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00:00John, we have a special guest this week, somebody who's clearly going to end up in Cooperstown, Max Scherzer.
00:06Yeah, this is a great guest.
00:07We've had him before.
00:08Very insightful guy.
00:10He'll tell you like it is.
00:11It's awesome and looking forward to it.
00:14Yeah, we have a lot to talk to him about.
00:15Why is he still doing this?
00:17His piano playing, improving his thumb.
00:21The state of the Blue Jays, a little bit on the state of the game.
00:24You and I are going to talk about expectations for the Mets, the Yankees, and the sport.
00:28We'll play hit and error at the end.
00:29If you stick with us on the show with Joel Sherman and John.
00:37John, there's no holding it off anymore.
00:40As we're doing this, about 24 hours till the season begins.
00:44That's the Yankees in San Francisco against the Giants.
00:47The next day, everyone plays, including the Mets hosting the Pirates.
00:51I guess it's time for some expectations.
00:53What we think of the two local teams and also some stuff around the league.
00:58John, why don't we start with the team who's opening, the Yankees?
01:02I think both of us picked them to win a very, very tough AL East in our special section.
01:07I hope everyone goes out and gets that.
01:09The New York Post special section, online, at the newsstand, etc.
01:13I think we're both bullish on what they are, 1-26, and maybe even a little more than that because
01:19they've parked some people at AAA who have skill.
01:22Why do you like the Yankees or what are you concerned about?
01:25Yeah, I just was in Tampa.
01:27I think things are going great.
01:28No injuries, no scandal, nothing going poorly.
01:32I think, I mean, look at Stanton.
01:34He says he can't open a bag of chips, and he's hitting about 117 miles an hour.
01:38You got Garrett Cole throwing 98 miles an hour, seemingly way ahead of schedule.
01:43Rodon is on schedule.
01:45Heal had a very good final start, although he is being sent out today.
01:50That just shows you the kind of depth that they have.
01:52I mean, Cole, Rodon, and Schmidt coming, and Heal.
01:57They open with an okay rotation, four-man rotation, but they have three, four guys now with Heal in reserve
02:06who are warming up in the bullpen, so to speak.
02:09Eight guys.
02:10That is a terrific position to be in.
02:13The only thing I could point to is the bullpen, potentially, but, you know, I'm not going to say it's
02:17a slam dunk, but I think they are a clear favorite in that AL East.
02:20Even in tough division, to me, they're the clear favorite.
02:23Yeah, I think that this is the best version of a full team they've had in a while.
02:31They're much better on defense.
02:34They run the bases a little better.
02:36Some of the technical stuff that really killed them, like against the Dodgers in the World Series in 2024, they've
02:40cleaned up somewhat.
02:42Pretty good lefty-righty bounce, especially their bench.
02:45You know, when they face a lefty, they could do the Rosario, Goldschmidt, Gritchick thing and get them all guys
02:50with histories, at least histories of hitting lefties.
02:53We'll see if it continues this year.
02:54And I just think the key thing, John, is the best version of the Yankees is if these starting pitchers
03:01who have looked good getting back from injury, Rodon and Cole, if they could get back and Schlittler and Freed
03:10stay in this form and then pick your guy, Hill, Warren, Weathers.
03:14To your point, they have some depth where maybe they even end up helping their bullpen, because I agree with
03:19you, that is the area of concern.
03:21They helped their bullpen out of it.
03:23Their idealized version, it makes them a real threat, not just in the AL East, but through to maybe win
03:30their first World Series since 2009, because I think they're, again, an 800-run team, and I just think they
03:36do the other stuff better.
03:38And it's only the bullpen that gives me some pause here in late March as the season's opening.
03:44Yeah, the depth is fantastic.
03:45You have eight guys that's terrific, but they're great at the top, right?
03:48If Cole comes back and he's anything like Garrett Cole, that is quite an add from last year.
03:54Then you have Max Freed, who's one of the best pitchers in baseball, and Schlittler maybe as well.
03:58He was absolutely dominant in spring training.
04:01He was fantastic at the end of last year, as we saw.
04:05They may have three aces.
04:06Carlos Rodon may be their number fourth starter.
04:09That's a great position to be in.
04:11And you mentioned the fundamentals and defense, and they're in good position defensively.
04:15You've got now Jazz is at the right spot at second base, not at third base.
04:19At third base, they have Ryan McMahon.
04:20I think he's as good as basically anybody, and there are some great third basemen in baseball with Machado and
04:27Bregman, Arenado.
04:28There's a great group of third basemen.
04:30I think he's right there near the top, or if not at the top.
04:34Caballero is outstanding defensively.
04:36So, I mean, if you've got good defense at second, short, and third, I think Wells has exceeded all expectations
04:44defensively.
04:45Grisham, I know he only had an average year by the metrics last year, but he's a solid center fielder.
04:50Bellinger is one of the best left defenders in the game.
04:52Judge, one of the best right fielders.
04:54Goldschmidt's still solid at first base.
04:57You know, Rice, at this point in his career, is a great, great hitter.
05:01He's not a defender at first.
05:02I think he's actually better at catcher.
05:04But, I mean, I think they're in terrific position defensively and on the mound, with the one caveat being the
05:10bullpen, which is kind of a maybe at this point.
05:12You know, I think it's an interesting time, and one of the things I'm fascinated about is who ends up
05:18being better, Nolan McClain or Cam Schlittler.
05:22Both guys broke through late last year.
05:25Both guys were excellent.
05:27The Yankees, I'm not sure, make the playoffs without Schlittler, and they certainly don't advance against Boston without his, you
05:34know, eight shutout inning, 12 strikeout tour to fours.
