REShow: Jeff Passan - Hour 1

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That's 877-ASK-DELL to save up to 48% on our latest technology. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Daddy's hosting today, kids. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. I think it's been pretty obvious the mutual decision on both sides is to move on.

Baker's the one, you're breaking up with me, I'm breaking up with you first. Today's guests, ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan, Panthers wide receiver DJ Moore, PGA Tour golfer Mark Hubbard, plus writer and director Ron Shelton. And now, it's Rich Eisen.

Yes, it is. Can confirm, sources say, and there I am, right here on Peacock. Sirius XM Channel 85, NBC Sports Audio. Great to see and chat with all of you on this Rich Eisen Show. Terrestrial Radio Network, the Odyssey app, our podcast listeners. Everybody has a right to download a podcast, and we're available where all podcasts are available and acquired. Thanks to the Cumulus Podcast Network, our YouTube stream.

YouTube.com slash Rich Eisen Show is your safety net for anything that you may miss over the next three hours. We've got four guests. We're four wide today, and we're three wide in studio with me right here under center for you. Good to see you over there, Christopher Brockman. How are you? What's up, Rich? What's happening? DJ Mikey Dees and Deez Nuts, Mike Del Tufo getting set to complete day three of his Los Angeles Rich Eisen Show residency this week.

TJ Jefferson, good to see you. The candle's lit. You already lit the candle.

What's going on? We know pre show. I heard Mikey and Chris and Adam discussing their favorite genres in times of hip hop. And I got to say, I found it quite amusing. They weren't even holding me into the combo. It wasn't hip hop.

We're talking about areas of music. You chose to not get involved. I mean, you know, I was standing right there. You're so far away. Very good.

I'm glad I don't understand. Things were going so great. Thank you. We just started. Something must have happened.

We just got we just started. I just said I thought I found her conversation. Why would you just come on the air and air a grievance of something that happened 10, 15 minutes ago that you could have rectified on the spot? What I said was I found it amusing their conversation.

That wasn't a grievance. It was just an observation. There was a tone that we don't know what we're talking about when it comes to music.

Well, I mean, I can't help it that you read into it like that. Oh, God. Let me step in. Let me step in. I can't believe I have to separate. I will pull this car over. All right. Welcome to this program, everybody.

It's it's the July 4th weekend that's coming up. The National Football League is dormant, with the exception of whatever's going on in that conference room, wherever they are in the NFL world, talking about Deshaun Watson's past history transgressions that's going on. Day two of his disciplinary hearing is happening in the world of actual football players that are not in such a predicament. D.J. Moore of the Carolina Panthers will join us at the top of our number two. We also are going to have on this program Mark Hubbard, our new favorite player on the page. We mentioned this last week prior to the Travelers there in River Highlands in Connecticut, Cromwell, Connecticut.

The TPC there, where I have still left many different marks from 1996 through 2003, my tenure at the worldwide leader. And we mentioned him because he was the one who got a spot in the Travelers because Brooks Koepke was tapped out because he's playing on the live tour. And he and Patrick Reed appeared at a press conference this week, and they didn't have much to say. And you see that Koepke looked at all the reporters and honestly said, you know, I never considered joining the live tour till after the U.S. Open.

Sure, bro. Honestly, there are so many lips moving on that live tour. There are so many moving lips on that live tour.

And you know what? The reason why we're having a Mark Hubbard on is because he's that tour professional who's been grinding on the tour since 2015. Got a spot last week when he finished tied for 46th top 50. And so now he's at the John Deere, the next stop that tees off tomorrow. So we figured let's have him on and talk about the world of a grinding professional tour player. And I'm imagining he has not gotten a call from Greg Norman or the Saudis or whoever that person might be that's contacting players for the live tour.

On behalf of the live tour, I think we know who is, and it's former professional player David Sims from Tin Cup. And I can't wait to bring that up to Ron Shelton when he steps in studio in person in hour number three. He's got a new book out called The Church of Baseball about the making of of Bull Durham. And this book is terrific. And I'm already thinking it maybe should be like a TV show like The Offer, which I'm into. Susie and I have been binge watching now that our children aren't around asking for the remote or screaming and yelling at each other or needing one of us to break each other up because they're all at camp.

It's your house. The Church of Baseball, everybody. Ron Shelton will be here to talk about this book and all of his tremendous movies that we have fallen in love with.

