I Love Mondays with Mike Heller
Mike Heller is back talking all things sports and all things Packers, Brewers, Bucks, Badgers and beyond.
I Love Mondays with Mike Heller
I Love mondays-Episode 9, March 12, 2026
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I Love Mondays-with Mike Heller welcomes Vinny Rottino to talk Milwaukee Brewrs and WBC. Also the Packers activity in Free Agency and the Badges at the Big Ten Tournament.
I love Mondays with Mike Heller.
SPEAKER_06Broadcasting live from an undisclosed bunker in the Badger State. This is I Love Mondays with Mike Heller. Powered by determination and a little bit of duct tape. Here's your host, Mike Heller.
SPEAKER_04All right, welcome in on a Thursday, one of the days I look forward to the most, even though we've uh it's only the second Thursday. But it is something I look forward to, and we welcome you in on it's Tournament Central in part. This this is uh this kind of begins the real run of my favorite month of the year when it comes to sports, because the conference tournaments, when your team starts to play, that's when it matters. So Wisconsin will play at the Big Ten tournament later today in Chicago. In fact, they'll tip off about 130 as Wisconsin will get the Huskies of Washington, who they beat rather handily out in Seattle a week and a half ago. So they'll get them today. And if they're able to advance, Wisconsin will move forward to take on Illinois about the same time window uh tomorrow. So uh welcome in on a Thursday. It's also round one of the players' championship at uh TPC Sawgrass in Pontevedra, Florida, which I love that. That also means that we're inching closer to the Masters because that is I I cut my months up not into March and then April, but about now in March to about a month from now in April is perhaps my favorite month. We are two weeks away from the Brewers season opener, which is at home at American Family Field against the Chicago White Sox, two weeks from today, a 110 first pitch at American Family Field. And they continue to play. They're gonna play a night game at spring training tonight. World Baseball Classic, the USA got a reprieve uh because Team Italy, those Pisons, man, they are they got they got it going on. Vinny Rettino, uh front and center on the uh Italian Workmen's Club Committee. Uh Vinny is gonna join us today. He'll join us in just a few minutes. That's the plan. Again, when I'm pushing buttons, anything's possible or maybe impossible, but we'll find out uh if that indeed happens. So here's kind of the lineup as we as we uh inch into what today is. So Iowa and Ohio State of the Big Ten tournament, they tip off first at 11 a.m. And one of our sponsors, Pottawatomi Sportsbook and Casino Bet Above the Rest, has the Buckeyes as a two and a half point favorite. They don't give lines on in-state college games. So Wisconsin, 23rd ranked in the coaches poll, 23rd ranked against Washington. That goes about 130. The winner gets the um number nine-ranked team in the country, Illinois tomorrow. Later on today, Purdue, number 18 in the country and an 11.5 point favorite against Northwestern. And Rutgers and UCLA, the Nightcap, and the Bruins are in an 11.5 point favorite in that one. Those teams with the triple bye waiting. Michigan gets the winner of uh Ohio State and Iowa. Uh, Wisconsin will advance if they do to take on number nine, Illinois or Washington will get them. Number 11 in the country, Nebraska awaits the winner, Purdue and Northwestern. And number eight in the country, Michigan State awaits the winner. Rutgers, UCLA. Players' championship is underway. Scotty Shepler is the favorite. He's plus 480. Those odds brought to you by Pottawatomies Sportsbook and Casino. I'm going to give you an update there. Max Grazerman is the leader, four under through 10. Tony Finault, Maverick McNeely, Tommy Fleetwood are uh all at three under par. Justin Thomas at three under par as well. It is uh Scheffler, the favorite. He's one under through seven. If you're watching this live, those matter. If you're listening wherever you get your podcast later on in the day, then these numbers are no longer relevant because they're either through their round depending on when you listen. As I mentioned, two weeks from today is the Brewers' home opening game, season opening game against the White Sox. Uh, we'll get into a little bit of their expected rotation uh when we visit with Vinny. I'll welcome Vinny in in a few minutes. Packers news uh from earlier in the week, after we left the show yesterday, they signed defensive lineman Javon Hargrave, signed a two-year$23 million deal. He's a 33-year-old defensive tackle. Last played for the Vikings, but has also played with the Philadelphia Eagles. And uh played for the Packers' new defensive coordinator and coordinator in 21 and 22. 6'2, 307. Beefy up front. Packers are a little light in the interior defensive lineman category because of trades that they have made. Uh, Packers need more bodies interior there with um Colby Wooden going in the trade. Hargrave adds some valuable experience knowledge in Gannon's system. He can put uh into play along with the likes of Warren Brinson, who was a draft choice a year ago, and Nazir Stackhouse. Uh so those things going on on that front. As I mentioned earlier, the USA got a reprieve in the world baseball classic going on because Italy beat Mexico last night. Mexico had such high hopes, and they knocked Mexico out of the tournament. Aaron Nola was really good. And then there's a bunch of guys for for Team Italy who are on the rise in the Major League Baseball Circles, and we'll we'll dive into some of that conversation as we run forward. So let me take a chance here to thank our sponsors in part on the show. And when we do it on Thursdays, Vinny Rettino's time is brought to you by Pottawatomi Sportsbook and Casino, where you can bet above the rest. This is uh for all the sports betters. Head to Pottawatomi Sportsbook in Milwaukee for an unmatched sports betting experience. It's got everything you need all day, every day to bet above the rest. Also brought to you by all of our injury updates, including mine, brought to you by Habish, Habish and Rotier, 13 locations to ensure you get a hometown attorney who understands your life and the impacts of your injury and is personally committed to your recovery. And this program, I Love Mondays, with Mike Heller, which is a Monday through Friday hour-long podcast, wherever you get your podcast, but also live on Twitter and on YouTube. It is presented by M3 Insurance. M3 leveraging digital product and program solutions to protect and serve clients across the country. They equip you with the tools and guidance you need to confidently navigate the insurance and risk management decisions that are so important for your company. Proud to serve clients across the country with world-class expertise and individual attention. No compromises, no matter what, with M3, you get it all. Go to m3ins.com and also presented by the Neuroscience Group. Excellence in brain, spine, and pain care. Choose Neuroscience Group in Northeast Wisconsin, Neuroscience Group.com. Back pain, if that's holding you back at Neuroscience Group, their spine specialists offer personalized care from therapy to advanced surgical options so you can get back to doing what you love. Neuroscience Group, we've got your back, neuroscience group.com. And as we said, if you uh if you are supporting this show, we also hope that you will support our sponsors in kind because without them, the show is not possible. We want to be good partners uh with all of our sponsors, and they do great work in their chosen fields, and we hope that you will support them as well. So this is this is part of the show where Mike has to uh push buttons and bring in a guest. His name is Vinny Rettino. So I add Vinny to the screen and then I turn his microphone on and we see if it works. Hi, Vinny. I think you nailed it, Mike. Wow, you are getting to be a pro. Or Vinny, are you on mute? One of the two things. I'm not you on mute um I'm good. Trying you hear me, but I don't hear you. That's correct. Um all right, so let's let's um let's do this. All right, I I probably could have tested this in advance, Vinny Rettino. Are you good on your mic? I'm good. I'm I'm good to go.
