Padres sign #1 International Prospect Leodalis De Vries! Will he be a Superstar? 1.16.24

For the 2nd straight year in a row the Padres sign the number 1 international prospect! Will De Vries become a superstar? Also the Aztecs have a tough loss to New Mexico and we recap NFL Wild Card weekend

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All right, this update is brought to you by Mercedes-Benz. We’ll start with the Aztecs on Saturday morning. They lost to New Mexico 88-70. Next up for the Aztecs, they take on Nevada at Viejas Arena Wednesday night, 8 p.m. tip-off. You can listen to that game right here on San Diego Sports 760.

Padres news. Yesterday, they signed the number one overall international prospect, Leo DeVries. And NFL, over the weekend, divisional round is all set. Houston will take on the Ravens, Packers, Niners on Saturday. Then on Sunday will be the Lions and Bucks and the Chiefs versus the Bills.

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Hour one of John and Jim, before we bury the lead, we have multiple pairs of Aztec tickets for tomorrow night to give away. We’ll give away our first pair. When Dave Velasquez longtime Aztec assistant joins us at three 30. So don’t go anywhere. He’s in the next 30 minutes or so.

We’ll give away a pair of Aztec tickets for tomorrow night to showdown against Nevada. Dave Velasquez at three 30. We’ll join us Dan Zimborski, Fangraphs, was the first to tell us that Hasan Kim was going to get a $100 million deal. And now other people are saying that very same thing.

Dan Zimborski from Fangraphs will join us coming up at 4 p.m. on the Padres offseason, their international signing class, their needs heading into 2024 as well. All right, the real lead is that Aaron’s bachelorette party is over. Yeah. She has returned.

We spent basically three hours on Friday and maybe two hours on Thursday discussing the dynamics of her bachelorette party. I haven’t asked for specifics because I wanted to wait for the show. So Aaron is back from Scottsdale. Yeah, they got back yesterday.

She was using a emoji on her stories that said, like, Scottsdale before the veil or something. You…

All girls when they go on their bachelorette party have this like saying that they they have right or like a hashtag was hers scottsdale before the veil that’s what it was yeah okay so i saw some of the social media very tame on social media so we want the true behind the scenes bachelorette experience what did we miss this weekend what

I don’t think there was much that was missed. I mean, it was just a bunch of girls. It was all girls in a house partying. Now it’s funny because, Oh man, what I’m fine. I’ll just say it.

So, um, they were out at a bar and her best friend, Claire is like the most social person on the planet. Okay. She just wants to like hang out with everybody. She wants to invite people over and just whatnot. Right. So the final night,

I guess there were like, there was like another bachelor party in town and they like met up. And so they came over to the house. So it was like, what could go wrong?

It was like, you had a bunch of like bachelor guys there with the bachelorette party and they were all playing like charades. I was told. And,

Oh yeah twister right yeah that’s right i saw some of the strip poker no okay but uh yeah it was just a normal weekend for them just everything fine that’s so normal like maybe 10 guys came over and there were 10 girls at the house it was fine that’s the party everything was fine super normal everything was fine okay yeah um i mean nothing really like crazy

No story that’s a good story you shared is there anything else like no particulars no nothing interesting did she check in with you in the middle of the night no probably check in with her people are like john why aren’t you elaborating on the dudes that were over at the bachelor at party it was funny because even aaron told me that her sister lauren was like is jim gonna be okay with this and and aaron’s like laughing at it’s like yeah it doesn’t who cares

Were you told in real time that the bachelor party was coming over or were you told the next day, Oh, you wouldn’t believe what happened last night.

I was told she called me that night and we were just talking and she’s, and they were like, Oh yeah, we had a bunch of these guys over blah, blah. And I’m like, Oh my God. Okay. All right. I don’t, I, that’s the thing. Me and Aaron, we trust each other 100%.

I know. It’s not like you guys track each other’s phones. I understand it. And so I wasn’t worried at all because I know Claire and I know Aaron. I know this group very well. And it was just, if anything, they were making fun of all these dudes and whatnot. But that’s pretty much…

The juicy details. Those are the juicy details? That’s the only juicy details that I could give you from the Bachelorette weekend. What do you think is going to be more entertaining? Your bachelor party, which is going to be in Las Vegas in a couple of weeks, or Aaron’s Bachelorette party in Scottsdale?

What do you think is going to be… What’s going to be the better weekend? Oh, man. Well, here’s the thing. My bachelor party… I mean, it’s not going to be anything crazy. We’re going like golfing and we’re not going to any strip clubs.

We’re going to gamble and like eat really good food and all that stuff. But,

Don’t know probably hers probably hers is more was more crazy because a bunch of girls in the house that were getting all drunk and yeah dancing and partying thanks for the invite aaron yeah i guess it was a bachelorette party um okay dave velasquez will join us coming up in 20 minutes san diego state assistant coach big one for the aztecs on tomorrow night against nevada we have tickets to give away we’ll do that in the next 30 minutes again dan zimborski from fangraph so join us coming up at 4 p.m

Now, you mentioned it in your update. The Padres once again have landed what has been deemed the top international prospect in a class. A year ago was Ethan Salas. He’s already shot up to a top 15 prospect in baseball, and he’s 17 years old.

This year, it’s a 17-year-old Leo DeVries out of the Dominican who’s a shortstop and a switch hitter. Padres allocating most of their international dollars to DeVries. So back-to-back years with… potentially the top player in the international class. Now that’s the good news.

The bad news is Ethan Salas isn’t walking through those doors in 2024. Hopefully, honestly, if you’re a Padres fan or he’s not going to impact the Padres, you wouldn’t think in 2024. Same thing with Leo DeVries. So when you’re looking towards the future, I think there are bright spots.

I think a lot of people are excited about Salas. We’ll see about DeVries in the coming weeks, months and years as well. But when you look at 2024, DeVries and Salas aren’t salvaging what the Padres need to do from now until the start of the season. It’s great for the future.

I think DeVries and Salas are two guys that, if handled correctly, have all the talent in the world to be cornerstones for your franchise. If handled correctly. If developed properly. If brought up at the right time and not rushed through the system. You see it. You hear about it.

These guys have big-time talent. But for me, while I think this is great, I think DeVries and Salas in the future is definitely bright for this team with those two guys if they develop right and if they turn out to be, you know, live up to their billing of number one international prospects.

That’s great. I am still on 2024, the actual Major League Ball Club. Because… you can, you can show me all the things in the future. We’ve been there before. We’ve done that. We have been shown, Hey, the future is bright. The prospects are bright.

And what we’re watching on the field of the major league level is not bright and it’s not good. And it’s, it’s not producing winning seasons and it’s not producing playoff appearances. And to me, that is the number one in, you know, goal, like focus is,

On this team should be the major league club. And I don’t know if that is truly the 100% major league focus right now. Well, I mean, a couple ways to look at it. It’s like the lifeblood of any college football team or college basketball team is recruiting. And the same thing with baseball.

It’s like you have to build from within, which is something the Padres have done a terrible job over the years under AJ Preller. But the truth is most good organizations build from within.

And you always have one eye towards the future because you’re a general manager and you’re drafting, you’re scouting, you’re developing, and you’re signing international players. Now, if you want to know where Jim’s mind is, you’ve heard this rant before. This is on Twitter one hour ago.

Pitchers and catchers report for the Padres in less than 30 days, and they still don’t have a major league left fielder, center fielder, left-handed starter, DH, and first baseman. And truth be told, Leo DeVries isn’t filling any of those spots, nor is Ethan Salas.

So yes, we’re getting close to the start of spring training. Yes, they’ve got work to do. And this has been the story of the offseason. It’s been quiet. All of the discussion has been around the Juan Soto trade. The biggest story of the offseason, obviously, is trading away Juan Soto.

The next biggest story of the offseason is even the idea that they would consider trading Ha Sung Kim. So we wait on how they’re going to fill out this roster. They have time, but DeVries and Salas is something to get excited about.

But when you think about spring training starting in 30 days, Salas and DeVries have literally nothing to do with that. And the Padres have a lot to do to get ready for spring training and the start of the year. It just feels like a cycle with this team. Like, hey, look over here.

Look at this stuff. When the main focus should be on the actual major league club. And that’s the team that matters the most. That’s the players that matter the most. I get it. You need to have good prospects in your organization. And you need to develop properly so you can…

Prolonged success throughout the organization because we’ve seen this team is not good when they have to go out and sign a bunch of free agents. They don’t have any, you know, talent come throughout their system to the major league club. That’s all great.

I just think that a lot of times people, Prowler does a fantastic job at making you look kind of the other way at times. Like, oh, There’s problems here with the Major League Club. There’s no left fielder, no center fielder. We just traded Juan Soto. We have no lefty starting pitcher.

We have no DH. Our first base is a problem. I ran the last manager out of town to the last three guys because of me. I’ve screwed up the CBT because I’ve signed players to contracts that I didn’t need to sign. But look over here.

We just signed the number one international prospect, DeVries. We just signed back-to-back top international prospects last year with Ethan Salas. Look how many top 100 prospects we have in our system. Isn’t that great? And he does a fantastic job of doing that.

And sometimes I do think that he gets away with it because it can be great, but it also can be a problem. It’s great that he’s accumulating this much talent in the minor league system,

But it’s a problem because I feel like the lack of building a cohesive winning roster at the major league level has always been his issue. Yeah, I mean, I would say this, and I agree with everything you said.

He’s only going to get away with it for as long as the organization allows him to. And I think, and we’ve said this a lot, this is it. I mean, we’ve talked about this last week. We had this very conversation.

It’s like, we can talk about the futures of DeVries and Salas and Jackson Merrill and all these players in the system. We could talk about Manny Machado, a future Hall of Famer. Maybe Xander Bogarts is a future Hall of Famer, right? I mean, you can talk all about it.

If they don’t make the postseason in 2024, that’s it. I don’t think you said that heading into 2023. They were coming off an NLCS.

I don’t think anyone was going into the season saying that, A, they’re not going to make the postseason, and B, if they don’t, there’s definitely going to be a change. I think now that narrative has changed. You don’t have Peter Seidler anymore.

And you have a team that if they don’t make the postseason in 2024, would have missed the playoffs in three or four years. So, yes, I’m with you. I think they’ve done a great job pointing the attention elsewhere.

But at the end of the day, if they don’t win in 2024, all the attention will be on that. They had to do it, and they didn’t get it done. Yeah, the future is, you could say, bright, for sure.

I mean, there’s some prospects in their organization that, rightfully so, fans should be excited about. Absolutely.

I have my concerns just because I’ve yet to see it with a Preller-run organization where we’ve seen this before, the hype with prospects never panning out or never giving the right amount of time to pan out or being traded away. So I understand that.

I just think that that meme, or not the meme, it’s from Breaking Bad. Jesse’s like, you can’t keep getting away with this.

I kind of feel like if they don’t win this year and Preller then returns, that is how I think a lot of people are going to feel is he can’t keep getting away with this at the major league level, not producing winning teams. Great that he’s gotten degrees. Great.

That he’s gotten Ethan Salas. You know, those guys aren’t sure bets. I mean, the, the, the percentage of them panning out are definitely higher than some. And it’s great to have those players with the, with that, that talent in this system. But, um,

You know, I think the major league club guys has got to be the, the main thing here. And it, and sometimes I feel like it’s really not at all. A hundred percent.

I mean, what’s interesting and what you’re saying is if at the end of the year, the Padres don’t make the post season, our Padres fans still rallying behind Preller. Like, I don’t know what percent of the fan base is, is still on Preller’s side and what percent has kind of turned on Preller.

But you go through life. Remember the day-in, day-out monotony grind of last season? A lot of people turned on Preller. I mean, a lot. It was a complete and utter disaster. They were 12 games under .500 in September before their 17-2 finish or whatever it was.

So, like, people had turned on Preller, but then all of a sudden you get into the offseason and everyone spins everything. I understand the Soto trade. Another masterclass by AJ Preller. Oh my gosh, the Leo DeVries signing. How could he pull it off?

At the end of the day, they went 82 and 80 last year with a $256 million payroll. Like, that’s who they are. And that’s what he accomplished a year ago. So to your point, it’s like there’s some successes occurring maybe elsewhere around the organization.

At the end of the day, he’s got to win at the big league level consistently. And if he doesn’t do it in 2024, I don’t see why he gets 2025. Yeah.

I mean, this team loves to pat itself on the back for what they do in the minor league systems and scouting and international draft signings. And it’s just…

A lot of times you know there is probably a lot of celebration with this team and organization about that which is great and it’s fine but it needs to be flipped guys like it needs to be celebrating wins at the major league level postseason appearances at the major league level the the minor league system

You have all this talent there, so you say, and so the rankings say, but if it’s not translating throughout the organization into wins at the major league level, then I’m sorry it doesn’t do much for me at then. I agree.

It doesn’t do much to see they have the most top 100 prospects in all baseball. It doesn’t do it for me when you say that you just signed the number one international prospect again for back-to-back years because, like you said, John, you went 82-80 last year.

