With the grand opening of the new Planet Fitness in Timonium underway, Luke Jones joined Nestor on York Road at Planet Fitness to discuss the Orioles’ acquisition of former first-round draft pick Shane Baz and a Christmas primer on ways the Birds have improved heading into 2026.
Nestor J. Aparicio and Luke Jones discuss the Orioles’ acquisition of pitcher Shane Baz from the Rays. Baz, a former first-round pick, had a 3.36 ERA in 31 starts last year and throws 97 mph. Jones compares Baz to Dean Kramer, suggesting Baz has more potential. They also discuss the Orioles’ need for more starting pitchers and bullpen arms. The conversation touches on the Orioles’ new coaching staff and the potential impact of a baseball work stoppage on the team’s offseason plans. Jones emphasizes the importance of the Orioles making smart financial decisions and taking advantage of the current market conditions.
Shane Baz’s Potential Impact on Orioles
Nestor J. Aparicio and Luke Jones discuss Shane Baz’s potential impact on the Orioles’ rotation.
Nestor mentions wearing a Planet Fitness sash and new year’s hats.
Nestor humorously asks Luke to predict Shane Baz’s wins for 2026.
Nestor reflects on the recent firing of John Harbaugh and other events.
Evaluating Shane Baz’s Talent
Nestor compares Shane Baz to Dean Kramer, suggesting Baz has more potential.
Luke Jones defends Mike Elias against the label of being a “prospect hugger.”
Luke mentions the trades of Grayson Rodriguez, Kyle Brinn, and Michael Elias.
Luke highlights Baz’s history, including injuries and Tommy John surgery.
Baz’s Upside and Health Concerns
Luke discusses Baz’s upside, including his 97 mph fastball and curveball.
Nestor and Luke talk about Baz’s performance in Tampa and his minor league stats.
Luke compares Baz to Grayson Rodriguez, emphasizing Baz’s health profile.
Nestor and Luke discuss the importance of Baz staying healthy and contributing innings.
Orioles’ Rotation and Bullpen Strategy
Nestor and Luke discuss the Orioles’ current rotation and bullpen.
Luke suggests Tyler Wells could be more effective in a relief role.
Nestor and Luke compare Wells to Zach Britton and Greg Olsen.
Luke emphasizes the need for another frontline starting pitcher.
Orioles’ Offseason Moves and Future Plans
Nestor and Luke discuss the Orioles’ offseason moves, including the signing of Pete Alonso.
Luke suggests the Orioles need another starting pitcher and bullpen arm.
Nestor and Luke talk about the importance of maintaining a healthy rotation.
Luke mentions the potential for the Orioles to make more moves before the season starts.
Impact of Potential Work Stoppage on Orioles
Nestor and Luke discuss the potential impact of a work stoppage on the Orioles.
Nestor expresses concern about the league’s business model and the imbalance between small and large markets.
Luke mentions the importance of the Orioles taking advantage of the current offseason activity.
Nestor and Luke discuss the potential for the Orioles to be more aggressive in their spending due to the work stoppage.
Orioles’ Coaching Staff and Player Development
Nestor and Luke talk about the Orioles’ new coaching staff, including Drew French and Ryan Clemente.
Luke mentions the importance of maintaining continuity while making upgrades.
Nestor and Luke discuss the Orioles’ player development and the impact of new coaches.
Luke highlights the success stories of players like Trevor Rogers and Albert Suarez.
Orioles’ Financial Strategy and Market Position
Nestor and Luke discuss the Orioles’ financial strategy and their position in the market.
Luke mentions the importance of the Orioles spending money to compete.
Nestor and Luke talk about the challenges of the Orioles’ market and the need for a better business model.
Luke emphasizes the importance of the Orioles making smart financial decisions.
Orioles’ Future and Fan Expectations
Nestor and Luke discuss the future of the Orioles and fan expectations.
Nestor expresses optimism about the Orioles’ potential to compete in 2026.
Luke mentions the importance of the Orioles making the right moves to satisfy fans.
Nestor and Luke talk about the need for the Orioles to continue improving their roster.
Final Thoughts and New Year’s Reflections
Nestor and Luke reflect on the new year and their hopes for the Orioles.
Nestor mentions the importance of the Orioles’ offseason moves and the potential impact of a work stoppage.
Luke emphasizes the need for the Orioles to take advantage of the current market conditions.
Nestor and Luke discuss their personal reflections and wishes for the new year.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
Shane Baz, Orioles rotation, Mike Elias, prospects, Tommy John surgery, Dean Kramer, pitching prospects, Baltimore Orioles, baseball offseason, work stoppage, MLB labor issues, team payroll, player acquisitions, coaching staff, bullpen depth.
SPEAKERS
Luke Jones, Nestor J. Aparicio
Nestor J. Aparicio 00:00
Welcome home. We are W N st am 1570 tassel, Baltimore. We are Baltimore, positive. We are positively. Here at Planet Fitness, they have given me. I have a Planet Fitness sash. I’m like Mr. Planet Fitness for the year. It might be Luke Jones. I’m not sure are you gonna put that on? I don’t think it’s ever been worn. It’s all brought to you by the middle that works at the headset. Have candy cane cash. We had a $100 winner. It costs the other day. Our friends at GBMC keep me alive. I told them that I wanted some wacky hats, some new year’s eve hats. So Happy New Year’s to you. I’ll even put on my purple dude. I got purple goggles. There you go. Oh, we got to put purple goggles on because we’re not even doing a raven segment here. I want to see what purple goggles looks like. There you go. Purple goggles. Look into the Planet Fitness 2026, crystal ball, and tell me how many wins Shane baz is going to have. Luke Jones,
Luke Jones 00:52
hopefully, quite a few. All right, there’s upside there.
