Welcome, welcome back everybody. The first half is over. Brady is back and the Rangers are really sucking. We're going to get Joe's thoughts on that and a whole lot more around the league. Welcome back to Four Guys and Still No Clue.
Good afternoon, gentlemen. As of this recording, the MLB draft is ongoing, but you guys are probably seeing this now Monday morning. But yeah, we got a full crew today. We're talking about the last week. The first half is now over. But first and foremost, really, Brady's back. Brady, we want to hear about your family, trade, and your career.
Brady, we want to hear about your family trip and how you're doing, man.
It's great to be back. Family trip was good. I tried to hop on for our last recording but just wasn't able to get it done. But yeah, I'll do that to you.
We're back. Yeah, Joe Kenji. How are you guys doing? It's been a I guess I haven't seen you guys in a week. How we doing?
I'm fine. I'm fine.
Okay, Kenji's doing good. Yeah, I'm fine. He filled out the shelf. Kenji, you want to talk about that for a second? And you filled out the shelf behind you because we bullied you into doing it last time we recorded.
Yeah, I was on Amazon. I spent too much money on just little stuff.
Okay, yeah. Tell us. No, just like point at one or two things and tell me what's behind you. I got my sword. Okay. But I think I'm going to move it down because I can't even see my sword because the angle of my table.
Okay, you got to use it to protect yourself too, you know, like when an intruder comes in. Yeah, it's going to be reachable and I'm not that tall so I don't know how high I can get it. I got a couple of hats down here that are like ear to my heart.
Okay. And then I got a photo album, because I'm still stuck in high school obviously. Cute. I got my shoes that are only, like you can only find in Japan because I'm so cool. Yeah. And then I have just like my favorite country album right there that no one will ever understand. Cool.
And then the Packers album that Brady gave me from a month ago, like five years ago. Five years ago. The only Packers like form of attire you own. Only football I think I probably even have. Yeah. Yeah. Anyway, Joe, how you doing brother?
Yeah, here guys, let me show you my background real quick. So over here we got my the door to my closet and the door to go outside of the hall and a hook to, you know, hang up that Dane Dunning jersey.
What are those two white things between the doors? Those are light switches. Oh nice nice. Hey you look at light switches. Yeah. You probably have one in your home Kenji, do you know what they look like?
Hey I was just trying to give something to talk about for a moment. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
When's the Dane Dunning jersey coming? That's true. I guess I'm gonna keep pressuring you to buying one because like I know I have to buy one and I'm gonna get it around to eventually but it's just, I don't know like, first of all I don't know which one I should get. The baby blue, city connect or just like the regular white?
It's gotta be the baby blue. Baby blue? It's gotta be. You think so? I don't know man. I don't like the city connects that much. I'm really not a fan.
But I like the baby blue, I like the home white. I don't think I can go wrong dude. But I think honestly, honestly I think you're making excuses Joe. No I'm not. I think you just gotta buy one. Dane Dunning has like three out of his like last five starts have been quality starts that he's pitched really well. So I think you need to do it.
You 100% need to do baby blue jerseys. Those are sick. And Kenji has his new bar jersey. Just chilling there. That's true. New bar when playing overseas is an alien. Did you guys see he popped off when they played in England too when they played in London last time.
Yeah. I was like of course new bar anytime he goes on a plane he just he turns into very bonds overseas. Don't let jet lag new bar get hot. Jet lag new bar.
Okay yeah so moving on moving right along then. So we're going to get to some of our main talking points and the first half is done. The first point, what I'm most excited for are the Rangers being so bad. Did you just lose a series to the Washington Nationals who own I believe.
Let me know let me check this just so we can get it right so Joe can be made fun of the Washington Nationals have the fourth best or fourth worst record in all of baseball. And you just got these last series.
Joe what do you have to say for your lovely Rangers.
So if I'm being completely honest, I stopped watching like any Rangers games since the Astros series. Wow. As soon as I turned it on, they would just start sucking and we would lose, and I'll get mad at the bullpen.
I'll get mad at Semi in. I'll get mad at Garcia. Yeah, get mad at every single player on the team. I just stopped watching it and check my phone from time to time. Let's see. Let's see how the let's see how the score the scores.
Oh, just gave up a home run. Oh no it's seven to two now.
I have no one to say at this point, we were, we were doing so hot. And now it's just like every time I'm like scared, you know when like the Rangers versus Nationals are about to start pitching and Drohini, you know it's just like, yeah, I'm
looking at it right here you guys have lost two straight, you're three and seven in your last 10 Houston is right on your tail.
Yeah, I think it's back right to get to back now.
Five or six yeah well we played that we play the Astros in a force for game series and they took free from us. Oh, that's what cut the deficit down to like a lot.
Yeah, I think they lost to to Seattle took two from them in this series and so it's like, they're not going to pass us up.
What's the problem with the team Joe. So you said the bullpen makes you mad. Semi makes you mad. What's the problem with you like how do you guys, how do you write the ship.
So I think like in April and May.
Our average with runners in scoring position was just crazy it was crazy high. It's like the razor razor the Braves and now it's like we're going free for 19th runs in scoring position bullpen can't able to isn't able to just you know like, yeah.
I think you guys off base and I don't know it's like, it just seems like the guys that are that should be stepping up and doing good for them like semi and the Seager, just like the top five in the lineup seem seem to string together any hits while the
six seven eight nine guys are starting all the rallies and scoring all the runs for them so I think yeah I think part of it is just the the big guys that's the stars are trying to do too much.
