Pinstripes, Pitching, and, Perlinger
In this episode of PSP, host Nii Wallace-Bruce and guest Jonna Perlinger, founder of Babes Babes Media, discuss the one-of-a-kind media company rooted in baseball fandom and empowerment (02:42). Jonna narrates her journey from a lifelong Yankees fan to creating a dedicated platform for women in baseball (00:52).
*NB: This episode was recorded prior to the release of Carlos Carrasco and the injury to Oswaldo Cabrera
Nii and Jonna delve into the current state of baseball, focusing on the competitive AL East division battle and controversial rule changes like the pitching clock and the extra-innings 'ghost runner' (04:54). The conversation shifts to detailed Yankees analysis, covering player acquisitions, performance, and decisions (20:58), including the high-stakes trade of Nestor Cortes for Devin Williams (07:23), and Aaron Judge's transformative play (26:02). The discussion ends on lighter notes like favorite ballpark foods (31:30) and reflections on the evolving nature of baseball fandom.
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Jonna Perlinger:
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Opening and closing music courtesy of Jeremiah Alves - "Evermore".
Transcript
Welcome to another episode of PSP.
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:I am your host, Mr.
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:Ne Wallace.
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:Bruce, you believe it?
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:We are one month into the baseball
season and before you know it, the
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:playoffs will be around the corner.
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:It'll be the full classic until
then, we've got good weather.
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:We've got spring.
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:We've got summer on the horizon, and
we've got an a least dog fight going on
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:'cause we got the Yankees, the Red Sox.
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:The Orioles and the Blue Jays all
battling it out for the division league.
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:Like no one wants to leave right now.
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:And there's that team called
Tampa Bay, who's currently playing
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:a minor league baseball park.
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:Went into that, doubt, because
they have a special guest.
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:She is the founder of Babes Babes Media,
a unique media company that goes around
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:all the major League baseball franchises.
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:It's Jona, Pellinger, Jona.
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:How you doing?
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:Jonna Perlinger: I am so good.
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:How are you Doing?
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:PSP: Jonah.
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:Why don't you
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:Jonna Perlinger: Good.
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:PSP: us a little bit about how
Babes Babes Media came about.
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:Jonna Perlinger: Yeah, definitely.
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:So I have been a lifelong baseball
fan, particularly a Yankee fan.
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:I was born into a diehard family.
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:So I didn't have a choice on my
team, but I am so happy about that.
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:It paid off over the years, so I was
growing up in the nineties when the
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:nineties dynasty was going on and.
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:Just, I've always been so attached
to the game of baseball and.
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:In 2021, I was living in Denver
at the time and the MLB All Star
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:Week got moved there last minute.
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:And the Denver Sports Commission and
the Rockies were reaching out to fans
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:in the area looking for volunteers.
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:So I went and I signed
myself up immediately.
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:Which was such a life changing experience.
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:It was so cool.
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:I got to work the MLB draft that year.
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:And so walking away from that experience,
I was like, what am I doing with my life?
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:I love baseball.
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:This is where I shine.
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:You know, this is where I'm confident
in myself and in what I'm doing.
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:And so like, why am I
not working in baseball?
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:So I kind of just walked away, you
know, it was kind of a critical
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:time in life anyway, right?
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:'cause it was right in the midst of C
and I think like a lot of us were doing
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:a lot of self-reflection at the time.
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:And so I walked away from that and I was
like, I am going to work in baseball.
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:I don't know what that looks like yet,
but I am gonna carve it out, carve a path.
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:And so I got, at the time I was really
started to be active live tweeting
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:during Yankee games on Twitter.
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:And I kind of just grew a
following really quickly there.
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:And then someone reached out to me
wanting me to start writing for them.
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:So that's who I write
for now on New Jersey.
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:And I took on that opportunity.
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:And then from there, you know, just.
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:Just a lot of the hate that I got on
Twitter there for the first couple
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:of years maybe, that I was really
actively tweeting during games.
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:There would be a lot of like, you know,
go back to the kitchen and just like,
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:you know, female hate kind of posts.
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:And so I was like, I need to
create a platform where women
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:can come together, talk baseball.
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:We don't have to put up
with that, you know, and so.
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:I was searching around to see if there
were any other podcasts out there doing
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:that, who were like solely run by women
and I couldn't really find anything.
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:I.
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:Not that there aren't women, female
podcasters talking baseball, but I
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:couldn't find one that was like solely
women and where like the whole goal of
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:it was to promote like women in baseball.
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:So I started that platform
and that has grown.
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:And I've been at it for
about two years now.
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:. PSP: Baseball should be a safe space
to, can all talk about the game.
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:It's a beautiful thing when
the game's on and we can just
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:talk passionately about it.
