Inside Access with Jason LaCanfora and Ken Weinman
How big of an issue is the Orioles defense?
We all belong outside. We're drawn to nature, whether it's the recorded sounds of the ocean we doze off to, or the succulents that adorn our homes. Nature makes all of our lives, well, better. Despite all this, we often go about our busy lives removed from it. But the outdoors is closer than we realize. With all trails, you can discover trails nearby and explore confidently. With offline maps and on-trail navigation, download the free app today and make the most of your summer with all trails. Tempe check. What kind of summer are we having this year? A family road trip summer, a beach bump summer, or a wake me when the sun's set summer? With Instacart, choose your own adventure and skip the shopping side quests. Where available, you can get ice cream delivered to your hotel, sunscreened to the pool, or cold brew to your bed. Well, door, in as fast as 30 minutes. Wherever you find yourself this summer, you can get the goods. Download Instacart for free delivery on your first three orders. Offer valid for unlimited time, minimum $10 per order, excludes restaurants, additional terms and fees apply. Nothing is more important than getting a good night's sleep and when you don't get the rest you need, your whole day is thrown off. That's why it's so important to choose the right mattress. Sleeping on a purple mattress is truly a unique experience because purple mattresses are made with a gel flex grid. The gel flex grid is an innovative material that moves with your body to relieve pressure in areas like knees and hips and support in others like your back. It feels soft where you want it and supports where you need it. Purple mattresses instantly adapt when you move. You don't sink in and get stuck like with memory foam. And thanks to over 1400 air chambers in the gel flex grid, you will sleep cooler on a purple mattress. Purple has a wide variety of mattresses from the original purple mattress to the restore hybrid collection that combines gel flex grid with coils and the rejuvenate lux collection, the height of luxury with over 112,000 to five star reviews to prove it. Visit purple.com to find the perfect purple for you and enter code podcast 10 to get 10% off. Bouncing ball right side long run for holiday who was playing up the middle and the throw pulls Mount Castle off the bag. Guerrero hits it in the air deep right field going back over and it's off the wall. Dalton Varshall turning around third headed to the plate. Guerrero looking for a triple and he gets in standing up. What can't this guy do right now? Another RBI for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Clement hits it on the ground. Sliding stopped by the rookie Mayo gets up slings to person and bounces away into scores serving and the Blue Jays take the lead. Some highlights most from last night and then game one highlights a highlight in the last cut. The Kobe Mayo air Oreo's only had one error last night, but Jackson Holiday had a couple bad plays and quite frankly, I think Anthony Santon here catches both the Guerrero double and triple balls that got over Rhino Hearns head. So Guerrero goes through for the home run and four RBIs and the Blue Jays win seven six and Dean Kramer was awful. But if they get to him, yes, but if they have competent defense last night and it didn't hurt him on Tuesday because they're able to score some runs. They did score four runs late in this one, but they lose seven six. It's a little league quality product here far too often and it's been going on a long time and it almost feels like now it's sustained erratic bad play interrupted by the occasional game or two games where they put a complete effort together and then we're back to more of the shotty pitching suspect fielding and an occasional at best clutch hitting like it almost feels like the positive spurts are the outlier and last night is more the norm. We know they love the platoon. We know they want to move people around and keep everybody active. But we on this show have been talking about the defense slipping since late May early June and and it's now become epidemic. And I do wonder here with a 50 game sprint and nothing guaranteed. I mean, it would take an epic collapse not to make the playoffs, but they also have left the door wide open for them to be anything from the one to the five or six seed. I do wonder at this point in time, given that the pitching just isn't great and given that until or unless Gunnar gets on the kind of pace he was on in the first half, the offense could be erratic that they better prioritize just catching the ball. And the best guys with the glove at these spots need to be there pretty much all the time. Like I, I, I, this is inexcusable at the major league level. We should not be watching this kind of suspect fielding night after night after