One, sod it down.

I'm good math for it.

Welcome back everybody to the on Deck podcast and we are live right now.

Reese.

We're doing a live stream for on Deck.

We're gonna start doing these on some Sundays here and uh, we're talking about the playoff picture today, Reese talking about the MLB postseason because we've we've gotten here, all of our our seeds are set, our matchups are locked in.

So're gonna be in here asking, you know, answered some questions you guys might have in the comments, and just talking good old baseball.

How are you doing today, Reese?

I am doing fantastic.

The Tigers clinched yesterday as we're speaking about this, because I think we'll be posting this on The Prospect's Live podcast channel as well, so for anybody who wants to listen to us.

Uh, and I've been chilling.

I was like, oh, maybe they have a chance to get the winning American League Central.

Then I was like, does it really matter?

They're playing the Cleveland Cleveland Indians and Greor Guardians.

Sorry.

So yeah, we're we're we're rocking on rolling.

We're getting canceled already.

M hm.

So looking initially at the playoff picture.

Do we should we do the Mets conversation first?

I feel like that might be a natural spot to go here.

With the Reds sneaking into the playoffs, Rease, I for one did not see this coming.

I don't think you did either.

The Reds are in the playoffs and the year twenty twenty five, what are your thoughts?

Yeah, I mean they were less bad than the Mets to end the season.

I know they also lost today as well, So it's it's been fascinating to see the Mets spiral and the Reds just sort of being like, Okay, we're gonna play perfectly fighting baseball, while the Mets have just been finding new ways to lose.

You see Edwin Edwin Diaz came in in the fifth inning of the game, like like, that's how down bad the Mets were.

So yeah, it's it's not It's probably not great if you go on to Twitter or you know, Blue Sky or whatever and see all the Mets fans melting down.

But this happens, you know, when your team doesn't play very well.

I remember I saw that they were like they were like at the halfway point of the season, they were the best one of the best teams in baseball, they like get two points in the ear ra and then to finish out the second half season they were like the twenty sixty best team in baseball and like a four point something era And that's not even that's you know, yeah, that's including what Nolan McClain has done since he's been called up.

So yeah, this the Mets hits.

Their collapse really took off some of the pressure from my Tigers collapse as well.

At least the Tigers were the postseason.

It's been bad.

Can you can you pinpoint where it went wrong for the Mets?

Do you think grease and is it just simply a starting pitching failure or were there some I mean there were buyers at the deadline.

They got some pieces that we really liked at the trade deadline.

They shouldn't have missed the playoffs, but they went on a really bad slide, especially towards the end of the season, and I couldn't allow that towards starting pitching.

Can you give any more analysis on that?

That bullpen being atrocious and it seemed like every reliever that they picked up was absolutely terrible.

The moment they got traded Ryan Helsey only recently started pitching well again, so that was, you know, good for him.

Rogers was not the best and yeah, I just think it's a starting pitching issue.

Plus it's just a whole pitching apparatus issue.

I would agree with that.

So the Reds are obviously maybe maybe one of the surprises.

But let's look at this from a further backpoint of view reach heading into this year, who would you say the biggest surprises to be in in the postseason out of all these teams.

So there was the instability going on, will they sell will they not sell?

With the Padres, like will they sell off Michael King Dylan sees.

Turns out they didn't, and they made the right decision.

Always go for the postseason, because all you have to do is get in, Right, We're talking about a team that you know has this fullpen.

But the Reds are definitely one of the more surprising teams.

I don't think people would be too surprised about the Cleveland Guardians, So the most surprising team would have to be the Reds.

The Reds kind of, you know, they made a little bit of moves, they changed their manager, but they didn't do too much on the periphery.

I mean, they got rid of one of the bigger free agent signings in recent in recent memory in Himer Candelario during the season, and somehow got better.

So I'm gonna say it's the reds of the Padres, just because the Padres had a little bit of instability stemming from ownership, not so much of the players.

In the field.

How about the Toronto Blue Jays, reaes, because heading into this season, I think I could have seen a team like Boston, maybe slightly overperforming, get into the playoffs.

Toronto hugely outperformed maybe our preseason expectations of them, or did you see them as maybe the best team in the American League.

So I don't remember who I picked for the American League East, but it definitely wasn't the Blue Jays.

I actually thought the Yankees.

I thought the Yankees were going to finish last.

They finished, you know, second, so good shout out to them.

I think I was like riding the buzz of all the young pitting prospects for the you know, because we are prospect people.

At the end of the day, I thought, man, these hitting prospects already, Christian Campbell's going to be awesome.

Turns out not to be the case.

Roman Anthony's was going to be awesome.

Turns out he was awesome that he got hurt, and then Marcell Mayer was actually starting to look good before he got hurt.

So yeah, I just thought that, you know, the Blue Jays might have finished third or fourth.

I actually even think I hope the Rays were going to do better than the Blue Jays, so maybe they are more surprising.

I have to go back on a time machine and see what I thought.

But the Blue Jays making it is definitely fascinating.

I mean, you know, I thought that Anthony Santandero is going to be a good signing terms out he was not.

He you know, he's been I saw someone on Twitter today.

But if you watched Anthony santa and there have any bats, you were due for some financial compensation at the end of the season.

So it's it's not been the best, you know thing, but you know, they managed to get The pitching has been awesome.

Kevin Gas has been awesome, Tray Savage is awesome.

They're pitching, you know, while it got hurt, is still fantastic.

And Alejandro Kirk after being thrown out recently doing the good old nine to three put out.

He hit him pretty massive home run today.

I was watching MLB Big Inning and that was that is one of the better products that we have going on.

It's Red Zone, but like you know, with actual stakes going on right now, because the Red Zone will have stakes going on a sudden point in season.

Yeah, Alejandra Kirk, I mean completely almost wiped away that nine to three put out in the game from my memory today with what it's something like eight RBIs and two home runs, just an absolutely insane day, just kind of single handedly giving the Blue Jays that one seed, which is a how big of a competitive advantage is getting the buy in the MLB postseason rees, Because I would say it's a huge advantage.

