On this week’s edition of Inside the (Rob) Parker, Rob discusses the suddenly slumping New York Mets and New York Yankees, the Tampa Bay Rays going up for sale (and potentially changing cities), and the rumors linking Elly De La Cruz to the upcoming Home Run Derby. Later, San Francisco Giants first baseman Dominic Smith swings by. Plus, a conversation with St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Lynn Worthy, a hot and fresh edition of the Pocket Protector with Anthony Masterson, Rob's latest appearance on MLB Network, and a very special Shohei Ohtani-themed version of the Parker Pushbck.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
From the Burkeshars to the sound from wherever you live
in MLB America. This is inside the Parker. You give
us twenty two minutes and we'll give you the scoop
on Major League Baseball. Now here's Baseball Hall of Fame
voter number fifty seven, Rob Parker.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Come on, I've been covering Major League baseball for almost
forty years now, in New York, in Cincinnati, in Detroit,
in LA.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
I love this game. Let's go. Welcome into the podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
I'm your host, Rob Parker, and what a show we
have for you today. Dominic Smith, the first basement and
outfielder for the San Francisco Giants.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
He joins us plus Lynn Worthy.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
He's a columnist at the Saint Louis Post Dispatch. Plus
we'll have a pushback involving old Tani that and much more.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
Let's go better up.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
To lead off.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
It's getting rocked and keep them on. Rob's hot take
on the three biggest stories in Major League Baseball. Number
one New.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
York, New York.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
So nice they named it twice, unless you're talking about
baseball in New York.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
In June, both New York teams stink. The Yankees unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Coming into Thursday, they had lost six in a row,
be swept back to back by the Red Sox in
Boston and the Angels in the Bronx scored got shut
out three consecutive times, a franchise record never happened in
the history of the Yankees.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
And the've scored a.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Total of five runs in their last six games. And
the Mets they're stinky two. They've lost five in a
row coming into Thursday, five and five in their last ten,
and they just haven't been playing good baseball.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
So both New York teams have been stinking up the.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Joint number two.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Maybe, just maybe there's hope for the Tampa Bay Rays.
I've said this from day one. Tampa Bay was a
mistake for major League baseball. They just the people don't
show up. It's great for spring training, but it just
wasn't a major league town when it comes to baseball,
and the attendance we know just have never been good enough.
(02:21):
And now of course there are stadium is damaged. They're
playing at the Yankees spring training facilities ten Burner Field,
and now a developer has bought the team and hopefully
they're going to move to a bigger market. Why build
it up a new stadium for a fan base that
doesn't show up. Now this new developers from Jacksonville, That's
(02:43):
not the place the team should go.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
They should think.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
About Nashville or Portland or some place that's really dying
for a baseball team. Nashville, Tennessee. A lot of people
have said that could be a hotbed to have a
major League baseball team. But it is time for the
Rais to move. They dropped the Devil from the Devil Rays.
Now they need to drop Tampa Bay from the Rays.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Number three.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
All Right, We're about a month away from the Home
Run Derby, which, of course, is that Monday before the
All Star Game in Atlanta.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
I'll be there. Can't wait. Love the home Run Derby.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
And we already know, like Aaron Judge is not doing it.
He's done it a number of times, he's wonted. A
lot of the big stars have done it and participated.
We don't expect to have them do it every year,
and I understand that.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
But it would be a great showcase.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
The name that's circuling around and being talked about is
Ellie dla Cruz, the shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds got
off to a slow store but has picked it up.
He's an exciting player. The derby might be a great
showcase for a lot of people. Maybe don't know a
lot about Ellie Dla Cruz. He's only twenty three, he's
got star written all over him, and a high profile
(03:57):
event like the Home Run Derby could be perfect a
guy like him. So Baseball should look around and guys
like Ellie Dayla Cruise and decide that that's where they
want to go.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
And get them out in front of people. Don't forget.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
The Home Run Derby is one of the most popular,
like All Star Game events for all sports.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
It does really well in the ratings. People usually like it.
It's fast paced. Here's my vote for Ellie Dela Cruise.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Here comes the big interview. Listen and learn.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
It's so good.
Speaker 5 (04:34):
Welcome into the podcast.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Now, let's welcome in Dominic Smith from the San Francisco Giants.
New member of the San Francisco Giants. How you doing,
don Doell?
Speaker 6 (04:45):
Doell?
Speaker 5 (04:45):
Happy to be here? Great? Let's talk here.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
You opted out of your deal with the Yankees in
the minor leagues and you wind up here in San Francisco.
Just so many thought process, Why did you do what
you did? And how'd you get here?
Speaker 7 (05:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (05:02):
You know, you kind of get to a point in
your career if you have enough years of service time,
you could put certain things in your contract to give
you a little bit more freedom to you know, seek
other options if they're available. And you know, I had
to opt out of my clause in my contract for
June first, and all the way I was playing down
there at Triple A, you know, I wanted to, you know,
(05:24):
explore my options and that's what I was able to do.
And the Giants contacted me. And you know, I've been
here for you know, eight days.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
And off to a great start here in San Francisco.
Just talk about joining them. Your role here through your
first eight or nine games, three sixty seven home run
RBI seven.
Speaker 5 (05:46):
RBI's doing really well. Just how'd you get here?
Speaker 8 (05:48):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (05:49):
You know, I think, you know, you just got to
really state diligent to your work, state, diligent to your process.
And you know, it's a lot of stuff behind the
scenes that people don't see that you know, I work
on I work on, you know, my mental health, I
work on my physical health, I work on my spiritual health.
So with a lot of different sources that I kind
(06:10):
of tap into that allows me to go out there
and help the ball club. And this team has been
playing good since I got here, so I was just
really trying to get in and help them win more games,
and we've been able to do that.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
That was my next question. How good is this Giants team?
You know, you join them. You know, everybody talked about
the NLS being the Dodgers and everybody else, you know,
and that's not the case. The Padres are good and
the Giants are really good. How good is this team?
Speaker 6 (06:38):
I mean, you know, I don't want to, you know, speak,
I want the plan to really do the talking. But
you know, I think if you look at some of
the numbers, you know they speak volumes. They're very professional group.
They know how to, you know, play the game. They
know how to pitch and attack hitters. And our bullpen
is one of the most elite pins in the game.
(06:58):
So I think all around, you know, when you look
at a one in formula, you know you need good pitching,
you need good defense, you need timely hitting in I
think right now we've been able to do it all,
so we know it's a long year. So that's why
we want to really put the chariot in front of
the horse. We want to take it one day at
a time and just keep finding ways to win ball games.
(07:18):
And our pitching staff has been a big part of that.
So I'm just happy to be on this side of
the ball.
Speaker 5 (07:24):
And I was thinking the pitching staff.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
When you think Justin Burlander and Jordan Hicks are not
even pitching, they will be coming back to this giant staff.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
I mean, how nice would that be?
Speaker 6 (07:38):
Yeah, I mean it's that's why I don't want to
talk much about it, you know. I want us to,
you know, lay low and you know, be the underdogs
that we.
Speaker 5 (07:46):
Are and be low key.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
You know.
Speaker 6 (07:49):
So this team is, like I said, they're one of
a kind since I've been here. And when you have
those two professionals who are on the sidelines, they're helping
this young staff together too, behind the scenes, game planning,
mentoring them. Like Justin Verlander is the pros pro that's
why he's gonna be a Hall of Famer. And Jordan
Hicks is one of the best young arms in this game. So,
(08:10):
like I said, I don't want to talk much about it,
you know, I just like where we're at, and we
just want to keep playing and winning games.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
A guest is Dominic Smith, of course, outfielder, first basement
for the San Francisco Giants here on inside the parker. Obviously,
you played for a lot of teams, you came up
broken with the Mats, played there for six years.
