Beware the Canadian baseball beast in Toronto!

Beware the Toronto Blue Jays! And even if the Los Angeles Dodgers don’t win the World Series as heavy favorites, it’ll be clear why they’ll have money to spend as the Baltimore Orioles go to market for a manager and offseason acquisitions via free agency that will be chasing a new leaf of power and capital in the American League East north of the border, where they enjoy beating America in any way possible. Luke Jones and Nestor discuss the Fall Classic and the incredible Ohtani and Springer shows this October.

Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discussed the Blue Jays’ World Series hopes against the Dodgers. Nestor shared his emotional connection to the Blue Jays, particularly Joe Carter’s home run, and praised George Springer’s postseason experience. They reflected on the Blue Jays’ turnaround from a 74-88 season to World Series contenders, highlighting key players like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Kevin Gausman. Luke emphasized the importance of good decision-making and star performance. They also touched on the Orioles’ current struggles and the potential impact of the Blue Jays’ success on the Orioles’ future.

• [ ] @Nestor Aparicio – Attend the Maryland crab cake tour event at Costas on Wednesday.
• [ ] @Nestor Aparicio – Attend the event at Koco’s pub in Laurelville on November 5th.
• [ ] @Nestor Aparicio – Attend the event at Pizza John’s in Essex on November 7th.
• [ ] Join Nestor and Alan McCallum at the State Fair in Catonsville next Tuesday.

Blue Jays and World Series Hopes

• Nestor Aparicio discusses his excitement for the Maryland crab cake tour and his plans to shave for his birthday.
• Nestor mentions various events and appearances, including a birthday celebration with Leonard Raskin at Costas.
• Nestor introduces Luke Jones and mentions they won’t discuss football but will talk about the World Series.
• Nestor shares his mixed feelings about rooting for the Dodgers due to his personal connection with Janet Marie.

Memories of Joe Carter and Blue Jays

• Nestor recounts his emotional experience with Joe Carter’s home run and his reaction during the game.
• Luke Jones praises George Springer’s postseason experience and its impact on the Blue Jays.
• Nestor reminisces about attending opening day in Toronto with Luke and the excitement of the Orioles’ performance.
• Nestor reflects on the Orioles’ season and his interest in watching baseball despite having no stake in the game.

Historical Context and Personal Connections

• Nestor and Luke discuss the historical significance of the Blue Jays and the Orioles, including their long droughts.
• Nestor shares his personal connection with the Blue Jays, including attending games and knowing team officials.
• Luke reminisces about the Blue Jays’ dominance in the early 90s and the impact of players like Joe Carter and Devon White.
• Nestor talks about the cultural and national pride associated with the Blue Jays and the Maple Leafs in Canada.

Blue Jays’ Turnaround and Future Prospects

• Nestor and Luke discuss the Blue Jays’ turnaround from a poor season to a World Series contender.
• Nestor highlights the Blue Jays’ financial resources and national support, which could make them a formidable team in the future.
• Luke emphasizes the importance of good decision-making and star performance in the Blue Jays’ success.
• Nestor and Luke discuss the potential impact of the Blue Jays’ success on the Orioles and the importance of learning from their turnaround.

Orioles’ Challenges and Future Plans

• Nestor and Luke discuss the Orioles’ current challenges, including injuries and poor performance.
• Nestor mentions the potential for young players like Grayson Rodriguez and Kyle Bradish to contribute in the future.
• Luke highlights the importance of veteran leadership and experience in overcoming challenges.
• Nestor and Luke discuss the need for better decision-making and resource allocation in the Orioles’ front office.

World Series Predictions and Personal Reflections

• Nestor and Luke share their predictions for the World Series, with Luke favoring the Dodgers.
• Nestor reflects on his experiences attending games at Dodger Stadium and SkyDome.
• Nestor and Luke discuss the emotional impact of World Series games and the excitement of being in the stadium.
• Nestor shares his excitement for upcoming events and appearances, including the Maryland crab cake tour and various community events.

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

Blue Jays, World Series, Dodgers, George Springer, Shohei Ohtani, Toronto, Baltimore, Orioles, baseball, postseason, injuries, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Kevin Gausman, MLB, playoffs.

SPEAKERS

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Nestor Aparicio, Luke Jones

Nestor Aparicio  00:01

Welcome home. We are W N S T. Am 1570 to Baltimore. We are Baltimore positive. I sort of feel like pig bombing. I should have w n s t, I should have a little bit more fun with that. I do have fun with the Maryland crab cake tour, and we’re gonna have fun this week, and I’m going to shave at some point for anybody watching out there wondering, like, where all the Silver’s coming from. Just feeling my 57th year and feeling some sort of playoff hockey beard. On behalf of the dearly departed Seattle Mariners, we’re going to be at Costas on Wednesday this week eating crab Imperial because I want to feel royal for my birthday. My other birthday boy, Leonard Raskin, is going to be joining me this week at Costas. Next Tuesday, we’ll be at State Fair in Catonsville. There is a rumor we’ll be talking some baseball with Alan McCallum, amongst others, in the 21228, where life is great. Wednesday, the fifth, we’re going to be at Coco’s pub back in laurelville. I’m hoping we’re sick. Will be my co host. There also have some great guests lined up for that one. And then on the seventh of November, we’re back at Pizza John’s in Essex, which years might lure this guy out, especially if the team’s one and nine by the time this happens. I don’t know. Luke Jones joins us now. He is Baltimore, Luke, we’re not going to talk football in this one, even though I will hold up my Raven scratch off. We can talk about Lamar getting back on the field or not, or who’s going to play. And they got two games in four days, and we’ll get to all of that. Luke, it’s the World Series. It’s the world serious. And I’ve actually got my Dodgers belt buckle out from 1969 and you know, Janet Marie’s my heart, so I can’t like hate on the Dodgers, but I have found myself liking the Blue Jays. Don’t tell anybody. Wow, I dude. I had a moment with Joe Carter and the home run. I even said to my wife, like in a seventh inning, I’m like, You know what they need that I didn’t say I use the F word, and I know, you know it’s inappropriate here on the radio, but I said, Joey, F and bats right now they need Edward and carnassio. And instead, they just stole one of the cheaters from Houston, and boom, bang, they’re in the World Series. Look at

