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Progressive Casualty Insurance Company, affiliates, and other insurers. Not available in. All states. Welcome to the jungle and a tremendous Wednesday to you. I am Jim Rome.
The program is presented by FanDuel. Speaking of FanDuel, we are moving our FanDuel segment from Thursdays to Wednesday.
So James Kelly will be joining me in hour number two. First things first, Alvy. Happy Home Day. Let's go. All right, so let me make that note once again.
The Fanduel segment normally would be on Thursdays. We are moving it to Wednesdays.
So every week, once a week on Wednesday, not Thursday.
So James Kelly joins me at the top of our number two. What's going on? Phone number is toll free, and I don't want to jinx it, but we are loving the phone reaction, loving the engagement on the phones. Hit me up right now. One eight zero zero six three six eight.
Six eight six. Go ahead, start dialing. If you want to hit me up on X, I'm still on X. In fact, I'll always be on X at Jim Rome. Email me at Rome R O M e at haveateak dot com.
And also, if you want to find our YouTube channel, it is not hard to find. YouTube slash Jim Rome. Get up in there, hit the sub button if you don't mind. Ring the bell if you don't mind. Then get into chat.
What's up, chat? Good morning. Good afternoon. Wherever you are, all right.
So the interview is set up like this. I mentioned James Kelly, top of hour number two. One thing about that, he was generally on on Thursdays. The beef segment is still Thursday, so the beef segment remains on Thursday. The Fanduel segment, weekly with James Kelly, is going to be on Wednesday, top of hour two.
Before I get there, in fact, we'll go back to back. Kevin Kiermeier. MLB Network analyst and a former MLB outfielder joins me at twelve forty. Then, because it's Wednesday, I've got a podcast to tape after the program. Have not done so yet, but it's episode number four hundred and thirty-one with Super Bowl champ NFL icon Jim McMahon.
Have not spoken to him in a number of years. Really geeked on that, and looking forward to that conversation.
So. Yes, so that's something to think about. If you know what you want to cover, get up in here. If you have never called this program before, get up in here. And I've got a sneaking suspicion that one of the reasons we're getting more and more telephone calls is because you're seeing it on YouTube and saying, "Yeah, what the?
Why the hell not? I'll call." Exactly. Why the hell not? Call. All right.
So where to start today?
Well. Whether you were ready for it or not, opening day in the association arrived yesterday. Just like that, and I will give you this much: Adam Powder Silver, you delivered, at least for a night. Quite a spectacle yesterday. You gave us a slate that was pretty much impossible to ignore, and even included something that I never thought my eyes would ever, ever witness: the bricks hanging a championship banner.
I didn't think in my lifetime, or my kids' lifetime, or their kids' lifetime that that would ever happen. Yet there it is. Look at that banner. It really happened. I can't believe my eyes.
If you're watching along on the stream, I'm sure you can't believe yours either. But it really does say 2025, 2026 World Champions on that banner, right under a Knicks logo. Incredibly enough, like it's legit. It's not AI. It's real.
It was not a dream. It really did happen. And good for you, Nick Van. Good for you. I sincerely hope that you all enjoyed your little moment before Lagramps and the new look Sixers wrecked it.
I know it's only one game. I know it's just the start of a very long marathon of a season and a lot of load management coming up. But I don't really know how the Super Team Sixers could have gotten off to a better start than they did. And you know how I feel about super teams—the same way most people feel about super teams. They usually are not super.
Looking at you, Rams. But for a night, anyway, the Sixers look good. The biggest question all off season was how will these pieces fit.
Well, for at least tonight, they fit pretty damn well. They fit pretty well, pretty seamlessly as well. My guy Tyrese Maxey led the way as expected. Joe Elambead, Jalen Brown, and LeBaege all seem to have space to do their own thing, and all seem to work pretty well together. Again, pretty seamlessly.
A small sample to be sure, but admittedly a promising small sample.
Now, granted, Nick Fan would just say the Knicks played like crap, and that's why Philly won. And then Nick Van really would not be wrong if Nick Van said that, because the Knicks went full bricks last night. Go ahead, Albie. Brickity brick brick brickity brick. They shot thirty seven percent from the field, and yet they still lost by just six.
So I'm not trying to paint this out to be some sort of disaster for the Knicks. It was just a very promising start for the Sixers. I don't know how it could be any more promising. Actually, really nice start for them, and the best part of all, Lacap did not even have to get to the chopper after the game. I'm not sure where exactly he's going to stay in New York City, but I bet he could probably walk home from MSG.