SPEAKER_05Yep, I'm good.
SPEAKER_03Sorry, one other thing here. Okay, so I'm good there.
SPEAKER_05All right, Mike, check one, two.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, so let's I'm gonna troubleshoot this. So this is how I'm gonna do this. I'm gonna troubleshoot this um just for a moment. I'm gonna take uh Vinny off the screen. We're gonna do this, hold our sponsors up. I'm gonna mute me for a moment and play some music.
SPEAKER_01I love Mondays with my hell.
SPEAKER_04All right, let's uh let's see if we can't um figure this out. I've got uh I got my my best guys working on it right now to see if we can uh we can pull Vinny up. I'm gonna I'm just gonna give it a shot. Uh uh Vinny was taking a phone call. Um he he's gonna my guy my guy's trying to walk him through in case the problem is his rather than mine. So um I think that I probably just figured it out. Vinny, if you can hear me, go ahead and and uh let's give this a shot. Again, I believe I'm I had the error on my end potentially. So let's uh hey Vinny, I'm gonna bring you into the show. All right, I'm gonna bring you into the show. Hear me, hear me. And I can hear you.
SPEAKER_05All right, we figured it out.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, listen, I go through all that, and it's just me, and I said this earlier. I can screw this up in a heartbeat. So I did. Um well, you know what?
SPEAKER_05Sometimes I'm I'm as tech savvy as you are, which is clearly not very much. Sometimes you just gotta turn it on and off. You know what I mean? So oh gosh.
SPEAKER_04All right. We're good. So I don't know how much time we uh uh uh I killed there, but listen, you gotta go through some of those and figure out how you're gonna manage it when uh when shit kind of hits the fan, and it it did, and um and here we are. Uh thanks for being patient with me. And welcome into the show. Your time here brought to you by our friends at Pottawatomi Sportsbook and Casino. And I mentioned in the intro, Vinny, we're two weeks. You know, I know you were down, we we had you from spring training a week ago, but now you can kind of see it and you you've been through it. So those players are also getting the concept. You know, some roster moves have been made to put those back down, uh reassigning to Nashville the guys who aren't going to be specifically part of it, at least for now. Um, give us a sense of what you gleaned when you were there and and how this team is stacking up for two weeks from today.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, look, this team looks as exciting, every bit as exciting as last year's group. Uh, you got a bunch of young players. There's some questions with the rotation right now. There's probably a question at third base as to who's gonna get the bulk of the playing time there. I think we'll figure that out based on how the guys are gonna play. I think Garrett Mitchell's a big question in center field, who's gonna play center field. But otherwise, you're gonna see a lot of the same names. You're gonna see this team kind of run it back. I know we're not witnessing that right now in spring training, just because you got a couple of guys that were competing and still are competing in the world baseball classic, right? At more than a couple, right? You got Abner Uribe, you have this newcomer angel uh Angel Zerpa, who's gonna be in the bullpen, tough lefty from the Royals. And then don't forget about Bryce Tarang, who's balling out for Team USA right now in the world baseball classic, and as well as Joey Ortiz, who who unfortunately for Team Mexico, the Pisons kind of put a kibosh on their world baseball classic experience. But yeah, I mean, this is gonna be a very, very exciting group again, Mike, and uh it's it's shaping up to be just a really fun team again, led by, of course, the manager of the year back to back and Pat Murphy. He's got these guys already playing well. Um, and so yeah, it's I I cannot wait for opening day. It can't come soon enough for me.
SPEAKER_04There was a great piece in the athletic on Murph, and it went back to when he was coaching the the Team Netherlands uh that he did a long time ago in the World Baseball Classic, but also another play. If for those who subscribe to the athletic, well, if you don't subscribe, it's the there's great stuff on there, but I don't know if you had a chance to read that. But his his background and how he relates to players, even foreign players, it doesn't matter. Like it's the international language, baseball just speaks beyond the language barrier. And uh Murph has a background there that is really a great story to read about.
SPEAKER_05It really is. And I love that piece. I did read that article. I love that that part of that article is so he had uh a pitcher, right? And he said, Look, he he wasn't starting the first game. And Murph comes up to him and says, I bet you're wondering. So look, he he already understands people and players. I bet you're wondering why you're not starting in this first game. And he said, You know what? It's because I need to save you against Team Cuba, right? Who was kind of the the player on the international stage, yeah, yeah. So so that gave him a lot of confidence. That guy ended up you know parlaying that experience. That was way back in in 1987. He ended up parlaying that experience to the professional league in in the Netherlands, uh, way back then. And he said that that gave him confidence to go ahead and do that. That's the kind of guy Murph is, he's always been that way, and I think he is at his best right now as a coach, as a manager. All these different learning experiences, he's 67 years old from him. And I love how he talks about how he has taken all of those experiences and has, and he always talks about how he's under construction. That is so cool to see that and hear that from a guy who probably knows more about baseball than really uh probably anybody right now.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, you know, and one of the things that I find so interesting about that in in your time on the field as a player, whether it was at lacrosse or you know, your road to Major League Baseball, not all managers are gonna come seek you out. And they don't seek you out in all situations either, right? I mean, Murph's not gonna go to everybody that he makes a move with in the lineup or pushes them uh, you know, from number two to number seven in the batting order and all the he's not necessarily going to them, but I think he has a great sense of understanding when I need to go talk to somebody and let them know what's going on with me. Like, I think that's one of the great separators for him, yes?