I can also see the other side of the argument, if you know what I mean.

Yeah, they were locked into getting the buy right, but I think you'd rather be the two seed in the American League than the one seed because what happens that the what happens if Aaron Judge actually shows some life in the postseason I know, rare, but you know what if he does the Red Sox that they've gotten really good what's his name?

Who eaton?

He has been a constant game in the behind Nate Eaton, man, he has been awesome.

A really good defender at third base.

By the way, I don't think he gets enough credit for that.

So yeah, I just think, you know, getting that buy has just been fantastic for them.

Allows them to rest up.

You know, see how this whole series between a very heated rivalry.

We have two rivalry series in the American leagues.

That's gonna be really, really fun to see.

So yeah, I just think this has been a fantastic season for the Blue Jays.

Yeah, after this podcast, I will be Nate Eaton.

Let's talk about the American League first.

If you want rece we're just gonna go right past that joke, bad attempt or do you want to start about with the National League?

Which would you prefer.

We're gonna break down each series one by one.

We're all the American League guy, so do we want to save what we really care for towards the end?

Kind of does like, you know, get through Although we're American League guys, but we're also San Diego Padres guys.

So we're I feel like I'm more confident in the National League like everyone else is that like actually winning the whole thing?

And I think the matchups are maybe even better on that side.

But yeah, yeah, let's let's start with the National League.

We'll wait to talk about our Padres Rees.

Cincinnati Reds versus Los Angeles Dodgers.

I'm gonna ask you a specific question here, how can the Reds win this series?

Because there's always a way, right, So even if it's a one percent chance, what is that one percent for the Cincinnati Reds?

Rees probably playing Sal Stewart more than they have been self Stewart and and Harden.

You can be playing more they've been to their more impactful bats, and they just can't.

They don't get consistent of play appearances.

So I think it's just timely hitting.

Honestly, I know it sounds stupid.

I think the rotation for the for the Reds kind of needs to pitch superhuman and the bullpen is not bad, especially when you have Chase Burns pretty good all things consider.

I didn't actually have to seen the final line, but I saw a couple of strikeouts because again I was watching MLB Big Inning for Today after the Lions won, and I was just like shocked at how awesome that product is they need to be doing it more.

But he was just you know, like you know what you expect from Chase Burns, and I think he's kind of the relief ace weapon that this team needs in the back end of the bullpen.

Chase Burns through one point two endings today, four strikeouts, two walks, and facing seven batteries, so six of them ended in a strikeout or a walk.

Rease.

Uh, And that's something that you can handle in the post you can handle the walks in the postseason, in my opinions, if you can.

If you can punch guys out at that rate, is that fair to say like he could be the two inning reliever, the three inning reliever in the back end of that bullpen.

You can walk guys in the postseason and it be fine.

You just cannot compound it with the home run because you can give up sol shots in the postseason.

You cannot give up two run home runs.

Three run home runs.

Those are back breaking in the MLB postseason.

Yeah, Chase Burns was about average in the home run rate this year, but you'd have to imagine that that number would decrease at the bullpen when you are letting him just simply throw a hundred miles an hour and and throw those nasty outstude pitches.

So the Reds, I mean this lineup, I mean south Stewart has not been playing a whole lot.

He's mixing it at first base occasionally.

It's it's a pretty weak lineup.

Reese and now starting pitchers.

We've talked about this before.

Who are the three that are gonna end up representing the Cincinnati Reds in the postseason.

I think there's two favorites.

But who would you put in that third starting pitching spot.

I think we've been talking about it enough.

I think that I kind of think Brady Singer kind of has to be the third starter because Littel and the Abbot stuff play well, and I think you'd need to move Andrew Abbott into basically being the left handed version of what you're expecting from Chase Burns.

Andrew Abbott needs to be a once of the order guy because this bullpen is incredibly right handed.

Just looking at roster resource, they have one left handed reliever and this Brent Suitter, the immortal Brent Suoter.

So yeah, I think that we're gonna be talking about Hunter Green Nicolodolo and maybe Brady Singer.

Yeah, I fear that they probably will not beat the Dodgers.

What's the outlook for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the playoffs though, Reese?

Because they are not the favorite this year to win the World Series.

Both the Mariners and the Phillies are currently favored over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

I think part of that would have to be due to the bullpen.

What other reasons why you fade the Dodgers?

Might you like the Dodgers throughout this run in the postseason?

The reason that you would fade them is that bullpen.

Who is going to be closing games out for them?

I mean it might have to be Sasaki man and Sazaki's only had like two or three good outings, you know, So I'm really worried about that Tickner, Scott alex Vesia Blake trying and just cannot be replied upon.

So the way you beat this Dodgers team is through the bullpen.

And honestly, the Dodgers might have enough starting pitching that can kind of they can just go three innings, three innings, three innings, and you know it's gonna be very weird to see what they decide to do with Clayton Kershaw.

Is Clayton Kershaw the wear it guy for them at this point in his career, Like, is he just the guy who just like, Hey, this game's out of hand or we're really winning by a lot, just you know, just keep this game moving.

But it's so fascinating to see what this team can do.

And I think that they can beat the Reds by just simply you know, their lineups.

Their lineup's better than them, Their rotation is way better than theirs.

The bullpen is about is a little bit worse.

But and you know you and I were going to talk about when we talk about the padres, the bullpen becomes more and more important than the postseason.

So the Dodgers not doing anything with their bullpen is a little bit alarming.

But I do think they have a chance to at least advance this round and then when they go to Phillies, I think the Philly is gonna beat the brakes off of them.

Yeah, I would agree with you there.

I mean the they are six started pitchers deep, and in their pen they have a guy like Lannon Nak or Justin robe Leski sorry, who both well neither of them might make the playoff roster.

For being honest here, both would provide those extra endings out of the pen, whereas they they profile is maybe the only team that has so many multi ending relievers that might give them an advantage, you know, having a guy like Otani be able to go you know, two, three, four innings, whether it's in an opener or a piggyback role.

