Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: All right, baseball fans, October is here, and we are talking playoffs, the best time of year. Absolutely. And we are diving deep into the players who are going to make or break their team's chances.
[00:00:11] Speaker B: Wants to watch.
[00:00:12] Speaker A: Exactly. And we've got a great starting point for this conversation. A recent article ranking the top 24 players we should expect to see dominate this post season.
[00:00:22] Speaker B: Yeah. Should be hard to break it down.
[00:00:23] Speaker A: Absolutely. Yeah. So the article we're looking at is called ranking top 24 players in 2024 MLB playoffs. Yankees duo in top five. Aaron Judge ahead of Shohei Ohtani.
[00:00:34] Speaker B: Catchy title.
[00:00:35] Speaker A: Right. So we're not just gonna go through. Read the list. That'd be boring.
[00:00:38] Speaker B: No, no, no.
[00:00:39] Speaker A: We're gonna break it down by tears. Talk about the biggest snubs, the surprises, all that good stuff.
[00:00:43] Speaker B: That stuff that matters.
[00:00:44] Speaker A: Exactly. So let's jump right into it, shall we?
[00:00:47] Speaker B: Let's do it.
[00:00:48] Speaker A: Tier one, the untouchables. And at the top, I mean, who else?
[00:00:51] Speaker B: Aaron Judge, the reigning mvp. I mean, what is there to even say at this point? The guy's a monster at the plate.
[00:00:58] Speaker A: Yeah, his ops is ridiculous, right? 33 points higher than anyone else in the league, right?
[00:01:03] Speaker B: Yeah. 223. And for those who might not be as familiar with ops, it essentially takes everything a hitter does at the plate. Hits, walks, extra base hits, and distills it into one number that tells you how good they are offensively.
[00:01:15] Speaker A: So the higher the number, the better, basically.
[00:01:17] Speaker B: And an ops over 100 means you're above average. Judge is more than double that.
[00:01:22] Speaker A: More than double. Wow. Okay, so what else is there to say about him?
[00:01:25] Speaker B: Well, people forget he's not just a DH. He plays great defense in center field, too.
[00:01:30] Speaker A: Yeah, that's true. He's the total package.
[00:01:32] Speaker B: Yeah, he is.
[00:01:33] Speaker A: All right. Moving on to number two on the list. And it's another big bat, Shohei Ohtani.
[00:01:39] Speaker B: And he's not even pitching in the playoffs this year.
[00:01:41] Speaker A: I know. Crazy. Yeah. Still makes the top two even though he's just gonna be hitting.
[00:01:44] Speaker B: Exactly. It's unheard of. That just shows you how incredible that 50 50 season was.
[00:01:49] Speaker A: For sure. I mean, but tactically, strategically, how do you think this changes things for the Dodgers in the playoffs?
[00:01:55] Speaker B: It's huge.
Having Ohtani solely as a hitter. It just adds this whole other layer of depth to their lineup. You've already got bets and Freeman, and now you're adding Ohtani to the mix.
[00:02:07] Speaker A: It's scary.
[00:02:08] Speaker B: It's a nightmare for opposing pitchers. How do you even approach that?
[00:02:12] Speaker A: I have no idea.
[00:02:13] Speaker B: Do you pitch around a guy who can hit it out on any pitch.
[00:02:15] Speaker A: Exactly. And he doesn't strike out much either. So it's not like you can just try to fool him.
[00:02:20] Speaker B: It'll be fascinating to watch how teams approach him.
[00:02:22] Speaker A: For sure.
All right, rounding out our untouchables, we've got young phenom Bobby Whit junior.
[00:02:29] Speaker B: This kid is special. Back to back 30, 30 seasons, and he's only 24.
[00:02:33] Speaker A: I mean, that's just ridiculous. And he does it all at shortstop.
[00:02:36] Speaker B: One of the most demanding positions on the field.
[00:02:38] Speaker A: Absolutely. So we've got our untouchables. These are the guys who, barring injury, are going to put up big numbers this postseason.
[00:02:45] Speaker B: Oh, dough.
