On this week's edition of Inside the (Rob) Parker, Rob shares his thoughts on Ronald Acuna Jr becoming the first member of the 40/70 Club, the Miami Marlins push for a playoff berth and the San Diego Padres' plan to tear down their roster in 2024. Later, Star Tribune Minnesota Twins beat writer Bobby Nightengale swings by to discuss the Twins' playoff run, what - if anything - we can expect from Carlos Corra and Byron Buxton in the postseason and much more! Plus, we've got appearances from the analytics guru himself Anthony Masterson, MLBBro.com managing editor JR Gamble and gambling expert David Gascon.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
From the berkshears 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 seventy, Rob Parker.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Welcome into the podcast. I'm your host, Rob Parker. What
a show we have for you Today. We're gonna talk
with Bobby Nightingale. He covers the Minnesota Twins for the
Minneapolis Star Tribune. He'll break down the Twins as they
win the Central and head to the postseason. We'll do
that plus foul or fair. Let's go.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Better up to lead off, it's getting.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Robbed and keep them on.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Rob's hot take on the three biggest stories in Major
League Baseball. Number one.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
We already knew this guy was a superstar, but my goodness, gracious, really,
twenty twenty three has big off the charts for mister
Ronald Acunya Junior. Yes, we know. On Wednesday night in
the Brave sixty five victory over the Cubs in ten innings,
Acunya did something no player has ever done in Major
(01:17):
League Baseball. You know what that is the unthinkable. The
forty seventy club, forty home runs and seventy stolen bases.
It has never been done. Forget about forty forty, which
it doesn't happen that often, but forty seventy and I
get it, he's already fast. They made the bases bigger,
(01:41):
let's be honest, and this is what's obviously fueled him
and to be able to do with something that no
one has ever done in baseball, which is seventy steals
with forty home runs. I mean, obviously he could steal bases.
He would have stolen at least probably had this year
forty four, but a forty seventy is definitely inflated because
(02:04):
of the pizza size boxes we have in baseball. I'm
not knocking him. He's a great player, always has been
a great player, one of the best power speed combos
in the history of baseball. So I'm I'm you know,
I'm going to allow him to have this moment without
trying to, you know, taint it or anything like that.
(02:24):
But baseball, I'm sure when they thought about expanding the
sizes of the bases, was hoping to have more people
still stolen bases, just think about this. Previously, no one
had ever tallied more than forty six stolen bases during
(02:44):
a forty home run season, So he didn't just beat
the forty six, he shattered it with seventy. So let's
just be realistic about it. But I'm gonna tip my
cap to Ronald Lacuna, who has put together one of
the most incredible seasons, and it is clear to me,
at least right now, that he is the National League MVP.
(03:04):
There was a race going on between a few people,
including Mookie bats and Freddie Freeman and Matt Olsen, all
who have had great years. But come on, you just
can't get past somebody doing something that's never been done
in the history of baseball. And so here we are.
(03:25):
Acuna stands at forty one home runs on the season
and seventy stolen bases. Incredible.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Number two.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Don't look now, but the Miami Marlins are fighting their
way back in this thing. And on Wednesday, with a
ninth inning rally of Game two and a doubleheader against
the Mets, they have jumped into the third wild card spot. Incredible.
This is going to be some race as the wild card.
(03:58):
The Cubs are there, the Reds are only a game
and a half out with the final few games of
the season. Is not set yet, but the Marlins at
eighty two and seventy six coming into Thursday night, and
the Cubs have the identical record at eighty two and
seventy six, but they're both in the third wild card spot.
(04:23):
The Marlins are ahead of them because of the tiebreaker,
So there you go. The Marlins have a shot at
overtaking the Cubs. People thought maybe the Cubs were there,
were in there for good, but it didn't happen big
rally by the Marlins in the ninth inning of the
game two of a doubleheader. And here we are down
to the wire. Nothing is set the third wildcard. This
(04:46):
is gonna be interesting over the final weekend. Marlins Cubs,
Reds not out of it yet, but it looks like
it's gonna be a knockdown dragout between these two teams,
Miami and the Cubs. I don't know. I thought the
Marlins had fallen out of it, they had a bad patch.
(05:08):
Thought the Cubs had looked like they were on their way,
and now they've fallen on some hard times. So now
it looks like the Marlins have just as good of
a chance to get there as they do as the Cubs.
So I'm anxiously watching this because when you don't know
who's going to make the playoffs up until like the
(05:29):
last day, that's pretty exciting for baseball. They've done a
good job with that third wild card. Look at all
of these teams that were still alive in the final
days of the season. Number three, without question, the Padres
were one of the most disappointing teams in the twenty
twenty three MLB season. I met me, you know what.
A matter of fact, it might be one of the
(05:51):
most disappointing teams in sports because they just the team
was loaded. They made a run of the playoffs last year.
They didn't have Fernando Tattoos Junior. If you remember, Xander
Bogertz hadn't been signed. I signed him as a free agent.
With the pitching that they have with the closer and
(06:13):
Josh Hater, and with the big bats and lineup that
they have, and don't forget they got Bob Melvin as
their manager. I mean, I just thought like they're going
to the World Series. I really did, and instead a
flop no playoffs, just could struggled out the gate, never
really regained anything, any kind of magic. They just kind
(06:36):
of couldn't put anything together. It was a very very
disappointing season to watch. Sold out the stadium all year
in San Diego. People down there, no doubt bummed out.
