Paul Beeston On The Toronto Blue Jays & Their Fight To Make The Playoffs.

This is the Boba Count Podcast, brought to you by Bet Rivers, download the Bet Rivers online Casino and Sportsbook app today. Dave Hodge with us this week and with the baseball's regular season winding down and the Toronto Blue Jays playing better. What a better time to have somebody that understands the Jays probably more than anybody else on the show. Right Dave? Yes, we are going to talk to Paul Beaston. I would introduce him with a title except I don't know what it is anymore. He doesn't either. He's had so many over the years. I will just call him a great friend of mine, of yours, and of this podcast. I think everybody will agree after we get finished with Paul and the way he can talk and his enthusiasm is infectious. That's Paul Beaston from the Toronto Blue Jays. This is the McCallan podcast, back after this. Hi, this is Bob McCallan for betrivers.com. Hey, if you're looking for a Sportsbook or Casino app, you should check out the Bet Rivers Sports and Casino app today. Play all of your favorite Casino games for real money anywhere and anytime. Plus get in the action with each sports game with hundreds of sports betting options. And get ready to feel like a VIP because you'll earn both loyalty level points and bonus store points on every real money wager you make. You must be 19 plus available in Ontario only. Please play responsibly. If you have questions or concerns about your gambling or someone close to you, contact Connex Ontario at 1-866-531-2600 or speak to an advisor free of charge, betrivers.com. Welcome back to the McCallan podcast for a Monday. The baseball season's near the end. Dave Hodges in for Bob this week and look who the cat dragged into the day, Paul Beaston. What are you? Chairman Emeritus. Well, I think that's what they call me right now, but I'm not 100% certain what my job is. I was a cheap cheerleader. Well, you're doing a pretty good job the last week or so. Well, you know, I have enjoyed it. I must say that much. It did do a, I would say 10 games ago. It wasn't a lot of fun. Those four games against Texas. However, then we got the games against Boston, I don't know how we want them, but we want them. Then one of the Yankees won a couple and then a couple of the Tampa Bay with a chance, maybe they've done three if we got through that night in the Saturday game. But you know, bottom line of it is, it's fun and that's what we all want. It wasn't the month of September to mean something. I didn't know what's going to mean this much and the roller coaster is not good for the world ticker. Do you believe in momentum? I do believe in momentum. I mean, they really do. And I think that it's important that you know, right now that we're doing the things that we should be doing well, which is basically if you look at the whole year, which is, you know, defense and pitching. And I think that part of it is the thing that can give us the hope for the momentum going in. We haven't hit as well as I think we thought we were going to hit. We have the power. I thought we were going to hit with, but we're scoring the runs when necessary and even when we got to, I mean, if we have just a 50, 50 week this week, you know, we're going to be over 500 or over 90 games. And so, you know, that's, that's the key. And then we'll go under the postseason. We'll see what happens. Hi, Paul. A mutual friend said I should begin by suggesting that sailing be the topic of our discussion on the high seas. I'm going to respectfully ignore that idea and continue with, with baseball. Lucky reference, the Texas series, the Jays couldn't have played worse. They played, I would say somewhat better since, but many of these wins have, have seen their opponents hand them victories with walks and hit batsman and, and errors. If you're a Jays fan, you're happy that the playoffs spot is almost a lock. How happy are you otherwise? Well, I think that's a way of putting it. I mean, I think the whole year has been a work of course, Dave. I think you'd agree with that. I mean, you know, every time that you think this team is going to get a little bit of a, a little bit of a role, something happens and, you know, you're saying, well, the team's not going to win. And, you know, then all of a sudden, you know, you strip the team off, the team proves back and doesn't. I think that's maybe the game right now. I mean, I think that, no, maybe the game is that, you know, the picture's into the screen like we saw in Kansas City. Maybe it's the walks that we saw in New York. Maybe it sits back and we saw it down in Tampa Bay. Maybe you're 100% right, but the bottom line of it is it's scoring more runs than the other team. And, you know, I think that's what we have to have to look at. Every team seems to have weakness other than maybe, I don't know, maybe it landed the dodgers. You know, but there is, and Baltimore is a good team and obviously Tampa is a good team, but it's tough to win. It's tough to win in September. And maybe that's the reason why some of these hit batsmen are happening. Maybe that's some of the walks are happening, you know, all the things. But we'll take the runs as we can get them because we've lost the English and we've lost too. I would say that other teams would be a lot better if they were healthier. Everybody's got injuries and the Blue Jays have Danny Jansson out, Brandon belt out. But I can't remember a season with with more injuries everywhere else, but I think we can say that the Jays probably lead the league in terms of good health. You know, I have this thing about broken fingers and hands and rest suffered by batters, hit by pitchers. And then they're the injuries to the pitchers. I mean, some of the best in the game are out and Shane McLean, a hand would be one of them affecting a Tampa Bay playoff series. Where should we start in discussing injuries? Well, I think you've got to consider ourselves relatively lucky this year, you know, I mean, Danny Jansson, you know, has had a history of injuries over his career quite frankly. But you know, and he was hitting well and it was a person that, you know, you kind of looked to come up to drive in the key runs when you needed him to. But you know, the bottom line of it is we've been very fortunate with our pitching. And maybe that's, maybe that's good, that may be a good science other than where you coming back. I mean, if you look at Galsman, you look at Bassett, you look at, and you look at Barrios, they don't miss many starts and they have it in the past. So that's a pretty good situation. With their late pitching, it's also pretty good. And from a defensive point of view, I would say that, you know, we've been fortunate in our field. I mean, you know, he had a little bit of a, a little bit of a, of, of Kermire being off and, and sprung up very long and at the very end, at the very end of the day, the end of field on the bow and, and maybe a couple weeks with, with, with what Japan has, has been there. been very fortunate but you know that's that's part that's part of that's part of the gaming you hope it doesn't catch up on this in the last week as we go into the into the postseason. The springer uh springer being as healthy as he has all year has probably been one of the positives when you