Front Office, unfiltered resident GM Jim Bowden joining us right now, JB. I actually want to start with a statement for you, just like our old days when we still host some radio shows together. So I'm just gonna start with this statement. The game is broken, JB. It is broken. We have the smallest TV market in Major League Baseball with by far the best record in baseball. This is exactly what everyone said all off season long, JB. Everyone was like,
it's so unfair. The smallest TV markets always are the best. It's not fair that the Dodgers always stink. They get to spend all the money and yet they're looking behind them and the Padres might catch them. Oh wait, that's not anything that we said. Most people said, one hundred and twenty wins for the Dodgers. No one else has a chance. Small markets have no chance. Oh wait, maybe the Brewers are just run well. So what do you think about where we're at as a sport in mid August.
Yeah, it's been exciting, hasn't it. The fact that we have so many middle of small market teams that are in the middle of a race. It's been a lot of fun. And as you mentioned, the Milwaukee Brewers. I mean, they have been the best team in baseball, and it's been really fun to watch, right, the first team since twenty nineteen to put together two ten game winning streaks in the same season, Like that's just incredible. And yet you look at their team and you understand why they
have three number one starters. Right. Freddy Peralta, who faces Paul Skins today, has thirteen wins and a three o ERA. Before Missarowski got hurt, he had four and one with a two seven ERA, and Brandon Woodruff looks like the
ace was before he got hurt. He's four and oh with a two two ERA, and oh, by the way, the fourth starter, Jose Cantana, has ten wins in a three four ERA, and Quinn Priestra has eleven wins and a three four ERA, and oh, by the way, they have an impact closer and Trevor McGill who's converted twenty eight to thirty one save opportunities with a two to two ERA, and oh, we'll talk about the offense fifth in baseball and run score second in stolen bases, and
depending on what the defensive metrics you like, they're either fourth or fifth or sixth. Right, pick your poison whatever you want, but this is a complete team. Their manager Pat Murphy's done unbelievable job. Their GM, Matt Arnold is the reigning executive of the Year in Major League Baseball. It's a small market team that is going out there and is legitimately has a chance to not only win this division, but get to the World Series and maybe
win the World Series. So it's been great for baseball. It's a lot of fun to watch in the vibe that's going on in Milwaukee is just sick.
I love it if you're the GM of this team. Besides like saying, hey, these guys are winning, like I'm just gonna let them, let them do what they do. You've lost. Matt Arnold's been there before when David Stearns was there, and this team just bows out in the playoffs.
Is there some kind of message that you're sending down saying, hey, okay, analytically, we need to make sure that our manager makes this adjustment because in the playoffs this hasn't worked because all those names that you just said, it's all the same numbers, just rinse and recycle different names. Besides Freddy Peralta in Big WU, like it's a new closer. They've had the best closer for the last six years in baseball. Like
it's just constantly they're just rinsing new names in. But they haven't been able to push it through in the playoffs.
Yeah, that is true. And you know, I think when we go back and we look at the ccs of Atthew days when he was pitching on two in three days rest just to go out there and try to win. And then we had the run when they had Hater and they were babying him, right, they weren't pushing the envelope with him, which you know, maybe not caused them a chance to get there. But I think this particular
team is a little bit different than the rest. I mean, when you have three guys of Paralta, Mazerowski, and Woodruff pitching up to their capabilities. With McGill and what he's done the first time All Star this year, and the way they play defense, the way they're so athletic, the way they move the chains, and yet they have the veterans like Christian Yell that can also carry the team. I think this team is a little bit different. I think this team has a better ceiling just because of
how deep they are. And again and I think, I think Pat Murphy has just done a brilliant job with this group. They're very close. They can beat you in so many different ways, right, and you know Bryce Terank can make a diving play up the middle, uh to win your game. Durbin's jerseys dirty by the national anthem. They're just knit. There's grit, there's it's a complete team. So I actually like this team a lot better than any Brewer team since Sabbathia was on the bump.
Everyone loves when Cec was pitching those games with the Brewers because he pitched on two days resting, went nine innings every time, Jim, So it's tough to fault anybody. Oh hey, Cec, go throw a shut up. Okay, guys, I pitched, Go do it again. Okay, I'll do that. I mean, that's pretty tough to beat that. Speaking of CC one of his other teams, I thought you were talking about the Yankees and we were talking about a complete team athleticism, well managed, pitching, defense, all. Oh wait, no,
you were not talking about them. What's going on in the Yankee lamb? And who's to blame? I keep saying, it's not Aaron Boon's fault. He's given a roster, he does the best he can, he stands up for his players. But who's really to blame for Yankee woes?