But here's the worst part. According to multiple reports, the
ownership is planning to cut the salaries by at least
twenty percent for twenty twenty four, which means like a
big names like Blake Snell's could be who's a free
(06:58):
agent and Juan Soto could be on the move. You know,
they made that big trade for Juan Soto, gave up
a lot, had plans assigning him to a big deal,
but I don't know where that is now. Do they
try to move him. He still has a couple more years.
I think another year at least before he is eligible
for free agent, but Blake Snell will probably be on
(07:20):
the move if they're looking to cut salary. I think
it's a mistake. The Padres are making a mistake. They
have a good team, it's something just the mojo to chemistry.
Something just wasn't right this year. I would give it
one more shot. I can't believe that that team is
going to do the same thing it did this past year.
(07:41):
I think they have a lot of talent. I would
keep Blake Snell's going to be the National League Cy
Young Award winner. This is the same team that offered
Aaron Judge four hundred million at the final hour of
that before he went back to the Yankees. So how
did you go from that to now you're gonna cut
You had a soul out building all year, you made money.
(08:03):
I think it's a mistake. Padre should go forward, double
down on it, San Diego, double down and run it back.
I think it's a good team. I think it's a
team that could win a World Series. And I think
ownership is making a mistake.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
It's time for the pocket protector centro. The analytic numbers
you need to know, Well, maybe.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Anthony Masterson is his name, BS analytics is his game.
What do you got for me, Anthony?
Speaker 4 (08:36):
The twenty twenty three season is almost in the books,
and among other things, and Mike go down is the
year of the leadoff hitter when all of a sudden
done will likely end up seeing this season rank in
the top three. And home runs, extra base hits RBI
and ops for leadoff hitters throughout MLB, and there have
been some incredibly noteworthy performances. Ronald Acunyu Junior is surely
to take home the MVP Trophy in the NL, and
he already owns the most home runs ever out of
(08:57):
leadoff spot in a single season, though Mookie Betts is
all close on his tail. We'll talk about him later.
Acunya became the fifth forty to forty player in MLB history,
and also the first forty fifty and forty sixty and
probably the first forty seventy ever. He's also on pace
to become the fourth leadoff hitter with an OPS over
one thousand, joining Handy Ramirez in two thousand and seven,
Ricky Henderson in nineteen ninety, and the aforementioned Bets. In
(09:18):
his MVP season of twenty eighteen with Boston. He's also
within shouting distance of Charlie Blackman's total bases record for
a leadoff hitter of three to eighty three, set in
twenty seventeen. Speaking of Bets, he currently holds an MLB
record for most RBI in a single season out of
the number one slot, though Acunya is also hot on
his heels as they became the third and fourth ever
leadoff hitters with one hundred, joining Blackman and Darren Urstad.
(09:42):
Bets currently has twelve leadoff homer this season, one shy
of tying Alfonso Soriano for the most in a single
season in MLB history. Two other hitters hit double digit
leadoff home runs this season, with the Phillies Kyle Schwarber
and the Rangers Marcus Semion becoming just the ninth and
ten players to do so in a single season, respectively.
Considering the WB he got the season started out hot,
it's no surprise we saw leadoff guys take center stage.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
It was a big week in the big leagues. Who's
a believe? Is it foul or is it fair? And
now from mlbdbro dot com, here's jrgamball.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Minnesota has locked up the AL Central Division and now
must try to prepare a roster for the start of
the playoffs despite the uncertainty concerning the injury status of
key players. Jr. Is it foul or fair to say
that the Twins have no shot of advancing past around
of the playoffs this season?
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Fair? It's a fair ball.
Speaker 5 (10:47):
Look, their club's three best players are banged up, and
Iffian every Way Byron Buxton, Royce Lewis and Carlos Korea.
Currently the team scrambling to know what they're going to
do by the October third date that begins for wild
card Rowns. A Minnesota Twins executive was on the Mad
Dog Chris Russo show on High Heat and he says
(11:10):
Buston was doing some rehab in trip Ala, but he
can't get any more bats there because the season's over,
so he'll continue to get him live at bats from
live pitching and continue to move him around and see
where they are at the end of the week. Nothing
definitive though, that's the problem. They're just sort of playing
it by ear when Buckston. If Buckston does return, he'll
(11:34):
be strictly a DH because they don't want to flare
up up the tendonitis that put him back on the
IL in the first place. Royce Lewis, he's been a
beast in that lineup for the Twins. He's nursing a
hamstring of all things. Here's the guy that beat two
ACL injuries and he's just getting it going. He's another
guy like Buston who has all the talent in the
(11:55):
world but can't seem to get a break. Lewis has
started his career with four Grand Slams in an eighteen
game span. That's the shortest span in which a player
has hit four Grand.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Slams in Major League history.
Speaker 5 (12:08):
He's brought the power to Minnesota that they've desperately lacked
over the years, and without him, this playoff push just
won't be the same. And then you have Carlos Correa.
He's had a tough year. He's been battling plantar Festshiis
all season and it's been really hard. According to Minnesota,
he's going to gut through it. They say he's tracking well.
(12:30):
He hasn't really played much and could technically be active
during their last Colorado series. So Minnesota has no shot
with the playoff just days away and the status up
their three most important players still up in the air.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Sorry, turned money into more money. Now it's time for
betting on the basis with Dave Gascot. Love that money,
Love that money.
Speaker 6 (12:55):
Well, Rob, we got a dramatic ending to the regular
season with a Boatlet the team still fighting for playoff
positioning or a playoff spot start Friday off with the
Marlins and Pirates from Pittsburgh. Bucco has recently been playing
kind of like this wrecking ball of vile against playoff potentials.
