The Aficionado’s Take with Santos the Baseball Aficionado | The 2:00am Crew | Ep. 40

Episode 40 of The 2:00am Crew is one for the real baseball heads. This time, the crew is joined by special guest Santos the Baseball Aficionado, bringing elite knowledge, passion, and unfiltered takes from around the league.

From Opening Day energy to early-season storylines, the crew dives deep into what’s already shaping the MLB landscape. Santos breaks down key matchups, underrated teams to watch, and which players are already making noise. Expect strong opinions, heated debates, and that authentic late-night vibe you can only get from The 2:00am Crew.

We’re talking:

Early MLB surprises and disappointments
Teams that are legit vs. overhyped
Players already in MVP form
Bold predictions for the season ahead
And of course… real baseball talk you won’t hear anywhere else

Tap in, join the conversation, and don’t miss one of the most knowledgeable voices in the game.

Live. Unfiltered. Real baseball talk. ⚾🔥

Transcript

SPEAKER_07 0:46

Welcome to another Tuesday. And look, my camera's already freezing. Welcome to another Tuesday of the 2 a.m. crew. I'm gonna come back in here.

SPEAKER_06 1:00

All right. Well, while he's getting that fixed, ladies and gentlemen, you heard already Rick Harrow here and my heterosexual partner in podcasting, Jason Enrique here. And we are not alone. We're also joined by a wonderful baseball aficionado that is so wonderful they even put it at his name. Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, Santos is the baseball aficionado. What's going on, Santos?

SPEAKER_00 1:23

Thank you. Thank you guys. Appreciate you guys for having me on and looking forward to talking some uh baseball and other things with you guys.

SPEAKER_06 1:30

By the way, I I don't I hope this is not gonna be like uh this or anything like that, but you kind of remind me of like a Hispanic Joe Pesci the way you talk, like it's real solid.

SPEAKER_00 1:41

None none take it. No, okay. Part of it is that I have I have a uh I'm under a I'm under the weather, so maybe you gotta hear me when I'm not under the weather. But uh what am I what do I do I make do I amuse you? Wait, wait, what do you think? What does it say? Do I make you what I do I what do you mean? Do you think I'm a clown? I am you think I'm a clown, I amuse you basically love that movie.

SPEAKER_06 2:08

Oh man, it's it's actually my favorite movie of all time.

SPEAKER_07 2:11

So here we go. Much better, much better, much better, much better. Yeah, so oh uh, do I amuse? Do I look like a clown to you? I mean, he's one of the most underrated actors of all time, by the way. Yeah, so you think so?

SPEAKER_00 2:27

I think he gets his flowers. I think he gets his flowers.

SPEAKER_07 2:30

Not enough, not enough, not enough. And he he's done stuff that's not like mobster-ish. Yeah, using wholesale. Oh my god, yeah, yeah. So, welcome to the pod. Um, thank you for joining us today. I appreciate your time. Uh, one of the reasons thank you. One of the reasons I reached out was because I had seen your content, you know, people had sent it to me before, and I've been watching it for a while, and I was like, he's very similar to me, right? I'm a Mets fan, right? I give my opinions on the team. Now, I'm not like Frank from uh Barstool Sports or whatever it is. Oh Frank attack. Yeah, yeah. I I root for my team. I I I I'm very critical of what they do.

SPEAKER_00 3:22

Um he's too extreme, the other end. On the other end, he's on the other, he's too exactly.

SPEAKER_07 3:27

I just feel like I feel like he's a bad representation, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:30

I agree.

SPEAKER_07 3:31

Of and and I think we all get bunched into a uh like a group of what Mets fans are, and and they put him as the face. And I really don't like that. I I've always put the game before my team, and I feel that you're very similar to that. Um, yeah, for sure. I just love the sport, you know. Um, and it just so happens my favorite player, Francisco Lindor, plays for my squad. So when the Mets made that trade, I was just super happy that we finally got a bona fide star. Um, but let's talk about you. Go ahead, Jason. I didn't mean to cut you off.

SPEAKER_06 4:10

No, no, I was just gonna say it's like, you know, I I'm I'm unfortunately a Jets fan, but one of the things that I hate that they do on ESPN is they try to make Mike Greenberg like the the guy that is in tune with every Jeff fan out there, and he is not uh to me, he's one of the most fraudulent uh Jets fans out there.

SPEAKER_00 4:27

So I agree, I agree.

SPEAKER_07 4:29

Wow, greeny greeny slander in the first five minutes.

SPEAKER_00 4:33

Yeah, yeah, no, no. He he I didn't I didn't have that on the bingo car, but it is what it is.

SPEAKER_06 4:41

You know, I've seen his house, man. He's uh he's doing just fine.

SPEAKER_07 4:45

So uh for those who don't know you yet, uh, what makes you a true baseball aficionado? Right, the word aficionado is is associated with excellence, um, and the popular magazine cigars aficionado.

SPEAKER_00 5:00

Right.

SPEAKER_07 5:02

So for those who don't know you, explain it.

SPEAKER_00 5:04

So here's the thing, right? When it comes to see aficionado has two meanings, and a lot of people don't understand that, but Latinos know this, especially bilingual Latinos, right? So aficionado in Spanish means fan, aficionado in English means expert. So I merged the two, but people who don't speak Spanish wouldn't know that people who speak both languages see what I did, right?

SPEAKER_07 5:34

That's a perfect uh marriage. Continue.

SPEAKER_00 5:38

So this is what happened. This is what happened, right? People I I saw a lot of, you know, well, he's too Americanized for Latino stuff, he's not he's not um you know Anglo American enough for American stuff. So I was like, I wanted something that would be like sort of bilingual slash spanglish for the Latin audience, right? And for others who don't who don't speak Spanish who want to know about Latino baseball. That was my initial premise. That's what I wanted to do. They got plenty of you know, ESPN deporte, you know, whatever in Spanish, and I'm cool with that. I'm bilingual, I could speak both languages fine, but I wanted to create something that wasn't really there. That was what I wanted to do.

SPEAKER_07 6:28

And how'd you fall in love with the sport? Um man, actually what made you decide to do this? Uh, usually this is something you get handed down. So give us your story on it.

SPEAKER_00 6:40

So here's the deal: so as a as a five-year-old, my um my father gave me a picture of Roberto Clemente that was autographed, and I didn't know who that was because I was like, I was five, right? Five, six years old. I I go back and I keep hearing stories about Roberto Clemente, you know, for Latinos and especially for Puerto Ricans, like that's like a saint, right? Roberto Clemente is a saint, like he's legitimately saint, right? Sainthood, and so I heard the stories of all that, and it got me into the game, but I didn't have a team initially, and so like that was what happened, and then I got put in t-ball and literal league, and I would play. I fell in love with the game, so I used to play for some years. I was not great, but I wasn't like a scrub, I was I was decent, but I never was trying to be a pro, I just played for fun, you know.

SPEAKER_07 7:35

So so what landed you on the New York Mets?

SPEAKER_00 7:41

I I mean uh so so this is the thing we lived growing up in Brooklyn. I grew up in Brooklyn, right? I grew up uh I grew up in Bushwick. I lived in Bushwick and between Bushwick and East New York, right? It was a closer ride, it's that simple. It was a closer ride in the car to Shay. My dad used to take me to Shay because it was cheaper and it was closer, and the Mets were were ass in the 90s. You remember?