And maybe if he did, maybe if we wanted to keep going at Nick Van. He should do that because he had no problem going at Nick Van, who called him soft during the game. Did you see this exchange? Look at LeBron. LeBron's f-bombing this Nick Van.
He's like, "Why you call me soft? I'm not from the West Coast. I'm not a I'm not a Midwest guy. I'm an Ohio baby," is what he said. I mean, the whole thing is so confusing.
What a bizarre exchange! We're showing it now with the captions, and Lebag seems to take real issue with being called a "quote Midwest kid," and then he corrects Nick Van by saying, "I'm not a Midwest kid. I'm an Ohio baby." Huh? You're not a Midwest kid. You're an Ohio baby.
You're an Ohio bag, is what you are. Dude, is Ohio not in the Midwest? Get this guy a map. And yes, we know you're a baby, but it's really weird to describe yourself as an Ohio baby while attempting to talk smack. What a weird phrase, yo man.
Yo man, WTF? Yo man, say it to my face. I'm an Ohio baby. Yeah, that's what I thought. You got something to say to me?
I'm not hard to find. In fact, I'm right up in your grill. What do you have to say for yourself now? Say it to this Ohio baby's face. That's what I thought.
What a weird thing to say. But bags bag. I'm an Ohio baby. I think the dude is just pissed off that Nick Van ruined his big plans to be Nick's savior while living in New York City for a while, and now instead they've already won a championship. They didn't need him to do that, and now he has to constantly chop up down to Philly instead.
Although I saw another report that he may stop doing that and just get a place in New York City. Or get a place in Philly, I should say, and then go back to New York City on the weekends. Anyway, enough about the bag and the bricks. Because, in my opinion, the real marquee matchup last night did not go down in New York City. It happened in San Antonio, but it was not about the Spurs.
It was all about the OKC Thunder. What an opening night statement that the Thunder made! Statement being, we're still here, we're still coming, we are still a problem, a big problem. OKC looked like they were totally rejuvenated from last year's playoffs, with Jalen Williams back in the lineup, and also with the addition of that Spanish rookie behemoth, Adai Mara, who had probably the most impressive 12-minute rookie debut game ever, in only 12 minutes of action. Again, rookie debut.
In 12 minutes of action, the Rook had seven points, two boards, and assists, a block. He was plus nine, and he had this sequence in which he both matumbowed Wemby and then finished with an alley oop on the other end. Fox lob it up in traffic. Samoa just took it away. Spain versus France at the rim, and the Spaniard comes away with a win.
And then Mara on the other end, a two-way big man. Um. Uh oh. Uh oh. Who is the dominant giant in that game?
He swats the once-in-a-lifetime player, Wimby. The block at the rim is absolutely incredible! Incredible! This guy goes up against the chosen one, eight foot six Wemby, blocks him at the rim, and then runs the floor. The face of the league!
This is a rook who just did the face of the league like that. The rook going up against the alleged goat one day. Incredible! In his first twelve minutes of NBA action, could the Thunder have drafted a more perfect player to counter Wemby? How the hell did this even happen?
How does the perfect anti-Wemby weapon just happen to fall to OKC with the twelfth overall pick? How the hell did that happen? How do they keep doing this? It never ends with Sam Presti. The guy's just always able to pull more talent right out his ass year after year after year.
How does that dude end up there? And obviously by design, but they did it again.
So as a result, OKC looks like they've just reloaded, and they're back with another very deep, very talented, very well-built team, and with a giant chip on their shoulder, ready to challenge and come back and take what was rightfully theirs. Which is why nobody should be surprised that Vegas has OKC as their opening day favorites to win it all.
Now that said, as well as that went for the Thunder last night, it went equally horribly for the Spurs, or really, I should say, just for Wimby in particular. Wimby, Wimby picked a pretty rough night to have his literal worst night. Of his entire career, and it was—I mean, nothing like picking yourself up off the NBA Finals mat after that crushing loss to the Knicks. Having the entire offseason to think about it, work on it, internalize it, reset, do what you have to do, go be a monk somewhere for a while, and then coming out and playing your worst game ever in the opener against your arch rivals. How is it even possible for somebody who's, I don't know, eight foot six, to shoot one for thirteen from the field?
