(upbeat music) - Man, morning, Joe, sports at 5.5, man, man, I was running down, and that's like too excited to show your emotions. Isn't that generally when the emotions show when you're excited? - Yeah. - I don't think there's a, there's like a point of diminishing returns where you get so excited you go into complete shock. I think there's some element to that. - Yeah, I was shocking, to be sure. I mean, for you guys, not for me. - I expect nothing less. - Yeah, what's it gonna say? Like you were probably like, - Okay, I just caught a breath. Now I knew that was happening. - Yeah, yeah. No, I had my requisite camperdict baseball tweet. - Yeah. - And Blue Jays are back to 500 in the discourse about the - It's a stay of execution on the discourse. Let's be honest. - Yeah, the Boomer bust offense, which is still a bit of a reality. Well, we can put it to the side for a second. So I would like to believe, I would like to believe that that's enough, at least for the immediate future for Johnston Schneider to say, okay, like let's see how this looks. Okay, with David Schneider in there every day. Like, and it doesn't have to be forever, but against all commerce. Now, where is that on the field? Left field, I thought he made the plays he was supposed to make, the play he didn't. - I'm telling you, Dalton Varsho probably doesn't make that play either. - That was an insane play. - That's not a good outfielder play. That's just a weird quirky, quirk of that ball park. - Yeah, you have a better shot if you're an Astros player, 'cause you play there often. But yeah, if you're a visiting player, having an idea of which side of the wall to set up on, and then it almost hitting that wall on the way down. In fact, it might have even hit the wall. So it might have been an impossible play altogether. But yeah. - Look at you making excuses for it. - No, you're not wrong. But you're just like, I mean, honestly, no one could have. You could have five Astros out of field. - Yeah, there's no way that they're going to call it. It's left field. - It's left field. - It's left field, okay. We've seen Chris Colobello. Not well, but try to play that position. Adam Lind was like, not good, but passable in left field. Stand out there, have a decent arm. - But yeah, you would like to not give up on the Dalton Varsho experience so early into the revamped offensive season he's about to have. So I expect him back in there today. Kevin Kiermeyer, you're right. Like I pointed out that we should have been more keenly aware or ready for a potential offensive regression from him, but he's still Kevin Kiermeyer. And boy, if he can recapture some of what he did offensively a season ago, you gotta keep him in. I think against Rites, I think Varsho Kiermeyer in there. Kevin Bezio had a great second out of the season. He's off to a pretty good start as well. - Yep. - So where does that leave David Schneider? - I would say, no, we have a very limited sample of David Schneider with third base, but in his minor league career, it's the second most games he's played in. It's second base, but only like 20 games back of that is third base. Played a lot of third base. Now, just judging by the error total, it's like a lot. It's not necessarily what you want, but the way this offense looks, I think you got an error on the side. And it's tough with Chris Bassett on the mountain tonight, who's an extreme ground ball pitcher to maybe not field your best defensive team. All right, so maybe early in the season, you gotta play more Justin Turner at third base and David Schneider's your DH. - I don't care- - Earn the 10 games they have. I don't care what you have to do, honestly. It's like, Sid Vlad, at first base, I don't honestly don't care what you have to do, who has to sit. And I guess the most likely scenario, because I don't think they're that comfortable with him at third base. I don't recall seeing him there like at all during spring, it was second base, it was left field. Those were basically the two positions we were told were David Schneider's spot on this team is just gonna split time. They're gonna be not a straight platoon, but probably platoon-ish in second base. And then sort of platoon-ish in left field because either Varsho or Keir Meyers gonna get the day off and whoever's not playing is gonna play center field. But I mean, if you're forced into it, like, I don't think it's the worst thing in the world to play him at third base. Now, you can, I'm not, my defensive David Schneider at third base takes are not extreme because I haven't seen enough of it. But again, you gotta err on the side of offense with this team considering the lack of it. - Yeah, and I guess they just don't want to be, like, I'm thinking aloud here. And sometimes when you do that, yeah, it's a dumb question. But it's like, well, why not just put Bgio at third and have him play second? - Yeah, you could, you could do that too. - Does that not do, is that not the way you-- - We've seen Bgio at third base too. And it's like, yeah, you're right, it's not ideal. - It's not, but neither is David Schneider at third base. And if you, if we are of the belief, and I wouldn't dare say otherwise, especially sitting across the table from you, they're like, David Schneider is the key to the offense and you have to keep him in a good spot. I'm like mostly joking when I say that, but if you want him feeling confident and good, don't you put him in a fielding position where he's going to feel confident and good, especially if the options are, okay, we kind of like both guys at second, we kind of don't like both guys at third. Why not just put Cav and Bgio, the guy who can, let's be honest, it's like one of the key traits of Cav and Bgio is his ability to suck it up and go play wherever he needs to, and hit wherever he needs to in the lineup. So that's the way I would do it if I were you. I know they're gonna be hesitant to that, especially like you said, with Bassett on the mound, you probably want IKF in there, but I think you have to prioritize getting some runs. Think you do? >> Yeah, there's only so many games of Ernie Clemente and Isaac Heiner-Folefe in, not just in the lineup at the same time, but hitting back to back to back, belly to belly that one man can withstand. No offense to either player, more offense to Isaiah Keiner-Folefe 'cause he's, that's what the money's for. Like I'm allowed to toggle of your offensive ability. >> That's my last name. >> Mm-hmm, 