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:There's no need to get personal.
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:You've been doing this
for a couple of years now.
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:The game's been changing in that
time, but what have you seen your
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:capacity as a writer and also as
the founder of your media company?
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:Jonna Perlinger: Yeah, I mean, I guess
like just from the women in baseball
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:angle, like just since I started, I've
seen tons of pages pop up and tons of like
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:fans female fans getting more and more
immersed in the game and in the sports.
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:Like from that women in sports and women
in baseball perspective, that has been.
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:Really cool because I feel like
it's just like the norm now.
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:We don't have to like do this whole,
like women in sports, women in baseball.
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:I mean, we don't have to do that on
the daily, like fighting for ourselves.
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:I've seen a lot, it's just the norm
now is what I'm trying to say, I guess.
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:So from that perspective, that's been
a cool growth from the game obviously.
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:The game changes every day.
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:And that's what I love
about baseball so much.
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:Like one day, you know, one week,
, the Blue Jays are in the lead.
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:The, the next week the Yankees
are in the lead and the Blue
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:Jays are in what, fourth place.
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:So it's like, it, it just, I
love that that baseball is just
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:always fast paced, changing.
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:You don't know what's gonna come.
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:Yeah.
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:I don't, I don't know in terms
of the game, like specifically.
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:I mean, we've had a couple
weird rule changes, right?
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:That have happened in
the last couple years.
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:, The pitching clock being
implemented was a big one.
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:And it was, I don't know about you,
but it was so funny to see like in
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:the first couple of weeks last year
when that was implemented where people
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:were like, oh, I, I hate this so much.
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:I hate, you know, and then.
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:Like, after a while, I feel like people
kind of started to go to the other side,
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:like, okay, I can get on board with this.
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:I think that the true baseball fans
though, like kind of hate it still
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:because we want more baseball, right?
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:Like, I, liked sitting and watching
baseball for three and a half, three
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:hours and 45 minutes, you know?
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:So the fact that the
games go by so fast, like.
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:I can't even get up and go, you
know, run to the kitchen and come
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:back and I've already missed a
whole inning or a split at least.
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:So, yeah, I mean, the game
that has changed a lot.
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:I.
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:PSP: Yeah, I, I get what
you're saying there.
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:It's definitely lot faster when you
go to the, the ballpark you're in for
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:the 7 0 7 start, and you're, you're
roughing out around 9 30, 9 45.
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:The days of going home at 10
30, 11 or, or almost over.
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:I don't,
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:Mind the pitch clock to be honest.
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:One rule that I need to see gone
yesterday is the, base person.
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:Yeah, extra base runner and
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:Jonna Perlinger: Yes.
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:PSP: I get why it was brought in at the
time, but that was also the same time
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:when we had seven inning doubleheaders
and seven inning doubleheaders are gone.
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:We need to get rid of the Manfred
man, as I like to call it, just as
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:Jonna Perlinger: Yeah.
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:PSP: get rid of it, let extra innings,
b as the way they were intended.
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:Competitive baseball.
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:Yeah.
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:Let's, let's just be done with that.
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:Yeah,
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:Jonna Perlinger: Yeah, I agree.
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:I I've been doing these fan features
on Babes, babes Media on my Instagram
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:page, and so if fans want to be featured
I have like a bunch of questions I
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:ask them and, and then I post it.
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:And so, you know, other fans
can follow them and, , so forth.
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:But one of the questions I asked is,
what is the worst rule in baseball?
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:And I think everyone, but like one person
has said the ghost runner and extras.
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:PSP: Yeah.
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:It does need to to be around, I
think before Rob Manfred goes as
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:commissioner needs to roll that one back.
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:Jonna Perlinger: We as Yankee fans can
confirm, it often does not go our way with
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:the extras, the race runner and extras.
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:Yeah.
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:PSP: It's a, it's a wild time be a
Yankee fan and seeing what goes on,
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:particularly when you get to the,
to the back end of the bull fan.
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:You never know what's gonna happen.
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:Tell us about that, because the Yankees
did make a big trade in the off season.
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:They traded away Nester Cortez a starter.
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:They brought in Devon Williams, who was
the closest from the Milwaukee Brewers.
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:He was tabbed as the,
the high leverage closer.
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:They seem to prefer him
over Luke Weaver initially.
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:has been your
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:Jonna Perlinger: Yeah.
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:PSP: how that is going down, especially
now that Devin Williams has seemingly been
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:removed as the closer for the Yankees?
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:Jonna Perlinger: Yeah.
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:You know, I will say when he did his
introductory press conference, I,
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:it didn't sit well with me because
his tone, and I guess like the more
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:interviews I've seen him do, he is
kind of like, he's not very animated.