Emmett Shean and then Clayton Kershaw's probably the odd man out assuming you're going with the snell Yamamoto and Glass now rotation.

But I mean seeing Glass Knut come out of the pen like that's a real option too.

I think the only thing I worry about with this matchup is that they are very left handed heavy in the bullpen and in the rotation.

So maybe that is where the where the Reds can an advantage.

They will have the slight platoon advantage.

Yeah yeah, and that's where guy like Sal Stewart might actually get to maybe sar rees.

Yeah, my boys sell Stuart all of a sudden, I'm the guy that's turning around on him and Saigne should be playing more.

Who the funk?

Uh?

Let's move on to the San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs Reese super interesting matchup.

We have been the Padres guys the last couple of weeks.

Where are we at on this this matchup?

Fernando Tatis Juniors decided that he's going to enter the postseason on flato basically, and I really hope they wear those beautiful white and pink and blue uniforms, the best uniforms of baseball.

I genuinely believe it.

So yeah, Fernando Taties Junior has been you know, single handleage carrying this offensive feels like.

And then the rest of the offense is really good, like you and I have talked about in the past, and their X factor, the X factor is the seven, eight nine hitter, and they can just be perfectly fine average hitters.

Then we've got we've got a stew going because this is a rotation of Michael King, Nick Povetta and Dylan Ceese is absolutely disgusting.

And you know, maybe JP Series is the long guy, and then they have just the ability to mix a match with the best of them Suarez, Miller, Marijon and Estrada Wandi Peralta, I mean, Bradley Rodriguez I know he is one of your guys when the Dynasty closer hierarchy, So we're talking about an absolutely like lights el bullpen.

I don't think the Cubs really have a chance.

Okay, I'm gonna give the counterpoint.

If the Cubs did have a chance, this would be why the Cubs are gonna roll out two lefties, Reese.

The Padres have quite a few lefties in their lineup, if I'm remembering correctly, guys like Davin Sheets and Corona North towards the back end of that order.

They don't play a whole lot of platoons.

A lot of their lefties also swing against lefties to a lesser degree for the most part.

So I am interested to see if a guy like Matthew Boyd can you know, bring back some that first half magic in the playoffs against these left handed batters on the Padres, and where that might leave things They got like Shoda Monaga could easily steal a win in this series just for the fact that he has left handed and kind of fill up the zone.

I know it's been a down yere for SHOWDA, but that is something I'm kind of watching.

And the Cubs do have interesting lefty relievers as well, Drew Pomeranz, Taylor Rogers, Caleb fielbal Field Barr and Jordan Wick's who probably won't make the post season roster, but they do have lefties in that bullpen to make things kind of interesting with that platoon game that we talk so much about.

Reese, Yeah, but like that third starting rotation spot for the Cubs is tire.

It's bad.

Colin Ray, Jameson, Taiom, Javier Asad, all of them have had perfectly fine seasons.

They're not They're probably the worst third third started group of anybody in the MLB postseason.

I mean, how much does the Kate Horton injury really affect this team's out?

Yeah, the Caate Horton injury is massive because he's probably their date, their Game two starter, shadow, their Game three starter.

So it really, it really just throws a wrench in everything.

Yeah, and even losing a guy like Justin Steel for the season.

Man, the Cubs are still a very fun team, but I do prefer the Padres as well.

Should we kick it over to the Wild Cards of the American League now, Reese, Yeah, let's do it all right, Tigers Guardians, We're gonna start off with a question from Mitch, who asks for the Tigers Melton or Mize for Game three.

I'll let you answer this one.

I think it has to be MYZ because I think you need to use Melton in A two and I think you need to be able to use Melton in multiple games because he is actually he's better than mys Mace can Mis.

You don't want to be using in the bullpen Melton.

It just seems like he has this calm cool heated a fantastic start to end off this season.

Very calm cool guy who you're not gonna have to worry about.

Chris Paddock is definitely not back.

I don't know if people saw my tweet today, Chris Pattick is not back.

So yeah, I think we need to be relying on Mice as the starter and Melton being used almost every day.

So for guy like Melton who threw fifty pitches the other day, do you look at him as like a game one, throw like twenty to thirty pitches and then bounce back for longer appearance in Game three if we get to that.

Point, yeah, I hope that.

Well, I hope a Game one he's not asked to twenty to thirty pitches to help Terry School is able to carry the load and then really allow this bullpen to kind of get an extra day of rest.

But if he doesn't, then you know you have RK Schoob will go seven's have an eight strong and then you know he kind of turned it over to the Raffield Ontario kylef and again will best group and then maybe Melton comes in as the after Jack Clarity because Jack Clarerity.

I think one of the things in the MLB postseason that I'm surprised more managers don't do is I think that you should just have pitchers ready in the first inning because if your starter doesn't have it in the first inning, there's no reason you should lose a game in the first inning because you need to keep because you have that guy keep going out there.

And that would be Troy Melton in this situation, right.

Yeah, he's ready to go in the long leverage.

I'm genuinely surpised more teams don't think like that.

It just it always blows my mind.

It was a game like years and years ago where what was it the Twins like basically lost the game the first inning to the Yankees, which they do all the time in the postseason, and the Twins just didn't have anybody ready to go.

It's like you should just in the postseason have two guys ready to go in case something bad happens with the starter.

You cannot punt on a game unless you're up like threeho early in a series, right, Like you have to be up at least two games or three to one to you even consider that like wild card around.

You can't punt on a game.

No, clearly, what's the max pitch count for a guy like Trek Skougel in the postseason?

Rees, because we talked about this, I mean, everything's must win from here out?

How many?

How many pitches are you giving them until.

His armed bowl falls off?

We're riding him till he falls apart.

No.

One hundred and ten hundred and twenty.

I feel like he's the workhorse that can handle it.

So that's kind of why you have the best pitcher on the face of the planet, right yeah, yeah, and you don't you don't need to save any bullets.

Let's talk about Cleveland, little bit and how they match up.

Reese, I know you are a Tiger's fan if you took your bias aside.

Where do you see the edge going because both these teams finished very similarly at the end of the season.

