Takes

Roman Anthony is a defensive liability for the Red Sox because everyone is successfully running on him in left field.

Roman Anthony, world baseball classic hero. But he has been, he's become a meme basically. If he can't, he just can't throw anyone out from left field. Everyone's just running on Roman. Shane tried to tell me he was great last year, but he was playing right field. Now he's playing left field... it's just not good.

Team USA would have lost the gold medal game if they listened to Aaron Judge's speech

That was one of the worst speeches of all time. If they're, why don't put that out. If you're world ba baseball classic, don't put that out. I think they're trying to get a little bit of the buzz from the Olympics team. USA would've lost the gold medal game if, if if someone stood up and gave Aaron Judge's speech.

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.

The MLB rivalry between the Padres and Mariners is called the 'Eddie Vedder Cup'

It's the Eddie Vedder Cup... The competition is named after Pearl Jam front man, rock and roll legend Eddie Vedder, who lived in both cities during his life and personally designed the trophy, which features a guitar.

MLB cannot let Shohei Ohtani win MVP because of the gambling and real estate controversies

I mean it, you can't, if you're the MLB, you can't have Shohei Ohtani with all these controversies being the base of your league. The gambling one, yeah, maybe blame it on the interpreter. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice... we're about to give this guy his fourth MVP in five years? MLB writers really need to do like justice here because they are the keepers of the game.

Bryce Harper is right that players are willing to lose a whole season over a salary cap.

He's right-ish... [Manfred] is pitching the salary cap right to the players circumventing the MLBPA. And it's their job to hear from the owners and then take that to the rank and file players. And then Harper's like, 'If you're gonna say that, get the fuck out.' Bryce Harper is right. Bryce is right about this... He can afford to lose 162 games. The guys at the top can afford to lose 162 games.

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.

I have no confidence in the Phillies right now

I, I, I'm, I'm tuned in. I watch every game. It's just, I, it's, I don't know. They're frustrating squad... Dude, I just don't have a lot of confidence in this, in this team right now.

A no-hitter with 19 strikeouts and one hit batter should be considered a 'perfect game'

I actually think that if you throw 19 strikeouts and you hit one guy and throw a no-hitter, that is the perfect game. [Big Cat]: I think they had a error as well. [PFT]: Unbelievable. For 19 strikeouts. Awesome.

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.

Cal Raleigh should be a legitimate candidate for AL MVP.

We talked about Cal Raleigh on Monday and how awesome he is and he should be considered for the MVP.

It is understandable for a player with a $700 million contract to occasionally lack hustle to first base

If someone paid me $700 million to play baseball, I would sometimes not run to first base. 'cause I would probably just be distracted and be like, shit, why am I running to first base? I have $700 million. That was an out. ... It's human nature.

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.

Baseball players should never eat salads to avoid freak injuries

Dustin May, I'm happy you're alive, but this is why you don't eat salads. Never eat salad. Never touch the stuff. Never do it.

The MLB must fire any umpire who shares a gambling account

The MLB had to fire a ref because he was umpire sharing — sorry, umpire. He was sharing a gambling account with another gambler who was gambling on baseball... even if the MLB was like, we don't even care about the whole betting part or the baseball thing, we can't have people employed by us who think it's okay to share a gambling account.

The Yankees lost Juan Soto because they were disrespectful regarding family suites

The Yankees lost out on a generational talent just because they were disrespectful... The Yankees wouldn't budge on giving Juan Soto a suite in Yankee Stadium saying that if they don't do it for Derek Jeter, they're not gonna do it for him.

The MLB 'Golden at Bat' rule would be awesome and make the end of games more exciting

I like this rule. I think that makes it cool... think about like the ninth inning when you're like, oh, you know, [Ohtani] made the last out. But he can, he can bat again and we're down two. That's cool.

Juan Soto will sign a contract for a 'stupid amount of money,' potentially worth $700 million

I think he's gonna get 700 million... Yeah, no, I'd like to walk that take back. I think he's gonna get a stupid amount of money. But the fact that the way he's going about it just means that like, yeah, it doesn't, he doesn't give a fuck who's giving him this money.

If Tarik Skubal gets traded to the Dodgers, my Cy Young bet is in trouble

Tarik Skubal, who is the presumptive Cy Young favorite... is possibly gonna get traded... I bet it right then and there. So I have plus 400. I think he's like minus 125 now. But he might get traded to the Dodgers. If he gets traded to the Dodgers, I'm fucked. You don't want him in the National League. They only base their voting on what you did in your new league.

