On this week’s edition of Inside the (Rob) Parker, Rob reacts to the Blue Jays giving Vladimir Guerrero Jr. a massive extension and shines a light on the hot starts from James Wood and Hunter Greene. Rob chats with Guardians P Triston McKenzie about his transition to the bullpen. WFAN Host Keith McPherson stops by to break down the outlook for both the Yankees and Mets. Plus, the latest editions of Pocket Protector with Anthony Masterson, Weekend Wagers, a Parker Pushback on unwritten rules of no-hitters, and Rob's latest appearance on MLB Network!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
From the Burke shears 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.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
You have another hot take.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Will not NOC make the playoffs show? Hey me the money,
Rob Parker.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Come on, I've been covering Major League Baseball for almost
forty years now, in New York, in Cincinnati, in Detroit,
in LA.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
I love this game. Let's go. Welcome into the podcast.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
I'm your host, Rob Parker, and what a show we
have for you today on tap. Coming up, Cleveland Guardian's
pitcher Tristan mackenzie joins us. Also from WFAN in New York,
Keith McPherson.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
He drops by, let's go better up to lead off.
It's getting rocked to keep him. Rob's hot take on
the three biggest stories in Major League Baseball.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
Number one, Washington Nationals left fielder James Wood has arrived.
Yes he has. We saw that in the first two
games against the Dodgers down in DC. In that series
where Wood hit three home runs, all against lefties in
the first two games, and coming into Wednesday he had
(01:35):
four home runs, ten rbi, batting two seventy five and
was balling out. He's, as advertised. The Washington Nationals very
high on him. He was the hidden gym in that
trade with the Padres. You remember when they gave up
Juan Soto, James Wood was in it. And for the Nationals,
(01:56):
He's the perfect star. Big strong handed swinger, home run
hitter from suburban Maryland.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
He's a local kid.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
You want to talk about trying to sell somebody and
have them be the face of your organization moving on.
Nothing better than a big, strong, left handed home run
hitter who's local. So listen out and watch out for
James Wood all year.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Man.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
He's six foot seven, probably should have played basketball, but
he's a great baseball player, a young up and coming
star in Major League Baseball.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Number two.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
The Toronto Blue Jays they anted up and rightfully sold
for Vladimir Guerrero Junior.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
That's right.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
A fourteen year extension for five hundred million dollars. Don't
scratch your head. It makes total sense. That's like thirty
five million dollars a year. Okay, I know you look
at fourteen years and you say, oh my god, how
they gonna pay somebody that long.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
You're not worried about that.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
If he gives you eight good years and you can
win a World Series and have that production, and then
that contract eight or ten years from now, thirty five
million dollars will be nothing.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
This is good to be able to keep one of
your own.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
He just turned twenty six. This guy's led the major
leagues in home run, he's won a Gold Glove, He
does a lot of stuff. You gotta sell tickets. This
is baseball. You can't let all your star players go
because you don't want to pay their lucky The ceiling
or the big price was seven hundred and sixty five
(03:38):
right by Juan Soto, and you got them for five hundred,
not for six hundred or seven hundred. For five hundred,
that's a bargain. We saw Oltani get seven hundred, We
saw Sodo get seven sixty five. I know all players
are trying to get as much as they can. Five
hundred is a great price, long term deal. And guess
(04:01):
what the Blue Jays are set at first base or
DH for the next ten years.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Good deal on both sides. Number three.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
The Cincinnati Reds have their race for years to come.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
His name is Hunter Green.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
The only thing that really has derailed Green with injuries
the last couple of years, but when he's out there,
he's as good as anybody. Recently, he had his five
hundred strikeout, which he became the fastest Reds pitcher the
five hundred k's, and then we saw him pitch are
Jim this past week eight and two thirds against the
(04:40):
red hot San Francisco Giants. He gave up four hits,
only an eight and two third innings, no runs, and
only one walk and that walk was the last battle
before he was taken out of the game and he
got the win. He lowered his eer Rader one point
three to one. And don't forget the way he finished
last season where he was so good after coming back
(05:03):
from injury and pitching down the stretch that he was
mentioned for National League Cy Young. He was in that
race because he was so good. Hunter Green is a
stud pitcher and we'll see him for a while. The
Red's gotta be thrilled to have an ace at the
top of their rotation for years to come. And he's
been signed long term, so the Reds got a gem
(05:26):
in Hunter Green.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Here comes the big interview. Listen and learn. It's so good.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
All right, let's welcome in Tristan Mackenzie, of course pitcher
for the Cleveland Guardians. Tristan, thanks for joining the podcast.
Speaker 5 (05:40):
My pleasure, thank you for having me always.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
My man.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Uh, let's just talk about you when the start of
the season. How are you feeling this year?
Speaker 5 (05:47):
Yeah, biggest thing is health. Feeling healthy, feeling strong, ready
to go out there and just try and get some
mouths for the voice.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
And of course this year you're in the bullpen and start.
Just talk about the chain you have to make from
being a starter to a reliever and a mindset.
Speaker 5 (06:03):
Yeah, I mean, I think the preparation is a lot
more structured from a starter stack. From a starter aspect,
you have like a routine. You know that I'm throwing
on this specific day, so you have four days leading
up to it to get your mind right, get your
body right. Whereas as a reliever you have to have
more of a concise routine. You have to know that
I need this certain amount of pitches to get my
body ready in a short amount of time to get
(06:25):
ready to go out there and get some.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
Mouths, and you know, when you're a starter, obviously it's
once every fifth day. But as a reliever, you might
not pitch as long obviously, but but you could pitch
a few days. What's the difference there about getting your
arm ready?
Speaker 5 (06:41):
Yeah, I mean, I think it's just staying ready on
a day to day basis and figuring out what makes
you feel good every day. I feel like as a starter,
the highs and lowser are a lot larger, whereas you're not
throwing as many pitches out of the pen, so you're
not getting as sore. But it's more about maintaining that
soreness and figuring out, like what you're going to throw through,
what feels good it doesn't then what you really need
to hit on.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
And last year, you know, if it's not wasn't a
injury struggled you got sent to the miners last Yune?
What was that?
Speaker 6 (07:10):
Like?
Speaker 5 (07:11):
I mean, it was just a tough year in general,
just trying to figure out coming back from injury in
twenty three, just trying to figure out like what I
felt like, what I look like on the mountain, just
kind of redefining my identity. And I think that's why
this move has been made this year and going to
the pen has kind of helped me find myself a
little bit more.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Yeah, when you went through it though, I mean, did
you gotta be a little down or depressed a little bit?
You know what I mean? You've had success in the
big leagues and you go to the miners, you know,
and you know you have to work on stuff.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
How did you work through that?
Speaker 5 (07:42):
I mean, I think, like the game is a game.
I think it's built for us to fail. So I
never I never took me failing out there as anything
more than like, that's what the game, That's what the
game required to me. And I think everybody's got to
feel at some point. So just figuring out a way
to fight through adversity and figure out what makes me
good and getting back to where I was to be.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
Our guess is Tristan McKenzie. Of course, pitch it with
the Cleveland Guardians, And as you look into this season,
is there a timetable? Is there some sort of formula
is where you'll get back to being a starter or
what is the game plan?
Speaker 5 (08:15):
I mean I have no thought process forward like that.
