Show #502: The Braves Win The World Series

You're listening to Atlanta baseball talk, your weekly podcast for all things at Atlanta Braves. Welcome to Atlanta baseball talk show number 502. The show I honestly never thought we would do a reunion show. Hey, we should have milked it for a few more years guys. Like really? I think nerve of the braves. Exactly. So today is Sunday, November 6, 2021 and my name is Steve. I'm

joined by both Hammy and Curtis and folks. Please help spread the word about this very special episode. If you do, it guarantees the Freddie extension gets announced by the end of the week. All right. In tonight's show, we look back at the braves in probable playoff run and celebrate the they doled out to the Astros in the World Series. But first, a quick break. All right.

So guys, before we get into the playoffs and the reason we came back is, you know, we're world champions forever. Yes. And the money. I thought to pay the bills. To pay the bills, the money is running out. Like the friends cast told me out. They really got taken care of exactly. So I thought it'd be interesting to talk about what it was like to watch

a brave season without the podcast for the first time since 2006. I mean, just this alone, it's weird to pretend to be friendly with you guys. Exactly. Yeah, I'm mixing up your voices. Ham. What was it like for you this year? Well, I will tell you. Oh, no, I've forgotten who I am. I'll tell you, it was sort of a, it was sort of a relief.

I actually, I'll just come out and say it. I did not watch a full braves game until like August. Like I watched, I think I watched opening day, maybe a little bit of and was following. But I just, I mean, obviously watched this. I was watching the box scores and stuff like that. But I just did not watch it with the rigor that I used to

watch it with. And it was sort of nice. I mean, it was just a nice change of pace. Because I, I, I didn't worry about them so much. It wasn't all the angles. Like, what are we going to talk about? Or, you know, what, and I just was sort of able to reset, which I think was nice after the, how bitter last season ended. So it

was, I watched them from afar. And then I got, you know, I just, it was, I was like, I'm going to talk about it. It was sort of a different fan experience, obviously, when we started watching them in August. I mean, I don't think our texting slowed down at all throughout the year, the three of us. But it was sort of, I don't know, I watched

the Hawks. I got way into the Hawks and just sort of waited for the braves. Yeah. Yeah. It was, it was interesting how for me, like, how clear the my not to overstate it. But like, you know, come Sunday night, like my emotional well-being about if the team had done well or not that week, because it really like impacted the show, you know, I mean, and

really like. Yeah, it affected me. It was nice to be able to just unplug from that. And like you said, him, I, I was not watching as closely. And my God, it was such a disaster of a start. Yeah. Well, that's, I mean, we texted each other so many times about glad we don't have to talk about that. Yeah. So we don't have to talk about

that. And you imagine doing a show this week, what a tough week, you know, yeah. Absolutely. Curtis, how about you? Yeah. Same. I mean, it was sort of weird having Sunday nights free to watch. You recurring series live, as opposed to watching them, you know, Tuesday of the into the week. Yeah, I, I mean, I think over the course of the first half of the season,

I think I probably followed. Based on the text that went back and forth between the three of us, I think I was probably following them more than you guys were. But you're right. I mean, it was, it was, it was not exciting. It was depressing. It was seeming like missed opportunities. And frankly, the missed opportunities were by the fillies and the meds that they did not.

Both when given their opportunities were on a way from the division. The division that was supposed to be one of the best in baseball with four teams and potentially the Marlins even after making playoffs last year being a really interesting team. It was just a really bad division for at least until the all star break, just, you know, no team really playing well, no team taking

control of any of it and letting the, the braves, obviously, who ended up winning the division hang around when they had nothing going their way. So it was probably good that we didn't have to ruminate on that. I mean, we did, we did those shows for like eight years. Oh, yes. So, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm,

I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm less than the mets and the fillies. Yes. So I'm glad we didn't spend three months rehashing every bad week that the braves stole out. Cause it's sorry. I mean, but yeah, with that, cause they, they didn't make the huge moves on

the, I mean, I guess they, they brought in Morton and stuff, but like, there was just not the moves. The bullpen was bad. They were been a, they would have been a lot to pick apart. And then with the ozuna stuff, it would have been morbid. I'm glad we didn't do those shows. Yeah. But boy, then it got good. Yeah. And it got real good. So

let's, so let's start with the NLDS. So Curtis, what was your confidence heading into it facing the brewers? I was insanely confident against the brewers. I'm not sure why I was so confident, but I was shocked that like reading sports publications, specifically the athletic that I, that I'm subscribed to, that there was not one person that picked the ball. The Braves to win that series. And

I could never for the life of me understand how the national perspective on that series, taking the, this, you know, the, the Braves record aside. The Braves were the third, had the third best winning percentage. At least since the all start break, maybe the second half behind the Dodgers and the giants who of course, we're having an historic run out west to see you can win

that division. So, for the first time in the year, I mean, I think I'm going to be a little bit more confident about it. For the brewers to just be an overwhelming favorite in that, in the national eyes on that series, I just, for the life of me, I cannot understand. I mean, they're all because it's terrible. It just felt least. Yeah. They had starting pitching,

but that was it, you know, I mean, the Braves were such the more dynamic rounded team than the brewers were going. And I mean, Chris and yell, it was the shell of himself, you know, I just, I could never understand that. And I still don't. And I, I, I, I was 100% certain we were going to win that series. Yeah, it was as if the national

writers just looked at season long. That's what I mean. Lazy, just lazy, not event. Just thinking like and not even thinking about like what the last six weeks would mean versus the last six months and like completely different team. You know, it's like they read the headlines like, oh, they lost the Kunea. You know, they only won 88 games. They're, you know, they're not going to

win. The brewers are just much tougher. They won a lot more games and just have better starting pitching and they can hit more. It's just lazy, lazy reporting. Yeah. It made me mad. I was so calm. I was too. That was the most confident. I was of any of the series. Sure. Um, and so it, you know, we lose game one, which was not great, but

we didn't seem overmatched. Like I was not that wigged out. Um, it was like one bad two bad pitches. Yep. He hit the hit the, hit the batter and then, um, to Les hit the two run homer. And other than that, we just couldn't score. But we completely. I mean, Morton was was almost, you know, it was almost unhittable in that game, other than those two

at bats. And that was one off set of the playoffs where you felt like, oh boy, it is snittered. You're going to be able to manage in the post season because he clearly should have pulled Morton before the start of the sitting. Yeah. And I think we'll talk about snickers. We go on. But I honestly, there's about one game I could point to that I didn't

think snicker just pushed all the right buttons. No, but he was kind of magical. And it was that game. Right. Yeah. Well, no, it was actually well was in the world series. Yes. Right. When he sort of gave up in game five. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Well, I'm there. Steve. Yeah. I mean, my, um, and I, because we'll get to it. I, you know, I, I think

a measure of my confidence was that the solar news came and I was like, all right, we're still going to win. I was just, I felt like it didn't matter. Right. I mean, that was kind of a theme, right? That the braves had overcome so much stuff throughout the year. Yeah. That they were, I, I imagined that they were not waked out about it because it

was next man up all season. Yeah. Yeah. What's the layer of the COVID stuff? Well, he missed the brewer series because yeah, he had a verse. I thought he missed the Dodger series. He missed the first couple games of the Dodger series and then came back, right? And then was off the off the bench. He didn't play in the brewer series. No, that may, did I

get that wrong? As, as we are emphasizing the few games that we watched. Um, I swear, we really did watch all the playoff games. No, I think that it was heading into the Dodger series. Yeah. All right. He played in the brewer, but he didn't really do anything in the brewer series. I don't even remember who really the hero was of the brewer. It was sort

of a, I guess, Jacques Peterson was really the guy who had the huge chomers in the, or had a huge chomer in the brewer series. Yeah. Well, and, you know, yes, jock, you know, we started to get the full joctober experience in the brewer series. But then there was the Freddie game, you know, which was just the greatest, I mean, it was just one of the

greatest playoff brave experiences I remember. So this was, right, this was game four. This was the clincher. Yeah. Five. Tie game. Sorry. Right. Yeah. And, and Freddie hits that first pitch, Homer off of Hader. And it was truly as good a moment as a fan as I'd had at that point. I mean, one, to see him celebrate like he did running around the bases. Never seen

that happy. Yeah, I'd never seen that happy. Never ever until a minute later when he took its curtain call. Yeah. Where he even outdid his enthusiasm running around the bases. I mean, it was just to me. That was when I was like, oh, maybe something really special can have here. You know, can happen here. It was so great. I mean, it was I, you know, when

you read the news the next morning, I read about that at bat and Hader and all the stats about how hard it was for a lefty to hit a Homer off of him. And how Freeman was the only one. I mean, all of the stats and how rare and how huge that was, I could not get enough of it. It was so great. That was that

was. That was maybe that, I mean, I obviously winning it all, but that was probably one of my top three moments of the entire postseason was that Homer by Freddie. It was so great. And his, his happiness. It was just amazing. Well, right, it made it feel more special because he never shows his emotions like that. It was so good. You know, and in the brewer

series, we started to get a glimpse of how special the bullpen would be. Like aside from a Noah who pitched in one game gave up a couple runs, not a single bullpen pitcher gave up a run and Smith got all three saves. I mean, my God, in August and September, we were just begging. Please don't bring Smith to be pulled from the closer role. And Kurt,

