Hello and welcome Awaken Jake, myself, Jake Story, Ellie, David Mendelssohn as we talk about the wide world of sports, couple flyer, baseball moves and signings. Justin Verlander Inner Circle Hall of Famer greesa Young's he is with your San Francisco Giants as they round in to form their off season talk about that. I did get a good chuckle. I just I clicked on an article that was grading trades, and it's funny how they landed on their answers.
The Gavin Lux trade was bizarre.
I kind of want to see if I have more thoughts on that. I'm not sure yet. Well, mention Michael Lorenzen, I don't know. He's an arm that'll get used. We will not talk about Drew Rasmus is extension.
Rules are rules.
Because there's also a football mecca of sorts, wild Card weekend, the football semi finals. As we all get through the next couple days. If you're a Cali person, I feel bad. I don't want to say I was being goofy on talking baseball. I was being a little goofy. I'm always a little goofy. But the Fires are like you like, remember Forever fires. I think one of our investor guys his house is like, well, yeah, so scary. So if you know anyone out out there, uh definitely you probably
checked in, But check in. It's a pretty wild and if you're someone looking to get away for a little bit, that's kind of more my lane. And that's what we'll be doing here for a little bit. So uh, let's hit the baseball high and tight, Cuz again it's it's a legendary football wins this weekend unless Bragman signs. Justin Verlander signs with the San Francisco Giants for one year fifteen million dollars. What I was laughing at seconds ago
I clicked on ESPN's I don't know. I just like to do a peruse of ESPN and the Ethnic before we get cruising, just to make sure I haven't missed anything. And I was laughing because this is Bradford Doolittle and David Schoenfield working together, Kelly Collabo, and they gave grades to the Giants, to Justin Verlander and the Tigers who weren't involved in the transaction. They gave the Giants an A, they gave Verlander a C and they gave the Tigers an f which I didn't even know. I didn't even
know how connected we were. There a couple things. Let's check off some baseball layoff layups. No such thing as a bad one year deal. I would counter that it's a bad one year deal. That's kind of your answer. And man, Justin Verlander, who's got one of the prettier baseball references you will find for a picture. He's coming off his worst season. It is interesting thing he got an injury. Before that injury, he was pitching pretty decently.
So if he comes in healthy, I think you can expect him to kind of be the mid to low threes era pitcher he's been the past couple of years. Could changing leagues help him? Could San Francisco's ballpark help him in some of their defense?
Maybe?
I think it's mostly gonna come down to if the forty two year old on February twentieth, how healthy is that?
Being said?
The one year contract thing for a pitcher that could be Justin Verlander. I think you like it, even if it's just the old bulls at spring training and we get stories about Logan Webb learned this from Justin Verlander. And Keaton win added some zip to his fastball from Verlander. Not exactly how it works. I mean, you get one of the most experienced pitchers all time, one of the best pitchers of the last two years.
I was just laughing.
I saw I think it was dr Who a post of all the leaders since in the two thousands. It's an interesting way to look at things.
Pool hosts has a lot Juan Pierre is.
Your steels king in the two thousands, and then it's like, sure's er Verlander.
There's a couple other oddballs in there. That was fun.
Mike trout ops people forget about him if they can tap into something from Justin Verlander. Hell, even twenty twenty three, he was twenty seven starts with a three to two two. He was actually a little slightly worse in Houston Mets. Justin Verlander was sixteen starts to a three to one five. And I remember that whole thing being like it didn't feel clean, like it didn't like right.
Just felt like like nothing.
Right, Like it didn't feel like Verlander was doing good.
And he missed time to an injury while with the Mets.
So he's a year removed.
So from twenty seven starts, one hundred and sixty two innings, a three.
To two two era.
So if you get that for one year, fifteen million. Absolutely.
Uh.
Last year more recently, landed at seventeen starts, a five four eight, ninety innings pitched. You know, some of the numbers down. Again, he was good to start, got hurt and it came down. No jokes to be made here. His high school is Goochland High School in Virginia, so old dominion, same as Benny Pascentino, I believe, I believe so. And you know one of the great games he always play is what are what are you asking for Justin Verlander?
If the San Francisco Giants are asking Justin Verlander to be there too next year, I'd be a little concerned technically and again I think this could get shimmied and shook. They have him slotted in the back end of their rotation. They have Logan Webb as stable as a pitcher.
As you can get.
Robbie Ray who only had seven starts last year, but again he should be more built up and be more than those seven starts at least. Jordan Hicks, who made twenty starts last year one oh nine innings pitched. Hopefully he can jump up to maybe like the one thirty range Kyle Harrison, the young lefty was kind of hunting hunting in a lot of his starts. He either had
it or he did it. And then justin Verlander. And so you have some depth pieces between trist and Beck, Heat and Win as I mentioned Hayden, show me your bird song Land and Roupe that. Yeah, hey, there could be BBD. I'll ask you a question, if you don't mind, please, Who was the biggest piece the Yankees traded to get Juan Soto former Yankee Michael King? Where did Michael King learn his.