One of the best storytellers I know here in Los Angeles that I've gotten a chance to meet in the last 20 years will be here in studio hour number three. And there's a lot of baseball on the brain. I mean, it is June. What's today's date? Do we have the American League standings?

That's my way of asking what day it is. There it is. Yankees won again last night as Jose Trevino, the catcher from nowhere, figuratively nowhere. He keeps hitting home runs. Well, he came up with the first run batted in for the Yankees last night, which is all they wound up needing because Trevino called a good game behind the plate. No runs for the Athletics, which is a usual thing.

I don't think you're playing a double A team. Well, I mean, they don't have anybody who's hitting over 250 on their team right now, I understand. But Trevino not only, he threw out, he picked off a runner at first, he threw out a stealer at second, and he was hitting fifth last night. He's now hitting fifth in the order. And that's a, it's a great number for the Yankees because their win total currently starts with a five and ends with a five. They have a speed limit right now through 75 games.

They have won 55 of their first 75. A judge struck out three times last night, and they still won that game. So Chris, what day is it? It's June 29th. Okay, so baseball's on the brain, June 29th. The All-Star break is here in Los Angeles. The All-Star game is here in Los Angeles coming up next month, and the crazy thing is, it appears, a Los Angeles Dodger here in Los Angeles probably looking forward to that break so he can go back to Atlanta. I have been around this planet, this sports world for quite some time, folks, thankfully. Thank the Lord. I'm very fortunate, very, very fortunate to have been talking sports ever since 1994 when Redding, California, KRCR Television, we're on Redding every single day on this crazy sports radio world.

And then I got to SportsCenter in 1996, the NFL in 2003, the NFL Network. Anyway, I bring up my past in history just to say I've never really heard of a free agent making like $160 million over a contract. Much of it, a large portion of it, deferred to the point that once this player retires, he gets $5 million a year up until 2039. I mean, he's going to make Bobby Bonilla look like a deferred money pauper. Deferred money pauper. Great.

Puts that runt down. And you're also signing for that money in Southern California. The sky is blue.

The sun is bright yellow. The ocean is gorgeous. You can choose wherever you want to live. You're in this beautiful spot.

Great place. And the team that you've signed with, perennial contender, because they don't care how much money they're spending. They make the Yankees and Chris, you're Red Sox and now you're Mets. TJ looked like bikers when it comes to just spending money.

They're tightwads compared to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Never heard of a player signing into that situation and have signers remorse. How many free agents have signers remorse? There have been some, I would say. Yeah, there's some.

Cooling off period. But Freddy Freeman, by all accounts, wonderful human being. One of my favorite videos I've seen in the last 15 years coming out of baseball was him meeting a kid dressed as him trick or treating, right?

Remember that video a few years ago, Freddy Freeman stopped trick or treating with his kid, saw a kid dressed as him trick or treating and surprised the kid. Just wonderful. He's good people, man.

And you saw him back in Atlanta this week. Teary eyed. I mean, really emotional. The fans love him.

He loves them. And he's wearing Dodger blue and he's crying. And I totally get that is happening. It makes complete sense that you go back there and you're feeling that emotional and you're showing it. And as you know, I show emotion here all the time.

I feel like Dick Vermeil sometimes on the show. I'm crying a lot here from this chair, but I am who I am and Freddy is who he is. But then came the news yesterday. You let me know that he it looks like he's changing agents now.

Right. But why would he be changing agents? And I don't know, you put two and two together. Just reading into a situation or just to just read stuff and you see stuff and you hear stuff.

Is it possible? Freddy Freeman, when he went back to Atlanta, chatting around batting cage or strolling through a hall, ran into somebody from the Braves organization who told him a back story or two about his negotiation. To stay in Atlanta and how it broke down and what the Braves were told and what his agent may have been telling the Braves that he might not have somehow known, which is wild because Freeman was unsigned going into the lockout and there were people signing before the lockout. Didn't Scherzer sign with your Mets before the lockout?

I think he did. People were being signed before the lockout. Freeman was not one of them coming out of the lockout.

People are signing left, right, up and down. Who was one of the last to sign? Freddy Freeman. Yankees, you know, kept the light on for him. They put his jersey on their hope chest in the Bronx and then decided, screw, we got to go to Anthony Rizzo, which is, by the way, outstanding. And I'm glad they didn't bring in Freddy Freeman because, you know, he might be somewhat emotional still in New York. Having signers remorse with a Yankees team that might have 50 some odd wins with him. Rizzo's hit big home runs.

