[MUSIC] >> Fan Morning Joe Sports at 5.9 of the fan band Sam McKee is in for today's tomorrow. A couple of days next week after Monday, which I guess would be Tuesday, Wednesday. I thought I knew a lot about you. I didn't know that you're a disgusting freak when it comes to coffee. >> Yeah, okay, so coffee temperature to me does not matter. And I told you the story that doesn't really matter. >> It's really bad. >> Yeah, it's not that bad. >> No, it's horrible. >> Okay, so I'll let the listeners decide. But when I have a cup of coffees, I'm doing 12 of the twos on Sports at 5.9 of the fan. So I wake up around the crack of 8 a.m. I get up, I'll go take my dog for a walk. I don't have my coffee right away. I'll sit down on the couch around now maybe listen to a podcast. And I'll have my coffee first cup always down at no problem. Second cup, I'll have around 10.30. But I don't really finish it. And then I'll put it, I have my little sitting area. I have a little window still when I put my coffee. >> Yeah, where there's pies cool. >> No, there's no pies. But I will get home and maybe I'll finish that coffee. >> That's sitting there, sick. >> So just side on scene. >> Yeah, sure, side on scene that's sick. It becomes even more sick when I found out that you don't drink your coffee black. >> No, no cream. >> Yeah, so you just leave like a container of cream in the sun. >> It's like a big old bat. >> Two hours, pal. The window doesn't face the sides, it's on a west facing. >> Literally, I drink my coffee black and it's just, I need coffee to survive. Like I like the tasting, it's not my favorite. I do it to survive, I cannot survive without coffee. >> You like to be like, you're like one of those guys like, I only drink black coffee. It's like your whole identity. >> No, no, no. >> It's just put a little cream in there. >> No, it's not hot. >> Put a little cream in there so much there. >> No, it's not hot. >> This is me drinking my cold coffee. >> Yeah, it's disgusting. So cold coffee, ice coffee is delicious, like you can, I can, give me an ice coffee, sounds great. Again, I'm just functional, I just need the coffee to live. I could not drink lukewarm black coffee, like I literally could not, that would be like on fear factor for me, you know, like the people with the heads and the glass box. >> The same taste. >> Like that? >> No, it's not. >> Because it is. >> No, it's not. >> It's the exact same flavor. >> It's really not though. >> It is though. It's not. >> What changes, just the temperature? >> Yeah. >> Like a hot beer and a cold beer is going to taste the same. >> My God, I mean, you just blew up your entire argument. >> Same flavor. It's just temperature. >> Do you drink hot beer? >> No. >> What? Have you had like a lukewarm beer? >> Yes. >> Oh my God. >> Of course. >> Nothing more disgusting. What are you talking about? >> I don't seek it out, but if someone's like, here's a beer and it's not like-- >> I mean, so that's a different flavor. >> That's a different flavor. >> That's a different flavor. >> Depends on what point of the night it is also, right? >> I've got to put a couple in the pool, right? >> Okay. Different deal, but yeah. >> All right. >> All right. >> Lukewarm beer is disgusting. >> It's not great. >> It's not great. >> Oh my God. >> Oh my God. >> Okay. >> I prefer my coffee hot and my beer-- >> Oh my God. >> I prefer my coffee hot and my beer cold. >> Yeah. But-- >> Oh my God. >> Here's-- >> Oh what? >> Oh my God. >> Oh. >> I hear a sick freak. >> I'm just-- >> I'm a ditch pig. I'll eat anything, drink anything. That's what it comes down to. I've only just figured out how to open up the text line, so like-- >> No one texts about it. >> No one cares. >> They're like, they're like, I'm so disgusted by you, I'm not even going to text. >> Yeah, 59590, if you have opinions on Sam McKeed drinking a lukewarm coffee and being fine with warm beer. >> I didn't say-- >> Because he's disgusting. >> And it's not cold. >> You said it's the same taste, whether it's cold or it's warm. >> Well, what are we talking about, warm, like, been sitting out all day? >> Okay. >> There's been a lot of discussion later. >> No, but I'm sure he would like to weigh in. Well, you want to talk about the one-nothing loss to the red sauce? >> Three-nothing. >> Yeah, whatever. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah. >> Yeah, whatever. >> Then little. Give him up some runs after that. But yeah, Chris Bass was good, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And we do have Bowdoin Francis starting tonight. No, we don't have Ben online. He's about to be online. >> Okay. >> But yeah, no, we got Bowdoin Francis starting tonight. Where are you, Kate, we should actually do confidence rankings of Bluejay starting pictures right now. >> Just off the cob, like just sight unseen, rank the five starting pitchers, and where your confidence lies. You got Jose burrios, Chris Bassett, Kevin Gossman, Bowdoin Francis, Yariel Rodriguez. >> Number one for next season, burrios, because I'm the most confident one I'm going to get out of them. >> Okay. >> Gossman two. >> Yeah. >> Bassett three. >> Yeah. >> I guess. If I have, Yariel is at the bottom, 100%. >> Yeah, it's hard. >> He's kind of, he's too up and down. >> Yeah. >> A little bit. Like I like what I've seen from him at times this year, but the bat is too bad. I hate the bat of him. Like it just, he can't locate that the fastball looks incredibly hitable. I just, I haven't loved what I've seen from him. So anyways. >> Yeah, the top three are obviously all the top three. And I think most people would have Bassett as the third of the three, I mean, one season of this with the mitigating circumstances of the beginning of the season for Kevin Gossman. I think people are just overlooking what he's done recently too. He's kind of returned to a similar version of the guy that was getting sighing award votes. >> But like, I think he's really good. But if I'm going to bet on what I have next year, the two pitchers, I think you can bet on burials being more of what he is than Gossman. >> All right. Let's talk to Ben Nicholson Smith, who's on the line right now, who enjoys himself. A beer and a coffee. So he can weigh in on both beverages. Benny, thanks for this. >> Sam, he just said that he leaves his coffee, like he has no problem drinking a coffee when it's