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00:00You're sitting there in New England. You're in the Boston area somewhere, I believe.
00:05I mean, do you ever have any interaction with the Red Sox?
00:08Are they ever going to either get mad at you or try to hire you or what's the story there?
00:13Do you feel like you're, you know, I'm sure you grew up a Red Sox fan.
00:16How do you feel about all this?
00:19Well, it definitely is always a joking matter at family occasions.
00:24And, you know, I have had some people now, you know, I show up at the ballpark and they say,
00:33hey, get out of here.
00:34You've already gotten Cam and Ben. Leave this guy alone. You can't get another guy.
00:38John, we have the potential MVP of the American League today, and he hasn't put on a uniform this year,
00:46thrown a pitch or swung a bat.
00:48But he did lead to the Yankees getting Ben Rice and Mr. Schlittler.
00:53And because of that, the scout, Matt Hyde, is joining us on the show.
00:57Yeah, I'm very happy that Matt Hyde will be joining us.
01:00Scout extraordinaire. It is really unbelievable that in the seventh and twelfth rounds, they came up with potentially the AL
01:07MVP,
01:08potentially the AL Cy Young winner in Rice and Schlittler.
01:13This guy has had an incredible year.
01:15He's a great guy. We both know him well because he's such a great scout that he brings these great
01:20players to the Yankees.
01:22And he does it from his hometown of Boston, Massachusetts, killing the team that I'm sure he grew up watching.
01:29And I'm going to ask him about that, what the reaction is there, because he's, you know, fairly well known
01:34in that sports crazy city of Boston.
01:37And they know that he's stolen two stars for the chief rival Yankees.
01:42So it'd be great to talk to Matt on our show.
01:45Yeah, the enemy within.
01:47We're also going to talk about the Yankees as they head towards the trade deadline, what they need to buy.
01:52We're going to talk about the Mets, buyers or sellers.
01:54I think we're probably leaning in one direction and we'll talk about that there.
01:58We'll play hit and error in the end if you stick with us on the show with Joel Sherman and
02:03John Heyman.
02:08Well, John, since we last got together, a New York team did win a championship.
02:13The Knicks won it all.
02:16Unfortunately, you and I are old enough to at least have some memories of the two previous ones and this
02:22one.
02:23And I think we when this season began, John, I think we thought both New York teams were going to
02:28have a real shot at getting their Canyon of Heroes moment as well.
02:33I think we might be down to one.
02:35I have vacillated on the Mets a lot this season.
02:39And and look, I want to give you flowers for this, because last year I kept saying, come on, John,
02:45they're going to win eight out of 10 down the stretch at some point and get in the playoffs.
02:49And you were like you were screaming about the odds on places like fan graphs and just saying it is
02:55not as good as they're saying.
02:56And you were you were on the team a lot and you just kept telling me they're in trouble, they're
03:01in trouble, they're in trouble.
03:02And I want to say, like, I early this year, I just expect them to play better.
03:07I know there's three outstanding teams in the NL.
03:09We keep saying the National League is good.
03:11I'm like, there's three really good teams and the Mets should be able to jump into that mess just underneath
03:15it.
03:16And I keep expecting them to jump in the mess.
03:18I overreact to them doing something like winning two out of three over the weekend to Atlanta.
03:23And then they get just bulldozed by the Reds last night.
03:26And I'm just I'm probably going to be wrong about this.
03:29And they're probably going to have to be sellers in about six or seven weeks.
03:33Yeah, I mean, that was very nice of you to say that.
03:36I did pick the Mets to win the division this year.
03:39That does not look good right now.
03:41You know, I mean, obviously, we're doing this after the 12 nothing defeat to the Reds.
03:47That was about as bad a day as you can have, right?
03:49They used Tobias Myers to start.
03:51I don't think they're going to do that again.
03:53That did not work.
03:54They announced that obviously Scott went on the IL.
03:58That's brutal.
03:59He's been very good.
04:00Now, they say it's not that serious.
04:02But I mean, IL for a young pitcher, you know, it's not a positive at the very least.
04:08And Senga is going to start now.
04:10A guy that I believe they have no faith in no matter what they say.
04:13So it is all pointing negatively as we do this.
04:16Of course, it's a very long season.
04:18It goes up and down and, you know, back and forth.
04:20But I'm with you.
04:22They look to me look like a seller.
04:24They sold a few years ago.
04:26Steve Cohen was there at the time and cut bait on much more famous, more accomplished players like Verlander and
04:34Scherzer.
04:35I don't think they'll hesitate to sell if they don't think they're a World Series contender.
04:39And right now they give no indication that they are a World Series contender this year.
04:44Yeah, John, again, you were on this earlier than me again this year.
04:51I'll say this.
04:53When I was in spring training and I fell for it, I think, I think if you gave even truth
04:58serum to the people who run the team,
05:00they would have said one of the strengths of the team was starting pitching depth.
05:04And it's just turned.
05:05To me, I know the offense has been terrible.
05:08It's been terrible.
05:09I mean, they're historically, for them, terrible.
05:11And it needs to be better.
05:13And I see a way where it gets better.
05:14You know, maybe Lindor comes back in a week or so.
05:17You know, I think you said the target date was the 20th.
05:20Maybe the 22nd against the Cubs.
05:23They start a home stand.
05:24Maybe that feels like something.
05:25He's close.
05:26Do they ever get Polanco on two feet and just DH him because they messed up and didn't listen to
05:32the industry,
05:32which really said that he was going to have trouble with his lower half staying on a field and being
05:38a productive player.
05:40But it's this pitching thing, John.
05:42It's like they can't come up with a formula.
05:46It feels to me everyone who's trapped in this, Myers, Peterson, is just miserable with being jerked around.
05:53And I know the answer is always the Buck Showalter answer.
05:56Play better.
05:56And then I'll start you, you know.
05:59And yet I come back to this and I'm with you.
06:02I feel the negativity from the Mets about Senga.
06:06But I kind of feel, and we're doing this on a Tuesday morning, that his start tonight is important.
06:12Before he got hurt last year, he was one of the five best pitchers in the National League for two
06:16and a half months.
06:18To me, it feels like their last chance at this thing is can Senga be good for two and a
06:24half months?
06:24Now, I know he's never going to stay healthy serially, but can you give them two months?
06:28Can you get them to the trade deadline where they can at least consider a trade the other way?
06:33And we're certainly going to talk about them being sellers here, John.
06:35But I kind of like, is that a one in five chance, a one in six chance or no chance
06:40in health in your mind?
06:41Yeah, I mean, I'll give them a one in five chance.
06:44I mean, there is some chance.
06:45And, you know, they certainly should get better with Lindor coming back.
06:52That's a big piece.
06:53Obviously, that's been missing.
06:55But their offense has been, you know, one of the two or three worst in baseball.