consider in the first few years of the contract he he never seemed to be able to stay healthy. You gotta understand right John you know and they and quite honestly maybe isn't the power that you know we thought he was gonna have this year and you know he got his quaint home run with it inside the parker but you know the one thing that you worry about with him is he plays all out 100% of the time and you know whether he's flying through the air catching them all whether he's running and may try to make a single into a double or scoring from first the inside the parker I mean I get the way they were just gonna make it around there but boy I'll tell you he got motoring you know it was like it was a hundred meter dash and you know and he was uh and he and he was and he was something but uh springer plays the game like the way you want all your players to play all time and you know he's just a hundred percent effort and he's just a joy to watch it you know he's a outstanding defender and probably playing right where he was but that throw last night yesterday he touched runner and second base you know diving for the ball inside the parker I mean that's quite a big way frankly. So they just won uh two games at the top uh and that's let's assume that that's what they'll be asked to do in the first round of the playoffs that's the way uh the standings would would suggest um is it still a house of horrors no matter what or when you consider that gozman will pitch in the playoffs he didn't pitch on the weekend and the the rays are missing half a team uh including as I said McClanahan and Franco and Lao and Rayleigh and Siri and and half their starting pitching rasmus and springs I mean the list goes on and on and on it would be easy for a blue jays fan to feel uh confident except for the house of horrors I mean how much of a factor might it be in a playoffs series well I think you have to worry about it I mean you know but you also have to be confident in another way I don't even sit back and be afraid of it like you know when we went down there this year and uh you know finally we we got at least five hundred against them down there but I mean they are after a while you have to tip your hat to a date I mean you know they do a year after year after year and I know what's the cliche next man up next man up they don't use those words they do it I mean it's the next man up I mean where they come from all these guys so you know they can say and you gave the whole list of people that wrote and including him I know uh Rosa Rosa Reddough you know like when he comes back and he like it's a different it's a big D as though yes it's a different team but it's next matter but we're not a bad team and you know quite frankly we've got some experience you know and we're going to be going in there I don't think afraid of what's happening and the and the history of them because a lot of these players don't know the history that we don't seem to one there for a long time and you know we're going down there you know it's um it'll be one more they know what we know that I mean but you imagine playing six games against each other it reminds me of back in 19 I believe it was 1991 when it was the same situation with Minnesota we played them kind of at the end and then went into play Minnesota for the for the first round of the class and that's going to be kind of like this but they're really tired of each other I mean you know and and right now it looks like there's a loving between them they're all talking at first base everyone seems to be happy and it's going to be fun that that'll change that that'll change but I don't think we can worry about that I think you already got to just throw it throw it away it's two out of three and you know and the key is is to to get down there and play the ball that we can play which is basically pitching in pitching in defense you know in the NHL they always say that regular season hockey is totally different than playoff hockey is the same true for major league baseball is it that much different when you consider a particular in these wild card series that it's such a sort series well I don't know if it's much different I think the game probably doesn't change the same way it's still it's still the same it's the same it's still the same game I think when you get to hockey basketball maybe it ramps up a little bit more of the I don't want to call intensity because I think both are all the sports would be intense but I think it gets a little bit more physical it gets some make it's in the hockey I would say that going into going going going in there John the big thing is it's two out of three is kind of like you know you can't afford to make it mistake I mean that first game is important let me tell you know it I mean four to seven probably the best team should win three out of five it's you know probably less than the four to seven but still a shot and two out of three you know a really couple of well pitched games against even the best hitting team of baseball you know can beat them you know if you get if you get the pitching and then and you get the good fortune the day was talking about before maybe get a walk from you to expect what bad golf maybe it's a wild pitch maybe it's a pass ball I have no idea but I know I know one thing that you know that two out of three two out of three it's you know we don't live that way we play 162 games you know and then and then it goes and you know was opposed to the other sports you know Monday's off and the way it works now Tuesday Wednesday Thursday okay so you know for one of those teams are four of the teams that first round you know they got four days and the teams didn't make the playoffs I spent I spent a few days traveling with our pal John Gibbons and and and and and he was just saying this is a team that plays the game in such a manner they just have to get in because their pitching is so much better than anybody else is you know both in the rotation and in the bullpen is do you think that's a big effect as as he makes it is that where this team is different than anybody else I would just do I would just do what I mean if you see it was the same thing you mean but you know the over 162 games you know our hitting hasn't been I think we all thought it was going to be but quite frankly I think the pitching you know will give us the give us a chance to be competitive in every single game and the fact that the fact that we have five starters you know and so that goes down to three that first round and you know with the with the day off hopefully his name was talking about earlier they could set it up so they get the starters they want and then you've got a bullpen that you know that has been that has really been improved and as the season's gone along as as proven themselves certain blips notwithstanding but you know yeah I do think that I do think that's right it doesn't give it but the other part about it is which I think that you know see the one say if you already were asking that is you know good defense and help good pitching so you're taking good pitching with elite defense particularly in the outfield and a third basinal you might make sure it's up I mean all of it you can look where you want yet it actually it actually gives you a shot and again you you can see winning