It’s not a shock that Jackson Holliday is coming to the big leagues as a 20-year old. This was inevitable. But why here and now? Luke Jones and Nestor celebrate the Holliday of Mike Elias’ decision to promote the top prospect in Major League Baseball and opine on what it means for the Orioles roster.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
year, games, jackson, orioles, gunnar, call, friday, elias, win, weeks, struggle, played, holiday, player, baseball, kid, talking, bats, starting, give
SPEAKERS
Luke Jones, Nestor J. Aparicio
Nestor J. Aparicio 00:02
We are wn St. Am 5070 Tacit Baltimore and Baltimore positive I’m wearing my favorite t shirt stablished in 1887 but relocated in 2024. We’re going to be at the new Lexington market. I mean I swear. You could easily throw a baseball from one to the other and I couldn’t throw a football but I could throw a baseball and certainly could hit a golf ball here on masters week as I had Ed Miller on this week he started Butler cab and Eaton dollar 50 pimento sandwich is getting ready for the Masters and what a week it’s turned out to be Luke Jones joins us now we’re gonna be together fails. This is a scratched off Pac Man ticket. I got this a cost this on Tuesday, because I had a winning 10x ticket. And they took the ticket and they doubled down and he didn’t win on the Pac Man they went to box. And so I said give me the Pac Man scratch off so I can hold kind of fun. I’m gonna have the new PAC man’s Luke is gonna help me hand those out and fade these from two until three on Friday. It’s all brought to you by the Maryland lottery in conjunction with Jiffy Lube. And our friends at Liberty pure solutions giving me clean water. I’ve got my coal roofing mug here. I want to give a shout out to Bill Cole and give him some love. He’s coming on this week, our 25th anniversary I had John Allen on at Costas. You’ll hear that a little later on in the week. He’s one of the narrators. Keith Brewer is joining us this week as well from the ravens, the band the ravens, not the football team. He is also one of the narrators of the 25th anniversary documentary and it’s called No one listens. everyone hears Luke Jones attend to the liars luncheon that’s there you live long enough the Orioles get sold Peter dies, they call up Jackson holiday all this stuff happens. But the liars luncheon I love that they call it the liars luncheon because I’m the one that name that that. And it’s hilarious that I sit here and watch it on the internet. And I played on the radio station a couple of times they don’t say a word and but the liars luncheon and no further proof that they are liars. And I am not that they’ve called me not a media member and I sit here and watch it from the outside. So times have changed. And dude, I have you I could pull the transcript up. So I’m gonna I’m gonna start crushing you before I bring you on today. As I praise you on our 25th anniversary, you’ll love all the you love all the coverage of that. But yesterday you said something or maybe it was Monday, you said something like, we’re 10 days into the season, there’s not going to be wholesale changes. They’d be admitting that they did things wrong and that it would be a panic move. And it would be in like all of this and they call up holiday and I guess I wasn’t expecting that wn st text on a Tuesday night. I don’t think you were expecting to send a little abrupt it a little weird. I’ll just I’ll start with that. Having said anything about anybody about it. You’re my first conversation this morning.