first warm, but then leaving it for like hours and then returning to it without reheating it. Is that disgusting or not? >> Sam, are you microwaving this again? >> No, no, I'm just drinking it at the room temperature. >> Yeah, I got to say I'm real. I'm not a coffee club at all. But I got to say that to me is I wouldn't, I would not. >> Psychotic behavior. >> I don't like that, if I got to say it. >> It's the same taste. >> Yeah, I mean, temperature is not taste. >> Yeah. >> What about your pizza? You like cold pizza? >> I do like cold pizza. >> Yeah, like cold pizza. What about like a pad thai? I like a pad thai cold. >> Okay, I like cold food. I'm just saying my coffee needs to be one of the extremes, either hot, not like scalding hot or cold. Public warm is disgusting, it's horrifying, and yeah, you should be embarrassed to bring that take to the microphone. >> I am not even at the slightly dead bears. People on the tech side are eviscerating me. >> Yeah, obviously, because they have taste buds. >> Listen, I don't care. I'm a weird guy. I own it. >> You certainly are. All right, Benny, you're a normal guy. Okay, so then, you know, let's start with not the game yesterday, because I don't know what you can take away from this offense, not looking like it had the previous two weeks and they scored a bunch of runs in previous incarnations of this team, so blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Jake Bloss, though, had a horrific start in Buffalo yesterday, and one start does not make him like no longer a viable prospect. Like, he had three good ones for the Bisons before that. Those were the first runs he gave up, but do the blue jays, like, is it 100% certainty that we see Bloss when Ross was expanded in September and secondarily, like, is there a level of pressure taken off of him now that Joey Loperfito isn't striking out every at bat and now that Will Wagner is a thing? And now that Bowdoin Francis seems like he's a pretty good bet to be in the rotation next season. >> Yeah, I think that all of those factors kind of change the perception of Bloss. I haven't talked to him because he's been into minor leagues since the blue jays acquired him. But I would think just having talked to a lot of, you know, prospects, young players over the years, I would still think that he's probably putting a whole lot of pressure on himself to make it to the major leagues to succeed once he gets here. And as for what that timing looks like, I don't know. I mean, I don't think that talking to John Schneider and some blue jays people here in the last few days, I don't get the sense that they've made those final calls on what exactly that's going to look like when Rossers do expand. And like you said, I mean, with a lot of off days coming up, it's not like at this point you absolutely need, like I actually thought the time to insert Jake Watson to the rotation was yesterday. If you were going to do it because that could have gotten some guys a an extra breather. Maybe it's a good thing that didn't happen because it didn't seem like you had the best stuff. But at this point, they have a ton of off days coming up. So I think they can, they can wait if they want. >> Yeah. So of all of the guys that, you know, you've seen that have come up here and contributed in this like hot stretch until the last couple games clearly, I mean, they're going to be up and down. What are you most encouraged by Ben since the, since the trade deadline? >> Yeah, I think for the most part, it's, I would say Wagner, for him to emerge as a guy who's actually making hard contact against me, usually pitching, that's pretty big for him to just zone in on pitches, swing at the right pitches, make hard contact consistently. It's not easy to do, I mean, we've seen the struggles of guys like Wilper Fido, Barger, even he's striking the other wide, Lao Jimenez is striking the other wide. And as much as I like Lao Jimenez defense, you want to see a player who's putting the bat to the ball. And I think the Will Wagner's done a good job of that considering that he was kind of the third guy in that trade. I mean, he talked to, whether it's Blue Jays people, whether it's people around the game, Wilper Fido and Bloss were really the headliners there, but Wagner is the one who's actually producing them out. So I would, I would point to him. So I look at the, the roster is currently constructed and I see six guys that I could easily see on the opening day roster, if not in the lineup on opening day, next season Vlad, Springer, Barjo, Horowitz, Kirk Clement, and of course, yeah, Bixette, if he's healthy and not traded this off season. And if I'm being honest, I probably don't want Spencer Horowitz and Ernie Clement in the lineup at the same time in an ideal world. Is there, is there a scenario where anybody outside of those guys that's currently playing with the Blue Jays on the 26 man roster right now is on the opening day roster in 2025. And that's a good thing. Yeah, I mean, I think there are actually lots of scenarios for that's the case. Whether we're talking about Barjo, whether you're talking about Will Wagner, Loper Fido, I think all of those guys will have real shots to make the team out of spring now. I don't know exactly what that's going to look like. We, you know, every single year, there are injuries to one or two players will be hurt. That'll open up one or two spots, fully, fully expecting the Blue Jays will go out and add from outside the organization, but exactly what position that is. We don't know exactly how good that addition is. We don't know. I mean, the thing with this for office is they've had years where they've had like the home run off season and they sign Marcus Simeon to a one-year deal and he's got 40 bombs. Yeah. And then they've had like F off seasons where like the last one, they go out and they signed 39-year-old Justin Turner and 40-year-old Joey Votto and it doesn't work. So there's kind of a big range there as far as what the success rate is, what the scale of their additions is and what the positions are. But yeah, I think I think a lot of those guys have a chance to break with the team. Okay. But I mean, that's fine. Maybe it's bench pieces. And I think it's a bad scenario if you've got multiple guys in the lineup next season. You obviously have to remake the offense, I think, Ben. And I mean, I outlayed my