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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. Are you ready to dive into the story, stats, and personalities that make baseball the greatest game in the world? Rob Bradford from the Baseballs and Boring Podcast here, and we'll have you covered every day with podcasts that bring you closer to the action from the bleachers to the clubhouse.
Whether you're a die-hard fan or just a casual observer, these conversations are aimed to educate, entertain, and most importantly, inform you. Follow the Baseballs and Boring podcast in the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast. It is. The JR Sport Brief Show here on the Infiniti Sports Network. I'm coming to you live from Atlanta, Georgia.
Thank you so much to everybody tuned in, locked in all over North America. I hope you are having a tremendous Monday. If you like football, I'm going to be a food. I guess you are. We got two NFL games.
The New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins are going at it right now down in Miami, Florida. The Dolphins actually scored the first touchdown of the game. The Dolphins now lead the New York Jets ten to nothing. The Jets had an opportunity to punch the ball in the red zone. Forget the red zone at the goal line.
The ball was punched away. Fumbled. The New York Jets, instead of getting six or seven points, they get nothing. Miami responds with a touchdown on the other end. 10-0.
Miami. A four-yard touchdown reception by. Darren Waller. Yeah, the guy who retired? From the New York Jets?
The guy who said I am out of here? He came back.
Now he's playing for the Dolphins. Helping them so far win this game. Bad news for the New York Jets as well. Things don't. Look.
Good. Ooh, Brees Hall getting popped When I was in Bree Oh, my God Oh, Braylon Allen. Oh, my God. Damn. Bacha, how many times they got a replay of busted up knee?
Uh, quite a bit 'cause they were showing they were actually seeing if he fumbled the ball on the same play he probably hurt his knee. Hurt his knee? Yeah, that thing was uh well, he was walking, so I don't know if it's completely cooked. Listen, man, eh? Knees are not supposed to go that direction, okay?
The knees is your knee goes leg goes front to back. Not supposed to go uh Aside to side.
Well, anyway, the Mimey Dolphins are are still leading the jets here tense and nothing. It looks like the New York Jets are going to maintain possession of the ball despite that run from Allen. He's going to be feeling that. For quite a while.
Okay, the New York Judge trying to put some points up on the board. This show gets started every weekday, 6 p.m. Eastern. But 3 Pacific, you can always listen on the free Odyssey app, your local affiliate, SiriusXM375, and a smart speaker if you have one. You can always call up as well.
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We're minutes away from the start of another Monday night football game. We've discussed this one: the Denver Broncos taking on the Cincinnati Bengal. I just want to see how many How many interceptions are we gonna see? From Jake Browning. Is it one?
Is it two? Is it three? We're going to find out sooner than later. The Bengals suffered their first loss of the season last week, an ugly beatdown against the Minnesota Vikings 48-10. I don't know if Denver is going to beat them up 48-10, but the Denver Broncos, it would be a massive disappointment.
if they don't walk away with the victory here. Bo Nicks, four teams so far this season, not necessarily having the best results. The Denver Broncos are one and two in a two game losing streak.
Well, these are some closed games. They lost to the Colts 29-28. Last week, they lost to the Chargers 23-20. Bo Nicks on the season. Five touchdowns, three interceptions.
He's going to try to turn things around at home in Bo Nick's Monday Night Football, ABC. He's here for it. I feel like it's every one of our dreams to play in front of the lights with national television. It's what you grow up watching.
So it's just I think there's some adrenaline that comes with the game that it's not just a Sunday afternoon with a lot of teams playing. You're the primetime game and the only one that's on.
Well, they're not the only one that's on. This is the part that is infuriating to me. Why do I gotta make a choice? You know, here in the studio, I can watch two damn games at the same time while I talk on the radio. But I.
Yeah You're not the only game in town. I mean the majority of 'em well, let's see. Mm. I'm trying to think about which game could get ugly quick. New York Jets, Dolphins, uh probably keep it close.
Two bad teams. Denver should be annihilating. Cincinnati. They should beat him up tonight. They should whoop that ass.
Their head coach, Sean Payton. Always angry, never happy. Sean Payton is taking a look at what's going on and he's just like, listen, folks, it's Monday night football. We can fall to one and three if we don't win. Listen to what he said.
We talked about playing at home, obviously, and then you know playing A national TV game that's important.
So I think it's something that these players understand. Generationally, but we'll have a. It's important we start fast, we'll have a good crowd behind us, and we should take advantage of that.