Luke Jones 02:52
Yeah, let’s be clear. This is great news for the Orioles. This is exciting news for the Orioles. This is something that was going to happen whether it was going to be now whether it was going to be the end of spring training or was going to be at some point in the coming weeks. Jackson holidays the best prospect in baseball. He’s been the consensus overwhelming number one prospect in baseball since historic 2023 is mind you his first full professional major league or not majorly professional baseball season, where he went to for affiliates and put up i popping numbers as a 19 year old. So this was always going to happen. It’s weird, just purely from a timing standpoint. I mean, less than three weeks ago, we were talking in Sarasota about him being reassigned to minor league camp, Mike Elias was talking about a desire for him to get more experience at second base and to face more advanced left handed pitching, whether it be at the triple A level or major league caliber left handed pitching. And well, this 10 games really satisfied that I mean, was this a 4d Chess kind of move as I’ve seen some orange Kool Aid drinkers suggests that I have a tough time believing that I do want to say this much. I think as you and I are discussing this right now and as of late Tuesday evening, they had not announced the corresponding roster move the team had confirmed it to various reporters, but they haven’t announced anything. So I do think we should pump the brakes and assuming that it’s just automatically Tony Kevin’s gone Jackson holidays in although that’s the most logical move. But again, it goes back to why sign Tony camp in the first place. You know, we talked about it at the time. I mean, this is a replacement level kind of guy at best at this point in his career. So, you know, was there an injury? Was it really 10 Games was really enough of what they needed to see and I think he had 10 at bats 11 at bats against left handed pitching I’ll be it did hit a home run and and had success against lefty pitching to start the You’re down at Norfolk, but it’s weird, but at
Nestor J. Aparicio 05:03
the same time Well, you were at the press conference five minutes ago. Right, Peter, we’re still alive. Rubenstein didn’t know the team. I mean, it was literally five minutes ago that you were down in Sarasota. At the press conference, he said, Not good enough. Let all those things that you and everybody else sort of beat him up a little bit about. And, you know, we now have the awakening where it’s okay to criticize Mike Elias, I’m not wearing orange underwear, and clean, I can call him a genius and still criticize him. Same thing with the caster who’s a coward and a genius as well. But, but but for me with alias, this is 12 days ago. How long ago? Was that? What
Luke Jones 05:42
it was two and a half weeks ago? Right? I mean, it’s my turn off. I
Nestor J. Aparicio 05:47
can’t you know, you’re thinking
Luke Jones 05:49
about it in terms of when opening day was, which was a little less than two weeks ago, that was five days before me day, six bucks a week. It was Yeah, six days. Yep, exactly. So so from that standpoint, and I’ll read you the quote, and this was one of the money quotes from when he was speaking to us outside the Orioles facility and in Sarasota. His quote was with Jackson, I think it’s important to zoom out a little bit. He is way, way ahead of the curve. He’s 20 years old, he just turned 20, a couple months ago, he’s reached trip away, he’s moved through the minors at a pace that we haven’t seen in a couple of decades, arguably, when we first think about developing and completing the development of a player of his talent. It’s something we have some experience doing. We’ve done it now with Adly, and Gunnar, and guys like Jordan Westberg, there are a lot of considerations involved so that when they do start their major league careers, you want them to be able to stay. So we said it at the time, like there was merit to what he had to say, for me, it wasn’t the decision to send him down. It was the mismanagement of expectations that you went the entire offseason, at the winter meetings, interviews with MLB Network on Sirius XM, wherever it might be talking up his chances. He goes to spring training, he puts up numbers in the grapefruit league good numbers now not talking, hey, at 250, it did hit hit 300 had a good good batting average, you know, did everything you would expect. So if it was true that it was all about that, then don’t talk up. You know, don’t hype up his chances more than what they actually
Nestor J. Aparicio 07:24
