Brewers Babes
Brewers Babes
Brewers Babes #73 - What We're Conditioned to be Happy With
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In this episode the Babes talk about what happened at the trade deadline, talk about our theories on the Skubal trade and how the Brewers new arms will be helpful in the postseason. We also recap our weekend in Springfield covering the Women's Professional Baseball League.
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Welcome back to another episode of Brewers Babes, a Milwaukee Brewers and Baseball Fan podcast for babes by babes. I'm Aaron. I'm Lisa. The trade deadline has come and gone, and the Brewers made some very on-brand moves just hours before closing. So we're gonna get into that first. And then we recently got to witness history this past weekend covering opening day for the Women's Professional Baseball League. So we're excited to talk about that too. Um, but let's talk trades first, though.
SPEAKER_01Reactions. Well, in general, this was a crazy trade. Like there was so much activity, it was wild. This is what happens when 23 teams are contending. Yep. And like there's nothing, and then there was everything. It was like contractions. Do you know what I mean? Like all of a sudden everything comes in at once, and then there's nothing, and then everything that's how it was. Yeah, you're right. Um it was a very active trade. Some big names. Should we start with the the obvious one? The big one, yeah.
SPEAKER_02So Terek Scoobel went to the Dodgers. Yeah. And I don't think I don't know if anyone was surprised by that, but the information that we've got since then, the reactions to that, and the things that the Brewers have said, and what the Braves have also said about the packages that they offered in exchange for Terek Scoobyl make me think that some shit has been going on.
SPEAKER_01So tell me about what shit.
SPEAKER_02Well I think that the Scoobyl wanted to go to the Dodgers and the Tigers wanted to make that happen for him. Like, I don't think they were actually considering any other teams. When you look at what Milwaukee supposedly offered and what the Braves supposedly offered, it's it's not even comparable to what they got, the return that they got from the Dodgers, right? I think as long as we're into conspiracy theorizing on this podcast, which we are, I think that this kind of move sets the Dodgers up for a third consecutive World Series win and kicks off the salary cap discussion and sets us up for work stoppages in 2027. And I think they're, I think the owners are in on it. I think this is what they want. I think this is a move that they made intentionally. I think the Tigers would have done better as a team trading with the Braves or the Brewers, they would have gotten better players in exchange for a two-month rental than what they got from the Dodgers. And so I think the motive is different. Does that make sense?
SPEAKER_01Yes. I you know I love a good conspiracy theory. And this one has kind of been making the rounds. So I agree with you that it seems like the the Tigers really wanted it to go to the Dodgers. I don't think it's because Scoobyl wanted to go there because they have no allegiance to him. They don't, you know, they're not beholden to do anything that he wants them to do. Their job is to get the best deal for him that they can, which it seems like they didn't do, right? So just in case anybody hasn't heard, the brewer's offer was uh, well, it was three hitters, right? Two who were in the top 100. One of them we know for sure was Louis Peña. Yep. Um, and so the other brewers available in the top prospects are Jet Williams and Josh Adam Chevitz. So one of those two, maybe both, maybe somebody else running the outside. Um, Andrew Fisher's name has been tossed around. And the Tigers have said that they wanted a they wanted a pitcher. Yep. So that's you know, that's legit. But looking at who they got from LA, just like they're it's weird to me to take that package when they took it. So it happened on a Saturday, which is two full days before the end of the trade deadline. So why would you rush it? Why would you take a package like that that's not a very good package without negotiating and just lose all your leverage? And to me, that is the really uh suspect part of it. You know what I mean? Because like you have a two-time Cy Young award winner, you have multiple teams who want it, and kudos to the Brewers, who I think, you know, last episode I was like, I don't think they're gonna do anything, I think it's a PR move. I take that back. I think they actually did try to do something crazy, yeah, like nuts. Um, and good for them for for trying. But why would you take that package so soon unless there was another reason you really wanted it to go to the Dodgers, and it was not even that it sets the Dodgers up for a third World Series, which like they can probably get there without a Teric Scuble, sure, you know, and I don't think a Teric Scoobyl is the difference for us between a World Series or not. I don't either, but it does set up people to be pissed off, yep. Right? Like people being pissed off at the Dodgers more and then have this argument more about salary caps. And I think that was sort of the underhandedness. And like, look, we're we're we're talking collusion here. Yes, yep. If we're going conspiracy theory, that that shit is illegal, but I don't know who is who is who's gonna investigate that? The commissioner's office? Mm.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_02It is frustrating. It does lead, I mean, that's that's the whole buzz. That's the whole conversation, even though it's you know it's a trade, it's not like it's a signing, you know. They're taking over the rest of his contract, but it's not like they went out there and bought him, you know, and they're still getting a two-month rental, but they have the opportunity to extend him later. But like it's we're looking at we're looking at a starting rotation that's worth $1.3 billion. Does that include Chohi? Five guys. Five, yes, that includes Chahei. Okay. So, you know, obviously that's weighted, but I mean, that's the payroll of like three full MLB teams, their entire rosters. Where that's how much their starting rotation is worth. So it's hard to it's hard to not have that conversation, and it definitely is getting people fucking riled up and pissed off. And Scoobyl said about it, he said, every team could trade for me. I don't sympathize with people that are complaining because the Dodgers do all the right things. Any team can do that.