Okay, so are you going to be the backup quarterback? Are you the Denver Broncos with one of the top defenses last year? Are you going to beat? The team that doesn't have Joe Burrow, are you going to intercept Jake Browning? I mean, let's ask Jake Browning: what do you think about Denver's defense, Mr.
Backup quarterback? The two main guys get a lot of pub, but I mean they they rotate a decent amount of guys through there that uh Yeah. very capable of winning. And uh being game record, so uh Um I'll see. I don't know the exact stats, but I think last year they were really high up there in Saks.
This year they're high up there in Sachs, so they've got a good group. Yeah, if I were uh Jake Browning I'd be running From Benito.
Okay, he already leads the team with three sacks on the season this year, earning that money after he just got that big old contract. I guess somebody else worried about Jake Browning is his head coach Zach Taylor. He says, uh You know, this guy is not Joe Burrow. Did you know that? He's still in his first couple games as a starter in his career, and he's done a great job managing it, to my opinion.
We got to take care of the football. We've got to be great around him. Um and I expect, you know, we'll have a good week of that. Yeah. Botcha, give me give me a score for this game, man.
Give me a score. I feel like this is a trap game just because Nobody's expecting the Bengals to do anything. And it's a Monday night football game, so things can get a little crazy. Twenty-seven 22. I'm going to say the Broncos one.
Okay, is that a trap game?
Well, yes, it can be a trap game. But if you're picking them to win, it's not a trap game. No, but it could end up being one. I think it's. I don't think it's going to be a blowout.
If if that's what I'm predicting. Oh, well, okay, that's different. I'm like, Bacha, what are you getting ready to say here? What are you getting ready to say? 'Cause I was like, Well, let's get the br brass tax.
If you have to put money down on who's winning, you're going with the Broncos.
So, okay. I ain't no taking. Yeah, I mean, can it be an ass whooping? 48-10, they lost last week. Uh not going to expect that.
At this time around. Speaking of bad teams. The Tennessee Titans at this point in time should just lose every game the rest of the season. The Texans blew them out yesterday. 26.
To zero. There's no hope. There's no sun. There's no sunshine. You got Cam Ward looking like a complete disaster.
The Titans are on a 10-game losing streak dating back to last season. Tennessee is 0-4. Ugh Cam Ward yesterday. 10-26 passing, 108 yards, one interception. He was sacked.
Twice. For the season, Cam Ward, two touchdowns, two touchdowns. Two interceptions. Like, there is nothing exciting about this team. Brian Callahan, head coach, has already given up his.
His play calling abilities to try to turn things around. And, well, yesterday, speaking with a reporter. He felt that he was I don't know, maybe uh Being run through the mud. Take a listen to this interaction with a reporter. But do you think this is a resilient and relentless football team.
I know what you're doing there, Paul. I know what you're doing. And and I'm not going to answer that shit right now.
Well well I mean those are the themes that you've tried to catch on this football team you're some games in and of them stuck. Yeah. Pose myself here before. I say something I regret. But yes, I think this team is resilient.
I think it is relentless. We haven't played good enough football. And I think there's two those are two very distinct different things. We have to execute at a better level. We have to coach better.
That's really all I can say. Yeah, the guy got a record of three and eighteen. You and now they're 0 4. You would expect a little bit of progress maybe with Cam Ward here in this year. It's still ridiculous to me that the Tennessee Titans said, you know what we're going to do?
We're going to get rid of Mike Vrabel because he actually knows what he's doing. A couple of seasons ago, the Titans had. I don't want to say no talent on the roster. They weren't talented enough. To win games, even with a great head coach like Mike Vrabel, Vrabel pretty much told them, and they got rid of him.
And then they got rid of the GM and ran Carthon, and now here they are still in the toilet ball. And then they're going to get rid of Brian Callahan. They should have never gotten rid of Rabel. Yeah, they screwed. that one up.
And yeah, I'm I'm sure. that at the end of the season at At maximum, Brian Callahan will be shown the door as well. And then here you have a quarterback in year one and Cam Ward, who will probably have to restart the process because they fired his head coach and everyone in the system. The Titans are just shooting themselves in the foot from an ownership level all the way down. Cam Ward, welcome to the NFL.
After this twenty six to nothing loss to the Texans, Cam Ward was asked about the team and their performance, and he had three letters. I mean, we're keeping a buck right now, we ask.
So we owing for it. We have This point got nothing to lose. We dropped a quarter of our games, and we've yet to do anything.
So. We have to lock in, especially myself on the offensive line. From the defensive line, from the special teams to all three faces, we have to play together. We have not played together this year yet. Um, and that's just something that you know.