if they were honest with him, right. So if the whole idea is to, and I just heard your quote again, right, and I remember hearing it the night it happened and watched it on the internet and all that and because it was like the talk of the town like and I kept thinking to myself, and this is the 55 year old and me and the 42 year old and Elias or however old he is at this point what you know, younger than me, and a 20 year old kid who’s got a dad who went through all of this and has been prepared for all of this. And the cameras are rolling, right? I mean, they’ll they’ll videotape the manager in there saying you made it kid and like all of that, that that now goes into it that wasn’t around when was Sparky Anderson Earl Weaver, you know, calling in a player to say you’re going back to Rochester or you’re coming, you’re coming north with the ball with the big league club. I wonder how they managed him right. And I would also say that if it’s about him going down to Norfolk and just getting loosened up a little bit and raking and saying the minute you rake we’ll bring you up we’re not trying to eff with your clock or F with Boris or screw screw you up or you know, Peters gone, John’s gone, we’re you know, nobody’s beating on me about your money or any of that stuff. We just want to make sure that when we call you well, you don’t do what Colton did last year, which is it gets real big for you real quick. And we’ve had that happen. And as he pointed out, a couple of our guys have struggled when they come up. We don’t need Jackson Holliday to hit for 29 The first week, but we don’t want to hit No 29 You know, and bad weather and like all of these things, good pitchers, big crowds, big let him ease in let him go with it. The guys his own age, let him go down and be big man on campus for 10 days and be disappointed and bring them up. I don’t know that they were thinking before yesterday morning that they were going to bring them up. I mean, it is curious. And I really do and I would ask you this because you spent a little bit more time with the lies and he’s mister man of mystery, you know, as I see him from the outside that what’s what was he really thinking and what’s he whatever he says to you today is what he says to you as we found out he said what he said to you three weeks ago and you took it seriously how dare you and hold them accountable? How dare we? But what’s he really thinking like? Why here why now that’s that’s the part for me that I’m trying to get a grip on. Yeah, and
Luke Jones 09:51
that’s where I’m still struggling with this because everything you just said in terms of wanting to build up his confidence, whatever it is, I mean, it’s 10 game to 10 games really make that big of a difference. You know what I mean? So I’ve seen a lot of people cite this and we’ve talked about it the Orioles struggles early on here offensively until the bats broke out a little bit with the opener at Fenway on Tuesday, but they did face a lot of left handed starters. I mean, it comes down to this, he’s gonna face left handed starters at some point in time if he’s, I mean, maybe they tried to platoon them a little bit early on, protect them against the toughest lefties early on brandy
Nestor J. Aparicio 10:26
Johnson’s gone, though, you know what I mean? Yeah, I
Luke Jones 10:29
mean, and that’s the thing. It’s not as though they faced Randy Johnson over the first 10 games of the season, when they were facing some of these lefties although certainly they had their they’ve had their issues against lefties. And that’s going to continue to be a storyline, with Jackson Holliday on the roster or not. So that’s where it still feels a little odd to me. And that’s where I’m still waiting to see officially what the corresponding move is to make sure this was isn’t an injury or anything like that. You know, I’ll just throw it out there. And again, I have no idea Jordan Westbrook can play on Tuesday. He didn’t pinch hit. He had played whatever game up until that point. I’m not saying he’s injured. But I’m saying until I hear that it’s Jackson holiday in Tony camp def aid, then, you know, that’s where I am a little more. A little a little more confused about this, just from the standpoint of everything you just said in terms of wanting him to go down and get his cotton. Yep. He was confident, right. I mean, he hit 311 With seven extra base hits and a 954. Oh, PS and 48 plate. Well, that’s
Nestor J. Aparicio 11:27
what I’m asking about that Friday that you’re in Sarasota. Yeah. comes and tells you this? What did he tell the kid that day? I mean, yeah.
Luke Jones 11:34
So that’s just you know, and again, I’m questioning that part of this. I am not throwing cold water on the fact that he’s up. I think and one thing that
Nestor J. Aparicio 11:44
I will get to that in a minute, right, we’ll have the rest of the time to figure that out. We’re scratching my head saying why Tuesday night? Why Fenway? You’re trying to wear him out a little bit there before he comes home because it’s gonna be a big crowd or, I mean, because I would assume word faith is Friday. I made me point that out giving away Pakman non scratched off Pac Man is not a winning scratch off hopefully for lots of folks. But people are gonna come down Friday. Right, right. Yeah. Yeah. I
Luke Jones 12:09
mean, it’s First Friday night game at the ballpark.
Nestor J. Aparicio 12:12
You know, first thing they’re doing right, I saw that on
Luke Jones 12:15
student night. I mean, I think it’s, it’s double the price. It was when I was a student way back when but hey, that’s, that’s the price of professional education. Yeah, yeah, true. Very true. But just, you know, it’s just one of those things. And again, I’m not throwing cold water on the excitement of it, it but it’s weird to me in the sense of what the 10 games really changed, or was it a case of they, they just thought, Okay, we’re gonna send them down, we’re gonna give them an extra. You know, and he didn’t play even played shortstop, but
Nestor J. Aparicio 12:46
they keep saying he had to order 24 at bats or whatever, how many bats you added?