dream off season scenario of Christian Walker and Anthony Sandhair being signed as free agents and hitting in the middle of the order, obviously. The Walker one's not a perfect fit because it would force Vlad to either a time share it for his base in DH or like some more third-base time. Sandhander, obviously not ideal also because he's having a career year at 30 years old and you need to sign him to big money. But you need offense. I mean, what do you make of those two guys that's expensive and there's risk involved, but this offense needs to be totally remade, I think, Ben. Yeah, they need help. They need help for sure. And I think like games like last night, it kind of reinforces that. I wrote about this a little bit sportsnet.ca where it's like, you know what, you have a higher feeling maybe with some of these guys, but you also have a really low floor. And sometimes, I know Brad Bay, it was good, but you have games where it's the learning curve, it's the growing pains, and we saw that. And look, if they want to compete next year, they need some additions, like some guys where you know exactly, or not exactly what you're going to get because you never know that, but you have a closer idea. So I like Sandhander. You know, I like Christian Walker as a player, right? And if you could, depending on the contract, I like it, but he's, I want to say 33. Yeah, he is. Well, that's why it's not, it's not going to be exorbitant. You wouldn't think, right? He's a first base. Right. So what's the deal is, is it like 72 over three, like what's the deal that gets Christian Walker to Toronto? I don't know exactly. Like, I don't think it's a, like, I don't think it's a two year, $36 million deal. You know, it's got to open it was. Yeah. If that's the case, then sign me up or like, that would be great. I just, you know, I don't know that that's the case. It might be a lot more because he's a really good hitter, but Sandhander too, like, what's the price to get him to Toronto? A lot more. Are you? Right. And are you waiting, waiting, waiting to try to get a deal, which is kind of the way the Blue Jays have operated for the most part, where it's like, we're going to get you at our value, or do you jump the market? And if you want to jump the market, does that mean, is that 110 over four? Like, what's the price? If you want Fintan, they're signed by the winner meeting, so what's the price to get that done? Like, I, I just, and not to say that, hey, it's not, it's not your money, right? It's not famous money. So I get it, but I, we all work for Rogers is kind of our money. Yeah. Yeah. One time over four. So that's, that's less than 30 million. And yeah, he's going to be 34 by the end of it for a guy that, okay, he's never had this season, but the power clearly exists there, a switch hitter can play corner of the spot, like decently well, I don't think he's Tay Oscar Hernandez out there, like, would you not do, do, you know, 110 over four for Anthony Santander knows the division as well. I actually think I would. I'm not saying that's a bad idea. Um, yeah, but, you know, here's, here's the other thing and I know, well, I suspect that a lot of people listening will kind of shutter when I say this, because, you know, basically the PTSD of Otan, but the Juan Soto is out there. So do you not at least try on one Soto? And this is all presuming to see it. There we go. I'm going to get my friend, not just like the Yankees, the Mets to like, yeah, going toe to toe. It's fun. Yeah, the Dodgers might get them. So yeah, I think like, you know, it's, you have to have contingencies in place, um, and you can't, you can't sit there counting on it. And it's all presuming that they're going to try to win next year, which I think, you know, that's what Mark Shapiro has said, but, you know, I think you could make a case that they should also retool for 2026. Yeah. You're, you've seen Bo doing baseball activities in Boston. What do you think the timeline on seeing him is, what do you think you're going to see from him? Like what's his sort of, you know, he's been, what's his sort of feeling around the team? Like, is he going to be back before the end of this year? How's the Bo outlook looking? So I think we'll be back. He's been doing agility drills and running progression. He says he wants to be deliberate about it, doesn't want to, you know, rush it, um, but he does want to get back, of course, before the end of the year. So let's say, maybe in a week's time, um, if he's able to get on a rehab assignment and play, I don't know, four or five games, um, in a rehab situation, starting with the DH, working his way to shortstop that puts him, you know, arguably a couple of weeks away. And then at that point, you have three weeks left in the season. So that would be my best guess. He's obviously a really important part of the team, um, when he's at his best, and it's just been a really frustrating season for him. But yeah, I would think we see him this year. And you know, heading into the off season, is it like, you know, if they were potentially to trade them with him, having a good stretch at the end, make any difference to his value or just people know what he is and he's had a great career up until this season and they look at this more of an outlier, like, I guess it can't hurt, right? Yeah. I think it can't hurt. I think it would help, um, I think it would help everyone, you know, whether it's the shed mentally going into the off season, whether it's the J's when it comes to their planning, even other teams are probably going to be a little bit more confident in their evaluations of the shed and he comes back in place. So I think that for all those reasons, everyone's motivated to get them onto the field. I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that the Blue Jays will trade them, but I would be shocked if they don't listen on on first, right? So we'll see which way it goes. I wrote the other day, like literally no one knows what's going to happen here. Bo doesn't know. But like, you know, when it's going to happen, it would be surprised though. No, no, no. Yeah. No one would be surprised. Bo, no, he absolutely, you know, everyone, everyone's aware that this is a possibility, but it's not a certainty either. No, uh, Chad Green's done an incredible job at the back end of the smoke and hasn't blown a save a single one this