The Tiger's definitely, I would say, have a slight edge.

It's interesting to see where your mind goes with the stumble at the Tigers have been on lately.

The slight edge goes to the Cleveland Guardians because that bullpen is absolutely lights out.

Matt Festa, Eric Sabrowski, Hunter Gaddis, Kate Smith, and then some of the starters that aren't going to make this rotation, say Chaconi has been has actually pitched pretty well.

Logan Allen's Logan Allen and Joey Contio looks pretty strong.

I think he's a perfectly I'm left handed reliever.

To add to this this absolutely nasty bullpen, Kobe A.

Lard will be the ultimate wear it guy.

I feel like we're the only We're the only podcast that worries about the wears wear it guys.

So maybe that's what we can name our podcasts to wear it Guys.

But yeah, I think the Cleveland team there, their offense is not as good as the Tigers.

When everything is sort of rocking and rolling, they do have the single best offensive piece, but I think that some of the parts I think I like the line up the Tigers line up a little bit better, but the pitching staff I think kind of goes to the Guardians, especially that bullpen.

I would agree with that.

But does Cleveland does not have Schooble?

Do they rease?

So that's where things get interesting, right, is like if you're talking about what you expect to be Gavin Williams versus tak Schouble game one, Right.

I expected to be Gavin Williams versus Turks.

So, but I don't imagine that they would do anything weird wonky.

If the Tigers lose that game, ree, it's a complete and utter failure.

It's all fronts because you only need to score a handful of tex.

Schooble is not going to give it five in the playoffs.

I'm sorry.

I refuse to see a situation where that happens, not to try and jink saything I'm knocking on wo over here.

I do prefer the Troit Tigers lineup one to nine compared to the Cleveland Guardians, and I think that that Schooble per piece where I'm fully anticipating with Tigers.

To win game one just matters so much.

Game two and three could obviously get really weird once kind of the starting pitching evens out.

But you have a guy like Trek Scooble, you have to win game one, and I expect him to do that, which is why I'm riding with the Tigers.

Reese, I'm glad.

I'm a little pessimists after I saw it the Autario Schooble give up three runs with no ball leaving the infield because that's what the Cleveland Guardians love to do.

But I think he's going to be ready, and he's ready.

He's going to pound the zone, throw a lot of strikes and just get get out there and just show why he's the best pitcher on the face of the MF and planet.

Absolutely.

Let's move on to Boston versus New York rivalry matchup in the playoffs, obviously another rivalry matchup with Detroit and Cleveland also being one recee.

Where do you stand on Boston Versus New York?

Super interesting series.

Honestly, like I feel like I'm gonna like waffle on this one.

I don't really have that super strong of a leaning.

I think It's going to be absolutely fascinating as a someone who just enjoys baseball, that six o'clock start time on Wednesday is going to be electric.

That that six o'clock start time on Tuesday is also going to be electric.

I'm just so excited to see these you know, historic fan bases and franchises go go at it with each other.

I think right now I might I like the pitching staff for the Red Sox a little bit more so maybe that's where I give them the slight, slight edge.

But it's like fifty one forty nine percent if you're going with percentiles, because I just really am not super confident in either team.

The one thing is playoff.

John Carlos Stanton does playoff.

John Carlos Stanton cut you know, hit more or you know, outproduce.

What is going to be maybe Aaron Judge struggling the postseason, and maybe Aaron Judge finally puts it together in a postseason run and looks like the best hitter you know on the face of the planet at certain points.

Maybe not the al MVP though.

So here's my problem is I love Roles Chapman, right, He's probably the best reliever in baseball this year.

I think that's fair to say the Yankees have a much deeper bullpend than the Red Sox.

I know that some of these guys have struggled.

You know, you're Devin Williams, You're David Bednar's aren't the most assured thing on the face of the earth right now.

But Devin Williams still sneakily put together a really strong season if you don't look at era only.

I like the depth of the Yankees bullpen.

I think the lineup's pretty close to a wash.

Starting pitching is really where I think that this this series gets interesting because I mean, Freed versus Crochet, is that gonna be a one nothing ball game?

Reace like that.

I can anticipate that being just an almost dout of an offensive game for both sides.

That's gonna be a one nothing ball game that's done in an hour and fifty six minutes.

That game is gonna move, which is gonna be good for everybody in baseball.

The one question I do have who it gets bumped from this rotation in for the Red Sox.

Sorry, I was like like I was dying there for a second.

Kyle Harrison probably gets bumped because I don't know if you want to have him and Early.

I think Kyle Harrison stuff might play well in like a two to three inning spurt as well, So and then do you really want to be folk.

Does Lucas Giolito makes the postseason roster is a question I've been asking myself a lot.

I think that you put Giolito out there before you put earlier Harrison out there in the starting rotation.

Interesting experience, I think matters a lot.

Giolito has put together like a decently complete season this year, Like he hasn't looked horrible.

I would lean Giolito after Crochet and Brian Bao, but I mean, I wish we were talking about Peyton Toley here, but he is.

He's moved back into the bullpen.

Yeah, I just like the upside more than that Early provides where I just think Lucas Giolito, he has prone to a couple blow up starts here and there, So that's what I would do worry about.

But you know things are gonna happen in the postseason.

Maybe Early does play better out in the left handed you know, he can be part of a better two to three inning sort of Spurts and maybe him and Kyle Harrison can just be absolutely nasty in the back end of that bullpen because they do need some bullpen reinforcement.

I lean Early over Harrison.

I'd be surprised that if both Early, Harrison and Peyton Tolly are all in the postseason roster, but I suppose it's it's what you think about about the other guys, and they do have a couple lefties in their pen already.

You got like Stephen Matt's is still hanging around kind of occupying that lefty reliever role.

So I'm not sure if you bring both Early and Harrison to a wild card matchup rease, but who knows.

I think I think in the next round you could obviously that with with playing more games.

Something I do want to talk about is like we're gonna see Brian Beao versus Carlos Rudon.

That's a weird matchup in my opinion.

Then we're gonna see either Warren or Schlitler or Heel versus Early, Harrison or Giliito.