Luke Jones 12:49
I’m just, I mean, I’m talking about these 10 these 10 games, what did you really accomplish for his development that couldn’t have been accomplished with him being on the opening day roster? And even just sitting them out against a few of those lefty starters? Right? I mean, do do what they have done with, you know, they did that with Gunnar Henderson a little bit early on, you know,
Nestor J. Aparicio 13:11
look at him. It’s a win a race, like all of us, like we looked at it three weeks ago, just saying he’s better. Right? And it was given us a better chance to win. And if that’s the honest to God answer that he went to bed Monday and didn’t consider it and woke up Tuesday, or he’s been pondering it for five days, or he’s even would be forthright enough to say, you know, what, we probably should have brought him north where we screwed this up. I mean, yeah. And if he says that good for him. That’s when he should communicate with people. Because in the old days, they would say that or we would never have a problem saying, Hey, we probably should we probably could have done that better. Brian Billick? Yeah, we probably could have done that a little better. John Harbaugh never says there was room. You know, let’s like Fonzie, that would be admitting that I’m not a real man. And I’m not. I’m not the king. And like, I if they screwed this up. Some fans think they have certainly media people. And if he comes up and hits for 29, the first 10 days, we’re gonna say the same thing. Like where was he? They lost a couple of games. They could use them when the bats word. But that’s had been quiet. All these things we’ve talked about. But to your point, it was obviously feels like a panic move. It just feels like something we’re gonna be scratching our heads about until Mike Elias is forthright, which I don’t know that these guys can be for I really, I don’t know that he could stand up and say, I went to bed Sunday feeling this way. Matteo Reus. You know, we just, we should have brought him up. And we apologize to him. And I hope he goes in. It’s 500. And we have to pay him a billion dollars. You know what I mean? Yeah,
Luke Jones 14:36
I mean, it’s just, but I would I would still even say on the flip side of that. I mean, are you really making a decision based off of 10 games for for him and his readiness or even for the club? Struggling, right. I mean, we talked a lot about we’ll get to Colton khalasar in a moment about a big day, Tuesday at Fenway. He’s He’s starting against right handed starters, we’re kind of seeing a platoon already start to manifest at least for the time being Colton cows are starting in left field against right handed pitchers and Austin Hays being relegated to sitting a little bit more now. That doesn’t mean Austin Hays is going to be DFA or should be or sent to the minors or that he’s benched indefinitely. That would be crazy after 10 games, but you still adjust your thinking so so that’s where I just kind of look at it. And it just feels a little weird to me, and in the sense of you made the decision to send them down book, whether that was going to be service time playing a major factor or not, of course, it’s going to be brought up that it’s this day and age, where we’ve talked about that for years. You know, I mean, I think back to Chris Brian, a decade ago with the Cubs, right, was was kept down for X number of days. But long story short, and whether we’re going to get a little bit of clarity or not. And again, wait and see what the roster move is, if it’s Jordan Westbrook going on the injured list, and maybe, maybe it was driven more by an injury, you know, so, and again, I’m not saying that’s what it is, I’m just trying to piece this all together in a way that feels like it would be logical from a standpoint of viewing it through the lens of a baseball man and a baseball operations department that I think very highly of. And that’s where I look at the 10 game sample and just say it’s, it’s weird. So But that said, he is in line now because he spent less than two weeks in Norfolk to start the season, he’s in line to receive a full year of service, assuming they don’t send him down at some point, assuming it’s not a Colton calendar scenario where he really, really struggles and no one wants that to happen. But you know, what the it’s 178 days, I think it is to accrue a full year of service. And he’s in line for that. And also, the Orioles remain in line to benefit from the prospect promotion incentive program, which as you recall, they got 32nd overall pick because Gunnar Anderson was on the opening day roster last year, on Rookie of the Year. Jackson Holliday wasn’t on the opening day roster, but he’s in the majors quickly enough within that deadline of days, that if he wins Rookie of the Year, or this is the other part of it, he finished his top three in Al MVP at any point before he reaches arbitration. So, you know, obviously, putting super two scenarios aside these next couple years, they would have a chance to get a draft pick that way. It’s one or the other, like Gunnar Henderson, if he wins MVP this year, the Orioles don’t get another draft pick. But he would be you know, he keeps his eligibility, the Orioles maintain their eligibility for that prospect promotion incentive program that was introduced with this latest CBA. So, again, it’s weird to me. But at the same time, I don’t think it’s so weird to ruin the excitement of this or to view this through a lens that it ended up being this colossal big deal. I think he I will continue to say that they should have just had him up on opening day. And if you wanted to sit him against a few left handed starters, he would have been a heck of an option. pinch hitting off the bench to your point, they dropped a couple games where hey, they could have used his bat rather than Tony Kemp. And maybe
Nestor J. Aparicio 18:11
that literally these guys watch the games like we do and a lot more intently. And you know, once it’s all over with, maybe this changed your mind. And to your point, it’s inevitable, right? Like it was inevitable in Sarasota. But if he’s hitting to 81 right now, and he’s struggling to kick the ball around a little bit, they could at least say hey, you know, and now they can say whether there’s a need with Westberg whether it’s a bench situation, whether it’s camper, Matteo ureas, just finding making sure they’re gonna play him every day when they do bring him up, making sure they’re real comfortable with that making sure they got their outfield thing figured out, make sure nobody else got hurt. All of that I
Luke Jones 18:55
I question it, but we questioned in Sarasota three weeks ago. And he’s here. And again, it was inevitable, right? This was not an if it was a win, and why. And the win is now and the why we’re asking and why now? That’s a That’s question number one. Right. Right. And I mean, it goes back to what I said about the the initial reassignment to minor league camp that everything that Mike Elias said at that point was true back in October or November. So for me again, it was the messaging throughout the offseason, I’d say the same thing. Now. Everything he said of why they sent them down. Was that really satisfied in 10 games? And again, was there an injury? Was it the Nesta
Nestor J. Aparicio 19:37
and me and the Peter Angelos burn factor for all of us and the sport and the agents and the way money is managed and the amount of money if they call them up in June 18 We all know why. Right? Right. So I mean, then there’s, there’s your why so they didn’t do that. Right. And Peter’s dead and gone and John’s gonna beach somewhere and they’re not right Running it like that. But how are they running it? And? Well, that’s a very fair question, no lies to say, how are you running it? And why? And this is your number one guy. And like, if you would have told anybody six months ago, this is how you were going to manage it. We’d all be scratching our heads, including the kid himself, when you put him on the bus to Norfolk three weeks ago.