night. The Orioles had 16 errors in their last 17 games. I'll say that again, 16 and they could have more. They throw away from Mayo yet holiday pulls a guy off a bag. And like I said, they aren't, they aren't errors, but those are balls of comping out the middle of the holiday got his glove on the other night. They didn't call an error that play gets made at the major league level. And this team, you know, over the past couple of years, they've been really, really good fielding team. Heck, you go back a month. And this was a really, really good fielding team, but 16 of their 60 errors have came over the last 17 games. And now they're basically middle of the pack 14th in fielding percentage. And guys, now that the season series is over against the Blue Jays to just go seven and six against a last place club and to lose that series against the Blue Jays after they just had a sell off, it's not good enough. And they're last 52 games. They're 500. They're 26 and 26. That's not a small sample size. That's not a month. That is pretty much a third of the season. And I thought you put it great, Jason, where, you know, they put together a complete game. And you think, okay, maybe they're starting to get the momentum going and a game or two there. And then it's something like last night. And you really appreciate the fight in the ninth inning, but the lead off the right fielder catches the ball. They win the game. Yes, because take out the horrendous horrendous stuff from Dean Kramer, like take out Jackson Holliday, still learning to play second base. If the right fielder catches the ball, you probably still win that game. Yeah. It's two of his four RBIs. But guys, and you can't take it with ninth, obviously, all the fight. The offense to nothing. The three hits. The three hits heading there. The lead off man was retired in every single inning besides the ninth inning when Ohhern had the double. They hit the ball. You know what? It's funny that the disparity between the two teams, at least last night. We're just hitting the ball hard off Gaussman. Yeah. But Dalton Varsho tracks everything down everything. He's a great outfielder. Meanwhile, and I said this the other day with Kobe Mayo, ball finds you, ball over rhino herns head for a double ball over rhino herns head for a triple Jackson Holliday misplaying balls at second base. The defensive disparity between two things. And I have a question as well. If you want to keep rhino herns bat in the lineup, I get it. But why? Ryan Mountcats was two of them runs since the end of June. Why does he have? He almost looks disinterest like he looks lost to me. Like he looks like a guy who knows he's kind of surplus to requirements. And it's end of days. Like he used to be sort of like alive and emulate and a very much a part of the mix. He almost looks to me like a guy who knows he's like becoming an outsider. Let me say that again. He's got two home runs since the end of June. I know what he used to do against Toronto, but a lot of guys used to do things that they don't do anymore. It reminds me and it's not the same, but it reminds me of like when they used to show Chris Davis is great numbers against somebody when he's playing, but he wasn't that guy anymore. Like Ryan Mountcastle, he had 30 on runs of the year. He's not going to hit 20 this year unless he gets red hot. Like why does he put oh hern at first base and put a real outfielder in right field? And Ken to your point this year, he's hidden just 235 against the Blue Jays. 762 OPS slightly above average where he used to just absolutely demolish them every single. Which brings us back to where I started. Are you with me? He's got to ride his real horses now. You mean, yeah, 50 games stop effing around. Well, there's a couple of days off Mondays, another day off like like news flash. Santander, Calzer Ramon's in center, Calzer Ramon's in left, like ground ball pitcher. Ramon's got to be at third base. I don't think he's very good. He's definitely better than Mayo. Like you're going to have to live with second base. Yes, he's going to play second base. It is very much a working job. It like the only way he's going to learn is there. Yeah, like, but the bad makes it. Like out athlete, you're going to have to catch a lot and you're going to be good defensive when you catch and you're going to have to hit. And by the way, he this first three outs were on six pitches. Like he's got to he's got to work counts a little better than that. Yeah. But like, that's what it is, right? Like, stop effing around. You don't have that many guys who are proven every day baseball players, the ones you have who are clearly the best defensive option. They need to be there. Yeah. This this was ugly last night and just it was it was a little frustrating to watch because all you need is a competent right fielder. Like not like competent right fielder. And you, you