‘These games come down to one or two plays’ — Alex Rodriguez on Mariners Game 1 loss to Tigers

‘These games come down to one or two plays’ — Alex Rodriguez on Mariners Game 1 loss to Tigers

What a game. 3-2 Tigers outlasting the Mariners in 11. And boy oh boy, uh, obviously runs hard to come by, but that felt pretty important for Detroit with Terrick Scuboo on deck in game two, didn’t it, Derek? That was huge, man. I mean, when we were doing the predictions before the game started, I was struggling with it. I really was struggling. And I thought and said that Seattle needs to win game one. Now they got to win three out of four. And they’re facing Scooball twice. So, it’s it’s a tough task. not over yet, but it just got a whole lot tougher for Seattle. I tell you what, it wasn’t a bad game, you know, just the the Seattle bat, they just didn’t execute it the way they normally do. It was a hell of a game. Pitching was right on. I mean, everybody from both sides, pitching wide, executed the right way. They they they they keep call on the field. I mean, he got hit here, here, but power-wise, uh uh only Julio came through, but they did a good job. uh uh trying to keep the ball on the park. Yeah, there’s a few things working against uh Detroit. You have Munoz, the closer who threw two innings, and you know, I’m sure he’s available tomorrow, but you got to keep that in mind. And all these games get come down to one or two plays and it was the lack of base running for JRod, which we’ll talk about it, Julio Rodriguez, and then George Kirby, we’ll talk about that later, three pitches in a row, front door sinkers. The third one, Carpenter was waiting for it and he deposited. Yeah, one of those games only a couple hits but a couple big hits and the Tigers get the last laugh there. And Zach McKinstry had the best year of his career. Uh first time all-star for him. He’s the guy that delivers kind kind of the way that the you know kind of the way the Tigers have been right like the way that AJ Hinch Alex manipulates the lineup. It’s like a different guy every night and guys you won’t normally expect. Obviously Javier Bayz kind of rejuvenate his career. Zack McKintry is perfect guy. Guy was a utility guy with the Dodgers. Then he comes here and is an all-star for the first time in his career. Yeah. Both these man managers are former catchers and AJ, he’s an experienced manager. He’s been to the World Series. He’s delivered the big blow and he’s a perfect guy to weather the storm. And look, there’s no surprise, Derek. This reminds me when one of those years, I think before you played the Mets, you guys played terrible and then all of a sudden you you ran through the postseason. Sometimes when you get a little adversity and you get over that hump, then all of a sudden you turn that negative into a positive and they have so far. It seemed like they exhaled. Yeah. Right. It’s it’s such a push to get into the postseason. Everyone keeps telling them about this is going to be the biggest collapse in the history of the game. They finally get in. Bam. They beat Cleveland. Now they go on the road to Seattle and win game one. So seems like they might be a little bit more relaxed at this point. Well, you we all need to know also that what can begin to be your best friend, it can begin to be your worst enemy. That switching over back and forth, sometime it works, sometime it doesn’t. for AJ, especially the September collapse that they have. I’m pretty sure they learned something and that’s what they putting in play now. And sometimes tomorrow’s pitcher, he’s sitting right on the rail scoo. I remember when you have Randy Johnson or Pedro Martinez or Kurt Schilling, they can affect game one when they pitch game two because the aura of that last time he pitched 14 strikeouts, those guys are looking at that saying more pressure on Mariners and the Detroit Tigers delivered. It feels like and by the way for McKenzry we talked about you know what he did the utility and and the different ways he was used he won the game in game one against the Guardians with a bunt so co it kind of shows his versatility and that’s the player that he was but for Detroit getting through that adversity you almost forget how good they were in the first half of the season right are you seeing some signs of the team that we saw the first half when they were the best team in the league we all thought man this team is world series or bust when you’re a player you’re a lot better player when you’re relaxed And in a long season is a marathon. You’re going to go through some ups and downs. And I think captain’s right. Sometimes there’s a sigh of relief. Okay, we got our worst behind us. Now it’s time