SPEAKER_01Fuck off. Look, I agree with Tarek on that one. I think he was kind of a dick for how he said it. But and I think that's the MLBPA line, right? Is like any team could have done this without a salary cap. It could have happened. We don't need a salary cap to make it happen. So I I do agree with him on that, but it is super suspicious about how it happened, and it is obnoxious because the Dodgers they don't need Terek Scuble. Nope. They have like a 10-man rotation now.
SPEAKER_02They do, they do. They're just keeping other people from getting him. You're right. It's he's he's not the difference between them winning a World Series or not, but he's keep they're keeping other teams from having an a shot at it, and that's really, really fucking frustrating. Because we are going to have a shot at these other players that we can't afford.
SPEAKER_01That's such a good point. They're just hoarding players so nobody else can have them. Yep. Which is, you know. And the Tigers are playing along with it. It's the American way. Yep. Well, you know, if the Tigers uh suck up enough to the Dodgers, maybe someday the Tigers will be the Dodgers. If we're keeping with like the theme. Oh, right, right, right. But someday when I'm rich, guys like being better, watch their backs. Right. It's specifically also because it's the Tigers that it gives me pause because even though it's been trying to be swept under the rug for the last year, we know that the Tigers' front office is as scandalous as shit. You're right. Yep. They had that entire investigation that only got broke open because of the athletic. I don't remember, we talked about it in a podcast from last year.
SPEAKER_00Yep.
SPEAKER_01Like eight people got let go from sexual harassment, physical misconduct towards female staff members over like multiple years.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And then cover-up of it. Right. Even like it was the the former GM was sending dick pics to people.
SPEAKER_02Like, I don't know, so it's not it's not a scandal-free, it's not a scandal-free front office, is what is the point you're making.
SPEAKER_01Right. Like you all, I don't know. I don't know if other front offices are like this because, you know, this was the one that got found out, and maybe other things are happening in the same place. But this is the one that got found out, and so in my head now, I'm like, fuck the tigers. They have no uh scruples, you know, and why wouldn't they? Why wouldn't they collude? So yeah.
SPEAKER_02I don't know. It's frustrating. I'm pretty, I'm pretty upset about it. It's like I don't need to go off on a huge tangent here, but like the problems in the capitalist dystopian world that we live in are reflected exactly in the way that baseball is run, and it bums me out so much because this is where I come to get my joy. And I I just I want to focus on the fact that the brewers are in first place, you know. I want to focus on the fact that the brewers were the first team to 70 wins this year, that this is the best team that we've seen. And it's hard in the background to ignore the looming fact that like the systems that are set up are exactly the same as the ones that we're trying to break down in our regular lives. And so that's a bummer to me, you know.
SPEAKER_01Yes, I feel it also. The problem that Major League Baseball is trying to solve is one where the owners don't want to spend their money and they want to make more money, and like that's the problem that they are identifying. Yes, and that's not the problem that the rest of us are identifying and that the players are identifying. So if you can't even agree on what the problem is, I don't know how they're gonna come to a solution. But I agree with you, like I just want to focus on the brewers and this Tarek Scuble thing, it did something nice. I don't know if you saw this, but Logan Henderson came out and he said, like, I thanked Matt Arnold for not dealing me. I said, you know, like I belong here. I'm a brewer. I'm a brewer. I was like, oh I love that too. Oh, it just And he pitched a great game yesterday. He pitched, and then Scoobyl did.
SPEAKER_02I would never trade years of of Logan Henderson for two months of Tarek Scoobyl. Never give me a big one.
SPEAKER_01Five years, five years of control. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02For two months. Fuck that. Fuck that.
unknownNo.
SPEAKER_01What a gem. And I bet you he would never back out on the WBC if he played either. It's weird how there's now 29 teams who hate Tarek Scuble. But all right. Well, let's talk about what the Brewers did get.
SPEAKER_02Alright. So what day was it? Because the days all ran together, but we were hanging out when we learned that Blake Perkins was traded along with Craig Yoho to the Guardians for Boneiler and a pitcher that we ended up trading to the Orioles for cash. So I don't remember, I don't even remember his name.
SPEAKER_01Hoyer, Cody Hoyer, I think. Blake Perkins gone. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yep. Craig Yoho, so you don't have to listen to that song anymore.
SPEAKER_01Fuck that song, man. I you played it. I watched your face. We were together this last weekend, and I told you what part of the song it was. I kept being like, this part? You're like, yeah, this part. I'm like, the part where it's just the one guy?
SPEAKER_02You're like, yeah, that one part. Not the part where it gets yeah.