05:37The Mets didn't make the playoffs despite McClain being terrific for eight starts.
05:43So why don't we transition to the Mets there?
05:45I also think the best version of the Mets is a Peralta McClain, the Senga we saw in spring training.
05:54I am a fan of this version of Clay Holmes being a good back-end starter and David Peterson being
06:00a good back-end starter.
06:02Do they ever get Minaya?
06:04Christian Scott was very encouraging in spring training.
06:07And Tong, they have some depth as well, especially if they could fix McClain.
06:13I'm sorry, if they could fix Minaya along the way.
06:16To me, Senga is such a vital guy.
06:20And I couldn't tell John, you know, like I try to have that meter up and my being like whatever.
06:26They were so excited about him from I was with them when they opened, with the Mets when they opened,
06:31then closed.
06:32And their statements on him stayed the same about both what he looked like pitching and how he was attacking
06:38things this year.
06:39And look, he was throwing 96 to 98 at the end.
06:43This guy in large chunks has pitched really good in the major leagues.
06:48If they get that, I also think they're the team to beat in the NL East.
06:53Yeah, I think that they're the favorite.
06:55I, unlike the Yankees, I'm sure, are pretty sure are going to be very good and are very good every
07:02year.
07:02The Mets, to me, could go either way.
07:04I mean, Senga, it's wild swings with him, right?
07:06You either get an ace or a guy who gets demoted to the minor leagues.
07:11And it happened in one year last year.
07:12Right, exactly.
07:13And we saw him as an ace when he came up the first year.
07:16Next year, injured basically the whole year.
07:18They tried to force him into the playoffs when he really wasn't ready to go.
07:21Then he started out as an ace again, got hurt.
07:24And when he came back, he just couldn't do it at all.
07:26So, I mean, he could be an ace or he could be a non-entity.
07:30So, that's a wild swing.
07:31I like the Yankees.
07:32I think their biggest issue is probably in the bullpen.
07:35They got two relievers from the Yankees.
07:38And Williams was great when he was with Milwaukee.
07:41And certainly David Stearns was there then and remembers it and brought him back, so to speak.
07:47And maybe he will be great.
07:49He wasn't great closing for the Yankees.
07:50He was great in other roles.
07:52But to me, the bullpen is an issue.
07:55They're not quite as explosive offensively as the Yankees.
07:59They are deep in the rotation, although probably not quite as deep as the Yankees if the Yankees are all
08:06back together.
08:06Scott looked great.
08:07So, that's the potential seventh guy.
08:10Tong, I still think he'll be good eventually.
08:13But I think he probably needs to add a breaking ball to be a starter.
08:17But they got depth there, too.
08:19But to me, the bullpen, again, that's the issue with the Mets.
08:23You know, John, I agree with you about the bullpen.
08:25And we talked about the injured pitchers for the Yankees.
08:28I do think A.J. Minter is an important guy for them.
08:31You know, you think of him as a lefty.
08:34I think of Brooks Raley as the lefty.
08:36I think A.J. Minter gets lefties and righties out when he's right, and he's fearless.
08:42And he was pitching great when he went down last year.
08:45And I think they've slow played him.
08:47I think he probably could have been ready or close to ready at the start.
08:51And it feels like I talked to him, I think, with two days left or maybe on the last day
08:55of spring training down there.
08:56And he was, yeah, I'm probably going to do like four or five in the minor leagues.
09:01I think it brings him to late April, May.
09:04I think he's such an important guy because I do think that either they're going to have to solve this
09:10with maybe a starter being good in their bullpen or be front of line when July turns to them to
09:18go get a guy.
09:20And that would be even with Minter.
09:23Yeah, I mean, it's been a costly injury for them.
09:25Certainly, if Minter hadn't gotten hurt, you've got to figure they would be in the playoffs.
09:29They only missed it by one game.
09:30They were actually tied.
09:32He is a very talented left-handed reliever.
09:35I loved that signing when they did it.
09:37And he's going to come back around May 1st, I think.
09:40That's a year.
09:41That's a year out.
09:42That's a long time.
09:44I mean, a lat injury, if you get surgery, it can take a year.
09:46And it did.
09:47It tore completely off.
09:49I talked to him about it.
09:50It was a significant injury.
09:54And, yeah, I think he's really important.
09:58John, you mentioned the offense.
10:00I think their top four is going to be really good.
10:04No shock, right?
10:06We're talking some Hall of Fame-level players there in Lindor and Soto.
10:10I'm not sure about Bichette at third base.
10:12I'm positive about him in the batter's box that he'll hit 300-ish and hit any kind of pitching, including
10:19the best in the league.
10:20I am a Polanco guy.
10:21I think he'll hit as well.
10:23The pivot for me then becomes, like, Luis Robert, Beatty, Benj, Vientos.
10:32Do they get two more from the group?
10:34Francisco Alvarez.
10:35Is this a year he puts it together?
10:37If just two more, now if it's three or four, that also becomes an 800-run team.
10:42But even two makes them really, really tough to pitch to.
10:46Yeah, I mean, they have a lot more questions than the Yankees.
10:48The Yankees are pretty well set.
10:49I mean, obviously you've got a guy at first who hadn't really been there.
10:53I think he can do it because he's naturally a shortstop.
10:56The same with Bichette, naturally a shortstop at third.
10:59So, got questions there.
11:01I mean, Robert was one of the best players in the game a few years ago, but the last couple
11:05years he has just really not done it.
11:09I believe in Beatty.
