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00:00Jones and Keefe, WEEI. We're joined every Thursday by Rob Bradford, WEEI.com, and the Baseball Isn't Boring podcast.
00:08He's brought to you by McFarlane Energy, the heating, cooling, and bioheat delivery pros that Eastern Mass and all of Cape Cod depend on at McFarlaneEnergy.com.
00:18Rob Bradford, how are we doing this week?
00:20Let me tell you, the exchange rate of yelling McFarlane in Canada is outstanding.
00:25He's more powerful. The best. The best.
00:28I thought they just powered everything by wind power. I wasn't sure how they did that north of the border.
00:34With Howard Molson.
00:35Ooh, that does sound good.
00:37Dead beavers and things like that, I thought, is what they were doing.
00:40Anyway, Red Sox are two for two in Toronto.
00:43I said on Monday or Tuesday, I thought this was going to be six days from hell.
00:47I thought this was going to be like a nightmare, white knuckle, try to back your way into the playoffs on the last day of the year.
00:53I thought it was going to be stressful, and it turns out it's been pretty smooth sailing for the Red Sox so far.
00:59It's amazing what you do when you get hits.
01:02You know, it's crazy, and I think that that's been, to me, the biggest thing.
01:06Like, they've had more guys and runners in scoring position than any team in baseball over the last week, and now, like, they aren't driving them all in.
01:16But it's not terrible, and they're moving the line a little bit more.
01:20They pop up a few dingers yesterday, which is a nice surprise for them.
01:24And then on top of it all, I mean, I think if you had to say what has been the biggest difference maker for this team over the course of this road trip is Masa Yoshida, the guy that we thought, oh, you know, it was a waste of time.
01:38You're not even going to play him, whatever it is.
01:40But we also were saying when Roman Anthony got hurt, at least I was, that this is the guy who wants to step up because he hits from the left side.
01:48You need that bat.
01:49You need to replace Roman Anthony somehow, some way.
01:52So you got Yoshida, you got Abreu back, the guy who dominates Little League plays, you know, throwing for right field to get first base, to guys get out at first base.
02:03Which, by the way, like, Kirk, what are you doing?
02:06Like, I watched him the bat before.
02:09Oh, I know.
02:10He ground it out.
02:11He made it like a third of the way to first.
02:13I know the exact play you're talking about.
02:15I said to my wife, I'm like, I can't believe this guy's so slow.
02:18And then he got thrown out the first a couple innings later.
02:20He sure did.
02:21Wild.
02:21Right, and that's what I think.
02:24I'm like, okay, I know you're slow, but in that case, you've got to try a little bit.
02:30Listen, I'm slow.
02:30I try.
02:32It's an effort thing.
02:33I'm fast, so I don't know what it's like.
02:34Yeah, Jones doesn't know what it's like.
02:35I don't understand what it's like, yeah.
02:37Oh, really?
02:38Apparently he's more fast.
02:38But anyway, I would just say that.
02:41It's that you have those two guys back.
02:44That's made an enormous, enormous difference.
02:48And I think also they're settling into sort of, they know, like Cora knows what he has.
02:53And, you know, I asked him that.
02:54I said, hey, is it kind of weird?
02:56You go in the last week, you still kind of figure out what everybody can do.
02:59And I think he sort of laughed at me and said, you know, that's not really the case.
03:03But I do think it's the case.
03:04I think that, you know, whether you have these young pitchers, we thought a week ago,
03:08we thought Peyton Tolley might be an answer, and he's not an answer right now.
03:12You don't know how long these stars are going to go.
03:15You didn't have it locked in in terms of the lineup.
03:17But I think you do a lot more than you did when you went on this road trip.
03:21And I think that's a huge, huge reason why they're winning.
03:23All right, Rob, I don't want to get you into trouble,
03:25but I know you have an American League Cy Young Award vote.
03:28Oh, I guess.
03:29All right.
03:29You have a Cy Young vote this year.
03:31Nice.
03:32I'll ask it this way.
