Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Wvuafm Tuscaloosa and welcome back everybody to student section MLB on this wonderful Monday night. I'm your host today, Luke Anderson joined.
[00:00:18] Speaker B: By Tyler Harrison and Davis Cornell.
[00:00:21] Speaker A: Well guys, we got another slower week for you guys. We got a lot of awards and stuff to talk about which is nice. Free agency is a little slower. We, we got a lot of awards to talk about. First though, I wanted to start. The first thing I have pulled up is the all MB L MLB first and second teams.
[00:00:38] Speaker B: Yep.
[00:00:39] Speaker A: Wanted to bring this up so just briefly, the first team roster for MLB this season was William Couture as catcher Vladdy at first, Kate Marte second, Bobby Witch shortstop Jram third. The outfield was Judge Soto and Betts obviously Ohtani at dh. And the starting pitchers were Sale Scubal Skians, Zach Wheeler and Corbin Burns. With the relief pitchers being class and Ryan Helsley.
[00:01:05] Speaker B: I agree with every single pick except for what we just talked about with Mookie Betts making it over Jaren Duran. Jaren Duran had four more WAR WAR plate appearances, more hits, more home runs, more stolen bases, same amount of rbi. So I think Jaren got screwed.
[00:01:23] Speaker C: Yeah, that's fair. Mookie did miss two months of the year. He shouldn't have gotten in. He just had the better ops. That's really it.
[00:01:29] Speaker B: Just slightly, slightly better OPS and obp.
And if, if we're picking off stats, Duran should have made it. I don't care about what he said. What? No, he's the better player this year. He's also played more games. He's been the Red Sox best player behind. Well, no, he's been the best player. And then it's Tyler O'Neal and Raphael Devers. So he should have made all MLB first team. I get it that he made a second team but he deserved first team for his performance. He also won All Star Game MVP this year.
[00:02:00] Speaker C: So he started the year as a shortstop this year. Then he too.
[00:02:02] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:02:03] Speaker A: Yeah, he did play a lot of games at shortstop to begin the season.
[00:02:06] Speaker B: He did. But because Bobby Witt Jr. Had an amazing season, they're not going to put him.
[00:02:10] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:02:10] Speaker B: In the infield. So they. But they have to find a way to put poster boy on it. I don't hate Mookie. I like Mookie. He's a good dude. But Durant should have made it.
[00:02:19] Speaker A: I think that. I don't know if it is league based but honestly I wouldn't have even mind seeing Mason Miller make the first team as the second relief pitcher. Yeah, Ryan Helsley had a great year as well. Obviously, he. He would have been second team, which is where Mason Miller is, which we'll get to in a second.
[00:02:34] Speaker B: Miller and Iglesias.
[00:02:36] Speaker A: No, it's actually Miller and Kirby Yates.
[00:02:39] Speaker B: Are you.
[00:02:41] Speaker A: So we'll get to that in a second. That is interesting as well.
[00:02:45] Speaker B: I'm gonna mute my mic. Y'all go ahead.
[00:02:47] Speaker A: Yeah, I mean, Helsley had two ERA this season with 79 strikeouts and however many innings pitched, definitely not a lot. So, I mean, he had a great year as well, but, I mean, Mason Miller's season was incredible. Obviously, he did end up making second team, which we'll talk about in just a second. Actually, Ryan Husley did lead the National League in saves with 49, so definitely a really good year by him as well.
[00:03:09] Speaker B: A 0.7 better era.
[00:03:11] Speaker C: Mason Miller is hurt for a little while, so that probably just screwed his eyes.
[00:03:14] Speaker A: That's true. Yeah. Even though he did receive Rookie of the Year voting, which we'll also get to later.
[00:03:19] Speaker C: More votes in Austin.
[00:03:20] Speaker A: Well, yeah, no kidding. The second team for you guys was Salvia catcher, Harper at first, Altuve second, Lindor Short, Manny Machado at third. The outfield was Jackson Merrill, Jaren Duran. Like, he talked about Tyler and Teoscar Hernandez. With Jordan at the designated hitter spot, the rotation for the second team is Seth Lugo, Dylan Cease, Shota Imanaga, Framer Valdez, and Michael King with, like we just said, Mason Miller and Kirby Yates as the two relievers for that team. Any surprises for you guys there?
[00:03:50] Speaker B: Yeah, I don't. I don't really have any complaints for that. I think they should. I think the NBA has an all third team.
[00:03:56] Speaker A: They do, Yeah, I think so.
[00:03:57] Speaker B: Maybe you could do that. But I think that'd be a stretch because you'd have people like a few years back in, like, 2022, you'd have, like, oh, yeah, Jose Abreu is third team. And you're like, he didn't deserve that. Yeah, there's throwing names out there. So I think first and second team is fine. I think a couple people you could argue got snubbed, but those are the best players. And then there's player, like second best player A and second best player B, so it's. Yep, it's pretty.
I'm fine with it.
[00:04:24] Speaker A: Davis.
[00:04:24] Speaker C: Yeah, I agree with it. I think it looks good to me.
[00:04:26] Speaker A: I think that. I mean, that maybe this is a little bias showing, but I would have. I would have been fine seeing Monot in the rotation for the second Team, I think especially his.
[00:04:35] Speaker B: I mean he had to maybe cusp.
[00:04:37] Speaker A: Maybe it's because of his first half but his second half was. He finished the season so strong. Even like outside of June, like the second like 2/3 of the season was phenomenal by him. But I think that all the pitchers on here are really good. I really like seeing Shoda Managa on here, especially in his rookie season. He had a great year.
[00:04:52] Speaker B: So those first 10 stars, what was he eight? No.
[00:04:56] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:04:56] Speaker B: With a one era. Goodness.
[00:04:58] Speaker A: Started a combined no hitter so I mean he had a really good first year so I'm excited to see him pitch next year definitely.
[00:05:06] Speaker C: But until Paul Skeens came up he was like the talk of the rookie.
[00:05:09] Speaker A: Oh yeah, no kidding. He was going to win rookie of the year before because Jackson Merrill came up so late. Like started getting hot real towards the middle of the year and Skeens obviously didn't pitch for that first month. So I think the first month odds favorite for rookie of the year was probably Imanaga. He had a great year. He did.
[00:05:23] Speaker B: There was one start where he went eight. No. And then something. He gave up like eight runs after having a one two ERA to the Mets.
[00:05:29] Speaker A: To the Mets, I think.
[00:05:30] Speaker B: I don't care.
[00:05:33] Speaker A: True. That's fair.
[00:05:35] Speaker B: Yeah, he gave up like seven earned runs and it shot his ERA up to. Wait for it one nine.
[00:05:39] Speaker A: Yep. Yeah, he was. He was sub two for a while and a sub three I think to end the season. I mean I'm pretty sure he was among the top leaders if not like the leader. And walks allowed as in fewest walks allowed. He just did not walk. Guys. He was, he was great.