SPEAKER_07 8:11

Oh, yeah, no, I'm thinking you're gonna tell me you're watching late 80s, that great 88 team. No, I wish I wish I was alive for that.

SPEAKER_00 8:21

I mean, I was alive, I was a baby, I didn't see you know. I wish no, no, we talk no, we're talking about Bernard Gilke, Lance Johnson, Todd Huntley, Carlos Baerga when he was washed up. Yeah, like that's what we're talking about.

SPEAKER_07 8:36

So wow, so it I mean, heartbreak is is what you first saw. Uh yeah, who who was the um you said Gilkey? There was a player on that team that I was like, why do we have this guy? Jesus Christ. I'll move on. So moments with your father going to Shay Stadium. Um, yeah, is there a specific 2 a.m. moment where you were like, Yeah, this is my team? Or was it just that the travel distance? Or it wasn't like you know, Robin Ventura's Grand Slam single, which is one of my favorite moments of all time, or something in there that you experienced, or maybe just a moment with your father that gave you that 2A moment, like, nah, I'm gonna ride with this team, even though they suck this as the squad.

SPEAKER_00 9:33

It was I had a lot to do with my relationship with my dad, you know. Like my dad was always there, and it's like he took me. We had the um that and if you remember, interestingly enough, remember Shay at night? They had like remember they used to have the silhouettes, the light around Shay Stadium. That that was like everything.

SPEAKER_07 9:54

Shout out to Athletic Logo. He does uh the shirts, and and he still brings it back, so yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:00

I I if and you know, you know, when you're a kid, little stuff like that sticks with you, so it's like to me, it was like a big freaking. I had it. I was like, what is this? I'm like, these like I didn't care if we won or lost. I was just the ice cream in the helmet, like the experience and memories with my dad. So like that got me into it, and I just I didn't realize that that would be a very you know, the decision I would question it, but it is what it is. I'm here, I'm not going back.

SPEAKER_06 10:27

So well, I like what I like I like what you were saying because I feel like with sports, also, that's exactly how it went with me and my father. And like uh for me, my first when it comes to sports, my first love was the New York Knicks, because back then you had Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley and John Starks, and Pat Riley was the coach, and so on and so forth. So I remember specifically as a kid, five, six years old, being in his bedroom, and we're watching the playoffs, and we're watching each game, and it just seems like every single game, especially back then in Madison Square Garden, was like a musty TV event, whether it was a regular season or playoffs. It just felt like it was a musty event. And Patrick Ewing was my favorite player of all time, still is my favorite Knick of all time. And then when they started to just almost get to the top of the hill, but they couldn't because of Jordan, and then all of a sudden the Yankees were winning all these world uh series. And me uh, you know, it's funny though. My father never took me to Madison Square Garden for a Knick game, but he took me to plenty of Yankee games. And the funny thing also is that he was a Rangers fan, New York Rangers fan, but he never took me to Madison Square Garden, period. And the only uh expressive afford at the time, yeah. But yeah, he was able to get it.

SPEAKER_05 11:33

I have a way either. I didn't go either.

SPEAKER_06 11:35

He was able to have the hookup with the devils, and I'm a Jersey guy, so I became a new a New Jersey Devils fan, and they were good in the 90s, so you know I I had to roll with that. Uh, but and then as far as the Jets, I don't know where I went. I just think that I made a bad bet one day and I just stuck with it.

SPEAKER_00 11:51

So the funny thing about the Jets, real quick, with the Jets, it was different for me. With the Jets, it was when one winter I was gonna get a my mom was buying me a new coat, right? She was buying me a coat. I had no idea even what the shape of the football was. I didn't know anything about football, right? This is the 90s, right? This is the 90s.

SPEAKER_06 12:11

I was like, Saggy baggy all, yeah, yeah, right.

SPEAKER_00 12:14

Okay, so think about this. It was one of those big remember those big coat. I I think it was a starter, starter. I had that it was the big, not the pocket up here, it was a big, big one, right? Big one for the winter.

SPEAKER_06 12:25

No, I I would walk, I would walk to school like a starfish and everything.

SPEAKER_00 12:29

Yeah, for real, because whatever, right? I didn't know about the team or whatever. Bro, when I tell you he she got me this Kelly Green Jets jacket because I used to love green, green was my favorite color. I love the jacket, I wore it, I thought I was the best the thing, the best ever, right?

SPEAKER_02 12:48

I would bro.

SPEAKER_00 12:49

When I tell you I got clowned on because it was the jets, people were destroying me. Neil O'Neill sucks. Oh, this one sucks, but bro. I got crushed. I said, I said, Mom, why the hell did you buy me this jacket? I had to go a whole winter with that damn jacket on, and then that was probably I want to say in '96, right? Around there. I said, okay, what's this team about? Bill Parcells comes in, and I said, All right, I'm gonna pay attention to this. I fell in love with with Curtis Martin, bro. Curtis Martin did it for me. I was gonna ask you. This is my guy, this is my guy. I love my favorite Jet of all time.

SPEAKER_06 13:36

And from here, I stuck with for me. It was actually Wayne Corbett because he's also from Garfield, New Jersey, which is local guy. Yeah, 10 minutes away from where I live currently. And uh just having a guy from the from from the uh you know, being a local guy who wasn't the biggest, who wasn't the strongest, and but he was like freakishly athletic and he was still able to make a name for himself. It was kind of awe-inspiring for somebody that doesn't necessarily have to be 6'3, 245 pounds in order to really succeed in the league. And he really was able to, and his hands oh my god, like like he was able to catch a cold uh in the desert. That's how good.

SPEAKER_00 14:10

Oh, great. Yeah, he was tremendous.

SPEAKER_07 14:12

Yep, yeah, fantastic slot receiver. Um, Jets eight wins that year in 97.

SPEAKER_06 14:19

Yeah, 97, right, right.

SPEAKER_07 14:22

97 because 96 was they went one in 15 with Rich Coltite, and then it's it Charlie Weiss was the offensive coordinator, and Bill Belichick was the defensive coordinator. So imagine that. So you stumbled onto the team in a nice year. I want to bring it back to baseball real quick. Uh, you mentioned your favorite jet. Who's your favorite Met?

SPEAKER_06 14:46

Matter of fact, if I may, uh, how about the how about the Mount Rushmores?

SPEAKER_07 14:51

We'll do that. Mount Rushmore Met or No, I don't want to do Mount Rushmore Matt. I want to make him pick one Matt Matt. Yeah, yeah. I want to do Mount Rushmore baseball at the end of the episode. Coolio.

SPEAKER_00 15:08

All right, so it's always been, it's always kind of like gone, you know, fluctuated, but um I'll tell you who I my favorite Matt is, and it's gonna kind of it might surprise you a little bit. Um besides besides uh besides Carlos, who Carlos Beltran is one of my favorite, he's up there, but uh Joanna Cesper is.

SPEAKER_06 15:33

Oh my god, I know it it was no no I wasn't expecting that.