'cause you're a career, OPS+ of like 85 guy, and Ernie Clemente has never made that type of dough that Isaiah Keiner-Folefe and will never, because like he doesn't hit free agency until he's like 30 years old. But yeah, those guys, we know what they are. They're glove men, they can put the bat on the ball, and they're part of the Alexander curve foots that occupy the final five spots in the batting order. >> Yeah, it's like at least Clemente has the speed tool as well, right? You're gonna sit there, and I know that there's a longer track breaker with IKF, so you feel better about knowing what little you're gonna get from him, whereas Clemente is still like in that mystery box phase of his career. But yeah, just in terms of getting Schneider in there, I think that's the way you have to do it is, you just put him at second base and kind of figure everything else, not that that's the key to the lineup, that you start all your decisions with putting Davis Schneider at second base and then working from there. But in this instance right now with the other assumptions you make, there's not that many questions. So yes, just put them there and kind of operate in the ways you need to. Quick under the hood after six games down for the Toronto Blue Jays. And it's only a limited under the hood look because get it together, Stadcast, they don't have any of their-- >> No, I totally. >> Advanced numbers yet? This means there are no takeaways to be had yet. It's like, major league baseball has decided that, I don't know when Stadcast will decide to see the light and provide us numbers for 2024, but until they do, then it's still early. That we joke about it all the time, that's the new rule for me. >> It's tough because your numbers do get skewed when you've been no hit in one of your six games that you've played. >> It'll do that, that'll be tough. >> So as a result, >> Then you have a night that looks like last night where until Davis Schneider runs into one where it's kind of skewing your results again. >> As a result, Blue Jays 29th and batting average in major league baseball, which is again, to be expected after you have no hits. And just two base runners, it was the same guy who took two walks in a game. But they're also 29th in Babbip, which is batting average on balls and play, which means that- >> A little unlucky, yep. >> Yeah, so for the uninitiated, I don't know who this is at this point, which is Babbip, I feel like it's just such a part of the baseball. >> Here's the thing, I'm referencing it, just offhand, it's broken through. >> Okay, yes, it should be around 300, right? Like it doesn't matter who you are, you put it up balls and play like 30% of the time, you put a ball and play, you should be on first base. >> The Blue Jays are 20% of the time, they're putting a ball and play, they're ending up at least on first base. So, and there's not like huge strikeout games for these Blue Jays, they're like, yeah, I don't expect them again. The end of the season, they're not gonna be top five offensive team in all the baseball. They're better than they've shown and have been two degree unlucky this season. >> There is some element to that, but like, you know, I go to my own favorite baseball stats ups, I go to baseball, Savant, and pull up last night's game. It's like you just look at the expected extra base hit, percentage on most hits, and it's like last night, Houston was the unlucky team. It's like they have the more hard hit balls that were ground outs or ground into double play. >> Oh, they have huge opportunities too. >> Exactly, but over the course of the season, these things will normalize, but it also has to be said that if you have questions about the offense, then the bad bit thing will normalize, but if you're just not hitting the ball, it's hard. If you're not making it as clean a contact, some of it is luck and it can go either way, but some of it is the less hard contact you're making, the less beneficial that's going to be to you. So it's a little concerning to see that from the J's at this point in time, but again, it's early. >> And, early, very, very early. >> Can I sneak in the Rodriguez thing? >> Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. >> About infrancis, I hope they didn't. >> Hotzy. >> I hope they either like held his eyes, clockwork orange open style to make him watch that, or buried the tape to never let it see the light of day for him because we talked about it. He's gonna get two, three starts before you have to make a decision and not make a decision of what he is, but if you can go on with this guy in your rotation, and first outing was not good. We'll see what happens next time he gets the ball. I'm not writing him off by any means, but you have a guy that you're paying for five years. Again, the fact that somebody got term from this team, and it's a pitcher and he does what he did in Buffalo yesterday. >> Yeah, the four shut out, no hit innings. Yeah, exactly what you want to see. So Francis should be, you'll be sweating for sure. >> Yeah, he's on a pitch count, and he's gonna be on an innings limit. It is a Yariel Rodriguez this year, so I don't know, it's not gonna be like a pure plug-and-play as the fifth starter for this team. But yeah, if he's got bullets in the chamber, why not use them at the major league level? >> Well, especially, again, not that they'd want to use them in this way necessarily, but your pen is going, if you have more games that look like that yesterday, you're gonna run out of guys you could trust. And that's not a knock on how they've built the pen. It's just you're missing two guys. >> Yeah. >> You have three you can trust. That's having five guys you could trust in your pen in April. That's a pretty good spot to be in. >> And God forbid this Blue Jays team, draft and develop a pitcher. Like, Alec Minoa is there. >> No, I love it. >> Ricky Tiedemann might be a thing, but look at what the Astros have done within their own organization. And all the guys that they just keep turning it over, year over year over year, and their fifth star is throwing a no hitter. But yeah, that they need somebody within the organization to surprise on the mound. All right, so like, I don't know. I'm the Votto guy on the show, and you love to yell at me when I bring up Joey Votto things. But you also like to send me Joey Votto stuff. >> Only if it's cringy. >> Yeah, I never, I would never be like, he was, I don't even know what would be