03:33How strong a case does Garrett Crochet have to win the whole thing?
03:38Wow.
03:39Wow.
03:39I mean, this is – I feel like I'm going to be put on the BBWA court of law.
03:45Oh, man.
03:46Brought in.
03:47You imagine?
03:48Blindfolded.
03:50Yeah, you don't want to see that.
03:52That's like on a remote island somewhere.
03:54No, you don't want to see that.
03:55Sean sees in a wig, a white one, a white powdered one.
03:59Yeah.
03:59The gavel.
04:00Yes.
04:01Yeah.
04:02All I can think of is one of the James Bond film where they take him to the island out of nowhere,
04:08and all of a sudden they're shooting things off his head.
04:10Or he's shooting – I don't know.
04:12So, it's very well phrased, as always.
04:17There's a reason why – I could go back to the reasons why the Red Sox are winning.
04:20You know, I don't focus on Lucas Chilito.
04:23I think one of the biggest things is the dork bomb the Red Sox have gotten from having a player on your podcast.
04:29Agreed.
04:29I mean, I think that's – that's science.
04:31That's science.
04:32He hasn't been able to stand up on the mound, really, since that happened.
04:34I hate to correlate the two.
04:35But, yeah.
04:35You came through when they gave him two.
04:37Yeah, he didn't come through.
04:37He was good enough yesterday or two days ago.
04:39It's not the individual.
04:41It's the overall team accomplishment.
04:43There it is.
04:43Yes, that's true.
04:44Yes, that's true.
04:45Everyone in that clubhouse was buzzing about that interview, and it was good vibes.
04:50That's right.
04:50We're a big on vibes.
04:53So, yeah.
04:55So, how strong a case did Garrett Crochet have?
04:58I think he has a very, very strong case.
05:02And I think that, obviously, it kind of sucks that when you have to go down to these last starts,
05:08to decide this sort of thing.
05:10And usually, you don't.
05:12I mean, honestly, you don't.
05:13A lot of people think, oh, well, you've got to wait until the very end.
05:16Usually, you don't.
05:17I think in this case, you do.
05:19It's just – it's that close between him and Skubel.
05:22But I think that one – our guy, Sammy, from Playtest, he had a really, really interesting tweet earlier today
05:27about sort of basically like some stats that said, when it counts the most, how is Crochet?
05:35And Crochet has the upper hand when it comes to that.
05:38So, that was pretty interesting to me.
05:41But other than that, I would just say, yeah, he has a very strong case.
05:45Yeah, because I would just quickly say, if it goes to the ERA leader every year, then you wouldn't vote.
05:49Or if it goes to like the war leader, you don't even vote.
05:51What's the point?
05:51Like, I just look at Crochet, and even though he wasn't amazing in September, he was fantastic last night when he needed to be.
05:58More innings than Skubel, more Ks than Skubel, more wins than Skubel.
06:02I would go with Crochet as my number one.
06:05Skubel, a close second.
06:06Awesome season once again for Skubel.
06:08But, yeah, I think some of those metrics that you mentioned, too, like when they need it the most or late in games and things like that, he's stood out.
06:14But, anyway, that would be my vote.
06:15Yeah.
06:16I'm sorry.
06:17I didn't hear a word you just said.
06:18I just muted you.
06:20I hope you're listening.
06:22I would let you know that if your Cy Young vote is ever for sale, Keefe and I are interested in purchasing.
06:25No, we'll take it.
06:26We'll take it.
06:27But I just want you to know that.
06:30Red Sox, we don't know who they're going to play, Rob, because so many things can still happen.
06:35And they haven't even officially clinched, but the magic number is one.
06:38So, I think it's safe to start speculating.
06:40Is there a team they should want?
06:42Is there a team they should want to avoid at all costs?
06:44Yeah, I mean, I think that – well, I think that they're going to play either Toronto or the Yankees.
06:51Let's be realistic about this.
06:53And they could actually end up playing Cleveland, which everyone will say, oh, that's a good draw.