a one or two nothing game I mean you can because of the pitching in the defense so the answer to that is I think that give me's got it right and I think that I'm seeing it will go further again top of the defense I think I think the difference in baseball as John as as posed the question between the regular season and the playoffs is that in the playoffs there is importance with underlined with every pitch and it remains to be seen how every pitcher and every batter and every fielder responds to that in the regular season as we seen especially with the pitch clock I don't think you can say you know every pitch is is mightily important but in the playoffs it will be and we have to wait and see how each player on each team responds to that some will will rise and be better than you expect and others will be affected by it and I think I think it's it's a question mark as it is in every other sport who knows what's going to happen in the playoffs I think I think that I think you'd probably write their thing but I do believe that it's a little bit different is I don't think the game itself changes I mean I mean it may be more the intensity that you're talking about every pitch being important let's let's accept that as a fact but I've seen the hockey I mean they're changing I mean I still go back to I still go back to night and I think it was 10 hitchcock saying that you know during the game you know you're looking for space or during the seed you're looking for space during the play during the playoffs you're fighting for space that's not quite the same in this I think probably the same a basketball the same way too but you know I get your point every pitch is important every play is important but you know that's that that's the game but the good thing about it is the three day the three games of the three days and so the intensity is there but the actually days point about the pitch clock this is the first playoffs we will see with a pitch clock and so you know and it's fine in baseball we hated four-hour games in the regular season but we kind of marveled at them in the in the playoffs we didn't mind them we're not going to get those really unless we go to extra names no no but I don't know if you watched lately but I mean our games have kind of morphed in the three hours of 45 minutes or two hours of 45 minutes they don't know what what what is happening there right now but they're getting they're getting a little bit longer than they were at the beginning of the season but you know what I think that if the rules and they have the pitch clock during the season they should be the pitch clock during the during the postseason also so I kind of like that but don't you work your television will make sure that you know you get the three and a half four-hour game not my television have you not heard about advertising revenue and television hey it's where I came from it doesn't mean that's where I'm I'm going to stay you come on I saw what your email address is I know who wants those extra commercials listen I you know both of you know that I was a pitch clock advocate well before this season and so I cheered the fact that it will continue in the playoffs there was some some question I cheered the commissioner when he said the playoff rules should be the same as the regular season rules except he forgot they aren't because the automatic 10th inning runner at second base will not apply beyond this week so apart from the inconsistency of the commissioners intention to be consistent how do you feel about that well be quite honest with that agree with that well yeah I do think that that's the right thing to do and I think that you know what this argument gave going back to hockey or going back to John you know what you know it's you know you have the shootout you have the five minutes saying the shootout but what a guess to the playoffs you play that you play till there's a win you know and it's it's kind of the same here teams don't have to move as quickly they don't have to be be around I mean and and that's one of those ones that I I don't mind the fan to run during the season I do not mind it I mean I will be one that will say that I watch the international baseball spin there forever I mean I still think of that Pan Am game Canada versus United States and you know we won the gold medal there but the fan and runner we got into the 10th inning and they got their two runs we got our three you know but and it would it was a fun fun atmosphere and you know it when it gets down to it when it gets down to the playoffs I do think that you go back to you know like we're playing to we're playing under the old rules if you like it that way we're playing where there's not a limited so I understand your point but you know so we're a benefit and a tough day that day but he would eat I know what he meant yeah well it's a whole idea are you are you disagreeing Dave do you think there should be a phantom runner in the in the playoffs yes I I agree with the commissioner that you play under the rules that you played all season and it's not automatic the runner is but it's not automatic that the game hands in the 10th inning you know what the longest regular season game with ghost runner at second base was you know how many innings it went 14 16 innings 16 right so we've seen games recently 11 12 innings um I yes I uh I disagree with uh I agree with the commissioner and I disagree with the commissioner so hold on let me get so you want you want to shoot out in playoffs in the Stanley Cup right beyond a certain point yes I don't want to be up till three in the morning even though even though I am that's another that's another podcast okay that's another podcast so how about the how about the playoff format let's assume that the jays finish where they are now so that's their second wildcard they're ahead of the third wildcard team whether it be Texas or Houston or Seattle um and if both the jays and that team win round one the jays will face the Baltimore Orioles the best team in the American League and the Astros mariner's or Rangers will get the Minnesota twins that's just the way it works or do we have a problem with that no I think that's just the way that it works I mean it's to keep a team in there Dave you don't as well as I do with freedom visions you know and you know we're trying to keep some competition during the year trying to make sure that September means something the final week means something I know what they went to and they were thinking about this and um you mean you could recede I mean I think that's kind of where you're leading to with this one and I'm not a hundred percent certain that's not the right thing to do at the present time but be careful with your worst court I mean you can do that all the time you can say what we should have played that well you know what that's not the way it works with sports and you know it and we can talk about any type of sport and we can talk about any type of result I mean at the very end of the day you get back to the Vincent Bertie you know you say we'll play at 10 o'clock in the morning on the parking lot if you want you know and I think that's the mentality that's the mentality you have to have so you know I kind of like the last couple weeks with the ups and downs the swings and