07:01That's been their biggest problem.
07:02But you're right about the starting pitching.
07:04And I wrote about what great depth they had right at the end of spring training.
07:07And it's gone.
07:09I mean, it's okay if you're not really sure about your fifth starter.
07:12But they weren't really sure about their fourth starter.
07:14And now they're not even sure about their third starter.
07:17Now that Scott's out.
07:18So you basically have McLean and Peralta.
07:21And both have really underperformed the expectation.
07:24But those have been their two solid starters who are healthy, active, whatever.
07:30I mean, Holmes was great.
07:31And very bad luck that he got hurt.
07:33That's bad luck.
07:34And they've had bad luck.
07:35So it's not all that they messed up everything here and there.
07:38But they have had bad luck.
07:40I don't consider Polanco bad luck.
07:43He has a history of injury.
07:46And look, they replaced a guy who never missed one game with a guy who's now going to miss
07:50every game going forward, it appears.
07:52Right?
07:53So, you know, that's not a matter of luck.
07:56They didn't put enough into the reliability factor.
08:00So they made mistakes.
08:02You know, and where do they go from here?
08:04I do believe that they will end up being a seller.
08:08I think they have a decent chips to sell.
08:12It might even be Holmes, but certainly Peralta.
08:14Certainly all the relievers.
08:15The bullpen is the one area where it's been very good.
08:18Right?
08:18And I think you probably can get something pretty good for the lefty relievers.
08:24Certainly Raley and Holmes.
08:25I'm sorry.
08:27Raley and Minter.
08:28You know, so I think they can have a decent sale.
08:31I know that's nothing great to look forward to for the team, for the fans.
08:34But I think that's probably what we're looking at now.
08:36You know, John, I think you used the perfect word.
08:39And I want to repeat it.
08:40I think they can have a decent sale.
08:41But unless Peralta pitches a lot better, I think it's decent.
08:45I mean, do they recoup the Brandon Sprout-Jet Williams level of prospects for Peralta?
08:55Maybe.
08:56Like, can they trade Holmes if he's, like, trending in the right direction?
09:01Yes, but not what they could have if he obviously was staying healthy.
09:05The lefty relievers, to your point, are both good and are the kind of guys who get traded.
09:10But you get stuff.
09:12You don't get – you know, they're not closers.
09:14They're not, like, Chapman or Hayter or Miller.
09:19You know, guys who, if you think about if those guys get in the marketplace, what they might – those
09:23teams might get in return.
09:26Is Luke Weaver with $10 million owed next year but pitching well this year?
09:30Does somebody look at it and say, well, I would give him a one-year $10 million contract next year.
09:35So I'm willing to trade for him because he's got a lot of big game experience and he's pitched real
09:39well.
09:39But it just feels like that.
09:42Can I throw out two other names?
09:44Do you think Lindor gets into the market if he's healthy?
09:48Do you think Bichette gets into the market?
09:51Or do the triggered options by a player just scare the hell out of everyone?
09:56Or is bats so needed, especially righty bats who have proven they can hit in big spots, that somebody says,
10:04okay, I believe he's going to opt out.
10:06I'm going to roll the dice for the rest of the year.
10:08Well, I'll never say never.
10:10They figured out how to trade, you know, Verlander and Scherzer when they were making $43 million a year, right?
10:16They just paid the money down.
10:17So I'll never say never if you pay it down.
10:21The opt-outs certainly are a factor, though.
10:24I think he's carrying hard, yeah.
10:26Yeah, it certainly changed the equation.
10:28He is hitting like he hits now, right?
10:30And he's been solid defensively at third and at short.
10:34Now he's hitting well.
10:35So he certainly would be good for somebody to get.
10:39I mean, certainly would help teams, but they'd have to figure out.
10:43And they probably could.
10:45There was some complication about the Scherzer deal at the time, too, if you recall.
10:49Yeah.
10:49And they figured it out, right?
10:50There was some kind of option or something going on that they'd figured out.
10:53So things can be figured out.
10:56Lindor, I find it doubtful.
10:58You know, I mean, I just don't see that happening.
11:03But, you know, he can reject, right?
11:06I mean, he's 10-5 at this point, right?
11:08So, you know, would he approve a trade somewhere else?
11:13I doubt it.
11:14I mean, he's also got 5 at 160 left after this year, you know.
11:18Yeah, to do that, I mean, he might be worth 5 at 160.
11:21Maybe I like him better than others.
11:23I don't know.
11:24I think he might be worth that, maybe.
11:26But to do that off of an injury year in the middle of a season when you've got the CBA
11:31coming,
11:32I'm not sure teams will be lining up for that either.
11:35Yeah.
11:35John, I think I'm with you.
11:36I just want to throw it out as what makes it real interesting for them.
11:40On the subject of shortstop, look, I think it's pretty clear the Yankees over the next six or seven weeks
11:46are going to do everything they can to get a righty hitting catcher.
11:49I continue to say that Ryan Jeffers, if he could come back from this hamate surgery, and he's about four
11:55weeks into healing,
11:56and they're hoping maybe by the beginning of July in Minnesota he does.
12:00I know their owner said beforehand that he expected them to contend,
12:03and he laughed when somebody said that when they're told in spring training their over-under was 73, he scoffed
12:12at it.
12:12By the way, going into yesterday, they were exactly on 73, so I kind of think he hits lefty pitching.
12:21He has a long history with Travis Swanson, Tana Swanson, the Yankee catching director who used to work for the
12:29Twins.
12:30I think they're going to do some bullpen, though I also think that some of it will be internal,
12:35like Carlos LeGranje, a start of falling out of the rotation, like Weathers, when and if Freed comes back, etc.
12:41But I think they're going to have to look at the Josh Hader, like who's ever out there, you know,
12:46like kind of any guys.
12:47John, I think they need a shortstop.
12:49I think you could con yourself and say, hey, they got Volpe, they got Caballero,
12:55maybe they have Lombard coming in late July, early August.
12:58I'm like, to me there's like five or six teams that are really, really good this year.
13:03The Yankees might be the only one in the American League, though I continue to think Seattle's going to be
13:07good,
13:07but they just took a couple of steps back again in the last week.
13:10I think they've got to go for the chip.
13:13And who knows, because the Houston owner, Jim Crane, has said the window never closes here.
13:18Well, the window sure looks like it's closing there.
13:20And they have to think seriously about it.
13:23Jeremy Payne is a Scott Borr's client.
13:25He's a free agent after next year.
13:27Their likelihood of being able to extend him, I would assume, is, if not zero, pretty close to it.
13:33This is a moment to maybe maximize that and try to get a boatload.
13:38And if the guy who was the 2022 ALCS and World Series MVP became available, I would work real hard
13:45to try to do it.
13:46And I have no idea.