SPEAKER_07 15:38

I wasn't expecting that, not critiquing it, yeah. What he did for that for those teams. Uh had he not gotten hurt, they would it would have been more successful.

SPEAKER_00 15:50

Yeah, they just didn't have the other guys around, like the ownership sucked, you know. They really made it to the World Series in spite of the Will Pons, like when you think about it, it was not because of the Will Pons, it was in spite of them.

SPEAKER_06 16:03

So I'm just glad you didn't say Bobby Bonilla. Oh god, oh yeah. Because you because you made it seem you made it seem like you were going really, really left, and that would have like I would have expected that.

SPEAKER_07 16:18

So I mean, I I I kind of knew it was a it wasn't a lifelong Met guy because we don't have that many lifelong Met guys. Oh no, Ed Cranple. Um I was figuring maybe somebody from the 99, 2000, 2001 roster. Um for me it was Robin Ventura. Robin Ventura is my guy. Uh Fonzi was one of my guys too that I really loved. Um, and then Jose, I I still to this day believe if they kept Jose and David together, they would have been a lot more successful in those ugly years. Um, and then we got Beltron, Carlos, Pedro, and it was just magical. Uh, but let's talk about this season and where we are, right? Uh-huh. Uh, what do you think so far? What's been your biggest takeaway of this season, this week and a half that we've seen in baseball?

SPEAKER_00 17:08

So I will say this. I'm gonna be clear, okay? Because, and my the people who follow me can can attest to this. Mets fans. Uh, there's a lot of Met fans who love me, and there's a lot of Met fans who hate me. And the reason they hate me is because I am probably the biggest David Stearns critic that there is. I I don't think he's that I don't think he's that great.

SPEAKER_07 17:29

You've met your match, but no, really, okay, good.

SPEAKER_00 17:33

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 17:34

I I I mean, I've been very, very critical of him.

SPEAKER_06 17:37

We did an episode fire David Stearns. I I've I've said this plenty of times on the show before. Joe Boningo is a friend of mine, and he always goes scorched earth on David Stearns.

SPEAKER_00 17:48

Yeah, he calls him the boy genius.

SPEAKER_06 17:50

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, yeah, by the way, I got a funny Joe Beningo story for you afterwards, but uh let's just let's go back to baseball.

SPEAKER_00 17:58

I'll I'll tell you this, right? So, what I've there are some pluses. I like the pivot, I gotta give credit where it's due. The pivot was good. I think the Mets are gonna badly regret letting Diaz go. That's the one, even more so than Pete because Pete was a big loss. Don't get me wrong, that's more of a sentimental thing. It's more of a sentimental thing with Pete. I can get over that. That to me, that's it hurts, but it's like Diaz is practical. The Mets have never had a closer, ever, and they get a closer and he can play here and he's not too old, and you let him. I don't want to hear, oh, he wanted to go to the Dodgers, he didn't want to be here. No, no, no, no, no, no. No, no, no. You don't sign Devin Williams without consulting that guy if you want to keep him. They know that's boo, that's all bull. They say, Oh, he got sensitive. No, no, no. These are human beings, these are people, you have to treat them like people. And I question how does David Stearns act with people? He's a nerd, he's a snack guy. But how do you how do you treat people? What he's shown me, he doesn't think much of first base. He thinks anybody can play third base because obviously he stuck Bo Bichet. I like Beshet. Let's see how he does. First base, allegedly, right? Oh, I want to stick him there. And guess what? Guess who's guess who's become alienated? Francisco Lindor. Lindor. And they are alien, and I said this, and if I'm wrong, I want to be wrong. He's gonna, he will not finish his career as a man, he will not. There's no chance. I will not be shocked if Francisco Lindor is traded within the next year or so. I will, it would not shock me.

SPEAKER_07 19:52

I mean, right now, I get I get I see your point, right? Um, the way David Stern's has handled pitching is also a concern of mine, and I feel like with Ed with Edwin himself, I just feel like Diaz felt like, oh, okay, I'm being I'm becoming a free agent, I'll get this done quickly with David Stern, and we'll be all right. And it didn't happen that way.

SPEAKER_02 20:16

No, no.

SPEAKER_07 20:18

And he's like, Okay, you're letting me test the market, that's fine. Uh, I could just go to the Dodgers, I won't have to even worry about this.

SPEAKER_06 20:25

And what's interesting also is that for the good moves or the or the good stuff that Met fans like, it seems like that has more of David Cohen's fingerprints all over it, more than David Stern's. Because if it was if this was 100% up to Stearns, Juan Soto would not be a New York Met right now.

SPEAKER_00 20:41

Correct, correct. No, he wouldn't absolutely, and I'll tell you something too. The only reason everybody's saying there's two reasons. Obviously, we know why Soto signed with the with the Mets. Money talks, right? The money was pretty much equal. But the big thing here with so with he signed because with the Yankees, he's always gonna be in Aaron Judge's shadow. I said, There's he was not it's ego, it's ego with the with the Mets. He's like, Oh, there's little Francisco Lindor. That's gonna be my team.

SPEAKER_07 21:13

I mean, I don't I don't I don't think he views Francisco that way. I think the way Francis I'm exaggerating, but you get me. No, I understand what you're saying. I think Soto viewed this as all right, I could do this team has the potential to cement my legacy forever. I and I could go and chase Judge and it's Otani on my own terms in my own squad, in my own Carlos Rodan enters his hamstring. Oh, good job, Yankees. So I I felt like, and I wrote an article about this. Same thing. I feel this is very similar to Derek Jeter and Arod, right? Although Soto and Lindor do not have a relationship, had Jeter put his ego aside and welcomed Alex to the team and said, Hey, yo, this is my guy, I'm running with. Him, the rest of the Yankees would have felt in line, the Yankees would have the fans would have felt fell in line, but when Soto gets signed, Lindor doesn't put out like a tweet or like I just felt like the welcoming wasn't there. I don't think they hate each other, I think they do respect each other and they admire each other. There just isn't a relationship there at all, right?

SPEAKER_00 22:21

Right.

SPEAKER_06 22:21

Well, this is something that you touched on, Rick. That it should have been like the whole Alex Rodriguez Derek Jeter dynamic, where you know if if I think they got a chance to to fix history, right? So Lindor has to be that leader for Juan Soto. Exactly.

SPEAKER_07 22:37

So I I also felt like Soto was going to Francisco's team last year. It was this is Lindor's team. This year, the new guys, even Carson Bench, he just came up. He's like, I'm gonna be stuck to Juan Soto up and down, which I get it. But I think that the way Lindor plays and the way he carries himself, the guys will still gravitate around him. Eventually, there'll be a moment when those two come together and and just the relationship is just not there. And I think the New York media is is is trying to separate them. You got possibly the best Puerto Rican player in Major League Baseball and the best Dominican player, and no disrespect to Tatisa Vladdy, and the best Dominican player, and then you have Luis Roberts Jr., one of the best Cuban players. So you have like the whole Trinity on one squad, and I feel like Roberts immediately went to Soto. And I I think that that's what Soto was kind of expecting from Lindor. But if I'm Lindor, this is my squad, you're coming to my squad, you should be trying to like build something with me. And and Soto doesn't he doesn't work like that, but I I I wholeheartedly believe that they're gonna have their moment because at the end of the day, they're two passionate players that really care about winning. Soto didn't sign with the Mets because of the money, also, they have an opportunity to win. The farm system is pretty good. No, no, no. The farm system is pretty good. We got some guys to bring up, and and there's a future there. Flip to the Yankees, they can't develop players. It's all about judge, and they they're not willing to spend money. Yeah, but he's one of these pitchers that you could put him in Kansas City and he was gonna come up, you know. Oh, come on, no, but that's not fair.