in my mind good. But nothing that I would, something about the Leafs is like, I love the Leafs. >> No, I'd be like, oh, I'm in on Joey Votto. >> No, I would actually be like, that is the most naked, just kowtowing to the crowd. It's like the Toronto guy who I've never seen say boo about them his whole life is like, this isn't a zag-eating situation where he's doing interviews from his dorm room. He's got a Leafs flag up in his room, okay? >> I was not alerted. I don't have notifications on for Joey Votto. >> Chop. But apparently you do, like within seconds of this tweet being sent, you sent it to me in the group chat, the show group chat. This from Joey Votto yesterday during the game, 8.05 p.m. Or I guess just before the game. >> I haven't watched a Jay's broadcast since high school. My first in a while does Tony Batista still have the coolest dance in the league? Which is like, yeah, it's nice. That's like pretty on brand. >> It's a good, it's a good Jay's cut. >> Yeah, I'm not telling you that because hey, I'm not going to go through, not every day, there's not going to be a Joey Votto tweet portion of the show where I just tell you what Joey Votto's tweeting. >> Thank God. >> You want to see me turn into the Joker? We'll do that. It's like the Davis Schneider and Joey Votto hour. >> Or describing his Instagram posts? That would be great too. And Joey's sad. We've already done the thing about five times where we described the picture of him sitting on the bed. And I have told you it like three different times to where you had to be alerted that that was just him, his head photoshopped on somebody else. I know you still don't believe it. >> I don't buy that. >> Anyways, the reason we're bringing this up is because he deleted that tweet. It's weird. I already gave you a very, very piping-hot conspiracy theory thing on Joey Votto yesterday. I don't know if this plays into it, but yeah, why on earth would he delete that tweet? >> Maybe he just didn't like the way, I don't know. Maybe there's something about Tony, but he's honestly, I should have done some research on that. Maybe Tony about Tista, like a person on the ground. But yeah, I don't know. It seemed like a weird tweet to delete. >> Yeah, it's a very, if you're going to, it's a weird tweet to tweet. I got to be honest, it is like, it's very on-brand for how everything's gone. I'm like, hey, look at me. I'm over here. Don't, I know I'm not on the Major League club, but don't forget about me. And I do wonder if he just was sitting there with it and he goes, and this is unbecoming. I don't know. He can tweet about the Blue Jays if he wants to. >> Uh-huh. >> And maybe this is the problem with the way I view, and it's not view the player. It's view the person, but it's impossible for him to do much on Twitter. That does not appear as though it's a PR play. >> Wow. >> And again, maybe that's a me problem. I'm not blind to the reality of that, but do you not see that as him going, oh, let me show everyone, like, hey, remember, I'm Canadian. I love the Jays too. It's just, it's odd to tweet it, and it's odd to delete it. If you're going to tweet it, keep it. Because there's nothing, again, to our knowledge unless we're busy. >> No, I looked, I did a quick look at Tony Batista's Wikipedia page, and there was no, like, incidents. >> Okay, that's- >> Tab. >> Tab. >> Thank God. >> Yeah, yeah. I guess I have to be the conspiracy theory guy. >> Yeah. >> I enjoy Votto, like, I gave you an opportunity. >> Okay, well, like, I think it's very obvious that he is doing this to ingratiate himself to Blue Jays fans. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. >> But that's, okay, but why would he delete the tweet? You're right, like, it's a potential that he's like, ah, I just feel- >> This is- >> I'm doing it too much. I mean, I think- >> Hell, the thing- >> This is- >> This is- >> This is less hot take than the one I put out into the ether yesterday. >> Is it bad that I've forgotten what that was already? >> Yeah, that Joey Votto never had- >> Right. >> Inglings of playing in the major league. >> Yes, that is- >> God, I forget that job by me. >> His last moment as a professional baseball player will be hitting a home run in a spring training game for his hometown team. Anyways, and that's- >> We're just joking around. >> No, we're like, I'll just have- >> Aha. >> God, like, it's like Brett Favre took a dive, so Michael Strahan got the all-time sack record, and I was in a game that mattered. >> Yep. >> So, it's strange that things have happened. >> Yep. >> Is it like impossible for either his representatives to tell him that like, hey, the organization's not too pleased about this? Or the organization themselves saying, hey, stop making a spectacle of yourself. >> So, for me to believe that, I would have to believe then that somebody in the J's front office does have notifications turned on to his tweet, because he deleted it instantly. Like, it was not up for more than, I don't know, maybe an hour or so before it was- >> That's not instantly, that's plenty of time, man, right? >> I still think the most likely explanation is him internalizing it and going, ahh, this is a little unbecoming, but- >> Yeah, if you're- if you are the J's, I don't know that it goes as far as to say, like, don't tweet about this, but if I had my brothers, don't tweet, just do, don't tweet. We don't need everybody being reminded every three days seemingly that you're down there in Buffalo, biting your time, it's just, it's the whole, this whole thing has been awkward. There's been no part of this, and it was, like, I can put my own feelings on this aside to say, this should be, this should have been a great, a homecoming moment and the Homer in there that Zach Wheeler grew to him, maybe, maybe not, like, but it's all been weird. You throw the letter into it and the stepping on the bad, and that's not seeing from him, and tweets like this. There's just been no part of this that hasn't been a little, eerie or odd. >> Yeah, weird, and that's why it opens itself up to conspiracy theories, which, yeah, as far as you know, I don't truly believe. >> All right, here's what I do believe that the lightning are one of the Leafs' biggest rivals. >> Yes. >> And I think by rights, they should be their biggest. They've played them the last two first round post-season series, right? And those were not, like, not physical series. >> Mm-hm. >> Er, Churnak can agree. But, and