SPEAKER_05It is, and Mike, so uh what's so cool about Pat Murphy is that he he knows all the X's and O's, he knows he knows you know all the different front office moves, and he I'm sure he has an opinion on some of the stuff and has some input on that. Uh, he knows what's he's got a pulse on what's happening around the game of baseball. He knows, you know, again, like he's probably forgotten more than most people know about the game. So he knows all this stuff about the game, but what he focuses on most is how he can get his players to get a little bit better every day and what he does to do that, Mike. And I've witnessed him doing that. He's in his office, and I know you've seen this too when you've been in there. He's got a little notepad. He he doesn't do the technology thing just like you and I. Right. He's got a little notepad that he writes down, jots down little notes as to what he needs to say to a player that particular day, how he's gonna push the needle, how he's gonna move the needle with that particular player. Maybe he needs a pat on the back, maybe he needs a little bit of a challenge. I know he did that last year, remember when he benched Sal Friedlike and Joy Ortiz, but he's always got a way and he's got little reminders in his little notepad as to how he can move those needles. And I I just don't think anybody else does that. I I think that they I think other managers kind of fly by the seat of their pants in in terms of knowing and feeling that out. But Murph has a system to it, which is so cool to see. And some are brilliant at it without the notepad, right? And without the system, but uh, but Murph has that system, and I think it's so cool, and it's just it's just another testament to like this guy doesn't act like he's got it all figured out, and he does understand that these are human beings that he's dealing with, and that's again just uh just a touch that you just don't see that often.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, because m a lot of managers and coaches, it doesn't matter the sport, they'll they'll they'll say, hey, My door's open. You got questions, you come see me. But I think the good ones, they recognize when they've made a decision, like, okay, so so-and-so is not in the starting lineup, and I bet he's thought that he earned a spot in the starting lineup. I'm gonna go talk to him. The right coaches, the right managers do that, not all the time, but when they have a sense of what's kind of going on. Let me ask you, let me shift gears and because listen, we with this love affair with Murph, um, we can we can go there and keep that conversation going because there's so many things that he does that are special and unique. And uh it's a learned deal for him throughout his career. He learned a lot at Notre Dame, learned a lot at Arizona State. He's not the same guy as he was at Arizona State, which he'll tell you front and uh front and center because he wasn't always at his best, but he has learned you know, under construction that like you're talking about. This roster under construction. What is the what is the sense that you have on starting pitching? And I know it'll change, right? Because they left camp a year ago with starting pitching that wasn't even close to resembling the same five guys that they were given the ball at the end of April in the first half of May. I mean, they were down three-fifths of their rotation. But what can the rotation be? Who do you expect was as they open is gonna be taking the ball on the five or six-man rotation that they start with?
SPEAKER_05Well, just let me start out with the idea and the fact that you know Quinn Priester's wrist issue still isn't rectified, which is a concern, right? So how are you gonna fill that? And then Brandon Woodruff, is he gonna be ready? The thing with Quinn Priester that's going on with his wrist issue is is the fact that I reading Adam McCalvey's article today in in uh Brewers.com, it Murph said he's optimistic, which Mike, he doesn't say stuff like that unless he actually really is optimistic that they're gonna be able to, even if they don't fully rectify this wrist issue. I think Quinn Priester can pitch with it. I think he pitched, I think I figured it out. The accounted the dates, it was the last six regular season starts. He started feeling this, and then even into the playoffs. So he can pitch with it, and he pitched well with it going on. It was a an ERA under two and a half in those six starts. And so he can pitch well with this issue. They're just gonna have to manage it. Hopefully, it gets rectified. Now, also with Quinn Priester, it's not the worst thing in the world, probably. If they are optimistic about it, that this is just an extended offseason for him. Remember, he pitched the most innings he ever had in his major league career last season. He pitched deep into October, and so maybe we can just look at this as an extended offseason. Again, I I'm optimistic because Murph said he was optimistic. If if this if Priester's out for an extended period of time, obviously it's gonna pack things. The other part of this, Woodruff, again, taking it slow. Both those guys are gonna be important all season long. They're taking the long view with the starting rotation. Remember, they have to get through all 162 games. That is a ton of innings that they have to get through, and they want to win the NRL Central again, hopefully get a buy again. It's in the realm of possibility considering how well they played last year. 97 wins. And so, what they're gonna do probably is start opening day with this rotation. I think Miz probably gets the ball. We can talk about that opening day. Chad Patrick probably is the number two starter, and then you're gonna have Kyle Harrison, who's been wow, very, very impressive. Three innings of work last time out, eight punch outs has a new changeup, really, really good developing slider. So surprise, surprise, Chris Hook is kind of helping a guy figure things out on the face level. Yeah, and then Brandon Sprout will be, in my opinion, that number four. Now, Ashby, Shane Drowen, maybe Logan Henderson, who's dealing with some elbow discomfort currently. We'll we'll see who gets the ball that for that fifth spot. Uh, but you know, I'm guessing those are going to be the names that they're going to be considering if, again, Priester and Woodruff are out of the opening rotation. But all indications say that Woodruff will probably be ready, just not ready for that opening day start.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and he's talked about it uh when when he has isolated in. He's a great interview. Um, and he he's talked about it. It's more important. He'll be ready. There's not an issue. He it just probably won't be that first week, and it's far more important for him to be available in September and October, which he hasn't been, than it is to be available in at the very start of the season. Let's talk about Miz for a moment. You talked about him getting the start on opening day. I think it's a natural, it's it's a per it's a perfect fit um that crowd, that day to have that adrenaline and that dude on the mound. And in some ways, other than Woodruff, I think that Miz has earned it. His his postseason performance last year, when he had sort of struggled down the stretch, that adrenaline kicked in and he was a dude. I mean, and and they expect him to be that. And I would think he'll get the ball on opening day.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I would expect that as well. I think the other option could be a Chad Patrick, just because he could he could handle it. Uh, that the vibes around the field, around the clubhouse. I mean, he was unbelievable out of the bullpen last year in the playoffs. He'd give up the farthest home run I think I've ever seen to show Hey Otani. But yeah, he was great out of the pen. He is gonna be really, really good out of the rotation this year. He he has also earned it. Now, I agree with you. I do think the vibes around the ballpark, um, with Miz on the mound, opening day starter, 23 years old, Uber prospect, you know, electric stuff, 100 miles per hour. I mean, I I'm just curious what he's gonna hit on the radar gun with all that adrenaline going on opening day. I do agree with you that it's probably gonna be him. Now, I think there could be there could be some pause in doing so, just because again, maybe we've seen Miz on on big stages handle it really well. His his the his first five starts in the big leagues, unbelievable. He went to the all-star game after five starts, he handled that well, he handled the playoffs really well, so he can handle it. We have seen him also not be able to handle it as well, like when when the game got sped up a little bit. So I think there could be some slight pause in that. You do have a day off the next day after opening day. So if Miz goes short, hopefully that's not the case. Then you do have your bullpen to back him up. You have the day off, and then you'll be fine uh for the rest of that series, and then the series against the Tampa Bay Rays, that second series of the year. So I I do think there's some contingencies there, slight pause on starting Miz just because of how big that stage would be opening day. I still think they probably go with him, though.