Luke Jones  02:03

that. Well, you get someone who’s experienced, who has postseason experience, postseason success, and George Springer comes up big. No question.

Nestor Aparicio  02:11

That’s why people listen to us. It’s all that postseason experience. You and I have all those World Series games I’ve been to,

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Luke Jones  02:17

all those World Series games I haven’t been to,

Nestor Aparicio  02:19

I’ve been doing that for both of us, even though, Hey, I am glad I took you to Toronto. I will say this that, like the whole time I’ve watched the games from Toronto the last 48 hours. I’m like, I’m so happy Luke and I did opening day up there, even if they didn’t. Mark Shapiro has known me all his life. Didn’t let me into his press box. He let you in.

Luke Jones  02:37

Think about it, when you remember back to opening day and the manner in which the Orioles won, hit all these home runs and blow them out at that point in time, I think there was much more of a dialog about Schneider than Brandon Hyde. So if we go back to opening day and say one of these teams is going to win the pennant in the American League and go to the World Series, and one of these teams is going to fire its manager, I think he would have been inclined to say, maybe it’d be the other way around. Schneider be gone, and maybe the Orioles

Nestor Aparicio  03:12

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dude on this day, as God is my witness, as you and I were in Toronto, I thought they had a chance to be hosting game one of the World Series on Friday

Luke Jones  03:21

night. Yeah, well, that was thwarted in about, what, two weeks. I mean, we haven’t

Nestor Aparicio  03:26

thought about that since, like, it’s almost like the Orioles didn’t play in baseball this year. They played in like they did in all the Angelos years, they were just playing for a trophy. You know what I mean? I

Luke Jones  03:36

mean it just, it speaks to the season being over Memorial Day weekend. You know, you’re 16 and or you’re whatever it was, 16 and 34 in your first 50 and

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Nestor Aparicio  03:45

you watched a lot of baseball this summer for having no stake in the game. You know, having no chance to win.

Luke Jones  03:50

Watched a lot of baseball over the last 15 years, covering the team where there were seasons like that, worse than than this past

Nestor Aparicio  03:57

year, 32 years these poor people in Troy. I feel like it was five minutes ago that I was sitting in the upper deck in Mitchell. And Mitch Williams was delivering to hit the Joe Carter, you know, hi, Joey. Joey’s my friend who went to the game with me that night in Toronto. So, I mean, but it’s been 32 years, yeah, like it really puts some some some tread on the tire to feel like, because the Blue Jays don’t feel irrelevant to me. They were very relevant for a long time, but they’ve been irrelevant, but they do look good in these

Luke Jones  04:24

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unis. Oh, sure. I mean the fact that they went back, and it’s been several years since they’ve done that, but when they were messing around like they had that charcoal color and the weird logo and, yeah, just get back to your roots. When you have something that works, use it. But Digital Blue Jay, remember that one? Yeah, just terrible stuff. But it’s funny, you mentioned you you found yourself rooting for the Blue Jays. I can’t bring myself to do that, and it’s because you have to think about when I grew up. It

Nestor Aparicio  04:55

was Pete Harnish in the nail, right? I mean, really was about the lackey.

Luke Jones  04:58

It wasn’t even a. Mean, that was like, the beginning of what I remember. Dave Johnson hates the Blue Jays, he told me. But I think more in terms of just 93 and 92 and 93 sucks. I printed a lot of CTO sucks. Like the all star game thing, the the idea of, can’t have a Canadian team win the world, you know, just like the the

Nestor Aparicio  05:19

you know, see, I’m sort of pull it for the Canadians, because we’re

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Luke Jones  05:22

effing them all up. Well, I would, but I would say this. I mean, if there’s a silver lining to Seattle having lost, it’s the Orioles, won’t have the distinction of having the longest drought in the American League without a pennant, right? I mean, the mariners are still without one since they entered the league. And what? 7677 whatever that

Nestor Aparicio  05:40

was. I don’t feel bad for the Seattle people. I need your guy. I got friends in Seattle. I’ve had a good time in Seattle. I don’t want them to not go to the World Series ever. They deserve to go to the World Series. So it wasn’t like it was a battle of good guys. To me, it wasn’t like I didn’t have, I didn’t have a, you know, a bad guy. And how do you root against the catcher from the Blue Jays? He He reminds me of when I was an oval team catcher. I was a chunky little, pint sized, sort of, you know, oop, a loop, a looking catcher when I was a kid, except I couldn’t hit the ball like that. That

