- 2 days ago
Miami Marlins TV play-by-play voice Kyle Sielaff joins the show to recap a monster series win by the Marlins in Los Angeles. Plus, Liam Hicks’ phenomenal April and why the team continues to deserve local support.
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00:00Kyle Seeloff is on the Toyota of Hollywood hotline.
00:03He's the television play-by-play man for the Miami Marlins on Marlins.tv.
00:09And I think, are they on free TV tonight?
00:11Yes, we're on CBS4 tonight.
00:15Oh, there you go.
00:16If you're not a subscriber and you want to hear the dulcet tones of Seeloff,
00:20I mean, CBS4 is the place to be tonight.
00:23The Marlins coming off a series win against the Dodgers.
00:27They open a four-game series tonight against the Phillies.
00:31First pitch is 7-10 at Lone Depot Park.
00:35I will be there.
00:36Solana will be there as well.
00:38Apparently some Star Wars fans will be there.
00:41I really wish I could go Sunday because it's Yacht Rock Day,
00:45and you know that's my wheelhouse.
00:47I've got to get me one of those Yacht Rock captains hats with the Marlins logo.
00:50That's badass.
00:52How important was the series win over the Dodgers, Kyle?
00:56Because I feel like for the psyche, a series win like that can pay dividends.
01:02I agree with you because if you guys go back to Monday
01:06and they had that lead in the ninth inning and the Dodgers come back and walk you off,
01:11you get the sense like you had them.
01:13This was your chance.
01:14Now they're just going to throttle you because you left the door open for them
01:18and they just smashed it down.
01:20But to come back after that and to win game two and then to win on Wednesday afternoon
01:26in the fashion that they did and to get back to within a game of 500,
01:30it has kind of reignited the conversation again nationally like, well, the pesky Marlins,
01:36the pesky Marlins, because it did feel like they were teetering a little bit after that loss on Monday.
01:43But I think it says a lot, their ability to bounce back from that.
01:46That's hard to do.
01:48I mean, you can get throttled 10-0, but it's a tougher pill to swallow
01:52when you get walked off like that.
01:53It kind of keeps you up at night.
01:55So it was a very important series win.
01:58And Kyle, is this rotation?
02:00Because that was the all excitement.
02:02And I've asked a number of people.
02:03We talked to Strom and Appel and all those guys, the baseball guys.
02:06Like, is it legit, Sandy, Ury, Paddock, Meyer?
02:10I love Phillips because he slaps the hell out of himself before he goes.
02:14But just the bullpen and the rotation, is this legit?
02:17Because I know we're early in the season.
02:19It is, and I'll tell you why.
02:22It's because of the way that they utilize these guys.
02:26You have five very good starting pitchers who don't often go too deep into games,
02:31and they've assembled the bullpen in a fashion where it's kind of quick spurts.
02:36And it's got to go well, obviously.
02:38But if you can get five or six innings from your starter,
02:40and then on the off chance they give you a little bit more,
02:42but you don't often see that just because analytics tell you third time
02:46through the order you start to, you're flirting with disaster.
02:49They have a very good bullpen.
02:51I think the sample size is nearly big enough now where I do think you can say
02:58that it's pretty legit.
02:59But I think we expected that.
03:01You know, this team is built on pitching.
03:04And, you know, I saw MLB Network this morning.
03:06They were talking again about, hey, these guys are like the Brewers.
03:11They pitch well.
03:12They defend well.
03:13Is that Tommy Hutton calling him?
03:15No, it was not.
03:16But he might be calling soon, though.
03:17He's probably in his car updating me on his drive.
03:19All right.
03:21But, yeah, I think they're legit.
03:22It's been fun, man.
03:23This is a fun team.
03:24This is a really fun, young team to watch.
03:27Selah, I saw this tweet earlier in the week, and I was going to use it today
03:32to flex, like, my baseball knowledge.
03:34But luckily, Jack McMullen was on our station earlier,
03:37and he kind of confirmed this take.
03:39So I know it's a decent take.
03:41But Liam Hicks, 99.2% zone contact rate.
03:45Aside from that, the seven homers, was this like a breakout start for him?
03:49What are we doing?
03:50Proud and I are having the same reaction.
03:53Zone contact rate.
03:55What are you talking about?
03:57What show do you think this is?
03:59Do you think we're doing inside pitch here?
04:01We spent half the week talking about prime rib,
04:04and you're going to drop zone.
04:06I don't even know what the stat is.
04:0999 zone percentage rate in the inside.
04:12Zone contact rate.
04:13I mean, that's huge.
04:14I got the channel wrong for where you can watch the Marlins tonight,
04:17and you're talking about zone contact rate.