[00:05:54] Speaker B: He was second team all NBA. Mlb.
[00:05:57] Speaker A: I keep trying to say all NBA too.
[00:05:59] Speaker B: Second team, all mlb. And I don't think he got rookie of the year votes but he did become an all star his rookie year. I'd say that that's a successful year. That's a successful first year.
[00:06:10] Speaker A: Oh absolutely. Yeah.
So. Well there's the all MLB teams for you guys. Like we said, nothing really too surprising on there in terms of who was picked, who was first, who was second team. Most of them I think were about pretty accurate to me. Obviously good to see Lindor on there third straight year on the MLB second team but obviously Bobby Wood Jr had such a good season so obviously Lindor wasn't going to take first team. It is interesting to see Gunner Henderson not make it. I mean he had a phenomenal season as well.
[00:06:41] Speaker B: He led his league. What was it? Did he have More war than Judge. He couldn't. He couldn't.
[00:06:47] Speaker A: He was close though. But obviously that's what happens when you have three unbelievable players at one position. You got to. You got to pick who it is. Obviously I'm happy that it's Lindor, but shout out to Gunner Henderson too because. Because Bro got snubbed for sure.
[00:07:02] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:07:02] Speaker A: In terms of. Maybe not a snub, but Bro definitely deserved to be on one of those teams in terms of just talent.
[00:07:09] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:07:10] Speaker A: But I guess the next thing we can talk about is the Rookie of the Year, which just got announced earlier today.
[00:07:14] Speaker B: Yep. Skain's didn't win unanimously. I could have guessed that. He got 23 of the 31st place votes. And then in the AL, Luis Hale won it just barely over Colton Couser and Davis. I think like you said, Mason Miller got more first place or more votes than Austin Wells did.
[00:07:32] Speaker C: And Kaden Smith.
[00:07:33] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:07:34] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:07:35] Speaker A: So this is the first time since 1981 that MLB says that the Rookie of the Year has been won by two starting pitchers, which is ridiculous.
[00:07:45] Speaker B: I did not realize that.
[00:07:47] Speaker C: Closest voting in the AL since 2003.
[00:07:50] Speaker A: Yeah, the AL was crazy in terms of the National League. It was a little. It was still one of the closer runs for sure, but not as close. Skeens won 23 the first place votes to Merrill's second and or seven first place votes and then they split and then they took all the second place votes in this basically the same order schemes. Whoever didn't vote for Skiing's first place voted in for second place and is a other way around.
Jackson Churia won 26 of the third place votes and then Imanaga won the other four. Who we just talked about. That in my mind is not surprising at all. We've talked about that pretty much every show. We've brought it up at least once that I've never wavered. I just. Skiing's deserved it the whole year in my opinion.
[00:08:29] Speaker C: Historic rookies.
[00:08:30] Speaker A: I know.
[00:08:31] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:08:31] Speaker A: I'm glad he won it. I'm glad that like they didn't care too much about pitcher versus batter. Obviously Jackson Merrill had a great season and the argument was that he plays every day so he should win it. But I never once thought that that should take the reign over Paul Skene's when he had a 2 ERA and was just absolutely incredible. It would. It would be different if he wasn't as good as he was. But he was so good that there is no way he should not have won this award.
[00:09:01] Speaker C: Yeah, Skeens should be the clear favorite version next year going into.
[00:09:04] Speaker A: Oh, I think absolutely with a full season next year and assuming that they'll limit his pitch count as well because he definitely was under some sort of pitch count this season. He didn't make it out of six innings a lot. Even though he would be dealing like one or two hits and they would.
[00:09:17] Speaker B: Have perfect game going into the seventh. They were like, I think you've done.
[00:09:21] Speaker A: He didn't start the eighth inning in a no hitter. Like they definitely had him on some sort of limits. But next year he'll pitch a full 30 starts and hopefully he'll make it into the 8th or 9th inning mostly every time. I think that there's no doubt he should be the favorite for that award. I mean he was even top three. He finishes a finalist for the award this season. We talked about that last week. Yeah, Cy Young, there's no way he shouldn't be winning Rookie of the Year if he could win Cy Young. Obviously he won't. We can talk about that briefly again, but obviously that's locked down for Chris Sale and Scubal. I mean you're not going to win the triple Crown and not win the Cy Young. But I mean the fact that you're a rookie and you started the season, you missed out on what, five starts and you're finishing as a finalist for Cy Young is just telling enough, I think. So I'm, I'm happy with that result.
Obviously the AL was a lot closer. Like we said, luis, he'll receive 15 first place votes to Colton Cousers 13 and Colton Couser received more second and third place votes than Louise. He'll obviously the first place vote matters more though, Luis. He wins by five points.
[00:10:20] Speaker B: Goodness.
[00:10:21] Speaker C: On the award show they had like they had Cal Ripken announcing it and he came out and I was like, oh my cow is going to win it.
[00:10:28] Speaker A: That would have been funny. But obviously we talked last week like you just brought it up, Davis. I mean we talked last week about how we thought Austin Wells would do so well in the voting and he only. He didn't receive a single first place vote. He only received a three second place votes and eight third place votes. He didn't finish third in the voting itself but I mean Mason Miller and Kade Smith received first place votes and Austin Wells didn't receive a single one, which I think is crazy. I think Austin Wells had no rookie season to scoff at for sure. I think he had a good year. But honestly I'm not surprised that Kauser finished so far ahead of him. I think that he just had a better season than Austin Wells and especially comparing the two of them as hitters.
[00:11:07] Speaker C: Yeah, Wells just had a brutal month of September. Offensively killed his numbers.
[00:11:12] Speaker A: Yeah, he was. I mean I think at one point in the beginning of September or at the end of August, he maybe even was number one in odds voting over heel at that point because his August was really good and he'll had been a little shaky towards that stretch.
[00:11:27] Speaker C: He went into September like almost an.800 OPS. Like barely finish a season with above a.700 OPS.
[00:11:33] Speaker A: I know.
But he'll obviously heal out a great season, especially early on. He was just absolutely dominating. So good to see. I mean it is cool to see two pitchers win the award.
[00:11:44] Speaker C: Yeah, he was like the best pitcher in the AL for the first two months.
[00:11:47] Speaker A: I know. I mean that was. That was crazy thinking about the Yankees with their super high expectations and thinking about their reigning Cy Young winner is out to start the season for who.
[00:11:58] Speaker C: Knows how long, come back to like mid June.
[00:12:01] Speaker A: I know.
[00:12:02] Speaker C: And the rotation is worse about him or with him back.
