00:00And Jackson Churio entering into the season injured.
00:02Oh, no.
00:03Is this going to be a wipe season?
00:04No.
00:04282, four bombs, 16 RBI, an OPS of .806.
00:09Jackson Churio getting it started here, coming back healthy and ready to roll for those first place Brewers.
00:15Yeah, those numbers don't look great, but that's only because he's missed some time.
00:19You know, I mean, that's really been the story of his season.
00:21He's been hurt and he's been out.
00:22But, you know, Donnie, the Brewers' success, definitely credit to them without a doubt.
00:27And, you know, getting the starting pitching that they've gotten, by the way, from Mizorowski.
00:31And then the trade that they made, which really looks like it put them over the top getting Harrison.
00:34That was a horrendous trade for Boston, by the way.
00:36Wow, what were they thinking?
00:37That's going to look awful on Craig Breslow's resume.
00:42So credit to them.
00:43But I will say this.
00:45Listen, the Cubs sort of put themselves in this position a little bit.
00:48Like, I think a month ago we were looking at the Cubs.
00:50Like, they may not be out the Brewers for the division, but I did not expect them to fall back
00:55as far as they did.
00:56And I know they had a good weekend, so maybe they jumped back into it.
00:58But to me, that's the bigger surprise.
01:00Not that the Brewers are doing so well, but the Cubs have had this crazy, streaky season where they win
01:0410 in a row and they lose 10 in a row.
01:06They're losing.
01:07They come back and Peeker Armstrong brings them back to win.
01:10They've had that season where you have to have, like, heart medication to get through it.
01:14By the way, we talk about, like, those analytics and management challenges.
01:17Like, we don't like those here.
01:18Well, the thing I like about the new wave of technology in Major League Baseball is you go to a
01:22Philadelphia Phillies game, and the Phillies batting averages, Craig, are terrible.
01:26So they don't even show those anymore.
01:27Like, they show the analytical stats up there, and it feels like you can confuse the fans.
01:30Because I like to go old school and go, like, boy, would I love this lineup here for the, you
01:34know, Brewers.
01:35Starting off, 282, 282, 282, and 283 for their first four batters.
01:40Oh, yeah, the fifth batter?
01:41It's a 281 here, Craig.
01:42We'll get more on the Brewers with Jackson Churio starting to heat up here.
01:45Love that lineup here.
01:46It's just what the Brewers do.
01:48Now, last year, Craig, you talk about those Atlanta Braves.
01:51They just couldn't get healthy, and they just couldn't get right.
01:54Ronald Acuna Jr., the ultimate starter in that lineup here.
01:57259 average, seven home runs, 22 RBI, and 814 OPS here.
02:01The first place Atlanta Braves with the best record in baseball.
02:04This guy ignites that switch here, Craig.
02:07Yeah, and maybe the most compelling stat recently are his stolen bases, which are now on the rise.
02:13He's starting to run a lot more.
02:15So, that tells you that Acuna is indeed 100% healthy.
02:19The Braves are really tough.
02:20They're going to be very hard to beat.
02:22I mean, do we have a collision course with them in Los Angeles?
02:25I hate to do this because it feels like we do this every year with teams, and it never ends
02:29up being that way.
02:30But it sure feels like these are potentially the two best teams in the league, unless Milwaukee or some other
02:35team goes out and makes a major move.
02:37But, yeah, obviously, I love what the Braves are doing.
02:40Their lineup, one through, like, eight, is just massive.
02:43And they're hanging on, Donnie, without Drake Baldwin being in the lineup, too.
02:46And he was one of their best hitters.
02:47So, yeah, Acuna's been great.
02:49And, again, the steal's starting to come.
02:51He's not going to get to 40-40 or 50-50 or anything like that.
02:54But certainly a 20-20 or 30-30 season could happen.
02:58And also, from a leadoff guy, too, love to see it.
03:00His walk percentage are at 15%.
03:02So, just getting on base.
03:03And his weighted runs created plus is at a 1-30 setting the table, I should say, for the rest
03:08of that lineup.
03:09No surprise.
03:09Every day I look like my Phillies can go on a win streak here and be like, okay, well, the
03:13Braves did exactly the same thing.
03:15Not cutting into it.
03:1644-21, nine-and-a-half game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies, who are currently sitting there in second place.
03:22As we talk about those Philadelphia Phillies, Christopher Sanchez, what a run he was on as a left-handed pitcher.
03:29Now has the inning streak.
03:30Wasn't able to catch up to Oral Hershizer, but 50-plus innings going scoreless here.
03:35After the Phillies ripped up that old contract, gave him a new one, he certainly, Craig, is rewarding them.
03:40And look at his last three starts.
03:4222 innings pitched, a minuscule .41 ERA, 23 Ks, only three walks.
03:47He's been a fantastic pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, Craig.
03:51Very disappointing to see him give up a run, Donnie.
03:53Come on.
03:54What are you doing?
03:55You can't give up a run in this day and age if you're Christopher Sanchez.
03:58That's what we're gauging him on.
04:00I mean, this National League Cy Young race is as crazy as I've ever seen it.
04:04I know we're going to talk about it later between him and Mizorowski, who pitched well again,
04:09and then Shohei Otani, who just doesn't give up any runs when he pitches as well.
04:12Wow.
04:13This is as good as we've seen in the NL.
04:17That being said, Christopher Sanchez is the best pitcher going in baseball right now.
04:20There's no denying that.
04:22I don't care that Mizorowski throws 107 miles an hour.
04:24To me, if it's one game right now, I want Sanchez out there.
04:29And the month of May that he had was historical.
04:32It was one of the best that we've ever seen.
04:34I don't know if this can continue because I've never seen anything like this before.
04:38But to me, the bigger story, even above Sanchez, Donnie, is that there's just so much talent pitching-wise in
04:43the NL right now.
04:44It's out of control.
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