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Good on everybody. Welcome back BT Unleashed on
this Tuesday. Hopefully everybody is doing
well. Got a big show for you today.
A lot of baseball yesterday we did a lot of Mets.
The Mets standing pat with Mendi, so he's still in the
dugout and today's going to be a big Yankee day.
A lot of Knicks for you as well. J Rod.
What's cooking there, brother? How is J Rod today?
What's up? What's up?
Before we jump into the show, you OK buddy?
You ready to roll? Yes.
Sir, ready to roll? Excited, you know, excited
about, you know, the, the jump, the massive jump this channel is
about to take. Excited for, excited for some
new content, Excited for some great calls.
Let's get it. I love it.
Absolutely. J Rod's ready to go.
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before we jump into a lot of Yankee stuff that I think you
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Get your calls As J Rod said today, little bit of a different
time, The Jets collective, we will do that today episode #6 an
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So we'll go live on YouTube at 2 again, episode 6.
We'll hit all the picks and, and obviously start to push this
forward like and actually ask the question which I've been
posing a little bit like what if The Jets are actually good this
year? You know, we keep talking about
this infusion of talent, which undeniably The Jets had and
everybody keeps saying, well, well, you know, 2027
quarterbacks and I get it. But like Jets are winning three
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So anyway, we will do that. Coming up at 2.
Can't wait for that. Get the chat fired up.
Like it, subscribe it. Let's roll.
All right, it's very rare. Like I listen, you know, I I
like my numbers. You guys know that I especially
in baseball, I believe analytics, you know, really does
drive the engine. I think sometimes too much for
sure, and I absolutely prefer a balance like I'm going to still
trust my eyes, but the numbers in baseball really do, you know,
reinforce, you know what what you think either positively or
negatively. So I want to get into Ben Rice
in a moment, but last night, and, you know, I love my old
stats, right? So not just the numbers behind
success or failure, but also historical context.
Got a couple things for you, right #1 So Max Freed, all
right, Max Freed now is 13 and one with a 1.73 ERA in 19
regular season starts after the Yankees lost the game prior ace.
I mean, I know that there's a long way to go and a lot of meat
on that bone in terms of a contract, but Max Freed has been
phenomenal and he's really abandoned the stretch.
It's been very interesting. So again, 13 and one Yankees
coming off a loss since he got here 19 times.
He's 13 and one with the sub 1.75 ERA.
That's great. Now #2 Now, a lot of people, I
won't do this because I am mature and I am above this, but
a lot of people have used this next stat that I'm about to
throw at you very quickly to clown the Mets.
And the Mets are not my focus right now.
The Mets were my focus yesterday.
But still, many of you, you can't help yourself, right?
Here's the stat Ben Rice and Aaron Judge have 21 home runs
combined. The Mets have 20 be.
It really is amazing when you think about that.
But two Yankees have one more home run than the entire Mets
team. And by the way, they also have
more home runs than the Red Sox and the Marlins and the Brewers
and the Giants. Yankees look good.
There's a lot of things that I love about what I'm seeing so
far. And oh, yeah, by the way, one
more stat for you. Told you, I'm going to geek out
a little bit. This is the third time in the
vaunted long history of the Yankees where the Yankees have
had 11 or more wins and have allowed forty or fewer runs in
the first 16 games on the road to start any season.
The other time, oh, talk about the Yankees.
Not talk about the Marlins here, you know, or you know, or even
the Blue Jays who were born in the 70s.
Nineteen 171958 the last time that that happened.
So there's a lot of good vibes with the Yankees and rightfully
so. Now, before I get into Ben Rice,
you know what I was wailing about over the winter as we were
painfully going through the run it back Yanks.
What are the Yanks going to do? Who they going to go after, You
know, not going after Tucker, not really going after Bichette.
What's the plan if Bellinger decides to go somewhere else?
Because we all thought, you know, whether it was Pete Alonzo
with Toronto, although that kind of changed with Flatty's
extension the year before. But we we know Toronto's got a
ton of money. So there was at least a little
fear for me and at least an understanding that that there
was a good chance Bellinger would be an X Yankee or at least
a decent chance, right. So as we navigated through the
Yankee offseason and I think I was fairly measured, But the one
thing that I was getting tired of and the one thing that I,
that I, that I've had to say many times is that the Yankees
flat out, they have failed Aaron Judge.
When you're that great and you just have this rotating cast of
first baseman and 2nd baseman really everywhere and shortstops
and 3rd baseman and catchers and like I said, everywhere, I could
just say everywhere and just stop myself and be more
economical with my words everywhere.
Outside of starting pitching, which has been pretty good for
Aaron Judge's run, the Yankees have not done a good enough job
of putting their all time transcendent superstar in a
position to win a World Series. Now we all know he dropped the
pop up we all in the World Series against the Dodgers.
We all know that he's had, you know, too many series, but he's
been very quiet where it's been the exact opposite of the loud
regular seasons he's had. It's not the only superstar to
go through that. I've documented that many times,
whether it's Bonds or Willie Mays or even Ted Williams in a
small sample. But because of social media,
which Ted Williams didn't have to deal with, or Willie Mays or
even Bonds, it's different. I get it.
You know, and when you make that kind of money and you're
positioned as an old timer, whether it's an old time Yankee
grade, which obviously is going to equate to an all time
baseball great. You know, I mean, the the
microscope is going to be wider. The net of criticism that people
will cast is going to be wider. That's just the way it is.
And I think Aaron Judge handles it very well because he's always
emotionally the same guy. Having said all that, right, the
early returns to the season. Now, I do understand that the
American League is trash. Like when you look at the Mets
play, just to bring them in for a moment, the thing that's going
to further complicate the Mets getting their season off the
rails here if they ever do. And I'm not, you know, at this
point, I'm not really sure that they will, but it's going to be
made tougher by the fact that the National League is
undeniably better. It's not even close.
Better than the American League, right?
So you look at this right now, there's 15 teams obviously in
each league and 11 of the 15 in the American League or 500 or
worse. And in the National, there's
only five of the 15. So 33%, which obviously is a
very low number. There's a lot of competition,
lot of teams you got to jump over.
But why I even bring that up is because there are so many bad
teams throughout baseball that I think that the opportunity for
the Yankees to finally take the big swing that we've been
imploring them to swing, not 80%, not 82%.
I mean, here's my chips, I'm going all in and I'm doing
whatever it takes to try to win a championship for the first
time since 2009. Now you look at some of the
names that could be available. Padres are very good.
There's been rumblings with ownership and money.
Obviously when their their previous owner passed away a
couple of years ago, their economics obviously change.
So maybe Tatis is available. Christian Walker.
All right, who the Yankees? I actually thought the Yankees
were going to get a couple of off seasons ago, right-handed
hitter, really good fielding first baseman, $20 million a
year signed a three-year deal. This is already year 2.
You know, depending upon what happens with with them, that
could be somebody who's available, you know, Buxton and
even to I was going to say to a lesser degree, but I mean the
Phillies are an are an unmitigated mess like the Mets.
I and I don't think that you rule out them on some level at
least considering trading Bryce Harper.
So all this stuff right now about the start to the 2026
Yankees and and really the 2026 baseball season.
But pertaining to the Yankees, I meant to say is that they are
very favorable circumstances. The Yankees pitching staff will
be the best in baseball. The Yankees.
I know they had it for one year with Soto, but the Yankees
finally have that night tonight, consistent stud, and I will get
to the blossoming superstar that Ben Rice now is in a minute,
right? So you've got that.
And the bullpen's going to take care of itself for a lot of
reasons that I've already chronicled here on the show.
When you look at the rotation with Max Freed, with Schlitter,
with Garrett Cole, and then eventually with Carlos Rodan,
and those guys are very close to coming back.
Well, now Gil's already the miners forget about Louis Gil.
If we hear anything from Louis Gil the rest of the year, to me,
it's found money. I am not banking on him at all.
He has not been the same guy since he won the rookie of the
year. It is what it is.
That's why the Yankees did what they did in terms of Ryan
Weathers and obviously, you know, Will Warren last year,
getting some run like the Yankees rotations phenomenal.
And then what's going to happen and obviously Clark Schmidt will
come back as well now through attrition, like if Weathers
can't throw strikes or will Warren starts getting hit, like
that's going to define itself. What are those dudes along with
Schmidt is going to the bullpen, which immediately strengthens
the bullpen. And then you've got 2
flamethrowers, obviously Legrand Hay and obviously Elma
Rodriguez, who are just, I mean, they're destroying the Miners
and they are two of the most highly thought of pitching
prospects in baseball. So the Yankee staff is going to
be phenomenal. The Yankees to me, and I know
it's baseball and I know it's random and I know it's not like
the NBA. Oh, we got Curry and we got
Durant. We're going to definitely win
the championship. Doesn't work that way in
baseball. Fully aware of that.
But the Yankees to me for the first time and obviously always
have to throw in the Soto year when they got to the World
Series because it was Soto and Judge.
But outside of that, which was the outlier, by the way, right,
That was the anomaly. That was the rare occurrence,
this Yankee team and the circumstances in the American
League and the fact that 2027, sadly, we are going to be
deprived of baseball. To what extent, I don't really
know. But the CBA, it is going to like
the labour strife is going to be so painful, maybe as painful as
81. I remember I was seven years old
in 81. And I remember like we, you
know, we in Brooklyn, everybody had these like those little
plastic pools that came up to your ankles, you know, like we
didn't have in ground pools. We had those little plastic
things that you got for 19 bucks at Red's.
There was this toy store that I think is still open and you fill
it up with the hose and that was the pool.
Like that was not that I'm, you know, not that I'm from the
hood, but that was like the hood pool, right?
And, and I remember, I, I just remember this seared in my mind,
the image. I can only imagine what young
baseball fans will go through now, or at least in 2027.
I remember every day, every day, because my mom would always have
like 1010 wins on and and obviously music.
And I would say mom is the strike over.
Yet mom, because my dad was working, Mom is the strike over.
Mom are the Yankees playing tonight from that little teeny
tiny pool that we and the garden hose water was freezing.
It was basically like going in for an ice plunge like the
athletes do. And I remember that.
It was just painful. God, because I don't really
remember the 80 season that much. 81, I was locked in.
And as I've told you many times, that's really the first World
Series that I remember watching. So it was torturous.
And that's what 2027 is going to bring.
And I say all that because you have really one more shot
because who knows what's up in 2027.
And because of his age, even though he's amazing, you can't
just bank on, well, Judge is going to be judged for four or
five more years. He's not going to be judged in
five years. He's not going to be judged in
four years. So there's two things at play
here. I'm going to get to Ben Rice now
#1 the Yankees have as good a chance in my and I've always
been less bullish on the Yankees then then most.
Like, I'm a realist with the Yankees when they don't catch
the baseball, when they got too many guys who strike out, when
they don't have the requisite arms, but they only have the one
big bat. And Judge.
You know, I'm going to tell you because I've always told you
that this team is not going to win a World Series.
And coming into the season, I did not think that the Yankees
were a World Series team either. I thought Toronto will be a lot
better. I thought the Red Sox will be a
lot better. Not that I didn't think that the
Yankees wouldn't be a playoff team.
I had the Yankees winning 94 games.
That was my pre season prediction.
But the other element of the of the circumstances here is
because the American League is so bad.
There is a really good. I know you got to stay healthy.
I know there's a million variables and I know it's not
even May 1st yet. I know, I know I'm talking about
today. I could just worry about today,
all the other variables. Are you telling me like it if,
if things remain kind of the same, that the Yankees aren't
going to by far have the best record in the American League,
which ensures home field advantage?
I mean that they should. At least that's my read today.
You get one more big bat, and I don't mean Ryan McMahon at the
trade deadline. I'm starting to hit a little bit
and obviously has value as a fielder, but I'm not talking
about Ryan McMahon. I'm not talking about Caballero
who suddenly can't steal the base.
He got thrown out four times in a row.
But he's he's he's obviously a very good addition.
I'm not talking about Rosario. I'm talking about a thumper
where the Yankees going to October or you want to tell me
the Dodgers are OK in terms of rotation and and the Dodgers in
totality, massive respect back-to-back champions until
anybody dethrones them. They are the team to be.
Obviously, that goes without saying.
But are you telling me that with that rotation and then what the
bullpen will look like eventually and with Rice and
with Judge and one more monster bat, that you're not going into
October for the first time really since Soto?
And then since then the first time and Lord knows how long,
maybe the Baby Bombers out of enthusiasm, thinking the Yankees
are going to win to at least get back to the World Series?
Because that's what I'm thinking.
That's where I'm at right now. I love I love the way things are
lining up for this team. And again, you got to stay
healthy and it's easy for me to sit here on the show and tell
you when Cole gets back when Rd. I I understand those are
variables I can't control, but they're both pitching in the
minors. Freed is amazing.