Nestor J. Aparicio 00:57
I have to put my regular glasses on so I can see how you doing, man, as we record this, you’re a couple hours of sleep. We fired John Harbaugh. We’ve we didn’t have to bench Derek Henry. They already benched him for us. Yeah, we had the Green Bay thing. But beyond all of that, I’ve dragged you out here to plan a fitness here today for a little bit, just because we’re gonna talk some baseball. Anyway, you’re on your way out to Owings Mills, as you will be all week for the holidays. And Merry Christmas to you, the nieces, the family, all that good stuff, and your church and all the things that you do. But we have a little baseball thing happen over the weekend. I mean, I get the wnst tech service by Cole roofing and Gordian energy. And I wonder what you thought of it. And I did my Shane bass thing, and I looked at it and I thought, well, he’s really not even as good as Dean Kramer. Kind of sort of where, you know, it’s kind of where I let on, I’m like, he’s another Dean Kramer, as I looked at it, and I looked at and I thought, well, maybe they see something in him, because that’s the way, when I think of Elias as the baseball genius, I look at him and say, well, he saw something in Trevor Rogers. And we think he’s the village idiot. And he saw something in not Corbin burns. But, you know, in evaluating things he hasn’t been didn’t miss evaluate Adley rutchman, for crying out loud. So I don’t want to beat him up for things like that, but when he makes this kind of deal, it tells you like he sees something, right? And he obviously saw something in prospects. He gave away that maybe some of the internet fans in baseball America don’t believe about prospects. Yeah.
Luke Jones 02:19
I mean, if there’s one thing we can take away from this, it’s continuing the, you know, to push back on the notion that Elias is a prospect hugger, right? That he just wants to hold on to his prospects interminably and until the point where they don’t have much value. I mean, you
Nestor J. Aparicio 02:36
look at Prospect hugger, wow, that’s a new term. I haven’t heard that.
Luke Jones 02:39
I can’t I’ve heard others say that, so I can’t take credit for that. But I mean, you look at the fact that they traded Kate and Bodine, they traded Slater, Deborah, and these were two of their four first round picks in this past draft, Michael for it, who had a really, really good 2025 season, albeit still at least another year away, and they gave up a competitive balance pick. In fact, I the one that they, you know that they actually, how often have they done that? Not usually. They’ve been the ones acquiring, right? I mean, like Baker, last year, they acquired a pick, and that was actually the Slater de Braun pick. So it’s kind of ironic that they took that pick from the rays. They drafted someone and then they traded that guy back to the rays, but I’ll say this, and you mentioned Dean Kramer. I’m glad you did, because it’s interesting, because I look at Shane Boz like this, if you look at him, first of all, he’s a former first round pick. He’s 26 years old. He’s had injuries, although he’s about a year and a half on the other side of being healthy and being a couple years removed now from Tommy John surgery, and he’s got a lot of upside now, his era was not too far south of five last year, he didn’t have a great statistical year when you just look at it at first blush. However, stayed healthy the entire year, made 30 plus starts. He throws 97 miles per hour. He has a curve ball that profiles quite well. He pitched half his games at Steinbrenner field last year down in Tampa, which we saw when the Orioles played there. I mean, Adley rutsman hit a pop up to right field.
Nestor J. Aparicio 04:12
Yes. So played like Colorado.
Luke Jones 04:14
So you look at him, and I’ll go way back. He was a former first round pick of the pirates. He was part of the of the the Chris Archer trade. You know that, that big trade that included glass now meadows and so this is someone where, if you go and look at his baseball reference page and click on the minor league stats, he was a top 100 list guy. I mean, he was a guy that was regarded as one of the better pitching prospects in baseball. Made his debut for the rays back in, I think, 21 and not too long after that, started having elbow issues. Had Tommy John surgery. Missed all of 2023 you know, finally got back. I think he had an oblique or something like that early in 24 and that kind of delayed his return. So the
Nestor J. Aparicio 04:55
John means of their Yeah, kind of, sort of, and I saw the terrible news on him, Oh,
Luke Jones 04:59
I know. I mean, just can’t catch a break. Apparently he was getting ready to sign with someone too. It happened the same day he was going to sign. So tough break. I mean, he was such a good story for a long time. And through a no, no dog, yeah. I mean, absolutely. But you know, to bring it back to Boz, you know, he missed all of 23 he gets back. He makes 14 starts for the rays, second half of 24 and had a 3306, era. So you look at it, and the peripheral numbers last year looked better than what the era looked like. What I mean, his home splits were terrible. He pitched pretty well on the road. He had a sub four era on the road. And I think, if you’re Mike Elias, I think it’s interesting, because you mentioned Dean Kramer to me. I view this more as this is like Grayson Rodriguez, but I think there’s a higher level of conviction that he’s healthy and he’s gotten far enough away from Tommy John surgery he can ascend that now it’s like, okay, can this guy become something for you? Now that’s not a guarantee. And let me be clear, I like this move so much more if they’re still going out and getting another front line, top half of the rotation guy, but you think they’re gonna get a lot of innings at it? I think so. And I think even in I don’t want to say a worst case scenario, because worst case scenario for any pitcher is they get hurt, right? I mean, that’s just anybody. But I think if you’re looking at the floor for him, it’s that he could at least be another Dean Kramer kind of guy, but he’s got way better stuff. I mean, this guy’s got a good arm. He’s gonna strike people out decent ground ball rate last year also. So I think there is a profile there. And Elias said this, and he could be a real three for them. He could he might have a ceiling, that he could be a two. He could be 14 and nine with a 424, er, is that going to happen? Specifically in 2026 I have no idea. But at the very least, even if he’s not appreciably, markedly better than he was this past year, that still profiles as a pretty solid number four, number five, kind of option, especially if he’s going to take the ball every five days. And keep in mind,
Nestor J. Aparicio 06:55
well, the guys at the bottom, the Povich is in those guys. Doesn’t feel like any of them were coming, and you
Luke Jones 07:01
need more upside, like, you know, I’ve even said with Kate Povich, there are times where I see the makings of maybe a good major league pitcher in there, but realistically speaking, he’s probably more of like a swing man, you know, like a long reliever, maybe a guy that becomes a seven.
