[MUSIC] >> Gotta do that, Sean Paul. [MUSIC] >> So I'm with the podcast, let's just again, that's a better. >> Should have been at the show. >> Goddard loves that one. >> Yeah. [LAUGH] >> A fan for each show, Sportstime 5.9 of the fan. Ben Anastamakey, Samakey in for Brent Gunning because he's at the Sean Paul show. >> Sean about it. >> Yeah, this is wife. I mean, I- >> To be a fly in the wall. >> Yeah, it is not his idea, I'm sure. >> No, I think- >> No, really? >> Yeah, we got to tap. >> My impression was that it was not his idea. >> Really? >> I think he may have even said that explicitly, but you think that is like his jam. >> I do, okay. >> I think he's got some like, he's a sneaky like, you know, rap lover, like R&B lover. Like he's got that side to him, for sure. >> Huh? >> I remember he like, he told me once that he has like a triple XL LeBron James High School Jersey. >> [LAUGH] >> He definitely has that side, maybe you were last night. >> Yeah, who knows if the triple XL, how that fits now? >> Anyways, Blue Jays are very bad. >> Yeah. >> This season in general, they've been better recently and you know, you want to kill a team for being on a two game losing streak after they had a season high five slide. Flash six game winning streak. >> I like the winning better. >> But yeah, they have scored a bunch of runs. They clearly need massive upgrades this off season to both the bullpen and the entire lineup, okay? And maybe a little to the rotation as well, but I would say if you're breaking the team. >> [LAUGH] >> But like, if you're breaking it down into three triads, right? I think the starting but would you like to add another capable major league starter like we talked about? >> They don't need to be a superstar by any stretch to imagine it. Just a guy that can contribute. >> Yeah, they need superstars in the lineup. And they could use like a superstar reliever as well. >> Mm-hm. >> I've now come around to what I think is my ideal off season. >> Okay. >> Okay, and this is probably not likely to land all these fish. >> Mm-hm. >> Especially the one at the top of my. >> Let's get nuts. >> My want list, but you. >> Let's get nuts. >> You can imagine a scenario where this happens this off season. >> Okay. >> Okay, so you need an outfield there. Clearly Dalton Varshow George Springer are gonna occupy two thirds of your outfield, okay? >> Yep. >> Whether you like it or not. >> And I don't love it. >> But I will say, Springer I think for August has been in a down spoon again. But I like that he looks like a capable naturally. >> Yeah, he's gonna hit 20 home runs every year playing. >> He's getting the value on that contract ever for the next two seasons. >> Sure. >> But at least he can play. >> Yeah, he's not, this is not like Chris Davis at the end of his career where it's like, you gotta trot him out there because the contract dictates that that's the reality you're living. >> The probability you're living here where I was like, he can't play. >> Yeah, it was him and Boba Shek were the two worst qualified hitters in all of baseball. >> Awful. >> And Boba Shek has not had an opportunity to rectify that and George Springer has and he had an incredible little run there in July. And yeah, now the numbers are respectable and he's playing pretty good defense in a quarter outfield spot. Dalton Varshow now with his recent hot streak has the offense now close to league average again, has the power potential and the defensive run saved leader in all the baseball. >> Unbelievable how good he is. >> So you got two thirds of your outfield set. You need another out fielder. And obviously at the top of the list, it's hard not to look at what Anthony Santander has done. And I get it, it's a 30 year old in a walk year having a career year, but this has always been a guy that has plenty of pop switch hitter. And I know some of the defensive metrics are not that kind to him in a corner outfield spot. I'd be fine with Anthony Santander, patrolling left field for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2025. Blue Jays need another bat, though, hit in the middle of the line. One's not going to do it. One's not enough. Even with the 40 home runs that Santander is going to hit this season. >> Santander switch hitter? >> Yes. >> Yeah, okay. >> Yeah, so some versatility, not a huge walk guy, kind of like the switch hitting version of Teosker Hernandez, honestly. >> Okay. >> And I mean, I guess- >> Who I heard is a free agent as well. >> He is, I mean, as much as sure, that would also make sense. It feels like because he plays in LA, and because he's having the season he's had, he's going to be a higher profile free agent. And maybe the Dodgers just enjoyed the experience so much that they bring him back, and it's hard to go head to head with the Dodgers. Maybe it's hard to go head to head with the Orioles as well with their new ownership, but yeah, they have so many young players. Like, eventually you got to start opening up some places for the more young players that they have below the Major League level still, and I mean, most of them are infielders. Anyways, yeah, they're going to maybe make an attempt to bring him back, and he'll be a highly coveted option in free agency. You need another bat, though. One's not going to cut it, okay? There are some available. There's some guys that play on the infield. Like, there's the Alex Bregman's, Matt Chapman's of the world. First of all, I don't even know if Alex Bregman's going to keep playing third base this season. He feels like a diminishing asset as well. Like, he feels like he's in pretty steep decline. I think Matt Chapman's probably going to re-sign in San Francisco. Alex Bregman seems like the guy you love the idea of. Sure. And then in actual practice, it's like, do you really want to rebuild the Astros of like, you know, seven years ago? Seven years after they're good? Yeah, no, I'm good. I'm good. No. Yeah. So I'm going to scratch those guys. I don't think Vlad is winning any gold gloves at third base, but yeah, I think he can get by. I think, I think you can get by with Vlad splitting time at third base, first base, and D8. You can find a way to make it work. I'm done leaning into defense. You got to do whatever it takes to create the best offensive lineup. Christian Walker, maybe people aren't that familiar with his over playing in Arizona and first base and playing defense at an elite level at first base. It's first base. Yeah. Vlad's won a gold glove there, but there's a