bit of a softer spot in the schedule when everything is is all said and done

there you know it's it's so nice all the numbers and all the data we have in baseball that you

can back up the eye test and you know at its imbarger is maybe the the simplest test case for that

with me I'm just I've got his baseball sub on page up in front of me here you know it's not just

a case of a guy who's not performing but there's also like reasons why like that speed last year he

was a 93rd percentile guy just under 76 miles an hour this year he's just under 73 and he's like

a 60 second percentile and that can mean a couple of things right so much of what the Blue Jays

have looked at is the idea of trying to get their A swing off but when you see a number like that

for a young player imbarger like do you wonder if there's some health stuff going on do you think

it's just a case of a player kind of battling confidence issues well what do you make of the

struggles barger has had and how important do you think you know getting him right is to kind of

getting the Blue Jays offense and no in the right direction as well yeah it's a great point

Brent he is he is one of the main guys that I'm looking at right now to see is there going to be a

return to form and I think it's an important for us to remember that expensive time in the minor

leagues at the beginning of last year to where he wasn't on the big stage every day as he was

trying to to find his way and and is he feeling a little bit of the of the pressure of not having

bow there he's probably not going to say that is that possibly the case perhaps but I'm seeing

the same thing that you are it's just the the the damage swings are not are not happening as

frequently in terms of just is really good swings where we're just we're not seeing them

quite as often as we saw last year and and also the the results he's just he's not seeing them

either now is this a thing where maybe he is and again we're still learning I mean it's we we

know a lot about him based on having watched in play last year but we don't know a lot about him

as being a you know in the open day lineup from the very beginning of the season in there every

single day that type of barter's journey is not is not as well known because we just haven't seen

him yet and so is this a case of him being a bit of a slower starter obviously for let's remember

for him the the the way that you play until early November and then turn around and have a you

know quick turn around that that's your off your off season work getting ready that's that's an

adjustment too and and if if his you know it wasn't a full full season of the majorly

disaster but it was close to it and and if it if his second year isn't quite as productive he's

not going to be the first person for whom that's happened and I do believe that part of that is

you're you're in a bit of a from your own perspective unsharter territory and in how you then

recover from playing a full month longer than you ever have to then quick turn around majorly

camp shorter off season because the WBC you're right back into it again maybe there was a bit of a

lag there and it's not his fault it's just the the way that that people respond to a to a longer

season and and I do think we might be seeing some of that you hope it corrects itself but he

made a he may need a little bit more of a grace period than what the the current circumstances

of the J's lineup are affording him especially again to your point no bichette and and Kirk out

for an undetermined length of time and and Kirk just to to make that point it's not that not

if this is breaking news to everybody but he's probably one of the players this team could

least afford to lose and now they've lost them at the really vulnerable time of their year so

there's probably a lot of nervous nervous energy right now and Blue J's way about exactly when

one of their most indispensable players is going to be coming back totally um yeah and you

would imagine at some point the season's not a Cody Ponds type situation where it's like yeah if

they the Blue J's get Cody Ponds back at all the season would be a coup but yeah maybe a month

month and a half maybe even two months depending on how much surgery or if surgery is required to

help fix his thumb but okay so yeah losing Kirk for a month and a half two months would be bad

Addison Barger not being the 850 OPS guy being somewhere in the 700s would be bad but all this

is mitigated because the Blue J's supposed to be pitching better this season and at the outside

of camp they had eight starters and now they're under like three I wouldn't even say half because

Eric Lauer was not a half version of so he's like three and a quarter or starters and we're

already in a spot where they've signed Max Scherzer and now they're signing Patrick Corbin yeah I

would say the most reason for pessimism around this Blue J's team would be not something that you can

even quantify with a number John it would be that oh my god it's the season from hell like they're

just getting all the worst breaks you could have in a season where you go from eight starters to not

even four you get a regression from George Springer and that your rotation should be able to make up

for that but not if everybody's heard and oh my god Alejandro Kirk is out for a prolonged period

of time the starter stuff is is ridiculous that we're already in a spot where this team had

starters coming out the wazoon they're already signing Patrick Corbin exactly and the interesting

thing about the numbers of this rotation so far are as follows they actually have in terms of

the starters themselves with a big tip of the cap to gozman their ERA as a rotation is actually

the second best right now in the American League at 2.58 the problem is that their innings pitched