I’d rather have the 30th best system in baseball and win consistently in the major leagues. Now, typically, that’s not very sustainable because you need an influx of talent from your system. But that’s not the Padres way under AJ Preller. It’s basically Fernando Tatis Jr. and everyone else.

When you think about what’s come through his system, and I know he traded for him before he ever played a game in pro ball, but he doesn’t build. He had literally the top-ranked system Back-to-back years, if not three or four years. Dude, this team loved to celebrate that.

And those players weren’t really the contributing players on the 2022 team, including Fernando Tatis Jr., who didn’t play in 2022. The 2016 international signing draft. Well, that’s now like 10 years. You know what I mean? Like, who’s even left?

Well, that was the thing that this organization viewed as like, okay, that’s the wave, because they spent so much money. Adrian Morjone, That’s all that’s left. Luis Patino. That’s funny because Luis Patino is back on his team. But they put a lot of investment and resources into that international class. Absolutely.

Nothing panned out. And I’m not trying to compare the two between DeVries and Salas back then with Patino and Morhone and whoever else that they signed. But I’m just saying, hopefully, one, history doesn’t repeat itself. And two, we’ve been through it before.

So sorry if I’m not completely over the moon about DeVries, even though I am excited about DeVries. I’m happy that he’s here. I think this guy could be a stud given time and giving proper development to the system. But that’s years off, guys. Same thing with Ethan Salas. Say what you want.

Like, oh, you can be here in 2024. Give me a break. That, to me, DeVries and Salas should be years away. Right. It’s like getting excited about, like, if all of a sudden we found out in San Diego, you know, Hey, the World Cup’s coming in 2026. Now it’s 2024. 2028. 2028, exactly.

It’s like, oh, that’s great. Well, yeah, but the next four years, I’m not going to just sit outside the stadium. DeVries is 17. If he makes it to the big leagues in 27 or 28, he’s a young kid. What is he? He’d be 21, 20 or 21. Same thing with Salas. Salas, yeah.

I mean, I think Salas will be up before 27 or 28 because it’s the Padres. But my point is, yeah, you hear about something like this, And then you wait years potentially for these guys to pay off.

And also too, I don’t, I don’t want to say we’re forgetting, but it can’t be lost. Manny’s in his prime. Xander is getting older. All right. Musgrove, Darvish, Kim only here for the next year. Like you need to strike while the iron is hot.

While you have these guys here, when their contracts don’t look horrific and Well, yeah, I’m not counting on DeVries or Salas to play any role in the current iteration of the Padres. I mean, Salas, people are counting.

There’s a lot of Padres fans are like, this guy is going to pay dividends by 2025. Stop. He would be a 19-year-old catcher in the big leagues until he’s like… I mean, who’s done that in the last 25 years? Pudge Rodriguez? Like, you’re talking about 26, 27 for this player to pay off.

And by then, again, is Machado in his prime? Is Bogarts in his prime? I just, I am more concerned about who’s playing left field, who’s playing center field. Are they going to get another left-hand starting pitcher or just a left-handed starting pitcher?

And who is going to be at first base if it’s not Jake Cronenworth? Like, I’m way more concerned about those things. No doubt. All right, let’s go to the phones here briefly. Dave Velasquez will join us coming up in about 10 minutes. San Diego State and Nevada tomorrow night at Viejas Arena.

Dave is on with John and Jim, and Dave, thanks for calling in. Yeah, thanks, guys, once again. You stole all my thunder. That’s great. I don’t have to repeat it, but I’ll just go on top of what you said. A couple of other extra thoughts. I don’t understand the shortstop infatuation.

I mean, you’ve got, what, three shortstops, four shortstops on the team right now. You’ve got Jackson Merrill sitting out there. I mean, what do you tell this kid? I mean, we got another shortstop coming up through the system. When you need starting pitching, you need left fielders, Jim points out.

You need a bench, for God’s sakes, Jim. You haven’t gotten to the bench yet. So given the needs, sometimes you’ve got to pass up on the most athletic and talented guy unless you intend to start trading people. Now, that’s always been A.J.’ ‘s

Calling card is he stocks up on the so-called phenoms and then trades them away later.

I whatever, but given what they need right now, uh, and in the coming future where you’re going to have more of this pitching staff, Jim, as you pointed out, rightly, you’ve got a very aged, uh, you Darvish, you’ve got an injury prone to a certain extent.

You Darvish, you don’t know where Joe’s going with his injury. That’s a serious thing, man. So, uh, Yeah, I’m with you guys. I mean, you can surely this thing all you want. And the Regis and Kathleen Lee show did that quite well today over on the flagship.

But nonetheless, your points are extremely well taken. All right, Dave, we appreciate that. I mean, here’s the thing, and you got to have veterans coming off the bench. But here’s the thing. Even if they signed the best pitcher in the class, the 17-year-old future Hugh Darvish,

That’s not helping this pitching staff either for four years. Yeah. So it doesn’t, I don’t care that they signed a shortstop. It has no relevance. He’s five years away from the big leagues. And we don’t know what the Padre shortstop position is going to look like in 2028.

And the shortstop thing to me, like he could be multiple positions. He’s such an athletic guy that they can put them anywhere. Yeah. Yeah. I wouldn’t lock him in to being just a shortstop. Like I heard John Conniff on today with Darren and he mentioned it like, look, the shortstop thing. Yes.

It’s just like, they have to put a position by his name, but at the same time, because he’s so young and because he is so talented, that could change easily within the organization. All right, Dave Velasquez, San Diego State, longtime assistant coach under Brian Dutcher. The Aztecs get Nevada tomorrow night.

They’re 14-3 overall. It’s a critical showdown in the league. We’ll give away Aztec tickets for tomorrow night. On the other side, when Dave Velasquez joins us, that’s next on John and Jim. All right. Hey guys, it’s Schaefer and the brand new Novo Brazil brewing location is now open in mission Valley. It’s spectacular.

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Aztecs lost over the weekend at New Mexico, 88-70, their first loss in conference play. Next up for the Aztecs, they will take on Nevada this Wednesday at Viejas Arena, 8 p.m. tip-off. You can listen to that game right here on San Diego Sports 760. Padres news of the day happened yesterday.

We talked about it in the opening segment. They signed No. 1 international prospect shortstop Leo DeVries. An NFL divisional round is set after Super Wild Card weekend. We’ll have the Houston Texans taking on the Ravens, followed by the Packers and Niners on Saturday.

And on Sunday, Lions versus Bucks, and then Chiefs versus Bills Sunday night. the brilliant EQE SUV from Mercedes-Benz with available digital light technology. It’s so smart, even the headlamps are thinking. The vehicle is all electric. The feeling is all Mercedes. Learn more at mbusa.com slash EQE SUV.

I’d be listening here to our conversation with Dave Velasquez.

You’re going to need something from this conversation in order to win tickets for tomorrow night, this huge critical showdown in the mountain West San Diego state and Nevada tomorrow at eight pregame coverage outside VA house at seven right here on San Diego sports, seven 60.

And we’re joined by longtime Aztec assistant Dave Velasquez right now, John and Jim coach. We always appreciate it. What’s the primary takeaway before we look ahead to Wednesday night, tomorrow night, what’s your takeaway coming out of the game at the pit on Saturday?

Well, one, credit New Mexico for how well they played, especially the last 25 minutes of the game. I mean, we just made too many self-inflicting mistakes.

I mean, we could not rebound the ball, but their ability to protect the rim, I mean, 14 blocked shots, I mean, those are going to be hard games for us to win. But, you know, we got to rebound the ball better. We have to have much more flow offensively.

I mean, if you want to pinpoint one thing that we’ve lost all three road games, BYU, Grand Canyon, and

New Mexico, it’s just our offensive flow has just got to get better, and unfortunately, it’s hurt us in some hard road games, and we’ve got to learn from those mistakes, and we’ve got to get better because the Mount West season is just beginning, and those road games, they don’t get any easier, and we all know that, but the pit’s a special place to play in, and that place was rocking, but they credit New Mexico.

They played really well, and we’ll learn from that game. The environment was crazy. I think everybody there was expecting New Mexico or wanting New Mexico to do this. At one point in the game, Coach, you guys were up 12 in the first half.

What changed at that moment to have New Mexico go on that run, and how did it affect the rest of the game? Turnovers. Turnovers and missed shots. I think we went one for seven with six turnovers to finish that. The run that they went on and

That building, I mean, I used to say, DJ Gay was one of the shooting free throws, and I used to say it was the loudest I’ve ever heard a building in my entire life at a sporting event.

When he was shooting the free throws at the end of a game, it felt like the building was shaking and your ears were ringing. When Jalen House hit the offensive rebound three in the first half, I think might have given their first lead towards the end.

I thought that was the loudest I’ve ever heard the pitch, so. Again, it was a little bit of a snowball deal, but with all that being said, there’s a 12-minute media timeout. We’re right there. They just kept making play after play after play. We had no rhythm, like I said, on offense.

Again, hard to win in the pit. It really is. We’re lucky to be the number one team in San Diego State. The team that’s won in there more than any other program in the country. That wasn’t our night that night. It was their night. Like I said, we’ll learn from it.

We’ll get better and Very excited about our game tomorrow. Very excited to be at home in VA because we’ve done that to a lot of teams in my time at San Diego State over the past 20-something years.

Yeah, no question about it, including really in the last couple of home games where you just jump on a team early.

And not to say you win the game in the first five minutes, but when you build 18-3 leads like you did against UNLV within the last week or two, it’s tough to overcome that type of deficit here against SDSU. Dave Velasquez joining us right now on John and Jim.

Again, the Aztecs and Nevada is tomorrow. So, Coach, you have the perspective of having seen this conference for the entirety of it, essentially. When you look at a top to bottom right now, is this as good as it’s been during any iteration of the league?

You know, it’s hard to always compare year after year because there’s just some teams that there’s, there’s some years that like, there’s just some incredible, incredible teams, right?

You know, like, like our 30 and two team was just, you know, unbelievable or, you know, the year with the Kauai team or, or like, let’s even give credit to some other programs. I mean,

The year with New Mexico, I can’t believe they lost in the first round with the Bairstow, Kendall Williams, Tony Snell, and Kirk. They legitimately had three NBA guys on one Mount West team. And there’s a ton of others that I could name over the years. I mean, UNLV’s had some just superstar teams.

So it’s hard to say what year. But if you had to say the depth, like the overall depth of a conference that we can remember in the Mount West, yeah, I would say this is probably as deep as any other year. It’s hard to win. any game. Every year is always hard.

I’m pretty sure you can just take last year’s interview at this time, John. I probably might have said the same thing. We’ve been good for a long time. Mountain West has got multiple big leagues for a long, long time. I think this year, teams are really old.

The Nevada team we’re playing tomorrow is the fourth oldest team, I believe, in the country. You have a team like that. Boise’s got a lot of experience.

Obviously Colorado State’s one of the oldest older teams in the country New Mexico obviously they have a lot of older pieces so you know there’s a lot it’s a it’s a it’s a very mature older group and everybody knows that that’s the way to win in college basketball and you know the Mount West is you can just look across I mean we’ve been a hard beat for anybody in the non-conference and now any any game you go into this year it’s going to be a hard game to win like I just like I said and

Nevada is going to bring on a lot of challenges tomorrow, especially with their top two guys, Jared Lucas and Blackshear. Those guys are as hard to guard as anyone in our league. Nick Davidson is a young big who’s playing really, really well. He’s playing some outstanding basketball right now. We’ll be ready, though.

We’ll be an exciting game tomorrow in the AFC. Coach, looking back at the New Mexico game still, 14 blocks they had against you guys. Was the size a factor? Was that something that you haven’t faced this year that kind of threw you off a little bit?

And how they guarded Jaden Ledee, it seemed like triple teams, double teams. Is that something that you guys can use in the future to hopefully learn from the next time you play them and the rest of conference play? Yeah, I do. I think there’s a lot to learn from.

I think there are some things they did that were a little unique. You know, I thought there was a lot of times that, you know, there’s some times where, you know, we got in there. I don’t know if you guys remember the play Lamont Butler drove the ball. He got to two feet.

He dropped it off and Jaden actually was able to dunk the ball. You know, and three guys were up in the air when Lamont went and just jump stopped. You know, I think you got to get in there. You got to play off two feet.

You know, you got to test their discipline to block shots. I just feel like you know, we went up to finish on the first shot too much. You need to get up there. You got to learn to shot pick. At some point, you know they’re going to be jumping.

I mean, 14 block shots. I mean, at some point, you got to learn and start doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. You know, but again, credit to them. Their timing on some of those blocks were incredible.

I thought our guys went up with great force, but at some point, you just, you kind of got to play with them a little bit and, you know, play off two feet and kind of hopefully they play like pogo sticks and they’re jumping while you’re still on the ground and then you can go right back up.

And so, You know, they did some really good things, too, on Jaden. I thought they really were able to swarm the ball. And, you know, they made it hard for him to even get the ball above his waist, which was a little unique that we haven’t seen a lot of.