11:10I think he kind of – I see no other way to see it.
11:14He kind of got a raw deal.
11:15I think he was their best defender last year.
11:17Certainly was on the metrics among the guys who played a fair amount.
11:21I mean, Terrence and certainly Taylor are outstanding defensively, but they're clear backups.
11:26I mean, Beatty was going to be the third baseman.
11:29Then he wasn't.
11:29Then he was going to be the left fielder.
11:30Now he's not the left fielder.
11:33I hope they find time for him because I think he's a good player.
11:38Alvarez, I know he was the number one prospect in baseball at one time, and he was great when he
11:43came back from the minors.
11:44And, you know, he has the potential to be a star.
11:48But certainly at this point, it's a question.
11:50So, to me, the Mets have a lot more questions.
11:53They're pretty good questions that have a chance to have very positive answers, but it is a lot more questions
11:59than the Yankees.
12:01Let's try not to be myopic.
12:02There are 28 other teams here.
12:05Take it wherever you want, John.
12:06What interests you as we're beginning 162 games?
12:12Yeah, you know, I thought the Dodgers were going to be the all-time team.
12:15Now I'm reading the dispatches.
12:16We're doing great work in California.
12:18Yeah, California post.
12:19With Jack Harris and Dylan Hernandez out there.
12:22And it's amazing what great coverage they're bringing.
12:26And not all of it has been that positive for a team that is a two-time defending world champion.
12:30And then added Kyle Tucker, who's got the biggest salary in baseball, and our beloved Edwin Diaz.
12:35It was so sad to hear that great song as he comes in the game last night in Dodgers Stadium.
12:43But, you know, I thought they would be all-time unbeatable.
12:48And, of course, I'm picking them again because I like to be right.
12:52And if I'm wrong, everybody reminds me that I'm wrong.
12:54So I'm going with them.
12:55But I don't feel it's any kind of a slam dunk.
12:59Obviously, last year they were outplayed in the World Series.
13:01Still ended up winning it.
13:03So anything can happen anytime.
13:04But they've got a lot of questions, right?
13:06I mean, Snell's not available until who knows when.
13:10Sasaki cannot throw a strike.
13:12Sheehan was terrible in spring training.
13:14So, I mean, that's the rotation.
13:17I mean, the bullpen, I mean, you've got to figure Diaz is great.
13:20But, you know, are they going to find some great gems like they did last year in the playoffs?
13:26Robleski being one of them.
13:28They've had some big signings that didn't pan out.
13:32So, I mean, you know, I don't know if the Dodgers are unbeatable.
13:36They're probably the best team.
13:37I'm sure they're the best team.
13:39But the Yankees are pretty good.
13:41I'm not sure the Yankees are that far behind the Dodgers at this moment as we speak, as we do
13:45this.
13:46John, I'm testing my memory on it.
13:49But I think you know me well enough.
13:51I don't like doing predictions.
13:52I have to do them for the beginning of the season.
13:55It's one of the ways I get to keep a job.
13:57They say you've got to make predictions for the beginning of the season.
13:59I'd let you keep the job anyway.
13:59You know?
14:01But this is my 37th year.
14:03I don't think I've ever picked the Yankees to win the World Series.
14:06I did pick them this year.
14:08You did.
14:08I can see it.
14:09I can see it.
14:10I think they are the best team in the American League.
14:12Although, you know, I like to take a little bit of a flyer.
14:14So, I went with Detroit.
14:16I think Detroit and Seattle are good.
14:18And Boston.
14:19Yeah.
14:20I think the Cubs are good.
14:21They certainly can defend.
14:23Missing Suzuki is an issue.
14:24But they've added Bregman.
14:26I think they have a great defender at almost half the positions.
14:30They're a great defender.
14:32And the other positions, they're pretty darn good as well.
14:35So, I like that defense.
14:37That would be David Stearns' team, right?
14:39All the great defense that the Cubs have.
14:42You know, there are a half dozen very, very good teams.
14:45I think the Yankees and the Dodgers are the top two.
14:48Probably not that order.
14:49The Yankees, we've still got to knock off the Dodgers.
14:53They're a $450 million team with a bunch of guys on the way to Cooperstown.
14:56And they've added Tucker and Diaz.
14:58They're number one.
14:59I think the Yankees are clear number two if you're not taking a flyer in the World Series as I
15:04did.
15:05Yeah, I just, John, we lived through the last three, Pete.
15:10And by the end of that, the Yankees were on fumes a little bit and winning on muscle memory almost
15:16by the end.
15:18And look, they beat the Mets that way.
15:22And they almost won a fourth straight that way the following year.
15:25It's tough to do.
15:27I think you pointed out some of the stuff the Dodgers have to deal with.
15:31I just don't like San Diego and Arizona this year as much as I've liked them in some of the
15:37more recent years.
15:38And so I'm not sure that the Dodgers ever get pestered.
15:41And I know they always use the regular season as a tune-up for October.
15:45I just feel like they can, can I use the term, coast into a division title again without really having
15:54to hit top gear and use this as a,
15:57and we know, if it gets to July, to your point, and they're short a starter or short a bullpen
16:02guy, this is not a screw-around team.
16:05They'll go get what they need to get.
16:09It's just, I'm betting against the likelihood that anyone could do it three years in a row.
16:14It just feels like such a mountain.
16:17I still pick them, yet as far as the playoffs, I mean, they know and they've known in the past
16:23that they've got a pretty free ride into the playoffs.
16:27This year I saw the odds are 80-1 for them to miss the, that's to miss the playoffs.
