ALCS Preview: Blue Jays vs Mariners

ALCS Preview: Blue Jays vs Mariners

K14 podcast and Avery. Just like I said in the ALDS, it was always going to be the Mariners. It was always going to be the Mariners. We have there this the baseball gods are making us slay every single demon. Every dragon we have to slay to reach the World Series. Abe, how are we feeling after watching the worst baseball game in the history of the sport yesterday? Genuinely the worst game I’ve ever watched. No, I was loving every second of it, dude. It was awesome. Um, it was just funny. It got to a point where this is funny that this is still going on. I can’t I can’t believe it. I was like, why why are they doing it? scoo out like I thought was a little early. The softest [ __ ] ever. Like you want to talk about the bereos early hook [ __ ] brother. That is nothing compared to pulling the best pitcher in the world at 99 pitches in an elimination game and it immediately backfired. Immediately backfired. He had to have said something though that he wasn’t feeling good or something because I he seemed fine with it, right? Like I I thought for sure his last pitch was 101. A I know, but he’s like the guy he is, he wouldn’t want to come out if he like he didn’t put it didn’t look like he put up a stink about it at all. Right. Like when he came out it was like, “Okay, let’s go do this.” Well, maybe he just realized that how his offense is truly dog [ __ ] and it was just pretty much like, “All right, if I’m going back out there, they’re going to make me throw until I die.” Yeah. You know, that would have been that would have been awesome. But like this Seattle matchup is tough, too. like nothing it doesn’t get easier. It gets it becomes different um like offensively, but the Mariners as a team were better offense than the Jays this year. So, it’s uh Well, I wouldn’t go that far. Well, is every stat that that shows it runs plus was higher. Oh, wait a plus higher. Yeah, but in terms of like maybe I’m just recency biased after watching that disaster class yesterday, but I think the fact that the Jay’s bullpen and and pitchers did starting pitchers did pretty well against the Yankees offense, it gives me a lot of hope facing the Mariners offense. The Mariners offense wasn’t good this series. Well, I’m just saying in terms of like name brand value, like the Mar like the Yankees offense, that lineup is significantly more scarier than this Mariners offense, right? Well, yeah, they got Judge. Like there’s no judge on the Mariners. Well, they got Judge, Bellinger, Gisham has like 34 home runs. Yeah, absolutely. All that matters is how they play um in that series, too, right? Like the Tigers were were the worst offense of all of them. So that’s why I was kind of begging for that for for our pitchers to get get the Tigers. But no, Seattle’s a a good offense. And then they got to do the longest road trips ever back and forth. Yeah, I’m sure no one’s happy about the travel in that series. Anyone that’s actually involved in it was probably not really liking the travel, but um yeah, we can go through and do a little more Seattle stuff later, but that that is a good offense still in in a different way than the Yankees, of course. Yeah, they don’t they can’t kill you with the long ball. There’s not a long ball offense, right? I mean, aside from Cal Rally. Like Naylor’s an average hitter. Like he hits above 300, little doubles in the gap, stuff like that. Um I think I think the Yankees offense scares me. But listen, I mean, at the end of the day, that’s a way better pitching rotation than the than the Yankees. That’s a way better bullpen in my opinion than the Yankees. Um, you essentially go to Muno’s. I don’t know if you saw that yesterday, Avery, but he his fastball video was down 3 miles an hour. Yeah, he he as soon as they had the double barrel in the pen as he was out there, everyone knew something was looking wrong. So, that’s something to look at. I mean, again, would be a big break if his VO’s down the entire series. I would I hand up. I would enjoy that. Um, but yeah, it’s it’s not going to be easy. This is this was probably, like we said, it was always going to be the matchup. Um, this is probably the hardest one in my opinion, just based on the fact that not a bad team defensively. You got a really good center fielder there, Julio Rodriguez, who is insane in center field. Um, Naylor’s pretty good at first defensively. Um, this is a good sound team that you’re not going to just simply win by putting the balls in play like you will against the Yankees, right? Yeah. I wouldn’t even say the Jays won by putting the balls in play. Yeah. Yeah. I’m just saying in general though, it’s like that’s just putting the ball in play is not going to be like the approach that’s going to win you the series, right? Correct. They’re they’re a real defense and they got good pitching, too. So, uh, absolutely. Um, I’m really excited for this one, too. And like it’s nice that the Mariners rotation doesn’t set up perfectly because they threw godamn everyone. And Bryce Miller, I hope he gives us what he’s been doing lately, which hasn’t been very good on the mound. So, that’s a nice landing spot for game one. They have to use Bryce Miller and whoever else they have. I don’t think it’s Bryce Miller, A. No, really. I That’s what I saw. I read. I swear it’s Brian Woo. He’s going to go game one. I think so. I think that’s why he threw a side pen yesterday. No, I thought he was going to