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:He's not very, his voice is
very monotone, so he doesn't
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:show like a lot of emotion, so.
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:It might just be a little bit of
that, but he did not seem excited
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:at all to be traded to the Yankees.
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:And he even made a comment in
his introductory presser it
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:was like, well, I thought I was
going to the Dodgers or whatever.
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:And so, that didn't sit super well
with me 'cause I was like, anyone who
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:is going to go put on the pen stripes?
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:In my experience anyway, like that's like.
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:How, you know you've made it right, like
that's the biggest stage in baseball to
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:put on the pin strips and be a Yankee.
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:So to not be showing any emotion
or like excitement around
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:that was kind of weird to me.
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:So I kind of had that, that
in the back of my mind.
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:And then, yeah, like obviously his
first couple outings, I'm like,
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:okay, like this is probably normal.
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:I mean, he is really young.
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:This is only his second team and so like.
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:I wasn't gonna say a whole
lot in the first few outings.
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:But I mean, as time went on, it
was very obvious, very quickly
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:that Luke Weaver is our guy.
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:And I am, I am proud of the Yankees for
pulling the plug as quickly as they have.
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:'Cause they, you know, probably
wouldn't have in the past.
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:But I mean, I think having Luke Weaver.
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:And knowing that they have him and
like seeing what he's done, probably
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:made their decision a lot easier than,
you know, it has been in the past.
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:But yeah, like to speak to Luke
Weaver, he hasn't given up a run
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:since last October during the A LCS
game three of the A-A-L-C-S, and he's
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:only given up five hits in that span.
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:So he's faced 75 batters, zero ERA.
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:Five hits since the last October.
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:So it's like, if that doesn't speak
for itself, like that's our guy,
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:and I don't really understand why.
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:I think a lot of people are in
this position too, like, why did
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:we need to get Devin Williams?
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:Why, why did we do that?
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:So I, I feel like maybe that was the
only way we could offload Nestor.
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:I don't know.
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:PSP: That's a good point.
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:We'll talk about Nest in a moment,
but staying on Devin Williams, 'cause
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:starting to get some, vibes of Sonny
Gray, Joey Gallo, guys who have been high
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:performers at other teams, when they come
to the Bronx, , they seem to struggle.
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:Perhaps.
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:, Is that
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:A thing for players
that come into New York?
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:That, that the lights might
be a little bit bright?
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:Jonna Perlinger: Oh, definitely.
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:I mean, even look at Clay Holmes and like
the year he's having over there with the
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:Mets as a starter you know, he got a lot
of hate and a lot of booze and, perhaps
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:it was just that the lights are too
bright and, and the Bronx, I don't know.
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:I can definitely see that
being the case with Williams.
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:But he had a good outing last
night when they moved, when they
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:brought him in, in the eighth.
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:And so, maybe it's just too
much pressure as the closer.
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:I mean, look, if I am going to come
into a team and I am, you know, young
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:have only played with one team and I'm
coming in and taking the job of the
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:guy who just closed for the Yankees
in the World Series, didn't give up a
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:run, by the way, in the World Series.
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:I mean, that's really high pressure.
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:So maybe just taking a backseat
to Weaver is what he needs.
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:PSP: Maybe now, as he said, has brought
in as part of the trade that sent Ne
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:Nest Cortez away to Milwaukee, Cortez.
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:I guess his final act for
the Yankees will be infamous.
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:It wasn't.
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:I.
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:Maybe it was his choice.
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:Maybe it was Aaron Boone's choice,
but he did come in in Game one of
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:the World Series to attempt to close
out the game, and it ended up being a
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:highlight reel for the wrong reasons.
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:As Freddie Freeman cracked a
home run that won on the game.
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:, What was your take on, that decision?
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:Would you have liked to have seen someone
else come in to pitch that ninth meaning?
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:Jonna Perlinger: Yeah, so I guess.
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:At the time I was really
confused as to why we had
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:Marcus Stroman on on the roster.
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:Because we had had Cody Petite start three
games and win three games for us during
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:the regular season, and he's a lefty.
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:And so I was like, why do we even
have Marcus Stroman on the roster?
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:And then like, Nestor, I
feel in hindsight wasn't.
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:Fully healed.
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:But they rushed him back
because we needed him.
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:But like, I guess I didn't really
understand why they left Cody Petit
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:off the roster when they had like two
potential spots there that they could
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:have, had him replace in Nestor or , I
felt like he could have been a good
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:relief piece for us, especially if we
needed somebody for multiple innings.
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:So that was always in the
back of my mind, like, why did
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:that guy not make the roster?
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:And then, you know, he
ended up being traded.
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:PSP: Yeah, he
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:Jonna Perlinger: I don't
know if he was traded.