13:47I know aggregator shitheads are going to do things with this.
13:49I have no idea if he'll be available.
13:51I have no idea.
13:52I always assume not.
13:54It's like the Bichette-Lindor thing.
13:55I always assume it's easier not to trade somebody than to trade somebody.
13:58But, man, if he were available, I'd try hard for him.
14:02Yeah, I mean, Houston does not want to sell.
14:04I believe Jim Crane.
14:05That's the way he operates.
14:07He does not want to sell.
14:08They have a manager and a GM in the last year of their deal.
14:11So they're not going to encourage him to sell, probably.
14:14Not that any manager would anyway.
14:18You know, I've been talking about Christian Walker and some other guys.
14:23Potentially, yeah, it's a potential.
14:24It's possible.
14:25I don't think it's that likely.
14:27I mean, I think catcher is kind of their bigger issue than shortstop.
14:31Their catchers are hitting 173 this year.
14:34You know, obviously, we know that Wells is out now with the headaches.
14:38He wasn't hitting.
14:39I don't know if it was because of the headaches or what.
14:41The other guys have not hit.
14:43They've had limited time.
14:44But, yeah, I mean, I think if Jeffress is right and he had to have an injury
14:50once he comes back, that makes sense to me.
14:52Again, I think that owner came in there because somehow he overthrew,
14:57I don't know, overthrew is the right word, but his brother was in there
15:00and he sold a lot of pieces.
15:03They traded 11 guys last trading deadline.
15:07And added no one, really, in the offseason.
15:09And you say you're going to be better.
15:11I mean, it's hard to, like, say.
15:12Yeah, I don't know.
15:12I'm not sure why they thought they'd be better.
15:14They do look like a seller.
15:16It's another case where the owner is not going to want to sell
15:19after making the big proclamation about the 11 guys they traded.
15:23We'll see.
15:24They have pieces.
15:25I mean, they've got Ryan, the pitcher.
15:27They've got Buxton.
15:28I'm talking about a team that could have a great sale.
15:31That's one that could.
15:32And Jeffress is a free agent after the year.
15:35So, to me, that one makes sense if he's back and healthy.
15:38So, I like that one.
15:40I mean, Yankees will probably put in a call on Hunter Goodman.
15:43How close are the Rockies?
15:44He's still got three years to go.
15:46He's really good.
15:47He's got 20 home runs, right?
15:48And, you know, that's probably a long shot, but put in a call.
15:53They're more likely to end up with probably a Christian Vasquez type guy,
15:56and that's, again, Houston.
15:57But even if you don't sell, you could trade your backup catcher.
16:01You know, to me, I would go with catcher more than shortstop.
16:06You've got Lombard coming.
16:08I mean, I get the fans are all over Volpe.
16:11Defensively, I think he's okay, right?
16:13He's okay defensively.
16:15He's not hitting 173 like the catchers are hitting.
16:18I would go shortstop, but I get it.
16:20I could see either one.
16:22So, I think I began this by saying they are going to get a catcher, and they are going
16:27to get a reliever.
16:27The question for me is, do they feel like they have to do the next thing also?
16:32John, I just find, I think Volpe's the second baseman.
16:36And I think because he grew up a Yankee fan in Jersey, he wants this so badly.
16:42I think it works against him for just the passion.
16:46It's like, I just think he needs to calm down.
16:49I think he's going to be a good major league baseball player.
16:51I think it's going to be hard here.
16:53I think the more Caballero plays, the more you, I think, you know, he's probably a super
16:58sub to move around.
17:00Because I think the thing you have to have at shortstop, you and I, I know, feel, I think,
17:04I hate to speak for you, you'll tell me if I'm wrong, feel similarly about this.
17:08The modern analytics hated Derek Jeter.
17:11And I get it.
17:12There was, especially that ball up the middle of the field, he was not good at going and
17:15get.
17:15But when the ball was hit to him, it was an out at a hundred percent of the time.
17:21And to me, your shortstop has to create the out when the out is there to do it.
17:27Like you can't screw around with that position.
17:29And I feel like the routine gets away from Caballero a lot.
17:32And I feel like the routine sometimes gets away from Volpe because he has a short arm
17:36and he's always trying to rush everything to hide his arm.
17:40And Lombard could play defense.
17:42Does he come up and be part of the answer here?
17:44I don't know.
17:45But I just, they could win this year and I would be uber aggressive, especially on
17:51that singular player.
17:52I don't think there's really anyone else who I would, like, I think you got to live
17:57with it.
17:57Like Seeger's hurt again and put a ton of money.
18:00The Lindor thing we went through.
18:02I don't think the Reds are up to trading Ellie Dela Cruz yet or anything like that.
18:06What about CJ Abrams?
18:08I just think he's a second baseman too.
18:10And I think he messes up the routine a little bit too much.
18:14Uh, and I'm just like Pena to me is this solid going to field every ball.
18:22He's a great base runner.
18:23He's at least an average to a little above average hitter.
18:26He's championship proven if, and again, I, I emphasize this, I'm with you.
18:31I think Houston will do everything not to sell though.
18:34I think they're like eight or nine under right now as we speak, John.
18:37Um, and it's a hard road back, but the, but the American league stinks and the, the Mariners
18:43refuse to run away from them.
18:46So I could see it staying open.
18:48I'm just like, this feels like a year for the Yankees to get uncomfortable with their
18:54prospect base, which they really protected at the top last year.
18:59And I don't see, I don't know.
19:03There's some proof of concept.
19:04Volpe played in a world series two years ago.
19:05So I know you could get there with them and he played really well.
19:09I don't see that championship shorts up right now.
19:12Uh, yeah.
19:13I mean, to me, catchers is the bigger issue.
19:16Um, yeah, I know you said they're going to get a catcher, but I would, I would even look
19:19at a starting catcher.
19:21Yes.
19:21I think Jeffers is a starting catcher.
19:23Right.
19:23Jeffers or Goodman.
19:25Um, Goodman strikes out a ton, right?
19:28Like, don't you, like, I'm always thinking guys who strike out a ton in the regular season
19:32are so easily pitched to in the post season.
19:35Got 20 home runs.
19:36He is right-handed, which is another plus, um, you know, I, I mean, it's certainly a
19:41big upgrade.
19:42I don't know.
19:43I mean, Pena is proven, right?
19:45Obviously he was a world series MVP, uh, and an LCS MVP.
19:49So I wouldn't be opposed.
19:51I, you know, I don't know that they have any untouchables.
19:55I don't think they're going to, I don't know.
19:57I mean, they have, they have prospects.
19:59They can make deals, right?
20:00They do have deals.
20:01Let's just put, go from that, that way.
20:03They can do deals, right?
20:04Whether they, whether they trade, I mean, it doesn't have to be Dominguez or Spencer
20:09Jones.