I think it's trying to be where my feet are
every day and figuring out, figuring out like how I'm
able to have success today, whether that be and my
catch play, whether that be in my bullpen routine, whether
that be a bullpen outing, just going out there and
figuring out how to have some success there.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
And is there more pressure as a believer because the
impact of what you do when you're brought in is huge,
not that as a starter it isn't, but you figure
got innings to pitch, and you could pitch out of jams.
As a reliever, you really don't have that luxury.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
Yeah, I definitely think it's a little bit different in
terms of like the level of stress when you're coming
into the game initially. I think as a starter, you
kind of have some time to work into it, and
you also have like a longer period of time to
kind of adjust to your maladies if something bad happens,
whereas like a reliever, it's like do or die. But
(09:11):
I think it's also like you embrace that that energy,
embrace that pressure, You embrace that almost anxiety or that
that excitement you get knowing that like that adrenaline like
oh I got to come in here and do my job.
Speaker 4 (09:22):
How about this team this year. It's good to have
high expectations. Obviously, Josh Naila was traded. What was that
like to I know, he's one of your close guys
of friends on the team.
Speaker 5 (09:33):
Yeah, I mean losing him, losing him hurt just as
a friend. But I think just knowing what the team
is capable of what we did last year, knowing that
we have a majority of the same pieces this year,
maybe an addition of a Santana or maybe some bullpen arms.
Just knowing that we're gonna be the same team. We're
gonna go out there and compete. So I'm excited for.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
How about the division. Obviously, the Tigers came back roaring
last year. The Twins are usually in the mixed Kansas
City it's it's tough.
Speaker 5 (09:59):
Yeah, I mean, I think the White Sox are even
going to be I don't think they can be as
bad as they were last year, and I think they
already looked better. And I think around the division, you're
seeing Kansas City with Bobby Witt really play up. You're
seeing Detroit at the end of there, especially having a
guy like Schooble and some of their young stars. I
think the Central is really competitive and I think we're
(10:20):
overlooked a lot in the past, and I think last
year kind of opened some people's eyes. So we're excited
to have some competition with on our division and kind
of show the rest of the league what we can.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Do, all right, Tristan Mackenzie, appreciate you joining us here
on Inside the Parker.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Thank you, my man, Thank you for having me up.
In case you missed Rob Parker on the MLB Networds,
here's his latest appearance on Pamlbina The Showdown.
Speaker 7 (10:43):
It's not meant to cost, offense or harm. The viewer
acknowledges any reliance on the accuracy or completeness of said
content should be done at their own discretion. The host
apologizes in advance for any upfront as a result of
personal attacks.
Speaker 6 (10:57):
Rob Parker's weekly for us here on the show, always
on the program. Always great to have him.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Special day. You're at your.
Speaker 6 (11:04):
Old high school in Queens, New York right now, Rob,
and there's our young Rob Parker right behind you. You're
in a mural in your own high school.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
That's huge. Congratulations, Thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
BK Yes, Martin Van Buren High School here in Queen's Village,
graduated here in nineteen eighty two, and they have a
new media work room where kids can do podcasts and
all kinds of stuff. We want to get it interested
in the media. So I came to check it out
first time.
Speaker 6 (11:33):
That's Madeline Kahn, right, Madeline Excellent High School.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
Donnie Deutsch is all the way to the right, Donnie Deutsch,
you know that name?
Speaker 1 (11:42):
Yep. And Spike Lee's there, he did not go to
Van Buren.
Speaker 4 (11:47):
And then the other guy is a writer who used
to write the Old Odd Couple of TV shows.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Really they allt to Van Buren except for Spike. So
why Spike there? I don't know. Spike got that big
I guess.
Speaker 6 (12:00):
Should be the Rob should be Rob Parker High School.
That's what I think I'm going with that, right, although
Madelin KHN High School sounds good too from back in
the day. And the biggest wait, the guy who wrote
the Odd Couple.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
All right, that's that's huge.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Good for you?
Speaker 2 (12:12):
All right?
Speaker 6 (12:13):
Uh, you know this is the start of the showdown
should be? I told you because we.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Had a list of time. I got a little list
from Rob what.
Speaker 6 (12:19):
He wants to talk about, and so I told you
about what the padres winning the West.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
So you're still going there, right, I am looking where
the padres on.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
They've had some injuries and then a first team to
ten wins last year. You know this, BK. They choked
against the Dodgers. They should have had to beat.
Speaker 6 (12:37):
Had him beat yeah, had him on the canvas, Dodgers
taken account, should have been over there.
Speaker 8 (12:42):
You know what.
Speaker 6 (12:43):
They're a different team though, they're a good team.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
And I know what you mean.
Speaker 6 (12:47):
Look at this point, the Dodgers deserve to be the
bad guys. They're doing a global hedge fun takeover. But
they have very few issues. Rob That's still a very
good and their bullpen is deeper than it's ever been.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
There's no doubt about it.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
I mean, I know they're gonna win a lot of games.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
I'm just saying.
Speaker 4 (13:04):
I saw in DC, though, I gotta admit sloppy fielding,
some misplays in the infield.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
It ain't automatic. Yeah, you know that. You gotta button
up all those things. We saw the bullpen.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
They had to go go to the minor leagues to
get a starting picture against Washington.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
Gave up home runs, you know what I mean, gave
up run I saw it.
Speaker 6 (13:26):
Look last week would they the game that they beat
the Braves when the Braves still didn't have a win.
They looked terrible for three innings. I mean they look
like they were like just waking up or something. Here's
where they ranked, though, I I wanted to do a
general snapshot because.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Guys are hitting.
Speaker 6 (13:40):
They've got like, you know, Will Smith is hitting five hundred,
Mookie's hitting show as hitting, Confordo is hitting, taoscar is
hitting their seventh in runs per game, a seventh in
overall hitting. Base running is a little below league average.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
There's the weakness there. Defense. They are an older club.
Speaker 6 (13:57):
They don't have Freddie Freeman right now, right so like
that's a superstar they don't have.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Let they look weak.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
You mentioned the base running show.
Speaker 4 (14:05):
Hay had the biggest blunder I've seen in baseball on
a long time. Runners on first and third, two outs,
Mookie bets.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Up the tying run and why isn't your second base?
Speaker 4 (14:17):
And is thrown out, ends the inning, and then Mookie
doubles the lead off the ninth. You cannot have that.
That's bad base running, and then dakes can bite you.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
You're making sense.
Speaker 6 (14:28):
Look, there's a reason there's a mural of you in
your high school. You know that reminds me of I
go into Detroit Tiger's camp a bunch of years ago
for spring training, and up on the on the wall
the mural is, of course mister Tiger al Kline, who
comes walking around the corner, al Kline himself. I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa.
That's what the kids feel like seeing you now, Rob.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
I don't know if.
Speaker 4 (14:47):
I'm olklne Hey the Hall of Fager, but it is
great to be here at my high school and be
able to you know, I've sat in these same classrooms
and my dream was to be a sports writer and
guess bu r if it happened.
Speaker 6 (15:01):
All We went over next year's free agent class a
few minutes ago, Rob, hope you got to see a
little bit of that. And we've had people wonder, hey,
how will the Vladimir Guerrero contract affect Pete Alonso who
signed very late and has an opt out. But to me,
I'm not I don't think Alonzo's competing with Vladimir Guerrero.
