Takes

The Tigers bringing back Justin Verlander is a PR move to distract from arbitration drama

This feels like PR 101 from the Tigers who have signed Justin Verlander... I feel like after it's like, hey, we didn't like the... [arbitration]... They were like, 'oh, our fans hate us. Let's bring back Verlander.'

The Cubs' ceiling is getting swept by the Dodgers in the NLCS

I have been forced to to, to move the Cubs ceiling with the Kyle Tucker signing... I think now the ceiling might be Cubs get swept by the Dodgers in the NLCS. That's the ceiling.

The Pirates leaking interest in Kyle Schwarber is just 'red meat' to appease the fans with no intent to sign him

I feel like the Pirates' version of them actually signing a big free agent would be just leaking it that they're thinking about signing. Correct. That was... their red meat to the fan base. Be like, look, we tried.

Shohei Ohtani's 50/50 game in the 2024 NLCS is the best game ever played in sports history

[Ohtani's game] might be the best game ever played, maybe in any sport... especially when you consider the NLCS, you know, it's like, it's in the playoffs, you know? Yeah. I think he might be right.

The Blue Jays are going to win the World Series

The cup is in the building for the Blue Jays... the pointy little flags are in Canada... they can win the World Series.

Shohei Ohtani might be the best athlete we will ever see in any sport

[Shohei Ohtani] is getting into the territory of one, he's somehow underpaid. Two, he might be the best athlete we ever watch, play any sport. It's getting into the Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, these territories where in 50 years you could see yourself saying, remember when we got to watch Shohei Ohtani.

George Springer is the most clutch postseason hitter of the last 15 years

George Springer does it again. Maybe the most clutch postseason hitter of the last, what, 15 years? Third all-time in postseason home runs now, which is pretty crazy.

Baseball fans should blame their own cheap owners for not spending instead of being mad at the Dodgers.

We should be complaining about the Pirate's owner and the Red's owner and the, and the Rockies owner and all these owners that don't wanna spend a dollar. ... if you're a Pirates fan, you shouldn't be mad at the Dodgers. You should be mad at your owner.

The Mariners are a team of destiny

I do feel Team of Destiny Vibes from the Mariners. Now their destiny might be to just get waxed by the Dodgers in the World Series. But I do think that Seattle's gonna get there.

The impending MLB lockout will be the defining story of baseball next year

This is going to be the defining story of baseball next year. So hopefully people understand that this is gonna be a big deal... owners essentially lock players out, say you cannot report to work. And then it just becomes a staring contest.

The Cubs should bring home Kyle Schwarber

I would love [to get] Fram [and] Kyle Schwarber... Schwarber would be awesome. Bring him home. Be awesome.

The Cubs will be the only team to get swept in the Division Series

I think the Cubs are screwed because I saw Tom Fornelli our good friend who's on later on in the show, who does not like the Cubs tweets. So we're gonna get three out of four of the DS series as sweeps, and now the Yankees won. That means a Phillies are gonna win and the Cubs are gonna be the only team that gets swept.

The Yankees should not celebrate a wild card win

I don't think that the Yankees should celebrate winning a wild card round... I think every other team can do it. You're the New York Yankees. You're supposed to be the Yankees. The standard shouldn't just be winning a wild card series.

Pitching Matthew Boyd on short rest was an inexplicable mistake by Craig Counsell

Craig Council decided to pitch [Matthew Boyd] on short rest game one. He got absolutely lit up... I don't understand it. Why wouldn't you go bullpen? ... Short rest is for the end of a series, not the fucking first game of a series.

The Tigers' series win erased the memory of the Guardians' historic 15.5-game comeback

Did the Tigers just erase that entire 15 and a half game comeback? I unfortunately think yes... when you lose then to the Tigers in three games, that's brutal. You caught them to then get the right to lose to them at home. You kept them alive to allow them to embarrass you.

The Guardians have team of destiny vibes this postseason

Tigers got in a little bit of trouble there in the ninth with Javi Baez having an error. Looked like the Guardians, like the Guardians, at least the way they finished the season, have some team of destiny type of vibes.

The Guardians are the best team in baseball right now

Guardians are, are red hot. I put a future on the Guardians to win the World Series just because of like how crazy this last month has been for them. The best team in baseball right now. I don't think they're, they're the most talented team, but like, in terms of the streak that they're on, it's worth a shot at least.