He started zero for twelve, and went one for thirteen. I mean, I'm serious. At some point, you got to just reach out and just drop the ball in the bucket, right? I mean, what are we doing here? What are we doing here?
The The guy's eight foot six. He can't buy a bucket. Credit to OKC's defense. All right, I'm not saying they had nothing to do with it. They ran lots of guys at him all night long.
They made things very difficult on him all night long. But no credit to Wemby for not executing at all all night long. And I don't think that Wemby's explanation after that game is going to make Spurs fan feel any better about what they just saw. I need to go back to playing the the basketball I like. You know, it's I don't like.
It's not. This is not the sport I like right here.
So I got no reason to be hesitant. No reason to to not be myself. It's for me. It's as simple as that. I'm good when I have fun.
Bro, how are you not having fun? It was the first game of the year. Like, how are you in a funk? How are you in a slump? Bro, you're one of one.
How how did you start the year in a funk and a slump, and are no longer having fun with the sport you love so much? What? You mean it's not fun to get punked by a rookie in his first ever game? I guess from that standpoint, I agree. It's probably not that fun.
It's not fun to have your worst game ever on national TV on opening night. Yeah, got to agree with that. That's probably not that fun. I've got some rough news though for you, Wemby. I don't think that playing the Thunder is going to be fun anytime soon.
At least not while they have Chet Holmgren and Isaiah. And a die to throw at you in waves while you overthink and are hesitant and can't throw it in the ocean. Chet was supposed to have no prayer against this guy. This guy was supposed to be Chet's kryptonite. Chet looked pretty damn good last night.
But at least there's this Spurs fan. At least you did not absolutely meltdown and gag away a 22 point lead and give up a 23-0 run and blow your first game since you dealt your NBA Finals MVP like my Chowd half fam did. Hey Hattie, tell me how my half ass taste. How's that grab you, Hattie? Tell me how my take.
If my old man were here, he'd say that. He'd be looking at you like, Hattie. How's that grab you? I mean, damn, Boston. I'm half embarrassed for you.
I'd be fully embarrassed for you if I were a full chowd, but I'm a half chowd. At least Paul George set the Celtics franchise record for most points in a debut, so you have that. Although even more depressing to think that the Celtics could not win that game when Pandemic P put up thirty-eight again. Uh oh. But it's all good.
It's all good, though, Chad. Chad, half fan, because Detroit was also better than you all of last season when they were the one seed and advanced further in the playoffs. Plus, it's only one game. That's what everybody can fall back on. It's only one game, and the finals are not for another six years or eight months.
And don't sweat Jason Tatum. Although you're already killing him.
So, way to get me to open the show with hoops on October twenty first. Powder, touche ears.
Well done, alien.
Now go reward yourself with some sunshine and some vitamin D before the long cold winter sets in, and you get even more powdery. And before Pablo Torre uncovers something else really shady about your league, damn! Did I just do an NBA whip to open this show? I believe I did. I believe I did.
Way to go, Powder! That may be your high point this year. All right, some other things I want to get to. I'll take your reaction. Anything that you saw last night in the NBA?
Anything at all? Hit me up.
Something else I want to get to. One of my favorite stories of the week. JJ. JJ is getting the start over Jameis. Not a big surprise there.
I mean, I got to say about this guy without giving up all my thoughts on it. Just kind of a teaser. Has anybody ever fallen further, more forward, faster? Than a guy who had crashed and burned already, this dude was five minutes ago left on a curb with a sign hanging around his neck reading, "If you can haul him, you can have him." One of the biggest busts in recent years, and he's starting this week for a first place team. Incredible!
I mean, damn nine. Eighteen, this is wild. I'm not even saying it's the wrong decision.
Now I'm not saying that he's going to take advantage of the greatest op ever. The only op better than this op was the one that he was a bust for. But damn, another op like that, definitely got to get to it. I want to talk some baseball and not even the World Series.
Well, I will talk World Series with my guy Kevin Kiermeier. But the Yankees, Brian Cashman extended again. Does anybody anywhere love anything as much as how Steinbrenner loves Brian Cashman? Man, my man is unfireable. That dude will die sitting in his office.
He is unfireable.
Now, Aaron Boone. Good news, bad news. Good news is Aaron did not get fired.
Well, good news for him. Not good news for you, Yankee fans that don't like him. But he did not get extended, so now you are going to send that guy in as a lame duck. Have fun with that. Not that how would ever do that to Cash.