And now, you know, some teams, I’m sure, are going to think the book is out on us or out on Jaden. And we’re going to have to adjust, and I know we will.

And that’s one of the things that, you know, I think there’s one thing that’s for sure about a Coach Dutcher-led program is it gets better throughout the season. And we’re not expecting anything different this season with this group that we have now. Big game tomorrow night. They’re all big.

Truth be told, San Diego State and Nevada. Then they head out to Boise for a game on Saturday. So a critical game at home. Aztecs and Wolfpack tomorrow at 8. Pre-game coverage at 7. In the loss, Coach, you saw Darion Trammell go for 1,500 career points. There was a really interesting note.

From uh your media team saying that there are two players in the country at his size or shorter that have scored 1500 career points it’s him and jalen kona cal who we saw earlier this year what can you say about not just the point scoring from tremella over the last two years but what he has meant to this program since coming in from seattle oh he’s he’s been you know well first of all he’s done things that that nobody else has ever done and and and that’s you know he hit a free throw

He was South regional MVP to take San Diego state to the, to what, what at one point was just the dream. And that was to the final four. And, you know, he’s he’s came in and he’s done so many great things for this program, not just from, from the scoring.

I mean, he’s just, he’s had to play with the money. He’s had to play in a kind of a new role for him off the ball, a lot more than he was used to in his, in his old spots, but he’s what he’s been able to do defensively. He guards 94 feet.

You know, he had to play in a program that, switches a lot of ball screens. He’s been able to find his own little niche within that. Guys have been able to adjust to how he plays. It’s been fun to coach him. It’s been awesome.

Obviously, we’ve had massive success with him being a part of our team. We continue to have a lot of success and we want to have even more success. Darryl’s been awesome. He comes from an unbelievable family, unbelievable support system. He’s a great human being. He’s going to get his Master’s

He’s going to graduate. I’m sorry. He’s going to graduate with a business degree here when he finishes up this next semester. So just a stud human being and an awesome, awesome basketball player. And to hit the second free throw, my second free throw would have been an air ball.

My only shot would have been the first. I mean, all the pressure in the world is on the second free throw. I don’t even hit the rim. Like, not even close. It was really incredible. Dave, we appreciate it. We’re looking forward to tomorrow night. Thanks for hopping on.

I appreciate you guys having me. Go Aztecs. All right, Dave Velasquez. Again, longtime San Diego State assistant. Aztecs and Wolfpack tomorrow at 8. Pre-game coverage at 7. The first caller right now that knows what Aztecs surpassed 1,500 career points on Saturday is going to tomorrow night’s game. We have a pair of tickets.

The number to call, 877-767-4760. Let Brent know who surpassed 1,500 career points on Saturday for San Diego State. And you have two free tickets. The number to call, 877-767-4760. 60. Is that good? The best and worst of the sports weekend is next. Dan Zimborski from Fangraphs will join us at four.

It’s John and Jim. All right. Hey guys, what’s going on? It is Schaefer. And guess where I just picked up lunch about two hours ago. Windmill farms right by San Diego state. It was over at VA house arena. Aztecs had some media availability, miles bird, Brian Dutcher.

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Pick up a sandwich card because your eighth sandwich is free they’ve got low low prices high quality fresh ingredients as well they’re family owned and family run Trevor and his family they’ve been in the grocery business for over 20 years here in San Diego supporting local businesses like Harris Ranch Mr G salsa and more you don’t even have to live or work near Delcero to do your grocery shopping

With Windmill Farms because you can find them on Instacart and have your groceries delivered directly to your doorstep. There is nothing easier than that. They’ve got organic farm fresh produce and meats, amazing craft beer, the deli I’ve told you about, and much, much more. If you want their weekly specials, visit windmillfarmsmarket.com.

They’re updated each and every week. Again, windmillfarmsmarket.com. And a reminder for San Diegans, especially those looking for a quick lunch during their work week, remember to shop local, shop at Windmill Farms. All right. Dan Zimborski fan graphs. We’ll join us coming up at about 15 minutes. So Dan Zimborski will join us.

It’s just a handful of minutes still to come in the four o’clock hour. We do have Shen. Do we have Shen Yun tickets? We don’t. Brent is telling me, but we do have another pair of Aztec tickets. Oh, hold on. I’m going to take you behind the scenes here, Brent.

Did you see the email from Fletch earlier today? I did, but it’s not in. Wow. Wow. A mix up. Well, anyway, we have another pair of Aztec tickets to give away. We’ll do that. The Morning Show has them. They have Shen Yun? Yes. Oh, that’s the mix. How’s the other half live?

You hear that, Jim? The Morning Show has Shen Yun tickets. What don’t they have? Well, I don’t know. They have Shen Yun tickets. Do they have Aztec tickets? Yes. Okay. My point. All right. We’ll give away Aztec tickets at the 4 o’clock hour. Right now, let’s get to this. All right. Cowboys.

Is that good? That’s all I got to say there. Are you kidding me? That was, that was embarrassing. That, that was shockingly embarrassing to the point where I, you got 40 million viewers this weekend. That was the Cowboys, the most watched game of wildcard weekend.

And I, I think I’m, I I’m pretty right on this one saying that I, when people are watching the, They were watching because they couldn’t believe what they were seeing. And they kept watching because it’s a train wreck in front of your eyes.

And you’re like, wait, are the Cowboys going to get their ass kicked this bad? Well, yeah, they did. 48 to 16 at one point in the fourth quarter. 48 to 16 to a seven seed. It’s kind of the story of their postseason history since like the mid 1990s.

But I mean, there’s no team that gets more viewership than the Dallas Cowboys. And you add in the Green Bay Packers who get a lot of viewership. And that’s a perfect storm. It wasn’t a great game, but it is 40 million viewers. All right. How about this?

Rookie Texans quarterback, CJ Stroud, three touchdowns, no picks a 45, 14 route of the Browns this past weekend. Is that good? It is good. Flacco, Stroud, Stroud wins out. Looks like Flacco’s not a lead after all. Maybe not. That was asking too. It was. Every game was just.

There weren’t that many good games, were there? Was there any good game? Steelers hung around for a little bit. There was one good game. One good game. What was it? It’s my next one, which is the lions getting their first home playoff win since 1991. It’s been 30 plus years.

That’s their first playoff win since 1991. Both are true. Okay. Home playoff win and just playoff win in general in 30 plus years. Right. Uh,

Stafford played out of his mind i it’s crazy how they didn’t call that a holding call or a pass interference on puka nakua when it was third down and or fourth down i think it was or third down i forget what i think it was fourth down and uh you know sometimes the lions they needed to get a break there and they did and they won and now they’re on the division around and i would be shocked that they don’t make it to the nfc championship game uh

Is that good, Brent? It is good! You’d be shocked if they didn’t beat the Bucs at home. Yeah, yeah. They’re not a huge favorite. They’re something like a six-point favorite. As I projected, the Niners would be the biggest favorite in the divisional round, and they are by 10 points. All right.

Gonzaga, for the first time since 2016, has fallen out of… Okay, what would I say? Huh? I think I just said that, didn’t I? Yeah. All right. Gonzaga falling out of the AP top 25 poll for the first time since 2016. Is that good? Are you kidding me?

Yeah, we need to have a good for fast. I need to get some more wins in their belt guys. Come on Gonzaga. Pick it up. Pick it up. Right. And finally the Eagles. They started the year 10 and one. They ended their season one in seven. Yeah.

With a disastrous blowout last night versus the Buccaneers. They got major problems. So the Cowboys that division thought it was good division. I don’t know about that one, but Eagles facing a lot of problems. Eagles. Is that good Brent? It was very bad.

They actually finished one at six, not one at seven, but it was still very bad. One in six, one in seven Padres signed shortstop Leo DeVries to a $4.2 million deal. He’s ranked as the top international prospect at all of baseball for 2024. He’s 17 years of age. Is that good?

It’s good, but it’s not going to matter for a couple of years. So I think it’s good. At this point in time, he’s not going to help the Major League Club. Are you sure? No. They have no left fielder.

I’d much rather see a signing to the Major League Club than be hyped about a prospect that we won’t see for another three or four years.

I’m not saying that DeVries is not going to be exciting to watch or good or you shouldn’t be excited about it, but if they signed an outfielder today, I’d be much more excited about that. I was going to say like, are you more excited about signing Harrison?

Bader was already been signed, but yeah, your point’s valid. Okay. That is, is that good on the other side, Dan Zimborski from fan graphs, his thoughts, the Padres off season, where things stand right now.

In the NL West with about a month to go until pitchers and catchers report, Dan Zimborski joins us on the other side. We’ll give away Aztec tickets for tomorrow night in the 4 o’clock hour as well. Huge game against Nevada at Viejas Arena right here on San Diego Sports 760.

But hour two with Dan Zimborski from Fangraphs. That’s next on John and Jim. All right, in three, two. Lower mortgage rates are here and smart homeowners are wiping out all their credit card debt with help from Loan Pronto. Hey guys, it’s Schaefer.

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I can hear you. Okay. Give me a weird look there, like I wasn’t on the radio or something. No, you’re on the radio. All right. Padres yesterday signed number one overall international prospect Leo DeVries, and NFL divisional round is set.

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This is hour two of John and Jim. Later this hour, your chance to win tickets for tomorrow night at Viejas Arena, San Diego State, Nevada, Mountain West Showdown at 8 p.m. You can hear right here on San Diego Sports 760. This hour, your chance to win more tickets to that game.

Dan Zimborski is with us right now. Once again, he’s been very good to San Diego Sports 760. And John and Jim, Dan Zimborski with Fangraphs back with us here in San Diego. So we appreciate it.

Dan, and with pitchers and catchers reporting in less than a month, the Padres have some serious needs still when you look at both their 40-man and 26-man roster. What is the biggest need when you look at the San Diego Padres at this point?

Well, I guess at this point it’s figuring out first how to fill out the pitching staff, especially the rotation, and you still have to kind of figure out what to do to replace Juan Soto’s production.

Even if the pictures they got in return are a gain over the long term, there is a short-term consequence in terms of 2024. The outfield is a lot thinner. The rotation is thin.

So there is a lot to do, and I don’t know if they’re going to be able to do everything they need to. So how does that affect their projections and their win total for this year?

If they go into the season with it truly being like a developmental year and a lot of guys that are going to be filling these holes that they have aren’t major league-ready guys, how much do you think that’s going to affect this team this upcoming season?

Well, if you look at the various projection runs that different systems have done, Zip, Steamer, the general consensus is right now they’re a 500-team team. Obviously, there’s some give and take there, as we know and predict in the future.

But they definitely go in with their weakest start of season status if they froze the rosters today than they have in several years now. Dan Zimborski with Fangraphs with us right now on John and Jim. You mentioned the Juan Soto trade.

What did you make of that deal, and what does it mean for the Padres in terms of their return? I mean, obviously they wanted to free up salary, but what did you make of the trade and what the Padres got back?

Well, I think if you’re going to trade Juan Soto, they did what they kind of needed to do. They got some pitching depth, which they need long-term. You look at the rotation and the pictures they’ve had, the starters over the last three, four, five years,

They’re pretty much down to just, just Musgrove and Darvish. Darvish is getting up there. Musgrove is coming off an injury and the team does not have, you know, you know, a whole slew of hurlers coming through the minors right now that would just storm into the majors and make everything right.

So if you’re trading one Soto, then that’s what you get in return. You try to get those pitching needs because the Padres still have a pretty good offense. There’s some holes, but they still have that core mostly intact.

But, I mean, if you’re going to trade Soto, I mean, it’s only a year of Soto. You’re not going to get, you know, seven or eight top 100 prospects or anything.

Yeah, and one of the pitchers that they got back in the deal, Michael King, he’s expected to be put right in this rotation right away. Is he a guy that Padres fans could expect to be, you know, a legitimate, you know, middle to potentially top-end starter?

Or is he a guy that it’s going to be a question mark? There’s a lot to be determined when you’re talking about moving someone who’s been mostly in relief the last few years, putting him back in starting. And no, he’s not going to ever probably throw 200 innings because who does anymore?

But there’s some risk there, and I think that’s the right thing to do. When it comes down to it, getting a starter is more valuable than a reliever. And if it doesn’t work out as a starter, then the general belief is probably going to be that he’ll just be fine as a reliever.

That’s a Not the worst fallback position in the world. He’s been an excellent reliever for the Yankees for two and a half years. So I think that they’re good to be ambitious and to try to see to stretch the roles that someone like King can be used in.

Dan Zimborski fan graphs with us right now on John and Jim. Dan, I think you were the first that kind of brought it to our attention that, Hey, Hassan Kim could be a guy that gets a deal like Dansby Swanson.

I mean, he could, he could get a hundred, 150, even more dollars potentially than that. Now he’s got one year left on his deal. There’s been some speculation here locally that maybe the Padres would consider moving Ha Sung Kim and that it’s been at least discussed internally.