I mean, I remember a specific text from you of like, there's no way this doesn't come back to haunt us at least one game in the playoffs. And I agreed. He was going to melt down all the sudden there was going to be two men on and no outs. And it was going to be a nightmare. And not to spoil it, but that never happened. Right.

Just Luke, just Luke, I was actually at game four. The only thing that I was going to do was to get a shot at the game. Playoff game, I got to go to, but it was sensational. I, you know, it's, I did not, I'm trying to, I think I went to two games this year. And one that the experience of being back in the stadium, a

packed stadium was something you really missed. Just the crowd, the energy, the noise, everything else. And obviously, it being the playoff game, it being a game where they could clinch. After all the playoff frustration, the braves have had over the past two years. Obviously, they got through the first couple of rounds last year, but still seems tenuous every time the Braves make it to this point.

And it was so loud. And the crowd was so into it from the first pitch, you know, the Braves got down to to nothing in that game. They fought back and got it back to two. Then, you know, as you mentioned, came in, gave up a two run homer, which you sort of felt like, gosh, hopefully that's not the backbreaker here because you know, it was

not good in any capacity. The second half let alone in the playoffs. I know he ended up going on, you know, hurting himself, which obviously I wasn't rooting for, but. And then they fought back again, you know, same as it. Both sides. Oh, it was a lot of these guys that sort of played big roles had big hits. I mean, Darnell did not, you know, if

you look at his batting average, he did not really do much in the playoffs, but he had huge hit seems like singles that would get him on to start innings or something like that. He had a huge hit in that game. And then you they bring in Hader and, you know, Freddie. He's at home or in I mean, the place just was just deafening. I mean,

it was unbelievable how, how crazy that place was. And it was, it was awesome. It was so much fun. To be part of it and to be there in person, just to be witnessing it. It's been a long time. I think the last playoff game I was at was with you Steve. When Brooks Conrad had three years and one inning and we lost to the Giants.

I think that was the last playoff game I had been to. So it was pretty awesome. That one was better. Yes, the Brooks Conrad was definitely better. No, I mean, the Freddie one, but I mean, I can appreciate what you're saying. Although that game, that San Francisco game was when Eric Hinsky at that home run, that was insanely loud. But that was one of the loudest

praise. Yes, stadium experiences. I've had. But it was, yeah, I mean, it was, it was so awesome. It was so great. And you felt like there was something special happening with the crowd with the braves with everything. So that's a few a moment. No doubt about it. So we get past the brewers. Now, you know, as we, as we start to talk about the NLCS, I

was really rooting for the Cardinals for one day. Yes. We were all Cardinals fans for one day. And then the Giants. And then the Giants, because I was like, look, we can match up with the Giants. I want nothing to do with the Dodgers. Scary, scary. And so yeah, I mean, I was, look, the only good thing about facing the Dodgers was that because they were

a wildcard team, we had home field. That's it. And it's quite a long series against the Giants. And you hope to come across country and everything else that it would. You know, do something that they could take advantage of. Yeah. And just they're grind throughout the, you know, second half of the regular season. You hope. But so this was the least confident I was going into

any, come even everything we just had about that brewer series. I was 100% there. And then the day of the Dodger series. The PTSD started coming back. And I started seeing bets and say, I'm a bigger and turner and Will Smith. You know, I like it. I was like, oh my God. And all those arms. I was nervous. I was super nervous. I was not confident

about the Dodgers. And then at Scherzer now and Bueller and Ureas, who has only 20 game winner. God, and Trey Turner, who hits 1000. Right. And Trey Turner. Right. And then Ken Lee Jansen was like fully, I mean, it was like, but what I didn't realize is that once it started is that they are, they are not the team they were. They were just like giving

up Kiki Hernandez, giving up Chuck Peterson. Their bench was much weaker. And David Roberts. I mean, Kurt, you sort of, we were mentioned. He blew their bullpen. He used them way too much. I guess we'll talk about it. I was we get. He panicked. Yeah. Robert's panic. He panicked. And we ended up seeing them so many times that we had the advantage. The whole series. It

felt like we had the advantage pretty much the entire series against them. Go ahead. And look, the Braves bench was not great. But in 2020 as that, as that NLCS wore on, it was the Dodgers bench that was so strong and so superior to ours. That was one of the big reasons that we just couldn't hang on. Yeah. You know, and ham, you're right. Like that

was a good and glaring thing to see that, oh, it's not, they are not what they were the year before. And we are better. Yeah. And yes, absolutely. And I mean, what, you know, when in the first two games, of course, amazing, you get the jock mat, you know, the jock Peterson magic is still going on. The Rosario. Yeah, game two, exactly. As I was going

to say is where it was a Rio, like otherworldly Rosario starts to show up. That was his, I mean, his homeers and stuff were amazing in game. Was that, I'm later on in the series, right? We had those two homeers. But that, tagging up from first and taking second and then coming around and scoring on that Alvis hit and just his slide. And that was maybe

the most pumped I was throughout the entire series. Like that moment, I was, was so. Inspiring, like that was like, you know, and so happy to have Rosario. Obviously. There was so amazing. He was such so key, so key. And some great things. You know, as well, like we were talking about Rob. And you know, we were talking about Rob. And you know, I'm not sure

what we're talking about. I mean, for one thing, so Shurzer pitches game two and is clearly not himself, which was, you know, good news. Yes. Roberts Panics and brings in. Yurias who'd not come out of the bullpen like all year. And he blows the game. Yeah, it was. It was a nice start to that series. Yeah. Well, and it was that, you know, it was that

last game against the Giants when, when they brought in Shurzer to close out that game. Right. That seemed like it blew his arm out. Because he said after that start that he had a dead arm. Yeah. Right. Right. And then and we'll get to it later on in the series, but where he can't go. Right in game six because of it. So yeah, go ahead. Well,

no, I mean, we have to, but I don't know if you're going to get to pass game three yet, but just walking off back to back at home. That moment of, you know, Dan's be scoring and Riley. I'm getting them except, right, but Riley the first night and then Rosario single to score Dan's be and just the celebrating at the plate and just the crowd going

crazy. We're heady times. It was so great. Well, and getting to try and getting to you. Kindly, Jansen, you know, getting to their, their incredible bullpen and knocking. These guys around early on, I can't imagine the confidence it built with the braves knowing that they could get to the top. And then we get hits off of these guys, you know, guys that are unhittable. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. I got like Gonslin who we couldn't touch last year. We touched up early. Right. Yeah. So, okay. So we're up to, oh, we had to LA. We need to win one. I mean, like we have to win one game. And although we lost game three, Bueller was not even that dominant, which again, I didn't want to lose game three, but it felt like we were

going to win. It felt like, you know, we're still in a pretty good position. And game four, that's the Rosario, the cycle that was not to be. Right. Instead of double, we hit a second home run. Smiley has his big appearance. And is, you know, shuts down the, you know, each seminnings and keeps the, the Dodgers right where we needed him. I mean, it was, yeah.

