[MUSIC] >> Don't be with a bug forward, they're looking in the corner. Two of the pliers, three of the pliers don't have sticks near side in front, they score. Mathew knives, I have never seen that. Three pliers were without sticks. >> A workman like road wind for the Maple Leafs as they dismantle the Philadelphia pliers by a score of 6 to 2. >> Yeah, even in third player, the guys are, they're trying to double up. So we're third and fourth line guys and then we get a power play. And we don't want to put the top guys out, but you're the guys were exhausted. So that's the effect of losing guys like we have then. And just like we've had other set up for Mitch, we'll have to do similar with the yardie, if he's going to just pay the time. [MUSIC] >> Bad morning show sports, not five or nine of the fan man, it's Frank Gunning, big takeaway from yesterday. >> Need hockey sticks to win a hockey game. >> I'm just gonna say you could have stopped at need hockey. >> Just like need hockey. >> Yeah. >> That's the takeaway. God, that was good to have back last night. I know there's other games at the end of the show and you watch them, but God, I put some skin in the game, felt good. >> Yeah, fliers didn't have their sticks for a while. And that was good for Matthew Nis was able to pot a goal that was certainly an insurance marker at the time as the Leafs win 6-2 over the fliers, despite allowing the team of the worst power play percentage in the NHL to score on said power play. As Maple Leafs at the deadline acquiring Joel Edmondson and Connor Doer who kill some penalties and before that, Amelia Labushkin, they are identifying a need on this team which is killing penalties and they haven't done it. They have been outscored 6-1 on special teams this month. It's a small sample and there's some pieces that are missing, most notably Mitch Marner, but that's not ideal. That's not getting it done. And I said going into yesterday's game on yesterday's show that the thing I wanted most in taking away from a game against the fliers, and again, they're horrible power play, second consecutive season in which they've been dead last in the NHL and power play percentage, kill off all the penalties. >> Yeah. >> And okay, freakish little bounce off the endboard. I don't care, man. Like, get a stop. Look better than they had, even in the first penalty they killed off in that hockey game has to be one of the prime areas of concern. And I guess early in the season you could point to personnel and there certainly are some pieces that are acclimating to killing penalties that haven't done it before. William Neelander, he's never killed penalties before for a time. Remember, there's Austin Matthews on the penalty kill. But the personnel issue, I think, is being solved here largely, and it still has an idea, okay, you're going to point to Mitch Marner, or you're going to point to those guys not being the greatest penalty killers in the world? >> No, I'm going to say that the personnel issues have been solved with, like, you know, they put a little flex seal on the bottom of the boat. They didn't weld it, you know? And I understand that. I understand the way you go about building a team, especially this year in draft, pick, capital, and salary cap space. And yeah, yeah, yeah. We talked about it at Nauseam. So I understand it. But I also think we, and like, not you and I, but like us, the media at large, or as guilty as anybody else of this, of like, selling the public a little bit of a bill of goods on how good Joel Edmondson is killing penalties. He's like, he's a good penalty killer. Ilya Labushkin is a good penalty killer. Connor Doer is a good penalty killer. But they're not earth-shattering guys who disrupt everything around them. And those guys just are few and far between in the league. So the idea that you get more competent pieces in and they form some chemistry, and eventually it starts to bleed to be a better unit. I can see that. But I don't think you brought in guys that immediately paper over any of those weaknesses and fix those things. >> I think you'd like to be better, though. >> Of course. >> Of course. >> They haven't been better on the penalty kill. Again, in small sample, but boy, they're one of the worst penalty kill teams among playoff teams in all of the national hockey league as they drop now below the Winnipeg Jets as they're clicking along at just over 77%. So this is Columbus Blue Jackets territory. They're only slightly better than the Blue Jackets. The Montreal Canadiens are hanging in there in and around where they sit. The Islanders are dead last. They're like the kind of the outlier group that's in the postseason that is worse at killing penalties than the Toronto Maple Leafs. All right, speaking of the media and what we do in our perception and our comments and how we change the narrative. >> Yeah, I did this for you. >> Look at me. >> Of the sport. Eric Carlson, you may have paid attention to the story that is emerging at a Pittsburgh that hasn't gone well for the Penguins. >> What? >> And Kyle Dubas, hey, you could quibble with Brad for a living's first couple of moves in Toronto being guys that maybe weren't perfect fits and John Klingberg, why do you have to go out and do that? At least there's only one year at John Klingberg. Kyle Dubas arrived in Pittsburgh and is like, give me all the years and all the money for Eric Carlson. And once again, they're going to be on the outside of the playoffs looking in and they haven't scored in the power. But anyways, are they going to try and undo that wrong this offseason with three more years at 10 million per for Eric Carlson? Some conversations bubbling up about the Ottawa senators being interested in a reunion with their once prize defencemen. So Eric Carlson yesterday was asked about those very reports. >> Yeah, that's Canada for you. >> They do for a long time, so I kind of know how that game works. They got a lot of things to talk about every day because they got a lot of airtime, but very few things to actually discuss, so they like to make up these, you know, what if scenarios and that's just the way it is and it's not something that I really look into or worry too much about. >> Okay, it should also be mentioned that he has a full no move as well. >> He also has a bonus for $5 million in the second last year of the deal and a bonus for $6 million in the last, just in case it was a hard enough contract