[00:12:05] Speaker A: Exactly. That was like. That was the main concern is that who's going to replace Cola in the rotation and then he'll comes in and was just a bona fide ace for the entire time that Cole wasn't playing. And then Cole came back and pitched like a 4 ERA in his first couple starts. He settled in obviously in the. I mean, obviously we talked about it a lot during the season, but the Yankees rotation was just like a roller coaster with. With guys getting injured and then guys going on stretches where they would just not pitch well. Yeah, but obviously, I mean they, they made it to the World Series.
[00:12:38] Speaker C: But AL is just so bad.
[00:12:40] Speaker A: I know, but so, I mean. Yeah, that's the Rookie of the year voting for you guys. Obviously we got Cy Young and MVP and Manager of the Year still left to come. We talked briefly about it last time. I mean, I don't think any of our predictions have changed. I don't think any of us is going to say other than Scuba and Sale for the Cy Young and. And Ohtani and judge for the mvp. I think it should. I think all four of those could be unanimous.
[00:13:03] Speaker B: Honestly, I think they should be so cut and dry.
[00:13:07] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:13:07] Speaker B: You can be like, oh, but this guy had a good season. Yeah, but this guy also did something that's never been done before.
[00:13:11] Speaker A: Yeah, I 100% agree. I don't think there's a way that can win the Triple Crown and not receive every first place vote. I mean what other pitching stat is there to look at to vote for besides those three and among other ones that those guys also led in? I wonder. I think me and my brother looked this up. I forget when it was, but it's going to be interesting to see. The last time two left handed pitchers won the Cy Young in the same season is a pretty cool and interesting statistic.
[00:13:35] Speaker B: Did a lefty win at any time in the AL from 1999 to 2000?
[00:13:40] Speaker A: Yeah, it was. I think it was sometime when or when Randy, Randy Johnson had won. Yeah. Or maybe sometime in the mid 2000s some other.
[00:13:48] Speaker B: Kershaw won one of his three, so.
[00:13:52] Speaker A: But that's interesting for sure. And then obviously in the MVP race, I don't think it should be close either. Obviously the second place winners are going to be probably Bobby Witt Jr. And Lindor and both of those guys obviously we just talked about. They made their respective first and second team for their position and they had unbelievable years. But I mean just the historic seasons obviously Ohtani's 5050 Judge slug 700 for a whole season. I mean honestly, like I'm a Mets fan but I would be upset if Lindor even received a first place vote just because Ohtani sees it was so good. I understand that like Lindor plays defense and Ohtani didn't and Lindor plays exceptional defense at that. But I mean there's no amount of defense can make up for Ohtani's just incredible play at the plate. There's no doubt he should win that award, I guess. Is that not the first designated Henry to win the award then?
[00:14:42] Speaker B: It is.
[00:14:42] Speaker A: Yes, that's what I thought. So I mean what a way to win it. 50 50. Just unbelievable. Who's to say, like who's to doubt that he'll even do it again next year? I mean he's, I mean Ohtani is just crazy. We could talk about Ohtani for the.
[00:14:55] Speaker C: Whole show and are we pitching next year?
[00:14:57] Speaker A: Yeah, no kidding. I mean who's to say how we'll come back pitching but I mean it doesn't even matter when his team wins the World Series and he's not pitching. And they have Glasnow and Bueller and oh my goodness and they're going to sign Max Free and I mean who knows what's going to happen with that team next year. I'm already missing baseball trying to start predictions of who's going to win and who's going to do well next year.
[00:15:21] Speaker B: I think speaking of predictions, the next time like when we get back from our next break, I'm looking at this 20, 25 hall of Fame ballot and I'm seeing 35 hall of Very Good Players and like four that should absolutely be in. And I'm trying to keep track of it. So I'm literally baseball referencing every single person on this list and screenshotting who I think should get in. And it's gonna really hurt some people's feelings.
[00:15:44] Speaker C: Cece and E. Trio should be first ballot.
[00:15:47] Speaker A: Yeah. They're the headliners of the class.
[00:15:50] Speaker B: Somebody could argue. Somebody should. Billy Wagner, he's the only left handed reliever to ever get 400 saves.
[00:15:55] Speaker C: He'd like 73% of the votes last year.
[00:15:58] Speaker B: K Rod. K Rod should get in because K Rod, first of all, most saves in a single season, 62 in 2008 for the Angels. He has 447 career saves.
[00:16:12] Speaker A: Yeah, I think. I think now might be a good time to go to break. Obviously we can unpack this a lot during the next segment. Obviously, there's. There's a lot of new faces on the ballot that I want to get to. Like you said, Tyler, I'm just kind of going through everyone's stats, trying to figure out who should make it because obviously the hall of Fame and mlb.
[00:16:28] Speaker B: A lot of like, oh, these guys had a good five, six years, but they didn't keep it up.
[00:16:32] Speaker A: Exactly. That's a lot of guys who make the ballot end up being like that. But the MLB hall of Fame is just so much more.
[00:16:39] Speaker B: It's the hardest hall of Fame to get into.
[00:16:40] Speaker A: Oh, 100%. It's so much harder than any other sport. Obviously I think all of these guys can make it if it was any other sports hall of Fame.
[00:16:48] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:16:49] Speaker A: But I mean, mlb, I think it just means more. So we'll get into that in about maybe five minutes here on student section MLB.
[00:17:08] Speaker B: This show is a sports production of.
[00:17:10] Speaker A: WVUAFM 90.7 the Capstone, a division of student media at the University of Alabama. Support us by leaving a review rating or following us on X at WVUAFMSports.
And welcome back, everybody to Student Section MLB. Here on November 18th, we're going to talk about the hall of Fame. The hall of Fame ballots just came out.
[00:17:41] Speaker B: Today is the hardest to get into the hall of Fame.
[00:17:44] Speaker A: No doubt about that. At least this gives us something to talk about instead of predicting the same guys to go to free agency, which will probably be the third segment anyway. But at least we got something for the second segment for you guys.
A lot of newcomers on the Ballot this year. I'm just going to go through this tweet from mlb. We got Carlos Gonzalez, Curtis Granderson, Felix Hernandez, Adam Jones, Ian Kinsler, Russell Martin, Brian McCann, Dustin Pedroia, Hanley Ramirez, Fernando Rodney, Troy Tolowitzki, Ben Zobrist, and the two headlines of the 2025 ballot class, I guess, Cece Sabathia and Ichiro. So those are the newcomers. And then just briefly, the guys who are returning to the ballot are Bobby Brayu, Beltron, Mark Burley, Tori Hunter, Andrew Jones, Andy Pettit, Manny Ramirez, A Rod, K Rod, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Omar, Vin Fiskel, Billy Wagner, and the captain, David Wright.
Those are the guys who are returning from previous years to the ballot. And obviously a lot of newcomers like we talked about. What are you guys initial thoughts on anyone, really? Newcomers, old faces who should make the whole thing?