Luke Jones  06:17

dude’s Great, yeah, yeah, no question about catcher for Seattle is pretty good too, with the historic season. He just,

Nestor Aparicio  06:24

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by the way, his emotions after the game too. And, you know, I go back to Freddy pottek crying in the dugout in Kansas City. So like, I have so much history with baseball that it really does come back to me. When these games get tight, I don’t fall asleep. I sit straight up. I remember Carlton Fisk and where I was that night when I was seven years like it all the Kirk Gibson home run. There’s, there’s anniversaries every day of something where McNally did this, or Palmer did that, or I, you know, I love October, and I hate being locked out, and I hate that the new owners are creep and that I have to talk about them in this fashion and like all of that. But I do love baseball, man. I was at Dodger Stadium three weeks ago, sitting there, having a Dodger dog, and, you know, the World Series is going to be there this week. I saw Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, they’re going to be javez ravine. I won’t miss it. I mean, I’m I found myself more into the baseball game than the two football games on Monday night, even though the football games were good, I

Luke Jones  07:18

mean, but yeah, I mean it when you consider now even go back to late last week with what Shohei Otani Did you know from an individual 15 minutes into this? We haven’t talked about that. I mean, obviously the Dodgers swept, and that series didn’t materialize in the from a competitive standpoint, in the way that anyone thought, considering the Brewers were the best team in baseball. Are you

Nestor Aparicio  07:41

too young to hate the Brewers because you weren’t around? Yeah, yeah. I

Luke Jones  07:44

mean, 82 Yeah, obviously, was before my time. And, I mean, the Brewers pivoted to the NL and what? 9798 whenever that was so it was strange, you know,

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Nestor Aparicio  07:55

well, like a Milwaukee, Seattle World Series would have been really weird. Oh, you

Luke Jones  07:59

know, baseball is very happy that it’s Toronto, LA, I suppose, because you say, Okay, it’s a big market in the United States, and they got Canada, got all of Canada, right, so, so they should do a good number there. But, I mean, I just think with what Otani did, and you know, the man crush I’ve had on him, in terms of, even if you’re a casual baseball fan, to just try to contextualize what he does and what he did specifically in that clincher where pitches six shutout innings, he strikes out 10. He hits, oh, he hits three home runs. Also, I mean, it’s like Lamar Jackson throwing four or five touchdown passes and, oh yeah, you had to pick six and and two sacks.

Nestor Aparicio  08:36

And by the way, some D bag was on my Facebook arguing. I say it’s why my Facebook numbers are up because I let people argue, as long as they’re not complete a hole, that somebody has been better than Shohei Otani. And I’m like, dude.

Luke Jones  08:49

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I mean, look, have there been better hitters than Shohei Ohtani, yes. Have there been better pitchers than Shohei Ohtani, yes, but as I’ve said to you now for a couple years, and look, I don’t know how much longer Otani is going to be a two way player, and he’s already had a couple elbow injuries, so I understand that, and I would understand that from the Dodgers perspective of saying, Yeah, at some point in time we may need to abandon this, but when you see what he does on Friday night, it’s extraordinary. I mean, it is in anything that’s a team sport. It’s right up there with anything you can think about. Chamberlain’s 100 points. And there have been some really special postseason performances and fully acknowledging that was a game for it wasn’t a game. History

Nestor Aparicio  09:36

of games in three home runs in pitch six innings, right?

Luke Jones  09:40

But, I mean, it’s, it’s such a short list, and I saw, I saw a few people throw out, you know, Bob Gibson, what he did in a game seven. Don Larson, obviously, throwing a perfect game. You think back to, I think Jack Morris’s thing was unbelievable. I mean, like, you can go down the list, and there have been some special things, but all of those performance. Says we’re either a pitcher, pitching or a hitter doing something really special, not someone doing something special in each department. And so it was just incredible, and I’m looking forward to seeing him on that stage. I mean, it’s funny, even going back to last year, we’ve talked so much about the Dodgers in the context of what all the injuries that they’ve had the fact last year that they they won the World Series with their pitching staff being held together by duct tape, right? I mean, they were using openers and all kinds of stuff. But you look at them now, they have an Otani who’s as close to 100% as he’s been in quite some time. They have Blake Snell doing what he’s done, right? They have glass. Now, it’s funny these guys that have missed time. And I mean, Blake snow barely pitched during the regular season. I mean, he

Nestor Aparicio  10:47

beeper pitched the other night. I forgot he was there. Oh, sure, well, yeah, I

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Luke Jones  10:51

mean, but I think him as an Indian, but, but it’s, it’s the flip side, though, of these injuries. And look, I’m not, not at all suggesting that there’s a silver lining to Tommy John surgery or UCL surgery or whatever. But you do have these Dodgers pitchers who suddenly feel like they’re in mid season form because they didn’t pitch a full season. So it is interesting in that way, but, but, but, to bring it back to the Blue Jays. I mean, you know, obviously everyone here in town knows it’s been 42 years for the Orioles, for the Blue Jays, that have been 32 years. There’s always something especially for me, someone who’s never, as a two week old infant, had no recollection of the Orioles winning the World Series. You look at something like that, you see the emotions of that crowd. I mean that when Springer hit that three run homer, I mean,