16:32So, you know, 1 out of 81 chance to miss the playoffs.
16:36And it's funny, the Rockies in that division are about the opposite, right?
16:39It's 1 out of 80 to make the playoffs.
16:41Don't take that bet.
16:42I don't mind a long shot bet, but don't take that bet for the Rockies.
16:46Yeah, I don't see that being a cash, cashing that in on that one.
16:51But the Dodgers understand that, and they're going to use, it is a big advantage to use the whole season
16:57like that.
16:58And they did that last year, and they ended up having to play that first round where you have to
17:01win two out of three
17:03because they kind of coasted through the regular season.
17:06So there is a little danger in that because you have to be the, not only when you're in a
17:10division,
17:10you've got to be one of the top two teams to get that by.
17:12I think the best version of the Mets are the biggest problem for the Dodgers getting through the National League.
17:17I mean, I'm curious to see that.
17:18I didn't see your picks in the paper today.
17:22The chalk for the awards are probably Skeens and Skruble for Cy and Judge and Otani for MVP.
17:29What did you do?
17:30I went with one flyer, and he's already out of the race, and that is Spencer Strider.
17:34You know, we handed in a couple days early, and I looked at the stats.
17:37You're done already.
17:38I'm done.
17:38I mean, is it possible?
17:40Did Rick Sutcliffe win for half a year in Chicago?
17:43It's possible.
17:44So if he gets traded to the Cubs, he's good.
17:45I wasn't counting on it anyway.
17:46I did pick Skeens last year, so I felt like, I don't want to do it again.
17:50Last year, that was my one good pick.
17:52You know, I mean, obviously, I picked Otani.
17:55I went away from Judge and picked Witt.
17:57That was a losing pick.
17:58And I picked Skruble because, you know, let's be real.
18:01You know, he's the best, clearly.
18:03But there are four obvious picks, and they are the repeat picks.
18:06Did you have any flyers that you took?
18:09Hopefully better than mine.
18:10Yeah.
18:10I didn't do chalk because, again, if you said, hey, we got a gun to your head, I would take
18:16chalk.
18:16Right.
18:16But I want to have a little fun with it.
18:18I took Christopher Sanchez for NL, Cy Young.
18:23That's a better pick.
18:24Yeah.
18:25Now I'm trying to think.
18:26The MVP, I took Bobby Witt Jr.
18:28I took Juan Soto.
18:30AL Cy Young, I'm trying to now remember.
18:32Not Skruble, huh?
18:33Framber?
18:34No.
18:35I didn't take Crochet was the other guy I was thinking.
18:38Oh, I took Kyle Braddish.
18:40That is a real flyer.
18:41That is a real flyer.
18:42You've got a little more chance.
18:42Right now, it's a little better than Strider.
18:45Yeah, slightly.
18:46Slightly.
18:47He's upright, John.
18:47How about Hunter Brown?
18:48That's not quite the flyer that Braddish is.
18:52We'll see how we do.
18:53I'll say this.
18:54I don't like predictions, so if I got any of them right, I won't say, ha-ha, I got one
18:57right.
18:58Yeah, good for you to take flyers.
18:59I like that.
19:00I just think it's the fun part of the year, and I'd rather not do the chalk.
19:04A guy who's won three Cy Young Awards is Max Scherzer.
19:08He's back with the Blue Jays.
19:10He just had a tremendous spring training.
19:13He's with a team that's expected to do big things again, the defending AL champs, and he
19:17joins us next on the show.
19:23John and I are so pleased to be joined this week.
19:26A 19th season in the Major League, three-time Cy Young Award winner, two-time champion.
19:31Do I need to add anything else?
19:32You threw 13 and two-thirds shutout innings in spring training.
19:35Max Scherzer, thank you so much for joining us on the show.
19:39Thanks for having me on, guys.
19:41Max, I wonder if the place to start is that.
19:43It is your 19th season.
19:44You kind of have done almost everything somebody could do multiple times.
19:50Why are you still pushing your body to keep doing this?
19:53I'm having fun with it.
19:54But, you know, I enjoy pitching and love pitching, going out there and still competing.
19:58I still feel like I can be a starting pitcher on a World Series team.
20:02I still have the ability to go out there and compete and be able to win a ring.
20:06I mean, that's what you play the game for is to win a World Series.
20:08And, you know, we were just a click away from winning it last year.
20:13And, obviously, you know, the Blue Jays are a team that can win it.
20:15And, you know, I get another shot with them to be able to go out there and try to be
20:19a champion again.
20:20I was in your clubhouse.
20:22I mean, obviously, a very tough World Series.
20:24And I think I asked you then if you were going to come back.
20:27And I think you didn't give the official answer, but it was pretty clear you were coming back.
20:32Was there any hesitation at all throughout the winter about coming back?
20:35I mean, at this point, what are you, 41?
20:38I mean, you didn't even think about it, did you?
20:40You knew you were coming back.
20:42You love it that much, right?
20:44Well, I just knew, based on how I was going in the playoffs, that I was healthy.
20:48And when I'm healthy, you know, I came home.
20:52I was like, there's no way that was my last pitch.
20:55There's no way Game 7, like, I can't be throwing.
20:58Like, I'm throwing the ball well.
21:00I feel great.
21:01That can't be my last pitch.
21:02So, I didn't know exactly how it was going to unfold.
21:04I didn't know what it was going to entail, which team.
21:06Free agency is a wild animal.
21:09You know, you can think it goes one way and then it breaks another way.
21:12But, yeah, after Game 7, I just, I remember thinking, like, there's just no way that's my last pitch.