Nestor J. Aparicio 07:18
Oh, you wanted that with Tyler wells too, especially these guys that have had all these injuries, and Tyler wells, as is another one.
Luke Jones 07:23
And as we’re talking about the bullpen, I’ve said to you going back a few years now, I mean, even going back to when Batista got hurt the first time, and what remember wells came back and was part of their bullpen at the end of 23 i i think Tyler wells, don’t get me wrong. Atlanta spring training, you should stretch them out. You do that with all your guys that are starting candidates, because you don’t know you might lose two guys, right? We’ve seen that plenty over the last few years, but I think in an ideal world, if guys are if your rotation is mostly healthy, your your stable of pitchers are mostly healthy, I’d really like to see Tyler wells in a relief role. And I’m not saying he becomes like the exclusive eighth inning guy behind Helsley, but maybe he could be a high leverage guy. Maybe he could force his way into that in the way that Zach Britton did that a decade ago, right? Zach Britton was a failed starting pitcher, and within a couple months, he’s one of the best
Nestor J. Aparicio 08:12
closers in baseball. So is Greg Olsen, yeah. So, I mean, so I think
Luke Jones 08:17
you know again, to bring it back to Boz, I like the profile, they gave up some interesting prospects here. Now, they’re not guys, you know, they didn’t give up mayo, they didn’t give up bicycle, right? They didn’t give up Colton cowser. They gave up some guys that, yes, fans have heard of because they’re draft picks very recently, but guys that are far from a sure thing. You have three years of control with him. So it’s not just 26 but two years to follow after that, and again, even if he never realizes that high end number one, number two, kind of potential that I mean, the pirates thought of him once upon a time, and certainly the rays did. If he can at least be even what he was last year, I’d like it to be better than a 487, era. Let me be clear. Oh, he was playing a minor league ballpark, but yeah. So if he can, at least, you know, like, what his road splits were, if that can translate to Camden Yards, which isn’t a pitcher friendly park, but it’s friendlier than what that minor league Park was, then I think you’ve got something that, at the very least, is a really solid just
Nestor J. Aparicio 09:18
take the ball every fifth day. Give us a chance to win, yeah, but into the fourth or fifth inning give me a chance
Luke Jones 09:23
to win. And I agree with that mindset, as far as the floor, but I think the ceiling is Grayson Rodriguez, ask which you know, you traded that away. You got Taylor ward for one year. Taylor Ward’s gonna be whenever.
Nestor J. Aparicio 09:34
It’s be honest. If Shane bass wins 18 games and pitches to a three four era makes 33 starts, Elias is a genius.
Luke Jones 09:41
They’d be thrilled. I mean, even if he wins 12 games, and it’s but, but if he gives you 165
Nestor J. Aparicio 09:46
18 is more. Where I thought Rodriguez, when you start
Luke Jones 09:49
giving me 18 game winners in baseball period these days, well, you’re trying to win 95 games here, right? And you’re thinking, everybody staying healthy. I’m thinking, idea, sure, ideal. Listed. And I think when you’re talking Christmas, why would, but when you’re talking about the innings, there one thing we have to be mindful of, not so much, Trevor Rogers. Although even Trevor Rogers got a late start to the season, and, you know, he didn’t throw 200 innings this past year. Bradish. Bradish, look great coming back last year. I mean, he looked fantastic. But realistically, he’s not pitching
Nestor J. Aparicio 10:19
212 is
Luke Jones 10:20
he going, I mean, is he going to give you 180 I mean, you know, to me, like 165 would be, I mean, if he could do that somewhere in that neighborhood, I think you’d be thrilled with that. He does that. That means he’s been hurt a little bit, though, well, but, but you also have to be mindful of how little he’s pitched the last two years. And that’s where you’re not going to put him out there in the seventh inning, no matter what. I mean, that’s, you know, you’re at least gonna, he’s a five inning. Maybe he’s gonna do that in September or August and September, but early in the season, he might be more of a five, yeah. So so that. So that’s where I like it. On a couple different levels there, I don’t like it as much if they kind of say, Okay, well, this is our, this is our top half guy to go with Bradish and Trevor Rogers. I like it way more If this ends up being the Taylor Ward, which they get Taylor Ward first, and then they sign Pete Alonso. So you know, whether it’s for Amber Valdez or Rangers for us or I mean, they Kobe Mayo still there, sitting there with an unclear role at this point in time on this roster. So I look at him as the guy that
Nestor J. Aparicio 11:21
not any chance he’s on the team Valentine’s Day.
