00:00We have talked about the disparity between the NL and the AL.
00:05And, you know, for the Dodgers, again, there's no competition
00:08in terms of will they win their division, biggest favorites by a country mile.
00:14But it would not be rare, Gabe, for the Dodgers to not finish
00:17with the best record in the National League.
00:21They didn't finish with one of the two best records last year
00:25in the National League.
00:26They never care about it.
00:29But they don't care.
00:32It's one of these deals where, though, in the past,
00:34the Dodgers used to win like 110 or whatever.
00:37Like they did win a million games and they'd be flat in the playoffs.
00:41They'd be worn out in the playoffs.
00:42Right?
00:43They kind of caught on that.
00:45You know, look, I said, you know, the last two years,
00:47they didn't get to 100 last year.
00:49Not a single team got to 100 last year, for the record.
00:53Not a single team won 100 games last year.
00:55Right?
00:56And the year before, I think they might have gotten a 101 or something, 102.
01:01But I'm saying they won the World Series by not having the best records
01:05in baseball.
01:06But with that being stated, they're a little bit bored now.
01:10And I did hear Dave Roberts, like when somebody asked him,
01:13what are you guys even playing for?
01:14Like, is it hard to be up by so much?
01:20And he said, no, not really.
01:22We're not really healthy.
01:23So, you know, he basically was honest.
01:26And like I said, the Dodgers are very honest all the time.
01:28And he goes, you know, we're getting a good look at a lot of players.
01:32And he basically just talked about, you know, the big, it's all about the big picture.
01:39And then he goes, but I'll tell you, he goes, we are playing for the best record in baseball.
01:42He goes, that's what I tell the guys.
01:45Like, you know, there was no conviction in it.
01:48You know, because if you're a Dodger player, do you really think it matters?
01:51You wake up every day?
01:52We got to be the best, like have the best record.
01:54No, you got to win the World Series.
01:56You're judged by the World Series.
01:58Nobody remembers, like I talked about the league, so like nobody, you know what I mean?
02:01Good for you.
02:02You want to, you know, the Seattle Mariners won 118 or 20 games or whatever.
02:06Good for them.
02:06They didn't win the World Series.
02:07Nobody cares.
02:08Right?
02:09So it's all about, you know, but as far as the best record is concerned, I don't really know if
02:13it matters.
02:14To me, it's just avoiding that five-game series.
02:17You avoid the five-game series, you take the equation out.
02:20That's when the Dodgers have lost.
02:21Right?
02:22They lost the five-game series to the D-backs.
02:24They lost a five-game series to San Diego.
02:25They're harder to beat in a seven-game series.
02:27Sort of like the NBA, right?
02:29We don't see these upsets anymore, Kevin, because in the old days, there'd be a five-game series.
02:34You can actually pull off an upset in a shorter series.
02:38Right.
02:41The interesting thing for me, but this is why we talk about it with baseball, though, Gabe, where the Dodgers
02:49being the one seed, you and I mentioned this in the beginning of the season.
02:53In order for all this Dodgers stuff to feel worth it, they have to be this kind of, like, dominant,
02:57roll-through-everybody force.
03:00And this is where we kind of end up with this boring season out of them.
03:04And let's be very clear.
03:05And I know you don't care.
03:06You're a Dodger fan.
03:07Man, it's about winning the World Series, and that's totally, totally fine.
03:10But it's boring, right?
03:12They're really good, but they're not historically great, right?
03:16They're not can't miss.
03:17Eric Lauer, Evan Sheehan, right?
03:20Robleski, they're not can't miss.
03:22But then the postseason comes around, and everybody's analysis, or almost everybody's, is, well, the Dodgers are going to win.
03:29Obviously, the Dodgers are going to win.
03:31And it does suck a little bit of life out of it, you know?
03:34And I wish this team was on pace for 110 wins.
03:39That's exciting.
03:40It's hard for teams when you're not being pressed.
03:47Like, the Dodgers have openly admitted they like it when the other teams in the division are good.
03:54You know what I mean?
03:54It pushes them, right?
03:56Like, earlier in the year, they said it.
03:59They said, ah, we feel alive.
04:00You know, the room is excited about the playoff chase from San Diego.
04:05They actually tied earlier in the year.
04:06Or I think San Diego even took a one-game lead once, and they threw a parade down there.
04:12And, right, the Dodgers said, you know, it's cool, and it pushes us type thing.
04:16But, like, it's hard, guys, if no one's pushing you.
04:19You know what I'm saying?
04:20But they don't.
04:21You know, you go through the motions.
04:22Then you've got to flick the switch in October.
04:25It's not easy sometimes, right?
04:27They don't push themselves towards those great historical regular season marks.
04:33And I know what you're going to say.
04:35Nobody cares.
04:37But nobody does anymore, though, Kevin, in any sport.
04:41That's what I was going to get to, sort of long-winded style, is that they could be better,
04:46but they don't push themselves, right?
04:49And it's the same thing.
04:50It's like, wow, we're going to win anyways.
04:51We're already up in the division.
04:52And it's sort of a, look, dude, we take pitchers out, Kevin, that have perfect games in the seventh inning
05:00now.
05:02Like, we don't try to achieve greatness.
05:05Everything is thought of from a monetary standpoint.
05:08Well, we've already won, or we're going to win, and we're paying this guy a lot of money, so let's
05:12not risk the injury.
05:13Let's get him out of the game.
05:15Not, oh, my God, imagine.
05:16This guy could throw a perfect game and be in the history books of all time, and we could provide
05:20a memory for the 50,000 fans here that they'll never forget.
05:23It's like, nah, let's go with the analytics of this.
05:26Like, we've taken the soul out of sports, Kevin.
05:29That's why the Dodgers don't care.
05:31It kind of sucks, right?
05:33And same way in the college football playoffs.
05:36You used to have to be undefeated, Kevin, right?
05:38You'd strive for greatness, right?
05:41And Indiana were.
05:43God bless them, so I'll give them credit for that.
05:45You don't have to strive for greatness now, right?
05:48Like, what does the Michigan-Ohio State game mean if both teams have one loss going into the game, Kevin?