Like neither of these teams have a well defined number three starting pitcher, and honestly, their number two is don't excite me that much.

I know Carlos Rodne and Brian Bao have had good years, but this could go either way based on whoever it just has better starting pitching in Games two and three?

Reefs?

Is that is that fair to say?

I think Game two is going to determine who wins a series because we're one of these volatile pitchers ends up being the least volatile of the of the two.

So I think that may ultimately be what sets everything up for you know, an important, you know, all hands on deck game three.

And that's why I do think the bullpens matters so much in this series because of the questionable starting pitching in games two and three, and that brings us to a for Mitch again, why isn't totally starting Game three?

Rees?

Is it an Enning's limit issue?

I didn't see why he got moved to the bullpen.

I was very fascinated by Maybe they just want to be able to use him and be able to mix and match him when they want to, because that do that fastball, that cutter, that change up his nuts.

I do think that it might have something to do with innings, because this was his first season in professional baseball and he is up to ninety one innings in the minor leagues plus sixteen in the MLB, so he's approaching that kind of one hundred and ten ending limit.

He's probably only got a handful left.

I think that there's a world where you could see him open in maybe like a divisional series and go, you know, four or five innings, But I don't think we'll see him get extended any further.

I don't think that they're planning on having him throw this much this year.

But he forced his way into the MLB, which is a good problem to have.

Yeah, he's probably on the short list for my Minor League Picture of the Year.

By the way, we'll probably have to do that in the next podcast.

So but he's been fantastic, and honestly, I kind of like the ability to use him and pick and choose your spots in short spurts, short bursts, right, instead of having him just be a starter.

And when we're talking about minor league pitches of the Year, we should probably start talking about the Blue Jays reasent Trey Is Savage, who's looked awesome in MLB so far, amazing stuff, and he and the Blue Jays as the one seed will face the winner of Boston, New York.

We have a little Ale East part of the bracket here.

The Blue Jays.

Do they match up better against one of these two teams?

In your mind?

I think the Blue Jays matchup better with I think the matchup is fantastic with both of these teams.

I mean, you know, I think I like the lineup more like the like the Bullpen.

I think the bullpen doesn't have the quote sexy names that some of the Yankees.

They don't have a chatman or anything like that.

But you know, they've just been really good.

You've talked about it recently.

Brandon little Louis Arland actually has been pitching pretty alright lately.

Brandon Fisher, They've have, you know, some Mason Flaherty is an Eric Lawer.

I'm just gonna move on for the Flarity part.

But yeah, it's it's something that I think this team matches up with.

Anybody in the American League.

I would agree with that.

I don't think that there's necessarily a bad matchup for Toronto other than maybe the Seattle mayor who they will meet later, who have kind of kicked their rear at the last couple of years.

But yeah, I don't have a whole lot to say about Toronto versus either Boston or New York.

I think that those teams both profile somewhat similarly.

Obviously New York has a little bit more star power with the bats, and then Boston also is Garrett Crochet.

So we look at these teams like Detroit and Boston, who both have these you know, one and two in the al Cy Young race.

Rees, and I'm inclined to pick both the underdogs in the American League Detroit and Boston, because they have the best pitcher in the series, and I do think that translates to a win.

So my early prediction would be for those two teams to advance.

Let's talk about Detroit and Cleveland facing off against the Seattle Mariners.

Rees, I recently got tickets to this series.

I am going to be at a postseason baseball game in Seattle for the first time in my life, so I'm interested in what you think about Detroit or Cleveland heading up to Seattle.

We're still a live podcast, which is actually just attached a GoPro to you and just see you just like through I would.

I would love to see how n interacts as a Mariners fan.

Sorry, what did you ask me?

I was just so fascinated by the idea of putting a GoPro on you and just rock and roll with that.

I do have a go pro.

Maybe I'll hit a sstagram live from the Prospect's live account or something, or Twitter live whatever whatever we're on now.

I was just asking general thoughts and vibes on Detroit or Cleveland versus the Seattle Mariners.

Is there a team that you think could knock off the Mariners, who are the by far favorites to come out of the American League right now?

I think that I think that of any of these teams are I don't want to sound like a Homer.

I think that Detroit can because just the certainty of having what gear or sorry, Terry Scooble pitches what two games in a series and maybe you get just two wins from that, it's just fantastic, and then you can get kind of pitching chaos your way to maybe you know, the other wins.

So I think that the Tigers have a better chance to do it.

I don't know if you agree with me or not.

I don't know which team are you more afraid.

Of I and I've said this before on deck, I'm way more afraid of the Detroit Tigers.

Reese, I don't know if you remember we talked about this.

The Mariners have five right handed starting pitchers, right and which we'll end up being three or four in the playoffs.

Whatever.

What do the Tigers do better than anyone else.

Reas platoon man platoons and pitching chaos?

It scares me, right, That is one thing that scares me is if we have all right handed pitchers, granted they all are decently platoon neutral in their mixes, the Detroit Tigers can play a little bit of chaos.

Put a guy like Zach McKinstry in there.

Kerry Carpenter obviously on the strong side of that platoon.

The Tiger's best lineup is against right handed pitching.

I think that's pretty easy to say.

So I am slightly concerned about that that piece, and we really only have one really good left to reliever.

And what happens when you throw Andy Banyez in because he can just play anywhere and he's basically guaranteed to match up against Gabe Spier, who's a LEFTI specialist.

I think that there are a couple of concerning things from me with the Tigers.

However, them sputtering so much down the stretch, will we have been so strong?

We as in the Mariners because I'm calling them us now, I'm not too worried.

I get more worried when it comes to a team like Toronto, Boston or New York.

I think we got the lucky side of this bracket.

I think you guys did as well.

I will say Jami Jones has been fantastic the last two or three games.

He has been.

I almost wonder if you have to start Jami Jones regardless of platoons, because of the way and where she's hitting.

Because the one thing is the Mariners aren't going to be able to chase Carry Carpenter out of the game, you know, because they only have one opportunity to do it and then So that's that's the one thing that I would be worried about if I was a Mariners fan.