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:Traded to the Cubs, right
in the Bellinger deal.
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:And then he's been , DFA since,
and the Orioles picked him up, but
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:immediately and I don't blame them.
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:I was hoping we would snatch him up
and I'm, not really sure why we didn't.
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:Because I felt like he was excellent last
year in the starts that we had him in.
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:So I guess that was like
always in the back of my mind,
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:like, why didn't we have him?
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:Because I didn't feel like
Nestor was fully healed.
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:And I think again, we rushed him back.
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:We needed him.
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:And obviously he's hurt again already,
so I still just feel like all this time
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:he hasn't really fully been healed,
which like, I'll say there are guys
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:like Garrett Cole and, that guy knows
his body so well that like so many
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:times he would get looked at by doctors
because he's like, something's off.
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:He didn't mess around with it.
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:But I feel like there's a lot of guys
that try to just like fight through it
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:and it always comes back to bite them.
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:Nester's one of those guys,
like, I just think he.
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:You know, he won't speak
up when something's off
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:and, , tries to fight through it.
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:And, but it always comes
up, in an aisle visit.
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:And that's, what's going on right
now with him, with the brewers.
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:So, yeah, a questionable call for sure.
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:And then again, they brought him in.
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:What game was that?
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:Game five.
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:Was that game four or game five?
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:That he came back out and actually did
have a good outing that time around.
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:But
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:PSP: yeah,
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:Jonna Perlinger: I
questionable call for sure.
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:PSP: It was not a, not a great
time and not a, not a way.
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:You want him to be
remembered in the postseason.
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:'cause he had a pretty good
Yankees career up to that point.
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:He was known for his.
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:Little thing that he did on the
mound, but kind of puts the,
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:Jonna Perlinger: Yeah.
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:PSP: he
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:Jonna Perlinger: His little kick antics.
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:PSP: Exactly.
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:So for him to go out like
that, it was pretty sad to see.
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:But what can you do?
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:Jonna Perlinger: it was, yeah.
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:PSP: What can you do?
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:Jonna Perlinger: But back to the Devin
Williams thing, before we move on to
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:another topic, I've, I figured out before
this I was like, I wanna know what our
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:bullpen ERA is without Devin Williams.
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:And it's a 2.32
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:and that even includes Yarborough, who
doesn't have like the greatest, I think
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:he might have a nine ERA or something.
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:So I mean, that speaks volumes of the
ERA or of the, the bullpen without Devin,
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:what Devin Williams has done so far?
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:PSP: Yeah, and that's a
good point you raised.
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:'cause the bullpen outside of
Williams has, has been reasonable.
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:I.
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:The,
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:Jonna Perlinger: Absolutely.
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:PSP: has had its obvious issues.
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:Garrett Cole has gone down, his production
has been replaced by Max Fried, who's,
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:you know, he's gone from being free agent
acquisition to the new a to the team.
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:They've, they've now got Clark
Schmidt coming back from injury.
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:Lewis Hill be in the, in
the frame around June, but
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:Jonna Perlinger: Yeah.
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:PSP: aside from that, it is
a little bit up and down.
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:Marcus Truman, who was.
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:Very much on the trading block
throughout the winter has
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:suddenly become, , a potential.
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:He was a starter to begin the season.
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:I don't know what his status
is gonna be going forward, but
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:there's a lot of uncertainty when
it comes to the Yankees rotation.
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:Would you agree?
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:Jonna Perlinger: Oh yeah.
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:It seems like one week Warren's
on Carra goes off, or vice versa.
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:But we are lucky to have,
so, lucky to have Max Freed.
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:And Carlos Radon has been good.
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:He is, he's got the fifth most
strikeouts in the league, so, seeing more
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:production from him from that standpoint.
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:And I feel like he shined last year too.
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:Like before Garrett Cole returned, I feel
like Rodan really stepped into being like
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:the leader and the, the ace at the time.
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:So, yeah, I, I think those
two were getting a lot of
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:great production out of them.
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:I mean, max Free has been
exactly as advertised.
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:PSP: Yeah.
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:a really good acquisition.
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:Do you feel like the front office
did enough with the free agent?
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:Moves and trays that were
completed in the wintertime.
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:No,
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:Jonna Perlinger: No, I don't,
but I also don't know if they, I.
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:I feel like maybe they would've acquired
another starter if they could have
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:dished Marcus Stroman off, but we, no
one would take him and his contract.
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:And I'm not sure why they're not
willing to go over the tax threshold
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:like more because look at, look at
the Mets and the Dodgers, and we, it's
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:not like we don't have that money.
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:So I'm really not sure why they
didn't acquire another starter.
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:But yeah, I, I also, the third base
position too, like there's a lot of,
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:question marks there, but personally
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:PSP: I.