Well, first of all, you're completely right about it not being on Aaron Boone, who, by the way, is a defending American League champion manager and not only managed into
the World Series last year. But you know, look, this team is built on their offense and more I guess better said their power right, their first in the American League and run scored, they lead Major League Baseball and homers, they lead Major League Baseball and slug We know Aaron Judge has most to do with that, But the fact is, as a team, that's not the part of the team we're worried about that. That part's good. It's how they win games. They have to win with their power, but
they can do that. But then we get to the pitching part, and I'm looking for Garrett Cole but oh, I guess he had Tommy John surgery. Oh I was looking for Clark Schmidt. He's not there. I didn't get to see Lewis heel in the first half. Marcus Stroman got released, and there's seventeenth and TmrA. The starting pitching is tenth because you know, when you have freedom, you have Rodon and now heelback's that's okay, and the kids a pitch well, right, Schuittler has been really good for them,
which is a positive sign. Will Warren pitch great last night. So the starting pitching kind of gives you a shot. And then we go to the pen, which has been a huge problem. Right they're twenty second in baseball and TMRI back there. Devin Williams has been a nightmare as we all know. But GM Brian Cashman does what he always does. He stepped up of the deadline, went and got David Bednar and made some other moves to try
to fortify it defensively. As you guys know, it's not a good defensive team, right, It's in the middle of the pack no matter how you want to break down. They're not very athletic, they're kind of one dimensional offensively, and they're a team that you know, maybe gets a wild card and maybe goes home. It's kind of a it's kind of a borderline team right now, it's going to come down to pitching, and that's that's gonna be the focus. They're gonna have enough offense, the defenses are
going to be great. But at the same time, how do you pitch the rest of the way. He's going to determine if they're a playoff team and how far they go. But to sit there and blame any of this on the manager's foolish. I love the way he stands up for the players, and by the way, behind the scenes, he's a pretty good communicator, and you know he'll get tough on a player in his office one on one. But he doesn't embarrass players, right, not publicly
and not privately does he embarrass him. He's done a great job and as I said, American League champion. But we all know what it's like in New York, right if you're not in first place, everyone needs to be fired. I remember coming home from the World Series game in New York in the taxi cab and the cab driver goes, you know, if we don't win tonight, boom boone's gonna get fired. He's gotta go. It's like, okay, okay, enough.
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surf Shark VPN. It's a risk free, thirty day money back guarantee and the ftfam is hooked up with four extra months of surf Shark VPN when you sign up at surfshark dot com and use the code foul. It is time to take control of your online security. Try surf Shark today. JB. That was not a perfect roster last year. That was evident, right, that was a clunky roster that Aaron bood led to a world series. And also we know the front offices have as much, if
not a bigger impact than ever on our sport. Right help on some sides to side lineups they script games the whole deal. So my follow up here, because I'm getting into many debates with Yankee fans, including some right now that are in our YouTube chat, revolves around Devin Williams.
Two parter for you.
One, do you fall to any of the usage Like I believe it was Friday's game when Boonie said afterward he can't really find a soft landing spine. You got to use your relievers. So essentially it's like, unless you're cutting this guy, you got to put him in some games if they're all tight games. That's the first portion.
The second portion I'm getting into right now with a fan who's who wanted to ask you why they didn't trade Devin Williams at the deadline, and he said, they already have two closes they brought in, why would they have another? So can you explain how teams like to gather high leverage relievers. And also, if Devin Williams was that broken that a contender's trading him away, then what team would even want him at that point?
Yeah, they're not gonna want them. And look, when you have a talent like Devin Williams that has a bugs bunny change up, you know, you're hoping you can get him back on track. You know, we've seen a lot of relievers go through bad slumps and all of a sudden they figured out and they can be dominant. We
have six weeks left in the season. But I think there's an argument that sometimes Devin Williams has been brought into games where you know, I probably would have done something differently, right, I mean, you got to win, and I can't sit there and hope that I'm going to get the Devin Williams of last year. I have to understand that I had the Devin Williams of this year, and I have to use them accordingly. I mean, that's why it was great that Cash went on got Bednar.
You've got your closer. Now Bednar could be that guy. Weaver can get to him. And yeah, there's gonna be games where you know, you have to use Devin Williams in high leverage just because that's you know, he's one of thirteen guys and everyone's got to be used. But yeah, I think you can manage that. But look that this Yankee team is flawed, but it's still as a team that could get to the playoffs, and they're going to have to earn it. And let's wait and see.