SPEAKER_04Let me hop around just for a second. Are are you surprised that Trevor McGill is still in Milwaukee with Abner Uribe in that fold? And how will they work the back end with those two both as closers?
SPEAKER_05Uh good question. I think you know McGill was phenomenal last year, went healthy. Remember, he had that forearm strain at the end of the year. He missed the whole month, but then ended up coming back in the playoffs. He pitched beautifully in the playoffs. He even was the opener uh in that epic game five against the Cubs, the NLDS. Awesome, awesome stuff from him. He had 30 saves last year, didn't blow that many. I think he blew three saves. Yeah, he was awesome. Um, I watched him in spring training on the backfield. He looks really, really good. Am I surprised he's still a brewer? I'm actually surprised. The only reason why he probably wasn't traded, I'm just saying this quite frankly, is because the package probably wasn't big enough for for him. Sure. Um, they've been known, you know, to kind of flip these guys. Devin Williams was flipped. I'm talking relievers now. Uh Josh Hader was flipped. Um, yeah, and because the pack probably the only reason why he wasn't is because the prospect package coming back wasn't big enough. And so that's the only reason why I'm surprised because I do think he is a guy that is is could you know be on a World Series type team. I think he's that good. I really do. Um, you see the packages coming back at the trade deadline for these relievers are enormous. And so the fact that his wasn't that big right here before opening day, I am a little bit surprised. But it is a good problem to have now. The Brewers have them, right? And so they're gonna have to figure out who's gonna be closing games. I do think Pat Murphy is gonna probably give the ball to Trevor McGill to close games. I think he's trying to motivate him, and I'm trying to think like Murph here when he said, look, he's not our our set set in stone closer. I actually do think that. I think he's trying to motivate Trevor McGill a little bit. He proved that he can handle it. That's just the Murph being Murph right there again, but I I do think that that's the case.
SPEAKER_04Well, I mean, it is you you can't be in a better position in that part of your bullpen, I wouldn't think in all of baseball. If you've got a healthy McGill and a healthy Abner Yuribe, who else has two legit top end of the league caliber closers? And that gives you shortens every game. Not every game because you're not gonna use them all the time. However, it could it could turn a game that means something into a seven-inning game because you've got those guys. And I wonder how you know they established after they got going last year how they were gonna work in scenarios like um what they were gonna do with bringing. I'm trying to why am I miss um spacing on the on the lefty who's a seventh inning guy?
SPEAKER_05Um Ashby, Aaron Ashby, one of them Angel Zerber, D. L. Hall, uh Trevor, uh Koenig.
SPEAKER_04King, so last year, a lot of times they went Koenig and then into Uribe and into McGill. So 789 was lockdown. Right. Um, I I don't know if we have a sense, we don't talk about Koenig very much, but my goodness, I mean, extraordinary what some of these guys did when they arrived to Chris Hook and Jim Henderson and the Brewer's staff.
SPEAKER_05Jared Koenig was uh a minor league free agent, and so who's gonna be that minor league free agent this coming year that's gonna just make an impact in the rotate in the in the bullpen? Yeah, Jared Koenig had a 286 ERA last year. He had one small stretch where he kind of struggled, but other than that, he was lights out, lefties, right. I mean, 24-7 ERA the year before, he was the unsung hero on the team in 2024, and now in 2025, uh he was exceptional as well. But you're right, they've got a lot of just impactful bullpen guys, and talking about Euribe, uh, I picked him last year, uh, and I'm never gonna really toot my horn on stuff like this, but I did pick him as my you know, quote unquote, my pick to click on the season last year. Yeah, really. I mean, be and because the stuff is unbelievable. I mean, the year that Abner Euribe had last year, he had a 167 ERA. Okay, he figured some things out uh in terms of his maturity and how to slow the game down a little bit. He's got the best post-game celebration in all of baseball, right?
SPEAKER_04I don't know. You saw one earlier this week. He added another, he's like he's rolling dice, he's got like six different iterations to it.
SPEAKER_05It's yeah, and and the fact that uh he he is he's just a fun guy. He he's and Charlie Green doesn't get enough credit because every time that Abner Rebay takes the mound, Charlie Green in the bullpen, he's the bullpen coach. Yeah, he's been a lifer with the Milwaukee Brewers as a coach, he's one of the smartest baseball people I've ever ever been around. He says to he says to Abner Rebay, hey, behave yourself before he takes the mound and before he leaves the bullpen because he really does. He's got that stone cold killer mentality, yeah. He's just he's just awesome, yeah.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, so uh what else did you as you were out there? Listen, there's there's some remake of there's some solids in this roster of what you know that they're gonna do. Bryce Terrain's gonna be at second base. Um, you you know that Contreras is behind the plate, Joey Ortiz is gonna be your shortstop. By the way, let me just offshoot quickly. You ever get deked as badly as Joey got deked last night?