Would a Ha Sung Kim trade make sense for the Padres? I think that there’s always a trade that makes sense for someone. I don’t believe in having players that you don’t talk about in a trade. You always are willing to talk.

Obviously, I don’t think they get quite the haul that they got for Soto, but I think

That if you look at the team and their needs in the next few years, and if you’re talking about 2024 being a down season and you get someone who can help you 2025, 2026, and so on, it’s hard to really turn that down, even if it does kind of feel bad, considering the team never really got to the lofty goals they set out four or five years ago.

Free agency is still very slow. There’s a lot of big time free agents that are still out there, Dan. But when you look at the top tier, I don’t think Padres are going to be anywhere close to anybody in the top tier. And I’m talking to like Bellinger, Snell, Hader, of course.

But when you’re looking to the middle to bottom tier, right, the bargain deals, is there any players out there that you suspect would be a good bargain deal buy?

I think that depending on how the team feels about Machado’s health, I think someone like Jorge Soler in a DH role could be a good pickup for the team. If you can’t replace Grisham and Soto, you can at least get an upgraded DH.

I think given that there are some question marks at left and center, that they can’t really use DH as a rotating, you know, give everyone a day off position. I don’t think they have the depth to do that. So Solaire would be a lot of fun.

I think they’re probably going to talk about, you know, there are still relievers out there. Maybe Dave Robertson on a one-year deal. Obviously, I think Jordan Montgomery is also probably out of their price range. But I don’t know. Maybe Michael Taylor could be. I mean, he has a very good glove.

He could fill in at center field. There are options, but just not really options that would replace Soto, I guess is what I’m saying. Yeah. There’s very few options of that. They might be the whole family guys. They can replace one.

So Dan Zaborski fan crafts with us, fan graphs with us on John and Jim Fernando Tatis Jr. Projections. Are we expecting a huge bounce back a little bit of a bounce back from last year? What are the systems say? Well, Zips at least thinks he’s going to have a pretty big bounce back.

Steamer tends to agree to not quite to his 2020, 2021 level, but a good about 100 points of OPS better than in 2023. I mean, he was coming off a missed season with an injury with a suspension.

I think one of the good things about Tatis is he turned out to be a really good defensive outfielder. And that gives a lot more runway to how he can be a valuable player. Because even in what wasn’t a great season from him, he was still a really big contributor.

Obviously, the offense was not where he wanted to be. He was hitting 25, not 40 home runs. But I think that if he’s the biggest problem on the team, the Padres have already won 110 games or something. So it doesn’t make sense to worry about him.

And if he struggles, well, there wasn’t much you could do about that anyway. First base, I think, is another issue for this team.

It’s not as glaring as left field or center field, but Jake Cornerworth has been at first base the last couple years for this team, rotating guy there, and he’s definitely gone down as far as production the last couple seasons.

If he is their primary first baseman, Dan, how much of a problem is that? Because you’re not getting the production you need out of a first baseman you get from Jake Cornerworth.

I think left field might still be a bigger problem, but I think the problem with Cronenworth is that when he moved from second to first, his offense dropped off further and his defense relative to first base, other first baseman, wasn’t that much better than it was compared to second baseman.

So it essentially turned an average second baseman into a below average first baseman overall. And that really hasn’t been a great swap for the team.

Now, the roster kind of demands it because you have Kim, you have Bogarts, you have Machado at third, and there’s not really a great place for Cronenworth to move to.

I think that in the end, he’s someone, sometime during the season, he could be talked about in terms of a trade, even if the Padres have to eat some money, because there are some teams that he can play second base for, and he might be worth more to them than he is to the Padres.

Dan, final one for me is kind of a two-part question. Statistically speaking, what are the odds the Dodgers don’t win the NL West? Like, are we talking one in 20 or beyond that?

And then how would you, or what are the projections say in terms of ranking the five teams right now in the division? Well, well, the thing is that things are never as certain as people think they are.

And as someone, it seems something weird to say for, for someone who does a lot of projections, but you, you, when you do the projections, you know just how complicated the future is.

As great as the Dodgers look to be right now, they probably, even from the projections right now, they still probably go in with a 10-15% chance of not winning a division because the Diamondbacks could surprise. The Giants might be a little more together and could surprise.

Even the Padres, they underperformed their Pythagorean record by like 11 wins per in 2024. This was our 2023. This was not as mediocre a team as their final record. So even if they’ve made some big losses, they could surprise. I mean, I was off on the 2021 giants by 31 wins.

Uh, everyone else was too, but everyone reminds me since I’m a projection guy. So the Dodgers, if they go into the season thinking that the division is guaranteed, Those kinds of beliefs have a way of sneaking up on you at the end. Yeah, they definitely do. All right. We’re good.

I didn’t know if you had another question. I saw you typing away over there. I’m doing… Jim’s doing something else. Dan, always appreciate your time, man. Great stuff. We’ll check in with you as we get closer to spring training.

We’ll see if the Padres bolster this roster between now and spring training or not, but we appreciate you doing it. Always fun, guys. Thanks for having me. Dan Zaborski from Fangraphs. I was not… I didn’t know. You didn’t tell me until you had answered the question that you didn’t have any more questions.

Normally, you would tell me beforehand. I thought we gave the signal. I didn’t see it. I missed the signal. I was filling out something in the rundown. What were you doing? Oh, you were working on the rap, weren’t you? Yeah, I was. I thought you were writing in a question for Dan.

No, no. You had no more questions. No, I had nothing. All right. I think we covered most of it, which is basically this, that his concerns are the same as our concerns, which is this is nowhere near a complete roster, and this is nowhere near. I say nowhere near a postseason team.

Half the teams make the postseason, but he has them as a 500 team. He’s got them as a 500 team. Vegas has them as an 82-win team. He’s got them as an 80-81-win team. Again, he had to miss a 90-something win team last year and then won 82 games.

So he missed by a good amount of games the wrong way last year. Maybe he misses again and the Padres take advantage of that the right way. Who knows? I like how he kind of just like, look, I make projections, but they always can change. And that’s my job is to make projections.

And am I right? A lot of the time, like, yeah, I could be right, but I’m also probably wrong a lot of the time as well. Like he’s mentioned the 2021 Giants. I think nobody saw that team winning 100 and I think six games what it was. I think it was 107.

The Dodgers 107, 107, 106. Here’s the thing about the other thing. When people talk about projections or probability and someone’s like, Oh, this team has a 60% chance of winning. That means 40% of the time they don’t win. And everyone’s like, how could you get this wrong?

You said this team was going to win. No, we didn’t say that. We said they had a 60% chance of winning. Again, baseball is not played on paper. If it was the Padres would have had more success the last three years. Baseball is played on paper series already.

I don’t know about that but they would have had more success than they did probably in 2021 and 2023 you know it just you we look at last year’s team and the projection for them was like 97 wins right you want to make sure that you give yourself the best opportunity the best chances uh to potentially hit that goal and i think when you look at this year’s team

It’s hard to have any wiggle room as of right now. Like last year’s team, you thought there’d be wiggle room. There actually wasn’t because everybody performed poorly. There was drama, problems, and just a whole bunch of stuff that went into last year’s team.

But this year’s team, it’s hard for me to say that they have this margin for error that I thought last year’s team did have. And if last year’s team didn’t have any margin for error, it did or did not, did not. Okay.

Then this team certainly doesn’t have margin for error when it comes to injuries, when it comes to bad performances, like they need to not only be pretty healthy for the entire season, but they need to live up to their back of their baseball cards as Manny Machado would always say last season.

I would also say this, and he mentioned it, and we’ve alluded to it, and I don’t know if we’ve discussed it near as much as we should, this idea that Joe Musgrove’s coming off an injury.

And he can say he’s healthy, and he can work out without shoes, and he can train in a pool, and it’s all great. I’m not questioning his desires or motivations, but I am questioning whether he’s going to be the exact same pitcher he was prior to this injury.

So you’ve got Musgrove off injury, You have Darvish just getting older. And two of the last three years, he hasn’t finished fully healthy. So those are, I guess, every pitching staff has questions coming into a season because you’re always one pitch away from an arm injury.

But these are guys that are coming in with question marks based on where they were last year. Remember, Musgrove was like, I’m going to try to get back in September. We’re like, why? No, no, no, no. Ten games under 500. And then Darvish just didn’t pitch well last year.

Like all year, he didn’t pitch well. He’s not pitched well in two of the three seasons he’s been here. I think he pitched well first half 2021. I think he pitched well in 2022. And then I think he pitched poorly in 2023 and poorly in the second half of 2021.

Well, 2021, he ended his year with an injury. Yep. And right around or before the All-Star break, he completely went in the tank. Cause that was the year that they took away the sticky stuff. And there’s a lot of pictures out there.

I’m not trying to, I’m not accusing Darvish of it, but it’s a lot of pictures out there. Their production went down once that rule went into place. And then last year was just a bad year for Darvish overall.

And so, yeah, he’s only had one full good season here with the Padres and he’s just getting older. So this is interesting. So off the text line, we’ve got a loyal texter, 619, who says, this guy’s just called Cronenworth an average second baseman?

I’m out on Dan, and I wrote back, what would you call him? And he said that he’s a lock at second base. There’s no need to make moves at second. Cronenworth is the consummate second baseman. I mean, listen, his numbers would have looked better at second base.

They still would have been, at best… below average in 2023. He would have been a below average second baseman. He was a well below average first baseman. Did he even have a 700 OPS last year? He had a bad year in 2023, regardless of position.

And I’m sure this texter loves the saying of the crone zone and what Don… It might be Jay Cronowitz. I don’t know. It might be him, but… Guys, we need to… At some points, you need to think with your head and not your heart.

I know Jake Cronenworth had one of the biggest hits in franchise history when it came to beating the Dodgers a couple years ago. That doesn’t make a player. Jake Cronenworth, his numbers are not good. I know everyone loves the crone zone and loves the hit that he had versus the Dodgers. Rightfully so.

Who wouldn’t? But guys, come on. Jake Cronenworth has gone downhill as far as production every single year in the big leagues. He is not a good first baseman, okay? He’s an average second baseman. He made two all-star teams. If you want to throw that argument my way, fine.

I’ll also tell you that if you look at the rest of baseball when he made the all-star teams, not great. And by the way, I think he was a replacement one year. Well, it’s not to take away. Listen, I’ll take nothing away from what he did his first two years.

I was just telling you his next two years have been below average. He’s not an average second baseman with a 689 OPS. That’s a below average second baseman. He’s not playing second right now, nor do we expect him to start the year playing second base. So it’s kind of a mute point regardless.

But this deal, this $80 million for the next seven years, which ties the Padres to Cronenworth through age 37, right? He’s got a hit. It’s simple as that. It would be such an upgrade for this team.

If Jake just went out there this year, hit like 270 with around 20 home runs with an OPS of, maybe a little under or a little over 800. Like if he had a 790 OPS. Well, that’d be a big, that’d be a good year. And he hit 272 and had 21 home runs.

That’s what they’re paying him to be. That exactly. And that’s the problem is if you’re not getting that production, if you’re getting a guy that hits 232 with 12 home runs and an OPS of 690, that’s, That’s a problem.

That’s a big problem because you’re putting him at a premier position at first base and second base. Even those numbers there aren’t like that. Great. That’s below average.

So you need him to be at a level where it’s what you’re paying him for, which is like a two 60 to 70 guy with an OPS between seven 50 and 800 and a guy that can get you between 15 and 20 home runs a season, preferably over 20.

And if you’re not getting that, then you got a big problem here. He was below. I mean, I don’t know how else to say this. He was a below average hitter a year ago, and it wasn’t very close to average. Look at his OPS plus.

He was a below average hitter a year ago. Not to say it’s not possible for him to bounce back. They need him to. They’re not trading him. Who wants him? Nobody. With all due respect, I think, again, he’s been a good player here.

But once you time to $80 million, and maybe he is playing out of position, and maybe it’s more worthwhile in another position, but he’s got to prove it. He’s got to do that in 2024. You just need to have the guys that you paid perform.

And if they don’t, then you’re in big trouble. Jake Cronenworth is not the exception here. If Jake Cronenworth doesn’t perform this upcoming season and he continues to go down as far as his production goes, which has happened every single year, then it’s going to look worse and worse that $80 million. Yeah.

And harder and harder to move. Exactly. All right, on the other side, we’re going to get to the wrap. Still ahead this hour, your chance to win another pair of tickets to San Diego State, Nevada tomorrow night at Viejas Arena. Tip-off at 8, pregame coverage outside Viejas at 7 p.m.

Right here on San Diego Sports 760 with Ted Leitner on the call. So again, this hour, your chance to win Aztec tickets for tomorrow night. On the other side, we will get to the wrap. Stay with us on John and Jim. All right.

We’ve got Aztec tickets for tomorrow night against Nevada to give away this hour. Plus we’ll get to the wrap next. All right, this update’s brought to you by Staple Stores. Aztecs coming off their loss to New Mexico this past weekend. We’ll take on Nevada Wednesday night at Viejas Arena, 8 p.m. tip-off.