SPEAKER_00 24:30

That's not yeah, no, no, but that's not fair, though. That's not fair. But here's the thing, right? I get what you're saying. The Yankees have done a really good job, especially in recent years, developing pitching. They used to struggle developing pitching, not the case anymore. Their issue is that their prospects get to a certain level, and then they don't get past it or they ruined it. Quadruple A baseball play. You know, like Volpe is not Volpe is not a star. I never seen it, but no, I don't who knows what he could have been, right?

SPEAKER_06 25:02

He's he's Brett Gardner that plays shortstop. The thing, the thing then that always troubles me with Volpe is like he's obviously not playing to the back of his base, his baseball card, as people say, but it seems like for some reason he has autonomy with the Yankees organization. It's like, does he have like incriminating pictures against Brian Cashman or something that has him you know beloved in that in the in in the in the franchise? I mean what's going on here?

SPEAKER_07 25:27

If Anthony Volpe's name was Anthony Rojas, he would not have that autonomy, all right. His name is Anthony Volpe, Italiano white guy. So they're gonna give him all the chances in the world to be great. And and that's listen, I've said that for years about that team. So I don't know. Look what they did with the Martian.

SPEAKER_06 25:51

Yeah, they have stunned his growth. I was gonna get that, but what I what I was gonna say earlier with the soto thing is like I think the wording should be it wasn't just for the money because you made it seem like the money didn't matter. I mean, the money did kind of play a factor anyway. Let's play let's play.

SPEAKER_02 26:06

I know what he meant, though.

SPEAKER_06 26:06

I think it did the money.

SPEAKER_07 26:08

I'm I'm speaking to the audience, you know. It's twofold, like the money was there, and and and cohen, right? So the thing is, Steve Cohen is what George Steinbrenner used to be, right? I think Cohen cares about winning. That's why he signed re-signed Pete. He went out, he went out of his way and he went to re-sign Pete. He put it in the world.

SPEAKER_00 26:32

Now he's gotta win, he's gotta win, he's gotta win. He's gotta win first.

SPEAKER_07 26:36

And he and he's trusting, but what I'm saying is he has a passion for this team, and he's got a passion for trying to win. And and I I think he wanted to find a guy that he could rely on, and I think he he he thinks the world of David Stern.

SPEAKER_06 26:49

But and I'll tell you this: it may not seem like you're right now, but I think that your future is a hell of a lot brighter than it would have been with the Will Ponds. Oh, even though you even though it's not even though you guys are not seeing it right now, it's it's inevitably coming for sure.

SPEAKER_07 27:03

So give me a breakdown. What do you think of the squad in 2026? Uh, who is the guy that you think is gonna be uh that breakout star?

SPEAKER_00 27:14

Well, it's funny you mentioned Luis Robert Jr. because I feel like he's gonna be the the NL comeback player of the year. I said it beforehand. That's the guy who I felt was someone to watch for. You know, he has he has such great talent. A guy like that with that kind of talent just needed a change of scenery, you know. So Luis Robert Jr. to me is a guy who's got all the tools, can defend his position, power, speed. What does he need to do? Stay healthy, right? Obviously, stay healthy, that's number one, and then number two, just continue to refine that approach. He's got all the tools, and I think that the White Sox kind of ruined him, you know what I mean? Where it was a losing atmosphere, whereas the Mets have a very welcoming Latino atmosphere, you know, and I I think it's it was very good for him, right?

SPEAKER_06 28:08

Now, we all know you, especially you being in New York and understanding the New York market in sports just in general, there's already the rufflings out there, and these journalists are going out for the story in the media, making a big deal about this whole alleged beef between Soto and Lindor. You know, everybody wants to focus in. I like the way that they were giving each other that before the you know the game started, and then all that that that the controversy with that play where he didn't allow him to get an RBI and so on and so forth. So, what do you think really is going on with the dynamic between Soto and Lindor this early in the season?

SPEAKER_00 28:42

I I honestly think they they don't they don't like each other. That's my that's my I'm not saying they can't stand each other now. Again, like you know, like we were talking about, right? Let's I hope I there's a thing about being you know making these predictions and stuff like that. Like, I want to be wrong as a mess fan, like I want them to be kumbaya, we're gonna be great eventually. But part of me says that something is off there, and dude, those handshakes at the beginning of the year, I don't care what anybody tells me.

SPEAKER_02 29:20

Oh shit. Uh uh.

unknown 29:25

Uh-oh.

SPEAKER_07 29:25

We we kind of got pulled here.

SPEAKER_02 29:28

We back.

SPEAKER_07 29:29

Yeah, we're we're we're back. Sorry about that. It's okay.

SPEAKER_06 29:33

That was uh yeah, but you know what? They don't have to like each other, they just have to work together and and and and make sure that they put the best season that they can possibly. And at the end of the day, winning is the ultimate deodorant. I don't care what kind of animosity that there is. I don't I don't care if like you know Lindor is jealous of like Soto's contract, or he thinks that Lindor has a better-looking girl or whatever the case may be. It doesn't matter, none of that is like doesn't matter, they just need to focus on working together because hey, listen, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen didn't get along either, they weren't exactly Fred Friendstone and Barty Rubble, you know.

SPEAKER_07 30:07

So I don't think Lindor, I don't think it has anything to do, anything to do with Soto's contract. I don't think it has anything to do with it. I'm just saying, like, it doesn't matter what the reason I I strongly believe is that Lindor had to go through a lot to get to where he is in this organization. Um, he was close to being named captain. I don't care what uh Steve Cohen says. If you don't sign Soto, Lindor's wearing a C right now on his chest.

SPEAKER_00 30:36

Big bingo, bingo, my god, why does nobody ever say this? You said it. So thank you. I didn't have to say it. He said it for me. That's it. They're human beings. You you think that's not gonna bother him? You think that's gonna bother him? Of course, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 30:55

And the you the handshakes, it does look bad, but winning does cure everything, and and um, I I feel like I really like Polanco's approach at the plate. I love what Robert brings to the team. I I that was my pick as an X Factor in baseball period. Um, and Bachetto figure out at the plate how to play. I don't know about defensive-wise, how's he gonna work out? And I think Carson Binge was a great call for now, but the kids got to get on base more, he's gotta hit more. Um, so I'm I'm pleasantly surprised with the with with the roster. Uh, it seems like everything has been working out. Uh, and the pitching's gonna come along. I I feel like Peralta was uh okay, he wasn't great. Um, I really liked uh Holmes's start yesterday. And for the love of God, we're watching Love Lady pitch again. Why is why is he on?