21:19Max, you mentioned just being a click away from winning a World Series.
21:22I mean, John and I were obviously covered the World Series.
21:25I think the Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series in every way except for winning the World Series.
21:33What is the hangover like, if at all, to kind of get over that and get on to this season
21:40where, obviously, the Blue Jays are going to have the same ambitions?
21:42Yeah, I mean, you guys take off the complacency.
21:45You know, you get there and you have this moment and we can think we did so many great things
21:49last year and won it.
21:51And, you know, I know kind of doing this several times that, like, you know, the next year, like, you
21:57just think you're going to just walk back into it.
21:59That, you know, you're going to walk into first place in the ALE.
22:02It's like, no, it is not going to be like that.
22:05This is going to be an extreme challenge.
22:07I mean, the ALE is a beast.
22:08You know, you've got great teams in it.
22:11And everybody's going to be hunting you down.
22:12So, this year is in some ways almost even harder.
22:15And it really takes a good mental resolve from everybody in the clubhouse up and down, you know, the roster.
22:21And to realize that, look, this is a challenge now.
22:23I mean, everybody, we let the world know that we can play some good baseball.
22:26And now it's our job is to go out there and prove it again.
22:29You know, I've been in 30-plus losing locker rooms after World Series.
22:34I mean, that was probably one of the toughest losses to take, not to rehash everything.
22:39We had Don Mattingly on when it was even fresher, you know, maybe two, three weeks after the World Series.
22:44And he said that he regretted not telling Isaiah Kainer-Falefa to take a bigger lead.
22:53Was there anything out of that World Series?
22:54I mean, there were so many little things that went on in that World Series.
22:58Is it even worth pointing at one thing?
23:00I don't know.
23:02Yeah.
23:03I mean, I'll first say this.
23:05Usually when you get in a moment like that, you're that close.
23:08Like, there's always going to be, like, some type of goat.
23:10Like, you can always point the finger at somebody.
23:14And, like, you lost the World Series.
23:16I don't feel like that about anybody on the roster, not even in the slightest bit.
23:21And even on the IKF play, you know, when I'm watching that live, you know,
23:26Vars shows up.
23:28And I know Will Smith can snap throw.
23:31And Muncy's right there hugging third base.
23:34And so, if IKF had gotten a bigger lead, I mean, he could have gotten picked off.
23:40So, you know, you've got to be careful of what you actually wish for in that situation.
23:43So, you know, as much as, you know, you can sit there and say, oh, you should have a bigger
23:46lead.
23:47Like, I was watching it live thinking, like, don't get picked off.
23:50So, you know, like I said, just the way that ninth inning, tenth inning, everything unfolded is just the way
23:58the ball didn't bounce our way.
24:00And the game unfolded the way, you know, for the Dodgers.
24:03You know, until the very end, it felt like your team did have some magic about it last year.
24:09And it certainly had unity about it.
24:12It felt as bonded a group as I've covered from a distance.
24:17It's a new season.
24:18You talked about not having complacency.
24:20How does this – it's hard to replicate what you guys had last year.
24:24How does it feel so far this year, Max?
24:27You really won't know until you're in June.
24:30I mean, you've got to go out there and play 60 games and see how everybody's doing and kind of
24:34get a feel for the season.
24:36You know, and how everybody's handling 2026, where everybody's at.
24:41You can have a lot of talk in spring training.
24:43That doesn't mean anything.
24:44It's about being a professional and going out there and doing your job.
24:47So, you know, I just know what the challenges are in front of us.
24:50You know, I just know we've got to come out gunning.
24:54We've got to be ready.
24:54And we've got to be ready to take everybody's best shot.
24:57You pitched superbly against Seattle and against the Dodgers in the postseason.
25:02But I know that the thumb was bothering you a lot during the season.
25:05It kind of limited your innings a bit.
25:07And I read that Ken Rosenthal wrote about your piano playing and how that solved the issue of your thumb.
25:14First of all, how does that solve the issue of your thumb and how good are you on the piano?
25:18I quit at Greensleeves back in 1968.
25:23Yeah, it was a complete coincidence.
25:26Like I said, it was right around the all-star break.
25:28I was trying to teach my kids how to play the piano.
25:30I had just basic knowledge of it.
25:32I wanted to see how they could play it.
25:35And, you know, as dad, I was trying to teach, you know, kind of what song can I kind of
25:41learn that I could play to kind of teach them, you know, so that they could hear it, so they
25:46could try to challenge themselves to try to, you know, play something.
25:51And so I kind of, you know, learned a couple songs and was playing them and, you know, playing some
25:57beats.
25:58And by playing the chords and having my fingers in, like, very distinct, you know, positions, it was really –
26:06I went to the field the next day and, you know, all of a sudden I gripped the ball and,
26:11like, whoa, my hand feels better.
26:12My thumb feels better.
26:13And then I made a start and I was like, whoa, whoa, I just got through the start way cleaner
26:18than I ever have.
26:19And not to mention, I had been to every doctor.
26:22I had done every exercise, I mean, cortisone shots, needling, you know, shockwave, electrocuting my thumb, you know, like, just
26:32– I mean, there wasn't a stone I didn't have on turn.
26:35I had literally, you know, for my – you know, I felt like I had tried everything.
26:41And this was the first time I actually saw progress.
26:44Like, this was the first thing that actually, like, whoa, I feel better.
26:47So then I started chasing it, like, hey, maybe if I play more, play longer, like, will this help my
26:52hand?
26:53And I did.
26:54I could feel the results.
26:55Like, the next time I started, like, whoa, my hand feels even better.