Game four was amazing. And the, you know, we had a, you know, a lot of things to do. You know, Rosario, Herolix, continuing. Yeah. Although back to game three. Well, it came three. Yeah. I mean, that was, that was the one. You know, you, you, they're really sort of pushing us back to last year, where we won the first two. We lost game three. We, one,

we came back in one game four. You know, it was, it was like mirroring them so much. And, you know, there were parts of me that I was like, oh my God, this is going to happen again. This is going to play out the same script that it did last year. And poor Luke Jackson, you know, I mean, really not a bad pitch idea. I looked

over at my old son and we were watching that game. And, you know, the first pitch, he completely fooled him with the breaking ball. The second pitch he blew by him with the fastball. And I looked at my son and I said, God, you just got to elevate that fastball to like bill cap high and he'll go fishing for it. And he just didn't get it

enough. And also that, you know, it, for him to go up there and get that ball. That's amazing hit. Amazing. Amazing. Yeah. I'm curious. I'm with you. I mean, shocking. And that's where I, that's where the PTSD. He'd have reared its ugly head again. I was like crap. Luke, I mean, because, you know, Luke felt it always sort of feels like a weak spot, even though

he was amazing this year and was amazing. And all the other times throughout the postseason, but like, yeah, all those, all the doubts came back in game three. And it was Belinger. Of course, it was Belinger. It just felt like you could have predicted that in the second inning that Belinger's going to come up and hit that homer. I don't know. It just felt so like

a foregone conclusion. But then to come back and hit all those homers in game four and just own them was delicious. Yeah. And then to your point about the PTSD, game five, freed falters, not much goes right really in game five. And that three, one, series PTSD stuff really starts creeping back in. Let's be honest, we never, it never went away. We were never confident in

the series for a second. I think I was, maybe we will jump to the last to game six. I, to be honest, when Rosario homered in game six and, and we were cruising along, like, we're cruising with the pitching. I was like, okay, we're going to win this. And once mats that came out of like, we are actually going to beat the dog. We're not going

to give this up. I don't know. I felt like we were, we didn't have to see Jackson again. And it was nerve-wracking the entire time. And it was also so rewarding when we beat the Fing Dodgers. Well, it was amazing. I mean, yeah, the. That appearance by Luke was grim. I mean, it was double walk double one run scored and four to men on second and

third. No, we're not going to be able to do that. Wow. Yeah, it was. I mean, and look, I was excited that he was bringing Matt's out. It was time to pull Luke, of course, but God, I wasn't confident, confident. But there came Matt's, you know, with his wheelbarrow and his two biggest assets. But I mean, so right strikeout pools, strikeout, Susa, and then that the

mookie at bat. Yeah. Of three fastballs, two looking and the 30 swings through. It was art, you know. Yeah. Yeah. It was so my wife and I that night were in Athens visiting our old oldest and we, you know, we're back at the hotel by then and by that time that in and came up, my wife was asleep. And so I'm watching and like screaming, you

know, and wave, but all silently. Yeah. It was like silent movie stuff. But you were also worried that one of the best relievers that you had all season long was now gone because he. That home was. That strong been. But there he had already heard that that little moments, I think, we're going to go down and get that too. Then they're going to be all wrapped

up and he's got an important element to that. For goodness' sake, it was like that right in an outside showing. And I guess, I'm looking through the ceiling and revealing the positions that actually work very clearly. What if not the livestock the next appearance he has is in this incredibly pressure-packed situation. And he clearly was rattled still. I mean, he didn't have as faculties about him

and it showed in the inning that he came in. And you worried, like, God, we can't get through this series in the next without the Luke Jackson that we had all season long, because he was so good. Yeah. I don't know that I agree with you, though, Kurt. Like, Luke had been the best guy in the bullpen for months in the second half. And look, it's

part of Snittgaer's magic of putting my back out there. And I'm just going to put him back out there. And sometimes it doesn't work. But I didn't think it was a terrible strategic decision. I was, it did make, I mean, of all the people. But it was worrisome. Yeah. Exactly. Of all the people who could get a cycle out there. And I was a logical blow.

And then I'll set not be able to throw strikes. Luke would be first in line for me. So I was, I was nervous as well. Yeah. That was going to happen. But, uh, and back to Matt'sic real quick. I mean, you know, we will forever remember that seventh inning in him coming in and getting three straight outs. But then they send him out again in the

eighth. And in like 90 seconds is out of the inning. Yeah. I mean, it was, I went back and looked today. Three pitch strike out of Seager. Two pitch ground out to third. For Will Smith, it was an eight pitch eighth inning. Through the three and four. Just done. Through their two, three and four, right? I mean, like the heart of their lineup. And they get

Mookie the ending before just in the sand. I mean, it is amazing looking back how we handled these lineups. You know, aside from the brewers, which obviously did not have a, did not have a gray lineup and yet again, I think we're going to have a great lineup. What's the next thing? The challenge was clearly not himself. I mean, he struck out to in that series

on a ball right down the looking. Yeah. Yeah. Almost like conceding the series that he was just done. But Chris Taylor was the guy that killed us in the Dodger series. Will Smith did nothing. A manager did nothing. I mean, not sorry. Seager did nothing. Mookie did nothing. You know, we held all those guys in check and I'm sure that somebody will correct me that one

of those guys would crazy on us. I mean, I don't remember it. You know, and you felt like it would every single time. It was like, how many times are these guys going to bat in the series? And I remember we used to text and be like, please don't let this be the Albert Poole holes hits a three run homer and just going swan song game.

And he looked foolish. I mean, he looks old and fat and like he needs to retire bad. And it just the pitching. I don't think it was made of the pitching in the playoffs. The Braves just put forth. It was incredible. Well, especially I mean, it wasn't Chris Martin was not incredible, right? I mean, some of the pitching was, but like mentor Matt, like the night

shift, right Smith and Jackson were just the MVP. More. I mean, they were the MVP of the entire postseason. Those four guys. I mean, they are the reason that we won the World Series more. That's right. Because the starting pitching went went very short was not, you know, Ian Anderson had one great game for a couple. He had a good start against the brewers. But what

was the great game? Fried had the brilliant game to close out the World Series, but his, he had a shaky start against the Astros. He had a shaky start against the Dodgers. You know, I mean, there was just guy after guy after guy. There, you know, there was only a couple of guys that you felt like when they went out there that they, you know, the

situation. And I mean, it was like, uh, yeah, you know, it was bad. Yeah. Chris Martin even had a good appearance in the Dodgers series. Yeah, he had one, one or two bad outings to start the playoffs and then got much better toward the end of it. And then, you know, like the, the Lee start, which, was almost too much to ask, um, to put him

in in that situation. But that's when you had the brilliance from Kyle Wright come out. And then I can't remember, uh, who was a Tucker Davis. And is that he started game four game five game five. I mean, again, you're, you're, you're asking a lot of a young guy who's really not had any experience on the major league level to pitch game five of the World

Series. Well, and having to deal with two bullpen games when heading into that Astros series, you're thinking, you know, Morton Fried Anderson each twice covered one game. Um, yeah. But I said, no, so you're looking at four games left, two bullpen games, one free game, one Anderson Game, and Fried is like horrible. You're like, wait a minute. But I get to know, I don't, I don't,