04:19Thank you, Jimmy.
04:20It's on the CW tonight, not CBS4.
04:22It's on CW33.
04:24Okay.
04:26Now, what was the question?
04:28Breakout season for Liam Hicks.
04:29Is it really to say that?
04:32That was much better.
04:34That was much better.
04:36No.
04:37You know, when he comes to bat tonight,
04:40should I refer to him as the greatest catcher of all time?
04:44Getting no arguments out of me.
04:45Well, his contact rate is amazing, though, Kyle.
04:48Go ahead.
04:49Can you explain it to me?
04:50What is zone contact rate?
04:52Zone contact rate is the amount of pitches thrown inside the zone that you make contact with.
04:57And he's making 99.2% contact with pitches thrown inside the zone.
05:01Now, it doesn't take a mathematician or an Einstein to realize that that's a pretty high percentage, Hawk.
05:08Well, is it?
05:09What's a typical zone percentage rate for a batter?
05:12For a catcher?
05:13No, for a batter.
05:14For a batter?
05:15I mean, you're comparing apples to oranges here.
05:19You just said that it's an insane zone contact rate.
05:22You didn't give the qualifier of it being a catcher.
05:25The whole point of me bringing this up was to ask Seeloff about it.
05:28And I imagine for a catcher, especially Liam Hicks, Seeloff, I wasn't expecting.
05:32I just can't allow that kind of sports talk on this year.
05:36I think we're into it a little bit here.
05:38I think we're getting somewhere.
05:40Okay.
05:41Yeah.
05:41I do think he's having a breakout year, though.
05:43I mean, most RBIs by a catcher in Major League history before May 1st.
05:48Pretty insane.
05:49Rule 5 pick, never played AAA ball.
05:51Kind of showed flashes last year.
05:53It's pretty darn good.
05:54I don't know a lot of the analytics and stuff that you're referring to, but I know what I see,
05:58and that's pretty darn good.
05:59Me neither.
06:00I don't know what I just read.
06:04But did you look up his zone contact rate?
06:07Like when you knew that we were going to talk baseball today?
06:09No.
06:10I genuinely had this tweet when I knew Seeloff was coming on.
06:13I had this tweet in my favorites because I saw it, and I'm like, wow, that's pretty interesting.
06:17Eric Cross, MLB, fun fact of the day.
06:19Liam Hicks has a 99.2% zone contact rate.
06:24Everybody in the replies is like, wow, that's amazing.
06:27How is that possible?
06:28It makes sense.
06:29It was kind of like when you did the Pizzola, are you buying the Sabres?
06:33And we were like, where does that come from?
06:35I got to show you my.
06:38We got to read fun facts of the day.
06:41That's what we have to look at.
06:43But I got to show you my questions because he talked about, because I have my questions written for the
06:50Marlins.
06:51Here's what I had.
06:53Oh, I just lost it.
06:54I really want you to see it just so you can see.
06:57I don't know if you'll be able to see it or not.
07:00Talk about Liam Hicks.
07:02That was my question.
07:05My question, I was literally going to say to Kyle, hey, talk about Liam Hicks.
07:10And then you dropped a zone contact rate on me, and I found it funny.
07:16You're not incorrect.
07:17I just found it funny that you used that.
07:20In 10 years, I've never heard that.
07:22My office would be very happy about that.
07:25That is stuff that they look at.
07:26Seeloff and Salon, it's a couple of broadcasters chopping it up.
07:29I know.
07:30I know.
07:30That's what I'm saying.
07:31It felt out of the blue on this particular show.
07:34There you go.
07:35Give him a call.
07:36He's got Xavier Edwards' phone number.
07:38We know.
07:39We know.
07:40He mentions that.
07:41He's got Xavier Edwards' phone number.
07:42You know, I can call him.
07:45Well, anything I ask now is going to pale in comparison to zone contact rate.
07:50It may not.
07:52What about the Marlins for where they stand now in the NL East?
07:57I'm guessing if Clayton McCullough, anyone associated with the team, would have been told
08:02before the season starts, hey, you're going to get to May 1st.
08:04You're going to be second in the NL East.
08:06You're going to be a game behind 500.
08:07They'd probably have signed up for that in a heartbeat, no?
08:10Yeah, I think so.
08:11And I think because of the situation that the Phillies and Mets are in, I think, you
08:16know, even though it is May 1st, the Marlins are going to have a real shot here to put
08:20in kind of a bid for that wild card spot.
08:23I really do.
08:24I think the Phillies and the Mets have buried themselves to the extent that the door is
08:28wide open for the Marlins to play really good baseball.