might win that game because he catches both the balls Guerrero hit that stayed in the park. We have a huge Friday show. Get started. Guess why? She has to read that covers the Ravens for the athletic. The Ravens play their first preseason game tonight against the Eagles. He joins the 230 Ariel Epstein and Beltway Ben Hall's best bets at three o'clock. Rock tobacco covers the O's for Massey joins us live from Saint Pete at three 30. Is that it? Oh, Mark Topkin from the Tampa Bay times will get the raise point of view at five 30. Uh, yeah, we have a lot to dissect with the Raven soggy preseason debut. The Rays have their issues. They did fight last night and we're strappy and beat the Cardinals and I'm sure they're going to want to beat the Orioles. By the way, how about the Yankees losing two or three of the Angels at home? Uh, yep. That happened. That happened. They got an embarrassed in the second half of a double header game last night and then two nights ago and then again last night. Um, but, but yeah, I mean, the Orioles are going to have to play better ball down there. There's no two ways about it. The Yankees, Orioles, Guardians, Dodgers and Phillies are all 500 or worse over their last 40 games. It's incredible. Nobody wants to say mediocre. There's not going to be a 100 win team this year. It's a mediocre league coming up next. We save this. It deserves its own segment. We were hoping for the best from Dean Kramer. Bo was telling us about how great he is in August. Well, last I checked the calendar said last night was August. He wasn't good. How bad was he? We're going to tell you next here on the fan. We all belong outside. We're drawn to nature, whether it's the recorded sounds of the ocean we doze off to or the succulents that adorn our homes. Nature makes all of our lives. Well, better. Despite all this, we often go about our busy lives removed from it. But the outdoors is closer than we realize. With all trails, you can discover trails nearby and explore confidently with offline maps and on-trail navigation. Download the free app today and make the most of your summer with all trails. This season Instacart has your back to school. As in, they've got your back to school lunch favorites like snack packs and fresh fruit. And they've got your back to school supplies like backpacks, binders and pencils. And they've got your back. When your kid casually tells you they have a huge school project due tomorrow. Let's face it, we were all that kid. So first, call your parents to say I'm sorry. And then download the Instacart app to get delivery in as fast as 30 minutes all school year long. Get a $0 delivery fee for your first three orders while supplies last. Minimum $10 per order additional term supply. Nothing is more important than getting a good night's sleep. And when you don't get the rest you need, your whole day is thrown off. That's why it's so important to choose the right mattress. Sleeping on a purple mattress is truly a unique experience because purple mattresses are made with a gel flex grid. The gel flex grid is an innovative material that moves with your body to relieve pressure in areas like knees and hips and support in others like your back. It feels soft where you want it and supports where you need it. Purple mattresses instantly adapt when you move. You don't sink in and get stuck like with memory foam. And thanks to over 1400 air chambers in the gel flex grid, you will sleep cooler on a purple mattress. Purple has a wide variety of mattresses from the original purple mattress to the restore hybrid collection that combines gel flex grid with coils and the rejuvenate lux collection, the height of luxury with over 112,000 to five star reviews to prove it. Visit purple.com to find the perfect purple for you and enter code podcast 10 to get 10% off. Today's episode is sponsored by Nerd Wallet Smart Money Podcast. Get your head in the financial game with smart investing and budgeting tips straight from the nerds. Nerd wallets experts will set future you up for success. With dependable fact-based insights, no financial misinformation allowed. Learn how to save on your summer vacation. Find your next credit card or loan for a big purchase and invest in your next index fund. Make smarter decisions in 2024. Follow Nerd Wallet Smart Money Podcast on your favorite podcast app. Now with the MLB app, you can get baseball your way. Pick your favorite team, your favorite players, and get customized highlights, stories, and breaking news right on your whole field. Follow the action with Game Tip where 3D replays add another dimension. Plus notifications can keep you connected to every pitch, every hit, every game, the MLB app. Baseball your way. Download it now for free from the App Store or Google Play. Blackout and other restrictions apply and major league baseball trade parts used with permission. The 2-1. Fastball