But I genuine think Mariners will take good care and just just it might not be a sweep, but it'll be like a gentlemanly sleep whatever they call it.

Whichever one of these American League Central gams advance.

Yeah, so Caleb Ferguson does have a little bit of stress on him as the only other lefty in this Mariner's bulp, and he hasn't been great since he got traded over at the deadline.

So I am interested to see how how and if they even really choose to deploy him at all, or if guys like Matt Brasch Andris Munoz have to face a bunch of lefti's as right handed pitchers.

I do think that the AL is decently wide open.

Let's go back over to the NL re So let's assume the Dodgers are gonna match up against the Phillies, because that does feel like it's going to happen.

That is going to be probably the series of the playoffs before you get to the World Series.

What are your thoughts la versus Philadelphia?

Rees, I think Philadelphia, just like I said earlier, beats the breaks off of the Dodgers.

The lineup's better, it's more complete.

I mean, Trey Turner came back.

We're talking about the better rotation.

The Dodgers have more depth in their pitching rotation, but I think just that the Phillies rotation is fantastic.

I believe Joe and Duran has been one of the more elite relievers.

I mean he's already elite, don't get me wrong, but he's even taken a little bit of a step forward.

Even with the Phillies.

Who would guess playing games that matter really means something for a relief, especially for a closer.

So yeah, I just you know, it sucks that they don't have Zach Wheeler, but this is a team that just I think it's just better, like top to bottom.

I think this is a team that has a real chance to playoff against the San Diego Padres in the National League's championship series.

Yeah, when you look at the non star players on both teams in their lineup, reefs, I strongly prefer the Phillies.

I mean, you've got like JC rel Mudo batting eighth.

Do you know who's batting eighth for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Ben Rochevert He's nine.

Andy Paiez is batting eighth.

I'm sorry, Andy Pai has has sid a good year.

That war is severely inflated because of the great defense.

That is not the same as having a guy like JT.

Real Mudo who has been here before in your eight hole.

I agree, I'm the starting pitching point.

I am wondering if both bullpens are shakier.

We've already described the Dodgers' bullpen as shaky.

Obviously, I'm not sold on the Phillies bullpen.

Rees, I'm not sold.

Are you looking at some of the names in this bullpen, some of these guys that that they've had rotating through this year.

It's not the most sure thing ever, in my opinion.

It's not the most sure thing.

I just.

They're they're blowing games nearly as badly as the Dodgers are right like, coming into this you we can only judge them based on their recent form.

And unless the Dodgers bullpen really puts it together against a you know, the probably the worst team to get into the postseason, don't get me wrong, unless they get used that as a get right here, I just I just don't think that they're shaky bullpen, or I don't think the Philly shaky bullpen is as shaky as the Dodgers extremely shaky bullpen.

Let's move back over now to Padres Slash maybe Cubs against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Rees, this is where you and me probably both say that the Cubs beat the Brewers.

Is that fair to say, you mean the Padres beat the Brewers, because yes, yes, yes, I was about to say, we don't think that, but we don't.

We do not believe that the that the Cubs are winning this series.

I mean I put it like a ten percent chance.

If anybody wants to message me on Twitter, you can message me at m D tom E Live, so send all your angry tweets that way.

But yeah, I think that the I think the Padres have a chance too.

It'll be a very competitive series because it's very bullpen centric teams.

The back end of the lineup really has to do a lot of carrying guy.

Not an offensive series at all, No, it is not.

It's a lot of two to one.

If somehow a team scores four runs, that should be celebrated.

Yeah, I mean, looking at the Brewers, It'll be interesting to see how this style of baseball similar the Cleveland Guardians does in the postseason and how much home runs really do matter here.

And I'm inclined to go with what history tells us is that you have to be able to hit home runs in the postseason.

So I have a really hard time liking a team like the Milwaukee Brewers.

With that being said, the Padres haven't hit as many home runs as you might expect this year.

I think they're bottom ten in MLB.

But when I think about their lineups on paper, more star power equals maybe more big home runs.

Is that a fair kind of thought process for the Padres to beat the Brewers?

Yeah, I mean for Nano Tatist Junior is hit some pretty massive home runs just in the past couple of days, so I mean, you know, he's coming in hot, he's ready to go, and Louis Ariahs can kind of I almost wish that they kind of flip this lineup.

I wish that Louis Aria's would be the leadoff guy, you know, to see a bunch of pitches just be annoying, right, and then allow for Nando tat Teach Junior to maybe have someone else on first base.

It's going to be very fascinating how they decided to build out this lineup.

But I mean, just the offensive upside this Padres lineup has is just infinitely higher than the than the Brewers line up.

Yeah, and Mitch is asking no Brewers love for the NLCS please drop some comments in the chat if you are with us.

I don't know.

It's not that we don't like the Bruis.

I just don't know if they played postseason baseball that that we might see from a World Series winning team.

Rees I that bullpen is pretty nasty.

Abnerary Rebay is maybe the most underrated believer in all baseball.

I feel like that's he's been awesome.

So I don't know, but I just I struggle with this lineup.

Like, let me just read you the lineup right now.

According to Ross Rasos, Christian Yelle's Jacksonterio, Bryce Terrang sitting in the three hole, William Contrera, South Relick, Andrew Vaughn, Jake Bowers, Caleb Durban and Joey Lopez or Joey Ortiz.

Don't know why, said Joey Lopez.

It's it's not the sort of stuff that you really want to see.

It's there's no like Bryce Harbord, there's no Fernando Tatis Junior.

There's no superstar on this line up.

I know it's a better it's the sum is better than all of its parts, but I just you have concerns about, like you said, them hitting home runs because Bryce Train's not hitting home runs.

He might hit like a you know, a two run double or something like that, but that's still you know, you can come back from a two run double.

You cannot come back from a back breaking Grand Slam.

And I find it hard to think that this lineup will be able to match up against Robert Suarez, Mason Miller, Adrian Moron, and Jeremiah Strata because those four guys will pitch every single day.