guy that gets on base and hits for power. He's a right handed hitter and is not going to be in the Pita Lonzo pile. Like, sure, Pita Lonzo, would I would I love to throw 50 home run power in the middle of this lineup as well. If you're going to go after a first baseman, I think like a tier below. And honestly, maybe a more well rounded offensive player in Christian Walker at first base. So Vlad and him, they there's a time share at first base. You also do not have some full time DH clogging up the DH slot. And of course, now Vlad willing to play third base. And I don't think it's going to be an absolute butcher there. If Raphael Divers can hack it, I think you'd be all right with Vlad. There are a couple of times a week. He is a butcher though. Yep. Divers is a butcher. Yep. I think he kicks it around. If you if you've got one of the best offensive players in the American League, I think you can get by with the defense that Vlad provides at third base Christian Walker, Anthony Santandera. And then in the bullpen, we just saw what 35 36 year old Kenley Janssen getting it done. He's a free agent. How is he throwing 96 now? Did he ever throw that hard? Well, yeah, I felt like he there and they mentioned it on the broadcast yet. There was a time like in recent vintage was like, Oh, this guy is now getting by with guts and guile. And now he's rushing it off. I think that was not guts and guile. That was heat. I mean, he's going to be expensive in the relief pitching market terms. But this is not a guy that you're going to have to outlay your entire off season spending on you. I love what Chad Green is giving you this year. And maybe even Chad Green is given the first kick of the can in the closest role in 2025. He's wearing that after what he's done. He's been so good. Has do you like this zero blown saves this season? Very good. Yeah, 15 for 15 save opportunities out of James. But yeah, you I mean, the possibility exists that, you know, he's not able to replicate that a season after this one. You need somebody else with closing experience. All right. So you got Anthony Santander, Christian Walker, Kenley Janssen. Honestly, that's not it. But those would be the headline items. One, just like saying those names, if that if that came to fruition, how would you feel sight unseen about the Blue Jays in 2025? Better. Better. I think I mean, I think it's easy to say how much you love Anthony Santander with his history against the J's and at the Roger Center. He's a guy that absolutely owns the J's. And I mean, it feels like that whole lineup does, but especially him. He's a scary hitter. I love the switch hitting ability. I'm not sure what his splits are from the left and right. But he feels equally as dangerous from both sides. And I think maybe a little better lefty if I'm not mistaken. Anyways, I really like Anthony Santander. I have no idea what that contract is going to look like. It's going to be high. He's having a career season for a really good team. It is dangerous to sign like a 30 year old free agent who's having a career year, but he's always been a big power. No, but like he doesn't. It's not like he's stonking years before. Like he's always, like you said, he's been a power threat and the J's need some home runs. I like Santander a lot, and I'd be really happy with that. But like that's going to be a really, really expensive contract. So, but that's what you, I mean, you need somebody who's going, well, you're not going to get cheap guys that make this team better. Like you need to get out of the, you know, you need to get out of the, the Justin Turner, Kevin Keer, my career for left barrel, like you mentioned before. So I like that. I like him a lot. Not as familiar with Christian Walker's game, having a quick peruse of his baseball reference. Like what I'm seeing. I do like the ability to have, you know, him play first. I don't love Latin third. I don't. I just, I feel like it's the durability factor. And like how much he plays is such a huge important thing with, with him in terms of how valuable is to the J's. Like he doesn't miss games. I just, I feel like him dying. I mean, a real study done on, on how different the wear and tear is on your body at first base and third base, because you can go, I, is it though? Because you can go games. No, you can go games with like a play or no plays at third base. You can't go a game without doing anything at first base. It's a good point. But it just feels like, you know, I don't know, you're diving around over there more. There's, you know, you're running in on balls, you're running back. I just feel like there's more action or maybe high, no, there's not more action, but like higher risk action on third base. Maybe it's just, I don't know, you're maybe right. You're maybe right. First base, maybe more of a risk. I don't know. No, it's a generally accepted view. I just, I need, I need like a Mike Petriello to do a deep dive on this. Okay. Text him. He'll maybe go to that for you. I, I just, I hate the idea of it. I don't think he's that great over there. And it just maybe take him out of his rhythm, that how good of a hitter he is. And he's thinking about his defense. And there's just, I don't love it. But if you're going to bring in a guy, the only reason I'm going to like it, is if you bring in a guy like Christian Walker, who's like, okay, this guy is an established, really good first baseman. That's a great hitter that it's like, you're not bringing in some, you know, bottom of the barrel first baseman to replace flatty. I get it if you're bringing in a top of the line guy and I live with it. And I mean, how many really good third baseman are there really in the major leagues in terms of like, I'm trying to think across here. Who are the best third baseman? Yeah, I mean, you got Matt Chapman who's still doing it in Nolan, Aaron Otto defenders. Yeah, no, it's, it's not generally a spot where you necessarily have to have your, the world's best defender. Yeah, I mean, Blue Jays fans have been spoiled with the match happening before him, Scott Roland. Like, we've seen some, some incredible defenders. We've also seen it go incredibly poorly in the early days of Edwin and Karnasi on how devastating that can be. I think maybe that's in the back of my mind. But here's the thing about Edwin. It was devastating because he couldn't throw to first base. The reason why Vlad is nobody's Brooks Robinson at third base is because he doesn't, his range is limited. It's got a good arm. You