to have a little fun. We’ve weathered that storm. Now the pressure’s off. Let’s go play fun. And they’re playing like a loose bunch. And I tell you what, having your ace on the mound tomorrow, the guy that is almost impossible to hit him, even even if the Mariner have some good success again, good success against this guy, it’s a playoff time guy. It’s a playoff time. The lights are brighter, the pressure is there. You lost your first game at home and then you facing the best pitcher in the game. Were we just talking about at the All-Star game how great Detroit was? Yeah. and we completely forgot about it because of the how they collapsed there in the second half. They have a good team. They have a really good team. Now, look, they’re going to have to score some runs. I mean, they struck out way too much tonight. I mean, they’re going to have to get more guys on it and score some runs and give Scooble some breathing room, but if they come out and score first, we always talk about the importance of scoring first. If they come out and score first tomorrow, could be a long night. Let’s flip and go Mariners here a little bit, right? So obviously this game hits at a premium. They beat Scooble twice during the regular season. 10 and two/3 innings, scored seven times off him, hit a couple home runs off. So a rare team to actually get to him a couple of times. You know, Dererick’s talking about the pressure to score first and early. What are they thinking going into tomorrow? The fact that they got him twice during the regular season, does that matter at all here on the man Mariners confidence-wise? It it matters, but you know, they only had two guys check in with hits, right? Cal Raleigh and Rodriguez. They need participation from everybody. And sometimes, Kevin, when you don’t value 90 ft for 6 months, it’s hard to break those habits. And you see the swings. I mean, people are falling over themselves. Everyone’s trying to be the hero. Sometimes you got to hit the ball the other way. Forget exit VO. Forget launch angles. You got to walk a wild pitch, a broken bat single. Tigers win. Play baseball and compete. Zack McKinstry, the game-winning hit in the 11th for the Mariners. And he is spending time right now with our Tom Verduchi. Go. Thanks, Zack McKinstry. 11th inning. Take me through your preparation for that battle. It was a quick one. What were you looking for? Yeah, just trusting the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ right there and just allowing him to to work through me and um just allowing me to to be calm in the box. Um looking for a sinker there. He throws it a lot and uh got one and was able to get the job done. What is it about this team that seems to find a way to win? Your record in one run games this year, the best in baseball. Yeah, I mean we’re resilient. uh we go out there, we compete our butts off and uh we enjoy it. Uh you know, not we don’t love playing in close games, but um yeah, it seems like there’s a still in the in the in the crazy craziness going on. Zack, you know, the postseason game one is always big, but this one you forced their closer out there for two innings and you give the ball game two to Scooble. How big was this win for Detroit? Oh, it was huge going in game two with Scoob on the bump. It’s going to be a lot of fun. Um yeah, he he’s going to go out there and compete, man. He’s he’s electric and he’s one of the best in the game and um yeah, it’s going to be a lot of fun to play behind him tomorrow and getting this first one for him and uh yeah, it’s going to be a good good time. Thanks so much. We’ll see you game two. Thank you. All right, Tom. Appreciate that. Scooble tomorrow, Poppy. Um listen, guys been great. Sai Young winner probably wins it again, right? What are you expecting from him tomorrow for Detroit? Be who he is. The ace that everybody know. I mean, this guy, he know how to spell his speeches better than anybody in the game. as it said right now. The one thing that we got to keep in mind when an aggressive team like the Mariners is facing a guy like him, the reason why I think that has been successful is because he got to be almost perfect to face this guy. The way he approach pitcher like him, it’s like I might get that one chance, Kevin. I cannot miss it. I love that. Let’s go back to Seattle right now as Carrie Carpenter will join us. One of the big hits for Detroit tonight, two-run home run. Carrie, it’s Kevin Burkhart and the Fox guys. Thanks for jumping on for a second. Congrats on the win. I’m just curious. We’re talking about you guys and your season, right? And after you get through and knock off the Guardians, another hard-fought series and every one of those games