hit well right field. Oh her going back leaps at the wall, it's gone. His 10th homer in the 20-game streak puts the Blue Jays back on the board. It's 5-2. I think it's a combination of both. I threw a lot of non-competitive pitches in general today or too many but I think a little bit of both. I thought I made a good pitch to Kirk. He hit it and the sinker into Vladi. I don't think it was a bad pitch either. He's just swinging it right now. That was Dean Kramer talking after the game. You heard the highlight. The home run of Vladi made it 5-2. That ball was crushed opposite field power, sort of like Colton Calzers that was opposite field. That was a crushed hummus. Yes. But Dean Kramer and the first inning was something. There was a bulk, there was a wild pitch, there was base runners galore. He hit the backstop. Yeah. It was something else as the Blue Jays got three runs in the first inning. It was not exactly the ideal way to start a game when you're trying to take the rubber match of a series. Look, my issues with him largely come down to between the years and it's low IQ approach and execution and we've been seeing it forever and it drives me crazy. It must drive the manager crazy. He has stuff. He has a sufficient pitch mix. But he wants to nibble with the guys he should challenge and challenge the guys he should nibble. And he can't draw up a more quintessential Dean Kramer sequence then come out, God awful, stabilize, walk the guy in front of Vladi twice and throw Vladi a ball. He can hit the saskatoon with men on base. Like it's just so predictable and like How about walking Vartio twice? Yeah, twice. Look, the ERA is creeping up on five and the FIP Fielding Independent pitching is worse than the ERA. The ERA is 47. The FIP is 4.92. The defense has bailed him out more than he's helped the defense. The home run rate was terrible last year, right? Even in his Renaissance season, he gave up 27 home runs last year, 1.4 home runs per 9. This year, it's 1.6. So that's going in the wrong direction. And the walks last year, 2.9 per nine innings, a little high, a little on the high side. This year, it's four, 3.8 per nine. So like, when do we upgrade off of this? Well, got no choice right now. That's stuck. Yeah. Yeah. That's, that's a conversation for the all series. But that's what I'm but like next year. Yeah. Now coming into this year based on what he did, take the playoff game out of it, but he pitched really well down the stretch a year ago. You thought he had figured something after after April last year. I mean, he was really, really solid. And you can say that they gave him run support last year, which they did, but 24 and eight in his starts last year. They're six and 10 in games that he starts this year. And he just, especially since coming back off the IL, he was fantastic in that start against the Mariners, but they stink offensively, probably deserved a better fade. A couple starts ago against the pot. Yeah, the air fence let him down, but it is, it has been ugly. Dean Kramer only gave up four hits and four and a third, but he walked five. Ben, let's here cut 11 Dean Kramer on the five walks. Yeah. I mean, walks are always disappointing, unless they're intentional. But yeah, again, I threw too many non-competitive pitches and in deep counts and got myself in trouble. And the key, again, I want to bring it up because it's big. They've got a guy back in 205 hit in front of Lagorero. That's Dalton Varshow. He walked him twice in front of Lagorero. Like, they got nobody hitting behind him either. No. It's not like, but yet still there. Yeah, it's Horowitz, the Baltimore kid. Yeah. Like, it just, he's his own worst enemy. And it's just, I don't enjoy watching him pitch. It's incredibly frustrating to watch him pitch. And there's more there, but like, let's not pretend he's a kid anymore. 450 innings in the majors. Like, he's been around here since 2020 at the major league level. He's he's in that span, a slightly below average major league starter, which you can live with as your five, but start a playoff game. He started a playoff. Yeah. And that was not that far removed from starting a playoff game this year. He might start a playoff game. I mean, we don't know about this Grayson thing. Oh, we don't. Yeah. He might start a playoff game this year. And you look at the numbers on his baseball savant page, which they're really bad, but just going to, you know, his pitches, and especially his foreseen fastball guys, 582 slugging, expected slugging, 656 off his foreseamer. You mentioned that he might start a game this year. Ben, let's, uh, let's play cut 15 Kramer talking about whether the team's pitching depth is being tested more this year. Yeah, I mean, last year, we had eight starters the whole year. I don't know how many we have now, but, uh, so, um, more, more guys have had to contribute. And, uh, we're trying to do