I don't remember when Freddy said it. It may have been heading into the NLCS or after they won the NLCS. But, you know, Freddie had a quote that was essentially to be the best. You've got to beat the best. And, you know, I'm getting past the Dodgers. My confidence level got really high and into the World Series to be honest. You know, it was, it was

another monkey off our back, getting past the NLCS, not blowing a three one. See, you know, series lead like they really were, I mean, the whole Freddie killed an narrative stuff was just brilliant. Yeah. Um, it was a great sound bite. I'm sure it was a great motivator in the clubhouse. And it was, and it was also just a stuight and exactly right. Like that's what,

that's what this run had to do and did. And we beat it. We, we, there was a swagger. I mean, there was a swagger that the Braves had this year that, well, at least in the playoffs that I don't know that I've seen from them. They've always been very buttoned up. Um, and they have not really had these big personalities on their team save back in

the day, David Justice and Dion Sanders and those type of guys, it has been a long time. Well, they've had a guy like that. And I mean, it's shock Peter said, I feel like he was the key ingredient, whether he didn't hit it all in the NLCS and the World Series, which he really did not. Um, but I felt like that was the, that was the

piece as much as as important as so where and Rosario Rosario were on the field, Duval. Um, it was, it was shock Peter said swagger that, that, and I feel that, and I felt that was, I was a striped door telling me, well, they were actually I think I would've been, you know, it's really weird because I was seeing the to you here and everything being

explained. Um, but I, it, you, you know, you know, I feel like I've stroked or sustained, you know, I don't know, see it. Okay. But everybody still got to agree with him, bon, well, if we, sir. Good team. There's no reason we can't get there. And, and I mean, TDA pointed directly at Peterson that he was the catalyst that turned the season around. I mean, it's

crazy. You know, Anthopolis has talked about some of his moves in Toronto where, and I don't remember what season it was. I'm sorry. I will butcher this, but he brought in a bunch of guys for a postseason run. And it didn't go well. And it was afterward that he realized how important chemistry was. The cool guy. And it was coming out of that. Yeah. It was

coming out of that trade deadline that he realized it's, it's, you know, chemistry is as important as anything. And he really looks to that now. I mean, Charlie Morton, you got, I mean, Charlie Morton, every postseason interview about from Charlie Morton was it's not even about winning or losing for me, man. It's about creating relationships with the guys. I don't know why he was like a

60s guy. But this is bad. Exactly. But that was really his whole message. It was, you know, and they, and again, you started to hear them talk about it as the postseason went on that the, the, you know, the, the secret ingredient was love. Yeah. That's what Peterson said. And the, when we clenched the NLE see that they were all in the fountain celebrating, right? He's

got his pearls and that giant cigar is like, there's one word that you could say that got you here. And he's like, it's love. Yeah. It's just a little bit of love. Yeah. Exactly. What's it going to take to win in the postseason? And it's amazing. I mean, it's, yeah. It's, and it's interesting. Cause there's, these have been likable guys for forever. The core of Acuna

and all bees and swans and and Freddie and, you know, there's been this core there. But like it needed. I don't know. Maybe it needed the, to have gotten to the precipice last year. And then not succeeded and then come back and gotten sort of off to a rough start and just had to earn it every day up to the end. But like they were so

caught. Yeah. I mean, Kurt, you said it. Just the confidence coming. They didn't, they didn't accidentally beat the Dodgers. Right. It wasn't like last year where we didn't really deserve to be there. And we got amazing starts from Bryce Wilson. Right. I mean, in Kyle right and Ian. I mean, we got, we were so lucky to even be up three to one. It felt like, you

know, and just we couldn't hold on long enough. There was no luck this year. I mean, we marched in fully believing in ourselves and ready to kick ass. And we did it all the way through. I mean, heading into the Astro series, I felt confident. I didn't feel that this confident because Astros are so formidable. But that confidence from beating the Dodgers and all that stuff

you're saying and all the post game interviews and just the way the team was talking about each other and the way Snicker was talking about it. I mean, I walked into that Astro series more confident than I felt like I should have been. At the well, I was particularly confident heading into the Astro series. If only because it was going to be the third worst. You

know, starting rotation and bullpen that we had seen in the postseason. Yeah, like we had got we had come through the the pitching gauntlet already. Like, you know, I was I was worried about their offense, of course, but our bullpen was kicking so much ass and we had. Charlie and Frieden Anderson lined up. Yeah. Little did we know. But yeah, I was pretty confident. You know,

I was pretty confident about it. Go into Houston and win one, get home field advantage. And yeah, you know, and the fact that, that, you know, Framber Valdez was starting game one. And he had had two really bad postseason starts and one good one. And then we jumped all over. And I was like, oh, this is going exactly to script. You know, until Morton broke his

leg. Yes. Yeah. Which I still can't believe. And it was a God punch, but winning game one, of course, made that, you know, much better. I mean, so layer. I mean, that was the first of so layers. Heroic home runs was game one. Yeah. And then Minter. Right. Minter and right. I think that was a great way to do it. Yeah. And then I was like,

well, I'm going to see if it was like his last year NLCS magical, you know, starter. Right. You know, put in three innings. I forgot. He started as well. Yeah. Who the bits crazy starters last year against the Dodgers. Anyway. But yeah. And then the rest of the pan, right. I mean, to see. All the guys come out and just pick it right back up where

they had been and L.A. was so comforting. After. Yeah. Yeah. No doubt. Well, at that point, it none of it seemed like, you know, smoke and mirrors. Like we were just winning and deserving. Yeah. Um, game two, not so awesome. Actually, you know, that was the one game of the entire postseason. I like went to bed and the middle of. Oh, really? Yeah. I was like,

this is not going to happen. And I'm so tired. It's been a lot of baseball. It just was, there was just no way. It just did not feel like that was going to happen in game two. And you know, there's, and that's freeds. Um, you know, another bad start by freed. Um, yeah. But there was, you know, there was something to build on at least. I

mean, that was the one good thing about that game two in Houston. Freed gives up those five runs in the first two innings. And then shuts them down. Um, sorry. Yeah. And then shuts them down for the next three. Cause he stopped tipping his pitches. Yeah. I mean, that is the theory. Um, all right. Guys, anything else before we head back to Atlanta for game three?

No, it was nervous to, was because it was all the sudden. Like, you know, how emotional it is. But after freed and then you realize that Morton is gone. Um, I mean, I'm not sure. And then, um, and freed may have been figured out and like they've got all these varieties and their lineup that are so tough that you're like, wow, we need two bullpen games

now. Like we're going to have to really stitch this together. This is going to be hard. Well, and, and it was nice to believe that freed was tipping his pitches, but there was also the fear in my mind that he was just the stage was too big. Sure. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. Absolutely. Or that he was just worn out too. Yeah. Um, their bullpen was

a lot better than I thought it was going to be. Um, reading sort of stuff about their bullpen that it was not that great and all this kind of stuff. And then their starters, it seemed like that whole series. We scored runs off their starters and we did not score a ton of runs off their bullpen. Uh, their bullpen was, was pretty cool. And it was

really deep and pretty good. Yeah. Mayton was really good. Yeah. Presley was really good. Photo, photo, photo, easy. Yeah. Photo, easy. So I was going to see more of him. I mean, he set us down in that, and sort of in game one, any game too, I think he, we saw him in game two. Maybe it was game one. He shut us down. But then we

never saw him anymore. I thought we'd see more of him. Yeah. He did not pitch in game two, but he did. I'm looking at the box scores now. This is good. This is good. This is good. Great radio. That's the people love it. Let's talk about our fantasy team. Yes. Exactly. I know he went to two and a third in the first game and just gave

up one hit with five strikeouts. He, he dominated us. Um, he really did. But then we come back to Atlanta and we two hit the best offense in baseball. Yeah. So that might. Yeah. No doubt. No doubt. I mean, you, you know, I don't know what the percentages are right. But that, you know, game three, when you're tied one, one, you don't want to lose it

in a seven game series. And right. So that's the five hitless shutout innings for me and Anderson. So were you guys, like, you know, hacked off that snickered pulled him after five. Yeah. I mean, he, I, I, a little bit at the time I was like, we didn't need to, right. We had the run and he was just so dominant. But, he's young and he had

thrown, you know, a decent amount of pitches, I guess. Yeah. I mean, that's the thing. Like the results were dominant, but he wasn't, he was kind of all over the place. I mean, he walked three guys. The last couple batters of the fifth inning was a little shaky. Like, I was okay with it. Yeah. Um, and, you know, it is the world serious formula of ride

your dominant bullpen if you got one. Right. But yeah. Two O shut out insane against that offense. Um, and then game four, right. So the first of the two bullpen games. And Kurt, you mentioned it. I did not understand starting Dylan Lee. Like, I guess, you know, you guarantee he comes in and a clean inning. But gosh, I, you know, I didn't see it. I didn't

see it. Um, other than that. But yes, Kyle, right. Uh, you know, I mean, you can only give out so many MVP's, but that was, that was a pivotal moment in the series. And for him to throw four and two thirds, like that one run. I mean, it's a huge, it's a huge turning point. He saved that game. Yeah. Going up three, one instead of two,