20:09They've got pitching.
20:10They got Hess.
20:11They got Legrani.
20:12They got a lot of, Legrani, I think it's probably a solution to the relief.
20:17So they probably stay away from that one, but they've got, they've got prospects.
20:21They can do deals.
20:23Um, are these guys getting traded though?
20:25I mean, you know, I've got questions on all of them, Houston, Minnesota, are they, Washington
20:31is now three games over.
20:33I mean, are they, can they really trade Abrams when they're over?
20:36I mean, they may be, they may still, uh, but, uh, you know, I think there's questions
20:43whether these teams are going to be, uh, Rockies are our team that's going to trade, but you
20:47know, you've got, uh, you know, I think Sensatella is a guy that can get from the Rockies.
20:52Uh, they, he will, he will be traded.
20:55I think I'm not sure they'll trade a catcher with three more years to go, but, uh, uh,
21:00yeah, I'm with you.
21:01The Yankees are the best team.
21:02Might as well be come in the American league.
21:05Might as well make, might as well make sure that you're by far the best team in the American
21:09league.
21:09There isn't another really great team in the American league, is there?
21:12I mean, look at the Yankees are performing with judge out, right?
21:15And they're, they're doing it well, right?
21:17So we're, we're pretty convinced that we were convinced from the beginning.
21:20I think at the beginning, we both said Yankees are going to be really good.
21:24Mets could go either way.
21:25So, uh, I can't claim I got the, we got the Mets right, but, uh, we saw issues, but the
21:32Yankees are really good and they should go for it.
21:34And they do have prospects who they'll be able to get.
21:37That's the question here that we're kind of grappling with.
21:40Yeah.
21:41Uh, one of the reasons the Yankees are really good this year is Cam Schlittler's pitched
21:45like an ace and Ben Rice is hit like an MVP candidate.
21:49One scout was the guy behind both of those guys.
21:52His name is Matt Hyde and he joins us next on the show.
21:59John and I are so excited, uh, to have our guests this week.
22:03Um, I guess if Cam Schlittler is in play to be the AL Cy Young and Ben Rice is in
22:11play
22:11to be the AL MVP, then maybe the real MVP of the whole league is our guest this week.
22:17Uh, Matt Hyde, who's been a scout with the Yankees in the New England area since 2005.
22:23Uh, Matt, thank you so much for joining us on the show.
22:26Joel, great to be here.
22:27And as my wife pointed out, I'm not even the MVP of our house.
22:31So, well, do, do, do 20 minutes with us and we'll see if we can elevate your, uh, perception
22:37in your house and around the sport.
22:39Matt, I wonder if that's a place to start is, uh, like, it isn't like you could go to
22:43baseball reference and find the Matt Hyde page and, and, and know all about this.
22:48I'm sure it's a long journey.
22:50I wonder if you could give us a little idea of you've been with the Yankees since 2005.
22:55How, how, how'd you get there?
22:58Well, you know, it's a, it's a long road as it is for all of us, but it started in
23:03the
23:03Cape Cod baseball league for me long, long time ago when I was a bat boy and it's grown
23:09into this job today.
23:10I've, I've never done anything away from the game, which is such a blessing, but, uh, it
23:17goes back to connections.
23:18And my best friend in high school, uh, I went to a Phillips Academy Andover and, uh, my best
23:25friend was a guy named Gus Quattlebaum and he had scouted for the Yankees at one point.
23:30And, uh, he was tight with Damon Oppenheimer and I was a college baseball coach at the
23:35time at Harvard.
23:37And, um, he asked me if I'd be interested in scouting in the Northeast.
23:42Um, and that's how he connected me with Damon and the rest is history.
23:47Amazing.
23:48Amazing.
23:48It's, it's worked out very well for you, but even better for the Yankees.
23:52Let me get to the two players.
23:54Let me, well, I'll start with one of the two players that, uh, one could be the MVP, one
23:58to say, and I'll start with a potential MVP.
24:01I mean, Ben Rice is a nice young man.
24:04Uh, you know, he went to Dartmouth, uh, you know, uh, how did you discover that this guy
24:11could be, uh, a slugger in major league baseball?
24:14I mean, even play, uh, for two straight years due to COVID, uh, the Ivy league canceled.
24:19How, how, what did you see in him that made you think that this guy could be a major league
24:24star?
24:24Well, I don't know if anybody would have guessed that he'd be in the position he is in now.
24:29And it's just a testament to the work that he's put in and the makeup and the character.
24:36Um, but he played in the futures collegiate league during the summer of 2020.
24:41And at that point in time, the futures league was the only show in town.
24:45There was no Cape Cod baseball league.
24:48There was no new England collegiate league.
24:50Uh, the futures league was the only league that actually played.
24:54And Ben Rice was playing for the Worcester Bravehearts.
24:57And at the end of, uh, a tie game after nine innings, they do a home run hitting contest to
25:04see who the winner of the game was.
25:06And Ben would be the guy who would come up.
25:09And that's when I first really started to take note of the big left-handed power in the
25:14bat.
25:14And then, uh, as fate would have it, uh, Damon Oppenheimer, our scouting director that fall
25:21lived in Malden, Massachusetts, right outside of Boston, because his son Gehrig was playing
25:27hockey in the area.
25:28And Ben and a couple of his buddies organized this kind of pickup league in Northboro, Massachusetts
25:35at the New England baseball complex.
25:38So Damon and I would go over there and watch him and to have the scouting director there
25:43with you confirming, um, what you're seeing with your eyes makes such a big difference.
25:50And Damon is the scouting director, but he scouts like he's an area scout.
25:55He's got a great passion for players.
25:57He's got a great passion for being at the ballpark.
26:00And we got to spend so much time around Ben Rice that it even went into the following spring.
26:07I kept on kind of checking in with him once a week.
26:10He'd hit with his dad.
26:11He'd go over to the New England baseball complex and take batting practice.
26:15He'd, he'd have a simulated at bats against pitchers who were throwing from other Ivy league
26:21schools.
26:22And then he played in a men's league called the Cranberry league for the Braintree white
26:27socks.
26:27And I watched him play in the men's league.
26:29And, um, you just, what I saw was a guy who loved being at the ballpark.
26:36He looked like a Yankee physical, strong left-handed power, you know, and you're just drawn to the
26:45upside of what he could be.
26:47And Damon loved him the most, honestly, Damon was ready to take him in about the fifth round.
26:52And, um, it's a great story of scouting the scouts and kind of being aware of where we
27:00could take them.
27:01We could wait a little bit.
27:02And, um, with those picks, we were able to get, Damon was able to take Will Warren and
27:08Richard Fitz and Jack Neely, all big league pitchers.
27:12And then we took Ben, um, but, uh, it was so much fun.