throw game five. They said he can’t start early, but he be able to throw in the series. Bryce Miller’s been awful, right? Bryce Miller has been awful. And that’s a guy who doesn’t have he he he doesn’t strike out a lot of guys, does he? Um I don’t know. Yeah. No, Bryce Miller’s last five starts, Avery. They’ve been bad. Four innings, two runs. Four innings, four runs. Five innings, three runs. Five innings, three runs. 5.2, four runs. Like these are against horrible offenses, too, Avery. Like, okay, so maybe they’re not as bad as I thought, but that that’s not But yeah, I mean, he got hit around a little bit against the Rockies at home, which kind of sucks. The Royals hit him around a little bit on the road. The Angels rad off of him. Yeah. I mean, this is a guy you want to talk about the mismatch like we had game one, Luis Heel versus Kevin Gossman. That was a mismatch, right? Pitching wise. Um the only thing is the difference is is that Jay’s Yankees game, game one, the Jays were light favorites, like minus 120. Now they are heavy. They’re not heavy favorites, but they’re they’re they open up atus 165. What are your thoughts on that for game one? Oh, the Yeah, Jay’s – 165 for game one. Yeah, makes sense. Absolutely. Like the cuz they they say Bryce Miller and Friends is what Jerry said apparently. That’s that’s what I was working off of. Um and the bullpen you think is taxed at this point. Oh brother, they’re taxed as hell. Yeah. And a awful travel day after that and like you go for a Pacific time, Eastern time. I think it’s just a tough one for them. It’s a it’s not must-win because the series is seven games but yes that I think it will be the biggest mismatch that can happen in the series is this game one. Yeah I think yeah I again we also have the advantage and I think a lot of people tweet at me why don’t you go Trey Savage game three um so he lines up a little bit later in the series like for a game six or seven. I think the advantage the Jays have right now is the is the the fact that the opposing teams don’t have the ability to bring their traject machine to to away away parks. The Mariners have never seen Treyus Savage. The best offense in baseball in the regular season Yankees have never seen Treya Savage and that arm angle and got absolutely [ __ ] carved up. That’s the advantage you have. You want to keep that going. You want to keep Treya Savage throwing at home where a team can’t make adjustments based off of the arm angle and you play with that to your advantage. And I think that’s what the Jays are going to do ultimately. I think it’s going to go Gossman Savage. Yeah. I don’t see it going any other way too. Who who goes game two for the Mariners? You think then? Luis Castillo probably. But he they hate him on the road too. Yeah, he’s been awful on the road. Yeah. So that’s it sets up. You got you got to beat who’s in front of you, who’s on the mound that day, too. But I wish there was a like a midle left-handed starter on the Mariners cuz the Jays are crushed lefties and I I don’t think we’re going to see many lefties in this series at all. They have a guy in the pen who’s awful. Ferguson. Yeah. Kale Ferguson. Uh Spire too. Spy didn’t look that great yesterday either. Well, he gave up the home run. Yeah. Yeah. He against a lefty. Yes. Carrie Carpenter. Carrie Bonds. Um absolutely. But no left-handed starters. So, I guess they have a couple guys that could turn you around. But, um, so they can be Josh will have to be on it more than than last series cuz you only had Tim Hill to worry about. Yeah. But, again, the no left-handed starters kind of kind of kind of sucks because they were so good against left-handed pitching. I just think this is such a this is such a cool ALCS. Um, it’s a breath of fresh air. Like, like I saw someone tweet, it’s a breath of fresh air. It’s two teams that haven’t been on the ALCS in so long. haven’t been the ALCS in so long. Well, it’s been the Mariners have never ever been to a World Series, right? Yeah. Never been to the World Series. Um and then you get the rematch of last time. The Jays haven’t been to a World Series since 93. Yeah. It’s like these two teams, it’s been a long time since they’ve been to a World Series. And you have the PTSD, you have the callbacks to 2022 8-1. Um, Cal Raleigh has just seemed to be great against the Blue Jays every single time. Yeah. Uh, the Jays finally swept Seattle in Seattle for the first time ever this year, too. It It sets out to be pretty cool. You got Naylor coming back in this series, hometown kid against the Blue Jays. It’s I think it’s an awesome series. If you’re a true baseball fan, I think everyone will will feel the same way. Yeah. And I I I don’t I want I saw fans like people were tweeting at me yesterday saying like I wanted the Tigers going in, but after watching the Mariners today, like I’m confident the Jays will be good for both. That’s a little bit Reesei bias, man. This this this Mariners team’s a good ball club, man. This is a good ball club. I mean, I don’t think JP Crawford’s that good, but again, he’s their nine-hole hitter. I don’t think this Victor Robless and guys they have at the bottom of the order match up well against what the Toronto Blue Jays have at the bottom of the order. I think the Toronto Blue Jays have more depth, better ability to put the ball in play. Um, more frisky at bats, uh, that that will that will eat your pitchers alive. I I trust this Blue Jays lineup, Avery, and that’s kind of something