to move. >> Okay, are you personally offended Eric Carlson? >> When I read the quote, yes, when I hear the quote, no, I think that when you hear, ah, that's Canada for you, they just want to talk all day, but he's right, it's where it matters. And you know who should, you know, who should hear that, that clip is the NHL league offices because we could sit here and we can hulk Hogan and cup our ears to America and to ESPN and try to shove another team into Atlanta. But this is always going to be where it matters the most. So at first blush, when I read the comments or I saw the little quote tweet of it, I said, okay, you know, not enough talking for you and when I hear it, I go, he's absolutely right. Yeah, if you're, if you're a team, the deadlines passed, you're, let's just keep it to the market he's talking about. What do they have to talk about in Ottawa right now? All the conversations that you and I like to stop in and have for two minutes or we go, oh, what about these cents and you take your shot at whoever and you go, what are they building here? But in Ottawa, they have been picking at that carcass all year long. What else is there to talk about other than meh, I just re-litigated the NASM cadre trade and talked about Zack Hyman coming back, which is not going to happen, either of those things. We talked about it and there is a good team and there are things to discuss. So as much as I want to be offended, you know I want to be offended, even I can't get myself there. I don't know if I'm offended. I'm, I am just using your word, man. Erk. Erk is probably where I'm at. Okay. And more erk by like the laughing in the back. I can't. Yeah. The care about the sport that's not nearly as popular as the other professional sports in this. Gone enough. Like worst. Are you okay? Like it's one thing to talk about. Hey, like hey, all the things are right. Honestly, if Eric Carlson was playing for a Canadian franchise, like you guys like blow everything up and it's okay. Yeah, because that's true. What he's saying is true. But these these markets in Pittsburgh is not the right market to go at because I'm, listen, there's penguins fans there. There's hockey fans. It's a hockey. It's, it's not the Sun Belt. No. But the NHL and players playing in places where nobody cares should be on their hands and knees thanking God that people care about this sport north of the border. And then you like it's yeah. Ha ha ha. Oh my God. What a hilarious joke that somebody would care about this sport that like numbers scoreboard. Not a lot of people care about. Well, yeah. Get to the NBA, to the NFL, to Major League Baseball. Yeah. He gets to sit there. There's no move clause and make it 11.5, which he deserves. Like I'm not sitting here saying that Eric Carlson doesn't deserve that money or anything. But you know why the league makes the money that it does? Like it's all revenue that comes in. And yes, I know raw numbers, America and the size of it, but where would the league be? Like, where would the league be without the Leafs and where would the league be without Canada? Honestly. Yeah. Not a good spot. Where would the world be without Canada? Sometimes. It's about some things. That's good. Yeah. That's a very different. That's a very different show. You want to do it? Nah. Let's take a pass on that. 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 dot com. Let's talk to a member of the Canadian hockey media. I mean, he's a Canadian, but living in the United States is John Scott, host of the drop on the gloves podcast. All right. Way in on the Canadian hockey media. How bad are we? The worst or the absolute worst? It depends on how you define bad because if things are going great and you're playing well, then it's the best. You're getting Adelaide's. You're getting all this attention and it's great sponsorships, endorsements. But if it's going bad, then it seems to wear on you because you're getting asked the same questions. Why aren't you performing this and that? So it has its pros and cons. But to go back to the player perspective on this, we know where our bread is buttered. I was the player rep. I was in the negotiations for all the lockout and everything. All the money is made in Canada. So for Carlson to be complaining about this is just crazy. If you don't have Canadian teams, there is no NHL period. It goes away. So I just find a comical that he's laughing like you guys are. I'm offended too. I think it's just he had his best years in Ottawa. He loved it and then he goes and just says that stuff. So it's just ridiculous. Yeah. I don't know. Maybe this is like painting with two wide a brush or it's unfair, but that just feels like a guy who's been talking to one reporter in San Jose for four or five years. And all of a sudden, oh, I play on Pittsburgh and now we're talking about a Canadian market and all of a sudden there are actual eyeballs and ear balls on what I'm, I know, I'd love to say in that, of what I'm saying, like that's what that reeks of is, oh man, people do listen when I, when I talk, you know, there's been a lot of talk about the expansion potentially coming or more teams in the States and, you know, we understand the economics of it. I think it's highly unlikely, Quebec City, for example, ever gets another team, second team in Toronto. I don't know. Maybe that's a different story, but do you think the NHL is kind of walking the line correctly when it comes to trying to grow and make the game as popular as it can in America? Well, I don't want to say they're taking Canada for granted and, you know, I don't think they should include some exemption where every other guy that gets traded has to go to Canada. But I mean, you see it at the deadline, all these guys are saying, get me out of here. I don't want to play. I want to go to the Sunbelt. Like, does the league have a problem on its hands where all the players wanting to go to where in theory, and, you know, you win it matters anywhere, but where it does matter a little less. Well, I think the big issue is the tax, the state income tax, like you look at a Thomas real trade. He goes from San Jose to Vegas. He makes extra $6 million just based on that trade. So players, when they're signing contracts, when they're gearing up for their free agency, they want to go to Dallas, they want to go to Florida, they want to go to Vegas where there's no state tax or it's very little. And you can't say the same