Nestor Aparicio  11:42

I was in the building with Carter hit the home run. So, like, I have very, very vivid recollections of that, right? Just yeah, yeah. And I remember the sound. I remember the sound walking out. I remember being at a young and I just saw it there. And I saw empty and cold. It was when you and I walked up there opening day, especially the second game, when they’re giving away hats. Appreciate the hat, by the way, I’m gonna wear that on behalf of Getty. By the way, I think I rooted for Blue Jays at Getty’s grandson. I saw Getty and his grandson sitting there in the third row. And to your point, it’s like it’s been 32 years for the Toronto people. Let them win, man. I mean, the Maple Leafs are never going to win. I had Brad Gagnon on last week. My NFL buddy lives in Toronto, and I said to him, like, and he’s not a Maple Leafs fan, he’s a Canadians fan. But, like, the Maple Leafs to Toronto are bigger than the Lakers in LA, bigger than the Yankees in New York, bigger. I mean, they’re akin to, like, what soccer is in Mexico, the national team, you know, just an incredible thing. And they can’t piss a drop, and their best player to sign somewhere else. So it’s kind of in Vegas, but, but for me, the Blue Jays there, and seeing that, and going back to exhibition stadium, Dave Stieb, even watching Ricky Henderson and Paul Molitor run around there and, you know, and all the bad vibes with cito and like all that’s been 3033, years since we had bad vibes with pseudo Gaston. So it’s just been a long that’s a third of a century. It’s crazy. 33 years. Let them win, man. They’re having a great

Luke Jones  13:15

time. Yeah. I mean, I, I don’t really there. There are very few teams i root against anyway at this point my life. But yeah, and it’s funny, as I said to you, I don’t really find myself rooting for them because they were the Yankees when I was nine and 10 years old. I mean, seriously, they were, I mean, well, the Oakland A’s were that to me as a boy, right? I mean, I mean the Yankees weren’t the Yankees at that. They weren’t back to be in the Yankees for a few more years after that, but I think to 92 and 93 and I think to the 93 All Star game before we even get to see do and Messina warming up in any of that, just the the starting lineup being announced, and it’s a blue jay and a blue jay and a blue jay and a blue jay, right? I mean, they were just, they were so good. And you think back to those teams. I mean, you mentioned, they added Molitor, they added Ricky Henderson has hired guns. But you know, they had Robbie Alomar, who I know wasn’t a homegrown blue jay, but blossomed into a superstar. They had Joe Carter, who had been elsewhere, but really achieved a higher level of fame as a blue jay Devon White was, even though I didn’t like the Blue Jays, was one of my favorite non Orioles growing up, just because of how great of a center fielder he was. I mean, that guy was special defensively. And you go down the list, and they had, you know, Dwayne, you know, they had Ward, they had hanky, hanky. I mean, they had such good, yeah, right. I mean, oluru, the guy with the batting helmet. You know, when you’re eight or nine years old, you’re fascinated with the idea of why someone’s wearing a batting helmet.

Nestor Aparicio  14:48

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See, these are names on baseball cards. You I knew all these guys. So like, you know, I had, like being around them, and being around that team, and being on the field at skydome, which I was many, many times with breast. Ass, doing my show out on the field at Sky Dome, doing my show in the press box at Sky Dome. I like all of that vibe. They’re the hot dogs with the little seeds on the buns and the way things poutine, little different. They do things up there, a little different. I I feel like they should have been more of over the last 30 years, a relevant team, corporate ownership, sure they are the national team. There I am, quite frankly, and a little bit is about money and and the exchange rate. When Greg Zahn was working up there for many, many years, I knew about all of this stuff. But I would just say, for Toronto baseball and for the Raptors having one, and they don’t have an NFL team. The bills are their team, their de facto team. So they haven’t won anything there, either, any more than anybody in you know, West Aurora, New York, is one. But for me, with the Blue Jays and their their mark in Canada, I’m shocked that they haven’t been a more powerful brand, because they’ve had unlimited money. They have national support, which is a lot different when you’re there for sure, for sure, and no one here will feel it in Middle River or whatever, but like there’s a sense of Canadian pride that even Springer Vladi, all of those players, they’re Chad steel, unlike the goofs we have here who speak down and run away from the fans, those guys have all been coached that they’re like, representing the country. Oh yeah, they and they say that, and you feel that, and you feel it, and it’s indoctrinated from the minute you get there, because they have to pass that. They have their past. I have my passport right here. Don’t ask me why Trump’s president. I got to keep it nearby and I’m going to and I’m Venezuelan, but when they have to pull their passport out every time they come in and out of where they play, it’s a different vibe being a Blue Jay. And anybody that’s ever played there tells me that, and I’m talking about back in the day, there was a gal that worked in the Blue Jays front office who I dated back in the day at 2019, 9192 93 and she worked for the team. She had team rings, the whole deal. And just getting to know her, and getting to know like, what the organization was about, and Pat Gillick, at that time running it. And then I got to know Pat running us right, just there. It’s a different kind of franchise because it’s in a different country, and you were there for five minutes and had your thing with it, and it was opening day and whatever. And there was some some heat for opening day in Toronto, but there was no, none, zero expectation that they’d be hosting game one of the World Series on Friday night. And if there had been, I think you would have seen even more spirit there for them, because they’ve really been close to being like in the World Series in a long time. And as much as I talk about them in the terms of they’ve got money, they’ve got a Baltimore guy running the franchise who locked me out of his press box, Ron Shapiro, Mark Shapiro, shameful. But nonetheless, they have this branding thing that you think of them as the bad guy in the black hat because of your childhood and CTO Gaston dude, they could easily become that. Again, I’m just saying that in our division, they’re going to have resources on the back end of this. And I had Todd Radom on this week, my art buddy, my cartoon logo buddy, who talked at length about in 1977 when they came in, the Blue Jays didn’t make this is Major League Baseball. It’s got marking on the back. 1969 they pulled their money for marketing. The Blue Jays didn’t participate because they were in Canada, and they didn’t have to participate in American laws. The EXPOs did the Expos participated with the major league the Blue Jays did their own thing because they made so much more money being Canadian. And I’m telling you, beware of this. If my ramblings and all my boo job about all of this for the listeners out there and your your eyes are rolling back as well, the Blue Jays are in our division, and they just moved into Yankee or where the Red Sox were for a long time, territory of being really popular, and that’s going to pack skydome for the next year. It’s Canadians hate America right now. Why wouldn’t they? We have an orange creep who’s an a hole destroying everything about everything he touches, including the White House. Canadians are going to use this as nationalism. They’re going to come to Toronto and see the Blue Jays play next year, if they win the World Series, even if they don’t, I guess probably see Getty Lee too. I’m going to go to Toronto see Getty Lee next year. But I’m just saying like this is going to help the Blue Jays have the kind of money that Mr. Rubenstein doesn’t want to spend on baseball players. The Blue Jays just moved into play to be in play for rushman if he ever figures himself out, or gunner Henderson, or whatever, they’re going to become a big money team again, and you’re a bad guy ness of them, and as well as the nail and Pete Harnish in the whole deal from. 89 that should worry Orioles fans a little bit that they become the big guy again.