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:Jonna Perlinger: I wasn't that upset
that we didn't acquire a third baseman
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:because I am pretty confident in Oswaldo
Cabrera, and I've been a big fan of
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:his for a long time, so I did not see
that as being a, as big of an issue as
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:several other people, most other fans did.
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:. And I mean, he is hitting, he,
does have an above average OPS
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:right now, so above league average.
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:I mean and so I don't know,
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:PSP: Yeah, it's
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:Jonna Perlinger: so far I'm,
I'm pretty happy with it.
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:PSP: yeah.
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:Paul Goldman has been a
pleasant surprise at first base.
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:I know there are a lot
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:Jonna Perlinger: Totally.
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:PSP: about him coming in, but
he, I think he's done quite well.
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:He's lifted He's definitely
replaced Anthony Rizzo's production
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:offensively and defensively.
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:Jonna Perlinger: Yes.
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:PSP: I don't wanna sound like an old man
in a cardigan, but I'm gonna do this.
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:You know where I'm going with this.
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:George s Brenner would not have allowed
the Yankees to stand of the tax.
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:I mean, he probably would've showed
out 800 million for one soda.
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:Then again, he probably would've made sure
that Jorge or Tony was a Yankee as well.
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:He would not have let
them to other places.
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:Did the Yankees miss, out
on one sort on your opinion?
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:I mean, a lot of Yankee fans
are treating it like a breakup.
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:When you went to the Nets , there's
a four or five stages of grief,
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:that went on there, but who won
that breakup, if you don't mind?
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:Jonna Perlinger: Oh, we
hands down won the breakup.
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:And I am not just saying that because
he's not producing a whole lot right now.
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:I said that before the
season even started.
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:I went through the five stages
of grief that you mentioned.
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:I was.
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:Sad instantly, but then I was like
pissed off because I was like,
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:how dare you come in here, ride
judges' coattails, and then leave.
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:And then like, I think what
ticked me off the most were the
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:comments that I was hearing he
was making about like the Yankees.
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:And they didn't do this
and they didn't do that.
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:And just like the demands I
was hearing that he was making
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:like the sweet thing and.
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:I mean, come on.
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:Like, how is it not big enough
for you that you're playing for
394
:the fricking New York Yankees?
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:It just left a really bad taste in my
mouth, but like, reality started to
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:set in and I was like, I mean, it was
the next day that the Yankees, I think
397
:it was within eight days, the Yankees
had, signed, freed traded for Williams.
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:And I can't remember what other
we resigned Jonathan Laga.
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:PSP: Belling.
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:Jonna Perlinger: yeah, it might have
been the Bellinger deal because Paul
401
:Goldschmidt was obviously a little later,
so, so I think, yeah, it might've been
402
:like those four things that they did.
403
:In an eight day span and I was like,
alright, we're gonna be all right.
404
:Like, they're making moves.
405
:Yeah, I mean, obviously we
have production all the way up
406
:and down the lineup right now.
407
:Like I, like I mentioned, with
waldo's above league average OPS,
408
:but we have eight players with an
above league average OPS right now.
409
:So I would say that they did all right.
410
:And not having all that money
going to him all like 15
411
:years, that's such a long time.
412
:And they've made that mistake in the past
and I like it hasn't played out very well.
413
:So, I mean, we already
have Stanton locked down.
414
:We've got DJ a couple more years.
415
:We've obviously got judge
down for a long time.
416
:We've got Max freed on an
eight year deal like Rodan.
417
:I mean, we're gonna be tied up in
contracts for a long time, and , I think
418
:they, made it outta that one safely.
419
:PSP: Yeah, , that deal for judge is
looking like a bargain right now.
420
:300 million
421
:Jonna Perlinger: Oh my gosh.
422
:Yeah.
423
:I mean, even like judge, but
even like Bobby Whitt Jr.
424
:I mean, I think his contract
is only like 200 something.
425
:It's just crazy to me.
426
:PSP: Mm.
427
:It'll be interesting to see how
that plays out across the way
428
:in Queens with the medicine.
429
:Yeah, how many championships
does it bring in?
430
:Does it bring any championships?
431
:And it interesting to see.
432
:One question I do wanna ask is someone
who's for the Yankees, as long as
433
:you have, have they lost their touch?
434
:Have they lost their aura in that regard?
435
:Now that the, the Dodgers and Mets , and
also to a less extent the Phillies.
436
:When you think about Bryce
Hoffman, a couple other players
437
:the Yankees lost their aura when
it comes to free agent signings.
438
:Jonna Perlinger: I mean
maybe a little bit like I.
439
:I think there are a lot of us old
school Yankee fans that still think like
440
:this is the biggest stage on baseball.