He's only hitting like 220, but I just love everything about him. And he was with the team last year. There's no chemistry issues.

Certainly there is a chemistry issue, it seems, with the Dodgers, as Clayton Kershaw quoted as saying over the weekend. It's very cool to see Freeman's reception Friday night. He's obviously been a big contributor for our team and I hope we're not second fiddle. It's a pretty special team over here, too. I think whenever he gets comfortable over here, he'll really enjoy it. It was a good night for him Friday.

And Clayton Kershaw, another great human being. By the way, I've seen personally trick or treating. Dressed as Mr. Incredible.

Had no idea I was strolling up to his house trick or treating with my kids. Another great human who understands other great humans. And even he's saying, I hope we're not second fiddle. It seems like as we're on, I know we're kind of coming full circle here. What's today's date again? I don't even see the standings.

June 29th. He still hasn't adjusted to life here in Southern California. Let me tell you something. When I signed with NFL Network as a free agent for far, far less money.

And nothing deferred like this guy has deferred. It took me a grand total of five minutes to be acclimated to Southern California life and NFL Network. It was great. Even when I was showing up and I was seeing ESPN at the Super Bowl. This is I'm living my life, man.

The grass is so freaking green here. You have no idea. I was in 10 million homes on NFL Network compared to at the time in the peak of no cord cutting and cable television. A hundred and five hundred ten million homes on ESPN. I had somebody come up to me when Suzy got the two of us into an NBA All-Star party as she was covering the Lakers at the time.

I even got somebody coming up to me saying, I watch you every day. I'm like, no kidding. You have NFL Network already?

And the guy says, no, I don't have it. You're on NFL Network? I'm like, yeah, I left ESPN.

He goes, when? And I'm like, months ago. And he looks at me, he goes, are you all right?

And I'm like, I can fog up a mirror for you if I want. Like, this is the stuff I was going through. And I wasn't being paid all that money like Freddie Freeman's being paid. And my network wasn't winning all the time a lot like what Freeman's Dodgers are doing. I don't have anybody sitting there going, Rich, this is your new team.

You know, we're pretty good here, too. I was in. Freddie Freeman doesn't appear to be in yet, does he? Doesn't appear so. He has got something in the past he needs to bury.

And the first thing apparently he's using to bury is his agents. And, you know, do we have the NL West standings? I don't know if we have that built, but there it is. Thank you. Mike Hoskins on it.

Someone's a crack staff at the Rich Eisen Show. That's a game and a half lead. The Dodgers have as many wins as the Padres. And there are the Giants, just five behind them. Remember I was joking the other day saying the Dodgers like, can we just win 100 games in peace, please? Because last year, you know, the Dodgers and the Giants had the same number of insane triple digit wins. I mean, they need Freddie Freeman all in. Maybe he should talk to Mookie.

What it's like to leave your East Coast championship team for Los Angeles, how you can live life. I don't know what's going on, man. It's weird.

It is a signers remorse. It's not like he's struggling. He's hitting over 300. So you think the Dodgers are thinking right now?

I have no idea. Clayton Kershaw, the leader, OK, the man who who is now above. The guy who just got a statue outside of Dodger Stadium, I think earlier this month, Sandy Koufax and the record books for lefties in the history of this organization, the leader in that clubhouse and tenured Dodger is saying it. I hope we're not second fiddle. We've got a pretty special team here, too. He almost went to Cunha. He almost went full Cunha on Freeman.

You don't want to go full Cunha on Freeman. I don't know what's up. It's weird. It's weird. It's rare.

And it's something to keep an eye on. As the All-Star games here. Did Freeman make the All-Star All-Star team?

Is it Dodger? Let me check how the voting is going to be upset about that. They can't go home to Atlanta. I shouldn't. Look, I shouldn't. But he's from out here. He's from Orange County. I I'm making fun.

I'm making light. And I shouldn't because, again, I know how emotional it is when you feel like you could have stayed somewhere and kept everything going. And I have no earthly idea. And this could be born out of I don't how old are his children? You know, if his kids are having a rough time adjusting to Southern California life, they pulled him out of school. They don't have their same friends. Like there's a lot of life stuff that I'm glossing over here.

That I might be, you know, out of line having a little bit of light with it, but it's it's it's very weird. And I know Dodger fans are already talking about it. And I'm wondering if Dodger players are, too. And there was kind of like Clayton saying, hey, it's time to turn the page.