Oh hell no. Cash must have a lifetime deal. Is there anybody in the world with more job security than Brian Cashman? One thing, Hal: if nothing changes, nothing changes. And with you, nothing changes.
One eight hundred six three six eight six eight six. All right, let's break. I'll come back and I'll get some of your reaction. I am looking for engagement on this program. All right, and we're getting more and more of it, so keep it coming.
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Let's find your rich. Edward Jones, member SIPC. I see you, Chat. I see you, Chat. Chat's interesting.
All right.
So, really quickly, what's going on? Nice to have you here. I know that we're finding new people, and I love that so much. When you've done this as long as I have, and you're still finding new people, that's awesome. And I know that because there are people that are violating the rules of the program, meaning they're just finding the program.
I know they're just finding us, and I think a lot of it's from chat and YouTube because they're calling. And that's a great sign for any talk radio program.
So hit me up on the phones. Going to chat really quickly because you never know what you're going to get in chat. Every once in a while, somebody says something really smart in chat, and I love it. More often than not, the opposite happens. But chat again is a different sort of platform.
Like if you're on X. You might think about it for a second before you thumb something out in chat. You jump right in, and it's almost like you jump on a treadmill that's going seven miles an hour, and you're just in it. And then the stream of consciousness, and you just bam, bam, bam. I'll give you an example.
At Chop Swanson, quote: "Sometimes more is less. Nobody needed another season of Le Bag flopping, mean mugging, load managing, and barking at fans in opponents' arenas. Bag is still a great player, but such a tired act." I agree with a lot of that, but not all that. Hey, listen, at forty-one, that this guy's still as good as he is. And he's going to take a shot at winning another title, and we'll see how this super team plays out in Philadelphia.
Like, I am into that. I think that's pretty compelling. I think that's pretty interesting. I am not saying, "Damn, man, go away." We've had enough. Bag.
Now, I would like for him to stop being a bag. But I'm actually really, really interested in how this super team and this experiment works out, and so far, so good.
So I'm not saying it's a bad idea. I'm not saying I don't want to see it. Oh, I'm here for it. Just not the buggery. And man, he just says weird things and does weird things, like getting into it with a New York fan.
And dropping some profanity on that fan, and then saying, "Hey man, I'm not a West Coast guy." Like because somebody called him soft, and then he bit. He took the hook. How is it that the so-called goat is still getting hooked? You know, maybe whatever it takes to get yourself hyped up, bag. But I'm not a West Coast guy.
I don't know, dude. You seem to enjoy L.A. a hell of a lot until Lucas showed up. I'm showing it again on the stream. I'm not from the West Coast.
Quote: I'm from Ohio, baby. I'm not a Midwest kid. I'm a Ohio baby. F you. Dropped an f bomb on him too.
What? What does that mean? I'm not from the Midwest. I'm an Ohio baby. And he's getting this all in between free throws, like, dude.
What what are you doing? Getting hooked by a Nick fan? Good thing you won. Good thing you won. How is that guy, the goat at forty one, getting hooked by New York fans?
And what does that mean? I'm an Ohio baby. You're a forty one year old man, a grown ass man. You're like a Dodonis. Just weird, but but still an effective player.
Can't take that from him. Look, the guy's not going to play thirty-four minutes every single night because the sciatic, the sciatica will reemerge. You can't play that guy thirty-four minutes a night. But he did what he had to do. The arthritis, the sciatica.
He's forty-one. They got to be careful with how they use him. The cataracts, the glaucoma, the osteoporosis. My man, never mind a chapa. Do you have one of those chairs that slides up and down the railing to get you from the bottom floor to the top floor?
You know, one of those things yet? Did fanatics pay for one of those things? Does Pablo have to investigate that too? All right.
So here's another example. Of chat, something that came through chat that makes no sense to me whatsoever. Where I think that y'all just jump in, and again, you are getting on a treadmill that's going seven miles an hour, and you are just running, and you are just in it. At Rogue News seventy eight ninety eight, hey bro. Before I read this, I want you to know I've read it five times, and I still can't make any sense of it.
And it's only one line. Quote. Pro sports is terrible. That's why UFC is king. NFL is just a social gathering.
That's the chat. Let me try and make some sense of that. If pro sports is, I think you mean are. If pro sports are terrible, what are you doing here? Why are you listening to a sports talk show if pro sports are terrible?