27:17You really have to get to know the heartbeat of the player to understand the capability
27:22of what they could be.
27:24And with Ben, I think we had a really high comfort level that he was going to maximize
27:29his ability, which is all you can ask for.
27:33You know, I wonder if just to put a final point on this, I mean, Ben Rice was a 12th
27:37round
27:37draft pick in 2021, number three 63, uh, all, all around.
27:44You mentioned that you were thinking about it early as early as the fifth round.
27:48Uh, anyone you talk to will say nobody is connected in the new England area as Matt Hyde.
27:54No one is as passionate.
27:55Nobody works as hard.
27:57Were you the only guys watching him that you, you, like you said, you, you played the scouts
28:02a little bit where you were like, or were you sweating every round saying Damon, come
28:06on, man, Ben Rice time, Ben Rice time.
28:09Tell us about that.
28:11I think I'm sweating it out even more now because I'm glad we got them.
28:15Jeez.
28:16I mean, if we hadn't got them, I think I I'd be devastated for a lot of, but, um, yeah,
28:23there were other teams on them and guys that I really respect who, who did a lot of quality
28:28scouting of him.
28:30Um, but you know, everybody was running into this problem, uh, in the scouting industry.
28:37There wasn't enough history on them.
28:38There wasn't a lot of data.
28:40Um, there wasn't a lot of things that you could hang your head on, uh, other than what
28:44you saw with your eyes and what you heard with your ears.
28:48Um, there was questions about whether he could catch long-term.
28:52Um, you know, we didn't know if he could play first base.
28:55We were thinking that that, that could be an option for him.
28:58So there are a lot of question marks and, uh, you know, that's where the, the familiarity,
29:04the history of being there a lot and watching him, you know, just increase the comfort level.
29:10But if you just kind of went in there and just saw him one time, it would be easy to
29:13keep on walking and walk away from him.
29:16How do you gather the Intel?
29:18Uh, how do you know what the other teams are thinking now?
29:21Uh, 362 picks passed before, uh, Ben Rice.
29:25But, uh, I mean, you can observe who's at the games and you were obviously at a ton of
29:29games that he played and maybe you didn't see other guys, but, uh, I mean, if you ask
29:35somebody, another scout is there, can you trust that he'd tell the truth?
29:38And would you tell the truth about your opinion about a player doing another team scout?
29:44Well, it's a combination of a lot of things, but experience plays a huge role in all this
29:49of, um, you know, going to different sources and, and doing some digging behind the scenes,
29:56including Ben of, Hey Ben, who's been talking to you lately?
29:59You know, um, and then you are, you know, what workouts have you been going to, or, you
30:06know, what are people saying to you, you know, just to give in, he was playing for Kituat in
30:11the Cape Cod baseball league leading up to the draft.
30:14So I could go to Mike Roberts, who was coaching Kituat and say, Hey, what, you know, what are
30:18guys saying?
30:19So you kind of get a feel for what the opinions are.
30:24Uh, and that plays a big role in the, the, the draft is a creative process and there's
30:30a lot of strategy that goes into it.
30:32And, uh, part of that strategy is, is peeling back the layers of, uh, of who's really on
30:38the guy.
30:39Uh, why don't we flip to the other guy, uh, Cam Schlittler, uh, again, seventh round, not
30:45I mean, Adam out of Vino, hold your ears, not a baseball factory, Northeastern, right.
30:51Uh, uh, 20, what was it?
30:53The 2022 draft, tell us about that process.
30:56Cause again, that is not the Cam Schlittler we see today, right?
31:00It was far from this finished product, uh, product with high end velocity, uh, and a
31:06stronger body and secondary stuff, notably a cutter.
31:09What did you see to kind of push Damon in that direction?
31:13Well, it's funny when, when Damon was living in Malden, uh, he actually saw a young Cam
31:19Schlittler and, uh, wasn't sure if he was eligible at the time, just cause he, he was
31:24over at Northeastern watching him throw a bullpen and Damon put in the first report on
31:29him, uh, which is an interesting nugget.
31:32But, uh, uh, the history with Cam went back to high school when we had him play in our
31:37annual, uh, summer rivalry classic, we call it, uh, where one team's the Yankees and one
31:43team's the Red Sox, uh, scout teams.
31:46Um, but the interesting thing about Cam, his sophomore year, he was really good.
31:51I mean, he was up to 95.
31:53He had a dominant, dominant year.
31:56I mean, he was trending upwards.
31:58I think there were a lot of teams, uh, that had him in the top five rounds easy based on,
32:04um, how he pitched that sophomore year.
32:07And he went to the Cape and he had some good outings.
32:10He had some not so good outings, um, but he went into his junior year as a priority guy
32:17for most teams to scout.
32:19And he just had this kind of rollercoaster, uh, of a spring.
32:24And there were some weekends where he got pushed, you know, to Saturday or Sunday.
32:30He wasn't always the Friday starter, uh, because he had his ups and downs.
32:35Um, but I think, uh, what came into play here is we got very lucky with the looks that we
32:42had at Cam.
32:43He had three really good outings.
32:45One was against North Carolina state early in the year.
32:49One was against Elon kind of in the middle.
32:52And one was, uh, in the conference tournament at the end and, uh, a young scout by the name
32:58of Ricky Castle, uh, Scott Lovecamp, who's, uh, in charge of all our, our pitching scouting.
33:04Uh, nationally, he had identified Cam early on as a guy that we should stay on size, strike
33:13thrower, uh, projection.
33:17And he made sure that, that Ricky was down in that area.
33:21Ricky, make sure to go see this guy.
33:23He saw him against NC state, loved him.
33:25And then as fate would have him have it, he saw him in the conference tournament.
33:29So we got really good reports from Ricky.
33:31Damon had been around him, uh, enough.
33:34And we have a great relationship with Mike Glavin, the head coach at Northeastern and
33:39Glav thought he was going to be a big league starter throwing 95 with a good change up at
33:44the time.
33:46Um, and when Glav says that about a guy, you know, that, that really gives us a lot of
33:51confidence.
33:52And Tim Kelly, our cross checker who, who was, uh, looking at my players came in and
33:59got a great look.
34:00And then we had him at our pre-draft workout, um, and our performance science team thought
34:05that they could easily add 20 pounds to him.
34:08And then he gets into our system and our player development people taught him so much, um, and
34:15really got him, uh, got him to embrace different pitches.
34:19We found out that he could make adjustments really quickly and they really got to get the
34:25most out of Cam Schlittler, uh, once we got him in our system, but it was a really cool
34:31process.
34:31I mean, it involved a lot of people and a lot of looks.
34:34And, and again, this is a guy that we had identified kind of early on.
34:39And, um, because of that kind of rollercoaster spring, he slipped a little bit in the draft
34:44to where we could get him in the seventh round.