And so that with that dynamic paired with you know like the bullpen that's never been good for us. And our ability to just blow leads is astounding. Honestly, I don't even know what to say at this point just like losing to the nationals.
He need given up seven runs into it.
So funny. I okay so I turned the game on.
I think manana Manassas hit the first home runs like yeah, the first inning or something yeah three or four in the first run first inning, and they put up three the next I just turned the game off I was like, no, no, no, I'll just check my fantasy.
See happen two hours. See how the players. Yeah.
All the time.
It's all because Jonah I'm cut his hair.
I'm gonna haircut. I'm gonna get a haircut. Honestly, I don't I don't care what you guys say. It's just like, I don't think that hair look too bad. It didn't look too bad. I have not seen it. So I mean Brady clearly has an opinion Brady's bad.
That's all it was just I knew we cut his hair. All right. All right. Okay. Well then so we'll move right along then Rangers suck now. Good luck to you guys. Good thing it's also
Yeah, well, I'm gonna break because half the team's playing in it. Anyways, carry on. The Tampa Bay Rays have been on a pretty bad streak here as of late we'll get to maybe a good segue this is the Phillies which Brady's been shopping at the
been talking about for the last two weeks but Tampa Bay lost seven in a row coming into today six in a row coming into today they won this afternoon's game they won the final against who they play.
Atlanta. Yeah. So they took the final game against Atlanta. Atlanta's crazy hot.
But now the O's are only two games back of Tampa Bay and the East which is nuts considering the start that Tampa Bay was on the it's just as an O's fan is crazy to see I just I have no faith in my team either like every, every time I turn a game on similar to Joe, I just expect them to
blow it. I just expect the very worst and if they win then you know what, then I'm happy but if I, you got to, low expectations means you're happy more, more of the time.
But yeah, O's are two back, we'll get into the standings here in a minute. Tampa Bay opening the door slightly they've been playing really badly just starting pitching isn't going deep, bullpen's been bad because they're super exhausted so.
We'll go straight then from the Rays into the Phillies, because part of the Rays losing streak was getting swept by the Phillies Brady go ahead. Yes, we the Phillies just swept Tampa in Tropicana Field in Florida.
And which was unbelievable, because they're in no way did I think that was going to happen. No, and then they were just playing Atlanta and getting beat like crazy. They had to face Strider, but yeah, today former Phillies Zach Efflin got in the wind today.
So, I think that's great. He's been a monster guy for them, but on to the Phillies. Well, we've kind of been pretty hot lately. I like where we're at, being halfway done.
We are off the top of my head, 1112 games out from Atlanta. Seven over 500. Yeah, and we're like two, two and a half from Miami who I don't know how is second in the division right now.
Miami's player. They're bound to cool down, but no, he's got hot around this time last year. So I'm looking. I'm all ups from here. Yeah, obviously. But the main concern is Bryce Harper getting hit in the elbow last night.
Yeah, I did see that. Yeah. Who was it? They were playing Miami Miami. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I saw Garrett hit him in the elbow. Yeah. Yeah, which was crazy.
He just I saw the thing. It just said he's pretty sore, but he's transitioning to play first base anytime after the All-Star break actually. Okay.
And that'll be big because then I feel like he even says in that article from the press that he just doesn't feel same powers not there, which I was telling Kenji about last week or the week before just it does not look like he's fully getting.
Do you think do you think they rushed him back? Do you think he rushed back? And that's why power numbers are lagging or is it pitch clock or like, you know, what, what could it be that wire the power numbers?
Well, I was telling Kenji it's weird because with the arm issue, I don't feel like I obviously the arm coming back early is probably part of it. But I was like, I just feel like he's not in like the lower half of his swing. Like it's different. It doesn't look the same.
Yeah, it's literally it has nothing to do with his arm. Right. It looks like legs from what I can tell. But obviously the arm plays a factor. But hopefully playing in the field kind of takes some stress out of it gets warbler out of the outfield.
If they're smart, big. Yeah.
Not to get super nerdy on everybody because I know this is not a nerd podcast. His expected batting average is only like 10 points lower than it was last year.
It's 271. He's had that he's had either that same level or lower 2019 2018 2016.
So he's not like, I think he's just getting unlucky. I don't know where the power is gone. But he still has he's still top 10% of the league in exit below. Maybe launching. I still feel like he like gets good swings. It's just like not powerful at all.
Yeah, like he's hitting nearly 300.
It's not leading the yards like he's just not doing anything.
Yeah. But honestly, I have a new DFA player on the team. Hey, we're waiting on that. Don't don't don't drop it.
Don't drop it. That's how we finish them. Yeah. Yeah. Hold on. Stick around. I think the main reason the Phillies have had so much success lately is and I've seen multiple MLB sources say the same thing.
The starting pitching has been so much better lately. No has been on his game to cross the board. Yeah, like Rangers Suarez everyone fantasy.
Wheeler Nola. It's just improving. And so the offense can get the job done when we're not dealing with five runs in three innings every right. All nothing but high hopes. Also, to before we transition to the next part.
The draft is on and the first pick has came in. Yeah, I thought you were gonna. Yeah, go ahead. You're a college baseball guy. As expected, it was Paul Skeens from LSU. Yep. I don't know if anybody watched the College World Series.
I do. I've never seen a pitcher like that in college. I've never seen. I had like the like the shout out game like the pitch off with the other pitcher. Yes. Yeah. Yes. In the wake game.