441
:Like, why would you not
wanna play for the Yankees?
442
:You know?
443
:But a lot of these guys now
coming into the league probably
444
:grew up as Yankee haters.
445
:'cause they were probably raised by
nineties Yankees, dad, you know, dads
446
:that grew up in the like eighties,
maybe early nineties, I don't know.
447
:But like.
448
:There's gonna be guys coming into the
league that were raised in the generation
449
:where everyone hated the Yankees.
450
:And so, I don't know, like it is
surprising to me though, how many
451
:guys are still on our team that are
like, oh yeah, I grew up a Yankee fan.
452
:Or even like when we play other teams,
it's fascinating to me when like,
453
:you know, O'Neill Cruz for example.
454
:H his dad was a big Paul O'Neal fan, so
he's named O'Neill after Paul O'Neill.
455
:And it's like, it's,
that's just so crazy to me.
456
:There was somebody the other day we were
playing, that again, Paul O'Neal, it
457
:was somebody on the Blue Jays and again,
grew up like a giant Paul O'Neal fan.
458
:And so like they arranged for him
to meet Paul O'Neal before the game
459
:or something with the Yes Network.
460
:So.
461
:It is fascinating to me how many
kids in the league are still in
462
:the league who did grow up, like
maybe liking a player or a team.
463
:But, I do think as like the league
gets younger and younger, we're gonna
464
:start seeing players coming into the
league who were probably raised by
465
:Yankee haters because it, you know,
in the nineties, like if you weren't
466
:a Yankee fan, you're a Yankee hater.
467
:PSP: Yep.
468
:hear that.
469
:it is, yeah.
470
:It was, just a thing.,
471
:They were so good that,,
they had many haters.
472
:Now I.
473
:Jonna Perlinger: So, I mean, to your aura
question, like there's probably gonna
474
:be always Yankee haters because of that.
475
:And so like it's gonna get passed on.
476
:And so I think we do still hold
some aura in that regard for sure.
477
:PSP: Sure.
478
:Yeah.
479
:Those pin strikes are powerful.
480
:You can't, can't
481
:Jonna Perlinger: Yeah.
482
:PSP: Now, you touched on the recent series
of the Blue Jays played over the weekend.
483
:The the Yankees 1, 2, 1.
484
:They're able to sweep on a double header,
which is something you don't normally see.
485
:Typically, when two games are
played on the same day, one team
486
:wins one, and then they, they might
drop the the other, but Yankees.
487
:Batch showed up and they swept
the blue Jays on the day they
488
:did lose on the Friday night.
489
:That was Devon Williams' last
appearance as the close of the Yankees,
490
:and he effectively blew the game.
491
:Let's be honest.
492
:What did you see
493
:Jonna Perlinger: Yeah,
494
:PSP: though?
495
:Did, what were your observations from
that series against the Blue Jays?
496
:Jonna Perlinger: I mean
everything was pretty on.
497
:It seems like when we're at
home the bats erupt, right?
498
:Like at least this season.
499
:But I don't know that ha.
500
:That has been true in past seasons,
but this year it seems like every time
501
:we're home, like the often just erupts.
502
:So it was crazy, right?
503
:Because game one of
504
:the sweep on Sunday.
505
:So technically game two of
the series, but they just like
506
:completely blew it open with 11 runs.
507
:So it was shocking that they came
back and were able to win the second
508
:one after they had done all that
offensive production in the first game.
509
:But the pitching was just
like the stabilizer of it all.
510
:We had Max freed just allowing
one run across six innings.
511
:And even Clark Schmidt, I mean,
it was a little rocky, right?
512
:But.
513
:He only allowed one run
run over his five innings.
514
:And then that's when we had Luke
Weaver closing that one out, and
515
:that was obviously the closer game.
516
:So it worked out pretty well.
517
:It was really cool to see JC Escarra get
his first MLB home run and, you know,
518
:especially like his, his backstory is
so cool being an Uber driver two years
519
:ago and working his way up the rinks.
520
:So.
521
:Really cool.
522
:Trent Grisham, I mean, he, he led
the game off on the right note,
523
:the game two of that day with a,
a home run in the first inning.
524
:So, yeah, I mean, he's been on fire too.
525
:And, and that's like the point I
was trying to make earlier, that the
526
:production isn't just coming from,
you know, the two and three hole,
527
:like it was in years past, like.
528
:It's up and down the lineup.
529
:And like having Paul Goldschmidt on
this team is such an understated, like,
530
:powerful, you know, perk to the team.
531
:And I think like his production
is so quiet because he's
532
:not your home run hitter.
533
:You know, but he just comes through
with such clutch, like getting on base,
534
:like working account singles, doubles.