Schlitzler's already, you know, in in the early stages of being
a Co ace and then you throw Cole 3 Rd., Don four and Warren
Oregon, whomever five were weathers who was been really
good. I mean there's a lot to like
about this team. Now.
The one thing that I'm not sure about is will how this is always
a question you got to You shouldn't have to ask this
question, but sadly you do. Will how be the kind of you
know, is, is this the year where he's like, you know what?
I am all in. I am doing whatever it takes for
Aaron Judge to get back to and win a World Series so we can
finally be coordinated truly, even though in my eyes he is.
But by some you got to have the World Series to be an old time
great Yankee, which I inherently disagree with.
But I'm not going to get into it now because I've told you why
many times, right? But many of you think that many
of you subscribe to that and that's fine.
That's your prerogative. I think that that's almost too,
too shallow, especially the sport of baseball.
But that's where I stand. You got to love the way the
Yankees look right now. I mean, every night they go out,
they're putting up 0 at the zero, at the zero at the One guy
who didn't put up zeros the other night got shipped out to
the Miners, which is another aspect of this where I really
like. There seems to be a little bit
of a different edge. And I said this yesterday, a
little bit of a different accountability.
Like, all right, Louise Hill, you were trashed the other night
and you've had too many wild thrown some good games, but
you've had too many fluctuations where we don't know what we're
getting and we're not tolerating it.
Go to the Miners, figure it out. You get a little dip in the V
low, which by the way, was true the other night against the
Astros. You know, you don't trust your
secondary pitches. You got to go work on stuff
because you're currently getting in the way of what we're trying
to do. That's number one.
Even some some things I don't think they would have done last
year or really even the year before, as they were a little
bit too married to analytics for some.
Right. All right, hey, all right.
He's pitching Ryan McMahon's hit No 70, but he's a lefty.
McMahon's going to play. No, he's not.
We're going to run Rosario out there.
We're going to reward him for play.
We're going to do things that are a little, you know,
analytically unconventional. So I am very, very bullish on
this Yankee team. And I'm going to be downright
giddy if they, you know, deliver one of those names, Tatis, a
Walker, a Buxton. I know, I know, this seems like
a pipe dream, but it shouldn't be because the Yankees have the
money to absorb it. They've got the prospects.
And I'm not talking about Lombard.
And I'm not talking about Legrande or even Rodriguez.
I mean, I know you got to give up something here.
So maybe one of those arms has to go.
Lombards going nowhere because it's not that far fetched to
envision, you know, again, with the work stoppage next year, who
knows? But you know, Judge Rice and
Lombard because he does look a little different.
But again, it's in the minor, so I'm not going to go nuts.
I'm pumped up about my Yankees here.
J Rod, I am incredibly pumped up.
Let's go. Really AM.
And this is not manufactured hype.
I am a realist with the Yankees. Like, I mean, I shit on the
Yankees a lot because the Yankees have given us a lot of
reasons to push back and criticize because they have
morphed further and further away from what they used to be and
how they used to comport themselves from a business point
of view. Oh, we didn't win the World
Series? Well, that's OK.
Now we're going out. We're getting this guy, that guy
and this guy. They haven't done that for a
long time. And, you know, the the window is
closing on Judge, but window is wide open in the America League
for the Yankees to basically bury everybody in the division.
I know Tampa's a game and a half back, but I think they'll
eventually, you know, regress and respect for Tampa, but they
don't have the horses the Yankees have.
And then eventually, you know, cruise to 9899, maybe 100 wins
and have the best mark in the American League by 4-5 games.
And while everybody else is pitching the wild card in the
extra rounds and traveling Yanks and chilling at home and they
got home field advantage throughout.
So that is a very real possibility.
Now get me up on the full screen, Jay, as good looking as
you are at Anthony Dash J AT6M, let's stop saying the Yanks
don't develop their own players. Look at Rice, Cam and Warren.
Well, OK, you can keep that up. First of all, let's
differentiate between pitching. I have always said I anybody who
says the Yankees don't develop the players is an idiot.
You know, like in just in terms of New York Yankees, you have to
you have to provide the context and it's most people do, but
some are lazy and don't. You've got to differentiate
between developing pitchers. And developing position players
because it's a massive difference.
I mean, even though Louise Hill, he's had some injuries, but it's
back in the Miners. He did win the rookie of the
year. I mean, Will Warren had the
second most strikeouts of any rookie last year in baseball.
I mean, Cam Schlittler looks like if knock on wood, if he's
healthy, yeah, but this guy's going to be a 567 time All Star.
He's absolutely filthy, right? And then not to mention a lot of
bullpen arms and others, couple of minor leaguers that I really
believe are going to be on the scene very soon.
Pitching is not the problem with the Yankees, even though, you
know, last year against Toronto in the playoffs, it was Freed
got knocked around, Rodon got smacked, the Louis Hill got
tattooed. I'm not saying that it's
perfect, but the Yankee pitching, you know, anyone say
factory, that's ridiculous. But that aspect of the
organization is really, really good.
What has been problematic is that they've developed no
position players outside of Aaron Judge.
So every year you've got to like, you got to take swings on
free agents or you got to kick the tires and and shake the tree
and hope, Hey, maybe Aaron Hicks could be that guy.
Maybe Joey Gallo could be that guy.
Maybe Ryan McMahon could be that guy because we don't have 1/3
baseman, you know, And then you know, Volpe showed some early
promise. He's regressed.
And I'm, I can't wait to see Volpe play this year, man.
I am really, I don't know what to expect, but I am really
rooting for Volpe big time, man. You know, you couldn't develop a
second baseman, so you got to go out there.
You got to trade for Jazz. You know, you couldn't develop a
center fielder, so you got to make sure you get back Grisham
in the in the Soto trade, you know, no left fielders.
Let's sign Bellinger, who's really good.
I mean, come on, we, we all know the deal.
The Yankees have been basically an F at position players.
Well, I mean, maybe that's unfair because Judges is great,
so his greatness offsets the F. So like you CC minus D plus
whatever it is. But Ben Rice is now changing
that. Ben Rice is changing that.
So Ben Rice is now officially a star.
That's it. If you don't believe it, I don't
know what to tell you. Ben Rice is an absolute.
So I'm going to take it a step further.
Ben Rice is a superstar as a hitter.
I told you before the start of the season, Ben Rice will be top
ten in the MVP voting. Now obviously Judge will take
votes away, but I'll stand by that even more today.
Obviously I told you before the start of the season that Ben
Rice would be an All Star and some of you felt it and
something a little bit early for that.
I remember talking to Aaron Boone.
I was driving to Walgreens to pick up medicine for one of my
kids, and he called me right before he went down to Tampa.
You know, we're just shooting the breeze about the roster and
you know, just catching up. Seen how has seen how the new
show is going, which by the way, there's a chance booty will be
on this week. We were texting about that.
Yes, I'm trying to get him on this week.
OK, it's in the works and we're going to actually talk about it
today. He said he'll call me after the
show. Hopefully that happens and it's
going to happen soon. But I remember him calling me
and we're just bouncing around. I'm like, man, and hopefully you
guys, I mean, I'm honest with him, you know, because when we
had him up on stage with me and Sal, you know, we both say the
same thing. Like we can't stand Grisham as a
lead off hitter. That's not a World Series team.
And he always pushes back. Then he gets annoyed at us.
But it is what it is. That's how I feel.
I've told them straight up, if you guys give Jazz Chisholm a
long term extension, you're absolutely nuts.
And they won't, by the way, he didn't say that, but I'm telling
you they won't. I'm very honest about how I
assess his players. And I remember telling him as
I'm driving to the drugstore, Ben Rice is going to have a 950
OPS this year. He's like he's like I love him,
man. That's a little aggressive.
I'm like, no, it's not No, it's not.
And I said you know, you should know that more than me.
He goes I I do, but you know how hard it is to have a 950.
Opsi know I know, and I very rarely say that about young
players. I'm saying it about Ben Rice
because it's going to happen. So we're going to geek out a
little bit here. All right, if you follow and
then we'll get the calls going, we'll get the chat going.
I got some mixed stuff for you as well.
Hopefully everybody's having a great Tuesday.
Let's get a little read up here. If you follow, you know,
baseball savant and deeper analytics.
Red is good, blue is bad. So J Rod, do me a favor first
very quickly, and I want you can take it down.
What I tell you, slap up 2025 Baseball savant.
Oh God, look at that red. Oof.
Look at that red. And now, if you would be so kind
there, J Rod, please slap up 2026 baseball savant.
Oh my God, look at that red. All right, leave that up for a
while. All right, leave that.
I'm never going to do this again.
I'm going to do this because it furthers my point about the
great young Ben. Well, he's he's 27, but the
great Ben Rice. All right, so you see all those
XS and Bell, what the Hell's in there?
Some of you of course, know what this means, but many of you
don't. Now, before I get into this, and
this is not going to happen because it's just not, but his
projected stats based on what he's done so far and based on
the amount of games that remain right now, Ben Rice is projected
to hit 56 home runs, have 128 RBI's, 45.
I mean, this is Madding. It's not even madding.
Mattingly never hit 5645 double s, 117 walks and 145 runs.
Now, again, not going to happen, but if you get 80 something
percent of that, he's top ten in the MVP, which I told you he
would be and he will be. Now those, what do they mean?
What is XWOBA? What the hell does that mean?
That isn't expected weighted on base average.
Very simply, it mean it measures the hitter's performance based
on the quality of contact rather than the outcome in, in layman's
terms, it removes defense and it removes luck.
Look at that number next. One, 99 percentile xba, this
simple expected batting average, likelihood that a batting ball,
a batted ball becomes a hit based on the exit below in the
launch angle. So it's a mathematical
calculation based on factors that drive many of you nuts, the
launch angle to be low. I get it.
But he's in the 94 percentile, meaning keep the subject,
meaning what he's doing is not by accident.
All right, expected at slugging. What does that mean?
Well, measure the hitter's power production based on the quality
of contact rather than the outcome.
You could have A320 hitter whose soft contact, a little lucky you
can come. And this happened Ben Rice early
last year. Remember talking about this and
remember Boone saying this where the numbers like, and the
numbers are low, but he's hitting the ball on the screws
all the time. So these are real tangible
things. 97 percentile. All right, average exit below.
That's basic stuff. If you don't know what that is,
I don't know if you're not a baseball fan, but just so you do
know the subtext, Major League Baseball average is 88 to 89
mph. Anything at 92 or 93 is
considered elite. He is at the 99 percentile
barrel percentage. This one's a little confusing,
right? A little bit.
It seems basic, but it's not. So.
Barrel percentage is a metric that defines basically, an
optimally struck ball at least 98 miles an hour at a specific
launch angle. I know, I'm really geeking out.
I'll never do this again. And the the launch angle is
between 26 and 30°. He's in the 98 percentile hard
hit percentage and it's a simple any ball struck at 9595 miles an
hour or more, 100%. This guy hits the ball hard
every time. The the launch angle sweet spot,
LA sweet spot percentage. It measures the frequency that a
hitter produces a battered ball, right at a launch angle of
eight, between 8 and 32°. He's in the 95 percentile.
I mean, if this was my son or my daughter's grades, I'd be the
happiest dad in the world. He's squared up then.
They actually do pretty well, but they don't hit not 90 eights
and 90 nines all the time, that's for damn sure.
Squared up percentage measures how effectively A hitter
transfers. This is this is I didn't even
know this one transfers their swing speed to the ball, 80
percentile and he's on base all the time.
Walk rate 97 percentile. Look at that.
You could get it down there. Jay, thank you very much.
Now, couple of things need to happen here.
Number one, you need to understand that Ben Rice is that
dude, pure and simple. We showed you 25 all red.
Showed you 26, all red. Not an accident, not a
coincidence. It's not early.
He's not lucky. He's a freaking stud.
And that's why I told you before the start of the season that Ben
Rice should be the three hitter. He should be the three hitter
every single night. And when Boone sat him against
and I love booty, but when he sat him against lefties, you
know, I I went nuts. No, he's got to play and you
want to drop him to the five hole against a tough lefty.
All right, I could even live with that.
I really could. But the and they said this on
the broadcast, like very astute point.
Kay and Coney were talking about this where, you know, generally
when you and I know he's 27, so he's not 22.
So I guess I have to stop saying young, young ish, right?
But usually like a hitter that's in front of Aaron Judge or like
a pool holes back in the day or a Mickey Cabrera or an A rod,
like those type of those type of hit Soto, right?
The guys before those type of players, those transcendent 1
percenters in baseball. Well, generally the guy before
him is going to get fed fastballs, right?
And he's going to benefit. And Coney was.
It was a really astute observation.
They don't do that with Ben Rice.
They respect Ben Rice so much that they nibble with Ben Rice,
meaning, all right, they're a little bit more afraid of Aaron
Judge, and they should be. But they know if they don't
really high, low dirt, go deep in a sequence, reverse pitching
patterns, If they don't do that stuff to Ben Rice, Ben Rice is
going to hit 350. Like the league knows he's that
dude. So here's what I would do.