26:59So then it became like, all right, this is on.
27:01Like, now I got to play a lot.
27:03And so I started chasing it, you know, like how many – you know, kind of – I was putting
27:07in, you know, what's called two, three hours in between starts, you know, an hour a day.
27:12You know, two or three days and, you know, really trying to start to play.
27:16And so all of a sudden, then my thumb issue was gone.
27:20I didn't – I was able to make – there was times I was throwing 100 pitches and I felt
27:23fine the next day.
27:24I wasn't having to do anything.
27:25It was the biggest sense of relief considering how bad it was.
27:28So, you know, it's just being able to – you know, to be able to play at speed, be able
27:33to play multiple notes, be able to spread your fingers out.
27:36And it's really going through your fingertips.
27:38That's the most important thing here is that, you know, with grip strength, you know, when you grip your strength,
27:42you kind of get more and lower in your forearm.
27:45Whereas when it's in your fingertips, like, that really gets your hand and all your fingers and, you know, down
27:50by your wrist and even all the fingers.
27:53Like, my fingers just felt stronger.
27:55And so, you know, that's what's going on.
27:58You know, call it the science or whatever, but that's why all of a sudden, you know, my hand felt
28:02stronger.
28:03Forget about Cooperstown.
28:04We got to get you into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, man.
28:07Billy Joel, eat your heart out.
28:08I got the new piano man right here.
28:10That's – you know.
28:12I can't say I'm that good.
28:14I can play a little bit.
28:15I got a few tunes, but, you know, I'm a beginner.
28:19Max, the team begins with three important starters on the IL.
28:24Berrios, Bieber, Yosavich.
28:27You had a very good spring.
28:29You're not just some guy.
28:31You're important to this team.
28:33I just wonder, your best is Cy Young Hall of Fame best.
28:37How close to Max Scherzer do you think you still are?
28:42I mean, I feel like I can go out there and compete with anybody.
28:46You know, you match me up against any team, I can go out there and I can find a way
28:49to navigate a lineup and put the team in a position to win.
28:54I just have – you know, I have more feel for pitching now.
28:58I have more feel for all the breaking balls.
28:59You know, I understand how to sequence and, you know, take in scouting ports and, you know, be able to
29:04reflect on when I need to attack the zone and when I don't.
29:07So, you know, it's different pitching now at 41, but in some ways it's actually more fun.
29:14Well, as you said, you are 41, but you didn't give a run in spring training, so it's looking pretty
29:19good.
29:20I mean, are you going to just still take this year by year or are you – I mean, you
29:24know, ask Verlander and he wants to pitch at least 57 or something like that.
29:28I don't know, Heinz 57.
29:29I don't know.
29:30Do you have any designs on being the next Nolan Ryan, Tom Brady, 45-year-old out there on the
29:36mound?
29:38I mean, like what you said, I've always said I take this year by year.
29:42Right now I need to focus on 2026 and going out there and having a good year and pitching well.
29:47Everything will get decided by itself in due time.
29:50I just don't try to put a, you know, time stamp on it or anything like that and, you know,
29:55just kind of let the pitching do the talking.
29:57Last year you had a tremendous breakthrough by Trey Yusevich late in the season.
30:02I wonder with your expert eyes, what are you seeing as far as – how real is that and what
30:08could he be moving forward?
30:09Yeah, I mean, when he came in here, I mean, he's got that, you know, over-the-top, you know,
30:13unique high release point and he throws an incredible splitter off of that.
30:17You know, he does a great job with his fastball command and then has a slider behind that as well.
30:22So it gives him, you know, solid three pitches, you know, coming into the big leagues with that split being,
30:27you know, one of the best I've ever seen.
30:30And so, you know, like, he should – he checked the hardest box here of showing that he can get
30:36big leagues hitters out and strike them out and make the best hitters look, you know, look bad on a
30:40lot of different pitches.
30:41So, you know, he – that's the hardest box to check.
30:46I mean, he's got the talent.
30:48Now it's the durability.
30:49You know, he's just – here he is in the spring, you know, coming out of a, you know, a
30:53deep postseason run, it's a tight turnaround.
30:56You know, we don't talk about that a lot, but, you know, playing it all the way, you know, until
30:59up to November, it's quick to get back here, you know, in February or March and be, you know, fully
31:05turned up.
31:07So for him, he's just learning his body, learning what he needs to do to take care of himself.
31:11You know, he's going to be out there, you know, contributing for the Blue Jays here relatively soon.
31:16Well, you didn't win your third World Series last year.
31:19It was a fabulous season for the Blue Jays.
31:23Did you go on news, free agency, feeling like you wanted to be a Blue Jay again, or was that
31:28just the way the free agency worked out and they made you the best offer?
31:34Well, did you not read my daughter's letter?
31:37She wanted you back, right?
31:40Yeah.
31:40We all wanted to go back.
31:42I mean, but that's where I was saying that as much as I wanted to go back, I also knew,
31:45you know, it's – you know, you get the free agency and wild things happen.
31:51I mean, you think one thing's going to happen and complete another thing happens.
31:55So as much as I did, you know, I knew I had to be prepared to go to different teams
32:00if I wanted to continue to pitch.
32:01But fortunately, everything worked out, was able to sign back with the Blue Jays, and, you know, now we get
32:06to go compete again.
32:08You've been very active as a player representative on the subcommittee for the union.
32:13I don't believe you're on it again, but tell us about why this – obviously the owners, it's clear at
32:21this point that they're going for the salary cap.
32:23That's what they're going for.
32:25You know, theoretically, there is some sense to it.