Like, how did you get here? What am I? What are you doing here? And how did you get here? What do we?
All right, so put that aside for a minute. Quote: Pro sports is terrible, and then he chases that with, "That's why UFC is king." Okay, bro. When did UFC become an amateur sport? Is UFC not pro sports? Are those athletes not paid?
What do you mean? Pro sports are terrible, but UFC is king. UFC is a pro sport, and then NFL is just a social gathering. Not exactly sure what that means. I don't know what any of that meant.
I blame Chat, and I blame you, Rogue News. Stranger writes, "La Bag's Smack Game is weak. It's true. It's just baggy. The leads are weak.
The Smack Game is weak. I am an Ohio baby. I'm not from the West Coast, bro. What do you care about some rando calling you soft?" Do you need that to pump you up? I don't think so.
You're the goat. What are you doing, getting hooked in New York like that? I mean, they won. You played well enough. He signed that.
Signed Jim Harbaugh. Oh, I've got thoughts on the Harbros. I'll get to later on. Aaron Michael three one eight Wemby. Needs to gain another 185 pounds.
All right, he needs to bulk up. He needs to get stronger. Long-term health is always going to be an issue with Wemby. After all, he is eight foot six. But I don't think that's the issue right now.
I think that him going down the way he went down last year in the finals was pretty traumatic, and it would not appear that he's recovered yet. If he's already saying things one game into the season, like "Man, I got to get back to what made me great. I got to get back to my roots. I've got to get back to having fun with this game," like something is weighing heavily on him. After one game, I would suggest it wasn't one game.
He's still working through it. He's still processing it.
So the guy goes through the entire offseason, probably not in a good way, and then gets to the first game, and then his arch nemesis dominate him, and he has his worst game ever. And already we're doing some serious soul searching. One game in, some serious soul searching from Wemby. And look at OKC; they bounced right the hell up, didn't they? All right, so night one of the NBA.
Let's take a break. Hey, chat. Bad news. We're talking baseball next. Like it or not, and I like it.
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You're listening to the Jim Rome Show. Everyone talks about how challenging it is to raise kids, but what about protecting them? Outlet covers, kitchen cabinet locks, baby gates—where do you even start?
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In all states, at Edward Jones, we believe rich is more than caring about the latest and greatest. It's also taking care of what gives your life meaning. That's why your dedicated financial advisor meets you where you are, with personalized financial strategies that help protect what matters, so you can preserve your progress while creating a path forward. The key to being rich is knowing what counts. Let's find your rich together, Edward Jones Member SIPC.
Hey, chat. We're talking baseball. I know you're fired up. I am. We are joined right now by a World Series champion, a four-time Gold Glove winner.
He played 12 years in the bigs for the Rays, the Blue Jays, and the Dodgers. He is an MLB Network analyst. He is Kevin Kiermaier. Kevin, it has been a minute, dude. It's great to see you.
How you doing? It has it has been a minute. Thanks for having me, Jim. I'm doing great. Kevin, are you up in a tree, bro?
I'm on a I'm on a porch right now. I'm in I'm in Madison, Wisconsin, and we're staying right on a little river right now, and that's behind me. But the Wi-Fi in the house isn't great, so I want to come out here. And heard you got a place in Wisconsin, so I wanted to show you the outdoors that's behind it. Dude, I love that man.
Can you pan out? I miss it. I miss it. I don't get there enough. My place is in the North Woods.
I get there in the summer, not nearly enough, and it's still awesome. And I was going to say to you, Kevin, before we talk ball, we have to talk fishing because you and I never did collab on that fishing show that we talked about back in the day.
Now that you don't have to play 162 a year, how much time are you spending on the water? Still, not as much as what I'd like, but I do like. I love bow fishing. Bow fishing is is my favorite thing to do. I still like going line and reel, all that.
But bow fishing is my passion. That's what I love.
So that's why we're here in Wisconsin. We take a trip every year, and I have got a bunch of video footage from these last three or four days. And it's it's not great right now, but I am the fishing show, the bow fishing show slash podcast. Still, still TBD.
So it's not completely done.
So we still got some time. It's still alive. I love it.
So are you? Are you at liberty to share where you are in Wisconsin? If not, I won't push it. And what are you pulling in these days? Yeah, I'm in.
Oh my gosh!
Sorry, my wife's FaceTimeing me. I am in Madison, Wisconsin, and I'm in Madison, Wisconsin, and we're going for common carp. Buffalo, like big mouth buffalo, every now and then, but targeting common carp.