Marlins need this game the worst kind of way. They've
been playing great ball this season, still trying to find
(13:16):
a spot in the wild card. I'm gonna take the
Marlins on Friday night, go to the nightcap with a
couple of games intriguing. An American League West standings jam
packed at least with the top tier teams the Rangers,
the Astros, and the Mariners. This game features the Rangers
and the Mariners in Seattle. I'm gonna take Nathany Voldi
and the Rangers to take this one. He's twelve and
(13:36):
four this season with an ERA at three twenty six. Meanwhile,
a little bit different of a scene, and we take
our way north of the border in Toronto. Blue Jays
and Rays tampas or a clinch the playoff spot. They
don't need this one, but the Blue Jays do. Hinge
and Reeus so far minimal set of games three and three,
three thirty one ERA. But I'll take Toronto to pull
off the upset.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
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 2 (14:08):
All right, now, let's welcome into the podcast Bobby Nightingale.
He covers the Minnesota Twins for the Star Tribune in Minneapolis,
and Bobby, let's welcome to the podcast. My friend, how
are you doing great? Thanks for having me, no doubt.
Here we go postseason. I can't believe the season's over
and ready to go to Twins have locked up the
(14:30):
third seed. They're going to host in the first round,
right a two out of three in Minneapolis at Target Field.
How good are the Twins and should they Should you
feel like they're gonna move on? We don't know who
the first first round opponent's gonna be yet, but still
just looking at the Twins. How good is this team
(14:51):
and can it make a move in the postseason?
Speaker 7 (14:55):
Yeah, I mean I think they have the They have
the worst record among the division winners. Kind of a
fact that AL Central was a terrible division all season,
But the Twins have played better in the second half.
They've gotten healthier and had some rookies that have really
stepped up in the second half. So I think they're
a more dangerous team than kind of their record indicates, like,
I think Houston would be kind of the toughest wild
(15:16):
card opponent just because Houston's track record, But Seattle Toronto,
I mean, I think they match up well with both
those teams, and they took the season series from Houston,
so won't rule it out. But I mean, you look
at their pitching. I mean, Pablo Lopez is going to
start Game one, Sonny Gray is going to start Game two.
Sunny Gray might finish second in the Sy Young voting.
So I mean that's as good of a one to
two punch as I think Twins have had in a
(15:37):
very very long time.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
You take dead in a two out of three series,
are you kidding? Those first two guys.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
No doubt.
Speaker 7 (15:44):
I mean it's just one of those. Yeah, both those guys,
I mean you could rely on them to pitch six
innings and feel good about it. Obviously, the postseason is
a different animal, but both guys have playoff experience, so
that's exciting for them. And then offensively, Royce Lewis and
Carls Cray are coming back from injuries. As long as
they show their healthy in the next week and they are,
(16:05):
they're able to play. I mean, I think the offense
is that's what's carried him in the second half, and
they'll feel good about that.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Tell me about Sonny Gray. What turned around for Sonny Gray?
Because he was mostly pitching like Cloudy Gray for a
while and all of a sudden, Bobby, I mean, you
said it's second in the cy Young probably right in
the American League. What happened here, you know, New York.
Speaker 7 (16:30):
I mean that was just a couple of years where
he just did not pitch well at all, went to
Cincinnati and kind of refound himself and then dealt with
injuries the last couple of years. This is his first
the most Indians he's thrown in the season since twenty fifteen.
So I mean, he's finally kind of showing, Okay, I
can be the workhorse guy. He's a free agent at
the end of the season, so lighting himself up for
a big payday of this winter. But I think that's
(16:52):
been the big thing is just he's been healthy. He's
only given up more than three runs in a start
twice I think, or three times this year, which if
you're talking about a thirty three start season, you know
that's pretty hard to do. That type of consistency and
just one of those guys. I mean that's kind of
been his reputation. He can spin the ball. Kind of
had to reinvent himself a little bit as he got
older and his fastball isn't as fast as it used
(17:12):
to be. But he's a guy who's gonna spin it
and force hitters. He's gonna keep hitters off balance that way.
Speaker 5 (17:20):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
We always when you talk about the twins, you talk
about the injuries. You know, you mentioned that Correa who
they signed knowing that he failed two other physicals for
free agent deals, so so you knew what you were
kind of getting into there. Also, Byron Buckston just hasn't
been able to stay healthy for a complete season. Talk
(17:41):
about Byron Buxton and where you know he fits, and
they thought making him the DH, you know, and not
putting the wear and tear of play in the outfield.
But that really didn't work either, did it.
Speaker 7 (17:52):
No, not at all. I mean it was one of
those he did play. He had a stretch where he
did play a lot, but he didn't hit very well
as a DH. And I think that's I think it's
adjustment for a guy like him. I mean, he can
make game saving plays in center field, and when he's
in his slump, he can sell impact games when he's
not playing center field, which he hasn't it all this year.
You know, I think that kind of you can you
(18:12):
can go into prolonged slumps, and I think that's where
he's kind of struggled. Hasn't been up in the major
League since the beginning of August, been dealing with some
knee pain. He got shut down, started to rehab assignment
at the end of August, got shut down when some
knee pain came back up. Played a couple rehab games
last week. But that's he's kind of a huge wildcard.
I mean, he's if he comes back, it'll be as
(18:33):
a DH only guy. He's only played two games in
the last four weeks, so I wouldn't be shocked if
he's left off the playoff roster.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
I mean, it's one of.