season that's been one of the, the, the coup signings of this Blue Jays front office picking him up while he was injured and the weirdo contract that he was under where they opted into it. Great, great move by this Blue Jays front office. He's like a man on an island in that bullpen because outside him, I'm not sure what you're certain about. I'm not even certain that you want to go into 2025 with him as your numb, like your only option in the closing world, God, can we Janssen still get it done? He's appending free agent. I mean, how, how, how certain are you that Chad Green is going to go into next season as the Blue Jays closer and is that a good idea? Well, I mean, the other possibility would be Romano, um, who, who apparently we're going to see. But I mean, what can we see enough that that he's worth whatever he's going to earn in arbitration and like, is it a non tender situation and then how does that play itself out? Like that's, that's a tough one to figure out too. Yeah. That's one where if I, if I was the J's, I would export two year deal with him and just see if there's a way to sort of spread that out a little bit. So maybe it's, maybe, maybe that works. I don't know. You obviously want to start with the medical and see how he's feeling physically before you're before you're throwing around contract. Um, yeah, I think he's one possibility, um, and I think Chad Green is the other. And they need to add in the bullpen and they obviously will add in the bullpen, um, but you know, are they going to add someone who's more established and better than Chad Green? Like, I don't know that that's necessarily the case, just given the other needs, like they're going to have to spend on offense. I still think they need to add a starting picture because I, you know, they have some guys who are older and they have some guys in Gary O'Rugger, he gets him down in France the two are not sure things and the nature of the position is that guys get hurt. So I still think they need to start him pitching. Didn't you think Kenley Jansen was, was done like a couple of years ago? He's back. Like, he seems legit. I, he's not going to get what, what he got his first go around in free agency. I mean, would you, would you be sniffing around Kenley Jansen this off season if you're the J's? Yeah. I mean, to me, I would let other things go first because like, what's his, what's he going to cost next year? Like, let's say it's 10 to 14 million on a one year deal, um, you know, I don't know that that's where you prior, if it's November the 10th and you'll, let's say if argument take your 50 million to spend, I'm starting with that on the J's and I'm seeing what that cost and then if it's so, if you require a bat via trade, for example, and you spend a little less there, then sure, maybe you spend a bit more on pitching. Uh, Benny, great job. Um, correct answer on, on the coffee front as well. Enjoyed the, uh, the final game of the series in Boston. Thanks, money. Anytime guys. There's Ben Nicholson Smith at the letter is sports@sportsnet.ca getting ready for another a game of family bark tax line. Yeah. Like, support, I, I would say that it's pretty evenly split support, but way more support for you than I ever anticipated. I like this one from Georgia and Ajax. Way to go. Sammy. Coffee is coffee. Extra large two milks started on the drive to work, leave it in the car, finish it on the way home. Yum. Yeah. I mean, there's just, there's a lot of sick people out there. Even Sammy here, coffee that sits, that sits is perfectly acceptable, even enhances the flavor of your preferred sweetener, Dan and Schomburg. Let's go, Danny. Okay. You know what? Maybe my problem is that I'm drinking it black. Are there any black coffee drinkers that feel the same way as you, uh, I drink my Guinness room temperature. Okay. I'm sick. You're a sick person. Guinness isn't my go to, but like I like a Guinness, it's, it's got to be cold. I like one Guinness. Yeah. Yeah. That's really, uh, drinking lukewarm coffee is disgusting. Yeah. It's on par with putting ketchup on a hot dog and it's the only way I could drink a warm beer is if it was walking through a desert for hours with no water. Mm hmm. Or you had imbibed plenty before that. Yeah. It was another one. Yeah. Uh, ketchup on a hot dog. What's wrong with ketchup on a hot dog? All right. Okay. You've, you've just revealed yourself like entirely, you think it's bad? I mean, it's, it's childish. Like my children do it. Yeah. My children do it. So what do you just put on there? Oh my God. Oh yeah. The hottest, spiciest, grainiest mustard you've got. I got to make it as bad as I possibly can to prove I'm not a child. Sourcrave. Have you never? I like sourcrave. You don't like mustard? When I go into sourcrave, some, some green olives. Oh my God. What are we talking about? When I go to a Blue Jays game or if I go and get street meat, I put every topping like my dog. Sure. It's just the topping thing. I put that the bacon bits, the onions, the corn relish, the ketchup, the mustard. I don't love pickle relish. I love pickles, but don't love me like the sweet pickle relish. But yeah, ketchup, you can miss me with that on a hot talk. I mean, you have just revealed yourself to be the man with the worst food opinions of all time. So well done. I mean, did you not know that? Yeah, I guess I had an indication. No, the coffee thing really threw me for a loop though, because that's disgusting and truly is disgusting. And I guess, you know, if I have come around to the idea that it makes a little bit of sense, it is for people who honestly do drink it with either a milk or a cream where it becomes maybe a little more palatable, the sweetness. I have no idea. Like as a black coffee drinker, the idea of a lukewarm black coffee. Oh, we did it. No coffee. Oh, that coffee. I'm the toughest guy ever I drink black coffee instead of putting one drop of cream that makes it a hundred times better. I don't think it does. It does. It just does. I don't see it. I don't see it. Like, listen, black coffee drinkers out there, if you're listening, including you, there's a way to improve your life drastically. You think a simple cream will make your life ten times better, ten times better. You think I came out of the womb as a black coffee drinker? Yes, I do. No, I do. I eventually worked my way to this point where I was