The pitching of the Baltimore Orioles has been much better than expected and certainly good enough to win most nights over the past two months. But, it’s the bullpen that might need the most help and be the hardest to improve as the MLB trade deadline awaits on Monday. Luke Jones and Nestor assess the dealing position of Mike Elias and what might make the Birds buyers or sellers in any specific deal as it appears the franchise will continue to reach for help in a race-to-the-bottom wild card dash in the mediocre American League pennant race.
Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discussed the Orioles’ trade deadline prospects, emphasizing the need for right-handed hitting outfielders and relievers. They highlighted the team’s recent win against the Tigers, noting Jackson Holliday’s four hits and Coby Mayo’s home run. Despite the team’s 2-game lead in the wild card race, they expressed skepticism about their playoff chances, citing inconsistent performance from key players like Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman. They also discussed the potential impact of Detroit’s Tarik Skubal and the Orioles’ limited trade assets, including Taylor Ward and Trevor Rogers.
- [ ] @Nestor Aparicio – Do one broadcast from Ocean City during Mako in two weeks.
Maryland Crab Cake Tour and Giveaways
- Nestor Aparicio introduces the Maryland Crab Cake Tour, mentioning upcoming events at Costas and Timonium.
- Nestor talks about giving away new Ravens scratch-offs with a Kiss Face Bird logo.
- Nestor and Luke Jones discuss their appearances and giveaways, including a 66 throwback Palmer jersey gifted by Kevin Grace.
- Nestor shares a story about wearing a goofy-looking bowling shirt and receiving crab stains on his jersey.
Discussion on Orioles Uniforms and City Connect Jerseys
- Nestor and Luke discuss the various Orioles uniforms, including the green City Connect jersey and other throwback gear.
- Nestor expresses his preference for the green Be More jersey, despite its unconventional design.
- Luke mentions the Orioles’ regular uniforms and the O’s alternate cap, noting the team’s overall good uniform set.
- They compare the Orioles’ City Connect jersey to other teams’ designs, such as the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies.
Orioles’ Performance and Trade Deadline Prospects
- Nestor and Luke discuss the Orioles’ recent win against the Tigers, highlighting the performances of Jackson Holliday and Kobe Mayo.
- Luke acknowledges the team’s current position in the wild card race, noting their lack of playoff feel.
- They discuss the potential trade deadline moves, including the possibility of trading Taylor Ward or Trevor Rogers.
- Luke emphasizes the need for the Orioles to improve their offense and defense, particularly in center field with Colton Cowser.
Critique of Orioles’ Management and Ownership
- Nestor criticizes the Orioles’ management, including the general manager and ownership, for their handling of the team.
- They discuss the impact of ownership on the team’s decisions and the potential for a trade deadline deal.
- Nestor expresses skepticism about the team’s ability to make significant improvements through trades.
- Luke and Nestor agree that the team’s success or failure will largely depend on internal improvements rather than external acquisitions.
Orioles’ Wild Card Race and Division Competition
- Luke compares the Orioles’ wild card race to other teams in the American League, noting the competitive nature of the division.
- They discuss the potential impact of the Cleveland Guardians, Minnesota Twins, Houston Astros, and Seattle Mariners on the Orioles’ playoff chances.
- Luke highlights the importance of the Orioles’ next five games and the potential for a series win against the Phillies.
- Nestor and Luke agree that the Orioles’ success will depend on their ability to win series and maintain consistency.
Orioles’ Pitching and Bullpen Performance
- Luke praises the Orioles’ starting pitchers, noting their strong performance over the past two months.
- They discuss the bullpen’s role in the team’s success, with Ryan Helsley and other relievers stepping up.
- Nestor and Luke agree that the bullpen’s performance has been a key factor in the team’s recent wins.
- They acknowledge the challenges of acquiring high-leverage arms at the trade deadline and the importance of internal improvements.
Orioles’ Offensive Struggles and Player Development
- Nestor and Luke discuss the Orioles’ offensive struggles, particularly the lack of consistent performance from key players like Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman.
- They highlight the importance of player development and the need for young players to step up.
- Luke emphasizes the need for internal improvements, particularly from players like Jackson Holliday and Kobe Mayo.
- They discuss the potential impact of the return of key players like Rutschman and Basia on the team’s performance.
Orioles’ Trade Deadline Strategy and Market Realities
- Luke explains the challenges of acquiring impact players at the trade deadline, given the competitive nature of the market.
- They discuss the potential trade targets for the Orioles, including right-handed hitting outfielders and relievers.
- Luke highlights the importance of making modest improvements rather than blockbuster trades.
- They agree that the Orioles’ success will depend on a combination of internal improvements and strategic trades.
Detroit Tigers’ Trade Deadline and Scubel’s Future
- Luke and Nestor discuss the Detroit Tigers’ trade deadline strategy, particularly the potential trade of Terek Scubel.
- They highlight the Tigers’ urgency to make a run at the playoffs with Scubel as their ace.
- Luke explains the potential impact of Scubel’s trade on the Tigers’ roster and playoff chances.
- They agree that the Tigers’ trade decisions will have a significant impact on the Orioles’ playoff race.
Orioles’ Playoff Hopes and Fan Engagement
- Nestor and Luke discuss the Orioles’ playoff hopes, noting the importance of winning series and maintaining consistency.
- They highlight the role of fan engagement and the impact of the team’s performance on the community.
- Luke emphasizes the importance of making the playoffs to keep fan interest and support.
- They agree that the Orioles’ success will depend on a combination of internal improvements and strategic trades.