06:58I don't know about that.
06:59And it's not only because they're winning, like, every single game.
07:02It's because the reason they're winning every single game is this insane pitching.
07:07And I think that one of the things the Red Sox are going to have to prove themselves,
07:11when they go up against elite pitchers, what they're able to do.
07:14Not Max Scherzer, but elite pitchers.
07:16And not even Gosman.
07:18I mean, Gosman's been on a good run, but you're talking about Cleveland.
07:22It has a wave of starters and relievers.
07:25And that's why they're winning all the time.
07:28I would say right now, and maybe it's recency bias, it is Toronto.
07:32Because I think one of the things watching Toronto is that they might not have that alpha pitcher
07:37that is going to scare you.
07:38And also, not having Bo Bichette is a huge thing for them.
07:42You guys see their lineup.
07:44It's not nearly the same.
07:46They don't have that great a lineup.
07:47They make a lot of contact, but they don't have that great a lineup.
07:50And so, I think to answer your question, I think right now, again, maybe it's because
07:54recency bias.
07:55Maybe because I'm standing, like, two feet from the place that they're, like, building the mound right now.
08:01But I would say the Blue Jays.
08:04My guy Lucas Giolito is five innings away from 150 for the season.
08:08Oh, I saw that.
08:09Yeah, which would bump it up to a $250,000 incentive.
08:13He's currently scheduled to pitch the last game of the season.
08:17There's a great chance they've already clinched at that point.
08:20And maybe they might not even be able to move up or down even at that point.
08:24What do you think they do with that?
08:26Do they keep them on regular rest and have them start?
08:29Or do they say, hey, let's just save them full go, extra rest for the playoffs, but also
08:32trying to figure out this incentive thing?
08:35Yeah, it's one of the things that I'm anxious to get the answer to.
08:41And then as soon as we get the answer to when he's going to pitch, I'm going to run up to
08:45him and say, number one, what's your favorite baseball movie?
08:48Number two, have they given you $250,000?
08:52But I think that, to me, wouldn't you, and you tell me if you agree.
08:58I mean, to me, it doesn't, if they don't have anything to play for, it doesn't make
09:02the sense to pitch him.
09:04Because if you pitch him, then you're sort of sacrificing potentially a game three in
09:09the wild card.
09:12So it doesn't really make a whole lot of sense to me to pitch him at all, unless you absolutely
09:19need him.
09:20And if you do pitch him, then, okay, well, you just want him to get his work in.
09:24Maybe you just want to throw a couple innings.
09:26Well, that's not going to get you to five innings.
09:28So I am really anxious to see if the Red Sox would just float him that bonus.
09:35Yeah.
09:35That's what they should do.
09:36They really should.
09:37That's what they should do.
09:38Like, we don't need you in the final outing, assuming that they've already clinched.
09:43And they should just give them the money.
09:44Like, that's exactly what they should do.
09:46Yeah, and I wouldn't be surprised if they did.
09:47I don't think, you know, they're cheap in that way.
09:51And, you know, I go back.
09:52This is way, way back.
09:53They got lots of extra money hanging out from Devers.
09:56Yeah, well, exactly.
09:58You know, it's floating all over the place.
10:01It's great.
10:02It's like under every rock.
10:04It's like a scavenger hunt, the Devers money.
10:07But, you know, you go way, way back.
10:09You get him Steve Avery.
10:10I don't know if you guys remember that, where I think it was Jimmy Williams who pitched him.
10:16And Duquette was pissed because, you know, all he had to do was to not pitch him in this meaningless game.
10:21He pitched him and got his bonus.
10:22But there's stories like that all the time.
10:24And I think that, you know, I think that Giolito, because of, once again, because his brand has never been hotter,
10:30and if they did him dirty, there'd be a huge, huge, you don't want to get the dork people mad at you.
10:36They'd hear about it.
10:37No, no, no, you don't.
10:37They wouldn't hear about it.
10:39No, no.