SPEAKER_05I mean, you gotta look in. That that that's team Paisan, though, making things happen. Sam Antonacci. Yeah, that was a really impressive deke. I've never actually seen a guy dive on a deke, usually see that like fake double play turn, right? And then guys kind of slide into the base. I never saw a dive where okay, that ball's through in the infield. That was really impressive. Joey Ortiz has to look in, though. He'll learn from that.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, Murph would have had a conversation with Joey. He might not have been in the lineup today. Yeah, if that happens during the regular season, just as a message center sender. Uh, all right, so let's talk about if we know that Ortiz is your shortstop, Bryce Turing is second baseman, Contreras is behind the plate. What how are they gonna manage first base? We know that Vaughn is the guy, but uh Jake Bauer is he he continues to show that against, especially against right-handed pitching, he needs to be there, which is a bit of an issue. It's a good issue, but how are they gonna manage first base?
SPEAKER_05Yeah, it is an issue. How the question more is how do you get Jake Bowers at bats, right? Because in September he was top three in all of baseball at OPS with for batters who had 50 or more plate appearances. Now that's a small sample, it really is. But I talked to Jake Bowers, and this kid has figured something out with the bat. It's it's a mindset shift for sure. He's not trying to do too much, but it's also a little bit of a mechanical shift where he's just trying to play pepper with it. He's got plenty of bat speed, he's got plenty of strength in his hands where he can drive the ball to all fields and leave the ballpark. He just got to touch it, right? He's just got to make sure that he makes contact with it and good things happen. And I talked to him, he said, this feels like a real, a real adjustment for me that is going to be sustainable. And Mike, we've seen this from players throughout baseball over the course of history, quite frankly, where they are guys that are up and down to the big leagues, they're signing minor league deals. He was a top prospect, remember, with the Tampa Bay Rays, first drafted by the Cleveland Guardians Indians at the time. Rays traded for him. They always Matt Arnold traded for him when he was with the Rays. And now, look, he's figured something. We see this happen because we've seen guys like Justin Turner. He was an up and down guy, signed a minor league deal back in 2019 with the Dodgers or 2018 with the Dodgers, ended up being one of the best players in Major League Baseball. Now, I'm not throwing that out there that he's going to be on that level, but I am saying that this guy is in that category where he could be a guy like Ryan O'Hearn, who just signed a two-year 30-something million dollar deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates, who is also an up and down guy, who is also a minor league free agent. Jake Bowers signed a minor league free agent deal last year with the Brewers, figured something out with the bat in September. It showed he put up the numbers. He's putting up numbers again in spring training, showing to me that these changes are real and sustainable. So, how do you get him at bats in order not only for you know for him to show that it is sustainable, but also he's forcing his way into this lineup uh in trying to get at bats, yes, against righties for sure. But how do you do that? Because Christian Yelich is going to be the everyday DH. Andrew Vaughn is gonna be the everyday first baseman. So we'll see if he gets some starts out there, maybe, maybe in left field, but Jackson Churio's there. So maybe Jackson plays center. That that leaves some question marks in maybe Garrett Mitchell's court as well. So we'll see what happens on that level.
SPEAKER_04Let me fill in a couple of spots on Jake Bowers. So he's 30, he's got five years of major league experience. He's on a 2.7 million dollar deal. Can Jake still earn a big dollar deal at 30 years old? Like could he be maybe not Milwaukee, but could he be a trade piece that uh 20 because he's an unrestricted free agent after this year? Is he still in a position, Vinny, to get the the big dollars? And I'm not saying 2.7 is anything to sneeze at, but it's not big by MLB standards.
SPEAKER_05Well, again, I I think you see, guys, there's examples of this throughout the course of history. I mean, Jose Batista, remember, he was remember that name was with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he couldn't figure it out, ended up becoming a minor league for agent, ended up being a big time home run hitter for the Toronto Blue Jays. Again, not saying that this is Jake Bowers. I'm saying this is in the realm of possibility for Jake Bowers. He's that he's got that kind of talent. So, yes, if he puts up big numbers, if he finds his way into the lineup somehow, some way, and puts up big numbers, next year you could be looking at a nice deal for himself, uh for Jake Bowers. Ryan O'Hearn will look what look him up uh on the internet. You know, you'll see him this year with Pittsburgh. He's gonna be a guy, and he signed a two-year 35 million dollar deal, something in that range. So uh, Jake, it is in the realm of possibilities. Would they trade him if he's producing? And I just I don't see the Brewers doing that with position guys that they really, really feel are part of this core and part of this you know, team chemistry in the dugout in the clubhouse type of thing. Jake Powers is that they just haven't done that with the position group, they've done it with pitchers because there's just more risk with injury, right? With pitchers, I think that's why they're flipping those guys. I don't know if Jake puts up huge numbers that they're gonna go ahead and flip him at the deadline.
SPEAKER_04What's uh what's the biggest question mark uh as this team two weeks from now? Now they're gonna play a couple of games, I believe two games at American Family Field before they open. Is it two uh exhibitions? Um I think they're playing the Reds. Yeah, I believe. Yeah, I think you're right. Um, what's the what's the one other we talked about pitching? Let's leave pitching out of the equation. Uh of the eight position players, what needs to be decided? And and center field and third base uh jump to the forefront. Is that where they are?
SPEAKER_05I do. I think you know Luis Renjifo signed a small deal. They brought him over after they traded for traded away Caleb Durbin for uh you know Kyle Harrison, Shane Drowan, and David Hamilton. And David Hamilton's the other factor over at third base. I don't think Jet Williams makes the team out of spring training and has a shot at third base, even if he's coming off this little slight quad injury and he's gonna have some runway here in spring training. But I do think he ends up starting the season in triple A, getting at bats, maybe even limiting his uh you know, his uh uh how many years that they have him, years of control. Um, maybe that's a factor with Jet Williams. I do think that third base, though, with with Renjifo making a couple of tough errors yesterday uh on seemingly really routine plays. I think there's some maybe some pause and some question marks around the defensive side of who's the best defensive third baseman. We didn't think Caleb Durbin was going to be able to play third base at all last year.
SPEAKER_04I didn't, I know a lot of people think happened. Well, he's playing there the whole time, right? But but the right, and the combination, we talked about this briefly last week. The combination of Matt Erickson and the guy, right? I mean, last year is Caleb Durbin, who was so he was a willing student, and Matt Erickson worked with him. And that'll be one of the questions. Is uh Renifo a willing learner with Matt Erickson to try and change and make him a higher quality defensive third baseman?