You have four or five innings just automatic right there.

Your starter has to go four or five innings and that's and then you turn it over to those guys.

I don't I don't see a crack there.

Recent You could argue Adrian Morone, but I think is one of the best relievers in baseball.

That is a lineup or sorry, a pitching pitching rotation.

Like if you can get five, if you can get six innings from a starter, oh my goodness, you're buying it.

One of those relievers an extra day of rest.

You're absolutely cooking with gas.

And not to mention to two of those starters maybe gets bumped into the bullpen.

I think Nick Pavetta, if he's the guy who gets bumped into the bullpen.

He can be nasty.

He's very volatile as well, but you know he can be absolutely awesome.

He's capable of either giving up twelve runs or striking out twelve batters.

Like there's no he's the duality of man.

So I just you know, if, like you said, all they have to do is just get four at least four innings from their starter and then they just like here you go, here you go, this like fire breathing dragon of a bullpen.

Let's just the rock and roll.

And I don't even I don't even know who the Padres manager is.

That's maybe not a good, not a good point in my par but I don't even think he could mess this.

Up, isn't it, Bob Melvin.

No, he's with the Giants now him.

With the Giants, He's bounced around.

He's been with every California team, it feels like, except for the Dodgers.

He's gonna be the Angel's new manager.

When I'm thinking about the Padres, I just can't get over that bullpen and reach.

This year we will see if our bullpen theory rings true or not, because we are riding the teams that have the best bullpens and can hit a bunch of home runs.

I think that's a fair assumption of what we're doing.

Right.

We're high on the Phillies, We're high on the Brewers, and we're high on the Mariners.

I think those are the three teams that we've been been in on.

Sorry did I say Brewers, I met Padres.

Yeah, there are a couple of things that I think you and I both really like.

We like a team that can throw the ball real fast, and we like guys a hit real long day.

So yeah, this is this is what we're looking for.

It sounds very barbaric and very stupid, but that's kind of maybe what the postseason comes down to.

You know, you need to play good enough defense, you need to you need to have a lockdown bullpen, and you just need to hit the opportunity home run when you get guys on base, you need to walk and get if they call it ducks on the pond, you just need to get guys on base and hit home runs.

Is it fair for me to think, as a as a Mariners fan that if we don't come out of the American League this season has been a bit of a failure.

The way we match up against these other five teams, I don't see a team that I'm truly scared of, and I'm not scared of the Bliegers at all.

I think the Mariner should be favored in any series that they're in this postseason?

Is that?

Is that a fair way of thinking Greece?

I don't think in this postseason, and I don't think there's any team that's like World Series or bust.

Maybe the Daughters with how much money they spent.

But I mean, if you make it to the American League, if you you know, if you're more than likely going to make it out of the American League Division Series, I think I think it's very unlikely that you guys won't.

But if you, you know, lose to a better American League East, you know, a team that just plays a little bit better, right, I'm not saying better on paper, but like you, they just play a little bit better in the American League Central or if you're champions, like keep seeing ALC and I'm keeping American League Central.

But I just I don't think it'll be a disappointment for you.

Maybe I'm wrong, Maybe there's other fan sentiment that's like this is a team that needs to absolutely make it to the World Series.

I just don't see that with any of these teams right now.

This is the first time the Mariners have ever been favored to win the World Series or at least the AL in my lifetime.

I just look at our lineup and our pitching rotation as as there is no team in the AL that competes with either of those two units.

No, I can't find a better lineup, but I cannot find a better pitching rotation.

I can find bullpens that are close or slightly better, but even then the ALE has much weaker bullpens than the NL.

The talent is in the National League.

Like, this is why I won't bet the Mariners to win the World Series, because the talent is in the National League.

With these bullpens, with these these lineups, these stars, it's it's so much heavier over there.

Like the National League is gonna end up having our eventual World Series champion more than likely, right, I.

Mean, anything happens when you make it to the World Series, right, But I would definitely say that I think that there's a better chance that a National League championship, a National League team is going to be what did Rob Manfred called a hunk of medal.

He's gonna be there, gonna team's gonna be lifting the hunk of metal.

I mean unless somehow, I mean, if the Reds make it, and maybe not.

If the Cubs make it, probably not.

So yeah, I think of the other four really really or yeah, four really strong teams in the National League.

I would I would not be shocked if they won the World Series.

And we're we're really hoping the Padres too.

So let's talk about playoff predictions, because I don't know if I like the Phillies or the Padres more reice.

Let's say that they match up in the NLCS Phillies v.

Padres to go to the World Series.

What's our lean?

Okay, so well, we talked about the three a couple of things that we like.

I'm not super sold on the Phillies defense.

I think the Padres up the medal defense is fine, but also I'm gonna go with the Padres.

Man.

We're just gonna ride this theory that the bullpen, this absolutely nasty bullpen, that they traded a lot a lot to lock down this bullpen, and they hit some opportune home runs if they don't hit the opportunit home runs.

They won't win games, but you know whatever, right, I'm gonna go.

I think I lean the Padres here.

I agree with you, Ma, and Xander Bulgart's coming back helps that Padres line up so much.

Freddy for me and has been like fun enoughough like he's been fun enough.

Jake Cronenworth has not been bad, like he held down shortstop but he needed to.

I know it wasn't pretty.

And we talked about Rhino Hearn, who you and me talking about as a playoff.

X Factor has been absolutely on fire the last couple of weeks in September.

In general, there's enough star power throughout this I mean Machado, Tatis, Merrill in the postseason.

You have your underrated guys like Gavin Sheets, Rhin O'Hearn, and I just can't get over that bullpen.

Really it comes down through the Padres have enough starting pitching depth to get it to the bullpen.

Because like we're talking about an Alds series where you have to pick a fourth starter.

Who is that guy?

Is that you, Darvish?

It's definitely not JP series, so it almost has to be you, darbish.

Right, I was gonna ask you do you think JP series even makes the postseason roster at any point?

Like, I just don't.

I don't see what he brings.

It's kind of just like tacked into this into the Mason Military that you can have him if you want, Like I guess.