Nestor Aparicio 0:01
Welcome home. We are WNST AM 1570 Towson, Baltimore. We call the Baltimore positive. We’re going to be taking the Maryland Crab Cake Tour out on the road this week. We’ll be a Costas on Thursday. Heard from some people coming over having a crab cake. Hey man, Kino bet the races racetracks. I I was with a dude playing racetracks showing it to my wife at the Costasin in Dundalk the other day, so we’re looking forward to Timonium. There’s a rumor that Lucas Jones will be stopping by Alan McCallum and Zach Dermer and others. By the way, we’re gonna be giving away the the Ravens. These are new scratch offs. They are they’re really kind of cool, man. They got the Kiss Face Bird on there, so I’m looking forward to giving these away as well. Our friends at GBMC and of course Farnan and Dermer, they are the comfort guys. Luke, I got on Zach last week about this. Like for being a Dundalk guy, I look stupid in bowling gear, don’t I? I mean, this is this is not my look, is it? I mean, it’s a little, it looks a little Jeff Gordon NASCAR for me, not Jeff Gordon sports writer. I think it’s fine, but
Luke Jones 1:00
you’re not talking. I’m not Freddie Blassie. I’m not the Hollywood fashion plate. See, I’m much more
Nestor Aparicio 1:04
represented. I mean, hey, we went through the B on the Orioles hats over the weekend for the Hall of Fame weekend. They look sharp. I tell
Luke Jones 1:10
you what’s not good. Those Detroit. Oh my
Nestor Aparicio 1:12
God, they’re throw-ups. Oh my! Horrible. They deserve to get their ass beat wearing those last. I’ve
Luke Jones 1:18
said this to you. Look, I don’t love the green Oriole City Connects, but they’re way better than those. I’d say so. That’s what I said with City Connects. It’s like you kind of have to pick the path of least resistance. In my mind, you say you
Nestor Aparicio 1:31
don’t love the the the green Orioles. Yeah, I think they’re the best of the best of all of the ones they’ve ever done, and I’m with the
Luke Jones 1:40
Orioles. They’ve only done two.
Nestor Aparicio 1:42
Well, they had the black one, right?
Luke Jones 1:44
Yeah, this is only their second City Connect.
Nestor Aparicio 1:47
All right. Well, of all of the throw-ups and Greg Bader and A’s and like all of the B more and all of the junk and all of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Pink, Blue, St. Patrick’s Day green, whatever they were doing. It’s Fourth of July, red, white, and blue. We love America. All of that, whatever their thing is, I I think of all of them, the best alternate is this green Be More thing. And I told this to a dude at the bar at Costas the other day, because I showed up, you know, I got it right over here. I’ll grab it for you since we’re we’re doing throwback gear, because I may have got some crab stains on it. Kevin Grace, and this is a beautiful thing because it’s our anniversary this week, and what the hell, the oils are going anywhere. Anyway, our anniversary, our 25th, Kevin Grace gifted me the 66 throwback Palmer. So this is the only, dude. I’ve known you 15 years. Have I ever asked you to get me a piece of swag from the Orioles? I don’t think I have, right? Maybe never. Maybe there
Luke Jones 2:51
there might have been a bobblehead or something. I don’t own a long time ago. No, I felt I felt like you were asking the statues, the statues maybe back in the day
Nestor Aparicio 3:00
that are now five bucks. Point is
Luke Jones 3:01
not often, and and in all truth, I give away most of them to friends and family of mine. So
Nestor Aparicio 3:06
right, so I I ask for this one, and it it’s a freaking gown. I mean, it’s gig. It’s nothing I could wear because it’s goofy looking. It’s too big, so I wore it.
Luke Jones 3:16
Yeah, I
Nestor Aparicio 3:17
know it’s beautiful, but I wore it to the bar at Costas the other day to get it crab stained up, and it just like oh you should get crab stains on them. I’m like it’s a giveaway that I never wear. I’m not framing it. I’m 60 years old. I’m gonna die with it. So I I don’t think I got. I mean I’m pretty I’m bougie when I eat my crabs. You know I don’t get it all over the place. But um this dude had on the real you know the one he paid. What are they 218? I don’t know how much they’re. They’re a lot of money, but they’re mesh. They breathe. They’re nice. Think it may have been a Gunner Henderson Holly. I know what he’s wearing, but like I touched it and I felt it. He was sitting at the bar. He wasn’t eating crabs. I’m like, I wouldn’t eat crabs in that. That’s a nice jersey. So don’t just be with your
Luke Jones 3:55
crabby fingers. Right. Exactly.
Nestor Aparicio 3:57
So for me, of all of these jerseys. This is the one I’m blessing and saying because of the All Star game, and I have some affection. It’s sort of David Rubenstein. His hat sort of was of that era back in the day, so they’re probably nodding to him a little bit, trying to wake him up. But I like that. But that Tigers thing on Monday night, terrible. It they look like they’re playing Beer League future softball. They look goofy. I mean, it’s such a beautiful D that Detroit logo. I was just going to
Luke Jones 4:28
say the reason why, and look, I’m acknowledging grading on the scale of City Connects, the Oriole City Connect is good compared to so many of the others. But for me, I look at look at it just just because of what you said. I think the Orioles their regular uniforms. I think it’s a pretty good set of uniforms at this point. I don’t like the O’s alternate cap. If you notice, they don’t wear that nearly as much as they used to.
Nestor Aparicio 4:50
By the way, the Oriole bird on the hat has an O’s hat on it in the bird. I
Luke Jones 4:56
can live with that though. Like that that that to me was like the okay. If that’s what it takes to get the cartoon bird back, which they brought back in 2012, I could live with that. But my point I was trying to make is, when a team has a really good uniform set, like their regular uniforms, their classic regular home and away, and throw in the the orange jersey, which I like a lot as an alternate top, when I see City Connects, and Detroit’s a great example of this. Philadelphia, look at the Phillies alternate. Their City Connect. The Phillies have a have good looking uniforms normally, but that City Connect is horrible. That’s where it bugs me, right? The Detroit Tigers have their home uniforms are one of the best looks in baseball, and they’re so classic, and yet you see that to open a series, they deserve to lose. They deserve to have the Orioles hit the ball all all over the place. Damn right they
Nestor Aparicio 5:48
did. Jackson Holiday, Kobe Mayo, the young Coors arriving right on time for the trade deadline. I don’t know, dude. I mean,
Luke Jones 5:58
I’ll say this. It’s a nice
Nestor Aparicio 6:00
win, you know,
Luke Jones 6:01
and and look, we we have to be objective and realistic here in looking at the race. They’re two games out of the last wild card spot. They don’t look like a playoff team. They don’t feel like a playoff team. They don’t play like a playoff team. But you know what? The same can be said about the Minnesota Twins and the Houston Astros and the Seattle Mariners and the Detroit Tigers. This is like
Nestor Aparicio 6:21
an American tale. Just lower the bar, and we can all catch up. Something’s fine. But in the midst, in the in
Luke Jones 6:28