You're here. Freddy's third and first base voting behind Paul Goldschmidt and the polar bear. Oh, yeah, baby. Polar bear is going to win that one. He is not going to win that one. Paul Goldschmidt has one point six. Oh, that's right.

Cardinals fans are just it's so ridiculous. Open up a Budweiser and then stuff the ballot box. I mean, I think you can vote ten times per day, I think. Is that right?

I think so. I thought it was five. You mean I can do five more? I've been I've been slacking more. Oh, my gosh. All right. We'll take a break.

You're leading vote getter. There's one thing I want to talk about is this first order business with Jeff Passan. Worldwide leader in sports, which also just dropped a long read from Don Van Natta on Rob Manfred.

The commissioner of baseball. So let's talk about what he said earlier, how much he loved that story. Oh, he loves Rob Manfred. Although when we met him, you kind of digged him. You kind of like meeting him. I mean, you're nice to everyone. All right.

I got a picture. You guys hugging it out. D.J. Moore of the Carolina Panthers will tell us what's going on in his neck of the woods. Also, Mark Hubbard, PGA Tour player getting ready for the John Deere.

I'll ask him if the Saudis have reached out to him. And then Ron Shelton in studio on our number three. Do not miss that. It will be dynamite eight four four two oh four rich number to dial here on the program as well.

Jeff Passan on the world of baseball when we come back. Does your antiperspirant keep you dry all day? Dove Men Plus Care Dry Spray goes on instantly dry for a cleaner feel and offers 48 hours sweat and odor protection.

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Clean feel all day. Back here on the Rich Eyes and Show Terrestrial Radio Outfit eight four four two oh four number to dial. We saw him at the Emmy Awards. Right.

In New York City. Last time we saw him. I mean, my gosh. His chiseled head of hair.

Unbelievable. The only thing better than his chiseled head of hair is his game as a writer and reporter and a tweeter and a television information man of note from the worldwide leader in sports. By the way, our our our sound man just wanted to add something, but turned his microphone off.

I was typing something and I would have been very good at it. Right. That's why we didn't win the Emmy.

And he was part of a piece that did win an Emmy that night. A worldwide leader in sports. And on the Mercedes Benz Vans phone line, Jeff Passan here on the Rich Eyes. How are you doing, Jeff?

Oh, well, I do have an empty mess right now. Oh, my God. Hold on a minute. What phone are you on? It sounds like you're you're you're you're talking through an autotune.

Where are you right now? Here's what we're going to do. We're going to get off these stupid headphones. Oh, my God.

We're going to get on. Dude, you sounded like one of those 60 minute interviewees that needs to be hidden so the tobacco industry didn't come after you. Like that's what it sounded like. Yes.

Charlie Brown's teacher. I was last night. So so one of my kids is at camp or going to camp tomorrow.

OK. And another one is on a dude ranch in rural Arizona with my parents right now. OK. And, you know, I got back from a trip and I come home. It's just me and my wife. Like, we haven't had this for a long time. And it's great. It's quiet. It's eerie. It's eerie. But at the end of the night, I came into the room and I looked at her and I was like, you know, what sucks?

She's like, what? And I said chores and having to take the trash out because your kids normally are the ones who take it out and having to do the dishes and having to sweep the floor. All the crap that you make your kids do. All of a sudden, you're the one who's got to do it again. What sort of really gives you an appreciation for what you're putting your kids through? What sort of Oliver Twist operation are you running there in the passive household? Jeff, you got to teach.

You got to teach work ethic. I understand that. No, you're right. You're right.

You have to you have to make sure your children do not grow up of obnoxious privilege. Is it wrong that in the last three days I haven't taken the trash out once? Is that a problem?

I don't know. I mean, how like how how wasteful are you? How wasteful are you?

I love that. I'm very wasteful, man, including your time here on The Rich Eisen Show. So let's let's let's jump right into it. Jeff, the Freddie Freeman scenario that is unfolding here in Los Angeles is intriguing. I mean, the guy is contributing. The guy is producing like Freddie Freeman.

We expect him to be. But the emotional moment in Atlanta, the letting go of his agents, the quote from Clayton Kershaw saying that I hope we're not second fiddle. It appears that a page has not been turned by Freddie Freeman yet. Let's so let's get into it. What can you tell me about the Freeman negotiations between the Braves and and his team when he was a free agent?

