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Call 1-877-718-5543 or visit morethanagame.nc.gov. Must be physically located in North Carolina. TMC Supply and app only. I'm Kristen Press and I'm Tobin Heath. We're World Cup winners, Olympians, and the hosts of The Recap Show.
Every week we sit down with the icons, disruptors, and game changers on the field and beyond it to talk victories, heartbreaks, and everything in between. We've built a space where athletes, change makers, and people creating the future of women's sports can show up and show off as their full, unapologetic selves. Follow and listen to The Recap Show wherever you get your podcasts. Botox Cosmetic, Atobotulinum Toxin A, FDA approved for over 20 years.
So, talk to your specialist to see if Botox Cosmetic is right for you. For full prescribing information, including boxed warning, visit Botoxcosmetic.com or call 877-351-0300. Remember to ask for Botox Cosmetic by name. To see for yourself and learn more, visit BotoxCosmetic.com. That's BotoxCosmetic.com.
It is the JR Sport Brief Show. Coast to coast on the Infinity Sports Network. Man, we got a lot of baseball going on. This is a great time of the year. We got divisions that are getting wrapped up.
We got our MVP races that have pretty much tightened up now that we're down to, what, four days left in a regular season. to talk about it all, think about these MVP races, to continue on with the conversation. Joining us right now is someone who covers all things baseball for Fox Sports. Welcome back to Rowan Kavner. Rowan, thank you so much for being here.
Happy to be here, man. It's a crazy time. It is definitely a crazy time. You know, before you joined us last break. We took a look at the performances of Aaron Judge and also Cal Raleigh and what he's doing.
I believe that we're definitely going to have some voter fatigue when it comes down to Aaron Judge. I'm looking at Cal Raleigh. to go ahead and just pick up this MVP. What are your thoughts on how this race has developed in the American League? Crazy.
It's like how many people kind of judge with head versus heart, with numbers versus just what you're. kind of seeing in terms of You know how Calves picked up a team that hadn't had a division title since 2001. It just in some ways, it feels like it's just a year of Cal and when you have a catcher get 60 home runs. Primary catcher, do you hit more than 48 ever before? Obviously, all the stats about.
Um you know, the the first switch hitter to do stuff like this. There's a lot in the heart that just says this is the answer. And then you still look at the numbers. Uh especially when you're when you're talking about flashline numbers and and The edge and average and on base percentage and slugging and OPS. I truly have, which all would go to Aaron Judge.
I truly have no idea how this is going to go. And maybe there is some fatigue that kind of goes with this. I could make a case for either, and I wouldn't be shocked if this is. basically going to be a a split vote or maybe decided by one or two votes. Wow, Rowan Kavner is here with us from Fox Sports.
Is it just me? But know what Cal Raleigh has done. He's hit sixty home runs. Three years ago Aaron Judge cranked out sixty two an American League record. It seemed like, even from a national perspective, and we know the Yankees are a bigger brand and they're the east coast and what have you.
It seems that what Cal Raleigh is doing right now It hasn't been emphasized in the same way as to what Judge did. a few years ago, and I think given the fact that he plays catchers, caught one hundred and thirty games, means a whole hell of a lot more. I is it just because he he's in Seattle, tucked away in the Pacific Northwest? Why hasn't this garnered so much attention?
Well, I mean, I'm sure that's part of it. And yes, if you're an East Coast fan, you're probably not staying up to watch games in Seattle. But I mean, again, you look at kind of Just the numbers themselves, I mean, you're talking about Aaron Jack. Who, yes, this year is not the same offensively that it was last year, but it's not that far off. And he's pretty much assured, probably going to win the batting title for the first time in his career.
That this is not just a home run thread that. No, he's hitting well over three twenty, like It's not a slight on Cal at all if he doesn't win it, if people maybe aren't giving him the attention that Some think he deserves to Judge has still been absolutely insane. Totally have an argument for Cal Raleigh. And I think when you're talking about doing something we've never seen before at a position, I think the big question now is. How much stock do you put in the fact that he is a catcher?
That all the all the stuff that goes on from game calling, to gain planning, all the work it takes to the nicks and bruises you take from from playing that position, how much stock do you put in that? Because if you put a lot in it, then your answer is probably Cal Raleigh. If you don't, then you look at the numbers overall and your answer is probably judge.
So You know, I think the fact that he won the home run derby maybe put him on more of a national Yeah. Uh kind of scale or people maybe saw them a little bit more there. I am curious. I really truly have no idea how this is going to go. And I've flip-flopped on what I've thought for a while.
And I'm just very thankful that this year I don't have the ALMBP vote. Rowan Kavner is here with us from Fox Sports. You talk about the Mariners and not winning the division. Since 2001, which is nuts. I think that was the year they won, was it?
114, 116 games. And here we are in 2021. Yeah, in 2025 Is it realistic that they can go on a run? It seems that they've always either missed the playoffs by a day or they get in and get eliminated. What are your thoughts on this team overall?
They're my favorite in the American League. And I think once they restock at At the deadline, and we're able to add I think a lot of attention was on Eugene Osuarez, which made sense with his power ability, but Josh Naylor has just been such a huge lift for that team. And that really I mean, for so long, we talked about how stacked that rotation was. But the offense just wasn't quite good enough to get there. This is the most talented roster they've had on this run.