535
:And yeah, I mean the production
that we're seeing from him, like,
536
:PSP: I.
537
:Jonna Perlinger: I think it just goes like
so under the rug because, because again,
538
:he's not the one hitting your home runs
and, and even hitting like a whole lot of
539
:doubles with man, he's like, so clutch.
540
:PSP: Yeah, and it'll be interesting to
see what happens down the stretch as the
541
:Yankees go for divisional and tenant run.
542
:Now, one, one player who will be
crucial for that is the captain.
543
:Judge,
544
:Jonna Perlinger: definitely.
545
:PSP: of League Baseball to
give the Yankees the day off
546
:on his birthday on Saturday.
547
:the rain.
548
:sure he did.
549
:Jonna Perlinger: Yeah.
550
:PSP: mind having the day off for that.
551
:He is hitting 4 0 5.
552
:That's his average as of April 29,
going into a game against Baltimore.
553
:He's hitting above 400.
554
:He hits above 360 the road.
555
:Yeah,
556
:Jonna Perlinger: Yeah.
557
:PSP: is this the Iron
558
:Jonna Perlinger: Yeah.
559
:PSP: tour?
560
:When we consider that his final act
or his final moment that we remember
561
:of 2024 was him dropping a fairly
regulation fly out in outfield, and that
562
:kind of fueled the Dodgers Combat to
Win Game five and and the World Series.
563
:In that moment, the Yankees were
up, they were hitting runs, and it
564
:seems like we were talking about them
going back to LA for game six and
565
:potentially turning around the series.
566
:Aaron Judge maybe takes us off
the ball for a split second.
567
:The ball drops to the
ground, doesn't make the out.
568
:Garrett Cole ends up loading the bases.,
569
:Derek Cole misses out on a routine
play at first face with Anthony Rizzo.
570
:That fifth inning espouse outta control.
571
:It becomes a social media.
572
:Nightmare.
573
:It's memes from left right center.
574
:Aaron just has to sit on
this for four or five months.
575
:feel like this is fueling
his season right now?
576
:Jonna Perlinger: Quite possibly, I don't
know what goes on internally with him, but
577
:you know, in the way that he deals with
the media, it's just like I, that's who.
578
:I would wanna model myself after if
I were a young player because like
579
:the way that he just deals with the
media and he just takes it head on and
580
:he doesn't, he doesn't sugar coat or
anything, but he also doesn't like,
581
:he doesn't let that stuff get to him.
582
:He's just like so confident in
who he is and in his abilities.
583
:Like I don't even know if that stuff
even bothers him as much as like.
584
:It would your average person?
585
:I mean he, he's a dad now too, so he
is got that dad strength going on.
586
:Yeah, certainly I think he knows he
didn't perform in the, in the entire
587
:postseason like he would've liked to.
588
:And he's gotten a lot of
hate over the years for that.
589
:So I think he has like tried to
really work on the things that.
590
:I have prevented him from
producing the postseason.
591
:You know, his strikeout rate
is down way, way down from what
592
:it was even a couple years ago.
593
:So he's really worked on his chase rate
and you know, he doesn't chase those like
594
:low in a way anymore like he used to.
595
:He works a lot more walks,
which he did last year.
596
:And you know, a couple years ago he
reached out to Paul Goldschmidt to.
597
:For advice on his two strike approach.
598
:So I, I think he's just made so many
tweaks in the last, like, couple
599
:years just perfecting his game.
600
:And it is just, it's so cool.
601
:And like he's not trying to
hit for power as much anymore.
602
:Like he'll take the singles and doubles
and just like putting the ball into play.
603
:And he's just, he's become
a master at that, right?
604
:So obviously , his numbers
speak for themselves.
605
:I read something this morning that
said, and he could go hitless in his
606
:next 78 at bats and still be hitting
above the league average two 40.
607
:PSP: That's, that says a lot.
608
:Now, you,
609
:Jonna Perlinger: Yeah.
610
:PSP: on the post-season narrative.
611
:I, I actually pushed back on that.
612
:I, I'm aware of it.
613
:I've heard it, and I know that some
folks have done this with Clayton SRO as
614
:well, but I actually don't think judges
post-season record is, is that bad?
615
:Yes.
616
:season wasn't great.
617
:He's hitting what, 180
618
:Jonna Perlinger: Sorry.
619
:PSP: 20 22, 1 39.
620
:I get that.
621
:But if we take out the 2020 season, which
is played in the bubble, so we're not
622
:counting that he's been hitting Okay.
623
:In the postseason.
624
:I don't think it's as bad
as people make it out to be.
625
:, People make it sound like he's
the ice man and Iceman come
626
:with when October comes around.