So that's where we're at, and there's plenty of fish around here. Lake Mendota, Lake Manona. There's plenty over here. Big waters have big fish, and that's what we come here for to to try to to go for. You know, I love Madtown.
Go get it, Kevin Kiermaier. Joining us. Thanks for keeping me up to date.
So, listen, you were a part of the the Rays' last World Series team when you lost to the Dodgers in the COVID series of 2020. What's impressed you the most about this year's team that had the best record in the AL, winning 98 games? Man, just I mean, I I said. Before the season, I said these guys—they still have, you know, a bunch of pieces to have great a great season. But you need you need plenty of people to have them above average seasons.
And sure enough, everyone in their like lineup was clicking. Their pitching was great. Their defense was awesome. And and like such a raise raise season. Like they no one expects them to do anything, and and then they become the best.
I mean, they're the best team all year for the most part, and. You know, certainly they deserve to be here. I'm biased because that's that's the organization that gave me the world, gave me opportunity on everything.
So I'm thrilled for them. I wish I could be going to battle with them, but I, you know, the best two best teams left in baseball are the last team standing, and it's going to be a great series. There's so many similarities between the two teams, and. It should be great baseball. Like bunts, move the runner over.
Execution. This is going to be great if you're a baseball fan. Kevin Carmar joining us. I agree with you wholeheartedly. You know, I'm an LA guy, LA native, but it's true.
The two best teams in Major League Baseball are playing for it all. And I also agree with you. The Rays did do Ray things once again. Like they consistently find ways to win with fewer financial resources than other clubs. How much of that grinding mentality is reflected, for instance, in the play and approach of?
Thirty-five-year-old Yandy Diaz. Yeah, I mean, look, they they're they're never. I mean, I'm not gonna say they're never gonna have the big payroll, but they they have to do with the guys that they have, and like they they trade for guys who like are perfect for their organization and and kind of their model of success type of thing.
So they've been spot on for. Ten plus years now, but I always said like we even when I was there, we didn't have a whole lot of household names, I guess you could say, but we had twenty five, twenty six gamers in there at all times. And when you have that, when you got guys who buy in to you know what's asked, like hey, like Kevin Cashell, I say, hey, this is what this is how we're going to try to win games this year. You guys might not like it, but this is our recipe. This is what we're going to do.
So buy into it, and hopefully we're in the World Series and. Blah blah blah.
So, they're they're incredible, man. They're incredible at making it work somehow, some way every year. But you know, it starts from the top. Like Kevin Cash, he is he's such a good manager. Lets guys be themselves.
And Eric Neander in the front office, like they've acquired so much good talent, guys who might not worked out elsewhere. But the Rays just have something there. They can especially pitching, like they can just get pitchers to. Click and and find ways to become successful. And on the like the offensive end, it's incredible as well.
But yeah, like I said, I got off track there. Yandy D has incredible. This everyone sees the muscles and all that, but this is the him and Freddie Freeman best hitters I've ever seen. Their cage routine, what they do on the field, they're never outmatched. Like I don't care who's throwing.
Like Yandy's eyes and his baseball is so good and. He's one of the best race players of all time, sneakily, and he he's going to play for many more years to come. But this guy wakes up out of bed and rakes, man! I've never seen anything like it, dude. He rolls out raking, does he?
This guy rolls out raking. There's no doubt. I've seen him several times. I've seen him several times take zero swings before a game. First pitch of the game, home run.
I've seen him do that, and and he'll go. Kevin, Kevin, Kevin! What the hell was that? What is that? I never even heard of anything like that.
What is that? It's that's when you know you're really good, and it's not him being lazy or like being uncoachable. It's just no, I feel good today. I feel good, and there's guys like me. The coaches would say, "You need to go get your swings, my man.
You're not going out there like that." Yandi though. No one would question it. People say, "Okay, whatever," and he's going to do what he does. It's he's incredible. Kevin Kiermaier, joining us, that such great anecdote.
You know, I'm glad you mentioned Kevin Cash. Maybe answered it, but I want to say, when talk turns to the best managers in the game, it feels like Kevin gets some run, but not enough. Are people sleeping on just how good of a skipper this guy is, and then what makes him so good? Yeah, I don't. I mean, I wouldn't say.