He's competing with Josh Naylor. Naylor and Alonzo are much
more similar.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
Yeah, I think Pete people are gonna re examine Pete.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
I think he got the short end of this thing.
Speaker 4 (15:28):
I would have never resigned with the Mets when they
didn't want to pay him. The Mets had seven hundred
and sixty five million dollars for Juan Soto, but they
really didn't have any money for Pete. Nobody hit bigger
home runs in the postseason than Pete Alonso.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
He's carried the mess you can't.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
Take You're right, but you can't take it personally. If that,
I think he went best offer Mets. He's got a
high aav they are paying him short time.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
I just I would have taken less to go somewhere else.
Speaker 6 (15:53):
You taking it very personally, you can't do that.
Speaker 4 (15:56):
Because they wouldn't have made They wouldn't have made the
playoff run that they made without Pete's home runs and
no question to unbelievable.
Speaker 6 (16:04):
And he's their own guy, and he's been successful at
every level, working up all that. But it's like in
The Godfather. You know you're taking this very personal. You
can't take it personal.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
But also he's two things that I love about Pete.
He's available, he doesn't get hurt, he plays, and he
plays under the pressure of new York. Everybody can't play
in New York, so you got to give him some credit.
Speaker 6 (16:25):
But after his rookie season, here's like the bottom line,
he's slugging just under five hundred. If he's slugging six hundred,
now he's looking at hundreds of millions of dollars. But
he's just not not over the last few years. Sorry,
last thing I know, you see Cody Bellinger giving up
chicken wings. Like every time we do a bet, you're saying,
b ker you and me chicken wings. I always grab
my stomach. I go, no, thank you. Bellinger's right, no
more chicken.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Wings, are you?
Speaker 1 (16:47):
He's crazy. Let me tell you something, Bellinger.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
If he gives up the chicken wings, what I'll say
is more for us. I'll eat all the wings that
Bellinger's not gonna eat, cause.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Chicken wings are a part of my diet. I must
have all flat Pauma John and a diet cocon with you.
Speaker 6 (17:06):
You'll get it there in Queens, by the way, that's
that's a lol gans. They're tell me just want to
get this right, odd couple.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
That's big.
Speaker 6 (17:14):
You are in terrific company there, Rob, great having you
back on the show. Thank you so much enjoy queens always.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Thank you, b Kem. We'll see you next week. 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 4 (17:34):
Now let's welcome into the podcast one of my favorite
guys on the radio, Keith McPherson from w f A
N in New York.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Keith Man, thanks for joining the podcast here. What up?
Speaker 6 (17:44):
Rob?
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Thanks for having me Man.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
Good to see you, no doubt always and uh great
to listen to you on the radio.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Uh you always got stuff to talk about. And I
love your love for baseball.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
So let's jump into it with both New York baseball teams. First,
I want to say I thought the mess did Pete
Alonzo dirty? I really did. They really didn't offer him
the kind of contract.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
I think that he deserved.
Speaker 4 (18:08):
And so far in the start of the season he's
been lights out for the Mets.
Speaker 9 (18:12):
Yeah, I mean me, not being a a Mets fan
and being a Yankee fan, I got no reason to
hate on Pete, and so the whole offseason, I'm like,
you gotta pay that man. This man is about to
be your all time home run leader. You got to
pay that man. He's been the face of the franchise.
He's been there through all these different managers and owners
and different iterations of that clubhouse. And you know the
way he started off earlier this season, it's clear that,
(18:35):
you know, just a little bit of security, a little
bit of money. I've been on the air calling him
paid Pete. You know, he's a different man now that
he's papered up. He's got fifteen RBI. This guy is
hitting home runs, hit a Grand Slam, and all to
talk about Juan Soto, the highest paid player in the
history of all sports, it's been Pete Alonso, the guy
that they can rely on.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
Well, let's go there to a Wan Sodo. Of course,
a big catch for the Metropolitans. They get them seven
hundred and sixty five million dollars, not a fake NFL
contract or anything.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
This is real dollars. He's gonna get every single nickel.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
What's been the reception of a Wan Soto, obviously moving
from the Bronx to Queens.
Speaker 9 (19:18):
Yeah, well, you know, the Yankee fans, A lot of
Yankee fans are scoring lovers, a lot of Yankee fans
are tight about it. They feel some kind of way
about it. They're hating on Juan Soto and the Mets,
But you know, Yankee fans been hating on the Mets
since they began. So with Juan Soto, I think so
many people were expecting them to come out and hit
home runs, so many people were expecting them to come
(19:39):
out and be dominant. They started calling him Juan Soso
because his performance has been so so.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
But he's got a you know, on bass streak.
Speaker 9 (19:46):
He's getting on base, he's working his walks, he has
driven some runs in it's gonna come. It's been freezing cold,
so you can't, you know, you can't really look at
these guys and judge them when they're out there with
you know, ski cat and long sleeves and trying to
warm up. You know, it's so early in baseball. Eventually
they're gonna they're gonna cut this part of the season
(20:07):
off and short in the season. But Juan Soto has
been Juan Soto from what I saw from him last year.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
The power numbers will come, let's go here.
Speaker 4 (20:15):
The expectations, the realistic expectations of the Mets when you
think about it. Keith the National league is strong here
we are earlier in the season and the Dodgers are
in third place in the NL West. I mean, you
talk about the Giants are good so far. You talk
about the Padres. We know about the Phillies, we know
(20:35):
about the Braids, we know about the Mets. Even though
the Braids are off to a shaky start. There are
a lot of good teams in the National League. Does
this team make it to the World Series?
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Nah, They're not making it to the World Series.
Speaker 9 (20:47):
And I know I sound like a hater, but like
they are getting by right now with Clay Holmes and
Griffin Canning and Tyler McGill and David Peter and Kodi Sanga.
Their bullpen has been the best in baseball. They've been
in lights out phenomenal. Shot out to Mendoza managing that pen.
(21:08):
But you know, there's gonna come a stretch of the
season where they're not playing against the Marlins. They've had
two series against the Marlins. There's gonna come a stretch
of the season where they're not playing against the Blue Jays.
You know they're gonna face some teams that have an
axe to grind in their division. Right they knocked off
the Braves. They knocked off the Phillies last year. And
they're gonna face some teams with some star power, you know,
(21:28):
like the Dodgers, and even like the Giants have made
some noise, the Diamondbacks have made some noise.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
The Brewers have.
Speaker 9 (21:35):
Figured it out after getting swept their first series. Like
there are teams in the National League the Cubs, there
are teams in the National League with some star power too,
that are gonna want to go toe to toe with
them and have better starting pitching than them. Where it's
gonna come down to, you know, if you have an
ace or not that can get you through five, six,
seven innings. And I don't know if they have those guys,
and I don't know how long their bullpen is gonna hold.
(21:56):
Their pitching has been ahead of their their lineup right there.
They've been able to win games three to two, two
to one, two nothing. That's not gonna hold all year.
You're gonna have to put.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Up some runs. So I don't think they're a World.
Speaker 9 (22:08):
Series team this year, but I do think they can
be a postseason team, a playoff team. It's hard enough
in the Mets history for them to go back to
back years making the postseason, so I think they can
get the wild card again.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
Our guest is Keith McPherson, of course, radio host of
WFAN in New York, the original all sports station in
this country. Let's go to the Bronx, Bombers and the Yankees,
and of course Aaron Judge got off to a fantastic start.