SPEAKER_06 31:58

That was gonna be my next question, actually. Well, Dicky knows on the on the team still. But that's David Stern. Now, let me ask you two, gentlemen, since you guys are the Mets fans uh in this in this endum right now. So we you Rick and I we spoke about in the last episode about Aaron Judge being booed in spring training of all places and and the frustration between the Yankees and the fans and the front and the franchise and so on and so forth. It's mounting up. And I mentioned that this is just the fans being sick and tired of being sold a bill of goods, not believing in Brian Cashman and so on and so forth, especially running it back with the roster that they essentially had last year. With almost the exact Mets fans with the with the with the Mets booing Bo Ba Shedd. What level is the frustration met with Mets fans already at this early in the season if they're already booing Bo Ba shed?

SPEAKER_00 32:48

I think it's dumb. I I I hate when I gotta tell I'm not a booer, like that's not my style, but I'm not gonna tell fans not to boo. That's not my style, especially my own players. Like, why am I gonna? It's three games in for Christ's sakes. Like, what are we doing? Like, I I hate it, I don't like it. To me, I think it was a little surprising to see the fans boo bobichet so soon, at least to me. I don't know, it's weird.

SPEAKER_07 33:16

I I just think he looks so bad at the plate, and um, he really looked lost. I don't agree with it, you know. I go back to when we had Javi Baez on the squad, which I kind of if if the fans would have shown, and I'm surprised because usually Mets fans aren't like that, they don't really turn on their players. That's a Yankee fan thing. Um, that's why they have the whole thing. I don't know about that. Slick that's why they that that that's why they had that thing with against Javi and and again Francisco Lindor as well. Um it's it's way too early. Like the kid, yes, he has eight strikeouts, I get it, in 14 at bats, but it's he he's not going yet, you know. And I I think the Mets fans expected a kind of a start, like what Luis Roberts Jr. was it was bringing to the table, but um, they're not gonna see that right away from Bobich.

SPEAKER_06 34:14

That's the interesting thing about baseball fans in general during opening weekend, where uh if if they don't start, if if the team doesn't reach 116 uh 162 games and oh, then it's a failure of a season.

SPEAKER_00 34:30

It's crazy. I mean like fans need to relax. Like, I I hate when they like just chill, right? Everybody chill, everybody calm down, relax 162 games. We got a long way to go till October.

SPEAKER_07 34:42

Like your manager says not only is it a long season. Hold on, hold on, trying to get a get a good camera. What it's it's also March March, and this and the season started earlier earlier now. So the fans really like players are the the season used to start April 5th, April 6th. We're starting baseball last week in March. What do you expect?

SPEAKER_06 35:18

Right, and we already knew how out of hand it was gonna be when one of the best baseball players in the league is being booed during freaking spring training.

SPEAKER_00 35:28

Oh, that's ridiculous. I I hate that like that that bothered me too. I'm not even a Yankee fan.

SPEAKER_06 35:34

Yeah, it well, I think it's just the microcosm of baseball fans in general right now, and I could see that there's gonna be a lot of vitriol going on this season if include if indeed the Dodgers are looking at a third World Series in a row. That's too bad though.

SPEAKER_00 35:48

I and I hate the Dodgers, but you gotta you gotta stop them if you want to compete with them.

SPEAKER_06 35:53

You gotta you gotta you gotta slay the dragon, you gotta slay the dragon, you gotta beat them. Yeah, be like the San Antonio Spurs that beat the Miami Heat in the finals. That's where they gotta be.

SPEAKER_07 36:05

Wow, I'm completely out of this like stream. This computer froze.

SPEAKER_02 36:10

So I'm gonna I'm gonna try to.

SPEAKER_07 36:13

Yeah, I know, but I'm I'm frozen. I'm gonna try to like cover the colour.

SPEAKER_06 36:16

You're talking and drinking a beer at the same time, it's a wonderful skill.

SPEAKER_07 36:20

I know, but I'm gonna try to log back in uh on a different because my computer is completely frozen right now, and it's annoying me because I can't even see you guys. Oh no, yeah, it's bad. This is probably the worst stream, and it shouldn't have been because I was really looking forward to this. Because we haven't even touched the world baseball classic yet, right?

SPEAKER_00 36:43

Now we are I hear you. No, we'll we're making the best of it. Go ahead, do your thing.

SPEAKER_06 36:48

Exactly. Now, um, while he goes ahead and uh and you know takes care of that, uh you santos from a met stand from a Mets fan standpoint. Uh what are your expectations for Amendy going on this year? I mean, are you are you still a guy? You're still a guy that's all the way on Mendoza, or are you a guy that's possibly waiting for somebody like Carlos Beltran, just waiting in the in the alerks of being the next Mets manager? What what's what's the deal there as far as you're concerned with uh Mendy?

SPEAKER_00 37:17

You know, there's a lot of fans who want to see Beltran back as a manager. I'm kind of like let Mendoza do his thing. Like, what is it that the kids say? Let let him cook, right?

SPEAKER_02 37:27

Yeah, let him cook, let Mendoza cook.

SPEAKER_00 37:30

All right. I I'm not uh I don't get the hate for Mendoza. Last year, to me, was on Stearns and the players, right? To me, Mendoza didn't have pitching to work with, so it's like this year he will be on the hot seat. This year, uh Mendoza has to uh what is it? He has to win, he's got to get his team in the playoffs. You gotta get in the playoffs. I don't care what happens, right? You gotta get in the playoffs. He gets in the playoffs, he'll be back uh for the following year, right? Um, I like Mendoza, I got no problem with Mendoza. I think Mendoza is fine, he's not the problem. Just like with the Yankees, Aaron Boone. I understand Aaron Boone does stuff that you like sometimes, right?

SPEAKER_06 38:13

Yeah, like like in the eighth inning, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 38:15

Right, right.

SPEAKER_06 38:16

But the thing is though, I I think the bigger problem is Cashman than and that's something that I've been saying for a long time because I've always said this like if the Yankee fans finally get their pound of flesh and Aaron Boone gets fired, but can but Brian Cashman's still with the organization, he's just what's the point of Aaron Boone 2 point uh 2.0. He's gonna bring his next uh robot exactly, and he's gonna be heavily analytical, and this, that, and the third. The real the real crux of it is Brian Cashman. I mean, to me, that's the one that is at the center of all of this vitriol and other things, and you know, all right, fine. We made it to the world series and everything two years ago, whatever, but that doesn't mean anything. It kind of irks me when people say, Well, at least y'all made it to the world series. Okay, thanks. We just proved that we were the first loser. That's all the proof.

SPEAKER_00 39:01

That's not the Yankees' expectation. The Yankees expect. I understand you can't win every year, right? Right, right. The Yankees expectation is beyond that going to the playoffs every year. You guys, the Mets are not there yet. We want to be where you guys are, at least right now. Not then. We're one year, yes, one year no. One year this, what no? We need to be where you are, and then we could worry about your problem, which is we haven't won a world series this whole nine, right?

SPEAKER_06 39:31

And it's tough because it's tough when you have when you have Cashman who says we want to win championships, not championship, plural. But yeah, you still haven't won one since 2009.

SPEAKER_00 39:41

I mean, the the analytics are different since you won last.