from the starters is actually the third lowest in all majorly baseball 38 and the third innings

and that's that's what will happen when you have an injury early with with ponds that's what

you happen when you as well happen when you have an opener situation obviously as a referencing

over the weekend lowers health situation too ironic that the only two teams that have thrown

fewer innings among their starters are the two teams to just beat them in Syria the Rockies in

the White Sox but I think Corbin to me is the right play for them in terms of someone that will

fill in and you credit his representation with with waiting to see okay which team is going to

need him at this moment in time and obviously he's been signed option down to to needing to build

him up but however long that takes they're going to need them they they need exactly what Corbin can

give them and and I think too the I mentioned the the shortage of innings pitched what that will do

whether it's October or April is is it is it enhances the the need to get more a better level

performance out of the bullpen and now obviously we've seen you know two roster moves the last two

days as little was sent down to the minor leagues and they had to bring up both to help cover some

innings there so it's not it's not just the starting pitching injuries because obviously that

that is a problem in and of itself it's the the shortage of quality innings from the rotation

is what is amplifying the the scrutiny on what has been a bumpy bullpen to begin the year yeah

and so many extra innings games that's been a problem all right may it be a good time to change

their fortunes starting today against the defending world series champion Dodgers John always

appreciate the time thanks always enjoy the conversations my friends enjoy enjoy as they're

calling it tonight game eight game eight nine and 10 here this week at Roger Center so it enjoy

the mall should be a lot of fun okay well thanks John see ya all the best all right so

but what happens if the blue jays take two out of three then do we we go to game 11

no that's it for this season there's only the one series yeah good point uh both got one

how about how about both yeah just everybody gets a trophy why not okay a couple things

season from hell yeah okay it's too early to to say that you're having the season from hell sure

we'll say it's it's gonna get better the rotation health is gonna get better okay right I think

there's no guarantee right with any of these guys right just average had good returns

this last outing yeah thrown 50 pitches and getting some strikers and the velocity was apparently back

close to 95 it's not doesn't throw 99 but like 95 yeah that's you can buy with that yeah especially

when it comes from the heavens yeah yeah so say training in a correct direction yeah I don't know

what to say about Jose Barrios he had a broken army even feel it he was pitching fine and spring

until they're like your arm is broken and then he's like you're gonna fix it and they're like uh

maybe it'll fix it yeah Shane Bieber I I'm like I guess hopeful for but not

optimistic about your fella coming off Tommy John surgery you're forced to pitch some high stress

innings in the postseason and then you're having I know it's it's not like requiring surgery

or any tear but like you're having elbow issues yes to start to season that's I don't think anybody

should be penciling him in to be in the rotation at all this year like I think it's likely that he

gets there at some point but it might not be until June oh even the way it's message it's like yeah

and Bieber will be back it's like you got a timeline on that that we said he'd be back yeah don't

know further questions please at this time he's got a lot of motivation obviously yeah the heading

into a contractor yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah the Kirk injury that and and

Okamoto striking out at like a 50% clip yeah just half the time it's okay that that is

concerning stuff again I think there's enough here and the rotation specifically where

all the healthy starters and even Eric Lauer not healthy yeah with 89 he wasn't the reason

the blue jays lost the game yesterday this cord no runs that's true the rotation is good

and that should be enough to keep them in it but yeah at a certain that's a lot of injuries for

a team to suffer here is we're not even through 10 games the regular season can't imagine when

they're healthy what they'll look like not this hopefully that is the biggest thing I think the

two biggest pillars and I know you're not like clamoring to make this case but you're certainly

raising the possibility of it if you are a believer in just the year from hell it would absolutely

start with Treas avid just like he's not available why it just his shoulder oh I'm sorry just his

shoulder it'd be Alejandro Kirk getting hurt in couple with that and then you throw in again

like this is way down the peckin order but it's like Addison Burgers just losing five miles an

hour off his swing speed like all of these things are not boating well for your favor if you're a

believer of the of the year from hell and I don't think that's necessarily what's happening here

but guess what we do this all the time too yeah it's early also these games count too like remember when

the blue jays have taken themselves out of seasons because like no guys guys when the season gets

started we'll fix the pen and then the season was over before they had a chance to really fix it

or at least had a chance to matter I don't think they're going to let it slip away in similar fashion

but that'd be the the concern that you just sit here twiddling your thumbs because hey the

rotation's going to get healthy and we're going to be fine and Kirk he'll be back and then all of

a sudden you're you know two months into the season and you're not in a position you want to be

yeah um but the counter to that is better than it happens now then of course at the end of the season

a reminder for people may seventh last season season in which the blue jays 194 games got all

the way to game seven of the world series may seventh they were 16 and 20 yeah that's a month

from now by the way as well yeah may 18th they were 22 and 24 let's keep going yeah go go ahead

let's see may 27 this was when the season was saved so this was the middle game of that Texas

series before publish yet hit a pinch hit home run in the final game so middle game of that series