SPEAKER_05And I talked to Matty Erickson about this exact same question, and he said yes, you know, and and here's the thing about the Brewers and this clubhouse is that let's say uh the guy, the guy was with the Anaheim Angels for his entire career. Not from everything I've heard, not a great place to play and to foster that winning culture feel type mentality, right? And so when you come over to the Milwaukee Brewers and you have some will and some want to get better and to get gobbled up by this winning culture, you're gonna elevate your game first and foremost. That's the mindset that you're gonna have kind of biosmosis, you know, into your mind. And that's what I think they think we're gonna see from Luis Rengifo. And he is a willing worker. Maddie Erickson said he's he's willing to, he has been willing to kind of take some advice and some adjustments that he's trying to make. The the throws in the past were an issue. Yesterday they were fielding errors. So I've seen the throws right on the money every single time. So I know that Maddie Erickson helped Caleb Durbin with that same thing. It was a small adjustment, basically said just follow your throw to third base after you release the ball. We've seen Luis Rengifo already make that adjustment. I think the glove's gonna be fine. And I do think Luis Renhifo, he looks the part like a third baseman. So between him and David Hamilton being able to lock down third base, I do think that's the biggest roster question. And then center field would be the other one as well.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, so uh, and we'll touch on center field because Garrett Mitchell in a standard lineup and he's healthy and good to go, uh, you're gonna look at Churio in left, Mitchell in center, and Freelick in right. Blake Perkins is their fourth outfielder, and he's gonna be the guy that would go in in center field if uh all of a sudden you get a scenario of which you have a tough left-handed pitcher than Blake might be the guy. If I leave Kristen Yelich just as DH and occasionally in left field, who's the other fifth outfielder? Is is it Williams? Like, how are they gonna work in, or is it Lockridge? What are they doing on that fifth outfield spot?
SPEAKER_05I do think you know, Blake obviously is is there uh you know, as the fourth guy, like you said, yeah. I I do think it's gonna be um potentially just Jake Bowers. I I really do. I think Lockridge, yeah, I think Lockridge is gonna be on the outside looking in. Not on the outside looking in, just more of a just more of a guy that's um, you know, kind of still developing. They made some adjustments with his swing, and he's a willing. Participant of going down to AAA. Not every player is, remember. So he's he really wants to get better. He's got all the tools in the world, super fast, uh, doesn't swing and miss very much, but they're just trying to have him stay behind the baseball a little bit more and drive it a little bit more often and trying to tap into the some of the power that like he had a home run, he had a home run in spring training, it was like 115 off the bat, one of the hardest balls hit all spring training. So he's got it in him as well. So uh I do think he's not gonna be uh a guy to make the opening day roster, so to speak, but he'll be a guy that's definitely gonna help the team throughout this season. Uh, but I I think Jake is probably gonna be that fifth guy.
SPEAKER_04Is this uh when they get to the next two weeks, those guys like Lockeridge and others, they're kind of looking around every day to see if uh if somebody's walking over to their their uh locker and you know, putting a note in there, come see, yeah, come see uh Matt and uh and Pat Murphy, uh Matt Arnold. Uh you know, how how does it how does that get handled? And I I imagine that you were on the receiving end a couple of times, right? More than more than a couple of times.
SPEAKER_05I I wish there were social media. You know how they do social media videos now of telling a guy they've made the team. I should have done the opposite because it happened to me so often. I have a social media video posted of them telling me I'm I'm back down to triple A.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Um, they have uh basically they'll have Jason Shoger uh or Ben Wilkes, who are uh a couple of the well, they're they're running the clubhouse basically, big part of the team, actually. Both those guys are phenomenal in what they do. They'll have those guys or or Joe Swanhart uh kind of tap them on the shoulder and say, hey, look, Murph uh needs to see you in the office. And at that point, your heart kind of sinks because you're still you still got the jersey. Um, but at the same time, those are conversations that are really productive. I remember when I was still a quote unquote prospect and that happened to me a couple of times. Those are you know conversations that keep you motivated to go ahead and continue to work and continue to make adjustments that you need to make. Um, so that's probably I'm sure Murph handles those exceptionally well and the players take them well as well.
SPEAKER_04Also, I also wonder if when Chauger walks up uh to your locker, you gotta double check with him that you're not being pranked because uh right these clubhouse guys they are level one uh prank pranksters. Uh I mean we saw it in the fantasy camp. Uh that they can play the game.
SPEAKER_05Without a doubt. That's that's kind of what they live for. Some of these pranks. Remember, uh, what did they do? They sent uh a fantasy camper down to AAA, they bought him a real bus ticket. So I think someone ate a couple hundred bucks or fantasy camper.
SPEAKER_04One of the club 101ers ate uh ate like a$250 tab on actually buying a bus ticket for a fantasy camper to go to Nashville through like Albuquerque and El Paso.
SPEAKER_05It had like 50 stops along the way.
SPEAKER_04You'll be there. You'll be be there in four days on exactly. Uh they weren't even gonna fly him. Yeah, so uh that that club and that's part. Let me let me just uh away from the game. The the clubhouse, and I'm sure it's I'm sure they do it everywhere, right? I mean, all big league clubhouses for the run of time, it is uh it is a not safe zone if you are too uh inclined to be fooled, if you're gullible. It's an unsafe zone, but man, is it fun? And that group that led by Jason Schauger, uh they know how to do some stuff that'll get people loosened up or have some fun at their expense. I mean, the clubhouse is a I didn't want to leave it, uh Vinny, when we were there for fantasy camp. In the afternoon, when it's and they say, hey, get out of here, the buses are a lot of us didn't want to leave because that's a fun place to be.
SPEAKER_05Well, and that's what's so special as a player is just that clubhouse time. It really is. You can understand why you know it when you watch uh the movie Just a Bit Outside, right? Outlining and detailing the 1982 Brewers, that's the times that they're most engaged when they're talking with each other, having a couple of pops after the game, a couple of Miller lights after the game, and just talking baseball, talking really everything. And that's you experience that at Fantasy Camp, Mike. And it's so cool because it doesn't really matter if you're a fantasy camper or if you're a tenure big leaguer, or if you're a guy like me that was up and down. Um, it you feel that every single day that you're in that clubhouse and you feel that camaraderie and you feel that brotherhood, it really is because you're with the guys every day. That's the thing that's different about you know baseball. And I know football guys and basketball, you're there, but that's more you know practicing you know on a daily basis. But this is you're going to battle every day in a game that really matters, really hard to win a major league baseball game, and it's emotionally draining after you feel like you just took the SAT test after a baseball game. Yeah, and even as a fantasy camper, you felt that. I don't care what level you're playing at, that's the way you feel. And so you need that time to kind of decompress. And that's what's so cool about the game. That's why it's the best game there is. I really believe that um because of that brotherhood.