SPEAKER_01It's like a Gregorian chant. Wait, but this part right here? No. Yes, Aaron. Yeah. So, you know, Perk is a great guy. We're sorry to see him go, but boneer, former first-round draft pick, he's in triple A right now because his bat stinks. Um, Josh's brother, the hotter nailer. Definitely the hotter nailer. Presumably hasn't stabbed anybody in a closet. So I don't know. I feel like as a first round draft pick, he's clearly got talent and potential that has maybe been not tapped right. So it's kind of like Andrew Vaughn, because Andrew Vaughn was also a first-round draft pick. And he had, you know, a change of scenery to Milwaukee was great for him. So I'm kind of hoping that this goes that way, but I don't know if we're gonna see him this year or not.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_01So that happened.
SPEAKER_02And then we traded within our own division, which was interesting, with the Cardinals. We got Dustin May, a Riety Starter, and JoJ Romero, a lefty reliever from the Cardinals for Brewers, number 11 and 13 prospects, Alexander Freus and Josiah Ragsdale. The more I've sat with it, like the more excited I am about it. But that all this talk about like Terek Scoobyl, and then I was ho, and then Mason Miller, who didn't end up going anywhere, right? And then um Luke Weaver, who I really like, and Freddie, and you know, I was thinking about CJ Abrams, even though I knew that that was never gonna happen. But like all the big names were up in my brain. So when they were like, oh, we got these guys, I was like, okay, it's very on brand, you know, like yeah, nothing flashy, nothing super exciting. But you know, Dustin May, he he has no hit in the eight innings earlier this year. Like, um, and he's very excited. He was like, I'm psyched. He's he said he's stoked and he's thrilled to be part of this organization. He's like, the pitching here is incredible, and I'm really excited to be part of this team, so he's excited about it. Um, I'm into that. I think he could be good. And now we don't have to look at Brandon Sprout anymore. And I think I will maintain that I think Sproat has the stuff, he just doesn't have control over the stuff yet. I think he just is I just think he's inexperienced, and I'm I'm glad he's back in AAA because he needs to figure his shit out.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's spot on. I'm happy about that one. I agree. I like Dustin May a lot. He's our own Torman Giant Spain now. Yeah, yeah. But yeah, when I heard Dustin May's name, I was excited because I like the idea of if we can if we can push a six-man rotation, that excited me because I think Miz needs more of a break. Yep. Um, Judge O Romero, I I think it's gonna be a good pickup for the bullpen. He's out for a couple more weeks with appendicitis.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. I was when I saw he was on the aisle, I was like, oh fuck. This is what we always do. Go pick up injured pictures. And I was like, oh, he just had an athendectomy, never mind. This is a non-baseball related injury, everyone. Great, love it. So shouldn't affect his throwing arm, I would hope.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And then we had Senzatella from the Rockies, who I've always liked and who had a great inning last night. So I think it's good. I was like, you know, I said pitching is not the reason that we lose in the off-season, and that is true because our offense does really struggle. But then I thought back to last offseason and remembering when they started Aaron Ashby and how terrible that felt. And then remembering uh Freddie really struggling in Chicago and how terrible that felt. I was like, we actually we do need to fortify pitching for the postseason. We I want more and more. I want that bullpen just stacked.
SPEAKER_02I agree. I mean, I'm I'm so happy that that Ashby's gonna get a break. We got Deal Hall back, we could see Gasser as a starter or in the bullpen. Like it's it'll be nice to like just relieve some some pressure there because it's yeah, they need it, they need it. Those guys need a break.
SPEAKER_01They really do, and I I think the strategy makes sense, right? Like the brewers are who they are. We can either try to fortify them by giving them one guy who might hit uh some runs, sure, or we can fortify what we already know is where we shine, and that is pitching. So yeah, multiple, multiple players for that. That's gotta be the strategy.
SPEAKER_02I don't think that going all in for Scoobyl, if he had taken our offer, and that would have been the only thing. I think that fans would have been excited, but I I don't really think that strategically that that was the way to fucking go. So I feel like it worked out just fine. I mean, we got Harrison back, he's getting a start today versus Skeens. I'm not sure how he's doing because this game's on ESPN, so I can't fucking watch it. Right. Sorry, angry, and then yeah, um, Henderson's looking good, like Miz, obviously. So, you know, I was I was not holding out hope for CJ Abrams, and I also was like super conflicted about that because dude hits home runs, but he is not a good shortstop. And like I'm like, I've got Cooper Pratt, I've got David Hamilton, and I have Joey Ortiz all on that side of the infield. Whose glove am I willing to give up for for someone who can hit home runs? And what and what would that do? What would that do to the whole thing? You know, if you put in a weak link at short, is it is it worthwhile to get the to get the dingers?
SPEAKER_01I don't know. Doesn't make sense unless you put him at DH because Yeli's clearly having such a hard time, but that also doesn't make sense for doesn't make sense.
SPEAKER_02Like Abrams has DH'd like three games ever in his career, and so like moving him to a new city and then asking him to like totally switch up his position from an everyday starter to just coming off the bench, that seems like it would be too big of a thing to try to do. Because we can't we can't also bank everything on a bat and hope that like that guy stays hot, you know, or that he moves to Milwaukee and hits the ball as well as he did wherever he was before. You can't just bank on it and then have that be it. But I also can't bank on Joey O still hitting as hot as he is, or you know, like yes, our guys need to get it going because we can you can't win games without scoring runs. Nope.