Speaker 5 (08:27):
What was that like playing in New York with the Mets?
Speaker 6 (08:30):
Yeah, I think, you know, New York obviously gave me
the opportunity to you know where my first big league journey, Jersey.
So that whole experience was obviously life changing, something that's
special place in my heart. I'm the fans out there,
you know, and we had our ups and downs, and
you know, I just really wanted to show them a
type of person I was on the field off the field,
(08:51):
and I think they really respected me for that and
the work I did, you know, on the field, in
the community. You know, Like I said, New York is
something that I won't ever forget. And I had a
great time. I had a great time. I learned a
lot about myself. I learned how to uh you know,
become a professional. So uh it's the reason why I'm
here this day and I'm able to, you know, carry
(09:13):
myself at a certain level, and uh, you know, impact
teams when I come in.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
He played a couple other places too, played in Washington,
had a career high at home runs that had success.
Also played in Boston. Uh, which one? Why I should
ask you? What was the biggest highlight on moment in
your baseball career? Do you have one that stands out
in one of all these places you played?
Speaker 6 (09:38):
I would just say, you know, come.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
On, there's a here, there's a home there's something here.
The home run, I understand, Come on, it was one
moment you had to get goosebumps.
Speaker 6 (09:47):
I'm just very you know, blessed to be able to,
you know, wear each uniform. So I think, uh, we're
gonna have to revisit this one in a few years
when I when it's all said and done. I don't
have a few that, you know, really stand out.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Last question, just the the division I mentioned earlier. Obviously
we know Dodgers, Padres and Arizona got off to a
great start. Kind of scuffling, but still good team. This
division looks like it's going to be a dog fight
all the way through.
Speaker 6 (10:16):
Yeah, I mean that's what we prepare for you know,
it's only my first week here, but seeing this team
from Afar from the last few years, they understand the
galland of the division. When you do have the Dodgers
and you have the Padre and the Diamondbacks either really
good ball clubs. And that's why I think we understand
the importance of each day and we try to live
(10:37):
in the present and we try to take it one
pitch at a time and squeak out as many wind
as we can. We know it's gonna it's gonna be
a long year, so we just enjoyed the moment. And
if the guys you know that we have outcome back,
I think we're gonna be in a good spot. So
I'm just happy, like I said, to be on this
side of the ball and be playing for for San France.
Speaker 5 (10:58):
One quick, one real.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
I've been covering Major League Baseball for thirty nine years,
see all the gray thirty nine years.
Speaker 5 (11:05):
Nineteen eighty six was my first year.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
My favorite ballpark and I'm not saying that because you're
wearing a Giants uniform. I still call it Pac Bell
in San Francisco and Camden Yards. Those are my two
favorite ballparks, not counting Wiggley and Fenway.
Speaker 5 (11:21):
What do you think about pac Bell?
Speaker 6 (11:24):
Oh, it was amazing being a visiting player. I didn't
realize how passionate the Bay is with their sports. So
when I got there for their homestand, I mean, they
were sold out, and I literally just remember just standing
up at the top step and really cherishing that moment
and really looking around and just telling myself, Wow, this
(11:45):
is just such an amazing experience. It's so beautiful to
see the fans, to see just the beautiful ballpark, and
I just felt the history in there from you know,
all the legends who put on this Giants uniform. So
it was something that was really surreal. I mean, that
whole homestand is something that you know, I won't forget
because of just how passionate I felt the ballpark and
(12:06):
how intimate it was. So I just look for it
to get him back home. I don't like the roads,
so I can't wait to get back.
Speaker 5 (12:12):
All right. Dobin Smith, thank you, man, man, appreciate you.
Thanks for your talk.
Speaker 6 (12:16):
No, thank you, guys, appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
It's the Gambler here.
Speaker 8 (12:20):
Vice president of Operations for mlbbro dot Com and executive
producer of the MLB Bro Show podcast the Mixtape.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Every Friday. You heard that right. Every Friday, we.
Speaker 8 (12:33):
Bring you the best from the world of Black and
Brown baseball. We cover the seven point two percent of
melanated Major leaguers from soup to nuts, but with our
own cultural flair and unique voice, will take you on
a ride reflecting on the accomplishment, clutch moments, and contributions
to culture that the Bros continue to breathe into baseball.
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From Mookie Wilson to Mookie.
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bringing you segments like Classic Hits with David Grubb, the
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We will gladly pay you on Tuesday from an MLB
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Listen to the MLB bro Show podcast the Mixtape on
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Speaker 1 (14:18):
It's time for the pocket Protector Centrum. The analytic numbers
you need to know?
Speaker 2 (14:24):
Well, maybe Anthony Masterson is his name, BS analytics is
his game.
Speaker 5 (14:30):
What do you got for me, Anthony?
Speaker 9 (14:32):
The baseball world was shocked last Sunday night when news
came out the Red Sox traded star slugger Raphael Devers
the Giants. Of course, it brought about the ghosts of
the Mookie Bets trade and the sale of Babe Ruth.
But what does it mean for the Giants going forward?
Stad cast Mike Petriello laid it out on Baseball Savon.
Now It's been much publicized that Giants have not had
a player at thirty home runs in the season since
(14:53):
Barry Bonds in two thousand and four, a mark that
Devers has reached in three previous seasons, most recently in
twenty twenty three. He has fifteen this year already. By
the way, in that same timeframe, there have been five
hundred and forty one thirty homer seasons, with twenty seven
players pulling the feet off five different times. But Devers
is the type of hitter that might be park proof
(15:14):
only He, Aaron Judge, and Shoheo Tani have slugged five
hundred or better each of the last five seasons, and
since twenty nineteen, no player is more extra base hits
than Devers.
Speaker 10 (15:24):
Now.
Speaker 9 (15:24):
He's used to playing at a tough part for lefty
power hitters, as evidenced by the fact he sent twenty
five more home runs on the road than at Fenway
in his career, But he's moving from a place than
in Fenway that ranked twenty first in home run Factor
for a lefty with a score of ninety, meaning ten
percent worse than League Gabadge, to a place in Oracle
Park that ranks twenty seventh in the league. Now stat
(15:47):
cast can actually extrapolate out how many homers Devs would
have hit playing at Oracle Park his ale career, adjusted
for anything from wallheit to weather, and compared to the
two hundred two he would have hit playing at Fay,
he would have hit two hundred and two in San
fran Now, Devers is a huge gift for the Giants.
We'll see if you can break that drought.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
When Rob was a newspaper columnist, he lived by this motto.
If I'm writing, I'm ripping, Let's bring in a writer
or broadcaster, old or new.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Now let's welcome in a buddy of mine.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
A fine columnist for the Saint Louis Post Dispatch, Lynn Worthy,
who also covered the Cardinals before moving into the columnist spot.
Congratulations on that, Lenn, How are you?
Speaker 11 (16:32):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
It's glad to be here with you always.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Let's start. I don't know what to make of the
Saint Louis Cardinals. First of all, I've always said this,
Saint Louis is the baseball capital of the United States.
I just cannot get over. They draw three million every year.
Everybody in the ballpark.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
Where's red? So I know that people love the Cardinals.
But they seem to be in a malaise coming.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Into Thursday thirty eight, thirty five, five hundred, but they
where they had it.
Speaker 11 (17:03):
Yeah, that's an interesting question where they're headed. I mean
headed this season, but headed in general. It's two different
questions but part.
Speaker 4 (17:09):
Of the same.
Speaker 11 (17:10):
I mean, like you said, they're over five hundred, but
the month of May they were, you know, like nineteen
and eight, and then since the start of June five
and ten, so they're starting to take that dip, which
I mean, I'm not going to say that you know,
you necessarily expected it, but I mean it's not unexpected
because they had a lot of young guys they're doing all.