We want to preach about it every day, every day. We got to do better, and we're doing that, but it has to show up on Sundays. It hasn't showed up yet, but it got to show up next week. Oh man, next week is Arizona. We know Arizona up and down and up and down.
Arizona is going to beat them. Maybe Cam Ward will put up some nice stats and nice numbers, but I really look forward to.
Well, I'm not going to sit down and watch that game full time. I'm going to pop in, pop out, look at the numbers, look at the stats. I am not watching that, okay? Cam Moore should have a decent game. I would think.
but I would still look for Arizona to go out there and get the victory at home. We know how Cam Ward feels about the team. Those three letters speak for itself. Hey, head coach, what do you think about what your quarterback said about the team? I think what everyone is learning about Cam is that he cares a tremendous amount.
It's really important to him. He wants to win football games. He wants to deliver winning performances for our organization, for our fans. That's what he cares about. There's nothing else that he has any interest in other than playing football and trying to play football at a high level.
And those responses, you know, for him, he wears his emotions a little bit out there. And I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Because at the end of the day, I know where it's coming from, and I know why he's the way he is in those moments. It's because he wants nothing more than to play well and win. Oh, yeah.
Well He better get used to the losing. Because the Tennessee Titans have more of it throughout the course of the year. Looks like the Tennessee Titans are on their way to another bad season, maybe another one or two draft pick selecting in the draft. Good luck to the Titans. Good luck to their fans.
They don't got a lot to look forward to this season. What you would hope. Is that Cam Ward? Is not ruined throughout the course of the year. That at least you have something, something.
to look forward to. Like in a few years. Ain't nothing happening this year. Speaking of. excuse me, ass.
The New York Mets, what the hell were they doing yesterday?
Okay, what have the forget yesterday, what have the New York Mets been doing? Since the summertime, they were the best team in Major League Baseball heading into June, and then things just pretty much flipped. thirty eight and fifty five. From June 12th, they had a record of 45 and 24, and then they just hit the skids. They finished barely above 500, 83.79.
We got all these damn teams that are going straight. to the postseason starting tomorrow and the New York Mets said uh no thanks. Too many injured pitchers. Cincinnati Reds get in instead of them. They lose last night, yesterday, to the Miami Marlins four to nothing.
You got Francisco Lendor, the end in the game, Pete Alonzo, his career with the New York Mets might be owner, might be over. You got Steve Cohen, who's over here apologizing for a team with a $300 million plus payroll. Not in the postseason. Maybe uh botcher uh Did Jackson dart? No, he didn't wipe away any stench for New York City, right?
It still stinks for the Mets, huh? Oh, it didn't help at all. Because A lot of the Giants fans who are Mets fans, one win in the football season. Cool. But they've sat down and watched 162 games.
of this match season. and to be rewarded with What happened in game 162 is a disgrace. Damn. Well, you're a Mets fan, or do you feel disgraced? Yes.
It is disgusting that. The performance. And you can't put it on one person or player But it's just the entire team. Just withered and you can't The hitting was cold. You could say the pitching was bad.
You had no real starting pitching at the end of the year, besides for the three rookies. And even the rookies weren't even great. And then the bullpen. It was terrible.
Well, let's listen to the guy making the most money. On the New York Mets. Juan Soto is sitting around with a contract paying him $765 million. He had a slow start. He had an MVP quality finish, but they ain't getting it.
Well, he's not getting it because they didn't win anything. Hey, Juan Soto. Why did the Mets suck this year? Baseball, man. Baseball.
Um, I don't think uh Even if you have a great team in paper and nobody's gonna bring it to you. You gotta go out there and get it.
So I think it's part of it and Uh we use Philip Short. Hey. Manager Mendoza, he is going to keep his job. How do you feel about the season ending, man? There's no word to describe what we're going through.
It's pain, it's frustrations. You know, there's you name it, you know. Came in with a lot of expectations and And you know, here we are going home. You know, not only we fell short, We didn't even get into October, you know, and this is a team that is built to not only get to October, but Uh to play deep into October.
Well, he's going to keep his job. Apparently, he's going to keep his job. I told you about Steve Cohen apologizing to the New York Mets and their fans. He says we're pretty much going to look real deep as to the obvious reasons why we lost, and we're going to try to dive a little bit deeper. uh into that as well.
I told you about Peter Lonzo. pretty much having a a contract year, a big season on his way, uh potentially out the door. He is going to be a free agent. Is he sticking around with the Mets? We have no idea.