10:41Well, Rob Bradford, as always, we appreciate the time.
10:44Sounds like we'll be talking to you into October as well with the Red Sox there.
10:48Magic number down to one.
10:49They could have already wrapped up a spot by the time they get on the field tonight.
10:52We appreciate the time.
10:53We'll talk to you next week.
10:54Yeah.
10:55Can I tell you my great travel, my travel thing today?
10:58Please.
10:59Just two seconds.
11:00Okay.
11:01Well, take the over on that.
11:03Yeah, okay, okay.
11:04But I'll do my best.
11:06So there's a good chance they come back from Toronto to Toronto next week, right?
11:11Getting back to Toronto puts a pretty big dent in the baseballs and boring travel budget because, you know, it's going Toronto.
11:18But what I did was...
11:20Yeah, sure.
11:20You sold a bunch of hats and that's how you funded it, maybe.
11:25But I actually was going to fly out today, but I got the rare, hey, does anyone want to cancel their flight?
11:33Bump it till tomorrow.
11:34So I'm like, yeah, I do.
11:36Yeah, I want to get the money.
11:37Yeah, I want to get the credit.
11:38And yeah, I want to stay for today, which is going to be the clincher.
11:41Everybody wins.
11:43So anyway, nobody cares about that.
11:45No, I do.
11:45I love that.
11:46It was a very insightful two seconds.
11:48We appreciate it there, Brad.
11:49Any story where someone's saving money, I'm in on it.
11:51I absolutely love that.
11:53Nice.
11:54All right.
11:54All right, guys.
11:55Rob, we'll talk to you next week.
11:56Thank you so much.
11:57I'll see you.
11:58Bye.
11:58Do you think we got his vote?
12:00Do you think we swayed him to crochet?
12:02I don't know if he was...
12:03I think he broke him down.
12:03Now, he didn't want to cop to it on the air.
12:05I would say, although he could maybe...
12:07I think he wore him down to the nubs there.
12:08Yeah, I think he got him.
12:10Yeah.
12:10I think he'll publicly announce his AL Cy Young vote on our show.
12:14He should.
12:15Yeah.
12:15No, he definitely should.
12:16He definitely should.
12:16Whole ballot.
12:17So how does that work?
12:18They only get to vote on one or three?
12:20No, but you only get to vote on one award.
12:22Yeah, yeah.
12:22It rotates.
12:23So I think this year he has AL Cy Young.
12:25So he can't vote on AL MVP, but he gets to vote on AL Cy Young?
12:28I believe that's how it works.
12:29Yeah, there's so many writers.
12:30That's so dumb.
12:31That's so dumb.
12:31Because you get two per mark.
12:33Well, I guess each mark is probably a little bit different, but Boston probably has enough
12:36to go around.
12:36None of what they do makes sense.
12:38No.
12:38None of it.
12:39All apologies to Rob.
12:40Scott Rowland's in the Hall of Fame, so no, they don't know what they're doing.
12:43So you cover baseball all year.
12:45Yeah.
12:45And you get one award to vote on at the end of the year.
12:47You can't even vote on all of them?
12:49Maybe you shouldn't vote on the NL ones, but you can't even vote on all the AL ones?
12:52No, you get Rolaids Relief this year.
12:54I get Rolaids Relief?
12:55All right, Chapman.
12:57So dumb.
12:58Manager.
12:58We'll do our own awards.
12:59I don't know.
13:00How do I vote?
13:00What do I do?
13:01We'll do our own show awards at the end of the year.
13:02We'll do our own awards.
13:04Team and league?
13:05Sure.
13:06Okay.
13:06Yeah, why not?
13:07American League.
13:08We're going to vote on everything, or do we just assign each other one each?
13:10No, we each get one.
13:11Okay, good.
13:12We each get to do one.
13:14And we'll have somebody else come in.
13:15Dice, I'm sure Dice will be up for it.
13:17Dice would be happy to do it.
13:17He's constantly getting left out of stuff.
13:18He'll probably text about it.
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