that we haven’t really been able to say in multiple playoff runs since 2022. I mean, 2023, we talked about it. I mean, the offense was putrid. one of the wor like bottom 10, bottom 15 in the league and this year we’re finally going into the playoffs with an offense that’s top five and way to runs create a plus in the sport like number four. So, um I trust this offense. I know they talk about this Mariners pitchers being insane, like really good. I mean Brian Woo is awesome. I’ll admit it. Like I mean he has a But the thing about Brian Woo is Avery that’s a pretty bad injury to come back from as a pitcher. Pectoral. Yep. Absolutely. You kind of got to use that when you pitch. You do usually need that. You do have to use that to pitch. And I honestly, man, I know it was different from Logan Gilbert yesterday out of the pen, so it’s kind of hard to gauge on him, but Logan Gilbert’s really good, but again, if if that guy doesn’t get the the K’s and you work that guy down, I that’s a guy you can get to, man. I I I think the Jays are in a good spot thanks to how great this offense has been. But I think the key to the series is last series the Jays had I think it was 50 something hits. 50% of those hits was Vlatty, Ernie, and [ __ ] um I forgot who else it was. One more guy, Bartow. No, I don’t remember who it was, but they had 50% of the Jay’s hits came from three hitters last series, right? So, sure, you’re going to need George to step up. I know George has been I mean had the sack fly, but was George really that great last series aside from that like staff pad home run he had? Not really. Um, you’re going to need George step up this series. The X factor Avery, I’m going to call it right now. Like you called your shot with Nathan Lucas is Addison Barger, brother. He’s going to play every game. He’s going to play every single game. There is no lefty starter like you mentioned going on the mound. Addison Barger who ambushes, who attacks righties, who has a tons of pop. This guy is going to be the X factor facing strictly righties. They can’t match up to Addison Barger, especially I mean late in game I guess bullpen switch and stuff like that, but at the end of the day, Addison Barger is going to get that going to get his licks in and we’re going to need Addison Barger to kind of go off like he did for us in game four. Yeah, absolutely. I’m just going to box score looking at the games against the Mariners earlier this year. Um do you remember it was probably the worst game of the season. Do you remember that game? Extra inning loss. Yeah, we live streamed it. Yeah, we did. I’m just looking back on those. Hilarious. Some of the people who are starting these games because if you look at the first um the first series, April 18th, 19th, 20th, I believe it’s a Bowen Francis, Jose Bereos, Easton Lucas were the three who started against the Americans. Oh my god. I I believe because I know Cali hit a home run off Easton Lucas off that one. Yeah, but Bowen pitched I remember that Friday night. Bowen pitched great. Um, Brios obviously that that kept them in that for a little bit from the Saturday game that went 12 innings that ended horribly. Um, yeah, and Jacob Barnes losing pitcher in that game. I I remember, oh, what an awful game that was, too. And then you get to Seattle and then they sweep the Mariners. That the start, the turn of everything was was how that went. That was like a Gossman start. Jose Urania started one of those games in Seattle as well. And I forget who started the Saturday game, but um they they have met Oh, that was another Bowen start. He pitched Wow, he pitched twice against the Mariners pretty well this year. Yeah, maybe he’s the X factor. Bring him back. Yeah. Yeah. I think you got to throw those two series out the window though. Those are two completely separate different like way different ball clubs, man. I mean that Mariners team when we got there, they were trotting out absolute bums. Yeah. But the Jays did a bullpen game. Big upgrade. definitely Naylor and and Suarez. Suarez hasn’t been It would be nice for him to keep the swing and miss this series. I would appreciate that and not him hitting a thousand home runs like he had done before. Um but yeah, they’re totally different team. I don’t take that for much of anything. More of like a call back to see what what they did this season, too, cuz I’d like to go at some point I’ll go back and check what their stats are since the trade deadline because they are that difference of an off that different of an offense, too. But again, yeah, it’s how are you going to line up your pitchers to do it? And that’s why winning the ALDS in four games for the Jays was so good. And you didn’t have to use the Gossb or the Trey Savage um at all in game four. Didn’t have to use them in game five. Lines up perfectly. It’s like, okay, handle business at home. The this is what you got to do. You set it up and like the Mariners probably won’t be right till the third game where they can finally have pitch pitcher pitcher wise until they can finally have another off day. Yes. and and get it right. So, this is the time to do it if you’re if you’re the Blue Jays. It it’s it’s right in front of you. Game one is a is a big one to definitely start it off. Yeah, and we we I mean, we talked about that for the LDS, man. I mean, the game one was you had to win it. Pitcher mismatch. Game one will be a pitcher mismatch right now. It’s kind of be they’re going to go by committee. The Mariners