34:47You know, we, we've had him on our podcast.
34:49He's a very confident, uh, young man, very strong personality.
34:53Uh, I wonder in your scouting assessment, uh, you know, a lot, I'm sure a lot of it or
34:59most of it is about the talent that you see, you know, uh, the breaking pitch, the velocity,
35:05all that.
35:06Uh, how much does the personality weigh into it, uh, for, for both guys?
35:11I mean, look, Rice is a very bright guy.
35:13He's kind of a Renaissance guy.
35:15He taught himself Spanish.
35:16I mean, uh, you know, they're both, uh, great, great character guys, I think.
35:22Uh, but how much of a factor is that in your decisions?
35:25It's a huge factor.
35:27And it's something that Damon really stresses with us, uh, as he says, get to the other side
35:31of the fence, get to know the player.
35:33And the one thing we've been really, really good at as a scouting department is nailing
35:39the makeup of the player.
35:41And it's not just, is it a good guy, but can this guy can compete?
35:46Can he make adjustments?
35:47Is he coachable?
35:48Is he willing to have a growth mindset?
35:51And is he going to put the work in, um, when the game kicks him in the face?
35:56And he's not the shiny toy that everybody loves and he's got to earn it.
36:03And I think, uh, that whole concept of, of finding out, uh, you know, if that player has
36:11the willingness to earn it is what we've done a really good job of.
36:15And it's a huge separator, John.
36:16I mean, it's, it's what it's all about.
36:19Um, every player has a heartbeat.
36:21And, um, if you don't know that heartbeat of the player, you could get a real talented
36:26guy who doesn't work and doesn't become what he can be.
36:31Um, you know, or you can get these two guys that, you know, embrace the opportunity and,
36:37and took off with it.
36:39And, you know, it's interesting, both Ben and Cam.
36:41Um, I mean, honestly, they go about their business the same now as when they were amateur players,
36:50as far as the love of the game and the love of competition and not being afraid to being
36:56in the arena.
36:57There's a lot of players that like being comfortable.
37:00They always, they only like it when things are going good.
37:03These two guys would embrace the tough games and the tough situations.
37:10And, uh, that's, that's one of the biggest parts of our job is to see that and, and watch
37:17how they handle failure and watch how they grow to become better players.
37:22You know, uh, John, John used the word with, with Cam.
37:26I would say with both is John and I were lucky, right?
37:28Like part of our career covers Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera, who I think are the two
37:33most self-confident players I've ever covered, uh, in 40 years.
37:37I'll say that I'm not sure anyone will ever get there, but, uh, I don't think they're faking
37:42it at all.
37:42I think Cam and Ben are two of the most confident players I've been around.
37:46Like their self, because again, like their self-confidence when we kept wondering if this
37:50is a fluke, like they were like, like Ben Rice would look at me when I'd ask questions.
37:55Like I was crazy, like I didn't see what he saw, which was that he was going to be really
38:00good.
38:01Uh, I wonder what you think of the ceiling they've gotten to again, we're, we're talking
38:07about them, not just being good players on a contending team, but you know, Aaron judge
38:14is out right now.
38:15Ben Rice is a difference maker.
38:17Uh, Max freed is out now.
38:19And Garrett Cole was out early in the season.
38:21Cam Schlittler has been the ace of the team.
38:23Just wonder what you think of this ceiling that they've hit.
38:25Well, I'm just very proud of both of them because they haven't changed.
38:29Um, Joel, I can talk to both of them and they're both the same kids.
38:34Um, they're very humble, uh, along with being confident, you know, they don't take themselves
38:41all that seriously, meaning they don't think that they've arrived.
38:46And I've seen this characteristic in really successful players.
38:50And you probably saw it in, in Jeter and Mariano.
38:53I mean, they're, it's all about the next game, the next play.
38:58They don't sit in bask in the glory of what they've done.
39:02It's, it's always about the next game and winning and what are they going to do, uh, to
39:07help the team.
39:07And, uh, Ben and Cam have that trait, uh, they're very team oriented.
39:14And I think that helps them maximize their ceiling because, um, they're all about the W's and
39:23the L's, you know, that matters to them.
39:25That's significant to them.
39:27And they both come from backgrounds that, that, uh, embrace that.
39:32I mean, Ben's hockey background, you know, going to the rink, he played very competitive
39:38high school hockey in a part of new England where it's a big deal.
39:43And Cam playing at Northeastern, you can't be a soft makeup guy and play at Northeastern.
39:50And, you know, you have to be a grinder, you have to be a lunch pail guy, you can be
39:56the
39:56most talented guy in the world, but you have to play within a team concept.
40:00And I think that helps both of those guys a lot.
40:03You know, you're obviously a new England guy with roots in the Cape and at Harvard.
40:08And, uh, you know, you've gotten these players, uh, one out of Walpole and Northeastern, another
40:13out of, uh, Cohasset and Dartmouth.
40:16Uh, you know, you mentioned that, uh, Gus Quattlebaum was the guy who first recommended
40:20you for the Yankees.
40:21Now he is with the Red Sox now, I believe, right.
40:24And you're sitting there in new England, you're in the Boston area somewhere, I believe.
40:29Uh, I mean, do you ever have any interaction with the Red Sox?
40:32Are they ever going to either get mad at you or try to hire you or, or what, what's the
40:37story there?
40:37Do you feel like you're, you know, I'm sure you grew up a Red Sox fan.
40:40Uh, how do you feel about all this?
40:43Well, it definitely is always a joking matter at family occasions.
40:49And, uh, you know, I have had some people now, uh, you know, I show up at the ballpark
40:56and they say, Hey, get out of here.
40:58You've already gotten Cam and Ben, leave this guy alone.
41:01You can't get another guy.
41:02But I think it's really interesting, John, Ray Fagnon is the Northeast area scout for
41:08the Red Sox.
41:09And Ray and I are best of friends.
41:11We're like brothers.
41:12And we've done a lot of, uh, things up here in the Northeast to help grow the game.
41:17And I couldn't have done it without Ray.
41:20And we're, we're very much a team when it comes to promoting the game in new England.
41:26And it's funny, Ray and I laugh about it because we'll be standing together at a game and people
41:32will get mad that the Red Sox and Yankees are actually interacting at the ballpark.
41:38Um, but no, it's a rivalry.
41:41And, and, you know, as Reggie Jackson said, they don't boo nobodies.
41:45And, um, I think it's, uh, it's something that I've always embraced.
41:50You know, I think that the standards of the Yankees are something that, that people treasure
41:56and value and, um, you know, you carry yourself a little different.
42:00You, you dress professionally, um, you act professionally.
42:04And I think people really respect that.
42:07And, um, but it is funny because, you know, I went into career day at my, my, uh, fourth
42:13graders, uh, elementary school and, uh, I had my Yankee stuff on and I, I got booed a little
42:19bit and that's, uh, that's all part of it.