everything I the nationally not something that I follow all that closely was exciting to watch until you know last last couple days because there were so many teams that had a chance and you know and then Marickley you know we're actually down to you know three teams for four teams for three positions so I guess it is very and I guess at the very end of the day I kind of like the format what it is and you're going to find reasons not to like it and you know bottom line of it is you've got to play you've got to play through it because that's that's that's that's what's been excited I tell you what to me the key is if you're going to recede you better have a better more balanced schedule because that's where that's where the difference is you know it and you know I mean we couldn't have receded certainly when you were playing 19 games against your own division but now that it's 14 is that close enough to allow for receding because that's where that there there is a and this is an awful word in professional sports fairness there's a fairness doctrine there's a fairness doctrine that has to be discussed through all this says okay listen of Seattle and and Houston and Texas play the same amount of games against other divisional teams that Toronto does yeah and there's a there's a good there's a good logic to receive but if if it's still imbalanced which it is to an extent I mean that that changes thing here here's here's a one for that that kind of bothers me about this month because I think the month has been spectacular but the schedule maker has decided that we're going to play the last 15 games of the whole regular season against our own division so we end up knocking each other out like I mean Texas Houston and Seattle cannot be happy with the schedule they can't be happy with the schedule whereas the jays might be happy that the fact that Texas Houston and Seattle are like Texas Houston Texas John and I go go a different way Texas Houston and Seattle might be happy with the schedule because they're playing each other the last two weeks I mean you know with you Seattle's got control of their destiny okay Texas got control their destiny Houston doesn't quite the same but they play Seattle three games starting I think today you know and they they've played Texas before I I understand trust me trust me I being a schedule maker I think is is very difficult state division state your division where you can actually control it actually does make sense but with that have been something that at the board meetings the teams would have said a listen we want this to occur this way no I think that'll be competitive balance committee I wouldn't think that would be done at the committee level I don't think you'd never get to the board I mean if somebody phone and said they didn't like it you'd find out that they were affected by it that year the team that whoever doesn't like the rules the way it worked you know you can look back and see when they got eliminated and it makes playoff the schedule will work in a in a in a strange way if the jays have clinched a playoff spot by the time they play the Tampa Bay raise on the weekend because that will be a playoff preview know it won't because guys will be on the bench it'll be shadow boxing it'll be it'll be weird to watch these teams play three games that don't mean anything getting ready for two or three games that do so if you're if you're the blue jays you put your regular lineup up there or do you not well I think you have put your right up there for some of the games or whatever it might be I mean you know to play maybe three four or five endings I mean the real problem of Dave was you knew your pitching I mean you know and I wanted to go in and whether you're setting it up and you know how you will start and you go with this thing in a Tampa Bay start a long time to go with the starter or whatever we call it now the opener but the fact of the fact the matter is you know I don't think you can just not play I mean you've got you the way the game is you play every day for you know when you play 162 games 179 days you can't just think off the weekend and say you're not you're not going to be there you're not going to play however I would not think that you know you will see the same type of energy that was there guys don't want to get hurt and the can't just work to get hurt I mean it's realistic and you'll imagine playing a game that didn't mean anything and you get hurt you can't be out like and that'd be that'd be a tough one imagine holding tickets for a game that doesn't mean anything well you don't but the fact of matter is to be part of the atmosphere you know I can't be part of the atmosphere lucky to be there I mean you know it's a baseball game the sun could be shining the sky could be blue the roof will be open and you know where else do you want to be I better join the outfield beer drinkers I guess is what I never thought of that that was good thinking those are the voices of Dave Hodge and Paul Beaston I'm John Shan on the McCown podcast back after this with Dave Hodgeon for Bob this week and Paul Beaston the chairman emeritus of the Toronto Blue Jays who is got to be a little happy the way that team has played the the last seven or eight days but before we talk baseball I got to ask it Paul yeah you're one of those guys it has helped so many people along the way and I you know our palanthopolis has done so well with the braves and then I keep reading about the Pittsburgh penguins of the Boston Red Sox and I see this named David Beaston what the hell this is unbelievable now you got to be proud of what David's done well they're happy with what David's done I mean he was he's been with the Fenway Sports Group or the Red Sox since 2013 so he's been there over 10 years and in that period you know Liverpool's come on you know they started the Fenway Sports that you know it's it's a real business but they you know he's he's from Toronto I mean he's from Canada I mean he loves hockey like I mean this like was I want to say fell into his lap okay you know like you know we own the Pittsburgh we own we've got long time in Crosby and you know we've got you know this this history of Pittsburgh and so yeah I'm very happy for him and he still lives in Boston and I think he's staying there I mean he's put together his management group or they put together man group I don't think it it's he because they worked collegially the the ownership of the management there was Sam Kennedy and Tom Werner and John Henry obviously and you know they put together this thing in your he but he loves he loves let me ask you do you when you talk to him do you do you kind of smirk and say oh I I mean I'm listening to myself there's a little is there a little bit of Paul and David no no I think he's I think he's much more intelligent number one is much more pragmatic number two you know he can make his decisions I haven't got my I like the heart I like the heart unfortunately do it he lets the mind do it a little bit different definitely but I I am I am very happy for him because he's got kind of a he's got kind of got what he originally tried to get into I mean that's where he and he had up in baseball I was actually like baseball you know it it is let it is it is let him there I think that they've they they've