I mean, it was just massive. Well, and yeah, I mean, to come in in the first, when I'm sure he probably, I mean, I'm sure he knew he was coming in soon, but I can't imagine he thought he was coming in that soon. And his last post season, was that terrible storm agents, and the Dodgers word hidden Oh Lord ser roaring Diana would get killed ,

the normal mode. The right one behind. Right. Yeah. That's why it was left him in triple A to not keep interrupting him and I could not for the life of me figure out. And I must have texted you 10,000 times why in the world did we put any postseason, raster, no, our postseason, which I thought was crazy after they picked him up. I know he was

a little shaky at the end there, but I mean still it's a guy who was dynamic when he was with Pittsburgh and you brought him over for that very reason. And maybe because he couldn't start he couldn't or he couldn't give you any because he couldn't give you four and a third, you know, they felt like they had enough bullpen coverage, but I was wrong yet

again. I mean, I think that counts like four times now that I've been wrong in this whole process. Your whole life. Oh, I still able to count it on one hand. That's good. That's good. Go down. Okay. But the whole I mean the so layer Homer was huge. And then the dam, I mean the back to back home was the dam's be home right. Dance. We

can feel both against hobby air. He's a good pitcher. I mean, he was throwing heat, right. And like, so exciting. Just so exciting. I mean, after that and such a close game and like and and not supposed to win that game. No right winning that game. Yeah. And the Homer's being back to back. I mean, the crowd was just insane. Yeah. And one other turning point.

So that was. That was bottom seven. I want to say. Yep. That's where they hit the Homer's bottom seven. Yeah. And then top eight, right. So Luke Jackson again gets the first two guys. And then I'll to they who would hit a Homer earlier in the game. He hits what looks like. It's just a no doubt double. And that's the Rosario no look. How and how

did he catch that catch? That was and so insane. That's when you're like everything's going our way. We're winning this series. No, totally. That I mean, to me, that was that was honestly when we won the series. Because I think if Al Tueve gets on there, it's a triple. Yeah, it could be. It could be because yeah, Rosario's momentum was taking him one way. The ball

was going to carry him off the wall completely different direction. Yeah. And it's a one run game. Yeah. I mean, when that is still a one run game. Yeah. Yeah. It was two one or three, two, either. Sorry. At that point. Is that true? Yeah. Let's see. Yeah, three, two. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Right. Right. Because Solair put his head. Yeah. I

appreciate your need to fact check me. Mitchell. Well, I, you know, we were so there still kept COVID. Yes. It was still playing with COVID. I think Josh Hamilton is still in the show. Nice. Nice. I've been. I've been running. I think things go. Things go really bad. There are fall two. They get on. So, okay. It's it's three one and game five and the braves

can close it out. And that's the world series game that I go to. Yes. Thanks, Steve. Yes. See, we had to quit doing a link. We had to do a lot of practice. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That was the thing I was doing. It was the first. It was the first. And I was thinking, I'm going to talk to the braves good when the world series. And

then you go to the game when they're trying to win the world series. So my first world series game had. Yeah. And my, you know, we wrote. So that was that was the Sunday night game 815. First pitch. We walk into the battery. How in 530. Right. That sort of that alley, you know, from wall burger, where they had set it. Well, I didn't know what

you guys probably don't know, but they had set up like a little stage. Mark Owens was there. There was like sort of a hype stage, you know. And this is way far away from like that green space where people camped out and watched the game on the big screen. It was, it was truly just wall to wall people for that, you know, 200 yards to where

the gate is to get in by like the kids area. It was just, it was insane. And the crowd was nuts, but you know, it felt like the crowd was kind of nervous. Like really trying to push the action because they didn't want another 3 1, you know, melt down and don't want to go back to Houston and all that stuff. Like in the first inning,

the cheater cheater cheater chance for all 2V and Korean, Bregmen like so good and so loud and Duval hits that grand slam, of course. And the crowd just loses its mind. But it felt like relief as much as it felt like celebration there. Like it reminded me. So small time one of the broadcasts was talking about how this team was playing with house money and was

loose. And you know, no one expected them to be here as opposed to the crowd. It was supposed to the 95 team that had like so much expectation weighing on them that it was just a relief to win the World Series. And I felt like that pressure was on the crowd. It's like it's land is so freaked out. They sounded tight. They got quiet quickly. And

it was hard for you guys to get loud again. Yeah. Oh yeah. Because it just it became conical year. Early that this thing was slipping away. Well, when you get the euphoria of that first inning grand slam, where you seeming, I mean, I was in a house with people and there were already people talking about, you know, when's the parade? Where? Yeah. When's the parade? Where

can I go online to buy my World Series T-shirt and stuff like that? And then for Blink Van Eyes 4 4. Like it's just a race it immediately. And then Freddie has said, home run. And then you're like, oh my God, here we go. And we're back in and then you next thing, you know, they've scored 15 runs or something. And it's like, oh darn. Yeah.

I mean, and that was, look, on the one hand, it felt like Snitker conceded that game. Like he sent Davidson out too long, going Martin and Smiley when the game was still in reach felt like a concession. I mean, it felt like he was playing for game six. And hoping the game five would work out magically. But he wanted to give the night shift arrest. Yeah.

I don't know. Knowing that he had freed in Anderson. You know, to win one more game. I mean, it makes sense. And of course it worked out, but it felt like a concession at the time. You never want to give up on it. But I mean, especially when it was, you know, eight or seven five, right? You know, and it still feels pretty close. And then

he's got Smiley out there for the last two innings to go out there with the seventh and the eight. You're like, wait a minute. We just need two runs. Right. One person gets on base and gets so there or Rosario or Freeman up and we've tied this game. So it did feel like he had, he was not playing to win. Which is troubling when it's hard

to win a World Series game. And you're just waiting for Alva Rez and Kareya and all those guys to wake up and start doing damage. You know, right. Well, and Fried had been so bad in the two starts before. See if I know you touched on the fact that after the second inning, he pitched much better. But going into game six after you've seen him be

really, really bad. It did not fill me with confidence. And then the game seven is just a total crap shoot. You know, I mean, with Anderson. You got to win games six. Yeah. You just have to. But I will say to your experience and my experience, I mean, watching those games, and obviously I didn't go to any of the other ones. But like the fact that

that Joe Buck made mention of how crazy and loud the Atlanta crowd was that the Fox post game guys made comments about how well to and crazy. I flipped it over to MLB. They were talking about how loud and crazy the Atlanta crowd was. It was pretty awesome. And Massacadot, great line, something about it's pretty loud for a sterile shopping mall. You know, right, right because

of the bill. Right. Right. So it was that was great. After all these years of everybody telling the Atlanta fans that they're terrible fans, so that they don't show up and that they don't make noise. And all you don't care about sports and football town and all that stuff. To be one of the storylines of the post season was pretty awesome. Well, to not only sell

out every game, but to like max out the battery as well. Oh, yeah. I think there were a hundred thousand people or something at one of those games. Just all the people that were crammed in all around. I mean, and standing room only tickets were going for a thousand dollars. Standing room only tickets, I think we're going for 1800 by game five. Yeah, which is one

of the other reasons I didn't go to another post season game. So, okay, so we head back to Houston. One thing before we get into the game play the one I do remember like, you know, one of the local sports casters, maybe it was Maria Martin, who was really good on Twitter during the series. And I remember thinking, okay, you know, maybe we really do have

this. Yeah. And the first inning, so right. So we were to know, we were texting that afternoon at work and stuff. And there was just a theme that emerged. I know certainly for Steve, you and I, of like, I just feel different today. I'm not, I don't believe in, I don't believe in curses. I don't believe in jinxes. I don't believe in Atlanta, Atlanta, in things.