You can listen to that game right here on San Diego Sports 760. Padres news. Yesterday, they signed the number one international prospect, shortstop Leo DeVries and NFL divisional round is now set as the Houston Texans will take on the Ravens. Packers and Niners on Saturday.

Then the Lions, Bucks, Chiefs, and Bills will play on Sunday. Staples print big sale means the more you print, the more you save. Get $20 off your print purchase of $100 or more, $50 off your print purchase of $200 or more, and $100 off your print purchase of $300 or more. Ends 2-10-24.

See staples.com slash print for details. Print more, save more at Staples. All right. By the way, San Diego State’s new defensive coordinator, Eric Schmidt, will join us tomorrow at 530. Fresh off coaching in the national championship game against Michigan. What a difference a week makes.

He was coaching for Kalen DeBoer at Washington, like when? A few days ago. And now Kalen DeBoer is at Alabama. And Jed Fish is now at Washington from Arizona. And Brent Brennan, the head coach at San Jose State, is at Arizona. That’s all happened in like a week. Dude, college football is bonkers.

Yeah. I mean, it’s funny because we don’t… When kids go in the transfer portal, we don’t really criticize them, do we? No. I mean, you’re almost like, who isn’t in the transfer portal at some point? But when coaches… get up and leave like that. I feel like there’s more criticism on that.

And it’s kind of how college football is. Yeah. Maybe like, I think people were like Jed fish going from Arizona. Cause they were going to be a team that this upcoming season that potentially could be a really good.

And then now he goes to Washington and now Arizona, you’re getting a bunch of guys going to transfer portal. And you see what’s happened by the way, in like the shortest period of time, you’ve gone from this power five mentality to, There’s two conferences.

Because the Big 12, which is where Arizona’s heading, has become a feeder to the Big 10 or the SEC. Because you know what the Big 10 has that the Big 12 doesn’t? Money. Way more of it. So no matter what Arizona can pay, they can’t pay what Washington’s paying.

No matter what Washington’s paying, they can’t pay what Alabama’s paying. Because going from Arizona to Washington a couple years ago… Wouldn’t have been perceived… It would have been an upgrade, but it wouldn’t have been this massive upgrade from going to the Big 12 to the Big 10.

I wouldn’t say that coaches get a pass on it, because pre-transfer portal, that was the whole argument was, well, if you’re a head coach, you can just leave a big contract and go wherever, but the players can’t without being punished. But no one’s like…

How could Kalen DeBoer not tell his team before he chose to take the Alabama job? And some players were like, he just left. We never heard anything about him. I found out on ESPN. I saw ESPN. He’s gone. It’s just, this is the world we’re living in.

NIL with players, crazy salaries at the top of the…

Food chain alabama big 10 sec and that’s i don’t see it changing all right coming up later this hour your chance to win again a pair of tickets for san diego state and nevada that’s tomorrow night at va house arena right now let’s get to this

Which divisional round matchup is the most intriguing? Well, personally, for me, it’s the 49ers and Packers game. But for the rest of the country, it’s Bill’s Chiefs.

That, to me, is the most intriguing because this has been in the making for a little while now since the last time they faced off in the postseason. And it’s funny because without Kadavia Satoni’s offside, versus the Bills this upcoming season, this game would have been at Arrowhead in Kansas City.

Now it’s in Buffalo. So that offsides call played a huge role in this postseason. But Bills-Chiefs, yeah, it’s a pretty good one, John. Yeah, I mean, that’s as good as it gets. The divisional round, that’ll have the highest ratings you would think among these four games.

So the Packers Niners won’t be far off with those fan bases. But absolutely, from an intriguing perspective, Mahomes on the road in the postseason. First time. And Josh Allen trying to get over a hump. You saw the signs at whatever it’s called now, Highmark Stadium.

Just once before I die, please get me there. So I think it’s a very intriguing matchup. I think it’ll be a great game. I think a couple of these games could be really good. I think Tampa, Detroit has a chance to be good.

I’d be surprised if Green Bay gave San Francisco a game. I mean, it’s a 10-point spread. We’ll see. And I’d be surprised if Houston… After what I saw from Jordan Love, I wouldn’t be surprised.

Actually, I’d be surprised if San Francisco gave Green Bay a game based on what we saw this past weekend. That’s a good point. Two touchdown win for Green Bay? Maybe. Maybe more. Make me hate my life for the next year? Two or three. Next question.

Would the Bears be making a mistake by not drafting Caleb Williams first overall? Yes. If they don’t draft, I think if they don’t draft Caleb Williams, they’ll be regretting it. Like if they ended up trading the number one pick to what go to number three or two or whatever the case may be.

And they take Marvin Harrison jr. And they pair him with Justin Fields. And then Caleb William goes out there and balls for whatever team drafts him. That’s everybody’s fired. Like everybody’s fired. That happens. And they can’t afford that. They could be fired either way.

You could draft Caleb Williams and it doesn’t work out. The one thing we know about Chicago and the bears specifically is that they don’t have a great quarterback history. which then there’s two sides to the coin.

Does that mean you go draft another quarterback in a first round or do you try to build around Justin Fields or some other pieces? I mean, I think it’s, it’s at least compelling. He’s going to be the first quarterback off the board. The question is, do the bears take him or not?

And that question will play out over the next 90 days. Look, if they need a lot of stuff besides quarterback and if they can get some sort of Ricky Williams type haul for it, then yeah, trade him.

You know, they’re going to get three more number one picks and be able to set themselves up for the future than do it. But why not? Why not draft Caleb Williams and use their other first round pick? Were they picking number two?

Eight eight or nine why don’t use their eight or ninth pick to trade back and then gain more draft capital there because you’re going to get more for the number one overall pick than you are pick number eight right but you still could draft caleb williams and parlay that eight number eight pick so instead of i’d rather stick with justin fields and get like three number ones as opposed to trading the number eight and getting what about maybe the niners will trade up like they did for trey lance yeah remember he was a chemist too

He was. Yeah. He was saying he wasn’t until he actually went on the field. I think the only can’t miss in that draft was Trevor Lawrence. And now it’s proven to be like, Oh, and even that is there. Yeah. You know, would you still call him at camp? No, no, not now.

Also, by the way, it’s not just about Caleb Williams. It’s also about like the coaching staff, the system, the place like that all matters. It all matters. Like if he goes to Washington, That’s probably not a spot where you think that guy can thrive. Right. He goes to new England.

Now with Belichick out, you’re like, I don’t know. I don’t know if that works out. All right. Next question. Should the Cowboys and Eagles both fire their head coaches? Dude, I don’t see how they can’t. Like, I don’t see how McCarthy and Sirianni aren’t fired. You had epic collapses in, Two different ways.

Sirianni lost his team. I think that’s pretty easy to say now is whatever happened in that locker room, Sirianni lost him because the changes of coordinators did not work. Whatever message he was saying to the team did not work. Jalen Hurts just definitely had it.

I think the word you’re looking for is regressed. Regressed. You’ve tried using it twice this hour. I know. I’ve said regressed. You can’t say it. It’s regressed. Regressed. He’s definitely regressed over this season. And Mike McCarthy has failed multiple years with the Cowboys. Whenever a big moment comes up, he fails.

It’s pretty easy to call a Cowboys loss in big games with Mike McCarthy. So, yeah. Here’s what I would do. I would switch head coaches for the teams. I think Nick Sirianni should go to Dallas and I think Mike McCarthy should go to Philadelphia. Okay.

So each fan base can feel equally as miserable with the other head coach. I don’t think both will be fired. I think there’ll be a change among the two. I don’t think both teams make a change. I think Sirianni should be gone considering they were 10 and one. McCarthy, I don’t know.

It’s like Dallas. He’s done everything that anyone’s done since Joey Johnson. 12-5 in his three seasons in Dallas. Is that what it is? They can’t win in the playoffs. Which is the story of the Cowboys since the mid-90s.

It reminded me of… Who was the Chargers coach that had a winning record and then they fired him? Marty Schottenheimer. Yeah, it’s kind of a Marty situation, I think. Well, 12-5 three years in a row in the regular season. He’s probably going to get fired for it.

Normally, going 12-5 doesn’t get you fired. Right. Sure. I think it was, it was different with Marty, but I get, I get what you’re saying. Like if you’re winning the regular season, you can’t win the big one. That’s all that matters. I mean, Dak’s what, two and five in postseason now?

Is that what it is? It’s bad. It’s not good. And by the way, you start having conversations about Dak in the postseason. That’s just, I mean, he looked horrific over the weekend. Like, he just looked like a different player. Well, except that pick six. He threw that right to the dude.

What is he doing? Oh, that’s where stats are so dumb, by the way. Threw for 430 yards. 41 to 60. He completed 70% of his passes for 430 yards and three touchdowns. And he had the worst game of the season. Next question. Which number one seed is most vulnerable? Oh, you know me.

It’s the 49ers. Why? Because I’m always scared. I don’t care who they play. Watching Jordan Love do what he did versus the Cowboys over the weekend, I’m like, this guy’s the next coming of like… Aaron Rogers mixed with Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes was a little Brett Favre. Like what is happening?

He’s throwing off his back foot, like just darts everywhere. Sidearm throws. I’m like, what, how is this happening right now? So yeah, I’m scared of Jordan love and the Packers. I’m scared.

Um i’m thinking with my heart here yeah and i know you’re going to choose the obviously baltimore because baltimore doesn’t win in the postseason and at least san francisco has had much more success in the postseason in recent history than baltimore plus the biggest spread this weekend is green bay and san francisco which i knew was going to be the case and it’s played out san francisco has a cake walk to the super bowl that’s the truth no niner fan wants to hear it and if they don’t make it it’s going to be massively disappointing i agree with that that’s just the truth i 100

100% agree with you. No, I’m not saying it’s a guarantee. That’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying that from an unbiased observer, San Francisco has to get to the Super Bowl. They will be a 10-point favorite this weekend. If they win this game, they’ll be a touchdown favorite against Detroit.

They’ll be a 10-point favorite against Tampa Bay. Yeah, no, I agree. Those are the facts. I agree. They have more pressure. They have more pressure here than the Ravens because the Ravens, look, CJ Stroud, Phenomenal. Amazing year. Amazing year. But if you get past him, which I think they will.

They got Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen. Yeah, like that to me right there is the way harder path. Yeah, you got Baker Mayfield waiting. Or Jerry Goff. Yeah, exactly. And you have Jordan Love, who has been fantastic. He’s been really good, yeah. He’s been fantastic.

But this is his first year as a full-time starter. Maybe ignorance is bliss when it comes to the postseason for guys that are so young. And the Packers team, that’s the youngest in the NFL. But you’re right. If the Niners don’t make the Super Bowl… It’s a big disappointment.

It’s not the craziest thing that’s ever happened, but it’s a big disappointment. Would you say it’s a bigger failure or disappointment than the Cowboys or Eagles? Like, with the path that the Niners have? I think so. Because you’re looking at the pot at the end of the rainbow if you’re a Niners fan.

I mean, the Niners this year… They’ve been pretty dominant. 12 and five isn’t like this historically great season. No, but you throw out week 17. Yeah. So there are better than that. But the statistics that they put up. Yeah.

Having a 4,000 yard passer led the league in quarterback rating and quarterback rating overall. He set a franchise record for yards thrown for the 49ers, which is a pretty good franchise for quarterbacks. And then you had four guys all eclipse over 1,000-yard scrimmage yards.

And yet another dude who had over 2,000 scrimmage yards in Christian McCaffrey. Right. And you’re right. Elvis Gerbach was a quarterback there. They’ve had some good ones. Very good ones. I think Kaepernick was a quarterback once. Yeah. JT O’Sullivan. Trey Lance. Amazing. Trey Lance. Jimmy G. Yeah. Sean Hill. Jeff Garcia.

They’ve had some very good ones. Very good ones. Tim Rattay. Yeah. Really good quarterbacks there. Alex Smith. Yeah, you’re right. Trent Dilfer was the quarterback for the 49ers. We’re not forgetting anyone. He’s got a ring.

All right, on the other side, call right now if you want two free tickets to San Diego State, Nevada. We’ll play Trainwreck Radio. That’s sports trivia, or actually just trivia. First two callers will be our contestants. We have two free tickets for tomorrow night on the line. San Diego State, Nevada.

Call right now if you want those tickets and if you want to play trivia. The number to call is 877-767-4760. 877-767-4760. Trainwreck Radio. That comes your way next. Were you forced into a nosebleed mortgage rate in the past year? If so, Loan Pronto is here to rescue you. Hey, guys, it’s Schaefer.

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This is when you need to be available. Jim Saturday at five 15. Don’t make plans. Oh, I have not made plans. Okay. Wrap-up show at 5.30? Yeah. So 5.15, tell Aaron you’re busy. I don’t care if Ha Sung Kim gets traded in the middle of this game. I’m sorry. For Soto.