about teams in New York or Canada or those types of cities and states. So that's an issue, I think, should be resolved. I don't know how you do that, but yeah, there's definitely an incentive to go play in the south. And as for me, I hit free agency a lot of times and I was offered to go play in Edmonton and a couple other cities, but there's a certain pressure that goes along with playing Canada and Eric Carlson touched on it with the media and this and that and they jump all of your back. So I had the option between Chicago or Buffalo or Edmonton and I chose Chicago. They were coming off a cup, but it just was a little bit easier. I was born to Edmonton. So there's just always that stigma of just people and family and pressure and this and that. And I enjoyed it. But if there's another option players these days seem to just take the easy way out, unfortunately. Yeah, and you mentioned it that, hey, if you ever won, there's no better place to do it than in this country. It's been a moment, as we all know, 93 was, of course, the last time a Canadian franchise won the Stanley Cup. Are we just missing that proof of concept that there's a whole generation of players that have never seen like what could happen to a Canadian franchise if they ever won, never got into a situation where, I don't know, you're a Leaf player, you're breaking a 50 plus year curse that we actually need to see it happen for players to be reminded. Oh, yeah, it doesn't always have to be the worst. It can be the best. I don't know because you see the team Canada's, the world juniors, they get their parades and this and that and the Olympic goals and stuff. So I really don't know guys. Well, I think it was positive for Austin Matthews to stay in Toronto and re up there. I think that's a good sign, but David's sign long term. So I just think it takes a certain type of person to want to play in Canada and you see, you know, other people can't handle it and it's unfortunate because it's a blast to play in Canada. I love going to play in Winnipeg and Toronto and all those cities. It's always a blast, but I'll always say it's great going, but it's really fun leaving too. Because then you go back to these sunny places and it's a kind of a, my family like playing in San Jose. I like playing in Arizona. You know, you wake up, you can go to the pool in the afternoon. It's February if you wanted to, rather than like in Winnipeg where it's minus 15 and you can't even go outside. So there's, there's certain aspects to it that are nice, but yeah, the fan base is much better up north for sure. We just got to wait. Like I'll actually, I won't put a timeline on it, but it's like, I feel like the world's getting a touch warmer. So we just got to bite our time and we'll have, well, some nice winters too, eventually, you know, just looking at, looking at the, the kind of, you know, standings here, how many teams do you think have a shot heading into the postseason? I mean, we do the thing every year where you get in and you have a chance, but I think we all realize not everybody does. But I'm also not a believer that thinks there's only three, four teams that can win. I think there's probably 10, 11, you know, whatever the number exactly is, but I'm somebody who thinks there's a lot of teams have a shot to win a cup this year specifically. Where are you at on the number of teams? You think I actually have a chance this year, John? I agree with you. I don't think there's one true cut juggernaut and we saw last year it was the Bruins and look what happened to them. So I think you're, you're right on this and in the West, I feel like any team that makes the playoffs, maybe outside of the predators, maybe they don't have that. But I think the Knights, the Oilers, Canucks, Jets, Stars, Avalanche, any one of those teams could come out of the West and I would feel confident of them winning the Cup in the East. I like the Florida Panthers. I hate to say it, but any other team could take them down on any given night, but just in the East, I feel like the Panthers have a little bit of an edge on the rest of the competition. But the West in my eyes is wide open. And of course, yeah, the Leafs are in danger of facing the Panthers in the first round because it'll be awful. Only a point separates the Bruins and Panthers, all of the Panthers have a game in hand. It's starting to turn into kind of a dogfight at the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff mix though, John and lo and behold, the Sabres with a regulation win over the Islanders. They're kind of in it. I know that the Islanders have games in hand on the Sabres, but that's a huge two points in regulation. They're three points back. You know how much it would mean to that market to be back in the postseason. I mean, what would it again, I talk about proof of concept with the Canadian teams winning a cup like what would it do for that bill just like get into a postseason just one of these years. My God. Well, just talk about exercising demons. Just for the city itself, I think that would just be a huge weight up their shoulders. It's been such a long time. I played there. I grew up in St. Catharines, so right across the border, we would go to Sabres game. So that would be good for the city itself, but just for the players, for these young guys, the Dolly, the Thompson, the power, these young guys to give them a taste of the playoffs and some minor success to kind of grow because everybody wanted them to take the next step this year. Everybody expected them to take the next step and it has to happen. So if they can do this, a late push and get into the playoffs, but they got to jump the capitals, the Red Wings, the Islanders, unfortunately, I don't think they'll do it. But if they do, this will be a huge deal for the Sabres to slide in the playoffs. Then they get to play the Panthers in the first round. So that'll be fun. Yeah. And then they get to do to the Panthers with the Panthers to the Boston last year. Everybody's like, okay, now we're getting too far though. I think just stick him with the Sabres for a second. How much longer did they have to get this thing going before it? This is too strong a term, but I think it might be the right one at the same time before it infects the star players. I mean, Darlene, he's been, he's been in the NHL forever now, it seems. He's like, he's one of these guys who's, you know, 25 years old that feels like