Luke Jones 20:18
Yeah, yeah. And look, I mean, it’s, it’s a fair question to ask why? I think it’s a credit to them that they’re not going to screw in him. Right. And we’ll have to see again, if he if he hits like Colton Couser did for a month last year, then he’s probably gonna be back in the minors then if he struggles
Nestor J. Aparicio 20:37
to tape back to alias and say, he watches a lot of baseball. Yeah. And
Luke Jones 20:43
then and then the service time thing becomes a question again, right? Because then he would be at a point where his service time would be under that? What is it 178 days. So you know, it’s just, it’s a little weird on that front, but at the same time, they aren’t messing with the service time, by by all accounts. Now, based on what we know, right? Now, as you and I are speaking about this and talking in real time, we think he’s gonna be able to accrue a full year of service, and the team is not messing with him in that way. And look, I mean, Jackson, hollow Lake, what would it be 2030, I guess it would be if he if this kids is good, as advertised, that’s gonna be a very lucrative value there. So I’ll throw out the other as we’re talking about scenarios, I’ll throw out another scenario for you. Because this one’s really fun. This scenario would be you do have new ownership in place, who hopefully is willing to spend money, you have a general manager to this point who has not been able to spend very much money and we know why. But is there a subsequent announcement coming at some point, that Jackson holiday has been signed to a contract extension that would buy out his first two or three years of free agency? Something like that? I don’t know. Again, I’m just spitballing. Here, because again, it’s 10. Games. It’s a weird,
Nestor J. Aparicio 22:03
the kid is big league bet you want to give him 150 million? Did you do you?
Luke Jones 22:09
Do you pay attention around baseball? I mean, this is this is becoming more and more the norm for talking about? And I’m not saying that it’s going to happen? You know, I
Nestor J. Aparicio 22:17
understand that was never what happened around here before. Right. So we help, especially in the aftermath, Chris Davis and stuff like that with the old group. Right? Well, Chris,
Luke Jones 22:26
that that’s apples to oranges, we’re talking about a prospect.
Nestor J. Aparicio 22:29
The old man thinking he wasted money, like investing most Sure. Oh, sure. But where that would
Luke Jones 22:34
have been? Well, but but the whole, you know, and again, I’m not. I don’t think this is that I haven’t gotten that sense from anyone. But that would be another scenario where you’d say, All right, we bought out his first two or three years of free agency, then we don’t need to worry about his service time, because that’s we don’t need to get the extra year, we already are paying for that extra year. And we’re not going to manipulate a service time either. So let’s call him up and get them to the big leagues. And he’s probably going to take his licks a little bit early on Adley rutschman Did and Adley rutschman was four years older, four and a half years older. Gunnar Henderson did, and Gunnar Henderson was a year and a half older than Jack
Nestor J. Aparicio 23:08
Jackson. Robbie wit run around getting paid and you know, I mean, the kid from the Red Sox, so yeah, right. Yeah,
Luke Jones 23:14
I’m just saying that would be the other scenario here where this, you know, where it smells a little funny the timing of this, that would be the other scenario where, Hey, call him up. He signs
Nestor J. Aparicio 23:24
we don’t really know, Mike Elias is real strategy or real theology on that. Right. Right. Like, yeah, well,
Luke Jones 23:33
right. I mean, it’s, it’s one of those things where, and so many people talk about service time, look there. In reality, there are very few prospects, where it’s truly fruitful and make sense to manipulate service time. And obviously now with the PPI program where Gunnar Henderson fetches you a draft pick because he won Rookie of the Year, or, you know, if Jackson holiday does that, or Jackson holiday finishes third and MVP voting next year, with fetzima draft pick, you know, it’s assuming he’s here to stay at this point in time. But you know, you still look at it through the lens of if this is truly going to be a premium, all star superstar kind of player, then that extra year club control. I mean, that could be worth 3540 $45 million $50 million. By that point in time, the way that salaries escalate. So
Nestor J. Aparicio 24:26
if he’s the best player in baseball, you $50 million player and 33rd.