the midst of acknowledging that, and you know, I don’t have any warm and fuzzies about this team at this point. I I think you can tell. I think listeners can sense my frustration watching this team in the same way that many of them are frustrated on a nightly basis, but when you have a night like Monday night, when let’s face it, Kyle Bradish was not very good. I I think early on, soft contact was plaguing him, and then Detroit started to square up some pitches, and and I mean it was just a bad night for him. You know, there’s not not a whole lot else to say about that, but when you’re talking about where this team is right now, forget about the trade deadline. Forget about the wild card race here in 2026. If you’re talking about this thing from a big picture standpoint, yeah, I do like a night when Jackson Holiday has four hits, and then you look at Jackson Holiday since I think it’s July 8th, his last 50 plate appearances. He’s 16 for 39, three doubles, 10 walks, eight strikeouts. That’s a that’s a 410, 520, 487 slash line. That’s good stuff. Like that’s good stuff over 15 games. I’m not saying that’s any more than what it is, but I want to see that from young guys, especially a one-one, who, yes, is still 22 years old, but you and I’ve said you’d like to see more signs of what made him a one-one, and that was good to see. Kobe Mayo, couple knocks, including a home run off of a right-hander. I mean, you heard me talking about how much I dislike Craig Albernaz pinch hitting Mayo for Chadwick Trump on Friday night, not because Chadwick Trump swings the bat at all, he doesn’t, but because Kobe Mayo doesn’t hit right-handers. Well, he hit right-handers on Monday night, so that was good to see. So, I don’t know if we can make more of it than that. The one thing I’ll say, as it does pertain to where they are right now in the race with the trade deadline looming, Detroit being in a very similar position to them, except they have Terek Skubel, and they have a decision to make with Terek Skubel in terms of whether you’re going to trade him or hold him and try to make a run at this thing, which is easier to do in the AL Central than the AL East because no one’s running away with that division. But I’ll just say this: with Skubal looming in the final game of the series, when you get the first game, you feel way better about your chances of winning the series, right? I mean, you always feel better about your chances of winning a series when you get the. I’m just hoping they deal
Nestor Aparicio 8:50
them by 1o’clock on Wednesday. Sure, sure, yeah. I mean, no,
Luke Jones 8:54
no doubt, right? Hey, baby, deal them to the Orioles to the National
Nestor Aparicio 8:57
League. So,
Luke Jones 8:59
but it it was, I’ll say this. It’s a it was a different kind of game than what we’ve been seeing of late. I mean, the Orioles starting. There’s a little
Nestor Aparicio 9:07
pepper. They hit the ball. They cost John Martin a fortune,
Luke Jones 9:10
and and they needed to because their starting pitcher, you know, Kyle Bradish was not good on Monday. It was not good, dude. I mean, I wasn’t.
Nestor Aparicio 9:17
It was magic that he got out of that inning after the first run, four two bases loaded. I mean, like bottom of the order though, but he got through it. I mean, he wasn’t throwing strikes, dude.
Luke Jones 9:26
Yeah, he just he he wasn’t crisp. I’ll reiterate, it’s not as though they were crushing the baseball all over the field against him. It wasn’t one of those, but he wasn’t getting a whole lot of swing and miss, which is unlike Bradish. And you got a lot of
Nestor Aparicio 9:39
help from them, by the way,
Luke Jones 9:41
yeah, he had ball
Nestor Aparicio 9:42
four and a couple like you know they were antsy out of the box, and I’m thinking, dude, he’s not throwing strikes. What are you doing? You know what?
Luke Jones 9:49
I mean, that the Orioles deserved the win. They played better than the Tigers, but yeah, the Tigers did. It was again, it was another glimpse at what this wild card race is-a bunch of really meteor. Unimpressive ball clubs, but wearing those Savannah banana jerseys, they deserve to get their asses. Sure, sure. So, but it was a nice win. You have a chance now to at least win a series. They’ve they’ve have to have to win series, right? If you’re not going to go on a winning streak, you need to at least win series, and they haven’t done that the last two series, so nice win again. I love seeing Holliday get four hits. I like seeing Mayo get a couple hits against a right-hander. Tyler O’Neill with a home run. The one thing I didn’t like, and I’m going to continue to say this: please just play Colton Kauser in center field. Leodi Taveras is not a center fielder. Every time you put him out there, and I know he hit a home run. I’m not trying to pick on him. I I know he he’s getting shade for the. We haven’t even mentioned the squirrel yet, and all that.
Nestor Aparicio 10:50
Oh yeah, and well, and Kowser made that diving play too. I mean,
Luke Jones 10:53
look, I know Kowser, I know he booted a ball on Sunday. That aside, he’s overwhelmingly their best outfielder. You can’t tell me that you care about defense if he’s not out there. I mean, it’s just the truth. By all means, go get another, go get a center fielder in the on the. Well, there’s
Nestor Aparicio 11:12
also a thing with Kozar. We’re like, if you really believe in him, put him in there, play him against right-handers, play him against left-handers. Just freaking play him. And
Luke Jones 11:18
he hasn’t swung the bat. And that’s your
Nestor Aparicio 11:20
point with the Leodi Taveras and and and Jeremiah Jackson and all these. They got Holiday playing shortstop now. It’s just third position. I mean, this goes back to this organization not doing right by pitchers, hitters, people, catchers, wearing guys that. I just, I just think that they’re Henderson’s DH and and I mean you were all over him earlier like and and we should be and this is really messy but I keep going back to this part owners desperate general manager’s desperate managers hanging on all of these young guys have a yob they’re going to get another chance if they don’t get a chance here. They’ll get another chance. Kobe Mayo can go play in the Cardinals organization, hit the ball in Triple A, and get you know, and be the O’Hearn of somewhere. You know, all of these guys are young and full of potential. They’ll all get another opportunity. They’ll all get a chance. To what they’re trying to do here right now, I would just say this, and I’m saying this for real. I don’t believe in this. You don’t believe in this. I’ve buried the general manager on and on and on and on for defense for all the reasons we’ve seen. Even though the pitching’s gotten better, these next five days you’re going to go out and get your little purple eyes full of Owings Mills this and Lamar that and Jesse this and Declan that, and we’re get. But this team, they’re going to deal this week to stay in. That’s my prediction. My prediction is there’s plenty of desperation, and even your little pitch to me that might as well be, it’s a fair pitch, but it’s the Rob Long pitch. It’s the it’s the Rockabacho pitch. It’s the we’re in it pitch, and we’re going to tell the fans we’re in it. Pitch, and we’re going to show the fans we’re because we got a television show next week, and we have a television show next month, and the Ravens to have a really lousy television show the next six weeks. Honestly, like for what it is, for the amount of interest it is, you can’t really bet on it either. So you know, I would just say this baseball team, for whatever sense of, and I always come back to ownership because those are the people that are awake. Fans are all thinking about who’s in the batting order tonight and all that. Katie Griggs is trying to figure out how to get people to the ballpark this week. So is Don Rovac. Rubinstein’s trying to make it smell good. Araghetti’s trying to stay out of the way, but be in the way according to everyone. And they’re not dealing out. They’re not going to be as rational as maybe you wanted them to be. Which is like, we need an Efflin for next year’s rotation. I think that’s ideal, and I think that’s Elias’s. That’s just his philosophy. You know what I mean. His philosophy: he’s going to be here next year, and he’s going to get himself a number three starter, or he’s going to get a bullpen piece, or he’s going to get a this or a that. But they ain’t dealing any of these guys that we think have been lousy.