Luke Jones 11:25
I have, I’m guessing not. I don’t know that, but I just look at this, and I think he’s someone who still has some nice value. I think he finished the season really nicely last year. But I think if you’re the Orioles knowing the urgency has to be where it is right now, right? I mean, the idea that gunner Henderson, you know, you don’t have six years of control with Gunner Henderson anymore, so the idea that you need to win now, and you need to recover after a really disappointing 2025 I don’t know if they have, and I think that’s why they went patients, went out and signed Pete Alonso to say, look, Kobe Mayo might become Pete Alonso in three years. But can you, can you deal with the inconsistency in the two years leading up to, well, they’re paying $30 million a year for that position, exactly. So the reality is, they’ve upgraded and and don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying Kobe Mayo alone acquires an ace, but Kobe mayo and a couple other minor league pieces probably get you really close to that. So we’re going to see, from a payroll standpoint, they’re still in a position where they can spend because, you know, they, as I said to you over and over last year, they spent money. Now it wasn’t long term money, but you look at where their payroll was and where it is now, there’s still meat on the bone for them to go out and spend. So to me, go out and get another starting pitcher that, even if it’s not Valdez, like, go get some, you know, go trade for someone that has two years on
Nestor J. Aparicio 12:47
the one that would,
Luke Jones 12:49
I mean, he’s the big name ring the bell and Ranger Suarez, so we’re gonna see. I mean, as we’ve said in the aftermath of the Dylan C signing, the fact that the other shoes didn’t drop there quickly kind of tells you that I think the rest of the market thinks that was an overpay on Toronto’s part, which, hey, if he ends up helping them win a World Series, it’s worth it, right? In the same way that we said, if Pete Alonso isn’t great in year four and five, but it helps the Orioles win a World
Nestor J. Aparicio 13:13
Series, Pete Alonso is getting at bats in front of bunting in October. Here, you don’t care what’s going to happen in 2030
Luke Jones 13:19
you got to be in the exact chance Exactly. And as I’ve said over and over, you go back to the old line from Andrew Friedman, that if you’re going to be rational about every free agent out there, you’re going to finish third signing trying to sign each one. So you’ve got to pick and at times you make that commitment so but I like the buzz deal. I know it’s so funny, and I understand this. Orioles fans have been very frustrated over the last 18 months, and go back longer
Nestor J. Aparicio 13:46
from the land a bad one, and every deal is not a good
Luke Jones 13:48
but it is funny, from the standpoint of, you know, you have fans that have accused Michael ice of being a prospect hugger, but then when they make a move like this, it’s like, well, don’t trade those guys. Don’t trade Slater debron, don’t you know? So but, but I think Boz has a really interesting profile. And again, I’m not sitting here guaranteeing you that he’s going to be fantastic for them. But again, I think in a very loose comparison kind of way, it’s kind of like Grayson Rodriguez. But I think the health profile I feel a little bit more confident in, because he has shown to be fully healthy the last year and a half season and a half, whereas, you know, he’s kind of on the other side, like he had Tommy John surgery, rehab. I’m still nervous about Bradish, right? Yeah. I mean, and look, every pitcher, I mean, I’m nervous about every pitcher at this point. I mean, that’s just how it is. And for all this talk, I mean, and I was just talking about the innings consideration for Bradish, for all this talk about slow, I mean, they slow played the heck out of Grayson Rodriguez in the minor leagues didn’t do anything to help him, right? So you kind of wonder how much of it is. They’re thinking it’s an exact or trying to make it an exact science, and it’s way more just like, oh, well, this maybe makes sense, you know. Like, I kind of feel that that’s what it ends up being a lot of time, and not just not picking on the Orioles. I think that’s the industry. At large.
Nestor J. Aparicio 15:00
So, so it’s still early. It’s, you know, it is, I mean, I mean, they’ve done a lot of work already February. I mean, you know, I mean, including Ubaldo Jimenez, gonna
Luke Jones 15:12
say, I mean, that used to be as Orioles fans, that would all, you would count five
Nestor J. Aparicio 15:16
days in the spring training,
Luke Jones 15:18
Nelson Cruz and Obama’s the first week of spring training. So, you know,
Nestor J. Aparicio 15:23
pitching, see Valdes and reggae, you know, are you gonna sign Super Bowl the inside?