he's been here forever. Oh, in power, been here since he's 18 at a certain point in time, the losing just kind of infects you. You know, you build bad habits. The team around you is, is, is lesser, like how much longer did they have before they risk to a certain extent? I don't think these guys are going to become bus overnight, but where they kind of ruined these guys, if they don't start seeing some real team success and they, I could ask the exact same question about Ottawa as well. I was just going to say, I think Ottawa's there and they, they, because they started their rebuild, they finished it, I think a little bit before the Sabres and that's kind of sputtered out a little bit. So I think the Sabres have like one more year where they need to start showing some progress and you have to start questioning, are these the right players? Did we put the right group together? Do we have to trade one of these guys that Dylan Cousins, maybe a talk? What do we have to do to re gear this team? But yeah, I totally agree. All their big contracts kicking next year, Powers making eight and a half almost, Darlene's making 11. Like, you're paying these guys, Premo dollars and if they're not even snipping to playoffs, something has to change. But I think what they do is, you guys, is they, they need to get some veteran playoff experience in that lineup. I know they tried in years past, but get some vets in there to kind of guide these young guys and help them through the hard times because it's fun when things are going good and you're winning, but when you start to lose two, three in a row, that's when you need to vet to step up and say, okay, back to basics. Let's go. This is how you win. Want to get your, your Leafs thought for a second here, John, we saw them lose twice to the Bruins last week, but there was certainly some physical pushback in those games. We saw some physicality yesterday in Philadelphia. One, do you think that's important? Two, do you, do you see more of it in this Leafs team? Well, I think it's vastly important. I don't think it's because of Ryan Reeves. I know everybody likes to equate him with physicality. Yes, he does bring that, but yeah, I think they're pushing back a little bit more. I think Tyler Burtuzzi is a big part of that. I love the way this kid plays. Obviously the fight versus Boston was fantastic. He worked that guy. And even Max Delmi, the guys they brought in, they bring that same paper type of hockey that maybe you haven't had in years past. Yeah, you've had it on four fine guys who maybe get seven minutes a night. There's a difference to having a four fine guy who goes out there and I'm going to kill you when he sits for 12 minutes versus a guy like Burtuzzi and Domi who are out there, every other shift, and you have to keep your head on a swivel all the time. So those guys are much more effective at keeping the other team on their toes than Ryan Reeves is. Yeah, Ryan's the nuke of their option. Burtuzzi and Domi are doing it every single shift, so I like that in the addition of Joel Evans that doesn't help. Doesn't hurt either. So they're a harder team to play against, and I think that's going to help them into playoffs. Hopefully, they can win a couple rounds, fellas. Oh, man. Fingers crossed. Yes. We, you mentioned nuclear option. We cannot let you leave without discussing the newest nuclear option in the NHL. Matt Rempe, the content gift that keeps on giving, still serving his suspension after elbowing you on a seaguller in the head, I won't even lead the witness. What have you made of Matt Rempe's start to his NHL career anywhere you want to go with this, John? Me personally, I have loved having a new one of these. We get so excited about a new skill guy coming into the league. Guess what? There's a hundred of those every year. We almost never get to see this where somebody bursts on the seat in this way. That's my opinion on it. What have you seen from Rempe? I love it. I think he's playing fantastic hockey. Ten games. He's got, you know, a goal and a cyst, he's plus 54 penalty minutes. You mentioned it. He just creates content every single time he's on the ice, whether it's a hit, whether it's a goal, whether it's a fight. I think he's everything the Rangers needed. He shakes that team up a little bit, and it's just funny how everybody just gravitates towards it, you guys. I felt it a little bit when I played, but I think it's even more for Matt now because nobody does this. He's going out and he's fighting, and he's not caring about his health, and he's just punching people in the face, and he's getting bashed in the face, and people love it. I think it's so great. I think it's fantastic. It's an old-school type hockey player, and the one thing that'll keep him in the league, he's a pretty good skater, like he's a pretty good hockey player. He doesn't, you know, turn heads with his speed, but he keeps up with the play. He's got decent hands. Like, he will stick around with the Rangers, so I hope he calms down a little bit. But yeah, I'm looking forward to see what he does in the playoff. I'm looking forward to April 3rd when they play the Devils, and I mean, oh my gosh. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. He has to go him then. Right? I was up the belief that maybe he didn't have to. Maybe the Rangers told him to lie back, but he has to go him in the rematch, right? Yeah. I was glad he didn't fight him last game. I agree with you. I don't think he had to fight him then, but now it's 100%. You have heard someone you got suspended, you have to step up like you're still a rookie. You have to show up and answer the bell. So yeah, they will fight, and it's going to be a doozy. McDermott is a big cat, so that'll be a good fight. But I think Rempy, I think Rempy wins the fight. McDermott, when he punches, it's like a windmill. Like, he goes around over the top, whereas Rempies is right down the pipe, and so I think that'll be an advantage for... Is it Rempy or Rempy? I don't know. I don't know. Whatever he says. Yeah. That's my answer. Yeah. And maybe you're allowed to take a sternor line with that? I am not, John. Yeah, I can assure you. Yeah. I still got it by a couple inches at about 40 pounds, so I'm not... Oh, you're throwing down the gauntlet? Yeah. Oh, I would enjoy scrapping with him if I could. He is also 21. John. Yeah. Appreciate the time. Thanks, buddy. All right, fellas. Have a good one. Thanks