SPEAKER_01So it's kind of hard to watch Caleb Durbin hit grand slams right now, yeah. But I don't know. We'll see. You know, we were the first team to 70, fastest in franchise history. So I think maybe also, even though they don't produce homers, they do produce runs. We're right behind the Dodgers in numbers of runs produced. So I think because we are the fans who watch the games the most, maybe we just have a little bit of a warped view of what they actually do and are capable of.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Because I really don't know if the other teams are you know, I don't know how much they're leaving men on in scoring position that often. Maybe it maybe a lot.
SPEAKER_02It feels very frustrating to watch. Maybe other fans of other teams feel the same way that we do, and they just don't realize it. Yeah, like you're saying, yeah, because it is quite frustrating.
SPEAKER_01You know what I thought was funny was so the Mets just sold everything, right? They're done, and all of the Mets fans were like seemingly upset by it, and I was really confused by that because you all hate your team. Now you're mad that they're gone. I don't understand it. That the head of a Mets fan, I just feel it just must be something to behold.
SPEAKER_02Um I don't understand that team at all. I really don't get it. They they're outspent by the Dodgers by like not very much. And the the difference is astronomical in the way that they play. I just I don't understand it. I feel like the Mets are there so we can point to them and be like, see, money doesn't matter. Money doesn't win championships. Look at the fucking Mets. I mean, it's true.
SPEAKER_01I mean we need the outlier here for a point. Um, I don't know, but Tyrone Taylor is now a cub. Oh, that's right, yep. So he's back in the NL Central, back with Cece. With Cece, so we'll see him fine. The Cubs also picked up Clay Holmes.
SPEAKER_02Oh, that's right, they did.
SPEAKER_01And uh Kevin Gossman.
SPEAKER_02Oh, right. He wouldn't he refused to be traded to the Brewers, remember that?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, we're on his no trade list, but the Cubs weren't, and so Cubs got a couple of big names in in Kevin Gossman and Clay Holmes, which I feel like I don't know. I feel like Clay Holmes is a good fit there. We'll see.
SPEAKER_02The Cubs just swept the Dodgers.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Great. And then Lars Newbar is now a diamondback. Oh, is he? I missed that. Yeah. Well, it feels weird. Feels weird. We saw Freddy with the Rays, his debut.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Poor Freddie. What was it? Give him time. Three and two thirds inning, nine hits, seven runs.
SPEAKER_01It was it was not great.
SPEAKER_02Not good. Sorry, Freddie.
SPEAKER_01Not give him some time. He's gotta, you know, let the let the sunshine soak in. Yeah, there you go. And then did you also see the the other one I can think of is Dalton Vershow? He got traded from the Jays to the Astros while the Jays were in Houston. So he did this walk. Like he walked from the Blue Jays locker room to the Astros locker room and then put on the Astros jersey and played his old team.
SPEAKER_02Let me ask you a legit an actual question because I don't know the answer. Does this happen in any other sport?
SPEAKER_01I don't watch other sports.
SPEAKER_02Okay, so someone someone who watches other sports, let me know. Do do other sports trade their players mid-game with the team they're playing against? Because this is not the first time this has happened.
SPEAKER_01Well, this wasn't mid game, but it has happened mid game before. Okay. I mean it it has happened mid game before. Yes, it has. This one. This one wasn't. This was like the the beginning of their series. Got it. Or something. Um but yeah, that is just weird. So he is with Houston now and The Blue Jays are done. They're gone from what they were. Vladdy can't hit. George Springer's only there because he's got a no-trade clause. I don't I feel bad for the Blue Jays.
SPEAKER_02I saw that um Luis Arias had like four RBI against the Cardinals as a blue jay the other the other day, though. I was watching again. Yeah. Yeah. Alright.
SPEAKER_01It's time to shine.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I was like, oh, I forgot he was a blue jay. I'm like, oh damn, when did that happen? So did I.
SPEAKER_01Great. I love that. But yeah, very weird trade. Sanzatella is also from Venezuela, so we have another Venezuelan on the team.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. That'll be good. He was uh his ERA in Colorado was 3.61. But I think a lot of guys improve when they leave Colorado. That's just uh that's just a place where balls get hit. So multi-inning reliever, that'll be good.
SPEAKER_01Unless you're Freddie Peralta. Yeah. Except for yesterday. But yeah, Censatello has been a starter for most of his career. I think last year's maybe the first year he was in the pen. Okay. So maybe, I don't know, lots of options. It's one of those Bruce moves where you just find a guy with lots of options. Totally right.
SPEAKER_02Awesome. So we'll see. Alright. Well, I'm happy with it. I think it makes sense. I think it's this is what we are conditioned to be happy with.
SPEAKER_01So let's go. This is what we're conditioned to be happy with. Put it on a bumper sticker.
SPEAKER_02Man, it was getting down to the wire though. We were like, oh fuck, are we really only getting bone ailer? Is that the whole thing?
SPEAKER_01Yep.