[00:18:54] Speaker B: None of these players I look at and I go, they were the best at what they did for a X number of years. Mark Burley was the best at throwing. At throwing complete games very fast. Yeah, y'all look at up. What is it? Baseball doesn't exist. Or is it baseball?
[00:19:11] Speaker A: That's one of my favorite baseball videos. I've watched all of them. I think that might be my favorite.
[00:19:16] Speaker B: He threw a perfect game and then got a saving the World Series once. World Series champion. Bobby Abreu is borderline. Hanley Ramirez, borderline. Carlos Beltran. No. Manny Ramirez should make it, buddy. Juiced. Fernando Rodney. No. Mark Burley. Barely even in the hall of. Good. It's just. He's just there. Cargo. No, he played 11 years in Colorado. If he played in Atlanta, he'd have 12 home runs a season. Start me with that K Rod. K Rod and A Rod both should make it.
[00:19:46] Speaker C: Both.
[00:19:46] Speaker B: I get it. A Rod juiced.
[00:19:48] Speaker C: A Rod's never getting in.
[00:19:50] Speaker B: He's not. I know.
[00:19:52] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:19:53] Speaker A: I don't know how many years he has left, but then why not?
[00:19:55] Speaker B: Then why not K Rod?
[00:19:57] Speaker A: Well, that. Yeah, I think Francis.
[00:19:59] Speaker B: 62 saves in a season, 447 career saves. He was. He came top five in Cy Young voting, I think four times as a reliever.
[00:20:07] Speaker A: The MLB is just so weird with relievers and winning awards. The Cy Young is a weird award for relievers. And I mean, the hall of Fame, there's not many relievers in the Hall. And we. We talked about Billy Wagner. I mean, Billy Wagner should totally be in the Hall. It's his last season. He's been on the ballot for however long. I forget how long he's the best. 10 years. So this is his 10th year on the ballot. He's been on the ballot for nine years, and he hasn't made the hole he had. He was one. He's one of the best relief pitchers of all time.
[00:20:34] Speaker B: Over. Let me look at this. How many innings.
[00:20:36] Speaker A: I mean, they just don't want relievers.903.
[00:20:39] Speaker B: Innings over his career with a 231 ERA. Granted, 23 is stupendous for starting pitchers. Relievers have to be even more careful with it because those ERA numbers can skyrocket because you come in for one inning, give up a run, and your ERA shoots to nine. And he had a 2 3. Over his career, he led the. He had 703 finished games, 422 saves.
He gave up 82 home runs in 903 innings.
And you're going to tell me he doesn't deserve. Yeah, he was fourth in Cy Young voting in 99, six in 2006. A Braves legend. His very last season. Yeah, his very last season before he retired, he decided to come in and.
[00:21:24] Speaker A: He pitched to a.1 of 4.
[00:21:26] Speaker B: A 1, 38, 37 saves in almost 70 innings.
Yes.
[00:21:32] Speaker C: In his last season.
[00:21:34] Speaker A: Whoa.
[00:21:35] Speaker B: I mean, you cannot look me in the eyes and tell me Billy Wagner doesn't deserve.
[00:21:39] Speaker A: Yeah, I don't. I think that there's no way he's. He's not one of the greatest relief pitchers of all time. And I mean, I. I think that relief pitchers deserve it just as much as anyone else. I mean, yeah, they don't play as much, but they are just as impactful to the team as any other position. And Billy Wagner is easily. Easily top 10 in what he's. What he did.
[00:21:59] Speaker B: I mean, like, Class A. Class A could be like the. One of the worst postseason pitchers of all time if he has seven, eight more seasons like he did this year, or if he just continues on his career pace right now, he's gonna. He's gonna pass Lee Smith, Billy Wagner and K Rod in saves over his career. The only people above him are gonna be what? That. The only people above him are gonna be Craig Kimbrel, Mariano Hoffman and Kenley Jensen.
[00:22:27] Speaker A: Yeah, Kenley. Right.
[00:22:27] Speaker B: Which, by the way, Craig Kimbrell and Kenley Jansen should both be in the hall of Fame.
Kinley should probably be first.
[00:22:34] Speaker A: Yeah, I think that obviously they won't be eligible for a long time, but I think that anyone who has that many saves and is that good for that long at what they do and shutting down games in the ninth inning. I mean, I just think that that is. That's so important for the game. I mean, I don't know why MLB doesn't think so.
[00:22:51] Speaker B: Maybe all those guys are Braves legends, by the way.
[00:22:53] Speaker A: Yeah, that's true.
[00:22:54] Speaker B: Craig Kim, by the way. I didn't realize this. Craig Kimbrell and Kenley Jansen both got their 400th career save in the same season. Both against the Braves within a month of each other.
[00:23:03] Speaker A: Whoa. Well, two unfortunate losses for you, I guess.
[00:23:06] Speaker B: I don't care. It was fun. Love those guys.
[00:23:08] Speaker A: But I think that. Yeah, and I think that K Rod is not too far behind Billy Wagner in terms of pretty much probably any counting stat. So I think that. I don't see why both of them wouldn't make it. Like you just said, Tyler, about the Braves. Both those guys are Mets legends.
So I think that. I just don't think there's any reason for them not to make it. I would be. I would be really frustrated if Billy Wagner falls off the ballot. I think obviously Kate, Rod has eligibility left after this year, I think. But I don't think. I think if Billy Wagner doesn't make it, I don't think there's any way that K Rod does which would stink.
[00:23:38] Speaker B: That would be. That's just. You have to change the voting.
[00:23:41] Speaker A: I think so. Yeah.
[00:23:43] Speaker B: That's just dumb.
[00:23:44] Speaker A: It would. It would just be really frustrating.
[00:23:45] Speaker B: It's going to be the same people that are like, well, Ichiro was only good from 2001, 2010 and then after that he kind of fell off. Ichiro joined the MLB in 2001. He didn't hit less than 175 hits in a season until 2013.
He won the Rookie of the Year in the MVP. In the same season he broke the record for most hits in a season all time. 262. In 2004 he won 10 straight Gold Gloves from the time that he joined the MLB to the time that he. To 2010. All of his years that he played a full season with the Mariners minus 2011 and if you included all of his professional hits, he would be the all time leader in hits.
[00:24:32] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:24:32] Speaker B: He joined the MLB at 28 and still reached almost 3,100 hits each year of the legend. Ichiro should be a true is not a first ballot hall of Famer. I'm unfollowing every hall of Fame baseball account. I'm. I'm filing a lawsuit. I don't know. I don't even know how to. That would just be dumb.
[00:24:49] Speaker C: Each year on CC should definitely be first battle.
[00:24:51] Speaker B: Should Be first.
[00:24:52] Speaker A: Incredibly, incredibly easy decisions.