I would within the next week or so, this won't happen.
But here's what I would do if I own the Yankees, I would give
Ben Rice a new contract today. I would do it.
It would happen. It would happen today.
All right, maybe a couple days. dot the IS cross the T's
lawyers, you know, agents are fine.
That's why I say weak. But conceptually today, here you
go. Here you go.
Here's five years at, I don't know, five years at you want to
give 20 million a year. Obviously you want to escalate
this thing, right? Because Ben Rice right now is
making $880,000, which is, which is nice money, but it's not nice
when you got scrubs in baseball making 1012151820.
And then obviously well beyond that.
Now I also get it. You're a product of, you know,
when you're drafted, when you're called up your age and he's
still pre ARB and the the Major League minimum.
What is it? It's 780.
He's making $100,000 more than the guys are just called up who
are happy to be on a Major League roster.
You know, whether it's from the start of the season or it's
prorated if they get called up once the season starts.
So you got to do right by this guy and they they won't because
they don't, they don't really do that.
They did that. They've only, I think they did
that with Sevy and they did that with Hicks and Hicks came back
to bite him and you know, Severino had some injuries.
So it's generally against no, not, it's pretty much always
against their business principles, the way they, the
way they conduct business. So what?
There's always somebody that should force you to change your
mindset. I'm going to bestow this young
man with something that he really can't say no to.
And I'm going to also win downstream.
Now, again, I'm just throwing numbers out.
You know, you want to worry about opt outs.
I who knows? It seems like Ben Rice loves
being a Yankee. He's a lefty, he's a stud.
You know, the opt outs are new modern business.
So I don't know, but I maybe doesn't want them, whatever.
But I'm just thinking in a older, maybe more conventional
contract construction, five years escalating up, you know,
next year get him up to 13, then the next year 17 five, then 20.5
and then 20 set by just go to a point where ages, you know,
2829303132. This young man's making some
bank because he's going to be a multi time All Star.
He's going to be a multi time top 10 MVP performer and he's
just going to be the juice along with judge in the in the middle
of the batting order. He is that good.
Ben Rice is is just I love him. I love his approach.
I love everything about him. So I know I really geeked out by
the way, look at that really geeked out with this.
I mean, talk about putting some time into it.
And I just wanted to make sure that you guys understand this
like I am. Listen, man, I know that
baseball savants not for everybody.
I get it. You want to crack some jokes BT
with his analytics. I don't really throw many
analytics at you. I don't throw much of that at
you because I know that number one, you know, you're either
into it or you're not. And if you're into it, you don't
necessarily need me to teach you about it because you're into it.
And if you're not into it, then you just not into it and you
probably don't care. Like if I, if I gave this to my
dad, he would get a zero. And my dad knows baseball as
well as anybody that I know because he taught me baseball,
right? That's how much I respect my
dad's baseball acumen. But and, and certainly the
history of the game, but it's more rooted in, you know,
conventional statistics, batting average, you know, stuff like
that, right? Old time players and the context
of the history. He wouldn't know any of this
stuff except maybe hard hit percent that you can figure out.
So I, I only do that. So if there's a few of you who
are scared, I don't mean scared and like afraid, but I mean
reluctant, you know, reticent, confused.
Maybe it's a better way of confused by some of these deeper
analytical numbers. I just do that to really
illuminate and understand what you are watching in the early
stages of Ben Rice. You can take this to the bank as
long as he is healthy. There will be no regression
where Ben Rice is a 262 hitter with a 790 OPS.
It's not happening. It's not happening.
I'm not saying Ben Rice won't have a bad month.
I'm not saying Ben Ben Rice won't go 2 for 20.
It's baseball, Susan. Everybody does.
But everything about this young hitter screams.
And it screamed it last year. Many of you were just too
ignorant to understand the numbers.
And don't take that the wrong way, but you are.
Or you were. Or you were just, you know,
maybe if if ignorant doesn't fit you, maybe you were just not
interested. All right.
You just look at the batting average.
Yeah, he's good. He's he's interesting.
No, he's well beyond that. And the Yankees had the Batman
or the Robin. Pardon me, the Robin to to their
Batman. Now they've got that other dude
every single night that when you sit in a the way it goes, guys,
you get to a stadium, right? And you stretch, you hang out in
the locker room, all that stuff. And then the positional groups
they, they, they meet right. And it's it's obviously digital
and it's deeply analytical. Clearly for them, even if you
don't like it, this is what they do, I promise you, because the
whole league knows about Aaron Judge at this point, what he
what whatever little weakness he might have and what mistakes
he's going to crush. So that's basic stuff that I
really believe that the focal point of all of these pitching
meetings, every time the Yankees play whomever, it is almost all
about Ben Rice because the, you know, Judge is 34.
He's played for a while. He's the man.
Everybody knows who he is. Everybody knows Ben Rice's
special. The Royals know it, the Twins
know it, the Blue Jays, every team in baseball that has scouts
and eyes on numbers and players knows that this is not a mirage.
Yanks got their second star and if they ever want to take a real
big swing and if Hal wants to, you know, I I hate it when we
talk about George. I don't really do it that much
just because it's it's so long ago.
Not that I hate George, but you know, pertaining to Hal, it's
lazy. It's it's just a constant
regurgitation of the same stuff. And I'm so far beyond that.
He's never going to be George, is basically what I'm saying.
So why waste energy, you know, clamoring for him to be
something he's never going to be, you know, but maybe get a
give it. That's why I gave you all the
circumstances, the Yankees rotation, the fact that 2027 at
the very least is going to be a truncated baseball season, You
know, and, and and and all the other circumstances, the
American League stinks. The Yankees should have the best
record when it's all said and said and done, unless there's
catastrophic injuries across the board, like you could now lay
the foundation for a team that really looks like a World Series
team. I'd take it even a step further.
I'd find no Jazz is starting to wake up.
I would try, I would trade Jazz. I would find somebody who's just
more reliable. You know, I, I just would.
I'm not even going to get into Jazz now.
But it just paints a bigger picture downstream.
The components are there, all right.
And I think that Yankee fans are feeling it rather than try to
conjure up that energy like many of you do.
But I don't do that. Like, I just watch the Yankees
and I and I tell you not it not it not don't have it.
And there's still elements of the roster that are going to,
you know, have to answer some questions.
I mean, Volpe's coming back this week.
How long did they run Volpe out there?
You know, now Caballero's hitting 350, whatever it is over
the last 15 days. Suddenly he can't steal a base,
which is odd. And by the way, the play last
night when he got thrown out and Seeger, you know, tagged him and
his his all you see this all the time.
His hand slid past the bag, right.
I I mean, I first of all, I'm good, very good friends with
Michael and I love Kony. I thought they were really off
base that talking. I actually think Michael's going
to be on the show tomorrow. We're going to try to do it
today, but can't do it today, probably tomorrow.
And and I thought they were just pushing it too forward in the
direction that I just didn't agree with.
Like they kept saying, like Seeger pushed him off the base.
I mean, his glove, you know, tagged caballeros, that would be
his left hand with the sliding MIT.
And it's, it was a natural tail. Like they made it seem like
they, you know, like he physically pushed him off the
base. I thought that was a clean
baseball player. I didn't see it the way they
described it at all. And they challenged it because
he was a nun. He was initially rung up.
They challenged it. He was out because he came off
the base and Seeger kept the leather on him.
What you taught to do? I I just did.
I didn't see that at all. I really disagreed with
respectfully the way they were talking about that.
And the other thing too, about these sliding mitts.
And my son's guy, he don't really wear it.
He's got a good one, but he's got like the Bruce bolt one
never wears it, but most of the kids do, right?
So and he always goes head first.
I'm like, dude, just wear it. You're going to break a finger,
but he doesn't wear it. Whatever you want to listen to
dad with that, that's fine. But when you slide with an oven
man, you can't manipulate your hand to grab onto the corner of
the base. And if you're going to wear 1
like you want to do a swim move and you got you have access with
this, that's fine. Caballero wears 2, which to me
is it's ridiculous. You've got to be the force in
which these guys, I don't know mph because as you go ahead
first, you actually and physics proves this out you decelerate.
That's why they say don't go ahead first into first base
because when you go ahead first, you're slowing yourself down.
You're decelerating, run through the bag, but obviously second,
third or home. Well, home you can second or
third. You can't run through the bag.
So it's a means to decelerate whatever and then get low and
then do all the the modern swim techniques and and arm and hand
manipulation. But when you've got two of those
mitts on, you can't grab anything because this is the
oven Mitt. If you have that hand free,
think hold on to the corner. Seeger could drop kick you.
You're probably going to stay on the base.
So anyway, the Yankees look really, really good.
I know they've beaten up on some bad teams.
I get it. And I understand that there's
going to be a month, maybe more, because the Yankees do do this
historically under Boone. You know, they play well to
start, then they hit that little swoon and they play a broad
scope of baseball that it's fairly uninspiring. 500 for a
good 708090 game run. But you know, the start sets
them up for a big finish and as coal rehabs, as Rodon rehabs, as
rice explodes. Got to love the way they look.
All right, J Rod, let's get some calls.
They got a little nick stuff for you later on as well.
What do we have? First up, go.
Ahead. Yes, Sir.
We've got Bobby midnight. Bobby.
Bobby.
Midnight. What up there, Bobbo?
How are you? How?
You doing you doing good today. Yeah, I'm doing well, Thank you.
How about you? I have to agree with Ben with
you. I'm Ben Rice.
I always liked him since last year.
And also I think we need a bet like you said you were right on
that to get we got the money while use it right so we could
go to win another championship. I don't think too much, by the
way, about yeah, Yankees have the Yankees don't have as much
money as people think because I saw this the other day.
The evaluation was like, I think Hal was like Hal in terms of
ownership was like 1.6 billion. And you've got Cohen, you've got
the Dodgers, you've got the Rogers Group like, and they were
like 21st. Hal was like 21st or 22nd in
baseball. Very surprising for those who
don't follow the finances. I do, but I didn't even think
that they were that low. They but they've still, they've
got the money. I think that the impediment
could come maybe is their reluctance to eventually part
with some higher level prospects.
And I'm not talking about Lombard.
I am not trading in for anybody. I'm not doing unless the Royals
want a straight up wit for which they never would wit for
Lombard. Yep, we'll make OK, fine, we'll
do that happily. We'll do it.
But Schlittler stays, Lombard stays like the other guys, you
know, Elmer Rodriguez and some of these young LeBron.
Hey, I I don't know if they would part with them.
So that's the one thing that you at least have to factor in
there, Bobby, you know? And I want to just tell you
you're awesome. Thanks, dude.
I appreciate it, Bobby. Thanks for calling.
Thank. I always like calling you to
your show. I appreciate that, thank you.
Where now? Where are you calling in from
though? I'm from Omont.
Remember Me Bob from Omont? I'm trying to you talking about
when you called on the fan. Yeah, with you and Evan, Evan
Robertson. No, I never worked with EV.
You get. Confused.
Here. Craig.
I never worked for Craig either. All right, Bobby, thanks for the
call there. But no, no, no, I never worked
whatever Craig talk about tiki or Sal, those are my partners at
the fan. Thanks for the call.
I I listen, I'd be lined up. I said I, I specifically
remember your call. We would we would take a lot of
calls, but thank you for making that call.
I believe the way you may have remembered him, he called from
like a pizza place. I know he he, he and noted that
last time you called in. I don't remember that either.
And I have a pretty good memory with this stuff.
And let's try to diss the guy. Don't think it the wrong way,
Bobby. You know, how about that stat,
though, You know, and I see it all over social media and like,
you know, even on the channel, you know, where I'll read the
comments and I it's like some Yankee fans and listen, Mets
fans are guilty of this as well, but like, not now because
there's nothing to chirp about now for if you're a Mets fan.
But like Yankee fans, I don't know why they feel this
incessant need to still talk about Soto.
Why? Like we're talking about, you
know, whether it's a Yankee clip or even a Met clip, right?
Oh, Soto's miserable, You know, Soto took the bag and he sold
his soul. Who gives a shit?
Who cares? He made his decision.
Year one, not good. Oh for one, he was good.
But big picture, Oh for one. Year 2 so far a resounding OH
for two, you know, and we'll see eventually if year two turns and
what year 345 and maybe opts out.
Who knows at that point, maybe the Mets are like, you know, go
because they can't control him if he opts out after Year 5 by
attacking on 4 or 4 1/2 more $1,000,000 where he's not a lot,
kind of like with the Yankees have with Gerrard, Cole and and
some others along the way. So I don't know.
I just don't get it though. I, I, it just seems so petty and
it always seems so petty to me. You know, that's why.
And I'm not saying I'm above pettiness.