We talked about the Yankees, Let's talk about two other teams with high expectations, the Mets and the Dodgers. I mean, the Dodgers are only one game in front.
The Mets have.
Fallen well well behind, six games behind the Phillies at this point. Which one has the better opportunity? Well, the first of all, I'm asking you this, do you think the Dodgers will win the division? And then if they get to the playoffs, do you think the Dodgers by far have a better chance to make a deep run over the Mets.
I think they have a better chance to run a deeper run than the Mets. But I think the Padres win the division, so kind of kind of go through that. And I worry a little bit about the Mets rotation. I think they'll turn things around. They're not where they won to nine in their last ten. I know they're not playing well. And I'll ask you this, AJ, what do you do when your star players aren't hitting right?
Alonzo last games hitting one ninety, Lindner hitting one sixty eight, Nimo's hitting two oh five in the last twenty games. I mean I'll ask you, what do you do to turn and a Roundron Soto is hitting two o two in the last twenty games. Those are your star players. So normally when one slumps, the others are carrying you. And now all of a sudden, none of them are
at the same time. I mean, my guess is they're going to turn it around and get hot, and then they'll win eight out of nine and turn things around. But I'll ask you, how do you how do you fix those guys when in August they've had a twenty game slump?
Bench them be them all, gimp, send them down, no trade up. No, no, Well there used to be Mark Grace used to have a great idea, but we can't do that anymore. So I honestly don't know.
I don't.
You just hope they all get hot, because, like you said, normally, they don't all get cold at the same time. So yeah, I just I'm just I'm going to go back to the other thing you said. Do you think the Padres are going to win the West? How disappointing for Dodger fans, Dodger organization, Dodger everything if the Padres somehow win the West.
Yeah, of course, I think a couple couple of things. With the Padres, they made the back end of that bullpen so ridiculously dominant that if they get into the seventh, eight to ninth with the Dodgers, and they're going to play him two weekends in a row, this weekend in La the next weekend in San Diego, and this is going to be playoff baseball in August. I can't wait.
I'm so excited for this. But that bullpen, you know you watched them last night, right when you get Miller and Sorez in those last two aning ball games over and so in that strata's dominant, Adam's dominant. I mean, that bullpen is so deep and strong, and it's so much better than the Dodgers, and I think that's going to be a huge factor. The other thing is the Dodgers' rotation. It's good, it's solid, some of it's getting healthier, but they're not as elite. And on the other side, King
just came off the il. We'll see how he looks at his second start off. Darvis last night looked great. He was throwing his twelve pitches, including in the kitchen sink, didn't walk anybody, punched out six and looked really good. And then you know, the biggest problem with the Padres has been the bottom third of the lineup. You know,
just wasn't producing all year. AJ Preler went out the deadline and said, no problem, here's Ramon Loriano, no problem, here's Ryan O'Hearn, right, And all of a sudden, Lewis Arrise has gotten hot after a relatively slow start even for him, and now you're getting production up and down the lineup been. In fact, in the last twenty days, Xander Bogartz has been their best power hitter. Right, He's got five home runs over that time to lead the team.
So their lineup now top, the bottom is there, and the bullpen is unbelievable, and of course the vibe at Petco is tremendous as well. So yeah, I think it's gonna be a fun raise between the Padres and Dodgers. I think it'll go to the end. I'm gonna pick the Padres to win because of the bullpen and the depth of the lineup now, which I think AJ corrected.
And then in terms of the nets, look, I think they get the last spot over the Reds because I think they're not as bad as what they're showing right now, and I think they'll they'll turn around. I think they're better than Cincinnati because the lineup should be much better than Cincinnati's, and I think that'll be the difference down the stretch. But in the postseason, if I had to rank the playoff teams, if the Mets get that six spot, I would rank them six out of the playoff teams.
All right, you said about the Dodgers not winning the West. You know it's gonna be close. But isn't that the worst case scenario in the sense that a team that wants to play the least amount of games because their team that's built around a lot of guys that get hurt, needing to play an extra wildcard series could be the
worst case scenario for them. And did the Dodgers go to all in on guys that are essentially injury risks and now they could be up against needing to play extra games to get to where they want to be.