Hold your microphone closer Kenji. Yeah, you sound like you're underwater. People want to hear your beautiful. He threw it out because I don't want my AC to be blaring into your guys. You can't hear your AC. We can't even hear you anymore.
Kenji. That's actually a good thing. Never mind. Don't change anything. He was 125 inches into that outing. Still pumping 101. Yeah, Skeens is gross. Unbelievable. Yeah. And I got the second pick right here. Nationals are up there on the podium. I got it pulled up.
Yeah. I freaking hate Rod Mayfair. I was gonna say I was watching his speech just barely. I'm like, dude. Cruz. Don't Cruz LSU to Washington. Dylan Cruz. Please. Now Langford to Detroit for sure. Right. Yeah, that's that's a Detroit pick. I feel it just screams.
That sounds like Detroit. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I mean, I like that pick for him. Anyway, this isn't a draft pod. Maybe it will be one day. The Braves are 27 and five in their last 32 games. As good as the Phillies have been playing, the Braves have been on an all time tear.
We can't catch up. There's no. Yeah, it's just differential during that time. I'm not sure during that time, but their differential is 147 plus 147. Here I could look at the last month. Hang on, dude. But it's crazy because we literally can't do anything like we go. We're winning. We won.
Yeah, Roe Roe games and we can't catch. We can't get any leeway room because they just keep. Yeah, they're so they're insane for reference. Kenji a month ago, their run differential was plus 58. Now it's plus 147 in a month. They added 100 to their run differential, which is unbelievable.
Atlanta's gone in an all time tear. They're pitching great. The bullpen is great. They're just hitting like nobody's business either. So Brady probably watches more Braves games than I do. But Braves have been crazy. It's unbelievable. Yeah. Yeah. They've been nuts.
So then I guess now as we get to this, the last couple points are Kenji. First of all, I mean, you're our baseball expert. How how do you feel about the state of the game? Are you enjoying yourself? Like, do you want to turn your TV off or I mean, the angels have been.
Now you guys got hurt. Where are you? Where are you at? Angels? Just talk to me, man. Well, I'm not as excited to watch baseball as I was earlier on. Okay. Mainly because I don't know the games are kind of boring and I'm tired of the ads.
Like seriously so tired of the same same commercials that will be plays. And it's so bad. I can't. I just like, oh, my name's Jay. I bought my new house or whatever. Oh my gosh. That voice triggers me so much.
I'm not a terrible person, but that lady pisses me off so much. And so even if I am enjoying a game that just kind of ruins my mood as weird as that is, I get triggered by tiny small things like that. So no, baseball is not as fun as it used to be.
Kenji's known haters. For some reason, all their money makes some new stupid commercial to piss me off with. Only Kenji would let a bunch of commercials bother him from getting it off. I am so extremely bothered by the commercials. It's not Trout either. It's the commercials.
Yeah, it's not. It's not trying to hurting his hand. It's not. Oh, tiny might get treated. Honestly, Trout, what's he done for my team? He struck out like four times a game and what goes one for two every now and then. Great. You had a couple home runs.
Don't care. You struck out four times when all tiny needs you to hit him in. Yeah. I don't care. It doesn't matter because so the rest of our team, quite frankly, like the past three weeks, I've had five guys or six guys that I've never even heard of, which is not crazy or anything, but a bunch of nobodies.
They traded from AAA or whatever or just picked off the streets and are playing for us and they suck. Everyone's hitting 230. Our pitching sucks. I used to brag about how good our bullpen was and now it's like the worst. Yeah, it just sucks.
So you just are mad. You just don't like like right now. Just yeah, just fresh. The commercials, those freaking credit commercials, whatever they are. Stupid commercials, dude. Yeah. Yeah. I like the baseball Zen. Remember those ones? Oh my gosh. No. I talked to Brady about those. The baseball Zen ones. Yeah. I swear. April. I it was unbelievable. It was it was the only commercial they had. Yeah. Before they got all these other bum commercials. Yeah.
They would just use baseball Zen being where they still have them where it's like the base, like the the base track. Yeah. That kind of goes down. Yeah. It's so they still have that. But it used to be so much worse. It used to be so bad. Now you got the commercial with jazz playing the show. Yeah.
Aren't you injured? Second time this year. Aren't you underperforming so bad? Yeah. How's that bleak jazz? Worst cover boy. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. No, please. Go ahead. I wasn't going to move on. No, go ahead. Wait. No, no, no, no, please. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. There you go. Okay. I really hate it.
I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. There you go. Okay. Really? That's surprising. Okay. I just know that. No. He's our positivity guy. Can you use our positivity guy? Yeah. I guess not to beat a dead horse. Is O'Tonny getting traded? Yes or no? Quick answer. Oh, because he's not going in there. He's going to stand there. You can't say it without laughing. That's a bad sign.
Ah, dude. It's... Kenji, imagine instead of having him, you spend that 60 million a year and go get like five huge players for your team. You know, I'd rather just cut Hunter Renfro and literally everybody else from my squad and maybe just start new. There you go. Maybe just go for the draft picks. Just do the exact same thing. Just start everybody that was in the college baseball last year.
I feel like Kenji would be a great general manager. Like the angels to hire him. The front office. Just like let him manage the team for one month. Just like see how they do. I would be paying so much for that.