had some cuff decisions to make a long way and that's a kind of maturation program of being an executive yeah your days put in the Toronto stamp of approval on I mean yeah he did well watching watching David Beaston's career spiral makes me ask a question about about yours and everybody I think knows the story about Paul Beaston first employee Toronto blue jays are there any details you could share about the very first day on the job and what did you do look at four walls I'll never forget it I'll never forget it is always okay so I was a big baseball fan I mean you're always to go over to Detroit four or five times a year for London Ontario my father started that tradition long back in the fifties and then was university and working in London and it wasn't and we were the philosophy of Goodman and Goodman at the time which is now Goodman's and Herbie Sawway and down with and Eddie Goodman and I got there at nine o'clock the phone right and I'm there at thirty nine o'clock and person answered it was sent outside the desk said Mr. Lee McPhail is on the phone Lee McPhail before General Manager of President the American League is phoning me like I will never ever ever forget it I made like it was like was my introduction to it and he was such a gentleman when he was phoning just to walking me in the Toronto blue jays which were the Metro Toronto metros at the time you know into baseball and that one day that one day you know I will never I will never forget now I always tell Andy about that about his father he Lee and I became great friends and but it was that day me now nine o'clock like I don't know we didn't have digital back then I suppose but you know like it was nine o'clock and Lee McPhail was out for and that from there was just kind of you know I'm in Toronto and I've won then I really don't know Toronto I don't know Richmond for Madeline Street I don't know Bay from Young you know and so we're down there kind of getting our parents in and we don't have a president all I know is I'm a vice president who am I going to be working for like and what have I done here other than it was just you know like the unknown was so exciting I mean you know people talk about that but the unknown of what was going to happen over the next day the next week the next month next year the next decade like what was going to happen and I've been lucky because I'm saying all the time every day's the Saturday you should have you should have said can I put you on hold I didn't have that type of confidence statement that was I was started my way screwing well then you know when you think about it that was a healthy on days of particularly American League baseball I mean Steinbrenner was that is George Steinbrenner was that is at his highest moment the Yankees were and were a division fall and I mean the Red Sox were the Red Sox right I mean okay no no it was better it was better it was better thanks I mean this was this was the time you know Baltimore was coming up good because you know this was they they had they hit their history Red Sox hit theirs but Yankees obviously you're talking about Detroit Tigers Cleveland injuries and ourselves and we were there and I really believe that's what made the Blue J successful by the taboo got early 80s because you know we were playing against really the best in the best division of baseball but against the best teams and you know it was it was just quite it was quite challenging but you had to build good and you know as Maddox used to say all the time you get players through trades through scouting or through free agency and you had to use them up well free agency was out of it for us at that point of time you know other than some minor players I suspect but you know the bottom line is building it but but you're right it was it was great I mean and everybody everybody everybody was kind of taking their shot at winning they didn't even go back to it and they you know like and they 82 was the 80s dreamers Baltimore A4 is a great Detroit team 85 was the Blue J's 86 was Boston that's all the same division five teams of five years the element did you I mean to me I mean because you touched on two teams that aren't in your division the great Lakes teams the two teams Cleveland and Detroit and you know I mean you you talk about being from London God wouldn't it be big and I'm not trying to stir anything here wouldn't it be great to play the Tigers more than you play the Tigers yeah I think she'll add Cleveland the same thing we don't really agree but we're not there anymore you know it wasn't one time one league then there's two divisions then there's three divisions yeah up you know I've said it and have people who disagree in the past but you know I don't get you pushed in the National West as long as with the Yankees of Boston okay because you know we're in the entertainment business and play those games I think are really really fun and important so but I mean it would be great with Detroit and it would be great you know with Cleveland you know but that's not going to happen it that's not going to happen it wasn't it would've been great if we were with the expose when they were in our league I mean you know surely you've got that rival reasons there you know it you know one time maybe that would have it you imagine if Tampa Bay had moved to Montreal then you'd have Montreal you'd have Boston you'd in New York you'd have Baltimore they have Toronto and everything was drivable I mean long drive no doubt in New York Boston but everything was kind of drivable it would have been it would have been driven but it is what it is and you know we live with the schedule that they made where we've got to be for well you mentioned Montreal and this is sort of about Montreal but the Oakland A's are about to become the Las Vegas A's the Tampa Bay rays are waiting for final approval of a new stadium in St. Peter's bird that will keep them close to where they are now and by all indications that's going to allow the commissioner and the owners to seriously consider expansion by two teams obviously which two cities would offer the best locations you're talking to somebody who has got but Montreal I think much else a great I think much else a great baseball time much else a great sports stuff I think that they would do a terrific job and they've got history and they've had some of the biggest moments at baseball after we just went to Roberto Clemente you know forgetting that he played in Montreal you know and you know I've always think of Jackie Robinson played in Montreal but you know that old international they just need the new stadium so I would say Montreal now where it goes after that they whether it's Nashville or whether it's Portland or whether it's I don't know where it would be but you know I I wouldn't worry about that but I think Montreal is a logical and a good place for and I think it'd be great for baseball in Toronto and in Canada but I mean nobody else is going to put them at the top I know you're hopeful but there's a but there yes there is tutoring ownership and stadium and everything else yeah yeah no there's there's a there's a there's a but there no one's going to put them at the top someone's really got to push I mean you know someone had to push Montreal to begin with to get in at the beginning