The Phillies are a lock to reach the NLCS

The Phillies would have to really fuck up not to be in at least the NLCS because the NL is trash... they will be in big playoff games... there's no way that they're not gonna be in big playoff games... it's a lock.

MLB fucked up the playoffs with the wild card expansion because bad teams stay alive too long

The Major League Baseball completely fucked up the playoffs with this wild card. It's so stupid because now everyone's alive... I don't like that they did this in the NBA either. It's my biggest gripe about the play-in that you let owners get off on basically saying, 'well, we're putting together a playoff team' when no, if you're a play-in team, you're not... it's just bullshit.

Ippei Mizuhara is the greatest Fall Guy Hall of Famer of all time

Ippei is came out and he's guilty or he's admitted guilt... If he is a fall guy, I think he is the best fall guy of all time. Ever. Fall Guy Hall of Fame.

The MLB umpire who ejected Aaron Boone for a fan's comment should get a hero's welcome for doubling down

He got ejected for something a fan said. And the umpire didn't—he literally said, 'I don't care who said it. You're gone.' I love that. I love it so much when umpires double down on something that's so insane like that. He should get a fucking hero's welcome. It was a hilarious clip. I appreciate it more to just be like, 'I was wrong but I'm not gonna say it.'

I will no longer praise the food at Guaranteed Rate Field because Jerry Reinsdorf is a bad owner

I'm no longer gonna say that [the food is good] because that's what Jerry Reinsdorf wants you to say... It doesn't matter what happens on the field. We got great food, we got great beer... I can no longer say that I'm gonna stand with White Sox fans. I will no longer plug the fact that going to a game there is actually fun.

Fanatics MLB jerseys are complete pieces of shit

It's starting to bother me now that I'm watching a little more baseball. Just like not being able to read the pitcher's jersey. And it seems like every single night there's a new example of the jerseys just being pieces of shit.

I am officially over no-hitters

I'm so over no hitters. Remember when no hitters used to be like you, they'd even go to bonus coverage... I became over no hitters at right at opening Day 2023.

Anthony Rendon's 'baseball isn't a priority' comments are over-exaggerated because most professional athletes feel the same way about their jobs

I feel like athletes say this exact quote all the time though... it does seem like something that's getting a little bit over exaggerated... Baseball's not their top priority.

Scott Boras is asking for an insane amount of money for his clients just so he can file a collusion lawsuit against MLB owners

Scott Boras is asking for so much money that he can then say they're colluding against me and then he can file a lawsuit against them.

The Blue Jays should be eliminated from the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes for leaking their meeting

It came out that Shhe... visiting with the Blue Jays. And I think by Sho Hays rules, the blue Jay should be eliminated. See you buddy. See you. Blue Jays. What?

Craig Counsell to the Cubs is a sign the team is ready to spend and compete for World Series titles again

I also think this is the sign that the Cubs are ready to start spending and start competing for World Series again. Because you're not Craig Counsell... you don't go to the Cubs, your rival... unless you have a deal in place from Jed and Tom Ricketts being like, 'Hey, we're going for this.'

The Paige Spiranac bobblehead night saved the Brewers' season

The Paige Spiranac Bobblehead completely turned around the Brewer's season... on June 16th, the Brewers hosted the Pirates... they were 34 and 34. They beat the Pirates that night... and they wound up winning the NL Central with a record of 92 and 70. And they were 58 and 36 after the Paige Spiranac Bobblehead night.

If the Orioles suspend their announcer for stating facts, they should also suspend the production truck and PR team

You're suspending the broadcaster for stating those facts. Where did he get those facts from? The truck. ... Where did the truck get those facts from? The team's pr game notes in that case. Suspend all of them. ... If you're gonna just suspend him, you gotta suspend everyone else involved with making that decision of making these facts come to light.

Shohei Ohtani's recent hitting slump is caused by the Drake curse

My Hot Seat is Shohei Ohtani. ... Drake a week ago was spotted out wearing a Shohei Ohtani jersey. And since then he is gone two for 12. So the Drake curse is back.

The pitch clock should be turned off in high-leverage baseball situations like bases loaded with two outs

It was Penn versus Southern Miss. It was 3-2, bases loaded, two outs. Best, probably one of the funnest situations. Baseball crowds going crazy and the ump called the clock violation and called 'em out. Which is just like... that should be another unwritten [rule] where if that's the count, that's the situation, the clock does not matter. Turn the clock off.