This is what Pete Alonzo had to say about this Mets squad. They've continued to believe in me and I mean I've loved playing here. There's some great guys in this clubhouse. There's some great people in the staff and I mean every single day it's just been a it's been a pleasure coming to work and putting on the orange and blue.
So for me it's yeah I mean I've really appreciated and been nothing but full of gratitude every single day. Hey, 38 home runs, 126 RBIs. That's second in Major League Baseball. Pete Alonso will get paid. I assume that he will stick around with the New York Mets.
But is he getting one of these, I don't know, $40 million deals? No, it's not what they're giving away to first basemen right now. A matter of fact, let's take a break. When we come back on the other side, let's talk some Major League Baseball. Let's talk about some of the teams that made it in, and then also the New York Mets as well.
We're going to have a conversation with Gay Blacks. He's going to join us from USA Today on the other side. You're listening to the JR Sport Reeshow Coast to Coast on the Infinity Sports Network. That 365 is paying out before the final whistle. Check out Bet365's unrivaled early payout offer.
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Gambling problem? Call 1-877-718-5543 or visit morethanagame.nc.gov. Must be physically located in North Carolina. TNC's applied. Are you ready to dive into the story, stats, and personalities that make baseball the greatest game in the world?
Rob Bradford from the Baseballs and Boring Podcast here, and we'll have you covered every day with podcasts that bring you closer to the action from the bleachers to the clubhouse. Whether you're a die-hard fan or just a casual observer, these conversations are aimed to educate, entertain, and most importantly, inform you. Follow the Baseballs and Boring podcast in the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast. You're listening to the JR Sport Brief. It is the JR Sport Brief Show here with you coast to coast on the Infinity Sports Network.
NFL season is underway. NBA is going through its media days. NHL is upon us as well. But Major League Baseball We're going into the postseason. That's right.
We got postseason baseball that starts. Tomorrow. Yeah, tomorrow we got these wild card games that will be underway. We got a bunch of teams that are in. We have a few teams like the Mets and Astros who are out.
We got a team like Detroit who still hung in there, despite how they finished up the season. And we got some of the big players that people are. Looking forward to, of course, the Dodgers and the Yankees, teams like the Blue Jays and Seattle searching as well to talk about everything going on, what we can expect. Through the Major League Baseball postseason, is someone who covers all things baseball for USA Today. Joining us right now is Gabe Lax.
Gabe, how are you, man? I'm doing good. How are you tonight, J.R.? I'm good. Always a pleasure to have you on.
Before we get into the teams that are in, let's talk about the teams that are not. I mean, we heard and got the apology from Steve Coleman with the New York Mets earlier today. What are some of the adjustments that they can make? Like, Peter Lonzo is likely to be back, of course, right? Yeah, you know, it's interesting what happens when you go onto the open market.
Bottom line is, he's going to cost a lot more. Than just last winter when they were able to get him on a two-year $54 million deal with an opt-out. He's obviously opting out great season, 36 home runs, I think, more than 120 RBIs. Uh this year he will not be attached to a compensatory draft pick, which a lot of teams use As an excuse to not sign guys.
So he is an unfettered free agent, absolutely nothing holding him back. And with those numbers, Uh, it's uh, it's going to be a pretty pretty big market for the polar bears, so they're going to have to. Ask themselves. You know, do we want to commit to that? Do we want to make him a $35 million player and commit nine figures to him?
Because I'm sure there will be a fair amount of suitors this year as opposed to last year when You know, his agent, Scott Boris, just did not kind of develop the leverage, and he ended up being Signed relatively close to spring training. With that being said, you know, interesting thing, David Stearns mentioned at today's press conference is He wants to continue to try to build kitchen from within. And that's the biggest That's the biggest, I guess, paucity in the Mets right now is the pitching. Obviously, Nolan McLean had a wonderful. Uh eight uh start Not when you say Cambio, he was their best pitcher by the end of the year.
So, you know, and then the other two guys, Jonah Tong and Brandon Spro, they, you know, see if they can take a step forward as well.
So and that was kind of Stern's style with the Brewers as well, was kind of piece together the pitching, however, and obviously he has a lot more money to play with now, but You know, you gotta pay for power. And I think, you know, you you're gonna continue to try to do that and and try to get more runs out of the production that they got from uh just a phenomenal, you know, all all three of those guys, Pete Alonso, Francisco, Lindor, Juan Soto, they're all gonna get MVP votes, quite a few of them for Soto and Lindor, but the production didn't quite equate to a team with. It's such a big three at the top. I think they're going to retain Alonzo just based on the fact that They'll find another way to skin the cat with regard to solving their pitching problems, which will probably be. A lot of depth signings toward the back of the rotation.
