00:00Bob, let's get into the first half of the season there as we get ready to come up on the
00:04All-Star game here.
00:06How about the Rays?
00:07And I keep asking you this each and every single time we get you here.
00:10There are four games now in the American League East on the Yankees.
00:14Not that the American League East is blowing people away right now, but, you know, you and I both were
00:18sitting there saying,
00:20dude, this is going to be a project year for the Rays.
00:23Incredible on what Kevin Cash has done.
00:25Even you have to be surprised with where they are right now.
00:28And what they're doing, I believe they're 9-1 over the last 10.
00:32No, absolutely.
00:33You know, when the Rays front office people and Lake people did a mile projection, I think they came up
00:40with 92 wins.
00:41And I think even people in front office go, 92 wins?
00:44You've got to be kidding me.
00:45And, you know, how about 85 wins or something?
00:47So, no, huge surprise.
00:49And, you know, the way the Yankees are tumbling right now and the way the American League is so down,
00:54I think the Rays are reversing course.
00:57I wouldn't be surprised at all to see them ultra-aggressive and say, you know what, let's go for this
01:02thing.
01:03We've got a chance because, you know, we don't have the Dodgers in our league.
01:06We don't have the Phillies.
01:08You know, we can beat the Yankees.
01:09We're four games up.
01:10So, why not go for it?
01:13Eric Neander, is he underrated as a general manager in Major League Baseball, you think?
01:18I mean, you know, Andrew Friedman, everyone knew what he was all about in pouring the cement there with the
01:24Rays
01:24and how they built that small ball baseball organization, him and Joe Maddon.
01:29Is he another one of these guys?
01:31I find it incredible, Bob.
01:32Think about it.
01:33So, they replace Andrew Friedman with Eric Neander.
01:37They replace Joe Maddon with Kevin Cash and are getting the same result.
01:41I mean, you don't see that, and especially in the American League East, which is incredible.
01:46Really a testament to baseball operations.
01:49No, absolutely.
01:50Very, very underrated.
01:51I think just because he's in Tampa, he's not in, you know, L.A., New York, or Chicago.
01:56And, you know, look at all the managers, you know, that have come from that system.
02:00You know, look at the GMs that have come from that system.
02:03So, you know, it's almost like a feeding ground for all the other teams.
02:08So, now a magnificent job.
02:10But, you know, what they've got, about three or four managers that have come from Tampa already, a couple GMs.
02:16So, yeah, they get the right people, and people love working there for sure.
02:21What has happened to the National League West outside of the Dodgers?
02:25But I think it looks like it's starting to implode right now, most notably what the Padres are doing right
02:30now.
02:30What's happened to the West?
02:33Yeah.
02:34I mean, the Dodgers might as well have a party right now.
02:36When they got this thing sewn up, they might as well set up their pitching rotation for the playoffs.
02:4114-game lead, 15 over the Padres.
02:44So, it's a mess.
02:45I mean, the Padres have completely fallen apart.
02:47That pitching staff, you know, outside Michael King, you know, nobody can pitch.
02:51Machado still can't hit his weight.
02:54You know, it's up and down that lineup.
02:56There's holes everywhere.
02:57So, it'll be interesting.
02:59This is a franchise that sells out a lot of games.
03:02The fans are starting to get upset here.
03:05You know, new ownership coming in.
03:07These new owners may come in and have a hard time getting sellouts if they keep playing as badly as
03:12they are.
03:12I mean, they're starting to get booed at home.
03:15Do you think that they could move either Machado or Tatis Jr. there with the new owners coming in?
03:23That's not Peter Seidler any longer.
03:25God rest his soul.
03:26I mean, this is a whole new group here.
03:28And like you said, they may want a clean slate here.
03:30And for, you know, you and I talked a little bit.
03:33A.J. Preller has a losing record since he's been the general manager there in San Diego.
03:38Could we see sweeping changes happening there with that team?
03:42Well, the trouble is you're going to be stuck with those contracts.
03:45No one's going to take Machado.
03:46He's making $35, $40 million a year.
03:48He's still got like seven years left of that thing.
03:51Same with Tatis.
03:52I think Tatis is more movable if you meet some of the contract.
03:57Bogart's, you know, unmovable.
03:59You know, Hugh Darvish, Joe Musgrove, on and on.
04:01So, big-time contracts that they can't move.
04:05Yeah, I think, you know, right now, you know, they got the closer.
04:09Mason Miller gave up a lot to get them.
04:11I think they may have no choice but to listen to offers at the deadline.
04:15He said, you know what?
04:16It's not working here.
04:18We may have to wave the white flag and sell.
04:22Absolutely.
04:23You know, you said this a year ago about the Phillies.
04:26You think they run down the Braves by the end of the year and win the National League East?
04:33I think they're very much very good.
04:36You know, I think they definitely make the playoffs.
04:38They're going to be there one way or the other.
04:40I think Atlanta is aggressive at the deadline.
04:42I think Atlanta could get scoobled.
04:44If Atlanta gets scoobled, then I think they'll be okay because they need some pitching.
04:47But I think the Phillies are right in there.
04:51Very good team.
04:52They really need Aaron Nola to step up.
04:54They owe him a lot of money.
04:56If he can just step up and be a solid number four guy, then I think they're in good shape.
05:01And I think that's a team that could give the Dodgers fits in the postseason.
05:05Fifteen seconds here.
05:07What's happened to the Yankees?
05:09Aaron Judge.
05:10I mean, if we don't know how valuable he was before, we sure do now.
05:14I mean, it's a completely different team without this guy.
05:17Clubhouse, field, presence, complete different team.
05:21That's how much he means that to the franchise.
05:24Absolutely, man.
05:25No question.
05:26They're not playing very good baseball right now.
05:28And, man, I'll tell you what.
05:30The Rays are just pushing further away.
05:32We'll see what happens by the end of the year.