Say that again, Kenji. Japanese players? Obviously, because we won the WBC. So we'd actually kick everybody's trash. You're right. You're right. Just get all Japanese players and you might actually... you could win. Yeah.
Except for Higashioka. That guy sucks. Kyle Higashioka. The Yankees catcher. I hate that guy. Yankees slander is all over. Best day of my life. Speaking, I wasn't even planning on talking about this. O's beat the piss out of the Yankees 14.
The other night. We have two good friends that are actually Yankee fans. I texted both of them and just let them know that they could lick my you know what. Because I hate the Yankees. There's nothing I dislike more than the Yankees. I can't stand them.
Guys explain to me how they have... how many wins do they have? 49 wins? 49? Because there's a Yankee, man. I don't know. They don't have a great run differential. That's a problem. They only have a plus 20. Money does buy a lot of stuff. Money, period.
Their players suck. They're barely hovering at 500 without Judge is the thing. They're getting good pitching. They're getting good pitching. Hermann, since his perfect game has been good. Cole's always good.
Oh, Hermann got the shell back. Cole Rodin's back. Rodin is back now. He threw a perfect game the other day. Yeah. And Rizzo's taken some of the load. Who Joe hasn't fantasy as of note.
Rizzo's good. Who else do they have? Lemahue's actually been bad. It's a great question honestly because you look at that team and the stats and you wonder how they're right there with Toronto and Boston. Boston isn't good either though, but Toronto should be good.
My thing is, I was about to say, Boston when I watch them play, they look awesome. Their offense is disgusting. Especially the last two weeks. They're so freaking good. But their pitching sucks. Right? And it's a shame that that division is just insane.
Yeah. I mean, I just hate the Yankees. I can't stand them. So it was good. We split four with them in New York. So we've tied the season series. We have three in Baltimore. I think, and that's the last time we see them, which I'm so excited for. But yeah, that's up to the Yankees.
I think that's it for that. Brady, speak on the draft a little bit. Max Clark just went three to Detroit. And then now Texas is on the clock. Joe, do you want pitching here?
Honestly, they might get Langford. Yeah.
I think Langford falling this far is kind of wild.
I don't think so. They have pictures there. They have louders there, dolanders there. Some other guys are there. Anyway, with that being said, first half now coming to an end means All-Star week. So the futures game was yesterday.
As of this recording, this is Sunday, the 9th. Tomorrow is the home run derby. And then Tuesday is the All-Star game. So we're going to run through really fast. Does everybody have the field? Kenji, do you even know who's hitting in the home run derby?
I looked at it once and I wasn't really impressed.
I think it's actually going to be, I think it's a great field. But I want to hear everybody's predictions for the derby. Anybody that minds a prize. And then we'll go to the All-Star game.
All right. Well, Brady, just kick us off. Let's do it. Well, so first of all, I have some beef because there is not one lefty in the home run derby.
I know Adley is going to hit left handed, but it's not the same.
I do have a pick. First of all, I don't like how it's set up. Well, how they put it, I guess, because Vlad and Mookie Betts have to go up against each other in the first round.
I feel like they're both heavy candidates. But my personal candidate, having gone so far the last time he was in it, my prediction, obviously Vlad Guerrero Jr.
Okay, Vlad Guerrero.
That's respectable.
Keep an eye on Luis Robert though.
Oh, Lubob. Keep an eye on Lubob. We're not a Lubob show.
That was going to be my dark horse.
I feel like it's going to be either him or just Alonso again.
Yeah. That boy just built the hill.
Here's the Rangers pick. Hold on.
Oh, Langford. Langford.
All right. Anyway, go ahead. Home run derby, Joe.
What was I going to say? Yeah, Lubob. I mean, he's a goat.
I mean, obviously, Pete's won it three times now. So he's definitely... what seat is he?
Dude, he plays Julio Rodriguez round one.
Yeah. I feel like Julio's either just going to...
But Julio's at home. Julio's at home.
Julio is at home, but how's he hitting at home this season? That's all I'm going to say.
Oh, man. He's the only dude to strike out in the home run.
Clearly, he's in a better position than me. I'm living in my parents' pages, so I can't say anything, but he's been very underperforming.
The only player to win the home run derby at home is the goat himself, Bryce Harper.
The goat himself is a bit of a stretch, but I mean...
I don't think J-Rod has what it takes to do it.
He did great last year. Side note, if you leave your team and then the next year they go on to win a World Series, it doesn't make you the goat, but I'm sorry.
It's a fair point. It's fair.
Sorry. Never mind. Kenji, who's winning the home run derby?
Well, I'll tell you how I personally feel about all of these guys, okay?
Perfect. That's what the people need to hear.
Luis Robert Jr.
Dog. No.
He's not bad. I don't know.
Avid Ruddman, I don't understand why the frick he's in the home run derby. When he hits, he looks like an idiot. That's all I'm saying.
He looks like an idiot when he hits?
His batting stance is so lame.
Alright, everybody. Welcome to Kenji's last episode of the show.
P. Alonzo also has an insanely stupid batting stance, but he actually hits home runs.
So I wouldn't know anything.
Julio Rodriguez, I didn't watch baseball last year, so to me he's just some bum off the street.
Mookie Betts I think is insane.
Alright.
Guerrero. How do you...Vladdy? I don't know how to say his last name.
Guerrero?
Guerrero G.
He knocks. He's like nine home runs, and you're telling me he's going to win the home run derby?
Yep, absolutely.
Jail.
Prison time.