SPEAKER_02We made these moves in the last like two hours. So we were like, Yep. Brewer's Twitter was freaking the fuck out. Our group chat was freaking out.
SPEAKER_01Yep. Yep. I'm glad it's over. Let's move on from it.
SPEAKER_02Yes, let's go. All right. Let's win some games. All right. So, like I said before, we were just in Springfield, Illinois over the weekend covering the WPBL, the Women's Professional Baseball League, opening weekend of their inaugural season. And that was really, really exciting. And so we we told you last time that we were going to be doing this. And if you follow us on Instagram, you've been seeing a lot of what we were getting into while we were there and learning about the sport and the teams and the players. But we figured we'd give you a rundown on everything that this league has to offer and how you can watch the teams and what you need to know about them.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it was awesome. It was great. It was pure baseball. I loved it. I loved almost everything about it. Almost the the thing that got the most press, I think, was the national anthem, which seems unfair. Oh god. Because it's pretty big deal. There's a brand new baseball league, but the only thing that people want to cover is whatever that was. Whatever that was. I heard it might have been a protest song, like intentionally ruining the national anthem. It was it was something. Well, nobody vetted it, I think, probably. Okay. Yeah. Or if they did and they said you're good to go, then she definitely did it on purpose. Okay. Well, good.
SPEAKER_02Was her uh fifth inning stretch performance also a protest?
SPEAKER_01Ooh, I I don't know. Here that's the other thing that I didn't like. So the fifth inning stretch, because the the games are seven innings, and we'll talk about that why in a little bit later. But the fifth inning stretch, they didn't sing Take Me Out to the Ball Game. What do they sing? Dancing in the Streets? Yes. Like we're starting a new tradition, it's gonna be dancing in the streets. How do you feel about it?
SPEAKER_02I don't like it, and it's baseball. I don't think we need to start any new traditions. And also the song Take Me Out to the Ball Game is about a woman who wants to go to a baseball game. It is it's a song from written from a woman's point of view, so it fits the vibe, you know.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and it based on a true story, it's the story of Katie Casey, who her boyfriend wanted to take her to the movies or something, and she was like, Fuck that, let's go watch a ball game because that's all she wanted to do. Like she wanted to play, she wanted to watch. So yeah, I was like, mmm, this song is actually more appropriate here than anywhere else. I agree. But besides that, I loved everything about it. It was great. It was wonderful. How do you wanna how do you want to break this down?
SPEAKER_02I figured we'd explain some of the stuff to the people because we are a podcast that talks about primarily the brewers and almost exclusively Major League Baseball. So if you follow us for those things, you might not be aware of what's going on in women's baseball. So I figured we would just talk about some of those details. Um, so there's four teams, uh, and the four teams are named after trailblazing women from that area. So the LA Queens are named after Lizzie Murphy, who was a baseball player. The New York Heights are named after Dorothy Haidt, who is a civil rights and women's rights activist. San Francisco Firebells.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, the Firebell's name comes from a woman named Lily Hitchcock Coyt, who they used to call Firebell Lil, because she was a volunteer firefighter during the San Francisco fire. And you know what I like? They don't do the Bell B-E-L-L-E. There's none of that. It's just Firebell's B-E-L-L-S. I appreciate that. I don't need it feminized. Right. You know.
SPEAKER_02And then we got the Boston Hunters who are named for Harriet Hunt, who was a physician and women's rights activist as well.
SPEAKER_01And they're all managed by some big names. Uh the LA Queens have Eric Young, E.Y., former Rocky, is how I know him, but he's also former MLB player. Matt Williams has the Firebells, also former MLB and former manager, World Series champ, all-star, gold glover, that whole thing. The Heights have Rocky Henley, who's been working her whole life on getting women's ball to be a thing. So it was really special to hear her speak and talk on it. And then Keith Folk from is the Boston Hunters, who was also in the MLB as a pitcher, an all-star. Uh he saved, he earned the save in uh the final game of the World Series from 2004. So some really big names.
SPEAKER_02We had the opportunity to attend the press briefings where people asked them questions, and we heard from all four of these managers, and it was really interesting to be a part of. We put we posted a lot of that on our Instagram, and we were in particular impressed by Matt Williams, who is insistent. He seemed like he was had the most buy-in of all of them on like, no, these are athletes that are gonna go out there and play because they can, and I don't have to do anything except for let them play.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I really liked his his demeanor, his understanding. He clearly knows the game. He's working with the players, he's like working with Kelsey Whitmore, who's on the firebells. He's understanding that the things that they have to do out of necessity for being a women's league in a small starting league is not something that needs to stay stagnant. He's like pointing it out. Like, yes, they're versatile, but because they have to be.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_01So I don't know. I liked I like that a lot. And yeah, there's a lot of that on our Instagram. If you want to go check it out.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. And so speaking of that, having to be versatile players, there are a few things that are the same between the WPBL and MLB, and then there are a few differences as well. And a lot of the differences boil down to the fact that the rosters on these teams are only 15 people. There are 15 women playing on each team, and so they had to play multiple positions. When we went, we saw we saw women who were starting in left field and hitting, and then they got on the mountain and pitched, and then they came back and then they pinched hit later. Like um, there's these two-way and three-way players, and so it's really hard on you as a player. What you're not Gary Sanchez, where you get a hit and you get the first base, and then someone else comes out and runs for you.