Luke Jones 14:15
Oh, Kozler,
Nestor Aparicio 14:16
Holiday, Henderson, the the core. They’re going to play on, and they’re going to play forward and they’re going to play to win a couple of games here and again and sneak into the wild card and and as they should I guess right I mean I can’t argue with that but I don’t know that it’s a winning philosophy but it is what it
Luke Jones 14:32
is right yeah yeah and and as I’ve said all along when you’re talking about more extreme changes a more extreme makeover to this roster when you’re talking about potentially trading some members of this core, right? This core that has not lived up to expectations, we’re far enough down the road at this point to make that assessment. Even if one or two of these guys still end up surprising you,
Nestor Aparicio 14:54
even if you’re an optimist, right? Even if you’re Ryan Ripken, you have to acknowledge. That this team stunk for two two plus years now, stunk. I
Luke Jones 15:03
mean, not even
Nestor Aparicio 15:04
mediocre stunk.
Luke Jones 15:06
They’re 20 games under 500 since late June of 2024. I mean, it’s just that simple. I mean, it it’s not rebuild horrible, but it’s it’s and the reason they stink is
Nestor Aparicio 15:15
Henderson has stunk, Holliday has not blossomed, Westberg is not there. Kozer cannot hit. Mayo cannot hit. Rutschman is insignificant. Yeah, consistent and hurt again.
Luke Jones 15:30
Yeah, yeah, sure. No, but but you’ve heard me say this over and over and over. If you’re going to remake that, and whether that’s Michaelias, whether that’s the new general manager in you know over the off season, who knows with the lockout, right? I mean that’s always looming over everything, but I’ve said all along that’s winter activity, right? That’s you’re not making those kind of changes on a whim at the trade deadline, right? For one thing, those types of trades aren’t necessarily those aren’t necessarily the trades that are on the radar of the kind of teams you might be trading with, right? Where you might say you trade one of these members of the core for a disappointing player for someone else that was once highly touted. That you say, hey, we think this guy could be a better fit for us. We see a very clear adjustment to make. That team might say that about Kobe Mayo, like you know, you know what I mean. Like, I just don’t know how much of that even goes on at the trade deadline. And look, I will say, in fairness to you know, to to counterpoint this, you know, you look at the trade that Washington and Boston just made. They just made a trade, major leaguer for major leaguer, position player for a pitcher, right? When you do have a seller’s market, which is what this everyone that knows, you know, tries to size up what the market is, senses that there’s going to be way more teams out there trying to buy and way less inventory in terms of truly difference-making kind of pieces out there. It’s a seller’s market. Here’s the problem. You kind of look at the Orioles right now, and okay, I mean we could we can talk about a starting pitcher. You could always talk about a starting pitcher. We’ve talked about this rotation’s been really good for over two months now. I’m not look if you can acquire someone that has a year of control, you know, beyond the rest of this season, I’m not going to sit here and say no to that. That said, I look at another outfielder because of what I keep saying, because you just there is too much subpar, and that’s probably the nicest way to say. So you’re trying to get rid of Ward in
Nestor Aparicio 17:36
all of this too, right?
Luke Jones 17:38
I mean, O’Neal. See, see, I struggle. Well, nobody wants it. No one. You’re not getting rid of O’Neill. I mean, you have one way to get rid of O’Neill right now. It’s the DFA. I mean, frankly, quietly, very quietly, for what marginalized role he has at this point in time, he has swung the bat better over the last month or so. But see, I struggle with the Ward thing, I’m not saying you’re wrong, but at the same time, then, then okay, what are you getting, and then what does that mean for your club the rest of this year, right? Trading Ward is a seller kind of move, move, right? Like I’m not saying I want to extend them, but if you’re not getting a whole lot for him, I’m inclined to keep a guy that has a 386 on-base percentage, even if he hasn’t hit for nearly enough power, right? Even if he hasn’t been as as advertised in that way. So, but I but the pieces I look at for this team, they absolutely need another outfielder. I would still now this is a smaller move, but based on the updates we’ve been getting, it doesn’t seem like Adley Rutschman and Basia are going to be activated immediately upon being eligible, right? So, can you go out and get another catcher? And I don’t-I mean, like an Alex Jackson kind of move. I mean a Brian McCann of a couple years ago kind of move, right? Is there something like that? That would be a small move, right? That that would not be something where you’re giving up nothing.
Nestor Aparicio 19:02
Charles Johnson.
Luke Jones 19:03
Yeah, yeah. I’m not talking giving up real prospects, anything like that. But but if the assessment is Ruchman and Basayo still aren’t going to be ready for a couple more weeks, like you need to win games, right? And we’re seeing how that’s looked. You know, Trump might handle himself okay behind the plate, but he’s giving you absolutely nothing. I mean, he was a rally killer on Monday. They DFA’d Sam Huff. They brought up you know the catcher. They just acquired. I mean, it’s that’s a mess right now. And I’m not even beating up Michaelias too much for that. There’s only so much roster planning you can do, anticipating that Adley Rutschman and Samwell Basayo are both going to be hurt at the same time. It’s like it it would be like Josh
Nestor Aparicio 19:41
Johnson quarterbacking for the right. It would be
Luke Jones 19:43
like blaming Eric DeCasta because he didn’t plan for Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley to be heard at the same time, right? I mean, you’re just you’ve got to allocate resources. Well, and that’s where when
Nestor Aparicio 19:53
Rubenstein we got on him, everybody’s gotten on him, all the columnists that are behind paywalls and nobody reads anymore are are.
Luke Jones 20:00
Are part of this. I’m not. I’m not giving any of this a pass.