Try to find a Griffin Canning who was great before he blew out his Achilles this year, guys like that.
So yeah, I'd I'd lean toward Pete coming back. Gay Blacks is joining us from USA today. New York Mets not making a postseason with that $300-plus million dollar payroll. A team that also, I don't want to say, fell into the postseason, they certainly did. The Detroit Tigers, they are still in.
There are no Houston Astros. And in the swiftest and best way possible, the Tigers are going to take on a team that pretty much jumped them to get into the postseason. They have a chance to go out here and beat Cleveland. Dave, Gabe, you think that's going to happen? I don't see it.
You know, it's a new day. Nothing matters. Two and one and eleven, whatever it was down the stretch, does not matter. One and five against the Guardians the last two weeks does not matter. They're going to hand the ball to Tarek Schoogl in game one and they're going to take their chances.
And that's why, you know, you're kind of seeing them as a Relatively slight betting favorite for the series.
Now they've got a lot of problems. With regard to the depth of their pitching, first of all, and the sort of trustworthiness of their bullpen beyond a couple of guys. But that's not too you know, not too different from other teams. I think the thing that they have in their favor is that Cleveland really can't hit. Not a donking.
Valentine offensive lineup, the two guys everybody knows you need to shut down are Stephen Kwong and the eternal MVP candidate, Jose Ramirez. And uh you know it's uh You kind of know what you're dealing with. You're going to have a bunch of platoon pieces flying at you, but you're going to have a bunch of guys batting 190 trying to support these two absolute studs in the middle of you know, the middle of the uh of the line up there.
So it's uh Yeah, it's going to be interesting. It's going to be entertaining. It's going to be spirited. These rust belt rivalries are no joke. But I do think the Tigers can push the reset button.
I don't know how far they'll get, but I think they're going to get past the Guardian. Oh, Gabe, you mentioned School. He will be on the mound tomorrow, 1 p.m. Eastern Time, trying to get things set up. Restart this season in a new season, a postseason, against the Cleveland Guardians.
We got some new faces here. It seems like the Mariners are always close to getting in, but don't get in. And this year, they're in. What are the chances that the Mariners and then also these Blue Jays advance to the World Series? They look like they're situated from top to bottom.
I this isn't this isn't March Madness or even the NFL playoffs.
So you don't you kind of lose the use this term lightly or not at all in baseball, but The Mariners got the proverbial great draw. They earned it. as they played their way into the number two seed and in the first round by They get the winner of the Tigers and Guardians, which means you're not going to see Scoobel until at least game two. Um that's a that's a pretty big advantage going forward.
So I like the Mariners to get to the ALCS with the I don't want to say relative ease, but I think they'll handle the winner of that series.
So yes, they're definitely a live dog, especially with their pitching. You know, a guy like Kyle Rowley, I mean, 60 home runs doesn't necessarily equate to a postseason success, but they finally, finally surrounded him with a little bit more In the uh in the lineup there, obviously, uh, Julio Rodriguez returned to kind of MVP-ish caliber form, but uh, you know, Josh Naylor's been a godsend since he got uh got uh Acquired from Arizona. Eugenio Suarez took a while to get going, but he's back in the mix. Nearly hitting fifty home runs. Key guy to keep an eye on.
You know, Brian Wu has a pectoral issue. Yeah. Kind of. Yeah. Put a damper on the end of his year, but he should be all right.
But that's he's been their best pitcher this year.
So we'll see what happens.
So I like the Mariner's chances much better to get to the ALCS than I do the Blue. The Blue Jays certainly going to have to deal with either the New York Yankees or the Boston Red Sox. Not necessarily the juice that we got twenty or so years ago between these two teams. But what do you expect from this wild card series between Yankees and Boston? Oh, it'll be really good.
And, you know, these even though it's not a wildcard game, it is now a quote unquote series. Uh It's uh You know, it's still just Bam, and it's done. You know, the team that wins game one almost always, I think it's practically always one. you know, this, you know, the entire series. It's everything tomorrow night.
Max Freed versus Garrett Crochet. You know, the Yankees finished on, I think, an eight-game winning streak, 17-3 down the stretch. Uh, but they're already, you know, Aaron Boone said today, making adjustments.
So, you know, they're going to. take a couple of lefties out of the lineup, you know, Ben Rice. And Jazz Chisholm as well to get Paul Goldschmidtz bat in there. That's how good Garrett Crochet is. He does make you adjust.
And try to do the best you can against him.