Speaker 7 (18:41):
Those, especially if foryst Lewis he's coming back from a
hamstring injury.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
He might only be able to date. So if he's your.
Speaker 7 (18:48):
DH and he hit as well as anybody in the
second half of the season, that doesn't really leave a
role for Buxton. So I wouldn't be shocked if he's
left off the postseason roster, but they're trying to get
him healthy and if he can play center field, that
would help his chances.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
All Bob voyce lewis what a I mean, what would
they guy have four Grand slams already in his major
league career. I mean he had such a stretch. How
lethal is that guy? In dangerous?
Speaker 1 (19:15):
Yeah?
Speaker 7 (19:15):
I mean you talk about people that are just like
stunned by what he's doing.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
I mean, you ask any of the Twins coaches.
Speaker 7 (19:21):
I mean, this is a guy who do ACL torn
ACL injuries twenty twenty, didn't have the minor league season
because of COVID, so he's barely played the last three years,
and he's hitting like when he's healthy. You know, he's
been one of their best hitters. He's hitting above three hundred.
Pitchers are trying to adjust to him, and he keeps
hitting grand slams. He mean, he's clutch, he steps up
(19:41):
in big moments. I think he has fifteen home runs
this year.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
I mean, this is the guy. He barely played above
double A and.
Speaker 7 (19:48):
He's only played, you know, a half season in the majors,
but he's been dominant the entire time. So one of
those guys, I think he helped turn their season around.
I mean when he came back from an oblique injury
in August, he was dying of night after that, and
you could you could tell the offense, just kind of
the energy around the team change when he came back.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Our guest is Bobby Nightingale. He covers the Minnesota Twins
the playoff bound Minnesota Twins for the Star Tribune in Minneapolis.
Carlos Carreer, let's get back to him and just what
this season has been. Is there any way he can
make everything and people be happy. Obviously they won the division,
(20:26):
they're in the playoffs, but is he going to be
able to produce? And is he a wild card? Could
he get healthy enough to be He's had great postseasons
and played well in the postseason, so that's something we
know he can perform in those moments, in those spots,
but he needs to be healthy. Is he a question
a big question mark? Or is he somebody that they
(20:48):
might be able to count on.
Speaker 7 (20:50):
I mean, they definitely expect him to play. He's been
dealing with planter forsitis in his left foot since May,
so I mean he's dealt with payn all year.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
Give him credit.
Speaker 7 (21:00):
I mean he he led the team in games played
until he went on the injured list a week ago,
still might leave the team in games played, So I mean.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
He he's played solid defense.
Speaker 7 (21:08):
His hitting has been below his standards by a long shot,
but he's kind of he's kind of made the point himself, saying, Okay,
you know I've stepped up in the postseason before. Yeah,
it's been a disappointing regular season. But if I have
another postseason like like I've done in the past, you
know that'll make up for it, and I think everyone
will kind of forgive me for it. So you know,
he's been gutting through it. He's not gonna be one
(21:29):
hundred percent when the playoffs start. I mean, planter Phocidas
is something that you probably need two three months of
not playing for it to actually feel better. But his
defense at shortstop, I mean, he makes the he makes
the infield better and if he steps up in big moments,
I mean that that that's the key. But he's he's
had some trouble this year. I mean, he's he leads
the league in double plays, growning into double plays, and
(21:52):
he hasn't hit with his usual style, so playoff playoffs
will be a big moment for him, just trying to
prove kind of save his season for himself.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Last thing, are Twins fans geek pumped? I mean, they
won the division, Well, it doesn't matter postseason. Are they
into it?
Speaker 3 (22:10):
I think they're nervous.
Speaker 7 (22:10):
I mean it's they haven't won a playoff game since
two thousand and four. They've lost eighteen straight playoff games.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Well, they're not playing the Yankees, so they got a shot.
I mean right, I mean they lost like fourteenth straight
to the Yankees.
Speaker 7 (22:22):
Yeah, but then you look at it and it's like
if they match up against Houston, the defending champions. I mean,
doesn't feel like you got any easier. So I say
a lot of fans are anxious there. They're happy they
won the division, happy that the pitching is probably better
than it has been in the last couple decades.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
But that's a long streak you have to overcome.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
No doubt. His name is Bobby Nightingale. Check out his
stuff the Minneapolis Star Tribune. One of the best young
baseball riders in the country. Bobby, you know, I appreciate
you always.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
Yeah, appreciate you. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
Now bring in the closer. Here's why MLB it's better
than in the NFL or NBA, and it isn't even close.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Reason number one hundred and fifty five whur Major League
Baseball is better than the NBA and better than the NFL,
it's because the stories like this. Are you ready? Former
Major leaguer and sixth overall pick of the nineteen eighty
four MLB draft, Eric Pappis is back playing professional baseball.
(23:26):
That's a story. Fans with love get this. He's fifty
seven years old and just signed to play for Greece
in the European Championship fifty seven. You couldn't play basketball
at fifty seven, or you couldn't play football at fifty seven.
For baseball, doing good shape, probably could still get out there,
(23:52):
play first base, playing one of the corner outfields, right,
move around, catch some fly balls. You ain't beating out
many hits, but you might be able to still swing
a bat at fifty seven and get some knocks. It's
a pretty fun story. It'll be interesting to see how
he winds up. At some point, We're gonna update this
(24:13):
story and see where Eric Pappus and what he was
able to do. Getting back into baseball at age fifty seven.