they've also, you know, played already two regular season games. >> We had a fight between two 60 goalscores. >> Might have been them doing their best, Alex, seven in pressure, did the fight, but they did wrestle technically, Stammer and Austin. >> But I don't know. >> Do you view them as their biggest rival? Because, like, I will say, Kudos to Gary Batman and the post-season play of alignment for this, you know, that we've seen- >> That is just not speak for both of us. >> That we've seen post-season series between the Bruins, too, but those feel far removed. And we saw the five-game series against the Panthers last year. >> Honestly, both of those teams feel like bigger rivals than the lightning to the Leafs. >> I think that there's a very real chance that you're ruining those words at 7.45 tonight. I just think that those teams that played one another, we just mentioned that, like, that Schilefsky wasn't there. The Leafs had not found their stride as to what they were yet. This is a very different team. This is a team where the Leafs don't need it, but the lightning are still very much playing for something. I think it is almost impossible, in my opinion, to kind of power rank the rivals of those three. I think those are far and away the least biggest rival. And I know this is kind of a cop-out answer, but- >> That's a coward answer. >> Well, no, no, I haven't even given you my guy. >> I can already tell you to see a coward answer. >> Montreal Canadiens are the least biggest rival. The games that always mean something, no matter the two states that the teams are in, that is truly the ultimate rivalry. That's why it will always be the case between those two teams. And I think- >> You're more geeked up for Saturday's game than tonight. >> It's not a matter of geeked up, and that's why it's a big old rival. It's the fact that every time those two teams play, it could not matter if the habs are the peak of their powers, Larry Robinson, Gila Fleur, whatever habs, and the least are the group that tanked to get Austin Matthews. They still show up more vice versa. We're going to talk recent playoff history. Yeah, the loss against the Panthers, it hurt, it was tough, and the losses against the lightning were brutal. Nothing, nothing hurt and cut this fan base more than losing that series to that team. So I guess I'll, I cannot fix my lips to say kudos to Gary Betman, but good job by the playoff format that there is this rivalry among three of the teams in the division. But it will always, always, even sorry senators, it's not even you. Because that's very much a like one-sided rivalry at all times, it feels like, and I'm not even saying it's always the Leafs. It just seems like one team's, when the Leafs are good, we're not invested in it. When the sends are good, they're not invested in it. It's kind of how it seems. It's not the case with the Leafs and Canadians. It will always be that. It will always be that. Yeah, I guess it's how you define a rivalry, right? Like the, and to me, it is like, hey, what is the game I'm most excited to see? I gotta tell you, like, like the uniforms is great. Like, yeah, nostalgic and yeah, you can't say that it's been irrelevant in recent times, because yeah, quite notably it wasn't. Yeah, that was God. And that was, even if we're just talking about the nature of that series, wasn't like a knock-em-down drag-em-out series. Although, yeah, like Corey Perry had to tone for his sins. He nearly killed the Leafs captain 10 minutes into the series. But yeah, I think we all, in the aftermath, understand that that was an accident. But yeah, no, it was just visually part of that was during a pandemic with no fans in the sense. But like, take that seven-game series and then the two subsequent series against the lightning, the 13 combined games, there's a different deal with the five games against the Panthers. Like, just, yeah, I'm way more excited about a game against the lightning, even though I'm not ranking them one, right, or the Panthers or the Bruins. And honestly, it still feels like the Bruins are one despite that being so long and it's the Bradmarsh and effect for me. It's just Bradmarsh. It's one guy, and him just being the lightning rod of controversy. And two, I would have the Panthers and three, I would have the lightning. But yeah, just like the excitement, the anticipation surrounding games against those three teams compared to, yeah, it's the Canadians. And, you know, one of these days they're going to get back to relevance here. And then, no, not until the city crowds, we retires. But, and yeah, hey, it's like the rules, just so we're clear. Yeah, it's like a Packers Bears situation, or a Yankees Red Sox in 2024 situation. But come on. It's like, Yankees raise is more important in 2024. Yankees, Orioles, Yankees, Blue Jays is more important. Like, today, those rivalries are more important. I mean, unless the Red Sox have some surprise season up their sleeve, that's where I'm at with that. Yeah, I guess I would, historic, no, I see what you're saying. But I guess my point is that it's like, I'm not sitting here licking my chops going, well, yes, Saturday night, baby, it's going to be Joe Wall. But guess what? The puck's going to drop and those two sweaters, sets of sweaters are going to be out there. And it's going to be a contentious game. And Josh Anderson is going to score because he always does only against the Leafs. Good Berlin player. Yeah. No, the terrible Burlington guy. And, thankfully, by my fighting the good fight, the city of Burlington has stopped congratulating my goals and scores against the Leafs. But I think that the fact that the Canadians are at where they're at, and that game, not leading up to it, but in the midst of it, is going to feel like these two teams hate each other. To me, just further hammers home the point of how big the rivalry is. Now, if I'm going to, everyone say, play along, because I don't think you're, this is like a topic you've cooked up, but these things to conversation. It's sports right now, but it is the top. Again, I'm not, I don't, I don't mean to disparage it. Like, oh, I'll play your little game here. But if I throw the Montreal Canadiens aside, because I do think they're, they're a separate entity, like to your point, Red Sox Yankees. It's like, that's not a baseball rivalry. That's like Protestant Catholic. Yeah. It's a historic rivalry. Okay. So if I throw them aside, I think you almost had the