Luke Jones 24:29
So it is something you have to at least consider at the same time. You’re trying to win in 2024. You have a team that has Corbin burns for 2024. And that’s it at this point in time. So there is urgency to maximize what you can get out of him. And you know, one of my biggest strongest arguments that you know that I wrote about this four days before they sent them down as far as far as why I wanted to see Jackson Holliday on the opening day roster is not just because he’s the best option and better than Jorge Mateo or Remo wanna read this or Tony Kemp, who was since you know, signed, it’s also, he’s probably going to struggle a little while, you know, like, like I said, Adley rutschman was more than ready as a 24 year old two years ago. And he struggled for about a month. Gunner Henderson was older, a year and a half older. And he struggled for most the better part of two months last year, you know, after his cup of coffee late two years ago. So, you know, it’s part of it. So for me, part of that was rip the band aid off in terms of those early struggles. If you have the conviction that you think this kid is that great that special as everyone thinks he is, then rip the band aid off in April and May and let him rake and be one of your best players the rest of the season, rather than if you’re going to call them up in May, or call them up in June if you’re really worried about trying to shadows
Nestor J. Aparicio 25:50
roll that year, he came up there were a lot more veteran players on that team. But that was a team that needed to win right away needed him to perform, you know, by the end of the year and and he was for the most. But but you’re
Luke Jones 26:02
right but even but even that scenario, Machado was not caught up for his bad he was caught up because they needed someone to play third base. They had Wilson betemit playing third base who kicked every other every other
Nestor J. Aparicio 26:11
play that came to him. He booted. But you had all the concerns about starting clock with him and they never did sign him and you talked about things that you know, generational players they have access to. We always sort of forget about him. We talked about how they’ve always stunk their farm system always stunk. They always drafted. I mean, he did stink. He just didn’t last year, five minutes, right? It feels like a blip. Oh,
Luke Jones 26:34
yeah. I mean, he was here through to that, what July of 2018. So I mean, they, and again, that was the one he was on. But but that was an August call up. He had never played above double A he had and this is where obviously it’s different regimes. It’s a was over a decade ago. It’s hard to believe it doesn’t feel like it was that long ago. But it was over a decade ago different regimes. And keep in mind, he had never played above double A Jackson holiday. I’ll be it. It wasn’t a very long stay in triple A between last September and this first 10 games of the International League season this year. But Jackson holidays at least played some at second base. Manny Machado had played I think, I think he played two games in the minors at triple or at third base. I mean, now come, you know, after we would come to learn, he had been working out at third base before games for quite a while. In fact, I think Bobby Dickerson was even going down to buoy and working with him at the time. So but that was a very different scenario. And that club had not won 101 games the previous year, right. I mean, that was such a Cinderella, out of nowhere, kind of club. So you know, I mean, we’re gonna see how this plays out. Again, all of the why here, to me is still draped in excitement, and optimism. And in the big picture sense, whatever this 10 game thing was not that big of a deal in the big picture.