was tough like they all were during the regular season. Was there a little bit of an exhale like maybe the first time you guys were able to kind of let out a breath of relief for the first time in a while and just be you like you were in the first half? Uh, there’s probably something to that. Thanks for having me on, by the way. And um yeah, there’s something to that. I mean um I don’t know if it was an exhale or what, but um yeah, we feel we feel really free. I think I mean this was one of the best crowds we’ve ever played in front of. Um but you know, we were free. Um we were fearless and and we went out there and played our game. Hey Carrie, Alex Rodriguez here. Uh congrats on the big game and the big home run. Uh my question to you is I was surprised that George Kirby threw you three front door sinkers. You took the first one for a strike, you took the second one for a ball barely, and then it seemed like you were waiting for the third one, you cleared your hips, and you went big fly. Walk me through that at bat. What were you thinking? Um, I I had seen him pretty well the the first couple of bats. He got me a couple times. His stuff is just really good. Um, I know that with two strikes, he likes to to front hip that that two seam and and he got me with it in the first at bat and I chased up. Um, but I felt like my timing was was a lot better that I at bat and um and I was seeing it really well. So, I trusted to to get on time with, you know, the fastest pitch he could have thrown as, you know, a front hip uh sinker. So, I was just I just saw it well and and let it fly when I saw it. Hey, Carrie Big Poppy right here. Congratulation on the huge win and a bomb that you hit tonight. That’s how we do it, man. That’s how we do it. Hey, coming from my favorite player of all time growing up, that’s pretty special. Now you’re talking growing up. Growing up. Hey, listen. The struggle that you all have during September, I would like you to tell me on your own words. What have you guys as a team learned about it? Cuz you guys you guys tonight look like the the one team that dominate the first half of the season more than the second half of the season. Yeah, it’s uh I don’t know if we if we had to go through those struggles or what to to really find ourselves again, but yeah, it was that was as tough of a stretch that I think anybody in this locker room has ever been through, especially in the big leagues. And um especially after the first half we had when we were we were rolling, we were confident and um I think during that stretch, we had to find our own confidence again. like the the results weren’t there for a lot of guys and as a team and so it was like okay are we going to let the results give us confidence or or know that we can do this and so I think that’s something that we really learned. Gary, what’s up? This is Derek here. I I just want to piggyback on an earlier question. You talk about you seeing the ball well off of Kirby. Now we were backstage talking about players that we love to face during our careers. You’re five for 11 for 11 with five home runs against him. So, it’s more than you just see him. Well, do you just run to the bat rack every time you see him coming? Uh, I wouldn’t say that cuz I do have a lot of respect for him because he’s pretty nasty. He’s an all-star. He’s really good. But, you know, those guys that something something about it, even some guys that are really nasty, um, I I just felt like I was I was seeing it off the fingertips really well and and waiting on on even his fast balls. And so, um, yeah, I mean, he’s he’s struck me out a few times for sure, but, um, I I do see him pretty well. Hey, Carrie, last one here. I also want to piggyback off, uh, something you said earlier. You mentioned that Big Poppy is your favorite player of all time. I just want to let you know that he did not pick the Tigers to win the series. Come on, man. That hurts. That hurts. Come on. Did Did you guys I mean, yeah, I pick you to go deep, man. Yeah, that that’s a fair question. Hey, real Carrie, real quick. So, wait, you’re from Florida growing up, right? So, how was Poppy? Give me a little take us back to childhood. Big Poppy. How did he become your favorite guy? I love it. I think I love the swing. Um, you debuted on my exact birthday. I think it was I think September 2nd, 1997. And so, I think Oh, I got that wrong then. No, but um uh something about something about I was I was a Rays fan growing up, but man, I I love Big Poppy and and man, I loved watching you guys play as well. So, it was it was a great time to grow up. I’ll say that. Hey, Carrie, I got a present for you. I make sure you get it, brother. I got a jersey