And the crazy thing is when you look at the
numbers between him and Babe Ruth in the same amount
(22:41):
of games and they had identical home runs. When you
see that, it tells you where he fits in historically.
He's got to be one of the greatest sluggers that
we've ever seen in baseball.
Speaker 9 (22:53):
They were a couple of stats with Babe Ruth somewhere
with Garrig and DiMaggio. And we laugh as Yankee fans,
especially as young Yankee fans that have you know, we've
never even kind of.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Seen, you know, the old days, and like.
Speaker 9 (23:06):
We we almost look at those as like fables and
fairy tales, like yeah, you know, it sounds good, and
you know they were this good back then.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
But Judges this good right now. And what I'm hoping for.
Speaker 9 (23:16):
Judge is that he does statistically have his best season,
another MVP season, and he could just do it in October.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
Here's the other question.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
Last thing on the Yankees and their expectations. Obviously, they
went to the World Series for the first time since
two thousand and nine. People have not counted them out,
even though you know, you lose your ace pitcher for
the year. But they did sign Max Freed and they
have other pictures. Do they have enough pitching in the
(23:44):
al to make it out and get back to the
World Series and try to win a World.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Series right now?
Speaker 6 (23:49):
No?
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Right now?
Speaker 1 (23:50):
No.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
The same way I just went through the names pitching
for the Mets.
Speaker 9 (23:54):
You got Carlos Carrasco going out there, and Carlos Carrasco is.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
At the end of his career. He's you know, Cookie
is about done.
Speaker 9 (24:01):
You have Will Warren, who is a whole rookie, he's
still at single digit starts in Major League Baseball. You
have guys like Marcus Stroman going who in the offseason,
all the conversation was, they're trading him, They're trading them,
They're trading him. And he didn't pitch in October and
was shut down for a lot of the end of
the season. So like you're relying on that. Carlos Rodan
(24:22):
is shaky, and then you mentioned Max Freed. Max Freed,
I mean, Yankee fans are glad to have him because
he's an ace. When you lose Cole he is an ace.
He's gotten all the run support, but there's going to
come a time where he's got to hold it down
and he's not getting run support.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
The bullpen has been solid, but at the.
Speaker 9 (24:36):
Same time, you know they're signing Adam Ottavino, dropping him
bringing them back. They're relying on guys like Ryan Yarborough
who was cut. They're kind of patching this thing together
and waiting for guys to come back. You need to
solid starters in October to get you through.
Speaker 4 (24:53):
No doubt. He is Keith McPherson. He knows the game
of baseball. Listen to him on wf in New York. Man,
Keith appreciate it, loved it.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
Thank you, my man, Rob you the man, appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
Keep doing your thing, Bro, It's time for the pocket
protector centrum. The analytic numbers. You need to know.
Speaker 4 (25:14):
Well, maybe Anthony Masterson is his name, BS, analytics is
his game.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
What do you got for me, Anthony?
Speaker 8 (25:22):
It would be easy to talk about torpedo bats and
what they're doing for the game so far in twenty
twenty five, but that's last week's news. What's interesting to
me through the first two weeks is the new metrics
we have for batter stands and positioning. Yeah, I know,
I'm a hoot at parties. Like most new metrics through
stat Cast, the stance metrics are things we always learn
growing up. Hey, close your stands, put your feet farther apart,
scoop back in the box, et cetera. But with official
(25:45):
data now provided for it, you can find out how
deep a batter is in the box, how far from
the plate, the distance between their feet and their stance angle.
Now on the outset, the info might not tell you
a lot, but look at players who maybe struggled last
year and have started strong this year, you can see
where some of the adjustments were made. Look no further
than former number one pick of the Tigers, Spencer Torkelsen.
(26:06):
Torque scuffled so mightily last season he was sent back
down to Triple A and left off the playoff roster. Now,
looking at his feet from last year, he's moved back
in the box over five inches moved back off the
plate two inches, brought his feet ten inches closer together,
and opened up his stands nearly fifteen degrees. That resulted
in improvements from a two to nineteen average and just
(26:27):
ten homers last year to a three to eleven mark
and already three homers this year. He didn't hit his
third homer last year until May nineteenth, New Year, new metrics,
New lease on life for certain players.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
No, this is boloon. It's the Parker pushback. Shut hear,
Rob tackles the outlandish takes in Major League Baseball. You idiot,
shut up.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
I'm pushing back at all those baseball fans who were
mad at Cincinnati Red shortstop Elie de la Cruz for
trying to bunt in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Where sure, the Brewers pitcher had a no hitter through
five innings, but this was the sixth inning of a game.
(27:11):
The Reds were coming off three straight one nothing losses.
They had no offense going talking about it's an unwritten rule.
You don't bunt during a no hitter.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
You don't button the ninth inning. If a guy has
a no hitter, you gotta swing the bat. I'm with
that that unwritten rule.
Speaker 4 (27:28):
But in the sixth inning of a game where your
team needs to spark and you need to do something
to get on base and give your team a chance.
Come on, man, you guys are getting too crazy with this.
The idea that one of the fastest guys in baseball
can't button the sixth inning because his team is being.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
No hit what. The game was far from over.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
Ellie day La Cruz was in legal right to bunt
do whatever he wanted to do to get on base
during that time. Man, Come on, it's baseball, belly aken.
Stop trying to help people get no hitters. And the
ninth inning is one thing. The rest of the game,
all bets are off.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Make way for weekend wagers.
Speaker 10 (28:14):
Yo, it's shabo. Fire up those bed naps, let's go.
Let's get into it in week three. And you know
week two was fired two and zero. Go ahead and
market in the books.
Speaker 11 (28:26):
Three wins up, one win down, and we're gonna keep
that hot streak going this week as we visit the Bronx.
And you know it wouldn't be right if we're not
taking plus money dogs and the San Francisco Giants are them.
Speaker 10 (28:39):
Go ahead and take Robbie Ray on Friday. Two wins,
zero losses so far, and I'm sorry to do this
to our fellow mal marauder Marcus Stroman, but the Black
ace has not looked good and those bats are not
swinging for the Yankees, and we're gonna stay there on Saturday.
Go ahead and bet on the young black age.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
Short and hits.
Speaker 10 (28:56):
Yes, we're taking the Giants back to back in the Bronx.
Take that plus money again for the hottest him in baseball,
looking for that number one spot in the NL West.
Bending on the Giants all weekend long, and we see
y'all next week. Mlbbro dot Com Inside the Parker Hi.
Speaker 12 (29:13):
I'm Rob Parker, the founder and editor of mlbbro dot com,
where we cover black.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
And brown major leaguers.
Speaker 12 (29:22):
Seventy five percent of the content will be about the
current black and brown stars in Major League Baseball. The
other twenty five percent will take a look back at
some of the great black players On the site, There'll
be a ton of great written stories and videos and features.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
MLB brocause you need to know fm mlbfans. When it
comes to Major League Baseball, no one covers it better
than the odd couple fact I am. The baseball came first, second,
and third, and.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
We're leading shows with baseball.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
It'll watch, It'll again in one place right here, Fox
Sports Radio. I love baseball.