42:25But, uh, you know, I, I think, um, they start them young, man.
42:28I know, unbelievable, but that's what you want.
42:32You want fans that are passionate about the game.
42:35And, uh, you know, for Ben and Cam, certainly they grew up in that same environment and they,
42:39they know what it means to root for their, their teams that they love.
42:43You know, you, you mentioned your relationship, uh, with Ray.
42:46I will say that no matter who you talk to, uh, people talk about you, how you've grown the
42:52game up there, you know, the, the, the Northeast code stuff where you're one of the managers
42:57all the time, your lifelong affiliation with the Cape Cod league, literally lifelong, right?
43:03That's where you started your love, love of baseball.
43:05So I wonder if I could end this by asking you about somebody who once played for the
43:09Brewster Whitecaps and you put in a report on, and that was a, uh, a rising junior named
43:15Aaron judge, uh, who came to the, to the, to the Cape league.
43:19What did you see?
43:20And what, what do you know?
43:21You, you wrote one of the reports, I mean, uh, and, and the team took them, uh, and that
43:27was not whatever anyone thinks today, that was not a no brainer for a player, his size,
43:32uh, back then, uh, obviously he got through the first 30 odd picks before he got to you.
43:37So that says a lot.
43:38What, what, what'd you see, uh, when, when you saw him with, with Brewster?
43:42Well, it, it's a really great story, Joel, and it goes back to the summer of 1993.
43:47And I was catching a home run hitting contest in Falmouth in the Cape, uh, between Darren
43:55erstad and a guy who was playing on the other team.
44:00This group of former professional players was called the gray socks and George Foster
44:05was the guy and George Foster gets in there with this big heavy bat and he's hitting balls
44:12on a line over the fence and left field at Falmouth into this pond that no one ever hits any
44:19balls.
44:20And anyway, so fast forward to the, the summer of, I believe it was 2012 and I'm at Falmouth
44:28and, uh, one of my best friends, John Schiffner was the manager of the Chatham A's and, uh,
44:36all-time winningest coach in the Cape and Schiff had told me about Aaron judge already.
44:41He said, you've got to check out this kid on Brewster.
44:45He plays the game hard.
44:47He steals bases.
44:49He's huge.
44:50And he said, I think he's a Yankee.
44:53And so in comes Brewster to Falmouth and, uh, they start taking BP and I see judge for the
45:00first time and he's hitting balls on a line over the fence and left field into the pond.
45:06I hadn't seen anybody do it since George Foster and as fate would have it, Damon calls me as
45:13I'm sitting there and he was just getting down to the Cape.
45:16And I said, Damon, I'm watching a guy do something I haven't seen since George Foster.
45:21And I said, well, this is a guy you definitely have to watch while you're, you're down here.
45:27And then we did the, uh, workout day.
45:29We do a workout day for all 10 Cape Cod league teams at Fenway park.
45:34It's a great opportunity to see these college kids on a big league field.
45:40And that day that, uh, and that summer that Aaron played in the Cape, when he worked out,
45:47he, he looked like the best player in the league by far.
45:51And I remember I went out of my way just to, just to talk to him a little bit about
45:55like,
45:55how, how is a guy your size able to have such a nice short compact swing, hit the ball hard
46:02on the line, the way you do.
46:04And, uh, Damon of course was there in the stands.
46:07And I think that impression that he had watching Aaron in that ballpark on that day, uh, led to,
46:15uh, obviously one of the greatest picks in Yankee history, but, you know, it goes,
46:20goes back to those, the experiences that you have and the stories you remember.
46:25And then all of a sudden you see it in the present and you go, I've seen that before.
46:59Yeah.
47:00We wanted to hit the high points, but I didn't want to let you go without pointing out.
47:05It isn't just the high points.
47:06You've done this for a long time.
47:08You're one of the most trusted guys, uh, in the organization.
47:11You brought real attention to the, that area and baseball, which will be your legacy, even
47:17beyond Schlittler and Rice.
47:19And John and I really appreciate you joining us on the show.
47:21Oh, this is great.
47:22Thanks, Joel.
47:23Thanks so much for having me.
47:25Thanks, John.
47:25Thanks, Matt.
47:26Thanks a lot.
47:27Great seeing you guys.
47:34John and I, of course, thank Matt Hyde for joining us on the show.
47:37John, hit or error?
47:39Well, I'm on an error streak.
47:40I'm going to give out three errors.
47:42Yesterday was the anniversary of the Devers trade to the Giants.
47:47We're going to give out three errors on this one because I called that a good trade for both
47:52teams at the time.
47:53It was a bad trade for both teams in the end.
47:56The Giants got a guy who was not performing like his stats suggested he would.
48:00He's not a malcontent and he is playing some first base, but Devers is not living up to
48:07that contract.
48:07And now they've got a guy that they probably should trade, but would have to pay it way down
48:12to do that.
48:13The Red Sox made a great trade at the moment, getting Harrison in that deal.
48:21Kyle Harrison has become a great pitcher, but for the Brewers, they traded him to the Brewers.
48:26So as it turned out, I mean, I don't think they can regret the whole thing in its entirety
48:30because they needed to trade Devers.
48:32There was no question about that, but they should have held on to Harrison, who's one
48:36of the better pitchers in the National League.
48:38And I get myself an E or an L or whatever we call an E for an error because I
48:43said that
48:44was good for both teams.
48:45It was bad for both teams in the end.
48:48John, we don't talk beforehand, so we don't know what we're doing.
48:51I believe in that trade, the Red Sox also got an outfield prospect.
48:56I think his name is James Tibbs, who they traded to the Dodgers for Dustin May, who was terrible
49:01for the Red Sox, and I think Tibbs is now a top five prospect for the Dodgers.
49:06So like the wings of it, like the Red Sox did fine in the trade and then decided, how
49:10can we destroy doing fine in the trade?
49:13Right, and the Giants, Tibbs is now helping the Dodgers.
49:18Now, the Dodgers need any help.
49:19I mean, he's killing it in the minors, but it's hard to break into the Dodgers.
49:23Once somebody breaks into the Dodgers, they end up being a star, right?
49:26Everybody they call up is a star, and I'm sure that he will be too.
49:29But yeah, it's an E all around for all of us, including myself.
49:34Yeah, John, you know I love basketballs, but one time I was talking to a guy who was a basketball
49:40scout, and I was curious about his job, and I was asking, and one of the things he said
49:46to me, he said, it's very important when you do what we do to make sure we get players
49:51who don't suck.
49:52And I was like, what?
49:54And he goes, like, everyone we put on the court has to be an NBA player.
49:58Like, that's how you get good.
50:00Like, you can't just give minutes.