Nestor Aparicio 20:04
But it again. I reiterate, and I’ll say this a million times because I have to say it because I don’t take phone calls for a living. And I would have fired Elias the day after he fired Hyde and didn’t show up. I would have fired him on Wednesday of last year, May 20 something, because like piss poor leadership in front of your fan base, in front of your players, in front of forget the media. How about just you know like I I I think they do so many things so poorly. It would almost be a shame if they make the playoffs on top of all of this in some way that would deodorize a lot of incompetence and a lot of arrogance and a lot of emptiness and like this thing, it it would mask something to me that needs to get blown up. And I’m just going to say that. And I guess that’s why I’m being dramatic today because they won another game. Phillies are coming in this weekend. I mean, unless they lose five in a row or something really outrageous, they’re going to win one, lose two, win two, lose one. Like they’re they are going to be their season on next week when I get back from Getty Lee and our 28th anniversary, and I’m not against that. Sure, you know, I mean, I was here when Angelos wouldn’t do it, and I was the guy saying you should sell off. And the next thing you know, they’re printing playoff tickets, and they did. They didn’t have as many teams, but I don’t know. On the face of it, I I just the community’s not moved by any of this, and
Luke Jones 21:34
no one’s inspired by this ball club. It’s just that simple, right? We’ve talked about it. It this is nothing personal with these players specifically, but it’s just there’s no mojo to it. There’s no juice to it. Does any like it feels kind of like a soulless operation in that way?
Nestor Aparicio 21:54
I think Albernaz is the leader. Like he’s no, I I feel like I think it starts there though. I really think it’s, but
Luke Jones 22:01
I think it’s got to start with the players, man. We’ve talked about it. Gunnar Henderson’s supposed to be the aircraft carrier. He’s been a league average ball player this year. Ali Rutschman’s hurt again. The
Nestor Aparicio 22:11
best part of the team is Ben McDonald doing the games. I’m not kidding you. Like I literally, it’s a good thing he’s doing the games because it it keeps it.
Luke Jones 22:20
He does a good job. Yeah. No, I’m just
Nestor Aparicio 22:22
saying. Like I watch it every night. Like to you, you go to half the games. You’re way more than ahead of a lot of the fans. Although you go to more games than than almost any fan. Like literally.
Luke Jones 22:32
See with with my mass and subscription. That you know, I have the game on my laptop most of the time, and I have my you know my. So you do
Nestor Aparicio 22:40
watch the game on your tele, you have to. I mean, I see the strike zone, right? Well, they have. I mean, they
Luke Jones 22:44
have TVs in the in the press box with the delay. I’m talking about if
Nestor Aparicio 22:47
I’m in left field coming out there buying a ticket. Oh, I understand. The whole notion of going to a game versus watching it on TV, the television course. Well, since the strike zone has made it real, like literally, the television part of it is so so much better than me kissing Katie Griggs’s ass to get a press pass to come down there to not see the game as well. And in a general sense, I’ve experienced the game on TV, and I’m into it, and I’m into the pace of it. The innings happen fast. The pitch clock happens fast. The shift wrecked the game. They fixed that. You know, they fixed the relief pitch. They’ve done like if I ran into Rob Manfred, I could give him some praise on. They’ve made
Luke Jones 23:31
some positive changes. The other part of that
Nestor Aparicio 23:32
is they don’t know what they’re doing when it comes to like giving us the games, having us find the games, being involved in the games. These social media turd accounts that are like the Savannah bananas because they are so inbred with rah rah and sophomoric mascot giveaway chatsky nonsense or gambling or the overwhelming thing of gambling that like the game itself and the presentation of the game and Ben McDonald saying you got to keep your head down on the ball because when your head comes up your arms come up and you’ll come off the like teaching you some baseball ah like there’s no reason to go to the game I’m no offense and I’m not being mean I’m just like I if Wendy calls me and offers me tickets next week from Courier Wellness. I’ll go, I guess. I mean, I’ll I’ll go to the Phillies. I’m not going to the Phillies game this weekend because I’m going to see Yaddie Lee. But I but in a general sense, the television part of this, when you’re watching a road game, besides the Tigers jersey’s being horrific, the it’s a binky to me now. And I’m what four months into this, and I watch baseball my whole life, like the whole strike zone thing and them getting it right and the presentation with good announcers versus bad. I’ve seen bad too. Like, I you know I’m in on that. I’m totally in on it. So for me, for them to have competitive baseball next week as opposed to throw the towel in baseball next week, even if it’s. Lousy or mediocre or two games under 500 or whatever it’s going to be, they got a shot. You know what I mean? They got a shot. Let’s face it;
Luke Jones 25:09
it’s it’s it really is the NFL’s model, right? With parody. I mean, like the the idea that oh, you’re hanging around. Yeah, they’re five
Nestor Aparicio 25:17
and six, right? To
Luke Jones 25:18
finish my thought though, because I was talking about the trade deadline, you know, I look at a right-handed hitting outfielder, obviously a third baseman, you know, someone that’s Encarnación Strand’s been a great story. Mayo had a great game Monday night. That’s something that you need to try to improve if you can, and relievers. Now I’ll say this. I’ll continue to say this for as someone who spoke in such concerning terms about the bullpen going back to spring training, and considering Ryan Helsley has barely pitched for them this year, the bullpen has done a nice job. I’m
Nestor Aparicio 25:56
a Cano guy, you know. I was always a Cano guy, so
Luke Jones 26:00
it’s so funny what the perception is of the bullpen. And look, let me be very clear because I’m gonna, you know, I am absolutely endorsing that if you can go get a high leverage arm or two, that go go do it. But since june 1, they had the second best reliever ERA in the majors. It doesn’t feel that way, right? It doesn’t. Well, the other part is the
Nestor Aparicio 26:22
starters are given a little length too, and
Luke Jones 26:24
that’s helped them so much. No, there’s no doubt about that. That’s five
Nestor Aparicio 26:26
or six batters every night. They don’t that the bullpen doesn’t have to get right. You could, if
Luke Jones 26:31
your strengths are covering for other areas of potential concern, that’s all right. Lamar Jackson does that every year for the Baltimore Ravens, right? That’s why Gunnar Henderson not performing up to standard and expectation has been so devastating. If this team was hitting the
Nestor Aparicio 26:49
ball on time, the way we thought that they could hit the ball, and if the the fielding’s just horrific, but their
Luke Jones 26:57
off offensive, no, I mean the defense, no, no question. But if their offense, when you think back, I think back to Jeff Passen had the tweet right after the Orioles signed Pete Alonso, and he went down the list of what their top eight or nine guys on paper was going to look like in that lineup, and he talked about it being having the potential to be one of the very best, if not the best, lineup in baseball. Right? These are the kind of things we all say in December when you’re not playing any games, right? And you’re all talking about hype. But if they were anything close to that, coupled with how they have pitched since late May, they’d be a damn fine ball club. They’d be they’d be right there with the Rays and the Yankees trying to win the division, but they’re not, right? So you look at where they are. So right-handed hitting outfielder, a third baseman, relievers. Yes, I’m not going to sit here and and turn my nose up at the idea of a starting pitcher. Here’s the problem, Nestor. Every other team that’s as flawed as them is looking for those same exact things. Maybe not the third baseman specifically, but there is a scarcity of quality right-handed hitting outfielders that can play center field. There just aren’t many of them in baseball, and the and the ones that are out there, teams aren’t aren’t going to give up give them up easily. And everyone’s looking for bullpen help. I mean, everyone’s looking for bullpen help. Even teams that have good bullpens are looking for bullpen help, so it just
Nestor Aparicio 28:22
costs three times what it should.