Curveball from Corey Klueber, So Corey klueber.
Brief stint with the Yanks, there there can be ripple effects of bringing an all time great pitcher that. I hope Giants fans are telling those stories in a couple of years or even this year, and they might get something out of him. So you have to if you're a Giants fan, like the a in the article said, I really like this for him. I wonder what else of a market was for them. Apparently the Tigers got an f out of this one. If he was willing to sign there. The other thing with him insures there
what do they want to do? Justin Verlander has made four hundred million dollars playing baseball. He was gonna go wherever he wanted. If someone offered him fourteen mil. I think he would have been fine with that to go to another team. He apparently is kind into San Francisco. Is there a Buster Posey effect? Haven't seen that article yet. Does he believe in what's going on? Does he like pitching at a pitcher's ballpark?
You know? Could that help him out? We will see.
The NL West is becoming daunting and the San Diego story continues to feel like it's getting sad, although they still have a lot of talent on that roster. But the Giants and d Backs are continuing to kind of build their teams out. The NL West is going to be a blood bath of sorts. And you have to think, you know, of the Padres, Diamonbacks, and Giants, one of those teams is gonna have a tough year next year. And I don't know who it is. I I'd have
to see everything on paper. You'd still think the Padres are going to do something because they have been silent. Maybe not because they're suing each other for ownership of the team. The Padres won ninety three games last year and we're up two to one on the Dodgers and we're like on path to win the World Series. So I know they've lost pieces, and it's it's really hard to compare the Padres and the Giants right now. The Giants lost Snell and CONFORDO, okay, significant, They've added Willia
Domash and they've now added Justin Verlander. That hey, that Snell loss is significant. I mean I think it's eleven starts down the stretch. They were incredible, and he goes over to the Dodgers Junghu Lee will be back, So that's something that helps them. This is always my thing with the Giants. It feels like they've got room for one more hitter, and it's are they willing to do that? Because right now their bench is a little thin. Their DH is listed.
As Wilmer Flores.
So could they be in the business of anyone whether you want to go medium and do a JD. Martinez a flyer on someone or JAD turned them down last.
Year right because.
Him so maybe a bad example there. Maybe he still doesn't you know. Santan Dare's still out there for a couple of teams again, if you're looking for a So if the Giants get themselves another hitter, I think I could actually talk myself into it. We will see if they do that, because they don't necessarily need to. They've got a lot of talented guys. Ramos had a really good rookie year, Fitzgerald did two, but nobody knows what
to do with that and that sample size. Matt Chapman locked up, Lamont Wade only gets on base, and Willie Thomas was a big signing one hundred eighty something mill So they could, in theory be done. I would like to see them add one more hitter. And Yeah, here's what I'll say about the Giants coming into the past few seasons. We've said the same things, and this team isn't that far away from those same things I would say, But it feels a little more entertaining. Willie Domas Matt
Chapman was good for them. Justin Verlander starts, Logan Webb healthy for like a full year. Uh, They've got a rotation that each guy has upside. It's just what's gonna click and what's not gonna click in a year And with that tough division and hopefully some bounce back in their bullpen, they can be a tough team. But I still think when you look at that Giants lineup on paper compared to a lot of the plus lineups around the league, it's a little daunting.
God.
I kind of want to check out this art why they gave the Tigers because that was my pick when we did we did the free agency draft, I was like, go back to Detroit, do this all again. So I'm just wondering if they had any rumors or anything, or if they're just like, couldn't, Yeah, couldn't the Tigers at least offer this?
So I don't know.
I think another fun game Beaverton and let me know if I'm missing anyone.
There's been.
At least three old starting pitchers that have signed one year fifteen mil, oh, I think, So let me see, we've got Charlie Morton just happened to Baltimore, Justin Verlander to the San Francisco Giants, Alex Cobp to Detroit. So maybe that's what my article friends were being not happy about Sugano's thirteen mil for Baltimore.
Let's see what that is.
Boyd is fourteen to five for two years, so that's really uh yeah, that's a that's something. Max Schures are still out there, by the way.
I don't know.
It's gonna be funny to look at that handful of guys that you could have had for the same price at the end of the year, because I bet two.
Of them are good.
I bet two of them aren't welcome to baseball, welcome to analytics.
So that's that, and it's exciting.
He's still justin Verlander, famous wife, all time pitcher, could be good. I'm about it. That's fun baseball stuff. The one I don't really know where to lead you guys. My Cincinnati Reds have thrown a wrench in the equation as Gavin Lux gets traded to the Reds after they traded Jonathan India and everyone was like, oh, they finally finally cleared up that infield Gavin Lux is in town. They traded two prospects for him, well, one prospect and a draft pick. I did think it was funny and
this is just dumb Jake stuff. But Mike Saroda is the outfield prospect Northeast guy By the way, the Dodgers drafted him out of high school and he said no, got drafted by the Reds and I think the third round. Still hasn't played pro ball. I don't know if he was injured or something. Oh, I don't know what that is.