Luke Jones  20:08

Fair enough, I’m not going to disagree with any of that. I think in the same way that I recall a decade ago, you and I were talking about what happened in Kansas City and the Royals and obviously Toronto and Canada. Much bigger market, much bigger footprint, much bigger growth opportunity than the Midwest and Kansas City. Nothing sells like the flag either, especially in Canada. But you also have to sustain, right? We also know in this day and age that it can be fleeting. I mean, Blue Jays a year ago, the Blue Jays were the Orioles. They went 74 and 88 they were in last place in the American League, right? I mean, if there’s anything the Orioles can take away with this, beyond the the beware the cautionary tale that you just laid out there, in terms of what this could mean for what’s been regarded as a sleeping giant. I mean, we talked about this two winners ago when the Blue Jays tried to sign Otani, right? I mean,

Nestor Aparicio  21:00

I run. I was in Toronto that night. Dude. It was

Luke Jones  21:03

insane. I mean, what was it? I someone even brought up the tweet of a John morosi from MLB Network, you know, reporting that Otani was on his way to Toronto, even though, apparently he wasn’t, or whatever ended up happening there, and ultimately he landed in LA and it’s ironic that Otani, the Dodger, is going going to be at Rogers Center here in the coming days. Yeah, we

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Nestor Aparicio  21:26

get Japan in this and everything. It really is an international event, right? This is like, it’s, it’s glad he’s bringing the islands in. Look out.

Luke Jones  21:33

And you just said it. I think if you’re in a reals fan, and you’re trying to take something away from this one, the fact that Toronto turned things around after the year they had last year, a year, two years ago. At this time, we were talking about the Blue Jays in this in the terms of, you know, you can have these young players, and it can feel good, and you can make the playoffs a couple times, and it can go one of two ways. It can continue to progress, or it can go away. It looked like it had completely gone away for them. Think back to where they were earlier this year. I mean, there was plenty of doubt whether Vlad was going to sign a long term deal, and he did. I still wonder what that deal looks like eight, nine years into it, whatever. I mean, you’re already talking about somebody who’s a first baseman and a little bit on the heavier side and all that. How’s it going to age? But for right now, it’s, it’s fantastic. And he was huge for them, right? I mean, he was, you know, every bit the MVP until, you know, Springer hits the three run homer. So, yeah. I mean, you see how quickly it can turn as as bad as it was for the Orioles this year. And as much as I have plenty of doubts about what’s going to happen in terms of manager and signings, and you know just what the organization’s doing collectively, it’s a reminder that things can turn and just because something heads south doesn’t mean that it can’t reverse and go back in a positive direction. So what turned around here

Nestor Aparicio  22:59

when they could get Corbin burns, and they could get Kyle Bradish to the hill, and, I mean, the Bradish Rogers cliff hanger. And we’ll pick this up. I’m going to have Alan on the show next week when I do the by the way, Luke Jones is here. He’s Baltimore, Luke like we have a cliffhanger here with a baseball team with all of this raw talent and young players that has not blossomed, other than maybe gunner Henderson and a little bloom on Jackson holiday, and they’re young guys and the pitching side of Rogers and Bradish and what becomes of that? Who’s going to manage it, how it’s going to be funded, and what ingredients are going to be necessary to be added to it? And that’s where you better prick the last two off seasons. Everybody’s been harder on them than me in the last two off seasons in regard to acquisitions, but my Monica will be out to, you know, to take a look at what’s going on, because I’m looking at what’s going on in Toronto. And there is your cautionary tale of they’re in the World Series, and they can win it. And we didn’t even consider them. We didn’t even put them on the we worried more about New York and Tampa Bay long stretches of the year, really,