SPEAKER_06 39:44

I mean you know what also bugs me, and I've said that you know what also bugs me, also, and I've said this before on the show, where he said that uh, well, we actually have the smallest analytic department in the entire division. And I'm like, we weren't we weren't concerned with the size of the the of the analytics doesn't mean that it's the application of it, not that that doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_00 40:03

That doesn't matter. Everybody's got analytics these days, it's not about who you have, how many you have. No, no, no, it's about how they are applied, what the data is, right? Look what they do with these lineups, yeah. A cashman, you know what I mean? He's got these I've said it before. The a guy gets hot and he takes him out of the lineup. A guy gets hot. No, no, we can't put him in there, you know, two days in a row. Are we gonna put another hitter in there? Like, what are you doing?

SPEAKER_07 40:32

The fact that your lineup is not constructed by your manager, and it's a collaborative effort where he writes his lineup and sends it upstairs, and then they tinker whatever they want. That that's the problem with that organization.

SPEAKER_06 40:47

Yeah, but I also said Einstein cooking up some kind of formula for the lineup of that day.

SPEAKER_07 40:53

The minor league philosophy of uh launch angles, home runs. Um, it works for the regular season, but not the close season. So they gotta find a healthy balance. I I feel like they need a couple players like Luis Orias, gets base hits, gets on base, gets takes his walks, could set the table, could get the the bases juiced for their Aaron Judge, Stanton, you know, Bellinger, and it's roster construction. Arod said it best. I I think that they they've constructed a flawed roster. Like you take Aaron Judge out that lineup. What do you got? Uh to me.

SPEAKER_00 41:33

You got a hundred you got like five dh's. You got like five dh's. Like what everybody is just home home runner bus. Everybody strikeout home run walk, strikeout, home run walk.

SPEAKER_06 41:44

And you're basically keeping John Carlo stand on ice until the playoffs.

SPEAKER_00 41:48

That's it. He's gonna get hurt like five times before that.

SPEAKER_07 41:52

Yep, that that that's his job. He's gonna be on the DL to September, get hot, and then the playoffs come around, and he gotta do his Carlo Stan strains his hamstring every time he walks out of his Lamborghini. It's crazy. So crazy. Let's let's do some bold predictions, real quick. Uh, give me your MVP Cy Young rookie of the year, A L and NL.

SPEAKER_00 42:14

Okay, so it's funny. I super early for this, by the way. I know, no, no, let's no, listen, I get it. No, no, it's all I like it. I'm all here for it. Um, the thing, I'm not a big awards guy, so it's one of the things that I I really don't think a lot about. But if I have to, I mean, I hate going chalk with these things. So I'm just gonna all right in the AL, I think it's gonna be the year of somebody else besides Judge. It's gonna be somebody else, but it's gonna be hard to not vote judge, right? So let's go with MVP. Um what's his name? Uh Bobby Witt Jr. Boom. Bobby Wood's gonna get his first MVP, right? Uh Cy Young is gonna be somebody else. I don't know. To be honest with you, I haven't thought a lot about the awards. I really haven't. Um, just because it's like, oh, the AL MVP is gonna be Judge, uh Otani, uh School Bull, Schienes, it's kind of like all the same thing. It's like it's kind of I don't know, it's tough. It's picking awards, it's tough. Um I don't know. School boos is gonna win again. I don't know.

SPEAKER_06 43:32

You know who I'm actually looking forward to seeing.

SPEAKER_07 43:34

Uh I predict Hosani not winning a MVP this year, and I predict Skeens not winning a Cy Young this year. I actually predict Skeens having the worst year of his professional career this year.

SPEAKER_00 43:47

That's a good one. I like it. I like it. Maybe Christopher Sanchez will get the the Cy Young. How about that? He had a great year last year.

SPEAKER_07 43:57

That that'd be nice. I I think this. Skeens DR did something to Skeens. Now I don't know exactly what it is, but uh he felt high they did in the world baseball classic. Every pitch was high leverage, like it was multiplied. It felt like a playoff atmosphere, and I think he brought that to opening day. They didn't cash in. They didn't cash in. They didn't cash in. You're right. But I I feel like he brought that to the start with the Mets, and you can see it. It was very similar. Like, I guess he saw Soto and he was like, Oh shit, I'm facing the same team again. No, and the Mets were grinding at bats with him.

SPEAKER_00 44:42

Yeah, definitely. Um he'll be fine. I don't know.

SPEAKER_07 44:47

He'll be fine, but I don't think he's gonna be as dominant as people think he is. I think Scoobyl might walk away this year because he's trying to get some big money, and I think he's gonna get that. Uh-huh. I don't see somebody challenging Judge that much. If Judge has a bad year, somebody else is gonna win it. Um, but I don't think Otani wins it this year.

SPEAKER_06 45:06

Yeah, nice. You know, actually, one person that uh I've been reading about that actually should be getting a lot of heads, and we'll see how the how the season plays out is uh Julio Rodriguez from Detroit.

SPEAKER_00 45:20

Oh, from from Seattle, uh yeah, I'm sorry, Seattle. Um the problem with him though, you know what that I love that pick, but the problem with him is you gotta watch with him with his with the slow starts, right? Because he I love Julio as a player, um, he's one of my favorite players in the game, complete player, five-two player. By the way, before we get into the world baseball classic, I want to address something with you because I know what you're gonna bring up, yeah, yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_07 45:50

Because you put something up today. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_00 45:55

Go ahead.

SPEAKER_07 45:57

No, no, no, you put something up today about MLB's investment in the Dominican Republic, and I feel that MLB has made that investment because of the likes of the past players that have come out of there, and it's not MLB, the entity itself that has invested, it's the actual teams and organizations that have built those camps in DR. Um, and they're trying to find the next Manny Ramirez, Arod, David Ortiz, and it's gonna happen in Puerto Rico in the next five or six years, but Puerto Rico hasn't had a cluster of players at that one time. Like, I believed the Correa Baez Lindor class was.

SPEAKER_00 46:41

I thought that was gonna bring more. I thought that was gonna bring more. I agree.

SPEAKER_07 46:45

I that I thought I was like, holy shit, PR is coming hard, right? Um, and out of that class, Lindor is the head and shoulders above the other two. So that's why I believe the teams haven't invested in Puerto Rico as they should. And another take I do agree with is PR DR, which uh MOB did rob us rob us of this. Normally, we are in the same pool, right? Uh, they did some funny business this year, and they separated the teams like the USA wouldn't play DR till a certain point. Uh uh Puerto Rico wouldn't, but so uh they kind of played the cards a specific way, and I agree with you wholeheartedly. I don't think it's M will be picking one country over the other. I just feel like the success of one country, which by the way, we're still the most underrated country in baseball. I don't think we get the respect that should be given, right?

SPEAKER_00 47:48

Oh no, no, come on, no, I know. I I honestly I'm serious.

SPEAKER_07 47:53

I'm serious.

SPEAKER_00 47:54

That's why this team was playing the way that we guys get all the attention. No, no, no.