for having me on. Thanks, John. John Scott, former All-Star, host of the Drop in the Gloves podcast, and our insider brought to you by Don Valley, North Lexus, where you can expect excellence online and in the showroom, visit donvalleynorthlexus.com, very rare occurrence that you can talk to a human being larger than Matt Rempy. It's true. Now, what do you think is more important? We've talked about when you and I would have a hypothetical fight that the matter guy might win. What's better, being 21 years old than at your physical peak, or dad strength, for a fight? I don't know. I don't know. I tend to think that... Yeah. Me too. But I don't know. Dad strength? Dad strength is a hell of a drug. It is. You know. Sure. I think when we talk about dad strength... I'm building mine still. I know. I think when we talk about like previous like un-athletic strength to like, "Oh, now all of a sudden there is like something there." Oh, no. See what I think of... Do you think John Scott all of a sudden? No, no, no, no, no, no, no. It's a weak little baby. No, no, no, no. When I think of dad strength, it's really weird, but I just think of having like, 'Cause all my... I don't know why, but I feel like all my buddies dad's growing up was like, "Oh, that guy's like sneaky strong." They all just had like pop eye forearms. It's like a regular looking dude. But just from like lifting things and carrying groceries in and all this, you know, dad stuff. I feel like you got yoked forearms. That's what I think of a dad strength. I'm sure John Scott is very, very strong. Yeah. I think it was very strong before I became so too. I think so too. I think so too. Like, I don't think I was that strong before I had kids now. I do have dad strength. Oh, I thought you were gonna say you're quite strong and I was gonna refute that. I am quite strong. Okay. On the strength of dad strength. Okay. As mentioned, Blue Rodeo hits Budweiser's stage on Saturday, August 24th, along with special guests Matt Mays and Beggonia, and we are giving away tickets in today's show to enter for a chance to win. Text in today's code word Canada to 59590, again, that's Canada to 59590. Given away one last pair of tickets on Monday, if you don't win with us though, make sure you secure your tickets today at 10 a.m. on Ticketmaster.ca. When we come back, the Toronto Blue Jays have a future Canadian baseball Hall of Fame, err, potentially on their Major League roster. We'll talk to one who has already been inducted into the Canadian baseball Hall of Fame Ryan Demster next is the fan morning show continues, Ben Anis, Brent Gunning, Sportsnet 590 the fan. Fan morning show Sportsnet 590 the fan, Ben Anis, Brent Gunning, Major League Baseball regular season does start next week in Korea, Dodgers and Padres with a couple of games. But for the Blue Jays, regular season starts two weeks from yesterday in Tampa against the Rays and when the Major League Baseball season starts, so does intentional talk. We'll be back on MLB Network. First episode of the 2024 season Friday, March 29th, co-hosted by our next guest, World Series champion and Canadian baseball Hall of Fame, or Ryan Demster kind enough to join us today. How's it going, Ryan? Hey, good morning. I'm doing great. How's everyone doing? Doing all right. Let's start with another great Canadian Major League Baseball player, Joey Votto, who like you will be in the Canadian baseball Hall of Fame when it's all said and done. But it's not all said and done for him as he is signed a minor league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. You guys never crossed over at the World Baseball Classic, but I'm sure there's, you know, a connection there, you guys being in the Major League Baseball and being Canadians at the same time. And obviously you know him inside that division with the Cubs. I mean, having watched him the last couple of years, it hasn't gone so well. Do you think there's anything left in the tank for Joey Votto? Yeah, I think there's value there in a lot of different senses, I think. When you're driven toward the end and you still want to play, there's that little extra motivation. You know, some somehow that happens a little bit every once in a while when contracts run out and then you get into this kind of area. I think there's still power there. I mean, even last year, you know, and not a lot of games, not a lot of the bats still manage, you know, mid teens and home runs, left handed dad off the bench and experience and a guy who can provide a different avenue of his career. And we see one player is one way, you know, maybe it's a superstar times he was and a perennial all-star and turn that into, you know, kind of just that guy can be the veteran leader off the bench, spell a guy when you need him to fill in at certain positions. And who knows? I mean, Joey gets off for a little while and his body is feeling good mixing, you know, he can be a guy that you could ride for a while. So obviously there's some work to do to try and get back up to the Major League, whether that's some time and trip play, obviously, but there's definitely value in there. I'm a big believer in the last guy and your roster isn't the most important to have the best statistical numbers when you leave camp. I think it's somebody on your team that provides levity to your clubhouse. So and I think Joey is definitely one of those guys, especially that offensive injury. Yes. So you mentioned it there that, you know, it's entirely possible Votto find some form and is able to help the team in a, you know, in a big way in the batter's box with a slash line, but it's also possibly brings a lot. How hard is it? Do you think for teams to find the right mix of that? Because the Blue Jays have done a little bit of fluctuation in the past couple of years, you know, there was two years ago where they were as fun a team as possible in their hand, no jackets for home runs. And, you know, at one point, Lourdes Grille, juniors like making fruit cocktails while they're beating up on the Red Sox. And then they said, you know what? We need to get a little more serious. And it seemed like that was a point of emphasis that the front office made. How important and how hard is it for teams to kind of find the right mix in the clubhouse of guys? I think it is a very hard task to do. I think it's part of the game from the front office standpoint that gets lost. Listen, we want all the best