Luke Jones  24:08

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sure, well, and, I mean, you just look at it, and they were bad last year. You know, they the last couple years, they had trended in a bad direction. I mean, I know we had this conversation where I kind of said the Blue Jays were kind of where the Orioles were two years earlier, right? You kind of go, go back to where they were in 2021 they look like the team. I mean, because they had Vlad, they had bashed, I mean, go down the list of sons of former major leaguers that they had, and it looked like it was going to be this dynasty, and then suddenly it didn’t look that way. And you’re thinking, Oh my gosh. I mean, it’s, it’s going to be busted up, and these guys never did much of anything. And then, lo and behold, they’re in the World Series. Suddenly, you know, I mean, without Santander, sure. I mean, that’s the thing. I mean, it’s, you do, you know, Anthony Santander, excluding the postseason, and. Obviously only played a few games in the postseason. He played the same number of games as Tyler O’Neill this year, literally, the same number of games as Tyler O’Neill. I mean, it’s kind of funny. I mean, you, you look at that deal, that deal, one year in, has been a colossal failure for them, and they’re, they’re tied to him longer than the Orioles are to O’Neill. But it speaks to not everything needs to go perfectly, but you need to make good decisions, and you need your you need your stars to be stars otherwise, and you need to be able to pitch. And hey, look at the fact that they had a couple rookies, you know, a couple guys that they caught up from their farm system and did some big things for them in some big spots, so

Nestor Aparicio  25:41

he’s gonna come back and play, yeah,

Luke Jones  25:45

yeah. I mean that, that’s the thought, right? I mean, that’s, that’s what they’ve kind of been hoping for, but, but even go back to what game six it was, where, look at who pitched for them, You savage. I mean, I mean this, this the guy who made his, what made his major league debut in September, right? And he’s pitching and pitching pretty darn well. He was pitching for the New Hampshire Fisher cats three months ago. I mean, so it just speaks, but it speaks to like, if you’re trying to lay out how the Orioles turn this around, I mean, you can learn a lot from the Blue Jays, right? And I’m not talking in terms of the growth potential moving forward for them, you know, in terms of whether they and I’m in agreement with you, whether they win or not. And by the way, I I fully expect the Dodgers to win the World Series. I mean,

Nestor Aparicio  26:27

you’re a Gosman guy, or you’re not a Gosman guy. There’s another Oriole thing there.

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Luke Jones  26:32

Sure, I was a Gosman guy. I mean, I remember talking to you for years how I didn’t like how they ping pong them back and forth between the rotation, in the bullpen, he himself really worked a long time on whether he was going to be a slider or a curveball guy, when, in reality, it just needed to be focused on your fastball split combo. I mean, because that’s elite, and you know, whatever else you throw, fine as show me pitches, but that’s how you’re going to eat. And you know, he’s ended up having a nice career. And keep in mind, he was someone who, even when he was traded from the Orioles, he had a couple years there where it was kind of really into a tailspin for him. I mean, he, he got to Toronto, and, you know, has become, you know, not like this, bona fide, true number one ace, in the sense that you think of like a Corbin burns or someone like that to

Nestor Aparicio  27:20

become what Arietta became, but he, but he’s still been, he still had a really nice

Luke Jones  27:24

career. Yeah, so, you know, you look at something like that. I mean, from an Oriole standpoint, I yeah, I’ve always liked my interactions with Kevin Gosman, and, you know, happy to see him in the World Series. And, you know, we’ll see what happens. All

Nestor Aparicio  27:40

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I did was watch ex players. The other night, he was like Arthur millettes running around and rocky Sims. Funny, yeah, injured as the the lions are, they competed and as injured as the Blue Jay. I mean, Blue Jays doing this without the shad doing like, no problem, you know, like in the world, like there is a point where battling through whatever the adversity is. You mentioned the Dodgers. These are two pretty banged up teams. We talked about the Orioles and their problems, and they certainly were banged up. But the problem with the Orioles is the guys who were on the field weren’t