I know he's a good player. I know he's a good player.
Where's the clown horn? Don't we have the clown horn?
Yeah, yeah. Hold on. You're wrong.
Garcia. Garcia's on my team, so I have to root for him, but he's not going to win.
Randy Arreza-Rena, you all know I stole that. So I think Mookie Betts is going to win. There you go.
I love it.
Mookie?
Kenji, Vlad was like...how old was Vlad last time he was in the derby? He was like 20 years old.
I don't know, but he set a record. He set a record.
I've watched him play. I've watched him hit before the past. He was insane.
But this year he's just like...
He's just depressing to watch.
I just...I do not want to see Pete win it again. And what better candidate to go knock him out than Vlad?
Sure.
I mean, Kenji, to give you a reference here, I have my favorite side, baseball savant from my advanced stats.
Vlad Jr. is still having an insane year by all of the other metrics. Excuse me.
So he only has 13 homers on the year, but he's 98 percentile, exit below, hard hit percentage on base, expected batting average, expected slugging.
He's going to have a good second half, but to say he's not having a good year, just that wises.
Well, I play fantasy, so if you don't benefit me, if you don't look good in fantasy, remember...
I saw it on your stream.
I know, but I've seen him on fantasy.
We'd like to thank Kenji for his time here with us this week.
Isn't it an honor, guys? I hope this show goes somewhere.
Yeah, definitely.
We'll remember you when this takes off.
We'll have you on for honor.
Yeah, we'll do a yearly clown episode.
I'm just kidding.
I'm going to be honest, my pick for the home run derby, I mean, if I say Adley, do I have to put the clown horn on myself?
I mean, come on, you're an OZ fan, so it's fair to say that, right?
It's fair, but I would love to hear who else. I'd love to hear second option.
Okay, I want Adley to win because I think he's a lefty hitter. He's giving me the mo...
He has such a smooth swing, such a smooth swing. I know Kenji was hating on his swing, but that's why I'm going to come home.
I mean, he's batting stats, not his swing. He has a good swing, but batting stats...
Yeah, batting stats is a little strange, but I love his swing. I think he'll challenge Luis Robert.
It's also Adley's home stadium, like he grew up in the Pacific Northwest, so he's going to have a bunch of family there.
So I'll give Adley a puncher's chance at beating Luba, but if I had to pick, this is going to be boring.
Polar Bear runs it again.
Yeah, I mean, come on.
He's automatic in these things. I think Pete Lelanzo beats...
I think he beats Jayrod probably handily, and then I think he faces...
Is it Vlad next round then if he beats Smoky?
No, I don't...actually maybe.
If it's how a normal bracket is set up, he would then face Vlad.
Hold on, I'm going to get it for the people.
What do the numbers mean on their names?
Just seeds.
I think it's seeded based on number of home runs this season.
Yeah, okay.
So I think the winner of one and eight play the winner of three and six.
No, I think it's...
Where is it?
I have it here.
Yeah, I have it here. It's Luis Robert, Adley Rutchman, Adolese Garcia, and Randy Rosarena.
Yuki Betts, Vlad Jr., Pete Lelanzo, Julio.
So if Robert wins and he faces the winner of Garcia and a Rosarena, I think a Rosarena is going to hit some tanks.
He's just going to be there for the show. He just wants to attack.
He's just going to be like, can you do it?
Joe, do you like Randy Rosarena?
No.
I think it's because he robbed a Japanese player in the WBC during the Mexico game.
No, I asked him. I asked that question fully knowing Kenji actually has a strong hatred for Randy Rosarena.
Joe, what do we think about Adolese?
Yeah, I know. We didn't hear anything about him.
I mean, I love Adolese. He's huge. He's got the biggest biceps on the team.
Actually, no, Chapman came in.
Yeah, Chapman's there.
What about Dave Dunning?
Sorry, I spoke a little too soon.
Adolese, I feel like he's just got the same chance as everyone else.
I feel like this is kind of like a hot take. I feel like he's just going to go out in the first round.
Randy's going to be there. I feel like that's just going to happen.
Adolese is going to choke. Randy's just like, he's riding on the high of the whole crowd going for him because I feel like he's just, the crowd just loves him.
And Randy's probably going to pull it off his butt and beat Adolese.
I don't think that's going to happen.
I want Garcia to win, but there's a lot of good players in the home run derby this year.
Add Lee Richmond to win the whole thing.
What happens when you win it?
You get a bunch of money. Oh crap, ton of money in a car, I think.
Hasn't?
No, okay.
That's the MVP.
Oh, you're right. You're right. You're right.
They get a trophy.
You get a trophy and a giant paycheck.
I could use that paycheck.
I'm going to give it to all of you at this point.
Yeah, tell Pete to donate it to you, Joe.
Donate to the pod.
Yeah.
Speaking of the home run derby and the All-Star week as I said before, All-Star game MVP.
Brady just kind of mentioned it.
Knowing the rosters, knowing who's, I don't think, do we have the starting pitchers?
I know we have the lineups, but any early predictions for who's winning All-Star MVP?
Brady, change you, Joe?
I have to sleep.
Well, the AL seems to win it every year, so I feel like we can give them both spades here.
Honestly, I don't think anyone really stands out now that the fact of Otani's not starting the home run derby.
He's going to hit. He's not going to pitch.
He's not starting the All-Star game. He's on the mound.
So I really don't know, but just pure instinct, Corey Seeger for the AL.
Hi.