will, honestly, if you're not looking for it, you might not even notice the, the lack of range, right? You'll just say, Oh, well, there's a ground ball base hit man. Well, that's well placed, right? Not dissimilar. He would find it. Yeah. Not dissimilar to the way Jose Reyes was a horrible defender before a Troy to Lewitzki arrived. And then you noticed, Oh, those ground balls that used to be base hits are now outs. And there was, I mean, in the first couple of days of torture, Oh my God, counting them per game. And it was at least three, which is an inning. It's a bit different. It's like having, you know, shortening the game by an entire inning with the defense. So it's not going to look as bad as the numbers will suggest. No, the numbers are correct. Like, yeah, you'd way rather have a match up in a third base than Vladimir Guerrero Jr. But the, the arm will not be the issue for him. All right. So here's, here's the way the lineup would look like, okay, what you have something else. Well, I'll just say on Janssen, I hate paying relievers. Sure, but you have to. Well, do you have to pay for one? Of course, you pay for one for sure. Yes. To me, the ideal scenario is to have failed starters in your organization that and just emerged, but they haven't been able to try that either. Pearson now plays with the Cubs, so it doesn't work out. But I, part of what I've loved from this hot stretch, from some of these good, young ish quote unquote, young ish hitters, is that they may not all be contributors to the team next year, but you may tantalize another general manager into giving you a decent relief arm for one of these guys. Sure, right? Like if you're looking at, if somebody's like, hey, we'll give you a seventh inning guy for what you've seen from Ernie Clemente, or Spencer Horowitz, or one of these guys, like that's something that I would be considering, right? I think that's where you're looking to trade with these guys for bullpen help. Yeah, you need that too. For sure. Like the bullpen needs a complete overhaul, Sam, with baseball, always like every year it just, you sign a couple of guys and it gets hot, like it's almost volatile thing. We talk about it all the time, but I would be terrified of a Kelly Janssen contract, for sure. Like that is something that would really kind of mortify me, but if you need to do it, you need to do it. I mean, I don't hate it, but yeah, I mean, he's coming off a three-year deal where he was making 16 million per. It's not going to be that, right? Yeah, that's a lot. At most, it's going to be a two-year deal you would think. You need some bullpens have no certainty. Got it. Understood. Yes. But you need some level of certainty with somebody who's an established back of the bullpen reliever. Right now. They have one. Chad Green. Chad Green. So you need four. Yeah. You need four guys. Yeah. I mean, Brandon Little is like your second most high leverage reliever right now. I ran a little little stock. Stocked down. Stocked down after last night. Yeah. Anyways, fine. So let me give you the lineup. Okay. So here's what you got. Okay. If you pull off my dream, yes, free agency heist of Anthony Santander and Christian Walker. I'm saying, if you throw a lot of money at both those guys, you probably get them. I would think Santander feels like he's going to, he's going to get the most money because of, yeah, the extreme power numbers, but Christian Walker's not that far behind. Anyways, in the position you can play. So here's, I guess you got a default to George Springer leading off in right field. This is also a scenario where Boba Shedd is not traded in the off season, okay? Oh, okay. Yeah. So Bose into Vlad three. And in this lineup, I got him as the DH. Okay. All right. Your cleanup hitter is Anthony Santander. Oh, I love it. I like that. Yeah. And yeah, the splits are very even, right? Lefties, righties. So he's in there, each year, like every day, cleanup hitter, it's not Hey, here's Dalton Varshow, Dalton Varshow hitting cleanup despite the fact that he's never done that in his professional life. All right. So Anthony Santander is your cleanup hitter, switch hitter. You can go righty lefty all the way down the lineup. You got Christian Walker right behind him, who also has 30 home run power. And then you got Dalton Varshow, who's going to hit 20 home runs. And he got Alejandro Kirk, who I think we're now of the opinion that he can be a league average hitter once again. It looks more closely aligned with the Alejandro Kirk, who was an All-Star Spencer Horowitz at second base again, as you go righty lefty. And then I know I just said you probably don't want Horowitz in comment in your lineup at the same time. But I think you can get by if Santander and Walker are both acquired this offseason, you got Ernie Clement and hit nine playing third base. Yep. That seems good enough. 88 wins. That's it, right? That doesn't get the juices flowing beyond that. I'm being a meanie. I'm being not a nice guy. I think that's a good team. That's good. You can run. Okay, again, granted, it takes imagining, and I don't think this is too far a leap, that Boboshette can get back to being one of the best hitters in the American League. You can go both lads, Santander, Walker in the middle of your lineup. Great stretch of hitters. It is. It really is. And I actually have zero worry about Boboshette being Boboshette again. It was a bad start to the year that he's been hurt. But like you look at the OPS is over his career. He's been over 800 every year except this year. So like I'm not concerned about Bo. He can hit. He'll be fine. I'm just concerned about going into the season with him next year is potentially a free agent and all the stuff that surrounds that. And yeah, I mean, you're going to get the best version of him. Sure. But if they're middling at the deadline and everybody's having that conversation, like I don't, I don't love that. But no, I want Boboshette to be on the J's next year. And he'll be a good hitter. I love that stretch. And I think that's a really, I do think that's realistic. Maybe the Orioles with their new ownership pay up and they're like, we got to keep this guy. We're in a new era of Orioles baseball where we don't let guys go or whatever. So maybe they keep they maybe they keep them. But I I'm liking what you're throwing down here. Now it's just the to Ross Act and the Marks fire to do it. Yeah, it's a special question. No one no one so though. Yeah, who's going to occupy a lot of a lot