I mean, jeez, but I understand the fandom and, and the jabs and
stuff, but I, I just, some of you are just ridiculously
consumed with from, if you're a Yankee fan, what the Mets are
doing, the Mets are drowning. That's what the Mets are doing.
And if you're a Mets fan, some of you are still ridiculously
consumed with what the oh, this isn't real or all this we got
Soto. You know what?
What's the term rent free, rent free wants.
Rent free wants. The Mets are supposed to be the
penthouse right now. The Mets are a bad week away
from living at a cardboard box by Central Park.
Rent free. What?
You know, Jay Rod Celtics did bounce back.
I was a little worried about that.
You know, they're up 31 going for the clothes tonight.
We got some basketball. We got the Knicks tonight.
Can't wait for the Knicks. And how, Jay, how about.
And by the way, This is why it's a big game tonight.
Number one, it's Game 5 for the Knicks.
But when the when the Sixers won early in that series, I'm like,
oh, oh, OK. And then the Knicks lost early
in their series. I'm like, here we go.
Knicks will be playing a long, long series and the Celtics will
sweep them. That's why I thought they would,
you know, going in and then the Sixers won a game and early and
I'm like, oh, OK, but now Celtics aren't messing around.
They're going to close this thing out tonight.
And five, I firmly believe they're just so much better.
And I believe that the Knicks, I believe the Knicks are going to
pound the Hawks tonight. I believe they're going to smack
them. Knicks are 6 1/2 point
favorites. But yeah, I mean, this is a it's
a big night in basketball and last night was too.
What in the world? I know you watch this stuff.
What the hell is going on with the Pistons?
It's disgraceful, dude. I mean, it's literally Cade
ball. Jalen Duran has turned into.
I don't even Celtic Shaq, he's turned into.
Jalen Duran has turned into a figment of a player.
Like he's not even he's not a real basketball player anymore.
They're thinking about just who are, who are they running?
They were saying like, run Isaiah Stewart to start or
something like that. I said he'd say, so just
completely falling off. And it's funny.
I saw a tweet and it was like the Orlando Magic treat Jalen
Suggs as if he's the best player on their team.
He's not. He just like keeps the ball in
his hand. He puts him up.
Some nights he has 20. Some nights he doesn't.
But yeah, I mean, absolutely balled out.
And man, I think this Celtics Knicks series.
Hypothetically. Let me temper, let me temper
expectations God damn hypothetical Celtics Knicks
series next round will be the determining factor as to who
makes the. NBA And think about the spice.
I mean, the the show's already spicy, but think about the spice
it's going to bring to the show. Me and you for 10 straight days.
Yeah, just going at it. Let's go.
We need it. We need it.
You going down, sucker? Can you please confirm?
Is that true? I mean, Avery Summit's always
reliable. Billy's just whacked Thompson.
I mean, I'm not surprised. I just want to make sure it's
true before I react to it. So he goes Mattingly, the
interim manager. What's is that true?
Billy's Thompson boom boom news. Oh my gosh, true.
I'm only seeing things from like 17 out.
Yep, Yep. 2 minutes ago. 2 minutes ago.
True. All right, all right.
Well, yeah, I know that. Breaking news, not thanks to
you. Breaking news thanks to Avery.
Here's the thing, you know, you guys know Mattingly's my all
time favorite. Anything.
I mean, that I've have, I've got a few others that are are, you
know, close. But he's a planet away from
like, Mullen and Ewing and Crabet and all my other all time
Wesley Walker Jets, all my other all time favorites.
Mark Jackson, Right? It's Mattingly in his own
universe. And This is why, you know, I
really never want Don Mattingly to become the manager of the
Yankees. I admit it, I don't.
I'm happy that he's getting another chance in Philly.
I didn't think he wanted to necessarily do that.
I, you know, Daddy was not sure he was going to come back.
And even Coach, remember that last year when Bichette was
hugging him in the Toronto dugout after the World Series
when they lost. And, you know, to me that was
symbolic of, you know, a gamer, even though Bouchette's been
awful. Bouchette's got to start
catching more heat. By the way, everybody's talk
talking about Mendi and Soto's Cafe and Landor's out and
Prientos this and the line up stinks and Beatty and then
Alfred. Yo, Bouchette, you going to
start hitting a little bit? And I love Beau Bouchette, you
got to wake up. He's done nothing.
He might be the most culpable, really, when you think about it,
but I still love him as gamer and I still do think he's going
to wake up. It might be too late when he
wakes up for the Mets. But Bichette, I remember that
was very powerful. I really, you know, showing
Donnie appreciation. I think that everybody thought
that Donnie was done with baseball and now here he is back
at the dugout when he was the hitting coach for the Yankees.
That was one thing like, you know, I don't ever want to see
Don Mattingly as the manager of the Yankees.
I couldn't take it because I just, I mean, you got to do your
job right. But I, I, that's, I think that's
the one guy like I'm, I'm friends with Boone.
I forgot. Great admiration for Boone,
first and foremost, the man and Aaron Boone, the baseball lifer.
But you know, I didn't grow up with Aaron Boone posters on my
bedroom wall. I didn't even, I didn't really
give Aaron Boone any thought until the game, you know, except
respecting the Boone name and his dad, his grandfather, and
then obviously hitting that big home run off Tim Wakefield, rest
in peace, Tim Wakefield. And then, you know, I've gotten
to know him and he's just a great person and I think he's a
good manager, better than many of you do, but he ain't
Mattingly like so I I can't like sit and Ben Rice to get lefties.
I get all over him, you know, running out both be every single
day got all over him last year. That's going to be interesting
to watch. What kind of leash does Volpe
get needed to happen? Phillies or putrid?
Thompson was lifeless, no energy.
I mean, aren't we kind of saying the same thing about Mendoza at
Virtual Discourse? Let me ask you a question.
You tell me who the better franchise has been in the last X
amount of years, the Phillies or the Mets, right?
So just parallel these two things.
The records are basically the same.
Both had high expectations, both have massive payrolls, both have
store names, right? You got Harper, you resigned
Schwarber, you got some others. And the Phillies, as they get
ready to go into May, looked at their situation, they're like,
no way unacceptable, you're fired, get out.
Because they got to change something and the Mets did
nothing. And you want to bring in the Red
Sox, who have more championships this century than the Yankees,
let alone the Mets. And because the Mets haven't won
forever. And very similarly now, a lot of
people criticize that move. And I think he's a very good
manager and he's going to get hired very soon.
But if he wants back in right away.
But the Red Sox said, but what are we doing here, man?
And we can't hit. We have 19 home runs as a team.
We look lifeless with Dorman. And this is unacceptable.
All right? And what did they do?
The Red Sox fired their manager. So right now, and I'm not
talking about a Rockies team, even though the Rockies just
swept the Mets, I'm not talking about like a younger team with a
lower payroll. When you are a big market team
that is expected to be really good and you look the way the
Red Sox, the Phillies and the Mets have looked, two teams did
something about it and one is doing nothing.
Tells you a lot. Tells you a lot.
You know, I see that coming a mile away.
Let me just look at the standings here real quick, man.
I'm going to read that text. That's I'm going to read that in
a SEC. Hang on.
So I was giving you some of the stats, how there's only five
teams in the NL at 500 or lower, and there's eleven teams out of
15 in the American League who are at 500 or lower, you know?
But you look at the National League here, I mean, the
Phillies and the Mets have the same exact record, 9 to 19.
You know, it's crazy. And one manager's gone and one
guy looks like he's no problem here.
We're good. Yeah.
Why would we fire our manager? We look good.
We play well, we run the bases, we hit, you know, we catch the
ball. We got no problems here.
Or we fire anybody. Yeah.
Anyway. All right.
So at John Horvath, 9542. Thank you, John.
With managers, do we put too much stock into what they bring
to the game each day? Thompson took over the Phillies
mid season after Girardi was fired and brought them to the
World Series. Now he is gone.
Well, listen, I do think there's a lot of truth to that.
I'm not saying it's all Mendoza's fault.
It's not all Thompson's fault. Was it all Cora's fault?
See, but I mean, eventually you got to do something.
And I'm not a big proponent of just doing something for the
sake of doing something. Why I say you got to do
something is because sometimes, sometimes that's something can
be the impetus to spark change, whether it's emotional or
whether it's a slightly different lineup or it's
different, you know, usage of the bullpen or it's just a
different demeanor at a different, I mean, you know,
some things you can't necessarily quantify.
I get it. You know, like to me, excuse me,
to me, I think that I think in some circles, Mendoza has been
like everything's dropped at his doorstep for some now.
I think the real rational way to look at look at it this way is
Sterns was abysmal this offseason and Mendoza is just
continuing what he continued last year when he was not a good
manager for the New York Mets, indisputable and not just
because they only won 83 games. The bullpen and the things that
we've talked about, which I talked about real time last
year, Mendoza was a, to me, a negative as a manager.
You know, I'll tell you a good story.
I remember talking to Jack Morris.
This is one of my all time favorite baseball stories,
right? I was in Lakeland, FL where the
Tigers train Joker Marching Stadium and this before the
refurbishments, it looks really good.
Now. This was in like 2002, you know,
I was working in Detroit and I would go down for spring
training, do my old midness a million years ago, do my old
midday show from one of our sister stations.
And then you know, like get interviews and like Phil Garner
was the manager. Jack Morris was, was he on the
staff? Was was he a roving instructor?
He may have been on the staff that year.
Tiger's were awful. Either way, I was young and Jack
Morris was one of those guys. Like I was very new in the
business and Jack was one of those guys that was like a
staple of the 80s. And like, you know, I was
mesmerized as strong, but definitely a little reluctant to
just go up to him and introduce myself and and whatever.
And then forget. I was with my producer, Marty.
She was awesome, man. She was such a good producer.
So cool. And, you know, they played the
game and these guys are extra work on the field, whatever.
And Jack Morris and she and I are getting ready to walk out of
the stadium and Jack Morris is sitting on a bench in the
bullpen and we're basically getting ready to pass them.
I'm like, I got to talk to Jack Morris.
So Long story short, short story made long by BTI.
Sit there. I introduce myself and we wind
up talking for about 2530 minutes.
Pure bait. Had this massive chew in.
I'm like, this is this is baseball heaven, man.
Like you see Jack Morris on the montage for this week in
baseball. I mean, come on.
I remember the quick aside. I remember coming home from a
Little League game in 84, the year the Tigers started 35 and
five and won the World Series. All right, And they play the
Padres. That's when Garvey hit the big
home run and raised his arm when he was as a Padre, not a Dodger.
Anyway, they start 35 to 5:00 and I come back to my Little
League game and it was like, it was always tradition.
My dad would get the cold cuts and we would make a sandwich and
we watch the game of the week in the basement.
I loved it, man. Awesome, awesome Saturdays and
the game of the week. That week the Tigers were
playing, I forget who they were playing, but Jack Boars threw a
no hitter. And I remember watching
basically the entire game because when I got home from my
game, it was kind of coinciding with the start of the game of
the week with with Garagiola and Ben Scully and Joe Garagiola and
Burke. Dave Berkman was like some bit
role player who was a first baseman.
And I don't even think it was a very good defensive first
baseman. Like you didn't really wasn't a
very good player, didn't really even play that much.
Made a diving. I just remember making a diving
stop to preserve the no hitter. Anyway, that was just a little
flashback that popped into my head about Jack.
So you can see why I was, you know, a little maybe a little
nervous to go up and talk to him.
And he said, we're talking about managers, right?
I don't know how that wasn't the first thing we touched on, but
we got into it. And he said, let me tell you
something about managers, dude. He said manage.
Most managers do nothing. Like I break it down into 33
basic categories. The good manager is responsible
for about five wins a year. The rest of the, you know, 15
ish managers who are just average really have 0 impact on
the roster meet, meaning no tangible up or or down though
two or three wins or -1 or two. The bad managers, like the guys
who really aren't good, they're going to probably lose your five
to seven games. I'm like wow.
And that always stuck with me right now.
Do I think that Carlos Mendoza has lost the Mets five to seven
games this year? No, I don't.
Do I think that he did last year?
I do. That's my opinion, but while
it's not all his fault and it's a wacky, awfully constructed
roster, which I kind of did like going into the season, but it
ain't working. They're not losing because of
him, but there's such a lack of energy and passion and
fundamentals that at some point you got to make change to make
to just to to try to jolt the cage.
Wake up. That's why I said what I said
yesterday, and I stand by it. I would have moved on from
Carlos Mendoza yesterday. I would have elevated Correa.
And listen, if they don't play well against the Nats, if they
lose 2 out of three, you'd have to think that that's on the
table. Even if they win 2 out of three
and they start playing good teams again, these were bad
teams. They were playing.
They played the Rockies and then they played the Twins.
Now, I know the Nats could hit a little bit and they actually
lost that first Twins game, but I, I don't think that this is
going to change much the noise around Mendoza because I don't
think they're good enough to RIP off like 9 or 10 straight or 15
of 17. And like at some point they're
going to have to do that to get back in the equation.