They didn't spend money this offseason, which they announced that
(17:31):
basically at the end of last season, and that's going
to be the way they were going about it, So
you knew that coming in. They were supposedly going to
try and well they tried to trade Aeronauto and that
didn't happen, so they were talking about going way young,
and it's really been sort of an in between things
because Eronado's still here, Wilson Contreras, Sonny Gray, all guys
who potentially could have been traded, but they stayed and
(17:53):
so it was like, okay, well let's see.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
You know.
Speaker 11 (17:55):
The big thing they talked about going into this season
was runway. That was the phrase that they used, because
I met the young guys who're gonna get chances to
play guys who in the past they would get some time,
but then they take them out and say, oh, we
got to compete for the division and this guy's you know,
he had a bad you know stretch here we got
sent them back down. That wasn't supposed to happen this year.
And so that was the thought going into this year,
(18:16):
We're gonna see what they got, and they have for
the most part done that. It's just now you get
some of those ups and downs.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Yeah, let's talk about some of the young guys. I mean,
they got some young, interesting guys. Jordan Walker, who of
course started his career with a bang I think it
was what twelve or thirteen game hitting streak out of
the box. Mason Win a fine shortstop who's really progressed,
got as bad as good.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
He's a good fielder.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
I like watching him play. And Victor Scott the second Also,
those are three guys, young guys at a Core. Just
tell me about are they the future? Is one of
these guys not going to be around or because they
look like they're promising.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
All three of.
Speaker 11 (18:54):
Them, they all have shown promise. I mean, you know,
you talk about you know, like I said, I mentioned Runway,
like last year, Mason Win, they said from opening day
or before opening the day, he's going to be your shortstop.
And the question really was is he going to hit
enough for them to hold on to him and for
him to be in that lineup every day. That was
last year and because you knew the Glove was there,
(19:15):
I mean, he's got one of the best arms in
Major League Baseball.
Speaker 4 (19:18):
I mean he was.
Speaker 11 (19:18):
He ends up last year being a finalist for the
Gold Glove. And what ended up happening over the course
of the last season is he ended up being their
leadoff hitter for a munch of the season because he
he did, you know, way better than what they thought
was the bat. He showed that he could handle that
and you knew the defense was going to be there,
so he sort of just took that job and ran
away with it. On the flip side that you got
a guy like Walker who they brought up the year before,
(19:41):
and that's when he had that that hit streak where
he looked like he was, you know, gonna be a
guy for years to come. They jumped him over Triple
A right straight from Double A to the majors to
make opening their roster. And he's had ups and downs,
and then he's also had like, you know, compete for
some playing time, and so when he had ups and downs,
that made it easy, you know, excuse to send him
back down to Triple A. And so he's gone about
(20:03):
back and forth last you know, a little bit, the
last two seasons and this year it's like, Okay, they're
gonna leave him up here. He's gonna play through you know,
good bad in between. You're gonna play through that. And
he's he's shown, you know, he's had he's had some struggles,
but he looked like he was starting to come out
of it. He had a little bit of a risk injury,
but he's come back from the I L and looks
like he's, you know, gonna he's making some progress at
(20:23):
the plate. And vic Vic was a guy he was
on the opening day last opening they ross the last season,
but that was really just because of injuries and everything.
But he looked like he was ready to hit the
ground running and spring training this year. He wasn't supposed
to be on the team to start the season in reality,
but he just he just was playing so well made
them change their plans. They put him in there. He's
(20:46):
starting to hit a little bit of a slump now,
but I mean defensively, you know, he's legit. Offensively, you know,
he keeps hitting the line drives and has got some
speed that's you know, second to almost none. So these guys,
they've got talent. It's just a matter of doing it
consistently over seasons, specifically for Walker and for Scott. But
but Winn looks like he's a guy for you know,
(21:09):
next decade.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
No doubt.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Our guest is Lynn Worthy.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
He's a columnist for the Saint Louis Post Dispatch.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
Let's talk about the front office.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Uh, the Cardinals didn't make an announcement, so next year
is going to be changes. Phyllison on what's happened. What's
happening with the front office for next year?
Speaker 7 (21:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 11 (21:26):
John Moseaylock, who's been part of this front office with
the Cardinals for I think it's thirty years now, in
some capacity or another has been you know, in charge
of this front office, the baseball operations department for the
last part of that. They've already announced that he's he's
stepping down. This is his last season. He's still running things,
which is a little bit weird because he's you know,
he's he's running things and the guy who's taken over,
(21:48):
he's already in house and they'd already been named. That's
Hem Bloom, who was with the Boston Red Sox before
that with the Tampa Bay Rays. So he he came
in last year as a sort of a consultant to
sort of almost do an audit of their minor league
system and start to get them back up to power
on their farm system. He actually was the one who
(22:10):
oversaw some of the stuff they did this offseason that
reramped their farm system, hiring a new farm director, hiring
assistant general manager to oversee player development. But he's still
waiting in the wings. So the guy in charge is
still John Mosey lock up until I think technically October
and then the Times showed the run. So it makes
(22:31):
it a little bit interesting because you never they don't
even let let him really get out in public and talk.
But everybody knows he's on deck.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
No doubt. All right, Last thing, real quick? Can they
compete in the central? Clubs look really good? Do they
have any chance to win.
Speaker 4 (22:47):
In the central?
Speaker 11 (22:49):
I mean, I think they got a chance to at
least hang around for a little while. I mean, I
think any things to go right. But they can be
in it up until the end. I don't know that
they you know, did you necessarily put money down on
them to take to run away with it down the stretch?
But I think they can be in it to the
end and then see what happens.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
All right.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
His name is Lynn Worthy, columnist for the Saint Louis
Post Dispatch. Thank you, buddy, We appreciate it. We'll see
you out at the ballpark at some point.
Speaker 11 (23:14):
All right, thanks for having me.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
In case you missed. Rob Parker on the MLB.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Next words, here's his latest appearance on mL Dina.
Speaker 10 (23:26):
All right, time for the showdown with my buddy Rob Parker.
Speaker 7 (23:28):
Rob, how are we doing today?
Speaker 3 (23:30):
I'm great, Steve.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
How are you ready to go?
Speaker 7 (23:32):
I'm ready to go? Are you ready to go? Is
the question? All right? You always ready? I'm sure? All right?
Speaker 10 (23:38):
So Rafaeld Devers made his Giants debut yesterday, big lefty hitter,
the slugger brought into the light up. The Giants haven't
had a thirty home run season since Barry Bonds. Listen
Devers was all over Barry Bonds at the press conference yesterday.
Do you think Devers's bat we'll play in San Francisco?
Speaker 4 (23:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (23:55):
If I'm Rafael Devers, I'm shedding tears for leaving Boston
in that ballpark. I mean, I just think it's going
to be difficult. That's a pitchers ballpark. And the idea
that no one's hit thirty home runs since the Louisiana
purchase was in escrow tells you all you need to know.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
I get Barry Box was a great player. Thirty home runs.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
We're not talking about forty home runs of fifty home runs.
No one's hit thirty home runs in two decades there.
I think it's going to be difficult. I don't think
the home run is going to travel. Obviously, he has
fifteen already this year. It could happen, but it's going
to be hard.
Speaker 10 (24:33):
I think I got to tell you that I actually
think he's going to get there, and I think he'll
get there easily. This year and beyond, because when they've
looked at his home runs that he' he's hit at Fenway,
the reality is that he would have more home runs
if he had been playing in San Francisco than he
had been playing in Fenway. I remember on the Sunday
Night game they talked about that Devers has eighteen doubles
(24:55):
this year. Eleven of the eighteen if he had been
playing in San Francisco would ben home runs because remember,
his power isn't pull power. His power is the left field,
left center field. That's ben where he's driven the ball's
entire career, and balls that he banged off the Green
Monster would go over the shorter wall there in San Francisco.