you know someone had because those other cities existed that time someone had to push Toronto and everyone forgets by 1976 you know over the year that I started here you know both the nationally of the America League wanted to play here and Bui Kee Bui Koon had to rule out and before he had to have a chance to even rule on it Liam McPhail was here putting the flag in the ground for the American League but you know what you're 100% right it needs it needs a driving force it needs somebody that will do it that will push it but you know with the right stadium I tell you what it will be traffic you don't have too many players bad well played in Montreal you know and playing in Montreal and players like to visit Montreal you know I like to they like to play their games in Montreal it's just that the stadium was a too big out too far and not really built for baseball and then John McHale said we get the one thing you learned is you cannot build a baseball stadium that will house a track okay and I don't know you know like then we'll do a 440 tracker whatever a 440 meter track right now and and I wonder what happened in Atlanta whether you know they took that stadium and they reconfigured but they didn't work out and you know they've sent two staves since we've had one I mean they've played in the play to actually in three if you thought the one before they before the one of the Olympics so bottom line of it is bottom line of it is Dave I do think that if they had a champion for it and there are some there and somebody that really wanted to bring baseball back to I think it yeah I think it's the best I think it's the best city it's the best demographics and it's great for the city because it becomes international by the way and I still have a Toronto Giants bumper sticker I remember that one that would have been great wait who knows when we would have why they just we were bringing the Giants lock stock comparable yeah their players their firm system their scouting staff everything was going to be here I've never forgotten Robert Laurie's name because of it don't ask me why but I've never forgotten his name because of 1975 and 76 the Giants were coming to Toronto yes they were yes they were well I won't I won't ask your favorite Blue Jay moments because you've had too many and you know you won't want to answer that because it's too tough and I think it's a bad question but you've seen everything so let me try this and I think maybe these these answers are predictable there's one out to get whether it's the fifth inning or the ninth inning or whatever any pitcher who has worn the Toronto uniform you need a strike out who do you want on the mound for the third strike not hanky in 1985 86 maybe you know that maybe not at the end but come hanky I mean there's a lot you think you mean you're what you're 100% right but but come hanky was he was big he was fast and all thing I did you know would you want Roger Clemens if you're talking well that's what I would have thought you said no no but you said one you said one pitch Dave you said one pitch one out one out what do I do Roger Roger Roger obviously Roger Roger obviously from from that from that point he did but I I don't think of Roger that when I think of the one out you want with everything I think you I think of the ninth inning I think of the ninth inning with the bases loaded and and and and two ups okay okay that's a bad that that's a that's a bad feeling in here but it's a great moment of sports okay so let's turn let's turn it around same thing bases loaded three and two you need somebody in a blue jays uniform to drive in a run with a hit who is it well I'm going to tell you I don't think it'll surprise you I think that it might well be Robbie Robbie right Robbie LMR Robbie LMR and the reason why I say that is it's the following okay Robbie LMR's Robbie LMR's genius was getting the hit when it was needed when it was you know just when you need it so when you need a storm base he got the storm base and it great defense he made great defense so because you would think normally that like Jose Batista you would think the guy like George Bell you don't think guy like you know even Joe Carter mean how many once Joe Carter took me like nine or ten years of a hundred and a row and you know and I just think that at the very at the very end of the day this guy for whatever reason could give you whatever you needed think of the home run I know I mean he's not a home run editor you know but he could do it you know what it was needed he made me make a defensive play you know just wanted it out of the blue you know he wasn't like particularly fast but who would you want stealing a base if you need a base it was just some intuition about this guy that could do it all so I'm the problem with your questions are I'm leaving them guys that are gonna see what you mean what about me Carlos Delgado please say that so I'm not yeah exactly well Carlos is one I mean obviously I mean you could start looking at me you know but we've seen it in the past you know who do you want at that point time and you know over the years the good thing about it is that there is real no answer to that question because of the fact that you know if a guy gets it three out of ten times he'll make the whole thing how satisfying was the Batista ceremony for you well I thought it was terrific I congratulate Mark Martin Stark on the whole thing I mean I think they did a terrific job and I think that was they liked it I think it was it brought back not just the memories but how important that Batista was to us so maybe you know the ever forget it was JP Recharging the brought him in here now I don't think that anybody would have thought that he was gonna end up being the the the hitter and the power power because he was otherwise between when we're treated but the bottom line ever was I thought it was them well I thought he was emotionally I always like to see somebody who is not emotional be emotional I mean and and I and I thought that the you know the fact he had his players area the club host guys out there he had the travel people there he didn't miss too much and I thought that I thought it was terrifically done I thought it was and a good idea is not to give the give the speaker the microphone and having to have him doing an event you know so it could be on the scoreboard well no yeah but when you think about when when you came back to be the CEO of this club this club was in trouble it was it was not very solid and you did a lot of things in that period of time to read you know rejuvenate the franchise in so many ways whether it was to make tickets more attractive or particularly for the people that were we're now living downtown living in all those condos but when you look back Jose Batista's role in all of that right prior to 15 and 16 were was vitally important to the history of the franchise don't you think no there was no question about that I mean you know it's just more than what he did up the field it was the way that he did it he was a swagger you know I'm a Toronto blue chain no we really don't care I mean you know you want to start we started this full conversation today he wouldn't care about going into into Tampa Bay that would have bothered him he'd have walked in there with his chest that was set