Transcript of MLB Postseason Show | The World Series Special

Game 1 of the World Series is here. I've got my new glove. I got an A2000 sent by a fan. This is the best thing in the entire world. It's got my name on it, and I'm ready. I'm not going to take this thing off because it's Game 1 of the World Series tonight. The Tampa Bay Rays at the Milwaukee Brewers. David Sampson is here with me, and David, this is the best day of the year. The World Series is here.

Jeremy, it took you 10 seconds to lie to the audience.

What's that?

What do you mean? You said, I'm not going to take the glove off, and you immediately took it off.

All right, I'm going to keep— I'm going to keep it right here for the rest of the show. I think you have to keep it on. I'm going to keep it right next to my face.

looks like Josh Beckett. He still has the ball from when we won in '03, when he tagged Posada for the last out. He never took the ball out of the glove, and he has it in his home, ball still in glove. And then we let him keep the ball. It's his glove. And there's a whole thing that teams do over the final ball, by the way. Yeah,

I'm sure.

But he's got that final ball and the final— his glove, and it's still in there. And that's what you look like.

I'll keep this right here then. I'll keep the ball in this glove, this batting practice baseball from probably game like 70 of the season for the Marlins. So not quite as crucial as that 2003 World Series ball, but that's okay. We've got World Series action to get to, David. And here's the pitching matchup. It's Jacob Mizrafsky, which we all expected. It's Nick Martinez, which if you know the Rays might not be unexpected, but generally to the average baseball fan, and, and I'll be honest, even to myself, is a big surprise. to see Nick Martinez starting Game 1. I understand the logic, but David, can you explain to the audience why this is happening? And I don't actually know your opinion quite yet. What, what is your opinion on this move by the Rays?

Yeah, I would have started Rasmussen, and they wanted to give him an extra day's rest. And everybody needs rest this time of year. Everybody's arm hurts, everybody's on fumes. But I'm going with my best always to start the series. Now, Nick Martinez is no schlepper. And it is true that by starting Martinez Game 1, they can move Peralta to Game 3, which is at the Trop, and he's better at home and then doesn't have to worry about pitching in Milwaukee where he came from and was really good when he was with Milwaukee. Number 2, it is true that Nick Martinez is a great road pitcher and that he now pitches on the road instead of Game 4 at home. I can find a stat that can make me feel good about my decision No matter what. I can find a stat that Rasmussen pitches better with an extra day's rest versus only having the regular rest. I can find anything I want, and it's all confirmation bias. It's all meant to support what it is that I've decided that I feel good about.

Yep.

The Rays are a smart front office. They do the right thing, Spike Lee, more often than they not. But can you imagine opening day of a season where, oh God, it's the other team's ace going? screw that. I'm going with my number 4 starter, not my number 1 starter. It's unheard of. You go with your best immediately. Winning game 1 matters.

Yep.

But Jeremy, if the Rays win tonight— That's right. The Rays win. Oh my God. But you can't look at it that way. No, you go with your best.

I agree with you. And what it is, is really even the idea in the long term of the series. I know that what that sets up for is, look, we— I think we all think this is going to be a nice long series for these teams, and ultimately that leads to Rasmussen and Peralta for games 6 and 7. Here's the thing with that. I hate the idea, if I'm Tampa, of potentially going down in 6 without getting 2 starts from each Rasmussen and Peralta in those 2 starters. It's terrible. It's not the type of thing you want to do. I understand planning for the long haul and, and By the way, like you said, Nick Martinez, a great pitcher. This guy has had a remarkable year, the best year of his career at age 36. I believe I saw the stat that said he's the oldest pitcher to start Game 1 of the World Series since Tim Wakefield, which is an amazing stat. He's starting at age 36. And to see that this guy is going to have this opportunity, it's amazing. It's just hard when you look at what Rasmussen and Peralta have been really all year, but especially since, you know, Peralta, since acquired by the Rays.

We talked about the stat that puts him in a category with Bob Gibson and Walter Johnson over his last 10 starts. That guy's so great, you're not going to see him until Game 3. And that makes this that much more interesting where, look, for, for Milwaukee, it hasn't been about their starters, it's been about their bullpen. And Jacob Mizorowski has a huge challenge ahead of him tonight because this Rays lineup Obviously, they're pesky. They're a really solid lineup. They finally started scoring, uh, in that last game against Cleveland. But this moment is huge for him starting Game 1 at home. This is the Cy Young winner. And thus far in the postseason, David, he hasn't looked like that guy.