of a lot of a lot of people's time this whole season. Yeah, I mean, if he gets he's probably going to get shohio thoughty money, I would imagine. Yeah, I don't know if he's going to get 700 million. But people seem pretty certain that the five to six right when he's unbelievable. He's like 18 years old. Yeah, he'd be 26 years old. That's crazy. Yeah, shohio tani is like a unicorn in so many different ways, including being a 40 40 guy who has a chance to being the first 50 50 and hit a home run on his bobble head day yesterday. By the way, I don't know if people saw the the images outside of Dodger Stadium yesterday. People were lined up seven hours before first pitch to get a shohio tani bobble head of him and his dog decoy. Yeah. And this so there's a lot that goes along with that. But yeah, no, dude, I think Juan Soto is going back to the Yankees at some ridiculous price 600. Yeah, I think they may be in full to franchise mode if they're unable to bring back Juan Soto that can even pay. It's the damn minutes. I mean, the Dodgers did their spending. I mean, that's the dream scenario is that we get into a Yankees Mets bidding war for a free agent, which has never happened in their franchise history. Hey, no, no, I'm not casting unfair allegations at anybody. But like if ever there was like a gentleman's agreement not to go after the same free agent, it might exist with those two markets. I mean, the same market. No way. That Steve Cohen doesn't want to stick it to the Yankees. I'm sure he does. But yeah, I'm I'm sure neither of those ownership groups wants the price of free agents to go point astronomical. But I don't think there's any avoiding it with the ones. And yeah, I guess. Well, if the chains were willing to pay show a tani 700 million, they wouldn't be willing to pay Juan Soto that money. It does feel like this, the Otani thing was just an outlier because of the the ancillary income that you can create in the Asian market. But what about, uh, aren't flatty and him buds. Soto, sure. Flatty's buds with everybody. Everybody from Latin America. I thought he was like, I thought they were tight. I thought Soto and him were tight. Sure. Okay. There's a similar age. I'm just talking into existence. I'm just talking into existence here. Sure. Oh, so yeah, you're right. If I was going to do the dream off season, and even what I said is not realistic. So if I'm not being realistic, I should have just gone at him. Well, Soto and Soto, Pete Alonso, bring Matt Chapman back and everybody. Juan Soto is a pleasure to watch play. But obviously so good. Yeah, he is unbelievable. I can't imagine squandering what Aaron Judge is doing this season, belly to belly, and maybe the only season he'll ever play with Juan Soto. Aaron Judge is a season is out of control. He's looking at his splits for for August yesterday. If you looked at his August numbers, it's just it's it's out of this world. He's having a very bad season. It's unbelievable. Yeah, it's it's ridiculous, ridiculous stuff. All right. I can't have you in here and not talk leaps at all. Oh, we'll talk. We'll talk to Jason Bucala in the next segment. Anyways, but um, trying to camp less than three weeks away. There's a lot of NHL storylines. Very few of them, though, exist in this city. I mean, we're trying to drum up as much interest we can in the Nick Robertson thing who's a restricted free agent. We've seen this this play out with Rasmus Sandin before. He's got no leverage. And if there was interest out there for his services, he would assign an offer sheet somewhere and not be a Toronto Maple Leaf. What's going to happen? We're going to get to camp and he's going to realize his only leverage is not playing, except that kills his leverage because he needs to play to establish his value. So he's going to sign his restricted free agent deal and he'll be in the mix and and maybe a depth forward option on the left side for the Toronto Maple Leafs. We've got the Mitch Marner thing hanging over everybody's head, but it's quiet now. Oh, you think it's going to really like, okay, the first media availability is going to be a big deal, but it just, it feels like it is what it is now, that the guy is going to play out the season. And if they have postseason success, because what he does during the regular season is irrelevant. I can't imagine we get to a William Neelander spot where it's like, well, you're going to walk this guy to free agency. Want, want to go? I mean, that's what I mean. That's insanity. That's insanity. Like, they paid William Neelander. I love William Neelander. William Neelander has taken so many steps and is a true superstar in the game, but they paid him at the peak of his powers. Well, that's another reason why Brad for living is not going to just hand everything that Nick Robertson wants because he has to establish that he has some ability to negotiate. I just, I don't know if Mitch Marner is having the season that he always has. And the every fan, every sports talk radio show, and including Real Kipram Borne, that every time he has three points, you know, the price is going up like every day. Well, that's insane, though, because he doesn't expect him to do that this year. Well, that's what I mean. Well, he was literally having a career year, right? No, but William Neelander really, he had a career year for sure, but he was really good years before that too. Sure, but never like that. I mean, he was one of the best players in the league when he went on that the Swedish road trip and he was, he was great. He was like, neck and neck with Austin Matt. He was great. He was great. But I just, I feel like the conversation was similar around him in the offseason Latin where it's like, wow, you're just going to have to either trade him or like, they weren't, you weren't talking about signing him. Everyone was talking about you had to trade and you had to trade him in the offseason or like whatever. That was a huge conversation. It was a very similar conversation as it was with Marner this offseason and it's going to be going into this year where he's has his stretches, where he absolutely carries the leash like he does every year. There's always that stretch and we're going to be like, you're going to let him go? Sure, he has this word to the player. I'm sure that sure that, but you got to keep this guy around and then he's going to sign a $13 million contract for eight years and we're going to be stuck with this for the rest of our lives. That's what's going to