[00:02:46] Speaker A: Now let's move on to tier two, our mvp caliber players, and were kicking things off with another young star, Gunnar Henderson.
[00:02:53] Speaker B: This kid is the real deal. He can do it all. Hit for power, steal bases, play gold glove defense. And hes only 23.
[00:03:02] Speaker A: Yeah, you mentioned the defense there. And the article used an interesting term, called him a vacuum at shortstop. What does that even mean?
[00:03:09] Speaker B: Basically, it means he makes everything look easy. Ground balls, line drives, you name it, they all end up in his glove. Makes those tough throws to first look.
[00:03:17] Speaker A: Routine, the sign of a true talent. And it's funny you mentioned the comparison to Bobby Waitt junior, because the article actually talks about how those two could be the faces of baseball for the next decade.
[00:03:29] Speaker B: It's a great debate. Both young, both incredibly talented. It's gonna be fun to watch them battle it out for years to come.
[00:03:36] Speaker A: Speaking of battles, let's talk about Juan Soto. He's another young guy who's putting up some crazy numbers.
[00:03:42] Speaker B: This guy has gotta be one of the toughest outs in baseball. He's got that rare combination of power and patience that you just don't see very often.
[00:03:49] Speaker A: Yeah, the article mentioned something about him drawing more walks than strikeouts this year. I mean, what?
[00:03:54] Speaker B: It's ridiculous, right? It's one thing to hit for power, but to have that kind of pleat discipline, that's what sets him apart.
[00:04:00] Speaker A: It's like he knows what's coming before the pitcher even throws the ball.
[00:04:04] Speaker B: Right? And it just makes things so much easier on his teammates. When you've got a guy like that hitting in front of you, you're going to get more good pitches to hit.
[00:04:11] Speaker A: Absolutely. All right, let's shift gears a bit and talk about our first pitcher in tier two, Tarek Scubal.
[00:04:18] Speaker B: He had himself a year, huh?
[00:04:20] Speaker A: That's an understatement. Pitcher's triple crown. I'd never even heard of that before this season.
[00:04:24] Speaker B: Me neither. To lead the league in era, strikeouts and wins, that's almost unheard of.
[00:04:30] Speaker A: So you're saying he was pretty good?
[00:04:31] Speaker B: Just a bit. And he's got that bulldog mentality on the mound. He wants the ball in those big games.
[00:04:36] Speaker A: Love to see it. All right, up next, we have a guy who knows a thing or two about big moments. Francisco Lindor.
[00:04:45] Speaker B: Mister Clutch. Especially in New York, they don't call.
[00:04:48] Speaker A: Him Mister smile for nothing. But seriously, the article talked about how important his leadership and experience are going to be for the Mets this post season.
[00:04:56] Speaker B: Absolutely. This guy's been there, done that. He's played in big games. He knows what it takes to win, and that's invaluable, especially for a younger team like the Mets.
[00:05:04] Speaker A: And you can't underestimate the importance of having a guy who can stay calm under pressure. The playoffs are a different beast. No doubt. All right, moving on to William Contreras. He's having a breakout season for the.
[00:05:17] Speaker B: Brewers, and he's doing it behind the plate. Catchers who can rake like that are a rare breed.
[00:05:22] Speaker A: Yeah, for a position that's usually all about defense, Contreras is changing the game.
[00:05:26] Speaker B: He's showing everyone that you can have it both ways.
[00:05:28] Speaker A: Exactly. And last but not least, in our MVP caliber tier, we've got the model of consistency.
[00:05:34] Speaker B: Jose Ramirez, year in, year out, he just produces.
[00:05:37] Speaker A: Never flashy, always gets the job done.
[00:05:40] Speaker B: Another guy who impacts the game in so many ways, he hits for average, he hits for power, he can steal bases, and he plays stellar defense.
[00:05:49] Speaker A: What more can you ask for? All right, we've covered a lot of ground here with our MVP caliber players, but up next, we're diving into tier three, our impact players. These are the guys who might fly under the radar a bit but have the potential to swing a series.