26 and 28 that was like is almost June mm-hmm is is almost June and the season felt lost until

boba shed reminded everybody what he's capable of and they started scoring and hitting home runs

after that one day he'll remind met fans maybe I think the thing I would point to you just did say

something there of like better it happened now than happen later the only problem is is if it

happens later and there's actually impetus to improve it's like right now it's like all the time

in the world like if this Kirk injury happened later in the year it's like you have to think about

making a trade or something you're not doing that right now so that's like I mostly agree with

you the better now than later in the year but if these things happen later in the year there's

actually impetus to fix them as opposed to just go ahead it's fine things will take care of

yourself yeah now Kirk is going to return at some point in the season totally all right when we

come back it's Masters week oh so let's talk to Bob Herrick of sports Illustrator sports Illustrator

also author of Tiger versus Jack available May 5th next as the fan morning show continues Ben

going sports at 590 the fan big opinions and in-depth conversations covering the leaves jays

raptors and the NFL the JD Bunkins podcast subscribe and download the show on Apple Spotify or

wherever you get your podcasts

fan morning show sports at 590 the fan bananas bright gunning it is Masters week

so 1994 what do you remember about the 1994 Masters Brent I remember being not yet five years old

that's what I remember well I have a five-year-old in my house and it's very jarring to be like

yeah you're older than I was during the last time Tiger and Phil weren't playing

anymore yeah yeah wait a spoil that that tease every yeah 1994 was the first of Jose Maria

olathobbles two green jackets but as the last time there was no tiger no fill in the field at

Augusta national let's talk to Bob Herrick of sports Illustrated author of Tiger V Jack available

May 5th how's it going Bob good morning guys thanks for having me yeah thanks for doing this

so yeah I mean that's a long time ago 32 years to go and we've had at least one of Tiger and

Phil in our in our lives and I don't think I haven't been relevant all that recently although

Phil had a T2 in 2023 but yeah where is golf now compared to 32 years ago

yeah it's pretty amazing and I mean really if it worked for some unfortunate circumstances that

that streak would have gone on you know they they they they would have surely certainly at least

one of them would have been here playing and and there's a pretty good chance that they will be

in the future I I'm still not convinced that we're not going to see Tiger at the Masters again

but obviously a lot's happened since then you know since that time Tiger 115 majors Phil 16

there's been a lot of great masters and yeah it's a little bit jarring to think about that

that length of time and how long it's been yeah it is it is not you know I don't know that a

major is better set up to handle this than Augusta because look you can have Tiger roll through

you can have Jack back in the heyday roll through it could be Phil it could be you know contemporary

stars of row McElroy or John rom the star of the show is always Augusta but what does it do to the

event to not have the gravitas of forget I mean both of them but even one of those two guys like it

feels like whether they're in the mix or not that Thursday and Friday they're always as much a

star of the show as anybody else like what do you think it does to the actual event itself to not

have the the weight of those two guys present yeah I think it's it's it's something that we talk

about and and obviously like you said especially in Tiger's case if he were playing that would get a

ton of attention and that brings a lot of eyeballs you know Tiger has been played in a long time

that would have doubt have been it's a little bit less with Phil you know I mean Phil Tiger wasn't

here last year and Phil was and and Phil didn't do a whole lot and I'm not I'm not so sure that

that it was that it was that big of a deal that it wasn't in the mix I mean Phil really did do a lot

of talking to the media so like it just it was a little less fanfare but I think once we start

you know a lot of that just goes away you know there's plenty of other players there's plenty of

other storylines obviously you've got Rory and Scotty Schaeffler and Bryson and Rom and you know