Luke Jones 28:24
So I just look at it and say, given where the Orioles are in this in the standings, and frankly where their farm system is, a couple of their top prospects right now, Ike Irish and Nate George, are both sidelined. So I don’t know if you’re trading them, so you kind of look at that. They don’t have, you know, they they don’t have top 15 prospect in baseball kind of guys in their farm system. They’ve got guys in their system, but I just, I guess for me, my expectations aren’t great. Even if you’re looking at them as being a buyer, I don’t know exactly what they’re going to do-that’s going to blow you away and say, “Oh my gosh, I-I certainly don’t think they’re trading for Terek Skubble. And I’m not. Look, I’m not going to sit here and say I wouldn’t endorse it at the at the right cost, but it’s a rental, right? I mean, I just-I look at that and I just-I think the trade deadline. I think they will add, but I think it’s going to be more modest. And part of me would also say, if this team’s going to get to that, and and they’re going to have a chance to play October baseball, so much of that improvement just needs to come from within, right? Jackson Holiday needs to do more of what he’s done the last two weeks. Gunner Henderson, my goodness, we’ve been saying it for three months now. He has to come alive, period. You need to get Pasio and Rutsman back. Like I said, it’s cute for me to say, “Oh, you can add another catcher. You know, bring back an Alex Jackson kind of backup option who would be better than Trump. But you need those guys back, right? Those guys have to come back. So you got to go down the list, you know. If you’re trying to look at it from the optimist perspective, and you know me, I haven’t been very optimistic about this team. You haven’t been either. Most people in town haven’t been. We’ve watched this thing for four months now, but if you’re trying to look at it, there is meat on the bone internally that you could say, okay, if they’re going to make a run, Gunnar Henderson starts looking like the guy he was the last three years, which shouldn’t should not be an unreasonable expectation. We’re not asking him to be something he’s never been before, right? In the case of talking about Holiday or Mayo or you know Kowser to a lesser extent, because Cowser was you know runner up for Rookie of the Year two years ago, but for some of those guys, you are asking them to do some things that they haven’t been able to do consistently at the major league level. But for me, it it’s still way more. If you’re trying to lay out the runway for them to secure one of that last wild card spot, I’m still looking way more at whatever they have on their roster right now than you know the two or three moves they might be able to make over the course of the next week. Right? I say it all the time. We we all prop up the trade deadline. It’s exciting. Yes, there have been some incredible moves made over the years, but for the most part, most of those moves don’t move the needle a whole lot, and that’s just the truth. So, and just given what they need and how that aligns or doesn’t align with what the market’s going to be, I just I don’t have high expectations for what they may or may not do at the trade deadline. But I’m in agreement with you, unless they just lose the next five games in blowout fashion, and you look up and they’re eight games under 500 again. And even then, I don’t know how dramatic the teardowns going would would be, even under that circumstance, right? Okay, it’d be way easier to to trade Taylor Ward. It’d be way easier to trade Trevor Rogers. Although I still think, you know, you try to extend him. Although I think at this point it’s just very too late in the game for that. But you can look at those two guys. Maybe you’d trade a reliever as opposed to adding a reliever.
Luke Jones 32:13
But I just, you know, where they are right now, they’re kind of just they’re in this purgatory area. That that eight other eight or nine other American League teams are right now. Where you say they don’t really look good enough, but mathematically, yeah, it’s conceivable. So it’ll be interest. What will be interesting is of those teams, what general manager says? No, we’re not doing this, and they trade off what Michaelias did with the 2022 Orioles. You know, Michaelias may look at this and
Nestor Aparicio 32:48
say, “What we have is good enough. We’re going to go with Mayo. We’re going to go with Encarnacion. We will get through this Trump thing for two weeks because he can catch these guys, and we’ll scuffle along and we’ll play 500 until such point we can play seven or eight games over 500 September when it matters when we get ourselves together when you know holidays coming on Mayo’s coming on Pasaya will come back Rutschman will come back like what do you what do you think is going to that’s the way you have to be thinking about it if you’re them
Luke Jones 33:17
well and and I think the other thing is you’re you’re trying to look at this, and obviously all these teams with analytics departments-they have predictive models, right? They’re they’re looking at the data not just for themselves, but they’re looking at all these other teams, right? They’re looking at all these teams, and they’re trying to project. So right now, as we’re going into Tuesday night’s action around the American League, Cleveland, who was rained out on Monday night, they’ve lost five in a row. They occupy the final wild card spot at 54 and 53. Right, the Red Sox have moved ahead of them, and it’s kind of crazy that Cleveland’s had this losing streak because they’ve actually gotten Jose Ramirez back over the course of this losing streak. But for me, I kind of look at this thing and say, what is it going to take? What’s the landmark that’s going to be the record for the third wild card team? I don’t know. Is it 84 and 78?
Nestor Aparicio 34:11
Yeah, where’s the target? You know what I mean?