Luke Jones  28:08

good enough. I mean, it’s both, right? Yeah, injuries are going to be a hindrance, but as I also said it back in April and May, in June, but before it was over, over, right? I kept saying at that point in time, it’s like you can’t sit here and say that you need everything to go perfectly in order to succeed. That’s not a good plan. Then you know you’re going to have some things that are going to work against you, right? I mean, I mean, look at last year. The Orioles had injuries last year, and they still, I know they had a disappointing second half, but they still made the playoffs. I go back to 2014 which was the high water mark in terms of regular season for the buckshot Walter era. Matt Wieters had Tommy John surgery that year and missed most of the season. Manny Machado hurt his other knee in August of that year and was completely out. Chris Davis was suspended in September, and yet that was a team that finished, and, you know, for my money, was still the best team in the American League that year, but the Royals got hot at the right time, and the Orioles cooled off at the wrong time, and and that was all she wrote, right but, but that was another example of a year where things did not go perfectly. So yeah, you need to hope you have enough depth, hope you have enough resolve, hope you have enough veteran leadership and experience. We talked about that a lot with the Orioles. We’re talking about that with the Ravens right now and their player leadership or lack thereof, or questions about it in terms of being one in five and getting off the mat. But like you look at someone like George Springer where, you know, I mean he one, he’s been a huge performer for them when, you know, the last couple years it had maybe not looked like that, you know exactly, but he comes up in that spot, and he has all this experience, and I get it, the Astros cheating all like. I’m not. I’m not shying away from that part of the narrative, that part of his story, but he’s also had a lot of success, and he hits a three run homer in that spot, and it’s absolutely madness. I mean that every time I hear a building explode like that, I think back to Delmon Young’s double, and I get it. It was the Division Series the Orioles got swept in the ALCS, all that. But I think it

Nestor Aparicio  30:24

takes a lot for that roar to happen,

Luke Jones  30:27

and the vibration and the and when it feels like the stadium is swaying, right? I mean, I the first time I ever experienced that feeling in my life was Tony banks throwing the touchdown to Shannon Sharpe against Jacksonville in week two, 2000 I mean, that’s the

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Nestor Aparicio  30:42

first you know what I think about? I think about being in the upper deck when Flacco through the pick the palomalu and Pittsburgh, because that building sways. The upper deck in Pittsburgh is built to move, and it freaking moves. If so anybody wants to throw a ride, go sit in the in the end zone in Pittsburgh, where the upper deck literally moves six inches. It’s built that way. So I felt buildings move. Scary feeling, yeah, it’s a scary AFC Championship Game, yes, yes, I felt that. No. But I

Luke Jones  31:10

like I said, I mean, going back to when I first experienced that, it’s funny, I actually was in a walking boot at the time. I had a stress fracture in my foot, and I thought, I thought the upper deck was going down.

Nestor Aparicio  31:21

Well, if you think about the Joe Carter when he’s flailing his arms and the fireworks are going off, I was in left field in fair territory, the ball landed below me, literally, where the press box now, by the way, where the press box is now, yes, yeah, exactly. The ball landed below me. And I was with my friend Julie, and I can feel the building sway. And that moment that it happened, I turned to my wife, and I’m like, that’s, that’s a Yowza, because she was, like, nodding off next to me, you know, sitting on the couch. And I’m like, that’s gone, yeah, she sat up and, like, the hair on the back of my neck stood up because it 32 years boom, I’m there all over again, you know. And it made me think of Mitch Williams and Curt Schilling, which wasn’t the

Luke Jones  32:04

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greatest feeling. And by the way, how do the mariners not have Andres Munoz in there at that point in time? I mean, it’s the top of the lineup. Go ahead runs at the plate like you need your best. I know he’s your closer, but it’s the Zach Britton thing all over again. If you if you’re waiting for the same situation, it may never come. So I kept that

Nestor Aparicio  32:21

look up Dan Wilson’s career stats. I said to my wife, like, I talked to that guy, he didn’t have a porn stash back in the 90s when I knew him. Man, like, what is that? But nonetheless, yeah, I feel bad for the mariners, because it’s so close, and so far as we know, getting swept in the ALCS as we walked out of Kansas City that night 12 years ago, whatever it was now, we’re like, you know, what’s the Eminem song? Opportunity Knocks once in a lifetime, right? You know?

Luke Jones  32:48

I mean, it’s every little boy or girl who loves baseball talks about game seven in the backyard. I mean, they do, right? And

Nestor Aparicio  32:57

sure, and I get it. I was always Eddie, right? I was cow. I didn’t

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Luke Jones  33:03

want to be Eddie quite as much, because I just couldn’t swing left handed, right? And Eddie, you had to do the switch hitting thing, right? So, but yeah, I mean, you think about that scenario, and you know what the Blue Jays, the euphoria they experienced, and the absolute gut wrenching nature of how, the how the mariners lost. I mean, you had the lead in the seventh inning. I mean, how about, I mean, Julio Rodriguez was having a big game, right? I mean, absolutely big, you know, right off the bat helps him get an early lead, hits a home run later in the game. I mean, so it’s, it’s gut wrenching for one side, it’s agonizing for one side, and it’s absolute euphoria for the other side. All that said, I think, I think reality is going to hit the Blue Jays. I think the Dodgers, Dodgers in five, I say, I mean, I believe me, I hope it goes seven. I’m rooting for a great series. I mean, you’ve got two really cool venues for the World Series, you know, Dodger Stadium and Roger Center, which will always be Sky Dome, to me, you know, I think about it as that way as a kid, but man, the Dodgers have just the Dodgers have looked every bit the team of we went through the motions in the regular season just to get to this moment. And it’s go time. So we’ll see Toronto. Hey, the bats, when they’re when they’re clicking offensively, they’re tough to beat, so we’ll see how it plays out. But man, between ohtani’s individual performance and what we witnessed in not just game seven, but just game six as well. I mean, I mean, keep in mind, Toronto came back here. I mean, they were down out they were down oh two at home. So, I mean, it’s pretty special what they were able to do. So going out to Washington, had a work trip at Seattle last year. They did some heavy lifting because it wasn’t looking good for them early on. So you know, credit to them, even if it’s begrudgingly talking from an Al East perspective. But hopefully, if you’re the Orioles, you’re taking notes and seeing, hey, you can turn things around. You can be a. Last place team and then win a pennant the following year. But, boy, they’ve got a lot of work to do in order to make that happen. That’s for sure. You want

Nestor Aparicio  35:07

me to sing the blue jay song to you, because I can, you can. Yeah, you got a diamond, nine men, a bat, a ball, and that’s not all. What do you want? Let’s play ball. Okay, Blue Jays, let’s play ball. That’s exactly it. It’s That’s exactly it.

