00:00We head to Camden Yards in Baltimore, game number two of our midweek set between the Orioles and the Mets.
00:05Yesterday, New York rallying and then winning it in extras, 7-6, courtesy of an RBI single in the game winner from Juan Soto.
00:14The Mets, of course, struggled to end out June, 3-13, dropped their opening game in July, but since, Danny, have now won five of six.
00:22They are favored on the road to make it two straight against Baltimore.
00:26What's the play tonight at Camden Yards?
00:28At Baltimore, very quietly has kind of crept back into things.
00:33And you look at the standings, you might not think, all right, that's a bit of a stretch.
00:37You know, there's still 13 games back in the American League East.
00:40But when you think about it, like, do you truly, as a fan, as an analyst, do you truly trust Toronto at the top of that division, who are 16 games over 500?
00:51Yeah, 10-game win streak, I think it is now.
00:53And they absolutely deserve our respect.
00:55Call me a hater all you want.
00:56But this is a team that hasn't shown an ability to stay atop that division.
01:00Right underneath there, you have the New York Yankees, three and a half games back in that division.
01:04The Yankees, they got off to a really good start, but I was kind of preaching this, and I didn't want to die on the hill.
01:09But the Yankees, on paper, are a very decent team.
01:12They're not a great team.
01:14They have to have everything go right.
01:15They have to have Aaron Judge go on a hot streak.
01:17They have to have Carlos Rudd on make a great start.
01:20They have to have everything click for them to be a successful team.
01:23When everything doesn't go well for the Yankees, they're decent.
01:27I would argue that the Tampa Bay Rays, at least at this juncture, is probably the most consistent team in that division, them along with Toronto.
01:33Again, they deserve some more respect than I'm giving them right now.
01:37But Baltimore, since June 1st, they're 19-14.
01:41And this is a Baltimore Orioles team that, coming into this season, they were considered one of the favorites to win that division.
01:48And all of a sudden, they get off the rails a little bit to start the season.
01:51Adley Rushman hasn't played up to his potential.
01:53Gunnar Henderson wasn't playing up to his potential.
01:55And these young guys, a lot of them, a guy like Jordan Westberg, was starting the season on the injured list.
02:01So, this is a team that has all the talent in the world, and they're finally starting to play up to that potential.
02:07And I'm not saying that they're going to win the American League East this year.
02:11It's still 13 games back.
02:12But right now, I have a feeling the odds are very much against Baltimore.
02:17And if you're looking to kind of hit lightning in a bottle with a sports bet, maybe Baltimore could be that answer.
02:24Yeah, we'll see if those bats wake up.
02:25High expectations coming into the season.
02:27We'll keep with another New York team here quickly with you.
02:29Also, Seattle and New York.
02:31Evans going up against Schlitter.
02:32A Major League Baseball debut today for a kid that's been in the minor league system.
02:3614 starts this year.
02:37A 2.82 ERA, which is good.
02:39We got lumped up a little bit in his last start in AAA.
02:42Major League debut in the Bronx as a favorite today for the Yankees.
02:46Nine and a half as the total.
02:47The Bronx Bombers busted out last night.
02:49Aaron Judge hit a home run.
02:50Even Cal Raleigh got one late in that game for the Mariners.
02:52Are expectations high again for more runs in the Bronx today, do you think?
02:57Yeah, no doubt.
02:57This is a team like I kind of just mentioned.
02:59This is a team that's looking to get back on track in the New York Yankees.
03:03They just got Stroman back from the IL, which helps a rotation that's been kind of hindered,
03:09especially at Luis Hill starting the season on the injured list.
03:12Garrett Cole started the season on the injured list.
03:14I would argue that the Yankees have actually exceeded their expectations.
03:18Like I said, when you look at this team on paper, it's a solid team.
03:23But they're really missing that big bump in the middle of that lineup.
03:26They're missing that big bump in the middle of that starting rotation.
03:29A lot of the reason because they don't have Garrett Cole.
03:31But you look at the rotation.
03:32Carlos Rodon, very good, possible all-star pitcher.
03:36Max Freed's been phenomenal this season.
03:38He's exceeded his expectations.
03:40After that, Will Warren, Marcus Stroman, you know, like decent.
03:44You look at the lineup.
03:45Jason Dominguez has been, you know, his OPS is hovering around 760.
03:49He's been decent.
03:50Aaron Judge, MVP.
03:51Cody Billinger has been good, solid.
03:53They just got Stanton back.
03:55Goldschmidt has exceeded expectations.
03:57This is a team, like I mentioned, I think if they exceed expectations,
04:00which is a lot to ask for for a complete roster, they're going to be a playoff team.
04:05But right now, they're kind of hitting the skids a little bit,
04:07and those players that were exceeding expectations no longer are.
04:11So I personally think it's a bit of an uphill climb for New York.
04:14And, again, I wasn't going to die on this hill,
04:16but I think the New York Yankees are limited.