08:32And honestly, if you can be 500 around August 1st, and again, I understand we have a ways
08:36to go, that gives you a real shot to play meaningful baseball in the final two months
08:40of the year.
08:41And I just think they're built in a way that they don't sustain losing streaks because of
08:49the way that they pitch.
08:50Generally, it gives them a chance to win in the way they hit.
08:52They don't rely on home runs, and they don't just have to slug their way to wins, as you
08:55guys see and watch it here.
08:57They just kind of knock the ball around, and they just stress you out for a few hours, and
09:01that's how they win their game.
09:02So I think the way that they're built will allow them to endure some losing streaks like
09:07every team will.
09:08And I think it'll also allow them to rattle off some wins in a row to put themselves in
09:13a good position here in a couple of months.
09:14I really do.
09:16And I do have Xavier Edwards' number, but he's been raking.
09:19We know.
09:20I just, I had to let Kyle know I do have his number.
09:24But Stowers and them guys, are the bats good enough?
09:27Because I asked about the pitching.
09:28My son plays baseball.
09:30He's at IMG.
09:31He's a very good baseball player.
09:32It's pitching, it's bats, and it's skipper making the right decision.
09:37That's the three parts of baseball in my mind.
09:39Am I wrong?
09:40And do we have the bats to do it?
09:41Because that would be my question, seeing this rotation.
09:44Yeah, no, I don't think you're wrong.
09:46I really don't.
09:48But I think the good thing, kind of going back to what I was just talking about with
09:51this team, is they have an identity.
09:53And they know it's not every time we show up to the ballpark, we have to score eight
09:58runs with four different multi, you know, three run bombs or something, right?
10:04Like, do they have the bats that, like, the Dodgers have and maybe some of the top
10:09teams that people often reference do?
10:12No, but that doesn't mean they cannot win with what they have, which is, I think, is
10:16what's been encouraging.
10:17Now, I think Augustine Ramirez will hit his fair share of homers.
10:21I think Stowers will.
10:22He's still looking for his first.
10:24Liam Hicks has been a pleasant surprise.
10:26Norby will hit his fair share.
10:28When it's all said and done, I think people might be surprised by the amount of power they
10:32do have, but they don't necessarily just need to slug to win these games.
10:36So behind good pitching and a good bullpen to start the year, the big thing, honestly,
10:40is when they get on, they run, man, they steal.
10:43And oftentimes they have a man in scoring position and they've been one of the best teams in
10:47baseball the last couple of years with men in scoring position in two outs.
10:52And if you're just going to constantly drive in runs like that, you're going to win a lot
10:56of games.
10:56So is it a little unorthodox, the style that they play to win in 2026 in Major League Baseball?
11:03Sure, but that doesn't mean they can't do it.
11:06And I think that's what's been exciting.
11:08Silov, I know that this is kind of a touchy subject because, you know, even Sandy Alcantara
11:13made light of it earlier in the season when he pitched a gem and in his walk-off interview
11:19on the Marlins Radio Network, he mentioned, you know, the fans weren't out there.
11:23And I know that that's a thing surrounding this fan base that, you know, sometimes the stadium's
11:29empty or sometimes there's more opposing fans there.
11:32But because of the exciting start, because of, you know, all the things you're talking
11:36about this team, that they're exciting and they're young and they're fun, you just feel
11:39like the vibe is still there right now.
11:42It was there at the start of the season for sure.
11:44You just feel like at May 1st, there's still that vibe around this team where people are
11:48going to be excited going into the summer.
11:50Yeah, I do.
11:51I mean, I just, you know, everybody has certain means and certain parameters in which they can
11:57do things.
11:57But I hope people that have the means to get out to the ballpark, come out and support
12:00these guys, man, because it's not a bad time when you come out.
12:03It's fun to watch them play.
12:04You know, it's fun to bring the family out there and watch these guys play.
12:08I hope the community is starting to take notice.
12:11You know, I understand there's a PGA Tour event in Doral.
12:15I know F1 is six miles west of me here in Miramar and Hard Rock.
12:19I understand there's a lot that goes on in this town.
12:21And I know it's been a topic of conversation for years, but the Marlins offer a really
12:26fun, good, affordable product.
12:29And I hope people that have watched have taken notice of that.
12:32And I hope they come out and support these guys because I say it a lot, man.
12:34They deserve it.
12:35They really do.
12:36Like, they're a fun team to watch.
12:38It's taken a long time for Bruce Sherman and this ownership group to build the trust
12:43back in the community.
12:44But I hope they're starting to do that the last couple of years with the product that
12:48they're putting on the field.
12:49I think the proof is in the pudding.