Because just based on the math, which I gave you yesterday
during the show, Mets are going to have to play 65% winning
baseball to be an 8788 win team to get to the wild card.
I mean, just do they look like they're capable of doing that
now? I mean, they're barely capable
of scoring a run. Half of their games they've had
two runs or less. So it's, it's not a hit piece on
Mendoza. It wasn't yesterday.
It's never going to be that. I'm not into hit pieces.
I'm not into character assassinations unless you're a
bad person, you know, And Carlos Mendoza, by all the counts, is a
good person and a good man and a good baseball man.
But you can't just keep rolling the shit out every day and do
nothing about it. You just can't.
I mean, you could, that's not how I would run my team.
So I just wanted to kind of back that up a little bit.
And by the but but but reinforced by the notion that I
do believe myself strongly that he was responsible for X amount
of losses last year. Like, if he was, if I perceived
him to be a different type of manager, like a really good one,
rather than somebody who I believe is slightly below
average, if not more, well, then I would give him more rope to
figure things out this year. But this is spilling over from
last year, and now you're presenting yourself as a
substandard manager over not one season, but now over 2.
That's my thought process behind that.
Let me get at PG. What was that, P?
What's that, PG? 17 on the score, 89.
If Volpe struggles for a month, the Yankees should look to
movement. Let Lombard come up and prove
himself. Yeah.
I mean, listen, the Volpe thing is going to be really
interesting, man. I mean, it would, that wouldn't
really help the Yankees if Caballero was hitting 119, but
it would, it would, it would help their from a team point of
view because he's been pretty instrumental in some of these
wins here. But it would help the decision
or the ability to run Volpe out there repeatedly.
And just like I told you that when Dominguez was called up, he
was going to play. Yankees are facing 3 righties
against and three good ones too. I mean, at least, you know,
lighter, lighter. Man, I thought he was going to
be better his second overall pick.
Hope he's teammate at Dale Barton.
You know, supposed to be better than this and we all love his
pops and the lighter family. He's not what he was supposed to
be. Just not, you know, but you're
going to run Dominguez out there against these right-handed
pitchers, even though his right-handed stats and the
miners were pretty good this year, which is his weaker side,
even though it's his natural side either way.
And I you're not going to call Volpe up and sit them.
You're going to play them and Caballero was going to go back
to that super sub role. And I think, you know, now Jazz
is getting hot again. So you're going to keep rolling
Jazz out and roll them out there and and run that hot streak,
right. But you can see a little
Caballero with third because he's a better fielder than
Rosario for sure and see a little Caballero with shortstop.
If Volpe maybe because you're coming back from rehab, maybe
you play a couple of games in a row, then you sit, then he get
back in there. You see a little caballero with
second, maybe a little caballero and right, you know with Judge D
agent a little bit in the left here.
So he's going to play a little bit.
I think that the Yankees are going to give Volpe, you know, I
would say I think into early June at the least to to see
where he's at. You know, his swing did look a
little flatter. You know, I don't, I'm not a
hitting coach, even though I love these numbers and stuff.
So I'll stay in my lane a little bit.
It did look a little flatter. It has produced more line
drives. Is the Miners all right?
Although we did face Zach Wheeler, so you can see a little
tweak there at the arm is what it is.
He just has a weak arm at shortstop.
You watch Lombard flip it from his side and it's a rocket.
You know, you look at Volpe, who's got to be perfect
positioning and very quick release to get rid of the ball
to beat guys running down the line.
Like that's never going to change.
He's always going to be a deficient thrower of the ball.
But I do think he's got great hands and and I do think he
rectified the defensive issues from a year ago, which tells me
he's got some metal, he's got some moxie.
And I'm not surprised because he's a Jersey kid.
You know, I don't think he's going to melt.
I just don't know if he's good enough.
And they need to get that answer.
Like there's no, I don't think under.
My son asked me this. Actually, he didn't even ask me.
He said it last night because we were watching the Yankee game in
the head. We've got back from his game and
my daughter's game. We got back from from that and
we were watching the Yankees for a little bit and they had the,
you know, Volpe this picture and hey, you know, coming back
Wednesday or whatever it might be.
And he's like, this is it. It wasn't even a question.
You know, this is my 11 year old son, my 11 year old saying he's
got to play well this year, otherwise he's going to be off
the team next year. And I'm like, Yep, that's true.
Because then you get into a situation where you know,
Lombard's really going to be ready and you know, maybe the
one caveat would be, you know, if he shows just enough where
you're like one more year, you know, Jazz moves on.
Maybe a pun Volpe to second maybe, which I actually like.
I I don't know if they would do that.
I do think there gets a point of expiration when you're a first
round pick and you repeatedly get chances and you don't show
any palpable growth on base or a batting average, which is
antiquated. But obviously on base and OPS
and the strikeout rate is just unacceptably high.
You don't have to move on from that play.
It's just going to be the noise is going to be loud.
When you're a first round pick and you're from here and you're
playing for the Yankees, there's only so much tarmac you can hit.
Let me get the blind beard. 52 O 6.
Philly's fire manager can get rid of ours.
I mean, I mean, you heard the show yesterday.
I yeah, that's what I've been saying.
Very surprised. I think it's a very interesting
comparison the way these big market teams are are reacting to
horrendous, sloppy starts. Like when you start the way the
Red Sox, the Phillies and the Mets have started and you know,
the ticket prices aren't cheap and you've got big payrolls and
bloated expectations and some big names.
I mean, the fan base isn't just going to be like, yeah, it's
early, even though it is kind of early in the grand, you know,
context of 162 game season. They're going to be freaking
pissed and that translates to calling up all the radio shows
and maybe not showing up to games.
And, you know, there's recourse there.
And two of the three teams did it and the Mets have not.
And, and I'm, you know, I, I'm not surprised the Mets haven't
fired Mendoza. I'm not surprised by that.
But I don't believe it's the right move or it's the right non
move. You guys know where I stand on
that. You know, Oh, J Rod, by the way,
'cause we get we jumped into back to the baseball stuff here.
I wanted to say one thing I'll do a Little Mix here.
We get the calls going as well, get the chat going like it sub
all that stuff all right, so we hit a I'm like, what's wrong
with the magic? Well, let me give you a direct
answer. So you know, first of all, and
you and I know this because we follow the NBA, the magic, we're
never going to be an easy out for anybody.
They're just not right now. They'll get an easy match up in
the next round, the Magic and the winner.
You know, if the Knicks and when the Knicks move on and if the
Celtics and when the Celtics move on, whomever advances from
the Knicks Celtics series is, you know, the Magic are not
going to be as easy as you think, but it will be the Magic.
There's no way the Magic would lose that.
They're going to smoke. Who meant whether it would be
the Raptors? Or the Cavaliers.
You think you think the Magic smoke the Cavs?
I think they I think that they would smoke the Raptors.
I think that they would beat the Cavs in six.
I think the Cavaliers. So maybe good way to check me.
Smoke is unfair to the Cavs. They I believe they would
absolutely beat them myself. Personally, OK, I'm taking magic
over Raptors. Yeah.
There's something inside me, and I know I don't trust him in the
playoffs either. There's something inside me that
tells me James Harden would not even this James Harden would not
lose to A to this magic team in the playoffs.
But I mean anything could. Happen.
Yeah. I'm just not a huge James Harden
guy, you know? To me he is I'm just not, you
know, he to me is a real illustration of of and I know
he's a great scorer. So I'm not I'm not crushing the
guy here, but to me he's just too much of of what's wrong with
the NBA 0 interest in defense, you know, Gunner and and and
more directly when you look at his prime, I mean, countless
moments against the warriors coming up small and and not only
like it's one thing to have a bad game and aversion to
shooting. You remember those nights where
you know what I'm? Saying that and the, you know,
his series on the Nets versus the Bucks and all the Bucks
where you know, they just didn't get it done.
He just didn't get it done. He's not, he's not a playoff
performer. There's just a little, I don't
know, there's a little something just telling me.
He wouldn't lose. Listen, I mean, he is one of the
great scores of all time. I mean, he's a three level
scorer. When he was in his prime, he
really was. Anyway, so the Magic are in
great shape up 3 to 1. And how about this?
So the NBA started charting turnovers in playoff games, like
actually keeping records of turnovers in 19781979.
It's a long time ago, right? A couple of years after the ABA
folded. Think about that.
And I believe it was the year before the three-point shot.
Yeah, because the three-point shot was in 79 and this was for
the 7879 season by the way. You know, I would I would do
this a lot on the fan. Like just do me a favor.
Just double check this. I believe that Chris Ford was
the was the first made 3 point shot in the history of the NBA
when he was a Celtic. Can you confirm that for me?
Yep, it was right. Is it Chris Ford?
Chris Ford, first ever, 3 October 12th, 1979.
It's an early start to the season.
Yeah, I told you for 79. So anyway, so some of these even
like blocked shots and some of these other things like there's
just not unlike baseball. It's just the the statistical
written account is even Steel's is is not as lengthy.
So the turnovers go back to 7879.
Do you know that Kate Cunningham has set an NBA record over a
three-game playoff span with the most turnovers in the history of
the NBA 24? 24.
Yeah, man. God, Oh my gosh, how about that?
Get the ball out of his. Dang, give it to Dennis Jenkins.
Come on. I mean seriously BT you cut out.
I'm no, I'm here. I should.
Be here. You're here.
You're Cam.
Yeah, I think your camera might have cut.
Are we good now? You're good, You're good.
You're good. All right.
We're straight. I don't know.
A momentary disturbance. In the Force.
Yes, no, wait. That stat is absolutely horrific
because I remember in 2024, Tatum set the record.
He probably still holds it for most turnovers in an NBA playoff
run. I mean, it's easily in the 100
something, but wow, 24 and three games.
I mean, you're not going to win and four, you know, you're not
going to even give yourself a chance to win 4 basketball games
if that's how you're. Doing No.
Yeah, I want to make sure I'm reading it right.
Yeah, he's got. I know.
He's got 24 last three games, most of the three-game span of
the playoffs since 7778, when turnovers were initially tracked
in the NBA. This is research you got to do
if you want to have a show here buddy, come.
On I mean you, you would think you would think this stuff.
I got a little Steve. I got a little Steve Summers
here now. I don't read it, but you know, I
love my notes, man. I love the preparation.
I, I've always been, I've always enjoyed that.
And it's even easier now because, you know, obviously I'd
have to drive into WFAN and I would always get there early and
I would have, I would get there like 830 for 10:00 show.
And I would, I would like a little time by myself to get
things ready. But I got a couple, my wife
picked me up a little Starbucks. I haven't had Starbucks in a
while. A little Venti Pike, you know,
got a little coffee. I got the office going.
I got my notes. I just ordered a new slab of 20
legal pads from Amazon because I've already burned through 15
or 16 of them. Yeah, Yeah.
What else? Oh, let me answer this year.
How about tell the Yankees Brian Barrett, 732?
Is the pen the weakest link to the Yankees team?
Seems like they're going to need some major help to keep runs off
the board in October. Well, yes, that's the answer for
right now. But you've got to understand and
listen, I, I have been ahead of this.
I, I think as much as anybody. I, I really do.
I'm not trying to pat myself on the back, but you have to look
at like what the roster will eventually look like when it's
go time for the Yankees and you have to incorporate the guys who
are on the way back. Well, but they're starting
pitchers. What does that do for the
bullpen? I've told you 1,000,000 * 2 of
those guys that are doing a pretty good job in the starting
rotation now will go to the bullpen, you know, and then not
to mention you don't need a five man rotation, the playoffs.
You could conceivably even go with three.
So I mean, in a perfect world, everybody's healthy, everybody's
on top of their game, everybody's, you know, dialed
in, Freed, Schlittler, Cole, Rodon, and then you could take a
Weathers and a Warren and a Schmidt.
You have Bednar who's always going to make you sweat a little
bit, but I, I, I still trust him.
Legrande and Elmer Rodriguez. And then maybe you make and Tim
he'll he'll listen. Hill's an interesting guy.
He just like I'm I'm, I'm not dissing him at all.
I mean, but like he just doesn't.
His look never gives me confidence.
He he doesn't throw hard. He's got that wacky looking
mustache like, you know, it's just a bean pole.
You know, the uniform saggy, you know, but the guy does his job
really, really well. I saw stat I meant to take a
screenshot of it this morning and I and I forgot to do it or
no, I didn't forget. I when I went back to find it, I
couldn't find it. So I'm like, yeah, whatever.
But somebody put together all of his numbers as a Yankee.
I mean, I can obviously do and just go to baseball reference,
but and they're phenomenal. Like he is really distinguished
himself as a very, very reliable bullpen arm.
Got to use them in the right spot obviously, and Boom does
because the numbers suggest that.
So it's a fair question. I know what you mean right now,
you know, because Cole and Rodan are in the minors and with Clark
Schmidt is even further away, etcetera.