[00:24:54] Speaker B: Like, why is Tulawitzky and Utley. There's.
[00:24:57] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:24:58] Speaker B: Tulo is injury.
[00:24:59] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:24:59] Speaker B: Like, he had good. Even if he had a full career on his pace, he wouldn't have made it. Utley had a good. He had a good, like, 2007-20, like, 13. And then he almost killed somebody.
[00:25:10] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:25:10] Speaker B: Yeah.
That's not funny. I'm not laughing at that. But, no, that's not. He's not worthy of it. David Wright, hall of Very Good. Yeah, hall of Very good. David Wright's a great player. Andy Pettit. 256 career wins.
[00:25:24] Speaker C: But he did steroids.
[00:25:26] Speaker B: He did.
He did. But he was so good for so long.
[00:25:30] Speaker A: Yeah. But the hall of Fame. Hall of Fame does need to kind of clarify or at least kind of state kind of what their distinction is in terms of steroids or scandals for being in the hall of Fame. Because, I mean, obviously Bonds isn't in the hall of Fame, but obviously. Also, Bonds never technically failed a drug test. It was never confirmed if he did steroids.
[00:25:49] Speaker B: The things that he was on to help with an injury were completely legal up until 2006, a year before he retired. He then said in an open statement to the press that he never talked to. I will stop taking it now that it is illegal.
[00:26:03] Speaker A: Yeah, that is.
[00:26:04] Speaker B: Oh, I can't say that on air. That's crap. That's crap. He should be in the hall of Fame.
[00:26:08] Speaker A: I think that, yeah, they definitely need to come up with some sort of just, like, basis of how they do it or at least some sort of consistency. I think they have been fairly consistent, but it does suck. I think that a Rod should make the hall of Fame. I don't think think that we should punish players for taking steroids for making the hall of Fame. I think that suspending them is perfectly fine, but I think that they should be eligible to make the whole. I think it should count against them to some extent. But, I mean, a Rod had such a good career, like, way better than anyone else. Regardless of steroids, there's gonna be haters on every ballot.
[00:26:42] Speaker B: There's only one ever.
[00:26:43] Speaker A: Unan.
[00:26:44] Speaker B: There's only ever been one unanimous, and it's Mo. Yeah, everyone can agree on that. But let's look back on some hall of Fame players that weren't unanimous. Willie Mays, Babe Ruth, Lou Garry, Jeter. Oh, we did Jeter. Joe Maurer.
[00:27:00] Speaker A: Like, some of the greatest players of all time.
[00:27:02] Speaker B: Yes. Like, you can make a team of literally, like, the most WAR accumulated at A position of any player ever, including bench, a whole starting five and eight relievers. And only one of those people would. I don't even think there's eight relievers in the hall of Fame.
[00:27:19] Speaker A: No, there are eight. I actually just looked it up. I was gonna say there are eight in the Hall.
[00:27:22] Speaker B: Goose Raleigh Fingers.
[00:27:24] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:27:24] Speaker B: Ek Mo. Trevor Hoffman. Lee Smith.
Who am I missing?
[00:27:32] Speaker A: Bruce Sutter.
[00:27:34] Speaker B: Bruce Suter. Yeah. Braves legend Holt Wilhelm.
[00:27:37] Speaker A: But also he started for some of his. So today a lot of the older relievers were starters anyway, because. But that also contributes to part of why they made.
[00:27:47] Speaker B: And there's going to be more in the future like we just talked about. Kenley Jansen and Craig Kimbrell should be first ballot. Even with Craig Kimbrel's bad years.
[00:27:54] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:27:55] Speaker B: Just unstoppable when he was on. Same for Kenley Jansen. Klaas is on pace. Billy Wagner should make it. K Rod should make it. When you think of some of the best relievers from the early 90s to mid 2000, you're thinking Billy Wagner, K Rod, Mo.
[00:28:10] Speaker A: 100%.
[00:28:11] Speaker B: And only one of those guys are in the hall of Fame. Billy Wagner should have been in a decade ago.
[00:28:16] Speaker C: Oh, yeah.
[00:28:17] Speaker B: I'm so mad. This is pissing me off talking about it. Because baseball.
[00:28:21] Speaker A: I get it.
[00:28:21] Speaker B: If the Baseball hall of Fame is hard to get into because to stay consistent for so long shows that you're a great.
No one is going to be performing at 26 like they. No one's going to be performing at 40 like they're going to be at 26. Ichiro came in and dominated the league for a decade, already having seven years taken off of his MLB eligibility because of being in the Japan Baseball League. And he's not going to get unanimous votes because it's like, oh, well. But he only had. He only had 184 hits after his streak of two. He had 10 straight seasons with 200 or more hits.
[00:28:57] Speaker C: That's why he should.
[00:28:59] Speaker B: Oh, man, this is going to make me so mad.
[00:29:01] Speaker A: I think that it is. It is frustrating. I think that there is a good chance. I mean, he got pretty close last year. Now, Billy Wagner.
[00:29:09] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:29:09] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:29:09] Speaker C: He had like three and a half.
[00:29:10] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:29:11] Speaker B: What do you have to have?
[00:29:12] Speaker A: I forget what you need.
[00:29:13] Speaker C: You need 75.
[00:29:14] Speaker A: Okay. That's what I thought. Yeah. So I think there's a really good chance he makes it. It just would be so disheartening to see him not make it. In terms of the newcomer specifically, obviously, we talked about the two headliners there's no way those guys aren't first ballot. But other than that, Omar Viscale, I just don't know if anyone else. Well, Omar Viskel is on returning, I think.
[00:29:32] Speaker B: Oh, well, yeah.
[00:29:33] Speaker C: Felix Hernandez's borderline.
[00:29:35] Speaker A: I don't think any of these guys. That's the only thing I was going to say is that none of these guys really move me much. Except King Felix, I think has a chance. Definitely not first ballot, but I think he could have a chance. We'll have to see how they vote this year.
[00:29:49] Speaker B: 2009 to 2010, he was really good.
[00:29:51] Speaker A: He had one of the best like four year peaks ever. But obviously a lot of these guys had really good four year stretches. Like we talked about, like a lot of these guys had really, really good like couple years. But obviously like we said, the hall of Fame is about having a Hall of Fame career, not a hall of fame four years.
[00:30:07] Speaker B: Felix Hernandez was good from 2009 to 2014. He still played 2015 to 2019 and 2005 to 2008. Those years weren't that good.
[00:30:16] Speaker A: Exactly.
[00:30:16] Speaker C: He finished like 2400 career strikeouts though, didn't he?
[00:30:19] Speaker A: Yeah, he finished.
[00:30:20] Speaker B: He finished with A. He was 169 and 136 with a 3, 4 era. 34 is borderline, like viable hall of Fame pitcher.
[00:30:28] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:30:28] Speaker C: At the last perfect game. Until Domingo Hermon.