So it's going to be an incredible pitching matchup tomorrow. Yeah, I think uh I don't think it'll be you know that that amazing spirited 2004 Hate fest. That it was back in the day, but it'll be highly entertaining. Tomorrow's game is probably the best. Definitely the best game in the wildcard run, just the two guys that are pitching.
I think I lean slightly toward the Yankees, just being at home, having a little bit better pitching depth and the lineup by and large is in a really good place right now. Gay Blacks is joining us from USA today. When you take a look at the National League, we know the Dodgers won the championship last year. They're trying to figure out where they can best situate all of their pitchers throughout Just even into the bullpen, they have a surplus at this point in time. And if they advance, I assume they will against Cincinnati, they take on the Phils right away in the second round, the divisional round.
What are your thoughts on how things can shape up in this National League bracket? Knowing that the Brewers is still there, they're probably the most complete team. Yeah, it's really interesting. The great unknown is, you know, the. The Brewers, the proverbial team that you know the the whole is better than the sum of their parts uh How is that going to equate to the postseason?
Because they got a lot of guys, you know, and they mix and match so well, but you shorten things down. You're facing an ace pretty much almost every day in the postseason. How is that lineup? Going to, you know, take it to the postseason.
So that's still a lot of unanswered questions. I'm not dismissing them at all. I just don't know. I don't. I don't think anybody knows what the Brewers are going to bring to the table.
Very solid team, run the bases well, fundamentally sound. Pretty deep, they can match up with you all day, but we'll see how that plays in the playoffs.
Now, let's look back to last year for a minute. The Pondres and Dongers met in the NL Division Series, and when it was all over in retrospect, That was the best matchup of the postseason. That was kind of a mini World Series when you saw what it. You know, the Dodgers did to the Yankees, pretty much wiped the floor with them. They were in an absolute battle with the Podgers.
Who had to come through the wild card?
So I think you're going to see that with Philly's Dodgers. Not to say that they're definitely the two best teams, but. This might be, you know, the winner may go on to win the World Series, and that's going to be a. Just a phenomenal matchup. And obviously the the Phillies can just sit there and wait and then that that uh that little madhouse they got down on Broad Street will be absolutely rocking by the time the Dodgers presumably get there.
Although I gotta say, it kind of looks like the biggest mismatch uh of these four wildcard matchups. Oh, it it certainly does. It it sounds like you're you're leaning towards a champ coming out of the N L. Who do you think will go ahead and and represent the American League? Yeah, that's uh that's a good question.
I am feeling I'm feeling A Tulies Yankees matchup and I uh you know, I don't necessarily Take that to the bank, especially 'cause the Yankees do have that extra step to take through the wild card round. But The Blue Jays are reeling a little bit. You know, just pitching isn't quite firing the way they would like it to be. They're going to have to rely on a. You know, a kid who just came up a month ago, Trey Yasavage, he's probably going to be in their playoff rotation.
So that's a lot to ask. You know, so I think they get through the J's and then. Yeah, it just that playoff experience, I think, and that determination that, you know, wanting to get back there so badly. Uh, I think they match up pretty well with the Mariners. That would be a very good ALCS, but uh.
Yeah. Tentatively casting my lot with the Yankees to get out of the AL.
Okay, we know year to year things can change so much. We have an expanded postseason now. We know teams can get hot. We saw what happened with the New York Mets this year and then they can fall off. Is there a team are there a few teams that you think will be better situated to make the postseason next year that didn't make it this year?
Yes, a lot of teams with a lot of disappointment, a lot of unmet expectations. You can kind of start with the Baltimore Orioles, one hundred and one wins twenty twenty three, ninety one wins the year after that. Lot of injuries, lot of uh kind of meh. offseason acquisitions. They finished last in the AL East, but that young core is there.
They need to kind of look themselves in the eye and get better over the winter. They need a frontline starting pitcher. But they definitely have a lot of things in place to flip from seventy five and eighty seven to eighty seven or maybe even more wins.
So I started there with Baltimore. Uh Beyond that, you know, it's a good question. I I think that, you know, the the Mets Have to perform a little better. They have to be better than 83 wins next year. I have confidence that David Stearns will push the right buttons in the.
in the postseason. And then beyond that, the San Francisco Giants fired Bob Nolvin today. It'd be very interesting to see who they tap for manager with Bruce Bocey perhaps running it back. You know, and reawakening the glory years. But again, they have finished 80 and 82, 81 and 81, 81 and 81 the last three years.