like, why am I doing this at all? Let's just do black coffee. It's fine. But yeah, it's not the most delicious. I don't drink coffee for it to be delicious. I do it to live. Yeah, but a coffee with some cream is delightful. Yeah. No, I've got now gotten to a point where like these taste buds cannot have coffee with any any sweeter. Oh, you just spit it out. Oh, it's disgusting. Yeah, I find it gross. You know what part of it is, too, is it's not as hot, right? And it's getting closer to room temperature, the more non-hot you put your head. Tung away. Yeah, it's got to be really hot. But I get a large regular from Tim's or from McDonald's, I'll do one-on-one, but I'm at home. I just do one cream. But if you give me a double double, I would truly spit it out immediately. I used to be a double double man through and through, all through high school and in my early 20s. And then I graduated to a regular, and then when I'm at home, I just do a little bit of cream. I can't, like the fast food coffee still, like if I go to a nice roastery, I'll get still touch of cream. That's it. Okay. Anyways. Anyways. You're an idiot. Uh, rival sons and clutch are coming to the OLG stage at Fallsview Casino on September 12th for their two headed beast tour. We're giving away tickets and $100 in dining credit for the overtime sports lounge to winners all week to enter. All you have to do is tune into the fan morning show. You listen for the code word, then you text the code word to 59590 standard message and data rates may apply today's code word is dark fighter as one word, text dark fighter, one word to 59590 right now for your chance to win tomorrow, the last day for this giveaway. So be sure to tune in. Uh, when we come back guy, I, I, I would guess is not a coffee drinker like I just feel like I feel like he's got so much just natural energy. Feel like he doesn't need coffee. I don't trust people who don't drink coffee. Okay. You're about to talk to one. I think. Ad and break. I'm, I, you're setting me up. You're setting me up. We can ask him, but I, I, I feel confident that he doesn't drink coffee. Ad and break. I'll be networked next. The fan morning show continues Ben and his stomach key sports at 59590 the fan covering the blue J's from an analytical perspective, J's talk plus with Blake Murphy. Be sure to subscribe and download J's talk on Apple Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, uh, show Hey, Tony, it's just, I mean, you're doing one thing this year. You thought, okay, well, he'll just be one of the best hitters in baseball because he's, he's not pitching and like that'll be worth the money ish because he's such a great hitter. But you know, you do lose some of the value with the not pitching and then you just decided because I'm not pitching, perhaps I can be riskier on the base paths or say I like it's not like he hasn't stolen bases before. He had a career high 26 in 2021, but 42 and 42 now he is now on pace. Oh, he's doing it. To be it the first 55th but no one's ever done 45 45. That's right. So yeah, he's going to do that too. It's, it's stupid. It's very stupid. It's, it's nonsensical. It's very stupid. Yeah. Um, not to the degree that, which I'd wait seven hours and a line for his bobblehead. The crazy thing to me is that like we haven't, you know, he's being an unbelievable hitter, but like he's starting to throw now. Yeah, I know. Like he's going to pitch next year for sure. So he's the best at both at everything and it's like, this is, I feel like it's not talked about enough. I mean, it should, it should, no, it should lead every sports talk radio station every day. Yeah. That the man who is maybe the best hitter in the world outside of Aaron Judge is also like the best pitcher too. And one of the best base dealers. Yeah. I mean, that's, I saw him live a couple of times, but last year when he was, when he's playing for the angels, that to me is the thing that like stuck out to me. Oh, he's a gazelle. He's, it's God like the way that he just, he goes around the bank, he's tall. It's unbelievable. His legs go on forever. All right. Let's talk down and work of MLB network in the cinephile podcast. Would you wait seven hours in line for his bobblehead dude with the, the, the dog decoy? Yes. I would not. That's a good job. You guys. This is amazing. Last time working, I see that line up like, Oh, well, you know, Dodgers and Orioles could be a potential world series. Pretty good. Oh, that's not why they're lining up. It's good. Oh, Tony bobblehead night. I go, okay. Well, it's for him. And it's dog decoy. Oh, that's why it's a seven hour. Okay. Fine. Let me see decoy up. That's the way up the first bit. Oh, up there to, it was bizarre. Uh, no, I'm trying to get the longest I would wait for a bobblehead. I'm going to say an hour to an hour and a half. Okay. I mean, long lines in general are kind of ridiculous. It makes you think about, you guys know how much I love tennis years ago, Agassie, when his book came out, which is an all time great book. It's called open. And I believe it was in Mississauga at, uh, you know, one of the bookstores in there. So when I lived in North York, so it was already a bit of a drive to get out there. I think I went an hour and a half. Yeah, but the time I get up there, all I said to Agassie was that match with James Blake was one of the greatest matches I've ever seen, that great match, the US Open. And Agassie signs the book and just goes, it's in there. So worth it. Sick. That wasn't worth it. I don't think an hour and a half away. He's like trying to sell you the book again. You already bought the book. You don't need to be sold again on the book. The only thing I wait a long time for is great food. I'm not seven hours, but like if I'm going to a really nice restaurant, they're like, it's going to be an hour wait. I'll wait for that. I'll wait in line for or not in line, but like wait for great food for a long time. I always will. Yeah, because I love the yeah, I don't know if I'd wait for anything. I did wait. I've done the bobble head wait because my kids are obsessed with bobble heads and but not seven hours. Like I've done the yeah, and then you said what like an hour, hour and a half. I think I've done that before for a George Springer bobble head because my kids were obsessed with it. Seven hours is and you actually that's false. There's one time