I just think that like you said too the the golf course is also a big part of the story that's

the that's the star of the show and and I'm not sure it matters who's who's on it the to some

degree I think that will always shine through anyway yeah obviously all eyes will be on on Rory

after he completes the career Grand Slam picks up his first major championships since 2014 last

year and one of the most insane Sundays I can remember at Augusta National and we all I think

almost in unison everybody said well now watch out because here goes Rory now that the shackles

are off and he's unburdened by by history is going to go on a run and then it was like T-47 PJ

championship T-19 U.S. Open T-7 open championship but didn't exactly play out the way we anticipated

but this is his first return to Augusta and and that felt like that the the weight was on his

shoulders for years and years and years what do you expect at a Rory this week yeah you know

I was one who fought with the weight lifted it would make things easier and it didn't really play

out that way obviously like you mentioned those those finishes in the majors he had a nice open

at Port Royal Port Rush but it was never really in Sunday contention and so and and there's a reason

there's only been three players who defended at the Masters Jack Nick Fall though and Tiger

it's just it's just not that easy I mean it's not that easy to win the Masters so it's so how

think about how much harder it is to win it twice in a row you know so and there's just a lot

going on I mean the defending champion unlike any other event I think has so much more height

going into the Masters you know Rory's been on site he was here for the for the women's event

he was here for the drive ship and putt on Sunday he he'll host the champions dinner he's got

a lot of questions about that and I just think there's there's distractions and then you throw in

that Rory's kind of coming in here off a back issue you know he he he withdrew with the Arnold

Palmer going into Saturday and then was really tepid at the players championship he finished outside

at the top 40 so and that was his last start so like you kind of you throw in all the other things

and now you also wonder about his fitness his health you know I he played practice around yesterday

my my sense is he's probably fine but but we just don't really know yeah we we don't really know

and yeah it's not exactly you know it's funny I don't know if you're a succession washer Bob

great great HBO show but it's like there's a line from the dad in there who's just like not a killer

and Rory has been a killer in the past he just doesn't feel like one right now like if and

rightfully so it feels like he is just reaping all this boils that come with being the defender

Masters champ and finally getting to go in there you know free and clear you know I've had so many

conversations over the years with the idea of people and you know to bring him back to tiger and

fill of like wow it's like they are the story always they are and forget moving the needle they

are the needle at times and it felt like Rory had occupied that place at Augusta right every year

we go in and there are other interesting players and there are other interesting champions but

everybody wanted to know that if he was going to do it just how different will it feel covering

the event without that question lingering you know it's not say there aren't great players that

are looking for their first major their first Masters but it does feel like the question we've

gone into this thing asking and it's been like not just the first question but first second and third

has finally been answered how different is it going to feel covering the tournament this year

now that that is that box has been checked by Rory. Yeah I mean that was an amazing storyline

for a decade you know and I think the big the big thing about it though was that for most of it he

he never was really close to fulfilling it you know Rory you know Rory did not have that many

chances to win the Masters before last year he you know and in the 10 tries before that you know

the closest he really was was I know he's got he had some backdoor top five finishes yeah

but the closest he really was was in 2018 he was he was in the last pairing with Patrick Reed

and you know Rory had a great second shot to the second hole and had a four or five footer

for eagle that I think would have tied him or brought him within one he started the final round

three back I think Reed bogey the first so Rory's got a great chance to tie and he missed it

and now all of a sudden a little bit of the wind went out and he never got closer he ended up

finishing fifth but he really wasn't in contention on the back nine and so like all those all

the type of Rory coming in here and then he ended up really kind of laying an egg to be honest most

of the time like a couple times he missed cuts you know he was too far being only at a second the

the year Scotty won the first time but it was you know he shot 64 to last round he was way back

that was the one I think it didn't he chip in from the the bunker on 18 him and more kawa

dueling chip ends yeah right it was a great bunker shot and you know great finish but you know he

finished second by four shots you know so he wasn't really in the mix coming through the back nine so

you know but but again look it's Rory he's one five majors if he gets in the hunt at all it's a

huge story getting to six is massive in this era you know and if he you know the Brooks

Keppga you haven't talked about him you know his form is a little hard to say mr. cut in Houston

but he's playing better before that but he's played well in the majors he's got five can he get a

six obviously ramen Bryson are big stories um and then some of those other guys that I think

have some questions because of injuries more kawa being one of them yeah but who's the guy who's

the guy that we're going to talk about having the most pressure to win at a ghast because it doesn't

like it as far as best players never to win a major like maybe it's a little bit awkward but he's

he's just so young he's so sweet I mean he just barely won his first PGA yeah I know how

distant guys how can he be the guy does feel like it's on Bryson and part of it was playing in that

final round with Rory last year Bob did does does he feel like the guy that it's all right whose turn

is it next and whose whose progress at this tournament are we watching the most it feels like it's