Luke Jones 34:13
Is it 85 wins? If that’s what it is, I mean the Orioles still have to play really, really good baseball the rest of the way to make that happen, but it’s not impossible. However, if if Cleveland wakes up and goes on a kind of run like they did last year, then is it is the number 88 wins? If it becomes that, then boy, I I don’t like the Orioles’ chances whatsoever there. But you’d say the same thing about Detroit. Certainly, you’d say the same thing about Seattle, right? So, but I think here’s the difference that does make things a little trickier for the Orioles: Cleveland, Minnesota, Houston, Seattle, and yes, even Detroit. You know, I’ll throw Toronto out of that at this point. The the Blue Jays have fallen off to the point where. I, I don’t think they’re buying. I don’t, you know, I think they’ve got to look at that realistically. They’ll probably trade Gosman. They’ll make a couple other moves, but all those other teams I just mentioned, they can kind of hedge their bets a little bit in terms of feeling better about their chances. You know why? Because of their division, right? All those teams I just named: Cleveland, two games out of first place in the Central; Minnesota, three games out. I
Nestor Aparicio 35:26
don’t think the Orioles feel like it’s realistic to win the right. I mean, they’re they’re playing from a different place. But I’m
Luke Jones 35:31
saying all those teams have more incentive because they have more outs in the in in the in the card deck, so to speak, to to still get in. Like they can win their division, whereas the Orioles, they’re on. You just need to win the games
Nestor Aparicio 35:42
in front of them. There’s no more division for them or any of that, right?
Luke Jones 35:46
But but my, but I’m what I’m trying to say again is all those other teams have even more incentive to buy and to be aggressive because even Detroit, who you know they’ve lost three in a row, they’re still only six out in the AL East or the AL Central. Sorry,
Nestor Aparicio 36:01
are they dealing
Luke Jones 36:05
Scouble? I, I truly think we’re. It’s funny because you heard Kevin Brown and Ben McDonald talk about this on the broadcast on Monday night. I think this next week, as much as we dramatize this, right? The Orioles have five games left until the trade deadline. I think Detroit is very much what is going to happen over their next six days because they were constructed to make a run with Scouble, right? They didn’t trade him in the winter. Like the Orioles were
Nestor Aparicio 36:35
constructed to make a run with Gunner Henderson and Jackson Holiday runs, but like in the same way though.
Luke Jones 36:40
But it’s not though because he’s an expiring asset. Those guys are not expiring assets, but they did this. They they said in in the winter, like they went and they got Tramper Valdez right. They they made moves saying better for better for worse. We’re making one last run at this with Scouble. So the
Nestor Aparicio 36:57
other thing with with Scouble, let me just say this: he’s a different kind of cat because it’s not even like you’re going to get starts out of him. If you’re the lousy ass Orioles and you squeak in with 84 wins and you bring him into Game One, I mean, I’m just saying. Like, well, that’s why I said it
Luke Jones 37:12
was so big for them to win Monday night. I’m not thinking
Nestor Aparicio 37:16
about him pitching in August and September. Although around here they need that. In L.A. there places where they’re already in, they wouldn’t need that. They would be thinking about him as what can we do to massage him to get him ready for the first start, first week of October, because we need six starts out of him in October. We can win a World Series. I mean, that’s a huge thing in a general. Like I don’t, I can’t name 10 guys like that in the last 25 years that I feel that strongly about, who’ve ever been available at a trading deadline, right? Yeah, I
Luke Jones 37:46
mean it’s it. I mean it feels very Sabathia-like, David Price-like when when the Tigers went out and got David Price again and faced the Orioles in 14. A little different
Nestor Aparicio 37:55
than Jack Flaherty, but yeah, I mean I
Luke Jones 37:58
truly think with the Tigers where they are with their record, the fact that they’ve lost three in a row-I mean, they just have-they’re coming off of a bad series. Like they lost the last two against Kansas City. Like you can’t do that, right? I mean, we’ve we’ve seen the Orioles have series like that as well, but like that’s bad timing. I truly think for the Tigers, I’m-I think these next five games absolutely carry so much weight for them. I’m with you when it comes to the Orioles, unless they lose their next five and they’re just blown out in four of them, and and the vibes are bad. Let’s say someone else gets hurt. Like other than that extreme scenario, it feels like the Orioles are still going to be hanging around in this thing, and and and mathematically, right there in this thing, and it feels like the deals are going to
Nestor Aparicio 38:44
happen on Monday too because of the shopping and everyone is
Luke Jones 38:48
holding, holding, holding, and just seeing what everyone’s going to do. Right? I mean, it’s just. But I think with Detroit, if this continues, like if if a three game losing streak that they’re currently on turns into they’ve lost seven of eight. I think you probably have to move Scuble, right? If you’re in the position where you’re back down to eight, nine games under 500. I mean, there’s seven games under 500 right now. That’s where it feels like you gotta. You got same
Nestor Aparicio 39:15
thing with the Orioles. If they’re seven under, you’d feel like, right? Wouldn’t you?
Luke Jones 39:19
I, I, yes, but the Orioles don’t fly
Nestor Aparicio 39:22
out of the wall card. No, no, no. But but they don’t
Luke Jones 39:25
have a Tarek Scouble. Like they don’t have an asset like that that is on a on a runaway train toward free agency right now. I mean, Taylor Ward’s not that guy. Even Trevor Rogers isn’t that guy. Although I I think there’s still a compelling case to be made that if Scoubel ends up not moving, if someone just blows you away desperate for a left-handed starter, and they offer something really, really attractive for Trevor Rogers, oh boy, that that’s where that’s where me trying to be a grown-up as an executive, not talking as an Orioles. GM or Michaelia is trying to save. Well, he does have value,
Nestor Aparicio 40:02
though, right? I mean, you know what I’m
Luke Jones 40:04
saying. Like, if you
Nestor Aparicio 40:04
decided to sell, he he would get you something at this point, right?
Luke Jones 40:08
But for me, it wouldn’t be about getting something. It would be, oh my God, like they’re that team’s offering me what we thought Terek Skubel would be worth in a trade. That’s where it would be tough for me to say, man, this would be really nice for next year and beyond. So we’ll see. But I think Detroit, their level of urgency is so much higher than the Orioles right now in terms of these next five games because because they do have Scouble. The Orioles hold on to Taylor Ward, and they didn’t. They don’t get whatever two prospects they might get for them that are okay. Probably going to be not much better than organizational filler. That’s that. That’s not changing the course of your organization, right? That’s not changing the complexion of your baseball team moving forward. But in the case of of the Tigers with Scouble, if they trade him, obviously that sends a message to the rest of their club that you know this is over at least with the iteration of the Tigers with him. But if you hold on to him and you don’t make it, which is what the Angels did with Otani a couple years ago, man, you’re gonna you’re gonna walk out the door with a draft pick for a qualifying offer. But at least
Nestor Aparicio 41:26
you’re trying, and that’s the reason that that for me is where I sit with the Orioles and watching them win on Monday night, and watching Bradish out there, and watching Rubinstein’s demeanor on Friday, and Elias’s arrogance slash confidence or you know whatever it is,
Speaker 1 41:43
they’re
Nestor Aparicio 41:43
they’re going to try to keep the television show going next week for me.