627
:I think he's, he's gonna make some
tweaks, but I don't think it's as
628
:awful as people make it out to be.
629
:Yeah.
630
:Jonna Perlinger: Yeah, I.
631
:I, I definitely don't either.
632
:And I also, like, I don't see Shhe Tani
getting that hate for his postseason
633
:stats, which are actually worse.
634
:So that, yeah, that really
stood out to me last year.
635
:Like,
636
:PSP: Yeah.
637
:Jonna Perlinger: all right,
it really isn't as bad as
638
:like people make it out to be
639
:PSP: He had three home
runs in the postseason,
640
:Jonna Perlinger: Yeah, I mean
certainly , that's still quite
641
:a bit of production from him.
642
:So yeah, I think you know, if we can
get Stan back healthy and, and good
643
:me and it's gonna be quite a ride.
644
:PSP: oh, yeah.
645
:Yeah.
646
:It might almost be a blessing in disguise.
647
:Similar to.
648
:Garrett Cole was delayed start to 2024
649
:Jonna Perlinger: Right.
650
:I mean like for sure I was thinking
that with Luis Heal too, because it's
651
:like he throws that the ball so hard.
652
:Right.
653
:And he's already had his Tommy
John a couple years ago , and
654
:it's a long season and we, what we
really need him for is in the end.
655
:So I was thinking with him.
656
:In particular just 'cause he has
struggled with injury in the past.
657
:But I mean, Stanton too with his age.
658
:I think I said that on another podcast,
that if we can get them back healthy by
659
:like July, then that's good luck league.
660
:You know?
661
:'cause that's when other guys are gonna
be tiring out and we're gonna need 'em.
662
:So I think it is gonna be
a blessing in disguise.
663
:PSP: Absolutely.
664
:I think when the Yankees are doing
well, , people can hate watch all
665
:they want, but it's good for baseball.
666
:It's good when the Yankees are doing
well and going into the proceeds,
667
:whether you hate them or love them.
668
:So there's that.
669
:Jonna Perlinger: Yeah.
670
:PSP: And when watching the Yankees, you
can often watch them on the Yes network.
671
:And one thing that play by play call
up Michael Caman doing lately is
672
:he eating a lot of chicken tenders.
673
:I dunno if you've seen that, but
674
:Jonna Perlinger: Yeah.
675
:PSP: York is a food city.
676
:We know this.
677
:I've gotta ask, when you're at
the ballpark , in the Bronx Yankee
678
:Stadium, what are your go-tos in terms
of things to eat at Yankee Stadium?
679
:Jonna Perlinger: I, am the
lamest person on the planet.
680
:Or maybe I'm just like a, such
a traditionalist when it comes
681
:to my ballpark experience,
but I'm just a hotdog girl.
682
:Like I really don't need much else.
683
:Sometimes I'll buy a bag of
peanuts or whatever, but like I.
684
:Yeah, I'm, I'm just a hot dog with
ketchup and mustard kind of gal.
685
:But if you are looking for, you know,
specifics at Yankee Stadium, the
686
:Tierra Mizzou helmet dessert thing
has been really popular this year.
687
:It's a new item on the menu and
then obviously you gotta try a
688
:judge a burger if you're there.
689
:Right.
690
:Which I've heard, I've not tried
it, but, you know, have heard.
691
:Great things, and obviously the iconic
chicken bucket that I think is the
692
:best you can get probably at any park.
693
:So
694
:PSP: Okay.
695
:Okay.
696
:Some food for thought there.
697
:Literal food for thought.
698
:I like it.
699
:, I'll put those on the list
when I'm heading out that way.
700
:Jonna.
701
:In the meantime, where can we
find your work on social media?
702
:Jonna Perlinger: So you can follow
my baseball media page, like
703
:where I cover the entire league.
704
:So I write for the Yankees,
I write for the Phillies.
705
:So I have my articles up there and I
also just do a lot of content creation
706
:that covers the, the whole league.
707
:So that's Babes Babes Media on
Instagram and then on Twitter,
708
:you can follow my personal.
709
:Twitter account and I am at nineties
Yanks kid, so that tells you
710
:everything you need to know about me.
711
:I'm a nineties yanks kid.
712
:PSP: it.
713
:The nineties were a great time.
714
:, It was a different time.
715
:It seemed like a simpler time,
especially, if you're a Yankee fan,
716
:it was definitely a simpler time.
717
:So definitely gonna be
following those accounts.
718
:John, I, we really appreciate your
time and it's been a great chat.
719
:Gonna see how the Yankees go for
the rest of the season and beyond.
720
:But in the
721
:Jonna Perlinger: Yes, definitely.
722
:PSP: I've been your host, Neal Spruce,
and this is another episode of PSP.