Speaker 4 (30:08):
In the words of New York TV legend the Lady
Bill Jorgensen, thanking you for your time this time until
next time. Rob Parker out he can't Gavin.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
This could be an inside of Parker.
Speaker 7 (30:20):
See you next week, same bat time, same bat station,
From the Burke shears 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.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
You have another hot take.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Will not NOC make the playoffs show? Hey me the money,
Rob Parker.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Come on, I've been covering Major League Baseball for almost
forty years now, in New York, in Cincinnati, in Detroit,
in LA.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
I love this game. Let's go. Welcome into the podcast.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
I'm your host, Rob Parker, and what a show we
have for you today on tap. Coming up, Cleveland Guardian's
pitcher Tristan mackenzie joins us. Also from WFAN in New York,
Keith McPherson.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
He drops by, let's go better up to lead off.
It's getting rocked to keep him. Rob's hot take on
the three biggest stories in Major League Baseball.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
Number one, Washington Nationals left fielder James Wood has arrived.
Yes he has. We saw that in the first two
games against the Dodgers down in DC. In that series
where Wood hit three home runs, all against lefties in
the first two games, and coming into Wednesday he had
(01:35):
four home runs, ten rbi, batting two seventy five and
was balling out. He's, as advertised. The Washington Nationals very
high on him. He was the hidden gym in that
trade with the Padres. You remember when they gave up
Juan Soto, James Wood was in it. And for the Nationals,
(01:56):
He's the perfect star. Big strong handed swinger, home run
hitter from suburban Maryland.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
He's a local kid.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
You want to talk about trying to sell somebody and
have them be the face of your organization moving on.
Nothing better than a big, strong, left handed home run
hitter who's local. So listen out and watch out for
James Wood all year.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Man.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
He's six foot seven, probably should have played basketball, but
he's a great baseball player, a young up and coming
star in Major League Baseball.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Number two.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
The Toronto Blue Jays they anted up and rightfully sold
for Vladimir Guerrero Junior.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
That's right.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
A fourteen year extension for five hundred million dollars. Don't
scratch your head. It makes total sense. That's like thirty
five million dollars a year. Okay, I know you look
at fourteen years and you say, oh my god, how
they gonna pay somebody that long.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
You're not worried about that.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
If he gives you eight good years and you can
win a World Series and have that production, and then
that contract eight or ten years from now, thirty five
million dollars will be nothing.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
This is good to be able to keep one of
your own.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
He just turned twenty six. This guy's led the major
leagues in home run, he's won a Gold Glove, He
does a lot of stuff. You gotta sell tickets. This
is baseball. You can't let all your star players go
because you don't want to pay their lucky The ceiling
or the big price was seven hundred and sixty five
(03:38):
right by Juan Soto, and you got them for five hundred,
not for six hundred or seven hundred. For five hundred,
that's a bargain. We saw Oltani get seven hundred, We
saw Sodo get seven sixty five. I know all players
are trying to get as much as they can. Five
hundred is a great price, long term deal. And guess
(04:01):
what the Blue Jays are set at first base or
DH for the next ten years.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Good deal on both sides. Number three.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
The Cincinnati Reds have their race for years to come.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
His name is Hunter Green.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
The only thing that really has derailed Green with injuries
the last couple of years, but when he's out there,
he's as good as anybody. Recently, he had his five
hundred strikeout, which he became the fastest Reds pitcher the
five hundred k's, and then we saw him pitch are
Jim this past week eight and two thirds against the
(04:40):
red hot San Francisco Giants. He gave up four hits,
only an eight and two third innings, no runs, and
only one walk and that walk was the last battle
before he was taken out of the game and he
got the win. He lowered his eer Rader one point
three to one. And don't forget the way he finished
last season where he was so good after coming back
(05:03):
from injury and pitching down the stretch that he was
mentioned for National League Cy Young. He was in that
race because he was so good. Hunter Green is a
stud pitcher and we'll see him for a while. The
Red's gotta be thrilled to have an ace at the
top of their rotation for years to come. And he's
been signed long term, so the Reds got a gem
(05:26):
in Hunter Green.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Here comes the big interview. Listen and learn. It's so good.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
All right, let's welcome in Tristan Mackenzie, of course pitcher
for the Cleveland Guardians. Tristan, thanks for joining the podcast.
Speaker 5 (05:40):
My pleasure, thank you for having me always.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
My man.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Uh, let's just talk about you when the start of
the season. How are you feeling this year?
Speaker 5 (05:47):
Yeah, biggest thing is health. Feeling healthy, feeling strong, ready
to go out there and just try and get some
mouths for the voice.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
And of course this year you're in the bullpen and start.
Just talk about the chain you have to make from
being a starter to a reliever and a mindset.
Speaker 5 (06:03):
Yeah, I mean, I think the preparation is a lot
more structured from a starter stack. From a starter aspect,
you have like a routine. You know that I'm throwing
on this specific day, so you have four days leading
up to it to get your mind right, get your
body right. Whereas as a reliever you have to have
more of a concise routine. You have to know that
I need this certain amount of pitches to get my
body ready in a short amount of time to get
(06:25):
ready to go out there and get some.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
Mouths, and you know, when you're a starter, obviously it's
once every fifth day. But as a reliever, you might
not pitch as long obviously, but but you could pitch
a few days. What's the difference there about getting your
arm ready?
Speaker 5 (06:41):
Yeah, I mean, I think it's just staying ready on
a day to day basis and figuring out what makes
you feel good every day. I feel like as a starter,
the highs and lowser are a lot larger, whereas you're not
throwing as many pitches out of the pen, so you're
not getting as sore. But it's more about maintaining that
soreness and figuring out, like what you're going to throw through,
what feels good it doesn't then what you really need
to hit on.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
And last year, you know, if it's not wasn't a
injury struggled you got sent to the miners last Yune?
What was that?
Speaker 6 (07:10):
Like?
Speaker 5 (07:11):
I mean, it was just a tough year in general,
just trying to figure out coming back from injury in
twenty three, just trying to figure out like what I
felt like, what I look like on the mountain, just
kind of redefining my identity. And I think that's why
this move has been made this year and going to
the pen has kind of helped me find myself a
little bit more.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Yeah, when you went through it though, I mean, did
you gotta be a little down or depressed a little bit?
You know what I mean? You've had success in the
big leagues and you go to the miners, you know,
and you know you have to work on stuff.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
How did you work through that?
Speaker 5 (07:42):
I mean, I think, like the game is a game.
I think it's built for us to fail. So I
never I never took me failing out there as anything
more than like, that's what the game, That's what the
game required to me. And I think everybody's got to
feel at some point. So just figuring out a way
to fight through adversity and figure out what makes me
good and getting back to where I was to be.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
Our guess is Tristan McKenzie. Of course, pitch it with
the Cleveland Guardians, And as you look into this season,
is there a timetable? Is there some sort of formula
is where you'll get back to being a starter or
what is the game plan?
Speaker 5 (08:15):
I mean I have no thought process forward like that.
I think it's trying to be where my feet are
every day and figuring out, figuring out like how I'm
able to have success today, whether that be and my
catch play, whether that be in my bullpen routine, whether
that be a bullpen outing, just going out there and
figuring out how to have some success there.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
And is there more pressure as a believer because the
impact of what you do when you're brought in is huge,
not that as a starter it isn't, but you figure
got innings to pitch, and you could pitch out of jams.