That that is still festering in your. Yeah, I mean, I think when it comes down to it, Freddie Freeman has said that he wanted to be back in Atlanta. And this turned out to be a very cutthroat negotiation where Freddie Freeman's side wanted a certain number of years and a certain amount of dollars. And the Braves essentially said, we're not going to do that.

Went out and traded for Matt Olson like the Braves were were ready to turn the page, I think, before Freddie Freeman was and in free agency for him. You know, for a lot of guys, it's Valhalla, like I'm going out there. I get to chart the course of my career in my life.

I get to pick one of 30. And there's great power in that. But there is also great responsibility. And and the responsibility in this situation goes beyond baseball stuff.

It dovetails directly with your life and with what makes you happy. And I think Freddie Freeman probably didn't recognize in the moment what was going to make him happiest and prioritize that. Make sure to say to his agent, this is what I want to do.

Dollars are not the most important thing to me. I want to be where I want to be and where he wanted to be with Atlanta and where he is, is Los Angeles. But I also think that this is the sort of thing where a few years down the road, we're just going to look at it like, hey, this was his moment of closure. This was the time where the emotion got out and where I appreciated, frankly, the way he spoke his truth and was willing to be a human being publicly and say things that you're not supposed to say. But to me, it's a lot different if he is not producing. I think the fact that he's been as good as he's been, that he's hitting 300, the on base is almost 400, that the slugging is almost 500. It's a classic Freddie Freeman season. And there are a lot of faults that are forgiving if you're out there producing. So what Clayton Kershaw said, it's understandable.

I totally get it. But at the same time, I wonder if this past weekend is going to, in the long run, be seen as the time of closure where he, you know, to steal a cliche, he became a doctor. Well, the question I have is, is why would this be the moment where he changes representation? Is it possible he found out something he was unfamiliar with about his negotiations this past week in a tunnel, a hallway, an office, a moment, a phone call being back in Atlanta?

Is that possible? I mean, I suppose it's possible. I think he probably knows the course of how things went, though, at this point. And sometimes it takes time to process this sort of thing. I mean, he, you know, the rumor throughout the industry was that he had fired his agents. He came out publicly and he's still working through things with them. You know, Buster only reported that he's listed as self-represented at this point. And frankly, it's all inside baseball and it's kind of drama. And I don't know that, you know, agent goings on are really all that material, frankly, to the general public. This is just one of those things where it's car crash and people are rubbernecking to try and understand what exactly happened when what happened is it's done. It's in the past. It's buried in.

Ray Freeman took a pen, put it in his hand and signed on a line that said six years of one hundred sixty million dollars with Los Angeles Dodgers. No, I know that, Jeff. And the two things that I'm I'm just fascinated by. And then the other one, I'm concerned. The fascinating one is, you know, we've all been in negotiations. You have for your job. I have multiple times.

And, you know, and I just know that you'll get at some point a last and best from your employer, you know, with the message of we love you. This is it. You know, and if you come back and you push and say, well, this is mine, then that's the end of that. You know, I learned that the hard way with ESPN in 2003.

And I have used that as a frame of reference every single time I've been involved in a negotiation. Did that not happen? Did did did Freeman think it was still possible to accept a Braves offer and then found out Matt Olson was coming?

Is that literally what happened? Because I don't I there are enough stories bouncing around and up versions of it that I honestly don't know what the actual truth is here. Yeah, there are some who believe he wasn't told specifically what the offers were. I have a I have a difficult time believing that because if if that's the case, then either someone is blatantly just not doing his job or more likely you're not asking the right questions. Like there there needs to be some agency, no pun intended, in this process.

Right. Like if you are the free agent, certainly you're giving the duty to the agent to go out and negotiate on your behalf. You need to be involved.

This is your life. You need to know everything that's going on to to demand knowing everything that's going on. And I think that, you know, Freddie Freeman has been with his agency for the entirety of his career. And, you know, that that trust was there.

And one just hopes that trust isn't breached in a situation like that. Well, and again, the reason why you call it inside baseball is you and I are having a conversation about a player and an agent. And that really doesn't mean much to the common fan or any fan or the uncommon fan, what have you. But what does is, is that even though Freeman is producing on the field in a manner that he's gotten us accustomed to and that the Dodgers were buying, that Clayton Kershaw still felt the need to say, I hope we're not second fiddle. And that's the thing, right?