Nestor J. Aparicio 28:00
My point that out. Yeah, and I ramble on this, when June comes, we’ll be happy. He spent a little time in Norfolk and he’ll probably be happy, spent a little time with his buddies, and got to go hit the cover off the ball and have 26 It’s in a game. That’s all good for him. That was good experience that he spent those 10 I mean, like, I’m speaking like, Elias, it was good. He had a great week there. He had a lot of fun. He’ll come up here. It’s not as much pressure on him. Yeah. And it will be fine. You know? Yeah. And
Luke Jones 28:26
I mean, that would be something where I would kind of say, I mean, I don’t know how valuable it was to him. But was there a major downside to it? And that’s where I would say probably not, right? I mean, definitely not a major downside. Now people can quibble about the well maybe if you lose the division by one game to the Yankees, you might look back at that first 10 first nine games or 10 games without him and say Could he have helped you win a game show
Nestor J. Aparicio 28:52
down the line instead of hitting pop up you know with with a game on the line and they win a game because of a couple of these other and you know I mean McCann won a game from and they I mean every night there’s a different star that’s the magic of Orioles baseball, Luke Jones here we’re gonna be a fade these on Friday one remind everybody we live from two until three with Luke, I’ll be live two until five. We’ll have PAC man’s not three scratched off like real scratch offs that you can scratch off and you can win. That’ll be on Friday. And we’ll be doing that every Friday that the Orioles are home. So the 26th will be down there again, I’ve started the book fun people and celebrities for the Friday show. So it’s going to be a hoot. We’ll have a good time. But one thing that we didn’t consider when I put all this together and even the delicious crab cake you’re gonna have a two o’clock on little before two o’clock on Friday is the Jackson holiday will be in the building. Right? Like, there will be something about Friday’s game that’s gonna have a little juice and jam and listen, we could talk about their bats on Tuesday awakening and the Fenway thing and all that but right it’s gonna be like a momentous, it’s gonna be a party. No
Luke Jones 29:57
question about it. And I mean, you mentioned Tuesday. Corbin burns with another outstanding outing. I mean, he’s an ace. They when he takes the hill you’re expecting to win and they have won. So I mean, there’s so much excitement there. Yeah, absolutely. So that was exciting me. Colton Couser and Colton Couser is another reminder of guys will struggle when they first get to the big leagues. I don’t expect Jackson Holliday to be baseball God as soon as he steps foot in Camden Yards but the expectations are going to be high the buzz is going to be there it’s a great thing again the natural right that whatever was weird about this whatever the last three weeks was, I don’t think that should overshadow how exciting this is and Nestor I mean Adley rutschman is already an all star catcher has already been a guy that’s been in have gotten to MVP votes, not first place votes, but MVP votes. Gunnar Henderson, same thing last year Rookie of the Year. Got some you know, he showed up on MVP that ballots, but when you consider Jackson holiday does not turn 21 does not cannot drink a beer legally until December. And amidst all these other young players who’ve already made it and others that are on the way and everything that’s happened at Norfolk this kid has the potential to be the best of all of them purely because of what he’s already done to this point. What he did last year to play for for affiliates. He started the year at Delmarva finished the year at Norfolk put up the numbers that he did the family you’ve talked about it I mean, Matt Holliday being what a seven time All Star whatever he was, you know, not a Hall of Fame player but a guy all of it maybe not Hall Very good. Probably Hall a very good, you know, our Hall of good at least. You know, so to have that pedigree to have the accelerated timetable for his development to be the first overall pick less than two years ago, making his debut Friday night. I mean, this is the guy that might be better than Gunnar Henderson. He might be better than Adley rutschman I mean, this might be you know, let’s dream from
Nestor J. Aparicio 32:04
I’m gonna go back to my contract numbers he can wear what’s his jersey gonna be what?
Luke Jones 32:07
We don’t know yet. I’ve seen some people say number one, you know, I don’t know. Well, we’ll see. I should have the fashion tweets ready to go. But I haven’t heard
Nestor J. Aparicio 32:15
you know, I am doing a countdown for the 25th anniversary documentary. I think it’s going to be released in late April. That’s all I’m gonna say. I just want to make sure that I have the dates right on it. But I’m gonna do a countdown and I’ve already got my owl Bumbry video ready from when he bowled at our Finland duck pen challenge back in 1998. John beuran documented that so I have it on videotape. So when I think of number one, that’s the only number one I can think of. Right? Yeah, yeah.
Luke Jones 32:42
So we’ll see. But I mean, boy, there’s a lot of excitement here. And just the upside of this young man who, by all accounts, you know, even talking to some of the veterans in Sarasota, you know, those couple of days I was in the Orioles clubhouse before he was sent out. I mean, guys, no players know. And they know, this kid. By all accounts looks like the real deal. Look, it’s 20 it’s probably gonna struggle. He’s
Nestor J. Aparicio 33:10
gonna struggle. I said, 20 I have to laugh out loud. He’s 20. I mean, that’s what it might be. Elias could forget any press conference in Sarasota by saying he did. He did. Yeah.