He hasn't won the Cy Young yet, but he's going to win the Cy Young. He's not giving them length and he's tired. He's thrown a lot of innings. If they get 15 outs, they've built a team where 15 outs from Mizz is enough. because they can go to Uribe, Ashby, and then McGill and they're fine. They're going to win the game more often than they're not, as they have this postseason. But if Miz wants to study the Rays lineup, he can play an intrasquad game because Brewer's lineup is the Rays lineup.

That's true.

They are literally built the same. It's 2 teams that are ready to play each other because they are each other. It's the same style of baseball. So the question is, who's going to win the margins? Yep. Because that's where this entire World Series— if you want a ring like this, you are going to have to win on the margins. And that's what I'm looking for in this World Series. Who doesn't blink defensively? Who makes sure that all fundamental plays are made the way they've done all year? Is someone going to not have a stretch of games where they play that well? We're going to find out. But the other thing, Jeremy, Look at the Rays there. When they were down 2-1 to the Guardians, that's when their offense started picking up. They won 3 games in a row. They've been hitting really well. They moved Caminaro to the cleanup. My guess is he'll stay at cleanup now in the World Series, and they'll have Chandler Simpson or Liam Hicks bat in the 3-hole with the, with the, um, Mizz going, is my guess. Yep. Um, which is unreal for Marlins fans that Liam Hicks will be a 3-hole hitter in Game 1 of the World Series.

It is. It must be difficult because I know it was for me when we would trade players and they would end up playing in the postseason. It stinks, actually.

Yeah. Look, I think Liam is— and maybe this is me being closer to the players than the average fan in that I couldn't be happier for the guy. Like, he's just such a wonderful guy to be around that for him to have this opportunity is very cool. And you knew when he was traded that it was to try to help put this Rays team over the top. he actually hasn't been hitting the ball that well in the postseason, which is why I might anticipate seeing Chandler Simpson there. And just in terms of body type, there is not a funnier thing in the world that is an example of modern baseball than the idea that if you look at Yandy Diaz and Chandler Simpson and said, which one's hitting first and which one's hitting third, that Yandy Diaz, his biceps are the size of Chandler Simpson's entire torso and he's going to be the leadoff hitter. You talk about the margins and Milwaukee has been a team this regular season that was tremendous defensively. They've just been okay defensively in the postseason, but their bullpen has been so much better than Tampa Bay's. They have Brian Baker at the end of it, but those innings in the 6th, 7th, and 8th inning have been a little shaky at moments for them while Milwaukee has been shut down.

Ultimately, David, which team does win in the margins and which team do you believe is going to win the World Series?

I think the Brewers win the World Series just because I believe in their bullpen. Yep. I think the lineups are a wash. I think starting pitching is a bit of an advantage to the Rays, but in this league now, starting pitching is not what wins you series. Unfortunately, uh, bullpens have become really the number one factor, and I would take the Brewers bullpen over the Rays bullpen every day of the week. And the Rays have the hottest closer in baseball. He hasn't blown a save since May, Brian Baker. But I think that I'm going Brewers and I'm going Brewers to clinch at home. I think it will be unbelievable for them to clinch at home in front of their fans who have never seen a World Series. But either way, somebody's getting a ring. Unlike, you know, Nick, coaches and employees, somebody is getting rings at the end of this week and I'm pretty excited for it.

I think it comes down ultimately to can Aaron Ashby and D.L. Hall as lefties get huge outs against Yandy Diaz and Caminaro? The Rays righties will see in those big moments how those guys do. I'm with you. I believe Milwaukee wins this World Series, which, David, means Nick Martinez is about to throw 7 shutout innings tonight and get the win on the road for the Rays. David, I can't wait.

The under.

I cannot wait to talk to you next week as the World Series is unfolding. We will be back. I'm going to communicate with you about which days that's actually going to be. We're going to get to the main show now where I'm sure we're going to spend a really long time talking about all of this as well. David, hey, thank you for doing this with me. Happy Game 1 of the World Series.

Hell yeah.