So, I mean they end up trading what was his name, nest Record or they got Did they get nest Rete?

Yeah they did.

Yeah, yeah, but they got a good prospect out of it.

Too weird trade.

But yeah, I think you Darbish kind of has to because you Darbish can really mix and match with the best of him.

He throws like what a thousand different bitches, and you never know which one's coming.

He'll scrap certain ones for certain games.

So yeah, I think you Darbish is the fourth starter, and I actually kind of like him as a four starter.

He might be one of the more interesting gambles as a four starter.

Something that we haven't talked about is the Ramon Loreano injury.

Reese who is said to be in a splint for three weeks is what I'm seeing.

So he's basically a non fact in the playoffs now, So that puts some pressure on some other guys, especially in the Platoon game.

Is that too big of a loss?

Like, do we need to consider that throughout all?

It's Ramon Loreano, right, he's been good.

I don't think Ramon Loreano is the game, Like, He's not going to be the reason that they lose a game, right Like, So I think Gavin Sheets is a perfectly fine He's that comes in and just you know, plays left field.

You know, you really hope ball doesn't get hit his way, but he actually hasn't been Like I don't know what drs are that's above averages, but I know my eyeballs tell me, and Gavin Sheets has not been the train wreck in left field that I normally would expect.

He's been fine, like, you know, like almost you don't even notice him out there work for him, it is fantastic.

So I think that Cavin Chets can go to hold it down for three weeks and then you know, if if this team makes it for Loreanno coming in.

You know, pinch hitting situations pretty awesome thing to have because it's the one thing I do worry about with this team is the bench is pretty bad.

Elias dis Jose, Lacias, Mason McCoy, Will Wagner Bryce Johnson.

None of those guys really inspire a lot of confidence.

Maybe Wagner can come on and be a you know, a lefty you know, a lefty bat that can kind of like gets on base and you really just just don't do anything else.

Man.

But yeah, this is a Loreano injury really hurts the bench more than anything because then Gavin Sheets has to actually play more.

Yeah, you're hoping for a guy like Jose Glaciers, who's been around the block a little bit, same with the Leastius as well, to really make kind of an impact in the postseason, as kind of their true bench bat is Jose Glacias.

I think that's fair to say.

Yeah, I would have liked them to make I would have liked them to have made one trade, just like a back end like piece to get something else a little bit better than Will Wagner on their bench, you know, as much as ihel Will Wager.

Yeah, no, I agree with you there.

Okay, we're riding the Padres the World Series and are they going to match up with the Mariners?

Rees?

No, you gonnatch the Blue Jays?

Wow, So how do the Blue Jays meet the Mariners?

What?

What?

What happens there.

I think that the Blue Jays beat the you know, obviously they beat the whichever one of the their other American League teams.

And I think that the way they do it is they do it through their their starting pitching, and I think that their lineup takes a step forward and the lineup is pretty deep.

I like their lineup a lot, and I think it'd be a fun world series.

I think Padres versus Blue Jays would be a very very fun world series with the Padres ended up winning in you know, Southern California gets to celebrate a championship.

And we get to celebrate posandom and our hats that we are going to get.

Honestly, if Potter's won the World Series, it might be jerseys at this point because the odds are the odds are large.

It's unlikely, right.

What jersey are you getting?

Are you one of these guys is gonna get an obscure jersey?

Or are you gonna get We're already counting, We're already counting the winds before that happens.

But are you like, are you someone who gets like the star player, or are you like somebody gets someone obscure?

I want that that white one that you've been talking about.

Is that what it's?

What's the word that?

Is that a statement?

Jersey color rush?

What is this city city connect?

That's city Okay, it's the last the last year that they have the city Connects.

I love their I love their brown pinch right, So I probably get that.

But we're definitely getting you a city connect.

We should probably pick out our jerseys now, just before the playoffs start, just so we have this all set, because I did promise this jerseys all right, I'm I would I would want to go.

I mean probably Jackson Merrill or what if what if I got a Mason Miller jersey as a former pitcher.

I think that's kind of sick too.

I was going to say, you seem like a Mason Miller.

Guy imagined that you would listen to Nickel back before you went out there, So Mason Miller seems like you're sort of thing.

I was like, I, you know, Manny Machada or many Manchada is always cool for a native Tatis.

I really don't care if I'm getting a free jersey out of this.

I'm just doing backflips.

I take that.

I take anything.

If the pond.

Just want to send us any free year.

We can DM me at Reesby White if you want to send me any angry things though, Matt Thoms empty Thomas plib dot com.

I'm gonna get here Freddy for me and City Connect and I'll get oh hell yeah, Mason Miller, Brown Pitcher.

That's some real ball knowledge off there.

Bryce Johnson one that'd be that, that would be a freaking awesome new show to the bar.

And just wearing one of those.

Jerseys, Brice Johnson.

That's good.

The only person that's not Bright Johnson's family.

Yeah, one hundred percent.

Well that's our postseason predictions Slash preview, Reaest, Do you have any any departing thoughts for our viewers.

Yeah, this was a really really stressful end of the season for me.

I watched the Tigers really just try, I really not make the postseason.

They back their way in shout out to all the Reds fans.

I can't imagine what it's like in Skyline, Chile right now because those must be going crazy.

But yeah, it's been a fun season.

I'm very excited about this postseason.

I know you and I are going to be going through you know, we kind of.

We're still going to be podcasting, so we're going to be talking about the postseason and what's going on.

We'll have an episode going live on Friday, so we'll probably talk about, you know, give our National League Division series, you know, and do a recap of what happened in the wildcard.

I hope I'm not crying a lot on that podcast.

I hope you are, because that would be great content for us, if we're being honest.

But now this has been a blast.

I think we'll keep doing some live streams, either every Sunday or every other Sunday something like that, depending on how much you guys end up liking these.

This will be hosted to all podcasting platforms tonight as well, so stay tuned for our second episode later on this week.

We thank you guys so much for joining us today.

Enjoy your Sunday night football and enjoy the rest of your Sunday, and we will see you next time.