Like, yeah, that's the thing. I'd say like Clayton Kershaw doesn't just say things. I mean, that that I think that they're represented the nicest way possible to say, hey, for all of this love you're giving the Braves, we understand it. I, Clayton Kershaw, a guy who has spent his entire career with the same team, certainly is in a position to understand it. But at the same time, OK, it's done. We're almost halfway through this first season. You got everything out you need to get out. Now let's move on and go win a ring.

Jeff Passan here on the Rich Eisen Show. So is there any possibility that baseball sees the brawl between the Angels and the Mariners and does something, another rule changer? Nothing. Like, that's that's cool. I mean, they suspend, but like, I don't like brawls. I take that back. I'm amused by them.

I was I was on another program earlier today and I will repeat what I said there. I it brings out like my inner Beavis. I just sit there. I'm like, all right.

I, I get very excited about that. But then you see Archie Bradley breaks his elbow in it and you see Anthony Rendon going out there and shoving Jesse Winker in the face with a cast on his right arm and he's shoving with his left. And you see Phil Nevin get suspended for 10 games. You don't get suspended for 10 games if you didn't do something that was beyond the pale if you're a manager. And you see Jesse Winker get seven games when if he had and listen, I understand why he was as mad as he was. The reality is, if Jesse Winker turns around and walks first base, that doesn't happen. So there was there was clearly some some fire there that was going on. And it's it's I'm sorry, it's not a surprise that two underachieving teams that are below 500 and that had playoff aspirations and are on the outside looking in right now want to show themselves that there's still some fight in them.

And they took the figurative rich and made it literal. So why wouldn't baseball, at the very least, automatically suspend anybody who comes in from a bullpen, anybody who runs 300 feet to join a fray? And if I'm not mistaken, two of the players who got suspended.

That's a very interesting question. I had this I had this debate with my dad probably a month or so ago, and and his his thing was, if you come off the bench, then you should be suspended. And my problem with that is, if that's the rule that's in place, it's one on nine, right? It's the batter against an entire team.

And what happens if that entire team happened to be the aggressors? You know, if you're a teammate of a guy who's out there literally on an island, you you want to go in and make sure he's safe. And that's why JP Crawford was coming over the top with his forearm strikes. And that's why Julio Rodriguez was in the middle of it. They were out there to stick up for their guy.

And I don't I don't blame them for that. Like I frankly, I appreciate sticking up for your teammate. But there were scenarios where I think it was maybe Hunter Strickland threw a pitch at someone. And the guy was the guy really wanted to charge him out and Buster Posey could have held him back and didn't. Buster Posey was essentially saying, you know, I'm so tired of this. Yeah, just go beat him up.

It's fine. Maybe maybe he'll learn something if he gets punched in the face. I do think that players are going to look at this, Rich, and say seven games is a lot of time to miss for Jesse Wanker. And especially if I'm on a playoff caliber team, I can't afford to make that time if I'm one of the more productive players, if I'm one of the more important players on the team, because if I do, it could be the difference between our team making playoffs or not.

I know. And to pair in Iglesias, I believe, if I'm not mistaken, it's the second inning. I'm assuming they entered the fray from the bullpen. But if you were suspending a manager like. Nevin, 10 games, right, and Winker seven, you're clearly trying to stop this. You're truly clearly trying to create a deterrent. Why would you then why would you allow 20 more people to enter a fray, Jeff?

Like, why would you do that? Just say you guys let this 22 on 22 is fine, right? Like this whoever or how many people run a major league bench at any given time? 30 on a bench.

Yeah, 30, 35. Now, not not even not even close. I mean, I'm including interpreters here now, as clearly the baseball's disciplinary committee did. So that's what I'm saying.

Like human beings, all like any human being with fists and and and the gumption to want to throw them. But why are we adding 20, 30 more people to the fray? It's a simple fact. Like when you have that number of people who are on the benches already keeping the relievers out of it, really going to make it back. You know, I suppose there could be a hothead in there who is going to throw gum, you know, throw gum and throw peanuts, throw peanut bins on the you know what I mean? Like it's just that was the other thing, too.

That was the circus like aspect of it. Like it's all over. And here comes a guy who's pissed about getting ejected, throwing gum. Like now players are picking up gum off the infield. Like what are we doing? You know, I mean, I don't know.