up and you know I said I can hit home runs here just as easy as I can have anywhere else so it may be and maybe easier I hope I don't hit one of the one of the crosswalks or something like that but you know bottom line of it bottom line of it is you know that he brought he gave us legitimacy again when we genuinely needed and then it kind of built from there the now expired and you know made some trades some of the trades didn't work out but then by the time we got the time we got to 15 it really did work out but the foundation was there I mean you go back on that foundation of Jose and Eddie you know we're there to lead us we're at least we want to go we should talk about the player that everybody has been talking about all season and now the discussion is somewhat different and that's Shohei Otoni would he be traded no he wasn't traded what's he going to command in terms of of a salary when it becomes a free agent well now next season all he is is the hitter and if you sign him you're waiting till 2025 to get him as a pitcher as well how valuable is he if you want what he can deliver over two seasons not just one how much money is lost to him by his injury well I think a lot I mean I don't know what it is you know I'd far be it for me to get it good because we all speculated on what he was going to get you know he's going to get $500 million or $600 million you know he's going to pitch every fifth or sixth day or whatever they're going to use him to pitch and he can hit look we're in the entertainment business and this is you know this is this is taken you know that the star player the one guy who's done something nobody's out there ever done before including Babe Ruth you know because he didn't do both at the same year in the same year and and to me it's very very sad that you know that he's not going to be able there to be a pitcher and whether he is with the Toronto Blue Jay's or whether he's with the Dodgers or whether he's with the Angels or the Yankees of Boston I mean we like to see the best players be able to feel I think we all do as fans of the game so I mean this was this this was really really I think devastated the game of baseball and a fan of the game you know so to me it cost him money but you know what it's all relevant I mean you know how much is enough I mean I'm sure he's not worried about the money I'm sure he's worried about the opportunity to do stuff that's never been done before for the record books and you know and I admire for that because if this is a guy you could couldn't dislike I mean the way he carried himself he never he almost had a general rule attitude you know like you know and never question and umpire went to first face when he was walked didn't do anything he went he was trimming then he didn't fix it then you see him pet you say wow so and two guys would that might this be the guy that would get you out of the philosophy of nothing longer than a five-year deal yeah yeah I don't think it would get no that's lost to you would just cost more money for those five years so everyone always forgot about it oh no no like it it's all like would you you want to get at a hundred million dollars over ten years or a hundred million dollars over five years so it's only money it's mathematics John it's like it's so it's the whole deal the answer I don't think it would change maybe because I think that's my time with a stab you know exactly this is our principal this is what we're going to do and we can't wait and we can't do it so there's a lot of contracts that are that are there I won't talk about it the sport or the team or anything else that guys are playing them out because they were a long-term contracts what's the difference pay them up front go direct we're good let's talk about money and for just a minute the top two payrolls are the meds and the Yankees and they have had miserable seasons two of the three payrolls at the bottom are Baltimore and Tampa Bay the top two teams in the American League do the Yankees and the meds pay any attention to that or is the city of New York what makes them do what they do I think is the city of New York that made it you I think you would agree with that I don't make you won't but you know to me I mean it gets New York and you know and they want they they they want the eight eight players on center stage and you know I don't see see that it's that they're going to go root of a of Tampa Bay and see what other way to do it I mean after a while you give Tampa Bay the credit you tip your hat because if you don't for long enough and whatever their formula is I don't know if anybody could replicate it Baltimore different story Baltimore right now they've got so many good young players just watch they'll be close to the Yankees they will base Baltimore they'll be the Tampa Bay in a few years and and that and that makes sense when you think about it that makes sense but Tampa Bay whatever they're able to they're able to rule over these players and they've gone for so many years and bring in the new guys and it's kind of what you talked about David's next man up all the time and we're here to win and the and you the name is the Tampa Bay it's not one guy gets you're not here for that long I was trying no you go you go Dave no I was trying to bring a blue jays playoff clinching magic number to this discussion and I realized that with Texas and Houston and Seattle and that kind of schedule that you know the magic number you need a computer that I that I don't have but I was reminded I think I have to credit the Toronto star I was reminded that in 2015 the blue jays clinched up their playoffs but overnight not realizing that until the next morning when Alex I thought I was got a phone call and was set and said congratulations you've made the playoffs and this kind of magic number math was was happening and do you remember that to be honest with you I do not I thought a little bit different I thought that we had a celebration after we eventually clinched but you know there is some type of mathematics that are out there and vaguely vaguely it's in my mind that you know that that was earlier in the week that you know well the number might have been three the number was really one you know but I thought we knew it in advance you know because teams are playing just someone had to lose and I can't and I really can't remember if they will be honest with you well he he remembers getting a phone call in the morning not realizing until then that the blue jays had actually clinched that there was one more win needed yeah yeah but that situation might occur this week this week now because you know you love magic numbers baseball has existed you know they used to list them in the standings I don't think you can do that now because this is really so so varied in terms of what of what might happen and I mean here we are talking about a Toronto Tampa Bay playoff series yeah it's probably going to happen but that's not guaranteed yet so you know play all it can be in the great week even if we got in we could you know slip to three I mean you know that at the third wild card team you know which means which means Minnesota I mean you know I think that you know we know the three teams that are other four teams are in there's there's two more there's two more to join I mean it's