our best. I mean, look, he did pitch 172 innings last, just 773 really. Now, is he another guy who's experiencing some after effects of that? I mean, it, it could be. Um, but again, like, I just hope there are no sacred cows next year. Like, I hope when this team gets to camp that the general manager has done a far better job getting true major league, major league, major league starting pitching depth, knowing that injuries will happen again. And that this guy has to pitch his way onto the rotation. And that tie doesn't necessarily go to him. And that if Chase McDermott looks like he's there, or, or could at least be something close to this with more upside, that it's a fair fight. Like, I, I, well, and, and we, we have the conversation a lot, Jason, about you can't rely on all kids. I mean, going into the, uh, spring training next year, where you got Efland, you got Grayson Rogers Kramer. I mean, you can't just slide, Oh, I will go with McDermott and Povich and, you know, over the, I mean, you've got to get, like an upper echelon, you know, one, two, three-ish starting pitcher in the offices and a minimum, at least one at a minimum. Yeah, they, they hopefully maybe two in a perfect world. Povich and Kramer and McDermott are competing for one of those final rotation spots. Yeah. Yes. Coming up next, we switched to Ravens, Ravens start their season, at least the preseason portion tonight with a game at home against the Eagles. What are we expecting to see tonight? Well, last year, Jeff's right, his rebound covers the Ravens for the athletic. He joins us next year on the fan. Ravens and Eagles tonight at a hopefully not raining M and T bank stadium. First preseason game of the year. And what are we expected to see? Well, we're joined now by Jeff's rebound covers the Ravens for the athletic and just Wednesday, guys, was voted camp. You did him's favorite guy on the beat. So it's a, it's an honor to have Jeff on today. And Jeff, thank you as always for joining us. So what are you expecting to see tonight? Thanks for having me guys. I appreciate it. You know, I don't, I don't expect to see much in terms of starters. I mean, and I guess that's, you know, to kick this off. I mean, Harbaugh's been pretty clear that he doesn't expect to really change his plans. And last year, I mean, you know, and then not only did the top starters not play, you know, a guy like Patrick McCarry who's a swing tackle didn't play. Nelson Aguilar was the number four receiver heading into last year and he didn't play in the preseason. So it's not just starters. It's some of the top veteran reserves too. They are young in some areas. I think those guys will get get some run in these next couple preseason games. But as usual, I think anybody you have a question on is probably not going to play. The one guy that I would not be surprised to see plays and it'll be interesting is Ronnie Stanley. You know, like, I'm not saying he's going to. It just wouldn't surprise me. If at some point in the preseason, they ask him to play. I mean, in years past, it was all about getting Ronnie Stanley to week one healthy. That's changed this year. He has not missed the practice yet. It's about getting a sharp Ronnie family to week one and also healthy. I mean, he has a lot to prove this year and they certainly want to see and they certainly want to push him. And as I said, I'm not I'm not penciling him in today, but it wouldn't shock me. If at some point in the preseason, he gets a little he gets a few series. Obviously, we're not going to see Tyler Lindenbaum tonight, Jeff, but we're going to see a lot of the rest of the offensive line. What are you expecting from some of the young guys like Andrew Voorhees, Roger Rosengaard, heck, even Ben Cleveland at center. Yeah, that's going to be, you know, it's the obvious answer, but it's also the thing that everyone is going to be watching, right? The young past pressures and kind of the young offensive lineman to see what they do. You know, I mean, from the outside and even me, I've been out there pretty much every practice. You know, I think offensive line will be concerned at this point. You know, Ravens are pretty arrogant in the fact that they let their guys and they can develop guys. So, we're going to see. I mean, we're definitely going to see those guys are going to play a lot of reps, I would think throughout the preseason, not just tonight. You know, it's especially big. I think, look, Voorhees would have to take a major step back, not be the starting left gardenist team. I think we all know that by now. I don't want to say he's run uncontested, but it's pretty close to that. He's been the kind of the lead guy from the beginning here. The right tackle spot is the one that I think, you know, I think they want Roger Rosengarten starting. I think he's the clear favorite to start. However, I think there's stuff they need to see. I