As a reliever, you really don't have that luxury.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
Yeah, I definitely think it's a little bit different in
terms of like the level of stress when you're coming
into the game initially. I think as a starter, you
kind of have some time to work into it, and
you also have like a longer period of time to
kind of adjust to your maladies if something bad happens,
whereas like a reliever, it's like do or die. But
(09:11):
I think it's also like you embrace that that energy,
embrace that pressure, You embrace that almost anxiety or that
that excitement you get knowing that like that adrenaline like
oh I got to come in here and do my job.
Speaker 4 (09:22):
How about this team this year. It's good to have
high expectations. Obviously, Josh Naila was traded. What was that
like to I know, he's one of your close guys
of friends on the team.
Speaker 5 (09:33):
Yeah, I mean losing him, losing him hurt just as
a friend. But I think just knowing what the team
is capable of what we did last year, knowing that
we have a majority of the same pieces this year,
maybe an addition of a Santana or maybe some bullpen arms.
Just knowing that we're gonna be the same team. We're
gonna go out there and compete. So I'm excited for.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
How about the division. Obviously, the Tigers came back roaring
last year. The Twins are usually in the mixed Kansas
City it's it's tough.
Speaker 5 (09:59):
Yeah, I mean, I think the White Sox are even
going to be I don't think they can be as
bad as they were last year, and I think they
already looked better. And I think around the division, you're
seeing Kansas City with Bobby Witt really play up. You're
seeing Detroit at the end of there, especially having a
guy like Schooble and some of their young stars. I
think the Central is really competitive and I think we're
(10:20):
overlooked a lot in the past, and I think last
year kind of opened some people's eyes. So we're excited
to have some competition with on our division and kind
of show the rest of the league what we can.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Do, all right, Tristan Mackenzie, appreciate you joining us here
on Inside the Parker.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Thank you, my man, Thank you for having me up.
In case you missed Rob Parker on the MLB Networds,
here's his latest appearance on Pamlbina The Showdown.
Speaker 7 (10:43):
It's not meant to cost, offense or harm. The viewer
acknowledges any reliance on the accuracy or completeness of said
content should be done at their own discretion. The host
apologizes in advance for any upfront as a result of
personal attacks.
Speaker 6 (10:57):
Rob Parker's weekly for us here on the show, always
on the program. Always great to have him.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
Special day. You're at your.
Speaker 6 (11:04):
Old high school in Queens, New York right now, Rob,
and there's our young Rob Parker right behind you. You're
in a mural in your own high school.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
That's huge. Congratulations, Thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
BK Yes, Martin Van Buren High School here in Queen's Village,
graduated here in nineteen eighty two, and they have a
new media work room where kids can do podcasts and
all kinds of stuff. We want to get it interested
in the media. So I came to check it out
first time.
Speaker 6 (11:33):
That's Madeline Kahn, right, Madeline Excellent High School.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
Donnie Deutsch is all the way to the right, Donnie Deutsch,
you know that name?
Speaker 1 (11:42):
Yep. And Spike Lee's there, he did not go to
Van Buren.
Speaker 4 (11:47):
And then the other guy is a writer who used
to write the Old Odd Couple of TV shows.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Really they allt to Van Buren except for Spike. So
why Spike there? I don't know. Spike got that big
I guess.
Speaker 6 (12:00):
Should be the Rob should be Rob Parker High School.
That's what I think I'm going with that, right, although
Madelin KHN High School sounds good too from back in
the day. And the biggest wait, the guy who wrote
the Odd Couple.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
All right, that's that's huge.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Good for you?
Speaker 2 (12:12):
All right?
Speaker 6 (12:13):
Uh, you know this is the start of the showdown
should be? I told you because we.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Had a list of time. I got a little list
from Rob what.
Speaker 6 (12:19):
He wants to talk about, and so I told you
about what the padres winning the West.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
So you're still going there, right, I am looking where
the padres on.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
They've had some injuries and then a first team to
ten wins last year. You know this, BK. They choked
against the Dodgers. They should have had to beat.
Speaker 6 (12:37):
Had him beat yeah, had him on the canvas, Dodgers
taken account, should have been over there.
Speaker 8 (12:42):
You know what.
Speaker 6 (12:43):
They're a different team though, they're a good team.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
And I know what you mean.
Speaker 6 (12:47):
Look at this point, the Dodgers deserve to be the
bad guys. They're doing a global hedge fun takeover. But
they have very few issues. Rob That's still a very
good and their bullpen is deeper than it's ever been.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
There's no doubt about it.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
I mean, I know they're gonna win a lot of games.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
I'm just saying.
Speaker 4 (13:04):
I saw in DC, though, I gotta admit sloppy fielding,
some misplays in the infield.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
It ain't automatic. Yeah, you know that. You gotta button
up all those things. We saw the bullpen.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
They had to go go to the minor leagues to
get a starting picture against Washington.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
Gave up home runs, you know what I mean, gave
up run I saw it.
Speaker 6 (13:26):
Look last week would they the game that they beat
the Braves when the Braves still didn't have a win.
They looked terrible for three innings. I mean they look
like they were like just waking up or something. Here's
where they ranked, though, I I wanted to do a
general snapshot because.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Guys are hitting.
Speaker 6 (13:40):
They've got like, you know, Will Smith is hitting five hundred,
Mookie's hitting show as hitting, Confordo is hitting, taoscar is
hitting their seventh in runs per game, a seventh in
overall hitting. Base running is a little below league average.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
There's the weakness there. Defense. They are an older club.
Speaker 6 (13:57):
They don't have Freddie Freeman right now, right so like
that's a superstar they don't have.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Let they look weak.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
You mentioned the base running show.
Speaker 4 (14:05):
Hay had the biggest blunder I've seen in baseball on
a long time. Runners on first and third, two outs,
Mookie bets.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Up the tying run and why isn't your second base?
Speaker 4 (14:17):
And is thrown out, ends the inning, and then Mookie
doubles the lead off the ninth. You cannot have that.
That's bad base running, and then dakes can bite you.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
You're making sense.
Speaker 6 (14:28):
Look, there's a reason there's a mural of you in
your high school. You know that reminds me of I
go into Detroit Tiger's camp a bunch of years ago
for spring training, and up on the on the wall
the mural is, of course mister Tiger al Kline, who
comes walking around the corner, al Kline himself. I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa.
That's what the kids feel like seeing you now, Rob.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
I don't know if.
Speaker 4 (14:47):
I'm olklne Hey the Hall of Fager, but it is
great to be here at my high school and be
able to you know, I've sat in these same classrooms
and my dream was to be a sports writer and
guess bu r if it happened.
Speaker 6 (15:01):
All We went over next year's free agent class a
few minutes ago, Rob, hope you got to see a
little bit of that. And we've had people wonder, hey,
how will the Vladimir Guerrero contract affect Pete Alonso who
signed very late and has an opt out. But to me,
I'm not I don't think Alonzo's competing with Vladimir Guerrero.
He's competing with Josh Naylor. Naylor and Alonzo are much
more similar.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
Yeah, I think Pete people are gonna re examine Pete.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
I think he got the short end of this thing.