back. Whatever you want. I I I love that’s that’s literally that is just incredible. Carrie, man, thanks for thanks for coming on and and maybe we’ll get a chance to see you in person the next round. All right. I appreciate it. Good luck the rest of the way. Keep it up, man. Awesome. Appreciate you guys. It’s an honor. So good. That was so fun. And what a big hit for him. And that gosh, you were right though. I mean, you’re you’re when you’re you guys are talking about, right? When you see a guy Well, but this is heard of I mean for 11. It’s not like he’s got a 100 bats against him, right? Is like five five hits, five homers. Hey fellas, what? Forget that. What a nice young man. Great attitude, great personality. That was pretty cool. And growing up a Rays fan, but a Poppy fan. I love that. Yeah, he love Poppy Man. Listen, I mean, hey, you know what? The last time I saw somebody hitting off of off somebody like that, it was many remain against the right-handed pitches that y’all have named Stewart. He was like 10 for 12 with like 25 bombs. Who who the hell is Stewart? Who is Stewart? I can’t remember what his name was, but he tann of fortune. Let’s Let’s go, Poppy. I got you, baby. I got you. I got you. Thank you for picking me up. Give me the numbers. Can we We go Let’s go to the It feels like the right time to go to the train station. Let’s go to the train station. Help us out. Help us out. It is off the rails already. It’s been late. You guys have had three meals in there. Too many coffees this late. You’re looking sharp train. I appreciate this trying to follow you guys, man. But this was a gritty win. And I changed my pick, Detroit fans, because I heard what Poppy picked. So, I knew the Tigers going to pull this one out, but this was a huge win because one, you get ahead. You still won on the road and also you have one of the most talented arms waiting for game two and Mr. Scoo. He’s the American League erra champ, also the leader. And so, you’re going into it going to sleep saying, “Hey, we have the best weapon.” And they’re going to have to beat them twice. Now, I know they talked about the Mariners had success. Doesn’t matter. This is the postseason and this is a guy that struck out 241 guys in just 191 innings pitch. So, you know, he’s going to be charged up to be able to send it 20 and get back to Moldtown. So, this is going to be a big time matchup and the Mariners have to win this game and they’re going against one of the most daunting arms in all of baseball. Train setting it up for tomorrow. Little drama. Appreciate you D as always. Don Tro will doing his thing. You know what I love about Scooble? He loves the smoke. He’s out there and he lo he’ll he’ll trash talk it. He wants every part of the big moment. So I I guess that’s part of the ace mantra though, right? You know what else I like, Kevin, is a lot of starters when you’re pitching the next game, you know those fellas, sometimes Skip will send you home early, a couple innings early. He’s right there top cheering on his teammates. That’s what a true ace and and a leader does. He’s a ball player. He has fun. He has fun when he’s I would too if I had that stuff. Sometimes he takes a little far when he threw the ball between his legs. But he enjoys competition. He enjoys the big games. He’s fun to watch and it’s it’s going to be a good one. I thought it was interesting, too, that Carpenter Poppy says that was the be the the best crowd they played. You know, toughest road crowd. That was interesting. And I wonder if they’ll have any juice tomorrow. It takes a little life out of them today. I would think after that after that loss, I tell you what, Kevin, after a win like this and having your ace on the mount, trust me, they’re not even going to care about anything tomorrow. They’re just going to come and play the game the way they normally do. Best way to take the crowd out of it, score first. Yeah. Right. score first, you have nothing to cheer about. And the perfect model for that, Kevin, we saw it today with the Milwaukee Brewers. And when you can come out and dominate early, harder to do against a school, but you didn’t expect the Brewers to score eight, nine runs early. Curious Carrie getting a an early my dog shirt. They usually they’re only reserved when we go on the road. Is this a mailer? A my dog mailer. You know what? I think we’re going to see them next time around so I personally give it to Daisy Daisy Renosa the gentleman. She’s gota order like 35 more shirts.

“MLB on FOX” crew break down the Detroit Tigers extra inning win against the Seattle Mariners, Kerry Carpenter joins the show, and a preview of Game 2.

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