mean, we all want to see the functional strength and how he, you know, how he'll hold up to the bull rush and whether he's able to anchor and all that and is strong enough right from the jump here to be a starting tackle in the NFL. So, Rosengarten's really going to be the guy I'm going to be excited to watch tonight to see how he fares because you've seen some really good reps in practice. He looks the part, but then you also have seen reps where O'Daffee always gotten under his pads a little and dog walked him back to the quarterback. And that's the kind of stuff that you worry about with Rosengarten, the functional strength and whether he's big enough and can anchor there on the outside against the bull rush. Well, we know Rashad Bateman's not playing in this game. And in the last, I guess what, 48 to 72 hours, they've signed Russell Gage who got to practice and then late in the week, Anthony Miller. Is this just a Quinky day? Jeff, like, like, if Rashad Bateman's not on the practice field Sunday or even Monday, like, would it shock you? Do you just expect the worst at this point? No, I mean, would it shock me? No, because I think this is the time of year. You're a little bit more cautious. I mean, we're watching that. It wasn't that far away. I saw how it was kind of acting act afterwards. I don't unless there's been some huge development. I mean, again, you don't want anybody banged up or injured, but where he got injured, where it appeared, he was being bothered, the ribs midsection area. You feel like, OK, that'll be OK, as long as it's not the knees, lower body and all that. But I'll be honest, I sort of raised my eyebrows because they didn't sign Keith Kirkwood long ago either. Right. That's three veteran receivers. I'm sure, like last year, they had Laquan Treadwell in that role. I'm sure they want to have a veteran receiver on the practice squad. They can have ready to go. But I mean, how many spots are even available, you know, for those guys? I mean, maybe one is open right now. And, you know, there's other guys who have sort of been competing for it. So, yeah, I've found that a little lot. I'm also curious to see who's the corresponding move when they eventually get around to finalizing the Miller deal. Is it Kirkwood? Is he out? And that gets you back down to two veteran receivers. And the other thing was Russell Gage. I mean, that contract was not exactly, you know, like, the way that was written, he very well could be on this team. I mean, that was not just a throw away here. You're a camp body for the next three weeks contract. So, but it is also possible they gave him a little incentive to stick on the practice squad. He's a guy that missed all last season with a patellar tendon injury. He's already joining here midway through. I just don't know if there's enough time for him to kind of get in shape, learn the offense and show them something. But hey, Harbaugh said he's going to play today. So, right, you know, tonight. So, that'll be interesting. But yeah, I don't, I have not heard like overwhelming concern about baitment to this point. But it did raise my eyebrows because again, this is three receivers now, probably in the last three or four weeks at it. Talking to Jeff's reback, it's inside access here on the Fandefa. I would assume David Ajabo is going to play a lot tonight. Do we really need to see him finally start making some splash plays this evening or just set the edge? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, this is just me. I'd play him 40 snaps. Yeah, I could. I mean, it's just, this guy just needs to play. He needs reps and he needs all that. And then you also look at where they are at outside linebacker. They only have about three or four healthy bodies there right now that you figure are going to be playing tonight. And he's one of them. So yeah, him, Cavius Robinson, and then you've got Joe Evans, the undrafted free agent at Iowa, who probably will get a lot of run. But yeah, you know, I do think this isn't being a apologies for Jeff, but I mean, he is eight months removed from an ACL. So I do think there was always going to be here and knocking off Ross kind of feeling his way period. But at some point soon, he needs to start having some success on the field. He needs it mentally for himself. And this team needs it. And he needs to start kind of shifting the momentum here. Because there hasn't been a ton to feel good about so far. And you know, you hear great things. The kid looks in great shape. And you know, you hear great things about his character. But at some point, you need to get a little bit of your hard work. And I think last off season, you know, before the knee stuff, you know, seeing him not able to get off blocks from second and 13 tackles is a concern. Because they need one of these young pass structures to pop this year to join OA in Van Neuwe. And he's the most