I’m unavailable for at least two and a half hours. That’s fine. We’ll talk about it later after the game. No, Fatten’s available. No, he’s not. Sunday, we have Tampa Bay at Detroit at noon Pacific, followed by Kansas City, Buffalo, 3.30 Pacific on CBS. Now, Jim didn’t… Do I have this right?

You didn’t really leave your home for three days because Aaron was away? We haven’t even talked about what I did this weekend. Well, we weren’t worried about that. We were more concerned about Aaron’s bash. Yeah, no one cares about my life. But you didn’t do anything. Dude, I didn’t… I really didn’t. Um…

Saturday those are the best though saturday was literally just aztecs and football all day i ordered uber eats it was great same thing with sunday monday i i did some stuff but saturday and sunday was man it was great it was just sitting on the couch bentley right next to me ordered some sushi ordered some wings later and it was just oh so good

It’s like your ideal weekend. It was a great weekend. Yeah. If your best weekend is when your fiance is away. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. All right, let’s go. Son of a bitch. It’s just like the good old days.

Only had a dog. three questions, two contestants, one lifeline. Today’s two contestants. We have Mark and Jay. Mark, you called in first. So you have your choice of John or Jim. Who do you want to go with? I’ll take, I’ll take Jim. Okay. Jim. Thanks a lot, Mark. So surprised Russell. Yeah. Me.

Okay. Mark. Okay, cool. You get me. That means a J you get John. All right. All right, I think he said sweet. Okay, okay, sweet. I thought he said me. All right, Brent, question of the day. What is it?

Hey, guys, Bill Belichick is currently third on the all-time NFL coaching wins list with 302. Today’s question, can you name the rest of the top, well, I guess it would be nine in the top 10 for winningest coaches in NFL history?

So anyone else that’s in the top 10 for winningest coaches in NFL history? All right. I like it. Jay, you’re up first. What’s your first guess? You do have your lifeline if you choose to use it. Oh, well, we’ll see. Let’s see if I have any recollection of football wins.

Let’s try Bill Walsh. Bill Walsh. Top 10? Top 10, I don’t know. Is he top 10, Brian? No, because he was so successful in a shorter period of time. Yeah, he was done after his fourth Super Bowl. He’s like, I’m good. Mark, you’re going to lay up on the board here.

What’s your first guess? You do have your lifeline if you want to use it. I’ll go with Belichick’s Chase and Don Shula. Don Shula. There’s the layup for you there. He’s top 10? He’s number one. Okay. Jay, you are up next. What is your second guess?

You do have your lifeline if you choose to use it. Oh, let’s use the lifeline. Andy Reid. Andy Reid. Do you take that? Yeah, let’s do that. Boom. Bam. Mark, you’re up next. What’s your second guess? You do have a lifeline if you choose to use it. I’m going to go with

George Papa Bear Hollis. George Hollis. George Hollis. Will be on the list. Yep. Jay, back to you. You’re going to need this to stay in the game. You don’t have a lifeline. So what’s your final guess, man?

It’s like the hardest question for me for some reason i’m a baseball guy but let’s try shanahan mike shanahan mike shanahan top 10. and that’ll do it mark wow all right we got a guess mike tomlin has to be on that list correct i don’t know if mike thomas top 10 already

17 years. But he’s never had a losing season, so it’s a lot of wins. I’ll say no. 17 years is a long time. I’d say no. Is Mike Tomlin on the list? No. He will be. He probably will be at some point. All right, who’s on this list? Tomlin is 12th. It’s close.

What about Brandon Staley? He didn’t make the list. Oh, what a loser that guy is. 20 wins in like five years. Number 10 is Dan Reeves. Nine was Chuck Knoll. Eight, we just talked about him, was Marty Schottenheimer. Seven was Paul Brown. Six was Curly Lambeau. Five was Tom Landry.

Four was Andy Reid. Three was Belichick. Two was Halas. And one was Don Shula. That’s a good list. Pretty good list. Yeah, that’s a good list. But that’s a good point. Honestly, Tomlin, if he’s like, how old is Tomlin? He’s not even 50, is he? He’s young. He’s so young.

So Tomlin’s got a chance to get to like the top three if he coaches that long. Even though he walked out of the press conference yesterday. I know because people are asking about his future. Yeah. Well, he told Pittsburgh today that he plans on coaching the team next year. Yeah, he’ll be back.

He’ll be back. And by the way, or I mean, could someone go lure him away after 17 seasons? Potentially? No, not possible. Pittsburgh boss. No. What do you think Belichick goes? I mean, he already interviewed with the Falcons. That surprised me. Probably just to rub it in.

That was a nice little nugget dropped in the middle of halftime on last night. Why do NFL teams like announce it? Like, hey, we’ve interviewed Jim Harbaugh. Great. So what? So I did my laundry. I think you have to by like league rules. You do? They have to announce who you’ve interviewed. Interesting.

It’s like college is like a cloak of darkness. Yeah, not in the NFL. The NFL is like, hey, we’ve interviewed the head coach of our rival. Well, it’s because of the Rooney rule. I believe maybe I could be wrong. I think it’s just a posting thing.

Kind of like how, if we, if we put out a, if there’s a job opening here, even though, but even if we have like somebody specific in mind that is going to get the job, we still have to post the job legally. We can’t just give it to somebody.

What’s funny is how you say that is the three of us all work here, which alone is the same odds of like landing on the moon. It’s not easy, right? It is not easy. You got a better chance to be a U.S. senator. I feel like to work on San Diego Sports 760.

All right. the Padres once again, landing the top international prospect, what will it mean for them in 2024 plus and as tech rewind for you coming up at five 30 plus Jim’s back page, our three of John and Jim is next. All right, this update is brought to you by Staples Stores.

Aztecs coming off their first loss in conference play to New Mexico over the weekend. We’ll take on Nevada this Wednesday at Viejas Arena, 8 p.m. tip-off. You can listen to that game right here on San Diego Sports 760. Padres news. Yesterday, they signed number one international prospect, shortstop Leo DeVries.

An NFL divisional round is set this upcoming weekend as the Texans will take on the Ravens. Packers and Niners is the night game on Saturday, and then Lions, Bucks, followed by Chiefs and Bills on Sunday. Staples print big sale means the more you print, the more you save.

Get $20 off your print purchase of $100 or more, $50 off your print purchase of $200 or more, and $100 off your print purchase of $300 or more. Ends 2-10-24. See staples.com slash print for details. Print more, save more at Staples. All right. San Diego and Southern California.

What’s going on is the final hour of John and Jim. We have an Aztec rewind for you. We’ll look back at Saturday’s loss. Look ahead to tomorrow night for San Diego state coming up at five 30. Jim’s back page is still ahead. Have you been busily preparing?

Is there anything unique in that back page today? Wait till five 45 to find out John. I like that. I like that. How concerned were you with the loss this Saturday? Like, how much did it concern you? I’m glad you asked. I’m glad you asked.

Or are you kind of just brushing it off? I’m not brushing it off because you know me. Yeah. But… You can lose road games in the league. You’ve got to hold serve at home. We’ve talked about that. Now, you don’t want to lose by 18 points. Yeah, not great.

Because that can be somewhat problematic from a metrics perspective. It’s not overly concerning one game. So I’m not concerned about them losing the game. I was concerned… Listen, the big takeaway Saturday, as you recall, because you were watching it and you saw social media, everyone’s freaking out about the officiating.

And I do think that’s fair. The officiating wasn’t good. We can all agree on that. I don’t think officiating and Brian Dutcher would say the same thing. The officiating wasn’t the reason why San Diego State lost. The officiating wasn’t good. No.

But the Aztecs were up 12 with five minutes to play in the first half, and they ended up losing by 18 points. Like, New Mexico deserves credit. There was a 50-19 run in there during the game. So I’m hoping and assuming that it’s going to be a one-off.

And winning on the road’s not easy. New Mexico really needed it. You don’t have to win every game you play. And I’m going to hope that Saturday was a one-off. Yeah, I think the refs were not good in that game. No, they weren’t.

There were a couple calls that were just horrible, but it’s not the reason why San Diego State lost either. Now, we all knew it was going to be a crazy environment. From the jump, you’re like, okay, this is going to be tough.

And then they get out to a 12 point lead and they kind of just completely crumble, you know, credit to New Mexico for, I think the combination of the refs, not giving them any calls to house, kind of getting in their head a little bit, just because of you, just his antics that he was doing on the court.

And then couple that with, Oh, by the way, the crowd was insane. So I think a little, not a little, but I think that a lot of it got into these guys’ heads and affected their play down the stretch in the first half.

And that run, I said it on Twitter, that run at the end of the first half, the 17-2 run to end it, to give New Mexico a three-point lead, That, to me, was the game. Because if you go into halftime up 8, 7, 9, you feel pretty good about yourself.

And New Mexico’s probably going in the half thinking, oh, that’s not how it was supposed to go. But I guarantee you, New Mexico goes in the half and they’re like, yep, okay, no, we got them where we want them. Yeah, I mean, no doubt.

I mean, anytime a team uses a 17-0 run, you know, it’s going to be hard to beat a team that uses a 17-0 run. You know how we always joke, like, is this a must-win game? We say it every game. I would say this.

Tomorrow’s game, while I’m not willing to say it’s a must-win game, is as close to a must-win game as you can get for tomorrow’s date. And the reason I say that is if you don’t win tomorrow, you’re in Boise Saturday. And Boise has not lost at home in like two years.

And you’d be staring potentially at a three-game losing streak. And that’s why you can lose on the road. And hopefully at some point they’ll pick some people off that are top six or so in the league on the road as well. But at home, you’ve got to win. So tomorrow night, Nevada’s 15-2.

It’s not just like, oh, San Diego State will be fine. I mean, they’re 15-2, so they’re playing a very good team. But if you win tomorrow, you’re fine.

The teams that get tripped up at home are going to be the teams that find themselves staring potentially at a 2-3-4 game losing streak in this league. So you just can’t lose at home. It was Utah State that had the miracle win. Was that not the craziest thing you ever saw?

I thought it was Nevada for a second because they’re both kind of the same color jerseys. I mean, is that not that anyone necessarily cares that’s listening right now, but just to, to go through it for a second, Utah state in the final seconds of a game is down for what?

12 seconds left. They shoot a three. Well, you’re like, that’s not enough to win down for they hit the three. And then there’s a foul off the ball, which was a horrific call after the shot goes in, which allowed Utah state to retain possession and have two free throws.

And they made two free throws. It was a five point possession. They won like what is incredible. Literally, if San Diego State was on the wrong side of that game, I would have been breaking everything in this building. Yeah, I don’t blame you. That happened.

I think I immediately texted you and I’m like, if this happened, what would you do? And I think I said, like, I would have been, like, I would have gone on a rampage. I would have gone on a rampage.

But, you know, a John Schaefer rampage is, like, opening up kombucha and, like, throwing it. Shoot! He’s going to crush that Celsius can when he’s done drinking it. It’s like, oh, shots! Rage throw it into the recycling. Now, here’s the thing.

Coming off Saturday’s game, the reason I had a pick-me-up sooner than I would have otherwise is the Padres signed the top international prospect in their class. Everything’s fine now. Leo DeVries, the Dominican, a 17 year old shortstop. This comes on the heels of last year.

And I’m signing the top international prospect, Ethan Salas. So they’ve been able to acquire some talent in the system. There’s no question about it. Both Salas now DeVries, they have other players in their system that are highly sought after players. The issue though, and Jim, you said it really well earlier.

It’s like, Hey, look over here. DeVries, Salas, look at our double eight team. It was really good last year. Top one under prospects. Sleight of hand. The issue was, well, they were 10 games under 500 in September, had a $256 million payroll and went 82 and 80 last year.

And they’ve only gotten worse from there. So yeah, nice couple of days in the international signing period, but you look back at the major league roster and there’s some holes. Yeah. And what I feel like could happen is with,

Credit to Preller for getting talent back in the system after giving up so much of it to get Juan Soto and doing it at a pretty quick rate.

I am afraid of the, oh, they went 80 and 82 this upcoming season and missed the postseason again through the last four years with a huge payroll. But the future’s bright. But Salas is the top prospect in baseball now. Just give him a couple more years, guys. Preller’s building something here.

Preller’s building something special. Oh, but the Major League Club again missed the postseason and went under .500 or just barely finished over .500? No, no, that’s fine. Look at the prospects. How many top 100 prospects do we have? Eight? Whoa. Did you see what Ethan Salas did yesterday?

Did you see what DeVries did? Oh, my gosh. They’re moving up to AA already? Oh, the big league club just won 83 games and missed the post season again, but DeVries DeVries and Salas really good. You made a good point. I know it’s amazing. You made an interesting point.

Maybe it was on a wrap up show. Maybe it was last week on John and Jim. When you talked about like the Padres have this knock specifically Preller that they try to develop players too quickly. Right. And get them to the big leagues. It’s not a knock. It’s like, Fact. It’s like factual.

Not with every example. Like Tatis. Tatis was quote-unquote rushed to the big leagues. Tatis is the outlier of outliers. I agree. Nobody else through their system. Unless I’m missing somebody. Chris Paddock. Work for six starts. Okay.