But then the.
Dodgers traded for him. So how bad did the Dodgers want Mike Saroda? You know? And if I'm Mike Saroda, that's a good thing. I got drafted for turned them down, and then they traded for me.
They won them.
I'm interested to see the follow up on Mike Siroda and that competitive balance pick. But most importantly we know Gavin Lux, who got traded a two time World Series champ, Gavin Lux.
That's a pretty big flex.
Coming off a two war season with a massive second half, A pretty I can say it was a bad first half.
But it's pretty easy to talk yourself into like miss the previous year, acl get literally getting his legs under him, and literally got under him.
Uh in the second half, sixty one games, three to zero four batting average, a three ninety one on base a five O eight slug so he almost three four five for sixty one games to bring the season home. That being said, seventy eight games in the first half, two thirteen, batting average two sixty seven, on base five sixty two. BBD mentioned the injuries. Also the whole shortstop who's playing where? Like that was a little messy. I know in our heads that doesn't matter, like set the lineup,
go hit, play defense. I've seen shortstop mess with a lot of players heads by this point.
And I guess at twenty seven he it's somewhat of a full like all right, you don't face lefties anymore, like a little bit.
Yeah, that's tough.
It's made there because that's also a little Dodger syndrome m.
Hm, like same thing happened to Jock way back when.
Right, And it's it's opportunity based and at a certain point you're a certain age that I wonder if that's what the Reds are thinking. We'll get to that in a second. What do we have Gavin Lux getting paid this year?
I believe, and I think around this time tomorrow we will have like some official numbers on some year guys, but the estimates are under three million dollars.
I was gonna say, because he made one point two last year, so and it kind of makes sense like he never had the gangbuster year.
That really multiplies. Yeah, and and losing a full season to an injury.
Right, so the two data points we do have a twenty four year old Gavin Lux had a three war season and one hundred and twenty nine games, two seventy six three forty six forty five ops. And last year I told you, I mean they ended up nearly even. But that big second half can make you dream upon if you're trading for Gavin Lux two years of hopefully pushing eight hundred ops type production. He hasn't done it yet, so you don't want to put that out there too much.
And changing divisions, you're seeing less similar pitchers, and if you believe in lineup support and all that stuff, Dodgers to the Reds. But the Reds play in one of the best hitters parks that I think you can dream on Gavin Lux being in his prime, hopefully being recovered from a leg injury, being a pretty decent contributor. But where Because are Reds, who we applauded for getting Brady Singer for Jonathan India, They currently have Ellie de la Cruz at shortstop.
Let's lock that in Janiel. It's the reference for BBD and a couple other people. What show was that?
Uh Anti Donna's biggle has some fun. So some people are gonna be really into that drop, and some people are like, why have you wasted twenty more seconds on this?
We'll like that joke.
That's why you do it, and that's why you're subscribing right now, almost twenty five k. Thanks everyone, Thanks. I'm gonna lock in Ellie de la Cruz at shortstop. I think I'm gonna lock in Matt McClain at second unless he's a piece of trade meat. That will circle back on a second. But if let's do this, if they are on the reds Ellie's at short Matt McClain at second, that's kind of the end of the conversation there is it? Because I just remember Gavin Lux is where this whole
conversation is around. Then we have Christian and Carnassio and Strand, who's kind of a first baseman fencer Steer I'll throw in here. He plays everywhere. They have him currently listed as the left fielder Gavin Lux, jam Or Candelario, And this is gonna be a bad reference because it's not referencing anything.
So I don't know why I teed it up like this.
If Santiago Espinal is on your team, he's gonna play. It's just a developing theory. It's kind of the IKF effect, Like they're versatile enough and they're not bad enough, but if they're on your team, they're going to play eighty one games minimum. How many to play? Last year, let me walk all over myself.
There inter n anyone played appearances.
D eighteen games.
So the past four years, Santiago Espinal has played ninety two plus games. He plays solid defense, he plays positions, and he has like a slappy bat. Wow, his numbers are so like KF two sixty six, three, twenty one six eighty five ops. WHOA, I might have to put out a that's gonna be mean. I was gonna say, I need to put a warning to teams if you have this guy on your team, they're gonna play a lot, which I don't know if that's good. I don't know
if that's good. Anyways, Sorry for the Santiago Espinal slander. That is, before mentioning the guy that was supposed to be like the future of the Reds noelvi Marte. He was the big piece they got for Luis Castillo, kind of a I don't want to say super prospect, but of sorts got was good pot for pds. Came back midseason, was not good. But you have to think they're not over him after you know a limp two hundred and forty two bad played appearances at the end of last season.