happen. Except the difference was that, and it wasn't, and people use this stat because it is jarring, but it was also true that William Kneelander just on a points and goals per game basis had the playoff pedigree to a degree. Like if we're judging these guys or two more guys, right? I got it. But like, he was not viewed as the postseason choker that William Kneelander or that Mitch Marner is, right? Like, and there will be nothing that Mitch Marner can do during the regular season to erase that, right? I'm not discounting the possibility that it happens in the postseason. If it does, then the price goes through the roof and then if you're the Leafs, you're almost happy to pay it. Yeah, because it's not going to eclipse Matthews, right? Well, I think he'd want to. Well, that's insanity too. Well, I mean, listen, listen, you know the perception that he's just a year after signing his extension. Like a year later? Yeah, I mean, I just, I know the way these things go, and I know what the conversation is going to be every day. And when he's lighted up, people are going to be like, how are you going to let this guy walk? He's one of the best wingers in the game in this prime team candidate guy. He's going, Oh my God, after his five point night against the San Jose Sharks, everybody's like, you gotta pay him. I just know how it's going to go and the the sounds going to get loud. And if you walk him to free agency, and you just lose him for nothing, and he goes somewhere else, and he wins, or he goes somewhere else, and he's really good on a really good team. It is going to look back on one of the most failed tenure and living like it's going to be it's going to be brutal. But you'd have no choice but to have that happen if you're out in the first round again, even after he has a tremendous first or a tremendous regular season. And I would say that like the stress level and the fan base doesn't feel nearly the same as it must feel like in Edmonton where you leave on dry titles in the same practical situation where he's a free agent at the end of this year. And I know it just feels like it's a matter of time. And Evan Bouchard is a restricted free agent next off season. It's a matter of time. I keep hearing that. Well, yeah, I love it with like in Toronto, martyrs gone. But like the same thing with dry settles, like it's a matter of time. Okay. Well, yeah, you would think or yeah, and clearly it's a different scenario entirely in Boston with Jeremy Swamin who literally doesn't have a contract for this upcoming season. But yeah, I would just say in comparative terms, there are other more stressful situations around the league. I would agree. And I'm just I'm shocked at the lack of discourse or surrounding Mitch Marner this off season. I mean the sick of having the same conversations, but yeah, the best we got is like the occasional Instagram picture, which yesterday is a nuclear I can't even look at. Well, he's wearing a shirt that says, maybe this time, this time I might just disappear. Uh huh. We get it. He may disappear to Columbus. You never know. Welcome to Utah, Mitch Marner. All right. When we come back, we'll talk to your friend of mine. Jason Buchola, Sportsout hockey central analyst next is the fan morning show continues. Ben Anasamikis, Sportsout 590 the fan. Big opinions and in-depth conversations covering the Leafs, J's, Raptors and the NFL, the JD Bunken podcast. Subscribe and download the show on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You Fan morning shows, Sportsout 590 the fan, Ben Anasamikis filling in for ranked gunning today tomorrow. And then a couple of days next week is we have Monday off for Labor Day. I'm joking. You had me surprised. I thought we had to hash this out that you were in next week. Yeah, you're in next week, uh, two days. Great. And then, uh, Brent will be back on Thursday of next week. Um, so Leaf Camp opens up next month. They have a restricted free agent who doesn't have a contract. Yeah. Nick Robertson, who says he's sticking to his guns or at least the reports are that he's sticking to his guns. He just doesn't want to sign a contract with Maple Leafs. He doesn't want to be a Toronto Maple Leaf wants to be somewhere else. He's been treated unfairly. He scored a lot of goals. He's set a second. He's man. He scored 15 goals point per boo, boo, boo. Yeah. How would you say a Mitchell on the playoffs? Hold on zeros. I'm with you on the player. Okay. But it he's going to put forth an argument that he was second only behind Austin Matthews in five out of five goals per 60. Oh, yeah, I'm not listening to that. I'm like, enjoy. Yeah. Yeah. Well, he's ready to learn Chinese. He's, um, he's got very limited leverage. It's not even arbitration eligible. But, uh, yeah, as a restricted free agent, he can withhold his services. But yeah, that you can't go play anywhere else unless he signs an offer sheet, which he has yet to do. All right. Time now for our insider brought to you by Don Valley, North Lexus, where you can expect excellence online and in the showroom, visit Don Valley, north Lexus.com. Today's insider, the great Jason Buchola Sportsnet, hockey central analyst. How's it going, Jason? Good morning, folks. Awesome. Sammy McKee from the bullpen. I love it. I love it. Not by choice, my friend, but I'm here. Stay awake so far. I'm awake. We're halfway through the show. I'm doing good. Yeah. He's on pace and he's still working on his coffee. So that's good. So Nick Robertson, what is the ceiling for the player? I don't think anybody thinks that he's like a key cog and going to be getting MVP votes down the line. But what do you see is the ultimate destination for Nick Robertson? Well, a destination is a tough one. I think destination wise, rebuilding opportunity will be best served for him and maybe the organization. I mean, you know, it's easy for me to just sit here and throw out San Jose and, you know, these teams that are going to be kind of in that type of mix. But that is the reality. Like he needs a chance to to prove a couple of different things. First of all, that he can obviously stay healthy, continue to stay healthy. And then, you know, just do what he does. And for the team who does acquire him, if that happens, to allow for him to play despite his works, you know, like, listen, he's competing really hard playing to the best of his ability, I believe. I thought that we got, you know, I thought in Toronto, you probably got the best version of him mostly last year and 14 