players on the team. I get it. But throughout the course of the season, it's a long season. There's going to be guys, you're superstar players. You want them to go out there and play. You don't want them to worry about the media. You don't want them to worry about having to lift guys up. They're the ones you want to lift it up because they're the ones that, you know, you need day in, day out to go out there and do that. So having guys like that, I'll just say this. Look at Texas Rangers. They did a guy in their team named Austin Hedges. Austin never played. He's the third catcher on the team. And if you ask guys in that locker room, who was one of the more valuable players on your team team, not just on the field, they'll say Austin Hedges. He provided all kinds of antics in the clubhouse, on the bus rides, on the plane rides. He let. I saw it firsthand. We were doing intentional talk from the field. We had him on three times. We never had Corey Seagram. We never had Marcus Timianon. Those guys didn't have to. They had a guy like that. He was taking that away from them and just allowing them to go out there to play. You know, the Diamondbacks had in Evan Longoria, a leader that kind of helped the young guys out because they had a very young team. It's all about having that piece. I've been there for 16 years. I've been that guy. So when you can have somebody on there who's been in the trenches, who's gone through those things and can help out your superstars and allow them to just be free in play, who can help out a young pitcher, whatever it is, it doesn't matter. Help out a coach. Be the bridge between a player and the manager rather than, you know, or a player and a coach rather than the player themselves who might not feel comfortable going to that coach or that manager yet. There's just a lot, a lot of value in that. I think it gets lost, but for whatever reason, at the end of the year when the team wins or the teams are near the end, we all look back and go, "Man, that guy really helped out. I know he hit a buck 20, but he sure was valuable to our team." Yeah, Ryan, during your playing career, you were doing both, right? Because you were the guy that everybody went to with the microphone and yeah, the Harry Kerry impression. Great impression. Yeah. Yeah. You were that guy. Did you ever get sick of it though? Like, obviously it's something you enjoyed doing because now you do it professionally. Did you ever get sick of being that guy that was obviously, if the visiting media had their druthers, you're the number one guy they wanted to talk to? I didn't mind when we were winning, when we were losing. I'm like, "Hey, where's the other guys that's going to step up and be together?" No, but I'll say this, if you think that you're going to win because you're 26th guy on the team is the best performer, I just honestly don't think you are. I think that you're going to have a very good team and that you're worrying about the wrong things because you should have your guys that are playing every day. And then you have guys like myself that do that and that's the thing. If you have a guy who's doing it and he's worried about being the guy all the time, it's not going to work either. And I think that answers your question. I didn't worry about it. It was, yeah, I felt like it was a fun task to have amongst our team. I'll be that guy. If somebody else doesn't feel like they want to talk today, somebody else doesn't feel like they did my job to lift them up, make sure they're out there shagging with us, whatever it is. Or maybe they just are going through some other stuff right now and we can handle that. And that's part of your job as a team leader within that club host. So I don't know what kind of a relationship you have with Joey Votto. We've heard a lot from him in the early going here. Naturally, he's getting acclimatized to the Toronto media. He's done a lot of talking through his Instagram page and his Twitter page. But yeah, do you think he has that in him? Do you think he's going to get sick of the microphones in his face if he in fact is playing for the Blue Jays for a prolonged period of time? If you would ask this question 10 years ago, I would have said, yeah, yeah. But Joey's changed a lot. I think we all do as we grow and we evolve and we realize, you know, he realizes he's not that guy anymore. I think self recognition is huge. And but yet he realizes he still has value to teams. Like I said, I mean, he had what 14, 15 home runs last year. That's the average in there. But there's a guy who, you know, realizes his role is going to change. It's not to play every day. And he might that might happen out of necessity and he might be able to handle that. And maybe he does well with that. Who knows? We don't know what this year holds from a statistical point of view. But he sure does have experience doesn't he? And he can he can lend that experience to young hitters, to players who might even be in this league for four or five years and be struggling with a certain thing. Or maybe he sees something in pitchers. He sees patterns. He sees things that you can't always find in a computer that we can punch in and we can put up, you know, because he's been in that situation of every situation that's possible at the highest level, the lowest level. That to me is is really, really good experience. And why wouldn't you take a shot? Especially being a kid from Canada back home. That's invigorating to get that shot of life again. And and I guarantee every bit of them wants to be on that roster, helping the blue J's go out there and compete for the division. Well, what does it say about how much this guy loves baseball that he's made? 260 million, 263,155 dollars over the course of his major league career. And he's on a non guaranteed minor league deal with the Toronto blue J's and that he's not only open to the idea of starting his season in the international league, he's like expecting that to happen. Yeah, and by the way, I saw what he wore and the suitcases he brought to camp on his Instagram picture. So he saved most of that money. He definitely hasn't spent it on anything. So it's definitely not about the money. It's for the love of the game and it's, you know, it's, it's awesome to see that, you know, you're at this age and you still love the game and you still want, I, you know, when I would love to be around those, those morning cages, like I used to do that as