game one. Bryce Miller has probably the shortest leash on the planet. If you look at his starts, they’ve pulled him after the fourth or the fifth every single start. I think he’s got deep in the like pitch count obviously those starts, so he hasn’t been doing well. But um that’s what you’re going to have to do, man. You’re going to have to you’re going to have to attack Bryce Miller. Um and this is a mismatch and the odds show it. But ultimately, the Mariners are favored this series. Yeah. Jesus. I mean, it feels like the most pick matchup of all time. Yeah. It’s like it’s not heavy favorites though. It’s like a minus 118. Jay’s are minus 102. Like it’s not Oh yeah, that’s close enough to me. Yeah, it’s close enough. I think again I trust our guys, man. I trust our guys to get this done. And no, it’s it’s flipped totally. What is it? Jay’s areus 120, man. Really? Plus 102. Yesterday Yesterday was the opposite when it opened. Yeah, I guess they saw the pitching matchups. Maybe the Brian Woos like you mentioned game five. Yeah. Um, I’m not 100% confident, but we we follow enough Mariners people and they were tweeting that out. So, I I kind of believe what they have to say. I’ll send a message to see um if that’s what it is. Yeah, we’ll see what happens. But, um, let’s talk about the discussion we had yesterday on Twitter, Avery, because I got a little I got a little pissed off at that comment because it just it didn’t really make sense in my mind. Yeah. Um, so what if you aren’t on Twitter, you’ll see it, but uh you you haven’t seen it, but essentially what Bozo the clown said was that god damn Anthony Sandere will be left off the roster if Bobette makes a team. I had a little push back on that because again when you look on the grand grand scheme of things, if you’re leaving off Anthony Sandere, who I know our fan base hates him for some reason. They’re treating him like he’s the new [ __ ] Brad Hand or something who who he’s seem pretty decent, pretty good at bat. Cam sler threw the guy like 25 pitches in three at bats [ __ ] on Wednesday kind of helped to take him out of the game. But um for IKF I just don’t it doesn’t make sense to me. It really doesn’t. I know they value um I know they value defense but man that will be a tough blow if you are leaving off a guy who hit 44 home runs last year. Like this isn’t a guy this isn’t a guy that like is three years four years removed from hitting 44 home runs. This is a guy who legitimately did this last season and you just signed him. In my mind, it would be absolutely [ __ ] stupid to leave off a switch hitter who has power potential and home runs win in the playoffs off the roster. That’s kind of where I’m at with that. Avery, my my thought was he’s the third best DH we have if B’s there and it’s like what is really his spot? And I understand everything like that Anthony Santandere is. So that’s that’s where I I landed. I was like, “Okay, definitely could happen. If Bo’s good enough, he’s not going to be able to play. He’s not like he probably can’t [ __ ] slide.” Like Bo’s going to be as there’s I think there’s a chance like pretty good chance B’s just not on the roster and we don’t even have to do that. You think so? Well, I I don’t know. Like him running, he wasn’t running very fast. But again, that that’s on a that’s on a fraud. I mean, he could ramp up today a little bit. Like again, that that could have been I think I’d be more surprised or I wouldn’t be surprised if Bo’s left off. Like I think that’s I think that’s very much probably what’s going to happen in my mind. Bo Bose’s left off and we don’t even have to do the thing. But it’s like I know IKF’s not a good hitter and I know Anthony Sandere is, but like at that point he’s not a good fielder. He’s the third DH if B’s there because he’s definitely behind George and he’s definitely behind Bo of guys you want to be hitting. So again, one of those guys got to play the field. It’s going to be George. B’s going to DH and then at the end if you take Bo out of the game for a running situation, you’re going to put IKF in the game because or you’re going to put the other guys. I think it’s more of a roster fit to fill what they need. And it’s not because Anthony Santandere isn’t a better hitter than IKF. Everyone in the world knows that. And you know how much of a competitor Bo is. Like I I think Bo is working two like grinding his ass off to get John Schneider to put his ass on the roster. I mean we talk about FOMO on this podcast. Like I guarantee you he saw that ALDS and how electric that [ __ ] was at home um meaningful baseball and he’s on the bench not contributing when he’s a part of this core that was supposed to do this type of stuff and he’s probably just [ __ ] livid, right? I mean that’s kind of where I’m at with that. And if someone brought up a great point to me on Twitter yesterday, Avery, if Bobette isn’t good to go fully till game three, do you put him on the roster? No. cuz what is how is he going to really know that? I mean that’s four more days though. Sure. I don’t think you put him on the roster like have him ready for the World Series like if you if you want him as healthy as possible. It it he’s not a pitcher so it’s like a little bit different to me. Yeah, cuz then you’re kind of just having if he if he literally can’t go till game three, you kind of just have a black hole there on the bench that you can’t use till three. Like you’re dropping a roster spot essentially. Yeah, you are dropping