It all depends who decides to hit the home run is basically what it is.
And honestly, as much as I could say for the NL, it would be off the bench Nick Castellanos.
I don't think that's really going to happen.
Who's going to die?
Something's got to go wrong in order for him.
There's been a car accident outside of the Seattle Mariners field.
Oh, Cassiana with a new drive left field.
You know what's going to happen?
I'll tell you right now exactly what's going to happen for the World Series and the All-Star game.
They do the stand up to cancer.
They do that in the middle of the game right after the stand up to cancer.
They're going to pinch hit Castellanos and he's going to hit a 450 foot nuke dead.
So if that happens, I would die.
I think the internet would lose its mind.
It would be unbelievable.
It would be so funny.
It would be crazy.
But to finish what I started here, the NL really just doesn't.
So no one stands out.
But if I really had to put someone in there, move bets again.
Where's Acuna?
Honestly, Acuna is by everyone's ideal.
Orvin Carroll?
It's the all-star MVP is who hits the home run.
Who hits the first home run.
It's true though.
It's true.
It's how it is every time.
So honestly, my bets are either Dodgers player, Freddie or Wicky.
Geraldo Perdomo is who you're making bets.
Yes.
Okay.
Has it ever been a pitcher?
Whitmerefield actually.
Whitmerefield.
Definitely not.
Oh yeah.
Joe, who's your all-star MVP?
I haven't really given it much thought.
Okay.
Just preliminary, just based on the roster, who you know is going to be there.
Who you got?
I feel like I'm starting with the NL.
Like I said, Acuna.
Acuna is a star, man.
He's just the guy.
AL, like what if, just like what if, Jonah Heim just goes yard.
0-60.
I mean like honestly, he's due for another home run.
He hasn't hit one in a few games.
I feel like, you know, he's due for one.
So I'm going to say Jonah Heim for AL and VP.
Just like watch.
Young, respectfully, I don't think so.
But you know, Heim has a chance.
Heim has a chance.
Kenji, don't say Otani.
I was just going to say Mookie fan.
Okay.
Mookie.
Number one Mookie fan.
Otani, I feel like though Otani has a shock factor to him.
If he hits like a double and a stolen base, he'll win MVP because people love him.
Is it one game or two games?
It's one.
Just one.
And he'll only get one or two at bat's tops.
Oh, this like switch out.
Yeah.
Yeah, because there's a lot of reserves.
Well, here Otani's going to hit a triple and a homer.
Triple and a homer, wow.
That would win him MVP easy.
That would totally do it.
Brent Rooker is my pick.
No, I'm just kidding.
No, I think my sleeper pick, I'll do my sleeper and then my real one.
Austin Hayes is starting for the AL in left field.
Oh yeah.
He's number two in average for the American League.
I think he could easily, just as easily hit a single and stolen base or hit something in the gap or go yard.
But she hit a 420 foot nuke today.
Hayes is my sleeper.
Orioles bias, I know.
But then as for Orlando RC, Mookie Betts is a safe bet.
I'm going to say Freddie Freeman.
Just because.
Has he ever won it?
I don't know.
Maybe.
What was your question, Indri?
Has he ever won it before?
No, I don't believe so.
Mookie has though.
You have Mookie?
Mookie has, yeah.
Mookie has.
He's not important.
So I think Freddie's my bet if I had to give a nominee from each.
I'd go Freddie Freeman from the NL.
And Hayes is my floater one from the AL.
But I also like Jose Ramirez.
That would probably be my fish.
Yeah, J Ram.
I like J Ram.
He's fit for these kind of games.
So that's my pick there.
We already talked a little bit about the standings.
I'll just briefly brush through them because I know nobody really cares.
Just for those, if there's any changes.
Cleveland is still on top of the central.
Tampa is still on top of the east.
Cleveland is barely hanging on to the AL mid.
Dallas, I mean not Dallas, Texas is barely hanging on as well.
Two games to Houston.
Seattle is also 7-3 in their last 10.
They're getting hot.
And then those poor angels.
That's why they're just sitting there in the dumpster.
So, anything, anybody want to say about the American League standings wise?
No, let's move on please.
No, it's the AL.
It's the AL mid.
Atlanta is, like we mentioned before, extremely hot.
Eight and a half up on Miami.
Cincinnati is playing great ball.
They just, I believe, took two out of three from Milwaukee.
Cubs aren't great.
Dodgers and Arizona are tied for the lead in the NL west.
And the Giants are only two and a half back.
San Diego is also getting hot.
They've been playing great ball.
So, NL west should get exciting.
But that's the brief update on the standings.
And then everybody's favorite part, the one that Brady tried to mention earlier,
the DFA watch and then the players to watch.
So, Brady, do you just want to kick us right off?
I know you've probably been chopping at the bit.
Well, who's your DFA watch?
Who's getting cut right BF now?
I can't stand him, but it's Junior Marte.
It's like junior but with a Y.
Okay.
Not a name podcast.
Hear me out.
Junior Marte.
He does throw gas from the mound.
He does throw over 100.
But he's thrown back-to-back games the week I was gone.
He threw back-to-back games and let up two, three runs in an inning.
Just walk, walk, hit, walk, home run.
Just he can't figure it out.
And it's killing us because we have Hoffman now actually.
He's been doing really well.
He needs to be our long relief guy.
He's not.
He's our Kimbrough throws too many innings.
Let's throw him in.
Yeah.
But he needs to be put where Marte is right now.