where I've waited super long to I've waited overnight in a line once in my life. We're not in a tent. We were sitting on the sidewalk and chatted up with some people. I went to Bob Barker's tent. The last taping of the price is right. Okay. I waited in line overnight. Yeah, I was like, what a story. I was the last season about the tent though, but I've never seen him. I wanted to see Bob Barker in his final season. I waited for yeah, hours and hours and hours and hours and hours to see Bob Barker's tent. The last taping of the price is right. So yeah, so that's the longest I've ever waited at then. Wow. Yeah. Anytime that I see people like staying over them always appalled like I if you told me I've got to get up at five a.m. and wait at six and by noon, you'll get it. I'm like, okay. Like somehow you can rationalize them. Why you bring a book for your phone, do what you gotta do. Whenever I see tents. Yeah. Whenever I see people with slits getting back, like I gotta I gotta be the first ticket through the new Star Wars. But that that was yeah, fancy menace is going to go. I'm a people against outside movie theaters and thinking we've lost all these. Point in. Point in. Two bar. Yeah. I'm surprised you wouldn't wait in line to see a movie from here. Yeah. Like maybe of Scorsese. He's like last movie. It's one night only. How long would you wait? Yeah. You know, the movie would be longer than the one I was trying to I was trying to. I was trying to think how long I wanted for the Irish for tickets, but again, I bought the New York film sets, I bought those online, but you're right, if it was like Marty, one night only. Yeah. Don't play. I'll have like a hunger fast. I don't give a damn. I'll wait. So I thought we'd already seen the greatest season ever by Shohei Otani being like the best hitter and one of the best pitchers in all the baseball. I mean, he's not doing the pitching thing, but to be the first player to ever be 45, 45 or 50 50, like is that comparable like where where we put this in like the all time show it on Toni seasons. No, it's amazing. I like the fact that Sam also mentioned the first 45 45. Again, we look at round numbers. Okay. 50 50. I'm like, oh, even to be 45 40 times. It's never happened before. Now, my buddy and compatriot, Harold Vennel says told me that the late, really maze one time kind of sniffed and scoffed and was like, Oh, 40 40 like we could've done 40 40 all the time. It just was a big deal back then. Like it is notable that I think of 150 years of baseball history that 44 didn't happen until consecutive of eight eighties and all of a sudden a bunch of guys started doing it. So I don't know what necessarily that means, like what it's kind of odd that this is something that I agree is something notable like anybody who has that combination of power and speed. I mean, it didn't happen for the first, you know, X many years of baseball, but regardless, no one's got it. So if someone can do 45 45, that's amazing 50 50 is insane. I don't care. Willie made sense. He's going to do it or Mickey Mantle. They didn't do it. Oh, Toni's going to do it. And it's remarkable. In fact, he's going to win MVP first one ever as a guy who only played DH like he just is a trailblazer. So many ways. Anybody who says, well, you can't win an MVP of your DH, but look at all these numbers. Absolutely. You can't use that dominant offensively. And what he's done for this team is amazing. And again, the home runs are special. Of course, that home run by the way, yes, I'm watching that game live and I go, he did not get good. Look at that. Pips. How would he be able to be that strong enough to hit that ball out? It's crazy. But the speed is what blows me away. You know, because the power I get, he's big and strong and tall and I get it. But I never thought by wildest dreams, who would have the second most stolen bases in the National League? I mean, Ellie, don't like Groosby, Sean Hill, Toni, but there's just no way. And by the way, he didn't get caught feeling either. I believe it's 42 stolen bases. It's always been caught four times. So it's not like he's just out there being aggressive and abandoned for no reason. Like, oh, he's he's smart about it. He's crafty. It's helping his team win. And for a guy who we've never seen the likes of ever before to now do this in a season in which he's seemingly curtailed because you take great one of his superpowers. You can't pitch. Ha ha. See what you can do now. Oh, that's okay. I'll just be the best hitter in the league once again. And between him and Judge, I mean, it's a hell of a season because he's the best player in baseball. That's what I was going to say. Like, as incredible a season as, uh, Otani's having, you look across the American league and, you know, pales in comparison to the season that Aaron judges had, I can't, I imagine that Rod Manfred is praying to everything that he would pray to that they can get the Dodgers and the Yankees in the world series because, you know, those two franchises, those two superstars going to head, head to head in the world series, you know, you know, love the diamondbacks and the Rangers, you know, we can all talk about that, but I'm pretty sure the Rod Manfred would much prefer to have these two juggernauts on franchises that are like two of the premier and all of sports going to head to head in the world series is his dream. Oh my God, you know, it'd be all of our gyms. Let's be honest. I mean, I never want to say like I'm pushing for a certain match. But yeah, I mean, the Yankees Dodgers, it brings to mind all those matches they had way back in the 70s in the world series. And again, these are the two top fan bases. I mean, by attendance, I look the other day, Dodgers in number one, Yankees are two, Phillies are three, Padres are four. So you've got three mass markets in San Diego, I think it's now an underrated baseball town because the fact once they lost the charges, they believe in all their passion and emotion towards the Padres and San Diego, by the way, World Series be an amazing destination. I couldn't imagine how nice 70 would feel them. But yeah, I mean, Dodgers, I mean, he's that kind of star power every net on box. You're going to Otani judge, Otani judge, beat, rinse for beat. It would be amazing. And then you add to the supporting players, so called when you're looking at Juan Soto and Garrett