Yep. That's not much. You don't need much more. You need a little bit more pitching. You know, you'll have a whole year.
of Rafael Devers and Willie Adamez getting used to hitting in San Francisco, which is not easy. It's a tough reality check for a slugger when you go, Oh my God, you know, that ball didn't get out. You know, if you're used to hitting at Finlay Park. You know, next year they'll know how to kind of better leverage their talents of the ballpark and know what they're dealing with.
So, yeah, I see the Giants as a bit of a sleeper as well, pending, of course, everything that's. coming around in the offseason in just a few weeks.
Well, we'll we're glad that the postseason is here. Get started tomorrow. We got a full slate of wild card games all afternoon into the evening. Gabe, thank you so much for taking the time to join us. Where can people follow you and all your work with USA today?
Yes, it's at Gay Blacks, G A B E L A C Q U E S or at mlb.usatoday.com. And yes, we'll be pumping it out for the next five weeks here.
So Plenty of content to fill the builder. Yeah, best, best time of the year, if you ask me. Hey, Gabe, we'll catch you down the line, okay?
Okay, appreciate it, man. Take care. Thank you so much to Gay Blacks for joining us from USA today. It's the JR Sport Re Show here with you, coast to coast, on the Infinit Sports Network. Major League Baseball postseason starts tomorrow.
The NFL is wrapping up week four of their season today. Tonight. Hey, we got two games going on right now. To get an update on these games and everything else going on in the world of sports, before we get into some college football, we've had some things go down as well. It's time for a news flash.
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Call 1-877-718-5543 or visit morethanagame.nc.gov. Must be physically located in North Carolina. TNC Supply and app only. Are you ready to dive into the story, stats, and personalities that make baseball the greatest game in the world? Rob Bradford from the Baseballs and Boring Podcast here, and we'll have you covered every day with podcasts that bring you closer to the action from the bleachers to the clubhouse.
Whether you're a die-hard fan or just a casual observer, these conversations are aimed to educate, entertain, and most importantly, inform you. Follow the Baseballs and Boring podcast in the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast. You're listening to the JR Sport Brief. It is the JR Sport Brief Show here with you, coast to coast on the Infinity Sports Network. Thank you to gay blacks again for joining us from USA today.
to talk some Major League Baseball as the postseason gets started tomorrow. Yeah, it looks a little easier to call in the the National League.
Well, maybe not easy, it's difficult. Is it either gonna be the Phillies I believe, or the Dodgers, I'm going to go with the Dodgers over the Phillies. And then you take a look at the American League, it looks like the Yankees, especially on the run and roll that they're on, that they're going to probably go forward and represent the American League. I I'm just happy that it's here. Major League Baseball season is long.
It's kind of crazy to think here we are in October already. Not yet, I know. It's only September 29th. But things have have kind of flown by here already. We also got an update on all the action in Monday Night Football.
Thank you so much to Rich Ackerman for coming by and filling us in. We got two games Monday Night Football, the New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins. They are currently at halftime. The Dolphins lead ten to three.
Meanwhile, in Denver, the Cincinnati Bengals, led by Jake Browning, right now they lead 3-0. About uh three three and a half minutes to go here. Three minutes to go. In the first quarter, Cincinnati leads Denver three to nothing. Fully expecting Denver to still win this game.
It's early, okay? It's early. We got a lot to get into. The phone lines are open if you want to give a holler. That's 888-710-4ISN.
That's 888-710-4ISN. I should also let you know that this portion of the show is brought to you by Ethos Life, the easy way to get life insurance in 10 minutes. Up to $2 million in coverage with no medical exam, just a few health questions. Get your free quote at checkethos.com. Not available in all states.
As we start the Major League Baseball postseason tomorrow, as we end week four of the NFL season tonight, we did have some big college football games that took place over the week. I can tell you, being here in Georgia. A lot of complaints. lot of complaints, especially going out here. and seeing The Georgia Bulldogs lose to Alabama again.
Outside of the Georgia Bulldogs getting these two damn championships, it seemed that it was always Alabama. over Georgia. With Nick Sabin gone, you would think that the Bulldogs could at least keep it going. Uh, no. Alabama beat him.
41 to thirty. Four. Like what are we doing out here?
Now we can't win. They got Caleb DeBoer out here. Nick Sabin is gone. And they still. Can't When Botcha, I'm sick of this.
And then everybody down here complains about it too, man.
Well, mainly they they were. great program for so long so it's understandable why they can't beat Alabama. But Now with how they're looking under Debo? Yeah. I was starting to get some question marks right there with Kirby.
Well, Kirby Swan. What do you want to get rid of Kirby Swan? You get rid of them. It's just like: is it they're just. in your head a little bit too much.