So I do think the power is gonna play in
(25:16):
a much more significant way than it would in another
left handed pull hitter, where I think he've got the
big wall to contend with in right field.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
That sounds good, but you know, even if you just
go by distance, ballparks don't always play the same way,
So I don't buy that. I think that's a pitcher's park.
I think it's harder to hit home runs there. I
know we look at it because Bonds destroyed the field
and whatnot.
Speaker 4 (25:41):
So we look at that park as a home run park.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
I disagree.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
I don't think it's going to be as easy as
you think just by going by distance.
Speaker 7 (25:48):
It's gonna be a interesting thing.
Speaker 10 (25:48):
He actually thought he became a better hitter just by
looking at Barry Bonds yesterday. So I've got the benefit
of that on my side as well.
Speaker 7 (25:55):
All right.
Speaker 10 (25:55):
On the other side of the deal, the Red Sox
trade away their three hundred million dollar man of about
two hundred and sixty million in the deal.
Speaker 7 (26:02):
So did they punk this season in Boston?
Speaker 3 (26:06):
They did.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
If I'm in Boston, I'm not happy, and I'm not
happy the way the Red Sox have been operating anyway.
I mean when they traded away Mookie Bets, people scratch
their heads. Bogerts they allowed him to move on another
star player and now Devers. I mean, they're around five
hundred and I get it. This whole thing is the
(26:27):
Red Sox are to blame for this whole thing.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
If you were.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Gonna go get Alex Bregman, you got to call in
your three hundred million dollar player, have a real conversation
like grown ups, and say this is the plan.
Speaker 3 (26:39):
This is what we want to do.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
You don't come to spring training him and in han
and acting like you don't know who's gonna play third base,
which is the way that they presented it, and don't.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
I don't blame Devers. I'm the guy who signed to
a big contract.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
I'm the guy who's been producing all these years, and
you don't have a conversation for me, But some guy
who just showed up, you're gonna take way for him.
Speaker 3 (27:01):
I think that the Red Sox blue well.
Speaker 10 (27:02):
I certainly I don't think the Red Sox managed it properly.
There's no question that communication should have happened.
Speaker 7 (27:07):
It didn't.
Speaker 10 (27:08):
But at some point Devers can't have his animosity to
the front office affect his relationship with the twenty five teammates. Ultimately,
he's playing with those guys for those guys, and at
some point you put that aside and you do what's
in the best interest of the name on the front
of the uniform, not your name, And I don't think
he ever did that. Then getting mad at Christian Campbell
(27:30):
when the rookie volunteered to try to play first base
again was inappropriate, and so I think both parties are
at fault. Certainly the communications started all of this, but
I think Devers had a responsibility for the thirty one
million a year. He's getting paid to play where they
asked him to play, and for his teammates to do
what's in the best interest for everybody to go out
there and try to win games. Ultimately, you're getting paid
(27:53):
your jobs to win baseball games and do what you're
asked to do.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
I get that part.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
But the guy produced for the Red st It wasn't
like he sulked and was batting one to ten and
wasn't doing anything. The idea is out of respect Steve.
There's respect that comes with everything and what he's accomplished
in the league. You gotta go to him with respect.
You can't act like he just showed up. And what
are the Red Sox oh Alex Regman that they're going
(28:19):
to just come in and push them. I get it,
he's a better third baseman. But there's a way of
handling it. And I understand why Devers was upset by it.
I thought he was treated terribly by the Red Sids.
Speaker 10 (28:30):
Yeah, I Greaves upset and understand why. We got to
get over it at some point. All Right, The Angels
have shut out the Yankees the last two games. There
are two games under five hundred, playing pretty good baseball.
Can the Angels make the postseason?
Speaker 3 (28:42):
Absolutely? You know what I look at when.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
I look at teams, how they play away from home
and coming into tonight twenty and twenty one. They won
a couple of games up in Boston, took that series.
They won a couple of road series that I've been
impressed by. Obviously, they're gonna win this series with the Yankees.
They've already won the first two games, and Ron Washington
has done a great job to be only two games
(29:06):
under five hundred. They can play better at home and
the Al West.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
You know, I'm not afraid of it.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
The Rangers are still Scoffland as a couple of teams are.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
Mariners are around five hundred.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Is nobody really running away other than the Astros who
have the best record. But I like the Angels. I
like some of the pitching that they've had. I like
some of the young players. I think they can make
the playoffs.
Speaker 7 (29:28):
Yeah I don't.
Speaker 10 (29:28):
I don't think they hold up the pitching wise with
the rest of the league. With the other teams competing
there and I think Tampa Bay right now is playing great.
Speaker 7 (29:35):
Toronto's playing great.
Speaker 10 (29:36):
You've got the central division where I think the Guardians
are going to make a run.
Speaker 7 (29:39):
Too, so I think they're can come up a little
bit short.
Speaker 10 (29:41):
But Ron Washington, we can agree, is doing a great
job right Byron Buxton, Pete Crow Armstrong each made great
catches and hit home runs last night and got us
to thinking, who do you think is the best center
field they're in the game, Julia Rodriguez, Merrill Buxton, PCA.
Speaker 7 (29:55):
Who do you have?
Speaker 2 (29:57):
I got Byron Buxton. And the only thing that has
stopped this guy in his career has been injuries. When
he's healthy, what a season he's having for the Twins.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
This is what he does. He stills home runs.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
He hits home runs, twelve home runs this year, forty two.
RBIs finally healthy, finally out there in the field.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
What can he do.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
He's really a fantastic player. And there's no disrespect to
the other guys, but you notice, Steve, when.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
You're injured, people forget about you when you're not out
there and you're not playing.
Speaker 2 (30:28):
And now to see him play all the time every day, I'm.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
Excited to see the rest of his season.
Speaker 4 (30:33):
He's an All Star in my book.
Speaker 10 (30:35):
Yeah, he's playing great and no doubt about it. But
Pete Crow Armstrong is playing out of this world right now.
You got fifty eight RBIs, nineteen home runs and a
big part of what they're doing there against you know,
for the Chicago comes a five percent catch probability, one
hundred percent in his glove, and then he hits one
four hundred and fifty two feet off the scoreboard in
(30:56):
right center field, the absolute monster shot. Kid's just the baby,
still figuring his way out, staying healthy. Played on the
field with Suzuki and Tucker. They've got a great lineup
and he's a big part of what they're doing there
in Chicago.
Speaker 7 (31:09):
Rob, thanks so much for doing this today. I always
love going back and forth with you. Have a great day.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
No, this is Boloni.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
It's the Parker pushback shot. The here Rob tackles the
outlandish takes in Major League Baseball.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
Shot Today, I'm pushing back on Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts.
Really Dave, Okay, old Tani got hit the other night
against the UH San Diego Padres, and Dave made a
big stink about him being hit, and that the Padres
should own it if they did it intentionally.
Speaker 4 (31:46):
Let's just be honest.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Otani's been on a rampage at the bat at the
plate the last few years, and guess what, He's only
been hit twenty four times in eight years. That's nothing.
Nobody's pitching close, no one's making them fall to the
ground or dunk or dive or any of that stuff.
He's comfortable in the box, so once in a while,
(32:10):
you know, to be pitched inside or be hit. It's
a part of baseball. It's not like some attack on
old Tani. If he was getting hit once a game
or every other game, then there's an argument.
Speaker 4 (32:20):
To be had.
Speaker 2 (32:21):
That was a big bellyach over nothing. I'm Rob Parker,
and that's my pushback. In the words of New York
TV legend the late Bill Jorgensen, thanking you for your
time this time until next time.
Speaker 5 (32:43):
Rob Parker out.