50:01The league is too good to give minutes.
50:03And that flowed into something that the Rays guys once told, the Tampa Bay Rays guys once
50:08told me, which is like, they think of their roster 40 to 1 instead of 1 to 40, because
50:12they can't afford the guy at the top.
50:14So like, they want to make sure whoever they put on the field is at least major league average,
50:18has quality, they could do it.
50:20I bring that up because like, I was, as thinking of ways, I think both of us thought the Yankees
50:25did a good job of creating depth this year.
50:27And one of the things they've done is like, they don't put players on the field who suck.
50:31And like, and to emphasize that I went and looked, war is not perfect, but just to use
50:37war, the worst war on anyone on the Yankees is 65th in the major leagues is Ascara.
50:43Then you drop to 124 to Wells.
50:46It's both of their catchers to the point of what they need.
50:48You know, like then Rosario is a little further down.
50:51Like, in other words, there are nobody, they have one guy in the top 125 for position players
50:56in pitchers.
50:57Would you like to know how far you've got to go?
50:59You've got to go to 207 for Luis Gil.
51:02Over 200 players till you get the first, the negative war guy who's the Yankee guy.
51:07And I just think it's another way of showing like, the Yankees built depth this year in
51:11part by like not having players who suck.
51:14Yeah.
51:14I mean, they had Goldschmidt and Rosario were great pickups for 4 million and 2.5 million.
51:22You know, you know, we talk about how much money these teams spend.
51:26They got guys that were bargains.
51:29I think Goldschmidt wanted to come back and probably doesn't need the money that badly.
51:34And he's doing great.
51:35Goldschmidt has been great.
51:37And I think he's probably a whole, I think he is a whole, my opinion, I think he's a whole
51:41He's helping his case, right?
51:42I think he is.
51:43So, and Rosario is a great backup.
51:45He's great for a team.
51:47And, you know, just looking at it, he and Polanco have the same agent.
51:52And the agent got $20 million from the Mets for Polanco and got $2.5 million for Rosario.
51:58Not that it was a bad deal to get, that Rosario had some great other offers hanging out there.
52:03You know, people, for whatever reason, didn't think he was more valuable than that.
52:08Well, he is.
52:08And they did a great job filling out their roster.
52:11Yeah, yeah.
52:12They have real depth.
52:13And I know, like, Yankee fans have beat up, like, the idea of, like, Blackburn and Yarborough.
52:17But, like, they've combined to eat innings in their placeholders until other guys come along.
52:22Like, they've done fine.
52:23Like, the team has the best record in the American.
52:24Is that what they're worried about?
52:25I mean, you're, you're, you're, you're.
52:27I have friends who are Yankee fans.
52:29It's like, like, I ask them all the time, are you only happy when you're miserable?
52:34And it's like, oh, like, these guys, I'm like, like, you're the best team in the league
52:39by a lot.
52:40It's probably going to be close.
52:42I mean, I think the National League probably has three teams that have performed better
52:45to this point.
52:46But going forward, I mean, the Braves have got injuries and issues and things going on.
52:51But Yankees going forward, looking at it right now, who's got the best chance other than
52:57the Dodgers?
52:58The Yankees might be second.
53:00I don't know.
53:00Milwaukee's got a shot there, right?
53:02With the Miz and, and our friend Harrison doing well.
53:06But they got a great shot at it.
53:08And they are the best team in the American league.
53:10And there's no competition for that, right?
53:12I mean, I, I know you like Seattle.
53:16And Tampa's got a good record.
53:18Tampa's not that good.
53:19Look at their one, their, their run differential.
53:22They, they, they, I don't want to say lucky.
53:24They win the, they won those games, but they're not as good as the Yankees.
53:28Not even close.
53:29Yeah.
53:29When the season began, John, I thought the four best teams in the AL were going to be
53:32the Yankees, Blue Jays, Tigers, and Mariners.
53:34And some of those teams, I mean, I think they're all, uh, the two of them besides Seattle are
53:38under 500.
53:39Detroit is the Mets of the American league.
53:42I will Tiger.
53:42We have a few of the Red Sox.
53:44I thought the Red Sox would be pretty good.
53:46I thought the Red Sox were going to be like, we're in that next.
53:48I thought the Orioles might be pretty.
53:50Now we'll see when the Orioles are still kind of on the fence right now.
53:53I mean, the Red Sox, Mets, Tigers, they gotta, they gotta turn it around, but yeah, there
53:59have been some abject disappointments in the American league.
54:02American league is not good.
54:03And the Yankees are at least as good as we thought they were going to be in probably
54:07better.
54:08Um, and Schlittler is carrying it forward, right?
54:11I mean, you know, Rice, uh, MVP candidate, uh, all their players performing, as you pointed
54:18out astutely, uh, they're all performing, uh, what they should be, they're all doing what
54:23they should be doing.
54:24Yeah.
54:25And I'll just throw in one other thing, John, cause you, you, you alluded to it sitting
54:28and watching the Mets play the Braves, including at the ballpark.
54:32Uh, I think the Braves have a little issue right now, like just a little, I mean, they're,
54:37they've got a comfortable lead.
54:39I think they might still have the best record in the national league, but the loss of Strider,
54:43uh, and they've had a lot of starting pitching injuries and they've had a lot of people to
54:48me, Dom Smith, uh, um, Bryce Elder, uh, Jorge Mateo just play way above their heads.
54:56Uh, they really need their third baseman to play much better than he's played.
55:01I don't know what's happened to Austin Riley.
55:03Look, I still think they're really good.
55:05I think their GM is very aggressive and we'll fix some stuff, uh, between now.
55:09They have great prospects though, in terms of the trades.
55:12Yeah, but he always finds a way.
55:14He's one of those guys.
55:15He's, he's like the quieter version of Preller.
55:18He does find a way when he has a good team to, uh, address the team.
55:21Right.
55:22I mean, they were, they were, they had a losing record in August in 2021 and ended up
55:26the world series champions.
55:27Uh, they're very creative.
55:29They do, they do a great job down there, but they do have issues and you've, you've laid
55:32them all out.
55:33Uh, it's, you know, I mean, I'd feel bad for Milwaukee or certainly the Dodgers.
55:40I'd feel better about the situation now than the Braves.
55:43Yeah.
55:43I'm with you.
55:44I'm with you.
55:45Uh, we always feel good about the situation when Tommy Hogan's around.
55:48He's our, uh, producer extraordinaire, helped us again today, jumped on early, uh, to help
55:53us do the show.
55:54We always appreciate you, Tommy, uh, Apple, Spotify, wherever you, uh, listen to podcasts,
56:00please rate and review us.
56:01Uh, the New York post, uh, sports YouTube page, give us a view and please continue to
56:06stick with us on the show with Joel Sherman and John Heyman.
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