I believe that this is, we have the best team today and we're going to win. And I never bet on the Braves. Because I believe that I can jinx them. I actually that arrogant that I think I have that power. And I bet I was like, I'm all in. I cleared out my online Betsy account and put it all in the Braves for game six. I

was so confident we were going to win game six until the first inning happened. And so I was broke. As they go, Zarios at bat where he hits what's obviously going to be a double. And then Kyle Tucker makes that miracle catch. Yes, that's right. That's right. Yep. Yep. Yeah. That's how the game starts. And I'm like, ooh, and then it was too quick outs. And

wise is like, nope, nope, nope. I was like, what are you doing? Yeah. It felt horrible. Well, and I mean, it flashed across my mind. Oh my God. This is going to have to be the third bullpen game in a row. Because freeze is going to be out. But then he wasn't. He was so good. And he gets pissed. Yes. You know, so great. I mean,

and then he just go strike out, grind out, ground out, strike out to finish the inning. I'm still a little nervous at that point. Because I'm like, what's going to happen when he's sitting in the bull in the dugout? Yeah. And he's going to tight up. But that was soon done away with. And then that's so layer. Third inning home run. Just that whole back. Yeah.

So massive. What an at bat. And it's crushed it. Yeah, just so violent. Yeah, exactly. It was crushing. And it kind of felt like we won the game there. I mean, as it turned out, you know, it was all we needed. Yeah. And we were in the D. S. And we came back and scored every time. And our I'm then Freddie hitting that Homer, right? And

just dance, be in so layer. And they're like, we were the better team. Our offense was going to win. And Steve, like you just said, like, that was the celebration moment. I'm like, he hit it. I'm like, we're just better. We were better than the Astros. They are not coming back. We are the better team. And that was like this such the exclamation point. I'm afraid

to go out of the stadium at this sort of tight game. When free. And then he's like, I'm not coming out of this game. It was time for us to win it. And then for us to sort of begin the winning with that shot was just so great. So great. Unbelievable. And it's just just this, I mean, just as sort of swagger. You know, so there's

definitely very cocky guys you can tell, but like his swagger and then turning to the dugout and the celebration. I mean, just like and all the dugout celebrations. I mean, just pump it right into my veins. I cannot get enough of it. But those guys loved each other so much. And all the like, oh, God, the dude with the swords, not Adriana, but yeah, her radio.

Yeah, her radio. Like, I mean, just the. I don't know. Just the celebration began right then. Right then. Yeah. Thank you. Well, I mean, the Braves never lost to back to back game and the entire post season. Yeah. The Braves never faced elimination in the postseason. They were only don't we they only gain the only time they were down in any series was one to nothing

Milwaukee. Yeah. That's right. Yeah, because they won game one of the others. Yeah. Yeah. There was there were so many great shots of, you know, from different angles of the solar home or where the entire stadium is waving, you know, their orange towels. And then in succession, the towels stop. And the, you know, the decent amount of Braves fans that were there start going nuts. It

was just the best. Yeah, I mean, just all the narratives that were floating around like that the Braves, you know, it was like, oh, this is the worst team blah, blah, blah. And that they shouldn't, you know, blah. And I'm like, again, you're overlooking. What has happened with this team since the trade deadline. This is this is not the worst team anymore. You know, all the

we need to be rooting for Dusty Baker, blah, blah. How are you not rooting for Brian Snitker? The guy who spent 40 plus years in the same organization. At every level and not just starting at the bottom and coming up, going up and down and up and down and doing everything that the organization has asked him as the loyal soldier that he is not even getting

the job straight away when he became the manager after they fired Freddie, you know, it took a year before they gave him that contract. I mean, how is that not the guy that you're rooting for? Yeah, although they was there. It was there. And I think, you know, I know that they're not going to be rooting for us. There was this was like what the very

low ratings world series or whatever, but who gives a crap. It was high ratings for me. But you read like Jason Stark and Rosenthal Jeff Passon, those like the major MLB guys. And actually, when you looked at the athletic and Kurt, I know that nobody picked them. The Braves in the Brewer series, but actually pass a Stark and Rosenthal pick the Braves, beat the Astros. None

of the other guys did. So I think they started to believe. And then by the end of it, I don't know, it was very gratifying the love that the Braves got that the article. I don't know. There was a ESPN article by Jeff Passon that was sort of lengthy about the whole season and we had started within a ballroom when Acuna had torn his ACL and

Miami and then talks about the Peterson stuff and Kurt, all the stuff that you had mentioned. And then the flurry of trade deadline stuff and then just the bonding that happened in the. Does that his name right? The catcher who came in and did his like Ted Lasso type thing. Just like, I don't know. The love that the national media gave the Braves felt like was

so overdue. But like there, right? They they it wasn't like, Oh, the Astros lost this or the Dodgers blew it. They're like, these are two very good teams. I got their asses kicked by a much better team. You know, and the Braves earned everything that they got. Yeah, it was only the the network broadcast guys. Who kept slaubering over the Dodgers and the Astros, but the

writers. Yeah. Right did not. Although I didn't I didn't think Joe Buck was that bad, but Smolz was unbearable. Ron Darling was unbearable. Although so my dad, my dad is a good Dodgers friend. And he's like the dog his friend his friend sent him unsolicities like, why does Ron darling love the Braves? Why does Joe Buck? Why are they cheering for the Braves unabashedly over the

Dodgers? I think it's like. I think you sort of hear what you want to hear when you're listening to now, you know, because they just want to keep the game. I don't know. I'm not going to defend either of those guys, but. I don't think they were as bad as it feels like it wasn't Tim Macarver. Let's just leave it at that. All right. So we

win and then we win. We just win all the Astros. Yeah. You know, two and two more. He went with Matt. Again. Seven thinning and eighth inning like he did to close out the NLCS. Yeah. You know, it was freed to Matt sick to Will Smith. Will Smith, I believe except for one game, right? There was one blowout, but other than that, he saved every single

victory or appeared in every victory. I mean, they're he didn't get to save here, but yeah, I think he did, right? Was there a victory that he didn't appear in? I don't think so. Let's look it up on the show. Let's check it out real quick. Well, we'll do that. We'll do that for five or three. There was the nine two victory over the Dodgers. No,

and he still pitched the ninth inning. Yeah, he just of course, a one to save. Yeah. Um, yeah, I still can't believe it. You know, I I wanted, um, Matt sick to win. Co MVP for the NLCS, which he really, really. He should have. And even for the world series. Yeah. I mean, there were so many. There were so many. Matt sick was amazing. And we've

talked about it. It's a lot. Darno was just amazing. He caught every single inning. Um, I mean, we talked about how great that was an amazing backstop to. It was an amazing backstop. And, you know, and Curtis, you mentioned some key hits. He had a key home or, um, in one of those games. Um, and he threw out all those guys at say no, no, no.

So, but okay. Yes, that's true. But just I mean, we just talked about he went through the Dodgers and the Astros lineup and all that credit you have to give those pictures. And all those like. The Lease and the David sends and the way I mean, you know, he caught a lot of different guys against some really tough lineups. And we shut him down. I mean,

he deserves a ton of credit. Yeah, I agree. And he said, I just love watching him catch. I mean, every pitch that's he's just very encouraging and point back at the catch. You know, even if they don't get the calls and stuff, I just, I love him back there. I do love all that stuff. Yeah. So, um, so let's talk about the parade for a second.

So Curtis, you were downtown for the part one of the parade. What a, what was your experience down there for the Pete street 500. Right. Um, it's over before you knew it. Yeah. You know, I skipped the parade in 1995. Um, it just, you know, you know, I just, you know, I didn't know what it was. I was so excited about that, but didn't feel like

I needed to go and watch guys and buses. So I was excited to go. Obviously, my kids were not around in 1995 and they were super excited to go. They really wanted to be part of it. And they stayed up every night. You know, I let them stay up because this obviously experience does not come along very often, especially being in Atlanta. And I wanted them

to to cherish this and their huge baseball fans are huge braves fans. So this was really important to them to, uh, be part of this experience. And then have the experience of getting to go and see the parade. So I'm just prefacing with that. It was super disappointing. Um, they clearly had no interest in the downtown parade. I will just put that out there. And my

opinion shared by many people who were at that event. Um, they were hauling ass. I mean, there's no other way to put it. They were, it was sort of, you know, like if you saw them on the highway going towards Cobb County, you got as much as we got out of it. You could see that. You couldn't really tell who was in certain buses, um, because

they were going by so fast and disappointing for me, but especially for my kids and for all the kids. Um, that we're out there at that parade, looking to see Freddie and dance. We and, you know, all the great players that the Braves have the great young players, the great exciting young players that the Braves had. And then World Series champions that the Braves are now.