you definitely are dropping a roster spot for that. So, I don’t think they would do that for Bo. No, but I’m sure if Yeah, they’ll try and get creative. I don’t know how cuz they was doing live with with Max and Basset, right? They were they were talking about that on the broadcast. Yeah. I don’t know how how that’s gone, but um yeah, I think it was just have him ready for the World Series. Have him ready for the World Series. Like keep Tony on, I guess, and see how see how you’re going to do it. Yeah. Yeah. And I think with the with the righties, tons of righties on the mount. I think Santandere matches up a little bit better, right? I mean, you said the righty swing was the tough one for him, right, with his shoulder. That’s what he had said. Yeah. But it it looked okay. It’s just much uglier than his left. I just need I need Anthony Santter to have a good ALCS if he isn’t on the roster just to shut people up about him, man. Cuz I think again, if you look under the hood for Anthony Sandere, he’s had some awesome at bats. He’s had some great swings. I know the foul ball stuff is it’s a little frustrating because it’s not going fair and sometime 80% of the time last series it didn’t work out into a hit. But again, this is a guy he’s still I hate to say it cuz it’s the playoffs. He’s still kind of rehabbing, man. Like this is still his rehab [ __ ] If he can find something to click, this could be a massive difference in a lineup that we that has shown, especially with the history of the playoffs. Home runs, wins in the playoffs. Jay’s out homer. the Yankees last series and they won the series, right? Like this is a guy with power potential that instantly makes a lineup better when he’s clicking and I again I I I see him having a massive ALCS. I really do. I would again accept that. I would very much accept that. We haven’t seen good Tony here yet ever. Like that’s and I like just go off Tony like you know like just every at bat you’re you’re at the edge of your seat cuz there’s the home run potential there. Yeah, he will. And I truly do think a I think he’s fully healthy now. I really do. Okay. Yeah. I have no I got no idea what the doctors are saying about every day though. I I would think he’s getting better, not getting worse, which is a good sign for him, too. And like they probably worked out Well, we know they worked out yesterday. They’re probably going to work out today. More swings in, get him comfortable again cuz the at looked good. He was fouling stuff off. He didn’t look lost. He he got a big hit um against what was that? Game three. Game three. Yeah, big hit there. So, yeah, I I would love for Tony to be that guy. Someone’s got to be the next guy to step up and maybe maybe we’re just overlooking like a George or we’re overlooking a Vlad of doing a Kirk, honestly. Yeah, absolutely. I just I think it’s so hard when those games get tough for for the catchers to be those guys. And that’s why it it was so impressive what Cal Raleigh has done because you handle the staff. You’re a good defensive catcher. And oh, I’m just going to like carry this offense, too. I’m just going to do it all. So, yeah. Very cool. I I expect less from from the catchers, but it would be awesome to have a great Kirk series again. Call your shot, A. You called it last series with the sack stud. Who’s your guy this series? I don’t know yet. I’m going to have to come back to you because it might just be Nathan Lucas again. Well, I wouldn’t be Nathan L. With the righties on the mound, it’s not a I mean, yeah, he’s going to play. He’s going to play every day hitting that two-hole unless Bo’s back, right? He’s He’s going to play and he’s going to defend well and he’s going to I’ll call my shot. I need it. Dalton Bar show again. Lefty, you know, lefty against the righties. We talk about he’s in a play every game as well, which rocks. I mean, he did in the ALDS obviously, but um someone brought up a good point to me with the IKF thing. Like they they value him clearly more because he played every single game out of that series. Like he came in as a defensive replacement no matter what. They value his defense more than they value like a Davis at second. Correct. Or then they value a barger at third. Right. Correct. Like that’s kind of that that’s why I went back at you too. Like there there’s clearly as we can’t only think about hitting like there. It’s just the app bats [ __ ] suck, Avery. I’m sorry. Like no. They are so bad. I I I I again I never would have disagreed with you about that too. I was just like that’s not kind of the whole point of of where I was going. I again I’m I’m willing to admit I’m wrong. I just don’t see a world he’s left off the roster. Son Dare. I don’t especially with the switch hitter and all the righties on the mound. I I I don’t see a world for it. I really don’t. And IK’s thing is they’ve started him against lefties. Yeah. Like again, you could still be creative and use Davis, Ernie, Barger, Andress in that infield instead of having to go to IKF, right? Yeah. Like that’s kind of where I’m at with that. That’s not that much infield depth. That’s four guys though for three positions. Yeah, for sure. But you’re taking one of them out to have a pinch hitter, right? Like once you get late in the game, those are the guys you were taking because you’re taking Who would you take out there? I mean, Davis is a great at bat. Well, Barger against a lefty, you are taking out, right? Like that. So that immediately burns a guy cuz