Luke Jones  35:31

It’s so great that every team, not every team, but so many of these teams, have a song from the 70s or the early 80s. I mean, obviously it’s Orioles magic for here, but

Nestor Aparicio  35:41

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it’s so hard. Here is the first three strains of Tom Sawyer and Getty behind home play, dude, I’m gonna get my little beanie cap that my Getty Lee Blue Jays beanie cap that they gave you the second day of the season. And I’m I might put it on and I might wear because I have a Dodgers hat, and people think I’m a Dodgers guy. Truth is, I just love Janet Marie, and I love Dodger Stadium, and I was there a couple weeks ago. But hey, how about that? I went to two baseball game well, three, if you count opening day, which really isn’t, it’s just more of a cocktail party. But I went to three games all year long. I went to opening day, and I went to opening day in Toronto with you, and I went to Dodger Stadium with my wife to see the giants, and Yamamoto pitch saw Shohei play for the first time. He struck out looking first at bat. So I’ve been to Dodger Stadium and sky to him this year. And I would say this, the bad news is, because I was thinking, like, do I want to go to the world I don’t really want to go to the World Series. Or, like, go up to Toronto, although being in the presence of Getty. The next time I’m in the presence of Getty, he’s going to be singing free will probably. But if I go back to Toronto, I didn’t do this, and I’m going to do it the next time, they have these Korean rice hot dogs that they sell on the concourse there. It’s not like the poutine, but it’s a little weird. I know you can get him in like DC and places where, like New York, go, places where it’s sort of like Korean, but I want to get a Korean rice hot dog the next time I go to Toronto for a baseball game. So we play, where do we open next year? When did he What are the Orioles do? What’s opening day? Drag me somewhere.

Luke Jones  37:18

Good man. I think they opened at home in 26 Well, I love that they opened a season in Toronto and we went. How about that? Is, hold on, they can open in Toronto every year. For me, I want to make sure I indoors, sworn in there. I thought so. I didn’t want to say the wrong team. They open it against the twins on March, 26 March? What? March 26 opening day outside, where your parka?

Nestor Aparicio  37:44

All I see is Jay Gibbons in the snow and poor Rodrigo Lopez, my neighbor, Rodrigo Lopez, one of the all time greats. All right, he’s Luke. I’m Nestor. We love baseball. We’re done talking about it. Baseball have been better, better. Good to me. Actually, Alan McCallum is going to join us at State Fair next week. We’re doing the Maryland crab cake Tour presented by the Maryland lottery. I’ll have Raven scratch offs to give away. We’re Costas in intomonium this week. On Wednesday, I will get back to Dundalk man Nick’s giving me a hard time down there. You give up on Dundalk and Timonium. Stay fair in Catonsville next Tuesday morning for breakfast the 28th that would be the day of game four of the World Series. Allen will be with me in the morning trying to drag Luke to Catonsville as well, Coco’s pop in laurelville on the fifth, Wednesday, the fifth, and then the seventh of November will be at Pizza John’s in Essex. And I went to Pizza John’s the other night to get a pizza before the football games on Sunday, actually, Saturday night, I went in. Saturday night, went in and lady to counter. I’m gonna she knows I love her. I’m gonna leave her nameless, because she could have to do the show with me two weeks from Friday, and she gives me a hard time. I had shaved. I came in. My hair is messed. What’s matter? You want to sit down and eat here? I’m like, do I look like I’m ready to sit in Essex and have a meal right now? And one of the other girls is like, well, you’re not doing your show in here tonight. I’m like, I’m like, I’m doing the show in here in a couple weeks. And I thought to myself, what delineates between? Because my wife always wants to sit down in pizza, John’s, because it pizza tastes better right out of the oven. Cheese steaks, you know, it just does for me. It’s french fries and gravy. I can’t take French fries home because they just, they don’t keep like that. So what I want? Yeah, when I want french fries, proper crinkle cut at Pizza John’s I sit in so I told her, Friday, November 7, I’m going to have french fries and gravy. I’m going to have pizza the way I like it, with pineapple and ham and pepperoni. I’m going to have a cheesesteak, the way I like it, mushroom, double provolone, little bit up front, fried onions, lettuce, tomato. In Philly, they call it tourist style. What do they know? They’re not in the World Series this year. So and their football teams like, speaking of football, we’ll get back to football. I was gonna say better than ours still. Luke’s Owings Mills. Lamar is in Owings Mills. I don’t know if he’ll be on the field in Baltimore on Sunday. We get a big. Week ahead. I am Nestor. He’s loopier. W NST am 1570 Towson, Baltimore. We never stop talking Baltimore positive. Stay with us.