[00:06:05] Speaker B: These are the x factors, and we've.
[00:06:06] Speaker A: Got a good one to start us off.
[00:06:08] Speaker B: Zach Wheeler, Phillies, are hoping he can carry that regular season success into October.
[00:06:13] Speaker A: Well, he's been one of the best pitchers in baseball this year. Yeah, the article mentioned his era being in the low twos, and he's got over 200 strikeouts. That's nasty.
[00:06:21] Speaker B: Yeah, those are Cyu young caliber numbers. Speaking of which, did you see that Chris sales probably going to win it this year?
[00:06:26] Speaker A: Yeah, it's hard to argue with his season, but Wheeler has definitely been in that conversation all year.
[00:06:31] Speaker B: Absolutely.
[00:06:32] Speaker A: All right, let's move on to another pitcher who's been absolutely lights out this year, Corbin Burns. He's always been known as a strikeout pitcher, but I hear he's added a new wrinkle to his game this year.
[00:06:42] Speaker B: He's become a master of weak contact. Instead of just trying to blow it by everyone, he's mixing speeds, hitting his spots, and inducing a lot of ground balls and pop ups.
[00:06:52] Speaker A: So hes working smarter, not harder.
[00:06:54] Speaker B: Exactly. And its making him even more effective because now he can go deeper into games and save the bullpen.
[00:07:01] Speaker A: Makes sense. All right, lets shift back to the offensive side of things and talk about a guy whos been a household name for years. Bryce Harper.
[00:07:09] Speaker B: Still Reagan in his thirties.
[00:07:10] Speaker A: Its amazing how hes maintained that power. 30 homers this year. Not bad for an old guy.
[00:07:16] Speaker B: Not bad at all. And we all know he loves the big stage. He seems to turn it up another notch in the playoffs.
[00:07:21] Speaker A: Yeah, he's got that clutch gene, for sure. All right, up next, we've got a guy who's been a key piece for a team that's been battling injuries all year, Frambor Valdez.
[00:07:32] Speaker B: Talk about stepping up. The Astros have had their fair share of injuries in that rotation, but Valdez has been a rock for them.
[00:07:38] Speaker A: Consistency is key, especially in a long season like this.
[00:07:41] Speaker B: Absolutely, and he's given them a chance to win every time he takes the mound.
[00:07:45] Speaker A: That's all you can ask for. All right, we've got a young guy who's starting to turn heads, Riley Green. What can you tell us about him?
[00:07:52] Speaker B: He's a guy who does a little bit of everything well. He can hit for power, he can steal a base, and he plays great defense.
[00:07:58] Speaker A: That's like a manager's dream.
[00:08:00] Speaker B: He's got a ton of potential, and I think we're just scratching the surface with him.
[00:08:03] Speaker A: All right, and last but not least, in tier three, we have a veteran who's hoping to make another deep playoff run, Marcel Azuna.
[00:08:11] Speaker B: He's been a bit streaky this year, but we all know what he's capable of when he's locked in.
[00:08:16] Speaker A: That's the thing about the playoffs, right?
[00:08:18] Speaker B: It's all about who's hot at the right time.
[00:08:20] Speaker A: Exactly.
All right, we're gonna take a quick break, but when we come back, we're diving into tier four. Our ones to watch, don't go anywhere.
[00:08:36] Speaker B: And we are back. We're talking playoffs, we're talking impact players, and we're on to our final tier. The ones to watch, these are the guys who, with a strong October, could.
[00:08:46] Speaker A: Become household names, the breakout stars, the Cinderella stories, the ones who could swing a series with one big moment.
[00:08:52] Speaker B: Exactly. And we're kicking things off with a guy who's been quietly putting up some huge numbers this year. Anthony Santander, 44 home runs.
[00:09:00] Speaker A: I mean, come on.
[00:09:00] Speaker B: Yeah, it's easy to overlook him on a team like the Orioles with all their young talent, but Santander has been a force to be reckoned with. Absolutely. He's got that quiet power that can sneak up on you. 1 minute it's a lazy fly ball, the next minute it's over the fence.