right ranking. Oh, I think it's Bruins one, because of Brad March on's face. Just like so long as he looks like that. Yeah. They're one with a bullet. Kind of, kind of no matter what. I think so. Then it's the lightning. Then it's the Panthers. Interesting. Yeah. I just think because of how physical that series was, a season ago, and because of the guy who's not even on the team, like the radical Buddhist yelling in Joe Wall's face and over time in game five, like there's enough to that. And then, you know, the, the DDTing suplexing. I will say, I feel differently of Buddhist was still on the team. Like, I think there'd be an element of it that he'd be a part of it. And part of it is that again, like what makes rivalries, what makes rivalries, it's that, well, and cousins plays into this perfectly, as much as you hate, you know, like the guy who sticks up for himself, you hate so much more, the guy who you can never get his comeuppance on, like a radical Buddhist or a Nick cousins, when the turtle and stuff. So there's an element of that in the Panthers. But I just think the, the track record, like the fact that you've been through it multiple times with the lightning, I think there's still, I think, and the, and the fact that the lightning have done it, like the Panthers, they went on a great run and it was a good run to the cup final, but it's not like you sit there and say, well, we lost the cup champs and back to back years or whatever, like they were able, unfortunately able to do for the least. So I think it's Boston, I mean, again, my ranking Montreal, but Boston, Tampa, them, Florida. Hmm. Yes, I have Boston, Florida, Tampa. Of all the other teams, is there any one, like of the other notable Eastern Conference teams, like a Rangers or hurricanes, do you feel any type of way? No. I feel like the Rangers and Leafs games have had a little bite and spice this year. Sure. That's just a couple of good, good teams. Just Matt Rempeh existing, I guess, is kind of what's happening there as well. I don't, I don't think it's like a rivalry or anything. If we're going to say the Leafs, and this is unfortunately kind of petered out, it was Winnipeg for a while. That was for whatever reason the line a Matthews thing to the Marner P onk thing and the Spetsa and the Clifford and Mark Schifley and Logan Stanley going off the ice like he's a heavyweight champion. The world leaves against every Canadian team. No, that one always felt so, I mean, the Canucks still viewed the Leafs as like their biggest rival. No, but here's, you're right. But the problem with Winnipeg is that it was proof positive of what it after thought they were like, and were you a rival? It's like, okay, I guess, come on, let's do it. You're only a province over. Yeah, it's a long way though. Oh, it's my favorite thing when I cook up the like Canadian Thanksgiving that we'll never get because the season starts too late now of all of like America gets their football and Thanksgiving. We should get our hockey is I never know what to do with the Jets. I have all these like great match ups of it's like, you go cracking in Canucks and you got Battle of Alberta. Jets can play the wild. Well, so this is the thing, then you're leaving out, then you're leaving out one of the sins of the Canadians because it's like the Leafs have to alternate back and forth between the two of them. Yeah, then I guess you just the Jets and Sens. Sure. Because of the Indians. I know, but you got seven Canadian teams. Somebody's going to be without a dance partner. Yeah, the Jets play the wild. All right. Good job. Thank you for playing my little game. Let's play our game. Uh, when we come back, Sam McKee a real camera and board and Leafstalk is the fan morning. She'll continue as Ben and his Brent Gunning sports at 590 the van. Dive deep into Toronto sports and the NFL. The JD Bunk is podcast. Subscribe and download the show on Apple Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm a big fan of history. Love history. Love watching history. Okay. Like the channel. Back in the day when I watched things that were just on instead of like just the things that I want to watch what you wanted. Yeah. Right when I want to watch it. Yeah. Oh, it's big. I'd be honest. Brando Street can me have just like, Oh, yeah. What about this general? What was he up to until a history channel became like the like, Hey, the aliens channel too was like ancient aliens. It's like, Nah, just give me the history. Yeah. I want to know about a war somewhere. Not like something off in space that may or may not be true. So I want to see awesome Matthews achieve some history. It's already franchise history. Each and every goal. Subsequent is the all-time franchise mark for goals sitting at 62. I want to see 70. His teammates want to see 70. God knows he wants to hit 70. I think there are there is a sect of the fan base of which you might be a part of Brent where you're like 70s nice. That's cool. That's fine. Yeah. And like we play six months of hockey with limited stakes. At least there's a thing. Yeah. But it might inhibit the Leafs ability to ease up on the gas on the Austin Matthews thing the rest of the season. Is there a negative side to Austin Matthews with the two goal performance against the Panthers now being like, again, it would take any a Herculean effort eight and eight for most people that would be Herculean not for this dude. It's all the week. Yeah, it's well within range for this guy. Is there a flip side of the Austin Matthews now with 70 within range? No, we like you in order for it to be a downside, you have to be of the belief that Sheldon Keefe is going to be playing him 23 minutes a night. So that he can get there. If you're of the belief of that, then yeah, I guess there is a worry. I'm just not. I think these things tend to take care of himself. Will either be really, really close to it and okay, you'll continue to play games and you'll see him get a chance to chase it, but you'll or you'll see what what I ultimately expect to happen here where he finishes at like 66, 67 goals and it's close, but ultimately not getting there. I'd love to see it. Like, I don't want to begrudge the accomplishment that it would be, but you know, and I heard bunk making this exact point yesterday. It's like part of the problem with the way this team has gone about it that it's like, yeah, I'm sitting here talking about a 70 goal season line. Okay, that'd be that'd be nice. Good