Can I be honest with you? Yes, sir. My favorite part of the whole thing was Rendon going left handed like he did on the swing against Brett Phillips. Did he connect? Did he connect like he did on Phillips, too?

He did. It was a pretty good shot to the face. But my second close, second favorite part was the slow-mo shot of Bryce L. Iglesias seeding the field.

That was awesome. Is it the first instance of an interpreter ever being suspended by baseball? Is that for an on for an on field incident?

To my knowledge, yes. And I mean, will they be able to replace him as an interpreter or will they they will just have a communication problem for those two games? You know, I think I think that one day it may be problematic. It just make sure it's it's it's not on the table.

If we look at the rotation, I don't know that there's a Spanish speaking starter. He's trying to get hooked on phonics real quick over the next two days to try and contribute in that respect. I'm trying to lighten it up a little bit here, I guess. I appreciate it. Jeff Pass and thank you for the time, sir. Really appreciate it. Always enjoy our chats. Enjoy the time, the quiet time at home. Take care, brother.

I'm going to go do some chores. OK, and throw out that headset. That's garbage.

I don't know where you got that from. It was terrible. Jeff Pass and everybody at Jeff Pass. God, you tell me if I if I'm on the lawn here on this on this brawl stuff.

Tell the kids to get off it. Go ahead. You can tell me. It's kind of like fighting and hockey.

It's like oddly necessary. Is it? I think. Well, I mean. I don't know. I've never been.

I mean, I'm just like people would never, you know, never ask. Dude broke his broke his elbow. But that's his own fault because he fell coming out, coming off the bench. Yeah. Like stay in the dugout if you're injured. You're not.

Look. He's not wasn't injured. You know, I don't like Rendon to you already have a broken arm. You're out for the year. But what are you doing? It's it's the aid is kicking in in that moment. Like we're we're going to go throw hands.

OK. And we're not going to worry about where you own makes you think that he wouldn't be one of the first students. I can still just understand the benches. I still don't understand. Like these people are there any pen? It's called a pen. You're in a pen. You're pending.

You are literally pending. You must open a gate. And run a long way. Three running the length of a football field. It's a one hundred yard dash. You are undertaking a three hundred plus foot run to join this thing. Not just like, oh, God, that's in front of me.

Oh, my God, my guy's getting hit. I got to go. And I'm right there.

It's right in front of me. I got to go like that instinct, that fight or flight moment. I understand you fight.

Yeah, I get that. But you are in the pen. You're all the way out there. You have to literally open a gate. Pass through a fence and go join and run lightly.

Try it. I mean, it's a light jog if you just think it's just that's the worst offense. If it's just one of those pushing and shoving things and everybody comes out and it's just like, let's OK, let's go back to our corners. We get it. You've made your point.

You made your point. And everybody runs in. But how do you get rid of the brawl? How do you ban it? You don't ban the brawl. You ban joining the brawl. And you can't put a full on if you leave the bench, it's all over.

As he said, one on nine is right. Yeah, but I get what you're saying. You are just don't come in. You may not join the sorry, bullpen guys. We know your team players. We know you want to support your guys. We know you want to be there. You may not because a fight amongst 60 people is much easier to break up and is less dangerous than a fight amongst 100. Is that simple math?

I mean, it does make sense, but you imagine math, but it's simple math. They got in the car. Take a break. Eight four four two oh four rich number to dial here on the rich eyes and show Ron Shelton coming up an hour three J.J. Moore, the Carolina Panthers coming up. D.J. Moore, the Carolina Panthers coming up, we'll talk a little bit of football and what's going on in Carolina. I don't know what he'll tell me about the quarterback situation, but I'll fish around a little bit. He'll tell us everything that's going on. He was on our fantasy team last year, so we'll let him know he was he was dynamite.

Terrific player. So he'll be joining us shortly. Just want to pause for a brief bit here and give a couple of sense about what we're hearing from the Deshaun Watson disciplinary proceedings that's going on right now between the NFL and the Players Association and what's being reported, what's leaking out. And apparently this is day two. Sue L. Robinson is the independent judge that is going to rule on this if she rules anything other than zero games, the commissioner has the right to lower it or increase it.

And according to reports, the NFL went in and asks, this has asked or their stance is an indefinite suspension, meaning Watson would have to sit out this year and then apply for reinstatement. I mean, that's the ultimate. And so that's on one end. That's the the one end. And the other end is apparently the Players Association is asking for zero games.