goals without any power playtime. But he is what he is, guys. Like he's he's a dart dash guy. He's obviously skilled. Health has been an issue in the past. There's a place for him in the NHL. I don't see how Toronto gets better with him in the mix. And that's obviously how the player feels as well. So time to move on and just see if there's a fit out there. Well, you talk about opportunity, though, Boox. Like, isn't this the best opportunity he's going to get with the Leafs right now? Like you look at the left wing depth on this team and it's not exactly sparkling. You know, it's a new coach. It's a new opportunity. I know maybe in the perception of Craig Ruby is that maybe Nick Robertson wouldn't be his favorite type of player, which is a completely fair thought. But, you know, wouldn't you just want to sign your contract that you're probably going to sign elsewhere anyway, come into camp, maybe prove that you can get a spot on the Leafs, play well on the Leafs, and then get a bigger contract somewhere else. It just seems weird to me that he's wanting to get out of Toronto when it's obviously the best chance for him to make the team right now, like to contribute to the team right now. Like you look at the depth on the left side. It's just not there, bud. No, no, I totally agree with that. I mean, I think the argument to be made then is that style of player, what they need as a group to continue to move forward. Like, is this a discussion that we're going to continue to have through the course of the year? And as we get close to the trade deadline, like, is this a type of player that is required for them to hopefully have some playoff success? And I think that he reads the tea leaves that way. He's been there, done that. And so I think if you take a look at from the players' perspective, I'm sure he's torn because he would like, he likes everything he just said makes total sense. But if there's a mental block that, you know, I feel like I've given my, I've given what I can give to this point as it works, maybe he's not as motivated to try and get it done here anymore as strange as that sounds. No, it's a fair point. I just wonder, I mean, I don't wonder, I know that he doesn't have a ton of leverage here, right? Jason, like, he's a restricted free agent. He can shop himself. And I'm sure his agent is out there talking to all kinds of teams, trying to tantalize them with an offer sheet, which has yet to materialize. So the only thing other than that he can do is just not sign and not show up. But this is a guy who is not an established NHLer, which seems like that would be a big mistake to do that. We did see this a couple of years ago with Rasmus Sandine, and it was kind of a similar situation as well, because there was a couple of injuries on the blue line, and there was an opportunity there. And lo and behold, he showed up. He signed his two-year deal as a restricted free agent showed up and eventually was traded out of town. I just, for these restricted free agents in his spot where he clearly feels, and there's arguments to be made that there's more there with an expanded role. I just don't know, like, what is the leverage for him? How can he force the issue here? That's the other issue. I mean, that's the reality. So as we sit here in Smithball, and we throw things at the wall, let's just be realistic. He has zero leverage, and he's a restricted free agent. So, you know, in a perfect world for the player and for the Toronto Maple News organization, he signs a contract. You see how it goes at training camp. You see where the fit is, and see how it goes with the new coach, etc, etc. You have a great training camp, and then if the two of you come together and say, listen, we really don't see a long-term fit for whatever reason, and you've had a hell of a training camp, now you have more leverage, and you have more interest out there, because as you guys know, at training camp, there's going to be guys on the wire because of salary cap restrictions, guys coming off PTOs. There's going to be all kinds of movement, you know, and that's probably the best case scenario to resolve this in my estimation, and that's really what he should do. He can't sit on the sidelines with zero leverage at training camp. When it comes to training camp, he needs to get in a uniform. He needs to showcase his talent, and there's got to be a process made here. So, you're talking about training camp, and NSNI, we're talking about this a little bit before you got on the show, and talking about the marner thing, and heading into camp on sign, and heading into this season on the side. Ben and I disagreed on the amount of circus-ness this was going to have. Does this have circus potential for this season with marner on the side? 100%. It's got circus potentials for at the beginning of training camp. There's going to be some hard questions that are going to be kind of thrown in his way. Stories don't die in Toronto, and quotes don't go away, right? And people don't forget certain things. So, let's not forget he is the hell of a player. He's one of the top offensive threats in the National Hockey League in regular season. There's no doubt about that, but yeah, the contract thing, it's going to be interesting to see what his perseverance is like to if and when, you know, if he doesn't get a contract extension. I personally wouldn't be making it happen anytime soon. I know that sounds crazy, but you know, there's a lot of noise around the player, and we just got to let him come to camp, play, get used to the new coach again. I'm going to keep throwing that out there. New coach, new culture, new new new do a lot of things and new expectations, right? So, but boy, oh boy, it's going to, he's not comfortable in front of everybody. I think as we can tell, and it's going to be loud. It's going to be loud, unfortunately. Yeah, the first media availability is going to be a circus. No doubt. We have short memories here, though. Like I just, I find it hard to believe that it's going to be a continuing narrative. And I think we're going to get to the place that we got to this office. I thought this off season would be full of noise. And, you know, maybe Brad's reliving did take the the nuclear option of making it hard on the player and kind of forcing him to wave his no move clause and trying more in earnest to move him. That didn't happen. I think we're going to get to the place where everybody just plays this thing out to the end. And if we see some, some postseason, you