But those are enough stories that you only hear in
Major League baseball. In the words of New York TV
(24:34):
legend the late Bill Jorgensen, thanking you for your time
this time until next time. Rob Parker out d kid Davin.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
This could be an inside of Parker. See you next week,
same bad time, from the same Matt's station.
From the berkshears 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 seventy, Rob Parker.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Welcome into the podcast. I'm your host, Rob Parker. What
a show we have for you Today. We're gonna talk
with Bobby Nightingale. He covers the Minnesota Twins for the
Minneapolis Star Tribune. He'll break down the Twins as they
win the Central and head to the postseason. We'll do
that plus foul or fair. Let's go.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Better up to lead off, it's getting.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Robbed and keep them on.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Rob's hot take on the three biggest stories in Major
League Baseball. Number one.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
We already knew this guy was a superstar, but my goodness, gracious, really,
twenty twenty three has big off the charts for mister
Ronald Acunya Junior. Yes, we know. On Wednesday night in
the Brave sixty five victory over the Cubs in ten innings,
Acunya did something no player has ever done in Major
(01:17):
League Baseball. You know what that is the unthinkable. The
forty seventy club, forty home runs and seventy stolen bases.
It has never been done. Forget about forty forty, which
it doesn't happen that often, but forty seventy and I
get it, he's already fast. They made the bases bigger,
(01:41):
let's be honest, and this is what's obviously fueled him
and to be able to do with something that no
one has ever done in baseball, which is seventy steals
with forty home runs. I mean, obviously he could steal bases.
He would have stolen at least probably had this year
forty four, but a forty seventy is definitely inflated because
(02:04):
of the pizza size boxes we have in baseball. I'm
not knocking him. He's a great player, always has been
a great player, one of the best power speed combos
in the history of baseball. So I'm I'm you know,
I'm going to allow him to have this moment without
trying to, you know, taint it or anything like that.
(02:24):
But baseball, I'm sure when they thought about expanding the
sizes of the bases, was hoping to have more people
still stolen bases, just think about this. Previously, no one
had ever tallied more than forty six stolen bases during
(02:44):
a forty home run season, So he didn't just beat
the forty six, he shattered it with seventy. So let's
just be realistic about it. But I'm gonna tip my
cap to Ronald Lacuna, who has put together one of
the most incredible seasons, and it is clear to me,
at least right now, that he is the National League MVP.
(03:04):
There was a race going on between a few people,
including Mookie bats and Freddie Freeman and Matt Olsen, all
who have had great years. But come on, you just
can't get past somebody doing something that's never been done
in the history of baseball. And so here we are.
(03:25):
Acuna stands at forty one home runs on the season
and seventy stolen bases. Incredible.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Number two.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Don't look now, but the Miami Marlins are fighting their
way back in this thing. And on Wednesday, with a
ninth inning rally of Game two and a doubleheader against
the Mets, they have jumped into the third wild card spot. Incredible.
This is going to be some race as the wild card.
(03:58):
The Cubs are there, the Reds are only a game
and a half out with the final few games of
the season. Is not set yet, but the Marlins at
eighty two and seventy six coming into Thursday night, and
the Cubs have the identical record at eighty two and
seventy six, but they're both in the third wild card spot.
(04:23):
The Marlins are ahead of them because of the tiebreaker,
So there you go. The Marlins have a shot at
overtaking the Cubs. People thought maybe the Cubs were there,
were in there for good, but it didn't happen big
rally by the Marlins in the ninth inning of the
game two of a doubleheader. And here we are down
to the wire. Nothing is set the third wildcard. This
(04:46):
is gonna be interesting over the final weekend. Marlins Cubs,
Reds not out of it yet, but it looks like
it's gonna be a knockdown dragout between these two teams,
Miami and the Cubs. I don't know. I thought the
Marlins had fallen out of it, they had a bad patch.
(05:08):
Thought the Cubs had looked like they were on their way,
and now they've fallen on some hard times. So now
it looks like the Marlins have just as good of
a chance to get there as they do as the Cubs.
So I'm anxiously watching this because when you don't know
who's going to make the playoffs up until like the
(05:29):
last day, that's pretty exciting for baseball. They've done a
good job with that third wild card. Look at all
of these teams that were still alive in the final
days of the season. Number three, without question, the Padres
were one of the most disappointing teams in the twenty
twenty three MLB season. I met me, you know what.
A matter of fact, it might be one of the
(05:51):
most disappointing teams in sports because they just the team
was loaded. They made a run of the playoffs last year.
They didn't have Fernando Tattoos Junior. If you remember, Xander
Bogertz hadn't been signed. I signed him as a free agent.
With the pitching that they have with the closer and
(06:13):
Josh Hater, and with the big bats and lineup that
they have, and don't forget they got Bob Melvin as
their manager. I mean, I just thought like they're going
to the World Series. I really did, and instead a
flop no playoffs, just could struggled out the gate, never
really regained anything, any kind of magic. They just kind
(06:36):
of couldn't put anything together. It was a very very
disappointing season to watch. Sold out the stadium all year
in San Diego. People down there, no doubt bummed out.
But here's the worst part. According to multiple reports, the
ownership is planning to cut the salaries by at least
twenty percent for twenty twenty four, which means like a
big names like Blake Snell's could be who's a free
(06:58):
agent and Juan Soto could be on the move. You know,
they made that big trade for Juan Soto, gave up
a lot, had plans assigning him to a big deal,
but I don't know where that is now. Do they
try to move him. He still has a couple more years.