he’s going to start against a righty and then if it’s like Ferguson or Spire comes in, then they come out. So then then you’re down one and then you got to cover. IKF would be the last of those to come in. But again, like is the IKF’s is the IKF splits against lefties better than the Barger splits against lefties? Not really. It’s like I I has like a 60 way to run crit plus against lefties. Oh yeah, they’re probably not very [ __ ] good either of them. Like I know we talk about the platoon stuff, but yeah, I don’t really again I I I just I can’t I’m not going to be able and maybe he makes me shut up and has a legacy ALCS IKF some maybe one clutch hit will make me shut up probably, but where I’m at right now is I love the guy. We met him. He’s awesome dude. I know people say we’re biased with our friends, but um I just I don’t see a world that makes sense. I I really don’t. Again, you could talk about the defense, man, but is Davis’s defense does Davis’s defense is Davis’s defense significantly worse than IKF’s to where you need him in the ro you you need to accept and stomach the bat. That’s where I’m at with that. I I think there’s a very good chance I if he’s on the roster again just doesn’t even get an at bat. Just like he’s he never sinks. That’s fair. But it happen. Yeah. Barger’s a 69 way to run traded plus against lefties. Um, IKF 46. I mean, god damn it. I don’t know how many at bats both of them have, though. Yeah, it’s probably more for IKF, I assume. I’m assuming he got a a decent amount of at bats against lefties in Pittsburgh. Um, I would think the same thing, too. And that’s pretty bad. Holy [ __ ] Aver. That’s awful. Hey, he has two of his home runs against lefties, though. So, there’s that pop potential. Yeah, look out for the pop. Absolutely. So, when do we get the rosters? Tomorrow morning. Tomorrow morning. tomorrow morning. Cool. Okay, speaking about the rosters, we got to talk about it. I mean, Bass is going to be on this roster, right? Yeah, I think Basset and there’s a good chance Max is there, too. Really? Basset and Basset and Max for Brule and Nance. Uh, yeah, Brules. Bru’s out, I would think. Yeah. Um, absolutely. I don’t think anyone’s Basset will definitely be on it. I would I think he’d be over Max. they would put him. But yeah, I think there’s a good chance Max is on it. I am not so quick to give up on Tommy Nance. That I’m not either. I’m just saying like I think those would be the swaps. Yeah, but like Tommy N was really good for us this year, too. And it was a it was a bad series. Maybe the moment got too big. So, I’m not really ready to be off. But I wouldn’t be shocked if Max is is on that roster too as like kind of long man pen because you do need it in these kind Yeah. in seven game series. Yeah. games get out of hand. Like if the Jays get a big lead, you’ll probably throw Sherzer, I’m assuming, to eat like two or three innings. Yeah, I don’t think that’s a it’s a crazy thought at all. What is your thoughts? What is your thought? Because I know we talk about Basset being bad on the road, but this is a different circumstance in terms of the road being T-Mobile, which is a very pitcher friendly ballpark. Are you more comfortable with Basset throwing in T-Mobile as a road guy? because the the the splits suck, but it’s it is a little bit of a difference when you’re pitching at T-Mobile, right? Yeah. I I feel I’m going to say the same thing as we felt with Luis Castillo because he his splits suck on the road. The Mariners fans are going to be happy to see that the splits are that way, but the splits go away. You have to win that game in front of you, too. So, I’m not I’d rather Trey be in this comfy spot pitching at home game two. However the outcome is is what will happen obviously. So, but you’re setting Trey up for success and I think that’s a good thing as well. So, I’m the Vets. Let him go on the road. Throw him to the fire. That’s why that’s why they’ve been in the league for this long. Like that’s going to be Chris Basset’s first outing as a uh as a Blue Jay in the postseason, right? Yeah. And it’ll be on the road. And it’ll be on the road. So, this is what I have my pitcher matchups at. A not you, maybe you could push back on this and switch five, six, seven. But if it does go to that, hopefully the Jay just win in five, so that doesn’t really [ __ ] matter about this and they get a pretty decent cushion so they could start like a Gossman again game one in the in the World Series and they make it. But Gossman game one obviously that’s already confirmed today. Yavage Bieber. Okay, so kind of what they went obviously in the Bronx. Basset/bullpen game. Short leash on Basset. Louis Varand is the next guy up coming out of that pen um in that and then you kind of just mix and match like they did game four against the Yankees. Then Gossman again, you Savage game six at home, right? Because that’s how it goes. Bieber game seven. Okay. Did you Is that real or is like Have you looked into rest days? Well, that No, that’s what I just have at that. Okay. It would make I would have to check like days in between because like does Gossman line up regularly? I can look at that. I can look at that. Yeah. Well, because you had So, yeah, it goes Gossman on the Sunday. Yeah. You Savage on the Monday. Yeah. Bieber game three on Wednesday, right? Yeah. And then Basset/Bullpen game on the Friday because it goes Thursday, Friday there. Or Wednesday, Wednesday, Thursday there because game four would be