And that offense has has made up for the fact that, like, they still have these You know Juggernauts in the rotation, but they haven't all performed to their capabilities, and health has obviously been a big component of that.
Now, I think you feel pretty good about that group if if Wu ends up healthy. Being able to kind of go on a run there, but now the offense is there to match. And in an American league right now, there's just not a whole lot of juggernauts. There's really none. Um, I could totally see a world where they make it to the World Series.
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TNC's applied. I'm Kristen Price and I'm Tobin Heath. We're World Cup winners, Olympians, and the hosts of The Recap Show. Every week we sit down with the icons, disruptors, and game changers on the field and beyond it to talk victories, heartbreaks, and everything in between. We've built a space where athletes, change makers, and people creating the future of women's sports can show up and show off as their full, unapologetic selves.
Follow and listen to The Recap Show wherever you get your podcasts. Botox Cosmetic, Autobotulinum Toxin A, FDA approved for over 20 years.
So, talk to your specialist to see if Botox Cosmetic is right for you. For full prescribing information, including boxed warning, visit Botoxcosmetic.com or call 877-351-0300. Remember to ask for Botox Cosmetic by name. To see for yourself and learn more, visit BotoxCosmetic.com. That's BotoxCosmetic.com.
Brian Wu, we know he's dealing with that chest injury. Should we kind of write him off at the beginning of the postseason? Like, what's the chest? A chest injury for a pitcher sounds like curtains to me. Yeah, it's uh when you hear like PECTWORL Two, it just kind of sounds a little bit ominous.
I'm concerned. I mean, he he it's funny 'cause you you think about all the the names in that rotation and and Gilbert and Kirby and Castillo and all these guys, but Wu's been the one constant there. I mean, all those other guys have dealt with stuff. It's kind of been a little bit up and down. Gilbert's still been awesome.
But Wu has really been the one constant through all of that.
So that's a huge loss if he if he's not available. And I I don't I haven't heard any sort of update. Um, you know, in terms of kind of next steps, it sounds like they're a little bit more optimistic than what it looked like when you left the game. But yeah, when you're hearing pectoral tightness for your starting picture, that's not a good sign when you're. a few days away from the end of the regular season.
Rowan Kavner is here with us from Fox Sports. You know, typically the managers don't get a lot of love, they don't get a lot of attention. You know, when things are bad, you can point at them. When things are going good, it's just like, hey, the manager just sits there. What has Dan Wilson meant to this team just over the past two seasons?
You haven't been here a long time. Yeah, and I'm and I'm I don't get a front row seat to all that, and there's so much, man, that goes You know, there's votes for manager of the year, and there's just so much we don't know about what these guys are kind of like actually doing, how much. Each manager really can have is doing to either propel or the opposite to to You know, put a team behind behind the eight ball a little bit. W with him, though, I mean, look, like the fact that they're still believing it's been some ups and downs. um in this second half.
And then to go on this surge you can't argue what the result has looked like so far. Yes, I think this roster is better than the ones that we've seen before, but he's done a tremendous job and there were a ton of expectations on the Mariners to finally get over the hump. And there's a lot of pressure that kind of comes along with that. We've seen you mentioned it so many times where you think it's going to be their year and they just haven't been able to do it. To finally be the guy that helps get them over the hump, I think is is worthy of consideration, especially when you again you look around the American League.
You see what's happening to the Tigers right now. You see the Blue Jays kind of clinging on for life. The fact that The mariners were able to go and take it and yes, the Astros kind of falling behind here at the end has definitely helped their cause. It's definitely worthy of some praise.
Well ye I know you you you're high on what the mariners can do, In the postseason here, I know we talked about the Yankees and more specifically Aaron Judge. Who do you think is their biggest competition in the American League? It's a good question. I would probably say the Yankees, I mean, they're playing really good baseball right now. They've caught up to the Blue Jays here.
And it's worth noting that Toronto does have a tiebreaker because that's looking like it's really going to come down to the wire. Rodon's had a much better season and Freed, obviously. It's a big blow to not have Cole. But I think you just look at kind of the roster composition, I think that's probably the scariest team. Um And then I have no idea what to make of Cleveland.
I mean, it's unbelievable. They're ages six and seventy-two, and they still have a negative run differential. They've done this 17 of 19 games that they've won. And they still have a negative run differential on the year. It's just like a magic wand that they're waving.
And the starting pitching has been so, so, so, so good. Um so I I don't know what to make of them. I think like I I would say the Yankees are probably the biggest competition, but it's hard to argue against what Cleveland's done in September. To take a quick look at the National League mark, what do we can? Can we just, and correct me if I'm wrong.
Can we just not put the Phillies and the Dodgers in the NLCS and call it a day? Do we got to go through this whole thing? Yes, at least we have a little bit of we kind of know already at least who's won these divisions.