I think another year at least before he is eligible
for free agent, but Blake Snell will probably be on
(07:20):
the move if they're looking to cut salary. I think
it's a mistake. The Padres are making a mistake. They
have a good team, it's something just the mojo to chemistry.
Something just wasn't right this year. I would give it
one more shot. I can't believe that that team is
going to do the same thing it did this past year.
(07:41):
I think they have a lot of talent. I would
keep Blake Snell's going to be the National League Cy
Young Award winner. This is the same team that offered
Aaron Judge four hundred million at the final hour of
that before he went back to the Yankees. So how
did you go from that to now you're gonna cut
You had a soul out building all year, you made money.
(08:03):
I think it's a mistake. Padre should go forward, double
down on it, San Diego, double down and run it back.
I think it's a good team. I think it's a
team that could win a World Series. And I think
ownership is making a mistake.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
It's time for the pocket protector centro. The analytic numbers
you need to know, Well, maybe.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Anthony Masterson is his name, BS analytics is his game.
What do you got for me, Anthony?
Speaker 4 (08:36):
The twenty twenty three season is almost in the books,
and among other things, and Mike go down is the
year of the leadoff hitter when all of a sudden
done will likely end up seeing this season rank in
the top three. And home runs, extra base hits RBI
and ops for leadoff hitters throughout MLB, and there have
been some incredibly noteworthy performances. Ronald Acunyu Junior is surely
to take home the MVP Trophy in the NL, and
he already owns the most home runs ever out of
(08:57):
leadoff spot in a single season, though Mookie Betts is
all close on his tail. We'll talk about him later.
Acunya became the fifth forty to forty player in MLB history,
and also the first forty fifty and forty sixty and
probably the first forty seventy ever. He's also on pace
to become the fourth leadoff hitter with an OPS over
one thousand, joining Handy Ramirez in two thousand and seven,
Ricky Henderson in nineteen ninety, and the aforementioned Bets. In
(09:18):
his MVP season of twenty eighteen with Boston. He's also
within shouting distance of Charlie Blackman's total bases record for
a leadoff hitter of three to eighty three, set in
twenty seventeen. Speaking of Bets, he currently holds an MLB
record for most RBI in a single season out of
the number one slot, though Acunya is also hot on
his heels as they became the third and fourth ever
leadoff hitters with one hundred, joining Blackman and Darren Urstad.
(09:42):
Bets currently has twelve leadoff homer this season, one shy
of tying Alfonso Soriano for the most in a single
season in MLB history. Two other hitters hit double digit
leadoff home runs this season, with the Phillies Kyle Schwarber
and the Rangers Marcus Semion becoming just the ninth and
ten players to do so in a single season, respectively.
Considering the WB he got the season started out hot,
it's no surprise we saw leadoff guys take center stage.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
It was a big week in the big leagues. Who's
a believe? Is it foul or is it fair? And
now from mlbdbro dot com, here's jrgamball.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Minnesota has locked up the AL Central Division and now
must try to prepare a roster for the start of
the playoffs despite the uncertainty concerning the injury status of
key players. Jr. Is it foul or fair to say
that the Twins have no shot of advancing past around
of the playoffs this season?
Speaker 1 (10:45):
Fair? It's a fair ball.
Speaker 5 (10:47):
Look, their club's three best players are banged up, and
Iffian every Way Byron Buxton, Royce Lewis and Carlos Korea.
Currently the team scrambling to know what they're going to
do by the October third date that begins for wild
card Rowns. A Minnesota Twins executive was on the Mad
Dog Chris Russo show on High Heat and he says
(11:10):
Buston was doing some rehab in trip Ala, but he
can't get any more bats there because the season's over,
so he'll continue to get him live at bats from
live pitching and continue to move him around and see
where they are at the end of the week. Nothing
definitive though, that's the problem. They're just sort of playing
it by ear when Buckston. If Buckston does return, he'll
(11:34):
be strictly a DH because they don't want to flare
up up the tendonitis that put him back on the
IL in the first place. Royce Lewis, he's been a
beast in that lineup for the Twins. He's nursing a
hamstring of all things. Here's the guy that beat two
ACL injuries and he's just getting it going. He's another
guy like Buston who has all the talent in the
(11:55):
world but can't seem to get a break. Lewis has
started his career with four Grand Slams in an eighteen
game span. That's the shortest span in which a player
has hit four Grand.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Slams in Major League history.
Speaker 5 (12:08):
He's brought the power to Minnesota that they've desperately lacked
over the years, and without him, this playoff push just
won't be the same. And then you have Carlos Correa.
He's had a tough year. He's been battling plantar Festshiis
all season and it's been really hard. According to Minnesota,
he's going to gut through it. They say he's tracking well.
(12:30):
He hasn't really played much and could technically be active
during their last Colorado series. So Minnesota has no shot
with the playoff just days away and the status up
their three most important players still up in the air.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Sorry, turned money into more money. Now it's time for
betting on the basis with Dave Gascot. Love that money,
Love that money.
Speaker 6 (12:55):
Well, Rob, we got a dramatic ending to the regular
season with a Boatlet the team still fighting for playoff
positioning or a playoff spot start Friday off with the
Marlins and Pirates from Pittsburgh. Bucco has recently been playing
kind of like this wrecking ball of vile against playoff potentials.