The Mets are definitely making the playoffs

Gun to your head? Are they making the playoffs? Yes. Yes, yes, yes. Yes. They, they are definitely set up in a spot that they should, they should be feeling okay about themselves.

Teams should only celebrate clinching the division, not the Wild Card or DS

Clinching the playoffs is absolutely celebration worthy... I think when you win the wild card division series, it's like, this should be business as usual. Like we are, we're here now to win a championship. Let's focus on that.

Shohei Ohtani should be eliminated from MVP consideration after giving up five runs to the Rockies

Shohei [Ohtani] got rocked and he got hit by a line drive... he hit into a triple play, five runs against the Rockies. Those two things should eliminate you from the MVP.

MLB realignment and getting rid of the American and National Leagues would be a mistake

Shut the fuck up. Get the fuck out of my clubhouse, Rob [Manfred]... I actually think they should do the opposite. They should get rid of Interleague play... Dial it back, but don't get rid of the leagues. That would be a mistake.

The Phillies' season is effectively over if Zack Wheeler is out with blood clots

I think [Zack Wheeler] is probably done for the year, which means that the Phillies are probably done. Blood clot sounds bad in his shoulder.

The Yankees should bring back Joe Torre and their old facial hair policy

The year where they decide to change their entire facial hair policy and grooming standards, things go downhill. They should go back to a manager that doesn't manage just off a spreadsheet. They need, they might need to bring back the no facial hair and Joe Torre all in the same.

Kyle Schwarber should win the NL MVP

I was gonna say Kyle Schwarber should be MVP. ... Shohei is not pitching. ... I also have a 90 to one ticket on Kyle Schwarber. But that has nothing to do with us saying Kyle Schwarber should win MVP.

The Chicago Cubs' 2025 trade deadline was a disaster with no clear plan.

Cubs Trade deadline recap... They got no plan. They got a bunch of rental arms. A super utility man. Which I like that. That's cool... But it feels like Kyle Tucker will not be resigned. The Cubs had, they, they traded a prospect, a really good pro prospect in Cam Smith for Kyle Tucker... And then they did nothing at the trade deadline. And they're holding onto prospects and then they're probably not gonna sign Kyle Tucker... it's a disaster.

The only way the Cubs can make their deadline right is by re-signing Kyle Schwarber in free agency.

The only way they can make it right is if they bring back Kyle Schwarber. I decided on that. I'm gonna start putting the pressure on that. 'cause he's a free agent.

The walk-off catcher's interference rule is a stupid rule

I mean there's no, there's not much Hot Seat. It's just a stupid rule... Lost on walk off catcher's interference. Second time it's ever happened in MLB history. First time since 1971. The problem was the catcher just stuck it... It was technically letter of the law catcher's interference.

The Home Run Derby's current timing format is too exhausting for players

I don't think people appreciate how exhausting it is for the players to take that many swings that fast. So it's something we will talk about with ESPN regarding changing the format.

Kyle Schwarber is the greatest home run hitter in the game

Kyle Schwarber is the man. What a monster. Three swings, three dongs, three no-doubters. He hit three home runs in three swings, absolute monsters. He's the best. I fucking love him forever.

James Wood will be the future face of the MLB

James Wood... many are saying [he is the] future face of this league.

Winning a World Series in Philadelphia is more special than in Boston

What separates the two for me was... there's not many championships in the city of Philadelphia. In the city of Boston, it's pretty different. That's what makes Philadelphia to me a little bit more special. You have a love and a passion for their sports, but I feel like [Philly fans] act differently about it because they don't have many.

Firing Nationals GM Mike Rizzo because of the team's record is nonsensical due to budget constraints

Firing a GM because you didn't give him enough money to spend on good food... That's like divorcing your wife because you got fat.

The dropped third strike is the stupidest rule in all of baseball

The dropped third strike rule is the stupidest rule in baseball of all time. You swing in a pitch that's that bad... and then just because the ball like bounced away, you get to go to first base. It's a participation trophy. I literally made you swing at a pitch that didn't even make it to the plate. It was that bad. And you get to run to first base.