Like it's easy to say. I think if you say right now,
big picture, what's the two biggest issues with the Yankees?
Well, you would say bullpen and you would say you're going to
need one more real bat. And that's why I started the
show talking about whether it's a Tatis or Bryce Harper or
Christian Walker, like there's things that they could do they
and there's things that quite they they need to do for Aaron
Judge, as I've already chronicled today and in the past
here. And if you get one more big bat,
now you've got Ben Rice and Judge and Ben Rice is that dude.
That's really what you know, the meat of the show was at the
beginning. You know, now, you know, I know
you got to get a little bit lucky here, but there's nobody
who could tell me if that stuff happens that the Yankees can't
win the World Series and at the very least get there.
You know, So it's exciting. All right, J Rod, let's get back
to the phones. Who's up?
We've got our friend Will from Long.
Beach, Willie. Long Beach.
Hey, what's up, guys? What up Will?
How are you? I'm good man.
How are you doing? I'm good.
I just have a couple quick points and then I'll hang up and
listen. No, Whoa, whoa, whoa, no.
Here's what we do. All this go Will you know, we
don't hang up and listen. It's not that kind of show.
What we do is we have a conversation.
Will. OK, all right, brother.
And, and think about this. And I, I would say that
sometimes throughout my radio career, like I would say, no, no
number one, I've heard it for 30 years.
I'm getting tired of you hang up and listen #1 #2 I don't want
you to hang up and listen because then like if, if I say
something that you disagree with, we can't go back and
forth. And to me that's the fun.
I want to go back and forth. Let it RIP.
Understood, I'm a first timer so maybe I'm just a little nervous.
Hey, dude, all good. I'm not coming at your heart.
I'm just letting everybody know the rules.
I want to, I want to converse, so it's all good.
Go ahead. Appreciate that We actually met
at Borrelli's that time I was telling you about my kid and.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Borrelli's matter of fact, my
guy Mike, when I was texting with Mikey yesterday and we are
setting something up for a little Yankee Met watch party
over at Borelli's. Nice.
I'll be back up there. Yeah.
If I'm not at the game, I'll be there.
Nice. Dude, love.
It so my 2 points one's about Mendoza and then the final one
about Stearns, which is a weird one, but I'll I'll hear your
take on that go ahead Mendoza. You know, granted, the the, the
play on the field is totally on the players, but he's done some
things in my opinion that are definitely questionable.
And for a team that's supposed to be going places, it's not
it's not mistakes that a guy in his position should be making.
I agree. The first one would be in
Chicago with the intentional walk.
That was with Nico Horner. Ridiculous.
I mean that that's, that's pathetic.
I mean that is baseball one O 1. But to me, even worse than that
was his answer about it after the game.
I know, I know. So to me like that strike one
and then, well, a strike one of of many, but.
Yes, of this year. Yeah, but but last week also
with with Brazeban coming in the game when he wasn't supposed to
like you, you can't be making those kinds of mistakes at this
level. This isn't, this isn't college,
this isn't even a minor league game.
This is a team that's supposed to be going places and and we
have things that don't really happen at the professional level
that that I've ever seen. I don't disagree.
Not to mention, you know, Vientos running through the stop
sign with no, no repercussions. None.
Well, that that drives me nuts too.
And then, you know, Vientos yesterday, unrelated on
Instagram is, you know, posting how great his life is, which,
you know, read the room. Yep, Yep.
I'm going to get to that in a minute.
That's actually what I'm looking up.
Go ahead. And then and then finally with
with Stearns. This is a weird one, but hear me
out. During his press conference when
he was hired, he had some crazy story about how he used to sneak
into Shea Stadium as a kid. Now.
Nonsense. Why?
Would you even say anything like
that? Just.
Don't say. Anything.
You know, and nobody snuck into a stadium.
My dad snuck into Ebbets Field in the 50s.
I know nobody's doing that. It's just.
No, that's exactly. My point a rich.
Kid in a post 911 world, I'm supposed to believe David
Stearns is slipping his way into?
Not exactly. Now I know he's brilliant, but I
mean, if somebody's going to find their way into a stadium,
it's got to be somebody who grew up on the streets and has a
little St. smarts. You tell me that he's the one
who's going to do it, not pull BS on that nonsense.
And I'm just curious, why do you think the media kind of gave him
a free pass with something like that?
Is it because that everybody was just excited he was here at the
time, so. It would fits, you know what it
is. Will fits the narrative.
And I'm not even like, I'm just reacting to it.
Like, I remember that when it happened and I didn't really
give it much thought. You bring it back up.
That's why I react the way that I did.
Like, I'm much more aware that he is constructing one of the
worst baseball teams I've seen in a long time.
And the Mets have had a lot, a lot of them.
This team's awful. So that's that's the main focus
here. But you bring it up and I'm
like, yeah, it's nonsense, man. Like, and maybe the media didn't
follow up because, again, it was cute fit the fit the narrative.
But just look at the timeline here.
Like, you know, just look at the timeline.
How old's David Stearns, 39? How old's he, 39 for what?
I think he's by age and I'm 42. I'm pretty sure we're the same.
OK, all right, so he's 42. So what?
So he's born in what? Give me, you know, 83.
So. So he's born in 83.
Come on, man. So you're telling me that he, I
just, I don't buy it. I mean, you do the math.
I mean 911. Obviously everything is so
different in terms of security. And you want to tell me he was
doing that before sneaking in? What is he scaling gates,
sneaking in? I mean, how do you sneak in?
I don't buy. It I just thought it was a weird
thing to say and and but but again, I'm I'm a guy who is
never and and you've railed on me this before, but that's OK.
I was never a Stearns guy to begin with.
I don't want my team to be the Brewers.
I don't want I don't want that kind of mentality the city.
But and again, he's made he's made some moves, but you know,
those were basically my points. I just wanted to hear what you
said and and I appreciate everything you guys have been
doing. Thank you, Will.
I'll see you soon at Borelli's, man.
All right, shout out. Love that place.
Love it. Great relationship with my
friends out there, My buddy Jeremy Cecil, who I went to high
school with, Mike Quinn, who owns the joint.
They've treated me very well. I love going there.
And so, yeah, we were just texting yesterday about setting
something up for the Yankees and the Mets Subway Series.
Yeah. I mean, the the thing about
Bientos, too, And it's amazing how some Met fans missed the
mark. Like, I saw some of the comments
on the show. Yes, not all of you obviously,
but because the overwhelming percentage of you are
disenchanted and disgusted with everything, owner, GM, manager,
store players, the guys who were shipped out, like, I don't know,
a Met fan who's happy about anything, then you shouldn't be.
But I do think, and it speaks whether it's an age thing or a
competitive thing. I I don't know what I I don't, I
don't even really need to theorize, but I noticed a lot
yesterday, 2 days ago when I when I had to take on Vientos
where his ass should have been on the bench when he ran.
And I know he won the game later.
That's not the point, right? And he runs through the stop
sign and then he said what he said post game and in some of
the comments was like, yeah, Oh yeah, but what are you talking
about? He wound up he won the game the
next later on that night with with a blue pit Dude, you can't
be more wrong. You want to talk about missing
the mark, so. Because it's not about the
result, it's about the process. It's about the expectations.
It's it's about the culture. That's the thing.
That's not a word that we use a lot with the Mets.
We keep talking about like the roster and all that stuff.
And we did talk a little bit about the culture, or at least
the dynamic of the core of the core players.
But like, can somebody tell me what is the Mets culture?
What is the culture? That's that little culture.
And if they do have a culture, it's a bad one.
They've got no real leadership and their young players are so
emboldened where they think they can do whatever they want and
like the Viento stuff. And I was looking that up and
he's right. And again, I don't get wrapped
up on what guys tweet, you know, or it or, or post on IG.
Like if it was up to me, all of these knuckleheads walking in
with whatever the hell there was space suits going to play in the
NBA playoffs, right? Oh, let's get the NBC camera.
Let's get the team, whatever the ESPN camera.
Oh, here's the, you know, Kuzma with a sweater that's 3737 XL.
That's down to his that's, you know, down to his ankles, you
know, and this guy wearing a pocketbook.
What what is going on? You know, so that's the, I
couldn't be less interested in that stuff.
But this, this and it is, you know, it's fashion and I'm older
and I'll you couldn't pay me to dress like that.
You couldn't pay me to dress like that.
But I also understand I'm 2530 years older than a lot of these
people. All right, so I get it.
There were things that I wore that my dad couldn't stand.
Like when I first got an earring, you know, he couldn't
stand it. When I got my only tattoo, he
basically flipped out. He didn't like when I wore gold
chains. You know, I would try to wear 2
when I was playing baseball. That's just, that's not my dad.
He couldn't stand when I wore the Adidas shell tops with the
fat laces, you know, which I wore all the time, couldn't
stand them, right? So I get it, it's a generational
thing, right? But this is not a generational
thing, all right? This is Mark Deantos on
Instagram. And this was yesterday, right?
And it says energy is everything.
That's what it says, right? And there's a picture of him
with his shirt off. All right.
Then there's a picture of him walking in, I guess the City
Field parking lot with a little briefcase.
He's well dressed. He's he's good looking dude.
He's sure he does well in that department.
And then there's a picture of a bunch of Mets with the OMG sign.
Oh, everybody's got big smiles. By the way, it's Marte.
So it wasn't even this year and it says energy is everything.
And then the Mets, they're verified.
I mean, listen to what we're talking about.
The Mets verified Instagram account puts the 2 fire emojis
fire. I mean wait the only fire that
should have been yesterday was your manager getting shipped out
and the next fire that should happen is this clown getting
banished to the miners fire Yeah wow what a fuck Whoa what an
amazing Instagram post by our substandard hitter who doesn't
even have a position. I mean, this is what you post
when you what if they lost 17 of 19 games the New York Mets.
I got AI mean this is the more I wasn't even going to bring this
up like, but the more don't tell me if you were out.
There's no way it did. The more I think about the like
the the the ineptitude of the New York Mets like that is
actually offensive to actually do that right.
The hell is it right? Hold on.
It was Dominguez. That was since Stevie Cohen's
tweet. Lost, lost, lost, lost, win,
win, lost, lost. That hasn't helped out here.
It is. Thank you.
All right, pays to be diligent here.
So this guy thinks it's a smart move to glamorize himself, all
right, when the team has the worst OPS in baseball, 626
literally dead last. Ben Rice and Aaron Judge have
more home runs combined than your entire team does, dude.
All right, what else we got here?
Here's some more scintillating facts about the Mets.
Two runs or less. In half of the games they
played, they played 28 * 14. They've scored two or one when
done. They've been shut out five
times, which is the most in baseball.
They've got the fewest RB is the lowest on base percentage, and
they got a payroll of 380. And he got this dude parading
around with no shirt and a man purse and an OMG sign.
What's wrong with the Mets? Nothing.
There's nothing wrong with the Mets.
Everything's good here. Come on in, come on down.
It's the 2026 Mets. If this was my team, I would
destroy them. It like, and I just did a little
bit, but it would be it would be beyond.
I don't even know what I would say.
Like it's one thing to lose, OK, we don't have the right team.
The rosters not good. Oh, Mike Brown can't figure out
how to use Kat and Brunson. Brunson's taking too many shots.
Like those are sports related things.
When you get to a point where the emphasis now is on me, like
he's he's willingly putting himself out there on Instagram.
Dude, if I if, if, if, if I caught the baseball the way you
don't, if I ran the way you can't, and if my team lost the
way that you do, I would pay people not to put me on
Instagram. What are we doing?
What? What's wrong with the Mets?
I don't know. How about everything?
There you go, J Rod clip. That brother just made your life
very easy. Sir, bro, I mean it's true.
What are you thinking this ain't?
Exactly. Are you kidding me dude?
I mean, just think of any team that you root for.
Imagine if the Celtics. That's your favorite team.
Jayson Tatum with massive respect.
Great player. Warrior coming back from the
injury. Bowler champion.
Mad respect for him, right? Imagine the Celtics with massive
expectations, which they have the last couple of years,
starting the season 3 and 17. I don't know if that's quite the
equivalent. Something like that.
And then this guy posting what Mark Vientos is posting on what
the. Shirtless, posted up going life
is good, life is good. What I mean it just shows a
clear absolute disconnect to 1:00.
Not only the way you should be come hell out of here.
This is the word you like compartmentalizing yourself as a
baseball player. I mean, an absolute disconnect
also, you know, and this is one, this is more of a modern day
thing. It's just a disconnect from the
fans, man. Like what do you think these
guys are going to think? Wow, man, it's really great that
Vientos, he's taking some time off.
He's taking some time to relax, to chill out, you know, get it.
What? Like come on, man, if you're to
post anything, it should literally be pictures of you.
Like, like, let's go into NBA terms.