know, again, incredible Leafs playoff run, maybe he remains a Toronto Maple Leaf beyond the 24-25 season. If not, they just walk him straight to free agency. Now the comparable Jason would be the narrative around William Neelander at this similar point last season, and that he just played himself into a spot where Brad's reliving felt he had no choice, but just to acquiesce to his contract and demands and signing him to an extension. Could you see a scenario like that playing out for Will, for Mitch Marner, that he plays just so well that you got no choice but to design him to an extension? Yeah, I can see that. I can see a lot of things. I mean, I can also see that, you know, his agents, Darren Ferris, who's not forgetting Darren Ferris's strategy traditionally has been to walk his clients to free agency to get the biggest bag for their buck. So I can see a lot of different scenarios playing out here. The unfortunate part of this is that we, everybody knows that Mitch Marner is a hell of a player in regular season. I think we can establish that. We feel comfortable saying that. But the issue remains the prove it at the hardest time of year. And when you wait that long, and then you might as well be waiting for it up until June to get it done. Because really what you're saying is that we need you to do it this way in the playoffs. So Neelander, Neelander's start last year was electric, if we all recall. That was unbelievable, and he earned it at 10.9 million already for Marner. I guess that's my other question. Like, where are we going here? You know, like, is it, is it, you know, is it going to be 12-5? Like, what's the number going to be in relation to the team structure going forward? So a lot of moving parts. I think it's going to take a long time. That's my guess. And it's just going to have to play itself out. So another guy that's looking for a contract and his eligible assigned one is DryCidal and Edmonton. Are you surprised that that hasn't happened yet, Boox? Where are we at with that? Not really surprised only because there are so many moving parts in Edmonton this offseason. Obviously, the new general manager trying to see where they were going to, you know, offer sheets with, you know, throw that in there as well. You know, so yeah, no, not surprised. I think I feel like that's going to get done. I feel like they have an understanding amongst themselves there about, you know, they're in their window and they've gotten a lot closer than, you know, obviously, Toronto has and they feel better about where they're going. And, you know, they have some holes in the back end and some more. It's just like all all contending teams do. But I feel like that one's going to get itself sorted out. Jeremy Swamin needs a contract like right now. He doesn't have one to play this upcoming season. There's these reports that that he's asking for 10 million per book. So this this is a guy who has been really good when he's played, which isn't a ton. He's never been the unquestioned number one starter even during the regular season and even to start last post season like start game one. But Lienus Allmark was obviously getting starts against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Sergey Babrowski made 10 per but that was after winning a couple of vesnas. Yeah, there's inflation and God, we played a clip yesterday. He was on a podcast talking about how he needs to make enough so that the next guy elevates his bar and that he's into the business side of it. It's I mean, if you're a Leaf, you're a fan, you're kind of excited about the possibility. He was like, I'll do the four year all the guy that doesn't sign for eight years. So we can't really do that conversation. Well, no, but at least there's another team. And the idea of the Boston Bruins, everybody taking less. And yeah, Brad Marshans contract was already set in stone. And I guess you get our argue, passion act took a bit of a discount, but he's making real money. I mean, could you see Jeremy Swamin getting 10 million a year? I really hope not. I mean, I know that sounds insane, but if that's what the 44 games last year, but like he hasn't had the net for 60 plus games like you see sorrows playing, I believe 63 games last year and led the league in starts. Or we were close to it anyways, they call her Helibok is what the eight five and the amount of games that he's played. And you know, we're talking vella vella trophy type money. And I understand inflation and understand the salary caps going up and everything else. But buddy, you got to kick that that next number down the road for your contract after this contract. There's got to be some prove it in there for me somewhere along the line. And I mean, that's the last you, what's he nine? Come on, like, you know, we're going to go right past all these people standing up winners, business, trophy winners. I love you, Jeremy Swamin. I think you're a hell of a bully, but I need, I need to see more than that for 10, 10 million dollars. Yeah, I mean, I can see a scenario where he's worth it, but there needs to be some level of track record, although the Bruins can put themselves in a spot where they're like, he's our guy. Except he doesn't have books always always great to chat. Thanks, buddy. Awesome guys. Have a great day. Thanks for having me on talks. See you, bud. Yeah, there's Jason Boogles, sports out hockey central analyst and our insider brought to you by Don Valley, North Lexus, where you can expect excellence online and in the showroom, visit Don Valley, North Lexus dot com. Yes, you're right. Swamin's been really good. He's been up there's been no missteps. Yeah, right? Like, and two 34 goals against average. She's had 132 games. And in the playoffs, believe it, like, I mean, it's all my joy when they started. Oh, Mark, all Mark, one of Vezna. Yeah. And Jeremy Swamin started game seven against the Florida Panthers. Which they lost. Yeah, they did. But I think we could all see a world where he is winning a Vezna. He's never been the number one goal. But it's that's kind of secondary to your negotiating power. You want to talk about, okay, Nick Roberts has got no leverage, right? He's Nick Robertson. He scored 14 goals. And that's great. And, you know, at one point was this team's prize prospect, but he's a second rounder. And we know the skill set there. And he has no other option. He's a restricted free agent. He can shop himself out to other teams. He's doing that. And nobody's biting. So either he