That he has to be very much in the mix. I didn't mention, but this should be tied in Will Benson, who played a lot for them last year. The numbers weren't off the charts, but fourteen homers, sixteen stolen bases, he's twenty six, Like that's a baseball player. So the Cincinnati Reds are back to having a lot of position players, which that's a good thing. I think what's scary to me is after Ellie d la Cruz, who hit twenty five homers last year, I believe and has a chance
to fully break out and kind of have. I mean, he kind of did break out. He had five war last year, but I mean we could be talking about if his numbers pick up across the board, you're talking about seven, eight, nine war type of guy. So let's see what happens with Ellie. I mean BBD. If you had to place a bet on not a draft, but double who's going to have the second most home runs on the Cincinnati Reds next year?
You would pick god right, Chake Frayley.
So for a team that I just mentioned has a lot of depth, and we've we've got not Jake Fraley, we've got six infielders, six outfielders, you can't lock in another guy for twenty homers twenty which in today's baseball.
Like twenties.
If you're an average power hitter playing a full seed every day, you're hitting twenty homers.
I think freedom. So I was trying to say for the Reds people.
Yelling they have one of the best hitters parks in baseball, so maybe that can be your spin zone that you're gonna get plus production from one of these guys. For me, the scent is this should be a move that leads to another move. I like Gavin lux as a ballplayer. Like I said, he could get two years at three million and six million, where he gives you two three war seasons.
That's that's a massive win.
And maybe the Reds are just thinking, hey, last year we had a lot. It always felt like we had two or three holes, and it just never felt cohesive. That maybe if we have this extra depth and Jamer has another bad year or one of the young guys has a down year, somebody gets hurt, that we can plug them and hopefully the wheel keeps on turning. I'm okay with that thought process, but it feels a step off, and I wonder if there's a trade for a hitter. I wonder if they do they have the money to
sign for a hitter. My knee jerk reaction was like a Dylan Cease trade to have, like an actual like whoa the Cincinnati Reds pitch? Because I who have been brainwashed by myself into becoming a Cincinnati Reds fan because I liked all their young hitters so much. Funny how much a year can change things. I like their pitching
more than their hitting. Hunter Green breakout happened. I keep reminding people this twenty six starts at two seven five Brady Singer, wherever you stand on them, he had a solid year last year, three seven to one, Andrew Rabbit three seven to two, Nick Martinez qualifying offer three to one Era last year Nick Lidolo had two point one war shut up Jake a talented young pitcher, and that is before we get to Rhet Louder, who was a top pick who U thirty innings from Rhet Louder last
year a one to one seven ERA.
Uh.
And they have a couple other young arms they like. So in theory, the Cincinnati Reds.
Could be done.
They have some rod rotation depth. I don't hate their bullpen. They got some lefties and righties with Alexis Diaz on the back end, and it's like, okay, so maybe they just want depth in their lineup. Terry Francona is the manager you may have forgotten, and he's just gonna press all the right buttons and go. Since he go, I'd like to think there's another move, and I think it could be for a pitcher, And if it's Dylan Ceese for one or two young players, I think that's a win.
Looking at Dylan Ceese, Hunter Green, and then if singer Abbott, Martinez, Ludola one of them clicks, you have like a good rotation in Cincinnati, which I feel like we haven't said that was anyone else with Bauer was on that Reds team. Was Sonny there?
Sonny was there, Luis Castile was there. I don't know how broken out he was, but.
Talent definitely that twenty twenty Reds team.
I gotta tell Jolly to do that as a video Yeah, Man Bauer, Castillo, Gray Tyler, Molly d Scalfani and Wade Miley. Okay, easy on that those four all had legit. Bris l Iglesias, Michael Lorenzen, tj and Tone Archie, Bradley Brooks.
Really what Jesse Biddle? What year is this? Are there two Jesse Biddles?
Pedro Strope on the team?
Wasn't there a Rocky Biddle was the old Expos reliever and he got rocked? Why do I know his name? Minus three point two career war Anyways, I'd like to think there's another move for the Reds going. I'd like to think it's in any direction. If this was a video game and the Reds had a little bit of money, could you just somehow, could you somehow get Dylan Ceese and then signed Pete Santander or something, then like you'd look at the Reds and be like, wait, is this
a good team? Because the other thing that happened earlier, I was on the Reds and I was giving myself my normal Reds hype speech. Here we go, let's go Reds. I clicked over to the Royals and I like the Royals roster better than the Reds, and I think it's on like every front, Like I believe in the Royal star a little more. Bobby wit Junior, he showed that last year, like even India Wit Pascuentino Salve. Maybe I'm a little too biased to Michael Massey, but I like
what's going on up there. You could argue the Reds have better depth, sure, but kind of the star in the meat of the lineup.
I like that more for.