for him. It's just all about what's lurking around the corner with this game. Yes, and but that's always going to be the case. Like, I don't I don't I don't know, honestly, if there's anything that they can do say for like say he was going to be rested in game 82 and not doing that because he's sitting on 68 69 goals. Yeah, and even then it's like, the plants don't happen like immediately. It's not like the horn goes in game 82 and it's like, all right, time to drop the puck against the Panthers. You do get an extra day. I feel like it's at least two, maybe three days off until the start of a postseason series could be just two. I think the regular season ends on the 18th. It's entirely possible that the regular seer the playoffs could start up like that Saturday the 20th. So I don't know that there will be a ton of I don't know that there will be a ton of rest between the the two just for for what it's worth. Yeah, okay. But there's some rest. Okay. So that's the one scenario where like, well, you are kind of upsetting the apple cart. And if we will go back to the 60 goal season, hit 16, it was like shut her down. You did it. Well done. Good job. Have a seat, son. If that's what you're doing, I guess that there's like something that you're approaching the Matthews in the way he's deployed differently because of the milestone. But I generally think to your point, like that he's just playing the game and like naturally, it's going to happen. And yes, obviously the the judgment on this team will come in the postseason and anything that takes even a half a percent chance away from advancing in the postseason, you're not going to do. Yeah, but you don't know what will or won't. That's right. You don't know what will or won't. And also like, unfortunately for us, we've had to live in this world where like, there is relevance to a regular season, right? And like, yeah, okay, like, if the Leafs win the Stanley Cup, we'll forget about or we'll everything that happened during this regular season will be viewed in such a pause. No, no matter what. And if they bow it, remember how good it was, the Dolby and Bertuzzi save their bullets. But I like I'm like, I'm recalling that Colts team of years past that had a chance at a perfect season, like Curtis Painter starting in the 16th game of the season. Oh, okay. And well, part of it is like the sports gods were like, nah, nah, we don't like that. And secondary, it's like, okay, so everybody's trying to win a championship, but there's also like other things you can be remembered for. Yeah, over the course, and it's not the same, right? Like you'd obviously Austin Matthews, and it's not just him saying it. I believe it if Austin Matthews says, I'd rather have a Stanley Cup than a 70 goal season, because yeah, that's honestly more valuable to him financially. Also, infinitely, but having a 70 goal season ain't nothing either. Well, and I also don't think and again, like every person is different, every player is different. I don't think you can overlook what it would mean to cross that barrier right before the playoffs. Like, I think that there you can't overlook what that would mean. Like, what type of a shot in the arm is it to Austin Matthews? And again, I ultimately think he's going to come just short of this, but if he hits the 70th goal and two days later, he's playing game one of a playoff series, like, I don't think you need any more motivation. I don't think it gives him anything along those lines, but does it give him some kind of boost, some kind of shot in the arm? How can it, how can it not to a certain extent? Yeah, or, I mean, maybe this is putting too much on the 70th goal. Maybe he's like, hey, I got to make sure that this is not, hey, you know, puts a stank on the 70 goal season that we bow out in the first round. That's good too, like 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 donvalleynorthlexus.com. Today's insider, Damien Cox, Toronto star contributor, our Leafs historian. Good morning, Damien. Just a good morning, just, you know, flipping through the pages of history as we speak, as I always do. And it's the volume is huge. I imagine a huge, and I just flip through the pages, you know, every day looking for nuggets for you to. Yeah, and you know, they don't talk about how much harder the job of historian gets literally every day. I was going to say, like, how many of those pages are filled with Austin Matthews notes? Well, you know, the funny thing about Austin Matthews is I wonder if we're already at the point where he's the greatest leaf of all time, and therefore is wiping out the rest of the history that happened before him. And it's so hard to judge because of the age of the franchise and all the players that have not only had been successful, at least, but have won all these Stanley Cups. So then you take this players come along now, and is doing all these things. How do you compare? But you can make a case, guys. I mean, you can really make a case for him. And for all those who would say, you know, well, none of that matters until they win the Stanley Cup. So, so Marcell D'Alm, he was no good then, right? He didn't matter to anybody. That's a neat thing. Yeah, like, Marcell D'Alm wasn't an important player to the Los Angeles Kings because the Kings did win a championship. Mm-hmm. You know, and I think Lee Stens are very much hoping that's not the argument that's going to be talked about it 15 years from now. But there's no question that the ability to pick Matthews first overall changed the course of this franchise for probably two to three decades. Yeah, I would say that it's not even much of a discussion if he has any modicum of post-season success. It's like he's like clearly the most talented. He's like in numbers wise doing things, obviously breaking records routinely. And as early as next season could be the franchise, the leader in goals, all it takes is yeah, win a couple of rounds, get to a conference final, God forbid, get to a cup final or win one. It's like unassailable. But yeah, I don't know, do you even think that that's even, I said, well, no, let me, let me put it this way. Doesn't it feel like all he has, and again, it's like just all he has to do, all he has to do to become, I think in most people's opinion, the greatest leave of all time is match the 93 run of Clark and Gilmore. Like, I think that is the one that like, yeah, we can go back to 67. Sure. Most people can't. So I think that