Speaker 3 (32:44):
He can't get it.
Speaker 5 (32:45):
This could be an inside
Speaker 2 (32:47):
The Parker see you next week, the same bat time
from the same Matt's station.
From the Burkeshars to the sound from wherever you live
in MLB America. This is inside the Parker. You give
us twenty two minutes and we'll give you the scoop
on Major League Baseball. Now here's Baseball Hall of Fame
voter number fifty seven, Rob Parker.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Come on, I've been covering Major League baseball for almost
forty years now, in New York, in Cincinnati, in Detroit,
in LA.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
I love this game. Let's go. Welcome into the podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
I'm your host, Rob Parker, and what a show we
have for you today. Dominic Smith, the first basement and
outfielder for the San Francisco Giants.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
He joins us plus Lynn Worthy.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
He's a columnist at the Saint Louis Post Dispatch. Plus
we'll have a pushback involving old Tani that and much more.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
Let's go better up.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
To lead off.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
It's getting rocked and keep them on. Rob's hot take
on the three biggest stories in Major League Baseball. Number
one New.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
York, New York.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
So nice they named it twice, unless you're talking about
baseball in New York.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
In June, both New York teams stink. The Yankees unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Coming into Thursday, they had lost six in a row,
be swept back to back by the Red Sox in
Boston and the Angels in the Bronx scored got shut
out three consecutive times, a franchise record never happened in
the history of the Yankees.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
And the've scored a.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Total of five runs in their last six games. And
the Mets they're stinky two. They've lost five in a
row coming into Thursday, five and five in their last ten,
and they just haven't been playing good baseball.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
So both New York teams have been stinking up the.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Joint number two.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Maybe, just maybe there's hope for the Tampa Bay Rays.
I've said this from day one. Tampa Bay was a
mistake for major League baseball. They just the people don't
show up. It's great for spring training, but it just
wasn't a major league town when it comes to baseball,
and the attendance we know just have never been good enough.
(02:21):
And now of course there are stadium is damaged. They're
playing at the Yankees spring training facilities ten Burner Field,
and now a developer has bought the team and hopefully
they're going to move to a bigger market. Why build
it up a new stadium for a fan base that
doesn't show up. Now this new developers from Jacksonville, That's
(02:43):
not the place the team should go.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
They should think.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
About Nashville or Portland or some place that's really dying
for a baseball team. Nashville, Tennessee. A lot of people
have said that could be a hotbed to have a
major League baseball team. But it is time for the
Rais to move. They dropped the Devil from the Devil Rays.
Now they need to drop Tampa Bay from the Rays.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Number three.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
All Right, We're about a month away from the Home
Run Derby, which, of course, is that Monday before the
All Star Game in Atlanta.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
I'll be there. Can't wait. Love the home Run Derby.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
And we already know, like Aaron Judge is not doing it.
He's done it a number of times, he's wonted. A
lot of the big stars have done it and participated.
We don't expect to have them do it every year,
and I understand that.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
But it would be a great showcase.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
The name that's circuling around and being talked about is
Ellie dla Cruz, the shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds got
off to a slow store but has picked it up.
He's an exciting player. The derby might be a great
showcase for a lot of people. Maybe don't know a
lot about Ellie Dla Cruz. He's only twenty three, he's
got star written all over him, and a high profile
(03:57):
event like the Home Run Derby could be perfect a
guy like him. So Baseball should look around and guys
like Ellie Dayla Cruise and decide that that's where they
want to go.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
And get them out in front of people. Don't forget.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
The Home Run Derby is one of the most popular,
like All Star Game events for all sports.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
It does really well in the ratings. People usually like it.
It's fast paced. Here's my vote for Ellie Dela Cruise.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Here comes the big interview. Listen and learn.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
It's so good.
Speaker 5 (04:34):
Welcome into the podcast.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Now, let's welcome in Dominic Smith from the San Francisco Giants.
New member of the San Francisco Giants. How you doing,
don Doell?
Speaker 6 (04:45):
Doell?
Speaker 5 (04:45):
Happy to be here? Great? Let's talk here.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
You opted out of your deal with the Yankees in
the minor leagues and you wind up here in San Francisco.
Just so many thought process, Why did you do what
you did? And how'd you get here?
Speaker 7 (05:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (05:02):
You know, you kind of get to a point in
your career if you have enough years of service time,
you could put certain things in your contract to give
you a little bit more freedom to you know, seek
other options if they're available. And you know, I had
to opt out of my clause in my contract for
June first, and all the way I was playing down
there at Triple A, you know, I wanted to, you know,
(05:24):
explore my options and that's what I was able to do.
And the Giants contacted me. And you know, I've been
here for you know, eight days.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
And off to a great start here in San Francisco.
Just talk about joining them. Your role here through your
first eight or nine games, three sixty seven home run
RBI seven.
Speaker 5 (05:46):
RBI's doing really well. Just how'd you get here?
Speaker 8 (05:48):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (05:49):
You know, I think, you know, you just got to
really state diligent to your work, state, diligent to your process.
And you know, it's a lot of stuff behind the
scenes that people don't see that you know, I work
on I work on, you know, my mental health, I
work on my physical health, I work on my spiritual health.
So with a lot of different sources that I kind
(06:10):
of tap into that allows me to go out there
and help the ball club. And this team has been
playing good since I got here, so I was just
really trying to get in and help them win more games,
and we've been able to do that.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
That was my next question. How good is this Giants team?
You know, you join them. You know, everybody talked about
the NLS being the Dodgers and everybody else, you know,
and that's not the case. The Padres are good and
the Giants are really good. How good is this team?
Speaker 6 (06:38):
I mean, you know, I don't want to, you know, speak,
I want the plan to really do the talking. But
you know, I think if you look at some of
the numbers, you know they speak volumes. They're very professional group.
They know how to, you know, play the game. They
know how to pitch and attack hitters. And our bullpen
is one of the most elite pins in the game.
(06:58):
So I think all around, you know, when you look
at a one in formula, you know you need good pitching,
you need good defense, you need timely hitting in I
think right now we've been able to do it all,
so we know it's a long year. So that's why
we want to really put the chariot in front of
the horse. We want to take it one day at
a time and just keep finding ways to win ball games.
(07:18):
And our pitching staff has been a big part of that.
So I'm just happy to be on this side of
the ball.
Speaker 5 (07:24):
And I was thinking the pitching staff.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
When you think Justin Burlander and Jordan Hicks are not
even pitching, they will be coming back to this giant staff.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
I mean, how nice would that be?
Speaker 6 (07:38):
Yeah, I mean it's that's why I don't want to
talk much about it, you know. I want us to,
you know, lay low and you know, be the underdogs
that we.
Speaker 5 (07:46):
Are and be low key.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
You know.
Speaker 6 (07:49):
So this team is, like I said, they're one of
a kind since I've been here. And when you have
those two professionals who are on the sidelines, they're helping
this young staff together too, behind the scenes, game planning,
mentoring them. Like Justin Verlander is the pros pro that's
why he's gonna be a Hall of Famer. And Jordan
Hicks is one of the best young arms in this game. So,
(08:10):
like I said, I don't want to talk much about it,
you know, I just like where we're at, and we
just want to keep playing and winning games.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
A guest is Dominic Smith, of course, outfielder, first basement
for the San Francisco Giants here on inside the parker. Obviously,
you played for a lot of teams, you came up
broken with the Mats, played there for six years.
Speaker 5 (08:27):
What was that like playing in New York with the Mets?
Speaker 6 (08:30):
Yeah, I think, you know, New York obviously gave me
the opportunity to you know where my first big league journey, Jersey.