[00:30:31] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, it's true.
[00:30:32] Speaker B: There were three in 2012, by the way.
[00:30:35] Speaker A: That is insane to think about too. His was the coolest. His was the coolest.
[00:30:39] Speaker B: The call. The call is what made it perfect. Games are always. I mean, same thing for Mark Burley. Mark Burley was an innings eater. He pitched games really quick and oh, he, he threw that perfect game that one time.
[00:30:49] Speaker A: Right.
[00:30:49] Speaker B: Only because of one of the greatest catches in center field ever after defensive substitution.
[00:30:55] Speaker A: Yeah, that's such a crazy. That is such a crazy game. I was actually watching the inning of that game the other day. I think that's a really cool game. I do like Marc Burley a lot, but I just. Hall of Fame like we talked about, just the criteria to make. This is so difficult. And one thing I wanted to say too is one of the other names on this list that jumps out to me as like a decent opportunity is Dustin Pedroia. But he was just injured too many seasons. I think that I said this in the break, but I think that if Dustin Pedroia makes it, then David Wright has to make it because I think they've had similar careers. I mean like great defense, solid bat, like great just like, overall, like team leadership and I mean, great player, but I mean, just injured. So like, just way too many times to actually have a true hall of Fame career. I think that if injuries weren't the case, David Wright would be a first ballot hall of Famer. And I think that you can make the same case for Pedro as well. But if, I don't know, if Manny.
[00:31:47] Speaker C: Machado didn't cut Pedroia's career short, he would have won it. Yeah, I mean, made it.
[00:31:52] Speaker A: I think that, like, we'll see how the first wave of voting goes. Like, what the voters think in terms of maybe things can change in the next couple years. But really, out of all the other newcomers, like, I don't know if I see any of these guys. Obviously, I'm not saying any of these guys are bad players. They're nominated for a reason, but I just don't know if any of these guys really stand out as hall of Famers.
[00:32:11] Speaker B: Well, that's just it. You say they're nominated for a reason. I'm looking at this like Ben Zobrist. Yeah, don't. I forgot. I didn't even real. He's one of the most forgettable World Series MVPs. Yeah, he's one of the most forgettable players. I mean, it's like, it's like Chris Bryant. You're gonna hear. You're gonna hear the name Chris Bryant in a decade. People are gonna be like, who? And you're gonna think, oh, my God, he won Rookie of the Year and then MVP the next season.
[00:32:34] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:32:34] Speaker B: Had the greatest, like two season stretch and won a World Series with a Cubs team that had a lot of superstars that have kind of fallen off. Who'd they have? Didn't they also have Jorge Solaire?
[00:32:46] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:32:48] Speaker B: Yeah, they had Schwarber, Javi Baez, Rizzo.
[00:32:52] Speaker A: Obviously Rizzo was on Chapman.
[00:32:54] Speaker B: Yeah, that's another one. Chapman. Oh, goodness. I don't know.
[00:32:59] Speaker A: Hold on. That's a. That's a closer one than you think. Also, I was gonna say it's funny that you brought up that name. Tyler. And Chris Bryant, I saw like a thing earlier that he's being investigated for some sort of like, car stealing.
Four time all star Chris Bryant's Lamborghini recovered.
Yeah. So there was some sort of car theft thing going on that somehow Chris Bryant was involved in. I saw that earlier. It's not really news, but that is funny. And that now that you brought it up, I might as well say I think that's pretty fun. Yeah, he got his Lamborghini stolen.
[00:33:31] Speaker B: I'm looking at this. Okay. Yeah. Araldis Chapman has almost 1300 career strikeouts in only 760 innings. He's averaging almost two strikeouts an inning with over 330 saves and has a career 2, 63 ERA.
[00:33:51] Speaker A: Yep.
[00:33:52] Speaker B: He. He is on pace how.
[00:33:53] Speaker A: I think he's one of the hardest throw if not the hardest thrower at. He has the hardest thrown pitch ever.
[00:34:00] Speaker B: Well, no, Ben Joyce broke that.
[00:34:01] Speaker A: Oh, that's true.
[00:34:02] Speaker B: Ben Joyce broke that. But NOLAN Ryan threw 109. No, he didn't.
[00:34:07] Speaker A: Shut up.
[00:34:09] Speaker B: He might have thrown 101. He threw a no hitter. Yeah. And he walked 35 guys combined in those seven no hitters.
[00:34:15] Speaker A: I'm a Nolan Ryan enjoyer. I don't. I will not stand.
[00:34:19] Speaker B: He's not a top three pitcher all time.
[00:34:22] Speaker A: I mean yeah, there. There are better pitchers.
[00:34:24] Speaker B: It's Randy Johnson, Bob Gibson and Pedro Martinez. That for that four year span.
[00:34:28] Speaker A: Yeah. That's a very valid list actually. I think that.
I know what were you saying? Oh, but about Chapman.
[00:34:36] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:34:37] Speaker A: Getting off topic with random stuff. I think that Chapman has a good case for when he's already second all.
[00:34:42] Speaker B: Time for most saves by a left handed pitcher in general. Only behind Billy Wagner, who isn't in the hall of Fame. I've got to stop.
[00:34:50] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:34:50] Speaker B: Messed up.
[00:34:51] Speaker A: I think that Chapman dialed up 105 this past season and he's like 36. Yeah. I think that it's ridiculous. Like he has been very good in his career. I think that he'll have a good chance to make it.
[00:35:03] Speaker B: I just thought about something. I think Chapman has the hardest pitch thrown. Ben Joyce has the hardest strike thrown.
[00:35:08] Speaker A: That's what it is.
[00:35:09] Speaker B: They're a 105 strike. Chapman threw a 105.9 fastball at McCutchen's face in 2012.
[00:35:17] Speaker A: I think you're correct in that because I remember that Joyce had a record for something but it wasn't the hardest thrown pitch just in general. But yeah, I mean Chapman Almost dial up 106.
[00:35:27] Speaker B: I think an adrenaline pump. Ben Joyce has a chance to break that.
[00:35:30] Speaker A: Oh, 100%. I think it could get broken.
[00:35:32] Speaker B: He's young. I think if he develops man, the Angels could see another. Another K Rod. I think Ben Joyce should. I mean we got Jimmy Hergett from the Angels. I think the Braves are known for just signing nobodies and turning them into monsters. Reynaldo Lopez hadn't even heard the name up until this year and he had a 2:1 era.
[00:35:49] Speaker A: It's true. But in terms of hall of Fame, I guess one last thing before break. I mean, what do you guys think in terms of thinking ahead towards the future? Like, who are some guys maybe who are going to be eligible soon or even within the next five years that you think are going to make the haul or maybe should? Aside from the obvious guys we talked in the break about, Miggy and Pujols are just so obvious. First ballot could be unanimous hall of.