Aaron Judge is cheating and stealing signs again

My other hot seat was Aaron Judge got caught cheating, stealing signs again, Yankees back at it again.

Cheating in baseball is beneficial because it gets people talking about the sport

MLB they should just plan some type of cheating scandal right around now every year. Because it does get, like, cheating in baseball is, I think the only sport where it's actually beneficial. Cause it gets people talking about baseball.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are actually a really good baseball team

Just tip of the cap to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Yeah. With the Sacramento Kings doing that nba, they've been made fun of. They've been bad. The pirates have been awful. And they're... the pirates are really good. The Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Cubs are 'sneaky' might make the playoffs this year

I also put a future on the Cubs at a hundred to one, but whatever. I think they're gonna... no, no. All right. Nevermind. That was a, I've talked myself into the Cubs being scrappy enough to make the playoffs. They're gonna be sneaky... I've now upgraded them to Sneaky might make the playoffs.

Combined no-hitters are fake and shouldn't count the same as a single-pitcher no-hitter

There are so many no-hitter. Fake ass, no-hitter mouth. No. I think it's actually history is going to look... in college baseball, it's every single day I see something else for a combined no-hitter. Well, because it's so much easier to get a combined no-hitter. That's fake. ... It doesn't feel the same. Zero hits is not the same as no hits.

The Baseball Hall of Fame is a joke because Barry Bonds is not in it

And Barry [Bonds] is not on there? This whole thing is a joke. The best player of all time is not in the fucking Hall of Fame. It's just funny that baseball writers take themselves so seriously. We just need all these guys to die and then maybe we can get the real players in the Hall of Fame.

Albert Pujols will not reach 700 career home runs

Pujols isn't gonna hit 700... [but] he would be the goat of all goats if he did that. [Foul ball guy] already is, think about the odds of that happening. It's impossible. If he gets [700], it's still the most like calling your shot on that is the most impressive stunt of all time. There's zero chance.

Albert Pujols' late-career home run surge is suspicious and 'not normal'

Albert Pujols, 42 years old. July 4th he was hitting .189. And since then he leads the league in batting average and has like 11 homers. That's totally normal... Why does Sam Querrey not do fucking drugs before he retires? He should have done some fucking Winstrol.

MLB should cover up steroid use for players who are great for the game

David Ortiz was like, they, they just shouldn't suspend him because he's so good at baseball. And he is a face of the game... That's actually that's that makes more sense than what his own dad is doing. David Ortiz is right. It's like, if you're awesome at baseball, they should just cover it up.

Shohei Ohtani is on one of the most irrelevant franchises in professional sports

Shohei Ohtani has been incredible... and he just completely lost by being on like one of the more irrelevant franchises in all professional sports. Like Anaheim, there's no reason that nobody cares about Anaheim, right?

The New York Yankees will win the 2022 World Series

Congratulations to the New York Yankees winners of the 2022 world series. Congratulations guys.

The Yankees are definitely cheating to prepare baseballs because they are winning too much

The Yankees are probably definitely doing something different with their balls [because they win every game]... in baseball, if you're not cheating, you're not trying. And so every single team is cheating in a certain way. This seems like they're closing a pretty big cheating loophole.

Pirates shortstop O'Neil Cruz is the most electric player in baseball

This guy might be the most electric player I've ever seen in my life. 6'7" he's a shortstop. He ran 31.5 miles per hour. Hardest throw by an infielder in Major League Baseball this year, he threw a ball from shortstop to first 96.7 miles per hour. I am buying all my stock and O'Neil Cruz right now.

John Sterling has become a parody of himself and needs to retire from the Yankees booth

My hot seat is John Sterling. I think this is a bit at this point... [Sterling] is blind. For the third time, it wasn't even close. He needs to quickly make the decision so he can say that he's retiring and everyone can just praise him so that he doesn't have to deal with what's going to probably happen a few more times.

Reds fans should defecate in the Toyota Tundra at the stadium to protest the owner

A Reds fan posted yesterday saying... 'I will be scaling the wall to defecate in the bed of the Toyota Tundra.' I just liked that Reds fans are fighting back. This is how you fight... maybe it will make people go shit in their trucks.

Robot umpires will ruin the fun of complaining about baseball

That's been my take for a very long time. That robot ops will ruin everything because then we won't get to have guys like Joe West that we can complain about, right?