And I'm not giving, you know, I know that there's all the politics about Cobb County and Atlanta and everything else. But we, as the city deserve as much of that celebration as do the folks in Cobb County. Um, and so it was just very disappointing that they, um, what felt like a deliberate snub to, um, the Atlanta portion of that parade. Yeah. I might characterize it

less as a, um, as a snub and more of a checking lip service. Yeah. Perfect. Yeah. You know, I mean, kind of thing. Yeah I mean, championship parades are, the players are very slowly moving down the street. So you can see them and, yeah. And, you know, it was not that. It's for the fans. Right. Exactly. Um, and that's what we totally got money. Yeah. I'm

betting a lot of money came from inside the perimeter to go to these games as much as it was outside the perimeter. Yeah. Yeah. Maybe. I mean, the heat maps that they use to justify the move up there of where the ticket buyers were, would tell you different, but who knows? Yeah. Those are for regular season tickets. Right. Not $1,800 standing room tickets. Sure. Um, so,

you know, the, the one thing I will say, you know, the, the scenes from, from the battery and truest were pretty great. And I loved the sign Freddie stuff that the players did on the stage, you know, starting with Dan's B. That was just terrific. I mean, there were some, I will throw a couple fun things. It was great to see Soroco on one of the

buses. He was on a bus with Freed. Luke Jackson pounded a beer and threw the beer can out, which I thought was awesome and hilarious. Jack Peterson was throwing pearl necklaces off the bus like he was at Marty Graw or something. So there were some funny aspects to it. Fill the bucket. Our, our good friend on Twitter was, was in one of the buses with the

freeze. So, you know, there were some fun parts of it. I just wish we had had the opportunities to see them driving less than 65 miles an hour. Right. Um, so all right. Look, let's try out some of our greatest hits and play fair or foul and shot in the dark. But first, a quick break. All right. So guys, let's do some off season fair or

foul. So this is where I throw something out there and we agree with it fair or disagree with it. Wow. So, hammy first for you. Fair or foul. The most obvious question that we were going to ask in this podcast. The Braves resigned Freddie. Foul. No way. Washed up. Really worth it. No, of course they're signing him. It's like all this stuff around it was so

the Joe buck thing of like when he hit his home run games six and was like, maybe his last that bad is a brave. It was like, come on. Um, I bet they signed him. So yes, absolutely. I just can't see. I just can't see. And then I'm like, I'm like, what's up? The world where they do not sign him. I just don't, just don't see

it happening. I say he gets seven years. 190 million. OK. Curtis, how about you? Fair 100%. I didn't read the article, but I, it was. I think it was interview with Anthopolis and he was assuring us that the payroll was going to go up next year, which seems to point that they will have to they will be resigning. He's going to. Sign all the all the

core and add to it. He's got the money. I said six at 150. Yeah. So Anthopolis is quote from Sunday morning was we love him. He's great. We want him to stay. He wants to stay. Our goal is to sign him and keep him a brave. That's probably all I can say at this point. So look, I'm with you guys. Fair. I think they resigning. It's

a little weird that they let it go to this point and. Right. They have exclusive rights until 5 p.m. this Sunday, which has come and gone. So he, you know, he's going to be talking to teams. I mean, it's going to happen. But yes, I do agree you would be a brave. I've got him at seven for 200 million. We shall see. All right. Curtis, fair

foul. O'suna plays another day in a brave uniform. I don't see how that is even remotely possible. I know that they just. They're not going to be able to reinstate it. If that's the correct term for what they did. And I think that I think all of this is just procedural so they can get rid of them. I'm sure that they're trying to figure out. Claws

as in his contract where they can release him for cause because of the. The off field issues, although I still don't. I mean, I don't think these charges are still pending. I think they were dropped. Well, right. So what. So what happened is the felony assault. The charge was dropped. It was resues. It was reduced to two Mr. Me two misdemeanors, an assault and family violence

charge, which they settled. It's like in the process of being settled because O'suna agreed to enter some programs that, you know, if he follows all the steps, could result in those charges being dropped. So that's where it's at. I mean, with all that, I don't think they're getting out of the contract. What's going to play out next right is that the MLB. Investigation is still ongoing.

Wink, wink. I mean, they're just waiting for the World Series to end. And you know, for this stuff to, you know, the. The plea and all that stuff to play out. But I do think he gets suspended. You know, I think that's what's next. Do you think he plays another day in a Braves uniform? Fowl. No, I don't. I think he's going to get. Like a

hundred game suspension. And then the Braves will trade him and eat it in, you know, eat some of the cash. That's, that's my guess. Hammy, what about you? Yeah, I don't know. I mean, it's, I think that sounds very plausible, probably. But I'm with courage. Don't see how with all the stuff that he just plays another game with us. It's just too much water into the

bridge. Well, and, and. You know, if Anthopolis is really. That guy about clubhouse chemistry and good guys, Oh, Zuna, not a good guy. You know, look, I know that even that's political or something that I've said that, but. Oh, Zuna, not a good guy. And if you think otherwise, then I don't know what to tell you. I just can't see them letting him walk back into

that clubhouse. No. All right, Hammy, fair foul. Both Eddie Rosario and poor Hayes, so layer are Braves next year. Hmm. Yeah. So I definitely think Rosario is. And I've, I just because he's a lefty and I think he gives us a little bit more versatility. You know, so layer. And do all. It feels like, you know, it's probably one of the, like another power hitting right

handed bad who strikes out a lot. I definitely think so layer got hot. I think he's going to regress a little bit. So I'm not as convinced on so layer as I think I would. And Rosario, but I actually do think both of them will be back. I think it will, we will not see Peterson. I don't think we'll see. Do all again. Unless he's and

maybe he's signed for another year. And of course, I'm an idiot and then realize that. But. But I do think we'll see Rosario and so layer again. So fair. Okay. Curtis, how about you? I agree. I think that they find a way, especially with the D H coming to the National League next year. I think that is probably going to end up being the case. So

wait. There would be a perfect D H to have on the on the team. More so much more so than do vol breaking news max freed and do vol both just one gold gloves. Yes. But so layer seems like an ideal D H to have on your, especially with how thin and lacking in power. The bench really was with some of these other guys that they

had on there. So yeah, I think it's fair that they're both back. Yes. So I'm going to go foul. I mean, they're both unrestricted free agents. So there's no guarantees, right? I mean, someone could just outbid us money or years. So ham, do vol there is a mutual option of seven million for 2022. Hmm. So I or or a three million dollar buyout. So I'm assuming

that do vol is back. I think one of Rosario and so layer are back. I think it's so layer. His plate discipline got was so good when he arrived. Like they really unlocked something with so layer and that light, that true light tower power. Yeah. Yeah. I just if I had to pick, I'm bringing so layer back. But and I agree with you. I mean, jock

for all his, you know, being the reason we won the World Series and everything. My God, you know, you just saw what he was as an everyday player. And it's. He's not that great at the plate. No, he's not. I mean, he's just got somebody holes in his swing. And I mean, that's a thing was so, so layer has such a small heat zone. I just,