SPEAKER_04And it's why, well, I and I won't name them. Uh, one of the national writers uh questioned team USA after their win against against Mexico because then the next night after they lost to Italy, that national writer questioned how they managed themselves after the Mexico game because the team stayed in the clubhouse and they set their chairs around the perimeter of the clubhouse and they talked. They celebrated a little bit, but they also talked and shared stories. And one of the national writers was questioning that after the Mexico game with another game to play. And I was like, that's one of those times where like, do you not get it? I mean, that wasn't a negative, that's a positive. My goodness. I I saw that and I was going, Oh boy, that's not well done.
SPEAKER_05No, that yeah, you don't criticize the time in the clubhouse. Yeah, that that was not well said. And um, I I do you know, D-row, uh, you know, thank goodness the USA advanced. I am rooting for team USA. Um I was gonna ask it was gonna be one of my clubs in Italy.
SPEAKER_04I mean they don't get Italy, they're they're gonna they get Canada uh tomorrow, right? Uh so they get Canada to open. But let's say Team Italy and Team USA match up again. Where does Vinny Rettino, which I mean it's not Irish, where does Vinny Rettino uh log in?
SPEAKER_05I am one-eighth Irish, so if the Ireland team ever gets a team, uh they probably call me even as old as I am tonight.
SPEAKER_02Oh, you can play.
SPEAKER_05But I would say, okay, so team USA and Team Italy are are on opposite sides of the bracket, so they could meet each other in the championship. I would have a hard time not slightly pulling for Team Italy just because you know, look, I want the Americans to win for sure. They have to back up what the what the USA hockey teams did in the Olympics. They definitely have to. They got to show out well here and hopefully win win this thing. Because with the roster that they have, they certainly are are the best team on paper.
SPEAKER_04Now I think you've got to get lucky, right? And didn't they kind of get a little lucky? I mean, Aaron Nola was great last night, and Team Italy has been fantastic. They were the better team. They beat they were the better team when they beat the USA, they were the better team when they beat Mexico. I don't know if they're the best team in the run, but they were good on those nights. But sometimes in the NCA tournament, which gets underway next week, you'll seem see a team get a little lucky, and that team turns a little bit of that luck into their own good fortune, and maybe Team USA can do that at the World Baseball Classic.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, it'll turn it into some momentum and maybe a little bit of a shot in the rear end, right? That they need in order to kind of be motivated to go ahead and finish the thing off for sure. I definitely think that that could be the case. I mean, and hopefully, you know, Bryce Tarang, he's been fun to watch in this tournament. My goodness, you know, and he's making a statement that, hey, look, I he actually received some MVP votes last year, and rightfully so. He's showing exactly why he received some votes because my goodness, this guy is rubbing elbows and playing as you know, to a level right on on top of this biggest stage uh in the game right now. And I love how guys are talking about the World Baseball Classic Mike as to you know, this is as uh high energy and you know, high highly competitive feel as the playoffs in even the World Series. So that's what's cool about this tournament. And yeah, the quarterfinals are getting underway, I think, tomorrow. So I'm excited to watch it.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, USA and Canada goes tomorrow at seven o'clock tomorrow night, Korea and the Dominican Republic at 5:30 tomorrow. Saturday quarterfinals, Puerto Rico against Italy, and Venezuela against Japan. I mean, you essentially get in Venezuela, Japan, you get what should be or could have been a finals matchup in a quarterfinal round. Like, I mean, that and this is for for those of us who love this game, this is special. Uh and I'm glad that they're doing it, and it does. It's ramped up. I wonder about the echo effect for some of the players, Vinny, because they're super charged. Some of them said that the uh Mexican, the environment in Houston the other night when they played Team Mexico was the loudest baseball environment they had ever played in. Wow. And we're talking about guys who have been in big moments before. So this can get ramped up. Is there an echo that where they have to come back down to earth and then re-ramp up for an opening day, which is two weeks from now?
SPEAKER_05That's a that's certainly a factor. I you know, I don't think the players in Latin America, the you know, the the players from Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, they've been playing Winter Ball their entire big professional careers. Where 10,000 fans, Mike, feels like 50,000 in a US stadium. They're they're they're chanting, they're screaming, they're on their feet the entire game. That's how it felt in Japan as well. When I played over in Japan and Korea, same feel, smaller venues, less fans, but as loud, if not louder. So um there is that. I I definitely think you're gonna have uh not a letdown, but you're gonna feel that. I think guys are gonna have to kind of make that adjustment. They will, you're right. These are major leaguers, best on the planet at what they do, so they'll figure that out, but it's certainly a factor. And um, I just again I think this tournament is so good for the game. Thank goodness I'm knocking on wood. I am knocking on wood. There's been no you know major injuries so far. We saw Edwin Diaz tears ACL in a celebration to get to the quarterfinal and last WBC. Yeah, and uh I just think that is would hurt the game of baseball if if something like that happened again, but I'm knocking on wood.
SPEAKER_04So yeah, and that happened in celebration, not even in in uh traditional play. And then they're being uh cautious on something. Like Eric Scuble is not gonna pitch again, they've replaced uh certain pitchers on the roster who won't go again because that was the predetermined plan for said player to get ready for job one, which is to fulfill the contract of the team that he's playing with. And there's a lot of money that got invested in a Scubol in Detroit. So I'm sure that one of the negotiations there was you you can you can join, you can be on Team USA, but you're gonna get one, right? So it contractually, I'm pretty sure that's how that was, yes.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I think as an agreement with uh the team, and also I think Scott Boris probably had a hand in helping Tarek Scuba making that decision. Yeah, this his agent. And so, but it's it was cool to see what Terek Scuble said after the fact that he did make the decision. Say, look, I'm signing up for the next Olympics, I'm signing up for the next world baseball classic. Count me in, which is cool. Uh, and so yeah, again, hopefully the the Americans can pull it off. I think you know clearly they have the horses to do it, it's just a matter of staying motivated, and um they're gonna have a tough task at hand, right? So they got Canada and then the winner of Dominican Republic Korea. I gotta believe that the Dominican is gonna emerge from that uh game, and they are extremely tough. Maybe they don't have the pitching, but my goodness, they have a lineup as formidable, if not more so, than the Americans.