Like sitting, sitting courtside with the coach, folks looking at
the iPad, sitting in the dugout with the coach looking at the
iPad. If you're posting anything, it
should be that, not relaxation. That's it.
Oh. Man, that was fun.
What do you think my Knicks do tonight, buddy?
I said. I think they win big.
Oh, we're going. I think they win big.
We're going to win. You didn't seem.
To share that that enthusiast win big.
Win big. I mean, OK, back in New York
they, you know, absolutely manhandled them last game.
I'm going to go 12 point win. So that's pretty big.
A sizable victory, a hand in victory, not a blowout 12 point
win. OK, what are we looking for
here? Hang on a SEC.
God Almighty. I got The Jets collect.
I got a busy day today. Got The Jets Collective show.
Yeah, I got to show you something.
Look at you I don't need. Yeah, there you go.
I'll toss it up. Thank you.
That's coming up. And actually you can throw it
up, keep it up a little longer. It's coming up today at 2.
Myself and Jake Aspen, Rich Simini full.
Literally we're going through each player.
So a full draft recap. And we wanted to do it
yesterday, but Rich teaches a course up at Syracuse where he
went, so he couldn't do it. So we had to work around the
schedule, which obviously did he teach I, I guess some like
broadcast journalism, something like that.
No way. Yeah.
I mean, I, that was my freshman year program.
I, I wonder if I guess it was COVID.
So he, he would have never done anything at that time.
But Dang, that's cool. Yep, and he was telling us that
he actually drives the day of the show, day of the the day of
the class, and then drives back home.
Doesn't get Oh my gosh, I'm like, wait, so you commute?
So he does, but he does an 8 hour commute basically on these.
Yeah. And I'm like, what time is your
course? And I think he said at night,
which is why obviously we couldn't do it at night, which
we usually do. And he was saying something like
something like, I don't know, 7 maybe or 8.
I'm like, well, what time to get there?
Like, you know, 5 because it's like you have an office.
I don't think, well, maybe you do it if you're an adjunct
professor, maybe you have, you probably have access to
something for sure. But he's like, yeah, I get there
like 11:00. I'm like in the morning.
What do you do all day? He's like, well, right.
I'm like, God bless you, man, That.
That's awesome. It's insane, dude.
Yeah, I mean, the flight up there is 30 minutes, but the
drive is horrific. So what is this now?
Everybody's saying that that was an old Instagram post from
Vientos. What's going on?
That's all right. Let's see Well, now with
Instagram now they have the sort of thing where you can pin a
post as your top. Yeah, like your thing up here
first. Let's.
Yeah, so he pinned it though, so still.
Oh no. So the.
Pinned one that says energy is everything is from 2024.
I know it's pinned, but when they pin.
It the pin? I'm not sure but I think the
ones people are getting on him for are the ones from yesterday
where it's just like pictures of him, like taking weird pictures.
Of yeah, you know, I saw those. Too.
Yeah, yeah. So.
So it still checks out. It still checks out.
No, I know it does. He buttoned up on.
That checks out. He honestly checks out even
more. The energy is everything.
No, I know. At least he's on a baseball
field. And the one he posted yesterday,
you know, I mean, he's praying, you know?
Well. No, I got, I'm not going to
knock that. I mean, listen, if you're 9 and
18 and you're not praying, you better start buying something
wrong. Pray to whomever you've got.
Is Tesla just tweeted interesting times anybody can
have? Well, I got a question about did
if you saw something yesterday. Hold on, let me read this.
Francesca just tweeted interesting times.
Anybody can have a podcast. Well, that's true, Mike.
It's not going to be as successful as his.
But even unknowns who have never accomplished anything in our
business. End Quote.
Who may he be talking about? I don't know.
You know I'm not going to get pulled into something.
Else, I mean, to me that's like it's just a kind of a vague sort
of broad statement that, you know, everyone will go, hey,
he's right. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, he was. He was away for a couple of
weeks. I was actually worried about
him. He didn't do a show for like NFL
Draft didn't do a show and he loves that stuff.
He was out for a couple of weeks and I don't listen.
I don't have the relationship with Mike where I'm going to
text him, although I actually did think about texting like,
hey, you OK. Not that we've never texted.
He actually texted me something about St.
John's about a month or so ago. Well, a little bit more during
the tournament. And I saw him at the Big East
tournament and, or maybe that was the Yukon.
I saw him toward the end of the season, was one of his sons.
Both of his sons are really, really good young men.
And one of them plays college football, I think at Hamilton.
I think he's a tight end and just very respectful, good, good
kids. And I asked Mike, I said, hey, I
said, do me a favor. I said, you want to come on the
podcast and and he's like, he's like not talking anything about
FAN. He's like, I was like, no, I get
it. I'm like, that's the first thing
he dropped. He's like, I never talk about
FANI said I don't need you to. I said I've been doing enough
for that, You know, I said, but I would love to have you on and
just talk sports. He's like, yeah, he's like, I'll
do it at some point. So cool.
We'll get Mike on the show here. I have a question.
Yeah. Did you see last night?
I mean, I don't know how tapped in you are to this, the NBA
radio thing with Frank Izola, Frank Isolo and I know Frank,
Frank, Frank, Frank. Isola OK, I said it right.
I used to work with Frank. I I.
I had Brian Scalabrini. No.
What'd they get in a fight? It was crazy argument.
No, no, no, not even that. So there's a YouTube.
I'm not sure if you're super familiar with him.
He does a lot of the NBA stuff now.
House of Highlights stuff now. King of the fourth quarter,
Kenny Beecham. Kind of like a younger black
dude. I've been watching his videos
since. I yeah, no disrespect.
I I just, I don't, I don't know but go.
Ahead. Well, you're like Frank then.
So this guy, this kid is huge. He easily has over 3,000,000
Subs on YouTube. Like he's, he's huge.
I mean, he talks basketball. He's my, you know, I love this
kid. OK.
And so and Frank is on NBA radio.
And so NBA radio just announced that this guy Kenny just got
took an hour out of his and Scalabrini shows and now he has
to do a promotional read for the Dude Kenny show and he goes, aw,
no, he's Scalabrini. And he's like Scalabrini.
Who even is this kid? Does anyone even know who this
is? And Scalabrini's like, yes.
And Frank is like, and this was The funny thing.
He was like, he was like, what? You're telling me he's more
popular than you? And Scalabrini just goes, yeah,
definitely, dude, are you Frank? And then Frank goes, what?
You're telling me he's more popular than me?
And Scalabrini just goes, I'd he's like, I'd really watch what
you're saying right now. I'd really.
Really. I'd recommend you checking this
kid out. King of the fourth quarter.
His video. Shut that down, man.
King of the fourth quarter. Wow.
So did Frank, Did Frank look bad?
No. It was, it was a really rough
look on it. And I recommend you watching it
because it was just like, dude, like this kid is like the
biggest, you know, one of the biggest talkers in, in
basketball media. You're on the NBA radio platform
and you're just like, and it was, it was embarrassing.
It was like, wow, yeah, it was crazy.
It was. Yeah, no, I used to see Frank a
lot when we were both doing SNY. He was on, there used to be a
show called Daily News Live, I think from 5:00 to 5:30, if that
was the right time. And it was like Raisman was a
guest a lot. I stole a Baningo like Daily
News writers, right. And then from 5:30 to 6:00 I had
the wheelhouse show that I did for about, I don't even know if
you know about that Jay, but I did it for like 7 years.
I would see Frank a lot in the green room and you know, always
cool, always talk. I, I, I mean, I haven't seen him
nor have I spoken to him probably in well over a decade.
I don't, I don't think. But no, I got to check that out
my. Goodness, yeah, no, it's it's
it's just a good clip. It's a crazy clip.
Also just this because I so I have, I don't, I don't rock them
very often anymore, but I've like, I've considered, you know,
pulling up to the episode with it, but I'm like, is this dude
going to clown me? Is he going to clown me?
The earrings? Yeah, if I had him in.
I'm not going to clown you bro, Be you man.
There we go, 20. Something years old, man.
Yeah. This is the BT Should put the
earring back on. David.
The Connick, I think is at 499.
You know what's funny? Where the hell were we?
Shit. When did I do this?
We. They were.
Oh, oh, we went to one of our friends in town.
This was last or this past fall. I think it was in October and it
was somebody's 40th birthday. And when I tell you it, it was
probably about a $500,000 party. No joke.
It was, I'm not going to get the free pop to the venue in
Manhattan. Just think though, East Side
water. Ridiculous.
Got it. And it was an 80s theme.
And they actually brought an 80s like that impersonators like
Cher. We could, I'm like, is that a,
is that a woman? Is that a man?
I it was, oh, she was so good, you know, And then there was
some band. Oh God, I don't remember that
all the women loved it. Shit.
Pretty popular group and they had like a Bon Jovi impersonated
and they actually came and performed like an 80s band.
So it, it was just a wild night and I remember I was telling my
buddies, so I knew we're going to be there.
I'm like, dude, I'm going to bust out the earring because I
still have the hole there. Oh.
So it works. Oh.
Yeah, so I got, no, I'm not trying to sound corny here, but
I got my wife really big diamond earrings like, well, well, each
one well over a carrot a while ago, right?
And and I rocked it and when I tell you it's like it's it's
huge, dude. And I and I walked in, I had the
big diamond earring, you know, I did.
I actually had two earrings I had and I used to really wear
more of the hoops because when I was in college, that's.
My thing. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Now do you have one in each ear? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I mean, I did it when I was like 18.
Like one of my friends did it. It was just like, it was just
like at school. Well, yeah, I mean, I got both.
I brought both. Yeah, I was, I was a huge
earring guy. I really was, man.
And I remember when I got my earring, oh, my dad was so
pissed, man, because I, I think you had to be 16 to get it done.
And, and I'm like, not that my mom let me do whatever I wanted,
but she knew like, you know, kids were starting to do it and
like, all right, it's a big deal, you know?
And she took me to the mall because I think if you were
maybe, maybe I was 15, like if you were under 16, you had to be
with a parent to sign something like consent.
It's called the Piercing Pagoda. You ever see that thing at the
mall? No.
Dude, of course I was ready. My boy went like when he, when
we were like a little older, like he did at the mall.
I was, I, I like him and I were just hanging out.
He's like, I'm going to do it. I used to love that place,
right? So I went and then they inject,
you know, the little gun and like they give you a little gold
ball and then eventually you want to put the hoop in
whatever. But because I went to an old
boys private school, you're not allowed to wear earrings.
I had to wear suit, tie, blazer. Your hair could not touch your
collar. I I didn't have to worry about
it because I didn't even have to shave in high school, believe it
or not, but like if you did, they literally had razors and
shaving cream. If there was any growth semi
military, any growth, you had a shave at school at school.
This is no messing around, bro right?
And definitely no earrings, no hats, none of that stuff.
And So what I did was in my own, you know, wisdom.
I took a a Band-Aid, flesh colored and I put it over
because you have to keep the Arian for like 2 weeks otherwise
the hole's going to close. And I wanted to get the hoop
right because summer was coming up.
I want to start macking it. And I remember like I got away
with it for a couple days at school.
I have no idea how. I really don't know.
How they caught the bump eventually.
My biggest fear, it was my dad and the way we sat at the dinner
table like I was here, my dad was to my right, my mom was in
front of me and my sister was to my left.
So my dad can only see my right ear.
So for like 3 or 4 days I was making sure and when we're
eating dinner it's fine. But when I was making sure he
couldn't like I had, I couldn't turn because he would see it and
then he finally saw it and he's like you're an idiot like that.
Even when he saw the tattoo, he's like you're an idiot.
That's what he said both times. But so you.
Only have the left. I only have the left, OK?
I only have the left. I had two on the left, yeah.
Oh, you had the mode? I did, yeah.
OK, because that's what I've been considering getting still.
Yeah, dude, I don't know. Why not Listen, some some days
you just get some days you just get bored.
And I was like, I kind of want to get like the second up top on
the left. But then I have that thought
where this I think this is the reason I haven't gotten attacked
yet, where I'm just like, all right, I'm 23.
What am I doing, bro? Like, yeah, like, like it almost
feels like I've crossed that first benchmark of, like, when
you would have gotten like, a tattoo, you know, granted,
obviously like something impactful could.
Happen. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
God willing it doesn't. But.
You know what I mean? You know I know like a name.
I know. I know what you.
Mean but like, but you know, that's why for me, like I don't
think I've gotten a tattoo up to this point.
It's just, I think you reach like a certain age threshold.
I think it's 21 or just when you graduate college.
I'm. Done with the body
modifications. I got mine in college like a
complete idiot so. Wait, what is your tattoo?
It's like a if you don't mind me asking.
It's like a Jaguar. It's so stupid, man.
Wait, That's sick. Yeah, No, I know.
But it just looks like a big black BLOB of ink, like, because
it's so long ago. Yeah.
You know, like. And I was funny.
I was thinking about a couple of variations.