Luke Jones 15:28
Yeah. I mean, you would think, I mean, if it were me, I mean, whether it’s the Orioles doing it or not a pitcher, especially, I don’t want him coming in that late, you know, to me, it’s like, okay, if it’s mid January, you trust that he’s probably started throwing bullpens and ramping up by long toss mid December, something like that. I mean, it’s so funny now, because you kind of think of how, you know, how you and I thought about pitching 30 years ago, let alone what they thought about 20 or 30 years before that. But you think back to where it was even 10 or 15 years ago, but now, I mean, you’ve got drive line, you’ve got all these performance centers. I mean, these guys literally go somewhere and say, hey, I want to add two miles per hour on my fastball average, fastball Velo and and they’re, they do radar gone out to get the cameras out. Be damned like the consequences. Be damned potentially about your health. I mean, they do it. I mean, it’s crazy, so, but you know, I think with Boz, I mean, I’m hoping that he’s healthy. I mean, I think they’re looking at him as ascending again, whereas Grayson Rodriguez. I mean, how can you say someone’s ascending when they haven’t pitched in over a year, right? Because of various health ailments, you know, health concerns. So, you know, again, it’s kind of part Grayson, Rodriguez, and again, I like your comparison with Dean Kramer. Not stuff wise. He’s got way better stuff than Kramer, but the floor is he at least showed last year he could give innings and make 30 I think it was 31 starts for the rays last year, which, when you’re talking about a young pitcher who’s had a history of some arm problems a couple years before that. You don’t take that.
Nestor J. Aparicio 17:01
They also have a little bit of a history of, we think we we see something in it, yeah. I mean, Trevor Rogers was a great example that, right? I mean, well, they have all new coaches too. You want to get to that, yeah?
Luke Jones 17:10
I mean, I know new coaching staff. I mean, I can’t sit here and say that I have, like, a strong opinion on their coaching staff, per se. But, you know, it’s finalized. It’s a mix. I mean, Drew French. Their old pitching coach is still their pitching coach, right? They kept a couple guys in there. And, you know, I’m not going to sit here and say that drew French has done a perfect job by any stretch of the imagination, but, you know, they’re for all the talk about their pitching last year, and, gosh, they had so many, you know, it just didn’t have great that’s that, and that’s kind of the thing. But at the same time, they’ve had
Nestor J. Aparicio 17:43
one of the reasons we’re beating our ball, but they got good play, right? But they but they’ve had
Luke Jones 17:47
their success stories where, you know, Trevor Rogers is an obvious one, but look at someone like Albert Suarez. Look at like Danny coulomb in the bullpen. Look at some of the bullpen arms that were guys that were just kind of cast offs and then became useful seventh inning guys for them.
Nestor J. Aparicio 18:02
So, so, you know? I mean, well, can know, I mean, they’ve picked some guys up that they’ve gotten. I’m glad you mentioned Suarez. I mean, they’ve gotten mileage. I mean, even the Japanese guy they signed last year, he wasn’t awful, I mean, but they got to do better. Oh, no question. Badge better be better. Yeah.
Luke Jones 18:18
I mean, you’re absolutely and, I mean, Shane boss has a, way, way, way better arm. I mean, I mean, he was also, I was gonna say, was it he’s not 36 years old, so, but, yeah, I mean, you know, they, they put together their, their their coaching staff. And, you know, like I said, Drew French is back, Plass Myers back. Ryan Clemente is back. He’s kind of their pitching strategy coach. I mean, it’s so funny to hear these titles for these coaching but Buck, Britain’s back. I think there are a lot of Orioles fans. I mean, five years ago, there was a thought Britain might be the guy that if they got in a scenario with Brandon Hyde, like they ultimately did, that buck, Britain might become that guy. So think it’s nice to keep him in the organization players like him, you know, he’s a third base coach, but you know, at the same time, there’s going to be a lot of eyes on Dustin Lynn, for example, who’s their new hitting coach, after so much hand wringing about the hitting coaches the last couple years. So, you know, I think Albernaz is, you know, some of his guys, and I think there’s kind of a blend here, as far as maintaining some continuity that they wanted, but also, you know, having a fresh look. And they’ve certainly, you know, they’ve made upgrades. I mean, this is they still have work to do. There’s no doubt about that. But this is definitely a better roster than it was at the end of last year. There’s no question about that. So we’re going to see, you know, what they continue to do. I mean, they still need to, in my mind, still need another legit bullpen arm to add to the mix, you know, a high leverage caliber guy. You know, I still want to see another starting pitcher. I I’d like to see them find some kind of an upgrade for the center field mix to go with with cows, or if cows are, is going to be your primary center fielder. I’d like someone that you could pair with him, that you feel a little bit better.
Nestor J. Aparicio 19:57
There’s still more answers. I think there are two or three more. Deals are going to Sure, and even we’re going to add things
Luke Jones 20:03
and look, just because they’ve spent and handed out a couple multi year contracts here and made a cup, made a couple really notable trades. That doesn’t mean that Elias is going to changes his spots entirely and not still look for a couple one year deals that make sense. I mean, look at Ramon lauriano last year. I mean, that’s the best move they ended up making. A lot of that happens late when nobody else has an option, exactly. So, I mean, that’s, and that’s, this is where I’ll take David Rubin sign at his word at the at the Alonso press conference. He flat out said, Look, if, if we think we can add, you know, there are other great players we can add to the mix. We have the means to continue to do that. So I’ll hold them to it. You know, fans should hold them to it.