it's it's as simple as that well I think it'll be Tampa Bay and everybody thinks it'll be Tampa Bay yeah yeah there you go well watch watch day watch impact themselves on the back on the on the way I don't want I don't want I don't want to I don't want to be negative or anything like that but the better weeks have a bay because you know we've got a two game lead over one team two and a half over the other team the one that you don't want is where you know we tie Seattle or we tie Seattle or Texas at the end and lose that way right that's the one that the one you got to figure out but with these guys playing each other I would think I know how you I don't know how you actually come up with a magic number well and you got Garicol you got Garicol coming in here with the Yankees I don't know that you worry about them for any other reason but he has beaten them just recently so uh yeah there's still uh there's there's still a question mark they had a guy by the name of King is you'll recall the other day that was Michael King the picture we can I think that's the 13 straight away they got the pitching so it gets back to the one of the original things we talked about the pitching and and and and and heading you know and we could we could we couldn't touch it but we'll come in this week we'll be okay I'm confident now before before let you go the the uh the business of baseball you know we all compare things to the national football league now in North America the business of baseball appears to be in such great shape and that yet there's let probably less national television less national coverage but I like the San Diego Padres had 60 sellouts this year right and they weren't even 500 I mean the business of baseball is exploding still yeah baseball was kind of a downtrend you know and I think that you know this year were 10% in attendance which means they're approximately 6 million I mean you know more more people uh television waves are better um you know the bottom line of it is you know they've had these you've had these kind of better racism cities that have had a chance to kind of come back like whether it's Cincinnati right now whether it's Miami you know say Miami you know there's still John 17 thousand you know they were John eight nine you know so everything has got you know small steps to to improve well look at here I mean you know the work they did at the blue jazzy give them full marks and what they did they don't feel district I mean that sells out I mean you know that's it yeah that's that's full that's full all that's full all the time but the game is I think in in in in pretty good pretty good shape right now but you know somehow we'll do something a little you know screwed up and then we'll come back again yeah always comes back and always comes back the game the game always comes back Paul don't go away uh bobcats coming up wants to say hello to you Dave Hodges here too McCown podcast after this I was taught a long time ago the job of a host is to get out of the way so McCown and Beaston go at it well I don't say uh what do you got to say Beaston I didn't get chance to hear the podcast today so um are you optimistic yeah I'm optimistic yeah you should I'm optimistic I mean I'm family ups and downs for the year um because you know we've had some bad times and we've had some good times but uh I'm optimistic as we go through the port uh go through the final week um it's all we wanted which was entertainment um and basically if we can if we can get ourselves so probably have to go back to Tampa Bay play down there you know we just played we just we just played two out of three down there and we've got good pitching we've got good defense we've got a tremendous announcer um you know that that that took over from you back in 1977 uh but you know the bottom the bottom line is Bob I am I am optimistic you know and I then I hope that um you've been able to watch some of it because you know they'll play with you know because you know yes you know you've done five nothing you're up six five you lose the game I mean it's uh it's um it's it's it's it's tough to watch but it is entertainment and it's 162 games you'll see something different every day so yeah I'm optimistic I'll tell you the the y'all I am now too uh the thing that makes me optimistic has been the offense the past week or so has been pretty good and you know all year long the offense was really horrible they just couldn't on scoring runs they didn't get hits with runners this great position so that concerned me a lot but that hasn't been the case the last week or so they've really come through they haven't got like you know 12 15 hits a game but they're they're getting when they have them and if that continues this week I think this team makes the playoffs yeah I think so too Bob and I you know like one thing that we've got that you know they like pitching I mean it's the pitch is great it's done well defense has been it's been doing it's I want to maybe elites too strong word but maybe it's not too strong word particularly on the outfield and so you've got that if they hitting if they hitting comes in then you've got the three pieces they got the three pieces together so I'm I'm I am optimistic I must say and I'm going to step for it I'm excited I mean I love this time I love this time of the year I mean you know what the scoreboard watching the circus fire with that's part of it but let's get in and let's see what we can do at that point there's been there's been there'll be no surprise 10 days ago Bob was ready to fire everybody's Shapiro was I mean he was ready to close the dorm and sell the team I mean it was unbelievable let me bring it back that's true and the question of the thing is it's been 30 years you think I would know that that this kind of thing happens every season you know it's two games it's not a short span so yeah it should know better but I didn't and I mean it was take Haji yeah I want to ask you this baseball helps me recover from boredom is watching baseball night after night day after day which I assume you do in whole or in part I do help helping your recovery I mean who knows sounds like you're interested well I am interested I'm very interested I mean look at it would be nice if the blue jeans weren't first place I guess but in this scenario whether in this this unbelievable race for postseason it's really exciting every night you're motivated to watch and see what happens and check the scoreboard to see how Seattle and Texas and Houston are doing but I can't I can't imagine a more exciting year than this year I don't know that we've had many that have been this good see Paul yeah this is the kinder this is the kinder Jettler Bob O'Cowell and he's a nice guy now what happened well tell back next week you maybe totally pull me to hate this and thank you very much for coming on today was a real treat thanks David thank you and Bob I can't tell how thrilled I am to to see you and to see your smile and and you know the kinder Jettler Bob O'Cowell is there so get back get back to that ordering son of a bitch that you used to be okay I'm working on a beast I'm working on I'll call and see you after I get better okay I look forward to it thank you for Beaston for McCowell and for Hodge this is Shannon we'll talk to you tomorrow you