Bryson to Shambo yeah Bryson you know I think because we you know in the U.S. certainly north

america we haven't seen much of the live guys and I know there's criticism from the live folks

well why haven't you watched or whatever well you know I I follow it as best I can that's right

answer I watch you know I watch I follow the highlights I mean I will listen I stayed up to watch

Anthony Kim be those two guys in Australia you know phenomenal but I mean some of the events I'm

sorry you know we all we have jobs they're out in the middle of the night you know even the South

Africa South Africa that a few weeks ago was up against an event I was covering and it was so

as on early in the morning the same week as the Valspar so you know it's it's a little bit harder

to see exactly what they've been up to but you cannot argue with their results you know Bryson's

won their last two tournaments ROM won the one before that ROM has nothing as all top 5s in

their five events and three seconds you know ROM is really I make the argument ROM has not played

a bad tournament in a year you know he he was not bad in the majors last year and while he

what he didn't win on live he had one finish outside of the top 10 all year and it was 11th

you know so he's really you know he's really played good golf and obviously he's won here

so why why don't you look at John Romney of course Bryson has kind of found the formula the last two

years finished sixth and fifth he's been in the hunt after struggling at Augusta so you know I

think those are our two guys we're going to keep an eye on I think it and look it's great for

the tournament it's great for it's great for discussion points if those guys are in the mix

yeah it certainly it certainly is I wonder if the golf gods are done punishing Bryson for him calling

at a par 67 or whatever it was that one year when he thought he was just going to moonwalk in

there and easily win the masters and they humbled him pretty good but to your point he's playing

some some excellent golf you know I don't know if you'll agree with this but I'll throw the question

out there Bob like doesn't it feel like you know Rory McElroy it's like he's supposed to be a

master's champion like he just fits in the regal nature of the game and it feels like he fits

in there so well and he loves to be a wine snob and talk about everything it's like

doesn't Bryson kind of feel like he's still on the other side of things like I know the public

perception is kind of flipped on him but if Rory McElroy is the guy that most feels like a master's

champion like does it feel like Bryson is still you know a little bit of an outsider be it with

all the YouTube stuff and him being it seems like the face of live going forward like what would

it be like the dichotomy to go from Rory McElroy you know finally breaking through winning his

masters to him having to slip the green jacket on on Bryson this year if that's the way it plays out

yeah that would be some story you're right Bryson is a little bit of an outlier in that regard but

I mean I think he's just been that way in golf you know I mean he's it's just sort of been his

persona I mean he's gone about it a much different way you know it doesn't get talked about

as much but he's still used to single length irons you know there's nobody else at this level

it does that you know obviously he he's he got into the huge fitness thing and got himself

very bulked up and now he's backed off of that but he's still a big guy who hits in a mile and

is always in in in in this you know the the quest for club head speed you know you know Scotty

Sheffler ball speed is 175 180 my 178 miles an hour which is plenty fast a lot right there's

a few guys that get into the 180's like Gary Woodland he's a freak I mean Bryson yeah but Bryson

you know has has pushed 190 there I mean he's talked about getting to two he's talked about

getting to 200 ball speed you know so like the problem of that of course is is it's harder to keep

it straight right I mean I think that's been the issue so but when Bryson is on with the with

the driver and he's got his iron styled in man you know he's a hell of a golfer I mean it's amazing

to watch so and and yes he made those comments about Augusta that was back in 2020 when he won

the US Open he thought he was going to just come in here and and I'll never forget the final

round he played with Bernhard Longer and he was out driving him by a hundred yards and Bernhard

beat him you know so like there's you know it's not always about that that's a great I mean I

use that as an example all the time I mean look Bernhard Longer was in his sixties he wasn't

going to win the Masters and he's not going to be Bryson very often but it's it was a great

example of you know where to hit it you know placing it in the right spots and you know Bryson

needed a while to figure that out and you know he came here early in the year January to get

acclimated you know did plot it out again and you know I like the way he's gone about it you know

but you know you still got to have your game there you've got you've got to be able to hit the shot