And I swear we never see anything from Sir Anthony Dominguez.
He barely throws innings.
And it's so sad because he was unbelievable last year.
So we just need to, we don't need him.
So just kind of send him to AAA.
Send him down.
Send him to AAA.
Send him down.
And then player to watch, I guess, do we want to do player to watch as its own?
Sure.
Yeah.
I mean, you could just do yours now.
We can just do both of them in the same, in the same same.
I mean, last time we did it, last time I was here, I told you guys Bryson's thought and
he's been unbelievable.
And it's been crazy.
But the player to watch, aside from keeping him in mind, Christian Pache.
Wow.
He hit a, he hit a water, I guess it was a go ahead home run top of the ninth last, the
other day against Tampa or no.
Nope.
Yeah.
It was against the Marlins.
Yeah.
Idiots.
Oh, what kind of, he almost jumped like two inches off the ground.
Oh, funny.
But so big time.
He's young too.
We, he doesn't play all every day, but he's definitely one of those players that's a really
young guy.
Fun to watch.
Yeah.
Okay.
All right.
Joe, Kenji.
All right.
I'm going to go.
Andrew, Andrew, Andrew, Andrew, we're paying this dude 12 million a year to go up seven
runs against the nationals in three innings.
How did I know that was coming?
Dude is it's so frustrating.
I, I, I, I, I'm like stuttering because I can't even like, I can't even put into words.
Like every time I just say, all right, it's Andrew Hine day today.
I see him see that he's starting.
I'm like, like, Oh, better not put the game on.
Good thing I have work at night.
Cause I don't have to watch the Rangers play because it's every time it's so it's, it's
just so frustrating, right?
He walks way too many guys and his stupid pitching form.
I don't know how he's able to throw mid nineties with that.
He, he just, it's everything about him.
Like if he, if he ever watches this, like I'm, I love you, Andrew Hine.
Thanks for your contribution to the Rangers, but like you should go contribute to round
rock AAA and kind of, you know, round rock needs some help.
We sent a few guys down there already.
Hopefully you can motivate them to kind of pick it up or something.
Maybe they can motivate you to pick it up because like, okay.
His ERA last seven days over seven.
It's a tough one to swallow.
So that's like, that's all I'm going to say about Andrew Hine.
I don't want to rip into him too much because he has had a few good outings.
So it's just like, you know, it's, he's a very on and off guy, but he's been on the
off side for a little too long and it's really disappointing and it's taking my
happiness away.
And so I'll just, I'll just throw that out there.
Yeah.
Okay.
That's it.
That's it for me.
Well, who do we want to watch?
Who's your player to watch?
All right.
Who knows who Travis Jankowski is?
Wow.
He's a dog.
Listen.
Okay.
So the only Houston game I watched was when they, when they lost 11 to 10 or 12 to 11.
I can't remember, but Travis Jankowski, first home run of the season, three run bomb.
No doubter.
First of all, his hair is sexy.
Like, come on now.
You can't tell me that Jankowski doesn't have beautiful hair.
Kenji, I know you're like shaking your head, but come on.
Like you got to pay respect where it's due and dude is fast.
Dude's a bunny.
Dude's good in the field.
It's just like, you know, he's, he's on the come up.
We have Duran who's been playing in left field the whole time, but recently Oh,
she's starting Jankowski and Grossman a little more left field.
And actually Grossman was on my, on the DFA watch a few weeks ago, but Jankowski
he's been, he's been stepping it up.
He had five or RBI is like I said, I gave him against Houston.
So that was like, you know, big outing for him.
And hopefully he has, he has a brighter future with the Rangers.
I would like to see more of him in the, in the left field and hopefully he can,
you know, produce some more and earn him a starting spot.
Yeah.
All right.
Kenji, do you want to go?
Do you want me to go?
I can go.
I won't ask any random gone, gone and gone.
I want to bury like a thousand feet into the ground.
Cause I can't stand this guy.
He's made of glass.
He's made of.
I've seen him play like, well, I've watched almost every angels game.
I think I've seen him play like four games.
Yeah.
Which is like, of course I'm over-exaggerating, but like probably guys sucks.
He's so bad.
Seven years, 245 million.
I just looked up the contract.
That means like I have like what it's three years into it.
Four more years of this rubbish.
Yeah.
I, I, I hate him.
All right.
Okay.
Play to watch.
No, I'm not.
He's a positivity guru.
I know you're my guy.
Cause he's just, okay.
I mean, I don't know.
He, he, what he was kind of pretty bad last year.
I kind of looked at his stats and was watching the Red Sox game.
They were talking about him.
But he's really fast.
Right.
It's fantastic.
When he gets on like they score.
Like their offense is so different when he's in the lineup.
He's got a good bat.
He's got a really good bat.
I mean, I don't know if he's just hot or feel like he's actually going to be
that really good player in the league or not, but I love watching him hit.
It's super fun.
I love watching him like on basis too.
So.
Gotcha.
All right.
Cool.
So I, so then I have, I have like two or three players from a player to watch,
but I'll start with my DFA guy or Hey, Matteo, get off my team.
Get off my team.
Everybody else was, go ahead.
What?
How bad is he playing?
Yeah.
So for reference, so he had a great April.
He even got an MLB to show like player of the month card for those.
I know Brady and I used to play with him all the time.
Yeah, but he would, he, he had three 30 in April.
Okay.