Marlins need this game the worst kind of way. They've
been playing great ball this season, still trying to find
(13:16):
a spot in the wild card. I'm gonna take the
Marlins on Friday night, go to the nightcap with a
couple of games intriguing. An American League West standings jam
packed at least with the top tier teams the Rangers,
the Astros, and the Mariners. This game features the Rangers
and the Mariners in Seattle. I'm gonna take Nathany Voldi
and the Rangers to take this one. He's twelve and
(13:36):
four this season with an ERA at three twenty six. Meanwhile,
a little bit different of a scene, and we take
our way north of the border in Toronto. Blue Jays
and Rays tampas or a clinch the playoff spot. They
don't need this one, but the Blue Jays do. Hinge
and Reeus so far minimal set of games three and three,
three thirty one ERA. But I'll take Toronto to pull
off the upset.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
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 2 (14:08):
All right, now, let's welcome into the podcast Bobby Nightingale.
He covers the Minnesota Twins for the Star Tribune in Minneapolis,
and Bobby, let's welcome to the podcast. My friend, how
are you doing great? Thanks for having me, no doubt.
Here we go postseason. I can't believe the season's over
and ready to go to Twins have locked up the
(14:30):
third seed. They're going to host in the first round,
right a two out of three in Minneapolis at Target Field.
How good are the Twins and should they Should you
feel like they're gonna move on? We don't know who
the first first round opponent's gonna be yet, but still
just looking at the Twins. How good is this team
(14:51):
and can it make a move in the postseason?
Speaker 7 (14:55):
Yeah, I mean I think they have the They have
the worst record among the division winners. Kind of a
fact that AL Central was a terrible division all season,
But the Twins have played better in the second half.
They've gotten healthier and had some rookies that have really
stepped up in the second half. So I think they're
a more dangerous team than kind of their record indicates, like,
I think Houston would be kind of the toughest wild
(15:16):
card opponent just because Houston's track record, But Seattle Toronto,
I mean, I think they match up well with both
those teams, and they took the season series from Houston,
so won't rule it out. But I mean, you look
at their pitching. I mean, Pablo Lopez is going to
start Game one, Sonny Gray is going to start Game two.
Sunny Gray might finish second in the Sy Young voting.
So I mean that's as good of a one to
two punch as I think Twins have had in a
(15:37):
very very long time.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
You take dead in a two out of three series,
are you kidding? Those first two guys.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
No doubt.
Speaker 7 (15:44):
I mean it's just one of those. Yeah, both those guys,
I mean you could rely on them to pitch six
innings and feel good about it. Obviously, the postseason is
a different animal, but both guys have playoff experience, so
that's exciting for them. And then offensively, Royce Lewis and
Carls Cray are coming back from injuries. As long as
they show their healthy in the next week and they are,
(16:05):
they're able to play. I mean, I think the offense
is that's what's carried him in the second half, and
they'll feel good about that.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Tell me about Sonny Gray. What turned around for Sonny Gray?
Because he was mostly pitching like Cloudy Gray for a
while and all of a sudden, Bobby, I mean, you
said it's second in the cy Young probably right in
the American League. What happened here, you know, New York.
Speaker 7 (16:30):
I mean that was just a couple of years where
he just did not pitch well at all, went to
Cincinnati and kind of refound himself and then dealt with
injuries the last couple of years. This is his first
the most Indians he's thrown in the season since twenty fifteen.
So I mean, he's finally kind of showing, Okay, I
can be the workhorse guy. He's a free agent at
the end of the season, so lighting himself up for
a big payday of this winter. But I think that's
(16:52):
been the big thing is just he's been healthy. He's
only given up more than three runs in a start
twice I think, or three times this year, which if
you're talking about a thirty three start season, you know
that's pretty hard to do. That type of consistency and
just one of those guys. I mean that's kind of
been his reputation. He can spin the ball. Kind of
had to reinvent himself a little bit as he got
older and his fastball isn't as fast as it used
(17:12):
to be. But he's a guy who's gonna spin it
and force hitters. He's gonna keep hitters off balance that way.
Speaker 5 (17:20):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
We always when you talk about the twins, you talk
about the injuries. You know, you mentioned that Correa who
they signed knowing that he failed two other physicals for
free agent deals, so so you knew what you were
kind of getting into there. Also, Byron Buckston just hasn't
been able to stay healthy for a complete season. Talk
(17:41):
about Byron Buxton and where you know he fits, and
they thought making him the DH, you know, and not
putting the wear and tear of play in the outfield.
But that really didn't work either, did it.
Speaker 7 (17:52):
No, not at all. I mean it was one of
those he did play. He had a stretch where he
did play a lot, but he didn't hit very well
as a DH. And I think that's I think it's
adjustment for a guy like him. I mean, he can
make game saving plays in center field, and when he's
in his slump, he can sell impact games when he's
not playing center field, which he hasn't it all this year.
You know, I think that kind of you can you
(18:12):
can go into prolonged slumps, and I think that's where
he's kind of struggled. Hasn't been up in the major
League since the beginning of August, been dealing with some
knee pain. He got shut down, started to rehab assignment
at the end of August, got shut down when some
knee pain came back up. Played a couple rehab games
last week. But that's he's kind of a huge wildcard.
I mean, he's if he comes back, it'll be as
(18:33):
a DH only guy. He's only played two games in
the last four weeks, so I wouldn't be shocked if
he's left off the playoff roster.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
I mean, it's one of.
Speaker 7 (18:41):
Those, especially if foryst Lewis he's coming back from a
hamstring injury.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
He might only be able to date. So if he's your.