Speaker 4 (15:28):
I would have never resigned with the Mets when they
didn't want to pay him. The Mets had seven hundred
and sixty five million dollars for Juan Soto, but they
really didn't have any money for Pete. Nobody hit bigger
home runs in the postseason than Pete Alonso.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
He's carried the mess you can't.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
Take You're right, but you can't take it personally. If that,
I think he went best offer Mets. He's got a
high aav they are paying him short time.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
I just I would have taken less to go somewhere else.
Speaker 6 (15:53):
You taking it very personally, you can't do that.
Speaker 4 (15:56):
Because they wouldn't have made They wouldn't have made the
playoff run that they made without Pete's home runs and
no question to unbelievable.
Speaker 6 (16:04):
And he's their own guy, and he's been successful at
every level, working up all that. But it's like in
The Godfather. You know you're taking this very personal. You
can't take it personal.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
But also he's two things that I love about Pete.
He's available, he doesn't get hurt, he plays, and he
plays under the pressure of new York. Everybody can't play
in New York, so you got to give him some credit.
Speaker 6 (16:25):
But after his rookie season, here's like the bottom line,
he's slugging just under five hundred. If he's slugging six hundred,
now he's looking at hundreds of millions of dollars. But
he's just not not over the last few years. Sorry,
last thing I know, you see Cody Bellinger giving up
chicken wings. Like every time we do a bet, you're saying,
b ker you and me chicken wings. I always grab
my stomach. I go, no, thank you. Bellinger's right, no
more chicken.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Wings, are you?
Speaker 1 (16:47):
He's crazy. Let me tell you something, Bellinger.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
If he gives up the chicken wings, what I'll say
is more for us. I'll eat all the wings that
Bellinger's not gonna eat, cause.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Chicken wings are a part of my diet. I must
have all flat Pauma John and a diet cocon with you.
Speaker 6 (17:06):
You'll get it there in Queens, by the way, that's
that's a lol gans. They're tell me just want to
get this right, odd couple.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
That's big.
Speaker 6 (17:14):
You are in terrific company there, Rob, great having you
back on the show. Thank you so much enjoy queens always.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Thank you, b Kem. We'll see you next week. 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 4 (17:34):
Now let's welcome into the podcast one of my favorite
guys on the radio, Keith McPherson from w f A
N in New York.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Keith Man, thanks for joining the podcast here. What up?
Speaker 6 (17:44):
Rob?
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Thanks for having me Man.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
Good to see you, no doubt always and uh great
to listen to you on the radio.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Uh you always got stuff to talk about. And I
love your love for baseball.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
So let's jump into it with both New York baseball teams. First,
I want to say I thought the mess did Pete
Alonzo dirty? I really did. They really didn't offer him
the kind of contract.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
I think that he deserved.
Speaker 4 (18:08):
And so far in the start of the season he's
been lights out for the Mets.
Speaker 9 (18:12):
Yeah, I mean me, not being a a Mets fan
and being a Yankee fan, I got no reason to
hate on Pete, and so the whole offseason, I'm like,
you gotta pay that man. This man is about to
be your all time home run leader. You got to
pay that man. He's been the face of the franchise.
He's been there through all these different managers and owners
and different iterations of that clubhouse. And you know the
way he started off earlier this season, it's clear that,
(18:35):
you know, just a little bit of security, a little
bit of money. I've been on the air calling him
paid Pete. You know, he's a different man now that
he's papered up. He's got fifteen RBI. This guy is
hitting home runs, hit a Grand Slam, and all to
talk about Juan Soto, the highest paid player in the
history of all sports, it's been Pete Alonso, the guy
that they can rely on.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
Well, let's go there to a Wan Sodo. Of course,
a big catch for the Metropolitans. They get them seven
hundred and sixty five million dollars, not a fake NFL
contract or anything.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
This is real dollars. He's gonna get every single nickel.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
What's been the reception of a Wan Soto, obviously moving
from the Bronx to Queens.
Speaker 9 (19:18):
Yeah, well, you know, the Yankee fans, A lot of
Yankee fans are scoring lovers, a lot of Yankee fans
are tight about it. They feel some kind of way
about it. They're hating on Juan Soto and the Mets,
But you know, Yankee fans been hating on the Mets
since they began. So with Juan Soto, I think so
many people were expecting them to come out and hit
home runs, so many people were expecting them to come
(19:39):
out and be dominant. They started calling him Juan Soso
because his performance has been so so.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
But he's got a you know, on bass streak.
Speaker 9 (19:46):
He's getting on base, he's working his walks, he has
driven some runs in it's gonna come. It's been freezing cold,
so you can't, you know, you can't really look at
these guys and judge them when they're out there with
you know, ski cat and long sleeves and trying to
warm up. You know, it's so early in baseball. Eventually
they're gonna they're gonna cut this part of the season
(20:07):
off and short in the season. But Juan Soto has
been Juan Soto from what I saw from him last year.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
The power numbers will come, let's go here.
Speaker 4 (20:15):
The expectations, the realistic expectations of the Mets when you
think about it. Keith the National league is strong here
we are earlier in the season and the Dodgers are
in third place in the NL West. I mean, you
talk about the Giants are good so far. You talk
about the Padres. We know about the Phillies, we know
(20:35):
about the Braids, we know about the Mets. Even though
the Braids are off to a shaky start. There are
a lot of good teams in the National League. Does
this team make it to the World Series?
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Nah, They're not making it to the World Series.
Speaker 9 (20:47):
And I know I sound like a hater, but like
they are getting by right now with Clay Holmes and
Griffin Canning and Tyler McGill and David Peter and Kodi Sanga.
Their bullpen has been the best in baseball. They've been
in lights out phenomenal. Shot out to Mendoza managing that pen.
(21:08):
But you know, there's gonna come a stretch of the
season where they're not playing against the Marlins. They've had
two series against the Marlins. There's gonna come a stretch
of the season where they're not playing against the Blue Jays.
You know they're gonna face some teams that have an
axe to grind in their division. Right they knocked off
the Braves. They knocked off the Phillies last year. And
they're gonna face some teams with some star power, you know,
(21:28):
like the Dodgers, and even like the Giants have made
some noise, the Diamondbacks have made some noise.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
The Brewers have.
Speaker 9 (21:35):
Figured it out after getting swept their first series. Like
there are teams in the National League the Cubs, there
are teams in the National League with some star power too,
that are gonna want to go toe to toe with
them and have better starting pitching than them. Where it's
gonna come down to, you know, if you have an
ace or not that can get you through five, six,
seven innings. And I don't know if they have those guys,
and I don't know how long their bullpen is gonna hold.
(21:56):
Their pitching has been ahead of their their lineup right there.
They've been able to win games three to two, two
to one, two nothing. That's not gonna hold all year.
You're gonna have to put.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Up some runs. So I don't think they're a World.
Speaker 9 (22:08):
Series team this year, but I do think they can
be a postseason team, a playoff team. It's hard enough
in the Mets history for them to go back to
back years making the postseason, so I think they can
get the wild card again.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
Our guest is Keith McPherson, of course, radio host of
WFAN in New York, the original all sports station in
this country. Let's go to the Bronx, Bombers and the Yankees,
and of course Aaron Judge got off to a fantastic start.
And the crazy thing is when you look at the
numbers between him and Babe Ruth in the same amount
(22:41):
of games and they had identical home runs. When you
see that, it tells you where he fits in historically.