signs and he plays whatever role the least ask of him or he doesn't play hockey. I think given those two choices, he'd like to do that. I think you'd like to play hockey. Jeremy Swamin. Okay, he declined arbitration. So that's gone by the wayside, but he's a restricted free agent. The Bruins have decided like, I don't think Corpacello is going to be like, they're in a spot where they thought he'd be their opening game starter last year for the senators. Of course, I don't think they want that. Yeah, the joke was like, yeah, in a backup role, you could see him like resuming being a very capable goaltender once again. But the Bruins made their bet on Swamin. They broke up Almark and Swamin and said, you're our guy. And again, lots of evidence to suggest that's the case. They did that before negotiating a contract with the fellow. So you're in a spot. It's almost like when you trade for a guy that's a pending free agent, like Jamal Adams, right? Like the, the, the, the Seahawks trade for him. And he's a panic for it. And they have to sign him to whatever he wants. Like the Jets haven't done yet with the song Redick where they traded for a guy who was like, yeah, now he's holding out. Yeah, they have all the leverage. Because what did you do? You trade, you gave up these assets for a thing that you're just going to watch. Like you've art, you're pot committed. The Bruins are pot committed to Jeremy Swamin. So is he worth $10 million? Like pretty clearly not? No, like Sir Gabe Abrowski again, won two vests before he got that. And everyone was like, that contract is the worst league for a stretch of time. Sure, again, sure, sure, and Kerry Price is headed to the Hall of Fame, right? And he's done. But yeah, and clearly the track rates is not there. But who cares? Like, don't you have the Bruins entirely over a barrel? If your number one job here is to maximize your earning potential. And again, then you got it. Well, you should play the clip again of Swamin on. It's incredible. It's he wants to reinvent the wheel. Which is, listen, I love it for the Bruins. Like, that's great. But that has to happen to you. Because it feels like it only happens in Toronto or stuff like this. And it's like, that's great. I'm really happy. But like, you know, you got to be care. You know, he's a really good goalie. And he's, I mean, he started 43 games. I sure you started three more games in Samson off dead. Like he was very clearly had another guy with them. It's a different set of expectations. And I believe that he's a good goalie. But like, if you are Swamin, and you're saying, Hey, I want the 10 million bucks and the the Bruins end up giving you somewhere close to that, you're the starting goal. You're the first, it's the first year without Linus Olmark. And it starts badly. Like, boy, that is a lot of pressure that you're putting on yourself. But maybe you don't care because you're a cajillionaire and you're very rich. And it's all that stuff. But it's a very, very, very fascinating one for me. Like all the reasons you laid out, like they have no leverage. They made the bet on him. And now it's like, well, yeah, I mean, you think I'm the guy, pay me like the guy. Yeah, I mean, their best case scenario is like a shorter term deal, I guess, like a bridge deal. But you know, that sounds like a nightmare as well. Like just factually, they don't have 10 million dollars in cap space. You can go over the cap by 10% in the off season. And you could probably make a couple million disappear in some way or another. Yeah, but they need that contract to not be 10 million dollars. Yeah, they need it to not be 10 million. I just don't understand how that negotiation goes if you're like, if you're the Bruins, like, no, like you haven't done anything. It's like, okay, so what are you going to do? Like, what are you going to do then? Oh, you're going to sell it a couple of years. You're going to love it. Yeah, that almost more than the dry subtle one is more interesting to me because it's like dry said, yeah, the numbers are easier to identify. Yeah, sure. If he wants 20% of that, that that hymn and dry, hymn, sorry, McDavid are going to make 30 million dollars combined. It's just who makes more. Right. And I think we all know who it's going to be. All right. Time now of the waking right presented by sports interaction, your homegrown sports book 19 plus bet responsibly is the blue jays wrapping up what is technically only a four game series, but really a five game series because they played eight ninth of eight ninths of a game before game one of this thing. Blue jays trying to split the four gamer about in Francis coming off his best start of his professional life, almost throwing a no hitter against the angels gets the start against cutter Crawford. And it is the Red Sox favored minus 161 blue jays plus 135. The total is nine and a half Sammy. Big number. Yeah. I think you got to ride with out in Francis until otherwise identified. Yeah. I mean, tonight could be the night where it's otherwise identified where it's a good hitting lineup and it changes a little bit. I mean, he's just really good. It's a it's a Red Sox team that's coming off just scoring one run against Chris Bassett and Raphael devers is dealing with whatever shoulder stuff he's dealing with. I like the blue jays. If you want to be a bit of a coward about it, how about the blue jays plus a run and a half paying minus 115. Okay. And quickly NFL futures MVP winner Patrick Mahomes is your favorite plus 500 Josh Allen second favorite plus 850 Joe Burrell plus 900. The defending MVP Lamar Jackson plus 2000 down the list. Anybody stand out for you there? CJ's proud 10 to one seems like good value. If you are buying what the Texans are selling, also don't mind. We were looking at it before the show about non quarterbacks with the MVP. Yeah. I don't know if a wide receivers that are one, but Tyree kill has had some unbelievable moments and I don't feel like to a tug of I was ever going to win the the MVP. So yeah, how about Tyree kill at 100 to one to win the MVP? That's a nice little long shot for you. Yeah, I don't hate that at all. It's hard not to look at the guy who just won it as being what like 10th favorite at plus 2000 to go back to back Lamar Jackson. All right, that was the wake and rake presented by sports interaction. Your homegrown sports book 19 plus bet responsibly. When we come back, Ben Nicholson Smith is the fan morning show continues Ben the 10 N S. Sam McKee Sports at 590 the fan.