12:51And again, I know that people watch when we're on the road and listen.
12:55It's fun, man.
12:56So if people have an opportunity to get out and support these guys, you're not going to
12:59have a bad night at the ballpark.
13:01I promise you that.
13:01Win or lose, you're going to have a nice time with your family.
13:03If you're coming out alone, grab a tick and come out and hang out.
13:07And Kyle, another baseball conversation we had on this show earlier this week is that
13:12I think, Solana, what was it?
13:14Pitchers love to have Tommy John surgery because they get better.
13:17All I said, Kyle, was that pitchers, especially younger pitchers now, are more accepting of
13:27going and getting Tommy John because it'll prolong their careers.
13:30And there's a much higher success rate with Tommy John now.
13:35And pitchers at times...
13:36That's not what you said.
13:37That's what you meant to say.
13:40That's a cogent thought.
13:42That's a cogent thought.
13:42That makes sense.
13:43I said that they throw faster and stronger after Tommy John surgery, which is why so many
13:47pitchers...
13:48You made it sound like pitchers were opting to get it even when they weren't injured.
13:52They get it to go faster.
13:54It's true.
13:55I think there's a serious...
13:57Is the correct word?
13:59Epidemic?
14:00Yeah, I think it is, right?
14:01Well, we can go with that.
14:02There's high school kids out there that do it.
14:06Here's the deal with pitchers.
14:08And I was told this by one of our team physicians one time.
14:10If you take an image of a kid's arm at 16 years old that's been playing baseball for
14:14a couple of years, you will find some type of tear in the ligament of their elbow because
14:18there's millions of little fibers in there.
14:20You can always find a tear.
14:21And a lot of these young kids now just elect to undergo Tommy John surgery, hoping that when
14:26they come back, they are bigger, faster, and stronger, not really understanding the repercussions
14:32of doing it.
14:32I know that's a pretty serious conversation, but I think it's bizarre that there are kids
14:37out there that elect to undergo it and they get a little imaging done.
14:40It's like, yep, you have a little tear.
14:41We can do it.
14:42I think it's crazy, but that is a real thing.
14:44I think it's stupid, but I think it's...
14:46I think Solana may have been vindicated here by Kyle Seloff.
14:48You are vindicated.
14:49I lived it, Seloff.
14:51Oh, you had it?
14:52I didn't, but I grew up in Southwest Miami.
14:56My high school was at a baseball high school, Archbishop Coleman Carroll.
15:01When I was a senior, half the pitchers, Tommy John, I'm pretty sure a doctor was profiting
15:07off.
15:07I don't know.
15:08I don't know exactly what happened.
15:09Hold on.
15:09Now you're talking to me.
15:10Let's go.
15:11Well, I mean, it's Miami, right?
15:13Like, it shouldn't surprise you, but half the pitching staff, my senior year, had Tommy
15:19John surgery in preparation for college.
15:21They already had their scholarships.
15:24They were going to take senior year off and go into college thinking this was their thought
15:29process, that they were going to throw faster and stronger because they had Tommy John.
15:32I'm telling you, I lived it.
15:33These guys didn't want to believe it.
15:34You haven't lived it because you weren't a pitcher.
15:36Show me the score.
15:37Lived it means you were a part of it.
15:38You watch your friends have it.
15:40Hey, pull out the cream in the clear.
15:42Don't you have it behind you?
15:45Biotech.
15:45I got a text from Lee Sterling.
15:48He said, after he takes his wife to a five-star restaurant, he's got a 99.1 zone contact rate.
16:01That's the lead?
16:03Wow.
16:05I'm right there with you, Lee.
16:08All right.
16:09Kyle Seloff.
16:10Watch him.
16:10Marlins.tv.
16:12CW 33 tonight.
16:14And Solana and I will be out there with my wife and his fiancee.
16:19Unfunny Lewis and his wife will be with us.
16:21And as Seloff was saying, I am a huge proponent of going to Marlins games, going to the ballpark,
16:28because I think that ballpark is great.
16:30Star Wars night tonight.
16:32Yacht Rock Day on Sunday.
16:34Hey, sorry not all of us can afford to be at F1.
16:38Yacht Rock Day Sunday at Lone Depot Park.
16:41If you're not there, if you've got nothing to do on Sunday and you're not enjoying that,
16:45then you don't know what a good time is.
16:47All right.
16:47Have a good broadcast tonight, Kyle.
16:49All right.
16:49Happy zone contact rating to all of you later this evening.
16:53And to you, good sir.
16:55All right.
16:56We'll take a break.
16:57We'll come back with more Hockman Crowder and Solana.
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