I worry about that. Curtis, if it was just Rosario or Salaire, who came back, who do you think it would be? It seems like Rosario offers you more, but he might also get offered more money. Yeah, because of that to go somewhere else. And so layer was really quite bad for a little while now. But it's a lot of work for this less great spurty yet

with the braves. So Rosario is probably more valuable in the open market. Yeah. I just heard you say Steve's wrong. And I'm right. That's all I needed to hear. Thank you. Yeah. Sure. If that's what it took. Thank you. You're a big person. I am. All right, guys. Before we close out the show with our offseason shot in the dark, we're going to review our twenty

twenty one predictions. So Kurt, you know, we at the end of our. What was our last show? We did some predictions for what was going to happen in twenty twenty one. So how did we do? I didn't even do we do any. Do we do it? I'll see this shot in the dark at the end of the last show. I don't even remember. I don't have

that information. If we do. Yeah. I think I picked on it. So the braves are going to win the World Series and. Well, we can hold on one of those points very, very soon. Okay, real quick. So home run leaders is the first and we obviously this one. So, Ham had a coon you with forty one. Steve had Freddie Freeman with thirty nine. I had a

coon you with fifty. I saw a fifty fifty season coming from the coon you this year. Yeah. Of course, the correct answer. We were all wrong. The correct answer was also Riley with thirty three. The second one because he had such a huge impact on the team this year, with regarded Pache. Over and under on his batting average of two forty five. Ham went under. I

went over Steve went over. No, sorry, Steve went over. I went under the he batted one eleven. So that would be under under. Riley Hummers. We already touched on this over and under. We did very low. We said over and under Riley Hummers fifteen. Ham went over. Steve went under. Sorry, more to come when laughing at Steve. Okay, good. I went over. It was, of course,

over. Hey, and just real quick. Still like impossible. That Riley was probably a week from being sent down. And then became like a top five. Yeah. And then it was almost. It was in the MVP discussion at the end. Yeah. And then it became a cornerstone of the team. Unbelievable. It is crazy. Even broadening as Ham was talking about before as an Atlanta fan. The level

of young talent currently residing on the rosters of the Atlanta Hawks and the Atlanta Braves. If you are not excited about those two teams, I don't know what to tell you. Yeah. Fourth question. Dan's be trips to the DL. Over and under at one and a half. We all went over. I went over at three, which was the high one. He actually had zero trips to

the DL. As well as like you tell, I went through as much information. I did not find any trips to the DL for Dan's. We so good for him. We were all wrong. Starter ERA leaders. Ham went in Anderson. Steve went like Soroka. Oh, how bless you. I went with Max Reed. It was Max Reed with 3.04 Curtis. What was the an answer? Do you all

think Sarra? Sarra? I don't know. I don't know. I don't want to say no because it breaks my heart to say no. So I hope so as well. Well, saves leader. Ham went Smith. Steve went Martin. Steve Martin. I went Smith. The answer of course was Smith with 37. In L East. First and second. Ham. Metz Braves. Steve. Braves Metz. Kurt. Braves Metz. Some of those

people were prouffright. Braves wins. Ham 91. Steve 94. Kurt 92. Of course they won 88. James. So we were all wrong there. In L division. Ham didn't get any of these right. Metz. Metz. St. Louis. San Diego. Oh, sorry. Who is that? LA. San Diego and Atlanta. As the Wildcords. Of course those were all wrong. Steve got Atlanta winning the East. Then said St. Louis and

LA. Of course they were both Wad card teams. And then San Diego and New York Metz who of course didn't make the playoffs at all. And Kurt did the exact same thing that Steve did. LA division. Ham Yankees. Wrong. White socks. Yes. Houston. Yes. Tampa as the Wildcord. Of course they won the East Toronto. Did not make the playoffs. Steve. New York Yankees. We already know

that's wrong. Minnesota. Wrong. Houston. Correct. Tampa won the division and Oakland. Wrong. Kurt Yankees. White socks. Oh, angels. You know, this is like my pick that I'm going to do every year. Until this actually comes true. I picked the angels to win the West yet again. Of course they run like last place. Minnesota. Houston as the Wildcord. So we see. Ham won that one with two

correct. World Series. Ham. Do you remember who you picked for the World Series? Um. No. Was it AstraZiders again? No. San Diego Yankees with the Yankees winning at all. Okay. Steve. Do you remember who you picked for the World Series? I think it was Yankees Dodgers. Correct. With the Yankees. He's winning at all. Kurt. Atlanta. White socks with Atlanta. Winning. Nice. Kurt. Nice. Kurt. So Steve

finished with three correct. Ham finished with five correct. And I finished with nine correct. Wow. Okay. 2021 goes to me. Well done. Kurt. It took to the last season of the podcast, but you finally won one. I know. Yes. One and 14. All right, guys. So, um, let's finish off with an off season shot in the dark. So, uh, Hammy, what do you got? Um, I

don't know. It's hard to say. It's, it's what do you do? What do you give the man who has everything? Um, I don't know. It's hard to say. It's, it's what, what do you do? What do you give the man who has everything? Um, like, we've won it now. I can't even imagine what to do to the team. So, um, I, I'm going to put a

bold one out there. Uh, I think the braves either sign Robby Ray or Kevin Gosman. Okay. I like it. I've got one of Pache, Drew Waters or Kyle Mueller get traded in the off season in a big trade. Which of course, Enthopolis has yet to do since he's gotten here to trade anyone of any value, but maybe this is the year. All right. Curtis, how about

you? Um, I don't really have a name, but I think that the braves go out and sign a big front line starting picture based on their concerns that Mike Soroga never returns and Charlie Morton is 38 years old. Yeah, that's what I mean, that's all right. So Curtis, you're looking at Scherzer, Strowman, Robbie Ray, Kevin Gosman, uh, the dude from the White Sox, who had sort

of a bust out here this year, Cordon, Gord of, I forgot. Anyway, that's who you're looking at. Those are your, those are the, in the top 20 of your front line starters who are free agents. Now, does Verlander count? Oh, I guess Verlander's up there, but he, yeah, Verland, I guess Verlander does count. You, you're going to replace Morton with Verlander. Maybe I guess if you're

going to one year deal. Well, look, I mean, heading into next year, you've got freed Morton Anderson Kyle Wright probably. Maybe is your four maybe, but we thought that coming into this season. Yeah. Yeah. I know. I hear you. Um, Moir looked really good in his limited opportunities. I still don't think you'd, that's something you want to bank on coming into this off season. No, and

my point is they, they need to saw one or two starting pictures. Yeah. Yeah. I hope it's not Strowman. I don't think it's sure. That's why I think it's like, I would love for it to be Robbie Ray. So lefty, um, but he's going to command a lot of money. I guess it's just, are we going to be willing to give him the years and the

dollars? You know, I mean, sure, a couple of years ago. Yeah, you did. Uh, Scherzer almost seems interesting. I mean, I know that the money will be crazy thrown at him. But maybe after his dead arm and sort of weak postseason performance, he's in his age that he's a little more obtainable. Oh, I'd be all for that. My God. Oh, yeah. Me too. 100% so fun.

Um, all right, guys. Any final thoughts? We are world series champions and we will be forever. It's so great. And I will say as much as I loved winning 1995, this one was so much. So much more fun. So much better. So fun. I missed playoff baseball already. So bad. I went the next night. I went and rewatch game six when we were supposed to have

game seven. I've just just watched like the quick view of it. Cause it was just so great. I miss it already. So great. Well, guys, look, we, you know, we didn't picture this happening. But, uh, um, it was great to do it. Nice to be back with you too. And absolutely. How about we make a commitment? If every year, the braves when the world series will

do a reunion show. Yeah. I'll be there. Talk later. Who are you are? Frank, ballpark, Frank. I do want to remind people there are no more kuzis. Just to make that very, very clear. But you can hear Kurt on Australian podcasts. That is, you can still continue to hear Kurt on his side gig appearing on Australian podcast. You know, it's Australian rules football. Talk. All right.

On that note, guys, that is the show. A big thanks. Seriously, to everyone on Twitter who started asking for this as soon as the Braves made the playoffs and more and more as the run went on. So I guess I'll really be saying this for the last time for real now. Remember, you can find us at speaker as well as iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, and Spotify

as always. You can find us at AtlantaBaseballTalk.com to access all of our shows and to post in our comment section. Be sure to follow us on Twitter at ATL baseball talk and to like us on Facebook. Thanks again for listening and go brave. Thanks for listening to Atlanta baseball talk. Your weekly podcast for all things at Atlanta Braves to find new shows to post in our

forum or to send a comment. Please visit us at AtlantaBaseballTalk.com. It's a hard thing to admit. Had to get on the program and enemies he wrote when you quit. Had to make peace with my enemies. Successful power greater than my-