SPEAKER_01Like you know, like Jade on Gary. That's Gary.
SPEAKER_02But you know what I mean? They have to so because of that, there's lots of differences. So, like Lisa mentioned, like you mentioned earlier, only seven innings instead of nine. Because, like, how can you play nine innings with just 15 people who are rotating positions all throughout the game? Also, the bats are aluminum bats, they can use whatever kind of bat they want, but um, we noticed that everybody was using aluminum bats, and part of that is because this league doesn't have a lot of money yet. So aluminum bats are cheaper, they don't break as often.
SPEAKER_01And then they uh aluminum bats hit farther, right? Yep, ball pops off of them.
SPEAKER_02Yep, but the the end field dimensions are the same, and it's still 90 feet between each base, so I feel like that's important to point out. And yes, pitch clock, no abs. So those things as well.
SPEAKER_01Yes, pitch clock, which I I didn't know if we were gonna see the pitch clock.
SPEAKER_02I didn't either. I didn't know if the city was.
SPEAKER_01So you pointed out, you're like, is that it? I thought, oh my god, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
unknownOkay.
SPEAKER_02I didn't know if that was a thing. I didn't know if women got off the mountain and did a bunch of laps like the men do.
SPEAKER_01Okay, they get to business. They get to business. I don't think anybody even fucked with the pitch clock. No, you know what I mean? Like it was just let's just do it. There's none of this jockey around for weird mental mind game power stuff.
SPEAKER_02Yep. So all uh there are gonna be 30 regular season games, there's gonna be a two-week post-season, uh, it's a three-game series followed by a five-game series, and they're all gonna be at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois, where we hung out all weekend. Yep. And they all they all have to live there for the next six weeks.
SPEAKER_01I heard one or two of them are commuting from Chicago. That's which makes sense to me because there's a train that you know takes you there as long as you don't leave your luggage somewhere else and miss the train. And oh yeah. Springfield. We talk about on some of the coverage that we did, we talked about why they picked Springfield. So you can go and watch that. And we had a strange experience there everywhere outside of the ballpark. Yes. The ballpark, great, fantastic, loved it. Outside of the ballpark, it was a weird fucking place. Yeah. Y'all have to go. You have to go watch a game to go to Springfield just to check out Springfield.
SPEAKER_02What's the weirdest thing? Okay, as I'm looking over the list of weird things that happened to us that I put into it Oh, it's so long. I think the weirdest thing was that weird ass parade. What the fuck was that? Oh, we like we walked from the ballpark to downtown Springfield because we wanted to get some dinner. And like, and there's nobody there. There's no people, and then all of a sudden we hear like sirens, and then like these convertibles started driving by and like emergency vehicles and like military vehicles, and you were like, Is this a parade? And I was like, I guess it is. They like blocked the street, but it's just like random ass, random ass cars. There was a drag queen on a moped, that part was cool. This giant boom box drove by, but I was like, What is this parade? Because I can't fucking figure it out.
SPEAKER_01There was a cop sort of directing traffic. Like, if you were a regular car, he would pretty meanly like force you to go to the side. No, no, no, you're not part of some random like Kia minivan that he just let. I don't, it was weird, I don't understand it. Uh oh, they really had to pee. Yeah, it'd be so bad then, so I was very annoyed. But um, I don't know, we never got an answer to that. For me, I think maybe one of the weirdest things was we were trying to find some coffee. Like we were just trying to find good a good cup of coffee somewhere, and so we Googled places around us. We saw this place called what was it called? Dotties. It's a Dottie's Cafe. The internet was like, we have coffee. So like, great, because it's like a six-minute walk from our hotel. So we walked to it. Aaron's like, I want some coffee. We walk in.
SPEAKER_02I don't even know how to describe this. I'm like in a little strip mall, and it was a little tiny place, and there were people playing slot machines, like gambling machines. And then the lady was like circles of gambling machines around. She was like, I need your ID. And we were like, Alright, I just want some coffee. So the coffee was like, you know, like in a diner coffee pot, and there was clearly like one cup left. So they poured it for me, and then she's like, Alright, what game do you want? And I was like, I just want a coffee. And she's like, The coffee is for gamers, like, and I was like, I just wanted a coffee, and they're like, Well, we already poured it, so I tried to give her two bucks, but she was like, No, just take it. So I was like, All right, I was such an asshole.
SPEAKER_01I was like, the internet said you had coffee. She's like, Yeah, we used to.
SPEAKER_02We read that wrong. It said Daddy's Cafe. I was like, Oh, all right, that sounds nice.
SPEAKER_01Oh, it was strange, but there's there's a lot of things on that list, so you'll have to check it out for yourself. Just any you want any colored cat, just hanging out, goes. There are a bunch of cats, lots of stray cats.
SPEAKER_02All those cats. I don't understand it.