So that whole experience was obviously life changing, something that's
special place in my heart. I'm the fans out there,
you know, and we had our ups and downs, and
you know, I just really wanted to show them a
type of person I was on the field off the field,
(08:51):
and I think they really respected me for that and
the work I did, you know, on the field, in
the community. You know, Like I said, New York is
something that I won't ever forget. And I had a
great time. I had a great time. I learned a
lot about myself. I learned how to uh you know,
become a professional. So uh it's the reason why I'm
here this day and I'm able to, you know, carry
(09:13):
myself at a certain level, and uh, you know, impact
teams when I come in.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
He played a couple other places too, played in Washington,
had a career high at home runs that had success.
Also played in Boston. Uh, which one? Why I should
ask you? What was the biggest highlight on moment in
your baseball career? Do you have one that stands out
in one of all these places you played?
Speaker 6 (09:38):
I would just say, you know, come.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
On, there's a here, there's a home there's something here.
The home run, I understand, Come on, it was one
moment you had to get goosebumps.
Speaker 6 (09:47):
I'm just very you know, blessed to be able to,
you know, wear each uniform. So I think, uh, we're
gonna have to revisit this one in a few years
when I when it's all said and done. I don't
have a few that, you know, really stand out.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Last question, just the the division I mentioned earlier. Obviously
we know Dodgers, Padres and Arizona got off to a
great start. Kind of scuffling, but still good team. This
division looks like it's going to be a dog fight
all the way through.
Speaker 6 (10:16):
Yeah, I mean that's what we prepare for you know,
it's only my first week here, but seeing this team
from Afar from the last few years, they understand the
galland of the division. When you do have the Dodgers
and you have the Padre and the Diamondbacks either really
good ball clubs. And that's why I think we understand
the importance of each day and we try to live
(10:37):
in the present and we try to take it one
pitch at a time and squeak out as many wind
as we can. We know it's gonna it's gonna be
a long year, so we just enjoyed the moment. And
if the guys you know that we have outcome back,
I think we're gonna be in a good spot. So
I'm just happy, like I said, to be on this
side of the ball and be playing for for San France.
Speaker 5 (10:58):
One quick, one real.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
I've been covering Major League Baseball for thirty nine years,
see all the gray thirty nine years.
Speaker 5 (11:05):
Nineteen eighty six was my first year.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
My favorite ballpark and I'm not saying that because you're
wearing a Giants uniform. I still call it Pac Bell
in San Francisco and Camden Yards. Those are my two
favorite ballparks, not counting Wiggley and Fenway.
Speaker 5 (11:21):
What do you think about pac Bell?
Speaker 6 (11:24):
Oh, it was amazing being a visiting player. I didn't
realize how passionate the Bay is with their sports. So
when I got there for their homestand, I mean, they
were sold out, and I literally just remember just standing
up at the top step and really cherishing that moment
and really looking around and just telling myself, Wow, this
(11:45):
is just such an amazing experience. It's so beautiful to
see the fans, to see just the beautiful ballpark, and
I just felt the history in there from you know,
all the legends who put on this Giants uniform. So
it was something that was really surreal. I mean, that
whole homestand is something that you know, I won't forget
because of just how passionate I felt the ballpark and
(12:06):
how intimate it was. So I just look for it
to get him back home. I don't like the roads,
so I can't wait to get back.
Speaker 5 (12:12):
All right. Dobin Smith, thank you, man, man, appreciate you.
Thanks for your talk.
Speaker 6 (12:16):
No, thank you, guys, appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
It's the Gambler here.
Speaker 8 (12:20):
Vice president of Operations for mlbbro dot Com and executive
producer of the MLB Bro Show podcast the Mixtape.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Every Friday. You heard that right. Every Friday, we.
Speaker 8 (12:33):
Bring you the best from the world of Black and
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melanated Major leaguers from soup to nuts, but with our
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a ride reflecting on the accomplishment, clutch moments, and contributions
to culture that the Bros continue to breathe into baseball.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
From Mookie Wilson to Mookie.
Speaker 8 (12:58):
Betts to Doctor Sticks, from bro bombs to stolen bases
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Black Ace Report, the Rundown, the Walk Off, and Going Deep,
just to name a few of the segments that truly
(13:19):
capture the voice of black baseball. If things get out
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We will gladly pay you on Tuesday from an MLB
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Speaker 3 (13:38):
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I the Gambler, Your friendly neighborhood diamond checker, making sure
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(14:03):
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Speaker 1 (14:18):
It's time for the pocket Protector Centrum. The analytic numbers
you need to know?
Speaker 2 (14:24):
Well, maybe Anthony Masterson is his name, BS analytics is
his game.
Speaker 5 (14:30):
What do you got for me, Anthony?
Speaker 9 (14:32):
The baseball world was shocked last Sunday night when news
came out the Red Sox traded star slugger Raphael Devers
the Giants. Of course, it brought about the ghosts of
the Mookie Bets trade and the sale of Babe Ruth.
But what does it mean for the Giants going forward?
Stad cast Mike Petriello laid it out on Baseball Savon.
Now It's been much publicized that Giants have not had
a player at thirty home runs in the season since
(14:53):
Barry Bonds in two thousand and four, a mark that
Devers has reached in three previous seasons, most recently in
twenty twenty three. He has fifteen this year already. By
the way, in that same timeframe, there have been five
hundred and forty one thirty homer seasons, with twenty seven
players pulling the feet off five different times. But Devers
is the type of hitter that might be park proof
(15:14):
only He, Aaron Judge, and Shoheo Tani have slugged five
hundred or better each of the last five seasons, and
since twenty nineteen, no player is more extra base hits
than Devers.
Speaker 10 (15:24):
Now.
Speaker 9 (15:24):
He's used to playing at a tough part for lefty
power hitters, as evidenced by the fact he sent twenty
five more home runs on the road than at Fenway
in his career, But he's moving from a place than
in Fenway that ranked twenty first in home run Factor
for a lefty with a score of ninety, meaning ten
percent worse than League Gabadge, to a place in Oracle
Park that ranks twenty seventh in the league. Now stat
(15:47):
cast can actually extrapolate out how many homers Devs would
have hit playing at Oracle Park his ale career, adjusted
for anything from wallheit to weather, and compared to the
two hundred two he would have hit playing at Fay,
he would have hit two hundred and two in San
fran Now, Devers is a huge gift for the Giants.
We'll see if you can break that drought.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
When Rob was a newspaper columnist, he lived by this motto.
If I'm writing, I'm ripping, Let's bring in a writer
or broadcaster, old or new.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Now let's welcome in a buddy of mine.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
A fine columnist for the Saint Louis Post Dispatch, Lynn Worthy,
who also covered the Cardinals before moving into the columnist spot.
Congratulations on that, Lenn, How are you?
Speaker 11 (16:32):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
It's glad to be here with you always.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Let's start. I don't know what to make of the
Saint Louis Cardinals. First of all, I've always said this,
Saint Louis is the baseball capital of the United States.
I just cannot get over. They draw three million every year.
Everybody in the ballpark.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
Where's red? So I know that people love the Cardinals.
But they seem to be in a malaise coming.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Into Thursday thirty eight, thirty five, five hundred, but they
where they had it.
Speaker 11 (17:03):
Yeah, that's an interesting question where they're headed. I mean
headed this season, but headed in general. It's two different
questions but part.
Speaker 4 (17:09):
Of the same.
Speaker 11 (17:10):
I mean, like you said, they're over five hundred, but
the month of May they were, you know, like nineteen
and eight, and then since the start of June five
and ten, so they're starting to take that dip, which
I mean, I'm not going to say that you know,
you necessarily expected it, but I mean it's not unexpected
because they had a lot of young guys they're doing all.