a picture and trust me, they wouldn't let me hit. I was like a kid who was just hoping to get picked for the other team, play a right field, you know, but I love taking my coffee to the cage in the mornings and spring training and listening to these guys, talk hitting, watch them go through their work and it was something I did throughout my career and, and, you know, what a gift you have now to give that kind of experience. You can watch as much video as you want, but to be around a guy like that, pick his brain. Don't be afraid to ask the question is, he might not, he might get cut at the end of spring training. But your play never come back up. Take advantage of that opportunity of having Joey Votto and that experience around. Yeah, it's, man, it's funny you say that talking about just taking your coffee and going, sitting at the cage, like, you know, I fill in on Jay's broadcast from time to time. And anytime I'm at the park, that is job one is just sit there and watch BP and I don't get to be as close to hear the conversations as you do, but there is just something about it. You know, you mentioned the, that he's not doing it for the money. Great joke by you. How much of it, you know, only Joey Votto can answer this, but how much of it is not wanting to go out that way? I mean, you had your own decision. You left on the heels of a championship, obviously, you know, that's a, that's its own decision in its own, right? But do you think any part of that is at play for Votto of saying, hold on, really? Nobody wanted me. I'm Joey Votto going to the hall of fame. And nobody wanted me like, do you think there's a part of it of wanting to prove people wrong or prove it to himself just as much as it's the love of the game? Yeah, I think being told by, by a place that you played your entire career, you know, and then that you're half, we don't need you anymore. Yeah, I would think that most that would fire most people up. And, and I think that's why you see guys who have long careers with certain teams, maybe go to another team because they feel like they still have a lot in the tank left or, or something in the tank left. And I don't know what that is for Joey. I haven't, I briefly texted them a little bit and just happy for them. I don't know what that is in that he's motivated by, but that can motivate you. You know, I don't know, is he going to hit a walk off home run for the Toronto Blue Jays one day and do his Joe Carter and be like, that's it. I'm out of here. Like, maybe that's all he, maybe that's all he wants. You know, as a kid, if you're going up in Canada, everybody remembers that. So maybe there's something there, maybe it's to help try and lead him to a world series. We don't know, but I do know this that he loves the game of baseball. He's passionate about it. He's evolved. He's still, Joey's got a great sense of humor and very tried, funny sense of humor. And he'd be a great addition in that locker room. Yeah. I mean, you mentioned how he's evolved. And maybe 10 years ago, he wouldn't be as welcoming to the microphones as he is right now. Did you see like this social media, Joey Votto thing happening where he's like, no, what's going on there? I don't know. I love it. The bus rides and the chess playing and the, you know, leaving stuff for the fans. But, you know, like I said, when you're, when you're a superstar, like Joey was, and you, and you go through all that, you don't have time for that. Those guys don't, they're so busy trying to go three for four every day with a homer and be that solid and all the lineup guy, but Joey was always kind of doing that. You know, I remember a guy that played for a short period of time, you know, with the Reds, a catcher named Paul Bocko and Paul said, you know, he laughs to us off one time. He gets this FedEx package in the mail. And it was a, it was an invitation to the Cincinnati Reds team function during the year. And he's like, what the heck is this, you know, and he'd just been released. And Joey had sent it to him, you know, as a joke, like, you know, hey, you got released, but you're still welcome to come to the team party, you know, which I thought was just really, really funny. And like, that's the kind of funny stuff, but that's rare because he's too busy trying to be great. And that's what he did throughout his career. And now he has an opportunity and I think he's got a head full of wisdom that he wants to share with people. Yeah. And in the Blue Jays are hoping that that there's something still left in the tank and who can discount that possibility that maybe the injury, you got that right. Yeah, I mean, the injury thing could have very well been the reason why the numbers aren't Joey Votto like the last two years and he did factually have shoulder surgery. This Blue Jays team in particular though, Ryan, it's a weird time in its development, right? They made the postseason the last two years, but they only won 89 games a season ago was a very lackluster, regular season, then very lackluster postseason. They have yet to win a playoff game. How do you view this Blue Jays team in a very tough American league east? I think, you know, just the fact that you have the talent there, you have some young players that, you know, can definitely help you out and get you there again. It's just, you know, you got to find a way from the injury, bud, you got to go out there and you got to dig deep. I lived the fact that they got players who were kind of reaching out close to some superstar type players, or at least really good all-star players who are, you know, that level, you got me there? Yeah, yeah, yeah, we saw that, too. Just, you know, reaching towards free agency, that's always a good thing. You like to see guys getting close to that because that's when you're going to get their best goal. Now it's a matter of, you know, I'm going out there and proving it and doing it on the field, but there's some young guys, the kid they got from Milwaukee in the rowdy to Lez trade, I think, you know, he's got a good young arm that can maybe step in, whether that's the rotation or the bullpen, whatever they view. There's a lot of things that can help this team, tough division, like you said, right? Baltimore, really, really good. Really good. Tampa Bay, always good. Yankees. But look what happens. Yankees, oh, have Yankees. They go get one, so there's a lot of garic holes out now. Who knows what happens? Like, you