Yeah, I think that's fair. I mean, you know, Andrew Friedman has always tried to offset those risks by building so much depth, right, I mean to think of the injuries they've had to twelve starters and now to still be in first place today, I mean, how many teams could ever do that, right, especially when names that were down were like Snell and glass now and Sasaki and you're still in first place today. That's that's incredible. So
they've tried to build it with depth. And you know the one thing that Dodgers just need to make sure is that their starting pitchers are healthy come October, that their big guys are ready to go, and then they can clearly, you know, possibly run the table here. They can afford to make those gambling risks that most teams can't. They can keep signing injury prone guys just because they can spend whatever they want. They don't have a salary cap,
they don't have a limit. They don't have a problem spending three hundred million more than the Marlins this year on payroll because they can. And if you can, why not. So yeah, I mean, but yeah, I think health is going to play a big part of how far the Dodgers go when they get to October. They'll get there even as a maybe as a wild card team, but playing the extra round with injury risk players, sure that's going to be a factor.
Yeah, It's funny we said the same thing last year because was not a shiny rotation and they won a World Series. I would make the case the Padres are stronger this year. The Phillies are stronger this year, so it'll be a tough competition for them.
But JB.
Good catching up with you. JB.
Yeah, you have crouchouts.
We need to do JB's hoodie. So what's what's the hoodie today? Because I don't see a giant name brand.
On that one.
Yeah, we're just alo today, AJ that that's my goat. When the going gets tough, I just grab an aloe. Okay, it's good. I actually had another one on. It was purple. My wife said I look fatin, so she made me change.
DUPD sweatshirt. Hey.
Hey, she's a wonderful lady, so we give her all of the credit in the world, right, JB. She's only got your back, She's looking out for you. Yes, exactly, And I love the black. It looks good.
They kill you, JB.
Good stuff. We'll catch you soon.
Okay, sounds good.
I was going back and forth with Stephen in the chat during that conversation with JB. The question we didn't get to of his was about the Mets. He said, do you think that David Stearns will go after those big money Ace Bulldog guys in future off seasons? That's one of his things. He likes to avoid that. He doesn't believe in it. But I just wonder, Krats, when you spend so much on your team that's going to hurt you, is it worth taking that risk every once
in a while. Frankie Montas has been an absolute disaster contract And I get it. It's not burning them. It's two years, thirty four million. I mean, for other teams it could really hurt. That's seventeen million dollars on a guy who hasn't pitched much this year and has been really bad since he returned. Those are the kind of guys that they hope they sprinkle a little Jeremy Hefner magic dust on and he turns into a star and some of them work. Not saying don't do that. I'm
just saying they're not all going to work. And if you have a year like last year and then this year a few of them don't pan out, boom here you are.
Yeah.
I mean, I think I don't think they'll I don't know I guess. I guess if this year doesn't pan out the way he wants it to, maybe he'll revisit it. But there's contracts that are not the Frankie Montas sized contracts and not the Corbyn Burns contracts. There's stuff in the middle, like if you remember Zach Wheeler came over to the Phillies a few years ago for you know, one hundred million. I think he'll dip his toe in there.
But some guys just really are afraid of that six to eight year contract for thirty five to forty million may have to change though, because you need that horse. You need a guy every five days to give everybody in a pan of blow yep.
I should have signed Foravetta.
Hey.
We have some stat Cast numbers that were pointed out. Man, I forget who tweeted it, but it was pretty cool. Oh here Red sox Enjoyer I think was the one who put out some of the all timers stat Cast numbers. So I think the stat cast era is since twenty fifteen. I want to say, you know, it's funny we used to not be allowed to say stat castra. They wanted us to say since stat cast started or something.
Like that.
Yeah, it was a MLB thing.
I don't know.
I didn't ask. Anyway, we can show you some of the red and who's on the leader board if we have it there. It is Batting run value judge from twenty four Billy Hamilton still has the top base running value number from twenty sixteen. Fielding run value number is Posey in twenty sixteen. Most out out above average range wise Nick Ahmed twenty eighteen. Thirty four plus thirty four. Arm value was Adam Eaton in twenty sixteen. Armed strength was O'Neil Cruz. Last year sprint speed Byron Buxton in
twenty fifteen, tied with Victor Roeblace in twenty seventeen. I don't have time to read all of the others on here, but a lot of Aaron Judge and Luis Arise Arise for contact Judge for strength. What do you guys think?
I'm trying to look at the one that Alex Avila is on La sweet Spot.
Launching Laundjangle sweet Spot.
So that's good.
I guess I think it's going, but I think it's cool.
But it's not anything. It's not anything we didn't know. That's why I was looking at all that stuff like it's like, yeah, you knew those guys were all going to be at the top. I didn't know when That's cool. Was the Byron Buckson. We talked about it the other day. Byron Buckson's just more faster than Simpson.
Yeah, than Chandler Simpson. That's true.