Sleeping because I mean he's won Manager of the Year twice already, I believe, and might win another this year. I just like the Rays never get the credit they deserve. You know, when you're in the World Series now, people are going to be talking. Everyone will know. But I was there for so many years, and we had so many good players, so many good great seasons that got overlooked, and it's okay.
Like. It just kind of is. We're a low market team. We're not going to be talked about more, and the big teams about the same time. It's like, hey, them teams on the opposition.
They know what we can do, and as long as we win games, that's all we care about. But he's been—he is so consistent. Like Kevin Cash is so consistent. He loves talking trash every day, through the good and the bad. You kind of know what to expect with him, but he allows you to be yourself.
Like he's—he's not going to. Be hard on rookies, or like he's like, hey, we want you guys to be the best version of you. Where you go out there and and play your best. We want you to be free out there, and he always, you know, reiterates little things like that, and just makes you feel good. Like, okay, I can, you know, be one with the guys and and go out there and just play my game.
And you know, other places, and you know, can be a little intimidating for guys at times with cash and the players as well. Like they've. They've done something right where guys are shown to the field, confident, ready to go, and you know they're going to keep it rolling. And as a reminder, he is the longest tenured manager in the bigs right now at twelve seasons.
So, Kevin, the Rays and the Brewers are the two best teams in the bigs, and Vegas likes the Brewers for the World Series. Let me ask you: when you look at that matchup, where would you give the Rays the edge in this matchup? I like their I like their starting pitching. You know better, and you need your starters. And it's you know both both these teams got the high end guys out of the bullpen.
You know you got Misurawski for the Brewers. You know they got plenty other guys as well. But I like Drew Rasmussen, Nick Martinez. What these guys have done, and like the back end of that bullpen as well. Freddie Peralta.
I'm sorry, I didn't mention him either. He has been lights out the last two months. But I I think this is going to come down to you know that there's going to be a couple big hits each night. I got this still being like low scoring, like a three to twos, four to threes, five to three type games because you got both teams have great pitching, great defenders, and both teams can hurt you with the speed and the offense.
So it's going to be a heck of a series, man. But I like the Rays' pitching advantage. Right now, honestly, but you know they. It's no easy task going up against that Milwaukee offense. They got power, speed, everything, and they got a bunch of grinders, gamers over there as well.
So, it's not going to be an easy task for for either team. No, and they work every single count, and they don't beat themselves, and they don't make mistakes. Really quickly, what about the Miz? Like you never faced him. You retired before you got a chance to face him.
I'm not trying to say anything derogatory about the Miz. He hasn't been as good in the postseason, the regular season. Do you think? Maybe he's wearing down a little bit, or is that not the case? I don't know.
You can kind of you see him. He's I feel like he's always super amped up in the first inning, and and you know that it's it's hard to sustain that one hundred three to one hundred four, one hundred five, and he's going to drop down. But his stuff is I haven't faced him, but just watching on TV and watching other hitters. Take swings. I've I've taken many of those swings before, where you are just sitting here saying, "Oh, shouldn't have swung at that one." But when when you have to, when you have a fraction of a second to make a decision on that with someone who throws as hard as what he does and has the extension like that, plays like it's one hundred six, one hundred seven.
I mean, when when he's throwing that hard, but yeah, I think I think. You kind of wait him out, try to get his pitch count up, and and that's where he can kind of be susceptible a little bit, get runners on. Like you're not going to go up there trying to hit solo homers off him and win game like win games like that. But if you get traffic on the bases and and make him work a little bit, that's how you kind of wear him down. Because he's a young guy, you know, he's amped up and and he's a beast in many ways, but.
You know, a guy like him, I would say, yeah. Like during the regular season, teams are going to let him go seven or eight. But now, with like that that bullpen and him being a young guy, like Pat Murphy's not afraid to pull guys when he feel feels like it's time. Yeah, he he is not scared to answer to anyone. Much respect.
But you know he's their horse, and and and they need him. Hey, Kevin, much respect to you. I appreciate you pulling yourself away from the water. Go get some carp, and one of these days we'll do it. If not the show itself, we're gonna have to fish together, man.
Appreciate you. Great to see you, Kevin. Great job. Jim, thanks for having me. Be good, bud.
Kevin Kiermeier, just crushing it. All right, stay tuned. Hour two next. At Edward Jones, we believe rich means opening yourself to new possibilities. That's why your dedicated financial advisor meets you where you are, helping you move forward with confidence.
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