SPEAKER_07 47:59

I'm being I'm being I'm I'm I'm being honest with you. I think that as far as America, right? America, when they were winning, this tournament was important. When they lost to Italy, oh, it's an exhibition. When they beat DR, they're like, We slayed the dragon. This is important, it's about Bride and Country. Fuck that. For these Latin countries, it is bigger than the World Series, it's everything for us, right? Yep. That's why I when we lost, I was like, I my two squads are it's Venezuela, and at the time Puerto Rico was still in it. I'm cheering for those two on that side, and I'm cheering for DR on this side, and I'm American, but like to downplay it when you lost, and then like you pick and choose when it's it matters, right? Like, you're right, yeah. When it comes to Japan, oh damn, and and they they bow down to them, like, oh, they're so great. This which they are, and rightfully so. Yeah, but they feel like it's Japan, it's America's pastime. This is our sport, like it's not newsflash, it's not your sport, it it's the Latin sport now. Because guess what? The highest rated games were the Latin countries, Italy brought eyeballs. The way Italy played was amazing, right? Yeah, but every time PR and DR play or DR oh they were huge disappointment. I agree with you, and the the way the crowd is moving through the screen, baseball and like white guys are like writing. Why isn't the season played like this? Because that's how we play baseball in our country, brother, and that's what's missing in this game.

SPEAKER_06 49:39

Because this country, unfortunately, and not to get too political, but we're in a space of toxic superiority where we feel like we're better than everybody, but the numbers don't lie.

SPEAKER_07 49:49

And and and I I do agree with you at some point that the United States has a thing against Puerto Rico, like like so, and it was proven black and white with the bad bunny halftime performance. Like the people in this country got like so on a oh my god, you gotta get an American to perform. Do you know Puerto Rico is part of America, sir?

SPEAKER_00 50:15

Puerto Rico is, and this is what the biggest argument I have, especially with some Dominicans who don't know the situation in Puerto Rico, right? That they say, Oh, you American citizens, you have it so easy, you could just come here. Okay, so you pack up and you leave, right? So go to a university. No, listen, to look to go to a university, go to college, and get your degree in a language that you don't speak. So you do that just because you can get there doesn't mean it's easy. You can do that, so and you gotta finish school and you have to be that age that you are. You can't say I'm 15 and I'm not really 15. You gotta be that age, and you can sign, I don't know, a hundred players for the price of one Puerto Rican player. So cost has to do with it too, you know.

SPEAKER_07 51:07

And and it's it does, but also I I think is the results like Albert Pool Hall, yeah. Absolutely, no, the results gotta be there.

SPEAKER_00 51:16

Yeah, of course they are.

SPEAKER_07 51:18

Oh, we just lost to the Cardinals three-nothing. Way to go, Kodai Sangha. And the Cardinals on a rebuilt, they're on a rebuild.

SPEAKER_00 51:30

Yep, they are.

SPEAKER_07 51:31

I'm very disappointed that uh David Stearns didn't pick up the phone and called Miami about Sandy Alcantor.

SPEAKER_00 51:37

I I feel like there's from what I from what I understand, the Marlins did not want to trade him within the division. That's what I heard.

SPEAKER_06 51:44

So and not just that, but I also think that David Stearns is um, I mean, um Steve Cohen is pulling back a little bit because he really wants David Stearns to really be on top of his game this season. He's really giving him full autonomy to operate the way that he wants to because he doesn't want to meddle, he wants to let David Stearns do his job. He's hiring him, he's paying for he hired him, he's paying for him to do the job, and he's gonna see all the way through it. He was like, All right, I didn't want to wait for a little bit. Now let's somebody spot David Stearns.

SPEAKER_07 52:15

He's he sucks at getting pitchers, I gotta tell you. I mean, Freddie Peralta is amazing, but how how don't you lock up Freddie for three to four years right now?

SPEAKER_06 52:25

It doesn't seem like Milwaukee missed a step ever since Stearns was gone.

SPEAKER_00 52:29

And that's that that's my biggest. That's my biggest. You just said it. This guy gets what he gets me. You get me. That's the biggest indictment on David Stearns. And I'm gonna tell you something that they didn't know. A lot of people don't know. Do you know that David Stearns during his tenure with the Milwaukee Brewers was reassigned out of player personnel? But nobody talks about that. He was reassigned. Look it up, he got removed from player personnel and got put into financing, so finance was like the financial element of that. So, like the cap and the cap salary, uh, salary stuff and numbers with the analytics. He got they changed his role. Nobody talks about that though, because they don't want that, you know, because the narrative is that he's the guy who they were waiting for to hire. You know, he's gonna come here and he's gonna, you know.

SPEAKER_07 53:24

Yeah, look what he did with a small market team and no budget. Imagine what he's gonna do with Davis uh Steve Cohen's money.

SPEAKER_00 53:30

Yeah, he doesn't know what to do with Steve Cohen's money.

SPEAKER_07 53:32

Has he won? Has he won? No, that that's always been my thing, and and I feel like the best move he made was get Luis Roberts Jr. I agree 100%. Well, besides Freddie, obviously, and and the Polanco thing was was fantastic. I like that.

SPEAKER_00 53:50

Yep, nice move too. Yep.

SPEAKER_07 53:52

Um, I just feel like how you don't address third and first defensively was okay. You got Freddie, but what else are you getting us? You know, I get I get that we got getting us closer. I I get you got the kid lined up, and that's great. And I you know, and you you sent Jonah down, which I agree with in in triple A, let him have a couple more months down there, but you your pitching uh decisions have been horrendous. You got lucky in 2024. Lucky, and how do you go and not bring Sevi back? But you signed Mantas or Quintana, that's a big win.

SPEAKER_00 54:37

Quintana's a pro, he's a pro. He's not he's not a stud, but he's a pro. He eats a hundred, yeah, and he's solid, you know.

SPEAKER_07 54:45

He's solid, and what was the problem with the rotation? They couldn't get past six last year. So have you have Quintana on that rotation, he kind of stabilizes it a little bit, and and people say, Oh, you don't know if you would have brought up the kids a little earlier. Bullshit, and you see there's blood in the water, and the team is suffering, and it's not the offense. Call some of your guys up, see what they got. That's right. So I feel like we got to do a part two to this. I don't know if if you're gonna agree to that now, here on air, but I feel like we gotta do a part two to this. Of course, of course, of course, and I feel like I have to get a different streaming service now because this one's failing me.

SPEAKER_00 55:26

Um, no, no, tremendously today. No, no, no, yeah, no, tafrisal, bro. That's it.

SPEAKER_07 55:33

Like I know, I'm I I look I look crazy. I so yo, Santos.

SPEAKER_06 55:39

We didn't get through I just want to say real quick.

SPEAKER_07 55:42

Yeah, go ahead, Jason. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_06 55:44

I just want to say Santos real quick before uh we hopped on. I was looking at some of your stuff on YouTube. Uh I didn't get it to I basically just got the gist of what you do. Uh, but it was it was it was great getting to know you on the stream right now, and I'm looking forward to checking out some more of your content because uh it's really intriguing stuff, especially when you add your little bit of uh Latino flavor to the talk of baseball, which I think is a really nice twist.

SPEAKER_00 56:06

Thank you. No, I appreciate that. Thank you, and I gotta follow you as well.

SPEAKER_07 56:10

Well, Jason is not on social media right now. He's he's for Lent, he gave it up, so yeah.

SPEAKER_06 56:15

Uh I'll be back on Easter.