But no, your, your point is valid, but like they, even a year ago got cute with arguably the game’s top prospect, Ethan Salas.

And nobody really knows as to why, probably because of what you said, the Houdini act, look, we got this guy to double a, we got a 17 year old to double a, we should get a trophy for it.

Where truth be told, he should have spent all year in low A. There was no hurry. He could have spent the entire year there. He could have started this year in advanced A. He’s a 17-year-old. Next year, he’s 18.

He could play in double A and or triple A. The year after that, he’s 19. What’s the hurry? You could argue the hurry is either it makes them look good on paper or because they think they’re going to need these players to perform at the big league level sooner rather than later.

There was a line in the article that Dennis wrote. Okay.

Couple days ago and it was talking about what players in their system have actually like produced for the padres okay and it’s not many i don’t have it in front of me right now okay this is bad um but it was kind of it was basically just three players that have produced at the major league level now now yeah under preller now i think there’s more

Could be like would you be counting like relievers no or is this position players who wrote a dennis you said dennis wrote in the athletic i read that article i know what you’re talking about the one where about salas Yeah, yeah. It’s about Salas, and then he mentions like Tatis.

Oh, here we go. Okay. Player development staffers already had considered starting Salas in Arizona Complex League, an advanced assignment for someone this age of high school or junior, senior. They came away, blah, blah, blah. Where is it? Okay, that’s not it. I can’t find it. This is horrible radio. That was really good.

Okay. No, here we go. Found it. So 2015, only three position players who were developed in San Diego system. Fernando Tatis Jr. Ty France and Jack Swinsky have recorded a season of more than 2.5 fan graphs war. Okay. I know. You’re kind of parsing down, aren’t we?

Now it’s position players with a 2.5 war and a full season. Right. Okay. That’s fine. I’m sure that’s accurate. That’s fair. That alone isn’t, for me, the end-all be-all. No, it’s not the end-all be-all. There are some players right now on this team that I think you could view as…

Like, okay, Preller did that. And one of them is Luis Campisano. I think that he has an opportunity to play a lot this year. I think he’s already the starting catcher for this team. And I think he can make a jump. And that’s a Preller guy. Yep. So there’s opportunities here. Sure.

There’s opportunities. But the problem is we haven’t seen it yet. Right. You haven’t seen it. I agree with that. Getting excited about DeVries, which is rightful. I mean, guy looks like a stud. A lot of people in minor league baseball are like, whoa, okay, that guy’s going to be really good.

But I got to wait and see. Until we see it, there’s other things that we have to focus on that are more important, frankly, which is the big league club. And so I am just worried about, like I said,

The look over here while the house is burning over here, but just don’t worry about that. We’ll take care of that later. Look what’s coming. Look at everything that’s happening down in the minors.

How many times next year do you think we’re going to see posts from the Padre social media account about like Ethan Salas or Drew Thorpe? Which I’m also fine. It’s not… I don’t know. That’s not my concern. I understand your point on the bait and switch. I agree.

This is what’s damning in Dennis’s article, not the 2.5 war for me. This is what’s damning. The industry consensus was that virtually any other organization would have kept Salas in low A for the entire season.

So when Dennis says something like that, it says in low A for the entire season or to have him end the year in high A. So he’s basically saying, why are the Padres the exception to the rule? What’s the hurry? Why are we putting Ethan Salas? We get it. He’s a big prospect.

Why does he have to go from high A to double A when he had no success in high A and then had no success in double A? What point were they trying to prove? Dennis writes, no other organization would have done it. Why are the Padres doing it? To look good?

To their peers to make it seem as if some of this talent is closer to the major leagues than it actually is. That that’s the part that doesn’t make sense to me.

I’m less critical of Preller and some of the trades he’s made or his lack of developing players in the minor league system. And I’m more critical of like, why are we rushing Ethan Salas, a 17 year old catcher to prove what point? I don’t know. I really don’t. I, I,

Would much rather have Ethan Salas be here at age 21, which is for, what, him in four years? Three years? That’s not happening. But you hear me out.

I’d much rather have him come up at 21 with all this time in the minors, hopefully success, than him be at the big league level at just 19 years old with little success, but not a lot.

Because why because they they view him as a guy that could be potentially ready even though he’s barely been in the minors for what two years um no not two years he was signed last year okay so he’s got one year okay right one year yeah he’s gonna turn 18 this season yes all right and then 19 so two years gotcha yeah yeah yeah yeah no i seriously so yep i i

That’s why I’m worried is like, they’re going to be, they’re going to be put in a situation where it’s like, well, the teams, the major league club’s not really winning. So we need to do something to, to make everybody create excitement or potentially even theoretically help the club.

But what 18 year old catching prospect is going to like, okay, you can put them in the big leagues. Understood. You could put anyone in your system in the big leagues. That’s humanly and physically possible. But what impact is it going to make? I don’t know. And again, 2024 is utter insanity.

I don’t care if the guy’s got a 1200 OPS in the minor leagues. Let him do it. Yeah. You don’t need to start his clock towards free agency as a 17-year-old in 2024. At the first sign of success for Ethan Salas, let it cook. Let him get a year under his belt.

Two years, three years under his belt of continued success. Because you know when he gets to the big leagues, whatever he does in the minors from a success standpoint, it’s going to go down. He’s not going to all of a sudden be

Downs at the big league level at the plate right you know catching wise he might be really good defensively but offensively it’s probably going to be a work in progress So look at it this way, Jim, because we always talk about Pudge, right? I mean, this Hall of Fame level.

I mean, in this comp, I think the Salas people do because you hear a lot of would be the first teenager since type stuff. So Pudge’s first two years in the major leagues when he was 19, right? 19 and 20. I think I have that right. Yes, he debuted at 19.

So in 88 games as a 19 year old, he had a six 30 OPS, a 75 OPS plus 25% worse than the average big leaguer in 88 games as a rookie. His second year, he had a six 59 OPS and 87 OPS plus 13% worse than the average big leaguer.

He didn’t have an OPS plus better than league average until 1994, his fourth year in the major leagues. Yeah. So that was his breakout year. His breakout year was a 22-year-old when he hit .298 and had an .848 OPS. Great year. And he was 22, which is an amazing accomplishment.

Yeah, that’s the whole point here is Pudge is a Hall of Famer. No doubt. He’s a guy that overcame his struggles early on in his career and turned into the best catcher in the game for how long he was playing for. That’s great.

But who says that Ethan Salas, when he comes up, if he has the same struggles that Pudge did when he first started as a 19-year-old, can overcome that? You have to be very special to do it. Not saying that Ethan Salas isn’t that special, because he absolutely could be.

But what if he comes up and there’s a probably more percentage chance he’s going to fail than succeed right away just because of how young he is? How is he going to deal with that? How is he going to deal with probably being overmatched at the plate, at the big league level?

Maybe having a year where he plays 60 games and he has an OPS of 580. Right. How is he going to handle that? And maybe he would handle it well. But again, does that really help the team even if he… Yeah, I go, but we’re on the same page.

Like, we’re preaching to the choir. I don’t know if Padres fans feel this way. I think Padres fans would probably prefer to see Ethan Salas get a crack September of 2024, April of 2025.

Yeah, I also think some maybe Padres fans care more about what Ethan Salas is doing right now than the big league club. Probably. And that’s, hey, good job, Preller, for… making that happen for getting some fans.

And I’m not saying that it’s all fans, but I bet you there’s some fans out there that look at Ethan Salas and Devere’s is like, okay, I’m happy now, even though there’s major problems with the big league club and that they’re going through an off season from hell. Look at it this way.

So when he was promoted above Loewe, Salas, and this is no knock on Salas. I hope he turns out to be a brilliant catcher that starts for 10 plus years for the Padres and makes seven all-star teams. But the point is the point. He’s 17 years of age.

He played 18 games above Loewe and hit 171. And that’s such a small sample size. But I’m just saying that this stuff doesn’t happen overnight, even for special, generational, unique players. You have to let it cook. You mentioned it last week on the wrap-up show with John and Jim. Even compared to Tatis…

Salas is nowhere near where Tatis was in terms of games played in the minor leagues. So like, there’s still a lot of time or Jackson Merrill. We were talking about Jackson Merrill. Like Merrill hasn’t reached the point where Tatis was when he made his major league debut.

And oh, by the way, this is a position that you have a guy that you have developed through your system right now. And hopefully it’s his turn to take off. Right. So this is not an area of need. If this was like, if even Salas was a first baseman,

And it was projected to be this power-hitting guy, if they projected him to be like Freddie Freeman, then I would say, hey, we might need to see this dude. Maybe. Because right now, first base, that’s a problem. Or even left field. That’s a problem. But catcher?

I don’t even put catcher anywhere close to my top issues with this Padres team right now. Campisano had an 850 OPS last year. He’s a 25-year-old catcher. Let him go. There is no reason.

And by the way, if Luis Campisano for the next three years has an OPS of around 800 and plays 130 games behind the plate each year, There’s going to be, okay, 110. There’s no rush for Ethan Salas. None, zero, none at all.

And then you’re going to be talking about the problem of, well, if you bring Ethan Salas up, what are you going to do with Luis Campisano if Luis Campisano ends up performing? Those are good problems. That would be a good problem, but I’m with you.

Campisano deserves the opportunity to hold on to this job. And by the way, you signed a secondary catcher. You traded for him with the Yankees, so they’re fine a catcher. Can I just get to this one comment off of YouTube? Yeah.

In our chat, John and Jim, if you want to watch us on YouTube, go there. He’s from Drew Cree. I think I’m saying that right. Drew Cree says Padres podcasters. Actually, we’re a radio show. Buddy are acting more like doomsdayers than those weird lifetime preppers waiting for the end of the world.

Take a chill pill, guys. Okay, so you’re cool with losing seasons and not making the postseason and no left fielder on this team and trading away one. So that’s fine. He might not even be a Padre. Drew, whatever your name is. Drew Gray. go watch minor league baseball.

All right, go have fun with the top 100 prospects. All right, go, go watch these games. Go follow Ethan Salas. That’s great. But to me, and I think a lot of Padres fans, maybe majority, the big league club matters a lot and they have a lot of problems.

So the chill pill thing here is, It’s always mind-blowing to me when someone says that. We took a chill pill in 2021. We took a chill pill in 2023. We took a chill pill from 1969 to 2020. We took a chill pill from 2016 to 2019. Right.

We took a chill pill outside of 84, 98, 2022. We’ve taken chill pills. Some got some… So just frustrating. Some of you guys out there are very soft. Sorry. Drew Cree, you’re soft, but please subscribe. Yeah. And like, all right.

On the other side, Aztec rewind to look back at Saturday for San Diego state, a look ahead to tomorrow night against Nevada plus Jim’s back page. Stay with us. Hey, guys, it’s Schaefer kicked off the work week over at Windmill Farms earlier today.

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And the best part of it is they really pride themselves in keeping their prices low. And they have really high quality ingredients. And it’s really, really an outstanding spot for lunch.

If you’re looking for a spot during your work week, for your lunches, make sure to swing by Windmill Farms, the college area’s natural grocer. In addition to that, here’s the thing. You don’t even have to live or work near the college area. You can find Windmill Farms on Instacart.

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All right, this update is brought to you by Staples Sports. Aztecs back in action tomorrow night at Viejas Arena as they take on Nevada. 8 p.m. tip-off. You can listen to that game right here on San Diego Sports 760. Padres yesterday signed number one overall international prospect shortstop Leo DeVries.

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Get $20 off the print purchases of 100 or more, 50 off your print purchases of 200 or more, and 100 off your print purchase of 300 or more. Ends 210-24. See staples.com slash print for details. Print more, save more at Staples. All right, so we’re just talking about Jim’s bachelor party.

Aztec Rewind coming up, Jim’s back page coming up, and there’s something I want to get to off the text line. So we’re talking about your bachelor party coming up early March, right? Yes. And I did invite you. And he, he did invite me. It was, it was very interesting.

I got a text a couple of weeks ago, like, yo, bachelor party, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Are you down? And I look at the Aztec schedule and the Aztecs are off. I think. So I’m busy, by the way.

Brent, if I asked you straight up and I was like, are you going to Vegas? The room is $600. The flight’s $300. Yeah. So that was the theory. It was just the thought that counts. It’s the thought. Yes. So anyway, so Jim invites me. He’s like, yo, we’d be playing golf on Saturday.

I’m like, I don’t do golf. He’s like, oh, then you don’t need to go. And I’m like, dude, just because I don’t play golf, I would chill at the hotel. I just would have. So originally, it was going to be March 1st, that weekend. Aztecs are off that weekend? I think so. Yeah.

And then my buddy’s like, oh, I have something to do that weekend. Can we move to the next weekend? And I was like, okay. Okay. And then I looked at rates, and for some reason, the rates at the beginning of March, because it’s obviously March Madness, and dude, it’s crazy.

It starts going up as you get into March. Yeah. Conference tournaments, then the NCAA tournament. So the only weekend that’s really… Affordable and good is the first weekend of March and the second weekend of March.