Case Reagan's Lugo waka now Lorenzen. And then however they want to finish it boo bitch march Well Kyle Wright ever return. I don't know any young pitchers I know, not really, but also the bullpen man Ursig, Harvey Schreiber, and then they've got all those lefty Zerpa Lynch Long Christrattan that it's kind of like, Okay, the Royals. Where do I officially land on the Royals. They made the playoffs last year. The team has some juice, they have
a star. It was an eighty six win team. Do I think they necessarily got better?
I don't know.
I think that kind of depends on India Pasquentino, Salvi, Michael Massey breakout alert. I kind of like the Royals more than the Reds, which I gotta be honest. For the Reds, that's a bad sign.
M hm.
Like. I hope the Royals run it back next year.
But the Royals, they were second in starting pitching era. It's really good. The Reds last year.
Oh my god, I accidentally just clicked on a booze ad. How do I get out of here?
Is this?
What is this? Reggie?
Is that whiskey? They got me? Well done? Now I'm buying it. I'm drinking it.
My Cincinnati Reds that I continue to try to talk myself into in a weak division. They won seventy seven games last year, twenty first and o PS sixteenth and starting pitching the ra eighteenth. And give me a little bit of an identity somewhere, and maybe a Trevino helped steal some pitches for them and that can help their pitching staff. I'd like if they could give me one more move in either direction. I can dream better, like.
A new.
Doesn't necessarily have to be best, but a new most reliable hitter or pitcher.
Something with it with a big ceiling.
I would love a.
Hitter that looks like twenty five plus homers ideally thirty today's baseball. Or I'd love a starting pitcher that I could look at and say, well, you're gonna hopefully get thirty starts at a three five era. And I guess the part that surprised me when I originally did this, because again knee jerk reaction posted on social media. I was like Dylan Cees like Reds, that's an identity pitch a little bit. I kind of now believe in the reds pitching upside more than their hitting that.
I don't know.
Hopefully I'm missing something. The Reds have great American ballpark. Maybe that's where my head is at, Like, go get Dylan Ceese and you'll figure out hitting.
But Reds.
I need one more move to make sense of it. Meanwhile, watch out for whatever Mike Sirota and whoever the Dodgers pick with that pick. That's a little bit of the baseball update for now. We will see again whatever shoe drops next. There's been no real santandar rumors. Pete's kind of in a bad spot. It feels like Bragman. It still feels like he's in a good spot.
Ultimately seem like Bragman's like going land where he won it.
There's a lot of teams you can be like Bregman, Bergman, Red Sox, Mats, Nats. I have to feel like our team. Everyone wants the Tigers that we've done Pete, that whole first base wheel happened, carousel.
But I don't know.
I'm sorry to think he's gonna fall more into like a Cody Bellinger Matt Chapman three year with opt out, so if you have a forty homer year in the next two years, you'll get another big deal.
But I don't know.
It's entered a weird spot with Pete, and I didn't think it would. I thought a team would would talk themselves into that. Rats, Diamondbacks. Who's gonna come out of the woodwork for Pete?
Yankees? No, No kombucha girl give again for a couple people.
Let's talk a little football, because I told you this is kind of the big one college football. If you're not into it, I think this should be your weekend. We are down to well, oh god, I was going to say I was going to make a joke about one of the bad Bowl games it had South Alabama Western Michigan, but that was December fourteenth, So if you're looking forward to that game, it's not happening. No, there are three college football games left. Notre Dame at Penn State. Okay,
some traditional northern colleges mixing it up. The Golden Domers have become i don't know, kind of yankee ish, right, like Notre Dame used to be college football's brand.
They haven't really won the big one in a while.
People said last week against Georgia was the biggest game they won in a long time. They play a fun brand of football. They want to run the ball. They've got a veteran quarterback, Riley Leonard, who's going to make plays. Not a ton through the air last week, but they didn't need a ton through the air. But their run game is really fun. Love and Price normally doing a lot of work, although Riley Leonard did a lot of the work last week as they beat a Georgia team
with basically just a good end to the half. Penn State had been kind of one of they'd been a punching bag of college football for a little bit because another program that kind of landed Top ten. They won every game they were supposed to win. They lost every game they were supposed to lose. So it's kind of like, well, what are you? You're clearly not the elite, you're not bad, but how do we treat you? They beat SMU and Boise State, so even read that off makes me a
little timid. But they won both those games dominantly, which which you like to see. They do have one of the best quarterbacks remaining in this whole dance. Drew Aller has elevated his stock. He had three touchdown passes against Boise no interceptions. Allen and Singleton are there to go to running backs. Singleton's a beast and it's funny Alan
actually outplayed him last game against Boise. And if you're in the NFL world and you're just waiting to get to the next part of this conversation, they have a tight end Tyler Warren, who is just massive. There has been a couple of times they just give him the ball in the backfield because he's that good that it's just like, hey, figure it.
Out, dude, we don't know how to get you the ball right now.
So go.
Two touchdowns receiving against both Boise State and just you know, some college players look different on the field.
Is one of them.