yeah go ask Victor Hoblin like he'll be the first one to tell you short games a bit a little bit

important specifically at Augusta just in the side I'm so happy you brought up Gary Woodland like

you know if Bryson is strong like gold gym guys it's like Gary Woodland's strong like your buddy's

dad you're just like God how is he so strong it's remarkable what he's able to do and so happy

to see him get back in the winter circle. Non-master's question for you Scotty Sheffler has a chance

to compete the complete the career grand slam this year at the US Open what is it going to be like

we went we went 25 years not seeing somebody do it from Tiger to Rory now can we really live in a

world where guys are going to complete the career grand slam and back-to-back seasons with Rory

doing it last year and Scotty potentially doing it this year. Certainly possible I mean you know

obviously Sheffler's got enough game to win the US Open and Shinnecock is a very lengthy like

golf course he just won the Open Out at Port Rush on one he's he's struggling a little bit at US

opens of late but you know I don't think I don't necessarily think that's going to be a long-term

thing you know I think the guys who got it done quickly were the was obviously a lot easier

if you're not having that weighing over you every year I mean we forget about it but Jordan

Speed has the same opportunity at the PGA you know and that's been what nine or ten years so eight

or nine years that he's had that so and he's really not come close you know he's never really

been in the mix so you know I think it's a great storyline and there'd be it'd be cool if he did

it and I'm not so sure how many others are going to have the chance after him. Okay before there you

go Tiger I was surprised to hear you you say Bob that you thought maybe Tiger was going to play

if obviously the car crash doesn't happen you wrote eloquently on the question surrounding

Tigers driving before the car crash happens do you do you think he plays competitive golf again?

I'm one who thinks he does you know I and I guess maybe there's a part of me that says I hope

there might be one sort of you know just uh I don't know where moment for him not necessarily

winning but just getting in the mix somewhere you know uh get you know giving himself a chance

on Sunday somewhere uh you know I just I just kind of I kind of wish that for him uh the thing I

don't know is and obviously a lot of this has been discussed in the aftermath of the latest incident

you know is it painful to for Tiger to play golf like we know he lives in some pain because

he's had all these back surgery he's coming off of one in October it's probably the reason why he's

been struggling there's probably constant pain with the lower right leg but like does it make it

exponentially worse to try to play golf and that's what we don't know like and that's where you know

I have some questions about going forward just his his ability to live life properly like if golf

makes it really hard for him to avoid pain is it even a good idea for him to try you know because

it more goes into it than just what we see you know he's he's going to be in the gym he's going to

be working out he's trying to get swing speed you've got to learn to hit short shots which requires

you to bend over which could be a problem for your back I mean does all these things add up to the

pain that has potentially led to some of these issues that we've seen you know so that's where I

I I hesitate a little bit but since I don't know the answer if if if those are not issues I just

think he's so competitive and he doesn't want to go out like this you know so I hope I hope I

hope there's a way for him back I think you know look he's going to be going through some stuff now

he's he's taking a beating his reputation I understand that but I mean just from a golf standpoint

once he can get past all that stuff I think it'd be great if if if something like that could happen

the book is Tiger V Jack available May 5th Bob Herrig the author thanks for doing this Bob

and thanks for having me guys have a great day you two Bob Herrig of sports illustrated so yeah

we haven't actually talked about Tiger no no no but yeah obviously should never have been

driving like you think and I would be surprised if you ever see him behind the wheel of an automobile

ever again yeah golf cart included yeah I would I would advise people to read Bob's piece on sports

illustrated where like this has been an open question in golf circles beforehand where it's like

and not just like the substance issues which I guess is pending right the pending legal action

against him when it comes to being in pair behind the wheels like ration refusing a a

a blood death blood test but like it's someone of his celebrity why are you driving yourself around

but yeah he's gone through a tough time from a narrative perspective and does he does he want to

be this persona non-grata the rest of his career yeah I would bet not would be the answer to that

it's like one day him and Phil are going to be there and I don't know who the third man will be in

the group but they're going to be hitting the shots the Gary player and Jack Nicholas and everybody

hits you know Arnold Palmer went before he we lost him that's the way it's going to go yeah you

want him to be in good graces of the game and the world at large to be able to do that all right we'll

be back tomorrow with another edition of the fan morning show band and spring gunning sports

five down in the fan good morning