Second weekend of March, you’re kind of pushing it because the third weekend of March, you’ve got a tournament starting and then obviously March Madness is just crazy. And I can’t get into April because April, like we have something going on and blah, blah, blah.

So there’s only like one weekend that like worked for everybody. What does this have to do with me? Well, here’s the thing. The weekend that we’re going is March 8th. Oh, you are? Yeah. Oh, I thought you were March 1st. We were March 1st. Wait, hold on.

You’re there the weekend of March 8th, 9th, and 10th now? That’s Mount West Tournament, plus we are now doing shows. No, no, no. Mount West Tournament is the following weekend. Oh, you’re right. That’s right.

And I was going to do it the following weekend, but the rates are crazy because then I was thinking about you and I was like, oh, John will be here. But then I was also thinking about the show. And I’m like, well, if John’s there, then I can’t do the show.

And it’s like, that’d be tough to do it. And I mean, maybe we could figure it out, but there’s a lot going on there. It’s hard to schedule things for everybody. And then if I went golfing, like I said, you… It’s only five hours. I don’t want to spend time with you guys.

Okay. But I would be there for the bachelor party. Having seven hours off is ideal. I was hoping to have like seven hours off all day Saturday. Go to the spa. Oh, you want to come? No, no. By the way, the Essex aren’t off that weekend.

I think they were off the weekend before. They are, yeah. Anyway, here’s something I want to get to off the text line. You can figure that out if you want. What? You should sleep on a floor. or a couch off the text line. And is this accurate?

Because someone tagged us into this on Twitter as well. And I don’t know if this is accurate or not. I can easily dispute this a three six. So part of the reason the Padres can land top international prospects is because they stopped just short of promising them.

They’ll fast track them to the majors. So you either promise that and get the players or you don’t promise them that and don’t. So I saw this off social media. This isn’t source. This is some theory.

This idea that Padres get players because they say they’re going to get to the big leagues quick. I don’t think that’s how they get players. I think they get players through scouting and through paying. Like the Padres landed DeVries. Cause they gave him $4.2 million.

It’s their entire like allocation of budget essentially for this class last year. Sal, I don’t think like, Hey, Sal is side with us because we’re going to get you to the big leagues quicker than the LA Dodgers. Is that, is that the theory?

Like the Padres get international players because probably says we’ll get you the big leagues quicker than other organizations. Have you ever read that? I haven’t. No. Well, we were tagged into that on Twitter. Oh, I didn’t see it. Yeah. Who did it? Who tweeted it? Oh, of course.

So, I mean, again, that sounds great. Hey, Padres get all the great players because they promised them they’ll get to the big leagues before other organizations. How can you make that promise? What if the guys don’t pan out? What if they need development for their own betterment?

Like, that’s a bad strategy to be like, hey, 16-year-old, I promise you we’ll get to the big leagues before the Angels. You can? How can you make that promise? It’s based on your performance and our development of you. Like, oh, you’re going to be the big league level very quickly.

I mean, I guess you can say anything. It’s like recruiting. It shouldn’t be like that, though. I don’t know. Your scout should be out there. All right, that guy in a couple years, whatever, is going to be a stud. Not like, oh, we should promise him that he’s going to get playing time.

That’s the only reason why we’re going to sign him. We can sign him. AJ Preller has developed relationships with these guys. I mean, Preller was front and center yesterday when DeVries signed. I mean, just wearing his cargo shorts and his, you know, collar t-shirt. Right. And…

Yeah i think that he’s developed a relationship with him not not necessarily promising him things that other organizations aren’t right how would anyone even know that i mean i haven’t heard preller say that not the preller spoke yesterday but who did um kemp and you know what i mean i’m not hearing when i when i see these quotes i’m not seeing quotes that well we told him we’ll get him to the big leagues by the time he before his 19th birthday because that’s a hard thing to promise that’s a really hard thing to promise um all right can we get to this

All right, it was a very good first 15 minutes for the Aztecs. They led by 12 at the pit against New Mexico. Final 25 minutes belong to the University of New Mexico. The Lobos win going away. 78-60, first conference loss of the year for the Aztecs.

First time really anyone has had an answer for Jaden Lede. Still at 15 points and six rebounds. But San Diego State beaten 78-60. Big one tomorrow against Nevada. The Wolfpack are 15-2. We’ll see if the Aztecs can respond after losing Saturday in Albuquerque. Like you said, got to hold serve at home.

You can’t let one turn into two. This conference is ridiculous, but the three Aztecs losses this year have all been on the road in crazy environments to quad one really good teams. BYU. Can you name it? I’m blanking on the name. Why am I doing this? Furnham. Not Furnham.

Dude, you’re going to say it. It’s on the tip of my tongue. Why am I? Why am I? Okay, I’ll give you hints. The school has two words. I know it does. The school reminds you of a giant hole. Like the greatest hole out there. Grand Canyon. Yeah, that’s a big one.

Grand Canyon. And then on Saturday versus New Mexico. Oh, yeah. Their only losses are road games, tough environments, good team. Yeah, they don’t have a bad loss this year. Correct. Now, you knock on wood.

I’m not saying if you lost in Nevada, it’d be a bad loss, but also it would be considered one because you just lose at home. You got to win at home. You got to win at home. So, you know, whenever they play New Mexico next at home, which is in a couple months.

February 16th. Which is in a month. Mm-hmm. That’s going to be a massive game. You have to hold serve there. And if you do, then the loss versus New Mexico on the road is kind of going to cancel each other out. So tomorrow’s huge. Huge.

Jaden LeDigue and his whole team kind of got brought down to earth a little bit on Saturday, especially Jaden. Did not have his best game. Probably, I would argue, his worst game of the season. And they’re going to need to hold serve tomorrow versus Nevada. Tomorrow night, 8 p.m.

Pregame coverage at 7 p.m. outside of the A-House Arena right here on San Diego Sports 760. Ted Leitner on the call. Aztec Rewind, made possible by Windmill Farms, the college area’s natural grocer. They’ve got you covered for all your game day needs.

Organic farm fresh produce and meats, an amazing craft beer selection, plus a full deli with award-winning sandwiches. Visit windmillfarmsmarket.com for their weekly specials. On the other side, Jim’s back page. That’s next. All right. Jim’s back page is getting ready right now. It’s next. All right, a reminder, programming reminder.

Eric Schmidt, San Diego State’s new defensive coordinator, coming from the University of Washington, will join us tomorrow at 5.30. Also tomorrow night, 8 p.m., Aztecs-Wolfpack pregame coverage will begin at 7 p.m.

Am I the only person that’s starting to really get concerned about this roster and how many holes they have on it in a must-win year? You, that is your, it is such your go-to. It’s like death taxes and Jim tweeting out. We’re three weeks from spring training. They still need a left fielder.

I mean, look, I was the guy that said a couple, like about a month ago, They have plenty of time. They’re going to, they’re going to have plenty of time to market, blah, blah, blah. And then January 1st hit. And I was like, okay, that thrown out of the window because nothing’s happened.

And it’s been two plus weeks. I’m like, nothing’s happened. And now the closer that we get to spring training, these holes they have are like glaring holes. So let me ask you this. When they’re playing the Dodgers in Korea, do you think they go with nine players in their lineup? No, no, no.

John, no, no. You know what I mean? They’re not going to fill it the way you hope them to fill it. I know they are. I know they are. But they will fill it. If they fill it with the way that I hope they don’t fill it,

Which is through their system right now. It’ll be a combination of both. They’ll still make signings. There could be a trade and somebody in their system is going to get an opportunity, if not more than one player to make the team. It’s going to be a combination.

Someone’s like, stop, stop freaking out, dude, bro. There’s still time. There’s January. Let the young guys in spring training show you what they can do. And then maybe they’ll make the big league roster. Is that how we talked? Probably. So, okay.

So Jim wrote earlier, we’ll get to the back page in one second. Cause I was laughing when I read it. So Jim, Pitchers and catchers report for the Padres in less than 30 days, and they still don’t have a major league left fielder, center fielder, left-handed starter, DH, and first baseman. All factual.

Okay? And then I wrote back, here’s my theory. They’ll address those needs in the next 30 days. It’s a good theory. Again, will it be addressed the way you or I want it addressed? No, probably not.

But I do firmly believe they’ll have 40 players on their 40-man roster and 26 on their 20s. Do they really need all those things? You’re just nitpicking. But you know what I’m saying?

I get your point, but they’re not going to go out and get left, center, starter, DH, first baseman all the way we hope them to do it. In one weekend? Well, what do we hope that they do?

Well, you’re hoping that they land major league quality left fielder, center fielder, starter, DH, and first baseman, right? What they’re going to do is sign one or two players, make a trade to acquire one or two players, plus allow someone in their system to make the big league roster.

Yeah, I would hope that in the next 30 days before pitchers and catchers report, and obviously the first spring training game is just a little over a month, February 22nd versus the Dodgers. Big game. Must win. That they will have addressed those needs instead of going into camp and

Saying to everybody, well, we have players in the system that we’re going to give a… What signal… Uh-oh. If they make no real move between now and mid-February, that would be really concerning. Yeah. And it’s fine. And look… That’s not going to happen.

Am I playing the doomsday card here just because they don’t have those roster spots filled? No, I’m really not. Okay. I’m more or less kind of pushing the envelope here of like, hey… When’s it going to happen? And is it going to happen? And who’s it going to happen?

Like, what are the players that are going to be here? I’m just as curious to find that out as all of you out there. But it’s not wrong to ask the question, hey, who’s going to fill these holes? Because those are big time holes. Stay tuned. Stay tuned. Let’s get to it.

Tom Brady’s fake baseball card from the ad? Or from real life when he was drafted? Was he drafted? By the Expos? Yeah. It’s fake. They photoshopped his face on some other existing player. I don’t remember who it was. It’s a fake Tom Brady collectible card, I guess. Moises Alou Jr. or something?

It was graded.

At a mint nine all right the 2023 fake draft tom brady on the expos i guess it was signed by tom brady okay it’s a mint graded out as a nine all right sold the other day four grand at an auction okay four grand what do you got brian two grand try 158 000

Is it a one of one? It’s no, it’s, it’s a, well, this is a one, but still like, yeah, a baseball card of the seven times Superbowl winning quarterbacks sold for $158,000 online Saturday after a huge bidding war for the card.

I just i don’t get it neither do i it’s a i mean it’s a fake card yeah i’d get it if it was like a tom brady jersey from like a super bowl if he if he truly got drafted by the expos and played in the minors for the expos or whatever the case may be so he wasn’t drafted by the expos he never played no he i mean he might have been i don’t remember i don’t know but he never played any like professional baseball for the he was drafted 18th round 1995 but he never played anything no i will no obviously

But still, that to me is like, I don’t know. Okay. All right. Staying with more auction items. This is a good one. The Amazing Spider-Man Issue No. 1 Comic Book. Sold at an auction for guess how much? The first ever Spider-Man comic book? Yep. The Amazing Spider-Man issue number one. Half a mil.

$1.3 million for this Spider-Man issue number one comic book. The Amazing Spider-Man. That’s amazing. It is amazing. He’s with the Fantastic Four. It’s like an iconic cover. It is? Comic book cover, yes. What do you mean he’s with the Fantastic Four? On the cover… Who else is in the Fantastic Four?

Is it like the Fab Five? No, John. Who else is in the Fantastic Four? Spider-Man, Superman, Yoda? No, no, no, no, no. He’s with the Fantastic Four. They’re just on the cover together. Who are they? Are there four people? Yes. Yes, that’s why. Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and the thing.

Whatever came of those guys. They didn’t call the Fab Five the Fab Five because there were seven of them. But I’m saying, is the Fantastic Three or whatever still around? Yes. Yes, Sean. They’re making a movie about them coming up. Stay tuned. Okay.

The Barbie Dreamhouse pop-up tour already came through San Diego this past weekend. But if you missed it, You’re in luck because it’s coming back. This time it will be in Chula Vista. All right. And it will be on, where is it here? February 10th from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The popular pop-up truck will be at the Otay Ranch Center. And you can go there if you want to experience Barbie. By the way, Monster Trucks was incredible. Monster Jam this past weekend. Jones thought it was the greatest thing that’s ever happened. Didn’t ask for a phone one time.

Watched it for three hours. We had the headphones on. And that’s coming back, not this weekend, but next. Wow. And by the way, the world championship of Monster Jam, I think, is… Who knows? But… My son thought it was amazing. Of course he did, because it’s like big sports.

It’s like Hot Wheels in real life. Exactly. If you missed anything today, sportssd.com. You can go to the iHeartRadio app, iTunes, TuneIn Radio, Spotify. If you’re listening to us on a podcast, please leave a review as well. You can find us on social media at John and Jim, J-O-N-A-N-D-J-I-M.

We’re back tomorrow at 3, getting you ready for the Aztecs and the Wolfpack. For Brennan, Jim, I’m John. Keep it here to San Diego Sports 760. Okay. Okay.