So this weekend's not quite as exciting from top to bottom in the National League as it is in the American League here, but Still obviously a lot to play for if you're the Mets or the Reds or the Diamondbacks. Trying to kind of cling on to that last fall card spot. I mean, yeah, I think those are the two teams that everybody's watching. I know what the Brewers are going to end up with the best record in baseball, they deserve top. tons of credit and praise.
But I think if you're if you're looking at the favorites, The the two teams you mentioned are are are probably up there and i think everyone's waiting for that phillies dodgers series we got We got a taste of it earlier this month, and those were some really, really fun back and forth games. If those two teams are going to meet. in the NLCS, that's going to be a real battle. And Rowan Kavner here with us from Fox Sports. You mentioned the New York Mets got this payroll of three hundred fifty plus million dollars.
They may be on the outside looking in. Maybe they get in. It's still going to be a disappointment either way. What does Steve Cohen do? He can't throw his wallet at everything and make it work, right?
Well, he's got to throw his wallet at a starting pitcher. And I think that was kind of the one thing coming into the year. They spent so much money, as we know, it's well documented how much they spent. Obviously, to bring in Soto, and he's been everything they could have wanted. I mean, if you told them.
At the end of this year, these are the numbers that one settle is going to have. You take that 10 times out of 10. the starting pitching, which was so good and clearly playing over its skis for the in the first half has just regressed uh immensely and and all the veteran guys that they were relying on to kind of carry them forward. Have not Panned out, and they're relying on a bunch of young arms. And what you're going to get if you're relying on a bunch of young arms is a lot of volatility and some uncomfortable days ahead.
Even if they do make it into October, right now, though, that's Definitely no guarantee. It's worth noting the Reds do have the tiebreaker. The Mets, I think, are a half game up right now, so we'll see. how these last few days goes, if they don't make it to the playoffs, man, what a huge letdown. I'd say it's the biggest meltdown, but I think Detroit is going to take that if they aren't able to cling on to that final wildcard spot.
Oh, I agree with you on that one. Is it too early for me to call Kodai Sanger Ben Simmons? Is it too early? Too early, right? Maybe too early.
Gotta give him another couple of years.
Okay, yeah, he's gonna have to quit and just say, Hey, I know I wanna stay in the miners. I I just I wanna stay here a little while longer. As an L S U grad, that comparison hurts me though. Ooh. Ooh.
We knew Ben Simmons was a quitter when he was in college. Come on, Rowan. Come on. I'm not going to defend him. I'm not going to defend him.
Okay, yeah. We well, we know where he is right now, not on an NBA team. Hey, Rowan, before we get out of here, we learned earlier this week, a couple of days ago, that Major League Baseball is fully going to implement the automatic ball strike challenge system next year. Do you think that this is going to go off without a hitch? Are there going to be major hiccups?
What are your thoughts on how it's going to be implemented and what it'll look like? There'll probably be some hiccups, but I think overall it's a good thing. I'm curious to see how much time is actually added when you think about all the rule changes. that have happened in the last few years.
So much of it That that's been a huge success is is speeding up the play, speeding up the game. I don't expect it to be. a huge problem in terms of maybe you're adding a couple minutes here and there. But the whole point is you want to eliminate the hugely egregious calls. I think it's important that the umpires still have a role and they're still A role for some catch framing.
But I do think eliminating the really, really harsh calls is important, and I think it's a good decision. Yeah.
Well, we know uh Aaron Boone is not a fan of it. He wants to He wants to frame pictures and then he wants to yell at the umpires about it afterwards. I'm sure he'll still find ways to yell at the umpires. And the poor guy, he got a pacemaker. Nobody else and anybody more than him, he got a pacemaker.
Poor guy. What a world. What a world. Hey, Rowan, thank you so much for the time. Tell everybody where they can follow you online, on the internet.
Find you all the good stuff with Fox. Yeah, you can find me at Rowan Kavner on X. You can read my work at Fox Sports. We did some contender rankings that if you're confused about. You know, all the scenarios right now, you can find that at Fox Sports, and we'll have a whole lot more.
Obviously, it's going to be a crazy weekend ahead. Uh catch me there. No, we're looking forward to it. We always appreciate it, Ron. We'll catch you soon, okay?
All right, thanks so much. That 365 is paying out before the final whistle. Check out Bet365's unrivaled early payout offer. When you bet on a team to win and they take a 17-point lead, you get paid no matter the final score. Forget the final whistle and start counting that cash.
Hold up. You get early payout on parlays too! Download the app and see why it's never ordinary at Bet365. Gambling problem? Call 1-877-718-5543 or visit morethanagame.nc.gov.
Must be physically located in North Carolina. TNC's applied. Botox Cosmetic, Autobotulinum Toxin A, FDA approved for over 20 years.
So, talk to your specialist to see if Botox Cosmetic is right for you. For full prescribing information, including boxed warning, visit BotoxCosmetic.com or call 877-351-0300. Remember to ask for Botox Cosmetic by name. To see for yourself and learn more, visit BotoxCosmetic.com. That's BotoxCosmetic.com.
The Recap Show is an unfiltered inside look into the world of global soccer and women's sports and all things culture. From two U.S. Women's National Team World Cup champions and Olympians, follow and listen to The Recap Show wherever you get your podcasts. Mm.