SPEAKER_04One other quick uh line about the WBC Andrew Fisher, who is the maybe the Brewers' third baseman of the future, is showing up. I mean, kid can really play, and and he's hitting on the biggest stage that he's ever played in. He looks undaunted, and he's been fantastic for Team Italy.
SPEAKER_05Super confident player drafted last year, 20th overall, 22nd overall by the Brewers. Really impressive to see him. You know, he had a he had a monster home run in spring training before he left for the WBC, and then he comes out in the WBC and he he's swinging the bat really well. He looks like the bat definitely looks like, and I'm saying this like really quick, it looks major league ready already without him even playing a full season in the minor leagues. I mean, he it really does. He looks like he's really balanced at the plate, not fooled by off speed pitches, can see you know, see the ball, spray it to all field. So there's a lot to like about the bat. I I do think I'm with you. Maybe it's a first baseman, but maybe he can play third, so they're gonna have to figure that out. But yeah, he looks he looks good, and um hopefully, you know, he can continue to swing the bat well so that they can go ahead and meet the United States in the championship.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, wouldn't that be great? Yeah, hey Vinny, uh thanks for putting up with my technical issues out of the gate. Uh I appreciate you. I I look forward to this every week and I will continue. It's brought to you by Pottawana Meat Sportsbook and Casino. Uh Vinny Rutino joins us on Thursdays. I appreciate you. We'll do it again next week.
SPEAKER_05Sounds good, Mike. We'll see you.
SPEAKER_04All right, thank you, Vinny. Vinny Rutino joining us. And uh all right, so let's let's transition into what today is and uh help set up tomorrow a little bit. So today, uh the uh Wisconsin basketball team will open their play in the quarterfinal round at the Big Ten tournament. Um, so not even the quarterfinals, quarterfinals would be tomorrow, Mike. Um so they open against Washington. Uh that game will tip about 130. Iowa and Ohio State, the opening game, the winner there gets Michigan, and then Wisconsin, Washington, the winner there will get Illinois on the evening session in these games played today and tonight in Chicago. Purdue gets Northwestern and the winner gets Nebraska. And then the nightcap is Rutgers UCLA with the winner advancing to take on Michigan State. No Nolan Winter today. He is listed as out. I expected that. I think the the plan on Nolan Winter is to get him ready for next week and the NCAA tournament. I would be more than a little surprised if he plays in Chicago. I think they just want to get as close to 100% health. They say lower leg injury. I believe it's either foot or ankle, right? So we saw the injury when it happened. So that's that plan. And then tomorrow, as we just mentioned with Vinny, uh USA Canada tomorrow night at seven o'clock. Well, the U.S. and Canada have had a lot of run-ins in the last month or so in Olympic hockey and now in World Baseball Classic uh baseball tomorrow night, USA and Canada. And then uh I'll finish with this. My tops of the day goes back, and I don't have a bottom, just the top. So the top of the day goes back uh to a hockey conversation. I don't know if you remember a few weeks ago what a tragic story it was in Rhode Island with a high school hockey rink shooting um with four people dying. The shooter uh self-inflicted gun wound after he had killed a child, um, his ex-wife and uh ex-father-in-law. So last night, the hockey player who lost those three family members in that mass shooting at a Rhode Island rink last month played the role of hero Wednesday night. Senior Colin Dorgan scored on a breakaway in double overtime, lifting Blackstone Valley co-op to a 3-2 win over Portsmouth and advancing to the Rhode Island Division II hockey championship. Quote, greatest moment of my life, Dogan said after the goal sent teammates pouring onto the ice. A month earlier, Dorgan's brother, his mother, and grandfather were killed when a shooter identified as Robert Dorgan, who had transitioned to be a woman, opened fire on spectators at the arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island during the Blackstone Valley Senior Day game. Officials said that the shooter who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound was specifically targeting family members. Two others were critically injured. Well, the surviving son, who was on the ice when that happened last night, scored a game winner in double overtime to send his team onto the state championship game. Tragic story will always remain. There will forever be a hole there. But sometimes sports has a healing impact. And last night in a double overtime game winner certainly filled that void for the moment. All right, coming up tomorrow on this show, we go. We had an uh an OG original gangster, Tom Oates, old guy. He joined us on Wednesdays. We're gonna do OG Wednesdays. OG doesn't have to mean you're old. I mean, uh, I'm gonna have former uh co-hosts that I've worked with on uh down the road on an OG Wednesday. Well, we're gonna go to an NG Friday, new guy, new gangster, whatever. Uh uh Nick Brusowitz has agreed to join me tomorrow on the program. So uh Nick Brusowitz Friday, we're gonna reunite. We work last worked together on September 2nd and didn't know that it was our last time working together until later that afternoon. Uh Nick Brusowitz will join me tomorrow. So let's uh let's take care of some business here. Not that one, that one. Our sponsors for this show, uh, our presenting sponsors, neuroscience group, neuroscience group.com. Uh they are uh I appreciate their support of the show. Also brought to you by M3 Insurance, M3INS.com, our partner sponsors, and today's sponsor for Vinny Rettino, Pottawatomi Sportsbook, and Casino Bet above the rest. And Habish, Habish, and Rotier also on the program uh as a partner sponsor. So so much fun. Uh as I'm sorry about the uh technical issues. Uh I hope that you stuck with us uh through that. I'll get better. Or I won't. I mean, I think I will. I'll try. Uh, Matt Erickson's gonna come over and help me out a little bit uh uh fielding ground balls. I don't think that's gonna help. Uh again, thanks for jumping in with us today. Back with a new guy Friday, the NG Friday. Nick Bruzewitz is my guest tomorrow. Let's go, Badgers, go get a win today. Plenty to talk about. It is the players' championship at Ponte Vedra. I'm gonna be watching that. So much stuff going on. Thanks for being here today. I appreciate you being here, and we will talk to you again tomorrow.
SPEAKER_01I love Mondays with Mike Helen.