Dick Monfort promoting his son to COO is a classic case of nepotism that won't fix the Rockies

The Colorado, we, we've given a lot of shit to their owner. Dick Monfort piece of shit... And he promoted his oldest son. Oh. To be Chief Operating Officer... They're not content to, to mi away in the slums of mediocrity. They're gonna fix it out by just having his son do all the things he was gonna do.

The 2025 Dodgers are the #1 champions of the calendar year across all sports

I'm gonna go Dodgers number one. Dodgers, Panthers, Florida basketball, Ohio State Football, Thunder, LSU Baseball, Eagles, Rory McIlroy. That feels good.

Robot Umpires should stay out of baseball to preserve the human element of arguing and ejections

Out on Robot Umps. I mean, don't you wanna keep a little bit of the baseball in it? You wanna see managers and guys getting ejected, like that's part of the game. ... If you take that away, it's like there's not, you know, you need a little bit of excitement in the game.

James Wood will be the face of baseball within two years

Buy all the James Wood stock that you can get right now. ... 22 years old. I think he's got 20 dingers right now. 50 some RBIs. ... I think we're gonna have a James Wood face of baseball conversation in the next two years.

Christian Yelich is going to win the MLB Home Run Derby

When I was in Milwaukee, all the brewers, like almost every single brewer when I walked by said, Christian Yelich is gonna win the home run derby this year. It's disgusting.

Red Sox ownership does not care about the fans or winning after the Devers trade

I've been out of the Red Sox ownership since they got rid of Mookie Betts... they don't care about the fans. They don't care about winning. Like they know the Red Sox ownership is selfish and they don't care about winning because they know that fans are gonna show up either way.

Cal Raleigh is a legitimate MVP candidate and deserves more national attention

Cal Raleigh is the catcher for Seattle Mariners. He has 23 home runs and that's insane. It's nuts that he's doing this as a catcher... He won't win MVP, but he's got my vote. First catcher with 20 home runs before June.

Barry Bonds and Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame

I might be inclined to vote for Rose to get in, you know? And I think Barry Bonds should be in the Hall of Fame because everybody... most of the power hitters were, and he's by far the best hitter to ever play the sport. It's a museum at the end of the day.

An average person could likely get three outs in a Major League game eventually

I think you get three outs. Yeah. Like, honestly... The ball is bound to go to somebody. Yeah. Like there's no, like, it just goes against odds for the ball to just keep landing in the grass somewhere. Right.

The Monfort brothers are terrible owners and the Colorado Rockies might be the worst team ever

We gotta get on the radar of the Colorado Rockies maybe being the worst team of all time... officially the Monfort Brothers, Dick and Charlie Monfort, we're looking at you, we're watching you, we're on your shit. We're just gonna say you fucking suck ass once every couple of months.

The Home Run Derby has lost its luster and isn't cool anymore

Home run derby's not even cool anymore. I don't even You messed up the format... the camera work's gone. I don't think Chris Berman's even doing it. It's lost a lot of its luster.

Increased runs and homers are objectively good for baseball

Why you watch baseball? To watch homers? Yeah. Why do people want less homers? Yeah. Like everything in baseball right now is going towards the pitcher. The one time, the one time something goes towards the hitter and now everyone wants to freak out. That's what baseball's fun. You wanna watch people hit, you wanna, this is good for baseball. More runs is good for baseball

Cam Smith will win the AL Rookie of the Year

I think I'm rooting for Cam Smith to win AL Rookie of the year. And I might even bet it... if he wins AL Rookie of the Year, then Tom Ricketts has to resign Kyle Tucker.

The Cincinnati Reds are a sleeper team that could win the NL Central

I think people are sleeping on Cincinnati a little bit. Elly De La Cruz has a chance to be a super duper star... I like a team that has some youth on its side... the Reds feel like they could be that team this year.

The Texas Rangers will win the American League pennant

The team I'm picking to win the pennant is the Texas Rangers... they get Jacob deGrom back to headline their rotation this season... If the Rangers bullpen can perform... I think they have probably the highest ceiling in the league.

Pete Rose should be reinstated to MLB and the Hall of Fame because his 'lifetime' ban is technically over

It was a lifetime ban. Right. The operative word being life. Right. He's no longer alive. Right. He's dead. So the ban should have already been lifted.

The Yankees changed their facial hair policy specifically for Juan Soto

This might have been part of Juan Soto's contract. What's the free agent class coming up? Maybe there's something there.