there. Game five on the road again. You go gas Gossman. That’s regular rest. That’s five days. Yeah. Yeah. And then Y Savage Sunday in Toronto. That’s another five days rest or six days rest for your Savage. And then Bieber on the Monday. So Bieber would have 5 days rest as well. Okay, makes sense. Yeah, glad that can work out too. So, I I do think it makes some sense to have Max as like a bullpen long roll to be on this roster cuz there’s a lot of innings to cover and there’s a whole another game mixed in there that you have to worry about, right? So, I think there is a chance um that that happens cuz it’s not it’s not five and seven, right? You’re playing you’re playing five games in six days because you have the one off day. Um so, just got to find the way to get that done. That’s a lot of baseball in a short period of time and you got to find someone to cover those high leverage innings. You’re way quicker on the hooks for all these guys because it is the playoffs. You’re going to have to find some bulk I think in the pen and it might not be Louis Varin because he might be pitching the really big innings. Yes, that’s fair. I again gun to my head I choose Nance probably in terms of like trust over Max Sher probably. I I don’t think that’s really a hot take. No. But yeah, the Can Nance give you three innings bulk? I’m not sure. He was a decent I think he was a decent two inning guy this time. I don’t know. Just don’t be shocked if Max is on there is is where I’ve kind of landed on it. I think he think there’s a real chance. Again, that would that scares the [ __ ] out of me. Um especially with those like Dude, could you imagine Max Sher versus Cal Rally? I wipe him hopefully. Oh my god, he would wipe Yeah, he would wax his ass. That would not be great. Um, it would not be great. But I think the rosters stay pretty much the same aides from BR. I think BR’s the lock shoe in. He’s not on the roster, right? Like that’s guaranteed. Yeah. I don’t think he’s there’s no need for him. Yeah. He was only like the only time they could throw him was up 12 nothing and he couldn’t even do that. Like what’s the point of having him there, right? All respect to to him. Yeah, that’s fair. I I think Yeah, I think uh I think Bass is good to go though. Yeah, I would think so, too. This Mariners lineup’s fun. I But I like this Mariners lineup, man. I like him. I think it’s tough. It’s not It’s not the big boppers that the Yankees are, but they can do it a different way. And they’re they’re still good. Like up and down that lineup is not not that easy to navigate, man. Not not that easy to navigate. And you’re going to have like Kenzone hitting too, who’s been a dog. Yeah. Yeah. And like Garver, he’s probably not going to play because it’s all going to be righties. Um, but this is an awesome lineup and I I can just see Josh Naylor trying to stealing all the bases and having having something on the Jays. But I got some news for the Mariners fans. Avery, listen. This Toronto Blue Jays lineup doesn’t have that bum Colt Keith. They don’t have Spencer Torqulson bum ass hitting in the fourhole. They don’t got Dylan Dingler. They don’t got Zack McKinstry. You better lock in. You better lock in on pitching. You better lock the [ __ ] in because this lineup, the way things are going right now, they’re firing. They are firing. So, all I’m saying is your pitchers better lock the [ __ ] in, man, because this is not no roll over Dylan Dingler. Spencer Tolson sucks. Holy [ __ ] he’s terrible. Um, but yeah, it’s gonna be a fun series, Avery. I mean, listen, this 2025 team has been able to do and eliminate the curses this team has had. Win a playoff game, win a playoff series, beat the Yankees, win the division. They’ve been able to slay those dragons. And this is the opportunity to slay the next dragon. A team who embarrassed you on your home turf up 8-1. A game that is etched in every single Toronto Blue Jays fan memories of holy [ __ ] this is the worst day of my life. The collision in center field between Springer and Bo, Anthony Bass [ __ ] down his leg and then leaving the league the next year. Um, this is it. You got to slay the dragon, man. And again, game one is so important. So important. Game two is important as well, but game one is the most important in terms of the mismatch. them using every single bullpen guy in a 15-in game two days ago. This is where it is. Them arriving in late, time change, everything. There’s tons of factors that favor the Toronto Blue Jays in this series at the start of the series. Once we get to game three, game four, like the Wednesday, whatever, Wednesday, Thursday, it’ll be probably a normal series in terms of like the pitching matchups and stuff along those lines. But the first two games at home in front of 50,000 people, those are the games you got to get. Just like you did against the Yankees. Yeah, absolutely. Starts game one. It’s Bill’s gonna be rocking. Think it’s going to be closed. Don’t close this time. Has to be. It’s going to be cold. Yeah. Oh, cold. Yeah. Colder than before and and rainy, I think, some of the days. But, man, those tickets were expensive to go to the [ __ ] baseball game. And Seattle, too. I know Mariners fans were were complaining that the tickets were insane for there, too. I mean, I guess two teams that don’t have haven’t had an ALCS in forever, so makes sense. They’re going to try and cash in on these, but man, they were expensive. They were they really were. They really were. Went