that is the thing you have to match for him to kind of reach that level. It does seem that way, at least to me. And you know what? I actually don't. And let's say he ends up with a career like I'm trying to think of somebody who's a good example. I can't think of somebody right up on my head. But like, if this continues at the pace, it's going, he's going to either be taking a run at Wayne Gretzky or at Alex Sylvester, whoever has the most goals in the history of the, or the career in the history of the NHL. Now a lot of things can happen. So you're telling me, if he does that, and we're talking, when he's 40 years old, he's about to pass. Like I say, I think Gretzky or a veteran, whoever holds the title. And we're going to be saying, yeah, but he didn't, you know, he didn't even get to a final. So no, he wasn't that good. Think so, guys. You know, I don't think so. It's tough. How would we talk to him without the cup, though? I don't know. Is it you like he's the greatest gender? He's the greatest scorer in his generation. You'd say, yeah, but if they don't with the cup, he'd know. No, I don't think that. I think it just, I think that without that cup, we would say all the exact same things about him. There would just be a but at the end of it. And I just think that carries so much weight in the sport where not everybody, but almost all the guys get theirs. I just think there's some element to that. Like I, I, you're right. We would still call Ovechkin, the greatest goal scorer of all time. If he catches Gretzky, we wouldn't take that away from him because he didn't have a cup. But it would be seen as almost further proof that he was a one dimensional guy. And I'm not saying that this is the right way to look at it. But it would be seen as further proof that he was a one dimensional guy who cared about his own tallies and not caring about team success. Again, that's the wrong way to do it. But I do think that is kind of how history for a big sub-sector people would have remembered Ovechkin if he didn't have that run in 12 or 14 whenever it was 17. Yeah. Well, I mean, look, I don't think Austin Matthews is going to be the greatest player in the enemy history of the enemy channel because there are certain, I'm going to ensure you'll be the goal greatest goal scorer because the numbers goals per game for Mario, Lemieux, and Mike Bossy are so untouchable. And because they played such, had such short careers, no one can be able to say that Austin Matthews is a better goal scorer than Mike Bossy because Bossy didn't play long enough. You know, that, that Bobby or thing where well, we don't know, but all we can tell you is the stats and the stats say this. And as far as what you're saying, and I know you're not making a direct comparison between Ovechkin and Matthews, but I think Matthews is proving right now he's not a one dimensional player. You can make an argument at a pretty good one. And I don't think this will happen, that he should win the rocket, the heart, the selfie, and the Lady Dang this season. Pretty good. You can make that argument now. I think he'll probably win the rocket and the, and the, probably in the, the Lady Dang, although the idiot 10 minutes conduct you got the other night, like, you know, the way it was confused. It was like, this is, this is time to get goal number six and three is like, no, you can't. You have to go to the room in the final minute. Yeah. And well, what did I do? Well, you were on the ice. Yeah. But I didn't do anything. Yeah, you know, we're, we're taking their three minutes. We're, we're, we're going to be in charge now this final green in this game. Same strum happens. Yeah. End of the second period. Probably nobody gets a penalty at all. Right. Yeah. But in case this one, oh no, we're, we're going to take charge. We don't want any silliness happening on our watch. Yeah. You know, that's a side argument. But you're, you know, we pass on it. Yeah. So I think you maybe tipped your hand as to what your answer is on this. You're talking about how regular seasons are still meaningful, but how important do you think it is for him to get 70? How much of a priority should he and this leaf team make it to get 70? Like, what if he's sitting on 68, 69 going into game 82? Everything's wrapped up except for that. Should they play him? No, no, no, I mean, it's not that important. It's because the numbers 92, right? So if you're not in that neighborhood, 70, what's up with you in 69, 70? I mean, you're a golfer. You're telling me the difference between 80 and 79 is nothing? Are you kidding me? Well, the last time I shot six, I had a chance to sit, you know, 69. Oh, no, that was in the front nine. Yeah, that's right. Yeah. The, uh, no, look, I think the, that you want at this point, every decision you make about the leaf, if you're Sheldon Keith, uh, and Brad to living and Brandon Shanahan for that matter, every decision you make is positioning yourself for game one of the playoffs. So you may be, you know, you may be wrestling in any ways. I mean, look, he gets, he gets hurt in game 82 because he's going for 70 a goal and people like that wouldn't make any sense at all. Um, I'd like to see him. I'd like to see him pass Dave Keon, on the all time leafless, which I think needs four more goals. I think that would, that would be an interesting number. Now if he's, if he needs that on the, on the last game, am I playing him? And you know, unless you were going to play him anyways, and there's an argument for that, but I think passing Keon becomes a really interesting one because Keon basically played twice as many games if he does it this season. So he did, and Keon made a big thing when he was in town this year that, well, none of this matters in the playoffs, which I thought was kind of a self serving answer. Okay, Dave, when it was a 16 lead, all the players were Canadian and the least got to control all the best players in Ontario. That's when it mattered. I mean, come on, like that's not, you know, you have to put things in perspective as great as the APN was. And I have to tell you guys, I mean, I'm, I'm already putting, probably putting Matthew's ahead of Keon as the number one leaf of all time, but it's just what I'm seeing. Yeah, I think, I think it ultimately ends up being a conversation of like, there's one conversation of who is the greatest leaf of all time, who is the greatest player to ever put on the sweater. And then there's a very different