logical candidate. But yeah, he has to show some now I'm not saying it to show something to make the team. I don't know if he's in jeopardy of that. But to feel good that he's going to be, you know, even a semi impact player this year, some of that has to start over these next couple of weeks. And I do think he's a talented enough guy where the light could come on. But he needs some positive momentum. And they just hasn't been able to gain that. Jeff, where are you on the Ravens backup quarterback position? If Josh Johnson who hasn't had a great camp goes out struggles today, maybe struggles next week, could could you see Eric DeCosta making a move there? It wouldn't shock me. I don't, I don't think that's something in the offing. But, you know, like, look, there's one guy out there that's probably clear upgrade over Josh Johnson. And that's Taney Hill, right? He's the one guy that makes a lot of sense. And I've said continually for, you know, a month now that I would keep checking in with him. But everything I've heard is he's not coming cheap. He's not going to take one of these, you know, one year, two million dollar deals and come in here and be the backup quarterback and play only if Lamar gets injured. So I, they just, they're not, they're not going to pay pretty good money for that spot at this point. So yeah, I think it is a concern. You know, I, I, I do think they're more confident Josh Johnson that they are in Tyler Huntley. And Tyler Huntley may be available a couple weeks ago. Sounds like he will be. And I don't know that they consider that an upgrade of what they have now. I just think it's a trust factor. And they do think Josh Johnson at least could run the offense, make good decisions, take care of the ball and not be the reason they lose. And that, that was kind of the problem with Huntley. He just, he just lost trust of him in key spots and making the right decisions. But yeah, I, I mean, I'll be interested to watch Josh Johnson. I mean, you know, it sounds like Eagles may play their starters for a little bit here, which will make it a little bit interesting from that end and expression for the young lineman. But yeah, I would say it's something I might have my eye on, but I just don't know what the answer, you know, unless Taney Hill suddenly decides he'll play for very little money or there's a guy that comes loose on the free agent waiver wire here, which is always popular. Taylor Heineke, trade for Taylor Heineke. Yeah, they almost tried, they tried to sign him before. I mean, they tried to sign him last off season. So that's a good name. You know, so we'll see, you know, I would certainly be out there looking. I don't, I'm, I'm one of these if Lamar's out. Well, they're getting about it pretty much done anyway. So that's why I wouldn't pay a ton for backup quarterback. But they might be some more upgrades coming on that wire in a couple of weeks. Jeff's reback covers the Ravens for the athletic. Jeff, always great, man. Thanks so much for your time. Enjoy the fake football in your new press box seat tonight. I can't wait. I've got to be honest with you guys. And I assume you're not working tonight, Ken? No, no, Margie's, Margie's daughter's coming home from camp. So that's there you go. That you're not celebrating that. Jeff, you're not celebrating anything. That's like, that's like when Lucy Bird celebrated her brother brother's 29 and a half year birthday. So she wouldn't have to hang out with the button for that one. What's that? Well, I don't work through the weekend for that one. Well, there's no real home games and the Ravens don't play. You know what? I might come see you on Sunday. Okay. But I do have to, but I hold my breath. But I do have to go. I do have to, yeah, but I do have to head to the beach at some point, because we're doing the show from Ocean City on Monday. You have a tough life. My friend. Thanks, man. Take care guys. I appreciate it. Thanks, buddy. See you. Jeff's a revamp covering the Ravens for the athletic. We'll stick with Ravens coming up next. Is Roger Rosengarden a lock to be the right tackle on this football team? How bad does he have to be to lose this job? We're going to discuss next year on the fan. You know, I come into practice games, meeting rooms for that mentality, just competing, be the best offense lineman I can. So, you know, that's my whole main goal is just to day and day, stack days and make sure I'm doing my absolute best and good results will come out from there. It's Roger Rosengarden speaking to the media on Wednesday. I know there's an old saying when you assume you make an ass out of you and me, we assume that Roger Rosengarden is going to start at right tackle when this stuff kicks off for real in a few weeks. Jason, how bad does Roger Rosengarden have to be in the preseason for him not to be the starting right guard? Come week one. I'm right tackle. Excuse