32:28I think it's about franchise value, but potentially it might help level the playing field to some degree.
32:34We have a $450 million team now and a $70 million team.
32:37If you have it at $150 to $300, theoretically it could help competitive balance.
32:46I'm assuming you're against the salary cap.
32:48Tell us what's wrong with the salary cap.
32:52You know, the first thing that you say when you bring up salary cap is kind of the, you know,
32:57leveling the playing field
32:58and making sure that we have enough playoff – you know, the small market teams and the integrity of the
33:02league.
33:03And when you actually – you know, and so you would think like that – like it would make sense
33:07that cap systems would have more parity.
33:11But in the data, it's just not there.
33:15You know, look at baseball over the past 30 years compared to NFL, NBA, you know, the NHL.
33:20You know, in the cap leagues, we have more World Series winners.
33:24We have more teams going to playoffs.
33:25Like every metric you would measure this by, baseball holds its own, holds its water against the other leagues that
33:33have caps.
33:33And so not only that, when you look at, you know, look at the NBA, I mean, yeah, you can
33:38sit there and say it's a similar type model
33:40that they're, you know, suggesting here.
33:42But they have tanking issues.
33:44They have integrity issues.
33:45And so it's not just a one-size-fit-all that a cap is going to solve all the integrity,
33:50you know,
33:50the competitive integrity issues within a game.
33:53In some ways, it might make it worse.
33:55And so, you know, you really got to pause at the first notion that a cap creates competitive, you know,
34:03or creates parity.
34:05Shockingly enough, it doesn't.
34:07And so that's where you got to look at why has MLB had, you know, what are things that we
34:14could do to,
34:15you know, create the parity?
34:16And that's been in a market-based system.
34:18And, you know, when you have, you know, the history, you know, my time with the union and learning, you
34:25know,
34:25all the mechanisms here and the history of it, you know, when the luxury tax came into the game,
34:31the purpose of that was to prevent breakaway spending.
34:34And so that two or three teams couldn't break away from the rest of the league.
34:38And, you know, like that was the mechanism that was in place,
34:42that you really only wanted to have the luxury tax affect two or three teams.
34:46You know, if your thought is, hey, we have teams that are breakaway spending, okay,
34:52then we need to talk about what breakaway spending is and where that is.
34:56But also where the luxury tax is and how it all works as a function, you know,
35:02we can think about the top market teams spending so much,
35:04but there's mid-major market teams that are bumping up next to the cap.
35:08You know, is the luxury tax meant to stop those teams from spending money?
35:12Like, you know, are the mid-market teams really the problem?
35:16Well, you know, I don't think so.
35:18I think when the mid-market teams are, you know, spending money, that's good for the game.
35:22And so, you know, it makes you think what's the actual, you know, issue here.
35:26I mean, if the bottom is a problem, you know, the luxury tax, you know, has functions as a cap.
35:33There's times where teams treat it as a cap or they're trying to reset their tax.
35:38You know, you can, you know, list all the different things that we've heard over the years
35:42that it has cap-type features, and yet we don't have a floor.
35:45You know, there's nothing that they, you know,
35:47the grievances you try to take on the small market teams,
35:50they never stick.
35:52And so, you know, we need to potentially think about that for competitive integrity of,
35:58you know, making sure that if we already have some type of cap,
36:02then we should already have some type of floor.
36:04That should just be non-negotiable in any market-based system.
36:08So I get it.
36:09You know, there's a lot of different moving parts to it,
36:11but there's also a lot of different solutions.
36:13I think that's the important part here, that the cap doesn't have to be the answer.
36:18There's a lot of other solutions that we can do to level the playing field
36:22to make sure that all 30 teams can compete.
36:26Max, as a way to wrap this up,
36:29the one new addition this year is the automatic ball strike system.
36:34If I remember correctly, you didn't love the pitch clock when that first came in.
36:38I'm not sure you loved the pitch com when that first came in.
36:40You are old school as old school goes.
36:43What do you think of ABS, and will you use it?
36:49Yeah, I mean, you know, the concepts of what you talked about
36:54and those other two rule changes, I mean, I get what the concepts are.
36:57I just have different solutions to achieve the majority of the problem here.
37:02When it specifically comes to ABS, you know, what I've seen in spring training
37:06and, you know, I've gotten to throw some veteran umpires
37:09is that there's a fundamental change to the strike zone now.
37:13You know, it's not – we're really removing the human element to this,
37:19and, I mean, it's tight.
37:22And, you know, for me, the craziest thing is that, you know,
37:26you have a rule book strike zone which says it's a 3D, you know,
37:29it's a 3D zone, any part of the plate, and yet the ABS is just a 2D zone.
37:33You know, when we think of replay, we don't think of replay having two sets of rules.
37:39Like, is it – you know, you can't have a – in any other sport, it would be crazy.
37:44Like in tennis, you have the lines, and then with replay,
37:47you would have a different set of lines.
37:49So that part first, you know, kind of confused me why we're in that world.
37:55But really how the human element is going to be removed from this
37:58in that the umpires are literally going to be trying to call the electronic strike zone.
38:03And so there's going to be some unintended consequences because of this.
38:09And from what I can tell so far in spring training, like,
38:12they really are scared to call strikes.
38:15They just don't want to be embarrassed.
38:17And so they're more willing to call a ball on a pitch that's on a corner
38:22than call it a strike.
38:23And we'll have to see how that continues to manifest over the season
38:28and who uses the challenges.
38:30I mean, we all think it's the hitters that need a challenge.
38:31It might be, well, no, the pitchers actually need a challenge
38:33because of how the umpires have reacted to this.