Luke Jones 41:46
I agree, but I’ll leave you the and and I. It’s funny I’m saying this because I’m not the Star Wars guy. My brother is, but you just said at least they’re trying. I’ll leave you with Yoda’s wisdom: do or do not. There is no try, and that’s what fans really care about. At the end, I’ve never
Nestor Aparicio 42:03
heard that one. I need to watch more Star Wars. Send your brother over with the DVD, man. Well, Alan McCallum will be with us on Thursday. I know, dude. There’s no bigger Star Wars nerd than Alan. You got to bring it up with Alan is going to look at you and say you’re my people. He’s going to know you’re his people.
Luke Jones 42:17
I mean, it’s a very, it’s. I can quote that. It’s. It speaks that you you don’t have to be a Star Wars person to know that one. Well, I’ll just
Nestor Aparicio 42:24
quote Die Hard and say yippee ki. I just you know what Michaelias is going to do because I think he’s going to go shopping to some degree to somehow think they can bubble gum this thing together and get into the playoffs. And I don’t think it’s going to be scuble, but I think he would feel good about Bradish and Rodgers, and I don’t know. I don’t. Who would the third be at this point?
Luke Jones 42:45
I mean, Brandon
Nestor Aparicio 42:45
Young, I guess.
Luke Jones 42:47
Oh yeah, yeah. Oh yeah. I mean,
Nestor Aparicio 42:49
yeah.
Luke Jones 42:49
Brandon Young’s been really good. You know, Boz. Boz is he’s been fine, right? I mean, is he the ceiling guy that they’re hope he’s go that he? We’re going through these
Nestor Aparicio 43:00
pitchers’ names, and it gets me all lubricated and like, yeah, we got a chance. And then I see them, you know, strike out 14 times and have four hits and kick the ball around, and I see it every night. It doesn’t take a night off. Bad defense is just like I’ve never seen. It’s like when you have speed, it doesn’t take a day off, or when you’re station to station, never takes a day on. So you know those first to thirds and the scoring from second and the the sac flies when you stink that you cost your runs and when you can’t catch the ball oh my god
Luke Jones 43:30
and the thing that still makes me take pause if I’m really not trying to be down on this team or overly optimistic or anything if I’m just trying to look at this team forget about them being the Orioles. Just looking at how this team is constructed, the thing that really worries me is, as well as they have pitched over the last two months, and they have, and bravo to those guys. They deserve their flowers for that, but because of how bad it was early on, in contrast. But the thing that really makes me take pause is even with how well they pitched, they don’t strike a lot of people out. And what does that mean? The ball is put in play, which means what? You’re relying on the defense. So that’s where I look at this thing and say, is there a stretch coming where pitchers are going to have some bad luck that’s also combined with bad defense, and then there’s a market correction, so to speak, in that way. Uncle Luke,
Nestor Aparicio 44:25
do we have to catch it and throw it, or just yes, yes, your best, yeah, do your best.
Luke Jones 44:31
So, but but in all seriousness, good win on Monday night, weird game. I mean, again, the squirrel thing was just like that was wild, but I’ve never
Nestor Aparicio 44:41
seen Ben Ben McDonald wanted to shoot it, and I know he did.
Luke Jones 44:44
Well, he’s he’s a hunter. I mean, of course he is. So I I did see the state the statement from a a spokesman for the Tigers. It sounded like the squirrel got out of the stadium okay and was fine. So that for anyone that was concerned about that,
Nestor Aparicio 44:57
and as a star for a night, uh. Luke Jones is here. He will be there. No, there, somewhere there in Owings Mills at this point. And the Orioles get in this weekend. The Phillies are in town. Great, great, great radio. Luke, you’re a baseball guy, right? You you you’ve been a fan for a while. Let’s see how we feel about Kurt Badenhausen coming on talking about the values of franchises. How about the great Tim Kirchen joining us later on? How about Evan Drellick to talk about labor and the labor wars? How about Buster Olney to come on and talk about the trading deadline? And Janet Marie Smith will join us to talk about Stadia All Star Games and those green City Connect jerseys. We’re going to be at the Costas and Timonium on Thursday. Somebody asked me when. I’m like probably whenever you get there. Honestly, I’ll be there about 11:30. I’ll probably have a bowl of soup. Zach Dermer’s coming by from Farnand Dermer. They are the comfort guys. Our friends at the Maryland Lottery have given me these really really nifty. I’m looking forward to giving these away. Kiss Face, which really should have been the logo. I keep telling that story about the late great David Modell, but it’s back and it’s my favorite Ravens logo, so I’m happy to give these away. Even happier that John Martin’s running around trying to pay off all these home run riches that the Orioles are hitting. At least they’re hitting some bombs. Also, our friends at GBMC doing a big piece this week on. Well, I’m I’m doing a lot of stuff with GBMC as they’re rebranding and they’re doing some new things, so we’re gonna be talking to them, talking to the president CEO of of GBMC as well, Doctor G. We’re gonna have it’s gonna be a good month around here, and we’re gonna get the crab cake tour back out. And of course, I’m supposed to go to Ocean City in a couple weeks for Mako. I think the word is now, Luke, and this is official. I think I am going to Ocean City at least for one broadcast in two weeks. So crab cake tour is at Koco’s on the 26th of August, and if there’s any breaking news, you get it first on the WNST Tech Service. All of it brought to you by Cole Roofing and Gordian Energy. And by the way, if you come at the Costas on Thursday late in the day, Luke will be there. I’m trying to wrestle up Alan and get him out. He lost his mom last week, so we’re trying to give him some love as well. And I don’t know, man. Getty Lee and Alex Lyson are are within a three-hour bus ride and train ride of me, and I will get there before the week is over, and we will celebrate 28 years. And I even put Jessica Vallis up to this. I told her, “Look, I’ll help you with the ice cream thing up in Seven Valleys, but we need a 28th anniversary logo, and I’m the only guy that does 28s and 27s and 29s because I’m just happy to still be here. 20th anniversary of Free the Birds is coming up next month. I might even have something up my sleeve. We’re Baltimore positive. Stay with