So he had three 30 in April and I just went on fan graphs and looked at his stats
from May 1st until today, June, July 9th.
Since then he had three 30 in April.
He's hitting one 51 with a 202 on base percentage.
Yeah.
He has it with a 202 on base percentage, 30% of the time he's striking out.
Like there he is a wasted roster spot.
He's a joke.
He needs to go down to single a Frederick Keys.
The Frederick Keys need a short stop.
I think he would fit in great there.
He's still probably only at 220 down there.
I love you Jorge, Matteo.
You can fly, but it's been such a bad streak.
Every about he has, I got to breathe.
They played, I know they played in Tampa against Tyler Glass now a couple of weeks ago,
or maybe even earlier this last week.
And it was the most abysmal bad I've ever seen.
Tyler Glass did not throw a single slider within a foot of the strike zone.
And he swung over three of them.
One, two, three, strike out.
He's not even remotely, I could go do that.
He's not even a strike.
He's not even, it's just a joke.
So I want him gone.
I want him off the team.
The O's have a log jam with infield talent and the miners too.
So I just don't see a reason to keep him.
That's crazy.
That's bad.
Yeah.
I don't know why he's still up.
Frankly.
For my players to watch, I have like two or three of them.
My first one, a little bit of bias here, Manny Machado.
Been scalding hot, scalding hot.
I know he's a big man, but he's been scalding hot of late.
He had two bombs again today against Scherzer.
He had two bombs just a couple of days ago as well.
He's just smoking the ball.
He's finally picking it up as the Padres seem to pick it up.
So Manny's one of my guys to watch.
Jordan Westberg, O's young shortstop.
He's been really fun to watch.
He's, I think I, during the O's game today, they showed a stat that he has the
highest batting average of any O's rookie ever in the first 10 games.
He's hitting hit as the best average of any O's rookie ever.
Which is saying something because he's facing the Yankees and the Twins, and
the Twins have the best ERA in the American League, I think, maybe before we
dropped 15 on them today.
And then my last one that I'm going to say is Hassan Kim.
Kind of crazy.
Hassan Kim has been kind of blowing up.
He's been kind of blowing up.
He plays all over the infield.
He plays a great defensive infield, and he's been hitting at the top of the
Padres lineup.
So I'm going to get, that's kind of a sleeper one.
Hassan Kim, you guys watch a lot of Padres games too.
He's been fun.
So I'm going to give it to Hassan Kim.
I'm surprised he hasn't picked up yet because I've tried to pick him up a
couple of times.
Yeah.
This is in fantasy for those who don't know.
Yeah.
Dude, have you seen what's up with the Reds lineup?
Like, I saw this thing.
I think most of the guys in their lineup, I'm talking like seven or eight,
are guys that haven't played more than 80 games in a season.
That's crazy.
That's what I'm saying.
The Reds cannot keep this up.
People will, like the Bigs will figure it out for a little bit, and then
they'll tear it off.
You got Ellie.
You got Spencer Stearned.
You got McClain.
McClain's here.
Yeah.
Jake Fraley.
Like, it's insane what they're doing right now.
So that's something I want to add on players to watch.
Just team the Reds.
It's all of them.
Like, they're all young.
It's like, how do they keep doing it?
It's crazy.
Yeah.
Well, that is all the content we have.
Everybody pay attention.
MLE draft is happening right now.
The game is coming out.
It's already over.
Hopefully, the Rangers miss on their draft pick again.
Not really, no.
But Langford.
Did they take Langford?
They did.
But, yeah, so everybody watch the Home Run Derby tomorrow, which is Monday,
the 10th, and then, of course, the All-Star game on Tuesday.
And then there aren't any games until Thursday or Friday.
I'm not sure.
Friday.
Until Friday.
So there aren't any games until Friday this week.
So we got a long week off.
But we'll still come back and hit you guys with an episode.
The Rangers play the Rays.
So if you guys are spiritual or not, I don't really care.
Just pray for the Rangers on Friday.
Just pray for the Rangers.
That's just my only hope for all the listeners out there,
all the 10 listeners.
Just please, please pray for the Rangers.
That's all I ask.
Sorry.
OK, for a four-hour.
Now, listen, before we go, I did want to make this point.
Before we go, Joe, if you want to take a moment just to explain your hat
to the people before somebody watches this video, and they're like,
what kind of hat is Joe wearing?
So I've always had a love for amphibians, and especially frogs.
So as you guys can see, I'm going to...
So I have this hat.
I don't know what the acronym means, but here, let me take off my...
I'll take off my hat and show you guys.
So it just says, man, I love frogs.
It expresses my love for frogs in such an amazing manner.
How long have you had that hat for?
I've had it for about six months.
I don't really wear it often, though, because honestly,
I should start wearing it to show my love for frogs,
because milf, man, I love frogs.
Yeah, big frog hat.
Honestly, don't ever catch me at the rainforest at night.
You know what I'm saying?
I love frogs too much.
Man, I love frogs.
Man, he loves frogs.
Man, I love frogs.
I wouldn't have bought this hat if I didn't like it.
Did you find them on Instagram?
So...
Did you find them on Instagram?
I can't remember where I found it.
That's what you do on your phone.
My love for frogs just led me to this hat,
and I strongly believe that this was meant to be.
Me and this hat, you know, spiritual connection, milf.
I don't even know what to say.
Anybody else?
Anybody else got anything?
Nothing?
I'm hungry.
All right. Thanks for tuning in, everybody.
Thank you.