That'll be fun to see him on that stage. And I'd have to assume he's gonna be a first round pick and he is just massive. I think there's gonna be grant comparisons come to draft and if he has a big game, watch out.
That.
That's gonna be fun to see those two teams. One of them is going back to the national championship. Notre Dame did that a few years ago, but they got absolutely rolled by Alabama. Like they just didn't have a chance at that. It was like Alabama's peak and it was like Notre Dame wiggled in and it was a bad time. This will be a fun game. Notre Dame is the favorite. I was just talking myself by a
point and a half, so it's pretty tight. I was just telling myself, like, oh, Penn State, they've got a quarterback. Notre Dame hasn't seen that. But Notre Dame just be Georgia who they've got, you know, Georgia compared to Boise State, and SMU is a different product on each line that this game is being played tomorrow night, So again I mentioned this as an explosive football weekend tomorrow night at the Orange Bowl fighting Irish Nitney Lions gone to my head?
Why does he always do that? I guess I like Notre Dame. They just took out Georgia. They're feeling good about themselves. They kind of know who they are. They've got a good storyline. I like their head coach a little more than Penn State's head coach.
And I don't know.
The Notre Dame story is cool, like they lost to Northern Illinois and everyone was ready to fire their coach and Notre Dame's a joke and here we go and they have responded from that as good as a team can. So I guess I like that story a little more. James Franklin left my Vanderbilt, so some wounds.
Just never heal.
But that should be a fun one now on Friday, maybe because we've got a snowstorm in Dallas. Watch out supposed to get a half a foot and they don't know what to do with snow down there. Ohio State, the Ohio State the heavy favorites to win this whole dance. How quickly we've moved on from Ryan Day not beating Michigan over the past four years, they are the favorites. They are playing Texas, the Texas Longhorns, who their two losses this year are to Georgia in a couple of
close games, or at least the second one was. So we'll see if there's any Texas in Texas effect. They're playing at Jerry's World. You'd like to think there's gonna be more burnt Orange in the crowd. I'll tell you this. Dallas is a commuter city, is at the transplant city that there's already a lot of Ohio folk there, and it's a fan base that travels that. I don't think we're looking at something odd here, a team that wouldn't travel unless flights from Ohio get canceled.
We'll see about that. Texas.
I'm interested to see are they gonna mix anything up. They ended up letting Clemson into the game a little bit. In their first game, Arizona State almost pulled out a miracle against them, and their defense that is supposed to be their strength continues to just have kind of these
weird moments of what is going on here? Yours statline ends up looking good last game, people were wondering has he been playing hurt through the season because he had some moments of just bizarre kind of output on their end. And meanwhile, Ohio State I talked about Notre Dame looking in the mirror after losing to Northern Illinois and kind of doing you what are we doing, and how it's a great bounce backstory. Ohio State's looking to write an even better one. Ryan Day looking like he's on.
The chop block.
Into four years not beating Michigan, and this Michigan team was not a Michigan team that if they slipped up against Tennessee in a cold weather game, if they lost to Oregon, the undefeated number one team that they had lost to, Ryan Day could have been in a weird spot. And I don't know if he'd be the coach of Ohio State. I think after they beat Tennessee how they did, if the Oregon game was close, he would have been fine. But a reminder, they jumped out in front of Oregon cataclysmically.
It's to Joe's McFly word that I try to mix in I mean thirty four to nothing. I think that word works there. That Ohio State has now become the favorite. It seems like they're clicking on all cylinders there. Wide receivers cannot be stopped. Jeremiah Smith, the wide out freshman wide receiver, he's drawn comps to Julio Jones, Andre Johnson, like the best of the best wide receivers you know that went through college football and just ripped it up.
He's on that level.
They have him in a book on the outside that the secret is they've kind of been feeding those guys the ball instead of focusing on the run, and nobody can stop them, even though they have a great run game with Henderson and Howard the quarterback chipping in where he needs to. It's gonna be interesting to see if
what kind of fight Texas has for them. It's a five to five and a half point spread, which usually that means they're indecisive and they're trying to get you to take Texas because Ohio State and just how good they have looked Ohio Texas might be the last line
of defense. Texas one of the favorites coming into this season, and they've shown moments of really high play between their quarterback, their running back, their defense, and can they get a Texas boost or even Ohio State hasn't seen something go the wrong direction in a while, they haven't seen a pick six, they haven't seen a bad fumble. Can they get something early that shows like, hey, this is an
equal playing field, because right now they are rolling. I'll be honest, it's tough to bet against Ohio State right now with how good they do look. But tune into if you're a sports person, these are gonna be two fun ones to tune into. And by the way, your college football bracket, which we've talked about a little bit and we'll talk about more, how we need to make some changes and adjustments. The current seeds left are five, six, seven,
and eight, So again how the bracket got built. In previous years, it would have been a different one through four, like a couple of these teams would have been in here. But this year, this is where we're at, and I think the product has gotten to a good spot. With that Arizona State eight Texas game that was just electric last week, I guess we could use one more signature game. But again, we are now at the point that the playoffs started previously, so I think I think we're in
a good spot. So if college football is not your fancy m hm, the NFL will have what you're looking for into the weekend. As it is wildcard weekend, the NFL is rolling out one, two, three, four, five six games starting Saturday ending on Monday. Saturday. It starts off Chargers Texans Harbaugh remember Michigan Harbaugh and the Chargers are eleven and six. The turnaround happened, like he does everywhere he goes, and they will head to Houston, who a weird year for them, man ten and seven. No one
else in their division finished above five hundred. The Colts had a very culty year. Meanwhile, Jacksonville died and Tennessee was bad enough to have the first pick in the draft.