SPEAKER_07 56:19

He'll be back on Easter. Uh, I I also appreciate the fact that you educate the audience on our players, and when I say our players, I don't mean the Dominican players, I mean all of us, yeah. All our all our Latino players. I and one thing I really loved was the uh Tatis Contreras moment at the beginning of the game. And I feel like all Latin countries play baseball like that, as opposed to Randy extending his hand to his teammate.

SPEAKER_00 56:46

Oh man, that guy I threw him under the bus so hard, man. And the funny thing is, nobody mentions and they don't mention that. They don't mention when I ripped a new one into Carlos Correa for not going to the classic. Nobody talks about that, but hey, it is what it is.

SPEAKER_06 57:03

You gotta that's the price of you know, it's a rock boy definitely got it on the thing, uh, on the finger of the of the baseball community.

SPEAKER_07 57:11

Well, the baseball classic was tremendous. I really enjoyed it this year. Yeah, um, I did it.

SPEAKER_00 57:16

I'm glad not from put not from Puerto Rico. I I I was I get it was miserable.

SPEAKER_06 57:22

I felt like I'm half Colombian and I still enjoyed it.

SPEAKER_07 57:25

So let me let you in on it. So my wife is half Cuban, half Puerto Rican. So I always cheer for PR and DR, right? Um, and I I told you Lindor's my guy. I I kind of felt robbed when the captain of Team Puerto Rico did not get cleared, insured medically to participate, and then they they they took they let Baez not participate because of a bogus rule. Oh my god. So I I kind of felt like you guys were I I felt like you guys, and you mentioned it perfectly where you said the next go around, these guys are gonna be mid 30s, late 30s. What are we gonna what type of players are they gonna be at that point? I would still would like to see that whole team because that's the reason why in 2013, uh, and I think the other one was 2016, Puerto Rico was super successful, is because those four or three players and and Edwin Diaz.

SPEAKER_00 58:24

Yeah, 2017 was that core, 2013 was a different core. 2013 was uh Angel Pagan, uh Beltrán, Alex Rios, different core that was kind of like a bridge year, you know, but they still went to the final. Obviously, they lost to DR. DR's pitching was great in that year. Um, but you know, so but 2017, we who knew that that would be the last time we see them all together. Who knew?

SPEAKER_07 58:51

I I I didn't. I was like, this is something special, and I I kept telling everybody, watch Puerto Rico this year. They they got the young kids, and they these kids are hungry and they're gonna make some noise in this tournament. So now I have good news though.

SPEAKER_00 59:06

This yeah, no, listen, to to I I get it, bro. It hit me hard, trust me. Now, I the good news is that I've been researching the drafts. These next drafts are gonna be good. Puerto Rico's next drafts have the best drafts they've had in years. So, fingers crossed, there's some talent coming in the pipeline, there's some good ones coming up. So uh, I'm hopeful. So we'll see.

SPEAKER_07 59:29

I think the bill, okay, and and I think you know, it's my team, right? Uh Soto, Vladdy, and Tatis ain't going nowhere, and they're still gonna be in their prime. Absolutely, and so and I think Soto, when he said he wants a world baseball classic title, I think he meant it. So I believe him. Yep, and and and USA, stop messing with these brackets, man. We want to see our our normal traditional games, uh, where you guys are like in awe of like, wow, that's how the land countries play. Yeah, that's how you play. Right, right. That's right.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:02

That's how we play.

SPEAKER_07 1:00:03

We celebrate bat flips, mad gold changes, everywhere everywhere. Your abuela's in the stands yelling at a guy for striking out. Um, everybody's into the game.

SPEAKER_06 1:00:15

The noise as much as I hate it, Batista Batflip was too sick, you know.

SPEAKER_07 1:00:21

Epic. Oh, I mean, and and you forget that was a revenge bat flip. That's right. I remember. No, don't don't don't fuck Batista. It's my guy. Uh that was a revenge. It was it kind of reminded me of A-Rock getting plunked by the Red Sox twice. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're right. And they came up that third time, like, okay, you're gonna do that for me. I got you.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:48

Columbia was a huge disappointment. Yeah, huge. I'm not saying I expected them to win or advance past the bracket, they were just not competitive, they got blown out in every uh every game. They didn't show no, they were bad. I I was shocked.

SPEAKER_07 1:01:01

The Netherlands was also disappointing because the Netherlands always plays hard, and I they didn't have pitching though.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:08

Their pitching was bad, though. They didn't have the pitching. I get what you're saying, but nope.

SPEAKER_07 1:01:14

Well, we live to see another day, and uh uh thank you again for uh coming on the pod. And thank you, bro. I look forward to doing this again. I can't even like give the reaction and applause. Everything is frozen here.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:28

Oh, we'll do it again, we'll do it again. Don't worry, we'll do it again on a different streaming service. Yeah, and a different coming to you soon. Coming to you soon.

SPEAKER_07 1:01:38

All right, I think Jason, you might have to end this because this thing really grows on me.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:43

Yo, Call you. He got the voice too. There you go. Oh, he does, he does, he does.

SPEAKER_07 1:01:48

He has the best hair in podcasting. Not right now, but thank you. Yeah, Jason, I think you might have to end the stream because I don't have I can't touch anything right here.

SPEAKER_06 1:01:58

All right, well, some closest. I got it. I'm gonna figure it out.

SPEAKER_07 1:02:02

I'm gonna find out just go fucking. Give me one, give me one quick second. I got it right now.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:08

That's funny. Well, yo, yo, this guy be saying stuff that I would say, bro. I'd be thinking I say that to my wife, she laughs, looking at me like I'm crazy. Like, she just dies laughing every time.

SPEAKER_06 1:02:21

If people laugh, that's when I know that you are meant to be in my life. If anybody's like, oh my god, why would you say that about yourself? And like that's funny. That's funny.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:30

Oh, nope. You either get it or you don't. Exactly.

SPEAKER_07 1:02:34

Exactly. Well, everybody have a good night. We'll see you again next Tuesday at nine o'clock.

SPEAKER_06 1:02:39

Uh, let everybody, Santos, let everybody know where they can find you on social media and your YouTube channel.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:44

Thank you, brother. So, Santos, the baseball aficionado, uh, Instagram, TikTok, uh, YouTube, Facebook for people that like to go to Facebook. It's there, my father be on there all the time.

SPEAKER_06 1:02:58

Calarito, that's what they call it.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:00

We love the viejos too. That's right, that's right. Um, you got it. Um, oh, can I can I can I plug my website? I have the my uh my bbicionado.com. I got merch, tees, hats, hoodies, sweatshirts.

SPEAKER_06 1:03:21

Um rocking right now, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:24

Yep, I'm rocking my my merch right now. Um, so designed by me, created by me, all that good stuff. Thank you for the support.

SPEAKER_07 1:03:33

Great and um great site. You can check out the mission statement and the story of everything on it, by the way. All right, I'm gonna check out some stuff so I can get some sweats. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:41

I appreciate that. Thank you.

SPEAKER_07 1:03:42

You're welcome. Well, this seems like the beginning of a lovely marriage between us and you a trio.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:51

All right, guys, next week.

SPEAKER_06 1:03:53

Welcome to 2026.