Speaker 7 (18:48):
DH and he hit as well as anybody in the
second half of the season, that doesn't really leave a
role for Buxton. So I wouldn't be shocked if he's
left off the postseason roster, but they're trying to get
him healthy and if he can play center field, that
would help his chances.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
All Bob voyce lewis what a I mean, what would
they guy have four Grand slams already in his major
league career. I mean he had such a stretch. How
lethal is that guy? In dangerous?
Speaker 1 (19:15):
Yeah?
Speaker 7 (19:15):
I mean you talk about people that are just like
stunned by what he's doing.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
I mean, you ask any of the Twins coaches.
Speaker 7 (19:21):
I mean, this is a guy who do ACL torn
ACL injuries twenty twenty, didn't have the minor league season
because of COVID, so he's barely played the last three years,
and he's hitting like when he's healthy. You know, he's
been one of their best hitters. He's hitting above three hundred.
Pitchers are trying to adjust to him, and he keeps
hitting grand slams. He mean, he's clutch, he steps up
(19:41):
in big moments. I think he has fifteen home runs
this year.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
I mean, this is the guy. He barely played above
double A and.
Speaker 7 (19:48):
He's only played, you know, a half season in the majors,
but he's been dominant the entire time. So one of
those guys, I think he helped turn their season around.
I mean when he came back from an oblique injury
in August, he was dying of night after that, and
you could you could tell the offense, just kind of
the energy around the team change when he came back.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Our guest is Bobby Nightingale. He covers the Minnesota Twins
the playoff bound Minnesota Twins for the Star Tribune in Minneapolis.
Carlos Carreer, let's get back to him and just what
this season has been. Is there any way he can
make everything and people be happy. Obviously they won the division,
(20:26):
they're in the playoffs, but is he going to be
able to produce? And is he a wild card? Could
he get healthy enough to be He's had great postseasons
and played well in the postseason, so that's something we
know he can perform in those moments, in those spots,
but he needs to be healthy. Is he a question
a big question mark? Or is he somebody that they
(20:48):
might be able to count on.
Speaker 7 (20:50):
I mean, they definitely expect him to play. He's been
dealing with planter forsitis in his left foot since May,
so I mean he's dealt with payn all year.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
Give him credit.
Speaker 7 (21:00):
I mean he he led the team in games played
until he went on the injured list a week ago,
still might leave the team in games played, So I mean.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
He he's played solid defense.
Speaker 7 (21:08):
His hitting has been below his standards by a long shot,
but he's kind of he's kind of made the point himself, saying, Okay,
you know I've stepped up in the postseason before. Yeah,
it's been a disappointing regular season. But if I have
another postseason like like I've done in the past, you
know that'll make up for it, and I think everyone
will kind of forgive me for it. So you know,
he's been gutting through it. He's not gonna be one
(21:29):
hundred percent when the playoffs start. I mean, planter Phocidas
is something that you probably need two three months of
not playing for it to actually feel better. But his
defense at shortstop, I mean, he makes the he makes
the infield better and if he steps up in big moments,
I mean that that that's the key. But he's he's
had some trouble this year. I mean, he's he leads
the league in double plays, growning into double plays, and
(21:52):
he hasn't hit with his usual style, so playoff playoffs
will be a big moment for him, just trying to
prove kind of save his season for himself.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Last thing, are Twins fans geek pumped? I mean, they
won the division, Well, it doesn't matter postseason. Are they
into it?
Speaker 3 (22:10):
I think they're nervous.
Speaker 7 (22:10):
I mean it's they haven't won a playoff game since
two thousand and four. They've lost eighteen straight playoff games.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Well, they're not playing the Yankees, so they got a shot.
I mean right, I mean they lost like fourteenth straight
to the Yankees.
Speaker 7 (22:22):
Yeah, but then you look at it and it's like
if they match up against Houston, the defending champions. I mean,
doesn't feel like you got any easier. So I say
a lot of fans are anxious there. They're happy they
won the division, happy that the pitching is probably better
than it has been in the last couple decades.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
But that's a long streak you have to overcome.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
No doubt. His name is Bobby Nightingale. Check out his
stuff the Minneapolis Star Tribune. One of the best young
baseball riders in the country. Bobby, you know, I appreciate
you always.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
Yeah, appreciate you. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
Now bring in the closer. Here's why MLB it's better
than in the NFL or NBA, and it isn't even close.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Reason number one hundred and fifty five whur Major League
Baseball is better than the NBA and better than the NFL,
it's because the stories like this. Are you ready? Former
Major leaguer and sixth overall pick of the nineteen eighty
four MLB draft, Eric Pappis is back playing professional baseball.
(23:26):
That's a story. Fans with love get this. He's fifty
seven years old and just signed to play for Greece
in the European Championship fifty seven. You couldn't play basketball
at fifty seven, or you couldn't play football at fifty seven.
For baseball, doing good shape, probably could still get out there,
(23:52):
play first base, playing one of the corner outfields, right,
move around, catch some fly balls. You ain't beating out
many hits, but you might be able to still swing
a bat at fifty seven and get some knocks. It's
a pretty fun story. It'll be interesting to see how
he winds up. At some point, We're gonna update this
(24:13):
story and see where Eric Pappus and what he was
able to do. Getting back into baseball at age fifty seven.
But those are enough stories that you only hear in
Major League baseball. In the words of New York TV
(24:34):
legend the late Bill Jorgensen, thanking you for your time
this time until next time. Rob Parker out d kid Davin.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
This could be an inside of Parker. See you next week,
same bad time, from the same Matt's station.
Host
Rob Parker
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