Luke Jones 33:21
I mean, he did. He even said, I mean, I read you the quote a few minutes ago.
Nestor J. Aparicio 33:24
20 year olds, I remember being 20 It was 35 years ago, but I remember it. I remember
Luke Jones 33:30
being 20 And like, I didn’t know how to write a check.
Nestor J. Aparicio 33:35
This kid’s gonna land at Fenway Park. Now, they did all this when he was a baby, right was a kid with his father and like, so this isn’t as big. It’s like Barry Bonds or some of these other people. But if you come off the farm, and still big, it’s still big. Yeah,
Luke Jones 33:51
when you can you can see it, but until you experience it for yourself. I think that would probably be what some of his teammates would say, Well, yeah, he
Nestor J. Aparicio 33:59
shoes is ready to Boston in Copley Plaza today. And you know, getting on the team Boston going to Fenway Park and walking in His name’s gonna be in New Jersey and Fenway Park with Baltimore gray on it. And, you know, I mean, that’s, and and the other part is, Dad’s gotta be like, on a red eye, right? So like, like all that’s going on, right? So, you know, it’ll be big enough that he doesn’t need Camden Yards. And he’ll have that Friday. I mean, he’ll have a call, no doubt, you’ll be able to exhale for a day or two. That’s another part of this than if I Michaelides being the 50 being the old fart thinking this thing through. I’m like, man, you gotta give him a warm up back somewhere. And by the way, the Fenway thing, man, they all left in the fifth inning. The weather was even nice. I mean, you pick them for last place. I’m sorry. I apologize to you for like giving you a hard time Monday. Pay you they stink. You were right.
Luke Jones 34:51
Don’t don’t we love small sample sizes where we just a team’s either good or they stink after one game. But now I mean, it was a good win on Tuesday, Corbin Burns was excellent. Colton Couser I mean, he’s, he’s taking advantage he already has more extra base hits this year then he had all of his stay in the majors last year. I mean, that’s, that shows you one how well he’s playing right now and to how dramatically he struggled last year, but like got the win. Danny coulomb another good inning in the bullpen. I mean, he’s, you know, he’s been terrific for them. And I mean, this is Red Sox playing like the bad side bears too exciting a ball and hurt another pitcher hurt. I mean, it’s, it’s really at this point in time, the way these pitchers are falling left and right by the way, mind you, Kyle Bradish going to Aberdeen going to be starting a rehab assignment very soon. This is when things start to get real in terms of okay, how real is it that he’s gonna be able to pitch How real is it that he’s recovered from a small tear you know, you know in his UCL whatever this is when we start to find out when you get him in a combat competitive environment and the bullets are flying this now to me is K how does the elbow respond now if it continues to go well, then hey, maybe we will see him on the mound in the not too distant future but this this will tell us way more than bullpens and throwing progression so but you know I mentioned all the elbow concerns guys going on the IL left and right i mean that’s where if you’re the Orioles you just want to make sure guys are getting through starts make sure guys are recovering from bullpen outings and you know if you get that boy you’re already at an advantage compared to some of these teams that are losing pitchers left and right it feels like
Nestor J. Aparicio 36:32
Alright, we’re gonna be fading these on Friday. I will have the PacMan scratch offs in the Maryland lottery our friends at Jiffy Lube and liberty pure solution sending us out on the road. You’ve never had you’ve had a fade these crab cake you had what you came to the party that I threw it out the holiday so you will have your first fate Lee’s crabcake at the new Lexington market on Friday. We were cost this all day on Tuesday before the Orioles beat up on the Red Sox. I spent some time with John Allen. I live for Powell he’s one of the documentarians of no one listens everyone hears as well as Ty Crandall who I grew up with us Councilman Crandall now, in the seventh district talking about the bridge, and also an old friend of mine, Joe Gould, who’s done beer here for a million years. We had a great beer conversation with John Allen as well about key brewing over and Dundalk and the bridge and the bridge and the bridge and the bridge. We’ll be talking a lot more about to bridge so on Friday, we will be down to families from two of the five live Luke will be there from two to three stop by say hello, holiday celebrate. I’m Nestor we are W NSTA and 1570 Towson Baltimore we never stop singing Madonna songs and welcoming Jackson holiday to Baltimore hunt with a crab cake