full. There was so many people trying to get tickets, which is good. The Leafs moved their game time for the Blue Jays. Yeah, they know who run this city. Yeah, exactly. I don’t think I can remember that for a long time. So, that’s kind of cool with how things are going. Thank god we’re not going to that Monday game, Avery, because uh we we were asked we got we got offered tickets for the Monday game and um that’s going to be a mad house to get to Toron. Like obviously you live there anyway, so it’s not a big deal for you. Yeah. But [ __ ] that is going to be a hell house. That’s really going to be bad. Yeah. Yeah. It’s going to suck a lot. A lot. That’s a wake up at 8 a.m. get to the city and then we can hang out and figure it out later. But no, really cool. We’ll Are we able to do something Sunday pregame? Do you know yet? I don’t know. I asked. I mean, maybe I’ll ask around. Maybe I’ll reach out to another bar, but yeah. I mean, it’s So, Paris, Texas is right beside. Can you reach out to the Cherries guy? Maybe. Yeah, I’ll see if we can grab like the patio or something like that. Cuz I I can imagine it’s not going to be that crazy. No. On a Sunday night, on a Sunday, middle of the day during Thanksgiving, right? Unless hit up Jay. Yeah. Unless everyone’s come home. That’s for sure. Um, but dude, funny. This weekend, Callum Morrison’s brother came up to me. We were at Man Kent and funny. He’s like, “Oh, you’re the gate 14 guy.” Yeah, I’m Callum’s brother. That’s awesome. Shout out. Yeah, really good. And then I posted a picture from Man. We were waiting to go back home and I just took a a picture of the bar sign there and it got like 50,000 likes on Twitter. [ __ ] Fans are so salty. I’ve actually um I have locked in some more bookmarks from them essentially celebrating from the cuck chair. They can the winners write the history books all the time. You can celebrate how you want to celebrate. You just have to win. And if we lose a series and people clown us, you just got to wear it too. Like that’s how the things work. We’ve we’ve been on the losing end of that pretty much every time. So, when you finally win and beat the Yankees, uh, very funny that they’re bitching. I had a Yankee fan buddy say, “That was your World Series?” I’m like, “Well, you guys literally can’t go to the World Series now because we beat you.” So, yeah. You know what? That one’s actually important, you [ __ ] [ __ ] Thank you. Yeah, that’s that’s a fair point. You also Do you want to talk about who you facetimed on Friday? Oh, I the we were out with some of the the guys Sam and Luke are the best. they do uh the pitching stuff. You see Sam in the bullpen, but Luke was talking to TJ Brock. He was talking to TJ Brock and he seems like the man. They said he’s an awesome kid. So that’s Well, I mean, listen, you could be an awesome kid when you got that protection. Yeah, they said he’s he’s a good kid. So I He was on a good trajectory to be a big leager. Like he his fall league stuff was nasty last year and then uh then got hurt. But TJ O’ Brock is TJ O’ Brock. So, did you talk to him or you didn’t say? I I just said, “What’s up?” Yeah. Quickly. That’s hilarious. Avery facetimed an Oblock member. That’s so awesome. That’s the gate 14 difference. But, um, he’s got to be a little scared with like the gang affiliation stuff all over social media now. But, um, I I don’t know what he’s actually isn’t. Yeah. Yeah. I’m just saying like Yeah. just I mean just being in those pictures and stuff I mean I’m sure it puts a little bit of a target on your back in terms of like I mean his social media just randomly blew up one night in the middle of a division series I he asked those guys like is this a bad thing like I don’t think so I’m not sure I’m not sure. Uh but anyways um listen folks I can’t believe I’m saying this. We’re in the ALCS um final four as the kids say. The final four. Um it’s not going to be easy. Like I said with the Yankee series, that’s a great ball club over there. They made it to the LCS for a reason. I don’t give a [ __ ] if they beat one of the worst baseball teams I’ve ever seen in my life in the Detroit Tigers. Like they they beat the best pitcher in the league twice. Yeah, they did that twice. So twice, no matter how you look at it. But um it does match up better. There’s no solidified number one ace that’s going to take away a game like a Tariq that’s pretty much guaranteed two wins against the Jays when they when he plays them. Um so it it is a better position to be in. I know many people wanted the Tigers, but I didn’t I did not want to face Scubble twice. Nope. Yeah, I didn’t want to do that. So, um, slay the dragon, attack. Let’s have ourselves a weekend. We’ll talk to you guys tomorrow night or Yeah, tomorrow night after game one against the Mariners. I’m looking forward to it. I’m nervous. We’ll be there. No live stream, by the way. Game two will be live streaming during uh the day. I believe it’s at 4:30 or 5, depending if the Brewers win. But thank you guys for the support, man. It’s been insane. Um, love you guys. Gate 14 forever. Let’s have ourselves a weekend and uh happy Thanksgiving and let’s let’s win game one one mile at a time. Just win today.

The Jays and Mariners battle in the ALCS.

Gate 14 is the most electric Toronto Blue Jays podcast on the planet. Join Johnny & Avery as they navigate the ups and down of 162. New episodes drop twice a week, so subscribe now!

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