I was. So I went to Maristas, you know,
and the mascot was the red fox. So I was.
And I'm not an artist, but I'm like, maybe I'll get like the
red fox, like kind of leaning on a baseball bat, flipping a ball
up with my number. I don't know.
So I was thinking something with baseball.
Thank God I didn't get that. Yeah.
I mean, I was thinking about and a lot of my friends got like the
the Chinese and the like the symbols.
Like I I wasn't the Asian the yes like I was.
Were they your Asian friends or were they your?
Wife friends. No, no, no, no, no, no.
I mean, I had a couple of Asian friends, but no, these were just
Irish dudes and I was knuckleheads.
I love it. You know, I didn't even I don't
know if they knew what it meant, but that was the trend, the
other trend and Pam Anderson had this, but also like the barbed
wire. I'm like like for the steroid
dudes back then, I'm like, I'm not getting mad, dude.
I mean, thank God because. You OK?
You certainly hit me as one of those guys who would never have
that tattoo. But you're trying.
To have that build where it would make like it would make
sense with your luck. Yeah, maybe like the.
Vin Diesel barbed wire but. Dude, the meathead.
Yeah, listen, if I would have if, if, if I, if I would have
taken the steroids like I almost did, I've told that story like
then I maybe I would have gotten that.
But I mean, I was in good shape. I, I wasn't yoked.
Like some of these crazy, freaky, you know, steroid heads
in the 90s, you would see a. Completely different man in my
eyes. If you have that tattoo dude.
I mean what? What?
What else was popular? The the lettering, the barbed
wire and animals, right. And so I got I got this like
Jaguar crawling on my back and what I and I, what I really
would like to do the prop. See the problem is it is it's
not incredibly and it's on my left shoulder.
So nobody sees it unless I want them to, right?
So it's probably about this big, you know, like the claws and
like the little blood dripping whatever.
So is it kind of like Tony Soprano, Tiger?
Kind of fish. OK.
Kind of. I love that one.
Kind of, yes, yes, only much blacker and darker and 'cause
his was really faded, if you remember.
And what I've thought about doing a couple of times, number
one, I've thought about just getting it removed, right.
All right, I could tolerate the pain, whatever, but then, you
know, I I like I would like to get across a Celtic, A Celtic
cross and like my kids initials and and I actually went where I
had, you know, artists, you know, render concepts of it, how
they could do it the only and they could do it, but the they
would have to make it so big because it's such a concentrated
area of blackness that the cross wouldn't be able to be as
defined as you would want it to be.
And I'm like, I'm trying to get away from this.
I'm going to make this thing like this massive on my back 52
years. What are we doing?
We're going backwards at that mean we're going backwards.
J Rod No, but I I used to and the reason why the earrings, I
mean, you can laugh. It's corny now, but like 9 O
21-O was so and I love the show. I couldn't wait for that show to
come on every week. I would watch it on campus.
I was the best. Kelly was my favorite.
Yeah, it was great. And they all had earrings, you
know? And then I went.
First I got the stud, then I had the hoop, then I got another
one, and then I was rocking the two hoops, like the little small
hoop and then the bigger hoop. What an idiot.
My God, what else we got? Going on J Rod, get a neck.
Tat bro trying to do? Ruin my life here.
I mean Jesus, my mom would literally put me in.
Put me in the cell. Everybody would be afraid of you
though, Jay. Dude, maybe that'd be yeah, I I
get a little that that could be like a boost, like a boost to
some, some fear. Put some fear in you.
If I had a neck tat. Here's I don't know though.
Here's what you have to do. Let's see how dedicated you are
to to the growth of the channel. Now I know that you're all in.
I get that. But now we'll really test the
the limits. So what if you really want to we
and we will, but we'd like to get there sooner rather than
later. Eventually we will celebrate one
100,000 Subs on this channel. We will.
It's not going to happen tomorrow, but we will get there
right as we build this thing out.
If you shaved your head and got like a Bam Bam Bigelow head
tattoo, you know? Wait that's someone literally
just commented that. You should.
Get a head tattoo like Bam Bigelow.
I swear to God, I did not see that.
I swear to God. That's funny.
All right, I. Swear to God, I swear to God.
What else? Wait, keep going.
Keep going. Well, that's what you got to do
because people out of out of sheer morbid, morbid curiosity,
they'd be, even if they don't like what I'm doing, they're
like, who the hell is this lunatic that just broke out of
jail? We got to watch this show and
then maybe we'll get the 100 by the 4th of July, 100,000.
There we go. Yeah, I just got a football.
Wait, what's this? Do you see the Ripoli interview
on McAfee? I saw highlights of it.
Yeah.
Mike Ripoli. I finally got to meet Mike like
I, you know, I finally, I like he's like one or twice, once or
once or twice. I would see him at a St.
John's game and give him like, like I was moving.
He was. I'm not going to bother him.
Give him like a quick, like a very quick.
DAP finally got to talk to him. I told you we were having
breakfast at the team hotel in San Diego and he was.
And like Mink and I would go when kind of when the players
were leaving just to give them their solitude.
You know, that's kind of the way the team wants it.
Everybody's different. Like back in the day with Lavin,
I could eat with the team, with Mullen, I would eat with the
team a little different with Rick.
And that's all good. So we would go later.
And Mike was there with Eddie Cole.
The St. John's AD was great.
And you know, a bunch of, you know, big money boosters and
friends of the program. And actually Mink wasn't even
there. I was just by myself and I was
kind of sitting by myself and there was like 6 of them and I
know Eddie really well and he introduced me and we just
started bullshitting about whatever.
And then when they play Duke and just a really good conversation,
crazy energy. Like that guy's energy is
ridiculous. I'm like, what drugs do you
want? He's like none.
His energy is through the roof. And then he was sitting behind
me with the same crew for the Duke St.
John's game in DC and like every time there was a bucket, like
I'm literally there right behind the broadcast booth.
I'm like, oh, get, you know, dapping them up and going nuts
and then lost. But what else?
Hey, by the way, we so I mentioned this earlier, how good
of a guy is Michael Kay? So I text Michael yesterday.
I'm like, hey, would really love to get you on get you on again.
Not like 2 hour long format, 20-30 minutes.
Really talk about what we've seen from the Yankees the first
month Dominguez back, both people down, blah, blah, blah.
And this was yesterday. And I'm like, how about tomorrow
meeting today. He's like tomorrow's impossible.
He's like, because travel day game.
Yeah, they just logistically could.
I'm like, dude, I get it. He writes me back.
He's like, how about tonight meeting last night when I get
back to the team hotel after the Rangers and the Yankees game?
I'm like, dude, that's a lot of work for you, man.
I yeah, yeah, I appreciate you even offering that, but I'm not
going to even take you up on that.
Let's see if we could do Thursday so or or or Wednesday.
So hopefully we'll get K on this week.
And I'm going to talk. I'm going to talk to Boone
today. Text me yesterday.
Says he's going to give me a shout at some point after the
show and we'll lock in Boone. Got to get a rod.
A rod? Not that I've really been
texting him, you know, I know he's busy.
A little, little evasive there. A rod's pumping out that youth
content. Speaking of, I mean, I've seen
his vids. Speaking of youth content, can I
show you guys something? That is the coolest thing.
If this doesn't make your day, then I don't know what will.
Hold on. All right, hang on.
So this was last night before my daughter's little travel team
played, right? And I've never seen them do
this. They got in a huge circle.
Look at this like this is what it's supposed to be about.
Not all the nonsense about who's winning scholarships when you're
nine years old. Not so fun, dude.
So my daughter's the one with the red helmet watch.
She's going to jump in soon. They went out of order.
Dude that's too funny. Oh my God, breaking it down with
the hug. Little breakdance move.
Yeah, that was crazy. How great is that man?
I mean, that's that, you know, that's like you said, dude,
that's exactly what it's about, you know, and it's just for me,
like, I mean, so I was a camp counselor for a while.
So was I. Oh dude, that's awesome.
OK, multiple summers. You ever talked about this?
Did you do overnight or did you do dance?
Sleep. Away did I?
Was I ever a day camp counselor? I don't know.
I I was a sleep away camp counselor for a few years.
I only I only did day but but go ahead.
No, I mean, I was just going to say like, it's just great when
you can see kids having fun with no screen, no phone insight.
Like it's just like, all right, we're still good.
We're still good like. I don't think any of those girls
have. I know my daughter, she's 9.
They she definitely wasn't a phone yet.
But like, no, I don't think anybody on the team does.
Like they got like the Apple watches and ways to connect to
mom and dad. Just, you know, just make sure
everything's good. But you know, and they've been
on like they've been together for a couple years.
I've never seen them do that. And I'm like, this is and then
they went out and they won 20 to 6.
I'm like, we were ready to play tonight.
I don't coach that team. So I just sit there and because
it's their travel, I'll coach her tonight in wreck.
She's begging me to pitch. No, she's not a pitcher.
She's you know, it's 4th and 5th grade and she's in the 4th
grade, but she keeps so it's, you know, we have a couple of
girls in the league and one girl on our team, 2 girls who throw
absolute cheese because they play club and they take lessons.
And she's really showing it. She's like dad, can you, you
know, she's like, and I told her, I said you, I'm dad, but
I'm coach, you know, at the field.
You can't say at the field, Dad, can I pitch?
So last night I'm going to try to get, I'm going to try to get
in for an inning tonight because we practiced a couple times.
She's showing that initiative. And then she even said last
night when we got back from after her game and then my son's
game, she's like, she's like, dad, I'm not asking if I could
pitch. She framed it well.
She got. She's.
Like, I'm not asking if I could pitch, but if there's a
situation, you know, maybe, maybe you, you can consider it
with and with the other coaches. I'm like, how do I not get her
out on the mound tonight? I got news for you, though.
If it's two to one game, you ain't pitching, honey.
Daddy still wants to win. You're not ready for that smoke
yet. Oh, man.
All right, all right, let me get out of here.
Yankees today, Mets tonight, Knicks tonight.
I'm going to give you a Little Mix here.
I'm going to go Knicks 113 and I'm going to go, no, I'm going
to go a little higher than that. Actually.
I'm going to go Knicks 117 and I'm going to go Hawks one O 4.
I think the Knicks pulled away. I think they win by double
figures. If it is anything that what we
saw the other night, at least initiating the offense through
cat to see if the Atlanta Hawks were able to make some
adjustments when he basically threw the ball around like Magic
Johnson throwing Dimes left and right, cutting guys on baseline
and dunks and like that's got to happen.
If that doesn't happen, then I'm going to have a lot for Mike
Brown tomorrow. But you know, and then based on
how Atlanta react, got to anticipate them knowing that
that's how you would probably play tonight.
And then you got to have some subset to that.
So it's all about the reaction to the adjustments.
And I want to see what Mike Brown cooks up there.
I want to see the rotation a little bit.
I want to see what kind of minutes Alvarado gets, who had
some nice impact on the last game there.
See what's up with Chamet. I'd like to see Mitchell.
I know it's not a great matchup and they don't play well
together. I like to see Mitchell Robinson
start doing a little bit more. You're going to need a next
series when the Knicks get there.
So I do feel good about the Knicks tonight.
I'm going to take a 13 point win, 117 one O 4 and I just
don't want to see that like 26 to 12 shot discrepancy between
Brunson and by Cat. It's taking a long time.
Hopefully the other night was just a good reminder of what the
Knicks should look like when they become the best vision and
the best version really, of what they could become.
So enjoy the Knick game. Crazy that the Pistons are in
the spot that they are. J Rod.
Enjoy the Celtics, my man. Good luck to you guys handle biz
and I think you guys win pretty easy as well.
I do and and that's about it. Rapper.
All right, now we're gonna wrap that.
Yep, hopefully K tomorrow, if not the next day, hopefully boom
this week and and that's it. So I appreciate you guys.
Thanks for liking, thanks for subbing.
Get it out there traction Yesterday was a good day.
Numbers continue to grow more Subs yesterday.
Lot of views. You know, the way it's funny,
like when we first started the channel, you know, it's even
before J Rod, you know, and and I don't mean my first show after
FAN, which got like, I don't know, 20 23,000 views, the
first, first thing ever. You know, when we were just
building this thing out, you know, you get like 8000 views
during Christmas 9000, you know, and then the stuff with Gio was
just through the roof, ridiculous with all that
nonsense. But then, you know, we're
starting to grow now where everything is, you know, north
of 25 N of 3035, some 40s, some low 40s.
So the content, it's it's it's great.
I don't mean to say the contents great.
I'll let you guys determine that, but the response and the
the growing like the the ability to quantify the growth with
numbers is there. So that's because of you, not
necessarily because of me. Have an awesome Tuesday, J Rod
catch you later on, brother. 2:00 PM today, Jets collective
live myself and Jake and Rick Simini, every single Jets draft
pick and the question, what if The Jets are actually good this
year? So have a great rest of your
Tuesday. you listening?