They didn't spend money this offseason, which they announced that
(17:31):
basically at the end of last season, and that's going
to be the way they were going about it, So
you knew that coming in. They were supposedly going to
try and well they tried to trade Aeronauto and that
didn't happen, so they were talking about going way young,
and it's really been sort of an in between things
because Eronado's still here, Wilson Contreras, Sonny Gray, all guys
who potentially could have been traded, but they stayed and
(17:53):
so it was like, okay, well let's see.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
You know.
Speaker 11 (17:55):
The big thing they talked about going into this season
was runway. That was the phrase that they used, because
I met the young guys who're gonna get chances to
play guys who in the past they would get some time,
but then they take them out and say, oh, we
got to compete for the division and this guy's you know,
he had a bad you know stretch here we got
sent them back down. That wasn't supposed to happen this year.
And so that was the thought going into this year,
(18:16):
We're gonna see what they got, and they have for
the most part done that. It's just now you get
some of those ups and downs.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Yeah, let's talk about some of the young guys. I mean,
they got some young, interesting guys. Jordan Walker, who of
course started his career with a bang I think it
was what twelve or thirteen game hitting streak out of
the box. Mason Win a fine shortstop who's really progressed,
got as bad as good.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
He's a good fielder.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
I like watching him play. And Victor Scott the second Also,
those are three guys, young guys at a Core. Just
tell me about are they the future? Is one of
these guys not going to be around or because they
look like they're promising.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
All three of.
Speaker 11 (18:54):
Them, they all have shown promise. I mean, you know,
you talk about you know, like I said, I mentioned Runway,
like last year, Mason Win, they said from opening day
or before opening the day, he's going to be your shortstop.
And the question really was is he going to hit
enough for them to hold on to him and for
him to be in that lineup every day. That was
last year and because you knew the Glove was there,
(19:15):
I mean, he's got one of the best arms in
Major League Baseball.
Speaker 4 (19:18):
I mean he was.
Speaker 11 (19:18):
He ends up last year being a finalist for the
Gold Glove. And what ended up happening over the course
of the last season is he ended up being their
leadoff hitter for a munch of the season because he
he did, you know, way better than what they thought
was the bat. He showed that he could handle that
and you knew the defense was going to be there,
so he sort of just took that job and ran
away with it. On the flip side that you got
a guy like Walker who they brought up the year before,
(19:41):
and that's when he had that that hit streak where
he looked like he was, you know, gonna be a
guy for years to come. They jumped him over Triple
A right straight from Double A to the majors to
make opening their roster. And he's had ups and downs,
and then he's also had like, you know, compete for
some playing time, and so when he had ups and downs,
that made it easy, you know, excuse to send him
back down to Triple A. And so he's gone about
(20:03):
back and forth last you know, a little bit, the
last two seasons and this year it's like, Okay, they're
gonna leave him up here. He's gonna play through you know,
good bad in between. You're gonna play through that. And
he's he's shown, you know, he's had he's had some struggles,
but he looked like he was starting to come out
of it. He had a little bit of a risk injury,
but he's come back from the I L and looks
like he's, you know, gonna he's making some progress at
(20:23):
the plate. And vic Vic was a guy he was
on the opening day last opening they ross the last season,
but that was really just because of injuries and everything.
But he looked like he was ready to hit the
ground running and spring training this year. He wasn't supposed
to be on the team to start the season in reality,
but he just he just was playing so well made
them change their plans. They put him in there. He's
(20:46):
starting to hit a little bit of a slump now,
but I mean defensively, you know, he's legit. Offensively, you know,
he keeps hitting the line drives and has got some
speed that's you know, second to almost none. So these guys,
they've got talent. It's just a matter of doing it
consistently over seasons, specifically for Walker and for Scott. But
but Winn looks like he's a guy for you know,
(21:09):
next decade.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
No doubt.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Our guest is Lynn Worthy.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
He's a columnist for the Saint Louis Post Dispatch.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
Let's talk about the front office.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Uh, the Cardinals didn't make an announcement, so next year
is going to be changes. Phyllison on what's happened. What's
happening with the front office for next year?
Speaker 7 (21:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 11 (21:26):
John Moseaylock, who's been part of this front office with
the Cardinals for I think it's thirty years now, in
some capacity or another has been you know, in charge
of this front office, the baseball operations department for the
last part of that. They've already announced that he's he's
stepping down. This is his last season. He's still running things,
which is a little bit weird because he's you know,
he's he's running things and the guy who's taken over,
(21:48):
he's already in house and they'd already been named. That's
Hem Bloom, who was with the Boston Red Sox before
that with the Tampa Bay Rays. So he he came
in last year as a sort of a consultant to
sort of almost do an audit of their minor league
system and start to get them back up to power
on their farm system. He actually was the one who
(22:10):
oversaw some of the stuff they did this offseason that
reramped their farm system, hiring a new farm director, hiring
assistant general manager to oversee player development. But he's still
waiting in the wings. So the guy in charge is
still John Mosey lock up until I think technically October
and then the Times showed the run. So it makes
(22:31):
it a little bit interesting because you never they don't
even let let him really get out in public and talk.
But everybody knows he's on deck.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
No doubt. All right, Last thing, real quick? Can they
compete in the central? Clubs look really good? Do they
have any chance to win.
Speaker 4 (22:47):
In the central?
Speaker 11 (22:49):
I mean, I think they got a chance to at
least hang around for a little while. I mean, I
think any things to go right. But they can be
in it up until the end. I don't know that
they you know, did you necessarily put money down on
them to take to run away with it down the stretch?
But I think they can be in it to the
end and then see what happens.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
All right.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
His name is Lynn Worthy, columnist for the Saint Louis
Post Dispatch. Thank you, buddy, We appreciate it. We'll see
you out at the ballpark at some point.
Speaker 11 (23:14):
All right, thanks for having me.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
In case you missed. Rob Parker on the MLB.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Next words, here's his latest appearance on mL Dina.
Speaker 10 (23:26):
All right, time for the showdown with my buddy Rob Parker.
Speaker 7 (23:28):
Rob, how are we doing today?
Speaker 3 (23:30):
I'm great, Steve.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
How are you ready to go?
Speaker 7 (23:32):
I'm ready to go? Are you ready to go? Is
the question? All right? You always ready? I'm sure? All right?
Speaker 10 (23:38):
So Rafaeld Devers made his Giants debut yesterday, big lefty hitter,
the slugger brought into the light up. The Giants haven't
had a thirty home run season since Barry Bonds. Listen
Devers was all over Barry Bonds at the press conference yesterday.
Do you think Devers's bat we'll play in San Francisco?
Speaker 4 (23:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (23:55):
If I'm Rafael Devers, I'm shedding tears for leaving Boston
in that ballpark. I mean, I just think it's going
to be difficult. That's a pitchers ballpark. And the idea
that no one's hit thirty home runs since the Louisiana
purchase was in escrow tells you all you need to know.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
I get Barry Box was a great player. Thirty home runs.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
We're not talking about forty home runs of fifty home runs.
No one's hit thirty home runs in two decades there.
I think it's going to be difficult. I don't think
the home run is going to travel. Obviously, he has
fifteen already this year. It could happen, but it's going
to be hard.
Speaker 10 (24:33):
I think I got to tell you that I actually
think he's going to get there, and I think he'll
get there easily. This year and beyond, because when they've
looked at his home runs that he' he's hit at Fenway,
the reality is that he would have more home runs
if he had been playing in San Francisco than he
had been playing in Fenway. I remember on the Sunday
Night game they talked about that Devers has eighteen doubles
(24:55):
this year. Eleven of the eighteen if he had been
playing in San Francisco would ben home runs because remember,
his power isn't pull power. His power is the left field,
left center field. That's ben where he's driven the ball's
entire career, and balls that he banged off the Green
Monster would go over the shorter wall there in San Francisco.