Cole and you know, playing her shot on the World Series stage again. If you're going to be able to come back to the Dodgers, hopefully they'll be able to do so. Mookie Betts, Friday Freeman. I mean, it's insane. I mean, it's, you know, of course that won't happen because that's exactly why we'll get five seconds. Right. Rather than the feedbacks, Rangers, we're going to get like, you know, Guardians, you know, I don't know. Bro. Guardians. This is going to happen. The Mets will sneak into the wild card and then somehow beat the Dodgers in three games in the first year. Yeah, but at least that would be an exciting story, though. That would be the best. Yeah. That's right. That's right. There would be. It's like, it's like, it's like when you get feedback from your boss, right? The answer is never, never the best ever the worst. So if the best match would be against these Dodgers and the most challenging is Guardians and Brewers. Hopefully they get something in the middle. I just, I couldn't imagine. No matter. You can tell me anything. If you told me Royals in the world series, I get it like a national. People grow the rise. But then we're baseball fans. You tell me Bobby with the world series. That's going to be fun. So like I could tell any matches myself. Yeah. For sure. And the Royals are a prime example as to why. Yeah. You understand the Blue Jays are going to compete next year. The Royals lost 100 games last year and they're right in it for the division. The Yankees are an interesting thing. This that was going around yesterday and the the Rays lost yesterday to drop below 500. So the updated records for the Yankees against sub 500 teams is only five games over there. 31 and 26 against bad teams. And they're like middling like they're very good against above 500 teams. There's 17 games over 500 against good teams, 47 and 30. Does that indicate anything to you like you prefer it that way than the opposite, right? Where it's like there's so many of those those central division teams that are 500 against everybody else and just killed the White Sox this season. If you're a Yankees fan, isn't that encouraging that you actually haven't been that good against bad teams and you've been killing good teams? Yeah, without question, you know, it begins frustrating because you go, man, why don't we take care of business against a lousy team is but I'm with you. I never subscribe to the theory of like, well, take care of business against the bad team to see what happens to you. But don't give it a choice. I take that because you're like, I looked at those central teams records. It's ridiculous to joke how much they've beaten up in the White Sox. I believe the Royals are 12 and one against the White Sox this year. I think the twins are like 11 and two. So I don't get that. That's not a fair playing field. I get the team, which is pretty much going to set the rectal for most losses in a single season. Like the White Sox have to win like 11 of their next 30 games, but that's not going to happen. They're going to lose 121, 122, whatever it is. So I'm with you. If I start to look at all the best teams the American League, I don't need to immediately discount the central and Sam's point is accurate just as, you know, the Mets can pull up and up to the Dodgers. I believe that the Royals could potentially upset the Yankees, the Orioles. But but to me, I think there's a there's a lot of the occasion. I really do feel like it's Yankees Orioles, Astros, and then those central teams because Cleveland right now is floundering. I can't imagine any one pick of them to go anywhere deep Minnesota has got a hold up and down their line up. Lots. I looked at this during a lot of they didn't have any of Buxton career Lewis. Like if you know your top three hitters going, it's going to be really tough to win a series and Casey is an amazing story, but again, they're both and has a couple of challenges as well. And aside from three guys, like they've really carried their office. It's been with South Perez and pass Latino. They've got some some challenges as well. So I'm with you, man. I ultimately I still feel like the American League, Yankees, Orioles, Astros, really are the big three. Man, you mentioned the White Sox and I saw a clip last night where the guy threw it from home and hit him straight between the eyes and it's like that sums up the White Sox season. What? How did this happen? They were weren't they like the team that had had the best young team and they were like, you know, they're in that, I remember them in that little league World Series game and they, you know, the walk off in that game and they were this hot young team. I feel the dream. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The corn and like other they were the the everyone was praying that they could be like the White Sox and have their future and then they hired Tony LaRusa and they're now the worst team in the history of baseball. Like, what the hell happened with this team? It's crazy. Yeah. It's amazing. If you look back in the class, like four years ago, I believe they won 94 games and won the debates. It really has been just a staggering collapse default part like this. And you're right. The LaRusa decision was much criticized, but you can't blame Tony for this one. I don't think he was the right hire to do well, but this is not his fault for sure. I think what happened is this, your young stars didn't live up to the hype. So Luis Robert gets hurt, when he's healthy, he can be effective. He strikes out too much. He's not really expected. Eli Jimenez. Again, another disappointment. Michael Klopek, you got the Crystal Trades. Another disappointment. Well, now he went through the closure of the Dodgers. So who knows? He's for such days his career. The veteran guys you bought it and you're going to tend to be huge bust. So that's how it happens is that, you know, you, you, your young guys don't develop and then you're the guys you assigned don't come through and all of a sudden he just got a heart attack on you. And all you got, even here's the other two statements, the trade deadline, they could have traded right. Robert, they chose not to go to trade a crochet, but he made it very well known that he won a contract exchange wherever he was, and he was going to pitch out the bullpen. So he completely hamstring the team and they actually