00:00I didn't even mention Otani, who's got a 0.82 ERA in 44 innings of work,
00:05and it seems like that's his goal and his box to check this year.
00:09Embarrassment of riches in the National League right now.
00:11The Otani wrinkle is interesting because I think,
00:15and I was talking about this a little bit with Craig Mish actually
00:18on the show yesterday on Sports Grid,
00:21but there seems to be a very clear desire,
00:24and we've talked about it on here too, to just go after that Cy Young.
00:28And I feel like if the offense sputters a little bit more
00:31just to his standards, he realizes, okay,
00:33it's not going to be a 50 homer a year this year, huh?
00:36Well, I feel like he's going to be even more dead set.
00:38And also, if you think about what do the Dodgers need more right now?
00:42And I'd love to hear the conversation.
00:44I don't want to steer this away from Cy Young,
00:45but I think they need Cy Young-level Otani more than anything.
00:48This guy's on a mission, and I think it's going to be hard
00:51to keep him away from this.
00:53And the craziest part is like he's not the favorite.
00:55And I think based on the MGM odds, there's quite a few guys ahead of him,
00:59and he's throwing the ball as well as anybody in Major League Baseball.
01:02So Otani mentioned 44 innings at a 0.82 ERA.
01:07He is currently third with our friends at BetMGM and NL Cy Young.
01:11I guess odds.
01:12You've got Paul Skeens as the leader in the clubhouse at last check
01:15at plus 225, and then Christopher Sanchez at plus 270.
01:19And then Otani is behind at plus 450.
01:21Meanwhile, the other guys at shorter, I believe that's the right way to say this,
01:26at plus 1,000.
01:27Chris Sales at plus 700, and Mizorowski at plus 750.
01:32Mizorowski at the same time too, right?
01:34Like, I don't think I have to do crazy mental gymnastics to talk you into.
01:38I think it's unlikely just based on the type of pitcher we're used to seeing win it.
01:43But I think there's going to be a point where the more volatile, disgusting –
01:48also, Mizorowski's been less volatile lately, so that's the craziest part as well.
01:52Like, this guy has the stuff to put up zeros with the best of them
01:55and be right in the conversation.
01:56It's early, and I have a question for you.
01:59Is it because it's early and we have a lot of talented pitchers?
02:03Or do you think this is going to be the most wide-open Cy Young race in both leagues?
02:08We'll get to the AL.
02:09I think injury to the guy that usually waltzes to it helps this case.
02:12I think in the National League, a weird first start from Skeens than one other
02:16that just wasn't to his standards at least leaves the door open.
02:20Is this the most open we've seen these Cy Young races at least in the last few years?
02:25You would think so.
02:27With Skeens, there is a world that this turns into the Paul Skeens Invitational,
02:32and it's just his award until proven otherwise.
02:34Even with that wonky start against the Phillies, it's 55 innings and a 2-6 ERA,
02:40but he had the ERA under 2, which felt like an impossible task for Skeens
02:45after that opening day start in Queens.
02:48But Skeens, his previous two starts before five innings of five-run ball
02:51against the Philadelphia Phillies combined 16 innings, four hits, 17 Ks, and no walks.
02:59This guy hadn't walked a guy in over a calendar month
03:02before walking one against Philly this weekend.
03:05So with Skeens, honestly, I'm just not sure if he is going to separate himself
03:11the way that I'm anticipating, but there is a world in two months that he does.
03:15I will say Sanchez kind of seems impervious to slumping.
03:20And then he did the thing he did the other day, which was one of the best starts,
03:24if not the best start we've seen from anybody this season.
03:27And it seemed like we got that micro-slump out of the gate where it was like,
03:31oh, what's up with the Phillies and Christopher Sanchez?
03:34And then as the Phillies got right, I think Christopher Sanchez got right,
03:38and I don't think that's a coincidence.
03:39And then also Zach Wheeler inserts himself into the conversation.
03:42And I think it's going to be really hard for Wheeler to fully climb his way back in,
03:46but he feels like he's six or seven-plus innings of one-run ball
03:51every single time he's out there.
03:53So Wheeler could even insert himself into this conversation.
03:57I mean, Yoshinobu Yamamoto has the ability to go on a heater with the best of them.
04:02Why can't he insert himself into this conversation?
04:04It's a really fascinating spot here where I think it's a testament to how many
04:09high, high-ceiling arms we have in baseball right now
04:13to where you can talk yourself into just about 10-ish guys
04:18that have at least the ability, if it all lines up,
04:22to put themselves in the conversation.
04:25And I just think because of the one little blip,
04:27it's not fully, fully the Skeen's invitational.
04:29And at least there'll be enough of an opening or a crack, let's say,
04:35for somebody or a couple guys to be able to sneak in.
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