38:36Will you do it?
38:37Will you go to it if you –
38:38I'm going to leave it to the catcher.
38:40I'm going to leave it to the catcher.
38:43Well, Max, I'm sure it will be interesting.
38:46So will Max Scherzer's season.
38:47So will the Toronto Blue Jays season.
38:50Max, I know – I hope I'm speaking for John.
38:52Also, I'm glad you're back for another season.
38:53It's always fun to talk to you.
38:56Agreed.
38:56And cover you.
38:58Cooperstown is waiting when you're done.
39:00But it's good that you're back.
39:02Again, I'll speak for John.
39:03We're hoping you have a healthy, successful season.
39:05And we appreciate – you've been on a few times with us.
39:07We always appreciate when you join us on the show.
39:11All right.
39:11Thanks for having me on, guys.
39:13Thanks, Max.
39:20John and I, of course, thank Max Scherzer, who's been with us a few times.
39:23He's always such an interesting guest, and he's great to interview when you're in a clubhouse, wherever he is.
39:28John, hit or error?
39:29Well, I've done a lot of hits lately, but I've got to take a hit.
39:32We're on the cusp of opening day.
39:33I mean, what a downer would be to take an error?
39:35Now I say that, maybe you will.
39:37But I'm going to give a hit to Carson Bench for taking a run with it.
39:42You know, they didn't give it to him until a day or two before the season starts.
39:47But he is clearly the right fielder of the Mets.
39:51He earned it.
39:52He deserves it.
39:53From what we've seen from talking to the scouts, he puts the bat on the ball.
39:58He's got a great arm.
40:00He's got above-average speed.
40:02He's certainly a very relaxed, low-key guy.
40:06He's not expecting a ton of home runs at this point.
40:09You know, he probably hasn't quite filled out yet, another young guy.
40:12But I think it was great that the Mets gave him a shot, and he took it, that chance, and
40:17he won that job rather easily.
40:19Yeah, that's a good one.
40:20Hey, kid, you made the team.
40:21Go hit Paul Skeen's on opening day.
40:23Good luck.
40:24John, I'm going to do a hit also.
40:26I think this is the right time to do it.
40:28And I'm going to do a large one.
40:31Baseball.
40:32It feels we're on a little bit of a winning streak.
40:35And I want, I hope that everyone, it is not our job to solve labor.
40:39And labor is not, the CBA runs out December 1st.
40:44And we've been worrying about this as an industry, as individual people who love the game for a long time.
40:50Let's try to put blinders on.
40:51Last year was a good season.
40:53It was a terrific playoff.
40:54It was an historic World Series.
40:56The WBC was really fascinating.
40:58You mentioned Benj, McGonagall, Weatherholt.
41:03There's new players.
41:04In our last segment, we have real unicorns in the game.
41:07Skeen, Scooble, Judge, Otani.
41:09Lots of great players all around.
41:12Vlad Guerrero, Roman Anthony, Alex Bregman.
41:15This is a good time for the sport.
41:17It's been a little national now since last October for the first time in a long time.
41:22Not just local.
41:23And I hope that we have the ability to say, there are people in charge of this.
41:28Whether they'll succeed or not and avoid losing games next year is a story for another day.
41:33We have seven months now to enjoy six regular season months and a postseason.
41:39Let's try to enjoy it because I think the game, the shame of labor would be, I think the game
41:45is in a great spot.
41:47Yeah, we just better not miss a season or even part of a season.
41:51We haven't missed any games for 30 years.
41:53That's a pretty good record.
41:55The World Baseball Classic was a big hit.
41:58I got what Judge was saying.
42:00I felt it there as well.
42:02It's bigger and better in terms of the atmosphere than the world.
42:05It's not more important than the World Series.
42:07The World Series is much more important, at least in my mind, and probably 99% of the United States
42:14people, it's more important.
42:15But in terms of the atmosphere, there's a lot more noise.
42:18There's a lot more enthusiasm.
42:20It's more excitement to a degree.
42:22So I got that.
42:23So that was a big hit.
42:26I'm glad we're not in charge of figuring out the labor.
42:28I got a C in economics.
42:30I'm not going to be able to do it.
42:31I hope the people who are in charge keep their streak going.
42:35Rob Manfred was the negotiator before he was the commissioner, and it's been 30 years.
42:42So I'm hoping and praying that we do not have a work stoppage.
42:47And it would be an utter shame if we did have a work stoppage.
42:52Yeah, total.
42:53John, I'm with you.
42:54I'm just like what I hope is we can not talk about – we'll end up talking about it.
43:00It's kind of on our job.
43:01We'll end up writing about it.
43:02But I hope to as large a degree, especially fans, that they could push it to the side and not
43:08be – like I always ask fans.
43:10You're a big fan of the NBA.
43:11When's the NBA CBA expire?
43:13You're a big fan of the NFL.
43:14When's the NFL CBA?
43:15Nobody knows.
43:16They always know in baseball when it expires, and we start talking about it as the ink dries on the
43:21last one.
43:22So we talk about it for four years.
43:24Tommy Hogan, we had a lot of stuff going on today.
43:26We always appreciate you getting us on the air, making this possible.
43:30Apple, Spotify, wherever you listen to a podcast, please rate and review us.
43:36It's the New York Post sports YouTube page.
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43:42Everybody, give it a view.
43:44Support us.
43:45It's one of the ways we keep traveling around the country to try to give you more and more information,
43:49and we'll be doing this the whole season.
43:51So stick with us on the show with Joel Sherman and John Heyman.
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