So I do think the power is gonna play in
(25:16):
a much more significant way than it would in another
left handed pull hitter, where I think he've got the
big wall to contend with in right field.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
That sounds good, but you know, even if you just
go by distance, ballparks don't always play the same way,
So I don't buy that. I think that's a pitcher's park.
I think it's harder to hit home runs there. I
know we look at it because Bonds destroyed the field
and whatnot.
Speaker 4 (25:41):
So we look at that park as a home run park.
Speaker 3 (25:43):
I disagree.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
I don't think it's going to be as easy as
you think just by going by distance.
Speaker 7 (25:48):
It's gonna be a interesting thing.
Speaker 10 (25:48):
He actually thought he became a better hitter just by
looking at Barry Bonds yesterday. So I've got the benefit
of that on my side as well.
Speaker 7 (25:55):
All right.
Speaker 10 (25:55):
On the other side of the deal, the Red Sox
trade away their three hundred million dollar man of about
two hundred and sixty million in the deal.
Speaker 7 (26:02):
So did they punk this season in Boston?
Speaker 3 (26:06):
They did.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
If I'm in Boston, I'm not happy, and I'm not
happy the way the Red Sox have been operating anyway.
I mean when they traded away Mookie Bets, people scratch
their heads. Bogerts they allowed him to move on another
star player and now Devers. I mean, they're around five
hundred and I get it. This whole thing is the
(26:27):
Red Sox are to blame for this whole thing.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
If you were.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Gonna go get Alex Bregman, you got to call in
your three hundred million dollar player, have a real conversation
like grown ups, and say this is the plan.
Speaker 3 (26:39):
This is what we want to do.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
You don't come to spring training him and in han
and acting like you don't know who's gonna play third base,
which is the way that they presented it, and don't.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
I don't blame Devers. I'm the guy who signed to
a big contract.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
I'm the guy who's been producing all these years, and
you don't have a conversation for me, But some guy
who just showed up, you're gonna take way for him.
Speaker 3 (27:01):
I think that the Red Sox blue well.
Speaker 10 (27:02):
I certainly I don't think the Red Sox managed it properly.
There's no question that communication should have happened.
Speaker 7 (27:07):
It didn't.
Speaker 10 (27:08):
But at some point Devers can't have his animosity to
the front office affect his relationship with the twenty five teammates. Ultimately,
he's playing with those guys for those guys, and at
some point you put that aside and you do what's
in the best interest of the name on the front
of the uniform, not your name, And I don't think
he ever did that. Then getting mad at Christian Campbell
(27:30):
when the rookie volunteered to try to play first base
again was inappropriate, and so I think both parties are
at fault. Certainly the communications started all of this, but
I think Devers had a responsibility for the thirty one
million a year. He's getting paid to play where they
asked him to play, and for his teammates to do
what's in the best interest for everybody to go out
there and try to win games. Ultimately, you're getting paid
(27:53):
your jobs to win baseball games and do what you're
asked to do.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
I get that part.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
But the guy produced for the Red st It wasn't
like he sulked and was batting one to ten and
wasn't doing anything. The idea is out of respect Steve.
There's respect that comes with everything and what he's accomplished
in the league. You gotta go to him with respect.
You can't act like he just showed up. And what
are the Red Sox oh Alex Regman that they're going
(28:19):
to just come in and push them. I get it,
he's a better third baseman. But there's a way of
handling it. And I understand why Devers was upset by it.
I thought he was treated terribly by the Red Sids.
Speaker 10 (28:30):
Yeah, I Greaves upset and understand why. We got to
get over it at some point. All Right, The Angels
have shut out the Yankees the last two games. There
are two games under five hundred, playing pretty good baseball.
Can the Angels make the postseason?
Speaker 3 (28:42):
Absolutely? You know what I look at when.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
I look at teams, how they play away from home
and coming into tonight twenty and twenty one. They won
a couple of games up in Boston, took that series.
They won a couple of road series that I've been
impressed by. Obviously, they're gonna win this series with the Yankees.
They've already won the first two games, and Ron Washington
has done a great job to be only two games
(29:06):
under five hundred. They can play better at home and
the Al West.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
You know, I'm not afraid of it.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
The Rangers are still Scoffland as a couple of teams are.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
Mariners are around five hundred.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Is nobody really running away other than the Astros who
have the best record. But I like the Angels. I
like some of the pitching that they've had. I like
some of the young players. I think they can make
the playoffs.
Speaker 7 (29:28):
Yeah I don't.
Speaker 10 (29:28):
I don't think they hold up the pitching wise with
the rest of the league. With the other teams competing
there and I think Tampa Bay right now is playing great.
Speaker 7 (29:35):
Toronto's playing great.
Speaker 10 (29:36):
You've got the central division where I think the Guardians
are going to make a run.
Speaker 7 (29:39):
Too, so I think they're can come up a little
bit short.
Speaker 10 (29:41):
But Ron Washington, we can agree, is doing a great
job right Byron Buxton, Pete Crow Armstrong each made great
catches and hit home runs last night and got us
to thinking, who do you think is the best center
field they're in the game, Julia Rodriguez, Merrill Buxton, PCA.
Speaker 7 (29:55):
Who do you have?
Speaker 2 (29:57):
I got Byron Buxton. And the only thing that has
stopped this guy in his career has been injuries. When
he's healthy, what a season he's having for the Twins.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
This is what he does. He stills home runs.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
He hits home runs, twelve home runs this year, forty two.
RBIs finally healthy, finally out there in the field.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
What can he do.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
He's really a fantastic player. And there's no disrespect to
the other guys, but you notice, Steve, when.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
You're injured, people forget about you when you're not out
there and you're not playing.
Speaker 2 (30:28):
And now to see him play all the time every day, I'm.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
Excited to see the rest of his season.
Speaker 4 (30:33):
He's an All Star in my book.
Speaker 10 (30:35):
Yeah, he's playing great and no doubt about it. But
Pete Crow Armstrong is playing out of this world right now.
You got fifty eight RBIs, nineteen home runs and a
big part of what they're doing there against you know,
for the Chicago comes a five percent catch probability, one
hundred percent in his glove, and then he hits one
four hundred and fifty two feet off the scoreboard in
(30:56):
right center field, the absolute monster shot. Kid's just the baby,
still figuring his way out, staying healthy. Played on the
field with Suzuki and Tucker. They've got a great lineup
and he's a big part of what they're doing there
in Chicago.
Speaker 7 (31:09):
Rob, thanks so much for doing this today. I always
love going back and forth with you. Have a great day.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
No, this is Boloni.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
It's the Parker pushback shot. The here Rob tackles the
outlandish takes in Major League Baseball.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
Shot Today, I'm pushing back on Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts.
Really Dave, Okay, old Tani got hit the other night
against the UH San Diego Padres, and Dave made a
big stink about him being hit, and that the Padres
should own it if they did it intentionally.
Speaker 4 (31:46):
Let's just be honest.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Otani's been on a rampage at the bat at the
plate the last few years, and guess what, He's only
been hit twenty four times in eight years. That's nothing.
Nobody's pitching close, no one's making them fall to the
ground or dunk or dive or any of that stuff.
He's comfortable in the box, so once in a while,
(32:10):
you know, to be pitched inside or be hit. It's
a part of baseball. It's not like some attack on
old Tani. If he was getting hit once a game
or every other game, then there's an argument.
Speaker 4 (32:20):
To be had.
Speaker 2 (32:21):
That was a big bellyach over nothing. I'm Rob Parker,
and that's my pushback. In the words of New York
TV legend the late Bill Jorgensen, thanking you for your
time this time until next time.
Speaker 5 (32:43):
Rob Parker out.
Speaker 3 (32:44):
He can't get it.
Speaker 5 (32:45):
This could be an inside
Speaker 2 (32:47):
The Parker see you next week, the same bat time
from the same Matt's station.
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
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