And look, I understand. The stance of zero games. From the standpoint of they want to point out the hypocrisy of the NFL's stance on disciplining owners and players, they want to do that. They also would love, I think, to really stick it to the league and have the first ever instance of this independent judge deciding discipline and then creating a situation for the commissioner. Where they put into the collective bargaining, the commissioner can lower it or raise it as long as it's not zero. If it comes in at zero, the commissioner can't do anything. The league's hands are tied. And I think the Players Association would kind of love that.

That it's just like, yeah, we told you you should have been out of discipline a long time ago. You can't be the judge and jury. So they removed them as the jury part.

The jury is this judge and they want to remove the judge part too. I think they'd love that. But I just want to say this. If this comes up with zero games, there will be such a major hue and cry, including from this seat. Zero games for Deshaun Watson's behavior. All you got to do is just read these depositions and read the details and hear his complete utter lack of ability to rationally explain himself.

And when I say rationally, I mean for somebody who's, in my case, just very eager to hear something understandably exculpatory from him about his own behavior. And I haven't heard anything remotely close to that. And that if he gets zero games and gets to play all games and make $46 million, what a horrible look for everyone, including every other player in the association that I understand is doing its job right now. But just think of the ramifications if what comes out of all of this is Watson loses no games this year and makes all of his $46 million.

What a mess that would be. So I just wanted to get that off my chest here as this process is going on. And again, I understand everybody's stances and what they're trying to do for future disciplinary hearings and also point out a hypocrisy. But I think Watson is the wrong vessel to point out a hypocritical moment and also to try and stake a claim on this method of discipline and this format of discipline.

What a huge mistake that would be if it comes out with a big fat zero from all of this. Still here on NBC Sports on Peacock and NBC Sports Audio. Is Kevin Costner the best movie star athlete of all time? Best movie star athlete of all time. Well, we heard P. Diddy couldn't throw, right?

So that's why he never made it to Friday Night Alliance. Well, I can Bull Durham. He switch hits. He bats left and right handed. He's played golf. Obviously, he can throw really good golfer hits a seven to twenty five. He can pitch and he could pitch. He's got a pretty convincing form off the mound. He could build a team.

I got one for you. Sylvester Stallone played soccer and soccer. Don't forget Victory Victory. He was a terrible convincing soccer player.

He was terrible. Just throw that out there as a joke. Victory is the sports version of The Great Escape. Yes.

Got it. As if they made a sports movie. They remade The Great Escape, but made it.

Because they couldn't play. That's. Yes. They threw him in the net, but he saves the game.

But what else? I mean, he he can he can train. We know that he can. I mean, he can run down a chicken. I mean, him and Carl Weathers on the beach in Santa Monica running. Come on. Yeah. And hugging it out. Now, Costner can hit throw golf. Just trying to just trying to think of other.

I appreciate the like Jamie Foxx. He's pretty good quarterback. He's long rumored to be making this Mike Tyson movie.

Is that right? I mean, Costner's shown off a ton of ability. Yeah. I mean, is Corbin Bernsen been anything else? I mean, I'm trying to go through other sports movies.

Well, we've got to say Mark Harmon. Ah, actually quarterback. You silly. But he was he was just he was just in one movie, Stealing Home.

He's not playing sport. I know. I'm just which is my favorite. My favorite autographed item in this in this sports item in this studio is the bat. The Billy Wyatt bat from Stealing Home that we had both Mark Harmon and Jodie Foster autograph.

That's got to be a one of one on planet Earth. And that was my question to you, Chris. Do you mean like the person who is the best actor who plays in sports movies or the person who plays the best athletes in the movie? No, no. I'm not who shows off the best athletic prowess that you're not looking at. Like he can't throw. Yeah, he can't hit.

Right. She can't throw. She can't hit. That's what I was thinking about. Could be Madonna. I don't know. Dana Davis. I mean, yeah. Olympic Archer.

True that. Very good. Good shot, everybody. For the real story behind some of wrestling's biggest moments, it's something to wrestle with Bruce Prichard and Conrad Thompson to all time Hogan opponents. Macho Man's got to be in the conversation. Where's Andre for you? I've always said Andre was number one. Wow. Because even going back before, you know, Hulk Hogan was a babyface, Hulk and Andre were able to go in and headline at the New Orleans Superdome at Shea Stadium in Japan. Wherever they went, that was an attraction. Something to wrestle with. Bruce Prichard. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.