me. It's hard to say. Look, I think it's his job to win or lose. That doesn't mean that he is going to absolutely, you know, put a death grip on it. Like, there will be some reps, including tonight on possibly not a great surface where he's going to face some legitimate NFL players. And if it looks if he if it looks suspect, you can continue to coach him up along the way. And maybe that's where Josh Jones, who let's say he looks pretty good holding it down at left tackle. And let's say at least tonight, there's no Ronnie Stanley, although I'm with Jeff Zarebek. I think Ronnie Stanley needs to play a little bit in these games. Like he needs to show a little something. He needs to build a little confidence. I don't think he's at a stage on the financial deal that he's on where you just stash him away. But is he going to play a lot if he plays it all? No. So do they look at that veteran and maybe he's holding it down at left tackle and by the second game, he plays a little right tackle or the third game? I mean, I think it's more likely than not that their second round pick gets a chance week one to show what he can do with the starting group. But I think it's less than a fate of comp lay. Yeah. And with rookie offensive lineman, really rookies in general with John Harbaugh, he typically lets them earn it. I mean, Rose and garden where John Harbaugh in his press conference recently said he just started to get first team reps. I mean, maybe he starts tonight, but I still think it ends up being his job to lose. But Josh Jones, to me, it seems like he is the backup tackle at both spots. Yes. And and if Rose and garden was to struggle during this preseason and after today and practice is upcoming, I think it would be Josh Jones's job. I think it's fair to say that as things have ramped up a camp and the pads came one, Rose and garden, the physicality of the NFL is different than the physicality of pack 12 and major college football. And I think he's he's finding that to be an adjustment for him. And now we see whether or not he can adjust to it. Well, and let's also be real. He's not facing the deepest group of edge defenders in the NFL. And it's not always ones versus ones. A lot of times they're building kids up and it's one verse twos and one verse threes. Now we're really talking like, what is he going against? Like, is some of that not as potent or not as effective as what he faced in some of those pack 12 games? Like that, that's debatable. So again, I'm not handing it to him. And I think that's part of the reason why I want to see him start tonight, especially if the Eagles are going to have their starters play for a series or two to get that legit test. Yeah, I think that week in Green Bay will be a big deal for somebody. Yeah, because you let's face it, teams are now getting more out of those than they are out of the game itself. Like if we're at that point and it's still questionable, then you know, you could see some things reshuffled for that final pre-season game. Ravens and the Eagles pre-season game number one is tonight. Remember only three weeks of the pre-season and then we get going for real coming up in a few weeks. But coming up next, it's a Friday, which means it's time to get our best best from our friend Ariel Epstein from Fnatic Sportsbook. And also our own guy, Beltway Benz got his best bets. That's next here on the fan. Today's episode is sponsored by Nerd Wallet Smart Money Podcast, ready to expand your financial game. Nerd Wallet can coach you on smart strategies like choosing investments, finding your next credit card, and setting a budget that works for you. Score major points towards your summer vacation by learning expert tips for choosing a high yield savings account and how to build wealth by investing in index funds. Slide into summer with smarter decisions in 2024. Follow Nerd Wallet Smart Money Podcast on your favorite podcast app. Future you will thank you. Trying to figure out what to eat for dinner yet again? With North Sides and Bullion as you're not so secret ingredient, you can skip the drive-through and do dinner at home. North Taste combos provide a menu of delicious, affordable, and well-balanced meals that you can prepare in 30 minutes or less. Visit nore.com to get quick and easy recipe ideas for your home cooked weeknight dinners. It's not fast food, but it's so good. Now with the MLB app, you can get baseball your way. Pick your favorite team, your favorite players, and get customized highlights, stories, and breaking news right on your home feed. Follow the action with Game Tip, where 3D replays add another dimension. Plus notifications can keep you connected to every pitch, every hit, every game, the MLB app. Baseball your way. Download it now for free from the App Store or Google Play. Blackout and other research and supply major league baseball tray parts used with permission.