So what is Houston? CJ.
Stroud took a step back and was that the league seeing him more? Was it the people having a target on them. I'm trying to see what's my best What is my best Texans win? They beat the Bills a while ago, so that's kind of an easy one.
I guess.
Since then, since then, the Texans best wins are the Patriots, the Colts, the Cowboys, the Jaguars, the Dolphins, and the Titans. They lost to the Ravens, the Chiefs, the titanss Lions, Jets, Packers. So a year that was filled with a lot of excitement for Houston. They've been off the map since off the map since early in the season. The Chargers in Houston are three point favorites, and I think you could tell by the way I was talking to myself. I
think I'm talking myself into that. Justin Herbert Man twenty three touchdowns, three interceptions. Pretty impressive what he's done the lad mcconkee rookie season that he's put up. Yeah, I guess I was interested to I thought the Texans at home in a playoff game, you know, you think they'd be at least pick them or one point favorites. No, the Chargers minus three, And I think I just talked myself into more of that. The nightcap that you hope
has excitement. A nine and a half point spread makes you a little nervous, and two teams that make you nervous on both fronts. The Ravens at one point my Super Bowl pick for this year. Man could Lamar use a big playoff game to shake some of his Google Google ougas against the Pittsburgh Steelers who Pittsburgh Steelers bellow the ball, Mike Tomlin, how do they do it?
Defense? In this guy.
They've lost their last four Eagles, Ravens, Chiefs, Begals. It's feeling different. It's feeling different for the Steelers who will head to Baltimore. They played the Ravens twice this year. They won the eighteen to sixteen Boswell Bowl six times three is at eighteen yep, they won that one. Then at the Ravens they lost thirty four to seven, with Baltimore opening it up late in that game. Baltimore is
a much better team the Steelers. It's how can they score with the Ravens And I don't know if they can even on their bad day. Mark Andrew's fun stat with him after the first six weeks of the year with zero touchdowns, ended up leading the tight end position in touchdowns. There's a lot of people that had regretful fantasy trades, including my main league, I Caravell. Someone was very sad. No name's mentioned Andrew, but there's a couple Andrews, so that.
Leaves it vague, including in this conversation.
Right, So, yeah, it'd be cool if you get the division and raven Steelers. We're hard hitting and maybe a special team's play and Tomlin's got something up his sleeve. I'll tell you what. If the Ravens somehow lose this game.
Watch out.
The Lamar tone is gonna change bigger than you thought. He has used up all of his playoff leash. His playoff stats are pretty pretty not good. That yeah, this is kind of the year. He might be winning another MVP award. Everyone talks about now how his forty one touchdowns, four interceptions and how three of the four went off
wide receivers hands. It's a special, special year from Lamar, who I think he has like a top five QBR in a season ever and that doesn't include the running, and he like passed VIC this year for what he does on the ground. Should be Ravens, big rivalry division game. Sometimes that's when the funk comes out. Should be Ravens by more than nine and a half sometimes Vegas knows though. So that's your Saturday Slate, Sunday Broncos Bills.
My Broncos made it to the dance. Can you believe it?
The Broncos ten and seven bow Nicks. It seems like they're getting better bow Knicks. Twenty nine touchdowns, twelve interceptions. I mean, their last game against the Chiefs shouldn't really count, although I heard Travis Kelsey was getting mad about that they're going into Buffalo Josh Allen, who's competing with Lamar for the MVP. Buffalo one of the tougher places to play in this league. A Cook kind of figured it
out with the run game this year. His final stats over a thousand yard, sixteen touchdowns, a little guy that wasn't supposed to be able to find the end zone and just spreading the ball out to every receiver a little bit the same except for Courland Sutton on the Broncos.
Nice year.
Cortland, people were leaving him undrafted.
Bo Nicks.
I get it to an eight and a half point spread. I told everyone my dream, and dream is a very dramatic word.
Actually it's kind of nice.
My dream bet that I've never hit that I've wanted to hit is in most games there's a bet halftime full time that like, if you think the Bills are gonna win this.
Game, you'd pick Bills.