were looking to actually get some assets back. So all of a sudden they get that trade done in the off season and just go right from the seller. I mean, that's where they are right now, to just stink it up for a couple of years if the Astros did and rebuild it and you got to draft well. That's the other two. Now you have to draft. If you look at all those young players, what happened? They stunk and they draft well, they hit on Gunnar Henderson and Abby Rachman and Mayo and Norby the rest of that. Why don't you guys do the same? But you don't even get, aren't they? Isn't there picky? I'm strong this year. Yeah, they can not pick any higher than 11. That's stupid. No, that's great. You like it? Oh, yeah. Why, why should you be rewarded for this type of incompetence? Because you have been in for a hundred years. Yeah, I, I, I, I, I like it a lot. They were rewarded with a high pick last year. I guess. I think it's nice that you can lose 130 games and, and still only pick 11th in the upcoming draft. Before we let you go, buddy, you went to PNC. I was looking at taking my eight year old on a baseball road trip. Tell me about it. Ben, I, I can't recommend it enough. So wife and kids out of town and I got the place to myself and I know they ever think, what are you gonna do? Like poker and strip clubs? I'm like, no, I'm gonna go watch a baseball game. They're like, what? I, I never, I go, I've never been to PNC and everyone tells me it's one of the best parks in baseball and it'll be number 21 of 30 for me. So I hop in the car, it's a six, it's six hour drive. It's easier for you guys. Yeah. It's all right. Yeah. Four. Right. It was going to be for Hamilton. It's four hours. That's amazing. So six hours for me that, that 80, that 80 ease gets a little boring. Definitely a lot of hunting stores in the way there. If I want to go shoot a bear or something like our engineer, but instead I, I get to the park. And I got to tell you guys, man, it was a glorious site. I can't take another word. When I drove up and I saw the yellow of the Clemente bridge and I saw the water shining up the Allegheny. I'm like, it took my breath away. I couldn't believe it. Oh my God. This is gorgeous. And I could not wait to park the car immediately. And because Pittsburgh is kind of like, I would put it in college terms like a mid-major. Like it's, I guess it's a major city, but not really because it's a small big city. So the one thing I like is, you know, it's quite reasonable in terms of pricing. My first shock was the parking was only $15. Like, wow, so the ACCC at 45, like, oh, what a deal I got here in Pittsburgh. But man, walking that Clemente bridge, I got chills. And it's absolutely stunning, you see Clemente's face, the statue there, Willie Starr, Joel Hannes Wagner. And then you actually go on the park. And because I had the media pads, I can sit wherever. So I just go over to the community and sit wherever I want. So I'm sitting like on the first base side, they go, what is it? Definitely nice. It's, it's good. And I kept coming to that third base side. It's pretty good. It's not breathtaking. Like, it's a rare ballpark. The higher up you go, the better. Like, I couldn't imagine the Roger Center, you know, all these years later when I was a kid, of course, it's in the 500s now, I'm like, no, no, no, no, I'm going to be as close to the X as possible. Pittsburgh, the higher up you go, the better it is. I went to the press box. And again, as a rabbit Clemente bent, I'm going to sit in seat 21. So I sat in seat 21, the press box, and I'm taking pictures, and I'm like, this looks like a movie set. Like, the game is actually, it's actually too good because the game is immaterial. I just felt like staring at the bridge and the Pittsburgh down telling going, this looks like CGI. Like, you could not find a more perfect backdrop in baseball. And again, I'm pretty sure the moment I still, I still hold stubbornly to the fact that it Camden Yards is my favorite ballpark, but man, you could make a case, PNC is number one. It's number two already on my list. Oracle's up there. It's here at Cisco. Oh, it's too cold. But San Francisco is a beauty again, because you have the water. And again, I put Fenway and Riggly on the top fly, but I'm telling you, man, Ben, you've got to take your son. It will blow you. I guess the game is secondary to you, but no matter what, you're going to have a great topic. It is stunning. And I couldn't decide. I go, I don't know if it's prettier during the day or at night, even at night, I was blown away by it. It was an 18 to 8 game, the Cubs set a record by stealing each basis of the most in like 110 years, and I had no idea what's going on. I was just, I was just in trans by the beauty of the collection bridge. And by the way, go then with your Silicon Valley Museum, which I get the next day. Amazing. I mean, just a treasure trove of artifacts and memorabilia and pictures, it was, it was awesome. I feel like you work for like the tourism board of Pittsburgh, like that because now I do like I was like on the fence and yeah, I have no choice. I'm like a bad father, I guess. Don't take my kid to go see it. Again, as a dad, you're always looking at prices. This is a very affordable ticket for your four hour drive. You'll get a cheap ticket. Literally sit in the highest row up. You and your son are going to have a black and then premiere to brothers, which is their big thing, astronomy sandwich, coleslaw and French fries. It's got to go in the sandwich. It was filled with coffee and it was spot after seat. Oh, I love it. You're always a joy to talk to body. Thanks for this. Thanks, bud. Likewise. Thanks, boy. Take care. All right. See you at NANVERC MLB network. I know we got to go. We were talking about judge. You know, he is slashing in August. Stupid. We got 15, 556, 927 for an OPS of 1.482 with 24 RBIs and 12 home runs. It's pretty good. Yeah. I guess you take it. It's like Barry Bonds. Yeah, it's very good. It's 45th best season. And by the way, it's August 29th. So it's not like it's August 1st here. It's August 2nd. Yeah. Anyways. Yeah. No. It's tremendous, tremendous stuff. So you'll be back tomorrow. I will be back tomorrow. Okay. Do you hear the thing here? Yeah. Good morning, Chef. Ben N.S. and McKee Sports have found out about it, Ben. Good morning. [MUSIC PLAYING] (upbeat music) (dramatic music)