He's got to be one of the greatest sluggers that
we've ever seen in baseball.
Speaker 9 (22:53):
They were a couple of stats with Babe Ruth somewhere
with Garrig and DiMaggio. And we laugh as Yankee fans,
especially as young Yankee fans that have you know, we've
never even kind of.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Seen, you know, the old days, and like.
Speaker 9 (23:06):
We we almost look at those as like fables and
fairy tales, like yeah, you know, it sounds good, and
you know they were this good back then.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
But Judges this good right now. And what I'm hoping for.
Speaker 9 (23:16):
Judge is that he does statistically have his best season,
another MVP season, and he could just do it in October.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
Here's the other question.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
Last thing on the Yankees and their expectations. Obviously, they
went to the World Series for the first time since
two thousand and nine. People have not counted them out,
even though you know, you lose your ace pitcher for
the year. But they did sign Max Freed and they
have other pictures. Do they have enough pitching in the
(23:44):
al to make it out and get back to the
World Series and try to win a World.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Series right now?
Speaker 6 (23:49):
No?
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Right now?
Speaker 1 (23:50):
No.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
The same way I just went through the names pitching
for the Mets.
Speaker 9 (23:54):
You got Carlos Carrasco going out there, and Carlos Carrasco is.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
At the end of his career. He's you know, Cookie
is about done.
Speaker 9 (24:01):
You have Will Warren, who is a whole rookie, he's
still at single digit starts in Major League Baseball. You
have guys like Marcus Stroman going who in the offseason,
all the conversation was, they're trading him, They're trading them,
They're trading him. And he didn't pitch in October and
was shut down for a lot of the end of
the season. So like you're relying on that. Carlos Rodan
(24:22):
is shaky, and then you mentioned Max Freed. Max Freed,
I mean, Yankee fans are glad to have him because
he's an ace. When you lose Cole he is an ace.
He's gotten all the run support, but there's going to
come a time where he's got to hold it down
and he's not getting run support.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
The bullpen has been solid, but at the.
Speaker 9 (24:36):
Same time, you know they're signing Adam Ottavino, dropping him
bringing them back. They're relying on guys like Ryan Yarborough
who was cut. They're kind of patching this thing together
and waiting for guys to come back. You need to
solid starters in October to get you through.
Speaker 4 (24:53):
No doubt. He is Keith McPherson. He knows the game
of baseball. Listen to him on wf in New York. Man,
Keith appreciate it, loved it.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
Thank you, my man, Rob you the man, appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
Keep doing your thing, Bro, It's time for the pocket
protector centrum. The analytic numbers. You need to know.
Speaker 4 (25:14):
Well, maybe Anthony Masterson is his name, BS, analytics is
his game.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
What do you got for me, Anthony?
Speaker 8 (25:22):
It would be easy to talk about torpedo bats and
what they're doing for the game so far in twenty
twenty five, but that's last week's news. What's interesting to
me through the first two weeks is the new metrics
we have for batter stands and positioning. Yeah, I know,
I'm a hoot at parties. Like most new metrics through
stat Cast, the stance metrics are things we always learn
growing up. Hey, close your stands, put your feet farther apart,
scoop back in the box, et cetera. But with official
(25:45):
data now provided for it, you can find out how
deep a batter is in the box, how far from
the plate, the distance between their feet and their stance angle.
Now on the outset, the info might not tell you
a lot, but look at players who maybe struggled last
year and have started strong this year, you can see
where some of the adjustments were made. Look no further
than former number one pick of the Tigers, Spencer Torkelsen.
(26:06):
Torque scuffled so mightily last season he was sent back
down to Triple A and left off the playoff roster. Now,
looking at his feet from last year, he's moved back
in the box over five inches moved back off the
plate two inches, brought his feet ten inches closer together,
and opened up his stands nearly fifteen degrees. That resulted
in improvements from a two to nineteen average and just
(26:27):
ten homers last year to a three to eleven mark
and already three homers this year. He didn't hit his
third homer last year until May nineteenth, New Year, new metrics,
New lease on life for certain players.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
No, this is boloon. It's the Parker pushback. Shut hear,
Rob tackles the outlandish takes in Major League Baseball. You idiot,
shut up.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
I'm pushing back at all those baseball fans who were
mad at Cincinnati Red shortstop Elie de la Cruz for
trying to bunt in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Where sure, the Brewers pitcher had a no hitter through
five innings, but this was the sixth inning of a game.
(27:11):
The Reds were coming off three straight one nothing losses.
They had no offense going talking about it's an unwritten rule.
You don't bunt during a no hitter.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
You don't button the ninth inning. If a guy has
a no hitter, you gotta swing the bat. I'm with
that that unwritten rule.
Speaker 4 (27:28):
But in the sixth inning of a game where your
team needs to spark and you need to do something
to get on base and give your team a chance.
Come on, man, you guys are getting too crazy with this.
The idea that one of the fastest guys in baseball
can't button the sixth inning because his team is being.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
No hit what. The game was far from over.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
Ellie day La Cruz was in legal right to bunt
do whatever he wanted to do to get on base
during that time. Man, Come on, it's baseball, belly aken.
Stop trying to help people get no hitters. And the
ninth inning is one thing. The rest of the game,
all bets are off.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Make way for weekend wagers.
Speaker 10 (28:14):
Yo, it's shabo. Fire up those bed naps, let's go.
Let's get into it in week three. And you know
week two was fired two and zero. Go ahead and
market in the books.
Speaker 11 (28:26):
Three wins up, one win down, and we're gonna keep
that hot streak going this week as we visit the Bronx.
And you know it wouldn't be right if we're not
taking plus money dogs and the San Francisco Giants are them.
Speaker 10 (28:39):
Go ahead and take Robbie Ray on Friday. Two wins,
zero losses so far, and I'm sorry to do this
to our fellow mal marauder Marcus Stroman, but the Black
ace has not looked good and those bats are not
swinging for the Yankees, and we're gonna stay there on Saturday.
Go ahead and bet on the young black age.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
Short and hits.
Speaker 10 (28:56):
Yes, we're taking the Giants back to back in the Bronx.
Take that plus money again for the hottest him in baseball,
looking for that number one spot in the NL West.
Bending on the Giants all weekend long, and we see
y'all next week. Mlbbro dot Com Inside the Parker Hi.
Speaker 12 (29:13):
I'm Rob Parker, the founder and editor of mlbbro dot com,
where we cover black.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
And brown major leaguers.
Speaker 12 (29:22):
Seventy five percent of the content will be about the
current black and brown stars in Major League Baseball. The
other twenty five percent will take a look back at
some of the great black players On the site, There'll
be a ton of great written stories and videos and features.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
MLB brocause you need to know fm mlbfans. When it
comes to Major League Baseball, no one covers it better
than the odd couple fact I am. The baseball came first, second,
and third, and.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
We're leading shows with baseball.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
It'll watch, It'll again in one place right here, Fox
Sports Radio. I love baseball.
Speaker 4 (30:08):
In the words of New York TV legend the Lady
Bill Jorgensen, thanking you for your time this time until
next time. Rob Parker out he can't Gavin.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
This could be an inside of Parker.
Speaker 7 (30:20):
See you next week, same bat time, same bat station,
Hosts And Creators
kelvin washington
Rob Parker
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