conversation of who had the greatest leaf career of all time. Like that includes longevity. That includes the multiple runs of success. And I think, I think those are very different things. If, if Austin Matthews does everything that he and this team are capable of, the answer for both will be him. But I think there's, there's very much a world where you can say he is right now the greatest leaf of all time, but has a long way to go before he has the greatest career by any leaf, even just in a leaf sweater. I think that's probably the best way I look at it. Yeah, I mean, the story is still only partly told. And I think one of the unusual things when you start going through leaf history, as I do, hang on, I got to turn a page here. Okay, as we start going through leaf history, is how few of the great leaves played their entire career in Toronto. So therefore, the pieces of their career that were in Toronto were kind of incomplete as well. Keon being one of them, right? He ended up going to the WHA and then the Harvard. Frank Mahovlage, you know, the greatest school scorer. Yeah, but he gets, you know, he gets traded to Detroit and you go on down the list. There are settler didn't finish his career. Matt Sunbeam didn't start his career in Toronto and he didn't finish in Toronto, Doug Gilmore, one of the core, all these guys. And because of the nature of this franchise, there really isn't at this point, you know, that Steve Eisenman type character or what it looks like we might see as a Steve Stancoast type character with Tampa Bay in town. You know, does Matthew's end up finishing that? Oh, no, I mean, I mean, the fact is the least for sure are going to get the best years lost in Matthew's career, which if you're a Toronto fan, I still feel like, I don't know, maybe it's just me living in, you know, living in the Damian world, but I still feel like Matthew still isn't appreciated the way I think he should be like, like, I remember what it was like with Vince Carter and it was just, you know, over the moon best on the NBA changing the league, all that sort of stuff. I don't hear that. It's like, yeah, wish you could fight. I find that a bit peculiar, you know, and it probably goes back to the whole playoff thing that we started off talking about, right? You know, well, you know, but you got to win the playoffs. So that's not probably part of it. But I look, I sure appreciate him. And I think anybody who's watched him over the course of his career appreciates how his game is developed. Yeah, I think the next thing is for him to be a dominant face off man, you know, more get numbers more like John Tavares. That's probably in city crowds, we did that later in history, right? Like you can all do these things sort of one thing at a time and crowds really came to a great face on that. That's probably one of the things that's next for Matthew. Yeah, what a cop too. Yeah, get a fight. Come on. And again, again, a fight. Him and Stanko's fought last year. You guys don't remember the greatest fight ever. And then Stanko's. I still remember that. I've been talking about officiating. Stanko's like going around the ice frost checking everybody and the referee is going looking at their watch. Yeah, Stephen. And we're going to have that back soon. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Damien, always a pleasure. Thanks, man. Well, thanks for having me, guys. I got to get back to work. This book is getting heavy. Yep. It sure is. I have here to still to come this season. Bye-bye. Have a good day. You too. Damien Cox, Toronto Star contributor, our Leafs historian and our insider brought to you by Don Valley, North Lexus, where you can expect excellence online. And in the showroom, visit donvalleynorthlexus.com. You know how Atlas is like, that's the guy who like holds up the world in like mythology. I picture that of demo with Leafs history. It's just like on his back just crushing him every day. Yeah, but he's strong enough. You can handle it. Obviously, that's why we put him in that job. Yep. Time now for the Wakenrake presented by Sports Interaction, your homegrown sports book 19 plus bet responsibly. Why don't we start with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night hockey on sports and hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning, who they own. Just beat them in a six game series in the first round last year. One, the first two regular season matchups between these two teams in extra time, but beat them, picked up four points in the first two games. Leafs are favored minus 130 at home, lightning plus 110, the total six and a half. Kind of short favorites for the Leafs. Quite honestly, given the way they've been playing, I know Tampa is running a muck lately. I'm just going to take the under in this one. Six and a half is the total. I think these two teams are going to be feeling one another out, playing a little possum early on to start this game. Under six and a half, you get it minus 105. That's what I'm feeling the best about there. You can take awesome Matthews to score at least a goal and the Leafs to win at plus 180, which sounds enticing, but yeah, I'm with you on the under. Blue Jays and Astros, rubber game of their three game series, Christian Javier against Chris Bassett. And it's the Astros favored minus 149. Blue Jays plus 125, the total nine, Brent. I'm going to take the under as well. A fun, fun day of unders here. Yeah, total's nine was a total yesterday. You watch that game. Even if they score a lot more runs, you're still super safe. Let's take the under at minus 115. Yeah, it's almost like a blind under each and every day until the Blue Jays prove that they're a little more consistent all over. Yeah, they're a little more consistent offensively. And I know they've had a couple of big run scoring games. Two of them. David Schneider's going to be in line up and you're taking an under. What's going on? You assume you're right. I shouldn't assume you're right. You're right. But yeah, I'm going to be the Joker tomorrow. All right. I was the waking right presented by Sports Interaction, your homegrown Sportsbook 19 plus bet responsibly. When we come back, maybe Samiki has someone awoke him from his slot. You know what the problem is, is it's not sunny today? The sunlight wasn't able to shine in and naturally wake him up. I don't know. Maybe Samiki, maybe stay tuned to find out fan morning show continues. Ben and spring gunning Sportsnet 5.9