Nestor J. Aparicio 20:44
So last thing for you, while we’re here, just because we’re not talking a lot of baseball, we do a lot of football, Luke Jones is here. We’re at Planet Fitness in Timonium. I have my funny 2026, welcoming hats, and my shades and all sorts of cool stuff. Out here. It’s brand new location, only been open three weeks, right behind the expectation, right across from the racetrack. Stop in, say, Hello, get in best shape your life in the 2020 they have a rejuvenation room here. I’m going to need that after the Ravens get eliminated. Labor, and how that affects this offseason in a general sense, I don’t know, with Rubenstein and Eric Eddy and whatever, and when you’re billionaires, I’ve learned this with the shotty. There’s a level of arrogance built into all of it that you know, why fret what’s going to happen or not going to happen, or whatever you and I have been at baseball. I’ve been at it longer than you. I go back to 81 on the strike there, and being on the radio in 94 and for me, the battle drums are always there in all of these sports for labor problems baseball. It reminds me a little bit of when hockey went out for a year and then hockey didn’t have a television network. It’s a neat sport. It’s a regional sports, a local sport, really, that’s a high ticket. All of that baseball has twisted and screwed itself into the ground with cable TV, with how white it is with how many games they play, with how old it’s gotten, like all of that, from a business model perspective, we don’t, we can’t find the games. How much is it to go? Why are these players making all this money, if it’s not generating that, like all of this stuff, right? Small market, big market. The whole imbalance of the problem, of the basis of it. I don’t know what point it blows up in them, and I not look. I’m not predicting any of that, but I would say that 1,000,000,008 for John Angelos to be counting in Nashville, and these guys having to try to figure that out, and what the players want, and where Boris is, and when you’re competing with the Yankees in the country of Canada, in this division. It’s a really, really screwed up industry. I’m not telling you love baseball more you love almost anything besides wrestling, and it’s
Luke Jones 22:52
definitely, definitely has its falls. There’s no doubt, yeah, even the best
Nestor J. Aparicio 22:55
way, and they’re not going to get fixed any time. But how to how do they keep the guard rails in to not have the sport go off the side of the cliff next year with all of the greed, all of the avarice, all of the ego, just all of it, I worry for them, because they think that their menorah doesn’t stink, and they think that they’re, in fact,
Luke Jones 23:18
all these leagues at this point, I mean, And obviously the NFL is the one that gets is the closest to getting away with it year after year after year. But, yeah, it’s tough because, I mean, you and I have talked so much about RSNs and how that model is just over failing. I mean, it’s, it’s, it’s completely over for a number of teams, which MLB has handles their TV rights at this point. And I guess ESPN will now, because ESPN bought MLB TV, you know, the out of market package. But I think trying to navigate, I mean, obviously they’ve revamped TV. I mean, NBC has looked willing to, you know, they’re going to have the Sunday night package. I mean, NBC, I think quietly, has kind of done a neat thing, that Sunday Night Football has become now it’s going to be Sunday Night Football, it’s going to be Sunday Night Baseball, it’s Sunday night basketball, depending on the time of year. It’s just kind of like Sunday night’s going to be sports for them all year. Yeah. So, you know, it’s kind of just interesting in that way. I mean, to keep it specifically from the Orioles perspective, I mean, I’m certainly glad not to see them just say, well, we weren’t going to do much this year because, well, there’s going to be a lockout next year.
Nestor J. Aparicio 24:24
I mean, that’s trying to write that right, exactly No. So from now, I’m just saying I’m glad to see that.
Luke Jones 24:29
But yeah, there’s a lot of uncertainty here. I mean, look, I’m, I’m not going to sit here and say 100% that they’re going to lose an entire season next year. But I think even the most optimistic outlook. You know, the most optimistic outlook is there’s going to be a lockout during the during the offseason, that’s going to disrupt things. I mean, it’s going to it’s going to disrupt the winter meetings. It’s going to disrupt free agency. I mean, I mean, how much are the players going to dig in in terms of not allowing a cap to be instituted? I mean. It, my goodness, we’ve been talking about talking about that before. I was old battle drums. Yeah, exactly. I mean, how much appetite is there really for that, for it to go to that degree?
Nestor J. Aparicio 25:09
Let me be an idealist here, and little nasty Nestor on the radio 31 years ago now, right? Yeah, that we had this problem. The thing I screamed on the radio, and I have these tapes over at the radio station, like, literally, I have them on tapes of me screaming, can’t you people just fix this? Can’t you fix your system? Can’t you fix your sport? Can’t you come together? And since then, Tahoe went away for a year, but they fixed it so that the New York Rangers and the Detroit Red Wings don’t have this, and the Winnipeg Jets have this, where the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals don’t have this, and the New York Giants have this as they play the Packers this week, right? Like where the size of your municipality and your DNA and your gene pool of your region doesn’t dramatically
Luke Jones 25:56
affect I mean, they’re still tamper Bay Ray. There’s still a difference, but it’s not so there is
Nestor J. Aparicio 26:01
no difference between the Lakers in the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Utah, whatever the hell they’re called in the Hockey League, and the Seattle Kraken, because they come in that they have to come in and say, well, we’ll never compete with the New York Rangers or the Philadelphia Flyers or a bigger market, or any of that baseball is kind of like college sports at this point. They’re having to, um, 150 years into their sport. David Rubenstein has to apologize to every Oriole fan that they can’t sign players because and he comes into this industry hamstrung, yeah, and that’s why bishati, back when he was speaking to me and thought I was a real media member, peshadi, would always say he didn’t want to buy baseball because he didn’t think it was a fair game. Yeah, he literally said, I’m, you know, I’m a rich guy. I didn’t get rich by going into, you know, gun fights with water pistols, because that’s what you are when you buy the Baltimore Orioles. And I would love to at the at 50,000 feet, say kit Steinbrenner is dead. You know, you’re three decades out on, you know, Bud Selig and, like all of that, you got to fix this thing, sure, so that everybody can compete. Because you have a broken business model all the way around, every part of its fractured. And I don’t, they’re never going to come to Jesus with that. They’re not, I mean, they’re not gonna fix that, because, I guess it’s can they semi fix it? I don’t even think they acknowledge the problem. And I think there’s been a willful immigrants about that. When they were fire sale in the Marlins and the Padres and they were gonna contract the twins. They got rid of the expos. They’ve gotten rid of the A’s now, and they and they play in minor league ballparks, and they play in minor league cities, and they don’t even, they’re not even, they’re smelling themselves so much about their they’re they’re not even aware, yeah, they have nowhere.