SPEAKER_01I like that part. You'll get an Uber driver. You get an Uber driver with a story or two. One Uber driver offered us his umbrella. That was very kind. Yeah, that guy was cool. Another one offered us her ex-husband's social security number. Twice. So that was the Springfield part was strange. They're probably not gonna be there next year because they're gonna expand out. So, really, if you want to see women's baseball from Milwaukee or Wisconsin and you don't want to travel to the coasts next year, you're gonna need to go to Springfield. And it's a it really is a train ride from Milwaukee to Springfield. It's fine, it was great.
SPEAKER_02I flew to St. Louis and took the train from St. Louis to Springfield, and it was easy. Yeah, not that you're coming from Virginia, but if you are, maybe. But it was worth it, and it is worth it, and you should go because what a fucking game that was. We got to see on opening night we got to see the Queens versus the Heights, and it was like it was raining all day, and people stuck it out. It was a sold-out game. The line for the merch was like wrapped around the whole fucking ballpark, and it was cold and wet, it was drizzling the whole time, and everybody stuck it out, and everybody cheered, and everybody was there, and it was just such an exciting game. Like the Queens were up two in the first, and then the Heights answered back five, and then the Queen scored two more later, like halfway through the game, and then at the top of the seventh, which is you know the last inning of the game, they came back and scored four runs to to uh to take the lead, and it was just like on two outs, on two outs too, remember? Because you were like, Okay, when there's two outs left, like we'll let's head back to the press room. And we did, and we heard all the chiggering, so we had to rush back to our seats to see the end of the game, and god damn, it was so exciting. I was blown away. It was like such a fucking great game, you know. And we got to see the very first home run. Dene Benitez had a home run and it to straightaway center, and her teammates all came out and made this like arch for her to run under. Like, it was just it was so joyful and lovely, really, really great. Awesome game.
SPEAKER_01There were some nerves in the first inning for sure, and so I was like, I hope they get their nerves out because it's gonna start raining again soon, and we can just actually play some baseball. And so uh Monet Davis, she plays for the Queens now. She reached uh on base by an error, so that was that, or Ashland Zell from The Queens Drew a Walk. There was Ayami Sato on the mound for the Queens, the best woman pitcher in the world. She had a little bit of a rough start, but two Maggies came and cleaned up for her and fucking killed it. Yeah, and I think it was Maggie Fox at the plate launched this ball. It was just beautiful, a beautiful two-run single that let Monet Davison and Lansdell in. And after that, it was like, okay, the game has blown open now. This is this is the game. And then it was we had said like it was like Brewer's baseball, it was manufactured runs, it was like back to back to back, just beautiful ball. I enjoyed it so much. Maybe that's because I like watching Brewers baseball, but we've always talked about how that those little pieces of play and knowing the game really well and like having to pay attention to the game really well because you're on base. There was a double steal. Yep, it was fucking cool as hell. Like it was it was badass. Yeah, and then the the ninth inning, holy shit, it was such it was good baseball. I don't care it who was playing it, it was a it was a good baseball game.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it was really fun, it was really awesome to be part of. Super awesome, goddamn.
SPEAKER_01And there's there's definitely there's big names in the WPPL. Like everybody knows Kelsey Whitmore, you know Monet Davis, you might know Danae Benetes, you might know Ashton Lansdell, um, you might know Ali Schroeder, but there are clearly players that you're gonna want to know for the future and need to watch. So I think in future, like we're gonna still be covering them as much as we can. So we'll be dropping some of that stuff on Instagram to like players to watch and um some some coverage of the games.
SPEAKER_02For sure.
SPEAKER_01So watch it.
SPEAKER_02Yes, and you can watch all the games on ESPN, that's where you can get them.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, ESPN select, so they stream on the ESPN app, and it's it's 13 bucks a month. And everybody's like, You said they wouldn't do it because they did announce this two days before the game started, which kind of pissed everybody off because they're like, I thought we were gonna be available on YouTube, we were gonna be able to watch this for free. Now I don't want to watch it. And I get that it was rolled out not great, and this league needs something to sustain itself. Yep, because people aren't gonna sell out Springfield, Illinois for the next eight weeks. It's just it's not gonna happen. So it's two months of baseball, it's thirteen dollars a month. Go spend your $26 and pay for ESPN plus and watch these games. Just go watch them. I don't think you'll regret it. They're good, they're great. Yeah. And now we have did you pick a team? Because I know you had said one way that you were leaning.
SPEAKER_02I don't know if I picked one yet. I need to watch more games. I think I think I'm leaning towards San Francisco now just because they look awesome.
SPEAKER_01So uh I don't know yet. What about you? I was with San Francisco from the beginning because of Matt Williams and what he said, and because of Kelsey Whitmore, because I've been following her for a really long time and was very good.
SPEAKER_02She's a badass. Yeah. She's awesome.