[00:36:12] Speaker B: Famers if Kershaw retires. Kershaw. Kershaw, Verlander, Scherzer.
Not degrom.
[00:36:19] Speaker A: No, I mean, degrom is just injured too much.
[00:36:21] Speaker B: He needs to come back and have like a. Have like a Randy Johnson where it's like, man, he's 42 and he just threw a perfect game. Something like that. No, Verlander, Kershaw, Miggy, Pool hosts, Scherzer. Are all the five, like, pretty straightforward? We just talked. Kenley Jansen, Craig Kimbrell, Altuve is going to get in.
[00:36:40] Speaker A: Altuve should be in.
[00:36:41] Speaker B: It should be in.
[00:36:42] Speaker A: I think that one, one guy that we haven't said yet that I think should be in. But I swear I have read articles or, well, not articles, but I guess like threads that have talked about this guy not making the hole. Mike Trout. Why shouldn't Mike Trout make the whole thing?
[00:36:56] Speaker B: I don't care how injured he is.
[00:36:57] Speaker A: I know the injuries are killer, but I know, I mean, he had a lot of seasons like before recently where he was playing full seasons and he was the best player in baseball.
[00:37:07] Speaker B: There was a straight time I looked at this because I was talking with my grandfather about it. 11 years. In an 11 year SP, he finished top five in MVP voting 10 times, finished top two eight times, and won it three times.
If he can just come back and DH, he's going to hit 500 career home runs if all he has to do is sit there and swing a bat like, oh, but his stolen bases aren't going to go up. He doesn't have to if it goes over the fence.
[00:37:34] Speaker A: Yeah, he plays.
[00:37:35] Speaker C: He's a bastard. Or one of the best hitters.
[00:37:37] Speaker A: Even like this.
[00:37:38] Speaker B: He was on pace for like 70 home runs this year.
[00:37:40] Speaker A: Yeah, I was going to say even this season he played like a month and he was on fire.
[00:37:44] Speaker B: He had the first home run of the 2024 season. Yeah, the home run race through the first month was Ozuna and Trout. That just gave me a headache saying it out loud.
[00:37:53] Speaker A: I think that. I think Trout should be first ballot and one other name. I, I think that stands out to me, I think already if he retired today, Freddie Freeman would be a Hall of Famer. I think yes.
Mvp, World Series, two time World Series.
[00:38:07] Speaker B: You can say he was. Oh, but 2020 was a shortened year. I mean, I don't think Jose Bray would have held it up. Freddie Freeman's one of those players where it's like if they played a full season, he would have just held that pace and just would have won MVP. World Series MVP. He's going to reach 3,000 hits before the end of his career. He's a doubles machine.
Great guy.
[00:38:28] Speaker C: Chris Bryant got a higher contract than Freddie Freeman. Just without thinking, which is ridiculous. First baseman are so underpinned.
[00:38:36] Speaker A: I think there's a lot of guys right now who are playing who we can make cases for that by the end of their career sort of thing. Oh yeah, there's a lot of guys to watch out for. But in terms of just guys like those guys could retire today. They'll probably all retire soon and they'll just definitely make the whole. It's interesting to think towards the future, I think, but I think that that's a good place to stop for our hall of Fame segment. We got a short break for you guys and we'll get another short segment, another recap of if anything has changed in terms of where we think free agents will go. It's a lot to talk about. I guess we'll try to bring up some names maybe we haven't talked about before on our next segment here on Student Section mlb, wvuafm Tuscaloosa.
And welcome back once again, everybody to Student section mlb here for our shorter final second. Like we talked about before the break, just maybe some free agency talk. Once again, what's happened in the past week. Not a whole lot, but I mean some other names, maybe some meanings that we could talk about. Obviously the big one that we always like to start with is Juan Soto. Juan Soto has met with a couple teams to start. There is an official offer, according to this article, that the Mets offered Juan Soto $660 million as their first offer to Juan Soto that has been reported yesterday.
I think that that is a good offer. Honestly. He might get. He might end up getting more than that. He might get outbid it for 660 million, which is ridiculous.
[00:40:21] Speaker C: I could see him beat Shohei. Honestly.
[00:40:23] Speaker A: I mean, honestly, I wouldn't be super. I think it would be close, but.
[00:40:27] Speaker B: I don't think he's going to beat Shohei because Shohei has the pitching aspect.
[00:40:31] Speaker A: Yeah, I mean, I think so too obviously not this year, but next year.
[00:40:36] Speaker C: It'S on his side. Boris wants that contract.
[00:40:39] Speaker B: Yeah. Soto is going to sign for 12 million with Boris as his agent.
[00:40:43] Speaker A: Yeah. I mean one Soto is going to get like a 12, 13, 14 year contract is ridiculous. It's going to be really interesting to just see the numbers on whatever contract he does land. I do think that he still will sign with the Yankees, but I. The more and more I think about it, like I do think there is more of a chance he will sign with the Mets, which would be awesome for me, don't get me wrong. But I mean, I think it's between those two New York teams. Obviously as soon as the Dodgers won the World Series, people were like, oh well, is he going to. No, I don't think there's any way he signs with the Dodgers. I just don't think there's any way whatsoever.
Although that would just be ridiculous and dumb and I would hate it.
But I think that, I mean everything else about one so does the same. We won't even know until even the first show we get back. I don't think we'll know about Juan Soto, but it's hard to tell.
[00:41:33] Speaker C: I could see him signing by the winter meetings or at the winter meetings.
[00:41:37] Speaker A: I think he could. But I mean it's just hard to tell with last year with how many guys held out. Like all the top guys were holding out and especially at Boris, clients were just holding out. So I think that that is an interesting thing to know.
[00:41:51] Speaker B: Speaking of which, I don't mean to interject.
[00:41:52] Speaker A: No, I was actually gonna ask you if you wanted to.
[00:41:54] Speaker B: Well, I was gonna say, do we have one more show? Because I don't want. Because I want. If something happens like over Thanksgiving break, I want to be able to cover it.
[00:42:00] Speaker A: I think the dead week show is optional and I would be more than happy to do it, especially if you're not looking for that option. Yeah. So we'll have to find out about that, guys.
Hopefully we do get one more show.
[00:42:10] Speaker B: We'll have to stay on. Well, I'm literally gonna have to write in my notes the big things that happen over Christmas break because it's gonna be another four or five week Spanish, a prime off season.
[00:42:21] Speaker A: We're gonna have to like have three recap shows just to get up to date and then we're gonna have more shows where nothing happens.
[00:42:27] Speaker B: I'm gonna be talking really fast and I apologize a month and a half in advance, but I think that.
[00:42:33] Speaker A: Oh, I just got a headline from mlb actually.