Luke Jones 27:50
I mean, obviously, and you and I talked about this a lot last year. I mean, the race situation was very unique. I mean, a hurricane literally destroyed the roof of the dome, regardless of the
Nestor J. Aparicio 27:59
tropical with the ACE, of course. But that’s my
Luke Jones 28:02
big thing. They allowed Angela they say story this. It’s insane to me that destroy this. It’s insane to me that the A’s are moving to Vegas. All right, fine, but then the solution is, oh, you’re just gonna play in Sacramento for three years and charge $100 for saying, right? So yeah, but yeah, I mean to go back to it, you know, trying to figure out, like, what’s going to make this better? Not to fix it or to make it perfect, but make it better. I mean, they’re gonna have to figure out TV. I mean, there it’s one thing to talk about having a decent national TV, national TV rights
Nestor J. Aparicio 28:34
in the garden. That’s Original Sin network, but Right? And the Dodgers and everybody, the problem is, I
Luke Jones 28:41
mean, but it used to be at least. And I don’t, you know, I’m kind of making this up as I go along, but let’s say you had the top half of the league, like their cable and their TV rights deals locally, compared to the bottom half or the bottom 10, let’s say, but I mean, you’re at the point now where even decent markets are really trying to figure this out, because more and more people are cutting the cord. I mean, even, you know, the Yankees don’t own yes network anymore. I mean, like Dr
Nestor J. Aparicio 29:12
Raskin is once at peacock for the game this week. You know, who knows where they’re going to
Luke Jones 29:16
put I mean, I will say this. They better be smart about wherever they put it. I don’t think any of that’s getting better, though. I think that’s just, I don’t say this to be insensitive, because I, believe me, I have friends at church, you know, older friends at church, or just, you know, fellow Christians at church, who asked me, like, how do I get the game, like, Apple TV, what’s that? You know what I mean, like, and they’re not, like, it’s not being obtuse, like they genuinely don’t know. And they’re just not used to it in the way that I had to get used to cutting the cord. And fortunately, I’m tech savvy enough that I’m really used to it now, and
Nestor J. Aparicio 29:47
I like it V But literally, yeah, so these games are on Amazon Prime, but they’re gonna have Thursday night. I had to watch a game on my phone, and I was like, I fell asleep. I don’t want to watch a game on my phone. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, and it’s funny, and I didn’t want. Sit in my office, in my computer, you know what I mean? I wanted, I wanted
Luke Jones 30:03
to understand, I understand that, but, but it feels like it’s getting to the point where there’s only going to be a few teams that are the markets big enough that it’s going to be fruitful for them, and everyone else is going to need to be together. So I think if you’re Rob Manfred, if you’re the powers that be that are trying to negotiate and trying to imagine what it’s going to look like over the next 10 to 15 years, it’s trying to get the Dodgers, obviously, a big one. I mean, I don’t know the Yankees like the Yankees aren’t the Yankees anymore. I mean, if you hear, you know, Steinbrenner son, talk about that. I mean, they’re not trying to have, they’re not the Dodgers like, they’re not trying to spend like crazy, like the Dodgers do at this point. I mean, you think about it like, well, Angeles got to the point once he started grifting all the money from massen didn’t really care much about winning anymore. It was just more like, once Angelo Steinbrenner didn’t care about making money. He wanted to win. Whereas, when, whereas, like, his sons, like, that’s the pirates making plenty of that’s all they have. In terms of, like, you know, that’s, you know, not that, not that they’re poor, let me be clear. But you know, in terms of, like, don’t usually win, being liquid and all that, right? I mean, that’s their business, right?