I I don't know the talent wise you could argue that Georgia has better talent. But Maybe it's not. You can't blame coaching. The guys won national championships. Yeah, but can you blame the players?
How is this in the players' head? Uh is it the pressure on the players that I don't know. Because you think about it, a lot of these guys weren't even around when the Bulldogs were winning national championships. They weren't around when they were always getting smoked. By Alabama.
I just There's no explanation. Kirby Smart talked about it. Another loss, 24-21. This is what Kirby Smart had to say about going up against Alabama. He's like 1-7, 1-8 right now.
I mean. What's everybody else's record against them? You got it? I I don't I don't either. Like I don't I don't I don't lose sleep over that because Those games have been like...
championship caliber gains. Right? And even when we play in the regular season, they've been... I just saw 25 scouts out there. They're all there to watch these teams play.
So that's not going to affect me. Like I'm going to be happy and just... Go lucky if our team comes back and plays well. That's what I worry about. But that is just, we got to get better.
And next year, it won't have anything to do with this year. Oh my god. He's right, which makes it even more maddening to know they keep taking their lunch money. Like, Nick Saban is gone. We shouldn't have any more of this.
Please stop. It's just. I get it over with. Georgia bulldogs out here. Losing again to Alabama.
This stinks. And then we also had. Another game.
Well, this was a good one. A big shout out to to Oregon. The Ducks are not going anywhere. The Ducks are going to be out here competing for a national championship. Damn it, we might see the Ducks in the Ohio State University.
It took overtime. They beat two. It took two overtimes. Oregon went out there and beat Penn State 30. to twenty Four.
A big shout outs to the quarterback. 14 touchdowns, one interception. one interception on the year, Things keep on moving. For Dante Moore. Listen to Dan Lanning talk about his quarterback, who, damn it, Matira is out with a broken hand.
Dante Moore might step up. Listen to Dan Lanning tell you about his QB. I think we got the best quarterback in college football. Right. I mean, anybody watches that game I don't know, maybe I don't see everybody else, but that guy's composure.
is poise. I mean, even the big play at the end there on the first overtime. You know, we're about to throw a screen in the boundary. He has the wherewithal to not throw it in the boundary, turn around and get it thrown back to the field. Get a fourth and one.
I don't know. You guys will have to tell me. I thought that was going to be targeting. Um looked like it from the field, but we ended up converting to fourth and one.
Well, what about a quarterback who's expected to be one of the best? He still is, but he seems like he's always choking things away. Drew Aller He had a big Big interception last year in the college football playoff. He had an interception this past Saturday against the Ducks. He keeps throwing these INTs.
This is what Drew Aller had to say about taking the L at home in a wideout game. Yeah, I mean I don't prepare all week to come out and lose the game, uh so obviously it hurts. We had opportunities. I think that's kind of the, unfortunately, the bright side of it: we had opportunities. Obviously, at the end, to come back and win the game if we go around and score and make the two-point conversion.
But I mean, that's the way it shakes out. It's a long season ahead of us. We're gonna have more opportunities down the road to, you know. I'll fix this and I'll be the first to go into the fire. There's no other coaching staff or team that I'd rather go to war with and I know we're going to make the most of this opportunity and learn from it and grow from it.
Yeah, what else she gonna do? There's nothing does anybody trust Drew Aller in a big game? That'll be the whole thing until they get to the college football playoff. Is he going to choke the game? Away.
We got to figure that one out. uh sooner than later. Speaking of of choking, we'll get into this on the other side of the break because we had a press conference today. Bobby Petrino is back. as the head coach of the Razorbacks.
Yeah, did he ride his motorcycle to the press conference? Did he wear his neck brace on the way in? Yeah, Pittman is gone. Bobby Petrino. is back.
That guys are not. Oh, yeah, speaking of press conferences, the NBA. They had quite a few of those today. LeBron spoke, Jokic spoke, Giannis spoke. We'll hear from some of the key players in the NBA as they're gearing up to start their preseason.
You're listening to the JR Sport Reef Show here with you, coast to coast, on the Infinity Sports Network. 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.
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Must be physically located in North Carolina. TNC Supplies. Are you ready to dive into the story, stats, and personalities that make baseball the greatest game in the world? Rob Bradford from the Baseballs and Boring Podcast here, and we'll have you covered every day with podcasts that bring you closer to the action from the bleachers to the clubhouse. Whether you're a die-hard fan or just a casual observer, these conversations are aimed to educate, entertain, and most importantly, inform you.
Follow the Baseballs and Boring podcast in the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.