[00:09:14] Speaker A: Speaking of guys who can change a game with one swing, how about Freddie Freeman?
[00:09:18] Speaker B: This guy is ageless, just keeps on hitting.
[00:09:20] Speaker A: It's amazing. Most guys at his age, especially first basement, they start to slow down a bit. Not Freddie.
[00:09:27] Speaker B: He seems to be getting better with age, and he's a leader in that Dodgers clubhouse, too.
[00:09:31] Speaker A: Can't underestimate the importance of that veteran presence, especially in the playoffs. All right, next up, we've got a guy who's a bit of a question mark. Yordan Alvarez.
[00:09:41] Speaker B: When he's healthy, he's one of the scariest hitters in baseball.
[00:09:44] Speaker A: Yeah, but that knee sprain is a concern big time.
[00:09:48] Speaker B: The Astros are hoping he can get back on the field soon, but even if he does, you have to wonder how close to 100% he'll be.
[00:09:55] Speaker A: Definitely something to keep an eye on as the playoffs progress.
All right, moving on to another guy who's playing for a team with World Series aspirations. Te Oscar Hernandez.
[00:10:06] Speaker B: Another big bat for the Dodgers. They've got so much firepower in that lineup, it's almost unfair.
[00:10:12] Speaker A: I mean, talk about a good problem to have, right?
[00:10:15] Speaker B: Exactly. But seriously, Hernandez is a guy who can hit 30 homers and drive in 100 runs. You can't teach that kind of power.
[00:10:21] Speaker A: Sure. Now let's talk about a guy who's having a career year at the perfect time. Jurrikson Profar.
[00:10:28] Speaker B: The Padres are gonna need him to keep it up if they wanna make a deep run.
[00:10:31] Speaker A: He's got a tough road ahead of him, that's for sure.
[00:10:33] Speaker B: Absolutely. But Profar's been a great story for them this year. A guy who's bounced around a bit, finally found a home in San Diego, and now he's playing a key role for a playoff team.
[00:10:42] Speaker A: Speaking of the Padres, how about the return of Fernando Tatis, junior?
[00:10:46] Speaker B: Yeah, it's been great to see him back on the field after that injury. He's got that infectious energy that can really spark a team.
[00:10:52] Speaker A: And when he's hitting, he's must see tv. All right, we've talked a lot about offense, but you can't win in the playoffs without a lockdown bullpen. So let's talk about one of the best closers in the game, Emanuel Klassenhe.
[00:11:04] Speaker B: This guy's got ice in his veins.
[00:11:06] Speaker A: Seriously. And that cutter? Unhittable.
[00:11:09] Speaker B: That's like a wiffle ball, just dips out of the strike zone at the last second. Good luck hitting that.
[00:11:14] Speaker A: No kidding. All right, last but not least, we've got another rookie who's turning heads, Jackson Merrill.
[00:11:20] Speaker B: The Padres have done a great job developing young talent, and Merrill is just the latest example.
[00:11:25] Speaker A: And he's thrown right into the fire playing center field for a contender.
[00:11:28] Speaker B: That's not easy, but he's handled it like a pro. He's got a bright future ahead of him.
[00:11:32] Speaker A: I'm excited to see what he can do on the big stage. So we've covered a lot of ground here, talked about a lot of talented players. Any final thoughts on these playoffs?
[00:11:39] Speaker B: Well, I think it's going to be one of the most exciting post seasons in recent memory. You've got so many great teams, so many great players, and so many intriguing storylines. It's going to be fun to see how it all unfolds.
[00:11:51] Speaker A: You couldn't agree more. It's going to be edge of your seat action from start to finish. All right, folks, there you have it. Our deep dive into the players who are going to make or break the MLB playoffs. Be sure to check out the article that sparked this conversation. Ranking top 24 players in 2024 MLB playoffs Yankees duo in top five Aaron Judge ahead of Shohei Otani for an even deeper look at these rankings. Thanks for tuning in and get ready for some October baseball.