Nestor J. Aparicio 31:14
So shotty, so obsessed with winning that he’s willing to cheat, lie. Steve, you know, do it, you know? I mean, nefarious, you know what? I mean, keep Justin Tucker around for a decade when they know better, you know, things
Luke Jones 31:24
like, but I just think they’re they have to figure that out. Because, I mean, you know the NFL, I mean, like, to your point, like Green Bay, Baltimore, two of the smaller markets of the 32 teams in the NFL, yet no one questions what their payroll can be compared to the Giants or the jets or the Patriots or the Eagles, right? I mean, we don’t talk about this. We just don’t talk about in that way. Now, we don’t say the wizards can’t win because they don’t have money. The Wizards can’t win because they have an incompetent Sure. So, I mean, it’s, you know, that’s a long winded explanation for saying, I really don’t know how it’s going to go. I’d like to think they can work something out that’s not going to cost them an entire season or half a season, let alone a full The
Nestor J. Aparicio 32:09
reason I’m even asking about this, I think there will be owners out there that would look at Valdez or any of these big ticket items and just say I’m not getting into that before work stoppage. People with more seasoning, these conglomerates, these teams, who operates them, and what the marching orders have already been from their ownership group to the key baseball decision maker that we’re not in that market, which was already a depleted market for the Scott Boris is who are pitching that that there might be a couple of teams, just say, the Astros. I’m just saying a couple teams have won recently that are just like, you know, we want to win. We’re going to try hard, but we’re not going to get involved with this, because we can’t control the baseball stop, yeah, you know, it’s going to happen with or
Luke Jones 32:54
without us. And it’s hard to say. I mean, I mean, frankly, the Orioles would have been one of those teams where you’d look at where you’d say, are they going to dip their toes into that? Because, I mean, they don’t have their budget. Certainly going to be more constrained than the Yankees or the Dodgers and and the Orioles have spent. So that’s the Orioles that these
Nestor J. Aparicio 33:11
guys have talked a different game. Now they’re starting to deliver on it financially, but,
Luke Jones 33:16
but like around the league, it’s hard to say, right? I mean, there have been some teams that have been active, and other teams well,
Nestor J. Aparicio 33:21
from the fan base perspective, and I’ll drop the mic on this, because we’re here talking about Shane bass is a fourth deal they’ve had in the offseason with the relief pitchers and the money they spent on a lot, you know, like, as far as where it’s not their key deal, like a ball to Jimenez was right, you know what I mean. So I would say from the fans here who’ve been embattled you and I included in that, in that you would start in this and I’d smack you around, say, well, we can’t shop on that top shelf. Yeah, we have to always be doing these other things that other sports don’t talk about it like that, until baseball fixes that they’re never gonna like, until we can’t talk about it in that way anymore. We’re not talking about the Ravens offseason is we can’t afford that player because the Eagles will spend more money we like baseball’s got to fix that. Yeah, that being said for these owners and this honeymoon period of last place and losing half million fans and all of that this, there might be a market opportunity for them to be a little more aggressive this year, because a couple people might get out of the way. That’s all I’m saying. I think the work that’s fair, work stoppage and all of that sits and the money, it’s at least behind in a way that these two egotists who bought this team and they’re all wanting to run around and give themselves pats on the back and make bobbleheads and have their kids run the hot dog races and do all that that this might be a fun a fun nurse summer for them, if they throw a bunch of money at this and say, well, if these guys walk out next year, we won’t have to pay them. It ain’t effective. I’m having for dinner. The Orioles will be there whenever the work stoppage is over. I’m not concerned about it, as opposed to Peter angelos, who put all that money up put his whole. Life’s money up. Had his wife lose her mind that the you know, at the courtroom that year. And a year and a half later, he’s in the middle of a work stoppage. Now he doesn’t even understand that he went out calling Bud Selig a car. These guys aren’t doing that. These guys may throw a little bit extra money at this in their own mind, saying, let’s give the money to Alonzo make the people happy, we might not even have a baseball team a year from now, and we’re not even in control of that, because these people are crazy. Yeah, and, right?
Luke Jones 35:27
And, I mean, if anyone from the owner side is going to as is any, any time you’re talking about work stoppages within the realm of professional sports, you know, the owners of the billionaires, right? And they’re going to wait out the millionaires who want to make money who have a very limited shelf life to earn. You know their earning potential is much smaller. You know that they know that even, even the owners at the in the smallest of markets, know that they can flip that franchise at any point in the next 510, years, whatever, and the value is going to be much higher than what they spent on it. So you know that that tends to be what it is where they say, well, we’ll wait them out and out and will the players. And let’s face it, unlike 30 years ago, I mean, the players unions a shell. The strength and the cloud we’ll see has is a shell of what it will see. And I’m look they might miss maybe they miss a month. Maybe they get uncomfortable.
Nestor J. Aparicio 36:18
Summer, interesting. Well, when manfred’s running around trying to get in clubhouse. Bendy ears,
Luke Jones 36:22
but you hope that the ori, you hope the Orioles could take advantage. And one more, you know this last season, before potential labor unrest, that hey, they can make some hay with Pete Alonso and company.
Nestor J. Aparicio 36:31
We’ve been with Planet Fitness for 16 years as sponsors, and I finally got the fun party hat. It’s the New Year’s hat. I did request it. I see it every year when I’m watching Anderson Cooper and and his buddy there, run around and have a good time on New Year’s we’re sober. We won’t be in the new year once the ravens are limited. But a big appreciation for friends of Planet Fitness, also our friends in the Maryland lottery candy cane cash Luke is out here. We’re in simonia. It’s brand new location. Come on out. They are taking my old swag and giving me new swag. And I’ll be giving away candy cane. We had $100 winner. Cost us the other day, Candy Cane cash. Also, our friends at GBMC have a great Christmas. Dude, too, man, what’s, what’s Santa bringing you? Anything good?
Luke Jones 37:12
You know, I haven’t really been a good boy this year. I’ve got lots of cool gifts for my nieces, though I’m excited about that.
Nestor J. Aparicio 37:17
All right, well, make sure you have plenty of pizza. John’s pizza. Absolutely, absolutely we’re gonna come back here from Planet Fitness. We’re gonna talk Justin Drummond, April, the whole crew here about all things Planet Fitness in my funny hat, as well as some sunglasses. Big appreciation of Planet Fitness and all of our sponsors as we head into 2026 bravely, I might add back for more. We are W NST AM, 1570 Towson, Baltimore, we never stop talking Shane baz and John Harbaugh and Derek. Henry, stay with you.