SPEAKER_01Um she's fantastic. I do like I liked the way the other teams played. Like Danae Benetez is a she's a baller man. She's a great catcher. She's fantastic behind the dish. She's got a great arm. Ashen Lansdale has a hell of an arm. Phenomenal. And so I don't know, right now I'm like, I just want them all to do so well, and I want them to be really competitive with each other. Yeah, totally. Like that first game was. That game was amazing. So and um, we were in the post presser after that game, and it was so funny because Danae, she hit the first home run ever, a shot, right down center, and she was pissed off when she came in because they had just lost in the ninth. She's like, I'm not happy. I was like, Oh, that's you know, you just hit the first homer of this league, aren't you? And she's like, Fuck no, I wanted to win. Like, oh, because you're a you're an athlete, you're a competitor.
SPEAKER_02We talked about Monet Davis, and you know, people know she has been uh she's been a sports celebrity since she was really young, right? And so people don't remember her name. She pitched a shutout in the Little League World Series and she when she was 13, right? So she's been a like a sports celebrity for for most of her life or half her life at this point. So she um the first part of the weekend, she didn't want to talk to people. She was not, you could tell she was not into the press briefings beforehand. Um, some man had had the audacity to tell her to smile. Like, read the fucking room, dude. Read the room. They were taking pictures of of all the people and then the and then the team captains and then individual photos, and that the she didn't smile big. She did have a smile, and someone said big smile. I'm like, Do you know where the fuck you are? Fuck off. Who let this man in? You know what I'm saying? Yes, get get a get a hold of where you are. Read the fucking room. And she goes, I'm good. She says, No, I'm good. I gotta win a game tomorrow. And then in the post after they won the game, she was like, Let me field that question. Let me go on and on. She was so fucking excited. This is the first baseball game she played in six years, and she was psyched and like just it was it was so lovely to see just like the joy coming from her, you And it was awesome to see.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. It was really, really special, and I'm glad we got to do it. I'm glad we got to do it together. I know. Me too. That was really nice. I want to not have wanted to do that alone. So I'm really glad we made it happen.
SPEAKER_02I wouldn't have done it alone. I'd be like, no. I don't want to talk to people. Help me, Lisa.
SPEAKER_01It was great. It was really great. So check out all this stuff on our Instagram. It's at brewers underscore babes on Instagram. And you can find we did some player interviews. We did some fan reactions. We have some of our own like talking head stuff. We really went all out here. Yeah. To do content. So go watch it.
SPEAKER_02So this is the third week in a row that we've recorded each week. So we don't have this is not a regular format game. So we don't have a Fielder's Choice or a Sausage Race winner this week. So we're going to go right into next week's lineup talking about the Brewers. They are partway through a 17-game stretch. Holy shit. They got another game against the Pirates tomorrow. We're going to get to see Dustin May on Thursday before hosting the Twins this weekend. And then it's back to California to play three against the Padres and then a four-game series against the LA Dodgers, who, of course, currently own the league's second best record.
SPEAKER_01Oh, the second best record. Yeah. So we're going to go we're going to go play the second place Dodgers.
SPEAKER_00In a couple weeks.
SPEAKER_01You just reminded me that the Padres don't have Luis Arries anymore because he's a Philly now. Oh, right. And they shifted their whole infield. Bryce Harper's now in right field. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Alec Boma's playing first. Crazy. Wild stuff. So yeah. That'll it's it feels like it's been a slog.
SPEAKER_02Yes.
SPEAKER_01Already. How many games into this 17-game stretch are we?
SPEAKER_02I think we're six points. We're gonna have three and then three and then four. We got ten. This is the this is the screenshot.
SPEAKER_00Ten games.
SPEAKER_02Ten more games. Eleven after Thursday. Eleven more games. God damn it.
SPEAKER_01Okay. Well, it's it's wild that there's that's happening with a trip to California and there's no break.
SPEAKER_02And they just got back from California.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and they were delayed on the tarmac in Milwaukee for five hours because of a big storm here, which is why they struggled against the Giants. Yep. I think they'll maybe we'll see what happens. They're um winning against the Pirates right now. Paulski's not having a good second half of this season. I'm fine with it. Andrew Vaughn had a two-run single. We need it. I like Andrew Vaughn in the game. Not as a position pitcher. I can't believe he got hit in the head. He's on the mountain. I know, right after right after he pitched, someone hit him in the fucking head.
SPEAKER_02Are you kidding me? God damn it.
SPEAKER_01I was like, that's the worst day ever. And then also, if you are also watching WPBL, we should just call it, we should just start calling MLB the M PBL. Their games are Wednesdays through Sundays. Usually in the evening, like a 6 30, and on Saturdays, they have double headers. One is at one o'clock, one is at 6 30. So just go check out these four teams, play each other, find your favorite, and let us know who it is. And I think that wraps it up. We have a short episode today.
SPEAKER_00Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_01All right. Well, thank you for listening. As always, you can find us in between these episodes on Twitter and Blue Sky at BrewersBabes, and like I said before, on Instagram at brewers underscore babes. And we'd love if you could leave us a review wherever you listen to us and share our show with a friend who loves baseball as much as we do. We will be back in a few weeks, maybe with more conspiracy theories. Uh who knows? Until then, bye babes. Bye babes.
SPEAKER_00I had one in the lobby with the hotel down the street. I kept it in my feelings.
unknownI just want to show you what is out of place.