just don't know, it's how do you stay away from the injury, bud, and then you got to go out there and perform, and I think they got a really good team once again, and they have to prove that they're better than what they were last year, and that's up to them. They got, they got good players in that locker room at times, those guys are great, and they got good, really, really good pitching, and you have good pitching and you got good players. Possibilities are there, but we can write it down on paper all we want, right? You got to go out there and perform. Yeah, can't wait for it to start for real in less than two weeks, and it's two weeks from today when intentional talk comes back on MLB Network Friday, March 29th. Ryan, always appreciate the time. Thanks so much. Yeah, absolutely, guys, and Joey, if you're listening, man, I can take you shopping, okay, and we'll work on that a little bit. I get you a nice two-me suitcase, and you don't have to lug around those backpacks anymore, so. All right, yeah. All right, guys. Can I come? Yeah. Just go. I'd be like bringing your kid. I just got one thing. One is a group shopping. Thank you. One thing. You each get one thing. Okay. One suitcase and one art of clothes. Right? That sounds good to me. Yeah. See you, Ryan. All right, guys. I will get, like, that big trunk, like the Louis Vuitton trunk that's worth, like, $30,000 or something, and then I will turn around and sell it. Oh, wow. Okay. It's actually very funny because I didn't mean to talk about this, but it's just popping into my head that there was, like, an article about Kyle Shwarber, and he was doing this exact thing, like, to every guy who was getting called up with the Phillies, like, "Come with me. We'll go shopping at Gucci." And the guy's like, "I've never owned anything that costs any money in my life," and the guy's, like, walking around with, like, $3,000 backpack or something. So. I seem to recall Devin Travis' close shopping experience that may have been documented for television cameras that resulted in some discord in these very parts. No comment from me, but you're right. So it is interesting. So Joey Vottos turned into this media darling, right? Yeah. And there's always been this cutting, dry sense of humor that it's existed in him, but it's interesting how it becomes more a part of the equation when you're a lesser player and you're searching for relevance, like, frankly, more than Joey Vottos hasn't needed to get eyeballs or attention when he was winning MVP awards, right? Like that comes even if his team stinks, it's like, "Well, there's one of the best players in the game." But yeah, when you're in a diminished state in your career and you want to stay relevant, that's part of it. But it, Ryan's right. It's also true that maybe the things that you needed to do when you were a superstar, those are not prevalent when you're a 40-year-old Joey Vottos, so you have more time in your hands. It's just, yeah, it's interesting to see the evolution of Joey Votto and that he's more welcoming of microphones in his face. You'll see how that goes and I'm starting to see more, like as the media car wash that's surrounded Joey Votto continues day after day after day, and maybe it's just me expecting this, but I am starting to see Joey, like, the first media availability hit all the right notes. He looked so ecstatic to be there, right? And he's like, "I love it. I'm invigorated. Ryan the busses. It's gonna be so great." And I'm, listen, he's not making it up, but we'll see. What if he's in the major leagues and contributing and a guy that you're going to be able to put a microphone in his face at the conclusion of baseball games because he's playing in those games, whether we still get the effervescent full of life Joey Votto, or for you, he gets a little chromagini. I've also seen that side of Joey. Yeah, I think that'll probably happen. And that's the thing. He's kind of in control of this, right? If he's performing and he's chromagini, we'll all be accepting of it and we'll go, "That's right." If he's not, he's not going to be able to be. And if he's not performing, he's not going to be here. So that's kind of the way I look at it. I tend to think that the chromagini will show himself. And I say that as somebody who, you know, I've given a good performance at a party or two in my life, but given my druthers, I'd like to complain. Yeah, I'm a skeptic and I'm a cynic. But I'm skeptical of that. It must be said and reiterated, 'cause I said the exact number. And I'll say it again, $260,263,155. I feel like Uncle Sam got a couple of those bucks. Oh, yeah. Sorry. He only made maybe like $130 million doing a finger thing 'cause of the taxes. Joey Votto's made some money throughout the course of his major career. Almost enough to buy a house in the GTA, but Joey Votto, I don't think whatever happens this season or beyond, I mean, Nelson Cruz held on beyond his age 40 season. So like maybe he gets smoking homers in Dominican winter ball. Yeah. So maybe Joey has a bounce back here and he wants to come back next year. But I don't think anything that's about to happen for Joey Votto and his career changes the discussion about him getting into the Hall of Fame. I think he's already a Hall of Famer. This guy, it must be said factually, just cares about playing baseball. He doesn't have to do this. What's the thing you'd most want to do in the world? Joey Votto can do that today. Right. If it just costs money. Yeah. And he's deciding not to do that because he wants to ride on a bus through Buffalo, New York. The thing he most wants to do is not going out that way though. Like what if that's the thing? And that's the part I just I just don't know. Well, it's not. It's like can take the smarter big deal and I can go play in Buffalo and that's the way he'd go out. That part is in his control. I think that has to be part of it. Does he love baseball? Of course. Of course. I think that has to be factored in the equation as well. Yeah. But to me, that's like, that's hand in hand, love him baseball, not wanting to go out the way he has the last couple of years. You can you can have a lot of pride and not love something. We might see him in a in a great early game this weekend. That would be exciting. That would be. All right. We'll be back on Monday. This has been the Fan Morning Show. Fan Anis Brantcon exports that 5-9 at Fan. Good morning. [music] (dramatic music)