Bills and the odds are just slightly tougher because if you think the Bills are gonna the Bills should lead this game the whole way. There's usually tie and then the winner, which those odds are crazy. And then my dream bet you can bet one team to be leading at half and then the other team to win.
That's my dream.
I would love if my Broncos could execute that dream that Sean Payton has a plan. Bow Nicks and the boys come out and they put together a couple drives, maybe they get the ball first field goal at the half and they're up thirteen to ten, something like that. I don't think they can win this game. I will be interested to see man bo Nicks in some of
these recent games. And the whole thing. Sean Payton said he saw Drew Brees and this guy and they used to just complete passes, and that's what they've been doing recently. Twenty six for twenty nine against Kansas City, Okay, backups, twenty four for thirty one against the Bengals, twenty nine for forty against the Chargers, and then it starts to
thin out a little bit. Uh. I hope the old dog Champagne can win me over if there is a sneaky on side kick in this game, I will be furious, but maybe that's what they'll need to actually hang with the Bills, who are playing for a Super Bowl year this year. That is your one PM game at four point thirty Packers iggles.
I want to have Justin pennickon.
I think is as mom had a surgery or something. I don't know if I'm supposed to be sharing that, but he was spending time with her today, so we're hoping to have him next week and best wishes.
If that wasn't supposed to be revealed, I'm interested to see. Pennick said.
If the Eagles draw the Packers, that's a really bad matchup for the e Eagles and there would be a sweet Philly twist if they've gone on this run. They've been incredible. Eagles, Eagles, Eagles, They've become my favorite Sirianni God again. If they lose to the pack in Philly,
that burnt that building could burn down. That being said, Philly is still my super Bowl pick because I think they've gotten back to running the ball and they're just so dominant at Itaquan is crazy two thousand yards missing the last game.
Let's see what goes on with Hurts.
He's been in concussion protocol. He practiced today. Eagles four and a half. I'll bet it they'll win by three. I'll be mad all around.
Packers. What are you.
Let's find out a lot of green Commander's Buccaneers your nightcap, Okay, Baker and Jaden Daniels. Sure, Buccaneers have been fun all year, and I wish that Chris Godwin injury never happened. The Commanders have been fun all year. Twelve and five. It's in Tampa. Remember they were going on their three game skid and they had one game before the bye week to figure it out. Against the Titans. It was close for or actually no, it was not close. They blew
them out early. Titans showed a little fight, they beat them.
They won out.
Titans, Saints, Eagles, remember that one. Falcons, Cowboys. Everything's close with them. I love Jayden Daniels and I hope we get some Jayden and Daniels magic. I love Baker and Bucky Man. I'm surprised this is the Sunday night game. Feels like Packers Eagles. It was a little more national juice. Tampa Bay is a three point favorite, and I think that's right. Again, there's a lot of things you could
look back on this Washington season. Remember the Giants game Week two that they should have lost, but the Giants didn't have a kick. And there's you know, the Hail Mary against the Bears, Like, oh god, Yeah, this this Washington season could have felt a lot different at a couple different stops along the way. And hey, they have some other things they can point back. The Steelers had a crazy comeback against them one week. Sit back and
enjoy that breeze. What Baker has turned himself into in this second act of his career has been a ton of fun. What Jaden Daniels is doing and how electric that is is a ton of fun. Bucky Irving is electric, and I hope they feed him the.
Rock scene where his season numbers ended up.
Yeah, Bucky crushed man.
And he's still sharing time with like a couple backs along the way, not only White, but they like their other guy forty four.
Nice. That's real football talk when you say their number. Enjoy it.
Hopefully, if we get a Baker Jaden shootout, a couple guys and that'll lead us into Monday Vikings rams, the coaches are connected, Minnesota one point favorite in La as scary LA. Let's see what's going on with that whole city in a couple days. Remember the Vikings were playing to get the one seed in a bye and now they're in LA and that city might be rallying around everything and Matthew, Stafford and McVeigh could be scary hours. And the last thing we saw from Darnold was he
was having a pretty bad time out there. Let's get through the weekend and you'll hear from us before then. Enjoy it, you guys know, I've enjoyed my relationship with football. Did I watch a little NBA the other night?
I did.
Who's I watching? Not the Nuggets game? Who's on before them? Lakers, Lakers, someone, Lakers maths. A lot of guys missing, No Luca.
No Kyrie.
Yeah, hey, this is kind of the whole thing I saw there doing another NBA is doing.
A rivalry week coming up.
Oh, anything to make people believe it matters because guys aren't playing.
I love it when the guys play. College basketball is in a weird spot.
Everyone's pooping on them nowadays because they're saying guys don't know how to play basketball anymore. Maybe that's just on the old side of the Internet. I now live on with this jacket. Hey, enjoy the sports. Maybe we get the baseball breaking news.
I don't know.
And if not, it's okay to enjoy the football. I support that, and so does Uncle Dan. We can Jak's Production, David Hatrick Production, Sonboe Media, and Workhouse Media.