As Juan Soto continues to meet with clubs including a potential mystery team, could a decision come before winter meetings? I mean, I guess they're listening to us or something. He met with Toronto and the Red Sox apparently.
[00:42:49] Speaker C: Yeah, I did. Three hour meeting of the.
[00:42:51] Speaker A: He's just meeting with literally every team.
[00:42:53] Speaker C: He met the Yankees today. So I'm really read how that went.
[00:42:56] Speaker B: But I think that everyone's focused on Juan Soto. I mean like we still got Roki and I know and Alonzo and Corbin Burns.
[00:43:03] Speaker C: Yeah, I feel like Soto is gonna be the first domino to fall. Then everyone's gonna sign after that.
He's gonna sell that.
[00:43:10] Speaker B: They're trading Judge, they're selling.
[00:43:12] Speaker A: I think that, I mean there's some interesting trade stuff to look at as well in free agency. Obviously, like trades in the offseason are really interesting to look at as well. And I think that we can see some cool stuff with that as well. I think that I have this article from mlb. I guess these are some guys that maybe we haven't talked about as much that we could talk about just right before we go off air. It's called five free agents. You might be er. Who might be better than you think.
Obviously I don't think we've really talked much about any of these guys. So just some insight on where we think these guys are going. The first one here we have talked about a little bit as Shane Bieber. I've said I would love for Shane Bieber to sign with the Mets.
[00:43:47] Speaker B: There's a lot of pick pitching options that I'm excited for. I know we lose Freed.
I mean we have, we have the sixth highest available payroll. Maybe we can throw something at Corbin Burns. Do something like what we did with Chris Sale. We just, just a career upsurge from Sale and Corbin Burns in back to back years. That'd make me so happy.
[00:44:06] Speaker A: I think that Shane Bieber is a huge target, especially because the injury definitely limits who's to talk to him or what kind of contract he's looking at. But I don't see any reason why he won't bounce back from his injury. And I think that he'll have a great year next year.
[00:44:20] Speaker B: It's weird that you can look at Shane Bieber and be like, oh my God, he won the pitching triple crown.
[00:44:24] Speaker A: Yeah, exactly.
[00:44:25] Speaker B: In 2020. I'm not really counting it. But yeah, he won the Cy Young. If he can have. I mean obviously if he had a full season like his first two starts, then he finishes with a zero era.
But Obviously that's impossible.
[00:44:38] Speaker A: I'm trying to think of initial predictions for Shane Bieber, but honestly, I really do think that the Mets are a perfect fit for him. Outside of the fact that I love him as a player and I want him there, I think that he'd be a good fit there. They're losing Maniah probably. If they don't resign Maniah, they could bring in Bieber, who would be a lot cheaper than a Corbin Burns option. If they sign Juan Soto, I think that Bieber would be a good second signing alongside that, especially if they also lose Alonzo or something like that.
[00:45:03] Speaker B: Yeah, that's what I was thinking is that y'all aren't going to get Burns and Soto.
[00:45:07] Speaker A: No way.
[00:45:07] Speaker B: If you get one, you're not getting the other.
[00:45:10] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:45:10] Speaker B: So it's more focused on like, can you're hitting back up your pitching or does your pitching need to back up your hitting?
[00:45:16] Speaker A: Yep.
[00:45:16] Speaker B: And that's what you need to focus on because the Braves right now, like if we had a season like we did in 2023, we're the best hitting team ever.
[00:45:23] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:45:24] Speaker B: I'm not saying that biasly. Look up the stats. We literally had the best team season ever.
[00:45:30] Speaker C: Like four guys with 35 home runs or something like that.
[00:45:33] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:45:34] Speaker B: We had six guys with 35 home runs. We had three with 40 plus.
[00:45:39] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:45:40] Speaker B: And we tied the record for most home runs ever hitting a single season by a team.
[00:45:44] Speaker A: Yep.
[00:45:45] Speaker B: We just couldn't perform in the playoffs. That's besides the point. I'm over it. Not really.
[00:45:50] Speaker A: No. Joe, maybe you got time. Here's one more name. Obviously we don't have time to get all through all five of these, but we got one hitter to talk about because we just talked about a pitcher. One that's interesting that I don't think we talked about at all. That's on here, which is very interesting. One is Tyler O'Neal. Tyler O'Neal had a really great season. This here. I think that he's a good candidate to, I mean, obviously help bolster any outfield. First team that I just thought of was Seattle. I think that Seattle targeted Randy Rose Rain at the deadline. Their offense sucks. I think that they could use outfield help especially.
So why not Tyler O'Neal?
[00:46:19] Speaker B: I could see that.
[00:46:20] Speaker C: I see him just going back the Red Sox.
[00:46:22] Speaker A: That's true. I think especially the Red Sox are going to look to make other moves as well. I think the Red Sox are actually like one of the top targets for Burns right now.
[00:46:29] Speaker C: So I think that they're going to spend.
[00:46:31] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:46:31] Speaker B: All they have to do is add a couple more pieces because Raphael Devers is.
[00:46:35] Speaker A: Yep.
[00:46:35] Speaker B: Is awesome. Jaren Duran had. Is. Had a breakout season.
[00:46:39] Speaker A: He.
[00:46:39] Speaker B: I mean, in the al. I don't know if you're going to be an MVP candidate with all the talent over there.
[00:46:43] Speaker A: Tristan Casas is good. Long is pretty good. Like, they have other pieces.
[00:46:48] Speaker B: Masataka Yoshida kind of had a really, really slow first. First half. Kind of backed it up in the second half. Tyler O'Neal led their team in home runs. Nick Pavetta and. And who's their pitcher?
[00:47:01] Speaker C: Garrett Whitlock.
[00:47:02] Speaker B: Whitlock. No, there was another one.
[00:47:04] Speaker A: Or Cutter. Cutter.
[00:47:06] Speaker B: There was another like five. There's another one that I'm missing. He was an all star this year. He had like a really. He threw. He threw a Maddox. He threw a Maddox in like the second month of the season. He's a sinker. Cutter pitcher.
[00:47:20] Speaker C: Tanner Hauck.
[00:47:21] Speaker A: Yeah. Hauk is very good, too. I honestly, as much as I hate the organization, like, the Red Sox are a fun team right now and it is.
Yeah, they're going to need to be. They are going to need to splash in free agency and they're definitely an interesting team to look at.
But I guess that about does it for our show here. Like we said, hopefully we have a show after Thanksgiving break. If not, I mean, see you guys next semester. No, but I'm pretty sure we do have one more show for you guys. But obviously enjoy Thanksgiving break. Be safe in the week off. Thank you once again for tuning in here. 90.7, the Capstone student section. MLB. As always, thank you guys again. And roll time.
[00:47:59] Speaker B: Two weeks.
[00:48:00] Speaker A: Yeah, this is true. See you guys.
